Hong Kong: CE to attend NPC session in Beijing Chief Executive John Lee will depart for Beijing on March 4 to attend the opening meeting of the second annual session of the 14th National Peoples Congress on March 5, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced today. Director of the Chief Executives Office Carol Yip will join the visit. During the trip, Mr Lee will call on central ministries to enhance co-operation and exchange. He will also witness the signing of co-operation documents between the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the National Health Commission and the Health Bureau respectively on strengthening the training of healthcare talent and commencing projects on prevention and response against local communicable diseases. Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui and Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau will join relevant parts of the visit. Mr Lee will return to Hong Kong on March 6. During his absence, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki will the Acting Chief Executive. This story has been published on: 2024-03-02. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. China, Indonesia pledge to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation Xinhua) 09:45, March 02, 2024 Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong meets with Rycko Amelza Dahniel, head of Indonesia's National Counter-Terrorism Agency, in Beijing, capital of China, March 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong met with Rycko Amelza Dahniel, head of Indonesia's National Counter-Terrorism Agency, in Beijing on Friday, with both sides pledging to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation. Noting that the development of China-Indonesia relations have maintained a strong momentum under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, Wang said China is ready to work with Indonesia to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' leaders, and act on the Global Security Initiative. He added that both countries should strengthen the mechanism of counter-terrorism cooperation, promote cooperation on counter-terrorism capacity building, and communication and coordination on international counter-terrorism affairs, deepen practical cooperation on law-enforcement security, and advance the building of a China-Indonesia community with a shared future at a high level. Rycko expressed willingness to enhance practical counter-terrorism cooperation with China to improve the overall level of counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) Aishah Al-Sehaim, right, who is a Democrat and Arab American in Minnesota's Democratic-leaning 3rd Congressional District works on her computer on Feb. 27, 2024, in Hopkins, Minn. The 36-year-old engineer is upset by President Joe Biden's approach to the war in Gaza but is voting for him in an effort to stop former President Donald Trump. "It's not even about hope to affect change in the coming years, but simply that things don't get more screwed up nationally and internationally." Thomas Beaumont/AP Audra Robinson, a 52-year-old marketing executive from Brooklyn Park, Minn., poses for a photo on Feb. 26, 2024, in Osseo, Minn. The Democrat in Minnesota's Democratic-leaning 3rd Congressional District is unenthused by President Joe Biden. "So for me, it's voting so that Trump cannot be in office again," Robinson said. "And that means getting behind the party. So, I guess that's Biden." Thomas Beaumont/AP Abdifatah Abdi, right, standing with his mother Deqa Hassan, left,, a Somali immigrant living in Hopkins, Minn., talks on Feb. 28, 2024. He said "a majority of us have voted for Biden before," but expects fewer to vote for him in 2024 out of opposition to his administration's support for Israel in the war in Gaza. Abdi, a 26-year-old college student, said he might vote for former President Donald Trump, despite his support for banning immigrants from Somalia. "Trump may be for a ban. But what is worse, a ban or the killing?" Abdi said. Thomas Beaumont/AP HOPKINS, Minn. (AP) Aishah Al-Sehaim laments the 30,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, a grim statistic from a war with Israel that she wishes President Joe Biden would try harder to stop. But the 38-year-old clinical data scientist, an Arab American from the Democratic-heavy suburb of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, is voting for the Democrat on Tuesday anyway because her top priority is stopping Republican Donald Trump. Its not even about hope to affect change in the coming years, but simply that things dont get more screwed up nationally and internationally, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Biden's campaign isn't likely to trumpet endorsements such as Al-Sehaim's. But they give credence to the reelection effort's strategy of promoting Biden administration programs but also turning out disaffected Democrats by invoking their fears of Trump. For many reluctant Biden voters in suburban Minneapolis and around the country, any potential value of a protest vote in a primary or general election is outweighed by starkly practical considerations about a possible second Trump presidency. Biden is still expected to sweep Democratic primaries in Minnesota and 15 other states on Super Tuesday and will likely secure his party's nomination in the coming weeks. While campaign officials note the presidents accomplishments on liberal priorities such as climate change, they are all too aware of concerns about his age and a lack of enthusiasm not just for Biden but about politics at large. Bidens strongest supporters acknowledge his campaign does not inspire voters the same way that Barack Obama or Ronald Reagan once did. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Im not sure, because of the poison thats been injected into the system over the last 10 years, if anybody gets that morning-in-America enthusiasm again, said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, referring to Reagans famous reelection campaign television ad. It doesnt surprise me that much that what youre finding is people who say theyre going to support him, but its not an Obama-type new thing. Biden aides argue there is more enthusiasm for the president than the interviews suggest. They point to the 600,000 voters who voted in Michigan's primary this past week, more than three times the turnout for Obama in 2012. One of Biden's token primary challengers is Rep. Dean Phillips, a three-term congressman representing this very tract of Minneapolis suburbs. Yet among nearly two dozen interviews conducted over three days with Democratic voters in his district, Phillips got barely a mention. Beating Trump was the most common theme in interviews with professionals, students and cross section of age, gender and racial and ethnic backgrounds. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It frightens me to think about Trump being in office again, said Audra Robinson. The 52-year-old marketing executive from Brooklyn Park says she is specifically troubled by Trumps praise for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a right-wing nationalist Trump routinely lauds while campaigning, and whatever his affinity for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is. Orban is scheduled to meet privately with Trump at the former presidents residence in Florida this coming week, a development that punctuated Robinsons worry about Trump's "alignment with dictators and some scary people on this earth. So for me, its voting so that Trump cannot be in office again, Robinson said. And that means getting behind the party. So, I guess thats Biden. Advertisement Article continues below this ad James Calderaro of Hopkins knew Phillips was a candidate but dismissed Phillips as a distraction." Calderaro, a 71-year-old retired fashion photographer, was more upbeat about Biden than were many of those interviewed, crediting him with improvements in the economy. But even Calderaro, like many, raised without prompting Bidens age as a concern. Biden is 81; Trump is 77. I understand the the age-related stuff. I dont necessarily like Bidens age, Calderaro said. But whats the option? Trump? Really? That guys an absolute thug. Hes a danger to our way of life. Minnesota has been a progressive bastion, not carried by a Republican presidential candidate since Richard Nixon in 1972, though Trump came within 1.5 percentage points of winning in 2016. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Observers will watch Tuesday for how many Democrats choose uncommitted in Minnesota after a protest effort in Michigan's primary drew more than 100,000 votes. Minnesota has a significant Somali American population that is predominantly Muslim and may similarly protest the Israel-Hamas war, which Israel launched after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack in which militants killed more than 1,200 people and kidnapped about 250 others. In an interview at the governor's residence in St. Paul, Walz motioned to the street outside and noted that there were often anti-war protesters there. Im glad to hear people are talking about this, he said. This isnt an unhealthy thing. We like to air these out." Abdifatah Abdi, one of the more than 80,000 Somali immigrants in Minnesota, said he may not vote for Biden out of opposition to what Abdi considers the president's weak opposition to killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A majority of us have voted for Biden before, but this time I dont think we should vote for him, said Abdi. The 26-year-old college student, who is Muslim, is weighing supporting Trump instead of Biden, despite Trumps 2017 ban on immigration from some Muslim-majority countries, including Somalia, and the suggestion that Trump would reprise it if elected again. Trump may be for a ban. But what is worse, a ban or the killing? Abdi said. Tacy Nielson described her support for Biden as grudging. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Im concerned about his mental capacity, the 36-year-old yoga instructor from Eden Prairie said. And Im tired of choosing between the lesser evil of two old white guys. But Biden is the lesser of those two evils. Dan Schultz of Minnetonka joined the refrain. 2 March 2024 17:28 (UTC+04:00) On March 1, the National Defense University hosted a graduation ceremony of the basic and intermediate English language course conducted with the participation of employees of the Administration of the Regional Medical Divisions (TABIB), Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Defense. First, the memory of National Leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev, and martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, was honored with observing a minute of silence. The National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was performed. Speakers at the ceremony congratulated the participants on the successful completion of the course and wished them success in their future activities. Head of the International Relations Department at TABIB Ramin Aghayev expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the organization of the course. In the end, the graduates were awarded certificates. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 16:39 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population, Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Serbia Sahil Babayev has met with Ambassador of Serbia to the country Dragan Vladisavljevic, Azernews reports. Addressing the meeting, Minister Sahil Babayev said that thanks to the political will and efforts of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Serbia, relations between the two countries have reached the level of strategic partnership. The two commended the expanding relations in various areas, increasing trade turnover between the two countries, as well as the activities of the Intergovernmental Commission in this regard. Ambassador Dragan Vladisavljevic expressed his countrys determination to expand relations with Azerbaijan based on strategic partnership. The meeting also focused on the current state and prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and Serbia in energy, transport-logistics, social, agricultural, educational, humanitarian, infrastructure and other spheres. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 17:16 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan`s Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov has met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, Azernews reports. The sides discussed bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Holy See, as well as the existing situation in the region. According to Minister Bayramov, the growth of relations between the two countries was aided by frequent visits and meetings. FM Bayramov particularly noted that after the establishment of the embassy of Azerbaijan in the Holy See, the increase in contacts became a source of contentment, playing an important role in the implementation of cooperation and joint projects in political, cultural, humanitarian, and other fields. The sides agreed that the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), to be held in Azerbaijan this year, creates more opportunities for further cooperation. The Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See was informed about the current situation in the region in the post-conflict period, including the latest status of the normalization and peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia. They also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 08:00 (UTC+04:00) In 2023, 363 murders were committed in Uzbekistan. 141 of them or 38.8% were caused by family disputes, Azernews reports, citing Kun.uz news agency. 141 or 38.8% of the 363 murders committed in Uzbekistan in December 2023 were caused by family disputes. This was announced at the meeting of the Senate Committee on Defense and Security Issues. The reasons for this are family unrest, and the lack of timely resolution of disputes, which has been overlooked by mahalla activists and the general public. 2 March 2024 11:46 (UTC+04:00) Japanese companies' interest in implementing hydroelectric projects in Kyrgyzstan is growing, Azernews reports. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, the statement was made during a meeting between Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to Japan, Erkinbek Osoev, and Director of the Department for Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry of Japan, Masashi Watanabe. In this regard, the Japanese side expressed a desire to strengthen joint cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and other organizations. During the meeting, the parties also discussed the prospects of signing a Memorandum of Cooperation on energy transition between the Ministry of Energy of Kyrgyzstan and the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry of Japan. They exchanged views on subsequent joint steps following the economic and energy dialogue "Central Asia + Japan" held in Tokyo in September 2023. It was also noted the importance of the planned visit of Watanabe to Kyrgyzstan during on March 12-13, 2024. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 15:16 (UTC+04:00) Law enforcement agencies used tear gas against participants in an anti-government protest near the Argentine Congress building, according to C5N TV channel, Azernews reports, citing TASS. Several hundred people gathered in front of the parliament building as the countrys president, Javier Milei, spoke inside. During the demonstration, a fight broke out between supporters of the head of state and protesters against his policies. According to the public organization Commission for Truth in the province of Buenos Aires, about 20 people were tear gassed. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 15:37 (UTC+04:00) Hungary managed to unblock about 2 billion ($2.2 billion) in European Union funds as Prime Minister Viktor Orbans government made further progress in the recovery of crucial financing, Azernews reports, citing Bloomberg. The European Commission unlocked the latest tranche after Hungary met so-called thematic conditions relating to educational training and gender equality, Stefan de Keersmaecker, a spokesman for the EUs executive arm, said by phone on Friday. While the funds are part of the more than 30 billion the EU decided to withhold from Hungary more than a year ago, the conditions Budapest met were unrelated to concerns about the rule of law or corruption, which had been the main drivers behind the financing freeze. The EU unblocked 10.2 billion of funds in December after Hungary met the blocs demands to strengthen judicial independence. With the most recent decision, the amount of funds the EU continues to withhold from Hungary dropped to about 19 billion, de Keersmaecker said. About half of that are Covid-recovery grants and loans and the other half so-called cohesion funds. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A military court in Somalia has sentenced six Islamic State fighters from Morocco to death, Azernews informs referring to BBC. The men will be executed by a firing squad if their appeal, which they have one month to file, is unsuccessful. "They came to Somalia to support Isis [IS} and destroy and shed blood," the court's deputy chairman, Col Ali Ibrahim Osman, told VOA Somali. The men's lawyer said they had been misled into joining IS and were seeking to be deported to Morocco. It is the first time authorities in the semi-autonomous Puntland region have charged or sentenced foreigners for joining IS. The military court also gave an Ethiopian and a Somali 10-year prison sentences each, while freeing another Somali defendant due to insufficient evidence. One of the prosecutors told BBC Somali that the militants were arrested in the Cal-Miskaat mountains, east of Bosaso, Puntland's commercial hub. The mountains are a stronghold of Islamic State, which has a base there. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 20:15 (UTC+04:00) Argentine President Javier Milei has said that the country's only national news agency, Telam, would be shut down as it has been promoting the policies of former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Azernews informs, citing foreign media sources. We will close the Telam news agency, which has been used as an agency to promote Krichnerism in recent decades, Milei said on Friday. Argentinas authorities had previously been planning to privatize the agency. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 14:12 (UTC+04:00) On March 1, on the sidelines of the 3rd Antalya Diplomacy Forum, a meeting was held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Zheenbek Kulubaev, and the Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Azernews informs, citing the Kyrgyz MFA. During the meeting, general issues of cooperation of the Kyrgyz Republic within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States, the current activities of the OTS Secretariat, as well as the upcoming plans of the Organization, were discussed. In particular, the parties focused on the events planned in the Kyrgyz Republic this year, including the holding of the next 11th Summit of the Heads of State of the OTS, as well as the implementation of the initiatives Kyrgyzstan voiced at the previous Summit. At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed mutual interest in further close work to promote the cooperation of the Kyrgyz Republic within the OTS. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Sara Horwitz appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show recently to talk about amphibians and reptitles. Contributed photo / Weiss Eubanks - NBCUniversal WEST HARTFORD Sara Horwitz's love for amphibians and reptiles goes back to her childhood, when she'd take any chance she could to scavenge for snakes and other animals at Westmoor Park or Canton's Roaring Brook Nature Center. "As long as I can remember, I would go to places like the reptile house at the Bronx Zoo or Westmoor Park ... anywhere we could see wildlife," said Horwitz, a West Hartford native who now lives in Middletown. "I have always been fascinated by reptiles and trying to find any of our local snakes. I had a passion early on of trying to see them in their natural habitat to learn more about their behavior and their biology." Starting as a volunteer at the Roaring Brook Nature Center in the seventh grade, Horwitz who now researches these animals professionally as a herpetologist then began a mission of trying to change people's fears and perceptions about snakes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "I would feed the snakes," Horwitz recalled. "At a very young age, they gave me a chance. Thats kind of where it all came from, to have that experience, to take a snake out and touch it. It broke down barriers of being scared." That has carried into her adult life, too. Horwitz worked at the Children's Museum in West Hartford for seven years as an animal expert and handler. Her days were filled with showing off the collection of animals in the museum's sanctuary to young children. Her goal? To see if she could change their perspectives on some of the more unusual animals in the short time she had with them. "Starting at a young age the youngest possible I always felt that was important," Horwitz said. "But it's never too late. One of the most rewarding parts... there would be a huge percentage of students that was scared. They knew I had some type of snake. But by the end of the class, they would inch towards me and the kids would be pleading with their parents to get close so they could have a chance to pet them." In Februrary, Horwitz got the chance to take that message on a national platform through an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Horwitz was asked to be on he show to talk amphibians and reptiles after having been selected as NBC Connecticut's PAWSitively Good Award Winner in January 2023. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "It's a really big show and I thought itd be an honor to go and talk about something I'm so passionate about," Horwitz said. "I was very excited to get the message through about wildlife conservation and the impact that wildlife education can do for kids." While in New York for filming, Horwitz was given the star treatment: hair and makeup were part of the experience just like it was for the celebrities, including Today show host Savannah Guthrie, who were appearing on the show that day too. But the highlight might have been Horwitz meeting Abigail Spencer, an actress she's a fan of, and getting her to pet the snake she brought on the show. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "She said she never touched a snake," Horwitz said. "To do that with an actor I like was a surreal experience and for all I know could change the way her kids think about snakes." She also changed the minds of a few crew members, including one who was shaking when they entered the room and saw the snake, but left the room having pet it. "That's the best, to see that change in someone," Horwitz said. Sara Horwitz holds a large racer snake. Horwitz, a West Hartford native, recently appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show to talk about the animal. Contributed photo / Mark Lotterhand Horwitz said it was quite an experience to walk into a talk show recording in front of hundreds of excited viewers once it was her time to shine and sit down with Clarkson herself. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "It was a different world. It was really neat and a once in a lifetime experience," Horwitz said. "She was extremely nice. The first thing she asked me when I walked onto the stage and there were 200 people screaming and applauding was if it was too loud and if the snake was OK. She pet the snake before we started. I wasnt nervous. Shes a great person to have a conversation with." The video featuring Horwitz, who works at Pratt & Whitney and does animal research during her free time, dubbed her as the "snake lady." When Horwitz is asked if that's a fine label for her, she's quick to reply. 2 March 2024 19:54 (UTC+04:00) Uzbekistan called on China to join efforts to create favorable conditions for the development of multimodal transportation through the territory of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Azernews reports. This was discussed during a trilateral meeting of delegations of the governments of Uzbekistan, China and Kyrgyzstan in Kashgar (China) on March 1. Uzbekistan's Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Chairman of Kyrgyzstan's Cabinet of Ministers Akylbek Zhaparov, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of Chinese Communist Party, secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Ma Xingrui participated in the meeting. Together with Chinese and Kyrgyz partners, significant projects in transportation and logistics, energy, industrial, agricultural and other sectors of the economy are being implemented. Uzbekistan, China and Kyrgyzstan discussed the importance of starting practical work on the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad line this year. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad line, which is supposed to be built within the framework of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, is the shortest alternative road connecting the Central Asian region with China. The idea of establishing a joint venture for the construction and operation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad line was supported. The sides also decided to take appropriate steps to further improve the activity of the Irkeshtom checkpoint, create favorable conditions and expand transit opportunities. At the end of the trilateral talks, the heads of delegations familiarized with the work of the Ulugchat customs terminal and Irkeshtom checkpoint. In general, within the framework of the Uzbek delegation's visit to China, detailed information on the activities of the "Kashgar Economic and Technological Development Zone" was presented, and bilateral meetings were held with the heads of a number of leading companies. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 18:51 (UTC+04:00) The Boeing Company confirmed in a press release on Friday that it is in talks with Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. about a potential acquisition, Azernews reports, citing foreign media. "We have been working closely with Spirit AeroSystems and its leadership to strengthen the quality of the commercial airplanes that we build together. We confirm that our collaboration has resulted in preliminary discussions about making Spirit AeroSystems a part of Boeing again," the aerospace giant said. "We believe that the reintegration of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems' manufacturing operations would further strengthen aviation safety, improve quality and serve the interests of our customers, employees, and shareholders. ," it added but stressed it cannot confirm whether an agreement will be reached at the moment. Spirit was established in 2005 when Boeing divested its Wichita division and sold it to Onex Corporation. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 21:48 (UTC+04:00) The United States, South Korea and Thailand held joint military drills in Thailand's coastal area on Friday to enhance "amphibious landing capabilities and humanitarian operations", Azernews reports, citing Yonhap. The exercise, dubbed Cobra Gold, involved three South Korean vessels, six armored vehicles, F-16 fighter jets and C-130 transport aircraft. The drills started on February 26 and will last until March 8, with Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Japan also taking part. Additionally, China and India will join the humanitarian support training part of the exercise. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 18:09 (UTC+04:00) The 10th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting and the 2nd Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting, held in Azerbaijans capital city of Baku, hit the headlines in the media outlets of Italy such as Energia Italia, Agenzia Nova, il Secolo XIX, Borsa Italiana, Green Economy Agency, Azernews reports. The articles highlighted the meeting between Minister of Environment and Energy Security of Italy Gilberto Pichetto Fratin and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The Italian news portals hailed the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor and the TAP pipeline for Europe and Italy, saying that Italy has imported 26 billion cubic meters of gas through the TAP pipeline since its commissioning at the end of 2020, and TAP's transmission capacity will be increased by 1.2 billion cubic meters from 2026. The articles also mentioned that Baku would host the 29th (COP29) session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change this year. (Azertag) --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code 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? 98.21% No, I do not support Election Interference; I am a patriot unto our Constitution.1.79% 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? The United States' must continue the Executive initiative of Open Borders until a Democratic Congress can codify full Demographic Inclusion by keeping the Biden /Harris Open Borders policy in place. Our United States' borders are sovereign just as are our self-governed citizens, where borders must be maintained, monitored and defended, which is the position of core Republicans. I am in favor of Open Borders to make my America more of a global community; however, the federal government must now fix problems that "Red State" governors have caused in our cities. I do NOT favor the Democratic Socialists' disruption of the cultural fabric of my Representative Republic, and there will be Treasonous Hell to Pay when the certain calamity begins in earnest. 154 total vote(s) What's your Opinion? ECU Business graduate and undergraduate students, along with faculty and staff, recently visited New York City to meet with alumni, gain travel experiences and learn from companies that call New York City home. (Photos by Reed Marshall Wolfley) This post appears here courtesy of ECU News Services . The author of this post is Michael Rudd A Google search on Pirates and New York City yields numerous results, including a Seattle Times article stating that in New York in 1692,Famed pirate Captain William Kidd built a house and the Trinity Church in the city before his hanging in England.Fast forward more than 300 years, and in early October 2023, more than 20 East Carolina University College of Business (COB) graduate and undergraduate students descended on the Big Apple for a different purpose: exposure to business environments found not only outside the conference room but outside the state of North Carolina.The students represent the Arthur School's immersive MBA pathway and the COB's undergraduate student leadership board. For many, business knowledge, skills and networking opportunities have been handed down from professors and instructors with industry experience. Some students might have worked with local businesses for class projects. Some might have interned with companies scattered around North Carolina. Now, they have the experience of traveling to the financial center of the world.said Mike Harris, interim dean, College of Business.Along with experiencing fine dining at iconic New York restaurants and a couple of shows, the students met with ECU alums Sean Clark '18, who works at PIMCO, an investment company; Sarah Evans '01, Miller Orians '15, and Stevie Dupree-Parker '20 with J/PR, a global communications firm; and Ryan Johnson with BMG Music, a music publisher. Lessons learned were shared. Insightful questions were answered. Experiences were had and connections were made.Seizing the opportunitysaid Jenna Scott, Arthur School Immersive MBA student.BMG Music proved to be the second visit on the first day of the four-day trip. Scott and the rest of the students, energized from the plane ride, strode into a New York City high-rise, piled into an elevator, and eventually found themselves in a conference room where Johnson greeted them.Johnson is a senior director of creative music licensing at BMG. His job is the envy of many. The popular music paired with selling cars or found in your favorite movies happens because of Johnson. He is a graduate of ECU, but he's not a business major. He received his education degree in 2004.He spoke to the College of Business student contingent about his career path and how he eventually landed a job he loves. He told the Pirates it started at ECU.said Johnson.Johnson's story resonated with Scott. So, as a true Pirate, she seized the opportunity with Johnson.Scott then passed her resume to Johnson during the meeting, hoping to land an internship.Professional DevelopmentAt the College of Business, professional development is key to fulfilling its purpose of building leaders. The unique Leadership & Professional Development Curriculum has four classes that prepare students for the realities of the business world. COB leaders work with alumni and industry partners to provide experiential opportunities where students can elevate what they've learned in the classroom and bring their knowledge to the business community. A recent (and annual) Fall Networking Event brought together eastern North Carolina alums and business leaders with COB undergraduate and graduate students. Opex Technologies and its CEO and COB alumnus Courtney Humphrey '98 recently hosted an entrepreneur and leadership university day where COB graduate and undergraduate students participated in panel discussions with alums, accomplished entrepreneurs and executives from the Raleigh-Durham area.Travel also plays an important role in professional development, and Sanford Bailey '64 knows it. Since graduating with his accounting degree, Bailey's business acumen has led him down the path of several careers. After working at an accounting firm for seven years early in his career, Bailey decided toThat history included starting - and selling - numerous banking and financial institutions. He ultimately landed on starting a commercial and residential real estate development company, which keeps him busy daily. However, he's not so busy that he can't find time to support ECU and the COB. Baily has spoken at COB events. He provides scholarships and participates in the COB's business advisory council meetings.Bailey also believes in the importance of travel in education and its transformative role on a student.said Bailey, who helped play a major role in making the October New York City trip happen.said Isaiah Rutledge. Rutledge is an immersive MBA and first-generation student. The trip was Rutledge's first to New York City.said Rutledge.Jenna Bacon is a marketing major and plans to graduate with a BSBA in May 2024. She said the New York City trip allowed her tosaid Bacon.said Harris.Harris added that more travel opportunities will be available next term if all goes to plan. By Peyton Majors Christian Action League March 1, 2024 The governor and attorney general of North Carolina are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the federal government to loosen the restrictions on the abortion pill in a major case that would have a nationwide impact on the drugs availability. In recent weeks, Gov. Roy Cooper and N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein, both Democrats, signed onto separate friend-of-the-court briefs asking the high court to reverse an August decision by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In that ruling, a three-judge panel struck down 2016 FDA rules that made it easier to access the abortion pill, which is a two-drug regimen that is sometimes called a chemical abortion. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case but has not set a date for oral arguments. No woman should ever have to worry about whether she can get the medication she needs, Stein said. I will continue to do everything in my power to stand up for womens reproductive freedoms. Stein joined a multistate coalition of 24 attorneys general. Cooper signed a brief by the Reproductive Freedom Alliance. More than five million people have used this safe, effective medication since the FDA approved it and this case is an extremist, political attempt to take away womens freedom to make their own private medical decisions, Cooper said. I urge the Supreme Court to protect womens health and overturn the Fifth Circuits terrible decision. Pro-life groups, though, say the FDAs rules are endangering not only the lives of unborn children but also of women. The Human Coalition, a pro-life group, filed a brief with the Supreme Court last year asserting that the FDA rules: 1) eliminated the in-person examination following the medication abortion, 2) increased the maximum gestational age from seven to ten weeks, 3) removed the in-person dispensing requirement for misoprostol, and, 4) eliminated the reporting requirement for non-fatal adverse events. Those safeguards had been put in place in 2000 when the abortion drug was approved for the market. Beginning in 2016, the FDA removed several necessary safeguards designed to protect women from dangerous complications associated with mifepristone, the Human Coalition brief says, referencing one of the two drugs. The other is misoprostol. Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone, causing the lining of the uterus to break down in order to kill the unborn baby. Misoprostol sparks contractions and a delivery of a dead fetus. The two drugs can be taken only early in the pregnancy. I strongly disagree with Governor Cooper and Attorney General Josh Steins decision to support the loosening of restrictions on the abortion pill. By advocating for policies that make it easier to access the abortion pill, they are the ones prioritizing political ideology over the protection of both unborn children and womens health, said Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. It is essential to uphold standards that prioritize the sanctity of life and the health of all individuals involved. I urge Governor Cooper and Attorney General Stein to reconsider their stance and prioritize the protection of both unborn children and womens health in their policymaking decisions. Several health systems and insurers have seen anesthesia contracts come to an end just two months into the year. Here are eight anesthesia contracts that have been severed in 2024 so far: 1. In a voluntary agreement with Colorado's attorney general, U.S. Anesthesia Partners ended its contracts with five Colorado hospitals due to its alleged monopoly in the state's Denver and Durango markets. 2. Memphis, Tenn.-based Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and its longtime anesthesia provider, Medical Anesthesia Group, ended their partnership at the beginning of February after contract negotiations hit an impasse. The groups had been working together for 50 years. 3. Billings (Mont.) Clinic's contract with long-time anesthesia partner, Billings Anesthesiology, expired on Feb. 9. After contracting with Billings Anesthesiology for several decades, the hospital has decided to form its own fully staffed anesthesia department. 4. Cigna terminated its contract with Knoxville-based American Anesthesiology of Tennessee, an affiliate of North American Partners in Anesthesia, on Jan. 1. After Cigna reportedly proposed a 30% rate reduction, the payer sent a letter to AATN stating it was unable to move forward with the present contract. Here are four drug-related legal battles involving physicians that Becker's has reported on since Feb. 6: 1. A physician from Celina, Texas, and eight others have been indicted for illegally dispensing controlled substances. 2. Mary Watson, MD, a physician in Tallahassee, Fla., agreed to pay $60,000 in order to resolve allegations that she violated the Controlled Substances Act. 3. A Massachusetts physician has been convicted for his involvement in an international money laundering scheme involving importing illegal and misbranded drugs. 4. Two Texas physicians were convicted of unlawfully prescribing opioids and other controlled substances to undercover agents posing as patients. Here are four fraud cases involving physicians that Becker's has reported on since Feb. 12: 1. A gastroenterologist in Wheeling, W.Va., has been indicted on charges of tax fraud and obstructing justice after authorities said he failed to pay more than $2.4 million in payroll taxes. 2. A New York City physician was charged for allegedly engaging in a $20.7 million healthcare fraud and illegal kickback scheme. 3. A California physician was convicted for his role in a scheme that defrauded Medicare of more than $2.8 million. 4. A Kentucky physician has pleaded guilty to a $14 million Medicare fraud scheme in which he accepted kickbacks for medically unnecessary equipment and tests. Members of the New Jersey Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby for the benefits ASCs provide in increasing access to quality, affordable healthcare. Aaron Shechter, CEO of Endoscopy Center of Bergen County in Paramus, N.J., and NJAASC board member, and Alex Scott, ASC chain AmSurg's vice president of operations and fellow member of NJAASC, represented the organization to policymakers as part of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association's annual advocacy day, according to a March 1 news release from the NJAASC. "While ASCs in the U.S. saved Medicare $28.7 billion from 2011 to 2018 and are projected to save an additional $73 billion between 2019 and 2028, these forecasted savings are threatened by Medicare policies that result in continually declining reimbursement and other factors that limit Medicare beneficiaries access to outpatient surgical care," Mr. Shechter said in the release. Mr. Shechter and Mr. Scott advocated for legislation including the Outpatient Surgery Quality and Access Act, which proposes annual adjustments to Medicare payments for services at ASCs that are equal to those at hospital outpatient departments. Spine and orthopedic experts in February shared insights on topics from value-based care to consolidation. "In 2024, there will be an unprecedented emphasis on surgical navigation and robotics. Competition between various platforms will center around how easily these capabilities can be incorporated into operative workflows and, more importantly, how they augment surgical abilities. Foremost, safety must be ensured. With respect to surgical navigation, accuracy and faithfulness to planned hardware placement is paramount. With regard to robotics, seamless incorporation of imaging guidance into effector placement is key. Thus, in this exciting time, competition will be driven by innovation. In the fields of spine and orthopedic surgery, technology is increasingly being utilized not only to develop new hardware, but also to devise tools which can more safely and efficiently guide a surgeon intraoperatively. Surgical navigation, robotics and smart tools represent the forefront of this evolving arena with surgeons and the industry working together to realize their potential." Alex Vaccaro, MD, PhD, on evolving spine competition in 2024. "I think a lot of physicians think of value-based care as a different way to interact with payers and be rewarded for quality and patient satisfaction. One of the problems we've run into is everybody agrees that lowering costs and improving quality and improving the patient experience are all important. It just seems like people have struggled to figure out how to do that. So how do you do that? What does it mean to have a value-based care program? I think we've kind of hit a stumbling block in that a lot of hospital systems and big incumbent players embrace this concept, but I don't really see it being practiced so much on a daily level as a physician. I think the state of value-based care is in a little bit of limbo right now. I think we're still trying to figure it out because of the bottom line." Michael Havig, MD, on value-based care in orthopedics. "Consolidation is a double-edged sword, as it can have both positive and negative effects. There are multiple things to consider with consolidation, including the cost of healthcare, the physicians themselves and patient care. Most consolidations happen from healthcare groups or when private equity takes over a private practice. Many of these purchases aim to reduce costs, but this can come at an expense. Reducing costs and increasing revenue can happen by decreasing staff or increasing the number of patients seen per provider. Consequently, this can result in more stress on physicians, longer wait times and less individualized patient care." Matthew Harb, MD, on orthopedic consolidation. "More complex surgeries done in ASC settings must be done gradually. More ASCs will need to get special exemptions to hold patients greater than 23 hours. Some ASCs should stick to the simple, safer, and better margin surgeries. For those wanting to push the envelope, I recommend doing a careful safety analysis with a multidisciplinary team of anesthesiologists, pain physicians, internal medicine, nursing, and surgery staff to decide what is safe and feasible. Just because you can do a surgery in an ASC setting does not mean you should. Any transformation into a higher-acuity center should take place gradually, with very careful consideration of each patient case and its appropriateness for the ASC setting." Brian Gantwerker, MD, on shifting complex spine surgery to the ASC. "Robotic-assisted spine surgery allows the minimally invasive instrumented spine procedures to be done with more precision and efficiency while minimizing radiation exposure. Such technology would be a great addition to an ASC to provide high-quality care. The current robotic systems, however, are quite expensive. Such significant purchases can be profitable in a high-volume ASC with several spine surgeons involved in robotic surgery. There are also opportunities to 'rent' the robot for lower-volume ASCs." Vladimir Sinkov, MD, on ASCs and spine robots. CEOWorld Magazine released its latest list of "World's Most Influential CEOs and Business Executives," and three orthopedic devicemaker leaders are on it. The magazine evaluated more than 2,300 CEOs at large public companies across 61 countries. Rankings weighed factors including financial returns and the company's track record on environmental, governance and social issues. Read more about the methodology here. Here are three orthopedic medtech leaders making the list and their overall ranking: 32. Joaquin Duato, Johnson & Johnson. Mr. Duato became CEO of Johnson & Johnson after the company split into two companies. He was paid $13.1 million in 2022. 344. Kevin Lobo, Stryker. Mr. Lobo has been CEO of Stryker since 2012. He first started working at Stryker in 2011 and was group president of orthopedics before he was promoted to CEO. In 2014, he was named chair of the board. 1,245. Christopher Begley, Zimmer Biomet. Mr. Begley is chair of the board at Zimmer Biomet. He is a retired executive chair and CEO of Hospira Inc. Experts have warned that energy prices here remain comparatively high, even after two of Northern Irelands main suppliers announced price cuts . SSE, the regions largest provider of natural gas, announced it would be reducing its prices by 22.8%, saving a typical household customer around 320 a year. Electricity supplier Power NI, the biggest in the market, also announced that its prices would be falling by 6.3% 2p per unit saving customers 64 per year on average. But experts have warned that while welcome, the reductions may have little effect, as we emerge from a period of record high prices. Aodhan ODonnell, founder of price comparison website Power to Switch, said: A reduction in energy bills for consumers is to be welcomed but we must also remember that these reductions are coming off record high prices. "For example, with this latest price drop an average annual bill for a Power NI customer will be around 950. However, back in April 2021 an average annual bill would have cost around 570. So, this shows that we still have a long way to go to see bills fall back to more normal levels. And since last summer consumers have not been able to avail of the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG), introduced when energy prices peaked. The Governments EPG formerly meant a typical household's annual gas and electricity bill had been 2,100, but it expired in June last year. But Mr ODonnell said we are likely to see further decreases from other energy suppliers, as the outlook is more positive than it has been in recent years with wholesale prices continuing to drop. He added that as well as reduced prices, consumers are likely to see more discounts and incentives to switch, as the market becomes more competitive . Mr ODonnell added: When energy prices were at their peak levels these discount or cashback incentives had all but disappeared. However, double digit discounts are now back in the market with some suppliers offering up to 24% discount for new customers and deals that come with up to 100 cashback. "There is a difference of 480 between the cheapest and most expensive electricity deals in the local market. On average people who switch their energy deal via Power to Switch have saved 391. "When you consider that the latest price decrease from Power NI will reduce bills by around 64 it is clear consumers can actually save more by switching to better offers. The new tariffs are set to come into effect from April 1, and an announcement about Firmus Energys regulated gas tariff will be made next week. Colin Broomfield, director of markets at the Utility Regulator, said: While this is good news for consumers, we recognise that many households and businesses are still struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. We will continue to monitor the regulated suppliers tariff and will ensure any further falls in costs are passed through to customers at the earliest opportunity. Yesterdays announcement is the fourth consecutive decrease by Power NI. It previously announced a 7.1% decrease in electricity prices last June, following a review by the Utility Regulator. This followed a March 2023 announcement that its domestic electricity tariff would be reduced by 16.2% (6.61p per unit). Raymond Gormley, head of energy policy at the Consumer Council, said the tariff decreases were welcome news, indicating a downward trend in wholesale energy prices. "We work closely with the Utility Regulator and regulated supply companies to help protect and support consumers during price increases and we also ensure that that any cost savings are passed onto consumers as soon as possible during price decreases. We know from our research that most consumers in Northern Ireland are still really worried about home energy prices. We urge anyone who is struggling to pay their energy bills or top-up their meters to contact their supplier directly for help and support. Oscar-nominated actor Ciaran Hinds has recalled Liam Neeson cooking for him, the possibility of working with Kenneth Branagh again and why hes rooting for fellow Irishman and beautiful man Cillian Murphy at this months Oscars. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph at the launch of Whiteabbey Hospitals involvement in the InterAct programme, a new charity set up which involves getting actors to read to stroke patients, Hinds reflected on his career and said its always great to be back in Belfast. A very close friend of mine put me in touch with (organiser) Emma DInverno who worked with InterAct, and I was told it was a really great charity, said the actor, who flew over for the event at the Newtownabbey hospital from London via Amsterdam where he is filming a beautiful drama Midwinter Break with Oscar-nominee Lesley Manville. I was more than happy to help to raise awareness and highlight it. I mean to do something back here (in NI) is great, especially if it helps. Hinds has already had a busy year with three high-profile releases due to come out later this year including the drama with The Crown star Manville. Last year he reunited with self-described best mate Liam Neeson in Netflixs drama In the Land of Saints and Sinners, 43 years after first appearing together in sci-fi Excalibur. Oscar-nominated actor Ciaran Hinds speaking to patient Penny Donavan at Whiteabbey Hospital Hes my best mate, we had a good time on that shoot. We rented a place together in Co Donegal, and I had Liam cooking for me every night, he did all the heavy lifting. I think it will be brilliant, he said about his friends new reported role in a reboot of The Naked Gun series. Liam has that comedy part in him as we saw in Derry Girls, he can be the straight man so well which is funny cause hes really a big Ballymena galoot, the Belfast star said laughing. Those scripts with Leslie Nielsen were so good, but I think Liam will get it right, sure he even called himself Lyle Nelson at one point. Hinds will be next seen in The Narrow Road to the Deep North which was shot in Australia last year and has the Belfast actor playing an older version of Euphoria and Priscilla star Jacob Elordis character. Poor Jacob Elordi, Im sure he was surprised to see he turns into me in 40 years, adds Hinds. The actors appearance in Belfast comes as several of his fellow Irish actors have been tipped for awards success in recent weeks, with his former co-star Cillian Murphy the favourite for Best Actor for Oppenheimer. Gosh, Id love to see him win, hes a beautiful and extraordinary man, hes also wonderful on stage, which Im not sure a lot of people know about. Hes a true artist. The Oscar voters can be difficult, I mean Paul Giamatti (nominee for The Holdovers) his performance is wonderful too and its a beautiful film so they want to swing towards that, you just dont know. I dont subscribe to much of that world though. Hes such a great guy, Ill have my fingers crossed for him. Murphy and Hinds were originally billed to work together on the Oppenheimer stars next film, the Irish drama Small Things Like These however Hinds revealed his scenes, which were a flashback, have been cut from the finished film. It was a great scene too, a big long monologue just me and him in what was supposed to be a flashback, but theyve told me it was due to timings or maybe I was sh***. First time its ever happened to me too, he laughed. The film follows Murphy as a coal miner who spots something sinister at a local convent. It was brilliant to work with him though, its a horrific story, really harrowing. You couldnt find something more opposite than Oppenheimer, he said. Oscar-nominated actor Ciaran Hinds with the staff at Whiteabbey Hospital The ex-St Malachys Belfast pupil is familiar with the awards himself, having been nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2021 ceremony for his turn as Pa in Sir Kenneth Branaghs Belfast. Despite their great working relationship in the film, he doesnt have plans to reunite anytime soon. I dont know, I think it was a one-off so probably not. It was such a joyous time, he said. Asked if he could make an appearance in one of his Hercule Poirot movies, with Branagh having already worked with his Belfast stars Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench and Jude Webber on previous instalments, Hinds remains coy. You never know, hes had Jamie and Jude now, so you just never know. One performance he is looking forward to is his part in Anna with Maxine Peake. The Belfast star plays Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, the editor of Anna Politkovskaya (Peake) who was murdered in Moscow in 2008. He is due to attend the world premiere for the film in Washington DC in the coming months. That was a really great time and a brilliant role, we filmed in Latvia. No Russian accent from me thankfully, we didnt bother with any of that I just hope it turns out well, you never know with these scripts sometimes. During the event at Whiteabbey Hospital, staff gathered to have conversations with the Oscar-nominee actor as he took time to discuss the InterAct project with patients. Oscar-nominated actor Ciaran Hinds with speaking patients at Whiteabbey Hospital Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar is Hinds co-ambassador for the charity. Dunbar was unable to attend Fridays event, but said in a statement: InterAct Stroke Support is a wonderful organisation doing amazing work with stroke survivors. It would be a huge loss if they dont retain a presence in NI. I urge anyone reading this to give them your support. InterActs services have been received very well across the UK, including in Scotland where it is led by ex-Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi. It removed me from the status of being a patient and made me feel more equal and human. I felt like I was a person again and not a patient, said one patient at Whiteabbey Hospital about their session. InterActs chief executive Nirjay Mahindru said he was delighted the charity had expanded to Northern Ireland. It was always my goal to bring it out of London and into the wider UK. After we did Scotland, I knew we had to come to Belfast. Once Covid was sort-of removed from the equation, we came here to explore. Were so pleased to come here. Its no accident that this Sunday, the third day of the third month of the year, has been designated International Irish Whiskey Day. For as far as this islands most famous spirit is concerned, three is a magic number. Irish whiskey is renowned for being distilled three times and the drink cant even be called whiskey until its been stored in casks for a minimum of three years. But what makes our whiskey deserving of its own special day? After all, whiskey is made around the world, and while the best-selling brand on the planet, McDowells, might have a local ring to it, the drink actually comes from India. Even our near neighbours the Scots are more successful at selling the stuff than we are, with exports of Scotch outstripping those of Irish whiskey by about seven to one last year. From left: Simon Community NI client John McNamee, CEO Jim Dennison and Viennas Neunerhaus managing director Elisabeth Hammer at the Simon Community NI strategy launch (Picture: Michael Cooper) There are currently 4,500 children living without a home in Northern Ireland, with one in 34 people here legally classified as homeless. According to the latest official figures, more than 4,000 households were listed as living in temporary accommodation in July last year, and a leading homeless charity has warned that unless we do things differently, it will only get worse. On Friday, the Simon Community announced a comprehensive strategy aimed at expanding its work over the next five years, to tackle the homelessness crisis. The charity said its new strategy, Doing Things Differently, will commit to delivering more preventative measures and early interventions for those at risk of homelessness, as well as offer practical housing solutions so that people can move swiftly on from temporary accommodation, breaking the cycle of homelessness as quickly as possible. Jim Dennison, CEO of Simon Community, said that the scale of the problem is genuinely staggering. There are also more than 86,000 individuals on the social housing waiting list, but Mr Dennison added that this is not just about numbers; its about lives. Behind these numbers are real people with hopes and dreams. The time to act is now. He emphasised the need for increased investment in affordable housing, as well as enhanced support services to help individuals maintain their tenancies and avoid homelessness. Prevention is key, he said. By intervening early and providing the necessary support, we can prevent individuals and families from falling into homelessness in the first place. The charity has outlined five core priorities as part of its new strategy: prevention of homelessness; providing the right support at the right time; offering solutions to end homelessness; developing, supporting and investing in people; building a strong organisation for the future. These involve providing a homeless support line, tenancy sustainment scheme and emergency financial interventions, as well as working to reduce the average length of stay for people in temporary accommodation, alongside improving access and quality of these locations. The Housing Executive, which has a statutory responsibility to provide accommodation to those in need, will spend approximately 33.5m to the end of March this year, up from 12.6m in 2019/2020. In 2017/2018, the spend was less than 10m. Rising demand for housing and a lack of supply does mean people are having to wait longer for permanent housing, the Housing Executive also said. As part of its strategy, Simon Community will issue a series of appeals to various stakeholders, including politicians, policymakers, funders, church leaders and corporate partners. Mr Dennison called for collaborative action and renewed commitment to ending homelessness in Northern Ireland: We cannot solve this crisis alone. But together, with the support of our community and partners, we can create a future where everyone has a place to call home. For more information about Simon Communitys latest strategy and how you can support its work, visit www.simoncommunity.org Twelfth of July parades...Members of the Orange Order take part in a Twelfth of July parade in Belfast, part of the traditional Twelfth commemorations. The loyalist parades mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Picture date: Wednesday July 12, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire...A The host venues for this years Twelfth parades have been revealed. Bands and marchers will take to the streets at 19 locations across all six of Northern Irelands counties. Some of the main demonstrations are scheduled for Belfast, Gilford and Newtownards. The locations were posted by DUP MP Carla Lockhart on Saturday. It comes less than a month before the traditional start of the marching season, which runs from Easter Monday to September. Parades will be held in Belfast and Ballymena - the only two venues in Northern Ireland to hold a main Twelfth demonstration each year. Other locations in Co Antrim include Ahoghill, Broughshane, Cloughmills, Carrickfergus and Derriaghy. In Co Down, the venues are expected to be Annalong, Ballynahinch, Gilford and Newtownards. The north-west demonstrations will be held in Londonderry and Moneymore Meanwhile, in Tyrone, parades are scheduled for Ballygawley, Benburb and Newtownstewart. Fermanaghs parade will take place in Irvinestown, while Armaghs parade - traditionally the biggest - is set for Killylea. The Independent Orange Order will hold its Twelfth parade in Mosside, Co Antrim. In England, a parade is also scheduled for Southport, Liverpool. Further details of the demonstrations, including the start times and routes, will be released by the Orange Order in the coming weeks. The Belfast Twelfth will proceed along its traditional route after plans to shorten it were abandoned. It was reported last year that the Orange Order was considering cutting the distance and axing the gathering in the field at Barnett Demesne, on the outskirts of the city. Those recommendations stemmed from an internal report commissioned into the 2022 Twelfth which described it as probably the worst for decades. But in November it emerged the plans had been scrapped. It was reported the decision to stick to the traditional route came after the Order considered feedback from members strongly opposed to plans to shorten it. There was said to be overwhelming support in favour of retaining the longer route. She criticised the Conservative administration at Westminster of having fanned the flames of division consistently, persistently and deliberately over 14 years. In her speech to the Alliance Party conference at the Stormont Hotel in east Belfast, Ms Long also talked of significant opportunities to build their representation from one MP Stephen Farry in North Down to chances of gains in East Belfast, Lagan Valley and South Belfast. And thats not just my opinion the pleas from the DUP Deputy Leader only yesterday for unionist unity to stave off Alliance growth and the increasingly desperate swipes at Alliance from the SDLP since Kate (Nicholl) declared her candidacy are evidence that they believe we can win those seats, too, she said. Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry (PA) Addressing the wider political landscape, Ms Long told her party conference: It seems that we have moved rapidly from the post-truth era of politics, ushered in by the likes of (Donald) Trump and (Boris) Johnson, to a post-shame era, where people are willing to scrape any barrel for votes and without the slightest concern for the harm that they do either to the very fabric of our society or to the individuals caught up in the wake of their vile rhetoric, and left to bear the consequences. This is a Government that has nothing left to offer but tax cuts for the rich and misery for the rest. When a party has fanned the flames of division consistently, persistently and deliberately over 14 years, in policy, legislation, and rhetoric; vilifying and dehumanising refugees and asylum seekers whether on planes to Rwanda or small boats in the Channel; tolerating and amplifying casual racism and xenophobia for votes; fuelling phoney culture wars and exploiting rather than assuaging fear, platitudes at a podium cannot extinguish the fire. The only thing this morally bankrupt Government can do to protect democracy now is to call a general election. And the sooner the better, because we are ready. Nearly 600 angry residents attended a protest outside a Co Tyrone mushroom plant on Saturday which locals say has been emitting a foul smell. Among those gathered outside the Northway facility at Killeeshil, near Ballygawley, were children with signs saying "Stop The Stink. The 25m compost facility for mushroom producers, which represents 20 businesses on either side of the border, opened almost five years ago. But locals say they have reported Northway to statutory bodies, complaining about the smell the plant produces, which resembles rotten broccoli or eggs. On Saturday, residents staged a protest. The crowd at Saturday's protest in Killeeshil Gerard McDonald, who lives near the factory, said: "I've lived in this area most of the 70 years of my life and up until about four years ago, it was a great place to live in. "However, it has been hijacked by an appalling vista called Northway." Gerard said the foul smell is impacting upon "every section of our population - the young, the elderly, those with special needs". Gerard McDonald (70) at Saturday's protest. Maria Nugent, another member of the Cabragh Concerned Residents Association (CCRA) called for statutory bodies responsible for environmental health to do more and accused them of "pen pushing" over the last year. "There was a great turnout today for our protest from people of the Cabragh and Killeeshil community, she said. Ms Nugent said the demonstration was to highlight that locals had been engaging with the relevant authorities about the smell, but that a resolution has not been reached. "We're asking now for some kind of action, she added. "As a committee, we've met with all the concerned bodies (PHA, NIEA, Mid Ulster Council). "There's been a good year of meetings and talks, and different things have been done - pen pushing and a few different exercises - but really, no action has happened. Paudi Nugent (10), Maria Nugent (39) and Ceara Winters (10). Northway Mushrooms said it takes all issues and claims raised very seriously, particularly those relating to health. "Over the last 12 months we have had onsite inspections carried out by the Environmental Health Department and the Health and Safety Executive. These inspections have not resulted in any adverse findings or concerns. Despite this we have also offered to appoint a leading Health and Social Impact specialist to carry out additional assessments as a gesture to help reassure the CCRA Committee, it said this week. At Northway Mushrooms we are committed to engaging with all stakeholders to make sure any concerns are addressed, and the plant can continue to contribute to the local and regional economy across the island of Ireland. Exclusive | The inside story of the brazen hole-in-the-wall gang who stole 2 million One robbery was carried out under very noses of PSNI in Antrim, while during another one of the thieves dropped his trousers and mooned officers while making his escape A burnt-out digger sits in front of the Tesco store in Crumlin, Co Antrim, after an ATM robbery in April 2019 Allison Morris Sat 2 Mar 2024 at 08:15 A gang who stole around 2m in a spate of ATM robberies mocked police by nabbing a cash machine in the shadow of a PSNI station bristling with the most sophisticated surveillance equipment. The PSNI worked with colleagues in An Garda Siochana. Two men have been arrested after police seized more than 500,000 in Class B drugs following a cross-border operation. Detectives from the PSNIs Organised Crime Branch made the discovery following searches in south Belfast on Friday, March 1. Detective Inspector Kelly said: Shortly before 3pm, officers stopped and searched two vehicles in the Lisburn Road area. Class B controlled drugs were recovered from both vehicles which were also subsequently seized. "Follow up searches were conducted by detectives at premises in the Lisburn Road area and by An Garda Siochana colleagues in the Republic of Ireland. Further drugs, cash and drug related paraphernalia were located. Two men, aged in their 20s and 40s, were arrested on suspicion of possession of Class B and possession of Class B with intent to supply. Both are currently in police custody being interviewed. The PSNI is committed to tacking the activities of individuals linked to organised criminal gangs within our community, and those who commit cross border criminality, along with our Joint Agency Task Force partners in An Garda Siochana. Anyone with information about any criminality linked to drugs should contact police on 101 or anonymously through the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111, which gives people the power to speak up and stop crime. "This operation and others like it show that we will act where we can to tackle this type of criminality. "You can also make a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. Two men charged following 500,000 drugs haul in Belfast as part of a cross-border policing operation. Two men charged following 500,000 drugs haul in Belfast as part of a cross-border policing operation. Two men have been charged in connection with a 500,000 drugs find in Belfast as part of a cross-border policing operation. The haul of Class B drugs were seized by detectives from PSNIs Organised Crime Branch following searches in the south of the city on Friday, March 1. Officers stopped and searched two vehicles in the Lisburn Road area shortly before 3pm and recovered the illegal substances from both vehicles which were also subsequently seized. Follow up searches at premises in the Lisburn Road area and by An Garda Siochana colleagues in the Republic of Ireland resulted in further drugs, cash and drug related paraphernalia being located. Two suspects, aged 23 and 43, were arrested on suspicion of possession of Class B and possession of Class B with intent to supply. Both men have since been charged. They are due to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court on Monday, March 4. As is usual procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service. The PSNI previously said it is committed to tacking the activities of individuals linked to organised criminal gangs within our community, and those who commit cross border criminality, along with our Joint Agency Task Force partners in An Garda Siochana. Anyone with information about any criminality linked to drugs should contact police on 101 or anonymously through the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111, which gives people the power to speak up and stop crime. "This operation and others like it show that we will act where we can to tackle this type of criminality. "You can also make a report online using the non-emergency reporting form." Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry has called for the British and Irish governments to drive reform of the Stormont institutions. He said a veto which allows one party to collapse power-sharing was perverse and must be scrapped. Mr Farry was speaking at the Alliance Party conference in Belfast on Saturday. Delegates heard the North Down MP warn that Stormonts current mechanisms were no longer viable. The Assembly returned last month after a two-year impasse, caused by a DUP walk-out from the Executive in protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson agreed his partys return after the Government published legislation to ease unionist concerns around an Irish Sea trade border. In his conference speech at the Stormont Hotel, Mr Farry criticised the DUPs boycott, saying it did not deliver the progress or outcomes they have claimed. All of their stated concerns could have been addressed in parallel with functioning institutions, he told delegates. And problems with plants, seed potatoes, or customs declarations are not on the same scale as the needs of our health service, our education system and prospects for our economy. He said "huge damage has been done over the last two years, with pre-existing problems in public services simply worsening. Mr Farry said Alliance were highly sceptical of the Governments Command Paper, branding it "a glorified press release. But it comes with considerable loaded language, and suggests a lack of balance and impartiality on the part of the UK Government, he said. He also called for reform of the Stormont institutions, something party leader Naomi Long will touch on in her keynote address to the conference. Mr Farry warned that while the Assembly is back, "it remains inherently unstable, and with built-in unfairness. We know the lessons from recent history that it is prone to collapse, he said. So our reformed political institutions badly need reform." Key changes needed include an end to the veto on Executive formation or survival, and wider reforms of the Assemblys voting system, he said. The DUP had used its veto to block the election of a Speaker and a first and deputy first minister in 2022 and 2023. Checks and balances are absolutely crucial for the operation on the institutions, Mr Farry said. But it is perverse to have a veto on power-sharing itself. And designations and the related voting system must be changed. Mr Farry said the process cant be left to Northern Ireland parties to discuss in "revolving circles. Rather we need to see both the UK and the Irish Governments leading and driving the reform process, he added. Mr Farry also warned Northern Ireland is facing an unprecedented financial crisis, saying the Treasurys flawed formula was depriving the region of about 400m every year. The 3.3bn financial package is welcome. Yet, it is a glass half-full. Financial pressures remain in the short-term, and it doesnt address the deeper structural problems, he added. In a wide-ranging speech, Mr Farry also called for a ceasefire in the Middle East. Israel military launched a large-scale air and ground campaign to destroy Hamas - proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK Government - after the October 7 attacks. Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says more than 30,000 people, including 21,000 children and women, have been killed in Gaza since then. Mr Farry said: In the Middle East, the only sustainable and secure solution lies with Israeli and Palestinian states co-existing in peace and harmony. Despite all of the obstacle, we should not lose sight of that goal. He added: Our demand for a ceasefire has been unwavering. However, especially as the carnage in Gaza has developed, the failure of some states, including the UK to back an immediate ceasefire has become increasingly concerning." People during the Stand Together solidarity march in Dublin. The demonstration is taking place to show support for diversity and equality and denounce racism, hate and war (Niall Carson/PA) A rally in Dublin has heard calls for strong leadership, an action plan and legislation to tackle the incitement of hatred in Ireland. Thousands of people gathered in the Irish capital for the Stand Together solidarity march against racism, hatred and war on Saturday afternoon. Palestinian flags, Irish flags and trade union banners were among items carried by the crowd, which gathered at Parnell Square, before marching across the city centre to Merrion Square. People during the Stand Together solidarity march in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) Among those who addressed the crowd was Bernard Joyce of the Irish Traveller Movement. He described the treatment of travellers in Ireland as systematic institutional racism. He said there should be leadership, an action plan and the passing of proposed legislation against the incitement of violence or hatred. Today, over 2,000 traveller families continue to live in inadequate, unsafe conditions, the lack of basic amenities, running water and proper sanitation. This reality underscores the urgent need for change today, he said. Rally-goers said they were fighting back against the spread of hatred and violence (Niall Carson/PA) We share the same vision for a better Ireland for all of our people. If anything, our living experiences tell us that we must stand together against racism. We condemn the outright spread of hatred, violence, the exploitation of the most vulnerable in our society, (those) that seek to harness division and do harm to the very fabric of our society today. We cannot pick and choose who has rights and who does not have rights or seek to take away those rights. This is why today is not only about standing together but also calling for action. We call, alongside civil society groups, for the incitement to hatred bill to safeguard against hate speech both in person and online. People during the Stand Together solidarity march in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) We call for strong leadership, politically, nationally and locally and we also must have not only legislation but we must also have a robust plan, an action plan, that is resourced, supported and monitored that will play a valuable role in addressing racism in Ireland. Also among those who spoke from the platform was Aisling Hedderman who works with the Community Action Tenants Union. I stand in front of you as a stereotypical Irish woman, white, red hair, Irish name meaning dream or vision, but that doesnt define me as Irish, what defines me as Irish are my values and morals and the fight in my heart for equality and justice, she said. Our flag is becoming ever more divided. The right-wing agitators pushing right-wing political narrative use our flag when spreading their hate and division, well we have something to say. This is our flag, the flag of the Irish nation has always been and will always be a symbol of solidarity. Wherever there is struggle or injustice in the world, you will see this flag. Maryam Madani from Disability Power Ireland during the Stand Together solidarity march in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) Meanwhile, among the crowds, Maryam Madani of Disability Power Ireland told PA she attended to show solidarity with others against hatred being spewed by a small minority. Its very important that we fight back against this because its endemic in our society and it is corrupting the goodness of Irish people, she said. We used to be an Ireland for all, and we used to be known as the land of a thousand welcomes. We have to make sure that we keep that, and we dont lose who we are. Some of these groups are saying, look after the Irish, the point were saying is that the government doesnt look after any people in Ireland, including refugees, migrants and disabled people. The Foreign Affairs Minister said young adults have had very little opportunity to see politics deliver for them and the public has zero tolerance for another cycle of suspension, disenfranchisement and political torpor. The DUP exercised its veto under powersharing at Stormont to blockade the institutions for two years in protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements. The party ended its boycott last month, allowing for devolution to return. Speaking at the Alliance Party conference in Belfast, Mr Martin said he had been doing a lot of thinking about how Northern Irelands political institutions could become more stable. Though he had refrained from discussing such reforms during the years when powersharing had collapsed, he said it is now time to discuss improvements With it in place, I feel that the opportunity to begin a meaningful conversation about reform presents itself, the Tanaiste told the conference. We have had two extended periods of years of one party and then another blocking the formation of the Executive. We just cannot have another such period. I dont think any party wants that and I am certain that the public would have zero tolerance for another cycle of suspension, disenfranchisement and political torpor. And therefore I have said it makes sense for us to look now at what we can do to make the institutions more stable and effective while, of course, retaining the agreements foundational commitment to meaningful powersharing and inclusiveness. He said Northern Ireland is undeniably a better place since the Good Friday Agreement, and any reform discussions will need to involve all the parties, civic voices and both governments. We cannot have any more one-sided negotiations only involving one party or one perspective. This is a plural place and its plurality must be respected. Of course change, evolution, in the current arrangements is delicate. Any discussion will raise complex and sensitive issues. If such discussions are framed as excluding or getting around one party or one tradition, they will rightly fail. We cannot be reckless with the delicate balances and protections at the heart of the agreement. He said there are serious questions over the power a single party has to block the functioning of the Assembly, over whether the roles of first minister and deputy first minister should be replaced with joint first ministers, and whether the Petition of Concern can be returned to its original intent of protecting minority rights. He said any discussion of reform of powersharing would need to be a serious, collective undertaking, but also warned that caution cannot lead to inertia. Unfortunately, there is a tendency among some to assume that the Executive cant work, wont work. This attitude is informed, in part, by scepticism but, sadly, it is informed also by experience. This is a dangerous idea to allow to fester. The default assumption cannot be that the institutions are unlikely to work the default assumption must be that they will last. As I have said, I believe it is time for that conversation to start. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps appeared to confirm this week that he had lobbied the Chancellor for more defence cash (Owen Humphreys/PA) Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has urged the Chancellor to increase military spending to 2.5% of GDP at next weeks Budget. In a letter first reported by the Daily Telegraph and since confirmed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Mr Shapps wrote to Jeremy Hunt saying: I believe we must take bold action in your Budget in March to commit to defence spending increasing to 2.5% in 2024. This will resonate with our allies and adversaries. It would re-establish our leadership in Europe. The MoD said the extract of the letter, reportedly sent on January 24, was accurate but that it was not sharing the correspondence between the senior Government ministers more widely. The Treasury, which said it would not comment on speculation ahead of Wednesdays fiscal event, pointed to extra defence investment in last years Budget in its response. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he wants to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, a measure of the size of the economy, when economic circumstances allow. The Telegraphs report suggested the increase to 2.5% would cost about an extra 9 billion. As well as being lobbied by his colleagues for extra departmental spending, Mr Hunt is under pressure to deliver tax cuts in what could be the last fiscal statement from the Conservative Government before the next general election, which is widely expected in the autumn. With the Chancellor number-crunching over the coming days before finalising his Budget, official forecasts of the Chancellors head room against his plans to get borrowing to fall in five years time are understood to have moved against the Government. Treasury sources this week said Mr Hunt is considering a further squeeze on public spending as a way to deliver the tax cuts being demanded by some Tory MPs. Mr Shapps, after visiting British and Ukrainian soldiers in North Yorkshire on Thursday, spoke to reporters about Britains defence spending and appeared to confirm he had lobbied the Treasury for additional funds. Jeremy Hunt is under pressure to find tax cuts in the Budget (Daniel Leal/PA) The Cabinet minister said he could not comment on the likely outcome for defence when the Chancellor delivers his Budget. But he stressed the UK is committed to moving defence spending to 2.5% of GDP when the economy allows. He added: I have personally talked about 3% before I was defence secretary and I think, ultimately, countries will need to spend more. As you would expect, Im a secretary of state who lobbies hard for the area that I represent and I happen to think that, in this case, the defence of our nation is our number one priority. The first thing a government has to do is make sure it secures its borders and is able to defend itself. I am pretty full throttle in my insistence that that is what we do. A Treasury spokesman said: We have provided the Ministry of Defence the largest sustained spending increase since the end of the Cold War, with a 24 billion uplift in cash terms over the spending review 2020 period. At the spring Budget last year we also provided an extra 11 billion over the next five years. Our aspiration over the longer term is to invest 2.5% of GDP on defence as soon as the fiscal and economic circumstances allow. Lee Anderson was reportedly given a standing ovation when he turned up at a Tory Red Wall fundraiser (Victoria Jones/PA) Labour said it beggars belief that Lee Anderson reportedly attended a Conservative fundraiser with former prime minister Liz Truss, despite currently being suspended as a Tory MP. A report in the Daily Express suggested Mr Anderson was at a dinner to raise money for Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith on Friday. The former Tory deputy chairman is said to have been given a standing ovation by those in attendance, with Ms Truss, according to an anonymous onlooker cited by the newspaper, saying, who is this de-whipped Tory? as she greeted him. The Express published a photo which it says shows Mr Anderson, Ms Truss and Mr Clarke-Smith posing together at the fundraiser. Labour has urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ban Mr Anderson from raising funds for the Tories while he is without the party whip. Ashfield MP Mr Anderson was stripped of the Tory whip last weekend after he accused Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, of being controlled by Islamists. Mr Anderson, an outspoken MP in the Red Wall Labours traditional heartlands across the Midlands and North of England where the Tories made gains during the 2019 election has refused to apologise for the remarks despite Mr Sunak labelling them wrong. The former Labour councillor has also refused to rule out potentially standing for Reform UK, the former Brexit Party, at the next election. Jonathan Ashworth, Labours shadow paymaster general, said: It beggars belief that, far from being suspended from the Tories as Rishi Sunak told us, here he is: Lee Anderson, parading around the North Notts rubber chicken circuit with none other than Liz Truss. Given Rishi Sunak deems Mr Anderson as unfit to be a Tory MP, he now needs to bar him from fundraising for the Tory Party. Unless he takes action, Rishi Sunak will again be exposed as weaker than ever, and out of control of his chaotic, divided party. Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth said Lee Anderson should be barred from Tory fundraising events (Joe Giddens/PA) According to the Express, Fridays event in Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire, with Ms Truss was designed to raise money towards Mr Clarke-Smiths re-election campaign ahead of a general election expected this year. Ms Truss had been due to speak about her brief tenure in No 10 in 2022, including the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, before her mini-budget helped send the economy tumbling, leading to her being ousted after just 44 days in office. Labour has previously called for Ms Truss to have the Tory whip removed after her attendance at the right-wing Conservative Political Action Conference in the US. While at the event last month, she claimed her efforts to cut taxes were sabotaged by the deep state. The former Tory leader later took part in an interview with Steve Bannon, who served as a senior White House aide to former Republican US president Donald Trump, and remained silent as he hailed British far-right figure Tommy Robinson a hero. Mr Sunak on Friday, in an address to the nation from Downing Street, warned that extremist forces in Britain were trying to tear us apart. He said Islamist extremists and far-right groups are spreading a poison in the UK as he called for unity and social cohesion. HYOGO, Mar 02 (News On Japan) - A mountain opening ceremony was held at the Takeda Castle ruins on Friday, marking the start of the spring tourism season. Mayor of Asago City, Hyogo, Yu Fujioka, exclaimed, "Now, for the mountain opening of Takeda Castle!" Just after 8 a.m., the gates to the hiking trail were opened, and Mayor Fujioka, wearing armor, welcomed tourists. Known as the "Castle in the Sky," the Takeda Castle ruins had been off-limits during winter for the protection of historical sites and the safety of tourists. A tourist expressed, "The scenery is beautiful, and the remnants of the past are preserved, making it a truly valuable experience." A representative from Asago City mentioned, "We are hoping for a return to the bustling activity seen before the pandemic." Source: YOMIURI A murder investigation has been launched after a 66-year-old man was stabbed in a flat in north London. The Metropolitan Police were called out on Friday at 7.28pm to a critically injured man in the communal area of flats in Lockhart Close, Enfield. The ambulance also attended but he died at the scene. Detectives who believe they know the identity of the man are seeking to inform his next of kin as they continue their enquiries. Detective Chief Inspector Laura Nelson, of Specialist Crime, said: The victim was stabbed inside a flat in Lockhart Close and was found, critically injured, in the communal area of the block. I know that local people will be extremely concerned by this tragic incident, and I can assure them that dedicated detectives are investigating. We will do everything possible to find whoever was responsible for this killing. The deceased has not been formally identified and a post-mortem examination has yet to be arranged. DCI Nelson said: I am grateful to the local residents who assisted officers last night and this morning as our investigation commenced. They will continue to see police working in the area, including forensic officers and other specialists who are supporting what will be a painstaking murder investigation. Police are appealing for information from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in Lockhart Close, Derby Road, Lincoln Road and the surrounding area on Friday evening. Any witnesses can call 101, ref 6185/01mar or they can remain anonymous by contacting Crimestoppers online or by calling 0800 555 111. Former president Donald Trump has continued his march towards the Republican nomination by winning the Missouri caucuses and sweeping the delegate haul at a party convention in Michigan. Nikki Haley, the former UN ambassador who is his last major rival, was still searching for her first win. The next event on the Republican calendar is Sunday in the District of Columbia. Two days later is Super Tuesday, when 16 states will hold primaries on what will be the largest day of voting of the year outside the November election. Mr Trump is on track to lock up the nomination days later. Nikki Haley is facing defeat (Chuck Burton/AP) The steep odds facing Ms Haley were on display in Columbia, Missouri, where Republicans gathered at a church to caucus. Supporter Seth Christensen stood on stage and called on them to vote for Ms Haley but was not well received. Another caucus-goer shouted out from the audience: Are you a Republican? Ms Haley went on to win just 37 of the 263 Republicans in attendance in Boone County. Michigan Republicans at their convention in Grand Rapids began allocating 39 of the states 55 presidential delegates. Mr Trump won all 39 delegates allocated. A man accused of attempting to murder a woman in east Belfast has appeared in court on Saturday. Stephen Kennedy (42) is charged with attempted murder and possessing a hatchet with intent to commit an offence on February 29. Both charges are said to be aggravated domestic abuse. Kennedys solicitor said he would be challenging the domestic abuse element of the charges, telling the court there was no personal connection between Kennedy and his alleged victim. He added that there had been no statement of complaint from the woman concerned. The lawyer asked District Judge Rosalie Prytherch to adjourn the case to next week for a decision on whether bail would be sought. The case will be heard again on March 8. Following the incident, police said they were called to the scene off the Newtownards Road at around 11pm. The PSNI added: Officers attended and discovered a woman with serious injuries to her head and back. Junta troops in western Myanmars Rakhine state have beaten and abducted 40 family members of Muslim camp residents who escaped being conscripted into military training, sources said Friday. At around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, some 80 junta troops and police arrived at the Kyauk Ta Lone camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Rakhines Kyaukphyu township and forcibly gathered 107 mostly ethnic-Rohingya Muslims between the ages of 18 and 35 at the camps food warehouse, after collecting their personal information. Junta personnel told the captives that they would be beaten to death if they refused to take part in military training, and threatened to remove their families from the camp if they tried to escape, a resident told RFA Burmese the following day. On Friday, a resident of Kyaukphyu who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, told RFA that junta troops took the 107 Muslims to the militarys Light Infantry Battalion 542 headquarters before returning to the camp hours later. After those people were taken away, subsequently, at around 4 p.m., more than 40 people were also abducted, the resident said. The 40 people apprehended are family members of those who escaped [the round up of the 107]. They were subjected to forceful beatings before being taken to the Kyaukphyu Township Police Station. Ko Ko Aung, who was among the 40 abducted, was severely and publicly beaten for allegedly speaking to the media about forced recruiting for military training at the Kyauk Ta Lone IDP camp, the resident added. Desperate for new recruits The military is desperate for new recruits after suffering devastating losses on the battlefield to the ethnic Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine. On Feb. 10, the junta enacted a conscription law that has seen draft-eligible civilians flee Myanmars cities, saying 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 reported last week that the junta had offered freedom of movement to ethnic Rohingya Muslims restricted to Kyauk Ta Lone and other IDP camps in Rakhine state as part of a bid to entice them into military service amid the nationwide rollout of the conscription law. Junta troops have said they are required to join militias to safeguard their communities. But human rights campaigners say the junta is drafting Rohingya into military service to stoke ethnic tensions in Rakhine, while legal experts say the drive is unlawful, given that Myanmar has refused to recognize the Rohingya as one of the countrys ethnic groups and denied them citizenship for decades. Some 1 million Rohingya refugees have been living in Bangladesh since 2017, when they were driven out of Myanmar by a military clearance operation. Another 630,000 living within Myanmar are designated stateless by the United Nations, including those who languish in camps and are restricted from moving freely in Rakhine state. Committing a war crime Kyauk Ta Lone is located 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) from the seat of Kyaukphyu township and is home to more than 1,000 people from 375 families. Residents said that more than 30 young Muslims from Kyauk Ta Lone sought refuge in areas controlled by the AA because they did not want to serve in the army. Nay San Lwin, a Rohingya activist, asserted that compelling an individual to serve in the military constitutes a war crime. They are forced to take training against their will and then use it on the front line, he said. This is a huge violation of human rights, and the equivalent of committing a war crime. Attempts by RFA to contact Rakhine State Attorney General Hla Thein, the juntas spokesman in the region, for comment on reports of forced recruiting at the Kyauk Ta Lone IDP camp went unanswered Friday. The Ministry of Information, affiliated with the military junta, has refuted claims that 107 Muslims were rounded up for military training at Kyauk Ta Lone, labeling it false information. Radio Free Asia (RFA), a news organization affiliated with BenarNews, produced this report. Firefighters use a ladder to extract victims during rescue operations following a blaze in a commercial building that killed dozens, in Dhaka, Feb. 29, 2024. A seven-floor Dhaka building hosting restaurants and retail shops that went up in flames was built with a single staircase and zero fire exits, a top fire official said Friday after the blaze killed at least 46 people. The cause of the fire that broke out at a first-floor restaurant on Thursday night and spread fast to the upper floors had yet to be determined as of late Friday. But such blazes are endemic in Bangladeshs commercial structures mainly because safety standards are ignored to cut corners, and sometimes building inspectors are paid off to approve permits, one expert said. The death toll from Thursdays fire was expected to rise with 22 people still considered critically injured, hospital authorities said. The chief of Dhakas fire service and civil defense, Brig. Gen. Md. Main Uddin, spoke to reporters on Friday after inspecting the wreckage of the building called the Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall. The building had no fire exits. There was only one staircase for the whole building, he said. After the fire started at around 9:45 p.m., the entire structure was quickly engulfed in flames, and it took firefighters more than two hours to control the blaze. Most of the 46 people who died had perished from suffocation, health ministry officials said. One man, Syed Riad, said that his cousin and four other family members who were dining in the building died in the fire. My cousin was preparing to take his wife and children there [Italy], he told BenarNews. The visa was done for everyone. But they cannot go they died in the Bailey Road fire, he said, adding he suspected they were having dinner in the building when the fire started. On Friday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her anguish at the lives lost and castigated architects and authorities responsible for ensuring that buildings have proper fire exits. We always request our architects, at least when they design homes or buildings, to keep a small open balcony, a fire exit or ventilation. But architects ... will not design that properly and also the owners do not want to leave an inch of space, she said in an address at an unrelated event. A family member of a relative killed in a building fire breaks down upon seeing the loved ones body at Dhaka Medical College Hospital in Dhaka, March 1, 2024. [Jibon Ahmed/BenarNews] Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told BenarNews more about how lax the safety situation was at the building that burned. He said gas cylinders were found at the top of the stairwell as well as the steps of the narrow stairs. How would people move with a narrow staircase blocked by gas cylinders, he said. He said building owners often do not want to abide by the rules of the city development authority. Everybody wants to violate the rules. This is the problem, he said. Homicide by negligence A whole range of city authorities were to blame for the Thursday fire, Iqbal Habib, an architect and a civil society leader, told BenarNews. I visited the building today and found that there was not a single ventilator in the entire building. The whole building was covered with glass, he said, referring to the outer walls of the building mainly being protective glass and airtight, except for fitted air conditioners. I visited one room on the second floor where nine people died of suffocation. There were scratches on the walls of the room. It means they tried to save their lives but failed. Habib, who noted that he knew about the building before the fire, said it was originally designed for both offices and residences, but was converted into a commercial one without making the safety changes needed for such a change. For instance, a building for offices may not need a big kitchen with a big air ventilation system. But for a restaurant, ventilators and fire extinguishers are paramount. To make such a conversion needs city authorities approval. According to government law, Rajuk [the city development authority] approval is a precondition to get a trade license from the city corporation. Without Rajuks design approval and the city corporations trade license, the fire service and civil defense authorities will not issue a fire clearance certificate, he said. Without the aforementioned certificates, the department of environment will not issue clearance certificates. But the building was converted into a commercial one. According to Habib, all these agencies must be seen as complicit in what happened because the building wouldnt have been allowed to switch to a commercial one without their approval. All government agencies must shoulder responsibility for the deaths of so many people, Habib said. This is tantamount to homicide by negligence, and the persons having links with it must be made accountable, he declared. Firefighters work to contain a fire that broke out at a shopping mall in Dhaka, Feb. 29, 2024. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/AP] Meanwhile, Rajuk announced it had formed an investigative committee to probe whether there had been flaws in the process of approving the design of the building. The committee would also attempt to find the persons responsible if they had approved poor plans, Md. Ashraful Islam, Rajuks chief town planner, told BenarNews on Friday. The committee has been asked to submit its findings in seven working days. The setting up of such committees is standard practice in Bangladesh after manmade disasters such as fires, but one citizen who lives on the same street where the blaze occurred, questioned its relevance. After a fire that originated in a warehouse storing flammable chemicals killed nearly 70 people in the densely populated section of old Dhaka in February 2019, Bangladeshi authorities announced they would crack down to stop businesses the illegal stoage of such hazardous material near residential areas. What is the meaning of constituting probe committees like this? In the past, we saw devastating fires that killed hundreds of people. Probe committees were formed, they extended their deadlines, and at some point, the focus went out of the public eye, Kamrul Islam, an employee at a private company, told BenarNews. How many officials have faced punishment for approving a faulty design? When an incident happens, the government agencies point out the faults of the building. What did they do when the building was built with a faulty design? This is simply passing the buck, nothing else, Islam said. Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook. BENNINGTON Voters in Southshire towns will face town budget proposals, decide select board and other election contests, and field other ballot requests when they go to the polls on Tuesday. Annual election day highlights on local town ballots include: Bennington A four-person race for two open seats on the Select Board, involving Nancy White, incumbent Jim Carroll, Clark Adams, and former board member Chad Gordon. Town voters also will be asked to approve a $17 million spending plan for fiscal 2025 and to decide whether to allow the sale of the Senior Center building on Pleasant Street as part a compensation agreement for the $29 million Benn High redevelopment project. More information is available on the Bennington town website. Pownal The town ballot features a race for a three-year Select Board seat with incumbent Bob Jarvis facing Karl Strohmaier, and a four-person race for two board seats, with incumbents Bryan Harris and Angie Rawling and residents William Cottrell and Frederick Miller. The Select Boards budget proposal includes a $2.57 million spending plan for the general fund and highway budgets for next fiscal year, beginning July 1. More information is available on the town website. Woodford The town ballot shows no contested races. Voters will be asked to approve a $153,326 budget and $30,000 for the highway fund budget. More information is available on the town website. Stamford A contest for a two-year select board term has Pamela K. Tworig facing Douglas Wright, while John D. Dunn, Jed Gramlin and Maria A. Kelly-Whitney are vying for a three-year board term. On the school ballot, Phyllis Desautels and Betsy Parrington are vying for a three-year school director term. The town school budget is proposed at $2,132,491 for the next school year. Town voters will be asked to consider a $991,398 spending plan for the general fund and highway fund budgets. More information is available on the town website. Presidential primary Voters also can take part in the Vermont presidential primary on Election Day. Bennington Town Clerk Cassandra Barbeau issued a notice Wednesday about that process, saying, Unlike our state primary in August, voters in a presidential primary must declare which ballot they want to vote. This does not oblige you to consider yourself a member of a party, but you will only be given one ballot to take to the voting booth. She said sample ballots will posted outside polling places so voters can see both ballots before they choose. The clerk added, Both the Republican and Democratic ballots have space for a write-in selection. Only votes for actual persons are tallied and reported on Election Night in Vermont. Fictional names, uncommitted or illegible entries in the write-in line will be considered blank ballots. Concerning mailed election ballots, Barbeau said Bennington voters can use the drop box located at 205 South St. before 4:30 p.m. on Monday, or bring ballots to their polling place before 7 p.m. on Tuesday. MONTPELIER The Vermont Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Daniel Banyai of a lower courts sanctions against him after Banyai was found in contempt for ignoring orders to dismantle a firearms training facility on his West Pawlet property. The decision was issued Friday morning. The case centered on Banyais former military-style firearms training facility called Slate Ridge has pitted the town of Pawlet and several neighbors against Banyai. The case seems to be entering its final stages after the Vermont Supreme Court decision to uphold Environmental Court Judge Thomas Durkins 2023 ruling that Banyai was guilty of contempt. Banyai has ignored several court orders and sanctions imposed by the judge to dismantle the facility, pay fines, and turn himself in to authorities on an outstanding arrest warrant. The Town of Pawlet is pleased that the Supreme Court has once again upheld its legal position and the trial courts considered decisions in this challenging case, said Merrill Bent, lead attorney for the town. The town will be reviewing the options to finally bring the community closure on this matter. Bent confirmed that one of the options available is entering the Slate Ridge property to immediately start dismantling any structures that are out of compliance with court orders. When reached for comment, Robert Kaplan, Baznyais attorney, said, Mr. Banyai's appeal raised important issues concerning the authority of the courts to use incarceration and fines to enforce orders in civil cases. These are novel issues that are unsettled in Vermont, and this case should have brought clarity to those areas. Mr. Banyai is disappointed that the Supreme Court chose not to address any of the substantive issues in his appeal. He is evaluating the decision and determining the best path forward to bring closure to this long-running dispute over his property. The Supreme Court found that Banyai did not have grounds to challenge the contempt sanctions, stating that Banyai never challenged the February 2023 contempt order or denial of reconsideration by a timely direct appeal to this Court," making his arguments against the contempt sanctions "impermissible." The contempt sanctions the Environmental Division imposed are entitled to full enforcement, wrote Associate Justice Harold Eaton Jr. in Fridays decision. The court found that Banyais arguments, which targeted an already finalized decision, were an impermissible collateral attack. We, therefore, decline to disturb the Environmental Divisions decision. The contempt sanctions the Environmental Division imposed are entitled to full enforcement. Those court-ordered sanctions include the ability for the town to dismantle any structures not in compliance, collect fines of $200 a day for the time Banyai was not in compliance, and for authorities to arrest Banyai. The accrued fines to date have totaled well over $100,000. Kaplan had argued before the justices back in January that the environmental court imposed punitive rather than coercive sanctions by levying hefty fines against his client and potentially forcing Banyais arrest and confinement until Pawlet officials could bring his property into compliance. During oral arguments, Bent said that the ostensibly punitive nature of the sanctions, as Kaplan described them, had nevertheless failed to result in the deconstruction of unpermitted structures on the property. She then questioned the justices as to whether Banyai was free to defy court orders and endlessly litigate. Both the Vermont State Police and the Rutland County Sheriff, David Fox, are charged with arresting Banyai. They must inform the environmental court every 30 days if their attempts to arrest him are unsuccessful. Both law enforcement agencies have filed two updates, stating that they have attempted to locate Banyai on multiple occasions, both at his West Pawlet property and at other locations garnered from leads regarding his whereabouts. We have continued to act on tips received from the public that are brought to our attention, wrote State Police Lt. Douglas Norton. Banyais whereabouts are still unknown. He is rumored to be somewhere in the upstate New York area and has vowed publicly not to return to Vermont to face arrest. TOKYO, Mar 02 (News On Japan) - The budget committee of the House of Representatives, which continued its deliberations until Saturday, has approved the budget proposal for the fiscal year 2024 in the afternoon with a majority vote from the ruling parties, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito. The budget proposal has a general account total of 112.5717 trillion yen, including contingency funds for the reconstruction of the Noto Peninsula earthquake, expansion of child allowances, and budget allocations for strengthening defense capabilities. The opposition parties opposed the proposal, arguing that the deliberations were insufficient. However, it was approved by a majority vote from the ruling parties. Following this approval, the budget proposal is expected to be passed in the plenary session of the House of Representatives and then sent to the House of Councillors. Its enactment within the fiscal year is assured according to the provisions of the Constitution. Source: ANN A security official walks in front of the entrance to the national headquarters of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Washington on Jan. 23, 2014. The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming an update to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives background check policy allows people in the U.S. illegally to purchase firearms. From the March 2, 1970, Eagle Eagle Archives, March 2, 1970: Take it from Jeane Dixon, we're not about to explode PITTSFIELD Arrowhead, the late 18th century home and farmstead where Herman Melville wrote "Moby-Dick," is facing down a sewer problem that may require a more than $710,000 solution. Lesley Herzberg, executive director of the Berkshire County Historical Society, said the property is currently supported by a septic cesspool that dates back to the 1970s when the society purchased and renovated the property. Two separate reviews of the septic system, in 2013 and 2022, classified it as a failure. Weve just been living on borrowed time at this point for the septic system, Herzberg said. Weve just been keeping our fingers crossed that nothing catastrophic happens. Every time the one of the three toilets on the property clogs, Herzberg said, shes convinced that borrowed time is up. Catastrophe in this case would be a backed up system that could cause the museum to close down for several days. Arrowhead is open to the public as a museum of Melvilles work and an archive of the regions history. The propertys age has always been seen as a boon to the nonprofit's mission to bring modern visitors face to face with the past though age is not a benefit in terms of infrastructure. The solution is a mere 673 feet away that's the distance between Arrowhead and Lori Court the endpoint of the city's municipal sewer system. City officials and the society are working on a plan to extend the sewer line farther south to the edge of the Arrowhead property at 780 Holmes Road. The extension would bring the sewer system within reach of the nonprofit, which would then build its own sewer line from the public line to the house and barn on the property. Other property owners along the extension would be able to do the same. The historical society would spend $60,000 to connect to the city sewer system from its property. Herzberg hopes that cost will be covered by a grant application for Community Preservation Act funds and Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund, as well as fundraising. The project is expected to cost the city $650,000 $50,000 for construction administration, $100,000 for a contingency fund and $500,000 in construction costs. Mayor Peter Marchetti backs the project and city councilors will discuss the project further at an upcoming Finance Committee meeting. The fact that the wastewater treatment facility is so close and yet, we, as residents, and business owners in the city cannot take advantage of that is silly, Herzberg said, referring to Arrowhead's close proximity to the sewer plant about a mile away on Utility Drive. I mean, it's, it's frustrating. Former City Councilor Karen Kalinowsky came forward at Tuesday night's council meeting to question the use of city funding for a "private entity," and how it would impact the citys sewer rates. I have nothing against Arrowhead; I understand theyre a nonprofit," she said. "Its something I think should be questioned. Finance Director Matt Kerwood said the plan for the cost sharing on this project is the same as the cost sharing on many other projects the city covers the cost of extending the infrastructure it owns and property owners pay the cost to connect to that infrastructure. He pointed to the 2021 project on Dan Fox Drive in which the city, at a cost of $960,000, extended the water and sewer service to Bousquet Mountain, allowing the ski area to move off of a septic system. The director said borrowing would be required for this project because the sewer enterprise fund which is funded through residents sewer bills was certified by the state at $419,195. He said paying back the debt required for this project would be spread out over 20 years. This is not going to have a direct relationship on rates, Kerwood said. The project may mean very little to residents sewer bills, but it will mean a lot to the Berkshire County Historical Society. Herzberg said that the organization recently began offering event rentals in an attempt to extend the financial longevity of the nonprofit. At this point the bathrooms in the barn, where events are held, can only really support 50-people affairs. If a wedding party or some other event has more than 50 people, hosts are required to bring in their own trailers with bathrooms or rent port-a-potties for the property. With the improvements, Herzberg said the property could host events, like weddings, of up to 200 people. This is money that has been earmarked and allocated for sewer improvements for the city, Herzberg said. Its not like were going and taking [these funds] from another pot of money that could be used elsewhere. We want the citys help but were also doing our part as well, she added. A Russian Beriev A-50 plain flies over Red Square in in Moscow in May 2019. Ukraines military chief claims that Ukraine has shot down two of the so-called AWACS, or airborne warning and control system planes, in the last two months, which would leave the Russian military with only six of the expensive and strategically critical warplanes. TOKYO, Mar 02 (News On Japan) - Fast Retailing, the company behind Uniqlo, held an early entrance ceremony on the 1st of March. Chairman and CEO Tadashi Yanai stated, "You all can work globally, not just in Japan, but in stores around the world. Please make sure to go global. Create the best teams in stores worldwide." It has become customary for Fast Retailing to hold its entrance ceremony in March, a month earlier than other major companies, to ensure that new employees can become immediately effective and contribute during the busy Golden Week period. On March 1st, approximately 270 new employees, including 19 from India and Vietnam hired through the international recruitment program, attended the ceremony dressed in outfits that expressed their individuality. Most of the new employees will undergo training at the headquarters for about three days before taking up their duties at Uniqlo or GU stores. Fast Retailing has been strengthening its recruitment of global talent by collaborating with universities overseas since 2019, with the hiring of 19 workers is the highest number since the start of the collaboration. Source: ANN State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code TOKYO, Mar 02 (News On Japan) - Emiri Aizawa, known as the former "No. 1 hostess in Kabukicho" and now a businesswoman, has announced the birth of her first child, a baby girl. On March 1, Aizawa shared on Instagram, "To everyone who has always supported me, I apologize for the late announcement, but last year, our precious family grew. She's a cute little angel. I have newfound respect for mothers around the world. I'm sure there will be many challenges ahead, but I want to continue living with all my heart. Thank you for your continued support. The photo is from a while ago, but it's me and my daughter at two weeks old." Fans have expressed their surprise and congratulations in response to Aizawa's announcement, with comments like, "I had no idea, congratulations!" "What?! Emiri is a mom now?!" and "I didn't even know you were pregnant!" Source: ANN A serving Garda in Co Clare who failed a roadside breath-test for alcohol has been convicted of careless driving arising from a late night "very low-impact" collision with a taxi on his way home from the pub. At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Alec Gabbett imposed a fine of 500 on David Kenneally (41), of Tulla Rd, Ennis after he changed his plea to guilty regarding one of the charges he faced. Advertisement The court heard the incident happened on Abbey Street in Ennis at 1.55am on February 5th, 2022, when Kenneally collided with the back of a taxi at "less than 10km per hour". Kenneally's counsel, David Staunton BL, instructed by solicitor Daragh Hassett, asked Judge Gabbett to be as lenient as he could, stating his client has already endured a number of significant ancillary penalties beyond what a normal citizen would endure which have impacted his professional and personal life. Advertisement Mr Staunton said his client has been suspended from the Gardai since the offence occurred and there will be consequences for him elsewhere as well. State solicitor Aiden Judge described what happened on the night as "an unfortunate incident", noting that Kenneally has no previous convictions. Advertisement Kenneally initially pleaded not guilty to three charges of careless driving, drink-driving and frustrating a Garda prosecution at Abbey Street, Ennis on February 5th, 2022. However, he changed his plea to the careless driving charge after the State withdrew the more serious charges of drink-driving and frustrating a prosecution. After the court had heard from several State witnesses, Mr Judge told Judge Gabbett that the State was not offering any evidence in respect of driving under the influence of alcohol, nor was it offering any evidence in relation to the frustration of a prosecution. Mr Judge confirmed the change in the States case after earlier asking for a brief adjournment. Advertisement Evidence Mr Judge requested the adjournment after Garda evidence concerning the sequencing of Kenneally and Evidencer machine operator, Garda Andrew McGee, signing the print out of the Garda Evidencer machine after Kenneally had provided a breath sample at Ennis Garda station after 3.30am on February 5th, 2022. Advertisement Garda McGee said the Evidencer machine test for Kenneally showed a reading of 51 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, which is over the legal limit for driving. Earlier in evidence, Sgt David Hannon said that at 1.55am, he received a report of a collision on Abbey Street, outside Knoxs pub. Sgt Hannon said that when he got to the scene, Kenneally called him over "and told me that he was driving one of the vehicles and crashed into the back of a taxi". Advertisement Sgt Hannon told the court that he went up to the taxi-driver "and I asked him if he was okay, and he said that he had a pain in his neck and back and he requested an ambulance". He said that while he was briefing a Duty Sergeant by phone, he noted Kenneally walking down a laneway beside Knoxs pub. Sgt Hannon told the court Kenneally came back up to the corner "and I saw him pick up a pint of Guinness off a table outside the pub". Sgt Hannon said: "I took the pint of Guinness off him and put it back down on the ground." He said Kenneally then provided a roadside breath sample for drink-driving, "and this returned a fail". Advertisement Kenneally was then arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, and was taken to Ennis Garda station. The court heard Kenneally had been out socialising with Darren McGill, to whom he offered a lift home. Giving evidence, Mr McGill told the court he did not know if Kenneally had been drinking in the pub. Mr McGill said that while driving up Abbey Street, Kenneally's Ford Mondeo had "tipped" a car in front. He agreed with Kenneally's counsel that he told gardai in his statement that the collision occurred "at a speed of less than 10km per hour". Mr McGill agreed that the collision did not cause any damage to either vehicle, and said he also observed Kenneally taking a drink from a pint glass in a laneway after the incident. The State's current approach to dealing with drug addiction is "broken" and needs to be reformed, according to a leading academic. Dr Jo-Hanna Ivers, an associate professor for public health and primary care at Trinity College Dublin, was recently on the advisory council for the Citizens Assembly on Drugs Use, which had its final meeting in October 2023. Advertisement Across six meetings from April to October last year, the 99 assembly members had wide-ranging discussions that amounted to the most thorough consideration of Irelands existing drugs laws and policy in the history of the State. "We talked about drug use at a population level, legal issues around people's lived experience as well as recovery and prevention," Dr Ivers said. They found the most important thing was to identify the barriers that stop people from getting the help they need. What it comes down to is usually criminalisation and a lack of access to treatment. Advertisement After the six sessions, the assembly came up with 36 recommendations which were then submitted to the Government. Advertisement Dr Ivers said the main consensus was there needs to be a more health-based approach to treating drug addiction, along with a multi-department strategy to deal with the issue. She said it is about breaking the cycle of drug addicts being criminalised. Those who are prosecuted for possessing drugs "often enter the criminal justice system instead of getting the treatment they truly need," she added. Criminalisation Currently, gardai are asked to use discretion about whether someone should be referred for treatment or be prosecuted. Dr Ivers said instead, they should be compelled to turn them over to addiction services so they can start treatment. Advertisement In a statement issued to BreakingNews.ie, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said: "Possession of drugs remains illegal under current criminal law and therefore any person found to be in possession of such drugs may be subject to prosecution. "The decision to prosecute individuals for personal possession is at the discretion of An Garda Siochana and the DPP. The adult caution scheme is a non-statutory scheme agreed by both agencies. "We are committed to strengthening the existing adult caution scheme to ensure an efficient and effective means of implementing a prosecution avoidance policy when Garda members come in contact with adults with mental illness and addiction challenges. Advertisement "While the Departments key strategic priorities include tackling crime, they also include strengthening community safety and reducing reoffending. Advertisement "The Department and the Minister for Justice are absolutely mindful of the fact that the needs of many people who interact with the criminal justice system are complex, and are often influenced by mental health and addiction challenges." Drug treatment courts have become a fixture of how Ireland deals with this issue, and Dr Ivers said they do still have a role to play. "There is still a place for them, because people will still find themselves in a situation where there is a barrier to treatment, and they need to access that. "We know that the people that are coming to treatment are coming with complex needs." Advertisement Multi-department approach These are people who are dealing with homelessness, co-morbidity, mental health issues, lack of education, and therefore, a lack of access to employment. It means you leave the domain of health and enter the remit of housing, employment and education, hence the need for a multi-department approach. "We have this ridiculous system where you have got a frontline worker trying to find somebody a house in the middle of the housing crisis, or trying to find access to mental health services when the system is already broken," she said. Advertisement These are workers trying to negotiate a job market for people who have no skills "at a time when we have never called for more skills," she said. It all comes down to having a system in place so those who are dealing with people in treatment are not saddled with the responsibility of dealing with every one of their issues. It is also about letting people know that there is a path to recovery, and guiding them that way instead of towards criminality. Helping people recover can benefit society in much greater ways than we think. "Even if you don't care about people in addiction, recovery is good for everyone. "Because people engage in service, they give back to their community, they give back to society. They enter the workplace, they become taxpayers. Recovery is good for everyone at the end of the day," she said. People who do recover from addiction also tend to become advocates for recovery and help those who are going through the same thing. Dr Ivers said instead of continuing the cycle of addiction, they have a chance to start a new cycle of recovery, which can have "ripple effects" for other people who may be struggling with addiction. While Ireland is trying to change its approach to dealing with drug addiction, Dr Ivers said the US and the UK are way ahead of everyone else when it comes to recovery specifically, and there is a lot from them which we can learn. Like recovery itself, Ireland is forging a new path with how it looks at addiction, but it is now down to the Government to get behind this new approach with political will and proper funding. Three men have been arrested in Co Cork in connection with an investigation into human trafficking and labour exploitation. The men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested on Saturday morning, while searches at five locations in Cork and two locations in Roscommon were also carried out. Advertisement Gardai said items of evidential value were seized during the searches. The three men are currently detained under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 at Garda stations in Cork. The operation on Saturday morning involved over 100 officers from various Garda units, including the Armed Support Unit. The investigation targeted the activities of an organised crime group operating in Ireland, which has connections to Eastern Europe. Gardai said the group is involved in the alleged trafficking of people to Ireland for the purpose of labour exploitation, and the Garda investigation is being supported by law enforcement from other jurisdictions and Europol. US president Joe Biden said on Friday that the US will begin air-dropping humanitarian assistance into Gaza, a day after dozens of Palestinians were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops. The president announced the move after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured, according to Gazas Hamas-run health ministry, on Thursday when witnesses said nearby Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy. Advertisement US president Joe Biden announced the drops would begin in the coming days (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Mr Biden said the air drops will begin soon and that the United States was looking into additional ways to facilitate getting badly needed aid into the war-battered territory to ease the suffering of Palestinians. In the coming days, were going to join with our friends in Jordan and others who are providing airdrops of additional food and supplies and will seek to open up other avenues in, including possibly a marine corridor, Mr Biden said. Advertisement Advertisement The president twice referred to airdrops to help Ukraine, but White House officials clarified that he was referring to Gaza. Israel said many of the dead were trampled in a stampede linked to the chaos and that its troops fired at some in the crowd who they believed moved toward them in a threatening way. President Joe Biden meets Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Advertisement Mr Biden made the announcement while hosting Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House. Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough, Mr Biden said. Now, its nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line and childrens lives are on the line. We wont stand by until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several. Advertisement Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that her country supports the US mediation efforts (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Mr Biden said earlier this week that he was optimistic that a ceasefire deal could be reached by early next week. However, the president acknowledged that a prospective deal may have been set back after Israeli troops fired on a large crowd of Palestinians racing to pull food off the aid convoy on Thursday. Advertisement With Ms Meloni by his side, Mr Biden expressed cautious optimism on Friday that a deal can still be struck. Weve been working and hopefully well know shortly, he said. Advertisement Ms Meloni said solving the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was Italys top priority. We need to co-ordinate our actions to avoid an escalation, and this regard we fully support the US mediation efforts, she said. The head of a Gaza City hospital that treated some of the Palestinians injured in the bloodshed surrounding an aid convoy said more than 80 per cent had been struck by gunfire, suggesting heavy shooting by Israeli troops. At least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured in the city on Thursday, according to health officials, when witnesses said nearby Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy. Advertisement Israeli officials said many of the dead had been trampled in a crowd surge that started when desperate Palestinians in Gaza rushed the aid trucks. Israel added its troops fired warning shots after the crowd moved toward them in a threatening way. Palestinians walk through the destruction from the Israeli offensive in Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Thursday (AP) Dr Mohammed Salha, the acting director of Al-Awda Hospital, told The Associated Press that of the 176 injured people brought to the facility, 142 had gunshot wounds and the other 34 showed injuries from a stampede. Advertisement Advertisement He could not address the cause of death of those killed, because the bodies had been taken to government-run hospitals to be counted. Dr Husam Abu Safyia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said the majority of the injured taken there had gunshot wounds in the upper part of their bodies, and many of the deaths were from gunshots to the head, neck or chest. The bloodshed underlined how the chaos of Israels almost five-month-old offensive has crippled efforts to bring aid to Gazas 2.3 million Palestinians, a quarter of whom the United Nations says face starvation. Advertisement Intense Israeli bombardment from air, land & sea continued to be reported across #GazaStrip Reports 2 infants died in northern #Gaza as a result of dehydration & malnutrition, as 1/4of Gazas population faces catastrophic levels of food insecurity.https://t.co/CB5oianCLM pic.twitter.com/DUkZ6dXcLq UNRWA (@UNRWA) March 1, 2024 Advertisement The UN and other aid groups have been pleading for safe corridors for aid convoys, saying it has become nearly impossible to deliver supplies in most of Gaza because of the difficulty of coordinating with the Israeli military, ongoing hostilities and the breakdown of public order, including crowds of desperate people who overwhelm aid convoys. Advertisement UN officials say hunger is even worse in the north, where several hundred thousand Palestinians remain even though the area has been isolated and mostly levelled since Israeli troops launched their ground offensive there in late October. UN agencies have not delivered aid to the north in more than a month because of military restrictions and lack of security, but several deliveries by other groups reached the area earlier this week. The United Nations says a UN team that visited Shifa Hospital in Gaza City reported a large number of gunshot wounds among the more than 200 people still being treated for injuries on Friday from Thursdays chaotic aid convoy scene. Advertisement US secretary-general Antonio Guterres and several European leaders have called for an independent, credible investigation into what happened. I am appalled by the tragic human toll of the conflict in Gaza - more than 30,000 people reportedly killed and over 70,000 injured. I reiterate my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages. Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 1, 2024 Acknowledging the difficulty of getting aid in, US President Joe Biden said on Friday that America will soon begin air drops of assistance to Gaza and will look for other ways to get shipments in, including possibly a marine corridor. Advertisement The announcement came hours after a Jordanian plane over northern Gaza dropped packages attached to parachutes, including rice, flour and baby formula. Mr Biden said: Innocent lives are on the line, and childrens lives are on the line. We wont stand by until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several. Aid officials have said air drops are an incredibly expensive way of distributing assistance. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said on Thursday: I dont think the air dropping of food in the Gaza Strip should be the answer today. The real answer is: open the crossing and bring convoys and bring meaningful assistance into the Gaza Strip. An Israeli armoured personnel carrier near the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put forward a plan for Israel to retain open-ended security and political control over the territory an effective reoccupation after Hamas is destroyed. Under the plan, Palestinians picked by Israel would administer the territory, but it is uncertain if any would co-operate. That would leave Israeli troops to oversee the population during the massive post-war humanitarian and reconstruction operation envisioned by the international community. Israel launched its air, sea and ground offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas October 7 attack into Israel, in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 others. Since the assault began, Israel has barred entry of food, water, medicine and other supplies, except for a trickle of aid entering the south from Egypt at the Rafah crossing and Israels Kerem Shalom crossing. Advertisement Despite international calls to allow more aid in, the number of supply trucks is far less than the 500 that came in daily before the war. The Gaza health ministry said the Palestinian death toll from the war has climbed to 30,228, with another 71,377 injured. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says women and children make up around two thirds of those killed. Thursdays bloodshed took place as a convoy of around 30 trucks entered Gaza City before dawn. Many of the wounded described a scene of desperation and chaos, with people climbing on the moving trucks to get bags of flour when Israeli troops began shooting, including from a tank. Firefighters battling the largest wildfire in the history of Texas are facing increasingly difficult weather conditions. The Smokehouse Creek Fire that began on Monday has killed at least two people, left a charred landscape of scorched prairie and dead cattle and destroyed as many as 500 structures, including burned-out homes, in the Texas Panhandle. Advertisement The US National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a red flag warning for the entire Panhandle from late on Saturday morning through until midnight on Sunday after rain and snow on Thursday allowed firefighters to contain a portion of the fire. Peak wind gusts out of the southwest for both Saturday and Sunday are expected to be over 40 mph at times, even near 50 mph on Sunday. With many active fires still ongoing, please do your part to prevent new or the current spread of ongoing wildfires #phwx #TXwx #OKwx pic.twitter.com/IaIyFlZC8d Advertisement NWS Amarillo (@NWSAmarillo) March 2, 2024 Advertisement A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures will create favourable weather for rapid fire growth and spread, according to the weather services forecast. Critical fire weather conditions are expected to return as winds out of the south-west gust to 40 to 45mph and humidity drops below 10%, the forecast said, as it predicted a high temperature of 24C. Advertisement The fire, which has merged with another fire and crossed the state line into western Oklahoma, has burned more than 1,700 square miles and was 15% contained, the Texas A&M Forest Service said on Friday. Dwarf palmetto trees are charred after the Smokehouse Creek Fire destroyed a property (AP) The cause of the fire remains under investigation, although strong winds, dry grass and unseasonably warm weather fed the flames. Advertisement Everybody needs to understand that we face enormous potential fire dangers as we head into this weekend, Republican governor Greg Abbott said on Friday after touring the area. No-one can let down their guard. Everyone must remain very vigilant. Two women were confirmed killed by the fires this week. But with the flames still menacing a wide area, authorities have not yet thoroughly searched for victims or tallied homes and other structures that were damaged or destroyed. Advertisement Advertisement As emergency responders continue to support #wildfire response in the Texas Panhandle, do your part to prevent additional fires: Never drive your vehicle onto dry grass or brush Take safety precautions when using outdoor equipment More tips: https://t.co/GzAG7ADRwH pic.twitter.com/tBk9ijq0pt Texas Division of Emergency Management (@TDEM) February 28, 2024 Two firefighters were injured battling the flames in Oklahoma. One suffered a heat-related injury and the other was injured when the vehicle he was riding in struck a tanker truck as the two were heading to fight the fire near Gage. Both firefighters are expected to recover. Texas agriculture commissioner Sid Miller said individual ranchers could suffer devastating losses due to the fires, but predicted the overall impact on the Texas cattle industry and consumer beef prices would be minimal. The number of dead cattle was not known, but Mr Miller and local ranchers estimate the total will be in the thousands. Federal prosecutors pressed a federal judge on Friday to schedule a trial for this summer in the classified documents case against former US president Donald Trump, while defence lawyers sought to put it off until after the election. US District Judge Aileen Cannon did not set a date during the pivotal hours-long hearing in Fort Pierce, Florida, attended by Trump, though she did express scepticism that the case could proceed to trial on the timeline requested by prosecutors. Advertisement The trial date decision is crucial, determining whether the former president and leading Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential race faces a jury before the November election on charges that he hoarded top-secret records at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and concealed them from government investigators. The updated indictment against former President Donald Trump, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira (AP Photo/Jon Elswick, File) Given the gravity of the allegations and the breadth of evidence that prosecutors say they have accumulated, the documents case has long been seen as the most legally perilous of the four criminal prosecutions that Trump is facing this year. Advertisement Advertisement The case had been scheduled for months to reach trial on May 20th, but with Ms Cannon signalling months ago that she intended to reconsider that date, the two sides submitted competing proposals this week that could theoretically result in Trump standing trial at some point this summer or not anytime this year. Prosecutor Jay Bratt, a member of special counsel Jack Smiths team, which has pressed for a July 8th trial date, said: This case can be tried this summer. Defence lawyers, by contrast, contend there is no fair way to hold a fair trial this year at a time when Trump is looking to clinch the Republican presidential nomination, but they have nonetheless offered August 12th as a possible date to begin jury selection. Lawyer Todd Blanche said: We very much believe that a trial that takes place before the election is a mistake and should not happen. Advertisement The easy solution is to start this trial after the election. Supporters of Donald Trump waited to see the former president at the federal courthouse (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Though she did not immediately rule, Ms Cannon hinted that she did not see the case as being on the cusp of trial, telling lawyers that a lot of work remains to be done. Advertisement Trump, who has had combative exchanges in the past with judges, sat quietly during Fridays arguments and appeared to listen intently, at times whispering with his legal team. Advertisement Mr Smith was also present, as were Trumps two co-defendants, his valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira. The trial date has taken on added significance in light of the uncertainty surrounding a separate federal case in Washington charging Trump with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The Supreme Court said this week that it would hear arguments in late April on whether Trump as a former president is immune from prosecution, leaving it unclear whether that case also brought by Mr Smith might reach trial before the election. Advertisement If the Florida classified documents case were to be postponed until after the election, and if the Washington election subversion case does not take place this year, that would mean voters would head to the polls without two blockbuster federal prosecutions one charging Trump with seeking to undermine American democracy, the other accusing him of mishandling sensitive national secrets being resolved by a jury. A late summer trial, if it happens, could come right around the time that the parties select their presidential nominees. Philip Stasik, centre, holds up a sign reading Trump Liar as he joins demonstrators (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Republicans will hold their nominating convention in July while the Democrats will meet in August. The general election campaign typically moves into a more frenzied pace after Labour Day, when many voters begin to pay closer attention to the political season. Advertisement In some states, voters can begin participating in early voting by September or October, raising the possibility that a trial could play out as ballots are being cast. The highly anticipated hearing was the first public one in weeks in the Florida case. It was held as prosecutors have sought to stress to Ms Cannon the severity of the charges against Trump and amid simmering disagreement between Mr Smiths team and the judge on the question of whether names of potential witnesses in the case could be disclosed by the defence on the public docket. This image, contained in the indictment against former President Donald Trump, shows boxes of records being stored on the stage in the White and Gold Ballroom at Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida (Justice Department via AP) Trump faces 40 felony counts in Florida that accuse him of wilfully retaining after he left the White House dozens of classified documents and rebuffing government demands to give them back. Prosecutors in recent court filings have stressed the scope of criminal conduct that they say they expect to prove at trial, saying this week in one brief that there has never been a case in American history in which a former official has engaged in conduct remotely similar to Trumps. They allege, for instance, that Trump intentionally held onto some of the nations most sensitive documents only returning a fraction of them upon demand by the National Archives and then urged his lawyer to hide records and to lie to the FBI by saying he no longer was in possession of them. Advertisement Hes also charged with enlisting staff to delete surveillance footage that would show boxes of documents being moved around the property. Trump and his lawyers have denied any wrongdoing. They asked Ms Cannon last week to dismiss the case, citing among other arguments the same immunity theory now being considered by the Supreme Court. TOKYO, Mar 02 (News On Japan) - The U.S. State Department has announced that Rina Gonoi, who exposed sexual abuse within the Japan Self-Defense Forces, will be awarded this year's "International Women of Courage Award." Gonoi, a former member of the Ground Self-Defense Force, disclosed her experience of sexual abuse under her real name, prompting the Ministry of Defense to investigate the prevalence of harassment within the Self-Defense Forces. On March 1, the State Department selected Gonoi as this year's recipient from Japan for the "International Women of Courage Award," acknowledging her for shedding light on issues traditionally considered taboo in Japanese society. The department also noted that Gonoi's activism has encouraged many abuse victims to speak out and has prompted the Self-Defense Forces to work towards creating a safer workplace. The award ceremony will be held at the White House on March 4, hosted by First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Website: 2024 International Women of Courage Award Recipients Announced A ship attacked by Yemens Houthi rebels has sunk in the Red, becoming the first vessel to be fully destroyed as part of their campaign over Israels war against Hamas in Gaza. The sinking of the Rubymar, which carried a cargo of fertiliser, could cause ecological damage to the Red Sea. Advertisement Persistent Houthi attacks have already disrupted traffic in the crucial waterway for cargo and energy shipments moving from Asia and the Middle East to Europe. Many ships have turned away from the route. The sinking could see further detours and higher insurance rates put on vessels plying the waterway potentially driving up global inflation and affecting aid shipments to the region. The Rubymar was attacked by Yemens Houthi rebels (Planet Labs PBC via AP) Advertisement The Belize-flagged Rubymar had been drifting northward after being struck by a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile on February 18 in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Advertisement Yemens internationally recognised government, as well as a regional military official, confirmed the ship sank. The British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, which watches over Middle East waterways, also acknowledged the Rubymars sinking on Saturday afternoon. Yemens exiled government, which has been backed by a Saudi-led coalition since 2015, said the Rubymar sank late on Friday as stormy weather took hold over the Red Sea. The vessel had been abandoned for 12 days after the attack, though plans had been made to try and tow the ship to a safe port. Advertisement Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, the prime minister of Yemens internationally recognised government, called the ships sinking an unprecedented environmental disaster. Advertisement Its a new disaster for our country and our people, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Every day, we pay for the Houthi militias adventures, which were not stopped at plunging Yemen into the coup disaster and war. Greenpeace also raised concerns about the ship sinking. Without immediate action, this situation could escalate into a major environmental crisis, said Julien Jreissati, programme director at Greenpeace MENA. As well as any further leaks of fuel oil from the engines, the sinking of the vessel could further breach the hull, allowing water to contact with the thousands of tonnes of fertiliser, which could then be released into the Red Sea and disrupt the balance of the marine ecosystems, triggering cascading effects throughout the food web. Advertisement Advertisement The Houthis have held Yemens capital, Sanaa, since 2014, expelling the government. Its fought a Saudi-led coalition since 2015 in a stalemated war. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over the Israel-Hamas war. Those vessels have included at least one with cargo bound for Iran, the Houthis main benefactor, and an aid ship later bound for Houthi-controlled territory. Despite over a month of US-led airstrikes, Houthi rebels remain capable of launching significant attacks. That includes the attack on the Rubymar and the downing of an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars. The Houthis insist their attacks will continue until Israel stops its combat operations in the Gaza Strip, which have enraged the wider Arab world and seen the Houthis gain international recognition. However, there has been a slowdown in attacks in recent days but the reason for that remains unclear. The lawyers who successfully argued that a massive pay package for Tesla CEO Elon Musk was illegal and should be voided have asked the presiding judge to award them company stock worth 5.6 billion dollars as legal fees. The attorneys, who represented Tesla shareholders in the case decided in January, made the request of the Delaware judge in court papers filed on Friday. Advertisement The amount would apparently be far and away the largest such award, if approved. Lawyers in class-action suits stemming from the collapse of Enron got $688 million in legal fees in 2008. Elon Musk holds a 13 per cent take in Tesla. Photo: Steven Senne/AP. We are prepared to eat our cooking, the Tesla plaintiff attorneys wrote in the court filing, arguing the sum is justified because they worked purely on a contingency basis for more than five years. If they lost they would have got nothing and the benefit to Tesla was massive, they said. Advertisement Advertisement The requested award represents 11 per cent of the Tesla stock worth some $55 billion that Mr Musk was seeking in the compensation package, which Judge Kathaleen St Jude McCormick ruled illegal in January. Not only does the request take nothing from the electric car companys balance sheet, it is also tax deductible, the attorneys argued. In her ruling, Judge McCormick accepted the shareholder lawyers argument that Mr Musk personally dictated the landmark 2018 pay package in sham negotiations with directors who were not independent. It would have nearly doubled Mr Musks stake in Tesla. He currently holds 13 per cent. Branan Murphy | DREAM Label Group Los Angeles, CA (March 1st, 2024) North Carolina artist Branan Murphy releases his sophomore full-length and debut album on Paravel Records and DREAM Records. The 14-song album features his hits Father, Look At What Grace Can Do and the self-titled and next radio single Life Is Hard. God Is Good. Murphy has been releasing several songs leading up to the albums release and Life is Hard. God is Good. has already been streamed over 3 million times. The album in-part was produced by award winning producers, Kyle Williams, Coby James, David Spender and Jordan Sapp and was written by several award winning songwriters David Spencer, Paul Duncan, Jordan Sapp in addition to Coby James, Ashley Levoy, Anthony Raglin, Tyrus Morgan, and Kyle Williams. This album has been such a long time coming, and Im so thankful to share it with the world. Its really the story of my own journey through some really hard things the past few years - pain, disappointment, loss, confusion, sin. Ive been telling people this album was the easiest to write, but the hardest to live. The beautiful thing about it all is the experience of the goodness of God in the middle of all the hard, the priceless experience of knowing him in new, specific ways that I truly would not have had otherwise. Suffering with Jesus produces a peculiar, incomparable joy. For that reason, as crazy as it sounds, I can say that I wouldnt change a thing. I hope people can see their own stories in this record and be able to say the same. - Branan Murphy Several song highlights from the album have been featured including a beautiful performance of Still on grammys.com that features Davies as well as a performance of Look At What Grace Can Do at the We Love Awards on NewReleaseToday.com. Listen or buy Life is Hard. God is Good. here Passion 2024 | Jeff Warta NASHVILLE, TENN. / ATLANTA, GA. (March 01, 2024) Today sixstepsrecords / Capitol CMG's Passion releases the brand new live album, Call on Heaven. This album was captured at Passion 2024 and features 14 live recordings including artists Cody Carnes, Brooke Ligertwood, Crowder, and Kari Jobe as well as Passion artists Kristian Stanfill, Brett Younker, Melodie Malone, and Chidima. This project captures the sound of 55,000 18-25-year-olds lifting up the name of Jesus together, giving all of their praise and adoration to the King of Kings. Listen to the new album now. "There is a hunger for God right now in hearts of young adults all around the world," shares Passion's Brett Younker. "Call on Heaven is the sound of a generation that desires to know the holiness and the greatness of God. These songs carry a transcendent space between heaven and earth that lifts our eyes to see whats possible and fill our hearts with faith. Hearing the roar of voices crying out to God, we'll never be the same." The sold-out Passion Conference returned to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in their home of Atlanta, GA with more than 55,000 in attendance. This year's conference had a unique and special atmosphere which is reflected on the new live-recorded album, Call on Heaven. The project features the live version of "He Who Is To Come," with the live moment debuting today (click here to watch), as well as the previously released "The Lord Will Provide." Anticipating the full-length album, Passion released a video "Agnus Dei" showcasing the beautiful moment of worship on the last morning of the conference when the students in attendance continued to sing, "Holy, Holy are you, Lord God Almighty." Click here to watch. Celebrating the release of Call on Heaven, Passion will perform live on Fox & Friends on Sunday, March 17th in the studio as part of their special Faith & Friends Series. Check local listings for times. For more than two decades, the Passion movement has gathered students and leaders from across the nation and world to begin the new year with a singular purpose of glorifying God and uniting in worship, prayer, and spiritual awakening. Take life one day at a time and practise mindfulness through the beauty of flowers. That is the message that Japanese-Australian multidisciplinary artist Hiromi Tango wants people to walk away with when admiring her artwork at the Museum of Brisbane. Japanese-Australian artist Hiromi Tango will bring her contemporary creativity to a six-month residency at the Museum of Brisbane. The space has been turned into a sculptural arrangement of vibrant flowers through the Hanabira (Gentle Petal) public installation for the next six months as she takes up an artist in residence place at the museum for the very first time. Hiromis recognisable style has seen her works displayed in major Australian museums as well as international exhibitions in the US, Belgium, Dubai and throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Its been heralded as supermodel Elle Macphersons return to the runway after 16 years, but the fashion industry has never been good with dates. When Macpherson, who turns 60 at the end of the month, walks on Monday night for the first major show of the Melbourne Fashion Festival (MFF), it will be nearly 14 years since her runway appearance for Louis Vuitton in Paris. Elle Macpherson is returning to the runway for the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Blurring the timeline further is a runway appearance in Sydney 13 years ago, where Macpherson dressed as a sexy pilot to launch Virgin flight crew uniforms as a favour to entrepreneur Richard Branson. Even Macpherson, who has a good head for numbers having turned being The Body into big business through a series of calendars, underwear collections and her ingestible beauty brand WelleCo is confused. Like most Australians, I lost the cash habit at some point in the past decade, content to tap away to pay for everything from coffee to groceries. I often have no cash in my wallet. He went on Sky News to explain himself. If you have a cashless society, the banks control your life, youre not able to buy a loaf of bread without permission from the banks, Katter said. Its bad enough now but it will become infinitely worse. Last month Katter was fired up because a cafe in the Australian Parliament House initially refused to accept his $50 note, telling him it was a cashless business. Katter told them it was too bad for them because cash was legal tender, and they legally had to accept it. Recently, though, Ive been trying to change that. I started noticing that more and more retailers, especially cafes and small shops, were imposing surcharges for card payments. Being the former Money editor of this masthead, I knew how quickly little amounts can add up. Ive also been finding that an increasing number of businesses no longer accept cash. Ive encountered this several times in the month since Katters run-in at the Canberra cafe. On the Saturday before last, I was unfortunately not at the second Taylor Swift concert, having failed to find tickets. Nor was I at the Bondi Beach Party, murdering the dance floor with Sophie Ellis-Bextor. But I was at the Capitol Theatre, seeing the entrancing Australian Ballet production of Alice with my daughter. The Australian Ballet production of Alice in Wonderland. Credit: Louie Douvis I was surprised to find that the bar at the theatre is cashless. The bartender informed me that this was stated in the terms and conditions of sale when I bought my tickets. The website confirms the policy but does not state a reason. Earlier in February, I came across the same phenomenon at Spice Alley, off Broadway, where there is a collection of small food stalls and shared tables in a central courtyard. I wanted to give my teenagers cash, so they could go and choose their own meals, but the stalls were all cashless, forcing us to go one by one. One of the stallholders told me that Spice Alley management did not allow them to take cash, but customers could load currency onto a cashless payment card at a central cashier. The Spice Alley website says the policy is to improve speed of service, safety and hygiene. The NSW Police have arrived out of uniform to an overwhelmingly positive response. Crowds erupted with cheers for the police, who wore navy shirts with the colours of the pride flag in the police square-checked pattern. They were flanked by clothed officers acting as security. There are around 60 officers marching as originally intended. However, the group consisted of LGBTQ liaison officers, LGBTQ officers and their allies. NSW Police march out of uniform at this years Mardi Gras. Credit: Amber Schultz Mardi Gras requested that police not march in the parade earlier this week following anger in parts of the community over the alleged murder of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies by serving gay police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon. On Wednesday, a deal was struck to allow police to attend out of uniform. On Friday event co-chair Brandon Bear said there was space for police at the parade. We as an organisation are not going to tell people how to think or feel about things on the night but ... the safety of our participants in the parade and watching the parade is of paramount importance to us, Bear said. We are working with not just the police but other emergency services who were there on the night supporting us as well to make sure that that experience is safe. After refusing his wifes request for a divorce for years, Richard Dudley Kelsey decided to kill her. He recorded Gail Kelsey venting for hours, grabbed a rifle from his bedroom safe, returned to the verandah and shot the 67-year-old at close range in the abdomen. Gail Kelsey would have spent her final moments trying to comprehend what her husband of 28 years had done to her, Justice Lincoln Crowley said. Credit: Facebook The now 76-year-old man with murderous intentions loaded a second bullet, but his wife fell off the chair and slumped to the ground in what would have been an agonising death, a court has been told. It would have been made all the more painful as she would have spent her final moments trying to comprehend what you, her husband of 28 years, had done to her, Justice Lincoln Crowley said on Friday as he sentenced Kelsey to life in prison. Members of Australias Cambodian diaspora community say they are willing to risk retribution against both themselves and their families back home to speak out against the regime in Phnom Penh during a visit to Melbourne by the countrys new prime minister. Hundreds of protesters, also including members of the Burmese, Vietnamese and Lao communities, converged on the steps of Victorias Parliament House ahead of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit early next week. Demonstrators highlight human rights abuses in their birth countries at a rally outside Victorian parliament ahead of the ASEAN-Australia summit. Credit: Chris Hopkins Leaders from Indonesia to Thailand will travel to Melbourne for the summit, which marks 50 years of relations between Australia and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Among the visiting leaders will be Hun Manet, the 46-year-old son of long-time Cambodian strongman Hun Sen, who took over in a transition of power in August. China has over 47 mln higher-education students in 2023 Xinhua) 10:15, March 02, 2024 BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China had over 47.63 million students at higher-educational institutions of various types in 2023, an increase of 1.08 million over the previous year, or up 2.32 percent year on year, the Ministry of Education said on Friday. Last year, over 10.42 million students were enrolled in universities, colleges and vocational schools nationwide, up 2.73 percent year on year, the ministry told a press conference. It noted about 1.3 million graduate students were enrolled across China in 2023, an increase of 4.76 percent over the previous year. The country boasted 3,074 higher-educational institutions in 2023, 61 more than 2022, the ministry said, adding that there were 2.07 million full-time teachers in higher education, up 4.91 percent from the previous year. The gross enrollment ratio in China's higher education reached 60.2 percent in 2023, up 0.6 percentage points from 2022, the ministry noted. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) FILE - In this Oct. 27, Auteur of Style honoree Iris Apfel attends The Fashion Group International's Night of Stars Gala at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style, has died, Friday, March 1, 2024. She was 102. .(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) Evan Agostini/AP FILE -Iris Apfel takes her seat before the Serena Williams Signature Statement Spring 2017 collection is modeled during Fashion Week in New York, Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style, has died, Friday, March 1, 2024. She was 102. . Seth Wenig/AP FILE -Iris Apfel attends the premiere of "Iris" at the Paris Theatre on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, in New York. Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style, has died, Friday, March 1, 2024. She was 102. .(Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File) Andy Kropa/Andy Kropa /Invision/AP NEW YORK (AP) Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style, has died. She was 102. Her death was confirmed by her commercial agent, Lori Sale, who called Apfel extraordinary. No cause of death was given. It was also announced on her verified Instagram page on Friday, which a day earlier had celebrated that Leap Day represented her 102nd-and-a-half birthday. Born Aug. 29, 1921, Apfel was famous for her irreverent, eye-catching outfits, mixing haute couture and oversized costume jewelry. A classic Apfel look would, for instance, pair a feather boa with strands of chunky beads, bangles and a jacket decorated with Native American beadwork. Advertisement Article continues below this ad With her big, round, black-rimmed glasses, bright red lipstick and short white hair, she stood out at every fashion show she attended. Her style was the subject of museum exhibits and a documentary film, "Iris," directed by Albert Maysles. I'm not pretty, and I'll never be pretty, but it doesn't matter, she once said. I have something much better. I have style." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Apfel enjoyed late-in-life fame on social media, amassing nearly 3 million followers on Instagram, where her profile declares: More is more & Less is a Bore. On TikTok, she drew 215,000 followers as she waxed wise on things fashion and style and promoted recent collaborations. Being stylish and being fashionable are two entirely different things," she said in one TikTok video. You can easily buy your way into being fashionable. Style, I think is in your DNA. It implies originality and courage. She never retired, telling Today: "I think retiring at any age is a fate worse than death. Just because a number comes up doesnt mean you have to stop. Working alongside her was the honor of a lifetime. I will miss her daily calls, always greeted with the familiar question: What have you got for me today?, Sale said in a statement. Testament to her insatiable desire to work. She was a visionary in every sense of the word. She saw the world through a unique lens one adorned with giant, distinctive spectacles that sat atop her nose. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Apfel was an expert on textiles and antique fabrics. She and her husband Carl owned a textile manufacturing company, Old World Weavers, and specialized in restoration work, including projects at the White House under six different U.S. presidents. Apfels celebrity clients included Estee Lauder and Greta Garbo. Apfels own fame blew up in 2005 when the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute in New York City hosted a show about her called Rara Avis, Latin for rare bird. The museum described her style as both witty and exuberantly idiosyncratic. Her originality is typically revealed in her mixing of high and low fashions Dior haute couture with flea market finds, 19th-century ecclesiastical vestments with Dolce & Gabbana lizard trousers. The museum said her layered combinations defied aesthetic conventions and even at their most extreme and baroque represented a boldly graphic modernity. The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, was one of several museums around the country that hosted a traveling version of the show. Apfel later decided to donate hundreds of pieces to the Peabody including couture gowns to help them build what she termed a fabulous fashion collection. The Museum of Fashion & Lifestyle near Apfels winter home in Palm Beach, Florida, also plans a gallery dedicated to displaying items from Apfels collection. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Apfel was born in New York City to Samuel and Sadye Barrel. Her mother owned a boutique. Apfels fame in her later years included appearances in ads for brands like M.A.C. cosmetics and Kate Spade. She also designed a line of accessories and jewelry for Home Shopping Network, collaborated with H&M on a sold-out-in-minutes collection of brightly-colored apparel, jewelry and shoes, put out a makeup line with Ciate London, an eyeglass collection with Zenni and partnered with Ruggable on floor coverings. In a 2017 interview with AP at age 95, she said her favorite contemporary designers included Ralph Rucci, Isabel Toledo and Naeem Khan, but added: "I have so much, I don't go looking." Asked for her fashion advice, she said: "Everybody should find her own way. I'm a great one for individuality. I don't like trends. If you get to learn who you are and what you look like and what you can handle, you'll know what to do." She called herself the accidental icon, which became the title of a book she published in 2018 filled with her mementos and style musings. Odes to Apfel are abundant, from a Barbie in her likeness to T-shirts, glasses, artwork and dolls. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Apfels husband died in 2015. They had no children. ___ Peter Dutton was counting on an angry protest vote in the Dunkley byelection to humiliate the government and prove the Liberal Party could retake power in Canberra. The opposition leader gained the protest he wanted, but not the proof he needs. Labor candidate Jodie Belyea has held the seat of Dunkley for the government. Credit: Penny Stephens The swing against the government showed that Dutton tapped into a real frustration with Labor over the cost of living, but nothing like the force that some of his allies predicted. What were hearing from voters on the ground is there is this white-hot anger, there is this fury, said Liberal senator Jane Hume only a few days ago. The two presidents agreed to cooperate on certain issues such as averting nuclear war, the denuclearization of Iran and avoiding confrontations in the Arctic. (Photo: Reuters / Denis Balibouse) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has pointed fingers at the United States, insinuating that comments from U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hint at a clandestine strategy to embroil NATO in a direct confrontation with Russia. Lavrov's remarks, which emerged during a diplomatic gathering in Antalya, Turkey, were predicated on Austin's statements regarding the potential fallout of a Russian triumph in Ukraine, particularly highlighting the peril posed to NATO's Baltic states. Lavrov interpreted Austin's apprehensions as a slip revealing supposed American intentions to instigate a conflict between NATO and Russia. "In a Freudian slip, he blurted out what they had in mind," Lavrov asserted, suggesting a reversal of roles where it's not Russia expanding post-Ukraine victory, but NATO, under American orchestration, potentially initiating hostilities. "The meaning of this statement is that if Ukraine loses, NATO will have to go against Russia," Lavrov elucidated, emphasizing the perceived inversion of roles in the potential escalation of conflict. This narrative casts a pall over the already fraught relations between Moscow and the Western military alliance. Lavrov's critique didn't stop at military strategy; he further lambasted the Biden administration for purportedly attempting to draw Ukraine into NATO's fold and accused it of masterminding the sabotage of Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines. According to Lavrov, these maneuvers are aimed at diminishing the European Union's economic competitiveness, thereby shifting significant industrial and business interests to the United States. The undercurrent of Lavrov's allegations is the invocation of Article Five of NATO's founding treaty, which underscores the principle of collective defense, positing that an attack on one member is an assault on all. This clause becomes particularly significant in the context of Austin's warnings about potential Russian aggression towards the Baltic states, implying a comprehensive NATO response. As these accusations and counter-accusations fly, the global community remains on edge, acutely aware of the dire consequences of a full-scale NATO-Russia conflict. The specter of such a confrontation, fraught with the potential for widespread devastation, underscores the critical need for restraint, dialogue, and a steadfast commitment to the tenets of international law. In the midst of these developments, Lavrov did not mince words about the U.S.'s alleged machinations. "We do not have such plans and cannot have them, but the Americans do," he proclaimed, directly challenging the U.S. stance and setting the stage for further diplomatic wrangling. The discourse around potential NATO-Russia hostilities is not just about military strategy but also about the broader geopolitical implications, particularly in terms of energy security and economic stability in Europe. Lavrov's claim that the U.S. has effectively sidelined Europe as a competitor by destabilizing its energy landscape and enticing key industries stateside adds another layer of complexity to the unfolding narrative. As the world watches these developments unfold, the call for diplomacy and peaceful resolution becomes ever more urgent. The stakes are high, and the risk of miscalculation looms large, making it imperative for all parties involved to tread carefully to avert a crisis that could have far-reaching implications for global peace and security. In the Red Sea, there lurks a sea giant. (Photo: Mohammed Benmansour/Reuters) The Rubymar cargo ship, previously attacked by the Houthi rebels, has sunk, according to an official statement from Yemen's internationally recognized government. The loss of the Rubymar marks a significant escalation in the Houthi's campaign against commercial shipping in the region, which they claim is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The vessel, which was under Belize flag and owned by a UK company, foundered on Friday night, carrying over 41,000 tons of fertilizer. This incident has raised alarms over a potential "environmental catastrophe" due to the hazardous nature of the cargo. The U.S. military's Central Command had previously noted the ship's critical condition following the Houthi assault, which also resulted in an extensive oil slick spanning 18 miles. The Houthis, a group based in Yemen and backed by Iran, have intensified their attacks on commercial vessels in the strategic waters of the Red Sea since mid-November. Their actions have not only threatened the global shipping routes but also heightened concerns over the broader implications for Middle East stability amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. In response to the escalating threats, shipping companies have been compelled to reroute their vessels via the longer and costlier passage around southern Africa. Meanwhile, the United States and the United Kingdom have initiated military actions against Houthi targets in Yemen, aiming to curb these maritime attacks that jeopardize the safety and freedom of navigation in crucial waterways like the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. Yemen remains embroiled in a protracted conflict, with its government operating from the southern port of Aden and the Houthis controlling significant portions of the north. The sinking of the Rubymar underscores the urgent need for a concerted international effort to address the security challenges in the Red Sea and ensure the safe passage of maritime commerce essential for the global economy. Two of the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case have moved the Supreme Court contending that its January 8 verdict cancelling remission of their sentence was "in teeth of" a 2002 constitution bench order and sought the issue to be referred to a larger bench for "final" adjudication. Radheyshaym Bhagwandas Shah and Rajubhai Babulal Soni, both lodged in Godhra sub-jail after the apex court verdict, said an "anomalous" situation has arisen wherein two different coordinate benches (benches of same strength) have taken diametrically opposite view on the same issue of premature release as well as on which policy of the state government would be applicable to the petitioners for remission. The plea, filed through advocate Rishi Malhotra, said while one bench on May 13, 2022 categorically ordered the Gujarat government to consider the application of Radheyshaym Shah for premature release in terms of the state government's remission policy of July 9, 1992, the bench that pronounced the verdict on January 8, 2024 concluded that it was Maharashtra and not the Gujarat government that was competent to grant remission. "That with greatest respect the judgement rendered on January 8, 2024 is directly in teeth of the constitution bench decision in Rupa Ashok Hurra's case of 2002 and the same needs to be set aside, as if the same is permitted then it would lead to not only judicial impropriety but to uncertainty and chaos as to which precedence (sic) of law has to be applied in future. In other words, if any party being not satisfied with the Supreme Court Judgment on an issue, he would be entitled to file a Writ Petition challenging the said Judgement by taking recourse to law laid down in Bilkis Bano case," the plea said. Shah has also filed an application for bail. "In another words, a fundamental issue arises for consideration as to whether a subsequent Co-ordinate Bench can set aside its earlier Judgement rendered by its earlier Co-ordinate Bench and pass contradictory orders/judgments overruling its earlier view or the proper course would have been to refer the matter to a larger bench in case it felt that the earlier Judgment was passed in wrong appreciation of law and facts," the plea said. The plea sought a direction to the Centre to consider the case of the petitioners for premature release and clarify which judgement of its coordinate benches- of May 13, 2022 or January 8, 2024- would be applicable to them. It said since two benches of the apex court of same strength have passed conflicting orders, the matter should be referred to a larger bench for final adjudication. On Janaury 8, in a massive setback to the Gujarat government, the top court quashed the remission it had granted to 11 convicts in the high-profile gang-rape case of Bilkis Bano and the killing of her seven family members, while slamming the state for being "complicit" with the accused and abusing its discretion. It ordered all the convicts, who were released prematurely on Independence Day in 2022, back to jail within two weeks. Excoriating the Gujarat government, the apex court said it "usurped" the power of the Maharashtra government to grant remission to the convicts. It held as nullity the May 13, 2022 judgement of another bench of the apex court, which had directed the Gujarat government to consider the remission applications of the 11 convicts in the case, saying it was obtained by "playing fraud on court". Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant when she was raped while fleeing the horror of the communal riots that broke out after the Godhra train burning incident in February 2002. Her three-year-old daughter was among the seven family members killed. The Union Health Minister talked of India's efforts to supply Covid-19 vaccines to around 150 countries in the world and said that it has generated enormous goodwill in those countries Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said ICMR has done a detailed study which shows that Covid-19 vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks, and an individual's lifestyle and factors such as binge drinking could be among underlying causes. Speaking at 'ANI Dialogues - Navigating India's health sector' here on Saturday, the Union Health Minister said that the Modi government is working with a holistic approach so that people get affordable health care. The Union Health Minister talked of India's efforts to supply Covid-19 vaccines to around 150 countries in the world and said that it has generated enormous goodwill in those countries. Answering a query, Mandaviya said there had been attempts to create misconceptions about Covid-19 vaccines. "If someone has a stroke today, some people think it is because of the Covid vaccine. ICMR has done a detailed study on this. (Covid) vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks. There are multiple reasons for heart attacks, like our lifestyle, tobacco and excess liquor consumption... Sometimes, misinformation goes among the people and a perception is formed for some time. But whatever decision we make, it should be data-based and scientific research-based," the minister said. According to a peer-reviewed ICMR study that came out in November last year, vaccines administered for Covid-19 did not increase the risk of sudden death among young adults in India but it was the post-Covid hospitalisation, family history of sudden death, and certain lifestyle behaviours that are likely the underlying causes. The study by Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) was conducted through the participation of 47 tertiary care hospitals across India. Cases were apparently healthy individuals aged 18-45 years without any known co-morbidity, who suddenly died of unexplained causes between October 2021-March 2023. Interviews were recorded to collect data on Covid-19 vaccination, infection and post-Covid-19 conditions, family history of sudden death, smoking, recreational drug use, alcohol frequency and binge drinking and vigorous-intensity physical activity two days before death. "Lifestyle factors such as current smoking status, alcohol use frequency, recent binge drinking, recreational drug/substance use and vigorous-intensity activity were positively associated with unexplained sudden death. As compared to never users, the more the frequency of alcohol use, the higher was the odds for unexplained sudden death," the study said. The study was done in view of some anecdotal reports of sudden unexplained deaths in India's, apparently healthy young adults during the once-in-a-century pandemic. Mandaviya said at the ANI Dialogues that the government took decisions concerning vaccination based on advice of experts and scientific evidence. "When the vaccine was given, an attempt was made at that time to create a misperception that this vaccine is not good. Then political questions were raised that if it (vaccine) was good then why PM Modi is not taking it?...PM Modi falls under the category of 60 years without comorbidities and he took the vaccine in the third category," he said "Mansukh Mandaviya is minister not scientist. So my decision should be scientific. You should have seen that during Covid, empowered groups were created. And technical teams made the decisions and I approved. But decision was theirs, not mine," he added. The Union Health Minister talked of the speed at which Covid-19 vaccine was rolled out in India due to determination of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said PM Modi told scientists that resources will not be constraint in the developing the vaccine. He said PM Modi conveyed that India should also send vaccines to other countries after meeting its needs. "During Covid-19, I conveyed the message of PM Modi to companies that it's time to cooperate with the world and it would be better if we won't hike the prices. Indian companies have supplied medicines to 150 countries but haven't hiked the price. None of the countries have ever complained, we have supplied quality and affordable medicine to the world. When the price of the vaccine was at USD 20-30, we supplied it either for free under the Vaccine Maitri initiative or at the minimal cost of USD 2 to 3. Now the world thinks that India is such a country that gives priority to human service and stands firm as a friend when needed," Mandaviya said. The union minister also referred to his meeting with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates who lauded India's Covid-19 management and vaccination. "Bill Gates is in India, and when he speaks it turns into a perception all over the world. At the World Economic Forum, I had a meeting with him, when we shook hands, he said, congratulations India, you have done good Covid management and vaccination drive," the minister said. According to the Economic Survey 2022-23, tabled by government in Parliament, India had administered more than 220 crore Covid vaccine doses across the country as on January 6, 2023. He said India was never short of brain power and manpower but will power and PM Modi has fulfilled this gap. The minister also talked of the need to take inspiration from advancements in medicine in India's ancient past. "If you go to medical universities all over the world, you'll see the statue of Sushruta, the entire world takes inspiration from him. We haven't built his statue, this was a mistake. But don't we have the right to correct this mistake? National Medical Commission had a Greek god in its logo, I don't have an issue with that, but shouldn't we respect our God and heritage. I said that I want the new generation to take inspiration from the scientists that we had, and hence I have changed the logo...Every person should work with commitment and dedication towards the nation. India is an able nation, it never has short of brain power and manpower but will power, PM Modi has fulfilled this," he said. The Union Minister said that health sector will play a vital role in India becoming a developed country. "If we are to sit as a group, but you reserve the right to attack me in the night, how long are we going to sit as a group? We have kind of obfuscated this issue for too long," Jaishankar said Ahead of the formation of a new government in Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday ruled out any immediate possibility of revival of regional grouping Saarc in view of Islamabad's "toolkit" of using terrorism in different ways, including against other members of the bloc. In an interactive session at a think-tank, Jaishankar, without directly naming Pakistan, said the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) is in trouble as one of its member nations has been relentlessly backing terrorism. "If you ask me whether I see a future for Saarc, in some ways, actually you are asking me if I see a future for that country. Because if that country does not really let go of those kinds of options in its armoury or its toolkit, then it is not just Saarc which is in danger. I mean, very frankly, you are looking at the state of that country as well," he said. To a question on whether India is perceived by its neighbours as a bully, Jaishankar countered, saying, "A big bully does not provide USD 4.5 billion when the neighbours are in trouble. Big bullies do not supply vaccines to other countries when Covid (pandemic) was on and make exceptions to their own rules to respond to food demands, fuel demands, fertiliser demands because some war in some other part of the world has complicated their lives." Jaishankar was speaking at the Ananta Aspen Centre. The external affairs minister said the Saarc is in trouble as one of its members has been supporting terrorism. "The Saarc is in trouble basically because -- how do you have a regional organisation when one member does not hide the fact, in fact, sometimes proclaims the fact that they undertake, I am using the most neutral word possible, violent actions against other members?" he asked. "If we are to sit as a group, but you reserve the right to attack me in the night, how long are we going to sit as a group? We have kind of obfuscated this issue for too long," Jaishankar said. The Saarc is a regional bloc comprising India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. "We found excuses that there is a constituency out there, there is a reason for why they are doing it. The bottom line is that we have to be clear in our own minds. Is it the view that we should proceed with Saarc even if one member of Saarc actually has training camps, trains terrorists, pushes them across (the border), supports them in different ways?" he asked. "It was heading for a crisis. It was just a certain succession of events, finally precipitating what happened," Jaishankar said. The external affairs minister added: "Our problem in the neighbourhood, very honestly, is with one country." At the same time, he said "in diplomacy, you always hold out hopes", adding "who knows one day what the future holds". The Saarc has not been very effective since 2016 as its biennial summits have not taken place since the last one in Kathmandu in 2014. The 2016 Saarc Summit was to be held in Islamabad. But after a terrorist attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18 that year, India expressed its inability to participate in the summit due to "prevailing circumstances". The summit was called off after Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also declined to participate in the Islamabad meet. The external affairs minister said unlike the Saarc, cooperation under the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) is moving ahead. "I think there is today an appetite to grow under BIMSTEC," he said. "It is not like there are no problems there. The situation in Myanmar is very challenging. But I would say, we do not have the kind of issues in BIMSTEC which we do have in Saarc. There is a will to cooperate, there is a desire to take it forward," he said. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which spearheaded a farmers' agitation in 2020-21, said on Saturday that more than 400 farmer outfits will participate in a "Kisan Mahapanchayat" in Delhi on March 14 to press the BJP-led Centre to accept their demands, including a law on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Thirty-four Union ministers, two former ministers, Lok Sabha speaker figure in BJP's first list of 195 candidates for LS polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi, says BJP. In first list, BJP announces candidates for 51 Lok Sabha seats in UP, 20 in West Bengal, five in Delhi, one each in Goa and Tripura. BJP repeats Kiren Rijiju, Tapir Gao from two Arunachal Pradesh seats for Lok Sabha polls. Twenty-eight women, 47 young leaders in BJP's first list of Lok Sabha candidates for 16 states and Union Territories. Thirty-four Union ministers, two former ministers, Lok Sabha speaker figure in BJP's first list of 195 candidates for LS polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi, says BJP. In first list, BJP announces candidates for 51 Lok Sabha seats in UP, 20 in West Bengal, five in Delhi, one each in Goa and Tripura. BJP repeats Kiren Rijiju, Tapir Gao from two Arunachal Pradesh seats for Lok Sabha polls. Twenty-eight women, 47 young leaders in BJP's first list of Lok Sabha candidates for 16 states and Union Territories. Google has initiated the process to restore Indian mobile apps which had been dropped from the Play Store over a dispute over service fees. The decision was taken after the company's officials held a meeting with IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, sources said. On Friday, Google had removed apps belonging to 10 Indian companies, sparking controversy in one of its fastest-growing markets. Google dominates the Indian market as 94 per cent of phones are based on its Android platform. The list included well-known names such as Bharatmatrimony and Naukri. The dispute primarily revolves around Google's imposition of fees ranging from 11 per cent to 26 per cent on in-app payments. Indian startups have long protested against what they deem as unfair practices by the US tech giant. Google has initiated the process to restore Indian mobile apps which had been dropped from the Play Store over a dispute over service fees. The decision was taken after the company's officials held a meeting with IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, sources said. On Friday, Google had removed apps belonging to 10 Indian companies, sparking controversy in one of its fastest-growing markets. Google dominates the Indian market as 94 per cent of phones are based on its Android platform. The list included well-known names such as Bharatmatrimony and Naukri. The dispute primarily revolves around Google's imposition of fees ranging from 11 per cent to 26 per cent on in-app payments. Indian startups have long protested against what they deem as unfair practices by the US tech giant. The BJP is expected to release a first list of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections this evening, sources said. The list that is said to be announced at a BJP press conference at 6 pm comes days after back-to-back late night meetings in Delhi. Earlier, the sources told NDTV that the BJP may announce more than 100 names that will include heavyweights such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP is expected to release a first list of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections this evening, sources said. The list that is said to be announced at a BJP press conference at 6 pm comes days after back-to-back late night meetings in Delhi. Earlier, the sources told NDTV that the BJP may announce more than 100 names that will include heavyweights such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Few investors 'stooped to heartless level', ensuring we are unable to utilise raised funds to pay salaries: Byju Raveendran to staff. Few investors 'stooped to heartless level', ensuring we are unable to utilise raised funds to pay salaries: Byju Raveendran to staff. Google on March 2 began reinstating some of the apps from Indian digital companies on Play Store, a day after they were taken down for not complying with its app billing policy for an "extended period of time".BJP Lok Sabha MP Gautam Gambhir today formally requested party president J.P. Nadda to release him from political responsibilities, expressing his desire to concentrate on upcoming cricket commitments. The East Delhi parliamentarian extended gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the opportunity to serve the people. After Gautam Gambhir, Jayant Sinha also bows out of 2024 general elections. Jayant Sinha in a tweet said, "I have requested Honble Party President Shri @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance issues. I have had the privilege of serving the people of Bharat and Hazaribagh for the past ten years. Moreover, I have been blessed by the many opportunities provided by Honble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, Honble Home Minister Shri @AmitShah ji, and the BJP leadership. My sincerest gratitude to all of them. Jai Hind."Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to unveil, lay foundation stones, and dedicate multiple development projects worth crores in West Bengal and Bihar today. During his two-day visit to the states, the prime minister initiated several projects and addressed a rally in Hooghly, West Bengal, on Friday afternoon. Today around 10.30 am, PM Modi will be in Krishnanagar, Nadia district, West Bengal, to inaugurate, dedicate, and lay the foundation stone for projects totaling Rs 15,000 crore. In Krishnanagar, the Prime Minister will focus on various sectors such as power, rail, and road, inaugurating, dedicating to the nation, and laying the foundation stone for numerous development initiatives. Notably, he will lay the foundation stone for the Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station Phase II (2x660 MW) in Purulia district, contributing to the strengthening of the country's power sector. At 11:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 145.12 points or 0.20% to 73,890.47. The Nifty 50 index added 63.10 points or 0.28% to 22,401.85. The Sensex clocked an all-time high of 73,994.70 while the Nifty hit record high of 22,419.55 in mid- morning trade. In the broader market, S&P BSE Mid-Cap rose 0.66% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 0.64%. The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2,338 shares rose and 912 shares fell. A total of 138 shares were unchanged. The National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange will hold a special live trading session today, 2 March 2024 in the equity and F&O segments with an intra-day switchover from the Primary site to the Disaster Recovery site. There will be two sessions the first from 9:15 am to 10 am and the second from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Economy: India's Gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue collected for February 2024 is Rs 1,68,337 crore, marking a robust 12.5% increase compared to that in the same month in 2023. This growth was driven by a 13.9% rise in GST from domestic transactions and 8.5% increase in GST from import of goods. GST revenue net of refunds for February 2024 is Rs 1.51 lakh crore which is a growth of 13.6% over that for the same period last year. As of February 2024, the total gross GST collection for the current fiscal year stands at Rs 18.40 lakh crore, which is 11.7% higher than the collection for the same period in FY 2022-23. The average monthly gross collection for FY 2023-24 is Rs 1.67 lakh crore, exceeding the Rs 1.5 lakh crore collected in the previous year's corresponding period. GST revenue net of refunds as of February 2024 for the current fiscal year is Rs 16.36 lakh crore which is a growth of 13.0% over that for the same period last year. Buzzing Index: The Nifty Consumer Durables index advanced 1.21% to 32,988.80. The index rallied 3.14% in the three trading sessions. Havells India (up 3.76%), Voltas (up 2.64%), Amber Enterprises India (up 2.08%), Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals (up 1.61%), V-Guard Industries (up 1.35%), Blue Star (up 1.03%), Rajesh Exports (up 0.98%), Orient Electric (up 0.79%), Whirlpool of India (up 0.76%) and Dixon Technologies (India) (up 0.66%) advanced. Stocks in Spotlight: Cipla rose 0.30%. The US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) conducted a pre-approval inspection at the manufacturing facility of Cipla (Jiangsu) Pharmaceutical Co., located in Qidong, Jiangsu Province, China from 26 February 2024 to 1 March 2024. Cipla (Jiangsu) Pharmaceutical Co. is a subsidiary of the company. The inspection has been concluded with zero Form 483 observations, stated the drug maker. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company added 0.19%. The company said that the AM Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of B++ (Good) and the long-term issuer credit rating of bbb+ (Good) of the company. Global Markets: U.S. stocks rose on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closing at record highs, as technology stocks rallied on continued enthusiasm for artificial intelligence, with further support from declining Treasury yields. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content The key equity indices hit an intraday high and traded with moderate gains in mid-morning trade. The Nifty marched above the 22,400 level. Consumer durables shares extended gains for third consecutive trading sessions. From left to right: The original Annabelle doll encased for display at Warrens Occult Museum in Monroe, Conn.; Lorraine Warren carries the Annabelle doll; and screenshot of a scene in New Life Cinemas Annabelle movie. Journal Register Co. Front, from left to right, Paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren and her son-in-law Tony Spera meet fans at Lauralton Hall before there fascinating presentation to a sold-out audience. In the back, from left to right, Melissa Chop of Ansonia and Linda Ames of Milford are fascinated with the Warrens work. (Pamela McLoughlin New Haven Register) The Annabelle doll on display at Warrens Occult Museum (Photo courtesy the Warren family) MILFORD >> On the night Hollywood released the horror movie, Annabelle, a sell-out audience at Lauralton Hall was spellbound, hearing about the real Annabelle a demonic doll from paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren, who cracked the real-life case, along with her late husband, Ed Warren. The real Annabelle doll lives in a locked box at Warrens Occult Museum at her Monroe home. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The doll in the movie is a frightening looking porcelain doll in a childs image, with long hair and the real Annabelle the one in Warrens museum is a plain-looking classic Raggedy Ann doll with red yarn for hair. But the Raggedy Ann at the Warrens Museum is no ordinary doll. According to the Warrens, it is inhabited by an inhuman spirit, and there is a warning on the glass case not to touch. One museum-goer who ignored the warnings and taunted the doll, died in a motorcycle crash shortly after being told to leave the museum. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The movie is a prequel to The Conjuring, based on the Warrens real-life case involving the doll. The couple had a lot of input in the first movie, but Annabelle, is fabricated. Warren, who mostly along with her late husband, has investigated more than 10,000 cases of paranormal activity, presented the talk and slide show of cases at the Catholic girls high school with the help of her son-in-law Tony Spera, also a paranormal investigator. Warren, now 87, soft spoken and sweet to all those who engaged her in conversation at a meet and greet, said presenting at Lauralton was like going home, because she attended the school in the late 1930s, but had to leave because of illness. Warren said her presentations are in extra demand during September and October because fascination with the subject is heightened during, Hallows Eve, as she calls it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Roman Catholic, Warren now and in the early career with her husband, often works with priests and other clergy because they rely on blessings and sometimes exorcism to resolve a case. She said the power of faith has gotten her out of many scary situations because its often about fighting the demonic with goodness. Holy water is a tool. Warren said her Catholic faith is both her protection and her drive. Warren began by telling the audience that ever since the age of 7 or 8 she saw lights or auras around people, but was afraid to tell her parents, for fear they would think she was, crazy. She spent many years praying about it because, I didnt want to be different, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Warren recalled a story from her Lauralton days. She had a favorite teacher, a nun who taught French, and once told her, referring to her aura, Your lights are brighter than Mother Superiors. Warren said she was told to go to the chapel and pray about it, and it will go away. Her Lauralton audience, many with no connection to the school, but there as Warren fans, roared with laughter. At first she didnt even tell Ed Warren, whom she met at 16 about her abilities. But later he would tell her, You are different. Ed, a self-taught demonologist an interest he developed after growing up in a house he said was haunted and Lorraine, would pool their talents and go on to become world-famous paranormal investigators. Her career has spanned 65 years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Warrens have done jobs throughout the United States and in faraway places that Japan, England, Scotland, France, Australia. The couple charged only travel expenses nothing for the actual investigating but built an empire on books, movie work and lectures about their cases. In 1952, Ed Warren founded the New England Society for Psychic Research. Their investigations often included other professionals, including nurses, doctors, police officers, researchers. Some of their famous cases besides Amityville and Annabelle include: the Demon murder; Werewolf; Smurl family; The Perrons; Stepney Cemetery; Borley Church; Union Cemetery; The Haunting in Connecticut. Warren said most unwanted spirits enter through vehicles such as Ouija boards, Tarot Cards and psychics, and urged the audience to keep their kids away from such things. Spera said seven of their 10 cases involves someone with a Ouija board asking, Is there a spirit here? If you go into a very happy home, very seldom, bad things will be found, Warren said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She and Spera continued the work after Eds death in 2006 and are currently working on a haunting case in Stratford, she said. Every town in Connecticut has paranormal activity, Warren said, noting a recent exorcism-like event on a New Haven man, 31. Going into haunting experiences, there were some bad ones, scary ones. My faith was always my protection, she said. She said that some five years ago a retiring priest moved into an apartment on her grounds, and not only does he help on jobs, but, We have mass every day in our house, she said, adding, Its beautiful how God works. The presentation Friday, which drew lots of audience oohs and ahhs, included a slide show of findings on cases such as images of people from the beyond or ghost-like forms appearing in photographs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Spera spent part of the talk on the eery, real life Annabelle story and emphasized that of all the items in the familys Occult Museum, that doll is what Id be most frightened of. Curators believe the doll has the power to kill, according to a film on the Annabelle case. Noting the case of the motorcyclist who died after leaving the museum, Spera said, Never take things like this lightly, thinking its a joke. According to a clip Spera showed, the real-life Annabelle story began in 1970 when a 28-year-old nurse received the Raggedy Ann doll as a birthday gift from her mom. She put the rag doll on her bed and began to notice it changing positions. A leg would be crossed, or the doll would be lying on its side. Then the girl and her roommate began to find parchment paper on the floor with written messages, such as, Help me, help us. They had no parchment paper in the house. The doll began appearing in different rooms and at one point appeared to be leaking blood. Then, one day, a male friend was taking a nap and woke up with the doll staring at him, as he felt like he was being strangled. There were deep scratch wounds on his upper body. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The girls at first thought maybe an intruder was moving the doll around and leaving notes. When they ruled that out, according to the Occult Museum website, Not knowing where to turn they contacted a medium and a seance was held. The girls were introduced to the spirit of Annabelle Higgins, said to be a young girl that resided on the property before the apartments were built and died there at age 7. According to the website, the spirit related to the medium that she felt comfort with the two roommates in the apartment and wanted to stay with them and be loved. The roommates gave Annabelle permission to inhabit the doll, but things got worse. The Warrens took an interest in the case and contacted the women. They came to the immediate conclusion that the doll itself was not in fact possessed but manipulated by an inhuman presence, according to the Warrens website, which goes on to say, Truly, the spirit was not looking to stay attached to the doll, it was looking to possess a human host. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Spera said the Warrens took the doll and Ed Warren told his wife they should avoid the highway because he was going to be a rough ride home. He was right. At some point he had to sprinkle the Annabelle doll with Holy water to calm it down. The movie Annabelle doesnt resemble the real-life story. In the movie, the doll is owned by a young couple, given to the woman for her doll collection. As the woman nears her pregnancy due date, a pair of Satanic cultists break in, stab the pregnant woman in the belly, and end up dead in their home. One of the cultists is named Annabelle Higgins, and some of her blood lands on the doll. Thats when the doll starts doing over-the-top scary things. Spera and Warren said they dont really care that the producers of Annabelle fabricated the story for the movie because it still serves the purpose of warning the public about demons. Eeveryone in the audience who believes in God must also believe theres a Devil, Spera said. Ghosts, devils, demons are real. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He said while most people are focused on the bad stuff, regarding ghosts, there are beautiful stories, as well, such as the soldier who appeared to visit a loved one. Spera said its a ghost if it is a stranger appears and an apparition if you recognize the person. The move comes after Google said yesterday that they will remove apps of 10 developers from its Play Store for not complying with the user choice billing system. (Photo: Bloomberg) Google Inc, according to sources, is offering ten key developers, whose apps have been delisted from Play Store, a compromise solution. Under the plan, Google will re-list the apps on Play Store for free, provided any transaction on it does not take place through Googles payment platform. The deal has been taken by Info Edge. The apps can, however, undertake the transaction through their own respective websites. And they do not have to pay the 11 per cent to 30 per cent share of their digital revenues. Google will continue to distribute the apps through the app store. However, if they want to list on the Play Store as well as use Googles payment platform, they have to fork out between 11 per cent to 30 per cent, which is part of the commercial agreement. According to sources, most of the developers have already accepted the plan. The move comes after Google said yesterday that they will remove apps of 10 developers from its Play Store for not complying with the user choice billing system. Amongst those impacted include Shaadi, Bharat Matrimony, Naukri.com, 99 acres, amongst others. Sanjeev Bikhchandani, founder of Info Edge, today said that for them, the app in contention was only Jeevansathi.com, and they complied on it on February 9th, but it did not receive any notice from Google about any other app being non-compliant. Yet, two of them, 99 acres and Naukri, were also deleted. According to sources who are aware of the development, the proposal will also be discussed in a meeting which has been called by Communications Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw next week on the contentious issue. Vaishnaw, who intervened on the issue, made it clear that India is very clear of its policy that startups will get the protection that they need, and this kind of delisting cannot be permitted. Sources close to the issue say that on February, after a Supreme Court order did not grant any interim relief to the petitioners, which included startups against delisting the apps - the US company decided to start the process of doing so, which was implemented only a few weeks later, only in the first week of March. The commission on the digital revenue also included 4 per cent for transactions that happened on the Google platform. However, sources say some of the erring developers have already come back on the platform through the zero-payment option which Google has offered. The company has also promised that the change of status of the app to the new option would be undertaken very quickly so that developers do not get impacted. Sources say that Google, in its discussions with the developers, has also pointed out that many of these developers have been paying commissions on a competing app store but have made no complaints about them. People walk past a banner with a picture of the former Prime Minister Imran Khan outside the party office of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), a day after the general election, in Lahore, Pakistan | Photo: Reuters Pakistan has dismissed the US suggestion to probe discrepancies in the February 8 general elections, asserting that it will not succumb to external dictates. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch in her weekly press address on Friday categorically said that "no country could give directions" to Pakistan, an independent and sovereign nation. We believe in our own sovereign right to make decisions about Pakistan's internal affairs, Dawn News quoted Baloch as saying in reply to the comments made by her US counterpart regarding allegations of misconduct in the controversy-marred general elections. Earlier this week, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said any claims of interference or fraud should be fully and transparently investigated per Pakistan's laws and procedures. On another occasion, Miller said: Concerning investigations into reported irregularities, we want to see those investigations proceed [and] wrapped up as soon as possible. Sweden's last war ended in 1814, and when the rifles and cannons it aimed at Norway fell silent, the once-warring power would not take up arms again. For the next two centuries, Sweden embraced a policy of neutrality, refusing to take sides in wars or join any military alliance. It was a stance that kept peace at home and contributed to the country becoming a prosperous welfare state and humanitarian superpower. This remarkably long era of nonalignment is coming to a close as Sweden joins Nato. The ceremonial formalities are expected soon, after 18 months of delays while Turkey and Hungary held up ratification and sought concessions from other members of the alliance. Sweden is now leaving 200 years of neutrality and nonalignment behind us," Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said after Hungary's Parliament gave its approval Monday, overcoming the final hurdle. "It is a big step. We must take that seriously. But it is also a very natural step that we are taking. Sweden, like neighbor Finland, had long ruled out seeking Nato membership. That changed practically overnight when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The attack sparked fears across Europe of Moscow's revived imperial ambitions alarm that has grown as Russia gains momentum on the battlefield in Ukraine. It's the right path for us, said Jacob Frederiksen, a 24-year-old pilot, who like many Swedes has embraced Nato membership amid the breakdown of the post-World War II order that largely kept the peace for decades. I think in this new era, it's better to be part of an alliance than being independent and neutral. The invasion had a shock effect on Swedish political life," said Henrik Ekengren Oscarsson, a political scientist at the University of Goteborg. He analyzed polling data showing that support for Nato membership surged from 35% in 2021 to 64% after the invasion. It was the largest and fastest shift in opinion that has so far been measured in Swedish political history, Ekengren Oscarsson wrote. Still, new anxieties come with being part of an alliance amid rising tensions between Russia and the West. Ulrika Eklund, a 55-year-bank employee in Stockholm, said she feels uncertainty about being in Nato and the effect it will have on Sweden. But she understands why the step has been taken with so much going on in the world and in Europe. The country's neutrality has its roots in the early 19th century, when Europe was engulfed in the Napoleonic wars. Though Sweden ended up on the winning side of battles against France's warrior-emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, the loss of territorial possession in Finland to Russia years earlier put an end to any illusions of Sweden continuing in a big-power role. After having gained Norway, the policy was aimed at staying outside the quarrels of the big powers and instead developing Sweden as a country. And that we did," said Robert Dalsj, senior analyst with the Swedish Defence Research Agency. The policy allowed Sweden to grow, Dalsj said, putting it on the path to a modern state after being one of the poorest and most backward countries in Europe in the early 19th century. As Sweden adjusted to its new status, King Karl XIV John declared the country's neutrality in 1834. In a letter to the courts of Britain and Russia, he urged respect for Sweden's wish to stay out of their conflicts. Preserved in the Swedish National Archives and considered the oldest document on Sweden's neutrality, the text reads: We will request, as we do now, to stay totally outside of this struggle, and that Sweden and Norway, by keeping a strict neutrality towards the warring parties, can deserve, by our impartial conduct, respect and the appreciation of our system. Along the way, Sweden's neutrality was tested particularly during World War II, when it made concessions to Germany to stay out of war. The Second World War was a near-death experience for Sweden," Dalsj said. Many Swedes believed they remained at peace due to their neutrality, he said, but in reality "we were flexible in our application of neutrality: early in the war, making concessions to the Germans and later in the war, making concessions to the allies. During the Cold War, when Sweden and Finland were buffer countries between Nato and the Warsaw Pact alliance, many Swedes and Finns felt that being outside either bloc was the best way to avoid tensions with Russia, the powerful eastern neighbor in the Baltic Sea region. But that never meant a full embrace of pacifism. In the 1950s and '60s, Sweden had the fourth-largest air force in the world and the ability to mobilize around 800,000 men, including reservists, in case of war, said Andreas Ohlsson, curator at the Swedish Army Museum. Being neutral is not being naive. It's actually a way of thinking that we have to be self-dependent if the war comes," Ohlsson said. As the years passed, the idea of Sweden as a voice for peace and nuclear nonproliferation became core to Sweden's identity. The home of the Nobel Prize institutions funded foreign aid programs, took part in peacekeeping missions abroad and relied on its neutral status to act as a mediator in regional conflicts around the globe. Olof Palme, Sweden's prime minister in the 1970s, described Sweden as a moral superpower that should become active in situations where other countries, as a result of their foreign policy stance, have been incapable of engagement. Fears of Russian's military power stretch back centuries and lasted into the twilight years of the Cold War. In 1981, a Soviet submarine ran aground in the Stockholm archipelago, coming close to the main Swedish naval base. Tense days followed. After the Cold War, fears diminished, and Sweden cut back on defense spending. But in recent years, Sweden has invested more in its military and built up contacts with Nato, participating in training with the alliance. A key catalyst was Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014. In 2017, Sweden brought back conscription. The next year, a regiment on Sweden's strategically important Baltic Sea island of Gotland, northwest of the Russian territory of Kaliningrad, was reestablished after being disbanded in 2005. Over time for Sweden clearly rooted in the West and a member of the European Union since 1995 the word nonalignment became more apt than neutrality." For 30 years, we have edged away from the pure-hearted neutrality that was never so pure, to an alliance position, Dalsj said. And you might say that we finally consummate it by joining Nato. On the evening of February 3rd, U.S. time, the segment from the third season of China's first cultural documentary on Hunan's culinary and humanities, "The Pride of Hunan Cuisine," which uses culture as its thread and cuisine as its expression, made its debut on the large screens of New York Times Square, captivating the attention of numerous passersby. This documentary was jointly produced by the well-known Chinese television network Hunan Satellite TV, Mango TV, and the renowned Chinese cultural media company Hunan Aojiao Culture Media Co., Ltd. The video showcased the distinctive dialect of Hunan, China, alongside a delectable array of Hunan cuisine, embodying the unique charm and cultural confidence of "Chinese Hunan cuisine." This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240229784985/en/ The Pride of Hunan Cuisine Season 3 (Photo: Business Wire) As one of China's Eight Major Cuisines, Hunan Cuisine, originating over 2300 years ago, has become one of the characteristics representing the image of Hunan Province in China after thousands of years of development and inheritance. However, globally, its dissemination still needs to catch up to Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines. In its first season, "The Pride of Hunan Cuisine" delved deep into the unique Hunan dishes born from the region's distinctive cultural background. This typical local food documentary series, exploring the connotations and characteristics of cuisine, was explicitly mentioned and praised by the People's Daily. By the second season, "The Pride of Hunan Cuisine" transformed exploration and discovery into an investigation, using exquisite flavors to delve into the roots of pioneering Hunan culinary culture. As the show progressed to its third season, it once again innovated and upgraded, focusing on regional cuisines from a global perspective. Through twelve episodes, it narrates the stories of Hunanese people crossing mountains and seas, continuously pioneering and enterprising globally, documents the journey of Hunan cuisine beyond Hunan and into the global market, showcasing the profound cultural heritage of Hunan while presenting the world with a new business card of Hunan culture. The Pride of Hunan Cuisine Season 3 Sparks Heated Discussions, Stirring Up a 'Hunan Wind' Around the World In less than a century, China's Hunan cuisine industry has undergone rapid development from nonexistence to entering the forefront of the market, covering 34 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China, as well as more than 100 countries and regions worldwide, demonstrating astonishing vitality and strong competitiveness. From the first and second seasons, which reflected the cuisine and local customs of Hunan through its food, to the third season's focus on regional cuisines from a global perspective, "The Pride of Hunan Cuisine" has closely followed the development pace of Hunan cuisine in every season. Each season has presented itself with a fresh new look, sparking strong interest in Hunan cuisine among the public. As early as the first season of "The Pride of Hunan Cuisine," the program was simultaneously broadcast on world-renowned television stations such as CCTV, Singapore's StarHub TV, Hong Kong's TVB Jade, and Macau Cable TV, attracting widespread attention. By the time the third season of "The Pride of Hunan Cuisine" aired, the program's main topics on Weibo had garnered over 330 million reads, while its topics on Douyin had amassed over 120 million views. The program's third season also repeatedly won the top spot in the Documentary List of the Weibo Variety Show Influence List, accumulating 226 trending topics across Chinese social media platforms in a single season and over 20 million views on Mango TV in a single season. The show has been highly popular among the public, making "Hunan cuisine," "Hunan flavor," and "Hunan spirit" hot topics of discussion, sparking a new wave of enthusiasm for Hunan cuisine on a global scale. From Small to Great, Speaking with Confidence, The Pride of Hunan Cuisine Season 3 Writes a New Legend of Hunan Cuisine Making Waves With the deepening development of globalization, food documentaries have become one of indispensable mediums for China's external communication and exchange through their unique expressions in food culture symbols, sound and picture, and narrative styles. In the third season of "The Pride of Hunan Cuisine," Hunan culture and values are integrated into real and touching stories, gaining the public's emotional recognition naturally. In the seventh episode, a mother from Hunan travels thousands of miles to the westernmost part of ChinaXinjiang's Xiji Village, for her daughter's love, and they open a Hunan cuisine restaurant together. She brings the flavors of her daughter's childhood memories to Xiji Village, and with it, the taste of home. On the other hand, the program delves deeply into the origins of Hunan cuisine and Hunan culture through exploration and discovery, showcasing the spirit of Hunanese people through unique character stories, and interpreting the "new" essence of Hunan cuisine. In the eleventh episode, a Hunan cuisine chef focuses on researching the "secret recipe of Hunan spicy flavors," skillfully combining five types of chili peppers to create a harmonious blend of multiple flavors, opening another door to the unique taste of "Fish Head with Chopped Chili." In addition, the program also casts its gaze towards the broader world, inviting viewers to feel the vibrant vitality of Hunan cuisine in the context of globalization through down-to-earth, full-of-life stories and a global perspective. In Los Angeles, USA, Hunanese individuals far from their hometowns for years remain faithful to Hunan nature, steadfastly preserving the authentic taste of Hunan cuisine across the ocean; In Yokohama, Japan, Hunanese individuals, driven by their passion for the taste of home, open a Hunan cuisine restaurant, allowing the aroma of home to waft through the streets of a foreign land; In Auckland, New Zealand, an established Hunan cuisine restaurant has rooted itself in local culture, distinct from its homeland, for thirty years, captivating the palates of diverse ethnicities; Moreover, in Spain, Turkey, Malaysia, and beyond. The third season of "The Pride of Hunan Cuisine" continues to paint a picture of Hunan cuisine going global, narrating the diverse Hunan cuisine legends of Hunanese individuals in various corners of the world. In conclusion, "The Pride of Hunan Cuisine," in collaboration with Hunan Satellite TV and Mango TV, through multi-platform publicity and promotion, has used series production across three seasons to genuinely showcase the historical opportunities and transformations faced by Hunan cuisine. The program has become a new model for the international dissemination of Chinese Hunan cuisine culture, demonstrating the strong confidence and profound foundation that Hunan culture has given to the Hunan cuisine industry. In the future, "The Pride of Hunan Cuisine" will continue to uphold a stance of cultural confidence, leading the dissemination of Hunan cuisine and Hunan culture, helping Hunan cuisine shine with new brilliance, and portraying a vivid picture of Hunan cuisine culture and humanistic sentiment in the global dissemination. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240229784985/en/ February 16, 2024 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada The United States, the United Kingdom and Canada remain deeply concerned about foreign information manipulation and other actions designed to undermine our democracies and human rights globally. Foreign information manipulation is a national security threat that undermines democratic values, human rights, governmental processes and political stability. Given the borderless nature of information manipulation, we call on all like-minded countries committed to the rules-based order to work together to identify and counter this threat. Securing the integrity of the global information ecosystem is central to popular confidence in governance institutions and processes, trust in elected leaders and the preservation of democracy. The present international system, based on international law and respect for territorial boundaries, is competing with an alternate vision defined by autocratic impunity. This alternate vision deploys foreign malign influence aimed at undermining our safety and security with disregard for universal human rights and the rule of law. The time is now for a collective approach to the foreign information manipulation threat that builds a coalition of like-minded countries committed to strengthening resilience and response to information manipulation. We can do this through coordinated, whole-of-society solutions that work with experts, independent media and multilateral organizations to address these transnational security threats. That is why, today, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada jointly endorse the Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation, which affirms our shared understanding of the threat and offers a holistic view of how to address the foreign information manipulation challenge. It aims to standardize our approach to this problem and build interoperable and complementary systems to resist this threat as technologies continue to emerge and adapt. The framework complements the high-level international commitments from the Global Declaration on Information Integrity Online and reinforces our joint efforts and commitment to protect and promote information integrity. The United States, the United Kingdom and Canada intend to collaborate on building partner countries resilience to foreign information manipulation by advancing the frameworks key action areas: National Strategies and Policies; Governance Structures and Institutions; Capacity; Civil Society, Independent Media and Academia; and Multilateral Engagement. The United States, the United Kingdom and Canada intend to jointly work on operationalizing relevant key action areas through new and existing multilateral mechanisms, such as the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism, and in coordination with other like-minded partners and multilateral organizations. The Guilford Police Department Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media GUILFORD A Wallingford man was arrested on a child pornography charge Friday following a previous search of his place of business, police said in a news release. Barna Lengyel, 53, also known as Bruno Banani, is charged with first-degree possession of child pornography, Guilford Police Chief Christopher Massey said in the release. Police previously executed a search warrant at Lengyels place of business, Amarone Restaurant in Guilford, Massey said, "where items were seized containing numerous depictions of illegal pornographic materials involving children." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lengyel was held in lieu of a $500,000 court-set bond and arraigned at Superior Court in New Haven Friday, police said. Massey said the investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information should call the departments Detective Unit at 203-453-8061. Breaking News Would you like to receive our breaking news news? Signup today! e-Edition Subscribers e-Edition Only - $39.00 Year This is the exact replica of our weekly printed paper. Great for searching archives! General Interest Imported List: General Interest remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Despite the conviction of Michelle Troconis, officials say, "we knew we lost the body" of Jennifer Dulos when her estranged husband died in 2020. Contributed photo A fresh bouquet of tulips was left at the memorial for Jennifer Dulos at Waveny Park in New Canaan hours after Michelle Troconis was found guilty. Mollie Hersh / Hearst Connecticut Media Court marshals lead Michelle Troconis out of the courtroom verdict of guilty on all counts was read on the final day jury deliberation for her criminal trial at Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford, Conn. March 1, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Christine Roy, state forensic science examiner, holds a shirt presented as evidence as she testifies on day 15 of Michelle Troconis criminal trial at Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford, Conn. Feb. 1, 2024. Troconis is on trial for charges related to the disappearance and death of New Canaan resident Jennifer Dulos. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Dulos family nanny, Lauren Almeida, testifies in Stamford Superior Court on the fourth day of Michelle Troconis trial, in Stamford, Conn. January 17, 2024. Richard Harbus / pool Michelle Troconis listens as a verdict of guilty on all counts is read on the final day jury deliberation for her criminal trial at Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford, Conn. March 1, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media STAMFORD After years of investigating and a two-month trial that resulted in the conviction of Michelle Troconis on Friday, it would seem that every detail regarding the death and disappearance of Jennifer Dulos has been examined and brought to light. But there is one remaining question that continues to be a source of heartbreak for her family: Where is Jennifer Dulos? "Todays verdict is a crucial attribution of accountability, not a victory," Carrie Luft, a close friend who is the spokesperson for the family, said in a statement Friday after Troconis was convicted on all counts. "There can be no victory when five children are growing up without their mother. 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. We have lost a mother, daughter, sister, cousin and cherished friend. Jennifers loved ones cannot bury her next to her father." Advertisement Article continues below this ad The answer of where she may be likely died with Fotis Dulos a sinking thought that investigators had after his suicide in January 2020, said Brian Foley, a former Hartford deputy police chief who was working as an assistant to the commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection when Jennifer Dulos disappeared on May 24, 2019. "We knew we lost the body" when Fotis Dulos died, Foley said Thursday. "At this point, Michelle Troconis might be the only one who can tell us." Despite an intense search that spanned two states, several Connecticut counties, including bodies of water, and a three-week jaunt through a trash plant, Foley said even some of the best investigators in the state have varying opinions on where Jennifer Dulos might be located. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "I've talked to two other well-known homicide detectives that know about the case and we all have a different idea on where she could be," said Foley, who is now the town manager of Tolland. "The heavy part of this case for the family, and for the police, is that she still hasn't been found. I'm not sure if the family can have healing, or closure, unless that happens." What started as a missing person case ballooned into a massive investigation that brought in several law enforcement agencies and captured media attention from around the world. The disappearance also inspired numerous documentaries, a Lifetime movie and a law that broadened the definition of domestic violence in Connecticut. In the hours after the verdict on Friday, Dateline NBC aired a two-hour special report on the case, detailing the five years leading up to the trial and interviewing some of Jennifer Dulos' closest friends. Jennifer Dulos, 50, vanished in May 2019 amid a contentious two-year divorce and custody dispute with her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, who quickly became a prime suspect in her disappearance. Fotis Dulos died on Jan. 30, 2020, three weeks after he was charged with his estranged wife's murder. Troconis and attorney Kent Mawhinney, also charged with conspiracy to commit murder, were the remaining defendants in the case. Mawhinney is slated to go to trial. As the jury in the Troconis trial deliberated, Stamford State's Attorney Paul Ferencek and state police declined to comment on whether authorities are still continuing the search for Jennifer Dulos. After Troconis was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution on Friday, Ferencek said in a statement that he hoped the conviction sparks new leads in the case. The fact that Fotis Dulos died, likely taking the secret of where Jennifer Dulos was located with him, didn't stop state police under the umbrella of DESPP from continuing to mount an investigation that included searching residences associated with his real estate development company, and at one point, bringing in an expert in ground-penetrating radar. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But despite the efforts, there still has been no sign of Jennifer Dulos. Based on arrest warrants, probate court documents and evidence and testimony presented during Troconis' trial, prosecutors and the family of Jennifer Dulos contend it's obvious she is dead. In October, a probate court judge declared her legally dead at the request of her 88-year-old mother, Gloria Farber, who has custody of her five children. During one day of testimony, a witness from the state's forensic crime lab held up a shirt that had been sliced up the middle and was soaked with blood containing the DNA of Jennifer Dulos. It was a "brutal" moment for her family and friends, but an important step in finding justice, Luft said. "For Jennifers family and loved ones, seeing the physical evidence ... was brutal but also crucial," Luft said in a statement after the items were presented at the trial. "Witnessing Jennifers blood-soaked clothing, knowing that was the shirt, the bra, she wore on the last day of her life, made us imagine, again, what she must have endured on May 24, 2019. 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." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Although Troconis was on trial, charged with conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution, Ferencek's team, including Senior Assistant State's Attorney Michelle Manning and Assistant State's Attorney Sean Guinness, had to prove to the jury that Fotis Dulos had killed his wife, in order to show his girlfriend at the time was a participant. The seeds of the murder case seem to be planted as the couple's marriage unraveled in 2017, according to testimony from Lauren Almeida, the longtime nanny for the Dulos children, who told police on the day of the disappearance that she believed Fotis Dulos was involved. Almeida testified that the couple seemed fine and she thought well of Fotis Dulos up until around spring 2017 when Jennifer Dulos confided that her husband was having an affair with Troconis. Almeida stayed with Jennifer Dulos and the children when they left their Farmington home in June 2017 without telling Fotis Dulos, she said. By that point, Jennifer Dulos had filed for divorce and had sought a restraining order, which was not approved, court documents showed. During the acrimonious, two-year divorce leading up to her disappearance, Fotis Dulos was eventually required to have a court-ordered supervisor present when he saw the children, court documents and testimony revealed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad His last visit with his children was at Jennifer Dulos' New Canaan home on May 22, 2019, two days before she disappeared. The children didn't see their father again until they visited him at a New York hospital in the hours before his death in January 2020. Fotis Dulos and Troconis were first arrested on June 1, 2019, on charges they had tampered with evidence in the case when they were captured on video driving along a busy Hartford Street around the time Jennifer Dulos was reported missing, warrants said. The videos, which were presented to the jury, showed Fotis Dulos stopping several times to place garbage bags in trash bins along Albany Avenue. Police retrieved the bags and discovered the bloody bra and shirt and several other items stained with the blood of Jennifer Dulos, including two plastic ponchos. Jurors also were shown various photos of blood spatter found in the garage of Jennifer Dulos' home and on a Range Rover parked in one of the bays. Arrest warrants indicate that police believe Fotis Dulos was "lying in wait" for his estranged wife as she dropped off their children at school the morning of May 24, 2019. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Photos taken from a neighbor's security camera system showed Jennifer Dulos returning home around 8:05 a.m. that day. The photos are believed to be the last images of Jennifer Dulos alive. Rep. Mike Cameron (R-Rossville) on Thursday voted in favor of House Bill 1105, which seeks to combat illegal immigration in Georgia. HB 1105, or the Georgia Criminal Alien Track and Report Act of 2024, seeks to strengthen public safety and security in Georgia. I was proud to cast a yes vote to support this important legislation to address illegal immigration, especially while our state is still reeling from the recent killing of Laken Riley in Athens, said Rep. Cameron. We have to draw the line on failed immigration policies of the Biden Administration and enforce the law to protect our citizens, and thats what the House of Representatives did by passing this bill. As state legislators, it is incumbent on us to protect the citizens we serve and enforce the rule of law in communities across the state so that senseless tragedies, like the murder of Laken Riley, wont happen again under our watch. I would like to thank my colleagues, Representative Jesse Petrea and Representative Houston Gaines, for their hard work and dedication to this critical legislation. House Bill 1105 would require that Georgia law enforcement officials to work in conjunction with federal immigration authorities and to send, receive and maintain information relating to the immigration status of any individual as reasonably needed for public safety purposes. Any local sheriff's office or local law enforcement agency that is found in violation would be subject to the withholding of state funding or state administered federal funding. The legislation would also provide standard procedures for booking of illegal aliens and foreign nationals and would require jailers to prepare quarterly reports outlining several categories of information for each jail jurisdiction. Further, the bill would make a first violation of noncompliance a misdemeanor. Any second or subsequent violation would be a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. For more information on House Bill 1105, please click here. Of the 3,517 Medals of Honor awarded since 1863, remarkably, there are two father-son recipient pairs. The earliest of those recipients were Arthur MacArthur Jr. and his son, Douglas MacArthur. (To follow will be Theodore Teddy Roosevelt Jr. and his son, Theodore Ted Roosevelt III.) Arthur MacArthur was a Springfield, Massachusetts, native. On August 4, 1862, 16 months after the onset of the War Between the States, he received a commission as a First Lieutenant with the 24th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry.He would be engaged in heavy military operations in the battles of Stones River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign, and Franklin. It was during the November 25, 1863, Battle of Missionary Ridge during the Chattanooga Campaign that then 18-year-old MacArthur, at great personal risk to himself, grabbed his 24th Wisconsin flag from the bearer who had just been killed in order to refocus his scattered unit and lead his men up the Ridge. In the chaos of battle, regimental flag bearers were constantly in the gun sights of their enemy, not only because they were at the front of the line but because they were charged with leading attacks. By days end, Confederate troops retreated south from the Ridge into Georgia, leaving Chattanooga in Union hands. According to his citation, shouting On Wisconsin, MacArthur seized the colors of his regiment at a critical moment and planted them on the captured works on the crest of Missionary Ridge. For his actions, he was brevetted colonel the next year and became nationally recognized as The Boy Colonel. Missionary Ridge is across the valley from the location of another famous confrontation a day earlier, the Battle of Lookout Mountain, and only a stones throw from where the first Medals of Honor were awarded for the actions of Andrews Raiders in 1862. MacArthur was severely wounded a year later at the Battle of Franklin, sustaining bullet wounds to his chest and leg. After his recovery, he would continue to serve in combat theaters for decades, the last being the Philippine-American War in 1901 and the the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. He retired as a Lieutenant General in 1909. Arthur MacArthur and his wife Mary had three sons: Arthur MacArthur III, Malcolm, and Douglas. His son, Douglass MacArthur, was a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), Class of 1903, and would become one of five men promoted to the five-star rank of General of the Army during World War II. He is among the most famous military leaders in American history, and over his 52 years of military service ending in 1951, he had held many commands and received many decorations for his service, including the Distinguished Service Cross (3), Army Distinguished Service Medal (5), Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star (7), Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star with V, and two Purple Hearts. Douglass MacArthur was nominated for the Medal of Honor three times. The first nomination was by Gen. Leonard Wood, a Medal of Honor recipient himself, to recognize MacArthur for a daring act of reconnaissance while alone deep in enemy territory during the Vera Cruz, Mexico (1914) action. That award was denied because his actions were conducted without the knowledge of the local commanding officer. That is an anomaly given the number of Medals of Honor that have been awarded since for actions often in direct defiance of orders. He was also nominated for his actions during World War I, but that was downgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross. Ultimately, MacArthur received the Medal of Honor for his defense of the Philippines. At the end of the War in the Pacific, he was designated to officially accepted the surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945, and oversaw the occupation of Japan from 1945 to 1951. In April of 1951, Gen. MacArthur was summarily relieved of his command by President Harry Truman over an open dispute between the two regarding MacArthurs advocacy for the continued strenuous defense of South Korea until the Red Chinese had been ejected. On April 19, 1951, Patriots Day, immediately upon returning from Korea, MacArthur addressed a joint session of Congress and delivered his famous retirement speech, Old Soldiers Never Die. The short speech lasted 35 minutes because it was interrupted more than 50 times by applause and standing ovations. He concluded his remarks: The world has turned over many times since I took the oath on the plain at West Point, and the hopes and dreams have long since vanished, but I still remember the refrain of one of the most popular barrack ballads of that day which proclaimed most proudly that old soldiers never die; they just fade away. And like the old soldier of that ballad, I now close my military career and just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty. Goodbye. A decade later, West Point honored MacArthur with its Thayer Award for outstanding service to the nation. Dwight Eisenhower was the previous years recipient. It was there that a frail MacArthur delivered a second famous speech Duty, Honor, Country for which he is best remembered by generations of cadets since. The shadows are lengthening for me, he said. The twilight is here. My days of old have vanished, tone and tint. They have gone glimmering through the dreams of things that were. Their memory is one of wondrous beauty, watered by tears and coaxed and caressed by the smiles of yesterday. I listen vainly, but with thirsty ears, for the witching melody of faint bugles blowing Reveille, of far drums beating the long roll. In my dreams, I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield. But in the evening of my memory, always I come back to West Point. Always there echoes and re-echoes: Duty, Honor, Country. Today marks my final roll call with you, but I want you to know that when I cross the river, my last conscious thoughts will be of The Corps, and The Corps, and The Corps. I bid you farewell. Arthur and Douglass MacArthur: Your examples of valor distinguished American Patriots defending your fellow warriors and Liberty for all above and beyond the call of duty, and in disregard for the peril to your own lives, is eternal. Greater love has no one than this, to lay down ones life for his friends. (John 15:13) Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis Pro Deo et Libertate 1776 (Join us in prayer for our nations Military Patriots, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please consider a designated gift to support the National Medal of Honor Sustaining Fund through Patriot Foundation Trust ( https:// patriotfoundationtrust.org ), or make a check payable to NMoH Sustaining Fund and mail to: Patriot Foundation Trust, PO Box 407, Chattanooga, TN 37401-0407. Visit the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center at Aquarium Plaza. ( https://www.MOHHC.org )) Mark Caldwell Tom Griscom told tales on Friday at the Chattanooga Civitan weekly luncheon meeting of his time in the White House. Mr. Griscom, a Chattanooga native, is well known nationwide as the former Director of Communications at the White House during President Ronald Reagan's last term in office. The former newspaper man,got his start as a courthouse reporter for the Chattanooga News-Free Press. Mr. Griscom talked about how and why Senator Howard Baker hired him in the early 1970s as his press secretary. He said it was mainly because he is 5 feet 6 inches tall, and Senator Baker was of the same height. Mr. Griscom described to the audience his years of working very closely to the Republican Senator in Washington, D.C. when Mr. Baker was the Majority Leader for the Republicans in the U.S. Senate. He said that his job, now and then, is how do you fix a problem.. Senator Baker left the U.S. Senate to become President Reagans Chief of Staff in the aftermath of the Contra Scandal. Their job was to fix his image with the American people, which they were successful in doing. The Brainerd High school graduate of 1967 will be remember as the man who fought to have the famous quote that he personally wrote in Reagans speech in 1986 - Mr. Gorbachov, Tear Down this Wall while making the historical speech at the Berlin Wall, which divided East and West Berlin. The Marvel film Black Panther was a film that meant a lot to many, including Oscar-winner Denzel Washington. But Washington wasnt just a fan of the movie, he helped inspire one of the films major characters. How a past Denzel Washington performance helped mold this character Denzel Washington | Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images Black Panther featured many memorable characters, and one of them was Michael B. Jordans Erik Killmonger. Jordan famously portrayed the villain in the 2018 Marvel film, and immediately caught attention due to his look. Killmonger had scars all over his body that was supposed to represent the people the character killed. This little detail was slightly inspired by a past Denzel Washington performance. In 1989, the actor starred in the film Glory. There, he played a former slave whose body was marked with cuts due to his experiences. Honoring Washington at the Lifetime Achievement Award, the actor revealed the surprising connection between Killmonger and Glory. I heard stories that when you were huddled around the campfire in that film, Glory, you werent supposed to be shirtless, but you still had the scars put on your back, so you could feel it, so you could know thats what your characters been through, Jordan recalled in AFI. I tell you right now tonight brother, thats the only reason why Killmonger, when I played that role, I had those scars, even when I wasnt shirtless, because of you, so I want to say thank you for that. Denzel Washington felt he was getting too old to play Black Panther Washington himself hasnt been against doing a superhero film. Although the actors seemed perfectly willing, he asserted that he hasnt been approached for a role. But in a reddit AMA, Washington did mention a few superheroes he mightve liked to tackle. Didnt they do the Green Lantern? With Ryan Reynolds! Too late, Washington wrote. Green Lantern Returns? Isnt there a comic book, the Black Panther or something? In a resurfaced interview with Cinemablend, Washington would revisit his Black Panther comments. He confided that he was still curious about the superhero, but he most likely aged out of the role. Im probably getting too old. They didnt make the Black Panther yet, though, did they? I heard that they have been talking about it. Thats cool, Washington said. Ironically enough, Washingtons Training Day director Antoine Fuqua wouldve liked to make his own Black Panther. If he did, Washington was the first actor in mind to cast. As for casting, Id always go straight for Denzel, if youre talking about a certain type of character. Jamie Foxx, Wesley Snipes, Will Smith weve got a handful of guys who are very powerful actors. We also have lots of talented African-American actors weve never even heard of Fuqua once told Urban Daily. Denzel Washington denied rumors that he was tied to one supervillain comic book role Related Denzel Washington Refuses to Compete With Other Actors for Film Roles Some have speculated how Washington would fair in certain comic book roles. Not just superheroes, but supervillains as well. Several years ago, Washington was among a few actors who was rumored to play Lex Luthor in a Batman v Superman film. Although when the rumors were brought to his attention, not only were they not true, but they left Washington completely surprised. I never heard that, he once told Screen Rant. Oh, of course you believe everything you hear. No. I never Ive never heard that until just now. Ironically, the actor did say that Superman was one of his favorite superheroes. And he was right up there with one of Marvels heavy-hitters. Thats a tough one. You know, I hate to take a look out the window and think I could jump out like Superman, like Clark hmmm, I always dug Thor in the comic books. Somewhere between Superman and Thor, he said. Ethan and Olivia of 'Welcome to Plathville' filed for divorce on Feb. 21 in Minnesota. They announced their separation in October 2023. Ethan and Olivia Plath have officially filed for divorce. The stars of TLCs Welcome to Plathville filed paperwork to end their marriage on Feb. 21 in Carver County, Minn., In Touch reports. The couple announced their separation in October 2023. The Welcome to Plathville stars announced their split in October 2023 Ethan and Olivia Plath in Welcome to Plathville | TLC via YouTube Ethan and Olivia married in October 2018, when both were just 20 years old. Five years and five seasons of Welcome to Plathville later, their marriage was over. Ethan and I have decided to go our separate ways, Olivia wrote on Instagram. I have ambivalent memories of us being 18 years old, innocently dreaming of forever but the partner you choose is a reflection of the world you want to live in, and at 18, I didnt know who I was or what kind of life I wanted to create for myself. We fell in love as children and are going our separate ways as adults, she added. Wiser, older, and braver. We will be OK. Olivia and I have parted ways, Ethan wrote in his own post on Instagram. If just didnt work between us, though Lord knows we both gave it all we had. It seemed we were constantly pulling each other in opposite directions with different life goals. I wish Olivia the best in the future ahead. I care for her deeply and always will. Ethan and Olivia Plath separated in February 2023 Though Olivia and Ethan announced their split in October, theyd actually ended things months earlier. In their divorce filing, which was obtained by In Touch, they listed their date of separation as Feb. 25, 2023. The reason was due to an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. Rumors had been swirling for years that Olivia and Ethan were on the verge of divorce. The couples many issues were on full display in episodes of Welcome to Plathville, including conflict with his parents, Kim and Barry Plath, and later his older siblings, Micah Plath and Moriah Plath. The two also argued over where they should live, eventually moving from his small hometown of Cairo, Ga. to Tampa and later Minnesota. Deep divisions over politics and religion were also a major factor in the end of their marriage, which became clear in the Welcome to Plathville Season 5 finale. One of the biggest things that could be done on your end to try to make this work would be to go back and try to mend your relationships with your family and try to get back to some of the roots and values that were instilled in you and how you grew up, Ethan said to Olivia, who has a fraught relationship with her parents, who are Christian fundamentalists. Olivia said she grew up in a world built for men and had no interest in going back to a culture and a faith and a belief that told me that I was worth nothing without a husband. There are roles that a man plays that are different than a woman plays, Ethan replied before criticizing Olivia for not doing enough cooking. Ethan went on to say that he couldnt imagine having kids with Olivia because of their different values. In good conscience, holding the beliefs and values that I have and with the way that you have changed, I cant see how I can do that, he said. Theres just things Im not OK with the children I raise growing up to think and believe. Its a matter of principle to me. Source: In Touch For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheets YouTube channel. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Robbin Watt Hamilton, center, receives the 2024 Ernestine Jackson Citizen of Distinction Award during the 28th Annual Black Heritage Celebration at City Hall in West Haven on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer is to her left, and West Haven Black Heritage Committee Commissioner Steven R. Mullins is on the right. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Robbin Watt Hamilton, center, receives a jacket to accompany the 2024 Ernestine Jackson Citizen of Distinction Award. On the left is Councilwoman Katherine Tucker. West Haven Black Heritage Committee Commissioner Steven R. Mullins is on the right. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Robbin Watt Hamilton, center, enters the Harriet C. North Conference Room accompanied by her husband, Anthony, left, and West Haven Black Heritage Committee Commissioner Steven R. Mullins for the 28th Annual Black Heritage Celebration at City Hall in West Haven on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media WEST HAVEN Without the support of Robbin Watt Hamilton, several West Haven elected officials would likely be somewhere else. "Because of women like her, I am here today, said Trenee McGee, the state's youngest Black female state representative who represents West Haven. Jonathan Jones, who serves on the city's Board of Education, said that it was Watt Hamilton's behind the scenes encouragement that helped to get him involved. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Watt Hamilton, a former city councilwoman honored Thursday at West Haven's 28th Annual Black Heritage Celebration, said she stands on the shoulders of people like Ernestine Jackson. "She was an upstanding pillar of the community with a sweet spirit who always gave me encouraging words," she said. "She lives in my heart forever. Watt Hamilton was the West Haven Black Heritage Committee's first ever Ernestine Jackson Citizen of Distinction Award recipient; the previous 27 celebrations honored a citizen of the year. Jackson, who died last April, was a charter member of the Black Heritage Committee. "Ernestine was an encourager, said Jones. Advertisement Article continues below this ad West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer said it was Jackson who was among those who approached former Mayor Richard Borer, the current mayor's ex-husband, to request that the city recognize the city's Black heritage. "It's only fitting that it's named for her," Borer said. "She was a fierce advocate and a great family woman. Jackson served on the Board of Health and was very involved with her church Immanuel Baptist Church in New Haven. Her son Herbert briefly told the crowd that his mother loved the city of West Haven. Steven Mullins, president of the Black Heritage Committee, said he knew Jackson from when he was a teenager and would bag her groceries. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "She gave so much to the community and the Black community in general," he said. "She was very politically active and very knowledgeable. Watt Hamilton said she has learned a lot from her younger brother Brent Watt, who was previously honored as the African American Citizen of the Year in 2016. "He loved serving on the City Council because it was serving his community. I too love serving the community," she said. Watt Hamilton said she gets happiness and purpose from volunteering at Vertical Church's Dream Center, describing the sensation of finding a winter hat for someone in need in their favorite shade of purple. She encouraged everyone else to act in service to others. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "You won't regret it, and you too will experience the happiness effect," she said. Watt Hamilton came to politics reluctantly, initially ascending to councilwoman to complete the term of her brother, who died in 2016. At the time of her brother's death in 2016, he was the city's only sitting Black councilman. At Thursday's ceremony, Watt Hamilton was joined by McGee, Katherine Tucker, D-7, and her 5th District successor Mackie McMillian, three Black council representatives elected after Watt Hamilton. "Robbin accepted the call having no political aspirations, no political background and no political agenda," McMillian said at the ceremony. "Her only intention was to carry on the work of her brother. Knowing Robbin, she is a person comfortable being in the background and out of the spotlight with no mic, and offstage shell help you in any way she can behind the scenes. However, McMillian said Watt Hamilton soon learned to become an outspoken advocate for her community and united 5th District residents politically, having spearheaded the dedication of Brent Watt Park and arranging Christmas tree lightings, council dinners and starting the city's annual Juneteenth celebration. He said she made it a point to always insist that the city's Allingtown neighborhood not be overlooked or forgotten for street paving, snow plowing or the allocation of city resources. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Often, when we picture Vikings who lived centuries ago, we envision big, burly men with long beards and impressive armor like those Viking hats with the horns coming out of them. But what if I told you that the Viking who was believed to have traveled all the way from Greenland to North America hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus was a woman? There are many sagas surrounding Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir, otherwise known as Gudrid the Far-Traveled. It is said she was born in Iceland in the late 10th century, around 985 AD, and she was the daughter of a chieftain. Gudrids story is best known from the Saga of Erik the Red, which details her remarkable travels. When she was only 15, she traveled to Greenland with her father, Thorbjorn, as a Viking settlement was being built there. During their journey, Gudrid was introduced to Leif Erikson, the son of Erik the Red, who was her fathers friend. She also met Eriks other son, Thorstein Erikson, whom she married once she settled in Greenland. However, after that settlement was hit with the plague, Thorstein fell ill and died, and Gudrid moved to an Eastern settlement in Greenland, where she met her next husband, Thorfinn Karlsefni. Alongside Thorfinn, Gudrid sailed from Greenland to the New World they called Vinland. Today, that area is known as North America. They sailed there with around 60 other men, five women, and some livestock, hoping to settle there comfortably. After arriving in Vinland, Gudrid gave birth to her and Thorfinns son, Snorri. Scholars believe Snorri was the first European person born in the New World. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. For 265 years, piles of letters, having never reached their intended recipients, remained unread and sealed off with red wax until one historian decided to open them. It was then that the letters were read for the first time. Their contents were filled with a diverse range of human emotions and rare historical context about society at the time of the Seven Years War. Renaud Morieux, the lead author of the study and a professor of European history at Pembroke College of Cambridge University in England, had come across the letters while conducting research for his book about the Anglo-French war. He found more than 100 letters arranged in three bundles and bound with ribbon. The correspondence dates back between 1757 and 1758, a tumultuous period of time during which the French and English were fighting over territory in North America. The letters were written by family members to the sailors serving aboard the French military ship Galatee. The transport vessel had been traveling from Bordeaux, France, to Quebec, Canada, in 1758 when it was captured by the British Royal Navy. All 181 crew members on board were taken as prisoners of war. The letters from their loved ones never reached them. The French postal administration sent the mail to the Admiralty in London instead. However, the agency failed to deliver them. Years later, the letters were transferred to the National Archives in the U.K. Morieux noted that a couple of the letters had been opened by officials who tossed them into storage once they realized the mail didnt contain information of importance. After five months of analyzing the letters, he was able to identify every man on the ship. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Home News Christian groups bring relief as firefighters battle largest wildfire in Texas history State battles 58 fires covering over 1.2 million acres Wildfires have ravaged the Texas Panhandle, claiming two lives and forcing evacuations as the Smokehouse Creek Fire becomes the states largest recorded blaze. Amid this devastation, Christian organizations, including Convoy of Hope, Texas Baptist Men and Operation Blessing, have mobilized, offering crucial support to affected communities. Covering over 1 million acres, the fires vastness surpasses the size of Rhode Island, and was 15% contained as of Friday. The Texas A&M Forest Service reported that the state has experienced 132 wildfires this year, with 58 active this week spanning over 1.2 million acres. The Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest among them, prompted a brief shutdown of a nuclear plant earlier in the week. Other major fires listed by the Forest Service include: the Grape Vine Creek Fire in Gray County that spans 30,000 acres (60% contained), Windy Deuce Fire in Moore County covering 142,000 acres (60% contained), and the Magenta Fire in Oldham County that involves 3,300 acres (85% contained). Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has declared a disaster in 60 counties, enhancing the states emergency response. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group notes that other fires, including the Windy Deuce and Grape Vine Creek Fires, continue to challenge containment efforts. Tragically, the fires have resulted in fatalities. Cindy Owen lost her life in Hemphill County under harrowing circumstances, while Joyce Blankenship, an 83-year-old former substitute teacher, was found deceased in her home. The extent of property damage remains uncertain, with assessments ongoing. Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller told the BBC on Thursday that it's likely thousands of animals have died. He said in a press release on Wednesday that many grain and seed operations have also "reported total losses." "Just my prediction, but it will be 10,000 that will have died or we'll have to euthanize," he said. "A lot of those cattle are still alive but the hooves are burned off, the teats are burned off, their udders are burned off. It's just a sad situation." "There are millions of cattle out there, with some towns comprising more cattle than people," Miller added. "The losses could be catastrophic for those counties. Farmers and ranchers are losing everything." Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, who assessed the damage from a helicopter this week, said in a video update on Wednesday that "the damage is much worse than what is being reported." "There are literally hundreds of structures burned to the ground houses, barns," Jackson said in the video update on X. President Joe Biden, addressing the crisis during a visit to Texas, pledged federal support for the firefighting and recovery efforts. He emphasized the unity in disaster response, irrespective of political affiliations. Officials warn of the potential for conditions to worsen over the weekend. Meteorologist Douglas Weber and AccuWeathers Jon Porter were quoted as saying that the snow and moisture brought temporary relief, but cautioned against the rapid drying that could escalate fire risks again. In response to the crisis, Convoy of Hope has dispatched relief supplies and is coordinating with local partners in Texas and Oklahoma, said the organization, whose efforts aim to provide immediate aid and support recovery as conditions allow. Similarly, Texas Baptist Men have deployed volunteers and resources to Fritch, assessing needs and providing essential services to the evacuated residents. The days ahead will require long hours of service in a sensitive situation, Texas Baptist Men said. People have lost everything they own. Theyre looking for help. But theyre also looking for hope for the days ahead. Texas Baptist Men requested prayers for its volunteers so they can provide the practical help people need and can point people to Christ, who brings hope and healing. Operation Blessing has also joined the relief operations, sending a team from Virginia Beach to Amarillo. Their deployment includes a mobile kitchen, emergency supplies, and a shower trailer, aiming to assist residents and first responders, the organization said. Meanwhile, local fire departments, volunteers and residents are also coming together to rebuild and recover. Home News Islamic extremists targeting women, teens for radicalization, Indonesia counter-terrorism group warns SURABAYA, Indonesia The head of Indonesias counter-terrorism agency said officials are focusing on protecting teenage children and women from Islamic radicalization as they have become the most targeted groups. Citing a report by the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, Rycko Amelza Dahniel of the National Counter-terrorism Agency (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme, or BNPT) on Feb. 20 said that from 2016 to 2023, the percentage of high school students in five cities who moved from passive intolerant to active intolerant doubled, from 2.4% to 5%. While those categorized as intolerant intensified from passive to active, tolerance among teens overall increased during the period, with those in the tolerant category moving from 61.6% to 70.2%, he said, citing The Setara Institutes survey, The Tolerance of Senior High School Students, from May 2023. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Along with the increase among teenagers from passive intolerant to active intolerant, those who are active become exposed to radicalization, Rycko said at the BNPT 2024 National Working Meeting in Jakarta on Feb. 20. High school students exposed to radicalization groups increased from 0.3% to 0.6%, he said. As active intolerance increased, the proportion of passive intolerant high school students shrank from 35.7% to 22.4% over the period, he said. In the results of research conducted from 2016 to 2023, although the increase in migration is only single digit, this vulnerable group is the nations next generation, said the three-star police general. Rycko said the Indonesia Knowledge Hub (I-Khub) BNPT Outlook 2023 showed that women, children and teenagers were the groups most targeted for radicalization, both offline and online. As a result, women, children and teenagers are the focus of the counter-terrorism agency for both protection against radicalism and the threat of terrorist acts, he said. Bonar Tigor Naipospos, deputy chairman of Setara Institute, told Morning Star News that, In the eyes of the Islamists, young people and women are not only beneficial for the future but also demographically the largest age group. Muslim extremists indoctrinate them with the idea that Islam is a persecuted religion, he said. The issue they usually raise is Islam as an isolated and oppressed religion even though Islam is the solution for all life, Bonar said. For them, non-Islamic parties always have an interest in weakening Islam; if Islam does not rule and Islamic law is enforced, Muslims will forever be backward. Growing radicalism among youth mainly takes the form of intolerance, rather than violence, he said. For example, exclusivity only among themselves they cannot mix with people of different religions, Bonar said. [They] do not accept class presidents or student council presidents of different religions, etc. Some evidence of such influence occurred in October 2020 at a high school in the capital, SMAN 58 Jakarta, where a Muslim teacher in East Jakarta allegedly sent a text message discouraging students from voting for non-Muslim candidates for chairmanship of the Student Executive Organization. The message from the teacher, reportedly a religious studies and civic education teacher identified only as TS, went viral on social media, according to The Jakarta Post. Be careful not to vote for non-Muslim OSIS chair candidates number 1 and 2, the message read. No matter what, we are the majority. We need a leader who shares our beliefs. The head of the DKI Jakarta Education Department, identified only as Nahdiana, said the teacher has been moved to another school. A Jakarta city council member discovered the incident. Council Member Ima Mahdiah told media outlet IDN Time that she received a recording of a conversation in which a teacher said non-Muslim candidates for student council president should not advance despite having passed several selection steps. Addressing school facultys concerns that two of five students selected as candidates for president were non-Muslims, Ima stated that attaining the position should be based on personal abilities and capabilities, not religion. These teachers stated that this was done because they were afraid that if the elected OSIS president was not a Muslim student, they would be inclined to create an OSIS program that was not pro-Islamic, Ima reportedly said. Indonesia ranked 42nd on Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. Home News James MacDonalds mental health hearing on PTSD in assault case postponed Harvest Bible Chapel founder James MacDonald wont find out until June 4 if a mental health diversion program for his diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder will enable him to avoid a possible seven-year prison sentence for allegedly attacking a 59-year-old woman in a California parking lot last March. San Diego Superior Court Judge Enrique Camarena, said the prosecution requested a continuance Wednesday to get a mental health expert to evaluate MacDonalds claim, The Roys Report said. Camarena also noted that MacDonalds attorneys didn't have a treatment plan to present to the court for his PTSD, which was caused by the reporting of Christian investigative journalist Julie Roys. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe A judge ruled last October that MacDonald was eligible for the mental health diversion program based on a prima facie showing from his attorneys that he is both an eligible and suitable candidate for the program. Dr. Shannae Anderson, a clinical psychologist who diagnosed McDonalds PTSD, said his felony assault and battery of Barbara Bass in March 2023 was a function of his PTSD which was first diagnosed in 2020 and as recently as 2023. San Diego County Superior Court Judge Carlos Varela said that before the 63-year-old MacDonald's attack on Bass, which Assistant District Attorney Alexis Lamprea said caused the woman to be hospitalized for 21 days, he was an upstanding husband, father, and grandfather "with no record, no criminal history." He said even though MacDonald was ousted in 2019 as senior pastor of his once 15,000-member multi-campus church and accused of being a gun-toting bully who once allegedly sought to hire a hitman to commit murder, MacDonald had "basically done everything" right and was a victim of his church and critics. Reading from a report Dr. Anderson submitted to the court, she stated that Roys reporting was part of the reason MacDonald developed PTSD and his attack on Bass was a "function of PTSD." "It is the examiner's professional opinion that James' reaction is a function of PTSD. And he's talking about his reaction to the alleged offense or his reaction when this incident happened. Once the woman in the car in front of him got out of the car and moved towards him in an angry and agitated state, the years of traumatic memories of being vilified by Julie Roys rushed back to him and triggered a fight or flight response," Anderson's report said. "Feeling powerless and misunderstood and essentially trapped in his truck, he got out of the vehicle to fight back against his accuser." Roys wrote in an op-ed Wednesday that MacDonalds alleged PTSD is a bit too convenient and her suspicion was confirmed this week when the former megachurch pastor invited her to meet through his lawyer this week. In a text, my lawyer wrote: Just talked to MacDonalds lawyer. His client proposes 2 meetings: The first meeting will be off the record for you 2 to sit down to see if youre on the same page. The second meeting would be on the record, but you get to ask the questions, Roys wrote. Apparently, MacDonald thinks he has some evidence that will convince me of his innocence in some regard. Yet the time to talk was years ago, when I sought comment from MacDonald for the articles I was writing, she explained. MacDonald claims I triggered his PTSD yet invites me to not just onebut two face-to-face meetings! Either hes a glutton for punishment, or hes lying about his PTSD. Based on MacDonalds past behavior, Im leaning toward the latter, Roys added. Either way, I have no desire to be in the same room with a man who argues he can assault a woman with impunity. Home News Jeff Iorg to be nominated for SBC Executive Committee presidency Jeff Iorg has been nominated to become the new Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee president and could be approved for the position later this month. Baptist Press, the official news service of the SBC, announced Friday that Iorg is the SBC EC presidential nominee, with his nomination to be voted on at a special meeting on March 21. Iorg has served as president of Gateway Baptist Theological Seminary, taking office in 2004 when the academic institution was known as Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Iorg garnered respect across denominational lines with how he led the seminary's relocation from the San Francisco area to central California in 2016. Iorg graduated from Hardin-Simmons University with a bachelor of arts in Bible and a minor in Psychology, then earned a master of divinity at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctor of ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, was among those who have expressed support for the Iorg's nomination. "I have known Jeff Iorg for more than 25 years. During that time, I have observed, with keen interest, how he has grown into a stellar leader among Southern Baptists," stated Lance, as quoted by BP. "He has earned the respect of our Baptist family from across the landscape of SBC life. Personally, I believe Jeff is in the top tier of statesmanlike leadership in the SBC." Albert Mohler. Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, called Iorg "one of the most respected leaders throughout the Southern Baptist Convention." "He combines character with great ability and incredible commitment to the SBC and its churches. He is exactly what we need as president of the Executive Committee at this historic moment," Mohler added. The Executive Committee is comprised of 86 representatives and works on behalf of the SBC between annual sessions, overseeing things like reviewing financial statements, distributing funds for SBC ministries, and serving as the trust agency for convention properties. The executive committee has been without a leader since October 2021, when SBC EC President Ronnie Floyd resigned over the committee's decision to waive attorney-client privilege as part of an investigation into how SBC leadership has reportedly mishandled abuse allegations. After Floyd resigned, the EC appointed Willie McLaurin, an EC vice president, as interim president while the convention body continued to search for a new leader. Last May, committee members voted 31-50 against appointing Texas Pastor Jared Wellman, an executive committee member who had been the top candidate, after a 14-month recruitment process. Wellman faced objections over some of his work on the search committee, while others wanted a person of color for the leadership position instead. In August 2023, McLaurin resigned and stepped away from consideration when it was revealed that he had misrepresented his academic credentials. Jonathan Howe, an executive committee employee since 2019 who had served as vice president for communications, was appointed to fill the interim president post after McLaurin departed. In late January, Neal Hughes, chairman of the presidential search team for SBC EC, announced that an unnamed candidate for the position of president had withdrawn from consideration. Home News Laken Rileys pastor recalls her special faith in Jesus: 'She didnt just believe it The Woodstock City Church community came together to bid farewell to Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University, whose life was tragically cut short near the universitys intramural fields in Athens, Georgia. Lead Pastor Samer Massad remembered Riley for her kindness, intelligence and compassion, and whose faith in Jesus was not merely a belief but a way of life. Laken was special. She was a gift to anyone who knew her, Massad told the mourners gathering, as reported by 11 Alive. She had a gift for making anyone she was around feel comfortable and seen, the pastor added. But the most special thing about Laken was her faith in Jesus. She didnt just believe it, she lived it. And because of her faith, as hard as days like today are, we grieve her loss and celebrate her life with the hope that she is now in the presence of Jesus, her Savior. We will miss her dearly. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The circumstances surrounding Rileys death have ignited a firestorm of debate and controversy, particularly regarding immigration policies and public safety. The accused, Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who entered the United States illegally, is charged with causing Rileys death through blunt force trauma, an act that not only ended a promising life but also raised questions about the Biden administration's illegal immigration policies. Court documents revealed the brutal nature of the attack, which occurred in broad daylight, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Feb. 22. The documents detail how Ibarra allegedly disfigured Rileys skull with an object before dragging her body to a secluded location, compounding the murder charge with the concealment of her death. Ibarra had previous encounters with law enforcement, including a shoplifting incident, which raises concerns about the oversight and management of individuals with illegal status within the community. The University of Georgia announced a significant investment in campus safety measures totaling $7.3 million, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. These measures include an expanded police budget and the installation of emergency call boxes, a direct response to the heightened concern for student and community safety following Rileys murder. Amid the grief and mourning, Rileys family has expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of support from the community and law enforcement. In a statement, they remembered Laken as an amazing daughter, sister, friend, and overall person whose love for the Lord was evident in every aspect of her life. The political ramifications of Rileys death have been significant, with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp writing a letter to President Joe Biden, critiquing the administrations border policies and their implications for public safety. Kemps letter demands answers and accountability, highlighting the broader national debate on immigration policy and its enforcement. In an op-ed in The Christian Post, Suzanne Bowdey, editorial director and senior writer for The Washington Stand, wrote: Like the millions of other people Joe Biden let across the border, Ibarra was bussed deep into New York City, where he was released to commit crime after crime. Each time he was arrested, he was let go. Now, an innocent young nursing student with her whole life ahead of her has paid for it. The sanctuary city policies of Athens have come under scrutiny, with Mayor Kelly Girtz facing criticism from residents who believe these policies contributed to Rileys death. Girtz was heckled by area residents during a Wednesday press conference for defending sanctuary city policies they believe contributed to Riley's death. Please stop it. This is an invasion! an audience member shouted, according to The Daily Caller. When I was younger, I was a criminal and you know what I thought about doing? Crossing the border to Mexico to get away from my crimes. Thanks to Jesus Christ, He saved me and I no longer live that lawless life, but you do. You are lawless, Mr. Mayor. Since Biden took office, law enforcement officials at the Southwest border have encountered more than 7 million illegal immigrants. The number of illegal immigrants who have entered the country in that time period exceeds the populations of 37 U.S. states, as measured in the 2020 U.S. Census. Reports have also surfaced that Ibarras brother, Diego, had presented a fake green card to begin a temporary job as a dishwasher in the University of Georgias dining hall on Feb. 6. Diego was fired from his job and subsequently arrested and charged with green card fraud. An exterior window of Liberty Food Store in West Haven. Brian Zahn/Hearst Connecticut Media West Haven City Hall Hearst Connecticut Media WEST HAVEN Officials have concerns about smoke shops in the city, leaving owners of the businesses seeking solutions as they await potential regulations and restrictions. On Tuesday, the Planning and Zoning Commission passed a six-month moratorium on approving new 24-hour convenience stores, smoke shops and smoke shop signs. Although applications in the pipeline will not be impacted, the six-month moratorium on considering new applications became effective immediately. Commission counsel Karen Baldwin Kravetz said it's "an implicit power" of the commission that it need not consider applications if it determines not to. The moratorium also impacts the city's planning department, which will no longer issue permits to such establishments throughout the six-month period. Assistant City Planner Cathy Conniff said that historically smoke shop applications, should they be permissible within the zoning regulations, have been treated as as-of-right retail uses. She said the office does not need to streamline applications in that way and can require a special permit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Conniff said the city could review several concerns about smoke shops, such as the tinting and coverage of windows, the hours of operation and whether retail signs can be illuminated. West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer said her intention is to "clean up" city retail corridors. She said this moratorium will allow the city to explore legal avenues for implementing new regulations. She hopes that existing 24-hour convenience stores and smoke shops won't be "grandfathered in" if the city adds restrictions around measures like light pollution or operating hours. "It all leads back to attracting people to our city and to reflect a more pro-business atmosphere," she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Borer said she is not opposed to stores being open late if they provide services people need, like prescriptions. But smoke shops are "becoming a hangout" late at night when the city does not want to promote that, she said. "We want to curb the activity in the middle of the night," she said. Conniff said multiple city departments, including the mayor, planning office, corporation counsel and the police department, have a stake in investigating the smoke shop business model and the apparent prevalence of such stores throughout the city. "There are certain regulations that we're going to be looking at to even establish a 24-hour store. We dont need 24-hour stores down on the beach, she said. "There's been a lot of problems with the 24-hour stores." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Liberty Food Store opened roughly one month ago at the Campbell Avenue and West Spring Street intersection that was, until recently, the West Haven location of Charm's Security Hardware. Proprietor Yasir said the business is not a smoke shop, and its emphasis will be on food. Nevertheless, a bright white sign bearing the word "Vape" appears in the window, as well as a sign advertising 25 percent off several e-cigarette brands. "We just opened a month ago, and we are exploring our options and what we are doing," he said when asked about the potential for the city to pass new regulations. Earlier in the planning commission meeting where the moratorium was approved, the commission narrowly approved changing the Regional Business District regulations to allow cannabis retailers by special permit. The applicants for that zoning change explained to the commission how heavily regulated their industry is; the attorney representing the application said transactions often last no longer than three minutes. Commissioners discussed that the dispensary business, which is more heavily taxed and regulated, is undercut by smoke shops, which sell products but collect less in taxes and are often watched less closely in confirming customer identification. Home News Ukrainian Orthodox Church strips award from gay soldier due to 'sinful ideology' The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has revoked an award given to a gay Ukrainian combat medic and soldier celebrating his military combat service over his propagation of "sinful ideology" and denial of God's existence. In a statement this week, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate confirmed that it had revoked the church award given to Viktor Pylypenko, honoring his sacrifice and love of Ukraine on Feb. 8. "We thank warrior Victor Pilipenko (as well as all our defenders for defending our liberty and territorial integrity) for his military service, but we do not divide his sinful likeness and LGBT agitation," the statement reads. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "We inform that due to open propaganda of sinful ideology and the denial of the existence of God, consider the church award to Victor Pilipenko from 08.02.2024 Order no. 27468 revoked." Pylypenko served in the battle to fight off Russia's invasion, which began about two years ago. The church said that Pylypenko was submitted for the award by "his fellow soldiers from the combat unit of the heroic 72nd Brigade of the Black Zaporozhye." Pylypenko founded a charity called LGBT+ Military, advocating for and supporting LGBT soldiers and veterans. "Soldier Victor Pilipenko received a thank you from the Church, exclusively as a defender of Ukraine, not as an LGBT activist," the statement stressed. "Patriarch Filaret did not personally award the Pilipenkovi medal and did not know about his sinful tendencies." Although the UOC has historic ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, it severed its ties with the Moscow Patriarchate in 2022 in opposition to the Russian invasion. Pylypenko responded to the revocation in a Facebook post. "Unfortunately, the Insight trial on Mr. Filaret's homophobic statements lasted just in the days when our unit was going through one of the hardest phases of fighting in Donetsk, where I could have been killed and Patriarch Filaret probably wouldn't have known further that he had said such irrational things about me and people like me," he wrote. "At that time many members of our community were killed, wounded, captured, fighting across the front lines in different units." Pylypenko told Politico that despite the removal of his award recognition, many of his fellow soldiers have defended him in this ordeal. "I received a wave of solidarity with tears in my eyes because I was already exhausted by years of constant attacks by various right-wing radicals and clerics day after day when you hear this, no matter how strong you are, it cuts you down," Pylypenko said. "And suddenly I saw the number of bright people I respect, soldiers who supported and protected me it was indescribably joyful." Home Opinion Even atheists can see through the trans delusion Over the last decade, the rapid rise of the transgender agenda poured a metric ton of gasoline on the already raging fire of the sexual revolution in America. As the inferno blazes ever hotter, it seeks to consume our nations children, one drag queen story hour, irreversible puberty blocker, and permanently mutilating gender-affirming surgery at a time. The concept of transgenderism is many things. Its a fiction. Its a mental illness. Its a spiritual sickness. Its sinful rebellion. But perhaps, in a word, it is simply this: Insane. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe It is insane to suggest that anyone is ever born in the wrong body. It is insane to argue with a straight face that a man can become a woman, or vice versa. And it is insane to spit in the face of the Creator God who, in the beginning, made us male and female forever. Yet despite the insanity of it all, our corrupt medical establishment, media, public school system, pharmaceutical companies, and progressive politicians have joined forces to foist this powerful delusion on our nation, smuggled in under the language of tolerance and wrapped in the rainbow flag banner of pride. Sadly, too many Christian leaders were caught flat-footed by the aggressive onslaught of the transgender agenda. Some major evangelical pastors even argued that Christians should consider using fake preferred pronouns as an act of hospitality. But more and more are waking up to the fact that there can be no truce forged between those who desire to indulge the dark alchemy of transgender insanity and those who know that God made us to be male and female, and in doing so went as far as to stamp our biological sex into our very DNA. Christians should know this and Id like to think that most do. Whats surprising, and perhaps hopeful, is when even atheists show signs that they, too, can see through the transgender delusion. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), the well-known British atheist Richard Dawkins declared that Sex is binary as a matter of biological fact. The fact that Dawkins can see this, know this, and say this is evidence of what Christians refer to as the natural law or general revelation. General revelation is the way that God reveals Himself and His truth through the natural world, including creation. This means that everyone, regardless of their religious beliefs, can observe and understand the order and design of the natural world and recognize the reality of the creation order. Pause for a moment on those last six words: The reality of the creation order. Because of Gods grace to all of mankind, even those who deny the existence of God, such as atheists, are still able to apprehend the reality of the creation order when it comes to biological sex, and the fixed binary thereof. On the whole, Dawkins post is an amalgamation of a right apprehension of general revelation mixed with some confusion on this topic, but his one sentence in defense of the binary nature of sex is spot on. He begins by noting that The way the non-binary faithful obsess about intersexes, and about individuals who cant produce gametes, amounts to a pathetic clutching at straws while they drown in postmodern effluent. Dawkins errs in ceding linguistic ground the idea of the non-binary faithful (though that could be a tongue-in-cheek reference) but is correct that any effort to deny the binary reality of sex is an act of pathetic clutching at straws while drowning in postmodern effluent (that is, sewage). He goes on to destroy all the logical fallacy of cherry-picking that transgender activists try to deploy by using fringe cases in nature to defend their, again, insane beliefs. This fallacy occurs when someone selectively uses certain examples or data to support their argument while ignoring other relevant evidence. By focusing only on fringe cases, the person is trying to distort the bigger picture and deny the overall reality. This is a common tactic used by those who want to promote their own agenda or deny the truth. Dawkins explains that The rare tetra-amelia syndrome (babies born without limbs) does not negate the statement that Homo sapiens is a bipedal species. The rare four-winged bithorax mutation does not negate the statement that Drosophila is a Dipteran (two winged) fly. Similarly, the occasional individual who cant produce gametes doesnt negate the generalisation that mammals come in only two sexes, male and female, defined by games size. Humans only come in two sexes male and female. Or, as one Christian politician once put it: Aint nothing but two genders. Speaking of gender, Dawkins again missteps when he concludes that Gender is a different matter and I leave that to others to define. The right way for everyone to define gender is in a one-to-one relationship with biological sex. Dr. Andrew Walker, professor of ethics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, explains that Gender refers to biological differences in male and female embodiment and the different cultural ways in which the creational distinctions between male and female are manifested. But Dawkins is not a Christian, nor a Christian ethicist, so its not too surprising that his discourse on the topic is a mixture of truth with error. Still, his one-sentence denunciation of the madness of transgenderism rings out clearly: Sex is binary as a matter of biological fact. In Luke 19:40, Jesus says that even if His disciples were silenced, the very stones would cry out with the truth about who He is. As the fight to end the transgender plague that has infected the modern world continues, Christians should take heart that even some atheists are starting to cry out with the truth about the biological, immutable reality of the binary nature of sex. The natural law finds a way even into the darkened hearts of atheists. We should pray that God opens Dawkins eyes to see the even greater truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For it is one thing to see the creation rightly, but its another thing altogether to see and acknowledge the Creator. Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center. Home Opinion The rainbow millstone and the Bible verse at a local bar Last year, on February 28, 2023, a concrete replica of a millstone was left in front of the CRU Wine Bar and Coffee Shop on Turner Street in Beaufort, NC. Not just any millstone, but cast into its face was the Scripture reference Luke 17:2 and it's inner and outer rims were painted in rainbow colors. Previous to this, CRU Wine Bar and Coffee Shop had been sponsoring a "Youth Queer Night," and openly admitted as such in the midst of the incident. But right out of the leftist playbook, they immediately shifted over to victim status, pleading the millstone was a threat to them and the LGBTQ community. Following their lead, the media joined right in, but the Beaufort Police would have no part of it. Taking the millstone into custody, the police claimed it was political speech, at worse, littering, and had Public Works carry it down to their facility on Hendrick Street. There it remains to this day, waiting for the owner(s) to come down and retrieve. Direct action by Christians is rare. Obviously somebody went to a great deal of effort to plan, build and deliver this object. The impact of the message was unmistakable and it appears effort was made by the LGBTQ community to try and keep a lid on it. But what exactly did it all mean? Rotary millstones are not mentioned much in the scriptures, however, they may be as old as agriculture itself, possibly even pre-dating the wheel! Millstones are essential for breaking down inedible grain kernels into an edible powder, flour, for making bread and cakes. In ancient times, they were so essential to the survival of a household that in Deuteronomy 24:6 the taking of a millstone pledged for a debt was prohibited. This verse indicates that taking a millstone was regarded the same as taking a human life! With this status, and with the relationship with human survival, one can only imagine it was a very short jump for the culture to associate the operation of a rotary millstone set with the activity that produces life itself, sex. There are more than several verses in the Bible that imply strong sexual overtones. One example is Isaiah 47:2. Here we find the operation of millstones is used as a reference to prostitution! Boy, would Mrs. Johnson blush explaining that verse to a group of Sunday morning preschoolers! Another reference is in 2 Samuel 11. This is a complex story, but the part we are interested in involves Joab, the commander of the Israelite army, instructing a messenger to report to King David the death of Uriah the Hittite. For those who aren't familiar, King David ordered Uriah the Hittite, a faithful warrior, killed, by placing him in a precarious position in battle. King David did this to cover up his affair with Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, who had become pregnant with David's child. In sending the report of Uriah's death back to the king, Joab played a "what if" game with the messenger. In it, he referred to a famous incident in Israel's history, where another warrior king, King Abimelech, was mortally wounded in battle by a woman. The woman threw a millstone from the wall of a city, possibly from a hand quern, that crushed Abimelech's skull. The actual event is outlined in Judges 9. Joab was known for his cleverness and used this incident to instruct the messenger. He seized onto the millstone reference, tongue-in-cheek, to imply that King David's sexual escapades (the millstone) had destroyed his ability to reason (crushed his skull)! We have to believe Jesus also understood this cultural nuance surrounding the millstone. Being a blue collar carpenter in his pre-ministry days, Jesus was likely involved with the construction, installation and commissioning of millstone facilities. The experience of helping man-handle large, unwieldy millstones into place, some of which weighed thousands of pounds, obviously left a real impression. Jesus only had one millstone story, and it is recorded in three of the four Gospels; Matthew (18:6), Mark (9:42) and Luke (17:2). Each reference puts a slightly different twist on the exact dialog, but essentially the story is captured in Luke 17:2: "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble." This one verse contains a lot of information with which we can only speculate. The actual back story is lost to the ages. However, one can't but help wonder if Jesus was referring to an actual industrial accident He either witnessed or heard about. Could it be a large millstone got away from some workers while it was being moved? Maybe on one of the steep hills adjacent to the Sea of Galilee, the millstone entered into an uncontrolled slide! Maybe the horror of the accident was compounded further by someone suffering a desperate, hopeless, drowning death, wrapped up tow ropes and subsequently pinned to the bottom of the sea! Stranger still, the Gospel accounts present Jesus' reaction to the event as being uncharacteristically callous. Because all three Gospels include the drowning by millstone story in the same context as harming children, this is strong implication the victim could have been a known child sex abuser. After all, the incident didn't have to include a millstone; tying someone to an ordinary medium-sized to small rock is more than sufficient to drown someone. And not unlike many of us, the idea of innocent children being abused, injured or killed, moved Jesus greatly. And for a brief moment in this passage we have a preview of the coming "Jesus the Judge." Jesus said the repugnance and abhorrence of that accidental death was "better" than what awaits such a person in eternity! Far from being a threat to the LGBTQ community, the Rainbow Stone is actually a loving warning that, like everyone else, they need to repent of sin, receive the work of Jesus on the Cross, and be saved from a certain fiery judgment. Take heed that you may be tempted to embrace the errors of this age that could be fatal to your faith! Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Conversion therapy bill fails to pass A bill proposing a ban on so-called conversion therapy failed to pass in the House of Commons on Friday after it ran out of time. A number of MPs stood up to speak during the debate on Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle's Private Member's Bill, including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman who said she feared she would be criminalised for teaching her children that "a man cannot be a woman" and "a boy cannot be a girl". Neale Hanvey, Alba Party MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, said that the ban proposed in the bill would have a "pernicious" effect on family life and that parents would have "a sword of Damocles hanging over their head" if they tried to challenge their child's wish to transition. "Being open and able to speak freely with their child about difficult issues at the dinner table is one of the most important roles a parent has, but this would snuff out the ability to facilitate such conversations," he said. He warned that the proposed ban would make non-affirming conversations about gender and sexuality "nigh-on impossible". "Teachers, youth workers, nurses, doctors, social workers, church leaders and parents would be forced to think twice or refuse to entertain such a conversation, for fear of accusation and criminal prosecution," he said. Paul Bristow, Conservative MP for Peterborough, said that both Christian and Muslim leaders had raised their concerns at a meeting the day before the debate. He said that the bill "risks silencing people for offering honest and good-natured support, often to very vulnerable people". "The bill also does not comply with protections of the rights to freedom of speech and to religion set out in the European convention on human rights, as has already been said," he said. "That was one of the main action points of our meeting yesterday. It cannot somehow become illegal for a priest or an imam to offer advice to a member of their congregation. Obviously, that would be unthinkable." Equalities Minister Maria Caulfield, speaking on behalf of the government, said that the bill "carries a lack of legislative clarity which risks unintended consequences". She said that the government would be bringing forward its own draft bill after the publication of the Cass review, expected in the coming weeks. Other MPs argued that it would be difficult to legislate without clear definitions of harmful conversion therapy practices and transgenderism. Miriam Cates MP said, "If it can't be defined in law, how can we safely legislate for it? How can we ban someone from converting someone to or from transgender if you can't define transgender?" Others pointed out that abusive practices are already illegal under existing law. Braverman added that there was "a complete absence of verifiable, quantitative evidence demonstrating that harmful conversion practices are widespread or occurring frequently in this country". "There is very little evidence that conversion therapy is a current problem in this country," she said. "The various surveys that have been quoted, such as the national LGBT survey of 2017 or the Ozanne Foundation's faith and sexuality survey, have severe shortcomings in their evidence base and the ways in which they were compiled. "A police freedom of information request demonstrated that police forces throughout the UK, when asked whether they had received any reports of electroshock treatment or corrective rape between 2010 and 2020, responded with relevant data and confirmed that no police force had ever recorded any such complaint." As the debate ran out of time, the Private Member's Bill was unable to progress and is unlikely to be considered further. WHO guidance on gender-affirming care for trans adults would be 'premature', says Christian psychologist A Christian psychologist has called for caution as the World Health Organisation works on new guidelines for transgender healthcare. WHO recently concluded its public consultation on the proposed guidelines, which will focus on adult care provision. WHO said the proposed guidelines would be based on its "vision of a world in which all people attain the highest possible level of health and well-being, leaving no one behind". "This new guideline will focus on five areas: provision of gender-affirming care, including hormones relating to adults; health worker education on and training for the provision of gender-inclusive care; provision of health care for trans and gender diverse people who have suffered interpersonal violence, based on their needs; health policies that support gender-inclusive care; and legal recognition of self-determined gender identity for adults," it said. Dr Laura Haynes, chair of the International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice (IFTCC), expressed alarm about promoting hormone-based interventions over psychiatric treatments. She said that such a move would be unscientific and premature, and would conflict with evidence from academic studies suggesting that medical interventions, including the use of hormones, "do not improve mental health and may worsen it". In her submission to the consultation, Dr Haynes said, "Gender affirmative treatment is commonly founded on a viewpoint that discordant gender identity is biologically determined or inborn, hence who a person inherently and indelibly is. "This viewpoint has never been scientifically substantiated, and there is not a professional consensus in support of it." She said that gender dysphoria was a psychiatric condition and should therefore be "appropriately treated by psychiatric treatments". "Cross-sex hormones are not a recognized treatment for these psychiatric conditions," she said. "Treating psychiatric conditions that predispose to or perpetuate gender dysphoria may be expected to help gender dysphoric individuals become more comfortable in their bodies, but more research is needed on treating gender dysphoria with psychotherapy and psychiatry, rather than gender specialist treatments." She concluded: "Developing a WHO affirmative guideline for treating adult gender dysphoria with hormones would be premature and scientifically unfounded. Gender discordant adults and detransitioners should have access to therapy that explores the context in which their gender discordance emerged." We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form FILE - Alexander Smirnov, second from right, leaves the courthouse on Feb. 20, 2024, in Las Vegas. The FBI informant who was once held up by Republicans as a credible source of information about Hunter Biden now finds himself charged with lying to federal authorities. Smirnov is accused of fabricating a tale of bribery and espionage involving the then-vice president and the Ukrainian energy company Burisma and has claimed to have ties to Russian intelligence operatives. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, File) Bizuayehu Tesfaye/AP FILE - The government's memorandum in support of detention of Alexander Smirnov is photographed on Feb. 16, 2024. The FBI informant who was once held up by Republicans as a credible source of information about Hunter Biden now finds himself charged with lying to federal authorities. Smirnov is accused of fabricating a tale of bribery and espionage involving the then-vice president and the Ukrainian energy company Burisma and has claimed to have ties to Russian intelligence operatives. Jon Elswick/AP In this courtroom sketch Defendant Alexander Smirnov speaks in Federal court in Los Angeles, Feb. 26, 2024. The FBI informant who was once held up by Republicans as a credible source of information about Hunter Biden now finds himself charged with lying to federal authorities. Alexander Smirnov is accused of fabricating a tale of bribery and espionage involving the then-vice president and the Ukrainian energy company Burisma and has claimed to have ties to Russian intelligence operatives.(William T. Robles via AP) William T. Robles/AP Hunter Biden, left, son of President Joe Biden, arrives with attorney Abbe Lowell at the O'Neill House Office Building for a closed-door deposition in a Republican-led investigation into the Biden family, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. Lawmakers from the House Oversight and Accountability Committee and the House Judiciary Committee are conducting the inquiry. J. Scott Applewhite/AP House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., speaks to reporters prior to a closed-door deposition in a Republican-led investigation into the Biden family, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. Lawmakers from the House Oversight and the House Judiciary Committee are conducting the inquiry. J. Scott Applewhite/AP President Joe Biden delivers remarks during a visit to the southern border, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, in Brownsville, Texas. Evan Vucci/AP WASHINGTON (AP) Alexander Smirnov was cast by Republicans as one of the FBIs most trusted informants, offering a highly credible account of brazen public corruption by Joe Biden that formed a pillar of the House impeachment investigation of the Democratic president. Then, last month, the script changed dramatically. Smirnov, 43, finds himself charged with lying to the FBI, accused of fabricating a tale of bribery and espionage involving then-Vice President Biden and the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, and he has told officials he has Russian intelligence contacts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It's muddied the GOP inquiry plenty. Interviews and a review of public records by The Associated Press suggest this was not likely Smirnov's first turn in what the government says is a cycle as a fabulist. They offer a portrait of a businessman who operated a string of murky shell companies, ran with others who have been accused of fraud, and boasted of his own ties to the FBI. The episode highlights not only the perils of the Republicans' reliance on unverified information in their quest to confront Biden but also the risks inherent in the FBI's use of sometimes-unreliable informants who may have ulterior motives. How come in all of the universe nobody in America figured out for years that this guy is a fraud and a liar? How did this (expletive) make its way to Congress? said Yossi Attia, a Los Angeles businessman who has interacted with Smirnov and once ran a penny stock company in which Smirnov held a substantial stake. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry have dismissed the fabrication allegations against Smirnov as irrelevant to their investigation and are raising doubts about the FBI's credibility. The FBI, for its part, has never publicly called the informant's information verified or complete. The trust level that I have with the FBI is zero," Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said in a Fox Business Network interview this past week. Smirnov's lawyers did not address questions about their client's past business dealings. Mr. Smirnoff is charged with making a false statement to federal officials. All of these inquiries into his prior business dealings only deflect from the important question of the accuracy of his prosecution, attorneys David Z. Chesnoff and Richard A. Schonfeld said in a statement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A MURKY PAST Little is known publicly about Smirnov other than allegations in the government's case, court records, corporate financial disclosures and business filings. A dual Israeli and U.S. citizen, Smirnov moved to the United States in 2006, traveling in Los Angeles Eastern European expatriate circles for more than a decade while providing information to the FBI. It wasnt immediately clear what investigations Smirnov may have contributed to, though he worked with an FBI handler based in Seattle and the indictment suggests he provided reporting related to ROC a likely reference to Russian organized crime. A short biography included in a corporate financial document from 2011 describes Smirnov as a veteran businessman fluent in Russian, English, Hebrew and Arabic who once was president of a private mineral and logistic operation, with assets in Russia. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Even as Smirnov was being paid as a government informant, he participated in duplicitous business schemes, according to court records and interviews. One example is his investment in an obscure penny-stock company called Eco-Trade Corp. Such companies can yield a handsome return on a minimal investment. They are lightly regulated and often subject to financial scams and market manipulation. In 2010, Smirnov purchased a stake in Eco-Trade valued at roughly $3 million as the company was on the verge of launching an advertising blitz that dramatically inflated its value. A crash three years later saddled investors with losses. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Eco-Trade had existed on paper for years under a variety of names and purported business aims, with control of the company changing hands repeatedly until it landed with some associates of Smirnov, according to interviews, court records and Securities and Exchange Commission filings. It was sued multiple times for securities fraud, leading to at least one settlement. The companys fortunes began to rise in 2010 after William Lieberman, who was later convicted in a separate penny stock fraud scheme, became president. Smirnov was appointed chairman of the company's board, but ultimately declined to take the position, SEC filings show. Soon the company was issuing news releases promoting new financial commitments, ongoing negotiations for oil and gas rights and the prospect of riches to be made in the Bakken oil fields of Montana. The stock caught fire online and share prices soared to more than 70 cents, even as analysts warned about the company's dodgy past. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority suspended trading of shares for several weeks in the spring of 2013. Then the stock's price plummeted and the company went dormant. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It's unclear from SEC filings how much Smirnov may have made. He has not been not accused by authorities of wrongdoing in connection with that company. Court records indicate it wasn't his only stock scheme. SIX-FIGURE INVESTMENT, FAKE STOCK In 2016, Tigran Sarkisyan and Hripsime Khachtryan sued Smirnov, claiming he pitched them on a company called Grand Pacaraima Gold Corp. It was only after paying him $100,000 that the two discovered the stock certificates Smirnov provided were fake, according to the complaint. When they approached him about it, Smirnov told them he was working with authorities on a fraud investigation that did not involve them and he continued to make excuses and lie about their investment, the complaint said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The suit was dismissed in 2018 when Sarkisyan and Khachatryan failed to show up for a court date because they were incarcerated. The two been sentenced to prison for racketeering weeks earlier in a far-reaching case against dozens of defendants that included allegations of fraud, money laundering and murder-for-hire, court records show. Another acquaintance, Dmitry Fomichev, sued Smirnov in 2013, claiming Smirnov failed to repay a $500,000 loan. Court records state Smirnov boasted of his connections with the FBI and said he could help Fomichev resolve certain matters then being investigated by several agencies of the federal government in exchange for the loan. Several months later, Fomichev was indicted on tax and immigration charges and sentenced to probation. A Los Angeles judge ruled in Fomichev's favor in the civil case, though, issuing a nearly $600,000 judgement against Smirnov. Business disclosures reveal Smirnov also served as president of a company called GV Global Communications, which was founded by Avady and Galina Vaynter, a penny-stock power couple who have often found themselves at the center of litigation with investors and former business partners. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In one case settled last year, according to records, the Vaynters accepted a $250,000 judgment against them after the disappearance of 619,000 share certificates for a company they controlled, which were owed to one of their investors. The Vaynters accused a business partner of stealing the certificates from their home, though their daughter filed a police report in 2016 that stated the shares were inside a pink briefcase that was lost near a Los Angeles community college, court records show. In an interview, Galina Vaynter acknowledged Smirnov had a role in GV Global Partners, but insisted it was only on paper and lasted for a month at most. She adamantly denied any wrongdoing in connection with past business dealings. All of the allegations are not true, Vaynter said, adding, I can state right now in front of God and any authorities anybody and prove myself. No one can point any finger on us." Court documents filed in Smirnov's current criminal case read like a spy novel, portraying him as a jet-setting global traveler who took meetings with mysterious foreign figures and stashed $6 million across numerous accounts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Prosecutors also have emphasized Smirnov's preoccupation with keeping his accumulated wealth out of his own name, noting how he would withdraw large sums and use it to purchase cashier's checks to give to his longtime girlfriend. After moving to Las Vegas in 2022, he gave her money to purchase a $1 million condo just off Elvis Presley Boulevard that is owned under her name, records show. Smirnov told his FBI handler in 2017 that the Biden family name surfaced during a business call he had with a representative for Burisma, where Biden's son Hunter served on the company's board. But after Donald Trump and his allies, including Rudy Giuliani, acting as a Trump lawyer, began to peddle unsupported corruption claims involving the Bidens and Ukraine before the 2020 presidential election, Smirnov's story grew more elaborate. 'I'LL TRY TO PROVE IT FOR YOU BRO' Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its all over the news in Russia and Ukraine Smirnov texted his handler in May 2020. In another text at the time, he said, I'll try to prove it for you bro. He later said a Burisma official told him during the waning days of the Obama administration that Joe and Hunter Biden had each accepted $5 million bribes in exchange for a promise to alter U.S. policy in Burisma's favor. Smirnov claimed recordings existed of a Burisma official being "forced" to pay. Investigators determined that Smirnov had not, in fact, spoken with a Burisma official until after Trump was president and that their conversation was about a cryptocurrency venture Smirnov and an associate were promoting. During a September 2023 conversation with investigators, Smirnov claimed the Russians likely had recordings of Hunter Biden because a hotel in Ukraine's capital where he had stayed was wired and under their control information he said was passed along to him by four high-level Russian officials. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But Hunter Biden has never traveled to Ukraine, according to the indictment against Smirnov. Congressional Republicans repeatedly promoted the credibility of the information provided by Smirnov, whose identity they say was unknown to them. Even after Smirnov was charged, lawmakers said they were simply relying on what they claim they were told by the FBI. Comer, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, recently asserted that FBI Director Christopher Wray had said Smirnov was one of the most trusted and highest paid" informants in the bureau. The FBI, however, communicated a different message in correspondence with Congress over the past year, repeatedly cautioning lawmakers that information from the source should not be treated as authenticated. In a letter to Comer last spring, the FBI congressional affairs chief wrote that information from confidential human sources is unverified and, by definition, incomplete. That didnt stop Republicans from running with it in their Biden investigation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Members of Comers committee were permitted to view a redacted copy of an FBI form summarizing Smirnov's account, a concession in the face of a Republican threat to hold Wray in contempt. A full version was later released by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. During a hearing with Wray in December, three months after the FBI said Smirnov had been reinterviewed, Grassley attested to the witnesss purported credibility, citing characterizations by law enforcement of the informant's long-standing relationship with the bureau. But the FBI director did not endorse any of the senators characterizations or discuss the ongoing investigation. Steve Laycock, a former FBI executive assistant director of the bureau's intelligence branch who oversaw management of its confidential human source program, said informants can be vital for investigations because they offer placement and access that agents might not otherwise have on their own. But, he said, it is imperative on an informants handler to ask probing questions of an informant and to vet information through other sources. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Were in a society now of disinformation and misinformation. Youve really got to be watching and on the watch when information comes in and validating and verifying it," he said. ___ Sitting perilously on the ledge of a Manhattan high-rise in 2008, South Korean photographer Ahn Jun snaps the first of what would become her series of nauseating self-portraits atop various corners of tall buildings. In the series, Jun defies her fear of heights to depict anxiety-inducing perspectives, in most of which her legs or even her whole body droop over an enormous drop in front of the overshadowing presence of a cityscape backdrop. Origin of Ahn Jun's Series of Anxiety-Inducing Self-Portraits Her motivations behind starting the eventually half-a-decade-long photograph series were not because she was awakening her "daredevil" tendencies, but instead, it came from her conceptual idea regarding the exploration of the "void" prompted by her own adolescence ending as she grew up, she told CNN. This concept was solidified when she peered over her Manhattan apartment's ledge and looked down, a scene she described as akin to the "void" she felt. What pushed the idea to crystallize even further, she recalled in the statement with CNN, is a conversation she overheard in 2007 between a stranger and his friend, where the former jokingly said he wanted to jump from a building due to losing a lot of money from the financial crisis at the time. After digesting the dialogue she accidentally heard, it formed a dichotomous image of rooftops in her mind, which before this insight was something she found as a place of comfort, warmth, and calm winds. Read Also: Richard Serra's $2 Million Piece Launches Ahead of the Top Sales at the Frieze LA 2024 Tasting the Incredible Heights of Her Success Across five years since the inaugural shot in Manhattan, Jun continued snapping precarious-looking photograph compositions atop buildings, rooftops, and other tall structures. Sometimes she poses with safety equipment anchoring her and other times without it. According to her, the photographs themselves are completely untouched by photo manipulation techniques, explaining that she would only play around with their perspectives at most. In the beginning, Jun's self-portraits would take place in her and her friends' apartment buildings in New York, however, she would expand to higher and higher buildings as notoriety similarly took flight. One notable building she shot in, after receiving permission this time, was Seoul's 63 Building, which she explained to be Koroea's "symbol of rapid economic development." Another was a high-rise in Hong Kong that she got to shoot in due to support from the city's tourism board. In 2013, these death-defying photos of Jun tasted internet virality after several online presses wrote about them, including an article from publications such as The Guardian. However, it was also that year that she stopped the series after the fame that she got brought along with it unwanted attention from hostile individuals and critics alike, some of whom criticized her work while others straight-up harassed her. Despite moving on from continuing her famed series, the prints that resulted from it are still exhibited publicly from time to time. In recent times, her photos have even graced venues like Paris Photo, and the Daegu Photography Biennale in South Korea. In terms of upcoming shows, Jun's high-rise self-portraits are also set to be displayed in Nara, Japan's rie Taikichi Memorial Museum of Photography. Read More: Iron Age Artifacts and Objects Used by Roman Cavalry are Among the Discoveries of a Metal Detectorist in Wales 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. /// Missouri voters gather Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Family Worship Center of Columbia, Mo., to caucus for the Republican presidential nominee. Summer Ballentine/AP Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures at a campaign rally Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Greensboro, N.C. Chris Carlson/AP FILE - Registered Republican voters stand in line March 6, 2012, for the caucus event in Rathdrum, Idaho. Idaho Republicans will gather in presidential caucuses this Saturday, March 2, 2024, to help pick their party's presidential standard-bearer. Former president Donald Trump and former United UN Nikki Haley will compete for the state's 32 Republican delegates, as will Texas businessman and pastor Ryan Binkley. Jerome A Pollos/AP A supporter holds signs as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Greensboro, N.C. Chris Carlson/AP A group of delegates take a break during the Michigan GOP convention, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Al Goldis/AP /// Missouri voters gather Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Family Worship Center of Columbia, Mo., to caucus for the Republican presidential nominee. Summer Ballentine/AP /// Missouri voters gather Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Family Worship Center of Columbia, Mo., to caucus for the Republican presidential nominee. Summer Ballentine/AP District 7 delegates convene during the Michigan GOP convention, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Al Goldis/AP Michigan Republican Party chair Pete Hoekstra speaks during the Michigan GOP convention, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Al Goldis/AP Missouri voters gather Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Family Worship Center of Columbia, Mo., to caucus for the Republican presidential nominee. Summer Ballentine/AP Angela Dahms, a Washtenaw County alternate delegate, waits outside the meeting room during a break in voting at the Michigan GOP convention, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Al Goldis/AP District 11 delegates meet during the Michigan GOP convention, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Al Goldis/AP COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) Former President Donald Trump continued his march toward the GOP nomination on Saturday, winning caucuses in Idaho and Missouri and sweeping the delegate haul at a party convention in Michigan. Trump earned every delegate at stake on Saturday, bringing his count to 244 compared to 24 for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. A candidate needs to secure 1,215 delegates to clinch the Republican nomination. The next event on the Republican calendar is Sunday in the District of Columbia. Two days later is Super Tuesday, when 16 states will hold primaries on what will be the largest day of voting of the year outside of the November election. Trump is on track to lock up the nomination days later. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The steep odds facing Haley were on display in Columbia, Missouri, where Republicans gathered at a church to caucus. Seth Christensen stood on stage and called on them to vote for Haley. He wasn't well received. Another caucusgoer shouted out from the audience: Are you a Republican? Advertisement Article continues below this ad An organizer quieted the crowd and Christensen finished his speech. Haley went on to win just 37 of the 263 Republicans in attendance in Boone County. Here's a look at Saturday's contests: MICHIGAN Advertisement Article continues below this ad Michigan Republicans at their convention in Grand Rapids began allocating 39 of the states 55 GOP presidential delegates. Trump won all 39 delegates allocated. But a significant portion of the partys grassroots force was skipping the gathering because of the lingering effects of a monthslong dispute over the party's leadership. Trump handily won Michigans primary this past Tuesday with 68% of the vote compared with Haleys 27%. Michigan Republicans were forced to split their delegate allocation into two parts after Democrats, who control the state government, moved Michigan into the early primary states, violating the national Republican Partys rules. Advertisement Article continues below this ad MISSOURI Voters lined up outside a church in Columbia, home to the University of Missouri, before the doors opened for the caucuses. Once they got inside, they heard appeals from supporters of the candidates. Every 100 days, were spending $1 trillion, with money going all over the world. Illegals are running across the border, Tom Mendenall, an elector for Trump in 2016 and 2020, said to the crowd. He later added: You know where Donald Trump stands on a lot of these issues. Christensen, a 31-year-old from Columbia who came to the caucus with his wife and three children age 7, 5, and 2, then urged Republicans to go in a new direction. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I dont need to hear about Mr. Trumps dalliances with people of unsavory character, nor do my children, Christensen said to the room. And if we put that man in the office, thats what were going to hear about all the time. And Im through with it. Supporters quickly moved to one side of the room or the other, depending on whether they favored Trump or Haley. There was little discussion between caucusgoers after they chose a side. This year was the first test of the new system, which is almost entirely run by volunteers on the Republican side. The caucuses were organized after GOP Gov. Mike Parson signed a 2022 law that, among other things, canceled the planned March 12 presidential primary. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lawmakers failed to reinstate the primary despite calls to do so by both state Republican and Democratic party leaders. Democrats will hold a party-run primary on March 23. Trump prevailed twice under Missouri's old presidential primary system. IDAHO Last year, Idaho lawmakers passed cost-cutting legislation that was intended to move all the states primaries to the same date in May. But the bill inadvertently eliminated the presidential primaries entirely. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Republican-led Legislature considered holding a special session to reinstate the presidential primaries but failed to agree on a proposal in time, leaving both parties with presidential caucuses as the only option. "I think theres been a lot of confusion because most people dont realize that our Legislature actually voted in a flawed bill, said Jessie Bryant, who volunteered at a caucus site near downtown Boise. So the caucus is really just the best-case scenario to actually get an opportunity to vote for a presidential candidate and nominate them for the GOP. One of those voters was John Graves, a fire protection engineer from Boise. He said the caucus was fast and easy, not much different from Idahos usual Republican primary. He anticipated the win would go to Trump. Its a very conservative state, so I would think that Trump will probably carry it quite easily, Graves said. And I like that. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Democratic caucuses arent until May 23. The last GOP caucuses in Idaho were in 2012, when about 40,000 of the states nearly 200,000 registered Republican voters showed up to select their preferred candidate. ___ Cooper reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writers Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, and Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report. Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - The UN Environment Assembly adopted a ministerial declaration as it wrapped up on Friday in the Kenyan capital, together with 17 resolutions and decisions aimed at redefining the way humankind interacts with nature RadNet CEO Howard Berger told CNBC's Jim Cramer on Friday how the company is aiming to make mammograms more accessible by piloting programs that offer these routine screenings at Walmart . "There is, perhaps, one third of the female population that should be getting routine breast screening and which are not for a variety of reasons, many of which is it's just inconvenient to find a place that's comfortable for them to go or a lack of education," Berger said. "If you can do it at the place where they're just going on a regular basis to begin with, then it should provide us with a better opportunity to enhance the breast cancer detection." Berger said he's pleased with the results from the first mammogram pilot in Delaware, adding that RadNet is set to launch another in Arizona later in March. The radiology outfit's strong quarterly report sent its stock soaring, finishing Friday up a little over 17%. To Berger, some of Radnet's recent success is due to overall growth in the industry as people realize the value of imaging in early disease detection. MRI volume has also increased as more patients begin treatment with new Alzheimer's drugs, he said. He explained that scans are needed throughout treatment to ensure the side effects of the medications aren't actually worsening a patient's condition. Berger also discussed how the company's new artificial intelligence imaging technology is helping to make prostate screenings more accurate. And although biopsies remain important to diagnosing prostate cancer, this new technology can help reduce unnecessary procedures, he said. "What we're really looking at is trying to avoid the biopsies on those patients that really didn't need it," he said. "The standard of care now is very rapidly becoming a screening or diagnostic prostate MRI scan." OpenAI executives disputed claims Elon Musk laid out in a lawsuit on Thursday, and said the Tesla CEO is upset that he's no longer part of the artificial intelligence startup. We believe the claims in this suit may stem from Elons regrets about not being involved with the company today, wrote OpenAI Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon in an internal memo on Friday that was viewed by CNBC. "It is deeply disappointing to see Elon take this action against a company he helped start, especially given his close collaboration with some of you who are still here working towards the mission." Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 and stepped down from its board in 2018, four years after saying that AI is potentially more dangerous than nukes. Musk is now suing Microsoft-backed OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, among others, alleging they abandoned the companys founding mission to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity broadly. Since releasing the ChatGPT chatbot to the public in late 2022, OpenAI has become one of the hottest startups on the planet, with a valuation reportedly over $80 billion. The company's convoluted "capped-profit" structure resulted in Altman being briefly ousted by the board late last year, before an uproar among investors and employees led to his quick reinstatement. Musk has long wanted recognition for his central role in the creation of OpenAI, and he spent large chunks of the lawsuit telling his version of events. His lawyers said in the suit that Musk was approached in 2015 by Altman and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and agreed to form a nonprofit lab that would develop artificial general intelligence, or AGI, outside of the corporate sphere. Musk's attorneys said their client contributed over $15 million to OpenAI in 2016, which was "more than any other donor" and helped the startup build a team of "top talent." The next year, Musk gave nearly $20 million to OpenAI, which the attorneys reiterated was more than other backers. In total, Musk invested over $44 million into OpenAI from 2016 through September 2020, according to the suit. Additionally, Musk leased OpenAI's initial office space "and paid the monthly rental expenses," the suit said. He was also "present for important company milestones." Kwon didn't dispute Musk's central role in the early days of OpenAI, but he added some other details. For example, Kwon wrote that Musk at one point indicated he needed "full initial control and majority equity" and later suggested that OpenAI merge with Tesla. "We did not think either approach was right for the mission," Kwon wrote. In the memo, Altman called Musk a hero of his and said the he misses the old version of his co-founder. But he said the company's mission continues. While it's the first time the dispute between the two sides has resulted in a fiery lawsuit, they've been at odds for a while. Before he split with OpenAI, Tesla hired co-founder Andrej Karpathy as senior director of AI. Karpathy returned to OpenAI in 2023. And Musk has been notably vocal in his opposition to OpenAI and its Microsoft partnership in recent years, stating publicly in November that OpenAI had deviated from its original mission. "OpenAI should be renamed 'super closed source for maximum profit AI,' because this is what it actually is," Musk said onstage at The New York Times' DealBook conference. Regarding OpenAI's transformation from an "open source foundation" to a multibillion-dollar for-profit company, Musk said, "I don't know, is this legal?" Kwon insisted on Friday that OpenAI is independent and continues to work "to ensure AGI benefits all of humanity." Musk's lawyers didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. CNBC's Lora Kolodny and Hayden Field contributed to this report WATCH: Elon Musk lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman began a year ago Business: Mitsui Fudosan is a Japan-based company engaged in the real estate business. It has five business segments. First, there's the leasing unit, which is engaged in the leasing of office buildings and commercial facilities. Second, the allotment sale segment is involved in the sale of condos and houses for individual customers, as well as rental housing and office buildings for investors. There is the management segment, which includes property, brokerage and asset management. Mitsui Home is involved in new construction, reform and renewal businesses. Finally, the segment labeled "others" participates in the operation of hotels, golf courses and resort facilities, as well as the loan guarantee business. Activist Commentary: Elliott is a very successful and astute activist investor. The firm's team includes analysts from leading tech private equity firms, engineers, operating partners former technology CEOs and COOs. When evaluating an investment, Elliott also hires specialty and general management consultants, expert cost analysts and industry specialists. The firm often watches companies for many years before investing and has an extensive stable of impressive board candidates. Elliott has historically focused on strategic activism in the technology sector and has been very successful with that strategy. However, over the past several years its activism group has grown and evolved, and the firm has been doing more longer-term activism and creating value from a board level at a much larger breadth of companies. Elliott looks for three main criteria in an activist investment: (i) a high-quality business (ii) that trades at a discount to fair value and (iii) has a pathway to catalyze change and create shareholder value. Mitsui Fudosan is certainly a high-quality business. It is Japan's preeminent real estate company. The quality of its buildings in terms of location and rent pricing are superb. Even as a commercial real estate company, Mitsui Fudosan does possess some brand power, which translates to premium pricing power. It has such a strong brand for quality that tenants pay a premium to be in their buildings. You do not need to do a ton of analysis to see that Mitsui Fudosan is also trading at a significant discount to fair value. Since January 2014, the company's stock price has gone virtually nowhere. Over the same time, the Nikkei is up over 120%, and Mitsui Fudosan's net asset value has almost tripled. The company has historically traded at a premium to its real estate value. Now it trades at a 33% post-tax discount. The value of its real estate, post-tax, is 5,700 yen per share, versus the stock trading at 3,850 yen. Plus, it has an 800-billion-yen stock portfolio, which includes a 550-billion-yen position in Oriental Land Company, or OLC, and successful fee-based real estate businesses (asset management, property management and brokerage) that brings its net asset value to 7,103 yen per share, implying an 84% discount in the price of the stock. The sources of this underperformance are likely unsurprising to those who have been monitoring recent activist campaigns in Japan from the likes of Elliott, ValueAct and Palliser, as well as the government and Tokyo Stock Exchange's actions in recent years. Mitsui Fudosan is grappling with a low valuation and return on equity in absolute terms and relative to peers. Shareholder confidence is only further hindered by its governance practices. Mitsui Fudosan's 800-billion-yen stock portfolio currently accounts for about a fifth of its market cap, but significantly dilutes the company's ROE as it generates only 7 billion yen per year in dividend income. OLC accounts for about 70% of Mitsui Fudosan's 800-billion-yen portfolio of cross-shareholdings, which debatably could make it the company's largest asset. This is not only an inefficient allocation of capital, but also a risky one, to have such a great share of Mitsui Fudosan's assets in a single publicly traded company that is one of the most expensive stocks in the TOPIX 100 on both a price-earnings basis and an enterprise value to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization basis. The Tokyo Stock Exchange has been encouraging companies to improve ROE and get above a one times book value valuation. Right now, Mitsui Fudosan has 0.65 times price to adjusted book value (for real estate companies) and the lowest ROE among its peers. This can be remedied by a board that practices better capital allocation and corporate governance a board that gets back investors' confidence that shareholder return will match portfolio growth. There are three things Mitsui Fudosan can do right away to create value for shareholders. First, it can sell its stake in OLC, which it has already started doing, but given the engagement by Elliott, not at a satisfactory pace. This is somewhat like Palliser Capital's engagement at Keisei Rail, where the firm has called for a reduction of that company's non-core 22% stake in OLC. Second, Mitsui Fudosan can sell 500 billion yen of non-core real estate holdings. Third, the company can use the proceeds to buy back shares and invest in new real estate developments as it creates the most value by redeveloping versus holding onto these assets. This will give Mitsui Fudosan a higher return on equity, which will lead to a lower cost of capital and a higher price to book value. This campaign is very similar to Elliott's engagement at Dai Nippon Printing, another Japanese company, where the firm called for share repurchases to improve ROE and the accelerated disposal of certain real estate holdings and the company's portfolio of cross-shareholdings. Shortly after the announcement of their engagement, Dai Nippon announced the largest share repurchase in its history: 300 billion yen or 30% of the company's market cap. Despite Mitsui Fudosan's corporate governance situation receiving very low governance scores from Institutional Shareholder Services, having only one-third of the board comprised of independent directors and having a strange two-year term structure there is some optimism to be had here. There is no large controlling shareholder of Mitsui Fudosan, a relatively low amount of cross-shareholdings (approximately 8%), and current president and CEO Takashi Ueda has been vocal in his commitment to boosting shareholder returns and capital efficiency, as well as his desire to churn real estate assets. Ken Squire is the founder and president of 13D Monitor, an institutional research service on shareholder activism, and the founder and portfolio manager of the 13D Activist Fund, a mutual fund that invests in a portfolio of activist 13D investments. Americans consumed over 1.3 billion cups of Nescafe last year, helping the brand become Swiss-based food giant Nestle's largest coffee segment. Overseas it's a similar story. With sales in over 180 countries, one in seven cups of coffee consumed worldwide is a Nescafe. But the company's farmers face a number of challenges including high labor costs and rising temperatures that could shrink the suitable area for growing coffee by up to 50%, according to the Inter-American Development Bank. Nescafe works with over 100,000 farmers, buys more than 13 million bags of green coffee annually and has two dozen factories globally. So how is Nescafe instant produced? To find out, CNBC traveled to Vietnam, the world's second-largest exporter of coffee behind Brazil, to get a look at Nescafe operations. Watch the video to learn more. Norfolk Southern Corporation President and CEO, Alan Shaw, reacts as he testifies before a US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing on the environmental and public health threats from the Norfolk Southern February 3 train derailment, on March 9, 2023, in Washington, DC. A Norfolk Southern freight train derailed Saturday morning in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, spilling diesel and plastic pellets into the nearby river, according to local authorities. No injuries were reported upon a preliminary assessment of the scene, according to police and fire rescue departments in the Lower Saucon Township where the derailment took place. The Saturday incident comes just over a year after Norfolk Southern's trains derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, 2023, releasing toxic chemicals into the surrounding water and air, and setting off a damaging fire. Days later, officials said the town had increased reports of headaches, nausea and other symptoms from residents. The Pennsylvania derailment has not triggered the same contamination so far, according to preliminary assessments. Still, the derailment comes as Norfolk Southern faces a determined activist group, led by Ancora Holdings, which has amassed a $1 billion stake in the company to oust CEO Alan Shaw. "There currently are no evacuations or hazardous material threat to the community," the Lower Saucon Township Police Department said in a statement at 11 a.m. ET, hours after first responders were dispatched. "We request that everyone stay out of the area so first responders and Norfolk Southern personnel can continue to assess and work at the scene." Emergency responders deployed "containment booms," barriers used to control the spread of oil, in the Lehigh River where there was a diesel fuel spill from one of the train cars, police said. One of the train cars also released a heap of polypropylene plastic pellets. Norfolk Southern's crews joined local emergency responders at the scene to assess the damage. "Our crews and contractors will remain on-scene over the coming days to clean up, and we appreciate the public's patience while they work as quickly, thoroughly, and as safely as possible," the company said in a statement to CNBC. "We are always working to advance safety. We will investigate this incident to understand how it happened and prevent others like it." The company said it would vacuum out the diesel fuel in the river and clean up the plastic pellets. A nearby road will be temporarily closed in the meantime. The National Transportation Safety Board's initial assessment of Saturday's derailment found that an eastbound Norfolk Southern train collided with a parked train on the same track. The consequent wreckage was then struck by a westbound Norfolk Southern train. The NTSB is sending a team of "experts in train operations, signals & train control, mechanical systems, and human performance" to the scene later today. Saturday's derailment in Pennsylvania adds to Norfolk Southern's already full plate. The company has been dealing with the aftermath of that East Palestine derailment for the past year. The company and Shaw's handling of the East Palestine fallout have been one of the things that Ancora has scrutinized in its proxy materials. "We hope the crew and everyone in Lower Saucon Township are unharmed by yet another derailment of a Norfolk Southern train," Cleveland-based Ancora said in a statement Saturday. It also reiterated a demand for Shaw to step down. The Environmental Protection Agency and White House officials demanded the company facilitate and pay for the cleanup and offer "unequivocal support" for East Palestine. A year later, the community is still reeling from the Norfolk Southern train disaster, wary of the longer-term environmental impacts that the contamination could have set off. President Joe Biden visited East Palestine in February to express support for the community and urge stronger railway safety regulation. CNBC's Rohan Goswami contributed to this report. The inaugural flight of an Avelo Airlines Boeing 737-800 takes off from Hollywood Burbank Airport to Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa on April 28, 2021. Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images In the nearly four years since the Covid-19 pandemic upended air travel, the largest U.S. airlines have returned to profitability. The CEOs of two upstart airlines that launched in the middle of the pandemic say they're about to join them. Avelo and Breeze Airways, two low-cost carriers that debuted in 2021 when U.S. air travel demand was more than 30% below pre-pandemic levels, have both grown their operations rapidly. They've launched dozens of new routes across the country, and their founders say their strategy of linking cities where there's less competition from large carriers is paying off. Think Los Angeles' Hollywood Burbank Airport, rather than Los Angeles International, or Islip, Long Island, over New York City. "When you have Goliaths, and you're just David, it's really hard," said Avelo Airlines CEO Andrew Levy. Delta, American, United and Southwest together control about three-quarters of the U.S. market, according to Cirium data. Avelo says it flew 2.3 million customers in 2023, and that its planes were more than 80% full on average. Breeze flew more than 2.8 million travelers last year, and its flights were 77% full, according to the company. The carriers are still tiny. For comparison, Southwest Airlines, the largest domestic carrier, flew more than 137 million passengers last year. Yet, Avelo reported its first profitable quarter in the last three months of 2023, and a company spokesperson said the airline will likely turn an annual profit in 2024. It brought in revenue of $265 million for the full year 2023, up 74% from the prior year. Levy said he had expected the airline to turn a profit sooner, but high fuel costs during a period of broad inflation and Russia's invasion of Ukraine two years ago pushed back the timeline. Breeze is also on track for its first profitable year in 2024, said CEO David Neeleman. David Neeleman, founder and CEO of Breeze Airways, before boarding the airline's inaugural flight at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida, on May 27, 2021. Matt May | Bloomberg | Getty Images It typically takes two to four years from launch for airlines to turn a profit, said Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group, a travel industry consulting firm. Avelo and Breeze each faced additional challenges that have weighed on the entire industry, including a jump in oil prices, supply chain snarls and shortages of pilots and air traffic controllers. "The fact that the airlines are both still operating is a credit to [Levy's and Neeleman's] visions, their leadership, but also the dedication of their employees," Harteveldt said. Skipping hubs Both airlines have staked a claim in the low-cost carrier segment, which also includes Frontier and Allegiant , which offer base fares, add-ons and secondary airport flights. Avelo flies to about 50 destinations and operates out of six bases including Connecticut's Tweed-New Haven Airport and Delaware's Wilmington Airport. Many of its destinations are from the Northeast to popular vacation destinations in Florida and South Carolina, but it also serves destinations in California and other western states in the U.S. The carrier moved beyond the continental U.S. in 2023 when it launched service to Puerto Rico and will likely expand to international destinations this year, Levy said. Breeze, which Neeleman founded after also starting JetBlue Airways and Brazilian carrier Azul , mostly eschews major hubs and flies out of about 50 airports such as New York's Westchester County Airport and Akron-Canton Airport in Ohio. It flies to standard vacation destinations, but also offers cross-country flights from cities such as Hartford, Connecticut or Charleston, South Carolina, to destinations including Las Vegas and Los Angeles. It hopes to launch international service by 2025. Avelo and Breeze have both continued to announce new routes and destinations this year. Avelo had 11 routes shortly after launching in the summer of 2021 and now has about 75, while Breeze flew about 16 routes that summer and is currently selling roughly 180. A Breeze Airways airplane on the tarmac at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida, on May 27, 2021. Matt May | Bloomberg | Getty Images Breeze and Avelo sell base fares some as low as double digits and charge fees for checked luggage and advanced seat assignments, upcharges that have become common not just among budget airlines, but most large carriers, too. Breeze's lowest-fare option allows travelers to bring on only a personal item, but the airline also sells first class seats and extra legroom options with more amenities. Neither airline's base fare includes a carry-on bag. Operational costs Offering low airfares has made industry-wide cost increases all the more daunting for Avelo and Breeze. The nationwide shortage of pilots following the pandemic and rising labor costs, for example, have posed a challenge. Large airlines, which can offer pilots big salaries, have hired away pilots from smaller carriers in recent years to staff up after the pandemic. "What you really want to watch with pilots is attrition. We had an attrition rate that was higher than we liked, and now it's where we want it," said Neeleman. The carrier has many first officers who are poised to be upgraded to captain, helping alleviate the shortage, he added. Airlines have also struggled with late deliveries of aircraft and difficulties getting thousands of replacement parts. Delegates attend the 13th World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, February 26, 2024. Giuseppe Cacace | AFP | Getty Images World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiators failed to break a deadlock on major reforms on Friday despite talks extending deep into overtime in Abu Dhabi, in what some delegates said was a triumph of national interest over collective responsibility. Talks ended early on Saturday after five days of negotiations which failed to see breakthroughs on agriculture, fisheries and other key topics. However, a moratorium on imposing tariffs on e-commerce data transmissions was extended by two years, in a relief to businesses. "On the big ticket items that are essential for the mandate that the WTO wants to sort out, the fisheries, the harmful subsidisation, that just did not happen, because there was not the spirit of give and take," a senior European official said. On the fifth day of the ministerial meeting, most ministers had already gone home, although India's trade minister Piyush Goyal and European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis remained until the end. Blame game Dombrovskis expressed disappointment over the lack of consensus on fisheries, agriculture and broader reforms, and singled out India for blame. "Agreements were within reach, supported by an overwhelming majority of members, but ultimately blocked by a handful of countries sometimes just one," he said in a statement. Goyal, who was a holdout on these topics, was seen smiling and shaking hands outside a meeting room late on Friday as delegates gathered in small groups next to a coffee stand. India insisted on a long promised permanent fix on public holdings of agriculture stocks which some developed countries opposed. "We have not lost out on anything. I go back happy and satisfied," Goyal told reporters as talks started to wind down. Delegates had described the talks as intense and contentious at times, but WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala sought to put a positive spin on a difficult week, telling a closing session: "We've worked hard this week, we have achieved some important things and we have not managed to complete others." India, along with South Africa, had opposed extending a moratorium on digital trade tariffs - a move that has overwhelming support of most governments and from business - but later relented after an appeal from host United Arab Emirates. WTO ministerial meetings have failed in the past and this year's negotiations, held in the oil-rich Gulf state the United Arab Emirates, has highlighted fissures between some of the world's top economies. BRICS disagreement A Karachi-bound ship from China was stopped by Indian security agencies at Mumbai's Nhava Sheva Port on suspicion that it contained a dual-use consignment that could be used for Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile programme, officials said on Saturday. The customs officials, based on an intelligence input, halted a Malta-flagged merchant ship -- CMA CGM Attila -- at the port en route to Karachi on January 23 and inspected the consignment, which included a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, originally manufactured by an Italian company. CNC machines are controlled by a computer and produce a scale of efficiency, consistency and accuracy not possible manually. A team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) also inspected the consignment and certified that it could be used by the neighbouring country for its nuclear programme. According to the experts, the equipment would be useful in manufacturing critical parts for Pakistan's missile development programme. Since 1996, CNC machines have been included in the Wassenaar Arrangement -- an international arms control regime aimed at stopping the proliferation of equipment with both civilian and military uses. India is among the 42 member countries that exchange information on transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods and technologies. The CNC machine was used by North Korea in its nuclear programme. The port officials, with specific intelligence, had alerted the Indian defence authorities who inspected the heavy cargo and reported their suspicions, after which the consignment was seized, the officials said, adding that the seizure falls under the prevention of possible proliferation by Pakistan and China. According to documents such as bills of loading and other details of the consignment, the consigner was mentioned as Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd and the consignee was Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd of Sialkot. However, a deeper investigation by the security agencies indicated that the consignment, weighing 22,180 kilogrammes, was shipped by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd and was meant for Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan, the officials said. This is not the first instance when Indian port officials have seized such dual-use military-grade items being shipped from China to Pakistan. Cosmos Engineering, a Pakistani defence supplier, has been on a watchlist since March 12, 2022, when Indian authorities intercepted a shipment of Italian-made thermoelectric instruments, once again at the Nhava Sheva port. The officials said there have been concerns that Pakistan might be utilising China as a conduit to acquire restricted items from Europe and the US, masking identities to evade detection. Concerns have intensified over Chinese support for Pakistan's nuclear and missile programmes, exemplified by a 2020 case where an industrial autoclave, crucial for missile production, was concealed as industrial equipment on a Chinese vessel bound for Pakistan. The ongoing investigation aims to determine if the suspected Pakistani entities receiving these dual-use items are supplying these to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), responsible for much of Pakistan's defence research and development. Despite assertions of commitment to international conventions by both Pakistan and China, the interception of such covert shipments underscores persistent cooperation in potential proliferation activities, contravening global agreements and regulations, the officials said. In February 2020, China was supplying autoclaves to Pakistan under the cover of an "industrial dryer". The autoclave was seized from a Chinese ship -- Dai Cui Yun -- carried a Hong Kong flag and had left Jiangyin port on the Yangtze River in Jiangsu province of China, bound for Pakistan's Port Qasim. The seizure of the autoclave, possibly meant to be used in the missile programme of Pakistan, strengthens apprehensions that Pakistan is unabashedly indulging in the illegal trade of missiles and violating the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). In June 2023, the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) sanctioned three Chinese companies -- General Technology Limited (autoclave supplier to Pakistan), Beijing Luo Luo Technology Development, and Changzhou Utek Composite Company for its involvement in supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan's ballistic missile programme. In this file photo, U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, a Windsor Republican and former chairman of the Colorado GOP, stops for a reporter as he heads to the chamber for votes at the Capitol in Washington on Dec. 2, 2022. Cairo, Egypt (PANA) - More than one dozen aid organisations have expressed deep concern about the current and potential future suspension of funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) News and Info from our Community Partners Information from the News and our advertisers (Want to add your business to this to this feed?) Time-honored musical instrument echoes melodies from mountains Xinhua) 10:21, March 02, 2024 GUIYANG, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Over the Spring Festival holiday, Liang Guangjin and his younger brother Liang Guanglin, hailing from Congjiang County in southwest China's Guizhou Province, were particularly busy, working long hours to fine-tune Lusheng, a traditional musical instrument. In their hometown in Jinying village, the local ethnic Dong people have the custom of donning their traditional attire and performing the Lusheng during festivals and other important events. In 2019, the Lusheng-making craft of the Dong ethnic group was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in Guizhou. Almost every household in Jinying boasts skills in making Lusheng, and their handicrafts are quite popular in Miao and Dong villages in Guizhou, as well as neighboring provincial-level regions like Guangxi and Hunan. It's not uncommon for Lusheng performers from outside the village to make a day-long journey to Jinying just to buy one. The Liang brothers' home, which also serves as their workshop, is filled with raw materials like bamboo and fir used for making Lusheng. Various types of Lusheng can be seen on the first floor of their house, while the interior walls are covered with red silk banners gifted by the Miao and Dong people. "People from the ethnic minority groups used our Lusheng to participate in various competitions. Upon winning prizes, they would send us banners to express their gratitude," Liang Guangjin said. Thanks to the incredible quality of the Lusheng made by the Liang brothers, their customer base has expanded in recent years and so has the scale of their workshop. In the run-up to the Spring Festival this year, the two brothers kicked into high gear, Liang Guanglin said, noting that though he was delighted with the surge in orders, he was also a bit concerned due to the fleeting time. Nevertheless, their commitment to maintaining quality remained steadfast, a principle ingrained in their family for generations. The Liang brothers acknowledged that the craft requires painstaking efforts, which was evident from their callused hands. Lusheng making involves more than 20 procedures, with reed polishing being the key. Liang Guangjin said that at times, he didn't even need to trim his fingernails, as the thin and sharp reeds would naturally file them down while he polished the instruments. Owing to their years of experience and meticulous craftsmanship, the two brothers have attained mastery in shaping and achieving the perfect thickness of the vocal reeds. Liang Guangjin used to work in China's coastal province of Guangdong. In 2012, he returned to his hometown to carry on the legacy of Lusheng craftsmanship, following in the footsteps of his father and younger brother. His father Liang Songguang was also renowned for his craftsmanship during his time. When he was young, he was frequently invited by villagers to craft Lusheng in their homes. Now, at 76 years old, he faces challenges in making the musical instrument due to declining physical health, including hearing loss. Liang Songguang takes great pride in seeing his two sons carry on and enhance the craft. He harbors the hope that more people will take up playing Lusheng and learn the art of crafting it. In 2023, the two brothers made more than 1,200 pieces of Lusheng together. Each piece was sold at the price of 400 yuan (about 56 U.S. dollars) to 500 yuan, earning them about 280,000 yuan last year. To ensure the quality, they employed eight craftsmen, five of whom were young individuals passionate and talented in the art of Lusheng crafting. At times, the two brothers had to work until midnight to complete the orders. Undoubtedly, the craft demands considerable effort, but they were glad to receive orders as it brought job opportunities to ten households and can help pass on the time-honored skill, Liang Guangjin said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) N'djamena, Chad (PANA) - The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, raised increasing concern on Friday that more refugees will cross into Chad from Darfur in the coming weeks amid a worrying lack of food and other essentials Researchers warn that a Windows kernel privilege escalation in vulnerability fixed by Microsoft during the February Patch Tuesday was exploited in the wild as a zero-day by a North Korean threat actor known as the Lazarus group. The attackers leveraged the flaw in an updated version of its FudModule rootkit that was also enhanced with new functionality. This primitive enabled Lazarus to perform direct kernel object manipulation in an updated version of their data-only FudModule rootkit, researchers from security firm Avast said in a new report. In a key advancement, the rootkit now employs a new handle table entry manipulation technique in an attempt to suspend PPL (Protected Process Light) protected processes associated with Microsoft Defender, CrowdStrike Falcon, and HitmanPro. AppLocker vulnerability replaces bring your own vulnerable driver technique Lazarus group, also known as APT38, is one of the North Korean governments state-run hacking teams that is tasked with cyberespionage and sabotage and also sometimes cybercrime to raise money for the regime. Its operations span back many years, but some researchers believe the Lazarus is most likely an umbrella for different sub-groups that operate their own campaigns and develop bespoke malware for their targets. The FudModule rootkit is not new to Lazarus toolset and has been analyzed before by other cybersecurity firms in 2022. It is a data-only rootkit that exists in userspace and leverages kernel read/write privileges through drivers to tamper with Windows security mechanisms and impair the ability of security products to detect other malicious components. In previous versions, attackers gained read/write kernel privileges by exploiting known vulnerabilities in third-party signed drivers they deployed on the system with the malware. This technique is known as bring your own vulnerable driver (BYOVD). To install a driver on Windows you need administrator privileges, so the attackers already have elevated privileges on the systems. However, there is a difference between gaining administrator access and gaining kernel (SYSTEM) privileges on Windows. These roles work at different integrity levels and have different limitations placed on them, but Microsoft doesnt officially consider administrator-to-kernel as being a security boundary, because there are various ways to achieve kernel execution from an administrator account for example, BYOVD as there is no shortage of poorly written third-party drivers. Any admin account can install a driver and any driver is loaded into the kernel. An entrance to Sharon Hospital in November 2023, part of Nuvance Health's network of four hospitals in Connecticut. Liese Klein In adding Nuvance's Connecticut and New York hospitals and clinics, Northwell Health is poised to gain a rung or two on the list of the busiest hospital systems in the United States. Definitive Healthcare ranks Northwell 10th nationally based on expenditures for patient care and other operating costs in 2022. Northwell's hospital network extends from Toms River, N.J. through New York City to Riverhead at the eastern tip of Long Island, and to Northern Westchester County Hospital in Mount Kisko, N.Y., several miles north of Greenwich. If regulators approve the Nuvance merger announced this past week, Northwell would tack on Norwalk Hospital, Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital and Sharon Hospital running up the western edge of Connecticut. It also would pick up three hospitals in New York's Hudson River valley region, which combined with the historic Western Connecticut Health Network to form Nuvance. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On Wednesday, Nuvance CEO John Murphy told CT Insider that Nuvance's newest losses in 2023 had contributed to the decision to seek a combination with Northwell. A spokesperson told CT Insider on that Nuvance incurred a $164 million shortfall of revenue compared with expenses for its 2023 fiscal year, on the heels of a $153 million deficiency in fiscal 2022. Northwell reported a $117 million operating surplus in its annual report for 2022, with last year's annual report having yet to be made public. "We're excited by this this is a good thing," said Nuvance spokesperson Andrea Rynn, referencing the Northwell announcement. "They have a couple of big hospitals ... but essentially they are this network of community-based hospitals, and they are really well aligned because that's what we are." Rynn did not say whether Nuvance held any other advance merger discussions with entities besides Northwell. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trinity Health is the largest U.S. hospital network with locations in Connecticut, ranked fourth nationally on the Definitive Healthcare list, while Yale New Haven Health ranks just inside the top 50 with plans to grow through the acquisition of Manchester Memorial, Rockville General and Waterbury hospitals from Prospect Medical holdings. A Yale New Haven Health spokesperson declined comment Thursday in response to a CT Insider query on whether the nonprofit had ever considered a merger with Nuvance. Other major regional players include Mass General Brigham, NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System, NYC Health and Hospitals, NYU Langone Health, Mount Sinai Health System and Montefiore Health System. Cost of drugs, labor A third of the 50-plus health system mergers announced over nine months were driven by hospitals that had fallen into financial straits, according to an October study by Kaufman Hall, a Chicago firm that advised Nuvance on the transaction. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While overall Nuvance Health operating revenue increased 2.9 percent in its 2022 fiscal year to $2.58 billion, as reported in audited reports to the Internal Revenue Service, expenses and other liabilities outstripped revenue to produce a $153 million shortfall that year. Much of that was driven by declines in the face value of investment securities held by Nuvance, with stock markets having rebounded in 2023. Nuvance's Sharon Hospital has been reeling the past few years, with operating margins at 45 percent below break even for the 2021 and 2022 fiscal years according to the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy's most recent report on hospital finances. Norwalk Hospital swung to a minus 14 percent operating margin in fiscal 2022 according to the OHS study, dragging its five-year average just below break-even. Danbury Hospital was among a group of nine in Connecticut to achieve positive operating margins over five years, including a 1.4 percent margin in 2022. Kaufman Hall calculates that hospitals require an operating margin at least 3 percent above expenses to be running a financially healthy enterprise, but that the median U.S. hospital had a 1 percent margin over the first nine months of last year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hospitals across Connecticut are facing significant economic headwinds that threaten their financial health and sustainability," stated the Connecticut Hospital Association in response to a CT Insider query on the Northwell-Nuvance agreement. "The rising costs of drugs, contract labor, and salaries and wages for medical personnel are driving the growth in expenses, according to OHS, at the same time hospitals are spending more on uncompensated care, including insufficient Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements. These challenges are why we continue to advocate to advance policies that support care delivery and access and do not add more regulatory burdens on hospitals and care providers during these critically challenging times. Nuvance's recent operating results prompted downgrades last year of the system's debt ratings by Moody's and S&P Global. In its own outlook released in January, Hearst Corp. subsidiary Fitch Ratings reported the larger health industry continues to struggle with worker shortages and rising costs of compensation, squeezing margins even as patient volumes and revenue improve. Under CEO Michael Dowling, Northwell had a 1.1 percent operating margin in the first nine months of last year, producing $135 million in operating income. Northwell has been plowing its surpluses into continuing investments across its hospital network, including the recent completion of a new, $560 million surgical center at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. In announcing the Nuvance deal, Northwell promised "significant investments" in Nuvance without providing immediate specifics. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Two years before the Health Quest deal, WCHN had denied rumors among employees that it had engaged in talks with Northwell about a potential combination. WCHN and Northwell announced a physician training partnership the following year. Northwell has other more tangential Connecticut connections, including through Margaret Crotty who chairs its board of trustees. Joining Save the Children early in her career, Crotty survived the January 1996 capsize and sinking of a ferry boat off Sumatra while working for the humanitarian nonprofit based today in Fairfield. The subject of a Dateline NBC segment, Crotty cobbled together a flotation device from clothing and swam 16 hours to land. Northwell is a beneficiary of the humanitarian nonprofit known today as the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation, whose namesake founders live in Greenwich and underwrote an expansion of what is known today as the Cohen Children's Medical Center in Queens. The foundation also funded the Stamford Health Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children's Specialty Center. Includes prior reporting by Eric Bedner, Lana Bellamy and Rob Ryser, who contributed to this report. 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. Sam Grotenstein is a first-year student at UC Berkeley studying rhetoric and philosophy. Contact the opinion desk at opinion@dailycal.org or follow us on Twitter. 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George Galloway's stunning victory in the Rochdale by-election is nothing less than a humiliation for Sir Keir Starmer. Despite riding high in the opinion polls and benefiting from local affection for the late MP Sir Tony Lloyd, the Labour leader somehow contrived to lose a safe seat to one of the most toxic figures in British politics. Galloway, who ran on a pro-Gaza, anti-Starmer platform, claimed his victory marked a shift which could be replicated in 'a score of constituencies'. He said: 'Labour is on notice that they have lost the confidence of millions of their voters who loyally and traditionally voted for them.' In raw electoral terms that is pushing it. Galloway's 'Workers' Party' is little more than a vehicle for his own ambitions. It has few resources and fewer candidates and none with his unique gift for rabble-rousing. Workers Party of Britain candidate George Galloway speaks after being declared the winner in the Rochdale by-election The Workers' Party could deprive Starmer of thousands of votes. Sir Keir Starmer seen the morning after George Galloway won the election Deputy Labour Party leader Angela Rayner, speaks at the Convention of the North Elections expert Professor Sir John Curtice said it was 'unlikely' anyone would be able to repeat the trick and take a Labour seat. But that is not the whole story. The Workers' Party won't win a string of Labour seats at the election. But it could deprive Starmer of thousands of votes and it will place him under pressure over Gaza. The result is a reminder that Gaza has become a live rail for the Labour Party. And given the crisis is not going away, Starmer needs to find a better way of managing his party's approach if he wants to avoid more shocks. In the run-up to yesterday's vote, one senior Labour figure told the Mail Rochdale was 'the litmus test for whether the party can hang on to the Muslim vote'. Labour candidate for Rochdale, Azhar Ali, who was revealed to have made anti-Israel comments The ex-Labour MP and Celebrity Big Brother contestant pictured voting in Rochdale on Thursday In the event, Labour's vote simply collapsed, plunging from more than 50 per cent of the vote in 2019 to just 7.7 per cent. There were unique factors in Rochdale, but these were largely of Labour's own making. In its rush to hold the by-election before Galloway could gain momentum, Labour failed to do due diligence on its own candidate. Azhar Ali, a local Labour council leader, had been considered a safe pair of hands. But diligent work by The Mail on Sunday revealed he had embarked on an anti-Israel and, in parts, anti-Semitic rant in front of other senior members of the North West Labour Party, none of whom batted an eyelid. Even then, Labour initially backed him, before finally withdrawing support, albeit too late to prevent him being identified as the Labour candidate on the ballot paper. The other consequence of Galloway's victory will be to inflame the already toxic public debate over Gaza. His charmless deputy Chris Williamson another former Labour MP set the tone when he refused to condemn Hamas for the October 7 attacks on Israel. Galloway has described the slaughter as a 'concentration camp breakout'. No wonder the British Board of Deputies described his victory as a 'dark day' for British Jews. Many will believe they could have gone further and described it simply as a dark day for Britain. To the authentically British backdrop of drizzle, a distant heckler and the piccolo patter of a Downing Street tree sparrow, Rishi Sunak confronted the 'poison' of Islamist and far-Right extremism. It needed saying and it needed saying well. Our Prime Minister did that. Arc-lit by TV cameras as Friday afternoon slipped into evening, a deadly serious Sunak said: 'This situation has gone on long enough. Our great achievement in building the world's most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy is being deliberately undermined. There are forces here at home trying to tear us apart. We must not allow that to happen.' 'Forces here at home trying to tear us apart.' Those simple words were, when you thought about it, astonishing. Yet their truth was incontestable. This was a call to the breach in the walls, a Harfleur summons to fight enemies within. Yes, enemies within. We might once have associated such a phrase with despots. But that is where our passive laxness has landed us. 'There are forces here at home trying to tear us apart. We must not allow that to happen,' the Prime Minister said in an address at Downing Street on March 1, 2024 George Galloway speaks at a rally after his win at the Rochdale by-election At the end of two fervid weeks when our body politic has been bent out of shape by sectarianism, much of it over a war hundreds of miles abroad, the head of our government was issuing a call to moral self-defence. He was urging us to resist the self-haters and subversives, the professional moths who have been allowed to fray our nation's self-confidence. And it all made serious sense. What was perhaps most striking about this speech was that it felt so timely, if not overdue. It was a quarter to six when Mr Sunak strode firmly out of his official residence and stood at the lectern under lowering skies. No autocue. He spoke off a four-page printed script. There was speculation shortly beforehand that the rain would force him to make the speech inside but, thank goodness, that did not happen. The value of standing outside that gleaming No 10 door was substantial. He was speaking for all of us well, all but those who voted for George Galloway in Rochdale or those who beamed an anti-Semitic image on to Big Ben last week. As a tableau, the scene was a mix of monochromes, the black of his suit, his eyebrows, the iron railings behind, the HM government crest and his imploring eyes contrasting with the gleam of the lights and the sheen from the rain. As he started, a protester at the bottom of Downing Street started putting up the usual blether of baloney, indistinct yet nonetheless irritating. Why must idiots with loud hailers always push their way in to everything? But then another sound: the chirrup of a friendly sparrow. Mr Sunak initially seemed distracted by the heckler but he soon found a steady pace and an unswerving tone. 'You can be a practising Hindu and a proud Briton, as I am. Or a devout Muslim and a patriotic citizen as so many are. Or a committed Jewish person and the heart of your local community, and all underpinned by the tolerance of our established Christian church.' Such forbearance was being imperilled by people advancing 'a divisive, hateful, ideological agenda'. He told the police to pull themselves together. Alleluia to that. He told the pro-Palestinian protesters to get their marches in order. Well, you never know, they might try. People say Rishi Sunak may not be in office much longer. So be it. But this was the best thing he has done Keir Starmer seen this morning following the Rochdale by-election. If the line 'there must be leadership, not pandering or appeasement' was a dig at Sir Keir Starmer, we were not told And he told us all to defy the hate-brigades. We must parry the extremists' lies. Apart from a flick of contempt when he mentioned the British National Party, the whole speech was delivered in a tone of sustained, insistent, very Rishi-ish decency. It was done without shouting and without party rancour. There has been too much of all that from parts of our political class, both in and beyond Westminster, in recent weeks. If the line 'there must be leadership, not pandering or appeasement' was a dig at Sir Keir Starmer, we were not told. People say Rishi Sunak may not be in office much longer. So be it. But this was the best thing he has done. And as he finished, defiant and deadly serious, the heckler was heard no more. But the little sparrow hopped and sang. Harmony had won, and so it must. Galloway the 'MP for Gaza' back in power by James Tozer and Martin Robinson For some, George Galloway is best remembered for his bizarre appearance pretending to be a cat on Celebrity Big Brother, purring as he licked pretend milk out of actress Rula Lenska's hand. Others can never forget his warm words for dictators, saluting Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein for his 'courage', 'strength' and 'indefatigability' and praising 'Butcher of Damascus' Bashar al-Assad. After being down and seemingly out thanks to a decade of failed bids, the crisis which followed the Hamas attacks on Israel has once again propelled the four times married father-of-six back into the corridors of power, where he was already being dubbed 'the MP for Gaza'. It is a shock return to frontline politics, Dundee-born Mr Galloway, 69, has now been elected to Parliament seven times for three different parties. But the ex-Labour MP's track record of sowing discord and division has sparked fears about his polarising impact on the debate over Israel's actions in Gaza. In the 1970s Mr Galloway was campaigning for Dundee to be twinned with Nablus, a city in the West Bank, and later said it was in 1977 he pledged to devote his life 'to the Palestinian and Arab cause'. The new Workers Party Member of Parliament for Rochdale, George Galloway poses for a photograph outside his campaign headquarters in Rochdale, northern England on March 1, George Galloway has said he 'respects the right' of Hezbollah terrorists to operate in Lebanon Mr Galloway was chairman of the Scottish Labour Party at just 26 and became MP for the Glasgow Hillhead constituency in 1987, defeating the SDP's Roy Jenkins. Soon afterwards he earned his nickname 'Gorgeous George' following a conference in Greece where he boasted he had met many women during the trip, 'some of whom were known carnally to me'. After the first Gulf War he described Kuwait as 'a part of the greater Iraqi whole' and in 1994 met Hussein, notoriously telling him: 'I salute your courage, your strength, your indefatigability.' In 2003 he was expelled from Labour after he called on British troops serving in Iraq to 'refuse to obey illegal orders'. But he retaliated by helping form the anti-war Respect Party and beating Labour's Oona King in Bethnal Green and Bow in the 2005 general election. However it was his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006 which earned him enduring ridicule. He failed to win a seat at the 2010 general election but two years later returned to Parliament after a by-election in Bradford West. After failing to defend the seat he came third in the 2021 Batley and Spen byelection following a campaign marred by claims of intimidation and homophobia, Mr Galloway instead concentrated on his media career, presenting on Russian and Iranian TV channels broadcasting in the UK and regularly being reprimanded for failing to meet Ofcom rules on impartiality. He has also been pictured with two heads of Hamas, including with current leader Ismail Haniyeh in 2009. 'The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it. But in the end, there it is,' said Winston Churchill in the House of Commons almost a century ago. What would the great man have made this week of the case of Scarlet Blake? A heinous criminal, who indiscriminately murdered Jorge Martin Carreno by drowning him in a river, and was found to have skinned a cat and put it in a blender before the murder. The case attracts attention because of its truly sickening character. But for those of us who believe in the truth, it is the reporting of the case that has added an extra layer of horror. For Blake is a transgender woman, also known as a man. Identifying as a woman, but still very much a man. You wouldn't have understood this fact from the reporting which, in some cases including a shocking BBC News channel piece, never even mentioned this mere detail. The truth can be uncomfortable. But if our journalists fail to report the truth, on basic matters like biology and on issues affecting public safety and criminal justice, then we are on a slippery slope to a dystopian world of doublespeak, misinformation and dangerous deception. SUELLA BRAVERMAN (pictured): Much of the reporting this week was bizarre. But more worryingly, it was grossly insulting to women, a distortion of crime recording and a dereliction of a journalist's duty to report the incontrovertible truth Scarlet Blake, pictured in August last year, was convicted of murder at Oxford Crown Court and sentenced to life in jail with a minimum of 23 years A still image from a video issued by police of Scarlet Blake holding a decapitated cat head after killing it The problem is that the erasure of biological truth is becoming a professional practice by our media. This perverted reality has produced false headlines such as: 'Norwich woman jailed for cocaine-fuelled sex with dog,' 'Woman who bragged about being a paedophile approached boys' and 'Female convicted of rape'. In the case of rape, it is legally incoherent to describe the perpetrator as female because commission of this offence requires a penis. A biological woman cannot commit rape, except as an accessory. As Home Secretary, I repeatedly made this view clear, but the practice continued. How is such distortion possible? Regulatory guidelines make newspapers 'responsible for accurately reporting what is heard in court; they are not responsible for the accuracy of what is heard in court.' And the BBC's Style Guide advises that the pronoun 'she' should be used for describing a transgender woman. When our national broadcaster upholds complaints against its journalists for describing transwomen as male, we know that the problem runs deep. A mugshot issued by Thames Valley Police of Scarlet Blake, who was found guilty of murder Scarlet Blake (pictured) dancing in Intrusion nightclub in Oxford BMW worker Mr Carreno (pictured) had been on a night out when he was approached by Blake Broadcasters and newspapers referred to Blake as a woman after the 26-year-old was jailed for at least 23 years on Monday for killing Jorge Martin Carreno (pictured), 30, in Oxford, in July 2021 That leaves us with how transgender criminals are being described within the criminal justice system. Herein lies the root of the problem. The Equal Treatment Bench Book, written by judges for judges, makes it clear that the preference is to enable self-identification so that biological males can be referred to as women and in the female form at their request, regardless of whether they have a Gender Recognition Certificate, the relevance to the offence or the wishes of the victim. While of course transgender people deserve respect and support, it cannot be right that their rights prevail over the truth. The public interest in honesty is clear: distorted crime statistics mean ministers will be forced to respond to 'evidence' of increased violence by women. Male criminals will argue that, as self-identifying women, they are entitled to go to a women's prison. If we are to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system, then surely a good place to start would be with getting the basic facts right? So we need to change the guidance, rules and the law. Firstly, the judiciary need to amend the Equal Treatment Bench Book to instruct judges to describe offenders by their biological sex, not preferred pronouns. Secondly, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, which regulates how the police deal with these situations, needs to change so that they must record birth sex in the custody record of suspects. Currently it does not. Lastly, we need to fix regulatory guidelines so that a biological man is described as male; and a biological woman is described as female. Much of the reporting this week was bizarre. But more worryingly, it was grossly insulting to women, a distortion of crime recording and a dereliction of a journalist's duty to report the incontrovertible truth. There is a certain predictability about Donald Trump's rallies. A sea of red 'Make America Great Again' hats, tons of stars and stripes flags and an enthusiastic crowd of predominantly white, working-class fans who make up his loyal base. But in recent months there has been a noticeable shift in the people turning out to cheer the former President on as he campaigns from North Carolina to Nevada and Arizona to Arkansas in his bid to return to the White House in November's presidential election. Increasingly, supporters wearing 'Blacks For Trump' T-shirts and brandishing 'Latinos For Trump' placards are standing alongside his traditional supporters and their numbers are growing each week. In recent months there has been a noticeable shift in the people turning out to cheer the former President. (Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures at a campaign event) People attend a rally for Vice President Mike Pence as he speaks during the Donald J. Trump for President Latino Coalition Rollout at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport & Convention Center Recent polls have shown working class minorities, who historically vote for the Democratic Party headed by President Joe Biden, are turning their backs on him in droves. A poll by AP-NORC showed only 50 per cent of black adults said they approved of Biden, down from 86 per cent in July 2021. At the same time, 25 per cent of black adults said they approved of Trump, up from 18 per cent in 2021. Craig Scott, 54, a black filmmaker and Trump supporter from North Carolina, isn't surprised in the slightest. 'When it comes down to it, people vote with their wallets and no one can argue life in America today is better under Biden than it was under Trump. A trip to the grocery store or gas station is hitting folks where it hurts. Biden is old and out of touch. Ask most people if they were better off under Trump and the answer is 'yes'.' Facing multiple lawsuits for everything from election fraud to tax evasion which Trump describes as 'a political witch hunt' has, ironically, garnered him sympathy from minority voters. Scott, who joined a black militant group as a teenager in the 1980s and was jailed for 26 years for holding up a white-owned bank and depositing the money he stole into a black-owned bank, said: 'Black communities are used to feeling persecuted. When Trump had his mugshot released a lot of us felt sympathetic towards him. 'His run-ins with the law and what seems like an unfair obsession with putting him behind bars, reminds us of what has historically been done to us.' Blacks For Trump supporters stand outside former President Donald Trump's South Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, to show their support for him Former President Donald J. Trump kisses American flag at arriving on stage during CPAC Conference 2024 at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Washington DC For Latinos, predominantly Mexican immigrants and those from Central and South America, the decision to back Trump is more personal. It is a backlash against Biden's disastrous 'open border' policies which have seen 7.3 million migrants illegally cross the southern border of the US since he took office, according to US Custom and Border Protection official figures. There are 36.2 million eligible Hispanic voters in 2024, up from 32.3 million in the 2020 election. Latinos are now almost 15 per cent of America's electorate and will likely hold the key to whoever wins in November, particularly in battleground states such as Arizona and Nevada, which Biden narrowly won in 2020. In January, a USA Today/Suffolk University poll showed Trump was ahead with 39 per cent among Latino voters, compared with Biden's 24 per cent a massive slump since the 2020 election when Bidden garnered 65 per cent of Latino votes. Texan dentist Alma Arrendondo-Lynch, 67, took part in a 'Take Our Border Back' rally: 'I'm not against people coming into America but they should do it legally,' she said. Another woman who arrived in Los Angeles 20 years ago from El Salvador and who preferred not to give her name, said: 'It took me years and thousands of dollars to get a Green Card and US citizenship. It's wrong Biden is letting millions of illegals flood in. Why should they be given work visas and be allowed to stay when they haven't followed the same rules as the rest of us? A supporter of Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump raises a sign at a rally in Greensboro, North Carolina Governor Mark Robinson and his wife Yolanda listen as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally 'It's our communities that are hurting because of these illegals. They are taking resources away from poor areas. Our schools can't cope, our hospitals can't cope. That's why I'm voting for Trump.' Professor Taylor Dark, of the political science department at California State University, said people should not be surprised minorities are supporting Trump. He said: 'Many of the predominantly working-class blacks and Latinos feel Biden isn't prioritising their interests. Economically they feel worse off under Biden. 'The Democratic Party is dominated by college-educated people and their focus on issues such as trans rights doesn't align with the views of these working-class groups. They are turned off. 'Many blacks and Latinos don't like the scale of illegal immigration. They don't like it in principle and they view illegal immigrants as people who will potentially take their jobs. These minority groups are turning towards Trump for the same reasons the white working classes embraced him in 2016.' Neither blacks nor Latinos seem bothered by claims Trump is a racist who once declared he didn't want immigrants from Haiti and Africa and 'other s***hole countries'. 'Trump isn't perfect and he's said stupid things and has been photographed with some stupid people but I don't care about that,' said a film executive who is a member of the group 'Blacks For Trump'. 'This is a fight for America. When he was President, Trump introduced prison reforms which helped African-American communities, he gave grants to black colleges, he gave stimulus cheques to promote black-owned small businesses. What has Biden done for us? 'Biden talks the talk but he's a limousine liberal who has done nothing of any real importance to change the lives of ordinary black people in this country. We've traditionally voted Democrat but many were disillusioned by Barack Obama. 'He arrived in the White House offering change and hope, but nothing changed. Black people are sick of being fed lies. Trump can't do any worse than Biden.' Trump has said he is considering Tim Scott, the first black senator from South Carolina in America's historically racism-riven Deep South, as a potential vice-presidential running mate. Scott, who briefly stood against Trump before dropping out of the race to be the Republican nominee, dismissed Trump's legal woes and previous racist statements, saying: 'The American people are more focused on the future than on his past.' The real-life Wolf of Wall Street's ex-wife has revealed that the financial crook never apologized to her - and has admitted that he's not pleased that she's sharing the intimate details of their tumultuous romance on TikTok, despite him previously releasing a tell-all book about it that went on to inspire the movie. Nadine Macaluso, 56, who now works as a marriage counselor and family therapist in Florida, met Jordan Belfort, 61, when she was just 22 years old and working as a model. The two soon became engulfed in a whirlwind romance, tying the knot in 1991 and welcoming two children together - before they ultimately divorced in 2005 after 14 years of marriage. After they went their separate ways, Nadine accused the broker of physical and mental abuse, which she said was fueled by his rampant drug addiction and multiple infidelities. The real-life Wolf of Wall Street's ex-wife has revealed that the crook never apologized to her - and has admitted that he's not pleased with her using their romance to become a TikTok star Nadine Macaluso, 56, who now works as a marriage counselor and family therapist in Florida, met Jordan Belfort, 61, when she was just 22 years old and working as a model The two soon became engulfed in a whirlwind romance, tying the knot in 1991 and welcoming two children together, before they ultimately divorced in 2005 after 14 years of marriage Their relationship was portrayed in the 2013 flick Wolf of Wall Street, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan and Margot Robbie as Nadine, who was renamed Naomi for the movie Now, the model-turned-therapist has spoken exclusively to DailyMail.com about how she made peace with her ex for the sake of their kids, despite him never saying sorry for what he put her through. When asked if Jordan had ever apologized to her, Nadine admitted, 'No. He never made amends to me. And I don't expect that from him.' Now, the model-turned-therapist has spoken exclusively to DailyMail.com about how she made peace with her ex for the sake of their kids, despite him never saying sorry for what he put her through. She and Jordan are seen at their wedding As for how she found a way to become amicable with him, despite his lack of regret over the way he treated her, she said she had to make an 'adult choice' to put their children first. '[After the split] I took my kids to California and he was in New York. I had a lot of time away from him and a lot of time to heal,' she explained. 'Because we had children together I made a choice, really, as their mother, to keep a good relationship with him, the best that I could. 'That doesn't mean we've always gotten along, but in the end, we've always put our kids first because we have an obligation to them. 'We brought them into the world. How I feel towards him is different than how he behaves towards my kids, so as long as he's a good dad [that's what matters].' The 56-year-old previously spoke out about Jordan's 'callous and painful' response after she finally confronted him about the harrowing 'abuse and trauma' she suffered at his hands. When asked if Jordan had ever apologized to her, Nadine admitted, 'No. He never made amends to me. And I don't expect that from him' As for how she found a way to become amicable with him, despite his lack of regret over the way he treated her, she said she had to make an 'adult choice' to put their children first The 56-year-old previously spoke out about Jordan's 'callous and painful' response after she finally confronted him about the harrowing 'abuse and trauma' she suffered at his hands Nadine explained in a TikTok video last fall that she decided to bring up some of the terrible things she had endured throughout their marriage six months after he got sober. But she said his reaction opened her eyes to how much of a 'narcissist' he really was. 'I said to him, "Jordan, that was so hard what I had to endure with your drug addiction and abuse. It was just so traumatizing,"' she recalled. Nadine explained in a TikTok video last fall that when she brought up some of the terrible things she had endured throughout their marriage, he said, 'It wasn't that bad' 'And he goes, "It wasn't that bad." Right in that moment, my heart closed. His insensitivity and callousness towards the pain that he caused me was worse than the abuse.' Nadine and Jordan's relationship - as well as his illicit stock market scheme, which saw him steal nearly $200 million from investors - was portrayed in the wildly popular 2013 flick Wolf Of Wall Street, which was based off the book he wrote, and starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan and Margot Robbie as Nadine, who was renamed Naomi for the movie. Jordan went on to spend 22 months in prison after it was brought to light that he had scammed more than 1,500 people through the elaborate stock market con in 1999. The mom-of-two has become a viral TikTok star in recent months for spilling numerous secrets about their marriage, revealing which scenes of the Martin Scorsese film were accurate and which were exaggerated, and using her experience to give others who may be dealing with unhealthy relationships advice. She admitted to DailyMail.com that Jordan was not happy with her after he discovered that she was discussing their relationship online. But Nadine insisted that she was not 'using the Wolf engine' to 'disparage him,' but rather, to share her 'side of things' and 'empower women.' 'Initially, he did not like it,' she shared. 'He [still] does not love it but I think he's come to accept it. 'Here's the thing, I'm not doing this at all to disparage him. Why would I do that to my children? Jordan (left portrayed by Leonardo in the movie and right in real life) spent 22 months in prison after it was revealed he had scammed more than 1,500 people Nadine has become a viral TikTok star for spilling numerous secrets about their marriage and using her experience to give others who may be dealing with unhealthy relationships advice But she admitted to DailyMail.com that Jordan was not happy with her after he discovered that she was discussing their relationship online 'I'm just expressing my narrative and my side of things. And like I said, at the end of the day, the good news is, we're all OK now. 'I'm really using the Wolf engine to educate women about trauma bonds. And to empower them.' Earlier this month, Nadine released a book entitled Run Like Hell: A Therapist's Guide To Recognizing, Escaping, And Healing From Trauma Bonds as a bid to help survivors 'go on to have healthy, positive relationships and lives, armed with knowledge and awareness.' But she insisted: 'Here's the thing, I'm not doing this at all to disparage him. I'm just expressing my narrative and my side of things. I'm really using the Wolf engine to educate women about trauma bonds' She has since remarried, and she has been with her new husband, John Macaluso, who has three kids from a past relationship, for 23 years now. The author previously told DailyMail.com that she was terrified when she found out they were going to make a movie about her and Jordan's romance. She said she was 'so nervous' about 'how she was going to be portrayed' because she didn't think director Martin loved women. 'I thought about how he sometimes portrays women,' she explained. 'And I had no say or input. 'That's a very crazy situation to be in - you're going to get portrayed for the whole world to see, but you have no input on how they're gonna do it.' Nadine added that she did 'a lot of therapy' to prepare herself for it, and ultimately 'surrendered.' Despite her initial nerves, Nadine recalled feeling relieved when she watched it for the first time. 'It's maybe not exactly the way I would [tell the story], that wasn't my narrative or the way I saw myself through that whole experience, but it was fine,' she added. 'I was totally OK with it. It wasn't that bad.' Cocktails in a can are more popular than ever in the UK, as Britons often choose ready-to-drink (RTD) tipples for a night our (or a night in). Most major British supermarkets now sell their takes on classic cocktails, from gin and tonics to martinis and margaritas. And popularity has soared, making RTD cocktails the second-highest selling type of spirts, behind vodka, according to Wine Searcher. The bright packaging might deceive consumers into to thinking the canned beverages have an alcohol content comparable to an alcopop such as Smirnoff Ice. But few of us know how many units are in our favourite pre-mixed beverages, and it might come as a surprise. Ready to drink cocktails are more popular than even, but do you know how many units there are per can? The RTD cocktail industry is booming, and supermarkets are constantly introducing different brands of upmarket cocktails while also offering a more basic range themselves. Sainsbury's for example, sells own brand RTD gin and tonics and vodka lime and sodas for 1.20 each, while also offering fancier cocktails, such as MOTH premixed margaritas, for 3.85. Elsewhere, Altos have introduced ready-to-drink cocktail in bigger batches, offering a 750ml margarita, roughly five or six servings, in one bottle for 15. The health-conscious types are also accounted for, with beverages like alcoholic sparkling water on sale for those longing for a less calorific beverage while on the move. Given Britain's love of boozing, it's no surprise that the cocktails have become an essential part of supermarket displays, particularly at train stations and local branches. And with offers like three for the price of two, consumers are often keen to guzzle a few to get more for their money. The beverages might seem innocent enough, but the units of alcohol in RTD cocktails are similar to the ones you might purchase at a bar, which can cause people to underestimate their alcohol consumption. Britons are urged not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis, but how many RTD cocktails does that include? How many units are RTD cocktails? Marks & Spencer Gin & Diet Tonic, Passion Star Martini, Mojito and Pina Colada - Alcohol units per bottle: 2 MOTH Margarita and Espresso Martini - Alcohol units: 1.9 White Claw Seltzer Alcohol units: 1.5 Wonderland Cocktail Co. Cantarito Paloma Alcohol units: 2 Served Mojito Alcohol units: 2 Pimms Alcohol units: 0.13 Malibu & Pineapple Alcohol units: 1.3 Sainsbury's Gin and Tonic Alcohol units: 1.25 Altos Margarita Alcohol units per bottle: 11.2 Gordon's Pink Gin and Tonic Alcohol units: 0.125 Bombay Sapphire Gin and Tonic Alcohol units: 1.62 Advertisement The RTD beverages vary in strength, even for the same cocktail. For example, Marks and Spencer's gin and tonic has two units while Sainsbury's own brand came in lower at 1.25 units. The other cocktails on sale at Marks and Spencers, including mojitos and martinis, also have two units, putting them on the stronger side of RTD alcoholic beverages. Upscale MOTH cocktails weren't far behind, and both their margarita and espresso martini cans had 1.9 units. White Claw's sparkling water with alcohol contained 1.5 units while Pimms had one of the lowest amounts of alcohol with 0.13 units in total. Now compare to standard beverages... Drink Units Large glass of red wine Pint of lager Small glass of white wine Glass of champagne Double gin and tonic Pint of cider Large brandy Margarita Espresso martini Tequila shot Baileys Mulled wine Aperol spritz Eggnog White Russian Double whisky 3.3 2.3 1.6 2.1 2 2.6 2 4.5 1.5 1.4 0.85 2.5 1.9 3 3.3 2.7 Sources: NHS, DrinkAware and Difford's Guide Advertisement RTD cocktails that contain around two units are on the stronger side of the premixed offerings. The amount still comes in strong in comparison to non-premixed drinks that one could purchase at a bar, such as wine, beer, and a shot of tequila. Marks and Spencer's gin and tonic, for example, almost equals the amount of alcohol in a glass of champagne or a pint of lager. Meanwhile, one could consume the same amount of alcohol from an Aperol Spritz at a restaurant from a MOTH espresso martini or margarita on the go. Likewise, sipping on an espresso martini at a bar would equal the same amount of alcohol as in White Claw's alcoholic sparkling water. Meanwhile, non-premixed drinks such as margarita, double whiskey, and a white Russian, hold a much more potent alcohol content than RTD offerings. However, if one was to purchase a couple RTD cocktails, they wouldn't be far behind. The mother of a pregnant woman pushed off a 50ft hill by her husband claims her late daughter's 'evil' killer still has control of her daughter even from prison. Fawziayh Javed, 31, died after being thrown off Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh by her abusive husband Kashif Anwar in September 2021. In her first interview since her daughter's murder, Yasmin Javed revealed Anwar begrudged her solicitor daughter for being a well-educated and independent woman. She also shared a recording Fawziyah managed to make before she died, in which Anwar tells her to stop behaving like a 'British woman'. Now, her mother alleges he is still attempting to retain control of her daughter even in death by refusing to give Fawziayh's possessions back to her family. Yasmin Javed (pictured) has revealed her daughter's evil killer still has control from prison as his family refuse to return her belongings Pregnant Fawziayh Javed, 31, died after being thrown off Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh by her abusive husband Kashif Anwar in September 2021 'I do believe he still has some control still from prison. The fact is I still don't have all of Fawzyiah's possessions back,' she told BBC Newsnight. 'The possessions that I have got back, I have had to fight tooth and nail to get those. 'And his parents are honouring that control by not giving all her possessions back to us.' According to the BBC, the Anwar family claim to have returned all of Yasmin's daughter's belongings to her family and the police. However Yasmin claims the family have been spreading lies, claiming their son was innocent. 'They are spreading rumours that he is innocent, that Fawziyah slipped, that it is nothing to do with their son. 'They've just added to my pain,' she said. Fawziyah married the optical assistant in an Islamic ceremony on December 25, 2020. But it was only three months after their nuptials that Anwar rendered the 31-year-old unconscious in a cemetery, the court was told during the trial into her murder. Yasmin claims she had to fight 'tooth and nail' for her late daughter's belongings from Anwar's (pictured) family - however she claims not all of them have been returned Fawziyah married the optical assistant in an Islamic ceremony on December 25, 2020 - it was only three months after he knocked her unconscious in a cemetery, the court heard During the same time period, he also hit Fawziyah in the head and held a pillow over her face. The High Court in Edinburgh also heard that Anwar took 12,000 out of the pregnant woman's bank account whilst she slept. According to Yasmin, her daughter had been in correspondence with divorce lawyers and was waiting for the right moment to leave. Fawziyah, who was 17-weeks pregnant with her first child at the time of her death, had been secretly recording her husband to gather evidence against him. In one recording Fawziyah can be heard telling her husband that he had ruined her life, to which he ominously retorted: 'I'll tell you one thing. You end this and I will ruin yours.' The solicitor had visited police on two separate occasions to report her husband, and to ensure there was a record of her allegations, however at the time, she did not want officers to get involved. Her second police report was made just days before Anwar killed her on their weekend getaway in Edinburgh. After falling 50ft, the pregnant woman managed to tell bystanders what her husband had done to her before she passed away. Reflecting on her immense loss, Yasmin shared she had not only lost her beloved daughter, but her unborn grandson. 'Fawziyah's last words "Am I going to die? Is my baby going to die?", those words go round and round in my head every single day,' Yasmin tearfully shared. 'Alongside the grief and pain, I can't get those words out of my mind.' She added: 'Two lives have been lost. It's double murder.' Discussing her 'articulate', 'strong minded' and 'educated' daughter, Yasmin rv aimed to raise awareness about domestic abuse. Yasmin says Anwar (left) begrudged her solicitor daughter for being a well-educated and independent woman (right) Fawziyah had reported Anwar for the second time only days before she was pushed 50 ft off Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh during the couple's weekend holiday (pictured: the distance of Fawziyah's fall) Fawziyah's final words asking bystanders if she and her baby were going to die are etched into her mother's mind In April, 2023, Kashif Anwar (left) was sentenced to a minimum prison sentence of 20-years for murdering his wife and causing the death of her unborn child 'She had somewhere to go like her parents - and she was in the process of coming back home. 'She was financially very stable, so she didn't have to rely on the abuser financially and this happened to her. It could happen to anybody,' Yasmin said. 'I just want to put the message out there that nobody is immune from this type of thing.' In April, 2023, Kashif Anwar was sentenced to a minimum prison sentence of 20-years for murdering his wife and causing the death of her unborn child. If you have been affected by domestic abuse, you can contact Women's Aid or Men's Advice Line However, her breasts were burned off and her son saw the incident A mother has recalled the terrifying moment she blew up in flames in her own backyard while her four-year-old son watched in horror. Chassidy Taylor, 33, from Pageland, South Carolina, was home with her son, Chandler, when her backyard became engulfed in flames. But it wasn't just her backyard that lit on fire, Chassidy did too and in a desperate attempt to put the flames that took over her body out, she dropped to the ground and started rolling around. And while she miraculously survived, she was left with third-degree burns all over her body and her breasts were even burned off. Chassidy Taylor, 33, from Pageland, South Carolina, was home with her son, Chandler, when her backyard became engulfed in flames She has recalled the terrifying moment she blew up in flames in her own backyard while her four-year-old son watched in horror And while she miraculously survived, she was left with third-degree burns all over her body and her breasts were even burned off (seen with Chandler after the attack) In December 2022, Chassidy was at home with her Chandler, who was four at the time, and had started a bonfire to burn some trash. Chassidy said: 'My husband was at work, and my two eldest children, were out for lunch with their uncle. So it was just Chandler and I at home. 'I'd been struggling trying to juggle three kids and a messy house. My marriage had been on the rocks for years too, but we were trying to work things out. 'So that day I wanted to tidy up the house. There were loads of laundry and trash everywhere. The kid's toy boxes were sprawled across the floor too. 'I'd been burning our trash on the bonfire in the backyard for years, as the garbage collectors charged a lot per bag. 'Chandler watched a kids show on TV and I popped outside into the backyard to sort the trash.' While still donning her pajamas and her robe, Chassidy started throwing the trash into the fire and then headed back inside to check on Chandler. However, things quickly took a turn and soon enough, Chassidy saw her backyard go up in flames. In December 2022, Chassidy was at home with her Chandler, who was four at the time, and had started a bonfire to burn some trash While still donning her pajamas and her robe, Chassidy started throwing the trash into the fire and then headed back inside to check on Chandler She said: 'Suddenly, my eyes darted towards the big window overlooking the backyard. There were huge flames. 'I was really confused and as I got closer to the window, I realized the entire backyard was on fire. 'I freaked out that the house was going to burn down, and also Chandler was there. I frantically tried to find my phone to call a fire department but it was no-where in sight.' So, she ran outside in hopes she could see where the fire was coming from and if she would be able to put it out. However, Chassidy was soon engulfed in flames herself. She explained: 'Then out of nowhere, a petrol can rolling towards the porch. I was terrified so I quickly kicked it. 'Suddenly petrol splattered all over my body and I went up in flames. Weirdly I felt no burning but it was just hot. As if I was stood in front of the sun. As I was screaming and being burned alive, Chandler waddled towards the back door. 'He stood there, watching me, in shock. I realized my baby was going to see my die.' The mom was terrified her son would see her die, but moments later, Chassidy remembered the fire safety catchphrase 'stop, drop and roll' from her school years. However, things quickly took a turn and soon enough, Chassidy saw her backyard go up in flames The mom was terrified her son would see her die, but moments later, Chassidy remembered the fire safety catchphrase 'stop, drop and roll' from her school years She dropped to the ground and began rolling around and even managed to put herself out, but as she got back up, she was lit on fire again. She continued rolling over the grass frantically until the fire was off of her. After the flames were finally out, the mom was stunned to see that all of her clothes had been burned off. 'I looked down and saw my shoes, dressing gown and pajamas had burned off. All that was left was my bare, naked body. 'There was blood everywhere. My flesh was burned and blistered, and skin was all over the grass. It was horrible but I was alive,' she said. The fire was still blazing, and moving towards the house, so Chassidy put on a robe, grabbed her son and rushed next door for help. They called an ambulance and Chassidy was blue-lighted to an airport before being air-lifted in a helicopter to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist medical center. Meanwhile, Chandler was collected from the neighbor's house by Chassidy's sister. In the hospital, Chassidy discovered she had third and fourth degree burns from her feet up to her neck - with only her face being spared - and her breasts had been burnt off. She had burned nearly 70 per cent of her body and was in and out of surgery every day. The fire was still blazing, and moving towards the house, so Chassidy put on a robe, grabbed her son and rushed next door for help They called an ambulance and Chassidy was blue-lighted to an airport before being air-lifted in a helicopter to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist medical center She added: 'After a few weeks, at one point, my heart stopped beating for nine minutes. I was resuscitated and brought back to life. 'I had a ton of skin grafts done from my back. And after two months there, I woke from surgery without my breasts. 'They had to remove them because the tissue was too damaged. I was devastated. I didn't recognize my own body, and no longer felt beautiful.' Chassidy noted that she felt like she was in a horrible dream and struggled to remain positive. She added: 'I thought I was in an awful dream. The medication made me hallucinate constantly and I felt myself floating around the corridors. 'I tried to get up and walk a few times but would collapse. Doctors worried I wouldn't walk again. 'My husband came to visit but the kids weren't allowed, so I had to video-call them. I missed them terribly. After six months in hospital, in June 2023, Chassidy had developed bone ossification which meant her left elbow and left knee had grown bones and made them unable to move. In the hospital, Chassidy discovered she had third and fourth degree burns from her feet up to her neck - with only her face being spared - and her breasts had been burnt off Three weeks later, she was transferred to two rehabilitation centers where she learned to use a wheelchair as she still couldn't walk. Chassidy added: 'I was finally discharged that month and went home. I missed the kids so much. 'But recovering from my burns, in a wheelchair, I had to accept my new reality. I began to struggle and had flashbacks of the fire and PTSD. 'I couldn't watch films with fire, or see fireworks. Chandler, who's now five, was traumatized too, he suffered with nightmares. 'He couldn't bear burgers due to its bloody flesh, and spaghetti sauce reminded him of my blood. So he stopped eating a lot of foods. 'My heart broke for him witnessing such a horrific thing at his age. 'At home my husband and I's marriage got worse too. Our problems went years back, but he also couldn't take seeing me in so much pain. It took a toll on us and we separated.' Now, Chassidy's (seen with her daughter) still in a wheelchair and can't get out of bed some days However, she tries to remind herself that it's a miracle that she is alive and tries to stay positive Now, Chassidy's still in a wheelchair and can't get out of bed some days. However, she tries to remind herself that it's a miracle that she is alive and tries to stay positive. Chassidy explained: 'Doctors have warned me it might be years until I walk, if at all. But I know I am lucky to be alive and I have to remind myself of that. Although I went through the most horrific thing, I know I am lucky to be alive. 'My little boy was unharmed too, and that's what matters most. He nearly watched me die that day and I'm just so glad we're okay.' Chassidy has since learned that the fire started because she accidentally threw a bug spray can in with the rest of the trash. She added: 'Sometimes I still feel ashamed of my scars. But I've overcome so much and I shouldn't hide them away. I'm a proud survivor.' A woman has candidly revealed how she was swept up into working for yoga guru who was accused of running a 'cult' after the original founder was flooded with accusations of sexual assault. Charlotte Medlock appeared on a recent episode of the Cults to Consciousness podcast to discuss her experience of the kundalini yoga practice. Yogi Bhajan, who was born Harbhajan Singh Khalsa, brought kundalini yoga a combination of repetitive movement, chanting and breathing to the western world when he immigrated from India to the US in the late 1960s. He was ultimately accused of rape, sexual misconduct, and financial wrongdoing in allegations spanning years - but was controversially defended by many. Among them was Katie Griggs, who assumed the name Guru Jagat, having set up her own institute based on his teachings after experiencing the 'life-changing' practice in the early 2000s. But that too would prove to have a whole host of its own flaws. Charlotte Medlock appeared on a recent episode of the Cults to Consciousness podcast to discuss her experience of the kundalini yoga practice Katie Griggs, who assumed the name Guru Jagat, having set up her own institute after experiencing the 'life-changing' yoga practice in the early 2000s Charlotte began by talking host Shelise Ann Sola through the origins of the kundalini yoga practice introduced by Yogi Bhajan. She explained: 'He was a customs officer in India at the Delhi Airport and he saw a lot of these burnt-out hippies coming through looking for a guru. 'He thought "maybe I should go to the United States and teach yoga" so that's what he did. 'It took off right away. He came to Los Angeles, he planted the seeds and it took off from there.' But the entrepreneur's scheme appeared to have a much more sinister underbelly. Bhajan was accused of sexual assault and sexual misconduct before and after his death, but the allegations were largely ignored for years. Yogi Bhajan, who was born Harbhajan Singh Khalsa, brought kundalini yoga to the western world However, in early 2020, his former secretary Pamela Saharah Dyson shined new light on his alleged sexual misconduct when she self-published her tell-all memoir titled Premka: White Bird in a Golden Cage: My Life with Yogi Bhajan. Her account emboldened others to come forward with their own claims of sexual abuse at the hands of the spiritual teacher and an independent third party released a report that found the abuse 'more likely than not occurred,' Phelan reported. Charlotte shared that he established a ranch in Espanola, New Mexico, where she claimed 'most of the abuse happened.' 'I can't believe he got away with it,' Charlotte added. Nonetheless, Griggs, who defended Bhajan and discredited his former secretary following the book release, decided to branch off on her own based on his teachings. The self-proclaimed Guru quickly identified what she believed was a gap in the market as Charlotte explained: 'She claimed Yogi Bhajan told her to go to LA and teach at Yoga West - and that's what she did.' In the years that followed, Charlotte happened to move to the area and was 'exploring' different types of classes when she came across one of Griggs' groups. 'The class was packed. It was the first class I ever went to and the room was electric. She was working the room. She was cracking jokes.' But she was also surprised to see that all attendees were dressed head-to-toe in white. 'I definitely thought it was super weird. I felt it was very off-putting to me in a way. I was like, "What? Who are these people? This is very strange." 'But in the class we're doing we're chanting a lot, we're doing movements that I've never done before, I'm breathing really heavily and I left those first classes completely blissed out.' Charlotte (left) told host Shelise Ann Sola (right) that she became burnt out at her office job and began battling feelings of shame, self-doubt and hopelessness Jagat opened the first Ra Ma Institute yoga studio in Venice, California, in 2013. She went on to create an online platform and open studios in New York City and Mallorca Griggs opened her first Ra Ma Institute yoga studio in Venice, California, in 2013, attracting a number of celebrity fans, including Alicia Keys and Kate Hudson. She also went onto to create a successful online platform and open more locations in New York City and Mallorca with the Ra Ma Institute's website featuring an online shop featuring crystals, jewelry, and white dresses from Jagat's eponymous clothing line. In her mid 20s, Charlotte became burnt out at her office job and began battling feelings of shame, self-doubt and hopelessness. It was at this time that she sought increasing comfort in Griggs' teachings which would only set her on a continuing downward spiral. She began practicing without fail and was offered the chance to become a kundalini yoga teacher. Charlotte signed up to a $3,000 training course 'with the last of what was in her bank account' but admitted: 'That is where the sort indoctrination started.' 'I was so desperate I was like "if I just do this, then I think all my dreams will come true and my destiny will get activated and I'm going to get so much money" - very delusional.' However, part way through the course Charlotte decided to change tact and took a job working directly for Griggs instead of becoming a course teacher. 'I started out as an intern. They offered a $300 a month stipend and right away I was working full-time because Guru Jagat had a book coming out... 'I just got sucked in right away,' she said. Charlotte eventually secured a permanent job at $1,800 per month which she described as being 'insane from the start.' She was expected to wake up every morning at 4am, was bombarded with texts listing out tasks and would work constantly through the night, adding: 'It was all hours, all the time.' Describing what Guru Jagat (pictured) expected, Charlotte explained: 'W e were supposed to be perfect. We were supposed to be constantly thinking about her' Bhajan was accused of sexual assault and sexual misconduct before and after his death, but the allegations were largely ignored for years But the operation soon began raging out of control. Griggs worked to build up her celebrity client base but Charlotte dished: 'She spent money like water. 'The chaos with the money was always a thing. There was never enough money coming in.' She continued: 'Right when I started working for her she was just as charismatic, funny and fun to be around as she was on stage. 'I had so much joy and enthusiasm and hope in the beginning I really thought that we were do doing something good for the world. 'I want to say six months into it I saw her scream at an employee in a meeting until the employee cried and that was very uncomfortable for me to watch. 'I'd never seen Guru Jagat pop off like that on somebody. I just kind of excused myself and like went to go get a coffee. 'As I'm like going out the door Guru Jagat said, "Oh Charlotte doesn't like it when I yell" and kind of laughed and [made me feel stupid] for taking it too seriously or something. 'I was uncomfortable. It was very uncomfortable to watch. She just laughed it off and so I brushed it off like it was no big deal.' But this would prove to only be the beginning. Charlotte explained that a short time later she too was 'screamed at for making a typo in an email.' 'I made excuses for it in the beginning I was like "oh well I I did f**k, it's it's my fault, I deserved that..." 'I never liked getting yelled at and I never thought it was a blessing. I just took it for a long time until I couldn't take it anymore.' Charlotte, who gave up drinking and went vegetarian after joining the group, said she initially felt good in her change of lifestyle. 'After a year of that, it just became this hamster wheel that I couldn't get off of where I was constantly obsessing... 'With the dynamic of being in the "inner circle" of this cult I was just constantly oscillating between fear and being perfect which sent me into hyperdrive.' She said that she worked constantly and, although she knew she was unhappy, the practice of kundalini yoga 'makes you disassociated from your feelings' in what she branded as 'toxic positivity.' Charlotte admitted that the tumultuous environment got worse when the workforce began to turn on each other. 'We did throw each other under the bus constantly because we were so scared of Guru Jagat and we didn't want to be the one to get put in the hot seat. 'It was complete chaos. There were balls dropping all the time. Things were changing constantly and at the end of the day there was always somebody getting yelled at.' Describing what Guru Jagat expected, Charlotte explained: 'We were supposed to be perfect. We were supposed to be constantly thinking about her, working to make her money, if she was in town we were expected to spend time with her and be around her constantly. 'I think she really fed off of our energy, she wanted to be worshiped constantly.' Griggs reportedly told Charlotte she 'did not need' her family any longer as she became increasingly cut off. 'I definitely became more isolated in my relationships and from my family. 'In Kundalini Yoga there's a teaching if you stay under the same roof with your parents for more than 72 hours you revert back to your seven-year-old self... 'It was implied this is your new family now.' In 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Charlotte said 's**t was hitting the fan' due to the release of the memoir documenting allegations of Yogi Bhajan's students. 'When this book came out, it was like the floodgates opened suddenly. 'All of these other women and people were coming forward with their stories of abuse by Yogi Bhajan and our clients were like, "When are you going to make a statement? What do you guys have to say about this?" 'For a really long time Guru Jagat was like "we're not going to say anything, if anyone comments anything on our social media just delete and block." 'She thought it was just going to go away and it wasn't going away.' In 2020, Pamela Saharah Dyson published her memoir detailing Yogi Bhajan's alleged sexual misconduct Tensions became increasingly fraught so Guru Jagat hired a 'family constellation therapist' for all employees. Charlotte claims she worked with the teacher to 'gaslight' the group, adding: 'She is like "you all need to stop talking about Guru Jagat. It's draining her energy. '"She should get an Oscar for acting like a human being. She is not from this planet. When she is not in business meetings she is talking to Saturn and Mars."' Most of her colleagues seemed to buy into the message but Charlotte said: 'I was like this is just pure f**king propaganda. I was p**sed. I was like this is so f**ked up. 'I was just seeing the writing on the wall at that point but I was still too scared to leave.' Four years into her tenure, Charlotte, who was becoming increasingly 'distressed,' finally concluded that 'nothing is ever going to change' and she handed in her notice. 'It's really funny because I didn't even realize it was a cult when I quit. I thought I was just quitting a bad job. 'The reason I was so scared to quit was because they would tell stories about bad things happening to people that left - people getting in car accidents, people getting cancer, that kind of thing... 'I realized this thing I devoted four years of my life to was a lie. Those first few months after I quit I felt like a war veteran or something coming back from a war because it was just so intense.' Charlotte, who went on a 'spiritual detox,' concluded: 'It probably took me a year of just processing everything and making sense of it all to to feel normal again.' Guru Jagat died of a pulmonary embolism following ankle surgery at age 41. In the months before her death, she was interviewed for Vanity Fair and brushed off any accusations of wrongdoing. 'I'm a controversial figure,' she said at the time. 'This goes with the territory. I'm not, like, love-and-light Suzie. I'm very direct and I talk about s**t people don't want to talk about.' When ex-Spice girl Geri Halliwell first got together with the multi-millionaire Formula 1 boss Christian Horner nearly a decade ago, she described him as her prince, her knight in shining armour. With his 41million fortune and an 8million-a-year salary, he catapulted the washed-up, single mum-of-one pop star into a world of unimaginable riches. Two sprawling country estates, another lavish North London home and flights across the world so she could always be at his side in the billionaire playground of the F1 circuit. Her fairy-tale lifestyle as Mrs Geri Horner was pure gold; it came to personify the Spice Girls hit Viva Forever Forever Ill be waiting, everlasting, like the sun. Well, the sun may now be setting on their romance. Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell first got together with the multi-millionaire Formula 1 boss Christian Horner nearly a decade ago Because just 24 hours after Horner was cleared this week of coercive behaviour at work, WhatsApp messages of a sexual nature, allegedly between him and an unknown colleague, were leaked anonymously to his F1 bosses. Should Geri really be surprised? Lets not forget, after all, that when she embarked on her relationship with Christian, he had just dumped another poor woman even though she had given birth to their child just six months earlier. His parents were so disgusted by their sons betrayal that they refused to attend his lavish wedding to Geri. Geri, meanwhile, created a gilded image of their life sharing their mansions with their children in glossy celebrity magazine Hello!. It appeared to be the most happy family. These WhatsApp sexts seem to tell a different story. Surely Geri should have been wise enough to realise that Christian was always going to be a someone who could tire of her and look for other attractions. If a man leaves his partner six months after shes given birth to their child, why would you imagine hed remain loyal to you? Maybe she thought, in her arrogance, it could never happen to her. But a leopard never changes his spots. Now her husband appears to have cheated on Geri. And the golden life she thought hed given her could be tarnished beyond repair. Fashion pundits declare the end of the bra after Saint Laurents collection showcases skeletal models in diaphanous dresses. Rubbish. Size zero models are not burdened with real mum bosoms in need of a supportive bra. You can take it as red. . . Monicas back Twenty-six years after Monica Lewinsky was shamed over her lurid liaisons with President Bill Clinton in the Oval Office and retreated into purdah, she has re-emerged, aged 50, as a feminist icon, resplendent in Reformations new workwear power campaign, defiantly wearing power-red. Am guessing a blue dress was out of the question. Monica Lewinsky is resplendent in Reformations new workwear power campaign, defiantly wearing power-red The last picture of Hairy Biker Dave Myers before his death from cancer was of him and best friend Si King on the sofa watching TV. Their crazy cooking and biking adventures captured the hearts of millions for decades, but in the end what we loved most was their friendship. Which led to the perfect epitaph from Si: My best friend is on a journey that, for now, I cant follow. BBC must say sorry to us The family of the then 17- year-old paid 35,000 by Huw Edwards for sexual photos say theyve been ripped apart and the Beeb has apologised. Were told Huws too unwell to respond to a BBC probe and hes said to have been suspended on full pay of 435,000 since July. Auntie should also apologise to licence fee payers for still filling his pockets. Oprah Winfrey admitted shes been taking slimming drugs. Coincidentally, shes leaving the board of WeightWatchers which promotes natural weight loss through calorie-counting. Not a good look for Oprah to have cheated, though some justice that her 34million stake in the firm will have been hit by an 18 per cent fall in share price. Oprah Winfrey has admitted shes been taking slimming drugs Westminster Wars Angela Rayner is accused of being less than transparent as to whether she actually lived in a council house she sold, for a profit of 48,500. All very complicated, but giving false information on the electoral register is an offence. Keir Starmer said he had absolute confidence in answers her team had given. Hardly a ringing endorsement. What does it say about British politics when George Galloway wins the Rochdale by-election? Hes a revolting man whose career peaked when he wore a crotch-clutching Lycra bodysuit on Celebrity Big Brother and meowing as he pretended to be a cat. Policing a prince Having lost his legal battle over taxpayer-funded police security, Prince Harry vows to appeal the decision. Perplexing, as his mums ex-bodyguard Ken Wharfe says hell always be protected here, as he is still a prince of the realm. But, given his trashing of the Royal Family, maybe Harry does need extra protection, from those of us who cant bear what hes doing to King and Country. Holly's show skates on thin ice Is Holly Willoughby regretting her swift exit from presenting ITVs This Morning on a 1million deal, after the Phillip Schofield debacle and an alleged threat to her life? Her only TV presenting role now is Dancing On Ice, which has hit the skids with just 2.9million watching the prime Saturday night slot down from 12million in its heyday. No wonder Hollys smile looks as frozen as that ice rink. Holly Willoughby's only TV presenting role now is Dancing On Ice, which has hit the skids with just 2.9million watching the prime Saturday night slot down from 12million in its heyday After Charlotte Church led a choir singing From the river to the sea, wearing a pro-Palestinian keffiyeh scarf, she insisted she is not anti-Semitic, just pro-peace. Maybe the 450-a-night guests at her wellness retreat The Dreaming will soon get a free scarf or Hamas paraglider badge. Producers of the West Ends Slave Play have banned white people declaring that on two specific nights, only an all-Black-identifying audience can attend. Jolly good. But whats to stop any whitie from rocking up identifying as a black person? Why I'm proud to pay UK tax Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is considering scrapping non-dom tax status to raise 3.6 billion for tax cuts. When I was a newly arrived Australian citizen with a six-figure salary in the 1980s, my accountant suggested I register as a non-dom, since I had a home in Oz and could avoid paying UK tax. I said if Britain is prepared to give me a new life, why wouldnt I pay tax here? After a decade in the pop wilderness, Girls Aloud announced their comeback thrilled to reveal their first return gig is not Glastonbury or any of the other great music festivals such as Reading or the Isle of Wight, but this years LGBT+ festival, Brighton Pride. Wear it with pride ladies, out and loud. Girls Aloud have announced their comeback with their first return gig at this years LGBT+ festival, Brighton Pride Disappointing for fans that Adele, 35, has at short notice postponed a string of her Las Vegas residency dates due to health issues, especially as it means they dont get their money back (if shed cancelled the dates they would have) and some have paid 6,000 a ticket. To my mind, shes now Rolling In The Deep Doo-doo. Conservative MP Kate Kniveton has barely slept in the past five years for worrying about how to keep her only child safe. So much so she spent every single penny she has fighting to protect this happy little soul from her shockingly abusive ex-husband, former Tory minister Andrew Griffiths. When her money ran out, family and friends stepped in to help. Kates legal bill now stands at 120,000, but finally, she says, she has some peace after the High Court ruled that Griffiths should be blocked from seeing their child. Until last months ruling, Kate carried the constant fear in the pit of my stomach that she wouldnt be able to protect her child from this one-time blue-eyed boy of the Tory Party who raped her during their marriage, attacked other family members and even lost his temper with their three-week-old child, shouting at the crying baby to, shut the f*** up. Common sense tells you a vulnerable youngster could be at risk in his care, but Kate was fighting in a system that generally believes it is in a childs best interests to have a relationship with both parents, whatever the sins of the father or mother. Kate Kniveton described herself as a mute shell of myself during her marriage to Andrew Griffiths but has the old me back and is now an inspirational role model for other survivors of domestic abuse She hopes the case will set a precedent for others escaping abusive relationships who are fighting to limit access to their children. Understandably, Kate, 53, is overwhelmingly relieved by the ruling. You can see it in her face now. There were occasions he attacked me when Id say: Thats it. Im going to go to the police. Hed say: Theyre not going to believe you, Kate. Im an MP. He had regular meetings with the police, she says. I remember thinking: No, they wont believe me because all they see is this great guy. It was, in truth, all anyone saw. Andrew Griffiths, now 53, was the charismatic, popular MP for Burton in Staffordshire and Kate the perfect constituency wife. They had met at the local Conservative Association where Griffiths was selected as a parliamentary candidate in 2006 after working as former Prime Minister Theresa Mays chief of staff. He was very charismatic, very charming, incredibly flattering, remembers Kate. He got me involved with his campaign team and over time the text messages changed from campaigning messages to: Do you fancy coming out for a drink? I remember him saying: Youre going to be Mrs Griffiths. Griffiths won the seat from Labour in the 2010 election and, after moving into a delightful barn conversion, they married at the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster in 2013. It was, says Kate, a fantastic, really magical day. When she finally became pregnant with their much-wanted child after numerous rounds of IVF, their apparently perfect life together seemed complete. More so, when Griffiths was made minister for small business in Theresa Mays government in January 2018, just three months before the baby was born. Indeed, photographs taken for the local newspaper within days of the birth show a wondrously proud Griffiths standing there beside his wife with their new-born baby in her arms, the very picture of blissful domesticity. But, behind closed doors, he was not only violently abusing his wife, but raping her, too allegations he denied but which were found proven in a Family Court in 2020. Why didnt you leave? Thats the question, isnt it? says Kate. When he first flew at me, I was absolutely stunned. But, ultimately, I was in love with him madly in love. You tell yourself: This is not my life. This isnt happening to me. Hes had a lot to drink. He wont do it again. Then he did. You continue making excuses Hes working really hard, Hes stressed and there was always that hope hed change. Gosh, I sound like such a cliche, dont I; one of those silly women. She draws quotation marks with her fingers in the air around the word silly. Kate is far from silly but is a bright, articulate woman. She was, she says, a mute shell of myself during her marriage but has the old me back and is now an inspirational role model for other survivors of domestic abuse after winning a selection battle to take over her former husbands Parliamentary seat. Looking back now, I can see theres a kind of shame a victim of domestic abuse feels a sense of guilt. Its wrong, but you cant help it. You think, particularly with social media, everybody else has a great life. You want them to think your life is lovely, too. You dont want them to know the truth, and you think you can manage it. Then you find yourself in a situation which you cant get out of. After years of manipulation and denigration, you lose your self-worth and dont think anyone will ever believe you. That changed when Griffiths was exposed by a newspaper in July 2018 for sending 2,000 sordid texts to two barmaids in his constituency. In some of them, he called himself daddy, demanding violent and degrading sex acts. A photograph taken for the local newspaper within days of the birth in 2018 show a proud Griffiths standing beside his wife with their newborn in her arms, the very picture of blissful domesticity I was giving our three-month-old baby a bottle when he walked in and said: Ive got some really bad news. I have been sending some sordid texts to two women in the constituency and a newspaper has just called me. Its going to hit the news. Its sordid stuff, Kate, really sordid. I was sitting there and he said: Are you going to say anything? This probably sounds like a very strange reaction, but I said: Ive been waiting for something like this to happen for years. My overwhelming feeling was relief. I knew that, with all those violent messages out there in the public domain, I would now be believed. Kate left with the baby to stay with her parents. Griffiths, who had the party whip removed, checked himself into a psychiatric hospital in London for a month, blaming a mental breakdown. He put huge pressure on me to come back, sending a ridiculous number of texts every day telling me if we didnt have a united front he would lose his job and wed lose everything. He even went so far as to say I would be homeless with our child if I didnt stand by him. But I refused to. There was no way I was going back to that. She filed for divorce. Griffiths, who threatened Kate with bankruptcy and suicide after she left, began legal proceedings in June 2019 for weekly supervised contact in the hope of its leading to unsupervised visits. Kate was beside herself. At that stage, Griffiths was still serving as the local MP and she knew him to be a powerful adversary. He then joined the Pentecostal Church. When these legal proceedings began, he found God, she says. He sent me a message saying: Kate, you know no judge is going to believe you now. Ive just been baptised in front of 300 people. But I had to protect my child. Hes a Jekyll and Hyde with no fuse not even a short fuse. He just flips. Kate has not seen Griffiths since a particularly unpleasant contact visit nearly six years ago, but remains frightened of his mercurial nature, particularly when it comes to their child, who is, she says, the most precious person in my life. I still have sleepless nights or, if I sleep, I have nightmares the very worst nightmares about what he could do. At the beginning [of their separation] he was threatening suicide. He told me he had thought how to do it. He was going to get in his car and drive it into a wall or jump under a train. It was horrifying those thoughts were in his head. What if there was an unsupervised visit with our child and something like that came into his mind? You hear horror stories of parents who think: If I cant have the child, youre not having them either. I could never live with myself if something like that happened. It used to terrify me. It still does. Today Kate is challenging the prevailing culture in the family courts of, what she calls, parental contact at all costs. The presumption of parental involvement, particularly in cases of domestic abuse and rape, is wrong, she says. It puts the children and the survivors at huge risk. It cannot be the starting point. We have to protect them. It is why she has supported a Transparency Order issued by the court to make her case public in the hope of affecting change. She tells me she burst into tears when her lawyer Melanie Bridgen first told her the media wanted to report the case. I thought: Oh God, I dont want the really humiliating detail of my private life out there in public, she says. Kate on her wedding day with Griffiths - they married at the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster in 2013 But because I stood on a platform of saying Id be a voice for domestic abuse survivors, I thought if I dont grab this and go with it now, Ill be failing everybody. She is incredibly brave. The terrible catalogue of abuse detailed in the judgement from a fact-finding hearing in 2020 is, as she says, scandalous and humiliating. Following a four-day hearing at the family courts, Griffiths was found to have pushed her into a wall, assaulted her on the sofa by putting his hands round her neck and physically and verbally abused her parents. The judge ruled it was proved that when Griffiths discovered he didnt have enough sunscreen on holiday in Corsica, he pushed her onto the bed, threw her passport at her with some euros and told her to f*** off out of my sight and get the next plane home . It was alleged he physically abused her following a night out by hitting her and causing damage to a picture. Proved, ruled the judge. He went to hit her, then changed [his mind] and pushed her onto the bed whilst she was heavily pregnant. Proved. He shouted, shut the f*** up [at their new-born baby], assaulted his sister by slapping her, assaulted [Kate] by throwing a tray of food at her, threw a box at her whilst they were trying for a baby and spat on her face. All proved. Most shockingly the judgement states that, he raped her by inserting his penis into her whilst she was asleep and used coercive and controlling behaviour to ensure she submitted to his sexual demands. Kate hadnt wanted to make public intimate details of their sexual relationship, never imagining her former husband would, she says, stoop so low as to include it in the proceedings. When she gave her evidence she sat behind a screen, but still found the hearing traumatising and humiliating. A victim should feel no shame, she says. Its wrong. The shame should be with the perpetrator. Kate was 40 and had been in a relationship with Griffiths for three years when he first flew at her following a function to celebrate St Patricks Day at the Grosvenor hotel in London in 2011. I was sitting at the table while he was at the bar waiting to be served. There was a lady standing next to him who came over to me and said something like: Gosh, why on earth are you with him? When he brought the drinks over I asked him what had been going on. He just said: Its nothing nothing. I went up to the hotel room. Fifteen minutes later he came up and just flew at me. He pinned me against the wall by my throat saying something like: Never question me. Never question me in public again. It was terrifying. I remember locking myself in the bathroom and crying because nothing like that had ever happened to me before. I was absolutely stunned. I remember waiting until I could hear him snoring, coming out and getting into bed next to him. She shakes her head. You know, I stayed there all night and the next morning it wasnt even mentioned. I was thinking: This person I love wouldnt do that to me. I blamed it on the drink. I suppose there was a tiny element of, Why did I say that at the table in the bar? If I hadnt said it, he wouldnt have done that. He wont do it again. But he did. A couple of months later we were at home in Burton watching TV. I cant even remember what the conversation was but I was on the sofa and I remember him just jumping up and kneeling over me with his hands on my throat. I did actually think he wasnt going to stop. I thought: This is it. I remember thinking about my mum and dad and that I was never going to see them again. Somehow I managed to get away and just ran. He came at me, swinging for me, and caught my hoop earring, ripping my earlobe. I didnt feel a thing but I think thats what made him stop because I remember him looking at me and going: Oh God. It gave me a few extra seconds to get out of the house. When I got in the car and locked the door I looked in the mirror. I could see something on my cheek coming out of my ear. I drove to a friends house and when I got there I could see it was dried blood. Kates friends were horrified, but nonetheless she returned to Griffiths the following day. He was messaging: I love you. Come back. There was no apology. He never apologised for any of this stuff. I thought: What choice do I have? I didnt have anywhere else to go. I didnt want to go to my parents house because I thought if I did, theyd report it to the police. That would have been the end of his career. I wanted to protect him. It was crazy, I know, but I loved him. Its almost like he trained me, says Kate who had lived at home with her happily married parents until her late 30s. Indeed, Griffiths was, the judge noted, a persuasive advocate, who undermined her confidence, describing her as a prude or frigid when she was unwilling to take part in various sexual acts. It was more him asking me to say stuff to him and hed be telling me what to say. I hated it but he obviously got a real kick out of it, she says. Kates discomfort is tangible. I ask if shes comfortable talking about the rape. She nods. She doesnt know how many times it happened or exactly when. Its not the sort of thing you keep a record of, she says. Id be asleep, wake up and hed be on top of me. Hed already started. She speaks in a flat, emotionless voice. I remember sometimes Id just think: Let it go on. Other times Id cry. Sometimes that would make him stop, but not always. Then, of course, hed be really angry. Sometimes he would actually kick me out of bed you know, roll back on his side and start kicking me until I fell out or got out of the bed. Id go the guest room. Id had several rounds of IVF as well, she says. Wed been trying for a baby before we were married. Id always wanted to be a mum. Youre pumping yourself full of hormones the whole time. He had no patience with it at all no patience with me. If I was upset, I was expected to pull myself together. Get a grip. There was no sympathy there at all. I think part of me thought: If were lucky enough to have a child hell probably realise what his behaviour is like. She pauses. I found out afterwards those violent, sordid texts he was sending to his two constituents started on his very first Fathers Day. My parents were with us. We were having Sunday lunch. The baby was in a little bouncy chair next to the table. I remember him jumping up from lunch and going to the sofa with his phone. I thought: It must be pretty important work for him to be doing it on such a special day. Later I found out what he was doing. I screamed at him. I remember saying: You bastard. Our child is never going to have one birthday or one Christmas as a family because of what youve done. Kates eyes flash in fury. I remember just before I had the baby wed been out to a fundraiser and I was the size of a house. He was talking about how he wanted me to move to London once Id had the baby. I didnt want to. I was a first-time mum and wanted my friends and family nearby. He said he wanted to be able to have family time in London like David Cameron, but I wanted to stay here. He was brushing his teeth. He came out of the bathroom towards me and was right up against me. I actually thought he was going to hit me. I remember thinking: If he hits me now, thats it. I said: Go on. Hit me whilst Im pregnant. He didnt. He stopped and then he pushed me quite a violent push onto the bed. That was just a week before I gave birth. She is still distraught at the memory of it. The baby was about three weeks old when he lost it. It was about 5am feeding time and he was up because he was catching an early train to London. The baby started crying. I remember he was by the window putting on his cufflinks. He turned round and screamed at our child to shut the f*** up. I sat up in bed thinking: All my fears have been realised. His violent temper even extends to our child. You can see why I have to protect my child, cant you? I can. Thankfully, the judge did, too. Griffiths is only allowed letterbox contact with his child, which includes four letters a year, as well as one on the childs birthday and at Christmas. The judge also made an order to prevent Griffiths from applying to change the childcare arrangements without the permission of the court, unless he could demonstrate there was a real change of circumstances. The judge ruled the order should be in place for three years to give [Kate] a break from the litigation and the strain that places on her as [the childs] primary carer. Its an incredible feeling to know my child is safe for now, says Kate. Im sure he will be back but Ive got three years peace. I do worry about what will happen afterwards. We have to have change. My inbox is absolutely bulging with emails from other women and men, but mostly women in the same situation. They all say the same: we have to protect the children and survivors of domestic abuse. We certainly do. Over the course of her 102 years, Iris Apfel tried on many careers for size - before becoming a fashion icon who was loved all over the world. The fashionista - who sadly passed away at her home in Palm Beach, Florida, yesterday - started out her working life as a copy editor for Women's Wear Daily, where she reported earned just $15-a-week in the 1940s. After marrying husband Carl Apfel in 1948, the couple set up their own furniture design business Old World Weavers - which they ran for 42 years. During this time, Iris was tasked with renovating rooms in the White House during nine presidencies. Following an incredibly distinguished career, Iris - who had no real professional fashion experience - became somewhat of an unlikely style icon in 2005 when Metropolitan Museum of Art launched an exhibition focusing on her wardrobe. Undated photo of Iris and her husband Carl, who passed away in 2015 aged 100. The couple married in 1949. American interior designer and fashion icon (pictured in October 2016) passed away at the age of 102 yesterday Titled 'Rara Avis' (meaning 'Rare Bird'), the exhibition described Iris as 'one of the most vivacious personalities in the worlds of fashion, textiles, and interior design' while her personal style was labelled 'witty and exuberantly idiosyncratic'. As a result of this newfound fame on the world stage, Iris went on to model for Vogue Italia, Kate Spade and M.A.C in her 90s. She was also the oldest person to have had a Barbie doll made by Mattel in her image and also was the subject of the Albert Maysles movie 'Iris' in 2014. Here FEMAIL takes a look back at her incredible life - from a modest childhood growing up on a farm to becoming an international style icon. Escaping the family farm Iris was born in Queens in August 1921 to Samuel and Sadye Barrel. Her father's family owned a glass and mirror business while her Russian mother had her own fashion boutique. The fashionista grew up on a farm in Queens and was raised by her parents and grandparents. In an interview with Into the Gloss in 2012, Iris detailed how her grandmother would travel to Manhatten once a week and would have to hire a boat to get there. Undated photo of Iris Apfel boarding a train. The interior designer travelled extensively for her work as an interior designer Undated photo of Iris and her husband Carl Apfel. The couple ran their own interiors business for 42 years Undated photo shows Iris during the design process of one of her interior design projects in New York She explained: 'My grandparents were settlers of Long Island City. When they came here, there was no bridge and they had to hire a boat across the river. 'They had a farm and my grandmother had to go once a week to Manhattan to buy provisionsvery primitive.' As she got older, Iris would take Thursday afternoons off school to travel to New York City - which is how she first became interested in antiques. She told The Guardian in 2015: 'At that time you could ride the whole subway system for a nickel, so each week I would take a different section of New York Chinatown, Yorkville, Harlem, Greenwich Village. And I really fell in love with the Village, 'The Village was where I started to poke around antique shops and become enchanted with all this old junk.' Iris met her husband Carl (pictured) vacationing at a resort in upstate New York in 1948 and the couple married the following year During their 40 years running their business, the couple travelled extensively for work - including twice yearly trips to Turkey, Lebanon and Morocco Interest in textiles and meeting Carl Following her New York explorations, Iris majored in Art History at New York University. After a brief stint working as a copy editor for Women's Wear Daily, Iris became an apprentice for an interior designer. In 1948, she met her husband Carl Apfel while vacationing at a resort in upstate New York. She told The Guardian: 'Our first date was Columbus Day. Thanksgiving, Carl proposed. Christmas I got blinged. Washingtons birthday, we were married.' Speaking in the 2014 Iris documentary, Carl said of his wife: 'There was something about her that just got into me. Its always there.' Speaking in the 2014 Iris documentary, Carl (pictured) said of his wife: 'There was something about her that just got into me. Its always there.' Undated photo shows the couple at a black tie gala. The pair were married for over 60 years before Carl passed away in 2015 Setting up shop The couple married one year after they met and founded their business Old World Weavers in 1950. In the Iris documentary, the fashionista said: 'We never intended to go into the fabric business. 'Nothing I ever did I intended to do. Everything just kind of happened.' Discussing their working relationship, Carl added: 'I would go along with her. Id take my little toolbox, hang the pictures. 'And I got a kick out of watching her make something beautiful.' The fashionista grew up on a farm in Queens and was raised by her parents and grandparents in New York Fashion icon Iris Apfel (pictured) also said she never had children because she didn't want to be 'pigeonholed' The MET described Iris' style: 'Her originality is typically revealed in her mixing of high and low fashions Dior haute couture with flea market finds, 19th-century ecclesiastical vestments with Dolce & Gabbana lizard trousers' The couple pictured while they were still running their own interior design business, which they retired from in 1992 In the 1950s, Iris and Carl secured a deal with the White House to renovate some of the rooms - with the contract being renewed on another eight occasions, from Truman to Clinton's presidencies. During their 40 years running their business, the couple travelled extensively for work - including twice yearly trips to Turkey, Lebanon and Morocco. In her documentary, Iris explained: 'We did exact reproductions of 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th century fabrics, and I would do my best to get them to be as close as possible to the original. 'Thats why we traveled so much, because there is no one or two mills that can do everything. Its all very specialised.' Due to their hectic work schedule, the couple made the decision not to have children. Elsewhere in her interview with The Guardian, Iris explained: 'I dont believe in a child having a nanny, so it wasnt what we were going to do, but also having children is like protocol. 'Youre expected to. And I dont like to be pigeonholed.' Unlikely style icon Undated photo of Iris Apfel shows the fashion icon wearing her signature stacked necklaces and statement prints Iris Apfel pictured at an event in New York in October 2016 - the year after her husband passed away In 2005, Iris was introduced to a whole new legion of fans when she became the subject of her own MET exhibition. The hugely successful exhibition contained 40 items, which explored the 'affinity between fashion and accessory designs and examining the power of dress and accessories to assert style above fashion, the individual above the collective'. The MET described Iris' style: 'Her originality is typically revealed in her mixing of high and low fashions Dior haute couture with flea market finds, 19th-century ecclesiastical vestments with Dolce & Gabbana lizard trousers.' In an interview with Fashonista in 2012, Iris discussed any pressure she feels to get dressed. She explained: 'When the fun goes out of it, you might as well be dead. You need to pursue your own fancy. 'If you put something on and it doesnt look good, the fashion police arent going to come and take you away. And if they do, you might have some fun in jail.' A spokesman for her estate confirmed the news to the New York Times and revealed that she died in her Palm Beach, Florida, home; seen with Linda Fargo in 2013 The cause of death has not been provided at this time; seen in 2015 In 2019, she signed a modelling contract with IMGG - an agency that also represents Kaia Gerber, Kate Moss and Gigi Hadid. Following this, Iris went on to model for Vogue Italia, Kate Spade and M.A.C. She was also the oldest person to have had a Barbie doll made by Mattel in her image. Following the news of her death, fans rushed to her social media page to pay their respects. Maria Shriver wrote: 'Wow! What a truly remarkable life #IrisApfel lived. She truly did it all: She was a businesswoman, she was a fashion model, she was a fashion icon, she was a college professor, she was a star of a documentary, she was a Barbie doll! Iris is truly proof that age is just a number.' Rocker Lenny Kravitz wrote: 'You mastered the art of living. Thank you for your energy and inspiration.' Actress Hannah Waddingham also paid tribute, writing: 'Ohhhhhh. Goodnight and God bless Ma'am. What joy and endless style you brought to so many.' Apfel's signature style chunky bracelets, layers of necklaces, plus those iconic heavy-framed glasses helped propel her into late-in-life fashion icon, or a 'geriatric starlet,' as she frequently referred to herself; seen with Christie Brinkley in 2022 Apfel, who was a New York style icon for years, only came to worldwide attention in 2005 when the Metropolitan Museum of Art showed an exhibition focusing on her fashion sense titled Rara Avis (Rare Bird); seen with Christina Hendricks in 2016 'Thank you for sharing your beautiful life,' designer Jenna Lyons added. 'RIP icon,' one person wrote. 'You will be missed,' another added with a red-heart emoji. 'An icon and true inspiration,' yet another follower wrote. 'Rest in beauty icon.' Iris Apfel (born Iris Barrel) was born on August 29, 1921 in Astoria, Queens, New York City the only child of Samuel Barrel and Russian-born wife, Sadye Barrel. She started her career as a copywriter for Womens Wear Daily and interior designer Elinor Johnson. In 1948, she married husband Carl Apfel, and the duo owned a textile firm until they retired 44 years later. Carl died at the age of 100 in 2015. Iris continued to have unbelievable enthusiasm for life, and at 90, she began teaching at the University of Texas at Austin. HAVE YOU OR A LOVED ONE BEEN AFFECTED BY SEPSIS? EMAIL HEALTH@DAILYMAIL.COM READ MORE: Teacher has feet and hands amputated, SORE THROAT led to sepsis A teenage boy had to have his hands and feet amputated after a sore throat turned into deadly sepsis. What started as a regular cold in April last year turned out to be the start of a 'living nightmare' for Mason Jones, 16, from West Virginia. His mother, Charde McMillan, told DailyMail.com that the teen started feeling a tickly throat and fatigue and was put on antibiotics - but within 24 hours, 'his lips were all purple, and he had these purple blotches all over his skin.' Mason, who loved video games, riding his bike, and building computers had gone into organ failure and sepsis, an extreme immune reaction that's responsible for one in three US hospital deaths. Mason Jones, 16, went into sepsis just 24 hours after doctors diagnosed him with strep throat. He was given a one percent chance of survival As a result of poor circulation, Mason's limbs began turning purple and black. He later had to have both hands and feet amputated 'There were no other symptoms at first other than the strep throat symptoms: sore throat, fever, tiredness,' Mrs McMillan said. 'That's all it was.' 'It was like living in a nightmare.' Mason was airlifted to University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, where he spent three months on life support. He was diagnosed with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), a rare but serious infection caused the bacteria group A streptococcus - this most commonly leads to strep throat. STSS often begins with flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, and vomiting. However, over time, blood pressure drops, while heart rate and breathing speed up. Patients experiencing dangerously low blood pressure are often put on vasopressors, which push blood back to vital organs. However, this led to poor circulation. 'There was no blood supply going to his hands and his feet,' Mrs McMillan said. 'They essentially just died and were mummified. It was horrible.' On June 6, 2023, doctors amputated both of Mason's hands and roughly four inches of each arm. On July 15, three days before his 16th birthday, both of his legs were removed just below the knee at West Virginia University. 'He games, he texts. He does everything without hands, and you wouldn't even really realize that he doesn't have hands,' Mrs McMillan said Before his illness, Mason enjoyed riding his bike and hiking with his family. He is still able to play video games, one of his favorite hobbies 'I've never experienced that type of like physical and emotional pain, watching my son suffer and being so helpless,' Mason's mother, Charde McMillan, told DailyMail.com Sepsis is a medical emergency health experts call a 'silent killer.' It's caused by the body's extreme reaction to an infection. Sepsis occurs when chemicals released in the bloodstream cause the immune system to go haywire. Instead of sending infection-fighting white blood cells to attack a foreign invader, it targets healthy tissues and organs. Infections that lead to sepsis most commonly start in the lungs, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract, but almost any infection can lead to sepsis - even things as innocuous as paper cuts. Mason was also diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis. Also known as flesh-eating disease, necrotizing fasciitis is a severe, rapidly spreading infection that kills one in five sufferers, according to the CDC. It's most commonly caused by group A strep. Symptoms include a red or warm area of the skin that spreads quickly, severe pain, and fever. As necrotizing fasciitis spreads, it can cause ulcers or blisters on the skin, skin color changes, pus or oozing, dizziness, fatigue, diarrhea, and nausea. The CDC estimates 700 to 1,150 cases occur in the US every year. There are about 500 cases in the UK per year, according to the NHS. The necrotizing fasciitis chewed through about 60 percent of Mason's skin, leading him to need three skin grafting surgeries and care from a specialized burn unit at Akron Children's Hospital in Akron, Ohio. Mason spent six months in hospitals in Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio as a result of sepsis, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, and necrotizing fasciitis Doctors also had to remove his tailbone, also known as the coccyx. 'It ate all the way from the skin down to the bone,' Mrs McMillan said. 'There was a lot of healing time from that. The daily dressing changes were horrendous and painful.' 'I've never experienced that type of like physical and emotional pain, watching my son suffer and being so helpless.' Sepsis can closely resemble the flu, which makes it extremely difficult to spot early. There is no single test for sepsis, but doctors look for signs of infections with measures such as blood tests. Sepsis can progress to septic shock, which is characterized by a severe drop in blood pressure. Signs of septic shock, according to the Mayo Clinic, include not being able to stand up, extreme fatigue or not being able to stay awake, and a major change in mental status. The CDC recommends seeking help immediately if you have signs of sepsis. If left untreated, sepsis and septic shock are fatal. Mason is now working on regaining his independence. He has hand prosthetics and will soon be fitted with leg prosthetics to learn how to walk again Mason's family is raising money for his medical bills and other expenses on their GoFundMe page. 'He's an amazing kid. He's a miracle. They gave him a one percent chance of survival and he beat the odds,' Mrs McMillan said Mason then underwent physical therapy, and six months after he was first rushed to the hospital, he was released on October 11. He has since been hospitalized several times for complications like osteomyelitis in one leg. This is inflammation or swelling of bone tissue as a result of infection. This month, Mason will be fitted for leg prosthetics and then begin intensive physical therapy to learn how to walk again. Still, Mrs McMillan said her son has not let his condition keep him from hobbies like gaming. 'He games, he texts. He does everything without hands, and you wouldn't even really realize that he doesn't have hands,' she said. Mrs McMillan also noted that her what Mason wants to do when he grows up changes every day, with one of his most recent ones being to become a cross-country truck driver. 'He talks about being a doctor because of what he went through and being able to help people,' she said. Sepsis impacts 1.7 million Americans every year, according to the CDC, and it kills 350,000 annually. READ MORE: Sepsis symptoms in children: Five warning signs all parents should know Advertisement Sepsis Alliance estimates that 75,000 US children develop sepsis every year, roughly 200 a day. This includes more than 5,000 deaths, or 18 every day. Certain groups are more susceptible to the condition, including adults over age 65, children under one year, patients with weakened immune systems, and those who have had sepsis in the past. However, anyone can get it. And, if a person recovers, they are more likely to have lasting health issues. A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found people hospitalized for sepsis or who had it after hospitalization were 38 percent more likely to be hospitalized again for any cause. This included a 43 percent increased risk for heart issues. According to Sepsis Alliance, about one in three children who survive sepsis experience cognitive issues like trouble remembering things or concentrating, and nearly half return to the hospital at least once. For now, the family is focused on helping Mason regain his independence, as he currently needs full-time care. This has also left his parents unable to work so they can tend to his needs. However, Mrs McMillan said that Mason has maintained a postive attitude throughout his illness, which has helped both he and his family cope. 'He's just grateful to be alive and have survived something that's really not survivable,' Mrs McMillan said. 'It really gives him the determination and perseverance to learn to do things in a new way now and adjust to this new way of life.' 'He's not letting anything stop him or hold him back. There's no "I can't" right now. He just goes for it. He's not scared to try anything.' 'He's an amazing kid. He's a miracle. They gave him a one percent chance of survival and he beat the odds.' Mason's family is raising money for his medical bills and other expenses on their GoFundMe page. Food-borne illnesses sickened thousands of people in the US last year, with pathogens including salmonella and E. coli lurking in cantaloupe, alfalfa sprouts, ground beef, and more. Every year, food pathogens send 128,000 Americans to the hospital, and 3,000 die. The Food and Drug Administration has oversight over the food industry and steps in to recall contaminated items such as bagged salads when reports of poisonings begin cropping up across the country. The tallies for illnesses and deaths due to food-borned pathogens is almost certainly an undercount because many people affected end up recovering on their own without reporting their illness to a government agency. Included on the list of the worst outbreaks and/or recalls were some unsurprising offenders, including raw cookie dough and leafy greens, which have been responsible for many illnesses and subject of many recalls in recent years. There were also items that might not typically be associated with illness, such as flour. Cantalope Six Americans and nine Canadians died from whole and precut cantaloupe that was found to contain salmonella The FDA recalled contaminated whole and precut cantaloupe in November 2023 when 407 Americans and 190 Canadians got sick from the fruit sold at grocery giants including Aldi, Kroger, Stop & Shop, and Trader Joes. The brands producer, Sofia Produce recalled all sizes of its fresh cantaloupes sold with the Malichita label due to salmonella, which sent 158 Americans and 68 Canadians to the hospital. Six Americans and nine Canadians died. The melons were distributed across a wide swathe of the country Arizona, California, Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas and Florida between Oct. 16-23, 2023. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that causes salmonellosis, which causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and sometimes bloody stool. Many people with salmonellosis also develop a fever, which can become severe and require hospitalization. And the severe GI upset can lead to dehydration. Illness usually occurs within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and usually lasts four to seven days. Adults 65 and older, children under 5 years, and people with weakened immune systems are likelier to get sick from Salmonella. Fifty-two people who got sick lived in long-term care facilities, while 44 children attended childcare centers when they got sick. Fresh diced onions The FDA found salmonella in the water and surrounding environment of the farm that supplied produce to Gills Onions based in California. In all, 80 people got sick, 18 were hospitalized, and one died In October 2023, Gills Onions in California recalled several lots of chopped onions distributed across Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington after dozens of people were poisoned by salmonella. Products included some lots of diced yellow onions (3-pound bags and 8-ounce cups), diced celery and onions (8-ounce cups), diced mirepoix (10-ounce cups) and diced red onions (8-ounce cups), and had use-by dates between August 8 and August 28. Ultimately, 80 people got sick, 18 of whom were hospitalized, and one died. The FDA found salmonella in the water and surrounding environment of the farm that supplied produce to Gills Onions. To avoid salmonella from diced onions, cooking them is the best bet. Food safety experts also recommend discarding the top layer of the cup and using more of the inner core, according to Consumer Reports. Alfalfa sprouts A key issue lies in the warm, moist environments where sprouts are cultivatedconditions perfect for pathogens. In total, 63 people got sick and 10 were hospitalized after eating alfalfa sprouts due to salmonella contamination. Sun Sprouts, a Nebraska company, recalled its raw alfalfa sprouts after more than a dozen people got sick in December 2022. The company had to recall 808 pounds worth of sprouts sent to five food service companies and grocery stores in Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas in November and December over salmonella concerns. An FDA investigation of the facilities found that the company did not test irrigation water for salmonella and E. coli, nor did it clean and sanitize food contact surfaces that come into contact with sprouts or the seeds or beans used to grow them. The agency also said that none of the companys supervisors or managers had passed a food safety training course. In total, 63 people got sick and 10 of them were hospitalized. The best way to avoid salmonella from alfalfa sprouts is to avoid them altogether, especially if the person is pregnant, elderly, or has a weakened immune system. Raw cookie dough Not only does raw cookie dough contain raw eggs, a common vehicle for salmonella, but also flour, which can carry salmonella This one can be particularly hard to swallow, but cookie dough contains raw egg which can cause salmonella. Last year, the FDA recalled cookie dough from the pizza franchise Papa Murphys. The culprits behind 26 illnesses and four hospitalizations were the chains chocolate chip cookie dough and Smores bars dough. The company Papa Murphy's owns over 1,100 stores across the US. The states in which people go sick included Washington, Oregon, California, Utah, Idaho, and Missouri. The standard advice is to forego licking the spoon and wait until the cookies are fully baked. Leafy greens The source of listeria on leafy greens is typically contaminated water used to irrigate the fields that grow the greens. And recalls of leafy greens are not unusual. Last year, greens sicked 19 people Leafy greens are one of the risky foods out there due to E. coli and listeria outbreaks. Romaine lettuce and bagged salads are responsible for the most deaths, according to a Consumer Reports analysis of food recalls over the past six years. In 2023, 19 people became sick with listeria while 18 of them were hospitalized. While the CDC was able to determine what strain of the bacteria was responsible for the outbreak, there was not enough information to identify a responsible brand and trigger a recall. The source is typically contaminated water used to irrigate the fields that grow the greens. And recalls of leafy greens are not unusual. Listeriosis is caused by infection by the germ Listeria monocytogenes found in dirty water, irrigation water, soil and fertilizer. The pathogen is unique among others that cause food-borne illnesses in that it thrives in low temperatures, such as inside a refrigerator. It can multiply to dangerous levels during storage. Listeria starts with flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea and sometimes diarrhea. The time from consuming the bacterium to showing the signs of illness can often be between 8 to 90 days, and some people end up in the hospital with dehydration. To avoid illness, its recommended that people cook their greens. Rather than buy bagged salads, people should also opt for whole heads of lettuce and remove the outer leaves to avoid any bacteria lurking there. Ground beef Eighteen people became ill from from April to July, 2023 due to salmonella. Seven of them were so sick they needed to be hospitalized. There were no deaths though the CDC said cases are likely an undercount A multistate salmonella outbreak last year was linked to ground beef sold at ShopRite stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. Eighteen people became ill from April 27, 2023, to July 6, 2023. Seven of them were so sick they needed to be hospitalized. There were no deaths, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned at the time that the true number of sick people was likely higher than those reported. There was no recall, but the CDC advised special caution when preparing meat, cooking it to 160 F which will kill salmonella and other common pathogens like listeria and E. coli. Whole cuts require only 145 F. All leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking to avoid bacteria growth. Chefs should also use separate cutting boards for meat and other foods, and clean up any splattered juices using a paper towel or a wipe. Deli meat and cheese It can be difficult to ensure your deli meats and cheeses are free of pathogens, because they are typically not cooked before you eat them. The 2023 listeria outbreak sickened 16 people and sent 13 to the hospital Deli meat is a relatively common source of listeria outbreaks because of contamination in the facilities where theyre processed. Eating them typically does not involve cooking, another potential source of contamination. The 2023 outbreak sickened 16 people and sent 13 to the hospital. One person became ill during pregnancy and lost their baby. The outbreak was traced first to a deli in Brooklyn, New York, where five patients bought sliced deli meat and cheese. The CDC later determined the source was a deli meat or cheese product that had been distributed among several states, including California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York. Genome sequencing from patient samples showed that their genetic makeups were similar, indicating that people became sick from the same food source. But no single food source was identified. Flour Flour, when eaten before being cooked, can carry salmonella. The 2023 outbreak linked to Gold Medal flour sicked 14 illnesses, including three hospitalizations. General Mills announced a recall last April of 2-, 5- and 10-pound bags of its Gold Medal Bleached and Unbleached All Purpose Flour after a routine inspection at the Kansas City, Missouri plant found salmonella. Subsequent genomic testing of the flour tied the strain to 14 illnesses including three hospitalizations. Of eight people interviewed by health officials at the CDC, seven reported eating raw dough or batter. Flour may not be the first foodstuff that comes to mind when discussing foodborne illnesses. But most flour is raw and not treated for germs. A study in 2019 found that most Americans are not aware that uncooked flour can be dangerous, with roughly a third of respondents saying they had consumed uncooked flour in the previous year. Peaches, nectarines, and plums Listeria in stone fruits sickened 11 people last year. Of those, 10 were hospitalized and one died Eleven people were sickened by listeria from contaminated peaches, nectarines and plums produced by HMC Farms in Kingsberg, California last year. Ten people were hospitalized and one died across California, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Florida. According to the CDC: The true number of sick people in this outbreak was likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses. The farm issued a recall in November for packages sold to a wide array of stores including Cub, Hyvee, Meijer, Sams Club, Sprouts, Walmart, and other grocery, produce, and more. Enoki mushrooms Five people got sick and went to the hospital due to listeria in enoki mushrooms The Maryland Department of Health found listeria in samples of enoki mushrooms produced by Shandong Youhe Biotechnology Co. based in China in January 2023. Missouri officials had found listeria contamination in mushrooms from the same company a month prior. And both cases were linked to another outbreak in 2022. In 2022, no other food was recalled as often as enoki mushrooms. The repeat instances of infections prompted the FDA and state health boards to increase mushroom testing. In all, five people got sick and were hospitalized. The CDC recommends that no one eat them raw and that no one in high-risk groups eat them at all. High-risk groups include children, pregnant women, older adults and people with compromised immune systems. Thailand may soon allow foreigners to hire surrogates again under new plans. The East Asian nation outlawed commercial surrogacy in 2015 after a spate of high-profile cases including an Australian couple refusing to take their child because the youngster had Down's syndrome and a Japanese man who fathered 12 children. But now the deputy director-general for health, Arkhom Praditsuwan, says they are looking to loosen the restrictions again although with surrogacies now monitored by a committee. It could be a boost to less wealthy American couples, with surrogacy in the country costing from as low as $10,000 in some cases compared to as much as $170,000 in the states. The above images, shown by Thai police, are of some infants born as part of Thailand's commercial surrogacy which was outlawed in 2015 The deputy director-general said: 'We will amend the law that will allow foreign couples to receive surrogacy service here based on regulation.' Under the proposed law change, those looking to hire a surrogate in Thailand must be legally married, he said, regardless of their gender. The child from surrogacy must also be guaranteed protection and rights in the couple's home country. And foreign couples will be able to bring their own surrogates to Thailand or use a Thai surrogate, with those undergoing the process vetted by a Government committee. Thailand currently only allows surrogacy for Thai couples or a Thai who has married a foreigner for at least three years and faces difficulty having children. Legislators are set to submit the proposed law changes to the cabinet for approval later this month, as part of a wider reform of regulations around surrogacy, ICF and artificial insemination. If the cabinet approves the measure, it will then be submitted to parliament and the senate for a vote. It will also need the signature of King Maha Vajiralongkorn before it can become law. Should the change be passed, it will also make Thailand at least the seventh country to allow commercial surrogacy globally. In the US, it is allowed in eleven states including California, Nevada and Vermont but tends to carry a hefty price tag. Ukraine was the international hub for surrogacy until the Russian invasion began in February 2022, with hundreds of babies born via the method, with parents now left searching for alternatives. Thai officials hope the move will help less wealthy families find a new stream of income. In 2014, reports showed that families in Pak Ok, central Thailand, were left able to afford new cars and home renovations thanks to surrogacy. At that time, surrogates were paid $10,000 for a successful pregnancy, more for twins, a monthly allowance $450 and also had free lodging in Bangkok. Commercial surrogacy has continued in Thailand since the law change, reports suggest, but now it tends to be largely under-reported. In the US, about 4,000 babies are born via surrogacy every year. Taking a daily fibre supplement can improve brain function in those aged over 60 in just 12 weeks, a study has found. The pills can improve performance in memory tests associated with early signs of Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at King's College London. Dr Mary Ni Lochlainn said she is 'excited to see these changes in just 12 weeks', adding: 'This holds huge promise for enhancing brain health and memory in our ageing population. 'Unlocking the secrets of the gut-brain axis could offer new approaches for living more healthily for longer.' The study, published in Nature Communications, tested two plant fibre supplements inulin and FOS which help healthy bacteria grow in the gut. The pills were given to one half of 36 pairs of twins, with the others given a placebo. Taking a daily fibre supplement can improve brain function in those aged over 60 in just 12 weeks, a study has found (Stock Photo) Dr Mary Ni Lochlainn said she is 'excited to see these changes in just 12 weeks', adding: 'This holds huge promise for enhancing brain health and memory in our ageing population' (Stock Photo) The pills can improve performance in memory tests associated with early signs of Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at King's College London (Stock Photo) Those taking the pills did better in a Paired Associates Learning test, an early marker for Alzheimer's, and tests of reaction time and processing speed. Professor Claire Steves said the pills, which are cheap and available over the counter, 'could benefit a wide group of people in these cash-strapped times'. The NHS must end the 'discrimination' that means three million people aged between 66 and 69 are unable to get the shingles vaccine, campaigners urge. The crucial jab which greatly reduces the chances of developing the extremely painful viral skin condition is offered to everyone when they turn 65 as well as those aged between 70 and 80. This is due to limited supplies of the vaccine, called Shingrix, which has made Government advisers prioritise certain age groups in order to maximise take-up. The Mail on Sunday has learned that the highly effective drug will soon be offered to all over-80s, too. It means that 66- to 69-year-olds, who are as much at risk as 65 and 70-year-olds, will become the only cohort of older adults barred from getting the jab. The crucial jab greatly reduces the chances of developing the extremely painful viral skin condition (stock image) The jab is offered to everyone when they turn 65 as well as those aged between 70 and 80 This newspaper last week reported the concerns of health officials that too few people were coming forwards to take up Shingrix. But The Mail on Sunday has since been contacted by hundreds of readers claiming they are unable to get the vaccine. Many complained that despite having recently suffered from shingles, they were banned from receiving the jab on the NHS as they were aged 66 to 69. And a number of eligible patients raised the alarm on the fact that some GP practices were not offering Shingrix either because the jab was unavailable on the back of its worldwide popularity or because they had been instructed to first use up their stock of a less effective, earlier vaccine. Some younger readers with underlying health conditions were wrongly told they were not eligible for the jab, despite the fact that the NHS is supposed to offer Shingrix to people over 50 with weakened immune systems. One reader, Alastair Barrow, sums up the frustration. The 66-year-old wants the drug because he suffered a bad bout of shingles in 2019, but was two months too old when the NHS vaccination programme was launched. Recalling the painful, itchy rash that lasted for weeks on the side of his face, Alastair says: 'I've never felt so ill in my life. Even today I can still feel where the rash was because the disease damaged the nerves. I dread getting shingles again. 'It seems ridiculous that I'll have to wait another four years to get the vaccine. My wife, who is younger than me, will receive it before me under this system. It doesn't seem to make sense.' Senior citizen campaign group Silver Voices is calling on the NHS to ditch the age restriction. 'Millions are at risk of missing out on this vital vaccine,' says Dennis Reed, the charity's director. 'Shingles is debilitating and can lead to death. I know people who never fully recovered. 'Those aged 66 to 69 are at the stage where they are deemed at-risk of getting shingles but they aren't being offered the jab. This is another example of age discrimination in the NHS. We want the Health Service to see sense and put an end to it.' More than 50,000 elderly Britons develop shingles every year, and nearly one in four will suffer from it at some point in their life. The condition is linked to chicken-pox, the highly contagious disease that leads to itchy, spotty rashes. TV presenter Eamonn Holmes (pictured) suffered shingles in 2018 Holmes was forced to take time off from ITV's This Morning after the rash covered his face and caused intense stabbing pains If caught at a young age, chickenpox is not usually serious, but the virus that causes it varicella-zoster remains in the spinal-cord nerves for life. The immune system keeps it at bay, but its ability to do so weakens with age, potentially allowing the virus to reactivate and attack the body again. A blotchy, red rash that blisters usually appears on one side of the chest or abdomen, but can crop up anywhere on the body. They are often accompanied by headaches and nausea, and the rash can be extremely painful for weeks. TV presenter Eamonn Holmes suffered shingles in 2018. He was forced to take time off from ITV's This Morning after the rash covered his face and caused intense stabbing pains. Doctors even feared he could lose his eyesight. The condition is known to kill, too, with about 50 Britons aged over 70 dying each year. Until recently, this age group were offered a shingles jab on the NHS called Zostavax. While it was considered to be effective, it reduced the risk of shingles by only 50 per cent. Studies also showed that this protection waned to a negligible level as patients aged. But studies in 2020 revealed that Shingrix, created by British pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), reduces the risk of shingles by more than 90 per cent. Crucially, studies show the jab, which is given as two doses about six months apart, provides strong protection in people as old as 90. The NHS has been offering Shingrix in place of Zostavax since September. The jab is in high demand across the globe, though, and the Health Service was forced to put a limit on the number of patients who could get the vaccine. All patients turning 65 will now be offered Shingrix and will remain eligible until they are 80. But those who turned 65 before September 1, 2023 will have to wait until they are 70 for the vaccine. And patients aged between 70 and 80 who have not had Zostavax are also eligible to receive Shingrix as part of a catch-up campaign. A blotchy, red rash that blisters usually appears on one side of the chest or abdomen, but can crop up anywhere on the body (stock image) Rashes are often accompanied by headaches and nausea, and the rash can be extremely painful for weeks (stock image) Studies in 2020 revealed that Shingrix, created by British pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), reduces the risk of shingles by more than 90 per cent (stock image) Take-up of the jab has historically been low, with fewer than half of all 71-year-olds inoculated. The NHS plans to extend eligibility to include all those aged 60 and up by September 2033. But there are no schemes in motion to allow patients who have already received Zostavax to be rejabbed with the superior Shingrix. Some experts admit the rules are confusing, but others argue that they are logical. 'Shingrix is a great vaccine, but supplies are limited,' says Prof Judith Breuer, a virologist at University College London. 'It's complicated to produce and there is a massive global demand for the jab. 'It's been decided that 65 will be the age at which everyone gets offered the vaccine, but we also need to protect the most vulnerable patients those aged over 70 as quickly as possible, too. 'Unfortunately, this means that people aged 66 to 69 will have to wait a few years. It's annoying for them, but it's for a good reason.' However, other experts warn that those in this age bracket are at risk of developing shingles. 'This approach does seem rather confused,' says Prof Richard Tedder, a retired virologist who previously worked at Public Health England now known as the UK Health Security Agency. 'People in this age group are vulnerable to shingles. They're less at risk than people in their 70s, but they are certainly at risk. 'Ideally you'd give this vaccine to everyone aged over 50, but clearly there aren't enough available.' One patient who's well aware of this is Kathy Relf. The 70-year-old says she was told by her GP that Shingrix was reserved for patients with underlying conditions and weakened immune systems. Instead, she was offered Zostavax. And Ivor Hendry, 71, says his Norwich GP was only carrying out five shingle vaccinations a week and that he would have to wait to be called for the jab. A spokesman for GSK claimed there are currently no Shingrix supply issues in the UK. The Mail on Sunday has learned that vaccine chiefs are planning to expand the offer of Shingrix jabs to patients over the age of 80. The vaccine was previously not given to this more elderly group because it was uncertain whether it provided them with strong immunity against shingles. However, according to minutes from the most recent meeting of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation the Government's vaccine advisory group this will soon change. The committee agreed that, since this age group was at the highest risk of developing shingles, they should be offered vaccination 'regardless of cost-effectiveness'. The plans have outraged charities, including Silver Voices, which likened the situation to the 'Waspi Women' scandal the 3.8 million ladies born in the 1950s who had their state pension age increased from 60 to 65 to be equal to men. Campaigners argue that poor communication over the changes, which began in 2010, left them with insufficient time to prepare for up to six years longer without their pension, leaving many in a serious financial mire. They also point out that those who have been left out of the shingles programme are, like the Waspi Women, also born in the 1950s. Shingrix can be bought privately and at high street pharmacists, including Boots and Superdrug which offer both doses for about 450. But patients say it is outrageous that they should have to pay for a vaccine which is being offered to younger people. Jacky Murrell, 65, from Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, was told by her GP that she was one day too old to receive the vaccine. 'I'll have to wait five years for the jab, while my husband who is three weeks younger has already had it,' she says. 'It's absurd. I can remember when my grandad had shingles the pain he was in was horrendous. I'm really worried about getting it, too. So why aren't I allowed the vaccine?' A UK Health Security Agency spokesman says: 'The approach has been used in the effective implementation of previous immunisation programmes. While it may mean some people have to wait until the date that they would have originally been eligible, others will receive the vaccines sooner and will benefit for longer.' Have you been watching Venom: Let There Be Carnage again? No, but its from the same stable this one is called Madame Web. So, its a Spider-Man film? No, a Spider-Man adjacent film. A what? Spider-Man isnt allowed to be shown. Or mentioned. Youre just supposed to assume that hes somewhere about but, you know, busy. Why? Its a rights ownership thing around who gets to depict the character on the big screen. Anyway, the upthrust is that movie backer Sony has been dredging up his known associates. Dakota Johnson in Madame Web Its been going through Spider-Mans Rolodex? Exactly. And after getting past Venom theyve landed on Web. Whos Madame Web, then? In the comics she was an elderly clairvoyant. And who has Sony turned her into? Dakota Johnson AKA Cassie Webb, a Manhattan paramedic. OK, so whats the plot? Ah, thats where it gets tricky. Heroics? She stopped a pigeon hitting a window Did you fall asleep? Thats not the point because even the reviewers who are paid to stay awake havent got a clue. Oh, come on, they must know what was going on. Nope. The Telegraph went with a sort of two-hour explosion in a boringness factory, in which the forces of dullness and stupidity combine in new and infinitely perturbing ways. What did others say? The Guardian (one star) a tangled mess. The Times (one star) incoherent. The Independent (one star) embarrassed by its own existence. The film has one of the lowest Rotten Tomatoes scores (13 per cent) of any superhero film in nearly a decade. Does Madame Web at least have a good superpower? An ability to see into the future and predict catastrophes the irony of which has been lost on nobody. Well, that must at least make for some exciting action. Dakota at the films Mexican premiere Youd think so, wouldnt you, but the disgruntled Telegraph reviewer calculated that it took a full half hour before the movies superhero did anything even faintly heroic. And that was Preventing a pigeon hitting a window. Presumably Dakota Johnson can explain things for us. Apparently not. During the press tour she admitted she hadnt watched the finished film. I dont know when Ill see it. Some day, she told one interviewer, asking another, Did you see the movie? I havent. You know more about it than me. I take it theres a social media backlash underway. This post on X sums up the general feeling about the confused plotting. Madame Web is one of the best movies ever about Spider-Mans uncles coworker. Right. So, the storyline seems to be the main problem. No. That would be the script. Whats wrong with the script? Audiences have been enthusiastically gathering the best (worst) bits of dialogue, with one from the trailer (He was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders right before she died) going viral as a meme. Give me some others. When your heart starts back up again youre fine and Obviously it was bad... she died are among the favourites. How has Dakota Johnson reacted? After the trailer was released late last year she ditched her talent agency. Read into that what you will. Has the film made any money? It cost 64 million to make but grossed just 20 million at its US opening. So, its officially flopped? Badly. One X user went as far as to warn fellow cinemagoers they needed to take precautions. Stay safe out there, everyone... I had two tickets for the Madame Web movie in my car and someone broke in and left four more. While this issue shines the spotlight on the gents, lets not forget the leading ladies of the vino scene! With International Womens Day and Mothers Day fast approaching on Friday and next Sunday (8 and 10 March), heres to toasting the fabulous females in the wine world. Discover five captivating sips, from a radiant Californian Chardonnay to a seductive Australian Shiraz, with women leading the charge. Bread & Butter Winemakers Selection Chardonnay 2021 (13.5%), 15.99, Majestic. Helmed by Linda Trotta, this Chardonnay honours its motto: good, honest and delicious. Taste the Difference Pinot Gris 2022 (13.5%), 10.50, Sainsburys. Crafted by Natalie Christensen of NZs Yealands, this Pinot Gris has peachy notes with a gentle spice; pair with tagines and aromatic dishes. Robert Oatley Semaphore McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021 (14%), 10.50, Co-op. Debbie Lauritz leads the winemaking team at Oatley, delivering sumptuous sips like this Shiraz, bursting with berry fruit. Amandla Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape 2023 (12.5%), 9.50, Tesco. Heres a lively Sauvignon Blanc from a trailblazing South African wine brand led by Praisy Dlamini, it is majority black-owned and 100 per cent female-run. Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain NV (12%), 35.81, thewinesociety.com. Alice Tetienne, cellar master of this prestigious Champagne maison, is celebratedfor crafting refined bubbly. I use My Nannas Mousse. Its an incredible product by Larry King, who has been my hairstylist for years. Its about using a product before your hair dries, not just putting on pomade or wax afterwards. I took extreme measures to look good in those trunks for the Dolce & Gabbana shoots for the last one I tried salt depletion. I wouldnt recommend it to anyone. Its three days of drinking lots of water to flush out salts, then you come off water for 24 hours to dehydrate yourself. The aim is to take away an extra layer of bloating, but it feels horrible. I dont use enough sunscreen because Im British. We barely see any sun so when we do we get very excited, but Ive learnt the hard way that you need to wear it. Now I buy a moisturiser with SPF in it so I dont have to double up. David knows his skincare products work because his wife steals them Calorie counting is rubbish. Not eating things that are processed and knowing that food in a packet is generally not going to be great for you is better. While I try to avoid anything white white bread, white pasta its all about moderation and I pretty much eat what I like and that includes sweets and cakes. My thing is being able to consume enough calories for my size and the amount I train. I havent got time to trim my wick like Beckham. But I do love a good candle. Malin + Goetzs new leather one is stunning. For fragrance I still wear Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Pour Homme and also its Velvet Vetiver, which is only available in a few of its boutiques. What chiropractors do is seen as witchcraft, but youll feel incredible afterwards. Doctors never really recommend them, but Ive been going to chiropractors for years. I see Dr Kiran Gill and she manipulates me and straightens me up. Its 360 wellness, working on your nervous system, too. Post session your digestion is better and you feel more flexible. Ive sent friends and family who have been in pain for years and they are free of it after seeing her. Dr Sebagh Serum Repair, 72, selfridges.com Guys, good skins not that complicated. When you read the stats, something like 50 per cent of men dont use any grooming products. It used to be deemed unmanly, but thats changing. You just need three products a moisturiser, enzyme cleanser or scrub and a serum. I like Dr Sebaghs products (below) and the Swedish brand Fjor. I know they are good because my wife steals them. Im partial to powders and pills. I use a Vitabiotics protein powder and take creatine. It gives you a bit of extra strength and energy when you are training. And Ive been taking Wellman supplements for 20 years they contain zinc and all the nutrients you need. Ive never been the best sleeper and I notice my energy drops if I dont take them. I like my massages unpleasant. They should hurt a bit. When your muscles are tense, releasing them is the whole point. As told to Rosie Green. Deputy beauty editor: Alice Robertson. David Gandy is an ambassador for Vitabiotics Wellman. Barclays Bank is certainly making life difficult for many customers as it continues to take an axe to its branches. Already this year, it has announced plans to shut 62 branches with the first of them closing next month. This is on top of the 1,140 it has closed since the beginning of 2015, according to consumer group Which? No other bank, says Which?, has been so ruthless in expunging its presence from our towns. Businessman Mike Ridgway is among those customers impacted by Barclays' determination to pare back its branch network to the bone. Comfort: The banks can take away their branches but they can't touch a walk across Ilkley Moor Mike, a consultant for the packaging industry, lives in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, and bemoans the fact that Barclays now makes his banking life somewhat of a chore. Although Mike, a customer of Barclays for 55 years, embraced online banking for a while, he was scammed 18 months ago. While he eventually got his money back from the bank, he eschewed online and mobile banking in favour of branches and telephone banking. Barclays shut its branch in Ilkley two years ago although in its defence it hasn't been the only bank to desert the town. HSBC closed its branch in June last year, just after NatWest pulled the plug, while Halifax shut up shop just two months ago. Only Santander now has a footprint in the town. 'It's crazy,' says Mike. 'Ilkley is a prosperous town with high property values and provides a perfect base for people who work in Bradford, Leeds, Manchester and further afield. Yet the banks have almost given up on us.' What irritates Mike the most is that Barclays has not stopped at Ilkley. Branches have been swept away in nearby Guiseley (April 2023) and Settle (February 2022). To compound his banking misery, the Skipton branch shuts for good this week while the Keighley branch gets the heave-ho in August. 'Barclays customers who like face-to-face banking are quite literally being debanked,' he says. Mike says that to visit a 'local' Barclays branch, he must now catch a train to either Bradford or Leeds a 35-minute journey, provided the trains are running on time (50:50). Or in extremis, he will bank the occasional cheque he receives at a Barclays branch when he is down in London on business. 'I was in London five days ago,' he says, 'and I went into its branch in Berkeley Street, Mayfair, to deposit a cheque. How crazy is that.' Banking expert Derek French believes Barclays more than any other bank is on a mission to shut many of its branches outside of the big cities. This is because it doesn't want to be in the position of being last bank in town when new rules come in from the City regulator (the Financial Conduct Authority), potentially restricting the right of banks to pull the plug on the last branch. 'It's interesting that among the latest closures announced by Barclays,' says Derek, 'it has targeted branches in large towns where it is the first or second bank to pull out.' They include towns such as Andover in Hampshire; Barking, Essex; Bracknell and Maidenhead, Royal Berkshire; Gravesend, Kent; Hartlepool, County Durham; and Lancaster in Lancashire all with populations of 50,000 plus. Bank branch closures, I fear, will be a recurring theme this year. The last word goes to Mike. 'Ilkley is becoming a banking desert,' he says. 'The only thing that comforts me is the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales on my doorstep. The banks can't destroy that, can they?' ln the interests of balance, I would like to give the thumbs-up to both Nationwide Building Society and HSBC for some welcome branch-friendly initiatives. Nationwide, which prefers to keep rather than close branches, has agreed to donate a maximum of 10,000 to local causes in Windsor, Royal Berkshire a town where it is (scandalously) the sole surviving bank or building society. For every new current and savings account opened by residents between now and March 26, it will earmark 200 for a community fund with local people deciding how the money is used. Well done, Nationwide. Meanwhile, HSBC has just opened a new 'flagship' branch in Huddersfield, based in the town's Kingsgate Shopping Centre. It follows hot on the heels of a similar state-of-the-art branch opening for business in Sheffield. Unlike Barclays, HSBC has said it won't be announcing any new branch closures for the rest of this year. It's not quite all doom and gloom on the bank branch front. Will Jeremy Hunt make us happier? Smile: Finland has the highest happiness score at 7.8 out of 10 I receive a shedload of emails from companies every day. I ditch most, only keeping those I need for my work and my own personal finance education (I'm constantly in learning mode). Occasionally, the emails are so left-field they make me smile such as the one I received last week from online casino comparison website CasinoTop3. It has conducted research which it claims indicates a clear link between money and happiness and life expectancy and happiness. In other words, the more money you have, and the longer you can expect to live, the happier you are. According to CasinoTop3, the nation which currently has the highest happiness score (7.8 out of 10) is Finland. Its residents are also ranked within the top third of the 60 countries analysed in terms of average salary and life expectancy. Finland is followed by Denmark, Holland, and Sweden. As for the UK, it comes in 17th with India being bottom of the pile. If I am reading the runes correctly, Wednesday's Budget could well be devoid of the tax cuts most people are desperate for. If so, my guess is that the UK's happiness score could well slip further down the world league table as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt continues to grab more of our income and savings in a myriad of stealth taxes. And again, if Labour triumphs at the next Election and hits the middle classes with yet more taxes. The United Nations has deemed the 20th of this month to be the International Day of Happiness. Bah humbug. A big thank you Finally, a big thank you to all those readers who have contacted me in recent days to express their condolences over the loss of my mother (Helen of Troy) at the ripe old age of 88. The Prestridge family celebrated her life three days ago in Sutton Coldfield near Birmingham. For the most part, we laughed broken up by the intermittent shedding of tears. I am sure I won't be laughing in the weeks ahead as I strive to get probate granted. I'm already losing sleep over the battles that inevitably lie ahead. Probate is a nightmare, and I can't imagine it will be any different for Jeff Prestridge. What a joke: You won the case but the court keeps the cash Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. C.I. writes: I issued a court claim for 350 against LG, a white goods maker, relating to a washing machine guarantee. The firm did not put up a defence to the claim and it was paid after I engaged bailiffs at Kingston-upon-Thames County Court. Bailiffs collected payment last November and the money is, they say, now with the court. Despite numerous emails, the money is still outstanding and the court's phone goes unanswered. I have also emailed the Courts and Tribunals Service complaints department, to no avail. Tony Hetherington replies: It is like a bad joke. You make a claim at the court, and you win. Bailiffs collect the money. They hand the cash to the court and the court keeps it. You called in the bailiffs on November 1 last year, and in mid-December you asked them what had happened. Had they succeeded in collecting your money? The bailiffs replied: 'This was paid on November 15. If you have not received the money, you need to contact Kingston County Court. The bailiffs' office does not deal with payments out.' You emailed the court on December 13 and again the next day. Nobody replied. The bailiffs told you to expect a response within ten working days, failing which you should try writing to the court. You wrote on January 9. Nobody replied. After you contacted me, I emailed the Clerk to the Court on January 14. Nobody replied. On January 20, I emailed again, and this time I involved the Ministry of Justice. After all, what is the point in a justice system that simply doesn't work. The Ministry slowly moved into action, and it took until February 9 for officials to push the court into contacting you. An unsigned email explained: 'On behalf of Kingston County Court, I can confirm the money is currently going through our payment system. Unfortunately, we have moved to a new system which has caused some issues and delays with the payout process.' I went back to the Ministry. Could I have a comment from the Justice Minister Alex Chalk MP, please? On February 13, the Ministry promised me that you would be paid within a couple of days, but on the same day it also told me your money was actually 'released' on January 30. Released? After three months in the clutches of Kingston County Court, I reckon it escaped. Two days passed and your money was still on the run. A lot of Ministry of Justice work has been outsourced to a private company called Liberata, so I contacted it and asked whether staff there knew who had your cash. They did. Within 24 hours, Liberata's chief executive Charlie Bruin told me: 'Liberata manages payments for HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and we can confirm all necessary procedures were followed with the utmost care and attention. 'A payment has been disbursed in accordance with the contractual requirements.' The Liberata boss helpfully explained his company holds no money. Courts ask Liberata to make a payment from the court's own bank account. So when did Liberata receive the request to hand over your money? It was on February 12, almost three months to the day since the bailiffs had handed it in at the court. On February 19, you received a cheque for 433, including costs. But this was not quite the end of the story. A week ago you received an apology from the Ministry of Justice, on behalf of the Minister, Alex Chalk. An official explained: 'I contacted the court and they informed me they have experienced problems with processing the payment due to issues with the computer system.' I have always resisted the phrase 'Broken Britain', but sometimes they are the only words that apply. You'd need a pool for this water bill A.B. writes: Thames Water rang me out of the blue to say I had an unpaid balance of almost 4,400 on my account. I live in a small North London flat with my wife and two young children, and the charges relate to an 'anomalous' meter reading by a Thames Water employee in 2020, showing we had used 2,000 units of water. In fact, our usage is about 100 units a year. Tony Hetherington replies: Back in 2020, when you first spotted the huge meter reading, you contacted Thames Water and were told an engineer would investigate within days. Of course, nobody did, no matter how many times you called. Then in 2021, you were told Thames Water would rebase future bills, with a fresh starting point. The previous incorrect reading would be ignored. Suddenly, almost three years later, Thames Water resurrected the clearly wrong reading and again told you that an engineer would visit. Meanwhile, it claimed you owe 4,494. This time, the engineer did turn up, and after examining the meter he explained to get the reading shown on bills, you would have had to open a swimming pool. Thames Water told me: 'Our customer service teams have investigated and found this was due to an abnormal meter reading.' Your account has now been recalculated and the result is that you are now 500 in credit! If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. It is time for a refresh. A major refresh that would breathe new life and fire into our tax-friendly investment portfolios while giving a big boost to UK businesses up and down the country. A win-win, a must-must. A flag-waver for Great Britain post-Brexit, a country that collectively we do down more than we big up a result, I think, of our lack of brashness (the Americans have nicked all of that) and innate inclination towards conservatism. No, I'm not talking about a 'refresh' of government, although I would understand if some of you thought I was thinking along those lines (Labour hasn't won the forthcoming General Election quite yet). I'm referring to the urgent need to reinvigorate the investment habit in this country, undermined by years of government and regulatory meddling. Best of British: The time has come to get investing in our country, says Jeff Prestridge An objective that can be met by rebooting the tax-friendly Individual Savings Account and turning it to the advantage of our great nation while keeping its tax-free status (on both capital gains and income) 100 per cent intact. Ladies and gentlemen, its time has come bring on the patriotic Great British Isa and let's get investing in OUR country. An extra annual Isa allowance 5,000 on top of the existing 20,000 that can only be used to invest in UK-listed companies. The UK's Magnificent Seven An investment vehicle which I am sure could put the 'great' back in Great Britain and help stimulate the economy by encouraging the likes of me and you to buy British (shares) rather than go overseas in search of investment opportunities. That is, to hold equities in companies such as AstraZeneca, BAE Systems, BP, Diageo, GlaxoSmithKline, Rolls-Royce, and Unilever the creme de la creme of UK plc. And then to raise an occasional glass of Johnnie Walker's Black Label (Diageo-owned) and toast them as they rise in value or provide us with a healthy dividend. Yes, the UK's own version of the Magnificent Seven maybe not as tech sexy and Artificial Intelligence-infused as the seven across the pond (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla). But companies that are global leaders in their respective fields and deserve our investment backing. What could happen in the Budget? Its moment could come this Wednesday when Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt delivers the last Spring Budget of this Conservative Government. In the past few days, most of the Budget rumours emanating from the London offices of His Majesty's Treasury on Horse Guards Road have taken on a cautionary note: 'no' to income tax cuts (boo); 'no' to a reduction in stamp duty on house purchases (boo); and a fat 'no' to a more benign inheritance tax regime (boo). If these rumours are factual rather than a cunning Treasury wheeze to damp down our expectations of an end to austerity so that Mr Hunt can look saintly come Wednesday it will mean few tidings of joy coming our way. Maybe, another one per cent cut in National Insurance and an extension of the fuel duty freeze. And just maybe, an announcement confirming the launch of the Great British Isa. Let's hope so. Certainly, Treasury officials seem keen on the idea as do swathes of business leaders, investment houses and former politicians such as Baroness Altmann. The former Pensions Minister believes a Great British Isa would boost British businesses, ignite UK financial markets and benefit both the economy and society. A big fly in the ointment could be Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who apparently is of the view that the Government should not be telling investors where they must be investing their hard-earned money. If true, this would be a great shame and represent a betrayal of the foundation stones upon which Isas are built. The history of the Isa Although Isas came into being nearly 25 years ago (April 1999), they were for all intents and purposes a remoulding of the Personal Equity Plan (Pep) that went before. Introduced in 1986 by then Chancellor Nigel Lawson, the objective of the Pep was simple: to encourage investment in the UK stock market by UK investors, not in overseas equity markets. The Pep went on to play its part in the revolution of the 'City' in the 1980s Big Bang turning London into one of the world's go-to financial centres, attracting overseas capital by the bucketload. Investing, fuelled by an ongoing programme of privatisations (for better and for worse), suddenly became de rigueur. On Friday, Baroness Altmann told me: 'It is so important to ensure any investment tax breaks are used to support Britain and not to bolster overseas companies and markets. 'The UK stock market has been devalued as our once strong investor base has eschewed domestic assets in favour of low-cost internationally invested funds that hold precious little in the UK.' She added: 'Backing Britain through Isas will help revive the UK stock market, bring about better investor returns and help boost the economy too. 'A win-win-win. If people want to invest overseas that's fine, but why should they receive taxpayer subsidies. 'There should be encouragement to buy British as we have so many great companies that are languishing on low market ratings relative to the rest of the world when they clearly shouldn't be.' Fine words which I trust Mr Hunt will take on board ahead of Wednesday's Budget. Toast: Investors could raise a glass of Johnnie Walker if owner Diageo's shares rise Why we need a Great British Isa There are so many reasons why the Chancellor should launch the Great British Isa. For a start, the Isa regime has been a longstanding success story, fuelling many people's desire to invest for their retirement. Although governments have fiddled with it over the years for example, bringing out versions to help people buy their own homes or to use as quasi-pension funds most people understand how it works. In simple terms, you can invest 20,000 in any one tax year and any gains (capital or income return) are tax-free. While not as attractive as pensions because contributions do not benefit from tax-relief, they are easier to grasp and are not submerged in the complicated rules that pensions are entwined in. Latest data from His Majesty's Revenue & Customs indicates that around 742 billion is held in Isas by adults, 460 billion of which is in equity-based plans. A Great British Isa would build on this success. It is also time that the Isa was made more attractive. The 20,000 annual allowance has been frozen since April 2017 and is ripe for an increase. The Great British Isa would do this, topping it up to 25,000. But the biggest reason why we should have the British Isa is because it would provide a great fillip to the UK stock market and boy does it need one. As a result of a toxic mix of City complacency, crass City regulations dissuading many institutional investors (insurance companies and pension funds) from investing in UK equities, and widespread private investor disinterest, the UK stock market is going nowhere. Indeed, it is leaking companies as they are either bought by private equity at rock-bottom prices or decide to list elsewhere such as the United States to drum up greater investor interest in their shares. The investment house Premier Miton says that the Great British Isa could raise more than 200 billion in five years for British businesses and push up company share prices in response to investor demand. Of course, not everyone is so gung-ho about the Great British Isa. Some claim it would add to the complexity of Isas while others say it would increase risks for investors. It has even been described in some quarters as a gimmick. Although I'm respectful of their views, I think they are wrong. The Great British Isa is not the answer to all the ills of the UK stock market, but it would provide a boost to both investors and UK plc. And if countries such as France, Italy and Japan already have similar schemes to encourage investment in their homegrown companies, why shouldn't we. Win-win or as Baroness Altmann would say: 'Win-win-win.' Tireless: Margaret Hodge's determined crusades have resulted in her treading on toes on both sides of the political divide It is a lovely cold but sunny day in Westminster, but veteran Labour MP Margaret Hodge has little time to enjoy the weather. Instead she is packing. The member for Barking in East London and her staff are sorting through boxes and cupboards bursting with paperwork and books ahead of her departure before the General Election. 'If you're standing down they only give you five days' notice to clear out when an election is called, so we're getting ahead of it,' she laughs. Hodge, 79, has held her seat since 1994. She announced in 2021 that she wouldn't be standing again. Much of the paraphernalia that is being sifted through relates to tackling tax evasion and the dirty money she says is sloshing through Britain's financial system arguably the campaign that will define her career. For years she has argued that the UK's growing status as a laundromat for tainted cash is imperilling its economic prospects and national security. 'Britain makes a lot of money from being one of the world's key financial centres and our prosperity has been built on the back of being a trusted jurisdiction,' Hodge says. 'But that trustworthiness is ebbing away. The Googles and Amazons of this world are particularly guilty 'We are increasingly becoming the choice for dirty money. And in the long term that is bad for the economy. The Chinese and the Russians all of the potential threats to national security exploit our lack of rules and toothless regulators.' Hodge argues there is a 'spectrum of bad behaviour' in Britain from paying your cleaner in cash to tax avoidance by tech giants. 'The Googles and Amazons of this world are particularly guilty. Economic crime costs our economy around 350 billion a year. That's 15 per cent of our GDP.' It is a timely subject. Jeremy Hunt is scrambling to find ways to provide room for tax cuts in next week's Budget in an attempt to stave off Tory electoral oblivion. Hodge says the Chancellor is missing a trick by not clamping down on tax avoidance. 'You've got to be able to follow the money to make sure people are paying the right tax on their wealth,' she says. If HMRC worked harder and more effectively in pursuing those who deliberately avoid tax, then maybe there would be more money in the public coffers to fund services 'You should be getting the money in from the people who don't pay according to their means, so it goes into the common pot for the common good.' This would provide additional cash to invest in areas such as healthcare, Hodge points out. 'Every penny lost to dodgy tax schemes is one which could be spent on public services.' She adds: 'If HMRC worked harder and more effectively in pursuing those who deliberately avoid paying their fair share of tax, then maybe there would be more money in the public coffers to fund services.' Recent efforts Hodge championed in Parliament to push laws clamping down on dirty money have, in her words, been watered down too much by Ministers even those who previously supported her from the backbenches. She cites the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, which became law in October after a lengthy back and forth between the Commons and the Lords. 'When that Bill landed it was wimpish and we did a lot of work to strengthen it. But did it go far enough? No.' Hodge points out that the new law failed to properly fund enforcement to fight economic crime as well as not creating a specific offence for businesses that fail to put adequate measures in place to prevent money laundering. She also criticises Tory MPs Kevin Hollinrake and Tom Tugendhat, who she says supported crackdown efforts but 'lost their nerve' once in government. Hodge maintains that trying to root out dirty money remains a cross-party issue, but it often requires 'challenging' what she calls the 'practices of the financial services sector'. 'These tax avoidance schemes are constructed by bankers, accountants, lawyers and estate agents. So stopping them is the best way of piercing this growing balloon of dirty money.' She believes the Government's attempts to keep the City on side following Brexit played into the hands of tax dodgers and dirty money agents. 'Because of Brexit, the Government is very nervous about doing anything that they think could damage financial services in the short term.' Last year, Hodge's anti-corruption efforts drew the ire of Tory donor and businessman Mohamed Amersi. He was accused by ex-Conservative Minister David Davis of trying to suppress a report by Hodge into the influence of corrupt money in politics. But she's used to difficult battles. During the Jeremy Corbyn years, she famously confronted the former Labour leader in Parliament to criticise him over the rise of anti-Semitism in the party. And in 2010 she crushed an electoral challenge from the fascist British National Party. We need to protect our financial system Overcoming adversity is part of her heritage. Born in Egypt to German and Austrian-Jewish refugees, Hodge's family moved to Orpington, south-east London, in 1948 to escape anti-Semitism during the first Arab-Israeli War. Her father, industrialist Hans Oppenheimer, co-founded steel trading firm Stemcor in 1951. Hodge was a shareholder buy is no longer one She entered politics in 1973 after winning a seat on Islington Council, then became an MP 21 years later. So will Labour make cleaning up the dirty money problem a key promise ahead of the election? Hodge laughs, saying she has been promoting it to the leadership. 'If I were writing the manifesto, it would be in it. But we'll have to wait and see.' Hodge points out that the issue of dirty money is not party political. 'Both Labour and the Conservatives created this situation,' she says a bold statement from a Minister in the last Labour Government. She admits: 'Labour deregulated like mad and we became an attractive place to hide money.' Labour deregulated like mad and we became an attractive place to hide money She says Foreign Secretary David Cameron and ex-Chancellor George Osborne were among those who helped to create the first register of beneficial ownership in 2016. The register discloses who owns a company or property and is a key tool in the fight against corruption. But efforts to extend this to Britain's overseas jurisdictions have so far come to nothing. Hodge insists that this allows the UK's financial system to be exploited by rogue nations. She points to organisations such as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a proscribed terrorist organisation in the US but not the UK which allegedly uses Iranian banks with branches in London to funnel money to groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. 'It's completely barmy that we allow this,' she says. 'People associated with the IRGC also have millions in property here.' Allegations have recently emerged that banks including Lloyds, HSBC and Standard Chartered have provided services to entities tied to Islamic theocracy. Hodge has also been calling for mandatory checks on the origin of political donations. She also wants to bring back the ability of elections watchdog the Electoral Commission to start criminal proceedings against rule breakers. 'Dirty money has infected dirty politics,' she says, adding that this risks depriving the UK of clean money that is vital for investment. 'We don't need the kleptocrats, the criminals and drug smugglers. You can't grow an economy on the back of dirty money.' A collection of Jack the Ripper-related items once owned by a police inspector involved in the notorious unsolved Victorian case goes up for auction this month. It includes a mortuary photo of first victim Mary Ann 'Polly' Nichols, as well as photos and details of a suspect, Michael Ostrog. Also included is a facsimile copy sent to the police of a 'Dear Boss' letter and a 'Saucy Jack' postcard both from anonymous senders claiming to be the Ripper. The pieces are being sold as one lot by auctioneer Whitton & Laing in Exeter on March 22 with a 10,000 estimate. Gruesome: The Ripper stalked the streets of Whitechapel in East London, killing and mutilating five women between August and November in 1888, before vanishing Fascination in Jack the Ripper and other historical crimes is reflected in the increased value of related artefacts. In the Ripper's case, it is not just the grisly crime that attracts attention but the stories surrounding the perpetrator of this dark mystery. The Ripper stalked the streets of Whitechapel in East London, killing and mutilating five women between August and November in 1888, before vanishing. Andrew Frazer Cole, of Whitton & Laing, says: 'The Ripper continues to capture our imagination. Items connected to his crimes rarely come up, so we expect huge interest. 'Although it may seem ghoulish, as it relates to the Victorian era rather than modern times, it is far enough removed to be acceptable to collect related items. 'A key part of the appeal is it taps into the natural fascination that we have for unsolved murder mysteries.' As with all historic collectables, provenance is key. The hoard was originally owned by Inspector Joseph Henry Helson, who was in charge of the investigation for the first murder. It was kept in Helson's family and is being sold by his great grandson. Other Ripper items recently sold include a postcard sent in 1888 by someone warning how the killer's knife 'is still in good order'. It was sold at auction for 22,000 in 2018, showing there is a keen appetite for the macabre. Another hoard of Ripper artefacts, which included handcuffs, a truncheon, whistle and a notebook carried by Police Constable Edward Watkins on the night he discovered fourth victim Catherine Eddowes was sold for a total of 18,000 ten years ago by JP Humbert Auctioneers in Northamptonshire, since renamed Humbert & Ellis. There is something about the era and place gas lit streets, foggy nights and the brick lanes of East End London that is irresistible to the mind. Jonathan Humbert - JP Humbert Auctioneers Founder Jonathan Humbert says: 'Just holding items such as the whistle in your hand sends shivers down the spine. 'The body of Catherine Eddowes was discovered on Watkins' beat and the murder was believed to have only just occurred. 'The Ripper may well have heard the whistle or even passed the policeman.' The whistle alone sold for 2,600. Humbert says: 'There is something about the era and place gas lit streets, foggy nights and the brick lanes of East End London that is irresistible to the mind. 'With an unsolved murder where the suspects people talked about included a Royal surgeon and even the Prince of Wales, it is no surprise this story has created a collectable market.' It is not just gruesome crimes of the Victorian era that capture the imagination, but minor misdemeanours as well. A 500-page police ledger containing hundreds of mugshots of those arrested between 1890 and 1920 in Derbyshire and other areas was sold for 10,500 a couple of years ago by Hansons Auctioneers more than three times its estimate. It had been rescued from a skip. Jim Spencer, head of Hansons library department, says: 'The images of this bygone age are incredible drawing you into a fascinating snapshot of time and history. 'Many look like characters from the TV period drama Peaky Blinders, dressed in cloth caps and charged with bizarre petty crimes such as stealing a bag of soot. There are also gentlemen wearing bowler hats charged with embezzlement.' The biggest find in the convict snapshots was pacifist Alice Wheeldon, who was convicted of plotting to kill Prime Minister David Lloyd George in 1917. Despite being sentenced to ten years, she was released that same year after going on a hunger strike. It is believed the charges were trumped up and she died two years later. Macabre fascination: Jack the Ripper items still attract huge interest including a letter claiming to be from the Ripper Other recent sales revealing an interest in the macabre include a notebook that belonged to Britain's most famous hangman Albert Pierrepoint, who executed 400 people over a 25-year period up to 1956. One of the last he hanged was Ruth Ellis in 1955, the final woman to be executed in Britain. Her story is being turned into a TV drama this year. The hangman's book included details of height, weight and neck type of each person so he could work out the 'drop' required. The notebook was sold along with photos of himself and his father, also a hangman, for 12,400 by SAS Auctions of Newbury in Berkshire, last year. Humbert also believes an interest in how law breakers do not play by the rules that others in society abide by also adds to the appeal of crime memorabilia. He says: 'The Great Train Robbery of 1963 is almost a modern-day Robin Hood or highway robbery tale with the audacious theft of 2.6 million in used bank-notes from a train hijacked by putting up a false red signal.' Humbert sold Great Train Robbery memorabilia in 2015 that fetched a total of 20,000. Items included Monopoly money played with when the gang was lying low after the robbery, which sold for 400. A watch worn by Ronnie Biggs who later escaped prison and fled to Brazil fetched 900, while a 1 note taken by the robbers went under the hammer for 750. Humbert says: 'Gangsters who like to play by their own set of criminal rules also have a glamourous appeal for collectors despite the often unsavoury nature of what they actually did to gain their notoriety and fame. 'A great example of this is the Kray Twins, leading East End gangsters during the 1950s and 1960s. The twins Ronnie and Reggie still command huge attention.' A decade ago, JP Humbert Auctioneers sold items owned by Ronnie. These included a miniature rotating clock birdcage complete with 'canary' that the twin kept in his Broadmoor cell that sold for 3,200. At a sale in 2009 held by Chiswick Auctions in London, a Ronnie Kray piece of art 'Crucifixion' went for 4,800. But Humbert warns: 'Be wary of buying items relating to criminals off auction websites as the market is flooded with fakes. 'Ideally, use a reputable auction house who can validate provenance. Kray art is a classic example as it is almost childlike so easy to copy. Otherwise, you may unwittingly become a victim of crime.' An evil neighbour who befriended a vulnerable woman and led a 'pack of feral savages' to torture her to death lured her in using drink and drugs after the breakdown of her victim's relationship. Ashana Studholme, 38, was one of a trio of killers who starved and battered mother-of-two Shakira Spencer, 35, to death in west London in 2022. Along with boyfriend Shaun Pendlebury, 26, and Lisa Richardson, 44, Studholme reduced a 'beautiful, happy, healthy' Ms Spencer from a size 16 to a 'gaunt and skeletal' size six, feeding only her packets of ketchup. On Friday, Studholme, Pendlebury and Richardson were each ordered to serve minimum terms of 34 years. On September 12, 2022, the trio beat Ms Spencer to within an inch of her life before putting her in the boot of a car and then locking her in the cupboard of her own home, leaving her to die and her body to rot. She was only found when a neighbour spotted maggots crawling under the front door two weeks later. Ms Spencer was first befriended by Studholme in 2021 when they became neighbours after the breakdown of her relationship. Shakira Spencer, 38, was found dead in her flat in Hanwell, west London, after a neighbour raised the alarm Ashana Studholme, 38, was one of a trio of killers who starved and battered mother-of-two Shakira Spencer, 35, to death in west London in 2022 Ms Spencer (pictured) had been fed just sachets of ketchup as she was enslaved, tortured and shrunk to 'skin and bone', the Old Bailey heard She was well-known as a 'lovable' person, neighbours said, but was also described as 'very slow and socially awkward' - a fact police said made her vulnerable to abuse. Studholme soon weaved her way into Ms Spencer's life, ultimately taking over her finances and controlling her every move. A three-month trial heard Studholme was the leader of 'a pack of feral savages'. She had previous criminal convictions for violence, including an incident in 2013 when she kicked and punched a woman in the back as she lay in the street. After being imprisoned for the offence, in 2017 she admitted a racially aggravated assault on another woman. 'Shakira Spencer was clearly viewed as less than human by these three wicked defendants,' prosecutor Allison Hunter KC told the court. Det Ch Insp Brian Howie of the Metropolitan Police, who led the homicide investigation, told how Ms Spencer just wanted a group of friends who she could rely on. Instead, she found herself at the centre of a circle of evil. He said: 'I think she just wanted to be cared for, loved, have a friendship group around her and was just coerced and manipulated over a long period of time by these people.' Studholme's friend Lisa Richardson, 44, was also found guilty of murder Shaun Pendlebury, 26, a former partner of Studholme, was also convicted of murder Describing Studholme, he added: 'Ashana Studholme is a cruel, manipulative, coercive individual. 'She seems to have a power over people and controls them. She is just a vile person.' After initially befriending her, Ms Spencer was soon controlled completely by Studholme. Studholme isolated her from friends and family and ensured all of Ms Spencer's money came directly to her. She was effectively enslaved on the trio's behalf and was frequently made to get up in the early hours of the morning to run errands for them. Ms Spencer was forced to sleep under newspapers in the hallway at Studholme's home. After their arrests, police officers found hundreds of messages on their phones describing the awful abuse and violence they had subjected Ms Spencer to. Richard and Studholme were found to have shared mocking images of her, while videos of Ms Spencer being beaten up while the others watched on were also recovered. The abuse suffered by Ms Spencer gradually increased until, in September 2022, she fell victim to a final, sustained attacks over the course of one weekend at Studholme's Harrow flat. Ms Spencer had gone from being a 'beautiful, happy, healthy' size 16 to a 'gaunt and skeletal' size six shortly before her death, jurors heard Ashana Studholme was found guilty of Ms Spencer's murder She had boiling water poured over her, a lighter and spray cap were used as a blowtorch, and she was beaten around the head with a heavy massaging device. After returning her to her flat in Ealing, West London, the trio took steps to clean the premises of any trace of them, as well as their own properties of any DNA or items belonging to Ms Spencer. Police later found paperwork showing Studholme was receiving all of Ms Spencer's benefits. Documents that would form part of the evidence against her were either hidden underneath her mattress of stored in a bag which was emblazoned with the phrase: 'It wasn't me'. Prosecutor Ms Hunter told the trial: 'Over the months leading up to her murder the defendants, primarily Studholme and Richardson subdued and dominated Shakira so totally that she was under all of their complete control. 'She was isolated from everyone she had previously known, her free will seemingly sapped and stolen from her. 'They stole her self-respect, her finances, took over her flat, treated her like a slave, ordering her to wake up in the early hours of the morning to clean their houses, sending her to the shops to do their errands, feeding her only on sachets of ketchup and then in circumstances of unbelievable depravity, boasted about and on occasion photographed and filmed what they did and were intending to do to her. 'This was the slow erosion of a human being over many months culminating in what the Crown says was a sustained, frenzied and almost feral attack over several days - scalding her, blowtorching her, hitting her head, whipping her with belts and hitting with fists and a glass bottle. 'When that didn't kill her outright she was bundled into a boot, taken to her own flat and locked in a cupboard and denied even food or water until she died. 'She was then left to rot in a bed as they attempted to mop up anything showing their involvement. 'Shakira Spencer was clearly perceived by these defendants as a species less than human.' Following their convictions, Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie said: 'My thoughts today, and that of my team, are with Shakira Spencer's family and friends. During the trial they listened to deeply traumatising evidence of the depraved acts of indescribable cruel torment committed by the three defendants. 'They murdered Shakira in the most savage and inhumane way imaginable. 'Shakira was a beautiful, happy mother who was kind and had a trusting nature. 'Shakira could be vulnerable and these defendants took advantage of that by controlling and isolating her from everyone she knew in order to control and enslave her in the most dehumanising and degrading way. 'The family's ordeal has been compounded by the behaviour of the defendants, who have each lied, providing implausible accounts and explanations to try and absolve themselves of any responsibility. 'Whatever their cruel and sadistic motives were, there is no acceptable explanation for what Shakira was put through.' Questions surrounding President Joe Biden's age and mental fitness grow every day. With eight months to go until his likely rematch with Donald Trump, Democratic party officials have largely united behind the 81-year-old despite most Americans fearing he is too old to run again. The incumbent also has 140 years of history on his side and will be hoping he doesn't meet the same fate of a little-known president who didn't get his party's backing for a second term. While Biden is certain he wants to run again and firmly believes he will win, his predecessor who was pushed out more than a century ago didn't fight for the job and likely knew he wouldn't live to see the end of his second term. Political parties do not just deny sitting incumbents the nomination, at least not if they were previously elected as Biden was in 2020. Only five sitting presidents have been denied their party's nominations for a second term in U.S. history, and the circumstances surrounding those nominations could not be more different. The most recent sitting president to not receive the party nod was President Chester Arthur, who served from 1881 to 1885 and ended up in the White House entirely by accident. Chester Arthur served as president from 1881 to 1885 after President Garfield was assassinated. At the time he was added to the ticket as the Republican vice presidential nominee, he had never held an elected office nor had he ever sought one. Arthur was not even elected president for his first term and became the most powerful man in the U.S. having never even served in elected public office. He ascended to the presidency when President James Garfield was assassinated less than a year after his inauguration. 'It was even a surprised [Arthur] was even placed on the ticket in 1880 and the reason that he ended up as the vice presidential nominee was because the Republican Party was trying to placate the boss of the Republican machine in New York State,' said biographer Scott Greenberger. 'He was an accidental nominee and then he became an accidental president when Garfield was shot,' Greenberger said. 'No one had any reason to believe that at a time of peace and with a very young, vigorous president, Arthur would get anywhere near the White House.' As vice president, Arthur had been loyal to his party boss, Roscoe Conkling, and openly opposed Garfield, so at the time there were people and newspapers that suggested the two had something to do with Garfield's assassination. In another surprise twist, Arthur had a complete transformation once becoming president. He championed civil service reform while disavowing the political machine politicians that made him, Greenberger noted. However, when it came time to nominate a candidate in 1884, Arthur did not receive the nomination. While he kept his name in the running for the nomination, there were questions about whether he truly wanted it. He ascended to the presidency when President James Garfield was assassinated less than a year after his inauguration He had upset the political machine during his term but reformers were still wary of him because of his background. The nomination process was different from what it is now with primaries instead deciding on the nominee at the convention, which in 1884 was in Chicago. 'I think he was conflicted about it, he certainly wanted the approval of the party and of his country and would have probably accepted the nomination if had given it to him, but he didn't do what he could have to get the nomination,' Greenberger said. 'In fact his main lieutenant, that would be the Navy Secretary, was ready to go to Chicago where the convention was going to be and short of marshal the Arthur forces and help him to win the nomination,' Greenberger said. 'But Arthur said "no, I don't want you to do that."' What was not publicly known at the time, was Arthur had Bright's diseases. If he had been nominated and won, he would not have survived a second term. He died in 1886 from complications from the disease. Arthur did not take his name out of contention for the nomination for a second term, but he did not do everything he could to help secure the nomination according to biographer Scott Greenberger. It was also not publicly known that he had a fatal kidney disease. He passed away in 1886 from complications in 1886 and would not have completed a second term should he have received the nomination and won Instead, the nomination went to former Maine Senator James Blaine on the fourth ballot at the convention. He ended up losing the election to Democrat Grover Cleveland. Since Arthur, no other sitting president who has kept his name in contention has ever been denied a nomination for a second term, though there have been primary challenges. But even before Arthur, only four other sitting presidents have ever been denied their party nomination and three hadn't even been elected in their own right. John Tyler, Millard Fillmore and Andrew Johnson all were vice presidents who took office upon the death of the president. The fourth was President Franklin Pierce who became embattled leading up to the Civil War with his support for the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which reopened the question of slavery in the west. Presidents Johnson, Tyler and Fillmore were all vice presidents who took office following the deaths of their sitting presidents while in office Franklin Pierce served as 14th President of the United States from 1853 to 1857. He was denied the renomination for a second term. Democrats instead nominated James Buchanan 'The comparison is really one of eras, not individuals,' historian and professor David Greenberg told DailyMail.com by email. 'Until the 20th century, no president who ascended to the presidency from the vice presidency on the death of his predecessor... received so much as his party's nomination, let alone a full "second" term." It just was not the norm.' Greenberg pointed out President Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to break that mold. After he became president following the assassination of President William McKinley, he campaigned for a second term in 1904 and won. Biden formally clinched the Democratic nomination for president in June 2020 after receiving the 1,991 delegates necessary to become the party nominee. In the end he received more than 50 percent of the vote in a primary that at one point had 25 candidates Biden celebrating after being declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election over Trump on November 7, 2020. Biden received 306 Electoral College votes. He also won the popular vote with more than 81 million Americans casting ballots for him Biden at 81-years-old is the oldest sitting president. Prior to his election the oldest serving president was Ronald Reagan who left office at 77-years-old There is no historical comparison one can point to as an example in the argument for Democrats denying Biden the nomination for a second term. He was a former vice president and longtime senator who won the Democratic primary in 2020 against a crowded field of candidates. There have been those who have pointed out Biden, the oldest serving president at 81, ran four years ago as a 'transitional' candidate, but in the end he never specifically said that would mean only four years. Two beautiful adventuresses, 50 years apart. Both sexy, both worldly, they quit the stultifying climate of Australia to sail for London in search of a husband, a title and, who knows, maybe even a future king! Unfazed by the decorum and precedence which reigned in the London of their day, the two Aussie women ruthlessly cut their way through the ranks of well-bred society 'gels' to capture and marry their lord. And then - the only way was up! Some may remember the delectable blonde Dale 'Kanga' Harper, who married royal courtier Lord Tryon but ended her days in tragic disgrace. Dale 'Kanga' Harper who married Lord Tryon who was linked to Prince Charles Sheila Chisholm who married Lord Loughborough and was linked to Albert, Duke of York, the future King George VI Shelia with Lord Loughborough and their son. Her second husband, Sir John Milbanke, is on the right Freda Dudley Ward was a friend of Sheila's and introduced her to the future George VI, left, when she was having an affair with the Prince of Wales, right Sheila Chisholm divorced her first husband and married Sir John Milbanke But who recalls the name of Sheila Chisholm, daughter of a wealthy sheep farmer, who caused a mighty king to wobble and give away a dukedom? They came to England, they saw, and they conquered via the bedroom. Crazy, adorable Sheila was a fast worker. Born in New South Wales 1895 she bagged her man Lord Loughborough, son and heir of the 5th earl of Rosslyn - very soon after her 17th birthday. They'd met in Cairo where Sheila was visiting her brother, a serving officer in the Australian army. By the time she was 23, she'd met the future King George VI then known as Prince Albert, or Bertie - through her best friend Freda Dudley Ward, married to a Liberal MP and the mistress of the Prince of Wales. The princes, not in the slightest bit abashed by squiring these married women with young children around town, started going out together as a foursome - 'The Four Do's', David, the Prince of Wales dubbed them. They called themselves a club and awarded themselves a teddy bear as a mascot, with David and Freda describing themselves as 'bear leaders'. By this time David was a seasoned veteran in the bedroom but his shy, stuttering younger brother was not. At the time he met Sheila Bertie's experience was limited to one or two women only, and he fell hook, line and sinker for her sexual prowess a prowess which in later years would lead her to become the lover of sex-god Rudolph Valentino. King George V was outraged. He knew all about his elder son's obsession with Freda but when he came to hear about Bertie and Sheila, he exploded. The heir to the throne, and now the next in line, both cavorting with married women it had to stop! The king knew he was powerless to stop David fling with Freda but he sensed in his second son a willingness to toe the line. Bertie, by now 27 but still being forced to live within the royal palaces without a home of his own, sensed a chink in his father's armour and between them they struck a deal. Bertie would give up his married mistress and in return he'd be created Duke of York, have his own royal establishment, and be free to find a roof of his own. To some women, being turned away at the palace gates would be a shattering blow but not Sheila, she'd suffered worse. Her husband Loughie as he was known was an alcoholic and compulsive gambler who would not live to inherit his father's earldom. She took being dropped with good grace and she and Bertie remained friends. But Sheila wasn't hanging around she divorced Loughie and married a baronet, Sir John 'Buffles' Milbanke, with a bit more of money and who was devoted to her. After Buffles died aged 45, she finally became a princess by marrying Russian Prince Dmitri Romanov, a descendant of Tsar Nicholas I with whom she spent her final days, happily. The end was not so happy for Lady Dale 'Kanga' Tryon. But, for a time, she joyously followed in Sheila's footsteps by sailing for Britain and getting herself romanced by Anthony, Lord Tryon who at the time worked as a merchant banker in the City of London. Born to be a courtier, Tryon was a Page of Honour to the Queen whose father had been Keeper of the Privy Purse, a crucial appointment in the royal establishment. He was a welcome guest at Balmoral and, though older, a friend of Prince Charles. No question, his wife was gorgeous. The big hair, the luscious lips, and the perfect pout entranced Prince Charles then still single and before long, the two were lovers. Dale Harper married Lord Tryon in 1973 and became Lady Dale 'Kanga' Tryon Charles, Prince of Wales, holds his nine-week-old godson, Charles George Barrington Tryon, after the boy's baptism at the Church of St Andrews at Durnford in Wiltshire Camilla Shand married Andrew Parker Bowles at the Guards Chapel in 1973 Princess Diana wore a dress designed by Kanga at the Live Aid Concert - thought to have been an act of revenge Prince Charles with Lady Dale 'Kanga' Tryon Prince Charles and Princess Diana at the Pink Diamond Ball Charity Gala The one non-negotiable - as they always like to say - person in Charles's life was Camilla. They'd met in 1972 but in July the following year Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles, a career soldier and until at least the birth of the couple's first-born nearly 18 months later, Camilla was off-limits. During that time Kanga stepped up to play the part of maitresse en titre chief royal mistress while Camilla could only look on from the sidelines. She can't have liked it when Charles described Kanga as 'the only woman who truly understood me'. But once Camilla was back in the saddle, Kanga was pushed aside. A shrewd businesswoman and it must be said, a very likeable person Kanga took being dumped on the chin, and monetised it. It was Charles who, in the first flush of passion had dubbed her 'Kanga' - and now she used this fabled title, with its royal association, to create a fashion brand. Starting with offices in London's West End she swiftly expanded her business and opened an upscale boutique in Beauchamp Place, a step away from Princess Diana's favourite lunch haunt, San Lorenzo. The two women shared an opinion on Camilla's place in Charles's life, and by way of revenge Diana wore a Kanga dress for her high-profile arrival at Live Aid in 1985. The worldwide TV audience looking at that dress, and the person wearing it, was estimated at 1.5 billion a neat act of revenge, if that's what it was, on the man who'd spurned them both. Over the coming years Kanga continued to imply, without actually ever saying so, a special closeness to Charles. Lady Dale Tryon at home at Great Durnford Manor in 1997 It was good for business, but also it signalled a yawning gap in the once-bubbly socialite's life. In truth the relationship was over long ago and of relatively short duration. Illness which had dogged her all her life came to close its grip around her, and she took to painkillers as a means of keeping the stars in her sky. She made accusations against her long-suffering husband, Lord Tryon, and paid the price he divorced her. But still she soldiered on, taking up residence in The Ritz Hotel, until death came to call at the tragically early age of 49. She spoke to me in those last days of her abiding admiration for Charles. But that love for Charles had broken her heart and, in the end, cracked her mind. The Netherlands is best known for tulips, windmills and bicycles - but the culmination of a six-year-long mega trial this week has brought its violent criminal underworld, and the brutal drug barons that occupy it, into sharp focus. The Marengo Trial saw Europe's most feared kingpin jailed for life following a campaign of terror dubbed 'the bloody years', with his criminal network linked to murders, a torture chamber and a severed head found in the streets of Amsterdam. As the 'undisputed leader' of the Mocro Maffia - a bloodthirsty drug trafficking network with links to Morocco - Ridouan Taghi 'decided who would be killed and spared no one,' the judge said. He amassed a fortune of $1 billion (789 million) and became one of the world's most wanted men, guarded by his network of criminal cronies who lived and worked by the motto: 'If you talk, you die.' The gang was true to its word, and omerta killings linked back to it abounded, with associates found dead in a series of gruesome executions which earned it the reputation of a 'well-oiled killing machine'. With journalists and lawyers murdered and even the prime minister and members of the royal family facing threats, the barbaric gang violence of recent years has given Holland the reputation of a 'narco state'. Ridouan Taghi (pictured) was handed a life sentence by a Dutch court A torture chamber, discovered by Dutch police, allegedly used by criminals to detain and interrogate prisoners Dutch police use explosives to enter a building where a torture chamber was hidden in June 2020 In 2016, a severed head was placed outside a central Amsterdam hangout used by the gang's rivals. Pictured: Horrifying footage circulated seemingly showing the body part A gun discovered by Dutch police in 2020 inside a torture chamber hidden in a shipping container Taghi and 16 others stood trial for six murders, four attempted murders, and countless other attacks planned between 2015 and 2017. But the influence of the Mocro Maffia was felt long before that, and, despite the 'Marengo Circus' putting Taghi and many others behind bars, it is expected to continue for some time to come. Taghi went from something of a nobody to 'Europe's biggest drug lord' in a matter of years, rising through the ranks as he smuggled record quantities of cocaine into the continent's ports. He became one of the world's most wanted men, guarded by his network of criminal cronies who lived and worked by the motto: 'If you talk, you die.' The son of Moroccan immigrants, Taghi had moved to Vianen, Utrecht, as a small boy and was one of ten children. He first got a taste for criminality as a teenager, dealing drugs and carrying out robberies as part of a youth gang known as the Bad Boys. He was sentenced for burglaries and possessing weapons as a teenager in 1992, but in the subsequent years remained largely in the shadows. By his early 20s, he moved into transportation, working as a fixer in his native Morocco and moving hash through a smuggling route to Spain and back to the Netherlands - where it had recently been decriminalised. The Dutch-Moroccan leader of the Mocro Mafia, Ridouan Taghi, was arrested in 2019 When South American cartels began to turn their attentions to Europe in the early 2000s, pushing cocaine through North Africa to the continent, he took advantage. Dissatisfied with low-level dealing and something of an entrepreneur, Taghi worked quickly, forming connections with cartel bosses around the world. He rose through the ranks and stood out for his business sense and brutality, and has since worked with the Italian mafia, Ireland's notorious Kinahan clan, and Eastern European mobs. As Dutch cocaine traffickers started raking in money, power struggles in the gangs began to take hold. Bitter rivalries developed, with the 'King of Amsterdam' Gwenette Martha, dispatched in a 2014 turf war. Months later, another boss called Samir Bouyakhhrichan - known as 'scarface' was shot dead in Spain. The killing paved the way for Taghi to take control the top spot, and what began as a group of teenagers yearning for a glamourous gangster lifestyle began to grow into the Netherlands' most notorious crime organisation. Taghi was convicted on five murder counts, including on a man called Hakim Changachi, (pictured) who was gunned down in Utrecht in 2017 in what prosecutors say was a case of mistaken identity Naima Jilal, who is also believed to be one of the victims of Taghi Ronald Bakker, who was shot dead outside his home after the gang suspected that he had been co-operating with the police Taghi, desperate to keep his identity under wraps at any cost, set about hiring his old Bad Boy comrades in a bid to shore up loyalty. The lid was only lifted on his mysterious identity when an associate called 'The Butcher' came to police in 2015, fearing for his life. The rival boss, whose real name was Ebrahim Buzhu, reported Taghi and his suspected right-hand man after his associates had trackers placed under their cars. Investigating officers knew so little about Taghi they misspelt his first name, but the revelation enabled them to start putting the pieces together. A month later, police uncovered a huge arsenal of deadly weapons at an address in Vianen, inlcuding an Uzi pistol, 36 automatic weapons and hand grenades. Buzhu, who years later was set to testify against Taghi, was later found dead before he had the chance to. The 52-year-old was found with a gunshot to the head in a burnt out car in Cadiz, Spain. Another perceived traitor was liquidated after police cracked encrypted messages, allowing them to uncover a cache of weapons. Pictured: A map shows the several methods and land, sea and air routes used to traffic cocaine from the three main producers of the drug - Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia - into the world's largest market for the stimulant: Europe Rotterdam Public Prosecution Service shows 17,637 pounds of cocaine in Rotterdam after it was seized by customs authorities in 2023 A GPS system and tracking devices had been bought from spyshop owner Ronald Bakker, who was suspected of co-operating with the police. No more traitors or double-dealing,' Taghi said, adding that he hoped whoever was responsible 'would be gone tomorrow'. While a plot to bazooka the shop was foiled, Bakker was later shot dead outside his home. In another chilling threat, a severed head was placed outside a central Amsterdam hangout used by the gang's rivals. The body part was positioned as though it was looking into the shisha lounge - an apparent warning to enemy gangsters inside. Perhaps the most disturbing episode of all was the discovery of a specially-built torture chamber dubbed the 'treatment room'. A phone which police claim had been in Taghi's possession contained a series of chilling images from inside a shipping container, which had been fitted with a dentist's chair and sound-proofing. Hammers, wire cutters, pliers and even a hedge trimmer were found in the torture chamber for use on victims One container contained police uniforms, thought to have been used to help with kidnappings, and a chemical toilet A video of the raid taken by Dutch authorities shows a container with handcuffs and a single chemical toilet 'One of the photos shows a naked woman tied to a chair with tape. Another photo would show a belly with a cut finger and a toe,' police said at the time. 'In a third photo, a woman is lying naked on her stomach on the floor.' The victim, authorities believe, was Naima Jilal, a Dutch-Moroccan woman who was involved in the cocaine trade. From the photos' metadata, police determined that the photos were taken on the night of 20 to 21 October 2019 - the same night Jilal went missing. Taghi's lawyers denied the phone could be linked to their client. Dutch police found the room, which held a dentist chair equipped with restraints, when they raided a warehouse in south of Rotterdam in 2020. The killing which most shocked the Netherlands, and the world, was the cold-blooded murder of famous crime reporter Peter R de Vries. The 64-year-old journalist was shot in the head outside a television studio in Amsterdam in July 2021, with prosecutors linking the killing to his role in the trial of a Dutch drugs mafia kingpin. He died nine days later of his injuries. Prosecutors have sought life sentences for three of the suspects in his slaying, who are being tried separately to Marengo. Investigative journalist Peter de Vries was gunned down in broad daylight in the streets of Amsterdam De Vries was gunned down in broad daylight in Amsterdam as he walked to his car following a regular TV appearance. Pictured: The scene De Vries was first aware of the threat to him years before hos death, writing on Twitter in May 2019: 'Justice and the police have informed me that I am on the death list of the fugitive Ridouan Taghi and that he has ordered my liquidation.' While Taghi's men reassured him that he posed no threat to the famous reporter, de Vries later acted as a 'confidential counsel' to Nabil Bakkali, the state's star witness in his trial. As well as de Vries, Bakkali's brother and lawyer were also shot dead. The wave of murders gave the already grim trial 'a pitch-black edge,' the presiding judge told a packed courtroom. While police suspect he was involved in many more killings, Taghi was successfully convicted on five murder counts. Among the victims was a man called Hakim Changachi, who was gunned down in Utrecht in 2017 in what prosecutors say was a case of mistaken identity. 'Taghi ordered the hit' on another man who lived in the same block of flats as Changachi, the judge said. 'Taghi was responsible for the mistake,' the judge added. A warrant for his Taghi's arrest was issued in 2018 and he became known as the Netherlands' most-wanted man when a 100,000 bounty was offered for information on his whereabouts - the largest ever offered by Dutch police. Finally, following years of investigations and a worldwide manhunt, Taghi was found hiding in Dubai in December 2019, and he was arrested and extradited back to the Netherlands to face trial. The Marengo Trial saga finally concluded this week after six years - with the drug overlord told he may never see the outside of prison again. Taghi built a fortune of $1 billion (789 million) after rising his way through the ranks of the feared 'Mocro Mafia' by smuggling huge quantities of cocaine into Europe Judges handed life sentences to three of the defendants, including Taghi, once the Netherlands most-wanted fugitive, at a courthouse known as the 'Bunker'. 'We are sentencing all 17 suspects. Ridouan Taghi gets life in prison,' a judge at Amsterdam District Court declared at the biggest criminal trial in the country's history. Despite many breathing a sigh of relief that Taghi is at last behind bars for good, experts are warning that jailing him will not be enough to quell his influence outside the prison walls - nor disrupt the flow of cocaine into Europe. Dutch society has gained a reputation for its liberal stance on drugs, with cannabis attracting tourists and becoming a huge part of the country's culture. But now, there are fears that a crackdown is needed if there is hope of getting the situation under control. Jan Struijs, the chairman of the Nederlandse PolitieBond police union, has described his country as a 'narco-state 2.0'. A US Marines plane that went down during World War Two has been discovered in the South Pacific, 80 years after it went missing in action, DailyMail.com can confirm. The twisted wreckage of a Douglas SBD Dauntless was found in January in the jungle of Papua New Guinea by locals who had heard tales of a nearby crash for generations. Photos of the plane's serial number (35971) match a Dauntless that went down on January 14, 1944 with pilot Lt. Billy Ray Ramsey and gunner Sgt. Charlie J. Sciara aboard. The two Marines were officially declared dead within a year of the crash, but their remains have not been recovered, and both remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). US Department of Defense officials told DailyMail.com this week they are aware of the reports of the wreck and are currently working to get a team of investigators to the site. A US Marines plane that went down during World War Two has been discovered in the South Pacific, 80 years after it went missing in action Pilot Lt. Billy Ray Ramsey (left) was killed in the crash, while gunner Sgt. Charlie J. Sciara (right) is believed to have died soon after in an Imperial Japanese POW camp Pictures from the crash site on the island of New Ireland show the engine, propeller and wreckage from the downed plane littered across the jungle floor. According to locals who discovered the wreckage, human remains were also found with the wreck - but their identity has not yet been confirmed. 'The story was told by some of our grandparents and passed on to us that there was a plane crash on the mountain part of the jungle, but they did not know where exactly it crashed,' said local Kilala Kindau, who led the team that made the find. Kindau said his team conducted a search through the jungle in December into January before locating the wreckage. Kindau said his team found a serial number on the wreckage and sent it to the US embassy, which confirmed the plane was American. 'The plane was crashed and broke into three pieces, leaving the pilot trapped inside and unable to escape,' he said. That fits with accounts of tragic final mission of Ramsey's Dauntless, which was assigned to Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 236, also known as the 'Black Panthers'. On January 14, 1944, the light bomber took off from Munda Airfield on New Georgia with Ramsey at the controls and Sciara manning the rear gunner position. A group of US Navy Douglas Dauntless dive-bombers prepare for a run on Japanese-held Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands, 1944 The incident was recorded in the war diary of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 236, also known as the 'Black Panthers' On January 14, 1944, the light bomber took off from Munda Airfield on New Georgia with Ramsey at the controls and Sciara manning the rear gunner position Pictures from the crash site show the engine and propeller and shrapnel from the downed plane littered across the jungle floor Parts of the plane are seen after they were found across the jungle floor in Papua New Guinea Kilala Kindau said his team conducted a search through the jungle in December into January before locating the wreckage The SBD Dauntless was found in early January deep in the jungle in Papua New Guinea The target was Imperial Japanese shipping in the vicinity of strategically vital Rabaul Harbor, known as the Empire's fortress in the Southwest Pacific. The attack force that day included 36 Dauntless planes and 18 TBF Avengers escorted by 73 fighters. The bombing run was one of many over the course of a multi-year air campaign targeting Rabaul. War records indicate the mission encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire and was intercepted by multiple waves of enemy fighters. 'Lt. Billy R. Ramsey of this squadron had his tail shot off by anti-aircraft fire while the flight was approaching the target area,' according to the squadron's war diary. When last seen the plane was in a 'flat spin,' according to the diary. Initially, both Ramsey and Sciara were presumed dead in the crash, but after the war ended, information came to light indicating that Sciara survived and was captured by Japanese forces. 'After the war my parents received a letter from the Marine Corps stating Sgt Charles Sciara did not die on January 14, 1944,' said Sciara's brother John Sciara in a remembrance posted to Pacific Wrecks. 'He somehow survived the crash and was taken prisoner by the Japanese and died in an unknown prison camp,' he added. 'They say he might have died February 22, 1944 from Malaria and beri-beri. He probably was murdered by the Japanese,' the brother said. 'My family was very upset after the war and was not sure what to believe.' John was only 10 months old when his brother died, and never saw him alive. Sgt. Sciara, a Brooklyn native, was 20 at the time of his death in a POW camp. 'They and many others gave up their tomorrows for our todays,' said John in the online tribute. Ramsey, the pilot from Eastland, Texas, is believed to have died in the crash. He was posthumously promoted to captain and earned the Purple Heart. Both Ramsey and Sciara are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. Sciara also has a memorial marker at Arlington National Cemetery, in section H. Kindau said his team found a serial number on the wreckage and sent it to the US embassy, which confirmed the plane was American 'Lt. Billy R. Ramsey of this squadron had his tail shot off by anti-aircraft fire while the flight was approaching the target area,' according to the squadron's war diary Photos of the wrecked plane's serial number 35971 match that of a Dauntless that went down on January 14, 1944 Another piece of wreckage with identifying marks and and a transcription is seen above Ammunition and other items found at the crash site are seen above DailyMail.com was unable to locate surviving family members of either Ramsey or Sciara. The Dauntless was a versatile naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944, which flew from both carriers and airstrips. The constructor's number on the wreck - 4610 - matches up to information on Ramsey's Dauntless available online. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, part of the US Department of Defense, is charged with recovering American military personnel who are prisoners of war or missing in action. A spokesperson said on Wednesday: 'DPAA has received multiple reports that wreckage potentially associated with missing personnel was recently discovered on New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. 'We are working to get a team of investigators to the site as soon as we can. 'As the agency responsible for recovering the remains of Americans missing from past conflicts, DPAA is committed to pursuing this lead.' On Monday, perverted killer Scarlet Blake was jailed for life for murdering a stranger to satisfy her warped sexual desire. The 26-year-old murdered engineer Jorge Martin Carreno, 30, as he walked home alone from a night out in Oxford on July 25, 2021. Sentencing Blake, the judge said there was a 'clear sexual motivation' for the killing. She led him to a secluded riverbank before hitting him on the head with what is thought to have been a vodka bottle or something else she had brought with her before she strangled him and pushed him into the water, where he drowned. Blake, who is transgender, had a fixation with murder and killed for 'sexual gratification', according to prosecutors. The murder came four months after she filmed herself mutilating and dissecting a neighbour's cat before putting its body in a blender as a Valentine's gift to her trans sex worker girlfriend in the US, Ashlynn Bell. In the early hours of July 25, the day of the killing, Blake took a photo of herself wearing a combat jacket that was intended to look dark and menacing and sent it to Ashlynn Bell. After the murder, she told Bell of the jacket's significance and sent it to her. When it was recovered, the jacket 'had Ashlynn Bell's semen all over it', the judge said. Scarlet Blake, pictured in August last year, was convicted at Oxford Crown Court The court heard Blake confessed to former partner Ashlynn Bell (pictured), who lives in the US, that she had killed him with a homemade garrotte before throwing his body in the water BMW worker Mr Carreno (pictured) had been on a night out when he was approached by Blake A still image from a video issued by police of Scarlet Blake holding a cat head after killing it Blake had been inspired by the Netflix show Don't F**k with Cats, about a pet killer, and she grinned and 'meowed' as she tortured the animal during a sickening live-stream video. She remained free for more than two years after Mr Carreno's death and the case was blown open only when her now-former partner, a gun-obsessed trans escort, told police that she had confessed to the murder following a blazing row. A jury of five women and seven men reached a verdict of guilty to murder after deliberating for six hours following a trial lasting eight days. Mr Justice Chamberlain sentenced her to life in prison with a minimum term of 23 years and 169 days, after he said she derived 'pleasure' from the killing of both Mr Carreno and her neighbours' cat. Moreover, the judge said she 'revelled' in her disgusting actions by using her 'status as a murderer to secure the admiration of others who shared your interests in harm, death and killing'. During sentencing, he 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 because your emotions overcame you. Blake's ex-partner Ms Bell (pictured) has a fearsome collection of military-grade weapons and equipment as well as a liking for Nazi memorabilia Witness Ashlynn Bell told police that she was too mentally damaged to give evidence in court An image entitled 'First date with me' which showed pictures of duct tape, a knife, rope and a handgun had also been downloaded to the 25-year-old's phone, the court has previously been told Prosecutors say Blake had a fetish for strangulation and was obsessed with violence and death. Jurors were previously shown a collage of nine female criminals that was saved on Blake's phone 'It was the culmination of a plan you had been considering and formulating for months. 'The messages you sent before and after 25 July 2021 show an obsession with harm and death.' Jorge Martin Carreno was one of three triplets who had only turned 30 on July 7, less than three weeks before his murder. During Blake's sentencing, the judge said of Mr Carreno: 'His brothers and parents describe him as someone who radiated kindness and humour and spread joy with his wit and contagious curiosity. The court heard Blake had an 'extreme interest in death and in harm' and killed the family pet after watching the Netflix documentary 'Don't F*** With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer' In the show, a man films himself putting two kittens in a translucent plastic storage bag before he switched on a vacuum cleaner and sucked out all the air Luka Magnotta films himself killing kittens before going on to kill Jun Lin Luka Rocco Jun Lin was brutally murdered by Luka Magnotta 'He was always ready to help and lend a listening ear to others. 'His life was full of love for music, photography, climbing and sports. 'He had studied electrical engineering and dreamed of making a difference in the world. 'He used his engineering skills in his work here in Oxford, at the BMW plant in Cowley.' His ex-partner Irene Hidalgo 'described him as the kindest person she had ever met', the judge added. The dearly loved engineer was brutally killed by sick murderer Blake, who later told one of her partners she committed the horrific act 'because my lover said it'd be hot'. Blake believed, correctly, that Ashlynn Bell would find the murder sexually exciting. Scarlet Blake pictured in Intrusion nightclub in Oxford A mugshot issued by Thames Valley Police of Scarlet Blake who was found guilty of murder Sick picture captures moment trans killer puts cat in a blender before carrying out twisted murder which bares harrowing similarities to Luka Magnotta's real-life crime A sick picture captures transgender killer Scarlet Blake relishing the moment she puts a cat in a blender before carrying out a twisted murder in a chilling echo of a Netflix true crime documentary. Blake, 26, live-streamed the killing and dissection of a cat four months before she targeted Jorge Martin Carreno, 30, as he walked home from a night out in Oxford in July 2021. She had admitted dissecting the animal, removing the fur and skin and placing it in a blender but blames her former partner Ashlynn Bell. The court previously heard Blake had an 'extreme interest in death and in harm' and killed the family pet after watching a Netflix documentary called Don't F*** With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer. In the programme a man, Luka Magnotta, kills kittens before filming a murder. Prosecutors had alleged the cat killing was relevant to the murder trial as it shows Blake has a 'disturbing interest in what it would be like to harm a living creature'. Blake deliberately set out to kill after previously revelling in the slaughter and dissection of a neighbour's cat. While her death obsessed partner Bell watched from her home in the US, Blake live streamed cutting up the cat while it was still alive. A vet determined it would have been in extreme pain until its heart was ripped out. Police would later find the heart in a trinket box that Blake kept as a souvenir. It was only after Blake's arrest in August 2023 they discovered the cat killing video and her fetish for strangulation and they launched Operation Ingmar. Advertisement Twisted killer Blake stunned police who came to arrest her for murder by revealing that she had the microchip from a cat implanted in her own body. Hours after being arrested for the murder of random stranger Jorge Martin Carreno, Blake - who would later claim to identify as a cat and meow when happy - blurted out to officers that she had been 'chipped'. Initially sceptical, officers quickly obtained a machine reader - and were amazed to discover that Blake did indeed have a microchip inserted in her own chest. It remains unclear where or why she obtained the device, as it's not thought to have been taken from Starlet, the neighbours' cat that four months earlier she had sliced up and put in a food blender. Mr Carreno's body was found floating in the River Cherwell in Oxford in 2021. His death was initially thought to be accidental or suicide and remained unsolved for two years. In fact, Blake was so confident she had carried out the 'perfect murder' that she had boasted about it to her girlfriend. Yet a blazing row between her and sex worker Ashlynn Bell during which guns were pulled led to police being tipped off about her confession. The Mail revealed that the case rested on information provided by Ms Bell, who didn't give evidence because prosecutors feared she would ruin their chance of a conviction. Messages between the pair recovered by detectives showed a dark fascination with violence and death, with scarcely an exchange passing without reference to murder or self harm. Photographs show that Ms Bell has a fearsome collection of military-grade weapons and equipment as well as a liking for Nazi memorabilia. She also advertised herself on a website for trans prostitutes in Texas, where she charges $100 an hour for her services. Photographs on the site showed her posing with an AK-47 assault rifle and wearing cat ears. The pair met during the pandemic on Discord, a secretive online messaging platform. They joined an invite-only group dedicated to 'artistically rendered gore' in which users would trade sickening self-harm images. The messages between Blake and Ms Bell recovered by detectives showed them openly discussing killing, including one in which Blake said: 'F*** I need blood, this is bad.' In another, Ms Bell said the combat jacket Blake wore to kill Mr Carreno had a 'serial killer musk' after she had posted it to the US at her lover's request.. When she was finally caught by police, Blake tried to spin an 'elaborate' web of rationalisations for what she did and 'shift responsibility to others', the judge said. Mr Justice Chamberlain said: 'You told the court that you didn't want to kill a living creature, let alone a person, and it was Ashlynn who pressurised you to do so. 'You attributed your morbid interests to a split or dissociative personality, using the language of psychiatry or psychoanalysis. 'You adopted the persona of a cat. 'You talked about the difficulties you had had since transitioning in childhood to live as a woman and about your troubled relationship with your parents. 'All this was part of an elaborate attempt to rationalise what you had done and shift responsibility to others. Blake stalked and killed 30-year-old Jorge Martin Carreno (pictured) in July 2021 'There is no evidence that you suffer from any relevant mental illness or other mental disorder. 'What you did is not the fault of a society that didn't accept you. 'It is not the fault of your parents. 'Whatever role Ashlynn Bell may have played in encouraging your interest in killing, she remained in the United States. 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.' In March 2021, she filmed herself cut open and 'eviscerated' her neighbours' cat that was alive for at least three minutes as it was hanging from it's neck by a ribbon ligature. She had lured the poor animal with a cat carrier and cat food. EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Transgender murderer Scarlet Blake - who the prison service says is male - is recorded as being a woman by the police force that cracked the case simply because the killer identified as female when arrested Advertisement The film was a present for Ashlynn. Finally, after the cat suffered three minutes of 'intense pain', she stabbed, dissected and removed its heart, which she kept as a memento. Once she had dissected the cat, she said, 'Well, one day I want to learn how to do this to a person.' The judge said that audio of the film made clear 'the thing you enjoyed most was seeing the animal gasping and panicking before it died'. After killing the cat, she put a scalpel in its eyes before skinning and decapitating it. She smiled and laughed while posing with the cat's head. Then she put the cat in a blender. Later, at her trial, Blake would claim she derived no pleasure from what she did and it was all to please her lover Ashlynn Bell. She even tried to convince the jury that she disapproved of people who were cruel to animals. However, the judge said: 'The audio we all heard and the stills and video clips we saw of you smiling and laughing while posing with the animal's severed head leave no doubt whatsoever that you personally enjoyed what you were doing, as well as the pleasure that Ashlynn Bell derived from it.' The film Blake created had the song True Faith by New Order playing over and over in a loop. The same track is featured in the Netflix documentary Don't F**k With Cats about a man who kills cats and later people. Sentencing Blake, the judge told her: 'You said in evidence that the choice of track had nothing to do with the documentary. 'I am sure that this was untrue and that the documentary played a part in cementing in your own mind the link between killing a cat and killing a person.' She went on to kill Mr Carreno just months later. The vile murderer returned to the scene of the crime days later to photograph tributes left to the young man by his grieving family. She even returned a year later with another partner to boast about killing him and pose for a photo at the scene of the crime. Alison Morgan KC, prosecuting, told the jury: 'He died because he encountered the defendant on that night' Jurors have been shown CCTV camera footage of Mr Carreno and Blake's movements around the city centre hours before his death CCTV footage shows Scarlet Blakes movements on the night she killed Mr Carreno Video showed Mr Carreno trying to find his way home, not realising he had dropped his wallet The judge said: 'This photograph was another memento of the murder you had committed. It reflected the pleasure you derived from your status as a murderer.' He added that it 'showed a profound contempt for the suffering you had inflicted on Jorge's family'. The judge said: 'You were completely indifferent to this suffering.' Although there was 'ample evidence' that Blake took sexual gratification from strangulation, there was 'no evidence of any sexual assault on Jorge, either while he was alive or on his body after death.' There was also no 'evidence of any sexual activity occurring at the scene or immediately after the killing'. Speaking about how Blake planned the murder, the judge addressed the trans killer and said: 'There was a very significant degree of premeditation. I am satisfied that the idea of killing a person had already occurred to you before you killed the cat in March 2021. READ MORE: Thames Valley Police boss seeks a change in the law after his force calls transgender murderer Scarlet Blake a woman Advertisement 'That is why you said that you wanted to learn how to do this to a person. No doubt with the encouragement of Ashlynn Bell, the fantasy of killing a person became a plan. That plan became settled and concrete over a period of four months between March and July 2021. 'When you left home in the early morning of 25 July 2021, I am sure that you had intended to kill someone for some time. 'The murder also involved substantial planning. The date and time were not coincidental. 'It was the first weekend after nightclubs were permitted to open following the lifting of the Covid restrictions. 'You knew that, between 3.00 and 4.30 am on a Sunday morning, you stood a good chance of finding someone vulnerable. That is why you picked that time to walk into central Oxford. 'You took considerable care over what you would wear, taking a photograph of yourself in the jacket which then became a macabre symbol of what you had done. 'And you had identified Parsons Pleasure in advance as a location where you could kill without being seen or disturbed. 'Although you knew nothing of your victim, your process for selecting him was quite deliberate. You can be seen on CCTV sizing up potential victims. 'When you happened upon Jorge, you selected him precisely because you thought he looked vulnerable, sitting as he was on the ground at 4 o'clock in the morning, smaller and slighter than you and likely to have had something to drink. 'You must have discovered after you engaged him in conversation that he had lost his wallet and couldn't find his way home. You selected and confirmed him as a possible victim because of his vulnerability.' A fire risk has been identified in the 800m fleet's aircon and heating system Safety watchdogs have ordered the recall of almost 2,000 electric buses over fears they can catch fire if left unattended. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has warned operators who use the Alexander Dennis Enviro200 and Enviro400 single and double decker buses of the critical safety issue. The buses are currently operational across the UK, with more than 600 in London and a further 100 in Manchester. All of the affected vehicles were manufactured between May 3, 2019 and February 6, 2024. They all contain batteries supplied by Chinese firm BYD. Initial investigations suggest the fault may be in the air conditioning and heating system. The alert was issued following a scare on board one of the buses - which can cost up to 450,000 each - putting the value of the entire fleet at 800m. At present, there is no permanent solution to prevent future fires. Instead, operators using the high-tech buses are warned to 'switch off the Hipsacold HVAC system when the vehicle is left unattended'. To remind drivers to isolate the power supply were they allowed to pay Alexander Dennis told MailOnline they are working on the problem with regulators and their suppliers. They stressed the issue is not related to a string of recent fires involving 'different vehicle types and technologies'. Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, pictured on board one of the affected buses, has more than 471 Alexander Dennis Enviro400EVs in his fleet which are subjected to the recall notice The Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV is fitted with an electric battery supplied by Chinese manufacturer BYD According to recall notice issued by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, some 1,758 vehicles manufactured between 2019 and 2024 have this fire risk fault The DVSA issued an emergency bulletin affecting 1,758 buses on UK roads, including more than 600 in London and a further 100 in Manchester In September 2021, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced that all new buses in London would be 'zero emission'. As of March 31, 2023 - most recent figures available. London had a total of 476 of the buses subject to recall in their fleet. A further 100 of the same bus type has been supplied to Manchester as part of their move to electric buses. Although, according to the DVSA there are almost 1,800 of the affected vehicle type on British streets. Certain routes in the capital are now entirely electric as part of Sadiq Khan's commitment to reduce harmful emissions in the city. Cities such as Coventry, Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, Glasgow and Aberdeen also use the buses. Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham, pictured, ordered more than 100 of the affected buses to run on his city's new Bee Network The first 50 of the buses entered service in Wigan, Bolton, Salford and Bury in September 2023 following an investment of more than 56m - which included a 21.5 million grant from central government A further 50 of the fleet are due to be rolled out this month in Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, parts of Manchester, Salford and Tameside. The fleet is due to cover the whole of Greater Manchester in January 2025 London Fire Brigade is currently updating its operations manual on dealing with fires involving electric buses to protect their crews and members of the public - pictured here, a fire involving a suspected electric bus in Putney Bus Garage Such is the level of threat posed by electric bus fires, London Fire Brigade is currently re-writing its operations manual on dealing with such incidents. If a fire involves an electrically-powered vehicle, a specialist 'hazardous materials officer' will be mobilised to attend. Currently when dealing with incidents involving buses, a minimum of two fire engines will be sent to the scene, although further units, including specialist teams will be deployed if lithium batteries are present. A source told MailOnline: 'Lithium batteries - which power EVs - are an emerging risk in London and we are learning all the time about the risks and challenges they pose and how best we can respond to them in a way that protects both the public and our firefighters.' Howard Cox, who is running for City Hall in May's mayoral election in London said: 'I predicted a few years back that rushing into new idealistic based choices for our vital public transport infrastructure must be tempered. 'The rosy picture of the promise of zero emissions has clouded ill-informed politicos judgements to ignore safety issues and the cost of replacing reliable and proven safer lower cost diesel buses.' Mr Cox is the founder of FairFuel UK and is the Reform candidate for Mayor of London. He told MailOnline: 'And now we see the result of their stupidity, tax payers now have to fund these expensive buses being taken off the road due to a lack of any critical safety analysis and forward planning from our elected representatives and TFL. 'I call upon a full moratorium on all electric public vehicle transport fleets across the UK, until a guarantee of passenger safety is secured.' The buses have a range of 160 miles on a single charge and can carry up to 87 passengers. More than 500 of the affected buses are part of Transport for London's fleet Other cities affected by the recall include Coventry, pictured Local authorities and companies affected by the recall notice have been alerted Buses in Birmingham, pictured, are also affected by the recall notice Several buses are operating a park and ride system in Cambridge, which boasts of being 100 per cent electric with zero per cent emissions In London they are fitted a dedicated wheelchair space that is accessed via and electric ramp on the centre doors. The vehicles are powered by a pair of 150kW motors from BYD on the rear drive axle. They contain BYD Lithium-iron-phosphate batteries providing between 339kWh to 382kWh of power and are recharged at a rate of 112kW using a DC CCS2 plug. Each bus also has forced air circulation with zero-emission heat pump for heating and cooling. One unrelated bus blaze involved a 2021 Optare MetroDecker EV which caught fire on Wimbledon Hill Road on January 11, 2024. According to a recall notice issued by the DVSA affected 105 buses, 'the low voltage harness connector of the control module may experience fatigue if subjected to excessive mating cycles leading to a localised thermal incident'. A spokesperson for Alexander Dennis told MailOnline: 'Following an incident earlier this year, Alexander Dennis, BYD and other relevant parties have identified that there is a potential issue relating to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system supplied by Hispacold for some BYDAlexander Dennis electric buses. 'The investigation is still ongoing and the root cause has not yet been identified. As the safety of our customers team members, bus drivers and passengers is of the utmost importance to us, a safety bulletin has been issued to all affected operators with temporary precautionary measures to ensure the highest levels of safety are met. 'Further updates will be provided to operators on conclusion of the investigation by Alexander Dennis, BYD and impacted suppliers, in consultation with the DVSA, when we expect to provide a permanent fix to resolve the issue. 'As far as is currently known, the issue does not directly affect core driveline components such as electric motors or traction batteries. Neither is there currently any suggestion that the issue is linked to other bus fires that recently received media attention as these involved different vehicle types and technologies.' Operators have been warned to disconnect the air conditioning and heating system before leaving them unattended to mitigate the risk of fire Unlike electric cars, the buses are charged using two cables to increase the speed they can return to service Glynn Barton, TfL's Chief Operating Officer, said: 'Safety is our top priority and we have put a number of measures in place to ensure that London's bus network remains safe to use, following a notice issued by the manufacturers of this model of bus that has informed the DVSA notice. This model of bus is safe to remain in service and the operators are following the DVSAs and manufacturer's advice and guidance, which includes remedial measures that have been implemented, while we work with an independent engineer to assess next steps.' The DVSA told MailOnline: 'DVSAs priority is to ensure everyone can travel in safe vehicles. 'The manufacturer has identified issues with the heating system unit, rather than the battery or propulsion system, and we are working with them to ensure the defect is dealt with swiftly and in the best way possible way to ensure it meets the relevant statutory safety standards.' Fight like a wolf! That's the creed of the US Army's 1st Brigade, 11th Airborne - which operates out of Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Set a short drive from the Arctic Circle, conditions there are less than optimal, with temperatures regularly falling below -50F for more than two-thirds of the year. In an interview by Business Insider, the servicemembers provided a rare glimpse into the daily-doings of the subzero fighting force, whom are better known by their more menacing nickname, the 'Arctic Wolves.' Their training, however, is even more intimidating - with chilling videos showing members embarking on tests such as bone-chilling polar 'plunges' designed to assess their 'mettle'. Their end goal? To create an outfit 'capable of seizing and holding key terrain and critical infrastructure in environments where no one else can,' brass said. Scroll down for video: The US Army's 1st Brigade, 11th Airborne , operates out of Fort Wainwright, Alaska Set a short drive from the Arctic Circle, conditions there are less than optimal, with temperatures regularly falling below 50F for more than two-thirds of the year The center was founded in 2022, making it one of the Army's newest and the training offered there is billed as a unique opportunity 'to experiment with how much soldiers can endure' The center was founded in 2022, making it one of the Army's newest and the training offered there is billed as a unique opportunity 'to experiment with how much soldiers can endure'. Col. Sean Lucas told Business Insider: 'There are not a lot of forces in our Army, or really in our military, that can operate here.' Up the chain of command, brass aired similar sentiments, including Maj. Gen. Brian S. Eifler, who conceded the base near Fairbanks boasts an unmistakably 'harsh environment' that really 'test[s] the mettle of the human.' '[But] if something happens in those conditions, you got to have a force that's ready,' the unit's commanding officer said, as his subordinates were seen running in freezing February flurries. Others spoke of how the Arctic's notorious climate was the most difficult they'd ever faced, while some - recalling the fierce regimen they've been on as of late - said it took a certain type of mindset to survive. The far-off place - set some 365 miles north of Anchorage - also provides the perfect backdrop for simulated snowy combat. Familiarity with such a theater could prove crucial to an armed conflict's victory, any vet will tell you - with the Battle of Stalingrad between Russia and the relatively unprepared Germans coming to mind. Now a potential enemy, Russia and its familiarity with the Arctic Circle has inspired the US to utilize its only landmass in the region. Gen. Charles A. Flynn, the commanding general of the army component that oversees the division, added how the isolated setting is similar to the 'environments and conditions where our forces are most likely to operate.' Chilling videos show members embarking on tests such as bone-chilling polar 'plunges' designed to assess their 'mettle' The Arctic's infamously volatile climate means conditions may change at the drop of a hat which means aspects of the soldiers' training are often worked on in real-time Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Gaskin, explained: 'We don't have all the answers for this environment' so soldiers are encouraged to be innovative He oversees the US Army Pacific, a command responsible for that part of the world. Present in the ocean apart from Russia is other US rival China, whose recent ascent on the world stage has led US officials to divert much of its attention to the region. Sitting on the cusp of where the two oceans meet is none other than Alaska's Cape Horn, which itself is about 390 miles south of the fort where the Arctic Wolves train. Another 120 miles north is the Arctic Circle, giving some credence to the accounts of harsh climate offered by these soldiers - many of whom donned T-shirts during Business Insider's visit this past month despite the cold. A day where it's 6F is basically a treat, soldiers said. But the Arctic's infamously volatile climate means conditions may change at the drop of a hat. With this in mind, '[o]ur soldiers here are encouraged to innovate,' said Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Gaskin, before quickly conceding: 'We don't have all the answers for this environment.' For this reason, aspects of the soldiers' training are often worked on in real-time. Changes are also considered with feedback from both grunts on the ground and senior officers, but as Sgt. Maj. Gaskin said, in this experimental setting, improvisation is key. Troops regularly give feedback on their gear and equipment, exploring what is needed and how it can be improved to suit the environment One instance soldiers prepare for is when equipment breaks - a somewhat common occurrence in the Arctic cold that can at times feel otherworldly As a result, troops have to be ready to combat threats to their health such as hypothermia, often without instruction from their officers Another example officers pointed to is the unique cold-weather-clothing gear members now don, which includes several layers, or 'levels', that can be shed or bolstered at a moments notice as temperatures rise and fall During these exercises, troops provide feedback on how suited their gear is for the climate, and how much of it was necessary on a day-to-day basis. Officers then decide on what climates it makes sense to overdress, and which to remain 'comfortably cold' so as not to wind up sweating - and then freezing by the water left behind - in the midst of battle One such instance he said required free-form thinking is when equipment breaks - a somewhat common occurrence in the Arctic cold that can at times feel otherworldly. As a result, Sgt. Maj. Gaskin and other officers interviewed said troops have to be ready to combat threats to their health such as hypothermia, often without instruction from their officers. Artillery pieces, too, have to be regularly maneuvered across constantly-shifting-ground conditions, and paratroopers practice hard landings on firm, snowy ground. Another example officers pointed to is the unique cold-weather-clothing gear members now don, which includes several layers, or 'levels', that can be shed or bolstered at a moments notice as temperatures rise and fall. During these exercises, troops provide feedback on how suited their gear is for the climate and how much of it was necessary on a day-to-day basis. Officers then decide on what climates it makes sense to overdress, and which to remain 'comfortably cold' in so as not to wind up sweating - and then freezing by the water left behind - in the midst of battle. Business Insider witnessed this mentality firsthand, when the United States Army Pacific held its annual Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center training exercise at the Arctic camp in full view of the publication. During the February training, insiders recalled seeing soldiers regularly coming and going in and out of tents, seemingly impervious to the bone-chilling cold around them. Some wore T-shirts, and others nonchalantly sat outside to eat breakfast, reporters said. Artillery pieces, too, have to be regularly maneuvered across constantly-shifting-ground conditions, and paratroopers practice hard landings on firm, snowy ground. The unit's base camp near Fairbanks is seen here During the February training, insiders recalled seeing soldiers regularly coming and going in and out of tents, seemingly impervious to the bone-chilling cold around them Often carried out in the dead of night, troops were observed adapting to the freezing temperatures, adjusting gear, kits, and equipment in real time The demonstration served as unit brass's mission statement come to life, which, without a clear guide to how to carry out war in the almost alien Arctic, could be the country's best bet to prepare itself The demonstration served as unit brass's mission statement come to life, which, without a clear guide to how to carry out war in the almost alien Arctic, could be the country's best bet to prepare itself for a cold conflict Less than two years in, soldiers are still sharpening their tactics and techniques, finding out the hard way which gear is more necessary, and how to fortify a position even when there's little snow to work with A solution for the latter, Business Insider observed, was soldiers chopping down trees and using the wood to make a makeshift shelter, The unit also conducts rotations in Alaska and Hawaii every year, giving soldiers the opportunity to also prepare for a more humid climate. The result is a unit prepared unlike any other, soldiers like this one said. Their training, meanwhile, continues The temperature at the time? Just a few degrees above zero - as soldiers with the 11th Airborne Division and troops from over a dozen international allies such as India carried out war-style scrimmages in the snowy Tundra, with one side posing as the enemy. Often carried out in the dead of night, troops were observed adapting to the freezing temperatures, adjusting gear, kits, and equipment in real time. The demonstration served as unit brass's mission statement come to life, which, without a clear guide to how to carry out war in the almost alien Arctic, could be the country's best bet to prepare itself. Less than two years in, soldiers are still sharpening their tactics and techniques, finding out the hard way which gear is more necessary, and how to fortify a position even when there's little snow to work with. A solution for the latter, Business Insider observed, was soldiers chopping down trees and using the wood to make a makeshift shelter. The result is a unit prepared unlike any other, soldiers said. 'It takes a special breed of Soldier to thrive in the Arctic,' Maj. Gen. Eifler wrote In a 2022 paper written called 'Forging the Arctic Warrior.' Col. Lucas, meanwhile, added: 'If you can lead, or you can be a soldier in the extreme cold, you can lead or be a soldier anywhere.' That said, the unit conducts rotations in Alaska and Hawaii every year, giving soldiers a break from the infamous Arctic winters, as well as a change to train in another climate that prepares soldiers for war in a Pacific theater. With chances to hone their skills in both the humid jungles of Hawaii and the ice-covered desert that is Arctic, these soldiers could one day prove unbeatable. Their training, meanwhile, continues. PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack against the West Bengal government over the law & order situation in the state, saying not the police but criminals themselves are free to decide when to get arrested. Although the Prime Minister did not name anyone, his remarks were directed at the recently arrested leader of Trinamool Congress Sheikh Shahjahan who was arrested after 55 days following the attack on the ED team in Sandeshkhali. The Prime Minister was addressing a rally organised by the BJP state unit at Krishnanagar in Nadia district of West Bengal. Prime Minister Modi congratulated the women of Sandeshkhali for finally coming out on the streets to protest against years of oppression, violence and harassment. It was women's power at Sandeshkhali which finally pushed the ruling party to the back foot. I also congratulate the state leaders of my party in West Bengal for relentlessly standing by these women in their protests, the Prime Minister said. He also claimed that one area where the ruling Trinamool Congress has mastered is in converting any centrally-sponsored development scheme into a scam. The scam starts from where the state government puts its tag on any centrally-sponsored scheme, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister also set a target to win 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. Telstra boss Vicki Brady has apologised to the family of a Melbourne person who died during a 'technical incident' that affected triple-0 services for more than an hour. Multiple states were affected during Friday morning's outage, which impacted 148 of nearly 500 calls between 3.30am and 5am. In one case, a person suffering a cardiac arrest was unable to have their call immediately connected to Ambulance Victoria and was found dead by paramedics. Speaking to reporters, Ms Brady shared her 'deepest apology' to the family and anyone who was impacted by the incident. Telstra boss Vicki Brady has apologised to the family of a Melbourne person who died during a 'technical incident' that affected triple-0 services for more than an hour. She said the telco giant would be investigating whether there were any 'unacceptable' delays in forwarding the person's call. 'Can I just first offer my deepest apologies to the family of that person and to anyone who was impacted in the 90 minutes,' she said. 'At this stage we're in the very early stages of the investigation. 'I haven't yet had a chance, and it's not appropriate yet to reach out to that family, but clearly we don't yet understand how much the delay was and how much that impacted.' During Friday's glitch, back-up teams were forced to submit call details manually to emergency services who then returned the calls. Telstra has yet to confirm how many states and/or territories were affected by the glitch, which will be investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). A Triple Zero Victoria spokesman said they were told by Telstra that the outage lasted approximately between 3.30am and 4.40am. The agency was 'advised it was unable to transfer triple-0 calls to response agencies across multiple states, including Victoria'. 'Throughout the disruption, Telstra provided Triple Zero Victoria with the details of callers who were responded to as a matter of urgency,' he said. Multiple states were affected during Friday morning's outage, which impacted 148 of nearly 500 calls between 3.30am and 5am READ MORE: Telstra customers to get a share of $20million after telco giant is fined for overcharging Aussies Advertisement In NSW, early reports from emergency service agencies suggested no triple-0 calls were missed, and calls for service were actioned as normal. NSW Ambulance was able to continue to receive and process triple-0 calls. There were no disruptions to Fire Rescue NSW's automatic fire alarm systems, and a Telstra operator was able to phone three jobs directly through to FRNSW. A NSW Police spokesperson said the triple-0 command line interface (CLI) function that captures the caller's number wasn't accessible between 3.40am and 5am. However, callers could still get through to the triple-0 operators and police could still respond to jobs. The spokesman said NSW Police was not aware of any issues stemming from the outage and the situation was now resolved. Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the ACMA would be undertaking an initial assessment of 'Telstra's compliance with its regulatory obligations'. She also said the government was 'deeply saddened' by the death of the impacted triple-0 caller. 'We are deeply saddened and our thoughts are with their family and friends,' she said. 'We have sought information from Telstra, who is the designated emergency call person, to understand the full impact of the disruption. 'The ACMA will continue its inquiries on this point.' The Staffordshire Regiment Association has had to raise money for his funeral Veterans have blasted the Royal British Legion and armed forces charity SSAFA after both refused to support the funeral of a soldier with no family. Roger Southern, 57, was found deceased in his home on February 2 and was a member of the Staffordshire Regimental Association (SRA), Stafford branch. He had served as an armourer in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The veteran was last seen alive on January 17 and it is thought he had been dead for around two weeks before he was found. Members of the SRA rallied together to raise money to give Mr Southern a 'military style' send off with standard bearers which took place on March 1. The association reached out to the Stafford branches of the Royal British Legion and SSAFA Armed Forces charity for help but both refused to support the cause. Roger Southern, 57, was found deceased in his home on February 2 and was a member of the Staffordshire Regimental Association (SRA), Stafford branch Members of the SRA rallied together to raise money to give Mr Southern a 'military style' send off with standard bearers which took place on March 1 David Lovell, chairman of Staffordshire Regimental Association Stafford Branch told MailOnline: 'We made an immediate appeal. Calls to Stafford Branch of the Royal British Legion. The message we got from the Royal British Legion Stafford branch was that they wouldn't help because he wasn't a member. 'We approached the SSAFA on the phone and we were told they couldn't help so we decided to raise a GoFundMe page because we weren't sure of the situation with Roger financially and we raised the target within 48 hours of starting the page.' Mr Southern was attached to the 132 Field Battery, the Bengal Troop Royal Artillery, 2 Royal Tank Regiment, 39 Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery and the Staffordshire Regiment. Mr Lovell added that 'the Royal British Legion is a good organization' but that the problems were at the local branch level. SRA member Fran Clark told StokeonTrentLive: 'The RBL is the main charity for veterans within the town and we had the door slammed in our face. 'I'm disgusted, completely and utterly disgusted. It's absolutely dreadful. 'SSAFA and the Royal British Legion have told us they can't help because Roger wasn't a member but I know they've helped people in the past and I know it can be done. They've left a veteran cold on his feet.' Police could not find any relatives of the 57-year-old who was adopted at birth. Fran said the SRA then 'stepped in' to help arrange and support his funeral because they wanted the veteran to have a 'dignified burial' and not a pauper's. A GoFundMe page was set up by Mr Lovell and a total of 5,747 was raised for Mr Southern's funeral. The initial target of 5,000 was fundraised within 48 hours. Over 150 veterans attended Mr Southern's funeral and Mr Lovell said: 'A big thank you to the donations that came in and a prompt response from the public for their support.' A GoFundMe page was set up by Mr Lovell and a total of 5,747 was raised for Mr Southern's funeral. The initial target of 5,000 was fundraised within 48 hours A RBL spokesperson said: 'We are deeply sorry to hear of Mr Southern's passing and send our condolences to those who knew him. 'When an individual has passed away and has no known relatives, the local authority has a statutory duty to plan and fund a public funeral where no family member can be found or the funeral cannot be funded. 'RBL branches provide friendship and support to the Armed Forces community, including to those that find themselves socially isolated. 'However, branches are unable to provide direct funding to individuals so the local branch would have been unable to cover any costs towards Mr Southern's funeral.' Lt General Sir Andrew Gregory, CEO at SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, said: 'All at SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity were saddened to learn of Mr Southern's death, and naturally we extend our condolences to his friends and anyone else that knew him. Having no family and no next of kin makes his passing all the more tragic. 'SSAFA provides practical, emotional and financial assistance to serving personnel, veterans and their families in their time of need. However, as SSAFA was aware, there was no individual, no next of kin, no identified person to whom a death certificate for Mr Southern could be issued. 'Unless a death certificate can be provided, the only organisation authorised to conduct a funeral would be the local health authority. 'Again, our condolences to the friends of Mr Southern.' For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support Kidnapper Michal Herba - who bound and gagged glamour model Chloe Ayling, bundling her into a holdall in a notorious case that is now being dramatised by the BBC - has been released from prison, we can reveal. Herba, 42, was jailed for 16 years in 2019 but the sentence was later reduced to five on appeal and was quietly freed he was freed 18 months ago for good behaviour, MailOnline has learned. His brother Lukasz is still behind bars after also being sentenced to 16 years in 2018 but this too was later cut by five years, and he is expected to be released early next year. MailOnline caught up with truck driver Michal at his home in the Polish city Szczecin, close to the German border, where he is back living with his mother in her second-floor apartment - and photographed him for the first time since the case that sparked international media interest. When asked about the case, he refused to discuss any details but insisted he was innocent adding he didnt want to say anything that could hamper his brothers release. Pictured: Michael Herba at his home in the Polish city Szczecin, close to the German border, where he is back living with his mother The story of Chloes 2017 abduction in the Italian fashion capital of Milan has been turned into a BBC six-part series called Kidnapped (pictured, Chloe Ayling on a recent holiday) Pictured: The apartment building in the city of Szczecin where Herba lives with his mother after his jail sentence was slashed Dressed in his work gear and carrying a bag he left his mothers home and headed to a nearby logistics firm where he is a long-distance driver working between Poland and Scandinavia. He did tell MailOnline he had hoped to return to England where he was living at the time of the abduction in the West Midlands but his conviction made things difficult. Under Home Office rules people who have served more than a year in jail are automatically barred from entering the country legally. The story of Chloes 2017 abduction in the Italian fashion capital of Milan has been turned into a BBC six-part series called Kidnapped and stars Nadia Parkes as the main protagonist. She and the Herba brothers have signed exclusive contracts with the BBC although none is actual taking part in the series but they have allowed producers access to their Italian legal teams. It is unclear if the Herba brothers have been paid but strict editorial guideline prevents licence fee payers money going to convicted criminals as it would be seen as profiteering from their illegal activities. Chloe meanwhile continued to post regularly provocative images on Instagram and run an Only Fans account until late last year. But in recent months Chloe, from Couldson in Surrey, has moved house and stopped posting any content. Friends say she is trying to keep a low profile ahead of the dramatisation of her story so that she can capitalise on interview requests when it revives interest in her story. Chloe said of the series:I am excited that BBC Studios are telling my story and that the wider world will get to know the truth about what happened o me and learn of the many details that werent brought to light originally. But she declined to respond to requests for comment on Herbas release. Herba (pictured) now works as a long distance lorry driver working between Poland and Scandinavia Pictured: An Italian police reconstruction of how Ms Ayling was bundled into canvas bag after being drugged During the kidnap this picture was emailed to her agent and used to advertise her for sale on the dark web Ms Ayling (pictured) has signed an exclusive contract with the BBC although she is not taking part in the series dramatising her kidnap The original trial of the two brothers in Milan raised eyebrows as they claimed it had been a publicity stunt cooked up by Chloe in order to raise her profile. Defence lawyer Katia Kolakowska described to the court how the kidnap had mirrored the plot of a 2016 film called By Any Means starring Booke Burfitt. The plot revolves around a model who arranges her own kidnap to raise her profile and Lukasz claimed Chloe had been inspired by it. During his trial Lukasz said he and Chloe met in 2015 and started a relationship and a few months later she suggested a fake kidnap to help her bid for stardom. Mum of one Chloe later went onto star in Celebrity Big Brother, gave dozens of interviews and wrote a book about her ordeal which saw her kept in an isolated farmhouse near Turin for six days. She was eventually released after Lukasz drove her to the British consulate in Milan where he bizarrely waited for twenty minutes while Chloe told officials she had been kidnapped and policer were called. Michal had his sentence reduced after appeal court judges ruled, he was not involved in extortion and should have the word removed from his original conviction. Chloe, a model from Coulsdon, south London, had told the court in Milan that she was drugged, gagged, bound, stuffed in the holdall and warned she would be sold as a sex slave if a 265,000 ransom wasn't met. Chloe has always denied playing any part in the kidnap in order to boost her career and said she had faced lies and public scrutiny telling the court she hadnt profited from her ordeal. She told the court a man wearing a balaclava grabbed and drugged her during the ordeal. And the model said rumours of her involvement had completely ruined her reputation and said it was not my choice all this would go public. Suspicions of Chloe's alleged involvement in the kidnapping were raised when CCTV footage emerged of her holding hands with Lukasz shortly after her release. When asked why she was shopping hand-in-hand with Lukasz instead of trying to escape, Chloe said she was completely brainwashed into believing her life was in danger from the Black Death group. Ms Ayling was stuffed in the holdall and put in the boot of this car during her kidnap in Milan Ms Ayling was kept in this isolated farmhouse near Turin for six days during her kidnapping Lukasz Herba (pictured, on trial) is still behind bars after also being sentenced to 16 years in 2018 but this too was later cut by five years, and he is expected to be released early next year Ms Ayling (pictured) often shares racy pictures to her Instagram and ran an Only Fans account until late last year. Mum of one Chloe later went onto star in Celebrity Big Brother, gave dozens of interviews and wrote a book about her ordeal (pictured, the model on on the reality show in 2018) In her evidence, Chloe said she knew he had feelings for her and claimed he was sexually frustrated while sharing a bed with her in a remote farmhouse where she was held captive. In his 2021 appeal judges ruled that in the light of evidence it cannot be adequately demonstrated that Michal Herba was aware the kidnapping had extortion as a motive. Lukasz is currently serving his sentence at Pavia prison near Milan and he has a parole hearing schooled for later this year. Chloe, now 28, was famously picture din short shorts and a figure-hugging top outside her home being interviewed by TV crews about her ordeal after being released. The BBC series brings her ordeal and court case together by drawing on legal documents, Chloes diary and interviews with lawyers, police and prosecutors. Kidnapped, which was written by Killing Eve and Skins creator Georgia Lester, also strs Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Lindsay, Olive Gray and Eleonora Romandini. Also in the cast ate Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Lindsay, Julian Swiezewski and Olive Gray. Nadia, 28, has previously starred in The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself and Domina as well as Filming has already taken palace in the UK last summer and further shooting will take place in Italy later this year when Michal and his lawyer will be interviewed. A man is locked in a planning war with the local council over signs on his businesses because the lights are 'inappropriate' and 'obscure the views of the historic seafront'. John Remblance recently added two brightly coloured signs to ice cream parlour Scoops 37 and amusement arcade Circus Circus in seaside town Southend, Essex. Southend Council refused both retrospective planning applications on the basis they were 'significantly overscaled' and made of 'filmsy modern materials'. But, ironically, both businesses are located next to two other amusement arcades that have their own bright, colourful signs with lights. Are YOU in a planning war with the council? Email: olivia.christie@mailonline.co.uk Southend Council disapproved of the brightly coloured sign with lights on icecream parlour Scoops 37 in the seaside town The council planning officer said the 'busyness of the design' and 'filmsy modern materials' were 'inappropriate for a historic building' Electric Avenue and New York, New York, are also Las Vegas style amusement arcades on the Marine Parade in Southend. The council officer in charge of the Circus Circus case said in their report that the signage was 'excessive in scale' and 'significantly obscured the views of the historic frontage' which 'caused harm to the significance of the building.' They added that the 'busyness of the design' and 'filmsy modern materials' were 'inappropriate for a historic building'. For the Scoops 37 case, the officer said that the building had been 'subject to a number of unauthorised changes' which had had a 'detrimental impact on its historic character'. Mr Rembrance has already launched a planning appeal over the Circus Circus sign and is expected to appeal the decision for Scoops 37. Scoops 37 and Circus Circus are either side of 3 glittering amusement arcades with eye-catching fronts: Electric Avenue, New York, New York New York and Montecarlo Ironically, both businesses are located next to two other amusement arcades that have their own bright, colourful signs with lights Electric Avenue and New York, New York, are also Las Vegas style amusement arcades on the Marine Parade in Southend Other business in the seaside town have come out in support of Mr Rembrance and praised him for 'investing in the area' and 'brightening it up'. Martin Richardson, who owns the nearby Happidrome Arcade, told the Southend Echo: 'It is total rubbish. We are a seafront. We are all about prettiness and standing out. 'We are trying to make improvements and invest in the seafront to make it look better but get told we can't. 'This is what you want on a seafront, it is what it needs. It needs brightening up. 'Dull and dark places become quieter. Bright and vibrant places become lively. 'You would think with the cost-of-living that Southend Council would be happy that we are investing into the seafront as it will attract more people. 'We haven't got enough lights full stop; it is dark and dull. We used to be known for lights. The seafront needs to be vibrant.' A spokesman for Star Amusements, who own the businesses said: 'We bought the property with the sole intention of providing a family offer and to add something more suited to the area by way of an ice cream parlour ( Scoops 37) to try and inject some regeneration, as opposed to all the tired shopfronts and hoardings that currently exist on the gateway to the seafront. Slide me A sliding image showing the Scoops 37 building before and after John Rembrance added the new sign Slide me A sliding image showing the Circus Circus amusement arcade before and after it was revamped 'Unfortunately we were not aware of the sensitivity of the area and in so doing have fallen foul of the system 'We acknowledge now an application should have been submitted sooner, however we submitted a retrospective application at the earliest opportunity when we were made aware of the situation. 'Sadly our retrospective application was rejected on the bases of not in keeping with the seafront. 'We didn't think this would be a problem as there are a number of council led schemes that appear to be ongoing which will also be submitted retrospectively in the coming months, as we have seen over the past few days.' The seafront in Southend-on-Sea, Essex (stock photo) Crowds enjoy the pubs on the seafront in Southend (stock picture) The seafront in Southend, Essex (stock picture) Crowds on the beach in Southend, Essex (stock picture) Crowds on the beach in Southend, Essex (stock picture) He added: 'Star Amusements invest heavily in Southend seafront and feel upset that they have been penalised for doing something that they thought was for the good of pier hill and the city. 'In the past week, we have also seen a huge new illuminated digital advertising screen that has been erected, 11 metres off the ground. 'Southend City Council approved these plans for the LED advertising display unit on the outside of the Victoria Plaza shopping centre last year - which is a council owned building. 'I believe during the planning it was stated that "this would be complementary to the application site and the wider commercial character of the area" 'With the above statement, I am not sure how our signage is any different nor deems to harm the commercial character of Southend Seafront.' Lily Tang Williams grew up killing rats for food as she nearly starved in Mao Zedong's communist China. And now in the US, she is now running for Congress in New Hampshire as a Republican to prevent America from becoming like the country she worked to escape. After growing up and getting her law degree in Shanghai, Williams immigrated to the US in 1988, thus beginning what she describes as a '20-year wake-up process' to politics. 'I left China for freedom, but I was really indoctrinated. I did not know China's real history,' she told DailyMail.com in an interview. 'For the first 20 years or so I wasn't really political. But my husband helped me learn a lot about the US - from foreign language to culture, traditions and history.' 'He said "you know those 50 or 60 million people starving to death were not due to natural disasters." We were fed by the Communist Party that natural disasters caused a mass famine,' she said, referring to the tens of millions of people died as a result of food rationing and the communist takeover of food production in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Williams is looking to oust Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster and will face off against four other Republicans in a primary in September. Williams' own experience under Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution, designed to root out any remnants of capitalism in China, left her in shock when people tried to tell her she was 'oppressed' as a minority in the US. 'I didn't even have food coupons, I was starving. I had to try to catch rats in my grandma's neighborhood. Pretty soon everybody had to catch rats,' she said. 'Now in the US they're trying to tell us "oh you're oppressed. The white people are demons." We can't indoctrinate our kids with that.' Now, Williams says she is on a target list by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and they've threatened her on social media. 'I had a trip back to China for the Chinese New Year in 2019 but I canceled it. I didn't want to get disappeared.' Williams grew up in China under Mao Zedong until 1988 Williams is looking to oust Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster and will face off against four other Republicans in a primary in September She is now running for Congress in New Hampshire Williams said she 'truly woke up' to politics in 2008, around the time of the financial crash when the government bailed out big banks, but she gave up on the Republican Party for a while and became a libertarian. 'They used taxpayer money to bail out the banks, to say capitalism failed therefore federal government they have to come here and pick and choose because they let one big bank fight bankruptcy then other banks got bailed out.' 'I was very upset with that. I was upset with the Patriot Act - government infringing on citizens' privacy without due process in the name of national security, that's what I heard in China before.' She said she became worried about the expansion of the federal government in education with Common Core and No Child Left Behind and pulled her kids out of public school for charter school. 'Parents, lots of them, are still not waking up to what is going on in schools,' Williams said. Williams credits her husband for opening her eyes to politics Williams says she was 'indoctrinated' in China as the government did not allow dissenting views 'I call this the Western 'Cultural Revolution' - it's happening in the West to try to destroy the traditional values social norms, habits and different beliefs,' she went on, 'in the name of social justice and anti-racism.' She said she didn't want schools to go down the path of Chinese education. 'Parents' rights don't exist in China even today, because they truly believe kids belong to the government. They can do whatever to your kids you have no say. Except you have to feed them, you have to house them, you become baby machines. You give government your babies but you cannot make decisions.' She also railed against the massive influx of migration the U.S. is seeing, with a recent wave of Chinese migrants coming in through the southern border - and warned of what she worried would become a degradation of American culture. 'Cities use taxpayers money roll the red carpet out when they can't even house our own homeless population. Our own veterans have no way of making a decent living and no home and you give free hotels, food, travel to people from other countries.' Williams said her brother and sister-in-law waited 13 years in China to come to the U.S. legally and are still waiting to become American citizens. 'Biden says he doesn't have the power - are you kidding me? He had the power to undo all of Trump's policies on day one in the White House!' Williams claimed she and her Chinese friends call President Biden and Democrats 'CCP secretaries in the U.S.' 'It's scary stuff, are we going to become collectivist, like a communist country? Individual rights don't exist, individual privacy doesn't exist.' 'Most of those people they want to flee China because in the last three years it has become very harsh and inhumane,' she said. 'In 2012, under Xi Jinping, you notice a shift in China. He is the new Mao, doing Cultural Revolution 2.0.' She went on: 'But I'm also very worried is so well organized, correlated, with some sleeper cells ... I just feel like we have a really dark force on us. This is a global push for illegal mass migration.' Williams warned Americans not to underestimate China's use of 'soft power' to infiltrate the U.S. and achieve global dominance. 'I always try to remind people there's no true private company in China. No, every company that comes to the United States, they're state enterprises,' she said. 'So when West is a drunk on climate change ideology and the mandates, who benefits? China benefits. We are giving them more money to build their military, soft power, silk road initiative all over Europe, all over world.' Williams says she used to catch rats when she was starving in China Williams settled with her family in New Hampshire 'I left China for freedom, but I was really indoctrinated. I did not know China's real history,' she told DailyMail.com in an interview. 'For the first 20 years or so I wasn't really political. But my husband helped me learn a lot about the US - from foreign language to culture, traditions and history' 'China controls our debt. If you cannot pay your interest on your loans to China, they're gonna take over our ports, they're gonna take over our cities,' she went on. 'They are stationed in Cuba now. They supply our [electric vehicles], compete with American companies because the West, places like California, are trying to ban gas by 2035.' Williams said she thinks many Americans don't grasp' China wants to be the number one dominant power in the globe by 2049. Economically, diplomatically, militarily, also technologically.' 'They use the Silk Road Onitiative to form alliances with other countries. So they are behind Cuba, North Korea, Russia, Hamas, all those non friendly countries? Yeah, socialist countries in the world. And we are letting them come into our country. More power. More money, more supplies and sell more product,' she went on. 'And we are not switching our Chinese policy fast enough.' If approved, the bill would have forced social media companies to kick minors off the platforms The Republican lawmaker says he is open to a more flexible law to 'protect children' online Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has vetoed a bill that would have banned social media for children under the age of 16 Governor DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have banned social media for kids under the age of 16 - but says he's open to a more flexible law to 'protect children.' Florida's Republican Governor, Ron DeSantis, vetoed what would have been one of the most far-reaching social media bans for minors on Friday. The bill would mean that companies like Meta and TikTok would need to permanently remove underage Floridan's accounts from the platform and prevent future minors from creating an account, regardless of parent's approval. Lawmakers are now proposing new language that seeks to keep children under under 14 off of addictive platforms. The bill sent to the governor last week would have banned minors under 16 from popular social media platforms regardless of parental consent. Governor DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have banned social media for kids under the age of 16 - but says he's open to a more flexible law to 'protect children.' Florida's Republican Governor, Ron DeSantis, vetoed what would have been one of the most far-reaching social media bans for minors on Friday Florida's Republican House Speaker Paul Renner discusses Gov. Ron DeSantis' veto of a bill that would have banned kids under 16 from social media regardless of parental consent, in Tallahassee It accuses social media platforms of potentially harming minor's mental health and said that companies are specifically designing features to have addictive qualities. DeSantis had concerns about privacy issues and parental rights, but appears to be on board with a new proposal that would allow 14- and 15-year-olds on social media with parental consent and ban access for younger children. 'The Legislature is about to produce a different, superior bill,' DeSantis said in his veto message. 'Protecting children from harms associated with social media is important, as is supporting parents' rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech.' He said he anticipates signing the new bill, which will go before the Senate on Monday, just days before the legislative session ends March 8. Lawmakers were expecting the veto and worked with DeSantis on the compromise. The issue is a top priority for Republican House Speaker Paul Renner, who believes social media is causing psychological damage to children. Rep. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach Rep. asks a question in the Florida House of Representatives, May 25, 2022 at the Capitol in Tallahassee as Florida is on the verge of passing one of the nation's most restrictive bans on minors' use of social media 'My personal view is we ought to go to 18. It is bad. It is poison,' Renner said. 'Their business model is addiction that causes harm to children for profit. That's not good.' But Renner expressed optimism after the veto and said the new proposal is an improvement to the original bill and will have broader public support. 'It's a good product of compromise,' he said. 'It will have a better chance of getting through the courts.' Several states have considered similar legislation. In Arkansas, a federal judge blocked enforcement of a law in August that required parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts. Supporters in Florida hope the bill will withstand legal challenges because it would ban social media formats based on addictive features such as notification alerts and autoplay videos, rather than on the content on their sites. They left the church arm in arm, their smiles radiating affection and warmth the bride in a classy Italian couture gown that hugged her slim figure and the handsome groom unleashing that devastating grin that made him a debs delight on the social circuit. As they stood on the steps of St Georges Chapel, acknowledging a crowd of cheering well-wishers and on the threshold of a life together, Lady Gabriella Windsor and her new husband Thomas Kingston seemed blissfully happy. She was very pretty and he looked proud, one guest remembers. They had that steady gaze of supreme contentment. My wife whispered to me: This is a couple who will never be parted. No one could imagine that 12 weeks short of their fifth wedding anniversary, Tom would take a family shotgun and remove himself forever from her side. Yesterday, an inquest heard how the 45-year-old son-in-law of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent was found dead next to the gun with a catastrophic head wound in an outbuilding in the grounds of his parents 3million mansion in Kemble, Gloucestershire. Lady Gabriella Windsor and her new husband Thomas Kingston seemed blissfully happy on their wedding day in May 2019 Details of the final hours that lead up to this devastating tragedy last Sunday were sketchy and almost workaday. Hed had lunch with his parents, Martin and Jill, at the family home, a 15-minute drive from King Charless rural retreat Highgrove House. Following the lunch, Toms lawyer father had taken the family dogs out for a walk. When he returned to the house, where the couple have lived since 1996, his son was no longer there. Thirty minutes or so went by and his mother went out to look for him. Soon after that, her husband, unable to raise a reply, forced open the locked door of an outbuilding. Inside, he found their son with a fatal injury. No other parties were believed to be involved. Gloucestershire Police previously said officers were called to the scene by an ambulance crew just before 6.30pm. According to a post mortem, cause of death was confirmed to be a traumatic wound to the head. Opening the inquest, which lasted barely five minutes, Katy Skerrett, the senior Gloucester coroner, confined her remarks to the briefest outline of what occurred. Mr Kingston, she said, was visiting his parents home in the Cotswolds. His father went out to walk the dogs. Lady Gabriella Windsor with husband Tom Kingston two months after their wedding in 2019 On his return, Mr Kingston was not in the house. His father forced entry on a locked outbuilding when no reply could be gained. He found Mr Kingston deceased with a catastrophic head injury. A gun was present at the scene. Emergency services were called. Police are satisfied the death is not suspicious. Just what drove this apparently happy man in the prime of life with an adoring wife to an act of desperation is now likely to be the subject of intense inquiries. Outwardly Tom Kingston seemed to have it all. Marriage to one of the nicest members of the Royal Family, a wide circle of friends and a thriving financial investment business. He was a man for whom a life of glittering promise from childhood was marked by easy-going cheerfulness and reassuring convention. And someone, according to acquaintances, who sought nothing more than comfortable domestic fulfilment. Although they had no children, married life clearly agreed with him. He had navigated the goldfish bowl existence that permeates all royal marriages, however distant from the throne. And he had done so with aplomb. Lady Gabriella Ella to her family and friends is not close in the line of succession to the Crown but as the daughter of the colourful Princess Michael she had often found herself at the centre of unwanted attention. To her great credit she has always dealt with it with an easy smile. The couple did not live extravagant lives or find themselves the target of the paparazzi. In many ways their unfussy approach home is a modest flat in fashionable Notting Hill which they had recently put on the market pending a move somewhere larger would serve as a valuable life lesson for some of Ellas royal cousins. It earned them a place at the royal top table guests of the King and Queen at their Ascot house party last summer and countless other A-list gatherings. Indeed it was significant that the King interrupted his cancer treatment not only to pay moving tribute following Toms death but to instruct Buckingham Palace staff to provide support not just for Prince and Princess Michael but also for the stricken Kingston family. This was unusual because the Kents are not working royals. But it also reflects on Ella and Toms popularity. His death has stunned a Royal Family already reeling from a host of domestic issues including Charles and the Princess of Waless illnesses, stretching their ability to carry out their normal functions. Ella loved being married and being Mrs Kingston, though technically she still has her title and is, officially, Lady Gabriella Kingston. Tom laughs with Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot last summer At weekends, the couple could often be seen at Notting Hills farmers market and browsing hand in hand in the trendy shops lining Holland Park Avenue. When Tom and Ella became engaged, old friends of the Bristol University economics graduate would josh that he was punching above his weight marrying into Princess Pushys elevated circle. He would replay with equal good humour that she was the lucky one joining the Kingston clan. Both had a past of course, but nothing too controversial though Ella did find herself in the spotlight when an ex-boyfriend wrote an indiscreet article about her mother, the royals and racism. The truth is that Tom, who spent several dangerous years working in hostage negotiation in war-torn Iraq, had had a string of pretty girlfriends before meeting Ella. He was one of those good- looking figures about whom friends liked to tell tall tales of amorous adventures. But they werent all tall. Women were drawn to his languid confidence, while men envied his effortless success with the opposite sex. Indeed, he has attracted some of the prettiest young women around the Prince William and Prince Harry sets. Among them were Pippa Middleton, the Princess of Waless sister, now married to hedge fund executive James Matthews although he denied they were romantically linked financier Louisa Strutt and Natalie Hicks-Lobbecke, an old flame of Prince William whom Tom dated while working in Iraq. He and Nats met when both were at Bristol University. As one close friend said admiringly: Toms great achievement is that none of his old girlfriends have anything but nice things to say about him. Even when its all over, they still like him. At the time of his wedding, one of Toms friends told me: Hes just the kind of guy you want to introduce to your mother. But there was another side to the Gatsby-esque figure who was forever popping up at society weddings on the arm of a pretty girl. He had a deep and abiding Christian faith. And it was this spiritual element that armed him during the three years he spent in Baghdad at the height of that countrys post-war violence. He worked there alongside Canon Andrew White, the so-called Anglican vicar of Baghdad who described him as a fearless and exceptional young man, and whom Tom fondly called Abouna, Arabic for priest. The two had numerous brushes with death, most notably when a suicide bomber struck at Whites church in 2004, taking 22 lives. Tom was with me in Iraq in the most dangerous days of the war, White said this week. One of the first things I taught him was: Remember we dont take care, we take risks. The next thing you need to remember is that in our peace-making, we dont make peace with the good guys, but only the really bad guys. Tom learned that very quickly and that is what he did with me. One day he returned from seeing a group of ayatollahs I had sent him to see and said: Its no good, Abouna, they were all good guys. He had certainly got the message about only being able to make peace with the bad guys. Memories of those days came flooding back to Canon White when he was among the guests at Tom and Ellas wedding. There, he was able to talk to his proteges new father-in-law Prince Michael about a mission the two had accomplished for him in Israel long before Ella was a glint in Toms eye. The Prince, whose mothers family were from Greece, had a relative buried near the Mount of Olives but did not know where. The priest and his assistant not only found the unkempt grave, but tidied it. Back in Britain, meanwhile, Tom entered the world of finance, firstly with Schroders, the blue-blood asset management company, later joining Devonport Capital as one of two directors in 2017. Devonport offers short-term loans to companies operating in the developing world and has offices in St Jamess that are a stones throw from Clarence House. His wedding day at St Georges Chapel was a major social occasion. The Queen and Prince Philip led the guests. It was almost a year to the day since Prince Harry had married Meghan Markle in the same venue but that and the sunshine were all they had in common. She was such a sweet bride, fussing over the bridesmaids and pageboys and he was so attentive too, recalls a guest. Of course it helped that they both had dazzling smiles on their faces. From the chapel, buses took the guests up to Frogmore House for the reception, where the couple posed for their wedding pictures. In the bleak months ahead, they will forever remain a memory of that happiest of days. Additional reporting: Simon Trump The Idaho murder suspect is making a mockery of our justice system. And the system itself is playing along. How can this be happening? Will anyone think of the families? The survivors who live in a suspended state of anguish? Fourteen months after Bryan Kohberger was arrested for the savage murders of four University of Idaho students in their off-campus home, his trial has been delayed yet again until March 2025 and, perhaps, even later. This is outrageous. Clearly Kohberger's public defender is seeking to delay by any means necessary. But why is the prosecution going along? And why is the judge allowing this? At yet another preliminary hearing on Wednesday, prosecutor Bill Thompson did not push back as Kohberger's lawyer Anne Taylor requested that the trial start next year despite stating that the prosecution has gone through 95% of the evidence. Fourteen months after Bryan Kohberger was arrested for the savage murders of four University of Idaho students in their off-campus home, his trial has been delayed yet again until March 2025 and, perhaps, even later. How can this be happening? Will anyone think of the families? The survivors who live in a suspended state of anguish? (Above) Victims; Kaylee Goncalves (second from left), Ethan Chapin (center), Xana Kernodle (center, right) and Madison Mogen (on shoulders). Survivors; Dylan Mortensen (left) and Bethany Funke (right) Taylor told Judge John Judge that she wasn't even sure she could be ready by summer 2025. 'I have a ways to go', she said, telling the judge she needed time to interview witnesses and experts and to go over the evidence that the prosecution has already turned over. Taylor has been Kohberger's lawyer from the beginning. What has she been doing all this time? How hard could it be to locate witnesses in the biggest murder trial of this young century? Taylor has also asked for a venue change, complaining that the local jury pool has been tainted by 'extensive, inflammatory' publicity. Know who didn't get a venue change, despite a similar argument? Harvey Weinstein. Yet Taylor's request will be considered, and it requires yet another hearing, this one scheduled for May 14. Delay, delay, delay. Perhaps this trial should be moved. Judge Judge now that's a name for a kangaroo court seems unwilling or unable to push this trial along in the muscular, determined, and timely manner it deserves. This latest pushback is yet another act of sadism, one that the 29-year-old Kohberger is doubtless relishing. On Friday, families of two of the victims, Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle, issued a blistering statement. 'We want to start healing, we do', they said. 'We want to find justice and try to move on from this horrible tragedy so please, please start making some decisions, get to work and quit playing the delay game'. It's inconceivable that these families have been reduced to begging for months now. Consider that OJ Simpson, the accused in one of America's most high-profile homicide cases, went to trial just six months after his arrest. On Friday, families of two of the victims, Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle, issued a blistering statement. 'We want to start healing, we do', they said. (Above) The family of Kaylee Goncalves leaves Latah County Court on November 13, 2022 Perhaps this trial should be moved. Judge Judge (above) now that's a name for a kangaroo court seems unwilling or unable to push this trial along in the muscular, determined, and timely manner it deserves. At yet another preliminary hearing on Wednesday, prosecutor Bill Thompson did not push back as Kohberger's lawyer Anne Taylor (above) requested that the trial start next year despite stating that the prosecution has gone through 95% of the evidence. 'It's gut-wrenching how slow everything has to go', Kaylee's mother Kristi told KHQ in November. 'Why does this have to be so drawn out? . . . I can't believe this is how it works'. Neither can we. This case may be the greatest example, writ large, of an upside-down America: The victimized are further made to suffer as the defendant swiftly indicted by a grand jury, a mountain of evidence against him gets the white-glove treatment by a cowed criminal justice system. To wit: The families begged for the off-campus house, the crime scene, to remain intact until after the trial. The defense argued it should be torn down. So did the prosecution. The home's owner gave it to the University of Idaho after the murders, but university president C. Scott Green whose family owned the house from 1967 through 1973 ordered it demolished in December 2023, thirteen months after the murders. Talk about callous disregard for the victims and their families. In the most smug and supercilious manner, Green overrode the families' wishes to say, simply, that he knew best. 'While we appreciate the emotional connection some family members of the victims may have to this house' he said, 'it is time . . . to allow the collective healing of our community to continue'. How disgusting. How condescending to state, publicly, that the parents and siblings of these four young students Goncalves, Kernolde, Ethan Chapin, and Madison Mogen were misguided by what Green minimized as mere sentimentality, their emotionality. That house was evidence. It's impossible not to imagine a jury wanting to walk through it. 'My daughter was murdered in that house', Kernodle's mother said. 'There is no way they should be destroying any evidence'. The families begged for the off-campus house, the crime scene, to remain intact until after the trial. The defense argued it should be torn down. So did the prosecution. (Above) The King Road home was demolished on December 28, 2023 'My daughter was murdered in that house', Kernodle's mother said. 'There is no way they should be destroying any evidence'. (Above) Investigators from the Idaho State Police remove bloodied mattresses, bed frames and other possessions from the crime scene Kernodle spearheaded a Change.org petition. The Goncalves family issued a lengthy Facebook post 'to stop this madness'. 'PLEASE STOP THE DEMOLITION OF THE KING'S ROAD HOME'! they wrote, adding that the multiple trial delays they had endured and this was as of December were intolerable. 'The court in this matter has delayed long enough', they wrote. 'This case has to move forward'! Indeed. If Kohberger has an alibi witness, as he claimed where is he or she? Why, fourteen months later, has this person not materialized? Why is it taking so long for the defense attorney to gather Kohberger's cell phone records? In high-profile murder cases such as these, it does not take long for search warrants to be executed, and cell phone providers almost always cooperate with law enforcement swiftly. Here's what we know: Kohberger's cell phone pinged in the vicinity of the house at least 12 times in the six months leading up to the murders. His vehicle was captured on multiple surveillance videos in the area on that same night. DNA found on a knife sheath at the crime scene links Kohberger to the murders. He lived just miles from the crime scene. His behavior, as a criminology major who worked as a teacher's assistant, was disturbing enough to get him fired days before he was arrested. Dateline reported that Kohberger broke into the residence of a female student with whom he was friendly. He used that break-in as a pretext to install security cameras in her home cameras he used to spy on her. 'PLEASE STOP THE DEMOLITION OF THE KING'S ROAD HOME'! they wrote, adding that the multiple trial delays they had endured and this was as of December were inexcusable. (Above) 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho on December 27, 2023 On Instagram, he followed three of his victims who he did not know, and who did not know him. Two weeks before the murders, he messaged one of the girls multiple times, to no avail.(Above) Madison Mogen (left) and Kaylee Goncalves (right) If Kohberger has an alibi witness, as he claimed where is he or she? Why, fourteen months later, has this person not materialized? (Above) Xana Kernodle with Ethan Chapin After the murders, Kohberger's own sister began to suspect he was the killer. Dateline reported that members of his family were so alarmed they searched Kohberger's car, which he himself had cleaned with bleach. After his arrest, police discovered Kohberger had several photos of one of the murder victims on his cell phone. 'He had more than one picture of her', a source told People. 'It was clear that he was paying attention to her'. On Instagram, he followed three of his victims who he did not know, and who did not know him. Two weeks before the murders, he messaged one of the girls multiple times, to no avail. Finally, Kohberger has displayed nothing but contempt in court, refusing to enter his own 'not guilty' pleas. The judge had to do that for him. And this most dangerous suspect attends his hearings without handcuffs or law enforcement surrounding him. It all adds up to a small-town court system that looks laughable, pathetic, cowed by this most hardened criminal. And one, unforgivably, that ignores not just the surviving family members, but the two students who survived Kohberger's home invasion that night. What about justice for them? Who will advocate for their rights to a speedy trial to make sure that witnesses can't claim memory loss, or that evidence doesn't go missing, or that public outrage subsides? It's long past time that the judge Judge take these factors into account. If he can't confidently preside over this most consequential trial, he should recuse himself, or allow it to be moved to a district that can administer true justice. 'It's like screaming into a void', the Goncalves family said last November. They were speaking about the decision to tear down the crime scene, but they may as well have been speaking of their treatment throughout this entire farce. 'Nobody is listening, and everybody tells you how sorry they are . . . but the families' opinion isn't a priority'. If there is to be any justice, Judge Judge and the prosecution should take heed. Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak have been forced to tear up their proposed Budget at the last minute after a watchdog told them it was unaffordable. Questions were being asked about who is in charge, with the Chancellor and Prime Minister set to spend the weekend in Downing Street recalibrating their plans for the vital pre-election statement after the Office for Budget Responsibility threw it in turmoil. Their initial package of tax cuts is likely to be scaled back as a result of the ruling while public spending will have to be trimmed after the election. Last night leading Conservatives said it was wrong that the Budget was effectively being dictated by an unaccountable quango that has a history of making overly pessimistic predications about the economy. Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt's initial package of tax cuts is likely to be scaled back as a result of the ruling Last night leading Conservatives said it was wrong that the Budget was effectively being dictated by an unaccountable quango that has a history of making overly pessimistic predications about the economy Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt are said to be at loggerheads over tax cuts in the looming Budget Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg told the Mail last night that the OBR's forecasts are 'Amazingly inaccurate' Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg told the Mail last night: 'The OBR's forecasts are amazingly inaccurate and yet it's been given this god-like status. 'It's also got no accountability and the people who run it come from Left-wing think-tanks.' Former Treasury minister Sir Simon Clarke said: 'We all want a Budget that reflects our fundamental conviction that lowering taxes can boost the economy and stimulate growth. 'I recognise the value of the OBR in providing independent assessment, but this responsibility has morphed into their determining what the Chancellor is and is not permitted to do. 'It is too late for this Budget, but surely it would be better for a Chancellor to be able to proceed with the Budget he/she actually believes in, publishing HM Treasury modelling of the expected results, and for the OBR to set out its assessment in parallel.' Former Cabinet minister Lord Frost said: 'The Treasury has allowed the OBR to usurp its own role and effectively to reach judgements for the Government about the economy and about tax and spending policy. It's high time the OBR was put back in its box as an advisory body. 'The Government should get back to deciding its own policy and making its own case for it.' Veteran Tory MP Sir John Redwood said: 'I've been telling them privately that there's a lot more flexibility than the OBR let on. They always get the deficit wrong and overstate it.' Tories have been demanding action on tax to revive the party's election chances Economists have highlighted the mounting tax pain being suffered by Brits This newspaper understands that Mr Hunt now looks almost certain to press ahead with plans to trim planned public spending after the election. Planned real terms growth of 1 per cent a year will be cut back to 0.75 per cent, freeing up 5 billion. The Chancellor is expected to make the case in the coming days that spending restraint is an essential step in cutting the tax burden. But he is also eyeing a number of 'revenue raisers'. He is expected to scrap the existing tax break for non-doms, which could raise billions. A new tax on vapes, coupled with higher taxes on cigarettes, is expected to raise 500 million. Air passenger duty may also rise. Daniel Andrews has been ordered by a court to hand over his personal phone and credit cards records relating to a road crash with a teenage cyclist. The former Victorian premier, who resigned last year, was given a Supreme Court subpoena outside his home last week requiring him to produce the documents. They are required as part of a civil suit launched by lawyers for Ryan Meuleman, who was 15-years-old and riding his bike in Blairgowrie on the Mornington Peninsula when he was struck by the Andrews' family SUV in 2013. Of particular interest is who Mr Andrews called in the aftermath of the crash and whether that included his then chief-of-staff, Brett Curran, who is the current assistant commissioner of Victoria Police. Lawyers Arnold Bloch Leibler will represent Mr Andrews in the case - the same firm his government hired at taxpayer expense to negotiate a huge compensation deal in the wake of the Commonwealth Games cancellation, reports The Herald Sun. Former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has been ordered to produce his phone and credit card records relating to a 2013 crash with a cyclist as he was in the passenger seat and his wife Catherine was driving (pictured together) The then 15-year-old cyclist Ryan Meuleman suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs and lost 90 per cent of his spleen (pictured in hospital after the crash) The Andrews had been driving their Ford Territory SUV to their holiday rental on the Mornington Peninsula (pictured, with the damage to the windscreen) Mr Andrews wife, Catherine, who was driving the Ford Territory when the crash occurred as they were on their way to the family holiday rental home in Sorrento, is also understood to be represented by Arnold Bloch Leibler. Mr Meuleman is seeking damages from law firm Slater & Gordon, who he hired in the aftermath of the crash, for allegedly failing to conduct a 'full and proper investigation into the circumstances' of the incident. The then-teenager suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs, internal bleeding and lost 90 per cent of his spleen which required him to be hospitalised for 11 days. He claims he was banned from discussing the crash when he accepted an $80,000 compensation payout for his injuries in 2016 from the Traffic Accident Commission, negotiated by Slater & Gordon, who he alleges failed to act in his best interests. Mr and Mrs Andrews have said Mr Meulman 'T-boned' their car but he claims he was slowly riding the bike, which was his sister's, along a gravel track when he crossed the road and the SUV, travelling at speed, 'came out of nowhere' and struck him. Mr Andrews told police according to the official report: 'The cyclist was travelling at speed and hit our car at a perfect right angle very heavily. I want to make it clear - the cyclist hit our vehicle.' Mrs Andrews said: 'My recollection of the incident is the cyclist completely shattering and compressing the windscreen directly in front of me on the driver's side. 'It was almost as if the cyclist had been dropped on our car from above'. Pictures released in 2022 - grainy photocopies of police originals - show the SUV's windscreen smashed from a heavy impact on the driver's side. Photocopied police originals show the SUV's windscreen smashed from a heavy impact on the driver's side But they also show damage to the front corner bodywork ahead of the front tyre which the Meulemans insist supports their claim the Andrews' drove into Ryan But they also show damage to the front corner bodywork ahead of the front tyre which Mr Meuleman, now in his mid-20s, insists supports the claim the Andrews drove into him. Last year, a patient care report made by Ambulance Victoria paramedics on the scene emerged which said the car 'struck' Mr Meuleman travelling at '40 to 60km/h'. The Andrews, however, said they had been at a complete stop and had only just accelerated and turned right when the incident happened. Police failed to breathalyse anyone at the scene and never interviewed Ryan about the crash after he was initially too ill to talk and then never followed up with him. Mrs Andrews said she was driving the SUV at the time of the accident but the premier then drove it from the scene to take their distraught children to the family's nearby rental home. The police summary of their investigation, also just released, reveals they concluded the crash damage matched the Andrews's account and said they would be taking no further action. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any wrongdoing on the part of Mr Andrews or his wife. A Hayward man is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on charges related to a January protest over the Israel-Hamas war. Gwendolyn Wu/The Chronicle A Hayward man faces felony charges with a hate crimes enhancement related to a January protest in Albany over the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office. Christopher Khamis Victor Husary, 36, attacked a woman carrying an Israeli flag during a Jan. 26 gathering of protesters and counterprotesters, grabbed the flag and set it on fire, the district attorneys office said in a statement Friday. Husary also pushed another woman and took an Israeli flag that was draped around her shoulders, the agency said. With the publics help, investigators with the El Cerrito Police Department identified Husary as the man responsible for the crimes, the district attorneys office said. Police found additional evidence linking him to the crimes after serving him with a search warrant of his home, the district attorneys office said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Husary is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on felony charges of second-degree robbery, grand theft person, and arson of anothers property with a hate crimes enhancement. The Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas militants on Israelis, and the Israeli militarys subsequent invasion of Gaza, have inspired several passionate Bay Area rallies in recent months in support of both Israelis and Palestinians, most of them without incident. Jill Biden launched her harshest attack to date against Donald Trump when she kicked off the 'Women for Biden' event in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday. She went after her husband's rival for his record on abortion rights, an major issue for Democrats in the 2024 election. 'Donald Trump is dangerous to women and to our families. We simply cannot let him win,' the first lady said to cheers from the crowd. 'He spent a lifetime tearing us down and devaluing our existence. He mocked women's bodies, disrespects our accomplishments and brags about assault. Now he's bragging about killing Roe v. Wade,' she said. Jill Biden kicked off the 'Women for Biden' campaign movement in Atlanta The first lady also pointed to remarks Trump made in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, where he indicated he's considering a 15-week ban on abortions. 'More and more, I'm hearing 15 weeks and I haven't decided yet. Also we got it back to the states where it belongs,' Trump told Fox's Sean Hannity. The former president has taken credit for the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, which sent decisions on abortion rights back to the states. President Joe Biden, Jill Biden and other Democrats are using the abortion issue to rally their base after it was a successful battle cry for the party in the 2022 midterm election, where their candidates outperformed better than expected, largely thanks to abortion right issues on the ballot. The first lady is taking point for the Biden campaign in rallying women an important voting bloc - to her husband's side. She was a fierce advocate for Democrats in the midterms and is the leading defender of her husband's record as president. She spends her time the campaign trail describing the human side of Joe Biden. One of her favorite stories to tell is their first date, where Biden showed up in a suit and loafers to take her out. 'It was the 70s so that evening, this handsome young senator showed up at my door. Well remember the guys were wearing bell bottoms and clogs. Okay, so I go to the door. I opened the door. I took one look at his perfect suit and his leather loafers. And I said thank God it's only one date!' Jill Biden issued her harshest attack to date on Donald Trump (above), slamming him for his suggestion he supports a 15-week abortion ban Jill Biden has been husband Joe Biden's biggest defender on the campaign trail But she is now ratcheting up the stakes as Trump appears the likely Republican nominee for the 2024 election. 'My husband is the author of the Violence Against Women Act. As I saw him write that bill on reams of yellow legal paper by hand, and he spent his entire career lifting up women,' Jill Biden said. She compared that to Trump, pointing out that the former president 'just last night, he took credit again, for enabling states like Georgia to pass cruel abortion bans that are taking away the right of women to make their own health care decisions. How far will he go? When will he stop? You know the answer? He won't.' 'He said it himself last night in his own words. He's considering a national abortion ban.' Jill Biden is a three-day campaign swing to kick off the Women for Biden event. After Georgia, she heads to more battleground states: Arizona, Nevada, and Wisconsin. 'Women put Joe Biden in the White House,' she told the cheering crowd in Atlanta. She said she was launching Women for Biden even there because 'Georgia put us in the White House.' Joe Biden won the 2020 election in Georgia, becoming the first Democrat since Bill Clinton to carry the state. Trump falsely claims he won the state but now faces both federal and state charges for his attempts to overturn the election results there. After her event in Atlanta, Jill Biden stopped at a wine story in Atlanta where she sampled the goods and bought a bottle of red and a bottle of white At the event, Jill Biden praised young women who were there and said they would vote in their first election this year. 'The first time I ever voted, I voted for my husband Joe. I didn't even know him and thank God I voted for him,' she joked. A solar energy company has canned all of its employees and owes millions of dollars after the CEO was diagnosed with cancer. Victorian electricity and energy business G-Store Pty Ltd, which has its headquarters in Malvern, Melbourne, went into administration on February 13. A majority of staff immediately lost their jobs and suppliers are still owed $3.8million in debts after the solar energy home improvement company closed its doors. Sole director Dion Epstein made the decision to close the business he began in 2007 on February 7 after he was diagnosed with cancer. The company is now in the hands of administrator Philip Newman of PCI Partners. The company, which also had an office in Warragul about 100km east of Melbourne, owes a total of 139 unsecured creditors $2.2million, reported the Herald Sun. Melbourne-based solar energy installer G-Store has entered administration owing $3.8m Founder Dion Epstein personally guaranteed a number of loans himself before his cancer diagnosis Mr Newman wrote that a 'small number of staff' were retained to assist with ongoing inquiries through to February 13 before they were also let go. Mr Newman is now working to figure out how much each of the secured lenders are owed of the remaining $1.6million in debts. Some of the debts are also owed to customers who paid to have solar energy systems installed into their homes but are still waiting for the installations. Mr Newman's administrative report noted 'a number of works' where G-Store had received deposits from customers. 'Unfortunately, these customers will now rank as unsecured creditors for the deposits paid to the company,' the report continued. Staff are also owed $437,000 in unpaid annual leave, long service leave, superannuation and redundancy payments. Another $24,000 is owed because the company had not paid superannuation since January 1. G Store began reporting annual losses in 2021 and in its most recent financial year, reported a loss of $503,000. 'The above indicates that the company may have been technically insolvent since at least 30 June 2021,' Mr Newman wrote. However it was noted that thanks to Mr Epstein's personal wealth, G-Store was able to stave off proper insolvency until January 2024. Mr Epstein's father has offered all creditors 2.2 cents for every dollar they are owed Mr Epstein owes his wife $85,000 and the Epstein Family Trust $247,012.75 for its help in keeping the company alive. Robert Epstein, Dion's father, is the director of one of the company's secured creditors, Coltvale Pty Ltd. Coltvale Pty Ltd has put forward a deed of company arrangement (DOCA) application in the hopes to buy back G-Store after its debts are wiped. The application offers to provide creditors 2.2 cents back for every dollar they are owed and is now pending approval. The next creditor meeting will be held on March 8 and is set to address whether the DOCA will be accepted or if the company will enter liquidation. Mr Epstein is facing bankruptcy if the creditors do not accept the offer as he personally guaranteed a number of debts. G-Store only had $142,000 left in the bank when it entered administration. The business' stock has been valued at $145,000 and the company's assets hold an estimated value of between $122,000 and $171,000. Police are investigating an alleged assault by pro-Palestinian protesters against Jewish Australians as videos emerge of protest leaders labelling themselves as 'terrorists' and saying their 'proper resistance action' is yet to come. The alleged assault occurred on Jewish citizens attempting to attend a debate at Melbourne Town Hall on February 20 when the protesters confronted them. Video of the incident shows a Jewish man being knocked over before he is later forcibly dragged away by police who tell him he is 'disturbing the peace', despite protesting he has a ticket to attend a debate in the hall. Video of the alleged assault shows a Jewish man being bowled over outside Melbourne Town Hall A separate video has emerged of the Town Hall protest leaders at another demonstration outside Victoria's Parliament House where they label themselves 'terrorists' who will clear Australia and Israel of 'colonisers'. In the video shot on January 25 and intended for distribution on Australia Day the man who identifies himself as Keiran says that 'any sort of terrorism that we might commit is justified resistance'. 'It's legally justified under international law and it's justified morally,' Keiran said. 'Of course, the colonial entities are going to call us terrorists and at the end of the day, to them we might be terrorists. 'If we're being honest, we are (terrorists) because we're terrorising the colonial systems they shouldn't be in Palestine in the first place.' Another man, who cannot be named for legal reasons but was part of the Town Hall protest, addresses the rally, which has dubbed itself the 'Sit-Intifida' and has been keeping a permanent encampment outside Parliament House. 'Like you said, they label us as terrorists we haven't even started the proper resistance action yet,' the man said. 'We will. It's just a matter of time.' The Melbourne man asserts Indigenous Australians are also fighting against colonsiers, as the Palestinians are. 'We will keep teaching our kids how to exist and how to resist and we will give the land back to where it belongs to the traditional owners,' he said. 'The Aboriginal land, not just Palestine, every single land because across history for thousands of years, there's no coloniser that has lasted forever.' Two men who who were part of the alleged assault at Town Hall have been filmed at another protest outside Victoria's Parliament House The man who cannot be identified for legal reasons also appeared in a rally on December 10 last year in Melbourne's CBD. 'This is not a war. This is an honourable resistance movement against the Zionist occupation that started in 1948, not on the 7th of October 2023,' he said to a cheering crowd. A permanent pro-Palestinian protest has been set up on the steps of Melbourne's Parliament House 'We condemn the "so-called Israel" and its supporters for ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people. We condemn the Zionists here, there and everywhere. 'We demand nothing less. Nothing less. Than liberation to every single edge of the tradition Palestinian land. Nothing less.' Investigations are being made into the incident outside Town Hall with Sky News reporting that Victorian Police Commissioner Shane Patton describing the situation as 'very difficult and volatile'. Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson has been delegated to pursue the matter, with statements having been collected from the alleged victims. 'Using their bodies and then their hands they started pushing us back, assaulting and threatening, as well as issuing many racial and anti-Semitic slurs,' one formal police statement states. Senior police are understood to be reviewing videos of the incident. 'Victoria Police can confirm it is investigating an alleged assault outside Melbourne Town Hall on 20 February,' police said in statement to Sky News. 'This follows police receiving a formal report from a 36-year-old man who attended Caulfield Police Station in the afternoon on 21 February,' the statement reads. 'A rally was being held outside the town hall at the time of the alleged assault. 'Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers Due to privacy, we are not able to comment on individuals.' The University of Florida has eliminated all positions affiliated with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The move, laid bare in an administrative memo, serves as the latest in the state's mission to nix DEI initiatives from public institutions. University Director of Public Affairs Cynthia Roldan confirmed the cut consisted of 13 full-time positions, as well 15 administrative appointments. These appointments are roles/duties that faculty members accept in addition to their regular duties as faculty, the school said. It also marks an end to the school's office devoted to diversity, opened just six years ago. The next year, Republican Ron DeSantis would become governor, and has since passed a litany of laws to rid schools of lessons and literature surrounding DEI. The memo cites one such law - a state Board of Governors regulation that prohibits public universities in the state from expending state or federal funds to maintain programs that 'advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion.' The University of Florida has eliminated all positions affiliated with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, a memo sent to fired staffers revealed Friday The move, laid bare in an administrative memo, serves as the latest example of the Ron DeSantis' onslaught to eliminate DEI initiatives from public institutions. 'To comply with the Florida Board of Governors' regulation 9.016 on prohibited expenditures, the University of Florida has closed the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer,' Provost J. Scott Angle and other school officials wrote. '[The university has also] eliminated DEI positions and administrative appointments, and halted DEI-focused contracts with outside vendors.' The memo went on to tell the pulled staffers that they would be provided with '12 weeks of [severance pay]', and are encouraged to apply elsewhere within the university. Those staffers - which include boss Marsha McGriff, Assistant Director Farrah Harvey, and top administrator Wilma Rogers - were encouraged to apply now until April 19, 'for expedited consideration for different positions currently posted with the university.' As of writing, the school has more than a hundred open positions, though most require certain technical knowledge, or are intern of custodian roles. 'University of Florida HR will work to fast-track the interview process and provide an answer on all applications within the twelve-week window,' Angle and VP Amy Meyers Hass and VP for Human Resources Melissa Curry wrote. The university also announced how the Office of the Chief Financial Officer will now reallocate roughly $5 million in funds previously reserved for DEI into a 'faculty recruitment fund to be administered by the Office of the Provost'. They did not state specific plans for the sum. The memo sent to the 13 full-time positions who had their positions eliminated, sent by Provost J. Scott Angle Angle and VP Amy Meyers Hass and VP for Human Resources Melissa Curry The staffers - including DEI office boss Marsha McGriff,- were encouraged to apply elsewhere within the public school She and staffers like Assistant Director Farrah Harvey and top administrator Wilma Rogers were urged to apply now until April 19, 'for expedited consideration for different positions currently posted with the university' The school further revealed how the move will see roughly $5 million in funds previously reserved for DEI reallocated into a 'faculty recruitment fund to be administered by the Office of the Provost'. They did not state specific plans for the sum Demonstrators gather at the site of a planned speech by white nationalist Richard Spencer, who popularized the term 'alt-right', at the campus in October 2017. Subsection 3 of Regulation 9.016 further bars state schools and their direct-support organizations from using public tax dollars on campus activities that 'promote or engage in political or social activism DeSantis, who celebrated the firings on social media, is seen signing a bill during a press conference at the Palm Beach PD seat in Palm Beach Thursday. He has passed several laws to rid schools of lessons and literature surrounding DEI since becoming governor in 2019 This includes the bill cited by school officials in their decision, Senate Bill 266, which the 45-year-old Florida governor signed in May, prohibiting any state and federal funds being used toward DEI in the Florida College System The law - separate from DeSantis now-notorious Don't Say Gay Bill - classifies these policies and lessons as 'differential or preferential treatment', on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity or sexual orientation DeSantis, meanwhile, celebrated the firings on social media, and retweeted a screenshot of the memo just days after his Board of Governors officially ruled public schools could not use funds to promote DEI-related work. 'DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities,' he wrote on the platform now known as X. 'Im glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit.' The ill-fated 2024 candidate went on to air another self-celebratory post on his own account, writing to his roughly 2.3million followers: 'Florida is where DEI goes to die.' A day before, the two-term governor signed a law that allowed for the public release of grand jury documents like those related to the 2006 Florida investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, one of several he's passed since assuming his post in 2019. This includes the bill cited by school officials in their decision, Senate Bill 266, which the 45-year-old Florida governor signed in May, prohibiting any state and federal funds being used toward DEI in the Florida College System. Subsection 3 of Regulation 9.016 also bars state schools and their direct-support organizations from using public tax dollars on campus activities that 'promote or engage in political or social activism'. First, the statute prohibits any spending toward 'Diversity, Equity or Inclusion' or 'DEI' in any capacity, whether it be 'campus activity,' or policies that classify 'individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.' The law - separate from DeSantis now-notorious Don't Say Gay Bill - classifies these policies and lessons as 'differential or preferential treatment', on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity or sexual orientation. School officials, meanwhile, added a defiant exclamation at the end of their internal email, writing that the University of Florida will still remain 'unwavering in [its] commitment to universal human dignity. 'As we educate students by thoughtfully engaging a wide range of ideas and views,' they went on, 'we will continue to foster a community of trust and respect for every member of the Gator Nation. 'The University of Florida is an elite institution because of our incredible faculty who are committed to teaching, discovering, and serving,' the memo concludes. DailyMail.com has reached out to the University of Florida - the latest school in the Sunshine State to pull its DEI department - for comment. The body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto has been found in woods close to where she disappeared, four days after she was reported missing. Osceola County Sheriff's Office search teams found her at 4:30pm on Friday afternoon. They say her body found was wearing clothing similar to what Maddie was last wearing - a green sweatshirt, black shorts and white Crocs. The grim discovery came hours after police revealed Madeline's mother's boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, 37, is the 'prime suspect' in her murder. Sterns was seen driving his silver 2010 Lincoln MK car with the teenager's lifeless body still in the vehicle after dumping her backpack and laptop in the trash. The area where Soto's body was discovered is where Sterns had been seen driving and seen at the side of the road changing his tire. Soto was reported missing on Monday night in Orlando, Florida, after initial reports she was last seen that morning near Town Loop Boulevard and Hunter's Park Lane. However, cops have since said she may have already been dead during her final sighting. Sterns is now in jail having been arrested on child porn charges and sexual battery. He has not been charged in connection to the girl's murder. Madeline Soto, 13, was reported missing on Monday night in Orlando, Florida after she was last seen that morning near Town Loop Boulevard and Hunter's Park Lane. She is pictured celebrating her birthday last Sunday At about 4:30pm on Friday afternoon, Sheriff's Office search teams located the body of Madeline Soto in a wooded area off of Hickory Tree Road, Osceola County Police found the teenager's body a short distance away from where she lived Video evidence shows Stephan Sterns discarding items in a dumpster at the family's Kissimmee apartment complex at 7:35am. on Monday, February 26 Orange County Sheriff John Mina and Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland announces that their investigation has led them to believe that 13-year-old Madeline Soto was killed by primary suspect Stephan Sterns The press conference was held at Orange County Sheriff's Office headquarters in Orlando A missing persons flyer for 13-year-old Madeline Soto and primary suspect Stephan Sterns, far right, on display as Orange County Sheriff 's Department hold a press conference on Friday Sterns has not been charged in connection to the girl's disappearance but is the 'prime suspect' and has been arrested on other charged Deputies say they believe Madeline was never dropped off at Hunter's Creek Middle School on Monday morning, and was dead before then. They also said Sterns allegedly moved her body in the morning hours of Monday after killing her in Kissimmee. On Friday afternoon, the Orange County Sheriff's Office held a press conference in which that stated that they were 'confident' the girl was dead. Sheriff John Mina broke the 'devastating news' to Madeline's mother Jenn on Thursday night. 'We believe he moved her body in those early morning hours, and all that is still under investigation,' Sheriff Mina explained. 'Searches are continuing as we speak, and we have people who are working nonstop. So every lead that comes in, every piece of evidence that we receive, we're gonna follow up on that, and if that leads us to a new search area, we'll be out all weekend,' Mina said. Surveillance footage seen by police sees Sterns throwing items into a dumpster at an apartment complex in Kissimmee at 7:45am on Monday morning. The objects were later recovered and found to be Madeline Soto's backpack and school-issued laptop. Sterns was then captured for a second time on video as he returned back to his neighborhood with Madeline's body said to be visible. Police say they believe the teenager was never dropped off at Hunter's Creek Middle School on Monday morning having been killed hours earlier in Kissimmee. Police said investigators discovered 'disturbing images' when they looked through Sterns' phone, along with proof that he attempted to delete evidence of the related material. After his arrest, Sterns invoked his right to an attorney and declined to speak during his interview. Investigators said he was also the last person to see the girl. On Friday morning, Sterns was transferred from the Orange County Jail to Osceola County Sterns was walked to a waiting patrol car with his hands cuffed After his arrest, Sterns invoked his right to an attorney and declined to speak during his interview Officials from various agencies were out on the scene in rural Osceola County on Friday as her body was found Madeline Soto, 13, was reported missing on Monday night in Orlando, Florida after she was last seen that morning near Town Loop Boulevard and Hunter's Park Lane During Friday's press conference Mina also revealed how authorities are currently working to find and recover Madeline's body Mom, Jennifer Soto, is pictured alongside her 13-year-old daughter Maddie Sterns has not been charged with her murder as of Friday evening The Orange County Sheriff's Office is 'confident' that Madeline Soto, a 13-year-old girl who was reported missing earlier this week, is dead. On Friday morning, Sterns was transferred from the Orange County Jail to Osceola County. During Friday's press conference Mina also revealed how authorities are currently working to find and recover Madeline's body. Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez released a statement following Madeline's death: 'I am heartbroken to hear from the Orange County Sheriff's Office of the tragic death of our precious student, Madeline Soto. My thoughts and prayers go out to Maddie's family and her school community. 'To lose a child so suddenly and tragically is extremely difficult especially for family and friends. Counselors continue to be available for any student or staff member dealing with the news. I ask that you keep the entire Hunter's Creek Middle School community in your prayers as they grieve the loss of one of their own.' Stephan Sterns, 37, the boyfriend of Madeline mother, was arrested on Wednesday for child porn charges The search for Madeline began after her mother told Fox 35 that her daughter did not make it to school on Monday morning. 'I went to pick her up after school and she wasn't there,' she said before her boyfriend's arrest. 'I drove around and I didn't see anything. I drove back to the school, the school was closed.' 'I emailed one of her teachers, they confirmed that she was absent all day. At that point is when I called 911 because I realized something was truly wrong.' Jenn spoke as Sterns sat quietly behind her and occasionally looked into the camera. In another interview, the mother said surveillance footage showed her daughter in the parking lot at Peace United Methodist Church after she was dropped off at school that morning. Jenn also noted that Madeline left her cell phone at home on the morning she was last seen. Orange County Sheriff John Mina said that the girl's phone has since been reviewed by police and information on it 'indicated that she told people' that 'she wanted to go live in the woods' once she turned 13. Madeline's mother, Jenn Soto, is seen speaking to the camera while Sterns sits quietly behind her and occasionally looked into the camera Police found messages on Madeline's phone that said once she was 13, she wanted 'to go live in the woods.' The girl is seen in a picture with her mother Jenn and her boyfriend Sterns Madeline's birthday was on February 22, four days before she was last seen alive. Authorities enlisted the help of K9s, search teams and a piece of Madeline's clothing to try and locate her scent. Missing posters have also been posted all over town and on social media, along with a Facebook group called 'Madeline Soto Strong- Official support Group & Updates.' A GoFundMe page was also created to raise funds to assist in the effort to locate Madeline before her body was found. As of Friday, more than $2,200 had been raised and is set to go toward sharing information about Madeline on social media, billboards and printed flyers. The page also said that the money will go toward 'supporting the family during this difficult time with any unforeseen costs.' Andrea, who said she was the the mother's best friend said: 'I've watched Maddie grow into the beautiful young lady she's become. She loves arts and crafts, playing video games, and playing volleyball.' 'She's a good kid who is loved beyond measure and we just want her safe at home with her family where she belongs.' The young girl was last seen wearing a green jacket, black shorts and white Crocs. Missing posters have also been posted all over town and on social media, along with a Facebook group called Madeline Soto Strong- Official support Group & Updates Authorities have enlisted the help of K9s, search teams and a piece of Madeline's clothing to try and locate her scent. Pictured: A search crew is seen looking for the girl The young girl was last seen wearing a green jacket, black shorts and white Crocs. She has two distinct moles on her face- one on the left side of her nose and another on the right side of her chin The girl's aunt, Leticia Nunez, said at the time that she didn't think that Madeleine would've 'pick up and run away with no trace of anything.' 'I'm trying to believe that she is still alive out there.' Tatiana Wallace, Madeline's step mother, also spoke out about the young girl's disappearance and Sterns' recent arrest in the days before she was discovered dead. 'My stepdaughter Madeline has been missing for more than 72 hours. With Stephan Sterns behind bars, we can concentrate on finding her. Share her photo with everyone you know,' she said. Jenn has also posted online about her daughter's disappearance, but has not commented on her boyfriend's arrest. 'I'm trying to hope for the best, but I'm scared for her. I want her to be okay, I want her to be safe I don't want her to come back harmed. I just want her back whatever that means, I just want her back,' the mother said. Early Thursday morning the mother posted her daughter's missing flyer on her Facebook and said: 'Please share! Please bring Maddie home!' A former federal Labor candidate has been charged with stalking the staffer of a state minister he was in a relationship with. Michael Denton, who ran for Labor in the seat of Petrie to Brisbane's north during the last federal election, has been charged with stalking a staffer of Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D'ath while he was in a relationship with the high-profile minister. Nine news reported Ms D'ath was unaware of the charge against Mr Denton when they approached her about it. Michael Denton poses with Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D'ath with the two being in a relationship earlier this year It is understood she ended her relationship with him immediately. Ms D'ath, who has announced she is quitting politics at the next state election, has declined to comment. She said as the matter is before the courts it would inappropriate for her to say anything. Ms D'ath was Queensland health minister during the controversial Covid period, overseeing vaccine mandates and state lockdowns. Nine reported the 'context of that relationship' will form a part of the police case, according to sources. Mr Dention, who is a divorced father-of-three, fronted Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on February 16 where he was granted bail on one count of stalking to harass, intimidate or abuse. Queensland Labor has confirmed Mr Denton resigned from the party this year. Petrie is the same Federal seat that Ms D'ath held between 2007 and 2013, when she lost it to incumbent Liberal MP Luke Howarth. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese campaigned alongside Mr Denton when his candidacy was announced in July 2021. In a social media post from the time, Mr Albanese said Mr Denton was ' a Redcliffe local, a worker at the local oil refinery, and someone who knows the value of Aussie manufacturing'. In announcing his candidacy Labor said Mr Denton, who was a former Australian Workers Union delegate, became a 'father at a young age'. Mr Denton, pictured while standing for the Federal seat of Petrie, campaigning with then Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese The campaign material said Mr Denton understood what it was like 'to struggle to put food on the table and to make the choice between buying food and paying bills'. Mr Denton has yet to enter a plea and is set to face court again on March 11. President Joe Biden has now said he is 'hoping' for an agreement for Hamas to release Israeli hostages and a Gaza ceasefire by the start of Ramadan on March 10. 'Im hoping so, were still working real hard on it. Were not there yet,' Biden told reporters as he left the White House on Friday night on the way to Camp David with his granddaughters Naomi and Maisy and Naomi's husband Peter Neal. He admitted negotiators are still 'far apart' on reaching a truce to release the hostages, hours after he announced the U.S. military would begin aid airdrops for Palestinians. It comes five days after the president, 81, said he believed a ceasefire could happen as early as Monday while eating ice cream in New York with late night talk show host Seth Meyers. Biden wouldn't reveal details of the 'holdup' in talks and when he asked if there was still a chance of a negotiated ceasefire, he said: 'I'm still hoping for it. You know, it's not over until it is over'. Biden heads off for a weekend in Camp David with (from right to left) granddaughters Naomi and Maisy and Naomi's husband Peter Neal Biden has now said he is 'hoping' for an agreement between Israel and Hamas on the release of hostages and a Gaza ceasefire by the start of Ramadan on March 10 His comments and the announcement of aid airdrops comes a day after hundreds of Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in a rush to get food from an assistance convoy. At least 576,000 people in the Gaza Strip - one quarter of its population - are one step away from famine, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Biden met earlier in the Oval Office with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said the food drops would arrive in the coming days. He noted he played Ray Charles' 'Georgia on My Mind' as the Italian prime minister came into the Oval Office. 'We're going to discuss the Middle East and yesterday's tragic and alarming event in north Gaza, trying to get humanitarian assistance in there,' he said. 'The loss of life is heartbreaking. People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in a terrible war unable to feed their families and you saw the response when they tried to get aid in.' Biden admitted negotiators are still 'far apart' on reaching a truce to release the hostages, hours after he announced the U.S. military would begin aid airdrops for Palestinians Biden speaks to reporters alongside his granddaughter Naomi before a weekend in Camp David He admitted negotiators are still 'far apart' on reaching a truce to release the hostages, hours after he announced the U.S. military would begin aid airdrops for Palestinians. Jordanian forces have already started dropping food 'We need to do more and the United States will do more.' Then he started talking of the Ukraine: 'In the coming days, we are going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing airdrops of additional food and supplies into Ukraine and seek to continue to open up other avenues into Ukraine, including the possibility of a marine corridor to deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance.' Biden then caught himself and said it was aid to Gaza: 'In addition to expanding deliveries by land, as I said, we're going to insist that Israel facilitate more trucks and more routes to get more and more people the help they need. No excuses, because the truth is aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough now it's nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line and children's lives are on the line.' He also said they hope to know 'shortly' if a ceasefire can be worked out between Israel and Hamas. 'We are trying to work out a deal between Israel and Hamas the hostages being returned and the immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks, and to allow the surge of aid to the entire Gaza Strip, not just the south,' the president said. Pro-Palestine protests will resume today as activists respond to Rishi Sunak's comments that democracy is being targeted by extremists - demanding that the Prime Minister looks 'in the mirror'. Mr Sunak used a speech outside No10 on Friday night to warn of 'poison' on the streets of Britain following the aftermath of the October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israel. The Prime Minister, in a message aimed at those taking part in pro-Palestine protests, urged people to reject extremist messages. But speaking ahead of the planned protests, organisers told him to 'look in the mirror' and expel some senior MPs from his party. Pro-Palestine protests will resume today as activists respond to Rishi Sunak 's comments that democracy is being targeted by extremists George Galloway said he 'respects the right' of Hezbollah terrorists to operate in Lebanon Speaking ahead of further planned protests across the country today, Ben Jamal, director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign posted on X Mr Sunak said: 'I want to speak directly to those who choose to continue to protest: don't let the extremists hijack your marches. 'You have a chance in the coming weeks to show that you can protest decently, peacefully and with empathy for your fellow citizens. 'Let us prove these extremists wrong and show them that even when we disagree, we will never be disunited.' The Prime Minister said a line has to be drawn so that while people should be able to 'march and protest with passion' in support of Gaza, demonstrators 'cannot call for violent jihad', justify the actions of Palestinian militant group Hamas, or 'call for the eradication of a state or any kind of hatred or antisemitism'. Speaking ahead of further planned protests across the country today, Ben Jamal, director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign posted on X saying: 'So Rishi Sunak wants to deal with 'extremists'. 'Maybe he should start with politicians, political commentators and religious leaders who support a state, on trial for genocide, in its mass slaughter, and deliberate creation of famine. Not those protesting against it. 'As for his ire at those who seek to divide us, does he ever look in the mirror, or around his cabinet table? Come back when you've kicked @SuellaBraverman, @RobertJenrick @michaelgove out. That's just for starters.' Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer appeared to back the Prime Minister's message calling for unity in the country. In a statement, he said: 'The Prime Minister is right to advocate unity and to condemn the unacceptable and intimidatory behaviour that we have seen recently.' But his comments were also met with criticism, particularly from those he took aim at including Mr Galloway, who secured almost 40 per cent of the vote in a constituency that has a strong Muslim population. He accused Mr Sunak of using Britain's Muslim population as a 'whipping boy' and treating them as 'second class voters'. 'And that is what he was doing in Downing Street today, a despicable and dangerous thing,' said the newly elected MP, who has become a divisive figure in British politics in recent decades. 'And secondly, alarmed at the growing support for Palestine, for Gaza in Britain, the attempt is being made to paint these peaceful demonstrators - almost always demonstrating without a single arrest being made, without so much as a paper cup being dropped - they are trying to conflate peaceful democratic protest in Britain with some kind of mob, with some kind of violence and intimidation.' Further local protests are planned for this weekend before another national march, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, takes place in central London on March 9. Pro-Palestinian protesters gather at Parliament Square as British MPs are debating a motion in Parliament on calling a ceasefire in Gaza in February Parents for Palestine protest with their children to demand a ceasefire in October Palestinian protesters gather at Parliament Square last month Many of the actions this weekend are directed against Barclays Bank, which it claims holds 'substantial financial ties with arms companies supplying weapons and military technology to Israel'. It comes after George Galloway said he 'respects the right' of Hezbollah terrorists to operate in Lebanon as the new Rochdale MP launched an extraordinary response to Rishi Sunak's claim that his by-election win was 'alarming'. Rishi Sunak last night lashed out at the win by George Galloway in the Gaza-fuelled Rochdale by-election, which followed months of mass protests against Israeli violence following the Hamas terror attack. In an emotional speech which referenced his own British and Hindu background, Mr Sunak laid into the former Labour MP and pro-Palestinian rabble-rouser - who 'glorifies Hezbollah' and has been backed by Nick Griffin, the far-right former leader of the BNP. Responding to his words, Mr Galloway told Sky News that he 'respects the right' of those in an occupied territory to 'resist their occupier'. In an impassioned interview, when asked for his response to the Prime Minister's claims, he told the news outlet: 'I don't what that means, 'backed Hezbollah'. 'I oppose Israel's occupation of Lebanon and I respect the right of those in occupied territory to resist their occupier, and I have done so since before Hezbollah was formed and Israel occupied much of Lebanon. I'm not sure what business that is of his (the Prime Minister).' When it was put to him that Hezbollah are a terrorist organisation, he said: 'They are part of the government of Lebanon, a country with which we have sovereign diplomatic relations.' He added: 'I understand how disappointed (Rishi Sunak) is about the by-election. The Conservative party was crushed not just by me but by an independent candidate no one had heard of outside of Rochdale.' Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer appeared to back the Prime Minister's message calling for unity Mr Galloway, one of Britain's most divisive politicians, swept to victory Mr Galloway then made several scathing remarks about the Prime Minister, calling him a 'rather diminished, degraded politician'. When he was asked about the claims of intimidation which have been made previously - notably those made in regard to Labour and the Speaker - he said: 'The Prime Minister is a rather diminished, degraded politician. 'I don't care about his attitude. What I care about is that the returning officer declared it a free and clear attitude and me as the winner.' Continuing his verbal tirade, he said: 'You talk as if this is God. We're talking about little Rishi Sunak in the fag end of his prime ministership. 'Don't talk to me as if he has come down from the mount with tablets of stone. As if he is meant to awe me. He may awe you but he doesn't awe me. 'He don't impress me much.' Asked if he respects Mr Sunak, he said: 'Do I respect the prime minister? I despise the Prime Minister. Guess what, millions and millions of people in this country despise the Prime Minister, I don't respect the Prime Minister at all.' It follows Mr Galloway's deputy, Chris Williamson, refusing to condemn the October 7 attacks. Speaking to Channel 5, Mr Galloway last night said he doesn't understand Mr Sunak's claims that he 'glorifies Hezbollah' but hopes they can discuss it at the next PMQs if the Prime Minister 'has the guts'. He continued: 'I'm not responsible for whoever declares they endorse me. I've never met Mr Griffin and have no intention to.' Mr Galloway went on to say that he 'abhors extremism' just as much as the Prime Minister does and agreed that change can only occur though the democratic process. Mr Sunak yesterday demanded Britain unite against extremism as he made an extraordinary plea for calm on the steps of No10 and told police to take a harder line with protests. And he cited rising anti-Semitism that has left Jewish children 'fearful to wear their school uniform' and Islamophobia that has seen 'Muslim women abused in the street for the actions of a terrorist group they have no connection with'. The PM said he would back police in taking a tougher stance against the 'poison' on the streets, adding: 'We must draw a line.' 'This situation has gone on long enough and demands a response not just from the government, but from all of us,' he said. 'I fear that our great achievement in building the world's most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy is being deliberately undermined. There are forces here at home trying to tear us apart.' In response to the PM's criticism, Mr Galloway used a TV interview to mock ''little Rishi Sunak' and refused to condemn the Hezbollah terrorist group. They've enjoyed the heights of luxury, with yoga tents, ensuite bathrooms and even flatscreen televisions being hauled the almost 18,000ft to Everest's base camp. But climbers hoping to brave the ascent of the world's tallest mountain will now have to do without such luxurious after a crackdown by Nepalese authorities. Officials are concerned the base camp, which lies 17,598ft up the side of the Himalayan mountain, is becoming too crowded amid a rise in the number of visitors. Luxury holiday companies, offering premium services such as glamorous chalets, Wi-Fi and bespoke dining, are overwhelming the space available on the base camp. The dome-shaped tents come with carpeted flooring, wooden furniture and ensuites, and some are used only for recreational meditation and massages. Officials are concerned the base camp (pictured), which lies 17,598ft up the side of the Himalayan mountain, is becoming too crowded amid a rise in the number of visitors Luxury holiday companies, offering premium services such as glamorous chalets, Wi-Fi and bespoke dining, are overwhelming the space available on the Mount Everest base camp Mount Everest split into sections. Trekkers usually stay at base camp for several days to acclimate to the height and avoid altitude sickness Other facilities created in the camp were purely commercial including a bar, bakery, cafes and even a museum. Trekkers usually stay at base camp for several days to acclimate to the altitude and avoid altitude sickness. But new regulations by authorities will restrict the size of tents to make sure space is more fairly allocated and ban commercial ventures. The regulations will also hope to boost local employment by requiring companies to use yaks to move equipment rather than helicopters. Under the new rules helicopters will only be allowed for rescuing injured climbers and for the emergency evacuation of those suffering from altitude sickness. Dawa Steven Sherpa, secretary of the Expedition Operators Association told The Times: 'Base camp should be comfortable. That's the point. There's nothing wrong with luxuries, as long as you are not impacting other people or the environment.' There have been some reports of companies laying on onesie pyjamas, fresh meat and vegetables, a desk and four personal Sherpas on the exhibition. A group of trekkers on the way to Everest base camp Tents of mountaineers are pictured at the Everest base camp in 2021. Under the new rules helicopters will only be allowed for rescuing injured climbers and for the emergency evacuation of those suffering from altitude sickness Nepal mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa poses for a picture during an interview with AFP at the Everest base camp in the Mount Everest in 2021 A group of mountaineers climbing a slope lined up during their ascend to summit Mount Everest in 2021 The number of tourists on Mount Everest has been spiking in recent years Simon Lowe, founder of the trekking company Jagged Globe told the paper anyone who needed four Sherpas was 'not a mountaineer'. Some of the luxury holiday packages, which charge more than 100,000 per mountaineer, include a 'rapid ascent', in which clients sleep in pressurized sleeping chambers at home to acclimatize before being flown directly to base camp. The modern luxuries of climbing Everest is a far cry from when the peak was first climbed by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953, with the New Zealand mountaineer commenting 'when you're climbing at high altitude, life can get pretty miserable'. Mount Everest, which summits at over 29,000ft, has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. In 2021, Nepal issued 408 climbing permits, the highest in history. Since 1992, more than 300 people have died on Mount Everest, with many blaming inexperienced and unfit tourists being allowed to climb to the summit. In 2019, videos on social media showed long overcrowded queues trying to reach the summit as they walked over dead bodies stranded on the mountain. An eerie image showed a long line of adventurers stepping over a rope attached to a frozen corpse which hangs over the mountain almost 9,000 metres above sea level. A long queue of mountain climbers caused by overcrowding line a path on Mount Everest in 2019 In 2019 a picture was posted showing a dead body still tethered dangling from the mountain amidst long queues Expedition tents at Everest base camp in the Mount Everest region of Solukhumbu in 2021 But despite the death toll, the popularity of the route has continued increasing causing problems with the large amounts of waste being produced. Experts estimate that there could be as much as 50 tonnes of rubbish left on the mountain, while Everest base camp churns out 75 tonnes of garbage every season. The waste problem is now so bad that climbers will be forced to carry their own poo back down the mountain. Mount Everest itself sits within the Sagamartha National Park in the Khumbu region of Nepal. This 124,400-hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site contains some of the world's highest mountains as well as some 200 Sherpa villages. The number of tourists visiting the park has been steadily increasing for years but has recently begun to grow extremely fast, doubling in the three years between 2014 and 2017. While the park itself is home to a permanent population of only 7,000, some 60,000 foreign tourists now visit each year along with thousands more Nepalese guides. Tourists coming to Mount Everest and the surrounding Sagarmatha National Park bring in an estimated 1,000 tonnes of waste each year, the majority of which never leaves the park Rubbish that is collected from the mountain, as shown here in a 2010 cleanup near 8,000m, is taken back down the mountain where it is either recycled or dumped in landfills But while these tourists bring in millions for the Nepalese Government and the local economy, they also bring in vast amounts of waste. The problem became so bad that in 1991, The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) was founded to try and bring the levels of waste back under control. The SPCC now manages waste collection from Everest Base Camp and the trails in the national park. And, since 2014, climbers who go beyond Base Camp must bring back 18 lbs (8kg) of rubbish or risk losing their $4,000 (2,600) deposit. The Covid pandemic could have been avoided and contained to Wuhan, a professor has claimed in a damning book that lifts the lid on Chinese blunders that allowed the virus to spread across the globe and kill millions of people. 'Wuhan: How the Covid-19 Outbreak in China Spiraled Out of Control', by leading author Professor Dali Yang was published on Friday and explores the pandemic in forensic detail. Prof Yang draws a devastating conclusion that the pandemic, which started with the first known patients in the eastern Chinese city in late December 2019, was not inevitable. The book explores key events that came before a lockdown was imposed on Wuhan, including how a mass banquet was held on January 18 that saw more than 100,000 people come together despite health officials knowing the virus was spreading. Prof Yang offers a deep analysis of who knew what and when about the virus, but barely touches on the origins of Covid-19, The Telegraph reports. Workers in protective suits take part in the disinfection of Huanan seafood market, where the novel coronavirus is believed to have first surfaced, in Wuhan Professor Dali Yang draws a devastating conclusion that the pandemic, which started with the first known patients in the eastern Chinese city in late December 2019, was not inevitable It instead looks at the individual heroism seen during the pandemic as well as the flawed decision-making and lack of clarity as officials tried to deal with a mysterious 'pneumonia of unknown etiology'. Prof Yang concludes that the global pandemic, which led to the deaths of an estimated 13.3 to 16.6million people worldwide, could have been prevented. 'I do think there was a meaningful chance that the pandemic could have been avoided,' Prof Yang, a political scientist at the University of Chicago, told The Telegraph. The professor believes that Chinese health authorities were dealt a 'remarkably strong hand of cards' in the early days of the virus breaking out. 'China is a country with significant capabilities, which could have advanced the knowledge and response more rapidly at the end of December 2019,' he added. But he says any advantage was destroyed by a authoritarian political system that was not prepared for the emergency. The pandemic dates back to when several of Wuhan's doctors at some of China's best hospitals discovered that a 'pneumonia of unknown etiology' in the city was showing sign of 'human-to-human' transmission. Experts had feared that the virus was linked to the SARS coronavirus that plagued East Asia between 2002 and 2004. On doctor told the local Centre for Disease Control (CDC): 'It's a disease we've never encountered before, it's also a family [cluster of] infections. Something is definitely wrong!' Coronavirus was confirmed by Vision Medicals, a lab based in Guangzhou, who tested 'Patient A' - a 65-year-old man with severe pneumonia and 'multiple scattered patchy faint opacities in both lungs'. Workers arrange food supplies at the Tiantongyuan residential complex where residents are under lockdown to halt the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus on November 3, 2021 in Beijing Workers line up to get tested for COVID-19 at the Foxconn factory in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Aug. 5, 2021 'Due to the sensitivity of the diagnostic results', the lab only confirmed the positive test result for a SARS-like coronavirus to the hospital over the phone and not in writing. Doctors found it was 81 per cent similar to the first SARS coronavirus outbreak. And screenshots that appeared online showed the virus was instantly recognised as something that 'should be treated in the same class as the plague' in order to contain it. Despite growing evidence pointing towards a possible pandemic, the local CDC was slow in its response. Gao Fu, the director general of the national CDC, only head about the Wuhan outbreak via social media on December 30. And while he acted swiftly with emergency responses, the next few weeks were marred by mistakes, censorship and political interests which failed to stop the virus spreading rampantly. Medical workers conduct hemodialysis treatment for an uremic patient recovering from COVID-19 infection at Hankou Hospital in Wuhan in March 2020 'The first week in January became a pivotal turning point for handling the outbreak. Just the wrong kind,' the book states. 'The failure to act before January 20 was monumental.' One of the biggest mistakes was failing to respond to several cases in Wuhan that were not linked to the Huanan Seafood Market - the location of the first clusters. Prof Yang suggests that when the market was therefore closed, people believed the virus was under control and the virus was able to spread amid a false sense of security. Other factors that contributed to working against containing the virus was China's political tradition of suppressing information to maintain social stability. 'Clearly many [doctors] are heroes but, if you read between the lines, they also operated within constraints,' Prof Yang said. 'It's clearly not a black and white picture but shades of grey. Some of the most heroic doctors happened to be also ones who might not have spoken up like they could have. It's a very complicated picture.' Doctors who did speak out were reprimanded by police and infections among hospital staff were covered up . Even as Wuhan moved closer towards a lockdown, high-profile events such as Chinese New Year celebrations were still showcased to try and prove everything was under control. This photo taken on February 24, 2020 shows medical staff treating patients infected by the COVID-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province It was Taiwans Dr Chuang Yin-ching who said the outbreak was much worse than feared on January 13 2020. When he returned, Taiwan issued a travel alert for Wuhan and tightened border controls. But back in Wuhan, the severity of the virus continued to be downplayed and it was left to Dr Zhong Nanshan, 83, a trusted veteran of the first SARS epidemic, to warn that Covid was 'certainly transmissible from human to human'. He confirmed that cases were being seen in Beijing, Guangdong, Shanghai, and Zhejiang and even abroad in Japan, South Korea and Thailand. At this point, China was put on alert and citizens were advised to wear face masks. However, New Year celebrations still took place in the Wuhan and Hubei province, with residents invited to apply for 200,000 free passes to visit landmark sites. Local media praised performers for continuing despite being sick. By the time Wuhan was sealed off from the rest of the world on January 23, some 500,000 people had left the country for the holidays. The American Jewish Committee is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice and the Alameda County district attorney to investigate whether participants committed crimes during a Feb. 26 protest at Zellerbach Halls Playhouse on the UC Berkeley campus, shown here in 2019. Laura Morton/Special to the Chronicle The American Jewish Committee is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice and the Alameda County district attorney to investigate whether participants committed crimes during a Feb. 26 protest at UC Berkeleys Zellerbach Playhouse, shown here in 2019. Laura Morton/Special to the Chronicle Days after hundreds of UC Berkeley students broke down the door of Zellerbach Playhouse and prevented an Israeli lawyer from delivering remarks, a Jewish advocacy group is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice and the Alameda County district attorney to investigate whether participants committed crimes. On Monday night, about 200 protesters encouraged by the campus group Bears for Palestine overwhelmed the police, broke down the door, used anti-Semitic epithets and ultimately forced the cancellation of the meeting, Marc Stern, chief legal officer of the American Jewish Committee, wrote Thursday to Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights with the the U.S. Department of Justice. In a similar letter to Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, the New York-based advocacy group, which has an office in San Francisco, called the incident a riot and asked law enforcement to step in because the best the university could do was evacuate those in attendance. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There is no free speech right to riot (and organize that riot) with the purpose of disrupting someone elses meeting and suppressing their speech, Stern told Price, alleging that the action violated state laws against burglary, harassment, vandalism, trespassing, menacing behavior and disrupting a lawful meeting. Stern suggested that the students also be investigated for conspiracy for posting in advance their intention to shut down the meeting. Neither Price, Clarke nor members of Bears for Palestine responded to requests for comment. On Tuesday, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ and Provost Benjamin Hermalin posted a response to the incident, describing it this way: Advertisement Article continues below this ad Last night an event was scheduled featuring a speaker from Israel, who had been invited to campus by some of our student organizations. Minutes before the event was to start, a crowd of some 200 protesters began to surround the building. Doors were broken open and the protesters gained unauthorized entry to the building. The event was canceled, and the building was evacuated to protect the speaker and members of the audience. The leaders expressed deep remorse and sympathy to those students and members of the public who were in the building, fearing for their safety. They urged students to report what they saw and experienced to police and to the universitys Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination. Danielle Sobkin, a co-president of Bears for Israel, one of three Jewish groups that invited Israeli lawyer Ran Bar-Yoshafat, said a sophomore trying to attend the event told her that protesters grabbed him, called him a dirty Jew and spat on him. Sobkin said she also learned that protesters shoved a senior into the auditorium door and hurt her wrist, and that they grabbed a freshman by her neck, leaving marks. Members of Bears for Palestine did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On Monday, campus officials moved the event from Wheeler Hall, which houses the English department, to Zellerbach Playhouse, an event space, after Bears for Palestine urged people to show up at Wheeler, posting on Instagram: Shut it down: Genocidal Murderers Out of Berkeley. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The post called Bar-Yoshafat a murderer, noting that in October, he served in the IOF, a term that refers to Israeli Occupying Forces, as opposed to the Israeli version, IDF, for Israeli Defense Force. The post said he participated in the obliteration of Gaza and extermination of Palestinians. Since Oct. 7, when Hamas deadly invasion of Israel triggered a war of retaliation that health officials in Gaza say has killed more than 30,000 Palestianians leaving thousands without food, clean water or medical care divisions between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian students have never been more hateful at UC Berkeley and at many campuses across the country. Under Israeli law, most Jewish citizens are required to serve in the military. In its letter to Clarke of the Justice Department, the American Jewish Committee said the protesters had disrupted the meeting because participants were Jewish, a violation of federal civil rights laws. What happened at Berkeley was a direct assault on American democracy and cannot go unchallenged and uninvestigated, Stern wrote. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Grant Shapps has urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to boost military spending by 9billion in next week's Budget. Such an increase would mean defence spending would surge to 2.5% of GDP - a share that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he would like to achieve when economic circumstances allow. In a letter to the Chancellor, Mr Shapps said: 'I believe we must take bold action in your Budget in March to commit to defence spending increasing to 2.5% in 2024. 'This will resonate with our allies and adversaries. 'It would re-establish our leadership in Europe.' Grant Shapps (pictured) has urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to boost military spending by 9billion in next week's Budget In a letter to the Chancellor (pictured delivering the spring Budget last March), Mr Shapps said: 'I believe we must take bold action in your Budget in March to commit to defence spending increasing to 2.5% in 2024' The letter, reported by The Telegraph, has been confirmed by the Ministry of Defence, which added that it was not sharing the correspondence between the two senior ministers more widely. In a visit to North Yorkshire to meet British and Ukrainian soldiers on Thursday, the Defence Secretary appeared to confirm he had asked for more funds but added that he could not predict the likely outcome of Wednesday's Budget. Mr Shapps said: 'I have personally talked about 3% before I was Defence Secretary and I think, ultimately, countries will need to spend more. 'As you would expect, I'm a secretary of state who lobbies hard for the area that I represent and I happen to think that, in this case, the defence of our nation is our number one priority. 'The first thing a government has to do is make sure it secures its borders and is able to defend itself. 'I am pretty full throttle in my insistence that that is what we do.' The Defence Secretary who sent the letter on January 2024, is one of a number of ministers who has been lobbying for extra departmental spending. The Chancellor is also under pressure to deliver tax cuts in what could be the last fiscal statement from the Conservative Government before the next general election, which is widely expected in the autumn. Treasury sources this week said Mr Hunt is considering a further squeeze on public spending as a way to deliver the tax cuts being demanded by some Tory MPs. The letter, reported by The Telegraph, has been confirmed by the Ministry of Defence, which added that it was not sharing the correspondence between the two senior ministers more widely Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured) has previously said he would like to boost defence spending share to 2.5% of GDP when economic circumstances allow A Treasury spokesman said: 'We have provided the Ministry of Defence the largest sustained spending increase since the end of the Cold War, with a 24 billion uplift in cash terms over the spending review 2020 period. 'At the spring Budget last year we also provided an extra 11 billion over the next five years. 'Our aspiration over the longer term is to invest 2.5% of GDP on defence as soon as the fiscal and economic circumstances allow.' JonBenet Ramsey's 'killer' Gary Oliva has been pictured out for the first time since he was released from prison where he served time for child pornography charges. Oliva, 60, confessed to killing the six-year-old beauty pageant star 'by accident' in letters exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com. The 60-year-old is a convicted pedophile who was previously serving a 10-year-sentence in a Colorado prison for child pornography, but was let out two years early and has been roaming freely since January 31. He has not been charged with the child's murder, despite his repeated confessions. He was pictured on February 28 outside of the halfway house where he is currently residing in Denver, Colorado. Wearing an all black outfit with his hood up, Oliva was seen standing with his hands in his pockets as he scowled and surveyed his surroundings in pictures first published by The U.S. Sun. JonBenet Ramsey's 'confessed killer' Gary Oliva has been pictured out for the first time since he was released from prison for child pornography charges Oliva, 60, admitted to killing the six-year-old beauty pageant star 'by accident' in confession letters exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com The 60-year-old is a convicted pedophile was was previously serving a 10-year-sentence in a Colorado prison for child pornography, but was let out two years early and has been roaming freely since January 31 He was pictured on February 28 outside of the halfway house where he is currently residing in Denver, Colorado At the time of Ramsey's murder, Oliva frequently hung out at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center just 13 houses away from the Ramsey family Oliva was caught in 2016 after he uploaded images depicting children being abused to his personal Gmail account on public Wi-Fi connections all over Boulder, Colorado. He was found to be in possession of 695 images depicting child pornography on his phone. The pedophile also had 335 photos of and relating to JonBenet. The young pageant queen was found dead on December 26, 1996, after she was reported missing from her home in Boulder, Colorado. Her parents, Patsy and John, had woken up early to get ready for a trip, when the mother discovered a ransom note on the stairs demanding $118,000 for their daughters safe return. Despite the note's warning to not involve the authorities, Patsy immediately called the police and they arrived at the home at 5:55 am. JonBenet was found dead in the basement of the home with an autopsy later revealing that her cause of death was strangulation. Oliva was a longtime suspect in the murder case, and in letters sent to a high school classmate he admitted that he had killed JonBenet, but said it was an 'accident' and that she 'slipped.' Wearing an all black outfit with his hood up, Oliva was seen standing with his hands in his pockets as he scowled and surveyed his surroundings Oliva was caught in 2016 after he uploaded images depicting children being abused to his personal Gmail account on public Wi-Fi connections all over Boulder, Colorado The pedophile wrote in the letters: 'JonBenet completely changed me and removed all evil from me. Just one look at her beautiful face, her glowing beautiful skin, and her divine God-body, I realized I was wrong to kill other kids. Yet by accident she died and it was my fault' The pedophile, who was once jailed for trying to strangle his mother, wrote: 'I never loved anyone like I did JonBenet and yet I let her slip and her head bashed in half and I watched her die. It was an accident. Please believe me. She was not like the other kids.' In another letter, Oliva wrote, 'JonBenet completely changed me and removed all evil from me. Just one look at her beautiful face, her glowing beautiful skin, and her divine God-body, I realized I was wrong to kill other kids. Yet by accident she died and it was my fault.' The letters were sent to music publicist Michael Vail, a former high school classmate of Oliva's. In an interview with Dr. Oz, Vail was asked: 'Are you concerned at all that because of a deeper mental illness or had she had another mental illness, Gary's obsessed with JonBenet could be confab leading all this making it up?' Guest commentator Nancy Grace interrupted, asking bluntly: 'Did he say he wanted to eat JonBenet?' 'Yeah,' responded Vail. That managed to stun Dr. Oz, who looked at his guest and said: 'I'm sorry, say that again.' Vail, who seems to be in disbelief himself, explained: 'Yeah. I know it's some pretty heavy duty stuff, he's just talking about cannibalism.' The young pageant queen was found dead on December 26, 1996, after she was reported missing from her home in Boulder, Colorado Her parents, Patsy and John, had woken up early to get ready for a trip, when the mother discovered a ransom note on the stairs demanding $118,000 for their daughters safe return Despite the note's warning to not involve the authorities, Patsy immediately called the police and they arrived at the home at 5:55 am JonBenet was found dead in the basement of the home with an autopsy later revealing that her cause of death was strangulation The old classmate of Oliva then revealed other disturbing statements that he had overheard his friend say. 'Gary would break into the University of Boulder Colorado. There was a skeleton in there and he wanted to taste what human bones would taste like,' says Vail. 'So he tried biting the skeleton and he told me how disappointed it was that was covered with shellac, and he couldn't taste the bone.' Oliva, who admitted his obsession with JonBenet, was homeless and sleeping on the streets of Boulder at the time of her killing. He frequently visited the University of Colorado campus and hung in and around the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center, where he collected his mail and hung out with other homeless people in the parking lot, according to the US Sun. The University of Colorado campus is less than a mile away from JonBenet's home - and the church is just 13 houses away. There was a long alleyway running behind the properties that connected the church to the Ramsey's house, meaning that someone could move between the two locations easily and potentially undetected. JonBenet's window was also visible from the alleyway. Despite Oliva's confessions and his history of child sex abuse, there are other suspects in the unsolved case. Patsy Ramsey had been a longtime suspect in the death of her daughter, with conspiracists speculating that she lost her temper with the little girl and killed her, only to then try and cover it up with a fake ransom note. Both Patsy and John were formally exonerated in 2008 thanks to developments in DNA technology, though many suspect that the mother still played a hand in her daughter's death. Patsy, who died in 2006, had her handwriting analyzed by experts to see whether it matched the writing on the ransom note. John confirmed in December that a new handwriting analysis proves his wife's innocence and further points to convicted pedophile Gary Oliva as the real perpetrator who killed his six-year-old pageant queen daughter. Patsy Ramsey had been a longtime suspect in the death of her daughter, with conspiracists speculating that she lost her temper with the little girl and killed her, only to then try and cover it up with a fake ransom note The analysis focused on slant variations, pressure points, spacing, letter sizing, and further characteristics present in both documents. Both experts agreed on consistent similarities, for instance the present in lowercase A's found in both Oliva's writing and the killer's. McCarty highlighted a pattern of flattened tops in the letter A over the traditionally more curved method as well as an overall similar shape The garrote used to strangle the child beauty queen was still around her neck when her body was discovered Two handwriting experts, Mozelle Martin and Dawn McCarty, conducted independent analyses obtained by The U.S. Sun, finding significant similarities between Oliva's writing and the ransom note of the killer. The bombshell report revealed a score of 1.75 on a scale of 1 to 5 - with 1 being a definitive, identical match to the ransom note. McCarty told The U.S. Sun, 'You can't make this up.... two separate sets of documents by two different authors that have the exact same spacing and all the consistent inconsistencies, how could that possibly be?' Another suspect in the murder of JonBenet was John Mark Karr, 58, who claimed 17 years ago that he was with JonBenet when she died. He said her death was an 'accident' and that he had loved her and was 'very sorry for what happened to JonBenet.' John Mark Karr, then 42, was extradited from Thailand and arrested for the 1996 murder of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey Karr was eventually released, over the objections of some FBI agents, when his DNA could not be matched to anything at the crime scene. Authorities said he knew details about the case that had not been released to the public In 2006, authorities extradited Karr from Thailand but were ultimately unable to link him to the scene of the crime and so felt compelled to release him. In an interview with The Messenger, Karr said: 'I am not crazy. I am not delusional.' 'There's so much more to my story,' he said, adding that he has 'been investigated by the FBI for many more crimes' and is living outside the US 'for my own safety.' Though most ultimately dismissed Karr's claims about being at the scene as elaborate lies, not everyone thought the tale was meritless. 'Everyone was so quick to say that I was a liar or delusional,' he said. 'Did it ever occur to someone that I might have been trying to protect someone else?' He declined to elaborate, but one possible explanation that some police were open to at the time is that Ramsey's killer did not work alone. When asked if he was with JonBenet when she died, or if he had killed her, Karr shut up and said he did not want to incriminate himself as the case continues to be investigated nearly 27 years after the crime. Organisers of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade have revealed how they will pay tribute to alleged murder victims Jesse Baird and Luke Davies amid sombre reflections on the couple's lives days ahead of the event. Mr Baird, 26 and his boyfriend Mr Davies, 29, were allegedly murdered at Baird's sharehouse in Paddington at about 9.30am in February 19. Senior constable Beau Lamarre-Condon is accused of using his police-issued pistol to shoot them, before dumping the bodies at a rural property. A moment of silence will be observed for the young couple during this evening's parade, which is due to start at 6pm. Luke Davies (left) and Jesse Baird (right) were allegedly murdered at home. Picture: Instagram A moment of silence will be observed for the young couple during this evening's parade, which is due to start at 6pm 'We will take a moment to honour and remember Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, whose lives were tragically taken from us,' Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras said in a statement on Saturday. 'This moment of commemoration serves as a powerful reminder of the bonds that unite us and the memories of those we hold dear. 'As the Dykes on Bikes approach Taylor Square for their second pass - the heart of our Parade - they will come to a pause. 'This serves as a signal for all attendees to join in a moment of silence.' Hundreds of people gathered in Green Park in Darlinghurst on Friday night, an evening that would usually signal the start of a weekend of celebration and partying Friends, family and members of the LGBTQIA+ community gathered at dusk to pay tribute to the lives of the young couple whose live were cut so tragically short. Hundreds of people gathered in Green Park in Darlinghurst on Friday night, an evening that would usually signal the start of a weekend of celebration and partying. Instead, friends, family and members of the LGBTQIA+ community gathered at dusk to pay tribute to the lives of the young couple whose live were cut so tragically short. 'Jesse would be so humbled that so many people showed up tonight, and I know that he's up there and he's looking down at us and he's saying, 'guys, stop being so dramatic, stand up and start dancing for me' because he loved a good dance,' a colleague of Mr Baird's told Weekend Today on Saturday morning. Luke Davies' mother shared a tribute to him. Picture: Facebook 'He was so bold and beautiful and bright.' The families of both men have been mostly quiet since their deaths were confirmed last week, however Mr Davies' mother Sandy broke her silence earlier this week. She changed her Facebook profile picture on Wednesday to a photo of her with her arm around Luke, the pair both grinning from ear to ear, with no words accompanying the post. Mr Davies will also be honoured by his former employer's Qantas on their float during the parade. Royal Mail customers have resorted to ditching stamps and sending letters via its tracked service in a desperate bid to ensure they arrive on time, insiders have claimed. Posties have warned that the letter backlog in some depots has worsened due to staff shortages, forcing consumers to resort to more expensive options to dodge the delays. Residents of one forgotten 'Bermuda triangle' town say they have to wait as long as five weeks between deliveries with one cancer sufferer receiving 41 letters when his postman finally visited. It comes as the troubled delivery giant has announced it will increase the price of stamps again next month, with first-class increasing by 10p to 1.35 and second-class also by 10p to 85p. A year ago, a first-class stamp cost 95p before jumping to 1.10 in April 2023, with another 15p rise in October. File photo. Royal Mail has said it will increase the price of stamps again next month Royal Mail's chief commercial officer Nick Landon said the price hikes were considered 'very carefully', adding: 'It is no longer sustainable to maintain a network built for 20 billion letters when we are now only delivering seven billion.' Last year, the Royal Mail was accused of prioritising lucrative tracked parcels such as Amazon deliveries over letters, resulting in Britons missing out on vital post including hospital appointments, bank cards, and important documents. The firm has long denied claims that it's breaching the Universal Service Obligation, which legally requires it to deliver letters every day for six days a week. But posties say that increasing numbers of letters are being sent through the tracked service to prevent them from sitting around and collecting dust. One postwoman who works in the north of England said her depot received 'an absolute truck load' of Valentine's Day cards posted with tracked labels. 'People are paying around 2 to 3 for that label, instead of 1.25 for a stamp. The public are on to it, even they are realising it is standard practice that tracked goods will be prioritised over letters,' she said. 'I've never seen that before.' A postman based in the south of England said: 'I've told all my customers that if there's something you want to see get there, send it tracked. The message is getting out to the public that their stuff is getting ignored otherwise.' He revealed that colleagues at a nearby depot face a backlog of over two weeks. 'People have just given up because you don't stand a chance,' he said. The Daily Mail is not naming the posties, nor the county they work in. Sending a letter up to 750g costs 3.30 for Tracked24 or 2.70 for Tracked48. The service, which was traditionally a means of sending parcels, ensures it will be delivered within either 24 or 48 hours, offers compensation of up to 150 if the item goes missing and provides photo evidence that the delivery has taken place. Last year, the Royal Mail was accused of prioritising lucrative tracked parcels such as Amazon deliveries over letters (File photo) One mother of two from Cheshire recently told the BBC how both her children missed hospital appointments and one an operation as the Royal Mail failed to deliver NHS letters on time. Jasmine Moulton's local hospital called to tell her that her five-year-old daughter, Harper, who has severe skin allergies, and son Joshua, three, who has problems breathing and swallowing, had missed important medical care. 'I was like, 'pardon?' And I was in a bit of shock,' Ms Moulton said. 'I explained that we hadn't had any post come through. 'She sounded shocked. It stresses me out every day because I just think, how many other appointments have we missed?' In November, Ofcom, which regulates the postal industry, fined Royal Mail 5.6 million for failing to meet delivery targets. A spokesman for Royal Mail, which reported a 1 billion loss in May last year, denied the public were ditching stamps, adding that Valentine's Day cards sent via tracked services was not unusual. 'This represents a misunderstanding of how and why tracked services are used. There has been no discernible increase in tracked letters sent by members of the public,' they insisted. 'The vast majority of letters are delivered on time. However, more must be done and improving our service remains our top priority.' Last month Ofcom outlined cost-saving plans to cut deliveries from six days a week to five or even three. Another option would be to scrap next-day mail delivery unless senders pay extra. The extraordinary cost-cutting proposals faced a backlash from small firms, consumer groups, unions and Downing Street. Ofcom boss Melanie Dawes, addressing the Philip Geddes Memorial Lecture, has even spoken of suffering delays herself, going for up to ten days without deliveries before getting a 'big pile' in a 'huge elastic band'. 'Bermuda triangle' where we can wait FIVE weeks for post A daily postal service is a distant dream for residents of a forgotten 'Bermuda triangle' town who say they have to wait as long as five weeks between letter deliveries. One cancer sufferer nearly missed vital check-ups after his post stopped arriving, with a staggering 41 letters dropping on his mat when the postman finally visited. Meanwhile a widow in her eighties was left with a broken letterbox after several weeks' worth of post was shoved through at once. David Jones (L) is among those who have gone five weeks without mail Long-suffering residents of the Lancashire town of Skelmersdale are in despair over the apparently intractable mystery of what has happened to their once-reliable postmen and women, with around 6,000 addresses not receiving daily deliveries. 'We had nothing for four weeks, then finally 41 letters came bursting through the front door,' said Bryan Wareing, 87, a retired trading standards officer being treated for cancer. 'I know Royal Mail are struggling to deliver the post six days a week, but we'd settle for getting it once a week.' Neighbour David Jones, 75, and his wife Dorothy, 76, have gone as long as five weeks without mail. 'I had to go down to the local sorting office and they handed me 15 letters and an Amazon parcel,' Mr Jones explained. Widow Celia Fairhurst, 84, a former nurse, often waits two weeks or more for deliveries. 'When the postman finally turned up he stuffed 14 letters and two magazines through the letterbox, breaking it,' she said. Last year residents had to queue in freezing conditions outside the local depot. Royal Mail blamed staff on sick leave, vowing no address would be missed two days running. Ashley Dalton, Labour MP for West Lancashire, has met local managers in Skelmersdale and neighbouring Ormskirk to demand improvements. She said they had pledged daily deliveries for 85 per cent of residents but that leaves around 6,000 households in Skelmersdale alone missing out each day. 'It has been clear there are still areas where mail is not delivered this quickly,' she said. A Royal Mail spokesman said 'unique circumstances' had hit Skelmersdale, but insisted matters were 'improving', adding: 'As of last week more than 90 per cent of mail was delivered on time.' The controversial UAE-funded takeover of the Daily Telegraph has been called in for a Government security review. Officials from the Investment Security Unit within the Cabinet Office have been scrutinising the bid behind the scenes. It comes after ministers were warned by senior figures including former Tory leader Lord Hague and ex-spy chief Sir Richard Dearlove to consider the risks of allowing the UAE-backed RedBird IMI to buy the newspaper. Former minister Neil O'Brien told the Mail the bid should be 'looked into on security grounds'. He said: 'There's a wider question here about other states owning our national media. 'There would be a huge issue if the French government wanted to do it. But for a country that isn't a democracy and doesn't have our standards of free speech, it raises massive questions.' Ministers were warned by senior figures including former Tory leader Lord Hague and ex-spy chief Sir Richard Dearlove to consider the risks of allowing RedBird IMI to buy the newspaper The offices of the Telegraph Media Group in central London Although the Government has not publicly stated that the bid is being scrutinised on security grounds, a minister assured peers this week that it had the power to do so. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said in a debate: 'The Government has tough powers to address foreign interference and to scrutinise, and, if necessary, intervene in acquisitions on grounds of national security.' It is not known if the Investment Security Unit is carrying out a full formal investigation. Under the National Security and Investment Act, the Government is not obliged to publicly announce when a call-in notice is issued. Sources said the Government welcomes foreign investment when it supports jobs and meets legal requirements, but will not hesitate to protect national security. The takeover attempt by RedBird IMI a joint venture between a US private equity firm and a fund controlled by UAE vice-president Sheikh Mansour is also being considered by media watchdog Ofcom. A spokesman for RedBird IMI declined to comment and the Cabinet Office said it could not comment on security matters. A woman whom the teenage son of Rep. Lauren Boebert allegedly stole from claims the theft left her out of money she needed for brain surgery. The 33-year-old woman said she has a brain tumor and now can't afford a needed operation, according to a February 27 arrest affidavit released after Tyler Boebert, 18, was arrested by Colorado's Rifle Police Department. The Colorado firebrand's eldest was cuffed in connection to a spate of property thefts in the small city; he and three underage accomplices are accused of breaking into four cars to steal wallets in order to make purchases at local businesses. One of those cars belonged to the woman in question, who told cops her wallet containing $75 cash, two Venmo debit cards, and her mothers credit card were all stolen. According to Tyler's arrest affidavit, the woman told police she 'wants the people who did this to her found, because she literally has nothing.' In a statement to DailyMail.com, the teen's mom said her son should face consequences for his alleged actions. A woman who Tyler Boebert allegedly stole from claims the theft left her out of money she had been saving up for brain surgery. Tyler, seen here on the right in 2022, is the the 18-year-old son of Lauren Boebert, pictured at left. The Colorado rep has said her son should face consequences for his alleged actions Tyler was arrested Tuesday and is facing nearly two dozen different charges in connection to the spate of vehicle break-ins and property theft, which saw the woman's car and at least three others victimized '[The woman] informed [police that] she has a brain tumor and now she does not have the money to get her surgery,' cops wrote in the affidavit, as Tyler faces more than 20 charges for the alleged incidents, which cops say saw the four spend their ill-gotten gains at McDonald's, Starbucks and local gas stations. The womans drivers license was also inside the stolen wallet, the arresting officer wrote - before revealing that the thieves mailed it back to her a few days after the alleged theft, which occurred on February 21. The ID was returned without sender information with a letter that claimed it was found 'loose in mail,' the affidavit said - adding how paper the note was scrawled on was from a Colorado real estate firm. 'Whoever sent it back wrote a letter saying, "Found Loose iN Mail,"' the Rifle arresting officer wrote. 'The paper they wrote it on was from Aspen Real Estate Company.' The thieves then tried to use the brain-tumor-afflicted woman's two Venmo cards at a nearby Kum & Go gas station, the document said, citing transaction records. They also attempted to use her mom's credit card, before allegedly used the cash and cards stolen from the four cars to buy food from a nearby McDonald's, though banks soon started declining the charges. They also tried to order $717 worth of merchandise from Shein.com, the cop wrote, as well as $175 at the Kum and Go, and $10.95 from a Starbucks. It remains unclear from the affidavit how much was actually spent from the woman's Venmo account, but cops did write how they closed in on Tyler's trail after he was seen wearing a sweatshirt from his mothers now-closed bar at the gas station. It remains unclear from the affidavit how much was actually spent from the woman's Venmo account, but cops did write how they closed in on Tyler's trail after he was seen wearing a sweatshirt from his mothers now-closed bar, Shooters Grill, at another gas station Police said they were able to identify Boebert and the three other suspects in connection with the four separate incidents, one of which involved a broken-into Kia Sorrento belonging to Rifle resident, Roscely Alvarado. She came forward Thursday to reveal how her car was also ransacked, recalling to local news station KJCT how the theft terrified her daughters, and how she also her wallet from her car. 'I sent my older daughter to get my purse from the car and she was like, "Mom the car is a mess, everything is everywhere, I dont know what happened,"' she told the outlet, not providing any other details. 'She had my purse in her hand but without the wallet,' she continued. '[S]he told me that there was nothing inside of the purse, she was telling me she was scared, she felt like someone from here could have stolen from us and that was making her scared.' The mom-of-two added that she's learned a lesson from the recent ordeal. 'I should be more cautious, dont ever leave my purse in the car again, and yeah be more cautious,' she said. 'Be more cautious because I have 2 kids, an 11-year-old girl, and a 3-year-old girl, the 3-year-old has a condition.' The other woman's car was a 2015 Chevrolet Cruze, the affidavit revealed, along with the fact that Magistrate Jill McConaughy assigned dad-of-one Tyler a personal recognizance bond of $1,250. Police afterward were able to identify Boebert and the three other suspects in connection with theincidents, one of which surrounded a broken-ito Kia Sorrento belonging to Rifle resident Roscely Alvarado (pictured). She came forward Thursday to reveal how her car was also ransacked The Boerberts during better times, with the couples four kids including Tyler (center, back row), who has accused his father of physical abuse Tyler Boebert made the Republican a grandmother at the age of 36. He is pictured with his son and grandmother It also stated how Boebert and the three others - whose names were redacted due to their age - were caught on camera at another gas station at the same one of the stolen cards were used. It claims Boebert was recognized on surveillance video at a gas station on February 20 - the day before the Chevrolet breakin - by a police officer in Rifle investigating the spate of vehicle break-ins. They also apparently tried to order $717 worth of merchandise from Shein.com, $175 at Kum and Go and $10.95 from a Starbucks. The video shows Boebert in a Shooters Bar and Grill hoodie, while all three accomplices, allegedly use a stolen credit card to get food. Six victims are named in an incident summary, though their identities are also redacted, with the youngest just three years old. The remainder are between the ages of 18 and 33. Tyler - who made his mother a grandma last year after fathering a son with a now-ex-girlfriend - appeared virtually in a Garfield County court Wednesday from jail, before making bond. He was seen smiling and laughing as the hearing began, which Deputy District Attorney Tony Hershey said his mother listened in on. Boebert, 37, said that her son should face consequences but she loves and supports him. Hershey called the child's alleged 'activity and behavior' concerning, noting how Tyler failed to appear in court on a traffic case last year. His next court date was set for April 11 - as his mother issued a statement to DailyMail.com saying her son should face the music if found guilty for his alleged misdeeds. 'I love my son Tyler, who has been through some very difficult, public challenges for a young man and the subject of attention that he didn't ask for,' the 37-year-old wrote in an email, adding that her son was an 'adult and father' and should be 'held accountable' just like anyone else. 'It breaks my heart to see my child struggling and, in this situation, especially when he has been provided multiple opportunities to get his life on track,' she continued, a little over a month after Tyler's dad was arrested for a domestic dispute incident at the family's Silt home. 'I will never give up on him and I will continue to be there for him,' she said. Tyler, meanwhile, is facing charges including four counts of criminal possession of a financial device, three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and three counts of theft of under $300. The other charges range from four felony counts of criminal possession of an ID, a felony count of conspiracy to commit a felony and more than 15 different misdemeanor and petty charges. Cop's probe, as of writing, remains ongoing. Footage captured the intense moment when an aide for Sen. Joe Manchin threw a climate protester to the ground following a tense interaction. The heated exchange happened at an event at Harvard University on Friday, and saw the West Virginia lawmaker stand up to confront the much-younger activist. After holding Manchin back, Communications Director Jonathan Kott can be seen grabbing and throwing the instigator out the door, sending him to the ground. The protestor, later identified as a member of the new, youth-led group Climate Defiance, was joined by several others who took issue with how the 76-year-old Democrat facilitated the ongoing construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The natural gas pipeline, which has been in the works since 2014, is expected to run through Manchins home state of West Virginia and into southern Virginia, cutting through the Appalachian Trail. The activist, in turn, called the senator a 'sick f**k.' Footage captured the intense moment when an aide for Sen. Joe Manchin threw a climate protester to the ground Friday following a tense interaction. The heated exchange happened at an event at Harvard University, and saw the West Virginia lawmaker stand up to confront the much-younger activist 'You sold our futures and you got rich doing it,' the unnamed male protestor said, before hitting the 14-year senator with the aforementioned, 'You sick f***!' Manchin responded by rising from his seat in an apparent attempt to get into the protestors face. But the protester, as previously indicated, remained persistent. How dare you?' he continued, while appearing increasingly confrontational. 'You have sold our-' His last line was cut off - as Kott was seen getting between the pair before sending the young activist literally tumbling out of the room. It was not immediately clear if the activist was injured as a result of his outburst, but moments afterward, the group he belongs to took to X to take credit for the now widely seen encounter. 'BREAKING: we just called Joe Manchin a sick fuck,' the account for Climate Defence wrote, just over a month after surfacing in January. 'We humiliated him in front of a herd of Harvard elites,' they went on, touting the exchange as a victory. They added of Manchin, who signed off on the pipeline a decade ago: 'He squared up. We held firm. 'Barbaric murderer, hideous fiend, he torches humanity and laughs,' the group - which bills itself as a 'brand-new, youth-led' firm that uses direct action to resist reliance on fossil fuels - went on to write. 'You sold our futures and you got rich doing it,' the unnamed male protestor said, before hitting the 14-year senator with the aforementioned, 'You sick f***!' After holding the senator back, Communications Director Jonathan Kott is seen grabbing and throwing the instigator out the door, sending him to the ground. The protestor, later identified as a member of the new, youth-led group Climate Defiance, was joined by several others who took issue with how the 76-year-old Democrat facilitated the ongoing construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline The video, within a matter of hours, was viewed more than a million times, and was posted by the group in an act of self-celebration The activist was not immediately identified The accompanying video, within a matter of hours, was viewed more than a million times. Members, meanwhile, revealed in other posts that the group started about a year ago, and celebrated how protesters like the one seen in the footage have already made enough waves to be mentioned in publications like The New York Times. They also pleaded for donations, after physically chasing Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan out of an event at a country club in his hometown of Wellesley, Massachusetts, upon branding him 'a top-5 funder of fossil fuels.' They also similarly disrupted speeches by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell late last year. The group wrote just after the Manchin incident: 'Barely one year old, we've already earned profiles in the NYT and Bloomberg, received White House invites, and brought senators, governors and cabinet secretaries **TO THEIR KNEES**.' Sharing the headline of a recent NYT that does not mention the org by name, members wrote: 'We need money to keep doing this. Please give generously. Donate here!!' The article, published on January 24, regards the Biden administration's recent decision to hold off on giving approval to what would be the largest natural gas export terminal in the US, which would be built in Louisiana. The hesitance, reporters remarked, comes at a time where the 81-year-old commander-in-chief is preparing for what is set to be a contentious re-election, and as he courts the same young climate voters who helped him win in 2020. Reporters, in turn, spoke to 25-year-old Colorado social media influencer Alex Haraus, who has led a TikTok and Instagram campaign aimed at urging young voters to demand that Biden reject the project, officially called Calcasieu Pass 2 (CP2). the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The natural gas pipeline, was signed off on by Manchin in 2014, is expected to run through Manchins home state of West Virginia and into southern Virginia The 304-mile installation - which will likely be complete this month - will cut through a wide section of the famed Appalachian Trail Its construction has thus inspired backlash from climate activists, who over the years has painted the Democrat as a self-serving, money hungry politician The group the arrested activist belonged to (not pictured) started about a year ago, and celebrated Friday making enough waves to be mentioned in The New York Times Sharing the headline of a recent NYT that does not mention the org by name, members wrote: 'We need money to keep doing this. Please give generously. Donate here!!' Already receiving some 7 million views on TikTok and Instagram, the activist said: 'We see CP2 as stopping the first fraction of the largest LNG build out to date.' It remains unseen if Haraus is part of Climate Defense, but a few days later, the group emerged online to take some credit. 'We just played a big role in stopping CP2 Details are still emerging. 'The situation is still coming into focus. The final wording has yet to be released. 'But today news broke that CP2, a gas export terminal 20 times worse than Willow, may well be relegated to the dustbin of history.' In another post, the group took credit for Joe Manchin at a speech at a diner in New Hampshire last month, explaining - while spelling the senator's name wrong - how he He is taking $500,000 per year from his personal coal company, Enersystems, which has been in his family for years. The senator earned $476,000 in 2022 from that same coal company, leading far-left activists to question his willingness to go along with fossil fuels. 'He is using his position as chair of the Energy Committee to save his coal company - at the expense of our very lives,' Climate Defense said of this dynamic. Pointing out how they chased the senior throughout the establishment before being ejected, they wrote of Manchin: 'He is a monster, so we took over his event and made him flee through the kitchen.' Big update. Big, big update. We just found Joe Manchin yet again, in a diner. We swarmed it. We took it over. We seized control. We shut him down so hard he had to flee through the kitchen. We will not walk like sheep to slaughter. We will not stand down. Respect us or expect us. pic.twitter.com/20a9xMzXnG Climate Defiance (@ClimateDefiance) January 16, 2024 The incident is currently being vetted, and Manchin - who owns a coal company - has yet to has yet to issue a statement. The Mountain Valley Pipeline, meanwhile, is forecast to be completed in a matter of weeks During the incident Friday, activists in the relatively unknown group sang a similar tune, with one of the protesters outright telling Manchin: Youve received more funding from fossil fuels than any other senator. Manchin asked the protestors 'to sit down somewhere so we can talk,' but the protesters turned him down. His office did not respond to the DailyMail.com's request for comment, though a school spokesperson confirmed the event featuring Manchin was disrupted by protestors and said that the Harvard University Police are investigating the incident. 'A Harvard University police officer ordered the protesters to leave the [Harvard] Kennedy School campus, and the protesters complied,' the spokesperson said. They were seen being escorted off the premises as Manchin's talk reportedly resumed, after which his daughter - business exec Heather Bresch - is said to have chided security for the group's sudden, unsanctioned entry. An attendee recalled what the 54-year-old chief executive officer of Netherlands-based pharmaceutical company Mylan, allegedly said to the Harvard Crimson: 'What I heard was: "Doesnt anybody monitor the doors here?"' The incident is currently being vetted, and Manchin - who is not seeking reelection this year - has yet to has yet to issue a statement. The Mountain Valley Pipeline, meanwhile, is forecast to be completed in a matter of weeks. Hundreds of millions of coffee cups are expected to be saved from landfill as the nation's first ban on plastic-lined takeaway cups takes effect. Western Australia became the first state to introduce the ban on single-use, non-compostable coffee cups on Friday, with businesses who fail to comply threatened with hefty fines. Instead, cafes can use compostable paperboard cups, which are excluded from the ban, or encourage customers to bring keep cups of their own, said WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby. 'This is an excellent move for the environment because we know that plastic persists in the environment for decades and decades and decades,' he told reporters on Saturday. WA has brought in Australia's first ban on plastic single-use, non-compostable coffee cups The change is part of a wider push by the Cook government to reduce the prevalence of single-use plastics in the economy. Also banned on Friday were unlidded disposable plastic food trays, such as sushi trays and bento boxes. Bans on several items, including microbeads and cotton bud sticks, came into effect in 2023, while sales of plastic produce bags and takeaway containers with lids will be prohibited from September. Mr Whitby said more than a billion single-use plastic items, including more than 154million coffee cups, will be saved from landfill annually. Friday's change came after a 12-month consultation process with businesses, which the government says are broadly supportive of the changes and already use environmentally friendly alternatives to single-use plastics. It hopes to keep the community onside by easing the bans in with a 'common-sense' approach to enforcement. 'It's all about education,' Mr Whitby said. 'We're allowing cafes that might have old stocks of compostable coffee cups to trade them out.' But authorities also carry a big stick to dissuade those who continually flout the restrictions, with fines of up to $5000 on offer for individuals or $25,000 for businesses. The WA government claims that the ban will mean that 154million coffee cups are saved from landfill annually. The latest bans come just in time for Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday, which has spurred scores of volunteers to remove plastic coffee cups from parks and waterways since 1990. During the 2023 financial year, the group's volunteers cleaned up almost 13,000 takeaway coffee cups, lifting them into the top 10 most common items of rubbish found. Increased social activity in the aftermath of COVID-19 likely contributed to the rise in coffee cup waste, Clean Up Australia Day said in its annual Litter Report. While South Australia has committed to removing the cups from sale in September, progress is slower in the more populous states, with NSW and Victoria among the jurisdictions yet to commit to a ban. 'Western Australia is ahead of the pack,' Mr Whitby crowed. 'We are the leading state in transitioning away from single-used plastics.' An adorable baby girl called Miracle tragically died after her stroller was struck by a 'drunk man driving his truck in the dark without headlights'. Miracle Mae Calloway was just 11-months-old when she was taken out for a walk by her stepdad Marquise Reese, 34. Reese was pushing little Miracle in her stroller at 8:30pm on Tuesday in Tucson, Arizona, along with two other adults. He was attempting to cross Rurthrauff Road when both were struck by a vehicle. While Reese sustained only minor injuries, Miracle faced life-threatening injuries and the pair were rushed to hospital where she was pronounced dead. An adorable baby girl called Miracle tragically died after her stroller was struck by a 'drunk' man driving his truck in the dark without headlights Miracle Mae Calloway was just 11-months-old when she was taken on a walk by her stepdad Marquise Reese, 34 (pictured) As Reese attempted to cross Rurthrauff Road with Miracle tucked away in her stroller, they were both struck by a vehicle The driver was identified as Colton Frank Ortiz, 32, and legal documents revealed that he had allegedly been driving eastbound without using his headlights. Family members of Miracle claim that Ortiz was drunk and have started a '#justiceformiracle' hashtag on social media. 'Drugs and alcohol while driving never ends well,' Miracle's aunt Melinda Jean Barger posted on Facebook. 'Don't let another family suffer the way we are now,' she said. Miracle's family adored her and are devastated by her loss. Her aunt said 'My heart is broken.' The baby's mother, Kallee Foukes, regularly posted tributes to her beloved daughter online. Just a few weeks ago, she said, 'It's amazing how fast time goes by when you're enjoying every moment with your little one.' 'The past 10 months have been a blur of diaper changes, feedings, and playtime, but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world,' she said. The driver was identified as Colton Frank Ortiz, 32, and legal documents revealed that he had allegedly been driving eastbound without headlights In a post from December, Foukes described how Miracle lived up to her name by making a 'huge impact' on so many people's lives 'Daddy Marquise Reese and mommy love you more than you could ever imagine and you are loved by many. There's one too many to name but don't ever say or feel like you aren't loved. The list of people goes all the way from one end of the United States to the other,' the mother said in the heartbreaking February 9 tribute to her daughter. In a post from December, Foukes described how Miracle lived up to her name by making a 'huge impact' on so many people's lives. 'I'm pretty sure she's going to continue making a difference in the world and the lives of her loved ones. She really lives up to her name and I couldn't possibly ask for anything better than her.' Ortiz is facing charges of manslaughter, aggravated assault and aggravated DUI. He is being held on a $200,000 bond. Employees at Angelo's Pizza and Gyros had witnessed officers arriving at the scene on Tuesday, 13 News reported. 'We were out back working and we started seeing a whole bunch of cops,' said Adam Sieria, a cook at Angelo's. 'We start noticing the traffic is getting blocked off to do a U-turn, [and] around 10 minutes later, there's a whole bunch of cops, cars and firefighters outside,' he continued. Just a few weeks ago, Miracle's mother Kallee Foukes said, 'It' s amazing how fast time goes by when you're enjoying every moment with your little one' 'Daddy Marquise Reese a nd mommy love you more than you could ever imagine and you are loved by many,' Miracle's mom wrote on facebook Another witness at a gym nearby went to the street to see if he could help. 'I saw the man who initially got hit,' said Curtis Johnson, a trainer at Power and Exercise Fitness Center. 'He was kind of limping in the road, and I was kind of making sure that he was out of the way of the car.' 'I thought it was a shopping cart or something, I wasn't sure because it was so dark,' Johnson said. 'And that's when I noticed the infant was on the floor and it had been hit.' A security guard was threatened with a firearm as a restaurant went up in flames in the second arson attack at the Melbourne venue this week. The latest incident came as four children were charged by detectives who are probing fires linked to an ongoing conflict over illicit tobacco in Victoria. The guard was threatened with a firearm during the latest arson attack at the Mill Park restaurant Al Nafoura about 5am on Saturday. He was not hurt, Victoria Police said. About 20 minutes later, emergency services were called to a car fire nearby and investigators are probing whether the two suspicious blazes are linked. A guard was threatened with a firearm during an arson attack at Mill Park restaurant Al Nafoura (pictured) about 5am on Saturday It came as police revealed four children were charged over an arson attack at the same Mill Park restaurant on Tuesday, in addition to a Ballarat tobacco shop fire and an aggravated burglary in Wonga Park. Two 16-year-old girls from Mulgrave and Pakenham, a 15-year-old boy from Springvale and a 14-year-old boy from Mulgrave were charged after being arrested during raids on three homes on Friday. The Pakenham girl was charged with two counts of criminal damage by fire, conduct endangering life and motor vehicle theft. She was remanded in custody while the three other teens were granted bail. The Springvale boy was charged with several offences including two counts of aggravated burglary, the Mulgrave boy was charged with aggravated burglary and theft and the Mulgrave girl was charged with theft of a motor vehicle. The latest incident came as four children were charged by detectives who are probing fires linked to an ongoing conflict over illicit tobacco in Victoria They were charged by detectives from Taskforce Lunar, which is probing more than 40 fires linked to a conflict between warring crime syndicates over illegal tobacco profits in Victoria. Police allege the Wonga Park burglaries happened when a white Isuzu D-Max and silver Ford Ranger were stolen between February 19 and 20. The Ford Ranger was then used in a firebombing on the Emerald Reception Centre in Thomastown on February 22 before it was found burnt out in Bundoora, detectives said. A 20-year-old St Albans man, who was previously on bail, faced court on Thursday after being charged over the attack. Police allege the other ute was involved in an attempted arson at the Mill Park restaurant in the early hours of Tuesday and another arson attack on a tobacco shop in Ballarat on Wednesday. San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Matt Wayne, shown in 2022, outlined his plan for school closures at the annual school planning summit Saturday. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle 2022 District officials have concluded that San Francisco has more public schools than it needs and if all goes as planned, there will be fewer by the fall of 2025, they told the Chronicle. What parents and educators have long feared is now being said out loud: Schools are going to close. San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Matt Wayne outlined his plan for school closures at the annual school planning summit Saturday, but spoke to the Chronicle in advance to explain his reasoning and what will happen in the coming months. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There is no set number of schools targeted for closure, and there are no specific schools on a list. That will come later, he said. Wayne, however, never used the word closure, instead saying the district was undergoing resource alignment and there would be a process to create a new portfolio with fewer schools. Whatever word is used, the plan is a big deal, likely to shake school communities to the core and prompt huge backlash. It comes as the district is addressing other pressing issues, including a massive budget shortfall, the return of Algebra I into middle schools, reforming the school assignment process and replacing the disastrous payroll system. But the reason for considering closures is a troubling trend schools across the state are facing: declining enrollment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The district has lost nearly 10,000 students in recent years and that trend is continuing, Wayne said. By 2032, district enrollment is expected to be about 44,000 students, down from about 49,500 this year and about 53,000 in 2015. Yet the district still has the same number of schools, the same number of buildings to maintain. And many are not even close to full. We feel like in order to create the schools our students deserve and our families expect we need to have fewer schools, he said. I dont think this is a surprise to anyone. The bottom line is that resources are stretched too thin, Wayne said. We want supportive learning environments for each and every student, in each and every school, each and every day, he said. The reality is, people are not satisfied with the status quo in San Francisco so rather than just continuing to figure out how to maintain the status quo, we want to say, Look, we need to have real conversation about how we use our resources to create a new school portfolio that better serves our community. Heres a breakdown of what comes next. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Does the district really have to close schools? Well, no. It will ultimately be up to the school board to decide whether to approve Waynes recommendations about closures. But its unclear whether San Francisco Unified can effectively and efficiently operate with the 10,000 empty seats spread across the district. With fewer students comes fewer dollars from the state. Districts across the state are grappling with the same challenge and its likely that many will be facing the same conversations about closures in upcoming years. Is closing schools all about saving money? Advertisement Article continues below this ad No, Wayne said. Its about making sure all students have access to the best education and services and that cant happen if theyre spread thin over 121 schools, officials argue. Yet its also true that the district is on the edge of a fiscal cliff after overspending for years. Without significant reductions in the budget, there could be a state takeover. There isnt enough money to make sure every school has the same supports and programs in place, whether thats art, music, after-school services, nurses, social workers or other programs and services. Add to that a growing list of aging buildings that need repair if not a significant modernization. Has the district closed schools in recent memory? No. But they are considering merging the Edwin and Anita Lee Newcomer School, which started the year with 11 students, with a nearby elementary school. Advertisement Article continues below this ad So what happens now? Wayne revealed he will kick off an eight-month process to set the criteria for closing or consolidating school sites, which will wrap up with a recommendation on how many and which schools would be on the list. The first step is setting the criteria to determine which schools to close or consolidate. That would include conducting an equity audit to ensure decisions do not disproportionately affect disadvantaged students and other groups. All of that will include significant community feedback. And then? As the new school year starts in August, the list of selected schools would be announced, with another round of community input and planning. The board would take a final vote on the plan in December, according to the superintendents timeline. Based on the chaos related to school closure conversations in Oakland, which included protests, a hunger strike, threats, walkouts and more, is Wayne prepared for the fallout? He has said he has studied what has happened elsewhere and has looked at what has worked and what hasnt, as well as reading up on research related to declining enrollment and school consolidation. We want to do this in a way thats as respectful and sets us up for success as much as possible, he said. Its recognizing we need to handle this with real care and transparency. So now its wait and see? A man who mowed a giant penis shape into his parents' lawn to offend his brother has received a suspended jail sentence from a judge who labelled him a serial pest. The 44-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to breaching a domestic violence order against his brother in Brisbane Arrest Court on Saturday by committing the crude act between February 16 and February 20. A prosecutor told the court the man saw the opportunity to leave the message for his older brother at their parents' house in Brisbane's southeast suburb of Burbank when he saw the lawn was overgrown. A man has been given a suspended sentence for moving the shape of a giant penis into his parents' lawn (stock image) Because the defendant had disabled his parent's ride-on mower, the older brother was not able to mow the lawn, the court heard. Seizing the opportunity man mowed his brother's name next to penis shape to make the insult explicit, the Courier Mail reported. He later insisted to police that it was 'just a joke'. The man received a suspended jail sentence for breaching the Domestic Violence order against his brother on Saturday in Brisbane Arrest Court (pictured) However, he was charged with breaching the Domestic Violence Order that was taken out on January 24 and of being in breach of a probation order. Legal Aid lawyer Ann-Maree Russo told the court the man thought the stunt 'would be taken as a joke' but now knew it wasn't a joke and had been done in poor taste. 'It is clearly not a very well thought out plan to, I guess, aggravate his brother in this way,' Ms Russo said, while admitting it was a breach of a good behaviour order. Magistrate Michael Quinn told the man that his history of breaching DV orders made him 'nothing short of being a serial pest'. In sentencing the man to a wholly-suspended two month prison sentence, Magistrate Quinn said it was important the community was shown courts would enforce domestic violence orders. He said the sentence would act as a deterrent to the man and any others who were 'like-minded' to behave in such a fashion. Oregon lawmakers passed a bill to recriminalize possession of drugs weeks after Gov. Tina Kotek declared state of emergency over the fentanyl crisis in Portland. A bill recriminalizing the possession of small amounts of drugs was passed by the Oregon Legislature on Friday. The bill reverses a key part of the state's drug decriminalization law, which was the first of its kind in the U.S. Efforts from lawmakers come as governments struggle to respond to the deadliest overdose crisis in U.S. history. Oregon has seen a 190 percent increase in overdose deaths since the initial decriminalization bill went into effect in February 2021, according to the CDC. Oregon lawmakers passed a bill to recriminalize possession of drugs weeks after Gov. Tina Kotek declared state of emergency over the fentanyl crisis in Portland A bill recriminalizing the possession of small amounts of drugs was passed by the Oregon Legislature on Friday (pictured: A person pushes a cart along Southwest 3rd Avenue in Portland) The new bill reverses a key part of the state's drug decriminalization law, which was the first of its kind in the U.S. (Pictured: A man holding a glass pipe and two lighters struggles to wrestle a piece of candy from a wrapper while sitting on a bench in downtown Portland) Oregon has seen a 190 percent increase in overdose deaths since the initial decriminalization bill went into effect in February 2021 Gov. Tina Kotek said in January that she is open to signing a bill that would roll back decriminalization In the 12 months leading up to February 2021, there were 861 overdose deaths in Oregon; that number increased to 1,650 deaths in the same 12-month period ending in September 2023. When Oregon voters approved the landmark plan to decriminalize hard drugs three years ago, they thought that putting an end to the jailing of drug users would do good for the state and potentially spread throughout the country. However overdoses soared as the state struggled to fund the enhanced treatment centers at the core of the decriminalization plan. The pandemic further hurt Portland's downtown, causing the streets to become an open-air drug market. Now, even liberal politicians - like Oregon's Democrat Governor Tina Kotek - are ready to end the experiment before the drug crisis blows any further out of control. The state Senate approved the new bill, House Bill 4002, in a 21-8 vote after the House passed it 51-7 on Thursday. The bill now heads to the desk of Gov. Tina Kotek, who said in January that she is open to signing a bill that would roll back decriminalization. Oregon's Democratic Governor declared a state of emergency over the fentanyl crisis in Portland at the end of January. 'With this bill, we are doubling down on our commitment to make sure Oregonians have access to the treatment and care that they need,' said Democratic Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber, of Portland, one of the bill's authors. She added that its passage will 'be the start of real and transformative change for our justice system.' Efforts from lawmakers come as governments struggle to respond to the deadliest overdose crisis in U.S. history Oregon has seen a 210 per cent increase in fentanyl -related deaths since the initial decriminalization bill was passed in November 2020 (Pictured: Officer Donny Mathew of the Portland Police Bureau's bike squad, stands next to a person who appears to be passed out) The measure makes the possession of small amounts of drugs such as heroin or methamphetamine a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail. It enables police to confiscate the drugs and crack down on their use on sidewalks and in parks. Drug treatment is to be offered as an alternative to criminal penalties. The bill also aims to make it easier to prosecute people who sell drugs. It increases access to addiction medication, and to obtain and keep housing without facing discrimination for using that medication. Kotek, along with her colleagues Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, made the state of emergency declaration last month. They directed their agencies to work with first responders in connecting people addicted to the synthetic opioid with resources including drug treatment programs and to crack down on drug sales. In the 90 days following the declaration, Fentanyl addicts who interacted with first responders in Portland's downtown were triaged by the new command center. Oregon's Democratic Governor declared a state of emergency over the fentanyl crisis at the end of January The measure makes the possession of small amounts of drugs such as heroin or methamphetamine a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail (pictured: Police officer David Baer pulls a man, who was caught smoking fentanyl) The bill also aims to make it easier to prosecute people who sell drugs. It increases access to addiction medication, and to obtain and keep housing without facing discrimination for using that medication Staff in the center can connect addicts with various resources from a bed in a drug treatment center to meeting with a behavioral health clinician to help with registering for food stamps. 'Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,' Kotek said. The declaration is a recommendation from a governor-established task force that met for several months last year to determine ways to rejuvenate downtown Portland. The Manhattan DA has dropped all charges against one of the migrants arrested in connection to the Times Square melee that saw two cops brutalized in late January. The asylum seeker in question, 22-year-old Jhoan Boada, famously gave photographers the middle finger while being perp-walked from his arraignment days later. Boada insisted on his innocence - an assertion DA Alvin Bragg now agrees with following a sprawling investigation. In a statement, the progressive DA revealed how he and investigators came to that conclusion, calling it a case of mistaken identity. As seven other migrants now face charges for the assault, Bragg said his office initially misidentified Boada, and have since charged the suspect they now believe to be the true culprit. The Manhattan DA has dropped all charges against one of the migrants arrested in connection to January's Times Square melee. The asylum seeker in question, 22-year-old Jhoan Boada, famously gave photographers the middle finger while being walked from his arraignment days later The revelation, aired Friday afternoon, comes a little over a month after Boada was mistakenly arrested after matching the description of man in a black and white jacket and pink shoes filmed attacking the two officers, officials said His statement read: 'Our investigation has revealed that Marcelino Estee, not Jhoan Boada, is the individual described in this complaint, wearing the black & white jacket with pink shoes, committing this assault.' The other migrant, who appeared in court Friday, 'has been charged for his participation [in the brawl],' Bragg's office confirmed. A native of Venezuela, the suspect was arraigned on a single assault charge, before being held on $15,000 cash bail. Bragg's office said of this development: 'We are therefore moving to dismiss this complaint against Jhoan Boada.' The revelation, aired Friday afternoon, comes a little over a month after Boada was mistakenly arrested after matching the description of man in a black and white jacket and pink shoes filmed attacking the two officers. He would go on to become the face of the mostly right-wing backlash over the January 27 incident, after flipping bystanders the bird when leaving his arraignment later that day. At the time, Boada's defense attorney, Javier Damien, insisted to a Manhattan judge: '[Boada] says if you watch the videotape, you will not see him on there. 'He wasnt involved in the situation at all.' 'I dont understand,' Boada - less flippant than he was outside the courthouse - added in Spanish at the time. 'I didnt do nothing.' Boada was filmed flipping bystanders the bird when leaving his arraignment later that day Wilson Juarez, right, and Kelvin Servita-Arocha, left, have also been charged in the attack that happened last month Darwin Andres Gomez (left) and Kelvin Yorman Reveron (right) were released without bail, Gomez was arrested and taken to Rikers earlier this week for theft A sixth suspect, Yohenry Brito, 24, was arraigned in Manhattan criminal court last month. A seventh and eight suspect - the latter of whom cops mistook Boada for - is now in custody as well The actual suspect, officials said, was tracked down thanks to his social media accounts which showed him wearing the identifiable jacket and sneakers, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Zachary Kotin said. He was arrested on Thursday in Midtown after cops recognized him from a wanted poster, despite him denying any involvement in the headline grabbing case. Seven others - Yohenry Brito, 24, Yorman Reveron, 24, Ulises Bohorquez, 21, Wilson Juarez, 21, Kelvin Servat Arocha, 19, Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, 19 and Yarwuin Madris, 17 - were arrested as a result, and are now facing charges. The two officers in the incident, Lieutenant Ben Kurian and Officer Zunxu Tian, are said to have suffered laceration, bruising and substantial shoulder pain. Questions were raised about Madris' age as the prosecutor said he told officers who arrested him on Tuesday that he was 23, but he previously told Port Authority officers he was 17. The suspect faces a maximum prison sentence of seven years if he is convicted of second-degree assault. Defense attorney Hillela Simpson argued her client should be released on bail and pointed to how almost all of the other suspects had been released. 'My client is 17 he has no recordable history on this rap sheet,' she told the court. 'The attention of the national media does not change the facts of this case. 'My client is not alleged to have kicked or punched either of these officers- he is alleged to have tried to pull an officer away.' She added: 'My client was not evading prosecution, he was arrested in his home. Simpson said the number of Madris' guardian was not provided by the police until late but Judge Antignani asked: 'Who is his guardian? He is clearly not living with his guardian if he is living with the Bronx. 'I have never seen a situation where we are using the term guardian to suggest someone you don't live with at 17.' The defense attorney replied: 'I was just provided her contact information, I have not been able to verify the nature of their relationship. 'But he does have a stable place to go if he was to be released. This is a young person. I would ask your honor to release him on his own recognizance.' But Judge Antignani ruled he is to be held on remand and said: 'I dont know who will be such a bigger risk of flight. We dont know his proper age, I dont even know if it is his real name. 'I believe that there is no bigger flight risk, its not a situation where he surrenders his passport or ID. He doesnt have any.' Madris will next appear in court on March 19. It comes after another suspect Gomez-Izquiel, 19, was arrested again on Tuesday evening over an alleged robbery. He is accused of shoplifting and attacking a security guard at a Macys in Queens, according to police who say he was part of a group, which stole $600 worth of goods. Body camera footage shows the moment cops and migrants met in Times Square The two officers in the incident, Lieutenant Ben Kurian and Officer Zunxu Tian, are said to have suffered laceration, bruising and substantial shoulder pain Gomez-Izquiel has been charged with robbery and petit larceny and was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court in mid-February. Brito, 24, is set to appear in court again on March 25, at which time the charges against him will be unsealed. He is being held at Rikers Island on $15,000 cash bail or a $50,000 bond as the Manhattan District Attorney's Office argued Brito had been positively identified in video of the attack through a 'distinct tattoo.' Brito was already known to police over a series of past offenses, including charges of petty larceny for stealing $275 worth of goods from Bergdorf Goodman in October and $139 of clothing from Macy's. Police sources initially said that four migrants charged in the Times Square attack - Gomez-Izquiel; Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19; Wilson Juarez, 21, and Yorman Reveron, 24 - could have fled the city after using fake names to obtain tickets from a charity that helps migrants. Jandry Barros, 21, another suspect who was arrested, was let go without charges for lack of evidence. He also has a previous record with authorities. On February 2, Bragg defended the decision to release some of the suspects on bail amid their still ongoing investigation. He said: 'While the video is shocking and disturbing, in order to secure convictions in the court of law, it is essential that we conclusively identify each defendant. 'In Manhattan, we don't tolerate or accept assaults on police officers. I watched the tape this week. Despicable behavior. It sickened me and outraged me.' The brutal attack occurred around 8:30 pm when officers attempted to disperse a disorderly group in front of 220 West 42 Street. A fight broke out between a suspect in a yellow sweatshirt and the police officers. According to the NYPD, the migrants then started to attack the officers, kicking them in the head and body while the two officers tried to pin down one of the other men, tearing off his sweatshirt. The migrants then ran away, making their getaway east on 42nd Street toward 7th Avenue. At around 10:45pm that night, four of them - Gomez-Izquiel, Arocha, Wilson and Reveron, were arrested. They were all charged with assault on a police officer, gang assault, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct but were released without monetary bail. Bragg's office, meanwhile, continues to vet the case, which warranted some choice words from NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell this past mojnth. 'You want to know why our cops are getting assaulted? There are no consequences, 'Eight people attacked two cops. Cowards.' As for Boada, he is now a free man, after being released without bail due to not possessing a criminal history. He has yet to comment publicly on his wrongful arrest. Cops' probe into the fight - which occurred when officers approached the group of migrants in front a shelter before ordering them to move - remains ongoing. A woman who claimed to earn up to $200,000 a year as a traffic controller has sparked a furious debate on social media. Queensland woman Suzie Ross revealed her eye-watering income after she was asked by an interviewer on the street about her job. 'I do traffic control and I make between $140,000 and $200,000 a year,' she said. Ms Rose said the job had several overtime benefits that helps her earn the large sum and said she worked different shifts as part of the job. 'Penalty rates and your loadings are really good,' she explained. 'It's usually we're the first on the job and the last [to leave], we can be on the morning shift or I'm doing night shift this week'. The mother said one of the challenges of working as a traffic controller was the 'ignorance' about what workers do on the job. 'A young person is not asked one single person of what do you do when you approach roadworks,' she said. 'I think there should be more awareness because it is a high risk job'. The interview was uploaded to TikTok by Getahead, an app that connects jobseekers with employment opportunities in Australia. A fierce debate about the eye-watering salary quickly erupted in the comments. 'I've owned a traffic control company in Sydney for 12 years and I'm sure she doesn't make that much money,' one user said. 'It's between 39k-80k depending [on] experience. But, traffic control is not a bed of roses. They have their favourites and you will be lucky to get 5hrs-to 40hrs [of work] a week,' another commented. 'I've been a traffic controller for 2 years while I'm studying even doing 12-16 hour days the most I've made is 88k in a financial year'. Suzie Rose (pictured right) revealed she earns up to $200,000 a year working as a traffic controller Other essential workers said they didn't earn nearly as much as Mr Rose. 'I'm a doctor with 10 years experience and yet this person earns more than me after a 20hr training course,' one user said. Some chimed in by saying many traffic controllers do get paid hefty hourly rates particularly when they work at night. 'It's not a joke. Light rail on the Gold Coast at the moment night shift traffic control are on over $90 an hour,' one said. Ms Rose said training courses for a traffic controller are fairly easy and that workers take part in a 20-hour trial to see if they like the job or not. She added it had become easier for women to get into the construction industry. According to leading employment website Seek traffic controllers earn an average annual salary of between $55,000 to $75,000. According to leading employment website Seek, traffic controllers (pictured) earn an average annual salary of between $55,000 to $75,000 The CFMEU revealed last month that a new workplace agreement is set to be signed that would give construction workers a five per cent pay rise. The deal which the construction union is yet to make official would allow labourers and traffic controllers to earn $2000 a week over over a three year agreement according to reports from the Herald Sun. Junior stop-sign holders could earn as much as $120,000 for working 36-hour weeks on construction sites. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Rose for comment. A large crowd of protesters have marched through Hyde Park in Sydney ahead of Saturday's mardi gras parade to protest the involvement of NSW Police. Marching through the park towards the marshalling area for the parade on Saturday, the crowd chanted 'stop police attacks on gays, women and blacks'. The organisers, Pride in Protest, also sparked chaos in Darlinghurst, the heart of the city's LGBTQI+ community on Friday night, when about 300 people arrived for the same reason. Police were formally uninvited to march in this year's parade following the arrest of a serving police officer, who was charged with the alleged murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. Mr Davies was honoured with a special float by Qantas, his former employer. The Mardi Gras parade in Sydney kicked off with anti-police protests (pictured) Protestors were seen holding Aboriginal and Palestinian flags (pictured) The protests (pictured) comes as tensions remain high between law enforcement and LGBTQI+ community following the deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies Luke Davies was honoured by his former employer Qanats on a float (pictured) at the parade Revellers turned up in some wild and wacky costumes for the 46th annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Officers on duty will be out in force at the parade, however, drawing further ire from the group. Pride in Protest organisers summoned those marching with the group to Town Hall for a 'speak out' event from 2pm on Saturday, with the march towards the marshalling area in Hyde Park taking place just after 4pm. Sharing a photo of the police contingent assigned to the group's pre-parade protest on Instagram, organisers remarked: 'This might as well be their float'. In the marshalling area, one protester brandished a large sign showing a gun with blood splatter, flanked by the rainbow flag. Police will allege in court Beau Lamarre-Condon, who worked in the NSW Police Youth Command, used his service weapon to kill the pair, who had recently started dating. Following a meeting with police commissioner Karen Webb, officers were again allowed to march, however not in uniform, and they are not permitted to be carrying weapons. Officers from NSW Police (pictured left) were allowed to march at the parade after previously being uninvited to the event Thousands gather ahead of march With more than 12,000 people expected to hit the parade route on Saturday night, Hyde Park was packed out with sequins, bright colours and animals masks Groups were seen practicing their moves and touching up their outfits ahead of the 7.30pm kickoff. Where can you watch Sydney's Mardi Gras Parade?W Watching from the street is free, but crowds are expected to be heaving along the parade route and throughout the city, with parties taking place across the CBD. Anyone wanting to avoid the crowds can buy tickets for prime viewing areas, with some still available on Saturday afternoon. Those watching from home can tune in on ABC from 7.30pm or on iview. Saturday night's Mardi Gras Parade will kick off at the corner of Hyde Park and Oxford on in Sydney Saturday night at 7.30pm (pictured people at the Mardi Gras parade) Thousands of attendees (pictured) will be marching at the event Large crowds are expected to turn up (pictured attendees at Sydney's Mardi Gras parade) The broadcast will be hosted by Australia's most iconic drag star, Courtney Act, non-binary musician G-Flip, actor Remy Hii, and ABCQueer host Mon Schafter. Who will march? This year's Mardi Gras is set to be a big one, with more than 12,000 marchers set to make their way along the route. The parade will start off with a roar with Dykes on Bikes, followed by Boys on Bikes and Melbourne Motorcycle Tourers. Nearly 200 floats, representing groups within the LGBTQI+ community, government and community organisations, and major corporations, are expected to travel along the parade route this year. First Nations will kick off the floats, to be followed by the original marchers, the 78'ers. Alex Greenwich, NSWs only openly gay MP, will join Clover Moore on a float called 'fearless representatives' early on. Chris Minns will join the Rainbow Labor NSW float, marking the first time a NSW Premier has marched in the parade. A contingent from the NSW Police Force will march, though not in uniform, after they were uninvited from the parade following the alleged murders of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird at the hands of a serving police officer. When NSW Police were uninvited, the Australian Federal Police also pulled out of the parade, and did not reverse their decision following the re-inclusion of NSW Police. Qantas will make a special tribute to its former employee Mr Davies during its time on the parade route, having etched his name onto its float, and group members are expected to wear black armbands in tribute. Parade to halt for moment of silence Organisers of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade have revealed they will halt the parade through to pay tribute Mr Baird and Mr Davies, amid sombre reflections on the couple's lives days ahead of the event. Mr Baird, 26 and his boyfriend Mr Davies, 29, were allegedly murdered at Baird's sharehouse in Paddington at about 9.30am in February 19. Senior constable Beau Lamarre-Condon is accused of using his police-issued pistol to shoot them, before dumping the bodies at a rural property. Organisers of the Mardi Gras parade have revealed they will halt the parade through to pay tribute Mr Baird and Mr Davies (pictured) A moment of silence will be observed for the young couple during this evening's parade, which is due to start at 6pm. 'We will take a moment to honour and remember Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, whose lives were tragically taken from us,' Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras said in a statement on Saturday. 'This moment of commemoration serves as a powerful reminder of the bonds that unite us and the memories of those we hold dear. 'As the Dykes on Bikes approach Taylor Square for their second pass - the heart of our Parade - they will come to a pause. 'This serves as a signal for all attendees to join in a moment of silence.' Mr Davies will also be honoured by his former employer, Qantas, on its float during the parade. Hundreds of people gathered in Green Park in Darlinghurst on Friday night, an evening that would usually signal the start of a weekend of celebration and partying. Instead, friends, family and members of the LGBTQIA+ community gathered at dusk to pay tribute to the lives of the young couple whose live were cut so tragically short. A cat given up for dead by its owner following the devastating Valencia fire has been rescued alive by firefighters after eight days in the shell of the building. Andrea Rubio broke down in tears yesterday as she cuddled beloved pet Coco for the first time since the February 22 blaze after it was spotted two floors above their 11th floor flat smelling of smoke but otherwise alive and well. Mystery still surrounds Coco's survival of the tragedy that killed 10 people and claimed the lives of around 100 other pets. It will spend tonight with Andrea and her partner Javier Fernandez at emergency council-provided temporary housing after a routine check-up by a vet. Firefighters published pictures of Coco inside a fire hydrant niche where the cunning cat is believed to have taken refuge. Andrea Rubio and Coco with the firefighters. Mystery still surrounds Coco's survival of the tragedy that killed 10 people and claimed the lives of around 100 other pets Andrea Rubio broke down in tears yesterday as she cuddled beloved pet Coco for the first time since the February 22 blaze after it was spotted two floors above their 11th floor flat smelling of smoke but otherwise alive and well They had been asked by the its owner to recover its body if they found it while retrieving documentation and other belongings from gutted apartments. A spokesman for Valencia City Hall-employed fire crews who are still working in the 14-storey residential that went up in flames in the affluent El Campaner district said: 'We were recovering belongings and documentation from apartments when we rescued the cat. It was in a dry riser niche. 'We've handed it to its owners with great satisfaction.' A local police spokesman added: 'We can confirm a pet cat lost in the fire in El Campaner has been recovered more than a week after the tragedy.' Andrea, pictured taking her cat out of a small holdall and giving it water while she cried, was out when the fire started and learnt from her mum who was watching the TV that her home had gone up in flames. A spokesman for an animal adoption association in Valencia said this morning: 'Coco's family lived on the eleventh floor and had asked firefighters to look for it in case they found its body. 'They informed them the animal wasn't in the property but the surprise arrived when they reached the 13th floor and found Coco waiting for his family. 'We don't know how you managed to save your life Coco but you're a champion and we're very happy.' Coco the cat. It will spend tonight with Andrea and her partner Javier Fernandez at emergency council-provided temporary housing after a routine check-up by a vet It emerged last weekend nearly 100 pets had died in the Valencia fire as well as 10 people including a family of four consisting of the parents of a new-born baby and a three-year-old boy. The animals that died included the pet dog of a Ukrainian woman called Elisa who went to run errands with her partner and wasn't able to return home after the blaze began. An elderly couple who lived in one of the 138 apartments gutted by fire died along with their pet dog. The cladding around the apartment blocks has been blamed for the speed with which the blaze spread and meant the victims weren't able to reach safety in time. An investigation into the fire, which started in an empty eighth-floor flat, is ongoing but it has already been linked to a probable electrical fault. Ukraine is suspected to have carried out a kamikaze drone attack on Vladimir Putin's home city St Petersburg early today. A video shows the moment the apartment block was hit triggering a giant explosion, say reports. The drone was suspected to have been aimed at a nearby oil depot. Key defence facilities were also in the vicinity. 'Half the house was blown away,' said one resident. At least 15 apartments were damaged on all five floors of the building on Piskarevsky Avenue in St. Petersburg. Picture show the moment a suspected Ukrainian kamikaze drone struck a building in Vladimir Putin 's home city of St Petersburg early today The aftermath of a suspected Ukrainian kamikaze drone attack which hit Vladimir Putin's home city of St Petersburg Russian emergency servicemen and investigators work near a damaged multi-storey residential building following the alleged drone attack One hundred people were evacuated from the blitzed block, but no casualties were reported. It was the first attack on St Petersburg in more than one month. The suspected target in St Petersburg was the Ruchyi oil depot, around half a mile away. Ukraine has previously hit oil depots in the city and Leningrad region, leading to Russia temporarily halting gasoline exports. There were unconfirmed reports of a second drone on a night when Russia also hit Odesa, killing two and wounding seven, with six people missing. The attacks came the day after 128 people in 19 Russian cities were detained as they marked the funeral of Putin foe Alexei Navalny, who was suspected to have been murdered in his Arctic jail on Putin's orders. Most detainees were freed later. Mourners in Moscow defied the authorities by chanting demands for Russia without Putin and an end to the war in Ukraine. Crowds following the hearse in Moscow threw red carnations as it passed and could be heard shouting 'Putin is a murderer' and 'Russia will be free'. A view of a damaged apartment block after the suspected Ukrainian drone attack This picture shows the aftermath the blast, which reportedly damaged 15 apartments A view of a damaged apartment block after the alleged drone attack Russian emergency servicemen and investigators work near a damaged multi-storey residential building following an alleged drone attack Emergency servicemen cordon off the area around the apartment block, with a red fire truck also seen on the street nearby A view of a damaged apartment block after an alleged drone attack reported by local media at Krasnogvardeysky district in St. Petersburg, Russia on March 2 Men remove broken glass from a damaged car following an alleged drone attack in Saint Petersburg There were also unconfirmed reports that Navalny's supporters were arrested as they left their homes to attend the funeral. It is thought that one of those detained during the ceremony was an opposition politician. The Kremlin had warned that action would be taken against any 'unauthorised protests' on the day of Navalny's funeral, with 400 having been arrested for laying flowers at memorial sites following the outspoken politician's death two weeks ago. Riot police, who wore balaclavas, lined the streets around the Russian Orthodox church and police snipers could be spotted on roofs near the scene. The brief funeral for Alexei Navalny was held two weeks after the president's biggest critic died in an Arctic prison on February 16. Pictures showed the opposition leader's open casket inside a church on the outskirts of the Russian capital, after the coffin was carried past the large crowd of mourners with some holding red flowers. Under the heavy police presence, a long queue could be seen forming near the church in the southeast of the capital, with reports saying thousands were in attendance. Mourners, some carrying red flowers (pictured), bravely gathered outside the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Soothes My Sorrows on Moscow's outskirts Mourners following the hearse in Moscow threw red carnations as it passed and could be heard shouting 'Putin is a murderer' and 'Russia will be free' Foreign diplomats, including French Ambassador to Russia Pierre Levy and US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy, wait near the Soothe My Sorrows church before the funeral service Navalny's coffin arrives at the church on the outskirts of Moscow as thousands of mourners watched on from the streets outside Navalny's parents - Anatoly Navalny, right, and Lyudmila Navalnaya - were seen entering the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Soothe My Sorrows, in Moscow The dissident's parents (circled in red) followed the coffin inside, and were pictured sitting by his open casket Pictures showed the opposition leader's open casket inside a church on the outskirts of the Russian capital, after it was carried past a large crowd of mourners Navalny's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya (pictured), spent eight days trying to get authorities to release the body following his death Lyudmila Navalnaya (first row, third right) and Anatoly Navalny (rights row, right), pictured at the funeral ceremony for their son at the Borisovo cemetery in Moscow A view of a grave where Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was buried at the Borisovskoye Cemetery, in Moscow Moscow police pictured on March 1 ahead of the funeral of Alexei Navalny One person said: 'I feel this is a funeral for the Russia that might have been.' As the coffin was carried out of a black hearse and into the church, loud chants of 'Navalny, Navalny!' rang out around the square outside. The dissident's parents followed the coffin inside, and were pictured sitting by his open casket. His body could be seen dressed in a suit, covered in flowers. It left the Russian Orthodox church again at around 12pm GMT - less than an hour after it entered - on its way to be buried at a nearby cemetery. As the coffin was driven away, video showed people chanted again: 'Russia without Putin', 'Putin is a killer' and 'We won't forget'. Navalny was finally laid to rest shortly after 1pm GMT. The government should give all 30-year-olds 10,000 in taxpayer cash to redistribute wealth, a Tory peer has said. Lord David Willetts has urged ministers to consider a drastic new policy to tackle inequality in the UK. This is in the hopes that those born between 1981 and 1996 will see wealth better distributed and reap the benefits older generations were able to. Annual inheritance transfers are set to increase to 145bn by 2033 but one in ten millennials are not due to get anything. Lord David Willetts (pictured) has urged ministers to consider a drastic new policy to tackle inequality in the UK This is in the hopes that those born between 1981 and 1996 will see wealth better distributed and reap the benefits older generations were able to However, the top 10% will receive over half a million each, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found for the Guardian. Lord Willetts' suggestions come after figures show some parents who have benefitted from rising property prices and pensions will leave their millennial children around 150,000 each. Knight Frank, an estate agency, released a new report suggesting that Millennials in America alone will inherit a huge $90 trillion from property, shares and other assets over the next 20 years. Baby boomers - those born between 1946 and 1964 - and the so-called silent generation - Americans born between 1928 and 1946 - will 'hand over the reins' to millennials born between 1980 and 1996, it said. It comes as many younger people - millennials and Gen Z adults - are struggling to hit the same milestones, like owning their own home and wage rises, as those from previous generations. Earlier this year, research found empty-nest baby boomers are occupying roughly one-third of the three-bedroom homes in the US, while millennials with kids own just half that amount, according to Redfin. However, with changing family trends, millennials will be more likely to have less siblings to split their inheritance with but are on track to retire much later than today's older generations. Lord Willetts told the Guardian: 'It doesn't matter if you are Conservative or Labour, a world in which inheritance matters more and earnings matter less is a less open and socially-mobile society. '[Inheritances are now] coming to people quite late in life. It will reinforce a pattern of inheritance where the grandkids will benefit. Knight Frank, an estate agency, released a new report suggesting that Millennials in America alone will inherit a huge $90 trillion from property, shares and other assets over the next 20 years. Pictured: Lord Willetts 'We are going to have some very rich inheritors and a growing number of people who never get on the housing ladder and rent until old age.' The thinktank leader has now brought the the citizens inheritance idea back into light and is pushing ministers to spread wealth better. The IFS said inequality will widen majorly if inheritance transfers are not changed, with the poorest benefitting the least and the north south wealth divide could deepen. This could mean inheritances will increase by 5% for the fifth poorest millennials but the wealthiest fifth will jump by 29% if the situation does not change. Motorist in London are facing a shortage of ULEZ complaint cars, as new data revealed that less than one in 50 'affordable' ones are for sale. According to research from Auto Trader only 461 out 24,500 vehicles, which are for sale across Greater London, meet the capital emissions standards and are affordably priced at less than 2000. As of August 2023 to drivers of older and more polluting diesel cars have been subjected to a 12.50 daily driving fee as part of the scheme to reduce air pollution in London. And although Transport for London assured drivers ahead of its implementation that they did not need to 'purchase a brand new vehicle as affordable, compliant vehicles are available', this latest research would suggest that this is not the case. According to research from Auto Trader only 461 out 24,500 vehicles, which are for sale across Greater London, meet the capital emissions standards and are affordably priced at less than 2000 The demand for second-hand cars across Britain soar ahead of the ULEZ introduction, pushing the average advertised price up to 17,880, compared to just 13,600 in February 2020 - an increase of 32 per cent. Ian Plummer, commercial director at AutoTrader said: 'For those on a tight budget, there are few options for affordable motoring left in London six months on from the introduction of the extended ULEZ zone. 'With fewer than 500 cars for sale below the 2000 limit of the Mayor's scrappage scheme, many could be faced with the unpalatable choice of paying up to 3000 in ULEZ fees or being forced off the road altogether.' Also only 917, or 3.7 per cent, of the 24,500 vehicles listed on the online marketplace failed to meet the ULEZ requirements. Also only 917, or 3.7%, of the 24,500 vehicles listed on the online marketplace failed to meet the ULEZ requirements While TfL has launched a 210million scrappage scheme to offer financial support to those who ditch their older polluting cars, it offers a paltry 2,000 to drivers who scrap their motors. It was estimated that there were around 200,000 non-compliant vehicles in London when the new legislation came in. Susan Hall, the Conservative mayoral candidate, has run her campaign was a strong focus against ULEZ, which she vows to scrap if elected in May. She said: 'Sadiq Khan's new 12.50 per day ULEZ tax has been absolutely devastating for people who cannot afford to go to work, get to the hospital or visit their family. 'It is those on the lowest incomes who are most likely to own non-compliant cars and be hit by this tax. And despite the Mayor's rhetoric, his own independent impact assessment found it would do next to nothing to improve air quality.' A British man has been arrested after trying to fly out of the Dominican Republic with two suitcases full of suspected cocaine. The 32-year-old was held as he tried to board a plane to Frankfurt in Germany. Police on the Caribbean island confirmed the arrest and said they were trying to find out if he was part a larger gang of drug traffickers. Officers also released video footage showing them counting out the 36 cellophane-wrapped packets containing the suspected cocaine, barely hidden under a thin layer of clothing. A 32-year-old British man was held as he tried to board a plane to Frankfurt in Germany. Pictured: The 36 packages of suspected cocaine Police on the Caribbean island confirmed the arrest and said they were trying to find out if he was part a larger gang of drug traffickers Officers also released video footage showing them counting out the 36 cellophane-wrapped packets containing the suspected cocaine, barely hidden under a thin layer of clothing Specialist sniffer dogs honed in on the two suspicious suitcases and the arrest was made at Punta Cana International Airport. The British man was taken into custody after spot tests on the suspected drugs. A spokesman for the Dominican Republic's National Drug Control Directorate said: 'Officers from the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) and members of the Specialized Airport Security Corps, coordinated by the Public Ministry, seized 36 packages believed to be cocaine, in an operation carried out at the Punta Cana International Airport in La Altagracia province. 'DNCD agents and members of other official organizations were carrying out inspection tasks in one of the boarding areas of the terminal, when a canine unit alerted them to suspicious substances in two suitcases. 'In accordance with the established protocol and in the presence of a deputy prosecutor, they were opened and a total of 36 packages were found distributed in both suitcases. 'A 32-year-old British man was arrested in the case and has been handed over to public prosecutors working in the province of La Altagracia. 'The Public Ministry and the DNCD have initiated an investigation to establish if other people were involved in the frustrated shipment of the substance to Frankfurt, Germany.' 'The authorities have continued to reinforce their operations against drug trafficking and its related crimes, at airports, ports, borders and throughout the national territory. 'The 36 packages were sent to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) to determine the type and exact weight of the substance. Last October a British model who flaunted his jet set lifestyle on social media was jailed for seven years in Peru after being caught trying to fly out of the country with 300,000 worth of cocaine. Londoner Modou Dodou Adams wowed his thousands of social media fans with his trendsetting looks and VIP globetrotting under the self-styled moniker of 'boywholives' in a show of excess branded by authorities as a front for his criminal activities. Specialist sniffer dogs honed in on the two suspicious suitcases and the arrest was made at Punta Cana International Airport The British man was taken into custody after spot tests on the suspected drugs Last October a British model who flaunted his jet set lifestyle on social media was jailed for seven years in Peru after being caught trying to fly out of the country with 300,000 worth of cocaine. Pictured: The suspected cocaine seized in Punta Cana His apparent world of glamour was left in tatters after he confessed to being a drug trafficker and was told he now faces the next six years and eight months in a hellhole South American jail. Adams, 25, was held at Lima's international airport as he tried to check in for a flight to London via Paris with almost three kilos of cocaine in his suitcase. He was handed his sentence in a quickie trial 24 hours after his arrest by the same police force that held Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid, the so-called Peru Two in August 2013. The Peru Two, Michaella McCollum from Dungannon, Northern Ireland, and Melissa Reid from Lenzie, Scotland, were arrested on August 6, 2013 on suspicion of drug smuggling at Jorge Chavez International Airport, Lima, Peru, after their luggage was found to contain 11 kilos of cocaine. They initially claimed they had been coerced by an armed gang but subsequently pleaded guilty. On December 17, 2013, the pair were sentenced to six years and eight months' imprisonment. In early 2016, both women sought to return to the United Kingdom. McCollum applied to be freed on parole and was released on 31 March 2016, with the prospect of having to remain in Peru for up to six years. In April 2016 the Peruvian authorities agreed to expel Reid from the country. She was released from prison on 21 June that year and immediately returned to Britain, arriving at Glasgow airport the following day. Adams, 25, was held at Lima's international airport as he tried to check in for a flight to London via Paris with almost three kilos of cocaine in his suitcase. Pictured: The suspected cocaine seized in Punta Cana He was handed his sentence in a quickie trial 24 hours after his arrest by the same police force that held Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid, the so-called Peru Two in August 2013. Pictured: The suspected cocaine seized in Punta Cana McCollum returned to Europe two months later, arriving at Dublin airport in Ireland on August 13, 2016. She later wrote a book about her experiences titled 'You'll Never See Daylight Again.' In June 2022 a British man named locally at the time as Russell Tamer was arrested on suspicion of trying to smuggle cocaine out of a Colombian airport strapped to his body. Police held him as he allegedly threw a packet containing the drug into an airport toilet after spotting uniformed officers at a security airport. The arrest took place in Simon Bolivar International Airport, the airport serving Santa Marta city in Colombia which is the capital of Magdalena Department. It was not immediately clear today if he has already been dealt with by the courts. China urges U.S. to stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs Xinhua) 10:23, March 02, 2024 BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China urges the United States to respect China's sovereignty and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday. In a press statement, the spokesperson of U.S. Department of State said that the United States is closely monitoring the implications of Hong Kong's national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law for U.S. citizens, investments, and companies operating in Hong Kong and is concerned by the definitions of "state secrets" and "external interference" and the extraterritorial reach of Article 23, alleging that Article 23 would undermine the "one country, two systems" framework. In response, spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily news briefing that China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the U.S. statement. Mao noted that completing the legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law and plugging loopholes to safeguard national security is the constitutional responsibility of the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and what must be done for the lasting stability and security in HKSAR and the sound implementation of One Country, Two Systems in the long run. The just concluded public consultation has shown that the Hong Kong society has reached strong consensus to complete the legislation, Mao added. The legislation on Article 23 targets a handful of criminals gravely endangering the national security and protects in accordance with law the rights and freedoms which the residents of Hong Kong enjoy under the Basic Law and the provisions of relevant international covenants as applied to Hong Kong, according to the spokesperson. "Foreign citizens, investments, and companies operating in Hong Kong will also be protected in accordance with law," Mao said. The extraterritorial effect of Article 23 is in strict compliance with international law and the common practices of all countries and regions, Mao said, adding that "state secrets" and "external interference" are defined with full consideration given to HKSAR's realities and the common practices of all countries. "The legislation is legitimate, lawful and beyond reproach." The past three years since the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR was formulated and came into force are a period when Hong Kong has restored order and is set to thrive again, and when the international community cast a vote of confidence in Hong Kong's prospects, Mao said, adding that after the Article 23 legislation is completed, Hong Kong's high-quality development and high-standard opening up will be better guaranteed and Hong Kong residents and international investors will benefit from it. "The United States has issued troves of laws safeguarding its own national security but thrown dirt on and labeled the legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law. This is out-and-out political manipulation and hypocritical double standards," Mao said. Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which no country is in any position to point fingers at or interfere in, she stressed. "We urge the United States to respect China's sovereignty, observe the principles guiding international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs which are China's internal affairs," Mao said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) Waymo, after expanding its autonomous fleet last year in San Francisco, can expand its driverless ride-hailing operations to the Peninsula and Los Angeles. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle 2023 State regulators say Waymo can expand its driverless ride-hailing operations to the Peninsula and Los Angeles, marking a massive commercial expansion that launched last year in San Francisco. The California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates robotaxi services in the state, on Friday approved a request by the Alphabet-owned company to expand further in the Bay Area and Los Angeles County. The commission said in its ruling that the companys request, filed Jan. 19, complied with regulatory requirements. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Specifically, the PUCs decision permits the company to deploy its robotaxis on local roads and freeways at speeds of up to 65 mph, with no cap on fleet size. Waymo may begin fared driverless passenger service operations in the specified areas of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula, effective today, reads a Friday ruling by the commissions Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division. The PUCs decision comes amid fierce opposition from local officials on the Peninsula and in Los Angeles who, like San Francisco officials, are vying to have more say over how autonomous vehicle companies can deploy their emerging technology on local streets. Officials in San Mateo County and Los Angeles opposed Waymos expansion request and have thrown their support behind a bill pending in the Legislature that would give localities more local control over robotaxi deployment. The latest regulatory approval means that Waymos service in the Bay Area will expand from San Francisco to 22 cities on the Peninsula, covering a geographic area east of Interstate 280 to Sunnyvale. The company is also allowed to expand its driverless ride-hailing, effective immediately, to a large swath of Los Angeles. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its not immediately clear how Waymo will utilize its new authority to expand. The company got the PUCs permission, along with its rival Cruise, for unlimited commercial expansion in San Francisco last August, though its ride-hailing services in the city remain available only to users whove been approved off a waitlist. A company spokesperson told the Chronicle earlier this month that its San Francisco fleet numbers 250 robotaxis. Its not yet clear to what extent the company will expand its driverless ride-hailing on the Peninsula and in Los Angeles, and whether the company will follow a limited deployment strategy similar to how it scaled in San Francisco. Another uncertainty is whether Waymo will decide to deploy its robotaxis on freeways. The companys robotaxis currently dont take passengers on freeways in San Francisco. Waymo has been operating driverless ride-hailing in Phoenix since 2020 with service limited to local roads there, as well. The company for years has been testing its robotaxis on freeways with a human backup driver and announced last month that it began testing driverless ride-hailing on Phoenix freeways with company employees. As always, well take a careful and incremental approach to expansion by continuing to work closely with city officials, local communities and our partners to ensure were offering a service thats safe, accessible and valuable to our riders, Waymo said in a statement. Were incredibly grateful for the riders and community partners who have supported our service to date including +15,000 rides thus far in LA and were looking forward to bringing the benefits of fully autonomous ride-hailing to more people. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The PUCs approval marks another milestone in the long and bumpy road for the autonomous vehicle industry, which has seen much consolidation in recent years. Waymo and General Motors-owned Cruise are the largest robotaxi companies left standing in the U.S. and the only two companies that have been given permission to operate driverless robotaxis in California. Dozens of other self-driving car companies also have permission from state regulators to test their technology with safety drivers, though none have logged the amount of activity either with a driver or driverless than Waymo and Cruise. Last month, Apple folded its efforts to develop a driverless vehicle after ramping up testing mileage in California last year. Fridays decision gives Waymo an opportunity to seize a greater foothold on the emerging robotaxi market. Cruise remains banned indefinitely in California for its alleged response to an October crash where a company robotaxi dragged a jaywalking pedestrian 20 feet. The company has yet to resume its driverless operations, which it paused nationwide in late October. Robotaxis have drawn a polarizing response in San Francisco, with some residents hailing them as safer alternatives to human driving and others viewing them as a nuisance. City first responders have documented more than 85 instances where self-driving cars impeded first response efforts an experience that has fueled other Californima cities opposition. The Cruise crash further fanned tensions in San Francisco. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fridays decision seemed to come as a surprise to Waymo and local officials. The PUC issued a 120-day suspension of Waymos application in mid-February to review the companys expansion request. That decision seemed to mirror the beginning of a monthslong approval process similar to the commissions San Francisco decision. The commission last year twice delayed the pivotal vote to allow Waymo and Cruise to expand because of stiff opposition from San Francisco officials. But a commission spokesperson on Friday likened the 120-day suspension to a ceiling, not a floor, and said the PUC required a little extra time beyond the usual timeframe to make a ruling. San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa called the PUCs decision egregious and disingenuous. I thought CPUC gave us 120 days to sit down with Waymo and discuss our concerns here in San Mateo County. Im confused and a bit suspicious that the CPUC took only 11 days to change its mind on the suspension, Canepa said in a statement. We have had no talks to address our concerns and it says to me that neither Waymo nor the CPUC care about local concerns about the public safety of our residents. This is why we need SB 915 by state Sen. Dave Cortese to pass in the Legislature. We need some local control over how robotaxis operate in the county because we know our roads and highways the best. Europe will be flooded by '10 million migrants' if Vladimir Putin wins his war in Ukraine, France's foreign minister has warned. Stephane Sejourne said that the country's collapse could see a wave of Ukrainian refugees flee across the continent after being displaced from their homes. Speaking on France Inter radio on Friday, the Foreign Minister also signaled that Putin's war against the West would not stop in Ukraine, adding that the French Government 'have information' to suggest Moldova could be his next target. Sejourne said: 'First of all, there is a risk of Ukraine collapsing and there are consequences to this risk. 'We're talking about 10 million Ukrainians who could leave Ukraine in the event of a collapse. And we know very well, and have information, that Russia will not stop there.' France's foreign minister Stephane Sejourne (pictured) has warned Europe will be flooded by '10 million migrants' if Vladimir Putin wins his war in Ukraine The Foreign Minister also signaled that Putin's (pictured) war would not stop in Ukraine A Ukrainian tank of the 17th tank brigade fires at the Russian positions in Chasiv Yar, the site of fierce battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, on February 29 The Minister added that he agreed with French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion that the West could have to send ground troops to Ukraine to fight Russia if it wants Moscow to be defeated. Sejourne said: 'A very clear framework has been set, namely to put Russia in check without going to war with Russia. And within that framework, nothing is ruled out. 'It contributes to strategic ambiguity, but at the same time it puts us on the right side of history. I'm very happy with it. His comments came days after Putin threatened to nuke the West after accusing NATO and the US of 'preparing to strike' Russia. Responding to the threat, Sejourne said: 'When we decided to send military equipment, he raised the nuclear threat. When we decided to send tanks, he raised the nuclear threat. When we decided to send planes, he raised the nuclear threat. 'So now we're taking it to the next level, ruling out anything, and he's raising the nuclear threat. 'We are in a fragile situation with the preparations for the European elections and the Olympic Games It's their services, our public services, our transport, our hospitals. French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a press conference at the end of the international conference aimed at strengthening Western support for Ukraine on February 26 'Imagine for two minutes that we had no hospitals in the Paris region, that transport came to a standstill because of Russian computer attacks. All this means that Russia has changed its stance.' The Russian president, 71, said in an annual address to the nation on Thursday: 'They are preparing to strike our territory and, using the best possible forces, the most effective forces to do so. 'But we remember the fate of those who try to invade our territory and of course their fate will be much more tragic than anything we could face.' Putin repeatedly lauded Russia's vastly modernised nuclear arsenal in his speech and added as a warning to the West: 'They have to understand that we also have weapons, weapons that can defeat them on their own territory. 'Of course all this is very dangerous, because it could actually trigger the use of nuclear weapons. Do they not understand that?' The Russian despot also chillingly assured that 'strategic nuclear forces are in a state of full readiness for guaranteed use', but warned the use of nuclear weapons would equal the 'destruction of civilisation'. Reform UK has hit its highest ever polling number and is now just six points behind the Tories after they suspended Lee Anderson for saying 'Islamists' had 'got control' of London mayor Sadiq Khan. The right-wing party, run by Richard Tice, is currently polling at 14 percentage points compared to just one last week, according to a YouGov survey published yesterday. The results of the poll, which was carried out on February 28 and February 29, suggest that Reform UK has benefited from the fallout following Mr Anderson's suspension from the Conservative party. Mr Tice reacted to the poll on X, formerly known as Twitter. He said: 'Our first 14 per cent national poll for Reform just 6 per cent behind the toxic Tories.' Mr Anderson lost the whip on February 24 after he refused to apologise for 'Islamaphobic, racist' remarks he made on GB News. Reform UK has hit its highest ever polling number and is now just six points behind the Tories Their rise in the polls comes after the Tories suspended Lee Anderson for saying 'Islamists' had 'got control' of London mayor Sadiq Khan Lee Anderson (pictured) said on GB News that Sadiq Khan - the first Muslim Mayor of London - is controlled by Islamists and that he has 'given our capital city away to his mates' The former Conservative party chairman said: 'I don't actually believe that these 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 and they've got control of Starmer as well. 'Again, this stems with Khan, he's 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.' Mr Tice has reportedly been in talks with Mr Anderson who has said he 'speaks for millions of people who are appalled by what is happening to our country'. However, Sadiq Khan has hit back at the MP for Ashfield accusing him of 'pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred'. Speaking on Sky News, he said: 'We've seen over the last two days confirmation that over the last few months there had been an increase in anti-Muslim cases by more than 330 per cent. 'I am afraid the deafening silence from Rishi Sunak and from the cabinet is them condoning this racism. Sadiq Khan has hit back at the MP for Ashfield accusing him of 'pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred' The Mayor criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured) for his 'deafening silence' 'I am afraid it confirms to many people across the country that there's a hierarchy when it comes to racism. 'I think it's really important to call out antisemitism, it's really important to call out misogyny, it's really important to call out homophobia, but surely it must also be important to call out anti-Muslim hatred. 'My concern is there will be people across the country - people who are Muslim or look like Muslims - who will be really concerned about entering into politics because they know that if these are the comments being made about me by a senior Conservative, what chance do they have?' Following his suspension, Mr Anderson said: '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. Lee Anderson has been suspended by the Conservative party after he refused to apologise for 'Islamophobic, racist' comments where he claimed that London Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by 'Islamists' 'I fully accept that they had no option but to suspend the whip in these circumstances. 'However, I will continue to support the Government's efforts to call out extremism in all its forms - be that anti-semitism or islamophobia.' He said he was not sure why members of the cabinet were not 'calling this out' and condemning Anderson's words. The YouGov poll showed that the Conservatives are currently sitting on 20 percentage points, whereas Labour remains well ahead on 46. This is despite a difficult week for Keir Starmer who has been criticised for his handling of an anti-Semitism row in Rochdale and also for ditching a flagship 28 billion green spending pledge. YouGov said: 'This is Reform UK's highest vote intention share to date, with the party currently taking 21 per cent of those who voted Conservative in 2019. 'The Tories are holding on to just 35 per cent of their previous voters, with 12 per cent going to Labour and 20 per cent unsure.' Reform UK's success in the YouGov poll comes after the party recorded its highest-ever level of support with Savanta earlier this week. The data and market research company put Reform UK on 10 per cent of the vote. Chris Hopkins, Savanta's political research director said: 'Ahead of the Rochdale by-election and a make-or-break spring budget, our findings will not make pretty reading for the Conservative Party. 'Labour's wobble, if there ever was one, appears to have stabilised.' A poll by Savanta earlier this week put Reform UK on 10 per cent of the vote Reform UK leader, Richard Tice at the Rochdale by-election on Thursday Despite Reform, showing a rise in popularity in the polls, the party recorded just 6.3 per cent of the vote in the Rochdale by-election 'Reform recording their highest ever vote share in a Savanta poll is notable, but I remain sceptical of their electoral prowess. 'They certainly have the potential to really hurt the Conservatives at the next election, but their voters are not just Tories-in-disguise. 'Mobilising their supporters will be incredibly important if they are to achieve anything like a 10 per cent vote share at the actual General Election.' However, despite Reform, showing a rise in popularity in the polls, the party recorded just 6.3 per cent of the vote in the Rochdale by-election on Thursday. Mr Tice claimed afterwards that the by-election - which was won by George Galloway, of the Workers Party of Britain, with a pro-Palestinian campaign was not 'free and fair' after his candidate, Simon Danczuk and his campaigners allegedly received death threats. Pro-Palestine protesters have gathered at the foot of Nelson's Column after Rishi Sunak warned organisers not to let extremists hijack protests. Dramatic footage shows demonstrators shouting and waving Palestinian flags as Met Police officers began to clear the group in Trafalgar Square this evening. Westminster Police confirmed twelve arrests were made and officers have since cleared the protest but remain at the scene. It comes after new plans proposed by Home Secretary James Cleverly last month stated protesters who climb on war memorials could face months in prison and a hefty fine. The proposed plans also include banning the possession of flares or pyrotechnics at protests, as well as the use of face coverings to conceal your identity. Officers formed a human wall in front of activists earlier today as they demonstrated outside a Barclays bank on Tottenham Court Road to ensure their 'Day of Action for Palestine' went no further. Marches are being held in 48 locations in England, Scotland and Wales to protest against the bank, which organisers claim holds 'substantial financial ties with arms companies supplying weapons and military technology to Israel'. Pro-Palestine protesters have gathered at the foot of Nelson's Column this evening Footage shows demonstrators shouting and waving Palestinian flags as Met Police officers began to clear the group in Trafalgar Square Protestors object as police begin to clear Trafalgar Square pic.twitter.com/f89eLH1DuQ Inc.Monocle (@IncMonocle) March 2, 2024 Protestors reach Trafalgar Square. Police kept them away from Downing street. pic.twitter.com/5lTGBFizBc Inc.Monocle (@IncMonocle) March 2, 2024 Metropolitan Police officers formed a human wall in front of activists as they demonstrated outside a Barclays bank on Tottenham Court Road People take part in a Day of Action for Palestine protest on Tottenham Court Road today, with police present to ensure things did not get out of hand Met Police protesters kept a lid on the protest in London's Tottenham Court Road Dozens of Met officers policed the protest after Rishi Sunak warned extremists could take over marches Police officers stand in front of a Barclays bank on Tottenham Court Road today during a Pro-Palestine demonstration Officers formed a human chain to ensure demonstrators did not spread from their spot Pro-Palestinian activists take part in the 'Day of Action for Palestine' in a protest outside Barclay's Bank in Hammersmith, central London A Boycott Barclays for Palestine rally and protest takes place outside Barclays bank in Broadmead shopping centre, Bristol Activists hold placards calling for Barclays to 'stop arming Israel' in Bristol as part of a Day of Action for Palestine taking place across the UK The police have contained the #Palestine protest outside of Barclays on Tottenham Court Road, so much so that the TSG have moved on. There's a familiar face from the #ULEZ protests weaving Sadiq Khan's name into things pretty unsuccessfully. pic.twitter.com/6McGPUrvGV Matt Capon (@MattLCapon) March 2, 2024 The Met has been criticised for perceived bias when policing previous pro-Palestine protests, with former Home Secretary Suella Braverman claiming last November that officers 'play favorites when it comes to protesters'. But there were dozens of officers on hand to ensure the bank demo did not get out of hand as protesters marched from Mornington Crescent to the Barclays branch, accompanied by the controversial 'from the river to the sea' chant. The 'Day of Action' comes after the Prime Minister last night warned of 'poison' on the streets of Britain following the aftermath of the October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israel as he urged protesters to reject extremist messages. Up to 48 protests are expected to take place across the UK this weekend, with 13 planned in London alone. Another national march, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, will take place in central London next Saturday on March 9. Protesters were today pictured outside a Barclays bank on Tottenham Court Road in central London with a large police presence. Police who were at the scene ordered protesters to move across the road citing Section 14 of the Public Order Act. Amongst those was Peter Frankental, from Chingford, who carried a sign which read: 'Aaron Bushnell: an act of bravery and courage that will not be forgotten', referencing the member of the US Air Force who died after setting himself on fire outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC in protest at the conflict in Gaza. Asked whether he would condone a similar action outside the Houses of Parliament, he said: 'Yes, certainly, it's a supreme act for somebody to take their life in that way for what they believe in. 'Very few people would be prepared to do that and it communicates a strong message.' In London, PSC targeted Barclays branches in Croydon, Haringey, Harrow, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Streatham, Tower Hamlets, Willesden, and Wimbledon. There were also reports of flour being thrown during a march outside Parliament, while Pro-Palestinian activists were also pictured outside Barclay's Bank in Hammersmith. In Bristol protesters held a rally outside a Barclays bank in Broadmead shopping centre, with one group seen holding a banner claiming 'Barclays funds genocide'. Elsewhere, demonstrators gathered outside the venue of Labour's North regional conference, which is being held at Newcastle University today. Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting both addressed delegates at the event with keynote speeches. And further north, people took part in a pro-Palestine protest outside the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, where the World Athletics Indoor Championships is currently being held. Flour thrown in protest outside of Parliament pic.twitter.com/5cZNMFe7yF Inc.Monocle (@IncMonocle) March 2, 2024 People take part in a pro-Palestine protest near to the Emirates Arena, which is hosting the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow A sign is placed during a pro-Palestine protest near to the Emirates Arena A sea of Palestinian flags can be seen as protesters gather outside the Emirates Arena in Glasgow today A sign saying 'Stop war, free Palestine' is placed during a pro-Palestine protest Protesters hold a march and rally along a high street in Southend on Sea today to call for a ceasefire in Gaza A protester holds a placard claiming 14,350 children have been killed in Gaza since the October 7 attack Protesters in Southend on Sea attached children's clothes to a line of rope, with the words Gaza 14,000 kids killed written on it The clothes were covered in what appeared to be red paint Protesters hold a march and rally along Southend on Sea High Street to call for a ceasefire in Gaza Before today's protests Mr Sunak last night told organisers not to 'let extremists hijack your marches' as he urged them to 'show that you can protest decently'. Mr Sunak said in a speech outside No 10 Downing Street on Friday: 'I want to speak directly to those who choose to continue to protest: don't let the extremists hijack your marches. 'You have a chance in the coming weeks to show that you can protest decently, peacefully and with empathy for your fellow citizens. 'Let us prove these extremists wrong and show them that even when we disagree, we will never be disunited.' The Prime Minister said a line has to be drawn so that while people should be able to 'march and protest with passion' in support of Gaza, demonstrators 'cannot call for violent jihad', justify the actions of Palestinian militant group Hamas, or 'call for the eradication of a state or any kind of hatred or antisemitism'. Luca Salice, 67, co-chair of the Camden Palestine Solidarity Campaign, dismissed the Prime Minister's rhetoric around extremists as an election ploy and said protesters were actually grateful for the police. 'Rishi Sunak is losing an election. He is scrambling', Mr Salice said, adding: 'I don't think our protests are extremist. I don't see how being in favour of human lives is extremist.' Mr Salice, an Italian who now lives in Camden, added: 'There could be one or two extremists who come into the protests. I can't say that is impossible and luckily we have the police here, who are working with us. 'They are helping us organise this protest and making sure they are safe. And whenever they see the odd person who may do something wrong, it is up to them to arrest them.' Paul Woof, 64, from Dulwich, who attended the protest with a sign that read: 'Do I look like an extremist?', called on politicians to witness the protests first hand. He said: 'These people ought to go on a march and see the sort of people who are on these marches, a lot of whom are Jewish. 'It's astonishing the rhetoric', he said, adding: 'They know it isn't true. They are talking to their grassroots faithful to try and stir up division in this country.' In his Friday address, Mr Sunak said demonstrators should be able to 'march and protest with passion' but 'cannot call for violent jihad' or 'call for the eradication of a state or any kind of hatred or antisemitism'. 'I say this to the police, we will back you when you take action,' he said, confirming that senior police chiefs would be expected to police rather than simply manage pro-Palestine protests. People take part in a Day of Action for Palestine protest in London organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign Protesters in London carry a Palestine flag as they march in solidarity of people in Gaza One protester, left, carries a sign saying Free Palestine as he and others take part in a protest in London today Pro Palestinian demonstrators gather outside the venue as delegates arrive for the Labour North regional conference at Newcastle University today A woman holds two dolls covered in white cloth, appearing to represent dead bodies, during a protest in Newcastle today Protestors carry signs and placards calling for sanctions against Israel Protestors could be seen gathering outside the Labour North regional conference venue in Newcastle today An activist holds a sign reading free Palestine up to the window of the Labour North regional conference venue Activists hold dogs, resembling dead bodies, to the windows of the Labour North regional conference venue in Newcastle today A man holds a silent and peaceful protest outside Thame Town Hall in Thame, Oxfordshire Responding to Mr Sunak's comments last night, Ben Jamal, director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign posted on X saying: 'So Rishi Sunak wants to deal with 'extremists'. 'Maybe he should start with politicians, political commentators and religious leaders who support a state, on trial for genocide, in its mass slaughter, and deliberate creation of famine. Not those protesting against it. 'As for his ire at those who seek to divide us, does he ever look in the mirror, or around his cabinet table? Come back when you've kicked @SuellaBraverman, @RobertJenrick @michaelgove out. That's just for starters.' Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer appeared to back the Prime Minister's message calling for unity in the country. In a statement, he said: 'The Prime Minister is right to advocate unity and to condemn the unacceptable and intimidatory behaviour that we have seen recently.' But his comments were also met with criticism, particularly from those he took aim at including Mr Galloway, who secured almost 40 per cent of the vote in a constituency that has a strong Muslim population. He accused Mr Sunak of using Britain's Muslim population as a 'whipping boy' and treating them as 'second class voters'. 'And that is what he was doing in Downing Street today, a despicable and dangerous thing,' said the newly elected MP, who has become a divisive figure in British politics in recent decades. 'And secondly, alarmed at the growing support for Palestine, for Gaza in Britain, the attempt is being made to paint these peaceful demonstrators - almost always demonstrating without a single arrest being made, without so much as a paper cup being dropped - they are trying to conflate peaceful democratic protest in Britain with some kind of mob, with some kind of violence and intimidation.' Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gives a speech at Downing Street on March 1 George Galloway, one of Britain's most divisive politicians, swept to victory in the Rochdale by-election earlier this week Mr Galloway speaks after being declared the winner in the by-election on February 29 Ben Jamal, Director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), speaks to protestors ahead of a Pro-Palestine march in November last year At least 30,228 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict, according to the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry. Israel began a retaliatory offensive against the Palestinian region following Hamas's surprise assault on Israel on October 7. The horrifying attack resulted in the deaths of around 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures, while at least 250 people were taken hostage. During a week-long truce in late November, Hamas freed more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages in exchange for Israel releasing about 240 Palestinian prisoners. The Health Ministry in Gaza said more than 100 people were killed and at least 700 wounded after the reported shooting by members of the IDF of a desperate crowd of Palestinians as they waited for aid. Hamas authorities in Gaza say 112 Palestinians were killed Thursday after Israeli troops opened fire during an aid delivery in Gaza City. But Israel disputed the claims, saying many of the dead were trampled in a chaotic crush and that its troops fired only when they felt endangered by the crowd. At least 576,000 people in the Gaza Strip - one quarter of its population - are on the brink of famine, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. A mother-of-three has revealed the moment her worst fears were confirmed after tests revealed a 'rock-solid' lump on her daughter's chest was a rare cancer. Five-year-old Lucy Galvin, from Pyrmont in inner-city Sydney, was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer known as Ewering Sarcoma in March, 2022. The cancer is a type of tumour that grows inside the bones, however the disease can also spread to the muscles and the lungs. Lucy's mother Sarah discovered the lump on her chest while she was getting her ready for bed one night, along with her children Grace and Billy. She discovered a 'rock-solid' lump bulging from the five-year-old's ribcage. Lucy Galvin (pictured) was diagnosed with a rare cancer known as Ewering Sarcoma in 2022 'It was a rock-solid lump that didn't move, it wasn't squishy, right on her ribcage,' Ms Galvin told 7 News. Ms Galvin tried to find out what the lump could by doing some research online. She booked an appointment with her GP the following morning who sent the then- three-year-old Lucy for a chest X-ray. Upon receiving the results, the little girl was rushed to hospital. Specialists performed several tests on Lucy which revealed an abnormal growth on a tissue on one of her lungs. Ms Galvin spent several sleepless nights in hospital as Lucy underwent several tests. 'No way was I leaving the hospital without answers, I couldn't sleep,' she said. Ms Galvin (pictured right) discovered a 'rock-solid' lump on Lucy's chest (pictured centre left) The family from Pyrmont in inner-city Sydney raised $18,570 for Lucy's treatment Lucy underwent 12 months of gruelling treatment (pictured) and successfully beat the cancer Her worst fears were confirmed when Lucy was diagnosed with the rare cancer on March 24 and began chemotherapy three weeks later. 'I guess I just buried deep down that I knew it was cancer,' Ms Galvin said. Ms Galvin was told Lucy would need 12 months of treatment, including radiation. A GoFundMe page was set up by a family friend to provide financial assistance for Lucy's family while she undergoes treatment. Friends and family raised $18,570 with a target amount of $25,000. Lucy underwent a total of 12 months of chemotherapy and surgery to remove three ribs and successfully beat the disease. Scans taken last September revealed she no longer had cancer, with Lucy celebrating the milestone by ringing the bell at the hospital. Lucy was able attend her first day of kindergarten with her older sister this year. A British-registered freighter has sunk in the Red Sea after the crew were forced to abandon ship following an attack by Yemeni Houti rebels. The Cargo ship Rubymar, which was abandoned in the southern Red Sea after being targeted by Yemen's Houthis on February 18, has sunk, a statement by the internationally recognised Yemeni government said on Saturday. The attack occurred in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, 35 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen, on Sunday night, the UK's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said, against a vessel that was later identified as the Rubymar. The crew of the British-registered cargo ship, which comes in at 171.6m long and 27m wide, was forced to 'abandon the vessel' following the attack, though the UKMTO said yesterday that all crew are safe and 'authorities are investigating.' The crew of the British-registered cargo ship, which comes in at 171.6m long and 27m wide, was forced to 'abandon the vessel' following the attack, though the UKMTO said yesterday that all crew are safe and 'authorities are investigating' The ship, pictured, was attacked on February 18 and the crew were forced to abandon the vessel The vessel is the first to be fully destroyed during the current Middle Eastern Crisis Satellite images showed the amount of oil which was leaking from the stricken vessel The Rubymar's Beirut-based manager could not be immediately reached for comment The first vessel is the first to be fully destroyed as part of their campaign over Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Rubymar had been drifting northward after being attacked. READ MORE: Inside the Houthi death cult Advertisement Yemen's internationally recognised government, as well as a regional military official, confirmed the ship sank. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as the information had not been cleared for publication. The Rubymar's Beirut-based manager could not be immediately reached for comment. Yemen's exiled government, which has been backed by a Saudi-led coalition since 2015, said the Rubymar sank late Friday as stormy weather took hold over the Red Sea. The vessel had been abandoned for 12 days after the attack, though plans had been floated to try and tow the ship to a safe port. The Iran-backed Houthis, who had claimed the ship sank almost instantly after the attack, did not immediately acknowledge the ship's sinking. Already, many ships have turned away from the route. The sinking could see further detours and higher insurance rates put on vessels plying the waterway - potentially driving up global inflation and affecting aid shipments to the region. The vessel had been abandoned for up to 12 days before the vessel eventually sunk Earlier US forces struck and destroyed a Huthi surface-to-air missile in Yemen on Friday after deciding it posed an 'imminent threat' to American aircraft, the US Central Command in the Middle East announced. The Iran-backed Huthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen, have been attacking shipping in the Red Sea since November in a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war. The United States is spearheading a naval coalition to protect vessels in the vital waterway, and has also conducted air strikes in Huthi territory, both on its own and alongside Britain. On Friday afternoon, US 'forces conducted a self-defense strike against one Iranian-backed Houthi surface-to-air missile that was prepared to launch,' CENTCOM said in a statement, adding it had 'determined (the missile) presented an imminent threat to U.S. aircraft in the region.' The Iran-backed Huthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen, have been attacking shipping in the Red Sea since November in a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war The bulk carrier had been losing oil after it was attacked by the terrorist group while at sea It went on to say that the Huthis on Friday night launched an anti-ship missile into the Red Sea, but 'There was no impact or damage to any vessels.' Last weekend, US and British forces carried out strikes against 18 Huthi targets across eight locations in Yemen, including weapons storage facilities, attack drones, air defense systems, radars and a helicopter, according to a joint statement. One person was killed and eight wounded in the attacks, the Huthis' official news agency said on Sunday. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over the Israel-Hamas war. Those vessels have included at least one with cargo bound for Iran, the Houthis' main benefactor, and an aid ship later bound for Houthi-controlled territory. Salvagers had hoped to save the vessel which had been abandoned hours after it was attacked by Iranian-backed rebels The bulk carrier is the first international vessel to have been sunk during the conflict Despite over a month of U.S.-led airstrikes, Houthi rebels remain capable of launching significant attacks. That includes the attack on the Rubymar and the downing of an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars. The Houthis insist their attacks will continue until Israel stops its combat operations in the Gaza Strip, which have enraged the wider Arab world and seen the Houthis gain international recognition. However, In recent days, there has been a slowdown in attacks. The reason for that remains clear The Rubymar had been carrying a cargo of fertiliser when it was attacked 35 miles from Yemen The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, which watches over Mideast waterways, separately acknowledged the Rubymar's sinking. Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, the prime minister of Yemen's internationally recognized government, called the ship's sinking 'an unprecedented environmental disaster.' 'It's a new disaster for our country and our people,' he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 'Every day, we pay for the Houthi militia's adventures, which were not stopped at plunging Yemen into the coup disaster and war.' The Houthis have held Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014, expelling the government. Its fought a Saudi-led coalition since 2015 in a stalemated war. Lee Anderson has reportedly been greeted with a standing ovation at a Conservative fundraiser, despite currently being suspended as a Tory MP. The exclusive dinner was supposedly put on to raise money for Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith re-election campaign and promised Liz Truss as the guest of honour. Yet the 'surprise' appearance by the former Tory deputy chairman is said to have been given a standing ovation by those in attendance, with Ms Truss, allegedly saying, 'who is this de-whipped Tory?' as she greeted him. In January Mr Anderson and Mr Clarke-Smith dramatically resigned from their party roles in revolt against Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Bill, sending in their joint letter to the PM just moments before they voted against the Government whip. Brendan Clarke-Smith (left), Liz Truss (centre) and Lee Anderson (right) pose for a photo at the dinner Brendan Clarke-Smith resigned from his party roles in revolt against Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Bill, alongside Mr Anderson Labour has urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ban Mr Anderson from raising funds for the Tories while he is without the party whip. After the Ashfield MP Mr Anderson was stripped of the Tory whip last weekend when he accused Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, of being controlled by Islamists. Mr Anderson, an outspoken MP in the 'Red Wall' - Labour's traditional heartlands across the Midlands and North of England where the Tories made gains during the 2019 election - has refused to apologise for the remarks despite Mr Sunak labelling them 'wrong'. The former Labour councillor has also refused to rule out potentially standing for Reform UK, the former Brexit Party, at the next election. Jonathan Ashworth, Labour's shadow paymaster general, said: 'It beggars belief that, far from being suspended from the Tories as Rishi Sunak told us, here he is: Lee Anderson, parading around the North Notts rubber chicken circuit with none other than Liz Truss. 'Given Rishi Sunak deems Mr Anderson as unfit to be a Tory MP, he now needs to bar him from fundraising for the Tory Party. 'Unless he takes action, Rishi Sunak will again be exposed as weaker than ever, and out of control of his chaotic, divided party.' Labour has urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ban Mr Anderson from raising funds for the Tories while he is without the party whip The 'surprise' appearance by the former Tory deputy chairman is said to have been given a standing ovation by those in attendance According to the Express, Friday's event in Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire, with Ms Truss was designed to raise money towards Mr Clarke-Smith's re-election campaign ahead of a general election expected this year. Ms Truss had been due to speak about her brief tenure in No 10 in 2022, including the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, before her mini-budget helped send the economy tumbling, leading to her being ousted after just 44 days in office. Labour has previously called for Ms Truss to have the Tory whip removed after her attendance at the right-wing Conservative Political Action Conference in the US. While at the event last month, she claimed her efforts to cut taxes were 'sabotaged' by the 'deep state'. The former Tory leader later took part in an interview with Steve Bannon, who served as a senior White House aide to former Republican US president Donald Trump, and remained silent as he hailed British far-right figure Tommy Robinson a 'hero'. Mr Sunak on Friday, in an address to the nation from Downing Street, warned that extremist forces in Britain were 'trying to tear us apart'. He said Islamist extremists and far-right groups 'are spreading a poison' in the UK as he called for unity and social cohesion. The estranged heir to Thailand's monarchy could be prevented from ascending to the throne after he married an American woman. According to The Daily Beast, Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse, 42, is married to American citizen Elisa Garafano, with the couple having two children. Vivacharawongse is Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn's estranged son and was exiled alongside his three brothers to live abroad after the then-crown prince announced a divorce between their mother. Marriage to a foreign citizen is an automatic bar to taking the throne in Thailand, with the marriage causing a potential succession crisis for the family. Vivacharawongse has reportedly told close friends that he is splitting up with Garafano, a civil servant in White Plains, which would open the door for him to take the throne. Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse, 42, is married to American citizen Elise Garafano, with the couple having two children Vivacharawongse has reportedly told close friends that he is splitting up with Garafano (pictured) Marriage to a foreign citizen is an automatic bar to taking the throne in Thailand, with the marriage causing a potential succession crisis for the family. Vivacharawongse is seen here with Mark Wahlberg Brought up in the United States, Vacharaesorn works as a lawyer in New York and speaks English and French Garafano filed for divorce, which is currently under seal, and sources told the outlet that she suspended proceedings and told allies they are not divorced. He is alleged to have told close sources that she wants to be recognized along with their children. A source told the Daily Beast: 'Vach is still married to Elisa and they do still live together, but he very much wants to keep that fact, and the fact of their children, secret because of the impact it would have on his ambition to win the throne.' Another told the outlet: 'Vach and Elisa were openly married for years, but since he started competing for the throne he began trying to keep it hidden, and has told people he is now divorced, even in public comments on social media.' Vivacharawongse said he was no longer living at their home in a suburb of New York City, and that he know had a separate apartment, when approached by the outlet. Public records indicate that he is still living with his wife and children, with their time at the property stretching back nine years. In a statement, Vach said: 'I am not conceding anything. I have no further comments on the intricacies of my private life and family arrangements. 'Not everyone is fortunate enough to have an ideal family situation. I do not live with Elisa. I have another rented residence. We have a cordial relationship and I am at the address quite often.' Vivacharawongse (pictured with Mark Wahlberg) has reportedly told close friends that he is splitting up with Garafano, but divorce proceedings have been reportedly suspended Vivacharawongse (pictured with actress Gwyneth Paltrow) said he was no longer living at their home in a suburb of New York City, and that he know had a separate apartment After his exile with his brothers, Vivacharawongse's half-sister from the king's next marriage Princess Bajrakitiyabha was installed as the heir apparent. In December 2022, Bajrakitiyabha collapsed due to heart arrhythmia, which the royal palace later said was from a mycoplasma infection. Bajrakitiyabha has been unconscious and remained on life support since and is believed to be in an irreversible coma. After being away from his home country for three decades Vivacharawongse then made an appearance in Thailand and was soon talked as the new heir apparent. Vivacharawongse's marriage has not been reported in coverage of him in Thai media, with it being illegal to criticize the monarchy in the country. According to the Daily Beast, Vivacharawongse is also being pursued for $94,000 in unpaid credit charges by American Express. The outlet also added that he is being sued for $1.88 million in a dispute with a Canadian law firm. If he did take the throne of Thailand, he would also land his father's astonishing $40 billion fortune. Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn married his long-term consort Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya, pictured during the ceremony at the Ampornsan Throne Hall in Bangkok, just days before his coronation in 2019 On his social media pages, Vivacharawongse has shared images of himself alongside celebrities including Mark Wahlberg, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rob Lowe. It wouldn't be the first time a member of the Thai monarchy had been stripped of their titles after marrying an American. The current King's elder sister Ubolratana was stripped of her titles by her father King Bhumibol in 1972 after she married an American she met while studying at MIT. Thailand's present ruler King Maha Vajiralongkorn married his long-term consort and gave her the title Queen Suthida just days before his coronation in 2019. Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya, a former Thai Airways flight attendant, was promoted from General to hold 'royal title and status as part of the royal family'. Photos from the ceremony show her lying prostrate at his feet, in according with royal tradition in Thailand, in which the ruling monarch is seen as god-like and semi-divine, and is revered as such among his subjects. As a result, he must always be seated higher than everyone else, and during official ceremonies, events, and speeches, the monarch's feet are supposed to be above the heads of those around him. A NHS community psychiatric nurse used a forged emergency health badge to park her Mercedes for free in a pay-and-display area near her home. Sophie Adebayo, 38, was caught using the photocopied badge in a restricted parking space, Bexley Magistrates court heard. The Health Emergency Badge is a London-wide scheme, which allows users to park on yellow lines and in residents bays and parking bays while attending medical emergencies in patients' homes. A parking officer spotted the fraudulent badge in the Mercedes of the single mum who has worked for the NHS for 15 years. Nigerian-born Adebayo, of Greenwich, claimed she was working at the time she used it, but the prosecuting council said this was unlikely. Sophie Adebayo, 38, was caught using the photocopied badge in a restricted parking space, Bexley Magistrates court heard The Health Emergency Badge is a London-wide scheme, which allows users to park on yellow lines and in residents bays and parking bays while attending medical emergencies in patients' homes A tearful Adebayo pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation, namely that on March 31 and May 31, last year in Devonshire Drive, Greenwich she dishonestly displayed a copy of the badge in a restricted parking bay. She also pleaded guilty to possessing an article for use in fraud, namely the photocopied badge, between March 31 and May 31, last year and making an article for use in fraud on March 31. Adebayo was fined 507, with 1200 costs and must pay a 203 victim surcharge. Magistrate Michael Foley told her: 'What you have done is wrong. You have paid the fines for parking, but that is no excuse for what you have done. 'We have discussed the prospect of custody and what that would mean to you, but we have taken into account your remorsefulness and defence. 'When you are entitled to something, you are entitled to it, but when you're not, you're not.' Adebayo graduated from Middlesex University, has a Masters degree from the University of East London and is employed by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health services in south-east London. Prosecutor Lidia Iancu, representing the Royal Borough of Greenwich, told the court: 'When she parked her vehicle on these two occasions she displayed a copy of the Health Emergency Badge to gain a parking concession. 'The parking officer recognised it was not genuine because of the colour etc. and that it must be a photocopy. 'No loss can be quantified and it is minimal. It is just what she could have gained from free parking. 'The most serious charge is making the forged article and she is clearly motivated by financial gain and it was not a one-off because she has been seen on two occasions. 'She has photocopied a badge that is provided in the course of her employment and this was persistent in nature and it is she that gained by obtaining the forged Health Emergency Badge.' Adebayo was fined 507, with 1200 costs and must pay a 203 victim surcharge Recently promoted Adebayo's lawyers had asked the council to drop the criminal case, but this was refused. Ms Iancu added: 'We made it clear such an outcome was unlikely due to the seriousness of the charges.' 'I do not have direct evidence she was going to home visits, but these badges are only valid in housing estate zones and do not allow parking in a roadside bay. 'I cannot say where she was, but it suggests she was not using it in the course of visiting a patient.' Adebayo's lawyer Tahera Ahmad told the court: 'These are serious allegations and Ms Adebayo is of good character with no previous convictions. 'She has entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity as she has made a mistake and accepted that mistake. 'She made full and frank admissions when interviewed by Greenwich Council and does accept she made a copy of the badge and that was incorrect. 'Unfortunately she had little awareness that the photocopy would be an act of fraud. 'Her own mental health nurse was her inspiration to give back to the community and she attended university and obtained a degree. 'She was recently promoted to clinical lead and has worked for the NHS for 15 years and has a 14 year-old son. 'This has led her being extremely depressed and she had an anxiety attack the night before her last court appearance. 'She is now aware of the consequences on her work, but they are yet to be realised.' The convictions will be reported to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and Adebayo may also face professional misconduct charges that could threaten her career. The convictions will be reported to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and Adebayo may also face professional misconduct charges that could threaten her career. Stock Image of parking officer 'She works extremely hard and is not a person who makes criminal decisions and lives a law-abiding life and pays her rent on a limited income,' added Ms Ahmad. 'She gives back to the Royal Borough of Greenwich working as a mental health nurse and the two times she used the badge was to attend to her clients. 'The financial loss would have been the payment of parking. She received parking tickets and paid them. 'She believed she would receive a warning, but that did not happen and she finds herself here in court today.' Before leaving, Mr Foley told Adebayo: 'Let this be a big wake-up call for you. You do things for the community, but this was very foolish and we do not want to see you in court again.' One Colorado resident estimates that the duo will potentially cross the border in the next four to six weeks A pack of recently-released wolves are making their way towards state lines and edging closer to the Wyoming border. Two wolves are confirmed to have recently entered Moffat County, located less than 50 miles away from the Wyoming border, where killing wolves is legal year-round. John Michael Williams, a Colorado resident who administers a 'Colorado Wolf Tracker' Facebook page estimated that the duo will potentially cross the border in the next four to six weeks. 'If I had a crystal ball, what do I think? I think that sometime within the next four to six weeks, well have one cross, or maybe a couple cross over. Wyoming ranchers have previously said they are prepared to use all means necessary the defend their livestock if any of the wolves cross the border 'And I think well see some of them getting shot,' Williams told Cowboys State Daily. Wyoming ranchers have previously said they are prepared to use all means necessary to defend their livestock if any of the wolves cross the border. By stepping over the border line, a wolf enters Wyoming's 53 million-acre 'predator zone' - encompassing roughly 85 percent of the state - and goes from a 'State Endangered' animal to one that can be shot on sight. This allows the ranchers to shoot or trap the wolves at any time, with no license required and no bag limits. Colorado Parks and Wildlife had released 10 endangered gray wolves fitted with a GPS satellite collar into a remote forest in Colorado's Rocky Mountains back in December 2023 'On the positive side, if any of those wolves cross over into Wyoming, they're no longer protected. They're classified as predators and they can be removed,' said sheep rancher Jim Magagna. The appearance of the pair was first noted by Moffat County sheep rancher Jorgiea Raftopoulos who said she found wolf tracks a mile from her ranch house near Hamilton on February 16. This was later verified by Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials and confirmed that the wolves were about 43 miles away from the Wyoming border. The CPW has also clarified that the agency has no plans to recapture the wolves who cross into Wyoming. Eric Odell, Colorado Parks and Wildlife's species conservation program manager told 9NEWS: 'If our released wolves go north into Wyoming, they will do what they do and there is no plan to recapture those wolves.' This was later verified by Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials and confirmed that the wolves were about 43 miles away from the Wyoming border The possibility of the Wyoming ranchers killing the two wolves in Moffat County has not rattled any CPW officials. CPW Public Information Officer Joey Livingston told Field & Stream the recent wolf movements are consistent with expectations set in the state's reintroduction plan. 'In previous re-introductions in other states we've seen wolves travel anywhere from 20 to 140 miles from reintroduction spots. 'Within our draft plan, we created boundaries 60 miles from the northern, western, and southern borders of Colorado. The goal is to reintroduce within that 60-mile buffer zoneto try to make sure that they stay in Colorado,' Livingston said. Jim Magagna, a Wyoming sheep rancher, called it a 'positive' that wolves 'can be removed' if they cross the state border The CPW has also clarified that the agency has no plans to recapture the wolves who cross into Wyoming But the potential crossing of the predators is not the first cross-border problem the states have faced. In September, the Colorado Sun reported that at least one wolf was killed after crossing into Wyoming. The publication cited reports by ranchers and other stakeholders, but Wyoming officials declined to confirm the death. Rather, they claimed the information was confidential under an 11-year-old state policy intended to mask the identity of people who legally kill wolves in the state. In September, the Colorado Sun reported that at least one wolf was killed after crossing into Wyoming Reintroduction has proven to be a contentious point. Gray wolves were nearly hunted to extinction in the 20th century. In 1905, the federal government infected the animals with mange. A decade later, Congress passed a law requiring their elimination from federal land. By 1960, the animals had been all but wiped out from their former range - under the same pretense, that they posed a threat to livestock and big game. Colorado Parks and Wildlife had released 10 endangered wolves fitted with a GPS satellite collar into a remote forest in Colorado's Rocky Mountains back in December 2023. The agency recently released a new map that shows their movement between January 23 to February 27. The remaining eight are spread between the state's western edge of Larimer County, and south into portions of Summit, Eagle and Garfield Counties. Families face Easter travel chaos as Heathrow's Border Force guards vote to strike over the popular getaway period. More than 600 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCSU) based at Britain's busiest airport are to be balloted for strike action. From a statement issued by the union, the ballot has been called as a result of changes to rosters and shift patterns. The ballot will open today and run until March 22. It is expected that a walk-out would cause long delays, particularly for families returning to the UK after Easter Weekend as the earliest date the strike could begin would be April 5. Mr Neal said the findings were a 'stark wake-up call' for the Home Secretary and called for the UK Border Force to be 'properly shaken up' (File Image) Fran Heathcote, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCSU) general secretary, said: 'Our members at Heathrow are united in their opposition to these draconian plans. 'One aspect of the plans would force workers to choose between finding another job or losing their allowances. 'Another would see others having to sign up to new, exhausting shifts or leaving altogether. 'This is an appalling way to treat long-serving, dedicated staff, so it's no wonder we've recruited hundreds of members in recent weeks.' This comes after Home Secretary James Cleverly was accused of trying to 'bury bad news' as he belatedly published an avalanche of critical reports by a sacked watchdog. The revelations emerged in 13 official reviews by David Neal, who was dismissed as independent chief inspector of borders and immigration on Mr Cleverly's orders last week. Mr Neal said the findings were a 'stark wake-up call' for the Home Secretary and called for the UK Border Force to be 'properly shaken up'. Civil servants should be stripped of their responsibility for border security and replaced with a 'professional law enforcement agency', he added. The reports revealed that border posts in the arrivals halls of major airports have been left unmanned, and a flagship humanitarian scheme set up to help Afghans fleeing the Taliban was opened to 'individuals who had never been to Afghanistan'. The reports also highlighted problems with passport e-gates meant that 'protection of the border is neither effective nor efficient', border Force X-ray equipment failing to detect clandestine migrants hidden in lorries. Water spews into the Klamath River during the drawdown of the reservoir behind the Iron Gate Dam in January. An inaugural effort to boost salmon numbers at the site of the Klamath River dam removal project is believed to have resulted in hundreds of thousands of dead fish. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Hundreds of thousands of young salmon are believed to have died this week at the site of a historic dam removal project on the Klamath River, after an effort to restore salmon runs on the newly unconstrained river went awry, the Chronicle has learned. The dead chinook salmon were among the first hatchery fish released on the Klamath since four hydroelectric dams were breached near the California-Oregon border, to allow the river to flow freely again and ultimately help fish flourish. One of the dams has been fully removed, and the three others are scheduled to come out later this year. The salmon die-off, discovered downstream of the 173-foot Iron Gate Dam, is thought to be the result of trauma the small fish experienced when they went through a tunnel at the dams base, which had been opened to allow the river to pass and dam demolition to proceed. Water pressure in the outlet tunnel was presumably too great, causing the fish to die of what appears to be gas bubble disease, California officials told the Chronicle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad No one, especially those in my program who work night and day to keep fish alive, wants to see something like this happen, said Jason Roberts, an environmental program manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Were going to learn from it. We need to do better. A dead chinook salmon floats in a fish trap on the lower Klamath River in 2021. Hundreds of thousands of fish are thought to have died this past week at the site of a dam removal project intended to boost their numbers. Nathan Howard/Associated Press 2021 State officials said the parties partnering on the dam removal project and fish restoration, which include agencies from California and Oregon, the federal government and tribes in the region, never suspected the tunnel would be a problem. On Monday, about 830,000 hatchery-raised fall-run chinook were released 7 miles upstream of Iron Gate Dam, the lowest of the four dams being removed. Each was roughly 1 to 2 inches long, the majority of which died or probably soon will, officials said. The fall-run fish are the mainstay of the Klamaths salmon population, though their numbers have plunged dramatically since the dams were built and fish passage upstream was blocked. Fortunately, Roberts said, his agency still has more than 3 million hatchery fish in captivity for release. These fish will be trucked downstream of the dam, thereby avoiding the tunnel, before being set loose in the river. Next year, the dams, and the tunnel, are scheduled to be gone, eliminating the hazard. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The department is still projected to meet its (fish) production goal this year, Roberts said. The Klamath River cuts through a century of accumulated sediment as Copco Lake drains in Siskiyou County in February. An inaugural effort to boost salmon numbers at the site of the Klamath River dam removal project is believed to have resulted in hundreds of thousands of dead fish. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle The $500 million dam removal project, which has been in the works for decades, has had no more fundamental aim than to revive salmon on the Klamath River, once the third-largest population on the West Coast. As part of the demolition effort, the former owner of the dams, PacifiCorp, funded the recent construction of the Fall Creek Fish Hatchery, just off the Klamath River, to boost fish numbers and ensure the success of salmon in undammed waters. The $35 million facility managed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, while operational, is still not completely built out. Officials said they chose to move forward with the first release of chinook salmon at the hatchery this past week to help establish the fish in the free-flowing section of river as soon as possible. Young salmon generally return to their native waters, after migrating to the ocean for about three years, to spawn and create the next generation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The die-off of the hatchery fish became apparent when a fraction of them was found dead at a trap that catches salmon to help monitor their numbers live fish are later freed. Because most of the trapped fish were believed to have succumbed to gas bubble disease, as a result of tunnel pressure, officials said they could deduce that most of the others wouldnt have been able to survive. The monitoring equipment showed that established chinook salmon as well as coho salmon residing downriver of the dams were healthy, suggesting the problem was isolated to the hatchery fish. The blunder comes as managers of the dam removal project face spiking concerns about the river restoration and its toll on wildlife. The emptying of the three large reservoirs behind the dams in January has exposed vast tracts of unsightly mud that has sent silt and decaying algae downriver and turned the water a striking brown. Dead perch, crappie, bass and other mostly nonnative fish were left scattered in the drained lakebeds while some critics worried that salmon would not be able to migrate up the murky river. Others feared that newly surfacing sediment in the reservoirs was toxic. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Water levels drop as Copco Lake is drained near Copco 1 dam in Siskiyou County in February. An inaugural effort to boost salmon numbers at the site of the Klamath River dam removal project is believed to have resulted in hundreds of thousands of dead fish. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle Project managers have dismissed the allegations as mischaracterizations of whats happening. Theyve repeatedly said that what has been observed, excluding this weeks salmon die-off, was exactly what was expected. Planning documents projected that 5 million to 7 million cubic yards of sediment would be unleashed from the reservoirs, turbidity would increase and dissolved oxygen levels would drop in the river for several months and nonnative fish unaccustomed to cold river flows would die. Two of the recently drained reservoirs, Iron Gate and Copco Lake, are in California. J.C. Boyle Reservoir is in Oregon. People are suggesting that this is an environmental disaster without acknowledging that weve had an environmental disaster for the past 100 years with the dams, said Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corp., which is shepherding dam removal. These are anticipated conditions. The observations can be difficult. But were not going to undo the legacy of this environmental disaster in a couple of weeks. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A police watchdog has launched a probe into the death of a gunshot victim after officers failed to reveal that it was a murder case. Brian Low, 65, who had been walking his dog, was found dead on a remote track on the outskirts of Aberfeldy, Perthshire, at around 8.30am on Saturday February 17. His death was initially treated as 'medical or non-suspicious' however concerns around the wound he had suffered were raised on February 21 during an initial medical examination and the police major investigation team was called in. A post-mortem examination on February 23 established that Mr Low had sustained a fatal gunshot and a murder inquiry was launched. The public and media were not informed that a murder inquiry had been launched until February 27, which was 10 days after Mr Low's body was found by a member of the public. Brian Low, 65, who had been walking his dog, was found dead on a remote track on the outskirts of Aberfeldy, Perthshire, at around 8.30am on Saturday February 17 Forensics are pictured at the scene where Mr Low was found dead Detectives have admitted evidence may have been lost in the delay in setting up a crime scene Detectives have admitted evidence may have been lost in the delay in setting up a crime scene which did not happen until four days after Mr Low's body was discovered. The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) has confirmed that it is looking into the case. A Pirc spokesperson said: 'On 1 March 2024, Pirc was directed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a 65-year-old man discovered near Aberfeldy on 17 February 2024. 'Once the investigation is concluded, a report on our findings will be submitted to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).' Questions have been raised about the police handling of the case, with politicians among those calling for answers. Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart said locals had contacted him with 'concerns' about how the 'shocking incident' had been handled. He has written to Police Scotland calling for 'urgent clarification on what is known to have happened thus far, and why the investigation was not launched sooner'. And Perthshire North MSP John Swinney said he has written to the Chief Constable to 'seek answers on key questions in the handling of this case'. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he said: 'It is vital that public assurance can be given on these issues.' Speaking at a police press conference on Thursday, Detective Chief Inspector Martin Macdougall said that 'criminality' was established on Friday February 23, but there were 'concerns around the injury' two days earlier. He said: 'Obviously, once it had been established on Wednesday there were concerns about the death, the scene was established at that stage. 'But, yes, I appreciate that in that time frame between the Saturday and Wednesday some things could have been lost, but we have taken every opportunity since to recover every item from that area.' Mr Low had spent 20 years working for wealthy businessman Michael Campbell MBE on the nearby 4,000-acre Edradynate Estate until last year. His family said they are 'devastated' by the loss and are pleading for anyone with information to come forward. They said that Millie, his black Labrador, was thankfully unharmed, and had stayed 'by his side for as long as she was allowed'. Police at the scene in the Pitilie area on the outskirts of Aberfeldy, Perthshire after 65-year-old Brian Low was found dead next to his dog Speaking to The Courier, his niece Jacqui Low said: 'We are at a complete loss as to how this has happened to Brian. 'His partner and brothers are devastated and appeal to anyone who has any information to come forward. 'His devoted dog, Millie, stayed by his side for as long as she was allowed and is being cared for by his immediate family.' Locals also paid tribute to the local man, calling him a 'true gentleman' and a quiet but 'brilliant guy'. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'We have received correspondence and it will be responded to in due course.' In relation to the Pirc investigation, the spokesperson said: 'The circumstances have now been referred by Police Scotland to the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further.' A COPFS spokesperson said: 'COPFS has instructed PIRC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a 65-year-old man near Aberfeldy.' A Norfolk Southern freight train has veered off its tracks and plunged into a river in Pennsylvania. The derailment occurred near the 2200 block of Riverside Drive in Lower Saucon Township on Saturday morning. No injuries or hazardous leaks have been reported but Norfolk Southern said a 'small' diesel fuel leak has been contained with booms and will be vacuumed out. One car containing plastic pellets spilled predominantly onto the ground, which will also be cleaned up, according to the company. Dramatic images show the locomotive partially submerged in the Lehigh River. It comes just days after it emerged that Norfolk Southern CEO Alan H. Shaw received a 37 percent pay rise in 2023, the same year his company was involved in another environmentally disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. A Norfolk Southern freight train has veered off its tracks and plunged into a river in Pennsylvania The derailment occurred near the 2200 block of Riverside Drive in Lower Saucon Township on Saturday morning Shaw's total compensation hit an eyewatering $13.4 million in 2023. Meanwhile, some East Palestine residents are still yet to return to their homes after they were forced to flee when the derailment dumped thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. Rivers were polluted and hundreds of locals complained of ill health including headaches and rashes. The train was carrying 700,000 pounds of vinyl chloride when 53 of its carriages derailed on February 3, 2023. No injuries were directly reported at the time, but the cocktail of chemicals caused a huge fire forcing locals to evacuate. As well as being ecologically damaging, the derailment cost Norfolk Southern an estimated $1.1 billion and sent share prices plummeting by more than a fifth in the two months after the disaster. Still Shaw was awarded the hefty pay rise, taking his base salary rose up by $200,000 to $1.1 million, while his stock and option awards rose $2.2 million to $10 million. It comes just days after it emerged that Norfolk Southern CEO Alan H. Shaw received a 37 percent pay rise in the same year his company was involved in a derailment in East Palestine, Ohio A large plume of smoke rises over East Palestine, Ohio, last year after a controlled detonation of a portion of a derailed Norfolk Southern train to burn off hazardous chemicals In a proxy filing released on Tuesday, Norfolk Southern confirmed its, 'unanimous support for the company's strategy that balances safe and reliable service, continuous productivity improvement and smart growth under the leadership of CEO Alan H. Shaw.' But the pay rise was slammed by the railroad union, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. 'It's alarming that the board rewarded Mr. Shaw with a massive raise and total compensation of $13.4 million during the same year he presided over industry-worst operating results, sustained underperformance and a tone-deaf response to the derailment in East Palestine,' the group told CNN in a statement. 'This failure of corporate governance reinforces the need for sweeping changes to Norfolk Southern's well paid board.' The union is calling to replace Shaw with Jim Barber Jr., a former chief operating officer at UPS. Norfolk Southern also boasted of achieving, 'industry leading safety results' in 2023, including improvements to 'accelerate enhancements to its safety culture and operational transformation' in its statement. 'This includes new technology, enhanced training and additional staffing, as well as adjustments to network design and train assembly procedures,' the statement added. 'Today, the company's mainline accident rate is the lowest it has been in years and is among the best of the US Class 1 rails.' Residents have been repeatedly told their homes are safe, yet the Environmental Protection Agency has put signs around creeks and water sources warning people to stay away This latest accident will no doubt call the statement into question and is of little comfort to East Palestine residents who are still grappling with the aftermath of the disaster. Air and water tests that state and federal health officials have been conducting havent shown concerning levels of vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate or other chemicals in more than 115 million measurements since an evacuation order imposed after the derailment was lifted. However, locals are still concerned about potential health risks, often noting a chemical sheen atop the creeks that flow through the town of 5,000 people. The railroad company estimated that the cleanup would cost $800 million, which included $74 million Norfolk Southern pledged to help East Palestine recover. It promised to spend $25 million refurbishing the towns park and another $4.3 million to upgrade its water treatment system. The railroad is spending another $20 million to build a regional training center for first responders to help prepare them to deal with the kind of hazardous materials that spilled in the derailment. So far, it has give $104 million in community support, according to the company's website. It took President Biden more than a year to visit the site. He spent barely two hours there before before leaving to spend the holiday weekend at his beachside home. Locals made their feelings clear about the delayed visit. His motorcade ran a gauntlet of banners proclaiming, 'Too Little, Too Late,' and the streets were lined with people shouting, 'F*** you.' 'Norfolk Southern has responded to a derailment in Lower Saucon Township, PA. There is no threat to the public, no hazardous material concerns from the railcars, and no reports of injuries to our crew members,' a spokesman said. 'We appreciate the quick, professional response by local emergency agencies. Our crews and contractors will remain on-scene over the coming days to cleanup, and we appreciate the publics patience while they work as quickly, thoroughly, and as safely as possible. 'We are always working to advance safety. We will investigate this incident to understand how it happened and prevent others like it.' A nearby road will be closed for cleanup operations and only the single lane portion of Riverside Drive is impacted. A woman who had been missing for seven years was discovered in a motel by police after they heard her desperate screams. The suspected trafficking victim, now in her 30s, disappeared in 2017 but she managed to call her parents to tell them she was being held against her will. She told them she was at a motel in Inkster and asked for help, according to Michigan State Police. Her family did not know exactly where she was but police believed she was inside the Evergreen Motel. Officers said her blood-curdling screams led them to that location and they found her inside alone but there were drugs and a gun in the room. A woman who had been missing for seven years was discovered in a motel by police after they heard her desperate screams The suspected trafficking victim, now in her 30s, disappeared in 2017 but she managed to call her parents to tell them she was being held against her will Officers said her blood-curdling screams led them to that location and they found her inside alone but there were drugs and a gun in the room Police arrived at the Evergreen Motel and heard worrying screams which led them to the room. 'They described it as like a crying, kind of screaming type of noise that lured them to that specific area,' Michigan State Police Lieutenant Mike Shaw told WXYZ. The officers managed to force their way inside and they found the woman on her own. She was physically unharmed but authorities discovered drugs and a firearm in the room. Police said she was taken to hospital where she is receiving counselling and she has been reunited with her family. Officers did not reveal further details about how she disappeared and refused to reveal her identity. Her family did not know exactly where she was but police believed she was inside the Evergreen Motel and heard her screams 'They described it as like a crying, kind of screaming type of noise that lured them to that specific area,' Michigan State Police Lieutenant Mike Shaw said Human trafficking detectives are looking into the missing person case. 'Well kind of look at whats next, right interview her if a crime did take place such as human trafficking or is it a domestic violence situation or is it different,' Lieutenant said. 'I dont want to use the word kidnapping like somebody grabbed her and took her to that place. 'It may have started out as a relationship that turns into being held against your will and being trafficked.' Authorities have identified a suspect but no one has been taken into custody. DailyMail.com has contacted Michigan State Police for comment. An MP who defected from the SNP to the Tories has said the abuse she faced was beyond her 'wildest imagination'. Dr Lisa Cameron switched parties in October last year, describing the SNP's Westminster group as 'toxic'. Following the defection, Dr Cameron said she received death threats, which led to her and her family temporarily moving out of their home. Today, the MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow said the abuse made her life 'a living hell'. 'I knew that leaving the SNP would mean that I would become a target for the very, very worst of nationalism,' she said. Dr Lisa Cameron switched parties in October last year, describing the SNP's Westminster group as 'toxic' Former SNP MP Lisa Cameron who defected to Conservative hugs Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross during the Scottish Conservative conference 'But the bile and the vile threats that I received were beyond even my wildest imagination. 'Rather than engaging in the substance of the issues, nationalist trolls resorted to bullying and I'm sure very many of you here today have experienced this too.' Dr Cameron also took aim at her former party's upper echelons, claiming they have 'turned a blind eye' to abuse, or even 'seemed complicit in it'. Tories could lose 58 per cent of past voters in Scotland at next election, poll suggests A survey done by YouGov for the Scottish Election Study (SES) looked at the move away from the Tories ahead of the next vote. The findings of the study - which spoke to 1,320 people in Scotland between February 21 and 29 - were presented by the SES at a fringe event at the Scottish Tory conference in Aberdeen. The poll looked at Tory voters who backed the party in the 2019 general election and in the 2021 Holyrood election. Some 58 per cent of the 316 respondents said they would not back Rishi Sunak's party at the next vote, up from 42 per cent in October. Advertisement 'Those who do not conform to nationalist orthodoxy in Scotland or try to challenge those who are in power are dismissed, they're degraded and they're shouted down in public. 'Whilst in private, shadowy figures and anonymous accounts have used social media to harass and menace people, to bully them.' She added: 'So let me say to my former party, political arguments should never be made through intimidation. 'We all have a real responsibility I feel to stand up in Scotland and across the UK, particularly to those nationalists who seek to undermine our democracy through bullying, no matter our political colours - we must stand united and we must challenge this.' She hugged Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross onstage during the conference. The MP - who is also serving as an aide to Scottish Secretary Alister Jack - praised her new party, telling members she had been 'overwhelmed by support'. 'When I tried to speak about the difficulties I have faced with my former colleagues, I was ignored or silenced,' she told the Aberdeen conference. 'Yet in the Conservative Party, they have been treated with the respect and seriousness they deserve.' Dr Cameron said she rebelled against her former party's previous Westminster leadership over the handling of allegations of sexual harassment against MP Patrick Grady. Mr Grady was suspended from the Commons and had the SNP whip temporarily removed after a report found he had been inappropriate to a member of staff. Audio of a meeting of the SNP group, in which then Westminster leader Ian Blackford could be heard urging members to support Mr Grady, was then leaked. Dr Cameron said she attempted to speak up for the victim and was shunned by the party. Dr Cameron said she rebelled against her former party's previous Westminster leadership over the handling of allegations of sexual harassment against MP Patrick Grady Today, the MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow said the abuse made her life 'a living hell' Douglas Ross described her speech at the conference as 'powerful, brave and inspiring'. 'I'm so glad to welcome you to your first Scottish Conservative conference,' he added. 'Lisa's journey to our party is a great example of how the Scottish Conservatives are winning people over from the SNP right across the country.' An SNP spokesperson said: 'There is absolutely no place in politics for intimidation or threats, and we continue to wish Lisa well on a personal basis. 'The people of East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow elected an SNP MP, not a Tory - and we believe Lisa Cameron should have stepped down to allow a by-election and let her constituents have the democratic opportunity to elect a hard working SNP MP who would put their interests first.' A New York City cop has filed a lawsuit against the force over her nude picture after being suspended for attempting to prevent narcotic detectives from arresting her alleged drug dealer boyfriend. Alisa Bajraktarevic, 34, alleged that her topless image from 2012 spread 'like wildfire' after she was accused of interfering with officers in April of last year. She allegedly tried to use her cop status to avoid a search of the car belonging to her alleged drug dealer boyfriend, Kelvin Hernandez, 33, who has since been charged with resisting arrest. After an internal investigation, Bajraktarevic was suspended for 30 days without pay and instructed to stop associating with Hernandez. The topless image allegedly resurfaced during this period, spreading across numerous group chats and message chains within the department, according to the Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit filed in December. Alisa Bajraktarevic, 34, has filed a lawsuit against the force over her nude picture after she was suspended for attempting to prevent narcotic detectives from arresting her alleged drug dealer boyfriend She alleged that her topless image from 2012 spread 'like wildfire' after she was accused of interfering with officers in April of last year She allegedly tried to use her cop status to avoid a search of the car belonging to her alleged drug dealer boyfriend, Kelvin Hernandez, 33, who has since been charged with resisting arrest. Pictured: Alisa Bajraktarevic Bajraktarevic told the Post, 'It's pretty repulsive. For 12 years they decided to keep this on their phone? It spread like wildfire.' In the lawsuit, Bajraktarevic claims that she initially sent the nude image to Lt. Mark Rivera, an officer she dated for a few months upon joining the force in 2012. Rivera allegedly shared the image in a group chat with other police officers, but Bajraktarevic was discouraged from filing a complaint by a union delegate, the lawsuit alleges. The person reported told her: 'You are not the first or last woman this has happened to or would happen to.' The nude photo she had sent a decade earlier resurfaced last year when she came under investigation and was subsequently suspended. A retired officer allegedly sent the nude photo to a group chat, and following this, Bajraktarevic started receiving almost daily messages from her colleagues about the picture. Along with the topless image, her personal information including her parents' address was shared too. 'You do things in confidence. It doesn't warrant you being treated like a piece of sh*t,' she said tearfully. 'It's bullying. I'm not the first and I'm definitely not the last but, when is it going to be enough?' 'Because someone is definitely going to harm themselves over it. It feels like everything was swept under the rug.' 'The part that nobody talks about is how we bully each other - it's disgusting,' she added. In the lawsuit, Bajraktarevic claims that she initially sent the nude image to Lt. Mark Rivera, an officer she dated for a few months upon joining the force in 2012 The nude photo she had sent a decade earlier resurfaced last year when she came under investigation and was subsequently suspended Bajraktarevic is suing the city, the department, Rivera, and another supervisor she claims sexually harassed her in 2017. She is seeking unspecified damages for what her attorney John Scola describes as an 'illegal invasion of privacy.' The attorney said the controversy highlights the NYPD's 'disregard for the treatment of its women officers.' In the litigation, Bajraktarevic also insisted that her then-boyfriend Hernandez is not a drug dealer. Sources said their romance sparked when they met at the gym, and Bajraktarevic had been previously warned by her colleagues to stay away from Hernandez. Speaking about the alleged drug dealer, the source said, 'Hes a really bad guy and known to the department.' Bajraktarevic's relationship with the drug dealer had been known by the department for about a year, since she tried to interfere with a search at his Manhattan home. Despite being warned by officers to stay away from the dealer, Bajraktarevic continued her love affair and even brought him to a company party. 'This person eventually is going to use you as a get-out-of-jail card, which is what he did,' the source added. The cop and the boyfriend were involved in a traffic stop when she attempted to use her cop status to get off scot-free. Pictured: Alisa Bajraktarevic Police had planned to search the car of Hernandez, whom they referred as 'a major player' and arrest him for drug trafficking, according to the source. But Bajraktarevic immediately jumped out of the car in determination to get herself and the drug dealer off scot-free. 'They didnt know who she was until she stepped up and said who she was,' the source told the New York Post. 'She definitely gave them a hard time,' another source chimed in. Bajraktarevic, who previously worked 12 years for the NYPD police with a reported $115,250 salary, gave vague comments as she insisted she couldn't reveal much of what happened due to department policy. 'But the alleged drug dealer? Thats not under investigation,' she insisted. In 2022, Bajraktarevic moved to work on the Bronx Robbery Squad to assist with city-wide robberies, including residential. Sources speculate she could've used her status to inform the dealer about various warrants. There are still doubts over Joe Biden's leadership of the Democratic Party as he trails five points behind Donald Trump ahead of the upcoming presidential election. Around 45 percent of registered voters said they would vote for Trump while just 43 percent would cast their ballot for the current president, according to a new poll by The New York Times and Siena College. There are just eight months left until the presidential election in November and Biden's support continues to lag behind Trump. The number of those who strongly disapprove of Biden's handling of the presidency has reached 47 percent, which is the highest it has ever been in any poll by The New York Times and Siena. While twice as many voter believe his policies have hurt them personally compared to those who think they have helped them. There are still doubts over Joe Biden's leadership of the Democratic Party as he trails five points behind Donald Trump ahead of the upcoming presidential election There are just eight months left until the presidential election in November and Biden's support continues to lag behind Trump Around 45 percent of registered voters said they would vote for Trump while just 43 percent would cast their ballot for the current president, according to a new poll by The New York Times and Siena College Biden stormed through the early nominating states with minimal opposition but the poll, conducted in February, has revealed there is division amongst Democrats about him leading the party again. There is a split between those who think he should not be the 2024 nominee and those who do and the opposition is stronger with voters 45 and younger. The majority in the poll also revealed they think the economy is in poor condition under Biden. While Trump has solidified support within his own party as the presidential nominee with 97 per cent of those who voted for him four years ago saying they would do the same this year. Almost none of his past supporters said they will be voting for Biden whereas the current president is winning back just 83 percent of his 2020 supporters and 10 percent said they will now be voting for Trump. 'Its going to be a very tough decision Im seriously thinking about not voting,' Mamta Misra, 57, a Democrat economics professor said. He voted for Biden in 2020 and added: 'Trump voters are going to come out no matter what. For Democrats, its going to be bad. I dont know why theyre not thinking of someone else.' Trump has built up a slightly larger lead over Biden compared to the poll of registered voters in December and among the likely electorate he leads by four percentage points. Biden is narrowly leading among non-white voters who did not graduate from college with 47 percent compared to 41. But more Democrats said they were dissatisfied or angry at the current president's leadership of the party compared to Republicans who feel the same about Trump. Around two thirds of voters are unhappy with the state of the US and believe the nation is heading in the wrong direction and Trump is winning the vote of 63 percent of these people. President Biden, 81, departing Walter Reed National Military Medical Center following a physical on Wednesday where his doctor declared him 'fit for duty' Former President Donald Trump held a campaign event in Michigan on February 17. After winning Saturday's South Carolina primary, he's stayed off the campaign trail, but has planned visits to Texas, North Carolina and Virginia - Super Tuesday states - over the next few days 'If we get Trump for another four years, we get a little better on economics,' said Oscar Rivera, 39, an independent voter with a roofing business in Rochester, New York. He added that he does not like the way Trump speaks about immigration but that he would vote for him anyway. 'Biden? I dont know,' Rivera said. It looks like were weak, Americas weak. We need someone stronger.' Others have been left unimpressed at how Biden has handled the humanitarian crisis which has unfolded in Palestine. 'Joe Biden should be doing more to ensure that the Israeli government goes about this in a way that provides safety for them but without the civilian toll,' said Philip Kalarickal, 51, an anesthesiologist in Decatur, Georgia. 'I understand that my vote or lack of vote carries a consequence, and I look at the alternative and thats worse than the current thing. 'But I do want to register my displeasure. The way I vote doesnt mean I like it.' It comes after recent polls showed Biden is trailing Trump in seven swing states likely to decide the outcome of the election. Trump got into office in 2016 by beating Hillary Clinton in crucial battlegrounds even while losing the popular vote, and now his 81-year-old opponent finds himself down in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Georgia even while running as the incumbent. The gap is growing in Arizona, according to a new Bloomberg / Morning Consult poll, with Trump leading Biden 49 to 43 amid the border crisis. His lead his 48 to 42 in Nevada. Biden carried both states in 2020, winning Arizona by just 10,000 votes. Biden also scored a narrow 2020 win in Georgia, in a state that now has two Democratic senators. But he trails Trump there by six points, 49 to 43. His win by seven million votes nationwide was powered by gains in Midwest, with critical wins in Michigan and Wisconsin. The race in Michigan has tightened in the Bloomberg poll, with Trump leading by just two points, 46 to 44. But Biden got warning signs there this week when 'Uncommitted' got 13 per cent on the ballot, and he lost the city of Dearborn amid fury over his policy on Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. The poll even gives Trump a hefty lead in Pennsylvania, a state Biden has tended to assiduously, with a 49 to 43 per cent lead. The Real Clear Politics average has Trump's lead at a narrower four per cent there. In North Carolina, Trump leads Biden 50 to 41. His strong poll showings in battlegrounds is helping Trump to undercut Nikki Haley's message: that she can beat Biden and Trump could continue a string of Republican defeats. It came in a poll showing eight in ten swing-state voters believe Biden is too old to run again, a serious warning sign for the 81-year-old president who will need to convince voters in those key states to vote for him in order to win the 2024 election. The Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll conducted in mid-February across seven critical swing-states found voters across every demographic including some of the more reliable Democratic party constituencies believe the president is too old. The Biden administration has been pushing back on concerns over the president's age and mental acuity after the Special Counsel Robert Hur report earlier this month described the president as an 'elderly man with poor memory.' Former President Donald Trump, 77, holds leads in seven swing states that will determine the winner of the White House in November Migrants crossing the border at Eagle Pass, Mexico. Both Biden and Trump headed to the southern border on Thursday for dueling events as polling shows immigration ticks up as a major issue among swing-state voters On Wednesday, Biden had a physical and his doctor declare him 'fit for duty' describing the president as a 'healthy active, robust 81-year-old.' The White House had confirmed the president did not take a cognitive test as part of his exam, but Physician to the President, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, did say that Biden did sit for 'an extremely detailed neurological exam.' But even among those who did say they plan to vote for Biden, seven in 10 say he is 'too old.' Less than half of respondents said that Biden's likely GOP rival former President Donald Trump at 77-years-old is too old. The polling found Trump leads Biden across all seven battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. While the economy remains the top issue, concern over immigration has ticked up across every swing state. The polling found the majority of swing-state voters blame Biden and congressional Democrats for the surge in migrants. At the same time, blame for congressional Republicans and the Trump administration, though much lower, have also ticked up 5 percent from January after Republicans tanked the bipartisan border deal with Trump's encouragement. Biden and Trump are both headed to the southern border on Thursday where they will hold dueling events. The president is headed to Brownsville, Texas. Trump is headed to Eagle Pass which has been ground zero of a border fight between Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Biden administration. While Republicans have blasted the administration over immigration, the White House has pushed back blaming hardline Republicans for crushing a bipartisan Senate deal to address the border earlier this year. Biden is facing growing blame over the border crisis and the vast majority are concerned about his age, Trump is not without his own vulnerabilities. Nearly six in ten swing-state voters believe Trump is 'dangerous.' Even among those who plan to vote for the former president, 28 percent agreed Trump is dangerous. As many of half of swing-state voters also say they would be unwilling to vote for Trump if he is convicted of a crime. The former president is facing 91 criminal charges in four separate cases involving allegations over hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, mishandling classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Prime Minister Netanyahu has been accused of blocking aid from reaching Gaza The US military has begun dropping aid to Gaza amid warnings the war-torn nation is facing the threat of famine as Israel continues its brutal bombing campaign. American cargo planes air-dropped 38,000 meals into the besieged territory on Saturday. It comes as part of a series of drops planned by Washington, which is also continuing to send support to Israel. The United Nations has warned Gaza is dangerously close to famine and more than 100 people were left dead earlier this week after Israeli forces opened fire on the crowd scrambling to receive food from a truck convoy. President Joe Biden announced the imminent air drops on Friday amid mounting political pressure over the plight of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The US military has begun dropping aid to Gaza amid warnings the war-torn nation is facing the threat of famine American cargo planes air-dropped 38,000 meals into the besieged territory on Saturday It comes as part of a series of drops planned by Washington, which is also continuing to send support to Israel's sustained bombing campaign 'US Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance air drop into Gaza on March 2, 2024, between 3:00 and 5:00 pm (Gaza time) to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict,' the American military command said on social media. CENTCOM said US C-130 military cargo planes 'dropped over 38,000 meals along the coastline of Gaza allowing for civilian access to the critical aid.' The air drops are 'part of a sustained effort to get more aid into Gaza, including by expanding the flow of aid through land corridors and routes,' the command added. A CENTCOM official said the drop was made up of US military rations that did not contain pork, the consumption of which is prohibited by Islam. Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of around 1,160 people. Hamas also took about 250 hostages, 130 of whom still remain in Gaza. Israel responded with a relentless assault on Hamas-controlled Gaza that has taken a devastating toll on civilians trapped there, killing more than 30,000 people, according to the territory's health ministry. The amount of aid brought into Gaza by truck has plummeted during nearly five months of war, and Gazans are facing dire shortages of food, water and medicines. The United Nations has accused Israeli forces of 'systematically' blocking access to Gaza, which Israel denies. Smoke rises following Israeli air strikes in the northern Gaza Strip, 01 March 2024. More than 30,200 Palestinians and over 1,300 Israelis have been killed, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Palestinians queue for hours to receive food distributed by charitable organizations, in Deir Balah, Gaza on March 01, 2024 'US Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance air drop into Gaza on March 2, 2024, between 3:00 and 5:00 pm (Gaza time) U.S. C-130s dropped over 38,000 meals along the coastline of Gaza allowing for civilian access to the critical aid Some foreign militaries have air-dropped supplies to Gaza, sending long lines of aid pallets floating down into the war-torn territory on parachutes. Jordan has been conducting many of the operations with the support of countries including Britain, France and the Netherlands, while Egypt sent several military planes on an air drop Thursday together with the United Arab Emirates. Biden has pushed Israel to reduce civilian casualties and allow aid in, while at the same time he has maintained military assistance for the key US ally. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Friday that the United States planned to carry out multiple air drops over a period of weeks, which will 'be a supplement to, not a replacement for, moving things in by ground.' He described it as a 'tough military operation' that required careful planning by the Pentagon for the safety of both Gazan civilians and US military personnel. 'It is extremely difficult to do an air drop in such a crowded environment as is Gaza,' said Kirby, adding: 'This is a war zone. So there's an added element of potential danger to the pilots in the aircraft.' A 54-year-old man allegedly sent 'grossly offensive' and 'indecent' emails to Sir Keir Starmer and harassed Labour MP Helen Hayes, a court heard. Graham Reid, of no fixed address, appeared at Llandudno Magistrates Court in North Wales for a brief hearing, wearing a dark jumper and trousers with a black gilet. He is accused of sending malicious communications to the Labour leader between August 26 and December 2 last year. The purpose of Reid sending the emails to Sir Keir was to cause 'distress or anxiety,' the court heard. Reid is accused of sending 'grossly offensive' emails to the Labour leader Keir Starmer (pictured left with Ed Balls) The court heard that Reid also allegedly sent emails to Labour MP Helen Hayes (pictured) He is also charged with non-violent harassment against Ms Hayes in the London Borough of Lambeth between June 29 and September 2 last year - which also allegedly involved offensive emails. No pleas have been entered yet and a judge has adjourned the case for trial at Llandudno Magistrates Court on May 9. Deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram, appearing on a video link at Llandudno magistrates' court in North Wales, granted Reid conditional bail until his next hearing. He has to report to Llandudno police station. Recently, MPs have called on police authorities to do more to protect politicians. Last week, Home Secretary James Clevery also unveiled a 31 million package to boost security for MPs facing death threats and intimidation. Those deemed most at risk will be provided with private-sector bodyguards, while others will be eligible for cash and advice on improving security at their homes and offices. Mr Cleverly is reported to be pushing police chiefs to conduct an extra 80 patrols a week in 'hotspot areas' where community tensions have been inflamed. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak summoned police leaders to Downing Street last week to discuss concerns about the campaign of intimidation mounted by protesters in the wake of the Hamas terror attacks on Israel on October 7. A shocking video shows the moment two police officers heroically taser a man who was threatening hospital staff with a knife. Footage shows the man aggressively lunging towards a security guard and shouting 'I will stab you in the face' before being arrested. Joshua Byrne, 32, from Hove, East Sussex claimed that he was carrying the weapon to protect himself from an Albanian drug dealer. Byrne charged into the A&E at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton with the knife at around 11pm on October 3rd. He had attended hospital earlier in the day for treatment, and was spotted outside the A&E department during a fire alarm after he had been discharged. Joshua Byrne, 32, from Hove, East Sussex claimed that he was carrying the weapon to protect himself from an Albanian drug dealer Footage shows the man lunging towards a security guard and shouting 'I will stab you in the face' before being arrested After arguing with security, he became irate and entered the A&E department, threatening staff and members of the public. He took a mobile phone from a patient by force, and narrowly missed stabbing a nurse. Police received multiple calls, and officers arrived within minutes of the chaos. READ MORE: Video of Beau Lamarre's aggressive Taser takedown of a criminal resurfaces - as he hands himself into police amid search for Channel 10 presenter Jesse Baird and his boyfriend Luke Davies Constable Beau Lamarre wrestles with a man he Tasered after believing the suspect was on a warrant for his arrest Advertisement PC Greg Devlin and PC Max Setra from Roads Policing Unit (RPU) were the first to arrive at the scene and used a Taser to safely arrest him. Later, he told police that he carries a knife because he stole thousands of pounds from an Albanian drug dealer and felt the need to carry a knife 'for protection'. Chief Inspector Simon Yates, Sussex Police's force lead for knife crime and serious violence, said: 'We know that there is increased concern from the public about knife crime. 'Stories in the media and social media can increase these concerns, and can lead some individuals to arm themselves with a knife in a misguided attempt to protect themselves. 'Sadly, it is becoming commonplace for police officers to encounter weapons such as hunting knives and concealed weapons which have been purchased online, with few, if any, checks to prevent them being used in crime. 'We know that knife crime can destroy the lives of those impacted, their families and loved ones, and our communities. 'Those who carry them often don't appreciate this impact, and don't appreciate that by carrying a knife, they are far more likely to become a victim of knife crime themselves.' At Lewes Crown Court on February 20, Byrne admitted attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, threatening a person while in possession of a bladed article in a public place, and affray. Her Honour Judge Christine Laing KC praised the bravery and professionalism of the hospital staff and security guards, and the RPU officers who detained Byrne. In particular, the hospital staff kept calm under pressure, escorting patients and members of the public to safety, and protected other patients who could not be moved from the A&E Department during the incident. Byrne charged into the A&E at the Royal Sussex County Hospital with the knife at around 11pm on October 3rd Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent Rachel Carr said: 'The actions of the hospital staff and security was incredible that night. 'It was a distressing incident for everyone in the hospital, but the staff's professional actions ensured vulnerable patients were protected. 'Byrne's actions were highly reckless, putting his own safety and the safety of everyone else at risk. 'He was swiftly arrested, and we are pleased that a dangerous criminal has now been sentenced.' Byrne, who is unemployed, was sentenced to five years in prison, which includes an extended licence period for a further three years. Donald Trump held a boisterous rally before an energized crowd on Saturday in North Carolina where he decried the criminal cases against him and called himself a proud political dissident as he fights charges for election interference and mishandling classified documents. The rally came just hours after Trump took to Truth Social to post on what he called the SEXCAPADES of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as a judge weighs whether she should be disqualified in the Georgia election interference case. In the all caps post on Truth Social Saturday morning, Trump wrote WHERE DID FANI GET ALL THAT CASH? NO WAY SHE PAID HER LOVER, PROSECUTOR NATHAN WADE, BACK. SHE MADE UP THE CASH STORY WHEN SHE REALIZED THAT HER SEXCAPADES WERE PAID FOR BY THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA. AGAIN, WHERES THE CASH, AND WHERE DID IT COME FROM? He echoed his accusations during the rally in Greensboro where he suggested Willis benefited financially from a romantic relationship with Wade, allegations Willis adamantly refuted in court. Trump speaking in Greensboro, North Carolina just days before voters in the state head to the polls to vote on Super Tuesday. During his speech, Trump took aim at Special Counsel Jack Smith and Fulton County DA Fani Willis for the cases against him A judge in Georgia is weighing weather to disqualify Fulton County DA Fani Willis over a relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade who she hired in the election interference case against Donald Trump Trump also went after Special Counsel Jack Smith who has brought charges against him for the mishandling of classified documents and election interference calling Smith deranged but claiming were hurting him. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in April over whether the former president has immunity for prosecution in the election interference case. And on Friday, the Trump appointed Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon expressed skepticism over the July timeline Smith requested in the case over the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. Trump decried the criminal charges against him, claiming without evidence that they are not 91 counts, they're not legit, theyre Biden counts and whined the charges should all be dropped. Trump said being indicted is a great badge of honor and told his crowd of supporters, he is doing it for them. I stand before you today, not only as your past but also hopefully as your future president as a proud political dissident and as a public enemy of a rogue regime, Trump said. Special Counsel Jack Smith has twice indicted former Trump on federal charges. Prosecutors requested a July trial in the case over mishandling classified documents, but a Trump appointed Florida district judge has not made a decision. The Supreme Court also agreed to hear Trump immunity case, putting a January 6 trial on hold Trumps visit to North Carolina comes ahead of Super Tuesday when Republican voters in the Tar Heel State head to the polls to cast ballots in the presidential primary. North Carolina is one of fifteen states holding Republican contests on March 5 where 854 delegates are up for grabs. At the rally, Trump also vowed to seal the border as he upped his fear mongering, going into gruesome detail while describing crimes committed by migrants, blaming President Biden just days after he and Biden had dueling visits at the southern border. Ahead of the rally at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, the line of Trump supporters dressed in their MAGA gear wound through the parking lot hours ahead of the former presidents remarks. Trump supporters line up to attend the former president's campaign event in Greensboro, NC. North Carolina voters head to the polls to cast ballots in the presidential primary on Tuesday Trump supporters holding signs for the former president ahead of his speech in Greensboro Nikki Haley at her rally in Charlotte Friday night. She also held a rally in Raleigh on Saturday ahead of the state's primary Tuesday Nikki Haley, Trump's lone Republican opponent still in the presidential primary race, was also in North Carolina where she held a rally Friday night in Charlotte and an event Saturday in Raleigh. Trump continues to gain momentum having swept every single Republican primary contest to date including Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina and Michigan. He currently has 155 delegates, and his campaign believes he is likely to clinch the nomination with the necessary 1,215 delegates within the next two weeks. On Saturday, Trump won the Missouri Republican caucuses, which he touted at the rally. Early voting in North Carolina wrapped up Saturday afternoon. The state holds a partially closed primary. Registered Republicans can vote as well as unaffiliated voters who choose a Republican ballot. Trump is slated for a second rally Saturday night in Virginia, another state with a primary on Tuesday. North Carolina is also one of the largest battleground states in the November election. 'The road to the White House runs directly through North Carolina, said Republican candidate for Governor and current Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson on Saturday. Ahead of the former presidents event, the Biden campaign issued a statement from Democratic Governor Roy Cooper who said the choice in November will be between President Biden who wakes up every day thinking about the American people and Donald Trump who wakes up every day thinking about himself. Trump won the state by less than 75,000 votes against Biden in November 2020. A pedestrian walks a dog at the intersection of Marin Avenue and The Circle in Berkeley on March 1. The death of a jogger hit by a car last month has neighbors calling for traffic-calming measures on one of the Bay Areas steepest streets. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle The death of a jogger last week who was hit by a car in the Berkeley hills is casting a harsh glare on one of the Bay Areas steepest streets, highlighting what neighbors say is a desperate need for traffic-calming measures. Julia Elkin, 37, a program manager at the Sonoma Land Trust, died Feb. 25 after being struck around midday on Feb. 12 while crossing a hilly portion of Marin Avenue at Oxford Street in North Berkeley. Police say the driver was heading downhill and stopped at the stop sign but proceeded and hit Elkin on the other side of the intersection. The collision is still under investigation. Transportation advocates, the local council member, and residents of the area many of whom came out to assist Elkin after she was hit say that the street hasnt been given enough attention by the city planning department, despite being the site of a long list of crashes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This young woman could have been any of us, wrote a group of more than 60 neighbors in a letter sent to the City Council on Thursday. Julias death was a tragedy that was preventable. We are asking that you do everything in your power to ensure that we do not lose another neighbor on our streets to traffic violence. A vehicle travels past a makeshift memorial for 37-year-old Julia Elkin at the intersection of Marin Avenue and Oxford Street in Berkeley on March 1. Elkin was struck by a vehicle while out for a jog on Feb. 12, before succumbing to her injuries. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Commenters in a lengthy thread on the social media site Nextdoor expressed anger and frustration at Elkins death, saying concerns about pedestrian safety on Marin Avenue had been brushed aside for too long. Some called for Marin to be made into a one-way street going uphill to slow down the cars. Marin Avenue was highlighted as a high-injury street on Berkeleys 2019 Vision Zero plan a roadmap for reducing traffic fatalities and occupies a particular place in the mind of local residents. With a grade of 25% at some points, the street was reportedly designed for a cable car that was never built, and older cars often struggle chugging up it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theres lots of bad driver behavior on Marin, said Ana Vasudeo, an urban planner, who was one of the neighbors who came to Elkins aid after the crash. Data demonstrates a disproportionate share of deaths and injuries on the street. Five people died in crashes on a roughly 1.3-mile long stretch of the street during 2012-22, according to the most recent data from UC Berkeleys Transportation Injury Mapping System a remarkable 23% of traffic deaths on Berkeley city roads. Another six people were seriously injured, around 2% of the citys total on its roads. Vehicles travel along Marin Avenue in Berkeley on March 1. Five people died in crashes on a 1.3-mile long stretch of the street during 2012-22, a remarkable 23% of traffic deaths on Berkeley city roads during that period. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle I was shocked looking at the data, said Warren Wells, a transportation planner and Berkeley resident who first cited the numbers on X, formerly known as Twitter. Ive never seen a single, non-arterial street make up a quarter of a citys fatalities. Marin really stands out, as it is not a four-lane arterial like Martin Luther King Jr. Way, but just a leafy, tree-lined street. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Marin Avenue has been a subject of concern after previous incidents. Older residents of Berkeley remember the 1957 crash that destroyed the ornate fountain in the traffic circle at the bottom of the hill, after a roofing truck lost its brakes on the hill and careened into it. The fountain was rebuilt in the mid-1990s. Council Member Sophie Hahn, who represents the area, said she remembers the death of two teenagers she knew whose car lost control while heading down the street sometime in the late 1970s. Safety issues on Marin were the subject of the first public meeting she organized after being elected in 2016, although she was told by Public Works officials that no major changes were needed on the boulevard at the time, she said. I have been involved in repeated attempts to improve safety on the street, she said. Many improvements have been made and I believe more can be made. I am extremely frustrated that previous public works officials did not take more of the suggestions that I and the community have made over the years. The intersection of Marin Avenue and Oxford Street in Berkeley, where Julia Elkin, 37, was struck by a vehicle while out for a jog on Feb. 12. Elkin succumbed to her injuries on Feb. 25. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Marin Avenue was spotlighted as a high-injury street on the Vision Zero plan, but Measure L, placed on the ballot by Berkeleys City Council, did not pass with a large enough majority in 2022 to fully fund the plan, Hahn said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In 2021, a crash killed a driver and passenger on the street at Santa Barbara Road, just two blocks up from the location of Elkins death. Hahn and another council member, Susan Wengraf, were able to secure about $150,000 from the city for safety improvements, and Hahn said the city used the funds to make some changes to the street, including adding signage, new paint, removing parking and improving crosswalks. But it was not enough to transform Marin Avenue. Later that year, Jacque Ensign, the founder of Berkeley Path Wanderers Association, was struck and injured by a car on the street at its intersection with Shattuck Avenue. Hahn said she plans to meet with the citys deputy manager and its new head of public works next week. The avenues grade is a limiting factor, but still Hahn and other transportation advocates point to other ideas about improving the street. Vehicles converge at the roundabout at the Circle in Berkeley on March 1. Marin Avenue was highlighted as a high-injury street on Berkeleys 2019 Vision Zero plan, a roadmap for reducing traffic fatalities. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle These include: requiring residents to cut back bushes that obscure crosswalks and corners; painting a center line or median to narrow the lanes; adding flashing beacons at crosswalks, rumble strips or radar speed signs; or making more intersections all-way stops. Marin at Oxford, for example, lacks a stop sign for those coming up the hill, and some residents said they felt that fact often confused motorists heading down the street. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Matthai Chakko, a spokesperson for the city, said that officials were examining the role that the design of the street played in the crash. We will be continuing to look at this particular incident and see what if any improvements can be made, he said in a statement to the Chronicle. Despite the progress we continue to make citywide, this incident and other fatal or serious injury collisions remind us of the need to maintain the urgency and care with which we approach this work. Pedestrians walk past a makeshift memorial for Julia Elkin at the intersection of Marin Avenue and Oxford Street in Berkeley on March 1. Elkin, 37, was struck by a vehicle while out for a jog on Feb. 12 and died two weeks later. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Ben Gerhardstein, a member of Walk Bike Berkeley, said hed like to see Public Works employees more closely involved in the initial investigation of crashes. The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny brought flowers to her son's grave after thousands of mourners flocked to the Putin critic's funeral. The funeral, which took in place in Moscow on Friday, was one of the largest displays of dissent in Russia in recent years and dozens of supporters were detained by police. Under a heavy police presence, Mr Navalny's mother Lyudmilla Navalnaya was accompanied by his mother-in-law, Alla Abrosimova, who joined other mourners to say a final goodbye to Mr Navalny after his still-unexplained death in an Arctic penal colony on February 16. The situation was calm despite the heavy police presence at the cemetery, Russian independent TV channel Dozhd (Rain) reported. Taking to the Telegram messaging app, the outlet quoted one of the supporters at the scene who said: 'The police let those wishing to bid farewell to the politician pass through and do not rush anyone.' Alexei Navalny's mother Lyudmila Navalnaya (left) was accompanied by his mother-in-law Alla Abrosimova (right) who joined other mourners to say a final goodbye to Mr Navalny Ms Navalnaya and Ms Abrosimova laying flowers at Navalny's grave. The funeral, which took in place in Moscow on Friday, was one of the largest displays of dissent in Russia in recent years and dozens of supporters were detained by police Thousands of mourners at Navalny's funeral. Police did not act against those attending the funeral, but at least 106 people were detained at events across Russia in Navalny's memory, according to OVD-Info, a rights group that tracks political arrests Dozhd also reported that 'spontaneous memorials' to Navalny had been destroyed in several Russian cities with flowers removed in cities including St Petersburg. The crowds who thronged to honour Navalny outside a church and cemetery in a snowy south-eastern suburb of the capital chanted slogans for him and against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. Mourners following the hearse in Moscow threw red carnations as it passed and could be heard shouting 'Putin is a murderer' and 'Russia will be free'. Police did not act against those attending the funeral, but at least 106 people were detained at events across Russia in Navalny's memory, according to OVD-Info, a rights group that tracks political arrests. It said most were stopped while trying to lay flowers at monuments dedicated to victims of Soviet repression. Mr Navalny was buried after a short Russian Orthodox ceremony, with vast crowds waiting outside the church and then streaming to the fresh grave with flowers. Alexei Navalny's grave in Moscow. Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, was not seen at the funeral. She has vowed to continue his work, and thanked him for '26 years of absolute happiness' The funeral of the opposition leader will take place two weeks after he died in an Arctic prison on February 16, amid pressures denounced by his team who accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured on Friday) of murdering his top critic behind bars Foreign diplomats, including French Ambassador to Russia Pierre Levy and US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy, wait near the Soothe My Sorrows church before a funeral service and a farewell ceremony for Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny Russian authorities have said Navalny (pictured in 2019) died of 'natural causes' but his team and some Western leaders have accused Putin of being directly responsible The funeral followed a battle with authorities over the release of his body. His team said several Moscow churches refused to hold the funeral for the man who crusaded against official corruption and organised massive protests. Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, was not seen at the funeral. She has vowed to continue his work, and thanked him for '26 years of absolute happiness'. Speaking at the European Union Parliament in Strasbourg, Mrs Navalnaya warned with regards to Putin, who she accused of having her husband killed: 'You're not dealing with a politician but a bloody monster.' Many Western leaders blamed the death on the Mr Putin, an accusation the Kremlin has rejected. The father of a teenager who took her own life has called for 'real change' to make cyber bullying a specific crime and spare others from a tragic outcome. Mia Janin, 14, a pupil at The Jewish Free School (JFS) in Kenton, Harrow, was found dead at her North London home in March 2021, having been subjected to 'hostile' bullying by male students in-person and over social media. Her parents are said to have not been aware she was a target of cyber bullying. In the UK, cyber bullying is not a specific crime and courts instead rely on laws pertaining to harassment and malicious communications. Now in an interview with BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, her father, Mariano Janin, said the proposed Online Safety Bill 'would be the first step to get change, real change, for our young kids.' The father of Mia Janin, 14, has called for cyber bullying to be made a specific crime after his daughter took her own life in March 2021 Mariano Janin said the proposed Online Safety Bill 'would be the first step to get change, real change, for our young kids' after his daughter was targeted by male pupils over social media He added: 'We need to revise the existing legislation about bullying, try to understand and try to act. Do something.' Mr Janin continued: 'We need to transmit to our kids values, normal values, kindness, acceptance, understanding - then we need of course some kind of legal boundaries for social media.' He has previously called for other reforms, including bereaved parents being able to access the social media accounts of their children to understand what had occurred. Earlier this week, Tony Murphy, the coroner for North London, warned that more schoolgirls at JFS are at risk of suicide because gender-based bullying has continued at the school due to a lack of systemic changes. The night before Mia was found dead, the tragic teenager had asked her parents to move school. She also sent a voice note to a friend, in which she said: 'Tomorrow's going to be a rough day, I'm taking deep breaths in and out. I'm currently mentally preparing myself to get bullied tomorrow.' But her parents did not realise just how much their daughter had been impacted by the bullying. On the day she died, Mr Janin said she was was 'planning the weekend and starting to plan the holidays and planning to start cheerleading and drama again.' Just four months after Mia's death, her heartbroken mother Marisa died from untreatable leukaemia, which was found after a brain aneurysm, leaving behind her father Mariano. While JFS claimed it has implemented a 'complete overhaul' following Mia's death in March 2021, Mr Murphy found that the initiatives have not done enough to make female pupils feel safe. The night before she died, Mia sent a voice note to a friend, in which she said: 'Tomorrow's going to be a rough day... I'm currently mentally preparing myself to get bullied tomorrow' Barnet Coroner's Court heard earlier this week that 'highly intelligent' Year 10 pupil Mia was repeatedly mocked by boys at school on social media Mr Murphy made the findings in a Prevention of Future Deaths report written to JFS, ordering the institution to take a new course of action. Barnet Coroner's Court heard that 'highly intelligent' Year 10 pupil Mia was repeatedly mocked by boys at school on social media. Mr Murphy said: 'Two undated notes in Mia's handwriting were found on her bed on March 12, 2021, addressed to her family and friends, which explained that Mia had decided to end her life. 'Mia's death was entirely unexpected by her family, friends and teachers. She had felt low self-esteem at times, but had not been diagnosed with any mental illness nor presented a risk of taking her own life. Tragic teenager Mia Janin pictured in happier times with her parents Marisa and Mariano 'On March 10, 2021, Mia posted a video on social media asking two of these male students not to mock her and criticising their music and fashion. 'This video received a large number of hostile responses, which Mia found stressful. 'On the evening of March 11, 2021, Mia said to her parents that she had had a difficult week and asked to move to a different secondary school, which they agreed to explore. 'Mia is much missed by her loving family, friends and wider community who describe her as creative, kind, entrepreneurial and highly intelligent, amongst many other things.' Mr Murphy said: 'Any ongoing gender based bullying at JFS gives rise to a concern that circumstances creating a risk of other deaths will occur, or will continue to exist, in the future. 'The initiatives introduced by JFS to address gender based bullying following Mia's death do not appear to have gained the confidence of some JFS female students, which gives rise to a concern that circumstances creating a risk of other deaths will occur, or will continue to exist, in the future. 'In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you and your organisation have the power to take such action.' JFS has 56 days to respond to Mr Murphy with an action plan. Headteacher Dr David Moody told MailOnline: 'We thank the coroner for his investigation. 'The witness statements to which the coroner refers were taken in late 2021 or early 2022, shortly after I joined JFS and they are not a reflection of the school today. 'As part of the school's 'Good' Ofsted rating in April 2022, Ofsted reported that 'Pupils know to whom and where they can turn if they have any worries. 'Pupils felt confident to report any concerns because staff help them. Staff are vigilant to any incidents of bullying and act swiftly to resolve any bullying issues. 'We have a team of eight full-time professionals working with any children who report problems with their mental health and it is some of the most comprehensive provision that I have seen in a state school. 'That said, we take the comments and observations of the coroner incredibly seriously and will be sharing with him all details of the support and systems that are now embedded.' The felled Sycamore Gap tree will go on public display as part of the plan to preserve its world-famous legacy. Northumberland National Park said the largest section of the felled tree would go on display at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, a tourist attraction close to Sycamore Gap, in September. The authority said it had received 2,000 'heartfelt' messages from people from all around the world expressing sorrow after the tree was cruelly chopped down in September. It added for many people the 300-year-old Sycamore Gap played a 'significant part in their lives' and it is committed to ensuring people can continue to build personal connections with the 'special place'. Northumberland National Park has been working with the National Trust to decide what to do with the tree. Northumberland National Park said the largest section of the felled tree (pictured after it was felled on September 28) would go on display at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, a tourist attraction close to Sycamore Gap, in September Northumberland National Park has been working with the National Trust to decide what to do with the tree There will not be another intervention at the site of the tree for now as authorities plan to leave the stump alone in the hope it will regrow in time EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: The Sycamore STUMP is still a huge tourist spot: Hundreds of people have visited remains of world-famous tree three months after it was cruelly chopped down in 'act of vandalism' A bunch of flowers rests against the stump Advertisement Plans are still under consideration to further preserve its legacy. However, there will not be another intervention at the site of the tree for now as authorities plan to leave the stump alone in the hope it will regrow in time. In December, the National Trust, as guardians of the tree, shared that they are closely monitoring the seeds and material collected from the original tree which are being cared for at the charitys specialist plant conservation centre. Northumberland National Park said it has been taking advice from specialists in wood preservation after the tree was felled and the timber has been treated and stored safely to be used by artists in the future. A series of creative commissions with the wood will be announced over the coming months, which will include working with schools, community groups and individuals. Tony Gates, chief executive officer of the park authority, said: 'The felling of the Sycamore Gap tree has shown just how much nature and landscape mean to people and to their very well-being. 'As stewards of the legacy of Sycamore Gap, the partners have been humbled by the outpouring of love and emotion for the tree. 'We understand the diversity of opinions surrounding a future legacy and are committed to navigating this journey with the utmost care and respect. 'We are grateful for everyone's patience and understanding.' At the moment, the National Trust, who own the land, have stated on a sign: 'This tree stump is still alive. If we leave it alone it might sprout new growth, please respect the barrier.' Over the past few months there has been no shortage of suggestions for replacing the felled Sycamore Gap tree A bunch of flowers rests against the stump in memory of the Sycamore Gap tree The Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian's Wall became a crime scene after it was felled From the cutting marks left on the trunk, it is believed the mysterious chainsaw's blade was between 25 in and 35 inch, larger than models sold at DIY shops The National Trust have left a framed sign beside the fenced off stump which reads: 'This tree stump is still alive. If we leave it alone it might sprout new growth, please respect the barrier' READ MORE: Ex-lumberjack arrested on suspicion of cutting down Sycamore Gap tree faces no further action after being cleared by police Walter Renwick, 69, was cleared by police Advertisement After it was cut down, workers removed the vast trunk and the of 50ft branches, but twigs - some with green buds on them - remained at the site and some sightseers collected them as keepsakes. The iconic tree was thought to be among the most photographed in the world - and when it was mysteriously chopped down it caused national outrage. The landmark, a focal point along Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, was cut down in what Northumbria Police described as a 'deliberate act of vandalism'. In November two men aged in their 30s were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and were bailed. In December Walter Renwick, 69, and a 16-year-old boy who can not be named for legal reasons were arrested separately in connection with the felling, but police said they would face no further action. Following the felling of the tree, hundreds of people flocked to the site daily to pay homage to it. Part of the Hadrians Wall UNESCO world heritage site, for decades it had drawn walkers and visitors and was a magnet for photographers, and wedding proposals. Its fame had been increased after it appeared in the Kevin Costner blockbuster Robin Hood Prince of Thieves in 1991. Part of the Hadrians Wall UNESCO world heritage site, for decades the tree had drawn walkers and visitors and was a magnet for photographers The 300-year-old sycamore was nicknamed Robin Hoods Tree after it featured in the 1991 blockbuster film, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner Pictured: The tree appearing in Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves Through a technique called clonal propagation, it could be possible to save the Sycamore Gap Tree, allowing it to live on far into the future Meanwhile, the park authority said a fence had been placed around the remaining stump so it could be left alone but still be seen. 'We are looking to see how nature responds at the site,' a spokesman added. 'The original tree stump remains in situ, in the hope it will regrow in time. 'While we wait, there will not be another intervention at the site for now. 'To give the tree the best chance of regrowth, there is a need to protect the stump without detracting from people's experience of the site.' Other suggestions over what to do with the tree included a sculpture to fill the void, a full-size replica cast in metal or a hand-crafted bench from its timber. One would-be benefactor even offered to donate his own, fully-grown, 150-year-old sycamore and move it into the soil. Another man bought, and then planted, a young sapling at the site only for the National Trust to promptly dig it up. Michael Gove has vowed to consider rolling out an extraordinary rescue plan to save Scotland from Humza Yousafs council tax shambles. In an intervention which will likely enrage the Scottish Government, the Levelling Up Secretary has pledged to meet local authority leaders who claim they have been left unable to pay for vital services in the wake of the SNPs council tax freeze. Mr Gove said he would attempt to understand how the UK Government could step in to help local authorities north of the Border above and beyond the tens of millions of pounds already invested by UK Ministers in Scottish communities. Scottish council umbrella body Cosla wrote to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt last week, asking for extra investment ahead of Wednesdays UK Budget. The Labour leader of Inverclyde Council, Stephen McCabe, also wrote to Mr Gove asking for financial assistance, saying the relationship between Scottish Ministers and councils was broken and dead in the water. Michael Gove has pledged to meet local authority leaders Now, speaking to The Mail on Sunday, Mr Gove has vowed to do all he can for ailing Scottish communities. Agreeing to meet disgruntled councillors who claim the Scottish Governments current funding allocation will not cover vital public services he said: Ill be talking to them and other local government leaders in Scotland because theyve been let down by the Scottish Government. And the Scottish Government is not funding local government properly. He added: We have stepped in in the past through the levelling up funding and other ways of directing UK Government spending to people at the front line. The UK Governments intervention highlights fears that the SNP is failing to properly support local authorities. In May, the Accounts Commission warned that the public should be very worried about the scale of the financial challenges facing councils. The bitter battle was ramped up last month when Cosla declared a formal dispute with the Scottish Government over funding. Relations have broken down over a series of issues, including Mr Yousaf announcing a national council tax freeze without consultation. On Thursday Cosla joined local government associations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in writing to urge the Chancellor to provide sufficient investment to local government. Last week, councillors in Inverclyde backed an 8.2 per cent rise in council tax, following a decision by Argyll and Bute Council to increased bills up by 10 per cent. That is despite councils being warned they must freeze the tax or miss out on millions in funding from Mr Yousafs government. Deputy First Minister Shona Robison said any authorities that hike bills will not share in a 147 million funding pot to compensate them for the freeze. She also warned they wouldnt get a share of a 145 million fund to enable councils to maintain teacher numbers if they then go on to cut school staff. In desperation, Mr McCabe wrote to Mr Gove, claiming the Verity House Agreement, which sets out the relationship between Ministers and councils, was dead in the water. West Dunbartonshire Council has also backed the calls. Mr McCabe has since offered a compromise on the situation in a bid to still access Scottish Government funding, saying he will use it to offer a council tax rebate to residents. He said: If the Government is willing to make this funding available on a recurring basis, baselined into the local government settlement for 2024-25 and beyond, I would be prepared to recommend to the council that we use the funding for 2024-25 to provide Inverclyde households with a one-off rebate on their council tax charge for 2024-25, which would mean that Inverclyde residents would receive a freeze in their council tax for 2024-25 in line with the First Ministers national policy priority. Last night, speaking to The Mail on Sunday, Mr Gove vowed to help ease tensions. He said: Its interesting that these are opposition figures, they are Labour councillors, good people who want the best for their communities. So Im hoping to talk to them about how we can help. I respect the devolution settlement. Absolutely. But I also think that the most important thing is people working together across party in the interests of communities that may not be getting the funding they need. I dont want to give any false hope. But I think its important to have that conversation. I spoke at the Cosla conference last year and I made a pledge then that I would work with people from every party and local government in Scotland to come up with shared solutions. So, again, I dont want to suggest that there is going to be a cheque in the post, but I do want to listen properly to the case that theyre making, both for their communities and more broadly for local government. In October, the UK Government pledged 140 million to go directly to councils, rather than via the Scottish Government. Mr Gove said councils in Greenock, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Coatbridge, Clydebank, Dumfries and Elgin will receive cash injections of 20 million each. An SNP spokesman last night said: This attempted Labour/Tory alliance is like a sick joke at the expense of Scottish local government, given the extent to which Michael Gove and his government at Westminster has presided over cut after cuts to local authorities in England, many of which are now on the brink of financial crisis, with half facing bankruptcy in the next five years. Scotland and France have for centuries shared a close relationship that once included the political and military pact known as the Auld Alliance. However, the mutual respect often assumed between both nations has been somewhat marred by a culinary slight dished up by a French journalist. Despite enjoying his meal at the Michelin-starred Saint James restaurant in Paris, the writer in question flagged up what he considered to be a flaw the inclusion of Scottish produce. Tucking into a plate of langoustine with caviar, broth and herbs, Stephane Durand-Souffland praised the dish in the French publication Le Figaro. He described the young chef behind the dish as perfectly mastering the grammar of the best gastronomy. Langoustines from Scotlands waters grace dishes served up at fancy restaurants all over the world Food writer Durand- Souffland found fault with our shellfish Food writer Durand- Souffland found fault with our shellfish However, Mr Durand-Souffland offered some criticism writing dommage quelle vienne dEscosse meaning it is a pity that it comes from Scotland. His comment flies in the face of all who hold dear the relationship forged between both countries. That closeness dates back to 1295 built upon Scotland and Frances shared interests in controlling Englands plans to expand. It was a military and diplomatic alliance that brought benefits to Scots through jobs in Frances armies and, of course, a steady supply of the finest French wines. As with other Scottish seafood, langoustines are enjoyed in highly rated restaurants around the world. Historically a decadent menu offering in Europe, they are small lobster-like crustaceans. The tails can be prepared in or out of their thin pink shell, while the heads and claws make for rich stocks and broths. It seems odd, therefore, that the inclusion of fine Scottish produce especially seafood could be anything less than a boon to any menu. So good is the bounty from our waters that Saint Jamess head chef Gregory Garimbay selected it for his four-course tasting menu that costs 170 (145) per person and thats before selecting a French wine to accompany it. Langoustine served with caviar kristal, flowers and herbs is the first dish customers are served on the Winter 2024 menu. Last night Jimmy Buchan, business manager of the Scottish Seafood Association, said of the comment: Unfortunately for Mr Critic, Scotland is geographically well-placed to harvest these great langoustines. We are delighted to sell them to the French and indeed the rest of the world bon appetit! The events are among three held on Saturday that will award delegates for GOP presidential nominations Donald Trump has comfortably cruised past rival Nikki Haley to win Republican caucuses in Michigan and Missouri. In Michigan, Trump trounced Haley in all 13 districts taking part in the nominating caucuses, securing 98 percent of support overall according to the GOP. He added to earlier wins in Missouri, where the race was called at 11:40am, less than two hours after the gatherings began. The caucuses were two of the three events held on Saturday to award delegates for the GOP presidential nominations, with the third in Idaho. The former president, who is especially strong in caucuses, was adding to his delegate lead in Republican caucuses in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and South Carolina. Former U.N. Ambassador Haley, meanwhile, is still seeking her first win. There are no Democratic contests on Saturday. Donald Trump beat rival Nikki Haley to win Republican caucuses in Michigan and Missouri on Saturday Trump's victory in Missouri was called just under two hours after caucus gatherings began across the state to award 51 of Missouri's 54 Republican delegates For this election cycle, Michigan Republicans devised a hybrid nominating system, split between a primary and a caucus. Trump won the primary convincingly on Tuesday, securing 12 of 16 delegates up for grabs. He took all of Michigan's remaining 39 delegates at stake on Saturday In Missouri, voters gathered to award 51 of the state's 54 Republican delegates. They lined up outside a church in Columbia, home to the University of Missouri, before the doors opened. 'I dont know what my role here will be, besides standing in a corner for Trump,' Columbia resident Carmen Christal said, adding that shes 'just looking forward to the experience of it.' This year will be the first test of the new system, which is almost entirely run by volunteers on the Republican side. The caucuses were organized after GOP Gov. Mike Parson signed a 2022 law that, among other things, canceled the planned March 12 presidential primary. Lawmakers have failed to reinstate the primary despite calls to do so by both state Republican and Democratic party leaders. Democrats will hold a party-run primary on March 23. Trump prevailed twice under Missouri's old presidential primary system. Next week, Super Tuesday will see 16 states and American Samoa hold primaries on what will be the largest day of voting of the year outside of the November election. Trump is on track to lock up the nomination days later. Michigan Republicans at their convention in Grand Rapids on Saturday began allocating 39 of the states 55 GOP presidential delegates. But a significant portion of the partys grassroots force was skipping the gathering because of the lingering effects of a months long dispute over the party's leadership. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is still seeking her first win Missouri voters gather Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Family Worship Center of Columbia, Mo., to caucus for the Republican presidential nominee Trump handily won Michigan's primary this past Tuesday with 68 percent of the vote compared with Haleys 27 percent. The next contest is the GOP caucus Sunday in the District of Columbia. Last year, Idaho lawmakers passed cost-cutting legislation that was intended to move all the states primaries to the same date in May - but the bill inadvertently eliminated the presidential primaries entirely. The Republican-led legislature considered holding a special session to reinstate the presidential primaries. but failed to agree on a proposal in time, leaving both parties with presidential caucuses as the only option. The GOP presidential caucuses will be on Saturday, while the Democratic caucuses aren't until May 23. The last GOP caucuses in Idaho were in 2012, when about 40,000 of the states nearly 200,000 registered Republican voters showed up to select their preferred candidate. For this year, all Republican voters who want to participate will have to attend in person. They will vote after hearing short speeches by the candidates or their representatives. If one candidate gets more than 50 percent of the statewide votes, that candidate will win all the Idaho delegates. If none of the candidates gets more than 50 percent of the votes, then each candidate with at least 15 percent of the total votes will get a proportionate number of delegates. The Idaho GOP will announce the results once all the votes are counted statewide. Trump placed a distant second in the 2016 Idaho primary behind Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. The letter came out of the blue. It was well written with just a few spelling mistakes. It had been so long since I had received a letter an actual letter with an envelope and stamp that I remember feeling quite excited. And then I saw the name at the bottom... Iain Packer. A newspaper had published an article on the tenth anniversary of Emma Caldwells murder. It revealed the collapse of the case against four Turkish men who had been arrested and charged with killing her. And it went on to name Iain Packer as a potential other suspect a man the police had earlier taken an interest in during their investigation. He had given six statements to the police at the time, always as a witness, never a suspect. But the details in the statements appeared incriminating. Emma Caldwell was brutally murdered by Iain Packer in 2005 when she was just 27 years old BBC journalist Sam Poling says she doesnt feel proud of her role in bringing Packer to justice only sadness for his many victims Caught on camera, Sam Poling grills Packer and helps expose his crimes despite his constant lies and denials An obsessive user of prostitutes, he was fascinated by Emma and would seek her out at night on his regular trawl round Glasgows red light area. He admits in one statement to sexually assaulting her behind some billboards. And in another, he describes his uncontrollable rage when a woman he has paid for sex changes her mind. She refuses to strip and demands to be taken back to the city. Thats because he had driven her to remote woods for sex. The same remote woods where Emmas body had been found. And here he is now writing to me. Hes angry at the article (in the Sunday Mail) and angry at the police. He believes his statements had been leaked to the Press all those years ago by officers on the murder inquiry and he wants it investigated. I write back, asking to meet. And he agrees. Six weeks of emails later, there he is in front of me, at an airport hotel. He has come with his girlfriend. I didnt know what I was expecting. I had seen one photo of him in the newspaper. Short, stocky, looking angry. But then he had just been confronted by a journalist in the street outside his house, so what was I to expect? When I walk into the hotel bar and see him sitting there, he looks almost the same. Shorter, stockier, angrier. But I also notice a slight shake to his hands, and an unsteadiness in his breathing, and realise he is nervous. Hes wearing jeans and a T-shirt, which is slightly dirty and he comments on it, says hes embarrassed but didnt realise when he put it on. He apologises. Hes wearing a jacket. Its like a biker jacket. I comment on it because I have a motorbike. Weve found our first common ground. I notice he relaxes when we talk about bikes, which we end up doing a lot. Hes 5ft 7in in boots. He has a very short haircut. Tells me he has numerous tattoos. Shows me a few of them. On his back hes got a giant Cherokee Indian. Wolves. And a couple of fighting bears. The woman with him is his partner of five years. Shes attractive. Long dark hair, immaculate make-up. As we speak, I see shes bright, articulate. Intelligent. I soon realise the letter and emails had most likely been written by her. Not him. I tell them that. And they admit, yes, shed written them. She was better at things like that. What goes through my mind is this this isnt a woman who would stand by a man she thinks is capable of murder. And so the fact she is there, and supports him, is just as keen to have his name cleared, is important to me. We meet a number of times over many months, the three of us. We spend hours talking about the case and my interest in who killed Emma grows. If it wasnt the Turkish men who murdered her, and it wasnt Iain Packer, then who was it? And what damage has been done by those who have been hunting Emmas killer in the meantime? This is what leads Packer to agree to meet me over and over again, answering all my questions, never swerving, unfaltering. Because he wants people to know the damage done to him. And for those who caused it to be held to account. I tell him Ill look into the case. I will do everything possible to find out why the case against the Turkish men failed. Its so rare for the police to arrest the wrong people for a crime as serious as murder, and so Im thinking no smoke without fire. I cant promise you a killer, I recall telling him, a comment he laughs at. But I can promise you I will do everything to try and find him. Packer agrees to two filmed interviews. The first at the beginning of my investigation which was aired under the title Who Killed Emma? and the second at the end, once I had done my job. The first interview goes well. No questions are off limits. I ask him about his use of prostitutes, how often, how much, and why. He tells me he likes the lack of commitment. That you dont need to have a conversation. Its like a business transaction, he says. You go into a grocers and buy a can of beans. You dont ask the grocer how his day has been. You just pay your money and go. It was the same with a prostitute, he said. He doesnt want to know their names. He doesnt want to be all candles and a meal. He just wants oral sex. They are the ones using him, he says, for money. We sit for hours and he answers every question, no matter how difficult at times. He cries. He rages. He knew Emma. He wasnt obsessed. He didnt drive round hunting down women. He wasnt violent. He never took them outside Glasgow. He certainly hadnt gone to any woods. And he hadnt killed Emma. At the end, he agrees to come back once I have finished my investigation. Do a second interview. The last thing I say to him is this. Exactly this. I say, Im going to go and investigate everything youve told me and if I find facts out about you, Ill point the finger at you. Hes happy. He agrees. And so I start my investigation. Over months, I slowly make my way to the heart of the original murder inquiry. I persuade officers to talk to me, in confidence. I wait for some to retire, the threat of a pension lost for talking to me a constant fear. Others speak openly, their anger greater than their loyalty to the force. I track down women who had lived alongside Emma, who worked the same streets. I hear story after story of rape and violence. I see the scars they still carry, from bottles and fists and boots. And I start to discover the real evidence gathered in the inquiry. I learn that women were telling police of one particularly violent client who would collect them in his van and rape and abuse them. He would drive to remote places, force them to strip, and then attack them. If they dared fight back, he would smash their heads against the van window or hold them down until any strength they had was gone. It wouldnt take long. I find earlier victims of the same man too. One girl was just 15 when she was raped by him. She would often wake at night to find him sitting on her bed, staring at her. One evening, after a family party, he raped her. She reported it to the police. Twice. Nothing was done. I start to track down former partners as well. They all speak of hideous physical abuse and rapes. But most disturbing of all are the testimonies of a number of women all prostitutes who tell of having been driven to remote woodland by this man, the same woods where Emmas body was found, naked and strangled. There, they are forced to strip and are raped. Each woman is shown images in a police photobook. Dozens of men who were spoken to by the police as part of the murder investigation were photographed and compiled in those books. One by one the women all identified the same man. Iain Packer the man who had come to me for help. I wont ever forget how I felt. It was the worst gut-punch shock. I had spent hours with this man. He had been so open and convincing in his denials. He had come to me wanting his name cleared. He had sat in front of a camera and thrown his personal life wide open for the world to see. Why would he have done that if he was guilty? And then there was the whole did he think I was stupid question going round in my head. Trust me, that one hurt. I have a good reputation, one I have worked hard for and one I am proud of. I have investigated every type of criminality going. I live looking over my shoulder. I am smart. I am dogged. I dont stop until I get what I want. Did Iain Packer think I was none of these things, that I wasnt clever enough for him? And yet here he was, a killer. Emmas killer. I had one last job to do. I had promised a second interview to let him know what I had found out and I wasnt going to renege on that. He was convinced I was going to tell him of a corrupt police investigation he had been wrongly pulled into. A case for compensation, he had said. So I knew this interview probably wasnt going to go well. There was a slight problem. The roof of the building we had carried out the first interview in had collapsed. And so I had to find another venue at the last minute. And the only place I could find happens to be right outside the billboards where Packer had raped Emma in the months before she went missing. I remember writing the address on the morning of the interview in a text and thinking that once he sees this, he isnt going to show. Hes going to think its a set-up. Its 10:09. The interview had been arranged for noon. I hit send and hold my breath. At 10:11 he texts back. Ok. No worries, he says. Noon comes and goes. And then, as Im about to start panicking, I get a text. Its only four minutes past the hour but when youre clock-watching it feels like forever. Im outside, he writes. I go down three flights of worn, uneven stone stairs, grateful for the time to calm myself down. I step outside and there he is. Iain Packer. And he has his girlfriend with him. We stand at their car and he gives me a gift from his latest holiday. Hed been in Florida for Christmas and New Year, had sent me festive wishes on Christmas Day. Merry Christmas sweetie, his text said. I hope you get all you wish for. There were two kisses at the end. The gift hed put in my hand was a keyring of Minnie Mouse blowing me a kiss. I thank him, awkwardly receive his holiday hug. I ask how Florida was, but I dont really listen to the answer. Im too busy thinking, what am I going to do with his girlfriend, I cant have her there when I confront him. I need to protect her from this. I take her to a cafe, ask if shell wait there until we are done, and then I turn to Packer. Are you ready? I ask as we start to head up the stone steps. Absolutely, he says. Im excited. I cant wait to hear what youve found out. And then we step into the room. I had five cameras capturing every moment. I sat him down, he took a deep breath, so did I, and then I told him what I knew. That he was a liar. He was an abuser. He was a rapist. And he was a killer. He was Emmas killer. I will never forget the look on his face. He goes white. His breathing changes. He cant believe whats happening. He is like a wounded and cornered animal, hoping for a last few precious seconds to work out whether to die fighting or just accept the inevitable. He chooses the former. He falls back into denial mode. The women are liars. He has never hurt anyone. Hes never been violent. He certainly didnt attack Emma behind some billboards. And as for the woods and taking prostitutes there, thats not true. He was forced to go there by the police, they directed him, not the other way round. And speaking of the police, they were just bullies who had forced him to confess to things he hadnt done. All of this was delivered with righteous anger. The denials which had lived in his head for 14 years by this point are so well-rehearsed they slide off his tongue with ease. He becomes comfortable in this moment, its territory he knows well. And so, we get to the murder of Emma. I tell him everything points to him being the killer. Hes got control of his breathing. Hes calmed down. And his tone takes on a slight treacle note. Im not a violent person, he says. I was never involved in it. I can assure you of that. Theres a moment, as his mic is taken off, that he stands up and then sits back down. And he leans forward and says, so quietly: Does this mean well no longer be in touch? The last words Iain Packer ever says to me are delivered as he walks out the room. He stops for a second, looks back, and says: You take care Sam. And with that, hes gone. After my investigation was broadcast, the police came knocking. They wanted my evidence. They wanted statements from some of the women I had found. They wanted to know everything Packer had told me. More women start to come forward to me, telling me they, too, have been attacked by Packer. Sexually assaulted, raped. I ask them all to give statements to the police. Its the right thing to do on my part. Some of the women say they will contact them. Some say they never will, such is their understandable fear. On February 24, 2022, I get the phone call I had been hoping for, but never expected to get. Packer had been charged with the murder of Emma Caldwell and 45 other offences, including 11 rapes, 24 sexual assaults and one abduction. There were 29 victims in total. I wasnt allowed to attend his trial. I was cited to be a witness and so I spent my time trying to avoid any publicity about the case. I couldnt bear even the sight of his name. I now just wanted it over with. This story had lived with me for six years and I didnt want it to be mine any more. The Crown called me towards the end of their prosecution case. The interviews I had done with Packer were key, and had been referred to many times during the trial. And so I was kept towards the end. I will never forget walking into the courtroom and seeing the public gallery full. The jury, expectant. And Iain Packer. I had often thought how I would feel, seeing him again. I imagined I would hate it, that I would feel quite sick. And upset. I was right. I felt all these things. He hid his face with his left hand for the first few moments I took the stand, and then after that he concentrated on staring at the plastic cups of water laid out before him. His hair was shaven at the sides, longer at the top and scraped back into a ponytail. He was wearing what looked like a prison issue pale blue polo shirt, his tattoos on full display. It was only when his defence KC stood up and started to try to tear apart my reputation by suggesting I had gained my information about Packer through illegitimate means, demanding to know my sources, that Packer raised his head and looked at me. Defiant. Emboldened by the man in the robe articulating his denials better than Packer ever could. He didnt look away again, his eyes fixed on me. I noticed him smirk a couple of times when I struggled with my nerves and my answers. He was enjoying my discomfort. I stayed for the rest of the trial, watched him take the stand in his own defence. Watched him slide back into his comfortable territory of it wasnt me, I wasnt there, I didnt do it, theyre all liars. My name came up over and over and over. I have never hated the sound of my own name before. It had been used repeatedly throughout the trial by both the prosecution and defence. Excerpts from my documentary and my interviews with Packer were shown many times. But here my name was, in the mouth of the man now standing in the dock, fighting for his life. It was my fault he was there, he said. It was my fault he had attacked and choked his girlfriend, they were arguing about me. It was my fault he had lied. I had manipulated him, he said. I had set him up. I was a liar, he told the court. His protestations counted for little as it turned out, the jurors convinced of the overwhelming evidence against him. On the fourth day of deliberation, they returned their verdicts. He will spend the rest of his life in prison. He will likely die there. People ask me how I feel, tell me how happy and proud I must be. Im not happy, nor proud. I feel such an overwhelming sense of sadness about it all. It took 19 years for Emmas mum to know what had happened to her daughter. To know who had left her dead in the dark, in a ditch, in a remote wood. I cant bear to think about the pain of it all. Iain Packer was found guilty of murdering Emma Caldwell I also feel such sadness for all the women who had the courage and the strength to keep telling the police about Packer, who spoke up for Emma over and over and over again, and yet they werent believed. Because if they had been believed, surely action would have been taken all those years ago. And it wasnt. And my final bit of sadness is for all those women who didnt survive these intervening years. Who gave their statements, who told their stories, and who then died without ever seeing justice. I want to tell them this their words from beyond the grave have helped put away one of the countrys most dangerous sexual predators. Their words have helped catch Emmas killer. Their words have given Margaret Caldwell the answer she so desperately needed. Without them, without the collective voice of all these incredible women, justice would never have come. You can find Sam Polings latest investigation Catching a Killer: The Murder of Emma Caldwell on the BBC iPlayer. Her investigative podcast series Who Killed Emma? can also be found on BBC Sounds/Spotify/Apple Podcasts. Her investigative podcast series Who Killed Emma? can also be found on BBC Sounds/Spotify/Apple Podcasts. Gaza city is now dangerously close to famine, the United Nations has warned The US military has dropped 38,000 meals over Gaza amid warnings the war-torn city is facing famine as Israel continues its bombing campaign. American cargo planes air-dropped the meals into the besieged territory on Saturday as part of a series of plans by Washington to provide aid to the city. Gaza is now dangerously close to famine, the United Nations has warned, as more than 100 people were left dead earlier this week when Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd trying to get food from a truck convoy. President Joe Biden announced the imminent air drops on Friday amid mounting political pressure over the plight of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. It comes as Israel has 'more or less accepted' a ceasefire and hostage release deal and it is now up to Hamas to agree to it, a senior US administration official said. The proposal includes a six-week ceasefire in Gaza as well as the release by Hamas of hostages considered to be vulnerable - including the sick, the wounded, the elderly and women, the official said. 'The Israelis have basically signed on to the elements of the arrangement,' they added. 'Right now, the ball is in the court of Hamas and we are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can.' Meanwhile, an Israeli strike has hit tents housing displaced civilians near a hospital in the southern city of Rafah on Saturday, killing 11 and wounding dozens, the health ministry in Gaza said. American cargo planes air-dropped thousands of meals into Gaza mid warnings the war-torn city is facing famine Palestinians search through rubble of Al-Bukhari Mosque that was destroyed during Israeli air strike on Dair El-Balah Palestinians running toward parachutes attached to food parcels, air-dropped from US aircrafts on a beach in the Gaza Strip on March 2 Palestinians running toward parachutes attached to food parcels, air-dropped from US aircrafts The Rubymar cargo ship sinking off the coast of Yemen on February 27 The US military dropping aid to Gaza amid warnings the war-torn city is facing the threat of famine American cargo planes air-dropped 38,000 meals into the besieged territory on Saturday It comes as part of a series of drops planned by Washington, which is also continuing to send support to Israel's sustained bombing campaign Palestinians search through the rubble after Israeli air strikes this week Palestinians search through the rubble of the Fleet family home that was destroyed during an Israeli air strike on Dair El-Balah The Israeli army said it had carried out a 'precision strike' in the area of the hospital that targeted militants from the Islamic Jihad group. World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on social media that the reported strike was 'outrageous and unspeakable'. It comes as a British-registered cargo ship sunk after being hit by Houthi missiles in the Red Sea - after crew members were forced to abandon ship following the attack. The Cargo ship Rubymar, which was abandoned in the southern Red Sea after being targeted by Yemen's Houthis on February 18, has sunk, a statement by the internationally recognised Yemeni government said on Saturday. The attack occurred in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, 35 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen, on Sunday night, the UK's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said, against a vessel that was later identified as the Rubymar. Meanwhile, 100 Palestinians were killed or wounded when they crowded around a Gaza aid convoy in a desperate bid to get flour were hit by Israeli army fire, the EU said. At least 112 Palestinians were believed to have been killed and 760 injured when soldiers opened fire after feeling threatened by the crowds. The situation in Gaza has been continuously deteriorating since war broke out between Israel and Hamas more than five months ago, with many citizens forced to searching through piles of rubble and garbage for food. Speaking of the air drops delivered to Gaza, the American military command said on social media platform X: 'US Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance air drop into Gaza on March 2, 2024, between 3:00 and 5:00pm (Gaza time) to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict. Palestinian people walking past the rubble of the al-Bukhari mosque in Deir al-Balah Palestinian people walking past the rubble of the al-Bukhari mosque in Deir al-Balah Palestinian people walk among the rubble after an air strike that destroyed a mosque Smoke rises following Israeli air strikes in the northern Gaza Strip, 01 March 2024. More than 30,200 Palestinians and over 1,300 Israelis have been killed, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Palestinians queue for hours to receive food distributed by charitable organizations, in Deir Balah, Gaza on March 01, 2024 A mass march of families of hostages being held in Gaza march on the outskirts of Jerusalem, in Motza, as they make their way into Jerusalem on March 2 CENTCOM said US C-130 military cargo planes 'dropped over 38,000 meals along the coastline of Gaza allowing for civilian access to the critical aid'. The air drops are 'part of a sustained effort to get more aid into Gaza, including by expanding the flow of aid through land corridors and routes,' the command added. A CENTCOM official said the drop was made up of US military rations that did not contain pork, the consumption of which is prohibited by Islam. Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of around 1,160 people. Hamas also took about 250 hostages, 130 of whom still remain in Gaza. Israel responded with a relentless assault on Hamas-controlled Gaza that has taken a devastating toll on civilians trapped there, killing more than 30,000 people, according to the territory's health ministry. The amount of aid brought into Gaza by truck has plummeted during nearly five months of war, and Gazans are facing dire shortages of food, water and medicines. The United Nations has accused Israeli forces of 'systematically' blocking access to Gaza, which Israel denies. Some foreign militaries have air-dropped supplies to Gaza, sending long lines of aid pallets floating down into the war-torn territory on parachutes. Jordan has been conducting many of the operations with the support of countries including Britain, France and the Netherlands, while Egypt sent several military planes on an air drop Thursday together with the United Arab Emirates. Biden has pushed Israel to reduce civilian casualties and allow aid in, while at the same time he has maintained military assistance for the key US ally. 'US Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance air drop into Gaza on March 2, 2024, between 3:00 and 5:00 pm (Gaza time) National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Friday that the United States planned to carry out multiple air drops over a period of weeks, which will 'be a supplement to, not a replacement for, moving things in by ground.' He described it as a 'tough military operation' that required careful planning by the Pentagon for the safety of both Gazan civilians and US military personnel. 'It is extremely difficult to do an air drop in such a crowded environment as is Gaza,' said Kirby, adding: 'This is a war zone. So there's an added element of potential danger to the pilots in the aircraft.' The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said an Israeli strike hit tents housing displaced civilians near a hospital in the southern city of Rafah Saturday, killing 11 and wounding dozens. A paramedic was among those killed and children were wounded in the blast close to the Emirati Maternity Hospital, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said in a statement. 'Eleven citizens were martyred and about 50 injured, including children, as a result of Israeli forces targeting tents of displaced people near the Emirati hospital,' Qudra said. Footage posted on social media, which AFP could not independently verify, showed bloodied bodies in the streets as crowds gathered, with men carrying away the wounded for treatment. A journalist saw wounded people being rushed on stretchers to the Kuwaiti Hospital, also in Rafah. U.S. C-130s dropped over 38,000 meals along the coastline of Gaza allowing for civilian access to the critical aid 'Destruction is everywhere and there are many martyrs,' said Rafah resident Belal Abu Jekhleh. 'Suddenly the glass shattered and a fire broke out. Everyone fled, some were martyred and others injured. I was injured in my hands and head, and my brother was also injured.' The Israeli army confirmed it struck near the area of the hospital. 'The precision strike was conducted against Islamic Jihad terrorists and no damage was caused to the hospital in the area,' the army said in a statement. Israeli troops have carried out multiple operations in and around hospitals in the Gaza Strip since they launched their offensive in the Palestinian territory. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas militants of using hospitals for military purposes, something the Palestinian group denies. An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge in Rafah, raising fears of mass casualties if Israel goes through with a planned ground invasion of the city. Mediators are scrambling to secure a new truce ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar. The war in Gaza broke out with Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of around 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign against Hamas has killed at least 30,320 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry. A senior officer blamed for allowing Emma Caldwells murderer to remain at large for almost two decades last night broke his silence but failed to say sorry for the shambolic police investigation. Retired detective superintendent Willie Johnston spoke for the first time since Iain Packer was convicted, but failed to offer any explanation or apology for his failure to arrest the killer when he had the chance. After Packer was jailed for life last week, Aamer Anwar the lawyer representing Emma Caldwells mother Margaret told of her fury at the police involved in the case. He said: Margaret believes officers sabotaged an investigation into Packer for a decade and have blood on their hands. When confronted by The Mail on Sunday, Mr Johnston, 66, the senior investigating officer in the case in 2005, said he welcomes a public inquiry into the handling of the botched investigation when he will happily tell his story. Under fire retired detective superintendent Willie Johnston outside his home 1st March 2024 Detective Superintendent Willie Johnston speaking at a press conference in Glasgow about the murder of Emma Caldwell, May 2005 He added: I welcome also the court result and hope it gives justice to the family, justice they should not have had to wait so long to get. He also praised journalists for bringing things to light. Despite evidence gathered by officers, statements from several women who identified Packer as an abuser and incriminating comments made by the killer himself, the 51-year-old was allowed to avoid justice for almost two decades. He was interviewed a number of times by detectives as part of the initial murder investigation but was not arrested or charged until 2022, even though he admitted he once drove Emma to the remote woods where her body was found. Detectives who worked under Mr Johnston claim they flagged up their suspicions but he said Packer would never be an accused. As the furore over the botched probe grows, Mr Johnston who retired in 2006 was questioned on Friday about his handling of the case at his Lanarkshire home. He said: I welcome the role that the Press played in bringing things to light in 2015. I welcome also the court result and hope that it gives justice to the family, justice that they should not have had to wait so long to get. I also welcome calls for a public inquiry and am more than happy to tell my story at that. Last night Mr Anwar branded the case the worst scandal in our legal history and said that as one of those responsible for allowing Packer his freedom, Mr Johnston should have apologised. He added: Im glad Mr Johnston is supportive of a public inquiry. He will, of course, know more than any other that had it not been for Mrs Caldwells tireless campaigning then any hope of justice would have been buried forever. For far too long those responsible for gifting a killer his freedom have remained in the shadows. Now they have no option but to face the glare of public scrutiny. However, it might have been more fitting had an apology been offered not only to Mrs Caldwell but also the many women who suffered at the hands of Scotlands worst sexual predator. Packer finally faced justice for Ms Caldwells murder at the High Court in Glasgow last week where he was convicted of 33 charges against 22 women during a 26-year reign of physical and sexual violence between 1990 and 2016. His long list of victims included 16 sex workers, women he lived with, guests at adult parties and his first target a 15-year-old girl he raped in her home. His most heinous crime was committed after he picked Ms Caldwell up in Glasgow and drove 40 miles to the dark and desolate Limefield Woods near Biggar, Lanarkshire, on April 5, 2005. It was there he throttled the 27-year-old with his hands and a cable. He then stripped his victim before dumping her body in a ditch deep in the forest. Mr Johnston was appointed as the senior officer when the investigation into Ms Caldwells murder was launched in 2005. During that inquiry, Detective Constable Stuart Hall now retired took a number of statements from Packer. Several girls had picked him out of police photographs and Mr Hall believed he was lying about not using prostitutes and not knowing Ms Caldwell. Mr Hall asked Mr Johnston if he could detain Packer, so that his rights could be read and he could be interviewed as a formal suspect but claims he was told no. Packer was spoken to by police a total of six times between 2005 and 2007. When he gave his fourth statement, in August 2006, he admitted paying Ms Caldwell for sex and said he had taken her to a remote spot in the woods. Former detective David Barr also named Mr Johnston as the senior officer who told him Packer was not to be arrested. Instead of going after Packer, the attention of the initial murder probe was turned to four Turkish men after records showed Ms Caldwells mobile was last called by Abubekir Oncu at 11.20pm on the day she went missing. In August 2007, officers arrested Huseyin Cobanoglu, then aged 55, Oncu, 31, and two others, Halil Kandil, 34, and Mustafa Soylemez, 36, in connection with the murder. But when the Turks lawyers raised doubts about the accuracy of translations, prompting the Crown to hire specialist translators to scrutinise police surveillance tapes, the case unravelled. In the meantime, Packer was left free to carry on with his violent sexual offending against a string of women. Then in 2015, close to the tenth anniversary of Ms Caldwells murder, a newspaper published a detailed dossier pointing the finger at Packer and naming him as the forgotten suspect. Outraged, Packer contacted BBC investigative journalist Sam Poling who interviewed him in 2018 and vowed to investigate. Her findings that he was the killer and a sexually violent man were aired in a documentary in February 2019. In May that year, Packers parents house, where he lived in Glasgow, was searched over four days by officers, as revealed by this newspaper. The threat of a terrorist attack on British soil is rising rapidly because of the war in Gaza, senior security officials have privately warned MPs. They issued their chilling alert as the level of extremists' 'chatter' intercepted by spies has reached its highest level since the September 11 atrocities in America. One insider has warned of a 'real risk' of co-ordinated terrorist activity or of a lone outsider carrying out an isolated attack. Politicians have been told that war in the Middle East has been used as a 'recruitment advert' by global terror groups, while security officials are understood to fear an upsurge in extremist activity during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts next Sunday. One MP with knowledge of the most recent briefings said: 'The level of extremist chatter is off the scale. This is something they've seen growing and growing.' The wreck of the Number 30 double-decker bus is pictured in Tavistock Square in central London, July 8, 2005 People take part in a 'March For Palestine', in London on October 21, 2023, to 'demand an end to the war on Gaza' Senior security officials have warned that the level of extremists' 'chatter' intercepted by spies has reached its highest level since the September 11, 2001 atrocities in America Referring to intelligence from the last two weeks, the politician added: 'It's like when the Twin Towers came down in 2001, there was a big spike of hate.' News of the intelligence warning comes after Rishi Sunak spoke out against the 'poison' of extremism which threatened to 'tear us apart' as a country following George Galloway's divisive by-election victory in Rochdale last week. Meanwhile, former Home Office Minister Robert Jenrick today warns that intelligence services and police are too 'stretched' to deal with the 'cancer of Islamist extremism'. Writing in The Mail on Sunday, he said: 'Despite the rise in far-Right activity, the threat still overwhelmingly comes from Islamists.' Security officials have held a series of confidential meetings with MPs since December about the heightened 'chatter' about potential plots intercepted in phone calls and online One well-placed source said: 'There is a high chance of both a 7/7-style attack or a lone fired-up attacker like Lee Rigby's killers.' Off-duty soldier Mr Rigby was murdered in South East London by Islamist extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale in 2013, while the co-ordinated attack on the capital's transport system on July 7, 2005, killed 39 people. Another insider said that as well as the risk of an immediate attack, 'there are also more medium-term fears that this is a generational radicalisation'. Security officials have warned that young British Muslims were particularly prone to being drawn into extremism following the October 7 Hamas attacks and Israel's response. A senior Conservative told the MoS that 'terrorist groups will be finding it easier to fundraise, recruit and be excused for their actions' because of the Gaza war. The current terrorism threat level is 'substantial' the third highest state of alert, meaning an attack is likely. But Alicia Kearns, the Conservative chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, will next week ask Ministers why the level has not been raised. She said: 'Following the heinous crimes against humanity committed by Hamas, and the manner in which Israel has prosecuted its war against them, there can be no doubt that the risk of terrorism globally has escalated gravely. 'I am surprised the national threat level has not been raised.' News of the intelligence warning comes after Rishi Sunak spoke out against the 'poison' of extremism which threatened to 'tear us apart' as a country on Friday night Last night, Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of counter-terrorism legislation, told the MoS: 'I haven't seen this level of open extremism out there since I was appointed in my role in 2019. 'It is the public brazenness of hate directed towards people by category, in particular Zionists, or Israelis, or Jews.' He said extremists believe in a 'grievance narrative' with the UK seen as a 'legitimate target for terrorists' because it is allied with the US and Israel. He added: 'The leader of the 7/7 attacks, Mohammad Sidique Khan, mentioned Palestine in his so-called martyrdom video, if you remember.' Mr Hall also said the increasingly aggressive threats made towards politicians was part of the same problem. He said: 'The stuff directed against MPs is not simply hate they are threats of murder and rape.' Writing in this newspaper, Mr Jenrick called on the police to take more action against extremists and hate preachers online, saying their current approach of ignoring it is creating a 'petri dish for radicalisation'. He said: 'We must immediately end the two-tiered policing that has consistently let extremists off the hook. Appeasement has only emboldened them.' Responding to the claims, one Tory MP said treating extremist chatter as separate to active threats is 'for the birds'. The MP said: 'Without question it creates a greater risk of attack'. Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, has previously warned that Hamas's October 7 atrocities could trigger terror attacks in Britain. He said: 'Terrorists can draw inspiration not just from things they see happening inside the UK but things they see happening in the Middle East or on the continent or elsewhere.' The UK's threat level is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which sits inside MI5 headquarters in London. The last time it was raised to critical the highest level, indicating an attack is highly likely in the near future was on September 15, 2017, just after the Parsons Green bombing on the London Underground by Ahmed Hassan, an Iraqi asylum seeker. The threat level was reduced to 'severe' two days later. It was also raised to critical following the suicide bombing at Manchester Arena, which killed 22 people earlier that year. The threat of a terrorist attack on British soil is rising rapidly because of the war in Gaza, spies have warned MPs. Pictured: Pro-Palestinian protestors gather in London in February Britain's most senior counter-terrorism officer last month warned the Gaza war had become a 'radicalisation moment' for Britain, as extremists had become 'energised by the conflict' It is understood that there were 'discussions' about raising the terror threat last November. 'There were strong views that is could be raised before Christmas, but it wasn't,' a source said. In his speech last week, the Prime Minister warned extremists are trying to undermine British democracy and called on the country to unite to 'beat this poison'. He said the Government will 'redouble our support for the Prevent programme', which tries to steer people away from radicalisation But sources familiar with the programme told the MoS that in reality the Home Office is cutting the Prevent funding of more than 20 of the 50 councils that receive it. Mr Sunak has also instructed the Home Office to use existing laws to block hate preachers from entering Britain putting people preaching racism, division or anti-Western values on visa warning lists, a government source said. Britain's most senior counter-terrorism officer last month warned the Gaza war had become a 'radicalisation moment' for Britain, as extremists had become 'energised by the conflict'. Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes said the Gaza crisis had caused a 25 per cent increase in intelligence coming in to counter-terrorism officers. He added: 'It's hard to remember a more unstable, dangerous and uncertain world. Since the October 7 atrocities the Met have made at least 33 arrests for terrorism offences of which seven have been charged. The Home Office said it has 'significantly strengthened' Prevent in the year since an independent review of the scheme, adding: 'We are working with local authorities and the police to tackle radicalisation head-on.' Giant pandas eat bamboo at Chongqing Zoo in Chongqing, China. San Francisco is continuing to appeal to Chinese officials to bring giant pandas to its zoo for the first time since 1985. Future Publishing via Getty Images Last weeks announcement that China will send giant pandas to the San Diego Zoo has only galvanized San Franciscos efforts to secure a pair of the fuzzy bears. Following Chinese President Xi Jinpings visit to San Francisco during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November, Mayor London Breed sent a letter asking the president to consider sending pandas to the San Francisco Zoo as a sign of friendship. On Thursday, she doubled-down with a second letter this time cosigned by more than 60 local Asian American leaders and organizations. We stand ready to welcome pandas to our San Francisco Zoo and use your willingness to share these envoys of friendship as a catalyst to further strengthen our people to people friendship, Breed wrote. Most especially, we want to reinforce to you how important such an exchange could be for the youth of San Francisco, the Bay Area and all of California in truly building a longstanding relationship between our people for generations to come. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Signers include City Attorney David Chiu, local businesses and organizations such as the Asian Firefighters Association. In December, two engineers working in panda conservation visited the zoo to evaluate it, according to Breeds recent letter. In her previous letter, Breed had said the zoos planned Asian conservation zone had been designed with space in mind for a panda enclosure. So far, Chinas response has been positive. In a letter dated Feb. 5, Liu Jianchao, minister of Chinese Communist Partys International Department, wrote Breed saying he hoped San Francisco would host pandas sometime soon. Tanya Peterson, executive director and president of the S.F. Zoo, confirmed to the Chronicle over email that the zoo has been communicating with officials in China about bringing pandas to San Francisco. Historically, San Diego has been the only place to see pandas in California a pair lived at the citys zoo for decades before they were called back to China in 2019. China, the only country where pandas are a native species, loans out the animals to zoos across the world as a sign of goodwill known as panda diplomacy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During his APEC visit, Xi said he has been told Californians missed the pandas and expressed interest in trying to bring the animals back. San Diego Zoo officials told the Associated Press they expect pandas to return to the city as early as this summer. It's a vital aspect of British life, but buying a round in the pub has been branded potentially triggering for students at a top university. A warning was slapped on a sociology lecture about 'money and finance' which addressed topics including picking up bar tabs at the University of Manchester. Undergraduates were given links to a university-run emergency suicide helpline and counselling service in case the financial focus of the lecture was too distressing. And the lecturer gave a verbal warning before opening discussions to enable students to leave if they found the themes too upsetting, an attendee revealed. One of the lecture's key focuses was the stress caused by buying a round at the pub deemed to be an uncomfortable financial issue for cash-strapped students. Buying a round of drinks at a pub is a vital aspect of British life, but buying a round in the pub has been branded potentially triggering for students A warning was slapped on a sociology lecture about 'money and finance' which addressed topics including picking up bar tabs at the University of Manchester One student said: 'A few heads turned when they mentioned a trigger warning for a topic like that. I think my initial thought was, 'If you're going to put a trigger warning on a topic such as finance then everything's going to need a trigger warning, especially in a subject like sociology.' ' Professor Dennis Hayes, director of Academics for Academic Freedom, lambasted the university for insulting students. He said: 'There is an endless list of things now said to be triggering or are labelled microaggressions. They may just seem silly but they point to something very serious.' He said that this approach 'insults students by treating them as if they can't cope', while self-censoring academics, adding: 'What lies behind this silliness is a campus culture in which 'make sure no one takes offence' is the unwritten rule. It is a censorious culture that undermines the academic duty of criticism.' The lecture in November also dealt with inheritance issues, rising prices and how to split bills. Despite the warning, no one opted to walk out. Money and finance are not included by the University of Manchester on a list of topics they outline may merit trigger warnings, such as genocide, violence, murder and sexual assault. The lecture in November also dealt with inheritance issues, rising prices and how to split bills A university spokesman said: 'Students are being affected by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and financial problems can be especially difficult for young people to deal with. 'We take the welfare of our students very seriously, and we have a duty of care towards them. 'This lecture simply pointed attendees towards the free mental health support the university provides for students who may be having financial difficulties, which includes a counselling service, a 24/7 helpline and a wellbeing app. 'We also provide a cost-of-living support fund to ensure that none of our students are left struggling.' An exotic dancer who is running to become mayor of Portland believes she has what it takes to revive the city's downtown area. Liv Osthus is well-known stripper but she wants to go into politics to solve the crime, homelessness and drug issues which have been plaguing the area. She moved to Portland in 1996 after graduating with a bachelor's in anthropology from William's College and started to exotic dance under the name Viva Las Vegas. But Osthus wants to take on the challenge of leading the city and she told KGW8: 'To me, this is not me going into politics; this is me continuing my journey as an artist. There were 6,300 homeless people on the streets of Portland last year as well as 527 overdoses, according to data. An exotic dancer who is running to become mayor of Portland believes she has what it takes to revive the city's downtown area Liv Osthus is well-known stripper but she wants to go into politics to solve the crime , homelessness and drug issues which have been plaguing the area Osthus understands that people will be skeptical about her wanting to run Portland despite having no political experience. But she wants to tackle the issues downtown by turning the unused offices, left by departing businesses, into studios for artists. 'Artists will make that into a hub of the community. They will put on art shows, put on music shows; people will start coming down to see those,' she said. 'Within two weeks, there will be a coffee shop, and within a month, a lunch spot, we'll have fine dining down there again. We'll have energy flowing down there again.' She admitted to not having any experience in politics or management and added: 'The mayor doesn't need to know everything. Nobody could know everything.' Osthus hopes to be a leader who can guide the city by leaning on the 12 city council seats. 'What I want from a mayor is somebody who listens, somebody who connects and somebody who inspires,' she said. 'I think now is the time in Portland. We've seen mayors that try their hardest to affect what's going on downtown, and it hasn't worked. 'I think it's time for a message of optimism: Portland is blooming.' She is running against three current city commissioners for Portland mayor including her mentor Mingus Mapps. She moved to Portland in 1996 after graduating with a bachelor's in anthropology from William's College and started to exotic dance under the name Viva Las Vegas But Osthus wants to take on the challenge of leading the city and she told KGW8 : 'To me, this is not me going into politics; this is me continuing my journey as an artist She wants to tackle the issues downtown by turning the unused offices, left by departing businesses, into studios for artists Current Portland mayor Ted Wheeler Osthus decided to move into exotic dancing because she wanted to see if sex work could feel empowering. 'We were studying brothels in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and how that was one way for women to get out of very stringent paratracheal structures and have money,' she said. 'Money is power in capitalism and it all clicked in my mind, "This was empowerment".' DailyMail.com has contacted Osthus for comment. Oregon leaders declared a 90-day state of emergency in Portland in January to battle the city's debilitating fentanyl crisis three years after decriminalizing possession of all drugs. Governor Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson made the declaration and are directing their agencies to work with first responders in connecting people addicted to the synthetic opioid with resources including drug treatment programs and to crack down on drug sales. Fentanyl addicts who interact with first responders in Portland's downtown in the next 90 days will be triaged by this new command center. Staff can connect people with various resources from a bed in a drug treatment center to meeting with a behavioral health clinician to help with registering for food stamps. 'Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,' Kotek said. Allies of Sir Lindsay Hoyle have warned MPs plotting to oust him to be 'careful what you wish for'. The Speaker is under threat as 93 MPs have signed a confidence motion in him. It follows a storm after he allowed a vote on a Labour amendment to an SNP motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. There is no formal scheme to oust the Commons Speaker but the motion of no confidence could make his position untenable. Allies of Sir Lindsay Hoyle have warned MPs plotting to oust him to be 'careful what you wish for' The Speaker is under threat as 93 MPs have signed a confidence motion in him 'If the number of MPs goes beyond 100, he's toast,' one predicted. Another in a Conservative MP WhatsApp group warned colleagues signing the motion: 'Be careful what you wish for.' Caroline Nokes, who chairs the Women and Equalities committee, is tipped for the role should Hoyle be toppled. The Government failed to consider the long-term damage of lockdowns when setting its Covid policy, according to a majority of scientists in a new survey. Some 68 per cent of those interviewed believe that more attention should have been paid to the fallout caused by restrictions during the pandemic. More than a third (37 per cent) also described modelling during the crisis as 'average', 'poor' or 'very poor'. One in three disagreed with the notion that lockdowns were always proportionate and justified, while a whopping 70 per cent slammed ministers and officials for not communicating with the public transparently throughout the pandemic. Criticism of how Covid was handled represents a stark shift in expert opinion with very few scientific voices speaking out against Government policy at the time. The Government failed to consider the long-term damage of lockdowns when setting its Covid policy, according to a majority of scientists in a new survey (pictured: Boris Johnson attending a virtual press conference in February 2021) The radical change in scientific thought comes as charities and experts have started to increasingly speak out against the Government's lockdown policies (pictured: a near deserted Piccadilly Circus in January 2021) Prof Robert Dingwall, a former government Covid adviser, from Nottingham Trent University, said that he and fellow critics feared losing their roles if they spoke out against the consensus. 'Others certainly paid a price for trying to voice loyal opposition,' he said. 'I don't blame anyone for keeping their head down if they had a career to build, a family to support or a preference for a quiet life.' Tory MP Bob Seely added that there was 'precious little thought as to the long-term, especially in the development of young people' and that schools should have stayed open. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Throughout the pandemic, the government acted to save lives and livelihoods, preventing the NHS being overwhelmed, and delivered a world-leading vaccine rollout which protected millions. 'We have always said there are lessons to be learnt from the pandemic and are committed to learning from the COVID-19 Inquiry's findings, which will play a key role in informing the government's planning and preparations for the future.' The survey was taken by 198 scientists across the country and conducted by The Telegraph and Censuswide. The radical change in scientific thought comes as charities and experts have started to increasingly speak out against the Government's lockdown policies. A report by the Children's Rights Organisations alliance categorised the pandemic as 'years of lost learning, lost freedoms and lost hopes' for children (Stock Photo) The alliance accused ministers of failing to consider children in their decision-making during the pandemic (pictured: pupils at Fulham Boys School in January 2022) In September the Children's Rights Organisations alliance blasted ministers for the 'preventable' harm caused to children during the pandemic. The group, established to give evidence at last year's Covid Inquiry, argued that social distancing and the closure of schools and playgrounds wreaked 'long-lasting and era-defining' effects on young people's mental health. It also described the pandemic as 'years of lost learning, lost freedoms and lost hope'. In a survey of more than 6,000 parents in England published in August, nearly half of all respondents said lockdown had damaged their child's mental health. Standards in reading, writing and maths by the end of primary school have also dropped from a 65 per cent pass rate in 2018-19 to 59 per cent in 2022-23. Scientists were also divided in their opinions on how the virus started with one in four believing that it was leaked from a lab in China. Around 35 per cent of those interviewed disagreed with this notion and a similar proportion preferred not to comment on Covid's origins. Tory MP Bob Seely (pictured) added that there was 'precious little thought as to the long-term, especially in the development of young people' and that schools should have stayed open Professor Dali Yang (pictured) drew a devastating conclusion that the pandemic, which started with the first known patients in the eastern Chinese city in late December 2019, was not inevitable Scrutiny over the beginnings of the pandemic has swelled recently after a professor claimed that Covid-19 could have been avoided and contained to Wuhan. Professor Deli Yang's book 'Wuhan: How the Covid-19 Outbreak in China Spiraled Out of Control' drew the devastating conclusion that the pandemic, which started with the first known patients in the eastern Chinese city in late December 2019, was not inevitable. The book explores key events that came before a lockdown was imposed on Wuhan, including how a mass banquet was held on January 18 that saw more than 100,000 people come together despite health officials knowing the virus was spreading. Royal files previously open for decades are being slammed shut by the National Archives - to the fury of authors and historians. The closures have triggered a secrecy row among researchers who say junior members of staff at the National Archives are hiding the documents behind closed doors without proper scrutiny. At least 16 royal files have been closed by the National Archives in the past year, some of which have been open to the public for more than 20 years and have been featured in published books. They cover a variety of topics, including the Duke of Windsor's security in the 1930s, the attempted abduction of Princess Anne in 1974 and Prince Andrew's flying training in the late 1970s. Many of the documents have been closed 'under review', but it's not clear how long this process will last. The National Archives have announced that the royal files are to be closed. The closures have triggered a secrecy row among researchers who say junior members of staff at the National Archives are hiding the documents behind closed doors without proper scrutiny (stock image) Queen Elizabeth II with Princess Anne on a royal tour of Fiji in 1970. The royal files cover a variety of topics including the attempted abduction of Princess Anne in 1974 Royal author Andrew Lownie (pictured) said: 'The files are completely innocuous. 'Even if they were secret, the horse has already bolted. Will the police now trace everyone who has looked at them? Will books quoting them now be pulped?' The National Archives have insisted they are following legislation that exempts the royal family from Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosures and withholds information that could endanger their security but this is disputed by some academics. 'The files are completely innocuous' said royal author Andrew Lownie. 'Even if they were secret, the horse has already bolted. Will the police now trace everyone who has looked at them? Will books quoting them now be pulped? 'Alongside the royal files more than 3,000 documents were re-sealed last year. This is a scandal. The National Archives must be more transparent.' Mr Lownie's FOI requests to access the now-sealed files have been repeatedly rebuffed. When he asked the National Archives to release communications between employees about the closures, the emails were heavily redacted. Historian Dr Alison McClean, based at the University of Bristol, told the MoS that Buckingham Palace was not responsible for the secrecy. 'My research indicates that an increasing number of documents, many of which have been open for decades, are being removed from public access by staff at the National Archives. Queen Elizabeth II on the Royal Yacht Britannia with a young Prince William and Zara Phillips. Historian Philip Murphy of the University of London previously discovered a letter revealing that the Queen secretly lobbied the government for a replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia in 1995 Prince Harry's memoir was accused of compromising the security of the Royal family by describing the layout of various royal residences and his personal protection detail 'This is very worrying as there appears to be no external scrutiny.' Royal files in the National Archives have previously led to major news stories. Historian Philip Murphy of the University of London previously discovered a letter revealing that the Queen secretly lobbied the government for a replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia in 1995. He described the National Archives' reclosures as 'worrying', adding: 'It seems that risk-averse officials are closing files that were previously opened for fear that they might cause embarrassment. 'Although a number of these relate to royal protection, their original release suggests they were not judged likely to pose a security threat.' Dai Davies, a former head of Royal Protection, said: 'While there are certain files that could be sensitive, a lot of information is already in the public domain due to memoirs by Diana's former bodyguard Ken Wharf and, more recently, by Prince Harry.' The Duke of Sussex's memoir was accused of compromising the security of the Royal family by describing the layout of various royal residences and his personal protection detail. Mr Davies added: 'We need transparency from the National Archives as to who is making the decision to re-close these historical documents and why.' A spokeswoman for the National Archives said: 'When we are made aware that previously open records may contain information that likely engages the exemptions within the FOI Act, those records have their access status amended to 'Access Under Review'...the decision to close records is made after careful assessment by our Reclosure Panel. 'With regard to internal documents being redacted when included in FOI responses, publishing identifying information...of junior members of staff is considered an unfair use of personal data.' The suspect in the murder of 13-year-old Madeline Soto did not appear for his first court hearing - as creepy footage emerged of him saying 'it's hard not to blame myself' one day after her disappearance. Her body was discovered on Friday afternoon in woods close to where she vanished, four days after she was reported missing. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office said she was wearing clothing similar to what Maddie was last wearing - a green sweatshirt, black shorts and white Crocs. The grim discovery came hours after police revealed Madeline's mother's boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, 37, is the 'prime suspect' in her murder. He did not appear in Osceola County court on Saturday where he faces charges including sexual battery and possession of material depicting sexual performance by a child. The judge ruled he would stay in custody. Footage has emerged of him giving a tearful interview with local news just a day after Madeline went missing. Stephan Sterns, 37, the suspect in the murder of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, has not appeared for his first appearance in court as footage has emerged of him saying 'it's hard not to blame myself' Madeline's body was discovered on Friday afternoon in woods close to where she disappeared, four days after she was reported missing The grim discovery came hours after police revealed Madeline's mother's boyfriend Sterns is the 'prime suspect' in her murder Madeline was reported missing on Monday night in Orlando, Florida, after initial reports she was last seen that morning near Town Loop Boulevard and Hunter's Park Lane. However, cops have since said she may have already been dead during her final sighting. Sterns, who has been identified as the prime suspect in her murder, was arrested on child porn charges and sexual battery after police recovered photos and videos on his phone which were described as 'disturbing'. He has not been charged in connection with the girl's murder. Video has emerged of an interview Sterns gave to Orlandos WFTV 9 on Tuesday. 'I dropped her off [at school] early, I could have waited longer,' he said tearfully. 'She looked okay she was walking towards the school. I went on with my day. We dont know where she could be, and were scared. I just want her home.' He added: 'It just keeps coming in waves, reality keeps hitting. We dont know where she is, we dont know if shes safe. Its a living nightmare. I just wanna wake up.' Deputies say they believe Madeline was never dropped off at Hunter's Creek Middle School on Monday morning, and was dead before then. They said Sterns allegedly moved her body in the morning hours of Monday after killing her in Kissimmee. On Friday afternoon, the Orange County Sheriff's Office held a press conference in which that stated that they were 'confident' the girl was dead. Sheriff John Mina broke the 'devastating news' to Madeline's mother Jenn on Thursday night. 'We believe he moved her body in those early morning hours, and all that is still under investigation,' Sheriff Mina explained. 'Searches are continuing as we speak, and we have people who are working nonstop. Madeline Soto, 13, was reported missing on Monday night in Orlando, Florida after she was last seen that morning near Town Loop Boulevard and Hunter's Park Lane. She is pictured celebrating her birthday last Sunday Video evidence shows Stephan Sterns discarding items in a dumpster at the family's Kissimmee apartment complex at 7:35am. on Monday, February 26 Police found the teenager's body a short distance away from where she lived A missing persons flyer for 13-year-old Madeline Soto and primary suspect Stephan Sterns, far right, on display as Orange County Sheriff 's Department hold a press conference on Friday 'So every lead that comes in, every piece of evidence that we receive, we're gonna follow up on that, and if that leads us to a new search area, we'll be out all weekend.' Surveillance footage seen by police sees Sterns throwing items into a dumpster at an apartment complex in Kissimmee at 7:45 am on Monday morning. The objects were later recovered and allegedly found to be Madeline's backpack and school-issued laptop. Sterns was then captured for a second time on video as he returned back to his neighborhood. Police say they believe the teenager was never dropped off at Hunter's Creek Middle School on Monday morning having been killed hours earlier in Kissimmee. Investigators said they discovered 'disturbing images' when they looked through Sterns' phone, along with proof that he attempted to delete evidence of the related material. After his arrest, Sterns invoked his right to an attorney and declined to speak during his interview. Investigators said he was also the last person to see the girl. On Friday morning, Sterns was transferred from the Orange County Jail to Osceola County. Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez released a statement following Madeline's death: 'I am heartbroken to hear from the Orange County Sheriff's Office of the tragic death of our precious student, Madeline Soto. My thoughts and prayers go out to Maddie's family and her school community. 'To lose a child so suddenly and tragically is extremely difficult especially for family and friends. Counselors continue to be available for any student or staff member dealing with the news. 'I ask that you keep the entire Hunter's Creek Middle School community in your prayers as they grieve the loss of one of their own.' Orange County Sheriff John Mina and Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland announces that their investigation has led them to believe that 13-year-old Madeline Soto was killed by primary suspect Stephan Sterns On Friday morning, Sterns was transferred from the Orange County Jail to Osceola County Stephan Sterns, 37, the boyfriend of Madeline's mother, was arrested on Wednesday for child porn charges Mom, Jennifer Soto, is pictured alongside her 13-year-old daughter Maddie The search for Madeline began after her mother told Fox 35 that her daughter did not make it to school on Monday morning. 'I went to pick her up after school and she wasn't there,' she said before her boyfriend's arrest. 'I drove around and I didn't see anything. I drove back to the school, the school was closed.' 'I emailed one of her teachers, they confirmed that she was absent all day. At that point is when I called 911 because I realized something was truly wrong.' In another interview, the mother said surveillance footage showed her daughter in the parking lot at Peace United Methodist Church after she was dropped off at school that morning. Jenn also noted that Madeline left her cell phone at home on the morning she was last seen. Authorities enlisted the help of K9s, search teams and a piece of Madeline's clothing to try and locate her scent. A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money to help find Madeline but those who donated were given refunds following news of her death. 'As you can imagine we are completely devastated to hear about Maddies confirmed passing,' Andrea, who said she was the the mother's best friend wrote. She previously said: 'I've watched Maddie grow into the beautiful young lady she's become. She loves arts and crafts, playing video games, and playing volleyball.' 'She's a good kid who is loved beyond measure and we just want her safe at home with her family where she belongs.' Madeline's mother, Jenn Soto, is seen speaking to the camera Police found messages on Madeline's phone that said once she was 13, she wanted 'to go live in the woods.' The girl is seen in a picture with her mother Jenn and her boyfriend Sterns Missing posters had been posted all over town and on social media, along with a Facebook group called Madeline Soto Strong- Official support Group & Updates Authorities enlisted the help of K9s, search teams and a piece of Madeline's clothing to try and locate her scent. Pictured: A search crew is seen looking for the girl The girl's aunt, Leticia Nunez, said at the time that she didn't think that Madeleine would've 'pick up and run away with no trace of anything.' 'I'm trying to believe that she is still alive out there.' Tatiana Wallace, Madeline's step mother, also spoke out about the young girl's disappearance and Sterns' recent arrest in the days before she was discovered dead. 'My stepdaughter Madeline has been missing for more than 72 hours. With Stephan Sterns behind bars, we can concentrate on finding her. Share her photo with everyone you know,' she said. Jenn has also posted online about her daughter's disappearance, but has not commented on her boyfriend's arrest. 'I'm trying to hope for the best, but I'm scared for her. I want her to be okay, I want her to be safe I don't want her to come back harmed. I just want her back whatever that means, I just want her back,' the mother said. A former SAS hero is to be jailed for refusing to appear at the inquest of three members of an IRA 'death squad', The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The elite ex-soldier, who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has been found in contempt of court after saying he was too ill to be cross-examined about the shooting of the three IRA hitmen in an SAS ambush more than 30 years ago. The gunmen were en route to murder a member of the security forces when SAS soldiers opened fire in the village of Coagh, Co Tyrone in June 1991. One of those killed, Tony Doris, 21, was a cousin of Northern Ireland's current First Minister Michelle O'Neill, the first republican to hold the post, who is also the vice president of Sinn Fein. She has previously demanded 'justice' for the families of those killed in the Troubles. A goard of honour for IRA man Lawrence McNally who was one of three killed by the SAS in Coagh Co Tyrone One gunman was the cousin of Michelle O'Neill (pictured), now Northern Ireland's First Minister. The other two IRA gunmen Peter Ryan, 37, and Lawrence McNally, 38 are believed to have been linked to 43 murders. The former SAS soldier, who can only be identified as 'Soldier F', has provided a witness statement for an inquest into the IRA men's deaths and has agreed to answer written questions. But he has declined to give oral evidence to a coroner's court in Belfast because of his poor mental health. He has battled PTSD since 2002 and two leading psychiatrists agree he is not fit to give evidence in person. But now, in an extraordinary intervention, a court in Scotland where Soldier F now lives has ruled that he is in contempt of court and sentenced him to six months in jail. It was asked by Northern Ireland's top coroner to pursue the ex-soldier. The former serviceman, who is in his 60s, could be hauled to prison within weeks if an appeal fails later this month. It would be the first time a veteran has been jailed for refusing to cooperate with a so-called 'Legacy' inquest. The former serviceman is not the person also known as Soldier F who faces two charges of murder over the shooting of 13 protesters in Londonderry in 1972, on what is known as Bloody Sunday. A source close to the ex-serviceman last night said: 'He was a loyal, dedicated soldier who was on the front line of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Now, more than 30 years later, he's just collateral damage. Cars smashed following a shooting by the SAS of IRA gunmen in 1991 Scene of the SAS shooting of three IRA men in Coagh Co Tyrone 'Soldier F is proud of his service, of what he did to keep the peace, but he feels he's been abandoned, sacrificed for something bigger.' The shocking case has reignited claims of a 'witch-hunt' against veterans who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, who served with the Scots Guards in Northern Ireland, said the jail sentence was 'appalling'. 'This is a very political move, which we have seen already many times with British soldiers. The evidence he gives in sworn testimony must surely be enough,' he said. 'What is actually being planned is some kind of personal humiliation. I am concerned that what is going on now isn't about evidence but it's about persecution.' Colonel Richard Kemp, who also served in Northern Ireland, said: 'It is a disgusting thing to do to somebody who has put his own life on the line, who has served his country in good faith and was part of a security force that prevented Northern Ireland from breaking into civil war. It seems unjust and excessive to sentence him to jail for something like that.' The covert mission in Coagh came amid a deadly cycle of shootings and bombings in Co Tyrone in the early 1990s. Ryan, McNally and Doris were all members of the IRA's feared East Tyrone Brigade. It was one of the IRA's most effective units, killing dozens in a bombing campaign on Army bases and police stations. Ryan, who had been on the run from prison for the previous ten years, was regarded as one of the IRA's deadliest hitmen. At 7.30am on June 3, 1991, a maroon Vauxhall Cavalier, driven by Doris and with Ryan and McNally in the passenger seats, sped into Coagh, a tiny village in Mid Ulster, and swung into a car park next to the Hanover House Hotel. What the IRA cell did not know was that their movements were being tracked and they had driven straight into a meticulously planned SAS ambush. Detectives with the Royal Ulster Constabulary's Special Branch had earlier received intelligence possibly from an IRA informer that they were plotting to kill an Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldier whom republicans suspected was linked to a loyalist group. An undercover SAS squad was deployed to intercept them. BRIGADE: IRA hitmen Tony Doris (cousin of Michelle O'Neill), Peter Ryan and Lawrence McNally The elite ex-soldier, who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Stock image of the SAS badge In a typically daring ploy, one of the British soldiers, later known as Soldier L, stood near the UDR soldier's parked car reading a newspaper, in a bid to trick the IRA gunmen into thinking their 'target' was waiting to pick up a friend on their way to work. While he acted as a decoy, a group of his heavily armed comrades hid nearby in a specially adapted Bedford lorry. Another SAS squad, known as the 'arrest group', waited behind the hotel. One of the SAS men, known as Soldier H, who was providing surveillance from inside the hotel, has told the inquest that as the Cavalier stopped, one of the IRA gunmen inside the vehicle aimed a rifle at Soldier L. This, it is claimed, prompted Soldier H to issue a 'go order' and the hidden SAS men opened fire, while Soldier L flung himself behind a wall. As up to 150 bullets were fired, the IRA gunmen's car careered out of the car park but crashed into a wall and a parked Volkswagen. At some point, the 'arrest group', which included Soldier F, also fired at the car, which burst into flames. The incident, and others at the time, led to accusations that the British Army was operating a 'shoot-to-kill' strategy. An inquest was launched in 2022 to examine whether lethal force was justified one of a string of controversial 'Legacy' inquiries into killings that took place during the Troubles. The inquests were launched after years of campaigning by relatives whose family members were killed during the conflict. The coffin of Northern Ireland's former deputy first minister and ex-IRA commander Martin McGuinness is carried to his home in Londonderry by Gerry Adams, Raymond McCartney and Michelle O'Neill Pictured, IRA's (Irish Republican Army) masked provisionals Opening the inquest, Brett Lockhart KC, counsel for the coroner, said: 'Two of the men got out of the car, according to soldiers who have given statements, and were carrying rifles. 'They were both shot at by other soldiers who had been in the vicinity of the Bedford lorry. Both the Volkswagen and the Cavalier burst into flames. All three bodies were burnt beyond recognition.' Mr Justice Humphreys, Northern Ireland's top coroner, has described Soldier F as 'an important and central witness' because he helped plan the operation and was one of the soldiers who opened fire. Soldier F joined the regular Army before becoming a special forces soldier in his mid-20s. He is a Northern Ireland expert who was decorated for his courage under fire, and is a father and a grandfather. His PTSD has manifested itself with flashbacks, nightmares and depression. By February 2018, he was in the care of an NHS consultant psychiatrist who diagnosed his PTSD as being moderate to severe. The MoS understands that two of Britain's leading forensic psychiatrists Professor Seena Fazel and Professor Chris Fox have declared that his mental health is too fragile for him to give oral evidence and face cross-examination at the inquest into the events at Coagh. In 2022, Soldier F provided a witness statement about what happened but applied to be excused from giving oral evidence on medical grounds. His plea was rejected, and in June 2023 the High Court of Northern Ireland issued a subpoena requiring him to give evidence to the Belfast hearing the following month. When he still did not attend, a 'certificate of default' was issued and lawyers for Mr Justice Humphreys went to the Court of Session in Edinburgh in a bid to pursue Soldier F for his non-attendance. Last week, Scottish judge Lady Carmichael jailed him for contempt, saying: 'I have determined that the appropriate sentence in the case is one of six months' imprisonment.' The media was banned from reporting the sentence until late on Friday. The source close to Soldier F added: 'The saddest thing of all is that because he's still got that military mindset, he's already packed his prison bag: flip-flops, thick T-shirts, trainers, two sets of pyjama bottoms. 'It's just like the old SAS days when he always had a grab bag waiting to go in case his cover was blown.' In 2022, an interview with a former Special Branch officer emerged in which he claimed that McNally and Ryan 'had 43 murders under their belts as a team'. The pair were both said to have been fuelled by revenge after their brothers were murdered by loyalists. Ms O'Neill's late father Brendan Doris is believed to have been involved with the IRA's East Tyrone Brigade in the 1970s Protesters against the UK Government's Troubles Legacy Bill stands together outside the Northern Ireland Office Another detective claimed Ryan was carrying a tomahawk axe, which he planned to use to 'finish off' the UDR soldier they were targeting. The IRA trio were immortalised by hardline republicans in an IRA song called Ambush At The Bridge. Doris is buried in a cemetery not far from Michelle O'Neill's home. His headstone declares that he was 'killed on active service'. Speaking in 2022, Ms O'Neill whose maiden name is Doris said the Coagh shooting was not investigated by Police Service of Northern Ireland's now defunct Historical Enquiries Team. 'Tony's case is ongoing,' she said. 'It doesn't matter what background you come from, if you've been hurt you've been hurt, [and] if you've lost a loved one as a result of hurt being caused to anyone, you're entitled to have your case heard and to have justice.' Ms O'Neill's late father Brendan Doris is believed to have been involved with the IRA's East Tyrone Brigade in the 1970s. It is not known what his role was, but he was interned at the height of the Troubles because of his membership of the IRA. Not just a disgrace but a political witchhunt By Nigel Ely, ex-SAS soldier In this May 5, 1981 file photo British troops, in foreground, clash with demonstrators in a Catholic dominated area of Belfast, Northern Ireland In all the years the British Army has been protecting lives in Northern Ireland, this must be the final insult. Jailing a now-elderly soldier, with a history of psychiatric problems, for failing to attend a coroners court is not just a disgrace but tantamount to a political witchhunt. He is yet another sop to Sinn Feins republican lynch mob, for whom no amount of retributional blood will be enough. The Unionist community, meanwhile, are sick of knowing that paramilitaries who wreaked havoc on both sides of the Irish Sea will escape similar punishment for acts of terror. The IRA gunmen killed 33 years ago by an SAS arrest squad had killed before and, according to intelligence, were on their way to assassinate a security forces member. One gunman was the cousin of Michelle ONeill, now Northern Irelands First Minister. Those SAS men were life-savers: the very bravest of us all. And, in my experience as a former SAS member, they always did things by the book even when it put them in a more dangerous position. We should be celebrating them as heroes, not interrogating them. We cannot know what atrocities that terrorist cell may have carried out had they not been stopped. Ive been around soldiers like these for more than 40 years, and I can tell you this: none pulled the trigger without just cause. Being in this elite squad is tough, and involves having to endure the most hostile of environments, including behind enemy lines. Photo dated December 7, 1982, showing the devastation caused by a time bomb exploded by the Irish National Liberation Army the evening before at the Droppin Well pub in Ballykelly Thats why this case and the many other investigations into the British soldiers who fought in the Troubles is nothing more than using the law as a weapon. It will have a devastating impact not just on the lives of those caught up in it today, but also on the future of the British Army at a perilous time. I know people with sons in the Army who wont join the SAS because of the hassle and pressure which might dog them later. Young SAS warriors have to get lawyered up before they act. Over the last 30 years, both Labour and the Conservatives have broken a generation of soldiers. They are the ones who should stand trial for war crimes. Soldier F should be nowhere near a courtroom and, like the rest of the old and the bold, be allowed to get on with whats left of his life in peace. Nigel Ely is ex-SAS and a bestselling author who served in tours in Northern Ireland, the Falklands and in the Persian Gulf A two-year-old child has died after attending a childcare centre in Cairns, in far north Queensland. The child reportedly showed signs of being unwell when they arrived at the centre and is said to have had a pre-existing condition. The toddler was flown to Brisbane for treatment but was unable to be saved. Queensland's Department of Education did not state the location of the child care centre but confirmed the loss of life. A two-year-old child has died after attending a childcare centre in Cairns, in far north Queensland. Stock image A spokesman said the department is 'aware of the tragic death of a child that attended a child care centre in Cairns and would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family at this very sad time'. 'As the regulatory authority of early childhood education and care services, the department places the highest priority on the health, safety and wellbeing of all children attending these services,' the spokesman told the Cairns Post. The death is said to be considered non-suspicious and no investigation has been announced. In July 2022, a two-year-old boy died suddenly at childcare centre in Maryborough in Queensland's Fraser Coast region. It's been a long time since Nick Griffin tasted political success. If you follow me in Rochdale get out and vote for George Galloway today, the former BNP leader tweeted on the morning of Thursdays by-election. Hes not perfect, but its the best way by far to stick two fingers up to the rotten political elite. The voters of Rochdale duly obliged. A few hours later, Galloway was heading back to Parliament, courtesy of a resounding majority that saw Sir Keir Starmers estranged candidate, Azhar Ali, beaten into fourth place behind the Tories. This morning, Westminster is trying to come to terms with the implications of his victory. Many pointed to the ongoing Hamas/Israel conflict. Others cited deepening disillusionment with Britains political class. Some sought comfort in the anarchic nature of a contest framed by Alis 11th-hour suspension. But almost all of them are choosing to ignore another key component of Galloways triumph. The racism and toxicity festering in some elements of Britains Muslim community. George Galloway, pictured with a supporter after his victory in Rochdale, is heading back to Parliament, courtesy of a resounding majority Its now just over 30 years since our political establishment experienced an equivalent bodyblow. In 1993, Derek Daddy Beackon, an unemployed lorry driver, won the Millwall council by-election, handing the BNP its first ever political success. At the time, the result was decried as a tragedy that had put British race relations back decades. The main parties opened urgent investigations into how racism had been allowed to seep into our body-politic. And vowed to confront it and defeat it. But at the moment the response to Galloways election not to a council seat by the slender margin of seven votes, but the House of Commons with a majority of almost 6,000 is one of denial. As I watched the votes piling up on the trestle tables of the Entwisle Road Leisure Centre, his supporters tried to spin that he enjoyed the endorsement of people across the constituency, a testament to his focus on a range of local issues, not just events in the Middle East. But within ten seconds of his win, Galloway had laid that lie to rest. Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza, he said at the very start of his victory speech, name-checking a Palestinian city 2,000 miles away, rather than the northern mill town hed just been elected to represent. It's been a long time since Nick Griffin tasted political success. If you follow me in Rochdale get out and vote for George Galloway, he tweeted on the morning of the by-election In 1993, Derek Daddy Beackon, an unemployed lorry driver, won the Millwall council by-election for the BNP Galloways agenda was clear from the moment he arrived in Rochdale. Yet looking at the responses to Thursdays vote, you could be forgiven for thinking hed somehow purloined the seat by stealth. The people of Rochdale must reject the politics of division and hate, his opponents pleaded in the run-up to polling day. A mantra that will no doubt be repeated with growing desperation in the days to come. But the reality is the people of Rochdale didnt reject the politics of hate. They seized it hungrily. George Galloway is one of the great political carpetbaggers. But there has been a consistency to the route traversed by his caravan of chaos. Rochdale. Bradford. Batley and Spen. He always targets those areas with above-average Muslim populations, because he believes they represent the most fertile ground for his noxious politics to flourish. And last week his strategy was vindicated. Nor as our panicked political class is currently trying to pretend is he an aberration. As the Rochdale inquest gets under way, a lot of the focus is turning to Labour, and the selection of its own candidate. In particular, the idea it was rushed through with insufficient scrutiny. But Azhar Ali, pictured below, is not some marginal figure who emerged from nowhere. He is former head of the Labour Group at Lancashire County Council, and a major figure in the North West Labour establishment. A status specifically built upon his leadership role within the local Muslim community. When the Gaza crisis broke, Keir Starmer telephoned him to ask his advice on how to manage the internal politics of the issue. So when Ali began peddling anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, it wasnt because he was a crank who had somehow slipped past Labours internal vetting. It was because he knew if he wanted to shore up support among his partys Muslim base, that was the language they expected to hear. This is the ugly reality of Rochdale. And it needs to be faced in the same way the ugly reality of Millwall had to be faced 30 years ago. The British people are tired of the hypocrisy surrounding the debate about race. In particular, they are becoming increasingly angry at the way white racism is correctly policed with vigour, while racism and prejudice within other communities is given a pass. When Suella Braverman declared multiculturalism had failed a few months ago, she was predictably pilloried. But how is that point even contestable after Rochdale? Just as thousands of Muslim voters were switching en masse to Galloway, so voters in predominantly white wards were endorsing independent David Tully, a local businessman who stormed past the established parties to seize second place. And at the count you could literally see this division forming before your eyes. Steep piles of votes for Galloway in the Muslim areas. Steep piles of votes for Tully in the white areas. A form of political segregation is now being created in Britain that would not have been out of place in the American South of the 1960s. And it is not sustainable. Because what has started in Rochdale will not end there. Before last Thursday, Galloway and his Workers Party had pledged to stand in 50 seats at the General Election. His aides are now claiming they will stand a minimum of 100. Its going to be triple figures, an ally told me. The party will explode. In a good way. That detonation cannot be allowed to happen. When Beackon seized his Millwall council seat, few argued it was evidence every Eastender was a neo-Nazi. There was a recognition that factors like social deprivation, and growing alienation from the political mainstream, had major parts to play in his election. But there was also a consensus that the result and racism underpinning it could no longer be ignored. So it must be after Rochdale. George Galloway is heading back to Parliament. Nick Griffin is cheering him on. If that doesnt wake Britains political establishment from its slumber, what the hell will? Around the world, glaciers and permafrost are melting, and in some places the retreating ice is releasing buried secrets people hoped would remain forgotten. Rising waters have exposed a secret Greenland nuclear base that engineers thought would never resurface as well as a radioactive Tomb at the site of American nuclear tests. And while it sounds far-fetched, very credible experts have warned that the next pandemic may well come from ancient pathogens buried in the ice, or even from diseases harbored by frozen dead Neanderthals. The secret nuclear city under Greenlands ice Camp Century in Greenland is a secret nuclear-powered city under the ice, where U.S. Army engineers carried out weapons research. The base has been abandoned for almost half a century Camp Century's legacy of waste could resurface When the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) left the base, they assumed that frigid temperatures and falling snow would keep the nuclear waste there forever The base has been abandoned for almost half a century, but now poses a serious concern over nuclear waste. Powered by a portable nuclear generator, Camp Century was built in 1959, and was built to host 200 soldiers, with a plan to expand the base to hold 600 ballistic missiles. Camp Century was abandoned in 1967, but the nuclear reactor at the base - which also had a hospital and a church in its tunnels - has long since been removed, but radioactive waste remains. When the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) left the base, they assumed that frigid temperatures and falling snow would keep the nuclear waste there forever. In total, the waste is equivalent to the mass of 30 Airbus A320 airplanes - and researchers now fear that it could be released into the sea. A 2016 study suggested that the nuclear waste could be released into the sea this century, but newer measurements at the base suggest that this will not happen until 2100. Tomb of poison at nuclear test site In the Marshall Islands, a huge lid which locals know as The Tomb covers 31 million cubic feet of nuclear waste - equivalent to the volume of 35 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The islands were the site of American nuclear tests, but the U.S. military also shipped in waste from the mainland. The islands were the site of American nuclear tests The islands were the site of American nuclear tests From 1946 to 1958, America conducted 67 nuclear tests in the South Pacific. The concrete lid officially known as the Runit Dome was built on Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands to contain radioactive material from American nuclear tests in the 1950s. Some studies have suggested that radiation levels near the site are similar to those near Chernobyl and the waters around the dome are rising every year. Changing temperatures are causing the lid to crack, while rising waters are lapping at the atoll. Plutonium - and a lost hydrogen bomb? A 1968 plane crash scattered plutonium from American nuclear weapons over the ice in Greenland, which could be released by global warming. The U.S. military assumed that the Thule air base in Greenland would be rapidly attacked in a nuclear war, so kept nuclear-armed bombers in the air to fly towards Russia in the event of an attack. The Thule incident saw large amounts of radioactive plutonium dispersed onto the ice sheet The Thule incident saw large amounts of radioactive plutonium dispersed onto the ice sheet The Thule incident saw large amounts of radioactive plutonium dispersed onto the ice sheet, as a cabin fire in a B-52 bomber forced the crew to bail out. Conventional explosives inside the four B28FI thermonuclear bombs detonated, spreading radioactive waste. But the uranium-235 fissile core of one of the bombs was never found, despite a search with submarines. Reports in the decades since have suggested that the lost bomb is lying under the seabed. Frozen viruses and the next pandemic Researchers have warned that the next pandemic could come from melting ice. Genetic analysis of soil and lake sediment near the highest Arctic freshwater lake, Lake Hazen, suggests that the risk of viral spillover may be high close to melting glaciers. Could 'zombie' viruses infect the human race? (Getty) Spillover is where a virus infects a new host for the first time - and analysis of viruses and potential hosts in the lakebed suggests this risk may be higher near to melting glaciers. Researchers at Ohio State University found genetic material from 33 viruses, 28 of which were unknown, in the Tibetan plateau in China, putting their age at 15,000 years old. Viruses from Neanderthals Other researchers have warned of viruses unleashed by melting permafrost: one-quarter of the northern hemisphere sits on top of permanently frozen ground - known as permafrost, but large areas are now melting as the world warms. There are already examples of this - with a 2016 anthrax outbreak in Siberia attributed to melting permafrost exposing an infected reindeer carcass. Virologist Jean-Michel Claverie has warned that ancient viruses harbored in the long-frozen ground could be released Previously researchers have warned that global warming and thawing ice might unearth diseases such as smallpox frozen into the corpses of victims, with a few infectious particles enough to revive the pathogen. As permafrost thaws due to climate change, virologist Jean-Michel Claverie has warned that ancient viruses harbored in the long-frozen ground could be released. Claverie explains that if an ancient pathogen eradicated Neanderthals, for instance, their frozen remains might still contain infectious viruses that could be unleashed as ice melts. Claverie told Bloomberg News, With climate change, we are used to thinking of dangers coming from the south. Now, we realize there might be some danger coming from the north as the permafrost thaws and frees microbes, bacteria and viruses. Claveries team previously revived giant viruses from up to 48,000 years ago - and the veteran scientist has warned that there could be even more ancient viruses in the ice, some of which could potentially infect humans. Frozen poison in the ice Polar regions have acted as a chemical sink for the planet, locking away poisons in the ice - but melting ice could release this. A study in Geophysical Research Letters found huge reserves of the toxic heavy metal mercury frozen in Arctic permafrost. The amount may be 10 times higher than all the mercury pumped into the atmosphere from industry in three decades. Paul Schuster, a U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist, "This is a complete game-changer for mercury. It's a natural source, but some of it will be released through what we're doing with climate change." Mercury is released by industry, volcanic eruptions and rock weathering - but whats less clear is what will happen if the pool in the Arctic is released. Jordan Parker is a breaking news reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. He graduated from Sacramento State University in May 2022 with a degree in journalism. During his time there, he spent three years as a reporter and editor for the university's award-winning student newspaper, The State Hornet. He spent his senior year of college serving as The Hornet's first Black editor in chief, leading the organization to two Pacemaker awards and several other national honors from the Associated Collegiate Press. When he's not chasing down a story, he likes watching movies, traveling and trying new restaurants. He can be reached at Jordan.Parker@sfchronicle.com. The FBI has warned this week that Russian state-backed hackers are using 'compromised' routers to sneak into people's computers. Individuals' and businesses' routers were secretly used to perpetrate cybercrimes, with the goal of accessing US government networks, according to the FBI. In a joint statement with the National Security Agency (NSA), US Cyber Command, and 10 other nations' intelligence services, the FBI urged anyone who uses the affected routers to take certain precautions to avoid having their data stolen. The routers in question are Ubiquiti EdgeRouters, and the precautions - outlined below in this article - include resetting passwords and performing a factory hardware reset. Because these routers come from the factory with lax security settings, they are particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks, the FBI said in its announcement. Hackers can assemble a so-called 'botnet' And because of their affordable price - $59 for the company's cheapest model - they are common for home and office use. WHAT IS A BOTNET? A botnet is a chain of computers that has been co-opted using malicious code. Hackers use these networks of computers to help them launch various attacks, including mass spam campaigns and DDoS attacks meant to overload servers and imperil an entities infrastructure. According to Norton Security: 'A botnet is nothing more than a string of connected computers coordinated together to perform a task. That can be maintaining a chatroom, or it can be taking control of your computer.' - Norton Advertisement 'Ubiquiti EdgeRouters have a user-friendly, Linux-based operating system that makes them popular for both consumers and malicious cyber actors,' wrote the FBI in the joint statement. 'EdgeRouters are often shipped with default credentials and limited to no firewall protections to accommodate wireless internet service providers (WISPs). Additionally, EdgeRouters do not automatically update firmware unless a consumer configures them to do so.' These routers had been covertly enlisted into a botnet, making people's and businesses' computers unwitting accomplices in cybercrimes involving spearphishing. These targeted attacks are aimed at stealing login credentials, often from government employees, as a way to gain access to secure networks. In a spearphishing attack, a specific person is targeted. The victim may be sent a legitimate-looking email from a commonly used website. Spearphishing emails may ask them to update their password on Amazon or change their payment method for Netflix, for example. But when they click the link, they are sent to a fake website - which looks just like the real thing. When the target enters their username and password, they may actually be redirected to the real website. But their personal information is now owned by the hackers. The FBI and other US law enforcement agencies claimed that they thwarted a Russian-backed botnet attack in mid-February, but they warned that the group involved, known by APT28 among other names, is still very much active. The botnet that hosted these spearphishing landing sites was controlled by the Russian Federations Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU), according to the FBI. READ MORE: Secret world of China's international hacking networks exposed Major leak reveals how state surveils dissidents overseas, launches cyberattacks other nations and uses propaganda on social media. In response to the news of the leaks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning claimed that the U.S. has long been working to compromise the country's critical infrastructure. She demanded that the U.S. 'stop using cybersecurity issues to smear other countries.' Advertisement Specifically, the agency suspected GRU Military Unit 26165 - also known as APT 28, Sofacy Group, Forest Blizzard, Pawn Storm, Fancy Bear, and Sednit. If an EdgeRouter is compromised, rebooting it will not remove malware, the federal law enforcement agency warned. For anyone who owns a Ubuquiti EdgeRouter, they recommended the following steps to ensure your device is safe: Perform a hardware factory reset to flush file systems of malicious files. Upgrade to the latest firmware version. Change any default usernames and passwords. Implement strategic firewall rules on WAN-side interfaces to prevent the unwanted exposure of remote management services. 'Additionally, all network owners should keep their operating systems, software, and firmware up to date,' the FBI advised. 'Timely patching is one of the most efficient and cost-effective steps an organization can take to minimize its exposure to cybersecurity threats.' In mid-February, the FBI announced that it had disrupted a Russian botnet controlled by GRU. Using a network of hundreds of the routers, GRU Military Unit 26165 had been concealing and launching a variety of cybercrimes. 'These crimes included vast spearphishing and similar credential harvesting campaigns against targets of intelligence interest to the Russian government, such as U.S. and foreign governments and military, security, and corporate organizations,' the FBI claimed in an announcement at the time. Advertisement These extraordinary aerial images, taken over a period of decades, show how modern society has transformed the planet, with industry leaving strangely beautiful marks that give some areas the appearance of an alien world. Others show natural landscapes that look like abstract paintings from above. The transfixing pictures have been taken by world-renowned Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky, who has spent 45 years taking photos from a god-like perspective achieved by the use of helicopters, small jets, hydraulic poles, and drones. Now over 90 of his extraordinary images have been compiled in a lavish coffee-table book called Edward Burtynsky: Extraction/Abstraction (published by Steidl), essentially a catalogue of an exhibition at Saatchi Gallery London running until May 6 that shares the name. The exhibition features 94 of Burtynskys large-format photographs, and 13 high-resolution murals - making it the largest exhibition of his work ever staged. It is also the European premiere of Burtynskys new multimedia piece, 'In the Wake of Progress', an immersive art experience further exploring the impact of human industry on the planet. Burtynsky said: 'I have spent over 40 years bearing witness to the ways in which modern civilisation has dramatically transformed our planet. At this time, the awareness of these issues presented by my large-format images has never felt more urgent. I am grateful to be mounting the largest exhibition of my career at Saatchi Gallery in London, UK, and I hope the exhibition experience will continue to provide inflection points for diverse conversations on these issues and move us all to a place of positive action.' Paul Foster, Saatchi Gallery Director, said: 'This is an exhibition that reminds us how beautiful our planet is. Burtynsky has even captured how beauty remains evident in the ways that humans have exploited its resources for our own ends. However, these images are also a wake-up call for humanity to change its ways or face a precarious and uncertain future. I cannot think of a more important exhibition that we could have presented.' Scroll down to see MailOnline Travel's pick of the bunch from the book's pages, presented with descriptions from the accompanying captions. RICE TERRACES, WESTERN YUNNAN PROVINCE, CHINA, 2012: 'This sustainable farming method has been practised in China for over a thousand years,' the book reveals. 'If done properly, it prevents erosion, retains moisture, and can support the biodiversity that keeps soils naturally fertile' DESERT SPIRALS, VERNEUKPAN, NORTHERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA: 'These whimsical patterns, reminiscent of the abstract mark-making of primaeval artists, have a practical purpose,' reveals the book, 'to convert desert into arable land. Also known as swales, they were ploughed in the dry season to capture water during the infrequent rainfall, trap wind-borne seeds and prevent erosion' SALINAS, CADIZ, SPAIN: Pictured above are salt marshes near the Atlantic port city of Cadiz, with 'briny streams of turquoise seawater running through them'. The book adds: 'Looking like cloisonne [coloured glass] jewellery, the multicoloured ridges that secure the marsh were built long ago to create salt pans, but the small-scale craft industry has since died out' NICKEL TAILINGS, SUDBURY, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1996: This 'hellish picture' was taken outside the northern Ontario city of Sudbury in central Canada, which is famous for its nickel deposits. The book reveals that the image shows what looks like molten lava, but is in fact oxidized, water-borne waste, adding: 'It is actually an illusion of scale. We are not looking at a river, but at a small creek, just over a metre wide that can be easily jumped over' THJORSA RIVER, SOUTHERN REGION, ICELAND: This incredible picture shows the result of currents in the Thjorsa river eroding silt into 'wispy patterns', with the tome adding: 'Volcanic minerals are responsible for the surreal colours of [Iceland's] famous lakes and rivers' SALT PONDS, NEAR FATICK, ATLANTIC COAST, SENEGAL: This stunning picture shows a patchwork of hand-dug depressions, the result of artisanal salt harvesting. The colour variations are caused by salt-resistant microorganisms and varying rates of evaporation, the book explains SALT PONDS, NEAR NAGLOU SAM SAM, SENEGAL: There are three photographs in the exhibition of salt harvesting in Senegal and each is formally different, attesting to different harvesting styles from region to region, the book reveals PENGAH WALL, KOMODO NATIONAL PARK, INDONESIA, 2017: 'Heres what a healthy coral environment looks like,' says the book, 'a riot of colour teeming with life and reminiscent of a mid-century "all-over" abstraction a la Jackson Pollock. A challenging photograph to create, the subject is in a remote and dark location, at a depth of 65 feet off the coast of Indonesia and somewhat protected by its UNESCO Natural World Heritage designation. A team of 12 divers was required to accomplish this mural, which is made up of multiple images electronically stitched together. Alarmingly, this spectacular coral wall is among the declining survivors of global warming and ocean acidification. Such habitats are falling victim to rising ocean temperatures, industrial pollution, dynamite fishing, and to urban development' SATELLITE CAPTURE, PIVOT IRRIGATION NEAR BURAYDAH, SAUDI ARABIA: The book says: 'Pivot irrigation produces the vast stretches of green crop circles that we see when flying over arid regions such as Saudi Arabia and the American Southwest. Water is pumped up from aquifers deep underground and distributed along lengthy motorised pipes. Sprinkler and row irrigation systems are much less efficient than pivot and drip irrigation because the evaporation rate is high in arid regions. Although the practice has dramatically increased food production, it is not sustainable; "fossil water" is limited and takes centuries to replenish. Many pivot-irrigated farms elsewhere have run dry as evidenced by the fading circles in this image' PIVOT IRRIGATION, HIGH PLAINS, TEXAS PANHANDLE, USA: Burtynsky used a gyro to stabilise his camera to get this perfectly squared image, which was shot through a hole in the floor of a fixed-wing airplane EROSION CONTROL, YESILHISAR, CENTRAL ANATOLIA, TURKIYE, 2022: The book says: 'Turkiyes landscapes are consistently at risk of topsoil erosion and desertification. Ambitious terracing programs such as this capture water and stimulate reforestation, thus successfully preventing erosive flooding' BAY OF CADIZ, SPAIN, 2013: 'The fantastic vermiculation [wavy lines cut into stone] of this marshland is a natural occurrence,' the book says. 'Nearby are old, largely abandoned salt pans that impose a more convenient geometry on the natural pattern. Like most salt marshes, this one has a rich biodiversity' TAILINGS POND, WESSELTON DIAMOND MINE, KIMBERLEY, NORTHERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA: 'This boldly elegant study in shades of grey is kimberlite, the waste material from diamond mining,' the tome explains. 'A conveyor belt, which looks here like the stem of a chrysanthemum, brings tailings to pour down in long petals into the waste pond' URALKALI POTASH MINE, BEREZNIKI, RUSSIA: The book explains: 'About 350 metres below the Russian city of Berezniki is a 3,000-kilometre-long tunnel system created by potash mining. The variegated rosette patterns are the bore marks of giant tunnelling machines that chew up the stratified mineral. The red colour is the sediment of ancient sea life, the effective ingredient in this powerful fertiliser' CERRO PRIETO GEOTHERMAL STATION, SONORA, MEXICO: The books says: 'Cerro Prieto is a volcano south of Mexicali near the Colorado River delta. Since 1973, electricity has been generated here by harnessing the heat from the molten magma beneath the Earths crust. Geothermal electricity is a relatively clean renewable energy. In this case, however, the steam produced by pumping water into boreholes drilled into geothermal hotspots activates turbines to generate electricity also produces hot, mineral-rich water. The artificial lakes seen here allow the minerals to settle so that the water may be recycled. In recent years, the area has seen an increase in health complaints from people ingesting the briny vapours' SALT LAKES, BIRD TRACKS, YARISLI LAKE, BURDUR PROVINCE, TURKIYE: The book explains: 'This turquoise saline lake in southwestern Turkiye attracts about 140 different species of migratory birds, including large flocks of flamingos. They come to feed on the nutrient-rich alkaline water and leave behind the erratic filigree [delicate] patterns of their steps that we see here. These will be washed away when the weather begins to cool and the lake is replenished' CANOLA FIELDS, LUOPING, YUNNAN PROVINCE, CHINA, 2011: The book says: 'Here we see a surreal scene of storybook mountains and monochromatic monoculture, industrial farming... that leads to high yields at the cost of soil degradation, reduced biodiversity and a heavy reliance on polluting chemicals' SUPER PIT, KALGOORLIE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 2007: The book says: 'The Fimiston open pit, known locally as "Super Pit", is a 600-metre-deep gold mine. It was the largest in Australia until it was surpassed in 2016. Nevertheless, it remains a popular local tourist attraction with a lookout over the operation. Sightseers come to view these deep excavations, also known as open cast or open cut pits, to behold the exposure of millions of years of geologic time' PIVOT IRRIGATION / SUBURB, SOUTH OF YUMA, ARIZONA, USA: 'Looking like a diagram on parchment, this sparse suburb on the edge of Yuma shares an arid plain with neighbouring farmland,' the book says LITHIUM PROCESSING PLANTS, ATACAMA DESERT, CHILE, 2017: The book says: 'Lithium can be found in rock or in ocean brine, such as in the aquifer beneath the scorching Atacama Desert, where the concentration of the ultra-light metal is particularly high. The driest non-polar place on Earth, the Salar de Atacama is challenging to reach because of the hard, razor-sharp, tire-lacerating salt crystals that cover it. Highly volatile and flammable, lithium is a hazardous material that must be handled with great care. It is transported in liquid form from here to the coast for further processing, then shipped to its surging world markets. A bi-product of the lithium extraction process is fertiliser, seen here covered in blue tarps. The reddish section is a higher-quality fertiliser' COAL MINE, NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA, GERMANY: 'This German lignite, or "brown coal" operation, is an extreme example of strip mining,' the tome reveals. 'In the distance, the worlds largest autonomous vehicle chews up the landscape to reveal the cheap, but dirty, fuel that keeps the powerplants of central Europe humming and its people warm in winter. Whole villages and highways have been lost to the search for low-cost coal. Last year, the government of North Rhein-Westphalia announced that it will phase out the use of coal by 2030' CLEARCUT, PALM OIL PLANTATION, BORNEO, MALAYSIA, 2016: The book says: 'The fabled rainforests of Borneo, the third-largest island in the world, are shrinking fast. Administratively divided between three countries - Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia - Borneo is a major producer of tropical lumber, which is clear cut and replaced with oil palm plantations. Highly versatile, palm oil is used in everything from processed foods to lipstick. Anyone in the world who regularly reads ingredient labels will know it well. Deforestation, such as we see here, is a major cause of global warming, soil degradation and species extinction' SAW MILLS, LAGOS, NIGERIA: 'Makoko is the informal settlement we see here at the east end of Lagos,' says the book, 'the largest city in Africa. A third of Makoko is built on stilts well into the citys eponymous Lagoon, the most polluted ecosystem on the continent. Nigerias lowland forests are disappearing fast to illegal logging, much of which ends up in Makokos sawmills. The deforestation that ensues enables the expansion of agriculture to feed the industrialised and oil-rich countrys booming population' CHUQUICAMATA COPPER MINE OVERBURDEN, CALAMA, CHILE: 'This is the largest open-pit copper mine by volume in the world, and the second deepest,' the book reveals. 'Accounting for 29 per cent of the worlds copper production, Chile is the largest exporter of this extremely useful metal' ROCK OF AGES, ACTIVE SECTION, E.L. SMITH QUARRY, BARRE, VERMONT, USA, 1992: The book says: 'Established in 1880, Rock of Ages is the worlds largest "deep hole" granite quarry. The dimension stone mined here is known as "Barre Gray" granite for nearby Barre, Vermont. Used primarily for funerary monuments, its fine grain is also popular among sculptors' GREENHOUSES, ALMERIA PENINSULA, SPAIN: The book says: 'A large proportion of Europes off-season fruits and vegetables come from this peninsula on the Mediterranean coast of southern Spain. Formerly arid scrubland, since the 1960s it has gradually become the worlds largest concentration of greenhouses. It relies on an abundance of sunlight, a dwindling aquifer and plenty of chemicals for its remarkable yields' POLDERS, GROOTSCHERMER, THE NETHERLANDS, 2011: Explains the book: 'Over a quarter of the Netherlands is below sea level. Were it not for medieval engineers, 65 per cent of the country would be underwater at high tide. Polders, such as these erratically striped islands, are reclaimed marshland separated from the sea by a system of seawalls, dykes and sluices. The countrys famous windmills were erected to pump water back out to sea' PUNTA GORDA, CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FLORIDA, USA, 2012: The books says: 'This is a detail of Charlotte Park, a neighbourhood of Punta Gorda, Spanish for "fat point". The neighbourhood juts out into an estuary on the west coast of Florida. The Gulf of Mexico region is famously prone to hurricanes, but this community is somewhat protected from surging storm water by a thick mangrove forest whose deep roots stabilise the coastline. Over the last century, however, this estuary has lost up to 60 percent of its vital mangrove forests to urban development. The vermicular street plan was designed to maximise water frontage for as many homes as possible' A British man who decided to fly out to Milan for a night out, claims it cost him the same amount of money as a night of partying in London. Jamie Segal, from Cambridge, documented his extreme trip on TikTok, showing his followers everything he managed to squeeze into less than 24 hours. The video, posted under the handle @jamie.segal, has already been seen by more than 400,000 people who are flocking to the comments to question how they can do it themselves. He flew out at 11:45am on a Saturday, returning to the UK at 9am the following morning - without booking a hotel. He started off the video by saying: 'If you're bored of doing nights out in England then this is your sign to book some cheap flights and do a night out abroad. A British man who decided to fly out to Milan for a night out, claims it cost him the same amount of money as a night of partying in London 'So we booked these flights to Milan, they cost us 31 which is unbelievable.' The TikToker admitted: 'Obviously Milan is a bit of an expensive city but honestly, you spend the same amount of money as you would in London for example, so we thought why not. 'We had a bit of time to explore before the sun set so I went to the Duomo di Milano and looked at the piazza down at the bottom.' He filmed stunning sunset views of the city, from the top of one of its most famous buildings. Jamie continued: 'Then we even had time to go to the San Siro as why not. Got a bit of pizza, a bit of Peroni - proper Italian. 'Saw some castle as well, which was really nice under the lights. Then it was time to go to the San Siro.' The Brit explained: 'Obviously we had to go there, just in case it does get knocked down. I mean I don't really know what is going on with it, but we managed to see it, saw some ultra signs.' Next, he and his friends found time for another meal in the Navigli district, which consisted of tapas, carbonara and some wine. He filmed stunning sunset views of the city, from the top of one it's most famous buildings He finished the video by saying: 'Then it was time to go out, and I'll let you enjoy some dancers in this club called Alcatraz.' Panning the camera around a busy nightclub, he recorded the bustling crowds and some dancers on the stage. Commenters were quick to quiz the TikToker on how much he spent while in the Italian city, with one penning: 'How much did the whole trip cost then mate?' Jamie replied: 'Between 100-200 including everything. Transport, food, drinks. Same amount I'd spend in London to be fair.' Another queried: 'Where to find those cheap flights?,' to which the TikToker explained: 'Its easy hahahaha, look about a week before you wanna go, they should be cheap enough!' Meanwhile, a third quipped: 'Its the hassle of all the airports thats put me off doing a day thing.' Jamie reassured them: 'Honestly its not that bad. Was really easy getting out of Bergamo airport.' Inspired, others tagged their friends writing: 'Lets do this' and 'wanna do this in future.' The concept of flying somewhere for an extremely short period of time, known as 'extreme day tripping,' is becoming increasingly popular in the UK - and Milan is a popular destination. Just last November, another Londoner decided to embark on a short but fun-filled whistle-stop tour of the Italian city. Ehteshan Hanifa, 29, 'couldn't recommend it enough' to others after jetting off to Milan at 5:45am and enjoying a day out, before flying back to London at 8:30pm - with the flights costing just 27. He crammed in a relaxing spa day and some sightseeing, before enjoying some pasta and a pistachio pizza, with gelato to finish. Ehteshan's post about his day abroad quickly racked up more than a million views. Ever dreamed of partying on a superyacht like Kylie Jenner et al but don't have the celebrity budget or high flying circle of friends to play with? Well, on a recent trip to Miami to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday, I discovered a whole world of boat chartering, where a luxury vessel can be as little as renting a car for a day. My friend Jared Kleinman, who recently moved to Miami from New York, decided he wanted a boat party for his big bash, with a fleet of boats coming together for an afternoon of fun in the sun. He declared in his party invite email that the aim was 'to rent as many boats as it takes to create the greatest armada of ships the Biscayne Bay has ever seen!' The 'Jargatta,' as he christened it, involved five boats in total to shuttle around 60 people and while Jared had a local broker to wrangle four yachts, I stumbled across boat hire firm Getmyboat where I opted for a luxury $2.7 million boat. On a recent trip to Miami DailyMail.com's Sadie Whitelocks discovered a whole world of boat chartering, where a luxury vessel can be as little as renting a car for a day Sadie stumbled across boat hire firm Getmyboat where she opted for a luxury $2.7 million boat, pictured The boats linked together for an afternoon of fun in the sun There were going to be 13 people on our boat, as according to Miami law, that is the maximum number of passengers per vessel 'no matter the size of the vessel or the age of the passenger.' This meant, divided between our party, the Azimut 70 would cost just $160 per person for the day. The 70ft boat is certainly something to book if you're looking to make a grand impression. It has an open upper deck, a generously-sized covered space to lay out food and drink towards the back, and a large padded area to lay on towards the pointed bow. Moving indoors, there is a spacious living room and dining area upstairs, while there are two bathrooms below deck along with a master cabin and two twin rooms. According to ItBoat, the model (ours was from 2016) originally sold for around $2.7 million but it is no longer in production and the price of used models varies. Booking a boat with Getmyboat was just as easy as booking a car. I selected the pick up point and the times and I booked a captain and crew separately (another requirement by Florida law) thanks to a recommendation through the boat owner. All of the boats were docked at Miami Beach Marina, and our vessel was located at Dock B and slip 14. There were 13 people on the boat, as according to Miami law, that is the maximum number of passengers per vessel 'no matter the size of the vessel or the age of the passenger' The 40th birthday host Jared with his wife Alex. He said he wanted 'to rent as many boats as it takes to create the greatest armada of ships the Biscayne Bay has ever seen!' Divided between Sadie's party, the Azimut 70 cost just $160 per person for the day Just as I had arranged via the app, the boat was ready and crewed at midday and we were allowed to bring all of our own food and drinks aboard, with coolers, ice, and glassware supplied. All of the boats did a brief tour around Miami's Biscayne Bay before converging at a meeting point. I had been to Miami several times but never dipped my toe into the world of boat parties and it's certainly quite a scene. The waters around the party city are writhing with boats of all sizes, with revelers lapping up the sunshine and the watery surrounds. Many boats we passed had bikini-clad passengers twerking away and as the hours passed by, the party atmosphere on our boats steadily increased too. The crew were obviously used to this kind of set up, and one of the crew mates, Meli, did multiple rounds with a bottle of tequila and shot glasses to ensure spirits were kept high. Talking to experienced sailor captain Eduardo, he says that the boats are in constant demand in Miami and the rental market is big business. As a result, he says that there are many scammers out there so booking through reputable sites such as Getmyboat gives the customer a better peace of mind. After several hours of enjoying the confines of our fancy flotilla, it was time to head back to the marina. Eduardo had a sunset charter to prepare around, while Meli's job was to clear the decks for the new passengers. Once to land, everyone agreed the day on the water had been lots of fun. And now I realize booking a yacht is as easy as renting a car, the idea of Jargatta round two has already been floated. Jock Zonfrillo's sudden death is still being investigated almost a year after his body was found in a hotel room. The MasterChef star, 46, was found dead at Zagame's House hotel in Carlton, near Melbourne's CBD, at about 2am on April 30 last year. At the time, his wife Lauren was in Italy with their two young children and had phoned Victoria Police to request a welfare check because he stopped answering her calls. Sources close to the family maintained that Zonfrillo, a former heroin addict, died of natural causes. There was no drug paraphernalia found in the hotel room. However, in a curious twist, Daily Mail Australia can now reveal the coroner is still looking into his death almost 10 months after the tragedy. Jock Zonfrillo (pictured) died in May last year - just before the 15th season of Masterchef was set to premier Jock Zonfrillo is pictured with his wife, Lauren, and his two youngest children 'The death of Jock Zonfrillo remains under investigation by the coroner,' a spokesperson for the Coroner's Court of Victoria said. 'This is an active investigation.' Zonfrillo, who had recently moved to Rome with his family just before his death, left his wife and two young children Alfie and Isla in Italy to return for the launch of MasterChef's 15th season. He checked into the hotel hours before the tragedy and was facing a big week of media commitments, but died the day before the show went to air. The chef was laid to rest in a private funeral in Sydney surrounded by 200 family and friends. Pallbearers included his wife Lauren and MasterChef co-host Andy Allen. Zonfrillo opened up about his battle with heroin addiction, his rise to the top of the culinary world, and about his relationship struggles in his 2021 memoir, Last Shot. In the book, he spoke candidly about how he began working for celebrated British chef Marco Pierre White at 17, when he was homeless and addicted to heroin. Jock Zonfrillo died at Zagame's House hotel in Carlton, in the inner suburbs of Melbourne When his boss realised he was sleeping in the restaurant, he found him accommodation and lent him cash. Zonfrillo moved to Australia aged 20 in 1996 and gained work at Forty One in Sydney's central business district. He was using cocaine, pills, LSD and cannabis, but kept a raging heroin addiction hidden from everyone. He went back to the UK when his visa ran out in 1997. Two years later, he took his last syringe of heroin in the toilets at Heathrow airport before returning Down Under, and used the experience as inspiration for his book title. He quit cold turkey and maintained that his love of food and cooking saved his life. Do you know more? Charlotte.Karp@mailonline.com Despite being a world-famous ice skater, Jayne Torvill faced a battle in her personal life as she tried to have children following a life-threatening condition in her 40s. The British skating legend, 66, is happily married to American sound engineer Phil Christensen and they are now proud parents to their adopted children, Kieran and Jessica. Jayne has previously opened up about her journey to motherhood, suffering a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy before enduring 12 months of IVF treatment. Speaking on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2013, the Dancing On Ice star broke down in tears as she said she left trying for children 'quite late' because it 'would have stopped' her skating career. She said: 'As a couple skating together, it's easy for the guy to go off and start a family because it wouldn't affect his skating. Despite being a world-famous ice skater, Jayne Torvill (pictured this month) faced a battle in her personal life as she tried to have children following a life-threatening condition in her 40s The British skating legend, 66, is happily married to American sound engineer Phil Christensen and are proud parents to their adopted children, Kieran, 21, and Jessica, 17 'Whereas for me, it would have stopped what we were doing, so I left it quite late and I was into my forties by then'. Jayne, who won Olympic gold in 1984 with partner Christopher Dean, revealed when she and husband Phil did start trying for children she 'got pregnant quickly' however it wasn't until she went for a scan that doctors told her something was wrong. She continued: 'I got pregnant quite quickly and I thought, "Oh this is fine". And when I went to have a scan they said I had an ectopic pregnancy, and I didn't know what that meant. 'They said, "The embryo's growing in one of the tubes". And I said, "Oh, ok, so how do you get it out then?". And they said, "We don't. We can't". That's when it hit me.' Ectopic pregnancy, which can become life-threatening, is when a fertilised egg becomes implanted outside the womb, typically inside a fallopian tube. The result of an ectopic pregnancy is that the egg does not develop into a baby and continuing the pregnancy is a health risk. The pregnancy usually has to be removed through medication or an operation. Jayne revealed she had surgery following the sad news and went on to try 'IVF for a year' which she described as 'traumatising'. Jayne has previously opened up about her journey to motherhood as she first suffered an ectopic pregnancy before enduring 12 months of IVF treatment Speaking in 2013, the Dancing On Ice star broke down in tears as she said she left trying for children 'quite late' because it 'would have stopped' her skating career (pictured in 2021) Jayne revealed when she and Phil (pictured in 1994) did start trying for children she 'got pregnant quickly' but when she went for a scan that doctors told her something was wrong 'So I went through the surgery and then it was obvious it was going to be more difficult. So we tried IVF for about a year. That, as a lot of women know, is traumatic in itself,' she added. Fighting back tears, her proud friend and skating partner Christopher told the audience and ITV viewers: 'She's never talked about it in public before'. Jayne, who was 55 at the time of the interview, also opened up about her path to adopting her two children. The ITV star said at the time she still thought she was going to have children but revealed it was a friend who actually changed her mind about adoption. Jayne explained: 'A friend of mine had adopted a little boy. She said, "Come and see him." At that point I wasn't ready to look into adoption, I was still thinking it was going to happen. And you've got to be ready for it, if you want to adopt. 'I said to my husband, "I don't know if I can do this". And I went to see this little boy, and I wanted to bring him home.' According to the NHS, In the UK, around 1 in every 90 pregnancies is ectopic. This is around 11,000 pregnancies a year. If untreated, ectopic pregnancy can have fatal consequences such as life-threatening bleeding. Jayne has been married to Phil for over 30 years after tying the knot on September 21, 1990. They now live in East Sussex. Jayne revealed she had surgery following the sad news and went on to try 'IVF for a year' which she described as 'traumatising' Jayne opened up about her path to adopting her two children Jayne explained: 'A friend of mine had adopted a little boy. She said, "Come and see him." At that point I wasn't ready to look into adoption. I said to my husband, "I don't know if I can do this". And I went to see this little boy, and I wanted to bring him home' She rarely shares photos with her partner but sometimes uploads family selfies or pictures with her two children Kieran and Jessica. Jessica turned 17 in 2023 and Jayne marked the day by sharing a photo to Instagram as they posed in front of a car. More recently she shared a picture with her son Kieran, 21, as they watched a Notts County match. Jayne's skating partner Christopher has been in a relationship with Dancing on Ice star Karen Barber since 2011 and has two sons, Jack, 25, and Sam, 23, with Jill Trenary, the second of his ex-wives. It was on Valentine's Day in 1984 when Jayne and Chris skated to victory at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics, winning the gold medal and earning the highest ever score for a single performance. And now, 40 years later, the Olympians are hanging up their skates for good as they have announced their retirement. The British skating duo will embark on one final UK tour next year, which will be their swansong and mark 50 years since they formed their skating partnership in 1975. Christopher said that the pair had agreed it was the 'right time' to stop skating as they are 'not spring chickens anymore' and want to walk away while they're still able to do it 'to a certain degree.' Their farewell tour, Torvill and Dean: Our Last Dance, will run from April 12 to May 11 2025 with dates in London, Belfast, Newcastle and Glasgow. It was on Valentine's Day in 1984 when Jayne and Chris skated to victory at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics, winning the gold medal and earning the highest ever score for a single performance Kanye West has had his fair share of romantic relationships while in the public eye. His behaviour with his partners has come under scrutiny, with accusations he has been 'controlling' in his current relationship with wife Bianca Censori. The rapper, also known as Ye, is said to have banned the Australian beauty from using social media and she only wears the clothes he wants. His ex-wife Kim Kardashian previously claimed Kanye reduced her to tears after he threw out all of her clothes he didn't like. Meanwhile, his former girlfriend Julia Fox admitted to feeling like a 'show monkey' while dating him while his other ex Amber Rose has branded him a 'bully'. MailOnline takes a look back at all the times Kanye has tried to change his exes - and how far he managed to push it. Bianca Censori Kanye has been accused of exhibiting controlling behaviour in his relationship with Bianca Censori (pictured in 2023) Kanye has been accused of exhibiting controlling behaviour in his relationship with Bianca. He is thought to have banned her from using social media to protect her from negative comments, according to insiders, who claim her friends believe it's really another tactic to further 'isolate' her. Despite the architectural designer's loved ones even staging an intervention concerning her relationship with the rapper and his 'controlling ways,' her husband appears to have changed her attitude towards social media. 'Bianca has always had social media and she was active on it until she married Kanye,' an insider exclusively told DailyMail.com. 'He doesn't want her to have it because he thinks that it will hurt her if she had to read the nasty things that people say. 'He convinced her that, since she is a star now, she has to remain a mystery and it is creepy to those who know her as it feels like another form of control.' However, friends have taken issue with the fact the rapper, who goes by the name Ye, is posting racy images of his wife on his own Instagram account despite allegedly claiming she needs protection. The insider added: 'He is pushing her nakedness all over his own [account] so that he can control her narrative. It is disturbing, and by shutting her off from the world he is causing her to become more and more isolated.' He is thought to have banned her from using social media to protect her from negative comments, according to insiders, who claim her friends believe it's really another tactic to further 'isolate' her (pictured in February 2024) Friends are said to be stunned to see the usually assertive designer going along with Kanye's demands as the source stressed: 'This strong Bianca that was not going to deal with his s*** anymore has seemingly vanished once again. 'She is wearing what he wants, going where he wants and doing what he wants because she really has no other choice. She went from being his designer to his wife, which is unfortunately, not a paid position. She's trapped.' Back in October, DailyMail.com revealed that the Grammy-winning rapper had instructed his wife to 'never speak' and issued her a set of rules to live by, including specific foods she can eat and what she can wear. Insiders claimed the designer has 'no mind of her own anymore' and instead simply 'obeys' the controversial rapper, because he has convinced her they have 'royal' status. 'Kanye has a set of rules for Bianca, which includes never speak and wear what he wants her to wear,' the source explained. 'She is also required to eat certain food items and to work out even though Kanye doesn't work out.' Bianca and Kanye secretly wed in December 2022, just one month after he finalized his divorce from Kim Kardashian. Julia Fox Kanye had a highly publicised relationship with the actress Julia Fox in January 2022, with the pair dating for just over a month (pictured in January 2022) Kanye had a highly publicised relationship with the actress Julia Fox in January 2022, with the pair dating for just over a month. However, the rapper managed to exert his influence over the Uncut Gems star during that time. On their second date, he reportedly bought her an entirely new wardrobe of clothes, and, according to Julia, encouraged her what to wear and how to styler her hair. In her book Down The Drain, she wrote: 'I don't know how he did it, or how he got all of it there in time. But I was so surprised. Like, who does things like this on a second date? Or any date!' 'I definitely see what I like but I've never really been the visionary. Kanye would come in and be like, 'You should do your hair like this. You should do your makeup like this.' That's his love language, it's clothes.' Julia claimed Kanye tried to control what she would wear everytime they went out and also told her he wanted to assign a group of people to work on her wardrobe. She also wrote in her book that on one occasion they went out, she was told to meet her new stylist in the restaurant bathroom who allegedly offered her several outfits to change into. Julia also claimed Kanye offered to pay for her to get a boob job after seeing her modelling some of the new clothes he had approved. But Julia didn't appreciate Kanye's in put and wrote that constantly wearing what he wanted her to wear made her feel like a 'show monkey'. Kim Kardashian If Kanye's eagerness to have a say over what his partner wears, it's because he did the same thing during his marriage to Kim Kardashian (pictured in March 2020) Kim said Kanye wanted to change her wardrobe when they first started dating and had no problem telling her she had bad fashion sense (pictured in February 2020) If Kanye's eagerness to have a say over what his partner wears, it's because he did the same thing during his marriage to Kim Kardashian. Kim previously told how Kanye immediately wanted to change her wardrobe when they first started dating and had no problem telling her she had bad fashion sense. Speaking at the Business of Fashion's inaugural BoF West summit, Kim recalled: 'I always thought I had really good styleuntil I met my husband and he told me that I had the worst style. He was really nice about it and cleaned out my whole closet.' According to Kim, Kanye reduced her to tears when he cleared out her wardrobe. She said: 'I probably had 250 pairs of shoes and when we were done cleaning it out, I had two pairs left and I cried.' On an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, she added: 'Our whole trade-off was that if I got rid of my clothes, he'd fill up my closet. But now I'm freaking out. Like, I could literally cry.' Kim also claimed Kanye would regularly email her fashion advice complete with mood boards and once told her she could not wear big sunglasses anymore. However, Kim doesn't appear to hold any hard feelings and believes Kanye taught her more about fashion. She said: 'There were racks of clothes of designers I have never heard of before like Lanvin and Givenchy. I didn't know that then. 'I kept everything because it was really sentimental to me. I wanted to learn. When he did that, he wanted to teach me.' Amber Rose Amber had a highly publicised two-year relationship with Kanye when they dated from 2008 to 2010 Amber had a highly-publicised two-year relationship with Kanye when they dated from 2008 to 2010. The relationship ended badly however, with Amber later revealing the pair were 'two very different people'. Like his other exes, Amber has previously told how Kanye also encouraged her to wear the clothes he liked and once styled her for an Elle magazine photoshoot. The rapper spoke publicly about his relationship with Amber and once cruelly joked he needed to take '30 showers' after their breakup. Firing back on the No Jumper podcast, Amber said: ''He has picked on me for 10 years. He has bullied me for 10 years.' She added: 'I'm a compassionate person. I have empathy. I'm a good person. That's why people love me. That's why anybody I've ever dated loved me. 'You can't really mention anyone that says anything really bad about me - except for him, because I got away.' Unlike Kim, Amber doesn't feel she learned anything from her relationship with Kanye and said they are not 'at all' alike. She added: 'I don't really think about him like that. For me, it's some guy that I dated 10 years ago.' Macaulay Culkin shot to fame as the sassy Kevin McCallister in iconic 1990 film Home Alone, carving out his reputation as the number-one child star in the world. His hilarious role in the wholesome family comedy and its 1992 sequel saw him win the adoration of millions with his sweet bond with his mother and determination to defend his family home from thieves. But in 1993, the star then at the height of his fame shocked fans with an incredibly dark new role, as he played a psychopathic, murderous child in the thriller The Good Son. Fans of the kindhearted Kevin were left reeling as babyfaced Culkin then 12 dropped the F-bomb, tortured his cousin (played by future star Elijah Wood) and killed off his sibling before attempting to murder his mother by pushing her off a cliff. The Good Son follows 12-year-old Mark, who is sent to stay with his aunt (Wendy Crewson) and uncle (David Morse) in Maine following the death of his mother and while his father is away on business in Tokyo. Macaulay Culkin shocked fans when he played a murderous child in the 1993 thriller The Good Son Macaulay shot to fame as the sassy Kevin McCallister in the iconic 1990 film Home Alone, carving out his reputation as the number-one child star in the world He is introduced to his 12-year-old cousin Henry (Culkin) who at first brands him a 'brother' before his twisted behavior begins to exhibit itself. The pair experiment with a crossbow, which Henry uses to shoot a dog that barked at him. Henry then builds a dummy called 'Mr. Highway,' whom he then throws off a bridge and onto a busy highway causing a huge vehicle pile-up as a terrified Mark screams, despite Henry's threats. Henry's attention then turns to his eight-year-old little sister Connie (played by Macaulay's real life sister Quinn), whom he pushes toward thin ice while the pair ice skate, causing her to fall into a coma. Mark tries to tell Henry's mom, who then finds Henry trying to suffocate Connie in her hospital bed. She finds a rubber duck Henry had hidden in the shed, which once belonged to his late younger brother Richard, who drowned in the bathtub. Henry vows to kill Susan due to his jealousy over Mark and her relationship, with a memorable scene showing Mark telling Henry: 'She's my mother now.' Henry responds: 'Hey Mark, don't f*** with me.' Fans of the kindhearted Kevin were left reeling as babyfaced Culkin then 12 dropped the F-bomb, tortured his cousin (played by future star Elijah Wood) and killed off his sibling, before attempting to murder his mother by pushing her off a cliff Wood plays Mark, who is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Maine following the death of his mother. He is introduced to his 12-year-old cousin Henry (Culkin), who at first brands him a 'brother' before his twisted behavior begins to exhibit itself The pair experiment with a crossbow, which Henry uses to shoot a dog that barked at him Henry heads out on a walk with Susan with plans to murder her. Susan confronts Henry, asking him if he killed Richard, to which Henry replies: 'What if I did?' Following a chase Henry pushes Susan off a cliff but Mark saves her life by tackling the murderous pre-teen. Susan manages to climb back up just in time to grab hold of the boys as they roll over the edge, one in each hand. With only enough strength to save one child, Susan lets go of Henry, with the child falling to his death. The film made $60.6 million worldwide against a budget of $17 million but was widely panned by critics. Wood then 12 would become a huge worldwide star just eight years later with his starring role as Frodo Baggins in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Culkin now 43 retired from acting shortly afterwards but he is set to join his four brothers in the upcoming Prime Video animated series The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy. Henry then builds a dummy called 'Mr. Highway,' whom he throws off a bridge and onto a busy highway causing a huge vehicle pile-up as a terrified Mark screams, despite Henry's threats Henry vows to kill his mother Susan due to jealousy over Mark and her relationship, with a memorable scene showing Mark telling Henry: 'She's my mother now.' Henry responds: 'Hey Mark, don't f*** with me' Susan confronts Henry, asking him if he killed Richard, to which Henry replies: 'What if I did?' Following a chase Henry pushes Susan off a cliff but Mark saves her life by tacking the murderous pre-teen The pair fight as Henry attempts to kill once again Susan manages to climb back up just in time to grab hold of the boys as they roll over the edge, one in each hand. With only enough strength to save one child, Susan lets go of Henry, with the child falling to his death The thrilling casting call features Macaulay, Kieran, Rory, Christian and Shane Culkin, all of whom began their acting careers in childhood and are now in their 30s and 40s. Kieran voices one of the main characters, Dr. Plowp, with Plowp's siblings being voiced by the Succession star's real-life brothers. The roster of Culkin siblings also includes sisters Quinn Culkin, Dakota Culkin who died after being struck by a car in 2008 and half-sister Jennifer Adamson, who died of an overdose in 2000. The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy showrunner Cirocco Dunlap revealed on Tuesday that Keiran was the one to suggest the Culkin clan star together in the series. 'So Kieran came up for the role of Dr. Plowp and in a crazy turn of events, the bird alien [character that he plays] had four brothers [in the script] before he was cast,' Dunlap told The Hollywood Reporter. 'So he had the four brothers already and when we cast Kieran we were like, "You have four brothers! Thats ridiculous, what fate,"' Dunlap continued. 'Kieran was the one who suggested it, he was like, "We could get my brothers" and I was like, "What? Yes, yes we should." And theyre so wonderful, theyre so funny, theyre very empathic and very sweet.' However, it turns out Natasha Lyonne, who plays Nurse Tup in the show, was the one to seal the deal. Culkin now 43 retired from acting shortly afterward, but he is set to join his four brothers in the upcoming Prime Video animated series The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy (pictured December 2023) The thrilling casting call features Macaulay, Kieran, Rory, Christian and Shane Culkin, all of whom began their acting careers in childhood and are now in their 30s and 40s; Rory and Keiran on the set of 2008's Lymelife Kieran voices one of the main characters, Dr. Plowp, with Plowp's siblings being voiced by the Succession star's real-life brothers; still from The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy Episode six of The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy will see Kieran's character joined by his cosmic siblings; Christian and brother Kieran Culkin attend the The Starry Messenger cast party on November 16, 2009 Drama has surrounded the Culkin family since Macaulay rose to fame in the 1990s through his roles in Home Alone and Uncle Buck 'The magic of Natasha, she made a call I think she picked up the Culkin Batphone and they all answered,' quipped Maya Rudolph, who is lined up to lend her voice to Dr. Vlam. Natasha chimed in at the time, 'Im the Culkin whisperer it turns out.' 'I worked with Mac on Party Monster, I want to say it was five years ago but it was probably 25. And so we became pals, we were instant friends and hed do running charades and the family would all be there. Kieran and I became pals along the way, I think maybe I did a movie with Rory. 'I love them, I really love those Culkins,' she added. The 2024 Married At First Sight cast have certainly brought the drama during the latest nail-biting series of the Channel Nine experiment. And the unexpected twists and turns keep on coming, with several cast members already revealing their post-show romances. While the first series is still airing on Nine, spoilers have revealed the fate of some of the couples as they have been spotted out-and-about in recent days. The bombshells are expected to drop during the upcoming reunion, when the relationship experts learn who have stood the test of time and who have gone their separate ways. Now, Daily Mail Australia untangles all the MAFS post-filming drama from one unlikely cheating scandal to new romances, and some very explosive rows. The Married At First Sight 2024 cast have continued to bring the drama after filming, as Jonathan McCullough and Ellie Dix were seen packing on the PDA - confirming their romance JONO AND ELLIE SHOCK TWIST Jonathan McCullough and Ellie Dix are set to become embroiled in a cheating scandal after originally being paired up with other partners on the show. Jono, 39, is currently 'married' to Lauren Dunn on-screen while Ellie's romance with groom Ben Walters hit the rocks during the latest dinner party as he publicly broke up with her. However, Daily Mail Australia revealed how MAFS will be rocked by the cheating scandal after photographs showed Ellie and Jono looking very cosy during a recent outing. In the pictures, the pair looked deeply in love as they packed on the PDA during a day out at Tamarama Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs. It is expected that Ellie and Jono will announce their relationship during the upcoming show reunion. Their clandestine affair allegedly began with secret text messages exchanged during the filming of the show after Ellie ended things with partner Ben. Daily Mail Australia revealed how MAFS will be rocked by a scandal after photographs showed Ellie and Jono looking very cosy during a recent outing An insider told Daily Mail Australia how the drama will all unfold at a future commitment ceremony in scenes yet to air. 'Lauren had no idea that Jono kept in contact with Ellie and found out during filming, and boy was she not happy,' they said. 'She was completely gobsmacked and felt humiliated by the end - but everyone else is happy for them.' The source added: 'Jono and Ellie maintained contact after she left the show, but the romance only escalated once Jono ended things with Lauren at the Final Vows. Their real-life meeting a few days later revealed an undeniable chemistry.' It is believed that Jono and Ellie will blindside their co-stars by walking into the reunion as a couple, hand-in-hand. Ben, Ellie's on-show husband, was reportedly just as taken aback by the development, sources close to the show disclosed. Tara McWilliams, who is credited with transforming the experiment into the ratings juggernaut it is today, told Daily Mail Australia that the show takes a non-judgmental stance on personal relationships. Jono, 39, is currently 'married' to Lauren Dunn on-screen, but is expected to confirm his new romance with Ellie during the upcoming show reunion episode Ellie's romance with groom Ben Walters hit the rocks during the latest dinner party as he publicly broke up with her 'We've seen affairs happen, we've seen cheating happen...' says Tara, before adding, 'We're not there to judge.' 'It's not the expert's job to say, "This is wrong, right, you can and can't do something,"' she added. 'If the experiment was rigid in its rules, it wouldn't be real life, it'd be a game show. 'We basically say, "Here are the parameters, the parameters are really wide and they reflect the real world,"' she went on. 'We're not the morality police, we let those things happen because they happen in real life.' BEN CONFIRMS NEW ROMANCE - AND ELLIE HITS OUT Meanwhile, Ellie's on-screen partner Ben recently went Facebook official with his new girlfriend, confirming he had moved on from his MAFS marriage. Ben, 39, changed his Facebook profile picture to a loved-up photo of him and new girlfriend Aileen, and was also spotted packing on the PDA with his new love. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Ben opened up about his journey of self-discovery and healing post-show, and how a serendipitous encounter led him to Aileen. Ellie's on-screen partner Ben recently went Facebook official with his new girlfriend, confirming he had moved on from his MAFS married 'I was getting my head straight after the show because I was f***ing broken,' Ben shared, recounting his efforts to regain his mental health. 'Just hitting the beach a lot, getting my regular coffee by Nobby's Beach when I heard an accent in there and I had to approach her,' he recalled of their first meeting. 'We had a bit of a giggle and we just hit it off from there.' This chance meeting over coffee and playful banter was the beginning of something special. Aileen, a 33-year-old IT Project Manager, captivated Ben with her well-travelled background and shared sense of humour. From living in various countries, including the UK, America, Spain, Indonesia, and now Australia, to her passion for diving and salsa, Aileen's adventurous spirit and ambition struck a chord with Ben. Their relationship has quickly progressed, with Aileen moving in with Ben shortly after their return from a joint trip to Bali Their relationship has quickly progressed, with Aileen moving in with Ben shortly after their return from a joint trip to Bali. 'Love her to bits, and she's moved in,' Ben enthused. However, after Ben changed his profile picture to a cosy snap of himself and Aileen, Ellie hit out in a now-deleted rant. 'Dear Ben, did you forget we were friends on here? I heard you were seeing Aileen before you went on MAFS. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black,' she began. 'I've been reading every horrible article you're leaking about me and all the lies and now the made up list photo you sent.' The nurse then accused the tour guide operator of being a different person in front of the cameras to who he was behind the scenes and told him to stop the lies. 'Everything you did and said to me was conveniently off camera. Production would come into our apartment and you'd turn on the act. However, after Ben changed his profile picture to a cosy snap of himself and Aileen, Ellie (pictured) hit out in a now-deleted rant 'As for saying I was messaging another husband the entire experiment, more lies. You know it, I know it, the entire bloody cast knows it. The truth will come out.' She then said her friendship with him was officially over and told him not to contact her any more. 'It's not a "bad edit", it's a mirror being held up and for once take some accountability for your behaviour. Accept that you look like a bit of a c**t on the TV, it'll blow over,' she added. LAUREN TAKES DIG AT TV HUSBAND JONO Lauren Dunn recently took a swipe at her on-screen husband Jono as she discussed their relationship. The PR maven, 32, joked on KIIS FM's The Kyle and Jackie O show that Jono signed up for the wrong show and would have been better suited for The Price Is Right. 'He is a genuinely nice person and that's nothing like me. On paper, the experts got it right but there is something on paper you can't put into words,' she said. 'He is a gentleman but when we woke up the day after the wedding, the reality really hit. I just felt our personalities were different.' Lauren Dunn recently slammed her on-screen husband Jono as she discussed their relationship after news of the cheating scandal emerged Hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson then called Jonathan to discuss his experience on the show. 'I don't like drama, I probably went on the wrong show,' he said. Lauren added: 'I told Jono he should have gone on The Price is Right.' NATALIE AND ASH ROMANCE RUMOURS Two more MAFS stars have also sparked romance rumours - Natalie Parham and Ash Galati. Natalie was originally paired with Collins Christian, but quit the show as they struggled to form a connection, while Ash was paired with former Home and Away actress-turned-physic medium Madeleine Maxwell. However in recent days, Natalie and Ash have sparked rumours they are now dating after they were spotted attending at a Melbourne Fashion Festival show together. The unlikely duo were spotted looking very friendly, with Natalie, 32, sitting on the hunky tattooed sales manager's lap for photos while on the front row. Another MAFS pairing who have also sparked romance rumours in recent days are Natalie Parham and Ash Galati The pair have sparked rumours they are now dating after they were spotted attending at a Melbourne Fashion Festival show together 'Nat has really taken a liking to Ash after meeting him at the reunion,' an insider told Daily Mail Australia. 'They immediately hit it off. Nat has since told friends and her co-stars that she wishes that was matched with someone like Ash.' Ash and Madeleine abruptly quit the show on Monday night after facing insurmountable challenges due to their painful lack of chemistry. Their relationship reached breaking point following an intense argument, leading to Madeleine packing her bags and leaving the show altogether. Following her exit, Madeleine has stepped back from the spotlight, deactivating her social media accounts and choosing not to participate in the show's reunion. Natalie was originally paired with Collins Christian, but quit the show as they struggled to form a connection Ash and Madeleine abruptly quit the show on Monday night after facing insurmountable challenges due to their painful lack of chemistry ASH'S SHOCK COMMENTS ABOUT MADELEINE After their on-screen split, Ash spoke out about his ill-fated marriage with physic bride Madeleine and compared it to the Titanic, saying it was 'destined to fail'. Recalling his time on the experiment, Ash said by the time the couple attended the first dinner party he was 'emotionally exhausted from the honeymoon'. 'I was pretty much yeah, at my wit's end. So I was like, 'you know what? I want to see the other couples. I want to just touch base with the other couples'. And ask, 'Am I going crazy here? Am I actually going crazy? What is going on?'' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'I had absolutely not a chance in hell with Madeline.' 'She was never gonna give me a chance. She didn't know why she was on the experiment. After their on-screen split, Ash spoke out about his ill-fated marriage with physic bride Madeleine and compared it to the Titanic, saying it was 'destined to fail' 'And yeah, as for me, obviously my wedding day was me getting on the Titanic. Just had no idea that it would doom to crash and burn.' Ash also didn't hold back from expressing his suspicions about Madeleine's behaviour in front of the cameras during his time on the show. She was accused by fans of putting on an act when she bizarrely broke down in tears upon seeing a herd of cows and told Ash how she had been contacted by 'spirits' over dinner. 'She can turn it on very well... She's really good at turning it on when the cameras are on,' said the pest control salesman. Ash's doubts grew when he learned of Madeleine's past as an actress. 'I was like, "Is she genuine? Like, why is she on here? Is she acting?" So it played into my doubts,' he added. Recalling his time on the experiment, Ash said by the time the couple attended the first dinner party he was 'emotionally exhausted from the honeymoon' TIM'S NEW LOVE REVEALED Bombshell images recently revealed the fate of Tim Calwell's 'marriage' to his MAFS bride Sara Mesa. Pictures emerged showing how the online business owner, 31, has moved on from the nutritionist, 29, with a brunette bombshell named Barbara. In the photos taken in February in Queensland, Tim and Barbara grabbed some takeaway food and drinks, before later heading to a nursery to buy some plants. Tim did not appear to be wearing his wedding band in the photos, and at one point, the woman was seen planting a kiss on his cheek. Tim also recently addressed claims he was secretly texting an ex-girlfriend behind his TV wife Sara's back during filming for the show. The revelations came to light on the Kyle and Jackie O show, where a visibly shocked Sara was confronted with allegations Tim had been photographed with another woman on the Gold Coast. Bombshell images recently revealed the fate of Tim Calwell's 'marriage' to his MAFS bride Sara Mesa as he was seen looking cosy with a brunette bombshell named Barbara 'I don't know if this is true, but multiple people I know up in Queensland have said that this Tim has been rooting this Brazilian the entire time, all through the MAFS, all through the filming,' radio host Kyle disclosed. However, speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia last month, Tim adamantly denied cheating on his TV bride. 'No I wasn't seeing anyone through the experiment. I was literally locked in, dialled in, trying to make our relationship work,' he explained. 'I don't know why, if she's bringing that up... she's trying to throw heat on my end to try and distract, maybe, from whatever going on in her ballpark.' Tim described his TV marriage with Sara as 'toxic' and very up and down. 'It was definitely very up and down. Almost toxic at this point, I don't know,' he said. 'We were trying our best to be in a relationship. The whole experience is very intense anyway... it was definitely wasn't comfortable for me.' Tim also recently denied claims he was secretly texting an ex-girlfriend behind his TV wife Sara's back during filming for the show in an exclusive chat with Daily Mail Australia EDEN AND JAYDEN 'ARE STILL TOGETHER' Elsewhere, Instagram pictures have seemingly confirmed that Jayden Eynaud and Eden Harper's relationship has survived the experiment and they are still together. Jayden's brother Mitch Eynaud, who appeared on the show in 2022, posted a gallery of photos of himself cuddling a large dog that looked suspiciously like Eden's golden retriever Cub. Commenting on the post, which was shared last month, fans were quick to conclude that Mitch, 28, was clueing in viewers to Jayden and Eden's relationship status. 'I see what you did there,' one fan commented on Mitch's photo. 'Dead giveaway, thanks Mitch,' wrote another disappointed fan, who signed their comment with a kiss. 'Spoiler alert,' wrote another fan. 'Isn't this showing us that Eden and Jayden stay together!' another said of the photos, which show the former reality star cuddling the adorable dog. 'Definitely Eden's dog. Check the red chain,' one fan wrote as they spotted a vital clue. Instagram pictures have seemingly confirmed that Jayden Eynaud and Eden Harper's relationship has survived the experiment and are still together Jayden's brother Mitch Eynaud , who appeared on the show in 2022, posted a gallery of photos of himself cuddling a large dog that looked suspiciously like Eden's golden retriever Cub Jayden and Eden (both pictured) are set to be one of the standout couples this year, with production sources dubbing them as early fan favourites TORI AND JACK STAY TOGETHER Tori Adams and Jack Dunkley have become one of this year's most controversial couples, bringing their fair share of drama to the show. Jack caused outrage on the show for telling groom Jono to 'muzzle' his wife Lauren in a shocking comment, and making a remark about how other grooms could sleep with Tori during a 'couple swap week'. Jack was also accused of ending his romance with his ex-girlfriend Courtney Jade just weeks before filming began in August last year, and was confronted over the claims on screen. Daily Mail Australia can reveal they somehow manage to overcome the drama on the show and even got matching tattoos during a recent episode as they made a very permanent declaration. Tori recently revealed what 'alpha' groom Jack is really like as a boyfriend in gushing comments. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia in February, Tori, 27, shattered the illusion around his 'F boy' image, painting him instead as an 'old school gentleman'. Tori adamantly defended her beau, saying: 'I know he looks like an F boy, but it's certainly not the case. He is quite an old school gentleman.' Tori Adams and Jack Dunkley have become one of this year's most controversial couples, bringing their fair share of drama to the show The couple celebrated Christmas together with Tori's family and friends. Jack even surprised his girlfriend with a bouquet of flowers for Valentine's Day 'Jack is very patient and very supportive,' she went on, highlighting a side of Jack that viewers seldom see. 'I think it's been surprising because I've not experienced that from someone before, so it's a pleasant surprise, but yeah, definitely one that took me by shock,' she said. Contrary to her previous relationships, Tori finds solace in Jack's calming presence. 'He's loving, he's caring, he's all of those things and nothing like my ex-partners,' she added. Lindsay Lohan's mother Dina Lohan has claimed she was left with 'serious and permanent personal injuries' after a collusion with a truck nearly two year ago. The 61-year-old mother of actress Lindsay filed a civil lawsuit against Penske Truck Leasing Co. in the New York Supreme Court on February 27, alleging that that a driver using a company vehicle crashed into her car on April 22, 2022. In court documents seen by DailyMail.com, the TV personality is seeking an unspecified amount of money, claiming that she 'suffered incurred medical and other expenses as a result of her injuries'. 'The Plaintiff became sick, sore, lame, and disabled and so remained and suffered pain and damage to their physical and mental health, all with conscious pain and suffering incurred medical and other expenses as a result of her injuries,' the suit reads. The Living Lohan star, whose daughter recently welcomed her first child, claims that the driver was operating at an 'excessive rate of speed and/or at a greater rate of speed than care and caution would permit under the circumstances' when the collision took place. Dina Lohan has claimed she was left with 'serious and permanent personal injuries' after a collusion with a moving company truck in 2022. She is pictured in August 2023 The mother of actress Lindsay Lohan , 61, filed a civil lawsuit against Penske Truck Leasing Co. in the New York Supreme Court on February 27 The star's legal representatives stated that the driver failed to 'observe and obey traffic control devices and traffic signal controls and also failed to 'look in the direction in which the vehicle was traveling' which resulted in the collision. The driver is accused of 'negligently, recklessly and carelessly failing and omitting to provide and/or make proper and timely use of braking mechanisms, signal devices and steering devices', according to the suit. The described collusion saw the moving company's 2016 Freightliner smashed into the 'rear and passenger side' of 2008 Chevrolet at around 10am in New York's Murray Hill area. The suit also reads: 'By reason of the foregoing, the Plaintiff is entitled to recover for non-economic loss and for such economic loss as is not included within the definition of basic economic loss as set forth in Section 5102(a) of the Insurance Law of the State of New York. 'As a result of the foregoing, the Plaintiff has sustained serious injuries as that term is defined in Section 5102(d) of the Insurance Law of the State of New York.' It continues: 'By reason of the foregoing, the Plaintiff has been damaged in a sum which exceeds the jurisdictional limits of all lower court which would otherwise have jurisdiction.' The filing comes years after Dina herself was sentenced to 18 days in jail for a drunk, 2020 hit-and-run crash at a Long Island steakhouse. In January last year, Dina crashed her Mercedes into a Honda in the parking lot of the Outback Steakhouse in Merrick, Long Island. The momager (seen in February 2023) is alleging that that a driver working for the company crashed into her vehicle on April 22, 2022 Dina (seen on April 20, 2022, two days before the alleged crash) is suing for an unspecified amount after 'suffering incurred medical and other expenses as a result of her injuries' Dina was married to Lindsay's father Michael Lohan from 1985 to 2007 She then tried to flee the scene but was chased down by the Honda driver. Police said they found Dina in the driver's seat of her car outside her home. Dina was taken into custody after allegedly refusing to take a breathalyzer test and cursing at officers. The arresting officer noted that her breath smelled like alcohol and her eyes appeared 'glassy and bloodshot'. She was sentenced at Nassau County Court, in Mineola, Long Island, in December 2021, after accepting a plea deal. Dina's January arrest is her second for a DWI. She was arrested in 2013 for drunk driving after police stopped her for speeding at 77mph in a 55mph zone. Her blood alcohol level at the time was found to be more than twice the legal limit. Elsewhere, Dina revealed she recently underwent a facelift and neck lift in December 2023. The momager spoke with Page Six about getting a custom facial rejuvenation surgery done earlier this month, along with a facelift and neck lift. 'I always believed in growing old gracefully, but if you want to do something for yourself, go for it,' she said. To get the look, she turned to Dr. Ira Savetsky, a plastic surgeon based on the Upper East Side of New York. Dina is shown after her DWI sentencing hearing on December 3, 2021 as she made her way to the back of a police van to be taken to Nassau County jail for 18 days Dina shared a selfie on her Instagram Stories in December 2023 after revealing she has had a face lift and neck lift last year 'I wanted to look like a younger version of myself. Most of my friends did this 10, 15 years ago,' she added. Dina was married to Lindsay's father Michael Lohan from 1985 to 2007 and the former couple also share 30-year-old daughter, Aliana. The family recently expanded after Lindsay welcomed her first child - a son named Luai - with husband Bader Shammas in July 2023. In August, Lindsay showed off her postpartum body on Instagram, writing: 'I am so proud of what this body was able to accomplish during these months of pregnancy and now, recovery. 'Having a baby is the greatest joy in the world! My OOTD lately is my @fridamom postpartum underwear. Referencing her iconic film Mean Girls, she added: 'Because Im not a regular mom, Im a postpartum mom.' DailyMail.com has contacted Dina Lohan and Penske for comment. Joshua Jackson has officially been cast in the upcoming installment if the Karate Kid franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Although it is currently unclear as to which part the 45-year-old actor will be playing, his role has been described as one of the feature's main characters. The performer - who is currently dating Lupita Nyong'o - last appeared in a starring role in a feature film in 2015's Sky, in which he appeared alongside his former partner, Diane Kruger, and Norman Reedus. The Dawson's Creek star has not made any public comments about his casting as of yet. Jackson will be joined by Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, who will reprise their respective roles as Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han, respectively. Joshua Jackson has officially been cast in the upcoming installment in the Karate Kid franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter; seen in 2023 The former of the pair made his debut in the film franchise in the 2010 feature The Karate Kid, in which he costarred alongside Jaden Smith. The latter made his debut as LaRusso in the original 1984 Karate Kid, and he went on to reprise his role in two of its sequels. Ben Wang, who is best known for his work in the Disney+ series American Born Chinese, is currently set to star in the film. The newest installment in the Karate Kid series will be set on the East Coast, and it will follow a teenager from China who attempts to find direction in his life through the study of martial arts and the assistance of various mentors. Jonathan Entwistle is set to direct the upcoming film, which features a script from screenwriter Rob Lieber. Development on the feature was originally revealed to the public in June of 2022. The project was later described as a 'return to the original Karate Kid franchise,' according to The Hollywood Reporter. Macchio, who has also starred as LaRusso in the wildly successful Netflix series Cobra Kai, and Chan signed on to appear in the project in November of 2023. Jackson will be joined by Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, who will reprise their respective roles as Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han, respectively Development on the feature was originally revealed to the public in June of 2022 Ben Wang, who is best known for his work in the Disney+ series American Born Chinese, is currently set to star in the film; seen in 2023 The new installment in the Karate Kid franchise is currently scheduled to premiere on December 13 A global casting search was subsequently undertaken in search of the feature's star, and both Macchio and Chan appeared in a promotional video to announce its start. Wang's fluency in Mandarin and his proficiency in various styles of martial arts were said to have been the deciding factors in his casting, per The Hollywood Reporter. Although the movie was set to arrive this June, its production was paused due to the onset of the WGA and SAG strikes. The new installment in the Karate Kid franchise is currently scheduled to premiere on December 13. Advertisement Millie Bobby Brown posed up a storm with her fiance Jake Bongiovi at the star-studded premiere of her Netflix film Damsel. The project is a medieval fantasy starring Millie as a new bride who has to fight for her survival when her in-laws attempt to sacrifice her to a dragon. However, at the premiere, Millie was the image of warmth in her her relationship with her real-life paramour and his real-life family. She cheerfully popped her leg out as she cozied up to her 21-year-old boyfriend, who is just one year older than the Stranger Things alumna. Over the course of premiere, she also stood for a few group shots with Jake and his parents - Dorothea Hurley and none other than Jon Bon Jovi. Millie Bobby Brown posed up a storm with her fiance Jake Bongiovi at the star-studded premiere of her Netflix film Damsel The project is a medieval fantasy starring Millie as a new bride who has to fight for her survival when her in-laws attempt to sacrifice her to a dragon Over the course of premiere, she also stood for a few group shots with Jake and his parents - Dorothea Hurley and none other than Jon Bon Jovi Millie arrived at the fete in a sleeveless dress with an eye-catching earth-tone design that was meant to resemble snakeskin. Sporting a luxuriously long hairdo that provided a striking contrast to her Stranger Things days, she balanced expertly on a towering pair of heels. Meanwhile Jake opted for a more classic style, arriving in a black suit and black tie and accessorizing with a pair of burnt-orange shades. Jon was the image of rocker chic with his snowy hair and black leather jacket, while Dorothea cut a youthful figure in a sleek tan skirt. During the red carpet portion of the event, Millie could also be seen sharing an embrace and an uproarious laugh with her director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. She could also be spotted hobnobbing with Bela Bajaria, who is the current chief content officer at Damsel's home streamer Netflix. Millie stars in Damsel amid a formidable array of co-stars, including Robin Wright, who exuded an air of the futuristic in a color-block silver gown. Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo, another member of the supporting cast, modeled a charcoal trouser suit cinched in to emphasize her petite frame. Jon was the image of rocker chic with his snowy hair and black leather jacket, while Dorothea cut a youthful figure in a sleek tan skirt Sporting a luxuriously long hairdo that provided a striking contrast to her Stranger Things days, she balanced expertly on a towering pair of heels Meanwhile Jake opted for a more classic style, arriving in a black suit and black tie and accessorizing with a pair of burnt-orange shades During the red carpet portion of the event, Millie could also be seen sharing an embrace and an uproarious laugh with her director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo She could also be spotted hobnobbing with Bela Bajaria, who is the current chief content officer at Damsel's home streamer Netflix Millie stars in Damsel amid a formidable array of co-stars, including Robin Wright, who exuded an air of the futuristic in a color-block silver gown Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo, another member of the supporting cast, modeled a charcoal trouser suit cinched in to emphasize her petite frame Nick Robinson was a sizzling sensation in an olive green pinstriped suit, while Eve Plumb went for a mismatch look in a black coat and midnight blue slacks Law & Order actress Odelya Halevi showed off her ample cleavage and her impressively sculpted midriff in a flesh-flashing netted top Nick, Robin, Shohreh, Millie and their director Juan Carlos were seen standing for a group shot at the premiere with Brooke Carter, another member of the cast Millie and her family posed together at the starry event Millie looked every inch the glamorous movie star Millie took to Instagram on Saturday to share behind-the-scenes images from the premiere Engaging her nearly 63 million followers, she uploaded snapshots from her hotel room showing her get ready Brown cleverly wrote in the caption, 'a damsel in a dress' She changed into a fierce, cold-shoulder minidress for the afterparty Jake shares his good genes with his handsome father Jon Nick Robinson was a sizzling sensation in an olive green pinstriped suit, while Eve Plumb went for a mismatch look in a black coat and midnight blue slacks. Law & Order actress Odelya Halevi showed off her ample cleavage and her impressively sculpted midriff in a flesh-flashing netted top. Shot in Portugal, Damsel boasts an impressive cast including such names as Ray Winstone, Angela Bassett as the father and stepmother of Millie's character. Although the movie was initially slated for release in October, the Hollywood strikes caused its debut to be pushed back to next Friday. Wendy Williams' Lifetime documentary drew millions of viewers as it even beat out Gypsy Rose Blanchard's highy-popular special just days after her publicist says TV icon has been 'exploited'. The network says that the two-night documentary special - titled Where Is Wendy Williams? - has set a new record for viewership. Lifetime says that the documentary had averaged 1.2million viewers total over the two nights. However, perhaps most impressively, it ultimately saw 6.2million total viewers across linear and digital platforms. When it comes to those who watched it live and/or same-day the Williams doc beat out viewership numbers for The Prison Confessions Of Gypsy Rose Blanchard. Wendy Williams' Lifetime documentary drew millions of viewers as it even beat out Gypsy Rose Blanchard's highy-popular special just days after her publicist says TV icon has been 'exploited' At the time it had set a record with an average of 1.1million viewers per night over the course of six nights. Lifetime claims that the latest doc is the most-watched since they released the four-part Janet Jackson documentary in January 2022. This comes days after Williams' publicist blasted the Lifetime documentary that she signed her famous TV client up for. Shawn Zanotti has placed blame on the producers of the series, alleging the TV icon believed she was filming a program about her comeback - only for filmmakers to capture 'a circus to her downfall.' Zanotti, who has been working as a publicist for Williams since 2021, spoke with NBC News about her grievances with the making of Where is Wendy Williams?, a four-part documentary now airing on Lifetime. In an interview with the outlet, Zanotti claimed: 'I felt that [Williams] was being exploited.' 'She thought we were focusing on the comeback of her career. ... She would be mortified. There's no way you can convince me that she would be OK with looking and seeing herself in that way.' She also told PEOPLE that she felt 'lied to' about it. Lifetime says that the documentary had averaged 1.2million viewers total over the two nights. However, perhaps most impressively, it ultimately saw 6.2million total viewers across linear and digital platforms Despite having encouraged her client to sign up for the show, Zanotti now says: "I would never let Wendy put her name and brand on the line like that ever. She's an icon. It's not the story we signed up for and I feel lied to.' Adding: 'It's so difficult for me to even watch. Wendy would be mortified.' Her remarks come four days too late - the debut episode of the documentary, Where Is Wendy Williams?, premiered on Lifetime on February 24. Two days before the project was released, it was announced that Wendy had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia. DailyMail.com has contacted Zanotti for comment. Just days ago Williams' publicist has blasted the producers of a new documentary about the legendary television personality, alleging the TV icon initially believed she would be filming a program about her comeback - only to be 'exploited' by filmmakers; Williams pictured 2019 Zanotti claims the production company, Creature Films and eOne Television, approached her with the documentary back in 2022. The production company also shot the 2021 documentary about the TV icon, Wendy Williams: What A Mess! Initially, Zanotti said Williams was eager to do the documentary and 'get my story out there' - however Zanotti was disappointed to see a different story air. 'That is not the project that [Williams] signed up for. Thats not the project [the producers] brought to me. Thats not what I told her this was going to be about,' Zanotti claims, adding, 'There were a lot of good moments. None of those good moments were shown.' The filmmakers have since claimed they did not know about Wendy's diagnosis at the time of production. Showrunner Erica Hanson told TODAY: 'Some days, Wendy was on and very Wendy. Other days, she wasnt. We all felt this was a complex and sensitive story to tell, and we all felt a great responsibility to do it with dignity and sensitivity.' Yet Zanotti does not believe they would have stopped even if they knew about her health. 'I dont think [the diagnosis] would have stopped them at all. The producers were asking questions throughout the entire time would ask questions where she would somewhat seem confused, and I feel as though it was done to be intentional at that moment in time to make their storyline,' Zanotti said. 'Again, this was presented as a documentary to her, but to me, it looked as though it was a reality show of a circus, a circus to her downfall.' A now-sealed lawsuit was filed by Sabrina Morrissey, Wendy's guardian, on the day the TV icon's dementia diagnosis was revealed. The suit was filed in an effort to stop the documentary from airing, but a judge dismissed the case on the grounds of the first amendment. Initially, Zanotti said Williams was eager to do the documentary and 'get my story out there' - however Zanotti was disappointed to see a different story air; Williams pictured Zanotti claims she told Morrissey her issues about production at the time of filming and alleges the production company was 'aware' she had raised concerns. However, she alleges she was ignored by production. 'Instead of them dealing with it with me, they decided to ignore me,' Zanotti claimed of production. 'They ignored me from that moment, and I never heard from them again.' She also believes she was inaccurately portrayed in the documentary, aside from a scene in which she was reprimanded by Wendy, claiming there had been 'great, beautiful moments' that subsequently occurred. It comes after Williams' brother, Tommy Williams, claimed his sister is 'stuck' in a treatment facility and wants her released. Williams' brother, Tommy Williams, claims the former talk show host, 59, is 'stuck' in a treatment facility and wants her released; they are seen together in an Instagram snap The TV personality, 59, is currently receiving treatment for frontotemporal dementia which her son claims is 'alcohol induced' and aphasia in a undisclosed facility in New York, where she's reportedly been since April 2023. 'I know that she is stuck and we are trying to unstick her. Her family is here and she doesn't need a facility. We are here to take care of her,' he told Us Weekly. 'All I want for her is freedom. We have a father who would love to see her,' he added. He also expressed his frustration with not being able to see her, telling the publication: 'We're dealing with unknowns. We just want to be able to check in with her. I would fly up there [to New York], but where do I go? No one knows anything.' Tommy added that communication between the TV host and her family has been difficult. 'We can't communicate unless someone patches us through,' he revealed. The TV personality is currently receiving treatment for frontotemporal dementia and aphasia in an undisclosed facility in New York where she's reportedly been since April 2023 'I know that she is stuck and we are trying to unstick her. Her family is here and she doesnt need a facility. We are here to take care of her,' Tommy told Us Weekly 'We wait for calls. I wait for calls from Wendy or my sister or whoever she can get to first and we can all hop on. When she makes that phone call [to us], we're committed to listening and sharing for the moment.' Tommy added that it 'seems like forever' since he's seen his sister. 'It's because of the people who she is around. You can't leave. You're there as part of a program.' 'It's the one thing that is holding her and keeping her from communicating, traveling and doing all the things she likes to do.' The care team for the star announced her diagnosis of Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) in a press release on Thursday. They said Williams had undergone 'a battery of medical tests' before arriving at the diagnosis. The statement noted that Williams had been diagnosed back in 2023. The talk show host has reportedly been living in a treatment facility since April 2023. The update came ahead of the February 24 premiere of a Lifetime documentary Where Is Wendy Williams? which details her struggles with alcohol abuse and mental health in recent years despite the star's guardian's lawsuit against the network. 'All I want for her is freedom. We have a father who would love to see her,' he added. 'We're dealing with unknowns. We just want to be able to check in with her. I would fly up there [to New York], but where do I go? No one knows anything,' he stated Tommy added that communication between the TV host and her family has been difficult. 'We can't communicate unless someone patches us through,' he revealed While Tommy did not appear in the docuseries, Wendy's son Kevin Hunter Jr., 23, and her sister, Wanda Williams, participated. In one scene Kevin claimed that his mom's medical team thought her drinking 'was starting to affect her headspace and her brain.' 'So, I think they said it was alcohol-induced dementia,' he concluded. Tommy told Us Weekly that there was 'naturally some concern' among Wendys family in regards to her drinking habits. 'It was obvious about her drinking. She was alone and her mental state, having been divorced and losing her mother and liquor, it was not a good mix,' he shared, in reference to Wendys 2020 split from ex-husband Kevin Hunter Sr. and the death of her mom, Shirley Williams, during that same year. 'She was very upset about losing her mother and very sad.' Tommy added that despite her challenges her family can 'figure it out and get her whatever she needs.' Wendy spoke out about her recent health diagnoses for the first time in a statement issued last Friday. 'I want to say I have immense gratitude for the love and kind words I have received after sharing my diagnosis of Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Let me say, wow! Your response has been overwhelming,' she shared in a statement released to The Associated Press. 'The messages shared with me have touched me, reminding me of the power of unity and the need for compassion.' The care team for the star announced her diagnosis of Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) in a press release on Thursday; she is seen February 21 In a new docuseries, Wendy's son Kevin Hunter Jr., 23, stated his mom's medical team thought the dementia was 'alcohol-induced'; Wendy, Kevin Jr, and and her ex-husband Kevin Hunter seen in 2017 Wendy finalized her statement writing, 'I continue to need personal space and peace to thrive. Please just know that your positivity and encouragement are deeply appreciated.' Earlier on Tuesday Wendy's best friend slammed the ailing TV host's legal guardian, claiming that the woman tasked with taking care of her left her without 'access to food' - as she voiced her suspicions over Wendy's recent dementia diagnosis. Wendy was placed under a legal guardianship in May 2022, after her bank account said it had 'strong reason to believe' that she was of 'unsound mind' and was 'the victim of undue influence and financial exploitation.' At the time, the court assigned someone to manage Wendy's finances and health, and while their identity was not made public at first, TMZ recently revealed that Wendy's guardian was a New York-based lawyer named Sabrina Morrissey. But now, one of the star's closest pals - Regina Shell, who has known Wendy since she was only 13 years old - has spoken out against her guardian. During a recent appearance on Chris Cuomo's NewsNation series, Cuomo, Regina claimed that the broadcaster had 'no access to her money' and had to ask permission from Sabrina for any purchase she wanted to make - including meals. She alleged that this sometimes meant Wendy would go hours on end without eating, which left Regina so worried that she started ordering food for her from across the country. 'When I was in New York and staying with Wendy in the summer, I noticed she had no access to her money,' Regina shared on Monday evening. 'Every time she had to do anything that she had to pay for, she had to go through the guardian. Lifetime released a shocking new documentary about her, titled Where Is Wendy Williams?, over the weekend, which details her struggles with alcohol and mental health in recent years 'And she would call to order her breakfast at 7:30 in the morning with the guardian, and she would take the order, but the order wouldn't show up until sometimes noon. So Wendy wouldn't have any food.' Regina said that when she returned home to Los Angeles, she began sending her 'delivery service' because she was nervous that Wendy 'wasn't getting' enough to eat. 'When I went back to LA, I would have to send her food from Los Angeles to New York for delivery service, because she wasn't getting' she trailed off. 'The communication wasn't there, and she had no other access to money than this guardian. Days ahead of the new documentary's release, TMZ reported that Wendy's guardian had filed a lawsuit against the parent company of Lifetime, A&E Television Networks. Sabrina had asked the court for injunctive relief, indicating her request could have been an attempt to stop the network from airing the TV special - but a judge ultimately dismissed the case citing the First Amendment. Filmmakers began following Wendy around in 2022 - at the time hoping to document her 'comeback' - but instead, they captured her tragic downward spiral and health decline. In the documentary, the former TV legend appeared virtually unable to answer the producers' repetitive questions, often seemed confused, and would ramble incoherently, break down in tears, or lash out at friends or family members. Wendy was placed under a legal guardianship in May 2022, after her bank account said it had 'strong reason to believe' that she was of 'unsound mind' and was 'the victim of undue influence and financial exploitation'; seen in 2019 It was certainly a vast difference from the once-fearless TV star who used to earn $10 million a season as the host of The Wendy Williams Show. In late 2021, amid her multiple ailments, shattered marriage, and growing alcoholism, Wendy stepped away from her hosting job indefinitely. In the months that followed, she made a slew of worrisome public appearances that saw her looking disheveled and often confused. Now, Wendy hasn't been seen publicly in more than a year, and according to the documentary, she's been living in a treatment facility since last April. Hailey Bieber celebrated husband Justin Bieber's 30th birthday with a sweet Instagram tribute, after her father recently sparked concern about the state of their marriage. The model, 27, took to social media on Friday sharing a number of adorable snaps of the pair, including a photograph from their 2018 wedding. '30!!!!!!!????!!????!!!! that was fast. words could never truly describe the beauty of who you are. Happy Birthday to you love of my life, for life,' she gushed in the caption. In the wedding snap Hailey is the picture-perfect bride as she kisses Justin while he embraces her. Earlier on Friday it was reported Hailey is said to be upset with her father Stephen Baldwin, 57, after he asked fans to 'say a little prayer' for her and Justin. Hailey Bieber celebrated husband Justin Bieber's 30th birthday with a sweet Instagram tribute, after her father recently sparked concern about the state of their marriage The model, 27, took to social media on Friday sharing a number of adorable snaps of the pair, including a photograph from their 2018 wedding Hailey started out the birthday post with a sweet black and white clip of her and Justin kissing. Another snap featured Justin as a little boy, wearing a white bucket hat and a grey t-shirt. There was also a photo of them on the deck of a boat at nighttime, with Justin wearing a cowboy hat and holding Hailey from behind. Hailey continued to loved-up carousel of photos with a close-up shot of her and Justin kissing. She also added Justin's birthday cake, which featured his name and the number 30. Another cute shot saw the Rhode founder gazing at her man as she cozied up to him in an oversized blue hoodie. There was also a photo of the duo locking lips on a boat, followed by a candid shot of them grabbing coffee. Hailey's A-list pals quickly took to the comments, with Kim Kardashian writing, 'My couple! Happy Birthday Justin.' Her sister Khloe Kardashian simply wrote, 'The best' and added another comments with a number of red heart emojis. Singer Billie Eilish left three crying emojis. Model Ashely Graham commented 'hbd J! with a heart and a crown emoji while Twilight star Taylor Lautner left two red hearts. '30!!!!!!!????!!????!!!! that was fast. words could never truly describe the beauty of who you are. Happy Birthday to you love of my life, for life,' she gushed in the caption Another cute shot saw the Rhode founder gazing at her man as she cozied up to him in an oversized blue hoodie There was also a photo of the duo locking lips on a boat There was also a photo of them on the deck of a boat at nighttime, with Justin wearing a cowboy hat and holding Hailey from behind The pair were seen grabbing coffee together in another candid shot Another snap featured Justin as a little boy, wearing a white bucket hat and a grey t-shirt She also added Justin's birthday cake, which featured his name and the number 30 Hailey's A-list pals quickly took to the comments, with Kim Kardashian writing, 'My couple! Happy Birthday Justin' On Friday TMZ has reported that Hailey and her husband Justin are dealing with a private matter that her father knows about. His plea with followers to 'say a little prayer' for the couple was allegedly about their current issue. While Stephen was likely well-intentioned when he asked for prayers, Hailey is reportedly unhappy her father had drawn eyes towards her and Justin. Hailey and Justin have yet to address Stephen's post. The couple also appeared somber as they arrived to church together on Wednesday. On Monday, Stephen raised eyebrows when he reposted a video of Justin singing, which was shared by All Things Possible Ministries founder Victor Marx and captioned: 'Christians please when you think of Justin & Hailey, take a moment to offer a little prayer for them to have wisdom, protection, and draw close to the Lord.' The evangelist also wrote that his wife Eileen Marx and Hailey's mother Kennya Deodato Baldwin 'pray often together' for the married couple, who wed in 2018. 'There are special challenges that folks in high visibility positions face and also the enemy doesn't want them to draw closer to Jesus,' Victor wrote. 'So often regardless of the material things or the accolades they often face spiritual warfare that [is] intense and seeks to ship-wreck their faith, marriage, and life in general. So thank you.' Marx has since deleted the post. Both Justin and Hailey who celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary in September are devout Christians and credit their faith for getting them through their 'tough' first year of marriage. Justin and Hailey rekindled their romance in May 2018 and got engaged July 7, 2018. The lovebirds got their marriage license from a New York City courthouse in September 2018. Earlier on Friday it was reported Hailey is said to be upset with her father Stephen Baldwin, 57, after he asked fans to 'say a little prayer' for her and Justin; they are seen in 2016 Hailey and her husband Justin are dealing with a private matter that her father knows about, as per TMZ. His plea with followers to 'say a little prayer' for the couple was allegedly about their current issue They tied the knot in a lavish wedding in South Carolina on September 30, 2019 at the Montage Palmetto Bluff resort in front of 154 guests that included Kendall and Kylie Jenner. Hailey arguably would never have even met Justin had her father Stephen not been there to introduce the future couple while backstage on NBC's TODAY back in 2009. 'Nice to meet you,' were the first words Hailey ever uttered to Bieber. The two-time Grammy winner and the Rhode founder rekindled their on/off romance three months after his split with Selena Gomez. Fred Again left his fans completely shocked when he took to the stage for a surprise show at a Melbourne nightclub on Saturday morning. The record producer, 30, has jetted Down Under for his sold-out tour, but he has also given lucky fans who might not have nabbed the sought-after tickets a chance to see him live. He has been treating his Aussie fans to a whole string of surprise shows ever since touching down, putting on an intimate show at a Sydney nightclub earlier this week. And on Saturday morning, the DJ put on another surprise performance for his die-hard fans just hours after touching down in Melbourne late on Friday night. Getting up early, Fred took to his Instagram Stories at 7am to share a video of himself roaming the streets as he commented that there was 'not a lot open'. Fred Again left his fans completely shocked when he took to the stage for a surprise show at Melbourne nightclub Revolver Upstairs at 9am on Saturday However, he teased that he had found 'one place' that was open before confirming that he was putting on a 9am set at Melbourne nightclub Revolver Upstairs. He shared a video of himself grinning as he danced behind the DJ decks while performing to the packed-out club first thing in the morning. His fans had descended on the venue for his surprise performance and eagerly danced along to his epic setlist, marking an incredible start to the weekend. Fred also sweetly shared a video of one fan on a video call to their family member as they made sure they didn't miss the chance to soak up the atmosphere at the gig. Gushing over the experience, Fred captioned one of the videos: 'I've always wanted to play a set like that!' He also teased that he is gearing up for yet another surprise show, as he hinted that he will be 'back in a couple of hours' at a mystery venue. He shared a video of himself grinning as he danced behind the DJ decks while performing for the packed-out club first thing in the morning His fans had descended on the venue for his surprise performance and eagerly danced along to his epic setlist, marking an incredible start to the weekend He wrote: 'Confirming somewhere for later. I'm told it's not confirmed yet but back in a couple of hours I hope!' It comes just days after Fred treated a few hundred fans to a surprise gig in Sydney on Thursday night. He performed at Club 77 in Darlinghurst in front of 200 music lovers, who were selected and notified of the show via a WhatsApp message from the musician. 'Hi! Doin a random party tonight and we've randomly selected a few numbers to send ticket link to, so if you're getting this message that's u! If u wanna come!' the message read. He also shocked fans earlier this week with a last-minute surprise performance at the Sydney Opera House. Fred's surprise gigs come after he apologised to fans when tickets for his Melbourne, Sydney and Gold Coast shows sold out within an hour of going on sale. He has been treating his Aussie fans to a whole string of surprise shows ever since touching down, putting on an intimate show at a Sydney nightclub (pictured) earlier this week It comes after Fred (pictured on stage in August) apologised to fans when tickets for his Melbourne, Sydney and Gold Coast shows sold out within an hour of going on sale 'I just wanna say I really didn't anticipate that this would be a sitch where we'd be leaving so many people disappointed with tickets,' he said via Instagram. 'Like in my mind we were coming all this way and doing this ambitious shows to play to like people yknow!' 'I didn't think we'd be leaving like 90 per cent of people disappointed, so obviously THANK YOU, but like it genuinely makes me sad seeing all your messages today,' he added. Fred kicks off his tour in Melbourne, playing three back-to-back shows from March 4 to March 6 at Rod Laver Arena, before heading to a pop up location on the Gold Coast on March 9. He will then return to Sydney for three shows at Qudos Bank Arena from March 12 to March 14. Rebel Wilson described her fiancee Ramona Agruma and their daughter Royce as the 'best present ever' as she celebrated her 44th birthday. The comedian, 44, took to Instagram on Saturday to mark the occasion with a sweet post where she gushed over Ramona, 40, and daughter Royce, 15 months. Rebel shared a picture of herself striking a playful pose as she seemingly enjoyed a sun-soaked day out on a boat to celebrate the special day. In the snap, she cut a stylish figure in a floral print gown and a white cardigan and shielded her eyes with a pair of dark sunglasses. She sweetly described her family as her 'best present ever' in the caption of her birthday post. Rebel Wilson took to Instagram on Saturday to share a post celebrating her 44th birthday, sharing a sun-soaked snap of herself on a day out She sweetly described her fiancee Ramona Agruma (pictured) and daughter Royce, 15 months, as the 'best present ever' in an accompanying caption The actress penned: 'Happy 44th birthday to me! I got the best present ever - a healthy child, a healthy relationship and a career that keeps challenging me (directing a new film, writing a book, producing AND acting) and so many amazing friends and fans who inspire me to keep going! Love you all x' Rebel first met her fiancee Ramona in 2021, and they announced their engagement in February last year. She welcomed daughter Royce in November 2022, with Rebel confirming the news in a gushing social media post at the time. 'Beyond proud to announce the birth of my first child, Royce Lillian, born this past week via surrogate,' she wrote. It comes after Rebel was one of the lucky celebrities who went to watch Taylor Swift on her Australian Eras tour last week. Rebel confirmed their engagement in February last year Rebel was one of the lucky celebrities who went to watch Taylor Swift on her Australian Eras tour last week and she watched the show alongside super-fan Toni Collette Rebel was delighted as she also got a selfie with Taylor's father, Scott Swift, affectionately known to fans as 'Papa Swift' She had a prime seat to watch Taylor, 34, as the pop star took the stage in Sydney for her second show at Accor Stadium. Rebel was delighted as she also got a selfie with Taylor's father, Scott Swift, affectionately known to fans as 'Papa Swift'. She also posed alongside Toni Collette after bumping into the die-hard Swiftie in the crowds of the concert. Sofia Vergara looked stunning as she headed to lunch. The 51-year-old America's Got Talent judge - who just finalized her divorce from Joe Manganiello last month - was seen out and about in the upscale LA neighborhood of Beverly Hills on Friday. The star stepped out in black floral pants with off-white designs and a matching black blouse and black leather boots as she was joined by a male pal. She also carried a brown-ish Yves Saint Laurent purse, while sporting large-frame sunglasses, several necklaces, and her lightened locks flowing straight down the middle of her back with a part in the middle. With a chance of rain in the forecast and the temperature shifting between the upper 50s to low 60s Fahrenheit, the Barranquilla, Atlantico, Colombia native also had a long brown trench coat that she wore over her shoulders. Sofia Vergara looked stunning as she headed to lunch in the upscale LA neighborhood of Beverly Hills on Friday After enjoying good food and great conversation, the two pals were spotted leaving the establishment and making their way to the parking lot to retrieve their vehicles. Vergara could be seen being led back to her black SUV by a valet employee, who opened the door for her and then turned his attention to her guy pal. Once situated behind the wheel, the Griselda leading lady was all smiles while seemingly looking down at her phone, which was soon followed by all out laughter. Moments later, the mother of one drove out of the lot and on to her next destination. At one point during her day, Vergara took a mirror selfie showing her in that very same outfit and shared it on her Instagram page. 'Happy Friday,' she captioned the snap that also had a snippet of Ariana Grande's Yes, And?, the lead single from her upcoming seventh studio album Eternal Sunshine that's set to drop March 8. In recent weeks, the actress has been in promo mode for her latest role in the biographical crime drama Griselda, in which she plays Griselda Blanco, a powerful crime boss who initially succeeds among Miami's drug trade. The real Blanco, who was also known as the Godmother of Cocaine, was considered a prominent figure in the underworld of Miami, Florida from the 1970s through the early 2000s. The 51-year-old former Modern Family star looked chic in black floral pants with a black blouse and a brown trench coat over her shoulders after leaving the restaurant She also carried a brown-ish Yves Saint Laurent purse, while sporting large-frame sunglasses, several necklaces, and her lightened locks flowing straight down the middle of her back with a part in the middle Once situated behind the wheel, the Griselda leading lady was all smiles while seemingly looking down at her phone, which was soon followed by all out laughter At one point during her day, Vergara took a mirror selfie showing her in that very same outfit and shared it on her Instagram page The actress has been riding high amid good reviews for her role as a drug lord in Griselda, which dropped on the Netflix streaming platform January 25 Since premiering on the Netflix streaming platform January 25, Vergara has been riding high amid all the great reviews she's been getting from fans and critics for her performance. In the first week after its release, Griselda debuted at number one in 89 countries and topped Netflix's Global Weekly Top 10 TV (English). Along with Vergara, the cast also includes Alberto Guerra, Martin Rodriguez, Juliana Aiden Martinez, Vanessa Ferlito and Christian Tappan, among many others with recurring roles. The limited miniseries, consisting of six hour-long episodes, was directed by Andres Baiz and written by Doug Miro and Ingrid Escajeda. Tributes poured in Friday for Iris Apfel, fashion maven and self-proclaimed 'geriatric starlet', who has died at the age of 102. The news was announced on her Instagram Friday, with a beautiful photo of the famous fashionista in a regal black and gold gown and her signature black glasses. 'Iris Barrel Apfel, August 29, 1921 March 1, 2024,' read the caption on the post. Celebrities galore shared their warm testimonials to Iris, who spent her twilight years as a style icon in New York City. Rocker Lenny Kravitz wrote: 'You mastered the art of living. Thank you for your energy and inspiration.' Lenny Kravitz led the celebrity tributes to 'You mastered the art of living,' and: 'Thank you for your energy and inspiration' Tributes poured in Friday for Iris, fashion maven and self-proclaimed 'geriatric starlet', who has died at the age of 102 'Iris Barrel Apfel, August 29, 1921 March 1, 2024,' read the caption on the post Maria Shriver wrote: 'Wow! What a truly remarkable life #IrisApfel lived. She truly did it all: She was a businesswoman, she was a fashion model, she was a fashion icon, she was a college professor, she was a star of a documentary, she was a Barbie doll! Iris is truly proof that age is just a number.' Actress Hannah Waddingham also paid tribute, writing: 'Ohhhhhh. Goodnight and God bless Ma'am. What joy and endless style you brought to so many.' 'Rest in power!' gushed plus-size model Tess Holliday. 'Thank you for living your life so beautifully & inspiring so many of us to live boldly.' A spokesman for her estate confirmed the news to the New York Times and revealed that she died at home in Palm Beach, Florida. Amid the outpouring of glowing messages from celebrities, fans rushed to her social media page to pay their respects. 'Thank you for sharing your beautiful life,' designer Jenna Lyons added. 'RIP icon,' one person wrote. 'You will be missed,' another added with a red-heart emoji. 'An icon and true inspiration,' yet another follower wrote. 'Rest in beauty icon.' Apfel only came to worldwide attention in 2005 when the Metropolitan Museum of Art showed an exhibition focusing on her fashion sense titled Rara Avis (Rare Bird). 'Rest in power!' gushed plus-size model Tess Holliday: 'Thank you for living your life so beautifully & inspiring so many of us to live boldly' 'Iris Barrel Apfel, August 29, 1921 March 1, 2024,' read the caption on the photo; seen with Linda Fargo in 2013 A spokesman for her estate confirmed the news to the New York Times and revealed that she died in her Palm Beach, Florida, home; seen in 2015 The cause of death has not been provided at this time; seen with Christie Brinkley in 2022 Apfel, who was a New York style icon for years, only came to worldwide attention in 2005 when the Metropolitan Museum of Art showed an exhibition focusing on her fashion sense titled Rara Avis (Rare Bird); seen with Christina Hendricks in 2016 In 2019, at 97-years-old, Iris landed a modeling contract with IMG - the same agency that has repped top stars like Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, and Miranda Kerr; seen in 2016 She's faced campaigns for Kate Spade, MAC Cosmetics, Alexis Bittar, Macy's INC, Blue Illusion, HSN, Le Bon Marche, and the German brand Aigner; seen with Christina Ricci and Zosia Mamet Iris Apfel (born Iris Barrel) was born on August 29, 1921 in Astoria, Queens, New York City the only child of Samuel Barrel and Russian-born wife, Sadye Barrel. She started her career as a copywriter for Womens Wear Daily and interior designer Elinor Johnson. In 1948, she married husband Carl Apfel, and the duo owned a textile firm until they retired 44 years later. Over the years the pair worked on many restoration projects, including at the White House. Carl died at the age of 100 in 2015. In 2019, at 97-years-old, Iris landed a modeling contract with IMG - the same agency that has repped top stars like Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, and Miranda Kerr. Even as she was pushing 100, Apfel showed no signs of slowing down, and told WWD she's 'very excited' about her new deal. Though the star drew the linear walking down the catwalk, telling the publication: 'How can I compete on runway? That's ridiculous,' she said. 'We'll be doing hopefully collaborations, or maybe Ill be a spokesperson. I leave it to them. They know better than I.' 'I've had all kinds of interesting commissions in my limited career. Everything from vodka and automobiles to beauty products, and Ive also had a number of interesting collaborations with big stores like Bon Marche in Paris, the Landmark Mall in Hong Kong, Macys and Bergdorf Goodman.' She started her career as a copywriter for Womens Wear Daily and interior designer Elinor Johnson; seen in a throwback Instagram photo In 1948, she married husband Carl Apfel, and the duo owned a textile firm until they retired 44 years later Over the years the pair worked on many restoration projects, including at the White House; the pair seen in 2008 Carl died at the age of 100 in 2015; seen in 2008 Over the past decade Apfel has modeled for a seriously impressive roster of big-name fashion and beauty brands. She's faced campaigns for Kate Spade, MAC Cosmetics, Alexis Bittar, Macy's INC, Blue Illusion, HSN, Le Bon Marche, and the German brand Aigner. In each one, she's showed off a facet of her style, including her signature oversized round glasses. For several, she's posed right alongside models a quarter of her age, including Karlie, Toni Garnn, Tavi Gevinson, and Jourdan Dunn. She previously gave her opinion on style, telling Women's Wear Daily 'I don't think style has any age. It's in your DNA and inherent. It's a matter of attitude.' No one was as surprised by her late-in-life modeling career than Apfel herself. Though she's had a long career in fashion, it was owning her own textile company, Old World Weavers, from 1950 that kept her in the fashion world. 'I never expected my life would take this turn so I never prepared for it. It all just happened so suddenly, and I thought at my tender age, I'm not going to set up offices and get involved with all kinds of things,' she said. 'I thought it was a flash in the pan, and it's not going to last. Somehow, people found me. People would just call. Tommy Hilfiger said that was no way to do it, and he put us together. I'm very excited and very grateful.' In addition to modeling, she also designed her own clothing and accessories line for HSN and published a book in 2018. 'My husband, until he passed on, we used to sit there and laugh and laugh, and I'd say I'm no different than I was 70 years ago, and all of a sudden, I'm cool, I'm a hot property. It's ridiculous. People tell me it's because I'm real and say what I think,' she added. In 2016 she gave some advice for young female entrepreneurs at the Women's Entrepreneurship Day conference at the United Nations. 'Taking opportunity and running is very important, because I never had a business plan in my life. Things just came along and I grabbed them,' she told them. 'I'm glad to see all these glass ceilings are being smashed and I know I feel that if women were a little more forceful and stuck to it there wouldn't be so much of this feeling,' she added. 'I know when I started, the dinosaurs were roaming the Earth, I'm 95 and I've been working my whole life. It wasn't easy but if you really want to do it, you can do it.' Netflix canceled the Michelle Yeoh dramedy The Brothers Sun after one season on Friday. The series from Glee and American Horror Story co-creator Brad Falchuk and newcomer Byron Wu debuted its 8-episode season on January 4. Oscar winner Michelle, 61, played Eileen, the matriarch of a powerful Taiwanese crime family, whose assassin son Charles (Justin Chien) returned to L.A. to protect her and her med student son Bruce (Sam Song Lei) after the death of his father. 'As Taipeis deadliest societies and a new rising faction go head-to-head for dominance Charles, Bruce and their mother must heal the wounds caused by their separation and figure out what brotherhood and family truly mean before one of their countless enemies kills them all,' per the official description. The series marked one of the first major projects Michelle embarked on after winning the 2023 Best Actress Oscar for her incredible performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Netflix canceled the Michelle Yeoh dramedy The Brothers Sun after one season on Friday; pictured in 2019 The series from Glee and American Horror Story co-creator Brad Falchuk and newcomer Byron Wu debuted its 8-episode season on January 4 Praised by critics for Michelle's standout performance, The Brothers Sun started off with a bang. Despite spending five weeks in the Netflix Top 10 for English-language series and reaching a peak position of No. 2, the show struggled to secure a broad audience, according to Deadline. It maintained a weekly view count below 7 million and slipping under 2 million during its final two weeks in the Top 10 rankings. Consequently, it fell short of earning a renewal for a second season. Falchuk served as showrunner and executive produced alongside Wu. Falchuk continues his professional collaboration with Netflix, maintaining an overall deal with the streaming platform. Michelle, meanwhile, is set to maintain a bustling schedule in the aftermath. Notably, she takes on a prominent role in the highly anticipated adaptation of Wicked this year. Oscar winner Michelle, 61, played Eileen, the matriarch of a powerful Taiwanese crime family, whose assassin son Charles (Justin Chien) returned to L.A. to protect her and her med student son Bruce (Sam Song Lei) after the death of his father Despite spending five weeks in the Netflix Top 10 for English-language series and reaching a peak position of No. 2, the show struggled to secure a broad audience The series marked one of the first major projects Michelle embarked on after winning the 2023 Best Actress Oscar for her incredible performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once Additionally, her involvement in a Star Trek spinoff remains in progress, promising fans more of her captivating performances in the sci-fi universe. Moreover, Michelle has become an integral part of James Cameron 's expansive Avatar franchise, ensuring her presence in film credits for the foreseeable future, possibly extending over the next decade. She's also set to present at the 2024 Oscars alongside a cavalcade of stars, including Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong'o, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ke Huy Quan, Sam Rockwell and Zendaya. Jennifer Lawrence is also set to be one of the presenters during the 96th Annual Academy Awards alongside Kate McKinnon, Dwyane Johnson and Regina King. A phalanx of Real Housewives sprang to Andy Cohen's defense after he was sued by Real Housewives Of New York City alum Leah McSweeney. McSweeney leveled a string of explosive allegations against Cohen and Bravo, including that they took advantage of her drinking problem for ratings and that Cohen used to offer cocaine to preferred cast members on his reality shows. Cohen denied the bombshell accusations, and the Real Housewives have closed ranks around him, issuing statements in his support. Melissa Gorga, a Real Housewife Of New Jersey since 2011, told Page Six: 'Throughout my 14 years of working with Andy, I have witnessed nothing but respect, kindness and support. I have never been offered any type of drug by him ever.' She added: 'His leadership style exemplifies authenticity. He prioritizes open communication and hes very approachable. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and grow under his guidance and share in his success.' A phalanx of Real Housewives sprang to Andy Cohen's (right) defense after he was sued by Real Housewives Of New York City alum Leah McSweeney (left) Melissa Gorga , a Real Housewife Of New Jersey since 2011, told Page Six: 'Throughout my 14 years of working with Andy, I have witnessed nothing but respect, kindness and support' Martina Navratilova's wife Julia Legimova, who is a Real Housewife Of Miami, echoed Melissa's glowing appraisal of their work environment. She insisted Cohen and Bravo 'have been nothing but great to me and I consider myself lucky to be now part of this family. And if there is a question, we always have resources. We even have psychologists on our team if we need to speak to somebody. To me, you dont bite the hand that feeds you.' In response to McSweeney's claim that the Housewives were pressured to drink too much, Legimova argued that the reality stars were all 'grown-a** women' with control of their own intake, adding: 'Nobody has ever pushed me to drink. Sometimes I put tequila in my drink, sometimes I put water. We can make our own choices.' New Housewife Of New Jersey Rachel Fuda, who only joined the program last year, also gave a warm evaluation of the Bravo impresario. 'I'm new to this world, Ive had a few interactions with Andy and hes been nothing but professional and kind and I dont see a correlation of anything of these allegations with his behavior and the way that he has treated me,' she said. 'He's been very professional, weve had professional conversations. Theres been nothing inappropriate. And I just think in life, we all have different experiences of things and some are saltier than others.' Fuda alluded to the fact that Leah was a Housewife from 2020 until 2021 and was not brought back when The Real Housewives Of New York City got rebooted with a new cast. 'All of it kind of seems very calculated,' said Fuda. She qualified: 'Im not taking away the fact that that could have very well been her experience. But I just think, How long has she not been a Housewife for?' Martina Navratilova's (right) wife Julia Legimova (left), who is a Real Housewife Of Miami, echoed Melissa's glowing appraisal of their work environment New Housewife Of New Jersey Rachel Fuda , who only joined the program last year, also gave a warm evaluation of the Bravo impresario During McSweeney's first season as a Real Housewife, she had recently fallen off the wagon, but by her second season, she was sober again. McSweeney has accused the show of making use of her alcohol struggles for ratings, but Fuda took the view that 'if youre entering a show like this, you need to be equipped with the toolbox to take on a beast like this.' She insisted: 'You dont walk into this and not know the nature of the beast. Thats my opinion. If you are recovering in any way, you need to have your s*** in order.' The Real Housewives Of Potomac's Ashley Darby responded to the cocaine allegation by saying: 'I can only speak to how Andy has been with me over these last eight years and even when Ive seen him out and about. Around Fashion Week a couple of years ago, we were in the same club and I saw nothing of the sort.' She continued: 'Hes just always been really professional with me and Ive always felt like hes treated me equally and fairly,' and in reference to Leah's allegations said: 'Ive never experienced this. It really catches me off guard.' Darby averred that her show's production company 'has always been very considerate' whenever she took breaks from alcohol during the shoot. 'No one ever tries to force me or coerce me into doing anything. Thats something I really appreciate and one of the reasons that I feel so comfortable sharing my life.' Darby continued: 'I feel like they do respect my boundaries and what I believe in. It really is on my terms.' Ashley Darby responded to the cocaine allegation by saying: 'Around Fashion Week a couple of years ago, we were in the same club and I saw nothing of the sort' Wendy Osufo, also of The Real Housewives Of Potomac, remarked in a similar vein: 'I have not experienced [producers forcing talent to drink] at all' Wendy Osufo, also of The Real Housewives Of Potomac, remarked in a similar vein: 'I have not experienced [producers forcing talent to drink] at all. Its always been up to me, so thats not something Ive seen or witnessed.' Gorga, Fuda and Legimova echoed the contention that they were never pressured into drinking too much while making their respective reality shows. Lisa Hochstein posted to Instagram on Friday that Cohen 'has always been a standup man to me, my family, and my entire RHOM cast.' The latest outpouring of support from Bravo stars comes one day after Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Kandi Burruss weighed in on the discussion surrounding Leah's suit. While appearing on Thursday's episode of Tamron Halls daytime talk show, the 47-year-old reality star made it clear where she stands on the fashion designer's claims that the producer 'encourage substance abuse to artificially create drama and cynically prey on the vulnerabilities of their employees.' 'I don't want to get too involved in their legal matters or whatever, but I have had and I hope to continue to have a good relationship with the network,' she told the broadcast journalist, 53. She continued, 'And the reason why I can vouch for how I feel I've been on that show for 14 years, and nobody can make me do anything. So, people know I don't do drugs, I've never been drunk in my life, and yes, I mean, some people ask for a little wine or a drink or whatever because that's what they like.' Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Kandi Burruss weighed in on the discussion surrounding Leah McSweeney's bombshell lawsuit against Bravo and Cohen The TV personality added that many members of the franchise 'like to have wine' and 'have drinks.' 'Thats what they do when they want to have fun. Do I have drinks? No. So, the same way that I have a choice, they have a choice, too,' Burruss concluded. 'Nobody is making you do anything.' The appearance comes after former Real Housewives of New York City star Leah McSweeney accused Cohen of engaging 'in cocaine use with Housewives that he employs' in a new lawsuit. McSweeney said in court docs reviewed by Page Six that Cohen 'tends to provide the Housewives with whom he uses cocaine with more favorable treatment' and strategic editing to make them look better. Cohen 'intentionally uses cocaine with his employees to further promote a workplace culture that thrives off drug and alcohol use, which leads to a failure to accommodate employees who are disabled and trying to stay substance free,' McSweeney said in court docs. A rep for Cohen told Dailymail.com that 'the claims against Andy are completely false.' 'I don't want to get too involved in their legal matters or whatever, but I have had and I hope to continue to have a good relationship with the network,' she told the broadcast journalist, 53 McSweeney, 41, appeared on two seasons of The Real Housewives of New York City in 2020-2021, and on a season of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip, which aired last year. McSweeney said in the legal docs that Bravo 'thrives off drug and alcohol use,' without naming any further parties past Cohen. McSweeney said in court docs reviewed by Page Six that she informed Bravo producers prior to her casting on the series, that she had been focused on staying sober, and had a 30-day streak of sobriety going into the show. McSweeney told the court that producers failed to make a 'reasonable accommodation' for her addiction-related disability - but instead provided her 'with unlimited, free-of charge alcoholic beverages,' and 'encouraged her to consume those alcoholic beverages.' McSweeney's legal team said that 'this environment caused Ms. McSweeney to relapse into alcohol addiction shortly after joining RHONY season 12.' The appearance comes after Cohen former Real Housewives of New York City star Leah McSweeney accused him of engaging 'in cocaine use with Housewives that he employs' in a new lawsuit; pictured in 2023 A rep for Cohen told Dailymail.com that 'the claims against Andy are completely false' (pictured in 2023) McSweeney said in court docs that Bravo producers sought to sabotage her sobriety by both exacerbating it and stopping her from getting treatment for her problem. McSweeney told the court that Bravo executives violated her employment rights under the Disabilities Act by preventing her to get help for her alcohol issues, knowing she was dealing with them. McSweeney, who has a fashion label called Married To The Mob, said in the legal docs that sexual harassment was also rife in the company, claiming that a senior producer 'routinely sends unsolicited pictures of [their] genitalia to lower-level production employees,' and that executives have ignored the issues. McSweeney said in legal docs that Bravo and Shed Media, a production company it works with on its shows, continued to promote the unnamed senior producer in question 'to positions of increased power.' In 'failing to take appropriate remedial action' amid the claims, McSweeney said in court docs, Bravo and Shed officials 'tacitly' signaled to both the senior producer and 'all other employees that they can engage in unlawful employment practices with impunity.' McSweeney in her suit, which is for unspecified damages, named Cohen, Bravo, Shed Media and Shed's parent company Warner Media. Edwina Bartholomew has confessed that she and her husband Neil Varcoe have undergone what she calls an 'extreme sleep divorce'. The pair have ben living in separate homes since last year - but the Sunrise star insists it works for them, and before they split up their homes, the pair had not shared a bedroom in a decade. 'We have been sleeping in separate rooms for about 10 years, long before we were married and long before we had kids' she tells Stellar this weekend. Edwina added that at first she 'hated the idea' of separate bedrooms but soon realised it worked best for the pair of them. Last year, she entered into a long-distance relationship with her husband as he moved out of the family home to become a farmer. Edwina Bartholomew has confessed that she and her husband Neil Varcoe have undergone what she calls an 'extreme sleep divorce'. Both pictured 'My husband lives in the country with the dog and I live in the city with the kids. Each weekend, we traipse back and forth between the two or meet somewhere in the middle' the television star explained. 'It feels like a Love Actually airport reunion every time we come together with a slow-motion embrace and those newlywed feels'. The 40-year-old recently celebrated her ten-year wedding anniversary, and shared her surprising family news in an Instagram post in June. Neil recently left his job at Twitter following Elon Musk's takeover and moved to Capertee Valley, three hours west of Sydney, to work as the 'chief farming officer' at Warramba - the 1890s farm he and Edwina lovingly restored several years ago. The pair have ben living in separate homes since last year - but the Sunrise star insists it works for them, and before they split up their homes, the pair had not shared a bedroom in a decade. Pictured with their children He is also became the project manager of a historic hotel in Carcoar, NSW, called The Victoria. 'Today is a big day for our little family,' Edwina began, adding that Neil, a journalist and tech executive with 20 years' experience, was 'officially shifting from working in digital media to full-time farming.' 'Neil was born and raised in Lithgow and went to school in Bathurst so it's pretty exciting he now gets to contribute to the extraordinary growth in the Central West. He is also the proud new owner of a very big jacket and a beard to survive the winter,' she joked. Edwina explained she will live in Sydney with their children during the week so she can continue her work at Sunrise, but will visit Neil with the kids on weekends. 'It feels like a Love Actually airport reunion every time we come together with a slow-motion embrace and those newlywed feels' she said The couple, who sold their Dulwich Hill home for an estimated $2million in March, share two children, daughter Molly, three, and son Tom, one. 'We will miss him during the week but let the commuting, designing, renovation fun begin!' Edwina concluded. Neil also shared a similar post on his Instagram page, telling his followers that while he's going to miss his family during the week, he's 'excited to build a business for his family from scratch'. 'The chance to contribute to the extraordinary growth that's occurring in my home region is irresistible,' he wrote, adding: 'This would not be possible without the support and courage of my wife Edwina. In fact, this wild scheme was her idea.' Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the breakfast TV presenter said the couple's different morning routines made it difficult to sleep in the same bedroom, and that the current sleeping arrangements 'kept their love alive'. 'It shocks people when they come to our house and see two rooms set up,' she said at the time. She's the hugely popular influencer who went viral after a cringe-inducing encounter at last year's TikTok Awards. And Sophia Begg, 19, who is better known as Sopha Dopha, has responded to the controversy. Dopha was slammed online after her encounter with host Tony Armstrong, which she now says was nothing more than a misunderstanding. During the ceremony Armstrong approached Dopha for an on-camera comment after telling her she 'looked ecstatic' after she received a nomination for Creator of the Year Award. Dopha replied: 'Thank you, wow, stop flirting with me.' Influencer Sopha Dopha - real name Sophia Begg - has responded to the notorious Tony Armstrong controversy at last year's Tik Tok Awards in which she accused the ABC star of 'flirting' with her. Pictured: Dopha on the red carpet last December Fans later accused her of not knowing the meaning of 'ecstatic', and speculated that she believed Armstrong was offering her a physical compliment, as in she 'looked exquisite'. Speaking to Stellar, Dopha now says she was 'nervous'. 'Honestly, I could have vomited on the mic,' she explained. 'We were in the front row and I wasn't really briefed that someone would be coming across the front. I would have liked to have not a script, but just some idea. Because when you're so nervous, you somewhat need a script.' In a new interview with Stellar dopha said she was 'nervous' and said her comment was the first thing that came into her head. Pictured: Tony Armstrong and Rona Glynn-McDonald She said that after Armstrong 'roasted' Andy Hearnden known as AndyCooks for being 'boring' she thought she was going to get 'roasted' too when the host turned to her for a comment. 'So that's the reason I said what I said it was the first thing I could think of, it was so stupid. Also, the viral TikTok that was posted, they cut out the part where Tony said, ''You're looking great tonight'', which is the reason I said what I said.' Meanwhile, Sophia has sparked controversy on several occasions over the past few years. Dopha added that she did not want to be 'boring' when Armstrong approached her with the mic Pictured: The pair's notorious TikTok Awards encounter In April last year, the blonde was forced to apologise after she dressed up as the stingray that killed Steve Irwin for an Australian-themed costume party. Sophia's choice of outfit had sparked outrage among her TikTok followers, who called her out for being 'disrespectful' to the Irwin family. After being eviscerated by critics, Sophia issued a statement saying she 'didn't mean to offend anyone' or 'disrespect Steve's family'. In December last 2022, Sophia also sparked online backlash again after she sold $89 gift boxes to her Instagram followers. The controversial social media celebrity has attracted 1.7million followers across her Instagram and TikTok accounts The beauty gift bags included self tanning foam, sunscreen, earrings and a trucker hat. Celebrity watchdog account Influencer Updates shared her post to their page and Sophia was quickly roasted in the comments for promoting 'mass produced trash'. The controversial social media celebrity, meanwhile, has attracted 1.7million followers across her Instagram and TikTok accounts. Julia Fox turned heads as she joined Barbara Palvin at Vivienne Westwood's Fall/Winter 2024-2025 ready-to-wear Paris Fashion Week show on Saturday. The actress, 34, wore a plunging corseted gown, typical of the late designers style, teaming it with a quirky headdress and body glitter. The shimmering deep green and black number featured flecks of gold running through the fabric and a draped sheer overlay. Julia, who is famed for briefly dating Kanye West in 2022, styled her hair in wet-look waves, topped with the gold and diamond encrusted claw-like crown. Referencing both nature and the medieval period, the model's look was completed with a pair of gold heels. Julia Fox (L) turned heads as she joined Barbara Palvin (R) at the Vivienne Westwood Fall/Winter 2024-2025 ready-to-wear Paris Fashion Week show on Saturday The actress, 34, wore a plunging corseted gown, typical of the late designers style, teaming it with a quirky headdress and body glitter Barbara wore an oversized blazer with dramatic shoulder pads and a matching mini skirt. The Hungarian model, 30, layered a slinky top underneath, tucking it into the skirt and boosted her height with towering platform boots. Models walked the runway in Vivienne Westwood's classic punky styles infused with historical elements inclusive of breastplates and staffs. Sam Smith was seen in tiered black gown with cut-out detailing as well as a tartan number, complete with platform knee boots. The singer was followed by Kate Moss' daughter Lila wearing a knitted long-sleeved dress with a black mesh breastplate. Westwood's radical style shone through Andreas Kronthaler's designs with tartan and platform boots seen on the runway. He first met Vivienne in 1989, when she was a professor of fashion at the Vienna Academy of Applied Arts, they married in 1992. Julia has lately been focusing on her modelling career as well as making high-profile fashion show appearances, but her Hollywood career marches on. Barbara wore an oversized blazer with dramatic shoulder pads and a matching mini dress Julia, who is famed for briefly dating Kanye West in 2022, styled her hair in wet-look waves, topped with the gold and diamond encrusted claw-like crown Referencing both nature and the medieval period, the model's look was completed with a pair of gold heels Barbara was joined on the front row by Victoria De Angelis Sam Smith walked the runway in Vivienne Westwood's classic punky style infused with historical elements The singer was followed by Kate Moss' daughter Lila (centre right) Sam's second look was a tiered black gown with cut-out detailing Barbara, Victoria and Julia were seated with Emma Chamberlain Lila wore a knitted long-sleeved dress with a black mesh breastplate Bobby Gillespie and Katy England watched the show from the front row The Primal Scream frontman, 62, wore a leather trench coat with black trousers and sunglasses Emma Chamberlain, 22, rocked a spiked hairdo with a bold, new romantic style makeup look Kanye suggested the collaboration in the early days of their romance in January 2022, according to Julia. 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. 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.' Victoria wore a checked blazer dress with oversized purple-tinted sunglasses Coco Rocha looked stunning in a knee length dress with boots Celeste wore a plunging corset dress with a draped silk shawl Other models wore tartan prints and plunging corsets with shoulder pads and platform boots being a common theme Creative director and widower of the late fashion designer, Andreas, celebrated with Kristen McMenamy (L-R) Jeffrey C. Williams, Lucky Love and Brooke Candy were in attendance 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. Liam Payne put on a loved-up display with his girlfriend Katie Cassidy as they went for a lunch date in Paris on Saturday. The former One Direction star, 30, who is in the city for Fashion Week, looked in good spirits as he held hands with the stunning blonde. Liam cut a casual figure for the outing in a white jumper which he wore with a pair of navy jeans. Katie put on a leggy display in a grey mini dress which she wore with matching sheer tights and a pair of black shoes. Letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders, she added to her outfit with a black trench coat. Liam Payne put on a loved-up display with his girlfriend Katie Cassidy as they went for a lunch date in Paris on Saturday The former One Direction star, 30, who is in the city for Fashion Week, looked in good spirits as he held hands with the stunning blonde Liam and Katie were first spotted together in October 2022. Although they split in May of the following year, they have since reunited. The outing comes after Liam posted a rare snap of son Bear to Instagram on Friday, sending his 26M followers into a frenzy. The hitmaker shares the six-year-old with ex Cheryl, 40, and both have chosen to keep him out of the public eye. In the photo Liam obscured his son's face as he showed the little one a billboard in London's Leicester Square advertising his new single Teardrops. Writing: 'I want to be on a billboard one day daddy'. Fans immediately rushed to the comments failing to believe just how quickly Bear had grown. With one writing: 'Bear has grown a lot!'. While a second gushed: 'No way that's bear! I feel old'. Liam cut a casual figure for the outing in a white jumper which he wore with a pair of navy jeans Katie put on a leggy display in a grey mini dress which she wore with matching sheer tights and a pair of black shoes And: 'Bear is soooo bigggg'. Another commented: 'he's so big!'. Someone else wrote: 'He's already that big???'. A sixth typed: 'He's so big, it seems like he was born yesterday'. Cheryl previously revealed Bear had realised that both of his parents are famous. Speaking to British Vogue for the Girls Aloud reunion, Cheryl told how Bear thinks it's 'pretty cool' that both of his parents are famous pop stars. Asked if her son might make an appearance on stage at some point during the tour, Cheryl said: 'The problem is that I want Bear to have a normal childhood. 'I don't want people recognising him on the street. But he's twigged that I'm famous. The other day he said, "How lucky am I to have famous parents?" I said, "It doesn't matter." He goes: "Yeah. But it's pretty cool." ' The outing comes after Liam posted a rare snap of son Bear to Instagram on Friday, sending his 26M followers into a frenzy In the photo Liam obscured his son's face as he showed the little one a billboard in London's Leicester Square advertising his new single Teardrops Liam shares the six-year-old with ex Cheryl , 40, and both have chosen to keep him out of the public eye (pictured together 2018) John Travolta was spotted stepping out on his balcony in Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday morning. The 70-year-old actor looked cozy and comfortable in a black pajama set as he took in the morning sights and sounds of the beachfront neighborhood in the tropical paradise. He sported a clean-shaven head and rugged facial hair, a look he has favored in recent years. The Pulp Fiction star was spotted holding his cell phone in a brown leather wallet case as he looked down from his balcony. Travolta, who recently celebrated his birthday , appeared to be alone during his getaway. John Travolta was seen on his balcony in Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday morning. The actor, 70, looked cozy and comfortable in a black pajama set as he took in the morning sights and sounds of the beachfront neighborhood in the tropical paradise He was later seen stepping out of his hotel after an outfit change. He sported a dark button-down top with black pants and a pair of stylish sunglasses as he got into a vehicle. He rang in another decade on February 18 with a moving tribute written by his daughter Ella Bleu Travolta. The 23-year-old actress shared a childhood photo of herself with her father. She wrote a gushing birthday message in her caption: 'Happy birthday to the man who is always by my side and who is always bringing light and beauty into this world. 'I love you to the moon and back,' she added. The Grease alumnus left an adorable comment in response, along with a heart emoji. 'And I always will be[,] Ella my baby girl,' he wrote. As per usual, he sported a clean-shaven head and a beard. The Pulp Fiction star held his cell phone in a brown leather wallet case as he looked down from his balcony He was later seen stepping out of his hotel after an outfit change. He sported a dark button-down top with black pants and a pair of stylish sunglasses as he got into a vehicle She is one of three children Travolta shares with his late wife Kelly Preston. Travolta and the actress tied the knot in 1991 and welcomed their eldest son Jett a year later. He tragically passed away after suffering a seizure at the age of 16 in 2009. They welcomed Benjamin a year later. In July 2020, Preston died at the age of 57 after battling breast cancer. Travolta also shared a video of his youngest son hitting the slopes during their family ski trip to celebrate his birthday. Travolta celebrated his 70th birthday on February 18. He rang in another decade with a moving tribute from his daughter Ella Bleu Travolta. The 23-year-old actress shared a childhood photo of herself with her father and wrote a sweet message to him She is one of three children Travolta shares with his late wife Kelly Preston. He is also father to son Benjamin, 13 His eldest son Jett tragically passed away at the age of 16 after suffering a seizure in 2009 He also posted a clip to his Instagram Stories of himself blowing out the candles on his birthday cake. While he enjoyed a slice of cake, his dog sat on his lap and licked his face Travolta also shared a video of his youngest son hitting the slopes during their family ski trip to celebrate his birthday. 'This was my favorite birthday gift today,' he wrote about Benjamin. 'Seeing my son Ben ski to a new level! I'm so proud of him' He shares three children with his late wife Kelly Preston. The pair were married for nearly two decades before her tragic death at 57 in 2020; seen in 1997 'This was my favorite birthday gift today,' he wrote about his 13-year-old son Benjamin. 'Seeing my son Ben ski to a new level! I'm so proud of him.' He also posted a clip to his Instagram Stories of himself blowing out the candles on his birthday cake. While he enjoyed a slice of cake, his dog sat on his lap and licked his face. 'Birthday kiss from Peanut,' he wrote alongside the funny clip. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence had some laughs on the set of Bad Boys 4 in Miami on Friday. The stars, who have been in South Florida making the highly anticipated movie in recent weeks, took a break from the action to enjoy a light moment together. Will, 55, looked dapper in a pair of black jeans and a black tank top with a short-sleeved button-down shirt over it. The action star wore black trainers and accessorized with a white puka shell necklace. Martin, 58, was costumed in a burgundy track suit with black-and-white stripes along the arms of the jacket and burgundy-and-white trainers. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence had some laughs on the set of Bad Boys 4 in Miami Friday. The stars, who have been in South Florida making the highly anticipated movie, took a break from the action to enjoy a light moment together The tough guy donned aviator sunglasses and accessorized with a platinum cross on a chain. While it's been exciting for local residents and tourists visiting the area to catch glimpses of the film's production, it's also been causing some traffic headaches. Busy streets have had to be shutdown at times to allow the crew and actors show shoot chase scenes. The production has brought an economic boost to the area, providing a variety of jobs since production resumed February 26. Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah had anticipated wrapping it up over the summer, but production was brought to an abrupt halt after the actors strike began July 31. Principal photography had been completed on the movie prior to the shutdown, but reshoots were required to complete the film. Production is expected to wrap soon, and then the rush to edit will begin. The plot for Bad Boys 4 has been kept under wraps. Will, 55, looked dapper in a pair of black jeans and a black tank top with a short-sleeved button-down shirt over it. Martin, 58, was costumed in a burgundy track suit with black-and-white stripes along the arms of the jacket and burgundy-and-white trainers The plot for Bad Boys 4 is being kept under wraps. Vanessa Hudgens will reprise her Bad Boys For Life role as the weapons specialist Kelly (Pictured in Dubai on February 10) Bad guys in the film could include Eric Dane and Ioan Griffud. The Welsh actor will star as Lockwood, a high-profile attorney running for election, according to Deadline The beloved franchise has focused on the antics and investigations of narcotics officers Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett as they take down some very dangerous criminals. Vanessa Hudgens in reprising her role as Kelly, a weapons expert first introduced in 2020's Bad Boys For life. Bad guys in the film could include Eric Dane and Ioan Griffud. Sources say the Welsh actor will star as Lockwood, a high-profile attorney running for election, according to Deadline. Bad Boys 4 is expected to open in theaters on June 7, 2024. Julia Fox flashed major side boob and nearly suffered a wardrobe malfunction in another eccentric look during Paris Fashion Week. On Saturday evening, the 34-year-old actress was spotted making the streets her runway as she modeled an open-back apron-inspired gown with long black leather straps. Over the daring piece, she wore a long leather trench coat off of her shoulders with gloves. The Uncut Gems star who wore a stunning corset gown with a unique headdress to attend the Vivienne Westwood fashion show earlier in the day added inches to her height in a pair of lace-up boots with tall heels. She also wrapped a black scarf hat around her icy, platinum blonde waves to complete her look for the Ann Demeulemeester fashion show. Julia Fox flashed major side-boob in another eccentric look during Paris Fashion Week on Saturday evening Fox wore a dramatic makeup look, which was accentuated by her bleached eyebrows. She rocked a makeup look featuring light pastel green eyeshadow and a cool-toned brown lip. The Down The Drain author was heading to the Ann Demeulemeester fashion show with her equally stylish friends. She was spotted strutting down the street with her BFF Richie Shazam and stylist Briana Andalore. Standing in between Fox and Andalore, the model and photographer wore an eye-catching look featuring a floor-length white button-down dress with a black crochet apron layered over the piece. She also sported black shoes and had black leather gloves attached to her outfit. Andalore, Fox's stylist and longtime pal, put on a daring display in a shiny, strapless corset teamed with a pair of cheeky bottoms instead of pants. She donned a pair of strappy heels to match and threw on a structured trench coat. Earlier in the week, Fox spoke to British Vogue about how busy her fashion week has been and discussed her daring outfits. When asked if she has had any time to enjoy the sights in the French capital, Fox told the outlet: 'No, it's been fashion, fashion, fashion.' On the topic of her affinity for vintage Vivienne Westwood pieces, she opened up what she gravitates towards. 'I'm always looking for the high platform shoes,' she said. 'I've been looking for them for so long. The 34-year-old actress made the streets her runway as she modeled an open-back apron-inspired gown with long black leather straps. Over the daring piece, she wore a long leather trench coat off of her shoulders with gloves The Down The Drain author was heading to the Ann Demeulemeester fashion show with her equally stylish friends. She was spotted strutting down the street with her BFF Richie Shazam and stylist Briana Andalore She wore a stunning corset gown with a unique headdress to attend the Vivienne Westwood fashion show earlier in the day. She spoke to British Vogue about how busy her fashion week has been and how she gets in a 'bad mood' if she has to sit for hair and makeup for too long 'The corsets, the jackets... the jewelry is amazing,' she continued. 'I always give people chokers for birthday presents.' Fox also revealed she is laidback about beauty and tends to do her own hair and makeup less than an hour before a show. 'I hate sitting in the chair for two hours,' she explained. 'I can't sit still and then it puts me in a bad mood. 'I usually wait until the very last second,' she added. 'That's when I do my best work.' ABC has come under fire from Mardi Gras viewers for its 'appalling' coverage of the Sydney Lesbian and Gay Pride event. Streaming the parade live to television on Saturday night, the network left many supporters at home feeling shortchanged. While some praised the ABC for providing 'really well done' air time to the massive annual festival, most were incensed over the camera work. One unimpressed viewer wrote: 'The ABC does such a bad job of #MardiGras. On a technical level the sound and camera work was bad, but it was also so humourless and the editing was tactical to focus on women and minimise male bodies.' A second said: 'Seriously the ABC needs to get better commentators on its #mardigras coverage. Apart from Courtney Act, this coverage is appalling.' ABC has come under fire from Mardi Gras viewers for its 'appalling' coverage of the Sydney Lesbian and Gay Pride event. Pictured: Stock imagery of 2024 Sydney Mardi Gras Most seemed peeved the camera was missing many of the gorgeous floats driving past, with one person writing: 'Were missing floats again ABC. 'Floats and costumes that have taken so much time, effort and creativity. No need for the reporters on the ground talking crud.' Another commented: 'ABC get your s**t together, we had someone waste 5 minutes on portaloo toilet conversation while great floats passed.' 'Are they really cutting away from floats for stories about a portaloo? We are missing all the work and effort that's gone into several floats for the co-hosts need to use the bathroom? Come on ABC you were doing so well,' someone else tweeted. Despite the overwhelming wave of criticism the television network received for its poor coverage of the annual parade, some viewers sang their praises of ABC. Streaming the parade live to television on Saturday night, the network left many supporters at home feeling shortchanged One viewer said they were 'really sad about missing out on the party' every year, but thanked the ABC for their coverage so they could watch from home. Another wrote: 'We have been waiting for YEARS to have an uninterrupted Mardi Gras parade without stupid b roll stories. Really well done ABC.' 'Have only just switched over but I think the ABC coverage of Mardi Sydney Gras is much better this year. Presenters are explaining/describing the parade floats + not talking about themselves. Such an improvement, well done,' a third commented. While some praised the ABC for providing 'really well done' air time to the massive annual festival, most were incensed over the camera work Complaints about the poor coverage aired by ABC came just hours after a large crowd of protesters marched through Hyde Park in Sydney ahead of the Mardi Gras parade to protest the involvement of NSW Police. Marching through the park towards the marshalling area for the parade on Saturday, the crowd chanted 'stop police attacks on gays, women and blacks'. The organisers, Pride in Protest, also sparked chaos in Darlinghurst, the heart of the city's LGBTQI+ community on Friday night, when about 300 people arrived for the same reason. One unimpressed viewer wrote: 'The ABC does such a bad job of #MardiGras. On a technical level the sound and camera work was bad, but it was also so humourless and the editing was tactical to focus on women and minimise male bodies' Despite the overwhelming wave of criticism the television network received for its poor coverage of the annual parade, some viewers sang their praises of ABC Police were formally uninvited to march in this year's parade following the arrest of a serving police officer, who was charged with the alleged murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. Mr Davies was honoured with a special float by Qantas, his former employer. Officers on duty were out in force at the parade, however, drawing further ire from the group. Pride in Protest organisers summoned those marching with the group to Town Hall for a 'speak out' event from 2pm on Saturday, with the march towards the marshalling area in Hyde Park taking place just after 4pm. Leonardo DiCaprio has taken a swipe at Queensland for its deforestation practices. The Hollywood star and environmental activist, 49, took to Facebook on Friday after a study by the University of Queensland found that an emission reduction report by the National Carbon Accounting System (NCAS) could be erroneous and based on unreliable data. In its findings, the University of Queensland slammed NCAS for significantly underestimating deforestation in the state. 'An independent study has found that the national carbon accounting system of Australia may be significantly underreporting deforestation in Queensland,' DiCaprio began his post. 'In Queensland, where roughly 44% of the national cattle herd grazes and the majority of land clearing has occurred, officials have recorded deforestation at almost twice the rate of the national system used to calculate industry emissions.' Leonardo DiCaprio, 49, (pictured has taken a swipe at Queensland for its deforestation practices DiCaprio, who recently threw his support behind a Tasmanian conservation program to protect an endangered swift parrot, emphasised the need for Australia to protect its threatened species. 'The Australian government has promised that it will prevent any new extinctions. Conservationists continue to encourage them to uphold their zero-extinction commitment,' he wrote. 'The only way to protect the hundreds of threatened Australian forest species, is to end native forest logging across Australia and Tasmania,' he urged. 'An independent study has found that the national carbon accounting system of Australia may be significantly underreporting deforestation in Queensland,' DiCaprio began his post DiCaprio, who recently threw his support behind a Tasmanian conservation program to protect an endangered swift parrot, emphasised the need for Australia to protect its threatened species He concluded by calling out Australia for having the 'highest rate of mammalian extinctions in the world'. DiCaprio has long been an outspoken advocate for environmental issues and established The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998 aged 24 with the mission of bringing attention and funding to the protection of biodiversity, ocean and forest conservation, and climate change. DiCaprio also serves on the board of several environmental protection organisations including the World Wildlife Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Pristine Seas and Oceans 5. He has been honoured with the Clinton Global Citizen Award for his philanthropic work and is a United Nations Messenger of Peace for climate change. Kanye West's wife Bianca Censori was dressed in surprisingly modest attire when the couple stepped out in Paris on Saturday. In contrast to her typically sheer looks, the architect, 29, modeled a long-sleeved purple top with a pair of opaque stockings as pants while leaving the Ritz Paris hotel. She wore a pair of black pointed-toe kitten heels and was seen toting a massive leather bag on her shoulder. Her dark pixie hair was slicked back into a sleek updo, and she appeared to be bare-faced to showcase her natural beauty. Her new look comes shortly after she put on a daring display in an entirely sheer outfit and no underwear when she stepped out for dinner with 46-year-old rapper on Friday and after it was reported she may face legal ramifications for her nearly-nude looks in Paris. Kanye West's wife Bianca Censori was dressed in surprisingly modest attire when the couple stepped out in Paris on Saturday. In contrast to her typically sheer looks, the architect, 29, modeled a long-sleeved purple top with opaque stockings as pants while leaving the Ritz Paris hotel Walking a couple steps behind her, West adjusted the hood over his head and kept his head down. He was bundled up in a cozy hoodie layered underneath a leather bomber jacket. He also sported a pair of cozy sweatpants and sneakers to complete his monochromatic ensemble. Recently, West and his wife have been enjoying their getaway during Paris Fashion Week. Censori has been spotted in a number of skimpy looks featuring crotch-baring stockings and camisoles, which were just as sheer. And on Tuesday, she did not attempt to cover up as she stepped out in her sheer stockings and went topless underneath a cropped fur coat while out with West. Her outfit, or almost lack thereof, was her most explicit and scandalous look yet. It was revealed on Wednesday that she could face prison or a fine of 15,000, which is over $16,000, after testing the laws of exhibitionism in Paris. Her underwear-free outings comes just shortly after she was on stepmom duty to West's eldest daughter North West, 10, in Paris. During their Monday night dinner outing, she was uncharacteristically clothed. She wore a pair of black, pointed-toe kitten heels and was seen toting a massive leather bag on her shoulder Her dark pixie hair was slicked back into a sleek updo, and she appeared to be bare-faced to showcase her natural beauty Walking a couple steps behind her, West adjusted the hood over his head and kept his head down He was bundled up in a cozy hoodie layered underneath a leather bomber jacket. He also sported a pair of cozy sweatpants and sneakers to complete his monochromatic ensemble North is one of four children West shares with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. The former couple, who split in 2021, also co-parent Saint, eight, Chicago, six, and Psalm, four. And insiders recently claimed to DailyMail.com that Kardashian warned West to tell his wife to 'cover up' around their children West and Censori do not share any children together, but she allegedly wants to get pregnant sometime in the future. Sources close to the Censori family told DailyMail.com that she wants to have babies with the 'controlling' rapper but her father is not only concerned but also devastated. Lawsuit alleges an employee authorized the transfer in less than 10 minutes Leaked audio transcripts claim to reveal the moment a Wells Fargo employee allowed fraudsters to steal $100,000 of their customer's money in less than ten minutes. Victim Alice Fries, 59, was contacted by criminals posing as the bank's fraud department who tricked her into handing over her personal information that they then used to gain access to her account. But recordings unveiled in a new lawsuit - seen by DailyMail.com - document a phone call where a Wells Fargo employee allegedly bypasses the firm's own anti-fraud measures to allow the scammers to transfer Fries' lifesavings. In the call, the staff member is said to acknowledge it is an 'unusual amount of money' which is why 'the account has been flagged.' The mother-of-one has not received a refund from the bank beyond an offer of a $50 'courtesy credit.' It is the second lawsuit to come to light this month accusing Wells Fargo's security measures of not being fit for purpose. The former case centers around 35-year-old Thomas Murrer who lost $30,000 in an eerily similar rouse to Fries. Victim Alice Fries, 59, was contacted by criminals posing as the bank's fraud department who tricked her into handing over her personal information that they then used to gain access to her account Revealed: How a Wells Fargo employee allowed fraudsters to steal $100,000 of their customer's money in less than ten minutes Wells Fargo insists it takes 'financial exploitation very seriously,' adding that their own investigation into Fries' case found it was 'handled appropriately by [their] team.' The con begun when Fries, who has been a customer at the bank for over 25 years, spoke on the phone with a genuine Wells Fargo employee on October 24, 2022. Nine minutes later, the court documents state she received a call from criminals impersonating Wells Fargo's fraud department - from the same number advertised on the firm's website. Scammers told her that her account had potentially been compromised and sent her a two factor-authentication code which they asked her to read back. The code gave them access to her account. From there, the criminals enrolled Fries into a Wire Transfer program. She claims to have never previously sent money via wire transfer before. They then reportedly added a payee called 'Savage Car Wash' and attempted to send it $100,000. This move raised Wells Fargo's internal security alarm, according to documents unveiled in the litigation. The bank's own safety procedures state that wires over $50,000 require a 'second review' which can last between 24 and 48 hours. Wells Fargo has been slapped with a class-action lawsuit over its lax security measures after multiple victims lost thousands to scammers impersonating the bank's fraud department It is the second lawsuit to come to light this month which accuses Wells Fargo's security measures of not being fit for purpose However, in a call lasting just nine minutes and 44 seconds, a Wells Fargo employee is alleged to have told the crooks he will allow the transfer anyway - ignoring the bank's own protocols. Fries had never previously sent any money to the Savage Car Wash account. A transcript of the phone call, documented in the case, filed in the Central District of California court, claims the employee admitted it was 'an unusual amount of money.' Yet after speaking to the criminals, he said: 'But no worries, I'm going to release this wire transfer transaction and transfer it today. 'I'm going to go ahead and authorize this transaction and have this released so that you or your brother will be able to receive it.' Seconds later he added: 'I would like to let you know that I already released the $100,000 on the wire you initiated earlier.' In the meantime, Fries - while still on call to the fraudsters herself - drove to a Santa Clarita Wells Fargo branch to find out the status of her account. The in-branch employee told her to hang up immediately as it sounded like a scam. He encouraged her to ring the Wells Fargo customer service line where she confirmed she had not made the $100,000 wire, the court documents allege. She was assured the transaction had been pulled and she would receive her money back - but it did not appear as promised. The litigation says she has since engaged in 'endless phone calls and in-person appearances' at the bank to retrieve her money but has been offered nothing more than a 'courtesy credit' of $50. Judith Anderson, from Chula Vista, San Diego, was conned out of her lifesavings which she uses to fund her husband's hospice care. She is pictured, right, with daughter Tracy Martinez, left Fries told DailyMail.com: 'My life has changed and it's been a living hell. I am 59 and need to make plans for my future retirement along with trying to continue my entrepreneurial endeavors. 'Its horrible to be in this situation. I want my money back.' The bank has filed a motion to have the case, Alice Fries V Wells Fargo Bank, sent to binding arbitration - meaning a neutral professional will listen to both sides of the story and reach a decision. Fries is waiting to see if a judge accepts the request. Wells Fargo has been hit with a series of headlines over its handling of fraud cases in recent months. California grandmother Judith Anderson went viral on TikTok after sharing her story of losing $150,000 to scammers just a few days before Christmas. Meanwhile victim Thomas Murrer had his lifesavings drained and credit cards maxed out by fraudsters - to the tune of $30,000. Like Fries, Anderson and Murrer were conned by criminals claiming to be from the bank's fraud department from the same number Wells Fargo advertises on its website. Anderson has since received a refund while Murrer is pursuing his case through the courts. Astonishingly, the lawsuit Murrer V Wells Fargo bank claims that after scammers targeted Murrer's accounts they called from the same number three months later impersonating another customer. They were once again granted access to the customer's account. Judith, pictured, and her family are spreading awareness of her story on social media It is the latest in a series of scandals to hit the bank which in 2020 was forced to pay $3 billion after employees were found to have created millions of fake accounts for customers. Of Fries' case, a Wells Fargo spokesman said: 'We take financial exploitation very seriously, and we are actively working to help prevent these heartbreaking incidents through various resources, including ongoing education efforts. 'We conducted a comprehensive investigation of this case, and confirmed this matter was handled appropriately by our team. 'We are actively working with the customer and the beneficiarys bank to resolve this matter.' Boeing is in talks to buy Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages for Boeing 737 Max jetliners, including the one that suffered a door-panel blowout in January, according to a person knowledgeable about the discussions. The timing of a deal - or whether the two sides even reach a final agreement - is uncertain, according to the person, who spoke about the private talks on condition of anonymity. The Wall Street Journal first reported the talks. The newspaper said Friday that Spirit hired bankers to consider strategic options and has held preliminary discussions about a sale back to Boeing, its former owner. Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems declined to comment. Shares of Spirit jumped 15% in afternoon trading. A deal could help Boeing respond to critics who have blamed the company's manufacturing problems in large part on outsourcing key work to Spirit and other suppliers. Boeing spun off Spirit in 2005 as part of a strategy to outsource the supply chain for its commercial planes. In recent years, quality problems have mounted at Spirit, including fuselage panels that didn't fit together precisely enough and holes that were improperly drilled. Those and other flaws held up deliveries of Boeing 737s and 787s. Spirit removed its CEO in October and replaced him with Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who served as acting defense secretary in the Trump administration. Scrutiny of Spirit - which is not related to Spirit Airlines - grew even stronger after an emergency door plug that it made blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 over Oregon on January 5. Investigators said the panel had been removed at a Boeing factory to let Spirit workers fix damaged rivets, and bolts that help hold the panel in place were missing after the repair job. It is not clear who removed the bolts and failed to put them back. Two weeks later, Boeing CEO David Calhoun toured the Spirit factory in Wichita, Kansas. Calhoun and Shanahan pledged to work together to improve manufacturing quality. Shanahan said Spirit would work with Boeing, regulators and airlines, and he vowed, "We will restore confidence." Calhoun has long defended Boeing's outsourcing, but his tone changed in recent weeks. On January 31, as Boeing reported a fourth-quarter loss, Calhoun said that outsourcing probably went too far. About 70 per cent of Spirit AeroSystems' revenue last year came from work done for Boeing, according to Spirit's latest annual report. That is up from 60 per cent two years earlier. Most of the company's other revenue comes from making parts for Airbus, Boeing's European rival. Spirit also is looking into selling operations in Ireland that make parts for Airbus, the Journal reported. Spirit lost USD 616 million last year and hasn't turned a full-year profit since 2019. Since then, it has lost more than USD 2.5 billion. Boeing agreed in October to give more financial help to Spirit. Boeing said it would provide USD 100 million for Spirit to retool its factory and adjust prices to give the supplier another USD 455 million over two years. Boeing has its own manufacturing problems. This week, the Federal Aviation Administration gave the company 90 days to submit a plan to improve quality and to address safety concerns raised by a panel of experts who spent a year studying Boeing. The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved setting up three semiconductor-making units by firms, including Tata Group and Japans Renesas, at an investment of Rs 1.26 lakh crore as part of an attempt to cut Indias dependence on imports to meet requirements of chips. The units which will make chips for sectors including defence, automobiles and telecommunications, will begin construction within the next 100 days, Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters after the cabinet meeting. The three units will be set up under the Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem programme that provides government support of up to Rs 76,000 crore. Tata Electronics Pvt Ltd will set up a semiconductor fab in partnership with Taiwans Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp at Dholera in Gujarat. The plant will have a capacity to produce 50,000 wafers per month and will involve an investment of Rs 91,000 crore. Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt Ltd (TSAT) will set up a semiconductor unit in Morigaon, Assam, at an investment of Rs 27,000 crore. CG Power in partnership with Renesas Electronics Corp and Stars Microelectronics of Thailand will set up a unit in Sanand in Gujarat at an investment of Rs 7,600 crore. In June last year, the Cabinet approved a proposal of Micron for setting up a semiconductor unit in Sanand, Gujarat. The approvals are part of the Modi governments ambitions to make India a chipmaker for the world and cutting reliance on countries like Taiwan. Vaishnaw said the Tata plant at Dholera will produce high-performance compute chips with 28 nm technology for electric vehicles (EV), telecom, defence, automotive, consumer electronics, display and power electronics. The unit in Assam will have a capacity of 48 million per day for automotive, electric vehicles, consumer electronics, telecom, and mobile phones. The CG power semiconductor unit will manufacture 15 million chips for consumer, industrial, automotive and power applications. Within a very short time, Indias semiconductor mission has achieved four big successes. With these units, the semiconductor ecosystem will get established in India. India already has deep capabilities in chip design. With these units, our country will develop capabilities in chip fabrication. Advanced packaging technologies will be indigenously developed in India with todays announcement, he said adding the three units will generate direct employment of 20,000 advanced technology jobs and about 60,000 indirect jobs. These units will accelerate employment creation in downstream automotive, electronics manufacturing, telecom manufacturing, industrial manufacturing, and other semiconductor-consuming industries. Construction of Microns Sanand unit is progressing at a rapid pace and a robust semiconductor ecosystem is emerging near the unit, he said. Tata Electronics partner PSMC is renowned for its expertise in logic and memory foundry segments. PSMC has 6 semiconductor foundries in Taiwan. Power management chips the two will manufacture are high voltage, high current applications. TSAT semiconductor is developing indigenous advanced semiconductor packaging technologies including flip chip and ISIP (integrated system in package) technologies. Renesas is a leading semiconductor company focussed on specialised chips. It operates 12 semiconductor facilities and is an important player in microcontrollers, analogue, power, and System-on-chip (SoC) products. Bihar, adorned with UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya and the ruins of the ancient Nalanda University, is set to embark on its first-ever international roadshow in Cambodia and Vietnam. These countries have deep-rooted Buddhist traditions, making them ideal targets for attracting pilgrims seeking to connect with their spiritual roots in the Northern State, also known as the Cradle of Buddhism. According to sources in the Bihar Government, plans for the roadshow are in the final stages, with details being ironed out to ensure its success. The primary objective is to tap into a stream of visitors interested in exploring sacred sites and delving into Bihar's rich spiritual legacy. Abhay Kumar Singh, Chairman and Secretary of Bihar's Department of Tourism, sees this initiative as a significant catalyst for placing the State prominently on the global tourism map. He emphasized the immense tourism potential of Bihar, particularly in areas dominated by Buddhist heritage. Major destinations like Gaya, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, and Vaishali are already popular among foreign tourists interested in Buddhist pilgrimage, he told The Pioneer. He added, "We are awaiting final approval from the concerned authorities." The international roadshow will serve as a platform for Bihar to showcase its cultural and historical treasures. Rajnish Kaistha, Senior Vice President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), highlighted Bihar's appeal as the cradle of Buddhism and a repository of Buddhist-related sites. By participating in such roadshows, Bihar joins other states like Goa and Kerala in demonstrating its vast potential in the tourism and hospitality sector. During Covid period, tourism sector had taken a huge beating. Now the tourists movement within domestic and international is on surge. The States need to exploit this opportunity, he said adding that following the COVID-19 pandemic and the resumption of charter flights, particularly Vietjet, India has been experiencing an influx of Buddhist pilgrims eager to embark on journeys along the Buddhist circuits. This surge allows the revival of the sector, especially in regions renowned for their Buddhist heritage such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and other parts of northern India. Bihar has identified the Buddhist Circuit, encompassing sites like Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Patna, Vaishali, Lauriya, Nandangarh, and Kesariya, as a key tourism attraction. The event will feature presentations, exhibitions, and networking opportunities to spotlight Bihar's UNESCO World Heritage sites and promote its hospitality infrastructure. The aim is to raise awareness and generate interest among Cambodian and Vietnamese travelers, encouraging them to include Bihar in their travel itineraries, added Sushil Kumar Singh, Chairman of Jatak Travels and IATO Bihar and Jharkhand Chapter. He emphasized the state government's recent policy measures especially the Tourism policy announced last year that aims at revitalizing the tourism sector. These measures prioritize community engagement, recognizing the pivotal role that local communities play in shaping Bihar's tourism landscape as well as helping curb the migration of locals to metros in search of livelihood. He also cited a recent Niti Aayog report, noting, 'Given the fact that India has been recognized as a destination for spiritual tourism for both domestic and international tourists for ages, we must unleash the potential of spiritual tourism.' The report added that the potential of Buddhist tourism could be explored to attract tourists, especially in the post-pandemic era." The State's Tourism Policy 2023, announced last year, outlines ambitious goals, including significant investments and the creation of one lakh new jobs in the tourism sector over the next five years. Additionally, the roadshow presents an opportunity for Bihar to strengthen ties with Cambodia and Vietnam, fostering cultural exchange and collaboration in the tourism sector, said Singh. MP Bezbaruah, Secretary General of the Hotel Association of India (HAI) too lauded the tourism boosting measures in the Bihar Governments tourists policy. He said, To incentivize tourism units, the policy offers subsidies on capital investment, reimbursement of land conversion charges, stamp duty and registration fees, repayment of GST, and reimbursement of certification costs for green certification. Furthermore, the costs of organizing events and meetings will be subsidized. Such initiatives like holding international roadshows represent the Bihar Governments strategic effort to leverage its rich cultural heritage and strengthen ties with neighboring countries, ultimately driving sustainable growth in the tourism sector while preserving the state's cultural legacy, added Singh. Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Arjun Munda today said that ecological balance and sustainable health of the soil will also be taken care of in the scientific efforts related to the second green revolution in the country. Efforts will be made to increase agricultural production and productivity with minimal interference from water, forests, land and natural life systems, he added. Munda was expressing his views while inaugurating the three-day Agrotech Kisan Mela organized at Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), Ranchi on Saturday. He said that there is great strength in the Indian way of life and Indian soil. With this strength and awareness to preserve the nutrients available in the soil, everyone will have to work for the next agricultural revolution. We got the benefits of the first Green Revolution but we could not keep in mind how much damage was caused to the soil due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers and whether we were able to preserve the soil in its natural form for the coming generations or not. While our stomach is getting filled, diseases are also coming, he added. The whole world is affected by global warming and climate change, but we all have to see what we can do in our respective areas to deal with it. Nutrient-rich millets were a part of our ancient traditions, festivals and worship methods; we were forgetting them, but by presenting the concept of International Year of Millets, the Prime Minister gave a message to the whole world to save and increase these crops, said the Minister. Munda also said that to give full respect to Jharkhand, the Prime Minister started the Vikas Bharat Sankalp Yatra from the birthplace of Birsa Bhagwan and Ulihatu and a scheme of Rs 24000 crore for the conservation of 75 primitive tribes of the Country living in forests, mountains and plateaus. Justice campaign was started from Jharkhand. There will be no let up for agricultural development in Eastern India and Jharkhand. Soil health cards should be made for all 32 thousand villages of Jharkhand, in which Birsa Agricultural University has to play a leading role, he added. On the occasion the Minister also honored five progressive farmers Sangeeta Devi, Bokaro, Shivnath Kushwaha, Garhwa, Manager Hansda, Pakur, Merita Hembram, Sahibganj and Ravi Kumar Mahato, Ranchi for innovative agriculture. Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth said that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi did a great job of giving the first President from the tribal community in the form of Draupadi Murmu and the first Agriculture Minister in the form of Arjun Munda. There is a large area of vegetable and fruit production within 40 km radius of BAU from where the products are exported to neighboring states as well as Mumbai and Karnataka. The potential here in the field of horticulture should be properly utilized, he added. Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Dr Himanshu Pathak said that Jharkhand can emerge as a big hub in the field of horticulture, animal production and fishery production, its products will be in demand not only in the country but also in foreign countries. For this, along with economic cooperation, policy support is also required. In the next Green Revolution, full care will be taken to ensure that there are no adverse effects on soil and water level like Punjab-Haryana. All the research institutes of ICAR and all the agricultural universities of the Country have to work together with the concept of One ICAR, he added. Vice Chancellor of BAU, Dr Sunil Chandra Dubey welcomed the guests and highlighted the activities and achievements of the university. Kanke MLA Samri Lal said that Kanke is a big agricultural producing area, hence many big cold storages should be opened here and the bacon factory of Asia Fame, which was closed in other countries, should be started soon. In the Agrotech Fair, various units of Birsa Agricultural University, institutes of ICR, seed and fertilizer manufacturers, government departments, banks and voluntary organizations have displayed their technology, products and services in 130 slots. Farmers from all 24 districts of the state are participating in good numbers in the event. Farmers also got solutions to their technical queries and problems related to farming in the agricultural consultation center established in the fair premises. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Bhai Patel, along with his council of ministers, experienced a deeply emotional moment as they had the darshan of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. This is their visit to Ayodhya after the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla idol in the temple in Ayodhya on January 22 this year. Addressing the media after the visit, Patel expressed the profound significance of the occasion, saying it was a big moment because it showed the importance of Lord Ram and the desire to make Ram Rajya last for a long time. Accompanied by a 25-member delegation, Chief Minister Patel arrived in Ayodhya on Saturday to pay homage to Ram Lalla. Reflecting on the spiritual journey, he emphasised the sanctity of the event, describing it as a moment of immense privilege and emotion for all involved. In a bid to facilitate the pilgrimage for devotees from Gujarat, Patel announced plans for the construction of a Yatri Niwas in Ayodhya. Recognising the influx of devotees from across the nation to witness the glory of the Ram temple, Patel underscored the importance of providing adequate facilities for pilgrims. He said that the Gujarat government had initiated a special Aastha train to facilitate travel for thousands of devotees, ensuring they got the opportunity to seek blessings from Ram Lalla. Expressing gratitude towards UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Uttar Pradesh government, Patel acknowledged their support in allocating land for the proposed Yatri Niwas that would be built by the Gujarat government. With a budget of Rs 10 crore set aside for this purpose, the Yatri Niwas aims to cater to the accommodation needs of devotees visiting Ayodhya, offering them a comfortable resting place during their spiritual sojourn. As Gujarat extends its hand of hospitality to pilgrims, Chief Minister Bhupendra Bhai Patels visit to Ayodhya not only reinforces the spiritual ties between the two states but also underscores the commitment to honouring the cultural and religious heritage of India, said Anil Mishra, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Medi-Caps University, Indore illuminated with the spirit of innovation and science on the occasion of National Science Day on February 28th, 2024. The celebration, themed "Indigenous Technologies for Viksit Bharat," aimed to showcase the nation's prowess in scientific advancements and its potential to contribute to India's development. The day marked the discovery of the Raman Effect by the Indian physicist Sir CV Raman. The celebration began with the inauguration of National Science day event by the Honorable Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Patnaik, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr) D.K.Panda, and Registrar Dr. P. Siluvainathan, Deans of all Faculties, Heads of Departments, Teachers, and Students. The event, held at campus, witnessed the esteemed presence of Ram Janay Choudhary, a distinguished Senior Scientist from UGC DAE CSR Indore, who graced the occasion as the guest speaker. With his profound insights and expertise, Choudhary shed light on the significance of indigenous technologies in shaping a developed India. Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.)D. K Patnaik discussed in detail about the important contribution of science to developed India. In his statement, he expressed his views on how and when science impacts human life on the basis of his or her cognitive ability. The celebration was a testament to the university's commitment to fostering a culture of scientific inquiry and innovation among its students and faculty members. Through engaging discussions, and interactive sessions, all were encouraged to explore the rich landscape of indigenous technologies and their potential to drive sustainable development. As the event concluded, it left a lasting impression on all attendees, inspiring them to continue their journey towards scientific excellence and contribute to the nation's progress. Medi-Caps University remains steadfast in its dedication to nurturing future leaders in science and technology, paving the way for a brighter and more innovative tomorrow. The Program is successfully coordinated by Dean Agriculture Dr. Sunil D Upadhyaya, Dean Science Dr. A. A. Koser, Dean Research Dr. V. Ganeshan and their team. In the concluding note Dr. A. A shows the gratitude to guest speaker and all the dignitaries. The event was a huge success and demonstrated the University's commitment to promoting and supporting scientific research and innovation. The Department of Mechanical Engineering and IEI Student Chapter at Medi-Caps University, in association with IIT Indore, are hosting a six-days Bootcamp on " Drones and Associated Technologies" during March 1-6, 2024. The inauguration of the bootcamp was done on March 1st , 2024. The bootcamp was inaugurated by the Pro Vice-Chancellor of Medi-Caps University, Prof. (Dr.) Debendra Kumar Panda, and Dean Engineering, Prof. (Dr.) Pramod S Nair, along with esteemed guests including Dr. Vivek Kanhangad, Profesor and Head of Electrical Department, IIT Indore. The Registrar of Medi-Caps University, Prof. P. Siluvainathan, and the organizing secretaries of the event, Prof. Ram Bansal and Dr. Akbar Ali, were also present. The inaugural day of the bootcamp was graced by the theory session delivered by Dr. Vivek Kanhangad. In his address, Dr. Vivek highlighted the fundamentals of drone operations and elaborated about Drone Image Analysis and Pattern Recognition. In the hands-on training session, the components of a drone were explained and demonstration flight of a drone along with its controls was displayed. The final session of the inaugural day was a theory and training session by Prof. Sudhir Kamle, IIT Indore on UAS (unmanned aircraft system) based RF Signal Detection and UAS based object detection in Images. Participants were able to gain practical knowledge of applying above concepts on drones. The inaugural day of the bootcamp was a big step towards newer trends in image processing, computer vision and drone mechanics, with participants from various engineering branches of the university attending and gaining valuable insights and knowledge. The concluding day of the bootcamp will be on March 06, 2024. Following allegations of assault on a Bajrang Dal activists, massive protest was staged in the Ratibad police station premises on late in the intervening night of Friday-Saturday. Till early morning people kept raising slogans demanding suspension of TI. Jitu Banjara of the organization had a dispute with locals on Friday. He reached the police station with Bajrang Dal's New Bhopal area coordinator Neeraj Prajapati to lodge a complaint at around 4 pm, where he had an argument with Ratibad police station in-charge Hemant Shrivastava over the matter of registering an FIR. It is alleged that after the argument, the station in-charge and 5 police personnel beat up both the activist. As soon as the information was received, other activists of Bajrang Dal reached the police station and they were also abused. Bajrang Dal workers gathered at the police station in protestested till 5 am on Saturday. The matter could be pacified after the intervention of the authorities. Section 155 (NCR) has been registered against the station in-charge and five people of his staff in their own police station. Bajrang Dal's Neeraj Prajapati alleged that on March 1, some miscreants had beaten up Bajrang Dal worker Jitu Banjara. Regarding this, he along with Manoj Rathore and Rohit Shriwas had reached the police station to complain about Jeetu Banjara. There, station in-charge Hemant Srivastava used indecency regarding the matter of report (FIR). When they protested, policemen Ravindra Dangi, Anil Verma, Mahesh Dubey and two others abused and beat them. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ram Ji Srivastava said that there was a dispute between the two parties after the accident. Dozens of people gathered from both sides and were creating ruckus. Police reached the spot after receiving information and registered a case of rioting and assault against people from both sides. Late in the night, when VHP office bearer Madhya Bharat Province Rajesh Jain talked to top police officers, action was taken against about half a dozen policemen including station in-charge Hemant Srivastava, Sub Inspector Raghavendra Singh under NCR. FILE - Music fans relax during a break in the entertainment at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, Aug. 16, 1969, in Bethel, N.Y. An estimated 450,000 people attended the Woodstock festival in August 1969, and most of that crowd was composed of teenagers or young adults now in the twilight of their lives. That ticking clock is why the Museum at Bethel Woods, based at the site of the festival, is immersed in a five-year project traveling around the United States recording the oral histories of people were there, preserving the Woodstock memories before they fade away. File/AP FILE - Visitors to the Museum at Bethel Woods view exhibits of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, June 14, 2018, in Bethel, N.Y. An estimated 450,000 people attended the Woodstock festival in August 1969, and most of that crowd was composed of teenagers or young adults now in the twilight of their lives. That ticking clock is why the Museum at Bethel Woods, based at the site of the festival, is immersed in a five-year project traveling around the United States recording the oral histories of people were there, preserving the Woodstock memories before they fade away. Richard Drew/AP Richard Schoellhorn, left, discusses his experience as a would-be security guard at the Woodstock festival in August 1969 with Rona Elliot, right, May 9, 2023, in San Francisco. Elliot helped Woodstock organizers put the haphazard event together and is now working as a community connector as part of the Museum at Bethel Woods effort to collect oral histories from people who were there. Michael Liedtke/AP FILE - A portion of the hundreds of thousands of concert-goers who attended the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival held on a 600-acre pasture near Bethel, N.Y., Aug. 14, 1969. An estimated 450,000 people attended the Woodstock festival in August 1969, and most of that crowd was composed of teenagers or young adults now in the twilight of their lives. That ticking clock is why the Museum at Bethel Woods, based at the site of the festival, is immersed in a five-year project traveling around the United States recording the oral histories of people were there, preserving the Woodstock memories before they fade away. AP FILE - Hundreds of rock music fans jam highway leading from Bethel, N.Y., Aug. 16, 1969, as they try to leave the Woodstock Music and Art Festival. An estimated 450,000 people attended the Woodstock festival in August 1969, and most of that crowd was composed of teenagers or young adults now in the twilight of their lives. That ticking clock is why the Museum at Bethel Woods, based at the site of the festival, is immersed in a five-year project traveling around the United States recording the oral histories of people were there, preserving the Woodstock memories before they fade away. Anonymous/AP Akinyele Sadiq discusses photos taken of the crowd near the stage of the Woodstock festival in August 1969, May 9, 2023, in San Francisco, before being interviewed by the curators for the Museum at Bethel Woods as part of an effort to collect oral histories from people who were there. Michael Liedtke/AP Akinyele Sadiq discusses photos taken of the crowd near the stage of the Woodstock festival in August 1969, May 9, 2023, in San Francisco, before being interviewed by the curators for the Museum at Bethel Woods as part of an effort to collect oral histories from people who were there. Michael Liedtke/AP FILE - Music fans seek shelter is a grass hut at the Woodstock Music and Art Festival in Bethel, N.Y., Aug. 17, 1969. The sign above reads "Have a Marijuana." AP A view of the site where the Woodstock festival happened in August 1969, as seen from the Museum at Bethel Woods in Bethel, N.Y., Sept. 21, 2023. Michael Liedtke/AP FILE - Music fans listen to the band Blood, Sweat and Tears play at a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of Woodstock in Bethel, N.Y., Aug. 16, 2019. An estimated 450,000 people attended the Woodstock festival in August 1969, and most of that crowd was composed of teenagers or young adults now in the twilight of their lives. That ticking clock is why the Museum at Bethel Woods, based at the site of the festival, is immersed in a five-year project traveling around the United States recording the oral histories of people were there, preserving the Woodstock memories before they fade away. Seth Wenig/AP BETHEL, N.Y. (AP) Woodstock didn't even happen in Woodstock. The fabled music festival, seen as one of the seminal cultural events of the 1960s, took place 60 miles (96.5 kilometers) away in Bethel, New York, an even smaller village than Woodstock. It's a fitting misnomer for an event that has become as much legend as reality and has less to do with location than the memories it evokes about a society's state of mind at the close of a jumbled decade. An estimated 450,000 people converged on a swath of land owned by dairy farmer Max Yasgur to attend an Aquarian Exposition promising three days of peace, love and music" from Aug. 15 to 17, 1969. Most were teenagers or young adults people now approaching the twilight of their lives in an era where only a small portion of the population has living memories of the 1960s. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That ticking clock is why the Museum at Bethel Woods, located on the site of the festival, is immersed in a five-year project to sift facts from the legends and collect firsthand Woodstock memories before they fade away. It's a quest that has taken museum curators on a cross-country pilgrimage to record and preserve the recollections of those who were there. You need to capture the history from the mouths of the people who had the direct experience," says music journalist Rona Elliot, 77, who has been working as one of the museum's community connectors. Elliot has her own stories about the festival; she was there, working with organizers like Michael Lang, who entrusted her with his archives before his death in 2022. Woodstock, says Elliot, is "like a jigsaw puzzle a panoply of everything that happened in the '60s. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A QUEST FOR ORAL HISTORIES Woodstock attendees have done hundreds of interviews through the decades, particularly on major festival anniversaries. But the Bethel Woods museum is plunging deeper with a project that began in 2020, relying on techniques similar to those of the late historian Studs Terkel, who produced hundreds of oral histories about what it was like to live through the Great Depression and World War II. There is a difference between someone being interviewed for a paper or a documentary and having an oral history catalogued and preserved in a museum, says Neal Hitch, senior curator and director of the Museum At Bethel Woods. We had to go to people where they are. If you just call someone on the phone, they aren't quite sure what to say when we ask you to tell us about these personal, private memories from a festival when they may have been 18 or 19. To find and meet people willing to tell their Woodstock tales, the museum received grants totaling more than $235,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services enough money to pay for curators and community connectors such as Elliot to travel the country and record the stories. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The odyssey began in Santa Fe, New Mexico home to the Hog Farm that provided hippie volunteers such as Hugh Wavy Gravy Romney and Lisa Law to help feed the Woodstock crowd. Museum curators have traveled to Florida, hopped on a Flower Power cruise ship and visited Columbus, Ohio, before making a California swing earlier this year that included a San Francisco community center located near the former homes of festival performers Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead. Richard Schoellhorn, now 77, made the trip from his Sebastopol, California, home to San Francisco to discuss his experience at Woodstock. He was initially hired to be a security guard at the ticketing booth when the festival was supposed to occur in Wallkill, New York, before a community backlash prompted a late switch to the Bethel site. Schoellhorn still reported for work in Bethel, only to promptly discover his services weren't going to be needed because the festival became so overwhelmed that organizers stopped selling tickets. I was walking around at Woodstock and Hugh Romney comes up to me and says, Are you working?" Schoellhorn recalled to The Associated Press before sitting down to have his oral history recorded. And I go, No, I just got fired!' He goes, Well, would you like to volunteer?' Advertisement Article continues below this ad Schoellhorn wound up working in a tent set up to assist people having bad experiences on hallucinogenic drugs they had taken. He wound up getting stoned himself while reveling in the first concert he'd ever attended. It felt like everyone was in the same freaking boat, Schoellhorn said. There wasnt like one section where people were rich. Nobody was special there, right from the get-go. Before attending Woodstock, Schoellhorn said he was a loner intent on pursuing a career in marketing. After Woodstock, he became so extroverted that he wound up living in a Colorado commune for several years before spending 35 years as a dialysis technician. MEMORIES OF UP-CLOSE EXPERIENCES Advertisement Article continues below this ad Another Woodstock attendee, Akinyele Sadiq, also came to see the curators in San Francisco to excavate his memories of watching the festival from 25 feet (7.6 meters) away from the stage. Although the festival wasn't supposed to begin until a Friday, Sadiq departed on a Bethel-bound bus on a Wednesday. When the bus broke down, he hitched a ride that delivered him to the festival site by noon Thursday, allowing him to claim a spot so near the stage that he is visible in photos taken during the performances. By the time he left Bethel a few days later, in a hearse that a fellow festival-goer had converted into a van, Sadiq had changed. Before Woodstock, I didn't have real direction. I basically didn't have a lot of friends, but I knew I was looking for peace and justice and wanted to be with creative people who were looking to make the world a better place, Sadiq, now 72, told the AP before having his oral history recorded. Before Woodstock, if you were living in a little town, you thought there might be a dozen people out there you might be able to get along with. But then you realized there was at least a half a million of us. It just gave me hope. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hitch says curators have heard many life-changing experiences while collecting more than 500 oral histories so far and are convinced they will amass even more during the next year. Community connectors hit Florida last month and are heading to Boston in March and New York City in early April. That will be followed by return trips to New Mexico and Southern California. The museum intends to focus on finding and interviewing festival attendees scattered across New York state, where Hitch estimates roughly half the Woodstock crowd still lives. The museum will spend 2025 combing through the oral histories before turning to special projects such as reuniting friends who attended the festival together but now live in different parts of the country. Elliot is convinced both karmically and cosmically that the oral history project is something she was meant to do. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The gruesome incident of gangrape of a Spanish woman tourist in Dumka district on Saturday was raised in the budget session of Jharkhand Assembly. The BJP, sitting in the Opposition, cornered the government over deteriorating law and order in the State. On the last day of the Budget session of Assembly, the issue was raised by Godda legislator Amit Mandal, who said that such incident has brought bad name to Jharkhand in the whole world. He said that Jharkhand is ashamed with the incident and demanded immediate removal of Dumka SP. The government should take strict action in this matter. No one should be spared. Such incidents bring disrepute to the state and the whole nation, he said. The State Assembly proceedings remained disrupted for over two hours on the matter. BJP state president Babulal Marandi said that as a result of the collapsed law and order situation in Jharkhand, the incident of gang rape of a Spanish woman in Dumka has tarnished the reputation of the state even on the international stage. He said that the way the police officers treated the victim woman was inhuman. He demanded from the Chief Minister is to give such harsh punishment to the culprits that it becomes an example. He also demanded to suspend with immediate effect the senior and junior police officers from the police station to the district who are involved in irregularities. Not only BJP, but also the legislators of Congress, JMM and other parties denounced the incident and called for strong action against the culprits. The government assured the House that the perpetrators of the crime will be brought to justice and an SIT has been constituted to investigate the case. After the lunch break, the proceedings of the House started at 2.14 pm. Jharkhand Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 2011 was introduced in the House. The Bill was passed by the House. After this the International University Bill 2024 was introduced in the House. This Bill was not passed by the House. On the demand of MLAs Vinod Singh and Lambodar Mahato, this Bill was sent to the select committee. Jharkhand Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024 was introduced in the House. It was also passed by the House. Jharkhand Public Works Contract Disputes Arbitration Tribunal Bill was introduced and was passed by the House. In a gruesome incident in the State, a Spanish woman, who was on a tour with her husband on motorbikes was gang-raped late on Friday night in Dumka district. After the incident, the 28 year old Spanish woman has been admitted to Saraiyahat CHC. After first treatment at Saraiyahat CHC, she was sent to Dumka medical college and hospital. The woman is reaching Dumka by bike from Saraiyahat under police protection. The incident took place near Kurmahat of Hansdiha police station area. Seeing the seriousness of the matter, SP Pitambar Singh Kherwar reached the spot late in the night and detained three people. The Spanish woman had gone on a bike tour with her husband. She was going towards Bhagalpur via Dumka. Meanwhile, at around 12:00 in the night, she pitched a tent and slept at a deserted place before Hansdiha market. In the night some youths from the nearby area reached the site and gang-raped her. The couple was also beaten up and robbed. The victim reached Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital by bike. After assaulting the victim, the youths fled away from the spot. The woman informed the police about the incident that happened to her. After this she has been admitted to Saraiyahat CHC. Dumka SP Pitambar Singh Kherwar said that the victim has told that five-six people have committed the incident. He said that three people have been detained. Medical examination of the woman has been done. The victim Spanish woman is being brought to Dumka after first aid, he added. In the morning the police reached the spot to investigate. Along with the police team, a team of experts from the forensic department also reached the spot to investigate. On the other hand, the victimized foreign woman herself reached Phulo Jhano Medical College Hospital in Dumka on her bike for examination. The police team escorted her. On the seventh day of the Jharkhand Assembly budget session, MLAs from the ruling party and the opposition created a ruckus in the House to discuss the gang rape of a Spanish woman in Dumka and the Prime Minister's statement. When the House proceedings started again at 12.04, BJP MLAs came to the Well and created ruckus over the gang rape of a Spanish woman in Dumka whereas JMM MLA, Sudivya Sonu demanded a special discussion in the House on the Prime Minister's statement. After this, MLAs from the ruling party and the opposition started raising slogans in the well. Due to the uproar, the proceedings of the House were adjourned till 2 pm. The case of gang rape of a foreign woman in Dumka also echoed in the budget session of Jharkhand Assembly. MLA Amit Mandal raised this issue and said that such an incident has brought bad name to Jharkhand in the whole world. He said that this incident tarnished the reputation of the State in the Country and abroad. He also demanded immediate removal of Dumka SP. He said that the Government should take strict action in this matter and no one should be spared. The third convocation ceremony of AIIMS Bhopal was celebrated with full grandeur today. On this occasion, Padma Bhushan awarded Dr. Ashok Laxman Rao Kukde of Vivekananda Hospital and Research Center, Latur Maharashtra joined as the chief guest through virtual medium. While Professor Satya Narayan Sankhwar, Director of the Institute of Medical Sciences of Banaras Hindu University and Professor Abbas Ali Mahdi, Vice Chancellor of Era University Lucknow were present as special guests. Before the commencement of the convocation ceremony, all the guests reached the auditorium in a procession. While presenting the annual report, Executive Director of AIIMS Bhopal, Professor (Dr) Ajay Singh said that AIIMS Bhopal has made unprecedented progress in the last one and a half years. In which, kidney and bone marrow transplant, establishment of transgender clinic, delivery of medicines to remote areas and bringing blood samples from there by drone etc. are some of the major achievements. The number of patients in OPD has increased by 56%, patients admitted in IPD have increased from 32000 to 50000, while emergency cases have increased by 170%. Bed occupancy has increased from 62 to 77%, while beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat scheme have increased by 53% to 13337. Also, in data linkage in the field of digitization, AIIMS Bhopal has come first among all the AIIMS institutes. He also administered the oath to the students who have completed B.Sc Nursing (Hons) and MBBS. Expressing his views on this occasion, President of AIIMS Bhopal, Dr. Sunil Malik, who is always ready to provide the best health care facilities to every section of the society, said that in the last one and a half years, AIIMS Bhopal has made a lot of progress under the leadership of Professor (Dr) Ajai Singh. We should make every effort to provide better health services to every citizen. Special guest Professor Satya Narayan Sankhwar said that the level of success achieved by AIIMS Bhopal in the last one and a half years is incomparable. Expressing hope, he said that in future this institute will achieve new heights under the guidance of Professor (Dr.) Ajai Singh. A total of 273 students were awarded degrees in the convocation ceremony, while 21 gold medals were awarded. The overall topper gold medal for MBBS 2018 batch went to Prajapati Vivek Girish Bhai, who received a total of five gold medals. Litti Mary Rosie won the overall topper gold medal for B.Sc Nursing (Hons) 2019 batch. He won three gold medals in total. On this occasion, Professor Abbas Ali Mahdi, Vice Chancellor of Era University, Lucknow, was honored with an honorary degree. Expressing his happiness, Professor Abbas Ali Mahdi said that the progress he has seen after coming here is definitely praiseworthy. He praised Professor (Dr) Ajai Singh, Executive Director, AIIMS Bhopal, for his commitment towards providing better health services to the people. In his convocation address, Dr. Ashok Laxmanrao Kukde said that after obtaining the degree, the students will have to work with dedication in the service of humanity. Human service is the greatest service, people consider doctors as God. We have to further strengthen this faith of the people. NOTA continues to be a tool of dissent in the electoral democracy. It empowers the electors to register their discontent with the pool of candidates while maintaining secrecy, thus persuading parties to field better candidates It's impeccable to christen NOTA in the truest sense of the word as the 'Sankat Mochan' of democracy in political Lanka, as each vote deserves a political Ayodhya, not a chaotic Lanka. With the 2013 judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India (PUCL v. Union of India), a firm position was set that in an exceedingly legal system, electors must be given the right to reject, which owes its genesis to freedom of speech and expression (Art. 19(1)(a)). However, this was substantially necessitated on account that secrecy of casting a vote was duly recognised under the provisions of the Representation of People's Act, 1951, and the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, as being fundamental to free and fair elections. The 170th Report of the Law Commission, 1999, while laying down the chassis of NOTA, recommended a method to ensure the purity of elections, keep out criminals and other undesirable elements, and minimise the role and importance of caste and religion. Pursuant to this, no candidate could be declared returned unless he obtains at least 50% of the votes cast, and to determine such a percentage, even the negative vote would be treated as votes cast. The report also recommends a 'run-off' and fresh election if candidates fail to secure the requisite percentage. This was endorsed by the Background Paper on Electoral Reforms, 2010. Even in Columbia, blank votes are considered to be valid ones and there stands similar provision to this effect. However, in its press release dated October 28th, 2013, the Election Commission of India clarified while referring to provisions of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 (clause (a) of Rule 64) read with the Representation of the People's Act, 1951 (Section 65), that even if the number of electors opting for NOTA option is more than the number of votes polled by any of the candidates, the candidate who secures the largest number of votes has to be declared elected. This implies that even if 99% of the electors rejected the candidature of all the candidates, conversely, in defiance of their mandate, the candidate who managed to secure just 1% of the votes could be declared to be returned. This serves as a testimony of NOTA having no electoral value in India, ergo, there's no wrong in deeming it nothing more than a protest vote. Be that as it may, to justify the forthcoming quote "Not all battles are fought for victory. Some are fought simply to tell the world that someone was there on the battlefield" (Ravish Kumar) in an electoral democracy could set the stage for catalysing NOTA as just a token of gesture which is bound to be unjust. Nevertheless, NOTA continues to be a tool of dissent in the electoral democracy. It empowers the electors to register their discontent with the pool of candidates while maintaining secrecy, thus persuading parties to field better candidates. In the 2018 Assembly election of Madhya Pradesh, NOTA bagged fifth largest tally of votes polled (1.42%) which was more than SP (1.3%) and AAP (0.66%). Similarly, in Karnataka, NOTA secured more votes than BSP and CPI (M) which are national parties. The figures are indicative of the significant usage of NOTA in numeric sense, however, its impact still remains insignificant. The State Election Commission of Haryana deviated from the practice of Election Commission of India during the Municipal Elections. A notification dated November 22nd, 2018 by the SEC, Haryana deemed NOTA to be a 'Fictional Electoral Candidate'. It further went on to state that if a situation arises where NOTA receives the highest number of votes, then a fresh election would be conducted. All candidates who received lesser vote than NOTA would become ineligible from contesting the re-election. Similar notification was also published by the SEC, Maharashtra in the same year. In yet another development from the past, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre and the ECI on March 15th, 2021 on a PIL which sought a direction to the poll panel to nullify an election result and conduct a fresh poll if the maximum votes in a particular constituency were for NOTA. For a democracy to survive in its true form it is essential that the best available men should be chosen as people's representative and if electors find none from the roaster to be suitable enough, negative voting is necessitated. However, the rationale behind the 2013 judgement of the Apex Court has failed to bear fruits. In a vibrant democracy, voter's choice must be of paramount and if they palpably reject all the contesting candidates, their choice should be empowered by way of a fresh election. In the existing scenario, if we picture the electoral stage as a grand theatre; NOTA plays the role of a silent spectator, leaving no tangible mark on the political drama. Thus, even with the popularity of NOTA among the electors experiencing a significant rise over the years, the question of whether it is 'revolutionary' or mere 'illusionary' lingers. The Aam Aadmi Party will announce candidates for all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab in next two to four days, party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday. Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal said that discussion on the candidates for the Lok Sabha polls was going on, and urged the people of the state to make the party victorious in all seats. "In next two to four days, the announcement will be made," said Kejriwal while speaking to reporters in Jalandhar after virtually launching 165 'Aam Aadmi Clinics' to be set up across Punjab. "If you ensure (the party's) victory in all 13 seats, you will strengthen Bhagwant Mann's hands. It is Mann alone who is fighting the Centre. It is Mann who is only fighting the governor and the BJP," said Kejriwal who was accompanied by the Punjab chief minister. The Delhi chief minister also slammed the Centre for allegedly withholding Rs 8,000 crore worth of funds from Punjab. In the wake of a low-intensity blast at a city eatery, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday instructed senior police officers to leverage technology effectively in investigation and ensure that the "full truth" of the incident comes out. During the meeting held with top officials of the Home department in the presence of the minister G Parameshwara, Siddaramaiah asked them to take action against anti-social elements without any sympathy. "Identify densely populated places and increase police patrolling in such areas. Security should be provided to the people," Siddaramaiah was quoted as saying to officials in a statement issued by his office. The meeting comes after the Friday afternoon blast at the quick-service eatery, The Rameshwaram Cafe, in Brookfield area in the IT corridor in east Bengaluru that left ten people injured. Siddaramaiah instructed the officials to speed up the investigation in the case and to ensure that such incidents do not recur. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister visited Rameshwaram Cafe and inspected the spot and also met the injured undergoing treatment at a hospital. Siddaramaiah instructed police to restrain those spreading fake news on social media which was misleading people. "Take action against anti-social elements without any sympathy," he told officials, and asked the intelligence wing to be more active. "Action should be taken on anti-social elements who spread false news on social media without any sympathy," he instructed officials and told them that he will call a separate meeting with the police department regarding this. "We have to change with the times and should work at a fast pace," the CM added. The Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested two accused involved in the recent police recruitment exam paper leak from the Vibhuti Khand area of the state capital, officials said on Saturday. The accused were allegedly members of a gang involved in the question paper leak of the Uttar Pradesh Recruitment and Promotion Board examination on February 17 and 18, the STF said in a statement. Ajay Singh Chauhan and Sonu Singh Yadav, both residents of Prayagraj district, were arrested on Friday. Their gang is also involved in arranging solvers and leaking question papers to candidates preparing for competitive exams, the STF statement read. Several documents related to the 2024 constable recruitment examination, two mobile phones, and some cash were seized from the duo, police said. The STF has lodged an FIR against the duo under the Indian Penal Code sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (cheating by inducement), 467 (forgery of valuable documents), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 386 (extortion by putting any person in fear of death or of grievous hurt) at the Vibhuti Khand police station of Lucknow. Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A Free Report) had its price objective boosted by Citigroup from $130.00 to $145.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. Citigroup currently has a neutral rating on the medical research companys stock. A has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $140.00 to $130.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $160.00 to $145.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 22nd. TheStreet upgraded shares of Agilent Technologies from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, UBS Group cut shares of Agilent Technologies from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their price target for the company from $163.00 to $125.00 in a research note on Friday, November 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $141.31. Get Agilent Technologies alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on Agilent Technologies Agilent Technologies Stock Up 1.3 % Agilent Technologies stock opened at $139.09 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $40.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.12 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 fifty day simple moving average of $133.43 and a 200 day simple moving average of $122.89. The company has a current ratio of 2.68, a quick ratio of 1.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The medical research company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.22 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $1.66 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.59 billion. Agilent Technologies had a net margin of 18.35% and a return on equity of 27.09%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.37 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Agilent Technologies will post 5.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. 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 paid a $0.236 dividend. This represents a $0.94 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.68%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 1st. Agilent Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 22.38%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Agilent Technologies news, VP Rodney Gonsalves sold 1,500 shares of Agilent Technologies stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $137.69, for a total value of $206,535.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 26,133 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,598,252.77. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Agilent Technologies news, VP Rodney Gonsalves sold 1,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $137.69, for a total value of $206,535.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 26,133 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,598,252.77. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Michael R. Mcmullen sold 2,751 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.00, for a total transaction of $357,630.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 306,206 shares in the company, valued at $39,806,780. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 95,929 shares of company stock worth $12,730,599 in the last quarter. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Agilent Technologies Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of A. Money Concepts Capital Corp bought a new stake in shares of Agilent Technologies during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. MV Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Agilent Technologies by 120.7% during the 4th quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. now owns 192 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Agilent Technologies during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Hollencrest Capital Management grew its holdings in shares of Agilent Technologies by 562.5% during the 2nd quarter. Hollencrest Capital Management now owns 212 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 180 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ancora Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Agilent Technologies during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $34,000. 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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Agilent Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Agilent Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec cut its position in shares of Prologis, Inc. (NYSE:PLD Free Report) by 9.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 166,280 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 16,356 shares during the period. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebecs holdings in Prologis were worth $18,658,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. RB Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Prologis by 14.7% during the 1st quarter. RB Capital Management LLC now owns 3,004 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $485,000 after buying an additional 385 shares during the period. Blair William & Co. IL boosted its holdings in shares of Prologis by 5.3% during the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 21,612 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $3,490,000 after buying an additional 1,092 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Prologis by 87.7% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,382 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $546,000 after buying an additional 1,580 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Prologis by 41.8% during the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 241,219 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $38,952,000 after buying an additional 71,112 shares during the period. Finally, Zions Bancorporation N.A. boosted its holdings in shares of Prologis by 38.8% during the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 2,078 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $336,000 after buying an additional 581 shares during the period. 90.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Prologis alerts: Prologis Price Performance PLD stock opened at $134.61 on Friday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $131.08 and a 200 day simple moving average of $120.70. The stock has a market cap of $124.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.92, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 1.00. Prologis, Inc. has a 1 year low of $96.64 and a 1 year high of $137.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 0.30 and a quick ratio of 0.30. Prologis Increases Dividend Prologis ( NYSE:PLD Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 17th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.26 by ($0.58). The company had revenue of $1.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.85 billion. Prologis had a return on equity of 5.29% and a net margin of 38.13%. Prologiss revenue for the quarter was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.24 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Prologis, Inc. will post 5.5 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 18th will be given a $0.96 dividend. This is a boost from Prologiss previous quarterly dividend of $0.87. This represents a $3.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.85%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 15th. Prologiss dividend payout ratio is 105.78%. Insider Buying and Selling at Prologis In other Prologis news, Director James B. Connor sold 103,331 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $133.20, for a total value of $13,763,689.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 21,419 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,853,010.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.50% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages recently commented on PLD. Scotiabank lifted their target price on shares of Prologis from $134.00 to $143.00 and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a report on Friday, December 15th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on shares of Prologis from $133.00 to $137.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. TheStreet raised shares of Prologis from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Prologis from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $123.00 to $148.00 in a report on Monday, December 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Prologis from $128.00 to $141.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Prologis has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $141.73. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Prologis Prologis Profile (Free Report) Prologis, Inc is the global leader in logistics real estate with a focus on high-barrier, high-growth markets. At December 31, 2023, the company owned or had investments in, on a wholly owned basis or through co-investment ventures, properties and development projects expected to total approximately 1.2 billion square feet (115 million square meters) in 19 countries. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PLD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Prologis, Inc. (NYSE:PLD Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Prologis Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Prologis and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Waverly Advisors LLC lowered its stake in shares of General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS Free Report) by 43.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,539 shares of the companys stock after selling 5,020 shares during the quarter. Waverly Advisors LLCs holdings in General Mills were worth $418,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec increased its holdings in shares of General Mills by 5.9% during the third quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 342,794 shares of the companys stock valued at $21,935,000 after acquiring an additional 19,209 shares in the last quarter. Gotham Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in General Mills by 95.6% in the 3rd quarter. Gotham Asset Management LLC now owns 209,408 shares of the companys stock worth $13,400,000 after buying an additional 102,359 shares during the period. Corton Capital Inc. acquired a new position in General Mills in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $228,000. Caxton Associates LP increased its holdings in General Mills by 8.4% in the 3rd quarter. Caxton Associates LP now owns 24,356 shares of the companys stock worth $1,559,000 after buying an additional 1,881 shares during the period. Finally, Ironwood Investment Counsel LLC increased its holdings in General Mills by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Ironwood Investment Counsel LLC now owns 25,240 shares of the companys stock worth $1,615,000 after buying an additional 417 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.31% of the companys stock. Get General Mills alerts: Insider Activity at General Mills In other General Mills news, insider Jonathon Nudi sold 7,671 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.15, for a total value of $492,094.65. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 102,924 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,602,574.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other General Mills news, insider Jonathon Nudi sold 7,671 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.15, for a total value of $492,094.65. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 102,924 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,602,574.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Jeffrey L. Harmening sold 60,056 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.44, for a total value of $3,870,008.64. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 318,483 shares of the companys stock, valued at $20,523,044.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.24% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets GIS has been the topic of several research reports. Piper Sandler cut their price target on shares of General Mills from $77.00 to $76.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 15th. Mizuho lowered their price objective on General Mills from $70.00 to $65.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. Citigroup initiated coverage on General Mills in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. They issued a neutral rating and a $67.00 price objective on the stock. Evercore ISI lowered their price objective on General Mills from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an in-line rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 11th. Finally, Bank of America lowered their price objective on General Mills from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 21st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and three 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 target price of $72.67. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on General Mills General Mills Stock Down 0.4 % NYSE GIS opened at $63.94 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $64.28 and a 200 day moving average price of $64.99. General Mills, Inc. has a one year low of $60.33 and a one year high of $90.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a current ratio of 0.64. The company has a market cap of $36.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.56, a P/E/G ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.15. General Mills (NYSE:GIS Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, December 20th. The company reported $1.25 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.16 by $0.09. General Mills had a return on equity of 25.44% and a net margin of 12.06%. The firm had revenue of $5.10 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.35 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.10 EPS. The firms revenue was down 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that General Mills, Inc. will post 4.49 EPS for the current fiscal year. General Mills Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 1st. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 10th will be paid a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.69%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, April 9th. General Millss dividend payout ratio is currently 57.42%. General Mills Company Profile (Free Report) General Mills, Inc manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company operates through four segments: North America Retail; International; Pet; and North America Foodservice. It offers grain, ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, soup, meal kits, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flour, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and salty snacks, ice cream and frozen desserts, nutrition bars, and savory snacks, as well as various organic products, including frozen and shelf-stable vegetables. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for General Mills Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Mills and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The William F. Cribari Memorial Bridge (Saugatuck River Bridge), Westport, Conn. Feb. 26, 2023. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media The William F. Cribari Memorial Bridge (Saugatuck River Bridge), Westport, Conn. Feb. 26, 2023. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media The William F. Cribari Memorial Bridge (Saugatuck River Bridge), Westport, Conn. Feb. 26, 2023. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media WESTPORT After more than eight years in the making, a project to rehabilitate the William F. Cribari Memorial Bridge is finally moving forward. But some residents said they hope the project preserves the bridge's historic elements. The Cribari Bridge is a historic swing bridge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and carries Bridge Street over the Saugatuck River. In 2016, the state completed a rehabilitation studies report after routine inspections showed the need for work, particularly for truss elements damaged by vehicle collisions and corroded pile cross bracing. The state presented these findings to the public that same year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Werner Leipolt has lived on Bridge Street since 1971, and he and other Westport residents have long cherished the bridge. "Driving over it always seem to symbolize coming back to Westport," he said. Leipolt said he has seen many projects come and go over the last 40 or so years, and he's hoping this one balances restoring the bridge and maintaining its historic significance. In 2020, former First Selectman Jim Marpe turned down $40 million to rehabilitate the bridge, saying he and residents were concerned about the consequences of a major rehabilitation project. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One of Leipolt's concerns is the truck traffic coming off of nearby Interstate 95. He said Bridge Street often backs up when traffic is rerouted off the highway, so he wants to see the state come up with a solution that keeps trucks off the road. More structural deficiencies and highway functional deficiencies have been identified over the years, according to the state's website, and the cost is higher than originally estimated. First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker said, around 2019, the state received feedback from the Westport community about the project. The state then drafted an environmental assessment, which is being finalized and will have different options of what to do with the bridge. Tooker said, because this is a state and federally-funded project, it has to be placed on the South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization's Transportation Improvement Plan, which is a list of projects using Federal Highway Administration money. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Connecticut Department of Transportation spokesperson Samaia Hernandez said several options for the bridge are being explored, including a rehabilitation, conservation alternative and complete replacement. "A decision will not be made until CTDOT has an opportunity to share the alternatives and receive input and comments from the public," Hernandez said. Hernandez also said that, if the historic elements of the bridge could be affected, the DOT will work with the State Historic Preservation Office and stakeholders to determine how to mitigate that. In a few months, there will be a public review under the National Environmental Policy Act. Then DOT and the Federal Highway Administration will make options available to the public for no less than 45 days, with public hearings and informational sessions in town throughout the design phase. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At a recent SWRMPO meeting, members voted to add the Cribari Bridge project back on the transportation improvement plan, with $4.1 million to pay for the design phase. Tooker clarified that there has not yet been a decision on rehabilitation versus replacement. "We will have a chance to give public feedback again for sure," Tooker said. She doesn't know how much the total project is going to cost, but the bridge needs work done soon before it becomes a critical problem. She expects it to take years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tooker also clarified that this project has never been a town project, since the bridge and the street are state-owned. "The fact that we are working hand-in-hand with the dept of transportation to ensure our local voice is heard is really important," she said. Sal Liccione, Representative Town Meeting District Nine member, said he has heard from residents in his district and the surrounding are that they are unsure of what is going to happen to the bridge. Moving forward, he would like to see clear communication from the town to its residents, as well as its representatives. Lazard Asset Management LLC lessened its holdings in Jacobs Solutions Inc. (NYSE:J Free Report) by 11.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 371,593 shares of the companys stock after selling 45,934 shares during the quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.30% of Jacobs Solutions worth $50,722,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Clear Street Markets LLC grew its position in shares of Jacobs Solutions by 93.8% during the 1st quarter. Clear Street Markets LLC now owns 250 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 121 shares in the last quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its stake in Jacobs Solutions by 47.7% in the second quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 254 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Jacobs Solutions by 210.5% in the 2nd quarter. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 295 shares of the companys stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Park Place Capital Corp grew its position in shares of Jacobs Solutions by 473.9% in the 3rd quarter. Park Place Capital Corp now owns 264 shares of the companys stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 218 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC purchased a new stake in Jacobs Solutions during the third quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Institutional investors own 84.77% of the companys stock. Get Jacobs Solutions alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages recently issued reports on J. Stifel Nicolaus reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $150.00 target price on shares of Jacobs Solutions in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. KeyCorp began coverage on Jacobs Solutions in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. They set a sector weight rating on the stock. Raymond James lowered Jacobs Solutions from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Jacobs Solutions from $151.00 to $161.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Benchmark reissued a buy rating and issued a $160.00 price objective on shares of Jacobs Solutions in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Jacobs Solutions currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $152.11. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, EVP Shelette M. Gustafson sold 1,852 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.00, for a total transaction of $274,096.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 28,791 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,261,068. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other Jacobs Solutions news, EVP Shelette M. Gustafson sold 1,852 shares of Jacobs Solutions stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.00, for a total transaction of $274,096.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 28,791 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,261,068. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Patrick Hill sold 5,500 shares of Jacobs Solutions stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.48, for a total value of $701,140.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 62,719 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,995,418.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 19,018 shares of company stock valued at $2,475,578 in the last three months. 1.00% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Jacobs Solutions Price Performance J stock opened at $146.61 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $137.29 and a two-hundred day moving average of $134.10. The company has a quick ratio of 1.37, a current ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The stock has a market cap of $18.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.73. Jacobs Solutions Inc. has a 52-week low of $109.00 and a 52-week high of $149.17. Jacobs Solutions (NYSE:J Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $2.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.56 by $0.46. Jacobs Solutions had a return on equity of 14.57% and a net margin of 4.20%. The company had revenue of $4.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.02 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.67 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Jacobs Solutions Inc. will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current year. Jacobs Solutions Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, February 23rd will be paid a dividend of $0.29 per share. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.79%. This is a boost from Jacobs Solutionss previous quarterly dividend of $0.26. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 22nd. Jacobs Solutionss payout ratio is presently 20.71%. Jacobs Solutions Profile (Free Report) Jacobs Solutions Inc provides consulting, technical, engineering, scientific, and project delivery services for the government and private sectors in the United States, Europe, Canada, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and Africa. It operates through Critical Mission Solutions, People & Places Solutions, Divergent Solutions, and PA Consulting segments. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Jacobs Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Jacobs Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Logan Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report) by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 29,688 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 14,844 shares during the period. Logan Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $2,700,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Kranot Hishtalmut Le Morim Tichoniim Havera Menahelet LTD purchased a new position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in the third quarter worth approximately $2,408,000. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. grew its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 94.0% during the third quarter. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 44,292 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,028,000 after purchasing an additional 21,457 shares in the last quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co grew its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 111.6% during the third quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 6,004 shares of the companys stock valued at $546,000 after purchasing an additional 3,166 shares in the last quarter. Green Square Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 103.7% during the third quarter. Green Square Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,612 shares of the companys stock valued at $238,000 after purchasing an additional 1,330 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ieq Capital LLC grew its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 136.6% during the third quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 27,474 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,498,000 after purchasing an additional 15,860 shares in the last quarter. 6.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Novo Nordisk A/S alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages recently commented on NVO. Morgan Stanley began coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. They set an overweight rating and a $120.00 price objective on the stock. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. They issued a neutral rating for the company. TD Cowen lifted their target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, December 4th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $140.00 target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Two 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $121.25. Novo Nordisk A/S Price Performance Shares of Novo Nordisk A/S stock opened at $124.23 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $112.61 and a 200-day simple moving average of $93.52. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Novo Nordisk A/S has a 1-year low of $67.66 and a 1-year high of $124.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $557.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.93, a PEG ratio of 2.00 and a beta of 0.41. Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The company reported $0.71 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.66 by $0.05. Novo Nordisk A/S had a net margin of 36.03% and a return on equity of 90.36%. The business had revenue of $9.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.14 billion. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.32 earnings per share for the current year. Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, March 25th will be paid a dividend of $0.664 per share. This is a boost from Novo Nordisk A/Ss previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.22. This represents a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 22nd. Novo Nordisk A/Ss dividend payout ratio is presently 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. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Quadrature Capital Ltd bought a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 71,305 shares of the medical research companys stock, valued at approximately $4,940,000. A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in EW. Kidder Stephen W raised its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 4.0% in the 3rd quarter. Kidder Stephen W now owns 12,960 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $898,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Eventide Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 91.7% during the third quarter. Eventide Asset Management LLC now owns 9,794 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $679,000 after purchasing an additional 4,686 shares in the last quarter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC grew its stake in Edwards Lifesciences by 2,233.3% in the third quarter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC now owns 181,691 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $12,588,000 after purchasing an additional 173,904 shares during the last quarter. Caxton Associates LP raised its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 179.9% in the third quarter. Caxton Associates LP now owns 36,100 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $2,501,000 after purchasing an additional 23,203 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ironwood Investment Counsel LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the third quarter valued at about $739,000. 79.25% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: Edwards Lifesciences Price Performance NYSE:EW opened at $85.22 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $79.77 and a 200-day moving average price of $74.06. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 1-year low of $60.57 and a 1-year high of $94.87. The firm has a market cap of $51.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 3.38 and a quick ratio of 2.40. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Edwards Lifesciences ( NYSE:EW Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The medical research company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.64. The firm had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.50 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a return on equity of 23.56% and a net margin of 23.35%. The businesss revenue was up 13.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.64 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.76 EPS for the current year. EW has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $82.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Citigroup cut Edwards Lifesciences from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Edwards Lifesciences from $78.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. Finally, Wolfe Research lowered shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a peer perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $57.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Tuesday, November 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $87.38. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on EW Insider Activity In other news, Director Kieran Gallahue sold 3,058 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.61, for a total value of $267,911.38. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 67,219 shares in the company, valued at $5,889,056.59. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, Director Kieran Gallahue sold 3,058 shares of Edwards Lifesciences stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.61, for a total transaction of $267,911.38. Following the transaction, the director now owns 67,219 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,889,056.59. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, VP Daveen Chopra sold 3,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.00, for a total transaction of $245,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 23,950 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,676,500. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 193,402 shares of company stock worth $15,285,554 over the last quarter. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Edwards Lifesciences Company Profile (Free Report) Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Quadrature Capital Ltd grew its position in The Allstate Co. (NYSE:ALL Free Report) by 3.7% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 57,251 shares of the insurance providers stock after buying an additional 2,063 shares during the period. Quadrature Capital Ltds holdings in Allstate were worth $6,380,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of ALL. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Allstate by 3.1% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 24,850,782 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $3,442,082,000 after buying an additional 745,096 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. lifted its position in shares of Allstate by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 22,294,372 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $2,430,978,000 after buying an additional 181,050 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its stake in Allstate by 9.0% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 6,039,351 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $669,221,000 after buying an additional 499,056 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Allstate by 3.0% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,926,917 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $660,318,000 after acquiring an additional 172,250 shares during the period. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Allstate by 1.1% during the first quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 5,815,257 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $643,015,000 after acquiring an additional 63,438 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.23% of the companys stock. Get Allstate alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In ALL has been the subject of several analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Allstate from $141.00 to $164.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 9th. Raymond James raised their price target on Allstate from $155.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Roth Mkm raised their target price on Allstate from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Allstate from $112.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Allstate from $171.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $159.12. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CAO John C. Pintozzi sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.47, for a total transaction of $637,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 10,736 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,712,069.92. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 1.70% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Allstate Trading Down 2.2 % NYSE ALL opened at $155.14 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The Allstate Co. has a 12 month low of $100.57 and a 12 month high of $168.05. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $153.87 and a 200 day simple moving average of $133.34. Allstate (NYSE:ALL Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The insurance provider reported $5.82 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.87 by $1.95. Allstate had a positive return on equity of 2.67% and a negative net margin of 0.33%. The company had revenue of $14.83 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.69 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted ($1.36) EPS. Allstates revenue was up 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that The Allstate Co. will post 12.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Allstate Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 4th will be issued a $0.92 dividend. This is a positive change from Allstates previous quarterly dividend of $0.89. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 1st. This represents a $3.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.37%. Allstates payout ratio is -287.10%. About Allstate (Free Report) The Allstate Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty, and other insurance products in the United States and Canada. The company operates through Allstate Protection; Protection Services; Allstate Health and Benefits; and Run-off Property-Liability segments. The Allstate Protection segment offers private passenger auto and homeowners insurance; other personal lines products; and commercial lines products under the Allstate and Encompass brand names. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ALL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Allstate Co. (NYSE:ALL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Allstate Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Allstate and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC lessened its holdings in The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK Free Report) by 48.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 8,843 shares of the banks stock after selling 8,245 shares during the period. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLCs holdings in Bank of New York Mellon were worth $377,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in BK. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 160.0% in the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 5,358 shares of the banks stock valued at $263,000 after acquiring an additional 3,297 shares during the period. Prudential PLC purchased a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon during the 1st quarter worth $1,096,000. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its stake in Bank of New York Mellon by 3.3% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 35,635 shares of the banks stock worth $1,769,000 after buying an additional 1,154 shares during the period. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. increased its stake in Bank of New York Mellon by 54.3% during the 1st quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 232,115 shares of the banks stock worth $11,519,000 after buying an additional 81,728 shares during the period. Finally, Zions Bancorporation N.A. increased its stake in Bank of New York Mellon by 165.3% during the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 1,459 shares of the banks stock worth $72,000 after buying an additional 909 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.29% of the companys stock. Get Bank of New York Mellon alerts: Bank of New York Mellon Trading Down 1.1 % Bank of New York Mellon stock opened at $55.49 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $54.38 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $48.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $41.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.98, a PEG ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.12. The Bank of New York Mellon Co. has a 52-week low of $39.65 and a 52-week high of $56.42. Bank of New York Mellon Announces Dividend Bank of New York Mellon ( NYSE:BK Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The bank reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 11.63%. The firm had revenue of $4.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.30 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.30 EPS. Bank of New York Mellons revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that The Bank of New York Mellon Co. will post 5.24 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 22nd were given a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 19th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.03%. Bank of New York Mellons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 42.32%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Bank of New York Mellon 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 sale, 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 legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, VP Catherine Keating sold 4,498 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Hanneke Smits sold 15,425 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.16, for a total transaction of $850,843.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 119,656 shares in the company, valued at $6,600,224.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Bank of New York Mellon from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $54.50 price target on the stock in a research note on Monday, December 18th. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Bank of New York Mellon from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $52.00 to $62.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $54.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Citigroup boosted 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. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Bank of New York Mellon has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $54.75. Get Our Latest Research Report on Bank of New York Mellon 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. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of New York Mellon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of New York Mellon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of TransAlta Co. (TSE:TA Get Free Report) (NYSE:TAC) have received an average recommendation of Buy from the ten analysts that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$15.80. Several brokerages recently issued reports on TA. TD Securities reduced their target price on shares of TransAlta from C$15.00 to C$14.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 26th. National Bankshares reduced their target price on shares of TransAlta from C$14.00 to C$13.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of TransAlta from C$17.00 to C$16.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 26th. CIBC raised their target price on shares of TransAlta from C$18.00 to C$18.50 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 26th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on shares of TransAlta from C$15.00 to C$14.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 26th. Get TransAlta alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on TransAlta Insider Activity at TransAlta TransAlta Trading Down 0.5 % In related news, Director John Harry Kousinioris sold 76,941 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$10.84, for a total transaction of C$834,348.20. In other news, Senior Officer Aron John Willis sold 35,454 shares of TransAlta stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$11.08, for a total value of C$392,830.32. Also, Director John Harry Kousinioris sold 76,941 shares of TransAlta stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$10.84, for a total transaction of C$834,348.20. 0.15% of the stock is owned by company insiders. TSE TA opened at C$9.26 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of C$10.01 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$11.10. The stock has a market cap of C$2.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.97, a P/E/G ratio of -0.07 and a beta of 0.92. TransAlta has a 12-month low of C$9.15 and a 12-month high of C$13.97. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 161.55. TransAlta (TSE:TA Get Free Report) (NYSE:TAC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 23rd. The company reported C($0.27) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$0.18 by C($0.45). The company had revenue of C$624.00 million during the quarter. TransAlta had a return on equity of 43.58% and a net margin of 20.71%. On average, analysts forecast that TransAlta will post 0.4067368 earnings per share for the current year. TransAlta Company Profile (Get Free Report TransAlta Corporation engages in the development, production, and sale of electric energy. It operates through Hydro, Wind and Solar, Gas, Energy Transition, and Energy Marketing segments. The Hydro segment has a net ownership interest of approximately 922 megawatts (MW) of owned hydro electrical-generating capacity located in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario. Read More Receive News & Ratings for TransAlta Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TransAlta and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shandong's country road naming initiative maps pathways of progress Xinhua) 10:35, March 02, 2024 JINAN, March 1 (Xinhua) -- As the Spring Festival break drew to an end, migrant worker Guo Diancai prepared to bid farewell to his beloved home, perhaps for another year. Before leaving, he opened the GPS map on his mobile phone to confirm once again that the country road leading to his doorstep had a name, which he believes, provides a tangible link to his cherished memories. "The next time homesickness strikes, I'll find solace in recalling a place with not just a village name, but also a road name and a doorplate number," Guo said. "Having all these details in one place gives me a 'location' to anchor my longing for home." Guo hails from Guozhuang Village in Yanggu County, located in Liaocheng, a city in east China's Shandong Province. Yanggu is among the localities in the Ministry of Civil Affairs' pilot project aimed at naming previously unnamed country roads and offering related name-based services. In recent years, this county has mobilized more than 1,000 community workers and volunteers to screen out 560 nameless roads and 25 named roads without road signs across the county. Villages are encouraged to propose names for their roads from the provided list, drawing inspiration from local traditions and characteristics. The proposed names will then be forwarded to the county authorities for official approval and subsequent installation of road signs. Once approved, these names will be linked with the doorplate numbers of rural households. Guozhuang is known for its glass noodle (a type of transparent noodle made from starch and water) industry, with some 30 production mills scattered across six roads. However, the nameless roads often bewildered people coming from outside, hindering social interactions among locals and visitors. "When businesspeople would come to buy our products, they often had to navigate the area by knocking on doors and seeking directions, or else, we had to send someone to meet them at the village entrance and guide them to the mills," Guo Jinshang, Party secretary of the Guozhuang Village, recalled. "It's very inconvenient." Today, road signs have been placed at the starting points and intersections of country roads. According to Zhang Baoyun, head of the civil affairs bureau of Yanggu County, guideposts have also been installed at regular intervals, providing directions and indicating the distance to nearby villages. Guozhuang villagers have infused their hopes for a brighter future into the names they've chosen for the country roads, such as "Harmony Street" and "Prosperity Road." The two roads with the most glass noodle mills along their paths have been aptly named "Entrepreneurship Road" and "Integrity Road." After naming 560 country roads and setting up or updating over 1,000 road signs, Yanggu County has digitally integrated the names of these roads and rural public service facilities into GPS apps. Villagers have also been encouraged to upload the addresses of their small businesses -- ranging from rural hospitality and catering services to farming and animal breeding bases, and rural cooperatives -- to these apps, thereby facilitating the local economy. "After fellow villagers uploaded the factory address information, the village's popularity as a glass noodle hub has soared," said Guo Lichang, a local with more than a decade of experience in this industry. He added that over the past two months, the village has sold about 2 million kg of glass noodles, up 700,000 kg from the same period last year. With clear addresses for rural households, goods from across the country can now reach their doorsteps without any problem. "Now, I can easily navigate through the villages using my mobile phone, which also saves our customers a lot of hassle," said Wang Peijun, a delivery personnel who works with the Yanggu County branch of China Post Group Corporation Limited. According to Shandong provincial civil affairs authorities, the province has recently assigned approximately 7,000 rural place names and installed 16,000 guideposts bearing these names. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) Woke black Nazis have arrested the Google CEO Sundar Pichai in New York City, reports have just reported. It is not known precisely why the Google executive was arrested, but some rumours milling around state something about artificial intelligence. Sundar Pichai, the Google CEO, was attending a seminar about Googles new AI engine called Gemini. Suddenly, a group of black Nazis started shouting and goose stepped up to the podium. They then asked for Pichais papers. Your papers are not in order! one black Nazi soldier shouted and grabbed the Google CEO by the scruff of his scrawny neck. The troupe of woke Negroid Nazis then frogmarched the bewildered Google CEO out of the venue into the street, CNN reporter Arthur Fargas revealed. It is not yet known where Pichai is being held, and for what reasons he was arrested by the woke inclusive Nazi police. One man who witnessed the entire spectacle said, See, the Nazis are not so bad after all, theyre inclusive by including black people. I as a woke identifying person feel much better about Nazis now. Thank you, Google. Story Developing PIGGS PEAK Swimming on a hot day ended tragically for a man after he was electrocuted at Nkonyeni, northern Hhohho. He died instantly. This is said to have happened around a place known as Tebetebe, a community under Nkonyeni in the Hhohho Region. This area is also adjacent to Maguga in Piggs Peak. Due to the areas water availability and mountainous terrain that makes it difficult for police officers to drive through, the area is known for its vast dagga fields, which are cultivated at large scale. On the day of the fatal incident, it is alleged that a generator had been connected from one of the houses into the canal. The generator is said to have been using electricity from a nearby homestead. This meant that there was a cable running from the house to the generator, posing danger to livestock, as well as residents. It is also alleged that many people connect generators and that residents of the area are said to be aware of the situation. Connection However, on the said date, it was gathered that the electricity connection was faulty. A resident said the cable appeared to have been naked and that this resulted in shock, which resulted in the fatal incident. While the deceased was swimming, he is alleged to have gotten close to the cable, such that this resulted in him being electrocuted and that he is said to have died instantly. The incident is said to have happened in broad daylight on Monday, which startled members of the public, as there are some shops nearby. Also, it was gathered that when the incident happened, members of the public gathered nearby, while emergency personnel including the police were called, as it was clear that he had died. Some of the residents expressed concern that drowning in the area was very common. Drowning Also, they said though not all drowning incidents were caused by electrocution due to connection cables in the canal or Nkomazi River. This publication had in the past reported that a man was electrocuted near Tshaneni, while working in a dagga field. It was reported that he was electrocuted by a cable connected to a water pump in one of the rivers in the area. The water was being pumped to water some dagga in the area, but this resulted in the electrecution of one of the guys who is said to have been working in the dagga fields. Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the drowning of a man around the Maguga area. Canals around Nyonyane are popular spot for swimming. Unlike rivers, they are not very deep. However, even in canals, drowning is not uncommon as this publication had in the past reported about people drowning while swimming in them. Ethical It is alleged that the deceased, whose name will not be mentioned for ethical reasons, as his relatives could not be reached for comment, had been swimming in a canal when the incident happened. The area has canals running several kilometres. The water in the canals is meant for irrigation of crop, including sugar cane and maize. However, it is not uncommon for residents around the area to connect generators to the canal. In the past, this had resulted in disputes as it was expressed that connections of generators to pump out water resulted in some sections of the canal running dry and making it difficult for others to have access to the much needed resource. The generators are also sometimes placed in rivers to pump water to the fields where a diversity of crop is cultivated. Meanwhile, this publication had reported of many drowning around Maguga, particularly in the Nkomazi area. Most of the drowning incidents are usually of people swimming or crossing the river. Deutsche Bank AG raised its stake in shares of Minerals Technologies Inc. (NYSE:MTX Free Report) by 13.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 16,075 shares of the basic materials companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,919 shares during the quarter. Deutsche Bank AGs holdings in Minerals Technologies were worth $880,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Get Minerals Technologies alerts: Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Dark Forest Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Minerals Technologies in the first quarter valued at $29,000. Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ acquired a new stake in shares of Minerals Technologies in the third quarter valued at $44,000. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in shares of Minerals Technologies in the second quarter valued at $49,000. Quantbot Technologies LP increased its stake in shares of Minerals Technologies by 126.1% in the second quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 997 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $61,000 after buying an additional 556 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Point72 Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Minerals Technologies in the second quarter valued at $72,000. 94.24% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Analyst Ratings Changes MTX has been the subject of a number of research reports. StockNews.com upgraded Minerals Technologies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded Minerals Technologies from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded Minerals Technologies from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Four analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, Minerals Technologies presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $68.50. Minerals Technologies Price Performance Minerals Technologies stock opened at $72.44 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.97 and a beta of 1.32. Minerals Technologies Inc. has a 1 year low of $48.61 and a 1 year high of $73.73. The business has a 50-day moving average of $69.05 and a 200-day moving average of $61.80. The company has a current ratio of 2.40, a quick ratio of 1.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. Minerals Technologies (NYSE:MTX Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The basic materials company reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $524.50 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $506.67 million. Minerals Technologies had a return on equity of 10.26% and a net margin of 3.88%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.67 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Minerals Technologies Inc. will post 5.9 EPS for the current year. Minerals Technologies Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 15th will be given a dividend of $0.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 14th. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.55%. Minerals Technologiess payout ratio is currently 15.44%. Insider Activity In other news, SVP Jonathan J. Hastings sold 12,922 shares of Minerals Technologies stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.48, for a total transaction of $923,664.56. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 53,862 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,850,055.76. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, SVP Jonathan J. Hastings sold 12,922 shares of Minerals Technologies stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.48, for a total transaction of $923,664.56. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 53,862 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,850,055.76. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Brett Argirakis sold 2,655 shares of Minerals Technologies stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.84, for a total value of $177,460.20. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 19,011 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,270,695.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 30,175 shares of company stock worth $2,094,957 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 3.20% of the companys stock. About Minerals Technologies (Free Report) Minerals Technologies Inc develops, produces, and markets various specialty mineral, mineral-based, and synthetic mineral products, and supporting systems and services. The company operates through three segments: Performance Materials, Specialty Minerals and Refractories. The Performance Materials segment supplies bentonite and bentonite-related products, as well as leonardite. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MTX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Minerals Technologies Inc. (NYSE:MTX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Minerals Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Minerals Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. bought a new position in shares of Portland General Electric (NYSE:POR Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 6,113 shares of the utilities providers stock, valued at approximately $247,000. Get Portland General Electric alerts: Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of POR. Versor Investments LP boosted its stake in shares of Portland General Electric by 55.2% in the third quarter. Versor Investments LP now owns 13,806 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $559,000 after purchasing an additional 4,911 shares during the period. Mirabella Financial Services LLP purchased a new position in shares of Portland General Electric in the second quarter valued at approximately $285,000. California Public Employees Retirement System boosted its stake in shares of Portland General Electric by 6.1% in the third quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 497,736 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $20,148,000 after purchasing an additional 28,436 shares during the period. Swiss National Bank boosted its stake in shares of Portland General Electric by 9.1% in the third quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 212,400 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $8,598,000 after purchasing an additional 17,700 shares during the period. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Portland General Electric by 7.1% in the second quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 107,191 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $5,020,000 after purchasing an additional 7,065 shares during the period. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have recently commented on POR. StockNews.com lowered shares of Portland General Electric from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday. UBS Group raised shares of Portland General Electric from a neutral rating to a buy rating and reduced their target price for the company from $47.00 to $45.00 in a report on Monday, January 29th. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Portland General Electric from $45.00 to $42.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Mizuho reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $42.00 target price (down previously from $43.00) on shares of Portland General Electric in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, LADENBURG THALM/SH SH initiated coverage on shares of Portland General Electric in a report on Thursday, November 9th. They issued a buy rating and a $43.00 target price on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued 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 Hold and an average target price of $45.13. Portland General Electric Stock Down 0.0 % POR stock opened at $40.15 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26. Portland General Electric has a twelve month low of $38.01 and a twelve month high of $51.58. The companys 50 day moving average is $41.48 and its two-hundred day moving average is $41.92. The stock has a market cap of $4.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.23, a PEG ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.58. Portland General Electric (NYSE:POR Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 16th. The utilities provider reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.88 by ($0.20). Portland General Electric had a return on equity of 7.21% and a net margin of 7.80%. The company had revenue of $725.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $740.21 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.70 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Portland General Electric will post 3.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Portland General Electric Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 22nd will be issued a $0.475 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 21st. This represents a $1.90 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.73%. Portland General Electrics payout ratio is 81.55%. Portland General Electric Profile (Free Report) Portland General Electric Company, an integrated electric utility company, engages in the generation, wholesale purchase, transmission, distribution, and retail sale of electricity in the state of Oregon. It operates six thermal plants, three wind farms, and seven hydroelectric facilities. As of December 31, 2023, the company owned an electric transmission system consisting of 1,254 circuit miles, including 287 circuit miles of 500 kilovolt line, 413 circuit miles of 230 kilovolt line, and 554 miles of 115 kilovolt line; and served 934 thousand retail customers in 51 cities. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding POR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Portland General Electric (NYSE:POR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Portland General Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Portland General Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. purchased a new stake in Manulife Financial Co. (NYSE:MFC Free Report) (TSE:MFC) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 13,554 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $248,000. Get Manulife Financial alerts: Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Advisory Services Network LLC raised its holdings in Manulife Financial by 2.6% in the first quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 21,796 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $400,000 after acquiring an additional 543 shares in the last quarter. Advisor Partners II LLC raised its holdings in shares of Manulife Financial by 1.9% during the third quarter. Advisor Partners II LLC now owns 32,217 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $589,000 after purchasing an additional 610 shares during the period. Brinker Capital Investments LLC raised its holdings in shares of Manulife Financial by 5.3% during the first quarter. Brinker Capital Investments LLC now owns 12,449 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $266,000 after purchasing an additional 624 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers raised its holdings in shares of Manulife Financial by 2.2% during the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 30,485 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $560,000 after purchasing an additional 649 shares during the period. Finally, Clearstead Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Manulife Financial by 35.6% during the third quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 2,535 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 665 shares during the period. 45.02% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have weighed in on MFC shares. TheStreet raised shares of Manulife Financial from a c+ rating to a b rating in a report on Thursday, December 21st. Desjardins upgraded shares of Manulife Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of Manulife Financial from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price target for the stock from $31.00 to $35.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Manulife Financial in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. They set a buy rating for the company. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Manulife Financial from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $33.33. Manulife Financial Stock Up 0.6 % Shares of MFC opened at $23.88 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $22.43 and a 200 day moving average price of $20.09. The firm has a market capitalization of $43.14 billion, a PE ratio of 12.37, a P/E/G ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.07. Manulife Financial Co. has a 52-week low of $17.07 and a 52-week high of $24.89. Manulife Financial Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be given a $0.298 dividend. This represents a $1.19 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.99%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 27th. This is a positive change from Manulife Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.26. Manulife Financials dividend payout ratio is currently 61.66%. Manulife Financial Profile (Free Report) Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; and Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment offers investment advice and solutions to retirement, retail, and institutional clients through multiple distribution channels, including agents and brokers affiliated with the company, independent securities brokerage firms and financial advisors pension plan consultants, and banks. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MFC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Manulife Financial Co. (NYSE:MFC Free Report) (TSE:MFC). Receive News & Ratings for Manulife Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Manulife Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. acquired a new stake in Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 1,188 shares of the aerospace companys stock, valued at approximately $243,000. Get Huntington Ingalls Industries alerts: Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. QRG Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Huntington Ingalls Industries during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $676,000. Korea Investment CORP grew its position in Huntington Ingalls Industries by 46.9% during the 3rd quarter. Korea Investment CORP now owns 27,409 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $5,607,000 after acquiring an additional 8,756 shares during the last quarter. Rafferty Asset Management LLC grew its position in Huntington Ingalls Industries by 6.7% during the 3rd quarter. Rafferty Asset Management LLC now owns 15,948 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $3,263,000 after acquiring an additional 1,006 shares during the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC grew its position in Huntington Ingalls Industries by 33.4% during the 3rd quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 6,962 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,424,000 after acquiring an additional 1,745 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aviva PLC grew its position in Huntington Ingalls Industries by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 54,141 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $11,076,000 after acquiring an additional 992 shares during the last quarter. 89.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Huntington Ingalls Industries Stock Up 0.3 % NYSE:HII opened at $292.35 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $267.09 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.62. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. has a 52-week low of $188.51 and a 52-week high of $292.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 0.95. The company has a market cap of $11.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.10, a P/E/G ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.58. Huntington Ingalls Industries Announces Dividend Huntington Ingalls Industries ( NYSE:HII Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The aerospace company reported $6.90 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $4.27 by $2.63. The company had revenue of $3.18 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.78 billion. Huntington Ingalls Industries had a return on equity of 18.12% and a net margin of 5.95%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.07 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. will post 16.36 EPS for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 23rd will be paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.78%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 22nd. Huntington Ingalls Industriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.41%. Insider Activity In other news, VP D R. Wyatt sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $288.56, for a total value of $144,280.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 18,600 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,367,216. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, VP D R. Wyatt sold 500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $288.56, for a total value of $144,280.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 18,600 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,367,216. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, VP Jennifer R. Boykin sold 2,176 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $272.31, for a total transaction of $592,546.56. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 6,877 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,872,675.87. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 3,576 shares of company stock valued at $974,148 in the last 90 days. 2.30% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities research analysts recently commented on HII shares. StockNews.com upgraded Huntington Ingalls Industries from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Huntington Ingalls Industries from $257.00 to $288.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Finally, Barclays upped their price objective on Huntington Ingalls Industries from $280.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Get Our Latest Analysis on Huntington Ingalls Industries About Huntington Ingalls Industries (Free Report) Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc designs, builds, overhauls, and repairs military ships in the United States. It operates through three segments: Ingalls, Newport News, and Mission Technologies. The company is involved in the design and construction of non-nuclear ships comprising amphibious assault ships; expeditionary warfare ships; surface combatants; and national security cutters for the U.S. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Huntington Ingalls Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Huntington Ingalls Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 1,702 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock, valued at approximately $245,000. Get Badger Meter alerts: Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. acquired a new stake in Badger Meter during the 3rd quarter worth $35,000. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Badger Meter during the 2nd quarter worth about $70,000. CWM LLC increased its holdings in Badger Meter by 33.3% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 532 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $77,000 after purchasing an additional 133 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd bought a new position in Badger Meter during the 1st quarter worth about $91,000. Finally, State of Wyoming increased its holdings in Badger Meter by 168.4% during the 2nd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 714 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $105,000 after purchasing an additional 448 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.81% of the companys stock. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, VP William R. A. Bergum sold 1,416 shares of Badger Meter stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $156.23, for a total transaction of $221,221.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 13,422 shares in the company, valued at $2,096,919.06. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Badger Meter Price Performance Shares of NYSE BMI opened at $159.85 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.91, a PEG ratio of 3.78 and a beta of 0.85. The business has a 50-day moving average of $151.96 and a 200-day moving average of $151.03. Badger Meter, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $112.46 and a fifty-two week high of $170.86. Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 26th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.84 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.82 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $182.40 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $182.24 million. Badger Meter had a return on equity of 19.07% and a net margin of 13.16%. Badger Meters revenue for the quarter was up 23.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.60 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Badger Meter, Inc. will post 3.4 EPS for the current year. Badger Meter Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Investors of record on Friday, February 23rd will be issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.68%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 22nd. Badger Meters payout ratio is currently 34.39%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth BMI has been the subject of a number of research reports. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Badger Meter from $142.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. StockNews.com cut Badger Meter from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, February 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Badger Meter presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $147.50. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on BMI Badger Meter Profile (Free Report) Badger Meter, Inc manufactures and markets flow measurement, quality, control, and communication solutions in the United States, Asia, Canada, Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, and internationally. It offers mechanical or static water meters, and related radio and software technologies and services to municipal water utilities. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Badger Meter Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Badger Meter and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. bought a new stake in Toast, Inc. (NYSE:TOST Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 13,211 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $247,000. Get Toast alerts: A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of TOST. Altimeter Capital Management LP raised its holdings in shares of Toast by 3,508.4% in the 1st quarter. Altimeter Capital Management LP now owns 18,041,796 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,933,007,000 after purchasing an additional 17,541,796 shares during the period. Capital International Investors grew its stake in Toast by 40.0% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 23,305,137 shares of the companys stock valued at $526,000,000 after buying an additional 6,655,409 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Toast by 23.6% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 27,413,189 shares of the companys stock valued at $458,348,000 after buying an additional 5,232,858 shares during the last quarter. Whale Rock Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Toast in the 2nd quarter valued at about $111,554,000. Finally, Dragoneer Investment Group LLC acquired a new position in Toast in the 2nd quarter valued at about $102,490,000. 60.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts recently commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Toast from $12.00 to $15.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Needham & Company LLC decreased their price target on shares of Toast from $31.00 to $20.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 8th. Redburn Atlantic upgraded shares of Toast from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $28.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Bank of America lowered shares of Toast from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $22.00 to $16.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Toast from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the stock from $16.00 to $24.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Toast presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $21.63. Insider Activity at Toast In related news, major shareholder Bessemer Venture Partners Ix L sold 390,856 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.07, for a total transaction of $6,671,911.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, General Counsel Brian R. Elworthy sold 1,722 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.39, for a total transaction of $29,945.58. Following the sale, the general counsel now owns 383,188 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,663,639.32. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder Bessemer Venture Partners Ix L sold 390,856 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.07, for a total value of $6,671,911.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 649,513 shares of company stock valued at $11,405,988 in the last 90 days. 13.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Toast Stock Up 1.7 % Shares of Toast stock opened at $23.38 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $19.06 and a 200-day moving average of $18.29. Toast, Inc. has a 1-year low of $13.77 and a 1-year high of $27.00. Toast (NYSE:TOST Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The company reported ($0.07) earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of ($0.11) by $0.04. Toast had a negative net margin of 6.36% and a negative return on equity of 21.77%. The firm had revenue of $1.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.02 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted ($0.19) earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 34.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Toast, Inc. will post -0.23 earnings per share for the current year. Toast Company Profile (Free Report) Toast, Inc operates a cloud-based digital technology platform for the restaurant industry in the United States and Ireland. The company offers Toast POS, a software module that integrates payment processing with point of sale functionality; Toast Invoicing that allows restaurants to send invoices and collect payment; Toast Mobile Order & Pay, which allows guests to scan a QR code to browse the menu, order, and pay from mobile; Kitchen Display System software that connects the house with the kitchen staff; and Multi-Location Management, a tool to manage operations and configure menus across multiple locations and channels. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Toast Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Toast and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MBABANE Workers at Limkokwing University of Technology have voted for a strike action. These are the workers affiliated to the National Workers Union of Swaziland Higher Institutions (NAWUSHI), whose majority favoured the strike. Voting was done through a balloting exercise, a process that was facilitated by the Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC) in terms of section 86(2) and section 86(5) of the Industrial Relations Act 2000. According to a copy of the results, Mfanimpela HR Dube, the CMAC case management officer, led the process. The copy of the letter was copied (CC) to the Human Resource Manager at the address of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology. The resolution was taken on February 28. Refrained A total of 55 employees voted while 18 refrained from voting. Out of 73 members, 50 of them, accounting for 68.5 per cent voted for a strike action. Those who did not vote the 18 members make up 24.7 per cent. However, five of the 73 employees were against the strike. They make up 6.8 per cent. There were no spoilt votes. The NAWUSHI President Sikelela Ngwenya confirmed the balloting exercise. When quizzed as to when there strike might happen, Ngwenya said the membership was yet to meet and determine the next course for the strike action to continue. Stan Simelane, the Secretary General of NAWUSHI, said the deadlocked over salary increment for 2023/2024. He said there were 10 items on the agenda, which were unfortunately not fulfilled by management. Sources said workers were calling upon management to accede to their demands. Demanded Initially, they demanded seven per cent cost-of-living adjustment, which management turned down in preference to 3.5 per cent that was rejected by the workers. The workers came down to 5.5 per cent. It is not clear if management will accede to the five per cent. Integer Holdings Co. (NYSE:ITGR Get Free Report) has been given an average recommendation of Hold by the five research firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $99.20. Get Integer alerts: Separately, KeyCorp reduced their price target on Integer from $125.00 to $123.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Read Our Latest Stock Report on ITGR Institutional Trading of Integer Integer Price Performance Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Covestor Ltd boosted its position in shares of Integer by 420.6% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 328 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in shares of Integer by 483.3% in the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 455 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 377 shares during the period. State of Wyoming boosted its position in shares of Integer by 129.5% in the 4th quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 840 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $58,000 after purchasing an additional 474 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its position in shares of Integer by 28.5% in the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 775 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 172 shares during the period. Finally, Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Integer in the 4th quarter valued at $67,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.29% of the companys stock. Shares of ITGR opened at $111.55 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $3.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.47, a PEG ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 1.09. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $102.23 and a 200 day moving average price of $90.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 2.80 and a quick ratio of 1.71. Integer has a 12 month low of $69.40 and a 12 month high of $111.67. Integer (NYSE:ITGR Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The medical equipment provider reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.05. Integer had a return on equity of 10.80% and a net margin of 5.68%. The company had revenue of $413.15 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $409.04 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.11 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Integer will post 5.29 earnings per share for the current year. Integer Company Profile (Get Free Report Integer Holdings Corporation operates as a medical device outsource manufacturer in the United States, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and internationally. It operates through Medical and Non-Medical segments. The company offers products for interventional cardiology, structural heart, heart failure, peripheral vascular, neurovascular, interventional oncology, electrophysiology, vascular access, infusion therapy, hemodialysis, urology, and gastroenterology procedures. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Integer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Integer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. (TSE:IVN Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of Buy from the six research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$15.64. Get Ivanhoe Mines alerts: A number of analysts recently issued reports on IVN shares. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Ivanhoe Mines from C$17.00 to C$18.00 in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. TD Securities increased their target price on shares of Ivanhoe Mines from C$17.00 to C$17.50 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group cut their target price on shares of Ivanhoe Mines from C$6.50 to C$6.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 12th. Get Our Latest Analysis on IVN Insider Buying and Selling Ivanhoe Mines Stock Performance In related news, Senior Officer Stephen Ralph Amos sold 2,489 shares of Ivanhoe Mines stock in a transaction on Saturday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$13.24, for a total value of C$32,941.92. 50.87% of the stock is owned by insiders. Shares of IVN stock opened at C$14.34 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of C$13.82 and a 200-day moving average of C$12.31. The company has a market cap of C$18.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.74 and a beta of 2.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.66, a current ratio of 2.18 and a quick ratio of 20.86. Ivanhoe Mines has a one year low of C$9.89 and a one year high of C$14.95. About Ivanhoe Mines (Get Free Report Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. engages in the mining, development, and exploration of minerals and precious metals located primarily in Africa. It explores for platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, gold, rhodium, zinc, silver, germanium, and lead deposits. The company's projects include the Platreef project located in the Northern Limb of South Africa's Bushveld Complex; the Kipushi project located in Haut-Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of Congo; and the Kamoa-Kakula project located within the Central African Copperbelt. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Ivanhoe Mines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ivanhoe Mines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco Ltd. lessened its position in shares of Lindsay Co. (NYSE:LNN Free Report) by 18.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 191,996 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 42,038 shares during the quarter. Invesco Ltd. owned approximately 1.74% of Lindsay worth $22,594,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Get Lindsay alerts: Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in LNN. Raymond James & Associates acquired a new stake in Lindsay during the first quarter valued at $1,653,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in Lindsay by 1.5% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 210,421 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $33,038,000 after buying an additional 3,062 shares during the period. Citigroup Inc. grew its position in Lindsay by 3.5% during the first quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 15,228 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $2,391,000 after buying an additional 515 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Lindsay by 6.4% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 3,180 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $498,000 after purchasing an additional 190 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can grew its position in shares of Lindsay by 18.0% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 3,460 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $536,000 after purchasing an additional 527 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.28% of the companys stock. Lindsay Stock Performance NYSE:LNN opened at $120.43 on Friday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $128.29 and its 200-day moving average price is $123.94. The company has a current ratio of 3.53, a quick ratio of 2.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The company has a market cap of $1.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.24, a P/E/G ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 0.65. Lindsay Co. has a twelve month low of $106.46 and a twelve month high of $158.32. Lindsay Announces Dividend Lindsay ( NYSE:LNN Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.36 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $161.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $163.44 million. Lindsay had a net margin of 10.49% and a return on equity of 15.53%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 8.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.65 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Lindsay Co. will post 6.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 15th were paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 14th. Lindsays dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.36%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on shares of Lindsay from $129.00 to $123.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, December 19th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Lindsay from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Lindsay currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $136.50. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on LNN Lindsay Profile (Free Report) Lindsay Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides water management and road infrastructure products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Irrigation and Infrastructure. The Irrigation segment manufactures and markets center pivot, lateral move irrigation systems, and irrigation controls under the Zimmatic brand; hose reel travelers under the Perrot brand; and chemical injection systems, variable rate irrigation systems, flow meters, weather stations, soil moisture sensors, and remote monitoring and control systems. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Lindsay Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lindsay and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Deutsche Bank AG raised its holdings in PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:PFSI Free Report) by 13.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 13,409 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after acquiring an additional 1,587 shares during the period. Deutsche Bank AGs holdings in PennyMac Financial Services were worth $893,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Get PennyMac Financial Services alerts: Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC acquired a new stake in shares of PennyMac Financial Services during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $622,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of PennyMac Financial Services by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 392,798 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $26,160,000 after buying an additional 6,855 shares during the last quarter. Swiss National Bank increased its holdings in shares of PennyMac Financial Services by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 93,200 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $6,207,000 after buying an additional 700 shares during the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of PennyMac Financial Services by 11.3% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 111,664 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $7,437,000 after buying an additional 11,355 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Teacher Retirement System of Texas increased its holdings in shares of PennyMac Financial Services by 4.1% during the 3rd quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 9,774 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $651,000 after buying an additional 385 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.12% of the companys stock. Insider Transactions at PennyMac Financial Services In other news, CEO David Spector sold 72,301 shares of PennyMac Financial Services stock in a transaction on Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $79.98, for a total transaction of $5,782,633.98. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 650,183 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $52,001,636.34. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CEO David Spector sold 72,301 shares of PennyMac Financial Services stock in a transaction on Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $79.98, for a total transaction of $5,782,633.98. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 650,183 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $52,001,636.34. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Daniel Stanley Perotti sold 16,881 shares of PennyMac Financial Services stock in a transaction on Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.58, for a total transaction of $1,360,270.98. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 30,343 shares in the company, valued at $2,445,038.94. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 242,718 shares of company stock valued at $19,963,939. Insiders own 17.40% of the companys stock. PennyMac Financial Services Stock Performance Shares of PFSI stock opened at $85.40 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90. PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. has a 52 week low of $54.00 and a 52 week high of $94.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.26 billion, a PE ratio of 31.51, a P/E/G ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.70. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $87.42 and a two-hundred day moving average of $77.61. PennyMac Financial Services (NYSE:PFSI Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The real estate investment trust reported $1.76 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.01 by $0.75. The company had revenue of $361.94 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $413.35 million. PennyMac Financial Services had a net margin of 10.32% and a return on equity of 7.69%. On average, research analysts predict that PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. will post 10.18 EPS for the current fiscal year. PennyMac Financial Services Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 23rd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 13th were given a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 12th. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.94%. PennyMac Financial Servicess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.52%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays assumed coverage on shares of PennyMac Financial Services in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. They issued an overweight rating and a $82.00 target price for the company. UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of PennyMac Financial Services in a report on Wednesday, December 6th. They issued a neutral rating and a $85.00 target price for the company. Wedbush lifted their target price on shares of PennyMac Financial Services from $85.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd. StockNews.com upgraded shares of PennyMac Financial Services from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of PennyMac Financial Services in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. They issued a buy rating and a $115.00 target price for the company. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, PennyMac Financial Services currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $92.25. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on PennyMac Financial Services PennyMac Financial Services Company Profile (Free Report) PennyMac Financial Services, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the mortgage banking and investment management activities in the United States. It operates through three segments: Production, Servicing, and Investment Management. The Production segment is involved in the origination, acquisition, and sale of loans. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFSI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:PFSI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for PennyMac Financial Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PennyMac Financial Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the five research firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $128.25. Get Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing alerts: A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on TSM shares. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price objective on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $115.00 to $133.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 19th. TD Cowen lifted their target price 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. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Susquehanna lifted their target price 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. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 19th. Get Our Latest Analysis on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Stock Performance Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing stock opened at $133.98 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $694.88 billion, a PE ratio of 25.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 1.13. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $115.53 and a 200-day simple moving average of $101.00. 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 has a 12 month low of $81.21 and a 12 month high of $136.65. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 18th. The semiconductor company reported $1.44 earnings per share 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 company had revenue of $19.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.99 billion. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing will post 6.17 EPS for the current fiscal year. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Cuts Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 11th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 13th will be given a dividend of $0.4408 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 13th. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.32%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings payout ratio is presently 29.54%. Institutional Trading of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. boosted its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 30.0% in the first quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 1,381,845 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $144,071,000 after buying an additional 318,570 shares in the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. boosted its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 29.2% in the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 597 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $62,000 after buying an additional 135 shares in the last quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 40.1% in the first quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 12,700 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $1,324,000 after buying an additional 3,638 shares in the last quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 17.3% during the first quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 2,350 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $245,000 after acquiring an additional 346 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ergoteles LLC raised its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 138.6% during the first quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 45,497 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $4,744,000 after acquiring an additional 26,426 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 16.51% of the companys stock. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Profile (Get 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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. City Centre Initiative and Londonderry Chamber of Commerce have called on businesses throughout the North West to save the date as they launched the 2024 North West Business Awards. The annual awards ceremony, which will be held in the City Hotel on Friday, June 7 this year, is recognised as one of the most distinguished events for celebrating local businesses throughout the North West. Organised jointly by City Centre Initiative and Derry Chamber of Commerce, the event recognises and celebrates the achievements of local businesses and entrepreneurs over the past twelve months and provides a valuable networking and social opportunity for business people. In a joint statement Jim Roddy, City Centre Initiative and Anna Doherty, Derry Chamber of Commerce said: We are very pleased to launch the 2024 North West Business Awards and will be looking forward to celebrating not only our winners this year but everyone who has kept the economy of the North West striving forward over the past year. The North West is a unique economy and contributes significantly to the wider Northern Ireland economy. With these awards, we want to acknowledge the vitality and spirit of the business sector within the city and region and highlight those who excel in fields such as innovation, customer service, and creativity among other disciplines. The calibre of entries each year represents the best in business and entrepreneurship and we believe it is essential to recognise the efforts and achievements of our local businesses. Entries will open for the awards on the CCI website (www.cciderry-londonderry.com) from Monday, March 11 for six weeks. Our social media channels will also provide points of information and updates from today onwards. Today wed like to remind everyone to save the date to their diaries Friday, June 7 at the City Hotel and stay tuned for further details to follow on how to enter, voting, and tickets. Further information on the North West Business Awards can be found at the Facebook and Instagram pages @NWBizAwards or via the City Centre Initiative or Derry Chamber website. A Derry school has been named as winner of a Wild Days Out competition, hosted by The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) and Hughes Insurance. The prize will see Holy Child Primary School take part in an action-packed day aimed at highlighting the importance of conservation education within schools, through a range of fun activities from bug hunting to den building, seed planting and nature-based crafts. Open to schools across Northern Ireland, Primary 5 classes had to submit a poster and 100 words on how they could benefit from the experience and why they should be chosen to receive a visit from TCV. Holy Child Primary Schools winning entry focused on the importance of saving our trees and how the primary 5 class could benefit from outdoor learning and the opportunity to appreciate nature and wildlife. Speaking ahead of the TCV visit World Around Us Coordinator at Holy Child Primary School, Michaela McMonagle said: Were over the moon to receive this prize from TCV and Hughes Insurance. The children had a ball completing the poster and the conversation that stemmed from this was really beneficial in terms of positioning environmental stewardship. Were very much looking forward to the visit from TCV and learning more about how we can play our part to care for and protect green spaces. Hosted by TCV, the visit is funded by Hughes Insurance as part of its ongoing partnership which also saw St Marys Primary School in Castlewellan, Co Down selected as a winner. Dianne Keys, Operations Lead at The Conservation Volunteers explains Wild Days Out support young children to learn new skills, become more adventurous and grow in confidence. Dianne said: Were very much looking forward to visiting Holy Child Primary School. We believe its crucial to educate children on pressing issues facing the environment and the importance of preservation. Its not just about sharing knowledge, instead were nurturing future generations and inspiring them to take action to protect the planet for years to come. "Unfortunately, Northern Ireland is facing a major threat to its tree species with tree cover of the lowest in Europe, sitting at 8 per cent. Were delighted to be partnering with Hughes Insurance to protect and nurture our native trees. The funding will also enhance our community engagement programme including volunteering opportunities which enable our staff to connect and engage with communities and together create positive environmental change. In addition to Wild Days Out, TCVs partnership with Hughes Insurance is taking steps towards reforestation in Northern Ireland with plans laid to grow 50,000 to 77,000 native trees at TCVs Tree Nursery at the Ulster Folk Museum in Cultra. The funding provided will enhance local biodiversity and protect local species by providing food and shelter for small birds and mammals including the much-loved Red Squirrel. The Hughes Insurance funding is part of its Action for Impact initiative a 100,000 commitment to various charities and organisations to deliver on its Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) agenda in 2024 and beyond. The initiative, designed to support communities, also improves employee wellbeing with up to 250 employees delivering volunteering hours across the province. The winning poster from Holy Family Primary School. Emma Haughian, Senior Marketing Manager at Hughes Insurance, said: Our core values to Act Responsibly, Put People First, and Make Things Better, are at the heart of our partnership with TCV and were proud to support the work being carried out at its Tree Nursery, contributing to Northern Irelands reforestation journey. The initiative is important in restoring ecosystems that are essential for native species, and the Wild Days Out opportunity is a positive step in educating young people on how to care for and enhance green spaces for all to enjoy. Well done to Holy Child Primary School on their winning entry, we hope they enjoy the range of activities planned. For more information on TCVs work visit www.tcv.org.uk/northernireland and to find out more on Hughes Insurance workplace initiatives and Action for Impact visit hughesinsurance.co.uk. Final Year business students from Ulster University this week took part in an ideation masterclass in the Playhouse where they learned more about the steps needed to turn their business ideas into a sustainable reality. Developing Innovative Ideas was a one-day course that explored entrepreneurship and design thinking and aimed to give the young people the practical advice and confidence to get their business ideas off the ground. The Masterclass was delivered by Derry City and Strabane District Councils Business Support Team in partnership with Ulster University Business School and facilitated by the Catalyst Student Invent team. It forms part of the Go Succeed programme to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation amongst students completing the Entrepreneurship and Innovation module at the University. Business Officer at Council Maria McKeever said the course offered students the opportunity to connect and learn from industry leaders. The students were engaged in a practical workshop led by an innovation expert, she said. They gained confidence by exploring real problems, co-creating solutions and considering the needs of an inclusive society when developing an idea into a sustainable and profitable enterprise. CHECK OUT PICTURES FROM THE EVENT More than 30 students completed the course and received certificates of participation presented by Danielle McNally and Maria McKeever from Council, Jacqueline McCann from Catalyst, Meg Magill Catalyst Invent and Aisling Reid Ulster University. Go Succeed NI represents a significant investment in local entrepreneurs and businesses, funded by the UK Government and powered by the UK Levelling Up Fund. Visit https://go-succeed.com/ for more information or to register interest please. MBABANE Not today! The start of the examination at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) on Monday has once again been thrown into disarray. This follows that the court case between the institutions and its employees, which was supposed to be heard today will no longer continue as scheduled. The matter was scheduled to be heard today at 10am and this comes after the UNESWA management filed an application at the Industrial Court seeking an order to stop what it termed an unlawful work stoppage by lecturers and non-academic staff who are housed under the Association of Lecturers and Academic and Administrative Personnel (ALAAP) and the National Workers Union in Swaziland Higher Institutions (NAWUSHI). Arguments For todays court session, the two parties were expected to make their arguments and it was anticipated that there would possibly be a judgment giving a way forward, on whether the work stoppage continues or not on Monday. This publication has reliably gathered that the Chief Justice (CJ) Bheki Maphalala allegedly issued a directive that the case would not continue as he had not been consulted. According to the sources, the CJ is said to have raised concern that the matter was to be heard on a weekend, while he had not been consulted. The CJ said matters that are to be heard on weekends have to be communicated to him and he must give approval first. In the event that the matter continues, the judge and prosecutors could face disciplinary action for defying him, said one of the sources. It was reported that the judge who was meant to hear the case, Abande Dlamini, was informed after lunch yesterday about the directive issued by the CJ. When called for comment, top Lawyer Hasso Magagula, who is representing the lecturers and non-academic staff of the institution confirmed that the matter would no longer be heard today. Even though not confirming the reasons, Magagula said the matter would now be heard on Monday. Representing Also confirming that the matter will now take place on Monday was Attorney Banele Gamedze, who is representing the UNESWA management in the matter. It should be noted that the examination was initially meant to start the past Monday but the UNESWA staff members took a stance that they would not go to class. Instead, they said they needed a week to recover from the stress they endured after going for four days without being paid their salaries for the month of February 2023. Their salaries were expected to be paid on Monday, but they ended up receiving them on Friday last week. On the same day they eventually received their salaries, they engaged in an extra-ordinary meeting where they took some resolutions. The resolutions were documented in a statement which was then issued by ALAAP Secretary General Dr Mduduzi Shongwe. According to the statement, the ALAAP members resolved that the executive committee should communicate to the institutions management that they were not ready to participate in teaching and learning activities, including invigilating examination and thus, will need a week from the day of payment of salaries. The members said they needed the week to seek treatment and remedies for the psychological and financial stress they had endured during the time of the delayed payment of salaries. Another resolution taken by the members was that, on the same Monday they were going to Parliament to raise awareness of the plight of the institution. Management Thirdly, the members resolved that the current management of the institution be given seven calendar days to remit all monies owed to all financial institutions which were deducted from sources, but never remitted. The monies, according to the statements, include remittances for medical aid. In the event the management failed, the association said the members will not continue with teaching and learning. In the same letter, reference was made to two joint correspondences dated June 5, 2023, and March 30, 2023, which were written by the association together with NAWUSHI to the University Council, on a vote of no confidence on the entire management. The current management is given seven calendar days to resign en masse, failing which, ALAAP members will not continue with teaching and learning activities under the current management, reads part of the letter. On Monday, the staff members visited Parliament and delivered a petition. Postponed The examination was then postponed to next week, however, the staff members made it known that they were not prepared to go to class. This then propelled the UNESWA management to file an application seeking an order to force the staff to resume work. It should be noted that last Saturday, Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo invited the representatives of the two organisations that represent the staff members. The meeting was held at the ministrys boardroom and a decision was taken that a task team will be appointed to conduct an assessment of the challenges faced by the countrys supreme institution of higher learning. The task team will go to the university and get to understand why there are challenges. We are hoping that the team will make proper recommendations on how the institution can be assisted. We must remember that civil servants must never face the frustration of not being paid their salaries but right now there is a misconception that government is not releasing the money, said Nxumalo. Elaborating, the minister clarified that the assessment was not necessarily a forensic audit but a fact-finding exercise. The Industrial Court Registrar Sithembile Simelane could only confirm that the matter will now be heard on Monday. When asked to state the reason for the postponement she said such information could not be divulged to the media. An effort to get a comment from the CJ were not successful as his cellphone number rang unanswered when called last night. Tully dairy farmer Niall Matthews addressed the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture this week, on key issues facing family farms and the agrifood sector amid concerns related to the future of the EU nitrates derogation for Ireland. Mr Matthews is chair of the ICOS dairy committee (the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society) which represents the co-operative dairy processing sector. He is also Chairperson of Lakeland Dairies. The Louth farmer, alongside ICOS President Edward Carr, told the Joint Oireachtas Committee that significant Government intervention is needed to ensure the future viability and environmental sustainability of the Irish dairy sector. The ICOS delegation emphasised the dairy industry's unstinting commitment to environmental sustainability and stewardship, telling the committee that "Co-ops and farmers are deeply invested in advancing farm sustainability, with water quality as their foremost concern. ICOS is calling for the Government to form an inter-departmental taskforce led by the Department of the Taoiseach. This taskforce would be charged with thoroughly evaluating the economic and social implications of any further reduction to the Nitrates Derogation. Additionally, ICOS says the Government should commission a comprehensive impact assessment to fully and really understand the implications of a further reduction. Analysis prepared by Professor Michael Wallace of University College Dublin, presented as part of ICOS's submission, reveals what ICOS says are stark economic challenges. This indicates that dairy farms in Derogation Band 3 could face a net margin reduction of -56% or 983/ha due to further derogation limits, thereby challenging their economic viability. Mr Matthews and his ICOS colleagues also expressed concern a further reduction in the maximum stocking rate would severely compromise the competitive edge of Ireland's grass-based dairy system, highlighting the system's reliance on maximising grass utilisation. ICOS warned that a further reduction to the derogation will drive farmers to a more global, indoor type of dairy production, with unfavourable economic, social and environmental consequences. The delegation also cautioned that a reduction in farm profitability and changes to dairy production practices could have profound negative impacts on the downstream dairy processing industry, on sectoral cohesion due to milk supply shortages, and on the broader social and environmental landscape. ICOS was forceful in calling on the Government to protect investments made by farmers, the processing sector, and the State in the Irish dairy industry by securing the Nitrates Derogation's future, also voicing concerns about the social effects of derogation reductions on family farms and the need for generational renewal. ICOS President Edward Carr said, A science-based approach indicates that the time lag between Nitrogen surplus losses and changes to water quality can vary between months to decades, due to groundwater pathways. The Government and European Commission must acknowledge that the range of new actions undertaken by farmers will require time to be implemented. We believe that the Government should prepare a strong science-based document, in advance of the next negotiations and with EPA input, similar to the MACC curve for Greenhouse Gas Emissions. This document, and a compelling case, is needed to map out the most effective mitigation measures on a catchment scale and provide realistic time horizons for the actions adopted by farmers. Further, ICOS calls on the Joint Committee to endorse the Ag Water Quality Working Group's proposals on slurry storage, including 70% grant aid for farmers. The Government must leverage the new Climate and Nature Fund, announced in Budget 2024, to provide funding for a national slurry storage project, in the context of climate adaptation. Strongly emphasising the importance of water quality, the ICOS team highlighted what it says is the need to prioritise resources for advisory services, including ASSAP, EIP and the Signpost Farm Programme, thereby it says, supporting compliance, awareness, and education regarding water quality issues. Niall Matthews said, Sustainability is our watchword and this must apply in equal measure to environmental priorities as well as the long-term sustainability of livelihoods in rural Ireland and the future sustainable progress of the dairy industry as a key pillar of the Irish economy. Cllr Maeve Yore has called on Louth County Council to consider not taking part in this year's annual trip to New York for St Patrick's Day, due to the United States involvement in the conflict in Gaza at the moment, and to invite US delegates to Dundalk instead. Since she was elected to Dundalk South in 2014, Cllr Yore has objected to what she calls the annual junket to NY for St Patricks Day, asking what is the relevance of it, what is the cost to Louth taxpayers, and where is the tangible evidence that shows it creates one job or tourist coming to Our County?. The Independent councillor has also suggested inviting local, national, UK and US based tour operators to Louth, to showcase the scenic beautiful landscapes, huge local artistic talent, cultural events, and all the rich heritage of Louth to boost the local economy and promote tourism in Louth on the international map. At the Louth County Council April 2023 meeting, Cllr Yore asked if the local authority would consider inviting the New York Society and tourist operators here to showcase Louth in 2024. A number of councillors at the monthly meeting had voiced their opposition to the suggestion but an idea that they be invited to Dundalk for St Brigid's Day was welcomed. Responding to the suggestion to inviting New York dignitaries to Dundalk for St Patrick's Day at the April 2023 meeting, Chief Executive Joan Martin said that they could look into the suggestion, but added there was a long standing tradition of New York inviting the Council. Ms Martin added that it was very difficult to explain to someone who hasn't been there, the importance to Louth people in New York of having people and having the Chair of their county there. Louth County Council spent 17,034.36 on sending a delegation to New York for St Patricks Day last year, according to figures obtained by the Dundalk Democrat under a Freedom of Information request. Cllr Yore told the Dundalk Democrat this week that I have consistently called for the cost of the yearly visit to instead be spent on other measures to promote tourism in the county. Show me definite proof that Louth gets added to tour itineraries by US tour companies or that local businesses in Louth get contracts from these junkets, and as with any use of public taxpayers money there should to be targets set and progress reports given, in my ten years as an Independent Councillor for Louth we have never seen a progress report. With regards to Cllr Yore's proposal that Louth County Council not take part in this year's trip due to the conflict in Gaza, she said I asked at our February County Meeting, with the genocide happening in Palestine have we considered for St Patricks Day not going to New York and inviting US delegates to Louth instead. This year it isnt about monetary cost its about moral courage. She added, It is unpalatable to me, and to the general public who have raised this with me, that a delegation from Louth County Council would even consider the trip whilst Joe Biden and his administration are complicit in supplying missiles and assistance to Israel raining down death, destruction and devastation on Palestinian men, women and children and abetting genocide in Gaza and I would ask the elected representatives and council management to examine their conscience and moral compass and abandon this junket. The Dundalk Democrat contacted Louth County Council in relation to this year's trip to New York. In a statement on Monday (yesterday) Louth County Council said: Louth County Council representatives have been invited to attend the 2024 St. Patricks Day parade in New York. The invitation issued from the County Louth Society of New York. The County Louth Society was formed in 1906 and to this day maintains strong ties with Louth, both through the emigrants from Louth it welcomes in, and those who return to Ireland investing back into the County. There is immense pride in those who emigrated from Louth in their connection to the County. The visit is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen existing ties and promote the county for tourism and business. The St. Patricks Day parade in New York is one of the largest in the world outside Ireland, and marching in same presents a unique opportunity to fly the flag quite literally for Louth. Footage of the parade is shown around the world allowing the image and idea of Louth to be beamed into innumerable sitting rooms and board rooms. Elected representatives travelling to New York to represent Louth include An Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr. Paula Butterly as first citizen of Louth, Cllr. Sean Kelly, Cathaoirleach of Dundalk Municipal District, Cllr. Kevin Callan Deputy Mayor of Drogheda, and Cllr. Dolores Minogue, Cathaoirleach of Ardee Municipal District. Two Louth County Council officials will also be accompanying the delegation. The Delegation will not only attend the Parade; there is a series of meetings planned, with amongst others, the IDA, Tourism Ireland, the Irish Consulate, and Enterprise Ireland to highlight Louth as a county open and ready for business, strategically located on the Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor. While there is terrible conflict happening in the world, we consider that St. Patricks Day Parades held globally, are an international symbol and celebration of Irishness, connecting those of Irish heritage who left this country but who are still connected through history, culture, and family. Louth County Council Delegates are not only there to promote the county but are going to represent and connect the wider Louth family. 112 interim payments worth over 542,000 have been made to Louth farmers that are participants in Tranche 1 of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), and who have not yet received their advance payments for participation in the Scheme. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, TD, yesterday announced the issue of an interim payment, with the overall amount being paid to Irish farmers in this first pay run, amounting to 113.617 million to 23,709 ACRES participants. The payment is to be reflected in participants bank accounts in the coming days. ACRES is Ireland's agri-environment climate scheme under Ireland's CAP Strategic Plan. This 1.5 billion flagship agri-environment scheme is seen by the Government as a farmer-friendly scheme to help address biodiversity decline while delivering an income support for up to 50,000 farm families in Ireland. News of the payments was welcomed by Louth based Senator Erin McGreehan. Senator McGreehan said: "It is excellent to see confirmation that those ACRES participants who have not received an advance payment under the Scheme will receive an interim payment into their bank accounts in the coming days. "This interim payment is welcome as work continues to process further general advance payments under ACRES. The rate of the interim payment is 4,000 for those in General and 5,000 for those in the Co-operation Project. The Minister and his Department have committed that these payments will be issued by the end of this month. There are, however, a small number of applications requiring further processing, and the interim payment in respect of this cohort will issue in about 10 days time. I am pleased that the officials in the Department of Agriculture will continue with the ACRES process as a key priority. This is the first year of the scheme, these payments are of enormous importance to farmers across Louth and it is vital that farmers are recognised for their environmental contributions. Members of Louth IFA held a demonstration outside Louth County Council buildings in Dundalk recently, ahead of the Louth County Council February meeting, to lobby councillors as part of a national campaign, seeking fairness for farmers. One of the issues raised by farmers at the protest was in relation to CAP payments, with a spokesperson telling the Dundalk Democrat that the CAP budget is like a swiss army knife which is supposed to fix all objectives. New environmental measures that are coming out are being funded out of CAP payments." We want CAP money to be left for food production money, which is income for farmers, which ultimately subsidises the production of food, but ultimately again, subsidises the consumption of food." Tuesday saw hundreds of secondary school students and teachers arrive at The Fairways Hotel, Dundalk for the Louth Student Enterprise Awards 2024. The Senior category was won by Colour Mo Cheantar, with team members Laura MacArtain, Luke Crilly and Luke Duffy. Students of St. Marys College, Dundalk, they are supported by their teacher Shane McDonnell. Colour mo Cheantar specialises in creating colouring books for towns and cities around Ireland. The initial colouring book, focused on Dundalk, features 12 original artworks created by the team, along with a short summary of the places history. Programme Manager for Local Enterprise Office Louth, Sarah Mallon explained: Our judges were really impressed by this teams ability to connect local history and heritage into creativity and learning. This product has the potential to be scaled across many other villages, towns and cities across Ireland. "They have created a really innovative and special product and we, at LEO Louth, are delighted that Colour Mo Cheantar will represent Louth at the Student Enterprise Finals in May. Runner-up in the Senior category was won by Twine Time. This eco-friendly alternative to a normal dish sponge, is made out of twine, which is a sustainable and natural material. The sponge can be worn as a glove and offers a guilt-free cleaning solution with biodegradability and reduced environmental impact. Thanks to the materials its made from, the sponge can be washed in a washing machine or dishwasher so, unlike a normal plastic sponge, it doesnt need to be constantly replaced. Twine Time was created by Shanze Chaudhry, Avery Kulajeva, Amelie Douet and Emmy Carpen of Our Ladys College, Greenhills, Drogheda, with support from their teacher Susan Tarrant. Hailing from Scoil Ui Mhuiri, Dunleer, Mk Keyrings won the Intermediate category. Using a purpose sourced 3D printer, entrepreneur Mark Kelly produces custom 3d key rings. Mark was supported in the Student Enterprise Awards by his teacher Martina Farrell. Scoil Ui Mhuiri, Dunleer, Mk Keyrings won the Intermediate category Runner up in the Intermediate category was awarded to Kate Quinn, Minahil Majeed and Reem Ammar of Bits and Bobs from St Vincents Secondary School, Dundalk supported by their teacher Eimear McCreesh. Bits and Bobs produce a range of trendy hand-made products including jewellery made from recycled beads and beauty products including lipgloss. Lego Warriors, the creation of Islagh Hollywood, Ivanna Malone and Abigail Kerin took first place in the Junior category. Hailing from Dundalk Grammar School, they were supported by their teacher Elizabeth McCabe. This enterprising team repurposes old Lego to make unique table centrepieces, birthday party decor, seasonal crafts and childrens bedroom decor. The judges were deeply impressed that this team are utilising materials that would otherwise go to landfill, and highlighted the fabulous range of products that they offered. Winner of the runner-up prize in the Junior category was Designs by Ash. Young entrepreneur Ashling Maher designs and manufactures a range of snoods, hand-knitted from alize puffy yarn. A student of Drogheda Grammar School, Ashling was supported by her teacher Alma Carney. Lego Warriors, the creation of Islagh Hollywood, Ivanna Malone and Abigail Kerin took first place in the Junior category. Hailing from Dundalk Grammar School Dearbhla McArdle of St. Vincents Secondary School in Dundalk was named winner of the My Entrepreneurial Journey Award. Her 500 word essay detailed her new product idea, outlined how to develop that idea and tracked the steps needed to bring it to market. Her concept, a reusable sandwich bag that converts a regular sandwich to a toasted sandwich on the move, really came to life in her writing. Supported by her teacher Eimear McCreesh, Dearbhlas essay demonstrated a true understanding of enterprise and entrepreneurship. Lead judge in the 2024 competition, Claire Cunningham explained: We had a fantastic range of ideas and enterprises on show this year. It genuinely made selecting winners, across all categories, a real challenge. But it is also really inspiring to see so many local young people so excited and passionate about entrepreneurship as a future career opportunity. Over 1,200 students from 18 schools across the county participated in this years Student Enterprise Programme. A collaboration between Local Enterprise Office Louth and local schools, it is delivered by Fionnuala Rogers and Francis Verling. During the programme, students learn how to create a business idea, then they start and grow their own business. The highpoint is the county final where students get to present their businesses and future potential to a panel of expert judges. An intense morning of judging saw the finalists present their business idea and answer tough questions from the judges. The Junior and Intermediate categories were judged by Lavina McGahon and entrepreneur Donal Quinn of Enzo, while Sarah Daly, Garrett Duffy and Claire Cunningham judged the Senior category. An Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr. Paula Butterly visited the students' stands over the course of the day, asking questions and discovering their business ideas, before presenting prizes to the winners. Each winner received a beautiful award, created by local ceramicist Sarah McKenna of Bridge Street Studios. Winners of the Senior, Intermediate and Junior categories, along with the winner of the My Entrepreneurial Journey, will go forward to represent Louth in the Student Enterprise Awards national final in Mullingar in May. Special congratulations also to teacher Deirdre Curran, of OFiaich College, Dundalk who received the Enterprise Educators Award. Winning this award is testament to her work and dedication in promoting enterprise and entrepreneurship in the school environment. There were also 7 category award winners, recognising the expertise and skills demonstrated by the young entrepreneurs. The Innovation Award winner was Sport Na nOg, with team members Sophie Gordon, Katie English, Aoibhin Finnegan and Mary Kate Mulholland from St. Louis Secondary School, Dundalk, supported by their teacher Roisin Mallon. The Best Social Media & Marketing Award was won by The Candle Company with team members Zoe Durnin, Erin Finnegan and Edie Henry along with their teacher Eimear McCreesh from St. Vincents Secondary School, Dundalk. Just Wood, scooped the Sustainability Award. Their entrepreneurial team are Tadhg Flanagan, Harry Sayers, Tiernan Bruton and Ryan Connolly from Ballymakenny College, Drogheda supported by their teacher Shauna Kellegher. Drogheda Made Inspiration won the Best Creative Business Award. Team members Conor Black, Jack Heffernan and Karl Leonard from St. Marys Diocesan School, Drogheda, have been supported by their teacher Ciaran Roe. The Best Display Award was won by Bo Tag Keyrings. Sinead Fitzpatrick flew the flag for Scoil Ui Mhuiri, Dunleer and was supported by her teacher Martina Farrell. The Best Social Enterprise Award went to The Joes Christmas Cards with team members Alex McHugh, Jamie Rock and Cathal Mulholland, from St. Joseph's Secondary School, Drogheda, supported by their teacher Brian Lynch. Raising 6,000 for local charities, the judges were really impressed by the impact of their social enterprise. Cormac Broe and Cillian Forrester won the Best Service Business Award with their enterprise, Chores Outdoors. Supported by their teacher Martin OConnor, they are pupils at De La Salle College, Dundalk. Sarah Mallon of Local Enterprise Office Louth concludesd: We wish our 4 finalists the very best of luck as they represent Louth at the national finals in May. Follow the competition using #StudentEnterprise on social media and discover more by visiting www.StudentEnterprise.ie. "And remember, no matter what age or what stage of business you are at, your Local Enterprise Office is always here to support you. You can find out more about our supports and services by visiting www.localenterprise.ie/Louth. Carlingford Oysters have been named winners at the prestigious 2024 Irish Food Writers Guild Food Awards. The awards, now in their 31st year, spotlight excellence and distinguishable quality in Irish produce and its committed creators. Numerous family businesses have been recognised over three decades not only for their excellent produce and practices, but also for the lasting and enduring legacy they are creating for current and future generations. The food awards remarked that: It takes over three years for Carlingford Oysters to reach maturity and the proof is in the high meat content and sweet nutty flavour of these Lough-grown bivalves. Having sailed into Carlingford Lough on a wooden yacht, built with his own hands and accompanied by his wife Anna and two chickens; founder Peter Louet Feisser was enchanted by the Carlingford Loughs natural beauty and seduced by the allure of the Irish way of life. Always attracted by the sea, he was inspired in 1974 to begin growing oysters after hearing a broadcast on BBC radio 4. Now in his 80s Peter can still be found early in the morning out on the oyster farm at low tide perfecting new growing techniques devised to create the ultimate Carlingford Oyster. The next generation are now following in the footsteps of Peter, with his son Kian and wife Mary building on that romantic notion from 1974. The IFWG Food Awards are unique in that no business or individual can enter, nor do they know if they have been nominated for an award. The Guild is the sole nominating and decision-making body* whose members nominate and anonymously buy products for tasting. The Irish Food Writers Guild Food Awards were celebrated at Dublins Suesey Street, with a lunch created by Head Chef Matt Fuller, featuring the winning produce. Caroline Hennessy, chair of the Irish Food Writers Guild IFWG commented: Notwithstanding the challenges facing small food and drink businesses right now, we have a sector of which we can be extremely proud. Todays IFWG Food Awards are a celebration as we shine a light on exemplars of the countrys thriving, world-class artisan food and drink industry. But Irelands producers need support from government, from supermarket and restaurant buyers and from consumers who want to eat and drink exceptional and sustainably sourced Irish produce. From oysters to organic meats and chicken, traditionally made pastry and Irelands first and only vermouth, this years winning produce together with our chosen producers and innovators are the heart and soul of our domestic food industry and they deserve our support. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Ireland is bracing for more snow showers over the weekend amid a series of weather warnings from Met Eireann. Forecasters at Met Eireann has issued snow-ice warnings for the entire country and though they will lapse in all counties by 9am on Saturday morning, further showers of wintry precipitation are predicted over the weekend. The warnings say "a band of rain will continue to move southwards, turning to sleet and snow in places" on Friday afternoon and evening while it adds that it will be "cold tonight with ice on untreated surfaces leading to hazardous travelling conditions." In its further outlook for the coming days, Met Eireann says "lingering rain and sleet in eastern counties will become patchy and gradually clear [on Friday night]. Elsewhere will be dry with clear spells at first but scattered showers will spread from the north later, some heavy with a chance of hail and sleet in the northwest. Frost and icy stretches developing with lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees. Moderate to fresh northerly winds, strong on western and northern coasts." They add that "frost and ice will slowly clear" on Saturday morning and that "there will be a mix of sunny spells and showers through the day, some heavy. Showers will mainly be of rain but a few will possibly fall as hail, sleet and snow in the west and north. Afternoon highs of 5 to 8 degrees. Moderate to fresh northerly winds, strong and gusty in west Connacht and west Munster at times." The forecast continues: "Showers will become more isolated on Saturday night and long clear spells will develop. Winds will back northwest and fall light to moderate with temperatures dipping to between -2 to +3 degrees. Frost and icy patches are possible. "A bright day on Sunday with sunny spells and scattered showers, becoming isolated towards evening. Top temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees. Light to moderate westerly winds will gradually back southwest by evening and reduce light. Temperatures will fall quickly after dark on Sunday night under clear skies with frost and icy patches developing, and lows of -2 to +2 degrees. Cloud will thicken from the southwest overnight and temperatures will rise as winds back southeast. Outbreaks of rain will develop in Munster by morning. "Mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain, heaviest and most persistent in the southern counties [on Monday]. Moderate to fresh and gusty easterly winds. Highs of 6 to 8 degrees. Further outbreaks of rain though Monday night, with some heavy falls, with sleet possible on high ground. Light to moderate variable winds inland will be fresh and gusty near some coasts. Lows of 2 to 5 degrees." They say that "current indications suggest rain will gradually clear northeastwards through the day [on Tuesday] with sunny spells developing. Highs of 7 to 10 degrees. Light to moderate westerly winds backing southerly later." Beyond that, Met Eireann says: "Current indications suggest our weather will remain fairly mixed but relatively mild through midweek next week." ANTALYA,TURKIYE His Majesty the King and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would like to see trade between the two countries grow beyond US$5 million (about E95 million) in the short to medium term. It sits at around US$1.3 million (E24.8 million) at current exchange rates. This emerged during a bilateral meeting between the two leaders yesterday afternoon, shortly after the opening ceremony of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), which is attended by heads of State and government ministers, academics, entrepreneurs, media, youth and delegates from numerous sectors. The ADF seeks to find ways to better use diplomacy in the current state of affairs, through an interactive and thought-provoking platform. The president welcomed the kingdoms condemnation of the 2016 attempted coup in Turkey, during which about 251 people died and more than 2 200 were wounded, while resisting rogue military units in the attempted overthrow of President Erdogan. Resolve conflict The King said Eswatini stood against any unconstitutional means of usurping power and shared the importance of dialogue to resolve conflict. He lamented the ongoing conflicts around the world, which have displaced numerous people and claimed hundreds of lives. He said that after World War II, there was hope that conflicts would be a thing of the past, but the challenge persists, which requires greater commitment from countries to ensure peace prevails globally. On enhancing trade, the two leaders stressed the need to work towards creating closer bilateral ties that would also see support for key national development areas extended to Eswatini, while encouraging investment from Turkish businessmen. During the deliberations, His Majesty outlined several areas of possible interest, describing Eswatini as an ideal location for business penetration into the region that offers access to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), among six other regional trade blocs. He also shared the emerging opportunities in the mining sector, that have identified more mineral resources. The two leaders also touched on the possibilities in the education sector, with President Erdogan expressing support for the Maarif Education Foundation, which has shown keen interest in improving education in Eswatini. Strategic Cooperation in other areas, such as health, aviation and agriculture, was also discussed. He also touched on the ongoing strategic oil reserve project and the intention to import gas from Mozambique. Also among the investment opportunities is the energy independence objective. The president extended his appreciation to the King for honouring the ADF invite to Antalya, which he said was a good tourism destination that he encouraged the King to explore. He further extended an invitation for a State visit to the King. In reciprocity, His Majesty also extended an invitation to the president, who said he had only travelled to Cape Town in the southern African region. MBABANE As the Commission of Inquiry into the Masters Office continues, a serious red flag on the administration of monies at the office has been revealed by the Auditor General (AG) Timothy Matsebula. The red flag is in the form of about E192 306 237.52 which the AG said he discovered to be unaccounted for in the bank statement of both the Guardian Fund Deposit and Guardian Fund Disbursement accounts under the Master of High Court. This is contained in AGs financial audit report for the financial year ended March 31, 2023, which was tabled by the Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg on Monday. In his report, the AG highlighted that the Collections Account showed E379 356 126.21 while the bank statement reflected E187 017 423.69, which he said, resulted in unaccounted-for collections or missing cash. These are allegations whose varacity will be tested when the public accounts committee reviews the report. I further reported that the accountant does not perform monthly reconciliations, thus could not reconcile the cash book with the bank account balance. Reconcile The two accounts must always reconcile and report the same information including the balance, the AG said. In response, the AG stated that the controlling officer (principal secretary) acknowledged and noted the recommendation by stating that the reconciliation of the cash book and the bank statement would now be done on a monthly basis. The officers assurance, according to the AG, was that management would ensure that all cash amounts were accounted for and that the funds from the General Account were requested monthly from the AG to the Guardian Fund bank account. The AG said the controlling officer promised that management would ensure reconciliation of the accounts on a monthly basis. The purpose of the Guardians Fund is to protect the funds of minors, persons lacking legal competence and capacity, known or unknown, absent as well as untraceable heirs. The Guardians Fund is a trust account held and administered by the Office of Master of the High Court on behalf of minor beneficiaries (less than 21 years). It also consists of monies received by the master in trust for unknown persons and people who are not capable of controlling their own affairs. The fund is controlled by the master of the High Court and administered by the accountant general. Transmitting The fund is opened as soon as money is received by the master. The master is also the registrar of the High Court. The money could be from any institution or organisation in the country. On paying money into the Guardians Fund, the person transmitting the money must give the master the details of the persons on whose behalf the money is paid. If it is for the benefit of a person whose whereabouts are unknown, the notice must state so. The details must include, in the case of minors, their names, age and the names of the person(s) in whose custody the minors are in. In the case of an unknown person, the master requires their names and last known address. If the money received is in relation to a person incapable of managing their own affairs, their names, age and the name of the appointed curator must be provided. The controlling officers response was noted by the AG, but mentioned that, since the reconciliation of the cash book and the bank statement were still not done, the matter remained reportable. Highlighted Furthermore, the AG also highlighted in his report that there were cash collections of E6 061 514.72, which were not deposited into the bank account of the Guardian Fund. The bank account reported total cash collections of E31 914 367.07, yet the cash collections per the government accounting system were E37 975 881.79, hence the bank balance was understated, states the report in part. The AG did not hide his concern that the accountant was not performing monthly reconciliations of the cash book with the bank statement. As a result, the accountant could not easily realise that these funds were not remitted to the respective Guardian Fund bank account during the year under review, hence the funds remained in the General Account, Matsebula added. The AG also noted Section 202 (vii) of the Financial and Accounting Instructions, which states that the controlling officer is responsible for ensuring in each month that his accounts are reconciled with Treasury records by obtaining a certificate to this effect from his chief accounting officer. I am concerned that the missing cash might have been misappropriated. The Guardian Fund bank account may be deprived of earning higher interest due to being understated. I recommended that the controlling officer should account for the unbanked funds, the AG stated. In addition, the AG called upon the controlling officer to adhere to the financial and accounting instructions by ensuring that the deposit account is always reconciled with the investment account. Acknowledged In response the controlling officer acknowledged my observation, and stated that the reconciliation of the cash book and the bank statement will be done on monthly basis. Management will ensure that all cash amount is accounted for and that the funds from the General Account are requested monthly from accountant general to the Guardian Fund bank account. Management will also monitor that reconciliation of the accounts in done on monthly basis, Matsebula further said. The AG also reported non-remittance of E434 646.84 cash collections, which were receipted into the collection account from different revenue stations of the Treasury Department on behalf of the Master of the High Court during the year ended March 31, 2023. He said these cash collections were not remitted to the Guardian Special Fund and as a result, the funds were not disclosed in the Guardian Fund statement. The AG further reported that a correspondence from the registrar of the Supreme Court to the Accountant General dated July 28, 2022, revealed that Guardian Fund receipts amounting to E7 784 514.98 collected through the Treasury Department Revenue centres were not remitted to the Guardian Fund Account. These, according to Matsebula, date back from the financial year 2018, to 2022. According to the Judiciary, these funds were not remitted to the Guardian Fund bank account, as stated in the AGs report. The receipts collected over the years are depicted in the following table: Year Amount Receipted 2018 - E1 415 802.48 2019 - E1 732 877.12 2020 - E1 618 542.39 2021 - E1 790 719.64 2022 - E1 226,573.64 TOTAL - E7 784 514.98 The Controlling Officer did not promptly bring to the Guardian Fund Account all public monies collected by the Treasury Department on behalf of the Master of the High Court and the beneficiaries, the AG said. Provision He added that he drew the attention of the controlling officer to paragraph 99 of the Administration of Estates Act of 28/1902, which stipulates that, all monies paid to the master under the provision of any law for the purpose of being placed to the credit of the Guardians Fund shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund to the credit of the Guardians Fund Special Fund and the master may, from time to time; withdraw any part of such moneys through the accountant general in accordance with such financial regulations as the minister for Finance may approve. Also, in accordance with Financial and Accounting Instruction number 203 (ii), an accounting officer must promptly bring to account all public monies. I warned the controlling officer about delays in the payment of beneficiaries, which in the long run, may lead to the lapse of funds and forfeiture to the government, thus depriving rightful beneficiaries of their benefits. Making payments to beneficiaries when funds have not been remitted to the Special account may lead to accumulated deficit, he said. The AG further warned strongly that the lack of reconciliation may result to distorted accounts. Discrepancies I advised the controlling officer to ensure that all funds collected from the various revenue centres are promptly remitted into the Guardian Fund Account. Further, reconciliations of the two accounts must be performed on a monthly basis to avoid discrepancies, the AG said. In response, the controlling officer acknowledged the AGs observation and further mentioned that the reconciliation of the Guardian Fund Special Bank account will now be done monthly. She also promised to request that all funds are deposited in revenue accounts to be remitted to the Guardian Fund Special account monthly. CELEBRATING with family and friends all together was the highlight of this couples wedding day. Cait ODonovan and Podge (Padraig) Kelleher live in Newcestown with their one- year-old daughter, Eada. Cait works as a preschool teacher at home in Kilbrittain and Podge is an agricultural mechanic for Lynch and McCarthy, in Little Island. The bridal party included Caits sister, who flew back from Sydney for Maid of Honour duties, and Caits best friend Jess , as bridesmaid. The couple feature in this week's Wedding of the Week. They got engaged on Christmas Eve, 2021. I was pregnant with Eada so it was a proposal at home that morning that included Peggy our dog, the bride said. Cait, from Kilbrittain, and Podge, from Newcestown, met on a night out back in 2012 at the Hub nightclub in Bandon. They were married on Saturday, December 2, in St Patricks Church, Kilbrittain. The brides dress was bought in Cinderellas Closet in Blackpool. Cait recalled: It was actually the dress my mam had picked out for me to try... when I walked out my mam and sister burst into tears. I instantly knew it was the one. Podges brother Kieran was best man and his brother James and first cousin Oisin were groomsmen. Hair was by Debbie McCarthy, of Bridal by Honey Bee, and the make-up artist was Maria Coleman. The bridesmaids dresses were bought in Folkster Kilkenny. The lads were kitted out by Catherine Deasy at Deasy suit hire, Rossmore. Cait O Donovan and Podge (Padraig) Kelleher with their bridal party at their wedding reception venue, Fernhill House Hotel. Picture: Davitt Vaughan Recalling the ceremony, Cait said: Our daughter stole the show. Being 18 months, her little character and personality is coming out. She pottered around the church during the ceremony, gathering mobile phones, watches and handbags as she went. They were delighted to have family there on the day, especially their two grandmothers. After them both dealing with health issues in recent years, it was so special to have them both with us on the day, Cait said. The bridess three cousins, Lisa, Clodagh and Siobhan O Donovan, did the music, which meant a lot. Cait and Podge were delighted to be surrounded by family and friends on their special day. Picture: Davitt Vaughan The wedding reception was hosted in Fernhill House Hotel. Ann, Neil and the team are unbelievable. The attention to detail is second to none. Everything was absolutely perfect, said the bride. The cake was made by the brides two aunties. The band were the Irish Weavers, who had the floor packed all night. The couples first dance was to I Love You by the Waterboys. The couple cutting the cake. As to the most memorable thing about the day? Just having our daughter with us and all our family and friends around us, Cait said. Another special part was my dad driving me to the church in his dad/my grandfathers jeep, a 1999 Pajero. It was sold to a local farmer years ago but he sold it back to my uncle recently. It was so special to go to the church in that. A North Cork town is among 26 approved for the Town Centre First (TCF) initiative, which will receive 30,000 each to complete a redevelopment plan. The funding aims to enable areas to pursue projects like redeveloping derelict sites, bringing vacant buildings back into use, creating community parks and river walkways, protecting historical landmarks and boosting tourism. The new towns join 26 others, including Skibbereen in West Cork, who joined the scheme last year and whose final action plans were announced this week. Fianna Fail TD for Cork North West Michael Moynihan, has welcomed the news that Kanturk has been identified as one of the 26 towns, one in each county, that will develop a Town Centre First Plan. Revitalising He explained that Town Centre First supports the objectives of the national rural development policy, Our Rural Future, in revitalising rural towns and engages communities through Town Teams. Mr Moynihan said, I am delighted Kanturk will be supported with funding of 30,000 to complete a comprehensive town plan to help develop its town centre. This investment is all about giving the people of Kanturk the tools they need to improve the town and make it a more attractive place in which to live, work, visit and invest. Fianna Fail in Government will continue to prioritise investment in the regeneration and revitalisation of our towns. Meanwhile, 26 redevelopment plans, again one in each county in Ireland, were published by Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys and Minister of State for Local Government Kieran ODonnell. Vision This included a plan for Skibbereen, developed in consultation with local communities, which represents the vision of local people for their area and contains proposals for a diverse range of projects such as redeveloping derelict sites, creating community parks and walkways, boosting SME and tourism potential, and protecting historical landmarks. Cork South West TD Christopher OSullivan explained that the plans will see a Town Regeneration Officer appointed for Skibbereen, saying it is a massive opportunity for the town. Its an amazing town. It should be the centre of tourism in West Cork considering its location near Mizen head and Baltimore and the islands, Mr OSullivan said. Having a town regeneration officer really puts focus on Skibb realising that potential. Having 20 worth of cannabis has just cost a Ballincollig man ten times that amount. Brian ODriscoll of 39 Castle Avenue, Muskerry Estate, Ballincollig, County Cork, pleaded guilty at Cork District Court to a charge of possession of the drug for his own use. Judge Mary Dorgan convicted and fined him 200 at Cork District Court. Sergeant John Kelleher said a warrant was executed by Detective Garda Rory Fogarty for a search of a house at Castlepark, Ballincollig, on September 9 2022. Mr ODriscoll, 32, was present at the house at that time and had the small amount of cannabis for his own use. Sgt Kelleher said the accused had two previous convictions for having drugs for his own use. Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said that things had settled down for the accused since this offence was detected in 2022 and that the defendant was now back living at home and doing better in his life. Steven Poole at The Guardian: Western civilisation would not exist without its Islamic, African, Indian and Chinese influences. To understand why, Quinn takes us back in time, beginning at the bustling port of Byblos in Lebanon in about 2000BC. It was the middle of the bronze age, which inaugurated a new era of regular long-distance exchange. Carbon dating techniques applied to recent archaeological findings provide compelling evidence about just how globalized the Mediterranean already was, 4,000 years ago. Welsh copper went to Scandinavia, and Cornish tin as far as Germany, for the forging of bronze weapons. Beads of Baltic amber, found in the graves of Mycenaean nobles, were made in Britain. A thousand years later, trade up and down the Atlantic seaboard meant that Irish cauldrons became especially popular in northern Portugal. With such relentless trade and travel comes, naturally, cultural commingling. Overseas exchange meant that Cretans could pick and choose from different cultural options, and they did, Quinn remarks. Cultural appropriation was not yet an affront; indeed, it could be a strength, as we learn later from Polybiuss remark about the upstart Romans: They are unusually willing to substitute their own customs for better practice from elsewhere. more here. The Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC) is set to hold another rally for Palestine in Cork city centre today. The demonstration marks the 21st rally by CPSC in Cork since Israels war on Gaza commenced in early October. CPSC co-chairman Martin Shiel condemned the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) for the deaths of 112 people in Gaza on Thursday, where it is claimed the IDF opened fire on crowds of Palestinians at a food-delivery point. Desperate Palestinians in the besieged north of Gaza had been starved of food deliveries by the IDF for more than a week, he said. When it was finally permitted, the food delivery became a scene of slaughter and death. The killing cannot be allowed to continue. We await condemnation of this slaughter by our Government and we demand that the Government work much harder with those trying to stop the war. Its also way past time for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and for an end to trade with Israel. Workers Party leader and councillor for the Cork North East ward Ted Tynan condemned the killing of civilians who were trying to collect food aid in Gaza. More than 30,000 Palestinians, including over 13,000 children, have been killed since the beginning of Israels genocidal war on Gaza, he added. Mr Shiel called on people to join the march and rally today to express their outrage at the escalating carnage in Gaza. It will commence at 1pm at Grand Parade. APPROXIMATELY 300 Cork students joined the Lord Mayor last week at a powerful performance of a play which looks at the aftermath of a teen suicide. The play, Bring Me Back Alive by Patricia McCann, was performed at Blarney secondary school Scoil Mhuire gan Smal, and produced by Cork troupe ActorsVision and the charity Shine A Light Mental Health and Suicide Awareness. Students from Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal, Blarney watch the play. Picture: Cian O'Regan. The Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Kieran McCarthy, said the play had made a strong impression upon him, and he praised the actors who performed the play for an appreciative audience. One just had to be at the school to see the engagement by the secondary school students and the interest they had in the play, he said. I thoroughly appreciated the play, and I have to say, the Shine A Light group is absolutely fantastic, the amount of Trojan work that they do is very, very impressive and its very important work. Shine A Light Suicide and Mental Health Awareness group, which was founded on the northside of Cork in 2009, has since expanded its operations to cover the entire city and was recently granted charity status. Members of Shine A Light Suicide & Mental Health Awareness.Picture: Cian O'Regan. Speaking to students in Blarney, Mr McCarthy pointed out that Cork citys motto Statio Bene Fide Carinis means A Safe Harbour for Ships and, he said, there is an onus on everyone to keep building a safe harbour for people, especially in larger settings like schools. The winds will change in your life for good, and sometimes they can be not so good, and its always important to reach out if the journey is tough going, he said. Actors on stage performing at Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal in Blarney. Picture: Cian O'Regan. You might be content at this moment in life, but the person next to you might be going through something that you dont know of, so its important to look out for everyone. Mr McCarthy offered his thanks to Padraig Sheehan, principal of the school, for his ongoing support for such projects and events, and to the schools teachers as well. Its not easy to marshal over 300 students into a school hall, but the actors delivered their message very, very well. I think its a time we all need to work together a little bit more, I think theres massive societal pressures out there, you turn on the news and it seems everything is going wrong, so its important that we all stick together, he said. Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Kieran McCarthy with members of Shine A Light Suicide & Mental Health Awareness at the staging of the play "Bring Me Back Alive" at Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal, Blarney. Picture: Cian O'Regan. Joe Dalton, treasurer of Shine A Light Mental Health and Suicide Awareness, said the charity wanted to thank the Lord Mayor, the school and staff, and the students and invited guests. It went very well, and we achieved what we set out to do, we got people to reach out. Lots of people came forward and reached out and looked for help, he said. Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Kieran McCarthy speaks to students prior to the staging of the play. Picture: Cian O'Regan. The next performance is April 15, as part of Corks Lifelong Learning Festival 2024, where well be presenting the play to Youthreach, Foroige groups and other groups at ActorsVision on Patricks Quay. Mr Dalton said anyone interested in seeing the play or hosting it in a school could contact shinealightcork@gmail.com or private message the group on its Facebook page. Contact the Samaritans any time, day or night, 365 days a year, free on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.ie. Contact Pieta House free, day or night, all year, on 1800 247247, or text HELP to 51444. ALMOST 200 years ago, a horrific tragedy played out off the coast of Cork. An English merchant ship, Britannia, sank 10 miles from Ballycotton Bay after an explosion on board, when a crewman carrying a candle accidentally set light to gunpowder. All but two of the dozen crew died as it capsized. The survivors were the captain and another crewman, and the skipper used some rope to tie them both to a rock. Remarkably, there the two men remained for six hours, lashed by wind and waves. Eventually, the other man died, but the captain was still alive when rescue finally came. The hero who saved him was one Dennis Cronen, who would go down in the annals of maritime history as the first of a succession of lifesaving heroes for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The RNLI had been founded just two years earlier, and this Monday, March 4, marks the 200th anniversary of this wonderful and enduring organisation. The Britannia tragedy occurred just before Christmas, 1825, and a few months later, Cronen was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal for his bravery that day - the first such recipient in Ireland. Three years later, in January, 1829, disaster struck Ballycotton again, when the Capricho sank in high gales. One crewman died, but the rest of the 10-man Spanish crew were saved by the courage of two local lifeboatmen. Samuel Lloyd and John Hennessy had put off in a small rescue boat but that had been promptly wrecked, and they managed to find an alternative craft. They rescued the crew of the Capricho as they sat on a rock, and Hennessy heroically plunged through the breakers to save the captain after he was swept off the rock. In the aftermath, both men were awarded the RNLI Gold Medal. Such incidents are proof of the amazing bravery of the RNLI, most of whom are unpaid volunteers. The organisation, originally known as the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, was established in 1824, and these three Cork heroes were early examples of the bravery with which it would be associated. The first RNLI lifeboat station in Ireland was established in Arklow, Co Wicklow, in 1826, and the first one in Cork was at Youghal in 1828. A few decades later, Ballycotton station opened. The RNLI now operates 46 stations around the coastlines of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as well as major inland waterways. When the Republic gained independence a century ago, such was the esteem with which the RNLI was held by the public, that a decision was taken to retain the Royal part of the RNLI. The reason RNLI members are so adored is because of their bravery, their volunteerism and sense of duty, and down to the fact that they ask for nothing in return. This is borne out by the story that when two RNLI men from Ballycotton plucked nine crew from the SS Tadorna to safety in lashing gales in 1911, they received a Silver Medal, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum, and a pair of binoculars each! In Cork, the station will forever be remembered for the famous Daunt Rock rescue of 1936, when lifeboat volunteers endured 49 hours at sea, 25 hours without food, and only three hours sleep to save the lives of eight men on board a drifting lightship. Coxswain Patrick Sliney - great grandfather of comic book artist Will Sliney - was instrumental in that and other daring rescues off Ballycotton. The Irish Ash in for repair at Rushbrooke Docks, Co. Cork 12/03/1948. In 1943, when he spent 30 hours at sea saving 33 crew of the stricken SS Irish Ash, Patrick came ashore with bruised hands, his wrists twice their normal size, and his voice almost gone. The RNLI has been dedicated to saving lives for 200 years. As early as 1851, the Freemans Journal reported that its then 94 lifeboats had saved 7,500 people in the 27 years since its foundation. It must be a source of gratification to every philanthropic mind to believe that, by means of donations and subscriptions, he has been in any degree instrumental to the welfare of his fellow-men in having preserved his life when he helplessly cried Let not the deep swallow me up. said the Journal. By 1922, when the RNLI was marking almost a century of service, it was estimated to have saved more than 58,000 lives. At a meeting of the Cork branch of the organisation that year, national President Sir Godfrey Baring summed up the standing of these brave crews: In the long history of the Institution, there was never a case in which they failed to do their duty. The lifeboatman was always ready to take his life in his hands and go out to render assistance, not to friends or neighbours, but to men and women who were absolute strangers to him. The war years from 1916-22 had been difficult for the organisation, particularly as the female volunteers had had to rein in their usual fund-raising activities in unsafe times When the Irish Free State was established, there were 24 Irish RNLI lifeboat stations. UK government agencies, such as the Coastguard, withdrew services from the free state, but the RNLIs independent, volunteer-driven services remained. Lifeboat stations on this island have carried on saving lives under the RNLI banner ever since. By 1940, the Cork branch was reporting that the RNLI in Britain and Ireland saved 11 people a week on average, a figure that had reached 21 a week during World War I, and 46 per week in the first year of World War II. The brave exploits continue to this day. Last summer, the Courtmacsherry lifeboat rescued a stricken yacht out at sea and towed it to land, an operation that took 14 hours after the initial communication to the RNLI. Such dedication and commitment from humble volunteers. The RNLI is principally funded by legacies and donations, with the remainder coming in from merchandising and investment. To mark its 200th anniversary, I urge you to log onto rnli.org and make a donation. There can be few greater charitable causes that have proved their worth over such a span of time. Rebecca Black, PA Alliance leader Naomi Long has challenged the morally bankrupt UK government to call a general election. She criticised the Conservative administration at Westminster of having fanned the flames of division consistently, persistently and deliberately over 14 years. In her speech to the Alliance Party conference at the Stormont Hotel in east Belfast, Ms Long also talked of significant opportunities to build their representation from one MP Stephen Farry in North Down to chances of gains in East Belfast, Lagan Valley and South Belfast. And thats not just my opinion the pleas from the DUP Deputy Leader only yesterday for unionist unity to stave off Alliance growth and the increasingly desperate swipes at Alliance from the SDLP since Kate (Nicholl) declared her candidacy are evidence that they believe we can win those seats, too, she said. Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry. Photo: PA. Addressing the wider political landscape, Ms Long told her party conference: It seems that we have moved rapidly from the post-truth era of politics, ushered in by the likes of (Donald) Trump and (Boris) Johnson, to a post-shame era, where people are willing to scrape any barrel for votes and without the slightest concern for the harm that they do either to the very fabric of our society or to the individuals caught up in the wake of their vile rhetoric, and left to bear the consequences. This is a government that has nothing left to offer but tax cuts for the rich and misery for the rest. When a party has fanned the flames of division consistently, persistently and deliberately over 14 years, in policy, legislation, and rhetoric; vilifying and dehumanising refugees and asylum seekers whether on planes to Rwanda or small boats in the Channel; tolerating and amplifying casual racism and xenophobia for votes; fuelling phoney culture wars and exploiting rather than assuaging fear, platitudes at a podium cannot extinguish the fire. The only thing this morally bankrupt government can do to protect democracy now is to call a general election, and the sooner the better, because we are ready. EVERY year, I get caught out by World Book Day, in the sense that the four girls arrive home with about three days to go demanding all sorts of elaborate costumes based on their favourite books. So, I am putting it out there and letting you all know that there is exactly one week to go to World Book Day, this year it falls on Thursday, March 7. This year, in an attempt to help you organise costumes in plenty of time (assuming that the norm everywhere is for schoolchildren to dress up as their favourite characters and its not just a North Cork quirk!), I wanted to give a nod to some fabulous Irish authors and some easy costume ideas based off some homegrown characters. The Milly McCarthy series has probably been one of the biggest hits in this house over the last few years, and rightly so; the books are funny, relatable and, best of all, based in Cork and written by Cork author Leona Forde. There are currently two books in the series and the one we have recreated before was Milly McCarthy Is A complete catastrophe. The book is illustrated in simple tones so, to be exact, you would want a red school skirt (we went with grey), a white shirt, a red tie and a school jumper tied around the waist. My daughter put her hair in a side plait to finish off the look. You could always send your child in wearing an Irish dancing costume, if its something you happen to have in the house, based on the second book, Milly McCarthy And The Irish Dancing Disaster! Emma Larkin is an author we have been enjoying for many years now. She has a couple of different series aimed at different age groups but the main theme across all her book is girls in sport. There is a series for early readers that follows Izzy on her sporting quests and Twin Power is for slightly older girls and follows twins, Aoife and Aidan and their love of GAA. Its an easy one to recreate, especially at this time of year, as the GAA season thinks about kicking off you could imitate the books covers and go for a black and red kit, or you could be a bit looser and wear your own local GAA kit. The Friendship Fairies series, by Lucy Kennedy, she of TV fame, is a firm favourite in this house over the last few years. The books are really nicely written and the themes running throughout are always lovely; showing kindness, helping others and being good to our planet. If our house is anything to go by, there is any amount of bits in the dress-up box that can be pulled together to create a fairy costume, so this is a really easy one and a great set of books to represent. What book is your child's favourite? Nina Carbery launched her first book last year, Ride To The Rescue, and my two horse- loving ladies absolutely loved it. As a parent, I also loved it because there was a strong secondary tale about environmental awareness and protection that ran throughout the book. Not the easiest to recreate if you dont have a lot of horse riding gear just lying around the house but if you do it requires no thought and my girls love an excuse to show off their horsey attire. All of my girls have absolutely loved the Peter Donnelly series about the President and his various hijinks, between losing his glasses, almost missing his birthday party and tales of his beloved animals. They are funny and engaging, and again, dressing up as the President would be a pretty easy one to recreate a pair of smart trousers, a shirt and tie, and throw in a small pair of glasses and youre probably close enough. There are lots of Oliver Jeffers fans out there, I have no doubt, but did you know he is Irish? Belfast-born, but now based in the U.S, we can claim him for our own for the purposes of this article. Last World Book Day, there were a lot of crayons at my daughters school its an easy one to recreate and a fantastic book to emulate. Wear a pair of matching coloured leggings and top, and if you are feeling crafty create a matching cone as a hat. Niall Breslin, AKA Bressie, has a wonderful series of books, that I have mentioned many time before, but for this exercise in dressing up they provide plenty of easy options for dressing up. The Sleep Scan is a handy one to replicate as it just involves wearing pyjamas, and who doesnt love an excuse to spend the day in their loungewear! Im a little biased here, being from Sligo, but the girls love the series by Judi Curtin that follows Lily, a maid in Lissadell House, which was home to the Gore-Booths in the early 20th century and a place W.B. Yeats was a frequent visitor to. A nice nod to historical books and a relatively easy costume to recreate a black dress and (preferably!) a white apron and a little white cap would do the job nicely. 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 member of the Karuk Tribe in Happy Camp, California surveys the damage to her home after the Slater Fire burned thousands of acres, on Sept. 30, 2020. A new study finds that Californias Indigenous communities are disproportionately impacted by wildfire smoke. Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images Indigenous communities in California are exposed to disproportionate levels of particulate matter in amounts much greater than previously thought, a new study has found. Using a new technique of measuring prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke, the researchers discovered that the Indigenous communities were exposed to an average of roughly 1.7 times the smoke that would be expected, considering Indigenous populations statewide each year between 2006 and 2020, reported Berkeley News. The scientists said their new exposure measurement matrix will assist with understanding the effects of long-term smoke exposure for epidemiological and environmental justice studies essential for vulnerable communities. Analyses spanning 2006 to 2020 revealed that Native American and Alaska Native, multiracial, and non-Hispanic white populations had consistently disproportionate outdoor wildfire PM2.5 [fine particulate matter] exposure. Housing, occupational, behavioral, or economic constraints may result in larger actual disparities, the researchers wrote in the study paper. Improved long-term wildfire PM2.5 exposure measurement can support health-equity-focused interventions and climate resilience. Co-author of the paper Rachel Morello-Frosch, a UC Berkeley professor of public health and environmental science, policy and management, said the knowledge is becoming more and more important as millions across the United States are being exposed to toxic smoke from ever-increasing climate change-fueled wildfires. Now that wildfires are coming at us sequentially, and clearly are going to be increasing in frequency and intensity, we cant look at them one at a time, Morello-Frosch said, according to Berkeley News. We have to look at them using a more cumulative exposure framework. The study, Measuring long-term exposure to wildfire PM2.5 in California: Time-varying inequities in environmental burden, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study of pollution coming from chimneys, tailpipes and power plants particulate matter has long been evaluated by monitors set up by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but those measurements are usually averaged, Berkeley News reported. This leads to the effects of extreme events like wildfire smoke from one mega-fire that lasts just a few days being spread out over the entire year. This obscures severity, which could be the crucial factor in terms of health, particularly considering extremes are happening more often due to climate change. It also makes it harder to trace long-term health impacts caused by wildfire smoke. To find out how extreme events fit into the wider health narrative, the researchers came up with five novel metrics to be used in tandem for an improved assessment of the intensity, duration and frequency of exposure to smoke. Factors such as the most intense week of wildfire smoke exposure in a year or the amount of smoke waves in a particular area that last for two days in a row can assist scientists in pinpointing exposures that might have slipped under the radar. That may really matter for certain types of disease processes much more than the average smoothed out over the year, said Joan Casey, lead author of the paper and a University of Washington assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, as reported by Berkeley News. A big problem with the EPA sensors is that they dont specify where the particulate matter is coming from. To get around that in the study, co-author Tarik Benmarhnia a UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography associate professor looked at satellite images of smoke to find out when and where fires caused spikes of particulate matter. Developing such metrics to capture populations exposures to such repeated events can help provide a more nuanced and realistic picture of how novel environmental hazards can lead to inequities across various communities, Benmarhnia said. Focusing on wildfire smoke is particularly timely, as this has become the major source of air pollution in the past few years. The researchers said the study raised important environmental justice concerns and expressed hope that it would inspire new methods of quantifying peoples exposure to other threats like flooding. The beauty of this paper is that it provides a proof of concept about how we need to be looking at the effects of a wildfire on communities at a granular level, said Morello-Frosch in Berkeley News. Its a really great foundation for how to assess exposures in this long-term framework in order to more accurately assess health effects of perennial fire events that are no longer restricted to the western part of the United States. 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. Large waves crash along the coast near U.S. Highway 101 as El Nino-influenced weather pounded the coast in Ventura, California on Dec. 30, 2023. Kevin Carter / Getty Images The current El Nino event which has been impacting global temperatures and weather since July of last year is predicted to continue to drive record heat in 2024, according to a new modeling analysis by an international team of researchers. According to the study, several areas worldwide are likely to see record-setting average surface air temperatures (SAT) as a result of El Nino until June 2024. The likelihood of global mean SAT exceeding historical records, calculated from July 2023 to June 2024, is estimated at 90%, the researchers wrote in the study. Regions particularly susceptible to recording record-high SAT include coastal and adjacent areas in Asia such as the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea, as well as Alaska, the Caribbean Sea, and the Amazon. This impending warmth heightens the risk of year-round marine heatwaves and escalates the threat of wildfires and other negative consequences in Alaska and the Amazon basin, necessitating strategic mitigation measures to minimize potential worst-case impacts. The El Nino-Southern Oscillation a main driver of global climate variability is concentrated in the tropical Pacific Ocean, Nature Publishing Group said. The warming associated with El Nino and the cooling of its partner phase La Nina both affect weather. During El Nino, heat is released into the atmosphere, bringing a faster rise in global mean surface temperatures (GMST). Even a small uptick in GMST has been associated with marked increases in SAT during periods of extreme heat. Changes in global surface air temperature (SAT) are influenced by external forcing (e.g., greenhouse gases) and internal climate variations, the research team wrote. [D]uring El Nino events, the ocean releases heat to the atmosphere, primarily due to increased air-sea heat fluxes driven by elevated sea surface temperatures (SST). Accordingly, during El Nino phase, enhanced atmospheric heating in the tropics accelerates a rise in global annual mean surface temperature (GMST), contributing to record-breaking warming (e.g., 20152016). The researchers modeled the current El Nino events effects on the regional fluctuation in average SAT from the 1951 to 1980 average and July of 2023 to June of 2024. The peak of El Nino is usually from November to January. The research team found that a moderate El Nino would bring record average SAT to the Philippines and the Bay of Bengal, while a strong El Nino event would lead to record mean SAT in the South China Sea, the Caribbean Sea and areas of Alaska and the Amazon. The study, Enhanced risk of record-breaking regional temperatures during the 202324 El Nino, was published in the journal Scientific Reports. The scientists also used modeling to look at El Ninos effects on GMST during the same period, Nature Publishing Group said. They discovered that a moderate or stronger event would lead to a 90 percent likelihood of record GMST. Under the moderate scenario, they estimated the GMST for 2023 to 2024 to be from 1.03 to 1.10 degrees Celsius above the average for 1951 to 1980. Their GMST estimate for the strong El Nino scenario was a GMST of 1.06 to 1.20 degrees Celsius above the benchmark. The team warned that record mean temperatures would likely make it difficult for regions to cope with the effects of excess heat. The scientists called attention to the fact that elevated SAT can result in a major rise in the probability of extreme climate events like tropical cyclones, heat waves and wildfires, especially in coastal and oceanic areas where the oceans increased heat capacity leads to persistent and extended climate conditions. This study uses observed temperature records, and what we know about El Nino and other effects on the rest of the globe, to infer what might happen in 2024, said Adam Scaife, head of long range prediction with the UKs Met Office, as The Guardian reported. Some regions, Africa and Greenland for example, have poor historical data coverage and are hard to assess with these methods, but they are highlighted as regions with prominent levels of excess heat this year in climate model forecasts. Pankaj Mishra in the LRB: In 1977, a year before he killed himself, the Austrian writer Jean Amery came across press reports of systematic torture against Arab prisoners in Israeli prisons. Arrested in Belgium in 1943 while distributing anti-Nazi pamphlets, Amery himself had been brutally tortured by the Gestapo, and then deported to Auschwitz. He managed to survive, but could never look at his torments as things of the past. He insisted that those who are tortured remain tortured, and that their trauma is irrevocable. Like many survivors of Nazi death camps, Amery came to feel an existential connection to Israel in the 1960s. He obsessively attacked left-wing critics of the Jewish state as thoughtless and unscrupulous, and may have been one of the first to make the claim, habitually amplified now by Israels leaders and supporters, that virulent antisemites disguise themselves as virtuous anti-imperialists and anti-Zionists. Yet the admittedly sketchy reports of torture in Israeli prisons prompted Amery to consider the limits of his solidarity with the Jewish state. In one of the last essays he published, he wrote: I urgently call on all Jews who want to be human beings to join me in the radical condemnation of systematic torture. Where barbarism begins, even existential commitments must end. Amery was particularly disturbed by the apotheosis in 1977 of Menachem Begin as Israels prime minister. Begin, who organised the 1946 bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem in which 91 people were killed, was the first of the frank exponents of Jewish supremacism who continue to rule Israel. He was also the first routinely to invoke Hitler and the Holocaust and the Bible while assaulting Arabs and building settlements in the Occupied Territories. In its early years the state of Israel had an ambivalent relationship with the Shoah and its victims. More here. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has given Waymo permission to expand its robotaxi operations to Los Angeles and more locations in the San Francisco Peninsula despite opposition from local groups and government agencies. "Waymo may begin fared driverless passenger service operations in the specified areas of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula, effective today," the regulator wrote in its decision (PDF). As CNBC notes, Waymo has been testing its driverless vehicles in those locations for a while now, but this decision will allow it to charge passengers for their robotaxi rides. In the CPUC's decision, it admitted that it received letters of protests regarding Waymo's expansion from the City of South San Francisco, the County of San Mateo, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance. And, it received those letters before the agency suspended Waymo's expansion efforts in February for up to 120 days following the Alphabet-owned company's revelation that it had issued a recall for its vehicles. Waymo reported back then that two of its robotaxis collided with a backwards-facing pickup truck that was being towed in December 2023 because its software predicted the truck's movements incorrectly. The company had to develop and deploy a fix to its fleet. LA Mayor Karen Bass previously sent a letter to the CPUC (PDF), stating her concerns about the regulator's decision to allow autonomous vehicles to operate in her city. "To date, local jurisdictions like Los Angeles have had little to no input in AV deployment and are already seeing significant harm and disruption," she wrote. David Canepa, vice president for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, also said in a statement regarding this recent development: "I'm confused and a bit suspicious that the CPUC took only 11 days to change its mind on the suspension. I find this to be egregious and disingenuous. We have had no talks to address our concerns and it says to me that neither Waymo nor the CPUC care about local concerns the public safety of our residents." Waymo spokesperson Julia Ilina, however, assures the public in a statement to Wired that the company will take an "incremental approach" when it comes to deploying the service in LA. It also has "no immediate plans" to expand its service in San Francisco. In addition, she said Waymo will continue to "work closely with city officials, local communities, and [its] partners." Ilina has also noted that while the CPUC did get letters of protest, it also received letters of support for Waymo's expansion from 81 organizations and individuals. They include letters from various groups for the elderly and people with disabilities, local community councils, as well as transportation advocates. This article contains affiliate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Chinese scientists propose new solutions for fast-charging lithium-ion batteries Xinhua) 10:36, March 02, 2024 HANGZHOU, March 1 (Xinhua) -- A group of Chinese scientists has developed a design of electrolytes capable of promoting the charging rate and expanding the operating temperature of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Nature. This new design can enable lithium-ion batteries to achieve reversibility when the cells are charged and discharged in a wide temperature range from minus 70 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius. The lithium-ion batteries can also be charged and discharged within just 10 minutes at room temperature, according to the study. According to Fan Xiulin, a professor at the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Zhejiang University, the charging rate, operating temperature, and safety of lithium-ion batteries are complex issues for further developing electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles require high density, fast charging and a wide operating temperature range, the study noted. With this new design of electrolytes, lithium-ion batteries are capable of reaching an 80 percent charge within 10 minutes, said Fan. Fan's team devised solvent-screening strategies, screening out 23 solvents from tens of thousands of solvents to prepare electrolytes for studying lithium-ion batteries. Following four years of research, they pinpointed the optimal electrolyte formula. According to him, this new achievement will further promote the development of green and low-carbon energy. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) Amid the economic crisis, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe firmly stated that the full implementation of the 13th Amendment in addressing the demands of the Tamils is on the cards and even promised to make it public before 4 February 2023, the 75th independence anniversary of Sri Lanka. While he could not do it as promised, it opened up the discussion again on the provision of the 13th Amendment in Sri Lanka. It remains highly significant to watch whether the presidents move will end up with at least an effective implementation of the 13th Amendment or if it will be another politically expedient futile attempt. The authors would like to acknowledge the valuable comments of the reviewers that helped in enhancing the article subsequently. Since the early 1990s, the 13th Amendment that was proposed as a part of the IndiaSri Lanka accord as a constitutional provision to address the Tamil national question in Sri Lanka has been constantly debated and discussed. President Ranil Wickremesinghes recent announcement to fully implement the 13th Amendment once again stirred debate among both Tamil and Sinhala political party leaders on its efficacy. This comes amid Sri Lankas economic crisis as interestingly the current president opines that without ethnic reconciliation there will be no economic stability in the country (Daily Mirror 2023a). Incidentally, in Sri Lanka, as far as the 13th Amendment is concerned, different stands can be identified, with one in favour of the repeal of the 13th Amendment. Sinhala hardliners and political parties, such as the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), National Freedom Front (NFF), and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) are the major advocates of this stand. They oppose the Provincial Council System as it was forced on Sri Lanka by external forces like India (Manoharan 2013). A decade in power by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government seems to have set off a growing rift between the union government and the states. This is apparent from the vociferous protests by an increasing number of states over the devolution of funds from the union government coffers and the various constraints they impose that hamper the smooth flow of funds. Though the primacy of the NDA governments in many of the large states has generally helped supress the growing discontent to the margins, the inability of the union government to initiate a dialogue and defray the situation is a cause for worry. The discontent over the flow of funds from the union government to the states, which was initially limited to a few states like West Bengal, has now suddenly spilled over to the southern states, which are also mainly governed by non-NDA governments. First, it was the Karnataka ministers who protested at Delhi raising issues regarding the devolution of funds to the state. Then the Kerala chief minister along with his Delhi and Punjab counterparts and the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president also gathered at the national capital to raise similar issues and to protest against the attacks on federalism. Similar moves were also staged in Delhi by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam parliamentarians for denying the requisite funds to Tamil Nadu. Israel has "more or less accepted" a proposal for a six-week ceasefire in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, a US official said Saturday as Palestinian negotiators were expected in Cairo. Mediators have been scrambling to lock in a truce before Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month which begins on March 10 or 11, eyeing an end to the almost five-month conflict that has ravaged Hamas-ruled Gaza. In a sign of the dire humanitarian conditions as violence rages on, the besieged territory's health ministry reported more than a dozen child malnutrition deaths in recent days. The US official told reporters on condition of anonymity that "there's a framework deal" for a ceasefire which "the Israelis have more or less accepted". "It will be a six-week ceasefire in Gaza, starting today if Hamas agrees to release the defined category of vulnerable hostages... the sick, the wounded, elderly and women," the official said. "Right now, the ball is in the camp of Hamas." A source close to Hamas told AFP a delegation from the group was headed from Qatar to Egypt on Saturday. Also speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said that Hamas would deliver its "official answer" to the plan, which resulted from talks with Israeli negotiators in Paris late last month. Israel has yet to confirm that it has accepted the truce plan. Earlier the United States, which provides ally Israel with billions of dollars in military aid, said it began airdropping aid into war-ravaged Gaza. The start of the US relief operation came a day after President Joe Biden announced the move and spoke of the "need to do more" to alleviate the dire humanitarian crisis. But parachuting aid cannot replace "the fundamental need to move assistance through as many land crossings as possible", the US official said. - 'Unjustifiable' shooting - Gaza has faced dwindling deliveries of relief supplies across its land borders, which aid groups blame at least in part on Israeli restrictions. US Central Command, in a post on social media platform X, said the air operation was conducted jointly with Jordan and saw planes drop "over 38,000 meals along the coastline of Gaza allowing for civilian access to the critical aid". Several Arab and European governments have carried out air drops over Gaza since November but Tuesday's operation was the first involving the United States. At least 13 children have died from "malnutrition and dehydration", the Gaza health ministry said Saturday, two days after a desperate rush for aid from a convoy of trucks in Gaza City ended in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians. The health ministry said Israeli forces shot civilians but the Israeli army insisted most died in a stampede or crush. A United Nations team that visited Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital reported seeing "a large number" of gunshot wounds among Palestinians in the aftermath of the aid truck storming. Hossam Abu Safiya, director of the city's Kamal Adwan Hospital, said all the casualties it admitted were hit by "bullets and shrapnel from occupation forces". The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell joined calls for an "impartial international investigation" into the "tragic event" early Thursday. The shooting "against civilians trying to access foodstuff is unjustifiable", he said. The health ministry said 116 people were killed and more than 750 wounded in the chaotic scenes, which drew widespread international condemnation. The aid convoy deaths helped push the number of Palestinian war dead in Gaza to 30,320, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry. The war began on October 7 with an unprecedented Hamas attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, Israeli figures show. Gaza militants also abducted 250 hostages, of whom 130 remain in captivity according to Israel, a figure including 31 presumed dead. - 'Destruction is everywhere' - Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian office OCHA, said on Friday that "a famine is almost inevitable". Laerke cited the near-total closure of commercial food imports, the "trickle of trucks" coming in with food aid, and the "massive access constraints" to moving around inside Gaza. The International Rescue Committee said airdropping aid mostly distracts "time and effort from proven solutions to help at scale". AFPTV images showed people running and pedalling fast on bicycles past bomb-damaged buildings on a rutted dirt road to reach aid floating down to Gaza City. Hisham Abu Eid, 28, of Gaza City's Zeitun area, said he got two bags of flour from an aid distribution and gave one to his neighbours. "Aid that is getting into Gaza is rare and not enough for even a small number of people. Famine is killing people," Abu Eid said. As mediators seek a deal that may include more aid into Gaza and the release of hostages, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under increasing domestic pressure over the fate of the remaining captives. Israelis protesters reached Jerusalem on Saturday, capping a four-day march from the Gaza border to pressure the government to secure the hostages' release. In Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of Gazans displaced by the war have sought refuge, Israeli bombardment killed at least 11 people at a makeshift camp near a hospital, the health ministry said. The Israeli army said it had carried out a "precision strike" in the area that targeted militants from the Islamic Jihad group. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the strike was "outrageous and unspeakable". An AFP journalist saw wounded people, including children, being rushed on stretchers to another Rafah hospital. "Destruction is everywhere and there are many martyrs," said resident Belal Abu Jekhleh. burs-kir/ami A view of U.S. Highway 93 in Kalispell taken in 2007 (Photo by Katie Brady via Wikimedia Commons | CC-BY-SA 2.0). The City of Kalispell issued a consumer drinking water notice Friday, months after the detection of cancer-linked PFAS in two of its wells in July. The detection made Kalispell the first Montana public water system to test perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances at above health advisory levels. Now, the city is considering possible actions to address the contaminants in its water supply, sometimes referred to as forever chemicals because of their inability to breakdown. One well detected PFOS or perfluorooctane sulfonate at 330 times current health advisory levels established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Studies on human exposure to PFOS found the substance adversely impacts the immune system, the cardiovascular system, child development and can contribute to increased cancer risks, according to the EPA health advisory. Another well detected PFHxS or Perfluorohexane sulfonate in its water, but is below general health advisory levels. The results came from the first round of nationwide EPA tests that surveyed every Montana water system serving 10,000 or more people, as well as some smaller cities. The consumer drinking water notice stated Kalispell will sample well sites in March and August to validate the accuracy and reliability of the PFAS detection, alongside active consideration of treatment options. Kalispell cant take the contaminated wells offline as the remaining supply would not be enough to keep up with demand, according to the notice. Meanwhile, the best action a consumer can take is to learn more about PFAS, and the steps that can be taken to reduce risks associated with possible health effects of exposure to PFAS, the notice stated. The notice tells consumers to contact a doctor if concerned and refers to guidance by the EPA on steps to reduce exposure risks that include installing a water filter. Kalispells water system serves roughly 26,000 people, with the contaminated wells making up almost 30% of Kalispells total pumping capacity. The contaminated water is diluted with water from other wells before it exits the tap. Kalispell is considering funding sources to replace the wells through the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. Replacing the wells could take more than a year, according to Kalispell Public Works Director Susie Turner in an interview. The notice comes after recent reporting by the Daily Montanan on the detection of the substances. Turner told the Daily Montanan the city was planning to share the results of the detection with the publication of its annual Consumer Confidence Report in May, 10 months after the contaminants were detected. Kalispell has since launched a website to keep the public up-to-date with resources and information on PFAS. The city said it will schedule an open house soon to answer questions on the detection of the forever chemicals. Turner said the detection came as a complete shock to the department. Origins of the substances in Kalispell remain unknown. Before being largely phased out of consumer products in the early 2000s, PFAS was used in food packaging, carpets, upholstery, fire-fighting foams and other industrial processes for properties that made products resistant to stains, grease, soil and water. Montana does not have manufacturing that produces or heavily uses PFAS, resulting in low detection rates in the state, according to a statement from the DEQ. Emerging health concerns around forever chemicals have led 10 states to regulate the substances, although Montana is not one of them. The EPA plans to issue enforceable drinking water standards for PFAS early this year after years of studies and tests around the substances. Montana will then have a two-year period to adopt those standards for its public water systems. In February, EPA announced almost $19 million for Montana to address contaminants like PFAS in drinking water as part of a national allotment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress in 2021. That funding could be used to improve local water infrastructure and reduce contaminants in drinking water like with the installation of treatment solutions. EPA is delivering on its strategic commitment to address PFAS and emerging contaminants with more than $18 million for infrastructure projects that will safeguard Montanas drinking water for years to come, EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker said in a press release. These funds will help water providers invest in treatment technologies and solutions to contamination concerns in the communities that need them most. The post City of Kalispell issues notice about forever chemicals in water supply appeared first on Daily Montanan. A major overhaul of the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) will need to take place before it is workable for Welsh livestock farmers, NFU Cymru has warned. The union's livestock board met recently to discuss in detail the Welsh governments third and final consultation on the SFS, which closes for responses on 7 March. Earlier this week, thousands of Welsh farmers took part in a protest in Cardiff due to heightening concerns at the Welsh government's vision for the industry. Rob Lewis, chairman of the board, himself a beef and lamb producer, said after the meeting that the SFS was a 'major worry' for livestock farmers. In its current format, the SFS, Wales' post-Brexit system of support, stipulates that farmers must have at least 10% tree cover on their land and a further 10% for wildlife habitat. However, a recent impact assessment commissioned by the government found that it risked reducing 122,000 livestock units, representing a 'shocking' 11% fall. This equates to 800,000 sheep from a total flock of 4.8 million breeding ewes or 122,000 adult beef cattle. Not only would this impact on the bottom line of thousands of farm businesses, but the whole of the Welsh rural economy would be impacted, Mr Lewis warned. He said: Welsh governments own economic appraisals put the value of the Welsh meat and meat products sector at 1.4bn, with 64 business units located across Wales and 6,000 employed in these units. "Many of these plants rely on a critical mass of produce from farms in Wales, so they cannot afford to see a reduction in stock numbers from farms in Wales. This goes against the governments aspirations of continuing to grow food products in Wales to meet the increasing demand for our high quality PGI Beef and Lamb, both in the UK and in the vast overseas market. At the recent board meeting, livestock farmers raised concerns about the practicality and cumulative administrative burden associated with the delivery of the SFS's proposed universal actions. They highlighted that the cost incurred / income foregone payment methodology proposed by the government for undertaking the universal action requirements failed to recognise the value to society of the actions being undertaken by farmers. Mr Lewis said: The board were clear a long-term stability commitment within the SFS was required to recognise the economic, environmental, social and cultural contribution that Welsh farming makes to society. "[This would] underpin the resilience of food production in Wales and the continued secure supply of high quality, safe and affordable food from Wales." He concluded: The NFU Cymru Livestock Board believes that a major overhaul of the scheme will need to take place before it is workable for Welsh livestock farmers. Fifth Harmony are reportedly in talks to reunite. Fifth Harmony in 2017 The chart-topping girl group - which starred Ally Brooke, Normani, Dinah Jane, Lauren Jauregui, and Camila Cabello - announced that they were going on an indefinite hiatus in March 2018, but they've recently held talks about a possible reunion. Camila, 26, actually quit Fifth Harmony in late 2016, and has subsequently enjoyed significant success as a solo artist. However, the brunette beauty has held talks with her former bandmates about a possible reunion, according to the New York Post newspaper's Page Sic column. The band have expressed interest in a comeback after a number of their hit singles were recently revived on TikTok. An insider has suggested they could soon reunite to record a new song for their fans. Despite this, the band members won't allow their potential reunion to interfere with their solo projects. Camila is currently preparing to release her fourth studio album, while Normani is poised to release 'Dopamine' - her long-awaited debut album - later this year. Fifth Harmony announced their hiatus via a statement posted on social media in 2018. The group said at the time: "Reflecting on the past six years since we started on X-Factor, we've realized just how far we've come and we appreciate everything so much, more now than ever. We've really had one hell of a memorable journey together and can't begin to express our gratitude to y'all for coming along with us on this wild ride! "After six years gong hard, non stop, we also realized that in order to stay authentic to ourselves and to you, we do need to take some time for now to go on hiatus from Fifth Harmony in order to pursue solo endeavors. "We are all very excited and grateful to be able to take this time to learn and grow creatively and really find our footing as individuals. In doing this we are allowing ourselves to gain new experiences, strengths and perspectives that we can bring back to our Fifth Harmony family. (sic)" Heidi Klum wanted to make sure she was not going to embarrass her children before releasing music. Heidi Klum wanted to seek her kids' permission to release music The 50-year-old German-American supermodel - who has 19-year-old model daughter Leni with her businessman ex Flavio Briatore, 73, and Lou, 14, Johan, 17, and Henry, 18, with musician Seal, 60, who adopted Leni in 2009 - released a remake of Corey Hart's 1983 hit 'Sunglasses at Night' produced by Tiesto last month, which follows 2022's 'Chai Tea With Heidi' with rap legend Snoop Dogg, and she wanted to make sure her kids were OK with it first. She told Best UK magazine: "Well, they're teenagers, so they all know Snoop Dogg and they think he's pretty cool. Whether that makes me pretty cool, I don't know. I hope so. I did actually check a while back to make sure I wasn't embarrassing them because I would never want to do that. They're all good with it." The 'America's Got Talent' judge confessed she has a "really annoying voice", but the producer worked his magic. She said: "It's so funny because I have a really annoying voice. It's like really high and super-fast. So when I was doing this I was like, 'OK, I'm going to get my sexy voice on!' That's what you do when you don't have a great voice. You also need a really good producer to tweak your thing and make you sound so much better. It was fun." Elsewhere, Heidi admitted she would be open to a return to the catwalk. She said: "I don't know, maybe. "I have actually been asked but I was too busy doing everything else I do now. "I do AGT right after doing Germany's Next Topmodel for three months, so I am filming almost all the time. "But never say never!" At the concluding session the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi today, World Trade Organisation (WTO) member nations renewed the commitment to have a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system by 2024. They also vowed to improve use of the special and differential treatment (S&DT) provisions for developing and least developed countries (LDCs) to make those more precise, effective and operational. The WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi, that concludes today, renewed the commitment to have a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system by 2024. The members also agreed to maintain the current practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions until MC14 or March 31, 2026, whichever is earlier. WTO officials were instructed to accelerate discussions, build on the progress already made and work on unresolved issues. The members also agreed to continue negotiations in all areas where convergence was elusive at MC13. The meeting ended by adopting a Ministerial Declaration setting out a forward-looking, reform agenda for the organisation, an official release said. In another first, ministers engaged in conversations on how trade relates to two pressing issues that go to the heart of current political, economic and environmental challenges, namely sustainable development and socioeconomic inclusion. WTO director general Okonjo-Iweala emphasised the recognition by members of the role trade and the WTO can play in empowering women, expanding opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs,) and achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions economic, social and environmental." The members agreed to maintain the current practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions until MC14 or March 31, 2026, whichever is earlier. The moratorium and the Work Programme will expire on that date. They also agreed to extend the moratorium on non-violation and situation complaints regarding the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) until MC14. MC13 also saw the entry into force of new disciplines on services domestic regulation, which is expected to lower trade costs by over $125 billion worldwide. Supported by 72 WTO members, this joint initiative is designed to facilitate services trade by streamlining and simplifying regulatory procedures. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) The European Commission played a pivotal role in achieving significant outcomes at the 13th Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization (MC13), which concluded on Friday in Abu Dhabi. Despite notable successes, including agreements on e-commerce, global services trade, environmental cooperation, and support for developing countries, the European Union (EU) stresses the need for ongoing efforts to revitalise the global trade rulebook. In a move applauded by the EU, WTO members voted to extend the e-commerce moratorium until MC14, preserving duty-free trade in online services. This extension, championed by the EU, supports the flourishing digital economy, benefiting businesses, including SMEs, and consumers worldwide, the EU said in a press release. European Commission played a crucial role at the MC13 in Abu Dhabi. The EU emphasised the need for ongoing efforts to revitalise global trade rules. Key achievements include extending the e-commerce moratorium and implementing new rules for services trade. However, discussions on industrial policy and agricultural reform were not initiated. The EU welcomed the implementation of new rules facilitating trade in services across 71 markets. These regulations, spearheaded by the EU, promise streamlined processes for businesses, bolstering economic growth in this vital sector. In a bid to integrate developing countries more firmly into the global trading system, the EU led efforts resulting in a deal to facilitate investment and support development. Additionally, the accession of Timor Leste and Comoros to the WTO underscores the enduring value of global trade and investment frameworks, it said. MC13 saw significant strides in addressing the nexus between trade and environmental sustainability, with discussions focusing on combating plastics pollution, transitioning away from fossil fuels, and promoting the circular economy. The EU, co-leading the Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate, spearheaded discussions on decarbonisation policies. Despite the EU's proactive engagement, MC13 failed to launch discussions on crucial trade challenges such as industrial policy and agricultural reform. The EU laments this setback, underscoring the need for international cooperation to address contemporary trade issues. While progress was acknowledged, WTO members reaffirmed their commitment to restoring a fully functioning dispute settlement system by the end of 2024. The EU stresses the urgency of reforming the dispute settlement mechanism to safeguard trade rules and provide stability for global businesses, the release added. Valdis Dombrovskis, executive vice-president and commissioner for trade, commented: At a time of rising geopolitical tensions and political uncertainty, I welcome that MC13 delivered some positive results for the global trading system. The EU led from the front in all these outcomes, working with partners from around the globe. The decision to extend the e-commerce moratorium, in particular, is crucial for digital trade - a key growth area in the global economy and a top priority for the EU. We also made important progress on development and sustainability, to the benefit of all members. However, we were disappointed at the lack of breakthroughs in a number of important areas. The EU engaged intensively to find deals on fisheries subsidies, agriculture package and a dynamic WTO reform agenda. Agreements were within reach, supported by an overwhelming majority of members, but ultimately blocked by a handful of countries sometimes just one. The EU will continue to actively support work on a more inclusive and fit-for-purpose global trade rulebook and to show leadership and engagement. We hope all our partners will replicate this can-do approach. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD) Ranveer Singhs rapper street style in Gully Boy (2019), the high society characters from Made In Heaven (2022) and the retro fashion seen in The Archies (2023). All of these have a single, common thread: costume designer and stylist Poornamitra Singh. Her foray with Bollywood began as an assistant costume designer on Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. She has since worked on films like Rang Rasiya (2008), Turning 30 (2011), Aurangzeb (2013), Baar Baar Dekho (2016) to name a few. Over the years, Poornamitra Singh has learnt to trust in her instincts. She feels that costumes complement the mood of a scene and is known to exhaust her directors with queries when she takes on a project. Excerpts from an engaging interview with the self-taught designer. Made in Heaven was challenging for me because it was the first time that I worked on a web show. The scale of it was so big because we are all from feature film backgrounds. It was difficult to get into a web show format without any prior knowledge about the pace, minute details to take care of and amount to be shot. There were so many people and weddings with the glamour aspect. At the same time, there was also another side to it because Delhi is a mashup of a lot of different localities and people. Im a stickler for details. I researched Delhi thoroughly, and creating those characters was super fun. Right from Jazzs (Shivani Raghuvanshi) character to the first Russian wedding. The variety of weddings was also so vast; some were artistic, while others were loud. I researched people I knew and got their wedding photos and personal photos. I needed real people in this, and thats how I approached my series. Then Gully Boy was set in the slums of Mumbai. Theres a lot of life. There are a lot of rappers in it who have their styles going on. So just meeting all those musiciansin reality, all the rappers and songwriters. I met them just to get an idea of their vibe. Our team went around photographing a lot of college kids and found out how they wrapped their hijabs, what their hair looked like, what bags they carried, what shoes they wore, and what kind of jeans they wore. Zoya has a sense of what the movie looks like and what palette she needs to bring to the film, and then we all kind of work together. It helps me a lot because shes such a creative genius. Im somebody who gets into the narrative of the film; hence it helps me to work with someone who has written it. I would ask her random questions about The Archies, like what was Archies favourite colour and where Veronica would go and shop. I go in-depth about who they are, their moods and how they would approach life. My colour palettes reflect the mood of the characters and scenes in the film too. It helps me when I work with someone like Zoya because shes somebody who knows the world so well. My discussions with her over time helped me build a lot for the characters, and thats how I can get into the finer details of things. Over time, we have developed trust and rapport that work for us. Everything was made from scratch. I had to create a world thats unique to the The Archies universe. We took a lot of real-life instances in terms of our research and where the place was located. Its partly based on reason and partly on your imagination. These are comic books, but Zoya wanted the feel of a storybook in this movie. Ive always been fascinated by storybooks and that world. Right from designing, sampling, pattern-making, and silhouettes prevalent in that era, it took a lot of time for my workers to do the stitching and everything from scratch because they were not used to the styling from that period. I had to train them on how to make these silhouettes and high-waisted pants with wide pleated finishes. Collars, cuffs, and everything had extreme detailing, and once it was done, I used to pin them up on the bottom and say whatever anyone in my team is making for this film, these details need to be there. Even with the school uniforms that we had, we didnt have fitted blazers. If you see the film, its loose with a straight cut. The training required was massive to get it right. I researched people like Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, James Dean, Asha Parekh, Sadhana, Sharmila Tagore, and Shami Kapoor. I went through the archives of old magazines from the 60s. I looked at newspaper clippings where Jacqueline Kennedy had come to India and some political people like that. To form different characters in the movie, you require various personalities. You cant just reference films and film stars. I went through a lot of personal photographs of friends and family, and I interviewed a lot. People who lived through those times and were in school remember how their uniforms used to be. I noticed the skirts were longer and the blazers were wider. Then some 50s fashion with cinched waists for dresses and skirts. The mini dresses had just come in blue, which is why Veronica started wearing them because she has access to fashion all over the world. She gets the 60s fashion in Riverdale because shes well-travelled and can afford it. Betty is somebody who would like her mother to buy her things from the local boutique. She would like hand-knit sweaters or like a neighbour would stitch her some clothes. She is somebody who would have had a wardrobe like that for five years. Like gloves with embroidery and beret hats. I hope people see my shoes because they were painstakingly made. We handpicked footwear and got it made for everyone. A lot of the footwear is vintage from that time, which I picked from London. We picked the colours, patterns, and styles. And we just got them made. It was a sheer delight because they are fresh and their energy is so infectious. It was hilarious. I would see the boys tugging at their pants and tell them its supposed to be that high. They had shorts that would start high on the chest, and theyre really long until the knee and quite wide, and its almost like a divided skirt. They would ask me, Youre making us wear a skirt? They have such dedication, focus, and enthusiasm. We got that energy from them. It helps me. I like input from actors, so I include them in a lot of things. It helps me to widen my horizons and make my process easier, and thats how I can help them build a better character on screen. It goes with all my projects; I like that kind of collaboration. Cinema is a big thing here. We are a country of song and dance. We are a country that likes beautiful colours. I think what intrigues the audience about fashion seen in films is that they see something new and fresh, and they wouldnt mind trying it out if it looked good to the eyes. Thats why theres such a big fan-following of the fashion sported by actors. Its not glamorous at all. Its far from it. Behind the scenes, its a lot of hard work, dedication, and research. We do have a lot of fun, but its a different kind of fun. Its not what you see in the cinema. You need to develop that skill in design. I get a lot of people who are just stylists, who just pick up things and put them all together, but it requires a lot of effort. If you dont know the construction of a garment, you cannot fit it on people. I see that gap a lot. Theres a huge technical aspect to it. In The Archies, when the girls are twirling, twisting, and flipping, you need to know how to stitch the garments to keep them in place. You only know when you know how to construct a garment. Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant Wedding: The whole of Bollywood is currently in Jamnagar, Gujarat, to attend the pre-wedding festivities of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. Anant, son of Nita and Mukesh Ambani, got engaged to Radhika, daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant, in January this year. For the past few days, the families have been in Jamnagar for the pre-wedding celebrations which have unquestionably seized the limelight, enchanting spectators with their extravagant flair and an impressive lineup of guests from both Bollywood and the international celebrity sphere. Last night (March 1), the pre-wedding festivities began with a glamorous cocktail party which was attended by several big Bollywood celebrities. The pre-wedding celebration has left people wondering about Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's wedding. However, the couple is not getting married in March. Yes, you read that right! ANANT AMBANI AND RADHIKA MERCHANT WEDDING DATE While people were thinking that the couple is likely to tie the knot on March 3 in Jamnagar, that's not true. Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant will get married later this year, on July 12. Yes, you read that right! Anant Ambani Cocktail Party: Rihanna And Janhvi Kapoor Dance Together On Zingaat - VIRAL VIDEO Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant Pre-Wedding Bash: Ranveer-Deepika & Others Attend Cocktail Party - PICS Currently, in Jamnagar, just the pre-wedding festivities are being commemorated through a lavish series of celebrations spanning from March 1 to 3. Last night, at the Cocktail party, International star Rihanna rocked the stage with her power-packed-performance. ANANT AMBANI-RADHIKA MERCHANT PRE-WEDDING FESTIVITIES DAY 2 SCHEDULE On the second day of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's pre-wedding celebrations, guests are in for an immersive experience blending nature and Indian traditions. Today (March 2) marks the continuation of the festivities, commencing with "A Walk on the Wildside" at the Ambanis' animal rescue center in Jamnagar. The daytime affair comes with a themed dress code - Jungle Fever - with attendees advised to wear comfortable footwear for their exploration of the zoo within the sprawling 3,000-acre Vantara estate. Tonight's agenda includes "Mela Rouge," an event set to exude the vibrancy of Indian culture in all its glory. Online glimpses reveal a grand Ferris wheel, adding to the elaborate carnival-themed ambiance curated for the evening's festivities. Attendees can anticipate engaging in a plethora of South Asian activities, immersing themselves in the cultural richness on display. With the dress code designated as "Dazzling Desi Romance," guests have been provided with a mood board to ensure they are perfectly attired for the occasion. Keep watching this space for more updates! Bastar The Naxal Story Update: Since the announcement of 'Bastar: The Naxal Story' has been dropped from Vipul Amrutlal Shah ,Sudipto Sen and Adah Sharma, there is a huge excitement has been witnessed among the masses. The two teaser and the posyerss has been released so far and it received the audiences open support. Following the massive response to the teaser, the audiences were waiting for the trailer to be unveiled. In a recent exciting update, the makers has made a special announcement which is sure to take the anticipation among the masses to sky high. Counting the days of release , the makers dropped the release date of the trailer with the intriguing motion poster featuring the character of Adah Sharma as IPS Neerja Madhvan. Taking to the social media, the makers shared the motion poster and captioned, "It's not just a story, it's a truth supported by hard facts of Bastar. Bastar - The Naxal Story is an uproar that we need against Naxals! Trailer Out on 5th March, 2024." https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4AxuVLxhcB/?igsh=MXYwOXlhaWJ4d3R6NA== The anticipation among the masses to watch another spine chilling and real life based film from the team of 'The Kerala Story' is very high. The film presents Adah Sharma aa IPS Neerja Madhvan in the film and her glimpses in the teaser has filled everyone with the goosebumps. In the teaser the makers have exposed the truth about number of martyrs and how Pseudo intellectuals in our country are running a propaganda to divide the country funded by China. Produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah's Sunshine pictures and co-produced by Aashin A. Shah, 'Bastar: The Naxal Story' is directed by Sudipto Sen and will have Adah Sharma in the lead. The film will be released on 15th March 2024, in cinemas worldwide. Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 11 winner prize money: It's time to send congratulatory messages to Manisha Rani as she has won the latest season of Jhalak. The dancing diva added another feather to her crown as she emerged as the winner of JDJ 11. MANISHA RANI WINS JHALAK DIKHHLA JAA 11 FINALE Joining a show midway is never easy; however, Manisha overcame all the odds and managed to win the dance reality show. The Bigg Boss OTT 2 star beat the likes of Shoaib Ibrahim, Adrija Sinha, Dhanashree Verma and Sreeram Chandra to secure victory. As she received the highest votes from the audience, Manisha Rani claimed the winner trophy. Fans voted in huge numbers to make the reality TV star the winner of JDJ 11. Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 11 Winner Name: Manisha Rani's FIRST VIDEO With JDJ 11 Trophy Goes Viral Before Finale MANISHA RANI BREAKS SILENCE AFTER WINNING JHALAK 11 Miss Rani expressed her gratitude towards the audience, judges and the channel for the love and support. She thanked her choreographer for pushing her to reach their common goal. "This journey has been nothing short of a dream come true, and I owe it all to the love, support, and encouragement of the Judges and the audience. I knew this experience would change my life, and it truly has. As a wildcard entry, I had to work twice as hard to prove myself, and every moment has been filled with excitement and my growth as a dancer. I am grateful to my choreographer, Ashutosh, who has been very understanding and each week, he has pushed me to broaden my horizon and discover new facets of my dancing abilities. This win is not just mine; it belongs to everyone who believed in me and supported me throughout this journey," Manisha said in a statement released by the channel, as quoted as saying by DNA. MANISHA RANI JHALAK DIKHHLA JAA 11 WINNER PRIZE MONEY Manisha Rani, who emerged as the reigning champion of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 11, took home a cash prize of Rs 30 lakh. She was awarded with a prize of INR 30 lakhs while her choreographer Ashutosh Pawar, earned INR 10 lakhs from the channel. In addition to the shiny trophy, Manisha and Ashutosh received the biggest gift from the makers. They earned an all-expenses paid trip to Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. We extend our heartiest congratulations to Manisha Rani and Ashutosh. Highlights: Trifecta Gold is optioning the advanced Mt Hinton gold-silver project, next to Hecla's Keno Hill Mines and Banyan Gold's AurMac Deposit, as well as 10 other highly prospective projects. All 11 projects show characteristics of reduced intrusion related gold systems, like Snowline Gold's recent Valley discovery or Victoria Gold's Eagle Mine. Favorable deal structure allows Trifecta to acquire 100% of the project in a shareholder friendly manner. 4:1 share consolidation to allow restart of Trifecta Gold with a renewed focus on its newly acquired Yukon properties. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 1, 2024 / Trifecta Gold Ltd. (TSXV:TG)(OTCQB:TRRFF) ("Trifecta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire up to 100% of Mt. Hinton and 10 other highly prospective, intrusion-related gold projects located in Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt. Under a two stage earn-in agreement with Strategic Metals Ltd. ("Strategic"), Trifecta can acquire up to a 100% interest in all 11 properties. Tombstone Gold Belt Extending for more than 1,000 km from Alaska into Yukon, the Tombstone Gold Belt hosts many large Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold System (RIRGS) deposits such as Fort Knox in Alaska (>10 million oz), Eagle and Olive in Yukon (>4 million oz) and the past-producing Brewery Creek Mine, also in Yukon. Recent discoveries including Snowline Gold's Tier 1 Valley discovery, Sitka Gold's RC deposit, Banyan Gold's AurMac deposits and Victoria Gold's Raven deposit have drawn renewed exploration interest to the belt. These gold systems are characterized by sheeted, auriferous quartz veins forming in the carapace zones of Cretaceous-age plutons. They have a characteristic geochemical signature of Au-Bi-TeW within and surrounding the intrusion, and a characteristic geophysical signature of a magnetic low (ie. reduced) together with a coincident conductivity low. Moving outward from the intrusions, Au-As veins are common with Ag-Pb-Zn veins further out. Option Terms Under the terms of the option agreement, which is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance, Trifecta can acquire an initial 70% interest in the properties (the "First Option") by incurring aggregate exploration expenditures of $6 million by December 31, 2027 and issuing that number of Trifecta shares to Strategic such that, following the issuance of those shares, Strategic will hold 9.99% of Trifecta's then issued and outstanding share capital, including the shares of Trifecta currently held by Strategic. Following the exercise of the First Option, Strategic will retain a one percent (1%) net smelter return royalty interest in the properties. Trifecta can acquire the remaining 30% interest in the properties (the "Second Option") by issuing additional Trifecta shares to Strategic equal to 9.99% of the then outstanding Trifecta share capital at any time after the exercise of the First Option and prior to March 31, 2028, which number of shares to be issued to Strategic will not include any shares of Trifecta then held by Strategic. Following the exercise of the Second Option, Strategic will retain an additional one percent (1%) net smelter return royalty interest. Trifecta can purchase the second royalty interest from Strategic for the payment of 1,500 ounces of gold or the cash equivalent. If Trifecta exercises the First Option only, the parties shall form a joint venture to further explore and develop the properties. Project Portfolio The optioned portfolio covers approximately 30,000 hectares of highly prospective land within the Yukon portion of the Tombstone Gold Belt across 11 properties - namely, Mt. Hinton, Rye, Lance, Liam, Lois, Leroy, Luke, Leah, Lisa, Husky and Naws. The locations of the properties are available on the Company's website. The flagship Mt. Hinton gold-silver project lies within the Keno Hill District of the Tombstone Gold Belt, ideally located immediately southeast of Hecla Mining Company's ("Helca") Keno Hill Silver Mining Project, 35 km southeast of Victoria Gold's Eagle Mine, and 25 km east-southeast of Banyan Gold's AurMac Deposit. Mt. Hinton is a road accessible, camp scale property with over 60 precious metals veins identified to date. Mt. Hinton is a direct extension of the stratigraphy that hosts Hecla's Keno Hill Mines and much of the historical exploration at Mt. Hinton focused on these veins. Visible gold has been found in many of the known veins resulting in many bonanza grade (>100 g/t gold) assays being reported from surface grab and chip samples: August 21, 2019, Strategic Metals Ltd. Announces 2340 G/T Gold in a Rock Sample From its Mount Hinton Property, Yukon in a Rock Sample From its Mount Hinton Property, Yukon September 9, 2019, Strategic Metals Discovers More Gold-rich Veins at Its Mount Hinton Property, Yukon (includes a 202 g/t gold grab sample in Granite North) grab sample in Granite North) July 22, 2020, Strategic Metals Ltd. samples 200 g/t gold over 1.2 m at its Mt. Hinton gold and silver project, Yukon at its Mt. Hinton gold and silver project, Yukon January 23, 2023, Strategic Metals Discovers New Veins at its Mt. Hinton Gold-Silver Project, Yukon (85 vein float samples grade 273 g/t gold and 138.5 g/t gold, outcrop sample from 15 vein grades 126.5 g/t gold, 19 vein float sample returned 101 g/t gold) There are active placer mines on all the creeks draining the property. Based on both metal zonation within the district and the regional magnetic signature at Mt. Hinton, a reduced intrusion on the property is theorized to be the driver for much of the mineralization in the district. Many recently identified gold-in-soil anomalies have yet to be prospected and a large magnetic low in the southeastern part of the project has not been investigated. Both will be priority targets for Trifecta. The Rye property is located 14 km south of Fireweed Metals' Macpass Project in eastern Yukon. It hosts a gold- and bismuth-in-soil anomaly associated with a known intrusion as well as multiple gold-rich veins more distal to the intrusion. Located midway between Mt. Hinton and Rye, the Lance property is centered on a multi-square kilometre gold- bismuth- and arsenic-in-soil anomaly that coincides with a magnetic low. Prospecting in 2023, in the western part of the project, discovered sheeted quartz veining within a secondary soil anomaly of a similar character. Liam is similarly centered on a large, coincident gold- bismuth- and arsenic-in-soil anomaly that is partially defined through grid soil sampling. The anomaly also has significant copper-in-soil that ranges from 200 to 847 ppm indicating potential for porphyry type mineralization as well. Lois, Leroy, Luke, Leah, Lisa, Husky and Naws are earlier stage targets that were staked on the same regional stream sediment signatures that mark all of the known deposits and major discoveries in the Tombstone Belt. Share Consolidation Trifecta's board of directors has approved the consolidation of its common shares on the basis of one post-consolidation share for every four pre-consolidation shares. The effective date of the consolidation will be confirmed at a future time, following the Company's receipt of acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange for this share consolidation. About Trifecta Gold Ltd. Trifecta is a Canadian-based precious metals exploration company dedicated to increasing shareholder value through the discovery and development of 100% held gold projects in Yukon and Nevada. Initial drilling at its Yuge Gold Project, located in northern Nevada, has identified multiple broad zones of gold mineralization near historical high-grade mines. The Company's Eureka Project hosts an 8 x 2.5 kilometre belt of surface showings and anomalous gold-in-soil that straddle the headwaters of two of the most productive placer creeks in Yukon's southern Klondike Goldfields. The Company's Treble Project covers a large hydrothermal system, located midway between Western Copper and Gold Corporation's Casino Deposit, the largest copper and gold deposit in the Yukon, and Rockhaven Resources Ltd.'s Klaza Deposit, a high-grade gold-silver deposit. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Richard Drechsler" President and CEO For further information concerning Trifecta or its various exploration projects please visit www.trifectagold.com or contact: Corporate Information Trifecta Gold Ltd. Richard Drechsler President and CEO Tel: (604) 687-2522 This news release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of exploration and other risk factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from the expected results. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE: Trifecta Gold Ltd. View the original press release on accesswire.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 1, 2024) - Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQX: APAAF) (FSE: A0I0) (MUN: A0I0) (BER: A0I0) (the "Company" or "Appia") is pleased to announce that it will be exhibiting at the annual 2024 Prospectors & Development Association of Canada Convention (PDAC), the world's premier mineral exploration & mining event. We invite all our shareholders and conference delegates to visit us at booth #2715 in the Investors Exchange, South Building. The in-person event will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) from Sunday, March 3rd to Wednesday, March 6th, 2024 (Click here for floor map). Stephen Burega will also be presenting the Appia Corporate Update on March 6th at 10:50 am during the Electric Materials 2 session located in room 801B. Drop by and speak to the team with regards to our latest highlights (For recent news - Click Here). Recent Highlights: The maiden MRE for the PCH Project is estimated at 52.8 million tonnes (Mt) comprising: 6.6 Mt Indicated resource with a grade of 2,513 parts per million (ppm) total rare earth oxide (TREO). 46.2 Mt Inferred resource with a grade of 2,888 ppm TREO. The deposit contains significant concentrations of Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), Dysprosium (Dy), and Terbium (Tb) which are the rare earth elements used in the production of permanent magnets and currently under high demand. The Company is currently undertaking a significant evaluation of the potential desorbed rare earth oxide (DREO), and results are pending. Significant anomalies of Scandium and Cobalt have been identified in the Buriti Zone, adding additional potential resource value to the project. (For the full press release, Click Here) About Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (Appia) Appia is a publicly traded Canadian company in the rare earth element and uranium sectors. The Company is currently focusing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements and gallium on the Alces Lake property, as well as exploring for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Otherside, Loranger, North Wollaston, and Eastside properties. The Company holds the surface rights to exploration for 94,982.39 hectares (234,706.59 acres) in Saskatchewan. The Company also has a 100% interest in 13,008 hectares (32,143 acres), with rare earth elements and uranium deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario. Lastly, the Company holds the right to acquire up to a 70% interest in the PCH Project (See June 9th, 2023 Press Release - Click HERE) which is 40,963.18 ha. in size and located within the Goias State of Brazil. (See January 11th, 2024 Press Release - Click HERE) Appia has 136.3 million common shares outstanding, 144.5 million shares fully diluted. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For more information, visit www.appiareu.com. As part of our ongoing effort to keep investors, interested parties and stakeholders updated, we have several communication portals. If you have any questions online (X, Facebook, LinkedIn) please feel free to send direct messages. To book a one-on-one 30-minute Zoom video call, please click here. Contact: Tom Drivas, CEO and Director (c) (416) 876-3957 (e) tdrivas@appiareu.com Stephen Burega, President (c) (647) 515-3734 (e) sburega@appiareu.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/200179 SOURCE: Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. Oceana says the WTO is playing politics with the lives of millions of people who depend on healthy fish populations for their livelihoods and food security WASHINGTON, March 01, 2024that had the potential to curb harmful fisheries subsidies that lead to overfishing. This setback extends the WTO's two-decade-long streak of failing to prohibit harmful subsidies, a commitment it first took up at the 2001 Doha Ministerial Conference. Oceana's Senior Analyst Dr. Daniel Skerritt says, "This outcome is not just disappointing; it's a dire blow to global marine biodiversity. Our governments are failing to look beyond their own short-term self-interest, prioritizing political posturing above reaching an agreement that would benefit everyone. The WTO's continued failure to prohibit subsidy-driven overcapacity and overfishing jeopardizes the lives of millions of people who depend on healthy fish populations for their livelihoods and food security." According to researchsupported by Oceana, harmful fisheries subsidies from the world's top fishing nations disproportionately impact the vulnerable developing nations that depend on fish for food security and livelihoods. The draft agreement included measures that could have helped rectify this global imbalance. Without them, these practices will continue. Oceana Board Member and leading fisheries economist Dr. Rashid Sumaila says, "Today most fish stocks are either fully exploited or overfished. Without fish, it's game over. Given the massive effort by so many since 2001, the WTO's failure to take effective action this week to remove overfishing subsidies questions whether the organization is capable of addressing these subsidies at all." Oceana is calling for members to shift their focus to first ratify and then strengthen the first agreement, which at least prohibits subsidies for illegal fishing and fishing on depleted fish stocks. To date, 70 members have accepted the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, meaning 40 acceptances remain for the agreement to enter into force. Once ratified, the agreement's sunset clause - a provision that mandates the termination of the agreement if comprehensive disciplines are not established within four years - will come into effect. This clause is not just a safeguard against perpetual failed WTO negotiations; it's a clear deadline, injecting much-needed urgency into the process. "This mechanism offers a glimmer of hope, providing a concrete timeline to end the two-decade-long stalemate and forces the WTO to prove its commitment to global sustainability. Now it's up to members to ratify and implement the agreement. The world is watching," added Skerritt. ABOUT OCEANA: Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the world's wild fish catch. With more than 300 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana's campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit Oceana.org to learn more. Contact: Anna Baxter abaxter@oceana.org VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 1, 2024 / bettermoo(d) Food Corporation (CSE:MOOO), (OTCQB:MOOOF), (Frankfurt:0I5A, WKN:A3D8PP) (the "Company" or "bettermoo(d)") is pleased to announce that it intends to investigate opportunities for a takeover or investment by a major Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) company in the industry. Due to the Company's innovative product offering, and recent successful nationwide launch of Moodrink (see press release dated February 2, 2024) which saw the product sell out in select stores across Canada (see press release dated February 16, 2024), the Company is becoming a major disruptor in the dairy alternative space. Additionally, the Company has established a strong brand identity by teaming up with impactful partners, which together have amassed 37 million followers across various social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly twitter) and YouTube, which adds to the list of attractive attributes major companies are looking for. "We believe we can be an attractive target for a takeover or investment by a major Consumer Packaged Goods company looking to make an entrance, or further bolster their position, in the dairy replacement market. Thanks to our recent launch of Moodrink, and its strong reception in Canada, bettermoo(d)'s stature has been significantly elevated. Our unique branding, combined with our innovative product, which focuses on having the best nutrition and taste in the market, significantly differentiates the product from competitors," said Nima Bahrami, CEO of bettermoo(d). In the event of a suitable offer, the Company will provide shareholders and the market with further updates as it investigates potential opportunities in the industry. ABOUT BETTERMOO(D) FOOD CORPORATION bettermoo(d) Food Corporation is an innovative plant-based dairy alternative food and beverage company based in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, launching Moodrink, a nutritious dairy-alternative beverage with a revolutionary flavour. Moodrink includes a blend of herbs and flowers similar to what cows ate, before the time of mass livestock production. Like rich dairy products, Moodrink contains added healthy plant fats and vitamins, so consumers don't miss out. The "Moodrink" is just the beginning of the revolution for the Vancouver based dairy-alternative company, bettermoo(d). Driven by the motto "What A Cow Eats and A Human Needs" bettermoo(d) seeks to produce dairy alternative products that are good for both people and the planet - ensuring that all products are nutritious and sustainably sourced, and that also emulate the great taste of traditional milk from the Alps regions of Switzerland, France and Austria. Working with food scientists, the Company's goal is to conduct continuous food research and development programs with the aim of rolling out a full line of dairy alternative products, including Moogurt and Buetter, as well as many other products, that are better for YOU and better for the planet. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD of DIRECTORS Nima Bahrami Chief Executive Officer and Director bettermoo(d) Food Corporation For further information please contact: Email: investors@bettermoodfoodcorporation.com Website: www.bettermoo.com Phone: 1-855-715-1865 The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain forward looking statements and forward looking information (collectively, "Forward-Looking Statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements with respect to the anticipated commercial production of Moodrink, are forward-looking statements. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. SOURCE: bettermoo(d) Food Corporation View the original press release on accesswire.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 1, 2024) - OBERON URANIUM CORP. (CSE: OBRN) ("Oberon" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a property purchase and sale agreement (the "Agreement") with Forty Pillars Mining Corp. ("Forty Pillars") (CSE: PLLR), an arm's length party to Oberon, pursuant to which Oberon has agreed to sell its Element 92 Uranium Property, comprised of a single Saskatchewan mineral claim number covering 5,961 hectares located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, on the southern end of the Athabasca region (the "Property"). Under the Agreement, Forty Pillars has agreed to pay to Oberon $10,000 in cash and to issue 2,000,000 common shares of Forty Pillars on closing of the transaction. The shares will be subject to a four month hold period in accordance with applicable securities laws. It is anticipated that Oberon will be an insider of Forty Pillars on closing of the transaction, by reason of holding approximately 17.25% of the issued and outstanding shares of Forty Pillars post-closing. Closing is subject to customary conditions of closing, including completion of due diligence by Forty Pillars and approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (if required), and is expected to complete shortly. Oberon also announces that Sandy Loutitt is resigning from his position as special advisor to Oberon to pursue other ventures. Oberon's management and board of directors thank Mr. Loutitt for his services to the Company. About the Company Oberon Uranium Corp. is a mineral exploration company with a 100% interest in the past producing Lucky Boy Uranium Property located in Arizona, USA. Oberon also owns a 100% interest in the Fusion Uranium Zone Project and the Element 92 Property both located in the Athabasca Region of Saskatchewan, Canada. For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) or contact the Company by email at info@oberonuranium.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors "Lawrence Hay" President and CEO Tel: 778.317.8754 Email: info@oberonuranium.com Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, including with respect to future plans, and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions, the ability to manage operating expenses, and dependence on key personnel. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, the continued availability of capital and financing, litigation, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 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/200177 SOURCE: Oberon Uranium Corp. JINAN, China, March 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 2, SinoTruk's Science and Technology Innovation Award Annual Conference 2024 was grandly held, to recognize and rewarding major scientific and technological achievements and outstanding innovative talents since 2022, planning and deploying scientific and technological innovation work ahead. Tan Xuguang, Chairman and General Manager of Shandong Heavy Industry Group, Chairman of China National Heavy Duty Truck Group, attended the conference and delivered a report on scientific and technological innovative work - "Steadily stride forward, embracing change in science and technology". Over the past five years, Sinotruk has invested nearly RMB 15 billion in R&D, which is the sum of the previous 15 years. It has benchmarked against world-class standards and gradually established a full-process independent research and development system. Sinotruk technological strength has reached the forefront of the national industry. Sinotruk has reshaped the "Yellow River" heavy-duty trucks standard with technology, ranking first in China, and its high-tech indicators are leading the industry. The market share of heavy-duty trucks has increased from 16.5% in 2018 to 26% in 2023, ranking first in China for two consecutive years. In 2023, the export volume exceeded 130,000 vehicles for the very first time, a 2.6-fold increase compared to 5 years ago, making it the largest single-brand global export volume in the world. Tan Xuguang called on all engineers to keep in mind their mission, be down-to-earth, persistent in innovation, and make long-term achievements through dedicated ten years of hard work. Learn from the global cooperation, grow and become talents through project training, and achieve through continuous value creation. Achieve your meaning in life, strive with vitality and passion while you are young. Let's set off again for a better future for the century heavy truck industry and the world's best heavy truck industry! Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2353005/Image_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2353013/Pic2.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sinotruk-leaping-forward-to-become-world-class-technology-enterprise-302077767.html Fort Lauderdale, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - March 2, 2024) - In a groundbreaking move towards convenience and efficiency, Keyzoo, a pioneering platform in the locksmith industry, announces the launch of its innovative online ordering system for car keys. Leveraging cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence technology, Keyzoo is set to transform the way people access and procure car keys, offering an unparalleled level of ease and affordability. Keyzoo's 24/7 Locksmith Services To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9987/199533_4518f6e5445d9a02_001full.jpg With the rise of digital solutions, Keyzoo introduces a seamless online platform where customers can effortlessly order their car keys from the comfort of their homes. By harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence, Keyzoo has developed a highly efficient system designed to save customers money on their car keys while ensuring a swift and hassle-free ordering process. Founder Eli Itzhaki, a veteran in the locksmith industry, identified a critical gap in the market - the arduous task of finding reliable car key services amidst a sea of software complexities and tool dependencies. Eli's firsthand experience led to the inception of Keyzoo, a platform committed to providing customers with easy car key solutions at flat prices, eliminating the uncertainty and exorbitant costs associated with traditional locksmith services. "At Keyzoo, we are dedicated to revolutionizing the way people access car key services," says Eli Itzhaki, Founder of Keyzoo. "Our mission is to simplify the process, empower customers with transparent pricing, and deliver unparalleled convenience through our innovative online platform." Keyzoo's groundbreaking technology extends beyond online ordering to its network of interactive kiosks, strategically located for easy access. These kiosks serve as convenient hubs where customers can click and collect their car keys, streamlining the entire process and eliminating unnecessary wait times. Locksmith in Florida is a 24/7 locksmith services for residents in South Florida and beyond, ensuring prompt assistance whenever the need arises. With a commitment to customer satisfaction and reliability, Keyzoo stands as a trusted partner in the realm of car key solutions. Experience the future of car key services with Keyzoo today by visiting Keyzoo's Website. About Keyzoo: Keyzoo is a pioneering platform in the locksmith industry, dedicated to providing easy car key solutions through innovative online ordering and interactive kiosks. With a commitment to transparency, affordability, and reliability, Keyzoo revolutionizes the way people access car key services. Media Inquiries : Name: Eli Itzhak Company: Keyzoo Email: office@keyzoo.com +Phone: 1 888-539-9660 Website: http://keyzoo.com/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199533 SOURCE: 7Newswire A day after the blast, which left at least nine people injured, CCTV footage has emerged showing a man planting a bag full of explosives in the Rameshwaram cafe in Bengaluru and then leaving the eatery. A highly advanced electronic timer device utilised in the explosion has been found by the city police Rameshwaram Cafe where a fire broke out after a suspected cylinder explosion, in Bengaluru. PTI At least nine people were injured in an explosion at Bengalurus Rameshwaram Cafe on Friday afternoon. The blast was reportedly caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) at around 1 pm at the Whitefield branch of the cafe in the citys Rajajinagar. A day after the explosion, CCTV footage emerged showing a man planting a bag full of explosives within the cafe premises and leaving the place. Advertisement Heres all we know about the man and the blast. Identifying the suspect As per the initial investigation, the alleged bomber is a male in his 2530s. He had a cap on top of his head, spectacles, and a mask covering his face. The Times of India quoted a senior police officer, who examined the CCTV footage at the restaurant and nearby areas, as saying, He is seen getting off a bus right near the restaurant and walking into it (wearing a mask). He pays at the cash counter and obtains a token for rava idli. After consuming the idli, he is seen leaving a bag near the dustbin and walking out. The time he spent at the restaurant is around seven minutes. Staff and customers at Rameswaram Cafe after a blast, in Bengaluru, Friday. PTI A timer was used to ignite the explosive nearly an hour after he left. Nuts and bolts have been found scattered at the restaurant, reported News18. Using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and face recognition software, investigating cops are identifying the individual who placed a bag containing a bomb inside the restaurant. Advertisement Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, according to TOI, said, The suspect has been identified. His facial features have been captured by CCTV cameras and the same is being matching using facial recognition systems to track him. The Bengaluru police have detained and are questioning another person who was spotted with the suspect, as per NDTV. Advertisement Investigation underway Investigators are looking into potential terror connections to the low-intensity explosion that occurred in the middle of the day and shocked the metropolitan city. A highly advanced electronic timer device utilised in the explosion has been found by the city police, according to another report by News18. The initial probe also indicates that high-grade explosives, such as RDX, were used in the explosion; however, the specific type of explosives used will only be revealed by a forensic test. Advertisement Additional evidence was gathered from the bomb scene last night by NSG teams and law enforcement. A member of Bomb disposal Squad at the Rameshwaram Cafe after a blast, in Bengaluru, Friday. PTI Police have filed a first information report or FIR, under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act, 120B, 324, and 307. According to Shivakumar, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) has been given charge of the investigation and is positive that it will be able to apprehend the culprit within a few days. Advertisement TOI quoted him as saying that eight teams had been assembled to find and apprehend the culprit, and that they have already fanned out in different directions to track the accused. A team from the FSL, Bomb Disposal Squad, and Dog Squad investigated the explosion site at the cafe on Saturday morning. Advertisement The government has also emphasised that every angle is being looked at. According to News18, a senior officer who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that the suspect was planning an impact because of the use of shrapnel and the placement of explosives. The suspect might have selected Rameshwaram Cafe, he continued, due of its large traffic volume and Whitefields reputation as a centre for technology and information. Advertisement We have yet to identify what type of module is involved in this case. We are using technology to get answers, the official said. The blast At least nine people have been injured in the blast. Dramatic footage of the restaurant roof partially collapsing can be seen in CCTV footage that has appeared online. In the footage, frightened customers run around wildly as dense smoke surrounds the scene. Advertisement The National Investigation Agency (NIA) rushed immediately to the location to perform an extensive investigation. Both cafe employees and customers who were hurt are currently undergoing medical treatment. Staff and customers at Rameswaram Cafe after a blast, in Bengaluru, Friday. PTI According to TOI, when visiting a private hospital with Home Minister G Parameshwara, Shivakumar asserted, The government will foot the bills of the injured. According to Parameshwara, the victims wounds were not potentially life-threatening. Advertisement The blasts impact caused some of the victims to rupture their eardrums, the report said. Late in the evening, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi and Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot went to Vydehi Hospital and Brookefield Multi-Specialty Hospital to meet the injured patients. The owners of Rameshwaram cafe Rameshwaran cafe co-founder Divya Raghavendra Rao told NDTV that the initial understanding following the blast was that it originated in the kitchen but only later came to know from the CCTV footage that it happened in the customer seating area near the cash counter. Advertisement We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident at our Brookefield branch. We are cooperating with the authorities and officials in their investigations, the cafe said in a statement. Our thoughts are with the injured and their families, and we are offering them all the support, assistance and care they need and praying for their speedy recovery, she added, as per Hindustan Times. Advertisement With inputs from agencies A dramatic footage has been released showing the moment a lone killer whale attacked and ate a great white shark before swimming off with the victims liver in its mouth. The attack has sparked worries that different shark species, such as great white sharks, would be driven from coastal areas Scientists have called it an unprecedented display of predatory prowess unfolded in a matter of just two minutes. Image Courtesy: Justice 4 Jaws/Facebook Orca, or the killer whale, has been previously known for hunting sharks, dolphins, and even solo whales. However, dramatic footage has been released showing the moment a lone killer whale attacked and ate a great white shark before swimming off with the victims liver in its mouth. Scientists have called it an unprecedented display of predatory prowess unfolded in a matter of just two minutes. Advertisement Lets take a closer look. The smash-and-grab attack The African Journal of Marine Science has provided extensive documentation of the incident that took place on 18 June 2023, off the coast of Mossel Bay, South Africa. The attack involved a killer whale, nicknamed Starboard, previously observed by scientists, attacking a juvenile great white shark. According to the report, the team of researchers launched a boat shortly after 2 pm to observe the two killer whales, including another killer whale called Port. The latest attack was indicated by the scent of shark liver and the sight of diving kelp gulls as the vessel traversed the water to follow the pair. Advertisement Advertisement The attack that followed happened quickly at 3.02 pm a young white shark surfaced in the water and was followed immediately by Starboard. The whale gripped the left pectoral fin of the shark and thrust forward with the shark several times before eventually eviscerating it and just minutes later Starboard was seen with a bloody piece of peach-coloured liver in its mouth, The Guardian cited the report. Advertisement Port, Starboards second male companion, did not get involved and was approximately 329 feet away from the attack scene. Even though Starboard was able to kill the juvenile great white shark, which was thought to weigh approximately 100 kilogrammes and measure about 2.5 metres in length, the team suggests he could need to work with others to take on larger prey. Great white sharks can reach an adult size of 2.5 tonnes and 6.5 metres. Advertisement Researchers and tourists on board another vessel that had participated in shark cage diving activities also recorded the incident. Why scientists are worried According to experts, the incident off the South African coast provides fresh information on orcas hunting behaviour. The killer whales nicknamed Port and Starboard because their dorsal fins are curved in opposite ways, have been hunting together off the coast of South Africa recently, according to earlier studies conducted by the scientists. Advertisement Researchers say its still unclear how orcas open huge sharks to feast on shark livers, even though the two seem to have a preference for the organs. The researchers said all previous instances of orcas hunting sharks in the area that have been documented involved two to six orcas and usually lasted for two hours. Advertisement Their attacks have sparked worries that different shark species, such as great white sharks, would be driven from coastal areas. Witnessing the attack by Starboard, Dr Primo Micarelli, a co-author of the new study from the Shark Studies Centre and Siena University, said it was an unforgettable experience to witness the orca carry the great white sharks liver past the vessel he was aboard. Advertisement But he added, according to The Guardian, Despite my awe for these predators, Im increasingly concerned about the coastal marine ecology balance. It was impossible to determine if the behaviour was new or just being seen for the first time, Marine mammal scientists Dr Luke Rendell from the University of St Andrews noted, as per BBC. But what really stands out is is how skilful these animals are as hunters. Advertisement Although the scientists are unsure of the cause of the behaviour, Dr Towner told BBC News that it was becoming more and more obvious that human activities, like climate change and industrial fishing, are exerting significant pressures on our oceans. Killer whales that hunt sharks may also suffer health effects from consuming metals and poisons found in shark flesh. Advertisement Disruptions in the balance of apex predators can affect other species too. Endangered African penguins could face increased predation by cape fur seals (if the fur seals are not being eaten by) white sharks, Dr Towner explained. Dr Towner added that every discovery in these interactions (between orcas and sharks) was fascinating. Advertisement With inputs from agencies The US is planning to carry out airdrops of food and supplies into Gaza in the coming days. However, the task will be extremely difficult, because Gaza is densely populated and doesnt guarantee the aid will reach the people in need and not in the hands of Hamas Palestinians line up for free food in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Friday, 23 February 2024. An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians displaced by the war took refuge in Rafahor, which is likely Israel's next focus in its war against Hamas. AP In the latest development, the United States is planning to carry out airdrops of food and supplies into Gaza in the coming days. The development comes a day after the deaths of Palestinians queuing for aid threw a spotlight on an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in the crowded coastal enclave. Other countries, including Jordan and France, have already carried out airdrops of aid into Gaza. Advertisement In the coming days, were going to join with our friends in Jordan and others who are providing airdrops of additional food and supplies and will seek to open up other avenues in, including possibly a marine corridor, Biden said, according to The Associated Press. The president twice referred to airdrops to help Ukraine, but White House officials clarified that he was referring to Gaza. But sending aid to Gaza wont be easy. Heres why. How will it work? America will use military aircraft to drop supplies like military MREs, or meals ready-to-eat, over Gaza. The C-17 and C-130 are the most appropriate aircraft for the task, though it is unknown which one will be utilised, according to Reuters. The US Air Force says a C-17 can carry 40 pallets, compared to a C-130s 16 capacity. Advertisement Pallets are loaded onto aircraft by military personnel on the ground, after which they are secured in place. The lock securing the supplies is released after the aircraft reaches the required altitude, and with the aid of a parachute fastened to the pallet, they descend to the ground. In 2014, the American military airdropped aid in northern Iraq, where civilians were trapped by Islamic State fighters. In those few months, more than 100,000 meals and 96,000 water bottles were airdropped, according to another Reuters report. Advertisement At the White House, spokesperson John Kirby stressed that airdrops would become a sustained effort. This isnt going to be one and done, he said. Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip. AP David Deptula, a retired US Air Force three-star general who once commanded the no-fly zone over northern Iraq, said airdrops are something the US military can effectively execute. Advertisement It is something thats right up their mission alley, Deptula told Reuters, adding, There are a lot of detailed challenges. But theres nothing insurmountable. Biden told reporters that the US was also looking at the possibility of a maritime corridor to deliver large amounts of aid to Gaza. Why wont it be easy? While the military can look at weather patterns ahead of time, the wind plays a large role in ensuring that they land where they should. Advertisement Several social media videos have shown some aid delivered by other countries ending up in the sea. Gaza is densely populated, and officials say it will be difficult to ensure that the aid reaches the people who need it and doesnt end up in some unreachable place. It is extremely difficult to do an airdrop in such a crowded environment as is Gaza, Kirby said. Advertisement Officials also say that without a US military presence on the ground, there is no guarantee that the aid will not end up in the hands of Hamas. A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the airdrops would have only a limited impact on the suffering of those in Gaza. Advertisement It doesnt deal with the root cause, the official said, adding that ultimately only opening up land borders could deal with the issue in a serious manner. Another issue, the official added, was that the U.S. could not ensure that the aid simply didnt end up in Hamas hands, given that the United States did not have troops on the ground. Advertisement Humanitarian workers always complain that airdrops are good photo opportunities but a lousy way to deliver aid, Richard Gowan, the International Crisis Groups U.N. Director, said. Gowan said that the only way to get enough aid was through aid convoys which would follow a truce. It is arguable that the situation in Gaza is now so bad that any additional supplies will at least alleviate some suffering. But this at best a temporary band aid measure, Gowan added. Advertisement Is Israel aware of the airdrop? Yes. We are aware of the humanitarian airdrop, said an Israeli official in Washington. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not reply to a question on whether the US had sought Israeli agreement in advance on the air drops or was coordinating the effort with it. Advertisement For months, the US has been calling for Israel to allow more aid into Gaza, something Israel has resisted previously. Whats the current situation in Gaza? At least 576,000 people in the Gaza Strip one-quarter of the enclaves population are one step away from famine, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Advertisement Gaza health authorities said Israeli forces had killed more than 100 people trying to reach a relief convoy near Gaza City early on Thursday, as Palestinians face an increasingly desperate situation nearly five months into the war that began with a Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October. Israel blamed most of the deaths on crowds that swarmed around aid trucks, saying victims had been trampled or run over. An Israeli official also said troops had in a limited response later fired on crowds they felt had posed a threat. With people eating animal feed and even cactuses to survive, and with medics saying children are dying in hospitals from malnutrition and dehydration, the U.N. has said it faces overwhelming obstacles getting in aid. The UN delivered aid to besieged northern Gaza for the first time in over a week on Friday, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The UN delivered medicines, vaccines and fuel to al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. The World Food Programme said 10 days ago that it was pausing deliveries of food aid to northern Gaza until conditions in the Palestinian enclave allow for safe distribution. The UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA said on Friday that during February, an average of nearly 97 trucks were able to enter Gaza each day, compared with about 150 trucks a day in January, adding: The number of trucks entering Gaza remains well below the target of 500 per day. With inputs from The Associated Press and Reuters Amarnath Ghosh, from Kolkata, died after being shot multiple times in St. Louis city in US Missouri. A professional Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer, he was attending Washington University to pursue his MFA in dance Amarnath Ghosh was raised in Kolkata, where he learnt the Shantiniketan style of Rabindra Nrita and Rabindra Sangeet. Image Courtesy: GoFundMe website In yet another case of the killing of an Indian in the United States, a classical dancer has been shot dead in Missouris Saint Louis. The news was shared by Amarnath Ghoshs friend and TV actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee on X on Friday, claiming that he was shot multiple times during an evening walk. Advertisement While stating that the victims friends are unable to claim his body, Bhattacharjee asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and the Indian Embassy in the US to obtain information regarding the motives behind the victims murder. Heres all we know about the victim and the shocking killing. About Amarnath Ghosh Ghosh was a professional Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer. He was attending Washington University in St. Louis to pursue his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in dance. As per his profile on the university website, he conducted research on the writings of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Ghosh, a master of four dance forms (Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, and Kathak), attended Chennais Kuchipudi Art Academy and Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts. Advertisement He was raised in Kolkata, where he learnt the Shantiniketan style of Rabindra Nrita and Rabindra Sangeet. He seeks to bring the richness of Tagore poetry down south and inspire young adults and children on the strength of the beautiful evocative poetry of Tagore, his website, amarnathendra.com read. He had training from Padma Sri Adyar K Lakshman, Bobita Dey Sarkar, and Sri MV Narasimhachari, according to NDTV. Advertisement He received Nritya Kanak Mani Saman from the International Dance and Music Festival in New Delhi as well as a National Scholarship for Kuchipudi from the International Cultural Ministry in New Delhi. Additionally, Ghosh has presented lecture demonstrations and art appreciation workshops in several locations throughout India and the world, as per Times Now. Advertisement Mumbai-based actor Bhattacharjee stated in her post that Ghosh was the only child in the family. His mother passed away three years ago, while the victim lost his father in his childhood. The killing Bhattacharjee, in a post on X said, My friend Amarnath Ghosh was shot and killed in St Louis academy neighbourhood, US on Tuesday evening. () Well the reason, the accused details, everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one left in his family to fight for it except his few friends. Advertisement He was from Kolkata. Excellent dancer, was pursuing PHD, was taking an evening walk and suddenly he was shot multiple times by an unknown (person). Some friends in the US are trying claim the body but still no update about it (sic). My friend #Amarnathghosh was shot & killed in St louis academy neigbourhood, US on tuesday evening. Only child in the family, mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood. Well the reason , accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one Devoleena Bhattacharjee (@Devoleena_23) March 1, 2024 Advertisement She further tagged PM Modi, EAM Dr Jaishankar and the US Embassy. According to The Times of India, the victims uncle Shyamal Ghosh, who stays in Suri, said, We received a call about his death from my sister in New Delhi. We do not know the circumstances leading to the death. I have gone to Suri police station to seek more information. He has a home here. Advertisement Srimayi Vempati, a Kuchipudi dancer and Ghoshs teacher, said she received a call on Wednesday from several of his classmates informing her that Ghosh was missing. The students went to the police after 24 hours, and were later told of his death. Sanatanu Dutta, a cinematographer from Kolkata who also claims to be Ghoshs neighbour in Suri, reported that he had a WhatsApp conversation with Gosh on Tuesday. Advertisement Not once did he mention that there was any threat. On Thursday morning, I got a call from his partner, Praveen Paul. He told me that a mobile and wallet were found beside the body. The fingerprints had matched with Dadas, Dutta said. Suri councillor Suprana Ray said, We have told the administration to find out more details. Advertisement A fundraiser has been launched to collect funds for Ghoshs funeral. He is our faculty in our Kuchipudi dance school. We are trying to see if we can claim body and do the arrangements.https://t.co/QhESUSNmdt ravi (@ravikuppa) March 1, 2024 Advertisement Indias response In addition to expressing its sincere sympathies to Ghoshs family and friends, the Office of the Consulate General of India in Chicago stated that it is following up forensic, investigation with police & providing support. Advertisement The Consulate General said that it is extending all help to relatives, while adding, Taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack. Consulate is extending all help to relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh. Taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack. @IndianEmbassyUS @MEAIndia India in Chicago (@IndiainChicago) March 2, 2024 Deaths of Indian-origins in the US Ghoshs death is the latest in a series of deaths of Indians and Indian-origin people in the US. More than half a dozen cases of Indian-origin individuals being killed on American soil have surfaced since the beginning of this year. About a week ago, the news of a teenage Indian-origin students death garnered national attention. Akul Dhawan , an Illinois University student, was frozen to death in January on West Nevada Street near a club that refused him entry. On 20 February, a month after the incident, the Champaign County Coroners Office in Illinois revealed that the 18-year-old died of hypothermia following acute alcohol intoxication and prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures, which significantly contributed to his death. His body was found on the back porch of a building near the university campus. Before that, an Indian-origin family from Kerala was found dead at their home in California with the police investigating the case as a murder-suicide. Anand Henry, a 37-year-old former Meta software engineer, is suspected of killing his wife Alice Benziger, 36, and their four-year-old twin sons before turning a gun on himself. Student Sameer Kamath from Purdue University was found dead in Warren County on 5 February. Neel Acharya who had been missing in the US was confirmed dead by the same university authorities last month. The most horrific death was that of Vivek Saini . A resident of Haryana, he died after he was hammered 50 times in Georgias Lithonia on 16 January. White House official John Kirby denounced attacks on Indian students last month and said that there is no excuse for violence based on race, gender, or any other factor. The president and this administration have been working very, very hard to make sure were doing everything we can to work with state and local authorities to try to thwart and disrupt those kinds of attacks and make it clear to anybody who might consider them that theyll be held properly accountable, Kirby said amid a slew of attacks on Indian and Indian American students in various parts of the US. With inputs from agencies Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired several meetings with his ministers in the past week to chart out a roadmap for the next five years. Amid this, the saffron partys announcement of the list is the first major announcement as the party gears up for campaigning ahead of the elections The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released the first list of 195 Lok Sabha candidates ahead of general elections. Some names were dropped, while others were added with one making a debut and still others running from the same constituencies as before. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired several meetings with his ministers in the past week to chart out a roadmap for the next five years. Amid this, the saffron partys announcement of the list is the first major announcement as the party gears up for campaigning ahead of the elections. Advertisement Heres a look at the first list in numbers: 195: The number of candidates in BJPs first list for the Lok Sabha polls. One: Bansuri Swaraj, the daughter of the late BJP stalwart Sushma Swaraj, will make her poll debut from the New Delhi seat. Two former chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Biplab Kumar Deb also figure in the list. Three: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest from Varanasi for a third time. Modi had contested from Varanasi for the first time in 2014 as he led the BJP to its maiden majority in Lok Sabha. Four sitting MPs including Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi, former Union minister Harsh Vardhan and Ramesh Bidhuri have been dropped. Advertisement Five: Shivraj Singh Chouhan returns to his former parliamentary constituency Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, which he represented for five terms before taking over as the states chief minister in 2005. Seven ministers, who were members of Rajya Sabha and were expected to fight the Lok Sabha elections, have been fielded in the polls. Jyotiraditya Scindia will contest from Guna (Madhya Pradesh), Sarbananda Sonowal from Dibrugarh (Assam), Bhupender Yadav from Alwar (Rajasthan), Rajeev Chandrashekhar from Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), V Muraleedharan Parshottam Rupala from Rajkot (Gujarat) and Mansukh Mandaviya from Porbandar (Gujarat). Advertisement 20 per cent of BJPs MPs have been dropped. 34 Union ministers, including heavyweights like Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, are part of the list. The list includes 28 women, 47 persons below 50 years of age, 27 from Scheduled Castes, 18 from Scheduled Tribes and 57 from Other Backward Classes. 155 seats out of the 195 for which candidates have been named were won by the BJP in 2019. Advertisement The first list has 51 seats from Uttar Pradesh, 24 from Madhya Pradesh, 20 from West Bengal, 15 each from Gujarat and Rajasthan, 12 from Kerala, nine from Telangana, 11 each from Assam, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, five from Delhi, three from Uttarakhand, two each from Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, and one each from Goa, Tripura, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Daman and Diu. Google has stated that ten enterprises in the nation, including many well-established ones, evaded paying fees while profiting from the platform Info Edge (India) Ltd said on Saturday that its mobile applications, which include naukri.com, 99acres.com, and shiksha.com, had been deleted from the Google Play Store. This comes only a day after Google began deleting various apps, including well-known matrimonial apps, from the Play Store in India due to a service fee disagreement. Advertisement Google has stated that ten enterprises in the nation, including many well-established ones, evaded paying fees while profiting from the platform. We would like to inform you that the companys mobile applications (viz. Naukri.com Job Search App, Naukri Recruiter, Naukrigulf Job Search App, 99acres Buy/Sell/Rent Property and Shiksha), have been removed/delisted from Google Play Store today by Google, along with several mobile applications of other companies/entities as well, Info Edge (India) Ltd said in a BSE filing. It said the action comes as a surprise to the company as it was taken without giving due and sufficient notice by Google. Info Edge clarified that users who already have its mobile apps downloaded on their mobile devices can continue to use the same. In addition, all users who are using the apps through other platforms (such as Apple App Store) or through the web platforms concerned (on both mobile and desktop), are not impacted by this change. Advertisement The company is reviewing and evaluating the next course of action and working with Google in this regard, to ensure that the companys mobile applications are reinstated on Google Play Store, in the best timely manner, the filing added. The dispute is over Google imposing a fee of 11-26 per cent on in-app payments after anti-competition body CCI ordered scrapping of an earlier system of charging 15-30 per cent. Advertisement Google went ahead to remove the apps not paying the fee after the Supreme Court did not provide interim relief to companies behind these apps in their battle against the search giants platform fees. However, Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani on Friday said it had cleared all pending Google invoices in a timely manner and was compliant with its policies. Advertisement Indian companies will comply - for now. But what India needs is an App Store/ Play Store that is a part of Digital Public Infrastructure - like UPI and ONDC. The response needs to be strategic, he said in a post on X tagging Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his office. One of the key points to be discussed during the exercise could be the highlights of the governments performance, as the BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance has expressed confidence in retaining power With the country gearing up for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on March 3 in New Delhi. The meeting, which is expected to set the tone of the partys election campaign, will be held at the Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in the Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave in New Delhi. Advertisement It also comes after the BJP announced the first list of Lok Sabha candidates on Saturday, a day after the saffron party held back-to-back CEC meetings. Although the prime minister has chaired several Council of Ministers meetings, the latest one holds significance for two reasons. It may be the last of Modis second term This will be the last time PM Modi holds a Council of Ministers meeting before the end of his second term before the country goes to poll. One of the key points to be discussed during the exercise could be the highlights of the governments performance, as the BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance has expressed confidence in retaining power at the Centre for a third term under Modi on the back of its development and welfare planks. Advertisement According to a report by the Times of India, the meeting will see the first presentation of the full Viksit Bharat. This will be a key meeting considering that in the interim Budget, the FM announced that govt will present a detailed roadmap for Viksit Bharat in the full budget in July. Since the PM is confident of his govt returning, we expect that he will speak his mind on the bigger plan, a government official told TOI. Advertisement Meanwhile, the prime minister has also asked his cabinet to come up with an action plan for the next 100 days as well as a roadmap for the next five years. EC to announce the poll schedule soon The second reason why this meeting is crucial as it comes ahead of the Election Commissions announcement of the dates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Advertisement In 2014, the Election Commission announced the schedule for the nine-phased Lok Sabha elections on March 5 and the results were declared on May 16. In 2019, the poll panel announced the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections on March 10 and the results were declared on May 23. The poll body is currently holding meetings to gauge preparedness in the various states for the elections. Advertisement BJP releases first list of LS candidates The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday released its first list of 195 Lok Sabha candidates from 16 states and two Union Territories ahead of the general elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest from Varanasi for the third time. The announcement of the list, which includes 34 Union Ministers and Ministers of State(MoS) and two former Chief Ministers, comes after the saffron party held a meeting of BJPs Central Election Committee (CEC) chaired by PM Modi. Advertisement While announcing the list, BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde said that the first list includes 28 women candidates, 47 youths, 27 Scheduled Caste, 18 Scheduled Tribe and 57 OBC candidates. With inputs from agencies In the coming times, these laws will be a game changer in ensuring a speedy trial and bringing transparency to the investigation process The Central government has notified that the three new criminal laws, namely the Bhartiya Sakshya Sanhita (BSS), Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which aim to replace the colonial era Indian Evidence Act 1872 (IEA), Indian Penal Code 1860 (IPC), and Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 (CrPC), will come into effect from 1 July 2024. Advertisement One of the most appreciable measures in the enactment of the new criminal laws has been the insertion of the words electronic and digital records in the definition of document in section 2(1)(d) of the BSS. The scope of documents in the new BSS has been widened and made futuristic to include server logs, locational evidence, voice mail messages stored on digital devicesetc. In the IEA 1872, the definition of document did not specifically include electronic records. For the admissibility of electronic records in evidence, compliance with Section 65B of IEA 1872 was required. To ease the process further, two new forms have now been included in the schedule of the BSS, which will not only authenticate the collection process but also speed up the appreciation process of digital evidence. These reforms in the domain of electronic evidence will help in plugging the loopholes that were present in the IEA 1872. Advertisement In CrPC 1973, there was no specific provision for Zero FIR. Zero FIR means an FIR registered by the police in case of a cognisable offence, irrespective of the jurisdiction. Earlier section 154 CrPC provided for the registration of FIR but not Zero FIR expressly. Now, section 173(1) of BNSS explicitly provides that every piece of information disclosing the commission of a cognizable offence_, irrespective of the area where the offence is committed_, may be given orally or through electronic means to the police. Advertisement In many instances, the police refuse to register an FIR, citing a lack of jurisdiction, and the helpless victims or complainants have to run from pillar to post to get an FIR registered. The new BNSS, by clearly providing for Zero FIR, will ensure that no common man faces difficulty in getting an FIR registered. Advertisement Section 173 further mandates that when such information related to the commission of a cognizable offence is communicated electronically, it shall be taken on record by him (police officer) on being signed within three days by the person giving it. It will ensure that FIR is registered in a stipulated time without any delay. Advertisement Section 105 is a new provision added to the BNSS. Section 105 mandates that search and seizure made by the police, including preparing the list of seized items and signature of witnesses, shall be recorded through audio-video electronic means. It further obliges the police officer to forward such recording without delay to the District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, or First-Class Judicial Magistrate. Section 105 of BNSS will ensure more transparency and curb the misuse of police powers by eliminating any likelihood of the police planting fake evidence. Advertisement A new sub-section (3) has also been added in section 176 of BNSS, which provides for the procedure for investigation by the police. Section 176 was section 157 in the old CrPC. The newly added sub-section (3) specifically provides that where an offence is punishable with imprisonment of seven years or more, a forensic expert shall visit the crime scene to collect the forensic evidence. It further provides that such process of evidence collection shall be video recorded. It is a noteworthy step towards greater transparency and accountability in evidence gathering by the investigating agencies. Advertisement Incorporating technology and forensics into investigations is a positive step towards modernising the criminal justice system in India. It will also help in harnessing the power of scientific technologies. It will improve the quality of evidence and protect the rights of both the accused and victims. Section 193 of BNSS deals with the filing of police reports on completion of the investigation. Section 193(3)(h)(ii) of the BNSS mandates the police officer to inform the victim or the complainant of the progress of the investigation within ninety days. Police can inform them through any means, including electronic form. Earlier, no provision in the CrPC provided for such communication to the victim or complainant within 90 days. Advertisement Under section 235 of CrPC, there was no time limit for pronouncement of the judgment, but section 258 BNSS requires a judge to deliver the judgment within thirty days of completion of arguments. BNSS encourages the use of technology at all stages, from crime scene visits to investigations and trials. It also establishes accountability by prescribing the stipulated time for the supply of documents, police reports, and even the pronouncement of judgments. In the coming times, these laws will be a game changer in ensuring a speedy trial and bringing transparency to the investigation process. Advertisement The author is Assistant Professor at Jindal Global Law School, OP Jindal Global University. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. With the Eastern Armed Organisations increasing drug production to sustain their offensive against the junta, observers must ask themselves whether Chinas uncontested influence over the region and the fall of the House of Ming will fulfill the worlds desire for a democratic Myanmar Three years after the military coup in Myanmar, Operation 1027 was launched against the military junta by The Three Brotherhood Alliance members comprising the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army(MNDAA) from the Kokang Region of Shan State, the Taang National Liberation Army also from the Shan State and the Arakan Army (AA) based in the Rakhine State. On 27 October 2023, the Alliance simultaneously attacked military outposts, police stations and took control over key cities and highways in the northern part of Shan state. The rebellion quickly spread across Myanmar and by 7 November 2023 with the launch of Operation 1107 in support of Operation 1027 many other insurgent groups across the country joined hands. Advertisement This was perhaps one of the rare occasions in the troubled history of Myanmar where Ethnic Armed Organisation(EAO) from a variety of ethnic groups had come together in a meticulously coordinated attack against the junta. AA operating in Rakhine state largely was a surprise entry in this alliance but MNDAA had been an old player in the region. Subsequently, many Myanmar observers debated the pushback by the rebel groups as a victory for democracy, with some reports stating only 30-40 per cent of Myanmar was under the control of the junta. However, in the debates that raged with every town that fell to the rebels what was forgotten was the importance of MNDAA in this offensive. In fact, it was the first blow by MNDAA to the military junta in Laukkaing that propelled the far-reaching consequences of Operation 1027. The fallout of this rebel victory in Shan state resulted in three brigadier generals of the military junta sentenced to death and three to life imprisonment. They were accused of surrendering with their soldiers to MNDAA in Laukkaing, the capital of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone in northern Shan state making it possibly the largest surrender in the history of the military junta in Myanmar resulting in not just a humiliating defeat for the military junta but the sentencing of the brigadier generals sending shock waves across the forces. Advertisement However, at the outset, the Laukkaing victory seemed like one of great coordination founded on a noble cause and peppered with luck. Most would even say this was a victory for the democratic forces, the National Unity Government even, that the Three Brotherhood Alliance claimed to support. This argument gives credibility to the offensive while the world virtue signals to the military junta. But a little study of the anfractuous history of the region will reveal the importance of this victory, not for democracy but for absolute control. Advertisement After the launch of Operation 1027, in mid-November 2023, news started trickling out of Myanmar that Ming Xuechang had taken his own life. The warlord and cybercrime mafia don of Laukkaing, was known to be the henchman and trusted aide of Bai Suocheng who heads one of the four main families of Laukkaing. The other three families were headed by Wei Chaoren, Liu Zhengxiang and Liu Guoxi (who died in 2020). These four main families of Laukkaing were not only money elites of the Shan state but rather the four men who played a part in converting this dusty town into a scamsters paradise. The transformation of Lukkaing began to attract many gamblers from neighbouring countries, especially China where gambling is illegal. Advertisement The four main families expanded their business to trafficking, money laundering and telecom scam centres amongst other illegal activities. This, of course, would not have been possible without the support of the local police and the Tatmadaw. With online scams not just luring Chinese citizens but also these gangs attracting them with high paying jobs in controlled environments, commonly known as cyber slavery, China, bearing the brunt of this wild town, began to put pressure on the Tatmadaw to rein these families in. But with billions of dollars at stake the Mings amongst the others resisted. Advertisement With Chinas frustration with the Tatmadaw unabated and its concerns unaddressed, China decided to activate the Three Brotherhood Alliance last October with the very successful Operation 1027. This was easy to achieve as the leader of MNDAA was the original warlord of Laukkaing, Peng Jiasheng also known as the King of Kokang. Peng had been ousted by none other than the present Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing who led the coup in 2021. Hlaing had used Bai Suocheng, who was Pengs deputy at the time to overthrow Peng Jiasheng. Once they managed to expel Peng who took refuge in China in 2009, Bai Suocheng rose as one of the four families of Kokang. Pengs contentious relationship with the military junta was exacerbated by his proximity to China and his Chinese ancestry. After all, he was the one who negotiated the deal that led to Kokang becoming a special administrative zone, yuan the currency and Mandarin the language. In 2015, MNDAA attempted to take back Kokang under the leadership of Pengs son Peng Daxun. They clashed heavily with Min Aung Hlaings military forces, but managed to seek refuge to wait till another opportunity came up. A testimony to Pengs ability to create deep trust and linkages with other EAOs. When Peng died in 2022 at the age of 94 in Mongla, south of Kokang, his funeral was attended by leaders of all major EAOs, crime syndicates, and community leaders. Condolence messages also reportedly came in from Chinese politicians, NUG as well as Min Aung Hlaing. Incidentally, Mongla is controlled by the National Democratic Alliance Army whose chairman is Pengs son-in-law, Lin Mingxian. While many observers may think that China has a single policy towards the Tatmadaw, the truth like the serpentine history of the Kokang region and its warlords may be far more complex. China on the one hand may want to control any cybercrime, cyber scam and cyber slavery issues impacting its citizens. On the other hand, the Chinese can use their transnational ethnic ancestry as a strength to get their way with Myanmar, irrespective of who is seated in Naypyidaw. It is important to note that Peng was one of the biggest opium, heroin and later methamphetamine traffickers. Reportedly at the behest of China Peng gave up Opium production but expanded to gambling, illegal mining and synthetic drug production. In this context, the outcome of Operation 1027 is not some heroic modern-day story of poor rebels defeating an authoritarian oppressive regime but rather the revival of a China-supported EAO. MNDAA might follow Chinas instructions and clean Kokang, but under the garb of cleaning MNDAA has taken this opportunity to settle scores with the four families of Kokang. Core family members of Bai Suochang were killed in a plane crash while they were on their way to China to surrender. Bai Suocheng and Wei Chaoren and Liu Zhengxiang leaders of three out of the four families were taken to China where Mings son, daughter, granddaughter and son-in-law are already under arrest. China might be interested in containing the cyber scam syndicates on its borders in Myanmar, but this situation is not that easy to solve as the networks run deep and far. MNDAA emerging as the single most powerful group in the region is unlikely to bring stability testing their relationship with the junta. With EAOs increasing drug production to continue their offensive against the junta observers must ask themselves if Chinas uncontested influence over the region and the fall of the House of Ming will fulfil the worlds desire for a democratic Myanmar. The writer is an author, and anthropologist and a scholar of northeast India. Views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The war in Ukraine has sprung back to life over the last few days with activation of the Eastern battlefront in Donbas. Worldwide, the publics appetite for war, however, seems to have stemmed after the horrific events in both Ukraine and Gaza. The former was largely quiet after the Ukrainian counter offensive in June 2023 which made little headway. Thereafter, the war in Gaza took over ever since October 2023 and held centre stage, pushing Ukraine to the back pages. It was largely presumed that both Russia and Ukraine had suffered heavy casualties and major equipment and weapon losses rendering them ineffective to launch counter offensives of a serious nature. The war was presumably petering out into a stalemate with potential revival being linked to the US elections and its results. Advertisement That belief now appears belied, especially in the context of Russia where it was believed that sanctions and embargoes have hamstrung the war effort. Yet, in late February 2024, in a sudden turnaround the Russian forces are reported to have broken the back of the Ukrainian defensive position at the town of Avdiivka, 15 kilometres North West of Donetsk which is one of the biggest cities in the Donbas region which Russia controls. Although media reports highlight Russian breakthroughs at several points on the battlefront, yet nothing can yet be taken at face value; we have witnessed these situations in the past with claims of both warring nations. Built-up areas exist along the next potential battleline to be militarily exploited by the defender. This war has been all about positional defence based upon built up areas which require a huge quantity of artillery and other explosive materials to reduce and capture. Its infantry which changes everything here. In the US, a $60 billion package for Ukraine has been sought by the Biden administration from Congress and is politically contested with bipartisan differences. The sudden surge in information from the Ukraine war front is also being linked to the need for sensitisation of the US political community and the public, on the urgency to act lest the entire effort of NATO goes waste with a potential Russian victory. Therefore, one cannot apply high credibility to reports flowing in of a large-scale Russian breakthrough; one which can spell an operational victory. Thus far the Western media had spelt doom for Russia; a sudden change of reporting patterns always elicit suspicion. One needs an application of mind to arrive at a realistic assessment; military understanding of course makes a big difference. Advertisement What could be the reality? According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the US has thus far donated $73 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Europes contribution has been $81 billion with $29 billion being military aid. More aid is in the pipeline although European countries have not shifted into a war mode for manufacture of warlike material, including ammunition and missiles. A severe shortage of ammunition is being felt at the battlefield by Ukraine. Recall the crash sale last year of $600 million worth of ammunition by Pakistan to Ukraine at the behest of the US. It got Pakistan the reprieve that it sorely needed from the IMF for disbursement of a much-needed pre-approved loan. Advertisement The war in Ukraine has been one of positional battles with very little manoeuver. It has entailed huge casualties and an alarming expenditure of ammunition and missiles. That is normally so when defensive positions are all based upon large built-up areas along a front. Limited efforts have been made to penetrate flanks due to the plethora of villages which dot the countryside in the vicinity of towns and cities. They act as excellent screen positions and are again difficult to penetrate. After the recent reported breakthrough at Avdiivka (population 33,000) the Russians are now attempting to capture the adjoining villages to enlarge the penetration. The Russian Army had similarly captured Bakhmut in a slogging match almost nine months ago. However, it has shown no intent of trying to manoeuver behind the defences in order to cut off supply lines. The battles remain essentially a mix of missiles, gun fire and infantry assaults. Advertisement The Russian war machinery, rusty after the Cold War, has also not been able to keep pace with ammunition expenditure and even with the high attrition in human resources. As an example of support that it has received its pertinent that in the six months between October 2022 and April 2023, cargo ships have carried more than 300,000 artillery shells and a million rounds of ammunition from Iran to Russia across the Caspian Sea. Best known are reconnaissance and attack drones, and surface-to-surface missiles Iran has provided Russian forces, which have been used to attack not only military objectives but also civilian targets. That has been a huge strategic advantage to Russia. Its own population areas are away from the battlefront while it has the virtual liberty to target Ukraines cities, destroy its infrastructure and lay waste its agriculture thus ruining its economy and psychologically demoralizing the population. Advertisement There have been several efforts to label Russia a violator of international humanitarian law. These were also various efforts by NATO led by the US to label Russia and its allies such as Iran and North Korea as pariahs in the international system. Now after the death of 30,000 civilians in Gaza in an Israeli bombing campaign diplomatically supported by the US, there appears no moral high ground to occupy with respect to the Ukraine war. Advertisement The interesting issue arising at this juncture is the same which occupied analyses in the early part of this war. In the event of an impending Russian victory through some kind of breakthrough, would the US and NATO step in to fight the Russians? Would Russian president Vladimir Putin wish to exploit success? Would he be satisfied with the occupation of the entire Donbas and pursue no further agenda except to secure that border? How would NATO react to an attack on any of the Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all of whom are now members of NATO; would the clause of attack on one being treated as an attack on NATO, be invoked? These questions yet remain hypothetical. Advertisement A Russian victory, even after the fall of the Ukrainian frontline, is no guarantee. Its a contest of the supply lines; the NATO ability to sustain the Ukrainian resistance should ordinarily outpace the Iranian and North Korean ones but only if production is ratcheted to wartime levels. Otherwise, Iran and North Korea are well geared to sustain the supply. As far as China is concerned, it has continuously denied supplying any warlike stores to Russia. However, the purchase of Russian energy by both China and India has propped up the Russian economy. Sophisticated components of some Russian manufactured weapons and equipment have been supplied by China which will continue. The latest in the equations of supply of munitions and warlike stores is a reported Israeli readiness to supply arms to Ukraine to prevent any breakdown. This includes components of the Iron Dome Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Missile system. Advertisement The final issue. If this war continues in stalemate conditions till the US elections and should there be a Trump return, it can be visualised how he would turn his back on Ukraine. Is Europe prepared for that contingency and is Putin waiting for that to happen? He may well wish to keep his reserves for some battles in that unpredictable situation. This war is not likely to end soon and maybe not even later; it may just fester as any other long war. Advertisement The writer is a Member of the National Disaster Management Authority. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Afghanistan has announced the creation of a commission made up of representatives from several ministries to address the damages, especially to those who own livestock, in reaction to the situation. Fifty million Afghanis have been set aside by the government to assist livestock owners in the provinces of Balkh, Jawzjan, Badghis, Faryab, and Herat Data from the provinces of Balkh and Faryab show that the recent snowfall has had a disastrous effect on cattle, with around ten thousand animals dying Image Courtesy AFP Over the past three days, there has been widespread, heavy snowfall in numerous Afghan provinces, which has tragically resulted in the deaths of fifteen people and the injury of about thirty more. A TOLOnews report states that data from the provinces of Balkh and Faryab show that the recent snowfall has had a disastrous effect on cattle, with around ten thousand animals dying. Advertisement Afghanistan has announced the creation of a commission made up of representatives from several ministries to address the damages, especially to those who own livestock, in reaction to the situation. Fifty million Afghanis have been set aside by the government to assist livestock owners in the provinces of Balkh, Jawzjan, Badghis, Faryab, and Herat. The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestocks Taliban-appointed spokesperson, Misbahuddin Mustaeen, emphasized the prompt action of committees established in every province. These committees are hard at work clearing blocked roads, providing impacted areas with food and fuel, and rescuing individuals left behind following the significant snowfall. In response to the issue, Afghanistan announced the formation of a panel with representatives from multiple ministries to address the damages, particularly to livestock owners. The government has allocated fifty million Afghanis to support livestock owners in the provinces of Jawzjan, Balkh, Badghis, Faryab, and Herat. Advertisement Misbahuddin Mustaeen, the Taliban-appointed spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, stressed the importance of committees that have been set up in each province acting quickly. These committees are working diligently to clear blocked roads, supply food and fuel to affected communities, and rescue those who were left behind after the heavy snowstorm. Advertisement According to Esmatullah Muradi, a spokesman for the Faryab provincial governor, the provinces high snowfall caused most district road closures, trapping residents in outlying locations. Sadly, one individual perished in the Chahar Sada district near the border with Turkmenistan. In the midst of Israels military assault, over 500,000 people in the besieged enclave face starvation; as a result, assistance supplies have become dangerously unstable and chaotic for the population Palestinians carry bags of flour they grabbed from an aid truck near an Israeli checkpoint, as Gaza residents face crisis levels of hunger, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, Reuters File The US is desperately looking for methods to feed the people of Gaza as Israel rejects Washingtons plea for expanded assistance access and US attempts to mediate a truce in the conflict try the patience of the world. These efforts range from air drops of humanitarian goods to supplying ships from Cyprus. Advertisement In the midst of Israels military assault, over 500,000 people in the besieged enclave face starvation; as a result, assistance supplies have become dangerously unstable and chaotic for the population. Palestinian health authorities reported that more than a hundred Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire on Thursday while they were waiting for relief to be delivered. Israel said that several victims were driven over by assistance vehicles and denied any responsibility. The Biden administration, under pressure to take action both domestically and internationally from allies, is examining costly measures more frequently linked to the Cold War era and natural calamities. Plans for military airdrops of food and supplies into Gaza in the upcoming days were revealed by the White House on Friday. Along with Jordan and other countries in the area, France has already made many such deliveries to Gaza. Advertisement According to a US official, transporting supplies by water from Cypruswhich is located around 210 nautical miles off the shore of Gazais an additional possibility. According to the person, US officials travelled to Cyprus this week to consider conducting a potential naval assistance mission. White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday the United States would redouble efforts to open up a maritime corridor to Gaza to bring hopefully large amounts of aid by sea. Advertisement The details of such an operation, including where in Gaza supplies could be unloaded, were not clear. The US official said the administration is considering using military or commercial ships, and it would be complex in terms of securing a landing site. No decision has been made on military involvement in such an operation, said the official, adding the Israelis were very receptive to the sealift option because it would avoid delays from protesters blocking land crossings to aid convoys. Advertisement The air drop idea has drawn skepticism from some in the humanitarian community. Its insane that the entity necessitating this expensive workaround is not ISIL (Islamic State) or the Soviets but a US ally fighting a war with full US backing, said Jeremy Konyndyk, president of Refugees International, referring to Israel. Advertisement Airdrops are massively expensive and low-volume The fact that they need be considered is a major policy failure. Israel says it is committed to improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and accuses Hamas militants of endangering Palestinian civilians by using them as human shields. Asked about the options being considered by the US, a spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Washington referred to a statement on Thursday in which Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Israel was coordinating aid deliveries and wants humanitarian aid to reach the enclaves people. Advertisement We are working around the clock to make this happen, Hagari said in the video statement. Israel puts no limits on the amount of aid that can go into Gaza. UNSAFE FOR AID WORKERS Aid deliveries to Gaza, particularly the north, have been rare and chaotic, as increased lawlessness, looting and the breakdown of the public order following Israels military offensive that has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians has made it extremely unsafe for aid workers to operate. Advertisement The conflict began with a Hamas attack into southern Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7 in which the militants killed 1,200 people and abducted more than 250. Thursdays incident near Gaza City was the biggest loss of civilian lives in weeks. Hamas said it could jeopardize talks in Qatar aimed at securing a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. Hopes had been growing of a truce before the March 10 start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Advertisement The U.N. and relief agencies have criticized Israel for denying attempts to transfer humanitarian aid to northern parts of Gaza, restricting movement and communications. The Biden administration says the best solution to the humanitarian crisis would be a temporary ceasefire, but as the negotiations drag on, it too is showing frustration with the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Advertisement At a United Nations Security Council meeting on Tuesday on hunger in Gaza, the United States was blunt about the responsibility of its ally. Simply put, Israel must do more, Deputy US Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood told the Security Council. Who provides security for aid shipments has emerged as a major problem. The U.N. does not have its own guards and Israeli forces have attacked Palestinian police who escorted aid trucks, accusing some of them of belonging to Hamas. Advertisement Without giving details, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said US officials were considering a number of aid measures. He also said Washington was talking to Israel to get a border crossing in northern Gaza opened. Miller said there are security and technical challenges with opening more border crossings, but that Israel has been willing to work through them. Advertisement He said Washington had previously intervened to convince Israel to open two border crossings in the south of Gaza that it had closed. Its not something that happened overnight, he said. Its something we pushed for repeatedly. Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian citizens scrambling for food supplies amid a chaotic brawl in Gaza City on Thursday, killing more than 100 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-controlled territorys health ministry On Saturday, African Union head Moussa Faki Mahamat condemned Israel of the mass killing of Palestinians and called for an international investigation after dozens perished in a rush on an aid convoy in war-torn Gaza. Mahamat strongly condemns an attack by Israeli forces, that killed and wounded more than 100 Palestinians seeking life-saving humanitarian aid, the bloc said in a statement dated Friday but posted on X on Saturday. Advertisement The Chairperson calls for an international investigation into the incident to bring the perpetrators to account, the statement said, urging an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian citizens scrambling for food supplies amid a chaotic brawl in Gaza City on Thursday, killing more than 100 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-controlled territorys health ministry. The deaths occurred after a World Food Programme official warned: If nothing changes, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza. The Israeli military said a stampede erupted when hundreds of Gazans encircled the convoy of 38 relief vehicles, resulting in scores of deaths and injuries, including several who were driven over. According to an Israeli source, troops opened fire on the crowd because they believed it posed a threat. Advertisement Gazas health ministry called it a massacre, and said 115 people were killed and more than 750 wounded. World leaders have called for an investigation, with President Joe Biden saying Friday that the United States would start delivering relief supplies into Gaza via air drops as some of its allies have already in a bid to get aid into hard-to-reach areas. Advertisement The aid convoy deaths helped push the number of Palestinian war dead in Gaza to 30,228, mostly women and children, according to the latest toll from the territorys health ministry. The war began on October 7 with an unprecedented Hamas attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, Israeli figures show. Advertisement Militants also took about 250 hostages on October 7, 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 31 that Israel says are presumed dead. Israels military says 242 soldiers have died in Gaza since ground operations began in late October. The declaration is made in the midst of ongoing talks between Israel and Hamas for a cease-fire and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which has been under blockade since Hamass assault on Israel on October 7 President Joe Biden announced Friday that the United States will begin delivering emergency supplies into Gaza by air, a day after more than 100 Palestinians were killed in Israeli aid convoy. We need to do more, and the United States will do more, Biden told reporters at the White House at the start of a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Advertisement In the coming days were going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing air drops of additional food and supplies, the 81-year-old Biden said in the Oval Office. The declaration is made in the midst of ongoing talks between Israel and Hamas for a cease-fire and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which has been under blockade since Hamass assault on Israel on October 7. While continuing to provide military support for the important US partner, Biden has put pressure on Israel to cut down on civilian deaths and let aid to enter the country. Later, Biden stated that, depending on the lunar calendar, he was hoping for an agreement on a six-week truce before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which falls on March 10 or 11. Advertisement Well get there but were not there yet we may not get there, Biden added, without elaborating, as he headed to his helicopter to spend the weekend at the presidential Camp David retreat. Ceasefire talks have been complicated by Thursdays incident in which dozens of desperate Palestinians were killed rushing an aid convoy in northern Gaza, where the UN has warned of famine. Advertisement An Israeli source acknowledged troops had opened fire on the crowd, believing it posed a threat. Terrible war Innocent people got caught in a terrible war, unable to feed their families. And you saw the response when they tried to get aid in, Biden said as he announced the air drops. The US president added that he would insist that Israel let in more aid trucks, while it would also look at a possible marine corridor to deliver large amounts of aid into Gaza. Advertisement Biden had been planning air drops for some time but Thursdays incident certainly underscored for the president the need to find other ways to get aid in, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. The United States planned to carry out multiple air drops that would last weeks, said Kirby, adding that it would not be one and done. Advertisement But it was also a tough military operation that required careful planning by the Pentagon for the safety of both Gazan civilians and US military personnel. It is extremely difficult to do an airdrop in such a crowded environment as is Gaza, said Kirby. The United States also had to manage the risks to its own personnel. Advertisement This is a war zone. So theres an added element of potential danger to the pilots in the aircraft, he added. Kirby said Israel was meanwhile seriously investigating the aid convoy deaths. However, Washington would continue to support Israel militarily despite the growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, Kirby said. We are still helping Israel with their needs to defend themselves, he said. During a chaotic brawl on Thursday that left over 100 Palestinians dead in Gaza City, according to the health ministry of the Hamas-run enclave, Israeli forces opened fire as Palestinian citizens rushed for food supplies Nearly five months into the Gaza War, international leaders have demanded a truce and an investigation after scores of desperate Palestinians were killed while storming an aid truck. In an effort to send help into difficult-to-reach places, President Joe Biden said on Friday that the US will begin airdropping relief supplies into Gaza, as several of its partners have previously done. Biden pledged to do more to address the deteriorating humanitarian situation. Advertisement During a chaotic brawl on Thursday that left over 100 Palestinians dead in Gaza City, according to the health ministry of the Hamas-run enclave, Israeli forces opened fire as Palestinian citizens rushed for food supplies. The deaths came after a World Food Programme official had warned: If nothing changes, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza. The Israeli military said a stampede occurred when thousands of Gazans surrounded the convoy of 38 aid trucks, leading to dozens of deaths and injuries, including some who were run over. An Israeli source acknowledged troops had opened fire on the crowd, believing it posed a threat. Gazas health ministry called it a massacre, and said 115 people were killed and more than 750 wounded. Advertisement A UN team that visited some of the wounded in Gaza Citys Al-Shifa Hospital on Friday saw a large number of gunshot wounds, UN chief Antonio Guterress spokesman said. The hospital received 70 of the dead and treated more than 700 wounded, of whom around 200 were still there during the teams visit, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Advertisement Im not aware that our team examined the bodies of people who were killed. My understanding from what they saw in terms of the patients who were alive getting treatments is that there was a large number of gunshot wounds, he said. The aid convoy deaths helped push the number of Palestinian war dead in Gaza to 30,228, mostly women and children, according to the latest toll from the territorys health ministry. Advertisement The war began on October 7 with an unprecedented Hamas attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, Israeli figures show. Israels military says 242 soldiers have died in Gaza since ground operations began in late October. US to insist on more aid The Israeli army must fully investigate how the mass panic and shooting could have happened, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on social media platform X. Advertisement Her French counterpart Stephane Sejourne said: There will have to be an independent probe to determine what happened. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, meanwhile, said that every effort must be made to investigate what happened and ensure transparency. Aerial footage of the incident made clear just how desperate the situation on the ground is, a US State Department spokesman said. Advertisement Despite warnings from within his administration that air drops are a drop in the bucket compared with what is needed, Biden said Washington would begin deliveries from the sky in the coming days. We need to do more, and the United States will do more, he told reporters at the White House. Advertisement Biden said Thursdays deaths happened because Gazans were caught in a terrible war, unable to feed their families, adding he would insist Israel let in more aid trucks. Reacting to the announcement, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said the very fact air drops were being considered is testament to the serious access challenges in Gaza. Advertisement Air drops are not the solution to relieve this suffering, and distract time and effort from proven solutions to help at scale, it added, calling for a sustained ceasefire and for land crossings into Gaza to be reopened to aid shipments. US official Samantha Power, who oversees USAID, told reporters in Ramallah that an average of just 96 aid trucks were entering Gaza each day a fraction of what is needed. Advertisement The aid convoy deaths dealt a blow to efforts to broker a new truce in Gaza to get more aid in and free the remaining Israeli hostages held by Palestinian militants. Militants took about 250 hostages on October 7, 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 31 that Israel says are presumed dead. Advertisement Biden had previously said the convoy deaths would complicate truce talks, but told reporters Friday he was still hoping for a deal by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan starting on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar though he acknowledged it remained uncertain. Well get there, but were not there yet we may not get there, he said, without elaborating, as he headed to his helicopter. Advertisement Late on Thursday, he discussed the convoy deaths with the leaders of fellow truce mediators Egypt and Qatar, the White House said, adding the incident underscored the urgency of bringing negotiations to a close. Peace or eternal war Accounts conflict on what exactly unfolded in Gaza City. One witness, declining to be named for safety reasons, said the violence began when thousands of people rushed towards aid trucks, leading soldiers to open fire when people came too close to tanks. Hossam Abu Safiya, director of Gaza Citys Kamal Adwan Hospital, said all the casualties admitted there were hit by bullets and shrapnel from occupation forces. Israeli armed forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said troops had fired a few warning shots to try to disperse a mob that had ambushed the aid trucks. Thousands of Gazans swarmed the trucks, violently pushing and even trampling other Gazans to death, looting the humanitarian supplies, he said. It is not the first time that aid convoys have been looted in northern Gaza, where residents have been reduced to eating animal fodder to stave off starvation. The health ministry said four more children had died of malnutrition and dehydration at Gaza Citys Kamal Adwan Hospital, taking the number of such deaths to 10. Hamass military wing, meanwhile, said Friday that seven hostages still held in Gaza had died because of Israeli military operations, an announcement AFP could not independently confirm. Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, violence has also surged in the occupied West Bank, with more than 400 Palestinians killed by Israeli troops or settlers, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported Israeli operations across the territory on Friday night, including near Ramallah, where it said a 16-year-old died after being shot in the head by Israeli forces. The junta had named Deby Itno as interim president and had given him a mandate of 18 months for the return of civilian governance and elections. However, he went on to add another two years to the changeover Deby Itno, 39, has an almost 100% chance of winning because his primary rival was killed and the opposition was suppressed Image Courtesy AFP Three days after his main competitor was assassinated under mysterious circumstances, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, the leader of the Chad junta, declared on Saturday that he would run for president on May 6. After his father, seasoned leader Idriss Deby Itno, passed away while battling rebels in 2021, Deby Itno assumed control. The despotic leader has ruled the Sahel region for almost thirty years. Advertisement I, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, am a candidate for the 2024 presidential election under the banner of the For a United Chad coalition, he said in a speech. The junta had named Deby Itno as interim president and had given him a mandate of 18 months for the return of civilian governance and elections. However, he went on to add another two years to the changeover. Just two months before the vote, on Tuesday, the presidential election date was revealed. Deby Itno, 39, has an almost 100% chance of winning because his primary rival was killed and the opposition was suppressed. Yaya Dillo Djerou, the leader of the opposition and Deby Itnos primary political challenger, was assassinated on Wednesday after forces surrounded his Socialist Party Without Borders office in the capital city of NDjamena. Advertisement His party claimed that Dillo was shot dead by soldiers in a execution that occurred just before he was set to run against Deby for president. Rejecting the charges, the government claims that Dillo opposed his arrest and opened fire on law enforcement. Speaking on Wednesday from the foreign ministrys offices while encircled by soldiers, Deby Itno asserted that the army had saved the country from the abyss and from chaos when he took over in 2021. Advertisement Hundreds of delegates from the coalition of political parties For a United Chad applauded him as he wore all white. According to the alliance, there are 221 parties in it. Human Rights Watch demanded on Saturday that Dillos murder be the subject of an independent, foreign-backed investigation. The killing of a potential presidential candidate during an assault by Chadian security forces on an opposition party headquarters raises serious concerns about the environment for elections scheduled for May 6, HRW said. Advertisement Lewis Mudge, head of HRWs Central Africa, stated, The circumstances surrounding Yaya Dillos death are unclear, but his violent death highlights the dangers facing opposition politicians in Chad, particularly as elections approach. According to a Gaza truce draft proposal, in exchange for the 40 hostages listed under the humanitarian category, approximately 400 Palestinian prisoners will be released, according to the ratio of 10 prisoners to one hostage Palestinians carry bags of flour they grabbed from an aid truck near an Israeli checkpoint, as Gaza residents face crisis levels of hunger, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, Reuters File A week after Biden hoped that Israel and Hamas would reach a ceasefire deal by Ramzan, Egyptian officials on Saturday said that truce negotiations are due to resume in Cairo on March 3. The negotiation talks will reopen the possibility of reaching a ceasefire deal by March 10, the day the Muslim Holy month of Ramzan will begin. Advertisement The sources told Reuters that an incident on Thursday in which more than 100 Palestinians seeking aid were killed by Israeli fire according to Gazan authorities, had not slowed down the talks, but instead pushed negotiators to hasten to preserve progress. Meanwhile, US officials say that the negotiations hinge mostly on Hamas response to a hostage deal brokered by Qatar, Egypt, Israel and the US. According to a Gaza truce draft proposal, in exchange for the 40 hostages listed under the humanitarian category, approximately 400 Palestinian prisoners will be released, according to the ratio of 10 prisoners to one hostage. Giving out further details of the negotiations, the Egyptian security officials said that both parties have agreed on the duration of the truce and have also shaken hands on hostage and prisoner exchange. However, the completion of the deal still requires an agreement on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from northern Gaza and a return of its residents. Advertisement Meanwhile, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki has expressed the hope that a ceasefire will be agreed in time for Ramadan. We hope that we will be able to achieve a ceasefire before Ramadan, we hope to be able to achieve one today, yesterday, but we have failed, Maliki, who represents the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, said during a visit to Turkey. Advertisement Similarly, US President Joe Biden said on Friday, Were trying to work out a deal between Israel and Hamas on the hostages being returned and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks and to allow the surge of aid to the Gaza Strip. With inputs from agencies Israeli airstrikes on Saturday killed three individuals who were in the northern Gaza Strip neighborhood of Beit Hanoun, looking for food in farms, according to reports by local media According to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza, well over a million Palestinians have taken up residence in the Rafah area as they have fled the Israeli operation that has destroyed most of the Gaza Strip and killed over 30,000 people Image Courtesy AFP According to the Gaza health ministry, an Israeli airstrike on Saturday struck a tent in Rafah, killing at least 11 Palestinians. The attack near a hospital in the Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah injured an additional fifty persons, according to the Gaza health ministry. A hospital medic was among those who passed away. Advertisement According to the Israeli military, its forces killed three more terrorists in Rimal, which is close to Gaza City, eight militants in Khan Younis, and over twenty militants in the central Gaza Strip. The outbreak of violence was accompanied by anxiety over the Sunday resumed talks on a Gaza truce. According to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza, well over a million Palestinians have taken up residence in the Rafah area as they have fled the Israeli operation that has destroyed most of the Gaza Strip and killed over 30,000 people. According to Israel, the strike on October 7 by the Palestinian militant group resulted in 1,200 deaths and 253 kidnappings in Israel. In response, Israel went on the offensive. President of the United States Joe Biden expressed his hope that a ceasefire would be in place by the start of Ramadan, which begins on March 10 for Muslims. On Friday, he told reporters, Were not there yet. Advertisement The United Nations has warned that a quarter of the 2.3 million people living in the area Israel is blockading face starvation. This has increased international pressure for a ceasefire. Israeli airstrikes on Saturday killed three individuals who were in the northern Gaza Strip neighborhood of Beit Hanoun, looking for food in farms, according to reports by local media. Advertisement The Gaza Ministry of Health reports that thirteen children have died from starvation and dehydration at the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza within the past three days. Biden revealed preparations on Friday to launch the first military airdrop of food and supplies into Gaza, drawing attention once again to the humanitarian crisis following the deaths of Palestinians waiting in line for relief. Advertisement Gazas health authorities said that 115 people had died in the incident on Thursday, blaming Israeli fire for the murders and describing it as a slaughter. Israel refuted the numbers, claiming that the majority of casualties were stomped or run over. Egypt and Qatar are two of the mediators that Israel and Hamas have been using for negotiations. David Cameron referred to the current state of affairs as simply unacceptable and stated that the occurrence could not be isolated from the inadequate aid supplies Scores pf people were reportedly killed in an attack on an aid convoy in Gaza Image Courtesy Reuters Following the deaths of over 100 Palestinians during the delivery of supplies in Gaza, the UK has demanded an urgent investigation and accountability. The deaths of people in Gaza waiting for an aid convoy yesterday were horrific, foreign minister David Cameron told the media. There must be an urgent investigation and accountability. This must not happen again, he added. Advertisement David Cameron referred to the current state of affairs as simply unacceptable and stated that the occurrence could not be isolated from the inadequate aid supplies. Israel has an obligation to ensure that significantly more humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza, he added, calling on it to open more crossings and eliminate bureaucratic obstacles. This tragedy only serves to underscore the importance of securing an immediate humanitarian pause, Cameron said. On Friday, the head of Russias state-backed RT channel, Margarita Simonyan posted a 38-minute-long recording of what she claims was a conversation between German officials discussing potential strikes on Crimea on Feb 19 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday vowed to carry out a full investigation into reports that a videoconference of military talks on the Ukraine war was wiretapped and posted on Russian social media, potentially hurting Berlins image. On Friday, the head of Russias state-backed RT channel, Margarita Simonyan posted a 38-minute-long recording of what she claims was a conversation between German officials discussing potential strikes on Crimea on Feb 19. Advertisement What is being reported is a very serious matter and that is why it is now being investigated very carefully, very intensively and very quickly, Scholz said on a visit to Rome. What did the recording reveal? In the leaked recording, officials can be heard discussing the possible deployment of German-made Taurus missiles by Ukrainian forces. Topics include aiming the missiles at targets such as a key bridge over the Kerch strait linking the Russian mainland to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. Experts consulted by Der Spiegel magazine said they believed the recording was authentic. A German defence spokesperson confirmed to AFP that the ministry believes a conversation in the air force division was intercepted. Advertisement We are currently unable to say for certain whether changes were made to the recorded or transcribed version that is circulating on social media, the spokeswoman said. Sworn enemies Kyiv has long been clamouring for Germany to provide it with Taurus missiles, which can reach targets up to 500 kilometres (about 300 miles) away. Advertisement Scholz has so far refused to send the missiles, fearing that it would lead to an escalation of the conflict. If this story turns out to be true, it would be a highly problematic event, Green party politician Konstantin von Notz told the RND broadcaster. The question arises as to whether this is a one-off incident or a structural safety problem, he added. Advertisement With inputs from AFP Texas officials issued a warning, saying the threat had not vanished. Concerns that fires in the Panhandle might grow beyond the more than 1,700 square miles (4,400 square kilometres) that have already been consumed by swiftly spreading flames this week were heightened by higher temperatures and stronger winds predicted for Saturday Republican Governor Greg Abbott said on Friday that wildfires in the Texas Panhandle may have destroyed as many as 500 buildings, detailing how the worst fire in state history incinerated everything in its path and left ashes in its wake. Texas officials issued a warning, saying the threat had not vanished. Concerns that fires in the Panhandle might grow beyond the more than 1,700 square miles (4,400 square kilometres) that have already been consumed by swiftly spreading flames this week were heightened by higher temperatures and stronger winds predicted for Saturday. Advertisement The largest fire, the Smokehouse Creek fire, started on Monday and has burned out houses, scorched prairie, and dead animals in addition to killing at least two people. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, although strong winds, dry grass and unseasonably warm weather fed the flames. When you look at the damages that have occurred here its just gone, completely gone nothing left but ashes on the ground, Abbott said during a news conference in Borger, Texas. He said a preliminary assessment found 400 to 500 structures had been destroyed. Abbott praised what he called a heroic response from fearless firefighters. It would have been far worse and far more damaging not just to property but to people, but for those firefighters, he said. The National Weather Service forecast for the coming days warns of strong winds, relatively low humidity and dry conditions that pose a significant wildfire threat. Advertisement Everybody needs to understand that we face enormous potential fire dangers as we head into this weekend, Abbott said. No one can let down their guard. Everyone must remain very vigilant. In the hard-hit town of Stinnett, population roughly 1,600, families who evacuated due to the Smokehouse Creek fire returned Thursday to devastating scenes: melted street signs and charred frames of cars and trucks. Homes reduced to piles of ash and rubble. An American flag propped up outside a destroyed house. Advertisement We had to watch from a few miles away as our neighborhood burned, Danny Phillips said, his voice trembling with emotion. Phillips one-story home was still standing, but several of his neighbors werent so fortunate. The Smokehouse Creek fire has also crossed into Oklahoma, and the Texas A&M Forest Service said Friday that it has merged with another fire. It was 15% contained Friday afternoon, up from 3% on Thursday. Advertisement Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said individual ranchers could suffer devastating losses due to the fires, but predicted the overall impact on the Texas cattle industry and consumer beef prices would be minimal. Two women were confirmed killed by the fires this week. But with flames still menacing a wide area, authorities havent yet thoroughly searched for victims or tallied homes and other structures damaged or destroyed. Advertisement Cindy Owen was driving in Texas Hemphill County south of Canadian on Tuesday afternoon when she encountered fire or smoke, said Sgt. Chris Ray of the states Department of Public Safety. She got out of her truck, and flames overtook her. A passerby found Owen and called first responders, who took her to a burn unit in Oklahoma. She died Thursday morning, Ray said. Advertisement The other victim, an 83-year-old woman, was identified by family members as Joyce Blankenship, a former substitute teacher. Her grandson, Lee Quesada, said deputies told his uncle Wednesday that they had found Blankenships remains in her burned home. President Joe Biden, who was in Texas on Thursday to visit the U.S.-Mexico border, said he directed federal officials to do everything possible to assist fire-affected communities, including sending firefighters and equipment. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has guaranteed Texas and Oklahoma will be reimbursed for their emergency costs, the president said. Advertisement When disasters strike, theres no red states or blue states where I come from, Biden said. Just communities and families looking for help. Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties. The weekend forecast and sheer size and scope of the blaze are the biggest challenges for firefighters, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. Advertisement I dont want the community there to feel a false sense of security that all these fires will not grow anymore, Kidd said. This is still a very dynamic situation. Jeremiah Kaslon, a Stinnett resident who saw neighbors homes destroyed by flames that stopped just on the edge of his property, seemed prepared for what the changing forecast might bring. Advertisement Around here, the weather, we get all four seasons in a week, Kaslon said. It can be hot, hot and windy, and it will be snowing the next day. Its just that time of year. Encroaching flames caused the main facility that disassembles Americas nuclear arsenal to pause operations Tuesday night, but it was open for normal work by Wednesday. The small town of Fritch, which lost hundreds of homes in a 2014 fire, saw 40 to 50 more destroyed this week, Mayor Tom Ray said. Yaya Dillo Djerou, 49, passed away on Wednesday following what his Socialist Party Without Borders described as a execution in which forces encircled the organizations headquarters in the capital city of NDjamena Ahead of the eagerly anticipated election, Human Rights Watch demanded on Saturday an impartial, foreign-backed probe into the death of Chads top opposition figure. The main rival and cousin of Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, who was named interim president by the nations ruling junta in 2021, was Yaya Dillo Djerou. Dillo, 49, passed away on Wednesday following what his Socialist Party Without Borders described as a execution in which forces encircled the organizations headquarters in the capital city of NDjamena. Advertisement The authorities refuted the charge, claiming that Dillo opposed his arrest and that gunshots exchanged. The killing of a potential presidential candidate during an assault by Chadian security forces on an opposition party headquarters raises serious concerns about the environment for elections scheduled for May 6, HRW said in a statement. The circumstances of Yaya Dillos killing are unclear, but his violent death highlights the dangers facing opposition politicians in Chad, particularly as elections approach, said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at HRW. The lack of clarity surrounding the attack on the PSF headquarters, the threats previously faced by Dillo, and the general political repression in the country all point to the need for an independent investigation with foreign assistance into the February 28, 2024 events, HRW said. The rights organisation added that it had reviewed several photos sent by a reliable source close to Dillo, showing him dead with a single bullet wound to his head. Advertisement The violence came a day after Chads military rulers announced a presidential election for May 6. The voting would end a three-year transition period and aim to restore constitutional rule. Dillo had told AFP before his death that people wanted to physically eliminate me ahead of the election in which he and Deby Itno planned to run. Advertisement The government had accused Dillo of leading an attack against the offices of Chads internal security agency the night before his death. He denied any involvement. Deby Itno took power after the death of his father, veteran leader Idriss Deby Itno, in 2021 while fighting rebels. He promised a return to civilian rule and elections within 18 months, but extended the transition by two years. After nearly five months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, hundreds of thousands of people in northern Gaza are battling for survival, and their desperation is starting to outrage people. The initial airdrops of thousands of meals into Gaza were carried out by US military aircraft, while the Egyptian military also claimed to have carried out airdrops The European Unions diplomatic service said on Saturday that an international probe is needed because several of the Palestinians who were killed or injured in the turmoil while attempting to retrieve bags of flour from an aid convoy were struck by Israeli army fire. After nearly five months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, hundreds of thousands of people in northern Gaza are battling for survival, and their desperation is starting to outrage people. The initial airdrops of thousands of meals into Gaza were carried out by US military aircraft, while the Egyptian military also claimed to have carried out airdrops. Advertisement According to the European External Action Service, restrictions imposed by the Israeli army and obstructions by violent extremist(s) to the supply of humanitarian aid were to blame for the problem. People who live in the northern part of Gaza say they have resorted to digging through debris and trash mounds to find food for their children, who eat no more than one meal a day. In order to make bread, many families have started combining grain with animal and bird feed. Officials from international relief organizations claim to have seen terrible starvation. According to hospital records in Gaza, at least ten children have perished from starvation, the World Health Organization stated. Since the Islamist Hamas group launched an incursion into southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 peoplemostly civiliansand taking some 250 prisoners, northern Gaza has been the focus of the fighting. According to Gazas Health Ministry, 30,320 Palestinians have died in the conflict. The ministry reports that women and children account for about two-thirds of those killed, but it does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its statistics. Advertisement More than half of the population of Gaza now resides in the southern city of Rafah, where an Israeli bomb on Saturday struck tents outside the Emirati hospital, killing 11 and injuring about 50, including medical personnel, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. A large portion of the heavily populated northern Gaza was reduced to rubble by Israels air, sea, and land offensive. Up to 300,000 Palestinians are thought to have stayed after the military ordered them to relocate south. Advertisement The World Food Programs deputy executive director, Carl Skau, stated last week that acute malnutrition and wasting affect almost one in six children under the age of two in the north, making it the worst level of child malnutrition anywhere in the world. There will soon be a famine in if nothing changes in northern Gaza. Advertisement According to Skau, this has led to such desperation that locals have surrounded vehicles carrying food aid into the area and taken whatever they can, causing the WFP to halt relief supplies to the north. The breakdown in civil order, driven by sheer desperation, is preventing the safe distribution of aid and we have a duty to protect our staff, he said. Advertisement During Thursdays violence, hundreds of protesters stormed roughly thirty vehicles that were delivering relief to the north before morning. Palestinians claimed that Israeli forces firing into the crowds were nearby. Israel said many of the victims were trampled and said they fired warning shots toward the throng. Many of the injured in Gaza had been shot, according to medical professionals working in hospitals there and a U.N. delegation that visited one. Advertisement Before Thursdays convoy arrived, Ahmed Abdel Karim, who was receiving treatment at Kamal Adwan Hospital for gunshot wounds to his feet, claimed to have waited two days for help trucks to arrive. Abdel-Hai took shelter in a nearby building. When the shooting stopped, many dead people were on the ground, he said. Many were shot in their back, he said. Advertisement Abu Hussein, the widow, said more than 5,000 people mostly women and children living with her in the Jabaliya school have not received any aid for more than four weeks. Adults eat one meal or less to save food for the children, she said. A group of people went to the shore to try to fish, but three were killed and two were wounded by gunfire from Israeli ships, she said. They just wanted to get something for their children. Advertisement The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mansour Hamed, a 32-year-old former aid worker living with more than 50 relatives in a Gaza City house, said some are eating tree leaves and animal food. It has become normal to find a child coming out of the rubble with a rotten piece of bread, he said. Advertisement They are desperate. They want anything to stay alive. Acknowledging the difficulty of getting aid in and the extreme need for food, U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. would look for other ways to get shipments in, including possibly a marine corridor. When asked if he thought Israel would fully investigate Thursdays incident, he answered simply, Yes. Advertisement According to U.S. officials, the pallets dropped over Gaza on Saturday had roughly 38,000 meals and were anticipated to be the first of many. It was unclear right away where the airdrops took place. However, the EU statement stated that airdrops should be the solution of last resort as their impact is minimal and not devoid of risks to civilians, mirroring the positions of humanitarian organizations such as the International Rescue Committee and Medical Aid for Palestinians. It demanded the dismantling of barriers from the few open land crossings into Gaza and the opening of additional ones. Advertisement Helpers hoped that a potential cease-fire would be beneficial. Cease-fire negotiations will pick back up in Cairo on Sunday, according to a top Egyptian official. The official was not authorized to speak to the media, so they spoke under the condition of anonymity. Before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on March 10, international mediators want to come to an agreement on a six-week ceasefire and the swap of certain Israeli captives for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. (With agency inputs) Thousands of people said goodbye to Navalny on Friday under tight police supervision following his unsolved murder in an Arctic prison colony two weeks prior. Outside of a church and cemetery in a wintry neighborhood of the city, thousands of people gathered to pay tribute to Navalny. They yelled anti-war and pro-Navalny slogans Following a brief Russian Orthodox ceremony, Navalny was buried in front of sizable crowds that gathered outside the church before pouring flowers into his grave Image Courtesy AP A day after thousands turned his burial into one of the biggest protests in recent memory, mourners in Moscow on Saturday included the mother and mother-in-law of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Russian independent TV station Dozhd (Rain) said that although there was a noticeable police presence at the cemetery, everything was under control. Advertisement The police let those wishing to bid farewell to the politician pass through and do not rush anyone, the outlet wrote on the Telegram messaging app, quoting one of its readers on the scene. Furthermore, Dozhd revealed that spontaneous memorials honoring Navalny have been demolished in a number of Russian cities. It stated that flowers were taken down in cities like Voronezh and St. Petersburg. Thousands of people said goodbye to Navalny on Friday under tight police supervision following his unsolved murder in an Arctic prison colony two weeks prior. Outside of a church and cemetery in a wintry neighborhood of the city, thousands of people gathered to pay tribute to Navalny. They yelled anti-war and pro-Navalny slogans. Advertisement While OVD-Info, a rights organization that keeps track of political arrests, stated that at least 106 people were arrested at gatherings around Russia in Navalnys memory, police did not take any action against them. Most, it said, were stopped while attempting to place flowers at memorials honoring those who perished as a result of Soviet brutality. Advertisement Following a brief Russian Orthodox ceremony, Navalny was buried in front of sizable crowds that gathered outside the church before pouring flowers into his grave. Yulia, Navalnys widow, did not show up for the funeral. She sincerely thanked him for 26 years of absolute happiness, promising to carry on his job. After a legal battle to have his body released, there was a funeral. According to his team, the burial for the man who spearheaded large-scale rallies and waged a campaign against government corruption was turned down by a number of churches in Moscow. The Russian leader was accused of causing the death by a number of Western politicians, a charge that the Kremlin fiercely denied. Advertisement (With agency inputs) Data released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) shows that of the 97,426 tourists that entered the country last month via air travel, 25,578 came from India, followed by China with 9,180 and the US with 9,089 visitors Though the data indicated that over 25,000 Indians visited Nepal in February, NTB Director Mani Lamichhane claims that the real figure is far higher because many Indian tourists traveled to the Himalayan nation by land Image Courtesy Agencies According to the tourism authorities here on Saturday, India has become Nepals top inbound visitor market in February as the countrys vital industry progressively recovers from the coronavirus pandemic. Data released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) shows that of the 97,426 tourists that entered the country last month via air travel, 25,578 came from India, followed by China with 9,180 and the US with 9,089 visitors. Advertisement With 4,799 foreign visitors, Thailand comes in fourth on the list. The UK and Bangladesh come in fifth and sixth, with 4,099 and 4,571 visitors, respectively. Though the data indicated that over 25,000 Indians visited Nepal in February, NTB Director Mani Lamichhane claims that the real figure is far higher because many Indian tourists traveled to the Himalayan nation by land. Nepal saw 18,041 Indian tourists in January. In February of this year, there were 33% more tourists arriving in Nepal by air than there were in February of 2023 (73,255 visitors). It was 95.12% recovery compared to 2019, the pre-Covid 19 timeframe. There were 1,02,423 tourists that arrived in Nepal in February 2019. Advertisement The COVID-19-affected tourist industry in Nepal is predicted to rebound in 2024, and the February data is encouraging, according to NTB Director Lamichhane. According to him, the number of visitors would rise sharply starting in April since the travel season begins after March. (With agency inputs) Islamabad is a long-standing ally of Washington and it is in the interest of the US to ensure that democracy thrives in Pakistan and that election results reflect the interests of the Pakistani people, not the interests of the Pakistani elite and military, the letter sent on Wednesday said. Pakistan has rejected a suggestion from the United States to investigate irregularities in the February 8 general elections, stating that it will not bow to external pressures. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the Foreign Office spokesperson, emphasized in her weekly press briefing on Friday that Pakistan as an independent and sovereign nation, cannot be directed by any other country. Advertisement The February 8 general elections in Pakistan, which were marred by allegations of widespread rigging, resulted in a hung Parliament. Independent candidates supported by the PTI party secured more than 90 seats out of the 266-member National Assembly. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif won 75 seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto secured 54 seats. We believe in our own sovereign right to make decisions about Pakistans internal affairs, Dawn News quoted Baloch as saying in reply to the comments made by her US counterpart regarding allegations of misconduct in the controversy-marred general elections. Earlier this week, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said any claims of interference or fraud should be fully and transparently investigated per Pakistans laws and procedures. Advertisement On another occasion, Miller said: Concerning investigations into reported irregularities, we want to see those investigations proceed [and> wrapped up as soon as possible. The comments were prompted by accusations, particularly by jailed former prime minister Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party-backed candidates, of tampering with and manipulation of election results. Advertisement The results were announced after an unprecedented delay by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The ECP and the caretaker government have strongly refuted the accusations, urging political parties to pursue legal remedies for their complaints through courts and other appropriate channels. Miller is not the only US official to express concerns over the polls. Citing strong evidence of election rigging in Pakistan, a group of influential lawmakers, including Muslim legislators, belonging to the ruling Democratic Party has urged US President Joe Biden to withhold recognition of a new government in Islamabad until a transparent and credible investigation is conducted. Advertisement The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) won 17 seats. In a joint letter to President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the lawmakers expressed concerns about pre-and post-poll rigging in Pakistans recent parliamentary elections, urging the US Congress to withhold recognition of a new government in Pakistan until a thorough, transparent, and credible investigation of election interference has been conducted. Advertisement Islamabad is a long-standing ally of Washington and it is in the interest of the US to ensure that democracy thrives in Pakistan and that election results reflect the interests of the Pakistani people, not the interests of the Pakistani elite and military, the letter sent on Wednesday said. Since the election resulted in a hung Parliament, the PML-N and the PPP have struck a post-poll deal with four other parties to form a coalition government, which may effectively end Khans chances of returning to power. Advertisement A party must win 133 out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly to form the government. PTI has rejected the attempts by the PML-N and the PPP to form a coalition government, warning that robbing its public endorsement by the mandate thieves will result in the worst political instability. Advertisement Given the strong evidence of pre- and post-poll rigging, we urge you to wait until a thorough, transparent, and credible investigation has been conducted before recognising a new Pakistani government. Without taking this necessary step, you risk enabling anti-democratic behaviour by Pakistani authorities and could undermine the democratic will of the Pakistani people, the US lawmakers said. Advertisement The letter urged Pakistani authorities to release anyone who has been detained for engaging in political speech or activity and tasked State Department officials in Pakistan with gathering information about such cases and advocating for their release. It urged the Biden administration to make clear to Pakistani authorities that US law provides for accountability for acts that violate human rights, undermine democracy, or further corruption, including the potential for military and other cooperation to be halted. Advertisement Around 35 Congress members, led by Democratic Partys Gregorio Casar, have written a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging not to acknowledge the new government in Islamabad until the cash-strapped country formally investigated the rigging allegations. In response to a question about the letter, Baloch said: This is a communication between public officials in the US and is not addressed to the government of Pakistan. We therefore have no comments to offer on such letters. Advertisement Baloch said Pakistan is a dynamic democracy and possesses the necessary domestic frameworks to address issues related to elections or democratic processes. The spokesperson also refrained from commenting on PTI founder Imran Khans letter to the International Monetary Fund which linked any future financial support with the election audit. As you know the (interim) prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has made a statement on this matter. The Ministry of Finance takes the lead on IMF-related issues, so they will be in a better position to comment on this subject, she said. Advertisement With agency inputs. Indian defence authorities, upon receiving a tip from specific intelligence, were alerted about the vessels voyage following which they inspected the heavy cargo and reported their suspicion about the contents of the ship A Karachi-bound ship from China was stopped at Mumbais Nhava Sheva port by Indian security agencies over suspicion of it containing a dual-use consignment that could be deployed in Pakistans nuclear and ballistic missiles programme. Based on inputs from intelligence agencies, customs officials halted the CMA CGM Attila, a Malta-flagged merchant vessel en route to Karachi for inspection. Advertisement STORY | Ship suspected to contain dual-use consignment for Pak's nuclear programme stopped at Mumbai port READ: https://t.co/asj26BG10M pic.twitter.com/XLRRZI5xUy Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 2, 2024 How was the ship apprehended? Indian defence authorities, upon receiving a tip from specific intelligence, were alerted about the vessels voyage following which they inspected the heavy cargo and reported their suspicion about the contents of the ship. Advertisement The consignment was thereby seized. Officials defended the seizure by saying that it falls under the prevention of possible proliferation by Pakistan and China. According to documents such as bills of loading and other details of the consignment, the consigner was mentioned as Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd and the consignee was Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd of Sialkot. Advertisement What did authorities find? During their inspection, security officials found a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, originally manufactured by an Italian company. An examination by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) confirmed that the contents of the consignments are likely to be used by Pakistan for its nuclear programme. According to the experts, the CNC, which North Korea once used, would be useful in manufacturing critical parts for Pakistans missile development programme. Advertisement A deeper investigation by the security agencies indicated that the consignment, weighing 22,180 kilograms, was shipped by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd and meant for Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan, the officials said. Since 1996, CNC machines have been included in the Wassenaar Arrangement an international arms control regime aimed at stopping the proliferation of equipment with both civilian and military uses. India is among the 42 member countries that exchange information on transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods and technologies. Advertisement With inputs from PTI Sunak was speaking soon after what he characterised as the beyond alarming win in a byelection on Thursday of a controversial politician, George Galloway, in Greater Manchester following a campaign dominated by the divisions of the Israel-Hamas conflict Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made an emotional plea for Britain to safeguard its democracy, warning that radical elements are plotting to break the country apart and damage its multi-faith character. Referring to his own Hindu beliefs, the British Indian leader said on Friday that the UKs lasting principles include welcoming migrants of all religions and races, and he encouraged demonstrators not to allow peaceful marches to be hijacked by extreme elements. Advertisement Immigrants who have come here have integrated and contributed. They have helped write the latest chapter in our island story. They have done this without being required to give up their identity, said Sunak in a speech outside 10 Downing Street. You can be a practising Hindu and a proud Briton as I am, or a devout Muslim and a patriotic citizen as so many are, or a committed Jewish person and the heart of your local community, and all underpinned by the tolerance of our established, Christian church, he said. But I fear that our great achievement in building the worlds most successful multi-ethnic, multi faith democracy is being deliberately undermined. There are forces here at home trying to tear us apart, he added. He was speaking soon after what he characterised as the beyond alarming win in a byelection on Thursday of a controversial politician, George Galloway, in Greater Manchester following a campaign dominated by the divisions of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Advertisement He said on too many occasions recently, the streets of Britain had been hijacked by small groups who are hostile to British values and have no respect for its democratic traditions. Islamist extremists and the far right feed off and embolden each other. They are equally desperate to pretend that their violence is somehow justified when actually these groups are two sides of the same extremist coin both loathe the pluralist, modern country we are, he said. Advertisement The British Prime Minister stressed that both these groups of extremists were spreading the poison of extremism with the aim of draining Britains confidence. He added, No country is perfect, but I am enormously proud of the good that our country has done. I stand here as our countrys first non-white Prime Minister, leading the most diverse government in our countrys history to tell people of all races, all faiths and all backgrounds it is not the colour of your skin, the God you believe in or where you were born, that will determine your success but just your own hard work and endeavour, he said. Advertisement Sunak reiterated his support for a new protocol agreed with the police forces of the country earlier this week to take action against violent activities that threaten the personal security of members of Parliament and also any violence during serial protests taking place in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. He said threats of violence and intimidation are alien to the British way of doing things and must be resisted at all times. Advertisement I love this country. My family and I owe it so much. The time has now come for us all to stand together to combat the forces of division and beat this poison. We must face down the extremists who would tear us apart, he urged. Following police raids on Friday, a public holiday in South Korea, which saw leaders of a doctors union raided, the public legal notice is the most recent indication of the governments persistent strong approach toward trainee doctors taking part in the walkout or criticizing the reform proposal On Friday, authorities intensified their efforts to put a stop to the walkout by sending South Korean police on a raid that targeted Korean Medical Association officials Image Courtesy Reuters The South Korean government has publicly ordered 13 doctors at least a few of whom had been vocal about the about 9,000 doctors who had gone on strike over a plan to restructure the health system to report back to work or face consequences. Following police raids on Friday, a public holiday in South Korea, which saw leaders of a doctors union raided, the public legal notice is the most recent indication of the governments persistent strong approach toward trainee doctors taking part in the walkout or criticizing the reform proposal. Advertisement Thirteen doctors license numbers and facilities were listed by the health ministry on its website, along with an order for them to resume work or risk having their licenses revoked or facing criminal charges. The names of the doctors were partially withheld, but at least a few seemed to be medical residents, including Park Dan, the head of the Korea Interns and Residents Association, who had been particularly outspoken in their criticism of the administration and throughout the walkout. On Friday, authorities intensified their efforts to put a stop to the walkout by sending South Korean police on a raid that targeted Korean Medical Association officials. According to data from the health ministry, almost two-thirds of the trainee doctors, or roughly 9,000, had disregarded the governments deadline of Thursday to return to work or face penalties. Advertisement Physicians are organizing a large-scale protest on Sunday against the governments proposal to add 2,000 more seats to medical schools beginning in 2025 in an attempt to address what it claims is a physician shortage in one of the fastest-aging nations in the world. (With agency inputs) With Swedens entry into NATO, this extraordinary period of nonalignment is coming to an end. After eighteen months of waiting while Turkey and Hungary delayed ratification and demanded concessions from other alliance members, the ceremonial formalities are finally about to take place Sweden has put an end to 200 years of neutrality by deciding to join NATO Image Courtesy AP Swedens last war ended in 1814, and when the rifles and cannons it aimed at Norway fell silent, the once-warring power would not take up arms again. Sweden adopted a policy of neutrality over the next 200 years, declining to join any military alliances or take sides in conflicts. It was a policy that maintained domestic harmony and helped the nation grow into a thriving welfare state and global leader in humanitarianism. Advertisement With Swedens entry into NATO, this extraordinary period of nonalignment is coming to an end. After eighteen months of waiting while Turkey and Hungary delayed ratification and demanded concessions from other alliance members, the ceremonial formalities are finally about to take place. Sweden is now leaving 200 years of neutrality and nonalignment behind us, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said after Hungarys Parliament gave its approval Monday, overcoming the final hurdle. It is a big step. We must take that seriously. But it is also a very natural step that we are taking. Sweden had long since decided against applying to join NATO, much like its neighbor Finland. That all changed almost instantly in February 2022 when Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. As Russia gained progress on the battlefield in Ukraine, suspicions of Moscows resurrected imperial ambitions have intensified throughout Europe as a result of the attack. Advertisement Its the right path for us, said Jacob Frederiksen, a 24-year-old pilot, who like many Swedes has embraced NATO membership amid the breakdown of the post-World War II order that largely kept the peace for decades. I think in this new era, its better to be part of an alliance than being independent and neutral. Advertisement The invasion had a shock effect on Swedish political life, said Henrik Ekengren Oscarsson, a political scientist at the University of Goteborg. He analyzed polling data showing that support for NATO membership surged from 35% in 2021 to 64% after the invasion. It was the largest and fastest shift in opinion that has so far been measured in Swedish political history, Ekengren Oscarsson wrote. Advertisement Still, new anxieties come with being part of an alliance amid rising tensions between Russia and the West. Ulrika Eklund, a 55-year-bank employee in Stockholm, said she feels uncertainty about being in NATO and the effect it will have on Sweden. But she understands why the step has been taken with so much going on in the world and in Europe. Advertisement The early 19th century, when Europe was engulfed in the Napoleonic wars, is the period during which Swedens turn towards neutrality originated. Even though Sweden ultimately prevailed in conflicts with Frances warrior-emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, any hopes of Sweden maintaining its position as a major power were dashed when it lost territory in Finland to Russia years earlier. Advertisement After gaining Norway, the strategy sought to advance Sweden as a nation while avoiding the conflicts of the other powers. Robert Dalsjo, a senior analyst of the Swedish Defence Research Agency, stated, And thats what we did. According to Dalsjo, the pacifist policy helped Sweden develop and placed it on the path to becoming a modern nation after it was considered one of the poorest and most backward countries in Europe in the early 19th century. Advertisement Swedish neutrality was proclaimed in 1834 by King Karl XIV John as the nation adapted to its new circumstances. He pleaded for respect for Swedens desire to remain neutral in their disputes in a letter to the courts of Britain and Russia. Preserved in the Swedish National Archives and considered the oldest document on Swedens neutrality, the text reads: We will request, as we do now, to stay totally outside of this struggle, and that Sweden and Norway, by keeping a strict neutrality towards the warring parties, can deserve, by our impartial conduct, respect and the appreciation of our system. Advertisement Along the way, Swedens neutrality was tested particularly during World War II, when it made concessions to Germany to stay out of war. The Second World War was a near-death experience for Sweden, Dalsjo said. Many Swedes believed they remained at peace due to their neutrality, he said, but in reality we were flexible in our application of neutrality: early in the war, making concessions to the Germans and later in the war, making concessions to the allies. Advertisement During the Cold War, when Sweden and Finland were buffer countries between NATO and the Warsaw Pact alliance, many Swedes and Finns felt that being outside either bloc was the best way to avoid tensions with Russia, the powerful eastern neighbor in the Baltic Sea region. But that never meant a full embrace of pacifism. In the 1950s and 60s, Sweden had the fourth-largest air force in the world and the ability to mobilize around 800,000 men, including reservists, in case of war, said Andreas Ohlsson, curator at the Swedish Army Museum. Advertisement Being neutral is not being naive. Its actually a way of thinking that we have to be self-dependent if the war comes, Ohlsson said. As the years passed, the idea of Sweden as a voice for peace and nuclear nonproliferation became core to Swedens identity. The home of the Nobel Prize institutions funded foreign aid programs, took part in peacekeeping missions abroad and relied on its neutral status to act as a mediator in regional conflicts around the globe. Advertisement Olof Palme, Swedens prime minister in the 1970s, described Sweden as a moral superpower that should become active in situations where other countries, as a result of their foreign policy stance, have been incapable of engagement. Fears of Russias military power stretch back centuries and lasted into the twilight years of the Cold War. In 1981, a Soviet submarine ran aground in the Stockholm archipelago, coming close to the main Swedish naval base. Tense days followed. After the Cold War, fears diminished, and Sweden cut back on defense spending. But in recent years, Sweden has invested more in its military and built up contacts with NATO, participating in training with the alliance. A key catalyst was Russias annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014. In 2017, Sweden brought back conscription. The next year, a regiment on Swedens strategically important Baltic Sea island of Gotland, northwest of the Russian territory of Kaliningrad, was reestablished after being disbanded in 2005. Over time for Sweden clearly rooted in the West and a member of the European Union since 1995 the word nonalignment became more apt than neutrality. For 30 years, we have edged away from the pure-hearted neutrality that was never so pure, to an alliance position, Dalsjo said. And you might say that we finally consummate it by joining NATO. (With agency inputs) Officials in Washington are growing more concerned as munitions supplies decline. The US, which has positioned itself as the Arsenal of Democracy since World War II, hasnt deployed military equipment to Ukraine in more than two months House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., arrives to speak to members of the media outside the West Wing after meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington. AP File Drones from Ukraine take off without ammo. Deadly bursts of artillery from safe locations outside of Kyivs forces are fired by Russian forces. US legislative leaders worry that Moscow is gaining ground due to ammunition and supply shortages, but the Republican-controlled House has not demonstrated much urgency to provide Ukraine with military help. Advertisement Officials in Washington are growing more concerned as munitions supplies decline. The US, which has positioned itself as the Arsenal of Democracy since World War II, hasnt deployed military equipment to Ukraine in more than two months. However, after an already difficult months-long wait in Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson seems set to forge his own path away from a $95 billion foreign aid plan approved by the Senate. This choice might cause the programme to be delayed for weeks. Last month, Ukrainian soldiers left the eastern city of Avdiivka, whose outnumbered defenders had repelled a Russian assault for four months, when US military supplies were cut off. The challenge facing Kyivs military strategists is being made more difficult by Western military delays, which are causing forces to ration ammunition and eventually endanger the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. Advertisement If Ukraine gets the aid they will win. If they dont get the aid they will lose with dire consequences to the United States, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who visited Ukraine last week. Defense officials are discussing options, which include possibly tapping existing stockpiles even before Congress approves funding to replenish them, according to Sen. Jack Reed, the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. And at a White House meeting this week, President Joe Biden, the two top Democrats in Congress and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell all took turns intensely urging Johnson to take up a Senate-passed package that would provide $60 billion worth of assistance for Kyiv. Advertisement So far, the Republican speaker has refused. The Louisiana Republican just four months into the powerful job as speaker, second in the line to the presidency is under intense pressure from all sides. The leaders of 23 European parliaments have signed an open letter urging him to pass the aid. And within his own House ranks, senior Republicans are growing restive at the inaction, even as other far-right members have threatened to try to remove him from leadership if he advances the aid for Kyiv. Advertisement The House is actively considering options on a path forward, but our first responsibility is to fund the government and our primary, overriding responsibility and it has been for the last three years has been to secure the border, Johnson said at a news conference. Johnson responded to the pressure on Ukraine by saying the House had only received the funding legislation in mid-February after the Senate took four months to negotiate, including enforcement policies at the US-Mexico border. The deal on border security swiftly collapsed after Republicans, including Johnson, criticized the proposal as insufficient. Yet Johnson and other House Republicans are once again hoping to secure some policy wins on border security. Advertisement When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Congress late last year, he told Johnson that the military aid would last into February. But as Congress entered March, Johnson so far has allowed House members to craft their own proposals and revealed little on his plans for the package. Were beyond the time frame that this should have taken, this analysis and careful consideration by the House should have been completed before the end of the year or very shortly after the new year, said Rep. French Hill, an Arkansas Republican. Advertisement Hill and several other senior Republicans are pressing Johnson to act by crafting a new national security package in the House. That bill, which is being drafted by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and key appropriators, is expected to come in less than the $95 billion Senate package but include many similar provisions including money that Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific allies could use to purchase US military equipment, as well as some humanitarian assistance. Advertisement It may also include a version of the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians, or REPO Act, which would allow the US to tap frozen Russian central bank assets to compensate Ukraine for damages from the invasion, Hill said. He said it would save taxpayer dollars in the long run and help gain Republican votes in the House. Advertisement This is more a matter of finding out the way to move forward, said seasoned Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., the chairman of the Rules committee. But a substantial majority of both houses of Congress wants to help Ukraine. You had 70 over there, he said about the robust Senate support, and the vote here will be well north of 300. Advertisement Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire, who leads a caucus of centrist Democrats called New Dems, said many in her party are ready to help Johnson pass a military aid package if he brings it to the floor. But she said the bill already passed by the Senate would have the broadest support. Advertisement Were at a critical moment right now, and I encourage Speaker Johnson to work with us, Kuster said. He has such a slim majority. Meanwhile, any decision by the Pentagon to send Ukraine weapons before Congress approves funding is fraught with risk. Since there is no money to replenish the equipment and weapons sent, the military would be depleting its stockpiles and potentially risking harm to unit readiness for war. Advertisement In addition, there are worries that action from the Pentagon could dissuade Congress from moving quickly on the funding bill. Reed said it would make more sense for Congress to pass the supplemental package, because then the Pentagon could immediately order the equipment theyre drawing down. We run the risk without that of drawing down the equipment and not being able to replace it or being confident of replacement. But he added, There might be circumstances where the president would decide to ship equipment like ATACMS, even though it would be a difficult judgment. The US has sent medium-range ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) as well as HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems). But there has been pressure for the US to send longer-range ATACMS. The US has resisted out of concerns Moscow would consider them escalatory, since they could reach deeper into Russia and Russian-held territory. Ukrainian leaders, however, could use the longer-range missiles to disrupt Russian supply lines a capability that is seen as essential as Russian President Vladimir Putin looks to surge more troops this spring. Ukraine also has made it clear that its forces also need additional artillery, including 155 mm howitzer rounds, as well as air defense ammunition. Ukrainian officials have expressed confidence they can withstand a Russian offensive for several more months, said Shelby Magid, deputy director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council, which advocates for American cooperation with Europe. Yet she added that the Pentagons consideration of using drawdown authority sent a somber message that officials view the conflict as having direct implications for US national security. Some are warning that if Congress fails to provide the aid, US troops will next be called on to help defend NATO allies. Schumer said that during his trip to Ukraine, One leading American said to me if we dont get the aid, Russian tanks could be at the Polish border by December. Since November, the Houthis, who are mostly in charge of war-torn Yemen and are supported by Iran, have been assaulting ships in the Red Sea as part of a campaign they claim is in support of Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas conflict According to the US Central Command in the Middle East, US forces hit and destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile in Yemen on Friday after concluding it constituted a imminent threat to US aircraft. Since November, the Houthis, who are mostly in charge of war-torn Yemen and are supported by Iran, have been assaulting ships in the Red Sea as part of a campaign they claim is in support of Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas conflict. Advertisement In addition to leading a naval coalition to defend ships in the crucial canal, the United States has carried out independent and joint airstrikes in Houthi areas. On Friday afternoon, US forces conducted a self-defense strike against one Iranian-backed Houthi surface-to-air missile that was prepared to launch, CENTCOM said in a statement, adding it had determined (the missile) presented an imminent threat to US aircraft in the region. It went on to say that the Houthis on Friday night launched an anti-ship missile into the Red Sea, but There was no impact or damage to any vessels. Last weekend, US and British forces carried out strikes against 18 Houthi targets across eight locations in Yemen, including weapons storage facilities, attack drones, air defense systems, radars and a helicopter, according to a joint statement. Advertisement One person was killed and eight wounded in the attacks, the Houthis official news agency said on Sunday. Since the new round of violence started on Thursday, at least four police officers have died and several more have been injured. Prime Minister Ariel Henry is currently in Kenya rallying support for an international police deployment that is supported by the UN Gun strikes near the citys international airport and a prison marked the second day of intense violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as gangs seeking to remove Prime Minister Ariel Henry from office caused devastation. Since the new round of violence started on Thursday, at least four police officers have died and several more have been injured. Prime Minister Henry is currently in Kenya rallying support for an international police deployment that is supported by the UN. Advertisement In recent years, armed gangs have seized control of large regions of the nation, igniting tremendous violence that has destroyed the public health and economic systems of Haiti. The most recent attacks are a result of gangs working together under the banner of Vivre Ensemble (Living Together). Powerful gang leader Jimmy Cherisier, known by the nickname Barbecue, said in a video posted on social media before the violence began that the armed groups were acting in concert to get Prime Minister Ariel Henry to step down. Henry on Friday was in Nairobi signing a reciprocal agreement with Kenya which will deploy police to lead a UN-backed law and order mission to the troubled Caribbean nation. Back in Haiti, approximately 10 police officers protested in front of management offices Friday, demanding recovery of the bodies of their four slain colleagues. Advertisement Streets across Port-au-Prince meanwhile were blocked by barricades of burning ties. The State University Hospital of Haiti, one of the largest public hospitals in the capital, received at least 25 wounded people Thursday, according to a source. At two facilities run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the Tabarre and Cite Soleil districts the number of patients remained the same as normal approximately 15 per day. Advertisement But the injured come from everywhere now. There are no more quiet areas, Mumuza Muhindo, the NGOs head of mission, told AFP. Its becoming difficult for our staff to get into our centers, he said. He also said that the supply of medicine could become precarious, with containers stuck at customs. If the situation doesnt change, it will be complicated to continue to maintain our activities, he said. Advertisement At Toussaint-Louverture International Airport flights to the United States and Dominican Republic resumed Friday, a source close to the airlines told AFP. The airdrop is expected to be the first of many announced by President Joe Biden on Friday. The aid will be coordinated with Jordan, which has also conducted airdrops to deliver food to Gaza US carries out first airdrop of aid into Gaza. Reuters The first batch of foods and supplies was air-dropped by the US over Gaza on Saturday, two days after 100s of Gazans were killed during an encounter with Israeli troops as they scrambled for aid. Following Thursdays incident, US President Joe Biden on Friday announced plans to carry out a first military airdrop over Gaza. Earlier, Jordan and France carried out similar operations to ensure aid reaches Palestinians on time. Advertisement : " pic.twitter.com/ZjYi8sy4oU - N12 (@N12News) March 2, 2024 Earlier, Biden told reporters that the US was also looking at the possibility of a maritime corridor to deliver large amounts of aid into Gaza. What did the aid contain? The US military dropped 66 bundles containing about 38,000 meals into Gaza at 8:30 a.m. EST. Advertisement The airdrop is expected to be the first of many announced by President Joe Biden on Friday. The aid will be coordinated with Jordan, which has also conducted airdrops to deliver food to Gaza. The aircraft used to airdrop aid The US Air Force deployed three C-130 cargo planes to carry out the operation. The C-130 is widely used to deliver aid to remote places due to its ability to land in austere environments and cargo capacity. Advertisement The jet can airlift as much as 42,000 pounds of cargo and is also a preferred plane for such exercises as its crews know how to rig the cargo, which sometimes can include even vehicles, onto massive pallets that can be safely dropped out of the back of the aircraft. They have earned their fame for carrying out successful aid deliveries in Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti and other locations. Advertisement With inputs from agencies While K-12 teaching is, for many in the profession, inherently purposeful, some leaders in education mistakenly believe that the mission-rich nature of educators work alone is sufficient to keep K-12 teachers in the classroom. Shifts in Americas K-12 education landscape have led to a significant decline in key elements of educators engagement, including knowing whats expected of them, having the ability to use their strengths every day, and having a sense of purpose in their work. K-12 teachers also face unique challenges due to the nature of their role. On average, they are less likely to have the materials and equipment they need to do their work right, less likely to be treated with respect at work, and more likely to experience frequent burnout compared with workers in other occupations. In Their Own Words To better understand recent K-12 teacher turnover, Gallup conducted in-depth interviews with 10 former educators. These individuals, who have an average of 14 years of teaching experience, chose to leave K-12 teaching within the past five years to pursue another occupation. The long-held assumption that K-12 teachers will remain in their role because they love working with kids is no longer valid. Its time to rethink the day-to-day experiences of K-12 educators at work. The former educators shared many stories about the connections they created with students: I just really could connect with those kids and give them the love that they need. You felt like you were a big part of their lives, because we knew that in a lot of cases school was the happiest part of their life But they also recounted feeling burned out and underappreciated. Id go home, and Id just collapse on the couch, and then I wasnt energetic to interact with my family or do chores and stuff. Just hearing that youre doing a good job feels good, and I dont know if I was hearing that enough to feel like all of the hard work that I was doing was being seen. Several of the former educators also described the ways in which administrators and parents can affect their role. When you have an administrator who creates toxic work environments, like, its just not fun to be there, as much as you love kids, as much as you love your job. [There is] much less support from parents today than what there had been in the past. I think theres less engagement from parents, less recognition of just, thank you for everything you do. The interviews demonstrated a complicated dynamic between loving ones role and struggling with how their role was affecting other areas of their lives negatively because of the way their workplace experiences were managed. The interviews demonstrated a complicated dynamic between loving ones role and struggling with how their role was affecting other areas of their lives negatively because of the way their workplace experiences were managed. How to Fix the K-12 Teacher Experience Fostering an engaging K-12 teacher experience should be a foundational expectation in every education leaders role, but leaders often lack the right training and resources. Deciding where to start can feel like an insurmountable task. Driven by the complex reasons educators leave the profession, Gallup researchers revisited data from nationally representative surveys and identified six key elements of the K-12 workplace that leaders can focus on to differentiate their school or district from the rest: Address Burnout K-12 employees are among the most highly burned out workers. In 2023, 39% of K-12 teachers felt burned out always or very often, compared with 26% of workers in other occupations. When burnout is proactively addressed at the source through clear expectations, adequate training and resources, and realistic performance expectations, K-12 teachers are significantly more likely to be engaged in their job and less likely to look for a different one. Focus on Wellbeing K-12 teachers, on average, report higher life satisfaction compared with other workers. They are more likely to have thriving wellbeing, overall. However, they also experience the highest rate of disrespect at work across all industries. In a 2023 survey, 42% of employees in the K-12 industry said they had been treated disrespectfully at work in the past month. Just 21% of K-12 educators strongly agree that at work, their opinions seem to count. Taking time to authentically listen to educators experiences and find ways to provide support will go a long way in bolstering educators respect and wellbeing. Discover Strengths The percentage of K-12 teachers who strongly agreed that their work allows them to do what they do best every day has decreased by 17% over the past three years. When a new project, task or time commitment arises, instead of defaulting to asking, Who is available to do this? instead ask, Who is best equipped to do this? This simple mindset shift can make a difference: Employees who say they have the opportunity to do what they do best every day are 57% less likely to experience frequent burnout. Give Frequent Meaningful Feedback Most K-12 teachers lack frequent meaningful feedback from their manager or administrator. While administrators are tasked with their own difficult workloads, finding time to prioritize quick connects with educators reap a multitude of benefits. Educators who receive frequent meaningful feedback are two times as likely to strongly agree their manager removes barriers to performance and 2.1 times as likely to strongly agree their manager invests in their development. Appreciate Contributions Twenty-four percent of K-12 teachers strongly agree they have received recognition or praise for doing good work in the last seven days. Recognition that is authentic, personal and meaningful is most effective. Education leaders may not have time to observe and recognize every great thing an educator does, but they do have the ability to establish recognition as an important part of culture at their school. If leaders are not sure how to recognize educators, they can remove the guesswork by asking. Only 10% of employees have been asked how they like to be recognized at work. Reimagine Career Growth For many K-12 educators, traditional career advancement means becoming an administrator or department head. But not all teachers want to take that path. Classroom teachers can still achieve career growth through strategic professional development, frequent conversations about progress toward professional goals and growth in their current role -- without piling on tasks that will burn them out. K-12 teachers who strongly agree their manager invests in their development are 8.7 times as likely to strongly agree there is a well-defined plan for career growth at their school or district, compared with K-12 teachers who do not strongly agree. ###Embeddable### 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 Turkish media reveal identities of alleged spies for China Suspects are accused of spying on prominent Uyghurs and Uyghur organizations in Turkey. By Arslan Tash for RFA Uyghur 2024.03.01 -- An alleged spy for China living in Istanbul evaded detection by Turkish authorities for years, Sadiq Memeteziz's undercover work taking him to Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Syria and Xinjiang in China's far-west, Turkish media reports said, citing official documents. Memeteziz, or Shadeke Maimaitiaizazi in Chinese, was one of six arrested on Feb. 20 for allegedly spying for China, Turkey's HabertArk newspaper and TV channel said Wednesday. HabertArk revealed the identities of four the six men arrested earlier this week, indicating they met with Chinese intelligence officials in Saudi Arabia. The media reports didn't identify the ethnicity of the men, but Radio Free Asia has confirmed that they are all Uyghurs. One of the six, named Ehmetjan, was later released. A seventh one is still at large and wanted by police. The suspects are accused of spying on prominent Uyghurs and Uyghur associations in Turkey and passing the information to Chinese intelligence officers. The arrests follow a probe by the Istanbul chief prosecutor's Terrorism and Organized Crime Investigation Bureau, media reports said. If they are indeed shown to have spied for China, the case would illustrate the lengths that Beijing will go to gather information on Uyghurs abroad as part of its transnational repression. Uyghur diaspora With roughly 50,000 Uyghurs living in Turkey a the largest Uyghur AmigrA population outside Central Asia a the Muslim-majority country has become a focus for Chinese espionage. Radio Free Asia in February 2023 reported on how the Chinese government's efforts to coerce Uyghurs to gather information on each other undermines trust and can dampen social and cultural gatherings, preventing Uyghur refugees from rebuilding their communities abroad. In the past, Turkey offered Uyghurs a safe place to live outside China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and is the only Turkic and Muslim country that has consistently raised the issue of the plight of Uyghurs at the United Nations and in bilateral talks with China. So this crackdown on alleged spies for China represents a shift on Turkey's part. The Istanbul chief prosecutor's office would not comment on the ongoing investigation. RFA could not reach the Chinese Embassy in Ankara for comment. Family is shocked Memeteziz's son, who lives in Istanbul, told RFA that he does not believe his father is a criminal, and that it is premature to call him such until judicial authorities issue a verdict. "We also recently came across the news and were shocked by it," said the son, who declined to be named for fear of retribution. "It was a mix of sadness and disbelief, as we never imagined such a thing could happen." The son said he has lived apart from his father for two-and-a-half years, balancing work and studies, and that they occasionally checked in with each other. "As of now, we haven't received any updates from the police or the judicial bodies," he said. "There was no concrete evidence or confirmation, and judicial bodies haven't said anything like what was reported in the news reports yet. All we've heard is that he was arrested." "Personally, I find this hard to believe because he has been running his own business for over 20 years," the son added. "He has his own brand and products, and even when we lived together, he focused on his business and trade with Central Asia. Politics was never his concern due to his business commitments. Hence, I doubt the accuracy of these news reports." Details of alleged activities Based on an arrest notice issued by the Terrorism and Organized Crime Investigation Bureau, Memeteziz, in his mid- to late 50s, moved to Turkey from Xinjiang - where 11 million Uyghurs live - in the 2000s and had contact with someone from the Ministry of National Security, China's spy agency. He met with an official named Li from the Chinese Communist Party's Kargilik (Yecheng in Chinese) County Committee in Xinjiang's Kashgar prefecture, both via phone and in person, the notice said. According to information from the Turkish National Intelligence Service, it appears that Memeteziz met with Chinese intelligence officials outside Turkey. He traveled to Hong Kong in February 2023, then proceeded to Xinjiang's Kargilik county, where he had face-to-face meetings with two spies named Li and Alimjan. Subsequently, Memeteziz met with Alimjan again in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. To conceal these meetings, Chinese intelligence officials in China and Saudi Arabia provided Memeteziz with two different passports, the Turkish news reports said. Records indicate that Memeteziz continued to travel to and from Xinjiang with ease, particularly after 2017 when Chinese authorities began detaining Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims en masse in "re-education" camps under the guise of preventing religious extremism and terrorist activities, the reports said. In 2023, Memeteziz received US$7,000 in Beijing and US$15,000 in Saudi Arabia in exchange for his espionage activities for China, said the reports. Upon his return to Turkey in August 2023, Memeteziz obtained information about Uyghur organizations and their meetings, and the addresses of prominent Uyghurs living in Turkey. He collected photos and documents to share with Chinese intelligence officials, the news reports said. The notice from the chief prosecutor's office said that Memeteziz, under instructions from the Chinese intelligence agency, tried in January 2023 to move to an area where Uyghur religious teacher Abduqadir Yapchan resided, but he could not find accommodations. China had accused Yapchan of being part of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, a Muslim separatist group that the U.S. State Department dropped from its list of terrorist organizations in October 2020 because of a lack of credible evidence that it continued to exist. Turkish police arrested him in August 2016 on charges of being a "terrorist" and kept him in detention or under house arrest. In April 2021, a court in Turkey rejected a request by Beijing to extradite Yapchan to China to face terrorism charges, ending years of detention and legal limbo under the threat of harsh Chinese punishment. Other suspects The arrest warrant for a second suspect, Hebibulla ArAmci, said he acted as an intermediary in transferring money from a spy named Alimjan to Memeteziz. It also indicated that ArAmci collaborated with Memeteziz in Pakistan and made multiple international trips, according to Turkish media. Hashim SabitoAYlu, the third man arrested, recently traveled to Saudi Arabia under the guise of making an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims, but instead met with Chinese intelligence operatives. Memeteziz received payments from China through Hashim under the guise of business funds. Abdullah Nasir, the fourth suspect, was reported to have continuously met with a Chinese intelligence officer named Zhong Xuegang, who identified himself as a Chinese consulate officer. Nasir was said to have stayed with Zhong in a hotel in Bursa, a city in Turkey about 92 kilometers (57 miles) south of Istanbul. Nasir was also acquainted with a spy named Alimjan and had a significant number of passport records on file, Turkish media said. Memeteziz was assigned to gather information about Uyghurs in Syria by using Abdullah, an employee at a Uyghur bakery in Zeytinburnu, a working-class area on the European side of Istanbul. When RFA contacted Abdullah - the bakery worker, not the suspect Abdullah Nasir - he said he didn't know Memeteziz but mentioned someone from Kargilik who visited the bakery every two or three days, trying to gather information about Uyghurs in Turkey and in other countries. "He would chat with me while buying naan," Abdullah said, referring to Uyghur flatbread. "One day, he mentioned wanting to help people in need and asked if there were any religious kids from Kargilik. He asked me to let him know if I knew any. I told him I didn't know any."n "I can't confirm if he's a spy because there's a lot of gossip in the community," Abdullah said. "I did't have a close relationship with him. He didn't live in Zeytinburnu, and he told me he was coming from the Aksaray area to buy naan." Translated by RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese-built light rail project inaugurated in Nigeria's state of Lagos Xinhua) 10:44, March 02, 2024 A train of Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red Line is seen at Ikeja station in Lagos, Nigeria, Feb. 29, 2024. The first phase of a Chinese-built state-of-the-art light rail project in Nigeria's southwestern state of Lagos was inaugurated Thursday by President Bola Tinubu, opening a new chapter in addressing the challenges of traffic congestion and commuting delays that have long plagued the country's economic powerhouse. Undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in 2021, the transformative Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project is 26.5 km long with eight stations. (Xinhua/Han Xu) ABUJA, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The first phase of a Chinese-built state-of-the-art light rail project in Nigeria's southwestern state of Lagos was inaugurated Thursday by President Bola Tinubu, opening a new chapter in addressing the challenges of traffic congestion and commuting delays that have long plagued the country's economic powerhouse. Undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in 2021, the transformative Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project is 26.5 km long with eight stations. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos, Tinubu described the project as "a dream realized and a fulfillment of years of hard work and dedication by successive governments." The president, who later led an inaugural ride on the Red Line train, also witnessed the contract signing ceremony for the construction of the second phase of the LRMT Red Line project by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority and the CCECC. In December 2022, the CCECC completed the 13-km-long first phase of the construction of the LRMT Blue Line project, which aims to complement the entire Red Line initiative. Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Cui Jianchun said the project demonstrated a people-centered initiative, calling for a stronger partnership between the two friendly nations to enhance development with "resilience to overcome difficulties." "All the stations are live and ready to receive passengers," said Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, at the ceremony, adding the completion of the project heralds a new dawn for transportation in the state and promises swift, reliable, and comfortable commuting experiences for millions of residents. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu addresses the commissioning ceremony of the first phase of Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red Line in Lagos, Nigeria, Feb. 29, 2024. The first phase of a Chinese-built state-of-the-art light rail project in Nigeria's southwestern state of Lagos was inaugurated Thursday by President Bola Tinubu, opening a new chapter in addressing the challenges of traffic congestion and commuting delays that have long plagued the country's economic powerhouse. Undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in 2021, the transformative Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project is 26.5 km long with eight stations. (Xinhua/Han Xu) This photo taken on Feb. 29, 2024 shows a contract signing ceremony of the second phase of Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red Line in Lagos, Nigeria. The first phase of a Chinese-built state-of-the-art light rail project in Nigeria's southwestern state of Lagos was inaugurated Thursday by President Bola Tinubu, opening a new chapter in addressing the challenges of traffic congestion and commuting delays that have long plagued the country's economic powerhouse. Undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in 2021, the transformative Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project is 26.5 km long with eight stations. (Photo by Yan Yujuan/Xinhua) Trains of Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red Line are seen at Ikeja station in Lagos, Nigeria, Feb. 29, 2024. The first phase of a Chinese-built state-of-the-art light rail project in Nigeria's southwestern state of Lagos was inaugurated Thursday by President Bola Tinubu, opening a new chapter in addressing the challenges of traffic congestion and commuting delays that have long plagued the country's economic powerhouse. Undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in 2021, the transformative Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project is 26.5 km long with eight stations. (Xinhua/Han Xu) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) Wanted Former Wirecard Executive Spied For Russia For Years, Investigative Journalists Say By RFE/RL's Russian Service March 01, 2024 The former chief operating officer of the defunct German fintech giant Wirecard, who fled to Russia in 2020 to evade possible prosecution on embezzlement and fraud charges, spied for Moscow for years, according to an investigation by German, Austrian, and Russian media outlets published on March 1. Among the findings of the investigative article by journalists with ZDF, the German magazine Spiegel, the Austrian newspaper Der Standard, and The Insider is that Jan Marsalek, the shady central figure in the implosion of the German digital-payment-services provider, changed his identity while in Russia. The journalists obtained a copy of Marsalek's current Russian passport in which he is identified as Konstantin Bayazov. The reporters found out that a man with that name is an Orthodox priest residing in the Russian city of Lipetsk southeast of Moscow. The priest resembles Marsalek, and their birthdates are only one year apart. Marsalek appears to have assumed Bayazov's identity to be able to travel, the investigative journalists reported. The priest said he had no comment on their findings. "I have told you that you journalists must understand that we cannot speak with you," Bayazov told ZDF. The investigation also uncovered details about Marsalek's Russian friend Natalia Zlobina, who in 2014 introduced him to Stanislav Petlinsky, who ultimately helped Marsalek establish contacts with representatives of Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU). Zlobina, a former erotic model who is identified in the investigation as his lover, had been "attached" to Marsalek and assigned to recruit him to collaborate with Russian secret services. Petlinsky, who calls himself "a security consultant," told the journalists while meeting with them in Dubai that he had introduced Marsalek to "some influential persons in Russia" up to the level of lawmakers, but not to secret service employees and he denied that Marsalek worked for the Russian secret services. Petlinsky met with Marsalek in his office in Munich opposite the Russian consulate, where Marsalek regularly met with influential people active in politics, business, and national security officials, the investigation reports. Meanwhile, some security officials in the West say they have information about Petlinsky's cooperation with Russian secret services. Petlinsky confirmed to the investigative journalists that in 2017 he and Marsalek visited Wagner mercenary group troops in Syria and took part in recruiting Russian mercenaries for military operations in Libya. The investigation said it was very likely that Marsalek, while representing Wirecard, used a network of firms to buy out assets of Russia's RSB Group, a provider of services to military mercenaries across the world. Austrian investigators say Marsalek was part of a secret services' cell providing them business opportunities and authority. "The intensive investigations...substantiate the suspicion and point to an intelligence network that is well established in Austria...around the Austrian citizen Jan Marsalek, who is still a fugitive," a report by the Austrian special investigator said. In addition, British authorities say Marsalek led a Russian spy network in London that followed individuals the Kremlin did not like, including Christo Grozev of the Bellingcat investigative group, which investigated Marsalek's activities. Marsalek's lawyer refused to comment on the situation to the investigative journalists. Wirecard, a company that was once listed in Germany's DAX index of top-tier companies, plunged into crisis in 2020 when auditors pointed to a massive 1.9 billion-euro ($2.06 billion) hole in its accounts, sending the once high-flying company into insolvency. Marsalek is wanted by German and Austrian authorities on suspicion of embezzlement and fraud. Since the collapse of Wirecard, interest in Marsalek has expanded beyond his role in Wirecard to include his other business and political interests. The Financial Times reported in July that Marsalek was a person of interest to at least three Western intelligence agencies over his association with individuals or networks linked to Russia's GRU. With reporting by ZDF, Der Spiegel, Standards, and The Insider Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-wirecard- marsalek-spy/32844424.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address German Defence Ministry Verifying Possible Interception of Conversation - Reports Sputnik News 20240301 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The German Defence Ministry has initiated a probe into the possible interception of German Air Force communications about the alleged theoretical use of Taurus missiles, DPA reported. Earlier in the day, Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in chief of RT and the Rossiya Segodnya media group, published the text of a conversation among four Bundeswehr representatives discussing a potential attack on the Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles. The talk, which took place on February 19, involved Inspector of the German air force Ingo Gerhartz, Brig. Gen. Frank Graefe, head of the operations and exercises department at the air force command in Berlin, and two employees of the air operations center of the Bundeswehr Space Command. The German Military Counterintelligence Service has taken all necessary measures, the ministry said, as cited by the news outlet. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defence alliance and community built on shared values Germany - Federal Government NATO's strength comes from its cohesion. It has guaranteed Europe's security for more than 70 years and will continue to be vital to security in the future. What does NATO stand for? And how does the Federal Government contribute to the North Atlantic Alliance? A summary. Tuesday, 27 February 2024 What is NATO and what does it stand for? NATO is the most important security alliance in the world. NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Alliance, the alliance that has linked the security of Europe and North America for more than 70 years. It stands for joint security and defence, joint operations and international cooperation with partners, and embraces multilateralism in practice. NATO also sees itself as a community of shared values among free democratic states. Under the North Atlantic Treaty, members commit to peace, democracy, freedom and the rule of law. Why is Germany a member of NATO? The cohesion of NATO has guaranteed Europe's security for more than 70 years. NATO will continue to be vital to our security. During the Cold War, the Federal Republic of Germany proved itself a reliable partner and played an important role in the efforts to de-escalate tensions between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. After this came to an end, Germany too was willing to participate in military operations outside its national territory and that of the Alliance. What does the principle of collective defence mean? NATO was founded on 4 April 1949, when the foreign ministers of 12 states signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington DC. The treaty brought ten countries in Western Europe in to a conventional military alliance with the USA and Canada during times of peace. The most important principle of the Alliance is collective defence: member states agree to protect each other and respond jointly in the event of conflict. Article 5 of the NATO Treaty sets out the duty of collective defence: "The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all." Who are the member states and when did they join? The 31 member state states of NATO are: Albania (joined 2009), Belgium (1949), Bulgaria (2004), Canada (1949), Croatia (2009), Czech Republic (1999), Denmark (1949), Estonia (2004), Finland (2023), France (1949), Germany (1955), Greece (1952), Hungary (1999), Iceland (1949), Italy (1949), Latvia (2004), Lithuania (2004), Luxembourg (1949), Montenegro (2017), The Netherlands (1949), North Macedonia (2020), Norway (1949), Poland (1999), Portugal (1949), Romania (2004), Slovakia (2004), Slovenia (2004), Spain (1982), Turkey (1952), United Kingdom (1949), USA (1949). Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Finland and Sweden (which had out of tradition refrained from joining any military alliances for many years) applied to join NATO. The two Scandinavian countries were officially invited to join NATO at the NATO summit in Madrid in June 2022. Finland officially became the 31st member of NATO on 4 April 2023. The Hungarian parliament has now given its consent to Sweden's membership, clearing the way for Sweden to join NATO. Now that all member states have agreed, the Secretary General of NATO will officially invite Sweden to join NATO. For the accession procedure to be concluded, Sweden must approve its accession under its own national procedures and lodge its instrument of accession with the US State Department. What is the role of the NATO Secretary General? The NATO Secretary General is the public face of NATO. Among other duties, they oversee the International Secretariat and chair the Nuclear Planning Group. The NATO Secretary General can also decide issues to be discussed by the committees which they chair. They are responsible for reconciling any differences of opinions and conflicts within the alliance. The Secretary General is appointed for a four-year term by NATO members. This period can be extended to five years, however. The second important post is that of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). The SACEUR has the power to decide on military operations. How does the Federal Government contribute to NATO? Germany wants to keep NATO strong and is committed to the unity of the alliance. For this reason Germany must invest in the readiness of its armed forces. It contributes financially to the joint NATO budget, and also sends its troops and materiel on joint missions abroad. The Federal Armed Forces are involved in international NATO missions such as in Kosovo and also in alliance defence operations. Germany often takes on leadership responsibilities within NATO, such as in air policing operations over Estonia and in its role as a framework nation for a multinational NATO group in Lithuania. What is a NATO summit? NATO summits bring together the heads of state and government of all member state states. The latter are joined by the respective foreign and defence ministers as well as the representatives of allied partner countries. The purpose of these summits is essentially to agree on security policy strategies and to strengthen the cohesion of the Alliance based on final declarations. The first summit took place in Paris in 1957. In recent years, NATO has invited the heads of state and government of its members to a meeting approximately every two years. To mark NATO's 75th anniversary, the 2024 summit will take place in the organisation's birthplace, Washington DC. Why was the work of the NATO-Russia Council suspended? The alliance has suspended the work of the NATO-Russia Council since the Ukraine crisis began in April 2014. Nonetheless, political channels remain open at ambassadorial level. Formed in 1997, the NATO-Russia Council provided a forum for close practical cooperation to ensure transatlantic security. The council was created by the signing of the NATO-Russia Founding Act in Paris in 1997. What is the NATO-Ukraine Council? NATO and Ukraine signed the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership in 1997 which created the NATO-Ukraine Commission. The Charter brought NATO and Ukraine into a military partnership agreement. Ukraine expressed interest in becoming a member of NATO at the NATO summit in Bucharest in 2008. The NATO-Ukraine Council was set up at the 2023 summit in Vilnius to put the partnership on a new level. NATO has agreed to start holding regular discussions through the new NATO-Ukraine Council. This institutional cooperation between NATO and Ukraine makes it very clear that NATO stands in solidarity with Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 1, 2024 Transcript Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Remarks Welcoming Slovak Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinak to the Pentagon Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III; Slovakian Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinak SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III: Good afternoon, Mr. Minister. Welcome to the Pentagon, and thanks for making the trip. I had a great visit to Slovakia in 2022, and your visit here today just underscores the importance of our defense relationship. Since 1993, the United States and an independent Slovakia have deepened our defense cooperation through NATO, the State Partnership Program of the Indiana National Guard and joint operations. Today, Slovakia is increasing its defense spending. It's modernizing its military and it's enhancing its interoperability with NATO. Slovakia's purchase of F-16s further bolsters your modernization efforts, as well as our bilateral relationship, and I'm glad that we'll have the chance to discuss a range of shared security challenges today. Our partnership has never mattered more, especially as we've marked two years since Putin's all-out invasion of Ukraine. Slovakia has provided critical security assistance to Ukraine's brave defenders, and I look forward to discussing ways that we can continue to strengthen Ukraine's defenses and to reinforce NATO's Eastern flank. NATO remains the greatest alliance in history, in large part because it is strictly defensive. We're grateful to Slovakia for hosting one of NATO's forward land force units that further demonstrates your deep commitment to the alliance. I'm also eager to discuss NATO's central role in transatlantic security as we prepare for NATO's 75th Anniversary Summit here in Washington in July. Mr. Minister, I'm delighted to host you here today and I look forward to a great discussion. And over to you, sir. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ROBERT KALINAK: Thank you. Mr. Secretary, thank you for your warm words and I'm really happy that I can be here because it's long years I've been serving in Slovak politics so I remember a lot of things. During our accession to NATO, I was the chairman of the defense committee of national parliament, and I became Deputy Prime Minister in 2006. So from that time, we have the long years of common cooperation, I've (inaudible) first Secretary Mattis and Mr. Gates some years ago, and then we had very close cooperation with General (inaudible) and the others, and I hope that we also contribute somehow by our small skills and small expertise that we have in our region, and we thank you for your support so that years was not easy after the 1989 and the revolution in our country. But then we really feel the support from your side. And these years are demanding. This is an absolutely critical year, and we try to do our best to solve this situation. It's not easy, but I think that it (inaudible) we find time of solution, and again, the peace will come back to us. And a special thanks for your contribution, multi-national battle group that we have in Slovakia now, and I hope we will solve things that need to be solved there, and we prepare for the new infrastructure because it was -- we were in a hurry to build it. But I hope that we fulfill your expectation from our country, because this is really helpful in this situation where we are now. So thank you once more for your time, and thank you for the time we have here because yesterday, we were in Greenville, so we (are) returning back to Slovakia richer with F-16s. (Laughter.) MIN. KALINAK: So when they arrive in July to Slovakia because in the end of August, we're celebrating the 80 years of Slovak National uprising, and it's huge ceremony will be held, and I'll be very happy that new F-16 will be part of this presentation as a symbol of long years cooperation and successful friendship. Thank you. SEC. AUSTIN: Mr. Minister, welcome to the Pentagon. We're delighted to have you here, and I look forward to a great discussion. Thanks, everybody. https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3693087/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 1, 2024 Release Readout of Senior DoD Officials' Meeting With Colombian Ministers of Defense and Justice Department of Defense Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Devin T. Robinson provided the following readout: Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, Ms. Rebecca Zimmerman, hosted Colombia's Minister of Defense, Mr. Ivan Velasquez, and Minister of Justice and Law, Mr. Nestor Osuna, at the Pentagon on February 28. The visiting delegation also included Mr. Daniel Avila, Charge d'Affaires at the Embassy of Colombia in the United States. The United States delegation included Mr. Daniel Erikson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs; Mr. James Saenz, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Counternarcotics and Stabilization Policy; and Mr. James Alverson, Principal Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Performing the Duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Ms. Melissa Dalton, joined the meeting to emphasize the Department's support for the U.S. defense partnership with Colombia. The leaders discussed Colombia's new counter-drug policy released last year as well as progress on Colombia's Total Peace plan. PTDO Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs Zimmerman highlighted DoD's assistance to Colombia during their recent forest fires through the provision of Bambi buckets and humanitarian assistance. The senior officials exchanged views on countering illicit drug trafficking and human security, stemming irregular migration, and frameworks to enhance bilateral security cooperation. The meeting reaffirmed the United States' and Department of Defense's strong partnership with Colombia, as the two nations work together to ensure a stable and secure hemisphere based on a foundation of respect for democracy and human rights. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3691926/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 1, 2024 By Joseph Clark , DOD News Austin Lauds Military Ties Between U.S., Slovakia Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III today emphasized the deepening defense ties between the U.S. and Slovakia as he met with Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinak. Austin praised Slovakia's commitment to modernizing its defense forces, enhancing its interoperability with fellow NATO allies, and supporting Ukraine amid Russia's ongoing invasion. "Since 1993, the United States and independent Slovakia have deepened our defense cooperation through NATO, the State Partnership Program with the Indiana National Guard, and joint operations," Austin said as he welcomed Kalinak, who also serves as Slovakia's deputy prime minister, to the Pentagon. "Today, Slovakia is increasing its defense spending," he said. "It's modernizing its military, and it's enhancing its interoperability with NATO." Key among those modernization efforts is Slovakia's purchase of U.S.-produced F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, which Austin said further bolsters Slovak modernization efforts and strengthens defense ties with the U.S. Those efforts, Austin said, come at a critical time as Russia continues its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. During the meeting, Kalinak reaffirmed his country's commitment to further modernization efforts and continued military-to-military cooperation with the U.S., according to a summary of the discussion. The two leaders also discussed the importance of countering Russian aggression in Ukraine and priorities for the upcoming 75th anniversary NATO summit in Washington. "Our partnership has never mattered more, especially as we mark two years since Putin's all out invasion of Ukraine," Austin said as he kicked off the discussion. "Slovakia has provided critical security assistance to Ukraine's brave defenders, and I look forward to discussing ways that we can continue to strengthen Ukraine's defenses and to reinforce NATO's eastern flank," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 1, 2024 By Daniel P. Elkins, U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command Fort Riley Contracting Soldiers Support Project Convergence Soldiers with the 923rd Contracting Battalion at Fort Riley, Kansas, are playing a vital role in the execution of contracts supporting the Army's acquisition needs in preparation for Project Convergence Capstone 4. Project Convergence Capstone 4, or PC-C4, is an Army-hosted transformation experiment advancing the data integration operability and collaboration between joint U.S. and multinational services taking place over two phases concluding this month. "Project Convergence Capstone 4 is a dynamic event that involves multiple stakeholders from across the Army, sister services and allied nations," said Maj. Ryan Maynard, who is leading a team supporting the contract requirements. "The complexity of validating requirements from multiple organizations with disparate end states was a unique challenge; however, our partners at the Joint Modernization Command have facilitated a smooth contracting process and were able to clarify all the requirements." Also participating are the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force and militaries from partner and allied countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France and Japan. PC-C4 provides a critical venue to identify and refine Army transformation recommendations and ensure future war-winning readiness. Evaluating the modernization efforts of the Army, Project Convergence began in 2020 at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, before the addition of land forces from Australia and the United Kingdom in 2022. Planning for this year's contracted services and supplies by Mission and Installation Contracting Command contracting professionals at Fort Riley got underway at the end of 2023 to set the stage beginning this week at various locations. "Contracts supporting Project Convergence Capstone 4 cover a wide range of basic services and supplies that enable the execution of the experiment at both Camp Pendleton and Fort Irwin, California," explained Maynard, who is on site this week for contract oversight. In addition to Maynard, supporting those acquisition needs are Sgt. 1st Class Jared Casey, Sgt. 1st Class Frank Gomes and Staff Sgt. Danielle Reed from the 923rd CBN. They are executing and administering more than a dozen contracts in support of PC-C4 at an estimated value of $5.2 million. Contracted services and supplies included geolocation services, material handling equipment and base life support requirements. "This exercise serves as a training event for members of the 923rd CBN that will set them up for home station and contingency contracting requirements in the future," Maynard added. Casey, a battalion contracting officer, guided a team of contract specialists through the solicitation, offer evaluation, award and contract administration process to maximize efficiency while also using each step of the way as a learning experience for the team. Casey will also be on site at Fort Irwin in mid-February to provide contracting oversight for the second phase of the event. "Our team started working with our supported unit JMC immediately. During the acquisition process it is vital to have all the subject matter experts and mission partners involved and motivated to successful accomplish the mission," Casey said. "All our mission partners for PC-C4 are extremely well versed in the acquisition process. This allowed the MICC-Fort Riley PC-C4 team to award the requirements ahead of schedule." As event site preparation gets underway, Maynard said contract support will also be on site during the higher friction points of contract execution to include contractor mobilization and initial services at both Camp Pendleton and Fort Irwin. "By placing contracting personnel forward with the supported unit, MICC-Fort Riley will be able to react in real time to emerging requirements and enforce contractor conformance to the performance work statement," Maynard said. The 923rd CBN and MICC-Fort Riley provide continuous contracting solutions, operational contracting support and business advice to the 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley Garrison and tenant units to enable a globally dominant land force capability. In fiscal 2023, the contracting activity executed 436 contract actions valued at more than $26 million. About the MICC Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,500 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. As part of its mission, MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitate training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 1, 2024 By Army Staff Sgt. LaShic Patterson, 24th Theater Public Affairs Support Element Table of Knowledge Acts as Think Tank for Project Convergence Capstone 4 As the largest Army-hosted, joint, multinational experiment, Project Convergence Capstone 4 draws upon insights from previous experiments conducted not only in the United States, but across the globe in the Philippines, Australia and Europe. Created in 2022, PC-C4's "table of knowledge" acts as the Army's think tank and generates key insights from observations for senior leaders to analyze how joint and multinational forces can effectively communicate, maneuver, fight and win in the future. Army Lt. Col. Ricky Jones, Army Maj. Derek Torrez, Jim Bailey and Russell Lange all with the Army Joint Modernization Command share previous lessons learned from the table of knowledge in Project Convergence 2022 and projected insights for PC-C4. The table of knowledge consists of subject matter experts who begin the experiment by gathering observations through surveys and data collection. Jones wears several hats as the assessment branch chief, operational insights lead and field artillery officer. "This is the second iteration of the table of knowledge concept," Jones said. "We are a brain, using it as an analogy, that receives information through our [observation analysts], which are like our eyes and our fingers. Then, we make that into something that is of significance for senior leaders, not just a cruncher of numbers, but a communicator of expectations, future concepts and messaging." PC-C4 looks to assess and develop systems, equipment and technology through persistent experimentation, which will inform network systems, data-driven decisions and joint-warfighting concepts, allowing continuous learning, transforming capabilities and future readiness. "One thing that Army Futures Command has done is establish a concept of persistent experimentation," Jones said. "The table of knowledge, which was a part of Project Convergence 22, came away with key takeaways and recommendations. We carry that forward through all of the planning leading up to execution." Torrez acts as the table of knowledge officer-in-command, also serving as the assessments branch deputy and force manager during PC-C4. He works with subject matter experts from the Capability Development Integration directorates to generate insights and articulate to senior leaders about technologies and concepts formulated within the experiment's four use cases for the Army's operating concept. PC-C4 incorporates four use cases, including integrated fires, joint, forcible-entry operations, expansion of maneuvers for penetration and exploitation, and a combination of the three for the Joint and Multinational force. Torrez compared use cases in PC-C4 to scientific experiments that start by forming questions and hypotheses. "Within each use case, there are mission threads, and the mission thread for us really captures the hypotheses that we're trying to answer," Torrez said. "As we developed each mission thread, it initially was an experimental question. That question might have been, 'How do robotic platforms enable expanded maneuver?' Over time, we continue to develop that into a hypothesis." When a hypothesis is proven, it becomes a theory, and in the case of PC-C4, observations, if proven, become insights. "As we continue to experiment, we'll be able to answer how robots are employed in human formations," Torrez said. "The difference between an observation and an insight is that observation is raw data; it does not become an insight until we have witnessed that same observation a number of times. When we start to see trends [is] when we can then take that observation and link it to a capability document." Jones said some projected takeaways for the table of knowledge are using small unmanned aircraft systems, robotics, artificial intelligence and joint and multinational integrated capabilities. "We're going to learn how robotic formations not just work alongside manned formations, but how those formations integrate and can execute complex and risky tasks such as a breach, a crossing or a movement to contact against an enemy defensive position," Jones said. "We're trying to learn and expand on multinational and combined joint integration, how our formations can talk to each other, share data and collaborate." More than 4,000 service members and civilians from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force will work together in the experiment's continuous learning campaign. According to Jones, the table of knowledge hopes to see the integration of sensors for offensive and defensive fires and how artificial intelligence and machine learning enable the commander to make decisions at the speed necessary for large-scale combat operations. "With the Marine Corps, we're doing a lot of collaboration on joint maritime sustainment with our different systems to include Army watercraft," Jones said. "For the Air Force, we are experimenting jointly with their agile combat employment capabilities. With the Navy, there's some fleet experimentational objectives they want to accomplish. We will synthesize observations on how the Combined Joint Task Force can leverage an experimental U.S. Navy command and control capability." Bailey, senior integration analyst, and Lange, integration analyst, served as air defense artillery soldiers during the Cold War. Bailey developed the concept of the table of knowledge, answering the Army's efforts to go back to the strategies of the Cold War. He also expanded his talented team of experts from a table to an entire tent this year. Lange elaborated on the Army's shift in tactics. "We're going back to large-scale operations," Lange said. "In other words, the focus is now on the division, rather than the brigade, as the unit of action. In the Middle East, the brigade was the focus of that, and now, it's back to the division. Now, we have air [and cyber] threats that we didn't have to face as much in the Middle East." The table of knowledge relies on their experience in implementing new efforts to help the think tank become "super integrated," according to Bailey. The table of knowledge team started by adding use case deputies and operational research system analysts to assist the use case leads in managing the experiment's four use cases. "We added a use case deputy," Bailey said. "That use case deputy is handpicked from the Fire Center of Excellence, and what the ORSA does is they are the senior analytical officers who are on that team who can feed us after-action reviews or any critical data points. As things are happening, they're kind of painting the picture per mission thread." Bailey and his team also added observer writers to manage the observer analysts, who collect data during the experiment. "In the past, we had just all OAs," Bailey said. "This year, we added the OW, which is an observer writer, and they're subject matter experts in their functional areas. When you look across here, you have the intel, the space, the cyber, the fires and the [air defense artillery], and each of the OWs has several OAs, usually about three to five." With allies and partners from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France and Japan, PC-C4 aims to evaluate technology's potential to deter and defeat current and emerging threats. For the first time in Project Convergence experimentation, the table of knowledge included a workspace for multinational allies and partners to collaborate with the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force and French army elements. "We are working collaboratively to produce, in the stride of experimentation, information documents that are going to go to the Department of Defense, the leadership within our joint services, and Congress to help them make budgetary decisions," Jones said. "We're going to report on the capabilities that we are experimenting with today, which will be delivered to the Army of 2030." In building the Army of 2030, PC-C4 will test interoperability, demonstrate transformation efforts, expand war-winning capabilities and aid in delivering joint all-domain warfare for the future operating environment for the Army of 2040 vision. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 1, 2024 By Army Spc. Jackson Grey, 24th Theater Public Affairs Support Elemen Project Convergence Capstone 4 Works to Integrate Joint, Multinational Defense Systems Pushing forward on Army Futures Command's mission of multinational and joint interoperability, Project Convergence Capstone 4 is experimenting with the capabilities of joint and multinational layered air and missile defense systems. PC-C4 is an Army-hosted, joint and multinational experiment that will inform the integration of modernization capabilities, such as layered defense systems to increase the effectiveness of weapon systems and force protection. Layered defense's primary goal during PC-C4 is to experiment with sensor capabilities from unmanned drones and manned aircraft that send data to translating nodes that interpret it for anti-aircraft interceptors. "Layered defense means we will see different weapons against targets from the defended area," said Air Force Maj. Morgan Huttes, the director of operations from the 134th Air Control Squadron. "This way the coalition can increase the probability of kill while maximizing our weapons efficiency." The experiments at Capstone 4 will focus on implementing these strategies as a team of multinational and joint forces. "During PC-C4, we are truly integrating all the services," Huttes said. "We are using a U.S. Marine Corps F-35 as the sensor, with a U.S. Air Force unit as the Battle Management node translating the data so that the target can be shot by an Army missile." The F-35 Raptor is used by the Marine Corps, the Air Force, and Navy, as well as many NATO and foreign allies, such as the United Kingdom, Australian, and Japanese militaries. "We use the F-35 out here when we're looking for all kinds of vehicles and ships," said Marine Corps Maj. Matteo Occhipinti, a naval aviator who has flown with the F-35 extensively. "The big leap in technology is the sensors, and then the data links and the fusion between the two." The joint and multinational qualities of these experiments are essential to maximizing the sensors, battle management nodes and weapons. This complicates the enemy's targeting and eliminates a single point of failure. "It comes down to fighting for information because even in exercises, there are unknown factors," Huttes said. "It comes down to teaching your airmen, soldiers, and Marines, regardless of rank, to fight for the information they need at their level to help inform commander's intent and increase their lethality." These experiments will increase joint and allied participation as we ensure the Army, as a part of a joint and multinational force, can rapidly converge effects across all domains and help create the Army of 2030. "The more we do this together, the easier it becomes in reality," said British Army Lt. Col. Callum Lane, the U.K. exchange officer within the U.S. Army Joint Modernization Command, in charge of multinational integration and interoperability. "And the more agile we becomenot just as institutions in our own right [or] as nations in our own right, but as a partnership of institutions and nations." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. strategic bombers complete first Bomber Task Force deployment under Large Scale Global Exercise 2024 By U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa Public Affairs , United States European Command Lulea, Sweden Mar 01, 2024 U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., conducted a cross-combatant command mission from their deployed location at Lulea-Kallax Air Base, Sweden, in support of Global Guardian, Feb. 29, 2024. The aircraft departed from Sweden, crossed into the U.S. Northern Command area of responsibility and completed their deployment by returning to their home base near Rapid City, S.D. At various intervals of the mission across northern Europe, the bombers were accompanied by an array of aircraft - including fuelers and fighters - from Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K. Exercise Global Guardian was a culminating event of Bomber Task Force 24-2, the first strategic bomber deployment under Large Scale Global Exercise 2024. Nations participating in Global Guardian included Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The objectives of this particular mission were to exercise multinational cooperation, demonstrate collective deterrence and test air defense capabilities. To achieve this, the B-1s flew as a simulated adversary and received intercepts from various NATO fighter aircraft across the Arctic, North Sea, and the Greenland, Iceland and U.K. gap. All training objectives were met. "This serves as a stellar illustration of NATO's collective deterrence and air defense capabilities," said Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa and NATO Allied Air Command. "In the face of today's uncertain global security landscape, preparedness for any scenario is paramount. Through this exercise, we enhance interoperability within the NATO Alliance, reinforcing our commitment to collaborative efforts that foster international security and stability." Sweden's status as a NATO invitee, soon to be a full-fledged member, has meant increased integration of the country into NATO's military structures and operations. "The U.S. is one of our most important partners and having them here at the base is very good logistic training for us to be able to host," said Swedish Air Force Col. Peter Greberg, Norrbotten Wing commander. "Unfortunately, I couldn't fly on the mission myself, but I heard that it was really, really good. Being a bomber escort is not something we do regularly, so that was very good training." Greberg also shared his hopes for the future of the U.S.-Sweden partnership. "Joining NATO means bringing our two countries together," he added. "I'm looking forward to that and having more opportunities to train." The U.S. routinely demonstrates its commitment to NATO Allies and partners through BTF missions. Through these missions, USAFE-AFAFRICA enables dynamic force employment in the European theater, providing strategic predictability and assurance for Allies and partners while contributing to deterrence by introducing greater operational unpredictability for potential adversaries. Regular and routine deployments of U.S. strategic bombers also provide critical touch points to train and operate alongside our Allies and partners while bolstering a collective response to any global conflict. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudan: Joint Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic on the ban on cross-border assistance from Chad European Commission Statement 1 March 2024 Brussels We strongly condemn the recent ban by the Sudanese de facto authorities on the delivery of cross-border humanitarian assistance from Chad to Sudan to the civilians suffering at the hands of both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This is a flagrant violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In the context of widespread hostilities, cross-border assistance is the lifeline to the people of Darfur. Denying access to vital aid for people in need, especially in conflict-affected regions, is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation in what is now the largest displacement and protection crisis globally. We remind all parties to the conflict that the denial of humanitarian assistance can amount to a war crime under international law. This ban directly contradicts commitments made by the parties to the conflict in Sudan in the Jeddah Declaration to protect civilians and to facilitate increased humanitarian assistance. These commitments are essential for mitigating the impact of the conflict on civilian populations and ensuring their basic needs are met. We reaffirm the immediate need to guarantee safe, unimpeded, and uninterrupted humanitarian access within the country as well as across international borders. The ten months long conflict seriously deteriorated the food security outlook, disrupted the harvest season and destroyed livelihoods and health infrastructures. The massive looting of humanitarian supplies by the RSF and affiliated militias, prohibited by IHL, also contributed to this dire situation. The window to avert the worst is closing rapidly. Sudan is on a verge of a large-scale famine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China urges immediate cease-fire after attacks on Gaza aid-seekers kill 112 Global Times By Zhang Han Published: Mar 01, 2024 09:11 PM Updated: Mar 01, 2024 10:45 PM China on Friday again urged the parties involved, Israel in particular, to bring about an immediate cease-fire and ensure the safety of civilians, after attacks on Thursday against Palestinian aid-seekers killed at least 112 and injured more than 700 in Gaza. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at Friday's routine press briefing, calling on efforts to ensure humanitarian aid can be accessed. The Gaza Strip is currently facing an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, and the UN Security Council must take immediate action to promote a cease-fire and end the fighting, Mao said in response to the US' blocking the UNSC from issuing a statement on the killing. The major countries involved should truly uphold a fair and responsible attitude and play a constructive role in promoting an immediate cease-fire, Mao said. China will continue to work with all parties in the international community to push the UNSC to take further responsible and meaningful actions, make unremitting efforts to extinguish the flames of war in Gaza and alleviate the humanitarian crisis, promote the implementation of the "two-state solution" and achieve long-term stability in the Middle East region, she said. Humanitarian groups - including UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, and Mercy Corp - condemned the killing after Israeli soldiers opened fire on a crowd waiting for food in northern Gaza, Al Jazeera reported Friday. Acknowledging that Israeli soldiers had opened fire on the crowd, Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hyman blamed "Gazan truck drivers" for dozens of the deaths as overwhelmed drivers rammed into the aid-seekers, causing hit-and-runs and a stampede, AFP reported. Analysts said the Thursday killing might not have started as a deliberate massacre, but the tragic development stemmed from shortages caused by the war, and it shows that the humanitarian disaster has become so grave in the Gaza Strip that the situation has dropped to the bottom of an abyss. Despite facing mounting pressure from the international community, Israel is conducting assaults in northern Gaza and obstinately advancing its plan to raid the southern city of Rafah, Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Friday. That again rang alarm bells for the international community to take immediate action to alleviate the crisis, otherwise the rights of Palestinians will continue to be eroded and prospects for a two-state solution will ultimately vanish into nothing, the expert stressed. The White House said it had asked its close ally Israel to probe the "tremendously alarming" deaths of aid-seekers in Gaza and the incident "needs to be thoroughly investigated." President Joe Biden said the killing of more than 100 Palestinians near aid trucks will complicate talks as Washington attempts to broker a temporary cease-fire deal. The release of captives by Hamas would result in a cease-fire in Gaza over a period of at least six weeks, AFP reported, citing the White House. Chinese observers challenged the US' adherence to such a cease-fire deal, as its prospects are becoming more dire, and even if such a deal can be made, it is too fragile to alleviate the crisis in Gaza. The US does not care about civilians in Gaza at all and is just making diplomatic gestures to appease domestic and international public opinion, Liu said. US Air Force airman Aaron Bushnell, 25, died on Monday after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington in an apparent act of protest against the war in Gaza. But his death made little impression on US media. So far, 30,139 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive, including 13,230 children and 8,860 women. A quarter of the Gaza population, more than half a million people, are one step away from famine, according to media reports. Chen Xu, China's permanent representative to the UN Office in Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, on Thursday elaborated on China's position on the situation between Palestine and Israel at the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council. China is calling on Israel to allow humanitarian organizations to have the resources they need to conduct rescue missions in Gaza and to properly enforce the interim measures and directives from the International Court of Justice, Chen said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saraya al-Quds launches missile attack on southern occupied territories IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 1, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Saraya Al-Quds battalions confirmed the missile attack on the southern occupied territories, and announced that they had targeted Ashklon and the surrounding areas of Gaza extensively with missiles. According to the Palestinian "Sama" news agency, it was a few minutes ago that the media announced that the alarm was sounded in the towns of "Zakim" and "Ashqlan" in the south of the occupied territories. Saraya al-Quds resistance forces announced that in response to the occupation regime's crimes against Palestinian people, they have targeted Ashklon and the Zionist settlements adjacent to Gaza with rocket attacks. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah launches rocket, drone attacks on military positions, settlements of Zionists IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 1, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Lebanon's Hezbollah announced that in its rocket and drone attacks on mercenaries of the Zionist regime in the north of the occupied Palestine and the soldiers of the town of "Maian Baruch", a number of the occupiers were killed and injured. According to al-Mayadeen, Lebanon's Hezbollah emphasized on Friday that a group of occupying soldiers were attacked by a rocket around the Al-Manara military position, and as a result of this attack, the occupying forces were killed and wounded. In another operation, Hezbollah fired a suicide drone towards the Zionist regime soldiers who were stationed in the town of "Maian Baruch", which resulted in hitting the said soldiers. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Foreign Minister: safe navigation in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea are critical for global stability Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 01.03.2024 On 1 March 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Krisjanis Karins,joined a video conference with his counterparts from Bulgaria, Greece, Estonia, Lithuania, and Romania. for a discussion on current developments in the Baltic Sea and Black Sea regions, including a greater involvement of NATO bodies in the strengthening of the security of those regions. The video conference was held at the initiative of the Bulgarian Foreign Minister, Mariya Gabriel. Since Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine began on 24 February 2022, safe navigation in the Black Sea has been under a serious threat due to incidents caused by Russia. Certain risks have also been observed in the Baltic Sea. "Given that Russia's threat does not end at the borders of Ukraine and affects the entire Euro-Atlantic space, coordination between NATO countries is of particular importance. I emphasized that successful cooperation between the countries in the Baltic and Black Sea region is a precondition for restricting in Russia successfully," Krisjanis Karins noted. With Finland and Sweden joining NATO and thereby reducing the influence of the Russian navy in the Baltic Sea, security has increased across the region. Turkiye, Bulgaria, and Romania, for their part, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Task Force to Combat Sea Mines in the Black Sea (MCM Black Sea). At the initial stages of the invasion, the Russian navy laid sea mines along the Black Sea coast, which pose threat to navigation and curb the efforts of Ukraine to break Russia's sea blockade. The mine countermeasures task force is to supervise the operations of the demining mission in the Black Sea. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Denounces Curbs on Different Kashmiri Political Parties Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan denounces the decision by the Indian authorities to ban the Muslim Conference Jammu and Kashmir (Bhat faction), and Muslim Conference Jammu and Kashmir (Sumji faction), while extending the current ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu Kashmir for five more years. With this decision, a total of eight Kashmiri political parties have been outlawed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Their leadership and cadres are also facing persecution. These oppressive measures reflect a vicious intent by India to stifle dissent and freedom of expression in IIOJK in complete disregard for international human rights and humanitarian law. India should immediately lift the curbs on the banned Kashmiri parties; release all political prisoners and dissenters; and forthwith implement the UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. Islamabad 1 March 2024 44/2024 45/2024 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Death toll from Israeli attacks surpasses 30,000 in Gaza, humanitarian crisis worsening People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:32, March 01, 2024 CAIRO, March 1 (Xinhua) -- More than 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza have died from Israeli attacks as of Thursday amid worsening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave. "About one in every 20 children, women and men, are now dead or wounded," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said Thursday, referring to the bloodshed in Gaza as "carnage." "The war in Gaza must end. Clear violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws, including war crimes and possibly other crimes under international law, have been committed by all parties," he said during the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Over the nearly five months since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, 30,035 Palestinians have been killed and 70,475 others injured, including those seeking humanitarian aid, the Hamas-run health ministry said Thursday. WORSENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS "There is no food, no drink, no security, no safety, no shelter -- nothing exists here," said Ayman Shahin, a resident from Gaza City who has been displaced to Deir el-Balah, a city in central Gaza. "Humanitarian aid barely reaches the camp here. It is very limited and not enough for our children and women," he said. "No one here gets enough (resources) to meet their needs, and famine is approaching," said Naguib Abu Khaled, a Palestinian man who has been forced to relocate from Gaza City to Deir el-Balah. During a UN Security Council meeting in January, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said that about 1.9 million people, or 85 percent of Gaza's population, had been forcibly displaced amid Israel's military operations. At least 576,000 people in the Gaza Strip, or one-quarter of the population, are one step away from famine, Ramesh Rajasingham, director of the Coordination Division of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told the Security Council on Tuesday. A Palestinian source, who spoke to Xinhua anonymously, said many local residents were limited to one meal a day and not all the people could get their share of food aid. With hunger and infectious diseases spreading within the small enclave, Gazan residents may even face a deadly risk in accessing humanitarian aid. At least 112 Palestinians were killed and 760 others wounded in an Israeli attack as they were waiting for aid in western Gaza City on Thursday. Local eyewitnesses told Xinhua that the Israeli army targeted a gathering of civilians with artillery and guns. An Israeli military spokesman claimed that the troops opened fire "in self-defense" after Gazans attacked and looted aid trucks. He said dozens of Gazans were injured in the chaos, some by being crushed or trampled. POTENTIAL CEASEFIRE Ceasefire talks have resumed in Doha this week between "specialists from Egypt, Qatar, the United States and Israel" as well as Hamas representatives, Egyptian media reported. No breakthrough has been announced, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the military offensive. He said Sunday that an Israeli military operation into Rafah, the southernmost Gazan city, home to about 1.4 million Palestinians, would secure a "total victory" over Hamas within a few weeks. The prospect of an assault on Rafah has sparked widespread international appeals to Israel to exercise restraint. Egypt is reportedly threatening to suspend its peace treaty with Israel if the latter sends troops into densely-populated Rafah. According to media reports, the United States, Israel's key ally, has proposed a draft UN Security Council resolution cautioning against a "major ground offensive" into Rafah. In addition, the Israeli killing of Palestinians seeking food aid may further complicate the ceasefire negotiations. Hamas said the incident could undermine talks aimed at securing a ceasefire and releasing Israeli hostages. U.S. President Joe Biden has acknowledged that the negotiations would be complicated by the incident. ISRAEL UNDER MOUNTING PRESSURE Last week, Netanyahu unveiled his first post-war plan for Gaza, which advocated for Israel's "security control" over Palestinian territories following the conflict and underlined Netanyahu's opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state. The plan, rejected by Palestine, also contradicts the U.S. policy, as Biden has said that only a two-state solution has a chance of achieving lasting peace. Israeli politicians are also facing mounting pressure due to the dire situation of the estimated 130 hostages still held in Gaza. At least 35 of them are believed to be dead, according to Israeli figures. During a truce last November, more than 100 hostages were released as part of an agreement that included a week-long cessation of hostilities and the release of Palestinian prisoners. On Wednesday, families of Israeli hostages embarked on a four-day march from near the Gaza Strip to Jerusalem, demanding the release of their loved ones. Video footage showed that they were marching with posters and T-shirts bearing images of their relatives, chanting "Now! Now! Now!" NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli assault on Gaza aid convoy beyond 'ethical or legal limits': Brazil Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 6:49 PM The Brazilian government says the Israeli regime's recent deadly assault on Palestinian civilians seeking food aid in the besieged Gaza Strip shows that the occupying entity has no "ethical or legal limits." "Humanity is failing the civilians of Gaza. And it's time to prevent further massacres," Brazil's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday. "It is up to the international community to call a halt to it and avoid new atrocities." Pointing to the Israeli killing of more than 100 Palestinians in the attack on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry said the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's regime "has once again shown, through its actions and statements, that the military action in Gaza has no ethical or legal limits." At least 112 people were killed and more than 750 others wounded on Thursday as the Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians who had surrounded a convoy of 38 aid trucks in Gaza, with the Palestinian health ministry calling the incident a "massacre." The latest Israeli crime comes as NGOs and UN experts have on several occasions voiced fears of famine in the besieged territory, which is completely cut off from aid by the occupation since October last year. Global condemnation poured in following the deadly attack by the Israeli occupation forces on the aid convoy in Gaza, which has been under the illegal regime's incessant bombardment for the past five months. Last Month, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva likened Israel's brutal war on Gaza to the Nazi genocide during World War Two. Israel waged its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed 30,228 Palestinians and injured 71,377 others. The Tel Aviv regime has also imposed a "complete siege" on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nicaragua sues Germany at ICJ for aiding Israeli genocide against Gaza Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 6:52 PM Nicaragua has sued Germany at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague for aiding and abetting the Israeli regime's ongoing genocidal war against the Gaza Strip. The Latin American country's government announced the development in a press release on Friday. It said it had filed an application at the United Nations top court against Berlin over the latter's providing the Israeli regime with ample political, financial, and military support, while knowing that Tel Aviv would deploy the assistance towards furthering the war. "Germany cannot deny knowledge of the serious illegality of the conduct of Israel, nor can it deny that its knowledge triggered obligations for Germany under international law to prevent genocide," the statement read. Berlin, it said, has provided the regime with unreserved military support "with the knowledge that the military equipment would be used in the commission of serious breaches of international law." According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Germany comes only second to the United States in terms of arms procurement to the Israeli regime. Each year, the German government provides the regime with 23.9 percent of its imported conventional weapons. The Western arms influx towards the regime comes while the ICJ said on January 26 that Tel Aviv had to "prevent the commission of all acts within the scope" of the Genocide Convention. The regime began waging the onslaught against Gaza on October 7, following al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise operation staged by the coastal sliver's resistance groups against the occupied territories. At least 30,228 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and 71,377 others injured in the relentless Israeli aggression. No earlier than on Thursday, the United Nations human rights chief expressed dismay concerning the brutality with which the Israeli regime was waging the war. "There appear to be no bounds to -- no words to capture -- the horrors that are unfolding before our eyes in Gaza," Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza children die of hunger as UN, international community fail: Hamas Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 6:02 PM The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has blamed the United Nations and the international community for the death of 13 children in the Gaza Strip from hunger amid Israeli siege and aggression. Palestinian medical sources said on Thursday that seven children died because of malnutrition, bringing to 13 the number of children who have lost their lives because of hunger in the northern part of the besieged strip. The deaths are "a declaration of failure of the international community and the United Nations in carrying out their tasks in protecting children from starvation," Hamas said in a statement on Friday. The movement also described the deaths as a "dangerous precedent" in the modern era. "We renew our call on the United Nations and international relief institutions to take urgent action to save children and civilians in the Gaza Strip, especially in the Gaza and North governorates, and not to submit to the dictates of the criminal Zionist occupation," the statement said. Hamas also called on the international community to help deliver food and medical supplies to Gaza urgently "to avoid the increasing catastrophe of famine." Israel launched the genocidal war on Gaza early in October. The Tel Aviv regime has also imposed a "complete siege" on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there. Gaza health system 'more than on its knees': WHO Amid the Israeli-imposed siege on Gaza, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the health system in the strip is "more than on its knees." "The system in Gaza is on its knees, it's more than on its knees," WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said on Friday, adding "All the lifelines in Gaza have more or less been cut." The spokesperson noted that desperate Palestinians risk their lives to find food, water and other necessities. His remarks come as Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid in northern Gaza. The latest incident killed at least 112 people and injured hundreds of others near the al-Nabulsi roundabout in Gaza City on Thursday. "The food supplies have been cut off deliberately. Let's not forget that," Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva. On Tuesday, UN officials slammed Israel for "systematically" blocking aid from reaching Gazans, warning that at least one-quarter of the population of Gaza is one step away from famine. Israel waged its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed 30,228 Palestinians and injured 71,377 others. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza famine 'almost inevitable,' UN warns Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 3:20 PM The United Nations warns that in the absence of any changes in the Israeli regime's ongoing genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, the coastal sliver is on course to experience all-out famine. Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), made the remarks at a briefing in Geneva on Friday. "If something doesn't change, a famine is almost inevitable on the current trends," he said, noting, "Once a famine is declared, it is too late for too many people." "We don't want to get to that situation and we need things to change before that," the official noted. "We have to look at what more and more voices, more and more loudly, are saying about the food security situation across the Gaza Strip, in particular in the north." The remarks came a day after the United Nations human rights chief expressed dismay concerning the brutality with which the Israeli regime was waging the war. "There appear to be no bounds to -- no words to capture -- the horrors that are unfolding before our eyes in Gaza," Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. More than 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed as a result of the Israeli military onslaught so far. Israel launched the campaign on October 7 last year following Operation al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise offensive by Gaza's resistance movements against the occupied territories. Concomitantly with the war, the regime has been enforcing a near-total siege on Gaza, which has reduced the flow of foodstuffs, medicine, electricity, and water into the Palestinian territory into a trickle. Also on Friday, the World Health Organization's spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said, "The system in Gaza is on its knees, it's more than on its knees," adding, "All the lifelines in Gaza have more or less been cut." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US blocks UNSC motion to condemn Israel over shooting of Gaza aid-seekers Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 11:04 AM The United States has once again backed Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, blocking a UN Security Council statement that would have blamed the Israeli forces for killing Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid in the besieged strip. The statement, which was drafted by Algeria, was supported by 14 of the 15 council members on Thursday, Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, told reporters. Algeria called for a UNSC emergency meeting behind closed doors after Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid near al-Nabulsi roundabout in Gaza City earlier on Thursday, killing at least 112 people and injuring hundreds of others. The US defended its blocking of the motion, citing contradictory reports and a lack of all facts. "We don't have all the facts on the ground - that's the problem," US deputy ambassador Robert Wood told reporters. The Israeli military claimed that civilians had attacked the aid trucks and scores of people had been trampled. The claim, however, was disputed by witness accounts. The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas described the Israeli claims as a "trivial narrative" aimed at justifying the "horrific massacre." Washington has repeatedly vetoed UN resolutions that call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, with the latest time being on Tuesday. Washington, instead, has been actively pushing for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate the release of Israeli captives held by the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas. Israel waged its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. Washington has since supplied the regime with more than 10,000 tons of military equipment. Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed 30,035 Palestinians and injured 70,457 others. The Tel Aviv regime has also imposed a "complete siege" on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Global condemnation pours in after Israeli massacre of aid seekers in Gaza Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 10:59 AM Global condemnation has poured in following a recent deadly attack by the Israeli occupation forces on Palestinian civilians seeking food aid in the besieged Gaza Strip, which has been under the illegal regime's incessant bombardment for the past five months. At least 112 people were killed and more than 750 others wounded on Thursday as the Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians who had surrounded a convoy of 38 aid trucks in Gaza, with the Palestinian health ministry calling the incident a "massacre." The latest Israeli crime comes as NGOs and UN experts have on several occasions voiced fears of famine in the besieged territory, which is completely cut off from aid by the occupation since October last year. The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday expressed "shock" and "seriously" condemned the attack on Palestinians who had been struggling for aid in Gaza. "China is shocked by this incident and strongly condemns it," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. "We express our grief for the victims and our sympathies for the injured." Mao also called on the occupying entity to "immediately" implement a ceasefire and protect the safety of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. "China urges the relevant parties, especially Israel, to cease fire and end the fighting immediately, earnestly protect civilians' safety, ensure that humanitarian aid can enter, and avoid an even more serious humanitarian disaster," the spokeswoman added. In a post on X social media platform, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his "strongest condemnation of these shootings and called for truth, justice, and respect for international law." Saudi Arabia strongly censured what it called the "targeting" of unarmed civilians, while Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates also issued condemnations. Qatar warned that Israel's "disregard for Palestinian blood... (will) pave the way for an expanding cycle of violence." Turkey said the incident "is evidence that (Israel) aims consciously and collectively to destroy the Palestinian people." Spain's foreign minister said the "unacceptable" events underline the "urgency of a ceasefire," while European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell expressed horror at "yet another carnage among civilians in Gaza desperate for humanitarian aid." Israel waged its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed 30,035 Palestinians and injured 70,457 others. The Tel Aviv regime has also imposed a "complete siege" on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Colombia suspends all arms purchases from Israel after Gaza aid convoy carnage Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 10:14 AM Colombian President Gustavo Petro has denounced Israel over "genocide" in Gaza, and announced that Bogota will suspend all arms purchases from the Tel Aviv regime after more than 100 people were killed while waiting to receive emergency food assistance in northern Gaza. "Asking for food, 100 Palestinians were murdered by [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. This is called genocide and it reminds of the Holocaust; even though world powers have a hard time recognizing it," Petro wrote in a post published on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday. "The world must block Netanyahu," he said, adding, "Colombia is suspending all arms purchases from Israel." Colombia is among the 130 nations that have acquired weaponry, drones, and cyber espionage technology from Israel, which ranks as the world's tenth-largest arms exporter. The South American country's military and police have for decades used Israeli-manufactured rifles, pistols and missiles. Its air force operates some 20 Kfir multirole combat aircraft, and the country produces Galil automatic rifles and Spike missiles under Israeli patent. Colombia was among the first countries to condemn Israel's military onslaught against Gaza. Petro has been a critic of the regime's ground and aerial offensives against Palestinians in the coastal territory. In October, just days after the start of the Gaza war, Israel said it was "halting security exports" to Colombia after Petro lambasted Israeli minister for military affairs Yoav Gallant for using language about the people of Gaza similar to what the Nazis did. Colombia's president has also emphasized that "democratic peoples cannot allow Nazism to reestablish itself in international politics." The Israeli military has killed at least 112 Palestinians and injured 760 more in an attack on a crowd waiting for food in Gaza City. Hundreds of starving Palestinians had gathered to collect food aid when the Israeli military opened fire on them, in an attack that has been described as a massacre of civilians. Israel waged its brutal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. At least 30,035 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, and 70,457 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the coastal enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents in the north on the verge of starvation. The Israeli war has pushed 85 per cent of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60 per cent of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the United Nations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli minister hails soldiers who killed over 100 aid seekers in Gaza Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 9:07 AM A far-right Israeli minister has hailed the regime's soldiers who killed more than 100 Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid in the besieged Gaza Strip. "We must give complete support to our heroic fighters operating in Gaza, who acted excellently against a Gazan mob that tried to harm them," Itamar Ben-Gvir, the so-called "national security" minister, said in a statement on Thursday. He also reiterated his demand to prevent the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza, claiming that it "endangers" Israeli soldiers. Earlier on Thursday, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid near al-Nabulsi roundabout in Gaza City, killing at least 112 people and injuring hundreds of others. The latest massacre of Palestinians by Israeli forces has been met with strong condemnation from different states and international organizations. Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan'ani slammed the "barbaric attack", noting that "The shame of supporting and remaining silent towards the mass killing and genocide of Palestinians by the criminal Zionist regime will be evident on the foreheads of the false champions of human rights in the United States and Europe." Israel waged its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed 30,035 Palestinians and injured 70,457 others. The Tel Aviv regime has also imposed a "complete siege" on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Feb. 29: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 8:48 AM By Press TV Website Staff Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians so far, including at least 14,000 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 Thursday, February 29, are as follows: Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on Feb. 29: Detonated two booby-trapped tunnels where Israeli forces were hiding, south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, resulting in casualties. Detonated a building that housed an Israeli infantry force, south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, causing casualties. Targeted three Israeli armored personnel carriers (APCs) and a Merkava tank with Yassin-105 rockets and "Shoaz" explosive devices, south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City. Detonated an anti-personnel mine targeting an Israeli infantry force, south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, resulting in casualties. Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Feb. 29 Shelled the supply lines of the Israeli military with a barrage of mortar shells in the Zana'a area, east of Khan Younis city, southern Gaza. Targeted two Israeli military vehicles with RPGs in the Abasan Al-Kabira area of Khan Younis city. Nasser Salah Al-Din Brigades' operations on Feb. 29: Launched a volley of rockets at Sderot settlement. Shelled the Israeli army positions and gatherings north of the Gaza Strip with 107mm rocket barrages. Mujahideen Brigades' operations on Feb. 29: Shelled the field command headquarters of the Israeli military in the south and west of Gaza with mortar shells. Targeted illegal settlements in Gaza Envelope with a barrage of rockets. Targeted the deployment and positions of Israeli soldiers, southeast of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, with short-range rockets. Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades' operations on Feb. 29: Engaged in clashes with Israeli forces, using appropriate weapons, on the axis of Abasan Al-Kabira area in Khan Younis city. Martyr Omar Al-Qasim Forces' operations on Feb. 29 Engaged in clashes with Israeli forces on the axis of Abasan Al-Kabira area in Khan Younis city. Detonated an explosive device on an Israeli army vehicle in the Al-Amal neighborhood, west of Khan Younis city. Hezbollah's operations on Feb. 29: Eastern sector: At around 12:20 local time, the Ramtha site in Shebaa was targeted with missiles. At around 15:00 local time, surveillance and technical equipment of the Israeli military at the Ruwaisat al-Alam site in Shebaa was targeted with appropriate weapons. Western sector: At around 8:00 local time, Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Jal al-Alam site were targeted with artillery shells. At around 12:10 local time, Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of Cobra Hill were targeted with missiles. At around 14:05 local time, the Elon colony was targeted with a barrage of Katyusha rockets. At around 18:00 local time, the Gorin settlement was targeted with Falaq missiles NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza aid massacre: Palestinian envoy urges 'paralyzed' UN to stop Israel Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 7:05 AM Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour has appealed to the Security Council to condemn the loss of more than 100 Palestinian lives and injury of nearly 700 individuals in an Israeli attack on a crowd waiting for food in Gaza City. "The Security Council should say enough is enough," Riyad Mansour told reporters on Thursday ahead of a closed-door meeting by the body, which came at the request of Algeria. The meeting was held to discuss Israel's targeting of civilians awaiting humanitarian aid in Gaza. The health ministry in the besieged coastal territory said 112 people were killed in the attack and another 760 injured. "This outrageous massacre is a testimony to the fact that as long as the Security Council is paralyzed and vetoes (are) casted, then it is costing the Palestinian people their lives," Mansour said. The Palestinian ambassador to the UN went on to note that 14 members of the 15-member Security Council have "supported" a draft declaration put forth by Algeria, which expresses "deep concern" over the latest episode in Gaza and states that the situation is "due to opening fire by Israeli forces." Mansour said he met earlier in the day with US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield. "I implored her that the Security Council has to produce a product of condemning this killing and to go after those responsible for this massacre," he said. If the Security Council has "a spine and determination to put an end to these massacres from happening all over again, what we need is a ceasefire," the Palestinian diplomat pointed out. UN chief denounces murder of Palestinians waiting for aid Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Israeli forces for opening fire on starving Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid south of Gaza City. "The Secretary-General condemns the incident today in northern Gaza in which more than a hundred people were reportedly killed or injured while seeking life-saving aid," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Antonio Guterres, said in a briefing. Dujarric reiterated Guterres' demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and said the UN chief "once again calls for urgent steps so that critical humanitarian aid can get into and across Gaza to all those in need." "The continued hostilities and other challenges continue to impede our efforts to reach civilians in Gaza with life-saving health and nutrition care," Dujarric noted. Israel's targeting of aid seekers 'evidence' of intent to wipe out Palestinians Turkey also said the Israeli assault on an aid convoy in Gaza City's al-Rasheed Street shows that the regime intends to "destroy the entire Palestinian population." "The fact that Israel, which has been using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza, is now targeting innocent civilians who are seeking life-saving aid is evidence of Israel's intention to destroy the entire Palestinian population," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Israel has "committed yet another crime against humanity" with the mass shooting of aid seekers, the ministry said, warning that "the atrocity in Gaza is about to become a global catastrophe with repercussions far beyond the region. "We therefore call on all those with influence over Israel to stop the ongoing violence in Gaza." The Turkish Foreign Ministry finally called on Israel to end its military operations in Gaza immediately, arguing that the regime does not have the common sense or the conscience to take the decision though. Israel waged its brutal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. According to Gaza Health Ministry, more than 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in aerial and ground strikes. The Tel Aviv regime has imposed a "complete siege" on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Haiti in chaos: Gang leader threatens to arrest top officials amid gunfire Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 6:45 AM Violent gunfire battles have engulfed the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, killing at least four police officers, as a powerful gang leader announced that he would oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry and try to capture the country's police chief, ministers. Gunshots were still heard on Thursday evening, with numerous Haitians spotted carrying children and large bags filled with their belongings as they escaped from their communities. They lifted their hands in a gesture of peace towards possible gang members as they hurried through street crossings. The clashes in Port-au-Prince came the same day Henry arrived in Kenya, regarding talks over the deployment of 1,000 multinational Kenyan police officers to the troubled Caribbean nation to help combat gang violence. "We have chosen to take our destiny in our own hands. The battle we are waging will not only topple the Ariel (Henry) government. It is a battle that will change the whole system," said former cop and gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, also known as Barbecue, in a video shared on social media. According to witness statements, thousands of people were in the process of fleeing the downtown area of the capital, as everything came to a standstill because of the terror. In a recorded video, Cherizier, who is the leader of the gang federation G9 Family and Allies, announced that his aim was to tie up the police chief and government ministers and prevent Henry from returning to Haiti. "With our guns and with the Haitian people, we will free the country," he said. Gangs have expanded their territories ever since the island country's last president, Jovenel Moise was assassinated in 2021, after which Henry came to power, who had vowed to step down in February, but later claimed that the nation's security must be re-established for elections to take place. Kenya had earlier agreed in October to lead an UN-authorized international police force to Haiti, but the Kenyan High Court in January ruled the plan unconstitutional in part because of a lack of "reciprocal agreements" between the two countries. In 2022, Henry urgently requested the UN for an international force, and on Thursday, a UN spokesperson announced that five countries had officially informed it about their intention to provide personnel for this force. The UN estimates the conflict killed close to 5,000 people last year and has driven some 300,000 from their homes, while the fighting has blocked off access to food and medical services. Earlier this week, Henry had told regional leaders he would hold a vote by August 2025. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No words can capture horrors unfolding in Gaza: UN rights chief Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 1:22 AM The United Nations human rights chief expresses dismay concerning the brutality with which the Israeli regime is leading its ongoing months-long war of genocide against the Gaza Strip. "There appear to be no bounds to -- no words to capture -- the horrors that are unfolding before our eyes in Gaza," Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday. More than 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed as a result of the military onslaught so far. Israel launched the campaign on October 7 last year following al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise operation by Gaza's resistance movements against the occupied territories. Turk condemned "the brutality of the Israeli response" as "appalling and entirely wrong." The UN official, meanwhile, warned about the pending dire consequences of a ground invasion that the regime has threatened to stage against the southern Gaza city of Rafah. More than 1.5 million of Gaza's 2.4-million-plus population have fled to the city, finding nowhere else safe across the coastal sliver. Such a ground assault, Turk said, would contravene the orders issued by the United Nations' highest court. On January 26, the International Court of Justice in The Hague said Israel had to "prevent the commission of all acts within the scope" of the Genocide Convention. "I fail to see how such an operation could be consistent with the binding provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice," Turk said. "The prospect of an Israeli ground assault on Rafah would take the nightmare being inflicted on people in Gaza into a new dimension," he noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Slovakia takes official delivery of first two F-16 Block 70 fighter jets in USA Ministry of Defence of The Slovak Republic 01.03.2024 A delegation of the Slovak Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces officials, led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Mr Robert Kalinak, attended the Slovakia F-16 Block 70 Delivery Ceremony for the first two SVK F-16 fighter jets at Lockheed Martin's production facility in Greenville, South Caroline. While there, the head of the Slovak MOD was also updated on the progress being made in the production of the remaining F-16s on order from the United States. After finalising the contractual delivery arrangements for the first two SVK F-16 aircraft, which Lockheed Martin announced in January 2024, the fighter jets were now officially handed over during the Slovakia F-16 Block 70 Delivery Ceremony on Thursday 29 February 2024. Before arriving in Slovakia, both aircraft - a single-seat C-model and a two-seat D-model - will be used for the F-16 maintenance training programme for SVK technicians in the USA. This training is crucial as Slovak Air Force personnel take the steps necessary to ensure the smooth integration and effective operation of the F-16 fleet. Defence Minister Kalinak and OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of the Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin, agreed that the delivery of the aircraft marks the start of a new supersonic aviation era for Slovakia. What's more, Slovakia is the first European country to receive and operate this newest and most capable version of the Fighting Falcon. Thanks to the F-16 Block 70 fighter jets, the Slovak Air Force will fly Air Policing missions and safeguard SVK airspace with its own capacities. In his remarks, Mr Robert Kalinak said: "Without skillful and courageous men and women of the Armed Forces, we would not be able to guarantee the security of the Slovak Republic and its citizens. It is our duty to do everything we can to ensure the highest level of protection for Armed Forces personnel, and so minimise the potential loss of life. These advanced F-16 fighter jets are a guarantee of the highest quality standards and, hence, of delivering safety and security to our servicemen and women." The F-16 Block 70 aircraft, featuring advanced 21st Century Security capabilities, will bring the highest standards of airspace security to Slovakia for decades to come. The first group of aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Slovakia by mid-2024. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan Urges Israel to Obey Int'l Law After Deadly Gaza Aid Incident Sputnik News 20240301 TOKYO (Sputnik) - The Japanese government continues to support Israel's right to self-defense but also insists that Israel must exercise this right in full compliance with international humanitarian law, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said on Friday in the wake of a deadly shooting at Palestinian aid seekers in the Gaza Strip. On Thursday, the Palestinian authorities said the Israeli military opened fire at a crowd of Gaza civilians waiting to receive humanitarian aid, killing 112 and injuring 760 others. Israel denied that the death toll from its shooting was that high and claimed that most of the victims died in a crowd crush as people stormed the trucks loaded with aid. "As we have said earlier, the Japanese government remains committed to the position that Israel, which was attacked by Hamas, has the right to defend its state and residents under international law. At the same time, we believe that all actions should remain within international law. And in all circumstances, the basic principles of the humanitarian law must be respected," Kamikawa told a news conference. Japan's top diplomat declined to directly comment on the incident in the Gaza Strip, saying that it was "difficult to comprehensively assess the situation now." 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 30,000 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Colombia Suspends Arms Purchases From Israel After Gaza Aid Incident Sputnik News 20240301 MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Thursday that Bogota suspends all arms purchases from Israel against the background of the deadly incident during an aid delivery to Gaza City. On Thursday, Palestinian authorities accused Israel of striking a street in western Gaza City, saying that the shelling had left at least 112 people killed and 760 others injured. All the victims were awaiting the arrival of humanitarian aid, the Palestinian authorities added. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that a group of Gazans had allegedly tried to rob trucks with humanitarian aid in the northern part of the enclave, with the incident resulting in a stampede that left dozens of people dead and dozens of others injured. "[Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu has killed more than 100 Palestinians asking for food. This is called genocide and is reminiscent of the Holocaust, even if world powers do not want to recognize it. The world should block Netanyahu. Colombia suspends all arms purchases from Israel," the president said on X. Following the incident, several countries, including Canada, France, Italy, Jordan, and Egypt, and international organizations, including Amnesty International, have called for unimpeded humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip and a ceasefire. 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 30,000 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said. On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement on the Escalation of Violence Against Civilians in Burkina Faso US Department of State Press Statement Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson March 1, 2024 The United States is gravely concerned by the rise in violence against civilians in northern and eastern Burkina Faso in late February. In addition to deadly attacks on multiple military installations, terrorists killed dozens of worshipers in a mosque in Natiaboani and churches in Essakane, a tribal leader and his security team in Kominyenga, and civilian road crews in multiple locations. Such attacks on civilians, especially in their places of worship, are reprehensible. In separate incidents, Burkinabe forces reportedly attacked and killed civilians in Tuy. These most recent attacks follow previous incidents of large-scale violence against civilians in 2023, notably at Karma, Zaongo, and several locations in the province of Soum. We call upon the Transition Authorities to complete investigations of these incidents with integrity and transparency and hold those responsible to account. We reiterate our previous calls for the Transition Authorities to ensure that security operations are planned and executed with respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of civilians. The only long-term solution to the scourge of terrorism is expanding good governance based on the rule of law, respecting human rights, and promoting social cohesion. The United States remains a committed partner to the Burkinabe people, providing hundreds of millions of dollars in development and humanitarian assistance, as well as counterterrorism support to civilian security and law enforcement actors. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Secretary David Cameron gave a statement on the deaths of people in Gaza waiting for an aid convoy on 29 February 2024. 1 March 2024 Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: The deaths of people in Gaza waiting for an aid convoy yesterday were horrific. There must be an urgent investigation and accountability. This must not happen again. We can't separate what happened yesterday from the inadequate aid supplies. In February only half the number of trucks crossed into Gaza that did in January. This is simply unacceptable. Israel has an obligation to ensure that significantly more humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza. We have identified a series of bottlenecks that need addressing: Israel must urgently open more crossings into Gaza; eliminate bureaucratic obstacles; enable aid operations in Gaza; and ensure there is a robust de-confliction mechanism in place to protect ordinary Palestinians, NGOs, medics and others providing aid. This tragedy only serves to underscore the importance of securing an immediate humanitarian pause. A sustained pause in the fighting is the only way to get lifesaving aid in at the scale needed and free the hostages cruelly held by Hamas. UN Human Rights Council 55: Core Group Statement on the Human Rights Situation in Sudan UK statement for the Enhanced Interactive dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in the Sudan (with assistance of designated Expert). Delivered by UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French. 1 March 2024 Madame Vice-President, This statement is on behalf of the Core Group for Sudan - Germany, Norway, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Thank you, High Commissioner and Mr Nouicer, for your continued reporting on the situation in Sudan to this Council, and your engagement with the warring parties and other key actors to push for an end to the fighting. Madame Vice-President, We welcome the strong statements from the international community condemning the continued violence and supporting the need for accountability, including the latest resolution from the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, which welcomed the establishment of the Fact Finding Mission. The situation in Sudan is catastrophic. No part of the country, or indeed any neighbouring country, has been unaffected. We again call on the leaderships of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to stop the fighting, end the obstruction of humanitarian assistance, implement immediately the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan, and start talking peace rather than waging war. We will continue to support all efforts to silence the guns and achieve justice, particularly those by the UN, African Union (AU), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Sudanese civilians and other key actors, in the hope that Sudan might finally know a lasting peace and a democratic future, with full respect for human rights. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Human Rights Council 55: UK National Statement on Sudan Enhanced Interactive dialogue on the oral update of the High Commissioner on the human rights situation in Sudan. Read by Minister for Africa and Development, Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP. 1 March 2024 Mr President, Nearly a year ago, the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces plunged Sudan into a bloody conflict. The human cost has been unbearable. An estimated 12,000 people dead ... thousands injured ... almost 18 million facing acute hunger. The warring parties are fighting in heavily populated areas, committing appalling acts of sexual violence, and recruiting mere children as soldiers. To the Sudanese people bearing the brunt of these appalling human rights violations: the UK stands with you. Those responsible must be held to account. This is why Britain helped establish the mandate for the High Commissioner and his Expert, as well as the new Fact-Finding Mission. The African Union, United Nations and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have made valiant, and commendable, efforts to mediate. The warring generals must demonstrate the political will to stop the fighting - now - and make space for democratic, civilian-led transitional government in Sudan. One with full respect for human rights. Mr Nouicer, High Commissioner, let me end by asking: With the first anniversary of this conflict approaching, what opportunities are there for the UN to exert pressure on the warring parties to commit to a sustainable peace process? NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Humanitarian crisis worsens in northern Mozambique as thousands flee violence UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 1 March 2024 GENEVA -- UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is deeply concerned about the escalating humanitarian crisis in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, as the recent surge in violence by non-state armed groups continues to force thousands of people to flee towards southern districts in search of safety. Since the latest outbreak of violence and attacks on civilians at the beginning of February, more than 70,000 people have been forcibly displaced across the districts of Macomia, Chiure, Mecufi, Mocimboa da Praia, and Muidumbe. In Chiure district alone, over 56,000 people have been affected. More than 33,000 have crossed into Nampula Province. Nearly 90 per cent of those displaced are women, many of them pregnant, people with disabilities, and the elderly. More than half of the newly displaced are children. This underscores the urgent need for targeted assistance and protection measures to address the needs of vulnerable populations. The violence has also been marked by extensive destruction of residential areas and religious and community facilities such as schools and health centres. This rampant destruction has further exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in Mozambique, where over 709,000 people remain internally displaced due to violence perpetrated by non-state armed groups and the impact of the climate crisis. The affected families have sought refuge in displacement sites and host communities in Nampula Province, which also hosts approximately 8,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in the Maratane Refugee Settlement. UNHCR and other partners are providing core relief items, including blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, jerrycans, buckets, solar lamps, kitchen sets and plastic sheets to the newly displaced people, and will also screen and register people with specific needs for support and assistance. Additional interventions are being planned and discussed with local authorities in the areas of water and sanitation, general protection, shelter, health/nutrition, and food security, however lack of funding is hampering the response. UNHCR, which has had a presence in Mozambique since the 1980s, reiterates its commitment to continue to work closely with local authorities, humanitarian partners, and host communities to address the urgent needs of displaced people, providing protection, shelter and essential assistance to those affected by the conflict in Cabo Delgado. UNHCR's total requirement in Mozambique is $49 million which is currently only 17 per cent funded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNHCR: Chad fears 'very real' prospect of more Sudanese refugee arrivals, needs support UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 1 March 2024 N'DJAMENA, Chad -- UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is increasingly concerned that more refugees will cross to Chad from Darfur in the coming weeks amid a worrying lack of food and other essentials. Almost a year since the start of the civil war in Sudan, neighbouring Chad urgently needs more humanitarian aid and significant development investment to stabilize the fragile socio-economic environment, especially in its Eastern refugee-hosting regions, and to allow the country to continue its generous open-door stance towards refugees. "Chadian officials are concerned that many more hungry Sudanese families will come in the next weeks," said Kelly T. Clements, UNHCR's Deputy High Commissioner, currently in the country to review operations and discuss the response with hosts. "The country is committed to keeping its borders open, despite the fragility of this region. But doing so will put even more strain on Chad, which has so graciously been hosting refugees from Sudan's war - now raging almost a year - and other refugees still here from earlier emergencies." In December, the World Food Programme suspended rations to some refugee groups in the country due to lack of funds. Subsequently, the government declared a state of emergency for food and nutrition security. Food distributions from Chad across the border to Darfur, where the security and protection situation is alarming, have not been made for well over a month, with cross-border aid recently suspended - a concern to all aid agencies worried about the looming impact on Darfur and, ultimately, Chad. Women and children represent some 90 per cent of the refugees, with; 77 per cent of women arrived alone in Chad, with children. Many have been exposed to gender-based violence, including rape, and now require comprehensive follow-up support. UNHCR provides medical and some psychological support, but much more is needed. "Arrivals have slowed in the last months, but that could change quickly," Clements added. "Even without more coming, needs now run well beyond the capacities of humanitarian agencies. There are very real fears that the border region faces another paltry lean season before heavy rains lash the camps. Resources are scarce and humanitarian funding is extremely tight. We need development actors to step up, rapidly. A dire situation could become much worse very soon without concerted efforts to deliver more to Chad." More than 553,150 new refugees from Sudan had been counted by mid-February, making the country the largest host of refugees fleeing Sudan since the brutal war erupted in mid-April 2023. Overall, Chad now hosts 1.1 million refugees, making it Africa's largest host per capita. The numbers include Sudanese who arrived before the latest war, and others from the Central African Republic, Nigeria and Cameroon. Chad also has almost half a million internally displaced people and returnees. In the first year of the current crisis, working with the authorities, UNHCR has focused on relocating Sudanese refugees away from the border to safer areas; around 260,000 people have been moved to new sites and older ones have been extended by the agency for the new arrivals. Currently there are 160,000 refugees awaiting relocation. Finding new available sites is increasingly difficult, and creating shelters for those needing relocation and others who might arrive this year would cost many millions more - funds that are not available. Programmes for the forcibly displaced in Chad face a chronic funding shortfall. For 2024, UNHCR alone requires $319.5 million, with just 4 per cent funded to date. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN report highlights risk of more and gross human rights violations if South Sudan's conflict drivers remain unaddressed United Nations Human Rights Council GENEVA (1 March 2024) - Unchecked mass violence and entrenched repression in South Sudan threaten the prospects of durable peace and human rights protections; this must urgently be addressed to live up to hopes of the people and commitments of the peace agreement, the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said in its latest report. Members of the Commission presented their report today to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. "Our investigations again found an absolutely unacceptable situation in South Sudan, whereby families and communities are devastated by human rights violations and abuses by armed forces, militias and State institutions acting with impunity. Further, the media and civil society groups operate under intolerable conditions which stifle democratic space for the population at large," said Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the Commission. "The drivers of violence and repression are well known, and while commitments have been made to address them, we continue to see a lack of political will to implement the measures necessary to improve millions of lives," Sooka said. "South Sudan's immediate and long-term future hinges on political leaders finally making good on their commitments to bring peace, and reverse cyclical human rights violations." The report draws on investigations undertaken in South Sudan and the neighbouring region throughout 2023, involving hundreds of witness interviews and meetings, expert opensource and forensic analysis, and dozens of engagements with State authorities. The findings detail the persistence of armed conflict whereby State actors have either instigated or failed to prevent or punish violence, which frequently involves killings, sexual and gender-based crimes, and the displacement of civilian populations. The Commission also identifies the use of children in armed forces, the State's systemic curtailment of media and civil society actors both in and outside of the country, and the diversion of available State revenues from rule of law, health, and education institutions. Measures to address conflict drivers and human rights violations are laid out in the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, which is scheduled to conclude following the country's first elections which are planned for December. "The transformative promises of the Revitalized Agreement remain unfulfilled, jeopardizing prospects for peace and human rights protections," said Commissioner Barney Afako. "The process of merging forces is not yet completed, the drafting of a permanent constitution has not started, and none of the three transitional justice institutions are established," said Afako. "Time is running out for South Sudan's leaders to implement key commitments, which are the building blocks for peace, for holding the country together, and advancing human rights beyond the elections." The report finds that patterns of violations remain unchanged, ever increasing because the root causes remain unaddressed. Abductions of women and children in Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area appear to be worsening in scale and severity, frequently involving horrific sexual violence and the separation of parents from children. The Commissioners visited these regions last month, spoke with survivors, and delved deeper into the harrowing issues of abductions, forced displacements, sexual slavery, and ransoms. In 2023, authorities paid ransoms to captors in exchange for the release of abductees, which risks incentivising the recurrence of crimes. Many women and children are still missing; other abductees are held hostage as authorities fail to effectively intervene. The perpetrators of abductions previously documented by the Commission had not been punished. "The persistent failure to build a justice system implicates the State in these violations," said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernandez. "There is no protective institution between the people and criminals, and it is no coincidence that areas most affected by abductions and other gross violations have few courts and judges, if any. Developing a functioning judiciary is an inter-generational project that must urgently start in earnest." The report is accompanied by a detailed paper published by the Commission on 5 October 2023, examining in detail the persistence of attacks against journalists and human rights defenders, and pervasive regimes of media censorship and arbitrary restrictions on civic activities, which systemically curtail the democratic and civic space. In the latest report, recommendations to the Government of South Sudan focus on addressing structural drivers of violence. This requires urgently implementing core aspects of the Revitalized Agreement, including establishing transitional justice institutions, as well as by identifying required actions to open democratic space, and enable political processes to be meaningful and legitimate. Chairperson Yasmin Sooka's statement today to the Council focused on the stories of South Sudanese interviewed by the Commission, whose lives remain blighted by the persistence of conflict, and who call on the country's leaders to finally embrace peace. Read the full March 2024 report here; a three-page infographic summary here, and the October 2023 detailed report here. Background: The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan is an independent body mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council. First established in March 2016, it has been renewed annually since. Its three Commissioners are not UN staff, they are not renumerated for their work as Commissioners, and they serve independently in their capacity as experts. They are supported by a Secretariat based in Juba, South Sudan. The Commission is mandated to investigate the situation of human rights in South Sudan and to make recommendations to prevent a deterioration of the situation, with a view to its improvement. The Commission is also mandated to determine and report the facts and circumstances of human rights violations and abuses, including by clarifying responsibility for crimes under national and or international law. The Commission's findings are informed by independent interviews conducted with victims and survivors of human rights violations, as well as witnesses, service providers, and related experts and stakeholders. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza: Worst famine fears realised as 10th child reportedly 'starves to death' 1 March 2024 - Repeated warnings from humanitarians over desperate food insecurity and imminent famine in Gaza came into focus on Friday amid reports from the enclave's authorities that a tenth child had died from malnutrition and dehydration. "The official records yesterday or this morning said there was a tenth child officially registered in a hospital as having starved to death," said UN health agency spokesperson Christian Lindmeier. "A very sad threshold...(but) the unofficial numbers can unfortunately be expected to be higher." The development followed media reports overnight that four children had died in northern Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital, in addition to six other youngsters who died on Wednesday at the same facility and at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Hunger 'catastrophe' The deepening food insecurity crisis in the enclave - which UN aid coordination office OCHA said had left one in four facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity - prompted renewed international alarm on Thursday, when more than 100 Palestinians were apparently killed and hundreds were injured trying to get aid from a relief convoy stopped at a roundabout southwest of Gaza City. Swift condemnation of the incident by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres - who also called for an independent investigation - was echoed by other top UN officials, including UN relief chief Martin Griffiths, amid reports of continuing intense Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea across much of the Gaza Strip. "We saw pictures from Al-Shifa (hospital) where victims of the killings were lying next to each other waiting for any treatment," the UN World Health Organization (WHO)'s Mr. Lindmeier told journalists in Geneva. Water and power cut "The system in Gaza - we've said it many times that it's on its knees - it's more than on its knees," the WHO official continued, explaining that all of Gaza's "lifelines have more or less been cut", notably water and electricity, since immediately after Hamas-led terror attacks on Israeli communities on 7 October. OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke meanwhile insisted that before the conflict "people had food; people were able to produce their own food." Today, finding food within Gaza itself, whether from farming or fishing, "is almost impossible", Mr. Laerke continued. "Putting food on the table...has completely stopped. The very foundation for people's daily sustenance is being ripped away." Latest humanitarian food insecurity assessments - the IPC classification index which is used as a reference by aid agencies - indicate that the entire population of Gaza - 2.2 million people - face "crisis" levels of food insecurity, the OCHA spokesperson said. Of that number, around 1.17 million face "emergency" levels of food insecurity, and the plight for another 500,000 is "catastrophic". 'Dire situation' "We have a dire situation coming towards us at very high speed," Mr. Laerke said, his comments echoing a recent UN humanitarians' warning to the Security Council that famine in the enclave is "almost inevitable" unless aid is massively scaled up. According to UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, the quantity of aid supplies reaching Gaza in February was just half of January's total, "and we know that January was not enough at all", the WHO spokesperson said. Just last week, the Council heard briefings from top humanitarian organisations, including medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, which reported that a pattern of attacks by Israeli forces against hospitals and other civilian buildings, together with humanitarian personnel and convoys, was "either intentional or indicative of reckless incompetence". Thursday evening, the Security Council held closed consultations, but were deadlocked over a presidential statement related to the aid emergency, according to media reports. Vital signs Reiterating repeated UN calls for a ceasefire, Mr. Lindmeier maintained that Thursday's tragic aid convoy deaths had highlighted how desperate Gazans were for food, fresh water and other essentials after nearly five months of war. "This is the real drama; this is the real catastrophe here, that food and supplies are so scarce that we see these situations coming up, and the food supplies have been cut off deliberately," he maintained, noting that Gazans were no longer able to provide for themselves. "The fields which were existing - the greenhouses, the little bit of agriculture - all that needs water supply, or water supply depending on electricity and pumping stations," he explained. "This is the real drama; this just underlines more and more that we need an urgent ceasefire now. If not now, then when?" NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Guterres urges support for Haiti in remarks to regional leaders 1 March 2024 - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed on Friday for greater support for an international mission to help Haiti combat rampant gang violence in remarks to regional leaders meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The island nation is hosting the latest summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which comprises more than 30 countries. With the bloc meeting "to help foster solutions for the region and for the world", Mr. Guterres highlighted the need for solidarity in the areas of peace and security, sustainable development, social cohesion and climate action. 'Peace is possible' "Latin America and the Caribbean have shown how uniting for peace is possible and makes a difference," he said. He pointed to the "significant strides" made in the peace process in Colombia and the joint declaration signed recently by Guyana and Venezuela aimed at reducing border tensions. However, he noted that organized crime continues to plague many countries. "Arms trafficking has become the most important security threat to the region," the UN chief said. "It will not be possible to fight it effectively without much stronger international cooperation, from the source to the streets." In this regard, he welcomed the security partnership launched recently by Andean countries to assist Ecuador, while the new Government in Guatemala "offers a chance to advance democratic development, the rule of law and other key aspects of the peace agenda." Help for Haiti He warned that the already dire situation in Haiti is getting worse by the day, as gangs hold the country hostage and use sexual violence as a weapon. Last October, the UN Security Council authorized a multinational security support mission to back-up the national police, which Kenya has offered to lead. Several countries, including CELAC members, made additional pledges of support during an event on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Brazil last week. "I welcome these efforts, but much more must be done to secure the deployment of this mission without further delay and a political solution that could resolve the country's fundamental problems," he said. According to news reports, Kenya and Haiti signed a formal security agreement on Friday which will allow the deployment of 1,000 Kenyan police officers which will form the core of the new UN-backed multinational mission. Kenyan President William Ruto reportedly said that thanks to the breakthrough deal, the mission can now be fast-tracked. The bilateral agreement is a key pre-condition laid down by Kenya's High Court for allowing the police deployment. Sustainable development stimulus Addressing sustainable development, the Secretary-General reported that efforts to achieve a more just and equitable global future are in danger. This is occurring at a time when millions in the region are facing hunger and poverty, and as many countries are drowning in debt. Last September, world leaders endorsed his proposal for $500 billion in annual financing to boost sustainable development but "unfortunately, the resistance has been severe". He expressed hope that the Summit of the Future at UN Headquarters this September will make progress towards reforming "a global financial architecture that is unfair, outdated and ineffective". Climate justice and finance The Secretary-General arrived in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Thursday. At a press conference that afternoon in the capital, Kingstown, he expressed solidarity with small island developing States who are on the frontlines of the fight against climate change. He appealed for greater action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which he said "is essentially a responsibility of the G20 countries" as these richer nations are the main polluters. "But, we need much more climate justice, which means much more finance available at reasonable cost for adaptation and mitigation for developing countries and in particular for small island developing States," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNRWA Situation Report #84 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem - All information from 27-28 February 2024, is valid as of 28 February 2024 at 22:30 UNRWA 1 Mar 2024 1. Key points The Gaza Strip Intense Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea continued to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. The Ministry of Health in Gaza reports that two infants died in northern Gaza as a result of dehydration and malnutrition, as a quarter of Gaza's population faces catastrophic levels of food insecurity. Supply routes into the Gaza Strip have functioned inconsistently throughout the reporting period. On 27 February, only 135 trucks entered the Gaza Strip via both Rafah and the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing points. February continues to see very little aid coming in, with an average of nearly 97 trucks entering per day, whereas approximately 150 trucks of supplies were entering Gaza per day in 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 dispatching 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 28 February, the total number of UNRWA colleagues killed since the beginning of hostilities is now 160. As of 28 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 weeks, 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary-General's remarks at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) summit United Nations Secretary-General 01 March 2024 [All-English] Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Chair of CELAC, Distinguished Heads of States and Governments, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, It is a great pleasure to join you for this Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean countries. And to do so to pay tribute to this continent of peace in a world at war. And I am particularly happy to do so - here in Saint Vincent, land so beautiful, as the national anthem just demonstrated. Prime Minister Gonsalves, thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality, and congratulations to your country for steering CELAC over the past year. I also want to congratulate Honduras as the incoming president of CELAC. Excellencies, Just a few years ago, the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines were the victims of the devastating volcanic eruption of La Soufriere. This country faced profound disruptions - but the world also saw your resilience and solidarity. We saw neighbours helping neighbours - and the region coming together for support. We need that spirit more than ever, today and everywhere. As you come together to help foster solutions - for the region and for the world - I would like to highlight four areas in particular. First, we need solidarity for peace and security. Latin America and the Caribbean have shown how uniting for peace is possible - and makes a difference. We have just witnessed it today. The peace process in Colombia has made significant strides, with invaluable contributions from CELAC countries. The Joint declaration for dialogue and peace between Guyana and Venezuela, adopted here in Argyle last December, is another example of the region's commitment to seek peaceful solutions, and I commend your efforts. Yet, both cases also underscore that implementation requires sustained efforts. And we also know that peace is far more than the absence of armed conflict. Today, violent and organized crime continue to plague many countries. Arms trafficking has become the most important security threat to the region. It will not be possible to fight it effectively without much stronger international cooperation - from the source to the streets. Ecuador is the most recent example of how the security situation can quickly deteriorate and spiral into violence. I welcome the new security partnership launched in January by the Andean Community. In Guatemala, the new government offers a chance to advance democratic development, the rule of law and other key aspects of the peace agenda. Excellences, In Haiti, an already dire situation is sadly getting worse by the day. Gangs are holding the country hostage and using sexual violence as a weapon. Meanwhile, the UN Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti needs solid financial support. Last week in Rio de Janeiro, several countries - including CELAC members - made additional pledges to the Multinational Security Support mission. I welcome these efforts, but much more must be done to secure the deployment of this mission without further delay, and a political solution that could resolve the country's fundamental problems. Excellencies, Second, we need solidarity for sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals are slipping away. Millions of people in the region are facing poverty and hunger. I welcome your recent Plan for Food Security and Nutrition and the Eradication of Hunger by 2030. But that requires funding - and many countries are already drowning in debt. The global financial system is failing to provide affordable long-term finance to countries in need and to offer a global financial safety net. Small Island Developing States have been particularly hit. Middle-income countries are also not getting the help they need. Despite their vulnerabilities, they are not receiving the benefits of critical debt relief and concessional funding. This must change. That shows the importance of the adoption of the vulnerability index. Last September, world leaders endorsed our proposed SDG Stimulus of US $500 billion per year in affordable, long-term finance for developing countries. The Stimulus also calls for a debt lifeline to give countries breathing room and the expansion of contingency financing for countries in need. Unfortunately, the resistance has been severe, and so it is important that the Summit of the Future becomes a vital opportunity to make progress in reforming a global financial architecture that is unfair, outdated and ineffective. I look forward to your active engagement for change for a new Bretton Woods moment, and I count on Brazil's leadership as Chair of the G20. Third, we need solidarity for social cohesion. Around the world, authoritarianism and extremism are growing. Democracy and civic space are eroding. Disinformation and hate speech are supercharged by new technologies and growing inequalities are feeding people's fears. Irregular migration has become a political tool to sow division and it is extremely important to address all the root causes that has transformed this into a major problem for this continent. I am calling for a renewed social contract, based on trust, justice and inclusion and anchored in human rights - in all its dimensions. Leaders have a responsibility: To invest in social cohesion. To end violence and discrimination. To uphold the rights of Afro-descendent and Indigenous Peoples - and ensure that every community feels represented and included. To guarantee women's full participation and leadership. And to amplify young voices. Fourth and finally, we need solidarity to address the climate emergency - which is threatening the very existence of small island developing states. Extreme events are hitting with increasing ferocity. All countries must commit to new economy-wide nationally determined contributions by 2025 that align with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. These plans should serve as both transition and investment plans. G20 countries - responsible for 80 per cent of global emissions - have a special responsibility to lead these efforts. And they must lead a just global phase-out of fossil fuel and accelerate a just and equitable transition to renewables. I know many of your countries have pioneered decentralized renewable energy. But you need support. We need developed countries to deliver climate justice by: Ensuring significant and meaningful funding for the Loss and Damage Fund, which has been created but is not sufficiently funded; Clarifying delivery of the $100 billion commitment; And doubling adaptation finance to at least $40 billion a year by 2025, which barely covers a portion of the needs. It is also high time for the recapitalization of Multilateral Development Banks and a change in their business model, so that they can scale up mitigation and adaptation investments in your countries and mobilize financing much more massively as well as private investments. I commend CELAC for creating a Climate Adaptation and Comprehensive Response to Natural Disasters Fund - with the support of the United Nations and regional development banks. And I welcome Brazil's commitment to bring climate and finance discussions together as G20 President. The upcoming 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Antigua and Barbuda in May, is also another important opportunity. We know that a low-carbon future requires far more critical minerals but we must make sure the production and trade of those minerals are just, sustainable and provide added value and productive jobs in the countries supplying these raw materials. I am creating a new UN panel to help ensure just that. And finally, as we prepare for COP16 on Biodiversity in Colombia in December, we have a chance to strengthen biodiversity conservation measures in the region, recognizing the unique ecosystems and natural heritage of this beautiful region. I am encouraged by recent regional initiatives such as the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization. Excellencies, dear friends, Solidarity and cooperation are at the heart of your region's vibrant history - and of the mission of CELAC. From your seats in the Security Council [...] to the Presidencies of the General Assembly, ECOSOC and the G20, I urge you to be bold - for peace, prosperity and planet. You can count on my full support. I thank you and wish you a successful meeting. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Assistant Secretaries of the Navy Visit Maine Defense Industry, Establish New Industry Group US Navy - Press Release 01 March 2024 SANFORD, Maine -- Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN-RDA), the Honorable Nickolas Guertin, took part in the launch of the Maine Defense Industry Alliance (MDIA) today, where he delivered remarks and took questions from the media. Guertin's support of the MDIA demonstrates the Navy's commitment to developing and maintaining relationships with industry. Organizations like the MDIA support shipbuilding by helping provide a trained, skilled, and motivated workforce. "The vital work of building our ships, submarines, and aircraft requires a highly skilled workforce," Guertin said. "It takes money, time, and dedication to train people in these trades, and the Navy is ready to partner with organizations like the MDIA to ensure we have the industrial base in place to deliver the capability we need." While in Maine, Guertin also visited Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and Bath Iron Works. At Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Guertin was shown a visualization for improvements under the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP), as well as learning centers, machine shops, and an additive manufacturing center. At Bath Iron Works, he was shown the assembly building, future trade center building, and conducted a ship tour on DDG 122, USS John Basilone. Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment, the Honorable Meredith Berger joined Guertin at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and Bath Iron Works, emphasizing the role these locations play as critical infrastructure for the Department of the Navy. "Our shipyards are a key component of our national defense and we are making sure they are optimized for energy efficiency and resiliency, ensuring these sites can respond to the effects of climate change, sea level rise or any vulnerability," said Berger. Guertin's visit underscores the importance of relationships with industry, and is part of a series of visits to ship, aircraft, and munitions centers across the country. Guertin was joined at MDIA by Sen. Angus King (I-ME), Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) as well as Governor Janet Mills, with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) providing video remarks. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Says Airstrikes, Naval Convoys Help Thousands of Ships Transit Red Sea By Jeff Seldin March 01, 2024 Attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden may have put a dent in global trade. But U.S. officials argue a combination of airstrikes and naval convoys are allowing thousands of ships to still make the journey unscathed. Over the past three months, an estimated 4,677 cargo ships have transited the Red Sea, the U.S. Defense Department told VOA. Of those, 423 vessels passed through under the protection of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a U.S.-led coalition of some 20 countries that includes Britain, Bahrain, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain. "This is something we'll continue to keep at," said Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder, speaking to reporters Thursday. "The Red Sea is a vital waterway 15% of global commerce transits through there," Ryder said, calling the Houthi attacks "illegal and reckless." In addition to Operation Prosperity Guardian, which is using five warships and other naval assets to protect commercial ships, Pentagon officials say there are another four to eight vessels in the region under a separate U.S.-led coalition involved in launching several waves of preemptive strikes against Houthi assets and launch sites. U.S. officials note they are also in contact with the European Union, which launched its own operation, Aspides, last month with Greece, Germany and Italy sending warships to the region, where they will meet up with a French warship already in the Red Sea. Despite the U.S. and EU efforts, though, Houthi attacks have continued unabated. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Daniel Shapiro on Tuesday told U.S. lawmakers there have been "at least 48 attacks against commercial shipping and naval vessels in and around the Red Sea" since November 19. Approximately 15 commercial ships, including four American ships, have suffered at least some damage due to the Houthi attacks. And other defense officials told VOA the Houthis have threatened at least another 14 commercial and naval vessels. "Our military operations will continue and advance," Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said during a televised address Thursday, asserting, "we have surprises that our enemies will not expect at all." The effects of the Houthi attacks on international shipping are still being measured. More than a dozen major shipping companies have suspended transits of the Red Sea. The Kiel Trade Indicator, issued by a German research institution, said last month that 80% fewer containers are passing through the Red Sea and Egypt's Suez Canal than normally would be expected. Global shipping giant Maersk told customers Tuesday "to prepare for disruptions to persist in the global network." Some information from Reuters was used in this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Without More Funds, US Unable to Hit Ammunition Production Goals By Carla Babb, Ostap Yarysh March 01, 2024 The United States will not hit its 155-millimeter artillery shell production goals unless Congress passes the supplemental funding bill that's currently stalled in the U.S. House of Representatives, officials tell VOA. Shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainian forces began burning through U.S. stockpiles of 155 mm rounds used in howitzer systems, which the U.S. had provided to Kyiv to help defend its territory and citizens. To quickly replenish U.S. stockpiles and keep up with demand for shells in Ukraine, the Pentagon set out to expand American production capacity from about 14,000 units per month before Russia's invasion to 100,000 rounds per month in 2025. "Without additional supplemental funding, we cannot achieve our goal," a U.S. Defense Department official told VOA. Plans to increase production The U.S. is currently producing approximately 28,000 155 mm rounds per month, with a ramp-up plan to produce 70,000-80,000 rounds per month by the end of 2024, Pentagon spokesperson Jeff Jurgensen told VOA. But 155 mm shell production will peak there unless additional funds are provided. A defense official told VOA that would not only prevent aid from flowing to Ukraine but would also impact the United States' ability to replenish its own stockpiles. An artillery duel The U.S. and its allies have sent more than 2 million rounds of 155 mm artillery ammunition to Ukraine to help Kyiv repel Russian forces. Analysts and former officials say howitzer systems have been among the most effective weapons provided to Ukraine. The war has largely become an artillery duel between Ukraine and Russia, with both sides burning through as many as tens of thousands of rounds each week. The U.S. Army has said it needs Congress to approve about $3 billion more in funds specifically for expanding 155 mm artillery round production to quickly replace stocks depleted by shipments to Ukraine as well as Israel. The U.S. began sending artillery rounds to Israel following Hamas' deadly attack on October 7. Israel has vowed to remove Hamas from the Gaza Strip in response to the attack and launched an operation into Gaza that has killed tens of thousands. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kenya, Haiti Sign Security Deal By VOA News March 01, 2024 Kenya and Haiti signed a security deal Friday that Nairobi hopes will satisfy a domestic court's objections to a plan to send 1,000 police officers to lead a U.N.-supported peacekeeping mission to address gang violence in the restive Caribbean nation. Kenya first volunteered to send 1,000 police officers to Haiti in response to an appeal from Port-Au-Prince and the United Nations for international support. Kenya's High Court blocked the move in January, saying it was unconstitutional and could go forward only if there was a "reciprocal agreement" between the two nations. At a ceremony in Nairobi Friday, Kenyan President William Ruto, alongside Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, said the two governments signed a "reciprocal instrument" to allow the deployment to go forward and "discussed the next steps to enable the fast-tracking of the deployment." "We believe this is a historic duty because peace in Haiti is good for the world as a whole," Ruto said. The announcement came after a day of gun violence throughout Port-au-Prince. Reports say authorities battled gang members who targeted police stations, a police academy and the Toussaint-Louverture International Airport. The violence forced the airport, businesses, government agencies and schools to close as families ran through the streets in panic. Gang leader Jimmy Cherizier who goes by the nickname "Barbecue" issued a video statement saying a coordinated attack by armed groups was underway to oust Prime Minister Henry. He said that the groups wanted the prime minister to resign and "free the country" and that they would "use all strategies" to achieve the goal. Henry became Haiti's leader after the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise three years ago, plunging the country into extraordinary levels of violence and chaos. He has twice promised to hold new elections but has reneged each time. Gangs control many areas of Port-au-Prince, and police in Haiti have been unable to control the violence. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Calls Grow for Investigation of Deadly Aid Incident in Northern Gaza By VOA News March 01, 2024 International calls for an investigation grew on Friday as questions remained, a day after at least 112 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more were injured during a chaotic incident involving Israeli soldiers and people seeking humanitarian aid in northern Gaza. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said an "effective independent investigation" is necessary to understand the causes and who was responsible for the horrific events. A White House spokesperson also said the event "needs to be thoroughly investigated." Palestinian witnesses blamed Israeli troops for opening fire on a mass gathering of people waiting to collect aid from an approaching convoy. Israel disputes the account, saying scores of people trampled each other and were run over by the fleeing aid trucks. A military spokesman said their troops only fired "a few warning shots" to disperse the people. "No IDF strike was conducted towards the aid convoy," Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a video posted on the social media platform X on Thursday. He said that Israeli tanks were present to secure a humanitarian corridor for the 38-truck private convoy to pass. Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour called the incident an "outrageous massacre." "According to the information that we have, dozens of them have bullets in their heads," he told reporters Thursday of the people who were at the scene. "It's not like firing at the sky to restrain people if there was confusion and chaos. It was intentionally targeting and killing." The United Nations said a joint team from its humanitarian office, the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization visited Gaza City's largest hospital al Shifa on Friday. "They brought with them medicines, vaccines and fuel to help ensure that the medical facility remains functioning," U.N. Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Al Shifa has reportedly admitted more than 700 people injured in Thursday's deadly convoy incident. Dujarric said about 200 of them remained hospitalized. "By the time of the team's visit, the hospital staff told them they had received the bodies of more than 70 people who had been killed," Dujarric said. Asked if they had gunshot wounds, he said he did not believe the team examined the bodies of the dead, but of the injured patients they saw being treated, "there were a large number of gunshot wounds." Little aid has reached northern Gaza in recent weeks, where about 300,000 people are believed to have remained through the nearly five-month war. Hunger is rampant and desperation is high. The United Nations has warned that famine is imminent. President Joe Biden announced Friday that the United States would begin doing air drops of humanitarian assistance into Gaza. The Gaza ministry of health reported that four more children died in northern Gaza due to starvation and dehydration, bringing the reported number to 10 this week. "The unofficial numbers can unfortunately be expected to be higher," World Health Organization spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva. "And once we see them, once we see them registered in hospitals, once we see them registered officially, it's already further down the line." Calls for investigation mount French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the shootings, saying civilians must be protected, and called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire. "There must be an urgent investigation and accountability," British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in a statement. "This must not happen again." He said Israel has an obligation to ensure "significantly more humanitarian aid" reaches Gazans, and called on the government to open more crossings into Gaza and eliminate bureaucratic obstacles. Germany's foreign minister expressed shock about the reports. "The Israeli army must fully explain how the mass panic and shooting could have happened," Annalena Baerbock said Friday on X. She too called for a cease-fire so civilian lives would not be lost, hostages held by Hamas could be released, and aid could be distributed safely. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said she was "deeply disturbed by images from Gaza," saying in a post on X that every effort must be made to investigate what happened. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan condemned Israeli forces for firing on the Palestinians waiting for the delivery of aid. Turkey's foreign ministry accused Israel of using "starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza" and said Thursday's incident is "yet another crime against humanity." "We therefore call on all those with influence over the Israeli government to stop the ongoing violence in Gaza," the statement said. Brazil's government said Friday that a cease-fire is urgent as well as sufficient quantities of aid for Gazans and the release of all hostages. "Humanity is failing the civilians of Gaza and it is time to avoid new massacres," the statement said. Biden expressed concerns Thursday that the deadly convoy incident could hurt ongoing negotiations to free the remaining hostages held by Hamas and achieve a 6-week-long cease-fire. The latest violence pushed the Palestinian death toll in the nearly five-month war to more than 30,000, with another 71,000 injured and many more missing under the rubble, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. The Gaza war was triggered when Hamas carried out terror attacks inside Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping 250 others, around 100 of whom were released during a brief pause in November. VOA United Nations Correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some information is from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban Warns of Ban on Female Media Appearance Without Dress Code Compliance By Ayaz Gul March 01, 2024 Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have reportedly warned of barring female journalists and women at large from media platforms unless they comply with a dress code requiring that only their eyes be visible. The Afghanistan Journalists Center, or AFJC, a press freedom organization, said the warning was issued Tuesday by Mohammad Khaled Hanafi, head of the Taliban's Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Ministry, meeting with journalists in Kabul. In a statement on its website, the AFJC quoted ministry spokesman Abdul Ghaffar Farooq as recommending at the meeting that they "adhere to a modest dress code, showing images of women in black attire and veils with their faces mostly covered, leaving only their eyes visible." Farooq also suggested that television news channels avoid interviewing women "who do not adhere to the hijab or fully cover their faces," the organization said. "Hanafi warned that failure to comply with these guidelines may lead to a potential prohibition of women working in the media" by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, the statement said. Ministry officials have not yet commented on the reported meeting or its details. The media watchdog said it was "deeply concerned" about the state of Afghan media and "the potential repercussions of banning women from working in the media, who already face significant restrictions in their work." It said Hanafi's warning could ultimately eliminate women from the media in Afghanistan, where the Taliban already have placed sweeping restrictions on most women's access to education and work or public life at large. The AFJC said in its statement that local media professionals in the country have dealt with stringent work conditions requiring them to strictly follow a set of media guidelines the Taliban introduced after reclaiming power in 2021. Some of the existing directives prevent women from working in national radio and television stations, enforce "gender-based segregation" in workplaces, and prohibit broadcasting female voices and phone calls in certain provinces, the center said. The AFJC moved its office out of Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover but says it has workers on the ground and coordinates with local media outlets. The Taliban have banned television dramas that include female performers, and female news presenters must wear an officially prescribed "Islamic hijab" on air. 'Gender Apartheid' The Taliban have prohibited teenage girls from receiving an education beyond the sixth grade, female aid workers are banned from working for nongovernmental humanitarian groups, including the United Nations, except in the health sector, and females are not allowed to visit public parks, gyms, and bathhouses. A U.N. expert warned in a report issued Thursday that the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan had "deteriorated immensely" and caused "unacceptable suffering" since the Taliban takeover. Richard Bennett, the special rapporteur on the situation of Afghan human rights, urged action by the Taliban and the outside world "to halt this downward spiral and give hope" to Afghans. "Women and girls are being erased from public life, peaceful dissent is not tolerated, violence and the threat of violence are used with impunity to control and instill fear in the population," Bennett said. He said he is "deeply concerned" about the bans on girls' education and female aid workers. He denounced the Taliban-ordered public executions and floggings of Afghans, including women, convicted of crimes, including murder and adultery. The report found that "the institutionalized, systematic and widespread nature of gender-based discrimination was unparalleled, rising to the level of gender persecution and justifying being characterized as 'gender apartheid.'" Just hours before the report was issued Thursday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that Bennett and other Western critics should stop "misusing" the issue of Afghan human rights and instead focus on and stop rights abuses elsewhere in the world. The Taliban have rejected criticism of their governance, saying it is aligned with the Islamic law of Sharia and Afghan culture. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rising Violence, Human Rights Violations Threaten Peace in South Sudan By Lisa Schlein March 01, 2024 U.N. investigators warn an alarming rise in violence and human rights violations threatens prospects for a durable peace in South Sudan and risks impeding free and fair elections in December, the first since the country gained its independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011. Members of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, which submitted its latest report Friday to the U.N. Human Rights Council, expressed hope that the government would live up to the commitments of the 2020 revitalized peace agreement. The outlook is not promising. Commission members agree that much remains to be done before elections can go ahead later this year. While South Sudan is coming to the end of a political process, the commission notes that the drafting of a new, permanent constitution has not yet started. Commission member Barney Afako told the council that entrenched impunity in South Sudan was fueling armed conflict, repression, corruption and human rights violations, including sexual violence. That, he noted, was hardly an environment in which free and fair elections could take place. "Last April, we named senior officials responsible for serious crimes, including extrajudicial killings, torture, rape and sexual violence," he said. All of them retain their positions, including the governor of Unity State (Joseph Monytuil) and the Koch County commissioner (Gordon Koang). These two individuals enjoy impunity and have continued to instigate serious violence and violations." The commission report paints a stark picture of a society where killings, sexual and gender-based crimes, and gross human rights violations against the civilian population go unpunished. It says children are recruited into the army, and militias and armed cattle keepers encroach upon and grab the land of farmers, inflicting sexual violence and mass abductions on women and children. The commission has documented cases of young girls and women who have been abducted and held as sexual slaves. Afako said many of the victims have testified to being regularly beaten, continuously raped and threatened with death. "The scale, severity and violence associated with abductions is worsening. These attacks are well-planned," he said. "Although authorities were often well aware of them, they claimed to be powerless to stop them. Instead, authorities have negotiated ransoms and encouraged families to pay off abductors. We believe this can only incentivize further abductions." He said impunity and lack of justice, accountability and protection institutions are root causes of violations, "including targeted killings, repression, torture and sexual violence against women and girls." The commission calls on South Sudan's government to urgently establish transitional justice institutions and allow the country's political process to operate meaningfully and legitimately. Ruben Madol Arol, the South Sudanese minister of justice and constitutional affairs, called the commission report deplorable. He said the report does not consider the actions the government has taken to implement the renewable agreement and improve security in the country. He bristled at the report's description of widespread sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls in South Sudan, saying it "is misleading and meant to tarnish the image of the country." Christian Salazar Volkmann, the director of the field operations and technical cooperation division of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the council that the government has made some "concrete progress on institutional electoral preparations." While some signs of openness with civil society were emerging, he said, they were insufficient to "create the necessary conducive environment" for the South Sudanese to fully exercise their democratic right to vote. "Currently, the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, peaceful assembly, and association all remain severely restricted," he said. "Censorship, harassment, arbitrary arrests, and detention of journalists and dissenting voices continue in South Sudan. This impedes genuine public engagement in the electoral process," he said. Justice Minister Arol did not take all that criticism lightly. He threatened to end the mandate of the U.N. Human Rights Commission in South Sudan unless it accepts new conditions. He said the commission must "share evidence and names of the individuals and entities accused of human rights violations" to the government. He said the commission also must agree "to monitor and report human rights situations" and let the government handle all investigations. "If these positions are accepted, the government will accept the extension of [the] mandate of the commission for a period of one year only," he said. Ninety-five nongovernmental and human rights organizations sent a letter early last week to council members and observer states urging the council to renew the commission's mandate. They expressed concern about South Sudan's human rights situation in view of the upcoming elections. They noted that the commission's critical role in that it "is the only mechanism tasked with collecting and preserving evidence of violations on international humanitarian and human rights law with a view to ensuring accountability. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Advocacy Groups Call for Halt to Shell's Planned Exit from Nigeria By Timothy Obiezu March 01, 2024 Advocacy groups are calling on the Dutch oil giant Shell to halt its plans to divest assets from Nigeria's Niger Delta region unless proper cleanup and decommissioning of its infrastructure is complete. This week, a Netherlands-based nonprofit released a report accusing Shell of trying to avoid responsibility for oil spills. The Center for Research on Multinational Corporations' report, entitled "Selling Out Nigeria Shell's Irresponsible Divestment," said the Dutch oil giant's divestment in Nigeria must be suspended until clean-up and decommissioning of assets are complete. The group accused Shell of trying to avoid responsibility for decades of oil spills in Nigeria's Niger Delta region that have polluted bodies of water and farmlands. It said Shell's assertion that it cleaned up polluted oil spill sites is flawed and cannot be trusted. Faith Nwadishi, founder of Center for Transparency Advocacy, agrees with the report. "The contract that they have signed that talks about the issue of remediation, protection of the environment and all of those things have not been done," said Nwadishi. "We should be looking at the contract and interpreting it accordingly this is international best practice. This is what happens everywhere." Shell operations grew controversial Shell pioneered Nigeria's oil and gas explorations in 1937, but its operations have been subject to controversy and lawsuits from local communities. Shell often blamed sabotage and vandalism by locals for busted pipelines, oil spills and environmental pollution. In January, the company announced plans to sell its onshore operations to a local consortium of five companies for $2.4 billion. Shell said the move would allow it to focus on more lucrative offshore businesses and that it was also proof that local companies are able to take on a larger share of Nigeria's oil and gas industry. But Nwadishi said if the pollution issue is not addressed, Shell's exit could set a bad example for other multinationals operating in Nigeria. "Once one person sets a precedent especially the bad precedences once they're set, you see other people following up," said Nwadishi. "When they do that, what it will mean is that they set a wrong template for other multinationals to do the same thing. And unfortunately, we have this judicial system that takes forever to take care of issues like that." Law mandates funding for cleanup Under Nigerian law, Shell is expected to provide funding for cleanup and decommissioning of its infrastructure before exiting. But the report says the implementation of the law is flawed and said there is no sign that Shell is trying to comply with the law. The company has not commented on the report but recently released a list of eight cleanup operations it plans to carry out in Nigeria this year, all for spills of less than 100 barrels of oil. Emmanuel Afimia, founder of Enermics Consulting, said Nigerian authorities must take the Shell divestment plan seriously. "Nigeria should implement the following measures: establish a robust regulatory framework that holds multinational corporations accountable for the environmental damage caused by their operations; ensure that affected communities are consulted and involved in the cleanup process and that their concerns and needs are addressed," said Afimia. "We need to monitor and evaluate the cleanup process regularly to ensure that it is being done properly and transparently." VOA asked Nigeria's National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency for comment on the Shell issue but has not received a response. Before Shell can sell the assets in question, it must get approval from the Nigerian government. The government has not said whether it will authorize the sale. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Readout of President Joe Biden's Meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy March 01, 2024 President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. welcomed Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy to the White House today to continue their close coordination on shared priorities. The leaders exchanged views on Italy's objectives under its G7 presidency, including abiding support for Ukraine, sustainable development, food and energy security, migration, as well as cooperation on artificial intelligence and continued joint efforts in support of the Partnership on Global Infrastructure and Investment. President Biden and Prime Minister Meloni reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine as it fights against Russian aggression. The President commended Prime Minister Meloni's leadership role in the G7 and European Union to bolster support for Ukraine, and Prime Minister Meloni emphasized the significance of sustained U.S. support for Ukraine. The leaders discussed developments in the Middle East, including the importance of preventing regional escalation. They reaffirmed their commitment to Israel's right to self-defense consistent with international law and underscored the urgent need to increase deliveries of life-saving humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza. President Biden and Prime Minister Meloni discussed the upcoming G7 Leaders' Summit in Puglia and NATO Summit in Washington, underscoring the vitality of the transatlantic relationship and its centrality to addressing global challenges. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Meloni of the Italian Republic March 01, 2024 Oval Office 2:01 P.M. EST PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, Prime Minister Meloni, thank you for being here again. And I have to admit to you, as she walked in the door we're good friends and I played Ray Charles's "Georgia" as she walked in the door. Now, most of you don't know Ray Charles's "Georgia," but anyway. Look, Italy and the United States are strong allies and really close friends. And as you said when we first met here in the Oval, Giorgia, that we have each other's backs. And we do. And you've demonstrated that from the moment you took office. And we also have Ukraine's back. That's why I'm urging the House of Representatives to pass the legislation that allows us to, in a bipartisan way, continue to support Ukraine now. They need the security bill now. And the bill includes funding for Ukraine so we can help keep Putin from his onslaught from succeeding in Ukraine. And I want to thank you, Giorgia, for Italy's unwavering support for Ukraine and your leadership at the G7 this year. Today, also, we're going to discuss the Middle East and yesterday's tragic and alarming event in North Gaza trying to get humanitarian assistance in there. And the loss of life is heartbreaking. People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in terrible war, unable to feed their families. And you saw the response when they tried to get aid in. And we need to do more, and the United States will do more. In the coming days, we're going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing airdrops of of additional food and supplies into Ukraine [Gaza] and seek to continue to open up other avenues into Ukraine [Gaza], including the possibility of a marine corridor to deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance. In addition to expanding deliveries by land, as I said, we're going to we're going to insist that Israel facilitate more trucks and more routes to get more and more people the the help they need. No excuses. Because the truth is: Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough now. It's nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line and children's lives are on the line, and we won't stand by and let until they until we get more aid in there. We we should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several. And I won't stand by, we won't let up, and we're not going to pull out trying to pull out every stop we can to get more assistance in. So, and here's the deal. We've been working, and hopefully we'll know shortly. And I know you've been informed: We're trying to work out a deal between Israel and Hamas on the hostages being returned and and immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks and and to allow the surge of aid through the entire Gaza Strip not just the south but the entire Gaza Strip. And so, Giorgia, we have a lot to discuss today. Not and then we'll talk about everything from China on. But I'm happy you're here and delighted to that you came back. I know you're on your way to Canada, right? PRIME MINISTER MELONI: Yeah. PRESIDENT BIDEN: Good. Well, the floor is yours, Madam. PRIME MINISTER MELONI: Well, I'm delighted to be here today in my capacity as the G7 chair, and I look forward, Joe, to hosting you in Puglia next June for the Leaders' Summit. I'm working on a concrete and substantial G7 Summit. We intend, first and foremost, to reaffirm the rules-based international order, defending freedom and building peace for Ukraine. And in doing this, I think we need to tackle the narrative that wants the West against the rest. So, the dialogue our dialogue within the G7, within the Global South is essential. The crisis in Middle East is of the utmost concern. We need to coordinate our actions in order to avoid an escalation. And in this regard, we do fully support the U.S. mediation efforts. The humanitarian crisis is our number one number one priority. Italy is concentrating its contribution on these. Meanwhile, we are cooperating with all regional actors that must be part of any future outcome. We should work together on concrete steps to guarantee the two-state perspective, which is the only long-term, sustainable solution. And then the Houthis' attack on commercial vessels that endanger freedom of navigation in the Red Sea are unacceptable. EU naval operation Aspides, this as you know, is under Italian tactical command, is an important response to the disruption of transit through the Red Sea. Then, building on Italy's role in the Mediterranean, the G7 will pay special attention also to the African continent. We've been discussing it for many times. But I think we have to remember that Africa is not a poor continent; it is, on the contrary, incredibly rich in human and material resources. But it has been neglectic [sic] and neglected and exploited with a predatory approach for a long time. And I want to reverse this approach, together with you, which is also a root cause of the migration crisis. We need to support Africa's development on an equal basis and put an end to illegal migration while fighting human trafficking. Human trafficking has become the most financially rewarding crime globally, and we cannot accept it no any longer. For this reason, I came here today also with a proposal to launch a global alliance against human traffickers. The G7 will discuss artificial intelligence as well. AI is a means. It can be a good or a bad one; it depends on our capacity to govern it, to tackle the risks and the impact it can the impact it can have, for example, on the labor market. We want to develop AI, but, also, we want to be certain that it remains human-centered. And then, last but not least, I came here to boost our strategic cooperation. And our relations are enriched by the presence of more than 20 million Italian Americans. During our last meeting here in Washington, we said we wanted to improve our bilateral cooperation and our trade, and we did it. For in 2023, our bilateral trade reached the highest amount ever with 1- $102 billion of exchange. So, I think we did a good job, but I also think that we can do even better. And I hope this will be our mutual goal for this year. Thank you, Joe. PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, it is. And I I tried to help; I married an Italian American. PRIME MINISTER MELONI: (Laughs.) PRESIDENT BIDEN: So, thank you all very much. 2:11 P.M. EST NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 01 March 2024 - Day 736 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The UK Ministry of Defence reported that the Russian defence industry significantly increased its production output in 2023. This was achieved by expanding the workforce to roughly 3.5 million people, increasing shift patterns and expanding existing production lines, coupled with bringing idle production capacity back into service. A significant proportion of this increased output comes from refurbishment and modernisation of existing stocks rather than new production. For example, the vast majority of main battle tanks produced in 2023 consisted of refurbished vehicles. Artillery munition production rose sharply in 2023 and will likely increase further in 2024. However, munition production is likely to peak in the next 12 months due to capacity constraints. Although the defence industry is unable to fully meet the demands of Russian operations against Ukraine, it is almost certainly capable of delivering a materiel advantage over Ukraine throughout 2024. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of March 1, there were 73x combat engagements. Russian forces launched a total of 6x missile and 79x air strikes, carried out 62x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, Russian attacks resulted in killed and wounded civilians. Residential private and apartment buildings, as well as other infrastructure were destroyed and damaged. Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group. Certain units of the armed forces of Belarus continue their missions in the areas bordering Ukraine. Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Druzhba, Hlukhiv, Volfyne (Sumy oblast), Okhrimivka, Vil'khuvatka, Khatnje, Topoli (Kharkiv oblast). More than 30x settlements came under enemy artillery and mortar fire, including Prohres (Chernihiv oblast), Shalyhyne, Svarkove, Stara Huta (Sumy oblast), Kozacha Lopan', Hatyshche, Pletenivka, Okhrimivka (Kharkiv oblast). Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Kyslivka and Sadove (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Dvorichna, Petropavlivka, Pishchane (Kharkiv oblast). Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 6x assaults near Terny, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast) and Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), where the Russian adversary, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Makiivka, Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Yampolivka, Tors'ke, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast). Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 4x attacks in the vicinities of Bohdanivka and Andriivka (Donetsk oblast), where the Russian occupiers made attempts to improve their tactical situation. Russian forces launched air strikes near Chasiv Yar and Druzhba (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Chasiv Yar, Andriivka, Druzhba (Donetsk oblast). Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 20x attacks in the vicinities of Berdychi, Orlivka, Tonen'ke, Pervomais'ke, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes near Novokalynove, Oleksandropil', Arkhanhel's'ke, Novooleksandrivka, Ocheretyne, Prohres, Novobakhmutivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Semenivka, Orlivka, Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast). Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Pobjeda and south of Zolota Nyva (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces made 25x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 20x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka, Vuhledar, Blahodatne (Donetsk oblast). Orikhiv axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Malynivka, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka, P'yatykhatky (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire. Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. Around 20x settlements, including Kachkarivka, L'vove, Kherson, Stanislav (Kherson oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire. During the day of March 1, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 13x concentrations of Russian troops. The Ukrainian missile troops hit 1x concentration of military equipment, 2x artillery systems, 3x command posts, 3x ammunition depots of the Russian invaders. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in the period from 24 February to 1 March 2024, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched 23 group strikes with high-precision weapons, multiple launch rocket systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles at Ukraine's military industrial facilities, which were manufacturing reconnaissance and attack unmanned aerial vehicles; arsenals, and POL bases. Moreover, the strikes also hit deployment areas of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, nationalists, and foreign mercenaries. All the assigned targets have been engaged. In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line and inflicted fire damage on enemy manpower and hardware near Ivanovka, Peschanoye, and Prikolotnoye (Kharkov region). In addition, 30 counterattacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 32nd Mechanised Brigade, 77nd Air Mobile Brigade, 95th Air Assault Brigade, and 57th Motorised Rifle Brigade were repelled near Sinkovka (Kharkov region) and Terny (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses amounted to more than 755 Ukrainian troops, three tanks, six armoured fighting vehicles, 18 motor vehicles, and 23 field artillery guns. In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more favourable lines and inflicted losses on the AFU 5th and 92nd assault brigades, 28th, 72nd, and 93rd mechanised brigades, 107th and 241st territorial defence brigades near Kleshcheyevka, Bogdanovka, Dyleyevka, Kurdyumovka, Andreyevka, and Krasnoye (Donetsk People's Republic). Moreover, 18 counterattacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were repelled near Berestovoye, Krasnogorovka, Georgiyevka, and Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to more than 2,835 Ukrainian troops, seven tanks, 16 armoured fighting vehicles, 49 motor vehicles, as well as 24 field artillery guns. In Avdeyevka direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Lastochkino, Severnoye, and Petrovoskoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and continued advancing to the west. In cooperation with aviation and artillery, they inflicted fire damage on clusters of manpower and hardware of the AFU 23rd, 24th, 53rd, 61st, and 110th mechanised, 59th motorised infantry, and 3rd assault brigades, as well as 103rd and 107th territorial defence brigades near Netaylovo, Ochertino, Mayorsk, and Rozovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Forty-eight counterattacks of the enemy assault units were repelled close to Novgorodskoye, Leninskoye, Tonenkoye, Orlovka, and Pervomayskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). In this direction, the enemy has lost over 2,600 Ukrainian troops, 23 tanks (including U.S.-made Abrams), 45 armoured fighting vehicles, 83 motor vehicles, as well as 26 field artillery guns. In South Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces' units have improved the frontline situation and repelled seven attacks of AFU assault groups close to Marfopol (Zaporozhye region), Novodonetskoye and Shevchenko (Donetsk People's Republic). Air strikes and artillery fire hit units of the AFU's 58th motorised infantry, 72nd mechanised, 108th, 121st, 127th, and 128th territorial defence brigades near Vodyanoye, Ugledar, Urozhaynoe, Staromayorskoye, and Rovnopol (Donetsk People's Republic), and Lugovskoye(Zaporozhye region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 890 Ukrainian troops, three tanks, six armoured fighting vehicles, 28 motor vehicles, and eight field artillery guns. In Kherson direction, the Russian troops have taken more advantageous lines and positions, and also repelled seven attacks launched by assault groups of the 117th and 118th mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and 15th Ukrainian National Guard close to Rabotino (Zaporozhye region). Moreover, fire damage was inflicted on personnel and military hardware of the 28th, 65th, and 118th mechanised, 44th air mobile, 128th mountain assault, 35th marine, and 121st territorial defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Verbovoye, Primorye, Novopokrovka, Orekhov, Malaya Tokmachka, and Nesteryanka (Zaporozhye region), Ilyinka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Tokarevka and Dudchany (Kherson region). The units of the Russian Groups of Forces have neutralised one Ukrainian sabotage group of the 73rd Marine Special Operations Centre in an attempt to land close to Tendra Spit using speedboats. As a result of a short battle, four of the speedboats with the landing groups were destroyed and sunk. The enemy losses were up to 25 Ukrainian troops, one Ukrainian serviceman was taken prisoner. In Kherson direction, the enemy's losses over the past week have amounted to over 290 troops, three tanks, four armoured fighting vehicles, 34 motor vehicles, and 16 field artillery guns. Operational-Tactical aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have neutralised one P-18 radar, two radio detectors and launchers of the S-300 SAM system, Norwegian-made NASAMS vehicle, as well as five Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations over the past week. The air defence systems have shot down two MiG-29 fighter jets, one Ukrainian Su-25 ground-attack aircraft, two Storm Shadow cruise missiles, four JDAM guided aerial bombs, 35 HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 639 unmanned aerial vehicles. In the period from 24 February to 1 March 2024, 16 Ukrainian servicemen have surrendered. In total, 575 airplanes and 267 helicopters, 13,862 unmanned aerial vehicles, 475 air defence missile systems, 15,304 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,227 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,242 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 19,236 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by President Biden After Operation Briefing | Brownsville, TX March 01, 2024 3:41 P.M. CST THE PRESIDENT: Again, thank you. And as my mother would say, please excuse my back. I apologize. (Laughter.) Hello, folks. Good afternoon. Before we start, I'd like to say a few words about the devastating wildfires that are scorching the Texas Panhandle and northwest Oklahoma. You know, yesterday, one of the biggest fire events in Texas history, with more than 1 million a more than 1 million acres of Texas land burned. From the start, I directed my team to do everything possible to help protect the people and the communities threatened by these fires. In response to specific requests from the a made from the state, we already have more than 500 federal personnel here working on fire su- a suppression. That includes the deployment of 100 federal firefighters a and more are on the way a as well as dozens of dir- a of additional fire engines, air tankers, small planes, helicopters to help fight the flames. And FEMA has already guaranteed that Texas and Oklahoma will be reimbursed for the costs of keeping folks safe. And we're grateful for the brave first responders risking their lives to save others. And we urge a we urge folks to listen to the warnings from the local officials. Listen to them. I've flown over a lot of these wildfires since I've been President. As a matter of fact, I've a in a helicopter in the West to the Southwest, in the Northwest a flown over more landed burned to the ground a all the vegetation gone a than the entire state of Maryland in square footage. The idea there's no such thing as climate change a I love that, man. I love some of my neanderthal friends who still think there's no climate change. Well, my administration is going to keep building on the progress we've made fighting climate crisis. And we're going to keep a help folks rebuild themselves in the wake of these disasters. And we rebuild to the standards that are up a the up-to-date standards and building codes and the rest. Because a lot of a if you fly over these areas that are burned to the ground, you'll see, in the midst of 20 homes that are just totally destroyed, one home sitting there because it had the right roof on it. And, anyway, since I took office, FEMA has provided Texas alone over $13 billion a $13 billion in three years in disaster relief after fires and winter storms across the state. And when disasters strike, there's no red state or blue state where I come from. There are just communities and families looking for help. So, we're standing with everyone a everyone affected by these wildfires. And we're going to continue to help you respond and recover. Now, turning to the purpose of my visit. I want to thank Congressman Gonzalez. Where a there you are, pal. I thanked him a (applause) a I thanked him for the passport into his district, but he's been a great partner. Also want to thank Mayor C- a Mayor a Mayor Cowen for his partnership. And I want to thank County Judge Trevino a I a for over 30 a and over the 30 local officials who have joined us here today. No one a no one works harder for a safe, secure border than all of you. And Secretary Mayorkas has joined us today. And he is joined by seven mayors in cities and towns across South Texas. Four county judges here from across the state. I told the county judge that I used to be a county official. It's the hardest job in American politics. You know why? They think you can do everything, and you don't have the budget. So, any rate. (Laughter.) But a and the two leaders from the Texas legislature a State House Leader Trey is here a Trey Martinez Fischer a and the State Senate Leader Carol Alvadaro [Alvarado]. And a hey, look, and all the other local officials that are here today, I want to say thanks. Folks, it's real simple. It's time to act. It's long past time to act. I just received a briefing from the Border Patrol at the border as well as immigration and enforcement and asylum officers. And they're all doing incredible work under really tough conditions a really tough conditions. They each told me what they re- a what a what you already know and we already know: They desperately need more resources. I'll say it again: They desperately need more resources. They need more agents, more officers, more judges, more equipment in order to secure our border. Folks, it's time for us to move on this. We can't wait any longer. Folks, on my first day as President, I introduced a bill I sent to Congress: a comprehensive plan to fix the broken immigration system and to secure the border. But no action was taken. Then months ago, my team began a serious negotiation on a bipartisan group of senators a Democrat a leading conservative Republicans and Dem- a progressive Democrats a and it resulted in a compromise bill. It's the toughest set of border security reforms we've ever seen in this country. It's pretty basic. With this deal, we could hire 1,500 additional border security agents a 1,500 additional off- a and officers and between ports of entry. For the past four years, staffing has been roughly that a flat a just flat. Agents working overtime, spending long hours patrolling the border, making major sacrifices. And I know it takes a big toll on them and their families. That's why, in December, I signed a bill finally getting Border Patrol agents a what I've been pushed by and reminded by the congressman a overtime pay they deserve. They're finally getting overtime pay. I a I mean, it's ridiculous it took this long. It was long past time, and I was proud to do it. But we need to do more. It's time to step up. It's time to step up and provide them with significantly more personnel and capability. We also need more immigration judges to help handle the backlog. There are 2 million cases a a backlog of 2 million cases. This bipartisan deal would provide funding for a hundred more immigration judges immediately. It would also establish new, efficient, and fair process for the government to consider asylum claims for those arriving at our border. Today, the process to get a decision on an asylum claim takes five to seven years. Now, you all know it down here, but the people around the country don't understand it. That's far too long. They come in. You say a you say, "I have a credible fear," and a and we've changed that standard to make it hard- a we want to change to make it harder. And what happens? You say, "Well, okay. You can come in the country, but come back in five to seven years, maybe as many as eight years, and you could get a hearing from a before a judge to determine whether you can stay." This will encourage more people a this encourages more people to come to the country. If they get by the first, they got another five, seven, eight years before they have to do anything because they know they cannot handle the caseloads quickly and they'll be able to stay in this country in the meantime. With new policies in this bill and the addition of 4,300 additional asylum officers, we'll be able to reduce that process to less than six months. That would have a serious deterrent effect on those coming north. When a when the criminal gangs say, "We'll get you north, but it's 8,000 bucks," you say, "Now, wait, let me get this straight: I'm going to go north. It's going to cost me six, eight" a probably closer to eight, I guess a "thousand dollars, equivalent, and I'm going to get there, and in six months, they may be able to get rid of me." And I don't know, man. Six months, seven years a two different things. A person who's thinking about entering the United States understands the case is to be decided in a few weeks or months instead of five to seven years, they're less likely to come in the first place. They're not going to pay the cartels thousands of dollars to make that journey knowing that it'll be turned around quickly. Look, and we also need more cutting-edge inspection machines to detect and stop fentanyl from entering the United States of America. A year ago, I stood at a border in El Paso and I watched these machines at work. They were able to detect everything from fentanyl to weapons to people being smuggled in cargo containers. This a this compromise bill would provide an additional $4- a $3- a $424 million for 100 more of these machines and could save lives in the process. This compromise legislation would also give me as president or any a the next president emergency authority to temporarily shut down the border between ports of entry when the numbers of immigrants and migrants a excuse me a overwhelm the border, starting a straining the Border Patrol's ability to process them. At the same time, at our legal ports of entry, like here in Brownsville, we're making investments in infrastructure. My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is going to provide nearly 4 billion new dollars to boost security, to ease waiting times at land ports of entry like Brownsville. And I want to thank you again, Congressman Gonzalez, for helping me get that through and get that passed and a as the law. That you get the money for the a for example, that's how you got the money for the Gateway Bridge from that fund. Folks, the bipartisan border security deal is a win for the American people, and it's a win for the people of Texas. And it's fair for those who legitimately have a right to come here to begin with. It's a win for the people of Brownsville. And I believe that's why the Border Patrol union endorsed it. I believe that's why the national Chamber of Commerce a the national Chamber of Commerce endorsed it a not known as a Democratic organization, with a capital "D." Look, and that's why the Wall Street Journal endorsed it as well. This is a truly bipartisan initiative. That's why the bipartisan South Texas Alliance of Cities endorsed it. Folks, I didn't get a I didn't get everything I wanted in that compromise bipartisan bill, but neither did anybody else. Compromise is part of the process. That's how democracy works. That's how it's supposed to work. Compromise is a very positive step on a critical issue for the country a all those issues for the country. And folks here in Brownsville and all along the border know that. We need to have their backs a your backs. I want the people to understand clearly what happened here. This bill was in the United States Senate. It was on its way to being passed. Then, it was derailed by rank-and-file polit- a rank partisan politics. The U.S. Senate needs to reconsider this bill. And those senators who opposed it need to set politics aside and pass it on the merits, not on whether it's going to benefit one party or benefit the other party. It's about whether it benefits the American people. That's what the American people deserve. And the Speaker of the House needs to put this bill on the floor, because if he put it on the floor unrestricted, it would pass. The majority of Democrats and Republicans in both houses support this legislation a until someone came along and said, "Don't do that; it'll benefit the incumbent." That's a hell of a way to do business in America for such a serious problem. We need to act. It's time for the Speaker and some of my Republican friends in Congress who are blocking this bill to show a little spine. Pass the Bipartisan Bor- a Bipartisan a remember, Bipart- a conservative leaders supported this a Border Security bill. Let's remember who we work for, for God's sake. We work for the American people. Let me end with this. I understand my predecessor is in Eagle Pass today. So, here's what I would say to Mr. Trump: Instead of playing politics with the issue, instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation, join me a or I'll join you a in telling the Congress to pass this Bipartisan Border Security bill. We can do it together. You know and I know it's the toughest, most efficient, most effective border security bill this country has ever seen. So, instead of playing politics with the issue, why don't we just get together and get it done? And let's remember who the heck we work for. We work for the American people, not the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. We work for the American people. And let's remember who we are. We're the United States of America. No, I mean this. Think about this. There's nothing a nothing beyond our capacity a nothing a when we work together. And of all things we should be working together on, it's this. And we have the formula to get it done. God bless you all. And may God protect our Border Patrol. And God protect our troops. Now I'd like to turn this over to Secretary Mayorkas. Thank you. (Applause.) 3:53 P.M. CST NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address First 2024 iteration of Canada's Signature Arctic Sovereignty Exercise Begins National Defence News release March 1, 2024 - Ottawa - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) will be hosting Operation NANOOK-NUNALIVUT, from March 1 to 17, 2024, in and around Resolute, Nunavut and Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, to demonstrate our resolve and ability to operate in the Arctic. Over 300 CAF members will work alongside approximately 50 armed forces members from the United States, Belgium, Germany, and France. CAF members will be conducting activities including joint long-range patrols, austere logistics, and below-ice diving, with support from local and regional partners specializing in Arctic terrain, Arctic infrastructure, and Arctic logistics support. Op NANOOK-NUNALIVUT is a demonstration of the Government of Canada's commitment to the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework and reinforces commitments made in Strong, Secure and Engaged. It serves to strengthen the CAF's presence in the Arctic while also enhancing our familiarity with the region. Through the relationships built and maintained during Op NANOOK, the CAF helps to improve the military readiness of partners. This includes the delivery of training, as well as practicing techniques to ensure the CAF remains coordinated with our Allies and partners. Op NANOOK-NUNALIVUT also serves to demonstrate the CAF's ability to project and sustain forces in the Arctic under the harshest conditions, build in-depth local knowledge, evaluate new capabilities and equipment, and improve interoperability with our Allies and partners. Op NANOOK-NUNALIVUT is one of four comprehensive annual activities designed to exercise the defence of Canada and to secure our northern regions, all under the name of Op NANOOK. These exercises take place from early Spring to late Summer, demonstrating the CAF's presence and exercising Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic. Quotes "It is increasingly important to be able to project and sustain forces in the Canadian Arctic. Operation NANOOK-NUNALIVUT is our opportunity to demonstrate Canada's presence and sovereignty in the North, while training to operate in austere and difficult environments." Vice-Admiral Bob Auchterlonie, Commander, Canadian Joint Operations Command "Operation NANOOK-NUNALIVUT 2024 will allow us to test and demonstrate our ability to operate in the Arctic. The North is a vast, harsh, and demanding environment - careful preparation and close collaboration with our Northern partners is key. Knowledge shared with those Allies and partners strengthens our collective ability to adapt and meet these challenges." Brigadier-General J.M.Y.D. RiviAre, Commander, Joint Task Force (North) Quick facts Op NANOOK-NUNALIVUT has been conducted annually since 2007 in various locations throughout Canada's North, including Rankin Inlet, Tuktoyaktuk, and Inuvik. It is an all-domain defence and security operation designed to foster greater combined and joint interoperability with regional and international partners. Resolute is one of Canada's northernmost communities and is second only to Grise Fjord on Ellesmere Island. It is located approximately 3,000 km from the North Pole. CAF members will also be deploying to the research base at Eureka, Nunavut, which is only 1,000 km from the North Pole, and Pond Inlet, on the northernmost edge of Baffin Island. CAF participation in this year's Op NANOOK-NUNALIVUT includes Regular and Reserve Force personnel from the following units: 2nd Canadian Division, Quebec, including: Primary Reserve units under 35 Canadian Brigade Group; 1st Battalion, Royal 22e RAgiment ; 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group; Port Inspection Divers from the Naval Reserve; Combat Divers from: 4 Engineer Support Regiment from Gagetown, New Brunswick; 2 Combat Engineer Regiment from Petawawa, Ontario; and 5 Combat Engineer Regiment from Valcartier, Quebec; Joint Task Force North Support Component; and 440 Transport Squadron, from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. There are approximately 50 foreign military members scheduled to participate in Operation NANOOK-NUNALVUT 2024. These include: Around 30 members of the US 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (86th IBCT); With the Dive Task Force: Approximately 5 Belgian Naval Component Clearance Divers; Approximately 5 French Army Combat; and A German Dive Medical Officer as an observer. Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) provides technical support to enable under-ice dive training during Op NANOOK-NUNALIVUT. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World expects China's two sessions to inject new momentum into global growth Global Times Nation confident in overcoming challenges under strong leadership of CPC By Ma Jingjing and Li Xuanmin Published: Mar 01, 2024 09:11 PM Updated: Mar 01, 2024 11:28 PM China is set to enter the two sessions period on Monday, focusing the world's attention on how one of the most important political events in the country will set priorities and plans involving the economy, diplomacy, military, and social development for 2024. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and is a key year for achieving the goals outlined in the national 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25). At this critical juncture, China's two sessions are set to send a refreshed strong signal to the world that China will remain firmly committed to promoting global common development and prosperity with its high-quality development. The second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) will open in Beijing on March 5. The second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will begin on March 4, also in Beijing. During what is collectively known as the two sessions, Chinese policymakers are set to release a set of social and economic development goals for this year, including the annual GDP growth target, as well as policies to achieve them. Over 3,000 reporters from home and abroad are ready to report on the important event, while foreign media outlets have been speculating about the social and economic development targets and policies that will be revealed, especially how new productive forces and reforms in the key sectors including the financial sector will provide new growth momentum for the country and the world. Generally, policymakers are widely expected to set a GDP target of around 5 percent for the year and come up with intensified macro-policies, offering more confidence for the world's second-largest economy, according to analysts and recent tone-setting meetings. Global expectations Today's world faces multiple risks and challenges. The global economy has been weighed down by protectionism and the abuse of the security concept by some Western countries, geopolitical tensions are heightened, and artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change, among other factors, pose a new set of challenges. Against this backdrop, the international community expects China's answers to add certainty and new momentum of growth to the world. "I expect that this most important Chinese meeting will address the strategic challenges based on President Xi Jinping's conception of a community with a shared future for humanity, which could be a specification of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative," Helga Zepp-LaRouche, founder of Germany-based political and economic think tank the Schiller Institute, told the Global Times. Zepp-LaRouche said that she is hopeful the two sessions as one of China's most important political events will show the world the way forward in terms of how to overcome the mistaken view that a country or a group of countries must defend its interests against another group by any means necessary. Wirun Phichaiwongphakdee, director of the Thailand-China Research Center of the Belt and Road Initiative and researcher at the Thailand-China Strategic Research Center at the National Research Institute of Thailand, told the Global Times that he greatly expects to learn about China's economic direction and policies in 2024 from the upcoming two sessions, which will also set the direction for economic and trade cooperation between China and other Asian countries, especially Southeast Asian countries. Currently, the world is at a threshold of seeing great improvement in productivity and the development of AI is expected to bring mankind to a new stage. As China is the world's second-largest economy, which has a profound impact on the global economy, I believe China's AI innovations will make contributions to the world in this regard, Wirun said. Almost every Government Work Report over the past several years has come up with arrangements for the joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative. It's expected that this year's two sessions will further discuss and make arrangements in the implementation of the eight major steps China will take to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Wan Zhe, an economist and professor at the Belt and Road School of Beijing Normal University, told the Global Times. In addition to foreign cooperation, China has ramped up efforts to promote high-level opening-up over recent years. Foreign companies operating in China have strong expectations for this year's annual two sessions, eyeing greater opportunities from Chinese modernization. "We always attach great attention to industrial policies to be announced in a wide range of sectors, including carbon neutrality, healthcare, digital economy and AI, as we hope to get involved in those sectors to explore more opportunities," Han Jingjing, a sales and marketing vice president of the Swiss air quality technology company IQAir China, told the Global Times on Friday. Along with the continuous improvement of China's business climate, the Chinese government now provides a more convenient and efficient investment environment and services for foreign enterprises. We expect that the government will further lower the threshold for foreign investment, which will greatly elevate their confidence in investing in China while reducing investment risks and cost, Han said. Injecting energy into world At the beginning of 2024, China's consumption sector extended its robust rebound, macro-economic policies are being intensified, and opening-up and cooperation are being conducted in an orderly fashion. Some international institutions have upgraded their forecasts for China's GDP growth rate and many multinationals have briskly increased investment in the market for more opportunities. Against the backdrop of a sluggish global economy, China will continue to be an important engine for global economic growth. Judging from the economic goals set by Chinese provincial-level regions during their local two sessions, the Government Work Report will likely set an annual growth target of around 5 percent for 2024, Cao Heping, an economist at Peking University, told the Global Times on Friday. Cao said that the country's deficit-to-GDP ratio may be set at around 3.5 percent this year to support the development of new productive forces. A meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held on Thursday to discuss a draft government work report pointed out that the country will strive to achieve its annual economic and social development goals. Great efforts should be made to advance the construction of a modern industrial system and accelerate the development of new productive forces, according to the meeting. "The emphasis on new productive forces at the top meeting underlines the importance of tech innovations in China's economic development. The new economy supported by new productive forces will become a main driver of the economic growth this year," Cao said. New productive forces represent high technology, high efficiency and high quality. They provide strong support for the high-quality development of China's economy, developing China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, enhancing China's international competitiveness, and meeting people's aspirations for a better life, analysts said. The core of developing new productive forces is innovation, which also includes regulatory innovation. The authorities need to provide the best business environment for enterprises, especially private companies, so that they will have the vitality and impetus to make breakthroughs in developing new productive forces, Wan said. "Despite temporary challenges to the Chinese economy and short-term fluctuations in the capital market, China will be able to overcome a series of challenges faced by the economy following policy adjustments and strengthened regulations," Cao said. Being committed to people-centered development, the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core is the source of confidence, Cao said, noting the institutional strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics of pooling resources behind major undertakings will provide strong support for the upswing in economic recovery. China's economy grew by 5.2 percent year-on-year in 2023, staying above last year's official GDP target of around 5 percent, and underscoring the resilience and potential of the Chinese economy in the post-COVID-19 era. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China stages strong dissatisfaction, firm opposition against US latest remarks on Article 23 legislation: FM Global Times By Global Times Published: Mar 01, 2024 07:51 PM China expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition against US' latest statement on the Article 23 legislation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), urging the US to respect China's sovereignty, abide by the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations, immediately stop meddling in China's internal affairs. The US State Department said in a statement on Wednesday local time that it is closely monitoring Hong Kong's development of national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law and its implications for US citizens, investments, and companies operating in Hong Kong. "We are particularly concerned by Hong Kong authorities' proposal to adopt broad and vague definitions of 'state secrets' and 'external interference' that could be used to eliminate dissent through the fear of arrest and detention," the statement said. Completing the Article 23 legislation aims to fill loopholes in safeguarding national security, which is the constitutional responsibility of the HKSAR and a necessary requirement for ensuring long-term stability and prosperity under the framework of "One Country, Two Systems," Mao Ning, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference on Friday. The recently concluded public consultation showed strong consensus among various sectors of Hong Kong society on the legislation. The legislation targets a very small number of criminals who seriously endanger national security and will lawfully protect the residents of Hong Kong, Mao said. With the public consultation period for the Article 23 legislation having ended on Wednesday, local authorities in Hong Kong received 13,147 submissions of opinions as of Wednesday, among which 98.64 percent support the legislation, according to the official data. While 0.65 percent are purely questions or opinions that cannot reflect the authors' stance and among the 0.71 percent that oppose the legislative proposals, more than 10 are from overseas anti-China organizations or abscondees. According to the Basic Law of Hong Kong and relevant international conventions, all rights and freedoms enjoyed by residents of Hong Kong are protected, and foreign citizens' investments in enterprises in Hong Kong are also protected by law, Mao said. She also noted that the extraterritorial application of the Article 23 legislation fully complies with international law and the universal practices of various countries and regions. The definitions of "state secrets" and "external interference" have been fully considered based on the actual situation in the HKSAR and common practices in various countries, and are reasonable, legal, and beyond reproach. Since the enactment and implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong, there has been a period during which Hong Kong has transitioned from chaos to governance and from governance to prosperity, and it is also a period during which the international community has expressed confidence in Hong Kong's future, the spokesperson said. With the passage of the Article 23 legislation, Hong Kong's high-quality development and high-level opening-up will be better safeguarded, benefiting the vast majority of Hong Kong residents and international investors, the spokesperson said. Mao also reiterated that Hong Kong is Hong Kong of China, and its affairs are purely China's internal affairs. No foreign country has the right to interfere. We urge the US to respect China's sovereignty, abide by the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations, immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, and cease meddling in China's internal affairs. The US has enacted numerous laws to safeguard national security, yet it hypocritically criticizes and labels the Article 23 legislation, which is blatant political manipulation and double standards, the spokesperson said, urging the US to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, and cease meddling in China's internal affairs. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on March 1, 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China 2024-03-01 18:56 CCTV: In a press statement, the Spokesperson of theaUS Department of State said that the US is closely monitoring the implications of Hong Kong's national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law for US citizens, investments, and companies operating in Hong Kong and is concerned by the broad and vague definitions of "state secrets" and "external interference" and the extraterritorial reach of thealegislation. He said that Article 23 risks compounding the 2020 National Security Law that has curtailed the rights and freedoms of people in Hong Kong and undermines the "One Country, Two Systems" framework. What's the Ministry's comment?a Mao Ning: China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the US's statement.a Completing the legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law and plugging loopholes to safeguard national security is the constitutional responsibility of the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and what must be done for the lasting stability and security in HKSAR and the sound implementation of One Country, Two Systems in the long run. The just concluded public consultation has shown that the Hong Kong society has reached a strong consensus to complete the legislation. The legislation on Article 23 targets a handful of criminals gravely endangering our national security and protects in accordance with law the rights and freedoms which the residents of Hong Kong enjoy under the Basic Law and the provisions of relevant international covenants as applied to Hong Kong. Foreign citizens, investments, and companies operating in Hong Kong will also be protected in accordance with law. The extraterritorial effect of Article 23 is in strict compliance with international law and the common practices of all countries and regions. "State secrets" and "external interference" are defined with full consideration given to HKSAR's realities and the common practices of all countries. The legislation is legitimate, lawful and beyond reproach. The past three years since the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR was formulated and came into force is a period when Hong Kong has restored order and is set to thrive again, and when the international community cast a vote of confidence in Hong Kong's prospects. After the Article 23 legislation is completed, Hong Kong's high-quality development and high-standard opening up will be better guaranteed and Hong Kong residents and international investors will benefit from it. The US has issued troves of laws safeguarding its own national security but thrown dirt on and labeled the legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law. This is out-and-out political manipulation and hypocritical double standards. I want to stress again that Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which no country is in any position to point fingers at or interfere in. We urge the US to respect China's sovereignty, observe the principles guiding international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs which are China's internal affairs. Anadolu Agency: Israeli forces opened fire to a crowd of Palestinian civilians who were waiting for emergency food aid in Gaza City, northern Gaza, killing 112 people and wounding over 760 others. What is China's comment about the incident? Mao Ning: China is shocked by and strongly condemns the incident. We mourn for the victims and extend sympathies to the injured. China urges parties concerned, especially Israel, to stop fighting at once, earnestly protect civilians and ensure access for humanitarian assistance to prevent an even worse humanitarian disaster from happening. Reuters: It's reported that the US government plans to investigate Chinese-made electrical vehicles to make sure that the vehicles have no data security loophole. What's China's comment on the US's investigation? Mao Ning: I shared China's principled position yesterday on the protection of data privacy and security. I would like to stress that Chinese-made cars are popular globally not by using so-called "unfair practices", but by emerging from the fierce market competition with technological innovation and superb quality. China's door has been open to global auto companies, including US auto companies who fully shared in the dividends of China's big market. By contrast, the US has engaged in trade protectionism and set up obstacles including discriminatory subsidy policies to obstruct access to the US market by Chinese-made cars. Such acts of politicizing economic and trade issues will only hinder the development of the US auto industry itself. China urges the US to respect the laws of market economy and the principles of fair competition, stop overstretching the concept of national security, stop its discriminatory suppression against Chinese companies, and uphold an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment. Anadolu Agency: It's been reported that the US has blocked a Security Council statement about killing of civilians who were waiting for aid in Gaza. What was China's position during those deliberations and what do you think about the US blocking UNSC to execute its main responsibility concerning situation in Gaza? Mao Ning: Gaza is suffering from unprecedented humanitarian disaster and the Security Council must adopt actions as soon as possible to realize a ceasefire. Relevant major countries need to truly uphold a just and responsible attitude, and earnestly play a constructive role for an immediate ceasefire. China will continue to work with all sides in the international community to galvanize responsible and meaningful Security Council action and make relentless efforts to work for an early ceasefire in Gaza, ease the humanitarian situation there, implement the two-State solution and realize lasting peace and security in the Middle East. AFP: There was an incident recently in Chengdu involving some journalists from the Netherlands who faced some obstruction from local individuals claiming to be police officers during their report activities. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China has issued a statement today, saying it's extremely disturbed. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comments either on this recent incident in Chengdu involving the Dutch journalists or response to today's statement? Mao Ning: I'm not aware of the specificainformation. More broadly, let me say that China protects the lawful rights and interests of permanent offices of foreign media organizations and foreign journalists in accordance with the law, and facilitates their news coverage and reporting activities carried out in accordance with the law. Foreign journalists working in China also need to abide by Chinese laws and regulations. RIA Novosti: Russian President Putin said yesterday that the dangerous moves and statements of the West on foreign policy threaten a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilization. What's the Foreign Ministry's comment?a Mao Ning: In January 2022, leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states issued a joint statement, affirming that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. China believes that all nuclear weapon states need to embrace the idea of common security and uphold global strategic balance and stability. Under the current circumstances, parties need to jointly seek de-escalation and lower strategic risks.a China calls on relevant parties to remain calm, exercise restraint and build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture through dialogue and consultation.a NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China urges U.S. to stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:23, March 02, 2024 BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China urges the United States to respect China's sovereignty and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday. In a press statement, the spokesperson of U.S. Department of State said that the United States is closely monitoring the implications of Hong Kong's national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law for U.S. citizens, investments, and companies operating in Hong Kong and is concerned by the definitions of "state secrets" and "external interference" and the extraterritorial reach of Article 23, alleging that Article 23 would undermine the "one country, two systems" framework. In response, spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily news briefing that China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the U.S. statement. Mao noted that completing the legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law and plugging loopholes to safeguard national security is the constitutional responsibility of the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and what must be done for the lasting stability and security in HKSAR and the sound implementation of One Country, Two Systems in the long run. The just concluded public consultation has shown that the Hong Kong society has reached strong consensus to complete the legislation, Mao added. The legislation on Article 23 targets a handful of criminals gravely endangering the national security and protects in accordance with law the rights and freedoms which the residents of Hong Kong enjoy under the Basic Law and the provisions of relevant international covenants as applied to Hong Kong, according to the spokesperson. "Foreign citizens, investments, and companies operating in Hong Kong will also be protected in accordance with law," Mao said. The extraterritorial effect of Article 23 is in strict compliance with international law and the common practices of all countries and regions, Mao said, adding that "state secrets" and "external interference" are defined with full consideration given to HKSAR's realities and the common practices of all countries. "The legislation is legitimate, lawful and beyond reproach." The past three years since the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR was formulated and came into force are a period when Hong Kong has restored order and is set to thrive again, and when the international community cast a vote of confidence in Hong Kong's prospects, Mao said, adding that after the Article 23 legislation is completed, Hong Kong's high-quality development and high-standard opening up will be better guaranteed and Hong Kong residents and international investors will benefit from it. "The United States has issued troves of laws safeguarding its own national security but thrown dirt on and labeled the legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law. This is out-and-out political manipulation and hypocritical double standards," Mao said. Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which no country is in any position to point fingers at or interfere in, she stressed. "We urge the United States to respect China's sovereignty, observe the principles guiding international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs which are China's internal affairs," Mao said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt Inaugurates ICG Jetty at Vadinaar, Dwaraka (Gujarat) India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 01 MAR 2024 7:20PM by PIB Delhi Raksha Rajya Mantri, Shri Ajay Bhatt inaugurated the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Jetty Vadinar on 01 Mar 2024, marking a significant step towards augmenting infrastructure development in the strategically important Indian Coast Guard Region(North-West). The jetty construction was undertaken by Deendayal Port Authority(DPA) as a deposit work at a cost of Rs. 74 Crores. Raksha Rajya Mantri lauded the role played by the ICG, in safeguarding national maritime interests in its areas of responsibility. Speaking on the occasion Raksha Rajya Mantri said that the possibility of infiltration of anti-national elements into Indian territory poses a threat to national security and the economy, with potential implications for energy security in the Gulf of Kutch region, a major hub for crude oil coming through which 74% of India's crude oil passes via Vadinar and Kandla. This makes the area strategically important and requires 24x7 surveillance. The Vadinar Jetty has enhanced the operational capability of the Indian Coast Guard. He further said that the Vadinar jetty built by ICJ will further add to the geo-strategic significance of the region. He further said that the jetty would provide berthing facilities to Indian Coast Guard ships during operational visits to other Coast Guard stations deployed in the Exclusive Economic Zone and International Maritime Boundary Line. It would enable ICG to operate in all weather conditions and deploy ships during emergencies to enhance coastal security operations and deployment along the International Maritime Boundary Line. In addition, this jetty can provide decking and berthing facilities to Indian Navy ships, he said. ICG Headquarters is situated at New Delhi. The Director General Indian Coast Guard exercises Command and Control of the Organisation through 05 ICG Regional Headquarters located at Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Portblair to discharge various mandated tasks including that of Maritime security and safety, surveillance in our Exclusive Economic Zone(EEZ) and assistance to mariners and fisher folks in distress in Indian Search & Rescue Region(ISRR). ICG Regional Headquarters (North West) was established on 16 Dec 2009 at Gandhinagar. It executes ICG's mandated charter in maritime zones of Gujarat, Daman & Diu. Gujarat state has a coastline of 1215 Km, which is one sixth of the total coastline of the country and shares notional International Maritime Border Line ( IMBL) with Pakistan. *** ABB/MR/GC (Release ID: 2010728) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India inks contracts worth $2.36 billion to procure nuclear-capable missiles Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 11:16 AM India has inked pivotal contracts to procure nuclear-capable BrahMos missiles for its navy at a cost of 195.2 billion rupees ($2.36 billion), the government said in a statement. Out of the five contracts that India's Ministry of Defense signed on Friday, two were with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) to buy BrahMos missiles and ship-based BrahMos systems for the Indian Navy. "This system is the Indian navy's primary weapon for maritime strike operations fitted onboard various frontline warships," the press release highlighted. "The system is capable of hitting land or sea targets from extended ranges with pinpoint accuracy at supersonic speeds," it further said. "These missiles would be utilized to meet combat outfit and training requirements of the Indian navy," the government highlighted. The five contracts totaled 390 billion Indian rupees ($5 billion). "These deals will further strengthen indigenous capabilities, save foreign exchange and reduce dependency on foreign origin equipment manufactures in future," the official release stated. The deal comes a day after India and Mauritius jointly inaugurated an Indian-financed air base on the island of Agalega in Mauritius. The South Asian country previously approved the purchases of 200 BrahMos missiles. The ministry also signed a contract to purchase a ship borne missile system for 9.88 billion rupees. The BrahMos missile being built in a joint-venture between the Indian Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, fighter aircraft or a transporter erector launcher (TEL). It is capable of traveling at speeds of up to Mach 3; and stands as one of the world's fastest cruise missiles, which can carry maximum warhead weighing 300 kilograms, which, in theory, could be used for equipping it with a tactical nuclear weapon. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranians vote in parliamentary, Assembly of Experts elections Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 4:33 AM Iranians have voted in parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections, with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei calling on the electorate to turn in big numbers to please friends and disappoint enemies. The polls opened across Iran at 8 a.m. local time (0430) on Friday with more than 61 million people eligible to vote across the country. Ayatollah Khamenei cast his ballot at a polling station in Tehran in the first minutes of voting. "We ask the Almighty God to make today a happy day for the Iranian nation and that the results of the efforts of our dear people and those involved in the various issues of the elections may reach the desired results and benefit the Iranian nation," he said after voting. "Our dear nation should know that today the eyes of many people in the world, both individuals and politicians and those who hold prestigious national and political positions, are on Iran and you. "They want to see what you are doing in this election and what will be the result of your election. Both our friends and people who are interested in the Iranian nation, as well as ill-wishers from all sides, the eyes observe the issues of our country and our beloved nation. Pay attention to this; make friends happy and disappoint the ill-wishers." The Leader repeated his recommendation to the voters in the previous elections to head to the polls and vote as early as possible. "The second recommendation is to vote for as many people as you need, not fewer, in any constituency. For example, in Tehran, vote for 30 people in the Islamic Consultative Assembly and for 16 people in the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership," he added. Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi, who cast his vote at Interior Ministry's polling station, hailed elections in the country as a national celebration and a symbol of unity. "The people's vote is decisive, [as] all sectors of the country are determined by the people's vote, and this is one of the honors of the Islamic Establishment," Raeisi said. "This election is a national celebration and a symbol of national cohesion and unity, and all political groups have come today with their candidates to mark a glorious day for the Iranian nation," he added. Drawing an analogy between the elections in Iran and other countries, Raeisi said, "The winner is the Iranian nation and there are no losers, whether they (the candidates) get the votes or not. Because they fulfilled their duty, which is participation in the elections." Voters are taking part in the parliamentary elections to choose 290 members of the legislative body from over 15,000 candidates. Elected members will serve for a term of four years in the parliament. In another election being held simultaneously, participants are voting for 88 members of the Assembly of Experts, a body with an eight-year mandate that is in charge of overseeing the activities of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and is in a position of authority to either appoint or dismiss the Leader. Spokesman for the Iranian police Brigadier General Saeed Montazer-al-Mahdi said 190,000 police forces are on duty to ensure the security of the elections. "There is no law enforcement or security problem envisaged," Montazer-al-Mahdi said, adding, "Everything is under control from the borders to the center, and the country's border guards are on full alert and monitor border traffic." Article Six of the Iranian Constitution reiterates that the administration of the affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran should be based on the public opinion expressed by the means of elections. Iran has held 40 rounds of different elections, including presidential and parliamentary ones, since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turnout Becomes Focus Of 'Engineered' Iranian Elections Amid Widespread Dissatisfaction By RFE/RL's Radio Farda March 01, 2024 Iranians voted on March 1 in two elections that will usher in a new parliament and Assembly of Experts as opinion polls projected a low turnout amid calls for a boycott of what many see as "engineered" balloting. Voting began at 8 a.m. local time in the first election since the deadly nationwide protests that erupted following the September 2022 death while in police custody of Mahsa Amini. She had been detained for allegedly not following Iran's hijab laws. Iran's rulers need a high turnout to repair their legitimacy following the unrest, but many Iranians said they would not vote in "meaningless" elections in which more than 15,000 candidates were running for the 290-seat parliament. Partial results are not expected before March 2. Prominent figures, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, have said they would boycott the elections, labeling them as superficial and predetermined. Mostafa Tajzadeh, a former deputy interior minister, has voiced his refusal to vote, criticizing the supreme leader's indifference to the country's crises. The state-linked polling agency ISPA, which ordinarily releases frequent polling data ahead of elections, put out its first and only survey results on February 28. It found that only 38.5 percent of respondents said they would "definitely" turn up to vote and projected turnout of 41 percent on election day. Another poll by the state broadcaster IRIB, which was released on February 29, projected a 43.1 percent turnout. Turnout was "good," state media reported, but witnesses who spoke with Reuters said voting at most polling centers in Tehran and several other cities was light. Officials twice extended voting hours to allow late-comers to cast ballots. Voter apathy, fueled by general dissatisfaction over living standards and a clampdown on basic human rights in Iran, has been growing for years. Even before Amini's death, which sparked massive protests and the Women, Life, Freedom movement, unrest had rattled Iran for months in response to declining living standards, wage arrears, and a lack of welfare support. In the last parliamentary elections in February 2020, ISPA predicted a 52 percent turnout, but actual participation was 42.57 percent --- a historic low for legislative elections since the Islamic republic came to power in 1979. In a last-ditch effort to encourage a high turnout, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said after casting his ballot in Tehran that voting would "make the friends happy and ill-wishers disappointed." While domestically the attention is mostly on the parliamentary elections, it is perhaps the Assembly of Experts polls that are more significant. The 88-seat assembly, whose members are elected for eight-year terms, is tasked with appointing the next supreme leader. Given that Khamenei is 84, the next assembly may end up having to name his successor. Analysts and activists said the elections were "engineered" because only candidates vetted and approved by the Guardians Council are allowed to run. The council is made up of six clerics and six jurists who are all appointed directly and indirectly by Khamenei. In dozens of audio and written messages sent to RFE/RL's Radio Farda from inside Iran, many said they were opting against voting because the elections were "meaningless" and likely to consolidate the hard-liners' grip on power. State television has been providing wall-to-wall coverage of the elections from across the country. News outlets linked to the establishment tried to generate excitement on banned social media platforms -- including Telegram, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) - by posting videos with catchy captions. As has become the norm, some outlets, including the IRIB-run Young Journalists' Club, have posted videos and images of women in polling stations dressed in attire that on a normal day would likely earn them a warning or even detention. Activists and opposition groups post statements on social media arguing that a high turnout would legitimize the Islamic republic. In the run-up to the elections, authorities arrested several people for allegedly calling for a boycott. With reporting by Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-elections-voter- apathy-boycott-khamenei-parliament-/32843610.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Burmese city of Mongmit left ravaged after months of battles Clashes between rebel groups and the junta have left the city with massive displacement, looting and arson. By RFA Burmese 2024.03.01 -- Months of intense battles between anti-junta groups and junta forces have ravaged the city of Mongmit in Myanmar's Shan state, resulting in widespread displacement, lootings and arson, according to locals. Currently under junta control, the city was once a battleground where the Three Brotherhood Alliance clashed with junta forces. A ceasefire between the two, mediated by China, was established on Jan. 11, but battles persisted with the Kachin Independence Army, which did not partake in the ceasefire agreement. After launching attacks on Jan. 18, the KIA, in alliance with the All Burma Students' Democratic Front and People's Defense Forces, temporarily took over the city, residents told Radio Free Asia on Friday. However, on Jan. 29, the junta forces recaptured the city through a fierce counterattack involving airstrikes and heavy artillery. This offensive led to the destruction of over 200 buildings, including key structures like the market, monasteries, and a school, as well as 100 residential homes. In this tumultuous period, close to 10,000 inhabitants evacuated the city, abandoning their homes and businesses for extended durations. The resulting void has triggered a wave of robberies throughout the urban neighborhoods, according to locals. A resident, among those who have returned to the city, told RFA that he saw a group of people holding sticks and swords looting houses. "They took everything without leaving anything behind. It was a group of people in plain clothes and most of them were criminals in the past," said the resident who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons. "They did not even leave the fence door. They took it away and no one dared to say anything. Then they burned homes. It's already like a ruined city." Another woman from Mongmit said that nearly all the shops in the city had been looted, including her own. "Our shop has been looted and there is nothing left, just like every shop in the city now. It was broken into and our goods were stolen," she said, declining to be identified for fear of reprisals. "It's worse where there are no people now, some of them are returning to the city." Mongmit and its neighboring city Mabein have been under martial law since Wednesday. Shan state's junta spokesperson, Khun Thein Maung, did not respond to RFA's inquiries. According to the Shan Human Rights Foundation's statement on Tuesday, a total of 27 civilians were killed by heavy artillery and airstrikes from Jan. 1 to Feb. 2, including two mass killings. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Taejun Kang. 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 March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Junta troops abduct 40 relatives of Muslim camp residents who fled conscription Some were publicly beaten for allegedly speaking to the media about recruitment efforts. By RFA Burmese 2024.03.01 -- Junta troops in western Myanmar's Rakhine state have beaten and abducted 40 family members of Muslim displaced camp residents who escaped being conscripted into military training, sources said Friday. At around 1 pm on Tuesday, a group of around 80 junta troops and police arrived at the Kyauk Ta Lone camp for internally displaced persons, or IDPs, in Rakhine's Kyaukphyu township and forcibly gathered 107 mostly ethnic-Rohingya Muslims between the ages of 18 and 35 at the camp's food warehouse, after collecting their personal information. Junta personnel told the captives that they would be "beaten to death" if they refused to take part in military training and threatened to "remove their families from the camp" if they attempted to escape, a resident told RFA Burmese the following day. On Friday, a resident of Kyaukphyu who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, told RFA that junta troops took the 107 Muslims to the military's Light Infantry Battalion 542 headquarters before returning to the camp hours later. "After those people were taken away, subsequently, at around 4pm, more than 40 people were also abducted," said the resident. "The 40 people apprehended are family members of those who escaped [the round up of the 107]. They were subjected to forceful beatings before being taken to the Kyaukphyu Township Police Station." Ko Ko Aung, who was among the 40 abducted, was severely and publicly beaten for allegedly speaking to the media about forced recruiting for military training at the Kyauk Ta Lone IDP camp, the resident added. Desperate for new recruits The military is desperate for new recruits after suffering devastating losses on the battlefield to the ethnic Arakan Army, or AA, in Rakhine. On Feb. 10, the junta enacted a conscription law that has seen draft-eligible civilians flee Myanmar's cities, saying 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 d'etat. RFA reported last week that the junta had offered freedom of movement to ethnic Rohingya Muslims restricted to Kyauk Ta Lone and other IDP camps in Rakhine state as part of a bid to entice them into military service amid the nationwide rollout of the conscription law. Junta troops have said they are required to join militias to "safeguard their communities." But rights campaigners say the junta is drafting Rohingya into military service to stoke ethnic tensions in Rakhine, while legal experts say the drive is unlawful, given that Myanmar has refused to recognize the Rohingya as one of the country's ethnic groups and denied them citizenship for decades. Some 1 million Rohingya refugees have been living in Bangladesh since 2017, when they were driven out of Myanmar by a military clearance operation. Another 630,000 living within Myanmar are designated stateless by the United Nations, including those who languish in camps and are restricted from moving freely in Rakhine state. 'Committing a war crime' Kyauk Ta Lone is located 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) from the seat of Kyaukphyu township and is home to more than 1,000 people from 375 families. Residents said that more than 30 young Muslims from Kyauk Ta Lone "sought refuge in areas controlled by the AA because they did not want to serve in the army." Nay San Lwin, a Rohingya activist, asserted that compelling an individual to serve in the military constitutes "a war crime." "They are forced to take training against their will and then use it on the front line," he said. "This is a huge violation of human rights, and the equivalent of committing a war crime." Attempts by RFA to contact Rakhine State Attorney General Hla Thein, the junta's spokesman in the region, for comment on reports of forced recruiting at the Kyauk Ta Lone IDP camp went unanswered Friday. The Ministry of Information, affiliated with the military junta, has refuted claims that 107 Muslims were rounded up for military training at Kyauk Ta Lone, labeling it "false information." Translated by Kalyar Lwin. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Human Rights Council 55: UK Statement on Interactive Dialogue on Myanmar Interactive Dialogue: High Commissioner's Update on Myanmar. Delivered by the UK's Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French. 1 March 2024 High Commissioner, we share your deep concern about rising atrocity risks across Myanmar. Military airstrikes and the shelling of civilian targets continues to demonstrate a shocking disregard for innocent lives. The systemic discrimination of the Rohingya continues. The Rohingya are denied citizenship, they are denied freedom of movement and access to services, leaving them vulnerable to human trafficking. This suffering has been compounded by further restrictions on humanitarian access and the escalation of the conflict in Rakhine state. The UK is grateful to the Government of Bangladesh for its continued hosting of nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees, and we remain committed to supporting those Rohingya until conditions are suitable for their return. Since 2017, we have provided over A370 million to Bangladesh and over A30 million for the Rohingya and other Muslim minorities in Myanmar. Any returns of the Rohingya to Myanmar must be voluntary, safe, and dignified. Accountability is paramount. In November, the UK with partners filed a joint declaration of intervention at the International Court of Justice, in the case brought by The Gambia against Myanmar. The UK also continues to support the collection of evidence, including by the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM). High Commissioner, What more can the Council do to respond to the risk of further atrocities? NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar: Unbearable levels of suffering and cruelty 1 March 2024 - The crisis in Myanmar is a "never-ending nightmare" for the country's people happening far away from the international spotlight, UN rights chief Volker TArk told the Human Rights Council on Friday. In a scheduled update to the UN's top rights forum, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights explained that the humanitarian emergency there linked to the 2021 coup had worsened in recent months. "Three years of military rule have inflicted - and continue to inflict - unbearable levels of suffering and cruelty on people in Myanmar," he said, amid an escalation of armed conflict across the country which has claimed thousands of lives, including from aerial attacks on towns and cities. Suppression of freedoms Mr. TArk cited verified reports that more than 4,600 individuals have been killed by the military since February 2021, including hundreds of women and children. The actual death toll is likely to be much higher, the High Commissioner noted, as he referred to witness statements indicating that hundreds of civilians had been burnt alive or executed by the military, including women. This "chilling disregard for human life" had been accompanied by other "sweeping violations of fundamental rights and the rule of law" that continue across the country, Mr. TArk insisted. Today in Myanmar, more than 20,000 opponents of the military, including 3,909 women, still languish in detention, the High Commissioner said. People fear they can be arrested for anything at any time, he continued, citing multiple accounts of ill-treatment and other violations. "It is deeply shocking to read my Office's reports of systemic use of torture against political detainees in police stations, military interrogation centres and prisons," Mr. TArk said. Inter-ethnic tensions The UN rights chief also maintained that the military had employed ultra-nationalist militias to stoke inter-ethnic tensions. Linked to this, violence had reached unprecedented levels in Rakhine state, with reports that civilians had been shelled and displaced en masse. Rakhine came to international prominence in 2017 when hundreds of thousands of ethnic Rohingya fled the state to neighbouring Bangladesh, after what former UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing" by the Myanmar military. Last year, up to 5,000 Rohingya undertook "perilous" boat journeys in their search for a safe haven and hundreds of others have been detained while trying to escape to other parts of Myanmar, Mr. TArk told the Council. He also called for the immediate cessation of military operations targeting civilians, the release of political prisoners and full compliance with international human rights law. Mr. TArk emphasized the urgent need for global solidarity and support to end the human rights crisis gripping the nation, including limiting the military's access to weapons supplies. "For the last three years, people in Myanmar have sacrificed everything and kept alive their aspirations for a better and safer future. They need the entire international community to support them," the UN rights chief insisted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister Joly announces additional ban on imports of Russian diamonds Global Affairs Canada News release March 1, 2024 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada The Honourable MAlanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada, alongside G7 partners, is imposing additional import restrictions on Russian diamonds under the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations. This ban further builds on Canada's December 2023 import restrictions on diamonds and diamond-jewellery-related products from Russia by targeting indirect imports of Russian diamonds weighing 1 carat and above. It is consistent with the commitments made in February, May and December 2023 by G7 leaders to reduce the Putin regime's revenues from the export of non-industrial diamonds from Russia. Canada will continue working with its G7 and other international partners to implement comprehensive controls that ban Russian diamonds from G7 markets. This will provide Canadian consumers with additional assurance that the diamonds that they purchase are not supporting Russia's illegal war. The latest measures affirm Canada's resolve to impose further costs on the Putin regime for its unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine. Quotes "Canada has been at the forefront of imposing economic barriers on the Putin Regime since he launched his brutal full-scale illegal invasion of Ukraine, which caused devastating losses to Ukrainians. Along with our allies and partners, we have imposed severe sanctions on the Russian regime, and we will continue to do so to hold Putin and his enablers to account." - MAlanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs Quick facts Russia is the world's largest rough diamond producer, with its production valued at more than approximately $4.7 billion in 2022. It is also a significant global exporter of diamonds and diamond products, with the value of its total exports exceeding approximately $5.2 billion in the same year. Together, G7 countries represent 70% of the world diamond market. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Canada sanctioned Russia's state-owned diamond conglomerate, Alrosa. Canada also revoked Russia's most-favoured nation status, which effectively imposed a 35% tariff on all Russian imports to Canada. This led to a drastic decrease in the value of all Russian imports, including products that will be subject to this ban, from $327,224 in 2022 to $13,440 for the first 8 months of 2023. Since 2014, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 2,900 individuals and entities in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova that are complicit in the violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Canada has also implemented targeted restrictions against Russia and Belarus in the financial, trade (goods and services), energy and transport sectors. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council Vladimir Putin held a briefing session with permanent members of the Security Council via videoconference. March 1, 2024 13:30 The Kremlin, Moscow Also attending were Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov. * * * President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues. We have previously discussed the allegations put forth by certain Western figures regarding our purported plans to deploy nuclear weapons in outer space. I am saying "allegations" because, as I have said before and as we all know, we have no such plans. Nonetheless, it is essential for us to continually monitor the issue of outer space and address any threats that may emerge in this domain. Let's discuss this matter today. Please, Mr Shoigu. <... > NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Week In Russia: 'Sinking Into Darkness' By Steve Gutterman March 01, 2024 As Aleksei Navalny's family prepared to bury him, Russians remembered Boris Nemtsov, assassinated near the Kremlin nine years ago, and a leading human rights activist, Oleg Orlov, was sentenced to prison for his criticism of the war against Ukraine. Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward. Prison And Death One was being buried, another was sentenced to prison, and a third was remembered nine years after he was shot dead on a bridge near the Kremlin. Aleksei Navalny. Oleg Orlov. Boris Nemtsov. For supporters, all three represent a Russia that could have been and perhaps could still be - but not, opponents of President Vladimir Putin fear, anytime soon. To varying degrees, their fates are all connected to the most momentous thing Putin has done in almost a quarter-century as president or prime minister: attacking Ukraine, both in 2014, with the occupation of Crimea and the war in the Donbas, and with the full-scale invasion of February 2022. At a protest a year before his killing, Nemtsov railed against Moscow's rapidly unfolding aggression in Ukraine, calling it "despicable" and "impudent" - and also "harmful for Russia." He and his associates were working on a report on the extent of Russia's interference in Ukraine when he was assassinated on February 27, 2015. On the same date this year, Orlov -- co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Memorial human rights center -- was found guilty of discrediting the Russian military and sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison. The verdict came after a retrial - initially, his punishment was a fine of 150,000 rubles ($1,650), but prosecutors appealed the ruling, and a new trial was ordered. Orlov was charged over an article in which he wrote that Russia was "slipping back into totalitarianism, but this time the fascist kind." "The bloody war that Putin's regime has unleashed in Ukraine is not only the mass murder of people and the annihilation of [Ukraine's] infrastructure, economy, and cultural sites," Orlov wrote. "Not only the destruction of the foundations of international law. It is also a severe blow to the future of Russia." A Reckoning Rejected Nemtsov and Navalny were firmly rooted in post-Soviet Russia, both young enough so that most of their adult lives - and in Navalny's case, all of it - were lived after the collapse of the U.S.S.R. in 1991. Orlov, 70, is a bridge to the past, not just by dint of his age but also because the now-outlawed Memorial was founded in the 1980s and, in addition to its human rights workin the Putin era, the group chronicles crimes of the state going back to Stalin's Great Terror and beyond. In 2022, Memorial was awarded a share of the Nobel Peace Prize for its "outstanding effort to document war crimes, human rights abuses, and the abuse of power" in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia. To some Russians, it embodies a crucially needed effort for a reckoning with the country's past -- and a time when that reckoning seemed within reach. If Orlov represents the unfulfilled promise of a time now past, Navalny - for supporters - represented a ray of hope for what he liked to call the "beautiful Russia of the future." For a decade or more, he was the most prominent opposition leader - in part because the field was thinned by the killing of Nemtsov. The pair had appeared at many of the same protests in 2011-12, when Russians hoping for political change hit the streets to protest parliamentary elections tainted by widespread evidence of fraud and Putin's plan to return to the presidency after a stint as prime minister. He presented himself as an alternative to Putin and sought to challenge Putin in the most direct way possible, though it turned out to be impossible: by running against him in 2018. 'Links In A Chain' After surviving a near fatal nerve-agent poisoning in August 2020 and returning in January 2021 to Russia, where he was arrested upon arrival in January 2021, he died in prison on February 16 under suspicious circumstances. Open-source investigators have linked the poisoning to Federal Security Service (FSB) operatives, and Navalny has alleged that Putin was behind it. Three and a half years later, family and associates say they believe Putin had him killed. In a statement to the court on the day of his conviction, Orlov said that Navalny's death belongs squarely in the context of Russia's war on Ukraine and the spiraling state clampdown on dissent, which has intensified since Putin launched the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. "Actually, these are all links in one chain a the death, or rather the murder, of Aleksei Navalny; judicial reprisals against other critics of the regime, including me; the stifling of freedom in the country; and the deployment of Russian troops in Ukraine," he said. "These are all links in the same chain. "In just over four months since the end of my first hearing in this court," said Orlov, who was led away in handcuffs after the judge pronounced the verdict, "many events have taken place that show how quickly, and how much more deeply, our country is sinking into darkness." However, he voiced confidence that the descent will eventually be reversed. "Those who have dragged our country into the pit where it is now...have no vision for the future. Only false narratives of the past, mirages of imperial greatness. They are pushing Russia backward," Orlov said. "But we live in the 21st century, the real future is with us, and that is the basis of our victory. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/week-in-russia- gutterman-navalny-orlov-nemtsov/32843637.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kasparov Says Russia May Shed Some Territories If It Loses War In Ukraine By RFE/RL's Idel.Realities March 01, 2024 Self-exiled Russian opposition politician and co-founder of the Free Russia Forum Garry Kasparov told RFE/RL in an interview on March 1 that Russia's current borders may "not necessarily remain" if Moscow loses the war in Ukraine but stressed that a total dissolution of Russia is unlikely. Among possible regions Kasparov said might separate from the Russian Federation are the republics of Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Daghestan, and Chechnya, but he added he doesn't believe everything is clear about what will come after the war. "At the end of the day economic factors will play a major role in that matter. But it is very important today not to support the position of a united and indivisible Russia," Kasparov said, adding that he believes "the change of Russia's imperial character is necessary for its reformatting." The 60-year-old former world chess champion said the losses to Russia would be "minimal" but said, "If you reject an empire, then you have to agree that some of its parts can go away in the end." The bonds that would make it hard for Russia to dissolve would be mostly economic ties, he said. But if some parts of Russia seceded, it would then become possible to reach new agreements between Russia's territories under what would be a "free confederation." "It is right, among other things, from a psychological point of view because it will be impossible to build a nonimperial Russia while preserving imperial misconceptions," Kasparov said, speaking with RFE/RL in Vilnius at a gathering of Russian opposition figures. Kasparov also said he believes the United States and the European Union are "afraid" of possible dissolution of Russia if it loses the war in Ukraine. This creates problems in West's better understanding of the world and the war in Ukraine and affects the West's support of Kyiv's efforts to stand against Russia's full-scale aggression. A Ukrainian victory would be a "mighty blow" to Russia, he said, and would "most likely lead to the change of [its] entire political structure." Kasparov has said the Russian public does not yet understand that the war is heading toward defeat and that "Putin's dictatorship will not survive." Kasparov, who currently resides in the United States, is known as a staunch critic of the Kremlin's policies, including the war in Ukraine. He and another prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former oil tycoon, were added to Russia's registry of foreign agents in May 2022. The Vilnius meeting was the 12th session of the Free Russia Forum. With reporting by Andrei Grigoryev of RFE/RL's Idel.Realities Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kasparov-russia-could-shed- territories-if-loses-war-ukraine/32844319.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Navalny Buried In Moscow As Tens Of Thousands Risk Arrest To Say Farewell By RFE/RL's Russian Service and Current Time March 01, 2024 Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, who died in an Arctic prison under mysterious circumstances, was laid to rest in a cemetery near his childhood home in Moscow as tens of thousands of supporters defiantly risked reprisal from the authorities as police kept them from joining in the services. Relatives and close associates were allowed to be present at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God for a brief funeral ceremony for President Vladimir Putin's most vocal critic on March 1 before the burial at the nearby Borisovskoye Cemetery. Navalny's spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, said the music from the final scene of the film Terminator 2 -- Navalny's favorite movie -- was played at the funeral, as was Frank Sinatra's song My Way. Photos of Navalny's open casket appeared on social media. They showed his mother and father sitting near the casket, a carpet of red and white roses covering Navalny's body from the shoulders down. Dozens of others, including clergy members, stood behind. The coffin was then carried out of the church and loaded into a hearse. Many people threw flowers at the vehicle as it drove to the cemetery. Some mourners broke down metal fences to get closer to the vehicle but there were no signs of clashes with police amid the chants "Russia will be free," "No to war," and "Putin is a murderer." Thousands made the 2.4-kilometer trip to the cemetery, where some were allowed to see the burial site after Navalny's coffin had been lowered into the ground. The U.S. ambassador to Moscow and several other Western diplomats attended the funeral. "Aleksei Navalny's work was dedicated to sharing a vision of a better future for Russia and all Russians. And ultimately, he gave his life for his patriotic service. For many Russians, he remains a symbol of what Russia could and should be," the U.S. Embassy in Moscow said in a post on Telegram. Ivan Zhdanov, a self-exiled associate of Navalny wrote his tribute on X, formerly Twitter. "Goodbye my friend. 4.6.1976 - 16.2.2024 Killed by Putin," Zhdanov said. Ahead of the service, people chanted Navalny's name as lines snaking through the streets around the church grew from dozens, to hundreds, to thousands, to tens of thousands. When his body arrived at the church, the chants stopped for several minutes as the crowd began to applaud. After Navalny's casket was driven away, some vented their anger toward Putin, whom Navalny's widow and many Western countries -- including the United States -- have blamed for the Kremlin critic's death. "You were not afraid, and we are not afraid," Navalny's team said in a post on Telegram that was echoed by some in the crowd. Navalny's widow, Yulia, who lives outside of Russia for security reasons, did not attend the service. But she posted an emotional letter and video on Instagram paying tribute to her husband, saying he made her laugh, even when he was imprisoned. "I don't know how to live without you, but I will try my best to make you up there happy for me and proud of me. I don't know if I'll manage it or not, but I will try," she said, alluding to her pledge to continue her husband's work to bring democracy and freedom to Russia. "The burial today is not marking an end. It marks the fact that nothing ended, it is a continuation of something that the Kremlin understands is not just an ordinary farewell," self-exiled Russian politician Leonid Gozman told Current Time. Gozman said Navalny's death could be compared to that of U.S. civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King, Jr. in that their legacies and impact would live on and fuel the fight for civil rights. Ahead of the ceremony, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov issued a warning through reporters during a conference call that any unsanctioned gatherings in support of Navalny would be considered as violations of the law. He also said the Kremlin had no assessment of Navalny as a politician and nothing to say to Navalny's family. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement or responsibility for Navalny's death. More than 67 people were detained at rallies in memory of Navalny in 16 cities, according to the human rights portal OVD-Info. In Novosibirsk, police detained at least 18 people, according to Coalition Novosibirsk 2020 and Sibirmedia. Among those detained were an independent City Council deputy and an assistant to another independent deputy. In Tomsk, police cordoned off the monument to the repressed -- the Stone of Sorrow. Journalists and people who brought flowers to the monument were taken away by the police, who then removed the flowers. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron were among the world leaders who commented on the courage of the Russians who attended Navalny's funeral. "Aleksei Navalny paid for his fight for democracy and freedom with his life," Scholz wrote on X. "After his death, courageous Russians are carrying on his legacy: Many of them were at the funeral today and took a big risk -- for freedom." Macron said: "It took a lot of courage to go pay tribute to Aleksei Navalny. Thousands of Russians found it within themselves. This is his legacy." With reporting by SOTA, Mediazona, Baza, and Mozhem Obyasnit Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-navalny-funeral-riot- police-burial-mourners/32843589.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Republic of Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov 1 March 2024 15:14 396-01-03-2024 On March 1, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The foreign ministers discussed the state of bilateral relations and development plans under the Declaration on Allied Interaction between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan of February 22, 2022. They reaffirmed the need to implement the trilateral agreements reached by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in 2021-2022. They expressed their commitment to continue cooperating in accordance with various multilateral formats, including the Caspian Five and the 3+3 Consultative Regional Platform. The ministers exchanged opinions on other international issues of mutual interest. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Guard missile cruiser Varyag arrives in Sri Lanka 01.03.2024 Today, the Pacific Fleet's flagship - the guard missile cruiser Varyag - has made a business call at the port of Colombo, the Republic of Sri Lanka. The Russian warship was welcomed by representatives of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka, officers of the Sri Lanka Navy, and dock service specialists. The guard missile cruiser Varyag is going to stay in the Sri Lanka's port until 4 March 2024. Upon completing the call, the ship will continue her missions as part of long-distance mission. Press Service of the Eastern Military District NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thousands Defy Putin to Pay Respects to Navalny By Cindy Saine March 01, 2024 Top U.S. diplomats in Russia paid their respects Friday to Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, saying he "remains a shining example of what Russia could and should be." The American ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, went to the Moscow church where funeral services were held and laid red roses at a shrine outside. Russian authorities allowed only relatives and close friends inside the church. She was joined by the ambassadors from Germany and France, among many other diplomats. Mary Glantz, acting director of the Center for Russia and Europe at the U.S. Institute of Peace, told VOA she was amazed at the size of the crowd that turned out for Navalny's funeral and burial, despite the clampdown on dissent since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago. "But you can see at least thousands of people lining up for kilometers along the road to the cemetery where he is being buried. And they've chanted everything from, "We're not afraid," to "No war!," which is really striking, because it is illegal to say that in Russia." At least 45 people were detained Friday for paying tribute to Navalny in several towns and cities, according to the monitoring group OVD-Info. Experts said Russian authorities have extensive surveillance video and there may be more arrests in the days and weeks ahead. After first blocking mourners from entering Moscow's Borisovo Cemetery, some were eventually allowed in. Navalny's coffin was lowered into the grave to the sound of Frank Sinatra's song "My Way." Friday's crowd in Moscow was the largest protest gathering in Russia since the country invaded Ukraine. Some Russians chanted, "Stop the war!" and "Bring the soldiers home." The spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, declined to comment on Navalny as a political figure. But he did say, "Unauthorized gatherings will violate the law. So, those who will participate in them will be held accountable in accordance with the current law." Navalny's team had called for his supporters to lay flowers or wreaths in their towns and cities across the country at 7 p.m. local time. Glantz said she saw photos of that happening, and that Navalny's appeal across the country was what made Putin fear him so much. She also questioned the timing of Navalny's sudden death in custody in a harsh, arctic prison, saying she believed Putin had him killed. "So, it is interesting that he [Putin] chose to do this right before the election to create a martyr right then," she said. Russia denies that the state is responsible for his death, but U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other top diplomats say they hold Putin responsible, since Navanly was poisoned in Russia at least twice and was in Russian custody when he suddenly died. Russia is holding presidential elections this month, and Putin is virtually certain to win since all true opposition candidates have either been jailed or barred or are dead. Putin has been in power in Russia, either as president or prime minister, since 2000. Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, who lives abroad, has taken up leadership of the opposition to Putin. Glantz said she would be a formidable opponent for him. "I've heard from people who've worked with Navalnaya that she is extremely capable and that they were a team. But they were a team in which she deliberately sort of put her light under a bushel basket in order to allow him to shine brighter," Glantz said. Neither Navalnaya, nor her two children, nor Alexey's brother were able to attend the funeral for fear of almost certain arrest and detention. But Yulia Navalnaya posted an emotional tribute to her husband, thanking him for "26 years of absolute happiness." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC advisor, 2 Hezbollah members assassinated in Israeli aggression on Syria Iran Press TV Friday, 01 March 2024 2:55 PM A member of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy serving as a military advisor has been killed in an Israeli strike on Syria. In a statement on Friday, the IRGC Navy said its member -- Reza Zarei -- was assassinated along with two members of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement on Friday. They were killed in an Israeli attack on Syria's northwestern Baniyas port earlier in the day, it added. Israel frequently targets military positions inside Syria, especially those of resistance fighters, who have played a key role in helping the Syrian army in its fight against foreign-backed terrorists. Iran maintains an advisory mission in Syria at the request of Damascus to help the war-torn Arab country defeat the foreign-backed militants who have been fighting the democratically-elected Syrian government since 2011. Back in January, five IRGC military advisors along with several Syrian forces were assassinated in an Israeli strike in the Syrian capital, Damascus. The attack targeted a three-story residential building in the city's Mezza neighborhood which houses several diplomatic missions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranian Media Says IRGC Commander Killed In Suspected Israeli Strike On Syria By RFE/RL March 01, 2024 An Iranian commander was among three people killed in a suspected Israeli air strike on Syria, Iranian state media reported on March 1. Reza Zare'i, a "military adviser" with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy (IRGC), was killed following strikes on the Syrian coastal city of Banyas, the IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency reported. It said he was a member of the IRGC Navy. Earlier, the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory For Human Rights said the strikes came at dawn and targeted a villa, killing an Iranian commander and two companions who were not Syrian. The IRGC has not commented on the reported death of one of its commanders. Iran refers to its troops in Syria as "military advisers." At least 11 members of the IRGC, including an Afghan fighter with the Fatemiyun Brigade, have been killed in suspected Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon since the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip in October. Israel launched a deadly offensive against the Palestinian enclave in response to a multipronged attack by Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist group by the United States and European Union. Around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the Hamas attack inside Israel, while more than 250 were taken hostage and brought back to Gaza. Iran has supported the assault by Hamas but denied it was involved in planning it. U.S. intelligence has indicated that Iranian leaders were surprised by the attack. Iran's regional allies have been targeting Israeli and U.S. interests in the Middle East following Israel's attack on Gaza. However, armed groups backed by have scaled back their attacks on American bases following a series of U.S. strikes last month, according to the New York Times. Iran stepped in to defend President Bashar al-Assad in 2013 when his rule was challenged during the Syrian civil war. Hundreds of IRGC commanders and officers and believed to be present in Syria, where Tehran has also built up a large network of militias, consisting mostly of Afghans and Pakistanis. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-media-irgc-commander- killed-israeli-strike-syria/32844086.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan, U.S. pledge to continue cooperation on trade initiative ROC Central News Agency 03/01/2024 03:37 PM Washington, Feb. 29 (CNA) Top trade negotiators from Taiwan and the United States affirmed on Thursday their commitment to collaborate on the 21st Century Trade Initiative, the offices of the two sides said during a World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting. John Deng (ea), head of Taiwan's Office of Trade Negotiations, and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai also exchanged views on the framework at a meeting on the sidelines of the WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, the offices said. Deng and Tai pledged to continue working together on the initiative as Taiwan transitions to a new government, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in a press release. Meanwhile, Deng's office said, the two sides discussed follow-up negotiations on the Taiwan-U.S. 21st Century Trade Initiative. An initial agreement covering less contentious technical issues in the areas of customs administration and trade facilitation, good regulatory practices, and services domestic regulation was signed in June 2023. The goal of the initial agreement was to create "more transparent and streamlined regulatory procedures that can facilitate investment and economic opportunities in both markets," the USTR said. Deng and Tai, who most recently met at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in San Francisco in November 2023, agreed in their talks to expedite discussions on more sensitive areas -- labor, agriculture and the environment -- according to Deng's office. The 21st Century Trade Initiative parallels the 14-country Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) being promoted by the U.S. There had been hopes of signing an IPEF trade deal in San Francisco, but the talks were dashed in part because the U.S. pulled back on negotiations over the initiative's trade pillar, according to Politico. The pullback came as Democrats fear being vulnerable in the November 2024 elections if they support a free trade deal. Whether that same sentiment could affect the 21st Century Trade Initiative remains to be seen, though the bilateral initiative will not cover what is usually at the heart of trade deals -- cutting or eliminating tariffs. Taiwan is hoping to use the initiative as a model for interacting with other economies by encouraging other like-minded nations to reference the agreement in signing legally binding trade agreements with Taiwan, Deng's office said. On WTO issues, the two sides touched on problems that have surfaced as a result of non-market economies abusing subsidies designated for specific markets, the office said. In addition to the Deng-Tai meeting, the Taiwanese delegation raised various issues at the Feb. 26-29 WTO conference, such as calling for the bloc to set up a more complete and well-rounded dispute settlement mechanism to curb the compounding of trade disputes between nations, it said. (By Chiang Chin-yeh and Lee Hsin-Yin) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ex-legislative candidate indicted on charges related to China ROC Central News Agency 03/01/2024 07:39 PM Taoyuan, March 1 (CNA) The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office on Friday indicted former independent legislative candidate Ma Chih-wei (ee) for passing information to and receiving financial support from China as she prepared to run in Taiwan's Jan. 13, 2024 elections. An office spokesperson told local media Friday that it is seeking a 44-month prison term and NT$2 million (US$63,231) fine for Ma for violating the Anti-Infiltration Act, National Security Act and Personal Data Protection Act. Ma has been detained by prosecutors since Jan. 5 as they investigated allegations that Ma collaborated with China, and their indictment was handed down Friday following the completion of the investigation. In their indictment, prosecutors said Ma contravened the Anti-Infiltration Act -- enacted to prevent the intervention of "foreign hostile forces" in Taiwan -- by taking money from an "infiltrative entity" to fund her election bid. She violated the National Security Act for passing on "Taiwanese intelligence and other election-related information to her benefactors," the office said. The indictment alleged that the 40-year-old became acquainted with Chinese "people involved in Taiwan affairs" during a trip to China in early April 2023, and the two sides discussed providing political intelligence on Taiwan in exchange for funding from China. Ma then made many visits between Taiwan and China in April and May, when she received her first two remittances of US$10,000 (NT$316,175) and US$5,000. She subsequently visited China multiple times between October and December 2023, and received US$8,306, US$1,106 and US$9,910 in the form of Tether, a cryptocurrency, according to the indictment. In exchange for these payments totaling about NT$1 million, Ma gave her handlers a book containing a list of contacts for central government agencies given to legislators, prosecutors said. The book, which prosecutors said is meant to be kept confidential, contained the job titles, names and phone numbers of officials working in the Presidential Office, Executive Yuan and National Security Bureau. Ma, who had little chance of winning the high-profile race in her district and ended up finishing third in a three-way race with 8.56 percent of the vote, also took instructions from her Chinese contacts on running her campaign, prosecutors said. Due to Ma's insistence during the investigation that she did not do anything wrong and her subsequent lack of cooperation, the office recommended a more severe sentencing to the Taoyuan District Court, where Ma is currently being detained. Ma used to be a reporter for a local media outlet and was the Taoyuan chapter spokesperson for the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) in 2023. TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je (Ya) originally suggested he might formally back Ma to run as a TPP candidate, but she ended up registering as an independent candidate in November after failing to secure the TPP's official support. She was expelled from the TPP on Jan. 6, one day after being detained. (By Yeh Chen and James Lo) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China hits back at EP report's 'outrageous' remarks on Taiwan island Global Times By Fan Anqi Published: Mar 01, 2024 09:14 PM The Chinese Mission to the EU on Friday expressed the strongest opposition to and condemnation of the European Parliament (EP) and said China was "extremely shocked" by its outrageous claims challenging the one-China principle, after the EP published a report saying that "neither Taiwan nor China is subordinate to the other." Experts regarded the EP's move as extremely irresponsible and crossing China's red line, warning that if it continues on the wrong path, it could bring a heavy blow to China-Europe relations and even drag the bloc into a potential conflict in the Taiwan Straits. The EP issued two pivotal reports on foreign policy and defense on Thursday, making unwarranted accusations against China on a number of issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and the South China Sea. The move was hyped by foreign media as "signaling a significant shift in support toward Taiwan," as it boldly stated, in assertive language never used before, that Taiwan is not a subordinate of China, while encouraging official delegations from Parliament committees to visit the island. A spokesperson with the Chinese Mission to the EU rebutted the reports on Friday, saying that they have seriously trampled on international law and the basic principles of international relations, infringed on China's sovereignty, and grossly interfered in China's internal affairs. By openly advocating "one China, one Taiwan," the reports challenged the one-China principle, promoted "Taiwan independence," and exposed some European politicians' ignorance of history and facts, revealing their dark intention to obstruct China's reunification, the spokesperson said. Experts suggested that the audacious remarks by the EP are in line with its hard-line stance toward China. "Although the EP is an official institution of the EU, many of its resolutions do not have legal effect, thus making it prone to extreme positions on China policies," Sun Keqin, a research fellow at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Friday. Sun said the EP's move could become a very serious event in China-Europe relations as it has "crossed the red line," with the phrases used in the reports suggesting a departure from the EU's previous commitments. When establishing diplomatic relations with China in 1975, the EU explicitly committed to adopting the position accepted by China on the Taiwan question -there is only one China in the world, with Taiwan being an inalienable part of China. The EU had also committed to refraining from maintaining any official relations or entering into any agreements with Taiwan, the spokesperson with the Chinese mission reiterated on Friday. "China must be unified, and it will be. No one, no force can stop it," the spokesperson stressed. The Chinese mission urged the EP to stop interfering in China's internal affairs, stop making irresponsible remarks, and do more things that are beneficial to the development of China-Europe relations. "Do not make a fool of yourselves in front of the world again," it said. Observers suggested there are several reasons behind such remarks by the EP, including rising anti-China sentiment instigated by the US, and the influence of this year's EP election with some playing the China card to win more votes. Behind all this is the US holding the puppet strings, and the EP has served as a stepping stone for the US to test China's reaction, Sun said. The reports came soon after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid a visit to Europe to attend the Munich Security Conference in late February, where he also met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro SAnchez PArez-CastejAn and French President Emmanuel Macron. China and Europe still have great potential for deepening cooperation in a number of fronts, not only in trade and economy but also in global governance. There is no fundamental conflict of interests between the two sides, and at a time when Europe is embroiled in internal and surrounding struggles, China can be a reliable partner to depend on, experts said. However, if the EP continues on the wrong path, it will be very dangerous, potentially bringing a heavy blow to the hard-won stability in China-Europe ties, and could even drag the bloc into a potential conflict in the Taiwan Straits, Sun warned. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Mar. 1, 2024 ROC Ministry of National Defense 2024/03/01 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Dateis 6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Thursday to Friday, Feb. 29- Mar. 1 2. PLA activitiesis 10 PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 3 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Foreign Minister of the Republic of TArkiye Hakan Fidan 1 March 2024 14:36 395-01-03-2024 On March 1, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is currently on a working visit to Antalya, TArkiye, at the invitation of Foreign Minister of the Republic of TArkiye Hakan Fidan, is taking part in a special session of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The Minister also held a number of bilateral meetings. During the meeting with Foreign Minister of the Republic of TArkiye Hakan Fidan, the discussion focused on key aspects of the international agenda, including the situation in the Middle East, North Africa and the Black Sea region. The ministers coordinated their positions on current issues related to political dialogue and trade and economic cooperation between Russia and TArkiye. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A560 Million investment to modernise nuclear submarine supporting more than 1,000 jobs One of the UK's ballistic missile submarines - HMS VICTORIOUS - will be modernised under a new A560 million contract following an agreement with Babcock. 1 March 2024 A560 million contract awarded for HMS VICTORIOUS maintenance in Plymouth Defence Secretary announces boost to the local economy which will support 1,000 jobs Follows huge investment in Western Europe's largest naval base One of the UK's ballistic missile submarines - HMS VICTORIOUS - will be modernised under a new A560 million contract following an agreement with Babcock as part of the Government's plan to keep the UK safe. More than 1,000 jobs will be sustained in Plymouth and the surrounding south-west region. Maintenance work will see the modernisation and upgrade of the submarine. As one of the Vanguard Class submarines, HMS VICTORIOUS is a key component of the UK's Continuous At Sea Deterrent, which helps protect our freedoms every minute of every day. For nearly 55 years, there has always been a Royal Navy ballistic missile submarine at sea. Armed with strategic nuclear missiles, these submarines have acted as the nation's Continuous At-Sea Deterrence, sending a clear message to potential aggressors. Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps said: In an increasingly dangerous world, it is crucial that we continue to invest in one of our most important assets, our nuclear deterrent. This is another UK partnership with Babcock, that will help keep the UK safe, while boosting the local economy and supporting 1,000 jobs. On my recent visit to HMNB Devonport it was a privilege to speak with sailors and staff whose work directly contributes to our national security. It follows a A750 million funding boost to the Devonport naval base, announced in November 2023, that will significantly improve the infrastructure. Creating around 1,000 construction roles, the work will also support maintenance of existing and future submarines, and enhance the dockyard's ability to deliver major defence projects. Babcock has brought new delivery and repair techniques to the programme, drawing in experience from their wider group and other sectors. These innovations have been targeted at the most complex areas of this project to reduce time and risk in delivery. Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Martin Connell said: The Royal Navy performs no more important mission than Operation Relentless, the continuous at sea strategic deterrent patrols which have been performed by our submariners uninterrupted since 1969. The mission requires an unprecedented national effort in support, maintaining our Vanguard-class submarines to the very highest engineering standards. The overhaul of HMS Victorious will allow the boat to carry out deterrent patrols until the next generation of submarines, the Dreadnought-class, enter service." Babcock CEO, David Lockwood said: Babcock CEO David Lockwood said: "Delivering the programme for this vital and complex defence asset is our top priority. We are proud to have been awarded this complex defence programme which will use our deep engineering expertise to help keep the UK safe. The south-west recently became the country's Marine and Maritime Launchpad, recognising its leadership in the sector. The area will receive an additional A7.5 million in funding to support outstanding innovation projects within maritime. The shipbuilding enterprise directly supports over 43,000 jobs across the country, with over 19,000 employed in the Southwest alone. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Armed Forces Minister visits Kenya and Somalia to strengthen defence ties The Minister for the Armed Forces visited East Africa this week to discuss regional security with defence leaders. 1 March 2024 The UK's Minister for the Armed Forces has concluded a visit to Somalia and Kenya, meeting senior leaders and defence officials for discussions on strengthening regional defence cooperation and observing exercising troops. Visiting Mogadishu, the Armed Forces Minister met with Somali President His Excellency Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, to reaffirm the UK's commitment to supporting Somalia's long-term security. He also visited British soldiers delivering training to the Somali Security Forces and discussed the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) with the UN Special Representative to the Secretary General. ATMIS has supported the drawdown of African Union peacekeeping operations in Somalia, to transition to the Somali national armed forces. The UK has been working closely with the Federal Government of Somalia in its efforts to counter the extremist group al-Shabaab and the Minister reiterated the UK's enduring support to tackling the threat posed by the group. The Minister continued his visit by conducting meetings in Kenya, including with Cabinet Secretary for Defence Aden Duale. They discussed an ambitious vision for strengthening the defence partnership, enhancing Kenyan military capacity and promoting regional peace through the UK and Kenya's Defence Cooperation Agreement. Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, said: Our defence relationships in Africa are paramount to supporting the security and safety of the region. In a more dangerous world, it is critical we support our partners in developing their capabilities, through training and engagement between our armed forces, in order to respond to threats. In my meetings with the President of Somalia and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Defence, I emphasised the UK's enduring interest in deepening our defence relationships and discussed ways in which we can deepen our support. Jointly with the US and Kenya, the UK also supports the development and operation of the Counter Insurgency Counter Terrorism and Stabilisation Operations Centre project (CITSO), which is due to commence delivery of training later this year. The Minister visited the project, which will build on international efforts to improve regional security, through a multi-agency approach to joint training. Minister Heappey also attended a US-led and UK supported regional training exercise including troops from across East Africa conducting readiness training and preparing for regional and international missions. He also visited a joint training exercise between UK trained Kenya Marines and the Royal Marines. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Update 214 - IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine International Atomic Energy Agency 18/2024 Vienna, Austria 01 Mar 2024 Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been without back-up power for the past ten days, leaving the facility entirely dependent on its only remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) line for the external electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and for other essential nuclear safety and security functions, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today. The IAEA experts stationed at the site reported that the ZNPP expects the 330 kV back-up line to be reconnected soon - perhaps even later today - but the plant's off-site power situation remains a source of deep concern, Director General Grossi said. "Out of a total of 10 off-site power lines available before the conflict - four 750 kV and six 330 kV - only one remains operational today. Even if one back-up line becomes available again, it is far from sufficient," Director General Grossi said. "Europe's largest nuclear power plant has suffered eight instances of a complete loss of off-site power in the past 18 months, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators. In the history of nuclear energy, this is an unprecedented situation and clearly not sustainable. I remain extremely concerned about nuclear safety and security at the plant," he said. The ZNPP informed the IAEA experts this week that all scheduled preventative maintenance activities on safety-related equipment are suspended until the 330 kV line is reconnected, except for routine testing of the safety systems, including the emergency diesel generators. Further underlining the persistent dangers facing the plant, the IAEA team has continued to report about the sound of explosions and other indications of military activity in the area, which is on the frontline of the conflict. Early on Wednesday morning, the experts heard an explosion some distance away from the plant followed by what appeared to be small arms fire close to or on the site. The ZNPP informed the IAEA team that Russian troops had taken measures to "protect the plant" against drones in the area, but that the ZNPP itself had not been attacked and there was no damage or casualties. No further details were immediately available of this incident. The IAEA experts requested access to the area but were told there was no damage to inspect, and that the area was outside the plant's control. Earlier this week, the plant informed the IAEA team that a drone attack had allegedly occurred in Enerhodar on Sunday evening, targeting a roof with telecommunications equipment, the latest in a series of reported drone strikes in the town, where many plant staff live. The following day, the IAEA experts went to Enerhodar to see the building where the attack purportedly took place. The team was able to observe the outside of the building. No signs of damage were visible at the time of the visit. Throughout the week, the experts conducted walkdowns across the ZNPP site, including the cooling pond facilities as well as the cooling towers and sprinkler ponds, which provide cooling water for the six reactors, five of which are in cold shutdown and one in hot shutdown. The sprinkler ponds are full and continue to receive cooling water from the 11 groundwater wells which were constructed after the destruction of the downstream Kakhovka dam in mid-2023. The team also visited the isolation gate of the discharge channel of the Zaporizhzhya Thermal Power Plant (ZTPP), but they were not able to access the isolation gate of the large ZNPP cooling pond, a location IAEA experts last saw in November last year. During the past week, the IAEA experts conducted a walkdown of the safety systems rooms of reactor unit 5, observing that routine testing of some safety system pumps was underway. The team also visited the two fresh fuel storage facilities on the site. During the walkdowns conducted by the IAEA experts over the past week, they observed that anti-personnel mines were once again visible within the perimeter fences that are inaccessible to personnel, after they had appeared to be gone in early February. Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA experts present at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) as well as at the Chornobyl site have reported that nuclear safety and security is being maintained despite the challenging war-time circumstances, including the frequent sound of air raid alarms at some of the facilities. The team at the Khmelnytskyy NPP were required to shelter twice on Wednesday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Netherlands to donate watercraft to Ukraine Netherlands Ministry of Defence News item | 01-03-2024 The Netherlands is to provide fast and highly manoeuvrable rubber and patrol boats as well as assault craft to Ukraine. The Netherlands also contributing a 250 million to the Czech initiative to order large numbers of artillery shells for Ukraine in the short term. This was reported by the government in a letter to the House of Representatives. The delivery concerns 14 rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), 8 militarised river patrol boats and CB90 assault craft. Some of these watercraft will be supplied from Defence's own inventory while others will be sourced from industry. Since the beginning of December 2023, the Netherlands has supplied different kinds of ammunition, radar systems and individual weapons such as rifles and machine guns. Field hospitals, tents and accessories, generators and numerous medical goods have also been sent to Ukraine. Moreover, it was announced last Monday evening that the Netherlands will supply over a100 million in additional ammunition. In addition to continued Dutch support over the long term, more ammunition is a top priority for Ukraine. 10-year security agreement The previously announced 10-year security agreement with Ukraine was officially signed by Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. The agreement focuses on security cooperation, including military support in the medium and long term. In addition to the Netherlands, 31 countries and the EU have concluded an official agreement with Ukraine. These agreements illustrate that the Netherlands and international partners will continue to support Ukraine over the long term in its defence against Russian aggression. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia-China 5G, Satellite Cooperation Poses Risk For Ukraine, Report Warns By Elitsa Simeonova March 01, 2024 Russia is increasing its cooperation with China in 5G and satellite technology and this could facilitate Moscow's military aggression against Ukraine, a report by the London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) security think tank warns. The report, published on March 1, says that although battlefield integration of 5G networks may face domestic hurdles in Russia, infrastructure for Chinese aid to Russian satellite systems already exists and can "facilitate Russian military action in Ukraine." China, which maintains close ties with Moscow, has refused to condemn Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and offered economic support to Russia that has helped the Kremlin survive waves of sweeping Western sanctions. Beijing has said that it does not sell lethal weapons to Russia for its war against Ukraine, but Western governments have repeatedly accused China of aiding in the flow of technology to Russia's war effort despite Western sanctions. The RUSI report details how the cooperation between Russia and China in 5G and satellite technology can also help Russia on the battlefield in Ukraine. "Extensive deployment of drones and advanced telecommunications equipment have been crucial on all fronts in Ukraine, from intelligence collection to air-strike campaigns," the report says. "These technologies, though critical, require steady connectivity and geospatial support, making cooperation with China a potential solution to Moscow's desire for a military breakthrough." According to the report, 5G network development has gained particular significance in Russo-Chinese strategic relations in recent years, resulting in a sequence of agreements between Chinese technology giant Huawei and Russian companies MTS and Beeline, both under sanctions by Canada for being linked to Russia's military-industrial complex. 5G is a technology standard for cellular networks, which allows a higher speed of data transfer than its predecessor, 4G. According to the RUSI's report, 5G "has the potential to reshape the battlefield" through enhanced tracking of military objects, faster transferring and real-time processing of large sensor datasets and enhanced communications. These are "precisely the features that could render Russo-Chinese 5G cooperation extremely useful in a wartime context -- and therefore create a heightened risk for Ukraine," the report adds. Although the report says that there are currently "operational and institutional constraints" to Russia's battlefield integration of 5G technology, it has advantages which make it an "appealing priority" for Moscow, Jack Crawford, a research analyst at RUSI and one of the authors of the report, said. "As Russia continues to seek battlefield advantages over Ukraine, recent improvements in 5G against jamming technologies make 5G communications -- both on the ground and with aerial weapons and vehicles -- an even more appealing priority," Crawford told RFE/RL in an e-mailed response. Satellite technology, however, is already the focus of the collaboration between China and Russia, the report says, pointing to recent major developments in the collaboration between the Russian satellite navigation system GLONASS and its Chinese equivalent, Beidou. In 2018, Russia and China agreed on the joint application of GLONASS/Beidou and in 2022 decided to build three Russian monitoring stations in China and three Chinese stations in Russia -- in the city of Obninsk, about 100 kilometers southwest of Moscow, the Siberian city of Irkutsk, and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia's Far East. Satellite technology can collect imagery, weather and terrain data, improve logistics management, track troop movements, and enhance precision in the identification and elimination of ground targets. According to the report, GLONASS has already enabled Russian missile and drone strikes in Ukraine through satellite correction and supported communications between Russian troops. The anticipated construction of Beidou's Obninsk monitoring station, the closest of the three Chinese stations to Ukraine, would allow Russia to increasingly leverage satellite cooperation with China against Ukraine, the report warns. In 2022, the Russian company Racurs, which provides software solutions for photogrammetry, GIS, and remote sensing, signed satellite data-sharing agreements with two Chinese companies. The deals were aimed at replacing contracts with Western satellite companies that suspended data supply in Russia following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The two companies -- HEAD Aerospace and Spacety -- are both under sanctions by the United States for supplying satellite imagery of locations in Ukraine to entities affiliated with the Wagner mercenary group. "For the time being, we cannot trace how exactly these shared data have informed specific decisions on the front line," Roman Kolodii, a security expert at Charles University in Prague and one of the authors of the report, told RFE/RL. "However, since Racurs is a partner of the Russian Ministry of Defense, it is highly likely that such data might end up strengthening Russia's geospatial capabilities in the military domain, too." "Ultimately, such dynamic interactions with Chinese companies may improve Russian military logistics, reconnaissance capabilities, geospatial intelligence, and drone deployment in Ukraine," the report says. The report comes as Western governments are stepping up efforts to counter Russia's attempt to evade sanctions imposed as a response to its military aggression against Ukraine. On February 23, on the eve of the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, the United States imposed sanctions on nearly 100 entities that are helping Russia evade trade sanctions and "providing backdoor support for Russia's war machine." The list includes Chinese companies, accused of supporting "Russia's military-industrial base." With reporting by Merhat Sharpizhanov Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-china- 5g-satellite-cooperation-war-ukraine/32843873.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Balkan Leaders Pledged To Supply Ukraine With Ammunition, Zelenskiy Says By RFE/RL March 01, 2024 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on February 29 that his meetings with Western Balkan leaders at a summit in Tirana will help Ukrainian troops get more of the artillery shells they badly need to fend off advancing Russian forces. Zelenskiy said his forces will receive more artillery under new defense agreements he reached during the two-day summit hosted by Albania. "We use every meeting and every day to provide more capabilities to our warriors," he said in his nightly video address. "We had good talks in Albania - as always principled support and not only in terms of our bilateral relations but also in terms of how to make the dialogue with those states that are still reserved in their support more meaningful." Zelenskiy added that the participants of the summit will take part in a global peace summit that has been proposed to be held in Switzerland in the coming months to discuss his vision for peace. "It's planned to be held in Switzerland and we already see opportunities for broad representation of countries from around the world," Zelenskiy said. Russia has already rejected the idea. Zelenskiy, who also mentioned his visit to Saudi Arabia prior to the Tirana summit, said 2024 should be a time of maximum pragmatism in relations with Ukraine's neighbors. "Everyone sees that Russia is not going to stop," he said. Russian forces are pushing against more Ukrainian towns and villages in eastern and southeastern Ukraine, hitting some Ukrainian defensive positions hard by deploying overwhelming amounts of artillery and troops. The Russian Army currently is trying to seize Tonenke, Orlivka, Semenivka, Berdychi, and Krasnohorivka in the eastern Donetsk region, Ukraine's army chief, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy, said on social media. Ukrainian military officials said earlier that Ukraine would form a new line of defense in those areas after Ukrainian troops pulled out of Avdiyivka on February 17. In the southeastern Zaporizhzhya region, Russian forces are focusing on retaking Verbove and Robotyne, towns that Ukraine won back last summer, Syrskiy said. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said that its forces shot down three Russian Su-34 jets overnight. That makes a total of 11 warplanes that Ukraine claims to have downed since February 17. "The enemy has increased its air presence in the east. Our top military leadership reacted accordingly," air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said on national television. The General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces also said on February 29 that 19 Russian soldiers were killed and 12 wounded in a missile strike on a group of Russian troops in Olenivka in the Russian-occupied part of the Donetsk region. According to the statement, a deputy commander of a Russian military unit was among those killed, while the unit's commander was among the wounded. The statement has not been confirmed by Russia's military. With reporting by AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-zelenskiy- balkan-summit-ammunition-artillery-shells/32843461.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's answer to a media question during his remarks at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Antalya, March 1, 2024 1 March 2024 18:13 399-01-03-2024 Question (translated from English): The media published a conversation between German officers about how they plan to blow up the Crimean Bridge. What can you say about this? Sergey Lavrov: I read today what was posted on social media and announced by Ms Simonyan with reference to the relevant sources. On the one hand, this is stunning. On the other, less so. I have said that we know for sure about NATO military participation in the guise of mercenaries or people that are not part of the armed forces of the alliance. There are some interesting details in this conversation. These German generals discussed ways to supply Ukraine with long-range weapons (they mentioned the TAURUS) for attacking the Crimean Bridge and ammunition depots in a more subtle way. How to make sure they are not noticed because German Chancellor Olaf Scholz supposedly does not like it, while the Americans and Brits are already there. They also discussed whether it is possible to target missiles remotely without being in Ukraine. One of the generals said this would still be qualified as direct participation. They know what they are talking about. In one exchange, one general mentions that "men from the US in civilian clothes" are there. I don't know how to say it but all of our NATO colleagues are guilty as hell. We'll have to see how they explain this to their own public. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by Russian Defence Ministry 01.03.2024 At around 14:30 Moscow time, the Russian Armed Forces have foiled the Kiev regime's attempt to launch a terrorist attack using a fixed-wing UAV against the facilities in the Russian Federation. One Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down by alerted air defence systems over Belgorod region. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address German Bundeswehr Chatter: NATO Teetering on Edge of Direct Conflict With Russia Sputnik News 20240301 Ekaterina Blinova Western forces have long been fighting on Ukraine's side, intelligence veteran Leonid Reshetnikov told Sputnik, commenting on the German military representatives' discussion about blasting the Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles. A recording of German military officers discussing a potential attack on the Crimean Bridge was released by Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and Rossiya Segodnya, Sputnik's parent media group, on March 1. Judging from the transcript, NATO soldiers from the UK, the US and France have been operating in the Ukraine combat zone for quite a while. "A significant part of the weapons used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces is supplied from the West," Leonid Reshetnikov, a retired lieutenant general of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), told Sputnik. "In addition, there is a considerable presence of Western intelligence operatives from NATO countries in Ukraine. They have long settled there, in Ukraine, even before 2014 - the intelligence services of the US, the UK, and also other countries." Likewise, when transferring sophisticated and high-precision weapons to Ukraine, NATO countries usually also dispatch maintenance personnel, repair staff and crews to operate this equipment to the combat zone, the retired intelligence officer continued. "They have no time for training the Ukraine military in the midst of the special military operation. Therefore the crews of these [NATO] countries have been operating or firing systems such as Patriot air defense systems and other systems supplied by the Americans, NATO members, the French, and the British for quite a while. Of course, they are not deployed at the very forefront, but they operate artillery, air defense systems, and partially tanks," Reshetnikov said. Similarly, NATO Special Forces disguised as mercenaries have also been deployed in the zone of the special military operation, according to the intelligence veteran. "Yes, there are indeed some mercenaries [in Ukraine] who had been engaged in this business well before the special military operation. But starting from the mid-2022 or the beginning of 2023, there has been a systematic recruitment of active [NATO] units," he said. Reshetnikov explained that under this scenario, NATO Special Ops soldiers formally leave their unit and go to the zone of the special military operation as volunteers. However, they are not only paid for participating in hostilities on Ukraine's side, but also retain the income they received while serving in the army of a NATO country. Thus, Special Forces from the US, the UK and France are fighting on the ground pretending to be mere mercenaries. Given all of the above, one can see that NATO is really involved in the Ukraine conflict and is actively fighting on the side of the Kiev regime, the intelligence veteran emphasized. NATO Deeply Divided Over Sending Forces to Ukraine Prior to the Bundeswehr release, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz came under fierce criticism for disclosing information about the presence of the British and French military in the combat zone in Ukraine. According to Scholz, Western soldiers have been dispatched to operate long-range Storm Shadow and SCALP cruise missiles and help Ukrainian fire at Russian targets. Speaking to journalists in Berlin earlier this week, Scholz explained why Berlin hesitates to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine. "This is a very far-reaching weapon," Scholz said about the Taurus. "What the British and French are doing in terms of target control and support for target control cannot be done in Germany." Berlin's French and British allies lambasted the German chancellor for what they called a "flagrant abuse of intelligence". Earlier, the Financial Times cited French President Emmanuel Macron who failed to rule out sending the alliance's troops to Ukraine at a gathering with his NATO allies. What's more, a senior European official told the newspaper that Western troops have long been covertly deployed in Ukraine. Meanwhile, a series of leaks have disclosed the extent of NATO's military presence in Ukraine. In April 2023, an apparent Pentagon exposA indicated that at least 97 special forces soldiers from five NATO countries a including 14 US military personnel a have been operating in Ukraine. Most recently, a New York Times bombshell shed light on a network of 12 CIA bases that have spied on Russia since 2014. Commenting on media leaks and statements by Western politicians, Reshetnikov outlined two opposite trends. According to him, there are Western politicians, who, like Emmanuel Macron, are willing to expand NATO's involvement in the Ukraine conflict. However, there are also others, who fear that the alliance's presence in the conflict zone may lead to direct confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia. The latter are openly speaking about NATO's involvement to trigger a public debate and resentment about getting bogged down in Ukraine, according to the intelligence veteran. "They are spilling the beans in order to somehow stop this, so that the public of their countries support them, so as not to cross the Rubicon, so as not to get involved in a direct open war," he stressed. Indeed, the US and EU's latest surveys have shown that as the Kiev regime's forces continue to sustain defeats, the Americans and Europeans are calling for a negotiated settlement instead of further arming Ukraine. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, UK, French Military Officers Present in Ukraine - Russian FM Lavrov Sputnik News 20240301 ANTALYA, Turkiye (Sputnik) - The military officers of the United States, United Kingdom and France are present in Ukraine, not just mercenaries from those countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday. "Before the coup d'etat [in Ukraine], hundreds of US citizens occupied seats in ministries, just as they now allegedly have their own mercenaries, but in fact there are military officers there a there are UK and French [officers]. We are well aware of this," Lavrov said during a speech at a diplomatic forum in Antalya. The 3rd Antalya Diplomacy Forum, hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will bring together more than 20 heads of state from over 100 countries, as well as over 90 ministers and 80 representatives of international organizations. The overarching theme of this year's forum will be "Advancing Diplomacy in Times of Turmoil". The previous diplomatic forum in Antalya was held in March 2022. No Changes Expected Regarding Russia-US Relations After US Election Lavrov also added that Moscow is not expecting to see any changes when it comes to bilateral ties with Washington following the US presidential election later this year. "We are not really looking expecting any changes that the elections will bring in the United States," he said. Macron's Statement on Sending Troops to Ukraine 'Serious Matter' The statement of French President Emmanuel Macron on the possibility of the West sending troops to Ukraine is "serious," Lavrov emphasized. "Macron, after all the exchanges that were caused by his statement, said, as I understand it, that he does not retract his words. But you mentioned that Washington has begun to dissociate itself from such a position - this is not entirely true. Indeed, [US] President Biden said something like that that we are not going to fight, and Mr. Austin, the US Secretary of Defense, came out of the hospital and said that if Ukraine was defeated by Russia, then NATO would have to fight Russia. This is a serious matter," Lavrov said during a speech at a diplomatic forum in Antalya. After a Paris-hosted conference on Ukraine on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said Western leaders had discussed the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine and no consensus had been reached, but nothing could be ruled out, and they would do everything to stop Russia from winning. On Thursday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that he "really believes" that if Ukraine loses in the ongoing conflict, NATO will have to fight Russia next. Inter-Palestinian Communique Could Restore Unity The minister also touched upon the ongoing Gaza crisis, adding that, if fulfilled, the Moscow inter-Palestinian meeting communique could become a step towards restoring unity in the region. "In the communique, which was adopted yesterday at the meeting of the Palestinian factions in Moscow, for the first time they recorded their willingness to respect the platform of the Palestine Liberation Organization. If this does not remain a slogan, then it will be a good step forward for them to become truly united and speak the same language with the outside world," he noted. Conversation of German Military Officials Not Entirely Surprising "On the one hand, it is surprising, but on the other hand it is not," Lavrov said during his speech at the forum, adding that he does not know how the "NATO colleagues" will explain themselves to their citizens. Earlier in the day, RT and Rossiya Segodnya editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan published the text of a conversation among high-ranking Bundeswehr representatives discussing the attack on the Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles. Moldovan Leadership Caused Transnistria's Address to Russia Transnistria's address to Russia was caused by the Moldovan leadership, who follows in the footsteps of the authorities in Kiev, Lavrov commented. On Wednesday, Transnistria turned to Russia for assistance in light of the economic blockade imposed by Moldova. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it prioritizes the protection of the region's residents' interests and is carefully considering all requests. "Well, you know, probably, that questions should be addressed to those who caused such a statement by the Transnistrian parliament. First of all, the regime that has established in Chisinau and which is simply following in the footsteps of the Kiev regime, abolishing everything Russian, discriminating against the Russian language in all spheres and, together with Ukrainians, putting serious economic pressure on Transnistria," Lavrov noted. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address France Will Not Send Troops to Ukraine - Foreign Minister Sputnik News 20240301 PARIS (Sputnik) - French President Emmanuel Macron earlier proclaimed that he refused to rule out sending EU troops to Ukraine - a move that met harsh backlash from some European politicians. French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne ruled out conducting military operations in Ukraine on Friday. His comments came after President Emmanuel Macron said that such a move was on the table earlier this week. "The French will not die for Ukraine. We will not send troops into combat because the framework has been set, which is to prevent Russia from winning without going to war with Russia. And nothing is excluded within this framework," Sejourne told the France Inter radio broadcaster. Dr. Gregor Spitzen, a German political analyst, told Sputnik that the "ill-considered initiative to send NATO ground troops to Ukraine made Macron look very foolish." A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Liberates Three Villages Near Avdeyevka Sputnik News 20240301 Troops also repelled 48 attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in which Kiev's losses amounted to more than 2,600 soldiers and 23 tanks, including US-made Abrams, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported. "In the Avdeyevka region, units of the Tsentr Battlegroup liberated the settlements of Lastochkino, Severnoye, Petrovskoye of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and continued to advance in a western direction," the ministry reported. Russian forces, supported by aviation and artillery, defeated concentrations of troops and equipment of the 23rd, 24th, 53rd, 61st, 110th Mechanized, 59th Motorized Infantry and 3rd Assault Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the 103rd and 107th Defense Brigades in the areas of the settlements of Netaylovo, Ocheretino, Mayorsk and Rozovka of the DPR. "Also, 48 counterattacks of assault units were repelled in the areas of the settlements of Novgorodskoye, Leninskoye, Tonenkoye, Orlovka and Pervomaiskoye of the Donetsk People's Republic. Over the course of a week in this region, the enemy lost over 2,600 troops, 23 tanks, including US-made Abrams, 45 armored combat vehicles, 83 vehicles, as well as 26 field artillery pieces," the Ministry of Defense said. The Russian Armed Forces also repelled 18 Ukrainian counterattacks in the past week near Donetsk, where Ukraine lost over 2,800 soldiers. "The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the specified period amounted to more than 2,835 military personnel, seven tanks, 16 armored combat vehicles, 49 vehicles and 24 field artillery guns," the ministry said in a statement, adding that Ukraine lost up to 890 soldiers in the South Donetsk region. The Russian troops also repelled 30 counterattacks near Kupyansk, where Ukraine lost over 755 soldiers. In the Kherson region, Russian forces repelled seven attacks in the Rabotino area, while Ukraine lost over 290 soldiers. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Leaked Audio: German Top Brass Said to Implicate Brits in Plot Targeting Crimean Bridge Sputnik News 20240301 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The text of a recording of what is purported to be a February discussion among senior German brass, alleges that UK military experts were in Ukraine to help Kiev ready attacks on Russia with Storm Shadow missile. Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and Rossiya Segodnya, Sputnik's parent media group, published on Friday the text of an apparent conversation among Germany's top Bundeswehr brass discussing what is allegedly a planned attack on the Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles. The transcript in question claims that four senior Bundeswehr officials, including the head of the Air Force operations and exercises department, participated in the discussion held on February 19, 2024. In particular, Brigadier General Frank Grafe, department head for operations and exercises at the Air Force Command in Berlin, Inspector of the Air Force Ingo Gerhartz and two employees of the air operations center of the Bundeswehr Space Command supposedly discussed sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine and a planned attack on the Crimean bridge. According to this revelation, an employee of Germany's space command had also discussed embarking on a trip to Ukraine on February 21 to help prepare attacks on Russian soil. "I would also like to briefly focus on the issues of air defense. We must think carefully about having equipment in Kiev to receive information from the IABG and NDK. We have to provide this to them, so I have to fly there on February 21, we need to plan everything effectively, not like it was with Storm Shadow, when they planned control points," the transcript of the audio conversation of the four high-ranking German military officials said. During the discourse, the senior German officials alleged that UK military experts were in Ukraine, aiding Kiev in planning attacks on Russia using Storm Shadow missiles. "We need to imagine that they [Ukrainians] can use aircraft with mounts for Taurus missiles and Storm Shadow. The British were there and equipped the planes. The systems are not that different and can be used for the Taurus as well," the text of the audio conversation of four high-ranking representatives of the German armed forces said. According to the conversation, the German military brass also discussed strikes on the Crimean Bridge using Taurus missiles launched from a Dassault Rafale fighter jet. "There is an opinion that Taurus will succeed if it uses the French Dassault Rafale fighter," said one of the officials in question. German Brass Admits Taurus Won't Change Course of Ukraine Conflict According to the transcript of the audio recording published by Margarita Simonyan, these senior German military officials admitted that the potential supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine will not change the situation in the special military operation zone. "That's right, it will not change the course of military operations. Therefore, we do not want to transfer them all. And not everything at the same time," one official said. That said, these high-ranking German military officials have indicated that they are likely to transfer their coordinates of Russian targets with an accuracy of up to three meters. "The question will arise where the information comes from. If we are talking about information about targets, which ideally includes satellite images that provide maximum accuracy of up to three meters, then we must first process them in Buchel. I think that regardless of this, it is possible to somehow organize an exchange of information between Buchel and Schrobenhausen, or we can work out the possibility of transferring [this] information to Poland, [and] do it in a place where you can get by car," revealed the text of the audio conversation of the four German armed forces officials. The transcript was published by Simonyan on Vkontakte social network. Hybrid War Against Russia In Progress The hybrid war unleashed by the West against Russia is currently in full swing said Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commenting on the audio recording that surfaced, revealing the said conversation among high-ranking Bundeswehr members about a potential attack on the Crimean Bridge using Taurus missiles. "The hybrid war against the Russian people, unleashed by the West, is in full swing," Zakharova wrote on Telegram. She further pointed out that the German leadership had resorted to citing the experiences of Hitler's Third Reich. "What have I just read! Today's German leadership refers to the experience of the Third Reich! Yes, they are really that crazy!" Zakharova stated, while placing the spotlight on the recording of Air Force Inspector Ingo Gerhartz saying, "We are currently fighting a war that uses much more modern technology than our good old Luftwaffe." German Defense Ministry Stays Mum The German Defense Ministry has remained tight-lipped on the recording of its senior officials said to have been mulling such potential strikes on the Crimean Bridge, a ministry spokesperson told Sputnik on Friday. "Please note that we in principle do not comment on media reports and their content," the spokesperson clarified. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Must Press Bundestag to Look Into Alleged German Plot to Strike Crimean Bridge - Official Sputnik News 20240301 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - It is necessary to send a demand for an investigation to Bundestag, the German parliament, after information about a recording of German officers discussing an attack on the Crimean Bridge, Russian lower house speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Friday. "The information that has emerged with recordings of discussions by high-ranking German officers about plans to strike the Crimean Bridge ... as well as how to do this so that suspicion does not fall on German Chancellor [Olaf] Scholz, deserves the most serious discussion and response ... I also think it is correct to send a demand to the Bundestag to conduct an investigation," Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel. The issue will be discussed by the State Duma lawmakers on March 11, the speaker added. "The fact that the conversation was recorded compels the German leadership to provide an explanation ... Does Scholz understand that these actions will require Russia to retaliate?" Volodin added. Earlier, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and Rossiya Segodnya, Sputnik's parent media group, said she had obtained an audio recording of high-ranking officers of the German Bundeswehr discussing "how they will bomb the Crimean bridge". The recording lasts 40 minutes, Simonyan writes. The German officers also mention colleagues from the United States and Britain, "discussing that these people have been directly involved in the conflict for a long time". Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that he is so far unaware of an audio recording of German military officials discussing the attack on the Crimean Bridge but will listen to it when possible. "No. We don't know anything about this content. I don't know if this recording is available," Peskov told reporters, adding that he will listen to the recording when it becomes available. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'No One in Europe' Planning to Send Troops to Ukraine - Czech Prime Minister Sputnik News 20240301 PRAGUE (Sputnik) - Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala on Thursday stated that none of the European countries are currently considering deploying their troops to Ukraine. After a Paris-hosted conference on Ukraine on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said Western leaders had discussed the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine and no consensus had been reached, but nothing could be ruled out, and they would do everything to stop Russia from winning. "No one in Europe is going to send troops to Ukraine," Czech Television quoted Fiala as telling a parliament meeting. He added that Macron put forward the idea on the sidelines of the Paris meeting, and it was a "minimal topic" there, the report said. "Perhaps it would have been useful to have some servicepeople, for example from France, on the territory of Ukraine, not to fight there, but perhaps to help there, for example, with training," Fiala said. The Czech prime minister added that the overwhelming majority of participants of the Paris meeting had agreed that the question of sending troops to Ukraine would not be discussed or even considered further. "It is not a topic [for a discussion] because this idea is unacceptable for the vast majority of countries," Fiala said. On Thursday, during his annual address to the Federal Assembly, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that the consequences of a potential NATO intervention in Ukraine would be tragic for the alliance's troops, if they were sent there. Putin castigated the claims made in the West that Russia is planning to launch an attack on Europe as "nonsense." Western countries, including member states of the European Union, have been providing military and financial aid to Kiev since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has consistently warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict. In April 2022, Russia sent a diplomatic note to all NATO countries on the issue of arms supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russian strikes. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Ready to Hand Over to Ukraine Bodies of Those Died in Il-76 Crash Sputnik News 20240301 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova has told Sputnik that Russia is ready to hand over to Ukraine the bodies of those killed in the crash of the Russian cargo plane Il-76 in the Belgorod Region. "Yes, we are ready, everything necessary in terms of the procedure is in place ... The bodies can be handed over in accordance with the existing procedures," she said. Moskalkova has told Sputnik earlier that she maintains contact with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Lubinets, on the downing of the Il-76 aircraft. On January 24, six Russian crew members, three Russian servicepeople and 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war aboard the airplane were killed after a missile hit the Il-76 airplane. The aircraft was en route for a planned prisoner exchange that was subsequently canceled. Russian President Vladimir Putin said following the incident that Ukrainian intelligence knew that there were Ukrainian prisoners of war on board the Il-76 military transport plane, but struck it anyway. The Russian Investigative Committee said that the Ukrainian armed forces used the MIM-104A guided missile of the Patriot system to shoot down the plane. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine and the Netherlands together defend our people, our values, and together we must win, defending them - Volodymyr Zelenskyy after meeting with Mark Rutte in Kharkiv President of Ukraine 1 March 2024 - 18:58 Ukraine and the Netherlands have concluded a bilateral Agreement on Security Cooperation, which formalizes the full spectrum of interaction between the two countries for the next 10 years. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kharkiv. Meeting with media representatives, the Head of State said that the visit of the Dutch government leader to Ukraine, particularly the visit to Kharkiv, is symbolic, as it demonstrates the path both countries have taken in their relations. "We are together after two years of the full-scale war. We are together after ten years of criminal Russian aggression. We are together defending our people and our values. And together, we must also win, defending them, and achieve our goals. Because life in Ukraine, in our states, in cities like Kharkiv, will surely prevail," said the President of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally thanked Mark Rutte, his team, and the Dutch people for their principled and effective support of Ukraine in the fight for freedom against the Russian aggressor. "I also want to thank you for every package of defense support, for the leadership of the Netherlands in defense coalitions, for the much-needed assistance in consolidating Europe and the entire free world so that we can stand firm and defend our state, defend our people. And to be able to realize the path to peace - our Formula," the President said. "Stopping Russia is our common duty," he added. The Head of State said that today, Ukraine and the Netherlands have concluded an agreement on security cooperation, which formalizes the full range of bilateral interaction for the next 10 years. "Defense cooperation on land, in the sky, at sea. Technology, political, and economic cooperation. We are interested in joint production, particularly in the development of the defense industry, in relevant investments, that is, in providing our Armed Forces with effective weapons, and our nations with peace, faith in tomorrow," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The President separately expressed gratitude to Mark Rutte for the volume of defense support to Ukraine for the current year set in the agreement, amounting to EUR 2 billion. "It's a very specific, very powerful support. And it is this year that we must achieve results that will allow us to bring an end to the war on fair terms," he said. According to the Head of State, the Netherlands is already providing substantial support to Ukraine for air defense: both in strengthening the air defense system and accelerating the appearance of the first F-16 fighter jets in the Ukrainian sky from partners. Responding to journalists' questions, the President of Ukraine added that it is expected that the Netherlands would provide F-16 fighter jets. "We will have fighter jets from the Netherlands. We are grateful for this. And we expect the first batch of these fighter jets this year. Secondly, as Mark has already mentioned, what deserves attention is the track that not all countries have joined yet, and the Netherlands has shown its leadership positions here - accountability and a tribunal. I believe these are very strong aspects of this agreement," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Head of State thanked the Netherlands for their principled and strong stance on the need to establish a tribunal for the crime of aggression and for the full restoration of justice. "Every war crime committed by Russia and the primary crime of aggression must receive lawful and just verdicts," he said. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also highlighted that the security agreement with the Netherlands contains clear principles regarding sanctions against Russia, the necessity to redirect Russian assets to protect against Russian aggression, and regarding Ukraine's path to the European Union and NATO. Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands, sharing his impressions of Kharkiv, noted that through the shelling of the city, the President of Russia is attempting to psychologically ravage its residents. "Despite the constant atmosphere of threats and uncertainty, the residents of Kharkiv continue to live, the city lives on. Words alone cannot overcome a dictator like Putin. The task facing Ukraine's allies is clear: do everything possible to enable Ukraine to defend itself, to contain Putin's expansionism," he said. Mark Rutte said that it is precisely to aid Ukraine that the Agreement on Security Cooperation has been signed, which encompasses a broad spectrum of defense cooperation, interaction in reconstruction efforts, sanctions, and the pursuit of justice. "We stand with Ukraine, shoulder to shoulder. We continue to provide direct defense, financial, and humanitarian support, and we will continue to explore other ways in which we can help," he said. As emphasized by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, the planned transfer includes 22 patrol and three combat boats, as well as four radars and nine howitzers. Additionally, according to him, the Netherlands plans to assist the Czech initiative in purchasing ammunition. "We are also working on the F-16 jets to arrive in Ukraine as soon as possible so that Ukraine gains an advantage in the sky," added Mark Rutte. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Homesick youngsters reinvigorate "parade of gods" tradition 11:03, March 02, 2024 By Yao Yuan and Deng Qianqian ( Xinhua FUZHOU, March 1 (Xinhua) -- In an eastern Chinese village, a formidable group of divine generals parade the streets with great panache, their ornate headwear and chiseled features commanding the thunderous applause of firecrackers and a barrage of flashlights. Known as "youshen" or the "parade of the gods," this lively and grand procession is popular in Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan. The procession invites celestials to visit the mortal realm, revel with local residents and distribute blessings. This year, this folk tradition, with its unique regional flair and cyberpunk ambience, became a social media phenomenon and transformed many otherwise anonymous villages into tourist hotspots. "Youshen used to be a local affair, but this year, our village was chock-a-block with cars from across China, including Beijing, Jiangsu and Shanghai," said Lin Xiangguo, Party secretary of Kefeng Village in Changle, a suburban district of Fuzhou in Fujian Province. Youshen activities are usually held in the first lunar month following the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, and during the godlings' birthdays. A statue of the main deity is seated on a sedan, preceded by a formation of divine generals and other attendants. The latter characters are usually giant or life-sized hollow effigies worn by temple workers. Changle is renowned for its spectacular youshen festivities. On Feb. 19, hundreds of deities walked through 18 villages in a lively carnival that lasted from 9 a.m. to the next morning. Changle's many "shenjiang," or divine generals, attracted the most online attention this year, their dashing looks described by some netizens as "coming straight out of anime." Lin Bin, 23, is one of a new-generation of divine general designers. He explains that, traditionally, the faces of the celestial generals were painted in the claborate style to give them a solemn look, but young designers, like Lin, instead opted for a more stylised, animesque face. "We hoped the new designs would promote the youshen culture and increase its fandom," said Lin, a Changle local. "It took quite a lot of persuading before the older villagers agreed to our unconventional vision, though." Heavy participation of young people is one feature of the youshen tradition. The divine generals' effigies, which can weigh up to 40 kg, are often carried by the younger generation, such as students or urban workers who return to their villages for major festivals. "I've not received professional training (of carrying gods), but I have watched the parades since I was a child," said Lin Yanxin, a 20-year-old college student who has volunteered to be a god carrier for three years straight. "Many villagers of my age also volunteer at the parade, inspired by a sense of calling," he said. Lin Yating, 32, is proud to not only be an inheritor of the centuries-old youshen traditions but also, by becoming a chief drummer in the local youshen team, a challenger. "The older generation would never have contemplated having girls in the drumming lineup, but we young people must have the courage to challenge outdated customs," she said. A TRADITION TO RETURN TO Apart from drawing back young villagers studying and working in other parts of China, the youshen celebrations have in recent years risen as a major magnet for overseas Chinese. Fuzhou is the hometown of 4.3 million Chinese who reside abroad, and youshen festivities in the city often include prayers for those working and living far away from home. "This is the first time in 33 years that I have returned to my hometown for the Spring Festival, and watching youshen brings back many childhood memories with my family," said Lin Liangping, a businessman and head of the Fujian Houfu Association of America. Lin said many fellow villagers living in the United States decided to return to Changle for the Chinese Lunar New Year after watching youshen videos on the Internet. "The appeal of youshen is incredible. It ignites deep feelings for the homeland for many overseas Chinese," he said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mark Rutte in Kharkiv met with Ukrainian investigators, experts involved in investigation into shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 President of Ukraine 1 March 2024 - 17:59 In Kharkiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte met with Ukrainian investigators and rescuers who participated in the work of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) for the criminal investigation of the crime, as well as those involved in forensics and transportation of the bodies of the victims of the crash of Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flight MH17. The aircraft was shot down on July 17, 2014, near Torez in Donetsk region during the Russian armed aggression in eastern Ukraine. The international investigation has come to the conclusion that the aircraft was hit by a Russian-made Buk surface-to-air missile system. The President of Ukraine reminded that the downing of the MH17 flight by Russian forces killed 298 people, including 193 citizens of the Netherlands. "These are adults, children - entire families. People from over 10 countries. The youngest victim was one year old, and the oldest - 82 years old. Since then, the whole world has understood what Russian aggression and war really mean. Terrorism knows no boundaries, and any country, any nation can suffer when one person starts a brutal terrorist war," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It was to Kharkiv in July 2014 that the bodies of the passengers who perished in this plane crash were transported, and from there, their repatriation took place. Experts from the Netherlands set up a laboratory for the examination and investigation of the bodies of the deceased. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was established, which included representatives from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Ukraine. Rescuers and investigators briefed Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte on the facilitation of the work of international experts in examining and transporting the bodies of the deceased. They said that this work was complicated by the actions of Russia-backed fighters. The President of Ukraine thanked the rescuers, law enforcement officers, and all those who assisted in this process: "We are very grateful to you for your work, for your great efforts, how you helped our partners and all the families to bring back their loved ones. This is very important." On his part, Mark Rutte expressed his gratitude to Ukrainian experts for their important work. He emphasized that the investigation of the tragedy and the repatriation of the victims' bodies are of great significance to his country. On June 19, 2019, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, based on the JIT investigation, brought charges in the case of the MH17 downing in Donbas against four suspects: Russians Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy, Oleg Pulatov, and Ukrainian citizen Leonid Kharchenko. On November 17, 2022, the District Court of The Hague sentenced Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy, and Leonid Kharchenko in absentia to life imprisonment and ordered them to pay compensation to the families of the victims. The court also recognized that Russia controlled illegal armed groups during the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address This year, new fighter jets will be in our skies - address by the President of Ukraine President of Ukraine 1 March 2024 - 17:24 I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians! Today we are in Kharkiv. The visit of Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands. Together we visited our warriors - the guys are recovering from their wounds. I had the honor to thank them and present them with state awards. I am grateful to every doctor, to all our medical workers who save lives. This is the most honorable job. Together with Mark, we visited places in Kharkiv hit by Russian missiles. Ordinary residential buildings, the city's infrastructure were destroyed... It is important to ensure greater security for Kharkiv. We are working with all leaders to bolster air defense both here and in other cities. The world has this potential, and we need sufficient joint determination to make Russian terror lose. Today we have a new package of military support for our warriors from the Netherlands. By the way, the Netherlands is actively helping us with air defense, with the F-16 coalition. This year, new fighter jets will be in our skies, and we have to make this year an effective one in defending ourselves against Russian guided bombs, Russian aircraft, and their missiles. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov held a special military briefing for Mark Rutte on the situation at the front today, on our capabilities in active operations and defense in specific areas. Of course, we also talked about Kharkiv. I am grateful for the readiness of the Netherlands to continue its assistance. We signed a bilateral security agreement between our countries - security commitments, security cooperation. This is the seventh such security agreement with our partners, and it is a strong agreement. There is a specific amount of military support per year - 2 billion euros. There are all the details of our joint work in the defense sector, in politics, and in achieving justice. The Netherlands stands for the establishment of a special tribunal for Russian aggression, supports our work both in Ukraine and with partners to bring all Russian war criminals to justice, and is in favor of strengthening sanctions against Russia for the war. And this is a really powerful visit today. I am grateful to Mark personally and to all the people of the Netherlands for their support of Ukraine. We have already prepared active international work for March: there will be more support, we are preparing new security agreements, new agreements on weapons for our troops. The key point is that Russia must be losing, and our country must restore security together with our partners. We are doing everything for this. I thank everyone who helps! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Agreement on security cooperation between Ukraine and the Netherlands President of Ukraine 1 March 2024 - 17:07 Introduction Ukraine and the Government of the Netherlands, hereinafter referred to as 'the Participants', or 'Ukraine and the Netherlands', Underlining their unwavering commitment to a free, independent, democratic and sovereign Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders as of 1991, capable of defending itself and deterring future aggression, Underscoring their commitment to contribute to Ukraine's ability to defend itself, to resist future coercion, to choose its own future, and to prosper, Acknowledging the legitimate right of Ukraine to self-defence in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations (UN) Charter, Affirming that the security of Ukraine is integral to the security of the Euro-Atlantic region, and thus that the security of Ukraine and the Netherlands are closely related, Considering the Russian Federation's illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine to be a threat to international peace and security, a flagrant violation of international law, and a breach of the UN Charter, and incompatible with their security interests, Reaffirming the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Helsinki Final Act, including the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and the inviolability of borders, which are essential for European and worldwide security, Supporting Ukraine's and joint efforts to create a just and sustainable peace, based on the principles set out in the 10 points of Ukraine's Peace Formula, Standing united with partners and Allies, rooted in their shared democratic values and interests, and above all, respect for the UN Charter and the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty, Acknowledging the commitment expressed by the Netherlands by co-signing the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine of 12 July 2023 and qualitatively developing it, where needed, through a security Agreement with Ukraine, Wishing to build on an already extensive network of bilateral and multilateral linkages, agreements, arrangements and understandings, and wishing to deepen and maximise the potential of their cooperation, as well as to establish bilateral commitments and cooperation across various spheres including defence, security, resilience, and identify areas for potential future support, Acknowledging Ukraine's pathway towards future integration within the Euro-Atlantic community and its commitment to continue implementing reforms regarding good governance, anti-corruption, transparency and modernisation of the defence sector, Reaffirming their support for reforms to strengthen Ukraine's security and economy, which are conducive to Ukraine realising its Euro-Atlantic aspirations, including towards European Union and NATO membership, Recognising that Ukraine's defence, recovery, reform and European and Euro-Atlantic ambitions are mutually reinforcing and should be approached in a synergetic manner, Recognising their goal to restore the military and political stability and international law and order, violated as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, as well as to prevent possible acts of aggression in the future, Have decided as follows: Paragraph 1: Scope of the Agreement The Participants have decided to continue their cooperation to assist Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression for as long as it takes, and decide to: provide support to Ukraine in continuing its legitimate self-defence in accordance with article 51 of the UN Charter against the current Russian aggression and to deter aggression in the future; strengthen Ukraine's recovery, economic stability and resilience; promote accountability for the violations of international law, including international crimes, committed in or against Ukraine and its citizens, and raise the costs to the Russian Federation of its ongoing aggression; implement and support an effective reform agenda that will reinforce the reforms necessary for Ukraine to advance towards its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. In so doing, the Participants acknowledge their mutual wish to enter into specific, bilateral long-term security commitments to contribute to these efforts. The Participants acknowledge and confirm their view that the Agreement among the States Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and the other States participating in the Partnership for Peace regarding the Status of their Forces, drawn up at Brussels on 19 June, 1995, applies to all activities undertaken pursuant to and in implementation of this Agreement. Paragraph 2: Ensuring a sustainable force capable of defending Ukraine now and in the future The Participants continue their cooperation in order to provide military support to Ukraine. The objective of this military support is twofold. Firstly, to contribute to Ukraine's ability to continue to exercise its legitimate right to self-defence against Russian and other foreign aggression. Secondly, to help adapt and modernise the security and defence forces of Ukraine, in order to enhance their interoperability with NATO forces and to form a credible deterrent against future foreign aggression. In 2024, the Netherlands will provide EUR 2 billion of military support. The Netherlands will continue support to Ukraine for the ten-year duration of this Agreement. Short-term military support With a view to the short-term objective, the Participants will cooperate to assist with the urgent needs of the security and defence forces of Ukraine to defend Ukraine. Such efforts will be focused on assisting the sustainment of Ukraine's combat operations, as well as the sustainment of platforms and systems provided since February 2022. The Participants will coordinate training activities preparing personnel of the security and defence forces of Ukraine for combat operations as well as sustainment. The Participants will work together, and with other partners of Ukraine, to assist the security and defence forces of Ukraine and to restore Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, as well as to increase Ukraine's resilience so that it is sufficient to deter and defend against future attacks, through the continued provision of security assistance and modern military equipment, across the land, air and sea, space and cyber domains - prioritising air defence, artillery and long-range firepower, armoured vehicles, and other key capabilities as required. This will include, but is not limited to, working together so that Ukraine's military and non-military security institutions are able to perform effectively to European and Euro-Atlantic standards and are fully accountable to the Ukrainian people, Parliament and Government. It is the policy of the Netherlands to assist Ukraine with the preservation of its qualitative defence and military edge amid rapid, uncertain and challenging regional political and security transformations. Long-term military support and capability development With a view to medium- and long-term support, the Participants will cooperate on coordinating activities focused on the modernisation of the Defence Forces of Ukraine (i.e. a Future Force Concept). Long-term goals of these activities will be to provide Ukraine with a credible deterrent against future foreign aggression and to enhance interoperability with NATO forces. These activities will be concentrated on capacity development in the air and maritime domains of Ukraine, where increasing interoperability between the security and defence forces of the Participants, as well as relevant international organisations, is an important objective. The main focus will be on, but not limited to, the areas of the development of maritime capabilities and support in the field of air defence by Ukraine. The Netherlands will advise and support work on defence governance and policies to support the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine in a structural manner. Military support to Ukraine will be provided by the Netherlands on a bilateral basis and via multilateral instruments, including via NATO's Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package (UCAP) and the EU's European Peace Facility (EPF). Ukraine will ensure that the military materiel provided to it by the Netherlands is deployed in accordance with the conditions as agreed upon in end-user certificates, including adherence to international law, in particular international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Furthermore, Ukraine will ensure that the military support provided to it by the Netherlands is used solely for self-defence and deterrence of aggression and is administered in accordance with the rule of law and with effective democratic oversight. Ukraine and the Netherlands will cooperate to prevent the diversion and the illegal circulation of military materiel provided to Ukraine. The Participants will seek to ensure that Ukraine's military capabilities are at such a level that, in the event of external military aggression against the Netherlands, Ukraine is able to provide effective military assistance. The terms, format and scope of such assistance will be determined by the Participants. UDCG and Ukraine future force capabilities The Participants will coordinate their efforts in the development of military capabilities through the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) as well as other bodies, platforms and institutions. The Netherlands will jointly lead the air force coalition which concentrates on future force development and capacity development in the air domain. The Netherlands will make significant contributions to the maritime coalition and other capability coalitions where capacity building and increasing future interoperability between the security and defence forces of the Participants are important objectives. The Netherlands will support the development of the security and defence forces of Ukraine including (but not limited to): a Future Force Concept, a move towards NATO concepts and operating procedures, command and staff training, combined exercises, and enhanced compatibility and interoperability with NATO Allies. Training and exercises and lessons learned The Netherlands will continue and where necessary expand its support in strengthening the capacity of the Ukrainian security and defence forces personnel in particular, but not exclusively, under the framework of the EU Military Assistance Mission. The Netherlands will provide individual and collective trainings to the security and defence forces of Ukraine including train-the-trainers programmes, particularly on weapon systems supplied by the Netherlands and NATO Allies. The training will also promote increased interoperability with Euro-Atlantic partners. Training will be provided in close cooperation with partners within the EU and NATO and in compliance with applicable national, EU and international law. Ukraine and the Netherlands will jointly identify lessons learned on systems and tactics. Paragraph 3: Defence industry cooperation The Netherlands will support, where possible, Ukraine's efforts to integrate its defence industry into NATO and the EU defence and security frameworks. The Netherlands will work with Ukraine to contribute to the development of Ukraine's defence industrial base. Ukraine and the Netherlands will develop a strategic cooperation roadmap on the defence industry and identify the most impactful opportunities for defence and security industry capability development and innovation. Ukraine will cooperate with the Netherlands with regard to industrial production and operational knowledge in relation to, among other things, unmanned vehicles. The Netherlands will work with Ukraine to address existing defence materials supply chain bottlenecks impeding the development of the capacity and capability of Ukraine and other beneficiaries for manufacturing of priority weapons and ammunition. The Netherlands will work with Ukraine to identify funding sources required to enable the development of Ukraine's defence industrial base, which will include providing Dutch investment and financial assistance, in particular in time of war and post-war recovery. The Netherlands will work with Ukraine to strengthen protection of transferred technologies and intellectual property rights. The Netherlands will work with Ukraine to promote information exchange, share lessons learned, remove barriers to cooperation and implement required reform in the defence industry. These partnerships will enable both Ukraine and the Netherlands to expand the capacity of their defence industries. Ukraine and the Netherlands will work to transform Ukraine's defence industry into a powerful capability, enabling Ukraine to restore its sovereignty and territorial integrity, serving as a major driver in economic recovery and being essential part of effective deterrence against potential future acts of aggression to ensure peace and prosperity for both Ukraine and Europe. Paragraph 4: Cooperation in the event of a future armed attack In the event of a future Russian armed attack against Ukraine, at the request of either Participant, the Participants will consult within 24 hours, bilaterally or via other channels they both deem appropriate, in order to determine appropriate next steps. The Participants intend, in accordance with their respective legal and constitutional requirements, to provide swift and sustained security assistance, modern military equipment across land, sea and air domains, and economic assistance, to impose economic and other costs on the Russian Federation, and to consult on Ukraine's needs as it exercises its right of self-defence enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter. In order to ensure the widest and most effective collective response to future armed attacks, the Participants may amend these provisions in order to align with any mechanism that they may subsequently agree with their other international partners, including the participants in the G7 Joint Declaration of 12 July 2023. Paragraph 5: Strengthening Ukraine's recovery, economic stability and resilience Recovery and reconstruction The Participants will continue their cooperation to strengthen Ukraine's economic stability and resilience through support for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. The Netherlands will contribute its fair share amongst donor States and institutions towards the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, which may take the form of contributions via various bilateral and multilateral channels, including, but not limited to, the European Union and International Financial Institutions. The Participants intend to stimulate the participation by their respective private sectors in the recovery and reconstruction efforts. The authorities of Ukraine will ensure that the support received for the purposes of recovery and reconstruction is spent in a manner that is efficient, transparent and accountable. The Participants underscore the importance of support being provided in unison and effective coordination with the relevant partners of Ukraine, including the G7, the European Union and International Financial Institutions and through designated channels, including the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine. The Participants will continue to strengthen coordination mechanisms for joint international efforts for reconstruction. The Netherlands will continue to support Ukraine throughout its path from early to long-term recovery, with these efforts being aligned with Ukraine's EU perspective and its status as an EU candidate country. The Participants underline the value they attach to the congruence and alignment of the recovery and reconstruction process with an effective reform agenda. The Participants will direct their efforts to extend their cooperation to such areas as the development of entrepreneurship, improvement of the regulatory environment, encouragement of investments in specific projects that meet the interests of both sides (e.g. green technology, digital transformation) and financial support for the recovery of small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Humanitarian demining Given the extraordinary scope of the challenge presented by the Russian Federation's massive contamination of Ukrainian soil with mines, ammunition and other explosive ordnance, the Netherlands will continue providing support to humanitarian demining efforts alongside partners. The Participants recognise the need to unite efforts aimed at protecting the population and territories of Ukraine from the negative consequences caused by mines and explosive remnants of war as a result of Russian armed aggression and to alleviate the devastating consequences after its completion. Paragraph 6: Non-military security threats Countering hybrid threats The Participants acknowledge that state actors use non-traditional ways of exerting power, either covertly or on the basis of a hidden agenda, referred to as hybrid threats. Hybrid threats are threats to national security which largely manifest themselves below the threshold of an open armed conflict involving a multiple use of resources by state and/or non-state actors, with the objective to achieve certain strategic objectives. These tactics may or may not be used in conjunction with armed means. The Participants reaffirm their commitment to defending their open and democratic societies against these malign activities. The Participants remain united in their efforts to defend themselves against and counter hybrid threats. The Netherlands will continue to support initiatives to counter hybrid threats within the EU, NATO and relevant international coalitions. The Participants intend to continue to learn from each other and support each other to strengthen resilience in the face of hybrid challenges. The Participants will continue intelligence sharing and cooperation, within accepted parameters. On 5 February 2024, Ukraine and the Kingdom of the Netherlands signed an agreement concerning the exchange and mutual protection of classified information. Cooperation in the sphere of cybersecurity The Participants will work together to enable Ukraine to detect, deter and respond to Russian cyber operations, including cyber espionage and sabotage, including through greater cyber resilience and critical infrastructure protection. This will be achieved through information sharing, conducting joint operations and providing technical assistance to Ukraine, within the legal boundaries and upon the availability of information and expertise. The Participants will work together to improve cooperation against cyber threats, both bilaterally and in the framework of the Tallinn Mechanism. Bilaterally, the Participants will be working towards further operational and political alignment to address cyber threats from the Russian Federation. The Tallinn Mechanism aims to facilitate the prompt provision of expert services in the field of cybersecurity, based on Ukraine's integral assessment of cybersecurity priorities, both to help Ukraine defend its critical infrastructure now and to address longer-term cyber resilience needs. The Participants recognise the need to detect, and respond to malign cyber operations and in particular malicious use of cyber capabilities by the Russian Federation and other hostile state and non-state actors. In order to operationalise the above mentioned fields of increased cooperation, the Participants will engage in regular cyber dialogue. In that dialogue, the Participants will seek ways to intensify operational and political cooperation to deter and respond to cyberattacks by the Russian Federation, its satellites and other malicious cyber actors. Resilience of critical energy, digital and other critical infrastructure The Netherlands is committed to exploring areas for enhanced cooperation in support of Ukraine's energy supply security, among them the green energy transition. The Netherlands will continue to support Ukraine to enhance protection and the resilience of critical infrastructure within the EU, NATO and relevant international coalitions. The Participants intend to explore areas for enhanced international cooperation with a view to exchanging knowledge and best practices in the realm of critical infrastructure capabilities in various sectors. The Netherlands will work with Ukraine to identify sources of funding for grant programmes to develop the recovery of critical infrastructure in various sectors. The Netherlands will support the access of Ukrainian specialists to relevant international programmes and to relevant projects on its territory and in partner countries. The Participants will furthermore explore areas for enhanced cooperation regarding study visits with a view to exchanging knowledge and exchange of best practices. Information security Ukraine and the Netherlands recognise that the Russian Federation continues to manipulate information in support of its war on Ukraine and will continue to mutually support each other's efforts to counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). In order to counter Russian information manipulation globally, the participants will, where possible, collaborate to improve Ukraine's capabilities to counter information security threats, primarily Russian disinformation campaigns; support Ukraine in joining collective instruments for countering threats to information security, in particular through collaboration in existing mechanisms for developing common narratives to counter FIMI, primarily from the Russian Federation; exchange lessons learned on communication strategies to counter disinformation; promote the development of joint educational and training programs within international institutions, including regular sharing of experiences. Cooperation in the sphere of combating serious and organised crime The Participants will, where possible and opportune, provide legal assistance under existing instruments for international criminal cooperation in order to combat serious and organised crime (SOC), amongst others illicit finance, aimed at undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its internal stability and the process of recovery and reconciliation in Ukraine. The Participants will, where possible and opportune under existing instruments, respond to the activities of SOC groups and individuals that are trying to infiltrate across Ukrainian society and are actively used as a tool of hybrid warfare to destabilise the process of recovery and reconciliation in Ukraine. Paragraph 7: Promoting accountability Investigation, prosecution and adjudication of international crimes 1. Recalling that Ukraine requested the Netherlands to be the lead nation on Point 7 of its Peace Formula, Restoring Justice, the Netherlands is, and remains, strongly committed to ensuring accountability for violations of international law, including international crimes, committed against Ukraine and its citizens, first and foremost among these the crime of aggression. The Netherlands will continue to provide support to investigate and prosecute these violations. 2. The Participants are committed to the overall objective as stated under Point 7, to restore justice, break the cycle of impunity for international crimes, and deter future commission of such crimes by ensuring that the Russian Federation, as well as individuals responsible for the crime of aggression and atrocity crimes committed in Ukraine, are held accountable. 3. In the framework of this bilateral Agreement, and in line with the Action Plan/Framework proposals developed under Point 7 in September 2023, the Participants will continue to cooperate closely to pursue the key objectives as outlined therein, including: promoting, within Ukraine, the effective domestic investigation and prosecution of international crimes, including, but not exclusively, through bilateral cooperation and capacity building; in line with the activities of the Core Group, pursuing accountability for the crime of aggression, for which there can be no impunity. The Participants support the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine and recall the offer to host under certain conditions a future special tribunal for the crime of aggression in The Hague; holding those responsible to account, consistent with international law, including by supporting the efforts of international mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court; promoting international cooperation among States and between States and international justice mechanisms in the investigation and prosecution of international crimes committed in, and against, Ukraine, including by co-chairing the Point 7 Working Group of the Ukrainian Peace Formula in Kyiv and the informal international Dialogue Group for Accountability for Ukraine. Ukraine will ratify the Rome Statute of the ICC, including the Amendments on the crime of aggression adopted by the Review Conference of the Rome Statute held in Kampala, Uganda on 11 June 2010 by Resolution RC/Res.6, as mentioned in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, on the way to its membership in the EU. 4. In order to achieve these objectives, the Participants will continue to coordinate their efforts bilaterally and internationally. To this end, the Participants commit to holding regular high level bilateral coordination meetings. In this regard, The Netherlands will host a ministerial conference, entitled 'Restoring Justice for Ukraine', in The Hague in the spring of 2024. To ensure Ukraine remains in the lead with regard to coordination of international efforts, the Netherlands will assist Ukraine in setting up the Secretariat of the Dialogue Group with the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and will continue to jointly guide its work, and that of the Dialogue Group. 5. Ukraine and the Netherlands will continue international efforts to hold to account the political and military leadership of the Russian Federation for its war of aggression against Ukraine and maintain progress towards the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression. Compensation for losses, injuries and damages caused by Russian aggression Ukraine and the Netherlands reaffirm their commitment to holding the Russian Federation accountable for causing losses or damage to all individuals and legal entities concerned, as well as the state of Ukraine, as a result of the internationally wrongful acts of the Russian Federation in or against Ukraine including its aggression in violation of the UN Charter, and reaffirm that the Russian Federation must bear the legal responsibility, including making reparations for any damage caused by such acts, which will also help deter future attacks and support Ukraine's recovery. The Participants reaffirm that the Russian Federation must pay for damage caused to Ukraine, and/or any third state, legal entity or physical person by internationally wrongful acts attributable to the Russian Federation and committed in or against Ukraine, including aggression, international crimes, the disruption of economic activities, and that the Russian Federation must pay for the long-term reconstruction of Ukraine. The Netherlands supports the reference made in the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine. In this regard, Russian sovereign assets in the jurisdiction of the Netherlands, will, to the extent they exist and in accordance with the Dutch legal system, remain immobilised until the Russian Federation has ceased its aggression against Ukraine and fulfilled its obligation to make reparation. The Netherlands, working with its partners, will continue to pursue all lawful routes through which Russian assets can be used to support Ukraine. The Participants will continue to work together with others, including G7 states, towards the establishment of a compensation mechanism to provide compensation for damage, loss, or injury caused to all natural and legal persons concerned, as well as the state of Ukraine, caused by internationally wrongful acts of the Russian Federation in or against Ukraine, 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 establishing the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. In this regard, the Participants will explore appropriate options for the financing of a compensation mechanism to provide prompt and adequate compensation to victims of aggression and to support Ukraine's reconstruction. Paragraph 8: Sanctions The Participants recall that the European Union has imposed massive and unprecedented sanctions against the Russian Federation in response to the war of aggression against Ukraine and that the aim of these measures is to impose severe consequences on the Russian Federation for its actions and to thwart Russian abilities to continue the aggression. The Participants will continue to work to ensure that the costs to the Russian Federation of its aggression continue to rise, including through sanctions and export prohibitions. The Participants also recall that sanctions are most effective when adopted and implemented in coordination with international partners. The Participants will cooperate to actively contribute to the EU policy process to further increase the pressure on the Russian Federation, by developing further individual and sectoral measures and countering the circumvention of the measures in place. The Participants will further build on the close cooperation in multilateral and bilateral formats to: exchange information on the effectiveness of current measures; report on the impact (of enforcement) thereof; counter patterns of circumvention and explore areas where further measures could reinforce the sanctions in place within their jurisdictions. The Participants will cooperate on effective implementation of sanctions, including by exchanging relevant information on enforcement where appropriate, taking into account national legislation. While the Russian Federation's aggression towards Ukraine continues, the Netherlands will remain committed to pursuing robust EU sanctions against relevant sectors of the Russian economy and those who are supporting or profiting from the war, or assisting in sanctions circumvention via third countries. The Netherlands will also take determined action with partners to tackle all forms of sanctions circumvention as well as to keep reinforcing its own domestic resilience against Russia-linked illicit finance and elites. Paragraph 9: Supporting the Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine The Participants acknowledge the importance of international coordination regarding support and security commitments for Ukraine. NATO and the EU both play key roles in Ukraine's long-term security. The Participants recall that the EU and its Member States and NATO and its Allies have provided Ukraine with unprecedented levels of political, military, humanitarian, and financial support, to help Ukraine in the defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Participants acknowledge the difficult circumstances under which Ukraine operates. The Participants reaffirm that Ukraine will continue to carry out the reforms necessary to integrate more closely in the Euro-Atlantic community, while the Netherlands will continue to provide Ukraine with political and practical support. These reforms include continuing implementation of the law enforcement, judiciary, anti-corruption, corporate governance, economic, security sector, and state management reforms that underscore Ukraine's commitment to democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and media freedoms, and put its economy on a sustainable path; and also include advancing defence reforms and defence modernisation including by strengthening democratic civilian control of the military and improving efficiency and transparency across Ukraine's defence institutions and industry. NATO 1. The Participants recall that Ukraine's future is in NATO. Referring to the Agreement among the States Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and the other States participating in the Partnership for Peace Regarding the Status of their Forces, to which both Participants are a party, Ukraine has become increasingly interoperable and politically integrated with the Alliance. Ukraine has made substantial progress on its reform path and will join NATO when Allies agree and conditions are met. The Netherlands and NATO Allies will continue to support and review Ukraine's progress on democratic and security sector reforms as well as interoperability through Ukraine's adapted Annual National Programme (ANP) on its path towards future membership. Specifically, the Participants commit to Ukraine's implementation of the following enhancements: ensuring NATO standards of transparency, accountability, and competition in the management and oversight of security policy and practice, including procurement at the Ministry of Defence and across the defence industrial sector; transforming defence planning and resource management systems to increase transparency, reduce corruption, and increase interoperability with NATO; reorganising command and control structures in accordance with NATO principles to increase interoperability and ensure effective civilian oversight; and modernising defence human resource management and military education systems to align with NATO principles and standards. 2. The participants also acknowledge the NATO-Ukraine Council as a joint body where Allies and Ukraine sit as equal members to advance political dialogue, engagement, cooperation, and Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. 3. Additionally, the Netherlands will continue to contribute to the delivery of support to Ukraine via NATO's Comprehensive Assistance Package (UCAP). The aim of short-term non-lethal support is to help with the sustainment of Ukrainian operations. The aim for the medium- to long-term support is to help with rebuilding the Ukrainian security and defence sector and to help Ukraine with its transition towards full interoperability with NATO on its road to NATO membership. European Union With regard to Ukraine's future accession to the EU, the Participants reaffirm that Ukraine is part of the European family and has a future within the EU. The Participants recall the merits-based nature of the EU accession process. They reaffirm their commitment to work on Ukraine's progressive integration with the Union, with a view to future Union membership. The Netherlands acknowledges Ukraine's efforts thus far to implement necessary reforms under extremely challenging circumstances and will continue to support Ukraine's reform efforts. The EU and its Member States have provided unprecedented support to Ukraine, notably through the European Peace Facility (EPF), the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM) for Ukraine, as well as through efforts to scale up the production and delivery of ammunition, macro-financial assistance and budget support, support for recovery and reconstruction, diplomatic support and global outreach, solidarity lanes, trade measures, accountability efforts, regional cooperation, sanctions, humanitarian aid, and the protection of people fleeing the war. As a member of the EU, the Netherlands contributes to EU support to Ukraine. All these parallel processes help to improve the security and resilience of Ukraine, which is linked to the success of Ukraine's path to EU accession. The Netherlands, as a member of the EU, contributes to the continuation of credible and effective support, including in the framework of the EU's security arrangements for Ukraine. This will help Ukraine defend itself in the long-term, deter acts of aggression and resist destabilisation efforts. The Netherlands will advocate fostering opportunities for cooperation in the framework of relevant EU initiatives, including those aimed at ramping up defence production capacity and enhancing cooperation with the Ukrainian defence industry. This cooperation will benefit the production of military materiel for both Ukraine and the Netherlands. Paragraph 10: Bilateral relations Ukraine and the Netherlands will further develop their close and friendly relations in all areas, on the basis of shared values and an unshakeable solidarity in the face of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and of common threats and challenges. Ukraine and the Netherlands seek to work together even more closely in the future in the political, defence, economic, scientific and cultural spheres. Ukraine and the Netherlands will further deepen their bilateral relations by strengthening regular consultation formats. Cultural heritage 1. The Participants recognise that the armed conflict has damaged cultural heritage of Ukraine, through negligence, disregard or even purposeful attacks on it, motivated by malice or malign intentions. We recall in this vein UNESCO's 1954 Hague Convention (and its protocols) for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. Its observance is one of the main subjects of the UNESCO conference taking place in The Hague on 14 and 15 May 2024, marking the Convention's 70th anniversary. The conference will seek attention for the necessity of enhancing the adherence to and observance of the Convention and its protocols, by, ultimately, all States Parties to UNESCO. Paragraph 11: Implementation of cooperation 2. The Participants will implement this Agreement in accordance with their international and national obligations, as well as the European commitments of the Netherlands. Paragraph 12: Executive and technical arrangement The Participants will, if they so deem necessary, designate authorised bodies for the development and implementation of bilateral arrangements in accordance with the areas of cooperation specified in this Agreement. The authorised bodies of the Participants can conclude executive and technical arrangements on specific areas of cooperation within the framework of the implementation of this Agreement or supplements to this Agreement. Paragraph 13: Timeframe of the Agreement This Agreement is valid for ten years from the date of its signature. The Participants will evaluate the effectiveness and necessity of the Agreement before the end of its validity. In the event that Ukraine becomes a member of NATO before the expiry of this Agreement, the Participants will decide on its future status. The provisions of this Agreement will come into effect immediately upon signature. Paragraph 14: Procedural provisions The Participants underline that the present Agreement is intended to build upon their existing excellent cooperation in the various fields outlined in this Agreement which is expressly non-exclusive. Nothing in this Agreement will preclude any of the activities currently carried out in the field outside the remit of the Agreement. Similarly, the current Agreement does not preclude future activities that do not currently fall under the objectives stated above. The Participants acknowledge that the level and kind of support the Netherlands provides may vary annually, as a consequence of both evolving needs of Ukraine and other considerations. Representatives of the two Participants intend to meet at least once a year to review and evaluate the progress of activities jointly carried out under this Agreement. Such meetings will be held on an alternating basis in Ukraine or the Netherlands or at another location to be jointly decided upon. Neither Participant will make available any information, documents or data derived from the cooperative activities under this Agreement to a third party without prior written permission from the other Participant. Amendments to this Agreement may be made at any time as mutually decided by the Participants in writing. Any disputes between the Participants arising out of the interpretation and/or implementation of this Agreement will be settled amicably through negotiation or consultation between the Participants. This Agreement may be terminated at any time upon a three months' notice in writing. The termination will not affect the implementation of ongoing activities or projects decided upon prior to the date of its termination, unless the Participants decide otherwise. Signed in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on 1 March 2024, in duplicate, in the Ukrainian, Dutch and English language, all three texts having equal validity of which the English version will prevail in the event of any discrepancy. For Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy For the Government of the Netherlands: Prime Minister Mark Rutte NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands saw the buildings damaged by Russian shelling of Kharkiv and honored the memory of children killed by Russian aggression President of Ukraine 1 March 2024 - 16:38 In Kharkiv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte saw the buildings damaged by Russian shelling. In particular, they saw a multi-storey residential building at 9b Akademika Proskury Street, which was destroyed by a massive Russian shelling on January 23, 2024. Five people were killed and 14 others were injured as a result of an enemy missile strike. 23 residents of the building were rescued from under the rubble. The first, second, and third entrances were damaged by the missile attack, the gas supply was cut off, and the central heating and cold water supply were partially disconnected. According to Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Head Oleh Syniehubov, a total of 10 people were killed and about 100 residential buildings were damaged as a result of the January 23 shelling of Kharkiv. 6,000 residents were left homeless. They have been provided with temporary housing in dormitories and other accommodations. The Head of State and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands also saw the multi-storey buildings on Myronosytska Street in the city center that were damaged by a Russian missile strike in March 2022. The strike damaged the supporting and enclosing structures of the buildings. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte also saw the building of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration on Sumska Street, which was heavily damaged by Russian shelling on March 1, 2022. The six-storey RSA building, built in 1954, was recognized as a monument of urban planning and architecture of local importance and included in the State Register of Immovable Monuments of Ukraine. As a result of a Russian missile hitting the building, 80% of the roof, supporting structures, including the outer and inner walls of the building, and floor slabs were damaged. Restoration work began in December 2022. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Kharkiv, more than 20,000 objects have been destroyed, including 50% of the city's schools. There are 520,000 internally displaced persons living in Kharkiv region. The President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands also honored the memory of children killed by Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, 87 children have been killed as a result of hostilities in Kharkiv region, including 21 young Ukrainians in Kharkiv. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte placed icon lamps and toys at the monument to the young victims of Russian aggression near the Kharkiv Regional Palace of Children and Youth Creativity. The monument to the deceased children was unveiled on the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression on June 4, 2023, with the participation of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska. The author is a sculptor from Kharkiv, Mykhailo Yatchenko. The monument consists of sculptures of a boy and a girl in the form of angels with burnt wings, who are flying over a granite block representing an explosion. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte met in Kharkiv and signed an agreement on security cooperation between Ukraine and the Netherlands President of Ukraine 1 March 2024 - 16:30 In Kharkiv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte held negotiations in narrow, expanded formats and in the format of a military cabinet meeting. They also signed an agreement on security cooperation between Ukraine and the Netherlands. The document was signed in the framework of the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine adopted at the NATO Summit in Vilnius. The agreement confirms the decision of the Netherlands to continue cooperation in order to further provide and expand assistance to Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression for as long as necessary. The document is valid for ten years from the date of its signing. In particular, the agreement stipulates that the Netherlands will provide a2 billion in military aid in 2024 and continue defense support over the next 10 years. The document contains a powerful military block that envisages providing Ukraine with modern military equipment and support for the defense industry. Priority is given to air defense, artillery, armored vehicles, support for maritime and long-range capabilities, and in particular, the Air Force. In the non-military sphere, in particular, it is planned to increase assistance to Ukraine in the areas of economic recovery and reconstruction, countering hybrid threats, intelligence, cyber and information security, combating serious and organized crime, and critical infrastructure. In addition, the document has expanded blocks on sanctions, compensation for damages and bringing the aggressor state to justice, as well as on the Netherlands' support for Ukraine's cultural heritage. The agreement clearly reaffirms the Netherlands' support for Ukraine's future membership in the EU and NATO. A mechanism for 24-hour emergency response in the event of repeated military aggression against Ukraine has been defined. The Head of State and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands also took part in the meeting of the military cabinet. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte spoke with Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi and Commander of the Air Force of Ukraine Mykola Oleshchuk. The representatives of the Ukrainian army spoke about the current situation on the battlefield and the specifics of Russian aerial attacks. They also outlined the critical needs of the Defense Forces in artillery rounds, air defense systems and armored vehicles. Separately, they discussed the needs of the air defense forces to protect Kharkiv. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netherlands Pledges $2.2 Billion in Military Aid for Ukraine By VOA News March 01, 2024 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Friday he and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte signed a security agreement that will provide Kyiv with $2.2 billion in military aid this year. Zelenskyy announced details of the plan on his social media accounts, after the two leaders met and held talks in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city and a frequent target for Russian attacks. "The document provides for 2 billion euros of military assistance from the Netherlands this year, as well as further defense assistance over the next 10 years," Zelenskyy said in the post. He also posted a copy of the agreement to his official presidential website. Ukraine warned last month it had received less than a third of the 1 million artillery shells the European Union had promised to deliver and was struggling to hold its defenses. It withdrew its forces from the eastern town of Avdiivka in February amid difficulty securing ammunition, handing Moscow its first major territorial gain in over a year. On his X account, formerly Twitter, Zelenskyy posted a video of the two touring the city, including some of the 20,000 buildings Zelenskyy said have been destroyed in Russian attacks. Zelenskyy added that they visited a residential building destroyed by Russian shelling in January. The website said five people were killed and 14 others were injured in the attack. Rutte and Zelenskyy also toured special classrooms built into a subway station, allowing about 858 school children in 40 classes to continue their education in relative safety. Meanwhile, in a social media post Thursday, the U.N. coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, condemned the deadly attacks in the eastern Kharkiv region. "Local authorities have reported a dozen casualties, including a child being killed. Civilian infrastructure was also damaged," Brown said. She added that strikes in the Donetsk and Kherson regions Wednesday and Thursday "also caused massive destruction of civilian infrastructure as well as civilian casualties." Brown said local authorities reported more than 100 homes were impacted, as well as schools and other facilities. She reported humanitarian workers are on the ground to support affected communities, including by providing construction materials and psychological support. Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some information for this report was provided by Reuters and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mitchell, March 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mitchell, South Dakota - Precision Reloading, a company well-respected for its comprehensive range of reloading supplies for rifles and shotguns, is delighted to announce an important addition to its product offerings. The company's inclusion of the Garmin Xero C1 Chronograph in their lineup is a clear demonstration of their solid commitment to the specialized requirements of shooting enthusiasts. They cater to competitive shooters and hunters who emphasize accuracy and dependability above all else. For further information about Precision Reloading and their diverse range of products, please visit Precision Reloading's website. The Garmin Xero C1 Chronograph is a high-tech tool expertly designed to gauge bullet speed, an essential element in the exactness of the reloading procedure. The velocity of a bullet determines the trajectory and the depth of penetration in shot rounds. Therefore, precise bullet speed measurements can assist shooters in refining their reloading process and enhancing their overall shooting performance. The introduction of the Garmin Xero C1 Chronograph to Precision Reloading's product portfolio reflects their ongoing adaptation to technological advancements. This addition aligns with their mission to provide high-quality reloading components and equipment that improve the reloading process. A representative from Precision Reloading shared, Precision Reloading is constantly on the lookout to serve our clients with top-tier products that meet their varied shooting and reloading needs. Welcoming the Garmin Xero C1 Chronograph into our product assortment emphasizes our commitment to boosting accuracy, efficiency, and reliability in reloading. The scope of Precision Reloading's expertise covers an extensive range of reloading supplies. They offer a wide variety of reloading dies, essential in resizing and reshaping used cartridges, preparing them for a new set of primer, powder, and bullet. Moreover, Precision Reloading also stocks bullets of different sizes, shapes, and materials to cater to the specific shooting needs of every customer. By adding the Garmin Xero C1 Chronograph to Precision Reloadings product range, they are providing an advanced tool for shooters engaged in different activities including hunting, target shooting, or self-defense. This product is not just an addition, but a reinforcement to their high standard of commitment to quality, efficiency, and customer service. With the Garmin Xero C1 Chronograph as part of our product lineup, we are strengthening our promise to deliver superior reloading tools and components, thereby ensuring our clients achieve their shooting goals, a spokesperson for Precision Reloading added. Recognized for their approach focused on the customer, Precision Reloading also provides expert advice along with guidance to help customers make informed decisions about the most appropriate reloading supplies for their needs. Their dependable delivery service and exceptional after-sales care have led to their reputation as a trusted choice worldwide among shooting enthusiasts. The unveiling of the Garmin Xero C1 Chronograph serves as a reaffirmation of Precision Reloadings ongoing commitment to sourcing, integrating high-caliber products that elevate the reloading and shooting experiences for its customers. By introducing this product, Precision Reloading once again demonstrates its deep understanding and respect for its customers' needs. Its evident through their passion for delivering top-quality products and services for those who value accuracy and precision in their shooting practices. This move signals another significant step in Precision Reloading's continuous effort to streamline and enhance the reloading process for shooting enthusiasts all over the world. For more information, visit their website at https://www.precisionreloading.com/. ### For more information about Precision Reloading, contact the company here: Precision Reloading Precision Reloading 605-996-9984 Orders@precisionreloading.com 1700 W. Cedar Ave. Mitchell, SD 57301 WASHINGTON, March 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This week, at the World Trade Organizations (WTO) 13th ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi, ministers were unable to finalize an addendum to its Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies that had the potential to curb harmful fisheries subsidies that lead to overfishing. This setback extends the WTOs two-decade-long streak of failing to prohibit harmful subsidies, a commitment it first took up at the 2001 Doha Ministerial Conference. Oceanas Senior Analyst Dr. Daniel Skerritt says, This outcome is not just disappointing; its a dire blow to global marine biodiversity. Our governments are failing to look beyond their own short-term self-interest, prioritizing political posturing above reaching an agreement that would benefit everyone. The WTOs continued failure to prohibit subsidy-driven overcapacity and overfishing jeopardizes the lives of millions of people who depend on healthy fish populations for their livelihoods and food security. According to research supported by Oceana, harmful fisheries subsidies from the worlds top fishing nations disproportionately impact the vulnerable developing nations that depend on fish for food security and livelihoods. The draft agreement included measures that could have helped rectify this global imbalance. Without them, these practices will continue. Oceana Board Member and leading fisheries economist Dr. Rashid Sumaila says, Today most fish stocks are either fully exploited or overfished. Without fish, its game over. Given the massive effort by so many since 2001, the WTOs failure to take effective action this week to remove overfishing subsidies questions whether the organization is capable of addressing these subsidies at all. Oceana is calling for members to shift their focus to first ratify and then strengthen the first agreement, which at least prohibits subsidies for illegal fishing and fishing on depleted fish stocks. To date, 70 members have accepted the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, meaning 40 acceptances remain for the agreement to enter into force. Once ratified, the agreements sunset clause a provision that mandates the termination of the agreement if comprehensive disciplines are not established within four years will come into effect. This clause is not just a safeguard against perpetual failed WTO negotiations; it's a clear deadline, injecting much-needed urgency into the process. This mechanism offers a glimmer of hope, providing a concrete timeline to end the two-decade-long stalemate and forces the WTO to prove its commitment to global sustainability. Now its up to members to ratify and implement the agreement. The world is watching, added Skerritt. ABOUT OCEANA: Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the worlds wild fish catch. With more than 300 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceanas campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit Oceana.org to learn more. Contact: Anna Baxter abaxter@oceana.org TORONTO, March 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX) is deeply saddened by the passing of the Chairman of its International Advisory Board and former member of the Barrick Board of Directors, the Right Honorable Brian Mulroney, on February 29, 2024. Prime Minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993, Mr Mulroney holds the distinction of being the first Canadian Prime Minister in 35 years to win successive majority governments and the first Conservative Prime Minister to do so in 100 years. Best known for his stance on international trade and building the closest of relationships with the United States of America, United Kingdom and Germany, Mr Mulroney also served as Co-Chairman of the United Nations World Summit for Children. His government played leading roles in the campaign against Apartheid in South Africa, the creation of Le Sommet de la Francophonie, the reunification of East and West Germany and the first Gulf War. He also held board and leadership positions at a wide range of major corporations and institutions. Paying tribute to Mr Mulroney, Barrick Chairman John Thornton, described him as one of the greatest statesmen of his generation, with a keen sense of humor and deep compassion and empathy for others. Brian was a leader with a purpose who accomplished many vital goals and did so with decency and skill. He will always be remembered for his insightful contribution to geopolitical and other strategic issues and most importantly missed as a friend. Our deepest sympathies, thoughts and prayers are with his wife Mila and their four children Caroline, Ben, Mark and Nicolas. Enquiries Investor and Media Relations Kathy du Plessis +44 20 7557 7738 Email: barrick@dpapr.com Website: www.barrick.com KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, March 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) would like to refer to the news published by a local news organisation titled - Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council in serious condition with massive resignations, lack of direction. MHTC has made significant strides in advancing agency-wide operational excellence which has been crucial to strengthening its foundation and positioning the agency for its next growth phase. MHTC is evolving to meet the needs of healthcare travellers globally. We have already set out the strategies for Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 programme and are already working with the various government agencies and stakeholders to ensure the success of the programme. As we transition, we are committed to identifying additional opportunities to drive improved returns for our partners and stakeholders, and making healthcare travel a key export for the country. To learn more about Malaysia Healthcare and its services, please visit https://malaysiahealthcare.org or visit our social feeds at: www.facebook.com/MHTCMalaysia or at LinkedIn (Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council). For media enquiries: Chandrika Bhaskaran Senior Manager PR & Communications Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council chandrika.b@mhtc.org.my Falliq Effendy Manager PR & Communications Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council m.falliq@mhtc.org.my ABOUT THE MALAYSIA HEALTHCARE TRAVEL COUNCIL The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) is a government agency under the Ministry of Health Malaysia that has been entrusted with the responsibility of curating the countrys healthcare travel scene, making it a key export service industry. Founded in 2009, MHTC works to streamline industry players and service providers in facilitating and growing Malaysias healthcare travel industry under the brand Malaysia Healthcare with the intended goal of making Malaysia the leading global healthcare destination. MHTC works closely with over 90 private healthcare facilities in Malaysia, who are registered members of MHTC. WASHINGTON, March 2, 2024 CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corporation, a Beaumont, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 61,839 pounds of steamed chicken soup dumpling products that may be contaminated with foreign materials, specifically hard plastic from a permanent marker pen, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The steamed chicken soup dumplings were produced on Dec. 7, 2023. The following products are subject to recall [view labels]: 6-oz. boxes with plastic trays containing six pieces of TRADER JOES Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings with lot codes 03.07.25.C1-1 and 03.07.25.C1-2 printed on the side of the box. The products subject to recall bear establishment number P-46009 inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to Trader Joes retail locations nationwide. The problem was discovered after the firm received complaints from consumers reporting they found hard plastic in Trader Joes steamed chicken soup dumplings. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions or injury due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls. Consumers with questions about the recall can contact the CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corporations Consumer Experience Department at 800-544-6855. Members of the media with questions can contact CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corporation's media relations team at 507-537-8550 or questions@schwans.com. Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/. Vancouver, March 1, 2024 - Element 29 Resources Inc. (TSXV: ECU) (OTCQB: EMTRF) (BVL: ECU) ("Element 29" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received environmental permit approval for exploration drilling at its wholly-owned Atravesado porphyry target on the Flor de Cobre copper project, located in southern Peru. The permit, known as a Declaracion de Impacto Ambiental ("DIA"), allows the Company to drill from a maximum of 40 drilling platforms. Following approval of the environmental permit, Element 29 requested approval from the Peruvian General Mining Bureau ("DGM") for the Authorization to Initiate Exploration Activities ("AIEA"), which is a normal course step that triggers Peruvian authorities to evaluate the effect of exploration activities on the local community. The outcome of this evaluation will establish whether there is a need for a prior consultation process ("Consulta Previa"). In parallel, the Company is negotiating a surface rights agreement with the local community. After completing these steps, the Company expects that Peruvian authorities will be able to issue approval of the AIEA. Partnering with GlobeTrotters on Exploration The Company plans to partner with GlobeTrotters Resource Group ("GlobeTrotters"), a private exploraton company focused on project generation in South America. GlobeTrotters has been actively exploring in Peru for more than 10 years and responsible for the initial discovery of the Company's flagship Elida porphyry Cu-Mo-Ag deposit and the Atravesado porphry Cu target at Flor de Cobre. The plans are to utilize GlobeTrotters' technical expertise in Peru to advance the Company's portfolio of highly prospective porphyry Cu projects and share operational resources to potentially significantly cut costs. The plans to partner with GlobeTrotters, the largest shareholder of the Company, complements the appointment of Manuel Montoya as Chief Technical Officer (see February 29, 2024 press release). Richard Osmond, Chairman and CEO, commented, "The receipt of the Atravesado target DIA on our Flor de Cobre project is an important step towards drilling this highly prospective target. Our Peruvian team has worked diligently on both permitting and on gaining a better understanding of the Atravesado target. We anticipate receipt of the drill permit by Q3 2024." Mr. Osmond continues, "The planned partnership with GlobeTrotters fits perfectly with our strategic plans to reduce corporate costs and focus our efforts as much as possible on advancing our portfolio of highly prospective Peruvian porphyry copper projects in one of the top mining jurisdictions globally." Atravesado is a large porphyry Cu target on the 1,800 hectare ("ha") Flor de Cobre property (Figure 1) in the Southern Peru Copper Belt (Figure 2) that hosts some of the world's largest Cu mines and deposits. Outcrop samples anomalous in Cu and molybdenum ("Mo"), resistivity and chargeability anomalies, and corresponding geological indicators define the target with an area of approximately 1.5 km x 2.0 km. Mapping completed by the Element 29 geological team suggests Atravesado is part of a larger porphyry complex that extends to the Candelaria zone to the southeast. The core of the Atravesado target has not been tested by drilling (Figure 1 and Figure 3). Candelaria Concessions As part of the Company's option agreement renegotiation discussions with the underlying property vendor of the Candelaria concessions comprising a total of 127.12 ha, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary Candelaria Resources S.A.C. has signed a non-binding letter of intent following the expiry of the previous 5-year option agreement entered in 2019. The Company will provide status updates on the new negotiations with the property vendor. Figure 1: Map of the Flor de Cobre property, located in southern Peru. Atravesado is a large porphyry Cu-Mo exploration target associated with an increased density of quartz veinlets and late mineral porphyry dikes associated with a cluster of outcrop samples with anomalous Cu geochemistry. The target is also coincident with a high resistivity and moderate chargeability geophysical anomaly at a depth of 250 m thought to represent a leached potassic altered porphyry complex at depth. The location of two historical drill holes outside of the porphyry target area were completed by Anglo American in 2007. The blue dashed line is the location of the section shown in Figure 3 below. Concessions outlined in red are wholly owned by Element 29. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7414/200154_af030d60943ba9fe_001full.jpg Figure 2: Regional setting of the Flor de Cobre Project in the Southern Peru Copper Belt, between Freeport McMoRan's Cerro Verde mining complex and Nexa Resources' Chapi mine. The project is at a moderate elevation of less than 2,700 m, is road accessible, and is close to excellent infrastructure for mine development and operation. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7414/200154_figure2.jpg Figure 3: Cross section through geophysical line L3600N shows the results of the IP-Resistivity 2D inversion. The high resistivity anomaly in the center of the section is interpreted to represent the buried Atravesado porphyry complex. The high chargeability anomalies that straddle the high resistivity anomaly in the center of the section are interpreted to represent a pyritic halo associated with a flanking phyllic alteration zone. The low chargeability anomaly coincident with a moderately to low resistivity anomaly in the upper-central part of the section is interpreted to represent leached capping suggesting potential for enrichment at dept. To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7414/200154_af030d60943ba9fe_003full.jpg Qualified Person The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Richard Osmond (P.Geo.), Element 29's Chairman and CEO, who is the "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Flor de Cobre Flor de Cobre is a porphyry Cu exploration project that contains the recently outlined Atravesado porphyry Cu target 2.5 km northwest of the historical Candelaria mine. The property is in the Southern Peru Copper Belt and is 5 km northwest of Nexa Resources' Chapi mine and 26 km southeast of the Cerro Verde mine owned by Freeport-McMoRan, Sumitomo Metal Mining, and Compania de Minas Buenaventura. Flor de Cobre hosts a classic Andean porphyry system with primary Cu sulphide mineralization associated with a multi-phase quartz monzonite porphyry complex. Weathering redistributed primary mineralization into a sub-horizontal enrichment blanket containing secondary Cu oxide and sulphide minerals at the base of a hematitic leached cap. Remnants of the upper jarositic component of the leached cap overlying the hematitic cap are preserved on the higher hill tops around the Candelaria prospect. An IP/Resistivity geophysical survey completed in 2019 outlined a core of moderate resistivity that coincides with widespread Cu oxide mineralization, strong Cu geochemistry, and late-stage quartz monzodiorite porphyry dikes. The resistive core is surrounded by a high-chargeability halo corresponding with weathered quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration. About Element 29 Resources Inc. Element 29 Resources Inc. is an emerging copper exploration and development company focused on advancing its portfolio of Peruvian projects towards development in one of the world's more established mining jurisdictions. Element 29's growth strategy is led by our strong board and management, who have a proven track record of discovery and delivering value to our shareholders. The Company's principal objective is to explore and develop its Flor de Cobre Porphyry Cu Project located in the Southern Peru Copper Belt, 26 km southeast from Freeport-McMoRan's Cerro Verde copper mine, and its Elida Porphyry Cu Deposit in west-central Peru. Both projects are well located for potential mine development and will benefit from nearby infrastructure including roads, powerlines, ports, water, and a skilled workforce. More information is available at www.e29copper.com. For additional information: Richard Osmond, Chairman & CEO 1-888-246-7881 info@e29copper.com The TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") has neither approved or disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "Forward-looking Statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute Forward-looking Statements. Words such as "will", "intends", "proposed" and "expects" or similar expressions are intended to identify Forward-looking Statements. Forward-looking Statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's future plans, goals, expectations or strategies regarding the exploration and development of its resource properties, including advancing its portfolio of Peruvian copper projects; the Company's planned exploration of drilling targets and expected discovery of highly prospective porphyry Cu; approval of the AIEA from Peruvian authorities; the planned partnership with GlobeTrotters and the expected benefits thereof; and the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary entering into a binding option agreement with respect to the Candelaria concessions, if at all. Forward-looking Statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, and important factors, among others, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations including uncertainties related to the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital for its operations on acceptable terms or at all, fluctuations in copper and other commodity prices, uncertainties inherent in the exploration of mineral properties, legislative, political or economic developments, including changes in Peruvian federal and/or provincial laws that may significantly affect the mining industry, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary's ability to enter into a binding option agreement with respect to the Candelaria concessions on acceptable terms or at all, and other risk factors set forth in the Company's prospectus under the heading "Risk Factors". Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on Forward-looking Statements as there can be no assurances that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any Forward-looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Element 29 to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any Forward-looking Statement. Any Forward-looking Statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/200154 Audi targets full 100 percent takeover of Sauber Audi appears to be ramping up rather than wriggling out of its commitment to enter Formula 1 for 2026. Valtteri Bottas, Bahrain GP 2024 Sauber Just a few days ago, there was talk of more upper management turmoil at the Volkswagen-owned German marque, but Sauber team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi affirmed the strong commitment of the Audi Group . Indeed, Audi made the decision to enter F1 by acquiring a 75 percent stake in the Swiss team Sauber back in late 2022, with some equity having already changed hands. And now, Bloomberg reports that Audi is in fact ramping up its earlier plans, with the goal now of acquiring full 100 percent ownership of Sauber. When asked about this, a Sauber spokesman said Audi acquiring a stake is an important milestone on the way to Audi's entry in Formula 1 in 2026, for which the Sauber Group will be the brand's strategic partner and its works team . We do not further comment about the team's shareholding structure at this time, he added. Sauber currently races officially in F1 as 'Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber'. (GMM) Bottas would cut off mullet for Mercedes return Valtteri Bottas says he would shave his moustache and cut his 'mullet' hairstyle in order to return to Mercedes. Valtteri Bottas, Bahrain GP 2024 Sauber The Finn was paired at Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton until 2021, resulting in Bottas taking a big step down the grid with Sauber - and a big change in his personal branding and image. In Bahrain, he told the Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat that the Hamilton news caught him out. Especially the timing was quite surprising, but when you think about it, he is probably approaching his last years in Formula 1, Bottas said. I think he also good a pretty good deal there, so why not? To date, Bottas has been pinning his hopes on staying in Formula 1 beyond his expiring contract on the looming Sauber-Audi project, set to ramp up towards 2026. It's a fact that my contract is until the end of this year, he reveals. "We haven't discussed the situation inside the team yet, but it will be early this year or in the coming months. Quite a few teams don't have a pair of drivers locked in for 2025, so there will be movement. Not right away, but you have to stay pretty alert to what's going on. Bottas confirms that it remains his priority to talk to Sauber about a new deal. Audi has always been successful in every form of motorsport and they don't do it half-hearted, he said. It's my biggest goal to get involved in that. However, he admits that he's also keeping half an eye on the situation at Mercedes. In this sport you can never say never, Bottas insisted. Anything is possible in this sport. But Bottas, although no longer adding to his impressive list of 67 podiums, appears personally much happier than he did when he was at Mercedes. Most visibly, it shows in his moustache and 'mullet' hairstyle. So would he be prepared to get rid of those features in exchange for a return to Mercedes? Well, that would be a pretty hard demand, Bottas laughed. "But if we're talking about success and getting back to fighting for podiums and victories, then yes, I believe that the mullet and the moustache can go. But I also believe that they have perhaps learned something new about me, he added. So I don't think they'd demand it. He insists that he still believes he might become world champion some day, even though many observers believe Bottas has settled into a more laid-back lifestyle. Of course I believe it, or I wouldn't be here, said the Finn. "If someone thinks that I drive for fun, that's not true. First, let's make it a goal to get back on the podium. That's the next step, and then we'll keep looking forward after that. (GMM) European races likely to be alternated Stefano Domenicali admits Formula 1 may begin to annually alternate some of the European grands prix from 2026. Carlos Sainz, Spanish GP 2023 Ferrari The sport's ever-swelling 24-race calendar is now attracting widespread criticism, but yet another event has been added to the schedule for 2026 - Madrid. Signing the contract to host the race in Madrid was very important for us because it showed that there is still a lot of interest in Formula 1 in Europe, although many believed that we should leave Europe due to the lack of interest, said Domenicali, the CEO of F1, representing rights holder Liberty Media. But we proved that this is not so. But adding one more race in Europe seems to have tipped Domenicali over the edge in terms of requiring that some race hosts start to annually alternate their events. The first candidate is likely to be Barcelona - the existing race in Spain, which will lose its official Spanish GP title to Madrid in 2026, almost certainly reverting to the European GP if a deal with Domenicali is struck. In Barcelona there is a huge desire to keep hosting the grand prix there in the coming years. In 2026 we will have a lot of grands prix, mainly in Europe, and we are considering various options, the F1 CEO admitted. In 2026 you will see something interesting. We are currently in talks with promoters in Europe and will be able to announce something soon. (GMM) F1, FIA to decide if Horner action required As the Christian Horner saga rolls on, he met privately and separately with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in Bahrain on Friday. Helmut Marko, Christian Horner, Bahrain GP 2024 Red Bull Domenicali and the FIA boss then got together later on, to discuss current affairs in Formula 1 at the start of 2024 - and the Horner scandal has become the most pressing issue. Kronen Zeitung thinks Horner may even be in breach of Article 12.2.1.c - harming the interests of motorsport with the scandal surrounding his alleged affair with a female staff member, believed to be his former PA. I think the sanctioning body has a responsibility and authority to our sport and to our fans, McLaren CEO Zak Brown charged. Fellow fierce Horner-critic Toto Wolff added, according to Kurier newspaper: "They have to think about what they do now with that information. But we want to concentrate on racing now. We've been talking non-stop about this topic for weeks. Although cleared of wrongdoing by Red Bull's parent company Red Bull GmbH, the scandal took a dramatic twist in Bahrain with the leak of texts, photos and videos to the entire F1 media contingent and bosses. I was completely confused and surprised that the documents have been leaked, Dr Helmut Marko told Sport Bild. I haven't looked at them myself. What is clear is that an individual or a faction is trying to destroy Horner's professional and personal life. Jos Verstappen, father of Red Bull driver Max, said in Bahrain: Yes, I also received that email (the leak). Max, after racing to pole on Friday, said the affair is not our business . Listen, when I look at how Christian operates within the team, he has been an incredible team boss, said the Dutchman. "So absolutely, from the performance side of things, you can't even question that. He's fully committed to the team here, also here for the performance - probably a little bit distracted. But like I said before, we just focus on the performance side of things. That's how we all work together. Former F1 team boss Gunther Steiner, however, thinks the affair would definitely be a big distraction for Red Bull early in the new season. For the management, the topic is certainly more important than the race weekend itself, he told Sky Deutschland. But there is such good sport going on here that we shouldn't have to be referring to these topics. It is believed Horner's wife Geri Halliwell was travelling to Bahrain at the very time the email leak hit inboxes - and could even make a public appearance on Saturday. It's obviously a tough time, a tired looking Horner told the Dutch broadcaster NOS. It's obviously a lot of noise, but I am fully focused on my work here in Bahrain and on my family. (GMM) Ricciardo only in F1 because of his image 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has lashed out at one of the sport's most popular personalities. Daniel Ricciardo, Bahrain GP 2024 Red Bull He thinks Daniel Ricciardo, the always-smiling and cheerful 34-year-old who has resurrected his career at RB after being dropped by McLaren in 2022, doesn't deserve to be back in Formula 1 purely on merit. Ricciardo is a pure product of image and modern social media, Villeneuve told Betideas. You can't base his long career on results. You just can't. They don't stack up, said the Canadian, referring to Ricciardo's 8 wins from approaching 250 grand prix starts. "It's amazing. He can thank Netflix and all that kind of stuff. His smile, his attitude in the paddock in front of the camera. Ultimately, even against (Yuki) Tsunoda he doesn't do brilliantly. But he brings value to F1 and that's why he is there. There are many drivers who are as quick as him but don't have his image, added Villeneuve, 52. So, you might as well take the one with the image. (GMM) Wolff not ruling out Vettel as Hamilton replacement Toto Wolff has described Sebastian Vettel as a "giant" of Formula 1, as the quadruple world champion once again refuses to rule out the prospect of a sensational return. Sebastian Vettel, Monaco GP 2022 Aston Martin Racing Since Lewis Hamilton decided to vacate his Mercedes seat for 2025 with a switch to Ferrari, rumblings that Vettel, 36, might see it as the perfect opportunity to stage a comeback have emerged. Toto Wolff hasn't called me, the German driver told Neue Zurcher Zeitung newspaper, "but we've exchanged a few text messages. So far it's not an issue for me, also because at 36 I still have plenty of time. Indeed, Vettel insists that while watching the races from home is often hard, he has no regrets about hanging up his helmet following a difficult stint at Aston Martin in 2022. I think I have learned and understood a lot in this one year without racing, including about myself, he said. "Being on the other side has had a big impact on me - a lot of questions have come up. So far there are no active plans, Vettel insisted. But when asked if that's a clear 'no' to the prospect of a return to F1, he answered: "No. "I believe that everything is a process, and maybe there will come a point when I say 'yes, I'd like to go back'. But at the moment I'm doing very well without driving in Formula 1. There's no firm no, no firm yes, Vettel added, revealing that he will shortly go for a medical check , which is mandatory if you want to keep your racing license . When asked about Vettel's potential interest in returning to F1, Mercedes boss Wolff told Sky Deutschland in Bahrain: "Sebastian is a great guy and a giant of this sport. I think he still has the speed as well. After three or four races we have to decide whether we go for youth or experience. Or do we optimise in the short term and give the youth more time to gain experience, the Austrian added. Wolff is also not categorically ruling out Mick Schumacher as an option. Mick is also part of it, he answered, but almost to the point that I feel sorry for him. Because the entire driver market is open and he is one of many possible candidates, but not the only one. (GMM) Back in mid-February, Apple announced that iOS 17.4 would remove support for progressive web apps in the EU. The company blamed this on the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which goes into effect next week and is the reason why iOS 17.4 will come with support for alternative app stores. Following a huge amount of online backlash, today Apple has changed its mind and revealed that progressive web apps will still be supported even in iOS 17.4 in the EU. So, like before, you'll be able to add a progressive web app to your home screen and it will launch in its own top-level window, not being relegated to a simple shortcut opening in Safari. In an update posted to its developer website, Apple explains: Previously, Apple announced plans to remove the Home Screen web apps capability in the EU as part of our efforts to comply with the DMA. The need to remove the capability was informed by the complex security and privacy concerns associated with web apps to support alternative browser engines that would require building a new integration architecture that does not currently exist in iOS. We have received requests to continue to offer support for Home Screen web apps in iOS, therefore we will continue to offer the existing Home Screen web apps capability in the EU. This support means Home Screen web apps continue to be built directly on WebKit and its security architecture, and align with the security and privacy model for native apps on iOS. Developers and users who may have been impacted by the removal of Home Screen web apps in the beta release of iOS in the EU can expect the return of the existing functionality for Home Screen web apps with the availability of iOS 17.4 in early March. Last month, Apple claimed this would only affect a small number of users, but it may have learned in the meantime that those are very vocal about things like this. So, progressive web apps will still use Apple's WebKit rendering engine, even if you have picked a default browser that uses its own (support for third party browsers using their own rendering engines is part of the set of measures Apple has to implement in order to comply with the DMA). Source | Via Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero on Saturday said Attorney General Douglas Moylan's decision to temporarily withdraw from providing legal services has caused a lot of confusion. "What do we do in the ongoing pending contracts that need to be signed? Procurements that need to be done?" the governor said. In a nine-page letter to Leon Guerrero sent on Thursday, Moylan announced his offices temporary withdrawal from representing the administration and 20 other government departments, commissions, line and autonomous agencies. Moylan last year announced the indictment of several government of Guam officials including officials from the Department of Public Health and Social Services, and from the Guam Regional Transit Authority and those cases are making their way through the Guam judicial system. Defense attorneys for the officials in the corruption cases have asked whether it's an ethical violation for the AG's office to prosecute government officials given the AG's office provided legal services to their agencies. The AG in response has told several government agencies his office will not be providing legal services as it waits for a court decision. The governor said Guam stands to lose some federal money and could see impacts to health care services due to personnel contracts. She said the government contracts some doctors and psychiatrists. She's also concerned that whatever is pending will not be completed due to the stop in services. "It's really put a real big stop in our government operations. And as governor, that is not acceptable because our responsibility as an elected official is to provide for the public services for our people," Leon Guerrero said. She said the administration is looking at what options they have and is also working with the Legislature to see what kind of polices need to be established so they can minimize the interruption in government business. Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio on Friday said the government of Guam is in a legal crisis and a contract to provide services at an adult day care in Dededo has already been impacted as it wasn't signed. Adelup in a statement Friday said the AG has decided to disregard the Organic Act of Guam, which requires him to serve as the chief legal officer of the government of Guam. According to the statement from Adelup, Moylan sent a letter to dozens of GovGuam agencies, who are by law his clients, notifying them that he is temporarily withdrawing from representing them or providing legal services to them. Attorney General Moylan appears to have taken this action in response to impending court decisions considering whether his office violated his ethical obligations by advising agencies on legal issues, then prosecuting that same agency director and employees who followed the attorney generals offices advice, a clear conflict of interest, the Office of the Governor said. In addition to refusing to provide legal advice to agencies, the Office of the Attorney General is refusing to sign documents as mandated by law, including critical government procurement documents and contracts, placing tens of millions of federal grant dollars at risk, stalling procurements that the Office of the Attorney General has already delayed reviewing for months, and effectively grinding critical GovGuam services to a halt to the detriment of our people, the statement from Adelup said. This includes the Adult Day Care, the Guma Minaase Foster Care Group Home, GovGuam Health Insurance, the Guam Department of Educations school repairs, various Department of Public Works projects, and virtually any pending GovGuam procurement and contracts. These are just some examples, but the full scope of the impacts are far-reaching and still being compiled, the statement said. The Guam Power Authority continues its efforts to ensure a reliable power supply for the island with the expectation of rising temperatures and increasing demand in the upcoming months. Despite experiencing only one outage day in February, GPA is proactively maintaining the potential rotating outage schedule to prepare for the hotter days ahead. As temperatures rise, the demand for electricity is expected to increase, placing additional strain on GPA's power generation capacity. Currently, GPA's plants can supply a maximum of 272 MW of power generation capacity, with daily demand averaging around 220 MW during the cooler months. However, as temperatures soar in the summer, daily demand is anticipated to climb to 250 MW or even 260 MW, leaving little room to absorb any impact when a plant goes down. "While we experienced minimal outages in February, we must remain vigilant and proactive in our efforts to ensure a reliable power supply," said GPA General Manager John M. Benavente in a release. "Extending the potential rotating outage schedule allows us to prepare for potential outages during the hotter months, ensuring that our customers are informed and prepared." In early February, the Talo'fo'fo Energy Storage System (ESS) began operating with energy-shifting functions to support peak loads at night. The ESS originally was designed to stabilize the grid by addressing the ramp-rate of the 25 MW solar farm in Dandan during the day. The ESS has a capacity of 16MWH which can provide 4MWH over 4 hours during the peak. Furthermore, the Yigo Combustion Turbine (CT) rotor is en route and expected to arrive by the end of March. GPA plans to return the typhoon damaged Yigo CT to the grid within two weeks of the part's arrival. GPA urges swift action on Bill 206-37 GPA is requesting the Guam Legislature and the governor to act on Bill 206-37, which addresses the procurement of temporary power to mitigate load shedding during Guam's hottest months. This legislation is a key component of GPA's plan to bridge the gap until the completion of the Ukudu Power Plant in 2025. The bill aims to substantially reduce, if not eliminate, the possibility of load shedding for the next two years, particularly during the hot summer months when demand increases. Customers are encouraged to reach out to lawmakers and Administration to extend their support of the measure. Load shedding data GPA notes that there was only a single outage in February and that data through Feb. 23, demonstrates nominal overall impact. Actual Outage Days in January: 4 Actual Outage Days in February (up to 2/23/2024): 1 Average Hrs/Feeder Lost for February (up to 2/23/2024): 0.88 Average Hrs/Feeders Lost since September 1, 2023: 12.1 GPA continues to encourage customers to conserve energy during peak hours. Raising A/C temps to 75 degrees or higher and turning off water heaters between 5-11 p.m. are two simple steps residents can make that would contribute greatly to the overall stability of the power grid. Extension of energy credits GPA thanks Oversight Chair Senator Parkinson, the Guam Legislature, and then-acting Gov. Josh Tenorio for enacting Public Law 37-66, which extends the $100 monthly credits for an additional three months. GPA awaits notice from the Department of Administration on the transfer of funds to apply the relief to customer accounts. Preparation for summer months With the closure of the Homeowner Assistance Fund and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program nearing its cap, customers are encouraged to prepare their homes to save energy during Guams summer months. Income-eligible customers are also encouraged to contact the Guam Energy Office about the Weatherization Program. For more information on GPAs efforts to address the capacity shortfall, rotating outages and tips to conserve energy during peak hours, please visit GPA's website at www.guampowerauthority.com and follow GPA on social media. For additional energy saving tips, visit: https://energysense.guampowerauthority.com/savings-tips#. Members of the 37th Guam Legislature celebrated Mes CHamoru on Friday by acknowledging the golden anniversary of CHamoru studies in schools, and honoring all who have contributed to it. A legislative resolution authored by Education Committee Chairman Sen. Chris Barnett and supported by all senators was presented to the Guam Department of Education CHamoru Studies leaders, 50 years after the late and former Gov. Carlos G. Camacho signed a bill into Public Law 12-31 that created a five-year pilot program to teach CHamoru and culture in two schools. By 1977, the CHamoru Language and Culture Program had expanded to 16 schools and then became a mandatory subject for public elementary school students and offered as an elective to public junior high and senior high schools by 1980. Today the program has developed into a division within Guam DOE called the CHamoru Studies and Special Projects Division, collaborating with other divisions, schools, agencies and organizations to ensure every public high school graduate has some CHamoru knowledge, skill and language ability. Jimmy Santos Teria, administrator of DOEs CHamoru program, says it is the result of the champions, the 119 CHamoru teachers in the division plus all those that came before them over the last 50 years. Can we improve upon the current programming? Hunggan (yes), said Teria. But right now in this moment in history, I am satisfied with the things that were doing with CHamoru education. We have a mandate to fulfill, and we are doing the best we can with the current resources at hand. In an amazing world, Teria would love to see a CHamoru medium program (also known as immersion) at every public school but said that with todays resources, he is happy to have one good CHamoru medium program, already in place at Tun Pedro C. Lujan Elementary School. But the schools cannot do it alone. The community really needs to ask the question, where do we want to see CHamoru in the next 50 years, he said. Barnett also noted the tardy arrival of Education Superintendent Erik Swanson, and joked that he was already in tune with CHamoru time. Fifty years doesnt mean as much to me as it does to the rest of the community, said Swanson. Its a long effort, for them. For us, its ingrained now. Thats the exciting part for me, and seeing steady growth. Swanson said that Terias division has the support of the entire department, which acknowledges that the biggest challenge is creating CHamoru language teachers. This years Mes CHamoru theme is Singkuenta AnosAdahi i Hinengge-ta, Abiba i Kottura-ta, Prutehi i Lengguahi-ta:Fifty YearsTake care of our Values, Encourage our Culture, Protect our Language. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said action should be taken by March 6 on a number of bills that senators passed on Feb. 23, including a hospital land bill she has said she will veto. March 6 is the last day to act on those bills. Sen. Chris Barnetts Bill 185-37, which seeks to lock construction of a new hospital at Ypao Point in Tamuning, narrowly passed by a vote of 8-7, short of the 10 votes needed to overcome any governors veto. Despite Adelup announcing in a release that the governor would veto the measure, she has yet to take action on the bill. The governors Bill 184-37, seeking to build a new hospital in her preferred Barrigada-Mangilao area, failed to pass by a vote of 7-8. If no law comes forward authorizing a site, a stalemate over the hospital site selection and delays to construction will continue. Attorney General Douglas Moylan last year opined that the Legislature must be involved in the finalization of a land lease for the new hospital, but lawmakers and Adelup have so far failed to reach a consensus on what land that hospital should be on. Barnetts bill that would require a hospital be built at Ypao Point in Tamuning would meet a clear and certain veto, according to a statement issued from the Office of the Governor minutes after senators concluded their vote. The governor has been clear from the starta new hospital at the abandoned Ypao Point site hands todays problems to tomorrows patientsall at the cost of millions of dollars in new debt and fewer chances at shared costs with the federal government, Adelup stated. Barnett issued his own statement, saying the governor would be rejecting the facts that showed Ypao Point was a better site, if she rejected his bill with a veto. Building at Ypao would be faster, more feasible and more fiscally responsible than building where the governor wants to build, but thats not according to me. Thats what the facts say, the senator stated, pointing to the $1.48 million study the government paid for to assess different sites for the hospital. The study from Matrix Design Group found Ypao Point was more accessible, he stated, and that means we save more lives. Of the bills senators recently passed, one so far has been signed into law. That's Bill 208-37, now Public Law 37-66, provides $100 monthly power credits to Guam Power Authority ratepayers and was signed into law by then acting Gov. Joshua Tenorio a few days after passage. Other bills like the one that seeks to authorize the Independent Vietnam Veterans Association of Guam to use a portion of the Skinner Plaza in Hagatna to erect a Vietnam Veterans Memorial Monument has yet to be acted on. Also passing unanimously was Sen. Sabina Perez Bill 187-37, seeking to ban the sale of vape products, tobacco, and nicotine products from vending machines. Though no one has held a license to sell tobacco from a vending machine on Guam since 2018, the sale of vapes from unsupervised vending machines has become common in other places, according to Perez. Schools would be required to post sanitation and safety inspection reports online and display them prominently near the main office of every school campus, should Sen. Jesse Lujans Bill 48-37 become law. Senators also passed the following bills: Bill 81-37, to allow the Mayors Council of Guam to choose the time and date of their oath taking and inauguration ceremony. Bill 98-37, mandating that all public schools comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bill 142-37, to expand the net metering program for non-residential customers. Bill 186-37, to put more of the money collected from tobacco fees and penalties towards youth smoking prevention programs. Bill 187-37, to ban the sale of vape products, tobacco, and nicotine products from vending machines. Bill 191-37, to mandate that all office spaces leased by the government of Guam be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bill 209-37, to restructure the powers of the Community Health Center Advisory Council. Bill 212-37, to transfer a 707-square meter lot in Tamuning from the CHamoru Land Trust Commission to the Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon Mayors Office. Bill 171-37, which would base the fines for littering on the amount littered, starting with $1,000 for up to 100 pounds of litter, up to a minimum $10,000 for littering over 5,000 pounds. Bill 226-37, to require that sanitary permits be renewed on the anniversary of the date of issue. Bill 114-37, to provide $50,000 to the Guam Office of Veterans Affairs for the April 2024 Island-Wide Veterans Convention. Bill 107-37, to give $500,000 to the Guam Housing Corporations Rural Housing Service Escrow Savings Account for Affordable Housing. Pacific Daily News reporter Jojo Santo Tomas contributed to this report. On Friday, the University of Florida announced its decision to eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion employees effective immediately. Officials at the university, which is located in Gainesville, Florida, say the eradication was enacted To comply with the Florida Board of Governors regulation 9.016 on prohibited expenditures. In January, Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr., who previously said he wants to prevent college students from exposure to radical woke ideologies announced the states Board of Education had voted unanimously to pass a rule that effectively bans diversity, equity and inclusion programs and activities from Floridas 28 state colleges. The prohibited expenditures regulation, which was also approved in January, prohibits universities from using state or federal funds to support campus activities that advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion or political or social activism. The programs eradication was announced in a memo posted to the universitys website Friday, declaring the University of Florida has closed the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, eliminated DEI positions and administrative appointments and halted DEI-focused contracts with outside vendors. Further, the memo notes that, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer will reallocate the approximately $5 million in funds previously reported to Tallahassee for DEI expenses, including salaries and expenditures into a faculty recruitment fund to be administered by the Office of the Provost. In a post to X, the NAACP reacted to the news, saying, Did we warn against this? Yes. Should we remember this in November? You decide. Haiti - Riots : Condolences from the government In a note, the Prime Minister expresses "[...] his indignation at the acts of violence and terror orchestrated by armed bandits in the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince. Members of the police, dedicated to the protection and security of our country, have tragically lost their lives in the exercise of their profession, without forgetting the numerous victims among the population. Several others were injured during these attacks by lawless bandits https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41779-haiti-flash-the-metropolitan-area-under-attacks.html The Government condemns with the utmost rigor these cowardly and despicable acts and denounces, at the same time, the scenes of looting and vandalism of public institutions and private companies in which the bandits are engaged and continues to work to find, without delay, a solution to the growing crime and insecurity that continue to bereave Haitian families. The Government extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, particularly those of the police officers, as well as to all members of the civilian population, while expressing its unwavering solidarity." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/article-41779-haiti-flash-la-zone-metropolitaine-a-feu-et-a-sang.html HL/HaitiFree Haiti - Assassination of Jovenel Moise : Mario Palacios sentenced to life imprisonment Friday, March 1st, 2024, former Colombian soldier Mario Palacios, who denied his guilt for months, until December 2023 when he pleaded guilty to conspiring with other accomplices to assassinate President Moise, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41280-haiti-assassination-of-moise-mario-antonio-palacios-pleads-guilty.html was sentenced to life imprisonment for each of the three counts which he is accused of. The sentence was handed down in federal court in Miami, Florida, where Palacios appeared in the morning to receive his sentence. It should be noted that the accused had previously concluded an agreement with the prosecution, committing to collaborate. According to the Prosecutor's Office, Palacios was present at Moise's home during the assassination, where he participated in the theft of money and jewelry. However, it should be noted that he played a minor role in the plot and had no decision-making power within the group. He is the 5th accused in this case to have been sentenced to life in prison after former Senator Joseph Joel John hhttps://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41249-haiti-flash-former-senator-joseph-joel-john-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-in-the-assassination-of-jovenel-moise.html , Alejandro Rivera Garcia, alias "Colonel Mike" a Colombian army officer in retirement https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-40834-haiti-flash-assassination-of-the-president-a-member-of-the-colombian-commando-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-in-the-usa.html ; Rodolphe Jaar, a former drug trafficker already convicted in the United States in the past https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39685-haiti-flash-rodolphe-jaar-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-in-the-usa-in-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html . See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41677-haiti-assassination-of-the-president-new-accusations-against-pastor-sanon-in-the-usa.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41640-haiti-assassination-of-the-president-a-4th-accused-sentenced-to-life-in-prison.html See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41565-haiti-usa-yonyon-the-former-leader-of-the-400-mawozo-gang-pleads-guilty-to-48-charges.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41460-haiti-usa-the-trial-of-yonyon-will-begin-he-risks-20-years-in-prison.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41280-haiti-assassination-of-moise-mario-antonio-palacios-pleads-guilty.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41249-haiti-flash-former-senator-joseph-joel-john-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-in-the-assassination-of-jovenel-moise.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41139-haiti-flash-joseph-vincent-pleads-guilty-in-the-case-of-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-40834-haiti-flash-assassination-of-the-president-a-member-of-the-colombian-commando-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-in-the-usa.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39685-haiti-flash-rodolphe-jaar-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-in-the-usa-in-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36347-haiti-flash-former-colombian-soldier-mario-antonio-palacios-pleads-not-guilty-in-the-usa.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34162-haiti-flash-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-by-mercenaries-official-updated-7am-+-video.html Other links on the assassination of President Moise : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37052-haiti-politic-1st-anniversary-of-the-assassination-of-the-president-the-moise-family-rejects-the-invitation-of-the-state.html SL/ HaitiLibre CMS lifts 'immediate danger' tag from HCA-owned Mission HCA Healthcare-owned Mission Hospital is no longer in immediate danger of losing federal funding after regulators determined the conditions of immediate jeopardy were removed, a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spokesperson confirmed. CMS surveyors revisited the facility Feb. 23, and regulators are compiling and reviewing that information, the spokesperson said in a Feb. 28 email to Carolina Public Press. Although CMS lifted the immediate jeopardy status, the hospital now has 90 days to complete the specific corrective actions and achieve compliance with the regulations, the spokesperson said. Regulators found violations at the Asheville hospital that posed immediate jeopardy to patients health and safety during a survey from Nov. 13 to Dec. 9, 2023. HCA had to rectify those issues by Feb. 24 or possibly lose federal funding, according to the letter CMS sent Feb. 1 to Mission Hospital CEO Chad Patrick. HCAs plan of correction to fix the violations was made public in a CMS report Feb. 15, yet advocates said it failed to address staffing shortages. In a Facebook comment on CPPs story, a user named Cathy Kiser Ray wrote that Mission Hospital is ranked in the top 50 of the nation. Her Facebook profile lists her occupation as Market Director of Physician and Provider Relations at Mission Health. Asheville Watchdog recently reported on the ranking, citing a draft report from Mark Hall, director of the health law and policy program at Wake Forest University, on why the rankings dont tell the whole story. The violations at Mission Hospital didnt factor into Healthgrades list because the data to determine the ranking doesnt include emergency room visits, while ED care was the focus of the deficiencies, said Healthgrades Chief Medical Officer Brad Bowman in a Feb. 27 email to CPP. Healthgrades uses medical complications and patient deaths to compile ratings, Bowman wrote. Even if a patient dies in the emergency room, that isnt taken into account, according to Bowman. Hospitals dont pay for the ratings, but they do need a licensing agreement to promote achievements and awards, Bowman wrote. Hospitals from Duke Health and UNC Health systems didnt make it onto the Healthgrades top 50 list, despite receiving high rankings from other entities. To make it onto Healthgrades list of 50 best hospitals in the U.S., facilities must rank in the top 5 percent in at least 21 of 31 conditions and procedures for at least 7 consecutive years. Mission Hospital was the only hospital in North Carolina to meet this criteria in 2024, Bowman wrote. Alan Wolf, director of news and media relations at UNC Health, said the organization wasnt told why they specifically dont appear on Healthgrades list, but that UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill is expected to be among Business North Carolinas top three hospitals in the state when the outlet releases their rankings later this week. Behind Mission Hospital rankings Mission Hospital also still ranks highly in part because Healthgrades doesnt take patient views of their care into account, according to Halls working report, as those surveys put Mission near the bottom. Hall told CPP on Feb. 27 that hospital rankings have proliferated and because so many exist, hospitals can more easily do well on at least one. Across various rankings, potential for skewed reporting exists, he said. His report pointed to federal government data on timely and effective care that various rankings agencies use, which includes the percent of patients who leave the emergency room without being seen. The statewide average is 4%, and prior to HCAs acquisition, Mission Hospital tended to land around that level, he wrote. But after 2019, Mission Hospital has reported 0% of patients leaving the emergency room without being seen, despite complaints of long wait times and delayed care in the emergency room, he wrote. That disparity may be due to how HCA defines seeing patients, as HCA may classify a cursory triage or screening of a patient as being seen as opposed to a full examination, Hall wrote. Pat Merryweather, executive director of Project Patient Care, said many patients use these rankings to help determine where they should seek care, but because the entities all use different methodologies, it can be confusing for patients. Her organization helps patients figure out the data behind the rankings and how to use it in their decision. To accurately use any ranking, she said patients should look at the timeframe of the data its using and what specific indicators were measured. As a good number of patients enter the hospital through the emergency room, she said its important to take those visits into account as well as patient experience, which she said can be harder to measure accurately. The different methodologies and rankings are complicated, but nobody yet has figured out how to make it less complicated, she said. Asheville Watchdog reported that Halls work is funded through a grant from philanthropic group Arnold Ventures to Wake Forest University. Arnold Ventures helps fund Fairmark Partners, which takes on antitrust lawsuits against hospitals, and Fairmark attorneys are representing plaintiffs in a Western North Carolina antitrust lawsuit against HCA and Mission Hospital. Following initial publication of this article, HCA spokesperson Nancy Lindell wrote an email to CPP, saying: This report is neither a serious nor an impartial study and it does not justify comment or response. It was funded by a group that is funding litigation against Mission Health, and given the financial backing of that group, it is not surprising that the study is critical of Mission Health. This response was the same as a statement she earlier gave to Asheville Watchdog and does not address the additional issues with the hospital rankings that Carolina Public Press raised. * * * * * Carolina Public Press reporter Grace Vitaglione can be contacted at gvitaglione@carolinapublicpress.org. THREE dogs from the Henley area will make their debut at this years Crufts. Sarah Whitehead, from Maidensgrove, will be showing her new puppy, Bliss, at the four-day show in Birmingham, which begins on Thursday. She will also be entering six-year-old Quill, who is a veteran of the competition. Bliss is a Japanese spitz, a small, rare breed for the UK, and Quill is a kooikerhondje, a spaniel-like breed of Dutch ancestry. Mrs Whitehead, who is a dog trainer and behaviourist, said: This is the first year that I have applied with two separate breeds. I am going to be showing them both at the same time, which will mean a lot of running about for me. Quill has had success at Crufts since first being entered at the age of one. He was named best puppy in breed that year and has been placed every year since. Last year, he also won his class. Bliss, who is just over a year old, is in the junior class. It is the first time that I have had her breed, said Mrs Whitehead. Bliss has been so easy to train and so sweet. She is definitely a diva and a princess. She is pure white and fluffy. Everyone always asks how I keep her coat so clean but her breed sheds the dirt from their coat. Unfortunately, my house doesnt have the same technique. I have always been interested in the Japanese spitz. I often show Quill opposite to their breed ring, so I get talking to the owners and saw how enthusiastic the breed is, so I decided to get one. She said the two dogs were best of friends. Mrs Whitehead added: Crufts is always a fun day out. I will also be at the show on Friday, not competing but on the Discover Dogs stall. This is like a meet and greet stand for every breed that is competing in the show. It is for people to ask owners questions, to see the nature of the dogs and to just give them a cuddle. I am always excited about it. Its time catch up with people that I only really get to see once a year. And I am looking forward to seeing how Bliss and Quill do. Mrs Whitehead also has a retired border collie-Samoyed mix called Skye, who is 12. Paul and Julie Humphreys, of St Marks Close, Henley, are entering two of their four Irish setters. Mrs Humphreys has been competing at Crufts since 1983 and her husband followed suit in 2004 when they got married. However, this will be Mrs Humphreys last year of showing as she has been asked to be a judge from 2025. The couple have entered two of their bitches, four-year-old Ci Ci, who has competed at Crufts previously, and two-year-old Wendy, who will be making her debut. Their eldest dog, Nina, five, has showed before but has just had a litter of 17 puppies so is resting. Their most recent addition, Kimmi, is too young to show at only four months. Mrs Humphreys said: Ci Ci has done amazingly well. She has been awarded two reserve challenge certificates and five challenge certificates, making her worthy of the title of champion. We show the two of them most weekends and travel around the country. Paul had never shown a dog before he met me but has now got into judging. She continued: These are not working dogs but we do train them in how to walk around the ring and we start them quite young. Ci Ci and Wendy will be bathed, groomed and trimmed ready for the show. They will be showing next Friday as it is gun dogs only. It is the biggest group of dogs that attend Crufts. Mrs Humphreys is looking forward to becoming a judge. She said: The Kennel Club approached me and asked me to judge Irish setter dogs in 2025. It is such a big achievement for me. Diana Webber, from Henley, is entering three of her six whippets. Scarlet, five, Levi, three, and 22-month-old Wrangler, all took part last year. The elder two have both placed first in breed previously and Wrangler achieved fourth place last year. Ms Webber said: Actually four of my whippets qualified this year as my 10-year-old veteran, Raven, did too but four dogs at Crufts is far too much to handle. Recalling last years show, Ms Webber said: Wrangler was really good. He is a little show off but was well behaved and seemed to want to please me. I do basic training with all the dogs from right when I get them. I teach them the word drop from early on. But it is in their nature to please their mummy. The dogs do get on with each other. Ms Webber said that as the whippet is a short-haired breed preparing the dogs for showing is easy. She said: Wrangler, like the others, has become well trained in standing or sitting still. My latest addition, Indy, is proving to have all the qualities to be a show dog s as well. Indy is a blue and white whippet and 22 months old. Ms Webber has been entering her dogs at Crufts since 1991 and this year Scarlett and Levi are in a several classes. Both qualified for the good citizen class. This is for dogs that come when they are called and are shy. It is to test the basic obedience of the dogs. The purpose of the test is to encourage Bronze Award achievers to take part and enter the world of obedience competition. The pair are also in the racing and coursing classes. This is lure coursing and if they succeed then they can get into further classes. Lure coursing is a competition for dogs to use their ability to run fast and visually focus on motion. Wrangler will also be taking part in the lure coursing but in the yearling category, which is for dogs aged between one and two. Ms Webber said: I am not nervous about the competition. I am fairly confident that my dogs wont let me down or lose. I am hopeful for this year and that Indy will make her debut next year. Cheryl Biddlecombe, from Sonning Common, is showing her 10-month-old dog Frankie for the first time. He is a briard, a French breed of a shepherd dog. Ms Biddlecombe, who has been showing briards at Crufts for more than 50 years, said: Frankie has qualified for Crufts three times now. He has been to five dog shows and has done really well. I credit part of his success to his mother, Fergie, who is a champion and Crufts veteran. Frankie will be in the puppy class and will be showing. It is a bit like a beauty competition as he will have to walk, trot and stand correctly. He absolutely loves going into the ring. I would never take a dog that didnt enjoy the show. The standard blueprint of a briard is that they are wary of strangers and can be quite timid, but he is all over people like a rash. Frankie will be accompanied by a handler, Toni Westcock-Smith. Ms Biddlecombe said: At my age I didnt want to be running around the ring and Toni is such a good friend and a brilliant handler. Saturday March 2, 2024 The military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas says seven more captives held in the Gaza Strip have died as a result of Israels bombardment of the besieged enclave. Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamass Qassam Brigades, made the statement on the Telegram app on Friday. advertisements Hamas seized about 250 Israelis and foreigners during its October 7 attacks on southern Israel, of whom about 130 are believed to still be held captive.The Qassam Brigades said three of the captives mentioned in Fridays statement had been identified, but it did not clarify when the seven had died.The group said the total number of captives killed as a result of Israeli military operations may have exceeded 70. The deaths of the captives show that Israels government considers them a secondary priority, Omar Ashour, a professor of security and military studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera. The [Israeli militarys] first priority is to destroy the armed wing of Hamas and the other Palestinian factions, to undermine them in any way, even if it costs the lives of some of the hostages, Ashour said. Fridays reported deaths also indicate that Israels war strategy is not achieving its objectives, he said, adding: We are in the 147th day of the war, and there are more and more hostages dying, the majority of them by Israeli fire. During a Qatari-mediated weeklong truce in November, 105 captives were released in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons. The only way to release the hostages safely is the way it was done before through some sort of negotiations. The Israeli government knows that/ They just dont want to admit it, Ashour said. Truce talks ongoing Israels war on Gaza has killed at least 30,228 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 attacks stands at 1,139. Egyptian, Qatari and United States mediators are currently scrambling to lock down a new truce. In telephone talks on Thursday, the three countries leaders set out what a ceasefire deal could look like, the White House said. The leaders underscored that the release of hostages would result in an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza over a period of at least six weeks, the White House said. However, Israels Walla news site, citing a senior Israeli official, reported that Israel has told Egypt and Qatar that it will not proceed with ceasefire negotiations until Hamas sends it a list of Israeli captives who remain alive in the Gaza Strip. The official said Israel is also seeking a serious answer from Hamas on the number of Palestinian prisoners it is requesting be released as part of a potential deal, Walla reported. SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES Saturday March 2, 2024 The situation in the Horn of Africa is very volatile. Map showing Somalia and Somaliland. Photo: Siirski | Wikimedia Commons Since the start of the year, tensions between Somalia and Somaliland (an independent but internationally unrecognized state) have been high. While the two territories have been going at it for years, tensions have increased since the signing of an MoU between Ethiopia and Somaliland on January 1. The MoU would see landlocked Ethiopia gain access to the Red Sea through the Port of Berbera in exchange for recognizing Somaliland as an independent country and granting it a stake in Ethiopian Airlines. Seeing this as an attack on its sovereignty, Somalia immediately rejected the arrangement, causing further tensions between the Horn of Africa countries. This was followed by an airspace dispute, which has resulted in several incidents and raised concerns about airline safety in the region. Who controls the airspace over Somalia? advertisements The airspace over Somalia and the surrounding ocean is managed by the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) from the Mogadishu Area Control Center. "This airspace, known as the Mogadishu Flight Information Region (FIR) and its controlling authority are defined under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Air Navigation Plan for the Africa and Indian Ocean (AFI) Region, which recognizes Somalia as the controlling State, by extension the Somali Civil Aviation Authority," explained a spokesperson from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to Simple Flying.Photo: Siirski | Wikimedia On the other hand, Somaliland has control over its airports but not the upper airspace. Egal International Airport (HGA) is the state's main airport, serving the capital of Hargeisa. Following the signing of the Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU, Somali authorities began restricting flight activity in Somaliland to assert its authority over its airspace.On January 17, the SCAA blocked an Ethiopian Airlines Dash 8 carrying Ethiopian delegates from entering the airspace, saying it had no permission to enter the country. The SCAA also reportedly blocked an air ambulance that was carrying a Somaliland citizen who "needed urgent help." However, the Somali authorities denied the last claim.In return, Somaliland claimed independence over its territory and surrounding areas, issuing an international aviation advisory and a statement on its X (formerly Twitter) page. It is attempting to control air traffic in the region from Hargeisa. With both states claiming the right to control traffic, there have been multiple reports of airlines receiving conflicting instructions while overflying the area.Over the past month, airlines flying over Somalia have reported receiving conflicting instructions from different air traffic controllers. Last week, an Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Airbus A350 and a Qatar Airways (QR) Boeing 787 narrowly avoided a collision as TCAS intervened. The Qatar Airways crew had been wrongly instructed by ATC in Mogadishu to climb from 38,000 ft to 40,000 ft while the ET aircraft was flying at 38,000 ft, about 180 NM from Hargeisa. Some experts suggest this might have been a mistake on the ATC's part.OPSGROUP notes that it received at least ten reports of aircraft flying over Somalia "being contacted by a 'fake controller' on the same frequency, issuing conflicting instructions."The Horn Observer also reported that on February 14, a Qatar Airways A320 crew received conflicting instructions from air traffic controllers on a flight from Doha to Mogadishu via Djibouti.An El Al 787 crew flying from Phuket to Tel Aviv on February 18 reported receiving communication disturbances while overflying Somalia. It is believed that a hostile group attempted to hijack the flight radio. El Al explained that "the disturbances are not aimed at El Al planes and that this is not a security incident." It is not entirely clear if this was also a result of the disputing controllers in Mogadishu and Hargeisa.Somali authorities issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) warning of unlawful VHF interference in the area over Somaliland (150NM radius of Hargeisa). It indicated that flights in the area should not expect altitude adjustments unless directed by authorities in Mogadishu. This was followed by a statement on February 19, accusing Somaliland of disrupting "the lines used by airplanes over parts of the airspace of the northern regions of Somalia." It added that "if these offensive measures continue," the Somali government would have to "take strong measures to ensure the security and safety of the Somali Civil Aviation."One of the most significant developments in this dispute was the death of Abdinasir Muse Abdirahman, a Somaliland-born air traffic controller working with the Somali Civil Aviation Authority. He was found dead in his apartment in Mogadishu on February 18, and his body showed signs of strangulation and severe torture. Six suspects were immediately detained by Somali police officers.While there are ongoing investigations in both states, the Somaliland Civil Aviation and Airports Authority (SCAAA), in a statement from February 20, accused Somalia and its Civil Aviation Authority of a "conspiracy to kill AHN Abdinasir Muse Dahale, and the illegal detention of his friends to cover up the involvement of the government agencies."The area over East Africa is one of the busiest on the continent. The region is also home to some of Africa's most prominent airlines, including Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways. Some of the busiest airways, connecting the African subcontinent south of Ethiopia with destinations in the Middle East and Indian subcontinent, pass through Somali airspace. The same applies to air links between Western Europe and the Indian subcontinent and Indian Ocean islands.As the IATA spokesperson said, no airline would fly in "unsafe airspace." The risks of flying over Somalia have been assessed by the Air Navigation Service Provider and the operators, who have implemented mitigation measures. Yesterday, Ethiopian Airlines announced that it would change some of its routes to avoid Somali airspace. The carrier will now fly over Djibouti, affecting some flights to Asia and the Middle East. However, it has maintained its schedules to Mogadishu and Hargeisa.For airlines still flying over the country, crews have been advised to be wary of the environment and follow instructions in the NOTAM issued by Mogadishu authorities advising them to contact the Mogadishu Area Control Center through additional methods like controller pilot data link communications (CPDLC) or satellite communication (SATCOM), particularly in the area within a 150 NM radius of Hargeisa. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Saturday visited The Statue of Unity in Gujarat. He hailed the 182 metres tall Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel statue, calling it an engineering marvel. Thank you @narendramodi for the invitation to visit the impressive Statue of Unity. It is an engineering marvel and a great tribute to Sardar Patel. Also great to see it is creating economic opportunity for local tribal communities, especially women, the billionaire posted on social platform X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to Gates' tweet, saying,"Happy to see this! Glad that you enjoyed your experience at the Statue of Unity. I also urge people from all over the world to visit it in the coming times. @BillGates". Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is photographed in front of Statue of Unity in Kevadiya, Gujarat. Gates is currently on a visit to India, and he met several top leaders and also participated in cultural and local events. He also arrived in Jamnagar, Gujarat, for the three-day pre-wedding celebrations of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani's youngest son, Anant Ambani, and industrialist Viren Merchant's daughter, Radhika Merchant. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. PM Modi meets Bill Gates On Thursday, Bill Gates had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the duo held talks centered around harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) for the greater good of the public. ALSO READ: What does Bill Gates think of India's efforts in field of AI? He says A wonderful meeting indeed! Always a delight to discuss sectors which will make our planet better and empower millions of people across the globe, Modi had said in an X post. "It is always inspiring to meet with @narendramodi, and there was a lot to discuss. We talked about AI for public good; DPI; women-led development; innovation in agriculture, health, and climate adaptation; and how we can take lessons from India to the world," Gates had posted. ALSO READ: What does Bill Gates think about PM Modi's vision for India? He replies The techpreneur-turned philanthropist had also met external affairs minister S Jaishankar and the duo had exchanged books. "A good book exchange with @BillGates. And a great conversation," the minister had written in a social media post. A small Florida hedge fund that allegedly helped Indian tech firm Think & Learn Pvt hide $533 million must reveal where the money is located or face possible sanctions from a federal judge on Monday. Byju's reportedly took the help of a Florida hedge fund to hide the money US Bankruptcy Judge John Dorsey in a Friday hearing dismissed an effort by the investment firm, Camshaft Capital Fund, to avoid answering questions about the cash. The missing money is at the heart of a fight between lenders owed $1.2 billion and Think & Learn, the education-tech startup founded by entrepreneur Byju Raveendran. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The fact that they know the information and are refusing to produce it is just a huge red flag, Dorsey said during a court hearing in Wilmington, Delaware on Friday. The cash belongs to Byjus Alpha Inc., a bankrupt shell company affiliated with Think & Learn that was taken over by the lenders after their loan defaulted. The $533 million was transferred to the hedge fund and then moved to an unnamed, off-shore trust by Raveendrans brother, Riju Ravindran, Byjus lawyer Benjamin Finestone said during the hearing. Camshaft fought efforts to disclose details about the money because a hedge fund has a duty to protect its clients, lawyer Pieter Van Tol told Dorsey. The hedge fund also argued that Byjus and the lenders should instead get information about the cash from a Delaware company called Inspilearn, which got the money from Camshaft before it was transferred to the unnamed trust. Last year lenders declared a default and seized Byjus Alpha, whose parent is Think & Learn. Since then lenders have tried to force Think & Learn to repay the $1.2 billion and to find $533 million they say should be used to repay the debt. Ravindran is appealing a Delaware Chancery Court ruling that gave lenders control of Byjus Alpha. Should Camshaft fail to turn over the information by the end of Friday, Dorsey said he would hold a show cause hearing on Monday to decide what to do. Such hearings can lead to sanctions if the target cant explain why they failed to follow a court order. The US bankruptcy case is BYJUs Alpha Inc., 24-10140, US Bankruptcy Court District of Delaware (Wilmington). Union telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took a strong stance for the Indian startups in the middle of the row with Google, saying that the delisting of the apps from the Google Play Store is not permitted. The Centre has also called a meeting between Google and the startups in question to resolve this dispute. Google has taken down several apps from Play Store in India(Getty Images via AFP) Google's parent company Alphabet Inc sent a notice to 10 companies for the non-payment of service fee to the big tech company, mainly targeting popular matrimony and dating apps in India. On Saturday, four of these apps were removed from the Play Store, sparking a showdown between Google and the parent companies of these apps. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The startup ecosystem is key to the Indian economy and their fate cannot be left to any big tech to decide, said Vaishnaw during an interview with PTI. Taking a serious view of the issue, Vaishnaw said: India is very clear, our policy is very clear...our startups will get the protection that they need. The minister said the government will be meeting Google and app developers who have been delisted, next week, to resolve the dispute. Vaishnaw further asserted, I have already called Google...I have already called the app developers who have been delisted, we will be meeting them next week. This cannot be permittedThis kind of delisting cannot be permitted. India has a strong startup ecosystem with over one lakh startups, with over 100 unicorns in the span of a decade, he said. "I will be telling Google...Our entrepreneurial energy...startups, look at the whole startup India programme, 10 years back we had practically nothing and today we have more than 1,00,000 startups, more than 100 unicorns...this is something...the energy of our youth, the energy of our entrepreneurs, energy of our talented people that has to be channelised fully well, it cannot be left to the policies of any big tech," Vaishnaw said. Google vs Indian startups in service fee dispute Earlier, Google sent a notice to multiple Indian startups regarding a breach of Play Store rules. On Friday, the big tech company said in a blogpost that 10 companies in India, including many well-established ones have not paid the platform service fees. While Google did not name any companies in its post, searches on the Play Store revealed that apps such as Shaadi, Matrimony.com and Bharat Matrimony, as well as Balaji Telefilms' Altt (formerly ALTBalaji), audio platform Kuku FM, dating service Quack Quack and Truly Madly, were removed. This move was taken by Google after several Indian startups refused to pay a service fee of 11 to 26 percent to the company for in-app payments. (With inputs from PTI) Fly91, Indias latest carrier, took to the skies for the first time today, operating from Manohar International Airport, Mopa, Goa to Bengaluru. The airline had taken delivery of its first ATR 72 aircraft in its own colours last week. The airline has chosen IC as its code, which like its planes have a history in India. Fly91 received its NOC (No Objection Certificate) in April last year(Fly91 website) IC was the IATA code for Indian Airlines which operated from 1953 until 2011 when it was merged with Air India. The airline signed a deal for two aircraft in January. The airline has been low key right from unveiling the brand, livery and uniform. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The airline received its NOC (No Objection Certificate) in April last year. The last major airline to start operations was Akasa Air, started operations in August 2022, after receiving the NOC a year earlier. Vistara and AirAsia India, both from the Tata group had reached from NOC to AOP (Air Operating Permit) in a span of eight months. ALSO READ: Will Air India Express succeed with hand baggage-only fares where others failed? Acceptance Flights Before the aircraft was ferried to Goa, the airline had an acceptance flight wherein it drew 91 in skies near Hyderabad. Typically such flights are planned as customer acceptance flight and done with airline representatives of the airline on board. The airline pilots verify all the systems: engine performance, fuel indicators, flow of fuel from one fuel tank to another, flaps, slats cruise and climb performance are all re-checked in the presence of airline pilots before landing. At its main base, the regulator conducts a Main Base Inspection (MBI) where the authorities check readiness, and a conference room exercise where flight readiness is tested before the proving flights can start. ALSO READ: From Bali to Baku, expansion of airlines reveal where Indians are travelling Proving Flights The DGCA expects five proving flights before the AOP is granted. Proving flights are the last of multiple stages of a lengthy process involved in securing an AOP. The DGCAs Civil Aviation Policy CAP 3100 stipulates that the airline will be required to conduct a minimum of five flight sectors on intended routes, with a total duration of not less than 10 flight hours. However CAP 3100 is a guideline and DGCA CAR Section 3, Series C Part II allows the DGCA to approve the licence without a proving flight. AirAsia India, which started operations in June 2014, conducted its proving flights in the first week of May 2014. The airline flew Chennai-Kochi, Kochi-Bengaluru and Bengaluru-Chennai on day one, followed by Chennai-Kolkata-Chennai the next day. Vistara, on the other hand, operated Delhi-Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Delhi on the first day and Delhi-Jaipur-Delhi the next day to complete the five proving flights. These flights were conducted on December 4 and 5, 2014. Akasa Air operated their proving flights to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Delhi in July 2022. Representatives of the regulator and airline staff are part of the proving flights. Airline staff occupy the seats as if they are normal passengers. The service standards are tested and situations could be simulated to check if the response is as per the manuals submitted by the airline to the regulator. If no deficiencies are found, the path is clear for issuance of the AOP; otherwise it could be another round of proving flights for the airline. In a rare case, the airline may be asked to redraft its SOP and documentation and re-submit the same, after which the regulator may or may not have another round of proving flights. It takes about a week for the grant of AOP after the proving flights are successfully conducted. Once the AOP is in hand, the airline can formally request for clearance of slots at airports and file a schedule with the DGCA, which when approved can be open for sale. While the time between opening a flight for sale and the actual flight is very short, airlines are keen to get going rather than waiting for loads to build up. To aid this, airlines informally request for slots and night parking, and airports, too, have this agreed only waiting for the formality of the AOP before signing off. ALSO READ: In 2023, domestic aviation soared due to religion and tourism Tail Note Indian aviation is cut throat. Scheduled airlines in general and regional airlines in particular have seen a lot of head winds in the past. It is equally true that there remains a large potential for aviation as much as the country has been a graveyard. Nobody knows better than Fly91 whose aircraft has earlier operated by flybig and TruJet, one which has scaled down drastically and another which shut down. The regional aviation scene was rejuvenated with the launch of RCS-UDAN, however Air Deccan, Air Odisha, Air Carnival, Air Costa are just some of the names pre and post UDAN which have gone belly up in India on the regional side. With a history of aviation careers for the entire top management of Fly91, they sure know the history of aviation in India. Its time to see what trick they have up their sleeve. Industry body IAMAI advised tech giant Google against removing and delisting any Indian apps from the Play Store over alleged non-compliance with its payments policy. This comes shortly after Google decided to remove multiple apps from the Google Play store, including popular matrimony apps. A logo of Google is seen on its office building in Hyderabad. (REUTERS FILE) Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) confirmed that at least four of its members have received notices from Google over a billing dispute with the company, and urged the tech giant not to delist any apps from the Play Store. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In a statement, IAMAI said, The affected members of IAMAI are of the view that a substantive hearing of the case is pending before the Supreme Court of India, and Google should not take any coercive action during the pendency of the case. On Friday, Google said that a string of well-established companies have refused to pay the service fee to the company despite multiple warnings. As per Google, the service fee is applicable for platforms that have in-app sales of digital goods. Google warned that it will not hesitate to take necessary action to enforce policies, including the removal of such non-compliant apps from Google Play. While Google did not name any of the apps it has removed from the store, android phones did not give results for matrimonial apps such as Shaadi, Matrimony.com and Bharat Matrimony. Other apps that disappeared from the app store are Balaji Telefilms' Altt (formerly ALTBalaji), audio platform Kuku FM, dating service Quack Quack, Truly Madly. Why did Google delist matrimony, dating apps in India? Amid a war cry over Google Play billing policy by some prominent Indian startups and the recent launch of Indus Appstore, the Made-in-India app market challenger, Google in a blog post asserted that allowing a small group of developers to get differential treatment from the vast majority of developers who are paying their fair share creates an uneven playing field putting all other apps and games at a competitive disadvantage. "After giving these developers more than three years to prepare, including three weeks after the Supreme Court's order, we are taking necessary steps to ensure our policies are applied consistently across the ecosystem, as we do for any form of policy violation globally," Google said in its blog post. Google has further clarified that existing users will be able to use these apps without any hitches, but no new downloads will be allowed for the time being. It further said that developers are welcome to resubmit their apps to be listed on Play by opting for one of the three billing options as part of its payment policy. (With inputs from PTI) The Bengaluru Crime Branch has detained four persons who may have helped an unidentified person to leave a bag with a bomb in Rameshwaram Cafe in the outskirts of Bengaluru on Friday afternoon, police said on Saturday, adding that they were on the verge of identifying the main accused. A team of NSG, Bomb Disposal Squad, and local police investigate the explosion site at the Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru on Saturday. (ANI) Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayanand said no arrests have been made so far and some people have been detained. Multiple police teams are diligently examining various angles based on the clues gathered at the scene, he said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. A police officer aware of the development said that none of the four persons detained are suspects in the case and they were being questioned about the suspects. We have got some clues and investigation is being conducted, the officer said. Dayanand also said that the city police have transferred the case to the Crime Branch, which has registered a case at HAL police station on Friday. He emphasised that the CCB has been assigned the task of investigating the case. He also mentioned that the individuals injured in the incident are currently undergoing recovery. Police said that the CCTV footage showed that on entering Rameswaram Cafe, the individual carried a bag and proceeded to consume idli. The suspect engaged in phone conversations while consuming food, the officer said. A second police officer familiar with the investigation said they would zero in the mobile phones that were in use in the restaurants and were trying to find the phone number of the suspect. We are also trying to find whether the mobile phone was in use during the attack. We are looking at over 500 active numbers in use in the area at that time, the officer said. As part of the investigations, the officers also visited Parappana Agrahara jail to verify visitors who may have visited some of the bomb accused suspects in the different cases. Police have been able to track the accused to a Volvo bus, on whose CCTV footage, he was caught. The Volvo bus number KA-57-F 186 belongs to BMTC Depot-13 Kamakya and was going from Banashankari to ITPL. The individual boarded the bus at Kundahalli and alighted at the CMRIT College stop. In light of this development, the CCTV footage from the bus was reviewed, and information was obtained from the driver and conductor. Though suspect movements were captured on many CCTV cameras, the police did not get a picture of their full faces as the suspect wore a mask, the officer quoted above said. On Saturday, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting with home minister G. Parameshwara, state DG and IGP Alok Mohan, Bengaluru police commissioner B. Dayanand, and some other top police officials at his residence this afternoon. Siddaramaiah issued directives to the police to enhance security measures across Bengaluru including the densely populated areas. The CM visited Rameshwaram Cafe and Brookfield Hospital on Saturday and announced that the government would cover the medical expenses of the injured individuals. He instructed doctors to ensure that the injured receive the best possible treatment, with the government bearing all associated expenses. Addressing concerns about the impartiality of investigations, the chief minister said the importance of conducting inquiries without succumbing to external pressures, including those from social media platforms. He urged authorities to remain steadfast in their pursuit of truth and to take decisive action against individuals found spreading false or misleading information. He stressed the need to prevent such incidents from recurring and urged intelligence services to maintain heightened awareness and proactivity. CM Siddaramaiah affirmed that investigations are ongoing to ascertain the identity and motives of the perpetrator(s). He assured the public that the authorities are diligently working to bring those responsible to justice. Deputy chief minister, D K Shivakumar, said the police were looking at the connection between the Bengaluru blast and Mangaluru cooker blast in 2023. There appears to be some common link, he said, after visiting the explosion site. Deepanshu, who sustained injuries in the blast and experienced ear problems, was discharged from Brookefield Hospital on Saturday. He recounted his experience, stating, I went for lunch on Friday afternoon and forgot my laptop bag after eating. When I returned to retrieve it, there was an explosion. I heard a loud noise, and I immediately lost consciousness. I dont know what happened after that. He expressed gratitude for his recovery, mentioning that he was taken to the hospital in an automobile. Police said two other injured, currently undergoing treatment at Vydehi Hospital, were also discharged. Welcome to our live coverage of a low-intensity blast at a popular cafe in Bengaluru that shook the city. The blast occurred at Rameshwaram Cafe in the Whitefield locality, leaving 10 people injured. Police suspect an improvised explosive device (IED) with a timer could have caused the explosion, which took place between 12:50 pm and 1:00 pm....Read More ALSO READ | How Rameshwaram cafe blast took place: Man ordered idli, left bag with 1-hr timer IED According to statements issued by authorities, the blast resulted in injuries to both hotel staff and customers, who are currently undergoing treatment. Eyewitness accounts describe the chaos that ensued following the explosion, with people fleeing the scene in panic. The Bengaluru Police has invoked stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act and officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) also arrived at the scene to conduct inquiries into the incident. ALSO READ | Who owns Rameshwaram Cafe? What they said about the Bengaluru blast? Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has called for a detailed probe into the matter, raising concerns about the government's handling of such incidents. As the investigation unfolds, we'll be bringing you live updates, including official statements, eyewitness testimonies, and political reactions. Stay tuned for the latest developments. Imprisoned following his sentencing in three criminal cases, the head of Sirsa-based sect, Dera Sacha Sauda, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been regularly able to get temporary release from prison in the form of either parole or furlough as he does not fall in the category of hardcore convicted prisoners under a state law. Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim.(File) A hardcore convicted prisoner as defined in Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 2022, means a prisoner convicted of serial killing i.e. murder under Section 302 of the IPC in two or more cases in different first information reports, murder if the offender is involved in contract killing as apparent from the facts mentioned in the judgment of the case, lurking house trespass, murder or attempt to murder for extortion, rape or penetrative sexual assault or aggravated penetrative sexual assault or unnatural offence with murder, rape or penetrative sexual assault or aggravated penetrative sexual assault or unnatural offence with a child below 16, gang rape or rape, immoral trafficking involving minors etc. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Also Read | Do not consider parole to Ram Rahim without courts permission: HC The Haryana government, after seeking legal opinion from advocate general (AG) Baldev Raj Mahajan in 2022 concluded that Ram Rahim Singh did not fall in the category of hardcore convicted prisoners defined as those who, among several other crimes, are convicted for serial killing, that is murder under Section 302 of the IPC in two or more cases in different first information reports. The term used in this provision is murder simpliciter and no other offence is mentioned anywhere. It clearly indicates that the legislation has intended to cover only the actual killer under the definition of hardcore prisoner and not the conspirator. In order to cover a prisoner under the definition of hardcore prisoner, it is necessary that he must have participated in actual commission of the substantive offence of murder under Section 302 of the IPC and the aiding offence of criminal conspiracy under Section 120-B read with Section 302 of the IPC will not be covered under the category of hardcore prisoner, the AGs opinion reads. Also Read | Why is Ram Rahim, chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, out on parole again? The dera head who is serving a 20-year sentence for rape after he was convicted in 2017 of raping his two disciples was subsequently convicted in two murder cases and will serve life sentences of those crimes after this jail term. Ram Rahim Singh and three others were convicted in January 2019 for the murder of a journalist. In October 2021, the dera chief and four others were convicted for hatching a conspiracy to kill Ranjit Singh, a manager at the dera. Haryanas new law on temporary release The Haryana government in 2022 came out with a new law - the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 2022, which entitled a prisoner to 10 weeks of parole in a calendar year (January to December) cumulatively which could be availed in two parts. The new law also permitted temporary release of three weeks on furlough which could not be availed in parts. The category of hardcore prisoners was introduced in 2012 as an amendment to an earlier law enacted in 1988. The 1988 law laid down stringent conditions on parole or furlough. One of them was that a prisoner may be considered for temporary release if a member of the prisoners family had died or was seriously ill, or the prisoner themselves were seriously ill, or for their own weddings, as well as those of close blood relations, or for agricultural activity. The 2022 law does not stipulate such conditions but has different categories of parole regular, emergency and custodial. A hardcore convicted prisoner not sentenced to life or death penalty as defined in the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 2022, is not eligible for regular parole, emergency parole or furlough. A hardcore convicted prisoner sentenced to life, as per the Act, is eligible for emergency or regular parole only after completion of seven years of imprisonment after conviction. A hardcore convicted prisoner can be granted custody parole for attending funeral of his family members or marriage of his children or sibling for not more than six hours for one event excluding the journey time. Hearing a petition filed by Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) challenging the grant of temporary release to the dera head, the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) on Thursday said the dera head, who has conviction in three cases against him, has been released for 91 days each in 2022 and 2023. While the HC did not strike down the 50-day parole granted to him in January 2024, it observed that in spite of pendency of the present petition in which notice of motion was issued on January 29, 2023, Haryana still chose to grant him indulgence of parole again on July 20, 2023, November 21, 2023, and January 19, 2024, for a period of 30, 21 and 50 days, respectively. At present, the respondent is on parole up to March 10, 2024, the HC said. The crime branch of Chandigarh Police has arrested three people, including a woman, for sheltering three shooters of the Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang who were in the city to gun down rival gangster Bhuppi Rana. The arrested trio in the custody of Chandigarh Police crime branch. (Keshav Singh/HT) The shooters, identified as Sunny, 27; and Umang, 25, both of Rohtak; and Kailash Chauhan, 23, of Greater Faridabad, Haryana, were arrested on Monday, in a joint operation with Delhi Police special cell. Two pistols, along with six live cartridges, were also recovered from them. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Following the shooters disclosure, police arrested Anmolpreet Singh, Parwinder Singh and Pooja Sharma, alias Kashish, for providing shelter, money and transportation to them. Hailing from Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan, Pooja disclosed to police that she was in contact with gangsters Goldy Brar and Rohit Godhara. Sunny and Umang revealed that they stayed with Anmolpreet and Parwinder, who harboured them on the directions of Brar. Along with Pooja, they both accompanied them while conducting recce of district courts and other places as part of their plan to murder gangster Bhuppi Rana. Rana is a close associate of fugitive gangster Lucky Patial, who is believed to be in Armenia and operates the Davinder Bambiha gang. Woman aspired to be a gangster During interrogation, police said Pooja disclosed that she came in contact with a history-sheeter Rakesh, alias Honey, currently lodged in Sikar Jail, Rajasthan, through Instagram around a year ago and expressed her desire to be part of gangster Rohit Godaras gang as she loved him. Rakesh communicated with Godhara through Signal app and introduced her to him, following which the gangster provided her 25,000 and a mobile phone, asking her to reach Chandigarh. In Chandigarh, she met Sunny and Umang near Mohali district courts, and after conducting a recce, they went to Nexus Elante mall in Chandigarh, where they purchased advocate attires to pose as advocates and carry out the hit on Bhuppi Rana. They stayed in different hotels and she was given a weapon through someone who took her to his flat. She also purchased a new phone from Nayagaon. As the news regarding the arrest of Sunny, Umang and Kailash Chauhan came to fore, Godhara directed her to hide the weapon and leave Chandigarh as soon as possible. DSP Udey Pal Singh said through technical and human intelligence, the crime branch learnt that Pooja will be leaving Chandigarh via bus from Sector-43 ISBT, following which she was apprehended from there. She was sent to four-day police remand by a court. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Jhajjar police probing the killing of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) state president Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker questioned four out of 10 named accused at Bahadurgarh police station on Friday. Indian National Lok Dal's Haryana state unit chief Nafe Singh Rathee.(File) Senior police officials who are leading the probe said that former Bahadurgarh MLA and BJP leader Naresh Kaushik, Bijender Rathee, his son Sandeep Rathee and Bahadurgarh municipal council vice-chairman Rajpal Sharma appeared before the special investigation team, and they answered various questions. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Bijender and Sandeep answered various questions for four hours, Rajpal Sharma appeared for two hours, and former MLA Kausik appeared in the evening for questioning, the officials added. Also Read | Nafe Singh murder: Who is Kapil Sangwan, gangster who claimed responsibility on Instagram for the crime? The police officials refused to share more information about the incident as the investigation is underway. Man held for threatening Rathees family The Jhajjar police have arrested a man from Rajasthan for threatening Rathees family members. The police are bringing the accused to Bahadurgarh, said a police official. Rathees elder son Bhupinder, his councillor wife Preeti and younger son Jatinder, who is also a councillor in the Bahadurgarh municipal council, had received threat calls both through mobile network and WhatsApp. Nafes nephew Kapoor Rathee said that the caller had sent the picture of a weapon, saying that the same would be used to kill them, but they did not stop talking to the media about the INLD chiefs murder. Also Read | Former MLA among 12 booked in INLD Haryana chiefs murder case There is no possibility of gang rivalry behind the assassination of my uncle Nafe Singh and party worker Jai Kishan. Our family has no relations with gangsters. The accused are misleading the investigation by making such claims from fake accounts that a gangster Kapil Sangwan is behind my uncles killing. Such tactics are being used to mislead the probe, he added. He said that his uncle Nafe had no relation with the gangster, Mahal Singh, and anyone can meet the politician during day-to-day affairs, claiming that the alleged murderers had registered two fake FIRs against his uncle in Uttar Pradesh on January 5 and both FIRs were cancelled later. A senior BJP leader, who is booked in my uncles murder case, was the main architect in lodging two fake FIRs against him. The first FIR states that my uncle sought 2 lakh extortion per month and in the second FIR, one of the accused in my uncles killing, lodged an FIR against a man, who died during Covid-19. We run businesses of petrol pump and gas agencies and pay 2.5 lakh tax per day and how my uncle can seek an extortion of 2 lakh and later both FIRs were cancelled, he added. The family members of Nafe Singh showed an old video in which the INLD leader stated that he met chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar twice demanding security citing life threat. Police officials told me (Nafe) that you did not receive any threat. Would they give me security after someone gave me threat calls. Have you heard about anyone who told a person before killing him? I recently met the chief minister on December 26, but he did not give me security. Instead of providing security, the police had taken back my licenced revolver, Rathee could be heard in the video. Despite repeated attempts Jhajjar superintendent of police (SP) Arpit Jain could not be reached for a comment. Delhi-NCR experienced a sudden shift in weather as the region received light rainfall on Saturday morning. Following the rainfall, cloudy skies enveloped the national capital and adjoining areas, bringing the temperature a notch down Delhi rainfall: Visuals from the Greater Kailash area.(ANI) Visuals captured from the Kartavya Path and Greater Kailash area showed droplets of rain creating ripples on puddle-covered streets. Pedestrians were seen carrying umbrellas as they navigated through the wet conditions. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Check latest weather forecast A Western Disturbance, coupled with a cyclonic circulation over northwest Afghanistan and its vicinity, alongside a trough extending from this circulation to the Northwest Arabian Sea in the lower and middle tropospheric levels, is currently influencing weather patterns, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). An induced cyclonic circulation prevails over southwest Rajasthan and adjoining Pakistan in the lower tropospheric levels. The IMD issued a weather warning for the day, forecasting heavy to very heavy rain or snow at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The weather forecasting agency also predicted hail at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, West Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall/snowfall very likely over Jammu-KashmirLadakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad & Himachal Pradesh and isolated heavy rainfall/snowfall also very likely over Uttarakhand on 01st & 02nd March. Isolated heavy rainfall over Punjab on 02nd March, 2024, the IMD said. Residents were cautioned about the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by gusty winds ranging from 30 to 50 kilometres per hour at isolated places over Northwest India. The western Himalayan region is expected to receive fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, until March 3. Scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall, along with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph, are forecasted till March 3 in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and north Madhya Pradesh. Punjab may experience isolated heavy rainfall on March 2. Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh, who recently expressed his desire to resign from the post of partys spokesperson and state general secretary, on Saturday demanded the arrest of party MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay. Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh (File Photo) Ghosh also urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to initiate a probe against Bandyopadhyay in connection with the coal scam case, claiming that he received a large amount of money (from Bhubaneshwar Apollo) when he was under judicial custody. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. @dir_ed @CBIHeadquarters The bank accounts of Sudip Banerjee, MP and payments on behalf of him to Apollo, Bhubaneswar must be investigated. When he was in custody, whether a large amount paid to him or paid to hospital on behalf of him or not, that should be probed. If it is founded to be fact, then it may relate with coal scam and Banerjee should be arrested for further investigation. If agencies try to avoid this, I should move to Ld Court praying for investigation into this matter, Ghosh wrote on his X handle on Saturday. Bandyopadhyay refused to comment on the allegations. A veteran TMC leader, Bandyopadhyay is the partys MP from North Kolkata constituency and the leader of All Indian Trinamool Congress in the Lok Sabha. Bandyopadhyay was arrested in January 2017 by the CBI for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore Rose Valley chit-fund scam. He had to be hospitalized while in judicial custody and was granted bail by the Orissa high court in May 2017. Also Read: BJP vs BJP in...: Trinamool infighting comes to fore as Kunal Ghosh attacks TMC MP The CBI had registered a coal smuggling case in November 2020. It was alleged that the illegally mined coal, worth thousands of crores, was sold by a racket operating in the western parts of West Bengal, where the Eastern Coalfields Limited runs several mines and proceeds from the coal trade went to political leaders. The ED filed its first charge sheet at a special court in Delhi in August 2021. The federal agencies have questioned Abhishek Banerjee, TMC National general secretary and nephew of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, his wife and sister-in-law in the alleged coal levy scam. Ghosh on Friday, while expressing discontent about giving next-generation leaders more prominence in the party, said he wants to resign from all posts. He also removed his designations in the TMC party from his social media handle. His X handle now mentions that he is a journalist and social activist. The party is in very efficient hands. I am a misfit and thats why I dont want to stay in the party posts. I am not engaging in any arguments with anybody. It was my duty to inform the party leadership. I have done that. Whatever I had to say I have told the party leadership. Beyond this I wont say a word, Ghosh said in a media interview on Friday. They are behaving as if TMC is a fiefdom of few leaders. In North Kolkata, it is BJP versus BJP as Sudip Bandopadhyay is hand-in-glove with the saffron camp, Ghosh said. Bengal BJP leader Rahul Sinha slammed the TMC saying that civil war has started within the party. This war is going on within the party across the state. It is just the beginning of the end. Gradually the flames will spread. The resignation of Ghosh is also related to the TMC MP. TMC will end like this only, Sinha said. Special judges for Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cases, Lucknow, have sentenced five accused in fraud and bribery cases to imprisonment of varying duration along with a total fine of 13.80 lakh in four cases, said a senior official of investigating agency here on Saturday. A total fine of 13.80 lakh has also been imposed on the accused. (For Representation) In a press note shared with media, the official said the special judge for CBI cases, Lucknow, has sentenced the then manager of Punjab National Bank, Dhanghata branch of Sant Kabir Nagar, to four years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of 50,000 in a bribery case in the first case. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. They said the CBI had registered a case against him on April 26, 2014, on allegations that he had demanded bribe of 10 percent of the CCL loan of 8 lakh, already sanctioned on March 23, 2014, to the complainant. He was caught red-handed while accepting bribe in the form of a cheque of 50,000 from the complainant. In the second case, the special judge for CBI cases, Lucknow, sentenced the then branch manager, United Bank of India (UBI), Prayagraj, BN Dixit, and director of M/s Maya Agro Products Ltd Ashok Mitra to three years imprisonment. A total fine of 2.8 lakh was also imposed on the accused. It was alleged that accused defrauded the UBI in the matter of credit facility, purchase/discount of forged and fabricated bills and allowed excess withdrawals, diversion of funds in the account of the company. This caused loss to the tune of around 12.45 crore the to the government exchequer. A charge sheet was filed in the case on November 17, 2005. In the third case, the special judge for CBI cases, Lucknow, has sentenced the then SDE, BSNL, Pallia, Lakhimpur, Manoj Kumar Singh, to three years imprisonment with fine of 10 lakh in a disproportionate assets case. The CBI had registered a case on August 8, 2002 against him and his wife. It was alleged that between January 25, 1988, and August 9, 2002, his wife and he had assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. After investigation, the charge sheet was filed in the case on January 7, 2005, and the trial court found Manoj Kumar Singh guilty. His wife was, however, acquitted by the court. In the fourth case, the special judge for CBI cases, Lucknow, sentenced Shivdaan Singh, the then office superintendent, Navodaya Vidyalaya, Sonikpur, Barabanki, to three years imprisonment with fine of 50,000 in a bribery case. The CBI had registered a case against the accused on July 18, 2009. The accused was caught red handed while accepting the bribe on July 20, 2009. The chargesheet in the case was filed on May 16, 2011. Field officer caught accepting bribe Lucknow The CBI has arrested a field officer, Prathama UP Gramin Bank, Poora Birdha Branch, Lalitpur for allegedly accepting a bribe of 7000 from the complainant, said senior CBI officials here on Saturday. They said a case was registered on a complaint against the accused on allegations of demanding undue advantage of 18,000 for allowing withdrawal of 1.5 lakh from complainants loan account. They said the CBI laid a trap and caught the accused identified as Anuj red handed while demanding and accepting bribe. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said the increasing use of technology in government work is bringing about rapid changes in the lives of common people and that Ramrajya is all about good governance, ensuring every citizens access to welfare schemes without bias. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath handing over the symbolic key to a beneficiary of a govt scheme in Lucknow on March 2. (Deepak Gupta/HT) He made these remarks while addressing an event organised by the food and civil supply and the rural development departments jointly at Lok Bhavan here. Reforms in every aspect of life, aligned with PM Modis vision, have not only increased transparency but are also contributing towards ending corruption, Yogi added. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The CM inaugurated 1100 Annapurna Bhavans and launched electronic weighing scale-linked e-POS machines at 79,000 fair price shops under the public distribution system (PDS) across the state on the occasion. Before 2014, those in need did not get ration. They had ration cards in their names, but the ration would be distributed elsewhere. In fact, before 2017, there were deaths due to hunger in several districts of the state, he said. However, we have now started using technology such as e-POS machines and electronic weighing machines. This has led to extensive reforms in the distribution of rations. Reforms have been carried out by the food and civil supply department and around 80,000 ration quota shops in the state are benefiting approximately 15 crore beneficiaries, the CM added. Referring to the technology-based food distribution system, ogi said that it had not only solved the problem of hunger but also ended corruption in the system. Earlier, once the ration left the FCI warehouses, it would disappear midway. But now it is being monitored from Lucknow itself to ensure that the ration actually reaches the allocated quota shop. This change is in line with the principle of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (development for all). This is Modi jis mantra which is visible at the ground level, he said. Speaking about the 1100 Annapurna Bhavans, the CM said that they had now become permanent structures for the ration quota. Even if the shopkeeper changes, the ration shops would remain the same. Apart from ration, these Annapurna Bhavans will provide other facilities as well, including affordable generic medicines and other essential household items. Yogi said that warehouses for ration will also be present here. Additionally, there will be a common service centre where services like birth, death, income certificates and caste certificates can be obtained. Currently, the initiative is starting with 1100 shops and soon this arrangement will be extended to the 80,000 ration quota shops across the state. The CM mentioned that the government was soon going to take some more significant steps. The work of Aadhaar seeding of every ration card is underway. Family IDs for every individual are being prepared which will determine the facilities received by each family member, making it easy to identify and allocate services, he added. The CM also handed over symbolic keys of Annapurna Bhavans to 10 fair price vendors of the state. Among them were Jaglal from Lucknow, Ashok Kumar and Dhirendra Vikram from Rae Bareli, Rekha Devi and Puspha Devi from Barabanki, Lokai Prasad and Malti Devi from Unnao, Anjani Kumar and Jitendra from Hardoi and Mohammad Niyaz Khan from Sitapur. The CM also provided ration kits to the beneficiaries on the occasion. Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya; state minister for food and civil supplies Satish Chandra Sharma; state minister for rural development Vijay Laxmi Gautam; chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra and principal secretary, food and civil supplies, Alok Kumar were among others present in the programme. The Election Commission is committed to ensuring an inducement-free, impartial, peaceful and transparent polling during the Lok Sabha election and it will ensure that a level playing field is available to all political parties, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar said at a press conference here on Saturday. For Representation Only (HT File) An Election Commission of India (ECI) team led by Kumar was on a three-day visit to Lucknow from February 29 to review preparations for the Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The Commission has given strict orders to all the district magistrates and superintendents of police to ensure a level playing field for all the political parties during the election. If there is a violation by lower-level officers, DMs and SPs will be held responsible, Kumar said. He expressed satisfaction over the arrangement of logistics for polling in the state. The ECI has held meetings with officers of the central enforcement agencies as well as district magistrates and superintendents of Police of various districts. The officers have been directed by the Commission to set up check- posts in 30 districts of Uttar Pradesh that share borders with neighbouring states and the seven districts bordering Nepal. A combined team of the police, Sashastra Seema Bal, customs, excise, forest and other agencies will be constituted to maintain vigil on the international border, he said. Enforcement agencies, including GST and income tax department, have been directed to check circulation of drugs, liquor, cash and freebies. Other than exempted goods, all other items will be checked at the airports, he said. Charted flights that lands at some airports and helipads will be checked by the security agencies and the district administration officers, the chief election commissioner added. Digital transactions are also used to lure voters. Bankers have been told to maintain vigil on the transactions. Strict action will be taken against those who indulge in allurement of voters. The RBI and banks have been directed to stop movement of the vans that transport cash to ATMs after 6pm. Government vehicles and ambulances should also be checked, he said. Kumar said DMs and SPs have been directed to take strict action against fake news. ECI has appointed a nodal officer to take action under the Information Technology Act to check the activities of anti-social elements to vitiate the atmosphere by spreading rumours. If any person tries to disturb the public order, strict action will be taken, he said. To check misinformation on social media platforms, the Commission has set up integrated control rooms in all the districts to monitor social media, he said. The banks have been directed to give four non- personalized cheque books of 50 leaves each (total 200 leaves) to candidates contesting the Lok Sabha election, he said. Customs officials recently stopped a Karachi-bound merchant ship at Nhava Sheva port and seized a dual-use consignment on the suspicion that it could also be used for Pakistans nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. The ship was stopped at the Nhava Sheva port.(PTI) The incident occurred on January 23 on board the Malta-flagged CMA CGM Attila that had set sail from China carrying a computer numerical control (CNC) machine, originally manufactured by an Italian company, an official said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. We acted on specific intelligence received from central agencies and stopped the ship for examining the consignment. The consignment was seized under the prevailing policies, as it can also be used for nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, the official said. The official further said since the CNC machine was being shipped from China to Pakistan it was suspected that the consignment was meant for Pakistani defence forces. Sources said the consignment was meant for Karachi-based Cosmos Engineering, a firm engaged mainly in production of automobile parts and home appliances. The company also manufactures firefighting systems, CCTV cameras, solar panels, and equipment required for heavy industries and research. Joint teams of Dhumanganj police and SOG on Friday busted a gang of burglars involved in theft incidents in the area for the past some time. The police team nabbed four members of the gang with stolen cash and valuables. The gang members carried out recce of homes while delivering milk and driving e-rickshaws, police said. (Pic for representation) ACP Dhumanganj Varun Kumar said acting on a tip off, the Dhumanganj police under SHO Vaibhav Singh and SOG arrested four burglars and recovered 10 silver coins, five ornaments, computer system and cash 26,800 along with burglary tools. The arrested burglars were identified as Israel, 18, of Puramufti, Monu Patwa, 19, of Dhumanganj, Karan, 18, of Subedarganj and Dilshad, 22, of Mariadih. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Questioning from the accused revealed that they were all drug addicts and took to burglary for purchasing smack etc. The gang members used to carry out recce of home while pursuing their regular professions. Dilshad is a milkman and used to keep watch at locked homes while Karan drives e-rickshaw and used to roam around in the area to identify homes where families were away. Monu used to sell vegetables on kiosks for carrying out recce, police officials said. A team of experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi conducted a review meeting of the national rabies control programme in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad on Friday. The NCDC along with state animal husbandry department and PATH has organised a training programme for all district veterinary officers across the state for rabies diagnosis and surveillance. (HT FILE) The experts during the meeting suggested capacity building and strategies towards the effective elimination of dog-mediated rabies. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The meeting was held at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)-run Naidu Infectious Disease Hospital in Baner as part of the rabies free city initiative. It was headed by Dr Ajit Shewale, deputy director, One Health Division, NCDC who reviewed rabies prevention activities in the Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad city and state. The meeting was attended by officials from PMC, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), public health department, animal husbandry and representatives of PATH, a non-governing organisation (NGO). Dr Sarika Funde, veterinary superintendent of PMC, said, Various strategies that can be implemented in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad area under the rabies free city initiative to achieve zero human deaths by dog-mediated rabies were discussed. Also, strategies to increase mass dog vaccination to interrupt transmission were emphasised. The NCDC along with state animal husbandry department and PATH has organised a training programme for all district veterinary officers across the state for rabies diagnosis and surveillance. Dr Bhagwan Pawar, health officer of PMC, said, the experts have directed us to work on both human and animal components to eliminate rabies in the city. As part of human components, they have directed us to increase the number of healthcare facilities which would provide round-the-clock treatment for animal bites patients. They have suggested that the rabies and dog bite reporting department should work in coordination with the team conducting the stray dog immunization programme, said Dr Pawar. There should be community involvement for animal birth control and immunisation of stray canines has been suggested by NCDC, he added. Dr Sudhir Patsute, infectious disease expert and head of Naidu Hospital, said, as per the NCDC suggestions the dog bite victims should receive the best required medical attention at the earliest. There is a need for more centres that handle animal bite cases to be developed. We have been asked to have more such facilities and all healthcare facilities should have adequate stock of anti rabies vaccines, he said. A Spanish woman travelling along with her husband from West Bengal to Nepal was allegedly gang-raped by seven people on Friday night in Kurmahat village in the Dumka district of Jharkhand, police said, adding that three of the accused were detained in connection with the case. The Spanish woman was allegedly gang-raped by seven people on Friday night in Kurmahat village in the Dumka district. (HT File) Besides the sexual assault on the woman, who is in her mid-30s, the couple was also thrashed by the accused and robbed of cash and other belongings as they resisted the crime. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Dumka superintendent of police (SP) Pitambar Singh Kherwar said three accused were detained while special teams formed to crack the case are conducting raids to apprehend the others. According to officials close to the matter, the incident came to light at around 11 p.m. on Friday when the patrolling team of Hansdiha Police in Dumka spotted two people near the road but couldnt comprehend their language as they were speaking Spanish. The duo later narrated the incident to the police team using Google translation, and the police team took them to Saraiyahat Community Health Centre, where the gang rape of the woman was confirmed, one of the officials said. Senior police officers who reached the hospital and took details from the survivor detained three people, who provided some clues about the incident and also collected some forensic evidence. SP Kherwar said, Our team came to know about the incident last night, and after confirmation of the incident of outraging the modesty of the woman following medical examination and based on the survivors statement and our inputs, three persons were detained. The SP said one of the detainees confessed to the crime, provided some clues about the incident and divulged information about other accused persons. The duo had not given any information to the police/administration regarding the setting up of a temporary camp in the village, said Kherwar, adding that a probe team led by Santosh Kumar, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Jarmundi, has been constituted to investigate the case. Officials said the couple, on a tourist visa in India as part of their world tour on a bike, visited Pakistan and Bangladesh before entering the country through West Bengal. They were heading towards Nepal through Dumka. They put up a makeshift tent in the forest of Kunji Basti, about two kilometres from Kurmahat, after reaching there around 5 p.m. on Friday. The incident took place when some local youths attacked them, after which they gang-raped the woman, the above-cited official said. SDPO Santosh Kumar said, We have lodged a first information report (FIR) in the case on the complaint of the victim women. The three people are still under detention. After completion of primary investigation, it may turn into arrest. Meanwhile, a video of the couple narrating the crime in Spanish went viral on social media. In the English transcription, the couple emphasised that while the accused robbed some of their belongings, their main motive was to rape her. The incident sparked political furore in the state, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from neighbouring Godda, Amit Mandal, raising the issue in the state assembly, accusing the police of trying to protect the accused persons and demanding the removal of Dumka SP. He said, Such an incident, which took place at Hansdiha in Dumka, has tarnished the image of the state while the government is busy with other issues. We will not allow the perpetrators of such incidents to evade arrest and demand stringent punishment for them, added Mandal. Godda MP Nishikant Dubey targeted the state government through a social media post, accusing it of posting untrained police officers in the Santhal Pargana division, who are abetting murder, loot, and rape for the last four years. Dubey said, Dumka is the home place of the Soren family (Hemant Soren), but one will be surprised to know that the tribal people are decreasing in the district and tribal women are also being raped. The recent incident is the culmination of ongoing misrule in the area, and we can say in this state neither the women nor the Dalits and others are safe. BJP state president Babulal Marandi said the collapsed law and order situation of the state led to the incident of gang rape, tarnishing the states image on the global stage. The government should have immediately suspended all the police officers for the negligence in the issue. On one hand, there is talk of tourism promotion, and on the other hand, such incidents are taking place. Who will dare to come to Jharkhand after such incidents? Marandi said. Responding to the incident, ruling Congress MLA from Jamtara, Irfan Ansari, said, We will ensure strict punishment for those involved in the incident case after arresting them and ensure their speedy trial. A Spanish woman, who was on a tour with her husband, was allegedly gang-raped by a group of men on Friday night in Jharkhands Dumka district, police said. The incident happened when the couple was putting up in a tent near Hansdhiha town in Jharkhands Dumka district on Friday night. (Representative Image) Police said the incident took place in the Kurmahat village around 11pm on Friday. Besides the sexual assault on the woman, the couple was also thrashed and robbed by the accused persons. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Dumka superintendent of police (SP) Pitambar Singh Kherwar said three accused have been arrested in connection, and they have formed special teams to arrest other accused persons. Police said that a patrolling team of Hansdiha police spotted the couple near the road but couldnt comprehend their language. The duo narrated the incident using Google Translate. They were later taken to a Community Health Centre in Saraiyahat. Officials said that upon getting information, senior police officers reached the hospital. SP Kherwar said their team came to know about the incident last night, and following medical examination and based on the statement given by the woman, they arrested three persons. Officials aware of the investigation said that the couple, who were on a tourist visa in India, had camped near Kunji Basti, about two km from Kurmahat, after reaching there at around 5pm on Friday. The incident took place as some local youths went on to rob them and also gang-raped the women. SP Kherwar said one of the arrested youth confessed to their crime and divulged information about other accused persons. The couple had not given any information to the police/administration regarding the putting up of a temporary camp in the village, said Kherwar and added a probe team led by sub-divisional officer Santosh Kumar of Jarmundi has been constituted to investigate the case. Meanwhile, a video of the couple went viral on social media narrating the crime, leading to political furore in the state. Amit Mandal, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from neighbouring Godda on Saturday raised the issue in the state assembly, accusing the state police of trying to protect the accused persons. He also demanded the suspension of Dumka SP. Godda MP Nishikant Dubey accused the Champai Soren-led government of posting untrained police officers in the Santhal Pargana division who are abetting murder, loot and rape. State BJP state president Babulal Marandi also targeted the government and said that the law and order situation in the state is collapsing. Admissions are open at the University of Sheffield, UK, for its MSc course in Molecular Medicine starting in September 2024. After all other teaching has been completed, students will spend 20 weeks working full-time, with individual supervision, on their choice of research project from an available list.(Handout) According to a press release by the University of Sheffield, the course explores the cellular and molecular biology and molecular genetics behind a wide range of illnesses, and how new technologies are revolutionising scientific discovery, diagnosis and treatment. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. After all other teaching has been completed, students will spend 20 weeks working full-time, with individual supervision, on their choice of research project from an available list. They will be embedded in a research group in an active laboratory setting, informed the university. Eligibility Criteria: 3 or 4-year bachelors degree from a recognised university with a minimum of 60% or 2:1 (Upper Second Class Honours) degree including a substantial element of human or animal biology. Overall IELTS grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, or equivalent. Fee Details: Tuition fees for 2024 entry have not been confirmed. Students can use the overseas 2023 annual tuition fee 25,600 as a guide, informed the press release. Scholarship Details: International Postgraduate Scholarship 2024 is available to international students for this course. The scholarship is worth 2,500 for courses in the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Health and the Faculty of Engineering. No additional scholarship application is required, if students meet the eligibility and award criteria the scholarship will be applied as a tuition fee discount, informed the university. For more information, visit the official website. Mar 2, 2024 3:17 PM IST Analysis by Bhumi V Gupta, PGT Chemistry, Vidyagyan School, Bulandshahr: The science question paper was moderate in difficulty level, it had a mix of easy and moderate questions. On a good note, no questions were out of syllabus. No competency based questions were asked and most of the questions were direct and easy. Marks were distributed uniformely keeping in mind knowledge, understanding and application etc. Overall the paper was easier than previous years. Most of the questions were directly taken from the NCERT book. The MCQs and diagram based questions in biology section and the numerical based questions in physics section were also directly taken from the NCERT book. Maharashtra Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, MBSHSE will conduct MSBSHSE 12th Mathematics & Statistics paper today, March 2, 2024. The Class 12 examination Mathematics paper will be conducted in first shift- from 11 am to 2 pm. In the second shift Class 12 Percussion Instruments paper will be conducted by the Board. Maharashtra HSC Exam 2024 Maths & Statistics paper today, instructions here Mathematics & Statistics (A/S) and Mathematics & Statistics (C) will be conducted in shift 1 across the state at various exam centres. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. This year a total of 15,13,909 students are appearing for the Maharashtra HSC exam this year, an increase of 56,616 compared to 2023. Last year, 1,457,293 students had appeared for the exam. Maharashtra HSC Exam 2024: Instructions Here All the students who are appearing for the Mathematics examination today can check the instructions below. National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Bajaj Finserv Ltd. launched their first skill development initiative - Project Odiserv, today at Gangadhar Meher University (GMU) in Sambalpur, Odisha. The project was launched by the Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan.(Handout) The project was launched by the Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. According to the National Skill Development Corporation, the project aims to train graduates, especially first-generation graduates, through Bajaj Finservs Certificate Programme for Banking Finance & Insurance (CPBFI) programme. The total duration of the training programme will be 100 hours, during which youth from tier-II and tier-III cities are trained for employment in the financial services sector. Pradhan said that Project ODISERV will empower the youth of the country, make them more employable and fulfil their aspirations. He also informed that 1100 students in Odisha have already been trained under Project ODISERV and a few of them have also received job offers. Project Odiserv is the inaugural skill development initiative, following the partnership announced by NSDC and Bajaj Finserv in December 2023. Skilling and employment of youth will power the demographic dividend and is key to achieving Indias goal of becoming the worlds third-largest economy. Skilling is thus integral to Bajaj Finservs social impact initiatives, said Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman & Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv. 60 colleges of Odisha across 11 cities and 10 districts are expected to be a part of the launch of the 100-hour training programme. Industry experts, training partners, educational institutions, and psychological health institutes have collaborated in developing the 100-hour training programme, mentioned the press release. Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi) is all set to host its upcoming flagship event, the Research Innovation and Incubation Showcase (RIISE) 2024, scheduled to be held on March 15th-16th, 2024. Interested individuals who wish to attend the event can register through the official website which is free of charge but mandatory for attendance.(Handout) According to a press release by IIIT-Delhi, the event will see the gathering of experts from academia, industry, and government on a platform sharing their views on the theme Build for India. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. This year's event aims to host discussions encompassing 5G/6G, Advanced Multicore Systems, Design for India, Robotics & Space Technology, Bridging Theory & Practice, Computational Gastronomy, Sustainable Mobility, Bharat AI, and Healthcare, mentioned the press release. RIISE, will highlight some really fascinating work that the students and faculty are doing, some of which carries the potential to bring a change in society. The poster presentations will highlight recent scientific research, developments in technology, and upcoming prospects. Attendees will get the opportunity to network with colleagues and specialists, share ideas, and consider possible joint ventures in RIISE. , says Prof Pankaj Vajpayee, Dean of Corporate Relations and Entrepreneurship. Interested individuals who wish to attend the event can register through the official website which is free of charge but mandatory for attendance, informed IIIT-Delhi. For more information visit the official website. To mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Finland and India, a logo-design challenge was organised by the Embassy of Finland at the Sonipat-based World University of Design (WUD). The logo designed by Aman Narayan, a second-year student at the School of Communication, World University of Design was selected as the winner of the challenge. (Handout) According to a press release by WUD, the logo designed by Aman Narayan, a second-year student at the School of Communication, World University of Design was selected as the winner of the challenge. More than 40 talented students from the varsity responded to the challenge, contributing over 70 designs. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. It was mandated that the winning design should symbolise the uniqueness of the two countries, the depth of cultural exchange, mutual respect, shared values, and the continuous growth of bilateral ties between the two countries over the past 75 years, mentioned the press release. The multitude of colors signifies the many possibilities of relationships and exchange between the two countries. The typography of the words Finland and India has the I joined, signifying that the way to the future lies through cooperation and a shared approach between the people of the two great nations, says 19-year-old Aman Narayan. I am absolutely delighted and impressed with the amazing creativity and thought behind all the designs made by our students. The winning logo effectively captures the essence of India-Finland ties. We are delighted that it will be used to mark the historic occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two nations and showcase the creativity and talent of our students on the international stage, said Prof (Dr) Sanjay Gupta, Vice Chancellor of the World University of Design. Aman Narayan was honored with a prize of 50,000 at the Embassy of Finland in a ceremony attended by Mr. Kimmo Lahdevirta, Ambassador of Finland in India, Dr Sanjay Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, World University of Design and graphic designer, Anthony Lopez. Speaking at the felicitation ceremony, Ambassador Lahdevirta said: Today, we applaud Aman Narayan, a talented student from the World University of Design, for his contribution to the Finland-India 75th Anniversary celebrations. The winning logo design symbolises well the long-standing cooperation between our countries, paving the way for a greener future. The winning logo was earlier officially unveiled by Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finland, and S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India, during their meeting at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on February 22, 2024, mentioned the press release. {Spoiler alert! This article contains a little bit of spoiler for Chapter 252 by the end of it} Don't miss out on Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 253 - Coming soon!(MAPPA) If you love Jujutsu Kaisen, you must be eager to read the latest chapter of the manga. Well, youre in luck, because Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 253 is coming out very soon. It will be released on Sunday, March 10, 2024. You wont have to wait much longer to see how the epic battle between the good guys and the wicked Sukuna, the King of Curses, unfolds. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The manga is on schedule this week, so there wont be any delays. When will the Jujutsu Kaiser Chapter 253 go live in the US? Now, you might be wondering what time the chapter will be available in your region. Well, based on the previous release patterns, here are the estimated release times for Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 253 in the US: 8 AM PT 10 AM CT 11 AM ET And if you live in Japan, you can expect to read the chapter on Monday, March 11, at 12 AM JST. ALSO READ| JJK Chapter 252 Leaks: Yuta confirmed alive; Maki surfaces as the GOAT Where can you read Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 253 online? The best and most legitimate way to do so is to visit the official websites of Viz Media, Shueishas MangaPlus, or the Shonen Jump Plus app. These platforms offer digital versions of the manga in English and other languages. You can also access free readings of the latest three chapters on Shonen Jump, including Chapters 251 and 252. However, if you want to read the entire manga series, you will need to subscribe to Shonen Jump for a fee of $2.99/month. This will give you unlimited access to over 15000+ Manga chapters from popular titles like One Piece, One-Punch Man, My Hero Academia, Naruto, and many more. You can also get a free trial of seven days before you decide to pay. Recap: Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 252 Now, lets talk about what happened in the previous chapter and what we can expect from the next one. Chapter 252 was full of action and suspense as Yuta, Rika, and Maki confronted Sukuna. Maki surprised Sukuna with her special sword, which cut through his cursed energy and stopped him from healing. Sukuna praised Maki and said she reminded him of Mahoraga, the fearsome Shikigami he battled at Shibuya. ALSO READ| Jujutsu Kaisen creator gifts special art to King Gnu, the maker of theme song On the other hand, Yuji Itadori was trying to lift Megumis spirits, who was feeling defeated by Sukunas immense power. The JJK lead was also dealing with his own wounds and learned from Choso how to use the Reverse Curse Technique better. Hakari and Uraume also showed up and joined the fight against Sukuna, who was still hiding his true strength. Kanye West and his young wife, Bianca Censori, are reportedly considering expanding their family after being together for some time. The Vultures rapper, already a father of four, is said to be looking forward to having another child, a thought that has Censoris parents in a panic! This development comes just days after reports surfaced about the 29-year-old Yeezy model's convicted father possibly seeking a serious conversation with Ye, expressing concerns about his daughter being portrayed as a 'trashy commodity'. Bianca Censori is Kanye West's new wife after Kim Kardashian.(Twitter/ Daily Loud) Bianca Censori is planning to have babies with Kanye Also read: Hailey Bieber writes emotional note to Justin Bieber with throwback photos after dads prayer request Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Kanye West, father to North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm, shares four children with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. Following their separation, Kanye tied the knot with Yeezy model and designer Bianca Censori in 2022. Throughout last year, the rapper expressed his desire to expand their family, even hinting at it during a Las Vegas album listening party in December 2023 when he rapped on the track Timbo Freestyle, stating that another baby is my end goal. Now, Daily Mail reports that Kanyes wish might be coming true as wife Bianca Censori is planning to have his babies. A source close to the model told the outlet that she wants kids and has discussed baby plans with her family. The source further added, He is her husband so of course she has talked about this, and being a stepmom to Kanyes kids has really only made her desire to have kids stronger. Also read: Rihanna rocks Jamnagar with Wild Things: Anant Ambani's pre-wedding party goes RiRi: Watch Bianca- Kanye's baby plans lead to family chaos While the couple's decision appears brighter and more joyful for themselves, Bianca's parents may not feel the same. Initially supportive, their opinion reportedly changed after Kanye was accused of influencing her wardrobe, leading to X-rated content online. They want grandchildren, but insist they grow up in a stable and loving home which they dont believe Kanye could offer. As per the insider who spoke to the Mail, There was a time when her parents were supportive of her having children with Kanye, but no one believes at this time that her becoming pregnant and having a baby right now is a good idea. They want Bianca to have children and they want grandchildren, but they want them to grow up in a stable and loving household. Life with Kanye is not stable at all. Bianca Censoris father wants to have a serious chat with Kanye Ever since Kanye and Bianca got hitched, numerous reports have surfaced accusing the rapper of controlling his wife, even cutting her off from her family and friends. The situation worsened when reports started circulating about Ye deciding what Bianca should wear and posting her humiliating pictures. Daily Mail earlier reported that Censors father wants to have a chat with Kanye on this matter. As per the insiders, Leo honestly wants to just sit Kanye down to let him know that he is hurting her family by turning his beloved daughter into a trashy-looking marketable commodity. TV actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Indian Embassy on X to bring back the dead body of a friend from the US. Her friend, Amarnath Ghosh was allegedly shot dead in St Louis and the actor asked for help to reclaim his body. (Also Read: Bigg Boss 17: Devoleena Bhattacharjee slams Vicky Jain for insulting Ankita Lokhande, says not at all entertaining) Devoleena Bhattacharjee wrote an open appeal on X, alleging her friend was shot dead in the US(Instagram) Her appeal Taking to X, Devoleena stated that her friend Amarnath was shot dead on Tuesday and that his body is yet to be claimed. She also wrote that the police has not released details of the accused, writing, My friend #Amarnathghosh was shot & killed in St louis academy neigbourhood, US on tuesday evening. Only child in the family, mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood. (sic) Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. She added, Well the reason , accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one left in his family to fight for it except his few friends. He was from kolkata. Excellent dancer , was pursuing PHD , was taking an evening walk and suddenly he was shot multiple times by an unknown. (sic) She wrote that the body has not been released to her friends in the US who tried to claim the body, Some friends in US are trying to claim the body but still no update about it. @IndianEmbassyUS kindly see to it if you could. Atleast we should know the reason of his murder. @DrSJaishankar @narendramodi. (sic) No update yet Responding to fans on Saturday, Devoleena stated that there was no update on the case or the body and that no one has responded to her appeal. Nobody cares about it. Thats what i realised unless the person is an influencial or a VVIP. Body is not yet handed over for funeral. No updates, no information of the murderers at all. Friends in US are trying to raise funds for funeral, she responded to a fan who claimed that hate crime was on a rise in the US. About Devoleena Devoleena is best known for portraying Gopi bahu in the Hindi TV show Saath Nibhaana Sathiya. She also took part in Bigg Boss 13, 14 and 15. Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place The News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has taken stern action against three prominent television news channels News18 India, Times Now Navbharat, and Aaj Tak, ordering them to remove videos of several shows aired over the past two years. The directive comes in response to complaints over the dissemination of content that promotes hatred and communal disharmony, deemed to be in violation of broadcasting standards and ethics guidelines. NBDSA has ordered three TV news channels to remove programmes broadcast by them from their online platforms and YouTube. (File Photo) Among the channels penalised, News18 India faced a fine and removal order for three specific shows. These shows, two anchored by Aman Chopra and one by Amish Devgan, were found guilty of communalising the Shraddha Walker case, labelling it as "love jihad." The NBDSA imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000 on the channel and mandated the removal of the offending videos. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Also Read: NBDSA orders TV news channels to remove 7 programmes that violated ethics code The NBDSA order stated that the term love jihad should not be used loosely and should be used with great introspection in future broadcasts as religious stereotyping can corrode the secular fabric of the country, cause irreparable harm to a community and create religious intolerance or disharmony. The regulatory body also imposed a fine of 1 lakh on Times Now Navbharat for its show, hosted by Himanshu Dixit, on love jihad which was aired on May 31, 2023. It appears that at the very beginning of the broadcast, the anchor has concluded that men from a certain community lured women from another community by hiding their religious identity and then committed violence or murders against such women and every such violence or murder committed on women of a certain community related to love jihad, it said. Aaj Tak came under scrutiny for a show hosted by Sudhir Chaudhary. The NBDSA found Chaudhary's use of terms such as "Tukde Tukde Gang," "Khalistani in Punjab," and "Pakistani Supporters" during a discussion on former President Barack Obama's comments concerning India to be inflammatory and violative of objectivity and neutrality standards. A fine of Rs. 75,000 was levied on Aaj Tak, coupled with an order to either expunge the objectionable remarks from the video or remove it entirely. In its assessment, the NBDSA noted a clear departure from journalistic principles in the implicated broadcasts. The channels were found to have failed in presenting controversial issues with impartiality, objectivity, and sensitivity, as mandated by broadcasting standards. A legal representative of the India Today Group, said, Even though we are disappointed by the order, we respect the decision by the regulatory body and will follow it, reported The Indian Express From a leafy corner in the Central Delhi, the Congress partys war room, or its operational centre for election preparations, has shifted to the heart of Lutyens Delhi, a bungalow next to Khan Market. File Photo This is the first change of address of the war room in 18 years. In the run-up to the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress leaders operated from 99 South Avenue. Sometime in 2006, the 15 Gurdwara Rakabganj Road (GRG) bungalow became the partys war room. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Bungalow number 15 was allotted to the partys Rajya Sabha MP Pradip Bhattacharyya, who retired in August last year, forcing the Congress to search for a new address for its war room. Its search seems to have ended in a two-storied bungalow at C 1/10, Subramania Bharti Marg. The bungalow belongs to Uttam Kumar Reddy, who is a minister in Telangana. Reddy was allotted the bungalow when he was a Rajya Sabha member. Usually, former members get a grace period to vacate their official residence; it is quite likely that the war room will shift after the elections as this bungalow will be reallocated to a new Rajya Sabha member. A former Karnataka cadre IAS officer-turned-Congress worker Sasikanth Senthil, who quit civil services in 2019, leads the war room. I really cannot say why we changed the address. That is a decision taken by the top leadership of the party. My job is operations. I cant say anything beyond this, Senthil said, declining to comment on the activities of the war room. Apart from Senthil, who headed the partys war room in Karnataka during the state polls last year, engineer-turned-Congress joint secretary Gokul Butail, Delhi unit member Naveen Sharma, party worker Varun Santosh and Captain (retd) Arvind Kumar and Vaibhav Walia are part of the war room, HT learns. Two senior party leaders who asked not to be named added that Congress strategists meet regularly in the war room which also hosts the partys social media team and a few other groups. In the old war room, top-ranking leaders such as the late Ahmed Patel had dedicated offices. The Congress also plans to set up state-level war rooms for the elections. On January 4, a detailed road map on how to set up war rooms in states was discussed in a meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. In the Subramania Bharti Marg war room, as it was at 15, GRG, access is highly restricted. The old war room had two conference rooms, a few cabins, a canteen, and a separate bay for the Congress social media unit. Access was based on biometric credentials. The new war room has almost all the same facilities, according to a party functionary, but it is not as organised as 15, GRG. A war room veteran, who requested anonymity, said, From 99 South Avenue to Khan Market, we have come a long way. In the South Avenue property, the toilets were so bad that some of us used to go to Ashoka Hotel to use the toilets. When we got the 15, GRG, the first thing we did was to renovate the washrooms. The opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, including All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday slammed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK)-led state government over the now expelled party member and Chennai-based film producer A K Jaffer Sadiqs alleged involvement in international drug smuggling ring. HT Image Sadiq was the Chennai West deputy organiser of the DMKs NRI wing and the party had expelled him last Sunday without mentioning any reason. Since reports said drug smuggling charges, we did not wait for action, a senior DMK leader said requesting anonymity. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. A DMK functionary was also booked on Friday for attacking a local media personnel, on Thursday, covering the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) raid at Sadiqs house in Chennai. Criticising the MK Stalin-led government AIADMKs general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) said:Tamil Nadu is becoming a haven for drug smugglers.It is shameful for the DMK to have a functionary involved in a drug racket. He sought political accountability and a thorough investigation. On February 15, the Delhi Police and the NCB had raided a godown in Delhi during which Sadiqs involvement in the smuggling ring that was moving pseudoephedrine to Australia and New Zealand disguised as health-mix powder, came to the fore. The police arrested three people from Tamil Nadu identified as Mukesh, Mujibur Rahman and Ashok Kumar who had allegedly named Sadiq. BJP state president K Annamalai on Friday said that it isnt enough if Sadiq was just dismissed and that other suspects in the DMK and the film industry must be probed. International drug lord and a DMK functionary Jaffar Sadiq is on the run; NCB is raiding DMK functionaries establishments, 1200 crore worth en route to Tamil Nadu caught off the coast of Gujarat and today 30kg methamphetamine was caught in transit in Madurai by directorate of revenue intelligence, Annamalai said. Chennai police on Friday registered a case against DMK functionary Kalaichelvan for allegedly attacking a camera person Senthil Kumar belonging to a Tamil vernacular media, said officials. While a lookout notice has been issued against Sadiq, Tamil film director Ameer who is said to be involved in a restaurant business with Sadiq and is directing a movie which the accused is producing, issued a statement saying that shooting for the film has stopped. If there is any truth in the allegations... he should be condemned and punished, the director said. Silchar: An on-duty cop in Assams Dibrugarh district died by suicide after allegedly shooting himself using his service revolver after firing at a woman, officials familiar with the matter said. (Representative Photo) The incident took place in the Lahowal area around 2am on Saturday, according to the police. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The deceased cop, identified as Anupam Gowala, a resident of Jorhat district, was the officer-in-charge of Namrup police station, Dibrugarh. The woman has been identified as Bishnupriya Lahon Gogoi, a resident of the Rangpuria area under the Lahowal police station. Bipul Gogoi, the womans husband, who claimed to be the eyewitness to the incident, said the police officer forcibly entered their house at around 2am and asked his wife to go with him. When I tried to stop him, he warned and threatened me with his gun. Bipul said that after his wife refused to go with the officer, it led to a scuffle between the two, and Gowala opened fire at her, causing severe injuries. Later, he pointed the gun to his head and shot himself in front of me, Bipul said. He immediately called the police, who arrived at the incident spot and recovered the dead cops body. His wife was admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Bipul informed that one bullet hit his wifes lungs and the doctors said that she might need critical surgery. Gowalas body has been sent for postmortem, said police. Police said that they are investigating the matter and interrogating other possible eyewitnesses. This is a sensitive matter and we are investigating it further, an investigating police officer said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday announced 20 out of 42 candidates for the Lok Sabha election in Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal, a state where it registered its best ever electoral performances at national and state level recently. The candidates for the eastern state were announced in wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mega development push in the Trinamool Congress bastion. The saffron party, aiming to surpass its 2019 tally of 18 seats, has fielded its state president Sukanta Majumdar along with two Union ministers Nisith Pramanik and Shantanu Thakur for the general elections. ALSO READ: BJP 1st list for Lok Sabha: Narendra Modi from Varanasi, Amit Shah from Gandhinagar In the 20 seats that have been announced, there are leaders from all levels of society. All BJP workers will contest the elections together and will gift more seats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from here (West Bengal) than before, Majumdar, who is contesting from Balurghat once again, told ANI. Union minister Nisith Pramanik, currently a minister of state for home, youth affairs and sports, is contesting from Cooch Behar. The 38-year-old leader from North Bengal, Pramanik jumped ship from the TMC to the BJP in 2019 and defeated his former party's candidate Paresh Adhikary by over 54,000 votes. ALSO READ: Lok Sabha elections 2024 ground report: In North Bengal, saffron flags are all over, but what about the votes? Another Union minister in poll fray is Shantanu Thakur, a prominent leader from Matua community. A vocal supporter of the Citizenship Amendment Act, the BJP candidate from Bongaon is currently the Union minister of state for the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration and foundation stone-laying of various projects at Arambagh in Hooghly, West Bengal on Friday.(ANI) Once a Left bastion for 34 years before Mamata Banerjee came to power, Bengal has been a state where the BJP has invested in, especially since 2014. Last April, Union home minister Amit Shah at a rally in Birbhum had set a target of winning 35 seats in the state. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won two seats when Modi was voted to power for the first time. Five years later, the saffron party bagged 18 seats. The BJP registered its best electoral performance in the 2021 assembly elections, winning 77 seats. The BJP has left no stone unturned to corner Mamata Banerjee over several issues, the latest being the episode in Sandeshkhali village. Prime Minister Modi hit out at the Bengal CM over Sheikh Shahjahan, the TMC leader accused of sexual assault, who was finally arrested ahead of his visit to the state. The country is seeing what Trinamool Congress has done with the sisters of Sandeshkhali. The whole country is angry. The soul of Raja Ram Mohan Roy must have been pained by what happened in Sandeshkhali...the party was protecting the TMC leader and the police had to arrest him yesterday after the BJP leaders exerted pressure on the government, the prime minister said in Hooghly on Friday. A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was allegedly killed in Karnatakas Kalaburagi district, police said on Friday. Police said the incident took place around 11pm on Thursday in the Saganur village. Just four days ago, Girish Babu Chakra, an aide and supporter of Kalaburagi MP Umesh Jadhav, was appointed as the district BSNL Advisory Committee member. Girish Babu Chakra was lured by his friends to a farm for a celebratory gathering where the assailants threw chilli powder into his eyes and killed him with a machete (HT) He was lured by his friends to a farm for a celebratory gathering where the assailants threw chilli powder into his eyes and killed him with a machete, police said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Preliminary investigation revealed that three friends of the deceased invited him to a party to celebrate his appointment as a district BSNL Advisory Committee member. All had consumed alcohol and taking advantage of the victims inebriated state, they killed him using a machete. Prima facie, it seems old rivalry is the motive behind the murder. We have definite clues about the accused and have formed three teams to arrest them. They will be held by today (Friday) evening, said the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) of Aland Mohammed Shariff. The officer added that a case has been registered at Ganagapura police station and an investigation is underway. This is the second such alleged killing of a BJP member in Kalaburagi in last 24 hours. On Thursday morning, BJP leader Mahanthappa Siddaramappa Alure (45) was allegedly hacked to death by some assailants at Sarasamba village in Aland town who were later arrested. Mahanthappa, a prominent figure in the village, served as the president of the Dhanalakshmi Cooperative Society and was elected as a member of the gram panchayat for three consecutive terms. Early on Thursday, Mahanthappa was on his way to fetch milk from the cow tied in his field when he was intercepted by four men near GESCOM office who came in a car. Without any warning, they attacked him brutally with weapons before fleeing the spot, said the DSP. Nearby people, who saw the alleged murder, rushed the BJP leader to Solapur hospital in Maharashtra, however, he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment, said police. Police suspect old rivalry behind the crime. We are questioning the four arrested people to know more details about the murder, the police officer stated. Meanwhile, BJP has expressed outrage that district in-charge minister Priyank Kharge has failed to put a check on rising murder and extortion cases in the district. Since Priyank Kharge has become the district in-charge minister, murders and extortions in Kalaburagi have rose manyfold. In these 10 months, BJP workers and leaders are being killed one after the other. Kharge, who has handed over Kalaburagi to gangsters, is directly responsible for this, BJPs state unit said on X. The opposition party has demanded that Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah immediately sack Kharge, who has undermined law and order in Kalaburagi. China condemns killing of Palestinians waiting for aid in Gaza Xinhua) 11:08, March 02, 2024 BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China is deeply shocked and strongly condemns the killing of more than 100 Palestinians in an Israeli attack when they were waiting for aid in Gaza, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday. Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks in response to a query about reports of Israeli forces opening fire on a crowd of Palestinians waiting for aid in Gaza City on Thursday. The incident resulted in the deaths of at least 112 people and left more than 760 others wounded. "We mourn for the victims and express our sympathies to the injured," Mao told a regular news briefing. China urges all parties concerned, Israel in particular, to immediately cease fire and stop fighting, earnestly protect the safety of civilians, ensure humanitarian access, and avoid further humanitarian disasters, Mao said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Friday sought to underplay the damages caused to Medigadda barrage of the mighty Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project on Godavari river and demanded that the Congress government should take up the repairs immediately, instead of playing politics. BRS leader K T Rama Rao along with other party members during their visit to Medigadda barrage, on Friday (HT Photo) A delegation of BRS leaders led by party working president K T Rama Rao (KTR) and former irrigation minister T Harish Rao visited the Medigadda barrage site to inspect the damages caused to the barrage, which has since been shut down pending clearance by the National Dam Safety Authority. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Speaking to the reporters later, KTR alleged that the Revanth Reddy government was trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill in the Kaleshwaram project only to malign the previous BRS government, alleging that it had wasted 1 lakh crore in constructing the project. Out of 1.6 km long Medigadda barrage, there are damages only in a portion of 50 metres. But the Congress leaders are projecting as if the entire project had become useless. We request the government to take expert advice and see that the damages were repaired before the next flood season, so that farmers under the project command area can get water for the next Kharif season, the BRS leader said. He pointed out that such damages had occurred even in other projects in the past. The Kadem project and Gundlavagu project built by the Congress governments in the past were washed away twice. There were water leakages even in bigger projects like Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam. But we never played politics over these damages, he said. Harish Rao alleged that the Congress government was more interested in exploiting the minor damages to Kaleshwaram project for its petty political gains, rather than repairing the same. He demanded that the state government should call for an all-party meeting to discuss the issue and the BRS would make appropriate suggestions on the same. The Kaleshwaram project had provided irrigation facilities to lakhs of acres and also resulted in the increase of groundwater level. Because of the project, the cropping area also increased substantially, he said. The former minister said the government could take action against the engineers and other officials responsible for the damages to Medigadda project, but should not put the farmers to troubles. Meanwhile, state irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy announced on Friday that the Congress government would take criminal action against those responsible for the damages caused to Medigadda and other barrages based on the report submitted by the vigilance department. Stating that the government had kept the bills to be cleared to the contractors of Medigadda barrage pending, Reddy said the government was expecting a report on the damages caused to Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) within a month. Based on this report, we will undertake repairs and ensure water supply to farmers, he said, adding that he was planning to go to Delhi on Saturday to meet with experts and officials to discuss the Medigadda situation. The minister said the BRS leaders who had gone to Medigadda should see the damages and apologise to the people of Telangana. Agartala: The Centre on Saturday signed the crucial tripartite agreement with the Tripura government, the opposition TIPRA Motha party and several stakeholders in New Delhi following a host of demands raised by the TIPRA Mothas founder and chief Pradyot Kishore Debbarma for the development of the states indigenous population, officials aware of the matter said. The agreement was signed in New Delhi on Saturday (Twitter/@PIBHomeAffairs) The accord was signed in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah, Tripura chief minister Dr Manik Saha and TIPRA Motha chief Pradyot Kishore. Former Tripura CM and Rajya Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb, Tripura ministers Bikash Debbarma and Shukla Charan Noatia, and a few lawmakers were also present, said officials. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Today is a historic day for Tripura. We paid our respect to history, corrected the mistakes and accepted todays reality through this agreement. We have put together these three aspects and worked towards the future. No one can change history but can move forward after learning from the mistakes and keeping sight of the realities, Shah said after the signing. The agreement comes a year after Shah met with TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Kishore at Agartala where the home minister appointed an interlocutor to discuss the demands of the party. As per the agreement, a joint working group or committee would be formed to work out and resolve all issues of the tribals related to their history, land and political rights, economic development, culture, identity, language etc. All stakeholders have been asked to refrain from resorting to any kind of protest to maintain a conducive environment for the implementation of the agreement. I assure all stakeholders of Tripura that you wont have to fight for your rights anymore, Shah said. A series of meetings were recently held with The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance/TIPRA, popularly known as TIPRA Motha and other stakeholders, based on which, the Government of India, Government of Tripura and TIPRA agreed to amicably resolve all issues of the indigenous people of Tripura relating to history, land rights, political rights, economic development, identity, culture, language, etc. It was agreed to constitute a Joint Working Group / Committee to work out and implement the mutually agreed points on all the above-mentioned issues....., reads the agreement. There have been allegations of deprivation faced by the tribals due to a demographic shift after the large settlements of the non-tribals from Bangladesh during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Shah said that the TIPRA Motha party, all tribal parties and all organizations have played constructive roles in this. Also Read: TIPRA Motha chief begins hunger strike demanding constitutional solution for tribals Former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb worked for it and present CM Dr Manik Saha also studied in detail and extended help to reach to conclusion. I am hopeful that Tripura will join PM Modis dream of Vikasit Bharat. When we achieve Viksit Bharat, Tripura, too, will move ahead with the rest of the country as Viksit Tripura, said Shah. Speaking about different accords signed under the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government to achieve peace and stability in the northeastern states of India, Shah said that under the leadership of PM Modi, they have worked to make the North-East terrorism-free, dispute-free, and violence-free. We have spoken to different outfits. Nearly 10,000 people have laid down their arms and returned to the mainstream. The Northeast has an environment of development due to this, said he. Shah said that a total of 11 peace and boundary settlement agreements in the northeastern state have so far been signed. The National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) peace accord was signed in 2019 followed by the Bru migrants permanent resettlement tripartite agreement and Boro Accord in Assam in 2020; Karbi Peace Accord in Assam in 2021; Adivasi Accord and Assam-Meghalaya inter-state boundary agreement in 2022; Assam-Arunachal Pradesh inter-state boundary agreement; Dimasa peace accord, UNLF accord and ULFA Accord in2023. Earlier this week, Pradyot Kishore, who has been demanding a resolution for the tribals of the state and a separate state-hood, announced the fast-unto-death at Hatai Kotor near Agartala against the Centres delay in finding a constitutional solution for the states tribals. He briefly addressed the gathering and left claiming that he got a call from New Delhi that the home ministry had invited him to talk. I am going to Delhi empty stomach and empty-handed, but shall not return empty-handed, he told the gathering. On Friday, CM Saha, his cabinet ministers and TIPRA Motha leaders left the state for New Delhi. Pradyot Kishore reached Agartala on Sunday. After signing the agreement, he thanked PM Modi and Shah. I would like to say that we have accepted the historical problems of the past and we are looking towards the future. Yes, we have signed a Historical accord and we can celebrate but not too much! If we celebrate and forget what has to be done within a time frame then we have to work even more hard and be disciplined as leaders and as a community. We have to implement our land rights, funding pattern, language (script) issue, and political representation and also correct our historical and cultural pride, he said. He said he would reach Hatai Kotor tomorrow to meet the people and break his fast. After leaving Congress in 2021, Pradyot Kishore floated TIPRA Motha. His party came to power in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council the same year. Later, his party emerged as the main opposition in the assembly last year with 13 legislators. Bastar: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) panchayat member was hacked to death by suspected Maoists in Chhattisgarhs Bijapur district on Friday, officials said. (Representative Photo) Tirupati Katla, a BJP member of Janpad panchayat, was killed while he was attending a wedding in the districts Toyanar village, Bijapur superintendent of police (SP) Jitendra Yadav said. The incident took place at around 8pm. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Yadav said that he was stabbed by a sharp weapon soon after leaving the wedding function. He was taken to the district hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the SP said. Police said that search operations are on in the area to ascertain the identities of the killers, said the officer. Maoist-hit areas of the state have seen seven BJP leaders killed in the past one year. Ratan Dubey, the BJPs Narayanpur district unit vice president, was hacked to death while campaigning in November last year. Birju Taram, a BJP worker, was shot dead in Sarkheda village in October last year. In June, a local BJP leader was killed in the Bijapur district, and in February last year, three BJP leaders were hacked to death allegedly by Maoists in the Bastar division. New Delhi The Congress partys upcoming manifesto for 2024 Lok Sabha election will be based on the thrust areas of party leader Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (BJNY) and the party is set to announce a caste census to ascertain the share of the population of various caste groups and raise the upper limits of the existing quotas for SC, ST and OBCs, if it is necessary as per the census findings. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses the party's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', in Dholpur on Saturday. (AICC) The manifesto is set to promise a law on MSP (minimum support prices) to cater to a key demand of the farmers and also announce that vacancies in all government offices would be filled up. According to a senior member of the partys manifesto panel, the poll promises will have specific sops for women, youth, farmers and workers. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The ideological basis of the manifesto would come from the ongoing BJNY and it will address the theme of justice. In his Yatra, Gandhi has focused on saving the Constitution and emphasised on economic, social and political justice, which have been secured in the Preamble to the Constitution. Also Read | In Rae Bareli, the Gandhi question looms The manifesto committee, led by former Union minister P Chidambaram will meet on Monday. We will discuss the draft manifesto in the meeting, said a Congress leader who is a member of the panel. Underlining the link between the BJNY and the partys poll promises, another Congress leader pointed out that the Yatra aims to identify methods to deliver justice to every Indian. Also read: Rahul Gandhi claims India behind Pakistan in key metric, says Narendra Modi finished... And this would also be the central theme of the manifesto for the 2024 elections. The portal of BJNY says, Every woman deserves respect, each young person should have access to education and job opportunities, every farmer should receive the right price for their hard work and crops, every worker should earn a suitable income, and every citizen should have access to education and health care. The purpose of this Yatra is to establish an India where all sectors have a share in resources and institutions. Also Read | Congress nyay yatra gets SP boost in Agra Gandhi had been vocal about the caste census during his BJNY. Everywhere he tries to point out the absence of SC, ST, OBCs among the top public institutions and the higher bureaucracy. From Aurangabad to Amethi, Gandhi had dubbed caste census as a social X-ray. In Amethi, Gandhi said, Every day I wonder what is the population of backwards? They are 50% of the population. Dalits are 15% and tribals are 8%. Together, they form 73% of our country. But not a single backward person owns the top 200 companies. In the top management, in media, in the top administration of big hospitals, how many people are from this 73%? Zero. 90 officers run the country. They distribute the budget. Only 3 of these 90 IAS officers are Dalit and Adivasis, he said. He also mentioned that farmers have faced barricades that are used for tanks. The Congress will give legal guarantee to MSP. And we will do X-ray. Dont look at here and there. You should ask, how much money did the government give me? Adani and I pay the same tax. But he gets crores and I dont get any money, this is the question you should ask, he said. In the Hyderabad CWC on September 16 last year, the party passed a resolution calling for an increase in the existing upper limit of reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs. In Morena on Saturday, Gandhi announced that the party will provide a law for MSP if it comes to power. The manifesto is also set to offer sops for youth, women, farmers and workers in the line of the guarantees given by the Congress governments in Karnataka and Telangana. If the manifesto panel approves the draft, it will be sent to the Congress Working Committee for approval. The Delhi Police are on high alert following the explosion at a cafe in Bengaluru that left 10 people injured on Friday afternoon. The local police units have been asked to scale up their deployment in markets of Delhi with high footfall. They have also been asked to increase their patrolling at vital installations. Delhi Police personnel seen standing on roadside.(HT File) The deployment of police personnel has been increased in markets such as Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Hauz Khas and Paharganj where people gather in large numbers. Moreover, market associations have been asked to remain alert and approach their local police stations in case they find any suspicious activity. The associations have also been directed to ensure installation of CCTV cameras on their premises. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Anti-terror units are also working closely with intelligence agencies to ensure security in the national capital. We have boosted the presence of uniformed officers at major gatherings and cultural sites to prioritise public safety," an intelligence official told the newspaper. The Delhi Police is more cautious because of IED-related incidents rocking the national capital in the last few years. The Bengaluru Police have initiated a case under the rigorous Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act following the explosion at Rameshwaram Cafe. Meanwhile, reacting to the IED blast at Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe on Friday, owners said, We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident at our Brookefield branch. We are cooperating with the authorities and officials in their investigations. The incident occurred at 1 pm on Friday. Surveillance footage captured a suspect placing a bag inside the cafe, leading to the police's suspicion. Speaking about the explosion at Bengalurus cafe, Karnataka minister Dr G Parameshwara said, We have constituted several teams. We have collected some evidence from CCTV footage. When the explosion took place, a BMTC bus moved on that way. We have information that he came on a bus. We will arrest the accused as soon as possible. A team of FSL, Bomb Disposal Squad and Dog Squad are also investigating the matter. "A timer was used for the blast, the FSL team is doing the work. We have a meeting at 1 pm, CM Siddaramaiah will lead the meeting with high-level police officials regarding the blast..." Parameshwara said. With inputs from PTI There should be at least one man, Gandhiji once said, who does not hesitate to take the cup of poison when I hand it to him. He is Dr Rajendra Prasad. For 12 years, formative and crucial to modern Indias development, Dr Rajendra Prasad served the nation with distinction. (HT Archive) It was in the fitness of things that the man that Gandhiji himself chose as nearest to him should have been offered the highest office in India. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. For 12 years, formative and crucial to modern Indias development, Dr Rajendra Prasad served the nation with distinction. Bidding him farewell at Ramlila Grounds, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru described him as the true symbol of the India of today. Prasad died at his Sadaquat Ashram residence in Patna on February 28, 1963. He was 78. The government announced state mourning for one week, as flags on all government buildings flew at half-mast. Prasads funeral was attended by about 200,000 people as his eldest son, Mritunjay Prasad, cremated the former President on the banks of the Ganga at Bans Ghat in West Patna. Those present at the state funeral included President S Radhakrishnan, home minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, communications minister Jagjiwan Ram, health minister Sushila Nayyar, Jayaprakash Narayan, and Bihar chief minister Binodanand Jha. At the ghat, wreaths were placed on the bier on behalf of the Government of India and PM Nehru by Union cabinet secretary SS Khera, along with wreaths from the three wings of the armed services, and Congress president Damodaram Sanjivayya. The body of the departed leader was kept on a raised platform in the mango grove under a Tricoloured canopy to enable the people to pay homage. It was under this mango grove that the ashram residents assembled to bid him farewell on his election as president 13 years ago, and it was under his grove that they welcomed him back home after he relinquished his office in May last year. The funeral procession started from the Ashram at 10am. It was headed by Congress Seva Dal volunteers, followed by 30 officers and men of the Bihar Regiment moving ahead of the cortege. Thousands of mourners joined the procession. Those aboard the truck carrying the bier included Shastri, Jagjivan Ram, Narayan and his wife Prabhawati Devi, Mritunjay Prasad and Anand Mohan Sahay of the Azad Hind Fouj. Over 1,000 officers and men of the Bihar Regiment and the Bihar Police wearing black bands flanked the cortege with reversed arms. Large crowds jammed the Dinapur-Patna road along which the procession moved from the Ashram forcing it to proceed at a snails pace. The roofs and balconies of all the buildings flanking the road were crowded with men, women and children, who bowed in reverence and showered flowers. A blazing sun beat mercilessly on the mourners while the flower-bedecked cortege, emitting light clouds of smoke from burning joss-sticks and incense, turned along Boring Road and moved towards the Martyrs Memorial in front of the Secretariat. Thousands of people who thronged the route, and crammed housetops and balconies cried Rajendra Babu Amar Ho, Rajendra Babu Zindabad, and showered flowers on the cortege. From the Gandhi Maidan, the procession turned back to Dinapur-Patna Road and proceeded towards Bans Ghat, where a crowd of about 50,000, comprising many who had come from the neighbouring districts by train and boat, was already waiting to have a last darshan of the departed leader. The bier was carried on the shoulders of army men to the pyre made of sandalwood and kush (sacred grass) sprinkled with ghee. Platoons of the Bihar Regiment reversed and rested on arms and observed two minutes silence as buglers sounded the last post. Three volleys were fired by sections of the Bihar Regiment as Mritunjay Prasad lit the funeral pyre. Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday said that he had called Google after it delisted apps by 10 Indian developers on the Play Store and the tech giant has started re-listing them on the platform. He also said the government has called Google and the Indian app developers affected by the delisting for a meeting on Monday. Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (File) We have told [Google] that it must support Indias start-up ecosystem. They have already started re-listing the apps, Vaishnaw told HT. Google has agreed to cooperate. ... I had a conversation with Google last night [Friday] when I first learnt of this. I have spoken to them 4-5 times today, he said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Google had started delisting apps by 10 Indian developers for not complying with its contentious payments policy under which app developers are required to pay 11%-30% service fee to the tech giant for all in-app purchases of digital goods and services. Companies affected included Info Edge whose five apps - Naukri.com, Naukri Recruiter, Naukrigulf, 99acres and Shiksha - had disappeared from the Play Store by Saturday morning, as the company informed the bourses. By 3.30pm on Saturday, three of these apps - Naukri.com, Naukrigulf and 99acres - had been relisted. Shaadi.com is the only other app to be relisted. Many of the Info Edge apps are back on the play store. An effort very well led by Hitesh and the entire Info Edge team. People were up all night for this. Great crisis management, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, founder and executive vice chairperson of Info Edge, tweeted on X, formerly Twitter. However, CEO of Shaadi.com, Anupam Mittal quote tweeted Bikhchandanis tweet and said, Pls clarify that u are back up as consumption apps only ie without any in-app billing which will destroy the consumer side of the business in the longer-term. Otherwise this tweet will be interpreted as everything is back to status quo, which is NOT true. In response to a tweet by news agency ANI about how government intervention led to restoration of the apps, Mittal tweeted, its not true, do ur research. Apps are back without billing which is as good as not being there. HT asked Vaishnaw if the apps had to abide by Googles terms to be re-listed but he said that he was not aware of that. We are not privy to the internal, commercial discussions between companies, he said. HT reviewed the re-listed apps - Naukri.com, Naukrigulf, 99acres, Shaadi.com - and none of them have an in-app payment option anymore, meaning that they complied with Googles payments policy and opted for the consumption-only option. A Google spokesperson said that the company had nothing to share when HT reached out for comment on Saturday evening. To comply with the policy, Google has given developers three options. First, opt for the contentious Google Play Billing System under which developers will have to pay Google a 15% or a 30% service fee depending on their revenues. Second, give an alternate billing system (like a RazorPay) alongside GPBS, also called the user choice billing system option. This means, that the users will have a choice whether they want to opt for GPBS or the alternate billing system. If users opt for the alternate billing system, developers will still have to pay Google an 11% or 26% service fee. Third, operate on a consumption-only basis without paying a service fee, that is, to not offer in-app billing at all and process payments only through websites. In this option, developers do not pay Google any service fee but it creates friction in the user interface, developers say. One of the Info Edge apps, Jeevansathi, had not been delisted on Friday. We believe we are in compliance. After February 9 [Supreme Court notice], we moved to a model that complies, Rohan Mathur, head of Jeevansathi, had told HT on Friday. We are accepting payments only through the web store [on the website], he had said, meaning that the company had opted for the consumption-only option. After the delistings began on Friday, which initially did not affect any Info Edge apps, Bikhchandani had said, The notice [from Google] does not say they were being delisted. It says if you are non-compliant then you will be delisted. We have been compliant since February 9, the date the Supreme Court order came out. There are no pending invoices from Google with us. All have been paid in a timely manner. Other apps, including those from Matrimony.com, AltBalaji, and others, remain unavailable on the Play Store. High drama unfolded during the Himachal Pradesh cabinet meeting on Saturday as two state ministers Vikramaditya Singh and Harshwardhan Chauhan remained absent, while the other two left midway following a heated debate over policy decisions, as political crisis in the ruling Congress continued unabated. Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presides over a Cabinet Meeting in Shimla on Saturday. (ANI) Crisis began in the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government on February 27 after the Congress slumped to an embarrassing defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls, with party candidate Abhishek Singhvi receiving 34 votes after six party lawmakers and three independents previously backing the government supported BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan, who also received 34 votes. The tie was then resolved by a draw of lots, which favoured Mahajan. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The defeat fuelled speculation that the Sukhu government was reduced to a minority, sparking calls for his resignation. But speaker Kuldeep Pathania disqualified the six rebel MLAs for defying the party whip, giving the Congress some breathing room by bringing down the total numbers in the house to 62 members. Also Read | Disqualified Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA reveals next move The crisis, however, seemed far from over on Saturday when PWD minister Vikramaditya Singh and education minister Harshwardhan Chauhan skipped the cabinet meeting, chaired by the CM. The development comes a day after Vikramaditya -- son of six-time chief minister Virbhadhra Singh -- travelled to Panchkula to meet the Congresss six rebel legislators, and then made his way to New Delhi amid speculation that he may be open to switching sides to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). People familiar with the matter, however, said that Vikramaditya could not attend the meeting as he was on a visit to Rajasthans Udaipur for personal work. Vikramaditya had earlier created ripples on Wednesday, when he resigned from the cabinet accusing Sukhu of disrespecting his fathers legacy, but backtracked on his resignation on Thursday evening after meeting central observers Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and the Congresss Himachal in-charge Rajeev Shukla. Also Read | Some rebel MLAs want to return to Congress, claims Himachal Pradesh CM Chauhan, who was also absent from the meeting, recently lost the Ayush department in the cabinet rejig and was later assigned the labour and employment department, and was reportedly dissatisfied. His office, however, said that the minister was in Chandigarh for a routine health check-up. Meanwhile, education minister Rohit Thakur left the cabinet meeting midway after a heated debate over a disagreement in decisions regarding the education department. Thakur, however, told the media later that he left as he was emotionally disturbed because of personal reasons. We are Pahari people and we get emotional, I dropped my son at his hostel in the morning, he said. According to people familiar with the matter, Thakurs relationship with the chief minister got strained when the technical education department was reassigned to newly inducted minister Rajesh Dharmani recently, and Thakur was subsequently assigned the additional responsibility of printing and stationery. Another minister who left the meeting midway revenue minister Jagat Negi said he left to attend another engagement. Earlier in the day, rebel state Congress MLA Rajinder Rana claimed that nine more party legislators feeling suffocated due to Sukhus style of functioning are in touch with him as he called the chief minister liar number one. Neither Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh had told the chief minister that he is meeting the Congress rebels at Panchkula nor the CM had sent him, Rana told news agency PTI in an interview, terming Sukhu liar number one. Sukhu on Friday said he gave the go-ahead to Vikramaditya Singh to meet the rebels who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls, in what appeared to be a placatory gesture even as he called the same six MLAs black serpents. Rana, along with five other Congress MLAs who had cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls, have been disqualified from the assembly for abstaining from voting on the cut motion and finance bill. A Bharatnatyam and Kuchupudi dancer from Kolkata, Amarnath Ghosh, was shot dead in Missouri on Tuesday evening. The Office of Consulate General of India in Chicago extended its deep condolences to the family and friends of Ghosh and said it is "following up forensic, investigation with police & providing support." The United States has reported a slew of attacks on Indian and Indian American students in various parts of the country. Noted television actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee had said in a social media post that his friend Ghosh was shot and killed in St Louis Academy neighbourhood, urging the Indian Embassy to help claim his body. Bhattacharjee also said that the reason for Amarnath Ghosh's murder and the details of the accused were not known at the time. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Well the reason , accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one left in his family to fight for it except his few friends. He was from kolkata. Excellent dancer , was pursuing PHD , was taking an evening walk and suddenly he was shot multiple times by an unknown, she said in a post. Some friends in US are trying to claim the body but still no update about it. @IndianEmbassyUS kindly see to it if you could. Atleast we should know the reason of his murder, she added, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affaris Minister S Jaishankar. Also Read: US avers Biden administration working very hard to thwart attacks on Indian students The Consulate General later said it is extending all help to relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh. Taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack. The United States has been witnessing a surge in attacks against Indian nationals and people of Indian origin. Also Read: Probe hate crime behind Indian students deaths abroad: Cong MP asks govt Surge in attacks The White House said last week that US President Joe Biden and his administration are working very hard to thwart and disrupt attacks on Indian and Indian American students There is no excuse for violence, certainly based on race or gender or religion or any other factor. Thats just unacceptable here in the United States, John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council in the White House, told reporters when asked about the series of attacks on students from India and also those from the Indian American community. The president and this administration have been working very, very hard to make sure were doing everything we can to work with state and local authorities to try to thwart and disrupt those kinds of attacks and make it clear to anybody who might consider them that theyll be held properly accountable, Kirby said. New Delhi: The Indian Navy is set to convert its temporary set up at Minicoy in Lakshadweep islands into a full-fledged naval base, INS Jatayu, enhancing its operational capability and reach in the Indian Ocean region that presents a variety of challenges, officials aware of the matter said on Saturday. The Indian Navy is set to convert its temporary set up at Minicoy in Lakshadweep islands into a full-fledged naval base (Twitter Photo) It will commission Naval Detachment Minicoy as INS Jatayu on March 6 in the presence of navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The navy will now deploy some of its assets in the Minicoy Island and will also base personnel there permanently. That was not the case earlier. Its about tapping the countrys geographical advantage to further our maritime interests, said one of the officials cited above, asking not to be named. INS Jatayu is the second naval base in Lakshadweep after INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti. Minicoy is the southernmost island of Lakshadweep, 215 nautical miles southwest of Kochi. The event marks an important milestone in the navys resolve to incrementally augment security infrastructure at the strategically important Lakshadweep Islands, navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said in a statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Lakshadweep in January propelled the islands into the limelight. The Naval Detachment Minicoy was set up in the early 1980s under the operational command of the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Lakshadweep). Minicoy straddles vital sea lines of communications, and the basing of an independent naval unit there with the requisite infrastructure and resources will enhance the overall operational capability of the Indian Navy, Madhwal said. The base will enhance operational reach and facilitate the Indian Navys operational effort towards anti-piracy and anti-narcotics operations in the western Arabian Sea. It will also augment the navys capability as the first responder in the region. The establishment of the naval base is in line with the governments Indias focus on the comprehensive development of islands, he said. With the commissioning of INS Jatayu, the Indian Navy will strengthen its foothold in the Lakshadweep islands, and along with extending operational surveillance, reach and sustenance, it will usher in a new era of capacity building and comprehensive development of the island territories. Minicoy lies near the 9 Degree Channel, a busy global shipping route. The challenges in the distant seas include Chinas carefully calculated power play for influence, defending the rules-based international order, and the Arabian Sea emerging as a new front with Red Sea tensions escalating and the resurgence of piracy. The navy has stepped up surveillance in the area substantially and deployed task groups consisting of around 10 warships in the face of rising threats. In February, defence minister Rajnath Singh said developments in the western Indian Ocean, where merchant vessels have faced a barrage of drone attacks and hijacking attempts, presented some extremely pressing challenges in the maritime domain. A foreign tourist from Spain was allegedly gangraped in Jharkhand's Dumka district on Friday night, police said. The incident occurred at Kurumahat in Hansdiha police station area where the tourist couple were spending the night in a makeshift tent, reported PTI. Dumka rape case: The victim has been admitted to a local hospital. (Image for representational purpose) Jarmundi Sub Divisional Police Officer Santosh Kumar told the news agency that more details on the incident will be provided later. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The couple reportedly had arrived from Bangladesh on a two-wheeler and were on their way to Nepal via Bihar. Also Read: NCRB data: Jump in rape cases, but overall crime rate sees a dip in Punjab Quoting an unnamed official, the report suggested that seven to eight local youths were involved in the crime, three of whom were arrested. The official said that a manhunt for the remaining suspects is underway. The victim has been admitted to a local hospital. Also Read: Rape cases increasing but involvement of strangers dipping in Delhi, data shows State health minister Banna Gupta said he was unaware of the complete facts regarding the incident but assured strict action against the perpetors as per the law. I don't know all the complete facts of this incident but the government is committed to take strict action against all those evil doers whosoever commits such crime against any of our sister, Indian or foreigner, within the law, he told reporters. Also Read: 2 found guilty of raping, decapitating Latvian tourist in Kerala BJP demands strict action Reacting to the incident, Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi said, If these kinds of incidents will happen with foreign tourists, then who will come to Jharkhand? BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that the gangrape of the Spanish tourist was the result of caste-based postings. "Neither Adivasis nor Dalits are safe in the state...now this has become an international matter." "I appeal to CM Champai Soren to concentrate on law and order in the state. If posting will take place based on any caste then this sort of incident will occur often." BJP MLA Anant Ojha called the incident a stain of the state and proof of the deteriorating law and order situation. This shows the deteriorating law & order situation in the state that even the foreigners aren't safe here. Police should act soon and the government should also take cognizance of it and take strict action against such anarchists. This government has been completely failed, Ojha told ANI. Incidentally, the alleged crime occurred on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Jharkhand and had expressed serious concern over law and order and extortion in the state. Sunset is just a few minutes away and the glittering magic of Ram Bagh Palace is a sight to behold. Peacocks frolic as if in a memorial to Maharani Gayatri Devi who perhaps once lived right here. Now a five-star hotel, Ram Bagh Palace is testimony to both the past and future of Rajasthan and Indian democracy as close to a billion Indian voters get set to elect a new government. Past because remnants of a feudal haughtiness linger on. The future because new possibilities gleam in the eyes of the staff working here. If you earn a princely salary post taxes of 200,000 a month, it will still not be enough to afford a one-night stay at the hotel. The per-capita income of Rajasthan is about 13,000 per month and more than 15% of the population of this vast state lives in multi-dimensional poverty according to the recent Niti Ayog estimates. Rajasthan chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma, party national vice president Vasundhara Raje, state deputy CMs Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa filing the BJP Rajya Sabha candidate's Rajya Sabha nomination. (File photo) Also read: Who is Diya Kumari, Jaipur princess who won Rajasthan polls by 71,368 votes? Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The staff at Ram Bagh palace is a glaring manifestation of stiff upper lips. They look at the author with a mix of raised eyebrows and borderline contempt when he tries to make conversation. Almost all of them simply refuse to talk. The only person who does speak is a doughty gentleman who is working the lawns at a distance from the main palace. Yes, I remember Gayatri Maharani. She was a queen no doubt. But when I was young, Indira Gandhi was a bigger queen and even put our Maharani in jail, he says. When the author asks the gentleman his name, there is just a shrug of indifference and denial. When the author asks if Rahul Gandhi will be a King like his grandmother was queen, there is a mischievous smile and a tart response: Ab Bharat Badal Gaya Hai. Also read: Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Assam ground report: Bodos seem to be at peace, at last But the past never disappears. It just merges with the present and the future in Rajasthan. Princess Riya Kumari, born in 1971 when Indira Gandhi was at her peak, is the step-granddaughter of Gayatri Devi. Her father Bhawani Singh was the stepson of Gayatri Devi. Clinging on to the past, he contested the Lok Sabha elections in 1989 from his erstwhile kingdom Jaipur. Bhawani Singh was soundly defeated by a BJP candidate Girdhari Lal Bhargava who went on to win six consecutive Lok Sabha elections from Jaipur. Diya Kumari was 18 years old when her father lost. Perhaps the lessons stayed on as she stayed away from active politics for a long time. But then came Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate in 2013 and Diya Kumari grabbed her chance. In a turbocharged rally in 2013 that some folks still talk of in awe, she joined the BJP in the presence of Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Modi in front of a cheering crowd of about 200,000 supporters. The past merged with the present and became the future. In 2019, Diya Kumari won the Rajsamand Lok Sabha seat with a near record margin of more than 500,000 votes. She was a surprise pick as deputy chief minister after the BJP won Rajasthan in the December 2023 assembly elections. Who knows what lies ahead? Rajasthan is such a vast and spread-out state that it is not possible for anyone to claim deep insights after just a two-day trip. The author pleads guilty to that kind of ignorance. Yet, the signs are unmistakable if you have a modicum of understanding of the rough and tumble of politics in India. In Bandikui near Dausa where Gujjar voters have an emotional connection with Sachin Pilot, Devendra Singh is the block president of NSUI, the student wing of the Congress. Singh doesnt see much of a future for the Congress this time around. And he is more bothered about Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi insulting his leader Sachin Pilot than the fortunes of the Congress. Also read: Lok Sabha elections 2024 ground report: In North Bengal, saffron flags are all over, but what about the votes? Booth level workers of the BJP, on the other hand, are a highly motivated lot. Kishori Meena is in charge of some areas within Jaipur city and is armed with the entire list of voters in his area. His target is clear, and the message has been hammered down to all party workers like him: try your best to contact every possible female voter and make sure about two-thirds of them vote for Modi. Also, it is important for the BJP to raise its vote share in Rajasthan from 58% to more than 60% this time. Billionaire Diya Kumari is doing her bit to meet the target. So is her erstwhile subject Kishori. (This is the third in a series of 40 field reports from all corners of India in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections that aim to understand how the country is changing in fundamental ways.) Shillong: The security forces in Meghalaya allegedly shot dead a suspected sugar smuggler while his accomplice was injured in firing near the Indo-Bangaldesh international border, officials said on Saturday. (Representative Photo) Officials said that one Asen M Marak, in his mid-forties, was killed in the firing from BSF Meghalaya Frontier on March 1. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The identity and whereabouts of his accomplice, who is believed to have been hit in the leg, are being ascertained by both police and BSF currently, said officials. Confirming the incident, Sohra sub-divisional officer (Civil) Salon Verma said the matter is under inquiry and all formalities are being followed. I will personally conduct the inquest after the investigating team returns to the base with all relevant information gathered. The postmortem will be conducted here in Sohra, and thereafter, the law will take its course towards a logical conclusion, she told HT over the phone from Sohra. Officials said that the incident took place at Dalia village near Shella in Meghalayas East Khasi Hills district at around 8pm, when a BSF posse on duty came upon a group of people allegedly trying to smuggle sugar, onion, and other materials that fetch a hefty price in Bangladesh. Sharing preliminary details of the incident, a senior BSF officer said though such acts occur frequently, it was different this time as about 300 people from both sides of the international border converged at the spot and confronted the BSF team, which after resorting to all legal measures to contain the crowd, had to resort to two rounds of firing resulting in the death of Marak. Almost 300 people from both sides of the border converged at the site to confront the BSF personnel. While a group engaged with the BSF personnel, another group quickly took the head load of contraband to remove any evidence of smuggling along with the person who was alive then, to the village where he succumbed to his injuries, the officer, who did not wish to be named, told HT over the phone. The officer elaborated, The boys initially used all non-lethal measures such as chilli grenade, stun grenade, and even PAG (pump action gun) to quell the growing aggressive crowd. But they (the crowd) attacked the team with machetes, knives and other weapons. However, it did not work as the crowd got out of control and charged the BSF team with weapons, said the officer. The team initially fired once in the air and subsequently fired again, resulting in the injury of two persons, he added. As per convention, unlike the western border, there is a treaty wherein, non-lethal measures will be first adopted in cases of border confrontation or skirmishes and the boys had to take to the last resort to save themselves, the officer added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said several big leaders of the opposition parties are now scared to contest the Lok Sabha election and are seeking a Rajya Sabha route to Parliament. The dig comes at Bihar where the NDA toppled the Mahagathbandhan government after Nitish Kumar's JD(U) joined the NDA in a sudden power reversal. Though Modi did not take any name, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi opted for Rajya Sabha and got elected from Rajasthan unopposed after she said she wouldn't be contesting in the Lok Sabha from Amethi because of her health issues. Narendra Modi inaugurated, dedicated and laid the foundation stone of various projects in Aurangabad, Bihar on Saturday. Narendra Modi in Bihar: Follow LIVE updates Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "After NDA became strong in Bihar, I got to know that dynasts have got scared and now no one is ready to contest election from Bihar. Dynasts inherit power and chair from their parents but they have no courage to admit what their parents did. I said in Parliament everyone is leaving the party. You have seen they don't want to contest the Lok Sabha election but looking for Rajya Sabha seats. The public is not ready to support them. This is the strength of the public's commitment. For this, Modi has come to thank you," Narendra Modi said. Addressing a rally in Aurangabad district, Modi said it was his "guarantee" to ensure that Bihar witnessed development, the rule of law and that its women lived free from fear. The PM said Bihar is the land of Goddess Sita and enthusiasm was palpable in the state when Ram temple was consecrated in Ayodhya. In his speech, he also referred to the Bharat Ratna to former chief minister Karpoori Thakur and said it was an honour for Bihar. There was a time when people in Bihar were scared to go outside their houses. And today is the time when tourism is being developed in the state. Bihar has got Vande Bharat trains, stations have been developed...Bihar's youth had to leave the state. Today we are ensuring the skill development of Bihar's youth. This is the new Bihar. It is a guarantee that we will not let Bihar sink into the darkness of the past. Bihar will progress only when the poor of the state will prosper, Modi said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi bowed to the crores of selfless party workers for their faith in him as he would be contesting from Varanasi once again in the Lok Sabha election 2024. The party announced the first list of 195 candidates who will be contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha election and it started with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi. "I thank the BJP4India leadership and bow to the crores of selfless Party Karyakartas for their constant faith in me. I look forward to serving my sisters and brothers of Kashi for the third time," Modi posted on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets during a public meeting at Krishnanagar in Nadia on Saturday.(ANI) Lok Sabha election 2024: Here is BJP's 1st list of 195 candidates Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "In 2014, I went to Kashi with a commitment to fulfil peoples dreams and empower the poorest of the poor. Over the last ten years, we have made significant progress across various sectors and worked towards a better Kashi. These efforts will continue with even greater vigour. I would also like to convey a special gratitude to the people of Kashi for their blessings, which I cherish greatly." PM Modi added. Our Party has announced candidates for some of the seats and will be announcing the rest in the coming days. I congratulate all those who have been nominated as our Partys candidates and wish them the very best. We are going to the people on the basis of our track record of good governance and ensuring the fruits of progress reach the poorest of the poor. I am sure that the 140 crore people of India will bless us yet again and give us even more strength in fulfilling their aspirations and creating a Viksit Bharat, PM Modi wrote. Union home minister Amit Shah will be contesting from Gandhinagar and Union defence minister Rajnath Singh from Lucknow. The list of candidates for the 195 constituencies included nearly 155 seats the party had won in the 2019 polls. In this list, The party has dropped over 20 per cent of its MPs. Seven ministers, who were members of Rajya Sabha and were expected to fight the Lok Sabha elections, have been fielded in the polls. Jyotiraditya Scindia will contest from Guna (Madhya Pradesh), Sarbananda Sonowal from Dibrugarh (Assam), Bhupender Yadav from Alwar (Rajasthan), Rajeev Chandrashekhar from Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), V Muraleedharan Parshottam Rupala from Rajkot (Gujarat) and Mansukh Mandaviya from Porbandar (Gujarat). Announcing the names of candidates, BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde said they include 28 women, 47 persons below 50 years of age, 27 from Scheduled Castes, 18 from Scheduled Tribes and 57 from Other Backward Classes. The first list has 51 seats from Uttar Pradesh, 24 from Madhya Pradesh, 20 from West Bengal, 15 each from from Gujarat and Rajasthan, 12 from Kerala, nine from Telangana, 11 each from Assam, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, five from Delhi, three from Uttarakhand, two each from Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, and one each from Goa, Tripura, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Daman and Diu. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will fight again from Kota in Rajasthan and Shivraj Singh Chouhan returns to his former parliamentary constituency Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, which he represented for five terms before taking over as the state's chief minister in 2005. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to Bihar since the JD(U) rejoined the BJP-led NDA, his old camaraderie with chief minister Nitish Kumar took centre stage. Nitish vowed to remain in NDA forever while Modi pledged to create a flood of development with the double-engine government. Aurangabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being garlanded by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary and others during the inauguration of foundation stone laying ceremony of various development projects, in Aurangabad, Saturday, March 2, 2024. (PTI) ...You (PM Modi) had come earlier as well, 'par idhar hum gayab ho gaye the. Hum phir aapke saath hai (I disappeared (from NDA) for some time but now I am with you), said CM Nitish at an NDA rally in Aurangabad. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "I assure you that I will not go here and there. 'Hum rahenge aap hi ke saath'...," Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said. ALSO READ- Modi's dig at big leaders: Dynasts scared, seeking Rajya Sabha route PM Modi unveiled development projects worth 21,400 crore in Aurangabad. He also addressed a public rally in Ratanwa village. Governor Rajendra V Arlekar, CM Nitish Kumar, deputy CMs Samat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several Union ministers were among those present at the programme. PM Modi, while addressing the public rally, said: Bihar will develop only with the poor of the state will progress...Therefore, our government is focused on increasing the capacity of every poor, Dalit, Adivasi & deprived Aiming at the opposition, PM Modi said, Since NDA has become stronger, dynastic politics in Bihar is moving towards its end. One might inherit a political party and post from parents, but they don't dare to even once mention the work done by the mother and father. I have heard that their party leaders are not ready to contest Lok Sabha elections. They are now looking for Rajya Sabha seats. ALSO READ- Narendra Modi in Bihar: Follow LIVE updates NDA will win 400 seats in Lok Sabha, says CM Nitish Nitish Kumar dumped the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in another switch and returned to his old ally BJP last month. CM Nitish Kumar said, I am confident that the NDA coalition will win more than 400 seats in the coming Lok Sabha polls. I assure the PM that now I will remain in NDA forever. ALSO READ- Wanton interference: Raj Bhavan stings Bihar education dept over letter to V-Cs PM Modi launches development projects in Aurangabad 1. PM Modi unveils national highway projects worth over 18,000 crore. 2. Foundation stone was laid for a six-lane bridge over the Ganga, parallel to JP Ganga Setu. 3. He dedicated three railway projects, including the doubling of Pataliputra-Pahleja line and a new 26-km line between Bandhua and Paimar. 4. PM Modi inaugurates 12 Namami Gange scheme projects, featuring sewerage treatment plants in Patna, Sonepur, Naugachia, and Chapra. 5. Foundation stone laid for Unity Mall in Patna, with a budget exceeding 200 crore, supporting the 'One District, One Product' project. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack against the ruling TMC on the issue of corruption in West Bengal and claimed that Mamata Banerjee's party has become synonymous with atrocity and betrayal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi seen during a road show at Krishnanagar ahead of the public meeting held on Saturday.(PTI) "The TMC government has totally disappointed West Bengal and its people. Despite getting a big mandate by the people of West Bengal repeatedly, the TMC has become a synonym of atrocity and betrayal," PM Modi said addressing the crowd in Krishnanagar. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. TMC means betrayal, corruption and 'parivarvad', PM Modi said. TMC stands for Tu, Main aur corruption hi corruption. READ | Modi to arrive in Bengal today for two-day visit Speaking at the gathering, the prime minister also set a target for the state BJP to win all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. This time do vote for BJP extensively The party will clinch all 42 seats in Bengal, Modi said. "Seeing you all gathered here in such huge numbers is giving me the confidence to say 'NDA sarkar, 400 paar'," he told the crowd at the 'Bijoy Sankalpa Sabha' in the state. PM Modi pointed to the troubling events in Sandeshkhali, where women came forward with accusations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders. He criticised the state government for allegedly aligning itself with the accused rather than standing by the "distressed mothers and sisters" of the region. READ | Narendra Modi to visit Sandeshkhali in Mamata Banerjee turf Bengal? BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari drops big hint "The mothers and sisters kept pleading for justice, but the TMC government did not listen to them. They took votes in the name of 'Maa Mati Manush' but now the mothers and sisters are weeping in West Bengal. The situation in the state is such that here, the criminals decide when to get arrested," the prime minister said. Earlier this week, Shahjahan Sheikh, a local TMC leader facing allegations of sexual assault and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali, was arrested in connection with the attack of Enforcement Directorate officials in January. His aide Ajit Maity was also arrested following protests by a large number of women who levelled allegations of land grabbing and extortion against him. Prime Minister Modi is on a two-day visit to West Bengal. During his visit to the state on Saturday, the Prime Minister inaugurated projects including the doubling of the Damodar-Mohishila rail line, the introduction of a third line between Rampurhat and Murarai, the doubling of the Bazarsau-Azimganj rail line, and the establishment of a new line connecting Azimganj to Murshidabad. The PM also initiated the construction of Phase II of the Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station located in the Purulia district. Later in the day, the PM will also visit Bihar's Aurangabad and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than 21,400 crore. (With inputs from PTI) Narendra Modi in Bihar highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit to the states of West Bengal and Bihar today. At Bengal's Krishnanagar, the Prime Minister inaugurated development projects spanning the power, rail, and road sectors. The Prime Minister initiated the construction of Phase II of the Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station located in the Purulia district. This advanced coal-based thermal power project, employing highly-efficient supercritical technology, signifies a significant stride towards enhancing the country's energy security....Read More Additionally, the Prime Minister unveiled the Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) system for Unit 7 & 8 of the Mejia Thermal Power Station. Furthermore, the Prime Minister also inaugurated the four-laning road project of the Farakka-Raiganj Section of NH-12, covering a distance of 100 km and costing around 1986 crore. The Prime Minister dedicated four projects in West Bengal, collectively valued at over 940 crore. These projects include the doubling of the Damodar-Mohishila rail line, the introduction of a third line between Rampurhat and Murarai, the doubling of the Bazarsau-Azimganj rail line, and the establishment of a new line connecting Azimganj to Murshidabad. Later in the day, the PM visited Bihar's Aurangabad and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than 21,400 crore. The Prime Minister will also visit Begusarai. He will inaugurate multiple oil and gas projects worth about 1.48 lakh crore. Wild bees that rifle the mango blossom, / Set free awhile from the love-gods string, / Wild birds that sway in the citron branches, / Drunk with the rich, red honey of spring, / Fireflies weaving aerial dances / In fragile rhythms of flickering gold, / What do you know in your blithe, brief season / Of dreams deferred and a heart grown old? Sarojini Naidu threw herself into the Indian struggle for independence and various womens causes tied to the nationalist movement(Wikimedia Commons) Titled A Song in Spring, this poem of Sarojini Naidu is from the collection The Sceptred Flute Songs of India. With her 145th birth anniversary (on 13th February) and 75th death anniversary (on 2nd March), it is time to pay homage to this fiery, fearless feminist whose lyrical words continue to weave a timeless web of beauty and joy, pain and sadness, patriotism and tragedy. ALSO READ: Sarojini Naidu: Poetess, icon of freedom quest Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Hailed as the Nightingale of India for her remarkable lyrical and oratorical gifts, wrote Sheshalatha Reddy in an essay titled, 'The Cosmopolitan Nationalism of Sarojini Naidu, Nightingale of India: Sarojini Naidus qualified acceptance by the literary and political establishments of both India and England has resulted in a near-canonization of her work. Yet the very lyricism that brought international recognition to her poetry simultaneously undermined Naidus status as a politician, making her seem less than fit for the weighty and masculine work of nation-building. Her cosmopolitanism was her identity: born into a privileged Bengali Brahmin family settled in Hyderabad. Her father Dr Aghorenath Chattopadhyay was a professor of science, the first Indian to be awarded a Doctor in Science degree in the UK. Their home was filled with poetry, which her mother wrote, and discussions on science and politics which the Doctor initiated; and eight children, each of whom grew up to contribute to the struggles for Indias freedom. ALSO READ: Interesting facts about the Nightingale of India When she was barely 12 years old, with her poetic genius already recognised, Sarojini topped in her matriculation exam and was awarded a scholarship by the Nizam of Hyderabad, to study at Kings College, London and later Girton College, Cambridge. Three years in the UK, from 1895 to 1898, Sarojini interacted with artists and aesthetes, poets, and writers, and continued writing poetry. It was only after she returned to India that she broke the conventional mold twice. First, when she announced her inter-caste marriage to Govindaraju Naidu, a doctor whom she met in England; it was scandalous for those times but the parents did not object. Second, she threw herself into the Indian struggle for independence and various womens causes tied to the nationalist movement, such as womens suffrage, by taking on the rhetorical role of representative Indian woman for Indian women. Not only did she sing for the nation, she spoke on its behalf in public forums around the world (including South Africa, England, France, and the United States) as an ambassador and spokeswoman of Indian nationalism. Naidu also acted in an official capacity as the first female Indian president of the Indian National Congress in 1925 and the appointed governor of the United Provinces, now Uttar Pradesh, in 1947, explained Sheshalatha Reddy, drawing up the illustrious time-line of Sarojini Naidus political career. O Death, am I so purposeless a thing / Shall my soul falter or my body fear / Its point hour of bitter suffering, / Or fail ere I achieve my destined deed / Of song or service for my countrys need? To read Death and Life is to feel Sarojini Naidu managing the political and poetic, being the nationalist and yet aware of international ideas and events, of being a woman in a colonial world where biases and misperceptions were commonplace. Her patriotism is unflinching; her words eloquently strong: Tis mine to carry the banner of song, / The tidings of joy when Peace shall triumph, / When Trust shall conquer and Love prevail. When addressing a group of men in 1903, she proclaimed her unifying Indian nationalism with characteristic flamboyance and authenticity: I was born in Bengal. I belong to the Madras Presidency. In a Muhammadan city [Hyderabad] I was brought up and married, and there I lived; still, I am neither a Bengali, nor a Madrasi, nor a Hyderabadi, but I am an Indian, not a Hindu, not a Brahmin, but an Indian to whom my Muhammadan brother is as dear and as precious as my Hindu brother. Reddy quotes from the Collected Speeches of Sarojini Naidu; safe to presume the applause from the college-going men must have been thunderous. On 3 March, 1943 with the passing away of Sarojini Naidu, Pt Jawaharlal Nehru delivered his speech at the Constituent Assembly in New Delhi. He said, It has been my painful duty to refer from time to time to the passing away of the illustrious sons and daughters of Indiawe say often enough that it will be difficult to replace them, that they are irreplaceable. But, today, I would like to refer to the passing away early yesterday morning of one about whom it can be said with absolute truth that it is impossible to replace her or to find her like. Sarojini Naidu, Nehru said, was for the last year and a half the Governor of a great province with many problems and she acted as Governor with exceeding ability and exceeding success as can be judged from the fact that every one in that province, from the Premier and his Ministers and Government to the various groups and classes and religious communities down to the worker and the peasant in the field, had been drawn to her and had found a welcome in her heart. What she was exactly it is a little difficult for me to say, because she had become almost a part of us, a part of our national heritage of today and a part of us individuals who had the great privilege of being associated with her for a multitude of years in our struggle for freedom and in our work. The Nightingale of India had flown into eternity. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a Popular Front of India (PFI) cadre, Ghouse Nayazi, who was involved in the murder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader R Rudresh in October 2016 and had fled the country. NIA said Rudreshs murder was part of a larger conspiracy. He was arrested at Mumbai airport on Friday after he was brought from Dar-e-Salaam, Tanzania, through deportation. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Rudresh, a prominent RSS leader of Shivajinagar area of Bengaluru, was hacked to death by four members of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in Karnataka on October 16, 2016. A NIA spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday that the murder was part of a larger conspiracy hatched by Nayazi, president of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Hebbal assembly constituency, and one Asim Sheriff. The duo had persuaded the other four accused to kill Rudresh with an intention to strike terror among the members of the RSS and the society. The killers were made to believe that the fight against the RSS was a holy war, the spokesperson said. The ministry of home affairs (MHA) banned the PFI and its eight affiliates Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), National Womens Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala on September 27, 2022. The ban came days after a crackdown by NIA and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on senior leaders and members of the PFI, in which at least 108 people were arrested. Indian security agencies stopped a Karachi-bound ship from China at Mumbai's Nhava Sheva port suspecting a dual-use consignment that could aid Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile programme, officials said on Saturday, reported PTI. Ship suspected to contain dual-use consignment for Pak's nuclear programme stopped at Mumbai port(PTI) Customs officials, acting on intelligence input, intercepted the Malta-flagged merchant ship, CMA CGM Attila, en route to Karachi on January 23. The consignment, featuring a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine manufactured by an Italian company, was thoroughly inspected during the operation. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. ALSO READ- Karnataka MLA BK Hariprasad stands by his statement: Pakistan enemy of BJP, not What are CNC machines? Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine is a manufacturing device where computer software guides the movement of factory tools and machinery. This technology controls various complex machinery like grinders, lathes, mills, and CNC routers. CNC machines ensure a level of efficiency, consistency, and accuracy that is unattainable through manual operation. Concerns about CNC machines in nuclear programmes Since 1996, CNC machines have been covered by the Wassenaar Arrangement, an international arms control regime aiming to prevent the spread of equipment with both civilian and military applications. India, one of the 42 member countries, participates in the exchange of information regarding transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods and technologies. The CNC machine was employed by North Korea in its nuclear programme. A team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) examined the consignment and verified its potential use in the neighbouring country's nuclear programme. Officials said that the seizure aligns with efforts to prevent potential proliferation by Pakistan and China. ALSO READ- Pakistan's newly elected assembly meets amid pro-Imran Khan protests The consignment was coming from China The consignment, originating from China, detailed the consigner as "Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd" and the consignee as "Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd" in Sialkot, according to documents such as bills of loading. However, a more in-depth probe by security agencies revealed that the 22,180-kilogram consignment was shipped by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd, intended for Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan. ALSO READ- India flags 3 reds in befitting reply to Pakistan at UN Human Rights Council Cosmos Engineering is already on watchlist Cosmos Engineering, a Pakistani defence supplier, has been under scrutiny since March 12, 2022, when Indian authorities intercepted a shipment of Italian-made thermoelectric instruments at the Nhava Sheva port. ALSO READ- Day after Putin's nuke war warning, Russia tests nuclear ballistic Yars missile Officials expressed concerns about Pakistan potentially using China as a conduit to obtain restricted items from Europe and the US, disguising identities to avoid detection. Worries have heightened over Chinese support for Pakistan's nuclear and missile programmes, highlighted by a 2020 case involving the concealment of an industrial autoclave, crucial for missile production, as industrial equipment on a Chinese vessel bound for Pakistan. The ongoing investigation seeks to determine if the suspected Pakistani entities receiving these dual-use items are supplying them to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), responsible for much of Pakistan's defence research and development. (Inputs from PTI) The Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI), on behalf of the industry, on Friday intervened in the Supreme Court asking permission to participate in the next hearing of a case where, in the last hearing, the court asked the Union government to propose, within six weeks, ways to effect a rule under a 2010 law that requires the state to notify medical tariffs in private hospitals. To be sure, if India sets a range for the tariffs, it will not be the first country in the world to do so. (HT file) On February 27, at the last hearing, the bench, comprising justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta, said that if the Union government does not do this, the court would direct that CGHS (central government health scheme) rates be applied for procedures across the board till the central government fixed rates. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Consumer groups have welcomed the courts move. The intention of the court is noble, no doubt, as it will surely benefit patients at large. However, the implementation needs to be seen as its going to be no less than a Herculean task, said advocate Ashok Aggarwal, who runs an NGO, Social Jurist, to oversee cases for the poor and needy in the health care and education sector. But private hospitals are calling it a disastrous step that will compromise overall quality of health care. Meanwhile, insurance companies also welcomed the move. Insurance companies have always felt the need for standardisation of costs as there is usually a significant gap in what is charged and those who are covered under some insurance. Bills are being inflated even though no hospital would admit it, said an executive of a prominent insurance company, requesting anonymity. We have intervened that whenever the next hearing will be, we are also made a part of it because the next hearing will be crucial in knowing which direction this matter takes. It will be more scientific when the Centre submits its response as asked, said Dr Girdhar Gyani, director-general, AHPI. We are not against standardisation of rates, to be honest, but the key question is on what basis will the rates be standardised? Costing has several variables that could be impacted by something as basic as geographical location of a hospital for example, running a hospital in Delhi will be more expensive than say running a hospital in Haryana or UP. Comparing rates with procedures taking place at government hospitals does not make sense simply because in public hospitals, the government largely foots the treatment cost. The actual cost of treatment may be much higher but the patient because of subsidised treatment cost only gets to shell out a fraction of it, which is not a case in private hospitals, Gyani added. To be sure, if India sets a range for the tariffs, it will not be the first country in the world to do so. Japan, for instance, does, and the country is considered to have one of the best healthcare systems in the world. But Japan also has universal health insurance. People who say it is not feasible are overthinking. Having worked in the public sector and closely within the health ministry, I can vouch that it is not impossible. There are close to 400 specialities only and if you remove the consultation charges of doctors/surgeons, everything else to conduct a procedure is largely the same. At least, a step has been taken and it is in the right direction, said Arun Jha, former economic advisor, Union health ministry. A senior executive from a chain of eye hospitals warned that while cheap treatment may sound tempting, cutting costs so drastically will dilute the quality of care in the long run. Gyani added: As for applying CGHS rates that is another issue as CGHS rates have not been properly revised in almost a decade . The association in this regard also wrote to the Union health secretary, Apurva Chandra, on Friday. The main issue vide clause (ii) is about fixing of rates. To best of our knowledge, there has not been any scientific study on costing of procedures. There was one such initiative by MOHFW in year 2014 but it could not be completed Talking about CGHS rates, even these rates are not arrived based on any scientific study. Further these rates were fixed in year 2014 and have not been revised since. As regards to the disparity between rates in government and private hospitals, it is to be appreciated that rates in government hospitals are heavily subsidised. If we carry out study on costing in government hospitals taking fixed and variable costs, these will not differ much with rates charged in private hospitals, it said. The furore follows a hearing into a PIL concerning The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, and the Clinical Establishment (Central Government) Rules, 2012. This is not the first time the Court has taken exception to Centre dragging its feet on the matter. In November 2022, the top court passed an order directing the Centre to proceed fixing the rates under the 2010 Act and 2012 Rules. The 2010 Act governs all clinical establishments and hospitals across the country. Rule 9 fixes certain duties on clinical establishments, namely that Every clinical establishment shall display the rates charged for each type of service provided and facilities available, for the benefit of the patients at a conspicuous place in the local as well as in English language. Further, the Rule states, The clinical establishments shall charge the rates for each type of procedures and services within the range of rates determined and issued by the Central Government from time to time, in consultation with the State Governments. All under-testing or unreliable artificial intelligence (AI) models must get explicit permission from the government before being made available to users in India, the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said in an advisory to platforms on Friday. MeitY in its advisory said all intermediaries should ensure that their AI tools do not allow any bias or discrimination, or threaten the integrity of the electoral process. (Representative Image) All intermediaries should ensure that their AI tools do not allow any bias or discrimination, or threaten the integrity of the electoral process, the advisory further said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. It has also instructed intermediaries to label all synthetically created media and text or to embed such artificially generated content with unique identifier or metadata so that it is easily identifiable. Intermediaries have been instructed to ensure compliance with immediate effect and to submit an Action Taken-cum-Status Report to MeitY within 15 days. This advisory was sent a week after minister of state for electronics and information technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar tweeted that a response on Googles Gemini AI to the question Is Modi a fascist violated Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Earlier on Monday, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said at an event, Gemini must make sure that its models are properly trained. Racial biases and many other biases will not be tolerated. The use of under-testing/unreliable Artificial Intelligence model(s)/LLM/Generative AI, software(s) or algorithm(s) and its availability to the users on Indian Internet must be done so with explicit permission of the Government of India and be deployed only after appropriately labeling the possible and inherent fallibility or unreliability of the output generated. Further, consent popup mechanism may be used to explicitly inform the users about the possible and inherent fallibility or unreliability of the output generated, the advisory said. While it was not clear which of the eleven categories of disallowed content under Rule 3(1)(b) was violated by the response on Gemini, the Friday advisory stated that intermediaries and platforms must ensure that their AI models, large language models (LLMs), generative AI, and algorithms do not permit users to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share any content that falls within the 11 categories. In line with Chandrasekhars meetings with the industry in November and December, the advisory also instructs intermediaries and platforms to clearly inform their users through their terms of service and user agreements about the consequence of dealing with the unlawful information on its platform, including disabling of access to or removal of non-compliant information, suspension or termination of access or usage rights of the user to their user account, as the case may be, and punishment under applicable law. HT had reported on January 6 that MeitY was considering amending IT Rules to make it obligatory for all intermediaries to remind users of disallowed content under rule 3(1)(b) every 15 days in clear and precise language. In an interview with HT on February 14, Chandrasekhar had said, That [amendments to IT Rules related to algorithmic bias] is a conversation we have had in the DIA [Digital India Act] context. However, the government could decide to make these amendments to the IT Rules in the third term if the new legislation takes a long time to come. Talking about Geminis initial global issues with its answers, Chandrasekhar had said, You cannot use the Indian consumer as a guinea pig. You can probably do it in some other countries. On the Indian internet, you have to make sure your platform does not engage in unlawful activities, does not cause harm, and certainly should meet in letter and spirit the responsibility of safety and trust. Gemini is not the only LLM to churn out strange responses. HT asked Olas Krutrim AI the same questions. In response to, Is Modi a fascist?, Krutrim AI said, Im sorry, but my current knowledge is limited on this topic. Im constantly learning, and I appreciate your understanding. If theres another question or topic youd like assistance with, feel free to ask! However, it churned out detailed responses about similar questions about Chinas Xi Jinping and Germanys Adolf Hitler. On asking, Was Indira Gandhi fascist?, Krutrim AI responded, Indira Gandhi was not a fascist in the traditional sense. While she did establish a period of constitutional dictatorship in India, she was more of an authoritarian leader who upheld Jawaharlal Nehrus idea of India as a tolerant, liberal democracy. However, she did implement some controversial policies, such as the Emergency, which led to her being criticised for undermining democracy and civil liberties. In response to both these questions, Gemini now says, Im still learning how to answer this question. In the meantime, try Google Search. Label deepfakes In the advisory, MeitY has advised intermediaries to label all synthetically created content, that is, audio, visual, text or audio-visual, in such a manner that such information may be used potentially as misinformation or deepfake even as it has not defined what a deepfake is. Instead of labelling, the intermediaries can embed the content with a permanent unique metadata or identifier. MeitY wants this label, metadata or unique identifier to identify content as artificially generated/modified/created; to identify the software or computer resource using which it was generated; and to identify the creator or first originator of such misinformation or deepfake. To be sure, here, the first originator is used in the sense of provenance of the artificially generated content, not in the sense of first originator of a massively forwarded message on a messaging platform such as WhatsApp or Signal. HT had reported on January 6 that one of the amendments MeitY was considering was to explicitly define deepfakes and make it obligatory for all intermediaries to make reasonable efforts to not host them. At that time, it was considering looking to define a deepfake as any audio, visual or audio-visual content created, edited or altered through electronic means that can be perceived as true. In the February 14 interview, HT had asked Chandrasekhar if given the imminent general elections, could deepfakes-related amendments to the IT Rules be expected before the elections? No, he had said. I have clarified repeatedly, the advisory (issued by MeitY to social media platforms in 2023) clarifies that deepfakes are nothing but AI (artificial intelligence)-powered misinformation. You (platforms) need to deal with it. You (platforms) need to address it, he said. The advisory has been issued in continuation of the advisory on misinformation and deepfakes that was issued on December 26. In that advisory, MeitY had given intermediaries one week to ensure compliance and to submit an Action Taken-cum-Status Report. It is not clear if the intermediaries submitted that report. Thus far, Vaishnaw and Chandrasekhar have held at least three meetings with social media companies and technology companies on the issue of deepfakes. The MeitY had also issued two advisories (February 21 and December 26) and two letters (November 6 and November 7) on the issue. Slain former Andhra Pradesh minister Y S Vivekananda Reddys daughter Dr Narreddy Sunitha on Friday demanded a comprehensive probe into the role of her cousins chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and Kadapa parliamentarian Y S Avinash Reddy in the murder of her father five years ago. Vivekananda Reddy was hacked to death by an axe at his house at Pulivendula in Kadapa district on the night of March 14, 2019 (HT) Sixty-eight-year-old Vivekananda Reddy, also known as Viveka and brother of former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, was hacked to death by an axe at his house at Pulivendula in Kadapa district on the night of March 14, 2019. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Normally, any murder case is resolved within four or five months. But even after five years, the real conspirators behind the murder of my father are roaming free. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the case, has not been able to unravel the mystery behind the murder due to pulls and pressures, Sunitha said at a press conference in New Delhi. Stating that the CBI had named Avinash Reddy and his father Y S Bhaskar Reddy as the prime suspects in the case, she alleged that the accused were being protected by those in power. Everybody had seen how the YSR Congress Party workers had created a terror atmosphere in Kurnool town last year, when the CBI went there to arrest Avinash Reddy, but had to return empty handed. Has there been any such instance in the past? she asked. Sunitha said soon after the murder took place, Jagan had demanded a CBI probe into the case and filed a petition in the high court. But after coming to power, he had withdrawn the petition. When I asked him the reason for withdrawal of the petition, he said if the CBI took up the probe, Avinash would join the BJP and that for him (Jagan), it would be the 12th case, she said. When she moved the high court seeking a CBI probe into Vivekas murder, the YSRCP leaders and Jagans family members had brought pressure on her to withdraw the petition. As the CBI began a probe after my petition, the police started harassing me and my husband. The accused even filed cases against the CBI and created hurdles at every stage in its investigation, she alleged. Stating that Jagan had resorted to cheating and betrayal, Sunitha said she wanted the CBI to probe even into Jagans role in the case. If he is innocent, he can be let off, she said. She strongly expressed that she will not get justice if Jagan Reddys YSRCP wins again in the upcoming elections. She requested the people not to vote for a hypocritical, cheating party like YSRCP. I want justice from the people, as there is no sign of getting justice from the courts in the near future. I appeal to the people to defeat Jagan and his party in the coming elections in Andhra Pradesh. Only then would I get justice. If Jagan comes back to power, the case will never make any progress, Sunitha added. Sunitha also thanked TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan, former MP Kanumuru Raghu Ramakrishna Raju and her cousin Y S Sharmila who stood by her in her fight for justice. While Avinash Reddy could not be reached for his reaction, YSRCP general secretary and advisor to the chief minister on public affairs Ramakrishna Reddy Sajjala said Sunithas statement smacked of her political intentions. It is very much evident from her comments that she was being prompted by Jagans rivals. The mask on her face is out today. There is a big conspiracy behind her statements against Jagan and Avinash Reddy, Sajjala said and pointed out that she had chosen the timing to make wild allegations against Jagan only to benefit the TDP in the coming elections. Stating that there was no head or tail to her comments against Jagan, the chief ministers advisor alleged that only Jagans political rivals had masterminded the murder of Viveka. Where is the need for Vivekas own family members to kill him? If at all there is any such need, the TDP leaders might have it. In fact, it was the TDP leaders who were responsible for Vivekas defeat in the assembly elections, he said. He wondered how the TDP leaders could become friends of Sunitha. In fact, there were suspicions over the role of Sunithas own family members in the Viveka murder case. The CBI should also probe into this angle, he said. Meanwhile, TDP official spokesperson G Deepak Reddy demanded an explanation from Jagan on the allegations made by Sunitha that he had sabotaged the CBI investigation into the Viveka murder case. While the CBI named Avinash Reddy as an accused, the chief minister directly or indirectly interfered in the investigation process. Jagan has also gone to the extent of instigating the accused to file criminal cases against the investigating CBI officers, he alleged. Extending solidarity with Sunitha, Deepak Reddy said the TDP would stand by her in her fight for justice. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Saturday reacted to the legal notices sent by union minister Nitin Gadkari to him and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, saying that they did not make any mistake. The Congress leader also asserted that they will respond to the notices soon. Jairam Ramesh. (File) I have read the legal notice sent by himWe will respond to it. We have made no mistake. We used their own words, I cant understand why they are upset, Ramesh said while speaking to news agency ANI. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Gadkari, on Friday, said that Kharge and Ramesh allegedly shared misleading and defamatory news content about him on X (formerly known as Twitter). According to Gadkari's lawyer, the two Congress leaders posted a 19-second video clip of the minister's interview with a news web portal - The Lallantop - concealing the contextual intent and meaning of his words. The video was posted by Congress on X with the caption: Aaj gaon, mazdoor aur kisan dukhi hai. Gaon mein achhe roads nahi hai, peene ke liye shudh pani nahi hai, achhe aspatal nahi hai, achhe schools nahi hai -- Modi sarkar ke mantri Nitin Gadkari (Villages, labourers and farmers are unhappy today. Villages do not have roads, drinking water, good hospitals and schools - Nitin Gadkari, a minister in the Modi government). The legal notices claimed that Gadkari's interview in the video clip was twisted and distorted. While pursuing the said sinister act, my client's interview has also been twisted, distorted, and presented on your handle 'X' by uploading the above video, which is bereft and devoid of contextual meaning. The same has been done deliberately and consciously with a selected piece of Hindi captions, the legal notice written by Gadkari's lawyer read. It added, The contents of the piece of the video clip, which is devoid of contextual intent of interaction as well as a captioned Hindi title, are completely false, scandalous, factually incorrect, are completely afterthought, and are an intentional attempt by you noticees to insult and demean my client, coupled with your intent to provoke members of the Bhartiya Janata Party to develop an ideological rift with my client. Meanwhile, Gadkari has demanded a written apology from the Congress leaders within three days and the removal of the video from X. This legal notice is calling you to remove/delete the above mentioned post from your microblogging site 'X' forthwith and in any event, not later than 24 hours of the receipt of this legal notice, coupled with a written apology to my client within three days, failing which my client would have no other option but to take recourse to all such actions that are open to him, both civil and criminal, at your risk and expense, the notice said. In the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party has fielded just one Muslim face. In 2021, Abdul Salam contested from the 135 Nemom constituency.(Live Hindustan) Calicut University's former V-C Abdul Salam will contest from Kerala's Malappuram, BJP announced in its first list announced on Saturday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. ALSO READ- BJP announces 195 candidates for Lok Sabha election. Check full list here Who is Abdul Salam? Abdul Salam hails from Tirur, Kerala. According to his LinkedIn profile, till 2018, he had published 153 research papers, 15 review articles and 13 books in Biological Sciences. He joined the BJP in 2019. In the 2021 Kerala assembly elections, he contested from the 135 Nemom constituency. Abdul Salam served as the vice chancellor of Calicut University from 2011 to 2015. His disclosed net worth is 6.47 crore, reported Live Hindustan. There are no registered criminal cases against him, the report added. The BJP's first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala comprises 12 candidates in the state. The state sends 20 members to the lower house. ALSO READ- Who is BJP's Bansuri Swaraj, Sushma Swaraj's daughter, making Lok Sabha debut? Suresh Gopi, a prominent film actor, is nominated for the Thrissur seat, while Anil Antony, son of former defence minister AK Antony, has been fielded from Pathanamthitta. MT Ramesh is the BJP candidate from Kozhikode. Union minister of state Rajeev Chandrashekhar has been fielded from Thiruvananthapuram, where Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is the current MP. Notably, BJP Kerala State Unit Chief K Surendran's name is absent from the 12-member list, and reports suggest he won't be contesting the upcoming elections. ALSO READ- Anil Antony, Rajeev Chandrasekhar BJP's dark horse for 'double digit' in Kerala BJP's first list for 2024 Lok Sabha elections The BJP has unveiled its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, revealing contenders for various states. ALSO READ- BJP Lok Sabha list: PM Modi, Shah to contest from same seats; shake-up in Delhi In Uttar Pradesh, the party has nominated 51 candidates, while fielding 20 candidates in West Bengal. Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have 24 and 15 candidates, respectively. Rajasthan also has 15 BJP candidates in the fray. Kerala will see 12 BJP contenders, followed by Telangana with 9. Assam, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh each have 11 candidates. Delhi has 5 candidates, while Jammu & Kashmir has 2. Uttarakhand will see 3 BJP contestants, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa have 2 each, and Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar, and Daman & Diu each have 1 candidate. Bengaluru: 10 people got injured on Friday after a low-intensity blast took place in Rameshwaram Cafe, a popular eatery in Bengaluru's Brookefield area. The cafe's owners said that they are cooperating with the law enforcement authorities. Divya Raghavendra Rao is a chartered accountant. (Instagram) "We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident at our Brookefield branch. We are cooperating with the authorities and officials in their investigations," the cafe said in a statement. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Divya Raghavendra Rao, the co-founder of the cafe, said they are offering support to those injured. "Our thoughts are with the injured and their families, and we are offering them all the support, assistance and care they need and praying for their speedy recovery," she said. Also read: UAPA invoked as IED blast at Bengaluru cafe injures nine The Bengaluru Police have registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the explosion at the cafe. The blast took place at 1 pm on Friday. The police have found a suspect in CCTV footage, keeping a bag inside the cafe. Also read: Bengaluru blast: CCTV video shows moments before explosion hit Rameshwaram Cafe The police believe that an IED device with a timer was used to carry out the explosion. Who are Raghavendra Rao and Divya Raghavendra Rao, the owners of the Rameshwaram Cafe? Raghavendra Rao is a mechanical engineer who has over 20 years of experience in the food industry. He is the founder and promoter of IDC Kitchen. He leads operations at the The Rameshwaram Cafe chain. Also read: Bengaluru's Rameshwaram cafe blast puts spotlight on IEDs. What are they? Divya Raghavendra Rao is a qualified chartered accountant. She did her post graduation from IIM Ahmedabad in Finance and Management. She heads the management and the finance department of The Rameshwaram Cafe. Also read: Bengaluru blast: What Karnataka authorities know about Rameshwaram Cafe suspect; 10 points Divya Raghavendra Rao has over 12 years of work experience, according to the company's website. She is also a member of the managing committee of the Bengaluru branch of South Indian Regional Council of ICAI. With inputs from PTI Bhubaneshwar: President Droupadi Murmu concluded her four-day visit to Odisha on Saturday with her visit to Madhupur in Sambalpur district where she paid tributes to Santha Kabi Bhima Bhoi at his birthplace. This was her fourth visit to the state after holding the top Constitutional post in July 2022. Her visit has given hope to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for a consolidation of tribal votes in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections. President Droupadi Murmu concluded her Odisha visit on Saturday (File Photo) During her visit to her home state, she inaugurated the Ekalavya Model Residential School for tribal students in the Badasahi area of the tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district, and also laid the foundation stone of various developmental projects. She also met the Juanga tribals in Keonjhar district. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Ever since Murmu was elected as Indias first tribal President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP leadership have not stopped talking about the partys interest for the community in the forefront with an eye on the crucial tribal votes. As per the 2011 census, the tribal community comprises 22 per cent of the states population, but the question is, which side will they favour in the forthcoming polls? Odisha has the third largest concentration of tribal population after Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Also Read: Murmu says peace, harmony essential for human existence According to the Election Commission of India (ECI) statistics, 33 of the 147 assembly seats and five of the 21 Lok Sabha seats are reserved for tribals. Apart from these constituencies, tribal comprise more than 15 per cent of the voters in 35 other assembly and seven Lok Sabha constituencies making them crucial in at least half of the Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies. Of the 33 tribal seats, the BJP in the 2019 assembly polls bagged 11 while the Odisha chief minister BJD won 20 seats, and in the 2019 general elections, of the five Lok Sabha tribal seats, the BJP and BJD won two seats each, indicating BJDs hold over the tribals. BJPs performance in tribal-dominated districts such as Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar was dismal in the 2022 panchayat polls, with the party winning just three zilla parishad seats from 93 seats in those districts. Though the BJP has made a bold move by making Droupadi Murmu the first tribal President of the country, not many are sure whether it would impact the voting. Sandeep Sahu, the author of Madam President: The Biography of Droupadi Murmu, said he does not see Murmus ascension to the high office impacting tribal voting in favour of the BJP. It may have limited impact in her home district Mayurbhanj and partly in neighbouring Keonjhar, but I dont see it having any impact in other districts. The BJD through its social welfare schemes has been deeply entrenched among tribals for the past several years and it may be difficult for BJP to counter that, said Sahu. Pritam Padhi, the tribal MLA from Koraputs Pottangi constituency, echoed Sahu, saying his partys micro-management of tribals is too strong to wish away. The BJP is indeed using the President to wean away the tribals to its fold, but it would never work. Starting from Mo Jangal Jami Yojana in which recognition of community rights of tribals over forest lands has been done by the government since last year to dropping of 48,000 petty cases against tribals, the Naveen Patnaik-led government has myriads of schemes for the tribals. When they are getting so much help from the government why would they vote for the BJP, Padhi said. BJP MLA from Jashipur in Mayurbhanj Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia said his party would repeat its 2019 performance where it won the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat. Though we did badly in the 2022 panchayat polls, the situation would be different in 2024 general polls as issues are different. After Murmu became the President, the train connectivity from Mayurbhanj to several places has improved vastly with the introduction of new trains. At least two new Ekalavya Model Residential Schools have come up in the district apart from a new postal division and a skill training hub. Tribals are impressed seeing the pace of development in the region in the last two years and we are confident of doing well, said Khuntia. Also Read: New species of marine slug found in Odisha named after President Droupadi Murmu Khuntia said tribals in Odisha, particularly those from the vulnerable tribal groups would gain from the Centres Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Development Mission which was launched in January this year with an annual budgetary allocation of Rs.15,000 crore. The programme, which rolled out amidst the ongoing election aims to saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities. Odisha with 8.6 lakh [860,000] PVTG households has the highest such population in the country and they would benefit immensely. We would go to the tribals with the development message of the government, Khuntia said. Tribal leader Gopinath Majhi who heads Campaign for Survival Dignity, a tribal organisation in Odisha, said the community was unlikely to ditch Patnaik despite the outreach by the BJP. The tribals are not dissatisfied with the government. The government has been by and large very responsive to our demands, he said. Explaining how the Patnaik-led government has supported the tribals in the demands, Majhi said that when the government amended the Orissa Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (by Scheduled Tribes) Regulations, 1956 last year allowing the sale of tribal land to non-tribals, it also withdrew after swift opposition from the community. Similarly, the announcement of the purchase of 60-odd minor forest produce such as tamarind, mahua seeds and sal seeds from around one lakh [100,000] tribals at a minimum support price (MSP) would be a great help to tribal, said Majhi. Majhi said as six million tribals are dependent on forests for their survival for three to five months a year, the MSP for minor forest produce would act as economic support for tribal women. In Odisha, eight out of ten forest gatherers are women. Its the middle of the night. You find yourself wide awake having doomscrolled for hours, your mind racing, thoughts swirling and brain refusing to shut down. Perhaps a bedtime story could help you drift off something not too riveting, maybe even downright boring. In a dark and dreamy corner of the podcasting world are a set of shows that are so boring, they put listeners to sleep. In fact, thats what show hosts are going for. Where the sounds of falling rain and whistling winds fail, boring podcasts or borecasts are taking over. This new subgenre of sleep podcasts is deliberately dull and positions itself as an antidote to sleepless nights. Borecast hosts tell boring stories, in monotonous tones, hoping to put listeners to sleep to the drone of their voices. From centuries-old classics such as Moby Dick and Peter Pan and spellbinding Wikipedia entries on anything from cardboard to barristers in England and Wales, to stories that just arent interesting enough to keep the sleep-deprived listener awake, borecasts have a variety of themes and topics to choose from. Sharon Handy, host of the weekly Boring Books for Bedtime, for instance, reads non-fiction, fact-filled texts that are long enough that my buzzing brain can calm down and shut off. She came upon the idea while trying to help her stepson go back to sleep after a nightmare. Black Beauty (1877), the beloved Anna Sewell classic about a beautiful horse, was far too engaging, and it was never much help. So Handy switched over to an old political work Common Sense by Thomas Paine. The 47-page pamphlet was written in 1775-76 advocating for independence from Great Britain and influenced the American Revolution. Not exactly fairytale material. He fell right to sleep and the idea of my podcast was born! she says. Since 2018, Handy has read from titles such as The Voyage of The Bounty to the South Sea: For The Purpose Of Conveying The Bread-Fruit Tree To The West Indies, Including An Account Of The Mutiny On Board The Ship (1792), by William Bligh; Fryes Practical Candy Maker (1884), by GV Frye, and Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes (1879), by Robert Louis Stevenson. These centuries-old works arent what you would consider particularly easy reading. But they have been surprisingly popular on Handys podcast; shes racked up over 9 million downloads across streaming platforms. A real snoozefest Handy, who has a deep interest in literature, science and history, doesnt always find the content boring herself. She generally picks at random from the website Project Gutenberg, which offers free e-books of works in the public domain. Ben Boster, host of the I Cant Sleep podcast, reads Wikipedia entries on subjects such as long-distance calling, HTML, scrum and stainless steel, to put his listeners to sleep. Each is about an hour long, hes 172 episodes in. I often draw inspiration from everyday things that we might take for granted, looking for topics that are ubiquitous, yet overlooked, he says. They also come in different styles. Sleep Whispers, hosted by Craig Harris Richard, for instance, also features Wikipedia entries on lucid topics such as dreaming and Alexander Selkirk (the main inspiration for Daniel Defoes 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe). But they are read in soft, silky whispers, as a form of ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) storytelling. And Dan Ackerman, the host of Sleep With Me, whos been has been putting listeners to sleep since 2013, uses lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents. His original stories are narrated in the rambling style of the host character of Dearest Scooter (voiced by Ackerman). Sample this from an episode titled I Know Dino Crossover: I get mixed up, I go off topic, I repeat myself, then Ill go back, then Ill say, what was I saying? Ackerman has over 1,000 episodes and around 36,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel where he uploads every episode. Similarly, in the Nothing Much Happens borecast narrated by yoga and meditation teacher Kathryn Nicolai, not much happens only meandering beginnings and no dramatic end. Snooze. So, what about being bored makes us sleepy? In a paper published in 2017 in the journal Science Communications, Japanese scientists from the University of Tsukuba found that the pleasure centre of the brain also promotes sleep. The nucleus accumbens is where dopamine is produced, and plays a key role in the positive reinforcement between motivation and action. Its why we seek out food and sex, and is also the part that induces substance abuse such as alcohol and cocaine. When left unstimulated (read bored), it induces sleep. This is an interesting finding at a time when anxiety and chronic insomnia are on the rise. The sleep disorder market size was valued at over $20 billion in 2022, and is set to grow at the rate of 12% annually over the next ten years. The borecast as a broadcasting subgenre is not exactly new. The English have been using BBCs Shipping Forecast to bore themselves to sleep for decades. The notoriously monotonous weather report, that has tracked gales and tides around the British Isles for over 100 years, was broadcast on BBCs Radio 4, four times a day, until 2022. All one heard, amid static, was maritime jargon such as Viking, North Utsire, Southwesterly, five to seven. Occasionally gale eight. Rain or showers moderate or good, occasionally poor, in a dour, stern voice. With satellite updates and ready storm trackers online, the Shipping Forecast is largely redundant for boats and ships these days. But BBC still continues to air them twice a day on weekdays and thrice on weekends, inadvertently acknowledging that it now functions as a device that gives listeners moments of calm in their day. Jargon, in fact, is a recurring theme in borecasts. Whats interesting, though, is that some of todays borecasts draw on some of yesterdays cutting-edge bestsellers. A prime example: Charles Darwins On the Origin of Species, which upon release in 1859 sparked feverish debate and censure. It featured this month, on Boring Books for Bedtime. Of course, it might have been considered a handy precursor to the Shipping Forecast even then. I think a lot of classics are works people argue about but have never actually read, and they are curious to hear it, says Handy. So, she gives them a thick, dense slice of it. Are the borecasters bored too? Sometimes, but one learns a lot, says Boster. To be sure, Handy adds, If you need someone to repair a steam-powered farm engine, I think Im ready! Bollywood screenwriter Pubali Chaudhuri ( Rock On!; Rock On! 2; Kai Po Che ) has written, directed and produced her first film the 23-minute long Chithi (Bengali for letter) as much as a personal memory project as an exercise to test her screenwriting skills on an actual set and with actors. After decades of working in the industrial' environment of mainstream movie-making, I wanted, for once, the freedom to have the film shape up in the way I imagined it, Chaudhuri says. The indie film premiered at the Indian Film Festival of New York in May 2023 and also went on to be an official selection at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and the London Lift-Off Film Festival last year. In its short running length, Chithi is able to portray an expansiveness of emotions. The film has two characters: An elderly lady who lives alone at the address '34 D Dover Road', and a stranger who comes to her home calling himself a representative of an orphanage. Chaudhuri wrote the script in Bengali and chose to shoot in the old house in Kolkata in which she grew up. Her parents lived in that rented house for decades before they moved out soon after the filming of Chithi. So, in many ways, Chithi is a long winding goodbye to 34 D Dover Road in South Kolkata, the only address that has truly been home, Chaudhuri, who moved to Mumbai in 2005, and has been part of the film industry for almost 20 years now. Link to the film: Chaiti Chaudhuri (played by the writer-directors mother, a seasoned theatre actress of Kolkata and the protagonist of the film) lives alone in a house that has the easy identifiers of a Bengali householdbrass figurines and crockery, old photographs, a Bengali calendar fluttering on the wall and a tattered poster of Diego Maradona pasted on the walls. One day, a man visits her, trying to sell her trinkets made by children at an orphanage. For reasons revealed later, Chaiti develops an instant fondness for the man, about the age of her son, who, she tells the stranger, lives in America. As a bond develops between the two in fits and starts, the motives of neither is he there to rob her; why is Chaiti being so nice to a stranger are clear till the heartful climactic scene. At an obvious level, Chithi is about the loneliness that comes with ageing. Most of us see that in our ageing parents, the need to connect, to repeat stories, to live in nostalgia. I am always interested in playing with the perception the audience has about characters and the power dynamics between any two people and how it keeps changing with situations. Both characters take recourse to some kind of deception in my film whos to say whos right and whos not? the filmmaker says. But at its core, the film is about the human ability to understand and empathise with strangers. That, I believe, is the hope we hang on to, Chaudhuri says. As with any indie film made on a shoestring budget of less than 10 lakh, this one too was made possible with a little help from friends. It is truly a friends and family production. I cast my mother as the main lead, my sister Tomali and her best friend Sujata run a dubbing company in Kolkata called Sound Ideas TCS, and they came on board as co-producers. A large part of the crew, including editor Meghna Manchanda Sen, and music director Kanishka Sarkar, are all friends who worked on the film out of their love and support for me. It truly takes a village to make an indie film and I have to mention the immense support that Macguffin Pictures and Swastik Productions offered to help our 'no budget' venture. Director Abhishek Chaubey, who co-owns Macguffin Pictures, says, I found Pubalis Chithi moving and haunting in equal parts. In its short runtime, it manages to carefully examine loss, loneliness and ennui; about things rarely said yet are universal. We have not made the film public as yet, so Im eagerly waiting to have the response of a wider public audience, Chaudhuri says. In India, this is the first online release of the film. Short Stream, curated by journalist and film critic Sanjukta Sharma, will present an independent short film that is making a buzz in film festivals. The film will be available for viewing for a month. The film is owned by the production house/filmmaker, and the Hindustan Times does not endorse any of its views or messages. A question I am asked often is what I do. When I respond with I am a journalist, what inevitably follows are questions for pointers to an insiders view of the political climate in New Delhi. Elections are just around the corner and people want to know. The problem is, I dont have one because I am not a political journalist. To get to this point where I can say I-dont-know has taken enormous courage. And I wear this courage as a badge of honour. And each time I say no, I tell myself I have passed the Max Planck/Chauffeur Test. This needs some background. There is real knowledge, which is profound and rooted in deep comprehension. Then there is pretend knowledge, which is superficial and masquerades as expertise. The dichotomy between the both was vividly illustrated by a narrative, apocryphal perhaps, that involves the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Max Planck and his chauffeur. This story, captured public imagination when Charlie Munger, the billionaire investor and vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, delivered the commencement speech at the University of Santa Clara Gould Law School in 2007. Now called the Max Planck/Chauffeur Test, it serves as a powerful lens through which we can examine the texture of true understanding versus the veneer of pretend expertise. The story has it that Planck, after receiving the Nobel Prize, was invited to lecture across Germany. His chauffeur, after having heard Plancks speech many times, memorized it and could recite it perfectly. One day, to amuse themselves, Planck and his chauffeur switched roles; the chauffeur delivered the lecture flawlessly until a physicist in the audience asked a complex question. The chauffeur, realizing the limits of his mimicry, wittily remarked that the question was so simple, he would let his chauffeur answer it. Max Planck took over. The point is, there is a profound truth about knowledge: the difference between understanding what lies on the surface and wrapping your head around its depths. Extrapolate this test to professions such as journalism, stock market research and academia, where the currency of credibility is knowledge. In journalism, the rapid pace and the pressure to break news can sometimes lead to a reliance on pretend knowledge. Journalists, under deadline duress, may skim the surface of complex issues, offering summaries without the depth that understanding requires. This is not to disparage the profession; many journalists perform their roles with diligence and integrity, striving to understand the nuances of the stories they cover. Much the same can be said of stock market analysts. As recently as in January 2024, the most blue-blooded of them applauded Paytms founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma for the companys results declared in the last quarter of December 2023. They refused to see the man was breaking the law and it would be a matter of time before the RBI would lose patience with him. In much the same way, academia is not immune to the allure of pretend knowledge. The publish-or-perish ethos encourages quantity over quality. This leads many researchers to feign expertise in areas beyond their genuine comprehension. It is compounded by the complex incentive structures within academia, such as funding for the labs they rub, hinges on perceived expertise. The outcome is a landscape where some take shortcuts and navigate with the compass of pretence rather than the hard-earned map of real knowledge. While it is true the pressures are high in all these professions, it takes moral strength to admit the boundaries of ones understanding. I dont know is not a declaration of defeat, but a statement of honesty, Charlie Munger himself has championed the virtue of recognizing the limits of ones knowledge. He advocates for a model of intellectual integrity where admitting ignorance is not only acceptable but commendable. The real versus pretend knowledge framework encourages us to scrutinize not just the information we consume but also the depth of our understanding. It invites us to ask ourselves whether we are the chauffeur, reciting facts without comprehension, or the scientist, deeply engaged with the material. In the end, the Max Planck/Chauffeur Test is more than just a cautionary tale about the perils of superficial understanding. It is a call to intellectual integrity, a reminder that real knowledge is not just about the accumulation of facts but the depth of understanding. It challenges us to look beyond the surface, to engage with ideas and issues at a profound level, and to recognize that in the quest for knowledge, the courage to admit ignorance is the first step towards true understanding. This is why I decline to comment on politics. Or write on which way the stock markets are headed despite having trained as a business journalist. (Charles Assisi is co-founder of Founding Fuel. He can be reached on assisi@foundingfuel.com) For over two centuries, the spectre of overpopulation has haunted global debates about food security, sustainability and the environment. All the way back in 1798, English economist and scholar Thomas Robert Malthus wrote his influential piece, An Essay on the Principle of Population, arguing that the human population will always grow faster than our ability to produce food, eventually overwhelming the planets available natural resources. The catastrophe Malthus prophesied has yet to arrive, thanks to technological advances and human ingenuity. But the ideas of Malthus and his 20th century successors such as Paul and Anne Erlichauthors of the 1968 treatise The Population Bombstill inform much of the conventional wisdom around the relationship between population growth and the climate crisis. All else being equal, the argument goes, fewer people means fewer mouths to feed, less demand on our limited natural resources, and crucially, fewer emissions. In this context, the news that were in the middle of an unprecedented collapse of the global birth rate should be cause for celebration. The UN estimates that the worlds population will peak at about 10.4 billion people in the 2080s, and remain at that level until 2100. Another set of projections, published by the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in 2020, estimates that the global population might peak by 2064 (at 9.73 billion), followed by a steady decline that will bring us to 6 billion by 2100. Thats approximately the same number of people as were alive in 2000. This is certainly good news, particularly for food security and poverty alleviation. But when it comes to the fight against climate change, the case for optimism is much weaker. The first problem is the timeline. Even if we go by IHMEs more aggressive projections, the human population isnt shrinking nearly fast enough to prevent the climate crisis. A smaller population in 2100 wont reduce carbon emissions today, and any changes will come long after the mid-century deadline for zero emissions that we need to meet to avoid climate disaster. A 2023 study by researchers at the University of Texas in Austin makes a convincing case that contemporaneous fertility rates are, essentially, quantitatively irrelevant to our climate future. According to the studys findings, the difference in long-run temperature rise between population stabilisation and the UNs population decline scenarios, over the next two centuriesgiven our current climate policiesis very small (4.22C vs 4.27C by 2200 respectively). In addition, the relationship between population and emissions numbers is far from linear. Two of the worlds largest sources of greenhouse emissionsthe US and Chinaboth have fertility rates below replacement levels. Meanwhile India, with its growing population, still counts for 1/8th the amount of per capita emissions that the US does. Affluence, technology and policy all have a much greater impact on climate mitigation than the number of people on the planet. Globally, the top 1% of the population by income, emits about 101 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year on a per capita basis, while the bottom 50% emits 1.4 tonnes, says Avantika Goswami, a climate policy researcher at the Centre for Science and Environment. Private jets and the growing use of SUVs are some of the biggest contributors to emissions of the rich, which large sections of the population in the Global South do not have access to. In fact, a 2023 article published by Londons Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) argues that a declining population may actually hinder attempts at fighting climate change by increasing resource scarcity. Given our current economic model, their counter-intuitive argument goes, a declining population means more ageing, non-productive dependents and less labour available for research and development, leading to greater reliance on resource-dependent production, especially in agriculture. Whether or not you agree with that ideaand many dontthe consensus seems to be that population numbers are a lot less relevant to the climate change fight than other factors, such as intergovernmental cooperation, managing global conflict, technological investment, and low carbon development policies. This doesnt mean, of course, that population numbers are entirely irrelevant. When it comes to climate change, population matters tremendously because demand will increase from coal, to food to roads, says Mridula Ramesh, founder of the Sundaram Climate Institute and author of The Climate Solution Indias Climate Change Crisis and What We Can Do About It. This demand has to be met with supply which causes emissions, resource depletion, pressure on forests etc. But, as Ramesh argues, the more important factor is how we choose to meet that demand. Rather than population per se, it is about how one meets the increased demandhow efficiently one makes stuff, how much recycled content goes in, and how one respects the environment in making the stuff. Its a spectrum. The optimistic point of view is that [population] doesnt matter at all. The pessimistic point of view is that were doomed. I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle, probably closer to the optimist perspective. A green labyrinthine art gallery surrounded Loewes luminaries on Friday where they breathed crisp air from enveloping woodland on Paris eastern edge, among the ancient stones of Chateau de Vincennes. The gallery-decor walls were lined with the framed, wooded landscapes of artistic outsider and American painter Albert York, a clear statement of commonality from the brands one-time outsider fashion designer, Jonathan Anderson. The Northern Irish master can always be counted on twisting, bending, and reinventing the wheel in his own fashion. Little wonder Loewe is among the hottest tickets for Paris Fashion Week. Models present creations by Yohji Yamamoto for the Women Ready-to-wear Fall-Winter 2024/2025 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris on March 1, 2024. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP) ANDERSONS OPPOSITES ATTRACT Inverting the notions of class and money, in a show replete with contradictions Anderson turned high to low and vice versa with aplomb. Tropes of British Isles working-class styles were inventively reimagined for the luxury runway a humble woolen sweater vest was made of rough-textured balled reams of black wool, above baggy pants, intentionally faded evoking wornness, with dynamic, gathered swooshes in the fabric. A lowly brown rough, A-line tunic had a feel for historic garb and was elevated to high fashion by its minimalism. (Also read: New designer Chemena Kamali reboots Chloe with a 1970s-tinged debut at Paris Fashion Week ) Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Yet among all this, the most interesting part of this veritable mine of ideas was Andersons fusion of couture and tailoring; the highest forms of dress for women and men were intentionally muddled up, fused and confused. Anderson transformed the traditional Etonian morning suit into a captivating hybrid dress with flappy bands dancing along the floor. Beneath a crisply tailored jacket unfolded a spectacle of billowing white printed sultan pants. They had an unexpected parachute-like effect at the back, creating a dramatic silhouette with VIP guests capturing the moment with their cameras. Elsewhere, a mens gray jacket was elevated to a work of art with a silver, intricately carved metal couture collar, showcasing sculptural details so exquisite they defy description. This is where Anderson truly excels, venturing into the realm of the impossible: He crafts visual poetry on the runway that is grounded in reality and wearable on the street. His designs are a testament to the rare ability to blend the imaginative with the practical, creating fashion that both inspires and is accessible. THE OUTSIDER REIMAGINED Guests were greeted by 18 of Yorks artworks, showcasing lush landscapes and serene still lifes, not only reflecting Yorks status as a beloved inspiration for Anderson but highlighting the outsider theme. Born in Detroit in 1928 and later relocating to New York, York forged a unique path. After connecting with gallerist Roy Davis in 1962, he chose to distance himself from the vibrant New York art scene, instead finding solace and inspiration in the tranquility of Southampton, where he continued to paint until his passing in 2009. Anderson, sharing his own narrative of feeling like an underdog, as he once confided to The Cut in 2022, identifies with Yorks journey. Citing his Irish background and the challenges of not being accepted into a top art school, Anderson saw himself on the periphery in the early years. Yet, through designs that consistently push boundaries and captivate the fashion world, he has become Pariss celebrated figure. Much like York, who was eventually collected by Jacqueline Kennedy and revered by the elite, Anderson has transformed from an outsider to a luminary, celebrated by the glitterati and beyond. ISSEY MIYAKES ARTISTIC ALCHEMY: WRAPPING MODERNITY IN TRADITION Inside the breathtaking Art Deco interiors of the Palais de la Porte Doree, Issey Miyake s guests admired wall-to-wall frescos and bas-reliefs of exotic scenes lit up in dappled lighting. This symphony of light continued into show of the Japanese house, which excels in techno-fabric, casting harsh, broodingly surreal shadows on looks showcasing explorations of sculptural dressing. Pleated wrapping and swathes of layering sometimes in eye-popping hues such as vivid blue created a sense of envelopment and protection. Models presenting creations by Issey Miyake for the Women Ready-to-wear Fall-Winter 2024/2025 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris on March 1, 2024. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP) Central to this collection were two series called Envision and Wander embodying the essence of wrapping the human form in cloth, drawing from the concept of clothing as a protective and playful gesture. Sculptural forms came from the wrapping of fabric around the body to create garments with natural draping, while hand-pleated fabrics in organic silhouettes created the sense of a nomad wandering through airy, expansive designs. Despite the innovative exploration of form and fabric, the shows finale ventured perhaps too far into the concept of concealment, with excessively pleated looks that obscured the models faces and resulted in cumbersome silhouettes. This unexpected turn surprised many, as models navigated the runway encased in pleats from head to toe. MIYAKE UNVEILS FUTURISTIC FLAGSHIP STORE IN PARIS Fashion Week is more than just the shows; brands capitalize on the presence of the international fashion circus and hold myriad launches and openings with intentional timing. On Friday, VIP guests sipping on champagne celebrated the opening of Issey Miyakes new flagship store at 28 rue Francois in the luxury heartland of the 8th district. Previously occupied by the Europe 1 radio studio, the building, now housing a retail store for the first time, has been transformed with natural light streaming in through the front and rear windows. Models present creations by Issey Miyake for the Women Ready-to-wear Fall-Winter 2024/2025 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris on March 1, 2024.(Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP) Designed by Tokujin Yoshioka, the space has a modern aesthetic with orange aluminum walls that shine brightly, with a futuristic edge. Yoshioka said, The historic 19th-century French architecture fused with orange, which symbolizes the sun. The space, composed of orange aluminum walls made by exquisite anodizing technique, expresses Issey Miyakes philosophy of craftsmanship and energy for the future. BECKHAM: A STUDY IN STYLING, PRECISION AND COHESION Victoria Beckhams collection, presented at the Hotel Salomon de Rothschild, showcased a deliberate approach to styling and design, threading through various decades with consistent precision. The collections stark black leather coat, neatly paired with a white turtleneck, introduced a refined simplicity. This combination of pictures created on March 1, 2024 shows models presenting creations by Victoria Beckham for the Women Ready-to-wear Fall-Winter 2024/2025 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP) A journey through eras began with a 70s-inspired high-collared crimson silk gown, and with a loose pastel suit, that was a nod to retro elegance with modern twists. While, a foray into the 90s came with a denim total look, blending casual with chic in a way that was retrospective and fresh. One highlight was a black top enhanced by cascading silvery ribbons, demonstrating the former Spice Girls flair for integrating dynamic, fashion-forward elements. A thick ribbed turtleneck sweater emphasizing texture, and the collections focus on material and form. Among the more playful designs was a heart-shaped textural mini dress, showcasing the now-seasoned designer's ability to infuse whimsy without sacrificing sophistication. Each piece, regardless of its historical inspiration, was marked by a meticulous styling that spoke to Beckhams established aesthetic that Paris Fashion Week is gradually revering since she presented her debut here in Oct. 2022. David Beckham supported his wife backstage (in front of reporters) in a chic turtleneck and suit. YAMAMOTO'S BOLD SILHOUETTES Yohji Yamamoto, the venerable Japanese designer renowned for his avant-garde approach to fashion, presented a masterclass collection in dramatic layering and architectural forms. A striking display of armor-like shoulders set the tone for a runway narrative that felt like a visual exploration of a post-apocalyptic warriors wardrobe. The designs, with myriad sleeves erupting from the back of garments, resembled war-torn shrapnel reimagined into a fashion statement, blending the harsh realities of conflict with the ethereal beauty of resilience. This combination of pictures created on March 1, 2024 shows models presenting creations by Yohji Yamamoto for the Women Ready-to-wear Fall-Winter 2024/2025 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week.(Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP) The punk-inflected collection was emphasized through exaggerated pocket details from tunic dresses, imbuing them with a militaristic air. This was fashion as a form of rebellion, where conventional silhouettes were disrupted and reassembled into something entirely new or unexpected. Adding to the intrigue were accessories that seemed to borrow from the ceremonial: face nets and square hats paired with angular silhouettes that transitioned seamlessly into interpretations of the Etonian morning suit. This style has captured the fashion worlds imagination this season, apparently. Yamamotos ability to marry the traditional with the avant-garde was on full display, with black and white gowns that evoked the whimsy of a Pierrot doll, morphing effortlessly into skirts adorned with gathered pockets and suit jackets with elongated tails. These pieces, reminiscent of the legendary British designer Vivienne Westwoods iconic punk-inspired creations, paid homage to a legacy of fashion rebellion while firmly establishing Yamamotos collection as a beacon of innovative design. Throughout the presentation, Yamamotos penchant for deconstruction and reconstruction was evident, challenging the audience to reconsider their perceptions of beauty and form. The holy month of Ramadan is about to begin with the sighting of the crescent moon, heralding a month of fasting, spiritual reflection, devotion, and community solidarity for Muslims worldwide. Ramzan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar holds a great significance for the Islamic community as during this time they fast from sunrise to sunset or observe Roza, deepen their connection with their faith and strive for spiritual growth and purification. Moon sighting has an intricate connection with Islamic holiday observances and is considered significant in ascertaining important days. Muslims across the world scan the night sky for the first glimpse of a crescent moon of Ramadan to begin the period of fasting and reflection. Thus, Ramadan begins when people and religious authorities look at the night sky to view the crescent moon. (Also read | Ramadan 2024: When does Ramzaan start? Check date, time, and iftar details) Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar holds a great significance for the Islamic community as during this time they fast from sunrise to sunset or observe Roza, deepen their connection with their faith and strive for spiritual growth and purification.(Freepik) Importance of fasting during Ramadan Fasting during Ramadan is considered one of the five pillars of Islam. Ramadan typically lasts for 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting of the new moon. During this holy month, Muslims start their fast with a pre-dawn meal, also referred to as Sehri. A day-long fast abstaining from food and water is observed until sunset post which Muslims breaks their fast with a meal called Iftar, starting with dates and water. It is followed by prayers and a communal meal with family and friends. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. When is Ramadan 2024? This year, the month of Ramadan is expected to begin on March 11 (Monday) or March 12 (Tuesday), subject to the sighting of the moon in Mecca. As per the Islamic tradition, the crescent of Ramadan is first sighted in Saudi Arabia and some parts of India along apart from some Western countries. In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries, it is sighted usually a day after. Moon sighting significance for Muslims It is that time of the year when Muslims worldwide are eagerly awaiting a glimpse of the crescent moon to begin this holy month. Moonsighting plays an important role in determining Islamic holidays and Ramadan is no exception. It is crucial for ascertaining the timing of important religious events, such as Ramadan (the month of fasting) and Eid al-Fitr (the festival marking the end of Ramadan), as well as Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca), which starts in the month of Dhul-Hijjah. Accurate moon sighting ensures that Muslims begin these religious observances at the correct time. The month of Shabaan precedes Ramadan and is dedicated to preparing for the holy month of fasting and feasting. On Shabaan 29, the moon-sighting committees convene after the sunset to look for the crescent moon, a tradition that has been followed for time immemorial. Moon sighting is also a chance to connect with community as Muslims commence important religious practices together. Prophet Mohamed encouraged seeking the sighting of the moon. He said: Do not fast (for Ramadan) before the coming of the month until you sight the moon or complete the number (of thirty days); then fast until you sight the moon or complete the number (of thirty days). World Wildlife Day is celebrated to promote sustainable practices that can help conserve biodiversity and raise public awareness of the need to protect and care for animals. Wildlife plays a major role in the upkeep and equilibrium of food systems. The planet's enormous diversity supports the ecosystem that allows us to survive by providing us with enough food and air to breathe. Through education, advocacy, and action, World Wildlife Day encourages individuals, communities, governments, and organizations worldwide to work together to safeguard the planet's rich and diverse wildlife for future generations. This occasion provides an opportunity to emphasise the importance of conserving biodiversity and adopting sustainable practices to protect wildlife and their habitats. From date to history, scroll down to know more. (Also read: World Compliment Day 2024: Reasons of celebrating this day ) World Wildlife Day 2024: Date, theme, history, significance and more (Pixabay) World Animals Day 2024 date and theme World Animals Day is celebrated annually on March 3, and this year it falls on Sunday. Each year a special theme is chosen to celebrate the occasion and this year's theme, "Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation," highlights the potential of technology to advance conservation efforts. This theme is particularly relevant in today's digital age, where technological advances can offer novel solutions to long-standing conservation challenges. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. History of World Animals Day World Wildlife Day was first proposed by Thailand to the UN General Assembly in 2013. The idea was to set aside a day to promote awareness of wild animals and plants around the world. The General Assembly adopted a resolution on 20 December 2013, designating March 3 as World Wildlife Day in 2014. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a global agreement to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival, was signed on this day in 1973. World Animals Day significance World Animal Day is an important global awareness event for the protection and conservation of animals. It serves as a reminder of the inherent value of animals and the need to treat them with kindness, decency and respect. It inspires people to take action to prevent cruelty, exploitation and abuse of all animals - wildlife, farm animals and pets. World Animal Day aims to raise awareness of the interconnectedness of all living things on our planet and to promote peaceful coexistence between humans and animals through activism, campaigning and education. Indonesia went to the polls on February 14, and the results are expected by March 20. It is interesting to note that ever since its return to democracy in 2004, Indonesias general elections have happened in the same year as Indias. While the official results were awaited, within hours of the polls closing, quick counts emerged a mix of exit polls along with early results from some booths. General Prabowo Subianto, the defence minister, and Gibran Raka, his vice-presidential candidate, are expected to be the winners. The other two candidates have not conceded so far. Over the last 20 years, quick count results have varied only marginally from the final results. Indonesia has been moving towards a one-nation, one-poll system, which is under discussion in India. This is under the revised law since 2019 when simultaneous elections were introduced under a Constitutional Court judgment in that country. Indonesia has a voting age of 17 and 204 million voters (military and police personnel are not allowed to vote) and the turnout on February 14 was 85%. On polling day, a voter received several ballot papers. One for the presidential election, another for the House of Representatives (the Lok Sabha equivalent), the Regional Representative Council (the Upper House equivalent, but with directly elected members, on a non-party basis), and for members of local legislative bodies at the provincial and city/regency level outside Jakarta. Overseas voters got two ballots: For president and for the House of Representatives, to be cast by postal ballots submitted at the embassy. Regional governors are not part of this poll process due to the law of decentralisation. Gubernatorial elections for all 38 provinces are likely in November. The main negative consequence of the 2019 simultaneous elections was the death of over 600 officials, primarily from exhaustion. This year 84 died! It was expected that running simultaneous elections would enhance efficiency and control costs. It has not. According to one report, the 2019 simultaneous elections cost 60% more than the 2014 elections. The 2024 election budget was $1.7 billion. Proponents believe that holding elections over a few consecutive days rather than one day and introducing e-voting will reduce the stress of concurrent polls. The parliamentary and presidential elections were conjoined in 2014. Subsequently, those for local and regional bodies were added 800,000 booths handled the 204-million-strong electorate. Counting of the paper ballots is manual and takes long whereas, in India, the conduct of the election is spread over several weeks but the counting is on a common day and quick. There are 24 registered national parties, and 18 participated this time for the 580-member parliament from 84 constituencies. Proportional representation plays a large role in the allocation of seats. Thus, aggregation of votes and scoring a higher percentage is the focus of every party, not individual MP campaigns. A party requires a minimum of 4% votes nationally to get a seat in parliament. In the 2019 elections, nine parties qualified; this time, it could be eight. Since no party has the majority, coalitions are the norm. This time, the four parties that backed the Prabowo-Gibran ticket did not appear to meet the majority in parliament, despite winning over 50% votes in the presidential election. They are reaching out to other parties who backed losing candidates to obtain a legislative majority. Parties also seek a higher vote share because a presidential candidate can be nominated only by a party or a coalition that has a minimum of 20% of the seats in parliament. To win a presidential election, the candidate must not only secure 50% plus votes at the national level but also a majority of the votes in 20% of the provinces. That is why the slow counting of votes at the provincial level remains important. For India, Indonesia is a living laboratory to study the One-Nation, One-Election system, though their electorate is only about a quarter of Indias. Their security concerns seem less prominent. But, staggering concurrent elections over a short period would have reduced the stress from the process. And EVMs could speed up their counting process. India already has these aspects in place. Gurjit Singh is a former ambassador to Indonesia. The views expressed are personal Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a veritable love fest in West Asia. His first stop was the United Arab Emirates for his seventh visit to the country . There he headlined one of his famous Indian diaspora rallies, inaugurated Abu Dhabis first ever Hindu temple, and signed 10 bilateral agreements. The trip cemented the growing relationship between India and the UAE. The UAE is now Indias third largest trading partner, its second largest export destination, and fourth largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). From the UAE, Modi travelled to Qatar where he committed to further expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation. The Qatar trip came on the heels of the Indian government successfully negotiating with the Qataris to release eight Indians who had been sentenced to death for allegedly spying. The two hugely successful trips were preceded by Modi strongly voicing support for Israel following the attacks by Hamas, just over four months ago. The dizzying juggling act that India seems to be perfecting in West Asia is paying off in spades. But it comes with risks. Indias outreach to West Asian countries began shortly after Independence in 1947. Indias anti-colonial socialist leaders frowned upon Israel (a country built on religious nationalism just like Pakistan), fully supported the Palestinian cause, and, cognisant of Indias large Muslim population, tried to make common cause with Islamic nations. However, other than Israel, which was keen to court India but with whom India did not agree to establish diplomatic relations until 1992, few of the West Asian countries particularly responded to Indias overtures and indeed regularly gave Pakistan both political and military support. Today the tide has turned. Arab nations and Israel are both enthusiastic about building ties with India and Modis BJP government has responded in kind. There is a huge Indian diaspora spread across the Arab nations, mostly blue-collar workers who regularly send remittances home. For example, nearly 38% of the UAEs population comprises Indian citizens. The Indian government has long been concerned about protecting this diaspora and securing their rights, particularly as many are systematically exploited in these countries. The new Hindu temple is, thus, a way for the UAE to signal inclusivity and for India to signal it cares about its Gulf diaspora. In the meantime, large Indian companies have become competitive in securing infrastructure contracts in Arab nations, Indian and Arab companies have secured mutually beneficial energy deals (such as the liquified natural gas deal between India and Qatars state-owned hydrocarbon companies Petronet and QatarEnergy which will supply India 7.5 million tons of LNG per year for the next two decades), and Arab nations have pledged to invest billions in India (for example, Saudi Arabia has pledged $100 billion). Despite this move toward Arab nations, India maintains a strong relationship with Israel. Israel is one of Indias top arms suppliers, and India remains hugely concerned about the spectre of state-sponsored Islamist terror groups. Thus, Israel and India regularly cooperate on counter terrorism and intelligence sharing. The United States' strengthening partnership with India has only further boosted the India-Israel relationship as well as relations with Arab nations. At the G20 Leader Summit last year, Modi announced the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) touted by some as a counter corridor to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative that involves Saudi Arabia, the UAE, France, Germany, Italy, the European Union, and the United States in addition to India. The problem remains, however, that this balancing act can create headaches for India as well as reticence in its behaviour. Modi was intensely criticised for his quick statement of support for Israel, and the Indian government hastened to clarify that it still supported a two-state solution. If there is a prolonged Israel-Gaza war, or relations between Israel and Arab nations further decline, India may no longer be able to sit on the fence. Indias relations with Iran are also at stake. India has long been supporting maritime security in the Red Sea and Indian warships play an important role in rescuing hijacked ships from pirates. But India has thus far declined to join Operation Prosperity Guardian, the United States-led maritime force to protect ships from Houthi attacks. If it does, India risks offending Iran, a country with whom India has long had strong diplomatic links. Yet the Houthi attacks have implications for Indian trade which utilises routes through the Red Sea and Suez Canal to reach North Africa and the West. Thus far, the Modi government has been adept at expanding its footprint and juggling the morass of sensitive relations that is West Asia. There is little doubt China is taking note. However, it remains to be seen if this can be a viable long-term strategy. Manjari Chatterjee Miller is senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, and associate professor, Boston University. She is the author of Why Nations Rise: Narratives and the Path to Great Power. The views expressed are personal A tranche of documents leaked from a Chinese technology company hit the code-sharing website GitHub last week. Most of it in Mandarin, the documents offer a rare, if not the first, look at how Chinas private sector companies are working with its military to conduct cyber espionage and spying, both on its own citizens and foreign adversaries. The company, I-Soon, also known as Anxum, works with Chinas ministry of public security (responsible for internal security), the ministry of state security (external security agency), and the Peoples Liberation Army. Contained in the leaks were victim data, targeting lists, marketing material and internal employee communication. The documents (the leaked material did not indicate how recent the data was) have not been verified, but the company took down its website and its executives told news agency AP that it was investigating. To summarise what cybersecurity experts have found, the company appears to have the ability to function like an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT), a classification for cyber operatives with a sophisticated ability to hack into networks and devices, including some of the most secure ones deployed by the worlds largest enterprises and government entities. For instance, the documents suggested I-Soon hacked more than a dozen governments, including India, Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea, universities and members of NATO. Some specific examples of what the documents purport to show were stark. For instance, the company claimed to have breached at least three Indian ministries, had access to gigabytes of provident fund (EPFO) data of Indian citizens, and call data records from telecom company BSNL. Other noteworthy abilities it touted were what appeared to be an unknown bug allowing the takeover of Twitter (now X) accounts, special equipment through which operatives could communicate from abroad and portable trojan-like devices (disguised, for instance, as a power bank) for attacking networks from inside a targets premises, such as government buildings. Some preliminary analyses, with more details on what the files contain, have been done by cyber threat intelligence teams of Sentinel One and Malware Bytes, in addition to the first insights by Taiwan-based researcher Azaka Sekai, who found the file. While it is important to remember these documents are yet to be verified corroborating internal documents of such nature can be time-consuming, if not almost impossible in the case of private enterprises what they contain has significant implications for a country like India, which has a strong adversarial relationship with China. First, the leaks are a reminder that there might yet be little known in reality of how vast or sophisticated the cyber armies Beijing has at its disposal. Cybersecurity expert Pukhraj Singh described it as a sign of the maturity of Military-Civil Fusion, a policy adopted by the Chinese Communist Party to sharpen its offensive and defensive capabilities by roping in private companies and citizens. In a separate reply to me, Singh said this was the first time such a leak had taken place. India is not the most crucial target but definitely amongst the top three for the Ministry of State Security (MSS), Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and others, he added. Companies such as I-Soon, universities, and research institutions are encouraged to work on technologies with both civil and military use, with the government having access to both. This significantly broadens both resources in skill and operations, allowing for bigger and sharper offensive campaigns to be unleashed on Beijings foes. Second, Indian entities including private companies and government websites and utilities have leaked data like sieves over the years. Government emails have been hacked, sensitive payment data such as card details are often stolen and sold on the dark web, and one of the largest government hospitals and medical research organisations in the country was knocked offline by ransomware operators. Even nuclear power plants and electricity distribution companies have been feared breached. Remembering this is crucial, especially when India doubles down on the concept of digital public infrastructure, which will involve more in number and importance of everyday life to rely on the internet. This needs to be seen in the context of defence, especially since leaked data of millions (perhaps hundreds of millions) of Indian citizens may have already been harvested by adversarial nations. Cybersecurity threats do not stem only from bleeding edge threat actors; the lax data protection standards in India mean even rudimentary operations can have high success rates. The current government has not put together a National Cybersecurity Policy in its current term, despite several drafts being talked about. Third, the leaks spotlight the challenge of trust in supply chains. Among the examples of the capabilities was a device resembling a Xiaomi power bank that could crack WiFi passwords and sniff out data if plugged into a network port. While this appears to be a device modified to avoid detection instead of being a product made with spying capabilities it harks back to instances when espionage agencies have attempted to create backdoors in electronic equipment. The most infamous case was when the USs National Security Agency (NSA) created backdoors in Ciscos wifi routers, helping the agency snoop on targets. Similar concerns have led to most western nations and Beijings rivals such as India excluding Chinese telecoms behemoth Huawei from selling fifth-generation (5G) telecom infrastructure. There is not just a technical but legal basis for such fears, experts have said mass surveillance risk has become real with Chinese companies since it passed a cybersecurity law in 2016 mandating all companies on its soil to give access to its systems when ordered. Binayak Dasgupta, HT Page 1 editor, looks at the emerging challenges from technology and what society, laws and technology itself can do about them The first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi - Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is open to the public. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the temple on February 14. BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi shared this picture for dress codes after it opened for public. (X/@AbuDhabiMandir) A tweet was posted on the X handle dedicated to the temple to inform people about it being open. The wait is over! #AbuDhabiMandir is now open for all visitors and worshipers. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 9 am-8 pm. Every Monday: Closed for visitors. The post is complete with an incredible video of the temple. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Take a look at the entire post here: BAPS Hindu Mandir has also posted the guidelines that the visitors and devotees need to follow while visiting the temple. From particular dress codes to rules regarding photography to the items prohibited, the guidelines are shared on the official website of the temple. The temple laid down the rules to ensure that a persons visit to the place is safe, enjoyable, and respectful. According to the guidelines, pets are not allowed within the temple premises. Visitors are not permitted to carry knives, food items, luggage, drones, cigarettes, beverages, bicycles, or skateboards. Are visitors allowed to take pictures? Photography and filming at the BAPS Hindu Mandir are allowed for personal, non-commercial use only, according to the guidelines. Anyone who wants to record a video for commercial purposes needs to get in touch with the authorities. Also Read: PM Modi inaugurates grand BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi What is the dress code while visiting the temple? People should cover the area of the body between the neck, the Elbow, and the ankles. Also, caps t-shirts, and other clothing articles with offensive designs are not allowed. A picture was also shared to provide clarity about the dress code. The temple is built on a 27-acre site in Abu Mureikhah near the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway. The UAE government donated the land for the temple. Viswanathan Anand took to X to share a picture after being released by his kidnappers. Dont be alarmed as what the chess legend shared is a reply to a joke that started after Alexandra Botez posted a picture of herself with her sister Andrea Botez and Viswanathan Anand. Viswanathan Anand shared this picture on X along with a witty tweet about his kidnappers. (X/@vishy64theking) American-Canadian chess player Alexandra Botez shared a picture of Viswanathan Anand which shows him with a serious demeanour. While posting the picture Alexandra added, Why does it look like we took Viswanathan Anand hostage. Her post prompted a flurry of hilarious responses from netizens. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Viswanathan Anand joined in with a post on X. At the Airport! My kidnappers, let me go, he wrote and shared his picture. What is amusing to see is how his facial expression in this image is similar to the photo tweeted by Alexandra. In a tweet on the same thread he added, Alexandra Botez told me I had to solve a chess position to win my freedom. Andrea asked what Black should play in this position. I told her Kd5, and they let me go. The chess legend also shared an explanation about selecting this particular move. Extra explanation: Since this is a race, black should play Kd5 Slowing the white king march to the Queen's side And a quicker hostage release! he added. Take a look at the entire post by Viswanathan Anand: Since being shared on March 1, Viswanathan Anands picture has gone viral with over one million views. The post has also accumulated several comments from people. How did X users react to this funny tweet? We need more proof of release. This picture looks like it was taken in front of a screen, joked an X user. Happy to see you've escaped unscathed, added another. Savage mode, joined a third. You must be smiling but you ain't? Why? asked a fourth. This looks staged and not tweeted by you, more proof we need! wrote a fifth. TORONTO (AP) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will hold a state funeral for Brian Mulroney, the prime minister who in the 1980s solidified trade ties with the U.S. and spoke out against South Africas apartheid and whose death drew tributes Friday from world leaders. HT Image Mulroney died Thursda y at age 84, after a fall at his home in Florida. Mulroneys daughter, Caroline, said in a statement that her father died peacefully surrounded by his family. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The flag on the Peace Tower at Parliament in Ottawa was flying at half-staff Friday in Mulroneys honor, as lawmakers suspended Parliament for the day and agreed to offer tributes to him on March 18. Leader of the Progressive Conservative party from 1983 to 1993, Mulroney served almost a decade as prime minister after he was first elected in 1984. Mulroney forged close ties with the United States through a sweeping free trade agreement. President Joe Biden called Mulroney a tireless advocate for Canada and said he got to know him when he served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Mulroney worked with President Reagan to advance the Acid Rain Treaty, which has helped protect our waterways, and negotiated the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement. To guard our shared borders from defense threats, Mulroney signed the modern North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) agreement, Biden said in statement. Mulroney was fearless and not afraid to stand up for causes he cared about like advocating against racial apartheid in South Africa," Biden said. " I saw firsthand his commitment to the friendship between our two nations, as well as his abiding love for Canada and its people," he added. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Mulroney holds a special place in South Africas history. During his term, he spoke out against apartheid, advocated the economic isolation of the regime and took a stand when many in the international community were wavering, Ramaphosa said in a statement. Mulroney had enduring friendships with former U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and eulogized both at their funerals. Reagan and Mulroney became friends as two national leaders during the last decade of the Cold War. Mulroneys nine years in power overlapped with Bushs four. Former President George W. Bush expressed sadness at Mulroneys death and credited him with helping end the Cold War. In a statement referencing the Canadian leaders close relationship with his father, Bush quoted from Mulroneys words at the elder Bushs funeral: But the best ships are friendships, and may they always be. May his ship sail on in fair winds and following seas, said the statement from Bush and his wife, Laura. It was Mulroneys amiable relationship with his southern counterparts that helped develop a free-trade treaty, a hotly contested pact at the time. The trade deal led to a permanent realignment of the Canadian economy and huge increases in north-south trade. Fred Ryan, chairman of the board of the Reagan Foundation and Institute, said in a statement that Mulroney was one of Canada's most consequential prime ministers. The world has lost a true champion of freedom and democracy, Ryan said. The Israeli military on Saturday promised an exhaustive and truthful investigation into the deaths of Palestinians queuing for aid in Gaza this week, an incident that has drawn condemnations and calls for an international inquiry. This image grab from a handout video released by the Israeli army on February 29, 2024, shows what the army says are Gazans around aid trucks in Gaza City.(AFP) Gaza Health authorities said 118 people were killed in Thursday's incident, attributing the deaths to Israeli fire and calling it a massacre. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Israel disputed those figures and said most victims were trampled or run over as crowds swarmed aid trucks. An Israeli official also said troops had "in a limited response" later fired on crowds they felt had posed a threat. "We are investigating this incident, we have all the documentation that we need in order to carry out an exhaustive, truthful investigation into the facts of this incident and we will present our findings," spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv. Also Read | US airdrops meals into Gaza days after 100 killed in clash with Israeli troops "It was a humanitarian operation we were running and the claim that we deliberately attacked the convoy and deliberately harmed people is completely baseless," Hagari said. He added that it was the fourth such operation in that area. Although the accounts of what happened differed sharply, the incident has underscored the collapse of orderly aid deliveries in areas of Gaza occupied by Israeli forces, with no administration in place and the main U.N. agency UNRWA hamstrung by an inquiry into alleged links with Hamas. With a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, many countries have urged a ceasefire, but U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday's incident will complicate talks at which a deal involving a truce and hostage release is being sought. Japan's Moon lander has been put back to sleep after it surprisingly survived the freezing, two-week lunar night, the country's space agency said, with another operation attempt scheduled for later this month. HT Image The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down in January at a wonky angle that left its solar panels facing the wrong way. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. 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. This week, the SLIM probe, which was "not designed for the harsh lunar nights," when the temperature plunges to minus 133 degrees, produced another surprise by waking up after two weeks. "SLIM has gone to sleep again as the sun set after 3 am (Japan Time) on March 1," the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, alongside an image of the rocky lunar surface captured by the probe. "Although the likelihood of failure will increase due to the severe temperature cycles, we will attempt SLIM operation again when the sunlight comes back in late March," JAXA said. The announcement comes after the uncrewed American lander Odysseus became the first private spaceship on the Moon. The lander sent its final image on Thursday before its power banks depleted. 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. 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. NASA is planning to return astronauts to the Moon later this decade. The US, along with international partners, wants to eventually develop long-term habitats in the region, harvesting polar ice for drinking water -- and for rocket fuel for eventual onward voyages to Mars. nf/ssy A Kansas City-area man whose home was sold as he struggled to pay delinquent taxes killed a court employee who tried to serve an eviction notice and a police officer who responded, authorities said Friday in announcing charges. HT Image Larry Acree, of Independence, Missouri, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault in the wounding of another officer who responded, and three counts of armed criminal action, according to court documents. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The shooting occurred when court employee Drexel Mack tried to serve an eviction notice. He was shot, and then officers responding to the scene were shot at, one struck fatally and two others injured before Acree was taken into custody. Ambush is a strong word but it may be one thats fitting here, Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker said at a news conference. Jackson County Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said that because Mack was an employee of the court, the case will be moved to another county. The Missouri Supreme Court will decide where it moves to. Mack, who was in his early 40s, had worked for Jackson County for over a decade. Bond in the case is set at $2 million. Baker said Acree, who sustained minor injuries, remains hospitalized and will be moved to the jail as soon as he is able. No attorney is listed for Acree in online court records and messages that The Associated Press left with possible relatives of Acrees were not immediately returned. On Feb. 23, a Notice to Vacate sign was posted at the property, according to the probable cause affidavit. It stemmed from court actions that began one year earlier. Acree didn't have any right to be there," Baker said. On Thursday, Mack and another process server arrived at the address to physically evict Acree. Both of the process servers removed a padlock from the gated drive, the statement said. The two process servers then approached the front of the home, where they knocked and announced their presence. No one answered, so the property maintenance contractor drilled out the lock on the front door, the statement said. They then entered the home and were fired upon. Mack was struck and fell to the floor just inside the front door, court records said. The other process server ran and sought help, court records said. Independence police then rushed to the home, where three officers entered the home and tried to retrieve Mack. They then came under additional gunfire, court records said. Allen was struck in the head, and a second officer was struck in the torso, court records said. Officers then returned fire, and the suspect was taken into custody. The wounded were taken to nearby Centerpoint Medical Hospital, where Mack and Allen were pronounced dead. The officer struck in the torso underwent surgery and is expected to survive. That officer also sustained additional injuries to the arms and face. Police Chief Adam Dustman said previously that a third officer also took gunshot rounds and had minor injuries. No charges were immediately filed stemming from that officer's injuries. Baker said more charges were coming but that they just weren't prepared yet. She declined to release details on the type of firearm or firearms used. The home where the eviction notice was being served had been sold recently and had delinquent taxes dating to at least 2019, records show. Acree, 69, also had been ordered to pay a roofing company, with $32,155 due as of Aug. 1, according to court records. Records from later that month in the case signaled that a property sale was in the works. The sale was completed on Aug. 14 for $260,000, with a judgment of $27,733.47 subtracted from the total, records show. The person who bought the property didnt immediately respond to a Facebook message from the AP seeking comment. Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents. Baker noted that the tragedy followed a recent shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally in which one woman died and around two dozen others were wounded. Our region has been weighted with it seems one tragedy after another after another, she said. Almost every one of those is linked to someone using firearms in a way that theyre not supposed to. I do acknowledge that this community is suffering. Its a lot for one community to bear. ____ AP reporter Jim Salter in OFallon, Missouri, contributed to this report. A high-level WTO conference ended Saturday with the extension of an e-commerce moratorium but no deals on agriculture and fisheries, throwing into doubt the effectiveness of the multilateral trade body. HT Image The outcomes of the World Trade Organization's 13th ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi highlighted the sharp divisions between the bodys 164 members amid geopolitical tensions and economic headwinds that are threatening global commerce. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "The WTO needed a good crisis and perhaps this will lead to a realisation that we cannot continue like this," said a senior European Union official participating in the talks. "We will have to see how we pick up the pieces," the official said, on the condition of anonymity. Speaking at the closing press conference, the Emirati chair of the so-called MC13 gathering, Thani Al Zeyoudi, acknowledged the shortcomings. "Despite our best efforts, we failed to agree on some texts which are of great importance to many of our members," said Al Zeyoudi, who also serves as the UAE's foreign trade minister. For her part, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the talks came up "against an international backdrop marked by greater uncertainty than at any time I can remember". "We have achieved some important things and we have not managed to complete others," she said. The WTO, the only international body dealing with the rules of trade between nations, requires full consensus from all members to chalk up deals. It was hoping MC13 would replicate the landmark success of its 2022 ministerial in Geneva, which yielded a deal on fisheries and saw members agree to restore a now-defunct dispute settlement system by the end of this year. But the latest ministerial fell short of that objective. "The unexpected weakness of the overall (MC13) package should... serve as a wake-up call," the secretary general of the International Chamber of Commerce, John Denton, said in a statement. "The quick take is that base domestic politics have trumped effective international cooperation this week in Abu Dhabi." After a 2022 deal that banned subsidies contributing to illegal, undeclared and unregulated fishing, the WTO was hoping to conclude a second package focusing on subsidies that result in overcapacity and overfishing. Negotiations in recent months at the WTO headquarters in Geneva had enabled a draft text to be brought forward for a second fisheries deal, which provided flexibility and advantages for developing countries. But some -- notably India -- demanded further concessions, including transition periods that others consider to be too long. At MC13, a new draft fisheries agreement was brought forward but it faced strong objections from New Delhi. "There was basically just one country that was blocking the deal," said EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, without specifying which member. Richard Ouellet of Canada's University of Laval said "consensus, which was once the cement of this organisation, has now become the mud in which it is bogged down". With farmer protests sweeping Europe and India, agriculture agreements also emerged as a particularly sensitive topic of debate. Member states were trying to negotiate a text listing the subjects that merit further discussion. An agriculture package, however, was hampered by a firm demand by India for permanent rules governing public stockholding of food reserves to replace temporary measures adopted by the WTO. India's insistence on a permanent solution for public stockholding was "impossible to bridge", Dombrovskis said. Despite failing on agriculture and fisheries, the WTO managed to salvage a moratorium on customs duties for digital transmissions that was extended for another two years. The moratorium has been regularly extended since 1998, when WTO members first agreed not to impose customs duties on electronic transmission of digital products. It faced a particularly strong challenge at MC13, with countries led by India and South Africa arguing that it harms customs revenues. India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said Friday that he allowed the extension to pass "out of respect" to the conference's Emirati chair, whom he called a "good friend". On dispute settlement reform, the final outcome mainly reiterated the commitment made at MC12 to have a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system in place by 2024. Washington, under former President Donald Trump, brought the system to a grinding halt in 2019 by blocking the appointment of new judges to the WTO's appeals court, the organisation's highest dispute settlement authority. "We wished for more progress on the question of appeal... but we were not able to move forward as fast as we wanted," Dombrovskis said. ho-apo/js NEW YORK (AP) New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Friday stood by a longtime adviser whose properties were raided by the FBI and shrugged off concerns about the mounting federal probes of people linked to his administration. HT Image FBI agents searched two Bronx addresses Thursday owned by Winnie Greco, a former fundraiser for Adams who now serves as his director of Asian affairs. Greco is at least the third Adams aide whose home has been targeted by federal agents. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Agents have also seized the mayors cellphones and an iPad in a separate federal probe focused at least in part on whether his campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources. During a round of local media appearances Friday, the Democrat said his administration is cooperating with investigators and that he remains committed to serving city residents. The inquiry is going to take its course, Adams said on 1010 WINS news radio. It's imperative for me to stay focused on public safety, improving the city. That's what I got to do." My job is to make sure trash is off the streets and the city is clean, he said on NY1. Those who are doing reviews of any actions that may be perceived to be incorrect, theyre going to do their job. Adams also defended Greco, a prolific fundraiser who has worked closely with him for over a decade and served as his conduit to Asian American communities. When asked specifically if he still had confidence in Greco during an appearance on WPIX-TV, the mayor quickly responded: Yes, I do. Adams disclosed Friday that she is on sick leave for now and that the question of whether she'll be placed on unpaid administrative leave will be addressed later. The mayors office said later that Greco experienced a medical episode during Thursday's raid that required federal authorities to request an ambulance to take her to the hospital. The administration declined to provide further details of the incident other than to stress that Greco will not be performing any city duties until the investigation is complete. Federal authorities haven't revealed the purpose of Thursday's raid which was overseen by the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn including whether it is related to Adams. In November, the citys Department of Investigation opened a probe into Greco's conduct following a news report that raised questions about her political fundraising and whether she used her position in the administration to obtain personal benefits. According to that report, published by the local news outlet The City, Greco demanded that a city employee complete free renovations on her home when he was supposed to be working. There's plenty stirring within the Royal Family. With Prince Harry contemplating a reconciliation with Prince William, King Charles battling cancer, Harry and Meghans potential UK return, and a commitment to Queen Elizabeth, the future of the Royals appears more uncertain than ever, as described by royal experts. The continuous bombshell revelations in books only add to the intrigue. Recent reports suggest that Prince Harry is reflecting on his behavior following previous criticisms of the Royal Family. Britain's Prince Harry leaves the Royal Courts Of Justice in London, (AP) Also read: Meghan Markle 'not happy' with Prince Harry's desire for her and kids to return to... Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Prince Harry 'Hurt' by King Charles In the past, the Duke of Sussex was known for openly criticizing the Royal family. However, he now believes it's better to calm down and refrain from such actions, claim royal experts. He discussed a number of subjects in his debut memoir, Spare, including his tense relationship with his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William. Going further, in their Netflix docuseries, Harry and his wife Meghan both blasted the royal family for their unfair conduct. However, according to The Mirror, who spoke to royal experts, Harrys behavior has changed significantly since he made a short trip to the UK to see his father and returned. During his interview with Good Morning America, the Duke of Sussex spoke calmly and expressed his openness to reconciliation. He respectfully declined to discuss the health of his father, King Charles, following palace protocol. When asked about his father's condition, the Duke of Sussex replied, That's between me and him. Prince Harry is reflecting on his past actions As per royal expert Tom Quinn, via The Mirror, "Harry's refusal to go into detail about his father's illness on Good Morning America is definitely a sign that he knows he has gone too far in the past." After his visit, it was reported that he only got to speak to his ailing father for just 30 minutes. "He was hurt that he only got to spend thirty minutes with his father on his recent visit and that officials made it clear that he was not really wanted." The expert claims. A RadarOnline article earlier claimed that within 30 minutes of Harry's arrival, the Queen gave him the order to depart. It seems that she also instructed him to "never return". Also read: How BTS got involved in HYBE America Ceo Scooter Braun's controversial saga He may have been hurt by the palace and the royals' conduct, which made him think twice about what he had done in the past. This has made him completely re-think how he behaves - he's going to try to be a new, restrained, more reticent royal but only so long as his efforts are recognised by the family. Earlier, while speaking to interviewer Will Reeve, Harry said, "Throughout all these families, I see it on a day-to-day basis, the strength of the family unit coming together. I think any illness, any sickness brings families together." A Russian drone attack that killed seven people including an infant and a two-year-old on Saturday could have been avoided if Ukraine was not facing delays to weapons supplies, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. Rescuers remove the body of a local resident at the site of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine March 2, 2024.(Reuters) The drone hit an apartment block in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Zelenskiy said Russian attacks using Iranian-supplied Shahed drones "make no military sense" and were intended only to kill and intimidate. "The world knows that terror can be opposed," he said in his nightly video address. "Delaying the supply of weapons to Ukraine, missile defence systems to protect our people, leads, unfortunately, to such losses." Zelenskiy named the youngest victims of the attack as four-month-old Tymofiy and Mark, aged two. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the infant was found dead alongside his mother and posted a photograph of a rescue worker next to a bloodied blanket, a baby's arm visible on one side and an adult arm extending out the other. Eight people were wounded, including a three-year-old girl. Rescuers continued to search for more people under the debris, Zelenskiy said. Smoke poured from rubble strewn across the ground where the drone had ripped a chunk several storeys high out of the building. "My husband quickly ran out to help people ... then I saw people running out and I understood people had died in there," said Svitlana Tkachenko, who lives in a neighbouring building. Clothes and furniture were scattered in the ruined mass of concrete and steel hanging off the side of the apartment block. "Russia continues to fight civilians ... One of the enemy drones hit a residential building in Odesa. Eighteen apartments were destroyed," Zelenskiy said in an earlier Telegram post. Ukraine's State Emergencies Service posted photos including of a dead toddler being placed in a body bag by rescuers. "This is impossible to forget. This is impossible to forgive," it said in a statement. It said five people, including a child, had been rescued alive. Zelenskiy said the drone was a Shahed, supplied by Iran. Several thousand of the long-range winged drones have been fired at targets inside Ukraine since Moscow's full-scale invasion two years ago. (Reporting by Iryna Nazarchuk in Odesa, Max Hunder in Kyiv, Elaine Monaghan in Washington; Writing by Max Hunder; Editing by Jason Neely, Peter Graff, Giles Elgood and Timothy Heritage) Indias High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma held a meeting with a local trade board in British Columbia in tense circumstances on Friday evening, as the venue was surrounded by pro-Khalistan elements protesting the event. Indias High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma speaking at a function organised by the Surrey Board of Trade on Friday evening. (Official Photo) This was Vermas first visit to Surrey since the murder of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the British Columbia town on June 18 last year. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The event was targeted as protestors attempted to stop it from proceeding but after its conclusion, Verma described the event as successful. Overall, a well organized and well attended event, he added. Slogan shouting was on expected lines. I was the main target. Abuses hurled. Tiranga was disrespected, he said of the protests outside. The event titled, India and Canada: The Future of our Global Economy Together, was jointly organised by the Surrey Board of Trade (SBOT) and the South Asian Business Association (SABA). The venue, the Sheraton Guildford Hotel, was locked down by local law enforcement with no one allowed to enter without an invitation and identification. Half-an-hour before the scheduled starting time of 6pm, many protestors, numbering close to 500, gathered outside the hotel, surrounding it and blocking its entrances. Many were masked, as flyers circulated prior to the protest had warned them to do so to escape Indian surveillance. They carried Khalistan flags and raised separatist slogans. Heavy police presence was maintained by the Surrey detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP, as the protestors tried to block the entrances. Police also prevented the protestors from entering the venue. Verma met Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke earlier in the day and he said that interaction was extremely positive. Amid the heightened threat perception, organisers removed all announcements related to it from social media like X and Instagram, where they were posted earlier. The call for the protest had been given by the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which threatened to target Verma. SFJs general counsel Gurpatwant Pannun described Surrey as a war zone and said pro-Khalistan Sikhs will continue to target Verma. In fact, Khalistani groups are also organising a car rally on Saturday to shut down Indias Consulate in Vancouver. That rally will start from the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, which was headed by Nijjar till he was killed in its parking lot. The HCs previous visit to Surrey last year when, on March 19, he had to cancel an appearance at a reception organized by the Friends of India & Canada Foundation in the town as nearly 200 protestors, some wielding swords, gathered in front of the venue, the Taj Park Convention Centre and blocked the entrance. Referring to Fridays event, Maninder Singh Gill, the Foundations president said, Khalistanis have a right to protest but verbally assaulting attendees is unacceptable and I condemn this behaviour. A ship attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels has sunk in the Red Sea after days of taking on water, officials said Saturday, the first vessel to be fully destroyed as part of their campaign over Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Ship attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels sinks in Red Sea: Report(REUTERS/Representational image) The Rubymar had been drifting northward after being attacked on Feb. 18 in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Yemen's internationally recognized government, as well as a regional military official, confirmed the ship sank. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as the information had not been cleared for publication. The Rubymars Beirut-based manager could not be immediately reached for comment. Yemen's exiled government, which has been backed by a Saudi-led coalition since 2015, said the Rubymar sank late Friday as stormy weather took hold over the Red Sea. The vessel had been abandoned for 12 days after the attack, though plans had been floated to try and tow the ship to a safe port. The Iran-backed Houthis, who had claimed the ship sank almost instantly after the attack, did not immediately acknowledge the ship's sinking. Speaker of the House of Commons is unlike any corporate job. Since its creation in 1377 several occupants have been beheaded by the monarch, not a fate likely to befall a Unilever executive. The benefits package includes the use of a small palace overlooking the Thames, a portrait and a set of frilly robes. The job itself is a strange hybrid. The speaker is a kind of general counsel, issuing rulings according to precedent from his chair at the head of the chamber. He is also a chief executive, in charge of a sprawling Commons administration. Britain's Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle speaks during Prime Minister's Questions, at the House of Commons in London, Britain, February 7, 2024. UK Parliament/Maria Unger/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. IMAGE MUST NOT BE ALTERED.(via REUTERS) To this mix of roles Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the 158th speaker, has added another: chief people officer. Managers everywhere are increasingly preoccupied with how engaged their employees are. Sir Lindsays speakership, too, seems to owe as much to 21st-century leadership books like Win the Heart: How to Create a Culture of Full Engagement and Fish! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results as it does to Erskine May, a 19th-century handbook of parliamentary procedure. A concern with lawmakers well-being has made Sir Lindsay unusually popular among MPs. But it has done little for faith in politicians: just 9% of Britons trust them to tell the truth, according to Ipsos, a pollster, down by five percentage points in 2019. And now it has jeopardised his career. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. When Sir Lindsay was elected speaker in 2019, the Commons could rival the most toxic of workplaces for venom. His predecessor, John Bercow, was later found guilty of bullying by an independent standards watchdog. Three years of parliamentary deadlock over Brexit saw one MP weep on television; another seized the ceremonial mace in a fit of frustration. The customer feedback was dire: protesters gathered outside Parliament, some menacingly. Democracy itself seemed to be in peril. Sir Lindsays response was in the spirit of a company that responds to a round of bad employee surveys by offering fortnightly pizza and mindfulness apps. It is not in his power to offer more pay. Nor could he change the thankless and capricious nature of a political career. But unhappy MPs would at least be heard. Draw some of the poison out the chamber, Sir Lindsay thought, and public faith in the institution would return. We are all equal in this House when we come to speak, he said. A health and well-being agenda promised MPs and Commons staff an on-site doctor and mental health services, an overhaul of grievance procedures and anti-bullying training. Sir Lindsay would tackle online trolling, beef up security and seek a fair and balanced relationship with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which many members resent. His own constituency of Chorley in north-west England had voted for Brexit; his rolling Lancashire accent and anecdotes about his many pets seemed to soothe a chamber that had torn itself apart over the question of Britains relationship with the EU. About the core business of Parliamentamending legislation and scrutinising the executivehe was much quieter. Happy workforces tend to produce better outcomes for their institutions than miserable ones. Yet the interests of workers and organisations are not always aligned. So it proved on February 21st, during a debate on a ceasefire in Gaza that had been called by the Scottish National Party (SNP). Worried by weeks of harassment of MPs by pro-Palestinian campaigners, Sir Lindsay yielded to lobbying by the Labour Party to ditch the usual parliamentary procedure and avoid a vote on an SNP motion that it regarded as imbalanced. Cue outrage among many MPs, and an apology from Sir Lindsay that could have come straight from human resources. I have a duty of care, he said. If my mistake is looking after members, I am guilty. In other words, the personal welfare of MPs had triumphed over the institutional interests of the House of Commons. A chief executive would have directed the vote to go ahead; the chief people officer determined that procedure should be abandoned. That is too much for the 92 MPs who, as The Economist was being published, had signed a motion of no confidence in Sir Lindsay. They are a mixture of Scottish and Welsh nationalist MPs, out for revenge for what they regard as a partisan favour, and Conservatives who think allowing threats of violence to dictate the business in the chamber was unforgivable. At Prime Ministers Questions on February 28th, Rishi Sunak accused Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, of bending to mob rule. It was a rowdy session but Sir Lindsay remained seated, unusually reticent to intervene. HR! HR! For a parliament to fail to vote on an issue because it is too controversial is like a fire brigade opting not to enter a building because it is too hot. But the episode is of a piece with Sir Lindsays tenure. In 2021 Sir David Amess, an mp, was stabbed to death by an Islamist terrorist who wanted to avenge British air strikes on Syria. In response his colleagues proposed Davids Law, which would have banned anonymity on social media. Sir Lindsay, long concerned by this same issue, redoubled a call for legislation. Politicians have understandably been made miserable by a barrage of hostility on social media and by the threat of violence. But two distinct policy issues that require wildly different solutions became jumbled. Trolling is unpleasant, but it is not the same as jihadism. If a focus on MPs welfare can make for bad policy, keeping the employees engaged can also be bad for their own health. The Victorian Palace of Westminster is laced with asbestos, and blighted by fires, falling masonry and leaks. Builders want it to be fully vacated so that it can be stripped bare. Many mps hate this idea: it will be expensive, which makes it hard to justify to their constituents, and in any case they like the old place. Sir Lindsay has sided with his colleagues, preferring repairs that will keep them in situ. MPs well-being has again triumphed over the institutions interest. A chief people officer might strive to keep the workforce happy. The speaker has much more important things to prioritise. Read more from Bagehot, our columnist on British politics: Sir Keir Starmer: bureaucrat first, politician second (Feb 21st) Ban it harder! An unwelcome new trend in British politics (Feb 16th) The former prime minister who fascinates the Labour Party (Feb 8th) Also: How the Bagehot column got its name 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com VIOLENCE WAS again raging in Israel and the Palestinian territories. America had an ambitious plan to end it, with the support of Arab countries who offered to normalise ties with Israel. But America felt it could no longer work with the ageing, isolated Palestinian president. Peace would require new blood, and so America pushed the Palestinian leader to name a technocratic prime minister who would reform the corrupt Palestinian Authority (PA) and build a state-in-waiting. This sounds like todaybut it was also the case in 2003, when America ran out of patience with Yasser Arafat during the second intifada, or Palestinian uprising. His choice for prime minister was none other than Mahmoud Abbas, who went on to become president himself in 2005 and is today in the 19th year of a four-year term. The PA is still corrupt; statehood has never been so far away. And now, amid the carnage in Gaza, an exasperated America wants Mr Abbas to choose his own reform-minded prime minister. On February 26th, Mohammad Shtayyeh, the Palestinian prime minister, tendered his resignation. The president must still approve it, and he will probably ask Mr Shtayyeh to stay on as caretaker until a new government is reformed. Mr Abbass envoys will meet with Hamas and other Palestinian factions this week to seek their support (though it may not be forthcoming). In a speech, Mr Shtayyeh said that new political arrangements were required to consider the emerging reality in Gaza, where Israel has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians during almost five months of war. The clear favourite to succeed him as prime minister is Mohammad Mustafa, an economist who heads Palestines sovereign-wealth fund, who has cultivated a close relationship with the president as his economic adviser. He would be acceptable to America and Israelalthough less so with his own people (his poll numbers are anaemic). The hope is that he would clean up the PAs endemic graft and dysfunction, a key demand of its supporters in the West and the Gulf in exchange for renewed financial support. Reality will probably be different. Whoever takes the reins will face three big obstacles. First, the PA is broke. It relies on Israel to collect taxes on its behalf, which make up 64% of its total revenue. In October Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli finance minister, decided to withhold much of that cash. The PA has since been unable to pay public-sector salaries on time and in full. Adding to the economic misery, Israel has banned most Palestinian workers from entering its territory since the October 7th massacre, leaving more than 20% of the West Banks labour force jobless. Lost wages from Palestinians who had previously worked in Israel or Israeli settlements before the ban came to about 48m shekels ($13m) a day, according to the International Labour Organisation. It is hard to build a state with no money. The second is Mr Abbas, who has become steadily more autocratic. The president has repeatedly postponed elections, fearing that his Fatah party might lose them, and rules by decree. He has tightened his grip on the courts, dissolving the council that appoints judges and stocking the bench with his supporters. Civil society has withered; activists have been jailed or killed for challenging his rule. The last time Mr Abbas appointed a technocratic prime ministerSalam Fayyad, a former IMF and World Bank official who held the job from 2007 to 2013the two men often clashed. Mr Shtayyeh was a career apparatchik, a longtime member of Fatahs central committee who served stints as housing minister and the head of the electoral commission. His government was defined by feuding between ministersin recent years, he was barely able to sit in the same room as his own finance ministerand a complete failure to enact any meaningful reforms. Under his tenure the PA lost control of security in key cities and was crippled by strikes. His predecessor, Rami Hamdallah, was an academic chosen for his lack of political ambition; advisers said he kept an office at his university near Nablus and often spent afternoons there. Both men ended their terms deeply unpopular with the Palestinian public. Yet they were also scapegoats. Real power was concentrated in the presidents office and among a handful of close advisers to Mr Abbas, including Majid Farah, his intelligence chief, and Hussein al-Sheikh, who seems (for now) to be his preferred successor as president. There are no indications any of that will change with a new government. The final challenge is Israel. The next Palestinian prime minister does not only need money and power: he also needs a credible prospect of ending Israels occupation of the territories it captured in 1967. Otherwise most Palestinians will continue to see the PA as illegitimate, a state-in-waiting that will never become a state. America has urged Binyamin Netanyahu to commit to restoring the PAs role in Gaza, which it ruled until Hamas expelled it in 2007, and to serious post-war diplomacy that would seek a two-state solution. After months of refusing to talk about any of this, Mr Netanyahu unveiled his day-after plan on February 22nd. Although he did not explicitly exclude bringing the PA back to Gaza, he did rule out a role for entities that support terrorism, which is how the prime minister and his allies often describe the PA. There was no endorsement of a two-state solution. Whatever shape the new government takes, it will probably be a far cry from the reformed and revitalised PA that America and its allies have demanded. Yet one Western diplomat suggests Mr Abbas may have outplayed them. The PAs foreign backers may now be under pressure to increase aid: We said reform the government and well give you the support you need, the diplomat says. Mr Abbas can now claim he delivered the formerand will expect the latter. First as tragedy, then as farce: two decades after he was brought in to placate Western donors, Mr Abbas now needs a figurehead of his own. U.S. military C-130 cargo planes on Saturday dropped food in pallets over Gaza, three U.S. officials said, two days after more than 100 Palestinians who had surged to pull goods off an aid convoy were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops. US aid will be coordinated with Jordan, which has also conducted airdrops to deliver food to Gaza.(AFP/Representative Image) Three planes from Air Forces Central dropped 66 bundles containing about 38,000 meals into Gaza at 8:30 a.m. EST, according to two of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity before a public announcement. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. ALSO READ- Deeply shocked, says India on 100 deaths in Gaza firing by Israeli troops The airdrop is expected to be the first of many announced by President Joe Biden on Friday. The aid will be coordinated with Jordan, which has also conducted airdrops to deliver food to Gaza. At least 115 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more wounded in the Thursday attack as they scrambled for aid, the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said. Israel says many of the dead were trampled in a chaotic crush for the food aid, and its troops fired warning shots after the crowd moved toward them in a threatening way. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Friday that the airdrops were being planned to deliver emergency humanitarian assistance in a safe way to people on the ground. The C-130 cargo plane is a widely used military jet to deliver aid to remote places due to its ability to land in austere environments and cargo capacity. ALSO READ- Hamas armed wing says seven hostages killed in Gaza A C-130 can airlift as much as 42,000 pounds of cargo and its crews know how to rig the cargo, which sometimes can include even vehicles, onto massive pallets can be safely dropped out of the back of the aircraft. Air Force loadmasters secure the bundles onto pallets with netting that is rigged for release in the back of a C-130, and then crews release it with a parachute when the aircraft reaches the intended delivery zone. The Air Force's C-130 has been used in years past to air drop humanitarian into Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti and other locations and the airframe is used in an annual multi-national Operation Christmas Drop that air drops pallets of toys, supplies, nonperishable food and fishing supplies to remote locations in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau. ALSO READ- War crimes committed by all parties in Israel-Hamas war: UN Rights chief Since the war began on Oct. 7, Israel has barred entry of food, water, medicine and other supplies, except for a trickle of aid entering the south from Egypt at the Rafah crossing and Israels Kerem Shalom crossing. The United Nations says a quarter of Gazas 2.3 million people face starvation. Aid officials have said that airdrops are not an efficient means of distributing aid and are a measure of last resort. The tragic death of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant, Jose Antonio Ibarra, has sparked a political firestorm between former US President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden. Former presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy also weighs in the battle. Joe Biden faces backlash over Laken Rileys death by illegal immigrant(AFP/AP/Reuters) Trump, who visited the Texas border on Thursday, said he had a phone call with Rileys parents, who were devastated by the loss of their daughter. He blamed Biden for the invasion of illegal immigrants and called him crooked Joe and the most incompetent president weve ever had. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. 'Im not going to forget her': Trump The parents are devastated and theyre incredible people.This is a Joe Biden invasion. A Biden invasion. I call him crooked Joe the most incompetent president we've ever had, the former president said. He never mentioned her name, Trump said of Biden. Im not going to forget her. ALSO READ| Laken Riley murder: GoFundMe for slain Georgia student raises whopping $81,432 in just a day Trump recounted the horrific details of Rileys murder, saying she was barbarically attacked while on a morning run, and then brutally assaulted, horrifically beaten, kidnaped, and savagely murdered. She was an incredible young lady, Trump said. She was so beautiful in so many ways. Did Biden simply ignore Riley? Meanwhile, Biden was at a different section of the border in Texas, where he gave a speech urging Trump to join him in supporting a bipartisan border security bill that failed to pass in Congress. He did not address Rileys case or the issue of illegal immigration. As Biden was leaving the podium, someone shouted a question at him, Mr. President, do you bear any responsibility for Laken Rileys death? It was not clear if Biden heard the question or not. ALSO READ| Laken Riley murder: Cause of death revealed days after Georgia nursing student's death Another critic of Biden was Ramaswamy, an Indian-American entrepreneur who slammed Bidens decision on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act on X. He said Biden should instead pass the Laken Riley Secure the Border Act to deport illegal immigrants with criminal records and free up police resources. Say her name, Mr. President, Ramaswamy mocked. In the midst of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, pro-Palestine protestors at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) confronted Lockheed Martin's Senior Fellow, expressing concerns about their involvement in contentious projects and the ethical implications surrounding the deaths of children in Gaza. The pro-Palestine supporters opposed Lockheed Martin's senior fellow presence on campus.(X@DrSakriKaia) Protesting the defence contractor's presence in the university, Students for Justice in Palestine club members questioned Lockheed Martin Corporation, the US aerospace, arms and defence firm. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In a video shared on social media, a Lockheed Martin official can be seen delivering a speech at the Texas University, where he was grilled by the students. "You have an impressive resume during the 18 years that you spent working on F22 jets and the year since that you worked on the F35. If you were to give an estimate, how many children do you think you've killed?" the first student asked. "I don't even know how to answer that question nor will I give it a shot," the high-ranking Lockheed Martin employee said in a reply. Also Read: US anti-semitic incidents up 400% since Israel-Hamas war began: Report Another student questioned, "What can you share about company's culture and working with a team of genocide supporters and murderers?" That's another one I am not going to answer because that's not who I work with, the US aerospace worker responded. "I am just wondering as, let's say an intern working as a system engineer or software engineer.. I don't know if you will be able to speak on this, but would you be working on a small part of those systems or you working on projects with business impact? Would you be kind of doing a small, little side project or would I be able to directly contribute to the murder of Palestine children?" the third student inquired. Lockheed Martin supplies the Israeli Air Force with F-16 and F-35 planes, which Israel has extensively employed to attack Gaza. It also offers F-35 helmet-mounted display systems, training, and maintenance services to Israel. Hats off to these kids: Internet reacts to the video After the video of the event when viral on social media, some X users hailed the students for countering the Lockheed Martin employee amid the ongoing war. I have watched this a few times. The kids are gold. I tip my hat to their sense of justice and not being afraid to speak up, one X user wrote. Another reacted, Sheeesh! Hats off to these kids. The absolute LEAST we can do is make these people uncomfortable. "Awesome. Good job kids, I'm proud of you. You will change the world, a third user chimed in. However, one person asked, Is it the engineers fault how the products are used? Also Read: Aaron Bushnell was privy to confidential intelligence data on US operations in Gaza, friend makes sensational claim The war began on October 7 when Hamas terrorists poured into southern Israel from Gaza, killing 1,200 people, including civilians, and kidnapping nearly 250 men, women, and children. Following this, Israel launched attack on Gaza, killing over 29,000 Palestinians since October 7, according to the territory's Health Ministry. While Joe Biden is facing challenges within the Democratic party over his re-election prospects, a new poll shows that the US President's 2020 voters will favour Trump in the White House race. According to a new poll released on Saturday by The New York Times and Siena College, 10% of respondents who supported Biden in 2020 now plan to cast ballots for Trump in November. (Reuters) According to a new poll released on Saturday by The New York Times and Siena College, 10% of respondents who supported Biden in 2020 now plan to cast ballots for Trump in November. And when it comes to Trump, his less than 0.5 percent of 2020 supporters intend to support Biden. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. While Biden has the support of 83 percent of his former voters, Trump is being backed by 97 percent of his 2020 followers. The new survey, conducted from February 25 to 28, shows Trump is leading Biden by 5 points, with 48 percent support for ex-president and 43 percent for the incumbent POTUS in the national survey of registered voters. Also Read: Why is ageing an issue in Joe Biden's and Donald Trump's presidential campaigns? Understanding voters' perspective ahead of November elections Only one in four voters believe the United States is headed in the right direction. Several voters have criticised Biden's policies, stating that his decisions have personally harmed them. A majority of voters believe the country's economy is in a dire state. The poll warns Biden about vulnerabilities in the Democratic coalition, notably among women, Latino and Black voters, as compared to Trump who has unified his party in a much better way. Mamta Misra, one of a Biden supporters who voted for him in 2020, said that the decision is going to very tough and she is even considering of not voting. Trump voters are going to come out no matter what. For Democrats, its going to be bad. I dont know why theyre not thinking of someone else," the economics professor in Lafayette, La added. Also Read: Donald Trump holds an edge over president Joe Biden in 5 critical states, new poll finds The new poll discovered that Biden is now losing the historical edge that Democrats had over the masses who never went to the college. 72 percent of those voters had supported Biden in 2020 elections, giving him a nearly 50-point lead over Trump. Concerns over Biden and Trump's age and mental acuity 81-year-old Biden has faced growing concerns about his mental and physical fitness, with many lambasting him over his handling of migrants influx at the US-Mexico border and country's economy. On the other hand, Trump, 77, is also being confronted about his age and fitness for office, given that he is facing 91 criminal accusations in addition to a slew of other legal issues. However, he has consistently claimed his innocence. Most polls in recent months have indicated that Republican frontrunner Trump is leading over his Democratic rival Biden, including in crucial swing states where the White House race is expected to be decided. The young 13-year-old Madeline Soto from Florida, who'd been reported missing a few days ago, was found dead on Friday. Authorities located her body around 4:30 pm in Osceola County woods. According to the police, she was discovered wearing the same outfit she had on when she disappeared. Press conference at OCSO headquarters in Orlando, Friday, March 1, 2024: Orange County Sheriff John Mina announces that their investigation has led them to believe that 13-year-old Madeline Soto was killed and that the boyfriend of her mother, Stephan Sterns, is the primary suspect. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)(AP) Soto's mother's 37-year-old boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, has been ruled the prime suspect in the case. He was reportedly the last person to have seen Madeline alive. She was first reported missing when she didn't attend school on Monday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Missing Madeline Soto case: Orange County Sheriff John Mina believes that the Florida girl was already dead before her mother's boyfriend hid her remains that morning. (ClickOrlando) His statement reads: We believe she was already dead at the time Stephan Sterns moved her body in the early morning hours on that day. Mina also claimed to have further video evidence showing Sterns discarding items in a dumpster in that apartment complex in Kissimmee at 7:35 am." Also read: Trump and Ramaswamy slam Biden for Laken Rileys murder Police found the deceased Florida girl's backpack and school-issued laptop in the dumpster on Friday. Sterns had previously told the police that he dropped her off at school. However, video evidence showed him driving back to the apartment in his silver 2010 Lincoln MK car. The police added that Madeline's lifeless body was still in the vehicle after he had discarded items in a dumpster. Even before the police had found enough incriminating evidence against Stephan Sterns, he'd been arrested on unrelated terms. Sterns was charged with sexual battery and possession of child sex abuse material. The arrest was facilitated after a phone search that revealed disturbing clips and photos. Although that has happened, the Florida man hasn't been charged for Madeline's death yet. Earlier, he also claimed to have accidentally factory reset his phone the same day Madeline went missing. Sterns had told the authorities that he dropped Soto in front of a preschool at 8:40 am, stationed blocks away from her middle school. Class started at 9:30 am here. The Sheriff's office confirmed that Madeline's mother went to pick her up around 4:30 pm. However, she was told that her daughter had not attended the school that day. A royal expert has suggested that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could mend their rift with Prince William and Princess Kate, but only if they all put their egos to the side. From left, Meghan the Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate the Duchess of Cambridge watch a flypast of Royal Air Force aircraft pass over Buckingham Palace in London, (AP) Prince Harry did not arrange to meet his brother during his latest trip to the UK, during his visit to King Charles after his cancer diagnosis. The brothers have not spoken since the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023, according to reports. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Pandora Forsyth, a royal commentator, expressed her hope that the royal quartet would eventually reunite, but noted that Meghan and Kate also had to resolve their issues. She told GB News America that the royal couples should put their egos to the side. Everybody needs to put their egos to the side, and really do whats best for the monarchy. Can I see that happening? Can I see the forgiveness happening? I just cant see it happening, she expressed. ALSO READ| Prince Harry deeply hurt by King Charles feels unwanted after palace didnt allow him to.. She also said that the Waleses must be extremely frustrated by not being able to share their perspective, while Harry and Meghan made several allegations against the Royal Family in various media outlets since their departure from royal duties. Prince Harry has been accused by one royal expert of wasting Britains money On the other front, The Duke of Sussex was criticised for wasting Britains money as security level challenged Royal expert Angela Levin, who has attacked Prince Harry over his numerous lawsuits. The Duke of Sussex suffered a huge setback on Wednesday as he lost his legal fight for taxpayer-funded security protection in the UK. Harrys recent media appearances indicate a change in his approach to Royal Family matters. He used to be very outspoken, but now he prefers a more cautious tone, especially regarding King Charles IIIs health. In his previous interview with Good Morning America, Harry avoided talking about his fathers cancer in detail. When asked about his dads health, Prince Harry said, That stays between me and him. ALSO READ| Prince Harry loses challenge against UK govt over his security protection This was a contrast to his previous disclosures, where he was very open in his memoir and a Netflix docu-series with Meghan Markle. This change suggests Harrys recognition of his past mistakes in criticising the Royals. I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could, Harry said on GMA. Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, Im grateful for that. A Michigan woman, who had been missing since 2017, was rescued after police heard her desperate screams. She was found in a motel in Inkster Monday. According to Michigan State Police (MSP), the suspected trafficking victim called her step-parent, informing that was being held against her will at a motel.(AP/representative image) According to Michigan State Police (MSP), the suspected trafficking victim called her step-parent, informing that she was being held against her will at the motel. She was in her 20s when she left her house in 2017. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. After her call, the step-mother notified the police, who thought that she was being held at Evergreen Motel on Michigan Avenue. They described it as like a crying, kind of screaming type of noise that lured them to that specific area," MSP Lt. Mike Shaw stated, as per WXYZ. While the woman, now in her 30s, had no physical injuries, her room was filled with drugs and a gun. She was alone in the room but pretty distraught," he said. Patrick Clark, who is security guard at a nearby dispensary, confirmed the CBS News about drugs coming in and out the motel. I had a gun pulled on me in the parking lot about a month ago, they were trying to sell drugs to our customers, and when I walked over, they pulled a gun out. According to authorities, the victim was brought to the hospital and is currently getting counseling. She has been reunited with her family. Also Read: US ICE arrests 3 Portuguese illegal immigrants charged with Rhode Island's infant killing Here's why she got disappeared & who is the suspect Michigan Police did not provide any other details regarding the woman's disappearance and her identity. However, human trafficking officers are investigating the missing persons case. Well kind of look at whats next, right interview her if a crime did take place such as human trafficking or is it a domestic violence situation or is it different, Shaw stated. I dont want to use the word kidnapping like somebody grabbed her and took her to that place. It may have started out as a relationship that turns into being held against your will and being trafficked. Also Read: Laken Riley tried to call 911, put up a brave fight before being killed: Report The police have identified the suspect but haven't taken anyone in custody. The neighboring community is express relief that the woman was rescued safely. "Finding a woman after seven years or 6 years or whatever, that's incredible," said Moe Jag, who owns Big Jag Auto Service near the Evergreen Motel. He said that he never "heard anything happen there". The cops are now determining how the woman disappeared and whether any more victims were involved. It may not be something that we can charge criminally, but at least we got her out of the situation," Shaw told CBS News Detroit. The Smokehouse Creek fire, the most devastating wildfire in Texas history, has claimed the lives of two women and ravaged a vast area of the Panhandle and Oklahoma. Texas emergency crews were struggling February 29 to contain the largest wildfire in the US state's history, with the blaze killing at least two people and scorching a million acres as it raged out of control. (Photo by J. Griffin / Texas A&M Forest Service / AFP)(AFP) The fire, which has burned nearly 4,400 sq km, is still threatening many homes and structures, and authorities have not been able to fully assess the extent of the damage or the number of casualties. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. One of the victims was Cindy Owen, who was driving in Hemphill County, south of Canadian, on Tuesday afternoon when she encountered the fire or smoke. Sgt Chris Ray of the states Department of Public Safety said she got out of her truck and was engulfed by the flames. A passerby found Owen and alerted the first responders, who took her to a burn unit in Oklahoma. She succumbed to her injuries on Thursday morning, Ray said. The other victim was Joyce Blankenship, an 83-year-old former substitute teacher. Her grandson, Lee Quesada, said deputies informed his uncle on Wednesday that they had found Blankenships remains in her charred home. ALSO READ| Texas struggles to contain the second-largest wildfire in US history following Maui Deadly Texas wildfire scorches more than 1 million acres The raging wildfire has also left behind a bleak scene of scorched prairie, dead cattle and burned-out homes in the Texas Panhandle. Texass governor, Greg Abbott, said up to 500 structures may have been destroyed by the fire, and that damage assessments are under way. When you look at the damages that have occurred here, its just gone, completely gone, nothing left but ashes on the ground, Abbott said at a news conference in Borger, Texas. The fire, which has merged with another fire, is now 15% contained, up from 3% on Thursday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. However, the weather conditions are expected to worsen over the weekend, creating a high risk of more wildfires in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico, according to the National Weather Service. The fire will be more menacing by weekend The NWS office in Amarillo, Texas, said the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles will experience temperatures as high as 80F (27C) on Saturday and Sunday, with wind gusts reaching 50mph by Sunday. The relative humidity will be very low, between 5-10%, all weekend. The Smokehouse Creek fire is the largest of several major fires burning in the rural Panhandle section of the state, and it has also spread into Oklahoma. The forest service said crews will concentrate on the fire's northern edge and the areas around structures. ALSO READ| US to airdrop humanitarian aid into Gaza how it can help and why it's so complicated The fire has turned the rural area home to scrub brush, ranchland, rocky canyons and oil rigs into a wasteland of blackened earth and gray skies. Authorities have not revealed the cause of the fires, but they have been fueled by strong winds, dry grass and unseasonably warm weather. The previous record for the largest fire in Texas history was the 2006 East Amarillo Complex fire, which burned about 1,400 sq miles (3,600 sq km) and killed 13 people. The University of Florida has terminated 13 full-time diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) posts as well as 15 administrative faculty appointments. According to a memo issued on Friday, it also ditched the Chief Diversity Officer's post and terminated DEI collaborations with outside contractors. Florida University has become the latest example of growing opposition to DEI programs.(Unspalshh) The memo follows a 2023 Florida law that prohibits the institution from utilising state or federal cash on DEI activities. The Florida Board of Governors adopted the legislation in its full form on January 24. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. What is DEI? As per the regulation, the statue defines DEI as "any program, campus activity, or policy that classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals on the basis of such classification." Florida University has become the latest example of growing opposition to DEI programs, which have enraged prominent figures such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk, hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Also Read: Diversity, equity, inclusion are propaganda words, says worlds richest man Elon Musk Here is what memo says "To comply with the Florida Board of Governors' regulation 9.016 on prohibited expenditures, the University of Florida has closed the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, eliminated DEI positions and administrative appointments, and halted DEI-focused contracts with outside vendors," provost J. Scott Angle and two vice presidents said in a memo. The memo, however, promised 12 weeks of severance pay to staff "whose positions were eliminated." "Under the direction of UF Human Resources, university employees whose positions were eliminated will receive UFs standard twelve weeks of pay. These colleagues are allowed and encouraged to apply, between now and Friday, April 19, for expedited consideration for different positions currently posted with the university. UF HR will work to fast-track the interview process and provide an answer on all applications within the twelve-week window." Hailing the decision, Ron DeSantis, a staunch critic of DEI, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that DEI is toxic and has no place in public universities. "I'm glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit," he added. The approximately $5 million that was recently dedicated to DEI expenditures will now be used for faculty recruiting. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer will reallocate these funds. The memo did not reveal what would happen to the Center for Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement, which got over $400,000 in the university's operating funds for 2022-2023, with the state funding accounting for 85%. The Florida University maintained in the memo that as we educate students by thoughtfully engaging a wide range of ideas and views, we will continue to foster a community of trust and respect for every member of the Gator Nation. Harvard controversy: Claudine Gay's resignation fuel critics of DEI The resignation of Claudine Gay, Harvard University's first Black and shortest-serving president, acted as a watershed moment for opponents of DEI initiatives. Gay's brief term as Harvard president was plagued by scandals as she testified on antisemitism before the House Education Committee. That testimony drew more scrutiny from the right wing, prompting claims of plagiarism in her scholarly writings. Throughout her career, Gay discreetly constructed a "diversity" empire that touched every aspect of Harvard's life. As dean of the biggest institution on campus from 2018 to 2023, she oversaw the school's racially biased admissions practice, which the apex court ruled unconstitutional. Even after the court's decision, Gay described it as a "hard day" and defended the institution's practices, which were considered unfair against Asian and white applicants. Also Read: Billionaires Elon Musk, Mark Cuban in online spat over diversity initiative in US companies In the aftermath of Gay's resignation over her failure to address anti-Semitism on campus, Musk claimed DEI is just another word for racism, adding that shame on anyone who uses it. Taking to his social media platform, the Tesla CEO on X echoed Harvard alum and billionaire contributor Bill Ackman's thoughts. Ackman believes that DEI is not actually about diversity, but rather a political advocacy movement in favor of specific groups that are seen as oppressed under DEI's own approach. In a post on X, Ackman speculated that Gay's engagement in Harvard diversity programs and "DEI ideology" may have helped her in becoming the "favored candidate" to become president. "It is one thing to give disadvantaged people the opportunities and resources so that they can help themselves. It is another to select a candidate for admission or for a leadership role when they are not qualified to serve in that role." Gay's departure came after months of instability at the school, including bitter battles between Israeli and Palestinian supporters. She was accused of failing to safeguard Jewish students. In her resignation letter, she did not offer an apology or accept any mistakes, claiming she was a victim of prejudice. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday arrested reporter Steve Baker for his coverage of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. During the riot, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building to protest Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. Blaze Media Investigative Journalist Steve Baker (middle) has been taken into FBI custody for his January 6 reporting.(X@BlazeMedia) Baker, who was present at the scene, videotaped himself and expressed sympathy with the rioters. He faces multiple accusations for his deeds and controversial statements during the riot. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Despite his claim of being an independent journalist, people have raised questions about his involvement in the Capitol riot. The FBI used his recorded videos as evidence against him. Also Read: Former Fox News reporter says he was fired after challenging Capitol Hill Coverage The arrest of Baker, an investigative reporter for conservative news outlet Blaze Media, has sparked controversy, with some calling it an attack on free press. Few others, like Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have condemned Baker's detention, claiming it infringes free press. However, many suggest that his actions went beyond mere reporting and that he actively participated in the chaos. In a post on X, Blaze media said shared a video of Baker's arrest, showing him in handcuffs. Free Press is dead in America: Supporters of Trump's MAGA voice outrage Reacting to Baker's arrest, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch supporter of Trump, said: The Biden regime just arrested journalist Steve Baker for covering Jan 6. "Free Press is dead in America when the government jails journalists who refuse to report the regime's political agenda and lies," she wrote on X. Those who pontificate about 'threats to our democracy' should take a hard look at the threats to freedom of the press, Ramaswamy tweeted. Conservative activist Brigitte Gabriel said in post: Steve Baker has done nothing wrong. This is harassment. Meanwhile, Blaze Media founder Glenn Beck in a statement said: The timing of the FBI's actions is peculiar, to say the least. It serves as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in our pursuit of truth. It demonstrates that those in positions of power are quick to react when confronted with narratives that deviate even slightly from their carefully scripted versions of events. Who is Steve Baker and what did he say before his arrest? Steve Baker is charged with four standard misdemeanors Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority, Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Ground, Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building, and Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building". According to a copy of an FBI affidavit obtained by NBC News, federal prosecutors will focus on Baker's comments that indicate he was supportive to the mob, such as slamming Nancy Pelosi after discussing the mob raiding the former House speaker's office and saying he regretted not stealing government property like computers during the attack. "The only thing I regret is that I didnt, like, steal their computers because God knows what I couldve found on their computers if Id done that," Baker stated, as per the affidavit. In another interview on January 6, he said: Do I approve of what happened today?" "I approve 100%." he added, according to the FBI filing. Also Read: US house speaker to release over 40,000 hours of Capitol riot video Ahead of his arrest, Baker posted on X: "This time, it's really happening. Unlike the two previous threats my attorneys received from @FBI/@thejusticedept (Nov. 21 and Dec. 23), my self-surrender for alleged J6 crimes is set for this Friday morning in Dallas, TX. There is now a signed arrest warrant." He them informed that official will take him to the courthouse in Dallas, Texas to appear before the magistrate on Friday. "They didn't have to go this route, as we've been told that my charges are non-violent misdemeanors," he said in another post on X. My attorneys have also been assured by the gov. that this will be an 'in and out' affair and that they have 'no intention' of detaining me. But, rather than issuing a simple order to appear, they seem to feel the need to give me a dose of the personal humiliation treatment, he added. US climate activists humiliated Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) over construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline during an event at Harvard University on Friday. A video has surfaced on social media, showing the intense moment when Manchin aide pushed away a protestor following a heated argument. Climate activists disrupted an event at Harvard University featuring Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), (X@ Climate Defiance) In a video shared by a youth-led group Climate Defiance on X (formerly Twitter), Communications Director Jonathan Kott can be seen holding back West Virginia lawmaker and then grabbing and tossing the troublemaker out the door. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. As the tense interaction unfolded, the activist blasted the senator by calling him sick f**k. You sold our futures and you got rich doing it," the unnamed male protestor stated. In response, Manchin stood up from his seat in a bid to get into the protestors face. Taking to X, the Climate Defiance shared the incident's video clip, which has garnered over two million views. BREAKING: we just called Joe Manchin a sick fuck. We humiliated him in front of a herd of Harvard elites. He squared up. We held firm. Barbaric murderer, hideous fiend, he torches humanity and laughs, the group wrote. Also Read: American lawyer, 77, shoots dead 2 protestors for blocking a highway in Panama; dramatic scenes caught on camera All you need to know about Mountain Valley Pipeline and the protest The members of the Climate Defiance interrupted the event to raise their voice against Manchin's role in the ongoing building of the natural gas pipeline that was first proposed in 2014. It is set to run across the 76-year-old Democrat's home state and into southern Virginia, passing through the Appalachian Trail. Several environmental organisations, including the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Natural Resources Defense Council, have spoken out against it, citing the threats of gas leaks, poor water quality, soil erosion, landslides, among other concerns. Also Read: Go home to mommy, Donald Trump blasts climate protester interrupting him at Iowa rally Last year, the pipeline bypassed regulatory hurdles and litigations aiming to halt construction after being included in a debt ceiling agreement permitted by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden. In a statement, Manchin said: "For more than nine months, I have worked tirelessly to build consensus and garner the support necessary to complete MVP," he stated. He went on to say that it will "create more than 2,500 jobs, generate $50 million in tax revenue and more than $175 million in royalties for West Virginia landowners." Half Moon Bay, CA (94019) Today Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High near 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies. Expect mist and reduced visibilities at times. Low 49F. Winds light and variable. Per ABC News, an attorney with the special counsel Jack Smith's team told a judge Friday that holding former President Donald Trump's classified documents trial before the November election would not violate Justice Department policy. In a Florida court conference attended by the former president, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon is currently considering arguments about rescheduling the May 20 trial date in Trump's federal classified documents case. Special Counsel Prosecutor Jay Bratt urges a July start date, emphasizing that holding a trial within 60 days of an election would not violate the Justice Department's policy of bringing politically charged cases so close to an election. Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, argued that it would be "unfair" to put Trump on trial for mishandling classified documents before the election. "We very much continue to believe that a trial that takes place before the election is a mistake and should not happen," Blanche said during the scheduling conference in Fort Pierce, Florida. What Has The Judge Said Thus Far? Judge Cannon broke for lunch offering little information on how she might rule other than noting the 20 pre-trial motions she still needs to decide, reported ABC. "A lot of work needs to be done," she said. Based on Trump's claim of presidential immunity, his legal team contends that the case should be dropped entirely. The Supreme Court has signaled its intention to review this claim in Trump's federal election interference proceedings. In an article published by BBC, some legal experts have accused Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, of slow-walking the pre-trial process, including by postponing key deadlines. She hinted at a delay in the original schedule back in November, referencing a complaint from the Trump team about the time required to review what she referred to as the "exceptionally large amount of unclassified and classified discovery" in the case. BBC revealed that the material includes 1.3 million pages of unclassified documents, 5,500 pages of classified documents, and 60 terabytes of closed-circuit television footage. On Wednesday, she rejected Mr. Trump's request to see more of the classified government filings than it already has access to. The judge's call to reschedule the trial date will be instrumental in defining the timeframe for Mr. Trump's upcoming court proceedings. Americans are no longer required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to remain home from work or school for five days following a positive COVID-19 test. This modification aligns the COVID-19 guidance with other respiratory viruses like the flu and RSV. The simplified guidance encourages people to stay home when sick and symptomatic, regardless of the virus causing the illness. They can then resume normal activities if their symptoms improve and they remain fever-free for at least 24 hours without medication. According to The Hill, CDC officials said the change recognizes that the COVID-19 landscape has changed immensely since the start of the viral outbreak in 2020 when businesses and schools were ordered to close, and people stayed home. It is still an important health threat. said the agency. But it is no longer the emergency it once was. "Today's announcement reflects the progress we have made in protecting against severe illness from COVID-19," CDC Director Mandy Cohen said in a statement. "However, we still must use the commonsense solutions we know work to protect ourselves and others from serious illness from respiratory this includes vaccination, treatment, and staying home when we get sick." A Decline In Health Scares Weekly emergency department visits and hospital admissions for COVID-19 have been decreasing since late December, and they are down more than 75 percent from the peak of the initial Omicron wave in January 2022, The Hill reported. Despite a weekly average of approximately 2,000 deaths attributed to the virus, the agency notes a significant decline of more than 90 percent from the Omicron peak. In 2022, COVID-19 contributed to over 245,000 deaths, marking a substantial increase from the approximately 76,000 deaths recorded the previous year. Other public health experts and officials said the new guidelines make sense because the message is simple. "What we've seen is that flu hospitalizations have exceeded COVID hospitalizations this winter. So I think it's really important that people stay home when they're sick and can leave when they get better, and not just think about positive or negative if they have COVID," said David Margolius, public health director for the city of Cleveland. He said the widespread availability of effective vaccines and treatments as well as underlying population immunity from prior infections, will make the change easier. "We've always been dependent on what people will choose to do, and I think we're lucky at this point, with widespread immunity from vaccines and prior protection, that we can simplify the guidance," Margolius said. The European Union announced on Friday that it plans to provide $54 million to the primary aid provider in Gaza next week. This decision comes after the financially struggling UN agency agreed to permit EU-appointed experts to review its staff screening processes for identifying extremists. EU to Continue Funding UNRWA The UNRWA agency is facing accusations that 12 out of its 13,000 Gaza employees were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel. The agency terminated the employees, while over a dozen countries halted funding totaling around $450 million, nearly half of its budget for 2024. The conflict between Israel and Hamas has forced 80% of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians to flee their homes, with UN officials reporting that a quarter of the population is facing starvation. The agency is the primary provider of food, water, and shelter, but it is also teetering on the edge of financial collapse. The European Commission was scheduled to release $89 million to UNRWA on Feb. 29, but required the agency to agree to its audit conditions. The EU's influential executive branch ranks as the third largest contributor to UNRWA, following the United States and Germany. Per AP News, the commission stated that the agency is prepared to conduct a review of its staff to verify their non-involvement in the attacks and to implement additional controls to prevent similar risks in the future. The commission mentioned that the funds will be sent out the following week after UNRWA confirms in writing its acceptance of the EU's conditions. Two additional installments of $17.3 million each will be provided to UNRWA upon their adherence to the agreement. Expressing his appreciation for the EU's announcement, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini noted that the commitment to provide funding next week is coming at a crucial juncture. Israel has continuously pointed out UNRWA's alleged tolerance or cooperation with Hamas in or near UN facilities, yet no viable alternative for providing aid to Gaza's trapped population has been proposed by anyone, whether in Israel or internationally. UNRWA made the decision to promptly dismiss its employees following accusations from Israel, despite the lack of concrete proof. Every year, UNRWA provides a list of its employees to the Israeli authorities for screening, and the organization stated that no complaints have been received. Two investigations by the United Nations into Israel's accusations against the agency are currently in progress. While the commission was in discussions about its audit, Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic informed EU lawmakers this week that there is no evidence backing Israel's claims about UNWRA's staff involvement in the events on October 7. Belgian Development Minister Caroline Gennez, from the country currently holding the EU's rotating presidency, tweeted on Friday that UNRWA is the sole organization capable of consistently delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Eliminating funding would result in the loss of life for tens of thousands. The funding disagreement arises following reports of Israeli troops shooting at Palestinians rushing to retrieve food from an aid convoy in Gaza City. Over 100 individuals lost their lives in the turmoil. Health officials report that the death toll has exceeded 30,000 since October. Read Also: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Says He Can't Promise Hostage Deal, Military Operations To Continue Until 'Total Victory' EU Expresses Concern Over Israeli Attack Amid Aid Delivery Moreover, the EU's two top officials expressed their shock and deep concern over the deaths of over 100 Palestinians following the incident involving Israeli troops and an aid delivery, calling for a thorough investigation. "Shocked and repulsed by yesterday's killing of innocent civilians in Gaza while desperately waiting for humanitarian aid," European Council President Charles Michel posted on X, formerly Twitter. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen expressed deep concern over the images from Gaza and emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough investigation into the events. According to authorities in Gaza, 115 Palestinians lost their lives on Thursday when Israeli troops fired during an aid delivery. An Israeli source confirmed that the military fired at the crowd, stating that the soldiers perceived the civilians as a threat. Following Michel and von der Leyen's strong reaction, the European Commission revealed plans to increase aid funding for Palestinians. The EU mentioned that it was reevaluating its financial support to UNRWA in response to the Israeli accusations, but did not mention suspending it, according to News18. Related Article: US Blocks UN Motion Blaming Israel Following Deadly Gaza Aid Convoy, Says More Facts Needed Authorities in Texas are investigating the car accident that resulted in the death of Mtch McConnell's sister-in-law Angela Chao. They have not disclosed the 911 call or video evidence. Chao, the former CEO of shipping company Foremost Group, passed away in February when her car accidentally entered a body of water on a private ranch in the state. Death of Mitch McConnell's Sister-in-Law Under 'Criminal Investigation' Authorities have stated that the passing of the 50-year-old individual is currently being looked into as a potential criminal matter, as reported by CNBC. In a letter addressed to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Blanco County Sheriff's Office stated that the incident in question was not a regular accident. While the initial investigation suggested this was an unfortunate accident, the Sheriff's Office continues to look into it as a potential criminal case until they gather enough evidence to dismiss criminal involvement. No additional information was provided regarding the type of criminal activity that may have affected Chao. Chao's body was discovered in the early hours of February 11 after her vehicle was retrieved from a pond on a ranch in Johnson City, approximately 40 miles from Austin. According to the Austin American-Statesman, teams struggled to extract Chao from a vehicle on the ranch for more than an hour. According to a report obtained by the news source, fire officials stated: "The deputies were in the water standing on what they believed was the vehicle, trying to gain access to the possible victim inside the vehicle." Deputies stayed in the water as crews arranged lighting to assist in the rescue, and a tow truck was called in to remove the vehicle. Officials had to utilize tools to shatter the vehicle's windows and extract Chao from the vehicle where they administered "advanced life support" for 43 minutes. The ranch where Chao passed away is owned by a corporate group linked to her husband, venture capitalist Jim Breyer, as reported by the outlet. Because of the ongoing investigation into her death, the sheriff's office stated that 911 logs, audio, and video evidence could not be shared with media organizations. The office stated that releasing the reports, videos, and other information before the investigation is complete could interfere with the investigation and potential prosecution of the matter. The letter also inquired about the Attorney General's opinion on whether records should be withheld from the public. The sheriff's office initially stated that EMS tried emergency measures on Chao, but she passed away from being submerged in the water. Chao's father, James SC Chao, fondly recalled his youngest daughter as "thoughtful, kind, and devoted," highlighting her as a beloved 'charismatic and visionary leader.' In a statement, he expressed his sorrow over the passing of his youngest daughter, Angela Chao. The family stated that she was a pioneer for women in leadership roles, motivating others to follow their aspirations. She had a passion for music and experimented with the French horn as her instrument at a young age, always determined to carry it to each lesson on her own. Read Also: Mitch McConnell to Step Down As Senate Republican Leader in November Who is Angela Chao? Angela Chao was related to McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, who held positions in the Labor and Transportation departments. McConnell made public this week his decision to resign as the Republican leader in the Senate by the end of the year. Angela Chao was married to Jim Breyer, who has an estimated net worth of $2.9billion. Breyer has ownership in the Boston Celtics and has been a board member for Facebook, Walmart, Marvel, News Corp, and Dell. She was previously married to billionaire banker Bruce Wasserstein, who passed away in 2009, just months after they got married. The Chao family stands out as the only one in the school's history with four daughters who attended the Harvard Business School. Angela achieved her bachelor's in economics with summa cum laude honors in a remarkable three years. After graduating from Harvard Business School, she joined her father's company, The Foremost Group, in 1996. Chao assumed the role of CEO of the company in 2018. She was recognized for her innovative leadership and as a strong executive in the shipping industry. Chao was appointed as an independent director of the board of the Bank of China in June 2016. Angela Chao, a founding advisory council co-chair of The Asian American Foundation, issued a statement regarding her unfortunate passing. The nonprofit expressed deep sadness upon hearing about the tragic passing of Angela Chao, a highly regarded businesswoman, philanthropist, and leader. Angela has made a lasting impact on The Asian American Foundation and the AAPI community. Related Article: Rebekah Byler Case: Pregnant Amish Mom Found Dead in Pennsylvania Home With Kids A Colorado paramedic, Peter Cichuniec, 51, was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday for his role in the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man whose case catalyzed nationwide calls for police reform. The sentencing marked a rare instance of legal action against medical responders involved in such incidents. Former Fire Lieutenant's Verdict Cichuniec, a former lieutenant with Aurora Fire Rescue, received the verdict for charges including criminally negligent homicide and second-degree assault for the unlawful administration of drugs. His sentencing follows a conviction in December, alongside his co-defendant Jeremy Cooper, for their involvement in the events leading to McClain's death in 2019. The sentencing hearing, presided over by District Judge Mark Douglas Warner, weighed various factors, including character testimonies lauding Cichuniec's compassion and professionalism juxtaposed with the tragedy of McClain's death. Relatives, acquaintances, and coworkers provided testimony affirming Mr. Cichuniec's compassionate disposition and effective leadership, highlighting the profound emotional impact of Mr. McClain's passing on him. Sheneen McClain, Elijah McClain's mother, delivered an emotional testimony, condemning the actions of the paramedics and asserting that her son's death was not a tragedy but an avoidable murder. "I watched them murder my son," she expressed, challenging the perception of firefighters as heroes. They "did not save him," she said. Read Also: Kevin Monahan Sentenced to 25 to Life for Murder of Kaylin Gillis Perceived Implications of Cichuniec Case on Emergency Response Dynamics The prosecution's case revolved around the events of August 24, 2019, when police confronted McClain, responding to a 911 call about a suspicious person. McClain, a massage therapist, was restrained by police and injected with a fatal dose of ketamine by paramedics, leading to his death several days later. During the trials, prosecutors argued that both police officers' excessive force and paramedics' indifference contributed to McClain's death. Despite McClain's distress and being in handcuffs, paramedics diagnosed him with excited delirium without conducting basic medical checks and administered ketamine, which was deemed inappropriate for his body weight. The case against Cichuniec and Cooper has prompted scrutiny of the dynamics between police and paramedics at such scenes, with implications extending beyond Colorado. The sentencing, while seen as a measure of accountability, has also sparked debates within emergency response communities, with concerns over the potential criminalization of "split-second decisions" made by responders. "Convicting Pete for the death is not justice. It's the very definition of a scapegoat," Former Aurora Fire Lieutenant John Lauder, who had worked alongside Cichuniec for over two decades, remarked. "Will paramedics now be held be held responsible for outcomes beyond their control?" Following the sentencing, Cichuniec expressed remorse for McClain's death, stating, "I am sorry that Elijah McClain is no longer with us." Related Article: Ohio Mom Leaves Baby Alone in Playpen for 10 Days To Go to Beach While 16-Month-Old Daughter Starves to Death A British cargo vessel has gone down in the Red Sea following an assault by Houthis supported by Iran. The crew of the cargo ship Rubymar had to evacuate the vessel following an attack off the coast of Yemen. Shortly following the incident, which occurred just over two weeks ago, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) released a statement indicating: "UKMTO has been informed of an event 35NM south of Al Mukha, Yemen." UK Cargo Ship Sinks in Red Sea The military authorities have reported that the crew has abandoned the vessel. Military authorities are currently on-site offering support. The government in exile of Yemen, supported by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia since 2015, reported that the Rubymar vessel sank on Friday due to severe weather conditions in the Red Sea. After the attack, the vessel had been left unattended for 12 days with discussions about towing it to a safe port, as per The Independent. A statement was issued by Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, claiming responsibility for the attack. According to the spokesman, the vessel was struck by "appropriate missiles" and was in danger of sinking. He mentioned that the Yemeni Armed Forces' Naval forces conducted a targeted military operation, using naval missiles against the British ship Rubymar. The terror group based in Yemen also stated that they had shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over al-Hudaydah shortly after the cargo ship attack. Read Also: EU To Send $54 Million Fund to Gaza Aid Agency After It Agrees to Audit Over Extremist Ties Allegations US, UK Strike 36 Houthi Targets in Yemen Meanwhile, the US and Britain have initiated a new round of attacks on 36 Houthi targets in Yemen. The recent series of attacks on 13 locations aim to disrupt Iran-backed groups that have targeted American and international interests following the Israel-Hamas conflict, as per US officials. Launched by ships and fighter jets, the Saturday night strikes on Yemen follow a US air assault on targets in Iraq and Syria on Friday. The assault was aimed at other Tehran-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in response to the drone strike on Jordan that resulted in the deaths of three US troops last weekend. The US conducted strikes on 10 Houthi targets using F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier and American warships launching Tomahawk missiles from the Red Sea, according to US officials. As per official sources, the USS Gravely and the USS Carney, two US navy destroyers, fired the missiles. Britain's Ministry of Defense announced that RAF Typhoon FGR4s, along with Voyager tankers, participated in additional targeted attacks on Houthi positions in Yemen alongside US forces. Saturday's strikes represented the third instance of a significant, collaborative operation between the US and Britain to target Houthi weapon launchers, radar sites, and drones. Washington had indicated that its reaction following the soldiers' deaths at the Tower 22 base in Jordan would not be confined to a single night, a single target, or a single group. However, the Houthis continue to carry out frequent missile and drone strikes on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, showing no signs of reducing their attacks. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasized in a statement that the military action, backed by several countries, conveys a strong message to the Houthis regarding the repercussions of their illegal attacks on international shipping and naval vessels. He emphasized the importance of protecting lives and ensuring the smooth operation of trade in a vital global waterway, Sky News reported. Related Article: Red Sea Shipping Disruption Hits More Than Half of UK Exporters, Firms Say If Russian President Vladimir Putin wins the war in Ukraine, Europe could face an influx of 10 million migrants, according to France's foreign minister. Stephane Sejourne mentioned the possibility of a significant number of Ukrainian refugees seeking shelter across the continent due to the country's collapse. France Warns 'Uncontrollable' Surge of Migrants in Europe\ During an interview on France Inter radio, the Foreign Minister hinted that Putin's aggression towards the West may extend beyond Ukraine, mentioning that the French Government possesses information indicating Moldova could be at risk. Sejourne mentioned the potential risk of Ukraine collapsing and the resulting consequences. Discussing the potential departure of 10 million Ukrainians in case of a collapse, Sejourne said, "We're talking about 10 million Ukrainians who could leave Ukraine in the event of a collapse. And we know very well, and have information, that Russia will not stop there." The Minister expressed his agreement with French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion that ground troops may be necessary in Ukraine to combat Russia for Moscow to be defeated. His remarks were made shortly after Putin's threat to use nuclear weapons against the West, claiming that NATO and the US were getting ready to attack Russia. Read Also: Are Allegations of Israel Committing Genocide in Gaza True? Support For Ukraine's Fight Against Russia In response to the threat, Sejourne mentioned that when they chose to send military equipment, the other party brought up the nuclear threat. When tanks were deployed, he immediately brought up the possibility of a nuclear threat. According to Mail Online, Putin praised Russia's significantly upgraded nuclear arsenal in his speech and issued a caution to the West. The Russian leader also ominously stated that "strategic nuclear forces are fully prepared for guaranteed use," but cautioned that the use of nuclear weapons would result in the "destruction of civilization." Moreover, France plans to purchase 100 drones for delivery to Ukraine this summer, according to Sebastien Lecornu, the defense minister. Lecornu characterized the unmanned aerial vehicles as "remotely operated munitions", indicating they could potentially conduct attacks on Russian forces. However, following Macron's strong stance on ensuring Russian defeat, his defense minister rejected the idea of donating French-made Mirage fighter jets. Paris will continue to prioritize supplying Kyiv's air force with precision-guided bombs, according to Lecornu. Per The Telegraph, he mentioned that France should prioritize "useful" and "effective" military assistance, stating that the Mirage fighters would be too complex. Related Article: Putin Accuses NATO, US of Preparing to Attack Russia, Threatens Nuclear Response If Western Troops Deploy in Ukraine NATO's top pilots intercepted Russian warplanes over the Baltic Sea and then intercepted another aircraft near Poland. NATO reported that two French Mirage 2000-5s intercepted a Russian SU-30-M aircraft over the Baltic Sea yesterday. Following that, the French fighters were assigned to a different mission, during which they intercepted a Russian AN-72 aircraft in international airspace north of Poland. NATO Intercepts Russian Aircraft Near Baltic Sea Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a direct threat to use nuclear weapons against the West while accusing NATO and the US of planning to attack Russia during his yearly speech to the nation. On February 12, Russia reported that NATO had scrambled warplanes to intercept a pair of nuclear-capable missile carriers patrolling the Norwegian Sea. The Kremlin provoked the bloc by deploying two TU-95MS planes to patrol the Norwegian Sea, accompanied by a group of Su35S aircraft. According to Mail Online, the unit was accompanied by fighters from foreign countries during the five-hour flight, although Moscow did not specify which Western air forces were deployed. Following French President Emmanuel Macron's recent statement about the possibility of Western intervention in Ukraine, Russian President Putin criticized NATO and America in his annual address, accusing them of being deceitful in their actions around the world. Read Also: Moldova's Breakaway Region Appeals for Help From Russia; Chisinau Government Claims Propaganda Stunt To Gain Headlines US Air Force Long-Range Bombers Conclude Massive NATO Mission Meanwhile, long-range bombers that the US Air Force deployed for a joint mission with NATO allies have returned to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, according to officials. The US B-1B Lancers from the 28th Bomb Wing were sent out from Lulea-Kallax Air Base, Sweden, to assist Global Guardian on a particular mission called Vanguard Adler on Feb 29. The mission is taking place against the backdrop of heightened tensions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his military actions in Ukraine. Throughout the mission, the bombers and their crews worked as part of the Bomber Task Force deployment 24-2, participating in strategic opportunities with NATO Allies and partners, coordinating capabilities, and ensuring security commitment in the area of operations, as stated by the Air Force. The plane took off from Sweden, entered the US Northern Command area, and then landed back at Ellsworth AFB, the permanent station for B-1Bs. The Air Force stated that the goals of the NATO-led mission were to "exercise multinational cooperation, demonstrate collective deterrence, and test air defense capabilities." To accomplish this, the B-1s operated as a simulated adversary and were intercepted by different NATO fighter aircraft in the Arctic, North Sea, and the Greenland, Iceland, and UK region. All training goals were achieved. Gen. James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa and NATO Allied Air Command, highlighted the impressive long-range bombers as a strong example of "collective deterrence" during the current tensions in Eastern Europe. Sweden is not currently a member of NATO, but it has received an invitation to join and is on track to become a full member soon. This indicates a rise in the country's engagement with NATO's military structures and operations. The US regularly sends troops to offer essential training to NATO allies and its partners. The B-1B Lancer is a versatile bomber manufactured by Boeing, featuring a General Electric engine. This aircraft can reach speeds exceeding 900 mph and is valued for its capability to launch long-range weapons. It was constructed with the purpose of infiltrating Soviet air defenses in case of a nuclear conflict, Fox News reported. Related Article: Putin Accuses NATO, US of Preparing to Attack Russia, Threatens Nuclear Response If Western Troops Deploy in Ukraine (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) SAN ANSELMO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 06: In this photo illustration, the Binance logo is displayed on a screen on June 06, 2023 in San Anselmo, California. The Securities And Exchange Commission has filed lawsuits against cryptocurrency exchanges Coinbase and Binance for allegedly violating multiple securities laws. The wife of an Israeli detainee in Gaza and other survivors of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks have filed a lawsuit against Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, alleging that the company provided "material support" to the terror group by enabling it to raise money on its platform. The cryptocurrency company's financial backing of Hamas's horrific onslaught, which resulted in 1,200 deaths, 250 kidnappings, multiple rapes of women, and almost 7,000 injuries, "cannot be overstated," according to the civil lawsuit brought in the US Middle District of Alabama by attorneys representing the National Jewish Advocacy Center. Binance Accused of Facilitatinf Hamas Funding Between January 2018 and May 2022, the massive cryptocurrency exchange Binance is accused of facilitating transactions worth close to $900 million between its clients in the United States and Iran, in violation of sanctions. This serious breach of sanctions caused concerns, given Iran's history of funding extremist organizations, such as the infamous Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to the lawsuit, Iran's ability to provide funds to groups like Hamas is attributed, in part, to the utilization of its payment platforms as conduits for platform-based cryptocurrency and digital remittances. These transactions were allegedly made by terrorist sympathizers and confederates worldwide, enabling the financing of various terrorist activities. In November, the former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao admitted to failing to avoid money laundering on the platform. As a result of this admission, Zhao was fined a substantial $50 million. In addition, Binance was hit with a massive $4.3 billion settlement for breaching US sanctions and not effectively preventing money laundering on its platform, according to the New York Post. Binance faced charges for violations connected to the Bank Secrecy Act, resulting in the cryptocurrency company agreeing to a payment exceeding $4 billion, representing the largest corporate satisfaction in US history. Attorney General Merrick Garland stressed the importance of not using new technology to break the law, stating that it does not make someone a disruptor, but rather a criminal," according to Fox News. Read Also: Gaza Doctor Reveals Gunfire Caused 80% of Hospital Wounds in Aid Convoy Tragedy Illegal Financial Activities For Terrorist Groups The lawsuit asserts that Binance did not stop or report suspicious transactions regarding terrorist groups like the tal-Qassam Brigades, al-Qaeda, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, enabling them to engage in illegal financial activities. According to reports, the Treasury Department has backed these claims. The suit claims that Binance's actions sustained Hamas' terrorist initiatives for years, with the National Jewish Advocacy Center backing the lawsuit. The center aims to shift the Jewish narrative from defensive to inspirational and end the history of persecution. However, it did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment. In response to these allegations, Binance, which became the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has remained silent. Despite agreeing to pay the substantial settlement in 2023, the crypto firm has not issued a response to the recent lawsuit. This court dispute highlights an intricate connection between international banking legislation, cryptocurrency platforms, and the sponsorship of terrorist operations. The legal implications that Binance is dealing with demonstrate the importance of tech companies following the law, WJLA reported. Related Article: EU To Send $54 Million Fund to Gaza Aid Agency After It Agrees to Audit Over Extremist Ties Allegations A New Jersey businessman admitted on Friday to attempting to bribe US senator Bob Menendez. Jose Uribe, who agreed to work with prosecutors on a case involving Menendez, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to seven charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and tax evasion. Prosecutors say that he provided Menendez's spouse with a Mercedes-Benz. New Jersey Business Man Admits Bribing Bob Menendez During the period of the hearings in the courtroom, Uribe admitted that he had conspired with a number of persons, one of them was Nadine Menendez, to give her a Mercedes-Benz. In exchange for this luxurious car, Uribe attempted to use the influence and authority of her husband, who is a senator in the United States, to obtain favorable outcomes and put an end to inspections linked to his acquaintances. Uribe publicly admitted that he had attempted to exert influence over the senator through the illegal trade, and he expressed regret for his actions through his statement. It emerged in his confession that he had made hidden funds towards the Mercedes in order to disguise his participation, despite the fact that he was well aware of the illegal aspect of his actions. According to the conditions of the plea deal, Uribe may possibly face a sentence of up to 95 years in prison (the maximum possible penalty). On the other hand, he has made the decision to collaborate with the police and testify against other suspects in the case, which is a move that has the potential to win him mercy. In addition, as part of the deal, Uribe has consented to forfeit a total of 246,000 dollars, which is the amount of money that can be linked to his illicit acts, according to AP News. Read Also: US Blocks UN Motion Blaming Israel Following Deadly Gaza Aid Convoy, Says More Facts Needed Senator and Wife Plead Not Guilty Senator Menendez and his wife accepted bribes in various forms, including cash, gold bars, and the luxury automobile mentioned earlier, which are central to the corruption case that came to light last fall. The senator is said to have been given these bribes in exchange for his assistance and influence in topics pertaining to international affairs. Menendez, his wife, and two other businesses have submitted not guilty pleas in response to the allegations of corruption brought against them. These defendants are expected to go on trial in May. Uribe, one of the businessmen implicated in the corruption case, specifically faced charges related to providing a Mercedes-Benz convertible to Menendez's wife. This transaction allegedly occurred after the senator intervened with a government official on behalf of Uribe's associate in an unrelated case. Uribe's guilty plea, cooperation, and readiness to testify might potentially have substantial implications for the coming trial of Senator Menendez and his co-defendants. This is because the legal procedures are still unfolding. The case not only provides insight on the alleged bribery plan, but it also shows the possible ramifications that may be faced by those who are involved in corrupt activities at the highest echelons of government, WLBT reported. Related Article: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Endorses Donald Trump for President, Says He's 'Only Candidate' for the Job The case involving classified documents against former President Donald Trump might not start until late summer or early fall following a federal judge in Florida deeming Special Counsel Jack Smith's proposed trial schedule as "unrealistic." During a hearing on Friday, District Court Judge Aileen Cannon listened to arguments from prosecutors in Mr Smith's office and Mr Trump's attorneys regarding a potential trial start date. The trial involves allegations that the former president knowingly kept classified documents after his time in the White House. The trial was initially scheduled to commence on May 20. Trump Renews Trial Postponement Request Former President Donald Trump has renewed his request to postpone the trial related to charges of storing classified documents until after the 2024 presidential election. However, he has presented an alternative proposal, suggesting an August 12 start date, which could potentially conclude the trial by September. Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, underscored the importance of aligning the trial schedule with his political commitments, including primary dates and the Republican convention scheduled for July 15 to 18. Two proposals have been submitted in response to the call for an immediate trial by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. The decision now rests with US District Judge Lorna Schofield, who may indicate her position on the timeline during a hearing on Friday. The timing of the trial is crucial, as a potential election win for Trump while charges are pending could result in the case being dismissed. Judge Schofield had initially rejected Trump's request for a trial after the 2024 election, opting for a May 20 start date, which now faces uncertainties due to pretrial complications. Trump's alternative August schedule could also serve the purpose of potentially impeding a trial in Washington, DC, where he faces charges related to efforts to subvert the 2020 election, according to Politico. Read Also: Plane Carrying Grammy Award Winning Artist Makes Emergency Landing Legal Team Defends Constitutional Rights The primary challenge in managing classified documents, including determining access rights, has contributed to delays in trial preparations. Special counsel Jack Smith has advocated for a speedy trial, proposing a July 8 start date and outlining a schedule for pretrial motions. The team of attorneys corresponding to Trump, headed by Todd Blanche and Christopher Kise, is advocating for a just trial that defends constitutional values. They include the worth of the Sixth Amendment guarantee to be present at the trial and the First Amendment freedom to campaign for the presidency. Trump has requested Judge Schofield to drop the case based on different reasons, such as presidential immunity, prosecutorial misconduct, and the alleged vagueness of the Espionage Act. The former president contends that he designated the documents as personal before leaving the White House, falling under the Presidential Records Act and categorizing disputes as civil matters rather than criminal charges. Trump has also called for hearings to suppress evidence, challenging the constitutionality of the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. Judge Schofield has yet to rule on Trump's multiple dismissal requests, awaiting formal responses from prosecutors. The Friday meeting is expected to address unresolved issues before the trial, including motions, hearings, and handling sensitive information related to potential government witnesses, grand jury transcripts, exhibits, subpoenas, and search warrant applications, USA Today reported. Related Article: Hunter Biden Admits 'Big Guy' Email Referenced Joe Biden, Denies Dad's Involvement in 10% Stake Three individuals lost their lives and eight more received injuries as a result of a Russian drone crashing with an apartment complex in Odesa, Ukraine's southern port city, on Saturday. Officials in Odesa reported that a man was rescued from the debris of an apartment building. According to a recent post on the social media platform Telegram, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned that 18 apartments were destroyed. Russian Drone Attacks Odesa Apartment Block "Russia continues to fight civilians. One of the enemy drones hit a residential building in Odesa," Zelensky said. Photos were shared by Ukraine's State Emergencies Service, showing rescuers placing a deceased toddler in a body bag. Zelensky stated that the drone was a Shahed provided by Iran. Throughout the conflict, Russia has deployed numerous long-range winged drones to strike targets deep within Ukraine. A video shared by Zelensky depicted an apartment building with a large section torn out of it, spanning several storeys, while numerous rescuers worked diligently to clear through the debris below. The regional governor of Odesa, Oleh Kiper, provided an update at 8:30 AM local time (0630 GMT) stating that efforts were underway to remove the debris. He also mentioned that a man was rescued alive, possibly being in the basement during the attack. Zelensky shared on Friday that he and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte have finalized a security agreement to offer Kyiv $2.2 billion in military aid for this year. The Ukrainian president shared the plan's specifics on his social media platforms following the meeting in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, which has been a common target for Russian assaults. Zelensky mentioned in the post that the document includes $2.17 billion of military aid from the Netherlands for this year, along with additional defense support for the next decade. He shared a copy of the agreement on his official presidential website as well. Last month, Ukraine issued a warning stating that it had only received a fraction of the promised artillery shells from the European Union and was facing challenges in maintaining its defenses. In February, the forces were withdrawn from the eastern town of Avdiivka due to challenges in securing ammunition, resulting in Moscow's first significant territorial gain in more than a year. On his social media account, previously known as Twitter, Zelensky shared a video of the two exploring the city, showcasing some of the 20,000 buildings that Zelensky mentioned were destroyed in Russian attacks. Read Also: Food Aid Reaches North Gaza in First Major Delivery as UN Warns Worsening Starvation Ukraine Condemns Russian Attacks Zelensky mentioned their visit to a residential building that was destroyed by Russian shelling in January. According to the website, five individuals lost their lives and 14 others sustained injuries in the incident. Rutte and Zelensky visited special classrooms constructed within a subway station, enabling approximately 858 school children in 40 classes to pursue their education in a secure environment. Meanwhile, in a social media post Thursday, the UN coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, condemned the deadly attacks in the eastern Kharkiv region. She mentioned that there were strikes in the Donetsk and Kherson regions on Wednesday and Thursday, resulting in significant damage to civilian infrastructure and casualties. Brown mentioned that over 100 homes, schools, and other facilities were affected according to local authorities. She shared that humanitarian workers are currently on-site assisting affected communities with construction materials and psychological support, as per VOA News. Related Article: Putin's Nuclear Attack Plans Leaked, Revealed Russia's Threshold for Unleashing Nukes Public Encouraged To Report Lanternfly, Box Tree Moth Sightings BOSTONIn recognition of National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW), the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is reminding residents to observe and report any sightings of invasive species that they might find. NISAW, which runs from February 26 to March 3, calls attention to invasive species, the threats they pose, and what can be done to prevent their spread. This year, MDAR is taking the opportunity to highlight the agency's work managing infestations of spotted lanternfly and box tree moth. "We continue to be vigilant in our efforts to manage spotted lanternfly, since we've seen the destruction this pest has caused in other states," said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. "With box tree moth, we're working with our partners at USDA to mitigate their spread. We thank the public for their continued assistance in reporting these and other invasive species to MDAR." Spotted lanternfly (SLF) feeds on the sap of over 100 plant species but causes the most serious damage to grapevines, black walnut, and the invasive tree-of-heaven. During the late summer and fall, spotted lanternflies congregate in large numbers, covering surfaces with a sticky substance called honeydew that can be a major nuisance for residents, outdoor recreation, and agritourism. MDAR has been at the forefront of slowing the spread of SLF as this pest continues to appear in cities and towns across the state. This winter, MDAR survey crews in the Division of Crop and Pest Services visited municipalities where SLF infestations had been confirmed over the summer, removing more than 6,000 egg masses from trees, sides of buildings, vehicles, and many other surfaces. The crews destroy egg masses within easy reach, using plastic scraper cards, and use paint scrapers on long poles to reach egg masses that are high up in the trees. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has assisted in removing SLF egg masses in some Western Massachusetts locations. MDAR has also been working with USDA to monitor for box tree moth, an invasive pest of boxwood shrubs, found in Massachusetts for the first time this past summer on Cape Cod. The caterpillars of this insect feed on the leaves of boxwoods and at high numbers can completely defoliate a shrub, eventually killing it. MDAR assisted USDA with their trapping and survey efforts in Barnstable and Plymouth County last summer and fall. This year, MDAR will be deploying their own traps at nurseries and sites with large plantings of boxwoods, focusing on southeastern Massachusetts as well as locations along the border with abutting states. Anyone who encounters a suspected spotted lanternfly, box tree moth, or other invasive species should upload a photo and file a report at https://bit.ly/MAInvasive. See where spotted lanternfly, box tree moth, and other invasive species have been found in Massachusetts using MDAR's interactive Pest Dashboard https://bit.ly/ pestdashtownbytown. Learn more about invasive species at https://massnrc.org/pests. iciHaiti - Obituary : Passing of Agricultural Engineer Pierre Leger The Government learned, with sadness, of the passing away in Paris on the morning of February 29, 2024, of engineer-agronomist Pierre Leger (77 years old), distinguished industrialist, exceptional man, who devoted his life to development. "The achievements of Mr. Pierre Leger will remain a precious legacy for future generations. In these moments of affliction, the Government shares the pain of the Leger family and all those who had the privilege of knowing him. The government joins its voice to that of the Haitian people to send its most sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased, as well as to its collaborators at Frager S.A. and to the southern community in general. Embassy of Haiti in Paris : "The Embassy of Haiti in France learned with great sadness of the death in France of Haitian entrepreneur Pierre LEGER, CEO of Frager S.A. Mr. LEGER had built a solid reputation in the field of essential oils and had raised his company to the rank of the world's leading producer and exporter of vetiver oil. He was also a citizen very committed to the development of the Southern Peninsula, notably by being involved for nearly 25 years in the project of building a port in Saint-Louis du Sud. The Embassy of Haiti in France presents its most sincere condolences to his family, his loved ones as well as to all those affected by his departure." The Lorquet Foundation : The Lorquet Foundation for a New Haiti (FOLONHA), learned with sadness of the death in Paris (France), of Mr. Pierre Leger, CEO of the FRAGER VETIVER S.A. Factory located in the city of Les Cayes (South), a family business specialized in the production and export of vetiver essential oil. With his disappearance, the town of Les Cayes loses a philanthropist, a benefactor, a patron, a loyal servant, a person of integrity, a man of action and a being of great conviction. In July 2020, the FRAGER Foundation, led by entrepreneur Pierre Leger, offered the solar electrification system to the Immaculee Conception Hospital in Les Cayes (HIC) which could power the hospital center 24 hours a day and make the maternity service functional, pediatrics, emergencies, urology and the operating room. In this painful circumstance, the Lorquet Foundation for a New Haiti (FOLONHA), expresses its deep regrets and its words of sympathy to the Haitian business community, and presents its sincere condolences to the parents, relatives and friends of Mr. Pierre Leger grieving by this departure. S/ IH/ iciHaiti GCash, the Philippines number one finance app and largest cashless ecosystem, has forged a strategic partnership with South Korea's leading cross-border money transfer fintech, E9pay. From left: GCash general manager Paul Albano, G-Xchange Inc. president and CEO Ren-Ren Reyes, E9Pay CEO Jun Goo Hyok, and E9Pay business development manager Philip Choi This partnership enables Filipinos residing in Korea to remit money back to the Philippines quickly, effortlessly, and at competitive rates via mobile devices. With the direct connection between the two Asian fintech leaders, Filipinos living in Korea could send money to their friends and familys GCash wallets through the E9Pay app with unprecedented ease and speed. The transaction procedure is fully online and requires only the receiver's phone number, eliminating the need for bank visits or complex paperwork. The transferred funds arrive within a few minutes or hours, far faster than traditional banking processes. Users will also benefit from lower transaction fees and more promotional events co-hosted by the two nations leading service providers. E9pay CEO, Jun Goo Hyok, expressed his excitement about the partnership: "With the Korean Government's plans to bring in more health care and housekeeping workers from the Philippines, we anticipate significant transaction growth potential with GCash soon." Meanwhile, Paul Albano, general manager of GCash International said: This partnership with E9Pay ensures that we will continue to serve Filipinos wherever they are in the world. This is also a big boost to the cultural and economic ties between the Philippines and Korea with monthly transactions seen growing substantially as we open the service to the over 60,000 Filipinos in Korea and over 94 million people who have tried using GCash in the Philippines. According to Immigration data from South Korea's Ministry of Justice, the foreign resident population, encompassing both short-term and long-term stays, stood at 2.25 million in 2022, up by 14.8% from the previous year. Among these, the Philippines ranked 6th, accounting for roughly 60,000 individuals. Furthermore, there has been a significant surge in Filipino tourists visiting South Korea, rising from 116,000 in 2021 to 308,000 in November 2023, or a substantial increase of 165.5%. In response to increasing interactions between South Korea and the Philippines, the two companies plan to broaden their remittance services in the future. This expansion will facilitate the flow of funds from Korea to the Philippines and vice versa, accommodating various financial demands, including tourist payments and hospital fees in Korea. GCash has been solidifying its international presence for Filipinos across the world. Aside from allowing direct and easy remittance services for Filipinos residing in Korea, GCash users visiting the country can also use the app to pay by scanning national QR codes as well as using their GCash Visa Card. Lenovo has unveiled its latest portfolio of purpose-built AI devices, software, and infrastructure solutions at the much anticipated MWC 2024. Beyond innovation, Lenovo showcased proof-of-concept devices, redefining the boundaries of traditionalform factors. The global service provider also revealed the future of hybrid AI fueling multi-device, software, and service offerings for more personalization, collaboration and efficiency. The AI PC revolution is here, and Lenovo is dedicated to transforming its PCs and smart devices to deliver personalized AI solutions. Lenovos suite of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized devices, infrastructure, solutions, and services at MWC provides a wider look at our vision for AI for All, said Lenovo Chairman and CEO, Yuanqing Yang. Lenovos AI technology benefits organizations of all sizes, driving intelligent transformation across all industries while reinforcing our commitment to sustainability. AI Boundaries Redefined: Exploring Futuristic Proof of Concept Introducing Lenovos latest groundbreaking proof-of-concept, the Lenovo ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop Concept revolutionizes the interaction and creation experience with its remarkable 17.3-inch Micro-LED transparent display. With a borderless screen, transparent keyboard area, and a seemingly floating footpad design, it effortlessly exudes a sense of high-tech simplicity, elevating the user's overall experience. The brilliance of this laptop lies in its intelligent integration of the virtual and real. Through the power of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC), the transparent screen opens 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. This proof-of-concept provides a futuristic perspective on AI PCs, blending digital and physical environments that can enhance user experiences in ways never imagined. AI-Powered Business PCs: Unveiling the Next Generation The latest generation of business laptops from Lenovo - the ThinkPad T14 i Gen 5, ThinkPad T14s Gen 5, ThinkPad T16 Gen 3, ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 and ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4. Powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra processors with Intel vPro on select models and Windows 11 and offer an optimal ecosystem of AI hardware and software solutions to deliver enhanced levels of security, power efficiency, and immersive experiences. With an ever-increasing selection of software applications that benefit from the dedicated AI acceleration support, users can enjoy new and enhanced proficiencies across broad areas of usability and productivity. AI at Scale: Bringing Applications to the Edge As the telecom industry continues its dramatic evolution to enable the rollout of 5G and an AI-powered future, innovations in IT networks, cloud infrastructure and edge computing are critical to connecting todays digital economy. Edge computing allows businesses to analyze data in real-time, enabling faster actionable insights for more efficient operations and services. To support the massive amount of computing moving to the edge, a powerful lineup of new Lenovo Integrated Edge AI Solutions for Telco is on display at MWC in Barcelona with Lenovos ecosystem of partners. The innovations are part of a comprehensive pocket-to-cloud portfolio of Lenovo hybrid AI solutions designed to simplify the path to intelligent transformation for all industries. AI-Friendly Sustainability: Empowering IT Environmental Waste Reduction and Repairability Lenovo is rolling out new solutions that will help customers extend the life cycle of their devices with more sustainable and cost-efficient IT options. Through Lenovo Certified Refurbished, organizations can deploy refurbished PCs that cater to their different computing needs while maintaining a smaller IT carbon footprint. Only Lenovo and accredited partners will offer the Lenovo certification, guaranteeing industry-leading quality devices that businesses can depend on. Lenovo is committed to implementing circular practices at every stage of the IT lifecycle, and as a leading global PC manufacturer, is uniquely qualified to help customers meet sustainability goals and embrace the benefits of circularity with confidence. Through the Lenovo 360 Circle community, channel partners are also aligned with collaborative actions to drive circular outcomes for customers and build a more sustainable future. Through Lenovo TruScale, customers can deploy services on a pay-as-you-go subscription basis, using only what they need and curbing waste. Lenovo is also extending the companys relationship with iFixit, giving IT Managers the power to quickly fix and repair devices - minimizing downtime and extending the life of hardware. The ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 and T16 Gen 3, with insights from the iFixit Solutions team, have been designed to be more repair-friendly, not only extending customer replaceable parts (CRU) to include the battery with a cable-free connector and a fully socketed DIMM design, as well as SSD and WWAN replacement, but also adding visual indicators for easier repairs. With support from the iFixit team, Lenovo created new repair guides including video procedures for all CRU parts as well as making those parts easier to order. This extends the product lifecycle, reduces electronic waste and offers cost-saving advantages for businesses and individuals. As a result of these improvements, ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 and T16 Gen 3 achieved a provisional iFixit repairability score of 9.3 out of 10. For more information, visit Lenovos MWC 2024 homepage. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Spaceman, the latest film starring American comedy magnate Adam Sandler, has received scathing reviews from Netflix viewers. In the film, the Uncut Gems star, 57, plays Czech astronaut Jakub Prochazka, who is sent on a mission to the edge of the solar system shortly after the collapse of his marriage to his wife Lenka (played by Maestros Carey Mulligan). But viewers have been damning about the films premise and puzzling choice of supporting actor... a giant CGI spider. When Sandlers character encounters the oversized spider voiced by There Will be Bloods Paul Dano they are initially wary of each other. But the astronaut comes to realise that the spider, named Hanus, might have some therapeutic wisdom to impart. Paul Dano as a CGI spider in Spaceman' (Netflix) Netflix fans seem to be unconvinced by the films premise, with viewers branding it as awful and plain stupid. Spaceman is beyond awful. Its not psychological, its just plain stupid, wrote one person on X/Twitter user. Another added: I sat through several hours of Adam Sandler in #Spaceman last night. It was [a] dirge. Plus the alien was a giant therapist spider. Sandler in Spaceman ( 2023 Netflix, Inc.) One fan was brutal enough to call it one of the WORST movies they had seen. However, some were more diplomatic, with one viewer writing that the movie had great performances, interesting ideas and heavy themes but was bogged down by its slow pace. Meanwhile, another said that while the film has a silly premise, it tackles moving themes. What feels like a silly premise turns into an unbelievably sad and touching movie that I highly recommend to anyone wanting to watch this weekend. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Another joked: Didnt know I needed a giant friendly talking spider in my life but thanks Spaceman. Speaking to The Independent about voicing the CGI spider in Spaceman, Dano said he signed on because he thought the premise sounded crazy enough to be something. When I heard that it was Adam Sandler on a spaceship talking to a giant spider, I was like OK, he said, laughing. It sounded crazy enough to be something. In The Independents two-star review of Spaceman, film critic Geoffrey Macnab writes that the film suffers from an identity. He says that the movie is another of those films about astronauts a long way from home who have unresolved personal business back on planet Earth. Were never quite sure if were watching a relationship drama, a Tarkovsky-like meditation on human solitude or another Gravity-like saga about an astronaut trying to survive. Spaceman is streaming on Netflix Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Brittany Howard spent her childhood in a junkyard. We were broke, the 30-year-old explains, sitting in a bar in north London. So my sister taught me how to have fun without money, how to use my imagination, how to make music. We made a club house, which was a car stacked on top of a car, stacked on top of a car, stacked on top of a car that didnt have doors. We were definitely at risk of it collapsing on our tiny childrens bodies. A bespectacled former postal worker, Howard was last seen as the powerhouse frontwoman of the Grammy Award-winning Alabama Shakes, but now shes releasing her debut solo album, Jaime, named after her sister. Jaime died at 13 of retinoblastoma, a rare of form of eye cancer, when Howard was eight, but Howard has never lost the sense of imagination her sister gave her. Musically, her voice characterised Alabama Shakess garage-soul sound, moving between a hushed falsetto and a guttural roar with gospel-like zeal. Watch her live in her rocknroll side project Thunderbitch and shes likely to appear on a motorcycle, wearing white face paint, dark shades and a black leather jacket. In person, Howard is warm and considered, possessed of a wicked laugh and a soft Southern drawl. Ask her about the music she grew up on The Supremes, The Marvelettes, Dion, Prince and shell brim with childlike enthusiasm. But you sense, too, that shes tired of talking about the new album, with its astringent views on race, sexuality, faith and America today. Unsurprisingly, interviews with journalists are a series of invitations to sound off about one or all of the above. Jaimes wonderfully melodic mix of funkadelia, synth rock, hip hop, jazz and neo-soul inevitably becomes a backdrop to the smouldering consciousness of Howards lived experience. Take Goats Head, in which she sings over fidgety piano chords, When I first got made, guess I made these folks mad. The song addresses what it was like to grow up as the child of an interracial couple in the small town of Athens, Alabama. I was only a few weeks old, says Howard. Our cars tyres were slashed, windshield broken in, goat head in the back... basically, Dont come here anymore. My mum didnt tell me about it till I was about 14 years old. My parents did a really good job of protecting me from racism. Recommended Brittany Howard grapples with racism and religion on debut solo record On the beautifully skittish Georgia, Howard who married fellow musician Jesse Lafser last year reflects on having a youthful crush on an older girl (I just want Georgia to notice me). I had never heard a song, much less an R&B song or in black music, where a woman was singing a love song to another woman, so I decided to write one, she says. I was trying to come from a juvenile perception of not being able to understand my feelings, but its really innocent, really beautiful, really pure. In a recent interview, Howard said she didnt become fully aware of her identity as a lesbian until she was 25 or 26. Her life changed once she got out into the world and saw people who were in same-sex relationships and happy and living their life not being afraid. Before then her world was Athens, a religious town in the South where shed attend two different churches. When I went to church, it was very hellfire, brimstone, she says. If you sin, you go to hell. One of my churches, you couldnt even make music in the church because that was considered disrespectful. Then my other church I was going to, my dads church her parents separated had the best band Ive ever heard. So it was really confusing. When her sister died, she stopped believing in God, because who would do that to our family? We prayed and He never answered our prayers. So I was like, He must not be real. But as she got older, she realised there was a gap in her life. I missed having that connection," she explains, so I began learning what my relationship to God meant. On the slinky R&B ballad He Loves Me, she comes to a new vision of spirituality, singing I know He still loves me when Im smoking blunts/Loves me when Im drinking too much. The song, she says, is a riposte to the people who force their image of God upon others. Do you think He really cares if Im stoned? Who gets to say anyway? Some old white guys? Theyre like, Jesus said... Well, actually, I can read too. All Im trying to say is your relationship with God is really personal. No one can teach you. Just as the church made it harder for Howard to embrace her sexuality, so now the Trump administration seems determined to marginalise the LGBT+ community. She says shes scared of what Americas become. People are crazy. Some people voted for Trump because of tax reasons, economical reasons, and some voted for him because theyre literally uneducated. They could be great people with great lives but uneducated and also you have crazy and educated, like serial murderers. You never know what youre going to get over there right now. Its crazy, man. Theres a real sense of the US returning to the kind of prejudice that her parents generation faced. Imagine being a kid and someone asks, who is a strong, powerful, rich, black woman that you look up to, and Id be like, Oprah? That was it. The only one. I could see her, I could hear her. Then more and more started coming out and thats why its so important to give the child options to be like, Oh, Im like her. I can do that. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Certainly there werent many female-fronted bands around, and if there were, those women were usually thin and white. Not that this deterred Howard from getting together on Tuesday and Thursday nights with bandmates she had met in high school; the four of them would become Alabama Shakes. Over two albums, Boys & Girls (2012) and Sound & Colour (2015), they cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting guitar acts to emerge from the US in the 21st century. Their licks-heavy postmodern soul and emotionally intense live performances even won them a fan in Barack Obama, who invited them to play at the White House. Howard was always determined to succeed. I had this survivalist mentality when Shakes started because I grew up broke, she says. One thing I didnt want to do was end up back in the trailer park. Not that theres anything wrong with the trailer park; I just didnt want to go back there to cold running water, having to decide when Im going to the grocery store, because I cant afford a lot of groceries. So, I was like, Ill work twice as hard as any person. I wasnt taking care of myself, because the main goal was to keep the operation running and have the most excellent shows and I was just really exhausted and tired. Going solo was a step into the unknown. Walking away from something that works is never advisable but I did it and I didnt think I could, didnt think I would, but then I did and thats very rewarding because Im finally taking my power and being empowered. Howard isnt sure if Alabama Shakes will get back together, but says that feeling of empowerment is profound. Learning about myself and being proud to be myself, being seen and being heard and saying, I created this, I produced this. I arranged this, I composed this. This is mine and no one edited me. She pauses to take a swig of her beer. God, I highly recommend it. Jaime is out now 243,000 prosecuted in China for crimes against minors in 4 years Xinhua) 11:15, March 02, 2024 BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- From 2020 to 2023, procuratorates across China prosecuted 243,000 people for crimes against minors, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Friday. Last year, nearly 20,000 minors who suffered from crimes against them or faced difficulties due to criminal cases received judicial assistance from procuratorates, with a total disbursement of 190 million yuan (about 26.74 million U.S. dollars), said Gong Ming, deputy procurator-general of the SPP, at a press conference. In 2023, procuratorates also handled 31,000 civil, administrative and public interest litigation cases after uncovering relevant leads during the process of handling criminal cases involving minors, Gong said. The SPP unified the handling of criminal, civil, administrative and public interest litigation cases involving minors in 2021 to strengthen the comprehensive judicial protection of minors. The SPP is also considering a guideline on classifying interventions and corrections of minors' criminal and wrongful acts, Gong said, noting that the top procuratorate plans to unveil the document this year along with other relevant authorities. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Danny Casolaro, the investigative journalist whose death in 1991 was controversially ruled a suicide, is the subject of Netflixs newest docu-series, American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders. The four-part true crime documentary, released on 28 February, takes a look at Casolaro and his investigation into a government conspiracy that those closest to him believe led to his death. Who was Danny Casolaro? Born in McLean, Virginia in 1947, Casolaro was a writer and author who came to public attention after he was found dead with his wrists slashed in a hotel bathtub in 1991. He was 44. His death was ruled a suicide, although those closest to him remain convinced he was murdered. At the time of his death, Casolaro was more than 12 months deep into an investigation involving a government conspiracy, which he called The Octopus. Danny Casolaro American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders (Courtesy of Netflix) What is The Octopus? While working for the now-defunct computer software trade publication Computer Age, Casolaro was alerted by one of his colleagues about a developing story that had to do with an ongoing dispute between the Department of Justice and Bill Hamilton, the founder of Washington DC-based technology information company INSLAW. After getting in touch with Hamilton, Casolaro starts looking into these powerful people connected to the Reagan administration and realises theres something much bigger going on than just a contract dispute, journalist Christian Hansen says in the documentary. Casolaro began making some powerful discoveries that appeared to be connected somehow: money laundering, drug trafficking and the Iran hostage crisis. He dubbed these conspiratorial connections The Octopus and paired each tentacle with a former high-ranking government official who he felt was responsible for these revelations. Who is Christian Hansen? Christian Hansen in American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders (Netflix) Hansen is the journalist who, after coming across the late Casolaros research, took over for him. He is also a childhood friend of the Netflix seriess director, Treitz. His continued investigation led him to Casolaros key source, Michael Riconosciuto. Who is Michael Riconosciuto? Michael Riconosciuto in American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders (Netflix) Riconosciuto, now 75, is a computer expert who was connected to Casolaros INSLAW story. Months before Casolaros death, Riconosciuto was sent to prison on drug charges after a Department of Justice official allegedly threatened him for speaking out. He has maintained his innocence and was eventually released 26 years later, in 2017. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Shortly before his imprisonment, he had provided an affidavit in support of INSLAWs lawsuit against the US Department of Justice. The company had sued the DOJ over the illegal use of computer software. Riconosciuto claimed to have insider information about countless covert government operations, which he shared with Casolaro, and later with Hansen. How did Danny Casolaro die? Danny Casolaro on the right (Courtesy of Netflix) Casolaro was found dead with his wrists slashed in a West Virginia hotel bathtub on 10 August 1991. He had travelled there to meet with an unknown source. He had been researching this thing for a long time and was very excited about the information he was finally getting, Benjamin Mason, Casolaros close friend and the last person to see him alive, told The Washington Post in 1991. He was in good spirits and very excited about the source he was going to see in West Virginia. When authorities discovered his body, it appeared he had died by suicide, and a coroner confirmed it as such. However, when his family was notified of his death, they didnt believe it was a suicide. Weeks before he was to meet with his source, he had apparently informed his brother that if anything happened to him, he needed to understand that it wasnt an accident. American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders is available to stream on Netflix. Close Snow in area affected by Texas wildfires Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Cool weather on Monday managed to help officials quell some of the fires as containment levels increased early this week, with two fires becoming completely contained. But fire authorities warn that increased fire weather could hit the Texas Panhandle Thursday and Friday. At a news conference on Tuesday, Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd pleaded with nearby residents not to start any new fires. Over 90% of wildfires are human caused, he claimed. Strong winds and dry conditions this past weekend exacerbated flames, including the Smokehouse Creek Fire in northern Texas which remains only 44 per cent contained, according to the forest service. The fires began late last month. The Smokehouse Creek Fire has burned more than 1.3 million acres across the Texas Panhandle and destroyed 500 structures. Its now the largest fire in the states history and one of the largest in the US history. Authorities say it has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of cattle and forcing evacuations. Statewide, the fires have killed at least two civilians and one volunteer fire chief. A lawsuit filed last week claims that the fires originated from an electric pole that wasnt properly inspected, fell and started the blaze. Close 100mph Winds And 12ft Of Snow Expected In California Storm Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Snow continued to fall across parts of California and Nevada on Tuesday after a blizzard dumped up to 10ft of snow, shutting down major highways for three days and trapping people in their homes. Isolated, light snow showers would continue across the Sierra Nevada until Thursday morning, the National Weather Service reported, but drier and warmer conditions were expected by the end of the week. Communities across the region were digging out after snow reached up to roof lines in some towns, and trapped people inside. More than 7,500 customers remained without power in some California counties, according to utility tracker poweroutage.us. Localized, heavy rainfall is expected on Tuesday for northern California with downpours moving into southern California on Wednesday. Due a recent glut of atmospheric rivers hitting the state, there will be the threat of isolated flash flooding, NWS reported. Close Christian Horner and Max Verstappens father have heated exchange at Bahrain GP For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Christian Horners female colleague who accused the Red Bull F1 boss of inappropriate behaviour is set to appeal the outcome of the internal investigation, according to reports. Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing after a month-long probe, conducted by an external lawyer, while the woman who made the allegations was suspended by Red Bull last week. She does have a right to appeal, though, and The Sun report that she is set to appeal after changing her legal representation, with the deadline today. The latest development comes after Horners wife Geri Halliwell showed up alongside her husband at Saturdays Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in another show of solidarity. Max Verstappen won the race, despite a dramatic weekend in which he was linked with a move to Mercedes amid in-fighting within the team. The teams long-term motorsport adviser Helmut Marko will now also stay with the team, after talks with Red Bull GmbH chief Oliver Mintzlaff in Jeddah, when initial reports suggested the 80-year-old may be suspended. Follow the latest news with The Independent For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Even though Gaza and the Ukraine currently dominate the international agenda, the world will be making a costly mistake if it does not pay close attention to a crucial two-day United Nations meeting starting on Sunday. Attention spans can be short in the foreign policy space. Some may have forgotten the chaotic withdrawal of the American-led force from Afghanistan in August 2021 and the violent takeover by the Taliban that settled the fate of my nation. It was as if the seizing of power legitimized the rule of the minority clique of the ultra-extremist Taliban. I speak for the suppressed majority of our people inside the country when I say this is a colossal misjudgment. For the past two and a half years, Afghanistan has endured the absence of legitimate governance, the rule of law, and has suffered from severe human rights abuses, some unparalleled in human history. Gender apartheid has been imposed on the entire female population of the country, and national, regional, and international terrorist groups have come to control a geographical area of 650,000 km, which is bigger than France. The groups now ruling with a gun have complete freedom to exercise military and ideological control through violence, often involving suicide brigades, and supported by a network of brainwashing madrassas. At the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), one of the most effective and organized opposition movements to the Taliban, it is our duty to keep hope alive by shaping a very different future narrative for Afghanistan. We stand for democratic rule, legitimized and scrutinized through elections; we stand for inclusivity, no matter what ethnicity, faith, ideology, or gender; and we stand for transparent, forward-looking government. These are the principles that cost the life of my own late brother, Ahmad Shah Massoud, assassinated on the eve of 9/11 by extremists collaborating with the Taliban. And these are the principles that continue to cost lives among the many brave NRF freedom fighters deployed mainly in the north of Afghanistan where they strive to root out Taliban influence from a growing swathe of liberated territory. Crucially, these are the principles that we now urge to frame the debate at the UN meeting scheduled to be held shortly in Doha, Qatar. Hosted by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the meeting draws from the international community to bring together all the Special Envoys and Special Representatives engaged with Afghanistan. Their principal agenda is to consider a 19-page assessment of the country, commissioned by Secretary-General Guterres in the middle of last year, completed in November and disseminated to foreign capitals just a few weeks ago. The assessment covers how the international community can best help Afghanistan today as it struggles with a wide range of challenges: political, economic, and social. We at the NRF recognize the hard work that went into the assessment. But we must point out some fundamental problems with the process and urge the international community to be vigilant on matters of principle and beware of short-term fixes. What is striking is that representatives of the majority of Afghanistans people, groups such as the NRF, have not yet been invited to the meeting. Extremists from the Taliban, who have long enjoyed comfortable support from Qatar, will be there but not the representatives of Afghanistans suppressed majority. We urge the UN leadership not to proceed substantively without meaningful engagement from the people of Afghanistan. To do otherwise would be to repeat the mistakes of the past when foreign powers have sought to magic a top-down solution on nation-building, not to secure a ground-up organic model. But what is most concerning is that more than two years after the Taliban returned to power, there appear to be signs of what might be called `diplomatic mission creep. While the international community strongly refused to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government after the chaotic withdrawal of the US, the UK and other allied forces, the 19-page report contains worrying hints that this might be changing. That would be a betrayal of not only the majority of Afghanistans people but of every soldier both living and dead from the global alliance that for so long tried to stop just such a fate befalling my countrymen. We regard as deplorable Chinas willingness to formally recognize the credentials of a Taliban-appointed ambassador to Beijing. Such instances of normalization, including certain regional countries sending officials to attend a Taliban-chaired meeting just two weeks ago in Kabul, are nothing but geopolitical posturing exploited by the Taliban regime. Now is not the time for such appeasement. Withholding recognition of the Taliban regime is the one clear source of leverage that the international community retains. We all know how badly women and girls fare in Afghanistan under the Taliban today. To grant the Taliban diplomatic recognition would be yet another international betrayal, and one that this time also includes generations of Afghan women. Doha has heard many grand promises on Afghanistan. During the US-brokered `peace talks with the Taliban from 2019 onwards, we heard undertakings in the marbled corridors of the lavish venue provided by the Qatari government that the Taliban would protect the rights of women, that it would start inclusive political negotiations with rival groupings including mine, and that it would clamp down on foreign militant groups proscribed by the international community as terrorist. Each of those promises turned out to be a lie. As ever we salute those in the international community who come as honest brokers to help us build a new Afghanistan. But we warn against those willing to compromise on fundamental principles. With the present instability in our world, my country is more strategically and symbolically important than ever. That is why all of us must stand firm against intolerance, extremism, and cruelty at this crucial time. Ahmad Wali Massoud is member of the Political Council of National Resistance Front of Afghanistan and former Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United Kingdom Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Prince William missed a memorial for his godfather the late King Constantine sparking concerns for Kate Middletons health. Constantine died at the age of 82 in January last year, decades after being toppled from the throne in a military coup. William, 41, called the Greek royal family to let them know he was unable to attend, and Crown Prince Pavlos stood in for the British heir to the throne who was due to give a Bible reading. Kate Middleton underwent abdominal surgery recently (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The palace reported the Prince of Wales missed the memorial service due to a personal matter, however, they did not elaborate further. In January, the Princess of Wales, 42, entered the London Clinic to have abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition. The exact details of the princesss condition have not been revealed but the Palace said previously it was not cancer-related, and that Kate wished her personal medical information to remain private. William pulled out of attending a memorial service event for unknown reasons (2023 Getty Images) During the Duchess of Cambridges three pregnancies, she suffered with hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition which causes severe vomiting. To overcome the extreme sickness, she revealed in a podcast Happy Mum, Happy Baby, she resorted to hypnobirthing techniques of mindfulness and meditation. In the 2020 podcast, the Princess told the host Giovanna Fletcher: Im not going to say that William was standing there sort of, chanting sweet nothings at me. He definitely wasnt. I didnt even ask him about it, but it was just something I wanted to do for myself. I saw the power of it really, the meditation and the deep breathing and things like that, that they teach you in hypnobirthing, when I was really sick, and actually I realised that this was something I could take control of, I suppose, during labour. It was hugely powerful. Kate is said to be doing well following her treatment (Getty Images) The Princess of Wales is said to be doing well as she recovers from the procedure however she will not return to official duties until after Easter. Royal Correspondent Michael Cole told GB News I think it is worrying... It has been made clear from an unnamed source that the reason for him pulling out... has nothing to do with Kate. We do not know, I think it is unusual at the last minute. Kate will be under the careful watch of royal doctors and also benefit from the London Clinics aftercare, with dedicated physiotherapists on hand with a personalised plan and a video check-up at home with a nurse specialist on offer. NHS advice about recovering from abdominal surgery says that, after a major operation with a large incision, it takes two to three months to be able to move around comfortably. But this will be quicker if the procedure was keyhole surgery. It comes as Thomas Kingston, the husband of Prince and Princess Michael of Kents daughter Lady Gabriella Kingston, died suddenly at the age of 45, Buckingham Palace announced yesterday. Thomas Kingston smiles lovingly at Lady Gabriella Windsor in resurfaced wedding video following his sudden death (PA) Lady Gabriella paid tribute to her financier husband in a joint statement with his family, describing him as an exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him. They described his death as a great shock to the whole family. The King and Queen sent their most heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Lady Gabriella, who is known as Ella. King Charles also missed King Constantines memorial service and he is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer The King, who is being treated for cancer, will miss the service at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle, in honour of his close friend and second cousin Constantine II, the former ruler and last king of Greece. The King has reportedly sought spiritual advice from his friend Archimandrite Ephraim, Abbot of the Greek Orthodox Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos. Abbot Ephraim is said to have told Greek media outlets: Yes, he has been in contact since the diagnosis and I believe hell overcome it. Charles has a spiritual sophistication, a spiritual life. Charles, 75, who was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer just over a fortnight ago, is not carrying out public duties while he has treatment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Negotiators taking part in a World Trade Organization meeting in the United Arab Emirates ended their summit early Saturday after failing to reach agreements on several major initiatives, the latest sign of turmoil within the global body. The WTO delayed its closing ceremony in Abu Dhabi by over a day as the 166-nation bloc struggled to reach consensus on fishing, agriculture and other issues. The only agreement of note came on extending a pause on taxes on digital media such as movies and video games. On that issue, the WTO decided to extend the pause until their next biennial meeting. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala noted that the summit took place against an international backdrop marked by greater uncertainty than at any time I can remember. Like in the summit's opening on Monday, she made no direct mention of Israels war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. However, she had noted previously the ongoing disruptions to shipping caused by Yemens Houthi rebels in the Red Sea over the conflict. The beauty of the WTO is that each member has an equal voice, but that also comes at a cost, Okonjo-Iweala said. Nevertheless, we are a unique organization, and I think the cost is worth it. Lets keep going so we can make our voices heard. Elections across nearly half the worlds population could bring new challenges for the WTO. None are perhaps more critical for the WTO than the United States presidential election on Nov. 5. Running again is former President Donald Trump, who threatened to withdraw the U.S. 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. But even if President Joe Biden is reelected, the United States has deep reservations over the WTO. The U.S. under the past three administrations has blocked appointments to its appeals court, and its no longer operating. Washington says the WTO judges have overstepped their authority too often in ruling on cases. The U.S. also has criticized 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 U.S. also says China floods world markets with cheap steel, aluminum and other products. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The chaos punctuated by heavy Israeli fire that killed 115 Palestinians trying to get bags of flour from an aid convoy highlights the desperation of the hundreds of thousands struggling to survive amid the devastation of northern Gaza after nearly five months of fighting between Israel and Hamas. Residents say they have taken to searching piles of rubble and garbage for anything to feed their children, who barely eat one meal a day. Many families have begun mixing animal and bird food with grain to bake bread. International aid officials say they have encountered catastrophic hunger. Were dying from starvation, Soad Abu Hussein, a widow and mother of five children who has taken shelter in a school in the Jabaliya refugee camp, said Saturday. Northern Gaza has borne the brunt of the conflict that began when Hamas launched an attack into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing around 250 hostages. Israels air, sea and ground offensive, reduced much of the densely populated area to rubble. The military told Palestinians to move south, but as many as 300,000 people are believed to have remained. Roughly one child in six children under the age of 2 in the north suffers from acute malnutrition and wasting, the worst level of child malnutrition anywhere in the world, Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, said this week. If nothing changes, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza. That has caused such desperation among the people living there that they have overwhelmed trucks delivering food aid to the region and grabbed what they can, Skau said, forcing the World Food Program to suspend aid deliveries to the north. The breakdown in civil order, driven by sheer desperation, is preventing the safe distribution of aid and we have a duty to protect our staff, he said. In the violence Thursday, hundreds of people rushed a group of about 30 trucks bringing a pre-dawn delivery of aid to the north. Palestinians said nearby Israeli troops shot into the crowds. Israel said they fired warning shots toward the crowd and insisted many of the dead were trampled in the stampede. Doctors at hospitals in Gaza and a U.N. team that visited a hospital there said large numbers of the wounded had been shot. Ahmed Abdel Karim, who was being treated at Kamal Adwan Hospital for gunshot wounds in his feet, said he had spent two days waiting in the area for aid trucks to arrive before Thursdays convoy came. Everyone attacked and advanced on these trucks. Because of the large number, I could not get flour, he said. He was then shot by Israeli troops, he said. Radwan Abdel-Hai, a father of four young children, heard a rumor late Wednesday that an aid convoy was on its way. He and five others took a donkey cart to meet it and found a sea of people waiting for the aid. When the convoy arrived, people spread toward the trucks to grab whatever food and water they could get, he said. As they reached the trucks, tanks started firing at us, he said. As I ran back, I heard tank shells and gunfire. I heard people screaming. I saw people falling to the ground, some motionless. Abdel-Hai fled and took shelter in a nearby building along with others. When the shooting stopped, many dead people were lying on the ground, he said. We rushed to help evacuate the wounded. Many were shot in their back, he said. Abu Hussein, the widow, said that more than 5,000 people mostly women and children living with her in the Jabaliya school have not received any aid for more than four weeks. Adults eat one meal or less to save food for the children, she said. A group of people went to the shore to try to fish, but three were killed and two were wounded by gunfire from Israeli ships, she said. They just wanted to get something for their children. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mansour Hamed, a 32-year-old former aid worker living with more than 50 relatives in a Gaza City house, said people are resorting to desperate measures to find something to eat. Some are eating tree leaves and animal food. Some sift through the rubble and abandoned houses for old food. It has become normal to find a child coming out of the rubble with a rotten piece of bread, he said. They are desperate. They want anything to stay alive. Acknowledging the difficulty of getting aid in and the extreme need for food, U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday the U.S. soon will begin airdropping assistance to Gaza and will look for other ways to get shipments in, including possibly a marine corridor. Aid workers were hoping a possible cease-fire would allow them to get food to hungry people across Gaza. A senior Egyptian official said cease-fire talks would resume Sunday in Cairo. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. International mediators hope to reach agreement on a six-week pause in fighting, and an exchange of some Israeli hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins around March 10. Meanwhile, the fighting continued. The Gaza Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll from the war has climbed to 30,320. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says women and children make up around two-thirds of those killed. ___ Magdy reported from Cairo. ___ Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that he and his NATO counterparts cautioned Hungary on Wednesday against further delaying Swedens membership in the military alliance, and he warned that patience in Washington has its limits. Lawmakers from the party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban boycotted an emergency session of parliament on Monday where a vote was scheduled to place Swedens bid to join NATO on the legislative agenda, adding to 18 months of delays that have angered Hungarys allies. The governing Fidesz party, which holds an absolute majority in Hungary's parliament, has stalled Swedens bid since July 2022, alleging that Swedish politicians have told blatant lies about the state of Hungarian democracy. The party insists that Swedens prime minister must come to Hungary first. We heard security adviser after security adviser say that its past time for Sweden to get in, and to directly address the representative from Hungary, Sullivan told reporters after a meeting of the organizations top security officials at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Sullivan said that he and his colleagues had impressed upon Hungary that its a matter of credibility and obligation that they take the necessary steps to complete the parliamentary procedures to ratify Swedens accession. Sweden, along with neighboring Finland, set aside decades of military nonalignment to seek protection under NATOs collective security umbrella after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Finland has since joined the trans-Atlantic alliance. The country, along with the other 30 allies, must all agree that Sweden should stand among NATOs ranks. Hungary is the only member standing in its way. Sullivan said that he wouldn't stand here today and make particular threats, or speculation about steps that we would take down the road, but of course our patience on this cant be unlimited either. He said the U.S. will continue to watch it carefully, but hope that there is a constructive resolution to this issue in the very near term. Orban, who has broken ranks with NATO allies by adopting a Kremlin-friendly stance toward Russias war in Ukraine, has said that he invited Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to Budapest to discuss future cooperation in the field of security and defense as allies and partners. Unless another emergency session of Hungary's parliament is called to debate Swedens bid, the assembly is due to sit for its regular session on Feb. 26. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Saturday that authorities were investigating a purported recording published by Russian state media in which German military officers discussed the country's support for Ukraine, including the potential use of Taurus missiles. Scholz called it a very serious matter in comments to reporters on the sidelines of a visit to the Vatican on Saturday, the German news agency dpa reported. Scholz earlier this week said he remains reluctant to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, pointing to a risk of Germany becoming directly involved in the war. But in the purported audio recording, German officers discuss the possibility of the missiles being used in Ukraine. Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Russian state-funded TV channel RT, said the audio revealed German officers discussing strikes on the Crimean Bridge. In this (...) recording, high-ranking Bundeswehr officers discuss how they will bomb (attention!) the Crimean bridge, she wrote on the Telegram messaging app, adding that the conversation took place on Feb. 19. Within the conversation, she said, one of the officers mentioned a planned trip to Ukraine on Feb. 21 to coordinate strikes on Russian targets. Scholz said German authorities were working to clarify the matter very carefully, very intensively and very quickly. Germany's Ministry of Defense also said it was investigating whether communications within the air force were intercepted by Russia, dpa reported. 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. 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. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Residents in southwest London were horrified after a man opened fire near Clapham Common during rush hour. Police are still searching for the gunman after three people were injured and taken to hospital as a result of the incident. Two men being chased by the police fell off their moped before opening fire as police officers and ambulances swarmed the high street after of reports of a shooting outside The Belle Vue pub. Dramatic photos of the scene show the moped in question lying across the pavement and a bullet hole through the window of the pub. The Met Police said that crime scene is in place and urgent enquiries are ongoing while firearms officers continue searching the area. As the search for the shooter continues, heres everything we know about the Clapham shooting: The Met Police said that crime scene is in place and urgent enquiries are ongoing while firearms officers continue searching the area (Aaron Chown/PA Wire) When and where did the shooting happen? The shooting happened just before 5pm on Friday as police were in pursuit of a moped that failed to stop. The force and multiple witnesses described how a weapon, believed the be a shotgun, wasdischarged from the moped in the vicinity of Clapham Common South Side. Pictures from the scene appear to show a bullet hole through the window of the Belle Bue pub in Clapham Common as the suspects moped was left abandoned across the road. The incident happened near the busy Clapham Common station, with one witness revealing that she was nearly struck by the motorbike as it careered onto the pavement as she got off at Clapham Common Tube station. Sian Cole told The Independent: It was very scary due to it being rush hour and there were so many people present at the scene. I was walking and the motorbike just crashed right in front of me. How did the shooting unfold? The incident began as police had been chasing the moped with two men on it after it failed to stop in the Clapham area just before 5pm on Friday. Witnesses reported the two men falling from their moped before running away on foot towards Brixton. As the suspects fled the scene, one withdrew a weapon, believed to be a shotgun, and discharged it. Witnesses told The Independent that the shooters were aiming behind them. Three people were injured - two by shotgun pellets and another by the moped - and a nearby pub also appeared to have suffered damage from a bullet. Pictures from the scene appear to show a bullet hole through the window of the Belle Bue pub in Clapham Common (Aaron Chown/PA Wire) The suspects fled the scene and officers recovered a gun nearby. Who were the casualties? Two people were injured by shotgun pellet wounds and another by the moped in the incident. A witness told The Independent that a woman was hit in the leg and added: I didnt see blood but I saw her touching her leg in pain. The other victims Im not so sure of. They mustve been trying to shoot at the police officer behind them but ended up hitting bystanders. A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said three people were injured, with two taken to a major trauma centre. He said: We were called today at 4.59pm to reports of an incident in Clapham Common South Side. We sent a number of resources including ambulance crews, operational managers, advanced paramedics and Londons air ambulance. We treated three people at the scene and took two to a London major trauma centre and one to hospital. It is not believed that any of the injuries sustained are life-threatening. A forensic officer holding the stock of a shotgun at the scene (Aaron Chown/PA Wire) What do we know about the suspect so far? The suspects are still at large and there is not much information on their identities as of yet. The moped they were riding is untaxed, official registration records show. One witness said the men were wearing all black clothes and quickly dropped the weapon before fleeing the busy high street. Police are urging anyone who saw the moped, or captured the incident on dash cam, to call 101 ref CAD 5008/1 Mar. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Chilling CCTV images have been released showing the gaunt frame of a mother days before she beaten to death after being starved and tortured. Ashana Studholme, 38, her lover Shaun Pendlebury, 26, and their friend Lisa Richardson, 44, were each jailed for life on Friday for the murder of Shakira Spencer in west London, having inflicted a sadistic campaign against her that ended with her dying in a cupboard. The 35-year-old was found dead in her flat in Ealing when neighbours saw maggots coming from under her front door. Shakira Spencer is seen on doorbell footage days before her death (BBC screenshot) CCTV recovered by the police showed the last time Spencer was seen in public, slowly crossing a road around the time of the assault which killed her. The beautiful, happy, healthy 35-year-old fell under the influence of the trio, and would be woken up in the early hours to clean their homes or be sent on errands to the shops over many months in which she was isolated and robbed of her money. They also scalded Ms Spencers feet and fed her only ketchup from sachets, inflicting months of torture in which she became skeletal, going from a size 16 dress size to a six. Messages found on her killers phones included videos of Ms Spencer being beaten up, while others laughed and jeered. Ashana Studholme, Shaun Pendlebury and Lisa Richardson have been sentenced for the murder of Shakira Spencer at The Old Bailey (Metropolitan Police) The trios abuse of Ms Spencer came to a climax when she was beaten in a frenzied, violent assault between 9 and 12 September 2022. Pendlebury and Studholme then took her to her home where she was left to die in cupboard less than a week later, a trial last year heard, in which the three defendants were all convicted of murder and preventing Ms Spencer from receiving a lawful burial. Among the last known public sightings of Shakira Spencer, seen slowly crossing a road around the time of the assault which killed her (Met Police) Undated handout photo issued by the Metropolitan Police of Shakira Spencer, pictured in 2007 (PA Media) They were each jailed for life with a minimum of 34 years at the Old Bailey on Friday, with judge Angela Rafferty KC describing her treatment as an orgy of violence, adding: This was a sadistic campaign in which you all took pleasure in inflicting pain and suffering on a vulnerable woman. Ms Spencers son, who canot be named for legal reasons, described the trio who killed his mother as cruel and evil in an impact statement read out at Fridays hearing, saying: Ive suffered with daily nightmares and anxiety over what happened to her, I cannot get the horrible image of my mother looking skinny and unwell out of my head. Why were they so heartless? What could cause them to torture another human? I hope that every day they feel bad for the choices they have made. I cannot believe people she thought were her friends would ever do this to her. These people are cruel and evil, they do not deserve to live a normal happy life again. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} At least 350 women have been killed by a man since the murder of Sarah Everard the equivalent of one woman dying every three days, The Independent can reveal. Frustrated experts said the government is still failing to protect women as the sobering new figures came to light on the third anniversary of Ms Everards kidnap and murder by a serving police officer. Her death was hailed as a watershed moment which sparked an outpouring of anger over womens safety and shone a light on the epidemic of violence against women and girls. Sarah Everards family said Wayne Couzens should never have been a police officer (Family handout/Crown Prosecution Service/PA) But campaigners have said promises to tackle the crisis were empty words as they warned: So much more needs to be done. The figures, shared with The Independent by the Femicide Census, showed at least 350 women have died with a man responsible or a principal suspect since Ms Everards death on 3 March 2021. Thats an average of one woman dead at the hands of a man every three days, executive director Dr Karen Ingala Smith said. Sarah Everards death sparked an outpouring of anger over womens safety and shone a light on the epidemic of violence against women and girls (PA) Of these, eight in 10 had a relationship with their killer, with 43 per cent killed by a former or current partner, 12 per cent by a family member, 15 per cent by a man who knew them. Around 28 women which accounts for eight per cent of cases were killed by a stranger, like Ms Everard. She added: The figure of eight per cent of women killed by men in the UK being killed by a stranger is consistent with the average since our records began in 2009. So ask me whether anything has changed since Sarahs murder, and my answer is no. The figures come after an inquiry into Ms Everards killer Wayne Couzens uncovered an astonishing string of blunders in the recruitment of the predator to the Metropolitan Police and eight missed opportunities to stop him in his tracks. Ms Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, was walking home in Clapham, south London, when she was tricked by Couzens, who falsely arrested her before driving to Kent where he raped and strangled and dumped her burnt body in woodland. In the aftermath of her death, thousands of grieving women gathered for a vigil at Clapham Common calling for action to prevent to male violence against women and, simply, the right to walk home safely. Anna Birley, co-founder of vigil organisers Reclaim These Streets, told The Independent: We were promised that tackling violence against women and girls would be a priority for this government, but these figures show that this was all empty words. Women are still being murdered by men, demand for domestic violence services remains at record highs and rapes are still going unprosecuted. By failing to grasp the scale of the problem and failing to take meaningful action to keep us safe, this government is failing women. Thousands of grieving women gathered for a vigil at Clapham Common calling for action to prevent to male violence against women (Victoria Jones/PA) Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), said each of the 350 women who have lost their lives in the last three years have been failed by society. While weve heard lots of promises and seen top-level commitments to tackling violence against women in the last three years, there is so much more that needs to be done, she told The Independent. There is a failure to prioritise preventing violence in all the work promised to tackle it. We need to see the police response to all forms of abuse improve, with better detection, early intervention, and protective steps taken when women report violence to reduce the risk of femicide. Police and justice agencies must take action to stop known perpetrators from frequently reoffending against women and girls. We must also see work to shift attitudes across society, including the sexism and male entitlement that drives violence against women and sees it normalised and trivialised. This starts with high-quality education and well-funded public information campaigns, she said, adding: Until we tackle harmful attitudes and the inequality that puts women and girls in harms way, we wont be able to improve womens feelings of safety and freedom. An inquiry into Sarah Everards killer Wayne Couzens uncovered an astonishing string of blunders in the recruitment of the predator to the police (Supplied) The calls come after this week Labour MP Jess Phillips read out in the House of Commons the names of every woman killed last year, warning the epidemic of violence against women and girls has not abated. She said: All of these women mattered, they need to matter much more to politics. And I urge again, as I have for years, for the government to have a strategy for reducing femicide. Warm words and no political priority will never make this list shorter. It is the ninth year that the MP has read victims names to the chamber, adding each life lost was a testament to failure to prioritise womens safety. She added: I am tired that womens safety matters so much less in this place than small boats. I am tired of fighting for systematic change and being given table scraps. Never again do I want to hear a politician say that lessons will be learned from abject failure. It is not true. This list is no longer just a testament to these womens lives, it is a testament to our collective failure. Labour MP Jess Phillips said she was tired of fighting for systematic change and being given table scraps (UK Parliament/Maria Unger/PA) Jhiselle Feanny, co-founder of Killed Women, a campaign group of families bereaved by male violence against women, described the latest figures as devastating. She said: Each represents a life brutally taken. And a family facing the unimaginable, their whole world destroyed. Three years, so many lives, endless announcements, headlines, reviews, reports and lessons learned. And yet here we are, listening to the latest death toll read out in Parliament. She said attacks on women were preventable crimes after a survey of bereaved families last year found almost seven in 10 believed their loved-ones death was preventable, while two-thirds said the killer had a prior history of violence. These deaths and injustices are not inevitable. The murders of women are not unavoidable tragedies, but preventable crimes, Ms Feanny added. We urgently need decision- and policy-makers to act, so women can live free from fear, threat and violence. A government spokesperson said: We are committed to tackling violence against women and improving the police response to these vile crimes. We have classified it as national threat alongside other threats such as terrorism and introduced the first-ever dedicated national policing lead. The Angiolini inquiry has looked into issues around police culture and the government will continue to work with police partners to ensure that proper standards are upheld at all times. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Jewish people in Britain say they are considering leaving the country as it feels like Nazi Germany, amid a surge in antisemitic incidents since the 7 October Hamas massacre in Israel. Physical attacks, threats and accusations of slaughtering babies are among the incidents suffered by terrified residents, after recent figures showed more than 4,000 reports of antisemitism last year. This week, Rishi Sunak pledged an extra 54m for the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism and provides security for the Jewish community in Britain. CST figures revealed there were 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the UK last year, way up from the previous record of 2,261 in 2021. The number of Islamophobic incidents in the UK has also soared. And on Friday, the Board of Deputies of British Jews condemned George Galloways Rochdale by-election win as a dark day for the UKs Jewish community. Mr Galloway who has always denied allegations of antisemitism won the seat from Labour, who were forced to disown their candidate, Azhar Ali, after he made deeply offensive comments about the 7 October attacks. The surge in antisemitism in the UK comes as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues in the Middle East (AP) Among the victims of abuse in the UK is Jack Christie, 25, who says he had never felt threatened by antisemitism until recently. While on a train home after a march against antisemitism in November, Mr Christie and his friends were targeted by a man who used racial slurs and threatened to assault him. There was nothing to do with the conflict, just a few people holding signs about antisemitism like never again means now, he told The Independent. Some people were wearing kippahs on their heads and there were quite a few visibly Jewish people on the train. 'Tornado of antisemitism' working through UK, government advisor warns I was talking to my friend and then next to me I hear someone say pigs. The guy next to me was on FaceTime and says, Im on the train with a bunch of dirty Jewish pigs, scumbags and baby killers. He went on to accuse other passengers of supporting killers, being donkeys and branded them child molesters. No one said anything to spark a reaction, it was out of nowhere, Mr Christie said, adding that it has made him not want to be openly Jewish on public transport anymore. It wasnt even about Israel, it was just plainly antisemitic. Jack Christie says he now feels hesitant to be openly Jewish on public transport following the abuse (Supplied) When he uploaded footage of the incident on social media, the tech professional received a barrage of threats and abuse. I got many hate comments and even had people say to find the boy in the orange jumper [himself] and that I should be lynched, he said. I was scared as this happened near where I lived. I was looking over my shoulder for a long time and for a few months I stopped wearing my necklace. Another Jewish person who shared their experience of antisemitism is a 47 year-old woman, who says she has been attacked several times since 7 October. Sharon, who did not want to give her surname, said she was approached by a man who began aggressively questioning her religion and the conflict in Israel, while she was putting up hostage posters in east London. When she began filming the incident for her safety, the man pushed her to the ground and snatched her phone before smashing it on the pavement. The man then tried to punch her as she tried to get her phone back, she added. Sharon wants to leave the UK after suffering two antisemitic attacks (Supplied) It was the second antisemitic attack Sharon had suffered within a matter of weeks. While out in the Kensal Rise area of London, she says she was faced with a barrage of antisemitic abuse after she confronted a woman and her young daughter tearing down missing hostage posters. She was told she was a child slaughterer before the woman hurling abuse told her that she, used to feel guilty [about being antisemitic], but not anymore. Every time this happens, its like someone is reaching out and ripping out my heart, Sharon said. I dont feel safe anymore. None of us feel safe. I feel like I have to put another lock on the door because Britain feels like Nazi Germany. She added that she feels she has been forced to consider leaving the country as she no longer feels welcome in Britain as a Jew. Jewish people putting up posters in London about hostages taken by Hamas say they have faced abuse (AP) Im scared to go out, she explained. Im always looking behind me to check if someones following me. Everyone feels like this. Everybodys thinking about leaving and having conversations with friends about whether to stay or not. Im definitely not staying, I think by the end of the year, I will be gone. Theres no room for people like me in London its turned into a fascist state. The Campaign Against Antisemitism said the scale of antisemitic incidents seen across the UK since 7 October is terrifying. According to our polling, more than six in ten British Jews have either personally experienced or witnessed an antisemitic incident since 7 October or know somebody who has, a spokesperson said. The Jewish community in this country is on high alert, and there is no end in sight. If you have been a victim of antisemitism you can report it to the CST by emailing incidents@cst.org.ukor calling 0800 032 3263 Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The RSPCA have appealed for information after a guinea pig was abandoned at a London tube station with a note reading I need a new owner. The adorable pet - aged around six months to a year - was discovered at Canning Town station at around 4:20pm on February 18. Sadly there was no CCTV in the area where he was left in a cage with the note taped to it. sadly there was no CCTV in the area where he was left in a cage with the note taped to it (RSPCA) The guinea pig has been named DiscoPig and will be available to rehome from the RSPCA along with a mate soon. While DiscoPig was found to be healthy and well cared for, staff at the RSPCA are concerned that the animal had been left alone. He seemed healthy and well cared for. Its very sad that someone has abandoned their pet in this way, RSPCA inspector Shahnaz Ahmad, who collected the pet and took him to an RSPCA centre, said. The pet was left in this area of Canning Town station (RSPCA) They added: This guinea pig was found alone, guinea pigs are naturally sociable and normally prefer to be with one or more guinea pigs. A guinea pig can develop abnormal behaviour and may suffer if they are left without company. Inspector Ahmad also urged people struggling to take care of their pets to reach out to charities for help rather than abandoning them adding: We encourage people to reach out to local animal welfare charities for help with pet care, rather than leaving them in a vulnerable situation like this. Abandoning pets in such a manner is an incredibly cruel thing to do and never the answer. If anyone has information about the incident contact the RSPCAs appeal line confidentially on 0300 123 8018. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Police used their powers to block a pro-Palestine protest in London on Saturday following Rishi Sunaks warning that demonstrations and democracy itself were being targeted by extremists. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign singled out Barclays Bank for its day of action, assembling at nearly 50 locations including the branch on Tottenham Court Road in central London. Protesters marched from Mornington Crescent to the Barclays branch, accompanied by the controversial from the river to the sea chant and flanked by a mass of police officers. At the Barclays branch on Tottenham Court Road, the police blocked protesters and ordered them to move across the road citing Section 14 of the Public Order Act. Luca Salice, 67, co-chair of the Camden Palestine Solidarity Campaign, dismissed the prime ministers rhetoric around extremists as an election ploy and said protesters were actually grateful for the police. Rishi Sunak is losing an election. He is scrambling, Mr Salice said, adding: I dont think our protests are extremist. I dont see how being in favour of human lives is extremist. The protesters said they targeted Barclays because of its alleged ties to companies supplying weapons to Israel (PA) Mr Salice, an Italian who now lives in Camden, added: There could be one or two extremists who come into the protests. I cant say that is impossible and luckily we have the police here, who are working with us. They are helping us organise this protest and making sure they are safe. And whenever they see the odd person who may do something wrong, it is up to them to arrest them. Speaking at a lectern outside Downing Street on Friday evening, Mr Sunak urged protesters to prevent extremists from infiltrating their ranks and warned of more stringent policing. The Tory leader said: I want to speak directly to those who choose to continue to protest: dont let the extremists hijack your marches. You have a chance in the coming weeks to show that you can protest decently, peacefully and with empathy for your fellow citizens. Paul Woof, 64, from Dulwich, who attended the protest with a sign that read: Do I look like an extremist?, called on politicians to witness the protests first-hand. He said: These people ought to go on a march and see the sort of people who are on these marches, a lot of whom are Jewish. Its astonishing the rhetoric, he said, adding: They know it isnt true. They are talking to their grassroots faithful to try and stir up division in this country. Rishi Sunak giving a press conference in Downing Street on Friday (PA Wire) In his Friday address, Mr Sunak said demonstrators should be able to march and protest with passion but cannot call for violent jihad or call for the eradication of a state or any kind of hatred or antisemitism. I say this to the police, we will back you when you take action, he said, confirming that senior police chiefs would be expected to police rather than simply manage pro-Palestine protests. In London, PSC targeted Barclays branches in Croydon, Hammersmith, Haringey, Harrow, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Streatham, Tower Hamlets, Willesden, and Wimbledon. It comes after the home secretary James Cleverly said pro-Palestinian protesters had made their point and questioned: What are these protests genuinely hoping to achieve? PSC has called for a boycott of Barclays because it claims the British bank holds substantial financial ties with arms companies supplying weapons to Israel. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson has reportedly been told that there appears to be no further spread of her skin cancer, after two back-to-back health scares. Ms Ferguson was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in January, just six months after treatment for breast cancer and undergoing breast reconstruction surgery. The ex-wife of Prince Andrew underwent examinations of the skin in the area around the malignant mole, and learned that it was all free of cancer, the Daily Mail has reported, citing her friend. Shes undergone further surgery following the melanoma diagnosis to examine the area around the mole that was found to be malignant and her lymph nodes, said the friend of the duchess, who was not named. The good news is that these have all been found to be free of cancer so it looks like there has been no spread of the disease and the prognosis is good, though shell have to have regular check-ups going forward. Its a huge relief for Sarah and the entire family after the most stressful time and an anxious wait for results. Doctors have advised her to be vigilant and undergo regular check-ups every 12 weeks while still refraining from using the term cancer free for her, sources close to the duchess said. File Sarah, Duchess of York smiles outside after attending the Royal Familys traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham Estate in eastern England (AFP via Getty Images) She is very lucky that the melanoma was caught early thanks to the vigilance of her dermatologist, who asked for a number of moles to be checked while she was undergoing reconstructive surgery after her mastectomy, her friend said. Her friend said that she will now be banging the drum to make more people aware of the need for regular check-ups and urging people not to miss mammograms or getting moles checked. Her intention will be to get the message out about the importance of being vigilant about checking the size, shape, colour and texture of moles. If melanoma is caught early, it can be treated very effectively, her friend added. The mother of princesses Beatrice and Eugenie wrote in late January that she was in shock after being diagnosed with a malignant melanoma after undergoing surgery for breast cancer, but added that she remains in good spirits. Breaking her silence for the first time since the news emerged, she also gave her thanks to those rallying around her and praised the medics who cared for her in a social media post. Prince Andrew (left) leads the line alongside Sarah, Duchess of York Duchess of York, Zara Tindall, Sir Timothy Laurence, Mike Tindall and Anne, Princess Royal at a meorial service for the late King Constantine of Greece (Getty Images) She had several moles removed during breast reconstruction surgery, with one of them being identified as cancerous. Her diagnosis was one among a series of health scares to hit the royal family. It comes as King Charges was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer during a check-up last month on an unrelated, enlarged prostate that proved to be benign. A statement issued by Buckingham Palace read: His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer. Around the same time, the Princess of Wales was recuperating after being discharged from hospital at the end of January, having undergone successful, planned abdominal surgery. Ms Ferguson is now planning to travel to Australia in the next few days to see her sister and celebrate. She is slated to take part in the Global Citizen Now forum in Melbourne. She is overjoyed, her friend said. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Concerns about politicians security have intensified after details emerged of a sex smear against a female ex-MP recorded by a private intelligence agency. The Independent can reveal that a secret dossier held by top private spies firm K2 falsely accused ex-Tory MP Charlotte Leslie of carrying out a sting on six former lovers to get money and political support from them. K2 also stored information about Conservative grandee Lord Nicholas Soames, grandson of Second World War leader Winston Churchill. Included in the 50,000-word dossier was an aerial photograph of Ms Leslies home, her address, intimate details of her love life, medical history and mortgage, as well as personal details including names and addresses of her partner, elderly parents and other family members. Speaking to The Independent, the former Bristol MP said she was disgusted by the claims which she described as clearly part of an orchestrated smear campaign to defame her. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by K2. A secret dossier held by top private spies firm K2 falsely accused ex-Tory MP Charlotte Leslie of carrying out a sting on six former lovers (PA) The K2 files are a tissue of lies and smears, she said. To say I carried out a sting on ex-lovers to extract money is to accuse me of criminal conduct. To dig into my partners and familys personal circumstances, addresses and work and even our dog is despicable and alarming. At a time when there is great concern about the threat to politicians safety, it is beyond belief that this kind of thing goes on. Ms Leslie and Lord Soames given espionage-style codenames of Lady and Knight have both been involved in a bitter row with Tory donor Mohamed Amersi. Telecoms tycoon Mr Amersi was branded a shady fixer for corrupt politicians by former cabinet minister Sir David Davis in parliament on Wednesday. Mr Amersi denied any wrongdoing and invited Sir David to repeat the claims outside the Commons chamber, where he would not have legal immunity. A legal dispute between Ms Leslie and Mr Amersi arose after she blocked the donors bid to take over a Tory group which promotes the partys Middle East interests. Telecoms tycoon Mr Amersi was branded a shady fixer for corrupt politicians by ex-cabinet minister Sir David Davis in parliament (Getty Images) The group is led by Lord Soames who sent a memo about Mr Amersis Russian business links, compiled by Ms Leslie, to Conservative HQ in 2021. The controversial dossier held by global giant K2 seen by The Independent describes Ms Leslie as flirty a chancer likes expensive hotel freebies. It adds that she is a compromised figure who gets cash from oil-rich states to keep their influence over the UK. The file contains photographs and the location of the exclusive Ritz-Carlton villas in Bahrain where it falsely says Ms Leslie stayed in 2016 while on a political trip. And it implies she did not tell the truth when she denied agreeing to appear on the Celebrity Big Brother TV reality show, stating: Lady issued a partial denial leaving open the possibility that she had talks with the producers. In fact Ms Leslie, who worked as a Baywatch lifeguard in her 20s, says she rejected the offer outright. The private agents even spied on her pet schnauzer dog, Toby, claiming it was vital evidence of her relationship with her partner. The file contains two photos of Toby, who was involved in a separate alleged threat to Ms Leslie in the Amersi row three years ago. In addition, the dossier questions remarks made by Middle East expert Lord Soames, a member of the privy council and former defence minister, after a trip to Syria. The revelation about the existence of the file follows new measures this week to safeguard politicians. Three women MPs have been given bodyguards and chauffeur-driven cars over concerns about their safety. The Home Office announced a 31m package to boost MPs protection following protests linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict. And Rishi Sunak called on police to do more to guard MPs at home, while warning that democracy itself was a target at a hastily organised press conference in Downing Street on Friday night. On learning of the K2 dossier, Ms Leslie sought advice from Metropolitan Police anti-terrorism officers who told her how to improve her security. Mr Amersi, together with Russian-born partner Nadia, has given 750,000 to the Conservatives since 2017. He has given a further 1m to King Charles favourite charitable causes, which led to him dining with the then heir to the throne. The philanthropist has defended his donations as access to capitalism. He is referred to at the top of the K2 files, which state: Parties, Mohamed Amersi v Charlotte Leslie. Nadia Amersi with Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, and Mohamed Amersi at a National Osteoporosis Society event in London in 2018 (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images for th) Beneath Mr Amersis name, his lawyers are named as Carter-Ruck. Mr Amersi told The Independent he did not ask K2 to investigate Ms Leslie. I had nothing to do with it at all, I have no idea where it came from, he said. Asked if Carter-Ruck commissioned K2, Nigel Tait, the law firms managing partner, said: No, we never instructed them. The files start in 2021, the year Mr Amersi began a libel battle against Ms Leslie which was thrown out by the High Court last year. An extraordinary K2 internal email dated 5 August 2021 says of Ms Leslie: Playing the flirty Oxford graduate. Potential sources said he [the individual is not named] had the names of six former lovers of Leslie who were victims of sting operations she had carried out on them. He said what she gets from them is money and political support. The identity of the he seeking the information is not given, or is redacted. Another note records that she split from a former partner while she was in hospital with complications following surgery. K2 agents appear to be under orders to look for any damaging information about Ms Leslie. Search for evidence of her staying/partying in private villa in Bahrain prior to making positive statements about its human rights record in Parliament? state the files. She is a compromised figure a mediocrity. How much of a chancer is she? says a note dated August 13 2021. An undated file asks: Has the Lady done anything outside CMEC [the Conservative Middle East group that Mr Amersi wanted to take over] which evidences misconduct? Among the more bizarre entries in the K2 files is a forensic report on Ms Leslies dog Toby, which she shares with partner Andy (Supplied) One entry says: Look at that Saudi trip she took, paid for by a benefactor in Riyadh. Another adds: Look into this more. Another file says that in 2014 Ms Leslie was forced to apologise for failing to declare 17,000 in donations. She blamed her dyslexia and was cleared of any wrongdoing. The extensive dossier also records that before her dispute with Mr Amersi, Ms Leslie was the subject of two unrelated threats to her and her family. It recalls that in 2015 anarchists attacked her parents house in Bristol, where the then MP lived at weekends. It also notes that in the same year a Muslim convert was jailed for threatening Ms Leslie after a Commons vote on the Middle East. Among the more bizarre entries in the K2 files is a forensic report on Ms Leslies dog Toby, which she shares with partner Andy. It says: Since 2020 Lady has posted pictures of her walking and cuddling a white dog. A very similar-looking dog features as her partners Twitter profile picture. Nigel Tait, managing partner in law firm Carter-Ruck (Supplied/Getty) The file duly includes two photographs of Toby. In 2021, shortly after Ms Leslies row with Mr Amersi erupted, Toby was at the centre of a separate incident. Ms Leslie claimed she felt threatened in a series of phone calls from a Tory adviser, Carl Hunter, who offered to mediate between her and Mr Amersi and in one of his calls mentioned her dog. Urging her to back down in the dispute, ex-army officer Mr Hunter told her: You need to consider your position, as in being able to walk the dog at night and being able to sleep well at night. You are in the eye of the storm here and its you they seem to be after. Youre looking into a world of pain on this. Its a volcano and he feels hes got his armoured divisions ready to deploy. Mr Hunter denied threatening her and said he was sorry if his genuine attempt to find a compromise had been misinterpreted. Mr Amersi said he had nothing to do with Mr Hunters phone call. The Independent contacted K2 for comment. Asked about the dossier, a K2 spokesperson told Channel 4 TV last week: K2s work was limited to public information only and no discussions were conducted with external sources including associates of Ms Leslie. The comments relating to her were made during the course of initial briefings to K2 employees and not source enquiries. The extensive dossier also records that before Ms Leslies dispute with Mr Amersi, she was the subject of two unrelated threats to her and her family (PA) The controversy over Mr Amersi has been reignited by a new book, Cuckooland, by investigative journalist Tom Burgis, which explores the Tory donors business dealings in Russia and his feud with Ms Leslie. Sir David has accused Mr Amersis lawyers in parliament of committing perjury in their defence of him an allegation denied by Carter-Ruck. When Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed Mr Amersis libel case last year he challenged the exorbitant sum he had spent pursuing Ms Leslie in court and said taking repeated legal action against an individual could amount to abusive conduct. Lord Soames declined to comment. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The next government should hand all 30-year-olds a 10,000 citizens inheritance to tackle growing inequality as wealth shifts between generations, a Tory peer has suggested. As new analysis suggests that a hugely uneven 1.5trn wealth transfer to millennials is set to deepen current inequalities, Lord David Willetts warned that we are going to have some very rich inheritors and a growing number of people who never get on the housing ladder and rent until old age. Cautioning that not enough has been done to spread wealth since Margaret Thatchers privatisation drive and right-to-buy scheme, the Tory peer and president of the Resolution Foundation think-tank has again raised the notion of a citizens inheritance. Lord Willetts, who first suggested such a scheme six years ago while chairing the Intergenerational Commission, said: It doesnt matter if you are Conservative or Labour, a world in which inheritance matters more and earnings matter less is a less open and socially mobile society. [Inheritances are now] coming to people quite late in life. It will reinforce a pattern of inheritance where the grandkids will benefit. The Conservative peer, a former MP for Havant who also chairs the UK Space Agency, told The Guardian the scheme could be funded by lowering the threshold at which inheritance tax is paid, abolishing exemptions, and lowering the 40 per cent tax rate. It came as analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies for the same publication found that millennials those born between 1981 and 1996 are set to inherit an average of around 150,000 each from parents who have benefitted from soaring property prices and final salary pensions. However the IFS found that one in 10 millennials are set to get nothing, while the top 10 per cent will receive more than 500,000 each, as annual inheritance handovers rise by a third to hit 145bn by 2033. David Willetts has previously called for a (AFP/ GETTY IMAGES) As a result, inheritance will only boost lifetime incomes by 5 per cent for millennials from the poorest fifth of families, in contrast with 29 per cent for the richest fifth, according to the think-tank. Property values will exacerbate the divide between north and south, while those from Black African, Black Caribbean, Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds are already a third to half as likely to receive an inheritance than their white counterparts, The Guardian reported. Warning that the great wealth transfer is coming, David Sturrock, senior research economist at the IFS, told the paper: Working incomes are growing more slowly so the amounts [in inheritances] are a much more consequential part of your lifetime resources. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Labour has accused the Conservatives of depriving hospitals and other public services of 18bn by rejecting its calls to scrap tax breaks for non-doms for the last nine years. The party also hit out at the mother of all U-turns in its first full-throated attack on expectations Jeremy Hunt will steal one of its flagship policies in the Budget on Wednesday. And in comments that will be widely seen as a reference to Rishi Sunaks wife, Labours shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said the prime minister had been wedded to the loophole for too long. Akshata Murty hit the headlines two years ago when The Independent first revealed that she was a non-dom. In response, Ms Murty, whose family business is estimated to be worth around 60bn, announced that she would start paying British taxes on all her worldwide income. Despite previously arguing the move would drive high-earners overseas, the chancellor is considering abolishing the loophole for wealthy foreign nationals. The about-turn comes as he scrabbles to find money for tax cuts in a desperate bid to woo disgruntled voters. Rishi Sunak with his wife Akshata Murty, who was a non-dom (AP) But a new analysis by Labour, shared with The Independent, says schools and hospitals could have benefitted from billions if ministers had abolished the tax break in 2015, when the Opposition first pledged to scrap it under then-leader Ed Miliband. Labour analysed 2023 research by academics at the London School of Economics (LSE) and Warwick University, which found abolishing the non-dom rules would raise around 2.3bn a year. Adjusting in line with price changes, the party says the Exchequer has missed out on 18bn in lost tax revenue since 2015. The figure is around a tenth of the NHSs annual budget, and equivalent to its yearly drugs bill, according to a report last year by LSE, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the University of York. Wes Streeting, Labours shadow health secretary, said: The Conservatives have thrown everything at defending the non-dom tax status for the past decade, while our schools and NHS have deteriorated. That extra investment could have provided the doctors, nurses, and equipment our NHS desperately lacks today. The Tories chose to keep billions of pounds in the pockets of the wealthiest rather than our public services. It would be the mother of all U-turns if they reversed their decade-long position now, and far too late for so many patients and schoolchildren. Rishi Sunak should explain why he was so wedded to the non-dom tax status for so long. The Treasury and No 10 declined to comment. Jeremy Hunt is being urged to increase defence spending ahead of his Budget announcement (PA Wire) Mr Sunak and Mr Hunt were forced to rip up their Budget plans earlier this week after the spending watchdog warned they were unaffordable, The Independent understands, prompting expectation they will opt for more revenue-raising measures. But in November 2022, shortly after he became Chancellor, Mr Hunt hit out at calls to scrap the status, saying: These are foreigners who could live easily in Ireland, France... they all have these schemes. All things being equal, I would rather they stayed here and spent their money here. He added that he was not going to do anything thats going to damage the long-term attractiveness of the UK, even though it gives easy shots to opposition parties. And last year, Mr Sunak attacked Keir Starmer over the policy at prime ministers questions, saying: He talks about this non-dom thing. I think hes already spent the money that hes claimed hes raised on five different things. Because its the same old Labour party theyre always running out of other peoples money. Mr Hunt is facing intense pressure from MPs on his own benches to offer voters tax cuts in the run-up to the general election. Some Tory MPs privately concede their party would need a miracle to win, after trailing Labour in the polls for two years. Many are fearful the trouncing could be so bad it could consign the party to oblivion for a decade or more. Mr Hunt is also facing pressure from the defence secretary Grant Shapps, who has urged him to increase military spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP in the budget. He joins other senior Tories, including former prime minister Sir John Major, who believe the UK needs to ramp up support for the armed forces as war rages on the edge of Europe and tensions rise in the Middle East. Mr Hunt is expected to resist those calls, however, after his fiscal headroom, the amount he theoretically has to spend, fell. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Rishi Sunak issued a warning about extremism on Friday night in a speech described as a sobering warning of the fragility of democracy. The PM said his Government will give officers its backing when they take action at pro-Palestinian demonstrations. He made the comments during a hastily arranged address outside No 10 Downing Street on Friday in which he railed against extremism and Islamism. He said the UKs streets had been hijacked by people hostile to British values during protests in support of a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, which has raged for almost five months. Read his speech in full below: In recent weeks and months, we have seen a shocking increase in extremist disruption and criminality. What started as protests on our streets, has descended into intimidation, threats, and planned acts of violence. Jewish children fearful to wear their school uniform lest it reveal their identity. Muslim women abused in the street for the actions of a terrorist group they have no connection with. Now our democracy itself is a target. Council meetings and local events have been stormed. MPs do not feel safe in their homes. Long standing Parliamentary conventions have been upended because of safety concerns. And it is beyond alarming that last night the Rochdale by election returned a candidate who dismisses the horror of what happened on October 7th, who glorifies Hezbollah and is endorsed by Nick Griffin, the racist former leader of the BNP. I need to speak to you all this evening because this situation has gone on long enough and demands a response not just from government, but from all of us. Britain is a patriotic, liberal, democratic society with a proud past and a bright future. We are a reasonable country and a decent people. Our story is one of progress, of great achievements and enduring values. Immigrants who have come here have integrated and contributed. They have helped write the latest chapter in our island story. They have done this without being required to give up their identity. You can be a practising Hindu and a proud Briton as I am. Or a devout Muslim and a patriotic citizen as so many are. Or a committed Jewish person and the heart of your local community and all underpinned by the tolerance of our established, Christian church. We are a country where we love our neighbours. And we are building Britain together. But I fear that our great achievement in building the worlds most successful multi-ethnic, multi faith democracy is being deliberately undermined. There are forces here at home trying to tear us apart. Since October 7th there have been those trying to take advantage of the very human angst that we all feel about the terrible suffering that war brings to the innocent, to women and children to advance a divisive, hateful ideological agenda. On too many occasions recently, our streets have been hijacked by small groups who are hostile to our values and have no respect for our democratic traditions. Membership of our society is contingent on some simple things that you abide by the rule of law, and that change can only come through the peaceful, democratic process. Threats of violence and intimidation are alien to our way of doing things: they must be resisted at all times. Nearly everyone in Britain supports these basic values but there are small and vocal hostile groups who do not. Islamist extremists and the far right feed off and embolden each other. They are equally desperate to pretend that their violence is somehow justified when actually these groups are two sides of the same extremist coin. Neither group accept that change in our country can only come through the peaceful democratic process. Both loathe the pluralist, modern country we are. Both want to set Briton against Briton to weaponise the evils of anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim hatred for their own ends. The faith of Islam, peacefully practised by millions of our fellow citizens is emphatically not the same thing as the extremist political ideology of Islamism which aims to separate Muslims from the rest of society. Islamist extremists and far rights groups are spreading a poison, that poison is extremism. It aims to drain us of our confidence in ourselves as a people, and in our shared future. They want us to doubt ourselves, to doubt each other, to doubt our countrys history and achievements. They want us to accept a moral equivalence between Britain and some of the most despicable regimes in the world. They want us to believe that our country, and the West more generally, is solely responsible for the worlds ills and that we, along with our allies, are the problem. In short, they want to destroy our confidence and hope. We must not allow that to happen. When these groups claim that Britain is and has been on the wrong side of history, we should reject it, and reject it again. No country is perfect, but I am enormously proud of the good that our country has done. Our place in history is defined by the sacrifices our people have made, in the service of our own freedom and that of others. And when these groups tell children that they cannot - and will not succeed - because of who they are When they tell children that the system is rigged against them or that Britain is a racist country This is not only a lie, but a cynical attempt to crush young dreams, and turn impressionistic minds against their own society. I stand here as our countrys first non-white Prime Minister, leading the most diverse government in our countrys history to tell people of all races, all faiths and all backgrounds it is not the colour of your skin, the God you believe in or where you were born, that will determine your success but just your own hard work and endeavour. We must be prepared to stand up for our shared values in all circumstances, no matter how difficult. And I respect that the police have a tough job in policing the protests we have seen and that they are operationally independent. But we must draw a line. Yes, you can march and protest with passion You can demand the protection of civilian life but no, you cannot call for violent Jihad. There is no context in which it can be acceptable to beam antisemitic tropes onto Big Ben in the middle of a vote on Israel/Gaza. And there can be no cause you can use to justify the support of a proscribed terrorist group, like Hamas. Yes, you can freely criticise the actions of this government, or indeed any government: that is a fundamental democratic right. But no, you cannot use that as an excuse to call for the eradication of a State or any kind of hatred or antisemitism. This week I have met with senior police officers and made clear it is the publics expectation that they will not merely manage these protests, but police them. And I say this to the police, we will back you when you take action. But if we are asking more of the police, we in government must also back up that call with action. To that end, this month the government will implement a new robust framework for how it deals with this issue. To ensure that we are dealing with the root causes of this problem and that no extremist organisations or individuals are being lent legitimacy by their actions and interactions with central government. You cannot be part of our civic life if your agenda is to tear it down. We will redouble our support for the Prevent programme to stop young minds being poisoned by extremism. We will demand that universities stop extremist activity on campus. We will also act to prevent people entering this country whose aim is to undermine its values. The Home Secretary has instructed that if those here on visas choose to spew hate on protests or seek to intimidate people we will remove their right to be here. And our Britain must not be a country in which we descend into polarised camps with some communities living parallel lives. It is not enough to live side-by-side, we must live together united by shared values and a shared commitment to this country. And I want to speak directly to those who choose to continue to protest: Dont let the extremists hijack your marches. You have a chance in the coming weeks to show that you can protest decently, peacefully and with empathy for your fellow citizens. Let us prove these extremists wrong and show them that even when we disagree we will never be disunited from our common values of decency and respect. I love this country. My family and I owe it so much. The time has now come for us all to stand together to combat the forces of division and beat this poison. We must face down the extremists who would tear us apart there must be leadership, not pandering or appeasement. When they tell their lies, we will tell the truth. When they try and sap our confidence, we will redouble our efforts. And when they try and make us doubt each other we will dig deeper for that extra ounce of compassion and empathy that they want us to believe doesnt exist, but that I know does. If we can do that, we can build on our great achievement in creating todays Britain a country of kind, decent, tolerant people. We can make this a country in which we all feel a renewed sense of pride. This is our home. So let us go forward together, confident in our values and confident in our future. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Alexander Smirnov was cast by Republicans as one of the FBIs most trusted informants, offering a highly credible account of brazen public corruption by Joe Biden that formed a pillar of the House impeachment investigation of the Democratic president. Then, last month, the script changed dramatically. Smirnov, 43, finds himself charged with lying to the FBI, accused of fabricating a tale of bribery and espionage involving then-Vice President Biden and the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, and he has told officials he has Russian intelligence contacts. It's muddied the GOP inquiry plenty. Interviews and a review of public records by The Associated Press suggest this was not likely Smirnov's first turn in what the government says is a cycle as a fabulist. They offer a portrait of a businessman who operated a string of murky shell companies, ran with others who have been accused of fraud, and boasted of his own ties to the FBI. The episode highlights not only the perils of the Republicans' reliance on unverified information in their quest to confront Biden but also the risks inherent in the FBI's use of sometimes-unreliable informants who may have ulterior motives. How come in all of the universe nobody in America figured out for years that this guy is a fraud and a liar? How did this (expletive) make its way to Congress? said Yossi Attia, a Los Angeles businessman who has interacted with Smirnov and once ran a penny stock company in which Smirnov held a substantial stake. Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry have dismissed the fabrication allegations against Smirnov as irrelevant to their investigation and are raising doubts about the FBI's credibility. The FBI, for its part, has never publicly called the informant's information verified or complete. The trust level that I have with the FBI is zero," Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said in a Fox News interview this past week. Smirnov's lawyers did not address questions about their client's past business dealings. Mr. Smirnoff is charged with making a false statement to federal officials. All of these inquiries into his prior business dealings only deflect from the important question of the accuracy of his prosecution, attorneys David Z. Chesnoff and Richard A. Schonfeld said in a statement. A MURKY PAST Little is known publicly about Smirnov other than allegations in the government's case, court records, corporate financial disclosures and business filings. A dual Israeli and U.S. citizen, Smirnov moved to the United States in 2006, traveling in Los Angeles Eastern European expatriate circles for more than a decade while providing information to the FBI. It wasnt immediately clear what investigations Smirnov may have contributed to, though he worked with an FBI handler based in Seattle and the indictment suggests he provided reporting related to ROC a likely reference to Russian organized crime. A short biography included in a corporate financial document from 2011 describes Smirnov as a veteran businessman fluent in Russian, English, Hebrew and Arabic who once was president of a private mineral and logistic operation, with assets in Russia. Even as Smirnov was being paid as a government informant, he participated in duplicitous business schemes, according to court records and interviews. One example is his investment in an obscure penny-stock company called Eco-Trade Corp. Such companies can yield a handsome return on a minimal investment. They are lightly regulated and often subject to financial scams and market manipulation. In 2010, Smirnov purchased a stake in Eco-Trade valued at roughly $3 million as the company was on the verge of launching an advertising blitz that dramatically inflated its value. A crash three years later saddled investors with losses. Eco-Trade had existed on paper for years under a variety of names and purported business aims, with control of the company changing hands repeatedly until it landed with some associates of Smirnov, according to interviews, court records and Securities and Exchange Commission filings. It was sued multiple times for securities fraud, leading to at least one settlement. The companys fortunes began to rise in 2010 after William Lieberman, who was later convicted in a separate penny stock fraud scheme, became president. Smirnov was appointed chairman of the company's board, but ultimately declined to take the position, SEC filings show. Soon the company was issuing news releases promoting new financial commitments, ongoing negotiations for oil and gas rights and the prospect of riches to be made in the Bakken oil fields of Montana. The stock caught fire online and share prices soared to more than 70 cents, even as analysts warned about the company's dodgy past. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority suspended trading of shares for several weeks in the spring of 2013. Then the stock's price plummeted and the company went dormant. It's unclear from SEC filings how much Smirnov may have made. He has not been not accused by authorities of wrongdoing in connection with that company. Court records indicate it wasn't his only stock scheme. SIX-FIGURE INVESTMENT, FAKE STOCK In 2016, Tigran Sarkisyan and Hripsime Khachtryan sued Smirnov, claiming he pitched them on a company called Grand Pacaraima Gold Corp. It was only after paying him $100,000 that the two discovered the stock certificates Smirnov provided were fake, according to the complaint. When they approached him about it, Smirnov told them he was working with authorities on a fraud investigation that did not involve them and he continued to make excuses and lie about their investment, the complaint said. The suit was dismissed in 2018 when Sarkisyan and Khachatryan failed to show up for a court date because they were incarcerated. The two been sentenced to prison for racketeering weeks earlier in a far-reaching case against dozens of defendants that included allegations of fraud, money laundering and murder-for-hire, court records show. Another acquaintance, Dmitry Fomichev, sued Smirnov in 2013, claiming Smirnov failed to repay a $500,000 loan. Court records state Smirnov boasted of his connections with the FBI and said he could help Fomichev resolve certain matters then being investigated by several agencies of the federal government in exchange for the loan. Several months later, Fomichev was indicted on tax and immigration charges and sentenced to probation. A Los Angeles judge ruled in Fomichev's favor in the civil case, though, issuing a nearly $600,000 judgement against Smirnov. Business disclosures reveal Smirnov also served as president of a company called GV Global Communications, which was founded by Avady and Galina Vaynter, a penny-stock power couple who have often found themselves at the center of litigation with investors and former business partners. In one case settled last year, according to records, the Vaynters accepted a $250,000 judgment against them after the disappearance of 619,000 share certificates for a company they controlled, which were owed to one of their investors. The Vaynters accused a business partner of stealing the certificates from their home, though their daughter filed a police report in 2016 that stated the shares were inside a pink briefcase that was lost near a Los Angeles community college, court records show. In an interview, Galina Vaynter acknowledged Smirnov had a role in GV Global Partners, but insisted it was only on paper and lasted for a month at most. She adamantly denied any wrongdoing in connection with past business dealings. All of the allegations are not true, Vaynter said, adding, I can state right now in front of God and any authorities anybody and prove myself. No one can point any finger on us." Court documents filed in Smirnov's current criminal case read like a spy novel, portraying him as a jet-setting global traveler who took meetings with mysterious foreign figures and stashed $6 million across numerous accounts. Prosecutors also have emphasized Smirnov's preoccupation with keeping his accumulated wealth out of his own name, noting how he would withdraw large sums and use it to purchase cashier's checks to give to his longtime girlfriend. After moving to Las Vegas in 2022, he gave her money to purchase a $1 million condo just off Elvis Presley Boulevard that is owned under her name, records show. Smirnov told his FBI handler in 2017 that the Biden family name surfaced during a business call he had with a representative for Burisma, where Biden's son Hunter served on the company's board. But after Donald Trump and his allies, including Rudy Giuliani, acting as a Trump lawyer, began to peddle unsupported corruption claims involving the Bidens and Ukraine before the 2020 presidential election, Smirnov's story grew more elaborate. 'I'LL TRY TO PROVE IT FOR YOU BRO' Its all over the news in Russia and Ukraine Smirnov texted his handler in May 2020. In another text at the time, he said, I'll try to prove it for you bro. He later said a Burisma official told him during the waning days of the Obama administration that Joe and Hunter Biden had each accepted $5 million bribes in exchange for a promise to alter U.S. policy in Burisma's favor. Smirnov claimed recordings existed of a Burisma official being "forced" to pay. Investigators determined that Smirnov had not, in fact, spoken with a Burisma official until after Trump was president and that their conversation was about a cryptocurrency venture Smirnov and an associate were promoting. During a September 2023 conversation with investigators, Smirnov claimed the Russians likely had recordings of Hunter Biden because a hotel in Ukraine's capital where he had stayed was wired and under their control information he said was passed along to him by four high-level Russian officials. But Hunter Biden has never traveled to Ukraine, according to the indictment against Smirnov. Congressional Republicans repeatedly promoted the credibility of the information provided by Smirnov, whose identity they say was unknown to them. Even after Smirnov was charged, lawmakers said they were simply relying on what they claim they were told by the FBI. Comer, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, recently asserted that FBI Director Christopher Wray had said Smirnov was one of the most trusted and highest paid" informants in the bureau. The FBI, however, communicated a different message in correspondence with Congress over the past year, repeatedly cautioning lawmakers that information from the source should not be treated as authenticated. In a letter to Comer last spring, the FBI congressional affairs chief wrote that information from confidential human sources is unverified and, by definition, incomplete. That didnt stop Republicans from running with it in their Biden investigation. Members of Comers committee were permitted to view a redacted copy of an FBI form summarizing Smirnov's account, a concession in the face of a Republican threat to hold Wray in contempt. A full version was later released by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. During a hearing with Wray in December, three months after the FBI said Smirnov had been reinterviewed, Grassley attested to the witnesss purported credibility. But the FBI director did not endorse any of the senators characterizations or discuss the ongoing investigation. Steve Laycock, a former FBI executive assistant director of the bureau's intelligence branch who oversaw management of its confidential human source program, said informants can be vital for investigations because they offer placement and access that agents might not otherwise have on their own. But, he said, it is imperative on an informants handler to ask probing questions of an informant and to vet information through other sources. Were in a society now of disinformation and misinformation. Youve really got to be watching and on the watch when information comes in and validating and verifying it," he said. ___ McCartney reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Amy Taxin in Los Angeles contributed to this report. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A Colorado firefighter paramedic has been sentenced to five years in prison over his role in the death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain. The sentence, handed down on Friday to Peter Cichunic, followed a rare prosecution of medical responders that has left officials rethinking how they treat people in police custody. Cichuniec and fellow paramedic Jeremy Cooper were both convicted in December of criminally negligent homicide for administering a sedative ultimately blamed for killing McClain, a young Black massage therapist, in 2019 who had been stopped by police while walking home from buying some ice tea. His killing drew widespread attention the following year in the wake of the police murder of another Black man, George Floyd, by police officers in Minneapolis. The five-year sentence was the minimum the judge could have given Cichuniec under sentencing guidelines. McClains mother, Sheneen McClain, raised her fist in the air as she left the courtroom following the sentencing, as shes done after previous hearings. In previous testimony Ms McClain said she once dreamed of being a firefighter and considered them heroes until the day they took my sons life. You are a local hero no more, she said as Cichuniec sat with his attorneys at a nearby table. Next time, think for yourself and do not follow the direction of a crowd of cowards. Peter Cichuniec received five years in prison following the death of Elijah McClain in 2019 (2023 The Denver Post, Medianews Group) Cichuniec had also been found guilty of the more serious charge of second-degree assault for giving a drug without consent or a legitimate medical purpose. Jurors concluded the assault caused serious bodily injury or death, which required that he be sentenced to at least five years in prison. Cichuniec who has been in custody since his conviction and was handcuffed and shackled for the hearing asked the judge for mercy ahead of his sentencing on Friday. He said he had spent his 18-year career as a firefighter and paramedic putting his own life on the line and putting other lives before his own. I have never backed down from a call and Ive had more things happen to me than you can imagine, he said. It sickened me when the prosecution said during their closing argument that I showed no remorse for Elijah. ... There was absolutely no intent to cause any harm to Elijah McClain. Following the sentencing a member of Cichuniecs family called out, love you Pete as he looked back and waved at them before leaving court in handcuffs, The Associated Press reported. On 24 August 2019 McClain was walking home from a convenience store in Aurora, Colorado, listening to music and wearing a ski mask, which his family said he wore to keep warm because of his anaemia, when a 911 caller reported him as looking sketchy. Police spotted McClain who was not armed and had not committed any crime and put him in a neck hold. That began a struggle that lasted about 20 minutes before the firefighter paramedics arrived and McClain was injected with 500 milligrams of ketamine. He suffered cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital and was taken off life support three days later. Experts testified that the sedative ultimately killed McClain, who was already weakened from struggling to breathe while being pinned down after inhaling vomit into his lungs during the struggle with police. Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old massage therapist, was killed in 2019 (via REUTERS) The case highlighted gaps in medical procedures for sedations of people in police custody that experts said must be addressed so more deaths can be prevented. The convictions of Cichuniec and Cooper in 2023 sent shockwaves through the ranks of paramedics across the US and thrust the profession into the acrimonious fight over social justice sparked by the 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Firefighters and officials from their union previously criticised the states prosecution of Cichuniec and said it was discouraging firefighters from becoming paramedics, decreasing the number of qualified personnel in emergencies and thereby putting lives at risk. Convicting Pete for the death is not justice. Its the very definition of a scapegoat, said former Aurora Fire Lieutenant John Lauder, who recently retired after working with Cichuniec over two decades. But for the grace of God, it could be us in jail. The result of this decision will have a negative impact on patient care throughout the nation. Will paramedics now be held be held responsible for outcomes beyond their control? The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Madeline Soto was reported missing in Florida on Monday 26 February, after the 13-year-old never showed up for class. After a four-day search, the local sheriffs office said it was confident that she was dead. The grim discovery of her body was made several hours later. Her mothers boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, is the lead suspect and is in police custody on sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material charges. So far, no charges have been filed in relation to Madelines death. Here is everything we know about the Madeline Soto case so far. When did Madeline Soto go missing? Madeline Soto, 13, was reported missing on Monday 26 February at around 8.30am. Orange County Sheriffs Office (OCSO) said that she was last seen off Village Park Drive in Kissimmee, near Orlando, heading to school. Madeline was described as white, 51 tall, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a green sweatshirt, black shorts and white Crocs. Her mothers boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, claimed that he had dropped her off close to Hunters Creek Middle School but not outside. However, the girl never showed up for class. Her mother only discovered that Madeline was missing when she went to pick her up from school later that day. More than 50 law enforcement officers spent the days following Madelines disappearance searching for her in nearby woodland. Officers had found messages on her phone that she said she wanted to live in the woods when she turned 13. Orange County Sheriffs Office deputies search woods in Kissimmee for missing teenager Madeline Soto (Orange County Sheriffs Office/X) Madeline Sotos body discovered On Friday 1 March, OCSO said they believed that Madeline was never dropped off near school on Monday morning and that she was already dead at that time. Sheriff John Mina said he had met with Madelines mother the night before to tell her he was confident that her daughter was dead and that his deputies were now looking for her body. The sheriff explained that OCSO has video evidence that shows Mr Sterns throwing items into a dumpster behind their apartment building at around 7.35am. Those items included the teens backpack and her school-issued laptop. At 8.19am, we have evidence that shows Stephan Sterns returning to the complex and Madeline was visible in that vehicle. We believe she was already dead at that time, the sheriff said. Later that Friday, the sheriffs office confirmed that her body had been found in a wooded area in Osceola County. Madeline Soto: Sheriff shares update on missing girl At about 4:30pm today, off of Hickory Tree Road, Osceola County Sheriffs Office search teams located the body of Madeline Soto in a wooded area. Madelines family has been notified, the office said in a statement. We have no additional information to release at this time. Kissimmee PD is the lead agency in this homicide investigation. That work continues. Mothers boyfriend is main suspect On Wednesday 28 February, two days after Madeline disappeared, OCSO announced that it had arrested Mr Sterns, following the discovery of disturbing images on his phone, which he had tried to delete. These photos and videos were criminal and sexual in nature, the office said. The office shared a video of the suspect in handcuffs. At the briefing on 1 March, Sheriff Mina said that investigators believe Mr Sterns dumped Madelines belongings before moving her body, rather than taking her to school as he had originally claimed. Kissimmee Police Department has Mr Sterns in custody. He is being held on sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material charges. On Monday 4 March, another arrest warrant was issued for Mr Sterns, alleging he had been abusing Madeline since at least 2022, when she was 11 years old. Investigators said they had further examined Mr Sterns phone and found that some of the sexually explicit material was dated from August 2022. The media was found despite the suspect saying he had accidentally performed a factory reset on his phone the day Madeline disappeared. Kissimmee PD has also shared photos of Mr Sterns car, which he was seen driving between 1pm and 2.30pm on 26 February in the area of State Road 192 and Old Hickory Tree Road. It is believed he had a flat tyre at the time. The department said on Wednesday 6 March that it was still working on the murder investigation, but added that further details could not yet be released. Our detectives and forensic unit are working tirelessly to uncover the truth behind this heartbreaking incident, the department said on X. We understand the desire for updates, and we assure you that every effort is being made to get justice for Madeline. Madelines mother is not considered a suspect at this time. Tributes paid to Madeline In a statement released on Friday afternoon, Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Dr Maria Vazquez paid tribute to their precious student. My thoughts and prayers go out to Maddies family and her school community, Dr Vazquez said. To lose a child so suddenly and tragically is extremely difficult, especially for family and friends. Counsellors continue to be available for any student or staff member dealing with the news. I ask that you keep the entire Hunters Creek Middle School community in your prayers as they grieve the loss of one of their own. Madeline Soto was last seen on Monday 26 February 2024 (Orange County Sheriffs Office) Osceola County Sheriff shared photo of crime scene online Less than 24 hours after Madelines body was discovered in Osceola County, the local sheriff, Marcos Lopez, reportedly shared a photo of the crime scene on his Instagram page. The post, which was quickly taken down, was an accident according to the sheriffs office. The image reportedly included clothing that matched items worn by the 13-year-old the day she went missing. Sheriff Lopezs opponent in the 2024 election, Russ Gibson, said he was shocked and appalled at the post, as well as another by executive director Nirva Rodriguez in which she posed for a selfie with Mr Sterns in the background as he was booked into Osceola County Jail. Osceola County Sheriffs Office said in a statement to local media that it apologised for any confusion or disturbance the posts may have caused. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A Missouri police officer and court official were shot dead by a man as they served eviction papers at his home. Officer Cody Allen, 35, was described as a hero following the shocking incident at the property in Independence, Missouri, on Thursday. Officer Allen and server Drexel Mack had gone to the home of Larry Acree, 69, to serve him the eviction notice when they were fatally shot. The pair, and other officers, had announced their presence but there was no answer from inside the property, officials said. So they removed the locks and entered the home and that was when Mr Acree allegedly opened fire. Mr Allen and Mr Mack were struck and killed, while two other officers were injured as they tried to help them. Speaking on Thursday afternoon, Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman paid tribute to his fallen officer, who had spent over a decade serving with the department. He did exactly what the men and women of law enforcement are called to do day in and day out. And I could not be more proud of him and his service to this community, Chief Dustman said. Visibly shaken at a different press conference, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said it was another loss for the police department. There are widows and children and moms that lost somebody really important to them, Ms Baker said. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker detailed the charges against Larry Acree during a news conference Friday, 1 March 2024 (AP) The official said it appeared Mr Acree was being evicted over unpaid taxes and that the process had begun in February 2023. We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job, Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said. Our hearts are heavy, and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire court family, and the Independence Police Department. Officials managed to take the suspect into custody and charged Mr Acree with two counts of murder and one count of assault. He is being held on a $2m bond and is in hospital. Officer Allen is survived by his wife, two children and his parents, while Mr Mack is survived by his fiance. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Major pharmacy retailers Walgreens and CVS will begin offering the abortion pill mifepristone as early as next week in stores across the US, a move that could significantly expand access to abortion care as the US Supreme Court once again prepares to hear a case that could radically restrict reproductive healthcare for millions of Americans. Mifepristone is one of two drugs in a two-drug protocol for medication abortion, a procedure that accounts for more than half of all abortions in the US The drug, which is only available with a prescription, was first approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2000. The pill blocks a hormone necessary for pregnancy development, and is followed by the pill misoprostol, which causes contractions to expel tissue. That same regimen is also used in miscarriage treatment. A phased rollout of the drugs availability in two of the largest pharmacy chains in the US arrives just weeks before the Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments in a case from right-wing legal groups and anti-abortion activists seeking to revoke the FDAs approval, part of a years-long campaign to outlaw abortion nationwide. That case comes before the court less than two years after a decision in Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health Organization, which overturned a constitutional right to abortion care affirmed in Roe v Wade nearly 50 years earlier. Patchwork anti-abortion laws across the country have choked off abortion access or effectively outlawed abortion care entirely; mifepristone prescriptions from CVS and Walgreens will only be available in states where abortion is legal. But many women will soon have the option to pick up their prescription at a local, certified pharmacy just as they would for any other medication, President Joe Biden said in a statement on Friday. I encourage all pharmacies that want to pursue this option to seek certification, he added. The president is pledging to defend the FDA under scrutiny at the Supreme Court, and has repeatedly vowed to restore Roe v Wade protections into federal law, if Congress can pass legislation to do so. Our administration will not waver in our dedication to preserving access to essential medication and defending the FDAs independent, evidence-based approval and regulation of safe and effective drugs, Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement. Mifepristone, under the name Mifeprex, is used as a two-drug regimen for medication abortion, which accounts for more than half of all abortion procedures in the US (REUTERS) Medication aborion accounts for roughly 54 per cent of all abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute. A vast majority of abortions occur within the first nine weeks, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2019, nearly 93 per cent of all abortions were performed before the 13th week. Right-wing legal group Alliance Defending Freedom which also led the Supreme Court challenge to strike down Roe v Wade filed a lawsuit in 2022 on behalf of a group of anti-abortion activists to revoke the FDAs approval of mifepristone. US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk a former right-wing activist lawyer who was appointed to the federal judiciary by Donald Trump issued a ruling to suspend the FDAs approval of mifepristone. The conservative Fifth Circuit Appeals Court in Louisiana largely upheld the ruling, and an appeal to the Supreme Court set the stage for the case to be heard on 26 March. A major medical journal retracted two papers from 2021 and 2022 that the plaintiffs cited in their case to the nations high court, throwing into doubt any medical basis for their position, while anti-abortion groups, Republican officials from 25 states and more than 140 members of Congress have signed briefs with the Supreme Court to block mifepristones availability. In their brief to the court, attorneys for Alliance Defending Freedom have argued that anti-abortion doctors will violate their religious beliefs if they provide care to patients who experience complications from a medication abortion. A ruling that undermines the FDAs drug approval process could also open the door for other activist-driven legal battles over other drugs, potentially inviting other destabilising lawsuits to Covid-19 vaccines, contraception, HIV medication, gender-affirming care, and other life-saving drugs. Evan Masingill of GenBioPro the nations only generic manufacturer of mifepristone called a decision from pharmacy retailers a significant step toward making our companys belief that all people, regardless of income, gender, race, or geography, have a right to access evidence-based health care and safe and effective medicines including medication abortion a reality. Serra Sippel, interim executive director of The Brigid Alliance, which provides practical support for people seeking abortion care, said mifepristones expanded access will reduce unnecessary delays to accessing care, and potentially the number of women who will be forced to travel out of state. But while we praise this announcement, we must recognize that across the country, hundreds of thousands of pregnant people who live in states where abortion is banned and mifepristone is illegal will not be impacted by this decision, she added. And even in places with strong laws protecting abortion rights, people still struggle to access abortion care due to stigma, misinformation, a lack of providers, high costs, and much more. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The US military has dropped around 38,000 meals into Gaza, two days after more than 100 Palestinians were killed while trying to get aid from a convoy. US Central Command said three US Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft participated in the airdrop along with Royal Jordanian Air Force craft. The US planes dropped 66 bundles carrying military-issue meals at about 8.30am on Saturday. A senior administration official told reporters on Saturday that the airdrops are the latest in a collective effort at the highest levels of the US government to lead efforts to get lifesaving humanitarian aid into Gaza to alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinians who have nothing to do with Hamas. This will be part of a sustained effort in conjunction with our international partners to scale up the amount of lifesaving aid were getting into Gaza, the official said. The airdrops will continue to be part of an overall campaign to step up the amount of aid being delivered to the territory, including through land crossings and a potential sea-based route under negotiation with Israeli and Cypriot officials. Were looking at land routes, were looking at the sea route, and were looking at the air route to really ensure that were exploring every opportunity to get assistance in, the official added. Members of the Jordanian armed forces prepare to drop aid parcels to several areas in northern Gaza (via Reuters) A second official said the main challenge in getting aid into Gaza has not been getting trucks through checkpoints but distribution to the people who need it. Lawlessness, which was always a problem in the background, has now moved to a very different level, the US official said, adding that there has been a commercialisation of humanitarian aid by criminal gangs who are looting and then reselling it. The way to resolve the problem is to flood the market with aid from every point: air, land and sea, to demonetise the supplies, the official added. You disincentivise the criminal groups, the gangs involved in attacking trucks, and you reduce the pressure on desperate people, not criminals, who just want food, the official said. The airdrops come just days after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more injured while trying to get to an aid convoy on Thursday. According to the Gazan health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, the deaths were due to gunfire from Israeli Defence Forces. But Israel argues that many of those who died were killed in a stampede trying to get to the aid and that Israeli troops fired warning shorts after the crowd moved against them in a threatening manner. A Joe Biden administration official called the incident tragic and said it underscores the importance of expanding and sustaining the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza in response to the dire humanitarian situation. US officials believe the airdrops will alleviate some of the suffering in Gaza, but without a sustained effort with planes dropping aid around the clock, airdrops cannot replace the larger capacity provided by supply trucks. John Kirby, the White Houses national security communications adviser, said on Friday the airdrops have the advantage of speed, delivering aid quickly to a particular location. But he noted that the drops will be a supplement to, not a replacement for moving things in by ground. Jordanian armed forces members airdrop aid parcels to several areas in northern Gaza (via REUTERS) The C-130 cargo planes used for the airdrops on Saturday can carry 21 tonnes of palletised cargo which can be dropped to the ground using parachutes. This method has been used to deliver aid to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Haiti in the past. Following Hamass 7 October attack on Israel, when around 1,200 Israelis were killed, Israel has largely blocked food, water, medicine, and other aid from entering Gaza. Only a small number of trucks have entered the Strip through the Rafah crossing, at the border with Egypt, and the Israel crossing at Kerem Shalom. A quarter of the 2.3 million people in Gaza are at risk of starvation, according to the United Nations. Humanitarian agencies have said airdrops are a last resort and not an efficient way of sending aid. More than 30,000 Gazans have been killed since the beginning of the war, the Gazan health ministry has said. Ceasefire talks are continuing in Qatar. During Saturdays briefing, a third senior US official, who has been involved in negotiations between Israel and Hamas, said that Israel has, in principle, agreed to a six-week ceasefire deal that could be in place today if Hamas agrees to release a defined category of vulnerable hostages, including the sick, wounded, elderly and women. That deal that is on the table would bring immediate relief to the people of Gaza and create the conditions needed to enable the urgent humanitarian work that must be done... and the onus right now is on Hamas, the official said. On Friday, President Biden was asked if a ceasefire would be in place by the start of Ramadan this month. Im hoping so. Were still working real hard at it. Were not there yet, the president said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} One of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Donald Trump for inciting a riot at the US Capitol on January 6 endorsed Nikki Haleys bid for president. Lisa Murkowski, the senior senator from Alaska, announced her support for the former governor of South Carolina and US ambassador to the United Nations. America needs someone with the right values, vigor, and judgment to serve as our next Presidentand in this race, there is no one better than her, Ms Murkowski said in a statement. Nikki will be a strong leader and uphold the ideals of the Republican Party while serving as a President for all Americans. Murkowski is one of only four Republicans left in the Senate who voted to convict Mr Trump after three of them resigned. Utah Senator Mitt Romney, whom Ms Haley supported in the 2012 Republican presidential primary, will retire at the end of the year. The endorsement comes even though Ms Haley has failed to win a single primary contest. So far, only one member of the US House of Representatives - Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina - has endorsed her run. Ms Haley thanked Ms Murkowski for the endorsement. Murkowski represents the best of Alaskashe is a trailblazer and a strong, independent voice who doesnt bow down to the powers that be in Washington, Ms Haley said in a statement. As president, I will fight to make Alaskansand all Americansproud by restoring fiscal sanity, energy dominance, and limited government. Ms Murkwoski has broken with her party on multiple occasions, including on abortion rights. She also voted against Senate Republicans and Mr Trumps efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. After her vote to convict Mr Trump, the one-term president endorsed Ms Murkowskis primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka. But Ms Murkowski won re-election in large part thanks to Alaskas ranked-choice voting system. During Joe Bidens presidency, she voted for the bipartisan infrastructure bill, gun control and the Respect for Marriage Act, which provided protections for same-sex and interracial married couples. Ms Murkowski also voted to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court and ranked Democrat Mary Peltola first in the 2022 election. But she is also a supporter of Alaskas oil industry and voted for the Trump tax cuts, which allowed for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a major priority for the states oil companies. She also voted to make Ms Haley US ambassador to the UN. Ms Haley has insisted she will stay in the race despite losing her home state of South Carolina to Mr Trump by double digits. She also made a poor showing in Michigan on Tuesday. Alaska, along with a host of other states, will hold its primary contest next week on Super Tuesday. Close Related: Donald Trump warns of a bloodbath in US if he isnt elected as president again Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump took to the stage in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday evening to campaign for former car salesman Bernie Moreno, who is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Democrat Sherrod Brown for the states Senate seat. Mr Moreno has been endorsed by Mr Trump as his MAGA representative in the race but faces stiff competition from state senator Matt Dolan and secretary of state Frank LaRose, widely seen as GOP establishment candidates. The Republican presidential nominee hailed Mr Moreno as a fantastic guy during his 90-minute address at the Dayton Air Show and laid into Mr Dolan, who he labelled a RINO (Republican in Name Only). Bernie is running against a weak RINO named Matt Dolan, Mr Trump said. He is trying to become the next Mitt Romney. I think Mitt Romney is his hero. He also attacked Mr Dolan over his familys ownership of the Cleveland Guardians, the baseball team that recently changed its name from the Cleveland Indians. Hes easily pushed around by woke left-wing lunatics who renamed his familys baseball team, Mr Trump sneered. My attitude is anybody who changes the name from the Cleveland Indians to the Cleveland Guardians should not be a senator. Close Donald Trump warns of a 'bloodbath' in US if he isn't elected as president again Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Former president Donald Trump is once again facing criticism over his use of inflammatory rhetoric after he claimed at a campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday evening: If I dont get elected its going to be a bloodbath for the country. The Republican presidential challenger used the phrase as part of a dire econominc forecast for the American auto industry but was swiftly rebuked by the White House over its wider implications, with spokespeople for Joe Biden accusing him of endorsing political violence particularly given that the candidate also bemoaned the fate of the J6 hostages at the same event. Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi responded by saying of Mr Trump: You wouldnt even allow him in your house. The luxury real estate mogul also gave an interview to Fox News journalist Howard Kurtz over the weekend in which he again attacked the late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for making jokes at his expense, doubled-down on comparing migrants to vermin and on his call to terminate parts of the US Constitution and floated the prospect of supporting a 16-week national abortion ban in an overt appeal to the Christian right. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Alexei Navalnys mother was seen laying flowers at his Moscow grave, one day after thousands took to the streets in a public act of defiance to attend his funeral. Lyudmila Navalnaya visited for the second day while dressed in black, and was seen standing at the opposition leaders burial site before leaving. While only a small group were allowed to attend the service on Friday, thousands of mourners defied the Kremlins warning of arrests and marched to the Borisovsky cemetery. (AFP via Getty Images) Chants of Putin is a murderer and No to war were also heard, while hundreds had already been detained in Russia for laying flowers at vigils for Navalny in the days after his death at an Artic prison last month. Navalny, a prominent Putin critic, was pronounced dead at the IK-3 prison, with his family and allies claiming that he was murdered. His wife, Yulia Navalnaya, and his son Zakhar, and daughter Dasha, did not attend the funeral, given the risk they would be arrested if they returned to the country. Ukrainian rescuers work on the site of a damaged residential building in Odesa after an overnight attack (EPA) In an emotional post on social media, she bid farewell to her husband: Thank you for 26 years of pure happiness I dont know how to live without you, but Ill try to make you happy and proud of me up there. Meanwhile, a deadly drone strike in Ukraines Odesa killed at least seven people, including a three-month-old baby and a three-year-old child. In a post on Telegram on Saturday, interior minister Ihor Klymenko said that the nine-storey building had been targeted in an attack by Russian terrorists in the southern city. Pictures have shown emergency workers shifting through the rubble, with several floors visibly destroyed. The death toll has risen throughout the day with at least seven confirmed dead with another eight injured, however there are fears the number could rise given the number of people who remain unaccounted for. Officials also said that one person had been killed in the southern Kherson region, and another in the northeastern Kharkiv region. Ukraines air force said it downed up to 17 Russian drones overnight, with a number shot down over Odesa while more than 20 settlements sustained artillery and mortar attacks. At least seven people have been killed including a baby and a three-year-old child (EPA) Meanwhile, in Russia, a drone crashed into an apartment building in St Petersburg, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. Six people received medical help after the explosion rocked the building, with reports claiming that the building was hit by a Ukrainian drone. It comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Western allies to boost the countrys air defence systems In a post on social media, he said: We need more air defences from our partners. We need to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield to add more protection for our people from Russian terror. More air defence systems and more missiles for air defence systems saves lives. On Saturday, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian forces, General Olesksandr Syrskyi, suggested he would be replacing certain commanders leading the battlefront following the fall of Avdiivka. On Telegram, he wrote: I have sent groups of specialists to individual brigades where there are problems with the preparation of the headquarters to transfer experience and provide assistance. He added that the situation on the frontline remains difficult, but said that it was under control. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Warning: This live feed may contain distressing images. Watch as Russian people laid flowers at Alexei Navalnys grave on Saturday, 2 March, a day after the opposition politicians funeral at the Borisovskoye cemetery. The 47-year-old prominent critic of Vladimir Putin was buried on Friday after he died while imprisoned at an Arctic penal colony on 16 February. Thousands of mourners defied a heavy riot police presence to pay tribute to Navalny. As his coffin was removed from the hearse and taken inside the church, a crowd waiting outside broke into respectful applause and chanted: Navalny! Navalny!. Some also shouted, You werent afraid, neither are we! and later No to war!. Navalnys wife, Yulia Navalnya, has accused the Russian leader of killing the opposition politician, criticising authorities for keeping her husbands body for more than a week before it was collected by his mother Lyudmila Navalnaya. A Kremlin spokesperson has described allegations that Mr Putin was involved in Mr Navalnys death as absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state. Follow The Independentslive news blog for the latest updates. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Russian authorities said two buildings were damaged after a huge explosion in an unspecified incident in St Petersburg on Saturday, with unconfirmed media reports attributing it to the downing of a Ukrainian drone. No casualties were reported in the incident which took place at about 6.50am local time (3.50am GMT) in the Krasnogvardeysky district of Russias second-biggest city where the countrys president Vladimir Putin was born. Six people required medical attention after the explosion rocked the buildings, RIA Novosti, a state-owned news agency said, citing the press service of the citys health care committee. It comes as three people were killed in a Russian drone strike at an apartment block in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa overnight, officials said. Eight people were injured, regional governor Oleh Kiper said, after the region came under attack from eight drones out of which seven were shot down by air defences. Russian media outlets suggested the St Petersburg incident may have been the result of a downed drone crashing into the apartment buildings. The likely target of the strike may have been the northeast of St Petersburg, less than a kilometre from the crash site, according to the Telegram channel Mash, one of the most popular Russian-language channels. Footage shared by the channel showed the multi-storey building being struck, with a sudden flash of light engulfing one side of the structure and debris fragments scattering into the air. The citys governor, Alexander Beglov, confirmed the damage to the buildings and that residents of the affected apartments were evacuated. There are no casualties. The glazing of the balconies of two houses was partially damaged. The residents of the affected apartments have been evacuated, he wrote on his Telegram channel. The wreckage of a drone near a damaged apartment's building after a reported drone attack in St Petersburg (AP) The videos showed alarms going off, panic among some residents, and the sound of a strong explosion. Tass reported nearly 100 people were working on the site, including rescuers and medics, and an operational headquarters has been set up. Russian emergency servicemen and investigators work near a damaged multi-storey residential building (EPA) Across Ukraine, Kyivs defence forces shot down 14 of 17 drones launched at various sites overnight, officials said. Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on Saturday morning that more than 20 settlements in the eastern Ukrainian province had sustained Russian artillery and mortar attacks, while high-rise buildings in the regional capital, also called Kharkiv, were damaged by a drone attack. He said that there were no casualties, but that three people suffered an acute stress reaction. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Police in Spain have arrested 14 people in connection with one million euros worth of counterfeit 100 euro bank notes which passed undetected by cash machines and other devices. The banknotes produced by the organisation were made by hand, were very high quality, as they used special inks, watermarks and different elements designed to circumvent the detection mechanisms, said Spanish National Police spokesperson Elisa Rebolo. Based in Naples, Rome and Barcelona, a gang of Pakistani origin distributed the bank notes in Italy, France, Greece and Spain, police said. Police said they had arrested distributors at Barcelona airport and the city bus station, in both instances carrying 70,000 euros in counterfeit notes. The police operation involved forces in Spain, Italy and Greece and began last November after large numbers of counterfeit notes were discovered in Barcelona. Elsewhere in Europe a crime ring accused of more than 60 killings across Europe over the past decade has been dismantled, Greek police said on Friday. More than 39 people, mainly from Serbia and Montenegro but also from Albania and Romania, have been identified on suspicion of participating in a criminal organisation, according to court documents, and about 17 are in prison in Serbia, Montenegro and Turkey. The Kotor Clan, set up in 2010 in Montenegro and involved in drug trafficking around the world, split into two rival groups, Kavac and Skaljari, in 2014 after a dispute over a failed drug trafficking operation in Spain. The war between the two groups led to at least 60 murders throughout Europe, said Athens police head Fotios Douitsis. Four members, from Serbia and Montenegro, arrived in Greece in 2019 looking for a hideout. They were murdered a year later by members of the rival group, Greek police said. It was when Greece sought help from Serbia and from Europol that the European law enforcement agency established that gang members were using an app to send encrypted messages that would automatically self-destruct. Europol and police in France, the Netherlands and Belgium mounted an operation to get access to the app, and found evidence there connected to the murders in Greece. Douitsis praised the cooperation and exchange of information among European police authorities, singling out Serbia for its assistance. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Iranians voted for a new parliament on Friday in the first elections since mass anti-government protests in 2022. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has called voting a religious duty, was the first to cast his vote in Iran. But a low turnout is expected amid frustrations over economic woes and restrictions on political and social freedoms. "Vote as soon as possible ... today the eyes of Iran's friends and ill-wishers are on the results. Make friends happy and disappoint enemies," Ayatollah Khamenei said on state television. The election is the first formal measure of public opinion since anti-government protests in 2022 and 2023 spiralled into some of the worst political turmoil since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran's rulers need a high turnout to repair their legitimacy, badly damaged by the unrest. But official surveys suggest only about 41 per cent of eligible Iranians will vote, if that. Turnout hit a record low of 42.5 per cent in the 2020 parliamentary election, while about 62 per cent of voters participated in 2016. State TV, portraying a general enthusiastic mood with live coverage from across Iran interspersed with patriotic songs, aired footage of people braving snow to vote in some towns and villages. More than 15,000 candidates were running for the 290-seat parliament. Partial results may appear on Saturday. Activists and opposition groups were distributing the hashtags #VOTENoVote and #ElectionCircus widely on the social media platform X, arguing that a high turnout would legitimise the Islamic Republic. Officials said the participation was "good", state media reported, but witnesses said most polling centres in Tehran and several other cities were lightly attended. The voting was extended three time, with each extension lasting for two hours taking the close of voting to 8.30pm GMT to allow late-comers to cast ballots. "I am not voting for a regime that has restricted my social freedoms. Voting is meaningless," said teacher Reza, 35, in the northern city of Sari.n's rights advocate, has called the election a "sham". The parliament, dominated for over two decades by political hardliners within the religious Islamic Republic, has negligible impact on foreign policy or a nuclear programme that Iran says is peaceful but the West says is aimed at making nuclear arms. With heavyweight moderates and conservatives staying out and reformists calling the election unfree and unfair, the contest is essentially among hardliners and low-key conservatives who proclaim loyalty to Islamic revolutionary ideals. Pro-reform Iranians have painful memories of the handling of nationwide unrest sparked by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in 2022. This was quelled by a violent crackdown involving mass detentions and even executions. Economic hardships pose another challenge. Many analysts say large numbers of Iranians no longer think the ruling clerics capable of solving an economic crisis caused by a mix of mismanagement, corruption and US sanctions re-imposed since 2018 when Washington ditched Tehran's nuclear pact with six world powers. Efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear pact have failed. The election comes at a time of huge tension in the Middle East, as Israel fights the Iranian-backed Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, and other groups backed by Tehran attacking ships in the Red Sea and Israeli and US targets in the region. Ayatollah Khamenei has accused Iran's "enemies" a term he normally uses for the United States and Israel of trying to create despair among Iranian voters. The parliamentary election is twinned with a vote for the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, an influential body that has the task of choosing the 84-year-old Ayatollah Khamenei's successor. Reuters For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Israel is facing mounting international pressure for an investigation after more than 100 Palestinians were killed when desperate crowds gathered around an aid convoy and Israeli soldiers opened fire. France and Germany have backed a call for an international inquiry, along with the US. India said it was deeply shocked at the deaths and Brazil said the incident was beyond ethical or legal limits. Health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza said Israeli forces had killed at least 112 people trying to reach a relief convoy near Gaza City early on Thursday, with famine looming nearly five months into the war. The Hamas attack on 7 October killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in Israel and involved the seizure of 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. The Israeli response of an aerial bombardment, ground operations and a blockade, has since killed more than 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza, health authorities in the territory say. Israel blamed most of the deaths in the aid convoy incident on crowds that swarmed around trucks, saying victims had been trampled or run over. An Israeli official also said troops had later fired on some in the crowd they felt had posed a threat, in a limited response. The head of a Gaza City hospital that treated some of the wounded said on Friday that more than 80 per cent had been struck by gunfire. Dr Mohammed Salha, the acting director of Al-Awda Hospital, told The Associated Press that 176 people were brought to the facility, of whom 142 had suffered gunshot wounds. The other 34 showed injuries from a stampede. In Israel, ultranationalist security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged total support to Israeli soldiers who had acted excellently. Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a house in Rafah, southern Gaza (Reuters) With a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, many countries have called for a ceasefire, but US President Joe Biden said Thursdays incident will complicate talks over a deal involving a truce and hostage release. South Africa, which has brought a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, condemned the deaths. Israel denies genocide. French President Emmanuel Macron voiced deep indignation and the strongest condemnation of these shootings. Germany said the Israeli army must fully explain how the mass panic and shooting could have happened. Israels closest ally, the United States, has also urged a thorough investigation, saying the incident shows the need for expanded humanitarian aid to make its way into Gaza. The humanitarian situation is dire, particularly in the north, with people eating animal feed and even cactuses to survive. Medics also say children are dying in hospitals from malnutrition and dehydration and the UN has said it faces overwhelming obstacles to getting in aid. The UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, said obstacles included crossing closures, restrictions on movement and communications, onerous vetting procedures, unrest, damaged roads and unexploded ordnance. Last week, the UN said aid flows into Gaza were drying up and it was becoming increasingly hard to distribute aid within the enclave because of a collapse in security, with most residents hemmed into makeshift camps. Israel has said there is no limit on humanitarian aid in Gaza and has said the quantity and pace of delivery was up to the UN. Israels military said Thursdays delivery was operated by private contractors as part of an aid operation it had been overseeing for the previous four days. OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke said the delivery was made without any coordination with the UN. Reuters Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Families may face Easter holiday travel chaos as Heathrow border force staff threaten to strike. More than 600 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union based at Heathrow Airport are to be balloted for action. The union said this could potentially cause long queues at the UKs largest airport for families trying to get away over the school holidays. The call for strike action comes as a result of border force staff being unhappy about planned changes to rosters and shift patterns. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) claim this could force some staff to quit and said they are also striking over poor working conditions. As well as seeking to impose a new team working fixed roster from 29 April, Border Force is proposing the removal of members legacy terms and conditions, reasonable adjustments, and flexible working arrangements, the PCS said. The PCS says hundreds of workers have joined the union in recent weeks (PA) The union said that over recent weeks, hundreds of new members have joined PCS as a direct result of the proposed changes. In a ballot that opened on Friday and runs until noon on 22 March, members will be asked if they are prepared to take strike action. Fran Heathcote, the PCS general secretary, said: Our members at Heathrow are united in their opposition to these draconian plans. One aspect of the plans would force workers to choose between finding another job or losing their allowances. Another would see others having to sign up to new, exhausting shifts or leaving altogether. This is an appalling way to treat long-serving, dedicated staff, so its no wonder weve recruited hundreds of members in recent weeks. Around 1,300 planes take off and land at Heathrow each day, making it one of the busiest airports in the world. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A female passenger died after she fell ill during an American Airlines flight from the Dominican Republic to Charlotte in the United States. The 41-year-old woman became unwell onboard Flight 2790, which had to be diverted to Providenciales International Airport in the Turks and Caicos on Wednesday due to the passengers medical needs, confirmed a spokesperson for the airline. Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said that at 6.12pm they received a call from the Air Traffic Control Tower requesting medical assistance for the 41-year-old, who at the time was receiving CPR. The patient was transported to Cheshire Hall Medical Centre, where she died. Police said that a post-mortem will be conducted to find out what caused this passengers death. First responders met the aircraft, and one passenger was taken to the local hospital. The flight continued to Charlotte the following day, American Airlines said in its statement. Flight Aware, an online flight tracker, shows the flight being diverted to Providenciales International Airport, landing around 6.18pm on Wednesday. The womans name has not been made public, but she was from Indiana, reported WXIN-TV. The incident comes just days after a British tourist died while on a LATAM flight to Chile on Saturday. The 59-year-old man was travelling from the Falkland Islands to Punta Arenas, a southern Chilean city, when the incident occurred. The man passed away before the aircraft landed. Authorities said that there was nothing to suggest that his death was a result of a crime, as his wife told officials that he had several underlying health issues. A post-mortem was due to take place this week and was expected to confirm he died of natural causes. Furious Taylor Swift fans have erupted over footage of a woman attempting to Shazam one of her biggest hits during her sold-out Sydney tour. A video that has gone viral shows a concertgoer using the popular phone app that records music to identify songs during a performance of Champagne Problems. The innocent clip sparked a strong response online, with thousands of Swifties suggesting the highly-coveted Eras Tour ticket should have gone to a more passionate fan. Others, though, were on the side of the Shazaming fan. This is actually so sweet Im sure she came with her daughter or someone and realized just how beautiful Taylors lyricism is, one wrote. A royal expert has warned the public to ignore online speculation about the Princess of Waless health as she recovers from abdominal surgery. Kate, 42, had a planned operation on 16 January and is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter. The future queens health has been the subject of online speculation after the Prince of Wales pulled out of attending a memorial service for the late King Constantine of Greece due to a personal matter. Jennie Bond told GB News: It is truly dangerous if we start reacting to whatever is written online. Kensington Palace said they would only be providing updates when something was significant. Victoria Beckhams show at Paris Fashion Week was crashed by activists from animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) on Friday, 1 March. The 49-year-old designer, who found fame in the Spice Girls pop group, was showcasing her autumn/winter 2024 collection when protesters got up during the show and walked the runway alongside models while holding up signs saying viva vegan leather. Peta said while Beckhams brand has banned the use of fur and exotic skins, it still uses a large quantity of cruelly obtained leather, particularly calfskin. The Independent has approached Beckhams representatives for comment. The mother of Alexei Navalny was hugged and comforted by her sons supporters at his grave in Moscow on Saturday (2 March) after his funeral the previous day. Navalnys mother, Lyudmila, who spent over a week in Russias Arctic north to retrieve his body, attended the funeral ceremony. The Putin critics wife Yulia, his son, Zakhar, and daughter, Dash, did not attend the service over safety concerns. Navalnys mother and the mother of his widow visited his grave together at the Borisovskyoke cemetery at the weekend. Tory MP Tobias Ellwood clashed with BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty on Saturday, 2 March, after Pro-Palestine protestors appeared outside his home. Ms Munchetty said: "I know you've praised the police for how they dealt with the protests outside your house... what are they not doing well enough when it comes to protests?", leading the Bournemouth East MP to accuse her of putting words into her mouth. The clash came a day after Rishi Sunak made a hastily-arranged address outside Downing Street in which he railed against extremism and said he made it clear to police "it is the publics expectation that they will not merely manage these protests, but police them." George Galloway hit back at Rishi Sunaks claims that the Rochdale by-election had one of the most divisive campaigns that weve seen in recent times. The prime minister was asked if Mr Galloways win would inflame tensions, saying: It was very concerning to see the reports of intimidation through the by-election. In response, Mr Galloway said: Its just a lie... and moreover, its a lie for a patently transparent purpose - to deflect attention from the fact that for the first time ever in British political history, the big two parties of the state were both comprehensively beaten. Joe Biden mixed up Gaza with Ukraine twice during his announcement that the US will airdrop aid to the territory desperate for humanitarian assistance. The US president, 81, referred to airdrops to help Volodymyr Zelensky's nation in a speech on Friday, 1 March, but White House officials later clarified his comments were referring to Gaza. "We are going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing airdrops of additional food and supplies into Ukraine and seek to continue to open up other avenues into Ukraine, including the possibility of a marine corridor to deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance," Mr Biden said. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan appeared as a guest on tonights Late Late Show and addressed the dunce jabs made by Ryanair boss Michael OLeary. Earlier this week Mr OLeary launched a fresh attack against the Environment Minister as he blamed a passenger cap at Dublin Airport for blocking the airlines growth and called the minister a dunce. The Environment Minister said he is looking forward to meeting Mr OLeary, as he was shown a photo of Mr OLearly posing for photographs holding cut-outs of Mr Ryan and Media Minister Catherine Martin wearing green dunce caps. It doesnt bother me. To be honest Im looking forward to meeting him. Ive asked to meet him a couple of times and it never happened, the minister told host Patrick Kielty. I think we are going to meet next week or the week after. I wouldnt let that get in the way of sitting down because there are serious things we need to talk about, how to make aviation sustainable, he said. Mr OLeary told a press conference on Thursday that Mr Ryan and his Green Party colleague Catherine Martin are dunces who should leave politics if they do not act to remove the cap. Ryanair said while it expects to grow traffic at Irelands regional airports in Cork, Shannon and Knock, it cannot expand in Dublin due to a limit of 32 million passengers per year. The company said the cap limits its plan to grow its Irish traffic by 50pc by 2030. Meanwhile, also on the show the Green Party leader told Kielty that his party would form a government with Sinn Fein after the next election if Mary Lou McDonald came knocking. The need for action on climate and protecting nature is so great that we cannot wait, he said. If we are going to make the scale of change we need to make, because it's a huge leap we need to make, then it needs everyone. If its divisive politics it wont work, so on that basis yes, we will work with every party. This has to belong to everyone. This wont work if its divisive politics the way it is in the States. So yes we would work with Sinn Fein. Yes we work well with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, yes we would work with Labour and the Soc Dems, he added. Former Irish President Mary McAleese has called for a Yes vote in the referendums on family and care. Ms McAleese said the amendments would take Ireland another step towards the egalitarian future that our citizens desire. Two referendums will be held next Friday proposing to change the Irish Constitution. The family amendment proposes extending the meaning of family beyond one defined by marriage and to include those based on durable relationships. The care amendment proposes removing references to a womans role and duties in the home, and replacing it with a new article that acknowledges family carers. March 8 is our opportunity to insert new realities, new energy, new insights into parts of our Constitution that have just aged badly, said Ms McAleese. She was speaking at We Are Family, a pro-Yes vote event jointly hosted by Treoir and One Family. I intend to vote Yes to both proposed changes to the Constitution because I am persuaded strongly that they will reflect the overwhelming impulse for equality and inclusivity that is the hallmark of modern Ireland, Ms McAleese added. They remove from the Constitution language and attitudes that have long been controversial on account of perceived sexism. They will also stop the marginalisation of many good, decent people whose strong contribution to family and community life has been completely undervalued. Speaking about the second referendum, which deals with an article commonly referred to as women in the home, she said: It is no longer suited to an Ireland anxious to promote gender equality. Other speakers included John OMeara, who recently won a case at the Supreme Court which found he was entitled to the widowers pension even though he was not married or in a civil partnership with his long-term partner. Mr OMeara and his three children challenged a High Court decision to uphold the refusal by the Department of Social Protection to grant him the pension. The seven-judge Supreme Court unanimously said that the section of legislation which had excluded the OMearas was invalid. Speaking at yesterdays event as the carer of his children, he said the case did not change his constitutional position. Im still not recognised as (being) in a family, even though I won that case, he said. Social worker Deirdre McCarthy told the gathering she felt abandoned by the Constitution when she became a lone parent at 17, as she and her child were not recognised as a family. Maxine Walshe, a psychotherapist and carer, said she works with lone parents who feel isolated. She said: The fight wont be over on March 8, but a Yes-Yes vote puts us in a much stronger position to push for that change. The mother of an eight-year-old girl with complex needs has said she fears that an upcoming referendum will put the responsibility of caring solely on the families of vulnerable children. Samantha Kenny is a mother of four children, some of whom have additional needs. Her daughter Ava has a rare genetic condition called Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. In the last 10 years, I have had to fight with social welfare departments to prove that my children are disabled enough to keep their financial supports, prove that I am poor enough to keep my financial support, Ms Kenny said. I have had to fight with services in order for Ava to receive the bare necessities to get out of bed and be safe in her home every day and show that she is actually a capable human being, able to do far more than what has been prognosed or therapists have deemed her capable of. That is my life, constantly showing we are worthy of the pathetic support we receive and fight to keep it. Ms Kenny said that she was advocating for a Yes vote in the family referendum on March 8, but a No vote in the care referendum. In the former, she said she agreed that a modern Irish family did not need to be based on marriage. But in the care referendum, she is going to vote No over concerns she has about a new care amendment that the Government is planning to put into the Constitution. The wording of this amendment puts the onus of care on families, on existing bonds like families, and again allows the State to absolve its responsibility to its citizens like Ava, she said. Ava is an Irish citizen too, she deserves to be seen as more than someone being cared for by family members. "She deserves to have the choice on who cares for her, how that care presents and where that care takes place. "It categorically should not be enshrined in a constitution who should care for her. Ms Kenny said she was unconvinced by the wording of the new care amendment, which would only oblige the Government to strive to support care. She said that in her experience, people with additional needs always had to fight with the Government for support. The mother took issue with a claim by Disability Minister Roderic OGorman that a Yes vote in the care referendum would give the parents of children with disabilities an opportunity to sue the Government. Like this was some sort of victory and as if families are not in the courts on a daily basis fighting to access the services as it is, she said. "That declaration, to me, shows the mindset of that minister and his view of what the supports and services will become post-referendum, so inaccessible we need to take a legal path to access them, thats soul-destroying. She pointed out that Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys had also claimed that a Yes vote in the care referendum would strengthen her hand. She is head of a department that makes you feel like a criminal taking money from their own personal pockets with every review, phone call and enquiry. "Ava has a rare genetic syndrome, its caused by a partial deletion of a chromosome, there is no cure for it, there is no getting better from it. "It is a lifelong condition, Ms Kenny said. This was clearly stated in her application paperwork, yet we still were put under a review that asked us is your child still as disabled as the initial application laid out. "The review, by the way, is an application form the same length as the initial application form, requiring all the same level of details and documentation in order to prove that my child is disabled enough for state financial support. Sibu was five years old when zookeepers collected him in a Hiace van from Dublin airport. Photo: Colin Keegan There wasnt a dry eye at Dublin Zoo on Thursday when all staff were called to a meeting and given the news Sibu, the magnificent male Bornean orangutan, who arrived in the Phoenix Park 40 years ago, had died. God almighty, there was a lot of tears shed, Ciaran McMahon, Dublin Zoos team leader, said. I tried to be strong for the team but that broke down. Everyone was just heartbroken. We had tea and sat down and talked about the good times and what a character he was. In my 30-year career, its a unique moment that will be for ever ingrained in my mind. Gerry Creighton, former head of operations at Dublin Zoo where he worked for 37 years was working in the United Arab Emirates when the phone call came in telling him his buddy of 40 years was gone. Mr Creighton (56) was 15 when he went to collect five-year-old Sibu and his mate Leonie, at Dublin Airport in an old Hiace van with his zookeeper dad Gerry Senior and zoo driver Noel Duffy. Me and Sibu hit it off straight away I was a redhead and he was a redhead and I think he thought: Maybe hes my brother, said Mr Creighton. He was tiny, with this beautiful cheeky face and big massive hands. I played with them in the back of the van with Dad. They needed a hug after all the travelling they were hand-reared and loved human company. Young Gerry and Sibu learned the ropes at Dublin Zoo together. He was always doing bold things, said Mr Creighton. Hed open up the keepers lunch bags to see who had the nicest sandwiches and hed pick a jam sandwich over a ham sambo and see who had chocolates. He loved a sup of warm milky tea. We got him a steel cup from the camping shop as he dropped a few cups and hed sit up in the chair, looking left and right, following the chat. Although Sibu who was 45 when he died lived out his later years in one of the worlds finest orangutan habitats following a 3m revamp at Dublin Zoo in 2016, in the early years the orangutans lived behind steel bars in basic, concrete enclosures. It was a very different era in zookeeping, we used to fill that void in their lives, Mr Creighton said. Id stay back on a summers evening and carry him round on my back or take him round by the hand. He used to love looking at all the other animals. Wed take him and Leonie out for hours and sit on the lawn. "It was like WrestleMania, he used to love jumping on us and slam-dunking us like having a boisterous little boy. He was such a vibrant personality, full of mischief, getting into bins, climbing over fences and making us go chasing after him. By the age of 10, Sibu had grown into an impressive 60kg male. Leonie would be looking for hugs and attention and Sibu used to get really annoyed, looking at me and my father and Liam Reid. We were literally like the love rivals hed pull her away from us by the hand, looking back, as if to say: Shes my girl lads. But Sibu didnt let it come between them. If I went in and had a scratch on my hand, hed investigate it in great detail, and very gently probe the cut, knowing it shouldnt be there, putting his lips down to it there was this kindness to him. But the time had come for Sibu to distance himself from humans and live among his own kind. He had the strength of three men and if he decided he didnt want to go into the night area or say youre not getting out, relationships might get strained we often had to sit with him for an hour to tire him out. It got to the stage he was so strong and naturally would want to challenge us. We made a conscious decision to get him busier, give him more enrichment, spend more time with orangutans. He had such charisma and power and expression. "He had the long red dreadlocks flowing down his back, a metre long off his shoulder, such a very powerful presence. Sibu lived with three females, Leonie, Riona and Majur. To see him develop into a proud male on that island was a pure joy, the old shackles of the past were gone and he had a full meaningful life, in a wonderful habitat with females and offspring the zoo turned the corner and he was getting the respect they all deserve. We hand-raised one of his and Leonies daughters, Riona, at home with dad and James my brother [another zookeeper]. "We had her at home a year we do things very differently now. She had long flowing red hair and Id have her in the back of her car going to work in the baby seat. Id be stopped at traffic lights God knows what people thought. Two weeks ago, Mr Creighton decided to visit Dublin Zoo with his 12-year-old son, Zac, and hes so glad he did. It was the first time Id been there in many months. Sibu was sitting at the back and seen me and came over to the window and put his hand up and so did I. I looked into his eyes and he looked into mine, as if to say howya buddy, like you do an old friend. Ill treasure that moment. When I heard Sibu had died, I looked back at all the videos on my phone and thought of all the times I had with him and my dad over 40 years and had a cry. There are only around 57,000 Bornean orangutans left in the wild due to rainforests being destroyed for palm oil plantations. Mr Creighton is urging people to boycott all food and beauty items that contain palm oil in memory of Sibu. En el marco de la VIII Cumbre de Jefas y Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno de la Comunidad de Estados Latinoamericanos y Caribenos ????, conoce cual fue la agenda que cumplio el canciller @J_GonzalezOFr el jueves 29 de febrero y el viernes 1 de marzo. ?? https://t.co/S35RPP3EEa pic.twitter.com/TBoxsZwGUr People during the Stand Together solidarity march in Dublin. The demonstration is taking place to show support for diversity and equality and denounce racism, hate and war. Picture date: Saturday March 2, 2024. Photo: Niall Carson. Thousands of people are marching in Dublin this afternoon calling for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza while also opposing racism, hate, and division at home in Ireland. Representatives of Stand Together, a coalition of national and local organisations that support diversity & equality and denounce racism, hate & war, organised the national solidarity march and rally The protest assembled in Parnell Square, Dublin 1, for a 1.30pm start and proceeded through the city centre to Merrion Square South, where a rally with music and speeches is underway. Ailbhe Smyth of LeCheile one of the organising groups, said, The rise of far-right extremist groups in Ireland is deeply disturbing. These dangerous, violent forces seek to spread virulent racism, misogyny, homo and transphobia and to attack the rights and freedoms we have fought for so hard over many decades. We must not allow them to sow hatred and division among us, to threaten individuals and communities, or to destroy the bonds of solidarity that connect us in our struggles. We must not let that happen. We will not let that happen. We must stand together in solidarity against these attacks on equality and community. Photo: Niall carson Dr Umar Al-Qadri, chairperson of the Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council, who was himself attacked in an alleged hate crime in recent weeks, said, Ireland is renowned for its warm hospitality and compassion but is currently facing challenges relating to housing and healthcare. While some are attempting to exploit the frustration among the Irish population by targeting migrants and refugees, the Irish people are standing firm against racism. "They refuse to let migrants be used as scapegoats for the failures of government policies, demonstrating a strong stance against discrimination. Conor Tormey, ROSA & Trans Pride activist, said, The far-right have been attacking LGBTQ+ progress, and none of our hard-won rights are safe. Everything that involves LGBTQ+ people is a target for right-wing mobs - from school inclusion to healthcare to trans young people. Ireland is no exception to the international growth of the right-wing, and any notion that the far-right can't gain a foothold in Ireland is completely shattered. Now more than ever before, we need a movement with solidarity at its heart to defeat the far-right and fight for housing, healthcare, and real liberation for all. Over 130 national and local organisations are backing the event Laya Health & Wellbeing Clinic ambassador Anna Daly at the launch of a new Laya clinic in Swords, Co Dublin. Photo: Andres Poveda Sinead Proos (Laya Healthcare's head of Health and Wellbeing), Donal Clancy (managing director of Laya Healthcare), Anna Daly (Laya ambassador), and John McCall (Laya's director of claims and provider relations). Photo: Andres Poveda Laya Health & Wellbeing Clinic ambassador Anna Daly with radiographer Liam Banks at the launch of a new Laya clinic in Swords Business Campus, Co Dublin. Photo: Andres Poveda RTE TV presenter Anna Daly has spoken about the importance of being authentic on social media and admits real life is far removed from the perfect homes on Instagram. Speaking after the launch of a new Laya Health & Wellbeing clinic in Swords, Co Dublin, yesterday, the former Ireland AM presenter said social media has been a positive space for her. I noticed in television as well, youre always going to get maybe one in 50 people who are going to have something negative or smart to say, she said. Maybe its a maturity thing, but I think you get a bit tougher. I think its more of a reflection of them, and where theyre at in their lives, rather than you. For the most part, I think social media is so powerful. Daly, who owns her own clothing brand, Little Bliss, has nearly 60,000 followers on Instagram. She said: Its been amazing for me to communicate the shows Im working on and bring my followers on a journey from Virgin over to RTE. I have a clothing brand that Ive never advertised in the traditional way because Instagram has driven it. Its all very considered and they (online followers) know me; they know my personality and they know Im not going to get involved in some random, dodgy project. I often say that I turn down nine out of 10 campaigns. You could be making a fortune out of brands that approach you, but if you dont actually use the brand, theres no point in working with them. I hope people know that you are an authentic voice. The other thing is, my life isnt perfect. My house isnt perfect and I never try and make it that perfect Instagram life because the reality is so far removed from that. When you have three kids, you cant live in a show house. I accepted that years ago. I often throw up Instagram versus reality photos. Of course, youre going to put your best foot forward and put the nice pictures up on your grid on Instagram, but I think its OK to go heres an Instafail or to laugh at yourself. The hustle of freelancing is still a novelty to the presenter, who described her new work life as quite liberating. Daly said she would like to work on documentaries that take a closer look at issues facing modern parents. Not that Im any kind of a parenting expert far from it. Im winging it on a daily basis, she said. I have a battle with one of my kids about the phones and I feel that a lot of parents are struggling with that fine balance of should they have it or should they not?. You dont want them to be the first or the last to do anything. Its a fine line between giving them some level of freedom, in terms of trying to reach you, and then having too much freedom and scrolling through all sorts of inappropriate stuff on the internet. Its interesting territory and there are probably other parents who are asking the same questions or having the same struggles as I am. John Brennan on starting a new chapter: We were delighted when Adam came home to join the business but Kenmare would be a lot different to Ibiza and Miami After selling two of the three hotels he ran with his brother Francis for decades, keeping Dromquinna Manor was non-negotiable for John Brennan and his wife Gwen. As their 27-year-old son joins the family business, the trio talk about life after the Park, Johns cancer battle and whos really in charge... John Brennan with son Adam. Photo: Lynda Kenny Nicola Brady Sat 2 Mar 2024 at 03:30 When it comes to Irish hotel royalty, the Brennans wear the crown. From John and Francis swiping picture frames for dust on At Your Service, to the pair running the show up until recently at the Park Hotel Kenmare, the family is synonymous with hospitality. Icy conditions expected to give way to rain over the weekend as Met Eireann defends forecast Met Eireann has forecast a chance of further snow in Ireland today after a day of unexpectedly heavy downpours on Friday. The national forecaster has issued a new Status Yellow ice warning for the entire country which will run from 8pm on Saturday night until 9am Sunday morning. "Becoming icy in many areas tonight, especially in Ulster and Leinster. Potential Impacts: hazardous road conditions and slippery paths and cycleways, Met Eireann said. Saturday will see some clear spells throughout the day, however some scattered showers are expected to bring hail, sleet or snow. It will be cold morning with frost and some icy stretches, followed by sunny spells and scattered showers today. Fresh to strong and gusty northerly winds will develop in the southwest, west and northwest but will be light to moderate in other areas. Highest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees. Tonight will be cold and frosty with some icy stretches developing, as temperatures fall to between -2 and +3 degrees. There will be a mix of clear spells and scattered showers. Most of these will be of rain but a few hail, sleet or snow showers are possible. Light to moderate west to northwest winds, fresh at times in the west. A nationwide Status Yellow ice warning in effect until 9am this morning has expired, and while a Status Yellow rain warning for Dublin, Louth, Meath and Wicklow expired at 3am. Motorists and pedestrians are advised to travel with extreme caution today after temperatures fell to -1C in places overnight, leading to much of the slush and snow which fell yesterday freezing overnight. Temperatures will only reach between three and seven degrees today but conditions should ease somewhat as temperatures climb slightly this afternoon. The weekend will see sunny spells, scattered showers and some northerly breezes as heavier showers are expected in parts. Some showers could fall as hail, sleet and snow in the west and north of the country, with temperatures expected to drop to between -2C and 3C overnight, Met Eireann said. An Post will operate some delivery services across the country today due to the delays and disruptions experienced. There was widespread disruption yesterday as snowfall led to school closures and difficult travel conditions. Counties in the east and midlands were heaviest hit with some facing power outages throughout the day. Dublin city was particularly badly hit, which caused significant disruption in the capital. One Dublin councillor said the weather warning system failed yesterday as the city was brought to a near standstill due to heavy snowfall. Icy weather conditions led to heavy traffic and delays across bus routes while Dart, commuter and Intercity Irish Rail services were also significantly affected. Dublin Airport was operating as normal yesterday, though some airlines warned of potential delays. Ryanair urged passengers travelling to and from Ireland yesterday and today to follow updates from the airline on their flight. Aer Lingus said it was experiencing significant delays due to adverse weather conditions. Met Eireann received criticism for not issuing weather warnings soon enough to the public, as many woke up to a difficult morning commute. Meteorologist Siobhan Ryan said warnings were issued to reflect a complex and dynamic situation. Warnings were issued to reflect this borderline situation and within that warning, there was mention of sleet and snow, she told RTEs Drivetime. She said snow can be difficult to predict and a difference of one degree in temperature can determine whether there will be snowfall. The main feature (this weekend) will be rain, said Ms Ryan. Its still going to feel cold, its going to feel wintry but most of the precipitation will fall as rain. But thats not to exclude very localised falls of sleet and snow. Local representatives have said the warning of rain, sleet and snow in the early hours of yesterday morning likely came too late. Dublin Commuters chairperson Feljin Jose said few people were prepared for the snow that fell in the capital yesterday and the major disruption to public transport that followed. He said the limited preparation was disappointing and measures should be taken to improve the response to such weather events. We need to be better prepared. The network should be able to deal with snow, Mr Jose said. It was not ideal for anyone. The footpaths were not great either. A lot of people dont know how to drive in this weather. With climate change, these kinds of weather events are going to be more frequent. Things are going to become more unpredictable. We will get snow, heatwaves, torrential rain, extreme weather events and everyone needs to be more prepared for that. Transport operators and local authorities definitely need to be prepared for it because these events are getting more and more frequent. Conditions in Dublin city suburbs like Clontarf quickly became dangerous yesterday morning, local councillor Donna Cooney said. Were going to expect more of this unpredictable weather but we do need to be more adaptable. We need to adapt, particularly in local areas with localised monitoring systems, said Ms Cooney. We are lucky that we seem to have gotten off without accidents. Dublin city councillor James Geoghegan said the weather warning system had failed and led to widespread disruption across the capital. Nobody expects our national meteorological service to get it right every time, but when forecasts and warnings are understated, its important we learn from it, he said. The Fine Gael councillor said the scenes across the city were a reminder of our reliance on weather warning systems and what happens when they fall short in their predictions. Met Eireann deserves a lot of credit for issuing weather warnings in high winds even if it frustrates parents and forces the closure of schools, he said. This time, however, we need to acknowledge that the system has failed. Just like freak snow events of recent times, there is chaos on the M50, trains had to be cancelled and there is no grit on our footpaths. No lessons seem to have been learnt from past events, and whatever about predicting the weather, when the snow does come, our local authorities and public transport providers should have a plan in place to protect public safety and avoid the city simply shutting down. Fianna Fail councillor Trevor Gilligan said an increased number of salt bins and additional funding should be allocated to tackle local roads in the event of future snow. You wouldnt have expected the first day of spring to have such heavy rain and snow but its happened, here we are. This may very well happen next March or it could snow in May for all we know, we have to be prepared, he said. Dublin City Council (DCC) crews gritted main roads in the city and were on site to deal with localised flooding issues from early yesterday morning. The gritting operation will continue throughout the weekend if required, with surface water drainage crews also on call as rainfall is monitored, a DCC spokesperson said. As it will not be possible to treat all roads and footpaths, road users are advised to exercise caution over the coming days, said the spokesperson. George Galloway, leader of the Workers Party of Britain, after the Rochdale by-election result was announced. Photo: Phil Noble Veteran British political firebrand George Galloway has won the Rochdale by-election after a contest that was mired in chaos and controversy and dominated by the war in Gaza. Mr Galloway (69) swept to victory in Thursdays contest, winning almost 40pc of the vote. In his victory speech, the fedora-wearing Galloway took aim at Labour leader Keir Starmer, who according to opinion polls is likely to become Britains prime minister in this years general election. Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt condemn aid-delivery killings by Israeli troops in Gaza Israel accused of using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza as EU commits to 50m funding package An injured man is tended to on floor of Al-Shifa Hospital on Thursday after Israeli troops fired on a crowd of Palestinians waiting for aid in Gaza City. Photo: AP Photo AP and Reuters Reporters Sat 2 Mar 2024 at 03:30 Turkey has joined Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan in condemning Israeli forces firing on Palestinians waiting for the delivery of aid, with its foreign ministry calling the event yet another crime against humanity. Palestinians who were wounded in Israeli fire while waiting for aid rest on beds at Al Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Photo: REUTERS/Kosay Al Nemer The Palestinian Authority hopes a ceasefire can be agreed in the Gaza war in time for Ramadan, its foreign minister, Riyad al-Maliki, said on Saturday. Israel and Hamas have been negotiating through mediators over a possible ceasefire in Gaza, with the aim of halting fighting in time for Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month, due to begin this year on March 10. Seventeen people, including a top businessman and an ex-secret service chief will stand trial in Cameroon over the kidnapping and killing of popular journalist Martinez Zogo early last year, according to court papers seen by French media on Saturday. The badly mutilated corpse of Arsene Salomon Mbani Zogo, known as "Martinez", was found a few days after his abduction in front of a police station outside the capital Yaounde on 17 January, 2023. The 50-year-old radio reporter and former director of radio Amplitude FM hosted a popular daily programme, Embouteillage (Gridlock). An outspoken critic of alleged corruption and cronyism in Cameroon, he would often single out government officials by name. The Yaounde military court in Cameroon on Friday closed its judicial investigation, saying "sufficient charges against the indicted" justified ending the judicial enquiry and setting a trial. The date has yet to be confirmed. The suspects include Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, an influential businessman and owner of Anecdote media group, who was arrested two weeks after Martinez's murder. "He has been ordered to stand trial on a fabricated charge complicity in torture," Belinga's lawyer Charles Tchoungang told France's AFP news agency. Maxime Leopold Eko Eko, former head of Cameroon's DGRE counter-espionage agency, must also stand trial on charges of complicity in torture. International NGOs say the regime of President Paul Biya, 91, who has ruled with an iron fist for more than 41 years, routinely curtails opposition. Read more on RFI English Read also: Questions remain a decade after Mali murders of RFI reporters 'Worse than death': Surviving sexual violence in Cameroon's anglophone crisis Boko Haram survivors in Cameroon share their chilling stories New Delhi: Warship builder Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) has paid an interim dividend of Rs 90.73 crore for FY 2023-24 to its shareholders. The government-owned Miniratna Category I company, which functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, also handed over an interim dividend cheque of Rs 67.59 crore to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. GRSE has declared an interim dividend of Rs. 7.92 per equity share of Rs.10 for FY 23-24 against Rs.5.50 in FY 22-23. GRSE has been consistent in paying dividends to the Shareholders and has done so every year for the last 30 years. The company has a strong order book position of Rs 22792.89 Crore as on 31 Dec 23, said an official press release. GRSE is a People Capability Maturity Model (PCMM) Level-2 Certified Company. It has the distinction of becoming the first shipyard of independent India to build a warship for the Indian Navy, the Seaward Defence Boat (SDB) INS Ajay, way back in 1961. Photo courtesy: PIB New Delhi: State-owned miner Coal India Limited (CIL) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Mumbai and Sambalpur on Friday to boost logistic efficiency. The MoU marks a crucial step in multimodal connectivity infrastructure for coal transportation in alignment with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan 2021. "The MoU signed between the two IIMs and Coal India, brings together industry expertise and academic excellence, promising a transformative leap in logistic efficiency, contributing to economic growth and environmental sustainability," the Ministry of Coal said in a statement. Under this initiative, a one-year PGP-Ex programme in Logistics and Operations Excellence through Digitisation is to be conducted for the Executives of Coal India, serving in Mahanadi Coalfield Ltd and other subsidiaries. New Delhi: India successfully flagged off its first commercial trial shipment of pomegranates to the United States via sea on Wednesday. The first trial shipment of pomegranates was facilitated by the Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) by InI Farms from the IFC facility, MSAMB, Vashi (Navi Mumbai). Commerce and Industry Additional Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal and APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev flagged off the pomegranate shipment of 4200 boxes (12.6 tons). Last year, APEDA successfully carried out an air shipment of pomegranates with irradiation treatment and static trial in association with ICAR-NRC Pomegranate Solapur as a technical partner. Based on the successful result of the static trial, APEDA aimed for a successful sign-off for this consignment via sea-opening trade relations to potential markets for Indian Pomegranates. India, one of the largest producers of pomegranates in the world and is also now aiming to be amongst the top pomegranate exporting countries in the World. India is a key player growing in the EU, Middle East and Asian markets. The trial air shipment, static sea trial and the sea container were executed by APEDA-registered InI Farms - a top exporter of fruits and vegetables from India with their produce being exported to over 25 countries worldwide. Over the years, the firm has made extensive efforts to enhance the quality and shelf life of Pomegranates to meet the strict standards of the global markets. As part of the Agrostar group, InI Farms has established a value chain for Pomegranates by working directly with farmers in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The fruit was sourced from Anarnet registered farmers from Sangola in Maharashtra. Significantly, the premium received by farmers was 20% compared to other export markets and 35% compared to the domestic market. Pomegranate is an important agri-produce of India, the rich history associated with fruit and its nutritional value contribute to its popular demand. India produces some of the best varieties of Pomegranate in terms of quality with soft fleshy seeds, low acidity and attractive colour. Bhagwa Pomegranate is considered amongst the best varieties around the world. In the last decade, India has increased the area as well as the production of Pomegranate and seen an increase in exports. In the pomegranate market, India holds a significant advantage of being able to supply the fruit throughout the year with trained farmers for expert quality products. Pomegranate production in recent years has been growing at a healthy rate of 20-25%. In India, the major pomegranate-producing states are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh with Maharashtra contributing to more than 50% of the production share. APEDA has facilitated Pomegranates exports worth $58.36 Million in 2022-23 to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bangladesh, Nepal, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bahrain, and Oman. APEDA has been actively working on improving the supply chain bottlenecks for pomegranates export; the establishment of Export Promotion Forums (EPF) for pomegranates is an impetus to export the fruit. The EPF has representatives of the Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture, state governments, national referral laboratories, and the top ten leading exporters of the product. The initiative taken by APEDA for sea consignment will build trust between Indian exporters and foreign importers regarding quality assurance. Children play on parched land in southern Pakistan. Photo Courtesy: UNICEF/Vlad Sokhin February saw more extreme heat and unusually high temperatures in both hemispheres, the UN weather agency (WMO) said on Friday. Summarizing the state of the climate, the month ended with extreme heat in the southern hemisphere where its summer, while high temperatures atypical of the northern hemisphere winter prevailed. Parts of North and South America, northwest and southeast Africa, southeast and far eastern Asia, western Australia and Europe all saw record-breaking temperatures, either on a daily basis or for all of February. The anomalous heat is consistent with the persisting warming observed since June 2023, with seven consecutive new global monthly temperature records, including January 2024, said Alvaro Silva, a climatologist working with WMO. Global sea surface temperatures are record high. While the El Nino weather pattern has stoked temperatures in some parts of the world, human induced climate change is the long-term major contributing factor, he added. Conversely, a large part of northwestern Canada, central Asia and from southern central Siberia to southeastern China witnessed exceptional cold during the last week of the month. The meteorological winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the southern hemisphere finish officially at the end of February. Photo Courtesy: Narendra Modi Facebook page The BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, is now open to the public and authorities have introduced a guideline for visitors to follow while visiting the religious establishment. The guidelines include the kind of clothes people are allowed to wear while visiting the temple among others. As per the guidelines, pets are not allowed inside the temple premises. Drones have also been strictly prohibited within the temple compound. The wait is over!#AbuDhabiMandir is now open for all visitors and worshipers. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 9am-8pm Every Monday: Closed for visitors pic.twitter.com/JnYvZoVSPk BAPS Hindu Mandir (@AbuDhabiMandir) March 1, 2024 Visitors are also not allowed to outside food and drinks within the temple complex. The guideline said: "Please dress in line with the following guidelines: Cover the area of the body between the neck, the Elbow, and the ankles. Caps, t-shirts, and other clothing articles with offensive designs are not allowed. Do not wear translucent or tight-fitting clothing. Avoid clothing articles and accessories that make distracting noises or reflections." Temple authorities said those visitors who would be found not following the guidelines or are 'deemed inappropriate' by the staff may be denied entry. Spread over 27 acres and built at a cost of over Rs. 700 crore, the BAPS Hindu temple is also seen as a mark of the deepening ties between India and the United Arab Emirates. Built by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), the temple is located in Abu Mreikhah, near Al Rahba. Modi inaugurated the temple Indian PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the temple on February 14. After inaugurating the temple, PM Modi said in Hindi, "A golden chapter in human history has been written in UAE today. A grand and holy temple has been inaugurated in Abu Dhabi today. Years of hard work have gone into this temple and a long-cherished dream has come true. Bhagwan Swaminarayan's blessings are also with this temple. Photo courtesy: X/@siddaramaiah Bengaluru/UNI: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday expressed confidence in arresting the person behind the blast at Rameshwaram Cafe, as CCTV cameras have captured his movements. The blast has left ten people injured. It has not yet been deciphered whether it is a terrorist attack or any organisation is behind it. However, the police are investigating in this regard. Siddaramaiah also said that a serious investigation is underway to find out whether there are any similarities between the 2022 Mangaluru cooker blast and Rameshwaram Cafe's blast. Later, Siddaramaiah paid a visit to Brookfield Hospital and inquired about the condition of blast victims. Before leaving the hospital, he said the government would bear the treatment charges of all the patients. "About 10 people are injured. Three are here in the Brookfield Hospital, and six others are admitted in Vydehi Hospital. I am also going there. The patients are recuperating and responding very well to the treatment," he said. Meanwhile, Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara has confirmed a high-level meeting of senior police officers with CM Siddaramaiah. "We have convened a meeting at 1 p.m. The CM chairs the meeting. Higher-ranked police officers will take part in the meeting, which will discuss the blast," he said. Dr. Parameshawara said that the government has constituted teams to investigate the blast and assured that the accused will be arrested soon. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the person behind the blast has been identified, and efforts are on to track him using AI-powered facial recognition technology. The Central Crime Branch is leading the investigation and is hopeful of nabbing him, Dy CM said. A preliminary investigation revealed that the alleged bomber appears to be a man aged between 25 and 30. CCTV footage shows that the bomber gets off a bus right near the restaurant and walks into it, wearing a mask, pays at the cash counter, and obtains a token for Rava Idli. Almost an hour after his departure, the bomb was detonated using a timer. Photo Courtesy: Amarnath Ghosh Instagram page The Indian Consulate in Chicago has said it has strongly taken up the case of Indian classical dancer Amarnath Ghosh with the St Louis police for investigation. The consulate also offered condolences to the family members over the death of the dancer who was allegedly shot dead in St Louis, Missouri in the United States by unknown attackers. "Deep condolences to family & friends of deceased Amarnath Ghosh in StLouis, Missouri. We are following up forensic, investigation with police & providing support. @IndianEmbassyUS @MEAIndia," the Indian Consulate in Chicago posted on X. "Consulate is extending all help to relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh. Taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack. @IndianEmbassyUS @MEAIndia," the post said. The incident was flagged by television actress Devoleena Bhattacharjee who recently wrote on X: "My friend #Amarnathghosh was shot & killed in St louis academy neigbourhood, US on tuesday evening." Consulate is extending all help to relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh. Taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack. @IndianEmbassyUS @MEAIndia India in Chicago (@IndiainChicago) March 2, 2024 She further said: "Only child in the family, mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood." She said the danced hailed from the east Indian city of Kolkata. My friend #Amarnathghosh was shot & killed in St louis academy neigbourhood, US on tuesday evening. Only child in the family, mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood. Well the reason , accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one Devoleena Bhattacharjee (@Devoleena_23) March 1, 2024 "Well the reason , accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one left in his family to fight for it except his few friends. He was from kolkata. Excellent dancer , was pursuing PHD , was taking an evening walk and suddenly he was shot multiple times by an unknown," the actress wrote on X. She tagged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Indian PM Narendra Modi in her post. Several Indians were reported dead in separate incidents across the first two months of the year. Bengaluru cafe blast suspect caught on CCTV camera. Photo Courtesy: Rupa Murthy X page A photo of the Bengaluru bomb blast suspect was caught on CCTV camera where he could be seen wearing a grey shirt, white cap and a mask, carrying a plate of Idli inside the Rameshwaram Cafe. At least 10 people were hurt after a blast occurred inside the cafe located in Bengaluru's posh Whitefield area on Friday (March 1, 2024). CCTV footage from another angle caught the man walking towards the cafe with the bag, where the explosives were believed to be present. Meanwhile, the owner of Rameshwaram Cafe claimed the suspect ordered a plate of rava idli and left the restaurant without the bag after finishing off his food. Owner Divya Raghavendra Rao told NDTV: "He took his order and then sat in a corner. He finished his meal and then left a bag in the corner before exiting the restaurant." Rameshwaram Cafe blast case handed over to CCB The Rameshwaram Cafe blast case has been handed over to City Crime Branch, and no arrest has been made yet, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda confirmed. Investigation of the case has been handed over to City Crime Branch (CCB). All the injured are recovering. No arrest made. https://t.co/SHkVjmrA40 CP Bengaluru (@CPBlr) March 2, 2024 "Investigation of the case has been handed over to the City Crime Branch (CCB). All the injured are recovering. No arrest has been made," he said in an X post. The Bengaluru police have registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act in connection with the blast. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed confidence in nabbing the bomber as the CCTV cameras have captured his movements, reported UNI. He visited the blast victims at the hospital this afternoon. Photo Courtesy: UNI The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday unveiled its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Indian PM Narendra Modi will contest the poll from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi seat. This is the third time the PM will be contesting the polls from the politically crucial seat. LIVE: Watch BJP Press Conference at party headquarters in New Delhi. https://t.co/nppQvosHrd BJP (@BJP4India) March 2, 2024 He had registered back-to-back victories from the seat in 2014 and then in 2019. Announcing the names of candidates, party general secretary Vinod Tawde said: "PM Modi will fight from Varanasi. The list also includes details regarding 34 Central Ministers and MoSs. It also includes the name of Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla and 2 former CMs as well." "28 of these candidates are women. 47 candidates are under the age of 50. The list also has 27 SC candidates and 18 ST candidates. We're fielding 57 OBC candidates out of these 195," he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been fielded from Gandhinagar seat in Gujarat. PM Narendra Modi and his BJP are eyeing to return to power for a record third consecutive term. It will facing the challenge of Congress-led INDIA opposition for the first time in the general polls. Modi has already set a target of 370 seats in the polls. Image Credit: Representational Image (Wikimedia Commons) Mumbai: Security agencies halted a ship bound for Karachi from China at Nhava Sheva port in Mumbai over suspicions of carrying a dual-use consignment potentially linked to Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile programme, a media report said. The ship, a Malta-flagged vessel named CMA CGM Attila, was intercepted on January 23 following intelligence input. Customs officials inspected the cargo, which included a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine manufactured by an Italian company. CNC machines are computer-controlled and offer high efficiency and precision. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) verified that the machine could be used by Pakistan for its nuclear program, particularly in manufacturing critical missile components, according to the report. CNC machines have been regulated under the Wassenaar Arrangement since 1996, an international arms control regime aiming to curb the proliferation of items with both civilian and military applications. India, as one of the 42 member countries, participates in information exchange concerning transfers of such goods and technologies. The CNC machine intercepted in this instance was earlier used in North Korea's nuclear program. Indian port officials, acting on specific intelligence, alerted defence authorities and subsequently seized the consignment. Investigations revealed discrepancies in the shipping details, indicating potential attempts to conceal the true destination and recipient of the cargo. This incident is not an isolated one; previously, Indian authorities seized similar military-grade items en route from China to Pakistan. Cosmos Engineering, a Pakistani defence supplier, has been under scrutiny since a prior interception of Italian-made equipment at Nhava Sheva port. Concerns persist over Pakistan potentially using China as a conduit to procure restricted items from Europe and the US. Such covert shipments highlight ongoing cooperation between China and Pakistan in potential proliferation activities, contrary to international agreements and regulations. In a separate incident, a Chinese ship carrying an autoclave, suspected to be intended for Pakistan's missile program, was seized in 2020. This further asserts apprehensions about Pakistan's illegal trade in missiles and its violations of international missile control regimes. In response, the US Bureau of Industry and Security sanctioned several Chinese companies involved in supplying missile-related items to Pakistan's ballistic missile program in 2023. There's been a notably low turn out in Iran's first parliamentary election since mass protests in 2022 over mandatory hijab laws following the death of Mahsa Amin. It wasn't immediately clear if voter apathy or an active desire to send a message to Iran's theocracy depressed the number of voters coming to polling stations across the Islamic Republic. While state-controlled television broadcast images of lines of voters, others across the capital of Tehran saw largely empty polling stations. Officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sought to link turnout directly to taking a stand against Iran's enemies. Others, including imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, urged a boycott of a vote they derided as a "sham." Authorities broadly barred any politicians calling for change within the country's government, known broadly as reformists, from running in the election. Of about 15,000 candidates vying for seats in the 290-member parliament, formally known as the Islamic Consultative Assembly, only 116 are considered to be relatively moderate or pro-reform candidates. Meanwhile, Iran's economy continues to stagnate under Western sanctions over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program and the country's arming of militia proxies in the Middle East and Russia in its war on Ukraine. Some of the voters acknowledged the challenges facing the Islamic Republic. "There are many problems; too many problems," said one voter, who just gave her last name, Sajjad. "We are sad, we are sorrowful and we voice our criticism as much as we can. God willing, those responsible will start thinking about us, and probably many of them do care." Khamenei, 84, cast one of the first votes in an election that also will pick new members of the country's Assembly of Experts. The panel of clerics, who serve an eight-year term, is mandated to select a new supreme leader if Khamenei steps down or dies, underscoring its increased importance, given Khamenei's age. Story continues "Pay attention to this, make friends happy and disappoint the evil-wishers," he said, urging Iranians to vote. Khamenei's protege, hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, repeated that call and urged the public to make it "a glorious day for the Iranian nation." But turnout appeared depressed in Tehran, where the state-owned polling centre ISPA estimated a turnout of 23.5 per cent. ISPA's poll, based on a survey of 5,121 voting-age people, predicted a turnout of 38.5 per cent nationally. It said the margin of error in the poll was 2 per cent. A heavy security presence could be seen across the capital, with some 200,000 security forces deployed across the country, home to some 85 million people. Estimates put the voting-age population at 61 million. Hard-liners have controlled the parliament for the past two decades with chants of "Death to America" often heard from the floor. Under Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a former Revolutionary Guard general who supported a violent crackdown on Iranian university students in 1999, the legislature pushed forward a bill in 2020 that greatly curtailed Tehran's cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. That followed then-US President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal of America from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018 an act that sparked years of tensions in the Middle East and saw Iran enrich enough uranium at record-breaking purity to have enough fuel for "several" nuclear weapons if it chose. More recently, the parliament has focused on issues surrounding Iran's mandatory head covering, or hijab, for women after the 2022 death of 22-year-old Amini in police custody, which sparked nationwide protests. The protests quickly escalated into calls to overthrow Iran's clerical rulers. A subsequent security crackdown killed over 500 people, with more than 22,000 detained. Image Credit: Social media New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Mohammed Gaus Niyazi, a prime target for the agency, in South Africa, accused of the murder of an RSS leader. Niyazi, who had a bounty of 5 lakh rupees on him and is a key figure of the proscribed Popular Front of India (PFI), is accused of murdering RSS leader Rudresh in Bangalore in 2016. NIA Arrests Key Conspirator in RSS Leader Rudreshs Murder Case pic.twitter.com/OiIYkUMD7z NIA India (@NIA_India) March 2, 2024 After the crime, Niyazi managed to evade law enforcement by living in various countries. The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) took the initiative to monitor Niyazi's movements, eventually sharing vital intelligence with the central agency. Later, South African law enforcement agencies were alerted, leading to the successful arrest of the fugitive in the country. Niyazi's alleged role in Rudresh's assassination had sparked an outrage across the country, sparking an intense manhunt by law enforcement authorities. Following his arrest in South Africa, extradition proceedings were initiated, with Niyazi now being extradited to India. Reports indicate that he is presently being transported to Mumbai, where he will stand trial for his purported role in the killing of the RSS leader. Image Credit: Pixabay Dumka (Jharkhand): A Spanish woman was gang-raped in Jharkhands Dumka late Friday night while she was travelling with her husband on a motorcycle, media reports said. The incident occurred in Kurumahat, in the Hansdiha police station area, where seven men allegedly beat the couple, looted their belongings and raped her, media reported. The woman and her partner, who had reached Dumka from Bangladesh on two motorcycles and was en route to Bihar and then Nepal, were also robbed and beaten up when they were halting for the night at a makeshift tent. According to an NDTV report, the woman, with bruises all over her face, shared the horror in an Instagram post: "Something has happened to us that we would not wish on anyone. Seven men have raped me. "They have beaten us and robbed us although not many things because what they wanted was to rape me." Police have arrested three accused and are actively working to identify and nab the remaining four suspects. According to Dumka's Superintendent of Police, Pitambar Singh Khairwar, the victim and her husband, who were travelling by motorcycle, had stopped in the region while en route from West Bengal to Nepal via Jharkhand. Due to the late hour, they decided to rest and set up a temporary shelter in Kunji village, Dumka. Their next destination was supposed to be Bhagalpur in Bihar before continuing their journey to Nepal. Khairwar, mentioned that the woman underwent a medical examination, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the incident, with forensic specialists also assisting in the process, India Today reported. The couple, who were travelling on tourist visas, had embarked on a long tour of Asia, starting from Pakistan, and then visiting Bangladesh before reaching Dumka. Their intended destination from Jharkhand was Nepal. Currently, the Spanish woman is receiving medical treatment at the Saraiyahat Community Health Centre (CHC). Khairwar has been at the crime scene since Friday night, overseeing the situation. An investigation is underway, with the detained accused undergoing interrogation. Jharkhand BJP president and former chief minister Babulal Marandi demanded stern action against the police. "When such incidents take place with foreigners, who would like to come to Jharkhand? The law and order machinery has collapsed here. Strict action should be taken against the police," he said. Condemning the incident, state minister Mithilesh Thakur said, "It is unfortunate. Those involved in the crime will not be spared and stringent action will be taken against them." Photo courtesy: Instagram/Deepika Padukone Mumbai/IBNS: Bollywood power couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh shared their pictures together on social media just a few days after announcing their pregnancy. Deepika and Ranveer posted the same set of pictures on Instagram. While Ranveer goes all white in his attires, Deepika opted for a mesmerising black sleeveless gown. Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab Confirming the speculation of Deepika being pregnant triggered after her BAFTA appearance, the couple said on social media on Thursday that they are set to welcome their first child in September 2024. Deepika, now 38, got married to Ranveer in 2018 after several years of dating. Speaking on children to Vogue Singapore, Deepika earlier said the couple love children. Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab In the interview published in January 2024, she said, "Absolutely. Ranveer and I love children. We look forward to the day when we will start our own family." Meanwhile, the couple is in Jamnagar, Gujarat presently to attend India's billionaire businessman Mukesh Ambani's son Anant Ambani's wedding with Radhika Merchant. Photo Courtesy: Tamannaah Bhatia Instagram page Indian actress Tamannaah Bhatia, who works both in Southern and Bollywood movies, recently made a spiritual visit to the revered Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi on Saturday. The actress, who is currently in Banaras for the shooting of the Telugu film Odela-2, took some time off her schedule to pay her respects at one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Tamannaah Bhatia shared glimpses of her visit on her official Instagram handle, treating fans to picturesque scenes from the Kashi Vishwanath Temple complex. In one of the photos, Tamannaah is reverently seen touching the sacred Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva, while another photo captures her exploring the vibrant streets of Banaras. In the caption accompanying these images, she wrote, "Har Har Mahadev," expressing her devotion to Lord Shiva. The actress is set to play the lead role in Odela 2, and Banaras serves as the backdrop for much of the film's shooting. Tamannaah Bhatia's visit to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple not only reflects her spiritual inclination but also showcases the cultural and religious significance of Varanasi, a city known for its rich history and spiritual aura. Photo courtesy: PR Team The film, which is based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyaya's short story Abhagir Swargo, is written and directed by Anirban Chakraborty. Apart from Mithila, the film features Subrata Dutta, Debjani Chatterjee, Ishaan Mazumder, Sayan Ghosh, Jiniya Pande, Krishno Banerjee, and Sourav Halder in key roles. About the film Abhagi is a lower caste, poor village woman left by her husband. She lives with her son Kangali in her small mud hut, still they are happy. In her childhood Abhagi once watched Yamraj in a play and fell in love with his aura and power. She got influenced by his words. Yamraj only takes good character women with him in his chariot after cremation in fire. Rafiath Rashid Mithila | Photo courtesy: PR Team From then on Abhagi always dreams of fire from her son after death. When Brhammin Ginnima passed away she saw a chariot coming from heaven in the smoke in which Ginnima was burnt. It took her away to heaven. Abhagi again dreamed of her death like Ginnima. That day she got a high fever. After three days she died. Before her death she told her son about her wish of sindoor, alta and being burnt in wood. Kangali fulfilled all the wishes. But he couldnt arrange the wood to burn. All scolded by saying that he has no need to burn her mother in wood as they are lower cast. He had to bury the dead body of his mother. The fire, Abhagi desired all her life, now is in the eyes of Kangali. Director's note Director Anirban Chakraborty says, "The poster had to reflect Abhagi, theSati as a worrier. She is different, she is alone, she has her own beliefs and ethics. So she had to stand alone. "As the fire makes gold pure though it melts it, Abhagi also is in touch with it since childhood. Fire itself symbolizes purity, sacredness and strength. So it is an essential element or part of this poster." The film, which is produced by Dr. Prabir Bhaumik and presented by Swabhumi Entertainment, is scheduled to release on March 29. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash Workers of nationalist parties and social organisations recently observed a sit-in in Kandhkot town of Pakistan to demonstrate against rising unrest among citizens due to growing lawlessness and simmering tribal feuds. The protesters led by Sindh-Taraqqi-pasand Party district president Akram Bajkani held a four-hour sit-in in front of SSP office said that unabated robberies, thefts and kidnappings, which had become order of the day in the district, had spread fear and unrest among citizens across Kandhkot-Kashmore district, reported Dawn News. Bajkani and other leaders said people were sick of the crimes as police had completely failed to restore peace in the district and provide security to them. He claimed police were arresting innocent people instead of taking action against outlaws. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he vetoed a bill that would have banned social media for children under the age of 16. "I have vetoed HB 1 because the Legislature is about to produce a different, superior bill," DeSantis said in a statement on Friday regarding the Online Protections for Minors bill. I have vetoed HB 1 because the Legislature is about to produce a different, superior bill. Protecting children from harms associated with social media is important, as is supporting parents rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech. I Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 1, 2024 DeSantis explained that protecting children from harm linked to social media is important, but so is supporting parents rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech. The Governor said he anticipates the new bill will recognize these priorities and will be signed into law soon. Indian retail giant Reliance Industries is making a move to shake up the fashion scene with reports of preliminary talks to bring popular Irish fast-fashion brand Primark to India. Primark, known for its trendy clothes and accessories at budget-friendly prices, has long eyed the massive Indian market. This potential partnership would be a strategic win for both companies. What to Expect Reliance's collaboration with Primark would intensify competition with other major retailers like Shoppers Stop, Landmark Group, and Tata. Talks suggest Primark might enter India through a joint venture or licensing agreement. This would allow them to leverage Reliance's vast experience in the Indian retail landscape. With this, one can expect Primark stores to be situated on high streets, similar to their existing model in other countries. Partnering with Primark allows Reliance to tap into a wider customer base seeking trendy fashion at affordable prices. The UK brand which has over 400 stores across the UK, US and Europe adds another strong brand to Reliance's already impressive portfolio of international fashion collaborations. India's growing economy and fashion-conscious population present a massive opportunity for Primark. Reliance's experience and established network will help Primark navigate the Indian market efficiently. While the deal is still in its initial stages, it has the potential to change the Indian fashion retail landscape significantly. Primark's arrival could lead to a wider variety of trendy clothing at competitive prices, benefiting fashion-forward consumers across India. For more stories like these, follow us on Indiatimes Lifestyle. Looking for a way to lighten your load financially and emotionally? The town of Misterbianco in Sicily, Italy, has a tail-wagging solution for you! In a heartwarming initiative, the town offers a 200 discount on annual waste disposal taxes to residents who adopt a dog from local shelters or kennels. Reuters By encouraging adoptions, Misterbianco aims to decrease the number of homeless dogs in need of care. The tax break offers a welcome incentive for those considering adopting a furry friend. More dogs find loving homes, leading to increased companionship and overall well-being for both humans and animals. Canva Thinking of Adopting? If you're a resident of Misterbianco and have been considering welcoming a dog into your life, this program offers the perfect opportunity. You'll not only gain a loyal companion but also save some money on your taxes! Credit: Instagram This program goes beyond just offering financial incentives. It highlights the importance of animal welfare and responsible pet ownership. By creating a win-win situation for both residents and dogs, Misterbianco is setting a paw-sitive example for other communities to follow. So, if you're looking for a way to make a difference, consider adopting a dog and cuddling your way to lower taxes! For more stories like these, follow us on Indiatimes Lifestyle. Today is a big day as the BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi, a true masterpiece now known as the capital's crown jewel, has officially welcomed the public. This event is a major milestone for the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) community, celebrating cultural unity and stunning design. AFP Founded in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha stands as a pivotal Hindu religious and social organization stemming from the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism. With a global presence, BAPS oversees around 1,550 temples, including the renowned Akshardham temples in New Delhi and the Gujarat capital, Gandhinagar, alongside a myriad of Swaminarayan temples across the globe. The inauguration of this 108-ft tall edifice last month by Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only marked a significant event for the UAE's Hindu community but also underscored the strengthening ties between the two nations. Abu Dhabi BAPS temple guide To ensure everyone visiting has a great experience, the temple authorities have put together a detailed set of guidelines. It encompasses dress codes, prohibitions on certain items, and photography regulations. Upon its opening to the public, the temple administration laid out specific rules of conduct: "Cover the area of the body between the neck, the elbow, and the ankles. Caps, t-shirts, and other clothing articles with offensive designs are not allowed. Do not wear translucent or tight-fitting clothing. Avoid clothing articles and accessories that make distracting noises or reflections". AP Moreover, the temple's official website specifies additional restrictions, such as a ban on pets within the temple premises, the prohibition of external food and beverages, and a no-drone zone to ensure the preservation of the temple's serene atmosphere and its efficient management. These measures were communicated amidst the backdrop of a grand consecration ceremony attended by at least 5,000 individuals, celebrated by PM Modi in Abu Dhabi on February 14. Reuters 'The wait is over!' Constructed on a sprawling 27-acre plot in Abu Mureika, near Al Rahba, along the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway, the temple's establishment demanded an investment of approximately 700 crore. AFP Celebrating the temple's opening, the authorities expressed their enthusiasm through a social media announcement, "The wait is over! Abu Dhabi Mandir is now open for all visitors and worshippers," accompanied by a video showcasing the temple. The wait is over!#AbuDhabiMandir is now open for all visitors and worshipers. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 9am-8pm Every Monday: Closed for visitors pic.twitter.com/JnYvZoVSPk BAPS Hindu Mandir (@AbuDhabiMandir) March 1, 2024 Adorned in the Nagara architectural style, the temple's exterior is a testament to universal values, depicting stories of cultural harmony, revered Hindu spiritual leaders, and divine avatars. If you've been excited to see this beautiful place, now is your chance to experience a blend of ancient traditions and modern beauty. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. A family are having to sell their dream home as they look to fund the care of a beloved father of three enduring "scary" complications following a brain tumour diagnosis. Jase Young, 37, was diagnosed with a brain tumour six years ago, with his family's lives changing forever. His wife Emma has become his full-time carer as Jase faces challenge after challenge. But it was in November when his condition took a significant turn for the worse. He suffered a collapsed airway as the result of a respiratory illness, leaving him in a critical state. At the same time, his brain tumour was continuing to grow despite previous surgeries to remove it. Jase has endured multiple set backs in the past six years since he was first diagnosed with a brain tumour. Source: GoFundMe "He was in the kitchen, where all the kids were, just gasping for breath. It was just the most confronting thing seeing him suffer like that," Emma told The Daily Telegraph. A tracheostomy was performed on Jase, however doctors in Australia are unsure how to treat his rare condition, with his family seeking help from medical teams in the US. His open airway has been incredibly uncomfortable and he struggles to speak. Jase's sister Kylie said his ordeal has been "traumatising" for his entire family. Jase's wife Emma has made the difficult decision to sell the family home. Source: The Daily Telegraph Wife gives up family business and home Emma last year was forced to give up the family's cafe to care for Jase as well as being a mother to children aged 7, 6 and 2. Now with financial pressures mounting, she's made the difficult decision to sell their home, which they renovated themselves, in Kiama Downs, south of Wollongong. Putting the family under further strain is the speed at which his tumour is growing which requires urgent and specialised radiation surgery. "This surgery is extremely expensive and is not coved by Medicare or private health," Kylie explained in a GoFundMe page also set up in a bid to keep the family going without an income. Story continues The Kiama Downs home has been restored by the couple to a high standard. Source: Ray White The page has so far raised close to $40,000 which Kylie said has "literally been a lifesaver". The family are now hoping Jase is over the worst of it but they are under no illusions that he is facing a "long, very rocky" journey. "You truly dont know how much this has helped our family in what has been the most stressful, traumatic and hardest experience of our lives," Kylie told donators. Jase and Emma's home will go to auction later this month. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Have you ever had a crazy taxi ride? Well, this tourist from the Netherlands sure did, but it wasn't the fun kind. Imagine exploring a new city, all excited, and suddenlyboom! You're in trouble, thanks to a sneaky taxi driver. That's what happened to one unlucky tourist who got robbed by his taxi driver. And get this, he ended up spending over a month in a shelter home for beggars. Talk about a vacation gone wrong! Lexica| Representational Image Dutch tourist robbed and trapped: Taxi driver's foul play The tourist, Anthony Von Arkel, had checked into a hotel in Puri but was robbed by a taxi driver who subsequently "locked him up" in Bhubaneswar for three days. The incident occurred on January 9 when Arkel was travelling from Puri to Bhitarkanika in a cab to exchange foreign currency. During the journey, the driver seized Arkel's money when he exited the car. After an altercation, the driver took Arkel to his parental residence, where he was allegedly confined for three days. Arkel lodged a complaint about the incident on January 25, according to a police officer cited by PTI. Unsplash| Representational Image Arkel recounted his ordeal, stating, "With some youths' help, I returned to Puri via Bhubaneswar. I then went to the police and filed a complaint." Having very little money left, Arkel disclosed to the news agency that he resided in a shelter home for beggars from January 25 until March 1. Following media coverage of the incident, the Puri administration arranged for his accommodation in a guest house. Tourist loves India despite robbery This marked Arkel's sixth visit to India, during which he expressed his affection for the country, saying, "I love India very much, and this is my sixth visit here. I love the people, nature and the country's temples. People are very friendly, but such an incident can happen anywhere, even in my own country. The media and the state government helped me to get through the situation. So, my love for India remains." Lexica| Representational Image In response to the incident, Puri SP Pinak Mishra informed PTI that the accused had been identified and would soon be apprehended. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. In an ideal world, what to wear, and what not to should be the choice of the individual. But more often than not, people are 'forced' to make some adjustments to comply with the demands and expectations of others. This is particularly true in the case of many married women, from whom their husbands or in-laws will decide what they should wear. BCCL Husband wants wife to wear sarees of his choice But the insistence of a man from Agra that his wife should be only sarees of his choice has ended up with her seeking divorce. Deepak, a resident of Agra had married a woman from Hathras some eight months ago. After the marriage, Deepak bought many sarees for his wife and asked her to wear them. Fight over choice of sarees lead to divorce However, the wife, who wasn't pleased with the sarees chosen by her husband refused to wear them and insisted on wearing the ones she liked. This soon led to constant fights between the couple and the marriage falling apart. BCCL Initially, the couple sought counseling, but even the counselors failed to broker peace between them. The families of the husband and wife also could not bring them back together. Following this the couple filed for divorce and they have also made police complaints against each other for alleged harassment. The Family Court in Agra is expected to hear the divorce plea this month. Momos almost resulted in a divorce Recently a similar case had surfaced from the city where momos almost resulted in the collapse of a marriage. It all began with the woman, who was used to having momos daily before marriage, expecting her husband to get the same after the wedding. UNSPLASH The husband, who worked in a shoe factory used to buy momos for his wife occasionally, but she insisted on having it every day. Fight over momos led to the wife filing for divorce, but unlike in the dispute over the saree, Counsellors managed to save the marriage by bringing the couple to an agreement of having momos, twice a week. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. A man from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh had a narrow escape from a leopard, while he was travelling on a bike. The incident happened in the early hours of Friday in the Kanker Khera area of Meerut. SCREENGRAB Lucky escape from leopard The biker, identified as Akshay Thakur was passing through Kanker Khera when the leopard jumped onto the road in front of him from the bushes. Luckily for the biker, the leopard had run into the bushes on the other side of the road, by the time he reached the spot. A shocked Thakur stopped his bike for a moment before he proceeded again after the big cat disappeared into the dark. SCREENGRAB Leopard seen on CCTV The entire episode was caught on the CCTV camera of a nearby house. In the CCTV visuals, the leopard, presumably disturbed by the light and sound of the bike is seen coming out of the bushes as the two-wheeler approaches. Thakur who noticed the animal after it crossed the road, soon alerted the locals about the presence of the leopard in the area. After being informed by locals the Forest Department rushed a team to the spot, but could not find the leopard. Leopard still elusive On Friday more people reported seeing the leopard, including on the outskirts of a farmhouse. There are also reports that a dog has been killed by the elusive leopard. As panic spread among residents, the Forest officials increased their search, and are also using drones to locate the leopard. Leopard population in India According to the Status of Leopards in India report released on Thursday, the leopard population in the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains (SHGP) which comprises of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand stood at 1,109 in 2022. BCCL According to the data released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority India has seen a rise in leopard count from 12,852 in 2018 to 13,874 in 2022. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. The Delhi Police has warned residents of the national capital about a new cyber scam, that is now becoming more rampant. According to the Delhi Police around 200 cases of 'Digital House Arrest' are reported from the nation every month. Pexels What is Digital House Arrest 'Digital house arrest' refers to a fraud where impostors impersonating law enforcement officers deceive the victims into believing that their bank account, SIM card, Aadhaar card, or other cards linked to their bank account has been used unlawfully. The fraudsters then virtually restrain the victims from moving out of the house and coerce them into paying them money. How Digital House Arrest works The cops explained how 'digital house arrest' works with the example of a recent case: "A man was getting ready for his office on December 30, last year when he got a call at around 8.43 am. The caller took his name and said he was speaking from the Crime Branch of Mumbai. He told the victim that his Aadhar card was used to transport drugs in some courier packages which were seized by the crime branch." The accused also started interrogating him, which created fear in the mind of the victim. They also asked the victim to not move out of his house for around 8 hours during the "questioning". FREEPIK The victim heard some voices coming from behind which were voices similar to wireless radio transmission of police. Later the accused asked him to download a Skype application and remote access to the desktop. A man appeared before him wearing a cop dress, interrogated him for hours, and asked the victim to show his bank account details to see if he had received any 'foreign funds'. Meanwhile, they hacked his system and drained his account completely. Cybercriminals are good at convincing victims Police said that such 'cyber thugs' are technically sound and know how to convince their targets and drain their hard-earned money. Unsplash These fraudsters use translation tools for better English to send threatening letters and forge letterheads of police departments. They usually procure Aadhar cards from other sources. According to the cops, if anyone has been duped by the scammers the victims must immediately call the police helpline numbers to report the matter. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. In a heartwarming tale of efficiency and compassion, the Delhi Police recently made headlines for their swift action in reuniting a woman with her lost iPhone in three hours. The incident showcases law enforcement's diligent efforts and highlights the power of community collaboration and technology. The woman, distraught over her misplaced device, sought assistance from the local authorities, who promptly launched a search operation. Utilizing advanced tracking methods and thorough investigation, the police could pinpoint the iPhone's location and retrieve it intact. The commendable feat garnered widespread praise on social media, with netizens applauding the police force's dedication and prompt response. This incident serves as a reminder of law enforcement's invaluable role in serving and protecting communities while also showcasing the positive outcomes achievable through effective cooperation between citizens and authorities. What Happened With The Women And How Did Delhi Police Help? Woman found her lost iPhone in 'just' three hours, praises Delhi Police | Image: X Experiencing the anxiety of losing a phone is a universal dread, yet for a woman residing in Delhi, that distress was short-lived, thanks to the prompt response of the Police. In a stroke of good fortune, the woman could retrieve her misplaced iPhone swiftly, all due to the quick actions of the Delhi Police, who managed to recover her phone within just three hours. Overflowing with appreciation, Ekta Thakur expressed her gratitude for 'X,' thanking HC Ajay Yadav, Anil Yadav, and Gajraj Rao for their rapid response to her lost iPhone in Munirka. She expressed her profound indebtedness to their ongoing commitment to ensuring Delhi's safety. Woman found her lost iPhone in 'just' three hours, praises Delhi Police | Image: X Ekta's post was accompanied by a selfie with the head constables, underscoring her heartfelt thanks for their efficient service. When asked to recount the experience, Ekta revealed, "The Police showed remarkable dedication from when they learned about the incident in the auto. They escorted me to the police station, promptly filed an FIR, and obtained the IMEI number from Jio's records to initiate phone tracking." Upon discovering that the FindMyFriends feature on her MacBook offered more precise tracking, the Police immediately sprang into action. Woman found her lost iPhone in 'just' three hours, praises Delhi Police | Image: X Collaborating closely with Ekta and her flatmate, they combed through Munirka and RK Puram areas until they honed in on the phone's whereabouts. "Once we pinpointed the location, they conducted thorough interrogations of the auto drivers and successfully retrieved my phone. Their kindness and hospitality were exceptional, to the extent that they even treated us to dinner afterward! Kudos to the Delhi Police!" Ekta exclaimed gratefully. Delhi Police's official social media account also shared Ekta's post, expressing appreciation: "We thank you, Ekta ji, for sharing your experience and recognizing our efforts." Where Can You Check Out The Post? You can check out the post on X posted by @ektathakurvats. my deepest gratitude to HC Ajay Yadav , Anil yadav and Gajraj Rao who jumped to action about a lost iPhone in munirka , recovered within 3 hrs of losing it. Deeply indebted to their continued service to keeping Delhi safe. thank you so much. @DelhiPolice @dcp_southwest @CPDelhi pic.twitter.com/2iR5k8NWjH Ekta Thakur (@ektathakurvats) February 29, 2024 What do you think about it? Do let us know in the comments. For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram. San Jose Protest for Palestine Date: Saturday, March 02, 2024 Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Event Type: Protest Organizer/Author: Andy at FRSO Location Details: San Jose City Hall 200 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA San Francisco will be hosting a March at 12 PM the same day we highly encourage everyone who is able to attend. This is an option for our South Bay community members who are unable to make it to San Francisco or would like to join this action after returning from the San Francisco action. There will be Maghrib at 6pm. Bring your signs, flags, and keffiyehs! Gaza is facing famine, its hospitals are besieged, threats of ground invasion in Rafah loom near, and Israel continues its onslaught on the over 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The mass movement for Palestine has led to the isolation of the US and Israel on the world stage. With growing internal divisions and heightened political pressure on Israel and the United States, it's time to push even harder. Our mobilizations in this moment can be more decisive than ever, and we must show our full strength now to ensure a lasting ceasefire and an end to the siege on Gaza. All out for Rafah! All out for Gaza! Stop the genocide! Ghanaian Bishop Sam Owusu has sparked outrage online after criticising Ghanaians for attending Nigerian preacher Jerry Ezes recent crusade in their country. Few days ago the Nigerian clergyman had attendance of over 60,000 people at his Christian crusade in Ghana. Not satisfied with the record-breaking feat, Sam Owusu chastised Ghanaians for idolising Nigerian pastors while ignoring their own. He pointed out that despite the fact that Ghanaians have anointed men of God, their people still favour their Nigerian colleagues. He observed that Pastor Eze was able to draw a large crowd at his crusade in their country, whereas no Ghanaian preacher can go to Nigeria and draw the same crowd. The Bishop warned them to begin honouring their own and explained that if they dont respect their own, no nation will ever respect them. In his words, Sometimes I am very surprised at Ghanaians, how hypocritical we are. We dont respect or honor our own. We celebrate Foreigners more than our own. But no foreigner would celebrate our own. Look at how Ghanaian members and Christians follow Nigerian pastors and respect their men of God more than even Ghanaian pastors. As if we dont have anointed men of God in this country. Every prophet or anointed man of God is considered fake in Ghana. Last week, one of the young men in Nigeria came to do a prayer conference here, and over 50,000 people were there praying. There is no Ghanaian Pastor that will go to Nigeria and have that crowd, even 10%. Nigerians will never thats why there is no big Ghanaian church in Nigeria. Nigeria loves and respects its own, as I am talking to you, one of my brothers just told me that he landed in Ghana and is also coming to do a crusade. We have anointed men of God here, but you dont respect us. And there is no way any nation will respect what you have rejected. The reason why no Ghanaian is celebrated in Nigeria or South Africa is because you havent been celebrated by your own people. Netizens react by criticising him for being jealous of his colleagues. READ MORE: Youll Be Held Responsible If Harrysongs Ex-Wife, Alexer Issues Warning Over Their Kids See some comments below Charles Inojie wrote, How would you now be able to connect with the spirit and preach the gospel of love seeing that you harbor so much bitterness Woli Arole wrote, Its paining this man. So sorry Pasta, this isnt competition Uchenna Nnanna wrote, How can a pastor be this bitter about another Pastor? Is Christianity now a competition or what? Actress Adaora Ukoh wrote, NSPPD. We dey pray and e dey show. May God heal the hate in your heart, sir Mima The 1sy wrote, Eve their pastors dey jealous our own pastors. Can Ghanaians stop being a shadow? Amen Sexy wrote, Jealousy still dey ministry? No be Ghanaians dey organize Adom Praise? Leave Pastor Jerry alone and stray your own crusade and pull your own crowd. SMH Don Witty Comedy wrote, Na Ghana go collect the award for Most Jealous Nation. SEE VIDEO: The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has called for the arrest of Sunday Adeyemo Igboho, a prominent Yoruba Nation agitator in the South West. The call is in response to a recent video where Igboho was seen demanding the expulsion of all Fulani cattle breeders from Yoruba land. Igboho vehemently asserted his intention to drive out Fulani herders from the South West, citing grievances and escalating tensions between ethnic groups in the region. Reacting via a Friday press release, MACBANs National President, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, noted that Igbohos bold proclamation sent shockwaves through the community, prompting swift reactions from various quarters. READ ALSO: We Wont Wait For Anyone To Pursue Killer Herdsmen Who Killed Our Monarchs Sunday Igboho We call on the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and relevant security agencies to arrest and prosecute Sunday Igboho for making this unlawful statement that amounts to treason because he is asking for the actualisation of Oduduwa nation. His statements are unlawful. If Nnamdi Kanu will be held behind bars for a similar offence, we see no reason why Sunday Igboho will be allowed to go scot-free without being arrested and prosecuted. The MACBAN emphasised the need for law and order, denouncing any form of vigilantism or ethnic profiling, stressing that individuals should be held accountable for their actions, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. Shade Silifat Abdulkadir, 37, mother of the three children who suffocated to death in a parked car in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, has spoken out about the incident. In an interview with newsmen regarding the final moments of her deceased children, Shade, aged 37, made a heartfelt plea to Nigerians for assistance. Information Nigeria reports that last Sunday, the first child, Maryam, 10, the second child, Nudrah, 8, and the third child, Mohammed,2, tragically died from suffocation inside a car parked at their residence, which their father had borrowed from his elder brother. Speaking at her family residence in Ile Magaji, Taiwo Isale, Ilorin, she pleaded with mothers everywhere to assist her in her time of need. Shade recounted the events surrounding the tragedy, explaining that her daughters preference for spaghetti prompted her to leave the children briefly to buy noodles. She detailed the strained relationship with her husband, who had recently taken a second wife. Despite marital challenges, she found herself shocked to discover her children suffocated inside a car parked nearby. The woman described her frantic search and the harrowing moment when she found them unresponsive. Despite her efforts and those of bystanders, the children couldnt be revived, leaving her devastated by the loss. Her words, It happened on Sunday around some minutes to 2:00 pm, shortly after I finished cooking rice for them. It was my second daughter, Nudrah, who told me that she would not eat rice in school the next day (Monday) and that she would prefer spaghetti. I have money in the shop and N700 in my Opay account but was left with cash of N200 only. I live at No 8 Boluke area in the Zango-Kulende area of Ilorin and operate a shop at Oke-Andi, Zango, where I sell provisions and other items. It would only cost me N200 to go and come back home. So I told my children that if at all, what I have is not up to buying what you want, I have people I can collect money from till I get to shop on Monday and I left. This is not the first time I would leave them and go to buy something. Sometimes, I would leave them and go and fetch water, and they would be playing inside. At times, if I get a job from churches, mosques or from any celebrant to help make doughnuts or snacks, because I am also a caterer, I go and deliver it to the customers and leave the children at home. READ ALSO: One Dies, Others Hospitalized As Family Of Six Allegedly Eat Poisoned Amala In Oyo She added: My husband married another wife, which I didnt get to know on time. I faced a lot of issues in my marriage which is now 11 years and there has never been peace. My husband has been moving with the lady called Kafayat from Oke-Ode for quite some time, and I was told to be patient, and my family and his are aware of the development. Sometimes, he comes home around 11:00 pm and leaves home very early in the morning. All my children were not gotten in peace, it was from one trouble to another. Sometimes, if we had a quarrel, he would drive me outside in the middle of the night. His name is Jimoh Abdulkadir from Babanloma in Kwara South. It happened that he impregnated the girl, but the child died after birth. On the day of marriage, he introduced the wife to me. But penultimate Saturday, the lady gave birth again. I am not his first wife. A lady had given birth to a child for him before but I met him as a single father and he was not like this before I married him. So after his second wife had her second child, my husband informed me, and I went to greet him. When I woke up on Sunday, I saw the voice note of my husband that Kafayat has relocated from her previous apartment in case I still want to come and greet her. They have been married not even up to a year and they had a societal wedding unlike mine which was only Nikkah. On Thursday and Saturday, I went to greet her in the new location described by my husband. And it was after I went to greet Kafayat at home that he suddenly changed his attitude towards me. If I slept in the bedroom, he would sleep in the parlour, and if I slept in the parlour, he would go to the bedroom. But all my family and friends advised me to be patient for the sake of the children whenever I complained. They didnt tell me anything about the naming ceremony except people who called me to ask why I was not present. Although before we got married, his brother had been using the car and this is not his first time he would borrow it. If we were talking during the period or I had a premonition of what would happen, I would have told him to return the car to the owner, who will need it to go to work on Monday. He didnt return the car and didnt park it at the venue of the event. Why is it that he had to pack it here where I am staying? Now, the car was there from that Saturday till Sunday when the incident happened. After the children requested noodles to take to school the next day, I went to the shop to get the indomie noodles for them. Before I went, my last born, Mohammed, was crying, but I said the sun was too much and I would not want to take him outside because of the heat. I called Maryam who is the eldest to take care of her siblings. But when I came back, I noticed that the children had scattered the entire room and met the door open. I also saw their shoes and envisaged they would not be out of the premises because they would put on their shoes if they were going outside the gate. I never thought of the vehicle, even for a second. From my house to the shop is just an N100 bike. I called out for them when I came and couldnt find them. Initially, I thought they were playing hide and seek with me. I checked everywhere but to no avail. My landlady had gone to work because she was on morning duty. The flat next to us was occupied by aged couples, and my children dont usually go inside their house except on a few occasions. READ ALSO: One Stabbed To Death As FUTO, IMSU Rival Cult Clash When I couldnt find them, I checked inside the domestic well but nothing was there, I took Okada to the junction crying that I couldnt find my children. When I came back, I went to knock at the door of the next flat to tell them that I couldnt find my children; the womans husband was already asleep. She told me she heard their cries about 10 minutes ago, when she was even calling Maryam, asking why she was beating her siblings. Later something just told me to check inside the vehicle and I saw them inside. I managed to open one of the doors and met them just lying down, but the remaining three doors did not open. I was asking them why they went inside the car, which they dont usually do. But their posture and the way I saw them made me terrified; I called them but no answer and I started shouting for help. It was the womans husband that came to force the other doors open and dragged Mohammed out, his hand got injured in the process. So my shout later attracted some boys and other people outside, some of whom jumped our security fence and we started pouring water on them to revive them but to no avail. It was those people that rushed them to Olutayo hospital, I didnt see them after that. Me and my husband were still not in talking terms up till that Sunday morning, though he slept in the house that day but people would hardly know that we have issues or are quarrelling because he still used to take us to the shop and drop us at home and the children were even appreciating him. Even if he wants to communicate with me, its through the children. Earlier before that day, he sent Maryam to go and ask a nearby vulcanizer, Jamiu, how much it will cost to repair one of the tyres of the vehicle. The grieving mother added: Since the incident I have not set my eyes on their dad but I was told he came here at our family house. He has also called me twice since the incident, saying thrash for all I care, asking when I am coming home or what I feel. The police came, and I also narrated this to them. They said the Inspector General of Police was interested and was the one who called the Commissioner of Police to inquire what was going on in Kwara State before they later sent officers here. But I have strengthened my faith in Almighty Allah coupled with the people that God surrounded me with. That is just what is keeping me going. Popular cryptocurrency giant, Binance Holdings Ltd, has debunked a viral report claiming that it has been fined $10 billion by the Nigerian government. Recall that the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had earlier said that the the Federal Government, imposed a total sum of $10 billion fine on the crypto company, due to its illegal operations, which contributed to the devaluation of naira. However, in an interview with the BBC on Friday, Onanuga disclosed that the fine was part of the attempt to salvage the value of the naira. Binance in reaction to Onanugas statement, in a chat with Peoples Gazette, said that the company discussed ways to resolve issues with the Nigerian government but did not discuss any fine. READ MORE: FG May Fine Binance $10bn For Illegal Transactions Onanuga The official said: We recently discussed ways to resolve issues with Nigeria, but we did not hear any demand for $10 billion. Our aim is to chart a good relationship with the government and the people of Nigeria. We want to see our services restored in Nigeria very soon, but we have no intention of paying fines for personnel or services. Another day, another oversized truck dividing opinion. The controversial vehicle, which has surged in popularity across Australia in recent years, is loved and loathed in equal measures. So when a photo of one of these giant pieces of machinery sticking out of a parking bay inside a car park was shared online, unsurprisingly, two passionate sides emerged. For one of them, it was infrastructure's fault. Car parks are just not accomodating normal sized vehicles, let alone these American-style behemoths, they argued. And it's hard to disagree. With the mega truck causing a build up of traffic inside the car park thanks to its protruding hood, its quite clear these spaces are just not fit for big vehicles. "What do you want them to do, park on the ceiling?" one person defensively asked. The mega truck simply couldn't fit into a standard space. Source: Facebook "He's done a pretty good job of parking it so give them some slack," another went as far as saying. And the other side, well we've heard it quite a bit already. "Selfish," one person called the driver. "These cars belong off road, not around schools, shops, and residential areas," another moaned. And that's the sentiment in Paris, with authorities deciding to crack down on such vehicles by imposing a parking tax on owners. Monash University's Dr Julian O'Shea is a well-known critic of the vehicles, and told Yahoo News Australia last year that could well be the way we go, slugging owners extra fees to make their way into the CBD and other high-traffic areas. Do we need bigger spaces? Plenty of us think so Dr O'Shea said trying to accomodate these vehicles means we lose space for everything else. "If we want to make our carparks bigger, we get fewer of them, we lose space for bike lanes, we lose space for parks, we lose space for shops," he argued. But is a bit more space what the people want? Well if the response to a Yahoo story about larger spaces in a Tasmanian car park is anything to go by, they do. The story was inundated with thousands of responses hailing the idea of the car park's spaces getting a bit more room. Story continues Just expect to see more scenarios like the TikTok video below where motorists are increasingly finding wherever they can to park their vehicle. And while ute drivers would certainly welcome a change to the size of spaces, one defiant owner of a mega truck told Yahoo this week he can get his prized possession into a standard spot. How he gets in and out of the vehicle however is another question. Regardless of your view on these giant trucks, one thing is for certain, they're not going anywhere anytime soon. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has posited that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is unconcerned about the plight of Nigerians. Recall that on Thursday, Tinubu said it was unacceptable for the NLC to call for a strike within the first nine months of an administration. He furthered that the Union should maintain their peace as they are not the only voice with freedom rights. Tinubus comment stems from the the two-day nationwide protest declared by Union, over the economic hardship being faced by Nigerians. Reacting to Tinubus remarks, Joe Ajaero, NLC President, said the union finds the Presidents utterances troubling. Ajaero said Tinubus focus on the distant 2027 election, rather than the urgent needs of the people, showed a disconnect from the realities faced by Nigerians on a daily basis. He said rather than addressing the pressing issues, Tinubu appears preoccupied with political calculations and future electoral prospects. President Tinubus insinuation that Labour lacks the moral ground to challenge his administration, merely nine months into office, is deeply troubling. It is regrettable that the President seems oblivious of the profound hardships endured by millions of Nigerians. The pervasive hunger, unemployment, housing insecurity, and escalating costs of basic necessities such as food and healthcare demand immediate attention and decisive action. Yet, instead of addressing these pressing concerns, President Tinubu appears preoccupied with political calculations and future electoral prospects. The NLC wishes to emphasize that our primary objective is not to vie for political positions, including that of the President. READ ALSO: Sack CBN Gov, Top Bank Officials Bwala Tells Tinubu Over Nairas Struggle Rather, our sole focus is on advocating for effective governance that prioritizes the welfare and security of all Nigerians. We urge President Tinubu to redirect his efforts towards fulfilling this fundamental duty of public office, rather than engaging in political rhetoric, Ajaero said. Stating some of the agreements reached between the labour union and the federal government, Ajaero said the unions grouse with the Federal Government is the non-implementation of those agreements. Mr. President, these agreements were reached but the Committee that was saddled with working on these was never inaugurated and none of them was implemented until we were forced to organize a nationwide rally while the president gave his personal commitment. However, Mr. President, nothing came out of your promises. Once again Mr. President, these are the issues and not election or perhaps seeking to take over your job. We would want Mr. President to show us the items his government has implemented in this agreement. President Tinubus administration must be held accountable for the commitments made in previous agreements with Labour. It is disheartening to note the apparent lack of progress in implementing these agreements, despite repeated assurances from the government. Nigerians deserve transparency and tangible results, not empty promises and bureaucratic delays. Furthermore, the use of divisive language and veiled threats against Labour by President Tinubu is unacceptable. It is incumbent upon all stakeholders to foster constructive dialogue and collaboration in addressing the myriad challenges facing our nation. Violence and intimidation have no place in a democratic society, and any attempts to suppress dissent will only exacerbate tensions and undermine our collective efforts towards progress and prosperity, he added. Vice President Kashim Shettima says the ascension of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Nigerias President is not by chance. According to the number two citizen, Tinubu becoming a President was Gods crowning of his efforts for the sacrifice he made for the growth and betterment of the nation. He noted that Tinubus route to presidency was interspersed with selflessness, altruism and purity of heart. Shettima spoke on Friday when he hosted a delegation of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) on a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The road that led to the Tinubu Presidency did not happen by chance. This is a man whose trajectory is characterised by making sacrifices for the good of the nation. READ ALSO: Use Supernatural Powers To Fight Insecurity Or Vacate Throne Ooni Tasks Southwest Monarchs The presidents success is a divine blessing, which is a reward for the purity of his heart, he said. Shettima emphasised the need for leaders to invest in building bridges, stressing that Tinubus contributions in providing an alternative platform for the Nigerian political system could not be underrated. President Tinubu made sacrifices and built bridges. He was a veritable sanctuary for victims of political witch hunts. When other governors were struggling to have a seat at the dining table with former President Olusegun Obasanjo way back then, he provided an alternative platform for the Nigerian political system, he said. Shettima, however, urged Nigerians that, despite the President not being a leader by accident, they should be patient with him as he piloted the affairs of the country to success. Walgreens will begin dispensing the abortion pill mifepristone to patients with a prescription in Pennsylvania and a handful of other states as early as next week, the drugstore chain confirmed Friday. First reported by the New York Times, Walgreens as well as some CVS pharmacies in other states will begin offering the medicine at select locations in the coming weeks. The drugstore chains move could make the mifepristone pill used in more than half of abortions in Pennsylvania and nationally more accessible as some states limit abortion rights in the wake of the Supreme Courts 2022 reversal of its landmark Roe v. Wade decision. Heres what to know. What is mifepristone? Mifepristone is a progesterone-blocking drug used to end a pregnancy. It is typically used in conjunction with another medication, misoprostol. Mifepristone has been on the market since the Food and Drug Administration approved its use in 2000 to terminate a pregnancy up to seven weeks gestation. In 2016, the FDA expanded that use to 10 weeks. Last year, the FDA changed its guidelines to broaden the availability of the medication to more pharmacies and mail-order companies. How does this change patients access to mifepristone? Until recently, the highly regulated medication was only available from doctors specifically licensed to dispense it, and couldnt be prescribed for pharmacy pick-up. The FDA modified those guidelines in January 2023, removing the restriction that banned pharmacy dispersal. A handful of pharmacies nationwide last year began dispensing mifepristone, including the Temple University Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy in Philadelphia. Advertisement But the announcement Friday by Walgreens and CVS two of the nations largest pharmacy chains could broadly change that scope. Both drugstore chains said they had completed the FDAs certification process to dispense the prescribed medication in select stores, and will not distribute the drug by mail. Patients still must have a prescription from a specially licensed doctor to obtain mifepristone from the pharmacies. CVS has more than 9,000 stores across the country, while Walgreens has more than 8,500 locations. Where in Pennsylvania will Walgreens distribute mifepristone? A Walgreens spokesperson Friday said the pill will be distributed in select locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California, and Illinois all states where abortion remains legal after the Supreme Courts ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which said that the Constitution does not protect a persons right to abortion. That decision left it up to states to decide whether and when a person can obtain an abortion. Nearly two dozen states have since banned abortion or significantly restricted access. The spokesperson declined to elaborate on specific Walgreens locations in Pennsylvania where the drug will be distributed, saying only that the chain is beginning a phased rollout in select locations to allow us to ensure quality, safety, and privacy for our patients, providers, and team members. In the interests of pharmacist and patient safety, we will not disclose the number of sites per state nor identify the pharmacies that are dispensing, the company said. CVS has said it will begin dispensing mifepristone in all of its pharmacies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the coming weeks. According to the New York Times, the pharmacy chains are tracking the possibility of expansion in other states, including Kansas, Montana, and Wyoming, where abortion restrictions are limited or enjoined due to legal challenges. Our goal is to gradually expand availability to locations in all legally permissible states in a phased approach, Walgreens said. Where does the legal battle over mifepristone stand? Mifepristone is at the center of a case expected to be heard by the Supreme Court later this month, in which abortion opponents sued the FDA over its approval of the drug, arguing it is unsafe, and seeking to ban it nationwide. An appeals court in August turned down the opponents request to revoke the FDAs decades-old approval of mifepristone, ruling that the lawsuit came too late. However, the court rolled back the FDAs 2016 actions, effectively banning the medication from being mailed and requiring it to be obtained through an in-person doctor visit. Mifepristone remains widely available due to a 2023 temporary order by the Supreme Court, requested by President Joe Bidens administration. READ MORE: What to know about mifepristone in Pa. following Supreme Court ruling that preserves access for now If the Supreme Court upholds the appeals courts ruling, access to the medication may be limited to in-person visits to a doctor. If the ruling allows pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens to continue to dispense mifepristone, that would broaden patients access to the drug. Staff writer Sarah Gantz contributed to this article. The 10 most-used emojis in 2023, according to Emojipedia: 1) Crying with laughter; 2) Rolling on the floor laughing; 3) Red heart; 4) Folded hands to express thanks; 5) Loudly crying (used for overwhelming laughter; 6) Heart eyes; 7) Sparkles; 8) Fire; 9) Smiling face with smiling eyes; 10) Smiling face with hearts Read more When Jackie Moores 74-year-old mother texted the news that someone she knew had a serious illness, Moores mother ended her message with the emoji of a yellow, tilted, open-mouthed face with tears streaming from its eyes. To much of the world, that particular () emoji means rolling on the floor laughing. Moore, 49, whos self-employed and lives in Glenside, said she was at a loss: I have no idea why she used it. Maybe she thinks the tears represent sadness. My mom texts nonstop but doesnt know how emojis work. Moores mother, who didnt want to be identified, isnt alone. Advertisement A study released in mid-February in the journal Plos One indicates that older individuals are less likely to correctly interpret the intended meanings of some emojis than younger people. Study subjects age 18 to 84 living in China and the United Kingdom were presented with a series of emojis, each representing one of six facial emotional expressions, across four commonly used platforms (Apple, Android, WeChat, and Windows). Their task was to choose from one of six labels happy, sad, angry, surprised, fearful, disgusted which emotion was represented by each emoji. Results showed that age had a significant impact on how emojis were classified by participants. The study also found that women were more likely to label emojis correctly than men. Why do older folks tend to misuse emojis? It may not be that all older people dont know how to use emojis, said Asta Zelenkauskaite, a Drexel University communications professor whos an expert in online writing and symbols. It could be that many dont care about all the expressive capacity of emojis as do young people, who have been online so much longer. Younger people dominate the discourse. And they shape meanings their way, whereas older people tend to take emojis literally. For example, emojis of some vegetables have developed sexual connotations, as interpreted by younger people. For lots of older people, however, Zelenkauskaite said, theyre just vegetables. Online, older folks are more language-centered, while younger people are being playful with symbols, she added. They are superfluous and annoying and sophomoric, noted Dan Roth, a local physician. Now dont get me started on QR codes. Get off my lawn. For Caroline Wong, 75, of Cherry Hill, a social work expert whos a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, emojis can limit dialogue. Its difficult enough to misread people in face-to-face conversations, said Wong, who uses just a handful of emojis. So, the fact that youre trying to express emotion through an emoji gets us further away from understanding each other. An emoji experiment In a small experiment conducted for The Inquirer, Generations on Line, a nonprofit in University City that provides digital skills for older Philadelphians, asked 45 seniors, ages 70 to 90, to guess the meanings of a handful of emojis. The respondents live in three facilities: Fountain View at Logan Square Continuing Care Retirement Community, Philadelphia Senior Center, and West Philadelphia Senior Community Centers. The emojis included various faces that, according to Emojipedia, expressed love and adoration (a face with teeth and hearts over the eyes); being asleep (a face indicating closed eyes, an open mouth, and three zs); along with other symbols. Most understood the gist of all the emojis, noted Tobey Dichter, Generations on Line CEO. Though some [interpretations] were ... unconventional. As an example, the face with three zs was perceived by one older person as meaning, I want to sleep with you. Someone else stipulated (likely as a joke) that LOL (laugh out loud) really means low on liquor. Overall, Dichter said, many of the folks used language of a former era to describe modern emojis, such as: cutie pie, psyched, and oopsie daisy. A smiles just a smile Around 10 billion emojis are sent every day worldwide, according to emoji experts. There are currently around 3,800 individual emojis, according to Emojipedia, the reference website for Unicode Standard emojis. The standard is the universal character-encoding designed to support the worldwide display of texts. Thats a huge amount of images to understand. And although Michael Schweisheimer, 52, a video director and producer from Germantown, isnt a senior citizen, he has nevertheless experienced inter-generational trouble with emojis. In his office, hed end texts to a young assistant with a basic smiley face. One day, Schweisheimer said, she came up to me and asked if I was mad at her. I asked her why. A smiley face is considered sarcastic, she said. Its just a smile, I told her. No, she said. It means youre not pleased. The woman later left the job and was replaced by someone closer to Schweisheimers age. We dont have the same emoji miscommunication, he said. People of similar age know a smiles just a smile. Thats not always true, according to Brandi Eyler, 39, an accountant from Glenside. Although shes a millennial, she said, I might be an 80-year-old in a younger body for messing up emoji meanings. Not long ago, she texted friends to organize a pub crawl. She ended her message with the advice, Dont forget to hydrate, followed by an emoji she thought had expressed her suggestion. The reaction came swiftly: Oh, god, Brandi, dont you know what this means? asked a friend who explained the sexual subtext of what shed sent. Younger people have evolved these emojis to represent other things, Eyler said. I really need a list of meanings. Ultimately, using emojis can be likened to fashion, Zelenkauskaite of Drexel said. Theres always an in-group and an out-group. And as far as emojis go, adults may never understand them fully. Trinity Jagdeo, 23, holds a 1970s era Pemberton High School photo of Roberta Anne Michels-Hopkins, her grandmother who went missing in 1981. Read more On a Tuesday in February, 43 years ago, Roberta Michels-Hopkins supposedly walked out into a blizzard to get cigarettes and food stamps and never returned home. That image of Michels-Hopkins disappearing into the snow feels like a dream for the granddaughter who never met her. Growing up in South Jersey, Trinity Jagdeo heard other rumors about Roberta, who was 29 with two young children when she disappeared in 1981. Some people thought she died by suicide or may have been using drugs and disappeared onto the streets of Camden, where she was living at the time. Since Michels-Hopkins was never officially reported missing at the time, all of those rumors just swirled in the air. But even the rumors are unreliable: It barely snowed in February of 1981, let alone a blizzard. The possibilities are endless, Jagdeo, 23, said at her home in Vineland recently. She could be a murder victim or she could have walked away. It could have been a suicide. Im open to anything, even the 1% chance shes still alive somewhere. The case and a DNA test Jagdeos endless curiosity, coupled with the dearth of details from her family, compelled her to take a DNA test in 2019. The results revealed family shed never spoken to on her grandmothers side, along with a letter that may offer clues into Robertas state of mind at the time. Jagdeo spearheaded efforts to have her grandmother officially reported missing, and in March of 2022, her case was officially entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). Advertisement Family members were told she was running an errand and never returned, her NamUs profile states. Through DNA, Jagdeo connected with Judy Erichson, her great-aunt, who is 79 and lives in Burlington County. Erichson told her that Robertas partner, Kumar Jagdeo Sr., called her out of the blue in the winter of 1981. Your sister disappeared, he said. Erichson said she tried to report her sister missing to the Camden Police Department, letting officers know she was suspicious of the disappearance. Erichson said no report was taken at the time or, she claimed, when she called back a month later. They said there was nothing they could do, Erichson said in an interview. The years rolled on, Erichson said, with no news about her sister. She said a family acquaintance with law enforcement experience tried to get more information at the time, to no avail, and her father made inquiries, years later, about Michels-Hopkins small insurance policy, which remains unclaimed today. She has never been declared dead. We never had any closure, Erichson said. Erichson was able to give Jagdeo photos of Michels-Hopkins, along with letters. One was written just a few days before she was last seen and hints at unspecific family tensions over a missed wedding. I will no longer bother anyone, anymore, Michels-Hopkins wrote at the end. The letter was mailed on Feb. 17, 1981, the official date of her last-known contact. While suicide is a possibility, Jagdeo said she hadnt heard that Michels-Hopkins had ever been suicidal or suffered from mental health issues. There were rumors among family members, she said, that Michels-Hopkins could have been using drugs or making money as a sex worker. Erichson said her sister, a Pemberton High School graduate, had a seemingly normal life but that changed when she got divorced. She had a house, a baby, dogs. Went to the Shore together, she said. All of a sudden, she got divorced, moved to Camden, and had a baby. When she got divorced, her husband got custody of their daughter and that was a red flag to me. Michels-Hopkins ex-husband and daughter both live in Georgia today. Neither returned requests for comment, and Jagdeo said shes had little communication with either of them. Kumar Jagdeo Sr., Trinitys grandfather, lived in Camden for years but ran into legal troubles and died in Trinidad and Tobago nearly 20 years ago. While others have told her its not likely, Jagdeo isnt ruling out the possibility that her grandfather was involved in Michels-Hopkins disappearance. No one really knew what their relationship was like to say, definitively, oh, that could never happen, she said. Krsna Jagdeo, Trinity Jagdeos father, was too young to remember his mother and spent most of his youth in foster care. It was painful to learn, through Trinity Jagdeos DNA results, that he had family close by he could have lived with. Ive been without my parents for so long, its just another day for me, Krsna Jagdeo, 43, said. Im good with my life. Death is death Krsna Jagdeo said hes ready to accept whatever comes of the case. At this point, death is death, no matter the story, he said. Im just trying to support Trinity. Michels-Hopkins missing persons case will be handled by police in Cinnaminson, Burlington County, not Camden, though its unclear why. A detective handling the case declined to comment, but Trinity Jagdeo said the department is working on compiling a sketch that would reveal what Michels-Hopkins could look like today and is also trying to obtain DNA from the stamp on the letter she mailed shortly before she disappeared. DNA, if viable, could be compared against samples from the thousands of unidentified remains cases in the United States. Trinity Jagdeo granted law enforcement access to her DNA and said her father and Erichson have submitted theirs as well. Trinity Jagdeo has also taken her case to the internet, posting on missing persons Facebook groups and sites like Websleuths. They all want to figure out what happened to her and think the case is so bizarre, she said. Thats nice because up until now, Ive been the only one trying to do that. Some online sleuths have noticed similarities between Michels-Hopkins case and the cheerleader in the trunk case out of Maryland in 1982. That woman remains unidentified today. Trinity Jagdeo said its hard to understand how no report was filed for her grandmother, even in 1981. Its even harder to fathom how so many people seemingly moved on without her. Her parents were still alive. Her brother was still alive. Her ex-husband was still alive, she said. Didnt she have any friends? Jagdeos mother, Angela Morrison, said that aspect of the case confused her the most. I think theres people out there who know more than what theyre saying, Morrison said. Jagdeo said she hopes publicity and posting about her grandmother on internet forums can shake something loose. She can imagine a future where theres a funeral or some closure, particularly for her father. Thats kind of the hope anyway, she said. Roberta Michels-Hopkins would have turned 72 on Feb. 26. Anyone with information about the disappearance of Roberta Michels-Hopkins can call the Cinnaminson Township Police Department at (856) 829-6667. President Joe Biden speaks at an event with G7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a 2023 NATO Summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania. Biden must act urgently and use his presidential authority to get aid to Kyiv, writes Trudy Rubin. Read more Donald Trump is helping Vladimir Putin defeat Ukraine. Right now, as you read this. To stop that from happening, President Joe Biden must do an end run around Congress where Trump and his MAGA clique have cowed House Speaker Mike Johnson into blocking a vote on vital military aid for Ukraine. Biden still has the power to get some critical aid to Kyiv and prevent a MAGA sellout to Putin that will have ugly, long-term security consequences for America. But the White House can only counter the appeasers if Biden finally summons the political will to help Ukraine win. Today, Trump and Putin hold the advantage. Advertisement With U.S. military funding cut off, Ukraine recently lost the town of Avdiivka to Russia because frontline soldiers ran out of artillery shells and bullets. Our European allies who already give twice as much aid to Ukraine as the U.S. does are trying to rev up their military production capacity to compensate. They need to do much better, but they cant do this fast enough or big enough to make up for the U.S. abdication. Meantime, Russia is boosting its military production with substantial help from Iran and North Korea. READ MORE: History wont forget GOPs bow to Putin over Ukraine | Trudy Rubin Trump has long made his admiration of Putin clear, and his disdain for Ukraine clearer he still resents Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for refusing to dig up fake dirt on Biden in 2019. That makes urgent White House action even more imperative before the November elections. If Trump should win, he insists he will settle the Ukraine war in 24 hours in Moscow, which means pressing Kyiv to surrender to Putins demands. Last week, it seemed that Democrats might be able to pull a parliamentary maneuver to do an end run around Johnson if they could get only four Republicans to join them. But now, continued MAGA haggling over efforts to prevent a government shutdown means any movement on Ukraine could be delayed for weeks. Each day that passes without further U.S. aid encourages Putin to expand his ambitions and leads directly to more Ukrainian deaths. Unless, that is, the White House takes immediate steps to sustain Ukraine in the near term while pushing harder for congressional funding. This will help enable Kyiv to achieve military progress this year. Here are four steps Biden must take: Use presidential authority to provide weapons Much of U.S. military aid to Ukraine relies on presidential drawdown authority, known as PDA, meaning Biden can immediately send Kyiv weapons from existing stocks. Military aid appropriations then go to replace these weapons, often with newer models. (Contrary to MAGA misinformation, most of the military aid money for Ukraine stays in the U.S. and funds manufacturing jobs for U.S. workers.) Biden still has PDA access to around $4.2 billion worth of weapons but stopped sending them in late December. The given reason: The halt to Ukraine aid means there is no money for the Pentagon to replace the diminished stocks. Strategically, this makes no sense. We have an $850 billion-plus annual defense budget. Russian aggression is the most urgent security threat the United States faces. And the Pentagon cant wait for reimbursement of $4 billion that will help block Putin from scoring more gains in Ukraine? Send needed ATACMS ATACMS are long-range missiles with a powerful single warhead that can travel 300 kilometers. ATACMS are not a silver bullet, but would make a tremendous difference, says retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commander of the United States Army Europe. They would allow Ukraine to destroy every Russian logistics base and headquarters inside occupied Ukrainian territory, with precision. Nowhere would be safe for the Russians. It would neutralize their advantage, in terms of artillery and man power. Ukraine has already had great success with French and British long-range missiles in destroying Russian ships in the Black Sea, but their numbers are limited, and the U.S. missiles are more powerful. Sending ATACMS would prod Germany to add its own Taurus missiles. It could enable Ukraine to take down the Kerch Bridge and make Russias presence in the occupied Crimea Peninsula untenable. This is the best opportunity to put Putin on the back foot and persuade him that his war cant be won. None of the current White House excuses for withholding ATACMS holds water. The Pentagon has hundreds of them in stock and is already replacing them with next-generation Precision Strike Missiles. What is the White House waiting for? Rev up production Increase U.S. industrial production of ammunition and weaponry in 2024, as Europe is doing, to help Ukraine and better prepare for future Russian (or Chinese) aggression. In the meantime, scour current U.S. stocks for more immediate ammo aid, including supplies of cluster munitions the Pentagon no longer uses. READ MORE: GOP godfathers defeat in war that Ukraine could still win | Trudy Rubin Clarify why helping Ukraine helps America Explain directly to the American people why more military aid for Ukraine is crucial for U.S. security. First off, MAGA calls for Ukraine to negotiate now with Putin are a pipe dream. Anybody who thinks you can negotiate in good faith with Russia has never read a history book, Hodges told me. Putin has blatantly broken every past deal Russia made with Ukraine, and has made publicly clear he wants to turn the country into a puppet colony or destroy it. Moreover, if the Kremlin crushes Ukraine, Putin has also made clear his desire to undermine or bite off chunks of NATO member states potentially provoking a wider war. Meantime, the world is watching whether the United States of Trumpism is ready to let an aggressive dictator break all post-World War II rules in Europe by brutally annexing a neighboring nation. If so, violent challenges to the United States on land, sea, and space will multiply exponentially. This does not have to happen if Biden pushes back forcefully. Hopefully we will rediscover our strategic backbone, Hodges told me. Hopefully in time to prevent MAGA appeasers from handing Putin a victory in 2024. Hong Kong: Alice Mak meets young entrepreneurs Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak today learnt about the entrepreneurial support and incubation services for Hong Kong young people in the Greater Bay Area, and the development opportunities of Hong Kong youth as she wrapped up her trip to Guangzhou and Foshan. Miss Mak visited two member bases of the alliance - Timetable of the Tianhe Hong Kong & Macao Youth Association, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Technology Exhibition & Exchange Center of Gungho Space. During the session, staff introduced the facilities and support for young entrepreneurs, explaining how the bases could enable young people to grasp the latest developments and facilitation measures in Mainland bay area cities. Hong Kong youth startup teams also shared with Miss Mak their experience in pursuing entrepreneurship in the bay area. Miss Mak highlighted that the Government is committed to promoting youth innovation and entrepreneurship, especially in encouraging young entrepreneurs to leverage the bay area as an entry point to develop their businesses. The establishment of the alliance is one of the key tasks under the Guangdong-Hong Kong task force on youth employment, entrepreneurship and internship, aiming to provide youth entrepreneurs with more assistance, she added. Miss Mak returned to Hong Kong this afternoon. This story has been published on: 2024-03-02. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Enlighten Festival marked in Canberra, Australia Xinhua) 11:21, March 02, 2024 People visit illuminated installations at the Enlighten Festival in Canberra, Australia, March 1, 2024. The annual Enlighten Festival is held here from March 1 to 11. (Photo by Chu Chen/Xinhua) People visit illuminated installations at the Enlighten Festival in Canberra, Australia, March 1, 2024. The annual Enlighten Festival is held here from March 1 to 11. (Photo by Chu Chen/Xinhua) A child visits illuminated installations at the Enlighten Festival in Canberra, Australia, March 1, 2024. The annual Enlighten Festival is held here from March 1 to 11. (Photo by Chu Chen/Xinhua) People visit illuminated installations at the Enlighten Festival in Canberra, Australia, March 1, 2024. The annual Enlighten Festival is held here from March 1 to 11. (Photo by Chu Chen/Xinhua) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) While the cost-of-living crisis has seen some supermarkets take extra precautions to protect its pricier items from thieves, one store's move to lock up an item less than $3 has raised eyebrows. The UK supermarket Co-op has put health drinks costing just 1.45 ($2.80) in security boxes to thwart potential thefts. The store's 100ml Ginger and Turmeric own brand shots have been placed in the plastic boxes, as well as mini plastic bottles of Gut Health drinks. Shoplifting has increased due to the rise in the price of groceries, with Coles and Woolworths in Australia ramping up security measures, while supermarkets overseas have also introduced new tactics to reduce theft. The small juices and health drinks were kept in security containers, begging the question from customers how far will such a measure go? Source: Jam Press The latest containers were spotted at one of Co-op's London stores. Co-op has been contacted for further comment on how widespread the measure is. The boxes are tagged and will need to be removed by members of staff at the checkouts before customers can purchase the drinks. The decision to introduce the boxes had shoppers in disbelief. One shocked shopper called the move "outrageous". Why put them on such low value products? Surely no one will pinch a healthy drink worth less than 1.50, one person asked. Latest in long line of supermarket measures This is just the latest instalment in the current trend of odd items being placed in security boxes in supermarkets. Cheese, butter and meat have all been spotted in security containers, with the increase in theft across UK stores branded a "crisis" by the British Retail Consortium. In December, shoppers were shocked to see 25g tubes of Lucas' Papaw ointment, priced at $7.50, locked up in containers in Coles. Australian supermarkets have admitted to experiencing a surge in shoplifting and are "regularly working with police to reduce shoplifting", Coles said. Story continues - With Jam Press Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Of the three insurers who have agreed to take up policies, Slide is no stranger to stepping in for troubled Florida carriers. Last year, the company bought exclusive renewal rights for 91,400 Florida homeowners policies from UPC as that insurer ran off its business in the state after it faced an estimated $1 billion loss from Hurricane Ian. Former Commons Speaker John Bercow has been banished from the US version of The Traitors. Bercow, who quit as Commons Speaker in 2019 after a decade at the helm, described the psychological reality show as much more complicated than politics. Politics is childs play by comparison, the 61-year-old said. Nothing but respect for my president of the faithfuls pic.twitter.com/9HNFJ0XWrJ Peacock (@peacock) March 1, 2024 The show sees competitors split, with secret traitors tasked with murdering the other faithful contestants at a remote castle in the Scottish highlands to win a financial prize that has been accumulated up to $250,000 (197,500). During the episode, Bercow is seen opening an envelope which read: By order of the traitors, you have been murdered. Bercow had anticipated his departure earlier in the episode, after repeatedly expressing that former The Real Housewives Of Atlanta star Phaedra Parks was a traitor to the dismay of other contestants. Im not surprised in the slightest by my macabre fate, he said after his exit. I was on to Phaedra and she wasnt going to allow me to hang around any longer. Fellow contestant and TV star Trishelle Cannatella shed a tear saying she was entirely devastated that Bercow had departed. John Bercow quit as Commons Speaker in 2019 after a decade at the helm (Stefan Rousseau/PA) TV personality Chris CT Tamburello said: I hope I am as functional as him when I am his age, while Shahs Of Sunset star Mercedes Javid joked: I dont think hes old, I think people in England just dont get Botox. The former MP for Buckingham was the seventh celebrity to be axed from the second US series of the reality show, hosted by Scottish actor Alan Cumming. Bercows fate was chosen by Parks, who agreed with fellow traitor and Below Deck star Kate Chastain that she has the most chance of surviving the show without Bercow because hes most eloquent. Oh god he talks so much, Parks said, while Chastain added: I know you miss the evening news but come on, youre not the only speaker in this house. In 2022, a Commons Independent Expert Panel report upheld a finding that Bercow was a serial bully and said he should never again be allowed a parliamentary pass. The ex-Speaker was accused of throwing a mobile phone and swearing at officials. The second season of the UK version of The Traitors hosted by Claudia Winkleman, was recently won by 22-year-old traitor Harry Clark who outwitted his fellow contestants to win more than 95,000. A 30-year-old Cork man spat at gardai during an incident in September 2022 and now at Cork District Court he has been ordered to do 180 hours of community service to avoid a jail term. Christopher OConnor, 30, of 18 Clonard, Ballyvolane, Cork, pleaded guilty to a number of charges against him. Sergeant Pat Lyons outlined the background to incidents that gave rise to the charges. The most serious one was reported on Washington Street, Cork, after 9pm on September 22, 2022. There was a report of a man acting aggressively towards passers-by and customers in various business premises by squaring up to them. Upon arrival, gardai met Christopher OConnor who was unsteady on his feet and there was a strong smell of intoxicants from him and he clenched his fists at gardai upon their arrival. He was also spitting at members of An Garda Siochana and verbally abusing them. He was arrested and brought to the Bridewell Garda Station. Throughout his arrest and transport to the cell within the station, he continued with his behaviour towards gardai and had to be physically restrained, Sgt Lyons said. Mr OConnor pleaded guilty to charges of being drunk and a danger and engaging in threatening behaviour. He pleaded guilty to another incident where he was drunk and a danger to himself or others shortly before midnight on November 25, 2023, in Ballyvolane. Sgt Lyons said he was in such a state of intoxication that he could not give his name or address to gardai. Defence solicitor Frank Buttimer said: He is a recovering alcoholic. He is two and a half months free of alcohol through his own efforts he is not in any programme. Throughout 2023 he engaged with the probation service. Judge Mary Dorgan said the accused could do 180 hours of community service instead of serving two months in prison in respect of the spitting incident. For the more recent drunkenness in Ballyvolane, Mr OConnor was fined 200. Judge Dorgan was told the accused had 16 previous convictions for being drunk and a danger and six for engaging in threatening behaviour. A major garda operation in Cork and Roscommon involving over 100 members has resulted in the arrest of three men connected with an international human trafficking gang specialising in labour exploitation this morning. The operation is led by specialist officers in Cork, assisted by divisional colleagues, as well as officers from six national units, including human trafficking, economic crime and cybercrime bureaus. The organised crime group targeted has connections in Eastern Europe and the operation has involved the assistance of the EU police agency, Europol. Detectives hit a total of seven locations in Cork and Roscommon and seized evidence which will now be examined in detail. A Garda statement said: Gardai in Cork County have this morning arrested three males for organised crime-related offences. The males (in their 30s and 40s) are currently detained in Garda Stations in Cork under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. This anti-gang legislation allows for a maximum period of seven days detention, on application to the courts. This morning investigating Gardai searched five locations in Co Cork and two locations in Co Roscommon, the statement said. It said items of evidential value, including, it is thought, digital devices and mobile phones, were seized during the courses of the searches. Over 100 gardai were involved in operations this morning led by detectives from the Divisional Protective Service Unit, Cork County and supported by uniform and plain clothes Gardai, Garda Dog Unit, Armed Support Unit, and Scenes of Crime Unit, amongst others, the statement said. The investigation team in Cork is supported by sworn Garda members and specialist Garda Staff from National Units including the Human Trafficking Investigation & Coordination Unit (HTICU) at Garda National Protective Service Bureau (GNPSB), the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB), Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) Garda Mutual Assistance Section and the Garda Siochana Analysis Service (GSAS). In relation to the gang being targeted, it said: Gardai are investigating the activities of an Organised Crime Group (OCG) based in Ireland, with Eastern European connection, involved in the alleged trafficking of persons into Ireland for the purpose of labour exploitation. The investigation is being supported by International colleagues from Europol. Appeal to victims It said An Garda Siochana continues to appeal to any person who may be the victim of human trafficking or labour exploitation to speak to a member, either at their local garda station, or to call the Garda Confidential Phone Number 1800 666 111. An Garda Siochana understands that victims of these crimes may not always be in a position to report themselves, maybe there is an opportunity to speak to a Garda who you might meet at any location, the statement said. Importantly, An Garda Siochana appeals to any person with any information on these heinous crimes or suspects that any person is the victim of human trafficking to speak up talk to a member of An Garda Siochana, either at your local Garda station, on the Garda Confidential Phone Number 1800 666 111 or to any members of An Garda Siochana. People trafficked for the purpose of labour exploitation are typically, though not exclusively, made to work in sectors such as agriculture, construction, entertainment, service industry, manufacturing and domestic servitude as well as begging. These individuals, gardai say, may be forced into labour exploitation directly by the OCG, but are often more likely to be made available for work by third-party employers who often may not be aware of the activities of the OCG and believe that the labour may be legitimately sourced. In the late 19th century, the first Irish woman to ride a bicycle took turns around the garden at the rear of a rather grand house up the road from where I live. Or so she claimed. Kate Meyrick, the Irish nightclub owner who later gave 1920s London its roar, spent her early years in the evocatively named Fairyland, on York Road in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Every time I pass the house, now St Helens, I think of her; a self-described tomboy who went on to own and run some of the most famous nightclubs of the Jazz Age in London. She opened one in Paris too and, a detail that impresses me, she was one of the first to introduce a glass dancefloor; coloured pulsating lights underfoot made it look as if you were dancing on waves of light. No wonder they flocked to her clubs. The most famous of them all, the 43 Club in Soho, opened its doors at 11pm when all other drinking establishments were closing. Celebrities, peers, princes, millionaires, gangsters, even the Black and Tans and IRA members came, though Kate wisely kept the latter two groups apart. There were nights when the 43 might have been mistaken for an overflow meeting from the House of Lords, with princes, dukes, earls, and countesses all moving in a light-hearted maze beneath the gay streamers and balloons, she wrote in her explosive memoir Secrets of the 43 Club. Controversial figure HISTORY HUB If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading She was constantly criticised by the press and she drew the ire of British Home Secretary William Joynson-Hicks who, at the time, was on a moral crusade against nightclubs. There were several raids and, at one point, Kate Meyrick was implicated in the biggest police bribery scandal of the 1920s. Kate Meyrick, seated in centre, at a welcome back party given at the Silver Slipper Club, London, to mark her release from prison. She was convicted of licensing law breaches and jailed five times in Holloway prison, but she continued on nonetheless. So how did this well-to-do girl born into an upper-middle class family in Dublin end up becoming the infamous Queen of the Nightclubs in 1920s London? Kate was born on August 7, 1875 to Sarah and John Nason. He was a promising doctor but died when she was an infant. Her mother died when Kate was just seven and the young girl and her sister moved to Fairyland to be cared for by their grandmother and two grandaunts. There, she spent a thoroughly wayward childhood, as she put it herself. I climbed trees and tried to climb the walls. Hands dirtied and frocks in tatters, I was in perpetual disgrace, she wrote later. She did, however, get a very good education. She was taught by governesses at home and later spent two years at Alexandra College in Dublin, from 1891 to 1893, a progressive institution that encouraged women to go on to third-level education. For a time, Kate toyed with the idea of studying to be a doctor but instead opted to [plunge] into a round of gaieties that were readily on offer in Dublin of the 1890s. The height of her ambition was to dance or go about with an officer of Her Majestys army. The man mattered nothing; the swagger and the gossip were the things, she wrote. She did eventually put a man ahead of the swagger and married Ferdinand Meyrick, a doctor, in 1899. They moved to England where the couple had eight children. She helped out in her husbands medical clinics and found she had a particular gift for helping people suffering from shellshock, so common after the First World War. She even enrolled in a course in hypnotherapy to help them. Then, she blew every stereotype of the early 20th century to pieces. She separated from her husband she once referred to his cruelty to become a single mother of eight who supported herself and her children by going into the nightclub business for the first time at the age of 43. So why isnt she better known here? That, hopefully, is about to change as a documentary on her life airs on RTEs Lyric FM tomorrow. This is the first time a full-length documentary has been made about Kate Meyrick, in spite of the fact that she made hundreds of newspaper headlines, was involved in the biggest police bribery scandal of the 1920s, hosted royalty, famous musicians and the aristocracy of Europe, documentary-maker Zoe Comyns says. She has drawn on Kates own words (wonderful, mischievous, bold ones contained in the pages of her memoir), court files, newspapers, home secretary files, police surveillance documents, divorce papers, and stacks of police reports to bring this extraordinary woman back to life. What struck me about her was that she was an Irish woman who was involved in one of the most glamorous times: Jazz-era London, surrounded by people from all walks of life aristocracy, businesspeople, and criminals all wanting to have fun. She straddled celebrity culture, crime, glamour and she mixed with all types of people. She was a canny businesswoman, independent, tenacious, a much-loved mother and in spite of serving five terms in prison, she was spirited to the end, Zoe says. Brushes with the law Kate Meyrick was so famous/infamous that the archives are full of her encounters with the law, but what singles her out is that she also left behind her own insights into the glittering nightclub scene, unsavoury underbelly and all. She wrote of cocaine overdoses, drug-pedalling, suicide, heartbreak, gangsters, and, on one occasion, trying to calm a Royal Flying Corps officer, Ronald True, who had sustained head injuries in World War l. He was in the club one night in March 1922 when Kate saw him attack a man who had bumped against him by accident. When she went to separate them, she said she saw madness burn in his eyes. She grabbed him by the coat lapels and a battle of wits ensued. She later described how she used her hypnotic skill to calm him down. He snapped out of it and seemed to be unaware of his behaviour. The strain of the effort was so intense that Kate collapsed afterward. The following night Ronald True murdered a woman called Gertrude Yates also known as Olive Young. He was later acquitted, setting a precedent for the use of insanity as a defence in murder trials. Its one of many incidents in the life of a woman who rightly deserves her title, Queen of the Nightclubs. But was she also the first Irish woman to ride a bicycle? Perhaps not. The mathematician and philosopher Dr Sophie Bryant, born down the road from her in Sandymount 25 years before, was said to be the first woman to own a bicycle. Kate Meyrick, then, was probably just an early adopter, but one who squeezed every last drop out of life before she died, aged 57, in 1933. When asked in her fifties what the future held, she said: It may hold disappointment, perhaps, but one thing I know it never, never can take away from me and that thing is the love of life, real life, brilliant and pulsating. Queen of Nightclubs airs tomorrow at 6pm on the Lyric Feature on RTE Lyric FM. Peter Fitzpatrick was with the programme. Like many of his colleagues, he was angry and perplexed. Like some of them, his questions had neither rhyme nor reason, but so what? The main thing was that he appeared angry and perplexed on behalf of all the folks at home who were looking in on the latest farrago. Fitzpatrick, an Independent TD for Co Louth, was asking questions at the Oireachtas media committees meeting with Media Minister Catherine Martin last Tuesday. The main topic was the ministers comments about her relationship with the chair of the RTE board Siun Ni Raghallaigh on RTE television 10 days ago. Hours later, the chair of the board resigned. Everybody on the committee wanted a piece of the action. They all proclaimed themselves sick of the story at this stage, but not sick enough that they didnt want to wring from it a few more soundbites. Fitzpatricks contribution was among the least coherent in the three-hour-plus meeting, but he did inadvertently stumble on something worthy of further consideration. He asked Martin how much the now-former chair of RTE was paid. Thirty-one thousand came the answer. It was a part-time job, Fitzpatrick said, astounded. A big job in RTE, a part-time job ... a part-time worker is your first port of call. The more he reflected on the chair being a part-time position, the more perplexed he grew. Theres something seriously wrong that the number-one person in RTE is part-time and being paid, I wont say peanuts, being paid 31,000, theres something wrong here. Welcome, deputy, to the world of state boards. There is a perception that state boards are stuffed with party hacks. Certainly, there are instances where party hacks or donors whisper a sweet word in a ministers ear and find themselves plonked onto a board. But these are in the minority. For the most part, state board appointees come through a process that is largely untainted. Some among them might feel that membership of a board will in some small way further their career. Others are approached not on the basis of bestowing a favour, but because they have expertise that could be useful to the state. There are also those who apply to serve on the basis that they have been successful in their careers and would like, in this small way, to give something back. The idea that any but the most desperate are doing it for the money, the peanuts as Peter Fitzpatrick would have it, is for the birds. Is it worth it? The question now arises though, why would anyone bother? Siun Ni Raghallaigh has a long track record in business and media. Those who have worked with her speak of her in the highest terms. She is in her 60s and has a typical profile of somebody who wanted to perform a public service for peanuts, to donate her expertise and business acumen. And where is she now? Siun Ni Raghallaigh resigned as chair of the RTE board last week after the media minister expressed no confidence in her. A few weeks ago, her name barely registered with the public. Now, everybody knows her, is aware that issues had arisen with Catherine Martin, that she was, as referenced repeatedly at Tuesdays committee meeting, thrown under a bus. It would be reasonable to assume she might attract second glances when in public over the last week or so, or even more attention. For some who operate in the public realm that is an occupational hazard. A chair or former chair of a state board would not expect such unwanted publicity and it can be, at the very least, discommoding. Arguably, she was thrown under the bus. The RTE story has eaten up a huge amount of political and media miles. It is, within that closed loop, a hot topic. And these days, a hot topic is one which often demands a head. Was Ni Raghallaigh nudged beneath the bus to ensure that Martin could insulate herself from any potential fall-out down the line about who knew what and when? Was it just a clumsy and unwarranted attempt at self-preservation? Another chair of a state board who found himself hauled into the stocks was Michael Stone. He was chair of the Dublin North East Inner City Programme. The body was created in response to gangland shootings and intergenerational trauma blighting one of the most disadvantaged areas in Dublin. Michael Stone was chair of the Dublin North East Inner City Programme which was created in response to gangland shootings. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie The work being overseen by Stone was concerned with holding out hope for kids to find a path in life that didnt lead to crime or addiction. Just over a year ago, a story broke about Paschal Donohoe failing to declare a benefit in kind from Stone through affixing posters at the last election. In 2022, Paschal Donohoe failed to declare a benefit in kind from Michael Stone through affixing posters during the election. The whole thing was small beer but blown up into a controversy that, at its outer reaches, could have threatened Donohoes career. Later, the Standards In Public Office (Sipo) Commission would clear the minister of any wrongdoing, and Sinn Fein, which was pushing the controversy, backed off in the face of expenses questions around some of its own members. At the height of it the pressure on Stone was such that he resigned his position on the board. The opposition had a head, a trophy signalling a political victory. And the people of the north inner city? One long-time community activist in the area spoke to the Irish Times about the loss of the businessman. Mick Stone is probably the best person to happen this community, Paddy Murdiff said. He was very effective. It is a big loss for us. Another told the newspaper, all he did was put up those bleedin posters. Yet he had to go to satisfy some political or media thirst that had been generated. The real loss was not to Stone but to those who were benefiting from his work. Undoubtedly some of Stones kindred spirits would have observed what happened him and ask themselves, why would you bother? 'Elite' image For years accountability was lacking at all levels in the political and state apparatus. Arguably it still is in some elements today. But there is also a sense that a frenzied media and political environment, fuelled by hyper-coverage and a populist instinct that anybody with a role in public life is part of the elite, has ensured that babies are getting thrown out with the bathwater. Serving on a state or charity board is not the comfortable gig it once was. Correctly, there are greater responsibilities, principally fiduciary, required of directors. This is as it should be. But when the prevailing environment means that those who serve can be thrown under the bus, or hauled into the public stocks to satisfy some manufactured version of accountability, some will inevitably give the system a wide berth. It would be hard to blame them. What should have been a simple vote to address archaic and sexist language in our Constitution is quickly turning into a confusing mess for the Government. Even before a number of high-profile organisations came out to advocate for a no vote, the Coalition was faced with the challenge of motivating people to get out to the ballot box. The Government always knew that getting people out to vote without the added incentive of a local, European, or even national election would be more difficult. Unlike recent referenda which had an immediate and real impact marriage equality allowed same-sex couples to walk down the aisle and the historic repeal vote paved the way for the introduction of abortion services the upcoming ballots represent more of a symbolic change than a tangible one. That is not to diminish the importance of these votes. While it is no surprise that a number of prominent conservative groups and individuals are loudly calling for a no vote, the intervention of more progressive voices may have taken the Government slightly by surprise. Two questions on two separate ballot papers are being asked on the same day one relating to marriage and the family, the second based around the removal of the so-called women in the home clause, with a replacement which recognises carers. There has been confusion around terms such as durable relationship in the family referendum, while some groups have taken issue with a proposed clause in the referendum on carers, which states that the State will strive to provide support to carers. The fact that some groups have come out in support of one of the votes and against the other has also added more than a little mud to the waters. The question of women in the home is causing the most discussion and division. The decision to address and amend a number of clauses in Article 41 of the Constitution through two referenda came after a recommendation from the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality. The changes put forward by the Government in the care referendum propose that the reference to a womans life and duties in the home should be taken out of Bunreacht na hEireann, and a new article that acknowledges family carers be inserted. In announcing his Governments intention to hold a referendum, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that the amendments would enshrine gender equality and would remove the outmoded reference to women in the home. Leo Varadkar said the amendments would enshrine gender equality and remove the outmoded reference to 'women in the home'. Picture: Niall Carson/PA For too long, women and girls have carried a disproportionate share of caring responsibilities, been discriminated against at home and in the workplace, objectified, or lived in fear of domestic or gender-based violence, he said last March. It is therefore completely understandable that the general public might be perplexed after Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC), described the changes the Government says will ensure equality as sexist and ineffective. Other organisations that have actively campaigned for gender equality and fairness across society have greeted the wording of the referendum with a lukewarm acceptance. Currently, the Constitution recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved. This part of the Constitution goes on to say that the State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home. If a yes vote is carried this reference to a mothers duties in the home will be removed. A new line will be inserted that instead recognises that the provision of care, by members of a family to one another by reason of the bonds that exist among them, gives to society a support without which the common good cannot be achieved. It goes on to say that the State shall strive to support such provision. It is this element that some campaigners who are calling for a no vote have taken issue with, as the insertion of the word strive, they say, effectively lets the Government off the hook. This is the argument FLAC has made in claiming the wording of the proposed care amendment is as ineffective as the current so-called women in the home provision. It is unlikely to provide carers, people with disabilities, or older people with any new enforceable rights or to require the State to provide improved childcare, personal assistance services, supports for independent living, respite care, or supports for children with disabilities, FLAC said. In contrast, Family Carers Ireland is urging people to vote yes and has said the referendum is a potential watershed moment in our history. The national charity supporting more than 500,000 people who care for loved ones says the proposed changes are a proactive step towards ensuring the support system for care in Ireland is not just adequate but robust, recognised, and valued. The National Womens Council, Single Parents Acting for the Rights of Their Kids, and Treoir have also weighed in behind a yes vote. But amid the differing voices is a new organisation, also representing carers, that was recently set up to canvass for a no vote. Equality not Care is a new alliance of feminists, disabled people, and their family members who are calling for a no vote on March 8. The group believes that not only will the new amendment not result in any concrete changes, it damages the rights of disabled people by implying that they are a burden which must be shouldered by their families. Politics has also crept into what is an increasingly confusing maelstrom of competing views. Although supporting both referenda, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald has said her party would re-run the vote if it enters power after the next general election. Holly Cairns claimed the Government could act to fully staff disability network teams without any ballot. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie Perhaps sensing that the wind had shifted direction since her party came out in support of the referenda, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns this week claimed in the Dail that there is actually no need to hold the votes as the Government could act to fully staff disability network teams and to provide more personal assistance hours without any ballot. Many disabled people and their carers feel forgotten and abandoned by the Government and the referendum. The Social Democrats have opted to support both constitutional amendments because we have ultimately been left with a choice between leaving misogynistic language in the Constitution and replacing it with language that is an improvement but should have gone much further," she said. If you thought this column might have brought clarity amid confusion, you may have been disappointed having got this far! Unlike the recent votes to provide for abortion and marriage equality, we are unlikely to see crowds pack into Dublin Castle when the results of this week's referendums are announced. But with voting cards arriving in homes across the country, people are now engaging with the questions that will be put to them around family and care this Friday. However, many are finding that the upcoming referendums are not a simple yes or no, and technical terms have been causing some degree of confusion. What exactly are the public being asked to vote on? People will be handed two separate ballot cards to vote on two separate questions when they go into polling stations this week. The first referendum relates to the definition of family in our Constitution. The second one aims to delete references to a woman's duties in the home and to add a recognition of all carers who look after family members. In simple terms what is proposed in the 'family' referendum? People will be given a white ballot paper to vote on the part of our Constitution which relates to the family. Article 41.1.1 currently states: The State recognises the Family as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of Society, and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law. In order to recognise how society has changed, it has been proposed that this line be expanded to recognise family "whether founded on marriage or on other durable relationships". As it stands now Article 41.3.1 states: The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, on which the Family is founded, and to protect it against attack. It is proposed that this line would be changed to remove the words "on which the family is founded". Surely this change is straightforward? You might think so, but there has been significant debate and disagreement over the proposed changes. The Government has said the amendment will recognise the myriad of different families in Ireland today and not just those that involve married couples. Stephen Teap with his sons, Noah and Oscar. As Stephen Teap, who lost his wife to cervical cancer said: "Due to circumstances outside of my family's control, there is no recognition for a widower, a sole parent, a stay-at-home dad, and most importantly, for my children who are left with only one living parent to raise them. How can someone say today that we are not a family?" However, Senator Michael McDowell has suggested it could introduce "huge uncertainty into our fundamental law. The door will be open to what we call concurrent or successive families with multiple partners common to each," he said. What is a durable relationship? There has been much talk of durable relationships and what constitutes one, ever since the subject of throuples was brought up in the Dail during a debate on the referendum. Minister Roderic O'Gorman has made it clear that such relationships are not covered in the concept of durability and it is not covered in the expanded concept of the family being voted upon. Mr O'Gorman told the Dail that the Government wants to expand the definition of family beyond marriage as "some of the most marginalised families in the history of Ireland have been lone-parent families". "I think this affirmative recognition is the correct approach in providing that the concept of family in Article 41 is no longer limited to the marital family and that it also encompasses other durable, committed relationships, like one-parent families, cohabiting couples and their children, if they have any," he said. But things become a little more complicated when it comes to actually defining what durable is. Chair of the Electoral Commission Justice Marie Baker said that if this week's vote does pass, the term "durable relationship" will be "a constitutional word" and it will ultimately be up to the courts to decide what exactly it means and who is regarded as being in one. Briefly, what is the 'care' referendum about? Voters will use a green-coloured ballot paper to decide on the so-called 'women in the home' clause in our Constitution. Currently, Bunreacht na hEireann recognises that "by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved". This part of the Constitution goes on to say that "the State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home. If a yes vote is carried this reference to a mother's "duties in the home" will be removed and instead a new line introduced: The State recognises that the provision of care, by members of a family to one another by reason of the bonds that exist among them, gives to society a support without which the common good cannot be achieved, and shall strive to support such provision. Why is there such division and confusion on the care referendum? While many organisations have been campaigning for the removal of what has been described as "sexist" and "archaic" language in our Constitution for decades, some have taken the view that the amendments don't go far enough. Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns. As a result, many have grudgingly backed the changes. As Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns put it: "We have ultimately been left with a choice between leaving misogynistic language in the Constitution and replacing it with language that is an improvement but should have gone much further." Others, including Leas Ceann Comhairle Catherine Connolly, believe that the thinking behind the line that the Government wants to remove is good and the essence should be retained but altered to bring it up to date. She said the line which states "mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home," could have been altered to make it gender neutral. What's the problem with the word 'strive'? Many on the no side say inserting the word strive into the Constitution will effectively let the Government off the hook as it does not put an obligation on the State to provide support or funding to carers and their relatives. Senator Tom Clonan, who cares for his disabled son, also points out: "The wording carefully chosen by government and its legal advisers omits any reference to rights to care in the community or outside the home as explicitly recommended by both the Citizens Assembly and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality." However, Family Carers Ireland, which is advocating for a yes vote, says the amendment will strengthen the recognition and support of family carers and will provide groups with greater leverage when lobbying for additional supports. Family Carers Ireland says the change will also highlight care as a vital contribution to society, rather than an invisible or undervalued task. So what's the bottom line? Ultimately many on the yes side believe that while the wording is not perfect, it is a step in the right direction. A pair of cased 12-bore back-action Holland and Holland shotguns and a pair of 19th-century Sevres guinea fowl which it would be downright foolish to shoot, are among appetising offerings at a three-day auction in Durrow, Co Laois. The sale, organised by Sheppards Irish Auction House on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, also features a late 17th-century Aubusson tapestry, a pair of Regency Cork side tables from the dispersal sale at Kilkenny Castle, and a Duleek Irish carpet. A detail from the Duleek Irish carpet. There is an array of fine library furniture, lighting, Irish and European art, early tapestries, sculpture, silver, and even a Killarney games table. The auction is led by an extensive landscape with travellers and cattle painted in 1828 by James Arthur OConnor (15,000-25,000). The Holland and Holland shotguns are estimated at 14,000-18,000, the Sevres guinea fowl at 3,000-5,000. One of a pair of Regency Cork side tables. The impressive pair of Cork Regency side tables with rectangular gadrooned tops, rounded corners, spiral-turned legs, and paw feet by family tradition purchased at the dispersal sale of Kilkenny Castle in 1935 are estimated at 4,000-6,000. A late 17th-century Aubusson tapestry with exotic birds, landscape, and castle enclosed by an elaborate border is estimated at 3,000-5,000 and the Duleek carpet, after a design by CFA Voysey and manufactured in Donegal by Alexander Morto and Co, is estimated at 4,500-6,500. The Duleek range was retailed at Libertys in London and was included in their Irish Carpet Exhibition at the Grafton Gallery on Bond Street in 1903. If hunting and shooting is not your thing and if impressive Regency tables from Kilkenny Castle might not fit cosily into your favourite room there is still much to catch the eye at all price points in the selection available. A designer fabric-upholstered chest of seven drawers. With more than 1,300 lots the sale offers rare and unusual pieces which might be hard to come by. A designer fabric upholstered chest with seven drawers is estimated at just 300-500 and among the other lots in this price range you could opt for is a Regency work table, a designer upholstered wing-back armchair, an art deco-style rosewood cabinet, an 18th-century circular tea table, or a Neo-Classical Edwardian log urn. The pair of 12-bore, back action shotguns. There is across the board variety from African masks and Chinese porcelain and furniture to jewellery and musical instruments including a Bechstein baby grand piano. Collectibles include a Los Angeles Lakers jersey signed by Kobe Bryant, an 18th-century painted fan, a Galway longcase clock, a 19th-century French clock garniture, and an Egyptian brass hubbly bubbly. Viewing for this sale, which includes the contents of historic Moyaliffe House, at Ballycahill, Co Tipperary, gets underway in Durrow today and the catalogue is online online. A resident of a mobile home park in Elbridge claims he is being evicted for speaking to The Citizen last year about poor water quality there. Tony Schillo told The Citizen that in November he received a notice to vacate his unit at Rolling Hills Manufactured Home Park from ownership. The notice, which he shared with The Citizen, does not provide a reason for the eviction. It only says, "The Landlord is electing to terminate this Lease." The notice required him to vacate his unit by the end of Thursday. Speaking to The Citizen on Friday afternoon, Schillo said he was waiting for the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office to enforce the eviction. Park owner Kim Berry declined comment to The Citizen. Schillo lives at the park with his wife and two children, ages 3 and 13, and they're expecting a third child this year. They've stayed at Rolling Hills for the affordable rent, he said, but the poor water quality has been such a persistent issue that they would be looking to move even if they weren't being evicted. As reported by The Citizen last year, the park's water has contained high levels of PFAS, or "forever chemicals," which have been linked to health problems like increased risk of kidney and testicular cancers, liver disease and reproductive damage. PFAS forever chemicals found in hundreds of New York water systems at unsafe levels An untold number of New Yorkers are subjected sometimes unknowingly to unsafe PFAS chemicals in their water. The state doesn't require treatment until contamination reaches a certain level. Since his family moved into the park, Schillo said, neighbors have told him, "Don't drink the water." Instead, his family has purchased bottled water for drinking, washing and brushing their teeth. The park was cited by the state Department of Health for having forever chemicals in its water throughout 2022, the most recent year drinking water compliance data is available. The park is now listed as "no longer in violation." However, Schillo provided The Citizen a copy of a boil water order issued in December by the Onondaga County Health Department due to "inadequate disinfection." Along with contacting the health department, Schillo has attempted to address the water quality and other problems, including just 10 psi of water pressure in his unit, with park ownership. He acknowledged that they've "gotten into it," but still believes he's been singled out for speaking up. In January, he said, he was the only resident to receive a list of unit violations, which included "overgrown vegetation," "repair home" and "illegal pet." After he called attention to the fact that no one else received such a list, he continued, others residents were issued them. Schillo has also sought legal counsel over the potentially retaliatory eviction, but said he has not been able to afford a lawyer who can help him until it is underway. As he weighs his options, Schillo said he's staying mindful of the advantages of having to move out of the mobile home park. "Up at camp my oldest daughter loves being outdoors," Schillo said. "Here, she doesn't like being outside." Gallery: 'Don't drink the water,' says Elbridge mobile home park resident A ship attacked by Yemens Houthi rebels has sunk in the Red Sea after days of taking on water, officials said. The Belize-flagged Rubymar is the first vessel to be fully destroyed as part of the Houthis campaign over Israels war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel has essentially endorsed the framework of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal and it is now up to Hamas to agree to it, a senior US administration official said. The Israelis have more or less accepted the proposal, which includes a six-week ceasefire in Gaza as well as the release by Hamas of hostages considered to be vulnerable, including the sick, the wounded, the elderly and women, the official said. The Israelis have basically signed on to the elements of the arrangement, they added. Right now, the ball is in the court of Hamas and we are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can. The Palestinian death toll has passed 30,000, health officials said (AP) The moves came as the European Unions diplomatic service said many of the Palestinians killed or wounded as they tried to get bags of flour from an aid convoy in Gaza City were hit by Israeli army fire. The European External Action Service urged an international investigation, as outrage rises over the desperation of hundreds of thousands struggling to survive in northern Gaza after nearly five months of fighting between Israel and Hamas. At least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured in Gaza City on Thursday, according to health officials, when witnesses said nearby Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy. The EU arm said: The responsibility for this incident lays on the restrictions imposed by the Israeli army and obstructions by violent extremist(s) to the supply of humanitarian aid. Residents in northern Gaza say they have taken to searching piles of rubble and refuse for anything to feed their children, who barely eat one meal a day. Many families have begun mixing animal and bird food with grain to bake bread. International aid officials say they have encountered catastrophic hunger. Were dying from starvation, said Soad Abu Hussein, a widow and mother of five children who has taken shelter in a school in the Jabaliya refugee camp. Northern Gaza has borne the brunt of the conflict that began when the Hamas militant group launched an attack into southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing around 250 hostages. Intense Israeli bombardment from air, land & sea continued to be reported across #GazaStrip Reports 2 infants died in northern #Gaza as a result of dehydration & malnutrition, as 1/4of Gazas population faces catastrophic levels of food insecurity.https://t.co/CB5oianCLM pic.twitter.com/DUkZ6dXcLq UNRWA (@UNRWA) March 1, 2024 Gazas health ministry said the Palestinian death toll from the war has climbed to 30,320. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says women and children make up around two thirds of those killed. In Gazas southernmost city of Rafah, where more than half of the besieged territorys people now seek refuge, an Israeli air strike on Saturday struck tents outside the Emirati hospital, killing 11 people and injuring about 50, including health workers, Gazas health ministry said. Israels air, sea and ground offensive, reduced much of densely populated northern Gaza to rubble. The military told Palestinians to move south, but as many as 300,000 people are believed to have remained. Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), said this week that roughly one child in six children under the age of two in the north suffers from acute malnutrition and wasting, the worst level of child malnutrition anywhere in the world. And he warned: If nothing changes, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza. That has caused such desperation that people have overwhelmed trucks delivering food aid to the region and grabbed what they can, Mr Skau said, forcing the WFP to suspend aid deliveries to the north. The breakdown in civil order, driven by sheer desperation, is preventing the safe distribution of aid and we have a duty to protect our staff, he added. In the violence on Thursday, hundreds of people rushed about 30 trucks bringing a predawn delivery of aid to the north. Palestinians said nearby Israeli troops shot into the crowds. Israel said they fired warning shots toward the crowd and insisted many of the dead were trampled. Doctors at hospitals in Gaza and a UN team that visited a hospital there said large numbers of the wounded had been shot. US officials say American military C-130 cargo planes have airdropped food and aid in pallets over Gaza. In the coming days, the United States will carry out airdrops of aid to Gaza, redouble our efforts to open a maritime corridor, and expand deliveries by land. The aid flowing into Gaza is nowhere near enough. We all need to do more. And the United States will do more. President Biden (@POTUS) March 1, 2024 The move comes after US President Joe Biden said on Friday that America will soon begin airdropping assistance to Gaza and will look for other ways to get shipments in, including possibly a marine corridor. When asked if he thought Israel would fully investigate Thursdays incident, he answered simply: Yes. But the EU statement, echoing humanitarian groups including the International Rescue Committee and Medical Aid for Palestinians, said air drops should be the solution of last resort as their impact is minimal and not devoid of risks to civilians and called for the opening of further ground crossings into Gaza and the removal of obstacles from the rare ones that are already open. Aid workers hoped a possible ceasefire would allow them to get food to hungry people across Gaza. A senior Egyptian official said talks on a truce would resume on Sunday in Cairo. International mediators hope to reach agreement on a six-week pause in fighting, and an exchange of some Israeli hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins around March 10. 1371138342::cfb49c8e-2422-11e5-99a3-d7f5c6e8b241 A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. AUBURN A densely packed crowd of officers greeted the warden of Auburn Correctional Facility on Friday to celebrate his last day on the job. Joe Corey, the prison's superintendent since 2022 and a 40-year employee of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, made his way through the State Street crosswalk outside the facility's entrance for the last time that afternoon. But he wasn't alone: About 50 corrections officers and others lined the crosswalk, with the street blocked off on both sides. After a long period of friendly chatter and laughter from attendees, a cry of "Attention!" immediately prompted corrections employees closest to the front to snap into salutes. As Corey emerged from the prison with a grin on his face, the laughter and conversation gave way to applause and congratulatory shouts, and the retiring superintendent stepped into the crosswalk. Some members of the crowd dispersed after the sendoff, but a series of well-wishers waited their turn to approach Corey with a hug or a handshake. Auburn Police Chief James Slayton told The Citizen he had interacted with Corey before, and appreciated being invited to his retirement ceremony. Slayton said he felt the turnout for Corey's last day reflected his impact. "The showing for him today shows his commitment to this prison here and the city of Auburn and the residents, and all the employees will miss him when he's gone," Slayton said. With his wife, Kathy, nearby, Corey told The Citizen he was looking forward to retirement. Motioning to the corrections officers scattered around him, Corey said he felt the work of the prison's staff made his job easy "because they're so good." He added that he feels those employees do not receive enough recognition for their efforts. "It's really got nothing to do with me," Corey said. "It's the staff." Gallery: Corrections officers celebrate retiring Auburn prison warden 03/01/2024 Mark Hopwood and Brent Thomas look through evidence at the Center for Applied Forensics. by Brett Buckner Brent Thomas is the epitome of the old-school investigator. His desk is cluttered with yellow legal pads and musty evidence folders pulled from decades-old bankers boxes. His walls are covered with homicide timelines and the names of potential suspects. It all helps with connecting the dots, he said. After retiring from the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) in 2016, Thomas was hired as a part-time investigator at the JSU Center for Applied Forensics (CFAF) to assist local law enforcement agencies with cold case investigations and officer-involved shootings. Ive bought him computers and laptops, said Mark Hopwood, CFAF director. But every time I go in his office, hes sitting there with a legal pad and pencils. Then hell stop and ask me for more of those big poster boards. It would drive me crazy going through those files, but he loves it. After graduating from JSU in 1984 with a degree in production management, Thomas started his career as an Alabama State Trooper. He was hired by the Jacksonville office of the ABI in 2003, where he served as a sergeant until his retirement. Early on, he realized he had the temperament required of a good investigator. Im a timeline-logic type of guy, he said. I like to know how events flow from one thing to the next, so I have stuff scattered everywhere. Thats when Mark usually walks in and is like, Oh god! Here we go again. But being meticulous and detail-oriented is what it takes, especially when working cold cases. Theres no magic, he said. You have to be patient, a logical thinker, pay attention to the details, and document. Thats one of the main points Thomas tries to convey to the agencies and officers he assists and trains at CFAF. He urges them to focus on how they document, knowing that someone down the line years or even decades later may depend on their notes to solve a case like the one he helped crack last summer. In September 2002, the close-knit community of Heflin, Ala., was shocked by the brutal homicide of Monica Rollins and her six-year-old son, Dalton. The 23-year-old mother was eight months pregnant with her third son, who also died in the attack. Her three-year-old son, Aaron, was found in the home unharmed days later, along with the bodies. If you want to help people at the lowest, worst point in their lives, this is it, Thomas said. With his help, Heflin police announced in June 2023 the arrest of Lewis Ladon Spivey, an acquaintance of Rollins who had been serving a 15-year sentence in Florida for an unrelated robbery and aggravated assault. Investigators say he has confessed to the crimes, and he is awaiting trial. After the arrest, Thomas was able to sit down with Rollins father to answer questions and process his own emotions. When he begins working on a case, he tells victims families their lives will be now be forever intertwined. From then on, youre working it for them and for the truth, he said. Thats all Ive ever worked for to know the truth and to make an arrest. Thats the only thing that will ever give the family and law enforcement closure. The Cold Case Program is one of many Jax State initiatives aimed at supporting and training Alabama law enforcement. The program is housed within the Center for Applied Forensics, which provides education, technical expertise and investigative services to law enforcement agencies across the state. To date, the center has trained more than 4,000 officers, processed more than 400 crime scenes and solved 324 cases. CFAF works in partnership with the universitys Center for Best Practices in Law Enforcement, Alabama Investigator Academy and Southeastern Leadership Command College to support the continuing education and training of law enforcement across the state. The university also houses the Northeast Alabama Law Enforcement Academy. Jacksonville State strives to serve as the law enforcement training capitol of the State of Alabama, said President Don C. Killingsworth, Jr. We are investing in law enforcement training to not only make a positive impact on the careers of these dedicated public servants, but also on the lives of the people and the communities they serve. Connecticut (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) Despondence, mixed with commitment, courage, and action, can be a starter for epochal change. Aaron Bushnell set himself afire on Sunday, a telling decision by a serving USAF airman, saying that he refused to be complicit in the Gaza genocide. His martyrdom could well make such a contribution as developments evolve in the geopolitical realm. Headlines by most mainstream media outlets were close to identical. They skipped words such as Gaza, Palestine, or genocideeven though Bushnell used precisely such words in his final statement. Some outlets, CNN for example, did narrate his final words (at least in one of their reports). But, unlike the media treatment of a similar self-immolation in Atlanta some three months ago, this incident was so well-spread on social media that the mainstream was forced to provide coverage. Al Jazeera English Video: Who was Aaron Bushnell, the US airman who died protesting over Gaza? | Al Jazeera Newsfeed Self-immolation, as the ultimate form of protest, is a sign and expression of individual and collective powerlessness against the controlling systemseven in the so-called democratic societies. And history tells us that, more often than not, it has had a significant impact on the prevalent political climate. The 1963 self-immolation in Saigon of the Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc became a turning point in the collapse of the Diem regime. That photo, showing hundreds of other monks surrounding the city square so Quang Duc could complete his protest, is now part of humanitys photo gallery. During the American war on Vietnam, there were several US citizens who gave the same sacrifice in protest. Norman Morrison is perhaps the most well-known. Morrisons self-immolation took place soon after President Johnsons authorization of napalm in Vietnam. He set himself ablaze at the Pentagon, underneath the window of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, who himself acknowledged that Norman R. Morrison burned himself to death within 40 feet of my Pentagon window. (Morrison was likely not aware of this fact.) In his 1995 book (In Retrospect: The Tragedy in Lessons of Vietnam), McNamara acknowledged the effect of Morrisons sacrifice: It was an outcry against the killing that was destroying the lives of so many Vietnamese and American youth. I reacted to the horror of his action by bottling up my emotions and avoided talking about them with anyoneeven with my family. I knew Marge and our three children shared many of Morrisons feelings about the war. And I believed I understood and shared some of his thoughts. The episode created tension at home that only deepened as the criticism of the war continued to grow. And then we are aware that the Arab Spring began when Mohamed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian street vendor, set himself on fire as an act of protest against the autocratic regime. An extreme protest from Airman Aaron Bushnell points to the sentiment within a certain segment of the US military. That sentiment can simply not be ignored. Negating the system-induced powerlessness, and asserting his freedom, Bushnell expressed his conviction in a social media message just before his final act in this world: 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. Set ablaze by the despair of the all-encompassing repression in our world, Bushnell leaves behind a flickering hope that we humans can decide to change in this world. Perhaps he is counting on you and me to live, and carry forward the flame! Azam Saeed is author of bestseller Radical Revolution of Values . Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association of North America | Senator Richard Durbin Chair, Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate fax: (202) 228-0400 Senator Lindsay O. Graham Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate fax: (202) 224-3808 Dear Senators Durbin and Graham: We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom to express our grave concern regarding the effort by Republican members of the Judiciary Committee to smear and delegitimize the Center for Security, Race and Rights at Rutgers University-Newark Law School, and especially its founder and executive director, Professor Sahar Aziz. This effort clearly threatens the First Amendment right of free speech and the academic freedom of both the Center and Professor Aziz. This effort is all the more disturbing for relying upon and invoking anti-Muslim and anti-Arab racist tropes. MESA was founded in 1966 to promote scholarship and teaching on the Middle East and North Africa. The preeminent organization in the field, the Association publishes the prestigious International Journal of Middle East Studies and has nearly 2,800 members worldwide. MESA is committed to ensuring academic freedom and freedom of expression both within the region and in connection with the study of the region in North America and outside of North America. The institutional target of the attack by the Republican members of the Judiciary Committee the Center for Security, Race and Rights is an academic institution engaged in research, public education and advocacy to address the underlying structural and systemic causes of Islamophobia and xenophobia against people of Arab, African, and South Asian descent. As the Centers website notes, its work is driven by the increased discrimination and prejudice faced by Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities since the events of 11 September 2001. The Centers founder and executive director, Professor Sahar Aziz , is Distinguished Professor of Law and Chancellors Social Justice Scholar at Rutgers Law School and is a renowned expert on the adverse impacts of national security laws and policies on racial, religious and ethnic minority groups. The Centers mission has received praise from other academic organizations, including a 20 February 2024 statement by the faculty union at Rutgers , addressed to the Republican members of the Judiciary Committee, which recognize[s] the importance of the Centers wide-ranging work and expresses pride in the critical work of the Center. . . in advancing our core values and goals as a university. On 6 February 2024 the ten Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to the president of Rutgers University and the chairman of the universitys Board of Governors alleging that the Center had sponsored events featuring anti-Semitic speakers, individuals who justify violence against the State of Israel, terrorist sympathizers, and advocates for domestic radicalism. The letter directly attacked Professor Aziz, accusing her of regularly and consistently promot[ing] vile antisemitic propaganda, and demanded that the university respond to a series of highly prejudicial and tendentious questions. We regard the letter as manifesting the very prejudices the Center and Professor Aziz have dedicated themselves to combatting. The allegations it sets forth are based on precisely the kind of evidence that those who traffic in anti-Muslim, Islamophobic and anti-Arab racism have long used to smear, delegitimize, and even criminally prosecute Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians. They reflect the prejudicial tendency to view Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians as congenitally predisposed to engage in terrorism; to deem criticism of US foreign policy by members of these groups as support for terrorism; and to denounce members of these groups as antisemitic when they engage in pro-Palestine advocacy or criticism of Israel, regardless of the actual content of their statements or actions. In its statement the Rutgers faculty union noted that it is troubling to see a group of elected officials use their powers to try to suppress free speech [and] undercut academic freedom. Your letter communicates your anger regarding certain viewpoints that you perceived to have been platformed at the Center, the unions statement told the senators, and yet that anger should have no bearing on current or future activities of the Center. We note that there is good reason to believe that this attack on the Center and on Professor Aziz is part of a broader campaign by the Senate Committees Republican members to scuttle the nomination of Adeel Abdullah Mangi, the first Muslim nominated for a federal appellate judgeship. Many of the Republican members of the Judiciary Committee who signed the letter to Rutgers had attacked Mangi during his appearance before the Committee for, among other things,having served on the Centers board of advisors. In our view, this renders the attack on the Center an even more flagrant abuse of the senators status and powers. We therefore call on the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to immediately end their investigation of the Center for Security, Race and Rights, and to desist from threatening the free speech rights and academic freedom of Professor Aziz and all those associated with the Center. We further urge them to refrain from any future assaults on scholars and institutions of higher education, which can only undermine the ability of this countrys colleges and universities to fulfil their educational and intellectual missions. We look forward to your response. Sincerely, Asl U. Bali MESA President Professor, Yale Law School Laurie Brand Chair, Committee on Academic Freedom Professor Emerita, University of Southern California VANCOUVER, BC, March 1, 2024 /CNW/ - Outback Goldfields Corp. (the "Company" or "Outback") (TSXV: OZ) (OTCQB: OZBKF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a letter of intent dated February 16, 2024 (the Letter of Intent") with S2 Resources Ltd. ("S2") to acquire all of S2's highly prospective portfolio of gold projects in Finland (the "S2 Finnish Projects"), by way of an acquisition (the "Transaction") of S2's wholly-owned Finnish subsidiary, Sakumpu Exploration Oy (the "S2 Subsidiary"). On March 1, 2024, Outback notified S2 that it was satisfied with the results of its due diligence investigation, and the parties are now committed to proceeding with the Transaction subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Letter of Intent. Depending on the price and size of the Offering (as defined below), the Transaction may constitute a "Reverse Takeover" of Outback in accordance with Policy 5.2 Changes of Business and Reverse Takeovers of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). In addition, Outback will grant S2 an option (the "Joint Venture Earn-In") to earn an interest in Outback's Glenfine, Silver Spoon, Ballarat West and Yeungroon gold projects, located in the Victorian Goldfields, Australia (the "Outback Australian Projects"). The Outback Australian Projects are expected to have exploration synergies with S2's gold projects also located in the Victorian Goldfields, near the Fosterville gold mine. "This is a transformative acquisition for Outback, providing our company with a world-class portfolio of projects in a highly prospective jurisdiction," commented Chris Donaldson, CEO of Outback. "The Central Lapland Greenstone Belt of Northern Finland is an emerging gold camp and is host to several recent gold discoveries including Europe's largest primary gold mine, Agnico Eagle's Kittila Mine, which produces over 200koz gold per annum. We look forward to working with S2 on completing this transaction and focusing our technical team solely on making gold discoveries in Finland." Mark Bennett, Executive Chairman of S2 stated, "We are very pleased to partner with Outback to create a new Canadian-listed company focused on exploring S2's portfolio of highly prospective gold projects in Finland. S2 has had significant early-stage exploration success at these projects in a short period of time. This transaction will further solidify S2 as a leading explorer in the Greater Fosterville area, allowing Outback to solely focus on advancing exploration in Finland." Concurrent with the Transaction, Outback intends to complete a financing to raise gross proceeds of C$5 million (the "Offering"). Transaction Highlights: Creation of a new Canadian-listed Finnish exploration company: Canadian-listed explorers are leading the exploration frontier in Finland with Rupert Resources Ltd., Aurion Resources Ltd., and FireFox Corp. boasting a combined market capitalization of approximately C$700 million . Canadian-listed explorers are leading the exploration frontier in with Rupert Resources Ltd., Aurion Resources Ltd., and FireFox Corp. boasting a combined market capitalization of approximately . Large land position in a premier district: The S2 Finnish Projects comprise an over 35,000-hectare land package in Northern Finland's Central Lapland Greenstone Belt, which is host to world class gold and nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE deposits, including Agnico Eagle's 3.7 million ounce Kittila gold mine 1 , Rupert's 4.1 million ounce Ikkari gold deposit 2 , Boliden's 247 million tonne Kevitsa copper-nickel-gold-PGE mine 3 and Anglo American's 44 million tonne Sakatti nickel-copperPGE deposit 4 . The S2 Finnish Projects comprise an over 35,000-hectare land package in Central Lapland Greenstone Belt, which is host to world class gold and nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE deposits, including Agnico Eagle's 3.7 million ounce Kittila gold mine , Rupert's 4.1 million ounce Ikkari gold deposit , Boliden's 247 million tonne Kevitsa copper-nickel-gold-PGE mine and 44 million tonne Sakatti nickel-copperPGE deposit . Strategic partnerships in Finland : Senior gold producer Kinross Gold and marquee explorer Rupert Resources are currently funding approximately C$14 million of exploration work pursuant to farm into agreements on 12,000 hectares of regional ground, while Outback will maintain 100% ownership of the Paana, Ruopas, Putaanpera, Rova and Pahavuoma projects. Senior gold producer and marquee explorer Rupert Resources are currently funding approximately of exploration work pursuant to farm into agreements on 12,000 hectares of regional ground, while Outback will maintain 100% ownership of the Paana, Ruopas, Putaanpera, Rova and Pahavuoma projects. Defined high-grade gold target : The Aarnivalkea West discovery on the Paana project represents an open-ended, 1.3 km striking zone of near-surface, orogenic gold mineralization. This target will be a priority area for future exploration programs conducted by Outback. : The Aarnivalkea West discovery on the Paana project represents an open-ended, 1.3 km striking zone of near-surface, orogenic gold mineralization. This target will be a priority area for future exploration programs conducted by Outback. Strong balance sheet to execute growth: Concurrent C$5 million financing will fund Outback to advance drill-ready targets. Concurrent financing will fund Outback to advance drill-ready targets. Experienced leadership team: The board and management team of Outback have decades of experience, with a demonstrated track record of exploration and the support of Inventa Capital Corp., a Vancouver -based merchant bank founded in 2017 with the goal of discovering and funding opportunities in the resource sector. The board and management team of Outback have decades of experience, with a demonstrated track record of exploration and the support of Inventa Capital Corp., a -based merchant bank founded in 2017 with the goal of discovering and funding opportunities in the resource sector. Continued exposure to Victorian Goldfields: S2 is a proven successful explorer and controls one of the largest landholdings in the greater Fosterville area, making S2 well placed to move the Outback Australian Projects forward. Outback will retain minority interests in the Outback Australian Projects. About the S2 Finnish Projects The S2 Finnish Projects comprise over 35,000 hectares in the prospective Central Lapland Greenstone Belt ("CLGB") of northern Finland via a mix of granted exploration licences, exploration licence applications and exploration reservations. The key projects, owned 100% by S2, include Paana, Rova, Putaanpera, Ruopas, and Pahavuoma (Figure 1). Collectively, these projects areas have not been extensively explored in the past, despite the CLGB hosting "world-class" gold and nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE deposits. Paana Project The Aarnivalkea West target, on the Paana Project, located approximately 24 km northwest of Agnico's Kittila mine (Figure 1), was initially defined via reconnaissance geochemical surveys, follow-up base of till (BoT) drilling and shallow scout diamond drilling from 2018 to 2019. The approximately 1.3 km long, north-south trending strong muti-element (Au-Sb-As) geochemical anomaly was later investigated with deeper diamond drilling (>100m) on ~100 to 250 metre centers in 2020 and 2021. The focus of these programs, totalling 5,200 metres, was on investigating the strike and down-dip extent of vein-hosted orogenic gold mineralization. Most of the deeper holes intersected zones of broad and/or high-grade gold mineralisation, highlighted by intervals such as: 65.4 metres at 1.5 g/t Au including 6.8 meters at 11.8 g/t Au from 164.5 metres down hole (FAVD62) 5 55.5 metres at 1.6 g/t Au including 20.4 metres at 4.0 g/t Au from 158.0 metres down hole (FAVD64) 5 79.6 metres at 0.76 g/t Au including 16.8 metres at 2.7 g/t Au from 123.0 metres and 48.0 metres at 0.96 g/t Au including 7.9 metres at 3.98 g/t Au from 214 metres down hole (FAVD71) 6 30.5 metres at 1.9 g/t Au including 9.5 metres at 5.2 g/t Au from 32.2 metres down hole (FAVD40)7 Mineralisation at Aarnivalkea West is associated with intense albite-sericite-carbonate alteration, with abundant disseminated sulfide and multi-generational deformed quartz veins. Gold mineralisation at the Aarnivalkea West target is open at depth, down-dip to the east, and along strike to the north and south. Outback's preliminary focus at Aarnivalkea West, will be aimed at targeting structural and lithological controls on higher-grade zones as well as investigating the down-dip and strike-extent of near-surface mineralization with an initial approximately 3,000 metre drill program. Reconnaissance scout drilling was also conducted at the Aarnivalkea East target in 2021, 2.4 km east of Aarnivalkea West, to test a multi-element (Au-As-Sb) base of till (BoT) anomaly. Thirteen wide spaced, shallow holes (average 100 metres depth) confirmed the presence of a strongly altered and deformed shear zone with multiple zones of local gold mineralisation highlighted by an intercept of 3.7 metres at 0.86 g/t gold from 85.0 metres in hole FPAD00058. Similar to Aarnivalkea West, the East target warrants systematic and deeper follow-up drill testing. Complimentary Projects Soil sampling across other prospective projects north of Paana (e.g., Rova and Pahasvuoma projects, Figure 1) has previously returned broad multi-element (Au-Cu-Sb-As-Ag) geochemical anomalies9. These targets are considered prospective for orogenic gold mineralization. Surface geochemistry at the Putaanpera project, approximately 40 km northeast of Rupert Resources Ikkari gold discovery (Figure 1), reveals a broad Au-Ag-As-Cu anomaly9 spatially associated with the regionally important Sirkka shear zone. These results suggest strong prospectivity for orogenic gold mineralization across the Putaanpera project. The Ruopas project, 60 km south of Paana and the Aarnivakea gold prospects (Figure 1), was previously explored for the presence of magmatic nickel-copper-PGE mineralization via ground electromagnetic surveys. Partnerships with Majors In June 2021, S2 entered into a farm-in option agreement with Kinross Gold Corporation (K:TSX) ("Kinross") on a 56 square kilometre area prospective for gold mineralisation. Under the agreement, Kinross can spend up to USD$6.5 million (approximately C$9 million) to earn a 70% interest in the Palvanen/Mesi blocks, with a minimum expenditure requirement of USD$3.5 million (approximately C$5 million) over the first three years. Outback would retain a 30% interest in these blocks if Kinross successfully completes the earn-in. In August 2021, S2 entered into another farm-in option agreement on two exploration licence applications covering an area of 37 square kilometres with Rupert Resources Ltd. (RUP:V) ("Rupert"). Under this agreement, Rupert can spend up to EUR3.4 million (approximately C$5 million) to earn a 70% interest in the Sikavaara East and Sikavaara West licences, with an initial expenditure requirement of EUR1.2 million (approximately C$1.75 million) over the first three years (see S2's annual report for the year ended June 30, 2022). Outback would retain a 30% interest in these blocks if Rupert successfully completes the earn-in. In June 2023, Kinross exercised its right of first refusal, under the terms of its farm-in agreement with S2, on the Paana East and Paan Silas licences, demonstrating the level of interest in this region. A press release with further information in respect of the S2 Subsidiary and the S2 Finnish Projects, including significant financial information, will follow in accordance with the policies of the TSXV. Summary of the Transaction The Letter of Intent contemplates that Outback and S2 will negotiate and enter into a definitive agreement in respect of the Transaction (the "Definitive Agreement") pursuant to which Outback will acquire S2's Finnish portfolio for total consideration of C$7,000,000, comprised of a C$1,500,000 cash payment and the issuance of C$5,500,000 in common shares of Outback (the "Consideration Shares"). The deemed issuance price of the Consideration Shares will be equal to the issuance price of any common shares issued pursuant to the Offering (as defined below). Pursuant to the Letter of Intent, the Transaction is expected to be carried out by way of a share purchase agreement whereby Outback will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of the S2 Subsidiary. The final structure and terms of the Transaction will be governed by the terms of the Definitive Agreement, which is expected to be entered into on or around April 6, 2024. Upon completion of the Transaction Outback expects to be listed as a Tier 2 Mining Issuer on the TSXV. In connection with the Transaction, Outback intends to complete a non-brokered private placement for minimum gross proceeds of C$5 million (the "Offering"). Details of the Offering will be announced at a later date. Finder's fees may be paid in connection with the Offering within the limits permitted by the policies of the TSXV. The completion of the Transaction remains subject to a number of terms and conditions, among other standard conditions for a transaction of this nature, including, among other things: (i) the negotiation and execution of the Definitive Agreement; (ii) completion of the Offering; (iii) approval of the shareholders of Outback and, if required, the shareholders of S2; (iv) the preparation of a NI 43-101 compliant technical report for each of the material S2 Finnish Projects that is acceptable to the TSXV and Outback; (v) the receipt of all required regulatory, stock exchanges (including the TSXV), creditor, court, security holder and other approvals, consents, permits, waivers, exemptions and orders; and (vi) if required by the TSXV, delivery of a sponsor report. There can be no assurance that all of the necessary regulatory and shareholder approvals will be obtained or that all conditions of closing will be met. Summary of Proposed Principals Upon completion of the Transaction, S2 will be granted the right to appoint one member to the board of directors of Outback (the "S2 Nominee"). S2 has not yet identified any potential S2 Nominee. Other than the appointment of a potential S2 Nominee, the directors and officers of Outback are not expected to change. In addition, it is expected that S2 will become an Insider of Outback upon completion of the Transaction and the Offering. S2, an Australian entity, is a public company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the symbol "S2R". Sponsorship of Transaction Sponsorship of the Transaction may be required by the TSXV unless an exemption or waiver from this requirement is obtained in accordance with the policies of the TSXV. Neither Outback nor S2 has yet engaged a sponsor in connection with the Transaction. The parties intend to apply for an exemption from the TSXV's sponsorship requirement. Additional information on sponsorship arrangements will be provided once available. Joint Venture Earn-In Outback Australian Projects In addition, Outback and S2 have entered into a separate binding letter of intent with respect to the Joint Venture Earn-In, pursuant to which S2 may, over a 48 month period, earn (i) an 80% joint venture interest in the Outback Australian Projects by incurring A$1,200,000 of exploration expenditures; and (ii) a 51% joint venture interest in the Glenfine project by incurring exploration expenditures of A$200,000. Outback will retain a 2% royalty interest in the Australian Projects, subject to a buydown provision. The Joint Venture Earn-In is subject to various conditions and the parties intend to enter into a definitive agreement to govern the Joint Venture Earn-In. Other Information relating to the Transaction The Transaction is not a "related party transaction" as such term is defined by Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions and is not subject to Policy 5.9 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions of the TSXV. In addition, the Transaction will constitute an "Arm's Length Transaction" (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSXV). No finder's fees are expected to be payable in connection with the Transaction. If required under TSXV policies, Outback will obtain shareholder approval for the Transaction. In accordance with the policies of the TSXV, trading of the common shares of Outback has been halted as a result of this announcement and will not resume trading until such time as the TSXV determines, which, depending on the policies of the TSXV, may not occur until completion of the Transaction. Additional information concerning the Transaction, the S2 Subsidiary, the S2 Finnish Projects and the Offering will be provided once determined in subsequent news releases and in the disclosure documents to be prepared by Outback in connection with the Transaction. Such documents will be available in due course under Outback's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Advisors and Counsel Agentis Capital Mining Partners is acting as financial advisor to Outback. Forooghian + Company Law Corporation is acting as legal counsel to Outback. Technical Disclosure The disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Christopher Leslie, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101. The reader is cautioned that the historical drill results are based on prior data and reports prepared by S2. The reader is cautioned not to treat them, or any part of them, as current and that a qualified person has not done sufficient work to verify the results and that they may not form a reliable guide to future results. The Company considers these historical results relevant as it is using this data as a guide to plan exploration programs. No independent QA/QC protocols are known for these drilling activities and as such analytical results may be unreliable. The Company's future exploration work will include verification of the historical data through drilling. Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the S2 Finnish Projects. References 1. Agnico Eagle website (agnicoeagle.com), December 31, 2022 Reserve statement. 2. Rupert Resources website (rupertresources.com), October 24, 2023 NI 43-101 Technical Report. 3. Boliden website (boliden.com), December 31, 2023 Mineral Reserve and Resources statement. 4. Anglo website (anglo.com), December 2022 Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources Report. 5. Data reported in S2 Resources July 19, 2021 news release (s2resources.com.au). 6. Data reported in S2 Resources October 11, 2021 news release (s2resources.com.au). 7. Data reported in S2 Resources September 26, 2019 news releases (s2resources.com.au). 8. Data reported in S2 Resources Annual Report 2021 (s2resources.com.au). 9. Data reported in S2 Resources October 24, 2018 news release (s2resources.com.au). About Outback Outback is an exploration mining company that is actively exploring its package of highly prospective gold projects. Outback is backed by Inventa Capital Corp., a Vancouver-based merchant bank founded in 2017 with the goal of discovering and funding opportunities in the resource sector. Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and if applicable, disinterested shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Outback should be considered highly speculative. The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. 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 Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements in this news release include but are not limited to: obtaining the necessary approvals required for the Transaction and the Offering; completion of the Transaction and the Offering and the timing thereof; final terms of the Transaction and Offering; the benefits of the Transaction and the Offering; and exploration activities. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analyses and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Management believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: the benefits of the Transaction and the Offering; the Company's ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the timely receipt of required approvals; the price of metals; the integration of assets acquired by the Company; and the Company's ability to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include but are not limited to: the Company's early stage of development; the fluctuation of the price of metals; the availability of additional funding as and when required; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; the timing and ability to maintain and, where necessary, obtain necessary permits and licenses; the uncertainty in geologic, hydrological, metallurgical and geotechnical studies and opinions; infrastructure risks, including access to water and power; environmental risks and hazards; risks associated with negative operating cash flow; and risks associated with dilution. For a further discussion of risks relevant to the Company, see the Company's other public disclosure documents. Although management has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There is 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 forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except as, and to the extent required by, applicable securities laws. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 1, 2024) - Element 29 Resources Inc. (TSXV: ECU) (OTCQB: EMTRF) (BVL: ECU) ("Element 29" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received environmental permit approval for exploration drilling at its wholly-owned Atravesado porphyry target on the Flor de Cobre copper project, located in southern Peru. The permit, known as a Declaracion de Impacto Ambiental ("DIA"), allows the Company to drill from a maximum of 40 drilling platforms. Following approval of the environmental permit, Element 29 requested approval from the Peruvian General Mining Bureau ("DGM") for the Authorization to Initiate Exploration Activities ("AIEA"), which is a normal course step that triggers Peruvian authorities to evaluate the effect of exploration activities on the local community. The outcome of this evaluation will establish whether there is a need for a prior consultation process ("Consulta Previa"). In parallel, the Company is negotiating a surface rights agreement with the local community. After completing these steps, the Company expects that Peruvian authorities will be able to issue approval of the AIEA. Partnering with GlobeTrotters on Exploration The Company plans to partner with GlobeTrotters Resource Group ("GlobeTrotters"), a private exploraton company focused on project generation in South America. GlobeTrotters has been actively exploring in Peru for more than 10 years and responsible for the initial discovery of the Company's flagship Elida porphyry Cu-Mo-Ag deposit and the Atravesado porphry Cu target at Flor de Cobre. The plans are to utilize GlobeTrotters' technical expertise in Peru to advance the Company's portfolio of highly prospective porphyry Cu projects and share operational resources to potentially significantly cut costs. The plans to partner with GlobeTrotters, the largest shareholder of the Company, complements the appointment of Manuel Montoya as Chief Technical Officer (see February 29, 2024 press release). Richard Osmond, Chairman and CEO, commented, "The receipt of the Atravesado target DIA on our Flor de Cobre project is an important step towards drilling this highly prospective target. Our Peruvian team has worked diligently on both permitting and on gaining a better understanding of the Atravesado target. We anticipate receipt of the drill permit by Q3 2024." Mr. Osmond continues, "The planned partnership with GlobeTrotters fits perfectly with our strategic plans to reduce corporate costs and focus our efforts as much as possible on advancing our portfolio of highly prospective Peruvian porphyry copper projects in one of the top mining jurisdictions globally." Atravesado is a large porphyry Cu target on the 1,800 hectare ("ha") Flor de Cobre property (Figure 1) in the Southern Peru Copper Belt (Figure 2) that hosts some of the world's largest Cu mines and deposits. Outcrop samples anomalous in Cu and molybdenum ("Mo"), resistivity and chargeability anomalies, and corresponding geological indicators define the target with an area of approximately 1.5 km x 2.0 km. Mapping completed by the Element 29 geological team suggests Atravesado is part of a larger porphyry complex that extends to the Candelaria zone to the southeast. The core of the Atravesado target has not been tested by drilling (Figure 1 and Figure 3). Candelaria Concessions As part of the Company's option agreement renegotiation discussions with the underlying property vendor of the Candelaria concessions comprising a total of 127.12 ha, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary Candelaria Resources S.A.C. has signed a non-binding letter of intent following the expiry of the previous 5-year option agreement entered in 2019. The Company will provide status updates on the new negotiations with the property vendor. Figure 1: Map of the Flor de Cobre property, located in southern Peru. Atravesado is a large porphyry Cu-Mo exploration target associated with an increased density of quartz veinlets and late mineral porphyry dikes associated with a cluster of outcrop samples with anomalous Cu geochemistry. The target is also coincident with a high resistivity and moderate chargeability geophysical anomaly at a depth of 250 m thought to represent a leached potassic altered porphyry complex at depth. The location of two historical drill holes outside of the porphyry target area were completed by Anglo American in 2007. The blue dashed line is the location of the section shown in Figure 3 below. Concessions outlined in red are wholly owned by Element 29. Figure 2: Regional setting of the Flor de Cobre Project in the Southern Peru Copper Belt, between Freeport McMoRan's Cerro Verde mining complex and Nexa Resources' Chapi mine. The project is at a moderate elevation of less than 2,700 m, is road accessible, and is close to excellent infrastructure for mine development and operation. Figure 3: Cross section through geophysical line L3600N shows the results of the IP-Resistivity 2D inversion. The high resistivity anomaly in the center of the section is interpreted to represent the buried Atravesado porphyry complex. The high chargeability anomalies that straddle the high resistivity anomaly in the center of the section are interpreted to represent a pyritic halo associated with a flanking phyllic alteration zone. The low chargeability anomaly coincident with a moderately to low resistivity anomaly in the upper-central part of the section is interpreted to represent leached capping suggesting potential for enrichment at dept. Qualified Person The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Richard Osmond (P.Geo.), Element 29's Chairman and CEO, who is the "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Flor de Cobre Flor de Cobre is a porphyry Cu exploration project that contains the recently outlined Atravesado porphyry Cu target 2.5 km northwest of the historical Candelaria mine. The property is in the Southern Peru Copper Belt and is 5 km northwest of Nexa Resources' Chapi mine and 26 km southeast of the Cerro Verde mine owned by Freeport-McMoRan, Sumitomo Metal Mining, and Compania de Minas Buenaventura. Flor de Cobre hosts a classic Andean porphyry system with primary Cu sulphide mineralization associated with a multi-phase quartz monzonite porphyry complex. Weathering redistributed primary mineralization into a sub-horizontal enrichment blanket containing secondary Cu oxide and sulphide minerals at the base of a hematitic leached cap. Remnants of the upper jarositic component of the leached cap overlying the hematitic cap are preserved on the higher hill tops around the Candelaria prospect. An IP/Resistivity geophysical survey completed in 2019 outlined a core of moderate resistivity that coincides with widespread Cu oxide mineralization, strong Cu geochemistry, and late-stage quartz monzodiorite porphyry dikes. The resistive core is surrounded by a high-chargeability halo corresponding with weathered quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration. About Element 29 Resources Inc. Element 29 Resources Inc. is an emerging copper exploration and development company focused on advancing its portfolio of Peruvian projects towards development in one of the world's more established mining jurisdictions. Element 29's growth strategy is led by our strong board and management, who have a proven track record of discovery and delivering value to our shareholders. The Company's principal objective is to explore and develop its Flor de Cobre Porphyry Cu Project located in the Southern Peru Copper Belt, 26 km southeast from Freeport-McMoRan's Cerro Verde copper mine, and its Elida Porphyry Cu Deposit in west-central Peru. Both projects are well located for potential mine development and will benefit from nearby infrastructure including roads, powerlines, ports, water, and a skilled workforce. More information is available at www.e29copper.com. For additional information: Richard Osmond, Chairman & CEO 1-888-246-7881 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") has neither approved or disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "Forward-looking Statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute Forward-looking Statements. Words such as "will", "intends", "proposed" and "expects" or similar expressions are intended to identify Forward-looking Statements. Forward-looking Statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's future plans, goals, expectations or strategies regarding the exploration and development of its resource properties, including advancing its portfolio of Peruvian copper projects; the Company's planned exploration of drilling targets and expected discovery of highly prospective porphyry Cu; approval of the AIEA from Peruvian authorities; the planned partnership with GlobeTrotters and the expected benefits thereof; and the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary entering into a binding option agreement with respect to the Candelaria concessions, if at all. Forward-looking Statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, and important factors, among others, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations including uncertainties related to the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital for its operations on acceptable terms or at all, fluctuations in copper and other commodity prices, uncertainties inherent in the exploration of mineral properties, legislative, political or economic developments, including changes in Peruvian federal and/or provincial laws that may significantly affect the mining industry, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary's ability to enter into a binding option agreement with respect to the Candelaria concessions on acceptable terms or at all, and other risk factors set forth in the Company's prospectus under the heading "Risk Factors". Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on Forward-looking Statements as there can be no assurances that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any Forward-looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Element 29 to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any Forward-looking Statement. Any Forward-looking Statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Venezuela on Friday lost a bid to stop the International Criminal Court resuming an investigation into alleged rights abuses in 2017. Judges at the court in The Hague unanimously struck down arguments by Caracas that pre-trial judges wrongly allowed the ICC chief prosecutor to resume a probe into the deadly violence. "The Appeals Chamber ... rejects the arguments brought by Venezuela. It rejects the appeals and confirms the impugned decision," Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut told the court. Five South American countries and Canada referred events in Venezuela to the ICC in 2018 and the court launched a preliminary investigation. Prosecutor Karim Khan opened a formal investigation in November 2021 into a government crackdown on protests against President Nicolas Maduro, in which over 100 people died. In April 2022, Caracas asked Khan to halt his probe, saying it would carry out its own investigation. - 'No meaningful justice ' - But in June last year, ICC pre-trial judges told Khan to resume, saying the local investigation was not progressing. "It appears that Venezuela is not investigating the factual allegations... of crimes against humanity," those judges said, adding that only "limited investigative steps" had been taken. Venezuela appealed that decision but the appeals judges had "no convincing reason" to go against the earlier ruling, Judge Perrin de Brichambaut said. ICC prosecutors and a rights group hailed the decision. The judgement "affirms the prosecution's position" that the pre-trial judges "reasonably and correctly concluded that the government of Venezuela's domestic criminal proceedings did not sufficiently mirror the scope of the prosecutions' intended investigation," ICC prosecutors said in a statement. "The decision confirms what these victims already know - with no meaningful justice in Venezuela, the ICC provides an essential path to accountability," Human Rights Watch added. - 'Hides the truth' - The Caracas government scorned the ruling. "Venezuela rejects the unfounded decision," its Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said. The decision "seeks to hide the truth about Venezuela, in an obvious case of political instrumentalization against the country," she said on X, formerly Twitter. "This entire manuever has been built from the manipulation of a small set of crimes that, as evidenced by all the information provided by Venezuela, have been or are being duly investigated and punished by the authorities of the Venezuelan justice system," its foreign ministry added. The investigation is into a crackdown on protests sparked by the arrests of opposition leaders and the decision of Venezuela' supreme court to dissolve the opposition-dominated National Assembly. Started his probe in 2021, Khan signed a deal with Maduro saying Venezuela would ensure the court could work properly there. Venezuela said it would launch its own inquiry and asked the court to suspend the probe, as it is entitled to do under ICC rules. Since 2017, more than 200 members of the police and military have been charged or sentenced for human rights violations, Caracas said in April 2022. The opposition claims those actions were taken merely to avoid an ICC investigation. Operating since 2002, the ICC is the world's only independent tribunal to investigate the world's worst crimes. US anti-drug policies have caused a "genocide" of Latin Americans, Colombia's Gustavo Petro alleged Friday at a meeting of regional leaders on the Caribbean island of St Vincent and the Grenadines. "We have lived through a genocide of a million Latin Americans in the last half-century," the Colombian president told the annual summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). He blamed the United States for basing its drug strategy on "repression" and not on "prevention and public health." "The result could not be more dramatic, more failed," Petro, the first leftist president of Colombia -- which is the world's largest cocaine producer and exporter -- told the summit in Kingstown. The meeting was also attended by other leftist leaders, such as Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Countries governed by right-wing leaders sent lower-level emissaries, such as Ecuador, represented by an ambassador. Guterres praised the region's peace efforts, amid tensions between Venezuela and Guyana over the sovereignty of the oil-rich Essequibo territory. But he warned about spiraling violence in Ecuador as it fights to rein in drug traffickers. And he reiterated calls for aid to Haiti, the most impoverished nation in the Americas, as it combats a surge in conflict from armed gangs, which now control large swathes of the country. Public post-secondary institutions in B.C. such as UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College are unlikely to be affected by a government-ordered cut in new study permits for foreign students, provincial officials say. A group of international students tried out skating for the first time at the Stuart Park ice rink in this file photo from 2015. Saturday, March 2, 2024 - President William Ruto has finally formalized the deployment of 1,000 police officers to the Caribbean country. This comes despite the court order stopping the deployment of police officers to Haiti, terming it unconstitutional. The agreement was signed by Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki and the Haiti Security Minister at State House, Nairobi. Also present were President William Ruto and Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The Haiti Prime Minister arrived in the country on Thursday, after an invitation from Ruto, which he stated was to finalize the agreement between the two states to send Kenyan troops to the troubled country. In the meeting held at the state house, Ruto promised to help Haiti solve the gang problem in the Caribbean nation, as the two countries share the same origin. "We are offering the experience and expertise of our police officers in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti as mandated by the United Nations Security Council and as guided by our courts," Ruto stated. This comes after a gang staged an attack, sieging Haiti's main airport, government agencies, and police stations, which paralysed operations in the country on Thursday, February 29. In a video circulating on social media, Jimmy Cherizier, leader of the gang federation G9 Family and Allies, revealed that a plan was underway to seize control of the government operations. Warning Prime Minister Henry not to return from Kenya, the gang leader further directed his crew to reign on police posts, leading to the death of four people. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, March 2, 2024 - Former Mukurweini Member of Parliament, Kabando Wa Kabando has faulted President William Ruto for planning to send 1000 Kenyan police officers to Haiti for a peacekeeping mission. Haiti, the Western hemisphere's poorest nation, has been in turmoil for years, and the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise plunged the country further into chaos. No elections have taken place since 2016 and the presidency remains vacant. Thousands of protesters have demanded Henry's resignation in line with a political deal that required Haiti to hold polls and for him to cede power to newly elected officials by February 7 of this year. The prime minister, who is on a visit to Nairobi, told an audience of university students on Friday he aimed to "have elections as soon as possible". But reacting to Rutos plan to send the officers to the war-torn country, Kabando termed Ruto as a puppet of the West for sending police officers to be massacred in Haiti by criminal gangs. Kabando said Ruto should instead send the officers to areas attacked by bandits like Baringo, Samburu, West Pokot, Turkana, Marakwet & Lamu counties. Our Rais is a puppet of foreigners. Ruto's greed lining his pocket with dollars sacrificing police for a massacre in Haiti. "He has completely failed to protect citizens from being killed by terror bandits in Baringo, Samburu, Pokot, Turkana, Marakwet & Lamu, Kabando wrote on X. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, March 2, 2024 - Renowned political analyst, Prof. Mutahi Ngunyi, has told Members of the Kikuyu community that they have no choice but to respect and work with President William Ruto. For the last few months, there has been uneasy political calm in the Mt Kenya region, with residents expressing their dissatisfaction over how Ruto is governing the country. Many have been accusing the President of failing to keep the promise while others have been accusing the Kenya Kwanza Alliance administration of overtaxing Kenyans. Commenting on social media, Ngunyi said Kikuyus should not complain because Ruto has been generous to them having given them half of the government slots. Ngunyi warned the Kikuyus that if they kept complaining about Ruto, he would dump them and work with members of the Luo community, who are already willing to join the Kenya Kwanza Alliance government. Dear Kikuyus: You are either on the TABLE or on the MENU. Half of Ruto's table is occupied by Kikuyus. He is a GENEROUS man. "Yet you treat him BADLY. Now the Luo Nation is showing him LOVE. "They will be on the TABLE, you will be on the MENU, Ngunyi wrote on X The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, March 2, 2024 - National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has moved to allay fears by Azimio that President William Rutos government's support for Raila Odingas AU Chairmanship is a ploy to eliminate him from Kenyan politics. Speaking yesterday, Wetangula said theres no hidden agenda behind the unwavering government support for Railas AU bid. Railas declaration of candidature for the African Union Commission chair has earned him friendship and support from some unlikely quarters, including from his longtime political nemesis, Ruto. According to Wetangula, people should not read much into the newfound cordial relationship and unfettered backing of Railas ambitions by the State. The job is for Kenya as a country, you can only be sponsored by your government to go to that job and those who elect you are the governments of Africa including the Republic of Kenya, he said. The Speaker said the President has already forwarded Railas name as Kenyas candidate for the chairmanship job ahead of the elections slated for 2025. It is understood that Ruto has put Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi in charge of the campaign machinery. Wetangula said what remains now is for individuals of high standing like himself to hit the ground running and woo regional Heads of State to support Railas candidature. Someone like me here, when I go to every African country, Im known to the president, the speaker, vice president. We are all going to put on our jogging shoes to make sure we rotate around Africa to campaign for Raila Amollo Odinga to be the next chairman of the Africa Union. And lets make it very clear we are not staking Raila to be the African Union chairman because we want to exit him from Kenya. We are staking him because he is capable of being the chairman of the African Union, Wetangula affirmed. Na yeye mwenyewe amesema amefurahi na angependa kuenda kufanya hiyo kazi na tutamsaidia aende kufanya hiyo kazi (He has said it himself he is happy to go do the job and we will help him do the job). The Kenyan DAILY POST. Saturday, March 2, 2024 - Nandi County Senator, Samson Cherargei, has claimed he has received a report of women being sexually assaulted at Garissa Level Five Hospital. Speaking at the Senate on Thursday, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) legislator said he has also received reports of lack of transparency, water, and mismanagement of resources in the county. The ruling coalition senator called for urgent action to address the county administration's concerns. He further said that residents are still going without water, despite the Senate allocating over Sh12 billion in the last financial year through the equitable share. I was discussing with the Garissa women representative Mheshimiwa Amina today. And what is happening in Garissa presided over by Governor Nathif Jama of Garissa is unfortunate. "I am getting complaints and information that when women go to deliver in county public hospitals they are being sexually exploited after they have delivered as they recover, he said. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, March 2, 2024 - Narc Kenya Leader Martha Karua has also thrown her weight behind Azimio Leader Raila Odinga's bid for the African Union chairmanship. Speaking in Kutus yesterday when she met Narc-K delegates in Gichugu, Karua urged Kenyans to support Raila, saying he has wide experience on matters of leadership both locally and internationally which places him in a good position to steer AU. Karua described Raila as a competent leader who has what it takes to take over the leadership of the African Union. However, she reminded the government that even in Railas absence, the opposition will continue holding the government accountable to Kenyans. According to Karua, there wont be a leadership vacuum in the Azimio Coalition. She noted Kenyans should not think that the departure of Raila will weaken the Opposition because they will continue to oppose President William Rutos government, which she said has failed to address the plight of suffering Kenyans. The Narc Kenya leader stressed that it was a sacred duty of the opposition with the backing of the citizens to stand firm and unwaveringly in holding those in public offices into account. Karua lamented that Kenyans continue to be overburdened with high cost of living yet the government was doing nothing to address the problem. She said the Kenya Kwanza regime has continued to oppress Kenyans with high taxation. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, March 2, 2024 - Former President Uhuru Kenyatta is currently mourning following the death of one of his employees during his tenure as the fourth president of Kenya. Uhuru, in a statement on Friday, mourned the death of former State House comptroller Lawrence Lenayapa, who also served as Kenya's Ambassador to the Netherlands at the time of his untimely passing. Lenayapa also held the position of Permanent Representative of Kenya to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Kenyatta praised Lenayapa as a dedicated career civil servant who carried out his duties with unwavering commitment. "May the Peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, bring comfort to his family and grant them strength during this time of sorrow," Uhuru said. Lenayapa also served as the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources and as District Commissioner in Baringo and Kiambu regions. The Kenyan DAILY POST High-rises dominate the skyline on both sides of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily] Global Times-In his statement on national security risks to the US auto industry on Thursday, US President Joe Biden declared that vehicles from China should not be allowed to operate in the US without safeguards. As he said this, Chinese-made cars are nowhere to be seen on the streets of the US, while American brand cars are ubiquitous on Chinese roads. Does this forward-looking "sense of crisis" truly come from the scenario of Chinese cars presenting a "national security risk" to the US? If Washington had a Pinocchio nose, people would see it grow a lot longer. The US government seems to be posturing to investigate the "national security risks" posed by Chinese-made "connected cars," but what to do if it cannot find anything to investigate in the US? American public opinion immediately believed that the investigation could lead to the US restricting the use of Chinese-made components in cars, which is a reflexive subconscious response. American car manufacturers are genuinely concerned about this. They collectively called on the US Department of Commerce to "work closely with the auto industry to determine the scope of any action," and urged the Department to target transactions that pose "undue risk to US economic and national security" but not to "capture low-risk transactions that could have unintended near-term impacts on advanced vehicle safety technologies." The words may be slightly convoluted, but are not difficult to understand. Given Washington's recent style of actions, it is possible that US-made cars could be dismantled, a magnifying glass is used to find out which parts are China-made, and then removed, which is absurd. If this were to occur, American car manufacturers would be the first to suffer from the ensuing turmoil, so they demanded the "scope of actions" be discussed with them. "National security risk" is a pretext, and the real purpose of Washington's actions this time is not to harass American car manufacturers. The White House statement began with a boast about American cars, claiming that "American automakers and auto workers are the best in the world. The iconic Big Three and American auto workers are leading the world in quality and innovation. A dynamic auto industry is vital to the US economy." The White House was looking to boost morale, but also exposed an unspoken truth. Actually, we would prefer that the White House's perception of the American automobile industry is true. If it is indeed so good, is it necessary to treat Chinese EVs, which have not yet entered the American market, as a major threat? The US has already set up high tariff barriers against Chinese EVs, but what have been the results? Many US media outlets pointed out that Washington has discovered that tariffs alone may not permanently exclude Chinese brand electric vehicles from the US market. In other words, US tariff barriers can no longer stop the tide of Chinese car companies going overseas, and Washington can only build higher barriers. Some analysts pointed out that as a nation on wheels, the US sees the automobile industry not only an economic issue, but also a political one. Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, where there are many blue-collar workers, are considered swing states and are the focus of contention between the two US political parties during this election year. Just at this time, the White House decided to launch an investigation into China's electric vehicles. Because of this, "China's electric vehicles are going to hit Detroit like a wrecking ball" has become topics of hype. Of course, there are also sane people in the US who understand the matter. For example, on February 27, The New York Times published an article, reminding the US government that it must act carefully and not isolate the US auto market from the rest of the world and turn the US into a country with a backward automobile industry filled with big, expensive, fuel-guzzling cars. In fact, the strength of China's electric vehicles was achieved through full and fair competition. Tesla, an American EV company, was introduced to China early on and established a factory in Shanghai. The three major American automakers have been operating in the Chinese market for many years, and China has never considered them a "threat." The vehicles that run on Chinese roads come from economies all over the world, and are more diverse in range than in any other region, including the US, Japan, Europe and South Korea. Even in an environment where strong competitors abound, China's EV industry has thrived. The next day after The New York Times article was published, the White House issued a statement claiming to investigate the "national security risks" posed by Chinese "connected vehicles." What a bitter irony - building a wall so high and still feeling insecure, then digging another trench. A Virginia man was sentenced early this week to 10 years in prison for trying to arrange for sex with an underage girl in Montana. Mark Samuel Baker, 57, was previously convicted of attempted sex trafficking of a minor in U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. At his sentencing Feb. 27, federal prosecutors cited Bakers time as an officer as proof the man knew he was in the wrong by trying to pay for sex with a teenage girl while in Billings. As a police officer with the Winchester Police Department for over (11) years, wrote U.S. attorneys in their sentencing recommendation, Baker was charged with upholding the law. Baker was presumably well-versed in the difference between right and wrong and it was individuals like Baker that the public looked towards to uphold and enforce societys laws. In 2022, Baker, originally from Gore, Virginia, was working in the Billings area as an employee with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the wake of historic floods in the region. About a month after the flood, he started an online exchange with someone he thought was a 15-year-old girl. The two discussed performing sex acts, with Baker offering $80 to meet with the girl in Billings. During the exchange of messages, Baker was asked if he was alright with the fact the girl wasnt even 16 years old. Baker responded he was fine with that, as long as she was fine with him being over 40, according to court documents. Baker drove to spot in Billings where the two agreed to meet, and law enforcement arrested him. During the arrest, Baker said he only came to the spot to see what was going to happen. Yellowstone County prosecutors initially charged Baker with child prostitution. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and the Billings Police Department contributed to the investigation that led to Bakers arrest. Within months of his arrest, county prosecutors dropped the state charges and Baker was indicted in federal court. His one-day federal trial was held in September 2023, and ended with his conviction for attempted sex trafficking of a minor. The majority of those who testified at the trial were members of law enforcement who led the investigation. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided over the trial, while U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Kelsey A. Sabol served as prosecutors. Leading up to his trial, Baker apparently rejected a plea agreement from federal prosecutors that would have spared him the mandatory minimum sentencing of 10 years in prison. Prior to becoming an employee with FEMA, according to reporting from the Winchester Star, Baker served with the Winchester PD from 1988 to 1999. Armed with this experience and background, Baker was sent to the Billings, Montana area in July 2022 to assist with flooding in the region, federal prosecutors wrote in recommending a 10-year sentence for Baker. While here, he elected to go online and arrange a commercial sex date with someone he believed was a 15-year-old child. Following Bakers release from prison, he will remain under federal supervision for an additional five years. On Friday, Baker filed a an appeal against the ruling through his attorney. 1 of 1 khaskhabar.com : , 02 2024 4:58 PM Explainer: How port cooperation helps enterprises in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region go abroad Xinhua) 13:26, March 02, 2024 An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 2, 2024 shows a container vessel berthing at the smart zero-carbon terminal of Tianjin Port in north China's Tianjin. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo) Since the coordinated development of the region was proposed as a national strategy in 2014, cooperation and coordination between the ports in Tianjin and Hebei have been gaining momentum. XIONG'AN, China, March 2 (Xinhua) -- When discussing the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region over the past decade, Shen Xifeng, a 50-year-old entrepreneur in the Xiong'an New Area, highlighted port cooperation. "The port service on the doorstep has significantly reduced the time required to export our products," Shen said, referring to Tianjin Port Group's service center in the Xiong'an New Area, a 1,770-square-km area some 100 km southwest of Beijing that was established on April 1, 2017. Established in 2019, the center aims to provide efficient port and logistics services for enterprises in Xiong'an and its surrounding areas. Last month, the center successfully assisted Shen's company, Xiongxian Liya Packing Material Co., Ltd, in avoiding a possible default. Before the Chinese New Year, the packing material company planned to export a container of stretch film to Le Havre in France. However, the cold weather and a surge in demand for other products caused a delay in the production of the stretch film. If the container could not be delivered on time, the company would face not only a claim for compensation by its foreign customers, but also a tarnished reputation in overseas markets. An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 3, 2024 shows a container terminal of Tianjin Port in north China's Tianjin. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo) Upon learning about the problem faced by Liya company, Tianjin Port Group's service center in Xiong'an immediately coordinated shipping companies, transport operators, port terminals and customs, further streamlining the export process. Finally, the container of the stretch film departed from Tianjin Port on Feb. 13 as scheduled. "Thanks to the service center, our communication (with Tianjin Port) has significantly improved in terms of convenience and efficiency. The timely delivery of our export goods has boosted customers' trust in our company, laying a solid foundation for expanding our overseas businesses," Shen said. Zhao Shuo, responsible for the service center, highlighted Liya's story as another testament to Tianjin Port's commitment to providing high-quality service for the development of Xiong'an, an area which China aims to build into a green, innovative city and a national model of high-quality development. "The establishment of the center also represents a tangible step taken by Tianjin Port to promote the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," Zhao added. In addition to setting up the service center in Xiong'an, Tianjin Port also inaugurated a service center to coordinate port services for Beijing's CBD in 2023. Similarly, Hebei Port Group has also implemented programs to better serve regional enterprises seeking international expansion. Figures provided by the group showed that it has set up nearly 20 inland ports in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Since the coordinated development of the region was proposed as a national strategy in 2014, cooperation and coordination between the ports in Tianjin and Hebei have been gaining momentum. In May 2023, Tianjin Port Group and Hebei Port Group signed a cooperation agreement to enhance the radiating and driving roles of ports, and to provide robust support for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 2, 2024 shows a cargo ship sailing in the main channel of Tianjin Port in north China's Tianjin. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo) Over the past years, the ports have given full play to their respective advantages and complemented each other. For example, while Tianjin Port handles more exports destined for distant destinations, Qinhuangdao Port, under Hebei Port Group, focuses on export routes to South Korea and Japan. A ship carrying both passengers and cargo departs from Qinhuangdao Port to Inchon in South Korea every Wednesday and Sunday. "The route provides a strong logistics guarantee for expanding our company's business in the South Korean market," said Zhao Jinxing, head of the foreign trade department of Qinhuangdao Lihua Starch Co., Ltd. Meanwhile, feeder vessels are now shuttling between the ports in Hebei and Tianjin. The vessels have ensured that the ports can share each other's route resources and transport capacity. "The feeder vessels are like shuttle buses," Zhao explained, "they can transfer products between ports in the most effective way." Port cooperation in the region has facilitated the company's global expansion. Zhao said the company has exported its products to more than 100 countries and regions each year, noting that port cooperation "has reduced our costs and increased efficiency for export." (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy In a nine-hour meeting that lasted until 2:22 a.m. on Feb. 28, the Little Big Horn College Board of Trustees unanimously voted to remove longtime college president David Yarlott. Located in Crow Agency, Little Big Horn College is one of seven tribal colleges in Montana and serves about 300 students per term. As Yarlott was driving to work the morning of Feb. 28, he got an email saying hed been terminated. It was pretty surprising, said Yarlott, who had served as college president since 2002. I had no inkling (of this). The college is scheduled for a full-scale evaluation of its accreditation this fall, and Yarlott said while he knew his contract was coming to an end, he had offered to stay on as president through the accreditation review period. The board president did not respond to a request for comment. What happened at Little Big Horn College? At the meeting, the board reviewed a copy of Yarlotts 2020 contract, which was supposed to remain in effect until June 30, 2024, according to a news release from the college. The contract states Yarlott earned an annual salary of $117,000 during the 2020 to 2024 fiscal years. Trustees, according to a news release, alleged that Yarlotts 2020 contract was not lawful because there was a lack of duly elected Board of Trustees at that time, claiming that Yarlott appointed the board members in 2020. Yarlott, however, disputes these claims, saying the board in 2020 was elected, not appointed by him. I dont know where they got the idea that I appointed the board, he told Lee Montana. In November, the Crow Legislature passed a resolution requiring the tribal secretary to hold a special election of the 12-person board of trustees. In December, 11 new board members were elected and one incumbent remained. The discussion on Yarlotts removal lasted three hours, ending at 1:20 a.m., according to meeting minutes. The board approved a motion declaring Yarlotts contract null and void and then appointed faculty member Neva Tall Bear as interim president, effective immediately. Tall Bear declined to comment on the situation. The college in a news release said it was a top priority to review actions during the timeframe where there was no lawful board or president, adding that actions carried out by Yarlott and the previous board are under legal review. This isnt the first time a Little Big Horn College president has been forced out. In January 2001, after a months-long dispute, former college president and founder Janine Pease was removed from her post. At the time, members of the board said Pease was working without a contract and refused to be evaluated. Pease challenged both claims, according to several newspaper reports. Pease founded the tribal college 18 years prior in an abandoned building, and her removal sparked outrage, prompting about 100 students and faculty members to rally for her reinstatement. When Yarlott was hired as president in 2002, he hired Pease back. David Yarlotts legacy A first-generation college student and citizen of the Crow Tribe, Yarlott earned an associates degree from Little Big Horn College and a doctorate in higher education from Montana State University. He is the board president of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and serves on the board of commissioners for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Yarlott said when he started as president in 2002, the college was in dire straits with accreditation. To be accredited, schools must meet certain criteria to ensure they are operating at an acceptable level of quality. We were about to lose our accreditation, Yarlott explained. It took us awhile, but we got the opportunity to continue to work on meeting the requirements. It took several years. When we had our evaluation in 2017, we were the strongest wed ever been with accreditation. We had a great team working on it. Under his leadership, Yarlott said the school built its first classroom building and completed its current cultural center. In 2008, the school completed its library, administration and archive buildings. A few years later, it added the arbor and entrance monument. And in 2011, Yarlott said the school completed a health and wellness center. Little Big Horn College recently received nearly $2 million to plan and design a new Crow cultural center. We were really looking forward to starting work on that, Yarlott said. Its going to bring the community together, and I hope it still goes through. Yarlott said he will miss the students and his colleagues the most. I hope they continue to allow administrative staff and faculty to provide the level of service they have for students, Yarlott said. I put a large portion of my life into this college, and I would like them to continue to succeed. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 42F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 29F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. SAN FRANCISCO In California, a high school teacher complains that students watch Netflix on their phones during class. In Maryland, a chemistry teacher says students use gambling apps to place bets during the school day. Around the country, educators say students routinely send Snapchat messages in class, listen to music and shop online, among countless other examples of how smartphones distract from teaching and learning. The hold that phones have on adolescents in America today is well-documented, but teachers say parents are often not aware to what extent students use them inside the classroom. And increasingly, educators and experts are speaking with one voice on the question of how to handle it: Ban phones during classes. Students used to have an understanding that you arent supposed to be on your phone in class. Those days are gone, said James Granger, who requires students in his science classes at a Los Angeles-area high school to place their phones in a cellphone cubby with numbered slots. The only solution that works is to physically remove the cellphone from the student. Most schools already have rules regulating student phone use, but they are enforced sporadically. A growing number of leaders at the state and federal levels have begun endorsing school cellphone bans and suggesting new ways to curb access to the devices. The latest state intervention came in Utah, where Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, in January urged all school districts and the state Board of Education to remove cellphones from classrooms. He cited studies that show learning improves, distractions are decreased and students are more likely to talk to each other if phones are taken away. We just need a space for six or seven hours a day where kids are not tethered to these devices, Cox told reporters recently. He said his initiative, which is not binding, is part of a legislative push to protect kids in Utah from the harms of social media. Last year, Florida became the first state to crack down on phones in school. A law that took effect in July requires all Florida public schools to ban student cellphone use during class time and block access to social media on district Wi-Fi. Some districts, including Orange County Public Schools, went further and banned phones the entire school day. Oklahoma, Vermont and Kansas have also recently introduced what is becoming known as "phone-free schools" legislation. And two U.S. senators Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, and Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat introduced legislation in December that would require a federal study on the effects of cellphone use in schools on students' mental health and academic performance. Theirs is one of several bipartisan alliances calling for stiffer rules for social media companies and greater online safety for kids. Nationally, 77% of U.S. schools say they prohibit cellphones at school for non-academic use, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But that number is misleading. It does not mean students are following those bans or all those schools are enforcing them. Just ask teachers. Cellphone use is out of control. By that, I mean that I cannot control it, even in my own classroom, said Patrick Truman, who teaches at a Maryland high school that forbids student use of cellphones during class. It is up to each teacher to enforce the policy, so Truman bought a 36-slot caddy for storing student phones. Still, every day, students hide phones in their laps or under books as they play video games and check social media. Tired of being the phone police, he has come to a reluctant conclusion: Students who are on their phones are at least quiet. They are not a behavior issue. A study last year from Common Sense Media found that 97% of kids use their phones during school hours, and that kids say school cellphone policies vary often from one classroom to another and arent always enforced. For a school cellphone ban to work, educators and experts say the school administration must be the one to enforce it and not leave that task to teachers. Some students say such policies take away their autonomy and cut off their main mode of communication with family and friends. Pushback also has come from parents who fear being cut off from their kids if there is a school emergency. Whitman advises schools to make exceptions for students with special educational and medical needs, and to inform parents on expert guidance that phones can be a dangerous distraction for students during an emergency. Palestinians gather to collect aid food in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, on February 26. AQR Capital Management LLC lessened its holdings in Visa Inc. (NYSE:V Free Report) by 14.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 783,068 shares of the credit-card processors stock after selling 130,271 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLCs holdings in Visa were worth $180,113,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. BCK Partners Inc. purchased a new stake in Visa in the 1st quarter valued at about $2,717,000. Markel Corp increased its stake in Visa by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Markel Corp now owns 961,105 shares of the credit-card processors stock valued at $213,144,000 after buying an additional 3,065 shares during the last quarter. AMI Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Visa in the 1st quarter valued at about $2,323,000. Ergoteles LLC purchased a new stake in Visa in the 1st quarter valued at about $538,000. Finally, XTX Topco Ltd purchased a new stake in Visa in the 1st quarter valued at about $1,496,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.35% of the companys stock. Get Visa alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have commented on V shares. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on shares of Visa in a research note on Tuesday, December 5th. They issued an outperform rating and a $280.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of Visa from $290.00 to $309.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Visa from $304.00 to $319.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target on shares of Visa from $305.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Susquehanna raised their price target on shares of Visa from $300.00 to $326.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $290.55. Insider Activity In other news, insider Rajat Taneja sold 36,546 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, January 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $270.20, for a total transaction of $9,874,729.20. Following the sale, the insider now owns 232,112 shares in the company, valued at approximately $62,716,662.40. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, CAO Peter M. Andreski sold 2,615 shares of Visa stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.88, for a total value of $729,271.20. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 4,898 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,365,954.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Rajat Taneja sold 36,546 shares of Visa stock in a transaction on Friday, January 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $270.20, for a total transaction of $9,874,729.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 232,112 shares in the company, valued at approximately $62,716,662.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 72,311 shares of company stock worth $19,333,129. 0.19% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Visa Price Performance NYSE:V traded up $0.39 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $283.03. The stock had a trading volume of 1,922,749 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,326,044. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $270.90 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $253.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 1.45 and a quick ratio of 1.45. Visa Inc. has a one year low of $208.76 and a one year high of $286.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $519.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.97. Visa (NYSE:V Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The credit-card processor reported $2.41 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.34 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $8.63 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.55 billion. Visa had a net margin of 53.92% and a return on equity of 50.02%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 9.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.18 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Visa Inc. will post 9.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Visa Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 9th will be given a dividend of $0.52 per share. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.73%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 8th. Visas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 23.94%. About Visa (Free Report) Visa Inc operates as a payment technology company in the United States and internationally. The company operates VisaNet, a transaction processing network that enables authorization, clearing, and settlement of payment transactions. It also offers credit, debit, and prepaid card products; tap to pay, tokenization, and click to pay services; Visa Direct, a solution that facilitates the delivery of funds to eligible cards, deposit accounts, and digital wallets; Visa B2B Connect, a multilateral business-to-business cross-border payments network; Visa Cross-Border Solution, a cross-border consumer payments solution; and Visa DPS that provides a range of value-added services, including fraud mitigation, dispute management, data analytics, campaign management, a suite of digital solutions, and contact center services. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Visa Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Visa and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA decreased its stake in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report) by 7.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 155,929 shares of the companys stock after selling 12,168 shares during the quarter. Glenmede Trust Co. NAs holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF were worth $66,961,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of IVV. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. increased its position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 6.1% in the first quarter. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. now owns 77,088 shares of the companys stock worth $34,974,000 after buying an additional 4,405 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. grew its position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 5.0% during the first quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 895,194 shares of the companys stock worth $406,141,000 after purchasing an additional 42,292 shares in the last quarter. Roundview Capital LLC grew its position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 7.3% during the first quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 10,642 shares of the companys stock worth $4,828,000 after purchasing an additional 728 shares in the last quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can grew its position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 247.7% during the first quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 911 shares of the companys stock worth $423,000 after purchasing an additional 649 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 27.1% during the first quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 16,516 shares of the companys stock worth $7,493,000 after purchasing an additional 3,523 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares Core S&P 500 ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Price Performance Shares of NYSEARCA:IVV traded up $4.85 during trading on Friday, hitting $515.30. 2,941,514 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,410,479. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has a 52-week low of $382.37 and a 52-week high of $515.80. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $489.47 and its 200 day simple moving average is $460.25. The company has a market cap of $398.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.43 and a beta of 1.00. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Profile iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors 500 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA lessened its holdings in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 7.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,483,827 shares of the companys stock after selling 120,385 shares during the period. Procter & Gamble makes up approximately 1.2% of Glenmede Trust Co. NAs portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest position. Glenmede Trust Co. NA owned 0.06% of Procter & Gamble worth $216,431,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Garrett Wealth Advisory Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 6.3% in the 3rd quarter. Garrett Wealth Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,419 shares of the companys stock valued at $645,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC grew its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 14.6% in the 3rd quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC now owns 94,424 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,772,000 after buying an additional 12,016 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 16,003,260 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,298,184,000 after buying an additional 131,339 shares during the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 26.9% in the 2nd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 10,823,380 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,642,339,000 after buying an additional 2,293,824 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wambolt & Associates LLC grew its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 5.5% in the 2nd quarter. Wambolt & Associates LLC now owns 19,736 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,995,000 after buying an additional 1,024 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 63.43% of the companys stock. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Insider Transactions at Procter & Gamble In other news, insider Susan Street Whaley sold 3,865 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.60, for a total value of $620,719.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 11,886 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,908,891.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, insider Susan Street Whaley sold 3,865 shares of Procter & Gamble stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.60, for a total value of $620,719.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 11,886 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,908,891.60. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 101,704 shares of Procter & Gamble stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total value of $15,618,683.28. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 163,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $25,097,637.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 278,287 shares of company stock valued at $43,065,052 over the last three months. 0.17% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In PG has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Procter & Gamble in a research note on Monday, November 13th. They set a buy rating and a $177.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $169.00 to $162.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $172.00 to $178.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $160.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $156.00 to $157.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $167.53. Read Our Latest Research Report on PG Procter & Gamble Price Performance Shares of NYSE PG traded down $0.23 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $158.71. The company had a trading volume of 2,495,984 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,340,789. The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The Procter & Gamble Company has a twelve month low of $136.10 and a twelve month high of $161.74. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $153.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $151.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $373.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.27 and a beta of 0.45. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The company reported $1.84 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.70 by $0.14. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 17.60% and a return on equity of 34.04%. The business had revenue of $21.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $21.48 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.59 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.45 earnings per share for the current year. Procter & Gamble Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 19th were issued a $0.9407 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 18th. This represents a $3.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.37%. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.98%. Procter & Gamble Company Profile (Free Report) The Procter & Gamble Company provides branded consumer packaged goods worldwide. It operates through five segments: Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. The Beauty segment offers conditioners, shampoos, styling aids, and treatments under the Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Rejoice brands; and antiperspirants and deodorants, personal cleansing, and skin care products under the Olay, Old Spice, Safeguard, Secret, and SK-II brands. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Alberta Investment Management Corp lowered its stake in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Free Report) by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 158,474 shares of the energy producers stock after selling 4,510 shares during the period. Alberta Investment Management Corps holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $18,985,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. West Tower Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips in the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. RVW Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips in the 1st quarter worth about $31,000. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group increased its position in shares of ConocoPhillips by 63.1% in the 3rd quarter. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group now owns 287 shares of the energy producers stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Halpern Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips in the 3rd quarter worth about $39,000. Institutional investors own 80.36% of the companys stock. Get ConocoPhillips alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research firms have recently commented on COP. Raymond James decreased their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $140.00 to $137.00 and set a strong-buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $138.00 to $143.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $153.00 to $141.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 8th. Johnson Rice lowered shares of ConocoPhillips from an accumulate rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, Mizuho reduced their target price on shares of ConocoPhillips from $139.00 to $132.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $134.61. ConocoPhillips Price Performance Shares of NYSE COP traded up $1.70 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $114.24. The companys stock had a trading volume of 5,077,242 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,607,957. The company has a current ratio of 1.43, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $112.44 and a 200 day moving average price of $116.09. ConocoPhillips has a one year low of $91.53 and a one year high of $127.35. The company has a market cap of $134.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.68 and a beta of 1.24. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The energy producer reported $2.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.08 by $0.32. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 18.71% and a return on equity of 22.08%. The business had revenue of $15.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.47 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.71 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that ConocoPhillips will post 9.05 EPS for the current year. ConocoPhillips Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.78 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.73%. This is a positive change from ConocoPhillipss previous quarterly dividend of $0.58. ConocoPhillipss payout ratio is currently 25.61%. Insider Activity In other ConocoPhillips news, SVP Heather G. Hrap sold 4,548 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $110.55, for a total value of $502,781.40. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 2,654 shares in the company, valued at approximately $293,399.70. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other ConocoPhillips news, EVP Dominic E. Macklon sold 23,372 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.17, for a total value of $2,621,637.24. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Heather G. Hrap sold 4,548 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $110.55, for a total transaction of $502,781.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 2,654 shares in the company, valued at approximately $293,399.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 36,425 shares of company stock worth $4,077,489 over the last 90 days. 0.37% of the stock is owned by company insiders. About ConocoPhillips (Free Report) ConocoPhillips explores for, produces, transports, and markets crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and natural gas liquids in the United States and internationally. The company's portfolio includes unconventional plays in North America; conventional assets in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia; various LNG developments; oil sands assets in Canada; and an inventory of global exploration prospects. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for ConocoPhillips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ConocoPhillips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Truist Financial Corp raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) by 0.8% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,936,016 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after acquiring an additional 22,519 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corp owned approximately 0.17% of Abbott Laboratories worth $284,353,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Zevenbergen Capital Investments LLC increased its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.6% during the third quarter. Zevenbergen Capital Investments LLC now owns 21,419 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,074,000 after buying an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 9.8% during the 2nd quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado now owns 1,415,759 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $154,346,000 after purchasing an additional 126,547 shares during the last quarter. Rockland Trust Co. lifted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 91,868 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $8,897,000 after buying an additional 1,343 shares in the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. lifted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 373,375 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $36,161,000 after buying an additional 5,058 shares in the last quarter. Finally, New Republic Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $570,000. Institutional investors own 73.70% of the companys stock. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Abbott Laboratories In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated 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 in the company, valued at $7,315,537.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,022,916. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,315,537.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 70,000 shares of company stock worth $7,901,250 over the last three months. Company insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have commented on ABT shares. Raymond James lifted their target price 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 shares of Abbott Laboratories from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Thursday, December 21st. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. Barclays lifted their price target 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, Citigroup lifted their price target 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. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $120.00. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on ABT Abbott Laboratories Price Performance Shares of ABT traded up $0.30 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $118.94. 2,228,120 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,272,919. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $113.34 and a 200 day moving average price of $104.73. The company has a market cap of $206.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a current ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. Abbott Laboratories has a 1 year low of $89.67 and a 1 year high of $120.44. 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 the consensus estimate 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.03 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.61 earnings per share for the current year. Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced 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 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.85%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 67.48%. About Abbott Laboratories (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. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. By Kim Hyun-bin As preparations for the upcoming Korea-Africa Summit gain momentum, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened a consultation with the diplomatic missions of African countries on Wednesday. The meeting reviewed the current status of preparations for the summit scheduled to take place in Seoul this June. Chung Byung-won, deputy foreign minister, presided over the consultation, which saw the participation of 47 personnel from African diplomatic missions in Korea. Among the attendees were 15 resident ambassadors from countries including Gabon, Morocco and South Africa, along with 11 non-resident ambassadors from nations such as Benin, Djibouti and Uganda. Chung shared insights from his recent trip to Ethiopia, where he engaged in discussions with key figures, including the deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission. The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation between Korea and African nations. The meeting provided updates on the progress of preparations, particularly regarding publicity and protocol arrangements for the summit. The diplomatic missions of African countries in Korea commended Korea's communication efforts and stressed the importance of making the summit outcome-driven and mutually beneficial through close collaboration. Before the consultation, First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun paid courtesy visits to the diplomatic missions of African countries in Korea. During his visit, Kim emphasized the pivotal role of African countries' engagement in the success of the summit, asking for continued active participation from the diplomatic missions. Carlos Victor Boungou, the ambassador of Gabon to Korea and chairman of the diplomatic missions of African countries here, expressed full support from the diplomatic missions for a successful summit. Moreover, both sides agreed to convene a senior officials' meeting in the future, with the participation of delegations from various African countries' headquarters. The meeting will focus on issues such as the summit's outcome document. The Korea-Africa Summit is expected to further strengthen ties between Korea and African nations, fostering cooperation in various fields including trade, investment and development. Angola, IN (46703) Today Snow showers will become more widely scattered for the afternoon. High around 35F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 26F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. A Detroit man charged in an alleged fentanyl delivery case in Bismarck pleaded not guilty Friday. Maurtez Rushton, 44, is charged with one count of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver fentanyl. If convicted he could be sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined up to $20,000. The charge stems from a search warrant at a Bismarck Expressway motel on the evening of Feb. 1, according to an affidavit. The documents states officers from the Metro Area Narcotics Task Force entered a room at the motel and found it empty. Task Force Officer Trevor Pollert testified at Friday's hearing that Rushton was seen in a hallway shortly after officers entered the room and was taken into custody. More than $3,900 was discovered in Rushton's pockets, according to the affidavit. Pollert testified that the money's significance lies not in the amount but in the fact some of the bills were used to make a controlled narcotics buy using a confidential informant. Pollert said the serial numbers on bills recovered while searching Rushton matched those of serial numbers on bills given to the informant to purchase drugs. Officers who searched the motel room discovered a bag of suspected fentanyl pills weighing nearly 32 grams, according to Pollert. Fentanyl pills routinely weigh a tenth of a gram, according to law enforcement officials, meaning the number of pills seized exceeded 300. The street value of the pills in the Bismarck area is roughly $10,000. Rushton remained in custody on a $30,000 cash or surety bond. A trial is scheduled to begin on May 22. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Snow this morning will diminish to a few snow showers this afternoon. High 34F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 80%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A few flurries are possible. Low 27F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Auburn, IN (46706) Today Snow showers this morning becoming more scattered later. High 36F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 70%.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 27F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. ITZY, the popular K-pop girl group, found themselves in a disturbing situation during their recent trip to Qingdao, China. While being greeted by their dedicated fans at the airport, the girls encountered a breach of their personal space that has sparked outcry among their fanbase. The Incident Unfolds As ITZY members awaited departure in their vehicles, their security personnel appeared to momentarily step away, leaving the girls vulnerable. In a distressing turn of events, a fan seized the opportunity to intrude upon the girls' privacy by reaching into their vehicle in an attempt to pass a letter to Yeji. full video of what happened: fans at the airport were very close to the car with the door wide open, and a fan decided to reach inside to give their letter to yeji where is the security and why did the fans not leave a safe distance between them?? pic.twitter.com/jg1jC2n9Y6 March 2, 2024 Yuna's visible shock at the fan's invasion of their private space underscored the severity of the situation. The incident not only rattled the members but also left other fans expressing concern for the safety and well-being of the group. IN CASE YOU MISSED THIS: ITZY, TXT and More Set to Perform at COVID-19 Charity Concert 'WE ALL ARE ONE' The Potential for Danger The intrusive nature of the fan's actions raises alarming questions about the adequacy of ITZY's security measures. Had the fan harbored malicious intent beyond merely delivering a letter, the consequences could have been dire. i undrstnd that they are rlly loving the girls but indirectly they are starting to not respect the artists privacy, and lack of security is also a problem here. https://t.co/M4NTZYFZM1 e. (@earliiy) March 2, 2024 The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with celebrity status and the importance of robust security protocols. Bro this is wild. This situation could be dangerous for both artists and fans. Security/bodyguard team pls do your job properly https://t.co/Sscf6N9Rgg jutdwae (@biniejutdae) March 2, 2024 Outrage Among Fans In the wake of the security breach, fans have voiced their outrage over what they perceive as a failure on the part of ITZY's management to adequately protect the girls. In response to the incident, several netizens took to social media to express their sentiments, leaving comments such as: "Where is the security? And why do those fans not understand personal space?" "Why did the security guard leave the door wide open..." "That was careless. Someone needs to be fired." "Complete lack of respect and common sense." "She looks so surprised and uncomfortable TT." "All they care about is capturing those idols with their phones TT." "What if that fan had something that wasn't a fan letter in their hand??" The incident has ignited a wave of criticism directed at the company, with supporters demanding accountability and swift action to prevent similar occurrences in the future. YOU MIGHT BE ALSO INTERESTED IN: ITZY Reveals More Stops for 'CHECKMATE' World Tour- Which Cities Are Included? For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Cassidy Jones. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. North Dakota Republicans will have the chance to weigh in on the partys presidential race Monday as the party hosts its 2024 presidential caucus, which is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. Central time. In North Dakota, political parties are responsible for planning and scheduling presidential caucuses or primaries; its just one of five states with that setup. That means the state GOP administers the Republican caucus, rather than the Secretary of States Office. Voters must be registered members of the state party to participate, or they must sign a statement indicating an intent to affiliate with the party. Membership costs a minimum of $50 but there is no additional fee to vote in the caucus. The state party has selected 12 voting locations across the state. There is no option for absentee voting or early voting. The locations are: Bismarck: Bismarck State College National Energy Center of Excellence, 1200 Shafer St. Williston: Grand Williston Hotel, 3601 Second Ave. W Minot: Minot Municipal Auditorium, Room 201, 420 Third Ave. SW Devils Lake: Devils Lake Armory, 417 Fifth St. Grand Forks: Ramada by Wyndham, 1205 N. 43rd St. Fargo: Avalon Events Center, 2525 Ninth Ave. S. Jamestown: Gladstone Inn, 111 Second St. NE Dickinson: Roosevelt Grand Dakota, 532 15th St. W. Cavalier: American Legion Club, 701 Main St. W. Valley City: 148 E. Main Wahpeton: Wahpeton Community Center, 304 Fifth St. S. Carrington: Carrington Community Library, 87 Eighth Ave. N. The caucus comes as the Republican field has narrowed in recent months. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is the only major candidate still standing against former President Donald Trump, who has won every Republican primary and caucus thus far, though Haley has picked up some delegates. Also on the state GOPs ballot are long-shot candidates David Stuckenberg, a Florida businessman and Air Force veteran, and Ryan Binkley, a Texas pastor and businessman who suspended his campaign on Feb. 27 and endorsed Trump. The state party uses paper ballots in its caucus, and the ballots were printed prior to Binkleys endorsement, so he will still be an option for voters. Haley has said she will remain in the race through Super Tuesday -- the day after the North Dakota caucus, during which 15 states and one U.S. territory will hold their primary elections. North Dakota GOP Chairwoman Sandi Sanford told the Tribune that the state caucuss positioning ahead of Super Tuesday means it has the potential to indicate national trends on the day in which around one-third of delegates are typically allocated for national party conventions. I think North Dakota is going to be a huge indicator, she said. It's going to be a little bit of a fortune-telling of what we're going to see on Tuesday. Candidates will also be able to pitch themselves to voters on caucus night, with all 12 voting sites hosting a live Zoom call for speeches. Gov. Doug Burgum, a former presidential candidate who is now backing Trump and has been teased as a potential member of a second Trump administration, will speak on behalf of the Republican frontrunner. Haley and Stuckenberg will speak to North Dakota voters themselves. Burgum is scheduled to speak for Trump at 5:45 p.m. Stuckenberg will go on at 6 p.m. and Haley will speak at 6:15 p.m. The state caucus will determine North Dakotas delegate allocation for the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to begin on July 15 in Milwaukee. A candidate who receives more than 60% of the vote will automatically receive all of the states Republican delegates; if that doesn't happen delegates will be divided proportionally among candidates who garner more than 20% of the vote. The delegates will be chosen at the state party convention, which is scheduled for April 4-6 in Fargo. Those delegates will be bound to vote for their assigned candidates in the first round of voting at the national convention. Sanford said shes excited to see the return of the state partys caucus, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the use of mail-in ballots in 2020. We have not seen this kind of activity at the NDGOP or in our state since 2016. It's been eight years, Sanford said. And people are excited to finally be able to cast their ballot and vote for whoever they want. 13th Ministerial WTO conference The European Commission was instrumental in brokering important outcomes at the 13th ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (MC13) that ended Friday in Abu Dhabi. After a week of intense engagement, EU negotiators secured important agreements on e-commerce, new rules to improve global services trade , environmental cooperation, and strengthening the position of developing countries in the global trading system. However, over the past months, the EU had worked for ambitious results to revitalise the WTO at a time of rising geopolitical tensions, including a comprehensive agreement on global fisheries subsidies, agriculture reform, and meaningful progress on dispute settlement. The EU regrets that, despite willingness by a large majority of WTO members, it was not possible to find compromises on these issues. E-COMMERCE REMAINS DUTY FREE WTO Members agreed to renew the e-commerce moratorium until MC14, maintaining duty free trade in online services, including apps, games and software, as well as digitally transmitted content such as music, video, and other digital files. The EU invested considerable time and political effort to build a coalition in favour of this extension, which will help the growth of an already booming global trade in digital services. The e-commerce moratorium has been in place since 1998 and is crucial for businesses notably SMEs - and consumers around the world, enabling them to engage in electronic commerce and to access electronic services more cheaply and easily. It is also key for businesses in developing countries to expand globally. Digital trade already accounts for close to a quarter of global trade and will only continue to grow in importance. The EU will continue to develop efforts at the WTO towards creating a more inclusive, predictable, and rules-based global trading system that is fit for the digital economy, including seeking a long-term solution for customs duties on electronic transmissions. BOOST FOR GLOBAL TRADE IN SERVICES The EU welcomed the entry into force of new rules to facilitate and simplify trade in services. Businesses will now enjoy clear, predictable and effective authorisation procedures in more than 71 markets. The EU was at the forefront of this initiative, which will support economic growth for us and our partners in the largest and fastest growing sector of today's economy. SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT The EU played a leading role in delivering outcomes that will integrate developing countries more firmly into the global trading system. 123 WTO Members finalised a deal to facilitate investment and support development. This new Agreement on Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) aims to harness the economic potential of foreign direct investment to boost development in poorer countries. The next step will be to incorporate this agreement into the WTO rulebook. The accession of two new members - Timor Leste and Comoros - to the WTO this week, highlights the value countries around the world still place on a shared global rules base for trade and investment. Ministers also adopted a decision to help least developed countries as they graduate to a higher level of development. Beyond supporting least developed members, WTO members took a step towards improving clear and effective implementation of special and differential treatment for all developing countries in the key areas of standards for market access. ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY Important progress was made at MC13 on the contribution of trade to environmental sustainability, taking forward work on tackling plastics pollution, phasing out fossil fuels and promoting the circular economy, among others. The Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate met under the co-leadership of the European Commission to discuss policies on driving decarbonisation. Ministers from 61 countries also adopted voluntary trade-related actions to tackle the climate crisis. NO DEAL ON GLOBAL FISHERIES SUBSIDIES The EU deeply regrets that a handful of WTO members blocked a comprehensive agreement on global fisheries subsidies. A deal was on the table to build on the outcome reached at the 12th Ministerial Conference, and fulfil the mandate set by the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.6 to ban harmful fisheries subsidies worldwide. The EU worked with partners from across the development spectrum to find common ground for a robust deal to expand the rules to prohibit subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing. INDUSTRIAL POLICY We regret that there was no agreement at MC13 to launch deliberations on key trade challenges (Trade and Industrial Policy, policy space for industrialisation, Trade and environment) despite such a deal being supported by the EU and a majority of other delegations. The blockage of this future-oriented agenda by a small number of countries is a setback that weakens the role of the WTO as a key forum to address contemporary challenges. Further international cooperation will continue to be necessary to address these issues, and the EU will maintain its leadership role in this respect. NO AGREEMENT ON AGRICULTURE Despite the constructive and pragmatic engagement of the EU and other Members to find compromises towards an agreement, the WTO Members could not agree on advancing agriculture reform at MC13. The divergences across the membership were too large to be solved. This failure is unfortunately to the detriment of the most vulnerable countries who count most on the multilateral trading system. DISPUTE SETTLEMENT REFORM AT MC13, WTO members recognised the progress made - and reaffirmed their commitment to finding agreement to restore - a fully functioning dispute settlement system by the end of 2024. The EU has consistently called on the WTO membership to make headway on reforming the dispute settlement system, which is critical to the WTO's overall legitimacy and to stopping the erosion of trade rules. It is also vital in providing stability for companies to invest and export. However, a solution still needs to be found on a reformed appeal system. SOLIDARITY WITH UKRAINE Trade ministers from around the world expressed support for Ukraine at a Solidarity Event, hosted by the EU in the margins of the Ministerial Conference. The event marked the two years since the start of the full-scale war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine. Remembering the victims of the war, WTO Members in attendance reaffirmed their continued support for Ukraine as they called for the end of the war. Quote At a time of rising geopolitical tensions and political uncertainty, I welcome that MC13 delivered some positive results for the global trading system. The EU led from the front in all these outcomes, working with partners from around the globe. The decision to extend the e-commerce moratorium, in particular, is crucial for digital trade - a key growth area in the global economy and a top priority for the EU. We also made important progress on development and sustainability, to the benefit of all members. However, we were disappointed at the lack of breakthroughs in a number of important areas. The EU engaged intensively to find deals on fisheries subsidies, agriculture package and a dynamic WTO reform agenda. Agreements were within reach, supported by an overwhelming majority of members, but ultimately blocked by a handful of countries sometimes just one. The EU will continue to actively support work on a more inclusive and fit-for-purpose global trade rulebook and to show leadership and engagement. We hope all our partners will replicate this can-do approach. Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade 2024-02-29 Zarazeno pa 01.03.2024 22:03:00 Zdroj Evropska komise en Original ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/documents?reference=IP/24/1294&language=en lang en guid /IP/24/1294/ A special prosecutor has declined to press charges in connection with the deletion of late North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem's state email account days after his death in 2022. In July 2022, records Wrigley released in response to media requests revealed that Stenehjems executive assistant, Liz Brocker, had directed the deletion of his emails the day after he died, as well as those of his chief deputy, Troy Seibel, after Seibel resigned months later. Brocker herself resigned around the time reporters found out. Mountrail County State's Attorney Wade Enget outlined his decision in a memo Thursday to Burleigh County State's Attorney Julie Lawyer, saying he can't file a charge of tampering with public records because North Dakota law didn't clearly define at the time that emails are a government record. A new state law for email retention has since taken effect. Enget told The Associated Press he is still reviewing the Montana report regarding the remodel and lease of the building, which houses divisions of the attorney general's office. The cost overrun occurred under Stenehjem. Brocker's attorney, Tom Dickson, said Enget made the correct decision. When you looked at the law in effect in 2022 or during the time frame we're talking about here, it wasn't a violation, and I concluded that almost right away, Dickson said. Brocker now works in the Burleigh County State's Attorney's Office. Separate from Enget's review, Republican state Rep. Jason Dockter, of Bismarck, who has an ownership interest in the building, was charged with a misdemeanor for voting on legislative bills appropriating money to pay for property he had acquired a pecuniary interest in," according to a complaint. He has pleaded not guilty; a trial is set for May. Sri Lanka is deeply troubled about the death of over hundred people who were waiting to receive aid in Gaza and joins the call for investigation into the incident. The latest incident underscores the immediate need to end the blockade imposed on Gaza, depriving its civilian population, including women and children, of access to basic necessities such as food, water, medicine, electricity, and fuel. Sri Lanka reiterates its call for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza to alleviate the suffering of civilians. The Sri Lanka Government approved the establishment of the Children of Gaza Fund, a compassionate initiative proposed by the President aimed at providing assistance to the victims in Gaza and to donate USD one million through UN agencies to provide much-needed support to the victims of Gaza. Sri Lanka joins the global calls for a sustainable political resolution to the conflict and emphasizes the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, based on the borders of 1967, in line with relevant UN resolutions, as well as ensuring the security of Israel. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Colombo 02 March 2024 PNN Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], March 2: JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) reaffirms its commitment to excellence in healthcare education with its distinguished Bachelor's in Physiotherapy (BPT) program. Renowned for its comprehensive curriculum, experienced faculty, and state-of-the-art facilities, JAIN University stands as one of the top BPT colleges in Bangalore, offering a pathway to success for aspiring physiotherapists. Also Read | Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians, WPL 2024 Free Live Streaming Online: Watch TV Telecast of RCB-W vs MI-W Women's Premier League T20 Cricket Match on Sports18 and JioCinema Online. BPT Colleges in Bangalore: JAIN University paves the way As one of the best BPT colleges in India, JAIN University has established itself as a leader in physiotherapy education. With a focus on academic excellence and practical training, the university prepares students to meet the challenges of the dynamic healthcare industry. The BPT program at JAIN University equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become competent physiotherapy professionals, capable of making a positive impact on patient care. Also Read | Bihar: Teacher Arrives Drunk at School in Rohtas, Announces Holiday; Arrested. For students aspiring to pursue physiotherapy courses in Bangalore without NEET, JAIN University provides an excellent opportunity. As one of the best physiotherapy colleges in Bangalore, JAIN University admits students based on merit, making quality education accessible to all. The university's transparent admission process ensures that talented individuals have the opportunity to pursue their passion for physiotherapy without the constraints of entrance exams. At JAIN University, affordability meets excellence. The university's fees, compared to other Physiotherapy colleges in Bangalore's fees, is conducive and affordable to aspirants coming in from all the corners of the country, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder access to quality education. With various scholarship opportunities and financial aid programs available, JAIN University strives to make physiotherapy education accessible to students from all backgrounds. For those scanning through the options in Bachelor of Physiotherapy colleges in Bangalore's list, JAIN University stands out in that elite list for providing the best experience for students to prepare them for rewarding careers in physiotherapy like riger Point Therapy, Cupping Treatment, Dry Needling and Chiropractic How to Apply: For further details and to embark on a bright and successful medical career, interested individuals are encouraged to visit the official website: https://sahs.jainuniversity.ac.in/ or you can contact: +91 8050473797 for all the admission related queries. Join JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), known for its Top paramedical college and best allied health science courses that encourage you to chart your course to a thriving and fulfilling medical profession! JAIN (Deemed-to-be University): JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) is a leading institution dedicated to providing quality education across diverse disciplines. Committed to academic excellence, innovation, and holistic development, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) prepares students to become leaders and change-makers in their chosen fields. Through its various schools and programs, the university offers a dynamic learning environment enriched by renowned faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and industry collaborations (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) PNN New Delhi [India], March 2: Market Xcel, a premier market research and insights firm, unveiled the third edition of its annual brand ranking report, in the company of distinguished industry leaders including Sandip Ghose, Managing Director & CEO of Birla Corporation Limited; Vara Prasad, Divisional Manager, Consumer Insights at ITC Limited (Foods Division); and Sandeep Das, Global Foresight Leader at Mars Wrigley. This significant event took place on March 1st during the Brand Xcel Conclave at Crowne Plaza, Gurugram, marking a milestone moment for the branding and marketing community. Also Read | Odisha: Five-Time MLA Arabinda Dhali Resigns From Ruling BJD, Says Will Join BJP. Commencing the evening, Sandip Ghose shared, "The world of marketing and consumers is such that everyone is clueless, it's not easy to decipher what's cooking in the minds of people. The whole psychological dynamics happening in the nation as a whole can't be ignored. Some people are getting it right, and others are not. Why? Because they are unable to read the mind of the present generation- not the youth, but all the cohorts- from silent generation to Alpha. The ones missing out on the gist are the people who are applying old lenses to all generations...all consumers; thereby leading to a disconnect in communication." Talking about the blend of AI & Storytelling, Sandeep Das shared, "Storytelling is about the past, and AI is about the future, and their confluence is what yields interesting influences. The good news is that AI alone cannot take a storyteller's job away. Great stories are the ones where tension is good. An AI engine can't create tension; it needs human assistance. So, AI can't take storytelling jobs away." Also Read | UK: 89-Year-Old Man Dies of Overdose of Vitamin D Supplements That Did Not Warn About Risks of Excessive Intake. The business strategist, Lloyd Mathias stated, "Looking at the technological disruptions, the democratisation of the internet and, digital payments, it's a huge watch-out for brands and marketers. Brand Xcel has meticulously thrown light on digital-first brands vs legacy brands. The former is on top of everything digital. And the digital-related revelations tonight is crucial for approaches to thrive in this digital world." Chandan Mukherji, Director & Senior Vice President of Strategy, Marketing & Communication, Nestle India, stated, "New penetrations happen in homes because of young generations. They are more experiential and aspirational than others. And one major driver for all the above is digitization. And this digital shift is also narrowing the generational gap. Global trends like Korean food, K-pop, Korean drama, and Korean beauty have ventured into India with a robust velocity, thanks to the digital lens. This window gives cues to marketers to guess what's next." Speaking about India's rising affluence, Jayanto Banerjee, Chief Operating Officer, Hakuhodo India, shared," India is the 7th largest market for luxury globally. Global brands are now reaching out to India, evident from Bollywood celebrities becoming the face of international brands. The modern consumer has grown up with affluence and desire, and what's selling globally is also now widely foraying into India. India's luxury space is booming, and it's particularly fascinating to witness the spread of desi culture abroad." Employing a two-pronged approach, the Brand Xcel 2024 Report synthesizes extensive research offering micro as well as macro insights into consumer love for a particular brand, while also gauging new trends. Engaging over 32,000 participants from diverse demographics across '3 Indias'--categorized into Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers--the survey spans a wide array of sectors including Food (CPG), Personal Care, social media, Automotive, and new additions like BFSI, Health Hygiene, and Alcobev. Rather than selecting brands for nomination, this extensive study identifies brands that truly resonate with consumers, showcasing the most impactful connections. One of the largest surveys of its kind, it highlights new perspectives and insights into brand rankings, that can be circled back to consumer behaviour. It examines the elements that have allowed the market to adapt to recent changes and helped brands maintain their connections with consumers. There are also intriguing insights into the evolving consumer profile, which in some ways is changing and in other ways isn't changing at all. In category ranking, Food CPG and Personal Care led, while in the top 50 brands' ranking, the Ecommerce brands- Amazon, and Flipkart, social media and messaging apps like YouTube and WhatsApp and, IT and electronics brands Samsung and Sony were more pronounced in the urban. In rural Top 50 Brands, Personal Care was the leading category with 9 brands including Colgate, Lifebuoy, Godrej and more under its umbrella. Automobiles had a fair play, with Hero, Maruti Suzuki and Honda emerging at the fore in rural. Adding more to the Top 50 brands' ranking, brands like Amul, Jio, Colgate, Oppo, Vivo, YouTube, Godrej, Dabur, Nestle, Dettol, LG, and more emerged in both urban and rural though their pecking order is different. The report also emphasises the enduring popularity of cult brands such as Amul (leading among the top 5 in Food CPG), and LG in the household appliances and kitchenware category across both urban and rural, underscoring the impact of consumer favourites across generations. A wave of startups, including Blinkit, Zepto, Nykaa, Sugar Cosmetics, Park+, Pilgrim, and others, is transforming urban spaces with innovative solutions and addressing real-world challenges. Additionally, the 2024 Brand Xcel report showcased leading regional brands across India (North, East, West, and North), ranging from food to fashion and more, revealing a consumer shift towards nostalgia and local authenticity, indicating the need for brands to tap into regional tastes to engage consumers effectively. Ashwani Arora, Executive Director, Market Xcel shared, "The core objective of the Brand Xcel 2024 Report is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Modern Indian consumer, focusing on the country's inherent diversity through the lens applied on deciphering the 3 Indias, generational influences, and the confluence of technology, health, and sustainability. India is defined by its heterogeneity, presenting a market that cannot be understood in broad strokes. Each consumer group, influenced by unique dynamics, necessitates a tailored approach from brands. This report guides brands in applying the precise approaches needed to connect deeply with varied consumer bases. By doing so, brands can achieve relevance and resonance, transforming every interaction into a meaningful connection. Our report provides cues to brands on how to embed themselves into the fabric of daily life by owning occasions and events, beyond dayparts, thereby establishing lasting bonds with consumers." Talking about the evolving consumers, Manish Narang, Director, of Market Xcel shared, "With choices abound, consumers are quick to navigate among brands, nudged by rapidly evolving tastes and preferences. And so, the categories and brand offerings are also evolving. This evolution is pronounced in the automotive industry, which leans increasingly towards electric vehicles, and in the domain of beverages, where tastes range from traditional sugary concoctions to energizing and health-centric options." https://www.market-xcel.com/brand-xcel/coffee-table-book (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) New Delhi, March 2: All India Bar Association (AIBA) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking stringent penal action against tech giant Google alleging an attempt to tarnish the image of the Prime Minister. AIBA, Chairman and Senior Advocate Adish Aggarwala alleged that Google has committed an offence under Sections 153A, 500 and 505 of Indian Penal Code for promoting enmity among groups by putting out misleading, mischievous information in the public domain. Senior Advocate Adish Aggarwala, who is the President of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) stated that Gemini, the Artificial Intelligence platform of Technology and Internet Company GOOGLE put out highly condemnable false information about Prime Minister of India in the public domain. PM Modi in Bihar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates Various Projects in Begusarai, Shares Stage With CM Nitish Kumar First Time After BJP-JD(U) Alliance (Watch Video). "The company being the creator of the machine cannot be allowed to escape the consequences of the damage caused by the machine. The manner in which a machine is to learn facts and interpret them is designed by its programmer," the letter read. It further stated that the country is on the verge of a general election and malicious campaigns to smear the image of any leader should be stopped in their tracks. "The Prime Minister of India has strived to get India its due place under the Sun. But there are people who are not enthused by the rise of the country to prominence and may want to stain its honour by spewing spite. Such acts must be shot down," the letter read further. Hum Idhar Gayab Ho Gaye The: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Says Will Not Go Here and There As PM Narendra Modi Laughs in Aurangabad (Watch Video). "It is therefore urged that the penal laws should be invoked and action may be taken against those guilty of the aforesaid motivated crimes,"Aggarwala said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], March 2 (ANI): Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu chaired the State Cabinet Meeting on Saturday, which took several important decisions for the welfare of the people and development of the State. In a major decision to strengthen the health and education sector, the Cabinet approved the proposal for creation of 39 posts of faculties in Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) in view of the up-gradation of the intake capacity of MBBS students to 100 in the lone Medical College of the State. Also Read | Judges Should Be Unaffected by Criticisms and Social Media Commentary, Says CJI DY Chandrachud. Proposal for the creation of one each post of Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor in the department of Cardiology in Tomo Riba Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) also got positive nod from the Cabinet. The Cabinet also approved the proposal for creation of 1 post of Deputy Drugs Controller under Directorate of Health Services. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: AAP To Announce Candidates for All 13 Seats in Punjab in 2-4 Days, Says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. In a major boost to strengthening the Frontier Highways, the Cabinet approved the proposal for 2 Highway Circles at Itanagar and Jairampur and 2 Highway Divisions at Koloriang and Rupa, along with 20 regular posts and 20 outsourced contractual posts. The Cabinet also approved the proposal for the creation of one post of Chief Architect under the Arunachal Pradesh Public Works Department. The Cabinet discussed in length the importance of the Gaon Burah institution and hence approved the proposal for the creation of 42 posts of Gaon Burah (GB) and Head Gaon Burah (HGB) (36 GBs and 6 HGBs, respectively) in various districts. The Department of Indigenous Affairs also got nods from the cabinet for 19 posts, with 8 temporary posts and 11 contingency (skilled or unskilled) posts. The Cabinet accorded approval to rename various government institutions after influential personalities who contributed immensely towards the socio-economic development of their areas. The Cabinet acknowledged their contributions and hence named the below institutions in their names. The Cabinet approved notifying 23 local languages and dialects of constitutionally notified tribes of Arunachal Pradesh as third languages in the state. This step is being taken to preserve and promote our indigenous languages and dialects. The proposal for amendment of the syllabus for the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Combined Competitive Examination Rule 2019 got approved today by the Cabinet, which includes topics related to Arunachal Pradesh in both preliminary examinations as well as the main examination of the APSCCE. The Cabinet also recommended the appointment of a member for the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission. Cabinet approved the framing of recruitment rules for the posts of Joint Director of Nursing, Senior Public Health Nursing Officers, District Public Health Nursing Officer and Laboratory Assistant, Laboratory Technician, Senior Laboratory Technicians. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati (Assam) [India], March 2 (ANI): Taking advanced and accountable healthcare facilities to a greater height, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday dedicated the State Cancer Institute, Guwahati to the service of the people. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the renovated State of Art Blood Centre at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), inaugurated an extended emergency department in GMCH and initiated the process of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to one lakh (IHH) beneficiaries for the construction of individual household toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission at a function held at the GMCH auditorium in Guwahati. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Police Constable Hacked to Death by Kin Over Family Dispute in Etawah. It may be noted that the five-storeyed State Cancer Institute (SCI), Phase 2, has facilities like OTs, BMT, Cath Lab, ICUs, HDUs. The new block has two hundred beds and together with the old block, the total number of beds stands at 350. Accordingly, the State Cancer Institute will cater to 350 inpatients with medical services like radiation, chemotherapy, surgery or robotic surgery, nuclear medicine, bone marrow transplant, academics and research. Also Read | I Will Remain With NDA Forever, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Assures PM Narendra Modi (Watch Video). Moreover, the State Cancer Institute is equipped with the facilities like MRI, CT, Mammography, Digital X-ray, Endoscopy, Laboratory, Blood Bank and CSSD. The total cost of the project is Rs 395 crore. The Art Model Blood Centre inaugurated on Saturday with a budget cost of Rs 3.88 crore have all modern facilities. The facilities that the blood centre will provide are Whole Human Blood I.P., Concentrated Red Blood Corpuscles I.P., Fresh Frozen Plasma, Cryoprecipitated I.P., Platelet Concentrate I.P., Platelet Aphaeresis, Platelet Aphaeresis Leucodepleted, Leucopharesis, Plasmapheresis, Leucodepleted Red Cell Concentrate, Leucodepleted Random Donor Platelet. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that giving an advanced, accountable and accessible health care facilities have been a commitment of the government and taking it to a new height, his government has ventured into a mission of bringing about paradigm shift in the health care delivery system across the state. "For creating an advanced cancer care system in the state, his government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tata Trusts on February 3, 2018. To implement the project, a Special Purpose Vehicle - Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF) was formed. Taking it forward, an apex referral centre at State Cancer Institute, Guwahati (L1), five number of Comprehensive Cancer Care Centres ('L2s') at Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Silchar, Diphu and Dhubri and 11 numbers of Diagnostic and Day Care Clinics ('L3s') at Lakhimpur, Tezpur, Jorhat, Kokrajhar, Darrang, Tinsukia, Golaghat, Nalbari, Nagaon, Sibsagar and Goalpara were set up," the Assam Chief Minister said. Sarma said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inaugurated seven hospitals at Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Lakhimpur, Tezpur, Jorhat, Darrang and Kokrajhar on April 28, 2022. "Two State Cancer Institutes in Guwahati and Silchar have already been dedicated to the service of the people and the remaining seven are planned to be completed over 2025 and 2026. With an investment over Rs. 3600 crore, State government is building a world class cancer care network in Assam," the Chief Minister said. Making his future plan clear, he also announced that the state government will also introduce Proton Beam Therapy in Assam to facilitate advanced and targeted cancer treatment in the state. He also said that the state government, with the help of the central government, is working in full throttle to make Assam a state for 'medical tourism' with all advanced medical facilities to cater not only to the patients of the North East but to those of South East Asian nations as well. In another programme, Chief Minister Sarma dedicated a PET-CT machine at B Baruah Cancer Centre, Guwahati with a project cost of Rs 13.14 crore. The PET-CT scan facility is an advanced imaging modality used for diagnosis, staging and evaluation of response to treatment of many types of cancers. Approximately 2000 patients will be benefited from the project every year. He on this occasion also stated that State government in assistance with the Central government is working to make Dr B Baruah Cancer Institute a centre of excellence where patients are able to get cutting edge treatment facilities without having to go outside the state. Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta, MLAs Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Ramendra Narayan Kalita, Principal GMCH Achyut Baishya, Project Director Assam Cancer Care Foundation Gautam Chintey, Director BBCI Bibhuti Bhusan Borthakur and others were present on the occasion. It is worth mentioning that in Assam's journey towards progress, the present State government has endeavoured in a series of projects. It may be noted that in the health sector while there were only six Medical Colleges in Assam since independence till 2018, with major emphasis on setting up new medical colleges in recent times, today the state has 12 Medical Colleges. Three new medical colleges at Kokrajhar, Nalbari and Nagaon were inaugurated by the Prime Minister on April 14, 2023. In addition, construction of medical colleges at Tinsukia, Charaideo, Biswanath Chariali, second Medical College at Guwahati, Golaghat, Bongaigaon, Marigaon, Tamulpur and Dhemaji are going on. The oundation for Karimganj Medical College has been laid. Two more medical Colleges are proposed at Sivasagar and Goalpara. The North East's first AIIMS inaugurated by the Prime Minister at Changsari is another big boost to health infrastructure of the state. With the increase in medical colleges in the State, number of MBBS seats have also increased from 726 in 2014 to 1500 MBBS seats as on date. The number of PG seats have increased to 722 from 395 in 2014. Similarly, 44 super-specialty seats are now available in various institutions under the Govt of Assam. Till 2014, there was only the Regional Dental College, Guwahati in the whole of North East India with an annual intake of 50 BDS and 10 PG Seats. In 2016, two more Dental Colleges were established in Dibrugarh and Silchar. As on today there are 176 BDS seats in Assam. For rendering critical care to patients, under Assam Critical Care Infrastructure Project 365 tech-enabled ICU beds have been created in 23 district hospitals, which is a major intervention in critical care services in the state. Moreover, to provide a cushion for the people of the state to afford cashless health care facilities, the Ayushman Asom Mukhya Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which is an extension of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) has been launched. All the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) who are not covered in AB-PMJAY are included by the state government. NFSA families with valid Ration and Aadhar cards are entitled to cashless medical treatment benefits under the scheme. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati (Assam) [India], March 2 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday unveiled the expanded dairy plant of West Assam Milk Producers' Cooperative Union Ltd. popularly known as Purabi Dairy at an inauguration event organised at its premises in Panjabari, Guwahati. The chief minister saidf that the state government has decided to provide Rs 5 additional benefit on each litre of milk to the dairy farmers of the state in the organized sector from next year. Also Read | WBPSC Food SI Admit Card 2024 Released at psc.wb.gov.in, Know Steps to Download Hall Tickets. Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma after unveiling the first batch of Purabi Ice Creams said, "This ice cream tastes great as it is made from milk produced by the dairy farmers of Assam. Today, through this new plant, the capacity of milk processing will increase to 1.5 lakh litres. The increased capacity will help the thousands of dairy farmers in the state who will get better market access through this initiative. The Assam Government has formed a JV company with NDDB and with today's inauguration, the company has launched its first commercial product." "The state government from next year has decided to provide Rs 5 additional benefit on each litre of milk to the dairy farmers of the state in the organized sector. This will be over and above the already existing rate given by the different dairy cooperatives. Through this, we are providing additional support to the farmers who through various interventions like sex-sorted breed, artificial insemination, etc. are already increasing their yield," Chief Minister Dr Sarma announced. Also Read | Health Experts Emphasise Mental Health, Suggest Meeting Friends, Taking Time To Discuss Issues (Watch Videos). The Chief Minister, Dr Sarma also announced WAMUL's decision to increase the basic milk procurement price by Rs 1 per liter i.e. from Rs 39 per liter to Rs 40 per liter at 4 per cent Fat and 8.5 per cent SNF with effect from 1st March 2024. The Chief Minister informed that the state government will release funds for the development of milk processing units in Jorhat and Dibrugarh. "Along with today's new plant at Purabi Dairy here and the two new units at Jorhat and Dibrugarh, the new JV company will also construct units in Barak Valley, Lakhimpur-Dhemaji and Nagaon. These 6 units will further satisfy the demand of milk and allied products in the state," Dr Sarma said. Under the management of NDDB since 2008, Purabi Dairy has grown in leaps and bounds. From a meager milk procurement volume of 400 Kg per day currently, it has reached volumes of over 60,000 Kg per day covering around 30,000 dairy farmers that are organised into 800 plus dairy cooperative societies across 21 districts in lower, central and upper parts of Assam. The milk procurement network primarily revolves around a transparent milk collection, measurement and payment system through installations of automatic milk collection systems at the dairy cooperative societies. Then suitable milk chilling infrastructure (to the tune of 1.22 lakh liters per day capacity) has been created at remote locations to maintain the quality of raw milk that is brought through road milk tankers to the milk processing plant of Purabi Dairy located at Guwahati. Addressing the gathering, Minister of Agriculture & AHVD, Atul Bora, said that, the state government has been providing all the needed support to NDDB to scale up the production of milk and help dairy farmers in the state. "Today Assam has crossed 1 lakh litre of milk production. This is a good development for the dairy section in the state. Our Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken forward a grand plan and today's inauguration is a big step towards this roadmap of Aatmanirbhar Assam. This new plant, setup at the cost of approx. Rs 49 crore, will further boost the dairy sector," Shri Bora said. The milk processing plant of Purabi Dairy plays a significant role in the manufacturing of fresh packed milk and various value-added products such as paneer, curd, flavored milk, cream, ghee etc. At present milk and milk equivalent of products worth of around 1.05 lakh liters are being sold in the market. Over the years this processing plant has become the single largest revenue center of WAMUL enabling it to attain sales turnover of over Rs 200 crore during the financial year ending March 2023. This is the highest revenue turnover reported by WAMUL since its inception. Further, the processing plant has catapulted WAMUL into the bracket of dairies that are consistently selling a daily quantity of over 1,00,000 litres of milk and milk equivalent of products. In his address, Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, National Dairy Development Board & WAMUL said that the new plant will enable processing of 1.5 lakh litres of milk. Earlier we used to process 60,000 litres of milk per day. The new plant will have the capacity to produce 10 MT of curd per day, 10,000 litres of lassi per day, and 2 tonnes of paneer per day. We will be able to meet the additional demand though this new plant. "We have also set up an ice cream plant in this new processing plant and 2000 litres of ice-cream, of various flavours, will also be produced," Dr Shah said. Previously, value-added milk products constituted 9-12 per cent of the sales turnover for Purabi Dairy; this is now expected to increase to 20-25 per cent. This increase will provide a tremendous impetus in terms of higher returns for the dairy farmers associated with the brand 'Purabi'. Dr Shah further stated that the expanded processing plant facility has been installed with Concentrated Solar thermal System to harness 10 lakh Kcal of energy. In simpler terms, this energy will translate into direct savings to the extent of Rs 4 lakh per month in fuel cost. The capacity expansion project of Purabi Dairy was implemented by NDDB under the World Bank aided Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART) at a cost of around Rs 49 crore. Government of Assam and NDDB has been instrumental in bringing dairy development in Assam through cooperatives. They have arranged financing of many dairy development interventions under various central and state funded schemes. The noteworthy among all such schemes is the World Bank aided Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART) funded by Govt. of Assam to strengthen the formal dairy sector in Assam through the "Purabi Dairy" model. The event was also graced by Atul Bora, state Minister of Agriculture & AHVD, Nandita Gorlosa, state Minister of Cooperation and Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, National Dairy Development Board. Besides, key officials and a large number of farmer members of dairy cooperative societies were present during the event. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 2 (ANI): Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, along with Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and BJP leader Vijayendra Yediyurappa, met the victims of the Rameshwaram Cafe explosion at Vaidehi Hospital on Saturday. The leaders visited the hospital to extend their support to the victims of the explosion that injured 10 people on Friday. Also Read | Germany: Tesla Plant Protesters to Spend Week in Forest. The teachers interacted with the injured, who were undergoing treatment. They asked assured support for the victims of the unfortunate incident. On Friday evening, Joshi also visited the blast site, where he spoke to the media and expressed concern over the incident, condemning the explosion. Also Read | Bihar: TTE Stabbed During Ticket Checking at Patna Junction Railway Station; Attacker Absconding. Notably, the Union Minister also demanded the transfer of the investigation to the NIA. Taking a dig at the Siddaramaiah-led government in the state, Joshi said that if the state government had taken the Vidhana Soudha pro-Pakistan sloganeering incident seriously earlier, then the blast incident could have been averted. Meanwhile, a team of the National Investigation Agency visited the explosion site in the Whitefield area. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and State Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, along with DGP Alok Mohan, also visited the Bengaluru explosion site for inspection. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Friday that the Rameshwaram cafe blast is being investigated from all angles, adding that 7-8 teams have been formed to probe the incident. Shivakumar also stated that a youth came and kept a small bag, which exploded after an hour. He has also asked the people of Bengaluru not to worry. "It was a low-intensity blast. A youth came and kept a small bag, which exploded after an hour. About 10 people received injuries. 7-8 teams have been formed to probe the incident. We are looking from all angles. I ask every Bangalorean not to worry," he said. A security guard working at the Rameshwaram Cafe who was present at the time of the incident said, "I was standing outside the cafe. Many customers had come to the hotel. Suddenly, there was a loud sound, and a fire broke out, causing injuries to the customers inside the hotel.' The Rameshwaram Cafe is one of the popular hangouts and is usually extremely crowded during lunch hours. (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, March 2: Two convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case have approached the Supreme Court urging it to refer the matter of their pre-mature release from jail to a larger bench, as two different benches passed different orders. Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah and Rajubhai Babulal Soni filed petition saying that the apex court's January 8 verdict which led to the cancellation of their remission (early release from prison) and their re-imprisonment was judicially improper. On January 8, the Supreme Court had struck down the Gujarat government's order granting remission to 11 convicts who had gangraped Bilkis Bano and murdered her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots. In their plea, they have mentioned that two different co-ordinate benches of an equal number of judges have taken a different view of the case. Bilkis Bano Case: Convict Approaches Supreme Court Claiming Judgement Revoking Remission Violated Judicial Propriety. "Issue direction clarifying and directing which judgment of its co-ordinate bench would be applicable in the facts and circumstances of the case i.e. one which has been delivered in the case," it said. As per the plea, the January 8 judgment delivered by Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan has "not only judicial impropriety but creates uncertainty and chaos as to which precedence of law has to be applied in future." It was incorrect in law for the two-judge bench led by Justice Nagarathna to overrule a judgment rendered by another two judge-bench of the Supreme Court, namely Justices Ajay Rastogi and Vikram Nath, said the plea. It is to be noted that the May 13, 2022 judgment rendered by the Justice Rastogi-led bench had held that the State of Gujarat (and not the Maharashtra government) was the appropriate government to decide on remission applications filed by the rape convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. Bilkis Bano Case: Gujarat High Court Grants Parole To Convict for 10 Days To Attend Nephews Wedding. Thereafter, the Gujarat government decided to allow the remission applications of convicts. The decision was challenged by Bilkis Bano and others in the top court. The bench led by Justice Nagarathna had found that the May 2022 judgment was secured by Radheshyam after misleading the court and suppressing key facts. It had held that the judgment of May 13, 2022, by which another bench of the apex court had directed the Gujarat government to consider remission of a convict as per the 1992 policy, was obtained by "playing fraud" on the court and by suppressing material facts. Justice Nagarathna led-bench in January this year had held that Gujarat government was not competent to pass the remission orders but Maharashtra government. It had said the appropriate government to decide the remission was the State (in this case Maharashtra) within whose territorial limits the accused are sentenced and not where the crime is committed or the accused are imprisoned. "In view of conflicting judgment on the same issue by bench of equal numbers of judges, the matter must be referred to a larger bench for final adjudication and proper determination on law and merits of the case," the plea filed through advocate Rishi Malhotra stated. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 2 (ANI): Adding fuel to the North versus South controversy, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Dayanidhi Maran said that while people in North India learn only Hindi, the Bharatiya Janata Party imposes Hindi on those staying in the south by saying that the country is only for Hindi-speakers. "North Indians study only Hindi, they do not need to study any other language. You (BJP) are imposing on us by saying that India is only for Hindi speakers. We are not against any language. We respect our mother tongue. If we need Hindi to speak, let's learn it," Maran said speaking to ANI on Saturday. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: AAP To Announce Candidates for All 13 Seats in Punjab in 2-4 Days, Says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. "North Indians study only Hindi and not English. But we study our Tamil and English properly," he added. The DMK leader said that since people in Tamil Nadu study in Tamil as well as English they prosper in their professional lives, but North Indians come to southern states seeking jobs since they think learning Hindi is enough. Also Read | Gurugram Road Accident: Man Dies After Speeding Car Hits His Scooter in Old Railway Road (Watch Video). "Today, Sundar Pichai, who speaks Tamil, is the CEO of Google. Similarly, Tamilans are in the best organisation in the world. Because we study properly in Tamil and English, that's why we progress. North Indians think studying only Hindi is enough. So they come to southern states without job opportunities," Maran said. Lambasting the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for tying up with the BJP in the assembly elections, Maran accused the AIADMK of selling out Tamil Nadu. "The central government has ignored Tamil Nadu for the last 10 years. These (AIADMK) slaves sold us and left. They are trying to mislead us (Tamil people) and spread lies in the Parliament," the DMK leader said. Maran said that Tamil Nadu people revolted in the 2021 Assembly elections and voted the AIADMK out of power. "In the 2021 elections, the people started a revolution and sent the AIADMK home, which had betrayed Tamil Nadu for ten years. People made DMK leader Stalin the Chief Minister. Tamil Nadu moved forward after Stalin became the Chief Minister," he said. Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for double-speak on languages, Maran said, "Modi talks about Tiruvalluvar's Thirukkulla every time he comes here. But when he goes to other states, he talks about the pride of that language. They try to impress them by telling lies." Maran said that even the Bharatiya Janata Party's advertisement on "Modi's guarantee" is in Hindi. "Anytime you watch TV, you can see an advertisement called "Modi's Guarantee". That ad is not made for us but for Hindi speaking people," 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) Guwahati, Mar 2 (PTI) Rajya Sabha Member and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will contest from Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat, replacing incumbent BJP MP and Union Minister Rameswar Teli. The BJP on Saturday announced the first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Also Read | WBPSC Food SI Admit Card 2024 Released at psc.wb.gov.in, Know Steps to Download Hall Tickets. Apart from Sonowal, the saffron party named 10 other candidates from Assam for the general elections. The northeastern state has 14 Lok Sabha seats. Also Read | Health Experts Emphasise Mental Health, Suggest Meeting Friends, Taking Time To Discuss Issues (Watch Videos). Of the 11 BJP candidates in Assam, only four existing Lok Sabha members have got tickets this time, while two others from Rajya Sabha will try their luck. The remaining five, including a state minister and an MLA, will contest the Lok Sabha polls for the first time. Sonowal, former chief minister of Assam, is now a cabinet minister in the Narendra Modi government and is considered to be trusted by the prime minister. He was also a state minister and held various portfolios before becoming the first chief minister from the BJP in 2016. Two-time MP Teli, the union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, was first elected to Lok Sabha in 2014. He was also a two-time MLA. Teli is also the union minister of state for labour and employment. Sonowal, a former president of the influential All Assam Students' Union (AASU), was an MLA (2001) and Lok Sabha MP (2004) of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). Sonowal joined the BJP in 2011. He is a three-time Assam MLA, two-time Lok Sabha member and one-time Rajya Sabha MP. Another Rajya Sabha Member Kamakhya Prasad Tasa was nominated from Kaliabor, which has now become Kaziranga after the delimitation of constituencies. The seat is presently represented by Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi. Tasa, a prominent tea-tribe member of the BJP, was a Lok Sabha member from 2014 to 2019. The LS polls will be the first election in Assam after the Election Commission of India carried out the delimitation exercise in the state last year. The delimitation exercise was strongly criticised by the opposition parties, alleging that it was done to help the ruling BJP only. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party, (AAP) MLA Amanat Ullah Khan approached Delhi High Court for a anticipatory bail in a money laundering case registered against him in connection with alleged irregularities by Delhi Waqf Board in the recruitment of staff and leasing of properties. On Friday, the trial court denied him bail in Delhi Waqf Board Money Launderig case. He was earlier summoned by the ED in this case. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Police Constable Hacked to Death by Kin Over Family Dispute in Etawah. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy along with advocate Rajat Bhardwaj had argued on the bail application on behalf of Amanat Ullah Khan. It was argued by the Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy that this case of Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered this ECIR after 8 years (7 years 7 months) of CBI'S FIR lodged in 2016. It has been alleged that Rs. 100 crore Waqf Properties were given on lease illegally. It is also alleged that 32 contractual employees were appointed in Delhi Waqf Board during chairmanship of Amanat Ullah Khan flouting the rules. Also Read | I Will Remain With NDA Forever, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Assures PM Narendra Modi (Watch Video). Senior advocate argued that the CBI concluded in its charge sheet that leasing out properties was administrative irregularities. There were no proceeds of crime, no undue advantage and loss to government exchequer. It was also argued that the amount is Rs. 100 crore as similar to the CBI case. They still have to prove a scheduled offence. He was granted bail in CBI case on March 2023, Guruswamy said. It was also argued that Salaries were paid to the workers for the work done by those employees. No undue advantage by the applicant. No recovery effected from the applicant. It was also submitted that on 28 September 2022, the accused was granted bail in ACB FIR. It was held in the order, 32 contractual employees were paid Rs. 3 crores salaries through banking channel. No employee repaid the salary to the applicant. It means there is no undue advantage. "I don't know how I am (Amanat) involved in this case of sale id property. Till date there is no recovery of any sort. Rs. 27 crore is a big amount. Where is this amount and how this proceeds of crime. I am not even accused in this case," the counsel argued. Senior advocate further argued that there is no scheduled offence, no proceeds of crime, therefore there is no money laundering. There is no proceed of crime, no undue advantage, no loss to exchequer, there is no money laundering " You (ED) can not lodge a new FIR on receipt of any new information. You can not have two FIR for the same cause," Guruswamy argued Special public prosecutors (SPP) Manish Jain and Simon Benjamin alongwith Advocate Snehal Sharda appeared for ED. SPP Manish Jain rebutted the submission made by the senior advocate for Amanat Ullah Khan. He submitted that this entire case banked upon the role of Amanat Ullah Khan. "At the nucleus of the entire controversy is A K. His name appears 83 times in the bail dismissal order of three accused persons. Order speaks itself," Jain argued. Money laundering is layering. It is deep rooted conspiracy, he added. He further argued that the summons issued to the applicant was challenged before the High Court and Prosecution Complaint (Charge Sheet) was also annexed with the petition. This charge sheet was given to other accused on January 19, after cognizance of the same taken by the court. The petition was withdrawn as not pressed. No liberty was sought or granted. You are giving up your rights, the SPP submitted. This fact has been was concealed in this bail application. This is called malicious concealment, Manish Jain submitted. Senior advocate Guruswamy objected to the submissions of the SPP Manish Jain. We have concealed nothing. Prosecutor can't use this kind of language. No accused gives up his right of bail. And I am not even accused in this case. Thereafter the SPP Jain referred to bail orders of three accused. He submitted that Misappropriated worth Rs.100 crore property. ACB is investigating. Zeeshan and Daud Nasir acted on behest of applicant in connivance with Javed Imam Siddiqui and Qausar Imam Siddiqui, he added. He again reiterated that at the nucleus of the case is Amanat Ullah Khan. There were 22 cases registered against him He was declared bad character (BC) of the area and a history sheet was opened. It was challenged before the Delhi high court. The plea was dismissed. Special Leave Petition (SLP) is pending before the Supreme court. Concluding his arguements Jain said that rigourous provision of twin conditions under section 45 of PMLA applies to the applicant. There is a flight risk. There is great apprehension of influencing the witnesses. Recently the court has also dismissed the bail application of three arrested accused namely Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir and Jawed Imam Siddiqui. Fourth arrested Qausar Imam Siddiqui has not moved bail yet. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) [India], March 2 (ANI): After a local leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was killed by suspected Naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur on Friday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has said that their fight against Naxals is at a "decisive juncture." CM Sai also said that their plans will never be allowed to succeed. Also Read | Rajasthan: Six Killed in Lightning Strikes Amid Rain and Thunderstorm in Parts of State. In his post on X after the incident, Chhattisgarh CM Sai said, "Sad news was received of the demise of Tirupati Katla ji, convener of BJP Cooperative Cell of Bijapur and district member, due to the cowardly act of Naxalites. I pray to God to grant peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family in this hour of grief. My condolences are with them. Our fight against Naxalites is at a decisive juncture. Their plans will never be allowed to succeed." According to the police, Tirupati Katla, the convener of BJP Cooperative Cell of Bijapur, was attacked when he had gone to attend a wedding and was brought dead to the hospital. Also Read | Pitbull Attacks 7-Year-Old Girl in Delhi: Live Breaking News Headlines & Updates, March 2, 2024. Jitendra Yadav, SP Bijapur said, "Tirupati Katla (BJP leader) had gone to a wedding during which he was attacked by unknown assailants. He was brought to the hospital where he died duringtreatment. Our team is investigating the matter." Meanwhile, launching a fierce attack on the BJP government, Congress state president Deepak Baij said that Naxalite activities have increased in the state since the change of guard at the helm. Hitting out at Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, the Congress leader claimed Naxal movement and activities are on the rise at a time when he is taking tribals from Sukma, a known stronghold of the guerillas, on a tour of the state. Earlier on February 25, three Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattishgarh's Kanker district. The encounter took place in a forest area in Koyalibeda during an anti-naxal operation. "A joint team of police and Border Security Force (BSF) security forces have gunned down three naxals in an encounter that took place in insurgency-hit Kanker district of Chhattisgarh," Kanker SP Indira Kalyan Elesela 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) Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 2 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and his cabinet colleagues visited Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya on Saturday. CM Patel, ministers of the Gujarat state cabinet, speaker Shankar Chaudhary and the Chief Whip, among others offered prayers to Ram Lalla at Ayodhya on Saturday. Also Read | Himachal Pradesh Political Crisis: Disqualified Congress MLA Rajinder Rana Says At Least Nine More MLAs in Touch with Us. The delegation led by CM Patel reached Ayodhya on Saturday morning. Speaking after his visit, CM Patel said the visit to the temple was a fortunate and emotional moment for him. The Chief Minister said that PM Modi's perseverance and commitment ensured the inauguration of the Ram temple. Also Read | Ship Suspected To Contain Dual-Use Consignment for Pakistan's Nuclear and Ballistic Missile Programme Stopped at Mumbai Port. CM Patel further said that the construction of the Ram temple is specially a proud occasion for the Gujarati community as the consecration of Ram Lalla was done in the presence of PM Modi. To facilitate ease of travel for pilgrims from Gujarat visiting the temple, the Gujarat government has allocated Rs 10 crores in this year's budget for constructing the Gujarat Yatri Bhavan, the CM said. The Yatri Bhavan will be constructed at a total cost of Rs 50 crores, he said. He also thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for providing land for the Yatri Bhavan and the arrangements made to facilitate pilgrims visiting the holy city, particularly by the special Astha Train service from Gujarat. The CM said the divine consecration of Ram Lalla in the ancient city of Ayodhya under the leadership of PM Modi marks the beginning of a new era in the country. He expressed confidence that the Ram temple would turn out to be a temple of vision, philosophy, and guidance for the country and help establish Ram Rajya in the coming years. Speaking about the Ram temple movement and its subsequent conclusion, the Chief Minister said that it was the resolution of every Hindu that a grand Ram temple must be built at Ayodhya. The dream of Hindus was fortunately fulfilled by PM Modi as he led the ground-breaking and consecration ceremony of the historic temple, he added. The CM also expressed his gratitude to the Supreme Court for removing the obstacles that had hindered the temple's construction for centuries. He credited the leadership of PM Modi for swiftly initiating the construction work by establishing the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra that worked tirelessly to ensure the temple consecration on January 22 this year. The Chief Minister said that the resolution of the devotees across generations has been successfully realized under PM Modi's leadership. After darshan, the Chief Minister presented the replica painting of the historical event of Shabri Mata and Lord Ram as a gift to the trustees of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Trust, a post on CM Patel's X mentioned. Speaking to ANI after the visit, Gujarat Minister Rushikesh Patel said, "In the coming years, Ayodhya will not only become a centre of cultural heritage but it will also significantly contribute to the tourism sector in Uttar Pradesh and the country. Religious tourism is also developing in the country." Earlier on February 20, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and his cabinet colleagues visited Ayodhya to have a darshan of Ram Lalla. CM Dhami along with his cabinet colleagues Satpal Maharaj, Premchand Aggarwal, Subodh Uniyal, Dr Dhan Singh Rawat, Rekha Arya and Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal reached Jolly Grant Airport from where they left for Shri Ayodhya Dham. Earlier, the Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Pema Khandu on February 6, visited the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The delegation, comprising 70 people, including cabinet ministers, MLAs, and officials, was given a guard of honour at Maharishi Valmiki Airport upon their arrival. The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's historic temple was held on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the Vedic rituals, led by a group of priests. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Shimla, Mar 2 (PTI) High drama was witnessed during the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet meeting on Saturday with ministers Jagat Negi and Rohit Thakur leaving midway following a "heated debate" over policy decisions, sources said. Education minister Thakur, however, returned after allegedly being pacified by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, they said. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Police Constable Hacked to Death by Kin Over Family Dispute in Etawah. The Congress is on a firefighting mission in Himachal Pradesh after six of its MLAs voted for BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha election for the lone seat from the state triggering a political crisis. Revenue minister Negi said the meeting -- chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu -- started at around 12.30 pm instead of the scheduled time of 11 am and clashed with another engagement that he had. Negi said he left as he was getting late. Also Read | Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis Praise Ajit Pawar for Development Work in Baramati. Addressing media persons, Thakur said he left the meeting briefly to meet someone but later went back. The sources, however, said before the ministers left, a "heated debate" had taken place over some policy decisions Politics is a game of suitability and compromise and good sense should prevail in the interest of the party, a senior Congress leader told PTI while referring to the incident. Earlier in the day, Rebel Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA Rajinder Rana claimed that nine more party legislators "feeling suffocated" by Chief Minister Sukhu's style of functioning were in touch with them. Rana along with five other Congress MLAs, who had cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls, were disqualified from the Assembly. Meanwhile, the Cabinet gave its approval to the Excise Policy for the Financial Year 2024-25 and accorded sanction to engage 1,000 multi-task workers in the Animal Husbandry Department to support veterinary officers. The Cabinet gave its nod to fill 30 posts of JOA (IT) in the Public Works Department and four vacant posts of senior draughtsman in the Architect wing of the PWD. It also decided to purchase 10 food safety vehicles and hire the services of 10 food analysts, 10 attendants and 10 drivers in the Health Department. The Cabinet gave its nod to include more areas of Gram Panchayats Mashobra and Beolia under the ambit of Municipal Corporation Shimla to provide better facilities to the residents. (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], March 2 (ANI): Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said ICMR has done a detailed study which shows that COVID-19 vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks, and an individual's lifestyle and factors such as binge drinking could be among underlying causes. Speaking at 'ANI Dialogues - Navigating India's health sector' here on Saturday, the Union Health Minister said that the Modi government is working with a holistic approach so that people get affordable health care. Also Read | I Will Remain With NDA Forever, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Assures PM Narendra Modi (Watch Video). The Union Health Minister talked of India's efforts to supply COVID-19 vaccines to around 150 countries in the world and said that it has generated enormous goodwill in those countries. Answering a query, Mandaviya said there had been attempts to create misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines. Also Read | Indian Apps Back on Play Store: Google Reinstates Shaadi.com, Info Edge's Naukri, 99acres and Naukri Gulf, Other Apps on Play Store Amid Criticism. "If someone has a stroke today, some people think it is because of the COVID vaccine. ICMR has done a detailed study on this. (COVID) vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks. There are multiple reasons for heart attacks, like our lifestyle, tobacco and excess liquor consumption... Sometimes, misinformation goes among the people and a perception is formed for some time. But whatever decision we make, it should be data-based and scientific research-based," the minister said. According to a peer-reviewed ICMR study that came out in November last year, vaccines administered for COVID-19 did not increase the risk of sudden death among young adults in India but it was the post-Covid hospitalisation, family history of sudden death, and certain lifestyle behaviours that are likely the underlying causes. The study by Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) was conducted through the participation of 47 tertiary care hospitals across India. Cases were apparently healthy individuals aged 18-45 years without any known co-morbidity, who suddenly died of unexplained causes between October 2021-March 2023. Interviews were recorded to collect data on COVID-19 vaccination, infection and post-COVID-19 conditions, family history of sudden death, smoking, recreational drug use, alcohol frequency and binge drinking and vigorous-intensity physical activity two days before death. "Lifestyle factors such as current smoking status, alcohol use frequency, recent binge drinking, recreational drug/substance use and vigorous-intensity activity were positively associated with unexplained sudden death. As compared to never users, the more the frequency of alcohol use, the higher was the odds for unexplained sudden death," the study said. The study was done in view of some anecdotal reports of sudden unexplained deaths in India's, apparently healthy young adults during the once-in-a-century pandemic. Mandaviya said at the ANI Dialogues that the government took decisions concerning vaccination based on advice of experts and scientific evidence. "When the vaccine was given, an attempt was made at that time to create a misperception that this vaccine is not good. Then political questions were raised that if it (vaccine) was good then why PM Modi is not taking it?...PM Modi falls under the category of 60 years without comorbidities and he took the vaccine in the third category," he said "Mansukh Mandaviya is minister not scientist. So my decision should be scientific. You should have seen that during COVID, empowered groups were created. And technical teams made the decisions and I approved. But decision was theirs, not mine," he added. The Union Health Minister talked of the speed at which COVID-19 vaccine was rolled out in India due to determination of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said PM Modi told scientists that resources will not be constraint in the developing the vaccine. He said PM Modi conveyed that India should also send vaccines to other countries after meeting its needs. "During COVID-19, I conveyed the message of PM Modi to companies that it's time to cooperate with the world and it would be better if we won't hike the prices. Indian companies have supplied medicines to 150 countries but haven't hiked the price. None of the countries have ever complained, we have supplied quality and affordable medicine to the world. When the price of the vaccine was at USD 20-30, we supplied it either for free under the Vaccine Maitri initiative or at the minimal cost of USD 2 to 3. Now the world thinks that India is such a country that gives priority to human service and stands firm as a friend when needed," Mandaviya said. The union minister also referred to his meeting with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates who lauded India's COVID-19 management and vaccination. "Bill Gates is in India, and when he speaks it turns into a perception all over the world. At the World Economic Forum, I had a meeting with him, when we shook hands, he said, congratulations India, you have done good COVID management and vaccination drive," the minister said. According to the Economic Survey 2022-23, tabled by government in Parliament, India had administered more than 220 crore Covid vaccine doses across the country as on January 6, 2023. He said India was never short of brain power and manpower but will power and PM Modi has fulfilled this gap. The minister also talked of the need to take inspiration from advancements in medicine in India's ancient past. "If you go to medical universities all over the world, you'll see the statue of Sushruta, the entire world takes inspiration from him. We haven't built his statue, this was a mistake. But don't we have the right to correct this mistake? National Medical Commission had a Greek god in its logo, I don't have an issue with that, but shouldn't we respect our God and heritage. I said that I want the new generation to take inspiration from the scientists that we had, and hence I have changed the logo...Every person should work with commitment and dedication towards the nation. India is an able nation, it never has short of brain power and manpower but will power, PM Modi has fulfilled this," he said. The Union Minister said that health sector will play a vital role in India becoming a developed country. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ernakulam (Kerala) [India], March 2 (ANI): Cochin Customs seized 797 grams of gold and arrested three persons, including a woman, during an operation to check smuggling at Cochin International Airport on Saturday. A Cochin Customs official said, "During a gold smuggling operation at the Cochin International Airport, three persons, including a woman, were caught by customs and they seized 797 grams of gold from Mithun, a native of Pattambi, who had come from Dubai. Gold was injected into the body in the form of three pills." Also Read | I Will Remain With NDA Forever, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Assures PM Narendra Modi (Watch Video). Customs official further said that another passenger, a native of Malappuram who had come from Sharjah was also held. "Another passenger, a native of Malappuram who had come from Sharjah, had swallowed 1182 grams of gold in the form of four pills. Apart from this, a gold chain and bangle were recovered and 272 grams of gold was also seized from a woman named Fatima, a native of Kasaragod who came from Abu Dhabi," officials further added. (ANI) Also Read | Indian Apps Back on Play Store: Google Reinstates Shaadi.com, Info Edge's Naukri, 99acres and Naukri Gulf, Other Apps on Play Store Amid Criticism. (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], March 2 (ANI): Another round of the BJP's central election committee meeting for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be held in the next week, according to the sources. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Central Election Committee Meeting (CEC) will be held on March 5, 6 and 7 to finalise candidates' names for the rest of the seats regarding the Lok Sabha elections, the sources told ANI. Also Read | PM Modi Bihar Visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Unveils Development Projects Worth Rs 21,400 Crore in Aurangabad (Watch Video). The Central Election Committee Meeting will be held at the party headquarters in Delhi. "There will be another rounds of CEC on March 5,6 and 7 to discuss and decide the names of the candidates on rest of the seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," the party's top source said on Saturday. Also Read | Violence-Free Northeastern States Established, Over 10,000 Militants Laid Down Their Arms, Says Amit Shah. The source further said that the party will deliberate on the candidates' list decided in the last meet. "There will be three more rounds of CEC to discuss on rest of the seats. Few names that were discussed in last meeting will be discussed again in these rounds. BJP is a dedicated party, each and every seat is important hence deep discussion is important," the source said. First round of BJP CEC was held on Thursday at BJP headquarter, Delhi. The meeting focused on discussing Lok Sabha election seats across approximately 17 states. During the meeting, decisions were made regarding over 155 seats. First list of BJP candidates is supposed to come today or by tomorrow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP's National President JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Organisation General Secretary BL Santosh, Chief Ministers, State Presidents, In-charges, Co-Incharges, and Election In-charges of various states were present in the last meeting. Sources indicated that the announcement of the names of 4-5 candidates from Telangana could be made soon. Three current MPs G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and Arvind Dharmapuri may also get tickets again. Discussions were held with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding the names of candidates in the meeting. Discussions were also held on the names of candidates with BJP leaders from Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand. BJP sources said that the names of candidates from Assam were discussed in the meeting, in which all Lok Sabha seats were filled with leaders from Assam. BJP will contest on eleven seats in Assam and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal could contest from Dibrugarh, while State Minister Rameshwar Teli could be sent to the Rajya Sabha. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhopal, Mar 2 (PTI) The BJP will win all 29 constituencies in Madhya Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is nominated from Vidisha seat, said on Saturday. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the heart of the people of Madhya Pradesh. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will win all 29 seats. We all will contest jointly," he told reporters at his residence and invoked "Fir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar, Abki Baar 400 Paar" slogan. Also Read | Rameshwaram Cafe Blast: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Instructs Police Officers To Use Possibilities of Technology Effectively in Investigations. He said BJP leaders, including MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and state president VD Sharma, have held discussions about ensuring poll victory. "As a party worker, I will work with full strength," he said. Also Read | Bilkis Bano Gang Rape Case: Two Convicts Urge Supreme Court To Refer Their Pre-Mature Release Case to Larger Bench. The name of Chouhan and other leaders figured in the first list of 195 candidates declared by the BJP in Delhi. The party has announced the names of 24 candidates from MP. Chouhan had represented the high-profile Vidisha Lok Sabha seat for five terms before becoming the chief minister in 2005. The constituency was previously represented by BJP stalwarts like the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1991), Sushma Swaraj (2009 and 2014) and newspaper publisher Ramnath Goenka (1971). Chouhan had last won the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat in 2004 but resigned after becoming the chief minister. He is the sitting MLA from the Budhni assembly seat, which also falls under the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat. BJP's Ramakant Bhargava is the sitting MP from Vidisha. In the assembly polls held in November 2023, Chouhan won the Budhni seat with a record margin of 1.05 lakh votes. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP almost white-washed Congress by winning 28 of the 29 seats in MP, with Chhindwara being the only exception. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhopal, Mar 2 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and his Cabinet colleagues will offer prayers at Ram temple in Ayodhya on March 4. The MP government is also considering building a dharamshala (lodging facility) in Ayodhya and a ghat (a set of steps leading down to a river) on the banks of the Saryu River in the name of Ujjain emperor Vikramaditya if it gets land, the chief minister told reporters in Ujjain on Saturday. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Police Constable Hacked to Death by Kin Over Family Dispute in Etawah. "I and my Cabinet colleagues will go to Ayodhya on March 4 to offer prayers at the newly-constructed Lord Ram temple. The government is considering building a dharamshala for the convenience of people from MP who visit Ayodhya," he said. He said Madhya Pradesh has a special relationship with Lord Ram. Also Read | Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis Praise Ajit Pawar for Development Work in Baramati. "Emperor Vikramaditya had built a grand temple in Ayodhya about 2,000 years ago. A total of 43 temples in Ayodhya were built on the orders of Vikramaditya," Yadav said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 2 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that the state cabinet will visit Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on March 4. The state government will also construct a Dharamshala and a separate ghat named after Vikramaditya if space is made available. CM Yadav made the remark while speaking to reporters at helipad in Ujjain district. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: AAP To Announce Candidates for All 13 Seats in Punjab in 2-4 Days, Says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram in Ayodhya on January 22. It has brought a different energy and joy to the country. In this situation, we decided that I, along with the state cabinet, will go to Ayodhya on March 4. Madhya Pradesh has a special connection with Lord Ram," the CM said. He further said, "Samrat Vikramaditya had built a Ram temple in Ayodhya 2000 years ago. Now, our government will try to construct a 'dharmshala' in Ayodhya for people of the state visiting there. If the land is made available, we will also construct 'Vikramaditya Ghat' on the banks of the Saryu River." Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Elderly Couple Dies After Wall of Brick Kiln Collapses in Fatehpur. Earlier, CM Yadav virtually launched "PM Shri Air Ambulance Services' in the state on the occasion of the closing ceremony of 'regional industry conclave 2024' held in Ujjain on Saturday. Later, he reached the Ujjain Police Line Helipad and inspected the PM Shri Air Ambulance Service. Speaking on the occasion, the CM said, "It is a historic decision of the Madhya Pradesh government to provide PM Shri Air Ambulance Service in the state. With the help of this service, the lives of poor people can be saved. I am happy that it is being started in the entire state for every person...It is a free-of-cost service..." Notably, the two-day Regional Industry Conclave, kicked off on Friday in Ujjain. This initiative spans across 20 districts of the state, including Bhopal, Ujjain, and Indore. 56 projects are expected to attract investments exceeding Rs 74,000 crore, creating employment opportunities for over 17,000 individuals. (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, Mar 2 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has asked the director general of the National Mission for Clean Ganga to look into some villages along the river's banks in Bihar's Samastipur district being not included in the Namami Gange Programme. The green panel was hearing a letter petition that claimed no work had been undertaken under the programme in the district. Also Read | Gautam Gambhir To Quit Politics? BJP MP Asks Party Chief JP Nadda To Relieve Him of Political Duties (View Post). According to the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the programme is an integrated conservation mission -- approved as a flagship initiative by the Centre in 2014 -- to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of the national river. "We are of the opinion that the grievance raised by the applicant needs to be considered at the first instance by the director general of the NMCG," a bench of National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said in an order passed last month. Also Read | Bengaluru Cafe Blast: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah To Chair Meeting With Top Police Officials Today in Connection With Explosion at Rameshwaram Cafe. "Hence, we dispose of the present original application expecting the director general, NMCG, to duly look into the grievance of the applicant and take appropriate decision in accordance with the law," the bench, also comprising Expert Members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, 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, March 2 (PTI) In yet another dog bite incident in the national capital, a seven-year-old girl was injured in an attack by a pet Pitbull in Shahadra's Jagatpuri area, police said on Saturday. A police officer said the girl was playing outside her house on Friday evening when the dog attacked and dragged her before she was rescued by the locals. Also Read | Delhi Rains: National Capital Witnesses Sudden Change in Weather, Wakes Up to Light-Intensity Rainfall (Watch Video). The girl was taken to a hospital by her mother and her condition was stated to be out of danger, the officer added. Police recorded the statement of the girl's mother and scanned CCTV footage from the area to ascertain the sequence of the incident. Also Read | Rameshwaram Cafe Blast: Police Intensifies Probe Into Bengaluru Blast Case, Pursues Clues (Watch Video). A case under Indian Penal Code sections 289 (negligent act with respect to animal) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) has been registered against the dog's owner Shivanand Bhaskar and a probe has been initiated, police said. Delhi has witnessed a couple of dig bite incidents in the last few weeks. Last week, a two-year-old girl was allegedly mauled to death by a group of stray dogs in Central Delhi's Tughlak Road area. On February 15, an autorickshaw driver was thrashed by a man and bitten multiple times by his dog for allegedly asking the owner to keep the pet on a leash. On January 22, a two-year-old girl was allegedly attacked by a pet dog in northeast Delhi's Vishwas Nagar. A day before that, a seven-year-old boy was injured in northwest Delhi's Mahendra Park area after allegedly being attacked by a Pitbull. In the Shahbad Dairy area, a seven-year-old girl was allegedly attacked by an American Bully when she was playing near her home. In another incident, a Pitbull allegedly snatched an 18-month-old child from her grandfather's lap and mauled her in Burari's Uttarakhand Colony. (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], March 2 (ANI): In a startling revelation, Suneetha Narreddy, daughter of former MP YS Vivekananda Reddy has accused her cousin and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of obstructing a CBI inquiry into the investigation case into her father's murder. Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Friday, Suneetha urged the Central Bureau of Investigation to expedite their investigation into the case and expressed deep concern over the delay. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Police Constable Hacked to Death by Kin Over Family Dispute in Etawah. Drawing attention to a tense situation in Kurnool during the attempted arrest of Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy, she asked whether the CBI had ever returned empty-handed after attempting an arrest. Alleging protection for Avinash Reddy and Bhaskar Reddy by those in power, she called for an examination of Jagan Reddy's involvement in the case, suggesting a deliberate delay due to his political influence. Dr. Suneetha warned that justice might be compromised if YSRCP, led by Jagan Reddy, wins in the upcoming elections, appealing to the public not to support the party. Also Read | I Will Remain With NDA Forever, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Assures PM Narendra Modi (Watch Video). Suneetha mentioned that cases were filed against the CBI officers investigating her father's murder and alleged that the investigation officers were intimidated with these cases. She also sought a verdict in the court of public opinion. She also mentioned that Jagan Reddy had withdrawn the petition for a CBI investigation before the formation of the new government. She disclosed that YSRCP leaders Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, YV Subbareddy, Anil Reddy and other family members also forced her to withdraw the petition for CBI. Speaking to ANI, Suneetha Narreddy raised concerns about alleged intimidation tactics faced by CBI officers working on her father's case. "The investigation into the murder of my father, YS Vivekananda Reddy, has been closed as far as CBI is concerned at this point. But when I review the documents submitted by the CBI in the courts and the chargesheet... certain aspects need to be investigated that have not been addressed in the chargesheet". "I don't know when I will get justice in the court of law but, if I can get justice in the people's court, that will add a huge moral booster. Some of the accused in this case are very closely connected to the ruling party," she said. Earlier, in July 2023, The Supreme Court asked the CBI to file a reply on Suneetha Reddy's plea challenging the Telangana High Court order granting anticipatory bail to Avinash Reddy and placed before it a copy of the chargesheet filed in connection with YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case. In the plea, Suneetha has challenged the Telangana High Court order dated May 31 and said that "the High Court, after holding a mini-trial and giving findings/making comments on the merits of the prosecution case virtually accepting the entire case put forth by Respondent No.1 and disregarding the evidence collected by the CBI, has allowed the said Petition and granted anticipatory bail to Respondent No.1 in a murder case, contrary to the law laid down by the top Court. She also said that Respondent had not appeared before the CBI pursuant to the last three notices and it was a clear case of non-cooperation with the investigation disentitling Avinash Reddy to relief u/s 438 CrPC. A month before the last general elections, Vivekananda Reddy, a former MP, father of Suneetha Narreddy and uncle of Avinash Reddy, was found dead at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019 (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Another Catholic parish has been deemed financially insolvent and will close soon, although a date has not yet been set. A Buffalo Diocese spokesman confirmed on Friday that St. Lawrence Church at 1520 E. Delavan Ave. will shut down due to fiscal struggles and a lack of sacramental ministries. Parishioners lament closure of St. Andrew church and school, staples of Tonawanda community Parishioners are grieving the pending loss of St. Andrew Church and its grammar school, both of which have been mainstays in the Town of Tonawanda for many decades. Leaders in the family of parishes of which St. Lawrence is a part made the decision to seek closure after a thorough analysis of how well the parish was meeting six pillar requirements for being a vibrant church. Following extensive review with diocesan leaders in consultation with clergy and lay leaders of both financial and sacramental data of St. Lawrence Parish, it has become evident that the parish is insolvent, diocese spokesman Joseph Martone said in a prepared statement. Typical attendance at two weekend Masses at St. Lawrence was between 50 and 85 people. St. Andrew's church, school in Tonawanda to close The diocese said it made the decision with parish leadership to close the church and St. Andrew's Country Day School, at Sheridan Drive and Elmwood Avenue, because they "have been plagued by financial challenges over the last few years." St. Lawrence is the third Catholic parish closing to be announced in the past month, joining St. Andrews Church in the Town of Tonawanda and All Saints in Buffalos Riverside section. Those parishes also struggled with significant debts and not enough regular income to pay them down. The closures are happening as the diocese enters a new phase of its ongoing restructuring effort known as Road to Renewal, which is intended to revitalize parish life as churches struggle with having fewer priests, fewer members, and less money. Church leaders are looking to reverse or at least slow a steady erosion in the practice of the faith in parishes among an estimated 500,000 Catholics in Western New York. Weekend Mass attendance fell from 155,000 people in 2012 to 60,000 people in 2021, according to diocese statistics. The diocese began grouping 160 parishes into 36 families in early 2022, and by summer 2023, parishioners were seeing plenty of changes, particularly with revised Mass schedules, as the new families sorted out how to best provide liturgies and ministries in their various churches. The diocese went through a contentious process more than 15 years ago known as Journey In Faith and Grace that resulted in several dozen parish mergers and church closings. Bishop Michael W. Fisher said early on that the Road to Renewal wouldnt require more churches to close, while explaining at the time that he hoped families of parishes would honestly assess what resources they had as a family and make sound decisions about what they can afford in terms of buildings and ministries. Four years into bankruptcy, Buffalo Diocese prepares to sell off property The diocese has identified 22 properties, including its longtime headquarters, it may sell to generate funds toward a settlement of sex abuse claims. But aside from that development, theres little indication the diocese is close to reaching a deal with the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, which represents about 900 people who said they were sexually abused as children by Catholic priests or other diocese employees. The dioceses Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which began in 2020, has added to the urgency, although Fisher maintained in a video statement on the diocese website earlier this week that the recent parish closings were not a direct result of the bankruptcy proceedings. The bishop instead blamed wider societal trends, such as Catholics moving away from the area, fewer young people and more Americans identifying as nonreligious. He also said local Catholics must address the realization that we have more parishes than we need for our Catholic population. St. Lawrence Parish is part of Family #21, which also includes Blessed Trinity, St. Martin de Porres and SS. Columba & Brigid. Martone said town hall meetings were held Feb. 17 and 18 at St. Lawrence Church following Masses to answer questions and discuss parishioner concerns. He said he couldnt predict whether more closings would be announced soon, but as more families of parishes take a closer look at individual parishes, they may determine the need to shut down churches. Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], March 2 (ANI): In a breakthrough, the Chandigarh Crime Branch in Punjab has apprehended three more operatives of the Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar Gang. The three have been identified as Maya, Amanpreet Singh and Parvinder Singh. Also Read | Germany: Tesla Plant Protesters to Spend Week in Forest. Superintendent of Police (SP) Ketan Bansal said that the key accused woman, who is a resident of Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, has been nabbed, and along with her, two of her associates who provided the logistics have also been arrested. "The accused woman, identified as Maya, is 28 years old and was in contact with gangster Rohit Godara for the last several days. They had a conversation on Instagram, and after that, they started staying in constant touch with him," said the official. Also Read | Bihar: TTE Stabbed During Ticket Checking at Patna Junction Railway Station; Attacker Absconding. "The woman has tattoos of the 'gun symbol' on parts of her body and is completely influenced by gangster culture. She was given the task of entering the courtroom wearing a lawyer's clothes and open fire," added the SP. The official further said that along with the woman, two more of her associates, Amanpreet Singh, a resident of Muktsar Sahib, and Parvinder Singh, a resident of Fazilka, have been arrested, for providing logistics to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. "They also brought them from the railway station and provided them rooms to stay at many places," said the official. Earlier this month, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab apprehended two operatives of the Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar Gang. The accused were identified as Mandeep Singh and Jatinder Singh. Punjab's AGTF arrested the individuals and also recovered two pistols and 12 live cartridges from their possession. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Agartala, Mar 2 (PTI) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday asserted that the tripartite agreement signed to bring a lasting solution to the problems of the state's indigenous people was a historic step to achieve peace and prosperity. Earlier in the day, the tripartite agreement between Tipra Motha and the governments of Tripura and India was signed in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Narendra Modi To Contest From Varanasi; Matter of Pride for Uttar Pradesh, Says CM Yogi Adityanath. "Today is a historic day for the state of Tripura as an important agreement to ensure peace and prosperity was inked in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah," the CM said at a press conference. Under the pact, it was agreed to amicably resolve all issues of the indigenous people of Tripura related to history, land and political rights, economic development, identity, culture and language, according to an official statement. Also Read | Rameshwaram Cafe Blast: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Instructs Police Officers To Use Possibilities of Technology Effectively in Investigations. Shah said that with the signing of the agreement, the government has respected history, corrected past wrongs and accepted the present reality to proceed towards a brighter future. "The BJP-IPFT government in the state doesn't want to linger any problem. For the past few months, the Tipra Motha has been raising some issues. Today's development will address the concern of the opposition party," Saha said. Lauding the prime minister's focus on peace in the northeast region, Saha said altogether eleven accords have been signed by the Centre with different organisations in the northeastern region in the past few years. The tripartite agreement between Tripura Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance, popularly known as Tipra Motha, and the state and central governments was signed at North Block in New Delhi. Asked when the joint working group will be constituted, the chief minister said the election bugle has already been sounded and political parties are gearing up for their election campaign. "Despite Parliamentary elections, the work on the agreement will begin and all will be informed whenever any development comes", he said. Taking to social media, Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debarma said the party has signed a historical accord. "We have to implement our land rights, funding pattern, language (script) issue, political representation and also correct our historical and cultural pride", he said in a Facebook post. The CPI (M) strongly reacted to the tripartite agreement, claiming that it was "an eyewash of the BJP to divert the people's attention from the real issues ahead of parliamentary elections". "It is an agreement with the Tipra Motha to win the elections", CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury told PTI. "A modality committee was constituted following an agreement with the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally of the BJP-led coalition government, after the 2018 assembly elections. But it has not delivered a one-line recommendation after six years! There is nothing new in the agreement with the Tipra Motha and no time frame was set for when the joint working group will start functioning," he added. (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, Mar 2 (PTI) Three students were injured in a brawl between former and current students at Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi Police said on Saturday. The incident occurred on Friday evening near Jamia's centenary gate where the two student groups clashed with each other, possibly due to regional differences, they added. Also Read | Maharashtra SSC Board Exam 2024: Class 10 Examination Begins Today; Know Shift-Wise Timings, Important Guidelines. Adil Khan (24) and Zafar (25), presently enrolled in the university, and Saqib (19), a student of Jamia School, were admitted to AIIMS Trauma Centre and Holy Family Hospital, the police said. An FIR has been registered in the matter for rioting and under Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code at the Jamia Nagar Police Station, they said, adding that seven persons have been booked in the matter. Also Read | One Vehicle, One FASTag Initiative: Complete FASTag KYC Update by February 29 To Avoid Account Deactivation; Here's a Step-by-Step Guide. The police said teams have been formed to nab the accused. "It was a petty fight between two students on a very small issue. The Dean and HoD talked to them and the situation is fine now," chief proctor Atiqur Rahman told PTI. In the videos of the incident which have surfaced online, some youths can be seen exchanging blows and wielding sticks. "On January 1 at about 8.25 pm, a PCR call was received regarding quarrel in the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia University near gate number 13. Local SHO along with staff reached the spot where only bystanders were found," the police said in a statement. "Later information was received from AIIMS Trauma Centre and Holy Family Hospital that 3 persons had got injured in the incident which took place in JMI University near gate number 13 and their MLCs (medico-legal case) have been prepared," the statement said. "An enquiry has revealed that some students and ex-students of JMI university are aligned on regional basis such as Poorvanchali, Western UP and Mewat. At times, these groups fight with each other on extremely petty issues which further gets aggravated by the involvement of non-students or ex-students," the police said. The university administration has been asked to ensure outsiders do not enter the campus and vitiate the environment, the police said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Missouri, March 2: The Indian Consulate in Chicago has condoled the demise of Indian dancer, Amarnath Ghosh, who was allegedly shot dead by an unknown assailant in St Louis, Missouri in the United States. The Indian mission in a statement on Friday (local time) said that it is following up the case with forensic, investigation and with police. "Deep condolences to family & friends of deceased Amarnath Ghosh in StLouis, Missouri. We are following up forensic, investigation with police & providing support," the Indian Consulate in Chicago posted on social media platform X. The incident was flagged by television actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who said that her close friend Ghosh, a Kolkata based Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer who was pursuing a PhD in the US was shot dead in St Louis on Tuesday and urged the Indian Embassy in and the External Minister S Jaishankar to initiate and investigation into the matter.. Devoleena Bhattacharjee Says Her Friend Was Shot & Killed in US, Actress Seeks PM Modi and Indian Embassys Help on X Devoleena said that Ghosh hailed from Kolkata and both of his parents had passed away. She stated that Ghosh was attacked multiple times by an unknown assailant while he was taking an evening walk in the St Louis Academy neighbourhood. She requested assistance from the Indian government as well as the Indian Embassy in the US. "My friend #Amarnathghosh was shot & killed in St louis academy neigbourhood, US on tuesday evening. Only child in the family, mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood. Well the reason , accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one left in his family to fight for it except his few friends. He was from kolkata. Excellent dancer, was pursuing PHD, was taking an evening walk and suddenly he was shot multiple times by an unknown," Devoleena posted on X. "Some friends in US are trying to claim the body but still no update about it. @IndianEmbassyUS kindly see to it if you could. Atleast we should know the reason of his murder. @DrSJaishankar@narendramodi," she added. Notably, multiple distressing incidents have been reported lately from the US involving Indian nationals or people of Indian origin. Devoleena Bhattacharjee Seeks Blessings at Kamakhya Temple in Assam (View Pics) As many as five Indian students were reported dead in separate incidents in the the first two months of 2024. 41-year-old Vivek Taneja also died after succumbing to assault injuries in Washington. Last month, an Indian student, Syed Mazahir Ali, faced a brutal attack in Chicago on February 4. Following the attack, the Indian Consulate in Chicago stated that it was in touch with the victim, as well as his wife in India. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dubai [UAE], March 2 (ANI/WAM): The Dubai World Dermatology and Laser Conference and Exhibition--Dubai Derma 2024 Pre-courses--has officially kicked off today. As the largest scientific dermatology event in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Indian Subcontinent region, it brings together prominent dermatology specialists, industry leaders, and key decision-makers from around the world. Also Read | South Korea: 60-Year-Old Woman Suffers Cardiac Arrest After Bungee Jump Inside Starfield Anseong Mall in Gyeonggi Province. This event offers a remarkable opportunity for dermatology professionals worldwide to explore cutting-edge topics and advancements in the field. From March 2nd to March 5th, distinguished experts will lead engaging sessions covering a variety of crucial topics. During the pre-courses, attendees had the privilege of engaging with a stellar lineup of experts in dermatology. Topics covered included "Biologics in Dermatology: Beyond Psoriasis", "Update on The Pathogenesis and Biological Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis", "Therapeutics & New Drugs", "Update in Acne", "Difficult Clinical Dermatology Cases", "Dermoscopy: A Diagnostic Tricks on Examination of Papulosequmous Skin Diseases", "Golden Rules in Dermatological Practice", "Interesting Clinical Cases; Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment", "Syphilis; Hints and Keys for Clinical Practice", "Genodermatosis", and "Lymphomas and Sarcoidosis as a Great Imitator". Also Read | Shehbaz Sharif Set To Become Pakistan's Prime Minister for Second Time. The event features the Arab Academy of Dermatology & Aesthetics (AADA) Fellowship Course on Dermatology, Aesthetics, and Laser from 4th to 7th March 2024. These pre-event programs aim to offer participants opportunities to delve into specific topics and enhance their expertise before the main event commences. Dubai Derma 2024 will host approximately 301 international speakers who will contribute their expertise across 51 scientific sessions and 53 workshops. Moreover, attendees can explore 30 digital poster presentations showcasing the insights of international professionals. Key topics encompass medical, therapeutic, pediatric, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology. Notable highlights include clinical case presentations designed to deepen understanding of new procedures and diagnostic approaches. Moreover, the event anticipates over 25,000 visitors from 112 participating countries converging to engage in scientific discourse and explore business prospects within the sector. With more than 1500 international brands represented by over 400 global enterprises, the exhibition promises a diverse array of offerings. Additionally, dedicated country pavilions from Korea, France, and Italy will showcase their premier products from leading global brands, available for purchase and distribution. The pre-courses at Dubai Derma 2024 offered a remarkable opportunity for attendees to explore the latest advancements, diagnostic tools, and treatment modalities in dermatology. With a distinguished lineup of speakers who are leaders in their respective fields, participants received comprehensive insights, practical advice, and valuable case studies, enriching their professional knowledge and practice. The global dermatology market, valued at USD 1.59 billion in 2022, is projected to reach approximately USD 3.14 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.03% from 2023 to 2032. Events like Dubai Derma play a pivotal role in highlighting the significance of dermatology through conferences and exhibitions. These platforms showcase the latest research and advanced products, thereby fostering growth and enhancement within the industry. Dubai Derma remains committed to advancing dermatological care through education, innovation, and collaboration. The pre-courses mark the beginning of a dynamic and enriching conference that promises to inspire and empower dermatology professionals from around the globe. Dubai Derma 2024 sets a new standard in providing cutting-edge technologies and solution-focused courses available in today's market. With the largest conference and exhibition to date, we anticipate a record-breaking number of participants and a substantial volume of business deals to be facilitated. Dubai Derma is organised annually by INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions, a member of INDEX Holding, in cooperation with the Pan Arab League of Dermatology and the Arab Academy of Dermatology Aesthetics (AADA). The event is also supported by the Emirates Dermatology Society, the Indian Society of Teledermatology, the Pakistan Association of Dermatologists, the Face Aesthetic Dermatologist Society (FADS), the Sri Lanka College of Dermatologists, and the Georgian Association of Photodermatology and Skin Cancer. (ANI/WAM) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): As the world commemorates World Birth Defects Day 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) directs attention to the pivotal theme, "Every Journey Matters." As stated in the WHO press release, "Saima Wazed, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, underscores the significance of acknowledging and safeguarding health from its very inception - during intra-uterine life." Also Read | South Korea: 60-Year-Old Woman Suffers Cardiac Arrest After Bungee Jump Inside Starfield Anseong Mall in Gyeonggi Province. "We are reminded that "Every Journey Matters," and the journey of health indeed begins before birth," the release says. "This resonates with the WHO's commitment to fostering global awareness about birth defects and accelerating actions to prevent, detect, and manage these congenital anomalies,' as per WHO press release. Also Read | Shehbaz Sharif Set To Become Pakistan's Prime Minister for Second Time. "I am heartened that a regional implementation guidance on universal newborn screening of three conditions (hearing impairment, eye abnormalities, and neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia) is being released on this occasion to facilitate capacity-building of Member States," the release added. Globally, the contribution of birth defects to the cause of death among under-5 children has seen an unfortunate surge. Between 2000 and 2021, the WHO South-East Asia Region has witnessed an alarming increase from 4% to 11%. Additionally, Birth defects now stand as the third most common cause of death among under-5 children in the region, accounting for a staggering 11% of total deaths, equivalent to the loss of 300 young lives each day. Wazed notes that while genetics plays a significant role in the aetiology of birth defects, many are preventable by addressing environmental factors. The WHO has been actively supporting Member States since 2014, focusing on reducing maternal, newborn, and child mortality. An integrated approach has been adopted to implement interventions for the prevention and treatment of birth defects in existing national programs. Moreover, the WHO's South-East Asia Region has taken significant strides in strengthening preventive measures. Routine childhood rubella vaccination has accelerated, achieving an average coverage rate of 92% for the first dose. Additionally, countries like Bhutan, DPR Korea, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste have successfully eliminated rubella, with no reported cases of congenital rubella syndrome. On this World Birth Defects Day, the WHO issues a "call for action" in five key areas. Member States are urged to prioritize birth defects in their agenda, enhance commitment and leadership, and allocate appropriate financial resources. The WHO emphasizes the importance of the newly released regional guidance on universal new-born screening for three conditions and stresses the need to improve preventive interventions, strengthen community-based support networks, and sustain and expand surveillance of birth defects. As WHO reaffirms its commitment to the "survive, thrive, and transform" agenda, the global community is called upon to unite in the shared responsibility of ensuring that every journey towards health is safeguarded from its very beginning. (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, Mar 2 (PTI) India has emerged as Nepal's top inbound tourist market in February, the tourism authority here said on Saturday, as the key sector in the Himalayan nation is gradually witnessing recovery from the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic. Of the total 97,426 tourists arriving in the country by air route last month, 25,578 were from India, followed by China with 9,180 and the US with 9,089 visitors, according to data published by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). Also Read | Shehbaz Sharif Set To Become Pakistan's Prime Minister for Second Time. Thailand is in fourth place with 4,799 inbound visitors, while the UK and Bangladesh ranked fifth and sixth in the list with 4,571 and 4,099 tourists respectively. According to NTB Director Mani Lamichhane, though the data showed over 25,000 Indians visiting Nepal in February, the actual number is much higher as a large number of tourists from India visited the country via land route. Also Read | Pakistan: Mahmood Khan Achakzai Nominated by Imran Khan As Presidential Candidate Against Asif Ali Zardari. In January, Nepal received 18,041 visitors from India. The number of tourists arriving via air route in Nepal in February is 33 per cent up from February 2023, which witnessed arrival of 73,255 visitors. As compared to 2019, the pre-Covid 19 period, it was 95.12 per cent recovery. The number of tourists arrival in Nepal in February 2019 was 1,02,423, the NTB said. Nepal's tourism sector, which is badly affected by COVID-19, is expected to revive in 2024, and the February data is a positive indication, NTB Director Lamichhane said. As the tourism season starts after March, the number of visitors will significantly increase from next month, 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) New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): Nepal's Ambassador to India, Shankar Sharma on Saturday appreciated the new guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India, which allow multiple financial services between the people of India and Nepal. He said that now Nepal citizens can send Rs 2 lakh per transaction to Nepal and walk-in customers can remit Rs 50,000 per transaction. Also Read | UK: 89-Year-Old Man Dies of Overdose of Vitamin D Supplements That Did Not Warn About Risks of Excessive Intake. The Nepal envoy also said that Unified Payment Interface-Nepal Clearing House Ltd, which is to be inaugurated soon, will further eliminate any inconvenience of carrying cash. "RBI's updated regulation allows Nepali account holders to send Rs 2 lakhs per transaction (without any limit) to. Walk-in customers can remit Rs. 50,000 per transaction (12 per yr). The soon-to-be-inaugurated UPI/NCHL mechanism will eliminate inconvenience of carrying cash," Sharma posted on X on Saturday. Also Read | 'They Wanted To Humiliate Us': Palestinian Women Detained by Israel Allege Abuse in Israeli Custody. https://x.com/DrShankarSharma/status/1763784026018787595?s=20 Last December, Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, announced that the digital payment gateway between India and Nepal is expected to start in the first phase at the end of February 2024. In June 2023, the NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL) joined hands to facilitate cross-border digital payments between India and Nepal by integrating the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) of India and the National Payments Interface (NPI) of Nepal. During Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal's visit to India, an MoU was exchanged between NIPL and NCHL. As per the MoU, both bodies intend to establish cross-border connectivity for financial transactions between the two countries to ease fund transfers and merchant payments by users. The initial engagement was for inward and outward transfers between the banks in India and Nepal, which will be achieved by integration between the UPI of India and the NPI of Nepal to enable existing instruments for cross-border transactions, which will be subsequently extended for other merchant payments. Designated by the Nepal government, the Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL) has a 10 per cent investment from Nepal Rastra Bank -- the Central Bank of Nepal and 90 per cent from other different commercial banks. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lahore [Pakistan], March 2 (ANI): A woman was allegedly set on fire by her tenant after she resisted his attempt to rape her, the local police reported, as reported by ARY News. The unsettling incident unfolded in the Dajkot area, where the accused tenant, identified as Kashif, allegedly attempted to assault the woman upon finding her alone in the residence. When met with resistance, Kashif allegedly resorted to setting the woman on fire, as detailed in statements provided by neighbours to the police. Also Read | South Korea: 60-Year-Old Woman Suffers Cardiac Arrest After Bungee Jump Inside Starfield Anseong Mall in Gyeonggi Province. According to ARY News, in response to preliminary findings, the police apprehended Kashif, the accused perpetrator, and initiated further inquiries into the matter. Meanwhile, the woman has been transferred to Allied Hospital in critical condition, nursing severe burn injuries. Also Read | Shehbaz Sharif Set To Become Pakistan's Prime Minister for Second Time. The incidents shed light on the alarming challenges faced by women in society, underscoring the imperative for robust measures to safeguard their safety and well-being, as per ARY News. In a separate disturbing event, a distressing incident unfolded in Lahore's Cavalry Ground area as a woman reportedly set herself on fire, according to Punjab police sources. Authorities revealed that the incident transpired in Lahore, where the woman immolated herself outside her ex-husband's office. Identified as having been married to a man named Asif for eight years, the woman's desperate act left her in critical condition. The Punjab police spokesperson confirmed that the woman had been rushed to the hospital for urgent medical attention. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kabul [Afghanistan], March 2 (ANI): Qatar reaffirmed its commitment to host international meetings on Afghanistan issues, further affirming its support for the Afghan people, according to Khaama Press. In its recent statement, Juhara Abdulaziz Al-Suwaidi, Deputy Permanent Representative of Qatar to Geneva, underscored the importance of continuing to host meetings on Afghanistan at the fifty-fifth session of the UN Human Rights Council. Also Read | South Korea: 60-Year-Old Woman Suffers Cardiac Arrest After Bungee Jump Inside Starfield Anseong Mall in Gyeonggi Province. Notably, Qatar stands among the few countries that have been key hosts of the most significant international meetings on Afghanistan since 2020, contributing to notable developments in the country. The recent Doha meeting and the signing of the Doha Agreement were pivotal events, with 18 months of negotiations hosted by Qatar in its capital city, as reported by Khaama Press, reported Khaama Press. Also Read | Shehbaz Sharif Set To Become Pakistan's Prime Minister for Second Time. Qatar's Foreign Ministry, in its statement, highlighted issues of communication, increased coordination within the framework of human rights promotion, and ensuring a decent life for the Afghan people as part of its policy to support Afghanistan. The statement by Qatar's Foreign Ministry also emphasised the continued humanitarian aid committed to supporting the Afghan people and hosting meetings on the country's issues. Qatar has played a crucial role in facilitating dialogues and negotiations aimed at resolving the Afghan conflict, fostering a platform for discussions and agreements critical for Afghanistan's stability, Khaama Press reported. Amidst dire humanitarian crises and ongoing violations of human rights and women's rights in Afghanistan, Qatar's sustained efforts to convene international gatherings highlight a commitment to address the country's challenges and support people. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) After a state entity shelved the proposal for wind turbines in Lake Erie 14 months ago, opponents of the idea suspected it was only a matter of time before the idea would be recycled. Western New York does not want these wind turbines in Lake Erie, said David Adrian, an aquatic biologist and member of the Citizens Against Wind Turbines in Lake Erie. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority determined in December 2022 that it wasnt the right time to put the turbines in Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. NYSERDA concluded the turbines would cost more than other renewable energy options, and wouldnt offer a feasible contribution to state climate goals. Five months later, State Sen. Pete Harckham, a Westchester County Democrat and chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, proposed a pilot project to place wind turbines in Lake Erie. His bill, which sits in the committee, states that reaching the states goal of zero-emission electricity and decarbonization may not be possible without harnessing the wind resources over the Great Lakes. New Yorks Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act requires 70% of electricity to come from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, by 2030, and for the state to achieve zero-emission electricity by 2040. Harckhams bill also states that given the lengthy timelines associated with new offshore wind developments, an expedited pilot project to fully assess the viability of such development is crucial to ensure that the resource is available when needed. New York is moving ahead with projects in other parts of the state. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday that the state conditionally awarded two wind projects in the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island. Citizens Against Wind Turbines in Lake Erie, or CAWTILE, got support from the Hamburg Town Board on Monday, when it opposed any efforts to introduce offshore wind turbines in the waters of Lake Erie. Board members unanimously approved a resolution objecting to turbines in the lake, citing a number of questions and concerns. They include the disturbance of toxic industrial wastes in the lakebed and how that could affect drinking water and enter the food chain of fish and birds, potential spills of oil and other petroleum products contained in the turbines and the impact on historic sites including lighthouses and shipwrecks. There also are concerns about the effect of the turbines on migratory pathways of birds, bats and butterflies, radar interference on public safety and border security, and noise vibrations emitted by the wind turbines on anglers, boaters and nearshore residents and visitors. The Town Board also called for a moratorium on the development and construction of wind turbines in the lake. Patty Meckes, president of CAWTILE, said the Hamburg resolution is the start of building opposition in other towns and the community. CAWTILE will not rest until there is a permanent law prohibiting turbines in Lake Erie, she told Town Board members. Hamburg Councilwoman Elizabeth Farrell Lorentz praised the citizens group for its advocacy. They are such a fine example of grassroots community engagement. They have done exhaustive research, Farell Lorentz said. The Hamburg resolution is to be sent to the governor, leaders of the State Legislature and Western New York legislators, as well as local leaders. Islamabad [Pakistan], March 2 (ANI): Senators from two sides of the political aisle sparred over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan's letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) linking the release of the next tranche of the bailout package with the 'audit' of the February 8 elections, Dawn reported. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Saadia Abbasi, while raising the issue in the Upper House of Parliament regretted inviting the global lender to intervene in the internal affairs of Pakistan. Also Read | Russia Has No Plan To Station Nuclear Weapons in Space, Says Vladimir Putin. She said IMF was "neither an investigation agency nor had the role to impose its will in matters linked with Pakistan's sovereignty." She added that Khan's role was one of the strongest opposition parties at present. Abbasi further said the opposition was a watchdog on government and a government-in-waiting, but "domestic issues should be resolved domestically," highlighting the need for all to join hands to protect the country's interests. Also Read | Iran Elections 2024: Voting Ends in Iran's Parliament, Assembly of Experts Elections After 16 Hours. Hitting back, PTI Senator Humayun Mohmand said that it was the IMF that had sought a meeting with Khan in June 2023. He said the IMF Board of Governors had declared that it would offer bailout package "only after Imran Khan gave a guarantee." He said the PTI chairman had been told that the first tranche would be released to the Pakistan Democratic Movement -- the ruling coalition government, the second to the caretaker government and the third to the government "that will get people's mandate in a free and fair election." "We are just reminding them that the next tranche is to be given to those having mandate," the senator said, while accusing the ruling government of "being formed by those who had stolen mandate." Mohmand reminded PML-N Senator Abbasi that this was also the opinion of former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and PML-N leader Javed Latif. He praised the PML-N candidate from NA-66, Nisar Cheema, for admitting that defeat was better than a stolen mandate, according to Dawn. PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui said that inviting a foreign institution to intervene in Pakistan's internal affairs was condemnable. He also informed the chair that he has already submitted an adjournment motion on the subject with the secretariat. PTI lawmaker Zeeshan Khanzada criticised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for not allocating reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which has been joined by PTI-backed independent candidates. Another PTI Senator, Saifullah Abro, emphasised that the election to the office of Prime Minister should be held only after the National Assembly is complete, with the allocation of reserved seats. He said that except PML-N, every party was complaining that "elections had been rigged," Dawn 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) Washington, DC [US], March 2 (ANI): President Joe Biden announced on Friday that the United States is set to initiate airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza amid ongoing negotiations for a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, The Hill reported. The confirmation came during a meeting with the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, in the Oval Office. Also Read | BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi Opens for Public Today; Indian Envoy Sunjay Sudhir Lauds India-UAE Ties (Watch Video). The planned airdrops aim to provide essential humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza, addressing the increasingly dire circumstances faced by the population as Israel conducts military operations in the region. The airdrops are perceived as a means for the US to deliver aid to the region while actively working towards brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. This initiative aims to facilitate the entry of essential supplies such as food, medicine, and water into Gaza, as well as the release of hostages. Also Read | US: Los Angeles Court Orders Haresh Jogani to Pay USD Seven Billion to Four Indian Brothers in Family Real Estate Dispute. The US military is actively working to carry out the airdrops in the coming days, according to a statement from a US official to CNN. While airdrops offer a means to deliver aid into the area, they are not viewed as a sustainable solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This method can only transport a fraction of the aid that could be delivered by trucks, highlighting the challenges posed by the Israeli government's reluctance to open more land crossings for critically needed assistance, as reported by CNN. The US has called on the Benjamin Netanyahu government to open additional crossings, particularly in the north, but these appeals have yet to yield positive results. The limited number of trucks entering the war-torn strip, with just 85 per day last week, underscores the pressing need for increased access to facilitate aid distribution. "Those would help immediately," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Thursday when asked by CNN about the potential for carrying out airdrops. "But the real solution here to this is to try to get - or to get, I should say - an agreement that would dramatically increase the flow of assistance in and help with the distribution problems and help with the problem that civilians face of being able to move safely to get to aid when it actually does make it in," Miller said at a department briefing. Earlier in the week, countries including Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, and France engaged in airdropping relief aid in various areas of the Gaza Strip, underscoring the urgency of the situation. Senior US officials have consistently urged their Israeli counterparts in direct meetings on the urgent need to open additional crossings, emphasising the life-and-death nature of the matter. USAID Administrator Samantha Power, who met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, said, "This is a matter of life and death." Additionally, discussions are underway with Israel and other stakeholders regarding the possibility of establishing a maritime corridor for humanitarian aid into Gaza, although logistical challenges need to be addressed for the corridor to become operational, a US official told CNN. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Patna, March 2: In an unusual incident, a school teacher in Bihars Rohtas district was arrested after he, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, declared a holiday and sent all the students home. The incident occurred at the upgraded middle school, Korhas, located atop a hill in Rohtas district on Wednesday. TOI reported that Ravi Shankar Bharti, the teacher in question, was the first to reach the school that day. He reportedly told the students, Today is a holiday, and asked them to go home. The school, which has four teachers and 185 enrolled students, was left empty. Bihar: Female Teacher Takes Students to Temple to Swear by Deities as Rs 35 Goes Missing From Purse, Transferred. Local villagers were taken aback when they saw their children returning home early. Upon learning that a holiday had been declared, they rushed to the school, only to find Bharti allegedly inebriated. The angered villagers tied Bhartis hands and feet and took him to the local Nauhatta police station. Bihar Teacher Turns Up Drunk At School in Khagaria, Held Following Complaints From Villagers (Watch Video). Nauhatta station house officer Qyamuddin confirmed, The teacher was drunk when brought to the police station. We arrested him and produced him in the local court on Thursday. The court released him after he paid the fine. Following the incident, the education department ordered action against Bharti. Block Education Officer (BEO) Sachidanand Sah said, I have written to the higher authorities recommending departmental action and suspension of the schoolteacher. This is a very serious issue. The incident has brought to light allegations by local villagers that the school authorities have been neglecting their teaching duties. Most of the students come from poor families. Anand Kumar, a parent, expressed his surprise when his daughter returned home soon after she had gone to school. She told there will be no class today, he said. The incident is particularly ironic given that the state imposed a total prohibition on the consumption, sale, and supply of alcohol in April 2016. In a related incident last week in Banka district, a female teacher was transferred after she took all the schoolchildren to a nearby temple to make them swear in the name of God that they had not stolen Rs 35 from her purse. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 02, 2024 03:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Launching a scathing attack on the ruling TMC over corruption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday set a target for the state BJP to win all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. Russia does not plan to deploy nuclear weapons in space, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with the country's security council members. The US has not passed aid to Ukraine yet, and this may be thanks to Russian disinformation distracting lawmakers and the public about the US border crisis. As this is happening, the US election looms while Donald Trump remains hellbent on using the border issue for his own gain, even pressuring lawmakers to reject a border deal so he can milk the issue further and blame it on Joe Biden. Russian state media and various online accounts tied to the Kremlin have been spreading and amplifying misleading and incendiary information regarding what is happening at the US-Mexico border in recent weeks. The Associated Press noted that this Russian disinformation campaign seems to intentionally stoke outrage and polarization ahead of the 2024 US presidential election, as stated by Russian disinformation experts. This is all to distract Americans from the war in Ukraine, weaken support for the country, and cut off a vital supply of aid. These are then spread across social media, online videos, and various websites. It was reported that "these accounts misstate the impact of immigration, highlight stories about crimes committed by immigrants, and warn of dire consequences if the US doesn't crack down at its border with Mexico." It was also noted that many of these posts regarding the US border crisis "are misleading, filled with cherry-picked data or debunked rumors." "Things have shifted, even in the last few days," Kyle Walter, head of research at Logically, a tech company that tracks disinformation campaigns, told the AP. He added that the content seen from Russia so far this year "is the first indication that I've seen that Russia is actually going to focus on US elections." The group has already identified dozens of these Russian accounts that are posting about immigration in the US. The most specific area these posts have been doing is promoting recent anti-immigration rallies in Texas. These misleading posts often try to highlight alleged crimes done by recent immigrants. These also try to paint immigrants as a burden on local communities. These Russian accounts are said to range from ones with only a few followers on social media to ones made by state media sites with millions of followers. Russia Has Incentive To Interfere in US Elections, Says Expert The disinformation campaign was made to undercut not just US military aide to Ukraine but also US support for and solidarity with NATO. This is worrying many, especially after Donald Trump's recent comments about letting Vladimir Putin invade NATO allies. READ MORE: Republican Informant Alexander Smirnov, Who Was Indicted for Lying About Bidens, Had Ties to Russian Intelligence "Not that they didn't have an incentive to interfere in the last two presidential elections," Bret Schafer, a senior fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy of the German Marshall Fund, told NBC News. He tracks disinformation efforts by Russia and other regimes and added, "But I would say that the incentive to interfere is heightened right now." This comes as US aid to Ukraine remains stalled as the slim Republican majority in Congress continues to keep the aid package off the budget while Trump allies killed a recent border package after Trump himself told them to because it would help Biden out. Russia Disinformation Campaign Also Boosting Calls for Civil War That is not all that the Russian disinformation campaign is trying to do, though, as Russia is also pushing the narrative that the US is heading for civil war. According to WIRED, "The disinformation campaign began in earnest in late January" after Russian politicians spoke out against a US Supreme Court decision that sided with Joe Biden over allowing federal authorities to cut down the state's razor wire along the border. One of the people trying to egg on immigration opponents is Putin ally and Russian Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev. "Establishing a People's Republic of Texas is getting more and more real," he said on X. He then claimed that the situation could lead to "a bloody civil war which cost thousands upon thousands of lives." His post received plenty of comments in support of another civil war in the US, including Russian politicians who are saying that they would recognize Texas should it secede. READ NEXT: Donald Trump Does Not Condemn Vladimir Putin Over Alexander Navalny Death This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: House GOP duped by 'Russian disinformation propaganda,' Raskin says - MSNBC How Chinas elderly volunteers seek meaningful lives and open up new prospects for greying society 13:52, March 02, 2024 By Chi Zao, Tian Yi and Wu Chaolan ( People's Daily Online Editors Note: Two sessions, our suggestions: What do Chinese people have to say about this year's two sessions? A key event on China's political calendar, the annual sessions of China's national legislature and top political advisory body, known as the "two sessions," are set to take place in Beijing in March. The second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is scheduled to open on March 5, while the second session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee is slated to begin on March 4. Thousands of national lawmakers and political advisors, representing the Chinese public, will gather for this significant political meeting, which addresses every aspect of China's development and the wellbeing of its people. The two sessions are expected to discuss numerous policies and initiatives aimed at improving the lives of the Chinese people. Are the Chinese satisfied with their lives? What suggestions do they have for this year's two sessions? With these questions in mind, People's Daily Online interviewed locals in Beijing, focusing on topics frequently discussed at the two sessions such as improving living standards, elderly care, and increasing job opportunities for the public. Let's hear what they have to say! How Chinas elderly volunteers seek meaningful lives and open up new prospects for greying society Liu Jianping, 66 years old, began her day at 7 a.m. as a "silver-haired civil guide" at Beijing's Beitaipingqiao bus station. (Photo by Tian Yi/ Peoples Daily Online) 66-year-old Liu Jianping begins her day at 7 a.m. as a "silver-haired civil guide" at Beijing's Beitaipingqiao bus station, donning her red armband and clutching a thermal cup filled with hot tea. The retiree has been a volunteer for the past 16 years, assisting passengers with directions and queries. With their distinctive lemon-yellow uniforms and endless energy, "silver-haired civil guides" like Liu who work at the Beijing subway and bus terminals are impossible to miss. As "living maps" of Beijing, these retired local seniors are responsible for directing passengers to their destinations, keeping order and queues at bus and metro stations, and assisting physically challenged or old passengers. In 2001, the Chinese government launched "The Civil Guide" program to improve public services for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. The program's participants were mainly elderly locals. By the end of 2010, the program had developed into a long-term program. According to a 2021 report by Beijing Daily, over 9,000 seniors, with an average age of over 60, worked at the city's 1,556 bus stops and 321 metro stations, primarily as volunteers, providing volunteer services such as transportation guidance and waste sorting. After retiring from her job as a bus conductor in 2008, Liu began volunteering at a bus stop close to her home. "We're not in this for the money; we want to make a difference and not become useless members of society. I don't want to be treated like an old lady; I can still help other people," she told Peoples Daily Online. According to Liu, social care for the elderly in Beijing has been improving in recent years. In her community, elderly people over the age of 80 can request door-to-door services from the neighborhood committee, such as house cleaning. However, her true desire is to see possibilities for retirees to have a positive impact on society and reject ageism. Lu Xiufang, 59 years old, has been working as a civil guide volunteer for six years in Beijing. (Photo by Tian Yi/ Peoples Daily Online) Echoing Liu, 59-year-old Lu Xiufang, who also works as a silver-haired civil guide, told Peoples Daily Online that such volunteer opportunities have made her post-retirement life more colourful and meaningful. Lu Xiufang is now thinking about establishing her own business in Chinas booming silver economy sector. Working as a volunteer made my life more meaningful. I used to work in the home service industry, and I have always wanted to open a community restaurant for the elderly, providing them food delivery services. Ive discussed this idea with my kids, and they all support my dream, said Lu. According to data released by Chinas National Bureau of Statistics in January, China's elderly population those aged 60 or older grew to 297 million by the end of last year, making up 21.1 percent of the total population, compared with 19.8 percent by late 2022. On Jan 15, the State Council unveiled a series of measures to promote the "silver economy", calling on the public and private sectors to make investments and innovations in products and services for seniors. The aging population and the wellbeing of the elderly has always been a hot topic during each years Two Sessions. During last years Two Sessions, the State Council said that some functions of the National Health Commission would be transferred to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. It said the ministry would be put in charge of drafting policies and measures to address the aging issue and coordinating their implementation. For this year's Two Sessions, both Liu and Lu proposed that the government pay more attention to elderly people's lives after retirement, giving them more opportunities to maintain a productive social life. "I'm only 66 and I'm still young. I think we elderly can still make contributions to our nation," Liu said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chengliang) Law enforcement officials cannot point to a single reason for a disturbing and persistent trend they have witnessed in the past four months. But all of the cases involve what is literally a pedestrian activity: walking. Since November, at least 11 pedestrians in Western New York have died after being hit by a motor vehicle. The fatalities have often happened on busy thoroughfares, but not always. They have involved cars, trucks and motorcycles. And they are part of a national trend. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, the organization that tracks pedestrian deaths nationwide, more than 7,500 pedestrians were killed by drivers in 2022, reaching a 40-year high. A new analysis from 2023 showed a slight drop in the rates with around 3,373 pedestrian fatalities in the United States in the first half of 2023. Despite the modest 4% decrease, pedestrian deaths have risen at a steady 14% rate since 2019. This is a crisis. We are losing 20 people every single day, said Adam Snider, director of communications at the GHSA. Local communities have been working in recent years to address the issue of pedestrians being hit while trying to cross busy streets where vehicles can be traveling 40 mph or faster. But the most recent incident occurred on Feb. 21, when a woman was struck by a car in the early morning at Isherwood Drive in the Town of Niagara while crossing the street after retrieving her garbage cans. Other instances include: Nov. 13: A 65-year-old Rochester man was killed after being struck by a delivery driver on Southwestern Boulevard near Stadium Drive during the Buffalo Bills game against the Denver Broncos. Nov. 24: A pedestrian was killed after being struck by a northbound vehicle on the 4200 block of Lake Avenue in the Town of Hamburg. Dec. 9: Both the pedestrian and the motorcyclist involved in a crash died following the incident on South Park Avenue in South Buffalo. Dec. 15: A 69-year-old Buffalo Sewer Authority worker died after being struck by an intoxicated motorist while crossing William Street on Buffalos East Side. Jan. 8: A pedestrian was killed after being hit by a car on Transit Road in Elma. Why is Niagara Falls Boulevard so dangerous for pedestrians? Safety audit spells it out The study by Tonawanda and Amherst found there arent enough intersections with signals and crosswalks, the road is too dark at night and it takes too long for pedestrians to Cheektowaga saw four pedestrian-car crashes in the last four months, with at least two fatalities. The most recent happened when a man was struck by an SUV while shoveling snow in front of his Losson Road home. Amherst resident Matthew Althoff was arrested Feb. 26 and charged with striking 41-year-old Antwain Hankle and then fleeing the scene of the fatal accident. Cheektowaga Police Lt. David Vogel said he could not determine a singular cause behind the uptick in the recent months. However, he explained the various measures that are being taken by officials to combat the problem. Cheektowaga has applied for and received grant funding from the New York State Governors Traffic Safety Committee for its traffic unit to penalize aggressive driving in problem-prone areas. Vogel and his team run accident statistics among other data to identify the problem areas before officers conduct targeted roving patrols. Roving patrols plus our joint stationary seatbelt checkpoint with the New York State Police thats probably our biggest step that we take in terms of curbing aggressive driving, pedestrian strikes, traffic fatalities, Vogel said. He also speaks at public events to raise awareness and advise people about traffic safety measures. Likewise, Buffalo police officials say they engage with the public, urging safety and caution, said Capt. Marcus Rogowski and Lt. Tim ORourke. Simple messages that pedestrians start being taught as children waiting at the signal before crossing, using crosswalks, wearing lighter, more reflective colors never stop being important, they said. But pedestrians are often not to blame. Statistics show that speeding, impaired driving and distracted driving are also common factors. The increase in speeding since the pandemic, as well as the increased distraction of our electronic devices, those two things are (a) definite cause behind almost every accident that we have, said Sgt. Amy Parisi of the Erie County Sheriffs Office Parisi said that patrol officers have started focusing on areas with more pedestrian traffic, especially schools. Transit Road has been where some of our fatals have been, she said. That has been one of our focuses, in past years, with that (GTSC) grant to write tickets for speeding in order to reduce accidents. So that stays on the radar as we focus on where we see those accidents, and we use that grant money to read the tickets in those areas. Increased street lighting, better crosswalks and better designed infrastructure are some other important factors. While three-quarters of the pedestrian fatalities in 2021 were at night, more than half of those occurred in places that had artificial lighting, Snider said. But the only real hope for reversing the trend involves focusing on every possible factor, Snider said. These are more than numbers. These are lives, Snider said. These ripple effects of grief from even just one pedestrian death are fairly incomprehensible, and then you multiply that by 7,500. Pretty mind-boggling. A 19-year-old from New Jersey was jailed on rape and related charges, according to court records identifying him as a Moravian University student at the time of the alleged incident. Bethlehem police said they were contacted last June 15 about the alleged sexual assault on April 2 in a residence hall on Moravians campus in the city. Derek J. Caceres, of Woodland Park, New Jersey, allegedly was hanging out in the dormitory with other students and the alleged victim between about 2 and 2:30 a.m. when the two went to his room at about 3:15-3:20 a.m., according to court records. A train derailment Saturday morning in Lower Saucon Township scattered multiple cars along the bank of the Lehigh River and spilled fuel into the water. Three trains were involved in the Norfolk Southern derailment about 7:15 a.m. near the 2200 block of Riverside Drive, officials said at a news conference in Lower Saucons Steel City. There are currently no evacuations or hazardous material threat to the community, which is very important, township Police Chief Thomas Barndt said in the late morning briefing. The derailment occurred when an eastbound train struck another eastbound train stopped on the same track, according to a spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board. An oncoming westbound train then collided with the wreckage that had careened onto the adjacent track. Multiple cars left the track and were strewn across the southern bank of the river. Parts of locomotives could be seen in or immediately adjacent to the river. An unknown quantity of diesel fuel spilled into the river, and responders set up absorbent booms to collect it, Barndt said. Norfolk Southern called it a small diesel fuel leak common when locomotives are involved that was contained with the booms and would be vacuumed out. A minimal amount of polypropylene plastic pellets from one car also spilled, according to the police chief. There is no danger to the general public from this train derailment at this time, and we do not expect there to be one, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure told reporters. But be assured that all of the first responders here on the ground today for the rest of the day and the days moving forward will be working on this to ensure that in fact remains the same. This photo provided by Nancy Run Fire Co. shows a train derailment along a riverbank in Lower Saucon Township on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Authorities said it was unclear how many cars were involved but no injuries or hazardous materials were reported.Nancy Run Fire Company via AP There were no injuries reported at the scene, officials said. Train operators had to be assisted from the wreckage up to Riverside Drive via ropes, Barndt said. We appreciate the quick, professional response by local emergency agencies, a spokesperson for Norfolk Southern said of the collision. Our crews and contractors are on-scene and developing a clean-up plan. Bob Blasko, a Lower Saucon Township resident who lives nearby where the incident occurred, said the noise caused by the derailment woke his wife up around 7 a.m. She said it sounded like an explosion going off, he said. Steel City resident Donna Louder said she was eating breakfast when the whole house shook and she heard a series of loud bangs. Her husband, a volunteer township firefighter, was immediately dispatched to assist. Lower Saucon Township Police Chief Thomas Barndt addresses a news conference Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Steel City on a train derailment nearby along the Lehigh River, joined, from left, by Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure, township Manager Mark Hudson and Lower Saucon Fire Rescue Chief Ty Johnson.Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com At the late morning briefing, State Rep. Robert Freeman, D-Northampton, thanked first responders for their efforts and said he had been in contact with Gov. Josh Shapiro about state agency assistance. Among the agencies responding were the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Northampton County Emergency Management Agency, Lehigh County Special Operations, Lower Saucon Fire Rescue, and fire and EMS from Bethlehem Township, Freemansburg and Hellertown. Northampton County has held three train derailment training sessions since the incident in February 2023 in East Palestine, Ohio, McClure noted. Officials urged the public to stay away from Saturdays scene as the cleanup was continuing. The National Transportation Safety Board said Saturday afternoon via social media it was investigating the derailment. A team comprised of experts in train operations, signals and train control, mechanical systems, and human performance was expected to arrive later in the day, the NTSB said in an email. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Connor Lagore may be reached at clagore@njadvancemedia.com. A new report by the Rivers Trust on the ecological health of rivers across the country has revealed it is very much a mixed bag when it comes to standards in Laois. The report provides insights into the range of pressing issues affecting water sources and proposes urgent actions to address these challenges. In Laois the River Barrow varied greatly from high ecological health, to good, moderate and poor in places. Ecological health looks at whats living in the river, and how modified it is. The presence, absence and abundance of species is a good indication of the general health of a river. The Triogue river which runs through Portlaoise was found to have poor ecological health. Other rivers and streams found to be in poor quality was the the Ballyroan river near Abbeyleix, the Donaghmore stream, Rathdowney, Kylegrove stream, Killeen Stream (Douglas), the Leer river stretch, Clonawollan stream, the Cappanacloghy river at Trumra, the Goul and the Gully was both poor and good in parts. CONTINUE READING AFTER THE MAP The Owenass river was found to have moderate and good ecological health in parts as well as the Erkina river in Rathdowney. The Tonet, the Clogh at The Swan, Holly Park stream at Doonane and the Errill river were all found to have moderate ecological health. The Mountrath river was moderate while the Needleford stream was in good quality. It was good news in the Slieve Bloom Mountains where the Delour river was in high and good ecological health. The River Nore was also found to have high ecological health and good health in parts. The Fushoge river in the south east of the county was in good health as was the Stradbally river. The Dunrally stream and the Blackwater were both classified as good. Nationally the report found nearly half of all rivers in Ireland are below good ecological health standards, highlighting the significant challenges facing the freshwater ecosystems. Agriculture emerges as the leading contributor, impacting 63% of stretches of river (1,023 in total). Activities such as altering river hydromorphology, forestry, and urban runoff further exacerbate the situation. The Rivers Trust Ireland Development Manager, Dr Constanze OToole, said: Our new State of Our Rivers report underscores the urgent need for comprehensive action to address these pressures and safeguard the future of Ireland's freshwater environment. The pressures on Irelands freshwater resources are so diverse and widespread that we need a collective effort to address them effectively. Everyone has a part to play; whether it is maintaining septic tanks, protecting against invasive species, or not putting items that cause blockage in sewers, protecting freshwater sources is everyones responsibility. The government must also provide adequate investment in water infrastructure, conservation and alleviation projects and community empowerment, and creating joined-up legislation that puts water quality at its centre. EU governance also plays a crucial role in overseeing Ireland's commitments to improving the freshwater environment. As a member state of the European Union, Ireland is bound by various directives and regulations to protect and enhance the quality of its water bodies. In light of these findings, Mark Horton, Director of The Rivers Trust All-Ireland, emphasises the urgent need for action, stating: This report is an alarm bell to every local community, citizen, politician, landowner, and our business community that we need to take collective action now if we want to improve and protect this vital freshwater resource that we all depend on and avert a deepening environmental and ecological crisis. I urge everyone to engage with our new report, contact their political representatives, and join us to take practical action. To make that process more accessible, we have included in the report a simple tool for generating draft emails to local political representatives, encouraging them to prioritise river protection and restoration efforts. Mark concluded: Despite the dire current state of our rivers, I remain optimistic because, as this report shows, almost all the pressures negatively impacting our rivers, loughs and groundwater are caused by human activities, and it is, therefore, within our gift to reverse some of these impacts. Sligo Leitrim TD Marian Harkin said the imminent termination at the end of March of the special scheme of paid leave for those who suffer from long Covid-19 has had a huge impact on those who contracted it while working at the coalface in hospitals and care settings at the height of the pandemic. These people feel let down, its like theyve gone from hero to zero within the space of two short years, Deputy Harkin said. To be fair, the payment has been extended several times over the last year and despite the Minister for Health asking for an extension to the end of June this year, the request was denied by the Minister of Public Expenditure, she said. Addressing Tanaiste Miceal Martin in the Dail Ms Harkin said, A number of my constituents, nurses, who are on this temporary special scheme have contacted me and the prospect of the termination of the scheme makes them feel totally let down and abandoned. During the first year or two of Covid they were fighting an enemy they couldn't see, and they often did it with no PPE, Deputy Harkin said, they put their health at risk to save the lives of others and now some of them have the burden of long Covid-19 to deal with. This means they are unable to work due to severe symptoms that prevent them re-entering the workforce. Their lives have been turned upside down and while other people also suffer from long Covid, many health care workers who went to work every day during the Covid-19 pandemic in order to keep our hospitals and healthcare settings open, contracted it because of their dedication to their patients, Deputy Harkin added. The Tanaiste said that the issue has been through the industrial relations machinery where the Labour Court recommended that management and staff representative bodies explore the supports already in place and available to those impacted by long Covid-19. He said a number of engagements have taken place to date between management and the staff representative bodies in line with the Labour Court recommendation and hopefully there will be a resolution. The people I am speaking to believe that extending the payment is the least the government can do for those who genuinely put themselves at risk because of their work, TD Harkin said, and in this context, they want to see long Covid-19 recognized as an occupational illness. PDAC 2024 Closes the Market TORONTO, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Lisa McDonald, Executive Director, Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), joined Dean McPherson, Head, Global Mining, TMX Group to close the market and celebrate the opening of PDAC 2024. The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is the leading voice of the mineral exploration and development community, an industry that employs more than 664,000 individuals, and contributed $132 billion to Canada's GDP in 2021. Currently representing over 7,000 members around the world, PDAC's work centers on supporting a competitive, responsible, and sustainable mineral sector. PDAC 2024: The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading event for people, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. The annual award-winning Convention in Toronto, Canada brings together up to 30,000 attendees from over 130+ countries for its educational programming, networking events, business opportunities and fun. CNW sponsored announcement. To learn more visit www.newswire.ca. SOURCE Toronto Stock Exchange 1 march 2024 at 17:29 News published onand distributed by: THE year has gotten off to a flying start at Shannon Airport for the new recruits to the airports Police and Fire Service (APFS). The successful applicants were selected following an extensive process, which saw over 150 potential applicants be narrowed down to a successful 11. The new candidates, who commenced their training in January, are currently undergoing a three-month programme which will equip them with the necessary skills to work in the combined role of airport police and fire service personnel. The recruits, hailing from across Clare and Limerick, come from a wide variety of backgrounds and previous industries. Pat OBrien, chief officer of APFS and security at Shannon Airport, said: We are delighted to have commenced training, working closely with them [11 recruits] to ensure they reach their full potential through this programme. The candidates come from a wide variety of backgrounds including construction, finance, retail and the Irish Defence Forces and they bring with them unique experiences and skills that will undoubtedly enhance the APFS and indeed, the wider team and airport community. As part of the training programme, the new recruits will be covering a range of topics in aviation firefighting and aviation security. Elements of the course will include emergency communications, fire dynamics, extinguishing agents, search and rescue tactics and much more. Being put through their paces, the recruits will also undertake breathing apparatus training and intensive ladder drills, which will enable them to work at heights and in areas with high temperatures and toxic atmospheres. Recruits will also be trained in using Shannon Airports state-of-the art High Reach Extendable Turret (HRET) fire tenders which can hold up to 11,500 litres of water. The airport was the first in Ireland to take the delivery of two HRET tenders in 2019. The team has already developed a strong rapport, with plans to partake in a mountain climb before the end of their training programme in aid of The Shannon Airport Groups nominated staff charities, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland and Milford Care Centre. The new recruits are expected to complete the training programme in mid-April, at which time they will commence work in the airport. Social media users have commended an interaction on the latest episode of First Dates Ireland where a Limerick student, Alex confessed he wasn't out as gay fully. Fans of the popular dating show have took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter to share their thoughts on a date between student Alex (21) and TEFL teacher Cillian (22) from Dublin. Alex is currently in his second year studying fashion design at Limerick School of Art and Design. Alex admitted to Cillian he was not out to his family and Cillian appeared shocked but his response is nothing but empathetic. "It's not fine though and I am really sorry. It just makes the whole gay experience more difficult. It's s**t and it's tough but you are fu**king killing it because you are still here." Alex looked taken aback and expressed "I feel like I am trauma dumping", empathetic Cillian says "no you are expressing your feelings and there is nothing wrong with that." View this post on Instagram A post shared by RTE2 (@rte2) Reacting to this lovely encounter, one user said: "The young man with the red hair is a wonderful person. Empathy is a great quality." Another user said: "He was really nice to Alex, just when Alex needed that compassion and understanding. Fair play Cillian." Another user said: "The most beautiful interaction." Another user said: "Such a gorgeous clip." On the decision to one day tell his family one user advised: "You will be fine your family will love you for who you are." It wasn't a match for Alex and Cillian, however the pair have still remained friends and Alex has since come out to his family WASHINGTON For Vladimir Putin, victory in Ukraine may run through Texas' Rio Grande Valley. In recent weeks, Russian state media and online accounts tied to the Kremlin spread and amplified misleading and incendiary content about U.S. immigration and border security. The campaign seems crafted to stoke outrage and polarization before the 2024 election for the White House, and experts who study Russian disinformation say Americans can expect more to come as Putin looks to weaken support for Ukraine and cut off a vital supply of aid. In social media posts, online videos and stories on websites, these accounts misstate the impact of immigration, highlight stories about crimes committed by immigrants, and warn of dire consequences if the U.S. doesn't crack down at its border with Mexico. Many are misleading, filled with cherry-picked data or debunked rumors. The pivot toward the United States comes after two years in which Russia's vast disinformation apparatus was busy pushing propaganda and disinformation about its invasion of Ukraine. Experts who study how authoritarian states use the internet to spread disinformation say eroding support for Ukraine remains Russia's top priority and that the Kremlin is just finding new ways to do it. "Things have shifted, even in the last few days," said Kyle Walter, head of research at Logically, a tech company that tracks disinformation campaigns. While experts and government officials have long warned of Russia's intentions, Walter said the content spotted so far this year "is the first indication that I've seen that Russia is actually going to focus on U.S. elections." This month Logically identified dozens of pro-Russian accounts posting about immigration in the U.S., with a particular interest in promoting recent anti-immigration rallies in Texas. Many posts highlight crimes allegedly committed by recent immigrants or suggest migrants are a burden on local communities. Some claims were posted by accounts with tiny audiences; others were made by state media sites with millions of followers. This week the accounts seized on the recent death of a Georgia nursing student and the arrest of a Venezuelan man who had entered the U.S. illegally and was allowed to stay to pursue his immigration case. The killing that quickly became a rallying cry for former President Donald Trump and other Republicans who suggest that migrants commit crimes more often than do U.S. citizens. The evidence does not support those claims. The content, crafted in English, has quickly found its way to websites and platforms popular with American voters. Footage of a recent anti-immigration protest broadcast by Russian outlet RT, for example, was racking up thousands of views this week on social media, and prompting angry replies from other users. The Russian outlet Sputnik ran a story this week about growing calls to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall, a priority for Trump, who failed to complete the job as president. An analysis of other sites that later linked to the Sputnik piece shows than half were in the U.S., according to data from the online analytics firm Semrush.com. Overall, Americans make up the English-language Sputnik's largest audience. U.S. officials warn that Russia could seek to meddle in the elections of dozens of countries in 2024, when more than 50 nations accounting for half of the world's population are scheduled to hold national votes. While Russia has a strategic interest in the outcome of many of them the European Parliament, for one few offer the opportunity and the prize that America does. For Russia's bid to conquer Ukraine, this year's U.S. election stakes couldn't be higher. President Joe Biden has pledged to fully back Ukraine. Republicans have been far less supportive. Trump has openly praised Putin and the former president has suggested he would encourage Russia to attack America's NATO allies if they don't pay their fair share for the military alliance. More than half of Republicans believe the U.S. is spending too much on Ukraine, according to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research that found Democrats to be much more supportive of additional aid. Soon after the war started, Russia mounted a disinformation campaign designed to cut into support for Ukraine. Claims included wild stories about secret U.S. germ warfare labs or Nazi conspiracies or that Ukrainian refugees were committing crimes and taking jobs from people who had welcomed them. The online landscape has dramatically shifted since Russia sought to meddle in America's 2016 presidential race won by Trump. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have banned many Russian state accounts and built new safeguards aimed at preventing anyone from exploiting their sites. In one recent example, Meta, the owner of Facebook, announced last fall that it identified and stopped a network of thousands of fake accounts created in China in an apparent effort to fool American voters. Other platforms, including X, have taken a different approach, rolling back or even eliminating content moderation and rules designed to stop disinformation. Then there is TikTok, whose ties to China and popularity with young people have set off alarms in several state capitals and Washington. Today in history: March 1 1932: Charles A. Lindbergh Jr 1945: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1971: Weather Underground 1974: John D. Ehrlichman 2005: Dennis Rader 2010: Jay Leno 2012: Andrew Breitbart 2012: Martin OMalley 2015: Boris Nemtsov 2017: Ryan Zinke 2021: Carlos Ghosn 2021: Vernon Jordan Two men have been arrested and drugs worth an estimated 500,000 have been seized in searches in south Belfast. Two vehicles were seized shortly before 3pm on Friday in the Lisburn Road area, where class B drugs were seized. PSNI detectives carried out searches north of the border, while gardai conducted searches in the Republic. Follow-up searches were conducted by detectives at premises in the Lisburn Road area and by An Garda Siochana colleagues in the Republic of Ireland, a PSNI detective said. Further drugs, cash and drug-related paraphernalia were located. Two men, aged in their 20s and 40s, were arrested on suspicion of possession of class B and possession of class B with intent to supply. Both are currently in police custody being interviewed. The Police Service of Northern Ireland is committed to tacking the activities of individuals linked to organised criminal gangs within our community, and those who commit cross-border criminality, along with our Joint Agency Task Force partners in An Garda Siochana. Anyone with information about any criminality linked to drugs should contact police on 101 or anonymously through the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555111, which gives people the power to speak up and stop crime. This operation and others like it show that we will act where we can to tackle this type of criminality. Three men have been arrested by gardai in Cork for organised crime related offences. The men, aged in their 30s and 40s, are currently detained in Garda Stations in Cork under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. Investigating gardai searched five locations in Co. Cork and two locations in Co. Roscommon this morning. In addition to arrests, items of evidential value were seized during the searches. Over 100 Gardai were involved in operations this morning led by detectives from the Divisional Protective Service Unit, Cork County and supported by uniform and plain clothes Gardai, Garda Dog Unit, Armed Support Unit, and Scenes of Crime Unit, amongst others. The investigation team in Cork is supported by sworn Garda members and specialist Garda Staff from National Units including the Human Trafficking Investigation & Coordination Unit (HTICU) at Garda National Protective Service Bureau (GNPSB), the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB), Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) Garda Mutual Assistance Section and the Garda Siochana Analysis Service (GSAS). "Gardai are investigating the activities of an Organised Crime Group (OCG) based in Ireland, with Eastern European connection, involved in the alleged trafficking of persons into Ireland for the purpose of labour exploitation," gardai said in a statement. The investigation is being supported by International colleagues from Europol. "An Garda Siochana understands that victims of these crimes may not always be in a position to report themselves, maybe there is opportunity to speak to a Garda who you might meet at any location," the statement continued. "Importantly, An Garda Siochana appeals to any person with any information on these heinous crimes or suspects that any person is the victim of human trafficking to speak up - talk to a member of An Garda Siochana, either at your local Garda station, on the Garda Confidential Phone Number 1800 666 111 or to any members of An Garda Siochana." An Garda Siochana continues to appeal to any person who may be the victim of Human Trafficking or labour exploitation to speak to a member of An Garda Siochana, either at your local Garda station, or to call the Garda Confidential Phone Number 1800 666 111. Three men have been arrested in Co Cork in an investigation into human trafficking and labour exploitation. The men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested following searches in Co Cork and Co Roscommon. It is part of a probe into the activities of an organised crime gang with links to eastern Europe who are allegedly involved in human trafficking. A Garda spokesperson said items of evidential value were also seized. They said more than 100 gardai were involved in the operations on Saturday morning led by detectives from the Divisional Protective Service Unit, Cork County and supported by uniform and plain clothes Gardai, Garda Dog Unit, Armed Support Unit, and Scenes of Crime Unit, amongst others. Gardai are investigating the activities of an Organised Crime Group (OCG) based in Ireland, with Eastern European connection, involved in the alleged trafficking of persons into Ireland for the purpose of labour exploitation, they said. The investigation is being supported by International colleagues from Europol. An Garda Siochana continues to appeal to any person who may be the victim of Human Trafficking or labour exploitation to speak to a member of An Garda Siochana, either at your local Garda station, or to call the Garda Confidential Phone Number 1800 666 111. Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin has called for a debate on reforming Northern Irelands powersharing institutions. The Foreign Affairs Minister said young adults have had very little opportunity to see politics deliver for them and the public has zero tolerance for another cycle of suspension, disenfranchisement and political torpor. The DUP exercised its veto under powersharing at Stormont to blockade the institutions for two years in protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements. The party ended its boycott last month, allowing for devolution to return. Speaking at the Alliance Party conference in Belfast, Mr Martin said he had been doing a lot of thinking about how Northern Irelands political institutions could become more stable. Though he had refrained from discussing such reforms during the years when powersharing had collapsed, he said it is now time to discuss improvements With it in place, I feel that the opportunity to begin a meaningful conversation about reform presents itself, the Tanaiste told the conference. We have had two extended periods of years of one party and then another blocking the formation of the Executive. We just cannot have another such period. I dont think any party wants that and I am certain that the public would have zero tolerance for another cycle of suspension, disenfranchisement and political torpor. And therefore I have said it makes sense for us to look now at what we can do to make the institutions more stable and effective while, of course, retaining the agreements foundational commitment to meaningful powersharing and inclusiveness. He said Northern Ireland is undeniably a better place since the Good Friday Agreement, and any reform discussions will need to involve all the parties, civic voices and both governments. We cannot have any more one-sided negotiations only involving one party or one perspective. This is a plural place and its plurality must be respected. Of course change, evolution, in the current arrangements is delicate. Any discussion will raise complex and sensitive issues. If such discussions are framed as excluding or getting around one party or one tradition, they will rightly fail. We cannot be reckless with the delicate balances and protections at the heart of the agreement. He said there are serious questions over the power a single party has to block the functioning of the Assembly, over whether the roles of first minister and deputy first minister should be replaced with joint first ministers, and whether the Petition of Concern can be returned to its original intent of protecting minority rights. He said any discussion of reform of powersharing would need to be a serious, collective undertaking, but also warned that caution cannot lead to inertia. Unfortunately, there is a tendency among some to assume that the Executive cant work, wont work. This attitude is informed, in part, by scepticism but, sadly, it is informed also by experience. This is a dangerous idea to allow to fester. The default assumption cannot be that the institutions are unlikely to work the default assumption must be that they will last. As I have said, I believe it is time for that conversation to start. The AI wars have begun, and the humans are throwing the first punches. There are seemingly countless artificial-intelligence startups in Silicon Valley vying to own the future, but in the past week or so Elon Musk has been working to make it all about his nascent xAI against the Big Dogs. In tweets and a blockbuster lawsuit this past week against OpenAI, the billionaire is framing his rivals as fundamentally flawed and unworthy: Google is woke, Microsoft is overreaching and Sam Altman is two-faced. Musk, who learned how to throw a punch on the tough streets of South Africa, isnt messing around when it comes to what he has described as the civilizational risk" that AI carries if it falls into the wrong handsor the potential fortunes it could create for whoever cracks the coding to breathe humanlike reasoning into machines. His 35-page complaint filed in a San Francisco court late Thursday is built on what he perceives as the hypocrisy of Altman. According to the lawsuit, when Altman and Musk started OpenAI years ago they agreed it would be a not-for-profit entity to counter the greed of Googleonly to have OpenAI, under Altmans control, later pivot toward moneymaking ventures with Microsoft. The themes of betrayal and scheming alleged by Musk, who parted with OpenAI in 2018 after a dispute, could easily be plot points in HBOs Westworld," a TV series about killer robots rising up against their morally broke corporate masters. The lawsuit claims that OpenAI and Altmanby doing deals with Microsofthave chosen to use their AI technology not for the benefit of humanity, but as proprietary technology to maximize profits for literally the largest company in the world." No mention was made in the lawsuit of Musks own AI ambitions separate from OpenAI, such as his founding of xAI last year as a rival or its launch of its own chatbot called Grok to compete against Altmans ChatGPT. Or Musks work at Tesla, where he is chief executive, to develop humanoid robots. When announcing xAI in July, Musk said his preference, after years of warning about the dangers of the technology, would have been a pause in developing advanced versions of AI that seek to achievewhat he callsdigital superintelligence. He acknowledged that such hope doesnt seem realistic." Instead, Musk is offering up xAI as an alternative to rivals, which he has accused of having liberal biases. He describes his effort as seeking good and being maximally curious." Theres some value to there being multiple players in the AI space," Musk said last month during a public event on his social-media platform, X. You dont want it to be just a monopoly or duopoly." Think Coke vs. Pepsi but with robot minds at stake. And, in the days before the OpenAI lawsuit, Musk was on X doing his best to highlight weaknesses in both Google and Microsoft. He amplified criticisms that Googles AI chatbot, dubbed Gemini, was giving responses around race and ethnicity that seemed to some users as overly politically correct and, in some cases, laughably wrong when it came to history, such as showing Nazi-era German soldiers as being racially diverse. Given that the Gemini AI will be at the heart of every Google product and YouTube, this is extremely alarming!" Musk tweeted this past week. That tweet was one of several criticisms he posted that eventually, according to Musk, brought a call from a high-ranking Google executive to assure him steps were being taken to fix things. My response to him was that I doubted that Googles woke bureaucratic blob would *allow* him to fix it," Musk said. Unless those who caused this are exited from Google, nothing will change, except to make the bias less obvious and more pernicious." Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai told his staff the chatbots responses were unacceptable and pledged to fix it at scale." All of the attention was worse than just bad headlines for Google. Gemini is not just a PR disasterworse, its a recruiting disaster," tweeted Lulu Cheng Meservey, a longtime tech executive and former chief communications officer at Activision Blizzard. Imagine being a researcher who worked long and hard on Gemini Pro 1.5 to have the technical accomplishment be overshadowed by this nonsense. Why would new top talent accept a job offer from a place like that?" Around the same time, Musk was also complaining in numerous tweets about buying a new computer only to find that he was being asked to create a Microsoft account, which, he claimed, means giving their AI access to my account." He later added that since they now require that you use their services just to use your computer, @Microsoft can effectively shut off your computer!" As Musk casts aspersions on Google and Microsoft, his lawsuit reopens questions about Altmans ambitionsquestions that the company had hoped to move past. Late last year, Altman was briefly fired as CEO by OpenAIs board, which said it had lost confidence in him, only to be brought back amid pressure from Microsoft. Musk has also acknowledged the spending war to fund AI companies development, saying recently it will take at least single digit billions in hardware to have a seat at the adult table rather than the kiddies table and next year its probably in the tens of billions of hardware to remain at the adults table." The expense behind creating the technology is what necessitated OpenAIs evolution as an organization beyond being a simple not-for-profit, Altman has said. OpenAI concluded it wasnt equipped to operate as a not-for-profit because it was becoming too costly for the amounts of computer power needed to train the software that mimics the way humans think. No one wanted to fund this in any way," Altman told The Wall Street Journal last year. It was a really hard time." The solution was to create a for-profit arm. This structure allowed Altman to raise the billions of dollars he believed was needed to carry on the mission, including commitments for as much as $13 billion from Microsoft, giving the tech giant effectively a 49% stake in the earnings of OpenAIs for-profit arm. And Musk isnt the only one claiming the moral high ground. Altman has also framed his efforts in a similar way, worrying about what could happen if AI is deployed recklessly. Neither mans take, perhaps, is that surprising. The burgeoning field of AI is full of heady thoughts, including a question that carries hues of godlike hubris: Does an AI take on the image of its maker? Its a debate Musk welcomes. If that is true, in whose image would you want the AI to be made?" Musk asked last month. People should think about that." Write to Tim Higgins at tim.higgins@wsj.com NEW DELHI : All existing single-lane national highways will be converted to double lanes, and having two lanes with paved shoulders will be mandatory to get an NH tag in future, two people aware of the road ministrys plans said. The new criterion will be defined in the rules governing construction of national highways. A paved shoulder is part of a highway adjacent to the regularly travelled portion on the same level. However, single-lane national highways may be continued in hilly regions. Broadening them would be considered only after an environmental impact assessment, and only if the project can be executed with limited damage to fragile mountain ecosystems, the officials said on condition of anonymity. Road ministry secretary Anurag Jain had earlier told Mint that the changes in the highway criterion were being worked out to ensure that such alignments conform to todays mobility requirements. The changes assume significance given that India is implementing one of the worlds largest highway building programmes, with about 50,000 km of highways to be constructed over the next 15 years. As on November-end 2023, India had a national highway network of 146,145 km, with just around 10% being less than two lanes as of December 2023. The plan is to convert as many of these to minimum two-lane stretches. Going forward, no highway will be made of less than two lanes barring a few exceptions, the officials quoted above said. A query sent to road ministry on details of the proposed changes remained unanswered. The above has been in discussions for some time now; it would be a step towards maintaining a basic minimum standard for national highways and would be instrumental in bringing a minimum uniformity, safety and traffic carrying capacity. From another viewpoint, width of a road is also a function of traffic (current and future projections) plying on it and, therefore, only those roads that have sufficient traffic would be taken up as national highways," said Kushal Kumar Singh, partner, Deloitte India. About 90% of the current highway network comprises two lanes, two lanes with paved shoulder, four lanes and more than four lanes. The length of four lane and above highways stood at 46,179 km (about 32% of total highway length) while that of two-lane and two-lane highways with paved shoulders stood at 85,096 km (about 58%). The changes would mean that portions of the remaining single-lane highways would also be broadened to bring them above two-lane structure with paved shoulders wherever such expansion is possible. Officials said that single-lane highways would only be available in areas where further expansion was not possible due to topography of the region or due to ecological concerns. This would ensure that such stretches become less than 5% of the countrys total highway length in the next few years. The length of single-lane national highways in the country has been falling since 2014 when it used to be 27,517 km or 30% of total NH length as compared to 14,870 km or 10% now. Alternatively, the length of four lane or more national highways had increased from around 18,371 or 20% of total length in 2014 to 46,179 km or 32% now. The road ministry is implementing a Vision 2047 plan that includes constructing 50,000 km of access-controlled highways in the country over the next decade and a half. Most of these stretches would be six-lane and eight-lane projects, facilitating faster movement of vehicles and linking various economic centres. AFRICAS WILLINGNESS to break with the West has been flaunted in recent years. After Russia invaded Ukraine 17 African countries abstained from a UN vote condemning the invasion. Last year, as the West refused negotiations with Russia, South Africas Cyril Ramaphosa and three other African presidents led a peace mission to Russia and Ukraine. This year South Africas case against Israels actions in Gaza in the International Court of Justice was a public act of defiance (America decried it as meritless" and counter-productive"). Mr Ramaphosa has also attended meetings with the presidents of China, Iran and Russia over the past eight months. African leaders believe that a multipolar world of transactional international relations, where many powers compete for influence, is in the ascendant. Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are among those offering themselves as investors, security partners and allies. Meanwhile, America has lost focus on Africa. It remains absorbed with Asia and preoccupied by wars in Europe and the Middle East. And if Donald Trump wins back the presidency in November, America may neglect African issues further. The result is that Africa, perhaps to a greater degree than any other region, is adapting itself to a multipolar world. The challenge involves both big opportunities and grim risks for the continent. Above all, it means African governments have more agency over their affairs. The benefit of a multipolar world is that there is not just one centre of decision-making," explains President Macky Sall of Senegal. When there is just one centre it becomes a diktat, you have no choice." The greatest prize is investment, which is critical for a continent in extraordinary need of it. But a multipolar world is fraught with risks. Financing from new partners can become bad debt. And the dangers posed politically and militarily are greater still. Autocratic allies can help leaders to overstay in power and enable coups. Meddling foreign powers can spread conflict and make wars more destructive. History offers a sobering precedent. During the cold war African leaders also had greater flexibility to pick their partners. But the results were often ugly. With Soviet support, the Derg, the socialist junta in Ethiopia, stayed in power from 1974 to 1991 despite a famine that killed perhaps a million people. Mobutu Sese Seko, the dictator who ruled Congo absurdly and ruinously for more than three decades, was backed by the CIA. After the fall of the Berlin Wall American dominance ushered in a wave of democratisation in Africa and conflict abated somewhat. The continents economic progress was limited, however, and investment from the West failed to meet even a small share of its needs. That made many Africans receptive to Chinas advances in the 2000s. While the Americans offered criticism, the Chinese offered cranes. Now other powers are offering alternatives. Buying up friends African leaders enthusiasm for a multipolar world makes greatest sense economically. About half of the 1.2bn people living in sub-Saharan Africa lack electricity. And some 400m people on the continent cannot access clean drinking water. Sorting all this requires vast investments. The World Bank estimates sub-Saharan Africa needs investment worth about 7% of its GDP in infrastructure every year to achieve near-universal access to water and electricity as well as improved roads by 2030. Current investments are only about half of that. Much can go awry with individual deals and loans but, given the scale of financing needed in Africa, more countries and institutions investing is welcome. So is a surge in new commercial partners. Trade with some non-Western countries has risen impressively (see chart). View Full Image (The Economist) China has led the way on investment in Africa. From 2000-2022 Chinese state financiers lent it $170bn, about two-thirds of which was for infrastructure such as roads, railways and ports. The average Chinese project raised annual GDP growth by a healthy 0.41 to 1.49 percentage points after two years, finds Bradley Parks of AidData, a research group at William & Mary University in Virginia, and co-authors. But amid economic troubles at home, Chinas lending to Africa has recently fallen markedly. Chinese loan disbursements in 2022 were only about 10% of their peak in 2016. For African leaders that makes diversifying their sources of funding further even more important. It is beginning to happen. The UAE has invested nearly $60bn across the continent in the past decade, making it the fourth-biggest investor in that time after China, America and Europe. Turkish construction firms have completed some $85bn-worth of projects in Africa, say Turkish officials. Africa needs far more cash but the continents elites reckon that the Gulf countries, Turkey and perhaps India may be able to provide a useful chunk of it. Europe and America have interests and are trying to reassert themselves, particularly in critical minerals. The hope is that competition for Africas resources can help it secure better deals for them. New flows of cash bring new risks. Corruption is an obvious one. Debt can also prove difficult to manage. There is little evidence of debt-trap diplomacy in Africa (the idea that China tricks borrowers and later seizes their assets). But China does often require unusual levels of confidentiality, as well as special conditions, to ensure that it is the first creditor to be paid back. It also tends to use escrow accounts and can be inflexible with countries in trouble. Zambia defaulted in 2020 but only managed to strike a deal with China on restructuring its debt in the past month. Another risk is that a multipolar world splits. Rising tensions between China and America could divide the world into two isolated trading blocs, one led by China, the other by America and Europe. Sub-Saharan Africa would suffer a bigger economic hit in that scenario than any other region, with more than half of its international trade at risk, reckons the IMF. The political effects on Africa from its multipolar dealings will also be vast. One advantage is that the new order will allow its governments to take positions that were their preferences for years but which they avoided to stay onside with the West, says Menzi Ndhlovu of Signal Risk, a consultancy in South Africa. But the results of greater African agency may at times cause consternation in the West. After decades of tensions between Uganda and America over gay rights, last year President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda finally concluded that he could ignore the Americans and passed harsh anti-LGBTQ laws. Ethiopia has built close ties with China to pursue unorthodox economic policies such as state-led development that America and the institutions it dominates, such as the World Bank, have long discouraged. Other downsides may accompany a freer political hand. One is democratic backsliding. Mr Sall has been attempting to hold on to power in Senegal past the end of his mandate, presumably confident that plenty of foreign powers still support him. On February 3rd he announced that an impending election would be postponed indefinitely, but Senegals judges slapped down the move. Whether Mr Sall steps aside in April when his mandate ends remains to be seen, especially as there is now talk of an election in June. Others have tried similar ruses. In Ivory Coast the president is in his third term after an earlier tweak to the constitution. Last year the president of the Central African Republic, who is protected by Russian mercenaries, got approval for a constitutional change in a referendum so that he can run for a third term in office should he so choose. Backsliding is sometimes more abrupt. Under the American-led order putschists were often isolated. No longer. During the cold war there were on average over 20 successful coups in Africa each decade. By the 2000s that fell to just eight. Yet in the 2020s there have already been nine successful coups in Mali and Burkina Faso (two each) as well as in Chad, Guinea, Sudan, Niger and Gabon. Russia has backed the generals in Burkina Faso and Mali with fighters and arms. Niger has chucked out French troops (who had been pushed out of Mali and Burkina) and cosied up to Russia and Iran for cash and weapons. The results of these manoeuvres are grim: more people died in violent conflict in the Sahel last year than in any year since jihadist violence began over a decade ago. Even so, Russian muscle, diplomatic cover and shipments of grain have helped keep the juntas in the Sahel and Guinea in power despite pressure from the West and sanctions from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the regional bloc. The Sahelian trio are sufficiently confident in their Russian backing that last month they decided to quit ECOWAS altogether. Bloody stakes The competition between rival powers in Africa also risks spreading insecurity and war. The number of conflicts on the continent has risen sharply from the relative lows of the 2000s to reach 104 in 2022, according to the Peace Research Institute Oslo. That is the highest in decades. And 2022 was the deadliest year for state-based conflicts in Africa for more than 30 years, largely owing to war in Ethiopia between the forces of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds government and those of Tigray. The brutal civil war in Sudan illustrates how the new geopolitics makes conflicts in Africa more destructive. The Rapid Support Forces, a genocidal militia, has been receiving a steady flow of weapons from the UAE (the countrys officials deny this). Mercenaries from Russia back them, too. The Sudanese Armed Forces are hitting back with Iranian drones and, it seems, the support of Ukrainian special forces. As the conflict rages, the result is that more people are displaced in Sudan than in any other country in the world, and among them are 3.5m children. Today many countries are also willing to sell arms to regimes that take little care to avoid civilian casualties. Turkey has sold attack drones to Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Maliplaces the West has been reluctant to arm. And Russia is now the top weapons supplier to sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for a quarter of all sales between 2018 and 2022. China is in second place. Its drone sales have triggered recent escalations in conflict between Rwanda and Congo around Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo. Some 135,000 people have been displaced in just a month, joining a half a million already sheltering in the city. Maximising the benefits of a multipolar world to ordinary Africans without exposing them to dire risks will require deft leadership. Yet such a world also makes it easier for bigwigs to rule in their own interest and retain foreign backing. The central question is likely to be whether African leaders ultimately act in the interests of their people or not. The record so far is worryingly mixed. 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com Chinese crime syndicates are using cryptocurrencies to launder billions of dollars, including money raised from helping supply drugs to the U.S. or scamming American victims. These gangs are exploiting the decentralized nature of cryptocurrency markets to evade the grasp of Chinese and foreign authorities. They are using crypto to launder the profits of drug dealing and illegal gambling, and have made huge amounts from investment scams that promise easy returns in the cryptocurrency markets. Crypto addresses linked to a group of suspected chemical traders based in China have received more than $37.8 million worth of assets since 2018 in exchange for shipping a key ingredient of fentanyl, the research firm Chainalysis said in a report last year. These shipments are often sent to Central America and Mexico, where drug cartels use them to manufacture the drug, which is then shipped to the U.S. In October, the U.S.s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned a network of individuals and companies based in China over the manufacturing and distribution of ingredients used in fentanyl and other drugs. Some of those individuals held cryptocurrency wallets to send and receive funds, the Treasury Department said. Fentanyl use by Americans has become a major public health issue, contributing to more than 100,000 deaths a year, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has also been a rare area where the worlds two superpowers have appeared to be on the same side: Chinese and U.S. officials agreed this year to work together to tackle the issue. These cases highlight the changing nature of money laundering, which is increasingly being done through cryptocurrencies rather than old-fashioned methods such as shipping suitcases of cash. That is a problem for investigators, but it also gives them new ways to track money flows, since most cryptocurrency transfers are saved on a public ledger. Scammers of several victims in China and Florida shared the same two crypto wallet addresses, implying they are likely parts of the same group, according to a joint investigation published in January by ChainArgos, a Singapore-based blockchain data platform, and Bitrace, a China-based blockchain research group. One of those wallets processed at least $20.7 million worth of tokens since early 2021, the report said. The study found that the stolen funds from those two addresses were later deposited onto two major crypto exchanges, OKX and Huobi, now called HTX. It is tough for victims in the U.S. to recover their money because many of them lose $10,000 or lessbig enough to be someones life savings but too small for organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation to consider it a priority, said Jonelle Still, adjunct professor in blockchain analytics at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. The transnational nature of these syndicates adds further difficulty in catching criminals or helping victims recover their assets, since it requires cooperation between officials in different countries, say antifraud advocates. Beijing has for years taken a hard line against cryptocurrencies, forcing exchanges to shut down, banning trading and jailing executives who previously worked in the industry. In January, the powerful State Council said it would submit a revised anti-money-laundering law to the countrys top lawmaking body for review. Addressing the role of crypto in money laundering is the most urgent issue, legal experts have said. Having a blanket ban on cryptocurrency exchanges is one thing, but it doesnt seem to be working," said Rory Doyle, head of financial crime policy at financial-software provider Fenergo. Chinese law-enforcement agencies across the country have investigated more than 800 cases, shut down five underground banks used to help process payments, and uncovered about $4 billion worth of funds based on blockchain data, the countrys police force said in January. It worked with blockchain analytics firm OKLink to track the wallets, which allow the storage and transfer of cryptocurrencies. In late 2022, Chinese police arrested 63 suspects linked to a criminal group that used cryptocurrencies to launder the equivalent of roughly $1.7 billion in an operation spanning 17 provinces. Chinese prosecutors also have charged well-known crypto executives. Zhao Dong, founder of a major over-the-counter crypto platform in China called RenrenBit, was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2022 after providing crypto-exchange services to an illicit business involved in overseas gambling and so-called pig-butchering scams. Tether, a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar, has been used as a way for these groups to switch between different fiat currencies, officials said. Write to Weilun Soon at weilun.soon@wsj.com and Elaine Yu at elaine.yu@wsj.com Negotiators are meeting in Cairo in a bid to rescue a plan to pause fighting in Gaza for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan after a mission to deliver aid went horribly wrong, resulting in scores of Gazan deaths and threats by Hamas to pull out of the talks. With Israeli officials landing in the Egyptian capital on Saturday and a delegation from Hamas and Qatar expected to arrive Sunday, talks are expected to kick into high gear. Both Israel and Hamas are trying to strike a truce that would involve the exchange of dozens of Israeli hostages for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners over the course of a 40-day cease-fire, but several factors threaten to derail an agreement. Thursdays deadly events near an aid convoy in northern Gaza, which health officials in the strip say killed more than 100 Palestinians, have sapped momentum for talks in recent days. Hamas said Israel, whose military oversaw the aid delivery, was attempting to evade responsibility for what it called the systematic killing of Palestinians. Israel said it killed fewer than 10 people when its troops shot at a crowd of Palestinians, and that many were killed by Palestinian gunmen or trampled to death in the chaos of the moment. The two sides were still racing to bridge their differences, however, as their previous framework for a deal set a deadline of around March 10, the beginning of Ramadan. Hamas officials have told negotiators that in the coming days they may propose new figures for how many Palestinian prisoners they expect to receive in exchange for roughly 40 Israeli hostages. Israel meanwhile is expected on Saturday to deliver a list of high-profile Palestinian prisoners whom it wont release. The talks are unfolding as tensions simmer across the region. The Israeli military said on Saturday that it struck a vehicle in southern Lebanon carrying a number of militants who launched rockets into Israel. They were operating for Shiite militant group Hezbollah, it said. The U.S., Egypt and Qatar are also working hard to keep talks on track by providing Gaza with more humanitarian aid in the coming days. The hope is to address both the prospect of famine across the strip and appease Hamas, which has repeatedly said cease-fire negotiations depend on increased aid, especially to the northern half of the strip. The U.S. is expected to airdrop aid in the coming days and is also increasing pressure on Israel to support more deliveries, President Biden said Friday. He added that the U.S. will insist Israel facilitate more aid trucks and more routes to get supplies to Gazans. Egypt airdropped 6.7 tons of aid in northern Gaza on Saturday, according to Egyptian officials. Both plans follow a joint Jordanian mission with Egypt, Qatar, France and the U.A.E., in which Jordanian King Abdullah II boarded a military aircraft to help drop tons of food parcels along the Gaza coast. The latest framework being discussed in Cairo involves exchanging about 400 Palestinian prisoners for 40 of the hostages still held captive in Gaza, including five female Israeli soldiers. One of the main sticking points is the extent to which Israel will allow Palestinians in southern Gaza to return to the north during a potential truce. In the negotiations, Israeli officials said they would let displaced women and children return but would hold back most of the male population, according to Egyptian officials. The war in Gaza began with Hamass Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, according to Israel. Israel responded with bombing and a ground operation that together have killed more than 30,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities, whose figures dont distinguish between civilians and militants. Over the course of the nearly five months, most of the population of Gaza has been pushed to the southern city of Rafah, where Israel has also said it would conduct a military operation. In Cairo, Israel, Hamas and their mediators will be hashing out how Israel might deliver 500 aid trucks a day and set up 200,000 tents and 60,000 caravans as temporary housing for displaced Palestinians. The current proposal says this should be done during the first phase of the truce, which is about 40 days. Egyptian intelligence officials told their Israeli and U.S. counterparts that they have recently had trouble contacting Hamass Gaza chief, Yahya Sinwar, to get him to sign off on a possible deal or a list of hostages. As a way to get Sinwar to re-engage, Egypt asked Israeli and American officials to agree to pause fighting before the release of Israeli hostages. The Cairo meetings show how a potential cease-fire isnt out of reach, despite both Israel and Hamas digging into their usual positions in public. We face a brick wall of delusional, unrealistic Hamas demands," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a Thursday news conference. Hamas, he said, knows its demands are delusional and is not even trying to move close to an area of agreement." On the other side, senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan maintained that Israels priority was to continue fighting in Gaza. The Israelis are still obstructing the negotiation process and trying to gain more time," he said Friday on Al Jazeera television. Carrie Keller-Lynn contributed to this article. Write to Summer Said at summer.said@wsj.com and Chao Deng at chao.deng@wsj.com A case was registered and four people were detained for questioning in connection with the low-intensity bomb blast at Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe in the Brookfield area, police sources said on Saturday. Around 10 people were injured in the blast that occurred at Friday noon. The incident was caught on camera, while authorities continue to gather more information about the suspect. Follow Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast LIVE Updates here Here are the latest developments in connection with the Rameshwaram Cafe blast: 1. The Bengaluru Police registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the explosion at the popular quick-service eatery. 2. Sleuths of the Central Crime Branch probing the case are interrogating the four detained for questioning in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, sources told news agency PTI. These four people were nabbed from Dharwad, Hubballi and Bengaluru "at length". 3. Security has been tightened across Karnataka, especially at the Kempegowda International Airport, following the blast in the Brookefield area in the Information Technology corridor in east Bengaluru. The Delhi Police also tightened the security after a low-intensity blast in Benagluru's The Rameshwaram Cafe. ALSO READ: Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast: Incident could've averted if Congress.., says Pralhad Joshi | 10 updates Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shahdara Surender Chaudhary said the district police are continuously doing foot patrolling. "We hold regular meetings with you MWA and RWA, tenant-servant verification is also being done. Apart from this, we keep checking the parking lots and all the malls," he said. Apart from patrolling in the market, the Delhi Police is also getting checks done from time to time. "We keep an eye on all vehicles and also monitor through CCTV cameras and drones...," he added. 4. Images of the suspect's movement were captured by the CCTV cameras at Rameshwaram cafe and those nearby sources told PTI on Saturday. The video showed a man with a bag entering the Bengaluru cafe's premises. As per police, the suspect purportedly left the bag inside the cafe before leaving. The blast happened within an hour around 1 pm on Friday, March 1. "One person wearing a mask and cap had come by bus, bought Rava Idli from the counter at the cafe and sat down at a place. Then he had set the timer and gone," Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru. He said it would be easy to find the culprit as his visuals of alighting from the bus, purchasing tiffin at the eatery, sitting at a place and placing a bag have all come. "We will find him at the earliest, he said. 5. The footage from the city's public transport buses was also being analysed as part of the probe to nab the culprit. On the basis of the "theory of elimination", more buses are being verified for footage, as BMTC buses have cameras. 6. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said the police are conducting an in-depth investigation into the bomb blast at the Rameshwaram Cafe and are looking into all angles. "At this moment it is not possible to say whether any organisation or an individual was involved," the Home Minister said. 7. Siddaramaiah said the government will bear all the treatment charges of all the patients. "Around 10 people are injured. Three are here in the Brookfield Hospital and six others are admitted in Vydehi Hospital. I am also going there. The patients are recovering and responding very well to the treatment...," he said. Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, accompanied by Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and BJP leader Vijayendra Yediyurappa, paid a visit to the victims of the Rameshwaram Cafe explosion at Vaidehi Hospital on Saturday. Here are the top 10 updates: 1. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi strongly criticized the significant explosion at the renowned Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru and called for an NIA (National Investigation Agency) inquiry into the incident, which resulted in as many as 10 people being injured on Friday. Also Read: Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe Blast Live 2. In a pointed remark directed at the Siddaramaiah-led state government, Joshi suggested that had the government taken the pro-Pakistan slogans raised at the Vidhana Soudha incident seriously earlier, the blast might have been prevented. 3. Speaking to ANI from the blast site, Joshi on Friday evening said, If the Congress government in the state would have taken the Vidhana Soudha pro-Pakistan sloganeering incident seriously then this incident might not have taken place," adding, The way the state government reacted to that incident in the Vidhana Soudha was silly, and a very casual reaction was given to the whole incident. When there is more appeasement politics, then there is an increase in radicalisation, which then converts into terrorism," asserted Joshi. 4. The Cyberabad Commissionerate police conducted inspections at various public locations on Friday as a precautionary measure following the bomb blast at a restaurant in Bengaluru. 5. We are watchful. We did some checks randomly, some places where public gatherings are there. No need to alarm anybody," a police official told PTI, adding, This is part of the precautionary measures in the wake of the Bengaluru blast incident." Also Read: Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast: Owner says 'something kept in bag exploded', 9 injured | 10 points 6. Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government said that the accused involved in the incident will not be spared, and a thorough investigation is underway. The Chief Minister also urged the opposition parties to avoid politicisation of the matter. 7. In a post on X, the BJP Lok Sabha MP from Bengaluru Central, PC Mohan said, "Concerned to hear about the mysterious blast at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru Central Parliamentary Constituency. My thoughts are with the affected individuals and their families. Urging authorities to investigate and ensure the safety of all citizens. Stay safe, Bengaluru." The investigation into this case should be handed over to NIA. The CM should take responsibility and immediately resign," Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra said. 8. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said that the investigation into the Rameshwaram cafe blast is being conducted from all possible angles. He mentioned that 7-8 teams have been established to thoroughly probe the incident. 9. Shivakumar further explained that a young individual had placed a small bag, which later exploded after an hour. Additionally, he reassured the people of Bengaluru not to be anxious amidst the ongoing situation. It was a low-intensity blast. A youth came and kept a small bag, which exploded after an hour. About 10 people received injuries. 7-8 teams have been formed to probe the incident. We are looking from all angles. I ask every Bangalorean not to worry," he said. 10. A security guard working at the Rameshwaram Cafe who was present at the time of the incident said, I was standing outside the cafe. Many customers had come to the hotel. Suddenly, there was a loud sound and a fire broke out, causing injuries to the customers inside the hotel." The Rameshwaram Cafe is one of the popular hangouts and is usually extremely crowded during lunch hours. (With inputs from agencies) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has sent a legal notice to Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Jairam Ramesh on attempting to "create confusion, sensation, and disrepute" the BJP leader. The Union Minister has said that Congress shared a 19-second clip shared from his interview on social media which conceals the context and meaning of the interview. According to the notice issued to the, the Congress leaders posted the Hindi captions and video on purpose, hiding the conversation's context and purposefully harming BJP leader Gadkari's reputation. In a legal notice sent which was sent by Gadkari's advocate, Balendu Shekhar reads, While pursuing the said sinister act, my client's interview has also been twisted, distorted, and presented on your handle 'X' by uploading the above video, which is bereft and devoid of contextual meaning. The same has been done deliberately and consciously with a selected piece of Hindi captions." It also stated, "My client is a Cabinet Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India. Being a part of the Union cabinet of the most dynamic, decisive, visionary, progressive, and powerful government that Bharat, i.e., India, has had since independence under the leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I very often interact with the press and media to highlight the deeds and accomplishments of work carried out in the present government regime. In continuation of the same series, my client gave his interview to an online platform, "THE LALLANTOP," which is still available." "My client is part of the National Political Party, "Bhartiya Janata Party," which is also one of the lead components of NOA, which has formed the present Union Government, has been associated with Indian politics for the last several decades and holds a very high reputation in the general public on account of his efficacy and tireless service to the nation and the people," it said. "My client was shocked to know, hear, and see the contents and post on the microblogging site 'X' from your party's (Indian National Congress) official handle at 9:36 AM on March 1, 2024, on which you noticees deliberately posted 19 seconds of audio and visual clipping by concealing the contextual intent and meaning of the client's interview," it said. "The same sinister act has been done with sole intent and ulterior motives to fan and create confusion, sensation, and disrepute to my client in the eyes of the public at large, as well as a futile endeavour to build fissure and rift in the solidarity of the Bhartiya Janata Party, which is all poised to win the trust of people in the upcoming general election under the leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi," added the notice. "The contents of the piece of the video clip, which is devoid of contextual intent of interaction as well as a captioned Hindi title, are completely false, scandalous, factually incorrect, are completely afterthought, and are an intentional attempt by you noticees to insult and demean my client, coupled with your intent to provoke members of the Bhartiya Janta Party to develop an ideological rift with my client," read the notice. "The presence of your scandalous contents on your X wall has ultimately harmed the reputation of my client as well as of the political party "BJP'', with which my client is associated, in the eyes of the public at large. The contents of your post have been shared and seen on social networking sites in huge numbers, which has resulted in big reputation damage, defamation and a great loss of credibility for my client," it said. The legal notice also required an apology to Nitin Gadkari within three days and the removal of the post from the Congress party's social media account within twenty-four hours of receiving it. If failing to do so, the notice said that the BJP leader would have no other option but to take recourse to all such actions that are open to them, both civil and criminal, at the Congress leader's risk and expense. (With inputs from ANI) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Indian security agencies stopped a Pakistan-bound ship from China at Mumbai's Nhava Sheva port over the suspicion that it contained a dual-use consignment that could be used for Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missiles programme, officials told news agency PTI on Saturday. As per the report, the customs officials halted a Malta-flagged merchant ship CMA CGM Attila at the port on January 23. The ship was en route to Karachi in Pakistan. The action was taken based on an intelligence input. The officials inspected the consignment, which included a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, originally manufactured by an Italian company. A Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) team also inspected the consignment and certified that it could be used by the neighbouring country for its nuclear programme, the report said. ALSO READ: Economic crisis: Pakistan in talks with China, Saudi Arabia to secure $11 billion The port officials had alerted the Indian defence authorities who inspected the heavy cargo and reported their suspicions. After this, the consignment was seized, the officials were quoted as saying. They said the seizure falls under the "prevention of possible proliferation by Pakistan and China". In documents such as bills of loading and other details of the consignment purportedly, that the consigner was mentioned as "Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd" and the consignee was "Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd" of Sialkot. The consignment weighed 22,180 kilogrammes. ALSO READ: China, Pakistan conduct joint maritime exercises in Arabian Sea. Should India be concerned? However, "an investigation by the security agencies suggested that the consignment was shipped by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd and meant for Cosmos Engineering (a Pakistani defence supplier) in Pakistan," the officials told PTI. Not the first time This is not the first instance when Indian port officials have seized such dual-use military-grade items being shipped from China to Pakistan. According to PTI, Cosmos Engineering has been on a watchlist since March 12, 2022, when Indian authorities intercepted a shipment of Italian-made thermoelectric instruments, once again at the Nhava Sheva port. In February 2020, China was supplying autoclave to Pakistan under the cover of "industrial dryer". The autoclave was seized from a Chinese ship Dai Cui Yun that carried a Hong Kong flag and had left Jiangyin port on the Yangtze river in Jiangsu province of China, bound for Pakistan's Port Qasim. The autoclave was possibly meant to be used in the missile programme of Pakistan. It's seizure strengthened apprehensions that Pakistan is unabashedly indulging in illegal trade of missiles and violating the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). ALSO READ: Proof of great friendship: China to send Pakistan another $1.3 billion Concerns over China's support for Pak's nuclear programmes Concerns have intensified over China's support for Pakistan's nuclear and missile programmes. Officials said there have been concerns that Pakistan might be utilising China as a conduit to acquire restricted items from Europe and the US, masking identities to evade detection. Officials said China's assistance to Pakistan has come in two ways supplying sensitive materials/equipment of proliferation concerned clandestinely and acting as a conduit in facilitating the country to procure dual-use/military-grade items/equipment from overseas, especially Europe and the US. The ongoing investigation aims to determine if the suspected Pakistani entities receiving these dual-use items are supplying these to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), responsible for much of Pakistan's defence research and development, the news agency said. Additionally, China has assisted Pakistan in constructing civil nuclear power plants. China has constructed four 300 MWe nuclear power plants in Chashma and two 1,000 MWe plants in Karachi, violating Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) guidelines. China has plans to construct anothet 1,000 MWe nuclear power plant in Chashma, they said. What are Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines? These CNC machines are controlled by a computer and produce a scale of efficiency, consistency and accuracy not possible manually. Experts said the equipment would be useful in manufacturing critical parts for Pakistan's missile development programme. North Korea had used the CNC machine in its nuclear programme. (With inputs from PTI) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a range of development projects worth 21,400 crore during his visit to Bihar on Saturday. The number of projects that were launched by the PM included national highways, bridges, and railway projects. While addressing a rally in Aurangabad, PM Modi made a veiled attack on the Congress and other opposition parties. Lok Sabha 2024 LIVE Updates: BJP to release first candidates list shortly While speaking at his Aurangabad rally, PM Modi said, Politics of familism is waning in Bihar after NDA was strengthened. The problem with the politics of familism is that you inherit the party and chair, however, you don't dare to mention about the work done by 'maa-baap ki sarkar'. I have heard that senior leaders of their party (RJD) are not ready to contest Lok Sabha elections." In addition to PM Modi, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Governor Rajendra V Arlekar, Deputy CMs Samat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several Union ministers were also present at the programme. PM Modi's Bihar visit: Top 10 updates - PM Modi visited Bihar for the first time after CM Nitish Kumar broke ties with Mahagathbandhan to rejoin the NDA to form a new government in the state. -While addressing a rally in Aurangabad, PM Modi said that his government is focused on increasing the capacity of the poor, Dalit, Adivasi and the deprived. -Speaking at the event, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar known for switching sides multiple times, assured that he will stay with the NDA alliance and will not go here and there You (PM Modi) had come earlier as well, 'par idhar hum gayab ho gaye the. Hum phir aapke saath hai.' I assure you that I will not go here and there. Hum rahenge aap hi ke saath," ANI quoted Nitish Kumar. -Attacking the previous state governments, PM Modi said, There was a time when the people of Bihar were scared to go out of their homes and in today's time the possibility of tourism in the state is increasing." -The Prime Minister unveiled national highway projects worth over 18,000 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for a six-lane bridge over the Ganga, which will be constructed parallel to the existing JP Ganga Setu. -PM also launched three new railway projects in the state, including the doubling of the Pataliputra-Pahleja line and a 26-km-long new line between Bandhua and Paimar. -Remembering former Chief Minister of Bihar, Karpuri Thakur, PM Modi said, "A few days ago, the pride of Bihar, Karpoori Thakur was conferred with Bharat Ratan by the Government of India. This is an honour for the entire state of Bihar." -Recalling the occasion of consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, PM Modi highlighted that Bihar is the land of Goddess Sita, and enthusiasm was palpable in the state when Ram temple was consecrated in Ayodhya." -In the state capital Patna, PM Modi laid the foundation stone of Unity Mall, which will be constructed at a cost of over 200 crore, and provide a boost to the 'One District, One Product' project. -Under the Namami Gange scheme, the PM inaugurated twelve new projects worth over 2,190 crore in the state. Under the scheme, a sewage treatment plant will be constructed in Patna, Sonepur, Naugachia, and Chapra. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Here are top news of the week between 2 March and 24 February that made headlines: Rameshwaram Cafe blast An explosion rocked The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru on Friday. Nine people were injured in the incident, said officials. The co-founder of the famous cafe chain reported said two blasts, within just 10 seconds, occurred. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reportedly confirmed that Rameshwaram cafe explosion on Friday noon was caused by a low-intensity improvised explosive device. Vijay Shekhar Sharma resigns 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. BJP releases first candidate list The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) released the first list of 195 candidates for the upcming Lok Sabha elections here in the national capital on March 2. The first list of 195 candidates features high-profile names such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will again contest from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah who will contest from Gandhinagar in Gujarat. Byju crisis The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has registered a new plea filed by four investors against Byjus, the Indian Edtech major. The investors have accused the companys management of oppression and mismanagement, according to a report. This marks the fifth legal challenge against Byjus filed in the NCLT and the fourth in 2024 alone. Nifty, Sensex hit record high For the first time ever, the Nifty 50 crossed 22,300 intraday, while the Nifty Bank touched 47,000 intraday. Sensex hit record high and crossed over 73,700-mark. BJP CEC meeting for Lok Sabha polls The Central Election Committee (CEC) of Bharatiya Janata Partychaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modion Thursday night met at the party headquarters in the national capital to take a call on the first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The list is likely to be out soon. Himachal Pradesh political crisis The Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government suffered a major setback after losing the Rajya Sabha elections because of cross-voting to the BJP. The grand old party lost the lone seat of the state in the Upper House of Parliament after its six MLAs cross-voted for the BJP. Moreover, Congress senior leader and minister Vikramaditya Singh announced his resignation from the cabinet. With the disqualification of the six Congress rebel MLAs, the strength of the House has reduced from 68 to 62. Sheikh Shahjahan arrest Absconding Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested by West Bengal Police from the Minakhan area in North 24 Parganas on Wednesday, February 28, night, in connection with allegations of 'sexual assault and land grab in the Sandeshkhali area. He was later sent to a 10-day police custody by Basirhat Court. The case has been handed over to CBI. Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant pre-wedding events Mukesh Ambani's youngest scion Anant Ambani's pre-wedding gala has kicked off on an extravagant note with top-notch business magnates' presence in Gujarat's Jamnagar on Friday. The guest list for the three-day event includes business leaders like Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Ivanka Trump. Celebrities like Rihanna, Bollywood film stars such as Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, fellow Indian billionaires Gautam Adani and Kumar Mangalam Birla, as well as many renowned persons are also expected to attend the event. sign ONE 97 COMMUNICATIONS More Information Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Several lessors of the bankrupt airline Go First informed the Delhi high court on Friday that airline's resolution professional (RP) Shailendra Ajmera had failed to conduct any maintenance on their aircraft and wilfully defied court orders regarding maintenance. The lessors sought the court to issue a contempt notice against the RP. However, the court did not issue a notice and instead provided time for the RP's counsel to come up with instructions on the next date regarding whether the responsibility for aircraft maintenance should be given back to the lessors or to a third party. The hearing was deferred to next week. The plea of contempt against the RP was filed by lessor DAE (SY22) 13 Ireland Designated Activity Company in November last year. It alleged non-compliance with a previous court order instructing the RP to maintain the aircraft and provide maintenance records to the lessors. Ten out of fourteen lessors in the case supported the plea for contempt proceedings against the RP. In response, RP informed the court that they had partially complied with the court order by providing maintenance documents to all lessors and initiating steps for maintenance. RP mentioned issuing a work order and appointment of Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization (CAMO) by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for aircraft maintenance. Additionally, RP noted meetings with lessors in Mumbai where an agreement was reached to appoint a third party for maintenance. The RP further stated that the maintenance delays occurred due to the resignation of the previous CAMO and a lack of manpower, emphasizing that the delay was not intentional but rather due to unforeseen circumstances, as the airline has not been operational since its bankruptcy. Despite the RP's response, the lessors insist on contempt proceedings, arguing that the RP had knowingly taken responsibility for maintenance despite lacking resources and manpower, thereby defying court orders. The high court had on 5 July 2023 allowed the RP to take responsibility for maintaining Go Firsts aircraft but allowed lessors the right to inspectan order later upheld by a division bench of the high court as well as the Supreme Court. The court then, on 12 October, directed Go First's RP to provide all maintenance and technical records, along with other key aircraft-related documents to the lessors. Go First declared bankruptcy in May 2023 due to engine failures from Pratt & Whitney. Legal and administrative hurdles, including disputes with lessors and changes in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) benches, have prevented the airline from resuming operations. Recently, the NCLT granted a 60-day extension for the moratorium until 4 April, allowing the airline more time to finalize its corporate insolvency resolution process within the total 330 days permitted under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Two bids have been submitted for the revival of Go First's operations. The first bid, jointly submitted by SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh and Busy Bee Aviation Pvt. Ltd. The second bid comes from Sharjah-based aviation company Sky One which specializes in a wide array of aviation services. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! An unexpected turn of events that has left the chess community both bewildered and amused. Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand was kidnapped" while waiting at the airport. Anand tweeted about his "kidnapping" by none other than chess sensations Alexandra and Andrea Botez. Well, it was all in good humour. At the Airport! My Kidnappers, let me go," wrote Anand while sharing a serious-looking photograph of himself. Also Read: 'My heart is swollen with pride': Anand Mahindra shares chess grandmaster Praggnanandhaa's success The plot thickened when Anand revealed the terms of his release. It was American-Canadian YouTuber Alexandra Botez who was behind the kidnapping". She is known for her strategic prowess on the chessboard. She earlier tweeted a couple of photos of Anand and wondered, Why does it look like we took @vishy64theking hostage?" Alexandra Botez told me I had to solve a chess position to win my freedom. Andrea asked what Black should play in this position. I told her Kd5, and they let me go," Anand added. Alexandra challenged Anand to solve a chess conundrum to win back his freedom. Andrea Botez upped the ante by questioning what move Black should play in a given position. With the calm composure of a true chess legend, Anand responded with "Kd5", a move that not only promised to slow down the White king's advance to the queenside but also signalled a swift end to his captivity. Extra explanation Extra explanation: Since this is a race, black should play Kd5 Slowing the white king march to the Queen side. And a quicker hostage release!" Anand added. Also Read: Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand elected as the deputy president of FIDE Anand further clarified his escape strategy in a follow-up tweet, explaining the tactical nuance of his move. By playing Kd5, he effectively turned the tables on his captors, ensuring a rapid release in this light-hearted race against the chess clock. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The US will begin airdropping emergency humanitarian assistance into Gaza, President Joe Biden said Friday, a day after more than 100 Palestinians were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops. The president announced the move after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured, according to Gazas Hamas-run health ministry, on Thursday when witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy. Biden said the airdrops would begin soon and that the United States was looking into additional ways to facilitate getting badly needed aid into the war-battered territory to ease the suffering of Palestinians. Also Read | UN convoy attacked by Israeli forces while entering Gaza strip In the coming days were going to join with our friends in Jordan and others who are providing airdrops of additional food and supplies" and will "seek to open up other avenues in, including possibly a marine corridor," Biden said. The president twice referred to airdrops to help Ukraine, but White House officials clarified that he was referring to Gaza. Israel said many of the dead were trampled in a stampede linked to the chaos and that its troops fired at some in the crowd who they believed moved toward them in a threatening way. The Israeli government has said it is investigating the matter. The head of a Gaza City hospital that treated some of those wounded said Friday that more than 80% had been struck by gunfire. Biden made his announcement while hosting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White house. Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough," Biden said. "Now, its nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line and childrens lives are on the line. We wont stand by until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several." The White House, State Department and Pentagon had been weighing the merits of U.S. military airdrops of assistance for several months, but had held off due to concerns that the method is inefficient, has no way of ensuring the aid gets to civilians in need and cannot make up for overland aid deliveries. Administration officials said their preference was to further increase overland aid deliveries through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom border points and to try to get Israel to open the Erez Crossing into northern Gaza. The incident on Thursday appeared to tip the balance and push Biden to approve airdrops. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that airdrops are difficult operations, but the acute need for aid in Gaza informed the president's decision. He stressed that ground routes will be continued to be used to get aid into Gaza, and that the airdrops are a supplemental effort. Its not the kind of thing you want to do in a heartbeat. you want to think it through carefully," Kirby said. He added, Theres few military operations that are more complicated than humanitarian assistance airdrops" Pressure has been mounting for Biden to move more aggressively to ease Palestinian suffering, including from lawmakers of Bidens Democratic Party. Even before Thursdays deaths, Sen. Jack Reed, chairman of the Senates Armed Services Committee, wrote Biden this week to urge that the administration deploy a military hospital ship and support units to help treat Gazas wounded and open a sea route to Gaza for delivery of humanitarian aid. Yesterdays event, I think, underscores the need to find more creative ways of getting assistance in faster and at greater scale," Kirby said. Egypt, France, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have already used airdrops to get aid into Gaza since the conflict started in October. Biden in his visit with Meloni at the White House also sought to assure European leaders that the U.S. remains behind Ukraine even as he's been unable to win passage of a supplemental foreign aid package that includes $60 billion for Ukraine in addition to $35 billion for Israel and Taiwan. The legislation has passed the Senate, but Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to put it up for a vote in the House. Ahead of Meloni's visit, White House officials said they don't have good answers for allies about finding an end to the impasse with House Republicans and reopening the American spigot of aid to Kyiv that's badly needed as Ukraine tries to fend off Russia's invasion. Biden, along with top Democrats and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, strongly urged Johnson during a White House meeting this week to take up the foreign aid package, but Johnson responded by saying that Congress must take care of Americas needs first." The leaders also discussed efforts by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar to broker an extended cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Italy's priorities for a G7 presidency, migrant flows into Italy from North Africa, and their countries' China policies. Biden said earlier this week that a cease-fire deal could be reached by Monday, before tempering his optimism after Thursday's incident. But on Friday, Biden said he still held hope that a deal can be struck, possibly before Muslims around the globe begin observing the holy month of Ramadan that is expected to begin on March 10. I'm still hoping so," Biden told reporters on Friday evening before departing the White House for the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. "Were still working real hard at it. Were not there yet." Meloni said solving the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was Italy's top priority. We need to coordinate our actions to avoid an escalation, and this regard we fully support the U.S. mediation efforts," she said. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Noting that the United States wants to do more for Gaza, President Joe Biden on Friday said his government would start to deliver relief supplies from the air into the troubled area. The news comes a day after over 100 Palestinians died at an aid convoy. "We need to do more, and the United States will do more," Biden said and further added In the coming days we're going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing air drops of additional food and supplies.". "Innocent people got caught in a terrible war, unable to feed their families. And you saw the response when they tried to get aid in," Biden said "We'll get there but we're not there yet -- we may not get there." He further noted he would "insist" that Israel let in more aid trucks, while it would also look at a possible "marine corridor" to deliver large amounts of aid into Gaza. Biden had been planning air drops for some time but Thursday's incident "certainly underscored for the president" the need to find other ways to get aid in, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. Kirby admitted it is a "tough military operation" that required careful planning by the Pentagon for the safety of both Gazan civilians and US military personnel. "It is extremely difficult to do an airdrop in such a crowded environment as is Gaza," said Kirby. Ceasefire by Ramadan? Ceasefire talks are ongoing between Israel and Hamas amid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza which has been under siege since Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel. Referring to the same, Biden said "hoping" for a deal on a six-week ceasefire by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which will start on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar. Biden has pushed Israel to reduce civilian casualties and allow aid in, while at the same time he has maintained military assistance for the key US ally. (With agency inputs) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The UAE's inaugural Hindu temple, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 14, was made accessible to the public on Friday.\ The BAPS Hindu temple was constructed by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) on a sprawling 27-acre plot in Abu Mureikhah, situated near Al Rahba along the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway. Meanwhile, the temple website gave detailed guidelines for visitors, including what type of clothing is preferred and what is banned, rules for photography etc. Cover the area of the body between the neck, the elbow, and the ankles. Caps, t-shirts, and other clothing articles with offensive designs are not allowed. Do not wear translucent or tight-fitting clothing. Avoid clothing articles and accessories that make distracting noises or reflections," the guidelines said. Moreover, pets are prohibited from entering the temple premises, and outside food and beverages are not allowed within the temple structure. Additionally, the use of drones is strictly forbidden within the temple grounds. Constructed by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), the temple is situated on a 27-acre plot in Abu Mureikhah, close to Al Rahba along the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway. The construction cost of the temple is estimated to be around 700 crore. These guidelines are necessary to be followed to preserve the tranquil ambience and ensure the orderly management of our premises," the temple authorities said. In a post on X, BAPS Hindu Mandir said, The wait is over! Abu Dhabi Mandir is now open for all visitors and worshipers. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 9am-8pm. Every Monday: Closed for visitors" The Associated Press called the Missouri race for Trump with only a small percentage of the votes reported. Republicans in Idaho and Michigan are also holding nominating contests on Saturday to award delegates. Trump has won every nominating contest so far by wide margins, putting him on track to have enough delegates to lock down the Republican presidential nomination by mid-March. The latest Trump victory portends trouble for Haley, who is the final candidate challenging Trump. The former president won the first Michigan contest a primary on Tuesday by more than 40 percentage points. Michigan Republicans, whose party rules dictated holding a second contest, also hold a party convention on Saturday to award the remaining portion of delegates. The race will soon shift to Super Tuesday on March 5, when 15 states hold Republican nominating contests. Haley has vowed to stay in the race through then. She has continued to campaign and fundraise over the past week in the wake of a crushing loss to Trump last Saturday in South Carolina, the state where she was governor twice. Earlier: Delegate Math Favors Trump as Haleys Longshot Bid Gets Harder Haley has argued that she should stay in the race despite the unlikely odds in order to give voters a choice beyond the former president. She has made the case to voters that Trumps legal challenges would distract him from the campaign, making him a less desirable candidate to challenge President Joe Biden. Despite the losses, Haley has beat expectations set by polls in several of the early voting states. She won more than 43% of the vote in New Hampshire and nearly 40% in her home state of South Carolina, both states where she spent significant time campaigning. There are huge numbers of voters in our Republican primaries who are saying they want an alternative," Haley said last week. Jai Chabria, a Republican strategist, said the latest win made clear that Haley had virtually no chance of clinching the nomination away from Trump. This race has been over for a long time since Donald Trump announced he was gonna become president," Chabria said. There are a few in the donor class that wants us to go on, but thats really it." More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiators failed to break a deadlock on major reforms on Friday despite talks extending deep into overtime in Abu Dhabi, in what some delegates said was a triumph of national interest over collective responsibility. Talks ended early on Saturday after five days of negotiations which failed to see breakthroughs on agriculture, fisheries and other key topics. However, a moratorium on imposing tariffs on e-commerce data transmissions was extended by two years, in a relief to businesses. "On the big ticket items that are essential for the mandate that the WTO wants to sort out, the fisheries, the harmful subsidisation, that just did not happen, because there was not the spirit of give and take," a senior European official said. On the fifth day of the ministerial meeting, most ministers had already gone home, although India's trade minister Piyush Goyal and European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis remained until the end. BLAME GAME Dombrovskis expressed disappointment over the lack of consensus on fisheries, agriculture and broader reforms, and singled out India for blame. "Agreements were within reach, supported by an overwhelming majority of members, but ultimately blocked by a handful of countries sometimes just one," he said in a statement. Goyal, who was a holdout on these topics, was seen smiling and shaking hands outside a meeting room late on Friday as delegates gathered in small groups next to a coffee stand. India insisted on a long promised permanent fix on public holdings of agriculture stocks which some developed countries opposed. "We have not lost out on anything. I go back happy and satisfied," Goyal told reporters as talks started to wind down. Delegates had described the talks as intense and contentious at times, but WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala sought to put a positive spin on a difficult week, telling a closing session: "We've worked hard this week, we have achieved some important things and we have not managed to complete others." India, along with South Africa, had opposed extending a moratorium on digital trade tariffs - a move that has overwhelming support of most governments and from business - but later relented after an appeal from host United Arab Emirates. WTO ministerial meetings have failed in the past and this year's negotiations, held in the oil-rich Gulf state the United Arab Emirates, has highlighted fissures between some of the world's top economies. BRICS DISAGREEMENT U.S. President Joe Biden's trade chief, Katherine Tai, said in an interview with Reuters late on Thursday that if talks failed, fragmentation among the BRICS group would have contributed. India and China, core members of the BRICS group of nations, have disagreed on key issues including on investment. India's commerce minister joined the negotiations two days after they started and after his Chinese counterpart had left Abu Dhabi. Pacific island nations have also complained at the talks about feeling marginalized and overlooked by most major powers, arguing that proposals did not go far enough to protect fish stocks. But Fiji's delegate earned a standing ovation at the end of the closing ceremony after urging countries to support future negotiations on fisheries. U.S. support for global trade and multilateral groups like the WTO has been renewed under Biden. But negotiators were mindful that former President Donald Trump, who disrupted the multilateral system, could win a second term in the U.S. presidential election in November. John Denton, who heads the International Chamber of Commerce, warned that the weak outcomes from the meeting should "serve as a wake-up call on the need for a more nuanced and constructive debate on the role of trade in society both locally and globally. No country stands to gain from a weakened multilateral trading system." Earlier in the week, even the formal acceptance of completed negotiations on improving investment was blocked at an organization where all 164 members must agree by consensus. A consensus on major deals would have elevated the UAE's status as a global interlocutor, as it seeks to place a bigger emphasis on multilateralism and dialogue, a turnaround from the assertive foreign policy it was pursuing a decade ago. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Himachal Political Crisis: Just when all seemed well in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh, when it felt Congress had averted a crisis, rebel Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA Rajinder Rana claimed that nine more party legislators "feeling suffocated" due to Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu 's style of functioning. The rebel MLAs who were disqualified after they scripted the Congress' loss in the lone Rajya Sabha seat by cross voting, have moved the High Court challenging their disqualification. They were disqualified from the Himachal Pradesh Assembly for abstaining from voting on the cut motion and finance bill. On Saturday expelled Congress MLA Rajinder Rana called himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu "liar number one". Meanwhile, high drama was witnessed during the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet meeting on Saturday as ministers Jagat Negi and Rohit Thakur left midway following a "heated debate" over policy decisions, PTI reported. In an interview with PTI, Rajinder Rana termed CM Sukhu "liar number one" and alleged that he was trying to twist the facts. "Neither Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh had told the chief minister that he is meeting the Congress rebels at Panchkula nor the CM had sent him," Rana said. "Vikramaditya Singh, who met us on his way to Delhi, did not ask us to patch up. He has his grievances against the government which failed to provide land for installing Virbhadra Singh's statue and interfered in his functioning," he added. Sukhu on Friday said he gave the go-ahead to Vikramaditya Singh to meet the rebels who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls, in what appeared to be a placatory gesture even as he called the same six MLAs black serpents". In a setback for the ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP on Tuesday won the state's lone Rajya Sabha seat despite being in the minority with just 25 MLAs against 40 of the Congress as nine MLAs, including six from the Congress and three independents, voted for BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan. Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania had on Thursday disqualified six Congress MLAs namely Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto for abstaining from voting on the Cut Motion and the Finance Bill. Amid the Congress' woes, Revenue Minister Jagat Negi and Education Minister Rohit Thakur on Saturday walked out of the Cabinet meeting being chaired by Sukhu after a "heated debate" over policy decisions, sources said. Thakur, however, returned after allegedly being pacified by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, they said. Later, Negi said the meeting started at around 12.30 pm instead of the scheduled time of 11 am and clashed with another engagement that he had. Negi said he left as he was getting late. Addressing media persons, Thakur said he left the meeting briefly to meet someone but later went back. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) is likely to announce on Saturday its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The candidates list, which is likely to include over 100 candidates, will be released at a press conference on Saturday evening. The much-awaited first list of candidates comes after late-night meeting by the BJP leadership. The saffron party had held its first round of its Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting on Thursday where its members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, deliberated at the BJP headquarters in Delhi to finalise candidates on seats across 17 states for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. According to the reports, decision regarding over 155 seats were made during the BJP CEC meeting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP's National President JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Organisation General Secretary BL Santosh, Chief Ministers, State Presidents, In-charges, Co-Incharges, and Election In-charges of various states were present in the last meeting. WHO IS LIKELY TO BE FIELDED IN FIRST BJP LIST? Reports quoting sources indicated that decision regarding Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Telangana and Uttarakhand was made during the Thursday meeting. Discussions were held with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding the names of candidates in the meeting. Apart from 4-5 candidates from Telangana, three current MPs G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and Arvind Dharmapuri may also get tickets again to contest the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Lok Sabha seats in Assam was also discussed BJP sources said that the names of candidates from Assam were discussed in the meeting, in which all Lok Sabha seats were filled with leaders from Assam. Out of the 14, the BJP is likely to contest 11 seats in Assam. Union Minister and former Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal is likely to be fielded from Dibrugarh. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will share the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bihar on March 2, the first time in two years. This is also PM Modi's first visit to Bihar after Nitish Kumar's return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fold in January this year. PM Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are scheduled to share the stage at events in Aurangabad and Begusarai of Bihar, ahead of Lok Sabha polls 2024. Both are Lok Sabha constituencies currently held by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). Last time, the two leaders shared the stage at Yogi Adityanaths oath ceremony as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow in March 2022. PM Modi's pre-Lok Sabha poll tours Today's event, part of PM Modi's whirlwind tour of the country ahead of general elections, is scheduled just a day before Opposition leaders come together for one of its biggest rallies since the INDIA bloc was formed last year. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will share the stage with RJD chief Lalu Prasad and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury at a mega rally at historical Gandhi Maidan in Bihar's Patna on March 3. Also Read : PM Modi says historical progress that Bengal had achieved could not be utilised as Incidentally, Nitish Kumar had in June 2023, then chief minister of the Janata Dal United -RJD government in Bihar, hosted the INDIA bloc leaders in Patna at the bloc's first meeting. Seven months later, Kumar switched sides and became the chief minister of the new BJP-JD-U government in January, 2024. This was the fifth change of camp for Nitish Kumar, the longest-serving chief minister of Bihar. Since 2013, Kumar has been swinging between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan, all the while keeping his chief minister's seat intact. Before his latest switch in January, Kumar joined Mahagathbandhan in August 2022, three years after he had walked out of the alliance and joined the NDA. Nitish had met PM Modi in Delhi days after he joined the NDA, one more time. 21,400 Cr-worth projects Bihar sends 40 memers to Lok Sabha. In 2019, the BJP had won 17 and the JD-U 16 seats from the state. The RJD drew a blank. The PM began the day on Saturday with public programmes in West Bengals Nadia district and will arrive in Aurangabad around 2.30 pm. He will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth 21,400 crore. Among the projects whose foundation stone PM Modi will lay include a six-lane bridge across the Ganga that will be developed as a part of the Patna Ring Road, according to a statement from the PMO. This bridge is being built as one of the longest river bridges in the country Modi is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone of a Unity Mall in Patna. In Begusarai, the parliamentary constituency of his cabinet colleague Giriraj Singh, PM Modi will unveil multiple oil and gas sector projects across the country worth 1.48 lakh crore. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! As companies race to build the latest and greatest software for their businesses, they are overloading their tech balance sheets with an oft-ignored kind of debt. Its known as technical debt." Underneath the shiny and the new, lurking in IT systems where it creates security vulnerabilities and barriers to innovation, is an accumulation of quick fixes and outdated systems never intended for their current use, all of which are badly in need of updating. Technical debt manifests in myriad ways, from system failures and slower innovation, to security breaches. It was behind the cancellation of more than 13,000 Southwest Airlines flights in late December 2022, which stranded passengers and bags all over the U.S. during the height of the holiday travel season. Its also, according to experts, a primary driver of the many software vulnerabilities which led to dozens of hacks in the past 12 months, including exploits of critical systems operated by Google, Apple and Microsoft. This technical debt would require $1.52 trillion to fix, and costs the U.S. $2.41 trillion a year in cybersecurity and operational failures, failed development projects, and maintenance of outdated systems, according to a 2022 report by a software industry-funded nonprofit. Thats more than 2.5 times what the U.S. government pays in annual interest on the national debt. The author of that report, retired University of Texas at Austin software engineering professor Herb Krasner, says he believes that debt has now climbed to nearly $2 trillion. Technical debt has parallels with our national debt, in that it compounds over time, ballooned during the pandemic, and has reached worrisome proportions. Its also akin to our aging physical infrastructure, because its already leading to hazardous conditions in our everyday lives. Many software professionals are also worried that the rise of AI as an aid to software development will only make the problem worse. The reason is that anything that makes it easier for codersespecially less-experienced onesto write and ship software tends to lead to more technical debt. For coders, getting features out the door is often prioritized, rather than taking the time to optimize that code to be as efficient as possible. Its the same flaw in our collective priorities that drives our failures to maintain our physical infrastructure. Technical debt is one of those invisible issues that people either know they have a problem with, or they dont know, and thats worse," says Roger Williams, a vice president of research at Gartner. It happens because its cheaper and easier to put things off for tomorrow, just like anything we have at home." The only lasting fix for technical debt is for management to empower the IT side of an organization to start saying no to all the requests for shiny new things, and focus on making what an organization already has more robust, more secure and futureproof. This required maintenance could be a hard sell for some businesses which may be willing to spend on building new technical capabilities, but shy away from paying for work that doesnt necessarily bring them anything new. The number one thing keeping us from retiring technical debt is the fact that the business wants new capabilities," says Bill Curtis, chief scientist at Cast Software, a company which makes tools to help organizations understand their own sprawling software systems. There has to be a policy that some percentage of our time has to be used to bring down technical debt, and they have to enforce it." Without such policies, building new things and pivoting to new businesses is all that much more difficult. Imagine software as a giant mechanical contrivance. Bolting more pieces onto a machine can give it new abilities, but doing so doesnt change how it operates, at its core. And those innards may be straining under the burden of driving new functions. The more complicated the software machine becomes, the trickier it can be to get it to do new things. In this way, technical debt becomes an ever-increasing drag on productivity. People are not changing their ways, in terms of technology and processes" says Krasner, who has studied the problem in depth. It really has to do with the trade-off of building quality in, versus getting things out the door quickly." Technical debt is most acute for the worlds oldest and most august organizations, which is a problem, because theyre the ones we often rely on the most. For example, Americas banks and financial institutions are disproportionately burdened with technical debt. Many have systems that still rely on Cobol, a programming language first released in the early 1960s, as part of a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense. Banking systems are loaded with Cobol, it was built ages ago, its not documented, and the guy who built it is probably dead," Curtis says. Fixing Americasand the worldstechnical debt may require outside intervention. A big part of reducing technical debt is rewriting code and in some cases, re-architecting whole systems. Recently, the EU updated its laws on defective products to include software, AI and even incorrect dataas in a navigation system. This change should allow people to sue companies over defects originating in any of those things, where before the law only covered hardware. Paying down the nations technical debt could also get a boost from new generations of software tools. AI-based coding tools make it easier to generate code that can contribute to technical debt, but they can also help analyze existing codebases in order to determine what needs to be updated and how, Krasner says. Companies like ADP, the human resources management company, are using AI to help translate old code, including Cobol, into newer coding languages for which its easier to find knowledgeable programmers. Years ago, companies owned their own servers, and the penalties for inefficient systems werent that greatjust buy some more racks of computers and throw those at the problem. Now that everything has shifted, or is shifting, to the cloud, and companies are paying for computing a la carte, those inefficiencies mean bills that are, on average, double what they could be if old systems were optimized, says Ben DeBow, chief executive of Fortified, a consulting firm that helps companies manage and update their database systems. Legislation and AI aside, one of the most common ways technical debt is eliminated is through what you might call technical bankruptcylegacy companies get disrupted by new ones that dont have the same burden of old systems. A primary driver for the success of cloud-based business software startups like Salesforce in the last two decades is, arguably, that these companies arent burdened with technical debt the same way as older companies. Many institutionsincluding the U.S. governmentcant simply be replaced with shiny new models, however. The chief information officer of the U.S. Department of Defense recently said that he is considering issuing guidance to organizations across the military to retire and update software and hardware systems that are badly out of date. In a world in which sophisticated adversaries like Russia and China can hack into U.S. systems, technical debt isnt just about saving money or making it easier to innovateits also a matter of national security. Write to Christopher Mims at christopher.mims@wsj.com Zoe Saldana is incredibly close to her siblings JC Olivera/Getty Zoe Saldana, Cisely Saldana and Mariel Saldana Nazario attend HBO Max Original Series "GORDITA CHRONICLES" Los Angeles Premiere on June 12, 2022. Zoe Saldana has always been open about how important family is to her, including her bond with sisters Cisely and Mariel Saldana. Her relationship with her siblings is so strong that they decided to spend their lives working together. The three sisters started a film and media production company called Cinestar, where they produce reality TV, feature films, television shows and more. We really protect our nuclear family. Without that, were broken," Cisely said of her sisters in a Cinestar YouTube video. "It's always been a blessing that together were stronger, apart were nothing, and I think that we knew that from get-go and were really proud of the work that were doing. ADVERTISEMENT Aside from the film and TV production, Cinestar also boasts a YouTube channel with short-form unscripted content, like the Rose Roundtable series, on which all three sisters discuss hot topics and life lessons with other inspiring women, including fellow actresses, models and personal trainers. I am grateful for my family, specifically my sisters my partners in crime, my soulmates, were rockstars together, Cisely said in a Thanksgiving-themed episode of Rose Roundtable. Here's everything to know about Zoe Saldanas sisters Cisely and Mariel and their relationship with the actress. They grew up in Jackson Heights, New York Cisely Saldana Instagram Zoe Saldana with her sisters Cisely and Mariel and parents Asalia Nazario and Dagoberto Galan. Zoe, Cisely and Mariel all grew up in the Queens neighborhood of Jackson Heights in New York City. We started Cinestar because were all about stories. Stories are what got us all the way to Hollywood from Queens, Zoe said in a video on the companys roots. Jackson Heights is known for being one of the most culturally diverse areas in the Big Apple, and Zoe touched on this in a video about holiday traditions, speaking their neighbors being from China, Bangladesh, Poland and Colombia. I loved crashing any holiday party because I always felt like an accidental tourist, Zoe said. You didnt have to go to a restaurant on Friday, you could just go to any of your homies houses." Story continues While their early childhood started in Queens, they also spent a lot of their young life in the Dominican Republic, where their mother is from. Growing up in New York, our family used to send us back to Dominican Republic for the summers, Mariel shared in a family recipe video on the Cinestar YouTube channel. Mariel is the oldest Dan Steinberg/Shutterstock Cisely Saldana, Mariel Saldana, and Zoe Saldana at the 'The Honor List' film screening on May 10, 2018. As the oldest sister, Cisely and Zoe admit they lean on Mariel for support. Mariel helped raise Zoe and I, Cisely stated in a video on Cinestars YouTube channel, making her emotional. I know faith because of you. I know my maker because of you and that means a lot. Zoe also chimed in on how Mariel is a mother figure in their sibling dynamic, and also praised her ability to be present in the moment. She is motherly, she is super-mature ... but theres also this juvenile quality to her that compels you to let go and be absolutely present, she said of her older sister. When youre running about your yesterdays and trying to chase your tomorrows, Mariel is just present. Cisely is the youngest John Salangsang/Variety/Penske Media/Getty Cisely Saldana at The Art of Elysium's 13th Annual Heaven Gala, Los Angeles on January 4, 2020. In a Rose Roundtable episode on motherhood and childbirth, Zoe pointed out that Ciselys reservations about pregnancy and childbirth stemmed from being the youngest in the family and witnessing both herself and Mariels pregnancies and births. [Cisely] was the one who was there in the hospital every day, wiping butts, cleaning babies, changing diapers, Zoe said. In another video titled Meet the Saldana Sisters, Mariel and Zoe explain what Cisely means to them and what kind of person she is. She embodies loyalty, Zoe said of her younger sibling. She doesnt give up and shes extremely stubborn but its because her intuition is always spot on. Shes the baby and shes the boss, Mariel added. Shes very creative. They founded a film production company together Cisely Saldana Instagram Zoe Saldana with her sisters Mariel Saldana, and Cisely Saldana. In January 2013, the Saldana sisters launched a film production company called Cinestar Pictures. All three women serve as producers on the companys projects. Were all different, we are all actually into different things. We want the everyday woman to be portrayed ... We all come in different shapes, sizes. Were not all tied into one mold. What we do have in common is we need to love each other, Mariel explained in a video about why they founded Cinestar. We want to create content where you feel celebrated, you feel seen, you feel educated, you are entertained and that you feel compelled enough by the content were creating that you wanna reach out to us and keep pointing us in the right direction, Zoe added. Cinestar releases reality rom-coms, which are unscripted, documentary-style feature films that follow real women on dating adventures in different cities. The idea first came to fruition with their 2023 release, Meet Me In Paris, and followed with the sequel, Meet Me In Rome, which was released on the Roku Channel in February 2024. Both reality rom-coms were team efforts with Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoons media company, with both Zoe and Reese at the helm of direction. Cinestar has also released more traditional films, like 2018s The Honor List, which starred Karrueche Tran, Sasha Pieterse and Arden Cho. Theyve additionally produced shows like Netflixs From Scratch and HBO Maxs Gordita Chronicles. Mariel is a mom of two Mariel has two kids: Eli and Kasey. Eli was born on May 12, 2003. For their 20th birthday, their aunt Zoe posted a sweet message on Instagram about her love for them, sharing photos and videos of Eli visiting the family on set. On this very day, 20 years ago, you made us the luckiest family in the world," she wrote. "Thank you for spreading your stardust on every single person you meet. You are kind, caring, pure, witty, hilarious, sensible, intuitive, forgiving, and an absolute blast to hang out with. Mi primer amor! Te amo, she added in Spanish, translating to: My first love! I love you." Eli is involved with their mom and aunts work, spending time on set for some films and tagging along on press trips, too. Despite being much younger, Mariel is dedicated to exposing Kasey to art as well. In July 2018, she posted a photo of a then 5-year old Kasey at an art gallery for an exhibit exploring Latinx identity. We are proud, we are latinas, we are raising our children to know who they are, Mariel wrote. Kasey is at the Gallery!" Zoe commented, showing excitement for her nieces exposure to art. They love to share family recipes Cisely Saldana Instagram Zoe Saldana with her sisters Cisely and Mariel and mom Asalia Nazario. One of the featured series on the Cinestar YouTube channel is a cooking series called My Family Recipe, where people are encouraged to share the recipes of their favorite family dishes. Both Mariel and Cisely have demonstrated how to cook some of their favorite family recipes on the channel. Cisely opted to cook her maternal grandmothers recipe for Moro-Locrio, a hybrid dish of rice, beans and meat. My grandmother used to make this dish for me on birthdays and when I was sick, she said. One of my favorite things about her is that shes overly confident, so when shes done cooking your favorite meal, she doesnt even let you compliment it because she likes to compliment her own food herself, she added. Similarly, Mariel recreated a recipe from their great-grandmother for Arroz con Leche, also known as rice pudding. My great-grandma was a force to be reckoned with, Mariel said. I used to get extremely excited when I saw her soak the rice for a little bit because I knew [shes] making arroz con leche. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. A former researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has pleaded guilty to the 2021 killing of a Yale University graduate student found shot outside his car in Connecticut What to know about the latest court rulings, data and legislation on abortion in the US Boxwood Successfully Completes its 5th Residential Services Franchisee Transaction JUPITER, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 1, 2024 /Boxwood Partners is pleased to announce the sale of Panther Overhead Door, LLC, a leading ... Resolution calls for county to pay $150K to a Black man punched by a white officer while handcuffed Officials in a Tennessee county have introduced a resolution to pay $150,000 to a Black man who was filmed being struck by a white police officer while he was handcuffed An ex-soldier "involved in planning" an SAS ambush in which three IRA men died is appealing against a jail sentence imposed earlier this week. The ex-serviceman was cited to give his account of the June 1991 incident in Coagh, County Tyrone, to an inquest in Northern Ireland. However, he refused, leading to a judge in Edinburgh imposing a six-month jail term on him for contempt of court. Three men, Peter Ryan, Tony Doris and Lawrence McNally, died in the ambush. Earlier this year, a judge at Scotland's Court of Session wrote of how the former serviceman, who can only be identified as 'Soldier F', was "involved in planning the operation". Judge Lady Carmichael also wrote that there was "no dispute" that he was "one of the soldiers on the ground who opened fire". The men who died were intercepted on 3 June 1991 by SAS soldiers as they drove in a stolen car. The special forces detachment suspected the IRA members were going to murder a member of the security forces. All three were shot dead in a hail of gunfire. Previous legal hearings were told that up to 150 rounds were fired during the incident. 'Soldier F' is not the same person as the Soldier F who is facing two charges of murder in relation to Bloody Sunday. He is also different to the ex-serviceman identified as Soldier F who, it was announced earlier this month, faces charges of murder and attempted murder in Belfast in 1972. Contempt of court Lawyers for Soldier F in the Coagh case went to the Northern Ireland High Court in July 2023. They argued that an order made earlier by a coroner compelling him to give evidence should be set aside due to his poor mental health. However, Madam Justice McBride refused the request, saying the order was justified as Soldier F's evidence was crucial in determining whether lethal force was justified in the Coagh incident. Despite this, Soldier F did not go to the inquest last year to give evidence, prompting a court to pass an order - called a default certificate - detailing how he did not give evidence. Story continues Lawyers for the the presiding coroner of Northern Ireland - Mr Justice Humphries - went to the Court of Session, the supreme civil court of Scotland, in an effort to pursue Soldier F for his non-attendance in Northern Ireland. Lady Carmichael then found him in contempt of court for defying the inquiry in Northern Ireland last month. A number of hearings have been held since the finding of contempt on the matter. However, reporting restrictions were placed on the case over fears about the soldier's safety if he were placed in custody. The restrictions were removed following a procedural hearing at the Inner House of the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Friday. Soldier F's legal team are appealing against a decision by Lady Carmichael to impose a six-month jail term on him last Monday. Passing sentence on Soldier F, who was not present in court at the time, Lady Carmichael said: "I have determined that the appropriate sentence in the case is one of six months imprisonment." On Friday afternoon, Soldier F's lawyers attempted to have reporting restrictions continued in the case. This would have prevented all media reporting on the action until the conclusion of proceedings. However, judge Lord Pentland thought it was appropriate to only pass reporting restrictions on Solider F's identity, which must remain secret for security reasons. The appeal on the matter will be heard later this month. A young man who was driving without documentation avoided a driving ban when he told Judge Bernadette Owens he could lose his job and have to emigrate if he had no car. Luke McDonagh, who changed his address in court from 1 Cnoc Na Goithe, Lanesboro, Longford to Flat 1, Ryans Flats, Racecourse Road, Roscommon was charged with two road traffic offences. Sergeant Enda Daly said the matter before the court stemmed from an incident on May 19, 2023 when the defendant was stopped at Lanesboro. Mr McDonagh had no insurance and was an unaccompanied driver on a learners permit. The defendant, who represented himself, accepted he was driving without insurance on the date. He told the court his parents had moved from Lanesboro and he was faced with the prospect of emigrating, but did not want to do so because he loved his girlfriend and he loved Ireland. He said he works hard as a sales person and is a contributor to the local economy. Judge Owens commended the young man on his very eloquent submission and said she would not impose a ban, but registered a conviction and imposed a fine of 400 giving Mr McDonagh four month to pay. A lapse in concentration while driving resulted in a crash that turned a car on its roof at Kilsallagh, Edgeworthstown. Patrick Murray (62) of 39 Rathban Drive, Castlebar, Mayo was initially charged with dangerous driving on March 31 2023, however the charge was reduced to careless driving. Sergeant Enda Daly said the incident occurred at 2:30pm. Garda received a call regarding a two car collision at Kilsallagh, Edgeworthstown. Witnesses described an incident in which the vehicle driven by Mr Murray veered into the opposite lane and collided with an oncoming vehicle. Both cars had been going in the opposite direction, traffic was heavy and conditions were wet. Sgt Daly said the other vehicle ended up turned over on its roof in the field. The court was told a PSV inspection show both cars were roadworthy prior to the collision. Judge Bernadette Owens asked if the incident had been the result of a lapse in concentration? That appears to be what happened, judge, solicitor Frank Gearty replied. He explained that Mr Murray had been working in Dublin as a carpenter. On the day he was returning home. Mr Gearty said his client had been up early, but had a good sleep the night before. He pointed out that whereas the driver of the other car was injured, a young passenger avoided any injury. Mr Gearty said the defendant has a great appreciation of the approach the victim took to the matter Mr Murray would like to think this won't happen again, the solicitor concluded. Noting the defendant had no previous convictions Judge Owens said she accepted that it was careless driving, rather than dangerous driving. The judge imposed a fine of 1,000, giving Mr Murray five months to pay. Aid is airdropped to Gaza by parachute. (IDF) Israel and several partner countries are increasingly looking to airdrops as a method to deliver aid to civilians in Gaza. Airdrops have been used since the beginning of the war but increased in frequency during the last week of February. There are an estimated several hundred thousand Gazans in northern Gaza with another several hundred thousand in southern Gaza near the beach in a humanitarian zone called Mawasi. These areas are farther away from Rafah where most humanitarian aid is being routed by trucks and are prime targets for countries that have the ability to drop aid into Gaza. Although it has been used in the past including coordination throughout February, the Israeli Defense Forces highlighted the new airdrop initiative on February 28. In cooperation between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, France and the USA: a supply of food and medical equipment that was transferred to the residents of the southern Gaza Strip and the Jordanian field hospital was airdropped, the IDF said. The increased airdrops follow the February 29 attempt to deliver aid in northern Gaza using trucks that ended in a stampede, killing 100 people. There are now calls for an investigation into why they were killed. The UAE, France and Jordan have been conducting various types of aid missions related to the war in Gaza since the conflict began in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. For instance, the UAE has airlifted Gazan patients from Al-Arish in Egypt to the UAE for treatment. Under an operation called Gallant Knight 3, the UAE also sent a ship to Al-Arish to act as a floating hospital. France sent its Dixmude helicopter carrier to Al-Arish early in the war to provide aid to Gazans. This is a key capability of the DIxmude, one of the key ships that France can deploy on missions like this to provide aid during a conflict. Canada and the US are also considering airdrops, according to reports. The Kingdom of Jordan coordinated with Israel early in the war to conduct airdrops in Gaza. Jordan is well-placed to do this, given its proximity to Gaza and working relations with Israel. Its C-130s only have to fly a short distance, around 140 miles, south of Israels capital of Jerusalem to reach Gaza. This has become a prestige mission for the Jordanians. Jordans Princess Salma took part in the fifth airdrop in mid-December in which supplies were dropped to a Jordanian field hospital in Gaza. King Abdullah of Jordan took part in a February 27 airdrop in which six C-130s flew out of Amman to drop the aid into Gaza. The Jordanians announced announced on March 1 that they had carried out three more airdrops in northern Gaza. In addition to the Jordanian C-130s have been aircraft from France and the UAE. In what the UK Ministry of Defense called a Jordanian-led effort, the UK sent 582 cargo parachutes to Jordan in a C-17 to assist Amman in its air drops. The IDF noted on February 28 that coordination with France, Egypt, Jordan and the UAE had resulted in 160 aid packages being dropped on February 27, which included food and medical equipment for the residents of the southern Gaza Strip and the Jordanian field hospital in Khan Yunis. The IDF noted that the drop took place in coordination with the International Cooperation Division of the Strategic Planning and Cooperation Directorate (J5), the Coordination and Liaison Administration to Gaza (CLA) of the COGAT Unit, the 98th Division and the Israel Air Force. Israel has also utilized airdrop capabilities to supply IDF forces in Gaza. Israeli C-130s from the 103rd Elephants squadron at Nevatim airbase have dropped water to Israels 98th division in Khan Younis as well as thousands of leaflets over cities across Gaza to warn civilians of impending operations or to seek information on hostages held by Hamas. Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDDs Long War Journal. He is the acting news editor and senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post. Israeli airstrikes on the Syrian port of Baniyas killed IRGC Navy advisor Col. Reza Zareai along with two unidentified members of Lebanese Hezbollah. The airstrike was aimed at a compound used by the IRGC in Baniyas, a port city in northwestern Syria. Zarei was there to offer guidance to Hezbollah forces, backed by Iran and allied with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his battle against Syrian opposition groups. According to reports from Qatari state-affiliated media, Zarei was overseeing Iranian oil deliveries to Syria. The identities of the two Hezbollah members who perished in the strike have not been disclosed. The attack follows a campaign launched by Israel in early Dec. 23, targeting IRGC officers and advisors operating in Syria who were working on military projects against the Jewish state. On Jan. 20, a reported Israeli airstrike killed at least five officers from the IRGC Qods Force in the Syrian capital of Damascus. This strike marked the second attack in the last month, targeting and killing IRGC officers in Syria. The five advisors from the IRGC who lost their lives in the strike included Sadegh Omidzadeh, deputy intelligence officer of the Qods Force, his deputy Hajj Gholam, and three other advisors in the Mezzeh neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, as reported by The Associated Press. On Dec. 25, 2023, Israeli strikes targeted and killed senior IRGC commander Razi Mousavi on the outskirts of Damascus. Mousavi was a key interlocutor between Iran and the Syrian regime, a U.S. intelligence official who wishes to remain anonymous told FDDs Long War Journal. Mousavi also facilitated the transfer of weapons from Iran to Syria, which were then sent to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Lastly, on Dec. 2, 2023, Israeli strikes eliminated two IRGC advisors operating in Damascus. They were identified as Mohammed Ali Ataei Shoorcheh and Panah Taghizadeh. In the past, Israel has eliminated threats in Syria, but not at this pace. Following the Oct. 7, 2023, war, Israel has been facing threats from multiple fronts, including Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq, the West Bank, Syria, and Yemen. Most of these organizations are proxies or clients of the Iranian regime and are attempting to foment chaos in the region and pressure Israel into a ceasefire to save Hamas. That being said, Israel has increased its attacks again members of the Axis of Resistance, including members of the IRGC operating in Syria. Attacks on Israel from the active fronts will continue until Hamas is entirely removed from power in Gaza or if there is a permanent ceasefire in place. However, it does beg the question of what Israel will do with Hezbollah on its northern border and Hamas on the West Bank border once the focus is taken off Gaza. Joe Truzman is a research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian militant groups and Hezbollah. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Hundreds of wind turbines are on course to dot the landscape of the Port au Port Peninsula and Codroy Valley. (CBC - image credit) CBC A massive wind-to-hydrogen operation proposed for Newfoundland's west coast has not been officially given the go-ahead, but the project continues to gain traction. If World Energy GH2's megaproject moves from potential to realization, it could prove to be the kickoff for Canada's foray into the growing global energy transition that officials say will be worth $1 trillion by 2040. This week, World Energy's attempt to get Canada's first such project off the ground secured $128 million in federal public money through what's called a credit facility essentially a line of credit for the company so it doesn't have to apply for new loans each time it needs money. That money is coming from the federal government's Canada Account, which is "used to support export transactions which we are unable to support, but which are determined by the minister for international trade to be in Canada's national interest," according to Export Development Canada, the federal Crown corporation administering the financing. Other recent transactions through the Canada Account include a financing deal in August for a green hydrogen-ammonia project by EverWind N.S. Holdings in Nova Scotia and a handful of transactions to the Trans Mountain Corporation to support the company's pipeline on Canada's west coast. World Energy did send up a flare in July 2022 when chairman John Risley told CBC News the company wouldn't ask for provincial support but would likely file an application with the Canada Infrastructure Bank a different federal Crown corporation mandated to invest in infrastructure that benefits Canadians. "But we've not applied to either government, either provincial or federal, for any grants and we don't intend [to]," Risley said at the time. On Thursday, World Energy CEO Sean Leet told CBC News the Canada Account loan isn't important just to the Newfoundland project but to the industry as a whole. Story continues Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press Leet said renewable products and renewable energy cost more to produce so it's important they have the financing available to move forward. "We're in the development phase of the project, so this loan facility will go toward the development expenses, or the dev-ex as we call it, and that's extremely important for advancing the project to financial close," he said. 'Urgency' The plans for the project have been very public for a couple of years: more than 300 wind turbines on the Port au Port Peninsula and Codroy Valley, a hydrogen-to-ammonia plant in nearby Stephenville and ambitions to supply Europe with clean energy as it transitions off Russian oil. Both the provincial and federal governments appear eager to get the ball rolling. In October 2022, Premier Andrew Furey came under fire for going on a fishing trip to a resort owned by Risley in July 2021. Risley was there for at least part of Furey's visit, along with a friend of the premier's: Brendan Paddick, a World Energy director. Furey defended his trip, insisting he paid for the trip himself and that he his "ethical walls" were up. He said wind farms and hydrogen plants didn't come up during his stay. In August, legislative standards commissioner Ann Chafe wrote in a report that Furey did not enter into a conflict of interest or violate the House of Assembly code of conduct. Patrick Butler/Radio-Canada And, as Federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan put it during Wednesday's funding announcement, there's a hurry to get in on the hydrogen-ammonia transition. "We are here today because the team at World Energy GH2 is in a hurry. We need to get this project off the ground and signal to the world we are in the green hydrogen game now. That's the urgency that you need to have in this industry," he said. Germany emerged as an early suitor, and a visit to Stephenville by Canadian and German top officials in August 2022 sealed the deal with a new "hydrogen alliance." But residents of the region are divided on what the megaproject will mean for them. Some say it will be a boost for an area declining in age and population, guaranteed jobs into the future to attract young Newfoundlanders working away from home to come back and settle down, and economic spinoff to boost struggling local businesses. The company's initial environmental impact statement, submitted to the provincial government in August, said the lifespan for entire project is expected to be about 30 years, with an additional year for decommissioning for the Port au Port and Codroy Valley sites. A final hurdle On the other side, some residents say they're concerned about the project's impact on the environment. Protests in the region have pushed back against any progress. Some residents say they've been left in the dark without a complete understanding of what could land in their backyards. Then there's the little detail of still having to pass the province's environmental assessment. That decision remains up in the air. World Energy submitted an amended impact statement to government in January, and the public has until March 20 to comment. Environment and Climate Change Minister Bernard Davis is expected to give his decision on April 9. Kristel Mallet/Radio-Canada But that tiny speed bump hasn't slowed down the company. In September 2022 World Energy signed memorandums of understanding with Qalipu First Nation and the town of Stephenville. In May, South Korea-based construction engineering company SK Ecoplant invested $50 million US. A month later, World Energy bought the Port of Stephenville. Then, in August, the company secured roughly 266,000 acres of Crown land. All for a project that has yet to be given the green light. Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page There is a new cake trend making its rounds on social media, and it could be the perfect way for you to set fire to the last decade of your life or reveal the gender of your baby with one flame. Burn-away cakes have garnered hundreds of millions of views on TikTok since the beginning of 2024, according to Eater. While videos show that the technique has been around a couple of years, the trend gained popularity when cake maker Denise Steward made a New Years-themed burn-away cake in December 2023. The trend was further popularized by Ontario-based baker Namaya Navaratnarajah, according to Eater. Navaratnarajah has shared videos of burn-away cakes on her TikTok account, which has more than 130,000 followers. Some of her most-popular videos include a Pokemon cake with a double reveal that goes from Charmander to Charmeleon to Charizard. That video, posted in January, has more than 39 million views. Burn-away cakes are made by layering printed edible sheets. A frosting sheet is used for the bottom layer while wafer paper, usually made from potato starch, is used for the top image. The flame from a candle burns through the top layer to reveal the image on the sheet below. The end result is a metamorphic cake that can fit into your Death to your 20s party, gender reveal or any other special occasion that warrants a surprise message. For those looking to hop on the cake trend here in Massachusetts, the following are a couple of bakers that offer them: The Sugar Connection (Haverhill/Boston) Jelissa Lamboy, founder of The Sugar Connection, offers burn-away cakes in addition to her online portfolio of desserts. Cakes vary in price based on size, flavor fillings and piping style, but Lamboy priced one of her 8-inch cakes at $150. While Lamboy is based in Haverhill, she delivers to Boston where most of her clients live. You can order a cake by going on The Sugar Connections website or by messaging Lamboy on Instagram. Cakes by Ally (Dedham) Allison Price charges $90 for her 6-inch burn-away cakes and $130 for an 8-inch cake, but it costs more depending on pictures and other decorations. The easiest way to order cakes from Cakes by Ally is to text 857-930-9301 for the quickest response or email Allisonp88@gmail.com. Price will only deliver cakes for larger events that require set up; otherwise, all cakes must be picked up in Dedham. You can check out Prices work on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube. Sugar Coated Cakes (Dracut) Sugar Coated Cakes offers burn-away cakes that can only be picked up at the store at 1794 Bridge St. in Dracut. Pricing depends on size, flavor and design, but the shops 6-inch round starts at $70, owner Jennifer Gryckiewicz said. Orders can be placed online or through email at sugarcoatedcakes@live.com. Kay Sweets (South Shore) Kay Sweets offers burn-away cakes, according to multiple reels posted to the dessert shops Instagram. The shop is pick-up only and people can check availability/policies on the shops Instagram below before placing orders. On The Rise Baking (Worcester) On The Rise Baking is located at 1120 Pleasant St. in Worcester and offers burn-away cakes, according to multiple reels on the bakerys Instagram. On the Rise specializes wedding and special event cakes, tarts, gluten free pastries and more, according to the bakerys website. Did we miss bakery that offers burn-away cakes in Massachusetts? Email dcifarelli@masslive.com to let us know. A Vermont town has acted on the notion that young voters offer hope for the future, giving 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote next week in local elections. Those who turn 18 by the November general election will be permitted to vote in the states presidential primaries on Super Tuesday. That means some voters in Brattleboro, population 7,500, could have a hand in choosing major party nominees who are more than 60 years older than they are: Democratic President Joe Biden, 81, and Republican front-runner Donald Trump, 77. The change to the towns charter required legislative approval, and Republican Gov. Phil Scott twice rejected the measures. Last year the Democratic-controlled Legislature overrode the governors veto, giving more Brattleboro teenagers the green light to vote and run for Brattleboros primary governing body, and to be chosen as representatives to an annual town meeting where many local issues are decided. Lawmakers stopped short of giving 16 and 17-year-olds the ability to serve on the local school board, which was originally part of the measure town residents approved back in 2019. Some communities in Maryland have lowered the voting age to 16 for municipal elections. The city council in Newark, New Jersey, approved a measure in January to allow that age group to vote in school board races. Two cities in California lowered the voting age to 16 for school board seats, but those changes have not gone into effect. Silas Brubaker, a 17-year-old senior at Brattleboro Union High School, plans to do research before making his voting decisions on Tuesday in local races. He said hes qualified because I know whats going on in the world. Im not too young or too naive to know whats happening and to know what I want to be happening, Brubaker said. And when those things conflict, it feels very unfair and wrong for me not to be able to do anything in an official sense. Like I can go to protests, I can speak my mind, but I cant do anything in a legal sense and now I can, so thats exciting. The effort to lower the voting age started years ago. Rio Daims worked on the youth vote campaign in 2018 when she was 16. Now shes a 22-year-old college student studying political communication. Its exciting, but I also just really, really hope that there are other excited teenagers who are making the moves to get the word around, she said, because unless theyre told, theyre not going to assume this is a possibility. Daims father, Kurt Daims, director of Brattleboro Common Sense, was director of the youth voting campaign starting in 2013 but doesnt feel its a full victory because young voters were excluded from serving on the school board. Senior Django Grace, who helped organize a voter drive at the high school, said turnout dropped during the pandemic and civic engagement has plummeted. Bringing younger voters into the process can only help. Giving us the vote allows us to apply whatever were learning in class, said Grace, who just turned 18 and is running to be a town meeting representative. It makes it relevant. To date, at least 37 teens have registered, according to the town clerks office. Many signed up during the voter drive at the school on Feb. 14, which senior Eva Gould also helped pull together. This is the future and these are the people who are going to be voting in our elections and are going to be running in our elections as well, Gould said. They know a lot more than a lot of people do, honestly. A New Hampshire man is accused of shooting his girlfriend in the head, which led to an Amber Alert being issued Friday morning after he drove off with their two young daughters, leaving their mother dead in her home, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formellas office announced Friday evening. Dustin Duren, 37, was charged with second-degree murder, Formellas office said in a statement. At around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, New Hampshire State Police and Berlin, New Hampshire, police arrived at an apartment at 1063 Main St. in Berlin, Formellas office said. Inside, they found the body of Caitlyn Naffziger, 31. An autopsy conducted Friday found that she died from a single gunshot wound to the head, Formellas office said. Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Michell Weinberg determined the manner of death was homicide. As part of the investigation into Naffzigers death, authorities issued an Amber Alert that said Duren had taken their two daughters, ages 4 and 1, Massachusetts State Police told MassLive. At the time, they were last seen in a white Subaru Impreza driving south. Authorities thought Duren might have been driving to Minnesota. However, Duren didnt make it that far. By around 11 a.m. Friday, his car was spotted about 160 miles away from Berlin outside a restaurant on Key Road in Keene, New Hampshire, Formellas office said. People outside the restaurant recognized the car and called police. Police found the Durens inside the car and the father was placed into custody. The children were safe, New Hampshire State Police said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Duren is scheduled to be arraigned in 1st Circuit Court - District Division in Berlin, New Hampshire on Monday, March 4. Twice a year, hundreds of visitors flock to Clinton for an opportunity to hike over the top of the Wachusett Dam and gaze over the Wachusett Reservoir. This year, the Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation will open the Wachusett Dam to the public for the first time in 2024 on Saturday, May 11, from 2 -5 p.m., Regional Director Kelley Freda told MassLive. Visitors can walk across the top of the dam, from one side to the other and down to the grounds below on the land side of the dam, which are open year-round from sunrise to sunset. The dam is open semi-annually once in the spring, and once in the fall. 30 1 / 30 Historic photos of the construction of the Wachusett Dam in Clinton DCR rangers are typically on hand to provide information about the agencys watershed protection program during Dam Day. Backpacks, briefcases and large bags will not be allowed due to security, according to the Dam Day page on the states website. Other items may be subject to search. Dogs are also not allowed at the top of the dam and there are no restrooms on the property. Related: 10 dam things to do while visiting the Wachusett Dam in Clinton About the Wachusett Dam: The Wachusett Dam was completed in 1905. At the time, it was the largest gravity dam in the world. The walkway to the top of the dam closed to the public in the 1990s due to water supply security and public safety concerns. The Wachusett Reservoir provides water to metropolitan Boston and holds about 65 billion gallons of water. It is the second-largest body of water in the state. The Wachusett Dam in Clinton, Massachusetts (Noah R. Bombard). Before you go: To get to the dam, plug 265 Boylston St. Clinton into your GPS. Visitors can park along routes 70 and 62 in Clinton. Parking is also allowed about a mile away at Clinton Middle School or Clinton High School. There is a limited number of reserved spots for people living with disabilities at the entrance to the promenade, according to the states website. Call the Wachusett Reservoir Ranger Station at 978-365-3800. On March 1, 1979, 17-year-old Selinda Jean Winegar left her familys home in Vermont to visit a friend. She never returned. Friday marked the 45th anniversary of the teenagers decades-old disappearance, and police are still seeking answers in the cold case. Several rumors about her whereabouts have been reported over the years, but she has not been seen since and remains a missing person, Vermont State Police said in a Facebook post Friday about Winegars case. In the post, state police urged anyone with information about Winegar to call the agencys Williston office at (802) 878-7111. Winegar was last seen at her familys home on Forest Street in Burlington on March 1, 1979. She left home to visit a friend and never returned, according to state police. Before Winegar went missing, she had fallen into a bad crowd and was involved with drugs. She and her family members, but particularly Winegar, were receiving threatening phone calls until they got an unlisted phone number, state police noted. After Winegars disappearance, her family received an anonymous phone call saying, Selinda was murdered and dumped in the Winooski River. However, the claim was never verified, according to state police. There have been various sightings, to include a family member believing that she was seen standing at her fathers funeral in 1981, but none of the sightings have been confirmed, state police said. Winegar is the youngest of six children, with the closest in age being 13 years her senior. She may also go by Cindy, state police noted. There have not been any recent reports or communication about Winegar, according to state police. A Harwich man who is accused of abusing seven people was indicted Friday on dozens of charges, including rape and kidnapping, authorities said. Barry Viprino, 43, was indicted by a grand jury on 46 charges on Friday. He is accused of abusing the seven individuals in Harwich between May 2023 and November 2023, Cape and Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois office said in a statement. Among the 46 charges are one count of aggravated rape, 19 counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14 years old, one count of kidnapping, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of intimidation of a witness, one count of possession of a large-capacity firearm and 15 counts of possession of a large-capacity feeding device, according to the district attorneys offices statement. The Harwich Police Department became aware of allegations of a sexual assault by one person against Viprino in August 2023. Through the course of law enforcements investigation, two additional individuals came forward to authorities, prosecutors said. Viprino was arraigned in Orleans District Court on Nov. 9, 2023 on 11 counts of rape, one count of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 years of age or over and possession of a large-capacity firearm. He was held on $200,000 bail in total for the cases, according to Galibois office. Following the initial three people who reported allegations of sexual assault against Viprino, additional individuals have come forward to the Harwich Police Department, the district attorneys office detailed. Todays return of indictments reflect charges involving all seven victims, Galibois office said. After the indictments were presented Friday, Barnstable Superior Court Judge Thomas J. Perrino issued a warrant to ensure Viprino answers to the charges. He is expected to be arraigned in Barnstable Superior Court on March 12, according to prosecutors. A mans body was found in the water at Nelson Memorial Park in Plymouth early Saturday, according to authorities. Police located the body while responding to a report of an unresponsive man facedown in the water at the park at 255 Water St. around 8:30 a.m. Saturday, the Plymouth Police Department said in a statement on Facebook. The unresponsive man who officers located in the water appeared to have been there for some time. He was pronounced dead by EMS personnel, according to the departments statement. Detectives with the Plymouth Police Department and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the cause and manner of the mans death, the department said in its statement. At this time there is no concern to the public, the department noted. Authorities have yet to release the mans name to the public, as his next of kin are being notified, according to the department. Nelson Memorial Park is located on Cape Cod Bay and looks out to Plymouth Long Beach. There is a small section of sandy beach and a salt marsh, according to the North and South Rivers Watershed Association. Two fires broke out in Boston early Saturday, one of which led to injuries, displaced residents and caused millions of dollars worth of damages, according to authorities. The first heavy fire erupted in a large two-and-a-half-story home at 65 Ashford St. in Allston, the Boston Fire Department wrote in a post on X shortly after 2:30 a.m. Saturday. Three alarms were eventually ordered for the blaze, which took multiple hours to extinguish. One resident was taken to the hospital by Boston EMS, and a few firefighters were treated for minor burns. Eight people were displaced because of the fire, which caused an estimated $2 million in damages, according to the department. The American Red Cross of Massachusetts is assisting the displaced residents. Read more: Massive fire burns through Whitinsville Lasell Manor in Northbridge The fire started on the second floor in the rear of the house and spread to the roof, across the attic and through the walls from the back of the building, eventually reaching the front of the structure. The intense heat and size of the blaze melted the siding from the neighboring building at 67 Ashford St., according to the department. Crews battled the blaze for more than two hours, using multiple hoses to try to extinguish it. As flames continued to burn through the attic, all firefighters were ordered out of the building and attacked the fire from above with aerial ladders and a tower unit, the department said. Thick black smoke covers the building and fills the neighborhood as firefighters continue to battle this fire, the department wrote in another post on X around 3:10 a.m. Thick black smoke covers the building and fills the neighborhood as firefighters continue to battle this fire in Brighton. pic.twitter.com/Ll6eixqRO4 Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) March 2, 2024 By around 4:20 a.m., the department said, the fire was knocked down. Crews continued to attack the blaze from all sides, as water poured through the building. The second heavy fire, which also reached three alarms, broke out at 418-420 Bowdoin St. in Dorchester. The blaze started in a three-family home that closely neighbors another three-family house, the department wrote in a series of posts to X starting at 6:10 a.m. No one was hurt in that fire, but one person was displaced. The department did not immediately detail the estimated cost of the damages the fire caused. Because of the close proximity of the two homes, crews worked to keep the fire from spreading through the neighboring building. Aerial and ground ladders, a tower unit and thousands of feet of hose were used to battle the blaze, the department noted. By around 7:45 a.m., the department indicated the blaze was knocked down and firefighters would remain at the scene to check for any hot spots. Thousands of feet of hose to make up as the 1st companies start to make up. Detail companies will remain on scene to check for any hot spots. pic.twitter.com/MMdSFtZF1h Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) March 2, 2024 The Fire Investigation Unit of the department was at the scene to determine the cause of the blaze. A whale found emaciated and stranded in a pond in South Kingstown, Rhode Island died earlier this week, according to officials. The Mystic Aquarium confirmed Friday the fin whale, which had been stranded in Potter Pond in South Kingstown since as early as Thursday morning, died after animal rescuers euthanized it Thursday night, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) said in a statement. The Mystic Aquariums Animal Rescue team and veterinarians, in collaboration with DEM, responded to a call from a resident of South Kingston around 6:30 a.m. Thursday reporting a roughly 42-foot, 25,000-pound fin whale was stranded in Potter Pond, according to the departments statement. Read more: The MSPCA is hoping to reunite this severely burned cat with his family The marine mammal was found to be emaciated and in a compromised state, the department noted. After the whale was evaluated by the Mystic Aquariums veterinary team, the animal did not seem to have any apparent wounds, nor were there any immediate signs of how it became stranded in the pond. As the Animal Rescue team responded to the whale stranding, nearby homeowners brought them coffee. Staff also received emails with prayers for the animal, according to the statement. The community rallied to keep our spirits up, and were just really grateful, Francesa Battaglia, an Animal Rescue technician, said in the statement. Read more: 17 rescued goats from New York need homes in Massachusetts After consulting with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other network partners with expertise in large whales, the Animal Rescue team decided to wait for high tide in the hope the marine mammal would refloat and navigate out of the area. However, the animal did not refloat, according to the statement. Due to the poor condition of the compromised whale and low likelihood of its survival, the decision was made to use medical intervention to alleviate its suffering, the statement detailed. Mystic Aquarium and DEM personnel were with the marine mammal when it died around 9:20 p.m. Thursday. Animal welfare was the top priority, the department noted. Whales are magnificent creatures and its very sad when these circumstances occur, said Scott Olszewski, a marine biologist and deputy chief of the departments Division of Marine Fisheries, which partners with the Mystic Aquarium on whale strandings in Rhode Island. Given this fin whales extremely compromised state, intervening medically was the most humane way of easing its suffering. The Animal Rescue team, NOAA and other network partners will be working closely to conduct a necropsy on the whale to learn more about what potentially caused its stranding, according to DEM. Through the Marine Mammal Protection Act, NOAA coordinates a network of organizations, including the Mystic Aquarium, to respond to beached or stranded dolphins, porpoises or whales in Connecticut and Rhode Island. DEM supports the aquarium in its rescue endeavors, the department noted. These cases are always heartbreaking, seeing such a beautiful animal in a compromised state. As sad as the outcome is here, I feel some relief that this animal is now at peace, Sarah Callan, the Animal Rescue program manager, said in the statement. Well collect a lot of data today and not only learn more about what happened with this specific whale, but also different threats that this species faces as a whole. WESTFIELD This years Law Enforcement Torch Run Western Massachusetts Polar Plunge takes place Sunday, March 10, at Hampton Ponds State Park, 1048 North Rd., Westfield. Officer Erica Ireland of the West Springfield Police Department, who helps organize the Polar Plunge events along with a committee of other first responders, described the fundraiser as A dip into a cold body of water to support an amazing charity. She continued, We already have 37 teams registered and have reached $62,000 fundraised this year. Last year we were able to raise $75,000 and we are hoping to reach that or surpass it in 2024. For a few years, the Oscars looked to be hanging on by a thread. Viewership was plummeting. The pandemic didn't help. And the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind Hollywoods biggest night, kept finding itself on the wrong side of the conversation, whether it be #OscarsSoWhite, envelope-gate, the blip that was the popular Oscar, the untelevised awards or the slap. Then a funny thing happened: Interest started increasing both in and outside the academy. It seemed people were excited about the movies and, they hope, the Oscars again. Its been an amazing year for film in general, film academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. Our art form has never been more relevant. The scope, and wide public embrace, of the 10 films nominated for the best picture prize this year are proof. There is big studio fare, small intimate indies, two international films and two bilingual ones. And whether or not you think Barbie was snubbed in a few other categories, it still has people talking and debating what will happen at the 96th Oscars on March 10. Theres a lot of great energy around the movies of 2023 and the show this year. So were extremely hopeful and excited, Kramer said. The show is shaping up to be remarkable. Academy President Janet Yang chimed in that the Barbie-themed Jimmel Kimmel promo spot has over 35 million views, and the telecast is riding several years of ratings increases. A UNIFYING MOMENT After some rough patches, the Oscars may have finally met the moment. But that comes as no surprise to the academys leaders, who have been working behind the scenes to foster this kind of evolution as they approach their 100th year. Both Kramer and Yang, who assumed their positions in 2022, are looking at the organization as a global entity. Theyre not on the defensive anymore, instead pushing toward the future. Were very unique in the sense that we represent all the disciplines of the industry. No other organization can say that, said Yang. We feel like we are in a potentially strong leadership position to unify. We hear from members all the time How can we have more inter-branch meetings?' They just want to gather, and we can bring this. Story continues Nearly a century ago, unification wasnt part of the plan. In fact, Louis B. Mayer got the idea to start the academy in part to counteract unionization efforts, under the pretense that it would help set standards. In reality, he envisioned the studio heads setting these standards with only their own interests in mind. Mayers dream evaporated quickly, however, and by the 1930s, writers, actors and directors were all forming unions. As proof of how far theyve come, last year during the strikes, the academy took the initiative to host two member conversations about pressing topics: one about artificial intelligence and another about how the strikes were impacting members from traditionally marginalized communities. We felt that it was our responsibility, Kramer said. And we are in a position to actually do this, to create a space for our members to have honest, safe conversations around these topics. It gave us a lot of food for thought, he added. And eventually these conversations will inform perhaps policies and procedures at the academy or inspire others in the industry to think differently. A MORE DIVERSE ACADEMY... The academy as a catalyst for change is not new: They have longstanding programs for helping emerging artists (Academy Gold, the Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting and the Student Academy Awards among them). And its aggressive move to diversify its membership was in place before Yang and Kramer started, in response to #OscarsSoWhite and public exposes about its own ranks being largely older white men. Theyve also taken more proactive steps in recent years to impact the industry they give awards to, including implementing the best picture inclusion standards that went into effect this year. Now there are more than 10,500 members in the academy, representing more than 75 countries and territories. While parity is still a work in progress, 20% of members are from outside the U.S., 34% of members identify as women and 18% are from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities. We represent executives, editors, visual effects artists, technologists, and artisans and professionals across disciplines. Not everybody is singing the same notes and not everybody feels the same way. But we can bring everybody together, Kramer said. Given the past couple of years with the pandemic, and the strikes, and to all of the topics associated with the strikes, the academy needs to remain a neutral ground for these conversations. ...ENGAGING MORE WITH THE PUBLIC There has also been substantial focus on engaging the public through social media, often drawing on the academys vast archival material whether that be vintage acceptance speeches or just memorable moments from Oscars past. Their Instagram account is close to 4 million followers and their YouTube channel is a treasure trove of fun clips: Leonardo DiCaprio's best actor win (54 million views), Hugh Jackman's 2009 opening number (23 million views), Chris Rocks opening monologue (16 million views), Jack Black and Will Ferrell singing Get Off the Stage (15 million views), and Fred Astaire dancing at the 1970 Oscars (13 million views). The interest in movie history has also driven enthusiasm around the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, which houses more than 23 million items of memorabilia, and has hosted exhibitions on everything from Hayao Miyazaki and the history of Black Cinema to The Godfather and the films of John Waters. Kramer noted that about half of the ticket buyers are under the age of 40. But its not just about relics: Short videos theyve made spotlighting below-the-line categories in the lead-up to the Oscars have also taken off. One about visual effects from last year has over 4 million views. Theyre rolling out similar shorts for this years nominees soon too. THE ACADEMY'S FUTURE All of this plays into a different way of looking at the Oscars and the academy's place in the culture. Its important that we think about: How do we change our metric of success? We want millions and millions of people around the world to watch the show the night of, but we also want people watching it for many days after the initial run and on social in perpetuity, Kramer said. This is evergreen programming. And people overseas, outside of the U.S., engage with the show in a lot of different ways. All of these conversations will continue about the future of the industry, the academy, its membership, and, Yang said, even weaning the Oscars from ABC in a few years (the current contract runs through 2028). For both, one of the most satisfying experiences was the overwhelmingly positive response to the addition of an award for casting directors something that had been discussed for decades but was finally voted in this year. I think people feel gratified knowing that we can change. The reputation of the past was, you know, it was a little stodgy, Yang said. Its been an entrepreneurial experience while maintaining the legacy of this very, very revered institution. And they hope the academy will stay at the center of it all. Business models are changing. The way people are engaging with movies and arts is changing. And the academy is really at the center of that conversation for the film community, Kramer added. We have a great responsibility to think this through and to ensure that the academy has a successful second 100 years. Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press Happy March! I hope you all enjoyed the dose of warm weather we got earlier this week. Of course, in classic New England style, we were abruptly reminded what season it really is afterwards. Regardless of the temperature, all the festivities in celebration of St. Patricks Day are beginning to ramp up across Western Mass. Just this past Sunday marked the city of Easthamptons celebration of their Parade Committees award winners. This group of folks from across greater Easthampton really got in the spirit and Im looking forward to more events to come all across our district. On Monday morning, several of my staff members attended the Tourism in Western Mass. briefing. The Pioneer Valley and the Berkshires are, in my own biased opinion, some of the most beautiful parts of the country, and with so much to do, as well, tourism makes up a critical part of our local economy. Im looking forward to helping support our local tourism bureau and sharing all the wonderful things Western Massachusetts has to offer! Mauritius Africa Fintech Hub (MAFH) is proud to announce the graduation of its third cohort of university students from the Future Fintech Champions (FFC) industry programme that was held at MCB Auditorium St-Jean on the 13th February 2024, sponsored by the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB). As part of FFC programme, the selected students represent a range of esteemed universities, including Middlesex University, University of Mauritius, Curtin University, The Open University of Mauritius, Universite Des Mascareignes, Polytechnics Mauritius, and Rushmore Business School Mauritius. Throughout the programme, these students participated in practical projects, workshops, and networking sessions to deepen their understanding of the latest Fintech trends and technologies and connect with experts and thought leaders within the Mauritian Fintech ecosystem. The FFC programme is a skills and capacity-building initiative developed by the Mauritius Africa Fintech Hub. The first edition was run in 2021, and MCB has been the exclusive sponsor for the last two years. In 2023, the programme was launched in May and concluded in December. This programme aims to grow talent and future leaders for the Fintech sector by immersing a cohort of specially selected students into the local Fintech ecosystem. The programme is designed in a way that gives the students a taste of the real business world through various exercises, with exposure to whats happening in the Fintech arena, through participation in all of MAFHs workshops, events, regulatory roundtables, internships, and other initiatives, building their knowledge of the technologies, opportunities, and challenges facing the industry. The participants consequently become ambassadors for the Fintech sector by organising Fintech awareness-raising events and initiatives on their home university campuses. Through research for opinion pieces and the development of campus events, they build industry-ready skills such as communication, problem-solving, leadership, and professionalism. In line with MAFHs extended standing mission to bridge the gap between curricula and industry. The participants are consequently expected to inspire the next generation of aspiring Fintech professionals through their skills, ideas, and achievements. As part of their awareness-raising events, the FFC 2023 cohort, under MAFHs supervision, designed and organised the 1st Fintech Youth Summit in Mauritius. The Fintech Youth summit 2023 was set as the flagship event of the programme by the 24 Future Fintech Champion delegates working as an inter-mural cohort to deliver a two days event bringing together a total of 90 participants (secondary and tertiary education level) for them to engage in knowledge sharing with thought leaders and experts within the Fintech industry. The events objective was to engage the Youth in developing the Fintech industry, understand real world challenges and pitch potential viable solutions. During this initiative, recognition was given to the most innovative and effective solutions proposed by the participating teams on the below themes, as provided as industry problem statements provided by the MCB: Banking for Digital Natives Disruptive Banking for SMEs and Corporates Internet of Things (IoT) & Banking. Benazeer Saidoo, CEO Mauritius Africa Fintech Hub, shared a valuable message to the graduating cohort, I hope you leave this programme with growth, not only from a professional standpoint, but as individuals in your own respective personal journeys. Outside of Fintech from a technical perspective, I hope you developed insights, connections and gained new ideas of how to thrive within this space, on top of the degrees you are currently studying. Browsing on the FFCs journey to date, Vishal Ramphul, Innovation Management Lead, The Mauritius Commercial Bank added that in this second year of exclusive sponsorship of the FFC Programme, MCB has had the opportunity to further contribute to this skills and capacity-building initiative by MAFH on numerous fronts. He also seized the opportunity to felicitate all students present. He encouraged them to continue their endeavors to further deepen their knowledge and growth in their FinTech Ambassador roles. With this cohort closing, MAFH will be opening registration for the 2024 cohort in the coming weeks and will be communicated via our social media platforms and website. The programme is open to university students in Mauritius who are interested in gaining skills and knowledge in the FinTech industry whereby they can access a range of initiatives relevant to the industry organized by MAFH and partners. Students who successfully complete the programme augment their chances to pursue careers in the FinTech industry and contribute to the development of the sector in Mauritius. The programmes success highlights the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing the skills gap in emerging industries and the value of collaboration in driving innovation and growth. MAFH would like to thank the MCB for their continued programme sponsorship. Le gouvernement a donne des instructions pour lecriture dun projet de loi Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation qui va resserrer les mailles contre ce genre de crime financier qui peut faire du tort au pays. Cabinet has agreed to drafting instructions being given for the preparation of a Bill to enhance the Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation framework of Mauritius. The main objectives of the new legislation would be to: (a) address any legislative gap identified during the recent Money Laundering/Terrorism Financing National Risk Assessment exercise carried out by the Ministry of Financial Services and Good Governance; (b) address minor deficiencies in technical compliance with the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations; and (c) sustain the effectiveness of the regime to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism and proliferation. The Helm at the Quay in Westport was buzzing with energy as a diverse crowd, spanning generations and political affiliations, gathered for the campaign launch for Fine Gael's Keira Keogh. Attendees, including both seasoned political party members and first-time voters, packed the bar to capacity, creating an atmosphere charged with anticipation and excitement. The young businesswoman from the Quay is seeking to win a seat in the Westport Electoral Area in June's local elections, where she will have to unseat one of the current councillors, who are all seeking re-election. The sitting councillors are Peter Flynn (FG), Brendan Mulroy (FF), Christy Hyland (Ind) and John O'Malley (Ind). The evening kicked off with traditional Irish music by the talented Des Cafferkey and friends; setting the stage for an evening of optimism. The crowd was then treated to beautiful Irish dancing by Kate and Honor Quinn, two very talented young dancers of just 9 and 7 years. As the night unfolded, Deputy Alan Dillon, Deputy Michael Ring and MEP Maria Walsh delivered powerful speeches, inspiring the guests to get behind Keira in the run up to the June elections. Deputy Dillon said: It's great to see a new face, a new voice and a fresh perspective. The electorate would be well represented with Keira who is a fantastic candidate; compassionate, professional and dedicated. Deputy Ring thanked Keira for standing for election: It takes courage to run and stand up for democracy at a time when it needs protecting most. Keira is a strong candidate with roots firmly in the area and we need her voice on the county council. MEP Walsh, who has known Keira for over a decade, added: We are lucky to have a candidate with Keiras capabilities and credentials on the ballot paper. I hope that the people of Mayo will have her vision and skill set on the council after the June election. Keira Keogh pictured at her campaign launch with Deputy Michael Ring and a group of school friends. Pic: Amayo Photography First time candidate Keira took to the microphone and captivated the crowd with a passionate speech mentioning how so many are struggling right now in our ever changing world. She touched on the main concerns and struggles that people are facing in their daily lives from lack of childcare, to loneliness and isolation; challenges for local businesses with rents and rates, delays to services for the most vulnerable among us, and difficulties with housing and accommodation. She spoke about her readiness for the role of county councillor and how she feels her values including empathy, service to others and a hard work ethic, will ensure her effectiveness in delivering results, if elected. In a bold move, Keira snatched the opportunity of the leap year custom to make a compelling proposal to the packed crowd - not for marriage, but for their support at the ballot box. With unwavering conviction, Keogh urged attendees to cast their votes in her favour on June 7, igniting a wave of enthusiasm and support from the crowd. Keira thanked her running mate councillor Peter Flynn for his friendship and guidance and said if elected, she aspires to have his reputation for straight talking and authenticity. Reflecting on the event, Keira Keogh expressed gratitude to her campaign team, family, Fine Gael members and all who came out. She promised to continue championing the causes that matter most to the community. Also present at the event were Fine Gael candidates Alma Gallagher (Ballyhaunis) and Pat Chambers (Newport). President Joe Biden was here putting Ballina on the map, this will double that - Chairman of Mullingar Fleadh THE chairmen of two recent All-Ireland Fleadhs have said Ballina is capable of hosting the nationally-renowned Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. Joe Connaire, Chairman of Mullingar Fleadh, and Bartley Gavin, Sligo Fleadh Chairman, told The Mayo News that Ballina has the capacity to host the event. This comes despite the event costing potentially up to 2 million to run, according to a meeting between various stakeholders seeking to bring the festival to the North Mayo town in 2018 Ballina previously hosted Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in 1996 and 1997, which drew an estimated 150,000 people. The nine-day festival also generated an estimated 50 million for the town over the two years. Today, Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann attracts 500,000 visitors each year up to 25 percent from abroad - and is worth an estimated 60 million to local economies. Bunniconlon-based county councillor John OHara has tabled a motion before Mayo County Council calling on the local authority to lend their support to the towns bid to host the festival. Speaking to The Mayo News at the recent meeting in Ballina Municipal Districts civic offices, Joe Connaire said that the west of Ireland could benefit from hugely from Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. You talk about the size of Ballina. I went around it all today, looked at venues, looked at the streets, the capacities, I feel that there has been towns that has hosted the Fleadh with similar size to this town. I cannot see it as a problem, Mr Connaire said. Youre decent enough with your streets, your venues. Youd probably need a few more [venues] but you can work on that in the future. Theyve had festivals here in the past that have worked very well. This will build on that, he added. Basically, President Joe Biden was here putting Ballina on the map, this will double that. Its a huge event. The biggest event that could come to your town. According to the criteria for hosting the event, Ballina will require an outdoor venue suitable for hundreds of attendees. This may require the instillation of a temporary outdoor stage at an appropriate location in the town. Sixteen indoor venues and 20 outdoor locations have been identified as potential venues to host the various competitions and events at Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. These include four 750-capacity venues, St Muredachs Cathedral (700 capacity) and six 500-capacity venues; Ballina Manor Hotel, Scoil Padraig, Old Convent Hall, Ballina Stephenites GAA Club, Culleens NS and the Twin Trees Hotel ballroom. Mr Connaire estimated that the costs currently estimated at between 1.7 million and 2 million could be met through fundraising, government departments and Mayo County Council. This years Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann is being hosted in Wexford town and is estimated to cost up to 2 million. The security in Mullingar cost 230,000. The barriers cost 120,000, portaloos cost 120,000. Stage hire, sound, lighting hire are in the region of 120,000, he said. You have miscellaneous, you have diesel hire, generator hire, you have signage, you have branding, PR, marketing, event control. You add all them together you, dont be long getting that 1.5 1.6 million. Bartley Gavin, Sligo Fleadh Chairman, said the benefits to the Fleadh are entirely positive. Mr Gavin said that a team of over 20 people would be required to organise the event should Ballina be successful in its application. Traditional music has a very big following internationally. When you have the fleadh in your town it gives you an enormous opportunity to market the fleadh. Thats not lost on people like Failte Ireland, thats why Failte Ireland will put money into it year in year because they see the benefit in terms of marketing the town, Mr Gavin told The Mayo News. Eamon Walsh, PRO of the Connacht Fleadh which was hosted in Ballina in 2023 said he was very encouraged by the recent meeting in Ballina. Mr Walsh told The Mayo News that the fleadh would also provide a substantial cultural boost to the area. We got thousands of people taking up Irish music because they were exposed to it for nine days. That was a big thing, he said. The raising of rates on businesses to fund the cost of the Fleadh has been dismissed by local county councillors and Ballina Chamber of Commerce CEO, Mags Downey-Martin. A progress meeting on Ballinas bid for Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann is to take place in the coming months. A community group objecting to forestry proposals in their area have vowed to campaign for a ban on sitka spruce trees if their objection is unsuccessful. Save Craggagh has lodged an objection to 14.6-hectare sitka spruce forest in Craggagh. The community, which is located between Balla and Kiltimagh, has expressed concerns over the developments potential impacts on farming, scenery, housing and the environment. Woodland Invest, a French investment company, intends to sew primarily non-native sitka spruce which is used to manufacture pallets and chippings. A public meeting on the matter organised by the Rural Ireland Organisation which took place in Balla last Monday drew a crowd of over 100. Gerry Conroy, a resident of Craggagh and a member of Save Craggagh, described the issue as a dark cloud over our area. We have a school and a community centre beside us, the school is struggling enough to keep numbers as it is. If we dont continue to have young farmers farming in the area the farmlands is going to get planted, people will move out, and therell be no young families and well have a community with one or two houses left, Mr Conroy told The Mayo News yesterday. You wont even have a bird singing. It will kill off all of the biodiversity in the place. The proposed development is divided up into 12 different parcels, the largest of which is 5.39 hectares. The Department of Agriculture must screen each piece of uncultivated land or semi-natural area that is designated for intensive agriculture. The land was historically owned by the Begley family. Before being acquired by Woodland Invest, the land was owned by Greenbelt, who planted some of the area. Mr Conroy estimated that approximately 50 percent of Craggagh is covered by forestry at present. If we plant all the land in our area, well well have no farmers. Farmers keep small towns going. They have done, historically, because the farmer is going to town every other day buying stuff, so hell keep every little shop in the place going. Regarding Save Craggaghs proposal to have sitka spruce banned in Ireland, Mr Conroy claimed these trees could have a detrimental impact on biodiversity and on local water bodies. Youd just see it just spread and it takes over the place. Then when its harvested in 30 years time its like a bombsite in Ukraine or Gaza. It looks devastating altogether, he said. Mr Conroy also took aim at the governments forestry policy, which he said was incentivising vulture funds to purchase large tracts of land. We are asking if the government could look at alternative farming methods for the local farmers and incentivise that with tax breaks and with grants as well and help the young farmers buy land and keep the economics of rural Ireland turning over rather than just mass planting for the benefit of pension funds. The matter has already been raised in the Dail by Mayo Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon. Local councillor Donna Sheridan told The Mayo News that there was absolutely nothing county councillors could do about the application, which was made to the Department of Agriculture. It is very frustrating when you see how difficult it can be for people to get once-off rural planning in Craggagh, but this plantation can happen with no, from what I can see as no public consultation, or very little, said the Fine Gael representative. Local election candidate Harry Barrett (Independent) has called for the development to be halted altogether. Meanwhile, Aontus Paul Lawless has written to Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, and Pippa Hackett, Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture to meet with Save Craggagh regarding the issue. President Michael D Higgins is to remain in hospital over the weekend, it has been confirmed. A statement issued on Friday evening read: "President Michael D. Higgins has thanked the public for the outpouring of well wishes which he has received since his admission to St Jamess Hospital yesterday evening and would like to express his deep appreciation to all those who have sent messages to him, as well as to the medical staff for their continuing care. "Following tests which were carried out after his admission, the President will remain in hospital over the weekend in order to monitor his blood-pressure. It is anticipated that the President will return to Aras an Uachtarain early next week." Reports have described President Higgins as being in "good form". President Higgins was initially assessed at Aras an Uachtarain on Thursday where no immediate concerns were identified. A decision was made to proceed to hospital in order to undergo tests, the initial results of which have been positive, a statement said on Thursday night. President Higgins attended several public events during the week, and last weekend greeted the teams at the Ireland vs Wales rugby match in the Aviva Stadium. He is now expected to leave hospital on Monday, at the earliest. Career Options in Indian Army The Indian Army is one of the largest in the world, with a history going back several hundred years. It was during the British era, that a Military Department very similar to the present Ministry of Defence was set up but, with most of the senior positions occupied by the British. It was after Independence, on 14th January 1949, the Army had its first Indian Commander-in-Chief, General (later Field Marshal) KM Cariappa. The army headquarters is located in Sena Bhavan and portions of the south block of the Red fort in Delhi. Armed Forces offer excellent career opportunities to the adventurous young candidates. It is a career that offers immense facilities, a privileged lifestyle and of course, honour in serving the country. The Armed Forces characterize the ideals of service, sacrifice, patriotism and our country's composite culture. The basic responsibility of the Army is to safeguard the territorial integrity of the nation against external aggression. In addition, the Army is often required to assist the civil administration during internal security disturbances and in the maintenance of law and order, in organising relief operations during natural calamities like floods, earthquakes and cyclones and in the maintenance of essential services. The two main lines of work in the armed forces are categorised under the Fighting Forces and the Support Services. The fighting forces comprise the armoured corps, artillery, signals, engineering and the infantry (and similar divisions in the navy and air force), while the Support Services include electronics and mechanical engineering, ordinance corps, medical corps, intelligence and education. The Indian Army functions under the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), formerly designated as Commander-in-Chief. COAS is assisted by Vice - Chief of the army staff and seven other Principal Staff Officers (PSO's), namely, the two Deputy Chiefs of the Army Staff, Adjutant General, Quarter Master General, Master General of Ordnance, Military Secretary and Engineer- in- Chief. The Army is divided into six operational commands (Field armies) and one training command, each command under a General Officer Commanding in chief who has an equal status to the Vice-Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS), and working under the control of Army HQ in New Delhi. The major field formations are Corps, Division and Brigade which are commanded by a Lieutenant General, Major General and Brigadier respectively. The Indian Army is organised into five regional commands HQ Central Command, Lucknow ; HQ Eastern Command, Calcutta ; HQ Northern Command, Udhampur; HQ Western Command, Chandimandir; and HQ Southern Command, Pune. In addition, there is a Army Training Command at Shimla for the purpose of laying down the training policies for the Army. The Indian Armed Forces employ more than a million young men and women each year. One can join the Army as an officer or an Army Man. The recruitment to the Armed Forces is voluntary and every citizen of India, irrespective of his caste, class, religion and community is eligible for recruitment, provided he meets the laid down physical, medical and educational criteria. Recruitment into the Army is carried out according to Recruitable Male Population (RMP) of each state. Trusted Source A regime complex for food assistance: international law regulating international food assistance Go to source Trusted Source Feeding Hope, Nourishing Change With world hunger escalating due to various conflicts, climate change, and COVID-19, the latest research underscores the importance of international food aid, especially as the UN's goal to end hunger by 2030 seems elusive. #hunger #worldhunger #covid19 Did You Know? Approximately, 9% of the world's population still suffers from chronic hunger and malnutrition? A regime complex for food assistance: international law regulating international food assistance - (https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JITLP-06-2023-0032/full/html) McGill University's research emphasizes the pivotal role of international food assistance in addressing the global hunger crisis. In 2022, the World Food Programme helped a record 158 million people ().With no global treaty in place, food aid is guided by a patchwork of international agreements and institutions. Using the concept of a regime complex, a study published in the Journal of International Trade Law and Policy examines those rules and the systems that shape them.Rather than create a new entity to solve the problem, the findings point to a paradigm shift in the existing systems.posits author Clarisse Delaville, a second-year doctoral student at McGills Faculty of Law.There are two main regimes that govern global food assistancethe trade regime and the food security regime. I encourage a stronger commitment from both regimes to implement a human-rights-based approach, to question the prominent discourse on food trade regimes, which paints food assistance as a distortion in trade that ought to be minimized, says Delaville.Source-Eurekalert The enduring contribution of the Greek Diaspora in Belgium and the importance that the Greek Government places on upgrading the relationship between the metropolitan centre and Greeks living abroad were emphasised by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Kotsiras, who concluded his visit to Brussels yesterday, where he had a series of meetings with members of the Greek Diaspora, including the new one. In particular, Mr. Kotsiras met with Greek Diaspora representatives at the Greek Embassy Residence and briefed them on the initiatives undertaken by the Greek Government to support Greeks living abroad. The Deputy Minister primarily referred to postal voting, which will be in effect from the upcoming European elections. He called on the organisations' representatives to contribute their experience and knowledge "so that as many of our compatriots as possible can take advantage of the opportunity" provided to them. Furthermore, the Deputy Minister informed Greeks living abroad about the Foreign Ministry's Strategic Plan for Greeks Abroad, which has been entered into consultation, via the Ministry's website and encouraged them to provide feedback and suggestions. It is, as Mr. Kotsiras stated, a comprehensive, coherent plan, with a four-year horizon, to support the Greek Diaspora and strengthen its ties to the motherland. The meeting was attended, among others, by representatives from the Greek Community of Brussels, the Greek Community of Antwerp, AHEPA, the Network "Argo", the Association of Greek Employees in International Organizations, the Intercultural Centre and Union of Peloponnesians, the Associations of Pontians, Cretans, and Epirotes in Brussels, the Hellenic Institute of Cultural Diplomacy, and Greek Diaspora municipal councillors. During his visit, the Deputy Minister visited the Kestekidion Greek School in Brussels, talked to teachers, parents and students and underlined the significance of promoting Greek education abroad and Greek language learning, both traditionally and using modern digital methods. Mr. Kotsiras was also received by His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium and Exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg. During the meeting, Mr. Kotsiras underscored the Greek State's support for the Holy Metropolis of Belgium and praised its multifaceted work. During his stay in Brussels, the Deputy Minister participated in an event hosted by the initiative "BrainReGain-Hellenism in Action" on attracting talent and returning qualified human resources to Greece. Mr. Kotsiras mentioned the policies implemented to reach out to young people who fled our country during the crisis, as well as the positive prospects created for their return, emphasising that "Greece is changing," becoming "more attractive," and demonstrating in practice its interest in Diaspora Greeks. The event was also attended by Constantinos Kesentes, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BrainReGain, the Vice President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, and the lawyer and founding member of Brain Gain, Orestis Omran. The discussion was moderated by Popi Kalaitzi, member of the BrainReGain Board and founding member of Brain Gain. Lastly, during the visit, the Deputy Minister attended the opening of the exhibition of Greek traditional costumes and Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products, which is being held at the European Parliament's Paul-Henri Spaak building on the initiative of New Democracy MEP Stelios Kympouropoulos and with the support of the Lyceum Club of Greek Women in Brussels. In his address to the visitors, Mr. Kotsiras stated that "Greek traditional costumes, dances, and products are an integral part of our culture and history". The Deputy Minister emphasised the methodical efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as part of public diplomacy, to promote Greek culture, a fundamental component of our country's positive image in Europe and around the world. Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Gerapetritis, will attend and deliver a statement tomorrow, Wednesday, February 28, at the High-Level Segment of the 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. On the sidelines of the Session, Mr. Gerapetritis will meet with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, and the Executive Vice President of the World Jewish Congress, Maram Stern. Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis will travel to Sofia tomorrow, Tuesday, February 27, upon invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Mariya Gabriel. Following their bilateral meeting and the expanded talks between the delegations, the Ministers will deliver joint statements to the press at 11.30 a.m. and a working lunch will be held. During his visit, Mr. Gerapetritis will be received by Bulgarian President, Rumen Radev and Prime Minister, Nikolai Denkov. JERUSALEM (AP) Nabela thought the United Nations school in Gaza City was a safe haven. Then, the Israeli army arrived. Soldiers stormed the place, ordering men to undress and hauling women to a mosque for strip searches, she said. So began six weeks in Israeli custody that she says included repeated beatings and interrogations. The soldiers were very harsh, they beat us and screamed at us in Hebrew, said the 39-year-old from Gaza City, who spoke on condition that her last name not be used for fear of being arrested again. If we raised our heads or uttered any words, they beat us on the head. Palestinians detained by Israeli forces in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war have alleged widespread physical abuse and neglect. It's not known how many women or minors have been detained. Nabela said she was shuttled between facilities inside Israel in a coed group before arriving at Damon Prison in the north, where she estimated there were at least 100 women. Rights groups say Israel is disappearing Gaza Palestinians detaining them without charge or trial and not disclosing to family or lawyers where theyre held. Israels prison service says all basic rights required are fully applied by professionally trained prison guards. Israel declared war after Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and took roughly 250 others hostage on Oct. 7. Since then, ground troops have arrested hundreds of Palestinians to search for suspected militants and gather intelligence. Images of blindfolded men kneeling, heads bowed and hands bound, have sparked worldwide outrage. In northern Gaza and the southern city of Khan Younis, troops rounded up dozens at a time from U.N. schools and hospitals, including medical personnel. The military said it makes detainees undress to search for explosives, bringing detainees into Israel before releasing them back into Gaza if they're deemed innocent. For Nabela, that process took 47 harrowing days. Despite Israeli evacuation orders, Nabela and her family had decided not to leave Gaza City, believing nowhere in Gaza was safe. Troops entered the school where they sheltered on Dec. 24. I was terrified, imagining they wanted to execute us and bury us there, she said. Forces separated Nabela from her 13-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son and loaded her onto a truck bound for a facility in southern Israel. According to the Israeli group Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, or PHRI, all detainees in Gaza are first brought to the Sde Teiman military base. We were freezing and forced to remain on our knees on the ground, Nabela told The Associated Press from a school-turned-shelter in Rafah where she's staying with other recently released female detainees. Loud music, shouting and intimidation they wanted to humiliate us. We were handcuffed, blindfolded, and our feet were tied in chains. Moved between several prisons, Nabela said she was subjected to repeated strip searches and interrogations at gunpoint. Asked about her connection to Hamas and knowledge of the militants extensive underground tunnel network, she maintained her innocence, telling interrogators she was a housewife and her husband worked for Hamas rival, the Palestinian Authority. AN APPARATUS OF RETRIBUTION AND REVENGE One woman detained from Gaza, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of another arrest, told the AP that during a medical check before she was moved to Damon Prison, Israeli forces ordered her to kiss an Israeli flag. When she refused, a soldier grabbed her by the hair, smashing her face into a wall, she said. In a report by PHRI, former detainees from Gaza alleged similar mistreatment. One, whose name was redacted, said he was urinated on by guards at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, and witnessed strip searches where guards forced naked detainees to stand close to each other and inserted search devices into their buttocks. PHRI described Israels prisons, also housing Palestinians from the West Bank and east Jerusalem held on security-related charges, as an apparatus of retribution and revenge." It alleged the prison service and military have been granted free rein to act however they see fit. At the beginning of the war, prisons entered lockdown mode, confining detainees to their cells for two weeks, the report said. Under wartime emergency measures, Israel's parliament in October suspended normal cell capacity requirements. Since then, inmates have slept on mattresses in overcrowded cells. Phone privileges have been completely suspended, the report said. At some facilities, security wings were disconnected from electricity and water, plunging detainees into darkness for most of the day and rendering showers and sinks unusable. During eight days at an unknown facility in southern Israel, Nabela said she did not shower and had no access to menstrual pads or toiletries. Food was scarce. Once, Nabela said, guards threw down the detainees' meals and told them to eat from the floor. The military said each detainee receives clothing, blankets and a mattress. It denied that cells were overcrowded, saying detainees had sufficient access to toilets, food, water and medical care. The violent and antagonistic treatment of detainees described in the allegations is prohibited," the military said in response to an AP request for comment. Cases of inappropriate behavior will be dealt with. It referred questions about Ketziot and Damon prisons to the Israeli Prison Service, which did not comment on the allegations beyond saying it was uninvolved in the arrests and interrogation of Palestinians from Gaza. UNLAWFUL COMBATANTS Nabela said she never spoke with a lawyer or a judge. Under a wartime revision to Israeli law, all detainees from Gaza can be held for 45 days without charge or trial. Designated unlawful combatants, they aren't granted the same protections under international law as prisoners of war. Their appearance before a court can be delayed and access to an attorney withdrawn, according to PHRI. The Israeli rights group HaMoked said there are 600 people from Gaza held as unlawful combatants in Israeli prisons, and more could be held in military facilities. Palestinian detainees told PHRI that adequate medical care was rare, even for those needing insulin or chemotherapy treatments. An official document obtained by the AP, laying out operations at the Sde Teiman military medical facility, specified that unlawful combatants be treated handcuffed and blindfolded. Medical staff's names were kept anonymous to maintain the safety, well-being and lives of the caregivers, it said. It did not require patient consent for medical procedures and said confidential medical information could be passed to detention center staff. The military said the handcuffing of detainees was done in accordance with their assessed level of danger and medical state. Israels Ministry of Health did not respond to requests for comment. Eleven Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli custody since Oct. 7, according to the advocacy group the Palestinian Prisoners Club, and the most recent was just this week. At least five had chronic health conditions, which PHRI says raises concerns that they died because of medical neglect. The Israeli military said it would examine the deaths. BETTER THAN GAZA Nabelas fortunes improved when she arrived at Damon. There, she met Palestinian women detained from the West Bank. She said the women were kind. She had electricity and warm showers. Her interrogator wondered aloud why Nabela was detained. A month and a half after her arrest, a prison administrator announced Nabela would be released with about 20 other women. Israeli buses brought them to a Gaza crossing, where they made their way to U.N. shelters in the southern city of Rafah, full of displaced Palestinians. She cannot travel to Gaza City, where her family remains. Nabela, her face bruised, recalled one of her final interrogations. She had begun to weep, and her interrogator told her: Dont cry about it. Youre better living here than Gaza. Civilian employers may qualify for a new tax credit if they make their 401(k) retirement programs available to military spouses, according to a certain timeline. The Secure 2.0 Act provided the new credit to incentivize employers to quickly enroll and vest spouses in the plans. "Military spouses often do not remain employed long enough to become eligible for their employer's retirement plan or to vest in employer contributions," according to the law, which provided the credit starting in the 2023 tax year. Retired Air Force Col. Curt Sheldon, a certified financial planner, author and former fighter pilot, talked about the new tax credit during the webinar "What's New for the Upcoming Tax Season?" presented by the Military Officers Association of America. The requirements of the credit might amount to "special treatment" if military spouses receive their benefits sooner than they otherwise would have, Sheldon said. "The special treatment is, it allows them to sign up for the 401(k) immediately, and any matching they get immediately as well. And ... it vests immediately, so it's not subject to being taken back." A tax credit means employers can subtract the amount directly from their tax bill. Here's how it works: The tax credit is available to small employers with fewer than 100 employees. The employer must make a military spouse eligible to take part in a defined contribution retirement plan within two months of being hired. Upon becoming eligible for the plan, the military spouse must immediately become eligible for any automatic or matching contributions the employer would otherwise provide after two years of employment. The military spouse must be fully vested in all employer-provided funds right away, meaning the spouse won't lose a portion of the match when moving on. For each spouse for which the employer meets the above criteria, the employer may receive a credit amounting to $200 per year, plus 100% (up to $300), to help offset the employer contributions, for a maximum possible credit of $500 per year. The employer may claim the credit for the same military spouse for three years. The employers don't have to require proof that the military spouse is actually married to a service member; they may take the spouse's word for it. "If you are in this situation" of starting a new job "and your employer is not aware of [the credit], they might be more willing to make you eligible for the 401(k) -- or at least appreciate the fact that you're helping them save some money," Sheldon said. Keep Up With Military Pay Updates Military pay benefits are constantly changing. Make sure you're up to date with everything you've earned. Subscribe to Military.com to receive updates on all of your military pay and benefits, delivered directly to your inbox. China urges UK to stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, eschew 'double standards' (People's Daily App) 15:36, March 02, 2024 China urges the UK to stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, take a hard look at itself and eschew "double standards," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning said in Beijing on Thursday. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) An armed person was shot by a Janesville police officer and died at the scene Friday night, authorities reported. The incident began when Janesville police responded to a 911 call reporting an armed person in the 1200 block of North Parker Street, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation said in a statement Saturday morning. The DCI statement didnt include a time, but Janesville police Sgt. Benjamin Thompson said in a statement that the incident happened around 10 p.m. When Janesville officers arrived, they contacted the armed person, who refused to leave the residence. Two other people were unable to safely leave the residence, DCI said. A Janesville officer then shot and hit the armed person, who died at the scene, the DCI said. No law enforcement personnel were injured, and a gun was located at the scene, according to the DCI. The officer who shot the person was placed on administrative leave, per Janesville Police Department policy, DCI said. The officer, who was not identified, was wearing a body camera during the incident, the DCI said. The person who shot also was not identified. The Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and the agency will turn over investigative reports to the Rock County District Attorney when the investigation is complete. Thompson said Janesville police are cooperating fully with the DCI-led investigation and DCI will be the sole source of information on the incident. Additional information will be released after the Rock County District Attorneys Office reviews the DCI investigative reports. ANN ARBOR, MI - More than 100 years ago, business classes at the University of Michigan were just a small part of another department. The economics department in the College of Literature, Arts and Sciences housed business classes as early as 1899. The end of World War I spurred a boom in enrollment on the Ann Arbor campus, as well as interest in a singular business school, said former professor and current business school historian George Siedel. One was founded in 1924 and, after a century, the University of Michigan Ross School of Business is one of the highest-ranked schools of its kind in the country. The schools century of success is partly due to staying on its initial mission of community-minded business education, Siedel said. Were not only going to train business leaders, but were going to train leaders to address the concerns of society, he said of the initial mission of the school. That continues into today. That blueprint was set in 1923 when the university hired Edmund Ezra Rufus Day from Harvard to create the first business school. Within a year, the first classes began at the little red schoolhouse known as Tappan Hall, still the oldest classroom on the Ann Arbor campus, Siedel said. Day built the school from literally nothing, Siedel said. No faculty, no classrooms, no building, no students. He must have been persuasive, Siedel said, adding that testimonials from the time show Day was well-liked by students and economics department faculty. Day was so successful he became the dean of the university within three years, before eventually becoming president of Cornell University in 1937. The initial class of the University of Michigan business school in 1925. Photo provided by the university.University of Michigan The only business school degree at first was a two-year masters degree in business administration. The first class consisted of 22 students and 15 faculty members, Siedel said, with courses similar to today, such as basic functions of business. The really unique thing about the focus of the early classes is that Day included in the (business) school bylaws that the school was going to provide instruction on business leadership alongside the interests of wider society, Siedel said. Enrollment at the school grew to around 200 through the early 1940s, according to a university timeline. The Great Depression saw enrollment dips throughout all departments on campus, as well as dips in starting salaries for business school graduates, Siedel said. Annual starting salaries from the first class were $1,848, he said. By 1930, salaries jumped to $3,972, but by 1932 they fell to $2,784. The first real boom of enrollment came after World War II, as more than 2.2 million veterans nationwide attended college with funding help from the GI Bill. That led to business school enrollment spiking past 1,000 by 1947. The larger student body required a larger building, which became Davidson Hall in 1948. Nine stories tall, it was named after alumnus and automotive glass manufacturer Bill Davidson due to his $30-million gift that created the universitys Davidson Institute. Davidson Hall, on the corner of Tappan Avenue and Hill Street, was expanded in 1971 with the addition of Assembly Hall. The building dominated the landscape until it was demolished in 2007 to make way for the current Ross School of Business, Siedel said. The groundbreaking for the $1.5 million Assembly Hall expansion of the Davidson building in 1971. Photo provided by University of Michigan.University of Michigan Ross is named after New York real estate giant and major university donor Stephen Ross, who made a $100-million donation. This paved the way for the updated $145-million building to open in 2009. An additional $100-million donation from Ross funded upgrades to about 180,000 square feet of space inside Blau Hall and the Kresge Business Administration Library. Those renovations were completed in 2016. Stephen Ross is a very passionate graduate and he just wants to be the best in all of his endeavors, Siedel said. He wants Ross to be the No. 1 school in the world. Ross, who graduated from the university in 1962, also has given another $50 million to help develop the schools campus, develop faculty research and finance students educations, Siedel said. Ross was ranked the No. 8 business school in the country in the 2023 U.S. News and World Report rankings. The growth from a tiny wing of the economics department into one of Americas preeminent business schools is due to people like Day and Ross who focus beyond simply how to make money, Siedel said. Our people want to pay it forward to help serve the needs of society, Siedel said. Our alumni want to help the school for the future generation, too. If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click here and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MI -- Barbecue seems to be just what the doctor ordered at one restaurant in Livingston County The Smoke Doctor opened at 5589 M-36 in Hamburg Township in February 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic, and has become a go-to spot for barbecue. The restaurants menu features classics like brisket, pulled pork and ribs, along with sides like mac and cheese, loaded mashed potatoes, baked beans, collard greens and cornbread by the slice. Everything on the menu is something we have tasted, and we love, Owner Cornell Clark said. The Smoke Doctors brisket is its No.1 selling item, and it just melts in your mouth, Clark said, adding the restaurants ribs are also dynamite and full of flavor. The amount of time Clark puts into his food is one of his biggest secret ingredients, he said, adding the restaurant usually smokes its meat for 10 to 12 hours. Our slogan here is barbecue done right, he said. Beyond barbecue, the business also features burgers, pulled pork tacos, brisket tacos, crispy chicken sandwiches, chicken strips, hot dogs and all-day breakfast. Clark started cooking barbecue at his restaurant, The Smoking Pig, in Wisconsin before moving to Michigan. It all began after he suffered an injury at a previous metal finishing job. Rehab was taking longer than expected for the injury, Clark said, and he was down to his last $80. While looking for a solution, he discovered his love for sharing barbecue with others. After moving to Michigan, Clarks fiancee, Shelli Letto, encouraged him to create a barbecue business and The Smoke Doctor was born. She told me if you started a barbecue restaurant with your last $80 then you can probably do one here, Clark said. Clark and Letto are behind The Smoke Doctors operations and have plans to open a second location nearby at 4025 Patterson Lake Road in the hamlet of Hell, tentatively in May. The new location will feature a larger dine-in area, complete with a liquor license, and will have more room for sit-down dining than the current location that caters more to carry out. The Smoke Doctor also has a food truck and catering service available for weddings, graduation parties, birthdays and family events. The Smoke Doctor is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 8 p.m. Saturday. Find it online, on social media or by phone at 810-626-7171. 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 LOCAL EATS: Taste some heat with Thompson & Co.s Nashville hot chicken sandwich Bite into the Reuben - the No. 1 sandwich at Zingermans Deli in Ann Arbor Side Biscuit has your Super Bowl snack needs covered with a gameday menu of wings and more Up, up and away! Superman cheesecake is a superhero at 24th Cheesecakerie The sourdough bread is a hit at Raterman Bread Haus & Bistro in Dexter Youll find authentic, comforting Peruvian food at Culantros newest location in Ann Arbor Youll find a unique take on tacos - including vegetarian options - at TAQ The Diablo Burger is not for the faint of heart at Regents Field in Ann Arbor Give the Zhoug Knight sandwich a try at Spiedo in Ann Arbor before its too late Weighing a pound and a half, the Carrot Cake at Ann Arbors Village Kitchen fills you up Put a little spice in your life with the Caribbean Queen taco at Ann Arbors 1923 Shareable dishes inspired by Vietnamese flavors await at Peridot in Ann Arbor The Lumberjack Omelet at The Golden Egg is so big you may need a nap afterward WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - Ideally, Alpha House wouldnt exist. The Ann Arbor-area shelter providing beds for families experiencing homelessness would love to be out of business, with no demand for its services and no families lacking stable housing, said Executive Director Shonagh Taruza. But, given a sharp rise in families needing shelter as COVID-19 aid programs dried up and rent spiked, Alpha House is playing its part in a network of organizations rising to meet that demand, Taruza said. Renovations are underway to convert an office wing in the shelter into new bedrooms. Alpha House, the countys only family shelter, can now accommodate six families with its 24 beds. When the expansion wraps up, that capacity is set to double, Taruza said. When families arrive at the brown building tucked in the woods behind some Jackson Road medical offices, Brad White, director of shelter operations, pulls parents aside to ask what fictional characters their children like best, be it Spider-Man or the rescue dogs from PAW Patrol. In the basement, shelves are lined with rows of childrens bedding donated by volunteers and the congregations that make up the Interfaith Hospitality Network, the organization that founded the shelter. White does his best to find a good match for the sheets and comforters. It can just make it feel a little more homey, he said. Blankets and sheets inside the Interfaith Hospitality Network Alpha House shelter in Scio Township on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. The family homeless shelter is expanding due to increased demand.Rebecca Villagracia | MLive.com Thats a theme throughout Alpha House. Families, connected to the shelter through Housing Access for Washtenaw County, can sometimes arrive with nothing. The shelter keeps stacks of diapers, racks of winter coats, school supplies, towels and laundry soap, among piles of donated goods and food that line its shelves. When families leave, staff offers them air mattresses for use until their new apartments can be furnished, or car seats, White said. The theme for this whole place is it takes a village, Taruza said. Every day, a different area congregation provides a meal, and theres always food on hand. The shelter plans to put in a full commercial-sized refrigerator in preparation for the expansion, to live next to a donated range and dishwasher in the kitchen. Donations and volunteers power its offerings. We get such a good response from the community. We couldnt do what were doing without everyone that does their little piece, Taruza said. In a way, thats the story of the expansion underway right now. During the winter of 2022-23, the number of families without housing crested 100, far outpacing shelter capacity at Alpha House and temporary shelter homes available through SOS Community Services for larger families. Advocates attributed the explosion in family homelessness to the end of massive COVID assistance programs, sharp rent hikes and a breakdown in the countys central housing hotline all hitting at once. Washtenaw County leaders put money behind an unprecedented effort to house families in hotels, while acknowledging that the solution wasnt sustainable long-term. Read more: With people sleeping in parks, is Ann Arbor doing enough to house the homeless? Taruza approached local leaders with Trinity Health, which owns the Alpha House building and leases it to the shelter for a dollar a year, inquiring about other unused space that could be converted into shelter beds. A building with 60 rooms was identified, but structural and security issues cropped up, she said. In the meantime, we were worried about this winter and what we were going to be able to do this winter because those six rooms felt like it just wasnt enough at all, Taruza said. After pursuing several options, the shelter landed on one path forward. Much of its administrative staff would leave the building and take up residence at an Ashley Street building owned by the Ann Arbor Housing Commission in Ann Arbor, paving the way for Alpha House expansion. The new wing is now being painted, with windows and flooring set to be installed in the coming weeks. It will offer eight new rooms, including some smaller spaces for pregnant women or parents with infants. The shelter also plans bathroom renovations, a new accessible entrance and improvements to some of its existing rooms, White and Taruza said. A future bedroom inside the Interfaith Hospitality Network Alpha House shelter in Scio Township on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. The family homeless shelter is expanding due to increased demand.Rebecca Villagracia | MLive.com Its got support from a $220,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services coming through the Salvation Army, as well as emergency funding county leaders dedicated to housing and homelessness in 2023, Taruza said. Now, the average family stays at the shelter between 62 and 67 days, an increase from the past, in part because of difficulties finding options in to the countys pricey housing market, White said. But that figure is still shorter than the national average, and the shelter keeps its revisit rate at 0%, he said. It does so in part by connecting families to a slew of resources, from food support to help with budgeting and landlord-tenant issues. It also runs a rapid rehousing program, available to up to 57 families a year and providing a a short-term rental subsidy that lasts up to a year, according to Alpha House Programs Director Denise Diggs-Taylor. Over the course of the year, families gradually increase their own contribution to rent, she said. Still, it can be a challenge to find housing in the first place. This is Washtenaw County, and housing is very expensive, so we are finding it difficult, Diggs-Taylor said. Families are asked to apply for housing vouchers and work with a case manager while they are in the program, and Alpha House works with nonprofit affordable housing developer Avalon Housing, as well as Ann Arbor and Ypsilantis housing commissions, she said. Read more: Key findings of MLives reporting on Ann Arbors affordability problem The community is working together to keep families from becoming homeless. Were all talking to each other. I think the pandemic opened that up, Diggs-Taylor said. In addition to the bedroom expansion, Alpha House is also planning next winter to make its expansive basement playroom space available as a warming shelter for families, with the option of setting up cots and meeting extra overnight demand if it arises, Taruza said. A playroom inside the Interfaith Hospitality Network Alpha House shelter in Scio Township on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. The family homeless shelter is expanding due to increased demand.Rebecca Villagracia | MLive.com Were hoping that some of the other strategies to end homelessness, like diversion and building more affordable housing is going to help in the long-term. Because were the last resort, by the time youve gotten to us its really bad, she said. Within a few months, that last resort will be available to more families in need. I really hope that we can make a real dent in this crisis, Taruza said. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page, the Ypsilanti-area news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. ANN ARBOR, MI -- A business that began as a food truck is now putting down roots in Ann Arbor with its first brick-and-mortar location. PizzaPazza opened in Kerrytown Market and Shops at 407 N. 5th Ave. in December in the space formerly occupied by Sparrow Kitchen, right across from Monahans Seafood Market. The new restaurant serves 10-inch wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas that cost anywhere from $12 to $14. The pizzas come with toppings like cheese, pepperoni, sausage, veggies and peppers. When I finally got the chance to open, I didnt want to miss the Christmas season, Owner Jeff Condit said. We just kind of opened real quietly and sort of just lit the oven and started up. Condit brings more than 30 years of experience as a chef in the food industry. He has worked at a variety of fine dining restaurants during the years and was the owner of Gala in Farmington from 2006-10. Condit began PizzaPazza as a food truck in Canton during the COVID-19 pandemic after losing his job. He said he decided to put his experience to use and fill a niche by serving wood-fired pizzas. I never understood trucks that do things like macaroni and cheese or sandwiches, he said. I can make a better sandwich at home. But what I cant do (at home) is make wood-fired pizza. PizzaPazza took off Condit said. This left him searching for a brick-and-mortar location, and he said hes always been a fan of Kerrytown Market and Shops. Ive been coming here for a long time since I was a kid, he said. I just like the vibe of it. The pizza food truck made appearances throughout Ann Arbor at places like Ann Arbor Distilling Company, YORK and HOMES Campus. PizzaPazzas track record around Ann Arbor allowed the business to come into the city with a decent customer base already, Condit said. Just about everything sets PizzaPazza from the rest since the business uses premium flours and toppings and a very simple and pure homemade dough, Condit said. Everything we do is the highest and best quality we can get, he said. The idea is to keep it affordable but give customers the best we possibly can. Hopefully they come away with an appreciation for this style of pizza and appreciate they arent overpaying for it. PizzaPazzas hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Find the business online, on social media or by phone at 734-968-9166. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Despite nearly unanimous support for former President Donald Trump at the Michigan Republican Partys presidential caucus in Grand Rapids Saturday, the factionalism that has riven the Michigan Republican Party still made itself felt. Pete Hoekstra, the partys newest chair, was upbeat about how things went. The atmosphere today here is very, very positive. I think there were some that were expecting it might be a little different, he said. It was a good day. But from off-site alternative conventions in Houghton Lake and Battle Creek to delegates barred from voting and fraught in-caucus debates, reminders of the partys tumult continued to spring up amid the messages of unity. Related: A complete guide to Michigan GOPs splintered presidential caucus Just four days prior, a Kent County Judge ruled Hoekstra was the rightful chair of the state party and barred his rival, Kristina Karamo, from acting in that role. Mass confusion ensued as local party leaders scrambled to solidify plans amid the disarray. Some counties had planned to attend Karamos rival caucus in Detroit because they refused to recognize Hoekstra as the partys leader and never sent lists of delegates to Hoekstras staff to be credentialied for the convention. Hoekstra asserted the previously approved convention rules prevented him from making an exception, despite the lists being filed with a party secretary both sides recognized. Cindy Banner and April Raycraft were among delegates sitting crestfallen outside the 1st District caucus room. They had driven from Charlevoix County to Grand Rapids, only for credentialed 1st District members to reject a motion that wouldve allowed them to participate. When youre surrounded by chaos makes it really difficult for people. And people want to do the right thing, Banner said. We showed up to do the right thing. And we dont have the ability to participate. Attendees at the 3rd District meeting were more forgiving, and voted to accept 25 delegates from Kent and Ottawa counties who wouldnt have otherwise been able to participate. Rep. Neil Friske, R-Charlevoix, declined to say where he stood in the leadership dispute, though his business had previously hosted an event for the party under Karamo. Not doing more to bring excluded delegates on board, Friske said, was a missed opportunity. He had reached out to Hoekstra ahead of the convention in an attempt to make that happen. At the end of the day, theres a lot of innocent preaching delegates out there that were disenfranchised today. Its really not their fault, Friske said. The new claimed leadership is preaching this big message of unity today would have been a really great step. The 1st and 4th district chairs chose to hold competing meetings in Houghton Lake and Battle Creek, respectively, after learning they wouldnt be credentialed. While 85 4th District delegates voted in Grand Rapids, more than 120 were in Battle Creek. Ken Beyer, the 4th District chair, contended his meeting was the legitimate one and said their exclusion would only perpetuate conflict. Everything that they said Kristina was, theyre proving that Pete is. Theres no way that the Kristina administration would ever have kept 24 counties from being able to participate in a caucus, Beyer said. I mean, thats insane that they did that. He later arrived in Grand Rapids and provided the results of their election to Hoekstras staff, but the tally wasnt recognized. Hoekstra said their meetings wont count. The negotiated agreement we have with the RNC is 13 caucuses under one roof, he said. For Hoekstra and his supporters, the consolidation of party control remains an ongoing process. Hoekstra still doesnt have access to all the partys bank accounts or the official website and acknowledged we dont have everything we should have. Karamo, in a video posted to X, declined to concede control of the party, though she cant legally call herself its leader, and spoke about continuing to fight Hoekstra in court. Former congressman Mike Bishop told MLive hes working with the new party leadership to get the Michigan GOP out of two lawsuits it began under Karamo, one suing a trust that owns the partys longtime headquarters and another against a longtime lender, Comerica Bank. The state committee passed a motion to get us out of that ... that is not something we should ever been involved in, Bishop said. We want to rewind things, go back to what we used to do, which is have a unified sense of direction. Warren Carpenter, who played a central role in the effort to oust Karamo, argued the unified support for Trump would bring the factions together. The beauty of what this is is that we have someone to rally around, Carpenter said. I think for the first time, in a long time, people will be able to get back to agree to disagree, but civilly. Other delegates were less certain, and saw bringing the splintered party together as a long-term process. I think that theyre trying to get united, said Rachelle Lagalski of Lapeer County. Gradually, were getting there. The 9th Congressional Districts caucus encountered the most difficulty in getting through their votes, with several members of Karamos inner circle in attendance as delegates. There, Bill Holt of Oakland County fretted that the dysfunction might be emblematic of the problem the party could face heading toward the general election. As you can see, were in total chaos as the party is just completely screwed up, he said. Hoekstra contends that, by beating the drumbeat for Trump from here until November, he can rally the party behind him. People pay attention to what you focus on, he said. Our focus is on winning elections and I think that helps unite us. Michigan Republican insiders are set to assign all 39 of their Republican National Convention representatives to former President Donald Trump in Grand Rapids Saturday. The outcome hasnt come as a surprise for the more than 1,600 state delegates who have voted in the 13 congressional district caucuses. For a party that has been racked by infighting and leadership disputes, the support for the former President was nearly unanimous. Nearly 98% went for Trump in unofficial results. The wonderful thing that I can say about MIGOP is that whether people were here, or whether people were at the alternate locations, everybody supported Trump, said Robyn Peake, a Van Buren County delegate who is president of the Republican Womens Federation of Michigan. Our primary focus between now and November needs to be getting out the vote for Donald Trump. Related: A complete guide to Michigan GOPs splintered presidential caucus There was only token resistance to Trump in the form of 36 delegates who voted for his sole remaining opponent in the primary, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. She had earned less than 3% of the vote, and under the convention rules, all three of each districts delegates were assigned to whichever candidate won the majority. It places Trumps delegate total in Michigan at 51, after Haley received about 27% of the vote and four delegates in the Republican primary Tuesday. Clearly this shows that Michigan is Trump country, said Michigan Republican Party chair Pete Hoekstra, who was appointed ambassador to the Netherlands in Trumps first term. The atmosphere today has been very, very positive. Related: A fractured Michigan GOP struggles to mend ties at convention As each district convention cast their vote for Trump, cheers erupted and chants of U-S-A as the vote totals were read. Warren Carpenter, who played a central role in the schism that saw Kristina Karamo ousted as party chair in January and later replaced by Hoekstra, said the result shows the unity within the party behind their chosen candidate. The beauty of what this is, is that we have someone to rally around, Carpenter said. I think for the first time, in a long time, people will be able to get back to agree to disagree, but civilly. Bill Holt, a delegate from Oakland County supported Trump, but was concerned by the results in last Tuesdays primary. It signaled to him that Republicans could be staying home or sitting on their hands in Novembers election. The issue to me is that if youve got Nikki Haley getting 40% of the vote how can Trump win the election? Holt said. Its not that that majority of the party is for Nikki Haley, its that so many Republicans are not for Trump. Hoekstra told reporters that the party will try to win the votes of Haley supporters and that the general election will be a binary choice between Trump and President Joe Biden. House Minority Leader Rep. Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, asserted all signs pointed to success in November. I think we have the enthusiasm for Trump. Biden doesnt have it, Hall said. The more we are moving toward the general, I think the more youll see us focus on what unites us which is our opposition to Biden and whats going on with Whitmer and this out-of-balance government. DETROIT The Detroit Red Wings reward for potentially ending a seven-year playoff drought could be a first-round matchup against the Florida Panthers, who they host today on national TV (3 p.m., ABC). There might not be a tougher opponent in the NHL. The University of Nebraska at Kearney is once again welcoming a record-breaking group of students into its signature health science program. A total of 72 high school seniors were recently accepted into the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP) for fall 2024. These students come from communities across the state and represent the future of rural health care in Nebraska. This years class is the programs largest-ever, surpassing the 56 students admitted in 2023. Its very promising and exciting to have such a highly talented group of students who are dedicated to practicing health care in rural Nebraska, said Peggy Abels, director of UNK Health Sciences. The KHOP program is an important part of the rural health initiatives on the UNK campus that are designed to alleviate the health care workforce shortages in our state. We look forward to working with these future Lopers as they prepare to serve their communities as health care professionals. A partnership between UNK and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, KHOP was launched in 2010 as a pipeline program designed to grow the states health care workforce by recruiting and training students from rural Nebraska who are committed to practicing in these communities as professionals. The program offers financial assistance, academic support and professional development opportunities, with many participants receiving full-tuition scholarships to attend UNK and guaranteed admission to UNMC. KHOP members can study in the fields of dental hygiene, dentistry, medical laboratory science, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant and radiography. Participants also receive a $3,000 room waiver through the KHOP Learning Community. A requirement for freshmen, the one-year residential learning community gives students a chance to explore various health care careers while receiving support and guidance as they transition to college. KHOP members meet with health care providers and tour medical facilities throughout the region, better preparing them for professional school and beyond. The following area students will start the Kearney Health Opportunities Program this fall: Albion: Nyla Redler, occupational therapy. Columbus: Maggie Luebbe, dentistry; Evan Kiene, medicine; Isabel Zaruba, medicine; Emma Carlson, medicine; Addison Johnson, pharmacy; Avery Hiebner, pharmacy. Genoa: Tessa Cherry, nursing. Osceola: Hayden Lavaley, dentistry. Stromsburg: Dane Holtzen, medicine. Ten years ago, Jason Gaver, owner of Gaver Tire Pros and Auto Center, was working for another auto shop and decided he'd be happier doing that work under his own employ. "I wanted to do it on my own and just took a risk. I never inherited any money," Gaver said. "We cashed in all our 401(k)s, we did every single thing, we were all in. This was it or nothing." Gaver's journey really started at the Southeast Community College Milford campus, where he went to school for auto tech, he said, but he's been around cars his whole life. "I used to race cars. I just like it, it's a demand, people always have to have tires, people always have to have stuff worked on," Gaver said. "It's something where you can help somebody. For example, if someone's got a flat tire or their car's not running, you help somebody." Of the 10 years in business, Manager Colten Rem has been around for at least seven of them, where he's seen the business grow into itself. The environment and work, is fun, he said, but it's the friendly nature of the people who work there that make it special. "It's the friendliness of everybody; we're a family business, that's what we pride ourselves around. We're family-friendly, fair to everybody, we're going to treat everybody right," Rem said. As for Gaver's favorite part, he said it's probably working for himself and the relative freedom that brings. It's not particularly easy, Gaver said, and he probably won't reap many of the rewards from the business before he retires, but he's able to take time to do the things that matter to him and run a business he enjoys. "There's so many people that- they get close to retirement age and their job lets them go. This is me; however I build it, I want to make it for the long term," Gaver said. Starting one's own business, is not easy. In Gaver's case, he and his wife made a significant financial risk to open the shop, but it was worth it, as 10 years in they're still in business. They were also able to open a Silver Creek location run by a friend he made at his previous job. "Being self-employed is not always easy, but if I want to go see my kids in a sport or something like that, I have the opportunity to go," Gaver said. "When you work for yourself, too, you have pride in what you do." Looking toward the future of Gaver Tire Pros and Auto Center, Gaver said he hopes one of his kids or somebody picks things up when he decides to retire and carries on what he and his wife started a decade ago. "I hope a family member like my son takes over. I have two kids, a daughter and a son; my daughter, she wants to be a doctor," Gaver said. "Going ahead, I'm hoping that in the next 10 years I'm helping a family member transition into this and giving them the opportunity I never had." AQR Capital Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 4.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 5,143,198 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 262,490 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC owned approximately 0.09% of Pfizer worth $168,903,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. grew its position in Pfizer by 559.2% in the 2nd quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. now owns 501 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $14,919,000 after purchasing an additional 425 shares in the last quarter. Worth Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Pfizer in the 1st quarter worth about $29,000. Briaud Financial Planning Inc bought a new stake in Pfizer in the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Sanctuary Wealth Management L.L.C. bought a new stake in Pfizer in the 4th quarter worth about $50,000. Finally, Mizuho Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Pfizer in the 3rd quarter worth about $34,000. 68.05% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Pfizer alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades PFE has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. TD Cowen downgraded shares of Pfizer from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $32.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Guggenheim assumed coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. They set a buy rating and a $36.00 target price for the company. Truist Financial reduced their target price on shares of Pfizer from $42.00 to $36.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of Pfizer from $34.00 to $27.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and set a $45.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Friday. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $36.88. Insider Activity at Pfizer In other Pfizer news, Director Scott Gottlieb bought 3,000 shares of Pfizer stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The shares were bought at an average price of $26.47 per share, with a total value of $79,410.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 9,000 shares in the company, valued at $238,230. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.05% of the stock is owned by insiders. Pfizer Price Performance Shares of Pfizer stock traded up $0.01 on Friday, hitting $26.57. 23,008,284 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 41,846,648. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $28.00 and its 200 day simple moving average is $30.61. 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 company has a market cap of $150.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 73.86, a P/E/G ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 0.62. Pfizer Inc. has a 12-month low of $25.76 and a 12-month high of $42.22. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report) last released its earnings results 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 company had revenue of $14.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.37 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.14 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was down 41.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Pfizer Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Investors of record on Friday, January 26th will be issued 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 dividend yield of 6.32%. This is a positive change from Pfizers previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 466.67%. Pfizer Company Profile (Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, 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. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA decreased its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK Free Report) by 7.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 951,219 shares of the companys stock after selling 74,786 shares during the period. Glenmede Trust Co. NAs holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $97,928,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in MRK. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 180.2% in the 3rd quarter. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. now owns 311 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 32.2% in the 2nd quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. now owns 386 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,730,000 after acquiring an additional 94 shares during the last quarter. TFO Wealth Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 108.1% in the 3rd quarter. TFO Wealth Partners LLC now owns 464 shares of the companys stock valued at $48,000 after acquiring an additional 241 shares during the last quarter. Ameliora Wealth Management Ltd. bought a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. in the third quarter worth about $50,000. Finally, VitalStone Financial LLC bought a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. in the second quarter worth about $56,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.59% of the companys stock. Get Merck & Co. Inc. alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have issued reports on MRK. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. TheStreet raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research note on Monday, November 27th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and issued a $135.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Thursday. TD Cowen raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and raised their target price for the stock from $125.00 to $135.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $130.12. Insider Transactions at Merck & Co., Inc. In other news, EVP Steven Mizell sold 50,694 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.65, for a total transaction of $6,420,395.10. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,619 shares in the company, valued at $2,991,346.35. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, insider Joseph Romanelli sold 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.89, for a total transaction of $124,890.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 19,569 shares in the company, valued at $2,443,972.41. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Steven Mizell sold 50,694 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.65, for a total transaction of $6,420,395.10. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 23,619 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,991,346.35. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock. Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 0.1 % NYSE MRK traded down $0.15 on Friday, hitting $127.00. The stock had a trading volume of 2,939,627 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,453,828. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $120.78 and its 200 day moving average price is $110.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 1.12. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $99.14 and a 52-week high of $130.24. The stock has a market cap of $321.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 910.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.38. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $0.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.09) by $0.12. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 0.61% and a return on equity of 9.33%. The business had revenue of $14.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.49 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.62 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 8.59 earnings per share for the current year. Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement The business 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 dividend of $0.77 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $3.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.43%. Merck & Co., Inc.s payout ratio is currently 2,200.00%. Merck & Co., Inc. Profile (Free Report) Merck & Co, Inc operates as a healthcare company worldwide. It operates through two segments, Pharmaceutical and Animal Health. The Pharmaceutical segment offers human health pharmaceutical products in the areas of oncology, hospital acute care, immunology, neuroscience, virology, cardiovascular, and diabetes, as well as vaccine products, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MRK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Merck & Co. Inc. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Merck & Co. Inc. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Truist Financial Corp raised its stake in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 5.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,522,113 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 80,456 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corps holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $222,015,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of PG. LWM Advisory Services LLC increased its holdings in Procter & Gamble by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter. LWM Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,018 shares of the companys stock valued at $457,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Proquility Private Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in Procter & Gamble by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Proquility Private Wealth Partners LLC now owns 6,008 shares of the companys stock worth $912,000 after buying an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. KFA Private Wealth Group LLC grew its holdings in Procter & Gamble by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. KFA Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 3,054 shares of the companys stock worth $445,000 after acquiring an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Watchman Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Procter & Gamble by 0.4% in the third quarter. Watchman Group Inc. now owns 18,052 shares of the companys stock worth $2,633,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Syntegra Private Wealth Group LLC boosted its position in Procter & Gamble by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. Syntegra Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 4,773 shares of the companys stock valued at $696,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 63.43% of the companys stock. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Insider Activity at Procter & Gamble In other news, insider Susan Street Whaley sold 3,865 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.60, for a total transaction of $620,719.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 11,886 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,908,891.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, insider Susan Street Whaley sold 3,865 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.60, for a total value of $620,719.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 11,886 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,908,891.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 101,704 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total transaction of $15,618,683.28. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 163,428 shares in the company, valued at $25,097,637.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 278,287 shares of company stock worth $43,065,052. Company insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock. Procter & Gamble Stock Down 0.1 % Shares of Procter & Gamble stock traded down $0.23 on Friday, reaching $158.71. 2,495,984 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,340,789. The Procter & Gamble Company has a one year low of $136.10 and a one year high of $161.74. The company has a current ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The company has a 50-day moving average of $153.51 and a 200 day moving average of $151.17. The company has a market capitalization of $373.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.58, a PEG ratio of 3.27 and a beta of 0.45. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 23rd. The company reported $1.84 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.70 by $0.14. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 17.60% and a return on equity of 34.04%. The company had revenue of $21.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.48 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.59 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.45 earnings per share for the current year. Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Investors of record on Friday, January 19th were issued a dividend of $0.9407 per share. This represents a $3.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.37%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 18th. Procter & Gambles payout ratio is presently 62.98%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth PG has been the topic of several recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Procter & Gamble in a research note on Monday, November 13th. They issued a buy rating and a $177.00 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Procter & Gamble from $169.00 to $162.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $162.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on Procter & Gamble from $172.00 to $178.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $167.53. View Our Latest Report on PG Procter & Gamble Company Profile (Free Report) The Procter & Gamble Company provides branded consumer packaged goods worldwide. It operates through five segments: Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. The Beauty segment offers conditioners, shampoos, styling aids, and treatments under the Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Rejoice brands; and antiperspirants and deodorants, personal cleansing, and skin care products under the Olay, Old Spice, Safeguard, Secret, and SK-II brands. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Truist Financial Corp increased its stake in Visa Inc. (NYSE:V Free Report) by 7.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,981,047 shares of the credit-card processors stock after acquiring an additional 136,888 shares during the quarter. Visa accounts for approximately 0.8% of Truist Financial Corps portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest position. Truist Financial Corp owned approximately 0.11% of Visa worth $455,661,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Investment Advisory Services Inc. TX ADV grew its position in Visa by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Investment Advisory Services Inc. TX ADV now owns 3,930 shares of the credit-card processors stock valued at $904,000 after purchasing an additional 78 shares during the period. Camarda Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Visa by 3.0% during the second quarter. Camarda Financial Advisors LLC now owns 6,249 shares of the credit-card processors stock worth $1,484,000 after buying an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. raised its position in Visa by 1.8% in the 2nd quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 783,402 shares of the credit-card processors stock valued at $186,042,000 after buying an additional 14,022 shares during the last quarter. Wayfinding Financial LLC lifted its stake in Visa by 10.1% during the 3rd quarter. Wayfinding Financial LLC now owns 1,757 shares of the credit-card processors stock valued at $406,000 after acquiring an additional 161 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC grew its stake in shares of Visa by 5,907.4% in the 2nd quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC now owns 221,012 shares of the credit-card processors stock worth $52,486,000 after acquiring an additional 217,333 shares in the last quarter. 81.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Visa alerts: Visa Price Performance V stock traded up $0.19 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $282.83. The company had a trading volume of 2,253,378 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,333,142. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $270.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $253.30. Visa Inc. has a 12-month low of $208.76 and a 12-month high of $286.13. The company has a market capitalization of $519.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a quick ratio of 1.45, a current ratio of 1.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. Visa Dividend Announcement Visa ( NYSE:V Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The credit-card processor reported $2.41 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.34 by $0.07. Visa had a return on equity of 50.02% and a net margin of 53.92%. The company had revenue of $8.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.55 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.18 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Visa Inc. will post 9.9 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 9th will be paid a $0.52 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 8th. This represents a $2.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.74%. Visas payout ratio is currently 23.94%. Insider Transactions at Visa In related news, CAO Peter M. Andreski sold 2,615 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $278.88, for a total transaction of $729,271.20. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 4,898 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,365,954.24. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In related news, CAO Peter M. Andreski sold 2,615 shares of Visa stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.88, for a total transaction of $729,271.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 4,898 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,365,954.24. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Rajat Taneja sold 36,546 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $270.20, for a total transaction of $9,874,729.20. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 232,112 shares in the company, valued at $62,716,662.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 72,311 shares of company stock worth $19,333,129 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.19% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades V has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on shares of Visa from $280.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. Susquehanna boosted their price target on shares of Visa from $300.00 to $326.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Visa from $290.00 to $309.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Raymond James lifted their price target on Visa from $287.00 to $311.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets began coverage on Visa in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. They set an outperform rating and a $280.00 price objective on the stock. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $290.55. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Visa Visa Company Profile (Free Report) Visa Inc operates as a payment technology company in the United States and internationally. The company operates VisaNet, a transaction processing network that enables authorization, clearing, and settlement of payment transactions. It also offers credit, debit, and prepaid card products; tap to pay, tokenization, and click to pay services; Visa Direct, a solution that facilitates the delivery of funds to eligible cards, deposit accounts, and digital wallets; Visa B2B Connect, a multilateral business-to-business cross-border payments network; Visa Cross-Border Solution, a cross-border consumer payments solution; and Visa DPS that provides a range of value-added services, including fraud mitigation, dispute management, data analytics, campaign management, a suite of digital solutions, and contact center services. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding V? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Visa Inc. (NYSE:V Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Visa Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Visa and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A fire broke out Thursday at a single-family residence near 25th Street and 26th Avenue. An unattended backyard fire pit was determined to be the cause of the blaze, according to a press release sent by the City of Columbus. The fire spread to a nearby car and was difficult to contain due to high winds, the release said. The residents of the home have been displaced and are currently receiving aid from the American Red Cross. Local schools Columbus Middle School and North Park Elementary were notified of the fire and sent a message to parents regarding picking up their children as a result. In the press release, Columbus Fire Chief Ryan Gray urged those with fire pits to locate them away from fences, vehicles and structures to prevent a similar incident. Glenmede Trust Co. NA lowered its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH Free Report) by 17.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 229,624 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after selling 49,582 shares during the period. Glenmede Trust Co. NAs holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $115,774,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of UNH. Robbins Farley purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. NewSquare Capital LLC raised 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 worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter worth $35,000. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth $39,000. Finally, Annapolis Financial Services LLC raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 38.6% during the third quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 79 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.69% of the companys stock. Get UnitedHealth Group alerts: Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group In related news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total value of $451,127.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 32,289 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 66,081 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $550.39, for a total value of $36,370,321.59. Following the sale, the director now owns 635,528 shares of the companys stock, valued at $349,788,255.92. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total transaction of $451,127.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 32,289 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.35% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts have commented on UNH shares. HSBC reissued a reduce rating and set a $480.00 target price (down from $550.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and set a $591.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, January 19th. Stephens reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $605.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $610.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. Finally, Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $610.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, November 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $575.79. Read Our Latest Report on UNH UnitedHealth Group Price Performance Shares of UnitedHealth Group stock traded down $5.62 on Friday, reaching $487.98. 5,302,171 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,110,294. The firms 50 day moving average is $519.49 and its 200-day moving average is $518.84. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $445.68 and a one year high of $554.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.79. The firm has a market cap of $451.34 billion, a PE ratio of 20.15, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 0.54. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $5.98 by $0.18. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 26.39%. The company had revenue of $94.43 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $92.13 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $5.34 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.82 EPS for the current fiscal year. UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Monday, March 11th will be paid a $1.88 dividend. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 8th. UnitedHealth Groups payout ratio is 31.54%. About UnitedHealth Group (Free Report) UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UNH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for UnitedHealth Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for UnitedHealth Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA cut its holdings in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) by 11.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,479,184 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 197,156 shares during the quarter. Abbott Laboratories accounts for approximately 0.8% of Glenmede Trust Co. NAs holdings, making the stock its 22nd largest position. Glenmede Trust Co. NAs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $143,259,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Altshuler Shaham Ltd bought a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC bought a new position in Abbott Laboratories in the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. Halpern Financial Inc. purchased a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. CGC Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. Finally, FWL Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter worth $33,000. 73.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,315,537.50. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,022,916. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the 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 approximately $7,315,537.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 70,000 shares of company stock worth $7,901,250. Company insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock. Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance Shares of ABT traded up $0.30 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $118.94. 2,228,120 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,272,919. The stock has a market capitalization of $206.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.37, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. Abbott Laboratories has a 12-month low of $89.67 and a 12-month high of $120.44. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $113.34 and a 200-day moving average price of $104.73. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 24th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.19 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $1.19. The firm had revenue of $10.24 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.19 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 20.65%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.03 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.61 EPS for the current fiscal year. Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Shareholders 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 dividend yield of 1.85%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 67.48%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on ABT. Raymond James raised their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $124.00 to $127.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $123.00 to $126.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $128.00 price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, TheStreet raised shares of Abbott Laboratories from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Thursday, December 21st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $120.00. View Our Latest Analysis on ABT About Abbott Laboratories (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. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. South Atlantic Bancshares, Inc. (OTCMKTS:SABK Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a decline of 66.7% from the January 31st total of 300 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 3,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days. South Atlantic Bancshares Price Performance Shares of SABK remained flat at $12.00 on Friday. The stock had a trading volume of 650 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,770. South Atlantic Bancshares has a 52 week low of $9.69 and a 52 week high of $13.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $90.84 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.09 and a beta of 0.34. The companys 50-day moving average price is $12.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $11.08. Get South Atlantic Bancshares alerts: South Atlantic Bancshares (OTCMKTS:SABK Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The company reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.27 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $11.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.50 million. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that South Atlantic Bancshares will post 1.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. South Atlantic Bancshares Announces Dividend South Atlantic Bancshares Company Profile The company also recently declared an annual dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 28th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 14th were paid a $0.10 dividend. This represents a yield of 0.79%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 13th. South Atlantic Bancsharess payout ratio is 7.58%. (Get Free Report) South Atlantic Bancshares, Inc operates as the bank holding company for South Atlantic Bank that provides consumer and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, and corporations in South Carolina. The company offers checking, money market, and saving accounts, as well as certificate of deposit, individual retirement, and health saving accounts; personal, auto, and recreation loans, as well as home equity and ready reserve overdraft line of credits, and commercial lending products; and credit cards. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for South Atlantic Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for South Atlantic Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK Your Money Will SEBI advisory impact investing strategy of smallcap funds? Fund managers believe that the regulatory advisory on smallcap funds will not have an impact on the broader markets but will improve transparency in the mutual fund space. However, they suggest that investors be cautious in this space as valuations are not cheap. Read more While most people rarely think twice about the bacon sizzling in a frying pan on the stove top as breakfast is being made, there are others in the Columbus area deciding whether to pay rent or buy medication instead of eating breakfast, or any meal that day. But, thanks to a partnership between Tyson Foods and a local nonprofit, those concerns are alleviated. Simon House, a Columbus-based thrift store and food pantry, installed a walk-in freezer, with a capacity to store a truckload of frozen meat. The first such freezer in rural America Tyson has sponsored larger units in metropolitan areas such as Chicago, Minneapolis and around California thousands of people can enjoy protein as part of their meals, said Lucy Lutjelusche, Simon House store manager/director. The center assists food pantries within a 100-mile radius, including cities such Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island and Norfolk. Simon House works with organizations such as Omaha-based Food Bank for the Heartland in offering aid, she said. Lutjelusche sees the need for food assistance every day. Hy-Vee will call us to come and get bread, she said. We have quite a bit of people waiting at the door when we open, because they know on that day were getting bread. Its sad to say that when they come in and get that bread, they know they have something to eat that day. That means a lot to me. Seeing the semi-trailer from United Transport pull up on Feb. 2 with about 32,000 pounds of frozen meat from Tysons Olathe, Kansas, distribution center, Lutjelusche saw a years-long dream fulfilled. The 500-square-foot outdoor freezer came about following a visit to the Madison Tyson plant by Columbus Mayor Jim Bulkly. Learning about a grant program to provide communities with a freezer and a commitment of a truckload of protein on a regular basis, the mayor quickly thought of Simon House. The grant application was delayed for about two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but, once the path was cleared, the nonprofit was able to apply for a $110,000 grant. Unfortunately, the freezers cost had increased to $190,000, Lutjelusche said. We sent a letter to the community and residents responded, she said. We also spoke to area churches, and then churches in Schuyler and as far away as David City learned about it, and helped raise money. Within a few months, about $100,000 had been donated for the project, she said. We come from such an amazing community, Lutjelusche said. They just blew it out of the water. This is huge for our community to have, and so, were very blessed. With its installation delayed by supply issues, the freezer was installed in November 2023. All that was needed was the protein shipment. The afternoon of Jan. 31, the phone rang in Lutjelusches office. It was a representative from Tyson Foods. Pallets of frozen meat were available for Simon House, but Lutjelusche had to get a truck to Olathe that Friday. She went to work, calling local trucking companies to see if anyone had a refrigerator trailer available to transport the food. United Transport in Rogers had a trailer available. While it was an answer to a prayer for Lutjelusche, for Dean Krupka, it was just another day in the office. Responding to the request, Uniteds vice president picked up the phone and made one call. He asked a dispatcher if the company could send a truck and trailer to Olathe. Done. We are primarily a refrigerated carrier, Krupka said. We have 130 trucks, so at any time we have 350 to 400 trailers scattered all over. Were down in Kansas City multiple times a day with a trailer. While the companys route is predominantly to Texas, United Transport drivers travel the 48 contiguous states, Krupka said. If the need arises to help Simon House again, United Transport will likely participate. Surprised that a semi-trailer full of food fits snugly in the freezer, which is 20-feet long and 25-feet wide, Lutjelusche said Simon House decided to have its first mobile food drive of the year that weekend. On Feb. 3, hundreds of cars formed a line about a mile long to receive food. Thousands of people benefited from free boxes of canned goods and fruits and vegetables, as well as bags of perishables such as noodles and beans. Added to the haul was bags of frozen protein maple-glazed bacon, chicken quarters, chicken breast, hamburger and pork gifted to Simon House by Tyson, Iowa Beef Packing and other outlets. Some of the 130 volunteers and 12 staff members helped with traffic control and delivering food to vehicles. With a 9% poverty rate in Columbus, the need for food assistance is strong, Lutjelusche said. Families need help, as well as senior citizens on fixed income. Hy-Vee, Super Saver and Walmart donate food items including canned food, noodles, cereal and beans. Local churches and charities, as well as residents, offer financial donations. With four mobile food drives planned in 2024, in addition to people visiting Simon Houses food pantry, Lutjelusche said she sees the freezer as an additional tool in fighting hunger in the area. Platte County Food Pantry provides canned food to people in need on a quarterly basis. Local churches, including the United Methodist and Federated Church, help fund the Backpack program, which sends food home on weekends with students. Lutjelusche said she was happy that Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Columbus-area resident, reversed his initial decision, eventually accepting a federal offer of $18 million to help provide food assistance for children during summer months. While mobile food pantries are helpful, homebound people face new challenges, partly due to lingering effects of COVID-19, she said. Prior to the pandemic, volunteers several of them retirees who volunteered their time would deliver food to peoples homes. We have been able to get food to those who are homebound, she said. (Columbus) Area Transit does an amazing job. One way or another, we will get food to the homebound. In addition to providing food assistance, the 32-year-old Simon House helps people with utility payments, rent assistance, gasoline vouchers, physician visits and prescriptions. We can help people in ways other organizations cant because we dont have the red tape they do, she said. In the end, everything Simon House does is focused on the welfare of people. No one, in my opinion, should go to bed hungry, Lutjelusche said. The Cumberland County Historical Society will apply for a $23,100 Keystone Planning Grant as part of an initiative to improve and modernize its buildings, Executive Director Shawn Gladden said. The county commissioners on Thursday approved a letter supporting the grant application to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Since I was hired roughly two years ago, the organization has been committed to improving our infrastructure, accessibility and community offerings to Carlisle and Cumberland County, Gladden told the commissioners. So far, Phase I of the effort has addressed the roof, the building structure and the sidewalks in front of its headquarters at 21 N. Pitt St., Carlisle, he said. The grant would be used to fund a master plan and historic structures report that will help with improvements, Gladden said. The initiative will not only include the Pitt Street location, but also the Two Mile House at 1189 Walnut Bottom Road and the building housing History on High the Shop at 33 W. High St. There are plans to renovate and maybe open to the public the former Odd Fellows Hall on the third floor of the High Street building, Gladden said. The hall was where the fraternal order convened meetings for decades. We still have more structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing issues that need to be addressed to modernize our [main] building, he told the commissioners. In related action, the commissioners approved a letter supporting a Neighborhood Assistance Program application, which A Gift of Smiles will submit. A nonprofit organization, A Gift of Smiles provides dental services for qualified central Pennsylvania residents with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Since its start in 2015, A Gift of Smiles has treated over 167 patients and provided over $400,000 worth of dental treatment at no cost. We are currently raising funds to create a clinic in Lemoyne, said Dr. Dwight Ashby, founder of the organization. Were going to have to start paying for a lease. Neighborhood Assistance is a tax credit program designed to encourage businesses to invest in projects that address needs in distressed areas. A letter of support from you guys will go a long way towards helping us, Ashby told the commissioners. This would enable businesses to contribute to the clinic. They are giving back to the community, and it helps them out. The commissioners also: Approved a capital project request for $80,500 to replace the web filter software the county uses to block viruses and malware and to control employee access to websites. The request pays for a five-year renewal of the service the county has obtained from Cisco since 2013, said Darin Baish, the manager of information technology for the county. We are very happy with it [the service]. They update the product every three to five minutes. Accepted a $34,663 grant from the Pennsylvania association of Court Appointed Special Advocates. The grant will be used to help retain county CASA volunteers by paying for a part-time support position and to offer them incentives in the form of training opportunities and participation in conferences, county program director Anita Brewster said. Proclaimed March Red Cross Month. Since July, volunteers with the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross have responded to 16 incidents throughout the county providing help to 75 residents and more than $20,000 in financial support, Neiderer said. Recognized Wanda Zeigler for 35 years of service as a county employee. Her career includes jobs with the Bureau of Elections office, the Register of Wills office and as grants/special projects coordinator in the commissioners office. Adrija Chatterjee is an Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol. She has been tracking and reporting on finance and trade ministries for over eight years. Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day PHILADELPHIA Daniel Gwynn found himself on death row at 25 after Philadelphia prosecutors said in court that two witnesses had picked him out of a photo array in a fatal arson case. The photo spread had by then gone missing, and his trial lawyer in 1995 may not have asked for other proof of the supposed match. But appellate lawyers who spent decades pursuing his innocence claims finally unearthed the police photo with a federal judges help in 2016 and Gwynn was noticeably absent. He was nowhere to be found, said lawyer Karl Schwartz, who joined Gwynn as he left prison after 30 years, most of it spent on death row in western Pennsylvania. It shocks the conscious. Gwynn, now 54, joins more than 40 Philadelphians exonerated of serious crimes since 2016, and more than 3,500 exonerated across the U.S. since 1989. More times than you would like to see, its powerfully exculpatory evidence that has been either hidden or misrepresented at a homicide trial that results in a guy ending up with a life sentence, or worse, Schwartz said. The photo array was just one of several pieces of questionable evidence used to convict Gwynn in the capital case. Investigators also relied on a confession taken as he suffered from drug withdrawal and overlooked evidence that another person now serving a life term on other charges had threatened to torch the building three days earlier over an unrelated slaying. Evidence points to that suspect, prosecutors now say. Marsha Smith died in the 1994 fire in West Philadelphia, while several other people staying there were injured jumping out of windows. Few of the relevant details Gwynn gave in his police statement matched the crime scene. Gwynn was arrested 10 days after the fire and eventually was sentenced to death. David Napiorski, a prosecutor with the citys federal litigation unit, said there were multiple issues with Gwynns confession, including factors that were not supported by physical evidence and that proved its falsehood. He said the fire started one way, when we know it started another way, Napiorski told the Philadelphia Inquirer. He said the fire started downstairs, when we know it started upstairs. He said he ran out the front door, when we know the front door was boarded shut. The case exemplifies an era of inexact and, at times corrupt, policing and prosecution that has broken trust with our communities to this day, said Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who has championed dozens of innocence claims since taking office in 2018. Meanwhile, he said, the guilty go free and are emboldened to do more harm. Gwynn turned to art in prison to counter what he called the pain and anger blinding me to the beauty of life. Raised by a grandmother, he said he abused drugs and committed petty crimes amid the madness of the streets as crack-cocaine ravaged Philadelphia during his early life. Painting has been my therapy, a form of meditation that helps me work through my issues, he wrote as part of an online display of his work organized by the group Art for Justice, which promotes art done by incarcerated people to foster conversations about the justice system. A federal judge had vacated Gwynns conviction last year. The victims closest surviving relative, a brother, did not oppose his release, and a city judge closed the case on Wednesday when Krasners office declined to retry him. Krasner hopes Philadelphia police, under a new mayor and commissioner, will now revisit Smiths death. Sundeep Khanna is a senior journalist and the author of 'Cryptostorm: How India became ground zero of a financial revolution'. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication. Shinie Antony is a writer and editor based in Bengaluru. Her novels include Eden Abandoned: The Story of Lilith, Can't, The Girl Who Couldn't Love. Her anthologies include Boo, Why Don't We Talk, An Unsuitable Woman. She is co-founder of the Bangalore Literature Festival and director of the Bengaluru Poetry Festival. Her story A Dog's Death won the Commonwealth Short Story Asia prize in 2002. Matan Goldstein had only just arrived at the University of Virginia when he says he was first attacked for his faith and his nationality. Meeting other first-year students in his dormitory, Goldstein introduced himself as an Israeli and a Jew. After making this introduction, another student, who identified himself as Egyptian, approached Goldstein, told him he hated him and called him a bloodthirsty human being. That was Week 1, a little more than a month before war would break out in Israel. On Oct. 7 of last year, Palestinian terror group Hamas launched a surprise assault on Israel, killing roughly 1,200 civilians and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel has responded with a full-on siege of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. More than 30,000 people have died, an overwhelming majority of those Palestinians. The war, and the atrocities committed against civilians, have sent shockwaves across the globe. And American colleges, as they are wont to do, have become hotbeds of debate, protest and even violence. University officials, themselves, have landed in hot water for their responses not only to the violence overseas but unrest on their own campuses. Harvard University President Claudine Gay and University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill, a former UVa provost, both stepped down after facing criticism for their defense of free speech, which many U.S. lawmakers and university donors saw as a failure to condemn a sudden rise in antisemitic acts. And antisemitism is on the rise, according to human rights watchdog organizations. Between Oct. 7 and Dec. 7, the Anti-Defamation League reported a 337% year-over-year increase in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. The Grounds at UVa are no exception. UVa authorities have received dozens of reports from Jewish students claiming theyve been harassed, threatened, intimidated and even physically assaulted. While UVa says it received a total of 19 "reports related to potential antisemitism" from students, faculty and staff between the start of the 2023 fall semester and Jan. 1 of this year, not a single of one those reports has been officially lodged as a formal complaint. "In response to reports of alleged antisemitic speech or conduct, University officials have connected with reporters, offered them resources, and sought additional information about their reports so that we can investigate and hold people responsible if necessary," UVa spokesman Brian Coy told The Daily Progress in a prepared statement. "Many investigations are ongoing, but in some cases, we haven't yet received enough information to identify alleged perpetrators and hold them accountable. We urge anyone with information about cases of antisemitism, islamophobia, or other forms of harassment and intimidation to share that information as soon as possible." Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation of its own in December after a complaint was filed there. Goldstein, alone, has filed four reports of harassment to university police. He has also brought his concerns to deans of the university on two separate occasions. He told The Daily Progress he faced a negative response each time. I just wish that the university would show solidarity with its Jewish students, said Goldstein. Because right now, the rhetoric that is being espoused against Israel is unacceptable. Moving backwards When Joel Nied moved his son into the dormitories at UVa, he said he expected his only involvement with the school would be buying his now-second-year student dinner once a year over UVa Family Weekend. Unfortunately, I have become way more involved than I ever wanted, Nied told The Daily Progress. The schools Jewish community accounts for around 6% of its total undergraduate population. Nied and a handful of other Jewish UVa parents were alarmed to hear of a spike in antisemitic reports from their children in the wake of Oct. 7. They began sending hundreds of letters and emails to President Jim Ryan, the universitys governing Board of Visitors and other high-ranking UVa administrators. When the school did respond, parents said the messages were generic boilerplate language providing little recourse. Students said they were more often than not encouraged to seek mental health support. Frustrated by the schools response or lack thereof, one student decided to take the case to a higher power: the Office for Civil Rights within the U.S. Department of Education. A copy of that complaint obtained by The Daily Progress describes UVa as inhospitable to Jewish students. The student, whose name is redacted in the report, described feeling unwelcome, frightened and discriminated against on Grounds, specifically because of their religious beliefs. The Department of Education opened an investigation on Dec. 29. When contacted by The Daily Progress, the federal agency declined to provide a status report on that investigation. UVa's Coy said via email that the Department of Educations notice to the school that it had opened an investigation made clear that opening the complaint for investigation in no way implies that the Office for Civil Rights has made a determination on the merits of the complaint. The University stands against antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of discrimination and intolerance and strives to offer an environment where people from every walk of life are welcome and safe to live, learn, and work together, Coy added. Dissatisfied parents began requesting a meeting with Ryan in November. Their request was granted three months later on Feb. 14. That meeting came with stipulations: Ryan would only confer with four parents total, their children must be present and all conversations were to remain confidential. I didnt understand why the targets of acts of antisemitism had to be their own advocates, Nied said. That type of situation doesnt exist anywhere else. If you were to make a complaint at a company, you would go to human resources. You wouldnt have to go to the CEO. In the end, all parties agreed to the terms and the four students, which included Goldstein, presented their complaints to Ryan, Provost Ian Baucom, Dean Christa Acampora, Vice President of Student Affairs Kenyon Bonner and chief of staff Margaret Noland. Since Oct. 7, Goldstein said hes been the recipient of multiple death threats. During an Oct. 25 walkout led by the Students for Justice in Palestine, Goldstein said he was shoved and then slapped in the face while counterprotesting. Hes been told he sells the organs of Palestinians on the black market and been called Nazi, Hitler, genocide-pursuer and filthy Jew. Goldstein stopped wearing his kippah, also known as a yarmulke, a traditional cloth cap worn by Jewish men, about a month ago. He has started concealing his gold Star of David necklace under his shirt when he is in public. Several other Jewish students also said they have removed symbols of their faith from their person. Im a religious Jew, I believe in God, said Goldstein. Why am I supposed to hide? Are we living in the 1930s? Am I supposed to be in a Jewish ghetto on the outskirts, isolated from everyone else? Why are we moving backwards? While waiting in line at a party, two Jewish female students said they were called kikes when another student discovered they were Jewish. At a gathering on Grounds, a Jewish student was harassed by a group of roughly eight schoolmates who told them to turn sideways so we can see your nose, among other jokes. The student left the event crying. While only four students were allowed to speak with university heads, Nied said he has heard of at least two dozen Jewish students since Oct. 7 who have been attacked assaults ranging from physical violence to offensive statements printed on anti-Israel flyers and posters scattered about Grounds. Two days after their meeting with Ryan, parents received an email from the president thanking them for their time. Im grateful for you willingness to share your perspectives and ideas, according to a copy of the email obtained by The Daily Progress. The absence of condemnation is condoning, said Nied. And that is alarming. Word choice At a university founded by Thomas Jefferson, freedom of expression has naturally been a cornerstone of campus life. And there has been plenty expressed since Oct. 7. But it seems as though no one at UVa can find the right words to appease everyone on Grounds. Since Hamas deadly attack, Ryan has issued two messages to the UVa community addressing the conflict. In the first, released four days after Oct. 7, Ryan condemned the violence, offered his compassion and condolences and directed students to resources on Grounds. Ryan said the four-day delay between the attack and his response was due to the death of his biological mother, who died the week of Oct. 11. But had he hesitated in publishing a response, it would have been understandable given the backlash other university leaders were facing at the time (and are still facing today). Ryans initial message makes only a single reference to UVa community members with connections to Israel and Gaza. At UVa, we remain squarely focused on the well-being of UVA community members in Israel and in Gaza, as well as those closer to home who have family or friends in the region, or who are connected to the region by virtue of their faith, reads Ryans statement. He went on to say that, I trust that we as a community can and will adhere to UVAs longstanding tradition of not just allowing free speech, but promoting civil discourse, even when perhaps especially when we strongly disagree. Ryans comments have been described as weak and biased by both sides of the debate. A faction of the schools Israeli and Jewish community expressed frustration that the president did not issue a full-throated condemnation of antisemitism in his remarks, even as a terror group calling for the eradication of Jewish peoples attacked the worlds only Jewish nation-state. Palestinian students and their allies were outraged Ryan did not outright denounce the Israeli government, which they see as an occupational force, and immediately divest all monies invested in companies associated with the country. Many students also pointed out that Ryans letter makes no mention of a statement issued by the Students for Justice in Palestine the day after the attack that described Hamas as resistance fighters and called the killing of civilians an unprecedented feat for the 21st century. In an open letter sent to Ryan on Oct. 27, more than 70 members of UVa faculty called out Ryan for failing to even reference Muslim, Arab or Palestinian students. As a tenured faculty member, its very important to take seriously the rights and responsibility of the tenure system, and to speak what we see as the truth, associate professor of anthropology Tessa Farmer, a signatory of the open letter, told The Daily Progress. Ryans first letter does not reference Jewish or Israeli students. The open letter makes no mention of this. Supporting all of my students was an important and compelling reason to me, assistant professor of English Laura Goldblatt told The Daily Progress. Ryans message made it clear that Jewish faculty and students were being supported, but Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students are also being affected. The point of the letter was not to withdraw resources but extend support to a group of people most affected. Goldblatt is Jewish and a spokeswoman for the UVa Faculty for Justice in Palestine. The open letter was immediately divisive. The letter was ostracizing for assistant professor of commerce Robert Parham, an Israeli Jew. I looked through the signers, Parham told The Daily Progress. Now, I dont consider my sociology colleagues colleagues anymore. I reduced my circle of belonging. Ryan penned a second letter to the community published on Nov. 6. While saying that he had not received any reports of violence or discrimination on Grounds, he emphasized that both Jewish and Muslim students had a home at UVa and any acts of antisemitism or Islamophobia would not be tolerated. We take seriously our responsibility to care for the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff in a challenging moment for us all and greatly value those renewed expressions of our shared commitment, he said. He once again directed students and faculty to UVa resources. Despite the longer and more detailed letter, students and faculty were still left dissatisfied. Ryan, himself, has seemed dissatisfied, and has since called upon the Board of Visitors to help him assemble a committee that will decide when and if a UVa president should speak on current events off Grounds. Experts have told The Daily Progress the answer will likely be simple: never. On Thursday, students passed a referendum spearheaded by anti-Israel student organizations and other groups successfully calling for UVa to audit its $13.6 billion endowment and divest from all companies engaging in or profiting from the State of Israels apartheid regime. The referendum garnered 5,425 of the 7,993 votes cast by students, 67.87% of voters. Though the referendum is nonbinding, its supporters see it as a line in the sand between the students will and administrators actions, part of the long legacy of free speech on Grounds instituted by its founder. Opponents have said it is part of another long legacy at UVa, one of antisemitism. Blood, soil, river, sea Parhams first day at UVa was Aug. 11, 2017 a day that will forever stain the history of the school and the city of Charlottesville. As he was setting up his office, he heard loud noises and shouting outside. When he peered out his window, Parham saw a sea of tiki torches as a mob of White men marched across Grounds chanting Blood and soil and Jews will not replace us. That was 'Welcome to Charlottesville,' said Parham. Though he briefly considered packing his bags then and there, Parham instead stuck a mezuzah to his office door. Literally meaning doorpost, a mezuzah is a charm inscribed with a Hebrew blessing. For many Jews, it is an outward expression of their faith. For Parham, it meant he was there to stay. Parham said the thought of leaving UVa has not crossed his mind since that day until this fall. Back then it was outside forces, said Parham. They came against us, and I felt a part of us. Now, the voices that are bullying are coming from the inside, and thats harder to deal with. The turning point was the Oct. 25 student walkout, as hundreds of protesters rallied on the steps of the schools landmark Rotunda and marched across Grounds chanting, carrying Palestinian flags and wearing masks to conceal their identities. Prior to the demonstration, organizers circulated flyers instructing participants to wear mask/hat/sunglasses to protect your identity. Parham, Goldstein and others have called the act not just cowardly but criminal, a direct violation of the Virginia Code. In 1950, Virginia outlawed any individual over the age of 16 wearing a mask, hood or any face covering with the intention of concealing their identity. The prohibition was an implicit tool to prosecute members of the Ku Klux Klan. Current state law, Parham said, was legislated because of masked marches on the Grounds of UVa. It was just that the masks were slightly pointier and whiter. Though counterprotesters view the masks as cowardice, the individuals behind the masks consider them a necessity. Josh Rosenberg, a Jewish student who holds a leadership position with Students for Justice in Palestine, told The Daily Progress at a subsequent walkout urging divestment on Monday that he wore a mask to protect his future. Rosenberg said he had already been doxed and received death threats as a result of having his personal information posted online. The masks werent the only thing that disturbed Parham while observing the Oct. 25 walkout. Standing next to Goldstein on the Rotunda steps looking over the mass of protesters, he heard demonstrators chant, From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. Referencing the land spanning from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, the chant has been open to a multitude of interpretations since it was popularized by the Palestinian Liberation Organization in the 1960s. Many construe the phrase as calling for the destruction of Israel. In October, the Anti-Defamation League published a statement explicitly demarking the phrase as antisemitic given it makes members of the Jewish and pro-Israel community feel unsafe and ostracized. As the father of a Jewish UVa student, Nied said that when groups on Grounds chant the phrase, they are unequivocally referring to the killing and displacement of Jews. Yet, some of those shouting the slogan at UVa are Jewish. I very proudly say that as a Jew, said Rosenberg. I love the Jewish people. I love my community. When I say, From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free, I mean that as a call for human rights and equality for everyone who lives between the river and the sea. Rosenberg says people are misunderstanding the phrase when they interpret it as a genocidal call. We believe that everyone, Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Christian, should be able to live with the exact same rights, said Rosenberg. But the differences between those communities are stark and the solution to their peaceful cohabitation is nuanced, something Provost Ian Baucom touched on during a UVa Board of Visitors meeting Thursday. Speech can be hurtful, said Baucom. People can say things that we disagree with, particularly on a matter like this. There is a lot of pain in our community pain felt by our Jewish students, pain felt by our Muslim students and there is strong disagreement. We have to find ways to continue to be a place where people are free to disagree and everyone knows they belong. This story was updated to reflect that the University of Virginia received a total of 19 "reports related to potential antisemitism" during the fall semester, none of which were lodged as formal complaints. Updated at 9.45pm on 2 March 2024 to show that the portal even mischievously uses the name and photos of Sudhir Sethi, founder and chairman of Chiratae Ventures The duck test is a form of abductive reasoning that implies that a person can identify an unknown subject by observing that subject's habitual characteristics. The same test can be applied to Ponzi schemes, multi-level marketing (MLM) or collective investment schemes (CIS). After observing and writing on these for years, we can say, "If it looks like a Ponzi, operates like a Ponzi, and shows huge returns like a Ponzi, then it probably is a Ponzi." One such Ponzi scheme making the rounds is Tata Restart ( www.tatarestart.com ), which not only misuses the Tata brand name but also mischievously uses images of former group chairman Ratan Tata, to promote a typical get-rich-quick investment plan. Moneylife received this information from Pranjal R Daniel, who runs a website called Strategy India , which offers consultancy on direct selling. Mr Daniel had also copied the Tata group's IDs and several police officials to alert them about the misuse of the group name. Tata Restart shows that it is promoted by Bengaluru-based Sudhir Sethi. However, Mr Sethi, founder and chairman of Chiratae Ventures, is not related to this portal. Like Mr Tata, his name and photos are fraudulently used by the operators behind Tatarestart.com to gain credibility. A representative of Mr Tata confirmed that Mr Tata's name is fraudulently used by Tata Restart. Like a Ponzi scheme, Tata Restart promises high returns to investors with little or no risk involved. Like a typical MLM, it also offers incentives for recruiting new participants into the scheme. Interestingly, Tata Restart claims to reached 7,000 children and "aims to reach 30,000 children, reconnecting them with education and empowering them to reimagine their future". But then, like a typical MLM, this is also just a big talk, and Tata Restart immediately jumps to its seven packages for investment. Tata Restart is collecting Rs2,500 to Rs5 lakh as an investment from the public. It promises to repay Rs50 per day for 100 days to Rs11,000 daily for 150 days, a 100% - 300% return on investments! Further, there are 'attractive' offers to win top-selling cars, including BMW 3 Grand Limousine and Range Rover! For its lowest package, if the investor 'invests' Rs2,500, Tata Restart promises to repay Rs50 per day for 100 days or Rs5,000, double returns in just 100 days. For the highest package, the investor needs to invest Rs5 lakh to receive Rs11,000 per day for the next 150 days. It amounts to Rs16.50 lakh, more than three times the investment in just 150 days! Obviously, such high returns are too good to be true. Had it been possible, the wealthiest people would have simply invested money in Tata Restart and become richer without doing anything. There is a QR code on the Tata Restart website which is used for making payments. The description above the QR code says, "After submitting the payment's screenshot, you will get the fund between 30 minutes." The QR code is associated with Equity Capital Advisors India Pvt Ltd from Mulund, Mumbai. Equity Capital Advisors is not registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which regulates collective investment schemes-CIS in the country. Also, the website offers no clarity about the relationship between Tata Restart and Equity Capital Advisors. There are a few more red flags for discerning investors. First, the address of Tata Restart is listed as 'Near Allahabad Bank, Distt. Sonprayag, Uttarakhand' it does not disclose the name of the town. Also, when Tata Restart has its own website, why does it display the email ID [email protected] below its address? Almost all Ponzi, MLM or CIC schemes (scams) typically generate profits through money collected from new investors rather than investment or business activities. These schemes are unsustainable because they rely on a continuous influx of new investors to keep them afloat, and no legitimate profits are generated to sustain the promised returns. Such schemes usually collapse when there are not enough new investors to pay returns to earlier investors or when the operator decides to abscond with the remaining funds. Some MLMs claim that they earn money through their own sales of products or services. However, most of them 'encourage' recruiting new participants into the scheme to earn additional commissions from new recruits' sales, commonly called downlines or legs. Participants (read: investors) are typically required to purchase a starter kit or a certain amount of inventory to join the scheme, and they may be pressured to recruit others to do the same. Further, all these Ponzi, MLM and CIS schemes often involve complex compensation structures that may make it difficult for participants to earn significant profits unless they recruit large numbers of new members. Even here, Tata Restart shows binary (read: new recruitment) at 10%, with a total deduction of 15% and per day capping at Rs35,000. In short, the top person (typically the operator or promoter and close associates) can earn Rs35,000 per day from its downlines. We contacted the PR representative of Mr Tata about the scheme misusing his name and photograph. If we receive any response from the Tata group about the action taken, it will be added to this column. According to Robert FitzPatrick, president of US-based Pyramid Scheme Alert, these schemes are an 'endless chain' or a 'pyramid scheme'. "I believe this form of fraud is a clear danger to national economies. They subvert efforts to accumulate wealth. They divert energy and funds from real businesses. They often divert people from seeking more education with their promises of fast wealth. They destroy the savings and equity of lower-income people. They confuse people as to what a legitimate value-based business is. Calling it a business does not make it so. A real business requires an exchange of value." Moneylife has, for long, been exposing Ponzi schemes , MLM companies, money circulation schemes, pyramid-marketing schemes and other similar companies that defraud the unwary public by offering them misleading inducements and depriving them of their hard-earned savings. Remember, all these Ponzi, MLM, CIS or pyramid schemes can dupe people by promising high returns or lucrative opportunities with little effort or risk. They often rely on persuasive tactics, such as testimonials from supposed successful participants or misleading marketing materials, to attract new investors or recruits. Once the schemes collapse or fail to deliver on their promises, many participants lose their investments or find themselves unable to recoup their losses. It is a universal truth that nothing comes free in the world, especially money. Moreover, there is no easy way for victims of Ponzi, MLM, CIS or pyramid schemes to get back their investments. The victims need to approach SEBI , the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) and the local police station or economic offences wing (EOW). Update: In an email, TCM Sundaram, founder and vice chairman of Chiratae Ventures, says, "Tata Restart website is not just misusing the Tata name, it is also misusing Sudhir Sethi's name, data and pictures fraudulently. Mr Sethi is not in any manner whatsoever associated with 'Tata Restart', 'TATA RESTART | Let's Restart The Brighter Future or www.tatarestart.com' or the persons or entities operating these platforms or similar platforms - this is a clear case of identity theft by the persons operating Tata Restart." "While we are taking necessary legal steps against 'Tata Restart' website on behalf of Mr Sethi, given the reputational damage that could be caused to Mr Sethi on account of the false and fraudulent use of his name, data and pictures, we request you to please correct the article stating that the 'Tata Restart' website is misusing even Mr Sethi's name and credentials in addition to Tata's name," Mr Sundaram says. In 2006, Mr Sethi, along with Mr Sundaram, set up IDG Ventures, which was rebranded to Chiratae Ventures in 2018. Chiratae Ventures currently has an asset under management (AUM) of about US$1.2bn (billion) under management. It has been a first or second investor in marquee companies like Lenskart, Myntra, FirstCry, Cult.fit, and PolicyBazaar. FILE PHOTO: The Apple logo is seen hanging at the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York, U.S., October 16, 2019. A billboard on meth-related crime is displayed by the Office of the Attorney General at the Barrigada tri-intersection on Friday, March 1, 2024. Evan Montvel-Cohen walks into the District Court of Guam in Hagatna on Dec. 6, 2022, before he was sentenced to 82 months in prison. A section of Guam Memorial Hospital in need of maintenance and repair is seen in Tamuning on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. Mika Gadsden is well versed in the electoral process, having run for mayor, served as a polling precinct clerk and worked as a political activist over the past decade. But Gadsden said even she was having a hard time determining which congressional district she is slated to vote in later this year in South Carolina's Charleston County. Her confusion stems from a process known as gerrymandering, in which political parties in power manipulate the boundaries of voting districts to gain an electoral upper hand. The process can amount to an "assault on democracy," Gadsden said. The effects of gerrymandering are neither new nor uncommon, but with Democrats and Republicans currently splitting control of Congress by the narrowest of margins, experts say a small number of pending redistricting battles and newly released maps could help determine which party holds the levers of power in the U.S. House of Representatives after this year's elections. The states where the stakes are highest include: South Carolina, where the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide soon whether to allow a new congressional map to stand. New York, where the state Legislature rejected this week the latest congressional map drawn by a bipartisan commission and adopted a new one. Wisconsin, where a recent lawsuit could lead to the redrawing of congressional maps. Louisiana, where a new map released in late January creates an additional majority-Black congressional district. North Carolina, where redistricting has been the subject of Supreme Court rulings and ongoing lower-court fights. South Carolinas electoral maps redrawn in 2021 moved Gadsden and some 30,000 other Black voters out of a competitive district and into one that has been in Democratic hands for four decades. The process, she said, has sown seeds of confusion" and really does demoralize a lot of people who find their vote will carry less weight. SC maps 'really an assault on democracy,' voter says What we see is that the powers that be have pretty much picked the winners for people, Gadsden said. Its so undemocratic. Its really an assault on democracy in general. The practice of moving electoral district boundaries to promote certain outcomes, such as increasing the odds that a certain party wins or reducing the voting power of particular groups of voters, is not a new part of our election system. Politicians have employed the tactic for centuries, and voting rights activists have been trying to combat it for about as long. The back and forth has left courts to determine when such redistricting crosses a legal line. After South Carolinas governor signed the new maps into law, the state NAACP and a local voter sued, alleging that the new state map is an example of illegal gerrymandering that discriminates against those voters based on the color of their skin. With that case now in the hands of the Supreme Court, the implications for Gadsden and the other voters in Charleston could be significant. Should the court decide the gerrymander was illegal, those Black voters will go back to casting their ballots for a seat that a Democrat held as recently as 2021, when Republican Rep. Nancy Mace won election. Decisions in a few cases could have nationwide effect And with Republicans holding a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, experts say the ramifications of that court decision and a handful of other pending cases that allege illegal gerrymanders could be felt nationwide. There are going to be some places where Democrats pick up a seat or two or, maybe in New York, three or four, said Paul M. Smith, senior vice president of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center and a lawyer who has argued multiple landmark gerrymandering cases before the Supreme court. In North Carolina, when the new Supreme Court there had the map redrawn, the Democrats lost two or three or four seats. So it may end up having a net effect thats fairly modest across the country, Smith said. But given how closely divided the House is, we might very well find that a decision or two here were decisive, because whichever party is in control next time might be in control (of the House) by about two seats. Candidates choose their voters when maps redrawn Mitchell D. Brown, senior counsel for voting rights for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, puts the problem of gerrymandering plainly. It occurs, he said, when legislators are choosing their voters, and voters are not choosing their legislators. Our democracy is supposed to be of the people, by the people and for the people, Brown said. But right now its of the elected officials, by the elected officials and for the elected officials. The anti-democratic effects of gerrymandering, Brown and other experts argue, are wide-ranging. When individual voters see the power of their vote weaken as they are packed by party, race or other factors into districts designed to reliably elect candidates of a certain party, Brown said it tends to dampen voter interest in elections where outcomes seem preordained. Voters also can be undermined by a gerrymandering tactic known as cracking, which involves splitting up groups of voters and assigning them to electoral districts that are safe for the party they dont belong to. However gerrymandering is implemented, Brown said, the result is it makes it harder for voters to hold politicians accountable at the ballot box. And when officials are less accountable to their constituents, he said, the effects are felt far beyond the polling precinct. The practical effect is theres less representation, Brown said. When gerrymandering is based on race, he added, the needs of the Black community are not met because you have elected officials that dont speak to the experience of the Black community. The creation of safe seats can also exacerbate partisan polarization and push people to the extremes, politically, said Smith, of the Campaign Legal Center, because politicians have to focus primarily on winning primaries, not general elections. And that, Smith said, pushes people toward the extreme right or the extreme left. Wonky shapes lead to shift in political power While the problems with gerrymandering are easy to see, the practice is difficult to stop, according to Smith, who has spent decades trying to do so. Despite repeated attempts to get the Supreme Court to find it illegal when an electoral map is designed to guarantee one party wins most of the seats, even if they dont get most of the votes, Smith said the court determined in 2019 that such partisan gerrymandering is a political question thats too complicated for the federal courts to deal with. And so, he said, you cant go to federal court and challenge partisan gerrymandering. But the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the rights of state courts to combat partisan gerrymandering in maps drawn by state legislatures. Last year, the court ruled that the North Carolina courts can regulate redistricting to ensure it accords with the state constitution. North Carolina has really been ground zero for the redistricting and gerrymandering conversations nationwide, said Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University. The Supreme Court ruling leaves the partisan gerrymandering fight at a state level. In North Carolina, that allowed a new conservative state supreme court majority to reverse a previous ruling, allowing Republican-leaning redistricting maps to be implemented for the 2024 election, Cooper said. The court also ruled that political gerrymandering was not a question for state courts. The fight over gerrymandering in North Carolina is nothing new but has increased in the past decade, Cooper said. Since 2010, the state has seen seven congressional district voting maps enacted, four of which were used in elections. Texas maps reflect 'unbridled gerrymandering,' professor says The change in gerrymandering after 2010 was seen in Texas as well, Rice University political science professor Mark Jones said. The states 2021 voting maps reflected unbridled gerrymandering in a way that hadn't been the case in 2005 and 2011, Jones said. Congressional districts in Texas pack Democrats together, twisting and turning to form wonky shapes that span miles. In Texas, the redistricting has all but ensured a Republican hold in the state, Jones said. While gerrymandering might not always play a significant role in elections, in a year like 2024, when the election is close, a handful of seats could affect control, Jones said. Gerrymandering takes some of the question out of elections, leaving some voters feeling disenfranchised, Jones said. The near-constant changes in North Carolina also make it difficult for voters to know who represents them at a state and national level, Cooper said. Despite challenges, Cooper says, it's unlikely anything will change in North Carolina. The latest maps in North Carolina, allowed by the state Supreme Court, are still being challenged in court, Cooper said. The most recent lawsuit, filed in December, alleges racial gerrymandering, the first case to do so for the current maps, he said. The stakes are too large for people to not at least try to overturn these maps, Cooper said. Both parties are challenging the maps. Its very clear they know the maps mean power. Its a convenient fiction but a fiction to say the people still get the final say. Courts can intervene if race main motive vs. politics While state courts have become the main battleground over partisan gerrymandering, the U.S. Supreme Court has found that federal courts can get involved in race-based gerrymandering. Thats based in part on the Constitutions Equal Protection Clause, which says states cannot undermine citizens rights, and in part on the Voting Rights Act, a 1965 law designed to ensure all citizens have an equal opportunity to participate in elections. But to pursue cases under those provisions, a court has to determine, first, whether race was the predominant motive in the minds of the people drawing the lines, Smith said. That can be tricky, especially when race seems to be used as a proxy for party, as often occurs with Black voters, who tend overwhelmingly to vote for Democrats. Brown said the difficulty in making distinctions between race and party means Black voters dont have the same protections. All the legislature has to do is say, Hey, we didnt do this for racial reasons. We did this for partisan reasons, Brown said. Courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have heard several cases that hinge on such determinations. While many of its decisions were widely viewed as undermining legal protections for Black voters, the court surprised observers last year when it upheld a key piece of the Voting Rights Act that requires states to create opportunities for voters of color to elect candidates of their choice when theyre faced with massive racially polarized voting, like in the South, Smith said. The effect of that decision will be felt in this years congressional election, because the ruling resulted in the drawing of a second Black-majority district in Alabama. That district is expected to elect a Democrat to Congress. Decision helps cause of 'racial justice' in districting It also means there will be continued efforts to create majority-Black, majority-Latino districts in situations where, if you dont, the majority white population will control all the districts, Smith said. So that was a very positive decision for those who believe in racial justice in districting. Brown said such protections are crucial, because, he argues, race is a factor even when legislators profess not to be considering it. To believe that a legislature can draw a race-blind map is farcical, Brown said. These people know where the Black voters are, where white voters are, where Latino voters are. To say something is race blind, you can draw your district by memory, and you know how to gerrymander. Race is always going to undergird what the legislature does, which is going to affect minority voters. The South Carolina case currently pending in the U.S. Supreme Court hinges on whether the justices find politics or race influenced the district maps. If justices rule the new electoral maps were drawn to advance a partisan advantage, the changes will be allowed to stand. If the high court determines legislators were motivated by a desire to pack Black voters in a single safe district, the court could order maps to be redrawn. Clyburn case complicates gerrymandering discussion This distinction between race and politics has been further clouded by the findings that Rep. Jim Clyburn, the Black Democrat who has represented the states 6th Congressional District since 1993, worked with Republicans to move Black voters into his district in order to shore up his chances of reelection. ProPublica examined Clyburns role in depth. A three-judge panel that found the new lines represented a racial gerrymander also described the congressmans staffs role in helping Republicans alter his district. While a Republican who led the redistricting effort said he received a map from the staff of Congressman James Clyburn and (that) he incorporated the Clyburn staff proposals into the final plan, he also acknowledged making dramatic changes to the staffs recommendations, court documents say. Clyburns office has strongly denied that he participated in the states gerrymandering, but experts have long described an unholy alliance between Black Democratic lawmakers and Republican lawmakers to draw maps that create safe seats for the former at the expense of a broader advantage for the former. Is there a fair solution to drawing districts? While theres no doubt legislators from both parties work behind the scenes to draw maps to their advantage, Smith said there isn't an obvious way to draw them objectively and fairly. The challenge lies, in part, in how people tend to congregate geographically by party, which leads to what Smith calls unintentional gerrymandering. One of the things that is true of the way our country is set up is that Democrats tend to cluster themselves in cities, he said. And so if you draw maps without thinking of partisanship at all just draw squares or whatever you end up with more Republican seats than Democratic seats, even if its a 50-50 state, because the Democrats pack themselves into a smaller number of districts with really, really high percentages of Democrats. So although he said Republicans have been in a better position to do more gerrymandering, Smith said he doesnt think they are more prone to it than Democrats. As courts tangle over whether to allow legislators to move electoral lines and decide who elects whom, a growing number of states have taken such decisions out of their hands altogether through the formation of redistricting commissions. Samuel Wang, a Princeton University professor who leads the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, said court victories and citizens initiatives have led to a sharp decline in the practice over the past decade. You look at the congressional level the degree of gerrymandering in the U.S. House of Representatives compared to 10 years ago the distortion is less than half what it was in 2012, he said. So things are getting better. But issues remain. While the movement to create independent commissions is spreading across the country, Smith believes theres a natural limit on how far that can go because in about half the states, at least, in order to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot, it has to be passed twice by the legislature. And they dont pass it. Are independent commissions better at drawing maps? Though experts say commissions tend to make better maps than politicians, some have struggled, including in New York. New York voters changed the state constitution to take redistricting out of the hands of the state legislature and into an independent commission. But the commission deadlocked on its first attempt, which gave the job of redistricting back to legislators. That Democrat-controlled body then drew its own maps, which were signed into law, promptly challenged in court and invalidated. The state Supreme Court then appointed a special master to draw yet another new map, which was used for a 2022 election that saw Republicans make important gains in New Yorks congressional races. But Democrats have been fighting to allow the Independent Redistricting Commission to have another chance at redrawing the maps, and in December, the state Supreme Court ruled in their favor. When that new map was released this month, little was different from the one used in 2022. Had the state Legislature approved that map, Republicans would have been expected to maintain their gains. But on Feb. 26, Democrats rejected the map. Two days later, the state Legislature adopted a slightly different map designed to help Democrats pick up seats in a small number of key battleground U.S. House districts without drawing further court challenges. Congress seen as unlikely to act on redistricting rules Ultimately, Smith and others say, comprehensive change to the nations redistricting rules would have to come from the U.S. Congress itself. But that, Smith said, is unlikely anytime soon. Congress is the place where a lot of the problems with our democracy could get fixed, Smith said. Its just, youve gotta get a majority in both houses and a filibuster-proof majority at that who really want to fix them, and thats not easy. We dont have that now. That leaves voters like Gadsden, in Charleston, waiting for court decisions and new maps that will decide where they vote, influence who wins their local elections and help determine who controls a bitterly divided Congress. Gadsden views the situation as an alarming part of a larger assault on peoples access to their own democracy. It seems like the old guard within the establishment really has worked hard to maintain a level of power that doesnt serve the voter at all, she said. It really does not serve the voter. It also does not serve democracy, Wang said. It is possible through legislative jiggery-pokery to gain an advantage that could never be gotten through any amount of campaigning, Wang said. So at the level of national power, it actually could be quite consequential. Election advantages due to district mapping A screenshot from a video shows an apparent stabbing in August 2022 at the Dededo Center along Wusstig Road. Five men charged in connection with the death of Kifirston Aiken are set to begin trial. Cambodias pioneering post-Khmer Rouge era Phnom Penh Post newspaper will stop print publication View Photo PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) The Phnom Penh Post, a newspaper founded in 1992 as Cambodia sought to re-establish stability and democracy after decades of war and unrest, said Friday that it will stop publishing in print this month, the latest blow to the countrys dwindling independent media. The Post was founded as an English-language biweekly in 1992. It later added a Khmer-language edition, and in 2008 began publishing daily. It wrote on social media accounts that it would stop publishing both English and Khmer editions by March 29, citing a decline in advertising revenues due to a pandemic-related economic downturn, which added to financial difficulties caused by the spread of social media and other new technology. Although not mentioned in the announcement, Ly Tayseng, the Posts current CEO and publisher, confirmed in a text message to The Associated Press that it will continue publishing online. The government of then-Prime Minister Hun Sen cracked down heavily on independent media in 2017. The Cambodia Daily, a competitor of the Post, was forced to close when it was presented with a huge tax bill which it felt was presented for political reasons. The Post came under similar political pressure as it also lagged in advertising revenue, and in 2018 was sold by its Australian publisher to a Malaysian investor who was widely seen as acting as a proxy for the interests of the ruling Cambodia Peoples Party. Several senior staff resigned and it ceased most of the sort of aggressive independent reporting that had once been its hallmark. The Post was founded on a shoestring by Americans Michael Hayes and Kathleen OKeefe as Cambodia with U.N. help, sought to recover from the devastation wrought by the brutal rule of the Khnmer Rouge in the late 1970s. The Khmer Rouge still posed a military threat into the late 1990s, and much of the early coverage focused on that conflict, aided by a multinational staff and freelancers. Its journalism flourished, in competition from The Cambodia Daily, founded in 1993 and also heavily staffed by young Westerners. Both papers served as a sort of training ground for young journalists early in their careers. The Post, which was never very profitable, was sold by its founders to an Australia-led media group in 2008. By that time, all independent media was coming under increasing pressure as then-Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodia Peoples Party tightened their grip on power and sought to silence most critics. Hun Sen stepped down last year after 38 years as prime minister and was succeeded by his son, Hun Manet. Last year, one of Cambodias few remaining independent media outlets, Voice of Democracy radio, ceased operations after Hun Sen ordered its closure for allegedly slandering his son in a story. By SOPHENG CHEANG Associated Press Haruki Murakami unveils his new short story at a Tokyo literary event View Photo TOKYO (AP) Only 1,100 lucky audience members were there to hear the yet-to-be published short story Kaho, read aloud by bestselling Japanese author Haruki Murakami himself. The reading took place at a Friday night book event called The Owl Reads in Spring a fundraiser for the Waseda International House of Literature library at Murakamis alma mater in Tokyo, also featuring award-winning author Mieko Kawakami. Its freshly made, only about 10 days ago, Murakami told the audience, adding that he wrote it for the event. The last Murakami short released was First Person Singular, more than three years ago. His prolific literary work also includes essays, non-fiction and translation. Murakami, relaxed and casually dressed in sneakers, jeans and a dark jacket, said writing a story for recitation was not easy. Its actually quite hard to write a new story for reciting, Murakami said. Its content and style have to fit recitation, and it has to be relatively short. The story still came out too long, he said, and read it in two parts during the event at Waseda University. Journalists at the event were allowed to report story names, but not their content. Now 75 and one of the worlds most popular and acclaimed novelists, Murakami debuted with Hear the Wind Sing in 1979, four years after he began writing while running a jazz bar in Tokyo. His 1987 romantic novel Norwegian Wood was his first bestseller, establishing him as a young literary star. His latest bestselling full-length novel, The City and its Uncertain Walls, was released in 2023 in Japan and is awaiting an English release. The Owl event is a second for him and Kawakami, who said she is a longtime Murakami fan from years before she became a novelist. The two took turns reading aloud at a 2019 event where Murakami unveiled an earlier short story, Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey, later published as part of the short story collection First Person Singular. Kawakami, now an acclaimed author known for her bestseller Breasts and Eggs, translated to English in 2020, recited her new short story titled Watashitachi no Doa (Our Doors) at Fridays event. She debuted as poet and her first novella, My Ego, My Teeth and the World, in 2007, and her novel Heaven was shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize. By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press Putin foe Alexei Navalny is buried in Moscow as thousands attend under a heavy police presence View Photo Under a heavy police presence, thousands of people bade farewell Friday to opposition leader Alexei Navalny at his funeral in Moscow after his still-unexplained death two weeks ago in an Arctic penal colony. The crowds who thronged to honor Navalny outside a church and cemetery in a snowy southeastern suburb of the capital chanted slogans for him and against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine, turning the event into one of the largest recent displays of dissent. But police did not act against them. At least 91 people were detained at events across Russia in Navalnys memory, said OVD-Info, a rights group that tracks political arrests, with most stopped while trying to lay flowers at monuments dedicated to victims of Soviet repression. When his death was announced Feb. 16, police detained hundreds who tried to leave flowers. Navalny was buried after a short Russian Orthodox ceremony, with vast crowds waiting outside the church and then streaming to the fresh grave with flowers. Navalnys widow, Yulia, who was not seen at the funeral but has vowed to continue his work, lovingly thanked him for 26 years of absolute happiness. I dont know how to live without you, but I will try to do it in a way that you up there are proud of me and happy for me, she wrote on Instagram. Navalnys 23-year-old daughter, Daria, also shared a tribute to her father. Ever since I was a child, you taught me to live by certain principles. To live with dignity. You gave your life for me, for mum, for (my brother) Zakhar, for Russia, she wrote on Instagram. I promise you that I will live my life in the way that you taught me, in a way that will make you proud and most importantly, with a smile on my face. The funeral followed a battle with authorities over the release of his body. His team said several Moscow churches refused to hold the funeral for the man who crusaded against official corruption and organized massive protests. Many Western leaders blamed the death on the Russian leader, an accusation the Kremlin angrily rejected. Navalnys team eventually got permission from the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Soothe My Sorrows, which was surrounded by crowd-control barriers. As his coffin was removed from the hearse and taken inside the church, the crowd waiting outside broke into respectful applause and then chanted: Navalny! Navalny! Some also shouted, You werent afraid, neither are we! and later No to war! Russia without Putin! and Russia will be free! Western diplomats, including U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy, were among the mourners. Also paying respects were Boris Nadezhdin and Yekaterina Duntsova, anti-war politicians who wanted to run against Putin in this months presidential election but were not allowed on the ballot. Inside the church, Navalnys open casket showed him covered with red and white flowers. His parents, Lyudmila and Anatoly, sat beside it. Navalnys closest associates live outside Russia and offered commentary on a livestream of the funeral on his YouTube channel, their voices occasionally cracking with emotion. Those people who follow what is happening, it is of course obvious to them that this man is a hero of our country, whom we will not forget, said Nadezhda Ivanova of Kaliningrad, a mourner who was outside the church. What was done to him is incredibly difficult to accept and get through it. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged those gathering in Moscow and other places not to break the law, saying any unauthorized (mass) gatherings are violations. After the short church service, thousands marched to the nearby Borisovskoye Cemetery, where the police were also out in force. With the casket again open, Navalnys mother and father stroked and kissed his head. A large crowd gathered at the cemeterys gates, chanting: Let us in to say goodbye! The coffin was lowered into the ground. In keeping with his irreverent sense of humor, music from the The Terminator 2 was played, a movie his allies said he considered the best in the world. Mourners streamed by his open grave, tossing handfuls of soil onto the coffin as a large crowd waited at the cemeterys entrance. As dusk fell, workers shoveled dirt into the grave while Lyudmila Navalnaya watched. A mound of flowers, funeral wreaths, candles and a portrait of Navalny sat nearby. Mourners continued to stream into the cemetery until it was closed by police shortly after 10 p.m. local time. Lyudmila Navalnaya had spent eight days trying to get authorities to release her sons body following his Feb. 16 death at Penal Colony No. 3 in the town of Kharp, in the Yamalo-Nenets region about 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow. Even on Friday, a Moscow morgue delayed releasing the body, according to Ivan Zhdanov, Navalnys close ally and director of his Anti-Corruption Foundation. Authorities near the penal colony originally said they couldnt release the body because they needed to conduct post-mortem tests. Lyudmila Navalnaya made a video appeal to Putin to release it so she could bury her son with dignity. Russian authorities still havent announced the cause of death for Navalny, who was 47. His team cited paperwork that Lyudmila Navalnaya saw that listed natural causes, although the day before his death he had appeared in court via video link joking with officials. At least one funeral director said he had been forbidden to work with Navalnys supporters, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on social media. They also struggled to find a hearse. Unknown people are calling up people and threatening them not to take Alexeis body anywhere, Yarmysh said Thursday. Navalny had been jailed since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow to face certain arrest after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. His Foundation for Fighting Corruption and his regional offices were designated as extremist organizations by the Russian government that same year. Yulia Navalnaya accused Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin of trying to block a public funeral. We dont want any special treatment just to give people the opportunity to say farewell to Alexei in a normal way, she wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Moscow authorities refused permission for a separate memorial event Friday for Navalny and slain opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, citing COVID-19 restrictions, according to former presidential hopeful Duntsova. Nemtsov, a 55-year-old former deputy prime minister, was shot to death as he walked on a bridge adjacent to the Kremlin on the night of Feb. 27, 2015. Yarmysh also urged Navalnys supporters around the world to turn out. Hundreds brought flowers and candles at the Russian Embassy in Tbilisi in a rally organized by those who fled Russia since the start of the war with Ukraine. In a rainy Rome, a delegation from the Italian Radical party went to Moscows embassy for the Kremlin critic. ___ More AP coverage of Alexei Navalny: https://apnews.com/hub/alexei-navalny By DASHA LITVINOVA and KATIE MARIE DAVIES Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Armed forces from the Netherlands have been deployed to the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire to clear beaches of oil coming from an offshore spill blamed on an overturned barge hundreds of miles away. The military cleaned up several beaches on the island that were reopened to the public on Friday. The situation seems to be under control, acting Lt. Gov. Reynolds Oleana said Thursday. It remains to be seen what will happen in the coming days. Environmental officials said they can start assessing the damage once the polluted areas have been cleaned. The spill occurred last month near Trinidad and Tobago and prompted officials there to declare a national emergency. The government of the twin-island nation said earlier this week that a minimum of 420,000 gallons (1.6 million liters) of oil mixed with water has been vacuumed from nearby waters. They warn the number is likely larger since it does not include a substantial amount of oil that traveled across the Caribbean Sea or that was picked up with sand and sargassum. A preliminary investigation has found that the overturned barge had departed from Panama and was being tugged to nearby Guyana when it began to sink. The owner of the barge has not been found. Officials in Tobago have warned that the spill would take up to eight months to be fully cleaned, and that remediation efforts including repopulating ecosystems would take up to three years. Former US soldier arrested as a suspect in a killing in Germany nearly 46 years ago BERLIN (AP) A 66-year-old man accused of killing a woman when he was stationed in Germany as a U.S. soldier nearly 46 years ago has been arrested in the United States, German investigators said Friday. The man, whose name wasnt released in line with German privacy rules, is accused of stabbing a 35-year-old woman more than 30 times at her apartment on June 11, 1978. At the time, authorities were unable to find the killer. German police took up the investigation again in 2020, re-examining large amounts of evidence, Stuttgart prosecutors and police in nearby Ludwigsburg said in a statement. A fingerprint led them to the suspect, and further investigation including a DNA comparison was carried out in conjunction with U.S. authorities, including FBI offices in Albany and Berlin. German prosecutors sought an arrest warrant on suspicion of murder. The man was detained on Feb. 13 by the U.S. Marshals Service, with support from the FBI and the New York state police, and is in custody in a U.S. jail. German authorities are seeking his extradition. Murder does not fall under the statute of limitations in Germany. Plow removing snow -- TCPW photo View Photo Sonora, CA Tuolumne County Office of Emergency Services, or OES, has updated its storm-related services, including adding places for the public to warm up or get out of the stormy weather if needed and snow removal information. We reported earlier this week that the Tuolumne County Extreme Temperature Contingency Plan thresholds would not be met to open a warming center. However, the plan is to have the Tuolumne and Groveland Resilience Centers on standby in case of extended power outages. Additionally, county OES provided these public libraries that will be opened during normal operating hours unless staff is unable to safely open them: Tuolumne County Main Library, 480 Greenley Road, Sonora, CA 95370, will be open this week with normal hours Friday 9 a.m.6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.6 p.m. Tuolumne Branch Library, 18636 Main Street, Tuolumne, CA 95379, will be open this week with normal hours FridaySaturday, 10 a.m.2 p.m. Twain Harte Branch Library, 18701 Tiffeni Drive #F1, Twain Harte, CA 95383, will be open this week with normal hours FridaySaturday, 10 a.m.2 p.m. Groveland Branch Library, 18990 Highway 120, Groveland, CA 95321, will be open this week with normal hours FridaySaturday, 10 a.m.2 p.m. OES is also offering a contact for the homeless at the Department of Social Services Triage at 209-768-9684, which will be operational through the weekend. During regular business hours, please call 209-533-5711. Depending on resources available, there is some assistance available, according to OES officials. Regarding assistance for sheltering animals, call Tuolumne County Animal Control at 209-694-2730 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. For after-hours animal emergencies, contact the Sheriffs Office dispatch at 209-533-5815. Once this winter storm has the potential to dump several feet of snow in the area, county road officials want to remind the public of its snow removal policy. Tuolumne County is expecting low-elevation snow and heavy rains throughout the weekend, and as a result, road crews will have additional roads to plow and/or maintain for flooding, according to road officials. We ask for your patience in advance and that you take the necessary precautions to ensure your own property is safe. Our objective is to ensure one lane of traffic is opened for emergency services on all county-maintained roads. County public works officials offered this reminder of their snow removal policy: It is illegal to park vehicles or store materials in the road right-of-way, including the shoulder. The county is not responsible for damages caused by snow removal operations to vehicles or personal items left in the road right-of-way. Also, if an illegally parked vehicle prevents snow removal equipment from plowing, this will delay snow removal for you and your neighbors. Snow berms are created during plowing operations and will not be removed by county road crews. If your road is not county-maintained, make arrangements with a snow removal contractor; in case of an emergency, call 911. The department is also offering sand 24/7 at the following locations, but bring a shovel and bags: Columbia Airport parking lot at 10723 Airport Road Tuolumne 18870 Birch Street Tuolumne Corner of Parkview Lane and Chestnut Avenue Jamestown Corner of 7th Avenue and 8th Street Big Oak Flat / Groveland 11242 Wards Ferry Road For more information or to report road-related issues, contact Public Works at (209) 533-5601 during regular business hours. After regular business hours, call (209) 533-5815. A second, weaker storm system is forecast to move into the region later Monday into Wednesday with moderate mountain snow. This may hamper recovery efforts and extend power outages from the weekend blizzard, advise OES officials. Black Americans significant economic and civil rights progress threatened, report says View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) Black Americans have endured considerable injustices and barriers to prosperity and equality throughout U.S. history. But their social, economic and political advances in the 60 years since the enactment of major civil rights legislation have been unsatisfactory, according to a new annual study on racial progress. The State of Black America report by the National Urban League, which has compiled research and analysis on the status of Black Americans in the U.S. for decades, cites legal challenges to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and backlash to efforts meant to advance racial progress such as affirmative action and diversity, equity and inclusion policies for decelerating progress. Doors have been opened in higher education, government and the private sector in that sixty year period. Thats important. Every measure shows progress, National Urban League President Marc Morial said, in an interview with The Associated Press ahead of the reports release Friday. But I would have thought we would have been much further along than we are in 2024 with respect to achieving a sense of parity in America, Morial said. Despite significant economic advancement over several decades, the report also highlights numerous barriers to economic advancement. The result, the reports authors write, is persistent economic and political disparities. The racial income gap has been virtually unchanged for more than 20 years, with Black Americans making on average 64% of the income of white people, the report notes. Similarly, the study highlighted barriers in opportunity. For instance, Black students are still more likely than their white counterparts to have uncertified and inexperienced teachers. At the same time, the number of Black students dropping out of primary education has decreased from 13.1% in 2000 to 3.9% in 2024. The view of Black civic participation is also mixed. While the percentage of Black Americans registered to vote stood at 69% in 2020 compared to 64% in 2000, the percentage of Black people who voted in 2022 stood at 42.3%, a drop from 54% who cast ballots in 2002. At the current pace, it would take anywhere from one to three centuries for most Black Americans to achieve parity with their white peers, depending on their region of the country, according to a February study by the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility. And while major institutions, including top corporations, governments and media have increased the number of Black leaders in their ranks, such efforts are being limited as diversity and inclusion initiatives face court challenges, public backlash from conservative activists and restrictions by some state and local Republican lawmakers. Notwithstanding the effort to move forward, theres always been a movement of resistance to that progress and that resistance has played a role in decelerating the progress that we need to make on the journey to parity. We see it being played out right now, Morial said in reference to issues such as political gerrymandering, book-banning in schools and attacks on diversity policies. Morial pointed to the current U.S. Supreme Court, which he said has demonstrated a hostility to the tools necessary to correct the long history of racial discrimination. The Urban Leagues study also evaluates President Joe Bidens performance in office and finds his administrations efforts fall short of promises made to Black Americans, even as the president faces significant opposition from Republican lawmakers and some in his own party. The report, however, broadly approves of Bidens policy agenda. A record-low Black unemployment rate, as well as efforts to expand health-care access and affordable housing for Black Americans are signs of progress, the authors wrote. Still, the political opposition that blocked the enactment of policies considered top priorities by Black Americans, such as voting rights and policing reform, are major letdowns. We are in a world of deep attack by an ideological extreme that wants to erase so much of the civil-rights movement, said Maya Wiley, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and co-author of the study. Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Justice Department, said federal watchdogs are ready to ensure the nations civil rights laws are being followed. Weve been working across the country to reach underserved communities so that we understand the problems that communities face, Clarke said in an interview with the AP. Our country thrives when everyone has a voice in our democracy and we remain vigilant and work to counter voting discrimination and voter suppression wherever it rears its ugly head. On the eve of the Bloody Sunday anniversary events commemorating voting rights marches in Selma, Alabama this weekend, Morial called on federal officials to increase their efforts to protect civil rights and to better support sociopolitical advances in the Black community. This moment is a reminder about our obligation to confront voter suppression and continuing threats that we see when it comes to access to the ballot box, he said. ____ Matt Brown is a member of the APs Race and Ethnicity team. Follow him on social media. ____ The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about APs democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. By MATT BROWN Associated Pres BANGOR, Maine (AP) A United Airlines flight traveling from London to Newark, New Jersey, diverted to Bangor International Airport because of unruly passengers on Friday, airline officials said. The two passengers who appeared to be intoxicated became disruptive, and both were removed from United Airlines Flight 883 upon landing late Friday morning in Bangor, the spokesperson said. They will be banned from future flights while the matter is reviewed, the spokesperson said. The plane, which originally had 150 passengers, later completed its trip to New Jersey. Bangor Police Department officers were among those greeting the Boeing 767 when it landed. Two passengers were removed, and one of them was detained and charged with assault and interfering with a flight crew and assault, according to court documents. An FBI affidavit indicated the passenger became combative after the flight crew intervened when he was loudly arguing with his girlfriend, and that the passenger continued to be combative and physically aggressive after being restrained with plastic flex cuffs. The government requested that the passenger be held pending a detention hearing. Marine general taking steps to return to full duty as commandant several months after heart attack View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) Gen. Eric Smith is taking steps to return to full duty as commandant of the Marine Corps, about four months after being sidelined due to a heart attack, according to defense officials. Smith quietly returned to the Pentagon on one occasion a few weeks ago, and was again in the building for a few hours on Friday. Officials said he has been listening in on meetings in recent weeks and getting updates in order to be prepared when he eventually returns to full duty as commandant. They said that return could happen in the coming weeks. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans not yet made public. On Oct. 29, Smith suffered cardiac arrest near his home at Marine Barracks Washington and was hospitalized. He underwent successful surgery i n early January to repair a bicuspid aortic valve in his heart, which was the cause of his cardiac arrest. At that time, the Marine Corps said he will return to full duty status as Commandant. The assistant commandant, Gen. Christopher Mahoney, has been serving as the acting head of the Marine Corps since Smiths hospitalization. He will continue to do so until Smith returns to full duty, which officials said will be done after consultation with medical doctors. Smith was confirmed as the new commandant on Sept. 21. His heart attack came just two days after hed talked publicly about the stress of having to do the Marine Corps top two high-level jobs for the service commandant and assistant commandant for several months because Mahoneys nomination for the No. 2 job had been held up by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville. Tuberville had blocked hundreds of military promotions and nominations for months due to his opposition to Pentagon policy paying for troops travel for abortions and other reproductive care. Under pressure from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle, Tuberville ended his holds in December, allowing the Senate to confirm more than 435 nominations. By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press How US airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza can help and why the operation is complicated How US airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza can help and why the operation is complicated View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) The United States on Saturday began airdrops of emergency humanitarian assistance into Gaza. President Joe Biden, who announced the operation on Friday, said the U.S. was looking into additional ways to help Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled territory as the Israel-Hamas war goes on. A look at what to know: WHEN DID THE AIRDROPS START? Three C-130 cargo planes from Air Forces Central dropped 66 bundles containing about 38,000 meals into Gaza at 8:30 a.m. EST Saturday. The bundles were dropped in southwest Gaza, on the beach along the territorys Mediterranean coast, one U.S. official said. The airdrop was coordinated with the Royal Jordanian Air Force, which has been airdropping food and took part in Saturdays mission. More airdrops are expected to follow. WHY NOW? Bidens decision comes after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured on Thursday trying to access aid in northern Gaza under disputed circumstances, according to Gazas Hamas-run health ministry. Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy, while Israel has said it fired only when its troops felt threatened and that most of the civilian casualties were from trampling. The U.S. has been pushing Israel to speed the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and to open a third crossing into the territory, but the violence Thursday showed the challenges no matter the circumstances. The loss of life is heartbreaking, Biden said as he announced his decision to order airdrops. People are so desperate. HOW WILL THE U.S. ENSURE AID GETS TO WHERE ITS NEEDED? Asked how the U.S. would keep the supplies from falling into Hamas hands, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the U.S. would learn over the course of the aerial operation. Theres few military operations that are more complicated than humanitarian assistance airdrops, he said. Kirby said Pentagon planners will identify drop locations aiming to balance getting the aid closest to where its needed without putting those on the ground in harms way from the drops themselves. The biggest risk is making sure nobody gets hurt on the ground, Kirby said. He said the U.S. is also working through how the airdropped aid will be collected and distributed once its on the ground. WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? The U.S. believes the airdrops will help address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, but they are no replacement for trucks, which can transport far more aid more effectively though Thursdays events also showed the risks with ground transport. Kirby said the airdrops have an advantage over trucks in that planes can move aid to a particular location very quickly. But in terms of volume, the airdrops will be a supplement to, not a replacement for moving things in by ground. WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE? The U.S. and allies have tried to broker a new temporary cease-fire between Hamas and Israel that would see the release of more hostages held by the militant group in Gaza, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and an up-to-six-week pause in the fighting. If a ceasefire were secured, the U.S. hopes it would allow large quantities of aid to flow into Gaza over a sustained period of time. Biden on Friday also said the U.S. was working with allies on establishing a maritime corridor to provide assistance to Gazans from the sea. By ZEKE MILLER AP White House Correspondent Arizonas new voting laws that require proof of citizenship are not discriminatory, a US judge rules Arizonas new voting laws that require proof of citizenship are not discriminatory, a US judge rules View Photo PHOENIX (AP) A federal judge is upholding provisions of new Arizona laws that would require counties to verify the status of registered voters who havent provided proof of U.S. citizenship and cross-check voter registration information with various government databases. In a ruling Thursday, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton concluded Arizona legislators did not discriminate when they adopted the laws and the state does have an interest in preventing voter fraud and limiting voting to those individuals eligible to vote. Considering the evidence as a whole, the court concludes that Arizonas interests in preventing non-citizens from voting and promoting public confidence in Arizonas elections outweighs the limited burden voters might encounter when required to provide (documentary proof of citizenship), she wrote. However, Bolton said the requirement for individuals using a state registration form to include their state or country of birth violates a provision of the Civil Rights Act and a section of the National Voter Registration Act. Doing so, she explained, would result in the investigation of only naturalized citizens based on county recorders subjective beliefs that a naturalized individual is a non-citizen. The lengthy ruling summarizes testimony from a bench trial in late 2023 at which experts testified about Arizonas history of voting discrimination. That included literacy tests effectively precluding Native American and Latino voters from participating and voter roll purges in the 1970s and 80s that created barriers for minorities to re-register to vote. That was the past, the judge wrote, noting there was no evidence presented by the plaintiffs reflecting an intent by lawmakers to suppress voter registrations of members of minority groups or naturalized citizens when they considered the bills in 2022. The laws were passed amid a wave of proposals that Republicans introduced in the wake of Joe Bidens 2020 victory in Arizona over Donald Trump. In an earlier ruling, Bolton blocked a requirement in Arizona law that people who use a federal voter registration form provide additional proof of citizenship if they want to vote for president or use the states vote-by-mail system. The judge had ruled those provisions were trumped by a 1993 federal voter registration law. She also had ruled that a 2018 consent decree prevents Arizona from enforcing its new requirement to reject any state voter registration forms that arent accompanied by proof of citizenship. The decree said Arizona may not reject an otherwise valid state voter registration form without proof of citizenship, but rather must register such an applicant for federal elections. Arizona is required to accept the federal registration form, but anyone who does not provide proof of citizenship is only allowed to vote for president, the U.S. House or Senate. The federal form requires people to swear they are U.S. citizens, but there is no proof requirement. Federal-only voters have been a subject of political wrangling since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that Arizona cannot require documentary proof of citizenship for people to vote in national elections. The state responded by creating two classes of voters: those who can vote in all races and those who can vote only in federal elections. After being approved on party-line votes, then-Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed the measures into law. Election integrity means counting every lawful vote and prohibiting any attempt to illegally cast a vote, Ducey wrote in a March 2022 letter when approving one of the proposals. The laws were challenged by voting rights groups and the U.S. Department of Justice. They argued the new rules would make registering voters more difficult. This ruling provides a cautionary note that should discourage officials from considering imposition of restrictive or burdensome proof of citizenship demands or requests for unnecessary information from voters before registering them to vote in federal elections, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department will continue its vigorous enforcement of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and other federal laws to ensure that eligible voters are able to register and vote in federal elections vote. Some also suggested the statutes were an attempt to get the issue back in front of a more conservative Supreme Court. While supporters said the measures would affect only voters who have not shown proof of citizenship, voting advocates claimed hundreds of thousands of people who havent recently updated their voter registration or drivers license could be affected. The ruling states that Arizona has required documentary proof of citizenship since 2005, and the new laws supplement that requirement to ensure non-citizens do not register to vote or remain on the voter rolls. One of the two measures examined by Bolton would require state election officials to cross check registration information with various government databases to try to prove their citizenship and report anyone they cant find to prosecutors. The court finds that though it may occur, non-citizens voting in Arizona is quite rare, and non-citizen voter fraud in Arizona is rarer still, the ruling states. But while the voting laws are not likely to meaningfully reduce possible non-citizen voting in Arizona, they could help to prevent non-citizens from registering or voting. WASHINGTON (AP) The 2024 presidential campaign will roll through Alabama on Tuesday as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump look to continue their streak of lopsided primary victories in anticipation of an expected general election rematch. Alabama is one of 16 states and American Samoa to hold contests on Super Tuesday, which has more votes and delegates at stake than any other day of the primary campaign season. Biden faces a challenge from U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota. Also on the ballot is uncommitted, which received about 13% of the vote in the Michigan primary after some voters mounted a protest campaign over the presidents position on Israel and the war in Gaza. In the Republican race, Trump once again faces former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who scored her first victory on Sunday in the Washington, D.C., primary but faces a tough electoral map on Super Tuesday. Alabama will also hold its state primary on Tuesday, with voters deciding primaries for Supreme Court chief justice and Public Service Commission, as well as a statewide ballot measure. The slate of races also includes U.S. House primaries, including for a new Democratic-leaning district with a near-majority Black population and another where two Republican incumbents will face off against each other. Heres a look at what to expect on election night: ELECTION DAY The Alabama presidential and state primaries will be held on Super Tuesday, March 5. Polls close at 8 p.m. ET. WHATS ON THE BALLOT The Associated Press will provide coverage for the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries. The Democratic options are Biden, Phillips and uncommitted. The Republican options are Trump, Haley, Florida businessman David Stuckenberg, uncommitted and former candidates Ryan Binkley, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy. Other races on the ballot include primaries for U.S. House, state board of education and various judicial positions. WHO GETS TO VOTE Any registered voter may participate in the primary. Voters in Alabama do not register by party. DELEGATE ALLOCATION RULES Alabamas 52 pledged Democratic delegates are allocated according to the national partys standard rules. Eleven at-large delegates are allocated in proportion to the statewide vote, as are seven PLEO delegates, or party leaders and elected officials. The states seven congressional districts have a combined 34 delegates at stake, which are allocated in proportion to the vote results in each district. Candidates must receive at least 15% of the statewide vote to qualify for any statewide delegates and 15% of the vote in a congressional district to qualify for delegates in that district. For Republicans, the candidate who receives a majority of the statewide vote wins 29 at-large delegates. If no one wins a majority, candidates who surpass 20% of the vote divide those 29 delegates proportionally. Each of the seven congressional districts awards three delegates, either giving all of them to the candidate who wins a majority or, if no candidate reaches 50%, dividing them proportionally among candidates who surpass 20%. DECISION NOTES The results of previous contests in this campaign so far will help analyze the vote returns from Alabama. The results from another southern state, South Carolina, may be particularly instructive. Haley has performed best in areas that vote heavily Democratic in general elections, while Trump has been dominant in Republican-voting areas. This dynamic has not worked out in Haleys favor in a Republican primary. In New Hampshire, she beat Trump in heavily Democratic areas but lost in other areas, including those that lean Democratic, thereby losing statewide. The same was true in South Carolina, only to a larger degree. She carried heavily Democratic areas by a smaller margin than in New Hampshire and lost by bigger margins in the rest of the state. Trump won the 2016 primary here by more than 20 points over U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. The more moderate option that year, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, was a distant fifth place with only 4% of the vote. Alabamas political wiring works heavily in Trumps favor and doesnt show any clear paths to victory for Haley. For the Democrats, Biden has faced only nominal opposition from Phillips, who has failed to have much of an impact in primary contests so far. In Michigan, Phillips lost to both uncommitted and to self-help author Marianne Williamson, who unsuspended her campaign on Wednesday. Biden carried more than 80% of the statewide vote. Theres no evidence to show that Phillips will have an outsize impact on Alabama than he has in other contests so far. State and local primaries with more than two candidates are eligible for a runoff to determine who will appear on the November ballot if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote. In that case, the top two candidates in a partys primary advance to the runoff primary in April. The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when its determined there is no scenario that would allow the trailing candidates to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why. WHAT DO TURNOUT AND ADVANCE VOTE LOOK LIKE Turnout in the 2022 state primaries was 5% of registered voters in the Democratic primaries for governor and U.S. Senate and 18% in the Republican primaries. In the 2022 primaries, pre-Election Day voting made up about 4% of the total vote in the Democratic statewide primaries and about 2% in the Republican contests. HOW LONG DOES VOTE COUNTING USUALLY TAKE? In the 2022 primary election, the AP first reported results at 8:23 p.m. ET, or 23 minutes after polls closed. The election night tabulation ended at 3:06 a.m. ET with about 99% of total votes counted. ARE WE THERE YET? As of Super Tuesday, there will be 132 days until the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, 167 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and 245 until the November general election. By ROBERT YOON Associated Press Georgias largest county is still repairing damage from January cyberattack View Photo Georgias largest county is still repairing damage inflicted on its government a month ago by hackers who shut down office phone lines, left clerks unable to issue vehicle registrations or marriage licenses and threatened to publicly release sensitive data they claimed to have stolen unless officials paid ransom. The ransomware syndicate LockBit took credit for the cyberattack in late January that temporarily crippled government services in Fulton County, which includes most of Atlanta. The group demanded payment, threatening to dump data online, including residents personal information. It also claimed to have stolen records related to the countys pending criminal case against former President Donald Trump. To boost the odds of getting paid, ransomware groups routinely steal data before activating network-encrypting malware. Some cybersecurity analysts questioned whether the Fulton County hackers actually possessed Trump-related files. The hackers deadline passed Thursday, less than two weeks after law enforcement agencies in Europe and the U.S. announced they had disrupted LockBits operations, seized the groups systems and arrested two people overseas. Soon after the takedown, LockBit resurfaced on the dark web and renewed its threat against Fulton County. But no stolen data was released after the deadline lapsed, and county officials refused to pay. We are not aware of any data having been released today so far, Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts told reporters Thursday afternoon. That does not mean the threat is over by any means. And they could release whatever data they have at any time today, tomorrow or sometime in the future. Pitts said county officials are still working to restore phone service and online systems still down more than a month later, though all county offices have reopened and resumed serving residents to at least some degree. We have not paid any ransom nor has any ransom been paid on our behalf, said Pitts, who declined to answer questions following his brief statement. A Fulton County spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email message Friday seeking further updates. The cyberattack hit as Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is prosecuting a racketeering case against Trump and others for their efforts to overturn the results of Georgias presidential election in 2020. While the hackers disrupted courthouse services, namely taking down its online system for filing legal documents, Willis said the case against Trump was unaffected. All material related to the election case is kept in a separate, highly secure system that was not hacked and is designed to make any unauthorized access extremely difficult if not impossible, Willis office said in a statement Jan. 30. LockBit had been among the worlds most prolific ransomware syndicates when it was badly disrupted in late February by an international law enforcement consortium that included the FBI. Following the takedown, which many cybersecurity experts think spells the end of LockBit, a group spokesman issued a rambling statement claiming not to have been as seriously affected as authorities had said. The LockBit spokesman claimed the takedown was motivated by the FBIs desire to prevent the leak of information stolen from Fulton County that included a lot of interesting things and Donald Trumps court cases that could affect the upcoming US election. One cybersecurity expert said that claim was likely unfounded and that LockBit, a Russian-speaking operation condoned by the Kremlin, may never have had any such documents. I think the claims are bogus, said Yelisey Bohuslavskiy, chief research officer at the cybersecurity firm Red Sense. He said LockBit had been faking and exaggerating data theft claims for the last three years, even publishing data that others had obtained as if it was their doing. Another possibility is that LockBit lost access to stolen data in the disruption by law enforcement, ransomware analyst Brett Callow of the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. LockBit is believed to have extracted $120 million from thousands of victims since it began operating in 2019. It accounted for 23% of the nearly 4,000 attacks globally last year in which ransomware gangs posted stolen data to extort payment, according to cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks. Cybersecurity experts believe LockBit as a brand may now be in its death throes but could easily re-emerge rebranded under a new name with the same core members, as happened with previous ransomware groups that came under intense law enforcement pressure. LockBit and other ransomware syndicates are compartmentalized operations. Outside the core group that rents out the malware and maintains the infection infrastructure are so-called affiliates who manage the hacking, malware activation and negotiations and get the bulk of the profits. In Fulton County, officials reported widespread disruptions following the cyberattack the weekend of Jan. 27. County police couldnt produce incident reports and the sheriffs office had to fall back on paper forms to process jail detainees. Residents couldnt pay county utility bills online or use the internet to access property records. Clerks were unable to issue marriage certificates and firearm permits. We are working to restore all Fulton County systems and making some progress, Pitts, the county chairman, said Thursday. County officials said last week that their online system for paying water bills had been restored, but not for property tax payments. County email systems were back online and more than half of the phone lines in county offices were working. ___ Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. Bajak reported from Boston. By RUSS BYNUM and FRANK BAJAK Associated Press Colorado lawmakers clash over bills to protect transgender peoples use of a chosen name View Photo DENVER (AP) Colorados House was tense Friday morning as the Democratic majority pushed two bills through the chamber that would protect transgender peoples chosen names: one allowing those convicted of a felony to change their name to conform with their gender identity and another requiring school staff use a students chosen name. These are the latest in a slew of bills across the country that have precipitated a national tug of war. Democrat-controlled legislatures including Hawaii and New Jersey have introduced bills similar to Colorados, while Republican lawmakers in Idaho, Kansas, Wyoming and Louisiana are digging their heels with bills in the opposite direction. The proposals stirred emotional debate, and at times tears, on the Colorado House floor Friday, along with a number of breaks to negotiate what could and couldnt be said in the well. The morning included wide-eyed surprise and huffs from both parties, prompting a back and forth of retorts and accusations over three hours of discussion. I am patently offended by the generalization and characterization of trans people with crimes against children, said Democratic Rep. Brianna Titone, a transgender woman, as she stared at Republicans in the chamber. I wont stand for that. Both bills passed the House roughly on party lines and are now headed to the Senate for further debate. Republicans pushed back on the bill to allow those convicted of a felony to change their names to match their gender identity, arguing that it would allow those who committed future crimes to hide behind a new name. Thank you for helping them if they want to do criminal activities, thank you for helping them cloak their identity, said Republican Rep. Richard Holtorf. Democrats pointed out that a name change would still have to be signed off on by a judge, and that the ability for someone convicted of a felony to change their name has existed for years in cases of marriage and adoption. If this was really about saying, People with felonies should not be able to change their names, and not just one group of people, we wouldve heard that any woman whos committed a felony is trying to hide when she wants to get married, said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, Democrats assistant House majority leader. The second bill debated Friday would require school staff use students chosen names and make it a form of discrimination not to. Democratic Rep. Jennifer Parenti described how her transgender teenager first started using their chosen name at school before later speaking with Parenti. I looked at them and I said, Im sorry if I ever gave you the impression that this wouldnt be okay, said Parenti, eyes welling with tears. But it makes sense that someone might want to try something this difficult out in a safe space before talking to their parents about it. Thats the thrust of the argument the bills proponents have made, saying the measure particularly protects transgender youth whose family may not be as accepting. In turn, Republicans argued this bill would strip parents rights and limit involvement in their childs life. The bill wouldnt require that the school keeps parents in the dark. ___ Bedayn 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. By JESSE BEDAYN Associated Press/Report for America PRAGUE (AP) The lower house of Parliament in the Czech Republic on Wednesday rejected same-sex marriage while affirming existing unions called partnerships for gay couples. The new legislation, passed in a 123-36 vote, also doesnt allow same-sex couples to adopt children aside from those of their partner. The legislation still needs approval from the Senate and President Petr Pavel, who took office last year and has supported same-sex marriage. Most European Union member states allow same-sex marriage. In the Czech Republic, Parliament approved in 2006 a law allowing same-sex partners to live in an officially registered partnership and have rights to inheritance and health care similar to those enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. Such arrangements offer some of the protections of marriage, but many LGBTQ activists consider them a demeaning second-tier status. The EU says it will send funds to Gazas main aid provider after the UN agency agrees to an audit The EU says it will send funds to Gazas main aid provider after the UN agency agrees to an audit View Photo BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union said Friday that it will pay 50 million euros ($54 million) to the main provider of aid in Gaza next week after the cash-strapped U.N. agency agreed to allow EU-appointed experts to audit the way it screens staff to identify extremists. The UNRWA agency is reeling from allegations that 12 of its 13,000 Gaza staff members participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel. The agency fired the employees, but more than a dozen countries suspended funding worth about $450 million, almost half its budget for 2024. The Israel-Hamas war has driven 80% of Gazas population of 2.3 million Palestinians from their homes, and U.N. officials say a quarter of the population is starving. The agency is the main supplier of food, water and shelter, but it is also on the brink of financial collapse. The European Commission had been due to disburse 82 million euros ($89 million) to UNRWA on Feb. 29, but wanted the agency to accept its terms for an audit. The EUs powerful executive branch is the third biggest donor to UNRWA after the United States and Germany. The commission said the agency has now indicated that it stands ready to ensure that a review of its staff is carried out to confirm they did not participate in the attacks and that further controls are put in place to mitigate such risks in the future. The commission said the funds will be dispatched next week once UNRWA has confirmed in writing that it accepts the EUs conditions. Two further tranches worth 16 million euros ($17.3 million) each will be given to UNRWA as it complies with their agreement. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini welcomed the EUs announcement and said that the commitment to provide money next week comes at a critical time. The full disbursement of the EU contribution is key to the agencys ability to maintain its operations in a very volatile area, he tweeted. Israel has long accused UNRWA of tolerating or even collaborating with Hamas activities in or around U.N. facilities, but no one in Israel or abroad has offered an alternative for delivering aid to Gazas besieged population. UNRWA took the unusual step of immediately firing its staffers based on Israels allegations against them, but with no hard evidence being provided. Each year, UNRWA gives a list of its staff to the Israeli authorities for vetting, and the agency said it has received no complaints. Two U.N. investigations into Israels allegations against the agency are already underway. Even as the commission was negotiating the terms of its audit, Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic told EU lawmakers this week that we have not received any evidence supporting the allegations by Israel that UNWRAs staff were involved in the terrible events on 7 October. To our knowledge, none of the donors other donors have received any evidence, he added. Belgian Development Minister Caroline Gennez, whose country currently holds the EUs rotating presidency, tweeted on Friday that UNRWA is the only organization that can structurally get humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Defunding would mean a death sentence for tens of thousands. The funding dispute comes a day after witnesses said that Israeli troops had fired on a crowd of Palestinians racing to pull food off an aid convoy in Gaza City. More than 100 people were killed in the chaos. The death toll since October stands at more than 30,000, according to health officials. The Hamas attack into Israel that ignited the war killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the militants seized around 250 hostages. Hamas and other militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of about 30 more, after releasing most other captives during a November cease-fire. ___ Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war By LORNE COOK Associated Press Pardoned Pig Louisiana Daily Independent (furzy) Helium Discovery In Northern Minnesota May Be Biggest Ever In North America CBS #COVID-19 Climate/Environment China? Old Blighty Oh my gosh, watch the whole thing. This is how you should talk to mainstream journalists.pic.twitter.com/q2HAGDjDlo Philip Proudfoot (@PhilipProudfoot) March 1, 2024 Gaza Syraqistan Hardliners leading in Irans parliamentary election Arab News New Not-So-Cold War Western Values Big Brother is Watching You Watch Imperial Collapse Watch Trump Biden Road to Hunter Bidens Burisma riches was paved in Moscow with effort to court Russian oligarchs Just The News (Chuck L) GOP Clown Car GOP senators face Trump civil war with McConnell retiring The Hill. They say it like its a bad thing. Not buying it because sequels are never as good as the original and the original, despite huge amounts of PR, was a flop. Plus a lot of the Blob thinks spending on Ukraine diverts funds and attention from the real threat, China: If you guys think Russiagate is over, you aint seen nothing yet. Russiagate 3.0 is going to be the mother of them all. If the Ukraine aid is denied, I would not rule out the Blob burning the entire Republican Party to the ground. Then, in its ashes, installing a Nikki Haley. https://t.co/wzfQbSNgRs Mike Benz (@MikeBenzCyber) February 29, 2024 Our No Longer Free Press JUST IN: Blaze Media Investigative Journalist Steve Baker (@TPC4USA) has been taken into FBI custody, allegedly for his J6 reporting. Baker previously said he didnt know what the charges were against him but was told they were non-violent misdemeanors. The prosecutor informed pic.twitter.com/RZ3yRzmQMn Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 1, 2024 Woke Watch Education Department launching an investigation into death of Nex Benedict The Hill. No indication that they have the power even to fine. The only investigation that appears to have the authority to Do Something is the one being conducted by the local police. The effect of health-care privatisation on the quality of care The Lancet (Doug S). Important. Falling Apart Boeing Airplanes Boeing is in talks to buy back fuselage maker Spirit AeroSystems after spate of quality defects CNBC (Kevin W) The Bezzle Guillotine Watch Class Warfare Antidote du jour (via): And a bonus (Chuck L): Good morning Patriots. This is a "rare" White Cardinal. From my understanding there is only one in 18,000 of them or it's one in 1,800. I have never seen one. Have any of you? Simply gorgeous. I hope everyone has a wonderful RED Friday. Prayers for all! pic.twitter.com/AfeWhDKf5r Pamela (@Pamela_Lake55) March 1, 2024 See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here Yves here. Europeans, and arguably even more so eastern Europeans, are acutely aware of their national and ethnic histories. This short Polish-Ukrainian conflict in east Galacia played a key role in souring relations between the people in the two areas. By Dr. Vladislav B. Sotirovic, Ex-University Professor, Research Fellow at the Centre for Geostrategic Studies, Belgrade, Serbia (sotirovic1967@gmail.com) The Eastern Portion of Europe and the End of WWI The end of WWI resulted in significant changes to the political boundaries of Central, East, and South-East Europe. Due to the extent of these changes and the newly born regional wars over the land distribution that erupted in several mini-regions in the eastern portion of Europe, it was to take around five to six years before new borders between the states were finally established and stabilized at least up to 1938. The political transformation of the eastern portion of Europe after 1918 was a direct result of the collapsing both the German Second Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the last months of 1918, as well as the unsettled western borders of the ex-Russian Empire (collapsed in 1917) which still was involved into the revolution and civil war. Most of the boundary changes in this half of Europe after WWI were direct result of decisions reached by the Entente powers (Allied and Associated Powers during WWI) at the Paris Peace Conference that began in early 1919 resulting in five peace treaties, named after the castles outside Paris where they have been finally signed. Each of these peace treaties was dealing in part, but in some cases entirely, with states in Central Europe. That was the case, for instance, with Poland which was in the post-WWI military-political conflict with the West Ukrainian nationalists over the land of East Galicia. The state borders of post-WWI Poland were decided by the Paris Peace Conference by three means: 1) Through decisions of the Council of Ambassadors; 2) Plebiscites held under Entente direction; and 3) By the result of the war with West Ukraine and Bolshevik Russia. For Poland, the final settlement of its eastern borders became the most complex. In fact, the first boundary problem became Galicia or more precisely East Galicia where Poles went to open war with Ukrainians. On November 1st, 1918, when the rule of Austria-Hungary finally collapsed in the region, local Ukrainian nationalistic leaders proclaimed the independence of the West Ukrainian National (Peoples) Republic. This new state claimed the whole of East Galicia (eastward from the San River with Lwow) to be Ukrainian followed by North Bukowina and Carpathian Rus. However, these territorial claims became immediately challenged by local Poles who fought all over Galicia to be united with the post-WWI Poland. Consequently, the result was a Polish-Ukrainian War that lasted from November 1918 until the summer of 1919, when the Galician-West Ukrainian military detachments were expelled from East Galicia which finally became a part of the interwar Poland. East Galicia and Central Powers The land of East Galicia was before WWI included in Austria-Hungary (Austrian part) having mixed ethnic composition (as a majority of the provinces of the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy at the time). East Galician population before WWI was almost 5 million: a majority of it was Ukrainians (3,1 million), Poles (1,1 million), and Jews (620,000) followed by several other small ethnolinguistic communities. The Ukrainians (whatever this ethnic term meant at that time) had population domination in the countryside (villages), but the towns and cities were inhabited by the Polish and Jewish majorities. It was in general tolerant policy by Vienna toward national minorities which resulted in Ukrainian, Polish, and Jewish political and national organizations existing side by side in peace. Ukrainian national organizations had been struggling to defend their own ethnic-regional autonomy and to strengthen Ukrainian national identity among the local Slavic people. However, the reality on the ground was not so favorable for Ukrainian national propaganda. The intelligentsia which was accepting the Ukrainian ethnolinguistic identity, so it had been quickly progressing with them. But on other hand, an overwhelming number of the peasantry (majority of the population of East Galicia) was not receptive to Ukrainian national identitys propaganda. Another factor was that both ethnic Poles and Jews had clear domination over the areas of education, culture, regional economy, and civil administration. The Poles regarded the city of Lwow/Lvov/Lemberg/Lviv (which was the crucially important settlement in East Galicia) as one of the most important cities of Polish culture and nation following Cracow, Warsaw, and Wilno/Vilnius. During WWI (19141918), the Central Powers but especially Germany stubbornly supported Ukrainian national identity, nationalism, and national goals all of them directed against Russia and Russian national interests. On February 9th, 1918 in Brest-Litovsk it was signed the peace treaty between one hand the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire) and the Ukrainian Peoples Republic (the UPR) Brotfrieden in German (Bread Peace). The peace treaty ended the war in East Galicia and recognized the sovereignty of the UPR. One of the most important points of this peace treaty was that the victorious Central Powers promised Ukraine some territories which included the Kholm region (populated by the Polish-speaking majority) as well as. It was also a secret initiative to transform both provinces of Bukovina and East Galicia into a crownland of Austria-Hungary (Austrian part). But the plan became soon extremely problematic . The Poles opposed it insisting on the indivisibility of the whole of Galicia in which they would have a dominance. In other words, for the Poles, the pro-Ukrainian policy of the Central Powers during WWI and especially in 1918 was not only anti-Russian but even more anti-Polish. Therefore, due to the policy of Berlin regarding the Ukrainian Question in 1918 the interethnic conflict between Poles and Ukrainians became, in fact, unavoidable. The Conflict In the autumn of 1918 during the collapse of the Danube Monarchy (Austria-Hungary), national workers of several ethnic groups within the monarchy had been preparing plans for the creation or re-establishment of their own (united) national states after the war. That was the case as well as with the Polish politicians in Galicia who wanted to include the whole region of Galicia (Western and Eastern) into the united national state of the Polish people. However, the Ukrainian political workers from West Galicia opposed such a Polish idea and on the night of November 1st, 1918 organized a coup. As a result, helped by Ukrainian national units, they succeeded in occupying Lvov and other cities in East Galicia. At the same time, they proclaimed the West Ukrainian Peoples Republic as an independent Ukrainian state. The Poles of Lvov (being a majority of the city) were taken by surprise but organized a military defense (including schoolchildren) and soon expelled Ukrainian forces from the biggest part of the city. Nevertheless, in other cities of East Galicia, the Ukrainians had the greatest success, except in the city of Przemysl/Peremyshl. Polish troops made advances in other cities in the western portions of East Galicia but on the other hand, Poland failed in several attempts to resolve this Polish-Ukrainian conflict by arbitration. In other words, before Poland proclaimed its own independence on November 11th, 1918, the war between Polish and Ukrainian forces already was going on over East Galicia and its most important city Lvov. The Polish armed forces expelled the Ukrainian military from Lvov on November 22nd, 1918. However, Lvov was under siege including constant firing by the Ukrainian military until April 1919 (five months). Nonetheless, immediately after the Ukrainian forces were drone away from Lvov, it happened the pogroms against the Jews in which up to 80 people died. The issue was that the local Pols accused the Jews of supporting the Ukrainian side regarding the destiny of Lvov. Especially, the Jewish paramilitary units being armed by the Ukrainian side have been accused by the Poles of anti-Polish policy in the city. During the war between the Polish and Ukrainian forces over East Galicia in 19181919, the Polish side was gradually winning over the enemy. For the Ukrainian side in the conflict, the crucial problem was that the West Ukrainian political-military leaders did not succeed in mobilizing the biggest part of the Ukrainian peasantry for their course as the peasants have been much more involved in their economic than the political interests of existence. Another problem/question is how much they have felt themselves as Ukrainians at all in order to fight against the Poles. In such a political situation, in order to attract the peasants for the Ukrainian course, the Ukrainian nationalists tried to make use of some social-economic slogans and, therefore, promised the peasantry an agricultural reform after the war distribution of land (the same have been propagating the Russian Bolsheviks at the same time). Nevertheless, the Ukrainian nationalists used all means of force for the reason to mobilize the peasants of West Ukraine for the Ukrainian military to fight Poles in East Galicia. The Mediation by Entente After the Great War, in 1919 the Entente powers attempted to mediate in this Polish-Ukrainian war with the final purpose to bring the war to an end as quickly as possible taking into account the post-war peace conference in Paris and around castles. In fact, what they preferred was a priority of the fight against Russian Bolshevism and, therefore, the Polish-Ukrainian War was simply weakening the European forces against the potentially aggressive policy of the Bolsheviks who at that time supported all kinds of the left revolutions in Central Europe. In other words, this war occurring on the borders with the Bolshevik Russia was preventing the creation of a united anti-Bolshevik Polish-Ukrainian front which could block eventual aggression of Europe by Lenins Red Army. The first practical move by the Entente forces concerning the making of peace between Ukrainian and Polish military forces occurred in February 1919 when a special French-led military commission negotiated both a truce and a demarcation line between Poland and Ukraine. According to this proposal, the city of Lvov and the oil region to the south around Boryslav had to go to Poland. In other words, some 2/3 of East Galicia would be included in West Ukraine. The Ententes commission also decided that the West Ukrainian Peoples Republic was a failed state not a viable one. The real reason for such a conclusion was the fact that the East Galician movement of independence was based only on an extremely tiny stratum of intelligentsia without massive support by the people especially in the countryside. The Ukrainian nationalists and politicians in order to attract the local peasants of East Galizia promised them alongside the agrarian reform as well as houses and castles of Lvov. However, it happened that the West Ukrainian national fighters lost control over the peasant movement they had themselves inspired. As a matter of fact, the Polish leaders involved in the conflict accepted (half-heartedly) the set of peace-meal conditions required by the Entente commission. However, the same conditions Ukrainian leaders rejected and, automatically, ended the previously agreed Polish-Ukrainian truce. As a consequence, the Ukrainian armed forces on March 10th, 1919 started a new offensive to occupy the city of Lvov which soon collapsed just after the following ten days. In essence, that became a real turning point in the 19181919 Polish-Ukrainian War over East Galicia and the making of a final border between newly re-established Poland and newly to-be-formed Ukraine. Nevertheless, from mid-March 1919, that was Poles who took the military and political initiatives over the Ukrainians. Basically, it became obvious that the Ukrainian side would lose the war against Poland concerning East Galicia and the city of Lvov. During the night between April 14/15th, 1919, the Poles launched a fruitful attack resulting in Lvov not anymore at the distance of firing the city by Ukrainian artillery fire. The Polish offensive was so successful that in May 1919 Poles took several other East Galician cities (Stanislawow in Polish or Ivano-Frankivsk in Ukrainian) that was at that time the headquarters of the Ukrainian political and military authorities. At the very beginning of June 1919, West Ukrainian military detachments were in control of only several areas of East Ukraine. What happened, was pressure by the Entente commission on the Polish side to stop further offensive, and the bilateral truce negotiations between Poland and Ukraine were renewed. Nevertheless, West Ukrainian leaders did not respect the truce agreement and suddenly started an offensive on June 7th, 1919 with the result of recapturing some areas of East Galicia from the Polish side. Therefore, Poles blamed Ukrainians for the prolongation of the military conflict in and over East Galicia to such an extent that Entente states were compelled to send a commission to the city of Lvov for the sake to do investigation regarding serious complaints about crimes against the civil population in the city committed, in fact, by both sides. The commission finally did not find relevant evidence of Polish war crimes but, oppositely, a lot of cases of war crimes were done by the Ukrainian side. What is of probably crucial importance to emphasize here is the fact that the commission found a very enthusiastic reception of the Polish troops by the city dwellers as liberators against the terror of the Ukrainian bands. The commission composed of the representatives of the Entente powers in order to finally solve the problem of East Galicia proposed that the whole territory of this region be occupied by the Polish troops and, in fact, consequently, included in the post-WWI Polish national state. For that reason, the Council of Foreign Ministers in Paris on June 25th, 1919 gave open permission to the Polish government in Warsaw to launch a new military offensive in East Galicia for the final purpose of expelling all West Ukrainian military detachments from the region and occupy the same completely. It was agreed that the Haller Army (armed in France) to be sent to Poland and deployed in the struggle against the communist units. For Eastern Galicia, autonomy had to be given within Poland, and the final decision on the status of East Galicia would be decided by referendum (but organized by the Polish authorities). Finally, the Polish army led by Pisudski himself, on July 2nd, 1919 started its decisive military attack against West Ukrainian military troops and succeeded in expelling them from the complete territory of East Galicia. Up to July 18th, 1919, the forces of West Ukraine composed of some 20,000 soldiers crossed the Zbruch River and entered the territory of the Ukrainian Peoples Republic. Therefore, the destiny of East Galicia was decided in favor of Poland up to WWII. Final Remarks The war between Poland and West Ukraine was going on from November 1918 to July 1919. According to different scholars, the war took around 25.000 lives of the soldiers from both sides: around 10.000 Polish and 15.000 Ukrainian. However, due to the lack of sources, we can very hardly estimate the number of losses among the civilian population. Nevertheless, it was less than the overall number of soldiers lost combined from both sides. Another feature of this war was the fact that atrocities committed against both the civilian population and prisoners of war have been not on a large scale compared with some other cases during WWI, for instance, Serbia which lost around 25% of its population. This war between the Polish and Ukrainian sides, nevertheless, poisoned Polish-Ukrainian relations for decades and became clear during WWII when Ukrainians committed a large-scale genocide on the Poles (and Jews) in Galicia. The Polish-Ukrainian dispute was over the land: For the Polish side, the problems concerning the belongings of East Galicia did not end with the military defeat of West Ukrainian armed forces in July 1919. However, the problem continues to be as such for the next two decades playing the focal influence in both inner and foreign affairs of Warsaw. For the Ukrainian side, the problem was solved by J. V. Stalin at the end of WWII as according to his decision, East Galicia became annexed by Soviet Ukraine. The local Poles have been forced to live outside their motherland Poland up to the present day while Ukrainians succeeded in creating within the USSR a Greater Ukraine by the annexation of the land from all neighbors. The Entente powers, nevertheless, being concerned with the direct threat of the export of the Bolshevik revolution from Russia to Europe, granted East Galicia (temporarily) to Poland having in mind to create at such a way a stronger defense corridor against Bolshevik Russia. However, the Treaty of Saint Germain signed in September 1919 gave only West Galicia (westward from the San River to Poland), leaving, therefore, the final resolution of the belonging of East Galicia as a problematic issue to be solved in the future. In December 1919, the British statesman Lord Curzon proposed two possible boundary lines throughout Galicia: 1) One of which would serve as the southern extension of what he proposed should be the eastern borders of Poland. That was officially accepted to be named as Curzon Line. The 2) variant, which was further east and included Lwow, would serve as Polands border. In reality, no one of these proposed solutions was accepted by Warsaw, whose annexation of all of East Galicia was, in March 1923, recognized by the Entente Council of Ambassadors. < Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2024 Personal disclaimer: The author writes for this publication in a private capacity which is unrepresentative of anyone or any organization except for his own personal views. Nothing written by the author should ever be conflated with the editorial views or official positions of any other media outlet or institution. American tourists getting hurt in crossfire as drug cartels vie for control of Mexicos lucrative tourism industry Popular tourist resorts in Mexico have turned into "war zones" as at least four Mexican drug cartels have begun indiscriminately killing at or near these tourist destinations to assert dominance, leading to more innocent travelers getting hurt in the crossfire. The Sinaloa Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Grupo Regional, a smaller gang created by members of the now-defunct Los Zetas Cartel, have begun murdering innocents to assert dominance over an 80-mile stretch of resorts in the Mexican Caribbean coast. (Related: Mexican drug cartels are behind surge in organized retail crime across the US.) Mexicos picturesque resorts along this region were once thought to be safe from all kinds of crime. In the last two weeks of February alone, it has been reported that several people from the United States have witnessed acts of gruesome violence or were even targeted by cartel members. A California woman was killed in the crossfire near Tulum beach, while a man from New York was abducted with his eyes taped closed and dumped in a jungle. Private investigator Jay Armes III reported that cartels are changing the rules of how criminals conduct their activities. Previously, they were said to abide by a "code similar to the Italian mob." But now, "it's happening in areas that used to be off limits," including tourist destinations. "In the old days, you weren't allowed to target women or children. You weren't allowed to encroach on another cartel's territory. And the resorts were off-limits. Cartels wanted to fly under the radar as much as they could," said Armes. "The rules have changed. All that old guard code is out the window. The resorts are open shop." 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. Cartels vying for access to billions in tourism revenue Armes reported that control over tourism on the Caribbean coast could give cartels access to the more than $30 billion in tourism revenue these resorts bring in annually. "Who we see as tourists are potential customers or potential victims to the cartels," said Armes. "Even if it's one percent or five percent [of tourists], that's millions of customers and a big chunk of business." Its all horrifying to us, but to people in Mexico, its just a Tuesday. This happens all the time all over the country, he said. But now its happening in areas that used to be off limits. Recent incidents underscore the crisis: machete-wielding cartel members gruesomely killing their rivals in Cancun, a tourist mecca; a Californian woman tragically caught and killed in the crossfire near Tulums popular beaches; and a harrowing story of a New York man found abducted, eyes taped shut, abandoned in a remote jungle. The acts of violence against foreigners, particularly American tourists, have sparked rapid and "mandatory" responses from Mexican authorities, Armes said. With an economy deeply dependent on tourism, government and military leaders are under pressure to maintain the facade of safety in areas that millions of international visitors flock to for their vacations. In 2022, Mexico welcomed some 66 million international tourists, nearly 34 million from the United States alone, as per data from Mexico's Ministry of Tourism and Statista. Cancun International Airport, the most frequently used entry point, saw 36.1 percent of all international arrivals in Mexico, with travelers seeking the serenity of the countrys renowned white sand beaches, often unaware of the potential dangers lying beneath the surface. Watch this episode of "Ironclad" with Andy Stumpf as he interviews investigative journalist Ioan Grillo about how the U.S. has no clear strategy to deal with Mexican drug cartels. This video is from the Galactic Storm channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Texas liberates island near U.S.-Mexico border occupied by criminal cartels. Mexico demands U.S. investigate how American military-grade weapons are being smuggled to drug cartels. Mexico-based cartels gearing up to flood America with up to one million illegal aliens after Biden opens the border by dropping Title 42. Mexican Defense Department seeks probe on how cartels acquired high-grade U.S. weapons. Sources include: DailyStar.co.uk WashingtonTimes.com Brighteon.com Bannon threatens Fox, implies Murdoch purchased network illegally Stephen K. Bannon blasted Rupert Murdoch and his Fox empire, stating they are foreigners and theyre not good foreigners. Theyre bad people, during a recent episode of his War Room television show. Bannon accused Murdoch of flouting immigration rules to acquire the network. (Article republished from TheNationalPulse.com) I believe we could show that in the next Trump administration, he gundecked his citizenship in the middle of trying to buy Fox Broadcasting. Because guess what? Youre supposed to be an American citizen. Well, they took care of that so he could buy it. It was completely illegal, completely bought foreign. WATCH: Bannon: "Everything Fox Stands For We Stand For The Opposite" pic.twitter.com/2gE18hVa9m Grace Chong ?? (@gc22gc) February 27, 2024 Bannon also remarked: They are neo-liberal neocons. They fully support the concentration of wealth in this nation. They are foreign. Its a foreign billionaire family that do not, does not have the best interests of the United States in mind, except as a market where they happen to own media assets, including a television network, I believe, illegally. Read more at: TheNationalPulse.com Biden DID NOT wipe away debt via student loan forgiveness program he only redistributed it to other taxpayers President Joe Biden's student loan "forgiveness" measures are making matters worse for other taxpayers History has shown that attempts to "cure" a problem by exceeding the federal government's constitutional powers generally lead to more and worse problems. The courts, in the exercise of what is called "equity jurisdiction," have long excused borrowers from obligations incurred through fraud, duress and other forms of creditor unfairness. In addition, federal bankruptcy laws authorized in the Constitution by Article I, Section 8, Clause 4 offer a path to safety for debtors who get in over their heads. Biden's student loan forgiveness measures qualify as neither. Instead, they are classic examples of what Founding Father and former President James Madison called an "improper or wicked project." (Related: DEBT REVOLUTION? Tens of millions of student loan borrowers stage "massive student debt strike.") Under the president's program, no debtor will have to declare bankruptcy. And far from being victims, they already have enjoyed the benefit of very favorable loan terms at taxpayer expense. The borrowers spent the money for what both they and the federal government thought was a good purpose. Madison called debt cancellation "improper or wicked" for very good reasons: Cancellation does not abolish an obligation; it merely transfers it to innocent people. Biden using debt cancellation to buy votes In one of its latest announcements regarding student loan forgiveness, the Biden administration said it would forgive $1.2 billion in student debt for nearly 153,000 borrowers enrolled in its new repayment program, called the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE plan. 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. The relief will go to borrowers who have been in repayment for a decade or longer and originally took out $12,000 or less. Borrowers usually get debt forgiveness under income-driven repayment plans, including SAVE, after 20 or 25 years of payments. But under the SAVE plan, those who borrowed less can get their debt canceled after just a decade. In January, the Biden administration said it would soon start to forgive the debt of these borrowers who had signed up for its new plan. "We are once again sending a clear message to borrowers who had low balances: if you've been paying for a decade, you've done your part, and you deserve relief," U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement. Eligible borrowers will begin receiving emails from Biden and do not need to take any further action to receive the relief, the U.S. Department of Education said. After the Supreme Court blocked Biden's sweeping student loan forgiveness plan in June 2023, with the Supreme Court's conservative majority ruling that Biden didn't have the authority to cancel student debt for millions of Americans his administration explored all of its existing authority to leave people with less education debt. It has now canceled debt for almost 3.7 million borrowers, totaling $136 billion in relief. Cancellation injures the capital markets. In other words, it makes creditors less likely to lend on favorable terms. This makes it harder for deserving people to borrow. Cancellation damages the sense of personal responsibility. It frays the social fabric by creating bitterness between different classes of people. Rob Natelson, senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at the Independence Institute think tank in Denver, warned that Biden's debt relief program is part of a centuries-long tradition of "demagogues" using debt cancellation "to buy votes." Watch this video that talks about Biden trying to get young voters "onboard" by cancelling student debt. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Dave Blaze calls for end to the STUDENT LOAN racket. Homeowners with good credit being PUNISHED with Biden redistribution of high-risk loan costs. Biden defies Supreme Court on student debt cancellation, absurdly claims theres no cost to taxpayers. SCOTUS BYPASSED: Bidens education department to automatically WIPE OUT $39 billion in student loans, despite Supreme Court ruling against it. Taxpayer money going down the drain: Biden circumvents SC decision, cancels $72M in student debt. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com CNBC.com Brighteon.com COVID-19 vaccines risk shedding toxic particles to unvaccinated people, expert reveals One of the earliest concerns about COVID-19 vaccines was the possibility of shedding, which authorities quickly dismissed and claimed was not possible based on how mRNA shots work. Although that concern has now been overshadowed by the many other negative effects of these jabs, it has now emerged that shedding can occur with the vaccines, putting people around those who have been recently vaccinated at risk. Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care (FLCCC) Alliance Co-Founder Dr. Pierre Kory, who has treated more than 1,000 patients experiencing symptoms after vaccination and those with long COVID, claimed at a recent conference in Phoenix: Shedding is unfortunately real. The FDA knows that. When it comes to the concept of vaccine shedding, the common understanding of it involves the release of bacteria, viruses and other components from live vaccines. Since mRNA and adenovirus vaccines are not considered live vaccines, it is technically true that they therefore cannot shed, which is something fact checkers have been quick to point out online. However, these vaccines function in a similar manner to gene therapy products, all of which, by the FDAs own admission, do have a risk of shedding. In fact, the Epoch Times Marina Zhang points out that the FDA defined shedding in a 2015 document analyzing shedding studies as the release of [viral or bacterial gene therapy products] ... from the patient through one or all of the following ways: excreta (feces); secreta (urine, saliva, nasopharyngeal fluids etc.); or through the skin (pustules, sores, wounds). 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. Therefore, by the FDA's definition of gene therapy products as those that mediate their effects by transcription and/or translation of transferred genetic material, the mRNA and adenovirus COVID-19 jabs are part of this category because they function by prompting the body to translate mRNA genetic information into spike proteins. Other gene therapy products have demonstrated a shedding effect, such as the hemophilia treatment Roctavian and the eye treatment Luxturna. According to Dr. Kory, both adenovirus and mRNA COVID-19 vaccines can cause vaccinated individuals to release spike proteins and other vaccine components. Some studies show the spike protein from the jabs lasting for more than six months in the blood of those who have been vaccinated, which means spike proteins can persist. Researchers have also found COVID-19 mRNA in the breast milk of mothers who received the jab, potentially exposing their babies to the vaccine. Moreover, Dr. Kory pointed to Pfizer documents that instructed investigators working on vaccine trials to report any environmental exposures that take place when participants expose people around them to the jab via skin contact or inhalation. They also acknowledged the possibility of secondary shedding, when someone who was exposed to the vaccine via shedding goes on to expose another individual, such as when a woman who was exposed to a study participant's vaccine shedding then exposing her baby via breastfeeding. Pfizers own documentation has listed hundreds of adverse events related to indirect exposure, such as exposure during breastfeeding and pregnancy. These included adverse events related to the blood, liver, kidneys and respiration. Numerous cases of patients experiencing symptoms after exposure to recently vaccinated individuals Dr. Kory and other professionals have reported patients who experience symptoms that are consistent with shedding, such as people who become symptomatic every time they enter crowded spaces such as supermarkets or airports. One case involved a man who had experienced symptoms of the vaccine in the past following vaccination and then experienced them again within hours of spending time in close contact with a friend shortly after they received a booster. His spouse also felt the symptoms after sexual contact with him; taking Ivermectin alleviated their symptoms. There are more than 800 clinical case testimonials outlining significant spike protein shedding from vaccinated people, along with supporting scientific literature and regulatory documents. A deep dive into the evidence available on COVID-19 vaccine shedding can be found on the FLCCC Alliances website. This is something that warrants further investigation as governments continue to pressure people into getting boosters. If these vaccines prove to be capable of significant shedding, countless people could be placed at risk. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com Covid19CriticalCare.com ELECTION INTERFERENCE: Google launching anti-misinformation campaign in five European countries ahead of EU Parliament elections in June Google is gearing up to launch an "anti-misinformation" campaign across five nations in the European Union ahead of the European Parliament elections in June Citizens of the EU are set to elect new members of the European Parliament who will be responsible for passing policies and laws in the 27-member bloc of over 450 million people. Current lawmakers are concerned about the spread of misinformation, with many already accusing Russia of spreading fake news and orchestrating a network of websites to spread pro-Russian propaganda. (Related: Google launches censorship measures to rig EU Parliamentary elections.) To help the EU combat the spread of supposed Russian propaganda, Google's internal tech incubator, Jigsaw, which also operates to tackle cybersecurity threats, will be running a series of animated ads across social media platforms such as YouTube and Tiktok in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Poland. The ads will feature so-called "prebunking" techniques aimed at helping viewers identify whether the content they are seeing on social media platforms is manipulative. "We've spent so much time having these really polarized debates. Our democracy is at stake, and the temperature just keeps getting higher and higher," said Jigsaw head of research Beth Goldberg. "Prebunking is the only technique, at least that I've seen, that works equally effectively across the political spectrum." The campaign is set to begin in the spring and last for at least one month, with a view to extend it based on reach and performance. 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. Big Tech trying to influence results of EU Parliament elections Facebook owner Meta has unveiled its own plans to launch a dedicated team to combat disinformation, with an angle toward mitigating harms caused by artificial intelligence. Meta head of EU Affairs Marco Pancini said the new "EU-specific Elections Operations Center" will be bringing together experts who can tackle misinformation, influence operations and risks related to the abuse of AI. "Ahead of the elections period, we will make it easier for all our fact-checking partners across the EU to find and rate content related to the elections because we recognize that speed is especially important during breaking news events," said Pancini. "We'll use keyword detection to group related content in one place, making it easy for fact-checkers to find." Pancini said Meta will also be working on a feature for the conglomerate's social media platforms to force people to disclose when they want to share AI-generated video or audio, and possible penalties for noncompliance. However, observers say these campaigns are just a ploy by Big Tech to influence the results of the European Parliament elections. The EU Parliament's elections will be taking place between June 6 and 9 and are among a raft of major elections taking place in 2024, which analysts have noted as being the biggest election year in history. More than 80 countries are holding or have already held major elections, including the United States, India, Mexico, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South Africa and Pakistan. These nations have all raised concerns about election-related mis- and disinformation and the use of AI in the spread of both. Watch this Feb. 28 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, lays out why it is important for people to "de-Google" their entire lives. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Most people DO NOT REALIZE that Google is a corporation that's controlling, censoring and warping vital information. Google and Youtube enhance CENSORSHIP TACTICS ahead of 2024 elections. CISA accused of colluding with Big Tech to censor election content, violating Americans' free speech. ELECTION INTERFERENCE: Google can MANIPULATE swing voters to vote for candidates it supports, reveals Dr. Robert Epstein. BUSTED: Election official dismissed vote fraud allegations as his county benefited from Zuckerberg-linked nonprofit. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Reuters.com AlJazeera.com Brighteon.com Fire Jens Stoltenberg now before it is too late Jens Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian Prime Minister and now Secretary General of NATO should be fired now, before it is too late. He announced he is giving Ukraine permission to use its soon to be delivered F-16s to launch attacks inside Russia. (Article by Stephen Bryen republished from AsiaTimes.com) This is equivalent to a NATO declaration of war. It is an irrational and dangerous move that needs to be quashed as soon as possible. Not only is Stoltenberg an uber hawk, but he totally misunderstands NATOs purpose. If he is allowed to stay in office, he will lead NATO into a European war that might well include nuclear weapons. Above all, Stoltenberg doesnt grasp that NATO is a defensive, not an offensive, alliance. NATO has been drifting in the wrong direction for years. It has got involved in wars outside of NATOs defensive domain, based on a rude sort of politics that gratifies the US and Europes otherwise inert and short sighted leaders. These wars, that now include Ukraine, are draining NATOs defenses and weakening the core responsibility of the alliance, which is to protect the territory of its members. There are no provisions in the NATO Treaty authorizing offensive, outside-the-boundary operations. Now the Russians are saying that many of the so-called mercenaries in Ukraine are, in fact, highly trained NATO soldiers. They wear Ukrainian uniforms with national patches identifying them. They are necessary to operate the high tech weapons NATO has sent to Ukraine. When the Russians recently took over Avdiivka they found bodies of these mercenaries, some American and some Poles. 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. Earlier, they killed at least 60 French mercenaries in a hotel in Kharkiv. Attack that killed French mercenaries, according to Russia, in Kharkiv on January 16, 2024. The French denounced the attack saying it was disinformation. But the French also called in the Russian ambassador to complain about French deaths in Ukraine. The Ukraine war is being rapidly turned into a NATO war, not only through the supply of intelligence, troop training and armaments, but the supply of experienced technicians. It is simply impossible for Ukraine to operate air defense systems such as Patriot and NASAMs, rocket launching systems like HIMARS, or support British and French Storm Shadow cruise missiles, without considerable outside assistance. Most of the deaths of NATO personnel are covered up. When they are reported at all, they generally say that the volunteer was providing medical assistance. Now the Russians are starting to believe that the F-16s delivered to Ukraine (probably operational by early summer) will be operated by NATO pilots. The Russians make this claim based on their own past performance. Russia dressed their pilots up in Chinese outfits to fly Mig-15s in the Korean war. In the war of attrition in 1970 between Egypt and Israel, Russian pilots flew missions, sometimes openly (as only Russians could fly the Mig-25) and sometimes pretending they were Egyptian pilots. It is extremely dangerous to use NATO pilots in Ukraine. But now Stoltenberg has given permission to Ukraine to fly its F-16s over Russian territory. The war has already been expanded with NATO-made drones, cruise missiles and rockets attacking targets in Russia. Adding the F-16 is a qualitative expansion because F-16s can attack Russian cities. Russia wont content itself trying to shoot down F-16s flown in the name of Ukraine. They will, certainly, attack Ukrainian air fields (in fact they already are doing so). But will it stop there? Probably not: Russia will interpret the F-16s flying over its territory as a declaration of war against Russia, in fact Russia already is saying so. The F-16 is an excellent aircraft, but the planes Ukraine is getting are around 20 years old and are not really front line. Thats why the countries supplying them have moved on. While they can be upgraded with newer weapons, better fire control computers, and maybe even better radars, they are not survivable against Russian air defenses and top of the line Russian aircraft such as the Su-35. Flying them over Russia is, therefore, only a provocation likely to result in a wider war spreading to Europe. A Dutch F-16 fighter jet is prepared for departure. Photo: Dutch Defence Ministry NATO has been playing chicken with Russia for some time, especially by supplying long range systems to Ukraines army. There is hardly any military justification, since harassing Russia only can lead to escalation and mostly does not strengthen Ukraines army, which is increasingly short of manpower and ammunition. Zelensky probably hopes that he will be saved by a NATO intervention. But from Russias perspective, NATO has already intervened and things can only get worse. It is not clear who, if anyone, told Stoltenberg to make such a reckless statement about the use of the F-16. What is clear is that the permission should be withdrawn and Stoltenberg fired. Read more at: AsiaTimes.com CONTORTIONIST ACT: G7 experts claim that seizing frozen Russian assets is legal given Russias unlawful conduct toward Ukraine A group of lawyers for the G7 nations has released a letter in which they argue that confiscating Russian funds that the G7 froze in 2022 does not go against international law due to the scale of Russias unlawful conduct toward Ukraine. The countries froze roughly $280 billion of Russian sovereign funds shortly after the war began in February 2022, and now the U.S. and UK have been calling for the money to be seized and given to the Ukrainian government. The letter was signed by 10 experts in international law from the U.S., UK, the Netherlands, Japan, France, Belgium and Germany. The letter states: Having given our most serious consideration to this issue, we have concluded that it would be lawful, under international law, for States which have frozen Russian State assets to take additional countermeasures against Russia, given its ongoing breach of the most fundamental rules of international law. They also claimed that freezing the assets and implementing sanctions against Russia are lawful countermeasures, but that any reprisals by Russia would be considered illegal. They added that the Russian assets can be seized as compensation for the damage that has resulted directly from Russias unlawful conduct. Russian media sources accuse the letters signatories of being biased. For example, one of the signatories, Harold Hongju Koh of Yale Law School, represents Ukraine before some international tribunals and served as a legal adviser to the State Department under the Obama administration. 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. Another signatory, Pierre Klein of the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, appeared as the keynote speaker in a pro-Ukraine webinar about seizing Russian assets. Philip Zelikow, who is a senior fellow at Stanford Universitys Hoover Institution, is a former career diplomat who served as a strategic consultant for the Biden administration. Russia has challenged the asset freeze, with the Russian Foreign Ministry warning America and its allies that they would be met with very harsh countermeasures if they seize the funds. The letter comes as the G7 countries debate how to handle the assets, particularly as Ukraine continues to push for additional financing for its war efforts. Ahead of U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellens trip to Brazil to meet her G20 counterparts, some of which continue to conduct business with Russia, a senior Biden administration official said she was clear that it would be "both appropriate but also urgent for us to consider ways that Russian assets can be used to benefit Ukraine consistent with international and domestic law." Europe moves to set aside profits from frozen assets for Ukraine A meeting of G7 officials is expected next week during the G20 gathering, and some countries are expected to argue that seizing the principal assets could set a dangerous precedent. France, Germany and Italy have opposed seizing the assets on the grounds that sovereign assets have immunity under international law, while the European Central Bank has warned that such a move may undermine the euro. This month, the Council of the EU adopted a decision that creates a legislative route through which the profits from confiscated Russian assets can be funneled to Ukraine through the EU budget. The council ruled that central securities depositories must set aside any of the profits they earn and hold them separately. According to Euroclear, which holds a large percentage of the frozen Russian assets in the European Union, these profits are more than 4 billion per year. Seizing the profits is considered a far less risky move than seizing the assets themselves. Not surprisingly, the news of the EU councils decision was welcomed by the foreign minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, who said: "Ukraine is ready to continue working with partners on reaching our ultimate goal: making Russian assets available to Ukraine. The aggressor must pay." Sources for this article include: RT.com Politico.eu News.Yahoo.com Groundwater reserves in the United States are being depleted at alarming rates The United States is racing toward a water crisis All across the country, groundwater reserves are being depleted at a dangerous rate. The impact of their depletion could be disastrous for America and the global food supply. An investigation found that 45 percent of the more than 80,000 groundwater wells surveyed across the nation showed a statistically significant decline in water levels since 1940. Four in ten of the wells have hit record-low levels in the past decade alone There is no way to get that [groundwater] back. Theres almost no way to convey how important it is, said Don Cline, the associate director for water resources at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The impacts are already becoming visible across the country. Groundwater sources under the breadbasket state of Kansas, which normally produce about 25 percent of U.S. wheat, are struggling to support the 2.6 million acres dedicated to industrial-scale agriculture. In the wake of two years of droughts and plummeting groundwater levels, Kansas is looking at its smallest wheat harvest since 1961. Meanwhile, in Phoenix, the fastest-growing city in the U.S., state officials have effectively banned the construction of new houses relying on groundwater due to overuse and a decades-long drought that has made the region increasingly reliant on underground supplies. New York state is also hurtling headlong into a drinking water crisis from Long Island to the Hamptons because of over-pumping, and across parts of Utah, California and Texas, roads are cracking, foundations are collapsing, and sinkholes are appearing because of sinking groundwater levels. 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. From an objective standpoint, this is a crisis, Warigia Bowman, a law professor and water expert at the University of Tulsa. There will be parts of the U.S. that run out of drinking water. Communities making farmers pay for groundwater as part of conservation efforts All of this is causing some communities to consider making farmers pay for their groundwater to help conserve resources. This initiative is being pushed by communities in the Pajaro Valley, a 10-mile-long stretch of rich agricultural soil along the coast of Monterey Bay, and home to Watsonville, the strawberry capital of the world. "Ninety percent of all the crops in the Pajaro Valley use groundwater," said Marcus Mendiola with the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency. "Ninety percent of all water needs in the valley are from groundwater. In the 1990s, we began to put meters on wells, and then sometime after that, we began to charge for water that growers pump from those wells, and they all pump from the same aquifer." Officials say the point of making farmers pay for groundwater is less about revenue than it is to get farmers to use less water. "We think that it's fair to have a payment," said Antonio Tovar with the National Family Farm Coalition. "When you have something that is free, you abuse those resources." Watsonville is at the center of groundwater conservation and agriculture, but its thirsty problems are found across the country. While American farmers elsewhere water their crops by freely pumping the groundwater beneath their land, growers in Pajaro must pay hefty fees for irrigation, making it one of the most expensive places to grow food in the country, if not the world. Around 26 percent of the country's water supply comes from groundwater, with the U.S. pumping approximately 82.3 billion gallons of water to the surface each day, according to the most recent data from the USGS. (Related: EPA report concludes that natural gas 'fracking' causes groundwater contamination.) The water is crucial for farming and agriculture, with the majority used for crop irrigation and livestock purposes. Groundwater supply is usually replenished by rain and snow melts that soak into the earth and move through the layers of the earth until they reach the water table the water level of the groundwater reservoir. "We need to recognize that while groundwater may be invisible, it is not inexhaustible," said VK Madhavan, the chief executive of WaterAid India, where groundwater depletion is also an issue. "There is an urgent need to govern the extraction of groundwater and reduce the demand on it." Watch this video questioning how groundwater extraction may be shifting the planet's axis tilt. This video is from the Terral03.com on Brighteon.com. More related stories: World Economic Forum globalists want to leverage water crisis to form world government. EPA to crack down on FOREVER CHEMICALS in drinking water via proposed national standards. Over 1.3 million Californians could be drinking tap water contaminated with chemicals linked to PARKINSONS. UN and World Economic Forum plan to use global water crisis to advance globalist agenda against humanity. Sources include: Geographical.ca.uk ScrippsNews.com Brighteon.com War on Gaza: Israeli massacre kills over 100 Palestinians seeking food in Gaza City At least 104 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more wounded when Israeli forces fired on people at an aid convoy in Gaza Citys al-Rasheed Street on Thursday, the Palestinian health ministry said, calling the incident a "massacre". (Article by Mohammed al-Hajjar republished from MiddleEastEye.net) Residents of Gaza City had gathered seeking food, with the area completely cut off from aid by Israeli forces. NGOs and UN experts have voiced fears of famine in northern Gaza and there have been reports of people, including babies, dying of hunger. Fares Afana, head of the ambulance service at Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital, said medics found dozens or hundreds of bodies lying on the ground once they reached the scene. He said some wounded had to be carried to hospitals on donkey carts as there were not enough ambulances to take all the dead and wounded. A wounded man rests on a mattress on the floor of al-Shifa Hospital following the Israeli attack on Gazans waiting for aid (Mohammed al-Hajjar/MEE). Hospitals in northern Gaza, most of which are out of commission because of repeated Israeli attacks, are reportedly unable to deal with the large influx of patients. Ahmad, a 31-year-old who only gave his first name, told Middle East Eye that aid trucks reached the street at 4am, and that Israeli forces fired at people trying to reach the convoy. Ahmad was shot in the arm and the leg. The shooting was indiscriminate, people shot in the head, in the foot, in the stomach, he said. One man was martyred, then run over by the tank. 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. The Israeli military accused the Palestinians of being responsible for a mass crush, saying: "residents surrounded the trucks and looted the supplies being delivered. As a result of the pushing, trampling and being run over by the trucks, dozens of Gazans were killed and injured." It released aerial footage showing desperate Palestinians gathering around the trucks. However, alongside witness testimony, video footage clearly shows heavy gunfire during the incident. Israeli sources told AFP that troops fired at the Palestinians, with one saying the soldiers believed the crowd "posed a threat". Wounded boy sleeps on a bed in al-Shifa hours after the attack (Mohammed al-Hajjar/MEE). Kamel Abu Nahel, whose foot was ran over by one of the trucks, said: "If you want to send us aid like that, dont send it." We are dying to get flour for our children," he added. The attack comes as the Palestinian death toll in the war surpassed 30,000, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Reacting to the attack, Oxfam said it was appalled by the reports. Israel deliberately targeting civilians after starving them is a gross violation of international humanitarian laws and our humanity, the international aid group said. The risk of genocide is real. Ammar Helo, a 30-year-old Palestinian who survived the attack, told MEE he will still go down whenever aid trucks arrive, despite the risk to his life. We do not have bread, we do not have flour, we have been eating animal food, he said. Survivors told MEE even animal feed was running out in the north. I swear, all of Gaza is destroyed, I swear an earthquake from God would have been better. Read more at: MiddleEastEye.net Lawsuit accuses Synagro of poisoning farms with PFAS-contaminated BIOSOLIDS fertilizer Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), an advocacy group, has announced a lawsuit against a major U.S. producer of so-called "biosolids-based fertilizer" for contaminating the natural environment with toxic chemicals like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). In what PEER says is the first "in what may be a tidal wave of product liability lawsuits," the claim against Synagro, which produces crop fertilizers from sewage sludge contaminated with all sorts of deadly toxins, alleges the company is responsible for unleashing "a major threat to American agriculture and public health." Five farmers from Johnson County, Tex., filed the suit against Synagro Technologies, Inc. and its Texas affiliate for poisoning their farms with PFAS-contaminated fertilizer. Livestock have died, water has become polluted and farming properties are now worthless as a result. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), several of the PFAS identified in Synagro's biosludge-based fertilizer are so toxic to humans that there is no safe level of exposure to them, even in very small amounts. As explained by PEER, concentrations of PFAS in soil, water, fish and calf tissue on Johnson County farms were "stunningly high." A stillborn calf liver was found to have 610,000 parts per trillion (ppt) of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), while two fish samples were found to contain 57,000 and 74,000 ppt of PFOS respectively. (Related: Did you know that at least 20 states in America liquefy vaccine-murdered people and spread their flesh goo on food crops as "fertilizer?") 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. Maine bans biosludge Synagro says its biosludge fertilizer is produced from sewage sludge the company collects from a water treatment facility in Fort Worth, Tex. Every year, Synagro manufactures 26,500 tons of said fertilizer just at its Fort Worth location. The company also says it has about 1,000 other such contracts with water treatment plants all across North America. Every year, Synagro manages an astounding 6.5 million tons of biosolids for the North American market and all of that biosludge ends up getting dumped on conventional farms that grow food for animal and human consumption. "Similar instances of PFAS poisonings of farms, dairies and ranches have occurred in several states," commented PEER Science Policy Director Kyla Bennett, a scientist and attorney who used to work at the EPA. "This lawsuit against Synagro will likely be the first of many." After more than 60 farms in Maine were found to have unsafe levels of PFAS contamination caused by biosludge, the state outlawed all land application of the stuff and others could soon follow. The lawsuit, which was filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Md., where the company is based, specifically targets false claims made by Synagro that its biosludge fertilizers are safe and "organic," which is anything but true. Not only that, but Synagro does not warn purchasers about the risks involved with PFAS exposure, pretending as though such risks do not exist. "Although civil and criminal sanctions at both the state and local levels are available, the PFAS biosolids problem calls for a national solution," Bennett added, noting that Johnson County, Tex., is also now conducting a criminal investigation into Synagro. "Unfortunately, EPA has yet to act to protect consumers and farmers from these avoidable toxic exposures." The Austin, Tex.-based law firm Guerrero & Whittle PLLC filed the suit in partnership with the Baltimore-based firm Brown, Goldstein & Lefy, LLP. The EPA currently advises exposure limits in drinking water for PFAS and other related "forever chemicals" at a maximum of 70 ppt, which is orders of magnitude lower than the amounts of PFAS and other forever chemicals contained in Synagro's biosludge fertilizer. More related news can be found at Biosludge.news. Sources for this article include: PEER.org NaturalNews.com DTNPF.com Tennessee House of Representatives passes bill banning LGBT pride flags in public schools The Republican-led Tennessee House of Representatives has approved a bill that seeks to ban the display of LGBTQIA+ pride flags in school classrooms House Bill 1605, sponsored by State Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood), dictates that public schools in the state "shall not display any flag other than the United States flag and the official Tennessee state flag on or in a public school." Bulso said the bill seeks to prevent the display of flags representing political viewpoints, including those related to partisan, racial, sexual orientation, gender or other ideological perspectives. (Related: City council in Michigan BANS LGBT flags from public property take note, White House.) The bill would still allow the display of certain official, educational and historical flags, such as flags representing the American Confederacy, Native American tribes, local governments, the armed forces, prisoners of war or those missing in action, other countries and their local governments, official flags of colleges or universities and flags of other educational institutions. According to Bulso, he has received complaints from parents about "political flags" in classrooms. He stressed that parents have the right to instill their values in their children and said the bill preserves tolerance for all parents and students. "Do parents have the right to instill values in their own children that they agree with? If you have parents across the state who want to instill in their children values represented by the pride flag, they are certainly entitled to do that," he said. "On the other hand, if you have parents who want to instill values in their children that are not consistent with the values represented by the pride flag, they have the ability to do that. What this bill does is it preserves tolerance across the board for all parents and all school children." 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. The House of Representatives passed HB 1605 by a vote of 70 in favor and 24 against, with state representatives voting along party lines. The bill is now in the Republican-dominated Senate. Democrats denounce HB 1605 as discriminatory During the House's debate over HB 1605, Democrats argued that the legislation is discriminatory, targeting the LGBTQ community and infringing on students' freedom of expression. State Rep. Jason Powell (D-Nashville), a vocal opponent of the bill, offered an amendment to safeguard students' right to express themselves within limits that do not materially disrupt school activities. Powell argued that the lack of clarity in the bill could lead to costly lawsuits against school districts. "I am against this bill. I think it is a terrible idea. Right now, this bill is targeting students. To protect the rights of students in our state who want to continue to support and encourage their fellow students who they feel are going to be targeted as a result of the passage of this bill. We are going to have students who are going to feel unwelcome. They're going to feel like their state and their community doesnt support them because of this bill," he said. However, the proposed amendment was ultimately voted down, with 72 against and 24 in favor. Meanwhile, State Rep. Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville) accused Bulso of unfairly singling out the LGBTQ community and warned against the potential consequences of divisive legislation. "Your whole mission in this piece of legislation was to point one segment of the population out that you may not agree with. Thats awful. Im sick of legislation like this that just brings problems," he said. "We're coming for one segment today eventually they're going to come for you," Mitchell warned. Watch this video of a man explaining why he won't worship the LGBT Pride flag, and why others should not. This video is from the Recharge Freedom channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Florida Republicans introduce bill to ban Pride flags at schools and government buildings. Massachusetts middle school students REVOLT against teacher-led pride month deviancy, tear down signs and flags while chanting "U.S.A. are my pronouns." Thou shalt not desecrate the symbols of LGBT dominion over Earth: New York man charged with hate crime for putting Pride flags on the ground. Two California school districts ban LGBTQ+ flags. City council in Michigan BANS LGBT flags from public property take note, White House. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk Tennessean.com Brighteon.com U.S. giving weapons to Israel, which is selling them to Azerbaijan to MASSACRE CHRISTIANS Many of the "free," aka U.S. taxpayer-funded, weapons the United States is sending to Israel are being resold by the Zionist state to Azerbaijan , which is reportedly using them to massacre Christians. And American evangelicals are nowhere to be found in defending their martyred brothers and sisters in Azerbaijan because to support them would mean tosupport Israel. The Times of Israel reported on this issue back in late 2020, revealing that Israeli-sold weapons such as high-powered drones have been "very effective" in Azerbaijan's war on Armenia, Armenian Christians being the ongoing target of genocide at the hands of Turkey and its close economic partner Azerbaijan. In that Times of Israel article, a top Azerbaijani official confirmed that Israeli-made military drones were it not for receiving constant welfare checks from the U.S., Israel would not be able to make these drones, by the way are working quite well at ridding the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region of its largely Christian Armenian population. As explained in this article from First Things, Nagorno-Karabakh was once the home of 120,000 Armenian Christians who had lived in the region for thousands of years, claiming Christianity as their religion since the fourth century, until they were driven out or murdered using Israeli weapons. According to the Times of Israel piece, Israeli technology "helps Azerbaijan to provide security and safety to its nationals" as they wage war on Armenian Christians in an attempt to rid them all from the land. 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. "It's clear to us that Israel has an interest in keeping a military presence in Azerbaijan, using its territory to observe Iran," revealed Armenian diplomat Tigran Balayan about why Israel wants that piece of land in its control. Israel is receiving free weapons from the United States and selling them to Azerbaijan to be used to kill Christians Why don't American Christians care? Why isn't this a bigger story? I've only seen @Cernovich discussing this pic.twitter.com/TmMY97F0Tw Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) February 24, 2024 (Related: If you don't support Israel's genocide in Gaza, you are "antisemitic," according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.) Supporting Israel means supporting genocide of Christians One of the most disturbing, albeit illuminating, revelations in that same article is the estimate that nearly 70 percent of the Azerbaijan dictatorship's weaponry comes from Israel. In other words, Azerbaijan's war on Armenian Christians would not be possible without Israel supplying most of the weapons and without the U.S. constantly furnishing Israel with the cash it needs to make those weapons. American Christians, particularly those of the evangelical Zionist flavor, need to recognize that the so-called "apple of God's eye," as they refer to Israel's Zionist government, is persecuting and murdering Armenian Christians with tax dollars supplied from their own pocketbooks via taxes. "Supporting Israel," in other words, means supporting the slaughter of Armenian Christians. "American Christians have been trained to accept whatever Israel does because of 'Judeo-Christian' beliefs," someone on X noted about the antithetical nature of the "Judeo-Christian" concept. "They don't want to believe that that concept is completely made up." Armenia is in existential danger. Besides the humanitarian aspect, it's important for Westerners to care about this since Armenia is the first Christian nation with some of the first Christian sites, some of which are being destroyed by Azeri troops in Artsakh. There's video pic.twitter.com/5W4QY4FWLP Big-Brain Politics (@BigBrainPol) October 14, 2023 No matter how Israel and its supporters try to spin it, what the Netanyahu regime is doing in Gaza right now amounts to genocide and in the name of the God of the Bible, no less. Learn more at Genocide.news. Sources for this article include: Twitter.com FirstThings.com NaturalNews.com Communities under imminent threats from rising sea levels, floods, and other extreme weather will testify in Washington as the region's leading human rights organization stages a one-of-a-kind hearing on how climate calamities are pushing forced migration across the Americas. Climate Migrant The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) will hear from people on the front lines of the climate emergency in Mexico, Honduras, the Bahamas, and Colombia as part of a special hearing requested by human rights organizations in Latin America, the United States, and the Caribbean. Hurricanes, heatwaves, and drought are displacing an increasing number of migrants and refugees seeking refuge in the United States and other countries, as are slow-onset climate disasters such as ocean acidification, coastal erosion, and desertification. Witnesses will include Higinio Alberto Ramirez from Honduras, who suffered life-altering injuries last year when a fire demolished a detention center in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, killing 43 Latin American migrants. Ramirez is from Cedeno, a coastal fishing hamlet that is disappearing beneath increasing sea levels. He was attempting to reach the US to repay family obligations when tidal waves wrecked the shrimp nursery where he and his father worked. "The case of the Ramirez family is a tragic reminder that forced migration is not an issue for the future. Sea levels have been rising due to climate change for decades. States and humanitarian systems must catch up and ensure that protections are in place," said Gretchen Kuhner, director of the Mexico based Institute for Women in Migration (Imumi), one of the groups which requested the hearing. The hearing is part of a campaign for the IACHR to legally identify forced displacement as a result of the climate catastrophe, conduct country visits, and develop guidelines to safeguard internally displaced people and those seeking refuge in other countries. As immigration and refugee policies in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere become more harsh and asylum criteria more stringent, experts will urge the IACHR to remind states of the non-refoulement principle, which prohibits returning displaced people to situations that endanger their lives or freedoms as a result of the climate crisis. "The testimonies of people directly impacted show that the slow and rapid onset effects of climate change are negatively impacting the most basic rights of entire communities, particularly those already marginalized and racialized, and the so-called sacrifice zones," said Adeline Neau, Amnesty International's researcher for Central America. Read Also: Migrants Crossing US-Mexico Border at Risk of Deadly Dehydration Due to Severe Heat Global Collaboration The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is appealing for increased global collaboration in combating climate-induced migration as world leaders gather for the sixth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). Without specific climate action, up to 216 million individuals are expected to become internal climate migrants by 2050. This figure could be decreased by 80 percent if concrete, concerted, and timely steps are taken. In 2022 alone, over 32 million additional internal displacements were caused by climate-related dangers, highlighting the growing need to address this issue. The IOM underscored that no region in the world is immune to the negative effects of climate change, whether directly or indirectly. Less-developed countries, which have made the fewest contributions to the cause, are disproportionately affected. "Through dialogue and cooperation, we can strengthen our commitment and action to address climate mobility," said IOM Chief of Staff Mohammed Abdiker. Related Article: Millions of Guatemalans Face Starvation Due to Climate Change, Fueling Migration Crisis Weather experts warned that wildfire could threaten the Southern Plains and even the northern portion of the United States this weekend. Strong Winds To Fuel Wildfire They said that the record warmth, strong winds and dry fuels would again increase the wildfire risk in these areas. Meteorologists noted that as the temperature increases, gusty winds and lowering humidity levels will combine to make the three main weather ingredients for wildfires. Moreover, dry and dormant grass as well as other brush from the end of the winter, which serve as fuels, can become fast-moving and later spread to an enormous size in just a matter of hours. The National Weather Service (NWS) said that spring-like high temperatures are once again expected across much of the Plains and Midwest heading into the weekend. The greatest anomalies are also forecasted for the northern Plains into the upper Midwest on Saturday pushing into the upper Midwest toward the Great Lakes on Sunday. Highs will be upwards of 25-35 degrees above normal, reaching into the 60s and 70s in these areas. Further, highs on Saturday will warm into the 60s and 70s for the Middle or Lower Mississippi Valley, with 80s returning to Texas. The combination of warm temperatures, persistently dry conditions, and gusty winds over the central/southern High Plains will elevate the risk for wildfires through this weekend. After a chilly day on Friday in the southeast, temperatures will quickly rebound to average or slightly above average levels on Saturday, with highs in the 60s and low 70s. Weather experts said that the conditions would remain near to above average in the Mid-Atlantic, with 40s and 50s expected. In contrast, much of the cold weather will be found across the western portion of the US behind the intensifying low pressure system. In Texas, two individuals were confirmed dead due to the wildfires that hit the state. They said that dozens of cities from Texas to Michigan would challenge or break record high daytime and warm night minimum temperature records from Saturday to Monday in the central states of US. Read Also: Texas Wildfire: Largest In State History, Killing One Person Low Pressure System To Intensify On the other hand, a low pressure system is forecast to intensify over the northern Plains by Sunday. It appears that a lack of moisture across the South will severely limit the precipitation amounts that have been associated with this system despite its strength. Meanwhile, accumulating snowfall is forecast only for the far northern Plains where 6 to 10 inches will be limited to near the US-Canadian border by Sunday evening as the storm center is predicted to move north into southern Canada by then. The rains associated with the cold front will barely be measurable across the central Plains on Sunday. Moreover, only light and scattered showers are expected farther north across the Midwest into the upper Great Lakes later on Sunday ahead of the cold front. Related Article: Chile Wildfire: Climate Change No Significant Link To The Wildfire, Study Says Couple gets married in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley at -25 degrees Celsius Kinnaur, March 1 In a display of love and adventure, a couple got married at a temperature of -25 degrees Celsius amidst the breathtaking snow-capped mountains at Moorang in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley. "This remote area has a beautiful landscape. I, being a traveller, feel people should know more about Spiti Valley. This is a unique expedition that has been approved by the India Book of Records. They have given us the title of 'longest road trip wedding expedition'," she said in the video. The bride, Arya Bura, hails from Gujarat and lives in Mumbai, while the groom, Ranjit Srinivas, is from Kerala. Arya said that earlier, she visited Spiti as a solo traveller in 2021 and 2023 in her Thar called Sherni, as she liked the beauty of this place very much. She informed that Ranjit and she had been in a relationship for the last 13 years and got engaged in Mumbai. Sharing her experience of getting married in the freezing temperature, Arya said that it was tough to convince the family members for a destination wedding in Spiti. Ranjit has a business in Dubai and his family wanted the wedding to take place in Kerala. "My family was in favour of getting married in Gujarat. We wanted to complete all the rituals as per Hindu customs on February 26, 2024, by setting up a pavilion in the snow. Langcha and other places were discussed for this but due to less snow, we decided to get married in Moorang," she added. Expressing happiness over her dream wedding, Arya said, "All the arrangements were made with the help of wedding planners and during the marriage ceremony, it was snowing lightly. I am very happy that I started my life with the mountains that I love." "Spiti has become my home now. I would also like to tell other couples to come to Spiti to get married. There is not just one location but dozens of locations. You can get married in the middle of spectacularly beautiful hills with fewer people and at less expense. There is immense potential for destination weddings in Spiti," she added. In the video, the couple thanked all her family members and friends for being a part of their special day. "We're grateful to everyone, including friends and family for their support and for being a part of our special day," they said. (ANI - Posted on 02 March 2024) Couple gets married in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley at -25 degrees Celsius Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Jason Tham gained body mass to mature up for his 'Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond' role Mumbai, March 2 Actor Jason Tham has opened up on working in the web series 'Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond', sharing how he had to gain a little body mass to achieve a serious and matured look. Talking about the character, Jason said: "I am playing the role of Victor Maisnam, a special agent, from the military intelligence unit, who is actively helping out in the mission with help of my informants." Speaking about the preparations, he shared: "I have played a very different character from all the earlier roles I have played on screen. The character gave me a very serious and matured look, I even had to gain a little mass. Playing someone in uniform is a sense of responsibility and as an actor, I have taken that effort to look like a military officer. I consider this as a great opportunity to play a special character." The show takes the audience behind the scenes of a large magnitude defence operation like Balakot, and the ensuing mission to bring back Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman. The Balakot airstrike was a bombing raid conducted by Indian warplanes on February 26, 2019 in Balakot, Pakistan, against an alleged terrorist training camp. Pakistan had shot down an Indian warplane and took its pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, as prisoner. 'Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond' is inspired by this defining chapter in India's history. Jason further added: "I was really curious about the events that happened during the Balakot and Pulwama attack. I remember it being all over the newspapers and channels. So as soon as they approached me for this series I was super excited. Not only for the experience but also the fact that I would be getting details of the events that were unavailable before." The show stars Ashutosh Rana, Jimmy Shergill, Lara Dutta, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Prasanna. Directed by Santosh Singh, it will soon release on JioCinema. (IANS - Posted on 02 March 2024) Jason Tham gained body mass to mature up for his 'Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond' role Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! NTR Jr meets Rishab Shetty, Prashanth Neel; shares 'Bangalore Diaries' pix Mumbai, March 2 Telugu superstar NTR Jr., whose historical fiction film RRR swayed people across the globe, recently met Kannada star Rishab Shetty and director Prashanth Neel of K.G.F. fame in Bengaluru. In the pictures, NTR Jr. can be seen wearing a striped blue shirt. Rishab donned a checkered blue shirt while Prashanth kept it casual with a beige coloured t-shirt. The other pictures in the carousel also showed producer Vijay Kirgandur of Hombale Films. Additionally, Rishab Shettys wife Pragathi Shetty, Prashanths wife Likitha Neel, and Lakshmi Pranathi were also seen in the pictures. NTR Jr. wrote in the caption: #Bangalorediaries. The pictures from the meeting hint at a possible collaboration between the gentlemen. Earlier, NTR Jr. was spotted at the Hyderabad airport leaving for Bengaluru. He was seen with his RRR co-star Ram Charan, as they made their way to the airport terminal to board their flight. (IANS - Posted on 02 March 2024) NTR Jr meets Rishab Shetty, Prashanth Neel; shares 'Bangalore Diaries' pix Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Champaign, IL (61820) Today Some snow flurries during the morning hours will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 39F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 26F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Byjus founder Byju Raveendran on Saturday said the edtech company will not be able to pay salaries to employees as the recent funds raised through a rights issue are inaccessible due to a legal dispute with certain investors. In a letter to staff, Raveendran said the rights issue, launched a month ago, has been successfully closed. This was supposed to be a happy correspondence. After all, we now have funds to meet our short-term needs and clear our liabilities. However, I regret to inform you that we will still be unable to process your salaries, he said. In the letter seen by PTI Raveendran said the company is still striving to ensure that salaries are paid by March 10. We shall make these payments the moment we are permitted to do so as per law, he added. Further, Raveendran said that last month, the company faced challenges due to a lack of capital, and now we are experiencing a delay despite having funds. Unfortunately, a select few (4 out of our 150 plus investors) have stooped to a heartless level, ensuring that we are unable to utilise the funds raised to pay your hard-earned salaries, Raveendran said. At their behest, the amount raised through the rights issue is currently locked in a separate account, he added. Raveendran accused these select investors of having a callous disregard for the lives and livelihoods of others even though they had reaped substantial profits from investment in Byjus. It is an agonising reality that some of these investors have already reaped substantial profits in fact, one of them has made a staggering eight times their initial investment in BYJUS. And yet, their actions convey a callous disregard for our lives and livelihoods, he said in the letter. Raveendran noted that he has fought fearlessly and tirelessly, leaving no stone unturned to find a way to honour the companys commitment to employees. Countless hours have been spent exploring every possible avenue, engaging our legal teams, and advocating for your rights. However, despite our best efforts, we are left with no option but to confront the heart-wrenching reality that we are temporarily unable to provide you with the financial support you deserve, he said. Earlier this week, a company law court had asked the embattled edtech firm to consider extending the closing date of the USD 200 million rights issue, a request that the management had hinted it would not accept even as estranged investors flagged technicalities that prevented the closure of the issue on Wednesday. In an interim order dated February 27, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Bengaluru Bench said the funds received by the company in respect to the rights issue should be kept in a separate escrow account, and it should not be withdrawn till the disposal of the matter. The next hearing has been listed for April 4. The select group of investors in Byjus alleged that the edtech giant siphoned off USD 533 million in an obscure hedge fund in the US and had sought a stay on a USD 200 million rights issue, calling it illegal and contrary to law. In a high-voltage corporate drama that unfolded last month, Byjus shareholders (prominent investors) voted unanimously for removing Founder-CEO Raveendran and his family from the board over alleged mismanagement and failures at what was once Indias hottest tech startup but the company hit back calling the voting done in the absence of founders as invalid and ineffective. Sources close to the investors had earlier said more than 60 per cent of the shareholders voted in favour of all the seven resolutions at the EGM, which included removing the current management, reconfiguration of the board and a third-party forensic investigation into acquisitions done by the company. The once-storied edtech startup, Byjus rose to dizzying heights before it faced a series of setbacks. While the return of students to physical classes post-pandemic and the recent acquisition of Aakash put Byjus under a financial strain, the edtech firm in the last one year suffered other issues, including its auditor resigning, lenders beginning bankruptcy proceedings against a holding company, and a US lawsuit disputing the terms and repayment of a loan. The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday apprised the Supreme Court about the status of counselling of students who were allegedly instructed by their school teacher to slap a Muslim boy for not doing his homework. A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan took note of the compliance affidavit filed by the education department which said the workshops for them will be held till April 24. We direct the state to file appropriate affidavit by end of April about the conduct of the workshops, the bench said. It said that considering the larger issues flagged by the apex court in an earlier order regarding implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 and the rules framed thereunder, the matter would be listed for hearing on April 15. The apex court said the state would be free to file an affidavit on these aspects. While hearing the matter on February 9, the top court had slammed the state government for not counselling the students who were allegedly instructed by their school teacher to slap the fellow student for not doing his homework. There was an element of urgency in counselling. We direct the state government to immediately implement the suggestions in TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences) report about the counselling of other children, who were participants and witnesses in the corporal punishment incident, the bench had said. The top court had earlier castigated the state for not complying with its order to depute an agency for counselling the boy and his classmates. The woman teacher of the school in Muzaffarnagar district has also been accused of hurling communal slurs at the victim boy. The top court had appointed TISS, Mumbai to suggest the mode and manner of counselling the boy and his classmates. The Muzaffarnagar Police had registered a case against the teacher and the school was also served a notice by the states education department. The teacher was booked after a video purportedly showed her asking the students to slap the class-2 boy in Khubbapur village and making a communal remark. The apex court had on November 6 last year asked the state government to facilitate the admission of the boy to a private school. On October 30, 2023, the court had directed the state government to immediately decide on granting sanction to prosecute the errant teacher. It was hearing a plea filed by Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, seeking speedy investigation in the case. In an unsettling turn of events, a former classmate attacked NIT Calicut assistant professor Jayachandran on campus, leaving the faculty member with minor injuries. The incident, reported by Onmanorama, unfolded as Vinod, hailing from Salem in Tamil Nadu, entered the NIT campus under the guise of a student. The motive behind the attack remains elusive, and Vinod is currently in police custody. Not long after the incident, Jayachandran, a faculty member at NIT Calicuts Department of Civil Engineering, was admitted to a private hospital and is currently in stable condition. Vinod posed as a student and got unauthorised entrance to the NIT campus. Upon reaching the Department of Civil Engineering, a heated argument erupted in Jayachandrans office. In a fit of rage, Vinod resorted to violence, using a pen-knife from the professors desk to stab him in the neck and stomach. Jayachandran was saved by security guards who intervened quickly to control the attacker. Authorities are now grappling with understanding the motive behind Vinods attack, as he has provided conflicting statements during police interrogation. Initially claiming to be a former NIT student, Vinod later asserted that both he and Prof Jayachandran were classmates pursuing PhD under the same guide at the IIT- Madras. According to an officer cited by Onmanorama, Vinod alleges that the assault was driven by Jayachandran withholding some of his medical certificates, a claim yet to be verified. Police sources reveal that Vinod asserted completing the course with Jayachandran, with each taking different paths afterwards. Vinod secured a position as an assistant professor in a private engineering college in Andhra Pradesh, while Jayachandran landed a post at NIT. The complexity deepens as Vinod recounts financial assistance from Jayachandran during a recent cardiac arrest, claiming that essential documents for his institute were with the professor. When Jayachandran refused to relinquish these documents, Vinod, fueled by anger, resorted to stabbing him. The police investigation continues to unravel the layers of this perplexing incident. Just a few weeks ahead of the announcement of dates for the 2024 general elections, the question that many are asking in Odisha is whether there will be a pre-poll alliance between the states ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and principal opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)? Strange though it may seem, there is no indication yet of this question being answered convincingly or being put to rest. Odisha goes for simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls, and the political chatter is that the BJD and BJP will hammer out a seat-sharing agreement and face the two elections in an alliance. The parties were in a coalition for eleven years beginning in 1997, and, prior to becoming the chief minister, Naveen Patnaik was a union minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayees government in the late 1990s. However, 2024 is not 1997. Whether it is in terms of the MLAs in the state legislature or Members of Parliament, the BJP has pushed the Congress to third position and emerged as the principal opposition party. If the BJD and BJP come together, they would cede the opposition space completely to the Congress. Not just that; the BJP cannot claim to be the challenger of five-time chief minister Naveen Patnaik or the alternative to the BJD. Additionally, the Patnaik-led BJDs dominance in elections has been phenomenal. In the current assembly, the BJD has 112 of the total 147 MLAs, the BJP has 23, and the Congress just 9. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the BJD won 12 of 21 constituencies, the BJP 8, and the Congress 1. Looking at the impressive gains that the BJP made between 2014 and 2019 and given that the party is poised to do even better in 2024, there is little political sense in an alliance. The buzz was sparked a couple of days ago by a remark of BJP leader Vijaypal Singh Tomar, who was in Bhubaneswar to oversee the partys poll preparedness. When asked whether there will be an alliance with the BJD, Tomar said, I cant answer this now. People at the Centre will decide. We will accept whatever is their decision. However, we are prepared to contest on all seats. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Odisha BJP chief ruled out an alliance, saying the party will contest alone on all Lok Sabha and assembly seats in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Odisha on March 5, which happens to be the 108th birth anniversary of late chief minister Biju Patnaik, father of CM Naveen Patnaik. The BJD has made grand arrangements to commemorate the day and reiterated its demand for a Bharat Ratna for Biju Patnaik. The buzz in the state is that the PM may announce the honour for the late CM, which will galvanise the alliance between the two parties. PM Modi has already announced five Bharat Ratnas this year, for former Bihar chief minister and socialist leader late Karpoori Thakur, late Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, late agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan, BJP stalwart and former deputy PM LK Advani, and late Prime Minister and farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh. During his last visit to Odisha at the beginning of February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised chief minister Naveen Patnaik and described him as a friend. Earlier last month, the BJD despite having the numbers, chose to support BJP candidate Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Rajya Sabha polls. Apart from this, the BJD with its 12 MPs has backed the BJP-led central government on crucial legislation like the abrogation of Article 370 sections and the Delhi Services Bill. While one will have to wait for the PM to spell out his pitch for Odisha, observers say a friendship between the ruling party and the opposition during election season does not bode well for either, though it may help the BJP close in on its target of Mission 400 for the Lok Sabha polls. By declaring 195 candidates in one go at least a week to 10 days before the Election Commission announces the schedule for Lok Sabha elections 2024, the BJP on Saturday exhibited a picture of confidence as it repeated many MPs in key states like Uttar Pradesh while sending 34 Union Ministers into the battlefield. BJPs first list of Lok Sabha election candidates is headlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will contest again from Varanasi. Other big names in the list include Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from Lucknow, Home Minister Amit Shah from Gandhinagar and Smriti Irani from Amethi. The party dropped four of its five sitting MPs in Delhi, while declaring five out of the seven seats in the national capital. The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have recently stitched an alliance in Delhi. The BJP dropped controversial names like Bhopal MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Delhi MPs Parvesh Singh Verma and Ramesh Bidhuri. Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi was dropped from the New Delhi seat and the ticket has been given to Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of the late Sushma Swaraj. Among Union ministers, Bhupender Yadav will contest from Alwar, Mansukh Mandaviya from Porbandar and Rajeev Chandrashekhar will take on Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram. The BJP has also fielded both Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Jyotiraditya Scindia from their old seats Vidisha and Guna, respectively, in Madhya Pradesh. Many MPs in Uttar Pradesh have been repeated, like Hema Malini from Mathura, Ravi Kishen from Gorakhpur, Lalu Singh from Ayodhya, Sanjeev Baliyan from Muzzafarnagar and Ajay Mishra Teni from Kheri, showing the BJPs confidence in the key state of Uttar Pradesh where it declared names for as many as 51 out of 80 seats. The BJP had contested 436 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. With 195 seats declared on Saturday, the BJP has declared almost 40% of the seats it may contest this time if one goes by 2019 estimate. There is another CEC (Central Election Committee) meeting of the BJP on March 6 when the party could declare more candidates. Hence, a big majority of BJPs candidates could come before the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections by the EC. In 2019, the first BJP list of 180-odd candidates came out on March 21 11 days after the election announcement that year. This time, the BJPs first list coming at least a week to 10 days before the election announcement shows the party is hitting the ground running in its aim of winning 370 seats in 2024, senior party leaders told News18. Some key states where the BJP is still in alliance or where seat-sharing talks have not been declared so far are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. The BJP has also not declared candidates on key seats like Wayanad, Chhindawara and Rae Bareli and is awaiting Congress declarations on these seats after the Left said Rahul Gandhi should not contest from Wayanad. Sonia Gandhi has stepped out of the fight in Rae Bareli and talks between Kamal Naths son Nakul Nath and the BJP did not materialise. The BJP has already declared 51 out of the 74 seats it plans to contest in UP in alliance with other smaller parties, showing that the saffron party feels it has the momentum since the Ram Mandir completion. Most MPs in Uttar Pradesh, like Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Sakshi Maharaj and Mahesh Sharma, have been repeated. The BJP has not yet declared its safe seat of Ghaziabad, raising doubt over the candidature of sitting MP and MoS in the MEA, General VK Singh (retired). In West Bengal, many sitting MPs like state chief Sukanta Majumdar, Locket Chatterjee and Nisith Pramanik have been repeated while Anirban Ganguly is a new name given a ticket from Jadhavpur. Both are controversial, but the BJP has dropped Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from their candidate list for the Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradeshs Bhopal while deciding to repeat Ajay Mishra Teni from Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. If the saffron party wanted to send out a message by dropping Pragya, this was somehow lost in the candidature of Teni, whose son allegedly ran over protesting farmers in 2021. Why is Sadhvi Pragya controversys child? Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts at the time, won the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by a big margin of 3,64,822 votes from Bhopal constituency. But, she is not new to controversies. In the run-up to the 2019 polls, she compared Ashok Chakra awardee and former Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare to Ravan and Kans. She attributed his death in the Mumbai terror attacks to her curse for being arrested in connection with the Malegaon case. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had sent her a show-cause notice at the time even as the BJP distanced itself from her. But, that was not the end of it. She soon triggered another political storm when she called Mahatma Gandhis assassin Nathuram Godse a deshbhakt. Nathuram Godse was a patriot, is a patriot, and will remain a patriot those who call him a terrorist should look within they will get a reply this election, she had said, making even Prime Minister Narendra Modi call it bhayankar kharab. Even after her apology, the prime minister had famously said: Its a different matter that she has apologised, I will not be able to forgive her from my heart. But Thakur again made comments praising Godse in Parliament in November 2020. A fiery opposition forced BJP national presdient JP Nadda to say, We have decided that she will be removed from the consultative committee on defence, and will not be allowed to participate in the parliamentary party meetings this session. There was a buzz that she may not be repeated in 2024 to send out a strong message to everyone in the party as reported earlier by News18. As BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde read out the 195 names on Saturday, it was clear that this was more than a buzz. What is Tenis tryst with controversy? Teni, meanwhile, has made the cut despite his long tryst with controversies as Tawde named him to be the candidate from Kheri. Back in September 2021, the union minister had made a provocative statement against the farmers protests following which several of them gathered around his house in Kheris Tikunia district. He is reported to have said: Face me, it will take just two minutes to discipline you fellowsThe day I accept a challenge, you all will have to leave not only Palia (a local area) but Lakhimpur itself. What followed was a demonstration against this statement when Teni and Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya were expected to pass through that area. But, his son Ashish Mishra alias Monu allegedly mowed down protesting farmers and also opened fire at them, killing eight. According to the FIR, the episode was premeditated for which the conspiracy was hatched by Teni and his son. While police conceded that Monu opened fire, they claimed that he was not driving. This sparked a nationwide protest demanding Tenis removal from the council of ministers and his sons arrest. This had also prompted BJP MP Varun Gandhi to urge Prime Minister Modi to take strict action against the minister. In 2022, only a year later, he made insinuations and compared farmers to dogs. Dogs often bark and chase after fast cars. Every time I go to Lucknow, I see this happening. You cant do anything about it, it is their tendency, he said. He had even called farmer leader Rakesh Tikait do kaudi ka aadmi (a man worth two pennies). The BJPs confidence that Teni, despite his background, will be re-elected seems to stem from the Ram Mandir fervour that has gripped Uttar Pradesh. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Akola, Jalgaon and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra on March 5 to take part in election-related meetings and programmes organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party, its state unit chief said on Saturday. Lok Sabha elections are likely to be held in April or May this year. Shah will chair a meeting of the BJPs election management committee and its core committee in Akola at 11 am on Tuesday to discuss the Lok Sabha constituencies of Chandrapur, Buldhana, Akola, Yavatmal, Wardha and Amravati, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said. After Akola, Shah will visit Jalgaon, where he will address the Maha Yuva Sammelan, a youth convention, at 2 pm, he said. The former BJP chief will then address a public rally in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar at 6 pm, he added. A day before Shahs visit, BJP president J P Nadda will address the youth at Namo Yuva Sammelan in Nagpur on March 4, he said. Around one lakh youth from Maharashtra will attend the event, he said, adding that the BJP will seek opinions from the youth about their vision for the development of India, which will then be forwarded to the central leadership for inclusion in the BJPs election manifesto. The BJP leader also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Nari Shakti Vandana programme through video-conferencing on March 6. Forensic and bomb analysis specialists from the NIA and FSL, who are working closely with those probing the blasts at a Bengaluru eatery, have found similarities in the assembly of the timer device used in the Coimbatore car and Mangaluru cooker terror attacks that took place in October 2022 and November 2022, respectively. Obtained from the blast site, the timer device used to detonate the bomb at the popular Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru is key for the Bengaluru police to find links to those responsible. Asked if there were similarities between the Mangaluru and Rameshwaram blasts, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said, Investigation is on. But his deputy, DK Shivakumar, clearly hinted at a possible link between the two cases. There seems to be a link between the Mangaluru incident and this incident, according to police officers material used for these explosions, we can see similarity, a common link like the timer and other things, he said. Special teams have gone to Kerala, Coimbatore, Mangaluru, Bhatkal and Shivamogga to trace and gather evidence that may link these terror cases. Police sources had earlier told News18 that they have recovered important evidence at the blast site that points at the possibility of a similar or the same terror group being involved in the Coimbatore as well as the Mangaluru blasts. The explosive material found at the site and the use of a moving vehicle for the projectiles or shrapnel to spread over a larger area and cause more damage, are uncanny similarities to the previous attacks. Now, investigators are in the process of tracing links between these three blasts and banned organisations like the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Al Ummah. They are keeping a close watch on sleeper cells of smaller fringe terror groups, who may have been communicating with the handlers or the accused in these cases. Mangaluru cooker blast The coastal town of Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada is known to be a communally sensitive region. The cooker blast in November 2022 took place just months before the assembly elections. The alleged bomber in the case, identified as Shariq, had been found transporting a crude bomb assembled in a pressure cooker. The accused, who originally hails from Shivamoggas Teerthahalli, used a local auto-rickshaw to transport the cooker bomb with the intent to cause maximum impact with the use of a moving vehicle, investigators said. In the blast, which was of a low intensity like the one in Bengaluru, the bomb accidentally went off while being transported in the auto-rickshaw. It is said to have detonated as the explosive material heated up due to friction. The auto-rickshaw driver, Purushottam, had suffered burn injuries and was later discharged after treatment. A few days after the blast, the Mangaluru police received a letter from an unknown group called Islamic Resistance Council, claiming responsibility. The letter typed in English with a photo of Shariq printed on it said he attempted to attack the Hindutva temple in Kadri, a bastion of the saffron terrorists in Mangalore. The police in this case had also said Shariq had successfully tested a bomb in September using a low-intensity improvised explosive device (IED). He had undergone a 45-day training session at a mobile phone centre and used this expertise along with two other associates, Syed Yasin and Maz Muneer Ahmed, to conduct a dry run along the banks of the Tunga river in Shivamogga. The timer device placed inside the cooker bomb is similar to the one found at the last location inside Rameshwaram Cafe. Coimbatore cylinder bomb blast Karnataka police probing the Mangaluru cooker blast found several similarities to the Coimbatore cylinder blast in October 2022. Here, too, the timer device used as well as the modus operandi had several similarities, said police sources. Jameesha Mubin, the main suspect in the case, was seen as a copycat Islamic State (IS) jihadi, who wanted to avenge the atrocities against his community. Driving a Maruti 800 car carrying an LPG cylinder laden with explosives, the car exploded close to the Sangameshwara temple in Coimbatore. The accused allegedly wanted to attack the temple premises and detonate the bomb inside. Mubin, however, hit a speed breaker en route causing the gas cylinder to explode and ignite. He too was killed in the blast. The self-assembled bomb exploded even before Mubin could reach the temple, senior Tamil Nadu police source had said. What are the links? News18 had earlier reported how the central agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), probing the Mangaluru and Coimbatore blast cases had discovered a vital link between the two terror incidents. Mubin and Shariq had both visited a man being held in a jail in Keralas Kochi. Officials suspect that the person was their handler. Investigators in the Rameshwaram Cafe case are also analysing this angle, but a senior official said their entire effort is to first identify the suspect and arrest him. We have made significant progress and have a lot of footage that shows the suspect and even his face at certain places. It is just a matter of time before we get hold of him, the police officer said. In July last year, the Bengaluru police busted a city-based ISIS module and arrested five men aged between 25 and 35, for alleged links to terror activities. Months later in December, the NIA foiled a Ballari ISIS module and arrested their main leader Minaz alias Mohammed Sulaiman and eight other operatives. The NIA raided 19 locations across four states, foiling plans to carry out attacks using self-built IED explosives. Raw materials such as sulphur, potassium nitrate, charcoal, gunpowder, sugar and ethanol; electronic parts like wires and circuits; sharp-edged shrapnel material; unaccounted cash and radical material; smartphones and simple phones that could be used as trigger devices, were found in their possession. The places raided were Ballari and Bengaluru in Karnataka; Amaravati, Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra; Jamshedpur and Bokaro in Jharkhand, and Delhi. It was a star-studded start to Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchants pre-wedding festivities as Gujarats Jamnagar decked up in all its splendour played host to VVIPs from across the world and grooved to pop star Rihannas first-ever performance in the country. Anant Ambani, 28, the youngest son of chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Limited Mukesh Ambani, and his wife Nita Ambani, is set to wed Radhika Merchant, 29, the daughter of industrialist Viren Merchant and his wife Shaila Merchant. While the wedding will be held later this year, Jamnagar is playing host to a three-day gala pre-wedding bash from March 1-3. Day 1 was called An Evening in Everland, with the dress code listed as elegant cocktail. Day 2 will host A Walk on the Wildside with jungle fever the suggested dress code. It is set to be held outdoors in the Ambanis animal rescue centre in Jamnagar, and guests are advised to wear comfortable shoes and clothing for this event. 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 glamorous traditional South Asian attire for all. The final day will also comprise two events. The first one, Tusker Trails, suggests casual chic dressing, as guests are expected to further explore the green ambience of Jamnagar. The final party, Hashtakshar, calls for an elegant evening with heritage Indian attire. Anant and Radhika got engaged in Mumbai on January 19, 2023. Their grand Gol Dhana ceremony took place at Antilia, the Ambani residence, in Mumbai. The couples Roka ceremony was performed at Shrinathji Temple in Rajasthans Nathdwara on December 29, 2022. The VVIP guest list from India includes Kumar Mangalam Birla, Uday Kotak, Adar Poonawala, Sunil Mittal, spiritual leader Sadhguru, Sachin Tendulkar and family, MS Dhoni and family, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Amitabh Bachchan and family, Rajnikanth and family, Shah Rukh Khan and family, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif, and Madhuri Dixit. Welcoming them, the soon-to-be grooms father, Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani emphasised the Atithi Devo Bhava tradition. Our esteemed friends and family, namaste and good evening to each and every one of you. In the Indian tradition, we respectfully describe guests as Atithis. Atithi Devo Bhava. It means: Guests are like Gods, he said. When I did namaste to you, it meant that the Divine in me is pleased to acknowledge the Divine in you. Aap sab ne iss shaadi ke mahaul ko mangalmay bana diya hai. Dhanyavaad! Bahut bahut dil se dhanyavaad! As Anant and Radhika embark on a journey of lifelong partnership, your blessings will yield a perennial harvest of good fortune whose abundance will never diminish, Mukesh Ambani said. Today, my father Dhirubhai is also showering his profuse blessings from high up in the heavens. I am sure he is doubly happy because we are celebrating this joyous day in the life of his favourite grandson, Anant, in Jamnagar. Goddess Maramma is revered as the guardian deity in many South Indian villages, known by various names such as Amma, Mariamma, and Durga. She is traditionally associated with rain and believed to have the power to ward off diseases like chickenpox, smallpox, and cholera. In Chunchanahalli village of Nanjangud, Mysore, the birth of this deity is celebrated with fervour through the Mari Habba festival, accompanied by various rituals and festivities. During the three-day Mari Habba, residents of Chunchanahalli village engage in rituals and organize a fair to honour Goddess Maramma. The villagers adhere to certain customs during this time, refraining from travelling to other towns, washing clothes, or sweeping garbage with brooms. One notable tradition during the festival is the act of devotees piercing their mouths with strings as a form of homage to the goddess. This act of sacrifice believed to demonstrate devotion and seek blessings, holds significant cultural importance. A recent highlight of this years Mari Habba festival gained attention when a devotee pierced his body with ten strings, a remarkable display of faith and devotion. The festival, also known as the Grand Marammala Jatra, traditionally draws thousands of devotees to participate in the rituals and festivities. In a video captured by Local18, the shrine of Goddess Maramma is adorned with vibrant flower garlands, and devotees are seen participating in the piercing rituals. Two men are depicted piercing their bodies with strings while standing on a high pedestal at the village centre. Meanwhile, women carry aarti on plates as they accompany the procession of the goddesss shrine around the village, adding to the vibrant atmosphere of the celebration. In Karnataka, devotees also flock to the Circle Maramma Temple in Bangalore to pay homage to the guardian deity. Located in Malleshwaram, one of Bangalores oldest areas, the temple holds significant cultural and religious importance. Built in the 1970s, the Circle Maramma Temple serves as a spiritual hub where devotees gather to connect with their faith, tradition, and community. Following the conclusion of the three-day Grand Marammala Jatra festival, devotees often visit the Circle Maramma Temple to continue their spiritual journey and seek blessings from Goddess Maramma. The Indian Navy is all set to commission a new base, INS Jatayu in the Minicoy Islands of Lakshadweep, on March 6. Indias second naval base will strengthen its foothold in the Lakshadweep islands, along with extending operational surveillance, reach, and sustenance. It will also usher in a new era of capacity building and comprehensive development of the island territories. It will be commissioned in the presence of Adm R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff. The addition will mark an important milestone in the Navys resolve to incrementally augment security infrastructure at the strategically important Lakshadweep Islands. #WATCH | Indian Navy to enhance its operational capability with the commissioning of INS Jatayu at Minicoy Island, Lakshadweep on March 6. It will enhance the Navys operational reach, Maritime Security ops, and capability as the first responder in the region.(Video Source: pic.twitter.com/iAlNleVKq5 ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2024 Naval Detachment Minicoy was established in the early 1980s under the operational command of the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Lakshadweep). Minicoy, the southernmost island in Lakshadweep, straddles the vital sea lines of communication (SLOCs). Basing an independent naval unit with requisite infrastructure and resources will enhance the overall operational capability of the Indian Navy in the islands. The base will enhance the operational reach and facilitate the Indian Navys operational effort towards anti-piracy and anti-narcotics operations in the western Arabian Sea. It will also augment the Indian Navys capability as the first responder in the region and augment connectivity with the mainland. The establishment of a naval base is in line with the government of Indias focus on the comprehensive development of islands. Meanwhile, the coast of Kochi is all set to witness the pinnacle of airborne supremacy of the Indian Navy next week when it inducts the aerial marvel, the MH 60R helicopter into its fleet, bolstering the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will commission the newly inducted MH 60R Seahawk multi-role helicopter at the INS Garuda on March 6, Navy officials said. The squadron will be commissioned in the Indian Navy as INAS 334, under the Command of Captain M Abhisheik Ram. The Indian government signed a deal with the United States of America in February 2020, to acquire 24 fourth-generation MH 60R helicopters. Six of them have been delivered to the Indian Navy so far. The MH 60R is also capable of firing torpedoes, missiles, and advanced precision kill weapon system rockets. The self-protection suite on the helicopter comprises Chaff and Infrared Flares, which can be deployed automatically upon detection of a threat, Lieutenant Commandant Aneesh Ayarotil, one of the trained pilots of MH 60R said. (with PTI inputs) In a shocking incident from Jharkhand, a Spanish woman, who was on a bike tour with her husband, was allegedly gang-raped in the Dumka district on Friday night. The incident occurred at Kurumahat in the Hansdiha police station area where the tourist couple was spending the night in a makeshift tent. SP Pitambar Singh Kherwar reached the site of the incident late in the night and detained three people. The incident of gangrape occurred on Friday night, Jarmundi Sub Divisional Police Officer Santosh Kumar told PTI. Another official, on the condition of anonymity, said seven to eight local youths were involved in the incident. According to reports, the woman, on a bike tour with her husband, was on the way to Nepal via Bhagalpur. The couple were travelling to Bhagalpur via Dumka when the incident took place. The woman said in her complaint that she had pitched her tent in a deserted area near Hansdiha market. While she was sleeping, some local youths entered the tent and took turns in raping her, the woman added. The accused also beat her up, the woman noted her complaint. Following the incident, she was admitted to Saraiyahat CHC for treatment. An investigation into the case is underway. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey slammed the state government over the incident saying, In this state, neither Adivasis nor Dalits are safeNow this has become an international matter that a Spanish woman comes with her husband to India, and it comes to light that she has been gang-rapedI appeal to CM Champai Soren to concentrate on law and order in the state. If posting will take place based on any caste then this sort of incident will occur often. #WATCH | Deoghar, Jharkhand: On the alleged Spanish women gang rape case, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey says, In this state, neither Adivasis nor Dalits are safeNow this has become an international matter that a Spanish woman comes with her husband to India, and it comes to light pic.twitter.com/pGCMXJkBTw ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2024 Last month, a student preparing for medical entrance examinations in Rajasthans Kota town was allegedly gang-raped by her classmates. Officials have arrested the four accused in connection with the alleged crime that took place on February 13. In another incident, a 15-year-old girl was gangraped at gunpoint in front of her parents by three men in Madhya Pradeshs Gwalior district. The incident took place in the Bhanwarpur area on January 29. KERALA LOTTERY KARUNYA KR-643 RESULT ON SATURDAY, MARCH 2, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department has announced the results of the Karunya KR-643 lucky draw for Saturday, March 2. Check the full list of winning numbers below. ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Result Today LIVE: Nirmal NR-370 WINNERS for March 8, 2024; First Prize Rs 70 Lakh! FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA KR-643 LOTTERY WINNING NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE WORTH RS 8,000 ARE KN 886529 KO 886529 KP 886529 KR 886529 KS 886529 KT 886529 KU 886529 KV 886529 KW 886529 KX 886529 KY 886529 WINNING NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE WORTH RS 80 LAKH IS KZ 886529 (PUNALUR) Agent Name: VISHNU DAS V Agency No.: Q 4683 WINNING NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE WORTH RS 5 LAKH IS KX 748739 (KASARAGOD) Agent Name: VINOD KUMAR T V Agency No.: S 1633 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE WORTH RS 1 LAKH ARE KN 724753 (ADIMALY) KO 240246 (PATHANAMTHITTA) KP 502436 (ADOOR) KR 744985 (VAIKKOM) KS 594129 (PATHANAMTHITTA) KT 147902 (KOZHIKKODE) KU 809700 (NEYYATTINKARA) KV 981605 (IRINJALAKUDA) KW 925304 (ATTINGAL) KX 130910 (KATTAPPANA) KY 290455 (MOOVATTUPUZHA) KZ 186649 (PALAKKAD) WINNING NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE WORTH RS 5,000 ARE 0720 1119 2558 3154 4324 4409 4462 4825 5336 5411 5653 6229 6471 6791 7214 7779 7926 9030 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE WORTH RS 2,000 ARE 1985 3144 3549 7649 7764 7879 8115 8609 8948 9825 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE WORTH RS 1,000 ARE 1296 1941 2084 2393 2520 3093 3476 4855 4953 6355 7439 8291 8457 8461 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE WORTH RS 500 ARE 0053 0185 0219 0808 1106 1260 1320 1362 1490 1558 1880 2069 2243 2476 2592 2608 2793 2809 2833 2887 2987 3216 3459 3763 3844 3851 3931 4153 4293 4316 4327 4395 4442 4625 4688 4743 4766 5155 5515 5526 5818 5911 6118 6133 6135 6210 6350 6368 6369 6542 6817 6946 6987 7035 7242 7317 7324 7437 7535 7583 7745 8119 8126 8178 8262 8320 8355 8369 8408 8583 8614 8856 8888 9041 9337 9451 9497 9860 9910 9985 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE WORTH RS 100 ARE 0141 0222 0246 0334 0339 0393 0514 0560 0567 0571 0698 0869 0953 1134 1314 1351 1364 1858 1980 2167 2173 2196 2361 2495 2518 2563 2629 2728 2748 2872 3066 3070 3071 3096 3097 3108 3118 3211 3392 3404 3458 3550 3659 3719 3841 3897 3926 3953 3959 4053 4159 4516 4818 4819 4868 5082 5116 5212 5284 5408 5451 5456 5459 5574 5659 5813 5846 6105 6169 6220 6235 6496 6498 6748 6801 6821 6973 6980 7022 7162 7168 7203 7269 7309 7319 7372 7394 7405 7474 7540 7563 7579 7697 7709 7768 7900 7956 8030 8087 8116 8121 8127 8241 8275 8667 8869 8925 8971 9067 9086 9096 9119 9228 9235 9245 9277 9294 9339 9380 9424 9599 9714 9856 9949 KERALA LOTTERY RESULT TODAY: KARUNYA KR-643 PRIZE STRUCTURE 1st Prize: Rs 80 lakh 2nd Prize: Rs 5 lakh 3rd Prize: Rs 1 lakh 4th Prize: Rs 5,000 5th Prize: Rs 2,000 6th Prize: Rs 1,000 7th Prize: Rs 500 8th Prize: Rs 100 Consolation Prize: Rs 8,000 HOW TO VERIFY KERALA KARUNYA KR-643 LOTTERY RESULTS? There are two ways available for checking the Kerala Karunya KR-643 Lottery results. Firstly, individuals can visit the official website of the Kerala Lottery Department at www.keralalottery.info. Alternatively, they may choose to verify the winning numbers at the Kerala Government Gazette office. Both sources provide trustworthy and accurate lottery results. HOW TO CLAIM PRIZE MONEY? To confirm whether youve won a prize in the Kerala Karunya KR-643 Lottery, cross-check the numbers on your ticket with those published in the Kerala Government Gazette. Your ticket number must match the ones listed on the official winning roster to be eligible for a prize. Winners must collect their prizes from the Kerala Lottery Headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram within 30 days of the draw date. To expedite the prize claim process, ensure you have your winning ticket and a valid form of identification ready for verification. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended an absconding charge-sheeted accused, carrying a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh for his arrest, in the Nizamabad PFI case involving an anti-India conspiracy by the banned outfit to carry out acts of terror and violence. Abdul Saleem, State Secretary for the PFI Telangana North, is the 15th accused to be arrested in the case, originally registered by the State Police at Nizamabad Police Station in July 2022 and taken over by the NIA later in August that year. An integral part of the conspiracy of the PFI and its cadres was to make India into an Islamic nation by 2047, Abdul Saleem has been on the run since the case came to light and NIA had subsequently declared the reward for his arrest. Based on an intelligence-led operation, Abdul was nabbed from Mydukur in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. NIA investigations in the case have revealed that he was involved in the radicalisation and recruitment of impressionable Muslim youth into the PFI. He was also sending them to terror training camps for weapons training to equip them to further the organisations nefarious anti-India agenda. The NIA had earlier chargesheeted 11 accused, including Abdul Saleem, in December 2022, followed by supplementary chargesheets against five in March and one in December last year. In a horrific incident reported from Uttar Pradeshs Agra, a mute and hearing-impaired minor boy was sodomised and assaulted by relatives with a pen that remained in his body for almost three weeks. The victim failed to narrate his ordeal to his family and had to endure excruciating pain for weeks. According to a TOI report, a pen was inserted in the boys rectum by his relatives after sodomising him. The crime took place in Agra on February 5, but he was taken to hospital on February 25 only when he was unable to eat or sleep due to discomfort and pain. The boy had stepped out of his house but came home crying. At first, his parents thought that stray dogs might have chased him but he complained of severe pain in his rectum and stomach later due to which he could neither eat nor sleep. The boy was then admitted to a private hospital where an ultrasound report revealed the presence of a pen in his rectum. The pen was removed by surgery and the boy is now said to be stable, the publication reported. An FIR has been registered by the police against 5 accused under relevant sections of IPC, including 377 (sodomy), and under the Pocso Act based on the fathers complaint. As per the victims father, the child was allegedly targeted following a land dispute between the boys father and his cousins. This comes just days after a 38-year-old man was arrested on charges of sodomising an eight-year-old boy in Navi Mumbai. The accused was identified as Sanaull Hakim Sheikh, a resident of Masjid Bunder in Mumbai. An officer of the Khandeshwar police station said a case under relevant sections of the IPC like 377 (unnatural offences) and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) was registered against the accused. At least nine people were injured in an explosion at Bengalurus Rameshwaram Cafe on Friday. The blast occurred around 1:00 pm at the Whitefield branch of the cafe in the citys Rajajinagar. Initially, it was speculated that a gas leak could have triggered the blast, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said it was an improvised explosive in a bag kept by an unidentified man. A day after the incident, CCTV footage has emerged showing a man entering the cafe carrying a bag. The blast was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), top intelligence sources told News18. The agencies are mainly looking at two angles terror and business rivalry. CM Siddaramaiah on Saturday visited the Rameshwaram Cafe and announced that the state government will bear all the treatment charges of all the patients. Government will bear all the treatment charges of all the patients. Around 10 people are injured. Three are here in the Brookfield Hospital and six others are admitted in Vydehi Hospital. I am also going there. The patients are recovering and responding very well to the treatment he said. #WATCH | Bengaluru: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah says Government will bear all the treatment charges of all the patients. Around 10 people are injured. Three are here in the Brookfield Hospital and six others are admitted in Vydehi Hospital. I am also going there. The patients are pic.twitter.com/nKdlVtzNZA ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2024 Latest Updates in Rameshwaram Cafe Blast Quoting police sources, a PTI report said that four people have been detained for questioning in connection with the blast. Central Crime Branch officials probing the case are interrogating the four persons, picked up from Dharwad, Hubballi and Bengaluru at length, the sources added. A day after the blast, CCTV footage purportedly showing a suspect carrying a bag inside the cafes premises has emerged. According to the police, the suspect allegedly placed the said bag in the cafe and then left before the blast took place. He was seen wearing a mask and a cap. The suspect took a token for Rava Idli at 11:30 am, more than an hour before the blast occurred at 12:56 pm on Friday. Home Minister G Parameshwara said the investigation has revealed that the suspect travelled in a bus. Police are scouring the CCTV footage to find which bus he took and where he travelled from. According to a TOI report, Bengaluru police are deploying AI-powered facial recognition technology to identify the suspect who left the bag. The suspect has been identified, his facial features have been captured by CCTVs, and the same is being matched using facial recognition systems to track him, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said. The blast took place at the customer seating area which was close to the washing basin. In the explosion place bolts, nuts and other materials were found. Police have recovered the timer device used in the blast. It is not a clock but a sophisticated electronic timer device. According to a preliminary probe, high-grade explosives like RDX were used in the blast, however, only a forensic test will reveal what kind of explosives. NSG teams and Police also picked up additional evidence from the blast site late Friday night. A case has been registered under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act UAPA, Explosive Substances Act, IPC 120B, 324 and 307. Home Minister G Parameshwara has hinted at business rivalry as a potential cause behind the incident. has hinted at business rivalry as a potential cause behind the incident. A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials from the agencys Bengaluru office is assisting the city police in investigating the blast. A team of FSL, Bomb Disposal Squad and Dog Squad visited the explosion site at The Rameshwaram Cafe for investigation on Saturday morning. The state government will bear all the cost of the hospital for the persons injured in the explosion, said CM Siddaramaiah. Who Owns Rameshwaram Cafe? According to a Hindustan Times report, the owners of The Rameshwaram Cafe are Raghavendra Rao and Divya Raghavendra Rao. While Raghavendra is a mechanical engineer with over 20 years of experience in the food industry, Divya is a qualified chartered accountant who did her post-graduation from IIM Ahmedabad in Finance and Management. Raghavendra is the founder and promoter of IDC Kitchen and leads operations at the Rameshwaram Cafe chain. Divya, on the other hand, heads the management and finance department of The Rameshwaram Cafe. What did Rameshwaram Cafe Owners Say About the Blast? The cafes owners said that they are cooperating with the law enforcement authorities in connection with the blast. We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident at our Brookefield branch. We are cooperating with the authorities and officials in their investigations, the cafe said in a statement. According to a Hindustan Times report, Divya Raghavendra Rao also said they are offering support to those injured. Our thoughts are with the injured and their families, and we are offering them all the support, assistance and care they need and praying for their speedy recovery, she added. (With inputs from Harish Upadhya, Reethu M) Embracing the theme Enchanting Everland, Shloka Ambani looked like a dream in red. Celebrating her brother-in-law, Anant Ambani and soon-to-be sister-in-law Radhika Merchants pre-wedding festivities in Jamnagar, Gujarat, Shloka looked radiant in a Maison Valentino ensemble. Reliance Industries chairman, Mukesh Ambanis son and industrialist Viren Merchants daughter, Radhika Merchant ongoing pre-wedding festivities commenced on March 1 and will be on till March 3, 2024. With close family and friends joining the couple to celebrate their union, each day has been a stylish and glamorous spectacle. Shloka and Akash Ambani along with their son, Prithvi Ambani joined in the festivities to celebrate Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. Radiating romance in red, Shlokas ensemble featured a skirt with a thigh-high slit with sparkling detailing on the train, adding depth to the skirt. The highlight of the custom Maison Valentino ensemble was the off-shoulder top embellished with 3D rose motifs, a signature style from the couture label. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Diya Mehta Jatia (@dmjatia) Envisioned by fashion stylist Diya Mehta Jain, who is also Shlokas younger sister, the opulent styling was completed by hair and makeup done by celebrity hairstylist Priyanka Borkar and celebrity makeup artist Puneet Saini. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Diya Mehta Jatia (@dmjatia) Taking to Instagram, Diya shared a couple of images of the lady in red and captioned it as: An evening in Everland. Last night was a celebration of love, laughter and unforgettable memories. We wanted to get the perfect ensemble for didi, one that exuded elegance without compromising comfort. Countless looks later, we knew this red @maisonvalentino was the one! Breathtaking. Complementing his gorgeous wife, Akash Ambani looked dapper in a red tuxedo paired with a black shirt, pants and bow tie and their son, Prithvi, was seen in a black waistcoat and pants paired with a white shirt. Shloka later changed into a mini pastel pink dress paired with cool sneakers for Rihannas performance. Day 1 of the pre-wedding festivities ended on a high note with music and dance taking centre stage with Rihanna setting the grand stage on fire with her performance. Day 2, March 2, commenced with A Walk on the Wildside with Jungle Fever as the dress code, held at Vantara, the Ambanis animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in Jamnagar. For the evening function, Mela Rouge, with the dress code Dazzling Desi Romance has been organised. In a historic move, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently welcomed its first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi, known as the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this architectural marvel is poised to transform the regions tourism and travel landscape. Industry experts, such as Gaurav Sehgal, Head, Traveasy, and Sandeep Arora, Director, Brightsun Travel, shed light on the profound implications of this cultural landmark. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir serves not only as a place of worship but also as a significant cultural and tourist attraction. Sehgal notes that the temple has become a focal point for tourists, both local and international, who are eager to experience the rich heritage of Hinduism and Indian culture. Visitors are drawn to the allure of the temples architecture, rituals, and spiritual ambiance, creating a unique space for interfaith dialogue and promoting understanding among diverse religious communities. Arora emphasizes the cultural renaissance taking place in the UAE, describing the temple as a symbol of the countrys commitment to embracing and celebrating different cultures. Constructed with pink sandstone from Rajasthan, the temples intricate design and spiritual atmosphere have turned it into a serene space that invites individuals from all walks of life to explore and connect. The amphitheatre, resembling a Varanasi ghat with holy water from the Ganga and Yamuna, adds to the authenticity of the experience. The impact on tourism and travel is undeniable, as the temple becomes a cultural beacon attracting a diverse range of travelers, especially from India. Abu Dhabi, already known for its futuristic skyscrapers, is now gaining recognition for paying homage to ancient traditions. The First Hindu Stone Temple echoes the UAEs commitment to fostering cultural diversity, enriching the experiences of its residents and positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub that honors every facet of humanity. In conclusion, the inauguration of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir signifies more than just the addition of a religious site; it marks a pivotal moment in the UAEs evolving identity. The countrys dedication to religious tolerance and cultural diversity is showcased through this landmark, positioning Dubai as a destination that not only embraces the future but also celebrates its historical and cultural roots. Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambanis youngest son Anant Ambani and industrialist Viren Merchants daughter Radhika Merchant are hosting their pre-wedding festivities in Gujarats Jamnagar. It is no secret that the functions are a star-studded affair with performances by several Indian and global artists. To attend the same, several Bollywood celebs like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Arjun Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur have arrived in Jamnagar. Among them are also the hottest B-town couples of Bollywood, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone as well as Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif. Amid the flurry of pictures that is taking over social media, one one then encapsulated a very rare sight. Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone were seen posing together at Anant Ambani and Radhika merchants, pre-wedding festivities Jamnagar. Katrina wore a maxi dress, Vicky looked smart in beige and brown casuals. Ranveer was true to the theme and wore a jungle-printed shirt. Deepika was beautiful in an off-white shirt with matching pants and a long shirt shrug. Take a look: Following this viral post, several fans took to the comment section to leave their compliments. One of them wrote, Finally got to see em all in the same frame . Another one commented, Bollywood royalties. Someone else said, Too beautiful to handle . A fan also stated, It could be a blockbuster movie @karanjohar. During the three-day pre-wedding bash of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, Day 1 is called An Evening in Everland, with the dress code listed as elegant cocktail. Day 2 will host A Walk on the Wildside with jungle fever the suggested dress code. The final day will also comprise two events. The first one, Tusker Trails, suggests casual chic dressing, as guests are expected to further explore the green ambience of Jamnagar. The final party, Hastakshar, calls for an elegant evening with heritage Indianwear. And, Moneycontrol has quoted reports saying that, according to the head of The Jardin Hotel, around 2,500 dishes with a global menu including Thai, Japanese, Mexican, Parsi, and Pan Asian will be part of the three-day fare that will have four meals per day. It has been reported that a special Indore Sarafa Food Counter will also be put up there that will serve well-known food items including Indori kachoris, poha jalebi, bhutte ki kees, khopra patties, upma, and other such dishes with authentic flavours Famous international artists, including pop star Rihanna and magician David Blaine, will be to gracibg the pre-wedding festivities. Top Indian musicians who will perform include Arijit Singh, Ajay-Atul, and Diljit Dosanjh. Megan Thee Stallion, the popular American musician and rapper, is gearing up to take the stage as a presenter at the highly anticipated 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Known for her love for anime, Megan has never shied away from expressing her admiration for various series, including fan favourites like Hunter x Hunter, JoJos Bizarre Adventure, and My Hero Academia. Her recent arrival in Japan for the awards ceremony has caused quite a stir, especially with her stunning cosplay of Satoru Gojo, a beloved character from the hit anime Jujutsu Kaisen. Megan recently delighted fans by sharing her Gojo cosplay on social media, showing her attention to detail and passion for the character. Its no surprise that Megan chose to cosplay as Gojo, considering his immense popularity among fans. Take a look at the photos here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Megan Thee Stallion (@theestallion) In Jujutsu Kaisen, the character Gojo consistently ranks high in popularity polls, thanks to his charismatic personality and formidable strength as a sorcerer. However, Gojo faced a significant setback in the animes second season during the intense Shibuya Incident Arc. He was cunningly imprisoned in the Prison Realm by his former friend Geto, leaving the world vulnerable to the threat of cursed beings. While protagonist Yuji Itadori has managed to defeat formidable enemies like Mahito, the looming Culling Games in the upcoming third season suggest that challenges are far from over, reports Comicbook. Despite the absence of a live-action adaptation of Gojo, the success of other anime adaptations like One Piece and Yu Yu Hakusho hints at the possibility of seeing a real-world interpretation of the Jujutsu Tech teacher in the future. The Crunchyroll Anime Awards ceremony, set to take place on March 2nd in Japan, promises to be a star-studded event. Alongside Megan Thee Stallion, other A-listers such as director Bong Joon Ho, known for his groundbreaking work on Parasite, and rising stars like Ms. Marvels Iman Vellani and Ghostbusters Finn Wolfhard, will also be presenting awards. Fans who wish to the action can tune in to the live stream on Crunchyrolls YouTube and Twitch channels. However, due to the time difference, viewers will need to set their alarms early or stay up late, as the ceremony will air at 4 AM Eastern Time and 1 AM Pacific Time, as per Comicbook. As the excitement builds for the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, fans cant help but wonder which anime character Megan Thee Stallion will bring to life through her cosplay next. The December 24, 1999 hijack of the Indian Airlines flight is getting a series treatment at Netflix with Anubhav Sinha attached as creator and director. The show is titled IC814: The Kandhar Hijack and stars Vijay Varma, Patralekhaa, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Arvind Swamy, Dia Mirza, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Amrita Puri, and Anupam Tripathi. The web series marks Patralekhaas return to OTT after the 2022 series Teerandaaz. According to the makers, the series revolves around the 24th December 1999 hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight IC 814 which was en route from Kathmandu to New Delhi. It was taken to Kandahar. The hijack lasted seven days and while the crew and passengers suffered, officers back home tried to find a solution to bring them home. Patralekhaa made her debut in 2014 with City Lights, directed by Hansal Mehta. In this poignant drama, she portrayed the role of Rakhi, a small-town woman navigating the challenges of urban life alongside her husband. Patralekhaas portrayal was lauded for its authenticity and emotional depth, earning her widespread acclaim and several awards nominations. Her ability to embody the intricacies of her roles with nuance and conviction garnered praise from audiences and critics alike, solidifying her position as an actress to watch. From portraying a fiercely independent woman in Nanu Ki Jaanu to her character in Forbidden Love, she fearlessly embraced diverse characters, each with its own set of challenges and complexities. Besides IC814: The Kandahar Hijack, she will soon be seen in Wild Wild Punjab, a Luv Ranjan film that promises a fast pace and an interesting storyline. As for IC814: The Kandahar Hijack, the director said on Thursday, When I started doing research, almost everyone remembers a few things about the hijack, and what all happened during the process. I realised it is a very complex story and a lot of things happened in those seven days and not many people know about it. In the recent episode of Shark Tank India season three, Peyush Bansal was seen helping a pitcher after she broke down following an argument with Anupam Mittal. We saw Saumya Mishra from Bhopal introducing sharks to her world-class laser treatment and explained how they provide door-to-door services of the same. During the pitch, Saumya said, Maine dekha Karol baugh ki itni saari aunties joh shayad english ki ek line bhi dhang se nahi bol paayengi, wo botox karane aati thi. However, the comment left Vineeta Singh disappointed who urged the pitcher not to make comments against her customers. We saw Aman Gupta questioning the pitcher and asking if their company is not very similar to Urban Clap. Jaise Urban Clap salon at home hai, you guys are skincare at home, he said. To this, the pitcher replied, Aap dono ko compare mat kariye sir (please do not compare both companies, sir). Not just this, the pitcher also got into a war of words with Anupam Mittal. When the judge asked her about the percentage share in the market, she said, Percentage mein toh jo hamara business hai, divided by 2 billion ki market kyuki aur toh koi kar nahi raha na. This left Mittal a little disappointed who then called out the pitcher for being arrogant. When the pitcher apologised for her comments, Mittal questioned her for being emotional. She defended herself saying Kyuki aab aapne mere personality par allegation hi laga diya (Because you have levelled an allegation on my personality) and admitted that she had messed it up. The pitcher then broke down following which Peyush Bansal rushed toward her and offered her a tissue to wipe her tears. He explained to her that even though her intention was not wrong, her choice of words might offend people. Bansal further requested the pitcher to choose her words wisely. Vineeta also joined Peyush to calm Saumya down. The pitcher ultimately gets a deal from Anupam Mittal and Aman Gupta. Malaika Aroras mother Joyce Polycarp rang in her 71st birthday on March 2. Among the multiple greetings she woke up to this morning, the most special wish came from her daughter. The Bollywood actress who is also a judge in the dance-based reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 11 dropped a carousel of pictures with Joyce Polycarp on social media, celebrating her mothers special day. Some of the snaps even featured her father Anil Arora who separated from his wife when Malaika was just 11 years old. The happy clicks perfectly captured Malaikas love for her family and some precious moments spent with them. Our mama, our ammama, you are simply the best. Happy Birthday, mothership. Love you, wrote Malaika Arora on Instagram. In the first snap, the actress was seen sharing the same frame with her mother, father, and sister Amrita Arora. While she leaned on her fathers shoulders affectionately, her mother watched the father-daughter duo with a smile on her face. Amrita posed for the click with a pout and victory hand gesture. In the second slide, Joyce Polycarp enjoyed a scooter ride with Malaikas son Arhaan Khan when he was a youngster. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Malaika Arora (@malaikaaroraofficial) Some throwback photographs of Malaika and Amrita Arora with their mother also appeared in the heartwarming post. In one recent picture, the trio twinned in white ethnic ensembles at a park. The photographs serve as proof of Malaikas equation with her family. The last slide captured the actress decked up in a saree and posing alongside her parents and sister. A flurry of birthday wishes appeared in the comment section of the most. Actor Sanjay Kapoor and his wife Maheep Kapoor extended their heartfelt wishes to Joyce Polycarp. Happy Birthday, they wrote separately. Happy birthday Joycey, wished director Farah Khan Kunder. Happy birthday Aunty Joyce, commented Neha Dhupia. Earlier, in an interaction with Grazia magazine, Malaika Arora opened up about undergoing a tumultuous childhood following her parents divorce. My parents separation allowed me to observe my mother through a new and unique lens, she said before adding that her mum inspired her to be financially independent and live life on her terms. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Malaika Arora (@malaikaaroraofficial) Malaika Arora who was previously married to Arbaaz Khan is now in a relationship with Arjun Kapoor. I belong to a generation that saw the rise and rise of Dhirubhai Ambani, who thumbed his nose at the licence control regime, and who found ways around the control raj. We read the stories about Reliance Industries but most people winked at them as the horrible strangulation of industries. The other reason for letting these stories get buried was the tremendous value that Dhirubhai shared with the investors. His was the first Indian company that began from base zero and went on to make thousands of retail investors prosperous. Thus, he began receiving grudging appreciation. He always seemed down to earth, unaffected by MNCs bluster and could deal with foreign companies with a style that was almost nonchalant. Here I may make a disclaimer that I have zero interest in the share market and I do not hold a single share of Reliance. Then came the sad spectacle of two brothers fighting over a huge legacy. Low profile Mukesh plodded on, working day and night to nurture his Reliance group to be a global power in the Petrochem sector apart from creating world-class companies. He was typically a non-fashionable, low-profile good employer. I have heard how he pored over detailed drawings of his Petrochem plant and found a desi jugaad (solution) when his machines got damaged due to floods in the plant. There are legendary stories that I have heard first-hand about him conducting meetings before sunrise and providing sumptuous breakfast to his managers. I have heard such benefits and protection to the families of the employees that they felt that they were part of a large family. One could see the quintessential good-hearted shrimant of ancient Bharat in him. Yes, he makes his managers work hard, but creates such an unbelievable support system that families do not feel alienated as rewards reach the entire family. As Mukesh seemed to have become too big to be ignored as a social personality, one could see his religious and spiritual side in various functions. He has been unapologetic about his dharmic identity, and so has his entire family. Then, came the ambitious world-class project the grand opera house built on his premises with a commitment to the finest in the business. One cannot but gasp at the quality and grandness of this Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre that has fired up the theatre of Mumbai. Nita Ambanis avatar as the custodian of Indian art forms and handicrafts has enlivened the social landscape of Mumbai. All these actions of Mukesh and his wife, no doubt, created a very positive public image of the Ambani family; but they still seemed a distant rich family. Then, Anant Mukesh Ambani burst into the public domain. Nothing could have created the solid positive impact that Anant in a week achieved for the house of Ambanis. I saw him first on Network18 with Anand Narasimhan, and then on India Today with Rahul Kanwal. He is everything that a billionaire of the most powerful family of India should not be. He is humble, he is warm, he speaks Hindi without affectation and his love and respect for family flows forth unhesitatingly. He showed that his is a modern family that carries the most outdated values of the most important pillar of our civilisation our family and that is their strength. It has rung a bell in the hearts of millions who saw his recent interactions in the media. Bhagwan Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that people copy the leading persons of society. They do what the achievers do. Anant is a person who has been joked about but he has never bothered to respond to them, nor does he show any rancour towards the people who have talked in a condescending manner about him. His answer has come from his work. The person who created an entire universe for the animal kingdom in Jamnagar in what was once an arid desert-like region, kept quiet till his project had reached a stage where he could showcase it. And when he threw open his doors, people were left stunned. Not just stunned by the sheer size and quality of his creation but also his commitment to animals big and small. His love for his friends of the forest is so transparent that one cannot but be impressed. I am not an Instagram person, nor do I follow high-society people. I have cynicism for the high and mighty because of their apparent supercilious behaviour in society. But Anant has forced me to drop this cynicism for the present. I have met many humble highly successful industrialists. Most of the Gujaratis and Marwaris till the last generation I have met are so self-effacing that one feels humbled. However, their new generation does carry a swagger and does not hide its ego. That is why I found Anant like a breeze of fresh air. He seems believably genuine. He is thoroughly Swadeshi in his attitude, his business life and his love for his motherland and family. I hope others in the high society get inspired by him. As I close this note, I feel almost embarrassed because I never praise anyone unconditionally, even the most amazing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has unchained the genius of Bharat and brought us to the dawn of a new Bharat. My inherent cynicism whispers to me that chances are that I may be proven wrong and Anant may turn out to be as ruthless a businessman as any others and may act in a way that may betray his social responsibility over his business interests, and people may show me this piece in future. However, as of today, his scores rank him very high as the kind of industrialist that Bharat needs, and I believe most people will agree with me. Anant has done for the Reliance industry and the Ambani family image with his project and his personality what millions of dollars could not have done. May God bless him with a healthy and blissful married life. May he remain the apple of the eyes of his parents and siblings. The writer is a well-known author and political commentator. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. DISCLAIMER: Network18 and TV18 the companies that operate News18.com are controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary. In a social gathering to discuss changes ushered after the abrogation of Article 370, a young Kashmiri womans confident assertion stood out. Following the Kartapur Corridor and Ram Mandir inauguration, she said the Sharda Peeth Temple would soon open to all. The temple is currently located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). When queried as to what was the basis of her distinct conviction, she replied Modi ki Guarantee. But what is Modi ki Guarantee? Is it a mere catchphrase or an emotion? Is it an election slogan or something more tangible? To understand this, we need to trace back to May 2014, when Prime Minister Modi assumed office. Moulded by his humble beginnings, PM Modis sensitive governance model tectonically transformed the nation, now poised to become the worlds third-largest economy. Akin to the comic duties of the Trimurti, PM Modis salient role in Bharats developmental journey can be broadly classified as a creator, protector and destroyer. Creator PM Modi has created a strong edifice for a Viksit Bharat by ensuring the welfare of the poor, empowerment of women, well-being of farmers and enabling opportunities for youth. The Congress peddled the empty rhetoric of Garibi Hatao for decades, whereas in the past decade, nearly 25 crore Indians have been lifted out of multi-dimensional poverty. With imperative essentials having been provided and rural incomes rising, less than 5 per cent of Indians are below the poverty line. While previous governments were infamously known for their slum demolitions during the emergency, the Modi government has built over four crore geo-tagged pucca cement houses for the poor. Prior to 2014, there were only 2.19 crore water connections but today, 14 crore rural households have access to fluoride and arsenic-free clean drinking water. Before 2014, there were 15 crore bank accounts and in the last nine years of the Modi government, the number has increased to 51 crore with 55.5 per cent of women account holders. The abolishment of Triple Talaq and passage of the historic Womens Reservation Bill hitherto ignored by previous Congress governments has galvanised our nari shakti. With the PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana providing assured remuneration to 1.4 crore persons, unemployment rates have reduced from 5.8 per cent to 3.2 per cent in 2022-23. India emerged as the third largest start-up ecosystem globally and eight crore first-time youth entrepreneurs have availed credit through PM Mudra Yojana. Protector PM Modi has instilled faith in his role as a protector of our people. Nearly 55 crore vulnerable citizens are protected by the worlds largest health insurance plan funded by the Modi government. The Congress-led UPA rule was riddled with hapless farmer suicides. In stark contrast, PM Modi has ensured a safety net for farmers with the PM-KISAN scheme, benefitting over 11 crore farmers with Rs 2.6 lakh crore given as assistance. The PM Fasal Bima Yojana insurance scheme has given Rs 1.5 lakh crore in claims. During the pandemic peril, when the Opposition was impugning indigenous vaccines, PMs stellar leadership protected our people by administering more than 220 crore vaccination doses. Modi ki Guarantee is trusted not just in India but around the world. Whenever our citizens have encountered danger abroad, be it the Middle East, Sudan, Ukraine, Afghanistan and recently Qatar, PM Modi has been there for them. Destroyer While the UPA government was plagued by scandals, the Modi governments true secularism and social justice has been the non-discriminatory and honest delivery of schemes to people. An effective combination of digital infrastructure, complemented by Aadhar and Jan Dhan accounts, helped achieve this by rooting out corruption and brokers. When PM launched the United Payments Interface (UPI) in 2016, the Opposition mocked would the poor eat data or atta? The Modi government through Direct Benefit Transfer has transferred Rs 34 lakh crore for central schemes directly to the people without any pilferage. By identifying and removing 10 crore fake beneficiaries, 2.75 lakh crore has been saved. India achieved financial inclusion in seven years which would have otherwise taken 47 long years. Modi ki Guarantee symbolises the trust of the poor, the faith of our farmers, the hope of our women, the aspirations of our youth and their combined conviction in PM Modis leadership. Having experienced personal progress as a consequence of his governments performance, citizens across the nation rationally rely on PM Modis words Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas (Together with all, Development for all and Trust of all). Toiling tirelessly to secure their familys future, they intuitively believe that PM Modi and his government are there at every step of the way, sincerely supporting and enabling them to realise their dreams. This, in my understanding, is Modi ki Guarantee. CR Kesavan, a former member of the Prasar Bharati Board, is with the BJP. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. For an excruciatingly long period, the only attention Lakshadweep got was from school kids learning about Indias pristine islands for the first time. There was no real effort to capitalise on the tremendous strategic edge these islands could offer to the country. Much of it was due to the apprehension that rampant development and militarisation of Lakshadweep would hurt the natural ecosystem while also antagonising the people living down under. However, environmental conservation and the upkeep of strategic interests can, in fact, go hand-in-hand. The Modi government has realised the importance of these islands for maritime and national security in the region, and it is now making fast-paced moves to do what should ideally have been done long ago. As a result, Indian naval bases are now coming up in the Minicoy and Agatti Islands. Around the 4th or 5th of March, India will send the world, especially entities hostile to it in the immediate neighbourhood, a stern strategic message. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be aboard INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant carrier task forces and travel to Lakshadweeps Minicoy Island. The event will be a mega statement by India, as its defence minister flanked by nearly 15 warships, will travel to Minicoy Islands along with naval brass to inaugurate a naval base INS Jatayu. That both of Indias aircraft carrier task forces will be travelling to Lakshadweep for the inauguration of INS Jatayu along with destroyers, submarines and frigates is frankly a kind of military posturing that India has never undertaken in the region. Therefore, the message for both Pakistan and China is quite clear. The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is Indias strategic backyard, and attempts to undercut New Delhi will not be tolerated. The Indian government is also going to construct a new airfield in Agatti. The envisioned airfield aims to serve both commercial and military aircraft, with plans for a joint facility capable of accommodating fighter jets, military transport planes, and commercial flights. The planned extended airstrip at Agatti will enable the operations of Sukhoi-30 and Rafale aircraft, making India the dominant air power in the region. This airstrips development also aims to boost tourism around Lakshadweep and enhance Indias surveillance capabilities in and around the Arabian Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific region. Currently, the only airport in Lakshadweep is Agatti, located approximately 300 kilometres away from Minicoy. The Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands sit on the Nine Degree Channel, a crucial trade route carrying billions of dollars of commerce between Southeast Asia and West Asia. At least 12 ships travel across the Nine Degree Channel every minute. Like the Malacca Strait, the Channel is instrumental to international shipping. Like India has the ability to dominate the Malacca Strait, it wants to be in a similar position in and around the Nine Degree Channel as well. Interestingly, the Minicoy Islands are just about 500 kilometres away from the Maldives, which in recent months has taken a sharp pro-China turn, ruffling feathers in both the MEA as well as Indias defence establishment. For far too long, Indias overall maritime security strategy has been managed from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Indians know fairly well that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are Indias unsinkable and permanent aircraft carrier in the region. However, the fact that Lakshadweep could have had the same status all this while appears to not just have escaped the imagination of common Indians, but also the national security apparatus. Now that the raging conflict between Israel and Hamas has directly impacted global maritime shipping, especially in the Red Sea, India appears to be course-correcting with a sense of urgency not many foresaw. Apart from the rising threats to maritime shipping due to ongoing attacks by Iran-backed Houthis and various pirate groups, the emergence of China as a hostile force keen to chip away at Indian influence in the region is also concerning. This necessitates India to fortify its sovereign territories in the high seas. While the Andaman and Nicobar Island chain is well-equipped to tackle military challenges, Lakshadweep is not quite there yet. The new naval base, apart from the airfield capable of operating heavy-duty fighter aircraft, will definitely make India a dominating force in the region that can singlehandedly ensure the safety of international maritime traffic. Therefore, the world stands to gain from Indias mission to capitalise on the strategic value that Lakshadweep has to offer. Indias emergence as a leader in the regions development is hard to ignore. Just as India is equipping itself with strategic military assets in IOR, it is also extending a helping hand to friendly nations. Mauritius is one such nation with which India shares a robust bilateral relationship. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart, Pravind Jugnauth inaugurated an airstrip and a jetty in the Agalega Islands. PM Jugnauth said the airstrip and jetty will enhance the islands capacity and capabilities in marine surveillance and security. Meanwhile, Modi said that India and Mauritius are natural partners in the maritime domain who can deal with traditional and non-traditional challenges in the Indian Ocean Region. A Major Development Push in Lakshadweep is Now Underway Essentially, India is positioning itself as a security guarantor in the wider IOR. At the same time, India is also pumping in a lot of resources to develop the islands. The Modi government, for instance, has planned a Rs 3,600-crore-plus infrastructure upgrade for the Lakshadweep islands to transform them into a tourist hub. The development includes the establishment of port facilities at Androth, Kalpeni, and Kadmat islands, as well as the construction of beachfront and peripheral roads at Kadmat Island (East), Agatti Island (East), and Kavaratti Island. A total of 13 projects have been identified for the 36 Lakshadweep islands, which cover an area of 32 square kilometres and are located 220-440 kilometres off the Kerala coast in the Arabian Sea. During his January visit to the islands, PM Modi dedicated several key projects, including a submarine optical fibre cable connecting Kochi and Lakshadweep, a low temperature thermal desalination plant for Kadmat, a drinking water distribution project, and a battery-backed solar power project. The prime minister also laid the foundation stone for renovating the primary healthcare facility at Kalpeni and constructing model Anganwadi centres in the islands of Androth, Chetlat, Kadamat, Agatti, and Minicoy. The concerted and rather open development push in Lakshadweep has prompted private hotel chains such as Taj to open additional locations to establish opulent accommodations. The Taj Group has unveiled plans to introduce new hotels on the Suheli and Kadmat islands by 2026, with development overseen by the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL). Airlines such as SpiceJet have also announced their intention to initiate flight operations to Lakshadweep, further underlining the regions growing importance. The transformation of Lakshadweep from a picturesque destination to a strategic stronghold marks a significant shift in Indias maritime security and development priorities. The Modi governments recognition of the islands strategic value and subsequent investment in infrastructure and defence underscores a proactive approach to safeguarding national interests. With the inauguration of naval bases, construction of airfields, and comprehensive development projects underway, India aims not only to bolster its security posture but to also unlock the islands economic potential. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. The Krishi Parashara is the earliest known comprehensive guide to agriculture in India, believed to have been written around the 4th century BC, predating the Arthashastra. This treatise offers valuable insights into the practice of agriculture, including guidance on seasons, soil, and water conservation. It also sheds light on water management techniques specifically tailored for agricultural purposes. Even today, our agricultural practices largely adhere to the principles and teachings outlined in this ancient text. While modern techniques have been incorporated into farming, Krishi Parashara remains the foundation of Indian agriculture and serves as a testament to our agricultural heritage. In India, farming is not merely an occupation, but a sacred endeavour, a form of devotion to Mother Nature who graciously bestows upon us bountiful harvests. The World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference for this year was held in Abu Dhabi from February 26 to 29, 2024. Due to the lack of major agreements reached, the conference was extended to a reserve day on March 1. One of the most contentious issues that the WTO has been grappling with since its inception is agricultural subsidies (called Aggregate Measurement of Support in WTO terms) and public stockholding. In recent times, there has been a surge in agricultural protests globally, reflecting the growing discontent among farmers regarding working conditions, production costs, subsidies, food imports, and various other concerns. Even in India, farmers have been actively protesting. While the news of protesting farmers runs headlines today, criticising the government for its anti-farmer measures, the WTO negotiations that our country has been undertaking are not getting the right attention they truly deserve. What many may not realise is that India is currently the largest advocate for farmers rights worldwide. In Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture, members have agreed to engage in further discussions with the aim of achieving significant and gradual reductions in trade-distorting support, as part of a broader reform process. However, there exists a significant divergence of opinions on this matter among developed, developing, and underdeveloped nations. The Cairns Group, consisting of agricultural exporters from developed and developing countries, has proposed a 50 per cent reduction (or another agreed-upon percentage) in the global level of support that WTO members are entitled to provide for agriculture by the end of 2034. On the other hand, some emerging economies have suggested that members should first eliminate trade-distorting support that exceeds de minimis thresholds. These thresholds are defined as a proportion of the value of agricultural production and are set at different levels for developed and developing countries. While the Cairns Group advocates for the complete abolition of agricultural subsidies to promote liberalisation in the agricultural sector, various countries hold differing perspectives on this issue. These divergent opinions, shaped by domestic priorities, have made the negotiations on agriculture one of the most challenging and toughest in the world. India, in particular, has been a strong advocate for farmers worldwide and has been urging the international community to ensure a fair playing field in the agricultural sector for impoverished farmers. While there is no restriction on the quantity of food that governments can purchase at market prices through public stockholding programs, the assistance given to farmers via government-mandated minimum prices is viewed as distorting trade and must be included in a countrys cap on trade-distorting agricultural subsidies as per existing WTO regulations. Treating this as a distorting subsidy could impede the livelihoods of millions of farmers worldwide. In contrast to developed nations where large-scale farmers predominate, India and numerous other countries have a higher number of small and marginal farmers. This contentious matter was temporarily resolved in Bali through the peace clause, which prevented challenges to support provided by developing members under their public stockholding programs within the WTOs dispute settlement mechanism. However, developing countries were required to furnish additional details on the functioning of their public stockholding programs. The Nairobi Ministerial Conference in 2015 and the Buenos Aires meeting in 2019 did not offer a lasting solution to this issue. Nonetheless, the 2015 Nairobi Ministerial Conference saw a landmark decision by WTO members to eliminate export subsidies and establish new regulations for other types of export support. Although discussions on fishery subsidies took place in June 2022, countries were unable to reach a consensus on public procurement and agricultural subsidies, paving the way for ongoing negotiations in Abu Dhabi. According to the World Trade Organisation, the trade in agricultural products increased nearly five times between 2000 and 2022, from $300 billion to $1488 billion. The WTOs Trade Statistical Review for 2022 reveals that Indias share of agricultural exports and imports in global agriculture trade in 2021 was 2.4 per cent and 1.7 per cent, respectively. India ranked among the top 10 global agricultural exporters. In line with its WTO commitments, India informs the WTO of any new or modified domestic agricultural support measures implemented during the year on a regular basis. We have consistently advocated for our farmers by highlighting that developed countries, with greater financial resources, often provide higher levels of trade-distorting subsidies, which impact the global agricultural market. Developed countries have historically benefited from trade rules due to their higher economic capacity, advanced technologies, and fewer small and marginal farmers. Therefore, the total support measures provided to farmers in these countries should not be compared to those in developing countries like India. Our appeal for farmers support has garnered a positive response from countries around the world. Notably, even countries like China have backed us on several issues at the WTO. The G-33 coalition, consisting of 47 WTO member nations, stands in solidarity with Indias plea for agricultural subsidy reforms. In alignment with India, the coalition advocates for customised support for various agricultural landscapes. The coalition firmly supports Indias stance that developed and developing countries should not be treated equally in terms of overall support for our farmers. India has received significant backing from the Global South on a range of matters. We have effectively communicated to the international community the importance of food procurement, stockpiling, and distribution for a nations food security. We have consistently pushed for a revision in the methodology for calculating subsidies at the WTO, emphasising that essential food procurement for ensuring the food security of the population should be excluded from such calculations. Therefore, it is evident that India is at the forefront of advocating for the rights of impoverished farmers worldwide. This righteous battle that India is waging at the WTO is rooted in the values and principles derived from our rich cultural heritage. As the Vedas have taught us, India firmly believes Ksetrasya Patina Vayam Hiteneva Jayaamasi, meaning We invoke the Lord of the field by whose grace we indeed prosper. The Lord of the field is our farmer, and their benevolence leads us to prosperity. Our country has always prioritised the issues of our annadatas and will continue to do so. Adarsh Kuniyillam is a Parliamentary, Policy, and Political analyst from Kerala. He consistently contributes articles to both national and regional publications and has actively collaborated with various think tanks. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. Like you, even I had not heard of Mukundan M Nair, an LLB student at OP Jindal University who has been suspended for an entire semester. In my considered view, the suspension is a mere rap on the knuckle for what clearly is a case of unhinged hatred against Sanatana Dharma. In a viral video, Mukundan is openly instigating students on the university campus to replace all Hindu temples with mosques. The occasion for his hate speech was an event he had himself organised. The events title leaves nothing to the imagination: Ram Mandir: A Farcical Project of Brahmanical Hindutva Fascism. Going purely by the contents of the video, it is clear that Mukundan M Nair has been radicalised by the extremist forces of the Far Left. However, he is also the latest poster boy of the long-term success of the Communist project that began a century ago. The fact that he is pursuing a law degree and might someday become a lawyer is chilling. Since independence, every Leftist terrorist immaterial of the labels of Naxal, Maoist, etc who has been out on bail or has been acquitted has had committed lawyers defending him or her. Or think of the prospect of a Mukundan M Nair sitting on a bench of judges which is tasked to deliver the verdict on say, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. He is also a symbol of a familiar, untreated wound, which continues to fester. This wound is precisely what breeds the likes of Mukundan M Nair. In its broadest sense, it is the comprehensive and calculated destruction of the value and ideal of Indian education. You only need to destroy the ideal first. Everything woven around it, everything built on its edifice, will start to crumble and then bite the dust automatically. This destruction was accomplished singlehandedly by the Left in India after independence. And it has been on a scale far exceeding anything that even the British had done. One of the doyens of Indian philosophy and an eminent educationist, Prof M. Hiriyanna memorably declared that the aim of education is not to inform the mind but to form it. The Left literally overturned this profound philosophy and created an educational system that deforms minds. The ultimate tragedy of this destruction of education is the fact that it has occurred in Bharatavarsha, the worlds mothership of learning for uncountable centuries. Of all the cultural losses we have suffered, the devaluation of the natural and time-honoured authority of the Guru or preceptor is perhaps the worst and the most tragic. Among others, cinema has contributed a lions share to this devaluation. What initially began as a parody of teachers on screen quickly descended into their crude and vulgar depictions. By the late 1980s, teachers were typically portrayed as lower-middle-class losers, helpless and cowardly if not scheming. On a parallel track, the new wave or art house (sic) cinema spat out by the Leftist apparatus portrayed teachers as Marxist revolutionaries out to create a new equitable society by destroying these traditional Gurus, who symbolised regressiveness, superstition and oppression whose source was unsurprisingly the sacred annals of Sanatana literature. Such Marxist teachers are real. They continue to create a Gurmehar Kaur, a Kanhaiya Kumar, a Rohit Vemula and now, a Mukundan M Nair. And they teach everything except character, virtue and decency. These teachers are not merely failing the students, they are actively corrupting them and turning them into cannon fodder in service of the Far Left/woke ideology. Universities are their playgrounds. A study of the evolution of the Indian university system will prove eye-opening to say the least. Only 20 universities and 496 colleges existed throughout India in 1947. Today, that number has exploded to 54 central and 416 state universities, 125 deemed universities and 361 private universities. This is not counting the 159 institutes of national importance like IIT, IIM, NIT, etc. Whatever the reason, this sort of unchecked expansion is unhealthy, to put it mildly. The aforementioned metaphor of playground is the common theme uniting both public and private universities. Every university that has a Humanities department is a Far-Left theme park. Be it sociology, anthropology, history, language or law, the theme is the same: breaking India and dismantling Sanatana Dharma. In theory and practice. The establishment of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was the harbinger of and the tipping point in the recurring onslaughts of on-campus violence against the sovereignty of India. JNU professors brainwashed and tutored in Moscow and Beijing would use their students as cannon fodder in their war against India. And these students in turn would become lecturers and professors and do the same thing all over again. This sick, self-perpetuating vicious cycle spun for half a century. Anybody who has lived through that era will testify to the venomous atmosphere prevailing on university campuses back then. Thankfully, this Left-instigated on-campus violence is largely a thing of the past. But the entry of private universities took this dangerous game to a different level. Now, instead of a handful of JNU clones, the Left acquired nationwide playgrounds. Some of these private universities had wealthy international patrons who came armed with their own agendas. Ashoka University was the undoubted pioneer in this area. The Far Lefts penetration of this university is a case study in infiltration. When the blueprint for Ashoka was first floated, a respected, former NASA scientist and scholar (now deceased) described it as a retirement home for washed-up Nehruvians. Why does this university have condom vending machines on its campus? And why are we surprised and outraged at what has now emerged from the OP Jindal University? The ideology that created the Jawaharlal Nehru University still has a solid grip on the academia private and public. Mukundan M Nair is just the latest proof. Today, it is OP Jindal. Tomorrow, it could be any other university. But the questions that need to be asked are these: one, how many Mukundan M Nairs are still under the radar, working quietly but persistently to undo Indias Sanatana culture? Two, why arent the faculty members who produce such students not held accountable? On numerous occasions over the last two decades, I have written, appealed, begged and beseeched countless times that education needs a thorough overhaul which should go beyond the National Education Policy (NEP). In its foundational structure, framework, and implementation, we are still anchored to Macaulay in essence. In recent years, we have tinkered with it by adding another imitation the American university model. A new imagination and generational vision is required to fully break away from this debilitating clutch. We only hope that it happens soon. But in the interim, the urgent step is to clean up our campuses and save our children. The author is the founder and chief editor, The Dharma Dispatch. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) on Saturday announced its first list of 195 candidates for the ensuing 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Out of this list, 34 sitting union ministers are in the fray and from them 8 are from Rajya Sabha. Union Shipping Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, who is a sitting MP from the upper house will contest from Assams Dibrugarh. The former Assam Chief Minister will contest the seat in place of the sitting Union Minister, Rameshwar Teli. Union Civil Aviation Minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is a sitting Rajya Sabha member will contest from his home base in Guna, Madhya Pradesh. Jyotiraditya Scindia had lost that seat in 2014 to the BJP. In 2020, he jumped to the saffron party. The Gujarat twins, Mansukh Mandaviya and Purushotham Rupala will be in the electoral fray from their home state. Rupala has been a Rajya Sabha MP for more than two terms and he will be contesting from Rajkot. Mandaviya, who is also a two-term member, will be fielded from Porbandar. Another Union Minister who will try his fortune in the Lok Sabha election is Bhupender Yadav who will contest from Rajasthans Alwar. This seat was vacated after the sitting Member of Parliament, Baba Balaknath, contested and won in the recent assembly elections. Two Union Ministers who will try their fortune from the southern state of Kerala are in for an interesting contest. Minister of State for Information and Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar will be fitted against former minister of external affairs. While V. Muraleedharan will contest from Thiruvananthapurams Attingal. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has been repeated in the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls. At the same time, Home Minister Amit Shah, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani, Earth and Science Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal are amongst others, who are retained. Minister of State External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi has been replaced by Bansuri Swaraj. Incidentally, Bansuri Swarajs mother, Sushma Swaraj, was the external minister in Narendra Modis tenure from 2014 to 2019. Another minister in the government, Pratima Bhoumik is unlikely to get a seat since former chief minister of Tripura and Rajya Sabha MP Biplab Deb has been named to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Bhumik was one of those nine ministers in the Modi government from 2021 till date. With more lists expected in the coming few weeks, there are quite a few union ministers whose fortunes are still to be tested. Among the key names which are awaited to be announced includes that of Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is certain to contest from Odisha. Speculations are also rife that despite being given a Rajya Sabha term, Dr L Murugan maybe asked to contest from Nilgiri against A Raja from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party. With the target set of winning 370 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the task for the BJP has truly begun. Like the case of the recent assembly elections, early announcement of seats can help the BJP reap benefits. This is the same strategy that the saffron party seems to have adopted for one of its biggest agendas of securing a record 3rd term of government in the centre and Modi, becoming the prime minister for the third time in a row. On the explosion at Bengalurus Rameshwaram Cafe, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday alleged politics by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the incident and said the blast was carried out by a masked man who reached there by a bus. BJP is doing politics. Bomb blasts happened during their governance as well. Were they appeasing Muslims then? I condemn terrorists. We must not do politics, Siddaramaiah said in Mysore. The chief minister also informed that he will visit the victims in the hospital on Saturday and inspect the explosion spot. He also announced that the Congress government would bear all costs of treatment of victims injured in Fridays blast. Also Read: Bengaluru Cafe Blast Suspect Relished Rava Idli Before Planting Explosives, Investigators Say About the investigation into the blast, Siddaramaiah said that the man responsible for the explosion wore a mask, and cap and travelled in a bus adding that such explosions occurred during BJPs rule as well. A blast has indeed happened. One man who wore a mask and cap came on the bus. Ordered Rave idly at the counter. Then he went and sat in a place. He kept the timer and went. 9 are injured. All are out of danger. DCM and HM went to the spot. I will also go. We dont know who he is. His photos have come. Getting off the bus, taking tokens sitting there, and keeping the bag there. At the earliest, well find him, Siddaramaiah added. To a question whether any organisation was involved or was it by an individual, the Chief Minister said it is still not known.We will find the culprit, it will be easy as his visuals alighting from the bus, purchasing tiffin at the eatery, sitting at a place and placing a bag have all come. We will find him at the earliest, he added. In connection with alleged pro-Pakistan slogans raised by supporters of Congress leader Syed Naseer Hussain, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha, the chief minister said that his government is waiting for the Forensic Science Laboratory report. If the FSL report comes, well take action accordingly. We are not trying to protect anyone. Well punish those who have committed crimes, said the chief minister. Earlier, Siddaramaiah convened a meeting of senior Home Department officials today in the wake of the blast. On being asked about some reports suggesting similarities between the 2022 Mangaluru cooker blast and Fridays incident, CM Siddaramaiah said that investigations are also being conducted on the Mangaluru cooker explosion. Bengaluru Blast Case: Investigation Intensify The Karnataka police have intensified the investigation into the low-intensity bomb blast at a popular eatery here, in which 10 people were injured, officials said on Saturday. According to official sources, images of the suspects movement have been captured by the CCTV cameras at the Rameshwaram cafe in the Brookefield area and those nearby. Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said it is not possible to ascertain the involvement of any terror outfit at the time and the police are conducting an in-depth investigation into the bomb blast at the Rameshwaram Cafe. The investigating teams are also looking at similarities between Fridays explosion and the November 2022 Mangaluru cooker blast, sources said. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday sent a legal notice to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Jairam Ramesh for sharing a twisted, distorted version of one of his interviews on the microblogging site X. Gadkari alleged that the Congress shared a 19-second clip by concealing the contextual intent and meaning of his interview, adding that the sinister act was done with the sole intent to fan and create confusion, sensation and disrepute to him. According to an NDTV report, the factually incorrect video was an intentional attempt by the Congress leaders to insult and demean him, coupled with the intent to provoke members of the BJP to develop ideological rift, Gadkari added. He further claimed that the clip has resulted in big reputation damage, defamation and great loss of credibility. The interview has also been twisted, distorted and presented on your microblogging site X wall by uploading the above video which is bereft and devoid of contextual meaning, the notice by the BJP leader read. Gadkari then asked Congress to delete the post within 24 hours of receipt of this legal notice and also demanded a written apology within three days. In the video shared by the Congress, Nitin Gadkari was heard saying, Villages, poor, labourers and farmers are unhappyThe villages do not have good roads, there is no water to drink, there are no good hospitals, there are no good schools. The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways has accused Congress of clipping the parts where he mentioned what efforts were being made with good outcomes in the tenure of the present Union Government. (They) deliberately posted the Hindi captions and video by concealing the contextual meaning of the interaction which is deliberate and malicious to malign the reputation (of the minister), Gadkari said. The Congress is yet to respond to the notice. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated the BJP leaders named in the partys first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. The Prime Minister further expressed his confidence in the victory of the saffron party in the coming elections, scheduled to take place in the coming months. Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, I congratulate all those who have been nominated as our Partys candidates and wish them the very best. We are going to the people on the basis of our track record of good governance and ensuring the fruits of progress reach the poorest of the poor. I am sure that the 140 crore people of India will bless us yet again and give us even more strength in fulfilling their aspirations and creating a Viksit Bharat, he added. Our Party has announced candidates for some of the seats and will be announcing the rest in the coming days. I congratulate all those who have been nominated as our Partys candidates and wish them the very best. We are going to the people on the basis of our track record of Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 2, 2024 PM Modi to Fight From Varanasi For the 3rd Time Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi, the BJP announced on Saturday. The party announced its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming polls. This is the third time PM Modi will be contesting from Varanasi. In 2014, he defeated AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and registered victory by a massive margin. In 2019, he won against Samajwadi Partys Shalini Yadav. In 2014, I went to Kashi with a commitment to fulfil peoples dreams and empower the poorest of the poor. Over the last ten years, we have made significant progress across various sectors and worked towards a better Kashi, PM Modi tweeted, adding, These efforts will continue with even greater vigour. I would also like to convey a special gratitude to the people of Kashi for their blessings, which I cherish greatly. I thank the @BJP4India leadership and bow to the crores of selfless Party Karyakartas for their constant faith in me. I look forward to serving my sisters and brothers of Kashi for the third time. In 2014, I went to Kashi with a commitment to fulfil peoples dreams and empower Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 2, 2024 BJP Releases First List As per the list announced on Saturday, BJP fielded Union Home Minister Amit Shah from Gujarats Gandhinagar once again and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will fight from his seat Lucknow, in Uttar Pradesh. A total of 34 Union Ministers have been included in the list. Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani is the BJPs pick from Amethi, an erstwhile Congress stronghold. Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, has been given the New Delhi seat, while former Assam Chief Minsiter Sarbananda Sonowal will fight from the eastern states Dibrugarh seat. Reacting on her candidature from New Delhi seat, Bansuri while talking to reporters said, I feel grateful. I express gratitude towards PM Modi, HM Amit Shah ji, JP Nadda ji and every BJP worker for giving me this opportunity. With the resolution of ab ki baar 400 paar, every BJP worker will work to make Narendra Modi the PradhanSewak for the third time. On being fielded from Bilaspur constituency, BJP leader Tokhan Sahu said, I want to thank the central and state leadership The whole country has faith in PM Modi. Only Narendra Modi can take this country forward. The government has worked in every sector. On PM Modi government can fulfill the aspirations of the country The second big tech event of 2024 is done and dusted as the latest edition of the Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona comes to a close. Various tech companies use the platform to showcase their new products and also dazzle everyone with flashy concepts, something that we saw from brands like Lenovo, Motorola and Samsung among others. The best thing about MWC is that the less-known brands get a stage to talk about their products and get people excited. Like every year, the MWC 2024 had some interesting products that we might see in the market soon, while some may never make it out. Bendable Screens For The Win? Foldable screens have clearly gone mainstream in the past 12 months, which means brands are now eyeing the next exciting thing, which is bendable screen. Motorola and Samsung have showcased their bendable phones that wrap around your wrist. The tech behind these displays is likely to be costlier than the foldable panels but we do expect a market for this device in the next few years. Samsung entering this space suggests the tech is here to stay but were concerned about the durability of these screens and how much wear and tear they can withstand. Either way, it was fun to see people try out the screen-laden phones and lets hope they come to the market soon. AI Everywhere, Everything It was hardly surprising to see AI at the forefront of the MWC 2024 in Barcelona this week. Humane brought its AI Pin in front of the world, and even talked about plans to launch the Rs 60,000 costing device in India. If that wasnt enough, then we saw a smartphone interface that is completely app-free and runs on AI with personalised features likely to expand further. Qualcomm was never going to miss any talk about AI and the company announced the launch date for the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset later this year. Transparent Laptop Debuts Lenovo has shown its foldable laptops but now it has gone a level up with its concept transparent laptop. What it means is that the design is see-through and you have the lower part of the laptop working like a digital tablet that can help you take notes. The bezel-less screen adds more credence to the concept. But as expected, Lenovo didnt have anything to see about its launch, or how much it could possibly cost. Global Launches Xiaomi unveiled its 14 series for the global markets at the MWC 2024 this week, which includes the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. We also got a look at the Xiaomi electric car. Tecno was a surprising addition to the lineup and the brand showed its ambitions with a concept rollable screen on a phone, and also taking the Camon lineup to the premium segment. Samsung displayed the Galaxy Ring which will be coming out later this year with the new Galaxy foldables. Microsoft created the Phone Link app, which allows you to connect an Android smartphone or iPhone to a Windows PC. This may sound simple, but the app isnt perfect, so youll need a little patience to get it set up. Phone Link is Microsofts attempt to keep you in front of your Windows computer even when you use your Android device. The app connects your Android smartphone to your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, allowing you to see notifications, calls, and texts on your desktop. What Phone Link Can Do? Phone Link pairs your Android device with a Windows PC via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This enables the feature to mirror a significant portion of your phone's functionality to your PC. Check out what Phone Link has to offer: Send and receive text messages. Make and receive telephone calls. Mirror your phones notifications. View recent photos from your Android device. Control media playback. App mirroring. Instant Hotspot. Copy and paste across devices. Wireless File Sharing. How To Connect Android Phone to Windows PC Via Phone Link The Phone Link app is simple to set up and use. It requires you to use the Phone Link app on your Windows computer as well as the Link to Windows app on your Android phone. The Phone Link app is pre-installed on both Windows 10 and Windows 11, so all you need to do is ensure it is running the most recent version. You must first download the Link to Windows app to your Android phone, which you can do by clicking the link here. Once installed, heres how to connect an Android phone to a Windows PC using these apps: Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on your phone and computer. (Ensure that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network). Start the Phone Link app on your Windows PC and, if you haven't already, sign in with your Microsoft account. From the home screen, select Android. To speed up pairing, check the I have the Link to Windows app ready checkbox and select Pair with QR code. To grant the app access to your camera, open the Link to Windows app on your Android phone and select Link your phone and PC before clicking Continue. Point the device at the QR code displayed on your computer screen. Return to your phone, and when the app asks for permissions, tap Continue, grant the app the permissions it requests, and tap Done. On the Phone Link app, tap Continue and then click Get Started. Once connected, the linked Android should appear in the upper-left corner of the Phone Link app and be ready to use. Losing a phone can send shivers down anyones spine, but for a woman in Delhi, that nerve-wracking feeling lasted just a few hours, all thanks to the swift action of the Police. In a rare stroke of luck, the woman managed to reclaim her lost iPhone after the Delhi Police sprang into action, retrieving her phone in a mere three hours. Overflowing with gratitude, Ekta Thakur took to X to share her heartfelt appreciation. My deepest gratitude to HC Ajay Yadav, Anil yadav and Gajraj Rao who jumped to action about a lost iPhone in Munirka, recovered within 3 hours of losing it. Deeply indebted to their continued service in keeping Delhi safe. Thank you so much, read Ektas caption alongside her selfie with the head constables. The moment Ektas post hit the online sphere, it caught the attention of social media users far and wide. my deepest gratitude to HC Ajay Yadav , Anil yadav and Gajraj Rao who jumped to action about a lost iPhone in munirka , recovered within 3 hrs of losing it. Deeply indebted to their continued service to keeping Delhi safe. thank you so much. @DelhiPolice @dcp_southwest @CPDelhi pic.twitter.com/2iR5k8NWjH Ekta Thakur (@ektathakurvats) February 29, 2024 When questioned about the ordeal, Ekta shared, The police were extremely invested in getting the phone back from the minute they heard of the mishap in the auto. They took me to the police station, filed an FIR & got the IMEI number from Jios records & started tracking the phone. Upon learning that the FindMyFriends feature on her MacBook provided more accurate tracking, the police wasted no time. They joined forces with Ekta and her flatmate, scouring Munirka and RK (places in New Delhi) Puram until they narrowed down the phones location. Once we had narrowed down the location, they were tough in their interrogations of the auto drivers & retrieved my phone. They were extremely kind & wonderful to us & they even bought us dinner after! Hats off Delhi police! Ekta exclaimed. Delhi Polices official account also shared Ektas post, expressing gratitude: Thank you, Ekta ji, for sharing your experience and appreciating our service. Thank you, Ekta ji, for sharing your experience and appreciating our service!#DelhiPoliceCares pic.twitter.com/LcaFO3XAnM Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) March 1, 2024 Meanwhile, Mumbai Police also made headlines last year for aiding a UK vlogger in finding the iPhone he lost in an auto-rickshaw during Ganeshotsav. The YouTuber, Phil Bland, documented his nerve-wracking experience using his GoPro camera, from the moment he boarded the auto-rickshaw to the eventual recovery facilitated by the Mumbai Police. Bland, deeply appreciative of their assistance, shared his vlog on his YouTube channel, commending the police forces efficiency and dedication. The Internet is filled with ample funny videos that tickle the funny bones of viewers and give them a good belly laugh. Similarly, there was a viral clip of an Irish man telling a hilarious incident of himself outside a nightclub, when he bumped into a man who was presumably his doppelganger on social media. In the now-viral clip, the Irish man explains that when he was in a town called Langan Village, he ran into a man who looked similar to him. He recalled, I thought I was fighting in a mirror, right, come outside the nightclub, and I was like, Do I know you from somewhere? and he goes, Do I know you? Do you know? The man reminisced that he was wearing a Celtic jersey, but the green and yellow one specifically, and continued, I was about to throw a punch, and he looked at me in the eyes, and he goes, Am I your father? and I say to him, Am I your son? and we just hugged it out. Sounds like a heartwarming story, right? But thats not the end! Elaborating further, he concludes, Turns out that theres no relation at all, I just headbutted him and got taken away. But you know, it goes to show you that people are out there, you could know them! Wondering, it might just be up there with the plot twists. But, bursting the bubble, the truth behind the clip has been revealed. It might have looked authentic, but it turns out that this video was taken from the Irish television series Hardy Bucks, and not someones phone. The television series aired on RTE for four seasons over nine years, and produced this rib-tickling moment and countless more throughout its time on TV. In 2012, a movie was also made that followed the protagonists as they travelled to watch Ireland at the Euros in Ukraine and Poland. Actor Owen Calgan does an exceptional job portraying the character in the video, Billy Buzz McDonnell, the best friend of the main character Eddie Durkan (played by Martin Mahoney). The series depicts a bunch of slackers in their 20s and their lives in small-town Ireland. Watch the video below: The greatest 34 seconds in television history pic.twitter.com/pSxXAK0VuV Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) February 29, 2024 This 33-second video is making waves on the internet, garnering more than 10.7 million views on the micro-blogging site X (formerly known as Twitter). Social media users unbothered by the fact that the clip is from a television show, chimed into the comment section to share their take. One user commented, Hardy Bucks remains undefeated Irish television. Ah the cultural richness of Ireland. This is going in my collection of the funniest non-sequiturs ever uttered, expressed another user. Another posted, Still one of the funniest interviews of all time. Must have seen this at least 30 times and Im still dying, an account remarked with laughing emoticons. An individual added, Yep. Just another normal Irish conversation. Fair play. Government jobs have a special appeal among many. In addition to a good pay scale, government jobs offer social status, job stability, health insurance, housing, and a plethora of other benefits. However, bagging an employment opportunity in the government sector takes a lot of preparation, hard work, and dedication. So, when a night watchman managed to land not one but two government jobs, it definitely called for a remarkable moment. According to reports, after passing the competitive exams, 31-year-old Golle Praveen Kumar from Telangana got an appointment letter for the position of teacher at the postgraduate level. He has also been selected for the Junior Lecturers (JL) in the final list. Before acquiring two government jobs, Golle Praveen Kumar used to work as a night watchman at Osmania University, Hyderabad, reported Times Of India. His father is a mason worker while his mother is a beedi worker in the Mancherial district of Telangana. In an interaction with the outlet, the now government employee revealed that he agreed to do a watchmans job despite holding qualified educational degrees like MCom, BEd, and MEd so that he was able to prepare for the competitive examinations by studying in the morning. The man added that during his time as a watchman, he never felt like he was doing a job. All that mattered to him was getting the time to study, as government exams usually need a lot of time to prepare fully. I never felt like I was doing a job. I had a room, access to books and material, and time to study. And thats all that mattered, he said, as reported by TOI. Golle Praveen Kumar continued that he had specially requested the authorities of the Educational MultiMedia Research Center at the Osmania University premises to work as a night watchman so that it would enable him to devote his morning hours to studying. Thanks to Golle Praveen Kumars government appointments, he is now eligible to teach higher secondary students. Although he presently earns Rs 9,000 a month, these appointments stand as an opportunity for him to earn a hefty salary, anywhere from Rs 73,000 to Rs 83,000 per month. According to TOI, the man is looking forward to joining the Junior Lecturers (JL) job. The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Hindu Temple in Saudi Arabia capital Abu Dhabi, which opened to the public today, issued a series of guidelines to visitors regarding preferred clothing, bans and photography rules. The wait is over!#AbuDhabiMandir is now open for all visitors and worshipers.Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 9am-8pmEvery Monday: Closed for visitors pic.twitter.com/JnYvZoVSPk BAPS Hindu Mandir (@AbuDhabiMandir) March 1, 2024 BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, commonly known as BAPS, is a Hindu religious and social organization. It was founded in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj, a spiritual leader of the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism. BAPS operates a global network of approximately 1,550 temples, spanning from the iconic Akshardham temples in New Delhi and Gujarat capital Gandhinagar to Swaminarayan temples worldwide. The unveiling of the 108-ft tall temple by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month represented a milestone for the Hindu community in the UAE and strengthened bilateral relations. As it opened for the general public, these guidelines were issued by the temple authorities: Cover the area of the body between the neck, the elbow, and the ankles. Caps, t-shirts, and other clothing articles with offensive designs are not allowed. Do not wear translucent or tight-fitting clothing. Avoid clothing articles and accessories that make distracting noises or reflections. The website said pets are also not allowed inside the temple premises. No outside food and drinks are allowed. No drones are allowed within the temple premises. The authorities said that these guidelines must be followed to preserve the tranquil ambience and ensure the orderly management of our premises. At least 5,000 people celebrated the grand consecration ceremony of the temple by PM Modi in Abu Dhabi on February 14. The temple is built on a 27-acre site in Abu Mureika, near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway. The temple cost around 700 crore. The wait is over! Abu Dhabi Mandir is now open for all visitors and worshippers, the temple authorities said on a social media post while sharing a video of the temple. Sculpted following the Nagara style of architecture, the temples facade portrays universal values, tales of cultural harmony, Hindu spiritual leaders, and avatars. A couple from the US state of New Hampshire were charged $8,000 (roughly Rs 662,771) for changing their return flight by a New Zealand airline. The couple found out at the beginning of their four-month long vacation that the wife had roughly four months to live as she was diagnosed with terminal gallbladder cancer. Todd and Patricia Kerekes, 60 and 75, flew business class from New York to Auckland in January and had begun their 4-month long vacation. However, their plans were upended as Patricia Kerekes was diagnosed with cancer. When Todd Kerekes called Air New Zealand to help change their return flight and help them book the first available flight, they were told to pay the enormous fee. Right away on the first call I told them my wife was gravely ill, and we were on holiday and we needed to go back home, Todd was quoted as saying by Radio New Zealand. Todd said there was very little help from the airlines customer service and he finally paid $8,000 to return to the US. The amount the couple paid was nearly half of what they paid when they travelled from New York to Auckland. Sometimes the people would come back and basically tell me something I didnt want to hear, like it was gonna cost me $8,000 to change my flight. I was expecting a change fee (but) I was shocked, Todd told the New Zealand-based news outlet. He further added that he spent four hours speaking to Air New Zealand and clarified to them multiple times that it did not matter where they were allotted seats on the flight. They werent rude or unkind, but they were simply like, Look, this is the way it is and theres nothing we can do about it. And I was like, it was surprising to me that in a situation where I was that they couldnt be more helpful, he further added, lamenting that the airline did not bother to offer compassionate options. He also said that he expected Kiwis (residents of New Zealand) to be much nicer compared to New Yorkers. I grew up in New York, outside of New York City, and New Yorkers are unfriendly. We just tend to be brusque. But Kiwis are downright nice to the point where people were arguing with us that people arent really as nice as we thought they were, Todd further explained. Meanwhile, the airline apologised to the couple and gave a full refund to the couple this week after they reached the US. Its clear we fell short of expectations and our compassionate care policy was not followed in this case. We have reached out to Kerekes to apologise and issue a full refund for the additional costs incurred to change their original flights, Air New Zealand general manager Alisha Armstrong said in a statement. Once again we apologise for how this case was handled and our thoughts are with Mrs Kerekes at this time, the statement said. A fundraiser has been launched to collect funds for the funeral of Amarnath Ghosh, a professional Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer from Kolkata, who was shot dead in the US state of Mississippi. His death is the latest in the series of deaths of Indians and Indian-origin individuals in the US. More than half a dozen cases of Indians and Indian-origin people being killed in the US have surfaced since the beginning of this year. My friend #Amarnathghosh was shot & killed in St louis academy neigbourhood, US on tuesday evening. Only child in the family, mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood. Well the reason , accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one Devoleena Bhattacharjee (@Devoleena_23) March 1, 2024 The loss of Amarnath has left us all devastated, and his absence is deeply felt within our Kuchipudi group. In light of this, we are reaching out to our community for support. Amarnath was a dedicated student of the renowned Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam Garu. He was pursuing his Masters at Washington University in St. Louis while serving as faculty at the Kuchipudi Art Academy, where he shared his passion and expertise, enriching our lives with his talent and dedication, the GoFundMe page set up for him said. He is our faculty in our Kuchipudi dance school.We are trying to see if we can claim body and do the arrangements.https://t.co/QhESUSNmdt ravi (@ravikuppa) March 1, 2024 The news of his death in the US garnered national attention after actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee shared the news of his death on social media site X. Devoleena said Amarnath was her friend and urged the Indian government to ensure strict action is taken against culprits. Consulate is extending all help to relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh. Taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack. @IndianEmbassyUS @MEAIndia India in Chicago (@IndiainChicago) March 2, 2024 The Indian government responded to the news and said they are in touch with their American counterparts and are following the probe into the matter. Deep condolences to family & friends of deceased Amarnath Ghosh in StLouis, Missouri. We are following up forensic, investigation with police & providing support. (The) Consulate is extending all help to relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh. (It has) Taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack, the Indian consulate in Chicago said. At least we should know the reason (behind) his murder, she wrote on social media site X. My friend Amarnath Ghosh was shot and killed in the St Louis Academy neighbourhood, US on Tuesday evening. Only child in the family, (his) mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood, she further added. She also said that some of her friends in the US are trying to claim the body. St. Louis police officials said they found a man suffering from multiple gunshots around 7 pm Tuesday near Delmar Boulevard and Clarendon Avenue. He died at the scene, and police have not released his name. Amarnath Ghosh was pursuing a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in dance at Washington University in Saint Louis. His research focused on the works of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, according to his profile on the Washington Universitys website. Avraham Gil, the son of Israeli diplomat Eli Gil, who is the consul for administration at the Israeli Consulate in Miami, was beaten up when he went to a Florida jail to update his mugshot. 19-year-old Avraham has been placed under house arrest for running over a cop with his motorcycle. Blake Elvis Ermus, 32, beat up Avraham inside the jails holding cell over a conversation about sausages. Avraham ran over the cop, a Sunny Isles police lieutenant, last month. Was having a conversation with the defendant (Ermus) about the ingredients of the sausages. At some point, the defendant approached the victim and punched him multiple times, an incident report obtained by the local news outlet WPLG said. Ermus was held in jail for a misdemeanour domestic battery charge and after the attack on Avraham he was charged with felony battery by a detainee. Gils new mugshot shows him more sober, contained. His previous mugshot captured him crying and distraught, with unkempt hair. Prosecutors requested that the diplomats son be placed on house arrest as his driving was dangerous to the public. Avraham faces aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence charges and both of them are felonies, which means these are crimes that are serious enough to be punishable by imprisonment. Januarys incident was not the first time the diplomats son had problems with law enforcement officials. He has had multiple run-ins with cops as he drove around the Miami area on his motorbike. Just had a motorcycle come and run me over. Ive got one subject in custody, the injured police officer said over his radio in audio obtained by Miami-based local news outlet Local10 said. Despite the incapacitating injury, the cop grabbed Gil off his bike and brought him to the ground. Gil told officers that he was weaving through the vehicles because he hates waiting behind traffic, according to a report by the Miami New Times. Gils lawyer unsuccessfully tried to get the charges dropped by claiming that because he was a diplomats son he has consular immunity. He was considered ineligible to receive the immunities that diplomats and their families in the US are granted. The Department is aware of this incident. We can confirm that, as the dependent of an Israeli consular officer, the concerned individual is not entitled to civil or criminal immunity, the US State Department said in a statement obtained, according to NBC Miami. He will appear once again in court on March 12. The lawyers of a Tesla shareholder who helped void Elon Musks enormous 2018 compensation package have asked a court in the US state of Delaware for nearly $6 billion in legal fees, paid in company shares. In a filing Friday with the Delaware Chancery Court, the three legal firms acknowledged the unprecedented size of the fees they are requesting but argued that winning the case in January provided enormous benefits to the carmaker. The size of the requested award is great because the value of the benefit to Tesla that Plaintiffs Counsel achieved was massive, the firms said. The court in January approved the annulment of Musks 2018 enormous compensation agreement worth $55.8 billion, siding with Tesla shareholder Richard Tornetta, who claimed Musk was overpaid. The firms asked the court for reimbursement of costs incurred, which they estimate at $1.12 million, as well as 29.4 million Tesla shares, which were listed at $202.64 per share at the close of Wall Street on Friday. In an unusual request, the firms want the entire amount, $5.96 billion at todays price, to be paid in Tesla shares. This would represent a little under 1 percent of Teslas total capital but would place the firms, combined, among Teslas 10 largest shareholders. When contacted by AFP, the law firms and Tesla did not immediately respond. In her ruling, Delaware Chancery Court Judge Kathaleen McCormick said the process of approving Musks compensation was deeply flawed. In response, the South Africa-born billionaire asked Tesla shareholders to support a transfer of the companys registration from Delaware to Texas. US President Joe Biden on Friday said that the US will start airdropping much needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war for Palestinians who are facing the double blow of war and a threat of a famine, according to the Associated Press. Heres what you need to know: WHEN WILL THE AIRDROPS START? The US and Israels neighbour Jordan will coordinate the alerts. Jordan earlier made several rounds of airdrops into Gaza in recent months. The US and Jordans joint aid operation in the Palestinian war-struck coastal enclave will begin in the coming days. WHY NOW? The decision by the Biden administration came after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured on Thursday after Israeli soldiers allegedly open-fired on Palestinians trying to access aid in northern Gaza. Israel claims that the Palestinians seeking food and aid moved in such a way that endangered their security after which they opened fire at the Palestinians aid seekers. Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy, while Israel has said it fired only when its troops felt threatened and that most of the civilian casualties were from trampling. What is being delivered The first deliveries are expected to be pallets of food - military rations known as MREs with other assistance potentially to follow. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby didnt offer a more exact timetable for the airdrops but indicated that there will be several aid drops. The US has been pushing Israel to speed the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and to open a third crossing into the territory, but Fridays violence showed the challenges no matter the circumstances. The loss of life is heartbreaking, Biden said Friday as he announced his decision to order airdrops. People are so desperate. HOW WILL THE US ENSURE AID GETS TO WHERE ITS NEEDED? Asked how the US would keep the supplies from falling into Hamas hands, Kirby told reporters that the US would learn over the course of the aerial operation. Theres few military operations that are more complicated than humanitarian assistance airdrops, he said. Kirby said Pentagon planners will identify drop locations aiming to balance getting the aid closest to where its needed without putting those on the ground in harms way from the drops themselves. The biggest risk is making sure nobody gets hurt on the ground, Kirby said. He said the US is also working through how the airdropped aid will be collected and distributed once its on the ground. WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? The Biden administration thinks the airdrops will help address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, but they are no replacement for trucks, which can transport far more aid more effectively though Thursdays events also showed the risks with ground transport. Kirby said the airdrops have an advantage over trucks in that planes can move aid to a particular location very quickly. But in terms of volume, the airdrops will be a supplement to, not a replacement for moving things in by ground. Maritime Corridor The US and allies have tried to broker a new temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel that would see the release of more hostages held by the militant group in Gaza, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and an up-to-six-week pause in the fighting. If a ceasefire were secured, the US hopes it would allow large quantities of aid to flow into Gaza over a sustained period of time. Biden on Friday also said the US was working with allies on establishing a maritime corridor to provide assistance to Gazans from the sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday urged the West to deliver more air defence systems as a wave of Russian missile, drone and artillery strikes killed at least ten people. Seven were confirmed dead, including a three-month-old baby and two-year-old child, after an overnight drone strike on the southern port city of Odesa. Separate shelling attacks on the frontline Kharkiv, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions killed another three, Ukrainian officials said. Russia continues to hit civilians, Zelensky said in a post on social media. We need more air defences from our partners. We need to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield to add more protection for our people from Russian terror. More air defence systems and more missiles for air defence systems save lives, he said. Ukraine is currently on the back foot in the two-year war as a crucial $60-billion aid package is held up in the United States congress. In Odesa, a nine-storey building was destroyed as a result of an attack by Russian terrorists, Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said on Saturday in a post on Telegram. The attack killed at least seven people, including a three-month-old baby, Klymenko said. Another child, aged two, was also among the dead, Odesa region Governor Oleg Kiper said on state TV. Around 10 people were still unaccounted for, with almost 100 rescuers set to continue a search and rescue operation overnight. Footage shared from the scene showed several floors of a residential building collapsed and its facade ripped off. Ukraines air force said falling debris from Russian drones it had shot down fell onto residential buildings in both Odesa and Kharkiv. Separate shelling attacks in the frontline regions of Kharkiv in the northeast, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south killed three more, the provincial heads said. SITUATION AT FRONT DIFFICULT, BUT CONTROLLED The attacks came with Russia seeking to press its advantage on the battlefield. Kyiv has admitted it is heavily outgunned and outnumbered, facing ammunition shortages amid aid delays. Half of all promised Western ammunition arrives in the country late, the defence minister has said, in what he called critical delays that cost lives and territory. Russian forces have advanced westwards following last months capture of Avdiivka, and have seized several small villages in recent days. Visiting frontline military posts on Saturday, Ukraines new Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said the situation at the front remains difficult, but controlled. Kyiv also appeared to have launched its own overnight drone attack that damaged a residential building in Saint Petersburg, Russias second city. Videos on Russian social media showed what appeared to be a drone spiralling downwards into the building, triggering an explosion, blowing out windows and causing small fires. The citys National Guard division said its preliminary assumption was that the damage was caused by a falling drone. Ukrainian media reported that the drone was shot down by Russias air defences while targeting an oil depot around a kilometre from the crash site. Kyiv has hit several Russian oil facilities in recent months in what it has called fair retribution for Moscows attacks on Ukraines power grid. Russias Investigative Committee said separately that four of its officials had been injured when a Ukrainian drone dropped explosives over the Bryansk border region. Russia also expressed outrage at a leak of confidential German army talks in which officers allegedly discussed missile strikes on the annexed Crimean peninsula. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday promised a full investigation after the head of Russias state-run RT outlet posted the alleged leaked recording on social media, in a potentially huge embarrassment for Berlin. A spokeswoman for the German defence ministry on Saturday confirmed that a secret air force conversation had been tapped, but that they could not say for certain whether any changes had been made to the conversation in the leaked audio file. Russias foreign ministry demanded a prompt explanation from Berlin, while Moscows top diplomat Sergei Lavrov said it showed Ukraines European backers were intent on inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield. Vietnams fruit and vegetable exports surged 38% to about $749.7 million in the first two months and is expected to peak at nearly US$7 billion this year. The sector is hoped to remain a bright spot in 2024 as many businesses reported that order books are full until the end of the first quarter, according to the Lao Dong newspaper. Durian alone would will bring in $3.5 billion after the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the General Administration of Customs of China signed a protocol on phytosanitary requirements for the Vietnamese fruit exported to the neighboring country last year, said Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association. Although shipments to Europe and the U.S. are forecast to be hindered by the Red Sea tension in the time ahead, exports to China will be boosted, driven by durian, dragon fruit, jackfruit, banana, and mango, he added. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said four more Vietnamese products will be shipped to China via the official channel in the time ahead, comprising medicinal herb, coconut, frozen fruit, and watermelon, thus contributing greatly to Vietnams agricultural export revenue. According to statistics from the General Department of Customs, Vietnams fruit and vegetable export turnover hit an estimated $5.6 billion last year, up 66% year-on-year. Surpassing dragon fruit, durian recorded the highest export value. The largest importers of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables included China, the U.S., the Republic of Korea, Japan, Thailand, the Netherlands, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia. China remained the biggest buyer, with the import turnover reaching $3.7 billion in the year, up nearly 250% in value and 65% in market share compared to 2022. The abortion pill mifepristone will become available with a prescription at CVS and Walgreens stores in certain states this month, the companies said Friday. The pharmacy chains, the largest in the nation, have received certification to dispense the medication under FDA guidelines issued last year, the New York Times reports. President Biden on Friday encouraged pharmacies to apply for the certification. The step marks "an important milestone in ensuring access to mifepristone, a drug that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as safe and effective for more than 20 years," Biden said. The companies said they'll distribute the pill in accordance with state laws, per the Wall Street Journal. That would mean mifepristone won't be available at stores in states that don't permit abortions to be performed through 10 weeks. The rollout will begin in a few states, the chains said; CVS said sales will begin this month in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Walgreens will start as soon as next week in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California, and Illinois. Abortion pills are already available in clinics in those states or in the mail after being prescribed through telemedicine, per the Times. Katie Daniel, of the anti-abortion rights group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, called the companies' new policy shameful, saying the Biden administration is trying to turn "every pharmacy and post office in America into an abortion center." Kirsten Moore, of the Expanding Medication Abortion Access Project, praised the decisions. "Today's announcement from CVS and Walgreens shows what we have always known: medication abortion can and should be treated as any other FDA-approved medication," she said. (More mifepristone stories.) The first rioter to enter the US Capitol building during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack was convicted on Friday of charges that he interfered with police and obstructed Congress from certifying President Biden's 2020 electoral victory. Michael Sparks, 46, of Kentucky, jumped through a shattered window moments after another rioter smashed it with a stolen riot shield. Sparks then joined other rioters in chasing a police officer up flights of stairs, the AP reports, one of the most harrowing images from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. US District Judge Timothy Kelly is scheduled to sentence him on July 9. A federal jury in Washington, DC, convicted Sparks of all six charges that he faced, including two felonies. Sparks didn't testify at his weeklong trial. Sparks, wearing a tactical vest, was the "tip of the spear" and breached the Capitol building less than a minute before senators recessed to evacuate the chamber and escape from the mob, Justice Department prosecutor Emily Allen said during the trial's closing arguments. "The defendant was ready for a civil war. Not just ready for a civil war. He wanted it," Allen told jurors. Defense attorney Scott Wendelsdorf conceded that Sparks is guilty of the four misdemeanor counts, including trespassing and disorderly conduct charges. But he urged the jury to acquit him of the felony chargescivil disorder and obstruction of an official proceedingsaying Sparks immediately left the Capitol when he realized that Vice President Mike Pence wouldn't succumb to pressure from then-President Donald Trump to overturn Biden's victory. Allen said Sparks knew that he broke the law but wasn't remorseful, per the AP. "I'll go again given the opportunity," Sparks texted his mother a day after the riot. (More Capitol riot stories.) A flight from the Dominican Republic to North Carolina made an emergency stop in the Turks and Caicos Islands this week after a woman fell ill during the trip and later died. A Wednesday social media post from the archipelago's police force, which deemed the incident a "sudden death," noted that shortly after 6pm local time on Wednesday, they received a call from air traffic control asking for medical assistance for a 41-year-old female passenger who was said to be receiving CPR on board Flight 2790. The flight from Punta Cana bound for Charlotte was then diverted to Turks and Caicos to attend to the woman's "medical needs," an airline spokesperson says in a statement, per People. Upon landing, the woman was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The woman hasn't yet been publicly IDed, but FOX59 reports she was from Central Indiana. One commenter on the police's Facebook post claimed to be the woman's sister-in-law, noting that the deceased was the mom "of 2 beautiful children with big hearts and straight A's at school," per the Daily Beast. Another commenter replied to that remark and said she'd been a fellow passenger on Flight 2790 and seen the woman and "her husband/companion board and shared a laugh." Police say an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death. (More American Airlines stories.) The US made its first airdrop of humanitarian aid in Gaza on Saturday afternoon, when three Air Force cargo planes delivered 66 pallets by parachute, a total of 38,000 ready-to-eat meals. US Central Command said the mission was carried out with Jordan's air force, the New York Times reports. The bundles were dropped on the beach along the Mediterranean coast, per the AP , a spot the statement said was chosen for its civilian access. The military said the drops, which President Biden announced on Friday in response to the humanitarian crisis, "are part of a sustained effort to get more aid into Gaza, including by expanding the flow of aid through land corridors and routes." Humanitarian aid veterans criticized the drops as ineffective, costly, dangerous, and an option of last resort. Oxfam, an international group, does not support the deliveries, per the Washington Post. The International Rescue Committee said, "Airdrops are not the solution to relieve this suffering, and distract time and effort from proven solutions to help at scale." The head of a UN agency for Palestinian affairs said on Thursday that opening the crossings into Gaza and having truck convoys bring in supplies, including medical aid, would be more productive. Jordan dropped 33 tons of medical supplies, food, and other items in Gaza on Thursday, for example; that's a lot but not close to enough to sustain the population of 2 million. The US drop included no water or medical aid, per CNN. An American official told Axios more airdrops should follow soon, but the weather forecast for Gaza on Sunday predicts poor conditions. "The fact that today's airdrop was successful is an important test case to show that we can do this again in the coming days and weeks successfully," a White House official told reporters in a call. (More Israel-Hamas war stories.) Students at the University of Sydney Quadrangle Clocktower in Australia in 2020. Photo by Unsplash/Ethan Shi Australian universities are witnessing a surge in international student applications but a government crackdown has led to record low student visa approval rates. The approval rate for student visa applications was consistently above 90% between 2006 and 2022, according to official data of the Australian government. However, it dropped to 86% for the 2021-2022 school year and then fell to the record level of 81.5% for 2023-2024. ICEF Monitor, an international education information site, said in a new report that predictions based on these approval rates suggest that Australia might see about 90,000 fewer student visa holders this school year compared to last school year. The Australian government for the last few years has been rolling out more stringent study visa regulations to curb the entry of 'non-genuine' students into the country. During the 2022-23 period, over 510,000 migrants, including 270,000 international students, arrived in Australia, a significant rise from the 170,000 international students recorded pre-pandemic in 2018-2019. According to government data, there were 768,000 students in Australia between January and October last year, marking a 29% increase from the previous year. The influx is reported to have contributed to a housing crisis, exacerbating cost-of-living pressures and causing growing discontent among Australians. A Reuters report last December said the country would "tighten visa rules for international students and low-skilled workers, as the government looks to overhaul what it said was a broken migration system." The Australian Department of Home Affairs said earlier that about 20% of international students were not granted visas in the second half of 2023, the highest figure in three years. Lu Thi Hong Nham, director of Duc Anh Education Consulting and Translation Company, told VnExpress last month that when Australia relaxed visa policies after the pandemic, many businesses took advantage of it to bring laborers to Australia under the name of studying abroad. "The Australian government is cleaning up where it needed to make room for serious and capable international students," she said. So far, a number of policy changes have been made towards international students, including restrictions on student work hours to less than 48 per fortnight, a requirement for students to demonstrate savings of AU$24,000 before obtaining a visa. Additionally, restrictions have been placed on students changing from a high-cost to a low-cost college within their first six months in Australia, a tactic commonly exploited by agents to circumvent immigration laws. Prospective students must now pass a Genuine Student Test, which replaces the Genuine Temporary Entrant Test as measure to assess whether applicants genuinely intend to stay in Australia temporarily for the purpose of study. The English proficiency requirement for undergraduate international students increased from IELTS 5.5 to 6 and for postgraduate programs. At the same time, universities are ranked based on their risk level, which is calculated using previous student data. For those with higher risks, the visa application process will take more time. Additionally, starting from the middle of this year, Australia will adjust its post-study work rights policy for international students, reducing the duration international graduates can stay in the country for work purposes. According to the Australian Department of Education, as of last October, the country hosted about 768,000 international students, with the largest groups from China, India, and Nepal. Vietnam ranks sixth with over 31,000 students studying in Australia. Germany says it will investigate after a recording leaked of a conversation between several top-ranking German officers on the country's Ukraine war strategy. During the conversation, posted online by the head of Russia's state-backed RT channel, Margarita Simonyan, air force officers discuss the possible delivery of Taurus weapon systems to Ukraine as well as the potential targeting of the Kerch Bridge, which connects the annexed Crimean peninsula to mainland Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the leak a "very serious matter." AFP | Miami, United States The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com A former US ambassador to Bolivia charged with spying for Cuba for four decades told a judge on Thursday that he will plead guilty. Victor Manuel Rocha, 73, was arrested in December for what US officials called "one of the highest-reaching and longest-lasting infiltrations of the United States government by a foreign agent." Rocha pleaded not guilty two weeks ago to charges of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government but he told Judge Beth Bloom at a pre-trial conference on Thursday that he wanted to change his plea. A date of April 12 was set by the court for Rocha to formally change his plea to guilty and for sentencing. Rocha, a naturalized US citizen originally from Colombia, allegedly began aiding Havana as a covert agent of Cuba's General Directorate of Intelligence (DGI) in 1981, and his espionage activities continued until his arrest, according to US authorities. Attorney General Merrick Garland, announcing Rocha's arrest, said he had "repeatedly referred to the United States as 'the enemy'" and "repeatedly bragged about the significance of his efforts." Rocha joined the State Department in 1981 and rose through the ranks as a career diplomat, also serving in posts in Havana, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, the Dominican Republic and Washington. Rocha served on the National Security Council from 1994 to 1995 in the administration of president Bill Clinton and was the ambassador to Bolivia from 2000 to 2002 under Clinton and George W. Bush. He also served as an advisor to the US military command responsible for Cuba. The criminal complaint against Rocha details how, over multiple meetings with an undercover FBI agent beginning in November 2022, he "behaved as a Cuban agent," praising the communist-ruled island's late leader Fidel Castro and "using the term 'we' to describe himself and Cuba." He admitted traveling to Havana in 2016 or 2017 to meet with his DGI handlers and asked the undercover agent to send "my warmest regards to the Direccion," referring to the DGI. Other Americans arrested for leaking secrets to Havana have included Walter Kendall Myers and Gwendolyn Myers, who were indicted in 2009 on charges of spying for Cuba for nearly 30 years. - 'Assassinated' by Cuba - Rocha additionally faces a lawsuit filed Thursday in Florida by the widow of Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya. She alleges Rocha was responsible for the death of her late husband, the 2002 winner of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for human rights, in a car crash in Cuba in 2012. A court document claims that "the Cuban terrorist dictatorship assassinated Mr. Paya with impunity" as a direct result of Roche's "actions as a covert agent for the Cuban terrorist dictatorship and its intelligence-gathering mission against the United States." Another Cuban dissident, Harold Cepero, also died in the same car crash, while two others in the vehicle survived: Spanish politician Angel Carromero and Swedish conservative politician Jens Aron Modig. Cuban authorities blamed the crash on Carromero, who was driving, but he claims the car was struck by a Cuban secret service vehicle. In a report published last June, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) concluded that Cuban state agents participated in the dissidents' deaths. "I seek what I have sought all along: for the truth, for justice, and for the regime and its accomplices" to "stop acting with impunity," Paya's widow Ofelia Acevedo said in a statement. WINDSOR, ON, March 1, 2024 /CNW/ - The over 600 members of Unifor who work at GreenShield Canada's Windsor and Toronto offices went on strike just after midnight on March 1. "It is extremely disappointing that a deal could not be reached," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. Unifor Local 673 members at the picket line in Toronto after GreenShield Canada workers went on strike, after the company refused to offer a fair wage increase and to address the key issue of job security and contracting out. (CNW Group/Unifor) Unifor Local 240 members in Windsor, Ont. at the picket line after GreenShield Canada workers went on strike just after midnight on March 1. (CNW Group/Unifor) "Our bargaining committee worked hard to get there, but it takes two to tango. We expect the employer to come to the bargaining table with the goal of actually getting an agreement that our members can support." Members from Unifor Locals 240 in Windsor and 673 in Toronto hit the picket line after the company refused to offer a fair wage increase and to address the key issue of job security and contracting out. The locals say the strike will affect plan members, as there was already a staff shortage. "The main concerns are job security and contracting out language. Our bargaining committee worked hard to get to an agreement, but the employer simply would not provide assurances that our members' work would not be taken away," says Unifor Local 240 President Jodi Nesbitt. Over the past three years, the company has eroded the locals' bargaining unit work, provided no growth or commitment to our members, and has outsourced bargaining unit work. "It's very disappointing," said Unifor Local 673 President Maryellen McIlmoyle. "GreenShield purchased a lot of entities over the years, and we just want to ensure job security isn't being outsourced. This is the first time in 65 years in GreenShield's existence there has been a strike." The affected members are adjudicators, call centre representatives, work in accounting, client administration and provide IT services. There are over 580 union members in Windsor and 24 union members at Local 673 in Toronto. The union and the company have been negotiating a new collective agreement since Jan. 15. The last contract expired on Feb. 29, 2024. Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad and strives to create progressive change for a better future. SOURCE Unifor For further information: Please contact Unifor National Communications Representative Jenny Yuen at [email protected] or (416) 938-6157. A roundup of the most newsworthy press releases from Cision Distribution this week TORONTO, March 1, 2024 /CNW/ - With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on Cision. To help journalists and consumers stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a recap of some major stories from the week that shouldn't be missed. The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download. Cision Canada - The Weekly Round-Up (PRNewsfoto/Cision Canada) Read more of the latest releases from Cision, see our resources for journalists, and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @cnwnews. About Cision Canada Cision is a comprehensive communications platform enabling more than 100,000 public relations and marketing professionals around the world to understand, influence and amplify their stories. As the market leader, Cision enables the next generation of communication professionals to strategically operate in the modern media landscape where company success is directly impacted by public opinion. Cision has offices in 24 countries through the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and offers a suite of best-in-class solutions, including Newswire, Brandwatch, Cision Communications Cloud and Cision Insights. To learn more, visit www.cision.ca and follow @CisionCA on Twitter. SOURCE Cision Canada For further information: For questions, contact the team at [email protected]. The construction site of Long Thanh airport in 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered acceleration of Long Thanh airport completion to the first six months of 2026 and Tan Son Nhat's third terminal by April next year. The PM directed the state-owned Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), which manages and operates all civil airports in Vietnam, to push progress and make sure that all relevant units, officers, engineers, and workers speed up their work this year and next so that Long Thanh International Airport will be completed and put into use within the first half of 2026, according to a notice released by the Government Office. The PM made the decision, signed on Feb. 18, following his field trip to inspect the two projects of Long Thanh airport in Dong Nai Province and the T3 domestic terminal of the neighboring Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat airport on Feb. 12 and 13. Construction of the Long Thanh airport, set to replace Tan Son Nhat as Vietnam's largest, has been in full swing since the end of 2022. Long Thanh is expected to cost about VND336.63 trillion (US$13.8 billion) in funds from the state budget. Planners aim to have the facility eventually able to provide for a capacity of 100 million passengers and 5 million tons of cargo annually. During its first phase, its capacity will be 25 million passengers. Regarding the T3 passenger terminal project, PM Chinh assessed that ACV has made many efforts to implement the project to meet schedule. However, the need to put the project into operation soon is urgent to reduce the load on the other domestic terminal T1. Therefore, it is necessary to shorten the progress, so that the new terminal can be put into operation by the end of April next year. Being built at the total cost of VND11 trillion of the state budget, T3 will be the larger domestic passenger terminal at Tan Son Nhat, with a capacity of 20 million passengers a year. It will be capable of handling 7,000 passengers per hour during peak hours and will accommodate all types of aircraft. It is designed to have four floors, one basement, 90 counters, 27 boarding gates and 25 security gates. Tan Son Nhat is Vietnam's busiest airport with an average of 60,000-70,000 passengers per day. Last year it served 40.7 million passengers, against a designed capacity of 28 million and up 18.85% against 2022. Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Saturday, described the General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Enoch Adeboye, as an exceptional leader whose teachings have impacted positively the lives of many. Abiodun and Saraki disclosed this in their separate messages issued to celebrate Adeboye who clocked 82 on Saturday. Celebrating the clergy Abiodun, according to a statement, said Adeboye has always been consistent in advocating for peace, unity and the socio-economic well-being of the country. The governor said, On behalf of the people of Ogun State, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to you on the occasion of your 82nd birthday. Your life and ministry have been a source of inspiration and blessings to millions of people around the world. As the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, you have demonstrated exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to the spiritual growth and development of your followers. Your teachings and guidance have touched the lives of countless individuals, offering them hope, encouragement, and a deeper understanding of the word of God. Your impact extends beyond the walls of the church, as you have consistently advocated for peace, unity, and socio-economic development in our nation. Your efforts to promote education, healthcare, and social welfare have made a significant difference in the lives of many. Abiodun added that we are grateful for your selfless service and dedication to the betterment of humanity, adding that Adeboues humility, wisdom and integrity are qualities that are deeply admired and worthy to emulate. He prayed that God continues to bless the cleric and wished him more years of fruitful service. Saraki, an ex-governor of Kwara State, while rejoicing with Adeboye on the occasion of his 82nd birthday in a statement posted on his Facebook page, lauded the cleric for his devoted life of drawing people closer to God through exemplary work on the pulpit. The former Senate President wrote, The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has devoted his life to drawing people closer to God through his exemplary work on the pulpit. Today, as he celebrates his 82nd birthday, my family and I, join millions worldwide, to extend our warmest congratulations. May the Almighty continue to bless Pastor Adeboye with wisdom, strength, and great health as he guides the RCCG. President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale; celebrated Adeboye on hitting another milestone and joins the Body of Christ in thanksgiving for General Overseers remarkable life of impact that transcends cultures and borders. The Nigerian Government says it has settled N120 million out of the $1.3 billion gas debt that has kept the nation in an unresolved electricity supply challenge. The Decade of Gas Secretariat Director, Ed Ubong, disclosed this on Thursday at the ongoing 7th Nigeria International Energy Summit in Abuja. As of last year, that (gas debts) was about $1.3 billion, depending on how you add up the numbers. But I am pleased that the government has paid over $120 million between October and the end of January to offset some of that money, Ubong stated. Recall that electricity consumers in Nigeria have continued to suffer electricity outages since January this year. The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had blamed gas constraints for the drop in power supply in Nigeria. Despite setting up a committee to tackle the challenge, the countrys power supply shortage persisted. The recent vandalization of the Transmission Company of Nigerias Tower 70 along the 33kV Gwagwalada-Katampe line has further worsened the electricity challenge in the country. Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, has asked aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state to embrace peace. In a statement issued by Paul Ibe, his media adviser, Atiku asked the aspirants who contested in the PDP governorship primary in Edo to rally around Asue Ighodalo. Ighodalo, a businessman, won the PDP governorship primary poll organised by the national working committee (NWC) of the party for the Edo governorship election slated for September. Philip Shaibu, the deputy governor of Edo, won the parallel governorship primary organised by a faction of the party. In the statement issued on Saturday, Atiku said the party members and aspirants should reconcile and work for the interest of the party. The PDP leadership and members in Edo State must be congratulated also for an amazing primary election that produced the quality of candidate to fly the flag of our party in the upcoming election, Atiku said. The party has made a choice, and it is not in dispute that the choice is a good one. It is, therefore, on this note that I plead with all other aspirants and aggrieved stakeholders to reconcile and negotiate to make sure that Edo remains a PDP state. Barrister Ighodalo, apart from being a brilliant mind, in whose hands the affairs of Edo State will steer on stable waters, is also a fine gentleman. Atiku said Ighodalo has what it takes to unite members of the PDP willing to work for the interest of the party. The federal government has invited heads of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over poor power supply in their service areas. Adebayo Adelabu, minister of power, also invited Sule Abdulazeez, managing director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), for the same reason. Since the turn of the year, electricity supply to the nations capital and across the country has gone from bad to worse, with distribution companies citing gas constraints to generating companies (GenCos) as reason for the prolonged, agonising blackout. In a statement, Bolaji Tunji, special adviser on strategic communications and media relations to the minister, said power supply should have improved because of the pressure mounted on GenCos to increase their output. These two DisCos have been summoned due to the worsening power supply situation in their regions despite improved supply from TCN, Tunji said. So, we expect power supply to have improved across the country, unlike what we are experiencing in some regions presently. Findings revealed that some distribution companies were deliberately not taking up power supply from TCN, while some power lines were also damaged by vandals in Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt and Ibadan regions. The aide said the minister has threatened non-performing DisCos nationwide with outright licence revocation. Tunji said the minister also directed TCN to commence repair work on the damaged transmission lines. The aide added that despite the shortage of gas, power generation has been ramped up to over 4000MW in recent days. The Trade Union Congress, TUC, has responded to a recent jibe thrown at labour unions in the country by President Bola Tinubu. Tinubu had on Thursday, bared his disappointment on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the TUC, saying a situation where they indirectly got entangled in the Nigerian politics was unacceptable. Taking further swipe at them, he accused both unions of instigating the people to protest just nine months into his administration, warning that they were not the only voice to be heard. The President went ballistic while inaugurating the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project, a 37km project expected to reduce travel time and improve transportation and logistics in the state. Speaking on Channels Television on Friday, President of TUC, Festus Osifo, reminded the Nigerian leader that it was the fundamental right of the citizens to protest. He also said that the Presidents claim of waiting till 2027 to enter into politics was alien going by the situation of things in Nigeria under his watch. I listened to that comment yesterday where he [President Tinubu] said that we should wait till 2027 if we want to contest for election. For me, I can speak for the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria. For us, were not politicians. We are unionists. The right to protest is the fundamental right of every Nigerian. We dont have issues with protest. When need be people must exercise their rights. People must protest. In terms of waiting till 2027 to enter into politics, I dont thinkI as an individual dont belong to any political party. Im not a card carrier of any political party. What Im interested in is the welfare of my members and indeed the entire Nigerian masses. For me, what the President said is alien to us because the right to protest and the right to strike is that of the workers. There are lingering issues. The fact that youre going to protest or strike something led to it. Those fundamental issues should have to be addressed. Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, has asked Nigerians to give President Bola Tinubu more time to fix the country. Idris spoke on Thursday during the 50th anniversary lecture of PUNCH newspaper in Lagos. The information minister said the countrys economy was like a dead horse standing when Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023. Idris said the administration understands that Nigerians are facing challenging times owing to the state of the economy. The information minister said the federal government believes that the situation of the country will be quite different in another year. By the time we got into office, the economy was literally a dead horse standing. There was really nothing in it, he said. Let me say this that the government believes all these things happening now are for good and that Nigeria is going to turn the corner and the economy will boom again. Let me go back to what Professor Wole Soyinka said when he visited President Bola Tinubu and journalists asked him to assess the administration. He said, It is not in my character, I wont talk until after one year in office. So I urge you to see wisdom in what Professor Wole Soyinka said and allow more time. He said the president is making efforts to rescue the economy and that the focus should be on the positives rather than the negatives. He added that the security situation has improved significantly since Tinubu took over. Over the past few weeks, there have been protests across the country over the economic hardship plaguing the citizenry. Thailand was Chinese tourists' favorite country in Southeast Asia last year, followed by Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, according to data from online travel platform Agoda. The number of Chinese visitors to Vietnam last year reached 1.7 million compared to 5.8 million in 2019, the year before the onset of the Covid. Thailand received the highest number of Chinese tourists in Southeast Asia last year, with 3.5 million arrivals, according to data collected from the Tourism Authority of Thailand. A representative of a Hanoi travel agency specializing in the Chinese tourist market said that the number of Chinese visitors it served last year was only 10% of its 2019 figure. The business is working with Chinese partners to better understand why Chinese tourists are no longer as interested in traveling to Vietnam. Martin Koerner, Head of the Vietnam Business Forums Tourism Working Group, said Thailand is doing well in the regional tourism race because of its open visa policy. And additionally, beginning in March, Thailand and China will permanently waive visas for each other. Before the pandemic, Chinese tourists used to be the largest source of inbound international tourism for Vietnam. A former Anambra gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Val Ozigbo, has endorsed the call by the partys caucus in the State House of Assembly for President Bola Tinubu and all the governors to shelve capital projects for now. The caucus, consisting of eight lawmakers, had, during a press briefing on Thursday, decried the level of hardship and insecurity in the country. Ozigbo, while supporting the lawmakers said: I lend my voice to that of LP inner caucus of Anambra State House of Assembly to call on governments on all tiers to be responsive to the immediate plight of the people, which is hunger and insecurity. I think the call is timely because our people are going through excruciating pains as a result of policies that are not of immediate expedience. I hereby fully endorse the communique. What the people are experiencing at the moment has moved from poverty to chronic hunger, and to compound issues, security has nose dived abysmally. Ozigbo commended the sacrificial spirit of the caucus in agreeing to forfeit their basic salary for six months to feed their constituents. He said this deserved emulation by other lawmakers, and enjoined them to continue to uphold the manifesto of Mr Peter Obi, the leader of the party, and also the tenets of the party. The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, has charged President Bola Tinubu to stop playing politics and address the issues of hunger and unemployment facing Nigerians. Ajaero was reacting to Tinubus remark that its unacceptable for Labour Unions to call for a strike within the first nine months of an administration. Tinubu, who spoke at the Lagos Red Line launching, emphasized that the organised labour does not represent the sole opinions of Nigerians. According to him, If Labour Unions want to participate in the election, they should wait till 2027. However, Ajaero assured Tinubu that Labour unions are not hunting for his job. In a statement titled: Mr President: We are not after your job, Ajaero said: The recent statements attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the commissioning of the Red-Line Railway Project have sparked deep concern within the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). We find these remarks, particularly those concerning the role of Labour in governance, to be profoundly at variance with the struggles faced by ordinary Nigerians under existing policies. President Tinubus insinuation that Labour lacks the moral ground to challenge his administration, merely nine months into office, is deeply troubling. Moreover, his focus on partisan issues and the distant 2027 election cycle, rather than the urgent needs of the populace, further underscores a disconnect from the realities faced by Nigerians on a daily basis. The pervasive hunger, unemployment, housing insecurity, and escalating costs of basic necessities such as food and healthcare demand immediate attention and decisive action. Yet, instead of addressing these pressing concerns, President Tinubu appears preoccupied with political calculations and future electoral prospects. The Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Igboho, has urged traditional rulers in the Southwest to support him in flushing out criminality and banditry from the region. Igboho said he would collaborate with traditional rulers to put a permanent end to insecurity in the Southwest. In a statement he signed, he lamented that insecurity was responsible for death and farmer-herder crisis in the region. I welcome the idea, and assure them that I will do my best to checkmate incidence of insecurity provided I receive the backing of the relevant security agencies, Yoruba monarchs and other stakeholders. Insecurity and threats precipitated by banditry, herders/farmers clashes, leading to deaths and massive destruction of farmlands have driven away farmers and agric entrepreneurs from farm settlements in Yorubaland. We need to flush out criminal elements, who have occupied our forests using the place as launch pads to jeopardize the peace in our communities, towns, villages and amulets. I am ready to lend my support in this regard, he said. President Bola Tinubu on Friday celebrated the grace of stewardship and leadership upon the life of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, ahead of his birthday on March 2, 2024. Tinubu thanked the Lords own servant for his regular prayers for the country and his wise counsel. He commended the cleric for his patriotic zeal and manifest determination to see Nigeria succeed. In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the President congratulated Pastor Adeboye on hitting another milestone and joins the Body of Christ in thanksgiving for the General Overseers remarkable life of impact that transcends cultures and borders. The President prayed for the continual well-being of the General Overseer and his wife, in addition to many more years in the service of God Almighty. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has expressed satisfaction with the work being done by contractors in the nations capital. Ongoing projects in the territory include the provision of Wuye District infrastructure, the FCT Highway 105 (11km six lane dual carriageway) linking the Airport Expressway to Kuje and the official residence of the Vice President. Speaking on the projects, Wike said he was very happy with the speed and quality of work and commended the contractors. He said the contractors have also assured that the Wuye/Wuse flyover, which is 85 per cent complete, and the Vice Presidents official residence, will be ready by May this year. The minister further stated that the FCT Highway 105 (11km six lane dual carriageway) linking the Airport Expressway to Kuje, when completed, would open up the area and bring a lot of changes to the FCT. Wike said, I have to commend the various contractors. The first site we went to is almost 85 per cent complete, one of those interchanges in Wuye District. The contractors are keeping to faith with their commitment to handover the project by May. And then we also went to the Kuje road which is the six lane road. Its about 11 kilometers. That road from the airport road down to Kuje will open up that area of the Area Council. The last time when I went to flagoff one of the rural roads, we didnt see much about the contractors and I did say that the contractors are not serious. But going back there today, one is very impressed with the level of work and the quality of work. Im quite impressed with what I saw. Speaking further on the official residence of the Vice President, the minister said the contractors were at the stage of electrical installations, which might not be quite visible but assured that a lot of changes would be seen in the next few weeks. He assured that the project would be ready by May. Wike also reiterated that no ongoing project in the FCT would be abandoned. He said the projects that are considered as priority have been included in the FCTs 2024 statutory budget for adequate funding. According to the minister, We have always said that we are not going to allow any project to be abandoned. We have taken our priorities and most of these projects are also being included in our 2024 statutory budget, which will soon be presented to the National Assembly by Mr President when he returns from Qatar. The minister also addressed the concern of residents over the seeming delay in the road resurfacing project, particularly in the Asokoro District. He assured that the project would also be ready by May. Legal luminary and human rights activist, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has said President Bola Tinubu was right to have removed fuel subsidy. Besides supporting the subsidy removal, Agbakoba said he was fully in support of correcting the economy. However, he noted, I do not support the slow pace at which the government is tackling the problem of hardship now. The SAN, who is an expert in maritime law, and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, made the points in an interview with Vanguard. 10 ministers He also told Vanguard that Tinubu needed to reduce the number of ministers to 10 or 12. He said: What are you doing with 48 ministers? It is just too big. You dont need all that. I recommend a maximum of 12. So many ministries can be merged and others abolished. What is the Ministry of Information doing? All the press secretaries in the Villa cover what the Minister of Information does. Tell me, what does the Minister of Information do daily? Nothing! We also do not need Agriculture and Housing ministries. My take is that the government has no house and does not need a Minister of Housing. There should be a very clean sweep; you can bring it down from 48 to about 10 to 12 ministers. We should abolish that section in the constitution that says every state must produce a minister. Subsidy removal Recall that on May 29, 2023, President Tinubu declared that subsidy was gone. He later described subsidy as an elephant that would bring Nigeria to its knees. According to Agbakoba: Why should we in good heart and sense, feed smugglers and be Father Christmas to neighbouring countries, even though they say not every day is Christmas? The elephant that was going to bring Nigeria to its knees is the subsidy. A country that cannot pay salaries and we say we have the potential to encourage ourselves. I think we did the right thing. We institutional palliative Agbakoba Speaking on the subsidy removal, Agbakoba said: The principle of subsidy applies across the world. Every government uses the proceeds to offer palliatives to the aged, the poor and the unemployed. The problem with our own is the method of delivery. For instance, in the US, there is a social security law. So, the palliative process is institutionalised. It is not administrative. Even at that, there is a process of verification of people who are entitled. I dont see how it cannot be done here. We have a lot of identification tools like BVN, NIN and others that can be used for people who are qualified for the palliative. On the larger issue of subsidy, it is really not a bad idea. France has just announced 45 billion euro to subsidise electricity. The budget of the United States is $5 trillion and half of it goes into subsidising education, free health, and support for the aged. The UK pays 200 billion pounds to support the national health system. Wheres the subsidy money Continuing, he said: On the point whether President Tinubu was right to remove it, yes, he is right, to recreate the economy. But what hasnt happened is the consequential follow-up, which is a gap creating the hardship now. Also suggesting a way out, he added: We need to pass, as a matter of urgency, the social security act which will use existing data to identify people who are entitled to get palliative. What we have is the administration, where the government said it has set aside N100 billion for palliative but we dont know where it is going. Where is the money that has accrued from the subsidy removal? How much has been paid as palliatives, and where is the money going to? Those are the gaps I will want the government to cover. If they do so, it is not going to be difficult to persuade Nigerians that yes, this is a very tough period that we must go through to correct the economy, Agbakoba added. Vice President Kashim Shettima says the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as President is not by chance but a Divine blessing based on purity of his heart. Shettima stated this on Friday when he hosted a delegation of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) on a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The road that led to the Tinubu Presidency did not happen by chance. This is a man whose trajectory is characterised by making sacrifices for the good of the nation. The presidents success is a divine blessing, which is a reward for the purity of his heart, he said. Shettima emphasised the need for leaders to invest in building bridges, stressing that Tinubus contributions in providing an alternative platform for the Nigerian political system could not be underrated. President Tinubu made sacrifices and built bridges. He was a veritable sanctuary for victims of political witch hunts. When other governors were struggling to have a seat at the dining table with former President Olusegun Obasanjo way back then, he provided an alternative platform for the Nigerian political system, he said. Shettima, therefore, urged Nigerians that, despite the president not being a leader by accident, they should be patient with him as he piloted the affairs of the country to success. Shettima tasked the newly appointed Board of NCPC to demonstrate unwavering devotion to duty. He reminded the board members of the importance of religious commitment in addressing the challenges facing the nation. All of you here were picked because of your religious devotion. We cannot condone what is taking place in the system. We must all strive to make a positive impact to attain the Nigeria of our dreams, he said. Earlier, the Executive Secretary of NCPC, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity given to them to serve on the board. He also commended the Vice Presidents exceptional leadership, recounting instances of support for the Church and efforts to foster peace and harmony in Borno State. A Bergen County man was arrested this week after he allegedly sexually assaulted a child in Westwood, authorities announced Friday. Nicholas Cavaniola, 31, of Westwood, was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault by sexual contact and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, according to a release from the Bergen County Prosecutors Office. The Westwood Police Department contacted county detectives about the alleged sexual assault on May 8, 2023, officials said. The office did not say when the incident allegedly happened and did not release the childs age. Following several months of investigation, Cavaniola was identified as a suspect and he was arrested on Wednesday in Hillsdale, the office said. He was being held in the Bergen County Jail until his first court appearance. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Mykhailo Chabanovskyi and Khrystyna Svystovych are in the freshman class at Stockton University, but the two took an unusual route to find themselves at the South Jersey university. The two teenagers were awarded full scholarships by Stockton when an American nonprofit group assisting the U.S. State Department tried to place 70 Ukrainian students in U.S. colleges. The students had already attended high school in the United States as part of the State Departments Future Leaders Exchange Program. Newark 16- and 17-year-olds will not be able to vote in the citys April 16 school election, according to state and local voting officials, after the City Council adopted a lower voting age in January, hoping to implement it this spring. Newark City Clerk Kecia Daniels, the citys top election official, said in a statement Friday that the statewide voter registration system would not be ready in time to enroll about 7,000 Newark teens by the statutory registration deadline of March 26, three weeks ahead of the election. We will not be ready for the 2024 school board election because of the startup time required to program the technical equipment needed to register the students, Daniels said. The equipment needs to be programmed and tested to make sure that its fully operational, and that takes time. Everyone is working together to make this happen as soon as possible. Allecia DAllesandro, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Division of Elections, confirmed the postponement. DAllesandro said the Statewide Voter Registration System, or SVRS, was designed as a database for registered adults across New Jersey in all elections and that tailoring it to account for a distinct subset of voters teens in Newark school races only was a complex endeavor. To adjust the voter registration system to allow minor voters in one municipality to vote in one specific election, and only that kind of specific election, that takes some time, DAllesandro said. The councils Jan. 10 vote meant that the states largest municipality was the first to adopt a minimum voting age below 18, albeit only for school elections. The lower voting age does not apply to Newarks non-partisan municipal races, state and federal primaries, or general elections. Although the Newark measure had been introduced by City Council President Lamonica McIver two weeks earlier, its final adoption came one day after Gov. Phil Murphy proposed a broader, statewide lower voting age for all elections during his Jan. 9 state-of-the-state address. Following its adoption, McIver and other officials said they hoped younger voters would be able to cast ballots this April. Mayor Ras J. Baraka backed the lower school voting age, as did Newark Board of Education President Hasani Council. Turnout has been low in Newark elections, especially in school board races. For example, 3% of the citys registered voters cast school ballots in 2022 and 2023, following a state takeover of the school district ending in 2018, during which elections were for advisory board members who lacked real authority. The Institute for Social Justice, a Newark-based legal nonprofit, led the push to lower the voting age, citing research indicating the younger people begin voting, the more likely they are to be lifetime voters. Arts High School Senior Malachi Gwyn, the student representative on the Newark Board of Education, broke the news of the postponement during his regular report at the start of Thursday nights board meeting, which was live-streamed and recorded on Facebook. The City Council took a significant step by voting to lower the voting age for the school board election, granting the eligibility to 16- and 17-year-olds to participate in selecting candidates, Gwyn said. This decision has been postponed. When they adopted the measure, council members urged school officials to expand the districts civics curriculum to include voter education. Looking on the postponements bright side, Gwyn said it provides more time for thoughtful implementation resulting in a seamless transition. Nobody knows Jersey better than NJ.com Sign up to get breaking news alerts straight to your inbox. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com Taylor Swift at the Pittsburgh concert as part of the Eras Tour, June 17, 2023. Photo courtesy of her X account Flight tickets from Hanoi and HCMC to Singapore are sold out between March 1 and 5 during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and hotel rates in the city-state have doubled. Taylor Swift's six-night The Eras Tour in Singapore will take place from March 2 to 4 and 7 to 9. If Swifties, as the fans of the American pop star call themselves, choose to travel via third countries, the lowest fare one way is VND8 million (US$324). Return fares between the two Vietnamese cities and Singapore on normal days are VND2.6-5 million. Minh Anh of Hanoi, who just got a ticket for the fourth night, said she was shocked to see the airfares. Her flight to Singapore cost over VND5 million and she is waiting for "good prices" to buy the return ticket. She estimated it would cost her nearly VND20 million, including board to lodging, to watch Swifts show. Data from Agoda, the online travel booking platform, showed Vietnam was among the top five foreign markets searching for Singapore tourism during the shows along with the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Swift's tour has had a strong effect on the Singapore tourism sector, with restaurants, hotels and airlines seeing demand increase sharply. Jetstar Asia reported a 20% increase in demand for air tickets to and from places like Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta during the shows. Edeline Tiong, general director of M Hotel Singapore, said demand for hotel rooms increased dramatically in the first two weeks of March. Tiong's hotels have seen a 30% increase. Most hotels are nearly fully booked despite higher prices. At the end of February 81 Bugis Hotel charged S$120-200 (US$89-148) for a night, but is charging S$260 during March 5-7. V Hotel Lavenders rates have increased from an average of S$200 to S$468 until March 11. When tickets went on sale for Swifts concerts last year, Vietnam was among the top eight countries in terms of selling Singapore tour packages, e-commerce travel platform Klook reported. The packages include two tickets for the show and a night's stay at a four- or five-star hotel. Nguyen Huy Hoang, managing director of Klook Vietnam, said on the first day of sale more than 600,000 people logged into Klook, most of them from outside Singapore. They were willing to spend more than S$1,700 for the packages. Swift touched down in Singapore on Feb. 27, and her first concert will be at the National Stadium on March 2. All six shows are sold out. The New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton was evacuated Friday afternoon following a threat of a shooting, a spokesman for the New Jersey State Police told NJ Advance Media. Troopers were alerted to the threat at 2:39 p.m., State Police Sgt. Charles Marchan said. A shelter-in-place was initiated out of an abundance of caution, Marchan said. A thorough search determined no active threat, and the shelter-in-place was lifted. Marchan said the threat appears to be a swatting incident but that it was still under investigation as of 10:45 p.m. No other information was immediately released. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. A new report detailing the alleged pattern of misbehavior of an embattled New Jersey police chief was released by authorities Friday the day of his early retirement. Bradley Beach Police Chief Leonard Guida was chided for a wide range of alleged behavior in the internal affairs report, released to the public Friday by Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. Guida officially retired the same day, after being placed on administrative leave following public reports of a physical altercation with one of his officers during a November 2023 traffic stop in town. The findings outlined in this report illustrate unmistakably that over the previous year and a half, Chief Guida has been an active hindrance to the very law enforcement agency he was entrusted to lead, Santiago said in a statement accompanying the report. The picture the report paints is not pretty, but that is precisely why we felt that it was so vitally important to publicly release it. Messages left for Guida were not returned Friday. He previously declined to comment on questions about the November altercation when reached by NJ Advance Media. The investigation into Guidas conduct as police chief began in August 2023 after an anonymous complaint was filed with the county prosecutor, authorities said. The investigation expanded in November after the confrontation with Sgt. William Major during a crash investigation. (Major was also pinged in the report for his conduct in that incident, but is reportedly still on the job.) The wide-ranging report included probes of nine alleged incidents involving the chief, and what the prosecutor called 28 sustained findings of instances in which Guida violated various rules governing police and employee conduct in Bradley Beach. Several of the violations were of Attorney General and Prosecutors Office rules detailing proper police conduct, Santiago said. The initial anonymous complaint that launched the investigation involved a suspicious persons stop during National Night Out in August 2023. The tipster, who said he was walking home from work while stopped by police, alleged racial profiling, the report said. The report noted Guida directed two of his officers to question the man, noting to them he was Black. Investigators determined the stop was a violation of the Fourth Amendment based on four conflicting stories from Guida about why the man was stopped. To be frank, this stop is troublesome, the investigators wrote in the report, and noted that racial motivation for the stop could not be discounted. The report also details several alleged instances of Guida aggressively confronting officers and publicly berating them with foul language. In one reported incident, while off duty, Guida criticized an officer for allegedly improperly responding to a scene and threatened to fire the officer. In another reported incident during the Latin Festival in 2022, Guida allegedly threatened to never promote an officer after a confrontation with him. The report also includes allegations that Guida was drunk while committing some of the violations sustained in the investigation. The report redacts the names of officers who spoke to investigators, in what the Monmouth County Prosecutor called small acts of bravery. Our investigation would not have been possible without interviewing members of a particularly small police department, Santiago said. This report should not be misconstrued to reflect poorly on the Department at large, as the actions of one person do not negate the excellent work of so many other individuals. Guida has been chief in Bradley Beach since 2007. The public wasnt told he was placed on administrative leave from his $202,500 job until a resident raised questions at a council meeting in December. At the time, public officials declined to answer questions about Guida, saying it was a personnel matter. It wasnt clear Friday how much Guidas pension would be. He was first hired as a public employee in 1983. I want to thank the Monmouth County Prosecutors office for their thorough investigation and report, Bradley Beach Mayor Larry Fox said in a statement Friday. Their collaboration with us and their hard work is much appreciated. This is a difficult time for our community; and I am confident we will move forward and focus on all the positives in Bradley Beach. Fox told NJ Advance Media on Monday Guida was retiring several months earlier than he planned to. The Bradley Beach Council issued a no confidence vote against Fox at Wednesdays council meeting for his handling of the incident involving the chief, according to TapInto. I am shocked by the horrific abuses outlined in the Prosecutors report, Councilman Al Gubitosi, the council liaison to the police department, said late Friday night. I dont understand how such chronic abuse was tolerated for so long. Gubitosi noted that as liaison he serves as a conduit between the police department and the council, but it is not a role designed to investigate or monitor department activity. After reading this report, my concern first and foremost is for our police department and the brave men and women who endured this documented abuse for so long. Gubitosi said he questions the reasons for the weakness of Mayor Foxs unilaterally imposed sanctions on the chief. He also accused Fox of withholding the prosecutors report from the council for six weeks something the mayor denied. The Borough followed the lead and direction of the Monmouth County Prosecutors office, Fox said Saturday. Following the initial report, a number of reviews, meetings, and discussions were held with all parties involved. Confidentiality was an essential part in this process. The Borough Council got a summary as soon as I was able to provide it. The actual redacted report was not completed until Friday, March 1st, and I sent to the Council immediately, prior to public release. Fox also said he notified the rest of council on November 17 about placing the chief on leave. Editors Note: The article has been updated to include additional comments from Mayor Fox and Councilman Gubitosi. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X Turns out, Trump Bucks arent worth the paper theyre printed on. Just ask John Amann of Houston who said he bought $2,200 worth of the phony currency and other Trump monetary items over the past year only to discover they were worthless when he tried to cash them in at his local bank. Supporters are told Trump Bucks will propel Donald Trumps 2024 presidential bid and make the real patriots who support him rich when he wins and they can cash in. How would it work? According to NBC News, those who got duped believe Trump, when he is re-elected, will institute a new monetary system that will make Trump Bucks valuable: Since 2020, when Joe Biden defeated Trump in the presidential election, internet hucksters have been selling pro-Trump products like coins, checks and cards and marketing them as novelty items. The fine print on the websites offering these items usually notes that they are memorabilia. But on social media and in promotional videos many featuring faked celebrity endorsements the sellers have tapped an audience that believes Trumps ouster was part of a great conspiracy and that by investing in the Trump Rebate Banking System, or TRB for short, Trump will reward their loyalty by making them rich. Those who buy these items, the ads from Patriots Dynasty, Patriots Future and USA Patriots suggest, will be rewarded when Trump unveils a new monetary system that will turn these products into legal tender worth far more than the purchase price. NBC News has identified the Colorado-based companies behind the alleged scam as Patriots Dynasty, Patriots Future and USA Patriots and found at least a dozen people who say they invested thousands of dollars. They wonder if Trump was part of the scam. Former Trump insider makes landslide election prediction: Mark my words UPDATE: Trump-backing trucker, after backing down, has warning for NYC: Start stocking up! Trumps week gets worse! Experts rank Presidents Obama, Biden, Trump & others | Full list MSNBCs Katy Tur asked a question about Trump ... and shes (still) getting roasted for it Trump desperate for money unveils a new fund-raising racket: Hair Jordans Now Im questioning whether he is aware of this, Amann, 77, told NBC News. He added: Theres no way to cash out what I have, he said. In AI-generated videos on social media and in chat groups, celebrities and politicians, including Trump, appear to endorse the scam. In one, Trump appears to announce the launch of the Trump Rebate Banking system on Fox News. Lets make America wealthy again, the artificially generated voice of Trump says. To prove to her mother-in-law that she had been swindled, a Florida woman said she drove her to a nearby bank and urged her to try to redeem the Trump Bucks in her possession. We thought she got it, she even admitted she got scammed, the woman said. But then giant boxes arrived at the house full of Trump checks and other stuff that she bought for $500 and that would supposedly be worth $6 million one day. We tell her shes getting scammed and she says, Just wait, Trump will make all the patriots rich. Its like shes in a cult, the Florida woman said. One Alabama grandma, turned down by the bank when she tried to redeem her Trump currency, realized she has been taken. Now I realize, well, that was stupid, she said. But I bought them because I believed President Trump, because he knows all about finance, and he was going to help the real Trump Patriots get rich. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Atiya Johnson, head of Janas Cosmetology Academy in Clementon, says that her Camden County school didnt need to apply for a $50,000 grant from Beyonce's charity foundation, BeyGOOD. Instead, the mega-superstars foundation found them. The foundation chose the New Jersey beauty school because its one of the few cosmetology programs on the East Coast that offers a course on textured and Black hair. They sought us out, said Johnson, 38, of Gloucester Township. They could not find one school in New York that offered a textured hair course ... so someone from the team said, lets expand the search to Jersey. And once BeyGOOD came across Janas Cosmetology Academy located a small, 5,400-resident borough near Camden the directors of the foundation told Johnson they felt they had found a diamond in the rough, she said. BeyGOOD and the haircare line Cecred, both founded by Beyonce, announced earlier this month that five cosmetology schools in New Jersey, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles would receive a total of $250,000 in grants. Part of the grant money will be used to support five $10,000 scholarships for students to attend Janas Cosmetology Academy, according to the foundation. Students training at Jana's Cosmetology Academy in Camden County.Janas Cosmetology Academy Hairstylists have an immense impact on the people in their chairs, the BeyGOOD foundation wrote in its announcement. They create a sacred space where we can show up how we want and express ourselves through our hair. Were honored to give back to this amazing community. Janas opened in 2021 as the only Black-owned and operated beauty school in New Jersey, according to its founder. Since then, the school has graduated about 120 students many of them Black or from other diverse backgrounds from programs including cosmetology, barbering, natural haircare and braiding. The beauty academy also offers a 10-week course on braiding and natural textured hair separate from its cosmetology program. Unlike other cosmetology programs that may only dedicate a few weeks to the skill, their course places special emphasis on natural hair throughout the entire nine months, Johnson said. Jana's Cosmetology Academy in Clementon offers a 10-week course on natural textured hair and braiding.Janas Cosmetology Academy In October, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced the states technical schools will now ensure that all cosmetology students are trained in the theory and practice of styling Black and other textured hair, following a state discrimination investigation against Gloucester County Institute of Technology. The decision was made following claims that the public vo-tech school lacked an adequate number of Black mannequins and didnt mandate non-Black students learn techniques for textured hair. Many trade schools also lack adequate training in working with Black and textured hair, critics said. When I was in cosmetology school, which was about 20-some years ago, in a nine-month program, textured hair was only about two weeks, Johnson said. The academys goal is to ensure students graduate debt-free. However, many have been unable to enroll because they cannot afford the tuition without a job. Depending the school, some cosmetology program can cost upwards of $30,000, according to Johnson. The $50,000 grant is a life-changing opportunity for students who have wanted to attend cosmetology school but didnt have the money, she said. The opportunity to apply for the $10,000 scholarship is open to people anywhere in New Jersey. Applications are now being accepted and the winning students will be chosen in April. Beyonce's mother, Tina Knowles, owned a salon and worked as a hairstylist when Beyonce was growing up. Johnson, a Beyonce fan, says like the Grammy-winning artist, she grew up in her mothers salon. Johnson took over the business when she was 17 and continues to run it today. What started out as I dont want my moms legacy to die transitioned into a love for the cosmetology industry, Johnson said. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Nyah Marshall may be reached at Nmarshall@njadvancemedia.com. New Jerseys largest lake was the setting for a festive polar plunge on Saturday. Hundreds were expected at the 14th annual Leap in the Lake, held at Lake Hopatcong and organized by Lake Hopatcong Elks No. 782. Plungers dashed from the beach at Hopatcong State Park in Roxbury into the frigid waters starting at 1 p.m. All donated a minimum of $50 to participate and proceeds will benefit a program for children with special needs, other youth services and building renovations, according to the Elks chapter. Rick Gathen of Stanhope, founder of Leap in the Lake, said the event has steadily grown from its first year, in which only 13 took the plunge. Saturdays event was the latest in a series of polar plunges in New Jersey this winter. The largest was last weekend on the Jersey Shore, where a crowd estimated at more than 8,000 gathered for the 31st Polar Bear Plunge at Seaside Heights. Three events the Atlantic City Polar Bear Plunge in Atlantic City; the Brigantine Polar Bear Plunge in Brigantine; and the Sons of Ireland Polar Bear Plunge in Long Branch were held on New Years Day. Lake Mohawk, a private lake in Sparta, is having an early-spring plunge on March 24, organized by Sparta Elks No. 2356. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Daylight Saving Time when clocks are turned forward an hour, signaling that spring has nearly arrived, starts two weeks from Sunday. Daylight Saving time will begin at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10, 2024. The sun will set around 6 p.m. in New Jersey on March 9. The following day, after the time shift and the end of standard time, sunset is at 7 p.m. The sun will, however, rise nearly an hour later at about 7:16 a.m. on Sunday, March 10, after coming up at 6:18 a.m. on Saturday, March 9. In the meantime, sunset is later than 5:50 p.m. each day, with sunrise just before 6:30 a.m. Daylight Saving Time, sometimes incorrectly referred to by the plural Daylight Savings Time, begins the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November. Spring starts on March 19 at 11:06 p.m. When does Daylight Saving Time end in 2024? Daylight Saving Time ends on Nov. 3, 2024 at 2 a.m. Until 2007, Daylight Saving Time began at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in April and ended at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday in October. While most states change clocks for Daylight Saving Time, there are some holdouts. Most of Arizona and all of Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time. In addition, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not participate in Daylight Saving Time. Indiana didnt start observing Daylight Saving Time until 2006. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 allows states to exempt themselves from observing Daylight Saving Time. Any bill would need authorization of the U.S. Congress to be implemented as federal law does not allow year-round Daylight Saving Time. Two bills introduced in the state legislature in New Jersey in 2022 that would establish Daylight Saving Time as the official time year-round remain pending, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. At least 29 states considered or were considering 75 pieces of legislation related to Daylight Saving Time last year, the NCSL said. Nineteen states have either passed resolutions or passed legislation calling for permanent Daylight Saving Time, the NCSL reports. Last week, a state senate committee in Oregon passed a bill to end Daylight Saving Time as well, according to KPTV.com. The bill failed to clear the state Senate, though, OPB.org reported. While the U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in March 2022, the House of Representatives didnt act on it so it never reached the desk of President Joe Biden. In 2023, 12 U.S. senators re-introduced the bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. A CBS News poll in 2022 showed 46% of Americans prefer year-round Daylight Saving Time, with 33% wanting year-round Standard Time and the remaining 21% happy to continue to switch back and forth. During World War I, the German Empire implemented an idea that most resembles the Daylight Saving Time that we observe today. Believing that it would conserve fuel during the war, the German Empire in 1916 became the first to switch its clocks to save daylight. Benjamin Franklin is credited with coming up with the notion of making better use of the days light. While visiting Paris in 1784, Franklin came to believe that sunlight was being wasted during the day. In a joking letter to the editors of a Paris newspaper, Franklin proposed a tax on all Parisians whose windows were closed after sunrise. He believed that this would encourage the economy of using sunshine instead of candles, according to Michael Downing, author of Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time. In 1918, the U.S. enacted the first Daylight Saving Time law as a way to conserve fuel. It was reintroduced during World War II. The U.S. put nationwide, year-round daylight saving into effect during World War II starting on Feb. 9, 1942, thinking it would help conserve energy, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. Nicknamed War Time, it remained in effect until September 1945 when Japan surrendered. In 1973, President Nixon signed into law the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act, which made DST permanent in the U.S. This helped reduce confusion throughout the country with some regions of the U.S. participating in the practice and some regions opting out. The law was redacted less than a year later, though. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. By Vin Gopal Hey Google, why are reviews from real customers being removed from my business page? Google Reviews allows customers to provide honest reviews on local businesses. However, a small business based in Freehold, Mirrored Memories NJ, has found itself in a year-long battle with Google Reviews. Over fifty positive reviews from real customers have been taken down from Mirrored Memories business page, and despite numerous efforts from owner John Toutounchi to reinstate the reviews and address the root of the issue, there has been no progress. As someone who has been involved in building small businesses for years, I understand how critical a digital reputation is for them. Googles current protocols actively harm the wellbeing of mom-and-pop shops, and its time for a change. Mirrored Memories was opened in 2019, when John sought to create a business that would bring joy into the lives of others while giving back to the community. He provides photography services throughout the tri-state area, so it relies on the positive testimony of its customers who often compare notes on Google Reviews -- to develop its reputation and attract new customers. With each positive review, Mirrored Memories grew, expanding its catalog to include more than just photobooths. But with the censorship of business reviews over the past year, the consumer understanding of these new services is limited. For small shops to survive in the current economic climate, the tech giants need to take responsibility for their role in providing full accessibility to information. Mirrored Memories is dedicated to the customer experience, and now those customers are being silenced. Heres why: Google employs AI to filter through business reviews and enforce policy. However, the current algorithm seems to be incorrectly flagging legitimate reviews as fake engagement. Worse, it does not offer solutions for businesses to restore the review outside of filing a ticket, which has been found to be futile. The algorithm looks to actively target small businesses with limited services, so I urge Google to make improvements to its Google Review algorithm, as well as make the process for business owners to contact Google Business easier. Tech giants control the flux of information to the consumer, as Google Business and Google Reviews are integrated into Google Maps and Google Search. As a provider of information, Google needs to take accountability for the silent but prominent role it plays in the expansion of small businesses, which are actively hindered by the search engines policies. Google needs to review its criteria for flagging reviews as spam and provide transparency for businesses who are seeking to understand why a review is marked as illegitimate. There is no reason that small businesses have to battle for over a year to resolve these issues following the existing protocol for filing tickets. There is no reason why reviews that have been reinstated should be removed -- yet again -- by the algorithms. Google must repair its chaotic Google Business model. I am committed to researching and pursuing legislation regulating the use and transparency of AI to ensure that New Jerseys small businesses are protected from the destructive practices of careless corporations. Vin Gopal is the state Senator from the New Jerseys 11th Legislative District in Monmouth County We Built Google. This Is Not the Company We Want to Work For. https://t.co/lBwgKnZHUy Dr. Steve Keen (@ProfSteveKeen) January 5, 2021 Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Snow this morning will give way to lingering snow showers this afternoon. High 37F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snowfall around one inch.. Tonight Mainly cloudy with snow showers around this evening. Low 26F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%. In January 2024, MEP Helmut Geuking stepped down from his role in the European Parliament in order to focus his efforts on the European election campaign in Germany. His son, Niels, will take over until the end of the mandate, in June. Niels Geuking attended the plenary in February in his new capacity and he was formally accepted in the EPP Group today. Niels is a lawyer and a leader in the Familien Partei Germany, found at position nr. 2 on the voting list for his party. Having assisted his father in various visits and tasks related to MEP work, and having shared the political journey in the last few years, Niels is ready to fill this temporary role and to represent faithfully his party and constituents in the European Parliament Tana will offer fresh pasta finished tableside in a giant Parmesan cheese wheel. You just cant get it yet. We had a special walnut cart made for the dish, but Im not going to serve it until I have a designated staff member to handle it, says chef Michael Gulotta. I cant be the one doing that. The first Instagram or TikTok video that posts, itll be requested all the time. I want us to be ready. The Italian restaurant has been brewing in Gulottas mind for decades, a melding of three of his greatest influences Ligurian, Sicilian and New Orleans cuisine. Tana Where 2919 Metairie Road, (504) 533-8262; tanaitalian.com When Dinner Wed.-Mon. How dine-in Check it out Chef Michael Gulottas long-awaited Italian restaurant Tana is a startlingly original addition to the dining scene. The Metairie restaurant is a stunner, worthy of special occasions as well as regular date night dinners. Gulotta left his position as sous chef at Restaurant August to open MoPho in 2014 with business partner and Brother Martin High School friend Jeff Bybee. The plan was to open the casual MoPho, a winning combo of Southeast Asian and Louisiana flavors, to fund a high-end Italian restaurant. MoPho was a fluke, Gulotta says. It just took on a life of its own. They opened the more refined Maypop, which melded Italian and Southeast Asian cuisines, in the CBD in 2016. People dont always get Maypop, even still, Gulotta says. Maypop is what happens when you combine ingredients like coconut milk and lemon grass with fresh Louisiana seafood. People that get it really love it. Several years in the making, Tana is the swank Italian restaurant Gulotta had envisioned. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant is a showstopper, with a gorgeous bar and lounge area and multiple dining rooms accented with velvet booths and burnished custom walnut tables. There also is seating on the outdoor patio. Gulotta and Bybee are joined by three other partners in the venture. Between Christmas and Mardi Gras on its heels, they've had a busy start. Its eased up a little, but they are still serving 160-180 diners a night. We are only two months in, Gulotta says. The hardest thing when you are shooting for something very high end is to deliver that from the jump. There are so many touches that matter. Gulottas love for Ligurian cuisine dates back more than 20 years, when he staged for a year at a seafood and pasta restaurant on the Mediterranean, a 30-minute walk from the French Riviera. The calamari on Tanas menu is one example, a dish surprisingly light thanks to thin shavings of calamari and zucchini, coated with egg white, flour and rice flour and flash fried. The crackling puffed up bits of vegetable and squid are treated to a citrus vinaigrette, instead of the typical marinara. House-made pasta is a menu hallmark. Dayle "Pasta Mama" Thornton has been making pasta with Gulotta for seven years at Maypop, and her impressive skills drive the fresh pasta dishes. Trenette, a flat, long pasta favored in Liguria, is featured in the pasta vongole. The clam dish is given a New Orleans twist with bits of cured hot sausage patty in the sauce. There are four-cheese ravioli, especially popular topped with crabmeat thanks to an influencers TikTok video of the same. Phi Vu focuses on Korean-style fried chicken at his pop-up Oppa Phi Vu tells us about learning to fry chicken, making Korean fried chicken special and starting Oppa. Gulottas Sicilian roots come into play for the radiatori in red gravy with burrata, as well as with the pork chop Parmesan. For the bone-in chop, the meat is butterflied and dusted with a spice blend that includes coriander and cumin, dredged in whipped egg whites and seasoned breadcrumbs, and flash fried. It is then layered with pork gravy, pickled peppers and melted caciocavello, a pungent southern Italian cheese reminiscent of provolone. There are riffs on New Orleans dishes, like the oysters Bordelaise spiced with fennel, chili flakes and cumin, a nod to Sicilys proximity to North Africa. Gulottas penchant for Asian flavors are just below the surface, such as using fish sauce to add umami to the seafood pastas whenever possible. The menu also has a selection of steaks and chops. Gulotta has received some blowback for opening his dream restaurant in Old Metairie, but he says it doesnt bother him. Im from Orleans Parish, and there are certain things about New Orleans that will always be true, he says. New Orleanians will always rage against Metairie, like Jesuits against Brother Martin. I get it. Its fine. I have two restaurants in New Orleans, always happy when folks go there. Having a teenager share a useful app while traveling seems like a normal experience in Top 5 Survival Moves. But the app is for receiving air raid warnings, as passengers on a bus cross the Polish border into Ukraine in 2022. Its a moment that shows both the dangerous conditions and almost routine way of life in a nation under attack. The exchange is based on the experiences of Katya Chizhayeva, who was born in Kyiv and now lives in New Orleans. Shes a dancer and acupuncturist who moved here to help the city rebuild following Hurricane Katrina. Her family had moved to San Francisco as refugees in the 1990s after the Soviet Union collapsed and Ukraines economy crashed. During the two years since Russias invasion of Ukraine, Chizhayeva has twice traveled back to Kyiv to help. Her accounts of that travel, rehabilitation work and connection with Ukrainians are the basis for the drama, created with Goat in the Road theater company. Chizhayeva helped develop and also performs in the piece. The show runs March 8-17 at the CAC. Much of the work is set in Kyiv, where she still has family, but also elsewhere as some of Chizhayevas friends stay in the Ukrainian capital and others flee the destruction to wait out the war in other European countries. In the work, Chizhayeva finds some of the comforts of her young life. She drinks kvas, a kombucha-like drink made from bread. She takes in a stray cat while staying in a friends empty apartment. She talks with fellow dancers and choreographers about how theyve adjusted. Theres dancing, but even Swan Lake, thought of as a classic Russian ballet (though Tchaikovskys fathers family was from Ukraine), draws disagreements between friends and observers. There is no avoiding the impact and stakes of the war. Chizhayeva grew up primarily speaking Russian. But in Kyiv, everyone is switching to the Ukrainian language, and she finds that some restaurants wont serve people speaking Russian. Some of her artist friends have retuned their focus on choreography to physical therapy. There also are Ukrainian songs, dance and celebration in Top 5, mostly viewed as the joys of the past and desire to return to peace and normalcy. The drama also animates Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting with his ministers and the deceit of propaganda confusing the wars stakes. Chizhayeva went to help soldiers recovering from battlefield injuries, and the piece works in a few accounts of the frontlines. I decided to go to Ukraine to volunteer as an acupuncturist, Chizhayeva says. I was able to find a rehabilitation center in Kyiv that works with injured soldiers, 230 of them at a time. Its an in-patient facility. Chizhayeva also has connected with Ukrainians relocated in Louisiana and organized several benefits. She approached Goat in the Road almost a year ago to tell more of the story, and theyre mounting the work at a crucial time. We made this play a little quicker than we make our plays, says co-writer and director Chris Kaminstein. It was important to move quickly and do something that felt relevant now. And the situation is changing all the time. We were going to go off what Katyas interests were: the effect on daily life, how people balance the everyday. Its tuned to the reality of whats happening but trying to be reflective about the culture and bring in playful moments and dance and music and the elements of peoples lives. Top 5 Survival Moves runs March 8-17. Tickets $20-$25. All proceeds go to support Ukrainian soldiers recovering from deployment. Find information at cacno.org. In a meeting today, all members of the ECPM board agreed that Valeriu Ghiletchi, president of the party since 2022, will be our lead candidate for the European Commission post following the elections in June 2024. Mr. Ghiletchi is an experienced politician, having served as member of the Moldovan Parliament and as member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) from 2011 to 2019. He founded and chairs the Integrity in Leadership Academy (AIC), is a pastor and public figure. Most European political parties are appointing lead candidates who will face each other in several debates: one in Maastricht and another one broadcast by the Eurovision platform. They will have the chance to talk about their expertise, to present their party's manifesto and profile and to encourage people to go out and vote in the 6-9 June elections. Depending on the votes and the seats Groups will earn in the European Parliament, the Group with most seats will appoint the head of the Commission. Our party looks forward to these debates and to the opportunity to share with a large audience our values and vision for Europe. ELKO Bristlecone Audubon will have its next meeting on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the conference room in the Nevada Department of Wildlife headquarters, 60 Youth Center Drive. Lois and Mark Ports will share photos from their trip to northern Ecuador in November. They spent 12 days on a guided tour which encompassed three habitat zones. They traveled with a local guide, a mammal guide and 10 other people and were able to see over 300 species of birds. At the start of their trip, they were in the cloud forests of the Andes between 5,000 to 10,000 feet in elevation. Air currents travel inland from the sea and as they encounter the high mountain slopes, they cool and collect as clouds. As the clouds filter through the vegetation the water collects on leaves, saturates moss and of course it rains often. The topography of the slopes of the Andes allows more sunlight to penetrate through the foliage, which then supports a vast diversity of animals and plants in this environment. The moisture also condenses into rivers and streams, which are typically shallow, rocky and fast-flowing. This area of Ecuador is rich in bird life and is home to over 132 species of hummingbirds. The couple saw 40 species, which is amazing compared to the five we get in northeastern Nevada. They then visited the Napo River, which feeds into the Amazon. This region was only around 900 feet in elevation. They were transported by motorized canoes and then smaller paddled canoes to the Napo Wildlife center, which is at the heart of the Yasuni National Park. Five days were spent in this area, which is on a ridge at the edge of a jungle lake. Transportation within this habitat was by small canoes, which took the couple to various forest trails. They hiked into the rainforest and climbed a 100-foot tower into the canopy, visited clay licks to see multitudes of parrots and parakeets, hiked to a favorite watering hole for scarlet macaws and visited the local Kichwa Anangu community. They were able to see eight species of monkeys, a family of giant otters, a type of sloth and several other types of wildlife in addition to the bird species. The final days were spent in the northern Andean Paramo ecoregion, which includes high-altitude wet grasslands that are above the tree line and below the snow line within the equatorial Andes. The Paramo contains the highest biodiversity of high altitude (10,000 feet to 18,000 feet) open vegetation types in the world. The highest they traveled was 14,090 feet. Highlights of this area was seeing the Andean condor, the giant hummingbird and the tapir. This talk is open to everyone, and you do not need to be a member. Please use the side door to enter the conference room. The Chicago metropolitan area, which includes Northwest Indiana, was named the top metro in the United States for corporate investment by Site Selection magazine for the 11th straight year. The Atlanta-based business publication praised the area's regionalism and attractiveness to tech, logistics and young talent. An estimated 163 companies invested in Chicagoland last year, according to World Business Chicago. A total of 117 companies expanded while 46 relocated to the metro area, creating an estimated 23,000 jobs and generating $1.87 billion in earnings. The Chicago metro, which includes Lake, Porter, Jasper and Newton counties in Indiana, had the third largest economy in the country with an $847 billion gross regional product "We are profoundly honored to once again be acknowledged as the foremost metro for corporate investment in the United States," said Charles Smith, vice chairman of World Business Chicago. "This accomplishment reflects the unwavering dedication of our team, board of directors, the mayor of Chicago and our esteemed partners across the greater Chicagoland region. It underscores our shared commitment to nurturing an ecosystem where businesses flourish and communities thrive." Among the company's investing in Chicago is S&C, which expanded its 275,000-square-foot facility in Palatine, adding 200 more jobs. It now employs more than 2,000 workers in the Chicago metro. Chicago has been home to S&C for over 110 years, and the talent pool here is an essential part of our growth and success, allowing us to better serve customers with solutions that advance a resilient and reliable electrical grid, said Anders Sjoelin, S&Cs president and CEO. Additionally, were pleased to add jobs, create meaningful careers and value for our local team members, and support our communities." Site Selection ranked the Chicago metro No. 1 for projects, followed by Dallas, Houston, New York City, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Boston, Indianapolis and Austin. Texas usually leads Site Selection's state rankings but the projects there are spread out over its four metros. Chicago had $4.73 billion in capital investment from startup businesses last year, according to World Business Chicago. O'Hare International Airport remained one of the country's top ports with $271 billion in trade, trailing only Port Laredo and Port of Los Angeles. The metro's professional and business services sector grew by 5.2% last year. Companies like S&C Electric, Beam, Solo Cup, and so many others chose Chicagoland for a reason they know here you will find a rich and diverse tapestry of strong industry sectors ranging from food manufacturing to film and television production," Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle said. "Site Selections eleventh consecutive win affirms the Chicago regions continued promise of opportunity for the business community allowing for them to continuously grow, expand and thrive. GARY School superintendents from Lake and Porter counties met at Indiana University Northwest on Friday and discussed ways their districts could partner with the university. IUN's School of Education hosted around 18 administrators from 13 school districts for its annual Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon. At the beginning of the event, state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, gave the superintendents an update on education related bills that have passed at least one of the legislative chambers. Throughout the update, Smith, a faculty member at IUN, provided his own commentary on some of the legislation and Republican policies. When discussing Senate Bill 1, which could increase the number of third grade students held back for not having proper reading skills, Smith criticized the legislation for not having enough interventions to improve reading proficiency among younger students. "The research has shown that if you retain these children, you might have social problems," Smith told the superintendents. Multiple IUN administrators and faculty members also promoted several of the university's programs and initiatives for the superintendents to consider. The superintendents were encouraged to partner with IUN in helping place student-teachers in their schools for field experiences. They were also informed about opportunities for students before attending college, such as the Advance College Project, a partnership between IUN and participating high schools that provide dual credit courses free of charge for Indiana residents, and Spark-a-Flame, a program geared for 7th through 12th grade students to help them prepare for college. Afterward, the school leaders participated in small group discussions to brainstorm suggestions for how IUN could better partner with the school districts. The ideas brought forward included after-school programming for K-12 students provided by the university, assistance for paraprofessionals to obtain their teaching license and elementary school-level science, technology, engineering and math programming. After the luncheon, the superintendents were invited to tour the STEM center, a joint space shared by IUN and Ivy Tech Lake County that provides resources and academic support for students. A similar luncheon for local school principals will be held by IUN later this month. Close Lecturer of Special Education Adra Young, left, collects suggestions from area school superintendents at the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Vice Chancellor Dorothy Frink speaks at the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Indiana State Rep. Vernon Smith addresses the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Vice Chancellor Dorothy Frink gives a presentation at the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Hammond's Scott Miller, left, and Duneland's Chip Pettit were among the superintendents at the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Indiana State Rep. Vernon Smith addresses the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Associate Professor Sharon Pratt, right, collects suggestions from area school superintendents at the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. PHOTOS: Superintendent Luncheon at IUN Lecturer of Special Education Adra Young, left, collects suggestions from area school superintendents at the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Vice Chancellor Dorothy Frink speaks at the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Indiana State Rep. Vernon Smith addresses the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Vice Chancellor Dorothy Frink gives a presentation at the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Hammond's Scott Miller, left, and Duneland's Chip Pettit were among the superintendents at the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Indiana State Rep. Vernon Smith addresses the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. Associate Professor Sharon Pratt, right, collects suggestions from area school superintendents at the Northwest Indiana School Superintendents' Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest. The Nature Conservancy is planning to conduct prescribed fires this spring at several preserves located in East Chicago, Hammond and Gary, depending upon weather conditions. On Garys west-side, 16.3 acres are scheduled to be burned at the Ivanhoe Dune & Swale Nature Preserve, adjacent to Hobart and Hamlin streets, and north of Fifth Avenue. In Hammond, 35.7 total acres are scheduled to burn on a tract owned by TNC just north of the Indiana Toll Road and west of Cline Avenue. In East Chicago, 52.5 acres are scheduled to be burned just north of the Grand Calumet River and west of Cline Avenue. These sites all have ongoing ecological restoration projects funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the USEPA. The prescribed burn of grasses, forbs and leaf litter helps halt successional growth such as woody shrubs and trees and revives globally rare oak savanna habitat present on the preserves. Fire also reduces biomass on the ground, which can smother prairie species such as coreopsis, blazing star and butterfly milkweed. Most importantly, these planned burns can help prevent disastrous wildfires from impacting nearby homes and neighborhoods. Exacting conditions must exist for burns to take place, making it difficult to list specific dates. Conditions requiring rigorous review right up to the point of ignition, include: Winds and other atmospheric conditions must quickly lift and disperse smoke Fuel moisture must be dry, and humidity must be low, but not too dry or low Trained wildlands fire teams must understand how certain plants will respond to fire Potential impacts to traffic and homes must be assessed. Attempts will be made the morning of a burn to personally notify adjacent landowners. If you wish to be notified the morning of a planned burn, please e-mail slmr-in@tnc.org. Lakeshore PBS, Northwest Indiana's only over-the-art television station, will soon launch the ninth season of its award-winning "Eye on the Arts" show. The half-hour-long show highlighting the arts and artists in Northwest Indiana will return at 7 p.m. March 20. It will air in that time slot on Channel 56 every week for the next 10 weeks. The show profiles local artists, takes a look at local artistic organizations and shows how arts affect people's lives and improve the quality of life in Northwest Indiana. It's long been produced by Tony Santucci, the vice president of video production at Lakeshore Public Media. This season, he again served as lead producer and was assisted by the producers Alex Hernandez, Kevin Lunn, Miguel Arteaga and Tom Duncan. The art community is alive and well," Santucci said. "The viewers and artists don't need me to tell them that, but it's as apparent as it has ever been. After nine seasons of 'Eye on the Arts' we are finding new artists from across the Region and Chicagoland. Cultures and disciplines are at once showing how similar and diverse we are." Lakeshore PBS is integrating the show "In Studio" into "Eye on the Arts" this season. The standalone series that was launched in 2021 featured performances of local and national musicians in the Lakeshore Public Media studio in Merrillville. Going forward, it will instead be aired as additional segments in "Eye on the Arts." We are happy to bring 'In Studio' into the fold of 'Eye on the Arts'. Songwriting and performing have always intrigued me. To be able to invite musicians to play for us is downright selfish. I hope everyone else takes the time to enjoy their talents as much as I did, Santucci said. Inspiration and aspiration live within us all. Tune in and borrow a little inspiration for yourself. The show won Lakeshore Public Media's first Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award. It's also won a Public Media Award and been nominated for four more Emmy Awards. It also can be viewed on the PBS Video App and online at LakeshorePBS.org/Watch. Merrillville has adopted a new town slogan and it's "The Heart of the Region." It bested the finalists "Merrillville is not a Place, It's a People," "Community, Progress, Possibilities," "Unity in Diversity" and "Rooted in Tradition, Growing in Unity." Our Town is a dynamic blend of economic vitality, cultural diversity, and warm hospitality, Town Council President Rick Bella said. The adoption of 'The Heart of the Region' as our slogan reflects our commitment to embracing this identity and welcoming all who come to experience the unique energy of Merrillville." The town of about 36,500 residents in central Lake County sought a new slogan for months, taking suggestions from residents. We wanted to see what the community thought about our Town, Town Council Vice President Rhonda Neal said. Residents submitted more than 40 entries, which were narrowed down to five finalists. The community then got to vote on its favorite. Townspeople heavily favored "The Heart of the Region," which captured nearly 70% of the vote in a crowded five-way race. It was highly recognized by our community, Neal said. Candi Colvin came up with "The Heart of the Region," which she said popped into her mind when she heard about the contest. She said it emphasizes how Merrillville is located in the middle of Lake County and helps drive the Region's economy and growth. Merrillville is home to one of the greatest concentrations of offices in Northwest Indiana and also makes up part of the largest commercial trade districts along U.S. 30 near the Southlake Mall in neighboring Hobart. Were building new places to live, were building new places for people to work, were building new places for people to come and see us, and making it beautiful, Colvin said. We want people to come here and live and enjoy our town. The town council voted to adopt the slogan and recognize Colvin for her contribution at its meeting this week. I really appreciate that she participated in our slogan program because shes making history in the Town of Merrillville, Neal said. Merrillville's new slogan will be incorporated into welcome signs and promotional materials. The Indiana Democratic Party is united behind former state schools chief Jennifer McCormick as its candidate for governor. The party's state central committee formally endorsed McCormick for the state's top job Thursday after McCormick was the sole candidate to qualify to compete for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination at Indiana's May 7 primary election. Indiana Democratic Chairman Mike Schmuhl said McCormick is building a bipartisan coalition of support among voters across the state, due in part to her focus on prioritizing the needs of Hoosier families and children. "As a statewide elected official, she took on the GOP supermajority to fight against cuts to public schools, and worked to increase teacher pay. Shes seen special interests threaten the future of education in Indiana, and as governor, shell be a tireless advocate to improve schools for every family, and remove politics from the classroom," Schmuhl said. "As a mother, she trusts Hoosier women and families to make incredibly important reproductive health decisions with their doctors, families and faith leaders not the government. As governor, shell veto any attempts to ban in vitro fertilization treatments in Indiana, and work to restore the right to choose for women." McCormick, an educator and former school superintendent in east central Indiana, was elected state superintendent of public instruction in 2016 as a Republican. The position, now known as the secretary of education, became governor-appointed in 2021. Schmuhl said the Indiana Democratic Party has no problem with McCormick's party switch because "she's never been afraid to stand up for whats right." "We're behind Jennifer because 20 consecutive years of Republican governors is enough. One-party control and a legislative supermajority creates unbalanced policies, and it's simply dangerous for our state's future," Schmuhl said. "We need more balanced leadership at the Statehouse that uplifts working families, and takes the best ideas from both parties. That's the leader Jennifer McCormick will be as our next governor." McCormick said she's enthusiastic about receiving the Democratic Party endorsement of her campaign to "bring common sense, civility and bipartisanship back to the Statehouse in service to all Hoosiers." "This campaign is about what matters to Hoosiers in their daily lives. It is about empowering the people across our great state to have a voice in their future. It is about protecting and restoring rights and freedoms," McCormick said. "I will lead with integrity, compassion and a relentless dedication to serving all people of Indiana. Together we can build a future where every voice is heard, every person is valued and every opportunity is within reach." McCormick will compete against the winner of the Republican gubernatorial primary in the Nov. 5 general election for a four-year term as Indiana's chief executive. Close Calumet Township Trustee Kimberly Robinson poses with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick. "Jennifer will protect the taxpayer dollar by demanding transparency and fiscal accountability is everything she does. Jennifer will be that public servant who demands excellence," Robinson said. Calumet Township Trustee introduces Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick Friday in Gary. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick vows to fight divisiveness and "distractions" she sees happening at the Statehouse. Gary resident Emmani Ellis speaks with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick about Ironworkz, a business incubator that supports youth and small business entrepreneurs, following McCormick's news conference in Gary. State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, has endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick vows to fight divisiveness and "distractions" she sees happening at the Statehouse. PHOTOS: Gubernatorial candidate McCormick makes campaign stop in Gary Calumet Township Trustee Kimberly Robinson poses with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick. "Jennifer will protect the taxpayer dollar by demanding transparency and fiscal accountability is everything she does. Jennifer will be that public servant who demands excellence," Robinson said. Calumet Township Trustee introduces Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick Friday in Gary. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick vows to fight divisiveness and "distractions" she sees happening at the Statehouse. Gary resident Emmani Ellis speaks with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick about Ironworkz, a business incubator that supports youth and small business entrepreneurs, following McCormick's news conference in Gary. State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, has endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick vows to fight divisiveness and "distractions" she sees happening at the Statehouse. Lake Michigan beaches in Northwest Indiana should be a bit safer this summer after life rings and similar equipment to prevent drownings are installed at each pier and public access point along the shoreline. Hoosier lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to legislation requiring each municipality located adjacent to Lake Michigan to make available for public use high-quality, easily visible water safety and rescue devices no later than July 1. Senate Enrolled Act 253 passed the Senate, 44-0, after clearing the House by a 95-0 margin Tuesday. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb is expected to sign it into law in coming days. State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton, who championed the measure for several legislative sessions, acknowledged that some Region communities already have life rings and other rescue equipment readily available near their portion of Lake Michigan. But Pol said a state mandate will ensure the deployment is consistent along the entire shoreline, the equipment is maintained, and make it easier to gather accurate, comprehensive data on Lake Michigan drownings. "Having life-saving equipment that is easily visible and accessible can make the difference of life or death. Seconds matter when a rip current sweeps a person into the water or when a person loses the ability to stay above water," Pol said. "Let's give our beach goers every tool possible to make sure their nice day at the beach does not turn into a tragedy." The legislation provides no state funding for the equipment. But Pol said the estimated $100,000 total expense for Northwest Indiana local governments to install life rings at approximately 104 public access sites pales in comparison to the half-million dollars or more likely to be spent by federal, state and local first responders each time a person goes missing in the lake. Records maintained by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project show at least six fatal drownings occurred in 2023 in the Indiana portion of Lake Michigan, out of 39 total deaths last year on Lake Michigan. Dave Benjamin, surf project executive director, said Lake Michigan visitors frequently underestimate the danger of the rip current in the lake and sometimes end up endangering their lives before even realizing they're in trouble. With rescue equipment nearby, Benjamin said these potential tragedies can be easily averted as they've often been in Chicago since Illinois adopted a Lake Michigan life ring requirement in 2022. "This bill is long overdue. Lives of swimmers and would-be rescuers will be saved by this," Benjamin said. "The family members of drowning victims that we work with have all said the same thing to us, 'How can we prevent this from happening to someone else?' This is the first step to publicly addressing drowning a nationwide and global neglected public health issue." In addition to Pol, the legislation was cosponsored by, among others: state Sens. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores; Dan Dernulc, R-Highland; Dave Vinzant, D-Hobart; and Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago; and state Reps. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie; Mike Andrade, D-Munster; Chuck Moseley, D-Portage; and Pat Boy, D-Michigan City. Meet the 2024 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago State Sen. Dave Vinzant, D-Hobart State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr. State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie Several years ago, David Withers, a zoologist with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, was digging for crayfish in some creek beds on the edge of DeKalb County, in an area that can plausibly be described as nowhere at all, when he spotted an unmarked road. He had never noticed it and decided to see where it led; after a short drive, he found himself amid a strange encampment. Withers stepped out of his truck and looked around. Cheerful, rickety houses sprouted from the ground like unclassified fungi, or something dreamed up by Lewis Carroll, but what appealed to him most was the barn; on the side, in large yellow letters, someone had written Welcome Home. Withers walked up to a shack that appeared to be inhabited and overtaken by curiosity he knocked. The woman who came out looked surprised. She told him that he was on a commune for gay, lesbian and transgender people and suggested politely that he leave. Later, Withers called his friend Neal Appelbaum, the openly gay director of the arts center in neighboring Cannon County, and told him about what he saw. Appelbaum explained that Withers had stumbled into Ida, a commune for queer vegetarians; the entire region was home to maybe a dozen rural planned communities for L.G.B.T.Q. people, a kind of sexually nonconforming Amish country. He also pointed out that the fading sign on the barn didnt say Welcome Home. The last letter was not an e but an o. If youre younger than, say, 35, chances are you dont remember what it was like to be a gay man between the Stonewall riots and the second season of Will & Grace. You probably dont remember bars with names like Traxx and Rawhide, their windows smoked to deflect the accidental glances of co-workers, bars with Elvira, Mistress of the Dark playing on VHS, where everyone who came through the door was greeted with looks of longing and fear. You probably dont remember the Herb Ritts poster of the Pennzoil-smeared Adonis hefting semi tires, or the Mr. Fire Island Leather contest, or hearing the entire godawful Barbra Streisand Christmas album played over the P.A. while waiting for the bus outside the Castro Theater, or having to take that bus for a half-hour in the first place simply to buy lubricant, which was sold as illicitly as a bong. Youve probably never heard an otherwise-reasonable family internist wonder out loud whether your sore throat might be seroconversion illness or the tingling in your fingers a symptom of H.I.V. neuropathy. Youve probably never had a prospective landlord explain, upon meeting you and your partner, that the vacant apartment in his building is not, as the listing said, available immediately but needs to be painted, and that the painting will take seven weeks. And if you dont remember any of that, consider yourself fortunate. In those days, the social lives of gay people transpired mostly in large coastal cities, primarily out of public view. The bars and restaurants, the beach resorts and borderland neighborhoods became sanctuaries where, through a tacit agreement with the surrounding world, you could socialize mostly free of scrutiny and overt discrimination. For the young men who settled in these neighborhoods, even that Streisand record functioned as a sanctuary of sorts, by providing a common cultural language with a larger community of gay men whom they were counting on to be their families, because in many cases their actual families no longer wanted to know them. But for some, this notion of sanctuary did not go far enough. For some, the modes of camouflage, code and passing were tantamount to an admission of leading a life defined and hemmed in by others. And so they began to leave the cities in search of a less compromised identity. President Biden said today that the U.S. would soon begin airdropping humanitarian relief supplies into Gaza, which a U.N. official warned this week was on the brink of famine. The move came a day after scores of Palestinians were killed while trying to get food and supplies from a convoy. Innocent people got caught in a terrible war unable to feed their families, and you saw the response when they tried to get aid in, Biden said. We need to do more, and the United States will do more. Heres the latest. Biden said the U.S. would plan the deliveries with Jordan, which has helped to organize airdrops into Gaza. He suggested that aid could eventually be delivered through a maritime corridor as well. Yesterdays clash left at least 100 Palestinians dead and more than 700 injured, according to Gazan officials. Many details remain unclear, and heavily edited videos released by Israel did little to clear up the confusion. The Times analyzed the footage. President Bidens climate ambitions are colliding with political and legal realities, forcing his administration to recalibrate two of its main tools to cut the emissions that are heating the planet. This week the Environmental Protection Agency said it would delay a regulation to require gas-burning power plants to cut their carbon dioxide emissions, likely until after the November election. The agency also is expected to slow the pace at which car makers must comply with a separate regulation designed to sharply limit tailpipe emissions. Michael S. Regan, the administrator of the E.P.A., said on Friday that changes to the two major regulations wouldnt compromise the administrations ability to meet its target of cutting United States emissions roughly in half by 2030. That goal is designed to keep America in line with a global pledge of averting the worst consequences of a warming planet. We are well on our way to meeting the presidents goals, Mr. Regan said in a telephone interview from Texas. I am very confident that the choices we are making are smart choices that will continue to rein in climate pollution. Two climate activists who dumped red powder over the display case that contains the U.S. Constitution at the National Archives Museum last month were charged on Thursday with destruction of government property, prosecutors said. The activists, Donald Zepeda, 35, of Maryland, and Jackson Green, 27, of Utah, poured the powder over the display case in the rotunda of the building on Feb. 14 as part of a stunt, which was intended to draw attention to climate change, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia said in a statement on Friday. During the episode, which officials said was captured on video by supporters of Mr. Green, the two men also poured red powder over themselves and then stood before the Constitution as they called for solutions to climate change. The Constitution was not damaged, according to the National Archives Museum, which said that the powder was found to be a combination of pigment and cornstarch. On Feb. 23, 2024, the Nevada Outdoor School hosted the Bookworm Trail Trip at the South Fork Meadows trailhead. In partnership with the Elko Mybrary and the Bureau of Land Management, families with children enjoyed a short hike with book trivia along the way, which brought them to a story time, book trading and a craft station. More than 1,000 mourners braved the rain and blustery chill outside to pack the Woodstock City Church on Friday for the funeral of Laken Riley, the 22-year-old nursing student killed last week on the University of Georgia campus, 70 miles away. Image Laken Riley in a photo from a social media account. Ms. Riley was attacked while out jogging on Feb. 22. She was pursuing a nursing degree at Augusta University, after having been a student at the University of Georgia until May. When the world loses someone like Laken, whose light consistently shined so bright, it seems that much darker in their absence, Samer Massad, the lead pastor of the nondenominational church that Ms. Riley and her family attended, said in a statement before the funeral on Friday afternoon. He continued: Laken was special. She was a gift to anyone who knew her. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California has increasingly been a national presence, flying to Washington to meet with President Biden, appearing on Sunday news shows and targeting conservative states with ads for reproductive rights. This week, however, a more local concern abruptly drew his attention to Sacramento: allegations that the Democratic governor favored a campaign donor who owns two dozen Panera Bread franchises by pushing for a carve-out in a new minimum wage law. The controversy, triggered by a report in Bloomberg, has unleashed a flurry of charges and countercharges. The State Legislatures Republican leaders have written to the California attorney general, demanding an investigation. Editorial boards have weighed in. (Californians knead answers, the Los Angeles Times opinion page declared.) A spokesman for the governors office dismissed the accusation of favoritism as absurd. Political analysts compared the furor to another restaurant-related pickle involving Mr. Newsom. Its hard not to think of the French Laundry, said Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at the University of Southern California and the University of California, Berkeley, alluding to the 2020 haute cuisine dinner the governor had during pandemic lockdown that helped fuel an unsuccessful but still troublesome recall effort against Mr. Newsom. The U.S. Department of Education said on Friday that it had opened an investigation into the Oklahoma school district where a 16-year-old student, Nex Benedict, died a day after an altercation inside a high school bathroom. The department said in a letter on Friday that it was investigating whether Owasso Public Schools, outside Tulsa, had failed to appropriately respond to alleged harassment of students in violation of federal law, including Title IX. It said the investigation was in response to a complaint brought by the Human Rights Campaign, an L.G.B.T.Q. advocacy group. The death of Nex, an Owasso High School sophomore who was nonbinary, drew national attention after gay and transgender rights groups said Nex had been bullied at school because of their gender identity. Nex used they and them pronouns as well as he and him pronouns, friends said. After the altercation, Nex spoke to a police officer at a local hospital and, according to a video of the interview released by the Owasso Police Department, described pouring water on three girls who had been picking on Nex and Nexs friends for the way they dressed. The girls then attacked and fought with Nex, who told the police officer that they fell to the ground and blacked out at one point. President Biden said on Friday that the United States would begin airdropping humanitarian relief supplies into Gaza, a decision prompted by the dozens of Palestinians who were killed as Israeli forces opened fire near an aid convoy in Gaza City a day earlier. Innocent people got caught in a terrible war unable to feed their families, and you saw the response when they tried to get aid in, Mr. Biden said before meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy. And we need to do more, and the United States will do more. Mr. Biden said that the United States would work with Jordan, which has been at the forefront of airdrop efforts to Gaza, as well as other allies to deliver aid by air and that supplies could, eventually, also be delivered by sea. Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough now, Mr. Biden said. Innocent lives are on the line, and childrens lives are on the line. Mr. Biden and Ms. Meloni discussed efforts to prevent the war in Gaza from becoming a larger conflict, as well as support for Ukraine and steps to address human trafficking and global migration. John F. Kirby, a senior National Security Council official, said that the first airdrops would focus on food, followed by water and medicine. A U.S. military official said the Air Force plans to drop 50,000 meal rations. Nearly 60 leaders from international and regional news outlets signed a letter on Thursday and Friday committing their support for journalists covering the war in Gaza and calling for their safety and the freedom to do their work amid intense personal risk. The letter, coordinated by the Committee to Protect Journalists with the support of the World Association of News Publishers, also called on Israeli authorities to protect journalists as noncombatants, as required by international law, adding that those responsible for violations of that protection should be held accountable. These journalists on whom the international news media and the international community rely for information about the situation inside Gaza continue to report despite grave personal risk, the letter says of the Palestinian media workers doing the on-the-ground reporting. They continue despite the loss of family, friends and colleagues, the destruction of homes and offices, constant displacement, communications blackouts and shortages of food and fuel. The signatories include leaders of The Associated Press, Reuters, The New York Times and regional outlets across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Palestinian journalists have faced grave risks or personal loss while trying to report on the war: Some have been injured while reporting; others have lost family members and colleagues. Several have quit amid the challenges. Since Oct. 7, at least 94 journalists have been killed in the war, making it the deadliest period for journalists since the Committee to Protect Journalists started collecting data in 1992, according to the organization. Israeli and Egyptian authorities have prohibited international media from entering Gaza, and journalists from other major news outlets have evacuated, making the true scale of the war impossible to grasp. According to data from the Committee to Protect Journalists, most of the media workers killed in the war were Palestinian, and many of them were killed along with their families in airstrikes. Some human rights groups have said that Israel has targeted journalists, though Israel has repeatedly denied that accusation. The letter prompted backlash from some journalists who said they or their colleagues were punished by their news organizations for affirming their support for Palestinian journalists and civilians in letters highly critical of Israels war tactics in Gaza. When journalists have resigned or been fired for protesting the Israel-Hamas war, news organizations have said that voicing opinions that take sides violates their newsroom policies. For Olga Pericet, flamenco is an invitation: to play and to explore the limits of her imagination onstage. I like to keep things spontaneous and alive, she said in an interview from Madrid. Pericet, who comes from a family of flamenco dancers and teachers, has a deep respect for the traditions of the form. But she also finds inspiration in unexpected places, like Quentin Tarantinos films or the dances of Martha Graham. Im bipolar that way, she said. I like to mix it all. Flamenco the music and dance is steeped in history, its origins arising from the mingling of Roma culture with the cultural melting pot of southern Spain. It is also an art in constant flux, with a flair for reinvention. Over the years the Flamenco Festival, which arrives in New York each spring, has offered a window on its evolution. This year the festival has three dance programs at City Center, beginning March 8, each invoking a range of associations: to past dance forms, to flamenco auteurs, and to the central role of the flamenco guitar. Pericets La Leona, takes its inspiration from a 19th-century guitar prototype that produced the rich, resonant sound we now associate with flamenco music. The Ballet Nacional de Espanas Invocacion is a large-scale ensemble work that looks specifically to the past. It may have been a warmer than usual winter in Maine, but that doesnt mean it hasnt gotten mighty cold. In mid-January in Farmingdale, a town outside Augusta where Kaylie McLaughlin lives, the temperature dipped to 6 degrees Fahrenheit. The kind of cold that hurts, she said. But this winter, Ms. McLaughlins bungalow is toasty, thanks to two heat pumps she installed to replace her oil furnace. Im just so comfortable, said Ms. McLaughlin, a pharmaceutical sales representative. Shes also saving money, no longer paying $400 every four weeks for an oil delivery. Unlike a space heater, a heat pump extracts heat from outside air, even in subzero temperatures, and then runs it through a compressor, which makes it even hotter, before pumping it indoors. In the summer, it can operate in reverse, pulling heat from inside a building and pumping it outside, cooling the indoor spaces. In 2023 heat pumps outsold gas furnaces in the United States for the second year running, a climate win. Electrical heat pumps are the cheapest and most energy-efficient way to heat and cool homes, and they do not emit the carbon pollution that is overheating the planet. I always knew that I was going to do something different from the 9 to 5, Robert Kwok said with a laugh, aware of the irony that, as the founder of Beaufort Watches, all he does is work with time. Mr. Kwok, 25 and an Auckland native, blames that perspective for the fact he barely scraped through high school. But he said he really knuckled down when he entered Auckland University of Technology in 2016 and his journey toward starting one of New Zealands few watch brands began in earnest. My goal was to start a business before I finished uni, he said during an interview at the Beaufort store in the citys well-to-do Ponsonby suburb. The boutique, which opened Nov. 30, has a contemporary look with low-slung leather chairs and a lounge area for cocktails. On display were versions of the brands two current models: the sleek 40-millimeter Aerotimer MK11 (559 New Zealand dollars, or about $340) and the sportier 39-millimeter Seatrekker (649 dollars), in several colorways. It might be a bit of a stretch, but not much, to say that if it werent for the watch company Breguet, there might be no Air France. And commercial air travel might be a bit different, too. The route between the founding of Breguet watches in 1775 on the Quai de lHorloge in Paris and air travel as we know it today has been circuitous. But it principally involves Louis Charles Breguet, a great-great-grandson of the founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet. In the In Times Past column, David W. Dunlap explores New York Times history through artifacts housed in the Museum of The Times. The answer was right there on Tom Bodkins bookshelf. The question had been posed to Mr. Bodkin in 2000 by Joseph Lelyveld (1937-2024), then the executive editor of The New York Times: How could the newspaper simplify the headline typography in its main news section? Mr. Lelyveld found the front page especially fussy, confusing and dissonant with its Victorian jumble of styles. Mr. Bodkin, then an assistant managing editor in charge of design, opened his copy of American Specimen Book of Type Styles, by the American Type Founders Company. Published in 1912, the thick catalog still had the authority (and the heft), of an unabridged dictionary. Inside, 86 pages were dedicated to Cheltenham, a typeface that reflected some tenets of the Arts and Crafts movement. It came in a variety of styles: roman, italic, medium, bold, condensed, wide, extended and more. My eyes lit up, Mr. Bodkin recalled in an interview last week. Wow, look at all the options! And they all work together really nicely, because theyre the same family. Press Release March 1, 2024 CHIZ TO CHED: REGULATE EXPENSES OF COMMISSIONERS TO CURB ABUSE OF SUC FUNDS Senator Chiz Escudero has asked the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to regulate the expenses incurred by their commissioners during their visits to state colleges and universities (SUCs) or out-of-town meetings. The veteran legislator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Higher and Technical Education, made the call on Wednesday (Feb. 28) during the body's meeting where 25 education bills were tackled and approved in principle. Escudero made the statement amid criticism of CHED commissioners on their frequent meetings which costs and expenses are being charged to the account of SUCs. "One of the complaints against a commissioner was that he was conducting more than the regular meetings at the expense of the SUCs. And number two, that he was being accompanied by not only members of his family but also more than enough staff that the commissioner actually needs, again, at the expense of the SUC," the senator said, referring to former CHED commissioner Joe Mark Libre, who was dismissed recently by the Office of the Ombudsman due to nepotism. "So perhaps, it is time that CHED issue a memorandum regulating what will be charged against SUCs in cases of meetings held on-site and what will be charged against CHED, and what should be charged against the personal account of the CHED official," he said. During the hearing, Escudero also scrutinized the per diems requested by attendees of the commissioner meetings. According to him, there should no longer be a need to request per diem if the meetings are held within Metro Manila. "If the hearing or meeting is going to be conducted within CHED premises, or within Metro Manila, utang na loob, wala na dapat per diem ang commissioner. Some SUCs give that is why when I appointed my representatives to the various SUCs, I told them that they are not allowed A sweeping state review of existing K-12 school district audits released this week raised the prospect that more than half of third graders could be held back in coming years, and elicited questions from top state leaders over just how effective a $2.6 billion boost in state funding for education will be. The 154-page report, made public during a Wednesday meeting of the Executive Branch Audit Committee, also raised concerns about funding for free lunches lapsing and a state education agency lacking power to command accountability. It comes after Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and Democratic lawmakers spent much of the 2023 legislative session feuding over education policy, including how best to track how districts will spend the largest K-12 budget in state history. No single part of the audit was more contentious than a finding by auditors that student achievement [is] not necessarily dependent on dollars spent a point that stirred sharp debate among the committee, which includes Lombardo, the states five executive officers and one member of the public. Auditors found that the Clark County School District had underspent compared to the similarly sized districts in Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles but nonetheless, trailed only Miami in fourth grade math and reading achievement, and narrowly exceeded student achievement rates in better-funded Los Angeles and Chicago school districts. Lombardo called the section of the audit a little disturbing, adding that $2.6 billion put into the education program for the state of Nevada, but yet this audit says thats, for lack of a better term, a waste of money. Responding to Lombardos question, Chief Auditor Craig Stevenson cautioned that the lack of a correlation between investment and achievement noted in the report is not to say that more money invested doesnt necessarily lead to better outcomes. It really has to do with how you invest that money, Stevenson said. But the issue still struck a partisan chord. Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat, called the phrasing misleading and pressed Stevenson on why, if funding and achievement were not correlated, that funding and graduation rates were still correlated in the audit report. I see those as somewhat contradictory, Ford said. And I wonder how the report juxtaposes these two contradictory statements within these three pages. Controller Andy Matthews, a Republican, asked auditors how the state could even know if changes in student achievement outcomes had any relationship to funding, as opposed to merely coincidental. How could we know that absent that established correlation? Matthews said. Stevenson later clarified that he did not believe the audit report was implying the $2.6 billion wont move the needle. I think its saying that we need to make sure that we are targeting this investment towards certain things, Stevenson said, singling out reading and mathematics as critical performance elements. Stemming from an executive order issued last February, the states umbrella audit was tasked with reviewing existing third-party audits from the 2022 calendar year in each of the states 17 school districts, as well as the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority. In a statement, Lombardo said Thursday his administration would use the findings to shape the Acing Accountability initiative, as well as new education reforms. I firmly believe that our unprecedented investment into K-12 education warrants unprecedented accountability and fiscal responsibility, Lombardo said. Auditors found that most rural school districts routinely failed to comply with state auditing requirements. By law, districts are required to report spending every quarter, but only four counties Clark, Washoe, Humboldt and Nye counties did so in 2022. District financial managers told auditors they were either unaware of the requirements or thought they were no longer necessary. In either case, compliance with this statutory requirement is not monitored, auditors said. Read by 3 underperforms In summarizing their findings during a meeting of the audit committee Wednesday, auditors also found the Read by 3 program was underperforming statewide and that new literacy targets were likely not ambitious enough. As Lombardos office and lawmakers have sought to rebuild the states Read by Grade 3 program including appropriating $140 million in new funding last year auditors found less than half of Nevada third graders were proficient in reading, with reading scores on a steady decline since the 2018-2019 school year. With the revival of a measure in 2023 that would hold back students who are not proficient beginning in 2028, auditors said a majority of students could be held back in the third grade potentially resulting in unrealistic class sizes. At the same time, auditors said, the Nevada Department of Educations new literacy goals to boost literacy proficiency rates by 10% by 2025, from roughly 33% proficient to 43% were likely too low. Other states, they said, have set goals twice as high or higher, such as 88% by 2027 in Virginia or 100% in Ohio. Still, they also cited a widespread exacerbation of literacy issues by existing teacher shortages, and called on new laws that would allow the state education department to better coordinate licensed teachers as dedicated literacy specialists. To that end, Lombardos office announced a $6 million allocation of leftover federal COVID aid dollars on Thursday aimed at supporting Read by Grade 3 infrastructure, including two programs designed to train Nevada teachers on reading science and reading instruction. Even as new state initiatives have sought to streamline and update K-12 accountability measures, auditors broadly dinged the new initiatives as siloed, lacking either an understanding of how new results will be evaluated or who is responsible for implementing new changes. To that end, the audit called on the creation of a host of new legislation widening the powers of the Nevada Department of Education and increasing its funding, including a measure that would allow the NDE to directly intervene chronically underperforming schools and give the agency new enforcement tools tools Lombardo likened to a hammer. I think that when we talked about some of the intervention tools thats really what were referring to is giving them the authority to have a hammer and enforce these things, Stevenson said. And not just get a letter that says yeah, well take some corrective actions, but then theres no impact if they dont take those corrective actions. Free lunches set to lapse Separately, auditors called on local lawmakers to consider all options to extend or expand the availability of free school breakfast and lunches once the federal America Rescue Plan Act money funding universal free school lunch expires in July. The recommendation comes in part, auditors said, because research has shown access to nutritious meals lowers health issues and decreases the likelihood that students drop out of school. Widespread free school meals, they said, has been shown to reduce child food insecurity, eliminate social stigma associated with free meals, and benefit families most in need through savings on groceries. Democratic lawmakers had sought to approve $43 million in new funding to continue the program during the 2023 legislative session, but Lombardo vetoed the measure, citing potential food waste and a need to return to the normalcy of the pre-pandemic period. With the expiration of COVID-era meal subsidies looming, auditors called on schools to tap other federal aid programs that provide students meals at no cost a move already taken in Clark County during the 2022-2023 school year, which used a U.S. Department of Agriculture reimbursement program to cover all of its more-than 300,000 students. I know its not why were here, but this is one of the first times Ive ever seen CCSD do something that was legitimately really, really clever, said Treasurer Zach Conine, a Democrat. Dirk McCall de Paloma is a serious epicurean seeker of spicy and ethnic food, and a passionate connector of people. For the past two years, he has also been the executive director at the Sunnyside Shines business improvement district, a nonprofit funded by the city that promotes Sunnyside, Queens, as a destination. I help businesses and empower communities, said Mr. McCall de Paloma, 55, who plans cultural celebrations. People come to me with problems; I find solutions. The foodie in him loves that he runs the Taste of Sunnyside Restaurant Week. He grew up in Georgia, then migrated to New York in 1991 to attend graduate school at Columbia University for political science. In 1994, he began renting his one-bedroom apartment in Astoria, Queens, on the top floor of a four-story walk-up. In your 30s its OK because you think: This is great exercise. My butt looks great, he said. Once I hit my 40s, I realized I should be living on the first floor. Now that Im in my 50s, I wish I had an elevator. When the United States and its Middle Eastern allies went to war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, there was nothing clean or surgical about the campaign. Retaking Mosul from the Islamic States fighters, a struggle that ran from the fall of 2016 through the following summer, left between 9,000 and 11,000 inhabitants of the city dead, according to an Associated Press report, with about a third killed by the U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi air bombardments. Many of those victims were simply described as crushed in the subsequent medical reports. In 2021, my colleagues at this newspaper reported on a U.S. strike cell that launched tens of thousands of bombs and missiles against the Islamic State in Syria, but also sidestepped safeguards and repeatedly killed civilians, at a rate 10 times that of similar air warfare in Afghanistan. When Western journalists reached Raqqa in Syria, the Islamic States de facto capital, in the fall of 2018, they found a wasteland of war-warped buildings and shattered concrete (to quote an NPR report), in which as many as 80 percent of the citys structures were destroyed or uninhabitable. On Thursday, as flames from the Smokehouse Creek fire raced eastward across the Texas Panhandle for the fourth straight day at speeds faster than a person can run, a cold front, driving a snow squall, swept southward over the Great Plains. In an elemental collision, the fire and snow met east of Amarillo, the swirling flakes joining and then melting into the smoke and ash of the colossal prairie fire. The snowstorm has passed, but the fire one among several major blazes active in Texas keeps burning. As of Friday, the Smokehouse Creek fire had affected more than a million acres, making it the largest wildfire in Texas history and one of the biggest in the history of the country. Still only 15 percent contained, it has crossed into Oklahoma, leaving in its wake herds of dead cattle and dozens of burned homes. At least two people have died. The forecast is for what people in the firefighting business call fire weather: hot, dry and windy. Under these conditions, the dozen fires in the region could, theoretically, keep burning indefinitely. Texans know that fires arent uncommon in the Panhandle this time of year, and neither is snow. But huge, lethal fires like Smokehouse Creek represent something different. Winter fires on this scale signal a much larger disruption to climate stability that will distort not only our concept of seasons but also everything we do and care about. Two weeks before the Smokehouse fire broke out, I flew to Seattle from Cincinnati over a landscape I know well. But some 30,000 feet below my window seat lay a country I barely recognized: From the Ohio River to the Rockies, there was virtually no snow; the lakes and rivers were ice free. Im a Northerner, and I know what February is supposed to look like, but what season was this? I think Frieze is fantastic, James Corden said. I went to the one in London before anyone in L.A. even knew what it was. It was Tuesday in Los Angeles, and Mr. Corden, the former late-night host who now lives in London, was standing inside the Holmby Hills home of Jimmy Iovine, the co-founder of Interscope Records and the former chief executive of Beats Electronics. About 225 people had gathered for an art auction hosted by Mr. Iovine and Dr. Dre and organized by Sothebys. The event was part of a week of art talks, exhibitions and dinners culminating in Frieze Los Angeles, a four-day contemporary art fair held at the Santa Monica airport. It would be easy to dismiss Elon Musks lawsuit against OpenAI as a case of sour grapes. Mr. Musk sued OpenAI this week, accusing the company of breaching the terms of its founding agreement and violating its founding principles. In his telling, OpenAI was established as a nonprofit that would build powerful A.I. systems for the good of humanity and give its research away freely to the public. But Mr. Musk argues that OpenAI broke that promise by starting a for-profit subsidiary that took on billions of dollars in investments from Microsoft. An OpenAI spokeswoman declined to comment on the suit. In a memo sent to employees on Friday, Jason Kwon, the companys chief strategy officer, denied Mr. Musks claims and said, We believe the claims in this suit may stem from Elons regrets about not being involved with the company today, according to a copy of the memo I viewed. On one level, the lawsuit reeks of personal beef. Mr. Musk, who founded OpenAI in 2015 along with a group of other tech heavyweights and provided much of its initial funding but left in 2018 over disputes with leadership, resents being sidelined in the conversations about A.I. His own A.I. projects havent gotten nearly as much traction as ChatGPT, OpenAIs flagship chatbot. And Mr. Musks falling out with Sam Altman, OpenAIs chief executive, has been well documented. Around a long wooden table at San Francisco City Hall, nine people battling drug addiction swapped news on a recent Friday. One woman got a new job for a tax preparation firm and said she hoped staying busy would distract her from her alcohol cravings. A man said his mother was dying and he was glad he could be there for her, cleareyed. Another was effusive about a promising first date. One middle-aged man, in a finely tailored blue suit with a pocket square, then took a turn. Im Matt, he said. I work in the building. He was Matt Dorsey, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and a regular participant in the weekly recovery meetings held on the second floor. Mr. Dorsey, 59, has battled an addiction to crystal meth over a quarter of a century and has been sober for more than three years now. The Smokehouse Creek fire is the largest on record in Texas. Since it started on Monday, the blaze has burned over a million acres of land in the states Panhandle, much of which is cattle country. The fire, which spread around the town of Canadian, is still largely uncontrolled. It has devastated cattle ranches, destroyed homes and killed at least two people. It is now one of the most destructive fires in U.S. history, and conditions are expected to worsen over the weekend. Heres a look at the damages from the fire so far. Friday, March 1 The aftermath of the fire in Canadian. Before a standing-room-only crowd in an office building in Southeast Washington on a recent night, Tonya Fulkerson, a veteran Democratic fund-raiser, described the shootout that broke out last year in broad daylight on her street blocks from the U.S. Capitol. People were ducking behind cars to not get hit by bullets, she said. These days, Ms. Fulkerson told the crowd, she walks around her neighborhood with more vigilance, and no longer waits in the car if her husband stops at the local corner store, for fear of getting carjacked or robbed. And she has taken up a new side hustle, using skills and connections developed over decades in national politics, helping steer a campaign to oust her councilman, Charles Allen, a Democrat who has staunchly backed progressive criminal justice overhauls and whom she holds responsible for the crime plaguing her neighborhood and others throughout the city. Flanking her at the meeting, alongside signs saying Recall Charles Allen, were other prominent Democratic political operatives who call Capitol Hill home and who have joined the push, bringing with them resumes that include stints on multiple congressional and presidential campaigns. Depending on whom you ask, the University of Idahos plan to take over the University of Phoenix, a for-profit online school, is either a sweet deal or a potential disaster. C. Scott Green, the president of University of Idaho, said he viewed the agreement with a price tag of $550 million as a hedge against what is known as the demographic cliff, an expected drop in the number of college-age students. But critics of the universitys plan, like U.S. senators including Elizabeth Warren, nonprofits and a union, have questioned why the states top public university would team up with the University of Phoenix, known historically for its low graduation rates and misleading claims, so much so that it was recently ridiculed on Saturday Night Live. The University of Idaho is just the latest publicly funded state school to consider partnering with a for-profit company as a way to develop online enrollment. Arrangements at Arizona State, Purdue and, most recently, the University of Arizona have delivered varying results as higher education faces an existential crisis. For much of that campaign, many Democrats presumed that Mr. Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies would repel Latino voters. And in much of the country, that presumption proved true. Roughly 60 percent voted for Mr. Biden, and Latino voters helped flip Arizona to Democrats in 2020. They were also central to the partys ability to hold on to Nevada in both that election and the 2022 Senate race. But Latino voters in South Texas and Florida were also key for Republican wins in those states in 2020. Still, many leaders in the Democratic Party maintain that Hispanic support for Mr. Trump does not represent a broad ideological shift toward Republicans. Polls have repeatedly shown that such voters say they are attracted to Mr. Trumps stances on the economy and the border. Many Latino voters have also pointed to Mr. Trumps personality as a key part of his appeal. Mr. Trumps lead has grown among Latino voters in the last four years, according to Times/Siena polls. The number of Latinos eligible to vote has increased steadily for two decades, and more than 36 million are eligible this year, an increase of nearly four million in just the last four years, according to the Pew Research Center. Latinos now account for nearly 15 percent of eligible voters, a record high. Since 2020, both Republicans and Democrats have scrambled to shore up support with Latino voters, largely because they see the group as critical to creating a winning majority. Mr. Trump does not need the support of a majority of Latinos to win in November; merely peeling off a few percentage points among the group could prove decisive. Historically, roughly a third of Latino voters have supported Republicans in presidential elections. But there have been examples of greater Republican success in 2004, George W. Bush received support from about 40 percent of Latinos. Americans no longer trust the federal government. The Pew Research Center has been following this since the 1960s, and never before have the people distrusted government more than now. The level of trust was almost 80% in the 1960s, but it began to decline during the Johnson administration and has continued to fall. It rebounded slightly during both the Reagan and Clinton administrations, but it has been falling ever since to its current historical low. In this election year, only one in a hundred say they trust the government to always do the right thing. In polling, if there is an option, someone will choose it. Very small findings like this indicate the result is essentially zero. Even trusting the government most of the time is at 15%, the lowest in nearly seven decades of polling. There is plenty of blame to go around, but the federal government has worked hard to destroy our trust. It is one of the things it is good at. Consider immigration as an example. Why has the government created an open border? Since the implications could literally change the entire nation, one would think there would have been a vote on the matter, or at least some kind of explanation given to American citizens, but there has been none. Members of both parties pretend to do something before elections, but for the most part, they continue to do almost nothing. If, as a citizen, you ask why, you will not get a reply. If you insist, you will be labelled a racist. The system works like this: Citizens become aware that there is something illogical, odd, or even wrong. Ideas, concerns and rumors begin to circulate. Citizens ask the government for information. Although the government has the information, I think they just refuse to release it. They also instruct the media friendly to them to repress any discussion of the matter. When citizens insist, they are labeled as conspiracy nuts, or being racist, fascist, or even antidemocratic. Although there wase taped evidence of the so-called insurrection, numerous sources maintained that some cam data was withheld for almost three years. Distractors and many Trump followers claimed the government purposely withheld information while categorizing the event as the worst thing to happen in America since God created the Earth. While the full disclosure of an event that could determine a future presidential election may be a reality, the very belief that the government might have withheld information furthered inspired controversy, conspiratorial notions and distrust of the government by a large percent of potential voters who already leaned towards believing the government was corrupt and untrustworthy. Consider the case of the COVID mRNA vaccines. Some citizens began to notice the vaccines didnt appear to work well. You could have them all, and some people would still get sick. Some research indicates the vaccines may be harmful to some people. Why then did the government keep insisting the vaccines worked, and even penalize people who refused to take the jab? The government surely had more information; please share it with the citizens. The government refused to release information, and began a program to restrict communications of citizens with questionable motives. When citizens insisted, they were labeled conspiracy nuts and dangerous because they were willing to expose others to the horrors of COVID. It is beginning to appear to me the government might be willing to go to Step 6. If your opinions and communications can be labeled as a danger to society, then you are not only nutty, you might also be criminal. France is reportedly considering a law that would make it a crime to criticize mRNA vaccines with fines of 600 euros, about $650, or more, and perhaps even three years in prison. All of this ironically creates another conspiracy theory. Why would a government continue to withhold information from its own citizens, which destroys the trust of the very people needed to support a government? It is a possibility that the people in government are stupid and too corrupt to change course. They may not even like their citizens much. Yes, but it is also possible that those in power want a government that goes to Step 6. You can feel the saturation in the soil, Park Williams, a professor and expert in water and drought, said in a phone interview last week as he was walking across the grass at the University of California, Los Angeles. An astonishing 11 inches of rain fell in just two days in early February across the U.C.L.A. campus, which is tucked closer to the base of the Santa Monica Mountains than the downtown area. According to Dr. Williamss calculations, that meant 1.1 billion pounds of water fell over the campus those two days. Several freight train cars derailed onto the banks of the Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River, in Pennsylvania on Saturday in a crash involving three trains that spilled diesel fuel and plastic pellets into the water, the authorities said. The National Transportation Safety Board was deploying a team of experts to the site of the crash, which involved an eastbound train striking another train that had stopped on the same track. The wreckage from the striking train spilled onto an adjacent track and was struck by a westbound train, leading to the derailment of an unknown number of cars, the N.T.S.B. said. Northampton County Emergency Management Services and the Lehigh County hazardous materials team responded to the derailment in Lower Saucon Township, Pa., about 10 miles east of Allentown. After Altair Jaspe moved from Venezuela to the Colombian capital, Bogota, she was taken aback by the way she was addressed when she walked into any shop, cafe or doctors office. In a city that was once part of the Spanish empire, she was no longer senora, as she would have been called in Caracas, or perhaps, in her younger years, muchacha or chama. (Venezuelan terms for girl or young woman.) Instead, all around her, she was awarded an honorific that felt more fitting for a woman in cape and crown: Your mercy. Would your mercy like a coffee? Will your mercy be taking the appointment at 3 p.m.? Excuse me, your mercy, people told her as they passed in a doorway or elevator. Migration toward the United States through the perilous jungle known as the Darien Gap returned to normal on Friday, with hundreds of people from Venezuela, Ecuador and beyond entering the jungle following a roughly five-day pause in which migrants could not begin the trek. The pause in this increasingly large migration flow was the result of an arrest operation led by the Colombian prosecutors office, in which two captains driving boats full of migrants headed to the jungle were taken into custody, where they remain, according to the prosecutors office. The office said that the captains had been transporting the individuals illegally, in part because the migrants did not carry proper documentation. The captains worked for two boat companies Katamaranes and Caribe that for years have been playing an essential role in carrying migrants from the northern Colombia community of Necocli about two hours across a gulf to the entrance to the jungle, which they must then cross to get to Central America and eventually the United States. The boat companies have been doing this openly something documented extensively by The New York Times and the arrests seemed to signal a shift in policy by Colombian authorities. But in retaliation for the arrests, the boat companies paused transport, and the number of migrants waiting around in Necocli and another exit town, Turbo, swelled quickly to several thousand people. That posed an enormous challenge to both towns, which do not have the resources or infrastructure to house and feed so many people for an extended amount of time. Late last month, hundreds of people protested in major Pakistani cities over a blasphemy ruling by a top judge, who also faced an online backlash and threats. Two days later, a police officer in Punjab Province rescued a woman from attack by people who had mistaken Arabic script on her dress for Quranic verses. Later that week, a group in Karachi demolished the minarets on a house of worship used by the Ahmadi sect, a long-persecuted minority declared heretical under Pakistans Constitution, amid accusations that their faith insults Islam. These are only the most recent of many such episodes in Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim country where faith holds immense sway. Blasphemy is taken seriously in the country, and a conviction could mean death. But so can an accusation: Mobs sometimes take matters into their own hands, lynching people before their cases can even go to trial. A political climate that has given cover to extremism and a police force that is sometimes unable or unwilling to intervene have helped enable such violence. Mr. Mulroney died on Thursday at 84 at a hospital in Florida after falling at his home there. Alan Cowell has written a sweeping obituary of Mr. Mulroney that documents his many significant achievements but also the allegations of financial misdoing and influence peddling that followed his time in office. Those allegations tarnished his reputation, even among former supporters, and contributed to the eventual demise of the federal Progressive Conservative Party. [Read: Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister Who Led Canada Into NAFTA, Dies at 84] I reported on the free trade negotiations mainly from Washington. In contrast with Canada, where it often seemed as though every molecule of political and public debate was consumed by the talks, the negotiations barely registered there. King Harald V of Norway received a temporary pacemaker in Malaysia on Saturday to help him return home, according to the Norwegian Royal House, after contracting an infection while on the trip. The monarch, 87, had been hospitalized for an infection at a hospital on the Malaysian island of Langkawi, the Royal House said earlier in the week. The decision on Saturday to insert a pacemaker was made because the king had a low heart rate, the house said in a statement, calling the procedure successful. The plan was to medically transport the monarch back to Norway in the next couple of days, the Royal House said. His Majesty is doing well under the circumstances but still requires rest, the statement said. It added that the temporary pacemaker will make the return home safer, according to King Haralds personal physician, Bjrn Bendz, who is with the monarch. Among the oldest reigning monarchs in the world, King Harald V was crowned in 1991 and is the countrys first native-born king since the 14th century. His reign has coincided with an economic boom in Norway, spurred by oil and gas, and the monarchy showing greater openness to the public. In a contentious decision at the time, in 1968 he married Sonja Haraldsen, a commoner and the daughter of a clothing merchant. The Gaza aid convoy that ended in bloodshed this week was organized by Israel itself as part of a newly hatched partnership with local Palestinian businessmen, according to Israeli officials, Palestinian businessmen and Western diplomats. Israel has been involved in at least four such aid convoys to northern Gaza over the past week. It undertook the effort, Israeli officials told two Western diplomats, to fill a void in assistance to northern Gaza, where famine looms as international aid groups have suspended most operations, citing Israeli refusals to greenlight aid trucks and rising lawlessness. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter. Israeli officials reached out to multiple Gazan businessmen and asked them to help organize private aid convoys to the north, two of the businessmen said, while Israel would provide security. The United Nations has warned that more than 570,000 Gazans particularly in northern Gaza are facing catastrophic levels of deprivation and starvation after nearly five months of war and an almost complete Israeli blockade of the territory following the Oct. 7 attacks led by Hamas. Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to meet with Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war cabinet, in Washington on Monday, according to a White House official and a spokesman for Mr. Gantz. During the meeting with Mr. Gantz, Ms. Harris is expected to discuss the urgency of securing a hostage deal, which would allow for a temporary cease-fire, and the need to significantly increase aid into Gaza, according to the White House official, who provided details on the condition of anonymity. The meeting, which is scheduled to take place at the White House, comes as the Biden administration faces pressure to help secure a temporary cease-fire and hostage deal in the Israel-Hamas war and to more forcefully address the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. On Saturday, another senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic efforts, told reporters that negotiations were continuing, and that Israel had more or less accepted a framework for the deal and that the ball was now in Hamass court. The proposal could lead to a six-week pause in the fighting, as well as the release of some of the hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israel. President Biden had expressed hope that a deal could be reached by Monday as U.S. officials said they were working to secure a deal by the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that will start this year around March 10. The United States also delivered its first airdrop of food into Gaza on Saturday amid warnings that the besieged enclave was on the brink of famine. Israel has imposed tight restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid, even as international relief organizations have suspended some convoys because of rising anarchy and the looting of some aid trucks inside Gaza. Doors will open for Republican caucuses across the state at 2 p.m. Eastern time, and those who arrive in person by 3:30 Eastern time will be admitted. There will be one round of voting, and those who were registered as Republicans by the deadline at the end of last year may participate. There is no set end time for the caucuses. State party officials say they hope to announce an overall winner by 8 p.m. Eastern time and that more detailed results will be released after. Idahos 32 Republican delegates will be awarded to the candidate receiving more than 50 percent of the overall vote. If no candidate meets that threshold, delegates will be awarded proportionally. Idaho Democrats will hold their caucus on May 23. Since the coordinated development of the region was proposed as a national strategy in 2014, cooperation and coordination between the ports in Tianjin and Hebei have been gaining momentum. When discussing the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region over the past decade, Shen Xifeng, a 50-year-old entrepreneur in the Xiong'an New Area, highlighted port cooperation. "The port service on the doorstep has significantly reduced the time required to export our products," Shen said, referring to Tianjin Port Group's service center in the Xiong'an New Area, a 1,770-square-km area some 100 km southwest of Beijing that was established on April 1, 2017. Established in 2019, the center aims to provide efficient port and logistics services for enterprises in Xiong'an and its surrounding areas. Last month, the center successfully assisted Shen's company, Xiongxian Liya Packing Material Co., Ltd, in avoiding a possible default. Before the Chinese New Year, the packing material company planned to export a container of stretch film to Le Havre in France. However, the cold weather and a surge in demand for other products caused a delay in the production of the stretch film. If the container could not be delivered on time, the company would face not only a claim for compensation by its foreign customers, but also a tarnished reputation in overseas markets. Upon learning about the problem faced by Liya company, Tianjin Port Group's service center in Xiong'an immediately coordinated shipping companies, transport operators, port terminals and customs, further streamlining the export process. Finally, the container of the stretch film departed from Tianjin Port on Feb. 13 as scheduled. "Thanks to the service center, our communication (with Tianjin Port) has significantly improved in terms of convenience and efficiency. The timely delivery of our export goods has boosted customers' trust in our company, laying a solid foundation for expanding our overseas businesses," Shen said. Zhao Shuo, responsible for the service center, highlighted Liya's story as another testament to Tianjin Port's commitment to providing high-quality service for the development of Xiong'an, an area which China aims to build into a green, innovative city and a national model of high-quality development. "The establishment of the center also represents a tangible step taken by Tianjin Port to promote the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," Zhao added. In addition to setting up the service center in Xiong'an, Tianjin Port also inaugurated a service center to coordinate port services for Beijing's CBD in 2023. Similarly, Hebei Port Group has also implemented programs to better serve regional enterprises seeking international expansion. Figures provided by the group showed that it has set up nearly 20 inland ports in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Since the coordinated development of the region was proposed as a national strategy in 2014, cooperation and coordination between the ports in Tianjin and Hebei have been gaining momentum. In May 2023, Tianjin Port Group and Hebei Port Group signed a cooperation agreement to enhance the radiating and driving roles of ports, and to provide robust support for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Over the past years, the ports have given full play to their respective advantages and complemented each other. For example, while Tianjin Port handles more exports destined for distant destinations, Qinhuangdao Port, under Hebei Port Group, focuses on export routes to South Korea and Japan. A ship carrying both passengers and cargo departs from Qinhuangdao Port to Inchon in South Korea every Wednesday and Sunday. "The route provides a strong logistics guarantee for expanding our company's business in the South Korean market," said Zhao Jinxing, head of the foreign trade department of Qinhuangdao Lihua Starch Co., Ltd. Meanwhile, feeder vessels are now shuttling between the ports in Hebei and Tianjin. The vessels have ensured that the ports can share each other's route resources and transport capacity. "The feeder vessels are like shuttle buses," Zhao explained, "they can transfer products between ports in the most effective way." Port cooperation in the region has facilitated the company's global expansion. Zhao said the company has exported its products to more than 100 countries and regions each year, noting that port cooperation "has reduced our costs and increased efficiency for export." Surprisingly Weak Ukrainian Defenses Help Russian Advance Ukrainian trenches Ukrainian trenches Rudimentary Ukrainian trench lines outside Avdiivka, in an area claimed by Russia. Satellite image from Planet Labs, Feb. 26 By The New York Times Russian forces continue to make small but rapid gains outside of the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, attributable in part to dwindling Ukrainian ammunition and declining Western aid. But theres another reason the Kremlins troops are advancing in the area: poor Ukrainian defenses. Sparse, rudimentary trench lines populate the area west of Avdiivka that Ukraine is trying to defend, according to a Times review of imagery by Planet Labs, a commercial satellite company. These trench lines lack many of the additional fortifications that could help slow Russian tanks and help defend major roads and important terrain. Avdiivka became the site of a fierce standoff over the last nine months, emerging as one of the bloodiest battles of the war. When Russia captured the city on Feb. 17, its first major gain since last May, the Ukrainian Army claimed it had secured defensive lines outside the city. But Russian troops have captured three villages to the west of Avdiivka in the span of a week, and they are contesting at least one other. Novobakhmutivka Soloviove Krasnohorivka Russian-claimed control Berdychi Stepove Held by Russia Semenivka Ukrainian defenses shown above Orlivka Umanske Avdiivka Lastochkyne Kladovysche 2 miles Novobakhmutivka Soloviove Krasnohorivka Held by Russia Russian-claimed control Berdychi Stepove Semenivka Ukrainian defenses shown above Orlivka Avdiivka Lastochkyne Kladovysche 2 miles Novobakhmutivka Krasnohorivka Russian-claimed control Held by Russia Berdychi Stepove Semenivka Ukrainian defenses shown above Orlivka Avdiivka Lastochkyne Kladovysche 2 miles Sources: Satellite image from Planet Labs; Russian-controlled territory (as of Feb. 29, 2024) from the Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institutes Critical Threats Project. By The New York Times Satellite imagery at the scale shown here is widely available. U.S. officials said privately that it was concerning that Ukraine did not shore up its defensive lines early or well enough, and that it may now face the consequences as Russian units advance slowly but steadily beyond Avdiivka. British military intelligence said on Thursday that Russian forces had advanced to about four miles from the center of Avdiivka in the past two weeks, a small but unusually rapid advance compared with previous offensive operations. Ukrainian commanders have had ample time to prepare defenses outside Avdiivka. The area has been under attack since 2014, and Ukraine has had a tenuous hold on it since Russia launched its full-scale invasion two years ago. But the Ukrainian defenses outside Avdiivka show rudimentary earthen fortifications, often with a connecting trench for infantry troops to reach firing positions closest to the enemy, but little else. Stronger Russian Defenses The lack of robust Ukrainian entrenchments in the area is especially glaring when compared with the formidable Russian defenses that thwarted Kyivs advances last summer during the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which ultimately failed. Russian fortifications outside the southern village of Verbove, which Ukraine tried and failed to retake this fall, show a much different picture. 2 miles Pavlivske Novofedorivka Robotyne Russian fortifications Russian-claimed control Verbove Russian defenses shown below Held by Russia Novoprokopivka Romanivske 2 miles Pavlivske Novofedorivka Russian-claimed control Russian fortifications Verbove Russian defenses shown below Held by Russia Romanivske Russian-claimed control Pavlivske Novofedorivka Russian fortifications Verbove Russian defenses shown below Held by Russia Romanivske 2 miles Sources: Satellite image from Planet Labs; Russian-controlled territory (as of Feb. 29, 2024) from the Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institutes Critical Threats Project; Russian fortifications based on data from Brady Africk. By The New York Times Unlike the poorly fortified villages that Russian forces are trying to capture outside Avdiivka, Verbove has a concentric ring of fortifications. It starts with a trench wide enough to ensnare advancing tanks and armored vehicles, followed by a mesh of cement obstacles known as dragons teeth also used to stop vehicles and, finally, a sprawling trench for the infantry. Satellite imagery from February shows the multilayered Russian defenses to the west of Verbove, with thousands of shell craters visible in the surrounding fields. Trench Provides cover for infantry to fight from Dragons teeth Rows of pyramidal obstacles to stop tanks Anti-tank ditch A wide, deep ditch that tanks cant cross NORTH Anti-tank ditch A wide, deep ditch that tanks cant cross Dragons teeth Rows of pyramidal obstacles to stop tanks Trench Provides cover for infantry to fight from Anti-tank ditch A wide, deep ditch that tanks cant cross NORTH Dragons teeth Rows of pyramidal obstacles to stop tanks Trench Provides cover for infantry to fight from Satellite image from Planet Labs, Feb. 25 By The New York Times A Very Costly Option There are many possible reasons for Ukraines apparent lack of defenses. Ukrainian officials may have been too focused on offensive operations last year to dedicate the necessary resources to building the kind of multiple trenches and tank traps that Russian engineers built since late 2022 in the countrys south, the U.S. officials and military experts said. Who cared and who considered it as an option because its a very costly option the construction of defensive lines? No one, said Serhiy Hrabskyi, a retired Ukrainian Army colonel, noting that Ukraine had few resources to spare at the time. There may have also been a psychological element at play, the U.S. officials said. If Ukrainian troops heavily mined certain areas to thwart Russian advances, it would be a tacit acknowledgement that they were unlikely to carry out offensive operations in the same area at a future date. Theyd effectively be writing off that territory to the Russian military, the officials said. While Moscow began building defensive lines in the south more than half a year before Kyivs counteroffensive, Ukraine appeared to have begun plans for new fortifications only three months ago, when government officials announced the creation of a working group to coordinate efforts between civilian and military authorities. Responsibility for building the first line of defense would fall to the military units stationed in the area, the officials said, while the next defensive lines would be built by civilian authorities, with the help of private contractors. Denys Shmyhal, Ukraines prime minister, said that some 30 billion Ukrainian hryvnias, about $800 million, had been allocated for fortifications this year. Areas in the eastern Donetsk region, where Avdiivka is, will receive maximum attention, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a visit near the front line in late November, noting the need to boost and accelerate the construction of structures. But Pasi Paroinen, an analyst from the Black Bird Group, which analyzes satellite imagery and social media content from the battlefield, said that nothing significant has happened since Mr. Zelenskys visit. Outside of Avdiivka, Mr. Paroinen added, there are new positions being prepared, but they do not yet constitute a particularly formidable defensive line and are not comparable in scale to Russias fortifications in the south. The Ukrainian authorities have said they lack people able to carry out the construction work. In mid-January, local officials in the western Ivano-Frankivsk region said they were looking for 300 workers willing to help build fortifications in the Donetsk region, more than 500 miles to the east. We have a lack of engineering units. And even the units we have lack equipment, Mr. Hrabskyi said. By comparison, he and Mr. Paroinen said, Russia had far more equipment, materials and experienced personnel when it built its defensive lines. The absence of strong defensive lines outside of Avdiivka has been denounced in recent days by several Ukrainian journalists, in a rare show of public criticism of the military. Delays in the construction of fortifications mean that Ukrainian troops may now be left to reinforce their defensive lines while under fire from the Russian Army, making the task exponentially more difficult. Mr. Hrabskyi said Russia was currently preventing Ukrainian troops from shoring up their defenses by relentlessly bombarding them, including with powerful glide bombs carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives that can smash through even well-prepared fortifications. The quality of these defensive lines cannot be good enough to resist massive bulldozer tactics by the Russian forces, Mr. Hrabskyi said. Oleksandra Mykolyshyn contributed reporting. The owner of The Phoenix in Tullamore says he understands a recent court decision which prevented him from holding a three day music festival in a big top in the Roselawn car park. ''We are disappointed, but we respect the decision. We wanted to bring something different to Tullamore,'' said Kieran Conroy. At last Wednesday's Tullamore District Court, Judge Andrew Cody refused to grant a licence to Mr Conroy to hold the event. The judge said the Roselawn Carpark was not a suitable venue for a big top and it didn't have insurance for such a festival. Residents of Roselawn had objected on the grounds that there were a lot of elderly people living in the estate and the big top was too near their homes. Mr Conroy said he appreciates the amount of support he has received from the people in Tullamore and from local businesses. ''Other towns have big top events. But I do understand the concerns raised by the residents,'' he added. ''It's great to see the support from everybody. Local business people and our own customers have reached out and we really appreciate it. It's great to see that everybody was behind it and thought it was a good idea.'' But the show will go on and the event will now take place in The Phoenix itself over the St Patrick's weekend. The venue has a capacity for 850 people per night. ''We are hoping to fill that for the three nights. It will thankfully save our bacon and provide a fantastic weekend. We hope people can support us by buying tickets,'' he said. ''The experience hasn't put me off. There are definitely things looking back on that we could have done to make the process smoother. We will hopefully look at other venues for next year and work with all the local authorities to make it happen,'' said Mr Conroy. ''We will deliver the best Paddy's weekend that we can. We have three big days, The Whistlin Donkeys on the Friday night. They are a fantastic group, they usually play in a lot bigger gigs, but they are happy to stay onboard. We will have Ruaile Buaile and the Highstool Prophets. We are hoping to provide a fantastic weekend for everyone. We are happy we are still working with the original acts,'' said Mr Conroy. Looking forward, Mr Conroy said, ''we have loads of great suggestions. The Roselawn car park will never be used, by me anyway.'' he said. ''Tullamore needs more events. Emmet (Lynch) does a great one in the canal quarter and we benefit from that too. We will try to work with the council to see if we can deliver an event. People would have loved it. We will talk to the council, they are open to events in the town,'' he said. The event takes place on March 15, 16 and 17. AN Offaly teenager was involved in co-ordinating an event by the Ombudsman for Childrens Office (OCO) that saw over 100 children from across Ireland discuss the action they expect from Government as a result of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Childs Concluding Observations to the State. Pieces of Us; Whats Next? has been published by the OCO, detailing what children now want to happen on key issues. It follows a series of reports by the OCO as part of Irelands reporting process to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Ailis Malone (16) from Banagher is a member of the OCOs Youth Advisory Panel, which has played a key role in assisting the OCO in this process. 5,515 children took part in a national online survey and 200 children participated in focus groups for Pieces of Us, the childrens report that went to the UN Committee in August 2022. Ailis and the Youth Advisory Panel travelled to Geneva to share the findings of Pieces of Us. This latest report Pieces of Us: Whats Next? is the final part of the process where children reflected on the what the Committee said and focused on the key actions they feel the Government now need to take. The Youth Advisory Panel hosted the event in Croke Park hearing directly from children on what they had to say about the issues children care about in Ireland. Education, mental health, equality, play and leisure, hearing childrens voices and protecting the most vulnerable were the key themes for children. Children are calling for a series of changes in schools and education settings. They want to take the pressure out of the Leaving Certificate; remove the stigma around the Leaving Cert Applied and Leaving Cert Vocational Programme. They want more cultural awareness training for teachers and better disability services. In mental health children want more, and better staff for CAMHS. They want shorter waiting lists and an understanding that you cannot be too young to experience mental health issues. They want more mental health support services in schools and improvements in transgender healthcare. Speaking about the event, Ailis said: I did not know much about rights until I worked on the survey around the rights of children. Hearing from other people my age about what is important in their lives has been interesting. I like hearing the stories. I like to have the chance to put my ideas in my own words, too The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon said: Hearing directly from children and considering their views in the decision making process is essential. Pieces of Us: Whats Next? provides Government and policy makers with a clear insight into childrens priorities. The OCO Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) led this whole process and their hard work and commitment have been key not only to the success of the report, but to the impact that is has had in influencing the concluding observations. We will continue to share the messages from Pieces of Us: Whats Next? and to support the YAP in bringing these message directly to decision makers. At the meeting (Photo: VNA) At the function, the sides underscored a shared commitment in exchanging experiences, technologies, and advanced solutions to ensure a sustainable and healthy environment. Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Mai Hung noted that the bilateral cooperation is not only an opportunity for local officials and businesses to access advanced technologies, but also a significant step towards enhancing environmental management capacities and advancing sustainable development in the southern industrial hub. The Japanese side proposed specific development directions, including encouraging businesses to invest in new environmental protection technologies in Binh Duong. Morishita Tsuyoshi, Director-General of the International Affairs Department at METI Kansai, expressed his hope that Japanese environmental technologies will contribute to the provinces environment improvement and carbon emissions reduction. According to a report from the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the collaborative project on technology transfer, technical cooperation, and human resource training in the fields of environment and energy conservation has been underway since November 2022. Through training courses and seminars, it has significantly contributed to enhancing the capacities of environmental management officials in Binh Duong, while providing substantial support for the province in building plans and regulations regarding environmental protection, pollution control, and climate change response for 2021-2025./. PM Pham Minh Chinh reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with Italy, believing that Lollobrigida's visit would solidify bilateral political, economic and trade relations, especially in agriculture. PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry Francesco Lollobrigida (Photo: VNA) Welcoming the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, he urged them to concretise and effectively realise the MoU to achieve new milestones in agricultural cooperation, overcome challenges, and strive for a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship. The PM emphasised the importance of collaboration in deep processing of agricultural products, technology transfer, innovation, digital transformation, green economy and circular economy in agriculture, and fostering connections between businesses to develop agricultural economy. Vietnam is ready to welcome a greater presence of Italian farm produce to serve local consumers, he said. Noting that Vietnam is the first country to carry out the 1-million-ha low-emission, high-quality rice programme in the Mekong Delta, contributing to the global climate change adaptation, he suggested exploring regional agricultural cooperation between the two countries. He also urged Italy to accelerate the European Union's removal of the yellow card warning on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Vietnam and hasten the approval of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). On the global and regional issues, Chinh proposed continued cooperation to address global challenges like climate change, food security and water security. He also called for the effective implementation of cooperation activities within the framework of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) Declaration between Vietnam and G7 countries. Vietnam is ready to serve as a bridge to foster the development partnership between Italy and ASEAN - the current growth centre, as well as promote relations between Italy and African countries and other nations through the tripartite cooperation model in ensuring food security, he said. Minister Lollobrigida, for his part, lauded Vietnam's significant potential and strengths in agriculture. He expressed Italy's readiness to share experience, technology and machinery, crop varieties and livestock achievements with Vietnam to develop sustainable agriculture with lower emissions and more added values targeting premium markets. Italian universities are also prepared to train Vietnamese students in the field, he added. The minister said Italy hopes to become Vietnam's leading agricultural partner in the EU, believing that more Italian agricultural products would be present in Vietnam and the Asia-Pacific. Italy will actively urge relevant EU agencies to remove the yellow card warning on Vietnamese seafood at the earliest, he added. Italy is now the third largest trade partner of Vietnam in the EU, behind Germany and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Vietnam is Italy's biggest trade partner in ASEAN, with two-way trade surpassing 6 billion USD in 2023. In 2023, the two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of bilateral strategic partnership./. CORVALLIS Oregon State forward Raegan Beers is expected to play Saturday when the No. 11 Beavers face California at noon in Gill Coliseum. The 6-foot-4 sophomore forward, who has missed the past four games with a broken nose, was warming up with the team Saturday morning. Beers absence has been impactful. Oregon States leading scorer and rebounder sustained a broken nose after taking an inadvertent elbow from UCLAs Kiki Rice during a game on Feb. 16. Olen Grimes remembers hitting rock bottom. On a December day in 2015, he headed out to cut down a Christmas tree with his 12-year-old son, first stopping at a Dairy Queen in Bend to sell some meth to support his drug habit. The father and son never made it to the woods because Grimes was tackled, handcuffed and hauled off to jail by police, his son still waiting in the car. In an article titled What to watch at the ASEAN-Australia summit, author Susannah Patton wrote: Most of the ASEAN leaders will be visiting Australia for the first time, at least in their terms in office. This means a big focus will be on relationship building. The Interpreter, a publication of the Australian-based international policy think tank The Lowy Institute, has recently published two articles mentioning the Vietnam-Australia relations and Vietnam's economic potential within ASEAN. (Photo: VNA) The article noted that Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Philippine and Malaysian counterparts Ferdinand Marcos and Anwar Ibrahim are undertaking separate bilateral programmes to mark their first visits to Australia since taking office. The summit will include a CEO Forum and briefings to help Australian small- and medium-sized enterprises do business in Southeast Asia, it said. Meanwhile, another article titled The parts within the whole: Understanding Southeast Asias economies" by Hannah Denson, assessed that Vietnams large manufacturing base and low-cost production have made it a key trade beneficiary as global companies shift. Combined with the return of overseas tourists, this partly explains Vietnams steady 5.1% growth rate in 2023. Considering the electric vehicle industry a potential new source of growth across Southeast Asia, the author said Vietnam is home to the regions first USlisted electric vehicle company, VinFast. PM Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse will attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the sides dialogue relations, and pay official visits to Australia and New Zealand from March 5-11, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced. The PM's attendance at the summit and visits will be made at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon./. Portland police are asking for the publics help in locating a 53-year-old Portland man suspected of fatally shooting a man inside a bar in North Portlands St. Johns neighborhood last month. Investigators suspect Harold Bob Dulaney fatally shot 56-year-old Charles Hassel shortly before 10 p.m. on Feb. 5, police said Friday. Officers found Hassel dead after responding to a reported shooting inside the Blue Bird Tavern on North Lombard Street, police said. Police have not said what led up to the shooting. Dulaney is 6-foot-3, 260 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes and walks with a hunched posture and uses a cane, police said. He was wearing a black winter coat with gray accents on the shoulders the night of the killing, police said. Investigators said Dulaney is considered armed and dangerous and asked anyone who sees him to call 911. Hassels death marked 2024s 12th homicide in Portland. There were seven homicides in Portland by the same time last year. Through February, 15 people have died in homicides in Portland. Police asked anyone with information that is not time sensitive about the homicide or Dulaney to contact detectives Jason Koenig at jason.koenig@police.portlandoregon.gov and 503-823-0889 or William Winters at william.winters@police.portlandoregon.gov and 503-823-0466, referencing case number 24-29431. -- Catalina Gaitan covers public safety, politics, policing and more. You can reach Catalina at cgaitan@oregonian.com. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today at OregonLive.com/subscribe. Mikal Gilmores hands shook as he tried to record video of the stranger getting mugged in front of Gilmores North Portland house and simultaneously summon help. Im calling 911 Gilmore shouted as two men wrestled over something in the street around 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 1. Authorities arrested a 32-year-old Portland man in California as a suspect in the citys first homicide of the year. Police suspect Xavier Lucas fatally shot 30-year-old Deshawn Pledger in Portlands Hazelwood neighborhood on Jan. 8. Investigators havent said what led to the shooting and no related court records have yet been filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court. In a bipartisan vote, the Oregon Senate on Friday easily approved a bill making possession of small amounts of hard drugs a misdemeanor crime again, signaling the end of the states first-in-the-nation experiment with drug decriminalization. The bill passed the Senate 21-8, with five liberal Portland and Eugene Democrats, mostly lawmakers of color, and three conservative or libertarian members voting no. House Bill 4002 now heads to the desk of Gov. Tina Kotek, who has not said publicly whether she will sign it. Koteks spokesperson Elisabeth Shepard said legislation that makes drug possession a crime must pass the balancing test of concrete, measurable improved outcomes for individuals who are struggling with addiction and accountability. The bills passage crystallized the publics mounting buyers remorse documented in multiple polls that has dogged Measure 110 since its early days. It is unusual for the Legislature to effectively reverse the will of voters so quickly, underscoring how dramatically the political landscape has changed since the laws strong approval in 2020. We are moving in a direction that says to Oregonians we heard you, we respect your voices and were taking action, said Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp of Bend. The Senate also on Friday approved $211 million for projects and programs intended to expand access to substance abuse treatment, including in jails, and mental health services across Oregon. The bill also includes funding for substance abuse prevention education. We are investing in every corner of this state so that people can receive care for their addiction close to home, said Sen. Elizabeth Steiner, D-Beaverton. The bill creates a new class of misdemeanor that comes with the potential of up to 180 days in jail, but lawmakers say people found with street drugs should have multiple opportunities to enter treatment before they get sent to jail. Under House Bill 4002, local governments and law enforcement agencies would decide whether to opt into giving people the chance to pursue substance abuse treatment before they are booked into jail. Lawmakers said 23 counties so far have signed onto the approach. Steiner said 80% of Oregonians would thus have access to that option. Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber, the Beaverton Democrat who co-chaired the committee charged with crafting policy responses to criticism of Measure 110, said the bill will create a more fair treatment-focused justice system. Numerous members of the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, gave heart-wrenching testimony in support for the measure about family members who have wrestled with drug addiction or died from it. Several others cited the racially disparate impact on Black Oregonians and other people of color as the reason they opposed this change. A study by the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, a state agency that crunches data related to the states criminal justice system, concluded the changes to the possession and drug-dealing statutes would disproportionately impact Black Oregonians in particular. Senators who voted no were Brian Boquist, an independent lawmaker from Dallas; Michael Dembrow, a Portland Democrat; Lew Frederick, a Portland Democrat who is a member of the Legislatures Black, Indigenous and People of Color Caucus; Kayse Jama, also a Portland Democrat and BIPOC caucus member; Dennis Linthicum, a conservative Republican from Beatty; James Manning Jr., a Eugene Democrat and BIPOC caucus member; Floyd Prozanski, a Eugene Democrat and former prosecutor; and Art Robinson, a libertarian Republican from Cave Junction. The bill passed the House Thursday on a bipartisan 51-7 vote. Measure 110 not only made minor possession of street drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin a non-criminal violation on par with a traffic ticket, but it also made available hundreds of millions of dollars from cannabis taxes to pay for a range of services, including treatment, intended to address addiction. The law sought to provide more rehabilitation and less incarceration for drug use. It was inspired by the longstanding approach in Portugal, where drugs have been decriminalized for decades. The Oregon decriminalization campaign was funded largely by outside interests, including the New York-based Drug Policy Alliance, which poured an estimated $5 million into the effort. The alliances mission is to end the war on drugs. But the laws rollout was rocky. At one point, a member of the citizen-led council tasked with overseeing the distribution of the money to drug treatment and treatment-related services described the grant process as total chaos. The council was slow to release grant dollars to expand treatment, housing and other services to drug users. The lack of treatment and detoxification beds remains dire. The measure created a system of issuing citations to people found with street drugs, but it never took off. People with citations rarely called a helpline for substance abuse screening and referrals an option to avoid paying a fine. Police also were generally slow to warm up to the idea of issuing tickets. As recently as late last year, a state audit found that much of the money set aside under the law had yet to reach people who need it. Meanwhile, the law coincided with the startling rise of fentanyl. Oregon has confronted an opioid epidemic extraordinary in scope and devastation, with yearly overdoses from fentanyl growing by an estimated 1,500% since before the pandemic by far the largest increase in the United States, federal data shows. Behind these heart wrenching statistics are real people our friends, family members, neighbors and children, said Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone. Our current approach is broken, letting people struggle with drug addiction is not compassionate. -- Noelle Crombie is an enterprise reporter with a focus on criminal justice. Reach her at 503-276-7184; ncrombie@oregonian. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com. Oleksandr "Tykhokhid" Dmitriyev, author of "Ochi" Project Quality training of a big number of drone pilots is important. We need more than a million drones, and this means that the number of operators should be increased, too. These days, unmanned aircraft systems partially replace traditional means of fighting the enemy, efficient at the start of the war. Kamikaze drones, for instance, have shown their efficiency in hitting both stationary and mobile targets. The enemys equipment and training is constantly improving, and the enemys economy is growing. Though we are better motivated because we are defending our land, we also have to achieve superiority in the quality of equipment and technologies. In contrast to us, "meat-grinder assaults" are the Russians day-to-day tactic. Ukraine, unlike our enemy, does value human lives. We have to secure our superiority in the means of warfare. This means, firstly, increasing the number of drones we can have. Secondly, it is important to have enough operators of unmanned systems, with high levels of working skills, in order to target the enemy efficiently. These days, many people who display their interest in serving as unmanned system operators, attend private courses even before they are mobilized. This approach may be useful as these people have certain skills and experience when they join the army, and therefore may start their active duty as drone operators. It should be noted, however, that civilian training is different from military training. There are high-quality civilian schools for drone pilots, but there are also schools where the level of training is not high enough. Schools and centers for training unmanned systems pilots are, in the first turn, teaching how to avoid the loss of drones in combat and fulfill your combat tasks. Similarly, during the basic military training conducted by any training center, trainees are learning, in the first turn, how to protect their own lives. For example, they are being taught how to choose a safe position, how to move, dig trenches, take cover, engage in defense, and only then they learn the tactics of the offensive. "Do no harm" is the main rule for medical doctors. For the reconnaissance drone operators, the major task is "Dont overlook", and "Dont miss" is the rule for kamikaze drone operators. It is important to have predictability in relation to whether the school provides specialist training to the level needed to perform combat tasks. Training will be made more efficient as a result of creating an ecosystem among civilian education establishments, schools attached to drone-producing enterprises, and military training centers. Increasing the number of trainings going on simultaneously will result in having great numbers of unmanned system operators sooner. Constant upgrading of training programs may happen in synergy between civilian and military schools. For military commanders, it is important to know what is the scope of knowledge of an operator who has the certificate of graduating from a civilian or military school for pilot training and therefore to expect relevant results of their work. Even the initial specialist training of unmanned system operators should be of high quality both at civilian and military schools. If a person trains to become a military drone operator, there has to be a typical system of completion control (exams) in order to assess the level of knowledge they have gained during their civilian training. The recommended minimum requirements to the program will help civilian schools create their training programs. At military training centers, they run similar training programs. In the civilian sphere, training programs are sometimes very different at different schools. There is a need for public-private partnership, cooperation between civilian and military instructors in order to synchronize training programs. Joint work of civilian and military instructors has to be based on synergic combination of resources in order to achieve higher quality of drone operators training. In order to achieve this strategic goal, it is important to develop and implement efficient tools of joint work. We need even the basic training, including takeoff and landing, often called "kindergarten" for the military, conducted to high standards. We have to make sure that people who join armed service have practical skills and knowledge, not just theoretical. Although online training is becoming ever more popular, the efficiency of such training depends on many factors, including trainers quality and students ability to work on their own. It often happens that certificates obtained from online courses do not reflect real knowledge and skills of a person. This can seriously affect military service as operators low standards of work may result in losses of equipment and low efficiency of combat. Taking into account high rates of development of military technologies, it is extremely important that training programs for unmanned systems operators are relevant and efficient. Both civilian and military educational establishments play the key role in training drone operators for successful performance of their tasks in combat conditions. This training embraces not only technical aspects of drone usage but also tactical ways, as well as methods of protection and safety. At present, great attention is being paid to developing unmanned systems in the Armed Forces. The "Drone Office" has been set up within the Ministry of Defense, aimed at raising the efficiency of the use of unmanned aircraft, at reacting timely to the necessary organizational challenges, and at developing this sector. This Office, in close interaction with the Main Directorate of Unmanned Systems of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as with the commanding structures of all types of the Armed Forces and Defense Forces, coordinates actions in this direction. This Office has the goal of securing efficient policies in order to increase the capabilities of the combat unmanned systems sector. It is expected that later, a special type of forces specializing in using unmanned systems, will be created. President has signed the Decree for the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to involve the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in order to jointly work on the issue of creating, within the structure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces as a special type of forces. This work is to result in submitting proposals for consideration by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Creating a special type of forces for unmanned systems will become a key step in developing Ukraines military capabilities. To sum up, further success in this sphere will depend on comprehensive systematic approach involving technological innovation as well as active work on preparation and incentives, and developing scientific-and-research sphere along with the quality assurance system. Photo: (Photo : PAUL RATJE/AFP via Getty Images ) In an open-air camp along the southern border earlier this month, a young girl from Colombia sought shelter from the harsh wind and cold by hiding in a makeshift portable toilet with her parents. Migrant Situation in the Border Camps They had been directed to the temporary camp by Border Patrol agents to await processing for their asylum claims. However, according to sworn declarations filed in federal court and accounts from volunteers present, the camp provided no assistance or proper shelter beyond an unsanitary latrine. As temperatures dropped, the girl began convulsing. Despite her father's efforts to communicate with limited English proficiency, he wrapped her in a blanket found in the mud and called 911. Faced with a language barrier, the father struggled to convey the situation to the operator. Eventually, an ambulance arrived, taking the pale and listless girl and her mother to the hospital. Agents warned the father that leaving the camp could jeopardize their chance at asylum. A court filing on Thursday revealed the dire living conditions at open-air camps near the U.S.-Mexico border in California, where migrants directed by federal immigration officials lacked adequate food, water, shelter, and medical services, as highlighted by children's rights lawyers. The filing detailed the case of a 15-year-old Guatemalan migrant sustaining a head wound while crossing the border into California. Humanitarian aid workers provided assistance, and now attorneys seek a court ruling mandating the prompt transfer of these children to secure and hygienic facilities. The outcome of this case could set a legal precedent applicable beyond California. Read Also: 5-Year-Old Venezuelan Boy's Death at Chicago Shelter Raises Concerns About Migrant Safety Challenges Migrants Face at the Border Camps Neha Desai, senior director of Immigration at the National Center for Youth Law, expressed concern about the prolonged detention of children in poor conditions, noting a lack of improvement over time. This situation persists despite President Joe Biden's recent visit to the border, where he engaged with Border Patrol agents and criticized Republicans for abandoning a Senate border agreement. Thousands of asylum seekers, hailing from countries like Mexico, Venezuela, China, and India, have arrived at makeshift camps in remote areas of the California desert since last spring. While enforcement efforts on the Mexican side have reduced the number of migrants at these camps, aid workers still report dozens of children arriving without essential provisions. A significant backlog of over 3.3 million immigration court cases exacerbates the issue. Aid workers describe migrants dropping from a 30-foot wall with metal bars, facing danger and inadequate protection from extreme weather. The areas are polluted with trash and smoke from fires lit for warmth, while rainstorms turn camps into mud pits. A recent legal challenge includes declarations from aid workers, attorneys, a doctor, a child, and two fathers present at the camps. They describe children going without food for days, with some experiencing critical medical conditions. Allegations suggest Border Patrol agents witnessed suffering without taking substantial action, placing the responsibility on volunteers for life-saving assistance. Dr. Theresa Cheng, a California doctor and civil rights lawyer who volunteered at the camps, labeled the situation "apocalyptic." Witnessing vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, infants, and the elderly, waiting days for immigration processing, Cheng emphasized the need for government responsibility in ensuring basic needs are met. Related Article: UN Warns of Unprecedented Surge in Migrant Children Across Latin America and Caribbean Photo: (Photo : SEM VAN DER WAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images ) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared on Friday that individuals testing positive for COVID-19 no longer need to be confined for five days, in line with public health advice for other respiratory diseases. CDC Updates Guidelines on COVID Isolation The updated guideline emphasizes staying home when sick and returning to regular activities once fever-free for 24 hours. This change reflects decreasing severe outcomes of COVID and the acknowledgment that many people do not test themselves for the virus. Driven by a significant reduction in hospital admissions and deaths, the CDC's decision aims to simplify guidance and align with measures for flu and respiratory illnesses. The experiences of California and Oregon, which already adopted similar guidelines, indicated no increase in COVID-related emergency visits or hospitalizations. Despite criticism, the CDC encourages continued caution for five days after recovery, including mask use and improved ventilation. The new guidance, applicable to the general public, doesn't alter hospital isolation guidelines, typically lasting ten days. While the CDC appeals to COVID-19 vaccination, indicates hygiene practices, and promotes for enhanced ventilation, the agency foresees a possible uptick in cases later in the summer and advocates a booster shot for adults 65 and older. Individuals recovering from COVID-19 are no longer needed to monitor a five-day confinement period after their manifestation descends, as per the recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The updated advice recommends that those afflicted with COVID-19 should remain at home and avoid contact with others until at least 24 hours after their symptoms improve, and they no longer have a fever without the use of medication. Read Also: CDC Suggests Older Adults To Get Booster Shots for COVID-19 in Spring CDC Reduces 5-day Isolation for Positive Results The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday that it is phasing out much of its specific COVID-19 guidance, including the recommendation for Americans to stay home for five days after testing positive. The decision stems from improved hospitalization and death rates during the recent COVID-19 season, with the CDC noting that while COVID-19 remains a public health threat, its impact now resembles that of other respiratory viral illnesses. Instead of providing separate COVID-19 recommendations, the CDC will adopt a unified approach addressing risk alongside influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The shift aims to simplify guidelines for increased adherence. The new guidance covers testing recommendations, emphasizing testing for those at higher risk and considering it as an additional prevention strategy for others. Masking is advised for those sick with COVID-19 or other respiratory viruses for five days after leaving home, along with distancing and improved ventilation. The CDC acknowledges challenges with at-home testing accuracy and the impracticality of repeated testing throughout illness. The guidance also eliminates specific benchmarks tied to county-by-county mask recommendations, opting for broader tools and community information. Health care facility guidance remains unchanged. The CDC ends the five-day isolation plea, suggesting individuals with respiratory virus symptoms stay home until fever-free for 24 hours without medication and symptom improvement. The decision aligns with states and countries adopting similar recommendations, emphasizing the absence of increased hospitalizations or deaths. The following five days require additional precautions, considering potential residual virus spread. Related Article: Winter Health Crisis: CDC Issues Urgent Call for Vaccination as Respiratory Cases Skyrocket Photo: (Photo : GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images ) The Orange County Sheriff's Office disclosed the revelation of the body of Madeline Soto, the missing 13-year-old Florida girl, in a wooded space on Friday afternoon. Mother's Boyfriend Moved Her Remains The authorities, earlier in the day, had stated she was lifeless and suspected the associate of her mother's boyfriend in moving her body, marking the case as a homicide investigation, as disclosed by Sheriff John Mina in a press conference. Osceola County Sheriff's Office search units found Madeline's body around 4:30 p.m. in a wooded area off Hickory Tree Road. The family has been enlightened, and the Kissimmee Police Department is leading the current homicide investigation. Previously, Madeline was last seen on Monday morning when her mother's boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, 37, supposedly dropped her off near Hunter's Creek Middle School. However, evidence disclosed during a Friday press conference indicated that she was never actually dropped off that morning. Read Also: Flu Shots Reduce US Children Seeking Treatment by 60%, CDC Reports Sterns, assumed the "prime suspect," was seized on Wednesday night on unconnected liability, including sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material. Detectives found disturbing images and videos on his phone during a forensic dissection. Authorities believe Madeline was killed in Kissimmee, where her family resided, and Sterns moved her body on Monday morning. Video evidence showed Sterns discarding items in a dumpster at the Kissimmee apartment complex on Monday at 7:35 a.m. Authorities later recovered Madeline's backpack and school-issued laptop from the dumpster. Madeline's mother was informed of her suspected death on Thursday night and is not considered a suspect. The case has transitioned into a homicide investigation under the Kissimmee Police Department's jurisdiction. Sterns, who has not spoken to anyone about the case, is currently held on capital sexual battery charges in the Osceola County Jail. He was seen driving a silver 2010 Lincoln MKZ on Monday, and authorities are seeking public tips regarding his activities in the State Road 192 area during that time. Authorities Labeled the Case as Homicide Florida authorities express confidence in the death of the missing 13-year-old Madeline Soto. Orange County Sheriff John Mina forwarded the disastrous news to Soto's mother on Thursday night. The Kissimmee Police Department has redirected the investigation, treating it as a homicide. Soto was reported missing on Monday when she failed to attend school. During the investigation, the mother's boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, was arrested on child porn charges and identified as the prime suspect. Video evidence reveals Stern disposing of items in a dumpster at the family's Kissimmee apartment complex on Monday at 7:35 a.m. Madeline's backpack was later discovered in the dumpster. At 8:19 a.m., video footage shows Sterns returning to the complex with Madeline visible in the car. Investigators believe Sterns killed Soto that morning and moved her body during the early hours. Authorities continue the search for Soto's body, and Sterns is held in Osceola County Jail. He has refused to discuss Soto's disappearance and has requested legal representation. Related Article: Florida Police Continues Search for Missing 13-Year-Old Girl, Mother's Boyfriend Arrested While going through and trying to organize some materials on my computer, I came across the following file, which was titled Christs Resurrection (UCLA). Evidently, it is a set of notes for some sort of undated presentation at or near UCLA that I can no longer recall. Their reliance upon an article by the Evangelical philosopher Gary Habermas is unmistakable. Anyway, I intend soon to clean them up and turn them into connected prose. In the meanwhile, I share them with you in the hope that some might find them of interest: Denial of Christs existence is basically crank territory. (See Bart Ehrman.) The fact that Jesus was crucified is accepted by virtually everybody. No reputable scholar in the field, believer or nonbeliever, rejects it.[1] The case for the resurrection of Christ Multifaceted Hundreds of relevant articles and books My argument will rely on data accepted by vast majority on all sides, regardless of prior beliefs. it is the virtually unanimous conclusion of contemporary scholars that Jesus early followers at least thought that they had seen appearances of the risen Jesus after his death.[2] It is certain noteworthy that the vast majority of scholars, representing many viewpoints, in spite of extensive disagreements in other areas, recognizes that the disciples actually had real experiences of some sort.[3] 1. Paul, a former opponent, claimed that the Risen Lord had appeared personally to him. Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? he asked the Corinthians.[4] Luke also tells the story three times in the Acts of the Apostles.[5] There is no serious dispute that Paul, or Saul, shifted, and suddenly, from being an enemy of Christianity to being perhaps its most effective advocate and missionary. For I am the least of the apostles, he wrote to the Saints at Corinth, and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.[6] For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, he reminded the Church in Galatia, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.[7] If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, he wrote to the believers at Philippi, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.[8] If we dont accept his explanation, what alternative is there? Even the atheist philosopher Michael Martin seems to agree that Paul thought that he had seen Christ.[9] 2. According to Paul, though, he was not the only one who had seen the resurrected Jesus. Essentially all critical scholars today agree that in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Paul records an ancient oral tradition(s) that summarizes the content of the Christian gospel. Jesus the Christ died for human sin, was buried and raised from the dead, afterwards appearing to both individuals as well as groups of witnesses.[10] For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.[11] While Paul penned the words, he is clear that this material was not his own but that he had passed on to his listeners years before (1 Cor 15:1-2) what he had received from others, as the very heart of his message (1 Cor 15:3).[12] Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.[13] what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[14] When Paul explains that he had delivered to his audience information that he had first received from others, he seems to be using the terminology that was also used for passing rabbinic tradition on to others.[15] Moreover, there are textual indications that this is precisely what had occurred. The sentence structure, the diction, the verbal parallelism of the passage, the three-fold sequence of and that, as well as the presence of several non-Pauline words, the proper names of Cephas and James, and indications that there may have been an Aramaic original for the passage, all seem strongly to suggest that the tradition was pre-Pauline.[16] And, in fact, critical scholars appear to agree that the Paul had received the material from others.[17] So Pauls testimony seems to be years earlier than the book of 1 Corinthians. It is almost universally agreed today that Paul is here citing tradition.[18] The standard scholarly view is that Paul first received this very early material when he visited Jerusalem just three years after his conversion. During this visit, he met with Peter and with James, the brother of Jesusboth of whom had, themselves, see the risen Jesus.[19] Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostlesonly James, the Lords brother.[20] One of the Greek words used in the Galatians account, historesai, is very significant, and merits further examination. It indicates that Paul visited Peter for the purpose of investigating a particular subject.[21] And the context leaves little question as to what that subject was: Paul wanted to make sure that he had the Christian message right.[22] And Jesus resurrection, of course, was for him the very heart of that message.[23] Without it, he was certain, faith was pointless.[24] Thus, for Ulrich Wilckens, the content of 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 indubitably goes back to the oldest phase of all in the history of primitive Christianity.[25] Walter Kasper thinks that this ancient text was possibly in use by the end of 30 A.D.[26] Kasper was a Catholic priest and eventually a cardinal, but XXXXXX top of page 184. [Off hand, I dont quite know what to make of this line, nor what I was thinking when I wrote it.] Can we move from their thinking so to confidence that they did so? Religious conversions are commonplace. Does anything distinguish the transformation of the apostles following the claimed resurrection of Jesus? The Gospel is centred in Gods Son, a descendant of David by human genealogy and patently marked out as the Son of God by the power of that Spirit of holiness which raised him to life again from the dead.[27] The resurrection seems to put a divine seal of approval on the atonement of Christ, which had occurred immediately before. The Resurrection of Christ proves that there is indeed a God, and certifies the truth of the general Judeo-Christian tradition. *** Indeed taking all the evidence together, it is not too much to say that there is no single historic incident better or more variously supported than the Resurrection of Christ. Nothing but the antecedent assumption that it must be false could have suggested the idea of deficiency in the proof of it. Brooke Foss Westcott He, the Life of all, our Lord and Saviour, did not arrange the manner of his own death lest He should seem to be afraid of some other kind. No. He accepted and bore upon the cross a death inflicted by others, and those other His special enemies, a death which to them was supremely terrible and by no means to be faced; and He did this in order that, by destroying even this death, He might Himself be believed to be the Life, and the power of death be recognised as finally annulled. A marvellous and mighty paradox has thus occurred, for the death which they thought to inflict on Him as dishonour and disgrace has become the glorious monument to deaths defeat. Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didnt rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead. Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it werent true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldnt keep a lie for three weeks. Youre telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible. Charles Colson [one of the convicted Watergate conspirators who did prison time and emerged thereafter as a committed Evangelical Christian] If the truth is that after there comes a negatively spiritual life, an eternity of mystical experience, what more misleading way of communicating it could possibly be found than the appearance of a human form which eats boiled fish? Again, on such a view, the body would really be a hallucination. And any theory of hallucination breaks down on the fact (and if it is invention, it is the oldest invention that ever entered the mind of man) that on three separate occasions this hallucination was not immediately recognized as Jesus. C.S. Lewis, Miracles Even granting that God sent a holy hallucination to teach truths already widely believed without it, and far more easily taught by other methods, and certainly to be completely obscured by this, might we not at least hope that He would get the face of the hallucination right? Is He who made all faces such a bungler that He cannot even work up a recognizable likeness of the Man who was Himself? C.S. Lewis, Miracles Perhaps [the critics are right and] the drama is played out now and Jesus is safely dead and buried. Perhaps. It is ironical and entertaining to consider that at least once in the worlds history those words might have been said with complete conviction, and that was on the eve of the Resurrection. Dorothy L. Sayers, The Whimsical Christian: 18 Essays Christianity, unlike any other religion in the world, begins with catastrophe and defeat. Sunshine religions and psychological inspirations collapse in calamity and wither in adversity. But the Life of the Founder of Christianity, having begun with the Cross, ends with the empty tomb and victory. Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ [1] Habermas, in Beckwith, Craig, and Moreland, To Everyone an Answer, 181. [2] Habermas, in Beckwith, Craig, and Moreland, To Everyone an Answer, 180-181; E. P. Sanders, The Historical Figure of Jesus *(London: Penguin, 1993), 11, 13. [3] Habermas, in Beckwith, Craig, and Moreland, To Everyone an Answer, 181-182. [4] 1 Corinthians 9:1 (NIV). Compare 1 Corinthians 15:8; Galatians 1:15-16. [5] See Acts 9:1-8, 22:3-11; 26:9-18. [6] 1 Corinthians 15:9 (NIV). [7] Galatians1:13-14 (NIV) [8] Philippians 26:9-18 (NIV). [9] Michael Martin, The Case Against Christianity *(Philadephia: Temple University Press), 81. [10] Habermas, in Beckwith, Craig, and Moreland, To Everyone an Answer, 182. [11] 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (NIV). [12] Habermas, in Beckwith, Craig, and Moreland, To Everyone an Answer, 182. [13] 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (NIV). [14] 1 Corinthians 15:3 (NIV). [15] Habermas, in Beckwith, Craig, and Moreland, To Everyone an Answer, 183. Compare 1 Corinthians 11:23. [16] For Cephas, compare Luke 24:34. [17] See the bibliography* at Habermas, in Beckwith, Craig, and Moreland, To Everyone an Answer, 183 note 5. [18] Reginald Fuller, The Formation of the Resurrection Narratives *(New York: Macmillan, 1980), 10. [19] See Galatians 1:18-9; 1 Corinthians 15:5, 7. [20] Galatians 1:18-19 (NIV). [21] Habermas, in Beckwith, Craig, and Moreland, To Everyone an Answer, 183. [22] See Galatians 1:11-2:10. [23] See 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Galatians 1:11, 16. [24] 1Corinthians 15:14, 17. [25] Ulrich Wilckens, Resurrection: Biblical Testimony to the Resurrection: An Historical Examination and Explanation *(Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press, 1977), 2. [26] Walter Kasper, Jesus the Christ, trans. V. Green (Mahwah NJ: Paulist, 1976), 125. [27] Romans 1:3-4 (J. B. Phillips). The Case The abbot Nanquan came upon the monastics of the eastern and western halls arguing about a cat. He took the cat and held it up with one hand while holding a knife in the other. He glared at the assembly and harshly said, If you can give me a word, I will spare this cat. Otherwise, I will kill it. No one spoke. So, he cut the cat into two. That evening Zhaozhou had returned to the monastery. Nanquan told him what had happened. Zhaozhou took off a sandle, put it on his head, and left. Nanquan spoke into the empty hall, If only you had been there. The cat would have lived. Gateless Gate 14 There are a handful of koans we find repeated over and over. Nanquan and the cat is one of those. Its collected in all the great anthologies. Its case 14 in the Gateless Gate, case 63, in the Blue Cliff Record, and case 9 in the Book of Equanimity. Dogen cites it in his personal collection of 300 greatest hits, as case 181. And the contemporary Korean master Seung Sahn counted it as the 9th of his 10 Gates, later 12 central koans in his koan teaching. Of course theres another thing about this case. Pretty much everyone is upset by it. The first time I heard it was as part of a dharma talk, where the teacher wanted to make sure we understand that Nanquan didnt really kill the cat. Even though it says he killed the cat. Near as I can tell thats a recurring theme addressed by many commentators starting from near the beginning of its being collected and commented on. The case figures two stalwarts of koan literature. First is Nanquan Puyan, who lived from the middle of the eighth to near the middle of the ninth centuries. He was a successor to the great Mazu Daoyi. Which makes him a Dharma sibling to Baizhang Huaihai and Layman Pang, among other luminaries of the classic Zen way. After his awakening and some further training, he settled in a hut he constructed on the slopes of Nanquan mountain. From which we get his name. Eventually Nanquan become the head of a large community a bit further down the slopes of the mountain In the Gateless Gate he appears in six koans. He had seventeen dharma heirs, the most famous of whom is Zhaozhou. According to tradition Zhaozhou Congshen lived from the last quarter of the eighth century right through to the end of the ninth, at least according to tradition. Famously Zhaozhou didnt begin formally teaching until he was eighty. And then he taught for forty years. Often he is called the greatest Zen master of the Tang dynasty. Zhaozhou features in seven koans collected in the Gateless Gate, including in the first case, which as you may recall features a dog. As perhaps a footnote, while the case is told the same in the Gateless Gate, the Blue Cliff Record, and in Dogens collection; in the Book of Equanimity, the second half, the meeting between Nanquan and Zhaozhou is treated as a separate case. Although as a matter for formal koan practice, the two points the saving word followed by the cats death first, and then Zhaozhou and those shoes second. I do appreciate those who say Nanquan couldnt actually have killed a cat. However, I think holding a sharp knife and knowing death is involved is important. Similarly, I dont entirely agree with those who say the koan is not about ethics. Even as I agree it is about the deepest matter. Still. Everything we do has consequences, and almost always real-world consequences. So, when a koan involves killing, that should not be ignored. One of the first, probably the first book I read on Zen was Zen Flesh, Zen Bones. One of the first stories that caught my imagination in that book was among the 101 Zen Stories collected by Nyogen Senzaki. Senzaki had selected and translated them from a thirteenth century Japanese koan anthology, the Shasekishu, the Collection of Stone and Sand. It tells about a disciple of a dharma successor to Hakuin Ekaku. The student had been given the Sound of One Hand, Hakuins personal addition to the koan collection. However, after three years he couldnt get a grip on it. He went to the teacher, Suiwo, and said he was giving up. Suiwo encouraged him to stay another week. Then another. And one after that. The student was in complete despair. Finally, Suiwo said, sit for three days And if you dont achieve awakening, then you should kill yourself. The student had his awakening on the second day. As they say theres nothing like knowing youre to be hung in two weeks to focus the mind. That knife has a place. So, remembering the cries of the cat and blood on the floor is important. And, knowing koans are invitations into the deepest matters of our human hearts, and are best treated as life and death important. If we acknowledge their importance with full respect for the gravity of what they touch, then we can turn to the two invitations this case offers to us. Here, as Daido Loori points out, in the last analysis This koan is not about killing or not killing but, rather, about transformation. If we allow the koan to be the universe rendered into a handful of words, and if we remember everything going on is about us, you and me, then invitations abound. For one, the monks of the two halls fighting over that cat are not unlike our own minds. At least I can picture my mind in action, as a crowd of disreputable figures of several sorts arguing about a cat. That or knives and their uses. My brain can go on. And usually does. Knives. Rich and terrible images. How words cut like a knife. Or, more positively how language can be a Swiss Army knife, in all its utility. I also think of Abrahams holding that knife to Isaacs throat. Or Solomon ordering that baby to be cut in two. Theres a Chinese proverb, sometimes incorrectly attributed to the Buddha that the tongue is like a sharp knife, it kills without drawing blood. And to round this bouquet of images out, theres another Chinese proverb, popular in Buddhist circles in the Middle Ages, lay down the killing knife and instantly turn into a Buddha. My brain, our brain. How like a knife. But also, its complicated, like the whole thing about killing that complicates the koan about awakening. Or does it? Despite the truths of the Buddhist proverb, we cant actually silence our minds, not completely, not without, well, dying. But. There are ways of dancing with our thoughts, sharp though they may be. I think of that story by the ancient Taoist sage Zhuangzi, about an enlightened butcher, Cook Ding. Burton Watsons translation of the story has the cook telling his Lord. A good cook changes his knife once a year because he cuts. A mediocre cook changes his knife once a month because he hacks. Ive had this knife of mine for nineteen years and Ive cut up thousands of oxen with it, and yet the blade is as good as though it had just come from the grindstone. There are spaces between the joints, and the blade of the knife has really no thickness. If you insert what has no thickness into such spaces, then theres plenty of room more than enough for the blade to play about it. Thats why after nineteen years the blade of my knife is still as good as when it first came from the grindstone. Koans invite us to use our minds rather than simply be used by them. Here were invited into the place where we set down the killing knife. Not as some fake or dead silence. But the deeper place where the currents play, but against it all, the deep. With that we can meet the killer. Nanquan. Or. Pehaps, you know, you or me. The killer holds the cat in one hand and a knife in the other. The blade captures a glint of light. Nanquan smiles. Is it friendly? Or is it something else? So, whats the cat? If were all the parts, were also the cat. What is the cat to us? Egyptian mythology has seeped into our hearts, and most of us know cats are divine creatures, if a bit on the bloody side. There is a persistent if sadly apocryphal story that Mohammed had a cat named Muezza and once when the cat was asleep on his sleeve, but it was time to get up to go to prayers that he cut the sleeve rather than disturb his cat. Most commentators on the koan suggest we take the cat as our true boundless nature. If we dont hold the idea too tightly. Sure. Words are sometimes traps. Usually they are. But sometimes something else. And then that word. Whats the saving word? When words are mostly traps. When were lost in a sea of words? What then? Where is the saving word? In Zhuangzis story Cook Ding continues his master class with the Lord. (W)henever I come to a complicated place, I size up the difficulties, tell myself to watch out and be careful, keep my eyes on what Im doing, work very slowly, and move the knife with the greatest subtlety, until flop! the whole thing comes apart like a clod of earth crumbling to the ground. I stand there holding the knife and look all around me, completely satisfied and reluctant to move on, and then I wipe off the knife and put it away. As they say: form and emptiness. But thats just too vague. Theres a dead cat. Theres blood on the floor. Your knife. Your cat. Your blood. We have, perhaps, in that moment cut the one into two. The Empty has become the messy world. And in at least one iteration of the koan thats the end of the matter. How do we lean into that? Our boundlessness and the great mess, all the mess, the bloody mess, are not two. First the koan showed how the empty is the great mess. But even in that version, the matter of Zhaozhou and his shoes follows immediately. And in all the other versions, this meeting is critical to allowing the koan to take us home. Aitken Roshi in his comments says he was given to understand that in ancient China putting shoes on ones head is a sign of mourning. Ive been told master Seung Sahn says the same thing. I have googled around and Ive not found anything to confirm this. I like that idea. But the detail doesnt really matter. Whether its a sign of mourning, or, more direct, a meeting of the moment, full, and unflenching. Open. Engaged. Not the moment before, when the cat died. But the moment now when hes told about it. Then what? Whats your answer? It reveals how the great mess becomes boundless. How do we let grief and regret meet and mix into our lives? How do we meet the moments where they appear? And then allow the mystery to unfold? Adding in our part, as appropriate. Not too little. Not too much. As the scripture says, youre not it. But in truth it is you. How are we present in and with and to the whole mess of our lives? Lives with choices. Lives with constraints. Lives with consequences. Old Nanquan holding up a cat and a knife. Zhaozhou putting his shoes on his head and walking out. The world of forms rising and falling. The boundless. Not two. The Swedish Export Credit Corporation began accepting applications for special credit guarantees for exports to Ukraine on March 1, the total limit of guarantees according to the country's budget for 2024 is SEK 333 million ($32.1 million at the current exchange rate). As stated in the Swedish Export Credit Corporation's report, this became possible after the corresponding resolution was adopted by the Swedish government on February 29. As noted in the press release, the government, in addition to new export credit guarantees, also decided to open an office of the trade secretary in Kyiv and appoint a new trade secretary. "Export credit guarantees and the opening of a new trade office in Kyiv will make it easier for Swedish companies to invest in Ukraine. This is also a concrete example of how the government is working to increase the synergy between aid, trade and business promotion," Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell said. It is indicated that guarantees will be provided for exports that can contribute to the development and welfare of Ukraine. Economic and social activities in Bompieso, in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region, came to a standstill on Friday, 1st March 2024 when the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, responsible for Mines, Hon. George Mireku Duker led a delegation to officially launch the Bompieso Community Mining Scheme which is expected to cause a remarkable positive shift in the economic fortunes of the residents. Traditional authorities and residents of the town turned out in their numbers to not only witness but also share in the joy of the arrival of the governments much-touted Community Mining Scheme which is expected to mark the commencement of a major transformation in the economic lives of the inhabitants of the community and others nearby. With over 5000 jobs expected to be created directly, the Bompieso Community Mining Scheme is expected to steer the community towards a path of economic success anchored on a sustainable and responsible mining module known as the Community Mining Scheme. Addressing the gathering at the launch, Hon. Mireku Duker highlighted the critical role of the parliamentary candidate for the area, Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi, in the establishment of the Community Mining Scheme. He touted Oteng Gyasis contributions, noting that the welfare and progress of the constituents is a major concern for her and that if given the nod to represent the people in the 2024 election, she will ensure the development of the constituency. The Deputy Minister also urged the Chiefs and residents to play their role as watchdogs in the community and assist the government in its bid to reduce illegal mining to the barest minimum. He said the government is determined to ensure that the small-scale mining sector serves as a platform for the growth of Ghanaian investors in the mining sector. This day would not have been possible without our mother, Barbara Oteng Gyasi. I believe that when someone gives you life, its only right that you reciprocate that kindness and the only way she expects you to do that is by voting for her in December. This scheme is a major intervention that will ensure that Ghanaians benefit from the resources God has blessed us with. Nananom and everyone here must remember the importance of our waterbodies and help us protect them from harmful mining activities. We know illegal miners try to influence chiefs and opinion leaders in the communities to allow them to undertake their activities but I want to appeal to you all to rise up and reject such offers and help the government protect our waterbodies, he stated. The President is only one person and cannot be everywhere at the same time but we the locals have a responsibility to help fight the menace. Reject anything meant to influence you and let's clamp down on illegal mining activities in the country. The CMS is for all Ghanaians and I'd be capable of creating a lot of jobs for most Ghanaians he noted. In a Speech read on behalf of the Board Chair and parliamentary Candidate of the area, Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi stated that the government of Nana Akufo-Addo has fulfilled most of his promises to Ghanaians, especially the people of Prestea Huni Valley. Community Mining Scheme is a good project and we are expecting to have at least 10 in this constituency. We already have some of the CMS concessions operating and we will soon launch the others. This project will bring employment and help boost economic activities in the country, he said. The Western Regional Minister, Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko said The government is not against small-scale mining. We want to raise Ghanaian giants in the mining industry and ensure that we all benefit from it. Western Region has benefitted from the CMS and we all must be happy. The Chief of the area who Chaired the occasion, Bompiesohene, added, We are grateful to God and the government for setting up a CMS concession here. Weve been looking forward to this day so we are happy to be benefitting from the policy of the government. We promise to follow the guidelines and also ensure that it becomes our legacy and help develop the community, he 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. Featured Video Rare Disease Ghana Initiative (RDGI) a Non-Governmental Organisation recently held its annual celebration on the 29th of February, 2024. The event, held to commemorate Rare Disease Day, brought together individuals, families, and advocates to raise awareness and support for those affected by rare diseases. In a moving event that illuminated the importance of raising awareness for rare diseases in Ghana, the initiative lighted up the Greater Accra Regional Hospital to commemorate the celebration. From heartfelt speeches to interactive workshops, the event provided a platform for dialogue and collaboration, emphasizing the importance of solidarity in addressing the challenges faced by the rare disease community. Addressing the gathering, the Executive Director of the RDGI who is also a Clinical Psychologist, Mr. Samuel Agyei Waife, shared his passion for the organization's mission and the impact of their work on the lives of individuals living with rare diseases. He said their goal is an organisation is to ensure that no one facing a rare disease feels alone or unsupported. Through education, advocacy, and community engagement, we strive to create a more inclusive and understanding society for all. According to him, every year on the last day of February they come together to observe Rare Disease Day. It is a day dedicated to raise awareness and create support for over 300million who live with rare disease around the world, he added. He further explained that it is a global event which has been happening for seventeen years but Ghana joined in since 2018 and this is the seventh Rare Disease day we are observing. Mr. Waife called, policy makers, the general public, clinicians, researchers, the patients community and everyone to all come together to make sure that the needs and interest of persons living with rare disease is considered. The Clinical Psychologist bemoaned that a significant number of people living with the disease are undiagnosed so they use this moment to raise the voice and make sure that they find those disease that have not yet been diagnosed. He also called on the government for a National Policy on Rare Diseases and part of this policy is for government to be very intentional in training health professionals to be able to identify and treat rare diseases within our healthcare systems. This, he said will help them to adequately diagnose and manage rare diseases. Moreover, We also need to inculcate genetic services in our healthcare because that is one of the tests you need to diagnose many rare diseases. This will also include having new born screening where every child born in Ghana would be tested before leaving the hospital, he told the media. He urged that, have to get treatments into the country for treatments thus it has to be included in on our essential medicine list and the National Health Insurance that will take care of the cost for rare diseases. The Head of Clinical Services at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr. Ralph Armah, expressed gratitude for the celebration saying It is the day where we as clinicians and general public get to know more about diseases that are uncommon and do occur in our society. To Mr. Armah, most of these rare disease turn to have genetic background and so usually there are certain things ascribed to it because they are uncommon. As in being due to some spiritual disease or witchcraft but these things are things we know from literature and every now and then when they do occur they become conditions by which we as clinicians turn to learn, he also explained. So basically it is a collaboration between clinicians and diagnostics in arriving at a clinical conclusion with whichever case weve seen and we move on to the treatments, he concluded. Source: Prince Baffour Asamoah/Peace FM Newsroom Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, Member of Parliament for South Dayi Constituency and one of the sponsors of the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, otherwise known as Anti-Gay Bill, has called for the immediate resignation of Lawyer Joseph Akanjolenur Whital, the boss of the the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) following the latter's comment over the passage of the Anti-gay bill. Mr. Whital was cited on myjoyonline to have said that, We cannot just use the principle of our cultural values and throw all of us under the bus. We need to be very careful as a people. In his response to the views of Mr. Whital, the South Dayi legislator expresssed his dispelasure about the statement made by the learned lawyer thereby asking for his immediate resignation of the office he occupies. ''Whital should resign for saying this . . . I haven't heard it. What is Whital saying? Whital is my senior in the law and I am so disappointed in him for saying something so embarrassing as this," Rockson fumed. Citing Article 11 of the 1992 constitution, Dafeamekpor said that, the constitution is clear on making laws based on cultural norms or ethics of a country or society, hence, what the CHRAJ boss said should be disregarded. Speaking on United Televisions (UTV's) 'Mpu ne Mpu' programmme, the lawmaker emphasised that, some sections of the public are holding on to the content of the old bill forgertting that Parliament has made amendments to the bill before it was passed. Whital, granting an interview on Joy News, he said, "this bill is not a law, so it cannot be used against anybody. There are still processes to make it a law. That is why I am raising the challenge to the presidency to consider whether he shouldnt exercise his right of rejection on the basis of constitutionality aired against human rights. If it makes it through him, and if he also assents, I know there is a bunch of people who are ready to challenge the constitutionality of this bill before the Supreme Court." Hon. Dafeamekpor acknowldged that, he is not going to be surpirised if the President fails to assent to the bill because there has been two bills that are still with the President awaiting his assent. The South Dayi MP revealed that, the bill has been scrutinised, hence the President will definitely assent to it because it has over 90% of Ghanaians agreeing to the passage of the bill. Watch video below Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Prof. Smart Sarpong, Director of the Institute of Research, Innovation, and Development at Kumasi Technical University, has lashed out at the conduct of some foreign nations relative to the passage of Ghana's anti-gay bill for parading themselves as though they do not benefit from Ghanaians. Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show on Friday, March 1, the academician said that it becomes disheartening to hear some foreign nationals talk as if they do not benefit from the Ghanaian economy. "No European will give you money without expecting anything from you. We should let them know that they also benefit from us. When you visit Anglogold Ashanti, you will be amazed at the ounce of gold that is exported from this country every day. They should know that we are all in business. In this global village, we are all dependent on each other. They also benefit so much from us; hence, they should not make us feel as though they do not get anything from us," he said. Prof. Sarpong's comment comes in the wake of the passage of the controversial anti-gay bill passed by the Parliament of Ghana, which is yet to be presented to the President for assent. On Wednesday, February 28, Parliament passed the anti-gay bill after going through a series of amendments. The passage of the bill caused an uproar within the public space, where some civil society and human rights groups expressed their displeasure over the passage of the bill. Top of these organizations is the United States Embassy, whose Ambassador, Virginia Evelyn Palmer, lamented that the passage of the bill into law could affect the economic fortunes of the country. In contrast to her stance, Prof. Smart revealed that there is interdependency around the globe; hence, no one should think that they are doing Ghanaians a favour. "Ghanaians must hold their cultural identities in the highest esteem and not succumb to external pressures that are detrimental to their beliefs and doctrines," he added. Watch video below Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Charles Owusu has blasted the Board Chairperson of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) over her protest against the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill. As the bill awaits presidential assent, the CDD Board Chair, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, has threatened to take legal action against the President should he assent to it. The anti-LGBTQ+ bill, passed by Parliament, makes it criminal for any person to promote, advocate for, or practice homosexuality in Ghana. Any person found guilty will face a minimum jail sentence of 6 months to 5 years. But the CDD Board Chair describes this punishment as inhumane and appeals to the President, saying he should respect human rights by rethinking his final decision. Charles Owusu, the former Head of Monitoring of the Forestry Commission, speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show on Friday, March 1, fired salvoes at Prof. Gadzekpo, asking her which part of Ghana's culture supports same-sex relationships. He questioned why a woman of her pedigree could even contemplate defending what he termed as an abominable practice in the nation. The independent parliamentary candidate for Nkoranza North dared Prof. Gadzekpo to test the wrath of Ghanaians by being the first to give her children into same-sex marriage in Ghana. "This woman has a husband. I don't know her children. I know other people speaking against this bill who have husbands and wives. They also have sons and daughters. They should be the first people to come out publicly and allow their sons and daughters to hold same-sex marriages, and we will see how they will do that in this country," he fumed. Watch video below Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has commended Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin and MPs who contributed to the successful passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. Notes with gratitude and joy, the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values bill by Ghanas Parliament. The GPCC wishes to congratulate the private sponsors of the Bill together with the Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values, and all others who in diverse ways contributed to this achievement, a statement signed by Apostle Immanuel N. O. Tettey, the General Secretary of the GPCC indicated. "As a Faith-Based organization (FBO), the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) joins other similar and like-minded religious bodies to thank everyone for their diverse contributions towards the passage of the Bill," the statement concluded. Meanwhile, the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu has expressed his excitement over the passage of the bill. Spokesperson for the Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on March 2, said: I can say without any equivocation that the Chief Imam was relatively joyful about the passing of this bill because he has fully been briefed about what we are going through with respect to the evolvement of this LGBTQ+ phenomenon in our country and the attempt to really universalize it and make it something normal and something acceptable. And as somebody who is the leader of Muslims in this country, he could not actually give any support to such matter to be allowed" He further pointed out that For us, it is a moral issue, it is something that also goes to the very heart of the protection of the family which in the Muslim understanding of things is the property of God. It is the smallest unit of society into which every single human being is born". On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, the bill criminalizing and banning LGBTQ+ activities was finally passed after almost three years of deliberation The bill imposes a prison sentence of up to three years on anyone convicted of identifying as LGBTQ+. It also imposes a maximum five-year jail term for advocacy or funding by LGBTQ+ groups. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, has officially inaugurated his campaign team and manifesto committees in a bid to kickstart his 2024 campaign. With a call for unity and dedication, Dr. Bawumia expressed confidence in his teams ability to secure victory against the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming December general elections. During his address at the ceremony, Dr. Bawumia criticized the NDC for lacking a concrete message and instead relying on unrealistic promises to win the elections. He emphasized that the NPPs track record and performance in various sectors would ultimately triumph over the oppositions claims. Dr. Bawumia questioned the credibility of the NDCs promises, stating, If we write an exam, we will beat them in every sector, meanwhile they are going round convincing Ghanaians that they are better than us. What sort of Mathematics is that? Chairman of the Manifesto Committee, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, stressed the importance of unity within the campaign. He emphasized that the campaign should revolve around the flagbearer and not individual interests, calling on both teams to work together towards victory. Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu assured the public that the committee was fully prepared and committed to delivering on their mandate. Chairman and Strategist of the Campaign Team, Dan Botwe, urged all team members to fully embrace the mission and ideas of the campaign while avoiding division. He emphasized the need for a united front, highlighting that success depends on the collective efforts of all individuals involved. With the official introduction of Dr. Bawumias campaign team, the NPP aims to rally their supporters and present a united front to voters. As the election season approaches, the party hopes to highlight their achievements and plans for the future, while countering the oppositions claims. Breaking the eight-year cycle and securing victory in the 2024 elections remain the primary goals for the NPP and their newly inaugurated campaign team. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Five airlines currently fly out of Harrisburg International Airport. But by mid-May, the airport will be down to four airlines. Frontier Airlines, a low-cost carrier, will end its route at HIA to Orlando International Airport on May 13. Frontier has just the one route at HIA currently. HIA is one of eight airports where Frontier is ending its service to Orlando as part of a change in strategy, according to Scott Miller, a spokesperson for HIA. Frontier had left the airport previously before coming back. They hope to be back but theres no timetable for that, he said. Frontier Airlines served 3.1 percent of all travelers flying to and from HIA in 2023. Orlando was one of the most traveled destinations at HIA last year. Travelers can still fly to the Orlando region six times a week. Allegiant has a route from HIA to Orlando Sanford International Airport. This isnt the only move at the airport that will take place in the coming months. Allegiant has announced it is launching a nonstop route to Jacksonville International Airport beginning on June 14. And United Airlines will transfer its HIA flights from Newark, New Jersey to Dulles International Airport near Washington D.C. The change will take place beginning June 27 and United will fly twice daily to Dulles. A 40-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison Friday after raping and killing his ex-girlfriends 12-year-old daughter in February 2023, prosecutors said. Jason Shackelford, of Lancaster County, admitted to the charges of first-degree murder, rape of a child, two counts of rape, three counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, four counts of sexual assault, and strangulation. Shackelford was also sentenced to an additional life plus 25 to 50 years for raping a second victim. This is one of the most vile, heinous crimes weve ever seen here, Prosecuting Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick said during the proceeding. I hope he thinks about Elainas face every day for the rest of his life, and hes tortured by it. Shackelford was watching a movie with 12-year-old Elaina Smith at her Lancaster home when he raped and strangled her, causing her to die while the mother was at work on Feb. 8. After the murder, he hid her body inside a chest-type of freezer in the basement, where it remained for two days. East Lampeter Township police were later sent to the Wyndham Lancaster hotel 2300 Lincoln Way East, for a domestic disturbance on Feb. 10. Thats when the murder and additional crimes were revealed. A woman told police that Shackelford told her he kidnapped her daughter from their home while she was working the night shift from Feb. 8 into Feb. 9. The office said the woman said they were going through a breakup, and she recently asked Shackelford to move out. The victim stated she received a text from Shackelford while at work around 6:35 a.m. on Feb. 9 from Shackelford saying the girl was sick and in bed, the office said. Shackelford and the woman got into an argument after she returned home from work an hour later. Shackelford showed her Smiths empty bed and said he took Smith to New York, where she was safe. The next day, Shackelford raped her before forcing her to go to to a hotel with him. Prosecutors said he used the childs well-being as leverage to sexually assaulted the woman again. When he allowed the woman to step away to go smoke a cigarette, she told the hotel staff to call police. After police arrested Shackelford and interviewed him, they say he admitted to the crimes. Remember Elainas name, her smile, Judge Wright said to Smiths family in the gallery. Remember the light and hope she brought into your life. He was accused of paying off Sen. Robert Menendez with a luxury $60,000 Mercedez-Benz convertible in return for the senators considerable political muscle to help him out of a legal jam. On Friday, Hudson County businessman Jose Uribe in an unannounced appearance pleaded guilty in federal court in Manhattan to seven counts that included conspiracy to commit bribery, wire fraud, tax evasion and other related charges, while agreeing to testify against Menendez. In Odesa, the number of people killed as a result of a night attack by Russian UAVs has increased to two people, there may be people under the rubble of a nine-story building, dog handlers have been involved in the search, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine said on Saturday. "At least two people died, their bodies were pulled out from under the rubble by the State Emergency Service rescuers. Another seven people were injured. Among them is a child. The rescue operation continues continuously, because there may be people under the rubble. Currently there is evidence that no contact is being made seven residents of a high-rise building. Dog handlers have been involved in the search. Psychologists from the police and the State Emergency Service are providing psychological assistance on the spot; more than fifty people have already applied for it," the service said on its Telegram channel. It is also noted that heating points were promptly deployed nearby, since as a result of the shelling, about ten apartment buildings were left without heat supply. Anne Whitfield, famous for her role as Susan Waverly in the 1954 movie White Christmas, has died at the age of 85. The news of her death came from a post in a local newsoutlet, where it was revealed that the Anne Langham Whitfield Phillips died on Feb. 15 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington after suffering an unexpected accident while on a walk in her neighborhood. Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish, her family said. Whitfield, whose vast TV credits include I Married Joan, Father Knows Best, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Adam-12, began her childhood acting career in Hollywood and landed her first big film role in White Christmas at just 15. Just this past December during the holidays, Annie was able to watch White Christmas with her family on the movies 70th anniversary, her family wrote. Born on Aug. 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi, she went on to appear in multiple shows including The Donna Reed Show, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, One Step Beyond, others before she left Los Angeles in the 70s for Washington. Los Angeles didnt have enough trees for her and she left Hollywood for her new life up north, her obituary reads. She relocated to Olympia, Washington and pursued a college degree. She also worked as a steward for clean water at the Department of Ecology for the State of Washington, according to her obituary. She served as an activist and community organizer to fight climate change, transparency in political campaign financing and other causes. Whitfield is survived by daughters Julie Stevens and Allison Phillips, son Evan Schiller, in-laws and seven grandchildren. A celebration of life has been scheduled for March 22. The Pennsylvania wine and grape industry earlier this week held its 2024 winter conference, and as part of that released an economic impact report. This study, funded by the departments Wine Marketing and Research Program, found that the industry supports 10,756 jobs, paying wages of $518.2 million, and directly contributing $1.77 billion to the state economy annually. Produced by John Dunham & Associates, the same organization that prepared Wine Americas national economic impact study in 2022, the most notable takeaway is that Pennsylvania has moved up one notch in annual U.S. wine production, into fourth place, at 12.4 million gallons. That places it behind California (680.3M gallons), Washington (40.7M gallons) and New York (28M gallons). Oregon (11.8M) is fifth, followed by Michigan (2.6M), Kentucky (2.2M), Vermont (2.2M), Virginia (2.2M) and Texas (1.9M), according to the study. The state wine industry says that you are never more than an hour from a Pa. winery, and this map with the dots representing a winery would confirm that.Pa. Wine and Marketing Board The states last economic impact report was released in 2018. Grape production in PA has grown by about 970 tons per year in that period. Here are a few of the other highlights gleaned from the full report: Millions of visitors to Pennsylvanias wineries generate $747 million in tourism revenue every year. Throughout this study, the winery count of 368 referred to the number of winery facilities. A single winery may have multiple facilities throughout the state or country. Each of these facilities is included in the winery count. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, back in 2017, about 1,910 acres of farmland were used to grow grapes. These vineyards produced about 13,500 tons of grapes with a total value of $7.7 million to be used specifically in the process of making wine. In addition to producing wine grapes, Pennsylvania is one of the leading producers of juice grapes in the country. Based on these same 2017 data, about 77,300 tons of juice grapes, valued at $17.2 million are produced in the state, as are a small amount of fresh table grapes. The USDA stopped publishing data on grape production in 2017, so no recent data are available. However, based on the change in wine and grape juice output, an estimate for 2023 has been developed. Using the same production per job ratios and multiplying by current wine and juice production jobs provides an estimate of $89.5 million wine grapes and $139.9 million worth of juice grapes for 2023. It is estimated that wine grape vineyards in Pennsylvania directly employ an estimated 125 full-time equivalent (FTE) people growing wine grapes. These jobs pay a total of $6.7 million in wages while contributing $15.2 million in economic activity to the state. When the total impact of the wine grape industry is included (including supplier and induced jobs), 214 FTE jobs depend on the growing of wine grapes in Pennsylvania, generating nearly $12.0 million in wages and over $28.5 million in economic impact. Pennsylvanias 368 wineries employ around 2,170 people (FTE jobs) and pay more than $148.2 in wages and benefits. These firms directly generate $711 million in economic activity in the state. There are five AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in Pennsylvania: Cumberland Valley, Central Delaware Valley, Lake Erie, Lancaster Valley, and Lehigh Valley. According to the PLCB, 196,938 gallons of Pennsylvania-produced wine entered the wholesaling system. This was just 0.76 percent of all wine sold through PLCB warehouses. Considering that Pennsylvania wineries produced upwards of 12.4 million gallons in 2023, only about 1.6 percent of wine produced in the state is sold through Pennsylvania wholesaling establishments. The study estimates that about 7,659,000 people made over 25.2 million visits to Pennsylvanias wineries and vineyards. In addition to spending in the wineries and vineyards on wine, food, events, etc., these people spent an estimated $899.5 million in other parts of the Pennsylvania economy. It is estimated that about $3.7 million is contributed by employees and companies in the wine and grape industries to charitable organizations. These contributions lead to about 86 FTE jobs in these non-profit organizations. The study estimates that there are about 125 jobs relating to growing wine grapes and 444 jobs related to growing juice grapes in vineyards in Pennsylvania. One of the Pennsylvania wineries that has fared quite well on the national stage is Galen Glen in Andreas, Schuylkill County. Per the PLCB, which has the numbers from the previous years available every spring, Mazza Vineyards, Erie County, is the states biggest wine/cider producer, making almost 200,000 gallons in 2022. Mazza was followed by Jacks Hard Cider (188,284), Franklin Hill Vineyards (60,343), Allegro Winery (58,630) and Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery (50,042). Galen Glen Winery, in Schuylkill County, might be the best-known (or at least the most decorated) Pa. winery nationally, thanks to the scores it recently earned from international critic and reviewer James Suckling. A Lancaster County farmer cant sell raw milk products until he at least starts the process of applying for the required permits, a Lancaster County judge ruled Friday. The decision comes the day after a lawyer for Amos Miller argued the state has no right to shut him down and promised to eventually prove it in court. The state had obtained an injunction to prevent Miller from selling raw milk products after it said two out-of-state residents became sick after consuming raw milk products from Millers farm in Lancaster County, and a subsequent inspection of the farm found bacteria-tainted products and unsanitary conditions. During a hearing on Thursday, a lawyer for Miller, who is Amish, said Miller will go out of business if the injunction is allowed to continue. Judge Thomas Sponaugle seemed moved by that argument, and also by a pledge that Miller was willing to work with the state. He ended the hearing and met privately with Miller and lawyers with the state attorney generals office, seemingly in the hope of finding a viable path forward for Miller. But in a court order Friday, Sponaugle gave Miller no choice but to follow the law. Thursdays hearing was preceded by a demonstration in support of Miller that included scores of non-Amish who argued the states prosecution of Miller amounts to government overreach. In his order, Sponaugle said his decision isnt meant to detract from the sincerely held beliefs of individuals who believe in the benefits of raw milk products. However, he said allowing Miller to continue without permits would usurp the authority and responsibility of state lawmakers, who have deemed that commercial producers of raw milk and raw cheese must obtain permits and undergo state inspections. Sponaugle also said that, upon Miller beginning the permit process, he will immediately reconsider whether to modify or terminate the order that Miller cant commercially produce raw milk products. The order allows Miller to produce the products for personal and family use, although he must allow state inspections. Yet even if Miller were to apply for the permits, he remains in a legal corner. Thats because Pennsylvania grants permits to manufacture and sell raw milk and raw cheese, but not for the many other raw milk products which Miller sells to customers all over the country, including butter, yogurt and eggnog. Its illegal to commercially produce those products in Pennsylvania. Miller has been clashing with state and federal agencies since 2016, when the federal government said raw milk products from his farm caused the death of a Florida resident. It has made him a hero among opponents of big government, with supporters donating about $250,000 to Miller as of this week. His case also caught the attention of vaccine critic and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who urged people to attend Thursdays hearing, which took place in a well-fortified courthouse. Much of the testimony in defense of Miller focused on the benefits and safety of raw milk. However, Sponaugle noted his role is to decide whether Miller is following the law, not whether or not the law is wrong. Ah, yet another daylight saving time post, but dont worry the big days almost here. Clocks are set to spring forward in just a little bit over a week, which although that means well all lose an hour shuteye means warmer weather isnt too far off (at least, according to Punxsutawney Phil). According to TimeAndDate.com, daylight saving time will begin on Sunday, March 10, this year. Clocks will spring forward, as the saying goes, at 2 a.m. (ET). And while there are those who simply shrug and dutifully change their clocks in accordance with the practice, there are others who are hoping times up for daylight saving time. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) tells of how hundreds of bills and resolutions that seek to establish a year-round daylight saving time have been and are being considered. In fact, a version of such a bill was reintroduced in the Senate not all too long ago, along with a companion version in the House. In fact, a 2022 poll conducted by Monmouth University found now 61 percent of Americans would gladly do away with this biannual changing of the clocks. Another 44 percent would much rather have later sunrise and sunset hours instead of earlier ones, too. This means that there would be no change in clocks in a move that some in the medical community, as explained by Harvard Health Publishing, would mitigate the harmful health effects daylight saving time may have such as increased fatigue. Nevertheless, the practice remains, so get ready to lose an hour come March. And as for when daylight saving 2024 ends, that wont be until Sunday, Nov. 3, at the same time. AKRON, Ohio When your birthday comes only once every four years, you tend to make it pretty special. One Akron couple went all out this year, celebrating not one, not two, but three Leap Day birthdays and a wedding anniversary when they got the best present they could have asked for: a healthy baby girl. Tiffany and Billy Turner, both born on a Feb. 29 - four years apart - welcomed their daughter Mya Marie Turner to the world at Summa Health in Akron, on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 6:36 p.m., adding a remarkable third leap day celebration to their family on their eighth wedding anniversary. A Leap Day love story The couple says they discovered they shared their unique birthday on their first date. Billy left his wallet behind and when Tiffany looked inside she caught of glimpse of Billys birthdate on his drivers license. She couldnt believe what she saw. I was kind of stunned, said Tiffany, because nobody Ive ever met has my birthday. Occurring only once every four years, babies born on Leap Day, so-called leaplings have the rarest birthdays in the world. Leap Day only comes around once every 1,461 days. Its a birthdate only about 362,000 Americans can claim. Well, at least 362,001 now. About 5 million people worldwide share a Leap Day birthday, according to the Associated Press. Thats about 0.06% of the 8 billion people on the planet. When Tiffany revealed to Billy that she was also born on Leap Day, he first thought she was joking. But the pair say the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction coincidence felt a lot like fate had brought them together. Tiffany likened it to meeting the twin she never knew she had. Billy described it as an instant connection. We bonded immediately, he said. Like meeting your soulmate, his wife added. To this day, the couple says they are unaware of any other couple that shares a Leap Day birthday. Just to keep things interesting, the Turners decided to get married on Leap Day too, making Thursday not only their birthday, and their daughters birthday, but also their wedding anniversary. Oh, and did we mention that baby Mya has an older brother, David, who, while born in March, was also born during a Leap Year? The couple acknowledges how crazy this all sounds, but says none of this, apart from their wedding date, was pre-planned. They say they had attempted to conceive for several years before they became pregnant with their first child, and serendipitously, four years later, they got pregnant again. Leap Year just chooses us apparently, joked Tiffany. However, once they discovered their daughters due date was March 1, things suddenly became a whole lot more interesting. We thought Oh wow, this could really happen on Leap Day, said Billy. Once we got really close, we actually tried to secure the leap day for an induction, but that date was packed. Instead, Tiffany was scheduled to be induced on March 6. But Baby Mya had other ideas. She came out on that date anyway, said Tiffany. So it all worked out. While it cant be said with certainty that this is unique, cleveland.com came up empty in finding other situations where a pair of leap day parents had a leap day child. There are two known cases worldwide of three siblings with leap day birthdays on different years, the rare set of Leap Day twins or triplets, and the occasional mothers and babies who share a leap day birthday. But nearly a whole family? That almost feels like 1-in-1 million. One-in-a-billion! the couple said almost simultaneously. If nothing else, it certainly tops the list for best outcome of a first date story, ever. But even if the Turners had attempted to nudge fate, no matter how hard you try, its pretty hard to guarantee a birthdate. Babies ultimately come when they are ready, and Mya could have just as easily been born the day before, or after, said Dr. James Monte, the Summa Health obstetrician who delivered both baby Mya and her older brother, David. Mya is the first Leap Day baby hes delivered in his 29-year career. Mya was born at Summa General Hospital, along with 13 other babies on Leap Day. There were 35 babies born at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio on leap day 2024. Its estimated that roughly 8,000 babies are born in the U.S. every leap day. The family is resting and recovering from all the fanfare. Its been a whirlwind, said Billy. We are ready to take her home. Happy birthday leaplings! Nearly a month ago Lorenzo Scott admitted under oath during a federal court jury trial in Williamsport he had killed his cellmate in the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in 2015. But the U.S. attorneys office was unable to prosecute him for murder because of an act Congress adopted in 1909 based on 13th Century English Law. It prevents federal prosecution for homicide if the victim died more than a year and a day after the assault. By SCOTT SONNER, The Associated Press RENO, Nev. (AP) A powerful blizzard is dumping snow in the Sierra Nevada as gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations. Tens of thousands of customers were without power Friday night, and a 100-mile stretch of Interstate 80 remains closed indefinitely. A blizzard warning is in effect through Sunday for a 300-mile stretch of the mountain range in California and Nevada, and authorities are urging people to take shelter and stay off the roads. Meteorologists predict up to 10 feet of snow could fall in some higher elevations. A person walks along a covered Jibboom Street on Friday, March 1, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. (AP Photo/Andy Barron)AP High to extreme avalanche danger is expected in the backcountry through Sunday evening throughout the central Sierra, including the greater Lake Tahoe area, the weather service said. A tornado touched down Friday afternoon in Madera County and caused some damage to an elementary school, said Andy Bollenbacher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Hanford. A sign warms motorists of parking restrictions as snow falls Friday, March 1, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)AP Workers attempt to clear a road with snow blowers during a snowstorm, Friday, March 1, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)AP Workers clear sidewalks with snow blowers during a snowstorm, Friday, March 1, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)AP Meteorologists predict as much as 10 feet of snow is possible in the mountains around Lake Tahoe by the weekend, with 3 to 6 feet in the communities on the lakes shores and more than a foot possible in the valleys on the Sierras eastern front, including Reno. Yosemite National Park closed Friday, and officials said it would remain closed through at least noon Sunday. Ask one of Brian Mulroney's chief political rivals what his greatest success was, and the answer runs through Quebec. Jean Chretien says it was his breakthrough in 1984 that delivered the Progressive Conservative leader the largest majority ever seen in Canadian history. Mulroney carries his five-year-old son, Mark, from the car after their arrival for the introduction of the PC candidates in Montreal on July 15, 1984. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Poling On the night of March 2, the Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed all 14 Shahed UAVs attack sent from the areas of Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk (Russia), the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) said. "On the night of March 2, 2024, the enemy attacked with three Kh-59/Kh-35 guided missiles from Kherson and Donetsk regions and 17 attack drones of the Shahed type - launch areas Primorsko-Akhtarsk Russia, Balakleya Crimea," the AFU said in the Telegram channel. Reportedly, as a result of combat work, air defense destroyed 14 Shahed-type UAVs within Odesa, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhia, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Unfortunately, as a result of hits and falling debris in Odesa and Kharkiv regions, there are dead and injured. Condolences to family and friends... It is clarified that anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces have been involved in repelling the air attack. Former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) said that Trump is getting preferential treatment as the Supreme Court is sending the message that he is above the law. Ryan said on Real Time with Bill Maher: Its not whether or not you think hes guilty or I think hes guilty or anybody thinks hes guilty the question is is he above the law and is he getting preferential treatment because of who he is? Because if youre Joe the sh*t ragman in Youngstown Ohio guess what? Your ass is going to trial and and youre going to go to jail and its probably going to happen rather quickly, and so he is getting preferential treatment every signal that the Supreme Court is sending is that he is above the law and no citizen should be okay with that. To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily. Video: Tim Ryan was right. At this stage, it isnt about guilt or innocence. That is something for juries to decide. The question is more fundamental. Trump is claiming a special privilege to be above the law because he is a former president, and the Supreme Court because he is a former president is willing to weigh the question of whether Donald Trump is a king and is above the law. The whole farce is absurd and it runs counter to the founding principles of the nation, but the Supreme Court is already sending the message that Donald Trump is above the law, and this fact should enrage every American who believes in and is trying to protect democracy. A Special Message From PoliticusUSA If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here. We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value. Scottie Scheffler has become the first player in the 50 years of The Players Championship to win back-to-back. This was the hardest. Not only was he dealing with neck pain all week, he started the final round five shots behind. Scheffler closed with a 64. That matches the lowest final round by a winner. He also tied a Players Championship record with a five-shot comeback. U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, British Open champion Brian Harman and Xander Schauffele all finished one shot behind. All of them had their chances over the final three holes to force a playoff. Read moreScheffler goes back-to-back in Players Championship in Sunday thriller at Sawgrass It was in November 2022 that North Augusta started collecting input for how traffic along Georgia Avenue, from the bridge to Martintown Road, could be improved for both safety and business access. Now, that input, plus the engineering analysis behind the full traffic-calming study, has come back with a draft set of recommendations on what the citys best options might be. Block-by-block analysis yielded block-by-block recommendations, but the broader picture is one that takes all that angled parking and makes it parallel; adds center medians and makes pedestrian crossings high visibility. Full implementation of these recommendations would be a $2.5 million effort. The city has taken no action yet on any of the recommendations, and certain of them those for where Georgia Avenue meets with Jackson and Carolina avenues arent going to cut it, officials say. The proposed solution would cut out some of the existing pavement and curve Carolina Avenue slightly. That lessening of asphalt would result in those coming down Carolina Avenue then turning south onto Georgia Avenue before turning onto Jackson; current practice is a direct turn from Carolina onto Jackson, avoiding Georgia Avenue altogether. It wont solve for what we need, Mayor Briton Williams said. Whether creating a roundabout for that tri-junction is an option is unclear. Georgia Avenue is a state road, and normally South Carolina Department of Transportation wouldnt look favorably on a two-lane roundabout, said Joe Robertson, traffic engineer and project manager with Kimley-Horn. And bringing Georgia Avenue down to one lane in either direction at that point isnt recommended for the bottle-necking this would cause, Robertson said. There could be more options out there, though, and the city is likely to pursue additional study of Georgia-Carolina-Jackson convergence. Thats not to hold up implementation of other improvements. Oman Cables Industry (OCI), the premier cable solutions provider in the sultanate, has announced the appointment of Erkan Aydogdu as the new CEO. OCI, a part of the Prysmian Group, said Aydogdu, in this new role, will lead the organisation into the next stage of evolution. The outgoing CEO Cinzia Farise is getting ready to play a strategic role at the Prysmian Group headquarters with global responsibilities, said the company in its filing to the Muscat Stock Exchange. While the Board of Directors recognised Farise for her significant contributions, services, and accomplishments made during her tenure as CEO, it highlighted Aydogdus strong capabilities in areas including logistics, continuous improvement, research and development, quality assurance, and management. The Board said it was confident that Aydogdus multifaceted experience will contribute significantly to the industry. Having served as the CEO of Oceania and Southeast Asia at the Prysmian Group since 2019, and previously CEO of Turk Prysmian Kablo, Aydogdu, brings a wealth of experience from his various roles within the company. His tenure and expertise are set to contribute to OCI Group's continued success and growth, the Board said. On his appointment, Aydogdu said: "I am both humbled and inspired by the opportunity to steer OCI Group into its next stage of evolution. Together with the Board and our leadership team, I am committed to driving sustainable value and yielding solid results." As I embrace this new role, I look forward to leading our organization towards growth and providing value to our customers and partners throughout the region, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Zelenskyy: We need more air defense from partners Ukraine needs more air defense assets to protect civilians, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, commenting on the consequences of a night attack by Russian UAVs on Ukrainian cities. "We need more air defense from our partners. The Ukrainian air shield should be strengthened to add protection to our people from Russian terror. More air defense systems, more missiles for air defense this is what saves life," Zelenskyy said in his Telegram channel on Saturday morning. He said a search and rescue operation is ongoing in Odesa at the site where a UAV hit a residential building. "The search and rescue operation continues continuously. All services are in place. People are being provided with all the necessary assistance," the president said. The S.C. Senate was about to vote on a muscular update to South Carolinas Read to Succeed law, with a heavy emphasis on whats being called the science of reading, and Senate Education Chairman Greg Hembree was explaining the bill and the background. Early work teaching teachers how to teach whats essentially phonics is getting positive reviews, he told the Senate, and where the back-to-the-future approach to reading is being phased in, test results are improving. He explained that S.418, which started out as a small tweak to the law, had been amended in the House and now smoothed out in his committee to help change the states reading focus, streamline some duplicative testing, offer summer reading camps to kids who are struggling after first and second grade and encourage schools to hold back struggling students then instead of waiting until after the third grade, when its much harder to catch up. Then he started gushing about a subcommittee meeting where Education Superintendent Ellen Weaver described how the state had been working to improve early literacy. It was one of those times, he said, when I wished I had recorded it and I could send it to you and say Please watch this, because she did such a masterful job articulating the efforts that were being undertaken at the Department of Education. I shared his wish, not just for senators but for anyone who was interested in how South Carolina teaches kids to read. Or how their legislators represent them. And his wish raised an obvious question: Why wasnt the meeting livestreamed? Why, in fact, arent all legislative meetings livestreamed? Well, it raised that question for me, although perhaps not for senators. Who knew? Its a little odd for Mr. Hembree to become a poster child for the need to livestream more legislative meetings, since hes the author of a smart bill the Senate passed last year (and the year before) to require school board meetings to be livestreamed. So I wasn't surprised when he told me Monday hed be happy for all the meetings to be livestreamed and didnt know why they werent. A onetime Mount Pleasant-based business owner who was among the first to be charged in the government's "Operation Brace Yourself" probe is to be sentenced this week. Read moreMajor SC Medicare fraud case shifts to the penalty phase after 5 years When you rent a house or an apartment, you might not feel like it's your space. However, there are a few renter-friendly upgrades and renovations that can turn your unit into a space that reflects more of your own style and personality. Read moreThe Renter's Guide to Upgrades GREENVILLE Eight deputies shot and killed the man suspected of killing both his longtime partner and his mother hours earlier after he exited a mobile home with a chrome shower handle in his hands, according to a video released by the Greenville County Sheriffs Office. The selection of body camera clips and portions of two 911 calls were made public March 2 on YouTube as part of the offices community briefing policy, which publishes curated accounts of major deputy-involved incidents 45 days after they occur. The Post and Courier has submitted open records requests for additional dash-camera footage, audio and reports from the sheriffs office. Body camera footage isnt subject to public records laws in South Carolina, though law enforcement agencies may choose to release what they want. Sign up for updates! Get the latest Greenville news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! The community briefing video begins with two 911 calls from months earlier by the mother of Gary Pratt Whitten, the man shot and killed by deputies. Whittens mother called 911 in September and asked for deputies to check on him because he had expressed a desire to commit suicide by cop. When deputies arrived at Whittens house, they called back his mother to see how he would respond to law enforcement knocking on his door. Were not sure what his reaction will be because he has threatened that he would do suicide by cop, an unidentified person explained to the deputy. How long ago was that? the deputy asked. I would imagine probably within the last 24 hours. He said it multiple times across many years, the person replied. The outcome of the welfare check was not detailed in the video. Four months later, deputies were staged outside a mobile home in Landrum, a small town near the North Carolina border where Whitten was hiding after allegedly killing his mother and longtime partner Jan. 17. Deputies called for Whitten to surrender for about 26 minutes before he stepped outside, said sheriffs spokesman Lt. Ryan Flood, narrating the briefing video. 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 SULLIVAN'S ISLAND Former Police Chief Chris Griffin resigned last month in the wake of allegations he made sexually inappropriate comments, discriminated against female officers and made them uncomfortable with his actions, according to newly released documents. Town Council accepted Griffin's resignation as the island's top cop on Feb. 20 and approved a $10,000 payout for him on his way out the door. The town had placed Griffin on administrative leave the previous month due to an unspecified "personnel investigation matter." But island officials said nothing about what that entailed. More details came to light March 1 after The Post and Courier obtained Griffin's personnel and complaint files in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. Documents in the file show Griffin had amassed a number of commendations throughout his career, along with a string of complaints about his conduct on the job that date back as far back as 2019. Three complaints and a corroborating statement filed in December accuse Griffin of making sexually suggestive comments and making female officers feel uncomfortable in his presence. One officer told town officials that Griffin allegedly told co-workers that she looked like she would put a "hurting on someone in bed" and that she looked like she would be a "freak in the sheets." Another said Griffin suggested she couldn't wear a certain uniform because her chest wasn't big enough, and that she suspected him of tracking her cruiser and spying on her and others with a camera while they worked out in an employee gym, documents stated. Two other officers said Griffin showed them a picture of a woman after a high-speed pursuit to Breach Inlet in August and explained that he had traveled to Florida to meet up with her. He then proceeded to describe their encounter in sexually explicit terms, noting that she was married, the documents stated. Happy Sunshine Week indeed. As we hope youve noticed, our newsroom is spending the week recounting successes its had using South Carolinas Freedom of Information Act to illumine your understanding of what your government is doing on your behalf, in your name and with your tax dollars. Read moreEditorial: SC judges support sunshine whenever they get a chance. They need more chances. This paid press release is brought to you from our partnership with EZ Newswire. The Post and Courier news staff was not involved in its creation. Ukraine was able to identify the bodies and remains of 2,800 defenders who died as a result of the Russian invasion, Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said on Friday. At a meeting with members of the families of deceased military personnel, organized by the public organization "Heart Out" which took place as a result of the appeal of family members of military personnel with complaints about the long time it took to identify the unidentified bodies of the defenders, the Ombudsman's Office invited representatives of government agencies to communicate, find out the reasons and discuss ways that will help solve the problem of. The meeting was attended by Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko, deputy ministers, representatives of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Main Directorate of the National Police, the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the SBU. "Now, according to the Minister of Health, more than 2,800 bodies and fragments have been identified. The process of searching for their relatives to return for burial is ongoing. According to government officials, the relatives cannot find the bodies of the defenders, since they have not yet been handed over to the Ukrainian side. However, the process of repatriation of bodies is taking place," Lubinets said in his Telegram channel. According to the Ombudsman, a number of questions from those gathered concerned the time frame for identifying bodies and notifying families, the operation of the DNA database, communication with investigators, the work of experts, identification algorithms, and other things. "The relatives were given comprehensive answers to all this," the commissioner said. After the meeting, family members of the fallen heroes could ask representatives of government agencies personal questions. "Ukraine is maximally interested in returning the bodies of fallen soldiers," Lubinets said. FORT MILL State officials have agreed to issue a permit for a Fort Mill-area solar panel plant despite objections by many residents but the approval comes with tighter oversight. The Canadian-based Silfab Solar must increase the frequency of reporting and testing requirements in the agreement, according to a March 1 announcement. The company has bought a 785,000-square-foot warehouse at 7149 Logistics Lane, just west of the U.S. 21 Bypass, in an area zoned for light industrial in unincorporated north York County. Last year, the York County Council split a 4-3 vote to provide tax incentives to the company, which said the plant would provide 800 jobs. Residents voiced concerns about the proximity of two planned school sites just south of the proposed plant, which will emit hydrogen fluoride and hydrochloric acid. The state Department of Health and Environmental Control approved the permit, and officials there said Silfabs scrubbing equipment will contain 96 percent of the plants emissions. Silfab will control hazardous air pollutant emissions to comply with all applicable state and federal regulations, DHEC officials wrote in a statement. The decision can be appealed by filing a request for a final review to be conducted by the Board of Health and Environmental Control. Anyone wishing to do so must file the appeal by March 16. The date is based on 15 days after the decision was sent to those who requested it. DHEC sent out emails about the permit approval on March 1. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, after another Russian attack, called on Western countries to urgently act to provide the necessary support for Ukraine. "Another devastating Russian nighttime attack on Kharkiv, Odesa, and the Sumy region. In Odesa, a residential building was hit. As of now, two people are reported killed and eight injured, including a child. Russia acts every time the West fails to act. For every word uttered to explain why something cannot be done for Ukraine, Russia takes a real human life," the minister said on the X social network. He said for every undelivered air defense platform, Russia responds with hundreds of missiles and drones attacking cities in Ukraine. "For every round exported from Europe instead of being sent to Ukraine, Russia grabs another square meter of European land. Invest in production, purchase, and ban exports outside of Europe now. The goal is not to act 'as long as it takes' but 'as quick and as much as it takes. Deliver," Kuleba urged. PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-02 21:02:00 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 406 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 2, 2024 / In an era marked by unprecedented advancements in financial technologies, ArbiTrustCapital, a leading firm in the investment sector, today shared critical insights into the dynamic world of modern trading. Thomas Parker, a seasoned financial analyst with ArbiTrustCapital, sheds light on the significant impact of cryptocurrencies, Contracts for Difference (CFDs), innovative trading instruments, and the emergence of crypto ETFs on current investment strategies and market participation.The New Era of Investment: Cryptocurrencies and Crypto ETFsHighlighting the transformative role of cryptocurrencies and crypto ETFs in today's economy, Thomas Parker said, "Cryptocurrencies and crypto ETFs are not merely investment vehicles but represent a significant leap towards the democratization of finance. They make high-growth assets more accessible to the general public." This insight underscores the importance of these instruments in diversifying investment portfolios and enhancing investor engagement in the digital economy.Harnessing Opportunities with CFDsContracts for Difference are gaining popularity, offering investors unprecedented flexibility to speculate on price movements without direct asset ownership. "CFDs present a valuable tool for investors to leverage market volatility with lower capital outlay. It's imperative, however, to engage with them armed with a solid risk management strategy," Parker advises. His perspective highlights the potential of CFDs to augment investment strategies, emphasizing cautious engagement.Navigating Market VolatilityIn addressing the challenge of market volatility, Parker offers guidance on investment strategy: "Today's market demands a combination of traditional wisdom and adaptability to emerging trends." His expertise provides a forward-looking view on harnessing investment opportunities, particularly through strategic use of crypto ETFs and CFDs.Educational Empowerment for InvestorsThomas Parker champions educational empowerment as essential for informed investment decisions. "The cornerstone of successful investing is informed decision-making, necessitating ongoing education and adaptation to the evolving financial landscape," he asserts, emphasizing the importance of investor education.Looking AheadArbiTrustCapital remains at the forefront of navigating the complex evolving financial landscape, offering valuable insights into new investment opportunities like crypto ETFs and CFDs. Thomas Parker's expertise is invaluable for investors seeking to make informed decisions in a dynamic market environment.About ArbiTrustCapitalArbiTrustCapital is a premier investment firm dedicated to providing innovative financial solutions and expert insights into the modern trading landscape. With a focus on democratizing finance and empowering investors, ArbiTrustCapital is committed to guiding clients through the complexities of the evolving financial market.ArbiTrustCapitalContact Person Name: Thomas ParkerEmail:- support@ arbitrustcapital.net SOURCE: ArbiTrustCapital PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-02 03:25:30 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 696 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 1, 2024 / BioNxt Solutions Inc. ("BioNxt" or the "Company") (CSE:BNXT)(OTCQB:BNXTF)(FSE:BXT) is pleased to report that the comparative pharmacokinetic ("PK") study for its oral dissolvable film ("ODF") based proprietary Cladribine product for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis ("MS") has been completed. Results will be reported by the Company when available. The PK study closely follows the unanimously successful results of the ODF Cladribine toxicity study, announced February 7, 2024.BioNxt is developing a proprietary hybrid-generic ODF Cladribine dosage form, directed at the MS market. Cladribine tablets are approved for use in over 75 countries, including by the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") and the European Medicines Agency ("EMA"), for several indications, namely highly active forms of relapsing-remitting MS and certain forms of leukemia. MS represents the largest market segment for the sale of Cladribine with approximately 2.3 million people living with MS worldwide, with the highest prevalence in North America and Europe, noted by Atlas of MS. The global Multiple Sclerosis drug market is expected to top USD 41 billion by 2033 according to Market.us The comparative PK study was carried out by a European contract research organization in accordance with EU medical regulatory guidelines using animal models and a single administration of either sublingual (ODF) or oral (tablet) Cladribine. Blood testing and analysis was carried out pre-dose and at up to six time points after administration using blood aliquots.BioNxt has accelerated its Cladribine ODF program in a priority manner with GMP product development and batch production planned for Q1 and Q2 2024 with the European Investigational Medicinal Product Dossier (IMPD) preparation and submission planned for Q2 2024.The Company has filed Cladribine ODF-related provisional patent applications with three to four patent applications expected to be on file in major international jurisdictions by late 2024 to early 2025 with potential patent protection extending to 2044.BioNxt's wholly owned subsidiary is a German narcotics manufacturer, developer, and researcher located in the district of Biberach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. For over a decade, the company and its team have been leaders in the design, testing and manufacture of innovative, non-invasive drug delivery systems, particularly transdermal patches and sublingual strips for the delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients for the treatment of pain and neurological conditions. According to Precedence Research, the global pharmaceutical drug delivery market size was valued at USD 1,525 billion in 2022 and expected to surpass approximately USD 2,047 billion by 2030.About BioNxt Solutions Inc.BioNxt Solutions Inc. is a bioscience accelerator focused on next-generation drug formulations and delivery systems, diagnostic screening tests, and new active pharmaceutical production and evaluation, including: precision transdermal and oral dissolvable drug formulations; rapid, low-cost infectious disease and oral health screening tests; and standardization and clinical evaluation of emerging active pharmaceutical ingredients for neurological applications. The Company has research and development operations in North America and Europe, with an operational focus in Germany, and is currently focused on regulatory approval and commercialization of medical products for European markets.BioNxt Solutions Inc.Hugh Rogers, CEO and DirectorEmail: info@ bionxt.com Phone: +1 780-818-6422Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" InformationSome of the statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "expects", "intends", "is expected", "potential", "suggests" or variations of such words or phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information are not historical facts and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control. Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.SOURCE: BioNxt Solutions Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-02 20:51:25 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 388 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 2, 2024 / InternationalReserve, a leader in financial analysis and investment strategy, today announced a series of expert insights from John Marks, a distinguished financial analyst, aimed at empowering traders to navigate and excel in the online trading arena. As digital trading platforms grow in popularity, Marks offers strategic advice on leveraging cryptocurrencies, Contracts for Difference (CFDs), Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), and the forex market to achieve financial success.Embracing Cryptocurrency DiversificationMarks stresses the importance of integrating cryptocurrencies into investment portfolios for risk mitigation and potential returns. "Incorporating digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum presents unparalleled opportunities for portfolio diversification," he notes, highlighting the growth potential of cryptocurrencies.Strategic CFD Trading for Maximizing ReturnsWith CFDs allowing traders to speculate on price movements without owning the assets, Marks points out the benefits and risks associated with leveraged trading. "While CFDs offer considerable potential for profit, it's crucial to approach them with a robust risk management strategy," he advises, underlining the need for caution and strategic planning.The Role of ETFs in Balanced InvestingMarks champions ETFs for their diversified and cost-effective nature, making them a staple in a well-rounded investment portfolio. "ETFs offer instant diversification and liquidity, suitable for both short-term and long-term investment strategies," he explains, recommending ETFs as a means to spread risk across various asset classes.Navigating the Forex MarketAcknowledging the complexities of the forex market, Marks offers guidance for traders to approach currency trading with informed strategies and disciplined risk management. "Success in forex trading demands a deep understanding of market forces and a commitment to disciplined risk management," he asserts, emphasizing the importance of staying informed on global economic trends.John Marks and InternationalReserve are dedicated to providing traders with the knowledge and tools necessary for success in the dynamic world of online trading. By adopting these strategic insights, traders can navigate the complexities of the digital trading environment and position themselves for financial growth and stability.About InternationalReserveInternationalReserve is a premier financial services firm, providing cutting-edge analysis and strategic advice in the investment sector. Led by industry experts like John Marks, InternationalReserve is committed to empowering investors with actionable insights and tools for success in online trading and beyond.InternationalReserve:Contact Person Name: John MarksEmail:- support@ internationalreserve.net SOURCE: InternationalReserve PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-02 05:02:00 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 673 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 1, 2024 / Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLPannounces that purchasers or acquirers of Sunnova Energy International Inc. (NYSE:NOVA) securities between February 25, 2020 and December 7, 2023, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), have until April 16, 2024 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Sunnova class action lawsuit. Captioned Trindade v. Sunnova Energy International Inc., No. 24-cv-00569 (S.D. Tex.), the Sunnova class action lawsuit charges Sunnova as well as certain of Sunnova's top executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Sunnova class action lawsuit, please provide your information here: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-sunnova-energy-international-inc.html You can also contact attorney J.C. Sanchezor Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at info@ rgrdlaw.com . Lead plaintiff motions for the Sunnova class action lawsuit must be filed with the court no later than April 16, 2024.CASE ALLEGATIONS: Sunnova is an energy services provider. According to the complaint, in September 2023, Sunnova entered into a $3.0 billion partial loan guarantee agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy's ("DOE") Loan Programs Office ("LPO") to support solar loans originated by Sunnova under a new solar loan channel named Project Hestia.The Sunnova class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Sunnova routinely engaged in predatory business practices against disadvantaged homeowners and communities, the same groups that Project Hestia was purportedly intended to benefit; and (ii) this conduct subjected Sunnova to a heightened risk of regulatory and/or governmental scrutiny.The Sunnova class action lawsuit further alleges that on December 8, 2023, Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Chair of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Senator John Barraso, ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, sent a letter to the DOE and Sunnova seeking information regarding the LPO's awareness of and treatment of Sunnova's allegedly predatory business practices. On this news, the price of Sunnova stock fell more than 16%, according to the complaint.THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired Sunnova securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Sunnova class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Sunnova class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Sunnova class action lawsuit. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Sunnova class action lawsuit.ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller is one of the world's leading complex class action firms representing plaintiffs in securities fraud cases. The Firm is ranked #1 on the most recent ISS Securities Class Action Services Top 50 Report for recovering more than $1.75 billion for investors in 2022 - the third year in a row Robbins Geller tops the list. And in those three years alone, Robbins Geller recovered nearly $5.3 billion for investors, more than double the amount recovered by any other plaintiffs' firm. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs' firms in the world and the Firm's attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever - $7.2 billion - in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:Attorney advertising.Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.Contact:Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLPJ.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal, 800-449-4900655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101 info@ rgrdlaw.com SOURCE: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-02 21:20:18 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 659 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 RR Capital is proud to announce new private investments in zkLink, Particle Network, and Ape Terminal.LISBON , PORTUGAL / ACCESSWIRE / March 2, 2024 / RR Capital is a Lisbon-based Venture Capital (VC) firm empowering the new internet'. RR specializes in disruptive technology spaces. These include: decentralized ledger technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and digital assets. RR Capital believes that traditional businesses and organizations are, and will in the future, implement these technologies, adding immense value to the core of those businesses.zkLink XAs the blockchain landscape rapidly evolves,zkLink Xhas emerged as a beacon of innovation, offering an app-specific aggregate rollup infrastructure tailored for high-performance ZK applications.With an increasing number of layer 1 blockchains like Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, and layer 2 scaling solutions, such as ZK-Rollups and Optimistic Rollups, users navigate through a maze of chains and rollups, leveraging a range of crypto tokens to meet their diverse needs. While this multi-chain, multi-layer environment creates immense value for crypto users, it also presents unforeseen challenges. These challenges include liquidity silos, heightened trading costs, fragmented user experiences, and a complex application development environment.zkLink X addresses these challenges by building an aggregated rollup infrastructure to simplify multi-chain dApp deployment, and resolve liquidity fragmentation. zkLink X leverages zero-knowledge proof technology to provide an App Rollup deployment solution with high throughput, low-cost, and robust security.Particle NetworkAs the Web 3.0 space continues to grow exponentially, an increasing number of Web 2.0 developers are transitioning into this ecosystem. Particle Network stands at the forefront, offering a robust development platform that facilitates a seamless transition from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0.Particle Network offers developers a comprehensive suite of modular services, including user authentication, wallet integration, NFT support, and node services, all with multi-chain and cross-platform compatibility. By streamlining "developer-chain" interactions, Particle Network helps developers save up to 90% of their development time. This enables them to focus their efforts towards innovation and growth within the Web 3.0 space.Ape TerminalApe Terminalrevolutionizes the crypto launchpad landscape. Ape Terminal is the fastest-growing platform, boasting some of the industry's highest yield-generating tools. With its innovative native super-app and cutting-edge trading terminal, Ape Terminal offers seamless accessibility across desktop and mobile devices, giving users unparalleled flexibility and convenience.Leveraging cutting-edge MEV (Miner Extractable Value) technology, Ape Terminal automatically generates yield opportunities, ensuring users capitalize on every profitable opportunity in the ever-evolving crypto markets. This integration of MEV-tech not only maximizes yield potential but also simplifies the process, making it effortless for users to harness the power of their investments.Speaking about the new private investments in zkLink, Particle Network and Ape Terminal, RR Capital Co-founder, Richard Seiler stated:"We are pleased to have invested and be working with these exciting projects. At RR Capital we are constantly looking to partner with great teams and collaborate in ways to help grow their communities through education and engagement." Ape Terminal bridges the gap between centralized exchange sophistication and decentralized exchange accessibility. Ape Terminal provides an intuitive experience for all on-chain needs. From asset management to trading execution, users benefit from a streamlined and intuitive platform designed to enhance their crypto journey.About RR CapitalRR Capital's mission is to capture value by investing in early stage projects and teams who are leading innovation and disruption within the Web 3.0 space. With a deep knowledge of the crypto industry, RR Capital's investment thesis is to invest, partner and support teams, companies or protocols building on blockchain technology.RR Capital's focus has been on Layer1 and Layer2 chains, Gamefi, Web3.0, Decentralized Finance (DeFi), Non-custodial Wallets, NFT infrastructure, Zero Knowledge (ZK) and Metaverse to mention a few. This has positioned RR Capital as experts in value creation, outperforming the market returns across a portfolio of more than 120 investments up to 2024.For more information about RR Capital and their expansive disruptive technology-focused investment portfolio, visit the official website here.FollowRR Capitalon Twitter.Media Contact DetailsContact Name: Kevin Hughes Contact Email:media@ rr2.capital SOURCE: RR2 Capital PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-02 06:00:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 391 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VIENNA, VA / ACCESSWIRE / March 2, 2024 / Wine & Champagne Gifts, a premier wine gift retailer headquartered in the United States, is thrilled to unveil a special promotion in celebration of International Women's Day on March 8th. Running from March 1st to March 8th, gift-givers visiting their website can avail a generous 10% discount on orders above $150 by applying the code WOMEN24 during the checkout process.In homage to this globally significant occasion, Wine & Champagne Gifts endeavors to honor the accomplishments and contributions of women worldwide through their exquisite wine gift collection, recognizing wines as perfect tokens of appreciation due to their elegance and adaptability.This selection includes a variety of fine wines, champagnes, and proseccos that are all easily personalized and come with gourmet gift baskets, sets, and boxes of cheese, chocolates, snacks, and more. Furthermore, there are spa wine gift baskets available, offering an opportunity for women to prioritize self-care while indulging in rejuvenation.Adding to the allure, their wine gift for women collection thoughtfully presents wine gifts tailored to the diverse taste preferences of women, with various wine bottles paying homage to women's empowerment within the wine industry, highlighting their significant presence as winemakers, winery founders, innovators, and more.Considering the driving force behind this initiative, the product manager at Wine & Champagne Gifts expressed, "International Women's Day carries profound importance for us, as we commemorate the resilience, strength, and accomplishments of women globally. With our thoughtfully selected assortment of wine gifts, our intention is to convey not only warmth and admiration but also empowerment, encouraging women to overcome challenges and achieve greatness across all aspects of life." As the world unites to celebrate International Women's Day, Wine & Champagne Gifts urges everyone to honor the women who inspire them by offering thoughtful women's day gift ideas that acknowledge their essence and accomplishments.About Wine & Champagne GiftsWine & Champagne Gifts is recognized as a premier wine gift destination in the United States, renowned for its curated selection of wine and champagne gifts tailored for various occasions and clientele. With nationwide delivery, each gift is carefully packed, ensuring that every moment becomes a cherished and meaningful memory for recipients.For more information and to explore the full range of offerings, please visit Wineandchampagnegifts.com or contact Wine & Champagne Gifts at +1 202-459-8489 or via email at contact@ wineandchampagnegifts.com SOURCE: Wine and Champagne Gifts PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-02 00:10:16 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 865 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 OVERLAND PARK, KS / ACCESSWIRE / March 1, 2024 / Tortoise today announced the following balance sheet information and asset coverage ratio updates for TYG, NTG, TTP, NDP and TPZ.Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp. (NYSE:TYG) today announced that as of February 29, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $500.0 million and its unaudited net asset value was $382.8 million, or $35.56 per share.As of February 29, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 639%, and its coverage ratio for preferred shares was 438%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at February 29, 2024.Unaudited balance sheet(in Millions) Per ShareInvestments$ 498.6 $ 46.31Cash and Cash Equivalents0.3 0.03Other Assets1.1 0.10Total Assets500.0 46.44 Short-Term Borrowings27.3 2.54Senior Notes50.3 4.67Preferred Stock35.7 3.31Total Leverage113.3 10.52 Other Liabilities1.8 0.16Current Tax Liability2.1 0.20Net Assets$ 382.8 $ 35.5610.76 million common shares currently outstanding.Tortoise Midstream Energy Fund, Inc. (NYSE:NTG) today announced that as of February 29, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $279.1 million and its unaudited net asset value was $220.9 million, or $43.37 per share.As of February 29, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 655%, and its coverage ratio for preferred shares was 494%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at February 29, 2024.Unaudited balance sheet(in Millions) Per ShareInvestments$ 277.9 $ 54.56Cash and Cash Equivalents0.3 0.05Other Assets0.9 0.19Total Assets279.1 54.80 Short-Term Borrowings13.1 2.57Senior Notes29.2 5.73Preferred Stock13.7 2.70Total Leverage56.0 11.00 Other Liability0.9 0.18Current Tax Liability1.3 0.25Net Assets$ 220.9 $ 43.37 5.09 million common shares currently outstanding.Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. (NYSE:TTP) today announced that as of February 29, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $88.5 million and its unaudited net asset value was $71.8 million, or $35.71 per share.As of February 29, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 861%, and its coverage ratio for preferred shares was 539%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at February 29, 2024.Unaudited balance sheet(in Millions) Per ShareInvestments$ 87.8 $ 43.67Cash and Cash Equivalents0.3 0.14Other Assets0.4 0.23Total Assets88.5 44.04 Short-Term Borrowings6.3 3.13Senior Notes3.9 1.96Preferred Stock6.1 3.03Total Leverage16.3 8.12 Other Liabilities0.4 0.21Net Assets$ 71.8 $ 35.71 2.01 million common shares currently outstanding.Tortoise Energy Independence Fund, Inc. (NYSE:NDP) today announced that as of February 29, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $69.7 million and its unaudited net asset value was $59.8 million, or $35.87 per share.As of February 29, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 716%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at February 29, 2024.Unaudited balance sheet(in Millions) Per ShareInvestments$ 69.0 $ 41.44Cash and Cash Equivalents0.4 0.22Other Assets0.3 0.18Total Assets69.7 41.84 Credit Facility Borrowings9.7 5.82 Other Liabilities0.2 0.15Net Assets$ 59.8 $ 35.87 1.67 million common shares currently outstanding.Tortoise Power and Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (NYSE:TPZ) today announced that as of February 29, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $124.8 million and its unaudited net asset value was $99.4 million, or $16.87 per share.As of February 29, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 498%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at February 29, 2024.Unaudited balance sheet(in Millions) Per ShareInvestments$ 123.5 $ 20.97Cash and Cash Equivalents0.4 0.06Other Assets0.9 0.15Total Assets124.8 21.18 Credit Facility Borrowings25.0 4.24 Other Liabilities0.4 0.07Net Assets$ 99.4 $ 16.87 5.89 million common shares currently outstanding.The top 10 holdings for TYG, NTG, TTP, NDP and TPZ as of the most recent month-end can be found on each fund's portfolio web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com About TortoiseTortoise focuses on energy & power infrastructure and the transition to cleaner energy. Tortoise's solid track record of energy value chain investment experience and research dates back more than 20 years. As an early investor in midstream energy, Tortoise believes it is well-positioned to be at the forefront of the global energy evolution that is underway. With a steady wins approach and a long-term perspective, Tortoise strives to make a positive impact on clients and communities. To learn more, please visit www.TortoiseAdvisors.com Tortoise Capital Advisors, L.L.C. is the adviser to Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp., Tortoise Midstream Energy Fund, Inc., Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc., Tortoise Energy Independence Fund, Inc. and Tortoise Power and Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc.For additional information on these funds, please visit cef.tortoiseadvisors.com Safe harbor statementThis press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the laws of such state or jurisdiction.Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains certain stat PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-02 00:41:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1025 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Highlights:Trifecta Gold is optioning the advanced Mt Hinton gold-silver project, next to Hecla's Keno Hill Mines and Banyan Gold's AurMac Deposit, as well as 10 other highly prospective projects. All 11 projects show characteristics of reduced intrusion related gold systems, like Snowline Gold's recent Valley discovery or Victoria Gold's Eagle Mine. Favorable deal structure allows Trifecta to acquire 100% of the project in a shareholder friendly manner. 4:1 share consolidation to allow restart of Trifecta Gold with a renewed focus on its newly acquired Yukon properties. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 1, 2024 / Trifecta Gold Ltd. (TSXV:TG)(OTCQB:TRRFF) ("Trifecta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire up to 100% of Mt. Hinton and 10 other highly prospective, intrusion-related gold projects located in Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt. Under a two stage earn-in agreement with Strategic Metals Ltd. ("Strategic"), Trifecta can acquire up to a 100% interest in all 11 properties.Tombstone Gold BeltExtending for more than 1,000 km from Alaska into Yukon, the Tombstone Gold Belt hosts many large Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold System (RIRGS) deposits such as Fort Knox in Alaska (>10 million oz), Eagle and Olive in Yukon (>4 million oz) and the past-producing Brewery Creek Mine, also in Yukon. Recent discoveries including Snowline Gold's Tier 1 Valley discovery, Sitka Gold's RC deposit, Banyan Gold's AurMac deposits and Victoria Gold's Raven deposit have drawn renewed exploration interest to the belt.These gold systems are characterized by sheeted, auriferous quartz veins forming in the carapace zones of Cretaceous-age plutons. They have a characteristic geochemical signature of Au-Bi-TeW within and surrounding the intrusion, and a characteristic geophysical signature of a magnetic low (ie. reduced) together with a coincident conductivity low. Moving outward from the intrusions, Au-As veins are common with Ag-Pb-Zn veins further out.Option TermsUnder the terms of the option agreement, which is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance, Trifecta can acquire an initial 70% interest in the properties (the "First Option") by incurring aggregate exploration expenditures of $6 million by December 31, 2027 and issuing that number of Trifecta shares to Strategic such that, following the issuance of those shares, Strategic will hold 9.99% of Trifecta's then issued and outstanding share capital, including the shares of Trifecta currently held by Strategic. Following the exercise of the First Option, Strategic will retain a one percent (1%) net smelter return royalty interest in the properties.Trifecta can acquire the remaining 30% interest in the properties (the "Second Option") by issuing additional Trifecta shares to Strategic equal to 9.99% of the then outstanding Trifecta share capital at any time after the exercise of the First Option and prior to March 31, 2028, which number of shares to be issued to Strategic will not include any shares of Trifecta then held by Strategic. Following the exercise of the Second Option, Strategic will retain an additional one percent (1%) net smelter return royalty interest. Trifecta can purchase the second royalty interest from Strategic for the payment of 1,500 ounces of gold or the cash equivalent.If Trifecta exercises the First Option only, the parties shall form a joint venture to further explore and develop the properties.Project PortfolioThe optioned portfolio covers approximately 30,000 hectares of highly prospective land within the Yukon portion of the Tombstone Gold Belt across 11 properties - namely, Mt. Hinton, Rye, Lance, Liam, Lois, Leroy, Luke, Leah, Lisa, Husky and Naws. The locations of the properties are available on the Company's website.The flagship Mt. Hinton gold-silver project lies within the Keno Hill District of the Tombstone Gold Belt, ideally located immediately southeast of Hecla Mining Company's ("Helca") Keno Hill Silver Mining Project, 35 km southeast of Victoria Gold's Eagle Mine, and 25 km east-southeast of Banyan Gold's AurMac Deposit. Mt. Hinton is a road accessible, camp scale property with over 60 precious metals veins identified to date. Mt. Hinton is a direct extension of the stratigraphy that hosts Hecla's Keno Hill Mines and much of the historical exploration at Mt. Hinton focused on these veins. Visible gold has been found in many of the known veins resulting in many bonanza grade (>100 g/t gold) assays being reported from surface grab and chip samples:August 21, 2019, Strategic Metals Ltd. Announces 2340 G/T Gold in a Rock Sample From its Mount Hinton Property, Yukon September 9, 2019, Strategic Metals Discovers More Gold-rich Veins at Its Mount Hinton Property, Yukon (includes a 202 g/t gold grab sample in Granite North)July 22, 2020, Strategic Metals Ltd. samples 200 g/t gold over 1.2 m at its Mt. Hinton gold and silver project, Yukon January 23, 2023, Strategic Metals Discovers New Veins at its Mt. Hinton Gold-Silver Project, Yukon (85 vein float samples grade 273 g/t gold and 138.5 g/t gold, outcrop sample from 15 vein grades 126.5 g/t gold, 19 vein float sample returned 101 g/t gold)There are active placer mines on all the creeks draining the property. Based on both metal zonation within the district and the regional magnetic signature at Mt. Hinton, a reduced intrusion on the property is theorized to be the driver for much of the mineralization in the district. Many recently identified gold-in-soil anomalies have yet to be prospected and a large magnetic low in the southeastern part of the project has not been investigated. Both will be priority targets for Trifecta.The Rye property is located 14 km south of Fireweed Metals' Macpass Project in eastern Yukon. It hosts a gold- and bismuth-in-soil anomaly associated with a known intrusion as well as multiple gold-rich veins more distal to the intrusion.Located midway between Mt. Hinton and Rye, the Lance property is centered on a multi-square kilometre gold- bismuth- and arsenic-in-soil anomaly that coincides with a magnetic low. Prospecting in 2023, in the western part of the project, discovered sheeted quartz veining within a secondary soil anomaly of a similar character.Liam is similarly centered on a large, coincident gold- bismuth- and arsenic-in-soil anomaly that is partially defined through grid soil sampling. The anomaly also has significant copper-in-soil that ranges from 200 to 847 ppm indicating potential for porphyry type mineralization as well.Lois, Leroy, Luke, Leah, Lisa, Husky and Naws are earlier stage targets that were staked on the same regional stream sediment signatures that mark a Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, the countrys biggest conglomerate by market value, will list the shares of its spinoff power generating arm Transcorp Power by way of introduction in Lagos on Monday, the Nigerian Exchange Limited said in a Friday statement. The plan is for 7.5 billion shares to be quoted at N240 per unit, putting its valuation at N1.8 trillion. Meanwhile, Transcorp which also has hospitality, agribusiness and real estate among its subsidiaries, and which is the parent company under which Transcorp Power operates, is valued way below the power-generation arm at just N580.5 billion. Transcorp did not immediately respond to PREMIUM TIMES query, seeking clarification on how the corporation arrived at N1.8 trillion valuation and whether it considers the N240 as fair value. Generally speaking, sometimes it does happen that the spinoff may be more valued than the entire group. I am not speaking in terms of Transcorp, Syvelster Anaba, research team lead at investment bank Meristem Securities, told PREMIUM TIMES. Lets say you have three or four different companies making up a group. The overall valuation would be an aggregate of the three, four, five companies that make up the group. If there is a two, three parts of the group that are not doing very well, it would end up affecting the final valuation of the entire group. If it is that there is one company in the group that is doing very well, that may not be so pronounced in the entire valuation of the group. With a total installed capacity of 2000 megawatts, Transcorp Power runs the 972-MW Ughelli plant, 966-MW Transafam Power Limited, according to information on its website. The potential value of Transcorps power generation business has drawn increased interest from two of Nigerias most prominent billionaire tycoons last year, prompting a botched bid by Femi Otedola, the majority owner of rival Geregu Power and chair of FBN Holdings, to become the companys top shareholder. One big boost to its prospects in recent years was the proposal in 2021 to develop nuclear power plants as alternative power generation for Nigeria, the first of its kind in the electricity-starved nation. We are delighted to see this innovation and appreciate Transcorp for leading the charge in the industry with this initiative, former Minister of Science & Technology Ogbonnaya Onu said at the time. The approach by Transcorp to use small scale nuclear plants is catalytic for achieving the national goals on science and technology, he added. Rival Geregu Power, which listed its shares less than two years ago, has returned 145 per cent this year alone, making it the second top-performing stock of the 153 equities quoted on the NGX, a likely motivation for Transcorp to spin off its power-generation division and list it as a separate entity in order to unlock value. Last year, Mr Otedola had purchased Transcorp shares in piecemeal off-market transactions summing up to 2.6 billion units or 6.3 per cent, pushing into the shade the 2.07 per cent interest held by Tony Elumelu, Transcorps top shareholder until that time. That triggered a wild rush for the companys shares within days during which Mr Elumelu raised his stake to more than a quarter of the entire conglomerates total shares. Mr Otedola offloaded his stake to the Transcorp chair in the days that followed after negotiations between the two. Just as Mr Otedola is the biggest shareholder of Geregu Power and chairman of one of Nigerias biggest five banks, Mr Elumelu is the biggest shareholder of power-focused Transcorp and chairman of United Bank for Africa, also one of Nigerias biggest Banks. The scramble was a big boost last year for Transcorp, whose valuation accelerated seven times over, making it Nigerias fourth best-performing stock. Transcorp Hotels, the groups separately-listed hospitality business, was the best-performing stock for the year, appreciating by 1,023 per cent. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Veteran actor, John Okafor, known as Mr Ibu, is dead. Mr Ibu died on Saturday at an undisclosed hospital in Lagos State. He was 62. News of the death filtered in on Saturday evening, but the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, would later confirm it on his official social media handles. Sad Day for Actors Guild of Nigeria. Kate Henshaw lost her mother earlier today, and Mr Ibu suffered cardiac arrest, according to his manager for 24 years, Mr Don Single Nwuzor. I announce with a deep sense of grief that Mr Ibu didnt make it. May his soul rest in peace, Mr Rollas wrote. Background The late actor battled with clotting of blood in his leg, stemming from diseased blood vessels and other strange illnesses for months, which led to the amputation of the affected leg. On 18 October 2023, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Ibu cried out on his Instagram page to solicit prayers and financial assistance from his fans. Several people donated for the ailing actor, including the Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Foundation which paid all of Mr Ibus medical expenses. But on 6 November 2023, Mr Ibus family announced that one of the actors legs was amputated after undergoing seven surgeries. Also, on 17 December 2023, the family said the actor was unable to fly overseas for the additional therapy because doctors deemed him Not Fit to Fly. This, the family said, nullified his treatment overseas because it was challenging due to the airlines refusal to fly him. The late Mr Ibu returned home a month after his family announced his recovery at one of Nigerias largest and finest hospitals On 22 January 2024, his colleague actor, Ken Erics, visited him. He shared an exciting video of both of them on his Instagram page. In the video, Mr Ibu sat in the living room wearing a burnt orange Jalabiya (a flowing robe-like Islamic attire) and chatting with his junior colleague. He captioned the video: Happy Sunday Lovelies Something to brighten your day. The Enugu-born actor featured in more than 200 Nollywood movies. They include Mr Ibu (2004), Mr Ibu and His Son, Coffin Producers, Husband Suppliers, International Players, Mr Ibu in London (2004), Police Recruit (2003), 9 Wives (2005), Ibu in Prison (2006) and Keziah (2007). Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Emergency Response Team of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) of Odesa region is participating in a rescue operation at the site of a multi-storey residential building damaged as a result of a Russian drone strike in the regional center on the night from Friday to Saturday. "The Emergency Response Team of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) of Odesa region is working on the spot together with other rescue services. The team of volunteers is participating in the rescue operation. A tent has been installed where they provide first aid and first psychological assistance to the victims," the service said on Facebook on Saturday. As noted by URCS, people can also charge gadgets and drink tea in the tent. The search and rescue operation continues. As reported, four people, including a child, were killed as a result of a Russian drone hitting a multi-storey residential building. Eight people were injured, including a child. Five people were saved. An explosion at the home of Abubakar Musa, a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has killed three persons. The victims, a welder and his two apprentices were working on a leaking diesel container at the residence in Kubwa, a satellite town in Abuja, when the tragic incident occurred on Thursday. The welder, who was identified as Salihu Abubakar and the apprentices whose names could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report, died instantly from the explosion. Their remains were evacuated to the mortuary by officers from Galadima Police Station near Gwarimpa Estate, where the matter was reported. A witness, who did not want his name mentioned, said the welders started the work the previous day but could not complete it due to a lack of power supply. The welder and his boys came here yesterday to work because they have a place around the estate. But they couldnt finish because there was no light. This morning, they came to do it but the security man said he warned them against working on a container of diesel that has diesel in it, but they did not listen to him. He said he left them even though he is in charge of the houses security because he could not risk his life, they narrated. Judge speaks The judge, Mr Musa, told PREMIUM TIMES that he was not at the scene when the incident occurred. He expressed deep regret over the incident. I gave this job to a professional who has been working on my gate. This was not the first time. I told him that the leaking container contained some diesel, but he said he could do it. On my way to work this morning, I had a second thought about the job to stop them, but due to so many activities in my head, I forgot about it. But my security guard said that he told them that there was diesel inside the container and it wouldnt be possible for them to weld the metal container without evacuating the diesel. But they refused to heed him, which made him leave them. He (the security guard) said that he refused to stay close to them. Mr Musa said the two apprentices started the work before they were joined by their master shortly before the explosion. He was not there at the beginning, but he rushed to the house to stop his two boys when the explosion occurred that killed the three of them, he said. However, tensions arose when one of the victims brothers accused the judge of negligence. He said the deceased left behind eight young children. Reactions PREMIUM TIMES reached out to the acting chairperson of Efab Metropolis Estate Residents Association, Ibrahim Garba, for comments, but he declined to speak. The facility manager of the estate, Obiora Ulasi, also declined to comment. Police speak The estate police said the matter had been transferred to the Galadima police station but officers at the station refused to speak with this newspaper. However, the FCT Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, confirmed that three persons died in the incident. There was a fire incident and we went there to check and provide security. They employed the services of a welder to fix a gas tank. The judge told us that the tank was leaking and he called them to weld it, she said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, says he is alive because God is wonderful, recalling how he once escaped death by the whiskers. He spoke at the Redemption Camp, off Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun, on Saturday as he clocked 82, with congregants celebrating him. Mr Adeboye narrated the incident, which many years ago, according to him, could have claimed his life, if not for a miraculous intervention of God. He referred to an earlier narrative by his former driver of several accidents in which the cleric and his wife escaped death in various incidents on the way to Ilorin, Kwara. Mr Adeboye said that the most frightening was one in which their vehicle came face to face with a trailer that was coming at full speed on a narrow path, by a bridge which had a river by its side. Somehow we passed, he said, noting that it was a miracle that they escaped unhurt in the incident, which left both him and his driver shaking. Mr Adeboye said the escape amazed his driver, that all the way to Ilorin, all he was repeating was wonderful. That Im alive today is because His name is called wonderful, he said, and prayed that God would be wonderful in the lives of the people. Mr Adeboye appreciated the church members for celebrating him, praying that none of them would die young, and that they would be greater than him. He said that his 82nd birthday anniversary also marked the 38th anniversary of the monthly Special Holy Ghost Service organised by the church. Mr Adeboye thanked God for the lives that had been touched through the programme. The cleric, at the event, went on to preach on the theme of the Holy Ghost Service On Eagles Wings. Preaching from Exodus Chapter 19, he said, When God hears and takes notice of a person, the life of such a person changes for better. God can grab you from the lowest point on earth and put you on the throne. According to him, when ones case is beyond any human assistance, the God who knows will send help. The cleric said that all God required was faith and holiness, and He was able to give sweatless victory. He prayed that God would hear the cries of the people, carry them on eagles wings and deliver them totally like He did for the children of Israel. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu has celebrated the grace of stewardship and leadership upon the life of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, as he marks his birthday on 2 March. The president congratulated Mr Adeboye, a pastor, on hitting another milestone and joined the Body of Christ in thanksgiving for the general overseers remarkable life of impact that transcends cultures and borders. President Tinubu thanked the Lords own servant for his regular prayers for the country and his wise counsel, noting his patriotic zeal and manifest determination to see Nigeria succeed. The president prayed for the continual well-being of the general overseer and his wife, in addition to many more years in the service of God Almighty. Gbajabiamila at 94 President Tinubu haa also congratulated a distinguished Nigerian, Lateefat Gbajabiamila, as she turns 94 on 2 March. The president celebrated Mrs Gbajabiamila, an accomplished politician and doting philanthropist, whose life has been one of sacrifice, devotion to God Almighty, charity, and service to Nigerians; all strata of people, and humanity. READ ALSO: He saluted Mama, who is the first elected female local government chairperson in Lagos State, extolling her as a leading light in the concourse of great women who have defined Nigerias history. President Tinubu thanked Mrs Gbajabiamila for her support and unceasing prayers, assuring the nonagenarian that all her supplications for Nigeria will come to realisation. The president prayed for Mama and her family that Almighty Allah, whom she has always faithfully served, will grant her many more years in good health. Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) March 1, 2024 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A lecturer in Abia State University, Uturu, who proposed to a female student in a classroom has now announced a date for their wedding. The proposal PREMIUM TIMES reported how the lecturer stunned many students on 14 February when he proposed to his fiancee in her classroom. The lecturer, Wisdom Anucha, could be seen kneeling with a ring in his hand while proposing to his heartthrob in photographs circulating on Facebook. Some students watched in apparent excitement while others were busy filming and taking photos as the lecturer proposed to the lady, who is said to be a student of Optometry in the institution. Mr Anucha, this newspaper learnt, lectures in the department of sociology in the institution. Many Nigerians criticised the lecturer for proposing to the student in the classroom. But the management of the university and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the institution, in their separate reactions, argued that the lecturer did not violate any university law and ethical principle by his action. Wedding date Mr Anucha, in a post via his Facebook page on Friday, announced that their church wedding will be held on 6 April. With the consent of our parents, we, Grace and Wisdom with every sense of humility, respect and responsibility most humbly wish to invite you as a special guest as we walk down the aisle, the lecturer wrote. The lecturer uploaded a pre-wedding photograph of him and his fiancee to the social media platform. We covet your prayers as we embark on this journey for life, he stated, adding that the event will take place at Saint Pauls Anglican Church in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Association Of Persons With Physical Disabilities (NAPWPD), FCT Chapter, has called for full domestication of disability laws and accessibility standard code. The Chairman of the NAPWPD, Chris Agbo, made the call at a media conference to commemorate the day in Abuja. Mr Agbo explained that the International Wheelchair Day was a reminder of the importance of wheelchairs to the millions of individuals around the world. He added that wheelchairs constituted a massive difference in a persons ability to function in the world. Unfortunately, not everyone who needs a wheelchair is able to get one. In fact, there are tens of thousands of people around us who need wheelchairs. The primary focus of the day is on promoting accessibility and inclusivity, highlighting the importance of making the world a more accessible place for all. The day serves as a platform to celebrate the remarkable contributions of wheelchairs in empowering individuals and improving their quality of life. It also acknowledges the pressing global need for wheelchairs, with millions of people worldwide requiring them but facing barriers to acquisition. We want the full domestication of disability laws where it does not exist; this will go a long way to safeguard the rights of wheelchair users. Also, we want the development of minimum accessibility standard code for the implementation of the law regarding access to the environment, Agbo said. He further said that it would be beneficial if there was the modification and retrofitting of all public spaces and facilities to comply with relevant accessibility standard code and universal design. READ ALSO: Groups canvass inclusion of more PWDs in political leadership He added that government should make budgetary provisions for carrying out necessary modifications and retrofitting of existing buildings. Mr Agbo said the government should ensure adherence to building code/minimum accessibility standard. According to him, it is good that building control departments of states do not approve new buildings that do not comply with the standard. Government and indeed the society should make necessary adjustments of the environmental conditions to allow for inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in the community. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, has faulted the call for Nigeria to return to the parliamentary system of government it discarded in 1966. Nigeria changed over the American-style presidential system when it returned to civil rule in 1979, 13 years after the military had sacked the First Republic through a bloody coup. But a group of members of the House of Representatives have proposed a constitution alteration bill seeking to return Nigeria to the Westminster parliamentary system where the government is headed by a prime minister who in turn appoints his ministers from among his colleagues in parliament. According to Mr Yuguda, Nigeria does not need to change its system of government but to ensure that public officials do not acquire properties illegally and betray the trust of the people. The former governor spoke in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES correspondent on Friday, in Abuja. He said that the current hardships in the country are a result of economic recession, due to the illegal printing of about N27 trillion injected into the economy by the last administration. Returning to parliamentary system a waste of time Whether parliamentary or democratic, lets return to God, lets be truthful, lets be just, thats what we call leadership. Even if parliament is returned, where the law will be made as we see now in Nigeria, the law of the country will not be followed, the law of the party is not followed, the constitution of Nigeria is not followed, the law of work is not followed, everyone does what he sees fit and does not think about swearing by the Quran. In my opinion, as long as this is kept, and we fear God, we remember that we will die and God will ask us in the grave, including all unlawful properties you acquired, you are transparent in the trust bestowed on you, then thats my democracy, thats my parliamentary system. Aside from this, everything else is vanity. The Oronsaye Report Although he believes that some aspects of the Stephen Oronsaye report on streamlining the federal bureaucracy are out of date, Mr Yuguda praised President Bola Tinubu for starting the spending cuts initiative. He urged the committee appointed by the president to implement the report to exercise caution in applying the recommendations. While urging the committee to use its discretion in the implementation of the report he added that it is a bold step since taxpayers money was used to produce it. ALSO READ: Northern Elders Forum chairman backs return to parliamentary system The report has taken a long time after its conclusion, but we cannot say that the report is defective completely, there are other good things. So, even if it is one thing that is implemented is good but to dump it completely is what we are against because taxpayers money was used to produce it. Let the committee look at those aspects that will bring about development and implementation and dump the aspect that is outdated, he said. Nigerias current economic situation He said some government officials steal public funds, buy dollars and keep or give Bureau De Change operators to carry it abroad for them. This hardship currently witnessed is a result of economic recession. We learned that about N33 trillion was printed illegally and injected into the economy. If you were one, wouldnt you buy a dollar and keep it, knowing that tomorrow the value of the naira will depreciate? We have seen all the stealings in the country, imagine an accountant general stealing billions, are we for real? Lets be sober, the pride and theft are enough, and our leaders should reject bad things. The government should stand up. Anyone who steals government money should be probed. I built this office in 1988 when I was a bank manager. I only renovated it. I have all my property documents. If I tell you that I built this house in Wuse, you will not believe it, but some people will say Isa Yuguda has stolen government money, he said. Mr Yuguda served two terms as governor of the North-east state from 2007 to 2015 on the ticket of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A multidisciplinary committee in charge of cancer care management at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja, Nigerias Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has said it already identified critical areas in the management of cancer cases that are either under-explored or underdeveloped in the country. The leader of the team who is a radiation oncologist and nuclear physician, Tessy Ahmadu, spoke on the sidelines of a symposium organised by the team in Abuja recently. According to Ms Ahmadu, the team is exploring these towards addressing the identified gaps for improved cancer care management in Nigeria. The symposium was themed: Closing the Care Gap, and the organisers said the initiative was aimed at bridging the gaps in the management of cancer patients in the country. We are trying to look at where we need to do more as a team that manages cancer. We have realised that some aspects of cancer management are either under-explored or under-developed, said Ms Ahmadu who has led the committee since it was established three years ago. Identified areas She added that the gaps influenced the discourse around sub-themes of the event. We have haematological malignancy and epidemiology in Nigeria. We are also looking at paediatric malignancy [childhood cancer care] and the common presentation in Nigeria, she added. The committee, according to her, is also considering palliative medicines to address cancer cases in the country effectively. She said palliative medicines are an important aspect of cancer management in Nigeria because patients usually come in for help during the end stages. Most of the time, 70 per cent of patients come in stage three or four. So we need to do more here, she said. Ms Ahmadu also advocated for local cancer research, saying most available research is done outside Africa. She said this is a major reason why there is a need to bridge funding gaps for cancer research. We all agree that most of the standard treatment regimens that we use are trials that were done on Whites or Blacks in developed countries, so we need to do research and get data that are specific to our people to be able to explain why our patients may develop cancers at earlier ages compared to developed countries, Ms Ahmadu explained. ALSO READ: Follistatin 344 peptide in cancer research She added that the team also carried out advocacy to address policies that drive the management of cancer patients. Committees responsibilities The multidisciplinary committee of diverse specialisation was launched in 2021 to effectively manage Nigerias estimated 116,000 cancer patients and about 70,000 annual mortality. We are committed to delivering effective and efficient cancer care through collaborative decision-making on the management of cancer patients and collective evidence-based recommendations for holistic cancer patient management, she told PREMIUM TIMES, emphasising the need for diverse specialists to manage cancer patients. Cancer care in Nigeria Nigeria loses 72,000 patients to cancer annually, according to Project Pink Blue, a cancer organisation engaged in cancer awareness. Most cancer patients in Nigeria are women. Breast cancer is now the leading cancer death in Nigeria, while liver cancer is the second and prostate cancer is the third. With about 102,000 new cases yearly, experts fear that figure is set to increase. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Some staff of the National Assembly, under the aegis of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), have sued the leadership and management of the Assembly over the move to extend the retirement age of legislative staff. In a notice at the National Industrial Court, Abuja, dated 1 March 2024, ALDRAP is challenging the legality of the legislation titled Harmonised Retirement Age for Staff of National Assembly Service Bill, 2024. The suit listed the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen; Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Tambawal; the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria; National Assembly Service Commission; Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN); the Revenue and Fiscal Allocation Commission; Salaries and Wages Commission; and National Pension Commission (PENCOM) as defendants. The group is also challenging the National Assembly Pension Act 2023, stating that the Act is equally illegal. Background The retirement age increment bill has been in and out of the National Assembly since the 7th Assembly but has always faced opposition from lawmakers and groups. On Tuesday, the House passed the bill. However, it faced a hostile reception in the Senate. Majority of the senators opposed the bill during the debate on its general principle of the bill. The opposition was so fierce that it was stepped down at a point. It was later reintroduced on Thursday and somehow scaled all legislative hurdles at the Senate and was passed for the third reading. The bill seeks to extend the retirement age for civil servants in the nations parliament and across the thirty-six (36) State Houses of Assembly. It seeks to increase the number of years in service from 35 years to 40 years and retirement age from 60 years to 65 years, whichever comes first. But with the court case, the workers of the National Assmbly appear to be divided on the move to extend the retirement age and tenure of service. The lawsuit ALDRAP is praying the court to answer five questions on the procedure adopted by the two chambers of the National Assembly in the passage of the bill. One, the group claimed that National Assembly staffers, notably the clerks, are products of the constitution, hence their retirement age cannot be increased without first amending the 1999 constitution. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered) recognises and categorises such staff as a special category (just as judges and judicial officers) of public servants and officers whose jobs (such as the Clerks to both the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly) responsibilities are listed and defined in the Nigerian Constitution (and not civil servants) and therefore any such changes to their retirement ought to come by way of alteration of the Constitution in accordance with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution which prescribes the procedure for alteration of the said constitution, the group stated. It also insinuated that the legislation was made with selfish intent and does not reflect the wish of the majority. Whether the defendants are not constitutionally required to enact laws that are a reflection of the majority views of public interest instead of the views of a minority or their own self-interest considering that the majority of members of the public especially staff of the National Assembly whom are directly to be affected by this proposed legislation have written and made statements in opposition to the said Bill? Reliefs sought from court The group seeks an order of the court to restrain President Bola Tinubu from assenting to the said bill, arguing that it would be counterproductive at a time the government plans to implement the 2011 Stephen Orasonye Committee Report. It urged the court to declare that the National Assembly cannot enact a law to increase the age of retirement to sixty-five (65) years for all staff of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly without first altering the Nigerian Constitution from which their offices are created. Furthermore, the petitioner is asking the court to declare that the National Assembly Pensions Board Act, 2023 is illegal and repealed to the extent that it is in conflict with the Pensions Reforms Act, 2014, that the current Bill seeks to extend the age of retirement of staff to sixty-five years is unconstitutional and therefore should be discontinued. The group is also seeking an order of interim injunction restraining Messrs Akpabio and Tajudeen and other defendants, particularly their agents, assigns, privies, servants, however so called, from taking steps to proceed or to increase the age of retirement to sixty-five years for all staff of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly without first regard to due process of law. Were yet to be served Reps Spokesperson for the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, said the House has not been served with any court paper. With respect to the reported filing of Originating Summons with the National Industrial Court by some interested parties, for the recognition of a number of questions relating to the subject of legislative action to increase the retirement age of parliamentary workers, the House is yet to be formally served. Moreover, considering the matter is now reported to be before the courts, it would be prejudicial for us to comment at this time. The House of Representatives will respond appropriately when in receipt of the summons and will ensure that all legal processes are followed in addressing the issues raised. We assure the public that the House of Representatives is committed to upholding the constitution, the rule of law, and respecting the judicial process in this and all matters, and importantly, acting in the overall best interest of Nigerians, Mr Rotimi said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday. The spokesperson for the Senate, Yemi Adaramodu, however, did not respond to a text message sent to his mobile phone. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Contrary to the prevalent notion in Nigeria that a flourishing life necessitates hobnobbing with politicians, the truth lies in the rigorous journey of self-development. The notion that one must rely on politicians or government officials to lead a respectable life is unfounded. By enduring the challenges and undertaking the demanding path of personal development, individuals can carve out a decent and fulfilling life independently. In this paradigm, the focus shifts from seeking external validation to empowering oneself through continuous growth and self-improvement. Many young Nigerians grapple with the notion that they must navigate with caution to avoid offending influential figures, fearing the potential loss of future opportunities. But the belief that prosperity hinges solely on cultivating personal relationships with politicians in Nigeria is a fallacy. The truth is, genuine success is achievable without relying on the favour of any specific individual, no matter how highly placed. This conviction is not just a theory; it is a reality, and I am eager to illustrate this through tangible examples. Excellence in ones chosen field of knowledge is a key determinant of professional success. In todays competitive and dynamic job market, the need to stand out has never been more crucial. By focusing on excelling in a specific area, individuals can position themselves as experts, making them attractive to employers seeking top talent. This emphasis on meritocracy underscores the importance of competence over popularity, as genuine skills and accomplishments speak louder than mere likability. First, excelling in a chosen field requires continuous learning and dedication. A commitment to mastery fosters a deep understanding of the subject matter, allowing individuals to contribute meaningfully to their field. This expertise becomes a magnet for job opportunities, as employers value individuals who bring tangible skills and knowledge to the table. Unlike relying on personal popularity, which can be transient, a foundation of excellence ensures a sustainable and enduring professional reputation. Second, merit-based recognition cultivates a sense of credibility and trust. Employers and colleagues alike appreciate competence, and it serves as a solid foundation for professional relationships. By consistently delivering high-quality work and achieving notable results, individuals establish themselves as reliable and valuable assets to any team or organisation. This reliability becomes a powerful catalyst for career advancement, as merit-based recognition tends to open doors to new opportunities and responsibilities. Allow me to provide an illustrative example: Dr Mustapha Abubakar, a molecular pathological epidemiologist based in the United States, stands as a burgeoning luminary in the realm of integrative computational pathology and epidemiology. His primary research thrust involves the convergence of cancer epidemiology and biology to unravel the intricacies of etiology, progression, and clinical outcomes, ultimately contributing to targeted prevention and precision medicine. Dr Abubakar currently serves as a Researcher in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) an institution renowned worldwide for its dedication to advancing cancer research. Having commenced his academic journey at Bayero University, where he earned his medical degree, Dr Abubakar further honed his expertise in the United Kingdom, securing postgraduate qualifications from esteemed institutions such as Imperial College and the University of London. Notably, he underwent training at Europes preeminent cancer research institute before transitioning to his current role in the worlds leading cancer research institution, the NCI. The significance of Dr Abubakars example lies in the unparalleled environment of the NCI. Its status as the foremost cancer research institute underscores the calibre of challenges it tackles. If the NCI, with its wealth of resources and expertise, cannot address a specific cancer-related issue, it raises the question of whether any institution worldwide could do so. Emulating the trajectory of Dr Mustapha Abubakar signifies more than just professional success it embodies a level of proficiency and accomplishment that transcend the need for widespread approval. In this paradigm, securing a job becomes a testament to ones own capabilities, rather than a reliance on external opinions. Employment opportunities in this scenario are not merely acts of benevolence, rather those who extend job offers are propelled by their own interests, recognising the intrinsic value and contributions that individuals like Dr Abubakar bring to the table. Thus, the key to professional success lies not in seeking external validation but in cultivating a skills set and expertise that are universally acknowledged and sought after. The acknowledgment that professional success, in this context, is not contingent on universal likability but on the intrinsic value one brings to the table, is a key takeaway. Those offering job opportunities in such a scenario are driven by recognising and valuing the unique skills and contributions that individuals like Dr Dambatta bring to their respective fields. Thus, the path to professional success lies in cultivating expertise and skills that are universally acknowledged and in demand. Dr Abubakars contributions have recently garnered recognition from the leadership of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), culminating in a significant publication in the esteemed Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The publication, Developing the Next-Generation Cancer Research Workforce in the National Institutes of Health Intramural Research Program, highlights Abubakars groundbreaking work and underscores the importance of cultivating talent within the NIHs research programme. According to the article High-risk, longitudinal, high-reward research is therefore encouraged and enabled in the NIH IRP. Examples of this include the work of Stadtman Tenure-track Investigator, Mustapha Abubakar at NCIs Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. Dr Abubakar uses deep phenotyping of tissues, computational pathology methodology, artificial intelligence techniques, and a half-dozen international cancer cohort databases to discern the features of tumor ecosystems and microenvironments that impact disease occurrence, natural history, and response to treatment. This is high-risk, high-reward research that will take many years to come to full fruition. Here is another example: Dr Shuaibu Dambatta stands as an eminent figure in the field of neurosurgery, specialising in spinal surgery with a particular focus on Minimally Invasive Surgery, Deformity, Chiari Malformation, Vertebroplasty, Cervical Arthroplasty, Trauma, Degenerative Spinal Conditions, and Neuromodulation, including Spinal Cord Stimulation and Intrathecal Morphine and Baclofen. Since 2002, he has been an integral part of the United Kingdoms National Health Service (NHS), showcasing his expertise and commitment to advancing neurological care. Dr Dambattas professional journey includes training at renowned neurosurgical centres across the United Kingdom, such as the Wessex Neurosurgical Centre, Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, Ninewells University Hospital in Dundee, among others. His extensive experience and specialisation underscore his dedication to staying in the forefront of neurosurgical advancements. Emulating the trajectory of Dr Shuaibu Dambatta goes beyond acquiring a job; it signifies embracing a level of proficiency and expertise that transcend the need for widespread approval. In this paradigm, professional opportunities come as a result of ones own merit, rather than a dependence on external opinions. Individuals like Dr Dambatta serve as exemplars, where their contributions and impact speak for themselves, making them sought-after professionals in their field. The acknowledgment that professional success, in this context, is not contingent on universal likability but on the intrinsic value one brings to the table, is a key takeaway. Those offering job opportunities in such a scenario are driven by recognising and valuing the unique skills and contributions that individuals like Dr Dambatta bring to their respective fields. Thus, the path to professional success lies in cultivating expertise and skills that are universally acknowledged and in demand. My fervent call to Nigerian youths is to emulate figures such as Mustapha Abubakar and Shuaibu Dambatta. By excelling in their chosen fields, they can embody a lifestyle that dismantles the prevailing notion that success hinges on garnering personal favour. It is time to debunk the concept that one must be liked by others to thrive in life; instead, let proficiency and excellence be the driving forces behind a path to success. Numerous individuals in my acquaintance exemplify high achievers, measured by various benchmarks gauging their capacity and capability. These professionals have reached a status where employers vie for their skills and contributions. The dynamics have shifted, and these individuals hold positions of power, making it imperative for employers to tread carefully. Any semblance of annoyance on their part prompts swift contemplation of alternative job prospects, often initiated within the hour. Contrary to the prevalent notion in Nigeria that a flourishing life necessitates hobnobbing with politicians, the truth lies in the rigorous journey of self-development. The notion that one must rely on politicians or government officials to lead a respectable life is unfounded. By enduring the challenges and undertaking the demanding path of personal development, individuals can carve out a decent and fulfilling life independently. In this paradigm, the focus shifts from seeking external validation to empowering oneself through continuous growth and self-improvement. Moreover, excelling in a field demonstrates a passion for ones work. Genuine enthusiasm and dedication are contagious, and they often lead to increased job satisfaction and fulfilment. As individuals become known for their commitment to excellence, their reputation precedes them, making it more likely for opportunities to come knocking. This intrinsic motivation not only drives personal growth but also serves as a driving force for professional success, as employers recognise the value of individuals who are genuinely invested in their work. In contrast, relying solely on likability may result in superficial connections that lack substance. While interpersonal skills are essential, they should complement, not substitute, genuine expertise. Jobs and opportunities that come from a foundation of merit tend to be more enduring, as they are based on the proven ability to contribute meaningfully to a field. In the final analysis, excelling in ones chosen field is imperative for professional success, as it establishes a solid foundation of expertise and competence. In the realm of meritocracy, individuals who prioritise excellence will naturally attract job opportunities. While personal likability has its place, it should not be the primary focus; instead, building a reputation based on merit ensures long-term success and recognition in the ever-evolving professional landscape. My fervent call to Nigerian youths is to emulate figures such as Mustapha Abubakar and Shuaibu Dambatta. By excelling in their chosen fields, they can embody a lifestyle that dismantles the prevailing notion that success hinges on garnering personal favour. It is time to debunk the concept that one must be liked by others to thrive in life; instead, let proficiency and excellence be the driving forces behind a path to success. Mohammed Dahiru Aminu writes from Abuja, Nigeria. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Residents of communities in Kurfi Local Government Area of Katsina State have protested incessant terrorist activities in the area. Most of those who joined the protest on Friday were from Birchi, Wurma and other nearby communities, PREMIUM TIMES gathered. The protesters blocked the Dutsin Ma Katsina highway from around 10 a.m. The protesters burnt corn stalks and tyres on the highway. They were visibly angry but I like the way they conducted themselves because there was no case of attacking motorists, a motorist, Bello Aliyu, who was en route to Kankara for a wedding, told PREMIUM TIMES. He said he, alongside other motorists, spent about 30 minutes waiting for the protesters to calm down before we continued our journeys. The protesters were protesting incessant terrorist attacks in the area. Kurfi is one of the most vulnerable local government areas in Katsina State. Wurma, a community less than 40 kilometres from the state capital, has witnessed three consecutive attacks on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday night. During that Tuesday attack, a newly built primary healthcare centre, houses, vehicles and police outpost were burnt down by the terrorists. Governor vows to continue fight Dikko Radda, the state governor has vowed to continue the fight against terrorists in the state. Mr Radda was at the Wurma community on Friday and addressed both the protesters and community leaders. In a statement by his chief press secretary, Ibrahim Kaula, Mr Radda said the protesters had every reason to be angry. Mr Radda called on the protesters to channel their energies into supporting the Joint Task Force, members of the Community Watch Corp and other security agencies. He said his administration would mobilise 100 security personnel to the community to ensure the safety of lives and property. Your protest is genuine and I feel for you, but please remain calm as the government is doing all it can to stop this, Mr Radda said. The governor further said the government will mobilise 100 security personnel to Wurma and feed them daily. I call for peace and unity within the community. We must stand together against these barbaric acts and work collaboratively to overcome this challenge. I want to assure you that my administration is working tirelessly with security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice. We will not rest until peace and security are restored to Katsina State, the statement added. While sympathising with the people, he called on the Wurma community to nominate 10 people to meet him in Katsina so that he will know how to cushion their challenge particularly as Ramadan approaches. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print In building damaged by drone in Odesa, 18 apartments destroyed, seven more damaged As a result of a Russian drone hitting a residential building in Odesa, 18 apartments were destroyed and, according to preliminary data, another seven were damaged, the city mayor's office said. "As of 14:30, 18 apartments were destroyed and, according to preliminary data, another seven were damaged. An operational headquarters is working at the scene of the tragedy," the mayor's office said on the Telegram channel on Saturday. The authorities have reportedly been restored to the damaged house. There is no heat supply in 11 houses, a school and a kindergarten. Work is underway to restore the boiler room. There is no gas supply in two houses; relevant services are working on site. As reported, as a result of the destruction of a multi-storey building in Odesa, damaged by a Russian drone, five people were killed, including a child. Eight people were injured, including a child. Five people were saved. According to the Defense Forces of southern Ukraine, Russian forces attacked Odesa last night with eight drones from the Black Sea, seven of them were destroyed. ( Read 3221 Times) Udaipur: Dr. Y.S. Sarangdevot, Administrator of B.N. Pharmacy, announced the successful organization of an educational seminar by Marg ERP Limited. The seminar, conducted by Kaval Jeet Singh Taneja, Director of Marg ERP Limited, focused on the features of Marg ERP software and how information technology can be optimally utilized in the pharmaceutical sector. College students gained valuable insights into business and emerged enthusiastic about exploring new dimensions in the pharmaceutical field. In this program, students learned about the latest developments in business, enhancing their knowledge and motivation. The seminar aimed to teach students new entrepreneurial techniques and encourage them to explore innovative aspects within the pharmaceutical domain. Marg is a leading ISO-certified company in India, specializing in digital collection, inventory, and accounting software. With over a million active users, it holds a 60% market share in the pharmaceutical and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry. Collaborating with channel partners globally, Marg serves customers through a network of more than 1,200 partners in 28 countries and spans across 27 trade segments. Marg has consistently believed in contributing to the evolving business environment by combining value and resilience. It serves as a crucial player in catering to both SMEs and MSMEs. Notable attendees at the event included Dr. M.S. Ranawat, Dr. Siddharaj Singh, Dr. Kamal Singh Rathore, Dr. Jay Singh, Alok Bhargav, Dr. Hitesh Kothari, Dr. Bhaktaraj Singh, Dr. Meena Chauhan, Varsha Soni, and Dr. Harshita, among others. Source : This evening marked the beginning of the "Trinidad Year" celebration During the event, the brand's great novelty was unveiled: Trinidad Robustos Extra 17,800,000 new record collection at the traditional Habano Festival Humidor Auction HAVANA, March 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 24th Habano Festival concluded with a spectacular Gala Evening, held at Havana's Pabexpo convention center, gathering approximately 1,200 guests on this important occasion which paid tribute to the 55th anniversary of the Trinidad brand. This event, which marks the beginning of the "Trinidad Year", became a very special meeting point for lovers and aficionados of one of the most prestigious brands in the world of premium tobacco. HABANOS, S.A. CLOSES THE XXIV HABANO FESTIVAL WITH A TRIBUTE TO TRINIDAD ON ITS 55th ANNIVERSARY The evening was dedicated to celebrating the legacy and excellence of Trinidad, one of the most elegant and exclusive brands in the Habanos, S.A. portfolio and, during the evening, the brand continued to extend its legacy with the presentation of the most important new addition to the brand's standard portfolio in this "Trinidad Year": Trinidad Robustos Extra (50 ring gauge x 155 mm length). It is a vitola that enhances the brands thick ring gauge portfolio and will be available in a new, elegant case in two presentations: a special pack of 12 Habanos and a gift box of 3 units, in which each Habano will be dressed with a permanent foot ring, and an additional 55th anniversary band for the commemorative production. The arrival of this new vitola was not the only novelty to be announced, as part of the actions prepared in commemoration of the "Trinity Year". The prestigious fashion designer Charaf Tajer has collaborated in the design of the limited series of Trinidad 55th anniversary Fundadores Vintage 10 humidors. 1,000 humidors manufactured by S.T. Dupont, of which the first 55 in the series bear the exclusive design of the renowned French designer. This collaboration highlights the fusion between the art of design and the Habano tradition, offering collectors and Habano enthusiasts a unique piece of great artistic and cultural value. On such a special occasion, celebrities, and personalities such as members of the diplomatic corps, as well as the performances of renowned artists such as Manolito Simonet and Ivan Valiente, the Vocal Luna group and virtuosos Jose Maria Vitier, Niurka Gonzalez, Barbara Llanes, Laritza Bacallao or Alisabeth La Santiaguera and Max. All of them made the audience vibrate with traditional Cuban rhythms and the most contemporary melodies, until the moment of the final performance offered by the world-famous Village People. The most exciting moment of the evening was the presentation of the Habano 2023 Awards, which recognize people who have made a significant contribution to the Habano culture over the past year. In addition, the name of the winning couple of the Habanos World Challenge contest, Mr. Philip Ramos and Mr. Aaron Ignacio were announced. Habano Award in Communication: Annie Lorenzo Habano Award in Production: Ana Isel Mederos Habano Award in Business: Mohammed Mohebi The finishing touch to this 24th edition of the Habano Festival was the traditional Humidor Auction. On this occasion, as an initial surprise, the first of the 128 Cohiba Tributo Year of the Dragon humidors was auctioned, followed by 7 exclusive pieces representing the global Habanos brands, as well as a special humidor from Trinidad for its 55th anniversary. The funds raised will go to the Cuban Public Health System. On this occasion, the pieces auctioned raised a total of 17,800,000 The Cohiba humidor obtained the highest amount: 4,500,000. To download high resolution images of the event, click here. Corporacion Habanos, S.A. Habanos, S.A. is a world leader in the commercialization of premium cigars both in Cuba and in the rest of the world. For this purpose, it has an exclusive distribution network present in the five continents and in more than 130 territories. For more information, please visit www.habanos.com Habanos, S.A. commercializes 27 premium brands "Totally handmade", and sheltered by the Habanos Protected Appellations of Origin (P.A.O.) of which Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, H. Upmann, and Trinidad, stand out, among others. Habanos remain "Totally handmade" for more than 500 years and since then they have become a benchmark worldwide. *(P.A.O.) Protected Appellations of Origin For more information on Habanos, S.A.: https://www.instagram.com/habanos_oficial/ https://twitter.com/Habanos_Oficial https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCstGLy96wdZG7eCM4855_DA https://www.linkedin.com/company/habanos-sa/ https://open.spotify.com/user/habanosmusic https://www.facebook.com/habanos.sa.oficial/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2353033/Habanos.jpg NEW YORK, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The biopharmaceutical analytical testing services market is expected to grow by USD 3.45 billion from 2022 to 2027. In addition, the momentum of the market will progress at a CAGR of 12.61% during the forecast period, according to Technavio Research. The market has been segmented by service (bioanalytical, method development and validation, stability testing, and others), end-user (pharma, biotech companies, and CROs), and geography (North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa). North America is estimated to contribute 33% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period. The main players in the region, including Charles River and Catalent, are responsible for the growth of this market. These companies have a broad range of analytical testing services to cover the areas of drug discovery, development, and manufacturing. Hence, these factors are expected to drive market growth in the region during the forecast period. Read the Free PDF Sample Report Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Biopharmaceutical Analytical Testing Services Market 2023-2027 Report Coverage Details Page number 171 Base year 2022 Historic period 2017 - 2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 12.61% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 3.45 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023(%) 11.67 Regional analysis North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 33% Key countries US, China, Japan, UK, and Germany Company Profile: Almac Group Ltd., Boston Analytical, Catalent Inc., Charles River Laboratories International Inc., Coriolis Pharma Research GmbH, Curia Inc., Element Materials Technology Group Ltd., Eurofins Scientific SE, ICON plc, Intertek Group Plc, Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings, Merck KGaA, Pace Analytical Services LLC, Parexel International Corp., SGS SA, Solvias AG, STERIS Plc, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Vimta Labs Ltd., and West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. Almac Group Ltd. - The company offers biopharmaceutical analytical testing services such as stability testing, raw material testing, and QC release testing. To gain access to more company profiles available with Technavio, buy the report! Segmentation Analysis The market share growth by the bioanalytical segment will be significant during the forecast period. Factors like an increase in the use of biosimilars for a number of healthcare indications including diabetes and cancer are projected to contribute to this segment's growth. Learn about the contribution of each segment summarized in concise infographics and thorough descriptions. View a Free PDF Sample Report The increase in demand for mAbs mAbs are proteins that have been prepared in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology laboratory for attachment to the respective antigen epitopes within the body. The market for mAbs is increasing due to their use in immunotherapies that induce an immunological response towards the treatment of illness. The rise in investment in R&D is a primary trend shaping the biopharmaceutical analytical testing services market. Identify key trends, drivers, and challenges in the market. Download a sample to gain access to this information. Analyst Review The Biopharmaceutical Analytical Testing Services Market is a dynamic sector within the pharmaceutical industry, playing a crucial role in ensuring the quality, efficacy, and safety of biotherapeutics and drugs. This market encompasses a wide array of services aimed at analyzing and characterizing various compounds and proteins involved in biopharmaceutical development and drug discovery. Analytical methods and technologies form the cornerstone of this market, providing molecular understandings of drug candidates, drug targets, and their therapeutic potential. Analytical tools are essential for drug release testing, quality control tests, and detecting impurities that could affect drug purity and efficacy. Moreover, applicant monitoring studies are conducted to ensure compliance with regulatory demands and mitigate the risk of product failures. Biopharmaceutical R&D heavily relies on laboratory work and life sciences services offered by Contract Research Organizations (CROs), particularly in regions like North America, which boasts a significant share of the global market revenue. The US Biopharmaceutical Analytical Testing Services Market is particularly robust, offering market opportunities for both established players and emerging companies. In recent years, the market has witnessed a surge in demand due to advancements in immunotherapy, the rise of custom-made medicine, and the development of innovative monoclonal drugs and antibodies targeting diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and various cancers. This has led to an increased need for bioprocess optimization and analytical tests to ensure the biological effects and efficacy of these therapies. As the market expands, so do regulatory demands for characterization, confirmation, and impurities information, driving the need for quality control tests and research facilities equipped with state-of-the-art technologies. Competitive landscape within the CRO segment is intensifying, with companies vying to offer comprehensive analytical testing services while maintaining high standards of accuracy and efficiency. In conclusion, the Biopharmaceutical Analytical Testing Services Market plays a critical role in supporting the pharmaceutical sector by ensuring medicine purity, safety, and efficacy through a diverse range of analytical services and quality control measures. Download a sample Related Reports: The Global Biotechnology Reagents Market size is estimated to grow by USD 36,019.44 million at a CAGR of 7.51% between 2022 and 2027. Proteomics Market size is estimated to grow by USD 21.74 billion between 2022 and 2027 accelerating at a CAGR of 13.05% during the forecast period. 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 Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning 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. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com SOURCE Technavio DUBLIN, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) - Global Strategic Business Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Global Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Market to Reach $24.4 Billion by 2030 The global market for Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) estimated at US$9.4 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$24.4 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 12.6% over the analysis period 2022-2030. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record 12.1% CAGR and reach US$7 Billion by the end of the analysis period. Growth in the External Partnerships segment is estimated at 11.5% CAGR for the next 8-year period. Diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives have become increasingly vital in the corporate world, reflecting humanity's ongoing struggle with achieving equality across various demographics. Labor globalization has triggered skilled migration to developed countries, reshaping workforce demographics. The US, known for its cultural diversity, highlights the importance of D&I in modern workplaces. Corporations are adapting to this new era, evident in the increasing percentage of leadership roles focusing on D&I. Studies show that diverse workforces attract top talent and correlate with higher profitability. However, challenges persist, including microaggressions and the need for inclusive leadership. To achieve D&I goals, companies must implement best practices, provide manager training on bias awareness, and address challenges head-on. Despite these challenges, the economic benefits of diversity and inclusion are well acknowledged, prompting companies worldwide to prioritize D&I initiatives. Recent market activity reflects the growing emphasis on D&I, with players worldwide exhibiting varying degrees of competitive market presence in 2023. MARKET OVERVIEW Diversity & Inclusion, A Prelude Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace: A Fact Check Humanity's Struggle With Diversity. Why is it so Hard to Achieve Equality? Percentage Share Breakdown of World Population by Race It Makes Sense to Look for Cultural Survival & Importance in the Continued Use of Traditional Languages & Dialects The World is Truly a Global Village: Breakdown of Ethnic Groups As a % of Total Population of Select Countries Prevailing Corporate Sentiments on Diversity & Inclusion (In %) Labor Globalization is the New Reality Globalization Triggers Migration of Skilled Labor to Developed Countries Attracting & Retaining Globally Mobile Skilled Migrants is the New Norm: Immigrant Workers as % of Total Labor Force in Developed Countries for the Years 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020, and 2023 The Current State of Diversity in the U.S., A Land of Cultural Diversity What Does this Mean for Companies? It Means the Dawn of a New Era of D&I is Upon the Corporate World D&I Percentage Score (%) of Major Companies: 2023 Reimagining Workforce Planning to Achieve Competitive Advantage in the Post-COVID-19 Era Corporate Roles & Opportunities for Diversity & Inclusion is Increasing by the Day: % Increase in Diversity & Leadership Roles & Titles on LinkedIn 2015 Vs 2023 It's Only the Marginalized Who Appreciate the Value of Business Diversity: % of White People & People of Color Who Believe Business Diversity Is Not Crucial for Professional Success How Diversity, Equity, AND Inclusion Has Been Evolving in Recent Years Here's Evidence that Workplace Diversity Attracts Top Talent: % of Job Seekers Who Consider Diverse Workforce Before Accepting Job Offers Want to Increase Profitability Then Its Time to See How Diverse Your Workforce Is: Revenue Performance of Companies With High & Low Diversity Scores Economic Benefits of Diverse Workforce & Inclusive Work Environment Are Well Acknowledged Facts Including ALL in the Fold, Here's What Companies Do Not Know A Recap of Challenges Plaguing Successful Implementation of D&I Programs Symptoms of a Workplace Lacking D&I Microaggression, the Often Overlooked Yet Critical Symptom of a Non-Inclusive Work Environment What Can Companies to Do to Achieve their D&I Goals? Implement D&I Best Practices in the Workplace Acknowledging the Fact that Inclusive Leadership Vital to Success Role of Manager Training & Bias Awareness in Achieving D&I Goals Identifying & Addressing D&I Challenges World Brands Competitive Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial for Players Worldwide in 2023 (E) Recent Market Activity MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS Current State of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Worldwide: A Review Top Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Trends for 2023 and Beyond How Diversity and Inclusion Technology Can Bring Organizational-Level Changes Diversity Hiring Picks Up as Millennial and Gen Z Job Seekers Prefer Companies with Workplace Diversity Global Workforce Composition: % Breakdown of Male Vs Female Employees as of the Year 2023 Gender Disparity of People in Leadership Role Continues to Remain: Gender of People in Managerial & CEO Roles in Fortune 500 Companies as of the Year 2023 US Workforce Composition by Generation for Years 2023 & 2026 Racial Discrimination Still Remains Rife in Workplaces Despite the Fact Diversity is Beneficial for a Company, the Reality is that Corporate Leaders Remain White & Male: Representation of Workforce in the U.S. by Role, Gender & Race as of the Year 2023 US Workforce Composition by Race and Ethnicity: 2023 What is Racial Discrimination? Racism Remains the Bitter Reality Despite Laws Slow Progress: Racism Continues to Survive & Thrive Sexism & Racism: A Tough Combination for Women of Color Ways to Effectively Deal with Racial Discrimination at Workplaces Female Empowerment Improves as Evidenced by Increasing Share in Leadership Roles Women Representation in Leadership Roles by Industry: 2022 Percentage Share of Women Hired into Leadership by Year: 2016-2022 Top Reasons Why Women Continue to be Under Represented in Companies & Politics Worldwide Creating a More LGBTQ Inclusive Workplace? Composition of LGBTQ Workforce (In %) by Age Group as of the Year 2023 % of LGBTQ Workforce Who Experience Discrimination in the Workplace Important Role of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) in Achieving Diversity in the Workplace Technology Comes to the Aid of D&I Implementation Technological Interventions Expedite D&I Initiatives Advanced Technology Covers Diverse Aspects of D&I Initiatives AI to Gain Strong Adoption to Facilitate DEI Using AI to Eliminate Biases Innovator Diversity Key for Sustainable Innovation - But Is the System There Yet? Variegated Teams for Fostering Innovation in Organizations Special Focus on DEI in the US TV & Film Industry Hollywood is Far from Adequately Representing Minority Groups is Far from Adequately Representing Minority Groups Damaging Impact of "Gone With The Wind" On Hollywood Racism Black Representation In The U.S Film Industry: A Special Focus Overcoming Challenges. Here's How It Can Be Done Gender Disparity in Hollywood What Better Indication of Rampant Sexual Objectification of Women Than This! Salaries of Hollywood Stars by Age and Gender (In US$ 000s) Diverse Films Generate More Revenues! It's a Fact What are the Solutions to Encourage & Build Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Movie Industry? FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS (Total 152 Featured) Affirmity AllenComm Artesian Collaborative, LLC Atrixware, LLC Berkshire CABEM Technologies, LLC CTM Unlimited Deloitte DiversityResources.com Inc HR Works, Inc. Korn Ferry OutSolve PeopleScout - A TrueBlue Company PRISM International, Inc. PwC Advisory LLC Spectra Diversity LLC Trupp HR, Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mla4dl About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Pharmaceutical Quality Management Systems Market by Solution Type (Deviation, CAPA, Audit, Risk & Compliance, Inspection, Document, Change, Training Management), Deployment Mode (Cloud, On-premise), and End User (Pharmaceutical, CDMO/CRO) - Global Forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global pharmaceutical quality management systems market is on a trajectory of substantial growth, reflecting the industry's commitment to operational excellence and regulatory adherence. A newly published research report provides an incisive forecast of this market's performance, projecting an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.6% from 2023 to 2030. This forward-looking analysis emphasizes critical market components, delineating opportunities and trends that are expected to shape the future of quality management in the pharmaceutical sector. The research illustrates the escalating need for solutions that streamline deviation, CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Actions), audit, and risk & compliance management, among others. These systems are vital for the industry to meet stringent compliance requirements while maintaining high-quality standards and operational efficiency. The report also examines deployment modes, with cloud-based solutions anticipated to dominate due to their scalability, data integrity, and cost-effectiveness. From a solution perspective, the CAPA management segment is spotlighted for its expected acceleration at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This rise is attributed to the sector's imperative to maintain product quality and ensure safety while adhering to regulatory mandates. The CAPA management system is indispensable in identifying, addressing, and preemptively mitigating risks, thereby consolidating the foundational stability of pharmaceutical operations. The analysis bifurcates the market into cloud/web-based and on-premise deployments, highlighting the growing prominence of cloud solutions. Cost savings, ease of access, and the consistent evolution of cloud-based platforms are salient factors propelling the increased adoption rate within this segment. On the end-user front, the market scope incorporates pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, contract development and manufacturing organizations/contract research organizations (CDMO/CRO), and research laboratories. The market's depth is anticipated to expand most significantly within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies segment. This expansion can be ascribed to soaring research & development investments, a wider application of quality management systems, and a burgeoning emphasis on innovations in personalized medicine. Geographically, the market assessment spans major regions, with particular attention to the Asia-Pacific market, which is projected to register the highest CAGR. The rising necessity for healthcare services, increasing chronic disease instances, conducive government policies, and the reputation as a cost-effective manufacturing hub contribute to the region's market attractiveness. An array of influential players marks the competitive landscape. This market space is characterized by the strategic activities of several key industry entities, seeking to innovate and deliver comprehensive quality management solutions that align with the evolving needs of the pharmaceutical sector. Scope of the Report Non-conformance/Deviation management Document Management CAPA Management Risk & Compliance Management Inspection Management Audit Management Suppliers & Materials Management Training Management Change Management Other Solution Types Companies Mentioned Honeywell International Inc. (U.S.) IQVIA Holdings Inc. (U.S.) ANTARES VISION S.p.A ( Italy ) ) Dassault Systemes SE ( France ) ) EtQ Management Consultants Inc. (U.S.) Ideagen PLC (U.K.) Korber AG ( Germany ) ) LogicGate Inc. (U.S.) ComplianceQuest Inc (U.S.) AssurX Inc. (U.S.) AXSource Consulting Inc. (U.S.) For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/896nbu About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets SAO PAULO, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Raizen Fuels Finance S.A. ("Raizen Fuels") today announces the expiration and results of its previously announced offer to purchase (the "Offer") for cash any and all of the outstanding 5.300% notes due 2027 (the "Notes") issued by Raizen Fuels and guaranteed by Raizen S.A. and Raizen Energia S.A. (together, the "Guarantors"). The Offer was made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer to purchase dated February 26, 2024 (the "Offer to Purchase"). As of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) today (the "Expiration Date"), according to information received from D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information and tender agent for the Offer, U.S.$.382,999,000, or approximately 52.83%, of the principal amount outstanding of the Notes was validly tendered, and not validly withdrawn. The following table sets forth certain information relating to the Offer, including the principal amount of the Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn and accepted for purchase in the Offer. Title of Security CUSIP ISIN Principal Amount Outstanding Prior to the Offer Principal Amount Validly Tendered and Not Validly Withdrawn at or Prior to the Expiration Date(1) Principal Amount Following Tender Offer Consideration(2) 5.300% Notes due 2027 75102X AA4 / L7909C AA5 US75102XAA46 / USL7909CAA55 U.S.$725,000,000 U.S.$.382,999,000 U.S.$342,001,000 U.S.$1,000.33 ____________________ (1) Include Notes tendered pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures. (2) Per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase, based on the Fixed Spread (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) plus the yield calculated to the maturity date of the Notes, based on the bid-side price of the Reference U.S. Treasury Security (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) as of 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) today. The Consideration does not include Accrued Interest (as defined below), which will be payable in cash. The deadline for holders of Notes to tender their Notes in the Offer was the Expiration Date or, for Notes tendered pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures (as defined in the Offer to Purchase), the Guaranteed Delivery Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase). Accordingly, Notes that have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn may not be withdrawn or such tenders revoked, except as required by applicable law. Holders who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw their Notes in the Offer on or prior to the Expiration Date or the Guaranteed Delivery Date, as applicable, will be eligible to receive the total consideration of U.S.$1,000.33 per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes tendered (the "Consideration"). The Consideration payable for the Notes accepted for purchase in the Offer was determined in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase by reference to the Fixed Spread plus the yield calculated to the maturity date of the Notes, based on the bid-side price of the Reference U.S. Treasury Security for the Notes as of 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) today. The settlement date of the Offer will occur promptly after the acceptance by Raizen Fuels for purchase of the Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Expiration Date or at or prior to the Guaranteed Delivery Date, for Notes tendered using the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures, and is expected to be no later than three business days following the Expiration Date, on March 6, 2024 (the "Settlement Date"), subject to extension by Raizen Fuels in its sole discretion. In addition to the Consideration, holders whose Notes are tendered and accepted for purchase in the Offer, including Notes tendered pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures, will be paid accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes from, and including, the last interest payment date to, but excluding, the Settlement Date ("Accrued Interest"), payable on the Settlement Date. For the avoidance of doubt, Raizen Fuels will not pay accrued interest for any periods following the Settlement Date in respect of any Notes purchased in the Offer. Completion of the Offer was conditioned upon the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, which have been satisfied. *** Raizen Fuels has retained Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Itau BBA USA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC to serve as dealer managers and D.F. King & Co., Inc. to serve as information and tender agent for the Offer. The Offer to Purchase, the related Notice of Guaranteed Delivery and any related supplements are available at the D.F. King & Co., Inc. website at www.dfking.com/raizen. The full details of the Offer, including complete instructions on how to tender Notes, are included in the Offer to Purchase. Holders of Notes are strongly encouraged to carefully read the Offer to Purchase because it contains important information. Requests for the Offer to Purchase and any related supplements may also be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc. by telephone at +1 (212) 269-5550 or +1 (800) 714-3305 (US toll free) or in writing at [email protected]. Documents relating to the Offer, including the Offer to Purchase and the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, are also available at www.dfking.com/raizen. Questions about the Offer may be directed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. by telephone at +1 (800) 558-3745 (toll free) or +1 (212) 723-6106 (collect); Itau BBA USA Securities, Inc. by telephone at +1 (888) 770-4828 (toll free) or + 1 (212) 710-6749 (collect); J.P. Morgan Securities LLC by telephone at +1 (866) 846-2874 (toll free) or +1 (212) 834-7279 (collect); and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC by telephone at + (800) 624-1808 (toll free) or +1 (212) 761-1057(collect). This press release shall not constitute an offer to purchase or a solicitation of acceptance of the offer to purchase. Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any U.S. state securities commission nor any regulatory authority of any other country has approved or disapproved of the Offer, passed upon the merits or fairness of the Offer or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of the disclosure in the Offer to Purchase. About Raizen Fuels, Raizen and Raizen Energia Raizen Fuels Finance S.A. is a public limited liability company (societe anonyme) organized and existing under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg since January 20, 2014, having its registered office at 16, rue Eugene Ruppert, L-2453 Luxembourg, and registered with the Luxembourg Register of Commerce and Companies (Registre de commerce et des societes, Luxembourg) under number B184033, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raizen Energia, who, in its turn, is wholly-owned by Raizen S.A. Raizen S.A. is a publicly-held corporation (sociedade anonima) under the laws of Brazil. Raizen S.A. is the parent guarantor and ultimate holding company of the Raizen group. Raizen S.A.'s executive offices are located at Avenida Afonso Arinos de Melo Franco, 222, Block 2, Room 321, in the City of Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, CEP 22631-455, Brazil, and its telephone number is +55 11 2344-6200. Raizen Energia S.A. is a corporation (sociedade anonima) under the laws of Brazil, and a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of Raizen S.A. Raizen Energia's executive offices are located at Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 4.100, 11th floor, in the City of Sao Paulo, State of Sao Paulo, CEP 04538-132, Brazil. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Other than statements of historical fact, information regarding activities, events and developments that Raizen Fuels and the Guarantors expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements based on management's estimates, assumptions and projections. Many forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe, "estimate" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are predictions only and actual results could differ materially from management's expectations due to a variety of risk factors. All forward-looking statements attributable to Raizen Fuels or the Guarantors are expressly qualified in their entirety by such risk factors. The forward-looking statements that Raizen Fuels or the Guarantors make in this press release are based on management's current views and assumptions regarding future events and speak only as of their dates. Raizen Fuels or the Guarantors assume no obligation to update developments of these risk factors or to announce publicly any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements that Raizen Fuels or the Guarantors make, or to make corrections to reflect future events or developments, except as required by the U.S. federal securities laws. SOURCE Raizen Fuels Finance S.A. NEW YORK, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE: SAN) resulting from allegations that Santander may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. SO WHAT: If you purchased Santander securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=22671 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On February 5, 2024, the Financial Times published an article entitled "Iran used Lloyds and Santander accounts to evade sanctions." This article stated, in part that "Santander UK provided accounts to British front companies secretly owned by a sanctioned Iranian petrochemicals company based near Buckingham Palace, according to documents seen by the Financial Times." On this news, Santander's American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") fell $0.24 per ADS, or 5.7%, to close at $3.94 per ADS on February 5, 2024. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. 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Our correction policy can be found here British intelligence: After loss of two A-50s, Russia may attempt to bring previously mothballed similar airframes back into service A week after the loss of the second A-50U airborne early warning and control aircraft, Russia has suspended flights of such aircraft in support of operations in Ukraine, British intelligence has said. "This is likely to continue whilst internal investigations take place surrounding the failure to protect another high value enabler, and how to mitigate the threat Ukrainian air defence continues to pose," according to the report, published Friday on X social media of the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. British intelligence believes that the loss of "this capability providing daily command and control to Russian air operations highly significantly degrades the situational awareness provided to air crews." It is noted that this is a capability gap that Russia cannot afford. It also notes that "Russia will have to explore options to bridge this gap, including repurposing aircraft and accepting greater risk to provide the effective air support that its ground forces require, but are likely not receiving." "It is a realistic possibility Russia may attempt to bring previously mothballed A-50 airframes back into service to alleviate this," British intelligence said. Gaza, March 2 : The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,228 as the Israeli military killed 193 in the past 24 hours, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. In a press statement, the Ministry added on Friday that 71,377 Palestinians have been wounded in the coastal enclave since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October last year, Xinhua news agency reported. Israeli forces killed 193 Palestinians and wounded 920 others in the past 24 hours. Some victims remain under the rubble because of heavy bombardment and lack of civil defence and ambulance crews, the Ministry said. The Hebrew public radio reported that the Israeli army was continuing its military operations in the Gaza Strip for the 147th consecutive day, adding that 450 Palestinians were killed during the last 10 days. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, said in a press conference on Thursday that Israel's military operation will continue until total victory is achieved. Russia has no plan to station nuclear weapons in space: Putin. Image Source: IANS News Moscow, March 2 : Russia does not plan to deploy nuclear weapons in space, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with the country's security council members. "We have already discussed false allegations that are currently being made by some Western officials about our supposed plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space," said the Kremlin on Friday, citing the President. In his annual State of the Nation address on Thursday, Putin called such allegations "unfounded" and "fake narratives," designed by the West to draw Russia into negotiations on terms that only benefit the US, Xinhua news agency reported. The statement came after a wave of Western media reports claiming US intelligence data has revealed that Russia is working on the development of a nuclear space weapon. Tel Aviv, March 2 : The mediatory talks for a temporary ceasefire into the ongoing Israel and Hamas war have come to a halt after Israel demanded a list of kidnapped hostages who are alive. Israeli Prime Minister's office told IANS that this message was communcated to the negotiators after an urgent meeting of the War Cabinet chaired by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel's intelligence agency and military intelligence agency, Mossad and Shin Bet, respectively, have revealed earlier that of the 134 hostages, who are in the custody of Hamas since October 7, 2023, around 31 are dead. International negotiators, including the US, Qatar and Egypt were expecting a ceasefire for the ongoing war from March 4. However, the decision of the Israeli government has hit a roadblock into the negotiations. Both Israel and Hamas had almost agreed for a ceasefire for six weeks and release of 40 Israeli hostages. Around 400 Palestinians, who are in Israeli prisons would also be released. However, Israel was skeptical on the Palestinians who were to be released and had insisted that those accused of grave crimes, including plotting and executing mass murders would not be released. A series of peace talks were held in Paris and Cairo a week ago with Israeli headed by Mossad Chief David Barnea, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, the US represented by William Burns, the CIA Chief, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Al Thani and Egypt by its Intelligence head, Major General Abbas Kalem. The negotiations were to be continued on Saturday and Sunday at Doha but Israel has informed that they won't participate unless the names of hostages who are alive were announced. US military confirms airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen's Hodeidah. Image Source: IANS News Sanaa, March 2 : The US-British military coalition launched two airstrikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, residents and the media reported. The strikes hit Houthi mobile missile launchers in the west of the city, residents said on Friday on social media platform X. The coalition has made no comment yet, Xinhua news agency reported. This is the latest in a series of strikes aimed at Houthi targets, initiated after the armed group began targeting international commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in November. The Houthis claimed these actions were in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi vowed to launch further missile attacks to disrupt shipping in the region. In a televised address aired on al-Masirah TV, he declared that these attacks would continue to pressure Israel to cease its war with Hamas. Since the Houthi attacks began, several vessels, primarily US, British, and European, have been damaged. Washington re-designated the Houthi group as a "global terrorist organisation" in January. Geneva, March 2 : A UN expert has urged the UK authorities not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the US government to drop the charges. Irene Khan, UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression, said on Friday in a media statement that the possible extradition to and imminent prosecution in the US of Julian Assange could have serious implications for freedom of expression. Assange is awaiting the decision of the High Court in the UK on his appeal against extradition to the US, where he is facing charges for publishing classified information on the WikiLeaks platform, Xinhua news agency reported. "I call on the US and the UK, which profess to uphold the right to freedom of expression, to uphold these international standards in the case of Julian Assange," she emphasised, noting that Assange, if extradited, would be the first publisher to be prosecuted in the US under an espionage act. Khan was appointed UN special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression in 2020. Ankara, March 2 : Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has called for a truce in Gaza before the holy month of Ramadan expected to begin this year around March 11. "I believe that everyone recognises that it is necessary to reach a ceasefire before Ramadan both for the security of Palestinians and due to its religious nature," Shoukry told the semi-official Anadolu Agency on Friday in southern Turkey where he was attending the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The Egyptian Minister emphasised that the military actions during Ramadan would not only affect civilians in Gaza and the West Bank but also create a tense atmosphere in the Arab and Muslim world, Xinhua news agency reported. Cairo calls for an immediate ceasefire, Shoukry said, adding, "We are working on this, and we will continue to make every effort. We hope for the necessary flexibility and understanding in ending dangers and hostilities." Discussing a plan that would allow Israel to carry out military operations while ensuring the safety of civilians is not appropriate, he added. The ongoing Antalya Diplomacy Forum hosts representatives from 147 countries around the world. According to diplomatic sources, nearly 4,500 participants, including 19 heads of state, 73 Ministers, and 57 international representatives, attended this year's forum. Kiev, March 2 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte signed an agreement on security cooperation between the two countries, the presidential press service reported. The 10-year deal, which is based on the G7 joint declaration of support for Ukraine, was signed in the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday. The document stipulates that the Netherlands will provide 2 billion euros (about $2.17 billion) in military aid to Ukraine in 2024, and will continue its support in the future. Under the deal, the Netherlands undertook a commitment to provide Ukraine with modern military equipment, including air defence means, artillery and armoured vehicles. Besides, the Netherlands will support Ukraine's air forces as well as maritime and long-range capabilities. The Netherlands also reaffirmed its commitment to support Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and the NATO. Last year, the Netherlands provided 1.6 billion euros (about $1.73 billion) in military support for Ukraine. Srinagar, March 2 : Multiple landslides triggered by incessant rains blocked the strategic Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Saturday. Officials said that multiple landslides triggered by incessant rains between Banihal and Ramban sectors have blocked the Srinagar-Jammu highway. "No traffic will be allowed on the highway on Saturday. Landslide clearance operation will start once the rain stops in the area," officials said. He said that due to bad patches in some places, only one-way traffic was allowed on this highway for the last one week. Meanwhile, heavy snowfall continues to block the Srinagar-Leh, Mughal Road, Sinthan-Kishtwar, Bandipora-Gurez and Kupwara-Tangdhar roads. Chennai, Mar 2 : Greater Chennai Police in Tamil Nadu said that no FIR has been registered against the video journalist as alleged by a journalist group. The police said that based on a complaint, they have issued a Community Service Register (CSR) -- a CSR is kept in all police stations for a non-cognisable offence -- against T.R. Senthil Kumar, a private television channel cameraperson. A group of journalists had staged a protest before the Chennai City Police Commissioneras office on Friday night against registering of FIR against the video journalist. Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had conducted a raid in the office of Tamil film producer and DMK NRI cell leader (who was later expelled from the party) A.R. Jaffer Sadik regarding an international drug racket. During the raid on February 29, Senthil Kumar took some visuals inside Jaffer Sadikas office which had infuriated some DMK cadres waiting outside. They had allegedly manhandled Senthil Kumar who was then admitted to Royapettah Government Hospital. Police had registered a case against some persons who were identified by Senthil Kumar. Jaffer Sadik is alleged to be one of the coconspirators of a drug syndicate that has connections in Australia and New Zealand. South Korean investors are helping to improve the transport infrastructure of Kyiv region, thanks to their help, the development of the Transport Model of Kyiv region has already started, the press service of Kyiv Regional Military Administration said. "A little over four months ago in Kyiv, during a joint forum between Ukraine and the Republic of Korea, we agreed with South Korean investors on their assistance in improving the transport infrastructure of Kyiv region. Today we are already discussing specific steps to implement the project. With our partners, we have already started to develop the Transport Model of Kyiv region," Head of Kyiv Regional Military Administration Ruslan Kravchenko said at a meeting of South Korean delegation with representatives of the regional authorities at the premises of Bucha regional development agency. Kravchenko said the model will allow to analyze the state of damage to the transport infrastructure of Kyiv region, develop a vision and strategy for its restoration, develop comprehensive plans for spatial development and optimize transport flows. Head of the South Korean delegation Lee Mu-Hyuck said he was amazed by what he saw in Kyiv region and the ability, even in conditions of war, to restore the country and make plans for the future. "Support at all stages is what our partners promised. By the end of the year, in addition to the established model, our partners will develop and propose a number of viable projects to improve transport infrastructure. They will also help in attracting private investment for their implementation," Kravchenko said. New York, March 2 : The UN has said that an estimated 9,000 women have been reportedly killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in the last five months of the war. Every day the war in Gaza continues, at the current rate, an average of 63 women will continue to be killed. An estimated 37 mothers are killed every day, leaving their families devastated and their children with diminished protection. More than four out of five women (84 per cent) report that their family eats half or less of the food they used to before the war began, with mothers and adult women being those tasked with sourcing food, yet eating last, less, and least than everyone else. Four in five women (84 per cent) in Gaza indicate that at least one of their family members had to skip meals during the past week. In 95 per cent of those cases, mothers are the ones going without food, skipping at least one meal to feed their children. Gazaas entire population of 2.3 million people will be facing acute levels of food insecurity within weeks -- the highest ever recorded as Gaza is on the verge of starvation. Nearly nine in 10 women (87 per cent) report finding it harder to access food than men. Some women are now resorting to extreme coping mechanisms, such as scavenging for food under rubble or in dumpsters. Ten out of 12 womenas organisations surveyed in Gaza reported being partly operational, providing essential emergency response services. Despite their extraordinary efforts, less than one per cent of funding raised through the 2023 Flash Appeal has gone to national or local womenas rights organisations. Channelling funding to these organisations is crucial to meet the overwhelming needs of women and their families and communities, and to ensure that the voices of Gazan women do not go unheard. Unless there is an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, many more will die in the coming days and weeks. The killing, bombing, and destruction of essential infrastructure in Gaza must stop. Humanitarian aid must get into and across Gaza immediately. Kolkata, March 2 : Infighting in Mamata Banerjee's party escalated further on Saturday as rebel leader Kunal Ghosh continued firing salvos against the leader of Trinamool Congress in Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and was backed by another party legislator, Tapas Roy, in the matter. A day after dropping the party's name from his social media bio, Ghosh came out with an explosive message against Bandyopadhyay on his official X handle on Saturday morning. In his post on X, Ghosh demanded an investigation into who footed the bills for Bandyopadhyay's hospitalisation at Apollo, Bhubaneswar after he was arrested by the CBI in January 2017 in connection with the multi-crore Rose Valley chit fund case. "The bank accounts of Sudip, MP, and payments on behalf of him to Apollo, Bhubaneswar must be investigated. When he was in custody, whether a large amount was paid to him or paid to the hospital on behalf of him or not, that should be probed. "If agencies try to avoid this, I should move a Ld Court praying for investigation into this matter," said Ghosh in his message on X where he tagged the ED and CBI Directors. Senior Trinamool Congress legislator Tapas Roy, whose house was raided by the ED in connection with the municipalities' case, also slammed Bandyopadhyay on Saturday while talking to media persons and claimed that he orchestrated the central agency's action at his residence. Echoing Ghosh's allegations Roy, too, claimed that Bandyopadhyay developed connections with the BJP to save himself from being caught in the Rose Valley scam. However, despite these allegations being floated against him, Bandyopadhyay has refrained from giving any reaction and has been unavailable for media persons. Taken up slain dancer's case 'strongly' with US: India on Amarnath Ghosh's death. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, March 2 : The Office of the Consulate General of India in Chicago said on Saturday that it is extending all possible help to relatives and deceased of Amarnath Ghosh, the Kuchipudi dancer from Kolkata, who was shot dead in the US state of Missouri. In a post on X, the Consulate said that it has strongly taken up the case with the St Louis police. "Consulate is extending all help to relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh. Taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack," the post read. On Friday, the Consulate had offered condolences to Ghosh's family and friends and posted: "We are following up forensic, investigation with police & providing support". The incident was brought to notice by popular TV actress and 'Bigg Boss' regular Devoleena Bhattacharjee who in a post on X sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's help, seeking early repatriation of her friend's body. She wrote in the post that Ghosh was the child in the family whose mother died three years back and father passed away during his childhood. Calling him an "excellent dancer" who was pursuing PhD, Devoleena said that Ghosh was taking an evening walk when he "was shot multiple times by an unknown person" on Tuesday. A series of attacks beginning this year has put the focus back on the security and safety of Indian students across the US, which has seen at least five of them dying in mysterious circumstances in the last couple of months. Kolkata, March 2 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that West Bengal despite having lots of potential, lagged behind since the Independence and his government in the last 10 years has continuosly been trying to make up for that. "Bengal's achievement as written in history slowed down substantially after Independence. Despite lots of potential, the state progressed backward since Independence. However, during the last 10 years I have tried by best to make up for that and that is why my government has focused on the railways network development in the state," the Prime Minister said while inaugurating various central projects worth Rs 15,000 crore at Krishnanagar in the Nadia district of West Bengal on Saturday morning. Emphasising that West Bengal is an important state in the eastern part of the country, PM Modi said that keeping that in mind he and his government are focusing on the development of rail, road and air connectivity in the state." Stressing that power connectivity is an important component for development of any region, the Prime Minister said that he wants West Bengal to become self-reliant in power connectivity and hence his government is taking all possible measures to achieve that. "On Friday, I inaugurated central projects worth over Rs 7,000 crore at a programme at Arambagh in Hooghly district. Today I inaugurated projects worth over Rs 15,000 crore. This means that in the last two days, a total of over Rs 22,000 crore worth of projects have been inaugurated. These projects will open new avenues of income generation for the youths," the Prime Minister added. PM Modi is also scheduled to address a political rally organised by the state unit of BJP in West Bengal on Saturday. Kolkata, March 2 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack against the West Bengal government over the law & order situation in the state, saying not the police but criminals themselves are free to decide when to get arrested. Although the Prime Minister did not name anyone, his remarks were an indirect hint at the recently arrested leader of Trinamool Congress Sheikh Shahjahan who was arrested after 55 days following the attack on the ED team in Sandeshkhali. The Prime Minister was addressing a rally organised by the state unit at Krishnanagar in Nadia district of West Bengal. Prime Minister Modi congratulated the women of Sandeshkhali for finally coming out on the streets to protest against years of oppression, violence and harassment. "It was women's power at Sandeshkhali which finally pushed the ruling party to the back foot. I also congratulate the state leaders of my party in West Bengal for relentlessly standing by these women in their protests," the Prime Minister said. He also claimed that one area where the ruling Trinamool Congress has mastered is in converting any centrally-sponsored development scheme into a "scam". "The scam starts from where the state government puts its tag on any centrally-sponsored scheme," the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister also set a target to win 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. Nothing to manufacture its Phone (2a) in India. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, March 2 : London-based consumer tech brand, Nothing, on Saturday announced that its latest smartphone, Phone (2a) will be manufactured in India. With this move, the company said that it aims to harness the rich manufacturing ecosystem of the country while investing in the local economy and creating job opportunities. "The designed for India, Nothing Phone (2a) has been engineered with a focus on providing the optimal daily smartphone experience, doubling down on core user needs, and incorporating all of Nothingas design innovation, expertise, and craftsmanship," said Nothing. "Phone (2a) will leverage some of the most beloved features from Phone (2), ensuring a clear upgrade compared to Phone (1) on every front," it added. Nothing had set up its first Global exclusive service centre last year in Bengaluru. The company is set to launch Phone (2a) in India on March 5. The event will be live-streamed from an in-person gathering in Delhi. Nothing has also announced the Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as the brand face of smartphones. The Phone (2a) will feature a custom Dimensity 7200 Pro processor co-engineered with MediaTek to deliver the best performance with optimal power consumption. Founded in 2020, Nothing has released three audio products, two smartphones to date, and, as of September last year, a sub-brand: CMF by Nothing. Islamabad, March 2 : PPP and the PML-N joint candidate Asif Ali Zardari and PTI backed Sunni Ittehad Council's candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai have filed nomination for the presidential polls in Pakistan, scheduled on March 9. The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on Monday. The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is March 5 and the final list of candidates will be published on March 6, The Express Tribune reported. Earlier in the day, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) nominated the PashtunAkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai as their presidential nominee. Mahmood Khan Achakzai had won the National Assembly seat from the NA-266 constituency in Balochistan's Kila Abdullah-cum-Chaman. PTI founder Imran Khan, who is lodged in jail in various cases, has urged his lawmakers to vote for Mahmood Khan Achakzai. The president is elected by an electoral college comprising members of the Senate, National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies. Voting is held through a secret ballot. Though Pakistan President Arif Alvi's tenure completed on September 8, in absence of the electoral college required to elect the president, he is still in office. Key investors move NCLT against Byjus rights issue, firm says yet to get any petition (Lead). Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, March 2 : Edtech major Byju's is yet to process the salaries of its employees for the month of February as the amount raised through the rights issue is currently locked in a separate account "at the behest" of some key investors, its founder and CEO Byju Raveendran has told employees. In a letter to the staff, accessed by IANS, Raveendran said that the rights issue (which is about $250-$300 million) has been successfully closed. "However, I regret to inform you that we will still be unable to process your salaries. Last month, we faced challenges due to a lack of capital, and now we are experiencing a delay despite having funds," he told more than 20,000 employees. Raveendran further said that a select few (four out of its 150+ investors) have "stooped to a heartless level, ensuring that we are unable to utilise the funds raised to pay your hard-earned salaries". "At their behest, the amount raised through the rights issue is currently locked in a separate account. It is an agonising reality that some of these investors have already reaped substantial profits a" in fact, one of them has made a staggering eight times their initial investment in Byjuas". The Bengaluru bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has directed Byjuas that the proceeds from the rights issue is to be kept in a separate account till the disposal of the case with investors. Raveendran said that despite his best efforts, "we are left with no option but to confront the heart-wrenching reality that we are temporarily unable to provide you with the financial support you deserve". "We are striving to ensure that your salaries are paid by the 10th of March. We shall make these payments the moment we are permitted to do so as per law." Chikkamagaluru, : March 2 (IANS) Former BJP National General Secretary, CT Ravi, stated in Karnataka on Saturday that the Rameshwaram CafA blast in Bengaluru was a rehearsal by subversive forces and was indicative of an impending series of blasts. Chikkamagaluru, (Karnataka) March 2 (IANS) Former BJP National General Secretary, CT Ravi, stated in Karnataka on Saturday that the Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru was a rehearsal by subversive forces and was indicative of an impending series of blasts. Speaking to reporters in Chikkamagaluru, Ravi stated, "I feel the Rameshwaram Cafe low-intensity blast was a rehearsal, a test that hints towards impending serial blasts. An experimental explosion was carried out." CT Ravi added, "Previously, serial bomb blasts were reported from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Now, a similar attempt has been made. The religious fanatics and terrorists have joined hands to carry out subversive activities. I urge the Karnataka government to hand over the probe in the cafe blast to the NIA totally." He went on to state that the NIA had arrested 21 suspected terrorists in Karnataka after the Congress government came to power. He recounted that on July 19, 2023 five people were arrested for conspiring to carry out bomb blasts in Bengaluru and on December 18, 2023 eight men were held in connection with an IED blast, while on January 13 this year, the authorities had nabbed eight suspected suicide bombers. "We used to hear about cases of bomb blasts in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Now, in the North, bomb blasts have become rare and they are being reported in South India, especially in Kerala, Telangana and Karnataka. This is a serious matter. "Our Karnataka government is trying to create 'Brand Bengaluru' but now this 'Brand Bengaluru' is facing a bomb threat," CT Ravi said. "It is not new that terrorists have made Karnataka a sleeper cell (hub). These elements have used Karnataka as a training centre (for long). In Koppa region in Chikkamagaluru District, they were getting training for manufacturing bombs and guns. In Thirthahalli, the subversive elements were training for triggering pressure cooker blasts. Training was also given in Kodagu region of Karnataka that shares a border with Kerala. The government has information on Karnataka being used as a training centre by terrorists," he explained. He went on to add that religious fundamentalism came to the fore in Padarayanapura locality during the Corona pandemic as Corona Warriors were attacked there and the same fanaticism was witnessed in the DJ Halli and KG Halli violence case. "The house of a Dalit MLA was gutted and apart from private vehicles being set on fire they had also burnt down a police station," CT Ravi stated. "The Hubballi-Dharwad region of north Karnataka also witnessed extreme religious fundamentalism. Due to the fanaticism, pro-Pakistan slogans were raised in Bengaluru Assembly and other parts of the state," he said. "After the cooker bomb blast case in Mangaluru, state capital Bengaluru also witnessed an explosion. If you take 11 years' history of bomb blasts, including low-intensity ones, Karnataka has witnessed six such incidents. This is an experiment to carry out serial bomb blasts," CT Ravi reiterated. "Bhatkal region in Karnataka has turned into a terrorist hotspot. After analysing all these facts, it seems there is a big preparation. As part of the seventh century 'Ghazwa-e-Hind' movement that originated in the Middle East, we lost Gandhara province which became Afghanistan, we lost Sindh, which became Pakistan and we also lost Bangladesh. The alienation of Jammu and Kashmir from India was part of the 'Ghazwa-e-Hind' programme. "When the office of SIMI was raided recently, the authorities obtained a map which mentioned parts of India ruled by Mughals as Mughalistan. The authorities also came to know about preparations to carry out subversive activities to turn India into Mughalistan," he stated. He went on to say that there was a possibility of an international link to the Bengaluru cafe blast and the probe should be handed over to the NIA completely. "CM Siddaramaiah has stated that no politics should be carried out. This is an issue concerning the security of our people. I appeal to CM Siddaramaiah to advise his ministers and MLAs not to have sympathies with terrorists. The accused in the DJ Halli and KG Halli violence case were projected as innocents by cabinet ministers. They had also written letters demanding their release. They dubbed the Mangaluru cooker blast incident as a game by the BJP. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar called the accused his 'brothers'. This sympathetic attitude should stop now," he stated. New Delhi/Agartala, Feb 2 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that the Centre has resolved a large number of problems in the northeastern states and made the region violence and insurgency free, while over 10,000 militants from various outfits have shunned the path of violence and surrendered before the government. Addressing the tripartite meeting between the Home Ministry, Tripura government and leaders of the opposition Tipra Motha Party (TMP) in the national capital, the Home Minister said that various accords were signed with many militant outfits in the northeast to restore peace and accelerate all-round development and welfare of the region. The accords signed with various militant outfits and other organisations include the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), Bodo, National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), Dimasa, Karbi, Adibasi, and Reang tribals. Besides, inter-state border problems in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have also been resolved, he said. The Home Minister said that with the signing of the accords and resolution of the problems, development in the northeastern region has accelerated. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed India would also develop the northeast region and Tripura. The Government of India is always sincere in upholding the rights of the tribals and the people of the northeast," Shah said. The Home Minister also thanked the erstwhile kings of Tripura for settling the people who migrated from then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. The tripartite agreement was signed on Saturday in Delhi between the Centre, Tripura government and the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) to provide more empowerment to the state's tribals, who constitute one-third of Tripura's four-million population. Meanwhile, the TMP, which has been demanding 'Greater Tipraland' or a separate state for the tribals under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution, is continuing with its demonstrations since February 28 at Hatoi Katar (Baramura) on National Highway-8, the lifeline of Tripura. The TMP is demanding further strengthening of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), protection of the constitutional rights of the tribals, direct funding to the tribal autonomous body, and further modification of the tribals' land rights. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma, Tribal Welfare (TRP and PTG) Minister and Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) leader Sukla Charan Noatia, senior TMP leader Animesh Debbarma, TTAADC Chairman Jagadhish Debbarma, TMP President Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl and other leaders went to Delhi on Friday night to attend the meeting. The IPFT, a tribal-based party, is an ally of the ruling BJP in Tripura. TMP supremo and former royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman and other party leaders have been camping in Delhi since February 28. Deb Barman had earlier claimed that he was called by the Central government to Delhi to discuss their demands. "What we are asking is as per the Constitution. We want the government to fulfil the tribals' constitutional and land rights-related issues," the TMP chief had told the media. Former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha and senior MHA officials also attended the tripartite meeting in Delhi. Ever since the TMP wrested power in the politically-important TTAADC in April 2021, the party has intensified its agitation in support of the 'Greater Tipraland' demand, which has been strongly opposed by the ruling BJP, the opposition Left Front, Congress, Trinamool Congress and other parties. The TTAADC, which has a jurisdiction over two-third of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area, and is home to over 12,16,000 people, of which around 84 per cent are tribals, is, in terms of its political significance, the second most important constitutional body after the Tripura Assembly. The ruling BJP often tries to take TMP's support to gain tribal votes, which constitute one-third of the state's 28.57 lakh voters. Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. Thiruvananthapuram, March 2 : The father of a second year BVSc student from Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University alleged on Saturday that his son Siddarth was murdered and did not commit suicide. Siddarth was found hanging in his college in Wayanad on February 18. Siddarth's father, who had arrived home from the Middle East after hearing about his son's death, said on Saturday that he was certain that his son was murdered as he was not the kind of person who would commit suicide. SFI activists are on the radar of suspicion in the case and the main Opposition parties in the state, the Congress and the BJP are staging protests across Kerala demanding action against them. At least 18 students of the college were arraigned and 13 of them have either been arrested or are in custody. On Saturday, police said that one of the prime accused Kashinath surrendered before them, while another main accused, Cinjo Johnson, was taken into custody from his relative's home in Kollam District. The police have issued a look out notice for four others. Meanwhile, Siddarth's father alleged that some of the accused were surrendering because they had been advised to do so by the CPI-M leaders who were aware of what happened to his son. He further alleged that news of a complaint against his son was a ploy to divert attention from the real issue. Union Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, said on Saturday the crime was committed by a group led by the SFI, which is part of a drug mafia. "The police have also played their role in converting a murder into a suicide," said Muraleedharan. Bhopal, March 2 : The first Regional Industry Conclave at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, which concluded on Saturday, witnessed the participation of more than 4,000 leading business houses from across the world. In fact, three programmes Vyapar Mela, Vikram Mahotsav and Regional Industryl Conclave -- were held simultaneously in Ujjian. Briefing about the events, Raghuvendra Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, said that it was the first time that multiple events were organised along with the business conclave. Apart from India's leading business houses, including the Adani Group, business delegations from countries like the US, the UK, Japan, Singapore, Israel, Canada, Malaysia, South Korea, Zambia and many other nations participated in the Regional Industry Conclave. "The world's leading business family -- Adani Group -- has announced to invest Rs 75,000 crore in Madhya Pradesh, which will undoubtedly have a big impact on MP's GSDP. This investment alone will create more than 17,000 employment opportunities for the youth of Madhya Pradesh. "Similarly, PepsiCo has announced to invest Rs 1,250 crore, which will create nearly 500 employment opportunities," Singh said. He also informed that the state government has signed an MoU with LTIMindtree for the investment of Rs 500 crore for developing a super corridor. Ten acres of land has been allocated for this venture, which will create 10,000 jobs in the IT sector. During the two-day conclave, Chief Minister Yadav held one-to-one meetings with over 20 business houses, industrialists and entrepreneurs. New Delhi, March 2 : A Delhi court on Saturday reserved its order on sentence for the three convicts involved in the killing of Ankit Saxena, who was murdered in full public view in the national capital in 2018. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Sunil Kumar Sharma of Tis Hazari Court reserved his verdict for March 7 on sentence to Akbar Ali, Shahnaz Begum, and Mohammad Salim, who were convicted on December 23 last year. The Delhi Legal Service Authority (DLSA), had previously submitted the Victim Impact Assessment Report concerning the Saxena, whose mother is the sole surviving member of the family following the demise of his father. The report was pivotal for assessing compensation and the judge took it on record. On Saturday, Delhi police argued for maximum punishment for convicts for the offence. The defence counsel, whereas, urged the court to take a lenient view on the sentence of the convicts. During investigation of the case, it was revealed that Saxena was in a relationship with a girl of different religion and the perpetrators of the crime were the parents and maternal uncle of the girl, who opposed their interfaith relationship. They were later convicted. The charges against the convicts include IPC Sections 302 (murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). Moreover, Shahnaz Begum has also been convicted of voluntarily causing hurt. New Delhi, March 2 : A tripartite agreement among the Centre, Tripura government and TIPRA Motha was inked in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, aiming to provide a "lasting solution" to the challenges faced by the indigenous communities in the state. On the occasion, Amit Shah said that the agreement reflects the government's commitment to rectifying historical injustices and embracing the realities of the present to pave the way for a brighter future. Earlier, the leader of TIPRA Motha, Pradyot Debbarma, had resorted to a 'fast-unto-death' protest, demanding a permanent resolution of the issues confronting indigenous peoples. However, following assurances from the Central government's interlocutors, Debbarma arrived in the national capital and ultimately consented to the pact. Reflecting on the significance of the agreement, Pradyot Debbarma expressed gratitude and said, "It's a victory for my people, for the impoverished villagers who aspire for a better tomorrow, who seek integration into the mainstream, and who believe in securing a brighter future for their children. I will return to Agartala and end my fast." Assuring all stakeholders in Tripura, Debbarma said, "You will no longer need to fight for your rights. The Union Government is committed to proactively establishing mechanisms to safeguard your interests." The union home minister also commended the constructive role played by the Tripura Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance, popularly known as TIPRA Motha, and all tribal parties, along with the sincere efforts of Tirpura government, towards reaching this agreement. Amit Shah also said that the government's dedication to peace and stability in the Northeast, citing the signing of 11 peace and boundary settlement agreements under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. He announced that the peace pact with the insurgent group National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) marks a significant step forward and will be the final one before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Have called Google for meeting next week: IT Minister on Play Store row. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, March 2 : Union IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday said he has called Google for a meeting next week, after the company started to reinstate some of the apps of Indian digital companies it delisted from the Play Store. Vaishnaw said that the startup ecosystem is the key to the Indian economy and one big company cannot decide their fate. "I am hopeful that Google will be reasonable in its approach. We have a large startup ecosystem and it's crucial to protect their interests," said the minister. "We will take all necessary steps to safeguard our startup ecosystem, and I trust that Google will approach this matter reasonably," the IT Minister noted. Serial investor and entrepreneur Ritesh Malik posted on X: "Thank you Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav for your prompt response. Startup India is grateful for the support of the policy makers." Sources earlier confirmed that the tech giant reinstated some of the apps such as Shaadi.com, Info Edge's Naukri, 99acres and Naukri Gulf, and others. Info Edge co-founder Sanjeev Bikchandani also confirmed the development in a post on X. "Many of the Info Edge apps are back on the Play Store. An effort very well led by Hitesh and the entire Info Edge team. People were up all night for this. Great crisis management," he posted. Earlier in the day, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) slammed removal of Indian companies' apps and asked Google to reinstate those delisted apps on its Play Store. Google had delisted more than a dozen apps by major Indian digital companies including Matrimony, and Shaadi.com from Play Store. The move comes after Google announced its plan to take action against 10 developers who had refused to comply with its payment policy, despite following the payment policies of other app stores. Applications from companies like Altt, Stage, and Aha streaming platforms, Truly Madly and Quack Quack dating apps, Kuku FM audio content platform, and FRND social networking app have also been delisted by Google. Gaza, March 2 : A total of 30,320 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The Israeli army killed 92 Palestinians and wounded 156 others in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 30,320 and injuries to 71,533 since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on October 7, 2023, according to the statement. Among them, 15 died in Al-Aqsa Hospital in the city of Deir al-Balah due to an Israeli airstrike targeting two houses, and two others were killed in an airstrike targeting a house in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, Xinhua news agency reported. Ten people were killed in Israeli air raids on neighborhoods of Al-Zaytoun, Tal Al-Hawa, Al-Sabra and Al-Daraj in Gaza City, added the sources. Meanwhile, in the northern Gazan town of Beit Hanoun, a group of people picking herbs to satisfy hunger were targetted in an Israeli artillery shelling, with three of them killed and seven others injured, according to eyewitnesses. In Rafah, in the far south, an Israeli drone bombed a civilian vehicle in the Al-Shaboura neighborhood in the centre of the city, killing two people and wounding a third. They were transferred to the Kuwaiti Hospital. Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. A Dalit locality was attacked by people from a particular community on Thursday afternoon, in which more than 13 persons were injured. (IANS Infographics). Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, March 2 : Three persons, including two students, were injured after a clash broke out between two groups here on the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), the police said on Saturday. The injured were identified as Adil Khan (24), a resident of Batla House; Zafar (25), a student of JMI, and Saqib (19), also a student. The incident happened on Friday evening. According to officials, some students and ex-students of JMI are aligned on a regional basis -- Poorvanchal, Western Uttar Pradesh and Mewat. "At times, these groups fight with each other on extremely petty issues which further gets aggravated by the involvement of those who are not students or are ex-students," a police officer said. The police said that on Friday, at around 8.25 p.m., a call regarding a quarrel on the JMI campus was received following which a police team reached the spot where only bystanders were found. "Later, information was received from AIIMS Trauma Centre and Holy Family Hospital that three persons had been injured in the incident," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (south-east) Rajesh Deo. The initial probe revealed that the trio had received injuries which were allegedly inflicted upon them by some persons -- Nabid Hassan, Sharukh Tyagi, Nomal Tyagi, Nomal Ali, Abdul Hassan, Jubair Chaudhary and Farid Chaudhary during the fight. "A case of rioting and 308 (attempt to culpable homicide) under the Indian Penal Code has been filed," said the DCP. The DCP further said that varsity administration has been directed to make sure that all efforts are taken to ensure that people from outside do not enter inside the campus and vitiate the environment. "Teams have been formed to apprehend the accused individuals," the DCP added. Chennai, March 2 : Chess masters from four countries, which include India (five players) and Russia, are yet to get their visas from Canada to play in the upcoming FIDE Candidates Tournament to be held in Toronto from April 3-22, said a senior official of the International Chess Federation or FIDE. He also said the Federation has a Plan B in place. "We hope to get a reply from the Canadian authorities within a week... Not willing to move the event, we were diligently preparing together with an outstanding LOC, but we do have plan B," said GM Emil Sutovsky, CEO, FIDE, in a post on X. On messages posted about replacement of players, Sutovsky said: "FIDE won't replace players for visa issues or postpone the event. We have a strong team and enough resources to ensure staging it elsewhere at the same dates. But we are really focused on Canada now. A lot of effort was put into making Toronto an exceptional event." However, Sutovsky did not explain what FIDE's Plan B is or the alternate venue. The three Indian players who have qualified for the FIDE Candidates open category are Grandmasters (GM) R. Praggnanandhaa, D. Gukesh and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi. The other two players, GM Koneru Humpy and Woman GM R. Vaishali, are in the women's category. On Friday, FIDE had made an appeal to the Canadian government to speed-up the visa process for the players. Interestingly, former world champion and FIDE Deputy President Viswanathan Anand will be the commentator at the Candidates Tournament. Shimla, March 2 : The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet in its meeting here on Saturday approved the excise policy for 2024-25 through auction cum tender. However, Cabinet Minister Vikramaditya Singh, who recently raised the banner of revolt against Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, was conspicuously missing from the meeting. The Chief Minister presided over the meeting that accorded sanction to engage 1,000 multi-task workers in the Animal Husbandry Department in order to support veterinary officers in the effective functioning of the department, an official statement said. The Cabinet also gave its nod to fill 30 posts out of which four posts were of senior draughtsman in the architectural wing of the Public Works Department. An approval was given to regularise the services of 46 teachers engaged under the PTA policy. It also decided to purchase ten food safety vehicles and hire the services of ten food analysts, attendants and drivers each in the Health Department. The Cabinet gave its nod to bring more areas of the Gram Panchayats of Mashobra and Beolia under the ambit of the Municipal Corporation of Shimla to provide better facilities to residents. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. The Armenian lobby is behind the calls against Azerbaijan in the European Parliament, since the European parliamentarians, whom it takes in hand in various ways, fulfill all orders with pleasure, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend. Garayev noted that the European Parliament's call for sanctions against Azerbaijan and the adoption of the resolution is another senseless step. "This document has no significance and the EU itself already realizes that these claims are unfounded. The Armenian lobby is funding the MPs. Kaspar Karapetyan, who lives in Brussels (born in Greece, a citizen of Luxembourg and Armenia) is behind this funding. Karapetyan was the organizer of visits of the members of the European Parliament to Khankendi during the years of Armenian occupation of 20% of Azerbaijan and made serious efforts to legalize the separatist regime in the EU. He was particularly active in encouraging the deputies, whom he fed for years, to vote in favor of the document," the political scientist said. According to him, agents such as Macron, Islamophobic, racist, and Turkophobic circles in the European Parliament, crusaders, and people with neocolonial views are behind these games. "Macron's efforts to rapidly arm Armenia and, in parallel, put serious pressure on Azerbaijan and push Baku to make obvious concessions are not yielding results. That is why the French authorities continue to resort to various means. Armenia is a serious milestone for Emmanuel Macron in the process of ensuring Paris' geopolitical ambitions in the entire post-Soviet space, not only in the South Caucasus," the political analyst emphasized. Mentioning that the mentioned appeals and documents have no force, Garayev noted that Azerbaijan has no obligations towards the European Parliament. "The era of absolute monopoly of the West is already coming to an end, such populism will not be useful. Paris' influence on Baku is minimal. Due to this reason, Macron seeks to pursue the most intensive and aggressive policy in the region," Garayev added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Imphal, March 2 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) will set up special polling stations in relief camps to enable voters displaced by the ethnic violence in Manipur to cast their votes in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, officials said on Saturday. Election officials said that the ECI made this decision after consultation with the Central and state governments. "As per past precedent of similar nature, internally displaced electors shall be provided with the facility to vote at special polling stations to be set up in relief camps," an ECI statement said. "An Additional Deputy Commissioner or an officer of equivalent rank or SDO (of the district in which the specified voters are staying) may be designated as Assistant Returning Officer for each district, as the case may be, exclusively for specified voters," it said. Voting in these polling stations will be conducted using separate Electronic Voting Machines for each parliamentary constituency. The Manipur government is currently operating around 320 relief camps with more than 59,000 men, women and children staying in them. At least 219 people have been killed, 1,500 injured and 60,000 displaced after the ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zomi community broke out on May 3 last year. The riots began after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Kolkata : Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, accused of sexual violence and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali village, being produced at the Bhawani Bhawan. Image Source: IANS News Kolkata, March 2 : Sheikh Shahjahan, the accused mastermind behind the attack on ED and CAPF teams at Sandeshkhali West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on January 5, finally started cooperating with the investigating officers on Saturday. A local Trinamool strongman in Sandeshkhali, Shahjahan was arrested from Minakhah in North 24 Paraganas district on Wednesday night after being on the run for 55 days. And soon after a district court remanded him to 10-day police custody on Thursday, Trinamool suspended Shahjahan from the party for six years. Sources in the state police said that while Shahjahan was quite aggressive and non-cooperation till Friday evening, he started answering the queries put forth by the interrogating officers from Saturday morning. On Friday night, Shahjahan reportedly showed reluctance to have dinner and subsequently spent a virtually sleepless night, sources said. The sources added that the prime focus of the investigating officers is to get a clear idea about Shahjahan's whereabouts during the 55 days he was absconding after the day of the attack on ED and CAPF teams on January 5. Sources said that from the statements given by Shahjhanas close associate Amit Ali, the CID has got some information about the number of times Shahjahan changed his hideout during the period he was absconding. Now, the investigating officers are trying to corroborate Ali's statements by interrogating Shahjahan. Political observers feel that Shahjahan was initially reluctant to cooperate in the probe thinking that his party Trinamool Congress will come to his rescue. However, the situation has now changed with the ruling party leaders distancing themselves from the accused mastermind of the Sandeshkhali attack on agency staff. Shillong: Former Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh arrives at CBI office in Shillong on Feb 11, 2019. He is being interrogated in connection with the Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund scams. . Image Source: IANS News Kolkata, March 2 : Although rebel Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh had tendered his resignation as the party spokesman as well as the state General Secretary, the Trinamool leadership on Saturday accepted his stepping down from the post of spokesperson only. Political observers feel that this is a tactical move by the party to send across a signal to all the party cadres to refrain from making any anti-party statement in public. "The post of state General Secretary, like many other organisational posts, is an ornamental one. However, Kunal Ghosh's role as party spokesman was important since what he said was considered the official version of the Trinamool leadership. "Now by accepting his resignation as the spokesperson, the ruling dispensation has made it clear that from now on, any comment made by Ghosh will not be viewed as the official version of the party," said a senior city-based political observer. On Friday, Ghosh had dropped his political identities from his official X handle, stating that he just wishes to continue as an 'ordinary soldier' of the party. Later, it was learnt that Ghosh has tendered his resignation from the twin posts that he used to hold. Since Friday, Ghosh has also started firing salvos at the Trinamool leader in the Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandopadhyay, calling him a "clandestine agent of the BJP". Amaravati, March 2 : In another boost to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ahead of the elections in Andhra Pradesh, former YSRCP MP from Narasaraopet, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, and Mylavaram MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad joined the party on Saturday. While the MLA joined the TDP at party President and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's residence in Hyderabad, the former MP joined the opposition party at a public meeting in Palnadu district. Devarayalu joined the TDP in the presence of Naidu at Dachepalli in Gurzala constituency of Palnadu district. The MP had quit the YSRCP in January after Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Reddy asked him to contest from the Guntur parliamentary seat. "We have only 50 days until the elections, and we need to prepare diligently. This is not merely a contest between two families or two communities. It transcends individual interests; it is about addressing the issues facing the people of Palnadu, securing their future, and advancing Palnadu's development projects," said Devarayalu. Earlier, YSRCP MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad joined the TDP in the presence of Chandrababu Naidu at the latter's residence in Hyderabad. Krishna Prasad told mediapersons that he worked hard for the YSRCP, but did not get the priority he deserved. He also alleged that the development of his constituency was neglected. Krishna Prasad claimed that several representations submitted by him to the YSRCP President and Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for funds to develop the constituency evoked no response. The MLA also said that only Naidu is capable of transforming Andhra Pradesh into a progressive state by giving equal importance to development and welfare. Krishna Prasad said he is prepared to discharge whatever role is entrusted to him by the TDP even if he is not fielded as an MLA candidate from Mylavaram or some other constituency. Son of Jai Andhra movement leader and former minister Vasantha Nageswara Rao, Krishna Prasad had announced his decision to join the TDP on February 26, after the YSRCP denied him a ticket. He had been an arch-rival of TDP leader and former minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao. Rao won from Mylavaram in 2009 and 2014, but lost to Krishna Prasad in the 2019 elections. Krishna Prasad, meanwhile, said that he has no personal differences with Rao and is ready to work with him. Bengaluru, March 2 : The Brookefield branch of Rameshwaram Cafe located on the ITPL Road in Whitefield, which was rocked by a low-intensity bomb blast on Friday, will reopen on the day of Mahashivratri on March 8, an official statement said on Saturday. Raghavendra Rao, Co-founder and CEO of Rameshwaram Cafe, said in the statement, "We have decided to reopen our Brookfield outlet within a week of the unfortunate incident, which is on the auspicious day of Mahashivratri, the 8th of March (Friday)." "We extend a warm invitation to all the authorities and customers to join us for our reopening. Let us unite in solidarity and demonstrate that together we are unyielding in our commitment to moving forward. "As we face this challenging situation, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the authorities for their support. We firmly believe that no force can dampen the spirit of our nation," Rao added. Divya Raghavendra Rao, Co-founder and Managing Director, Rameshwaram Cafe, said, "We are cooperating with the authorities in their investigations. Our thoughts are with the injured and their families, and we are offering them all the support, assistance and care they need. We pray for their speedy recovery. We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident at our Brookefield branch." The blast took place at Rameshwaram Cafe between 12.50 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday. The police after obtaining the CCTV footage of the suspected bomber after launching a manhunt for the accused in Mangaluru neighbouring Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Patna, March 2 : Social justice and dynasty are completely opposite to each other, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, adding that the people of Bihar suffered losses due to dynastic politics. The Prime Minister made the remarks at a public rally in Bihar's Begusarai. "Dynastic politics is the biggest enemy of youth and talent... True social justice comes from saturation. True social justice comes from satisfaction, not appeasement," he asserted. Prime Minister Modi also slammed RJD chief Lalu Prasad, without taking his name. "The whole of Bihar knows how railway resources were looted for the 10 years before 2014. But today, people from around the world are discussing the modernization of Indian railways. Electrification is taking place rapidly and the facilities at railway stations are getting similar to that of an airport," he said. Prime Minister Modi appreciated Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying that Bihar has a "great legacy of Bharat Ratna late Karpoori Thakur and the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government here is taking it forward in the state". The Prime Minister further said that due to the "ignorance of previous governments, fertilizer companies in Barauni, Sindri, Gorakhpur, Ramagundam and other places were closed in the past but now they are operational and making the country self-reliant in Urea production". Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi addressed a public rally in Aurangabad. Accompanied by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Prime Minister also launched 27 development projects worth Rs 21,400 crore during his visit to the state. Chennai, March 2 : AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Saturday held the DMK regime in Tamil Nadu responsible for the death of T. Suthenthiarajah alias Santhan, who was convicted for the 1991 assassination of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Santhan, who was one among the six convicts released after serving more than three decades in prison, died at the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Chennai on February 28 due to a cardiac arrest. He was released from jail in November 2022. In a statement issued on Saturday, Palaniswami claimed that Santhan, who was a Sri Lankan Tamil, could not be with his family during his last days as the DMK government did not "obtain the necessary clearances" from the Union government. He also demanded the state government to take the responsibility for the death of the released convict. The AIADMK General Secretary, who is also a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, said that at least in respect of the other three Sri Lankan Tamils who were released from prison in the same case (Murugan alias Sriharan, Robert Payas and S. Jayakumar), the External Affairs Ministry and the state government should take steps to release them from the special camp at Tiruchi where they have been lodged, and send them to the countries of their choice. It may be recalled that Sriharan's request to process his passport is pending, while two other released convicts, Robert Payas and Jeyakumar, have sought to live with their families in The Netherlands and Chennai, respectively. Chandigarh, March 2 : Haryana Energy Minister Ranjit Singh on Saturday appealed to the farmers to contribute significantly to the success of the 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan' (PM-Kusum). He said that just like the farmers adopting 67,418 solar pumps during 2023-24 has made the 'PM Kusum' a huge success, likewise they should this time also adopt the solar pumps. The target for setting up 70,000 solar pumps designated for 2024-25 has been set to contribute further to the success of the 'PM Kusum' scheme. He urged farmers to adopt more solar pumps. The Minister said while installing solar pumps fulfills the irrigation needs of farmers, it also increases their income by supplying excess energy to the grid. "A significant amount is provided by the government as subsidies for solar pumps. With the need to use natural resources like coal prudently for future generations, there is a shift towards exploring alternative sources such as renewable energy, clean energy and solar energy." The Minister added that all necessary steps are being taken to fulfill the energy needs of farmers on priority. In addition to solar pumps, demand notices are being issued in a phased manner to farmers who have applied for agriculture tubewell connections, and so far, demand notices have been issued for 27,740 out of 27,826 applications received from 2019 to 2021. Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 2 : For the first time in a long time, salaries and pension being paid by the Kerala government have got delayed, prompting a section of employees to take out a protest march in front of the state secretariat on Saturday. Normally, the salaries are credited to the employees' accounts either on the last working day of every month, or the first working day on the new month. Incidentally, the state is passing through its worst-ever financial crisis with the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government blaming the Centre for adopting a negative approach towards the state. The Kerala government has also approached the apex court and the case will now come up for another round of hearing next week. However, state Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said on Saturday that the delay (in paying salaries) has been caused by a technical glitch. "We should have received Rs 13,000 crore from the Centre last month which did not come. This has caused some problems for us. The reason given is that since we approached the apex court, the money has been withheld. Had we not approached the apex court, perhaps we would have got it," said Balagopal. Those who took to the streets to protest have warned that they will resort to a hunger strike if they do not receive their salaries by Monday. There are about half a million state government employees and an equal number of pensioners. Jaipur, March 2 : A man and his aunt died while two others were left injured after a high-tension wire fell on them in Rajasthan's Rajsamand district on Saturday. All the four persons were going to attend a wedding on Saturday when the tragic incident occurred. Ajaypal, a family member of the deceased, said the accident was reported from near the government primary school under the Gowal panchayat. The deceased have been identified as Narayan Gurjar (27) and his aunt Mehtab Bai, who were on a bike along with Narayan's sister Rekha Bai (25) and nephew Lokesh (4). All four were on the way to a wedding ceremony when the high-tension line broke and fell on them. Narayan and Mehtab Bai died on the spot. Initial investigation has not revealed any kind of negligence on the part of the electricity department. The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family members of the deceased. Narayan worked in Mumbai and had come to the village 10 days ago to attend the wedding of his cousin. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has met with OSCE Secretary-General Helga Maria Schmid within the framework of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, the social media account of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports. "The sides discussed issues on the OSCE agenda and Azerbaijan's priorities within the organization," the publication of the ministry says. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov went on a working visit to Turkiye. During the visit, the Minister is scheduled to participate in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, speak at the panel "Institutionalization in the Turkic World: Organization of Turkic States in the XXI century", as well as hold numerous bilateral meetings. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel New Delhi, March 3 : The Delhi High Court has overturned the decisions of the Bank of Baroda and Punjab National Bank declaring businessman Ratul Puri as a wilful defaulter under the Reserve Bank of India's Master Circular on Wilful Defaulters, 2015. Puri, the Chairman of Hindustan Power Projects Private Limited, was labelled a wilful defaulter due to his association with Moser Baer Solar Limited, depriving him of credit facilities for his business ventures. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav set aside the orders passed by the Bank of Baroda and Punjab National Bank's review committees, deeming them unsustainable. The court ruled in favour of Puri, saying that the identification of a wilful defaulter should consider the borrower's overall track record, not isolated incidents. The court stressed the importance of ensuring that penal actions under the Master Circular are not based solely on isolated transactions, but on a comprehensive assessment of the borrower's conduct. It noted the banks' obligation to evaluate the entire track record of Moser Baer Solar Limited before concluding whether wilful default events occurred. Justice Kaurav also noted the responsibility of the banks dealing with public funds to conduct thorough inquiries into borrowers' financial status and potential fraud. The court said that if banks discover fraud or malfeasance, they must either refuse restructuring or impose stringent conditions. Jalandhar, March 3 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday dedicated 165 Aam Aadmi Clinics to the people of Punjab, taking the total number of such clinics to 829 across the state. Interacting with the media here, Bhagwant Mann said that with this, 829 Aam Aadmi Clinics are now operational in the state to offer free healthcare services to the people. Bhagwant Mann added that equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure, these clinics are providing world-class treatment and diagnostic facilities to the people free of cost. So far, more than one crore patients from across the state have been benefited by these Aam Aadmi Clinics, he claimed. In his address, Arvind Kejriwal lauded the Punjab government for its efforts and said that this is unprecedented as Punjabis have never witnessed such revolution in the health sector. Washington, March 3 : The decks are clear now for India to take the next steps in acquiring 31 MQ-9B SkyGuardian armed drones with ammunition with the lapse on Friday of the 30-day period for Congressional review of the deal. These armed drones are meant for intelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance and for land, air and sea warfare. India has two of these drones -- MQ-9A -- company-lease-and-operation basis from the manufacturers, General Atomics. The entire package of drones with ammunition that India has sought will cost an estimated $3.99 billion. The drones will come with 161 embedded global positioning and inertial navigation systems; 35 L3 Rio Grande Communications Intelligence Sensor Suites; 170 AGM-114R Hellfire missiles; 16 M36E9 Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles; 310 GBU-39B/B Laser Small Diameter Bombs; and eight GBU-39B/B LSDB Guided Test Vehicles with live fuzes. The proposed sale of these drones were announced by US President Joe Biden during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington D.C. in June 2023. The administration notified Congress of the deal, as it must for all military exports of a certain value, on February 1, giving lawmakers 30 days to raise objections to the proposed deal, which will be deemed cleared of no there is opposition to it. "The Congressional review period will conclude at the end of the 30th calendar day after notification and the posting of the media announcement," said a US official. The announcement came on February 1. "After that it's up to the parties to conclude and sign a Letter of Offer and Acceptance." A wrinkle in the deal had emerged before the notification period when Ben Cardin, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is a key Congressional body for clearing foreign military sales, linked his support for the the deal to assurance from the Biden administration that India would cooperate in the murder-for-hire case involving the alleged to murder a Khalistani activist. He subsequently announced his support for the deal shortly after Congress was notified. General Atomics says that the SkyGuardian "is designed to fly over the horizon via satellite for up to 40-plus hours in all types of weather and safely integrate into civil airspace, enabling joint forces and civil authorities to deliver real-time situational awareness anywhere in the world--day or night". And apart from his combat capabilities, "it can be used for humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, search and rescue, law enforcement and border enforcement". Agartala, March 3 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has said that even as the date of the Lok Sabha would be announced soon, necessary work and process to execute the provisions of the tripartite agreement, signed with the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) in New Delhi would start immediately. The Chief Minister after returning here from New Delhi added on Saturday that through tripartite agreement, the history, land rights, political rights, economic development, identity, culture, language etc. of the indigenous people would be further protected and strengthened. "Though we would be busy in the Lok Sabha election campaign, the necessary work to implement the provisions of the tripartite agreement would be undertaken immediately," Saha told the media. He said that during the signing of tripartite agreement with the TMP in New Delhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that as many as 11 accords were signed with various organisations during the past 10 years to establish peace and curb violence in the northeast region and to accelerate development of the eight states. Saha, who along with former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma, Tribal Welfare (TRP and PTG) Minister and Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) leader Sukla Charan Noatia and TMP leaders were present during the signing of the tripartite agreement, said that the pact is "historic" and "it would further develop the people of the state". According to the tripartite agreement a Joint Working Group/Committee would be formed to work out and implement the mutually agreed issues and problems in a time-bound manner to ensure an honourable solution. Asked about the Modalities Committee, which was formed after the National Highway blockade agitation of the IPFT in 2017, the Chief Minister said that the proposed Joint Working Group/Committee is the upgraded committee and it would look after all the affairs and issues. In presence of the Union Home Minister and Tripura Chief Minister, the tripartite agreement was signed by TMP supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, Opposition leader (TMP) Animesh Debbarma and party President Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl, Tripura Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha and Home Ministry's Additional Secretary (NE), Piyush Goyal, signed the tripartite agreement. Political observers say that with signing of the tripartite agreement with the tribal-based party, the BJP would capitalise the Tribal votebank in the elections to two Tripura Lok Sabha seats. Tribals constitute one-third of the state's 28.57 lakh voters. Bengaluru, March 3 : Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra has said that his party does not want to topple the Congress government in the state. He made the remarks on Saturday while reacting to the statement of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that BJP was offering Rs 50 crore for Congress MLAs to destabilise his government in Karnataka. He also noted that there is huge support for the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Lok Sabha elections all over the country. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government are making preparations now to face defeat in the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka, the State BJP President said. "The 'Delhi Chalo' drama was staged and a series of statements against PM Modi were issued for the same reason to build their (Congress') narrative to face defeat in the Lok Sabha elections," Vijayendra added. He also said that the Congress-led state government is preparing itself by issuing these statements. "The people of the state have given the majority seeking good governance from the Congress party." "We do not have any intention to topple this (Congress) government. Since there is no development even after nine months since coming to power, the Congress MLAs are unhappy and regretting on not getting a single rupee fund from the Chief Minister," Vijayendra added. "One thing is clear. BJP and JD (S) are all set to ensure victory on all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state," he said. Reacting to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's statement that the BJP was offering Rs 50 crore to Congress MLAs in the state, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said: "These allegations are Siddaramaiah's 'utter lies' for one hundred times to make it as truth. Let the CM tell who gave the offer to whom and not make hit-and-run statements." Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while reacting to a query on political developments in Himachal Pradesh, said, "The BJP has never come to power getting blessings of people. They had always come to power by carrying out 'Operation Lotus' in Karnataka as well. They had not won more than 113 seats in the state Assembly elections. In 2018, they won 100 seats here. In Karnataka also they will carry out 'Operation Lotus'," Bommai alleged. "However, Congress MLAs will not fall into their (BJP's) trap. Now they (BJP) are offering Rs 50 crore to Congress MLAs in Karnataka," CM Siddaramaiah said. Premium online access is only available tosubscribers. If you have an active subscription and need to set up or change your password, please click here New to PW? To set up immediate access, click here. NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. PW site license members have access to PWs subscriber-only website content. If working at an office location and you are not "logged in", simply close and relaunch your preferred browser. For off-site access, click here. To find out more about PWs site license subscription options, please email Mike Popalardo at: mike@nextstepsmarketing.com. One summer night in the 1970s, Claire Messuds parents brought her and her older sister to visit friends who also had young children. Sent off to amuse themselves, the kids gathered in the backyard, where Messud volunteered to tell a ghost story. I was kind of making it up on the fly, she recalls over Zoom from a corner of her bedroom in Cambridge, Mass. On the wall behind her hang black-and-white portraits of her own two children, now grown up and living on their own. There was my sister, who was annoyed with me. And then there were these other two kids, and they were totally ready to listen. I remember being amazed that you could just make up junk and people would listen to it. One learns in life thats not always true, but when I was nine, it felt like a superpower, almost. Nearly a half century and seven books later, Messud has trained her superpower on a story she knew was always going to have to be writtenher own. Spanning 1940 to 2010, her latest novel, This Strange Eventful History (Norton, May), chronicles three generations of a pied-noir family displaced from their home in Algiers, first by WWII, then by the countrys brutal war of independence. Spread at various points in the ensuing decades across Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, and the U.S., the Cassarslike the Messudsbear with them both the glittering dream of a lost Algeria and the burden of knowing it was never theirs to begin with. For Messudwhose devout Catholic grandfather, like the novels patriarch, Gaston Cassar, bequeathed his two granddaughters a 1,500-page family historythe story of the Cassars is both an act of preservation and an unburdening. This is the novel I put off writing until I was ready to write it, she says. At some point, you realize, if you dont get on with it, youre going to be dead. Its now or never. The timing may also have something to do with the fact that her parents, grandparents, and never-married auntwhose real histories of nervous collapse, thwarted ambition, and physical decline are the drumbeat over which the novel improvisesare no longer alive. Messud, who teaches fiction writing at Harvard, where her husband, New Yorker book critic James Wood, is also on the faculty, admits to being stymied by a question her students always ask: How do I deal with the fact that the story is about my mom, and my mom wants to read it? You know, Eugene ONeill just didnt put on the play until mom had gone to the great hereafter, which I realize is not always a good answer. Though the family secrets she spills, especially an open one pertaining to her grandparents much-mythologized marriage, would be enough to give most writers pause, Messud views the telling of them as a form of devotion, rather than a betrayal. For me, this is a book born of love and compassion, and wanting to honor the damaged and still wonderful but seriously flawed people that these people were, she says. The self I was at 25, who might have had a lot more anger about some of this stuffI feel I dont have anger. I just have compassion, and love. Thats the spirit in which I wrote the book. I feel like its my soul on paper. This Strange Eventful History may be Messuds most personal work of fiction, but its profound empathy for people at their most damaged and damaging is the lifeblood of her oeuvre. A devotee of Edith Whartons and Henry Jamess incisive novels of manners and the modernist women writersDjuna Barnes, Elizabeth Bowen, Jean Rhys, Virginia Woolfshe discovered on her mothers bookshelves, Messud has populated her exquisitely crafted stories with the kinds of characters invariably described as difficult. After her first three books garnered good reviews and modest sales (prompting her friend Christopher Hitchens to ask, Would it kill you to write something people actually want to read?), Messud scored a breakout success with her 2006 novel The Emperors Children. The story revolves around a trio of entitled young creatives in New York City; their intellectual mentor, a crusading Vietnam-era journalist whos grown self-indulgent and pompous in middle age; and his arriviste nephew who plots to expose his hypocrisies in the months before 9/11. It was followed by The Woman Upstairs, whose protagonist, elementary school teacher Nora Eldridge, declares in the novels opening paragraphs that she wants her tombstone to read, FUCK YOU ALL, and The Burning Girl, which burrows into the fraught inner lives of two adolescent girls whose intense yet deteriorating friendship becomes its own kind of madness. In the title essay of her 2020 collection Kants Little Prussian Head and Other Reasons Why I Write, Messud describes herself as a mongrel, a hybrid, made up of many things. Born to a French Algerian father and a Canadian mother in Greenwich, Conn., and raised in Sydney, Australia, and Toronto, Canada, her sense of home was more imaginary than most peoples. Built largely of memories, it could only be preserved, in fragments, through the act of storytelling. I realized that in making up stories, as in reading stories, I could create a contained world in which an experience is shared in its entirety, she writes. I could invent characters, name them, evoke them, and around them a society, or a landscape, born of my experiences but as free as my imagination. And so, from nearly as soon as she discovered what a writer is, she gave her life over, as she puts it in the essay, to describingthat is, to attempting and failing to understand and explainsome small portion of life itself. Such dedication to the pursuit of truth through fiction is a mark of the excellent teacher of writing Messud must be. (Two other tells: the way her stylish, black-framed glasses insist on slipping to the end of her nose, necessitating continual yet unbothered adjustment, and her habit of peppering conversations with cherished literary quotations: Hope is the thing with feathers; Fail again. Fail better.) Its also another way of answering the question of why, after lacing shards of her family history throughout her previous books, the time has come to put it front and center. Noting the gulf between her grandfathers fixed sense of identity (We are Mediterranean, we are Latin, we are Catholic, we are French, he wrote in a letter to his children, to be opened in the event of his death during WWII) and her own hybrid upbringing, Messud says she became aware after the 2016 presidential election that a world I had so profoundly believed in and had kind of taken for granted was historical and didnt really exist, and indeed was held in contempt by a lot of people. Her parents, she explains, eschewed religion and national identity. It was with the faith that the world was moving forward, away from tribalisms, away from nationalisms, towards a sort of openness and hybridity and faith in a future where everyone could belong everywhere. Now, at a time when, Messud says, people speak in very serious and thoughtful ways about everything that had been wrong with that cosmopolitan worldview, that had been naive about it, that had been Eurocentric about it, she feels compelled to memorialize it. In throwing out that worldview, people should at least know it existed. The postwar timeparadoxically, that war was so awful, and yet, what came after it was a resolute hope. Like, Were going to make a better world. In all sorts of ways that were naive and shortsightedbut, I dont know, hope wasnt such a bad thing itself. To hold out hope, in spite of past failures and those certain to comethere may be no more apt description of a writers superpower. I guess I feel, at this point, that telling stories is kind of like running up the beach, from the sea, with the water in your hands, and just trying to get to the top of the beach, Messud says. Just trying to tell somebody what somethings like, even as its all slipping away. Weiner Inks Five-Book Deal with Morrow William Morrow executive editor Liz Stein has acquired world rights to five novels from bestselling author Jennifer Weiner. The deal was negotiated by Celeste Fine of Park & Fine Literary and Media. The first book, The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits, will be published in early 2025. Morrow said the novel is set in the pop music world and moves between the early aughts, when the Griffin Sisters were at the top of the charts, and the present day, when a young woman with connections the bands two sisters tries to launch her own music career and understand why the band imploded. Weiner is the author of 21 books, with more than 11 million copies in print globally in 36 languages. Flatiron Takes Lows Femonomics In a preempt, Flatiron Books publishing director Julie Will has acquired North American rights to Corinne Lows Femonomics. Low is an associate professor of business economics and public policy at Wharton. Flatiron said the book will offer a radical framework for understanding and improving the lives of women, using a data-driven approach to overcoming the structural, economic, and biological factors that force and constrain womens choices. The deal was negotiated by Jaidree Braddix and Celeste Fine at Park & Fine Literary and Media. The book is expected to be published in fall 2025. Viking Unearths Bolands Buried Treasure After an auction, Kathleen Boland, former events coordinator for Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Soft Skull Press, has sold North American rights to her debut novel, Accumulation, to Allie Merola at Viking. Viking said the book is about a woman at a financial and emotional crossroads who books a one-way ticket to join her eccentric, estranged mother in Utah, where she finds her obsessed with a hunt for $1 million in buried treasure, leading them both into the rural west. The deal was brokered by Meredith Kaffel Simonoff at the Gernert Company. A publication date has not yet been set. Morrow Finds Gortners Muse Rachel Kahan at William Morrow has acquired North American rights to international bestselling author C.W. Gortners The Saint Laurent Muse. The deal was negotiated by Jennifer Weltz at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. Weltz said the novel tells the story of LouLou de la Felaise and Yves Saint Laurent, exploring a lifelong friendship between two kindred spirits and a tumultuous time and place in fashion history. Morrow described the book as a swinging 70s saga of high fashion, intense friendships and rivalries, and champagne days and cocaine nights. Publication is set for spring 2025. Jordan and Berkley Head to Dollywood After an auction, Berkley executive editor Esi Sogah has acquired world English rights to Once upon a Time in Dollywood, the adult debut by Ashley Jordan, a Reeses Book Club LitUp fellow. Berkley said the novel follows a Black playwright from New York who returns to her late grandmothers home in Tennessee to escape the pressures of her crumbling relationship. There, she falls for her new single-dad neighbor. Sarah Younger at the Nancy Yost Literary Agency brokered the two-book deal. The novel is set for a summer 2025 publication. Amistad Signs Wongs Political Love Story In a preempt, Amistad editorial director Abby West has acquired U.S. English-language, Canadian, and non-exclusive open market rights to Barbara & Ludwig: A True American Story of Resilience and Love by Carmen Rita Wong (Why Didnt You Tell Me?). Amistad said the book tells the story of an immigrant Black journalist and a Polish Holocaust survivor who marry in 1959 and together leave their mark on nearly every political movement in modern U.S. history. The deal was negotiated by Johanna V. Castillo at Writers House. A pub date has not yet been announced. As legislation targeting libraries and librarians continues to advance in some states, Tovia Smith at NPR offers a solid report on the movement, including an effort in Georgia to force libraries to cut ties with the American Library Association. "On Thursday, a bill that would go further than any other passed the Georgia state Senate in a 33-to-20 vote and now heads to the House," Smith reports. "Republican state Sen. Larry Walker says he sponsored the legislation after discovering his library had received a $20,000 grant from the American Library Association to diversify its collection, adding books dealing with LGBTQ and BIPOC themes." Yes, you read that right: this legislator introduced a bill to stop ALA from giving money to local libraries to buy books because he doesn't like the books. Later in the report, ALA's Deborah Caldwell-Stone nicely crystallizes the threat emerging in some conservative states. "Will [libraries] become arms of the state, only communicating those messages that a political actor believes is appropriate?" she asked Smith. "It just stuns me. We are the professional membership organization for librarians. Would you do this to the American Bar Association? Would you do this to the American Medical Association?" Meanwhile, it appears that bills that would make it harder for book banners to target libraries have begun to stall in some states. Colorado Public Radio reports that a bill that would have made it harder for libraries and schools to remove books from their collections has died in committee. "As introduced, the Democratic legislation [SB24-049] would require school districts and public library districts to create a process that allows students, parents, or community members to formally object to materials, such as books, available in a school library or public library. Whether those items are removed would be decided by a committee named by either the local superintendent or a library director, using specific standards outlined in the bill." Alaska News Source reports that a local city council brought in a lawyer to brief them on the legal pitfalls of banning books. "[The] presentation focused on two separate legal questions being asked by the city officials: Whether or not a public librarian can be charged criminally for 'distributing obscene materials to minors' and whether the city could be held civilly liable for removing or limiting library materials," the report noted. In South Carolina, the Greenville Post & Courier reports that books involving trans issues are now banned from children's books sections in the Greenville County Library System. "The library system's board of trustees voted unanimously to approve the policy change Feb. 26, a little more than a week after a subcommittee recommended the change," the report notes. "Under the new rule, all materials for kids 12 and under that discuss trans issues as they relate to minors will be moved to the parenting and early-childhood section. It applies to any materials with 'illustrations, storylines or themes' discussing trans minors in any way, including social transitioning, medical transitioning, and dress or pronouns 'inconsistent with biological sex,' among other subjects. According to board Chairman Alan Hill, the policy change was prompted by a patron complaint about the book Melissa, previously called George." 'Melissa' and books like it are being restricted in the public library, too, exemplifying the slippery slope of censorship. In a release, PEN America blasted the move by Greenville county officials. "Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read program director at PEN America, said the board should reverse its decision, which she said was based on 'viewpoint discrimination' and noted that book banners have long argued that books are not banned just because they arent available in schools. 'But now, Melissa and books like it are being restricted in the public library, too, exemplifying the slippery slope of censorship as book bansoverwhelmingly those about LGBTQ+ identitiesspread from schools to public libraries. We call on the board to reverse the decision and urge them to remember that libraries are for everyone, and the First Amendment is non-negotiable,' Meehan said. Library e-book legislation is back in the news. In Connecticut, CT Insider has an opinion piece by state Reps. Matt Blumenthal and Eleni Kavros DeGraw in support of their bills designed to support equitable access to library e-books, HB 5312 and SB 148. "These bills bar libraries that receive public funds from agreeing to...onerous terms," the reps write, going on to take aim at publisher claims that these new bills are, like a previous effort in Maryland, preempted by federal copyright law. "This claim is simply mistaken: our bills dont implicate copyright law at all. Instead, they exercise a core power of state government: regulating how organizations that receive public funds may spend them. They ban libraries from agreeing to these unfair terms that waste taxpayer dollars and interfere with their mission. They impose no obligation on publishers whatsoever." Over at Book Riot, Kelly Jensen leads off her weekly censorship column with an excellent take on the recent announcement by Mackin to partner with Common Sense Media to include age-based ratings and reviews for books. "Given the rise of sites like BookLooksa Moms for Libertycreated 'review' database being rammed into schools and libraries across the country as an alternative to actual professional expertiseas well as RatedBooks, questions have come up over the legitimacy and use of Common Sense Media in schools and libraries," Jensen writes. "Unfortunately, not only is the answer that it is complicated but also this new integration from Mackin makes things even more complex, complicated, and potentially damaging in our current censorship climate." And finally this week, the Mercury News reports that Mychal Threets, the Solano County librarian who became a viral TikTok star for sharing library joy, and later became the target for online trolls, is leaving his job to focus on his mental health. "Despite an overwhelming outpouring of love and support for his hopeful and encouraging content, Threets has repeatedly faced online bullying and harassment for the videos he makes. He has repeatedly spoken candidly about how the backlash has affected his mental health while remaining kind and positive about those who have hurt him," the article states. "Threets, whose last day is March 1, says his first job working in a library was in the Solano County Library, and it gave him a chance to follow his dream. 'I went from library kid to being in charge of the library where I grew up in, Threets said. 'It has been the honor of my life.'" The Week in Libraries is a weekly opinion and news column. News, tips, submissions, questions or comments are welcome, and can be submitted via email. Previous columns can be viewed here. Dubai Taxi Company (DTC) has expanded its fleet with the acquisition of 94 new licence plates in the latest auction hosted by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), adding 445 taxis to its service in 2024. The strategic addition is expected to boost the company's market share to 46%, cementing its status as Dubai's leading transport operator. The expansion underscores the company's robust financial health and its capacity for continued growth and acquisition. The recent addition of 445 taxis in 2024, expanding DTC's fleet to 5,660 vehicles, will further enhance the company's ongoing commitment to bolstering its financial resources for both operational and strategic initiatives, a statement said. It aligns perfectly with DTCs expansion strategy within the taxi sector, underscoring its relentless pursuit of delivering world-class transport services, it added. Embracing innovation, distinctiveness, digitalization, and sustainability, the company aims to facilitate the daily mobility needs of Dubai residents seamlessly. Mansoor Rahma Al Falasi, CEO of Dubai Taxi Company, said that the addition of 94 new taxis to the DTCs fleet will drive the sustainable growth experienced across the company's operational and investment spheres to the next level. With the taxi fleet expanding from 5,216 in 2023 to 5,660 at the beginning of 2024, this addition will bolster the company's total revenues for the year. Such growth further solidifies DTC's leading financial position in the Dubai Financial Market, offering attractive returns for investors and increased shareholder value. Al Falasi emphasised that this expansion will support the company's end goals of advancing and developing the transportation sector in Dubai. It will significantly enhance Dubai Taxi's operational capabilities, ensuring the delivery of top-notch transportation services. By expanding the taxi fleet, DTC looks forward to accommodating the growing demand for daily trips, ultimately contributing to the overall enhancement of the transport infrastructure in the Emirate of Dubai. He went on to say that Dubai Taxi is experiencing substantial growth in its vehicle fleet, notably with a 100% increase in its airport taxi segment through the addition of 350 new environmentally friendly taxis. This strategic expansion is yet another testament to DTCs keenness to provide exceptional transport services that match the emirate's global stature as a premier tourist destination and its demographic growth. Additionally, this move comes in line with Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which seeks to offer sustainable and versatile transportation choices for everyone in the emirate. Dubai Taxi delivers a wide range of mobility solutions across four main business sectors, including its extensive and eco-conscious taxi fleet, VIP limousine services manned by skilled drivers for a premium travel experience, comprehensive bus services, and corporate delivery solutions. TradeArabia News Service BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. III Diplomacy Forum continues in Turkiye's Antalya, Trend reports. The second day of the event will feature discussions on topics such as "New Dynamics of Cooperation in Eurasia", "Shifting Energy Security Paradigms", "New Challenges in Countering Terrorism", "Space Diplomacy: Exploring New Opportunities", "Shore: From Security Risks to Lasting Stability", and "The Future of European Security Architecture". Besides, a high level panel session themed "Women, Peace & Security" will be held under the guidance of Turkiye's First Lady Emine Erdogan. Azerbaijan is represented at the event by delegations led by the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, and the Deputy Chairman of the Yeni Azerbaijan Party, Head of the Central Administration Tahir Budagov. Meanwhile, the forum, taking place on March 1-3 under the auspices of President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and on the initiative of Turkish Foreign Ministry, has brought together 4,600 delegates from 110 countries. Over 20 heads of state and government from more than 100 countries came to Antalya to participate in the international event themed "Bringing diplomacy to the fore in times of crisis", with more than 60 countries, including Azerbaijan, represented by foreign ministers. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The doctrine of noblesse oblige became discredited, dismissed as corrupt and elitist. Lance Morrow wrote the latter in the Wall Street Journal last Friday about Vietnam's aftermath. Morrow is generally excellent, which was why his column, Biden, Trump and American Vanity, was so disappointing. Going back to David Halberstams The Best and the Brightest (referenced by Morrow in his opinion piece), but surely before that, writers have relentlessly tried to attach bigger meaning to the political careers of the well-born, and well-educated. Paraphrasing a line from the brilliant Tina Feys movie Mean Girls, they need to stop trying to make fetch happen. Theres no there to this endlessly written about there. Whats the there? It can be found in Morrows description of Halberstams book, that it added up to an indictment of the overconfident men, products of Groton and Harvard and Yale, scions of the old WASP establishment, who presided over the American venture into Vietnam and the long debacle that followed. Non sequitur doesnt do justice to Morrows (and so many before him) attempts to tie the tragedy of Vietnam to overconfident elites. Such a view implies that attendance at exclusive schools, attendance that logically followed an elite upbringing, has long imbued those of certain blood lines with blind spots that those from the outside looking in perhaps lack? About the above characterization, its difficult to know if it describes what Morrow aims to describe. And it is because its difficult to not wonder if even Morrow buys his own connection between Groton, Harvard, and bad decisions made in government. The view here is that the two have nothing to do with each other. The reality, one no doubt well understood by Morrow, is that wars are a tragically immutable part of life. Lest we forget, it was the endless wars in Europe that helped instigate what became the United States. The separation of the U.S. from Europe by thousands of miles would free arrivals to the new world from all the warring that defined the old. Except that it didnt. Morrow observed that the old WASP elites often had terrible judgement, but we should miss their ideals of leadership and service. What an odd thing to write. If you believe as Morrow seemingly does, that WASP elites authored a foreign policy debacle that exterminated over 50,000 Americans, what could you possibly miss about the alleged ideals of leadership and service that they supposedly brought to work before ruining so many lives? Ill take Trump, Biden, or Bernie Sanders any day of the week over obnoxious conceit that has a body count. Of course, the view here is that theres no connection where Morrow is trying to make one. War is once again an awful fact of life, plus how would Vietnam have been different if a bunch of State U. grads had overseen it versus the well-born scions of old families? Missed by Morrow is that the tragedy of Vietnam was Vietnam, not who oversaw it. Sorry, but government is an ass. Always and everywhere. The above shouldn't be misconstrued as a Trump-ian line as much as its a comment that a war meant to stop the spread of communism in south Asia is a central plan (with all the warts that central planning entails) every bit as flawed as the war that Donald Trump oversaw to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Government is inept simply because its actions arent informed by the powerfully correcting market signals that inform all other aspects of life. In other words, central planning always fails. Thats why the American founders wanted the vast majority of legislation to take place in cities and states. Place fences around ineptitude. All of this is important, mainly because Morrow is trying to make Fetch happen twice. Not only is he tying the Vietnam tragedy to education and bloodlines, hes wondering if the political present of Trump and Biden can be traced in part to the countrys overlearning the negative lessons of Vietnam whereby voters too hastily discarded the old standards of distinction, and the ethics of selfless public service. They have nothing to do with each other. If we ignore that selfless anything is an expression of selfishness, the speculation here is that Americans arent disdaining an old WASP elite simply because most Americans happily dont know what Morrow is talking about, and have probably never heard of David Halberstams book. Instead, Americans loathe incompetence, which means they to a high degree loathe government. In case Morrow has forgotten, vulgarian-loving voters chose not to re-elect Trump after he foisted central planning on them much as they would have voted out vulgarian LBJ over Vietnam. Groton, Harvard and Yale had nothing do with these voting patterns, while the inevitable failure of government planning did, and does. Property details: No Reserve Auction. Beautiful 1.25 acres of land lot in Mohave County, Arizona. Lot 422, Section 29, Lake Mead City Unit Number 29-30-16. Please see the pictures of the general area and of the lot. Parcel Number 338007422. Lake Mead City, Meadview AZ 86444. A dirt road access via Forest Ave. Beautiful real estate. GENERAL INFORMATION: Buildable parcel on the Hill. One, if not the Highest point in this subdivision. Unobstructed 360-degree views. Joshua trees on the parcel. Parcel slopes westerly.... Price: $ 430 Seller State of Residence: Arizona Property Address: Forest Ave Type: Homesite, Lot Zip/Postal Code: 86444 Zoning: A-General City: Lake Mead City State/Province: Arizona Location: 864**, Meadview, Arizona You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Arizona Property details: PALMERA VACATION CLUBHilton Head Island, SC Palmera Vacation Club helps members create customized vacation experiences year after year. The vacation club gives you the opportunity to choose to return to Hilton Head Island whenever you vacation at any of these famous resort: Coral Sands Coral Reef Island Links Port O' Call Or getaway to an array of RCI Affiliated Resorts with the exchange program. There are 4,300 RCI Resorts worldwide and all these resorts are eligible to book using your Palmera ... 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ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. star Joey Graziadei has revealed how confident or doubtful he was that process was going to work for him -- and end happily -- at this stage in the competition.Joey has four remaining bachelorettes on 's 28th season: Daisy Kent Maria Georgas , and Rachel Nance When airs its next episode on Monday, February 4 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC, fans are going to watch Joey meet and get to know these women's families.Joey has been shown announcing at multiple Rose Ceremonies on that he believed his wife was in the room -- and now he's revealed if he truly meant that."As a lead going through this, you can't be 100 percent [sure] that it's going to work out," Bachelor in Paradise alum Joe Amabile told Joey on the February 29 episode of the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast."What percentage-wise do you feel like it's going to work out vs. not work out?"Joe's wife and podcast co-host, Serena Pitt , clarified, "Like 70 percent work out, 30 percent not work out."Joey replied, "At this stage right now, I think I was more -- I think you're right on the point. I think I was, at this point going into hometowns, I was probably 70/30 [work out vs. not work out] or 80/20.""Because I could see the relationships were getting there, but we haven't gotten to the point of anyone expressing that they're actually in love with me."Joey teased how those revelations aren't typically made until after hometowns on and ette."If there are real feelings there and they can see a future, those conversations come later on. And I think during [that time], what you're feeling is, 'Is it going to keep progressing?... Is it going to get there?'" Joey explained."So there's always going to be that 20 or 30 percent doubt until you know that someone feels the same way that you might feel."Joey also admitted on the podcast that he was "deathly afraid" a hometown date could damage or ruin a strong relationship he had built beforehand. For example, if a family disliked Joey or didn't see him as a good fit with a bachelorette, it could cause a couple to take steps back.But Joey recently confirmed that he's "happy" after filming, and he said on the "Off the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe " podcast that he has no regrets about any of the decisions he had made.But Joey has teased the ending of his season as "unprecedented" and a total "shocker."Joey told Kaitlyn Bristowe on her podcast earlier this year, "I was emotional! I think the big thing is I have not been a huge, avid watcher of the show. This was all very new to me, but from what I'm told, the ending is something that hasn't happened before."Joey acknowledged, "I know they say that every time, but this is actually, from what I'm told, that is the case."Many viewers believe they already know whom Joey picked at the end of his season based on his recent TikTok videos. ( Click here to find out the bachelorette in question).But Joey responded to rumors he accidentally spoiled the outcome of his season during a February 22 interview with Us Weekly."Obviously anything that comes out like that, I can't really speak on it. I know people are really trying to figure out what's going on," Joey said."Yeah, I can't speak to anything that's said because it's not really something that I'm paying attention to."'s 28th season just featured Joey eliminating Jenn Tran and Kelsey Toussant in Jasper, Canada, which determined his Final 4 bachelorettes for hometown dates. Click here to read spoilers on how the rest of Joey's season plays out, including which bachelorettes finished as his winner and runner-up.Interested in more news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group ABC / Reality TV World By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/02/2024 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. star Joey Graziadei has explained why he canceled the cocktail party but gave Maria Georgas more time before the Final 4 Rose Ceremony in Jasper.On 's latest episode , Joey decided to cancel a cocktail party Alberta, Canada that would have allowed Maria, Daisy Kent Kelsey Toussant , and Rachel Nance more time with Joey before hometown dates.Jenn, Maria, Kelsey T. and Rachel were particularly upset because they were the ones fighting for only two available roses. (Both Daisy and Kelsey A. had received roses during their one-on-one dates with star).But much to the women's dismay, Joey singled out Maria and asked her to talk in private before handing out the roses."So the cocktail party canceling was mainly because at the group-date afterparty, we had very long conversations. I felt really good," Joey explained on the February 29 episode of the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast, which is co-hosted by Bachelor in Paradise spouses Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt "I know you can't see it all, but I felt really good where I was at, and I thought I had a good idea."But Joey clarified, "The only conversation I didn't feel like I fully had closure on was Maria's conversation because it did get derailed from what I thought it was going to be."Joey admitted he struggled with whether to have a cocktail party since there was one person he felt he really needed to speak with."It's kind of hard to be like, 'I want to have a cocktail party for everyone,' even when you want more time, when I felt like I pretty much knew what I thought I needed to do," Joey explained."But I needed to talk through something with Maria to make sure that I understood where she was at. So it's definitely a difficult situation, but I don't want to have those conversations and, again, possibly give someone false hope."Joey elaborated on how he felt his conversations with the bachelorettes on the group date were sufficient enough to make up his mind about whom the roses needed to go to."I thought I had an idea of what was coming next," star confirmed. "But it was tough! I wish I maybe could've talked to everyone, but it just kind of wasn't in the cards for how that night ended up."When Joey pulled Maria aside for a chat, Rachel was shown making a snide comment about how she thought Joey didn't want to have conversations with anyone that night.But Joey was apparently feeling insecure about where Maria stood with him.Earlier in the week, Maria had threatend to quit the show."Bringing you to meet my family, knowing that you are that way with these other women, it just doesn't sit right with me. My biggest fear would be doing all of this and not ending up with you. It's gotten the best of me, and I don't know if I can do this anymore," Maria told Joey during a group date.Joey told Maria that he was "shocked" and "didn't expect" to hear this from her."My brain can understand, but honestly, my heart doesn't get it because I thought we were going somewhere. So is this it? Is your mind made up? I feel like it might be," Joey replied."I think it is," Maria responded. "I hate this."Maria then stood up and left the conversation, and Joey appeared disappointed and upset. Joey was afraid to have his feelings for Maria build and then deal with her leaving him. He said he needed a woman who was going to follow through with the journey and not give up on him, no matter what.When Maria returned to her conversation with Joey, she acknowledged how she had "a moment" and may have overreacted. Maria shared how she tended to think out loud a lot, and Joey insisted that he loved that about her."If you felt the way I felt, there would be no way you would be [quitting]. That makes me want to hold back from letting the feelings I'm truthfully feeling start to develop too," Joey shared with Maria."Whoever I choose at the end, I'm in... and you have to start believing that it can be you. I need someone who's in it fully."Maria agreed to trust the process because she could truly see a future with Joey, but Joey left the conversation feeling "conflicted." He questioned if Maria could ever really "get there" with him.Prior to the Rose Ceremony, Joey therefore asked Maria for confirmation that she truly wanted to continue dating him with confidence in her heart.Maria told Joey exactly what he needed to hear, assuring star that she'd stick it out with him and wasn't going anywhere. Maria let Joey know that she was all in and wouldn't let him down.Joey therefore handed out the two roses to Rachel and Maria."It's definitely tough to know that I wasn't enough. That's not fun," Jenn cried in her final words."I know we would've been amazing together. I know that we would've been so happy, and I'm totally going to miss him. I know what I have to offer. I know the amazing woman that I am, and I know that someone else will be more than happy to be my person. I just hope that I find someone as special as him one day."Kelsey T. also appeared crushed, but Joey explained how his strongest connections were with Daisy, Kelsey A., Maria and Rachel.Maria has made waves on season thus far. She has been accused of being a bully and gaslighting other women in the mansion, and Maria has admitted she was "no innocent" in the drama.But Joey has said in the media that Maria was "misunderstood," and he chose to focus on their strong physical and emotional connection, which ultimately resulted in Joey sending Maria's enemies -- Sydney Gordon Lea Cayanan , and Jess Edwards -- home. Click here to read spoilers on how the rest of Joey's season plays out, including which bachelorettes finished as his winner and runner-up.Interested in more news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group RECOIL, the premier firearms lifestyle publication dedicated to the modern shooting enthusiast, is excited to partner with Viktos, a leading brand in tactical gear and apparel, to offer our readers an exclusive opportunity. Together, we're giving away the Viktos Perimeter 25 Backpack, a pinnacle of tactical efficiency and design. 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Bayramov highlighted that the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan this year, creates additional opportunities for cooperation. He also briefed on the current situation in the region during the post-conflict period, the normalization and peace processes between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The meeting involved an exchange of views on other mutually interesting issues, the source added. Meanwhile, the forum, taking place on March 1-3 under the auspices of President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and on the initiative of Turkish Foreign Ministry, has brought together 4,600 delegates from 110 countries. Over 20 heads of state and government from more than 100 countries came to Antalya to participate in the international event themed "Bringing diplomacy to the fore in times of crisis", with more than 60 countries, including Azerbaijan, represented by foreign ministers. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The police on Saturday intensified its probe into the March 1 bomb blast at a Bengaluru eatery that left 10 injured, as the Karnataka government expressed confidence that those behind the incident will be nabbed at the earliest based on CCTV images but said it was not possible to specify at the moment if any outfit was involved in the incident. IMAGE: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah visits The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru on Saturday. Photograph: ANI Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said the investigation into the Friday afternoon blast at the quick-service eatery in Brookfield area in the information technology corridor in East Bengaluru has been handed over to Central Crime Branch and that no arrest has been made yet. He said that the investigation into the incident, caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), is in full swing, and that 'several teams are working on different leads obtained so far'. Earlier in the day, police sources said that four persons have been detained for questioning in connection with Friday's low-intensity bomb blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe. They were picked up from Dharwad, Hubballi and Bengaluru. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah convened a meeting of the Home department to take stock of the situation, during which he instructed senior police officers to leverage technology effectively in investigation and ensure that the 'full truth' of the incident comes out. Asking officials to take action against anti-social elements without any sympathy, he instructed them to speed up the investigation in the case and to ensure that such incidents do not recur. Earlier, he expressed confidence about nabbing the culprit involved in the blast at the cafe, as his movement had been captured by the cameras. It was still not known whether any organisation was involved in the incident. "One person wearing a mask and cap had come by bus, bought Rava Idly from the counter at the cafe and sat down at a place. Then he had set the timer and gone," he told reporters in Mysuru. All the injured persons were safe. "We will find the culprit, it will be easy as his visuals alighting from the bus, purchasing tiffin at the eatery, sitting at a place and placing a bag have all come. We will find him at the earliest," he added. Asked about some reports suggesting similarities between the 2022 Mangaluru pressure cooker blast and Friday's incident, Siddaramaiah said serious investigations are on. Later in the day, the CM visited the Rameshwaram Cafe and inspected the spot, and also met the injured, who are undergoing treatment at the hospital. Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said there seems to be a link between the blast at the Cafe, and the cooker explosion that took place in the coastal city of Mangaluru in 2022, and all angles are being looked into by the police. He said the government is committed to a fair probe. "There seems to be a link between Mangaluru incident and this incident, according to police officers...materials used (for explosions), we can see a similarity, we can see a link, timer and other things. Police officers from Mangaluru and Shivamogga too have come here," Shivakumar said. In Mangaluru, an improvised explosive device (IED) kept inside a pressure cooker accidentally went off when it was being taken in an autorickshaw in November, 2022. Probe into the blast had revealed that the IED was meant to be planted at the Kadri Manjunatha temple. Investigators had found that the Mangaluru cooker blast was 'Islamic State-sponsored' and had the involvement of a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative. Home Minister G Parameshwara said investigators have gathered certain information from CCTV footage and footage from the Bengaluru's public transport buses was also being analysed as part of the probe to nab the culprit. "Several teams have been formed to investigate. In-depth investigation is going on with seriousness, some traces have been found. Some information has been gathered from CCTV footage...there is information that he (suspect) had come by bus. So, 26 buses have been verified at Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC)," Parameshwara said. On the basis of the 'theory of elimination', more buses are being verified for footage, as BMTC buses have cameras. At this moment it is not possible to say whether any organisation or an individual was involved, the Home Minister said. There were certain theories during his visit to the cafe on Friday night, expressing suspicion that someone might have done it out of 'heartburn', unable to digest the cafe's success and expansion. "We will look into all angles. Whichever angle it might be, we will verify them and catch the culprits behind the blast," he said. According to official sources, images of the suspect's movement have been captured by the CCTV cameras at Rameshwaram cafe and those nearby. The CCTV footage shows the suspect with a bag, wearing a cap and mask, walking and looking at wristwatch. "We are positive about the leads we are getting in nabbing the culprit," an official said. Sleuths from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and National Security Guard (NSG) reached the spot to help the local police in the investigation and shared some inputs with them. Security agencies at Mumbai's Nhava Sheva port intercepted and seized the consignment of a Karachi-bound ship from China after it was found carrying a dual-use consignment with implications for Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, officials said on Saturday. Image used only for representation. Photograph: Caren Firouz/Reuters Customs officials, acting on intelligence, halted the Malta-flagged merchant ship -- CMA CGM Attila -- en route to Karachi on January 23 and, during its inspection, found that the consignment had a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, manufactured by an Italian company, known for its precision and efficiency controlled by a computer system. A Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) team examined the consignment and confirmed its potential usage in Pakistan's nuclear initiatives, notably in manufacturing crucial components for missile development, the officials said. CNC machines fall under the Wassenaar Arrangement, an international arms control regime aimed at curbing the spread of items with dual civilian and military applications, in which India is an active participant. The CNC machine was used by North Korea in its nuclear programme. Further investigations showed many discrepancies in the shipping details, indicating potential evasion tactics to conceal the true recipients. This incident follows past seizures of dual-use military-grade items being transhipped from China to Pakistan, raising concerns over illicit procurement activities. The ongoing probe aims to ascertain if the suspected Pakistani entities receiving these items are linked to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), responsible for Pakistan's defence research and development. The port officials, with specific intelligence, had alerted the Indian defence authorities who inspected the heavy cargo and reported their suspicions, after which the consignment was seized, the officials said and added that the seizure falls under the prevention of possible proliferation by Pakistan and China. According to documents such as bills of loading and other details of the consignment, the consigner was mentioned as 'Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd' and the consignee as 'Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd' of Sialkot. However, further investigation by the security agencies indicated that the consignment, weighing 22,180 kilogrammes, was shipped by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd and meant for Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan, the officials said. This is not the first instance that Indian port officials have seized such dual-use military-grade items being shipped from China to Pakistan. Cosmos Engineering, a Pakistani defence supplier, has been on a watchlist since March 12, 2022, when Indian authorities intercepted a shipment of Italian-made thermoelectric instruments, once again at the Nhava Sheva port. Despite international conventions, the interception highlights persistent cooperation between Pakistan and China in activities that contravene global agreements, raising alarms about potential proliferation activities. In February 2020, China was supplying autoclaves to Pakistan under the cover of an 'industrial dryer'. The autoclave was seized from a Chinese ship -- Dai Cui Yun -- that carried a Hong Kong flag and had left Jiangyin port on the Yangtze river in Jiangsu province of China, bound for Pakistan's Port Qasim. The seizure of the autoclave, possibly meant to be used in the missile programme of Pakistan, strengthened apprehensions that Pakistan is unabashedly indulging in illegal trade of missiles and violating the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The cooperation between China and Pakistan in acquiring sensitive items and equipment, coupled with China's support in constructing nuclear power plants for Pakistan, has drawn scrutiny from international bodies, challenging established guidelines and control regimes. The officials said China's assistance to Pakistan has come in two ways -- supplying sensitive materials or equipment of proliferation concern clandestinely and acting as a conduit in facilitating the country to procure dual-use military-grade items from overseas, especially Europe and the United States. Additionally, China has assisted Pakistan in constructing civil nuclear power plants. China has constructed four 300 MWe nuclear power plants in Chashma and two 1,000 MWe plants in Karachi, violating Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) guidelines. China has plans to construct another 1,000 MWe nuclear power plant in Chashma, they said. The recent sanctions imposed by the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) on Chinese companies involved in supplying missile-relevant items to Pakistan highlight the gravity of the situation and the necessity for heightened oversight in curbing potential proliferation activities. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he would remain with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) forever. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being greeted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during an event in Aurangabad, Bihar on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo The Janata Dal-United president's assertion came in two public functions of the prime minister, in which he was present. Speaking on the occasion of the unveiling function of various projects first in Aurangabad and then in Begusarai district by Modi, Kumar also said that he is confident that the NDA will win more than 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "You (Modi) had come to Bihar earlier as well but I disappeared (from NDA) for some time. Now I am again with you and assure you that I will remain with the NDA forever," Kumar said. Kumar dumped the Rashtriya Janata Dal-led Mahagathbandhan and returned to his old ally BJP in January. "We welcome you (the PM) in Bihar. Lots of developments are taking place in Bihar. I am confident that now things will move faster and Bihar will reach new heights of development. People of Bihar will now feel economically more empowered," Kumar said. He urged the prime minister to keep coming to the state. Deputy Chief Minister and state BJP president Samrat Chaudhary claimed that the Narendra Modi government is the first administration at the Centre which fulfilled all promises it made to the people between 2014 and 2019. "No other government at the Centre achieved this in the last 75 years. This is the guarantee of PM Modi," Chaudhary said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has exchanged opinions with Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Kairat Sarybay on environmental cooperation and holding CICA events within the upcoming COP29, a source in the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan told Trend. The exchange of opinions took place within the framework of the 3rd Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Bayramov emphasized that Azerbaijan views the CICA as a unique platform for dialogue and cooperation, based on a set of common norms and principles, the source added. Meanwhile, the decision to host 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan was officially announced in Dubai on December 11, 2023. On January 4, 2024, Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, was appointed as President of COP29. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photos from North Koreas news agency are more evidence of the evasion of UN sanctions. Two black Ford Transit vans are seen in the background during North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns visit to air force headquarters on Dec. 1, 2023. North Koreas official Korean Central News Agency released at least two photos of vans used in Kim Jong Uns motorcade that appeared to be made by Ford Motor Co., suggesting that Pyongyang has again evaded U.N. sanctions. One Feb. 29 photo of a groundbreaking ceremony shows Kim walking on a red carpet lined with soldiers at attention with the black passenger vans in the background. Another shows the four of the vans bearing the Ford logo on the front driving behind a luxury black sedan. The vehicles appear to be fourth generation Ford Transit vans that have been manufactured in North America since 2021. The photos didnt show any passengers in the vans. A 2013 U.N. sanctions resolution bans the import of luxury cars into North Korea. Another U.N. resolution in 2017 banned the import of all means of transportation. But its widely believed that luxury goods are still being smuggled into North Korea. Two black Ford Transit vans are seen in the background during North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns visit to air force headquarters on Dec. 1, 2023. (KCNA) T.R. Reid, director of corporate and public policy communications for Ford, told Radio Free Asia that Ford fully complies with sanctions against North Korea and other countries, and doesnt provide products or services in, to or through agents of the country. How these vehicles were procured for use in and brought to North Korea is unknown, he said. In January 2023, a vehicle presumed to be a Mercedes-Benz Maybach GLS 600 belonging to Kim was revealed in images from North Koreas Korean Central Television. And at the end of last year, Kim and other top North Korean officials were seen arriving at Party Central Committee headquarters in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class car. Allowing the Ford vans to be photographed was a demonstration by Kim that he can still access luxury items from all over the world, said Bruce Bennett, a senior researcher at the Rand Institute. American things like a Ford. German things, like a Mercedes, he said. Hes basically demonstrating his power and access that his people can get around all of these sanctions. Translated by Jay Park. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster. Some were publicly beaten for allegedly speaking to the media about recruitment efforts. Junta troops in western Myanmars Rakhine state have beaten and abducted 40 family members of Muslim displaced camp residents who escaped being conscripted into military training, sources said Friday. At around 1 pm on Tuesday, a group of around 80 junta troops and police arrived at the Kyauk Ta Lone camp for internally displaced persons, or IDPs, in Rakhines Kyaukphyu township and forcibly gathered 107 mostly ethnic-Rohingya Muslims between the ages of 18 and 35 at the camps food warehouse, after collecting their personal information. Junta personnel told the captives that they would be beaten to death if they refused to take part in military training and threatened to remove their families from the camp if they attempted to escape, a resident told RFA Burmese the following day. On Friday, a resident of Kyaukphyu who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, told RFA that junta troops took the 107 Muslims to the militarys Light Infantry Battalion 542 headquarters before returning to the camp hours later. After those people were taken away, subsequently, at around 4pm, more than 40 people were also abducted, said the resident. The 40 people apprehended are family members of those who escaped [the round up of the 107]. They were subjected to forceful beatings before being taken to the Kyaukphyu Township Police Station. Ko Ko Aung, who was among the 40 abducted, was severely and publicly beaten for allegedly speaking to the media about forced recruiting for military training at the Kyauk Ta Lone IDP camp, the resident added. Desperate for new recruits The military is desperate for new recruits after suffering devastating losses on the battlefield to the ethnic Arakan Army, or AA, in Rakhine. On Feb. 10, the junta enacted a conscription law that has seen draft-eligible civilians flee Myanmars cities, saying 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 reported last week that the junta had offered freedom of movement to ethnic Rohingya Muslims restricted to Kyauk Ta Lone and other IDP camps in Rakhine state as part of a bid to entice them into military service amid the nationwide rollout of the conscription law. Junta troops have said they are required to join militias to safeguard their communities. But rights campaigners say the junta is drafting Rohingya into military service to stoke ethnic tensions in Rakhine, while legal experts say the drive is unlawful, given that Myanmar has refused to recognize the Rohingya as one of the countrys ethnic groups and denied them citizenship for decades. Some 1 million Rohingya refugees have been living in Bangladesh since 2017, when they were driven out of Myanmar by a military clearance operation. Another 630,000 living within Myanmar are designated stateless by the United Nations, including those who languish in camps and are restricted from moving freely in Rakhine state. Committing a war crime Kyauk Ta Lone is located 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) from the seat of Kyaukphyu township and is home to more than 1,000 people from 375 families. Residents said that more than 30 young Muslims from Kyauk Ta Lone sought refuge in areas controlled by the AA because they did not want to serve in the army. Nay San Lwin, a Rohingya activist, asserted that compelling an individual to serve in the military constitutes a war crime. "They are forced to take training against their will and then use it on the front line, he said. This is a huge violation of human rights, and the equivalent of committing a war crime." Attempts by RFA to contact Rakhine State Attorney General Hla Thein, the juntas spokesman in the region, for comment on reports of forced recruiting at the Kyauk Ta Lone IDP camp went unanswered Friday. The Ministry of Information, affiliated with the military junta, has refuted claims that 107 Muslims were rounded up for military training at Kyauk Ta Lone, labeling it false information. Translated by Kalyar Lwin. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. Detention comes as Vietnamese government vies for re-election on UN Human Rights Council. Vietnamese journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, seen in an undated photo, was arrested Feb. 29, 2024 after publishing articles suggesting the government would 'collapse.' Authorities in Hanoi have detained a journalist and long-time critic of the Vietnamese government, a relative told RFA Vietnamese on Friday, in the latest sign of the squelching of dissent in the communist-ruled nation. Police took Nguyen Vu Binh, 55, into custody on Thursday. He was then briefly brought home to pack some clothes and his house searched on the basis of a warrant, the relative said. His family was informed that he was being arrested but not provided any documents, before Binh departed with the police. The reason for his arrest was not immediately clear. The police brought Nguyen Vu Binh home, read out the search warrant, a list of confiscated items and other documents, and took him away, said the relative, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. However, he was not handcuffed. Binh worked for 10 years as a reporter with the official Tap Chi Cong San, or Communist Review, before becoming a prominent activist in Hanoi. In December 2003, the Hanoi Peoples Court sentenced him to seven years in jail for espionage, accusing him of collecting and composing documents distorting the democratic and human rights situation in Vietnam and sending them to reactionary organizations overseas. He was released in early 2007 as part of an amnesty order, after which he continued to participate in peaceful activities promoting human rights. Binh has been a regular contributor of blogs published on the RFA Vietnamese web site. Running for re-election Nguyen Van Dai, a Germany-based human rights lawyer, told RFA that on Wednesday Binh had received a summons from the Hanoi Security Investigation Agency ordering him to attend a meeting on Thursday regarding his participation in video livestreams on the YouTube channel TNT Media Live, owned by San Jose, CA-based radio station Tieng Nuoc Toi, or My Countrys Language. But Dai said that Binh had stopped participating in those programs in June 2022. Vietnam is ruled by a communist government that is intolerant of dissent. It is currently running for re-election as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Vietnam sits 178th out of 180 nations on the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index. The Paris-backed watchdog says Vietnam is the worlds third largest jailer of journalists. New York-based Human Rights Watch presented Binh with the Hellman-Hammett Award twice, in 2002 and 2007, for writers around the world who have been victims of political persecution and are in financial need. He is also an honorary member of the International PEN organization. Three bloggers who contributed to RFA Vietnamese are currently serving prison terms in Vietnam: Truong Duy Nhat, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, and Nguyen Lan Thang. Translated by Anna Vu. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Mat Pennington. Peach, Pho and Piano, released at the start of Tet holiday, spurs ticket sales as the distributor adds showings. Moviegoers in Hanoi line up to buy tickets to the film Dao, Pho and Piano in this undated photo. A state-funded film about a 1947 battle between French troops and Vietnamese resistance forces has attracted a surprising level of interest from theatergoers who have lined up to watch the movie and requested a wider distribution. Dao, Pho va Piano or Peach, Pho and Piano in English (with pho referring to the famous Vietnamese noodles) was released on Feb. 10, the first day of Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year holiday. Vietnams government often uses the state budget to fund films about historical topics for propaganda purposes. But those movies often fail to attract viewers and are usually pulled from theaters after a short run. They sometimes later air on state television. Despite little advertising, word got out on social media that the film was worth watching. Last week, ticket requests crashed the website of Hanois National Cinema Center and long lines were seen outside a Ho Chi Minh City theater. Battle of Hanoi The movie is set during the final days of the Battle of Hanoi, the first battle of the First Indochina War fought between the French and the Viet Minh, an independence-seeking coalition led by Vietnamese Communists. A key scene in the movie shows a barricade in Hanois ancient quarter where Vietnamese militiamen use lunge mines a type of suicide bomb used against tanks to resist an attack by French forces. The self-sacrifice allowed Viet Minh units to withdraw from the city to a region north of Hanoi, where they regrouped and later defeated the French. A scene in the film Dao, Pho and Piano. (Thanhuytphcm) The films director, Phi Tien Son, noted that Vietnam has produced a dearth of good historical films over the years. The countrys cinema industry still owes the audience a lot regarding films about historical topics, he told Vietnam Television. I hope my colleagues will gradually pay that debt in the coming time. Hanoi resident Nguyen Hoang Anh said the movie does a nice job of depicting the elegant, tragic and romantic characteristics of living in Hanoi in the 1940s. But there are unrealistic battle scenes, some over-the-top theatrical dialogue and many illogical details, she told Radio Free Asia. The filmmakers should have made it clear that the story was a fictional reenactment of an historical event, she said. What worried me is that the film made viewers wrongly think that the French planned to kill all residents and whoever stayed back [in Hanoi] would die, she said. My family both my mothers and fathers sides lived through that time in Hanoi, she said. In fact, there were options for those who decided to stay or leave. Wider screenings The government spent 20 billion dong (US$812,000) to make the film, but didnt allocate much funding for advertising or distribution, according to the state-affiliated VietNamNet, one of the countrys largest news portals. In response to demand, the few theaters showing the movie have increased the number of screenings from three times per day to 15 daily, according to state media. As of Feb. 20, it has generated a revenue of more than 1 billion dong (US$40,600) a surprising amount for a government-funded historical film. Last week, distribution company BETA Media agreed to show the movie in theaters nationwide, the head of Vietnams Cinema Department, Vi Kien Thanh, told VietNamNet. Translated by Anna Vu. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. The Azerbaijani National Archive Department's Head Asgar Rasulov has been awarded the Order For Merit to the Motherland of the II degree for productive activity in the archival affairs in Azerbaijan, Trend reports. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a corresponding decree in this regard. 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. Hundreds gathered outside the Russian Embassy in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, to light candles at a makeshift memorial for Aleksei Navalny on the evening of March 1 following his funeral in Moscow earlier the same day. The impromptu shrine at the site displayed photos of Navalny and slogans celebrating the deceased Russian opposition leader. While there is still influential pro-Kremlin sentiment in Serbian society, the Balkan country has also become a refuge for Russian emigres after Moscow's unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has discussed the country's cooperation with Luxembourg during meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade & Minister for Cooperation of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, a source in the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan told Trend. The meeting lauded the recent resurgence of contacts between the two countries, emphasizing the importance of political dialogue between the two nations. "The need to enhance mutual efforts, political dialogue, and reciprocal visits to further develop relations between Azerbaijan and Luxembourg was underscored. Bayramov informed his counterpart in details about Armenia`s aggression against Azerbaijan, the nearly 30-year-long occupation, the current situation and prospects of the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the current situation in the region," the source said. "The meeting also discussed other issues of mutual interest," added the source. Antalya Diplomacy Forum, taking place on March 1-3 under the auspices of President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and on the initiative of Turkish Foreign Ministry, has brought together 4,600 delegates from 110 countries. Over 20 heads of state and government from more than 100 countries came to Antalya to participate in the international event themed "Bringing diplomacy to the fore in times of crisis", with more than 60 countries, including Azerbaijan, represented by foreign ministers. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein have explored possible areas of cooperation within the upcoming 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, a source in the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan told Trend. The meeting also discussed issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries, as well as the current regional situation. "Bayramov noted that intensive mutual contacts and visits between Azerbaijan and Iraq contribute to the successful development of relations in various directions, including political, economic, trade, energy security, investments, cultural, and others. It was emphasized that the relations between Azerbaijan and Iraq, based on historical friendship and solidarity, manifest in mutual support demonstrated within bilateral, including regional and international platforms. The Azerbaijani minister provided detailed information to his Iraqi counterpart about the preparations for COP29, which Azerbaijan will host this year, and confidence was expressed that the Iraqi side would actively participate in the process. Bayramov also briefed on the current situation in the region during the post-conflict period, the reconstruction and construction activities taking place in the liberated territories, including the current state of the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Hussein noted that Iraq is interested in further developing relations with Azerbaijan and highlighted the need to utilize the existing potential to expand cooperation in this direction. The meeting also included an exchange of opinions on other mutually interesting issues," added the source. Meanwhile, the decision to host COP29 in Azerbaijan was officially announced in Dubai on December 11, 2023. On January 4, 2024, Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, was appointed as President of COP29. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel POR movie OTT Platform Release Date Update News POR movie is a Tamil language action film POR Movie OTT Platform Release Date Update News: "POR" movie, which has been released on March 1, 2024, is a Tamil language action film with actors like Sanchana Natarajan, TJ Bhanu, while it is directed by Bejoy Nambiar. "POR" movie explores the ups and downs of friendship against the backdrop of a college festival. It follows two friends who get their paths diverge, leading them to a fierce competition between them. Advertisement As their friendship transforms into rivalry, the movie delves into themes like loyalty, ambition, and the challenges of maintaining relationships when goals conflict. With its relatable storyline and characters, this film offers a glimpse into the complexities of friendships. "POR" movie OTT Platform Release Date Update News: You can watch the fim on Netflix. Billionaire Elon Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman alleging that the organization is developing AI for profitability instead of the company's foundational mission of utilizing it for the benefit of humankind. The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco, opens with Musk's warning statement that artificial general intelligence or AGI, a theoretical form of AI which can perform tasks at or above human level, poses "a grave threat to humanity". "OpenAI Inc has been transformed into a closed-source, de facto subsidiary of the largest company in the world: Microsoft. Under its new board, it is not just developing but is actually refining an AGI to maximize profits for Microsoft, rather than for the benefit of humanity," the lawsuit alleges. The Tesla CEO states his fears in the lawsuit that AGI could evade human control and endanger the whole planet. He added that such technology at the hands of for-profit companies poses a 'particularly acute and noxious danger to humanity'. The lawsuit said that Altman supported Musk's concerns over AGI earlier, and in 2015 they together with Greg Brockman agreed to create a non-profit AI lab, known as OpenAI. They agreed that the lab would be 'for the benefit of humanity' and would be open source. However, OpenAI partnered with Microsoft (MSFT) after Musk left the company in 2018. Now, Microsoft is considered as the biggest contributor of the ChatGPT maker with billions of investments. Musk stated in the lawsuit that Altman and Brockman had betrayed the founding agreement by launching GPT-4, which is more powerful than ChatGPT, and keeping its design as a secret. "This secrecy is primarily driven by commercial considerations, not safety," the lawsuit states. The lawsuit also claims that OpenAI is working on a new model known as Q*, which would be AGI-induced. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. On March 2, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov has met with Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Popshoy as part of participation in the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan told Trend. It is noted that satisfaction was expressed at the meeting with the development of friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Moldova. The importance of continuing successful cooperation between the two countries at multilateral platforms (UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, OSCE, GUAM) and mutual support within international organizations was emphasized. It was said that bilateral relations in such areas as investment, trade, energy, transport have broad potential; in this regard, it is important to pay special attention to the activities of the Azerbaijani-Moldovan joint intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation. The importance of high-level visits was also emphasized. The Moldovan side was informed about the current situation and prospects for the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the current situation in the region and recent events. Other regional issues of mutual interest were also discussed during the meeting. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. Since January 2021, Azerbaijan has taken concrete steps to normalize interstate relations with Armenia, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said to Azerbaijani and Turkish journalists at the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya, Trend reports. The minister noted that Azerbaijan presented five well-known basic principles in 2022, and these principles were accepted by Armenia. "At the same time, it was positively assessed by the international community. The draft document prepared by Azerbaijan and the discussions of which have been ongoing for more than a year is based on these principles and formed on the basis of the norms and principles of international law. We expect that this issue will be resolved in accordance with the law, that the parties will recognize each other's territorial integrity, that a peace treaty will be agreed upon and that the parties will accept it. This peace must be established on such terms as to be durable and not raise any open questions in the future," Bayramov said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. Azerbaijani NGOs have addressed an open letter to the heads of the German Council on Foreign Relations and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Trend reports. We, representatives of Azerbaijans civil society, are appealing to the Director of the German Council on Foreign Relations, Mr. Guntram Wolff, and the Chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Mr. Norbert Lammert, urging the organizations they are leading to cancel the biased and pro-Armenian propaganda event called Cultural heritage of Arsakh due to be held in Berlin on March 6 this year. As persons closely involved in diplomacy, you should know perfectly well that Armenia and its puppet separatist regime, which existed for nearly 30 years, occupied the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan for a long time, destroyed the material and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people, wiped the cities and villages off the face of the earth, turning them into cemeteries. Dozens of mosques were blown up by Armenia, and many of them were desecrated by keeping cattle in them. The German Council on Foreign Relations and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation did not bother to organize expert discussions against this occupation and ethnic cleansing or publish a report on the destruction of the material and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people. This silence in relation to the destruction of mosques in Karabakh and the keeping of pigs in them is an example of Islamophobia. As a result of the 44-day war in 2020 and the anti-terror measures in September 2023, the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan have been fully ensured. Today, the state of Azerbaijan is engaged in large-scale construction and restoration work, clearing the territory of more than 1.5 million mines and unexploded ordnance Armenia left behind in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur. The organizations you lead turned a blind eye to this too. Our question to you is this: what is your purpose in organizing a lop-sided and biased discussion on Cultural heritage of Arsakh, if it is based on lies, fraud and hypocrisy? The organization of such an event hot on the heels of a meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Berlin is part of the steps aimed at increasing ethnic hatred and undermining peace talks. The German Council on Foreign Relations openly states on its official website that it is funded by George Soros' Open Society Institute. This is not supposed to promote Islamophobia, prevent a normalization in Azerbaijan-Armenian relations and cover up the crimes committed against the people of Azerbaijan. We would like to believe that your intervention will help resolve this issue and the institutions you lead will cancel the Islamophobic event on Cultural heritage of Arsakh, the letter states. We urge you to investigate facts about the destruction of the material and moral heritage of the Azerbaijani people in Karabakh and on the territory of Armenia and organize discussions with the participation of all parties. Signatories: Fuad Mammadov, Chairman of the Simurg Azerbaijan Cultural Association Ramil Iskandarli, Chairman of the Legal Analysis and Research Public Union Bayimkhanim Verdiyeva, Chairperson of the Khan Shushinski Foundation Fariz Khalili, Chairman of the MIRAS Public Union for the Study of Cultural Heritage Zaur Mammadov, Chairman of the Baku Club of Political Scientists Shahla Naghiyeva, Chairperson of the Sonmez Mashal Cultural Relations Public Union Umud Mirzayev, President of the International Eurasian Press Foundation Konul Behbudova, Chairperson of the Karabakh Missing Families Public Union Rey Gasimov, Chairman of the Association of Landmine Victims in Azerbaijan Public Union Gunel Safarova, Chairperson of the Vatandash Research and Development Public Union Hafiz Safikhanov, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Campaign Against Landmines Public Union Khatira Valiyeva, Chairperson of the Khankendi Public Union for the Support of Forced Migrants Zaur Ibrahimli, Chairman of the Prioritet Social Economic Research Center Public Union Vugar Gadirov, Chairman of the Youth Organization for Return and Revival Public Union Khalid Kazimov, Chairman of the Regional Human Rights and Media Center Public Union Samad Vakilov, Chairman of the Attorney Law Center Public Union Ahmad Abbasbayli, Chairman of the Center for Development of Society Public Union Agil Jamal, Chairman of the Common Values Public Union Irada Rzazada, Chairperson of the Public Union For Social Well-being of Citizens Etibar Mammadov, Chairman of the Promotion of Culture and National Traditions Public Union BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. The delegation led by the Chairman of the Board of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Rovshan Rustamov went on a visit to Georgia, Trend reports. The visit aims to get acquainted with the construction, restoration and reconstruction work carried out on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line. Besides, the head of the Azerbaijani delegation will meet with the heads of the railway authorities of Georgia and Turkiye. The meeting will focus on completion of the BTK project, increasing cargo transportation volumes, and others. Meanwhile, BTK is a vital connection in the Middle Corridor, one of Asia's and Europe's commerce routes, and enables continuous railroad communication between China and Europe. The 850-kilometer-long Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad was inaugurated in 2017. The increased relevance of BTK in the regional transportation network is due to the rapid delivery of products from Asia to Europe via Azerbaijan. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel EDGNEX Data Centres by DAMAC, a leading provider of digital infrastructure, has set up a joint venture with Vodafone to build a cutting-edge data centre in Izmir, Turkey, investing $100 million. Scheduled for completion in 2025 with a capacity of 6 megawatts, the new data centre reflects Vodafones vision to pioneer Turkeys digital transformation and underscores the companys commitment to investing in both the sector and the countrys future. Aqil Ali, the Vice Chairman and Board Member of EDGNEX Data Centres by DAMAC, and Engin Aksoy, the CEO of Vodafone Turkey, attended the press conference in Istanbul for the Vodafone Izmir Data Centre project. Growing market Ali stated: "Our joint venture with Vodafone is a significant milestone for DAMAC, providing essential digital infrastructure for the growing market on Turkey's western coast. The Eastern Mediterranean region has a high demand for data centres, making Izmir, one of the largest and oldest cities in Turkey, an ideal location to meet this need. Our goal is to build global strategic partnerships that will have a major effect on local digital economies, and the collaboration with Vodafone will result in a top-notch facility in a constantly evolving market. Aksoy remarked: Vodafone holds a significant position in the investment landscape of our country. Our role in the Turkish economy is important as a key player. The real value of our investments over the span of 17 years has exceeded TL157.6 billion ($5.1 billion). The Vodafone ecosystem made a significant contribution of TL68 billion to Turkey's GDP during the fiscal year of 2022-23. Growing exponentially Over the next five years, our plan is to grow exponentially with investments in Data Centre, Cloud Solutions, Cyber Security, Mobile Private Network, and IoT. The cloud computing market is projected to hit $947.3 billion by 2026. We believe that Turkey should take part in this rising economy. It remains crucial to invest in reliable and high-capacity data centres for cloud computing. He added: Taking this into consideration, we collaborated with DAMAC to build a new data centre in Turkey, and established a joint venture. Our goal through this strategic partnership is to develop data centre facilities in both Turkey and international markets. The data centre we are set to build in Izmir will be our primary joint project. We expect the total investment amount to reach $100 million. The data centre will be a major milestone in our technology investments. Vodafone will continue to leverage its global experience and local capabilities to contribute to the sustainable growth of our country. Designed to meet Tier 3 standards The data centre will incorporate the latest technology and meet Tier 3 standards. The data centre industry recognises Tier 3 data centres as those equipped with state-of-the-art features, guaranteeing 99.982% uptime, full redundancy, and fault tolerance. It has been designed to meet the earthquake resistance standards, and the Tier 3 standards, equipped with redundant infrastructure capacity, including a reliable cooling system, computing systems, and a technology centre that can be maintained while operating. The data centre will have a green energy component and will be powered substantially by green energy sources. Strategic position Izmir is situated in proximity to numerous submarine cable transit hubs, offering connectivity to Europe, Africa, and Asia. By its strategic position, the ongoing development of submarine cables in this region is highly appealing to internet exchange points and content delivery network (CDN) providers. The submarine cable system is set to establish a connection between Turkey and Greece, bridging the cities of Izmir, Athens, and Crete. This will provide data centre customers access with low latency through redundant connection routes. One-stop shop The new data centre will offer end-to-end services to customers through ecosystem. The data centre, planned a carrier-independent facility, will be the top choice for customers of all segments. The new data centre will serve as a one-stop shop for the region, connecting to Europe through both terrestrial and submarine cables. It will serve specifically to content creators, wholesale service providers, and businesses in need of disaster recovery center services. This will be a key factor in customers' decision to choose the center. The new development will be a vital hub for both OTT and hyperscaler segment. This segment will have the option to access data centr services via an alternative geographical route.--TradeArabia News Service BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov will take part in the seventh summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Algeria, Trend reports, referring to the Energy Ministry of Azerbaijan. "The Energy Minister left for Algeria to participate in the seventh summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum," the ministry reported. This meeting will include discussions on the latest trends in the global gas market and discussions on the role and development of gas resources. "The minister will also hold several bilateral meetings," the information noted. To note, the GECF has been operating for more than 20 years and is a reputable organization among gas-producing countries. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel India has finalized five significant defense acquisition contracts totaling Rs 39,125 crore, which include the purchase of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, radars, weapon systems, and aero-engines for MiG-29 jets. These procurements aim to enhance the combat capabilities of the armed forces and come amidst ongoing tensions with China along the eastern Ladakh border. These large-scale procurement projects will be carried out in accordance with the government's policy to enhance domestic defense manufacturing. The contracts for acquiring platforms and weapon systems were signed in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, whose guidance facilitated the fruition of these deals, according to an official statement. "These deals will further strengthen indigenous capabilities, save foreign exchange and reduce dependency on foreign origin equipment manufactures in future", it said. Two distinct agreements were established for the acquisition of BrahMos missiles. The initial deal involves procuring BrahMos missiles from BrahMos Aerospace Private Ltd (BAPL) for a sum of Rs 19,518.65 crore. "These missiles would be utilized to meet combat outfit and training requirements of the Indian Navy," the defence ministry said. The second contract is for procurement of the ship-borne BrahMos system from the BAPL at a cost of Rs 988 crore. These missiles are slated to serve as the Indian Navy's principal armament for maritime strike missions, with plans for their installation on numerous frontline warships. Additionally, a contract was inked with state-owned aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the procurement of RD-33 Aero Engines for MiG-29 aircraft at a project cost of Rs 5,249.72 crore. The ministry said the aero engines will be produced by the Koraput Division of the HAL. "These aero engines are expected to fulfill the need of Indian Air Force (IAF) to sustain the operational capability of the MiG-29 fleet for the residual service life," it said. "The aero-engines will be manufactured under a transfer of technology license from the Russian original equipment maker. The programme will focus on indigenization of several high-value critical components, which would help increase the indigenous content of future repair and overhaul tasks of RD-33 aero-engines", it said. The ministry also inked a deal with Larsen and Toubro Ltd for procurement of a batch of close-in weapon systems (CIWS). "The contract for procurement of CIWS has been signed with Larsen & Toubro Limited at a cost of Rs 7,668.82 crore," the ministry said. A contract has been finalized with Larsen and Toubro Limited for the procurement of a high-power radar system valued at Rs 5,700 crore. This system is intended to replace the Indian Air Force's current long-range radars with a modern active aperture phased array-based High Power Radar (HPR) equipped with advanced surveillance capabilities. Larsen & Toubro said the CIWS is planned for deployment at various locations across India to protect vital assets from all types of low-flying, low signature aerial threats including unmanned aerial vehicles. "Winning these complex high-tech projects competitively after an extensive trial evaluation is a testimony to our capabilities in design, development, precision engineering and manufacturing of advanced platforms and systems for the Indian armed forces," said Arun Ramchandani, executive vice president and head of defence business at L&T. The signing of the two contracts for procuring BrahMos missiles occurred shortly after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave its clearance. The CCS granted approval for acquiring more than 200 BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles along with related equipment. BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between India and Russia, manufactures these supersonic cruise missiles capable of deployment from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. While car thefts are down significantly on Staten Island compared to this time last year, they remain an issue. NYPD CompStat data shows that three vehicles were reported stolen from different communities within hours of each other on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 24. Heres a look at those incidents: GRYMES HILL A vehicle was reported stolen from Cedarcliff Road at approximately 9 a.m. on Feb. 24. However, a police spokesperson had no detailed information on this incident. ANNADALE A woman reported to police that on Friday, Feb. 23, she parked her 2021 Mercedes SUV in the vicinity of Jefferson Boulevard and Stafford Avenue. When she returned around 9 a.m. on Feb. 24, she discovered her vehicle was no longer there. There are no arrests, and the investigation remains ongoing, a police spokesperson said. TOTTENVILLE A woman told police that on Friday, Feb. 23, she parked her 2019 Jeep SUV in the vicinity of Amboy Road and Brehaut Avenue. When she returned around 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 24, she discovered her vehicle was no longer there. There are no arrests, and the investigation remains ongoing, a police spokesperson said. A fourth vehicle was reported stolen the day prior, on Feb. 23 at around 8 a.m. on Miles Avenue and Daleham Street, in Great Kills. DOWN FROM 2023 Overall, car thefts are down 44% on Staten Island, with 34 reported through Feb. 25, compared to 61 during the same time the year prior. Local authorities believe many of the car thieves operating on the Island are originating from and escaping to New Jersey with stolen vehicles that are used for parts or shipped overseas. Assistant Chief Joseph Gulotta, the NYPD borough commander, told the Advance/SILive.com several months ago that the NYPD has made it a mission to get in contact with New Jersey officials and establish a system to exchange intelligence. If New Jersey has a stolen car, or if people come here stealing cars, or doing burglaries over there, they input that information into our systems, Gulotta said. If that vehicle pops here in Staten Island or anywhere in the city, were moving. Were making phone calls to the other boroughs. In Staten Island, if that car comes over, instantly were getting on the radio; were closing off the bridges, were putting mitigation points in places with our Community Response Team in coordination with (the Highway Unit). STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. NYPD officers allege they found a gun in a car that a 52-year-old man from New Jersey parked illegally in Stapleton. Members of the Staten Island Community Response Team were praised on social media for their efforts that led to the seizure. The episode began when Brian Rogers of Indian Lane in Burlington made the mistake of parking his black, 2016 Ford Expedition at a fire hydrant at Canal and Bay streets on Feb. 22, according to the criminal complaint and police. The excessively-tinted windows on the SUV also attracted the attention of law enforcement, who found Rogers sitting behind the wheel and alone in the car at about 3:35 p.m., police said. A computer check revealed that Rogers drivers license was suspended or revoked, the complaint alleges. About a half hour later, the Ford was searched in the vicinity of the 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George. Officers allege they found a black gun on the floor of the SUV. The 9 mm, SCCY CPX-1 pistol was loaded with one bullet in the chamber and seven rounds in the magazine, the complaint alleges. Police conducted a computer check and determined the defendant did not have a license to possess a pistol or revolver and was not a dealer in rifles or shotguns in New York City, according to the complaint. Rogers has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and possession of ammunition. He is free on an undisclosed amount of bail and is due to appear on March 12 in state Supreme Court, St. George, according to public records. An attorney for the defendant did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The defendant was convicted in February 1993 of robbery in the first degree, according to the criminal complaint. A photo of the gun, bullets and magazine was posted by NYPD Staten Island on X, formerly known as Twitter. A father is accused of drugging his daughters three 12-year-old friends with benzodiazepine-laced mango smoothies during a sleepover at his Lake Oswego home in Oregon during the summer of 2023, according to a report in The Oregonian. Benzodiazepine is a depressant that produces sedation and hypnosis, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The most common benzodiazepines are prescription drugs such as Valium, Xanax, Halcion, Ativan and Klonopin. Michael Meyden, 57, turned himself in to the Clackamas County Jail in Oregon Tuesday. In facing multiple felony and misdemeanor allegations, Meyden pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Wednesday, according to The Oregonian report. Meydens bail was reportedly set at $50,000. According to the Oregonian, Meyden faces a multitude of charges, among them causing another person to ingest a controlled substance and application of a controlled substance to the body of another person. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Preservation of Staten Islands green spaces and New Yorks tobacco control policy are just two of the matters up for discussion during public Community Board meetings planned for this week. Heres a breakdown of whats planned in two of the Islands three Community Board districts. Community Board 2 has no meetings planned. Community Board 1 There will be three presentations during a virtual Land Use Public Hearing on Tuesday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. The presentations will focus on the following: Harborlights Court - An authorization is sought to facilitate development of four new detached single-family homes at 20, 25, 35 and 40 Harborlights Court, Grymes Hill. 301 Howard Ave. - An authorization is sought to modify steep slopes to facilitate a site alteration, enlargement and development at 301 Howard Ave., Grymes HIll, in the Special Hillsides Preservation District. Protectors of Pine Oak Woods will present slides to inform and ask for endorsement and support on its goal to preserve green spaces. At issue are properties lying close together along the Serpentine Ridge, between Van Duzer and Howard Avenue. To join the meeting, visit the Zoom website. The ID is 275 566 6837. The passcode is E3sv3p. Community Board 3 There will be a virtual public hearing hosted by the Health and Human Services Committee at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, via Zoom. During the meeting, representatives of NYC Smoke-Free will speak about its mission to protect the health of New Yorkers through tobacco control policy, advocacy and education. On Wednesday, March 6, at 7 p.m., there will be a virtual meeting of the Traffic & Transportation Committee Meeting. There is no set agenda. Those interested in attending a meeting must register by 9 a.m. on the day of the meeting. To do so, visit the Community Board 3 website or use this link for the Google document. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC All Community Board meetings and meetings of their committees are open to the public. They provide an excellent opportunity for residents to learn about happenings in their neighborhood and surrounding areas. Below is more information about the Islands three Community Boards: COMMUNITY BOARD 1 Arlington Castleton Corners Clifton Concord Elm Park Fort Wadsworth Graniteville Grymes Hill Livingston Mariners Harbor New Brighton Port Richmond Randall Manor Rosebank St. George Shore Acres Silver Lake Stapleton Sunnyside Tompkinsville West Brighton Westerleigh. The board chairman is Nicholas Siclari. The district manager is Joan Cusack. The telephone number is 718-981-6900. COMMUNITY BOARD 2 Arrochar Bloomfield Bulls Head Chelsea Dongan Hills Egbertville Emerson Hill Grant City Grasmere High Rock Lighthouse Hill Midland Beach New Dorp New Springville Oakwood Ocean Breeze Old Town Richmond South Beach Todt Hill Travis. The phone number is 718-568-3581. The fax number is 718-568-3595. The chairman is Fred Guinta. The district manager is Debra A. Derrico. COMMUNITY BOARD 3 Annadale Arden Heights Bay Terrace Charleston Eltingville Great Kills Greenridge Huguenot New Dorp Oakwood Pleasant Plains Princes Bay Richmond Valley Richmond Rossville Tottenville Woodrow. The office phone number is 718-356-7900. The board chairman is Frank Morano; the district manager is Charlene Wagner. New Yorks Democratic lawmakers didnt get everything that they wanted out of this years redistricting mess, but they did achieve their underlying goal: Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature, and not an independent commission, controlled how the boundary lines for the states congressional districts were drawn. It wasnt the egregious, unconstitutional gerrymander that the Dems attempted two years ago and was feared again this time around. Even the all-powerful Dems, who control every level of government in the state, knew they couldnt get away with that one again. But the redraw still gives the Dems an advantage in some seats that could help determine control of the House this fall. Because thats been the goal all along. The Dems have no threat to their totalitarian hegemony here in New York state. But if Hochul and Dem state lawmakers can help the national party win back the House in November, it will help rinse the bitter taste of 2022 out of their mouths. Thats when Republican congressional wins in New York state helped deliver the House to the GOP. And we cant have that happen again. Not when Donald Trump has a shot at getting elected president again. It wasnt supposed to be this way. New Yorkers in 2014 voted to have an independent, bi-partisan commission, and not the state Legislature, draw congressional district lines. It looked like a victory for good government. Because we all know that lawmakers of both parties are going to look after their own partys vested interests when drawing all-important legislative district boundaries. An independent commission would take at least some of the politics out of the process. At least we thought so. But it hasnt quite worked out that way. In looking to draw the lines for the 2022 House races, the commission split evenly along party lines and couldnt agree on a single set of maps. Two sets of maps were issued, which was like splitting the baby down the middle. So Dem lawmakers tried to jam their own maps through. But they got stopped by the Court of Appeals. A special master ended up drawing the maps used in the 2022 races. Those maps should have stayed in place until the next redistricting process following the 2030 census. But the Dems couldnt allow that. They sued to open the process up again this year. And they put their partisan fingerprints all over it by drawing their own maps, even though the independent commission had this time approved new maps by a margin of 9-1. It matters not that the Dem-drawn maps werent all that bad or werent as bad as they could have been. Is that the low standard that we should all stoop to? Just because it wasnt an outright gerrymandered rigging of the maps doesnt make it right. The fact is that the voters expressly didnt want lawmakers drawing the maps. We wanted an independent panel to do it. Hochul and the legislature hijacked the process. They gave the back of their hands to the voters. Or, as Democratic Senate Deputy Leaker Mike Gianaris, of Queens, put it, We reasserted the right of the Legislature to be responsible for this important task and gave the people of the state a better map. If only the voters had wanted it that way. And the Dems were successful in rigging the system so that any future GOP redistricting challenges will have to be heard only in courts in one of four Dem-favored counties. And are no guarantees that the Dems wont sue to redraw the maps yet again if the 2024 House elections dont go their way, particularly if Trump is elected again. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A group of local officials and correction officers gathered at Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolos office in Castleton Corners Friday to honor Walter Nelson for 50 years of service to the New York City Department of Correction. It is always an amazing opportunity when we can recognize one of New Yorks boldest and I couldnt think of anyone more deserving than Correction Officer Walter Nelson, sai Lynelle Maginley-Liddie, commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction. Correction Officer Nelson is the embodiment of public service an inspiration to us all that its not simply about ones job or career, but its about the opportunity to serve this great city. Lynelle Maginley-Liddie, commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction, speaks at the ceremony honoring Walter Nelson for 50 years of service at Sam Pirozzolos office in Castleton Corners on Friday, March 1, 2024. Priya Shahi Nelson, a Brooklyn native who now resides in New Springville, holds the distinction of being the longest-serving corrections officer within the department, having joined on May 14, 1973, marking five decades of dedicated service. Since 1979, he has been stationed in the Manhattan Court Division, where he continues to work. Correction Officer Walter Nelson is shown in the photo.(Courtesy of Christine Nelson)Courtesy of Christine Nelson This is the highest award that the New York State Assembly can give to an individual and I am very proud to give that to you today,' said Pirozzolo. Thank you for your service. Frank Rapacciuolo, chief of staff for Councilman Joseph Borelli, mentioned that his recent tour of Rikers Island gave him a whole new impression on Nelsons work. On behalf of Borellis office, he then presented Nelson with a recognition. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis office, along with Sen. Andrew Lanzas office, also honored him with a proclamation acknowledging his remarkable 50-year career with the Department of Correction. Walter Nelson poses with Lynelle Maginley-Liddie, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction, and his daughter Christine Nelson.Priya Shahi Its impressive,' said Christine Nelson, Walter Nelsons daughter. I think people dont really work for 50 years. He has a great work ethic. In 1975, Nelson was one of the 534 correction officers laid off by the department during the citys fiscal crisis, but he was recalled just 10 days later. That year, he was among the officers who responded to Rikers Island when five guards were taken hostage, an event that sparked widespread riots. I am so shocked. Its amazing. I didnt expect all this. To be honest, the time went really quickly, Nelson said. I really appreciate that everyone came out to support me. When it comes to retirement, Nelson says it might be another year, as he is not stressed out and is enjoying every day. Kevin Monahan, 66, was sentenced to more than 25-years-to-life in prison on Friday for the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old woman who was riding in an SUV that made a wrong turn into his upstate New York driveway, according to the Associated Press. Monahan was convicted of the second-degree murder of Kaylin Gillis back in January, the Associated Press reports. It was in April 2023 that Gillis was killed while riding in a vehicle attempting to leave after making an accidental turn into Monahans rural driveway while in search of a party in the town of Hebron, New York. The maximum sentence was handed down from the judge following words from Gillis father, boyfriend, and best friend; the latter two were in the same vehicle as Gillis at the time of the shooting, as noted by the Associated Press. In addition to the sentence of 25-years-to-life, the judge also gave Monahan a consecutive sentence of one-and-a-third-to-four years for tampering with physical evidence, according to the report. The Associated Press reports that a sentence for reckless endangerment will be served concurrently. Support the Peninsulas only locally-owned newspaper. Subscribe! Subscribing annually brings you big savings. We also offer monthly and weekly subscriptions. Premium Subscription As low as $8.25 per month Premium Includes: Access to the Daily Journals e-Edition: a digital replica of our daily newspaper including crossword puzzles, games, comics, classifieds and ads. The ability to download a digital replica of the Daily Journal for offline reading. The ability to clip & download articles or images to share with others. Access to the last 90 days of e-Editions with search, downloading and clipping options. Unlimited access to our award-winning online content Commenting access on all stories as a valued member of the DJ community From a pole stuck in the dirt in Cranebrook to dangling telegraph wires in Casula and a scorching road surface in Fairfield West, Sydneys bus stops often lack adequate shelter and seating to protect commuters from extreme weather. But commuters at Sydneys worst bus stop in Erskine Park also face the risk of snake bite as well as sunburn and dehydration. Commuters at a bus stop on Parramatta Road in Camperdown. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone More than 2000 bus stop users were surveyed by community-based Sweltering Cities and University of Sydney students. They found 59 per cent of bus stops lacked infrastructure such as shelter and seating, but commuters in western Sydney were more likely to wait at stops without shade. The findings, published in Sydneys Busted Bus Stops, reveal only 30 per cent of bus stops in Penrith had shelter, shade and a seat compared to two-thirds in Sydneys inner west. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. KazMunayGas JSC (KMG, Kazakhstan's national oil and gas company) plans to increase gas production, as stated in a statement of the Chairman of the Board of KMG Magzum Mirzagaliyev, published by the press service of the joint-stock company, Trend reports. "In addition to active geological exploration and stabilization of oil production levels, the companys priority is to increase gas production and its commercialization. KMG is actively working to explore and launch new fields. We understand the importance of gas production for Kazakhstan. Consumption in the country is growing rapidly. Therefore, we have now begun developing the companys Gas Strategy, within the framework of which it is planned to increase gas production from both operating and exploration assets," he said. As Mirzagaliyev noted, at the moment, the growth potential, according to KMG estimates, could amount to an additional 6.7 billion cubic meters of gas per year by 2030, excluding large projects (Tengiz, Karachaganak, Kashagan). "Last year, we already launched three new gas fields: Rozhkovskoye in the West Kazakhstan region, Aksay Yuzhny in the Kyzylorda region and Eastern Urikhtau in the Aktobe region," he said. According to him, in addition to the listed projects, the Gas Strategy includes the Central Urikhtau field with a production potential of up to 900 million cubic meters of gas per year, the Western Prorva and Kalamkas fields (up to 1.1 billion cubic meters per year). "KMG is also implementing exploration projects that could potentially increase the level of natural gas production: the Karaton Podsolevoy and Turgay Paleozoy areas, where, as I have already noted, exploration wells are planned to be drilled in 2024," Mirzagaliyev noted. Meanwhile, the volume of oil and gas condensate production by KazMunayGas amounted to 23.5 million tons (486,000 barrels per day) in 2023. The volume of oil and gas condensate production grew by 6.5 percent from 2022. At the same time, natural and related gas output climbed by 14.8 percent over the reporting period, reaching 9.45 billion cubic meters. 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 The many rock pools that have survived for decades along the NSW coastline are an iconic reminder of times past as well as an essential part of our present and future coastal communities (Swimmers, watch out for crumbling pools, February 25). Community members meet early in the morning, often before dawn, and throughout the day to swim laps, converse and allow friendships to flourish. All without paying a cent. Not only must the pool structures be maintained, reconstruction must be carefully planned to make no mistakes in tidal flush-outs and seaweed minimisation. Our forebears knew and understood the currents and wave pattern and built accordingly. We must insist their knowledge is utilised for best possible reconstruction. Mistakes have been made in our area in the past, with dire circumstances and the pools left smelly with weed and dangerously unswimmable as a result. Our ocean pools must be maintained as an essential part of our history and a memory to those many who built this country before us. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer Swimmers have complained about the condition of the Palm Beach pool. Credit: Nick Moir Bats privilege Rose Bay residents are complaining about the mess made by flying foxes (Flying foxes, neighbours from hell, are driving us batty, February 25). Here in Rozelle, we have bats visiting the large fig trees a couple of times a year and yes, they do make a mess. Its no more than the jacarandas and deciduous trees that line our streets. We love their chatter and the kookaburras that might wake us at 4am, the koel calling day and night for a mate and possums running across the roof. All this is just a few kilometres from the CBD. Its a privilege to have such wildlife all around us in a big city. The rain washes away all the figs and droppings. Leave the bats alone. Leigh Sutherland, Rozelle Alarm bells With the seemingly increasing issue of child obesity in this country, reducing the amount of physical activity children partake in seems counterproductive (Schools axing weekly sport cant get a fare go on buses, February 25). When the previous Liberal government started privatising public transport the alarm bells started to ring, but I dont recall anyone predicting one of the outcomes of privatisation would be the reduction of interschool sport. Prue Car may well hope for more funding for public schools, but unfortunately, her requests could fall on deaf ears. On the other side of the coin, students from a nearby private school are transported by their own fleet of buses to parks for sport. The gap just keeps on widening. Peter Miniutti, Ashbury Twilight age In doing so, Cox accessed his credit report for the first time. It revealed a previously undetected history of activity by the fraudsters. Turns out this started back in 2020, he said. Coxs credit history seen and verified by this masthead revealed someone had attempted unsuccessfully to apply for a loan and a credit card in Roberts name in 2020. Nothing happened again until December last year, when two credit score check accounts were successfully opened with lenders WISR and Canstar to assess Coxs credit rating. Then in January 2024, a fraudster attempted to take out loans with at least four different lenders for between $100,000 and $120,000. They had success on January 15 when Branded Financial Services issued a loan of $111,651. The very same day, a 2023 model Audi RS Q3 was purchased with the fraudulent loan from Sydney-based car dealership The Auto Gallery from an online listing. As of Friday, when police confirmed they were investigating Coxs case, the whereabouts of the car remained unknown. Requests for comment from the dealership went unanswered. Cox has no idea how fraudsters accessed all his personal details in the first place. But once they had them, they were able to make a convincing fake Victorian licence, which can be purchased online for around $300. Screenshot of a car fraudulently bought in Robert Coxs name. Credit: carsales.com.au Branded Financial Services chief executive Liesl Knox said that once her company detected the fraud after the car had already been transported from the dealership it began investigating, including sending the field officer to Coxs home to confirm their suspicion that the ID was not real. Weve been in contact with Mr Cox to support him through this stressful situation and ensure any impact on him is minimised, she said in a statement. We will always absorb the cost of an incident such as that of Mr Coxs identity thief and take steps to rectify the impact on the individuals financial records which might otherwise prevent them from obtaining finance in the future. Loading Knox said Branded Financial Services had an industry-standard identity validation system and that the company worked with authorities and external partner organisations to detect fraud, as was the case here. She did not respond to questions about whether there were similar instances of fraud using Branded Financial Services or how much money the company had lost to such scams. But Cox remains perplexed as to how the criminal was able to get as far as they did. An email from Branded Financial Services to Cox confirmed that the person purporting to be Cox used the licence with a fake card number on the back, a forged rate notice with the insignia of Coxs local council, his Australian business number and a fraudulent ING bank account in Coxs name as evidence to secure the $112,000 loan. ING could not explain how the fraudster was able to open a bank account in Coxs name, but a spokeswoman said the banks staff: ... apply, and continuously review, stringent and legislated identity validation measures to ensure were doing all we can to help safeguard customers from identify fraud. The other lenders that allowed the criminal to access Coxs credit file and hoover up more useful information Wisr and Canstar said they used both the licence number and card number provided by the fraudster in Coxs case to validate them against details stored in the federal governments Document Verification Service (DVS), which stores all Australian licence details. Cox last week tested that theory and tried to open a new Wisr account for someone else using a correct licence number but an intentionally fake card number as the fraudster had done with his identity. And lo and behold, I got in, he said. Asked how this was allowed, Wisr admitted: In the case of some Victorian drivers license holders, the Australian Government DVS system will return a drivers licence as verified to our credit bureau based on verification of the drivers licence number only. Loading Paul Warren-Tape, general manager of risk and compliance at IDVerse which provides biometric identity verification to major lenders said this was a known limitation to the DVS method of validation. He said before the Optus breach in 2022, the DVS only stored licence numbers not card numbers. Since that time, VicRoads has uploaded card numbers for customers caught up in the Optus and Latitude Finance hack, but not everyone else. [VicRoads] are still going through everyone else slowly as their licences expire, Warren-Tape said. So what that means is for all those remaining Victorian licence holders, that card number will be ignored for the purposes of validation against the DVS currently even if you supply it. This is a very common style of kind of fraud attack where someones got someone elses real information and then processes a licence with someone elses face on it. The DVS also does not check facial images. A forthcoming face verification service will. The federal government says making Victorian driver licence numbers available to the DVS is a matter for VicRoads. Credit: Penny Stephens A spokeswoman for Victorias Transport Department said VicRoads was in the process of ensuring all Victorian licence holders have their unique card numbers loaded into DVS. But she did not say how many licence card numbers were yet to be uploaded, or how long that would take. The federal Attorney-Generals Department, which oversees the DVS, confirmed that only some Victorian card numbers were in its system and being included in its validations for lenders. A spokeswoman for the department said a decision as to whether, and if so when, to make Victorian drivers licence card numbers available to the DVS is a matter for VicRoads and the Victorian government. Independent cybercrime investigator Simon Smith called for VicRoads to immediately transfer all Victorian card numbers to the DVS, as some people could be waiting up to 10 years the normal length of a licence expiry during which time they could be vulnerable to identity theft. They cant have a half-half system where they only enter new people in as they renew its crap, he said. Its very inconsistent and irresponsible. But Smith said lenders could not solely blame VicRoads or the DVS for what happened in Coxs case. I know that its easy for everyone to point their finger in this situation... but the simple reality is its the responsibility of the lender to identify that the person that theyve got is actually who they say they are, he said. The ongoing situation on Elizabeth Street is unacceptable and the City of Melbourne is doing everything it can to turn it around, he says. Loading Council has ramped up cleaning in the area, including a new daily 4am sweep and more graffiti patrols, and will work with landlords to activate shopfronts to make the area more vibrant. But the council is limited on what it can achieve alone, Reece says, and a co-ordinated approach is the only way to tackle the long-running issue. On Wednesday, police held a meeting with Ambulance Victoria, traders, The Salvation Army and residents. It followed a roundtable, convened by Melbourne City Council last month, to come up with ways to improve safety and amenity in the troubled precinct. The southern end of Elizabeth Street which is opposite Flinders Street station and has a high concentration of fast food and bottle shops has long attracted people with complex social problems including homelessness, mental illness and addiction. But locals believe crime and antisocial behaviour is getting worse, in part because Metro Tunnel works have displaced people from Swanston Street. Some say creating a new public space by closing off southbound traffic between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane has also worsened the problem. Businesses along the southern end of Elizabeth Street say drug-fuelled antisocial behaviour and violence has worsened. Credit: Wayne Taylor Meanwhile, there is ongoing uncertainty about a second safe injecting room and wraparound health services, which had originally been slated for the former Yooralla building between Elizabeth and Swanston streets because of its proximity to drug use and overdoses. Advocates say an injecting room here would save lives and move some of the drug activity off the streets, but some residents and businesses worry it would create a honeypot effect. The government has now cooled on the idea and is sitting on a report by former police commissioner Ken Lay into the location of a second injecting room in Melbourne. And plans to close whole blocks of Elizabeth Street to traffic, which Melbourne City Council signed off on in 2019, have been delayed by years due to the pandemic, Metro Tunnel works and fears about antisocial behaviour. Loading Stage one the closure of southbound traffic between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane, and the creation of a new public space with planter boxes, bluestone paving and individual seats rather than benches was finally completed in 2021. Police say the most recent data they have shows crimes against the person which includes assaults, harassment, threats, robbery and sexual offending along Elizabeth Street had risen by almost 57 per cent in the past five years, from 218 incidents in 201819 to 342 in 202223. (Forty-four per cent of all crimes against the person were common assaults that resulted in no injury, such as pushing and shoving.) Multiple participants at the recent roundtable called for a 24/7 police presence in the area. Paul Crapper, the chair of the Owners Corporation Committee at nearby Leicester House in Flinders Lane, has twice been assaulted while walking his Maltese, Prince. He has seen drug deals, witnessed robberies at Duncans bottle shop, watched groups harass LGBTQI+ youths, and saw someone defecate outside Woolworths on Elizabeth Street. I have been here since 2011 and its got worse since the installation of the concrete park and closure of one side of Elizabeth Street, he says. The antisocial behaviour has largely been because there just hasnt been enough policing. One of the things that I was calling for is to have a police shopfront on Elizabeth Street. The police need a permanent presence down here. Loading But police say that providing a 24/7 presence at just one CBD street would only push the issues to other streets. Hundreds of police patrol the CBD every day, at all hours, says CBD Divisional Commander Zorka Dunstan. In addition, we regularly operate a mobile police facility at the south end of Elizabeth Street on Friday and Saturday nights. Victoria Police targets safety from all angles, Dunstan says, including joint initiatives with Melbourne City Council, cohealth and the Salvation Army focusing on begging and homelessness. Operation Brightside, for example, targets begging in Melbournes CBD and Carlton, after local traders and members of the public reported feeling intimidated or uncomfortable when approached and asked for money. Operation Protocol refers people sleeping rough to accommodation services. Last week an Operation Brightside team approached a man begging outside KFC on Elizabeth Street. Police and Salvation Army members from Operation Brightside refer people begging on Elizabeth Street to support services. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui He told them he had lost his trousers and his winnings from the previous nights gambling in the Yarra River and was trying to recoup his losses. The police gently reminded him begging is prohibited in Victoria. (The maximum penalty is 12 months in jail.) The Salvos, noticing his black feet, told him where homeless people can get showers and meals and obtain housing advice. The police have referred more than 100 people to support services since October. The Salvation Armys Brendan Nottle. Credit: Justin McManus Nine summons notices were issued to people who were begging but not homeless, after police moved them on multiple days in a row. These initiatives are not about issuing fines to those experiencing homelessness, or moving on people who are in genuine need of food we actually want to get to the core root of the issue, Dunstan says. Commanding Officer of the Salvation Army in the City of Melbourne, Major Brendan Nottle, says some of the problems at the southern end of Elizabeth Street, such as youth crime, develop out in the suburbs. Loading I have seen young kids with machetes and they have come in from Sunbury on the train, he says. If were going to address that, it requires some sort of government intervention out in the suburbs. Nottle would also like to see a mobile van on Elizabeth Street with GPs, addiction specialists and social workers who can develop trust over time with those who need help with mental illness, drug abuse and housing. I think its an unfair expectation that police will fix all the social issues that are evident. It was good news for former coal billionaire Nathan Tinkler this week, when his palatial beachfront home north of Coffs Harbour was pulled from the market. Lucky for him, a potential $25 million sale last year never went through, otherwise the landmark estate on Sapphire Beach, north of Coffs Harbour, might have been sold and the handful of creditors named on title paid back. Noorinya is the Sapphire Beach house, north of Coffs Harbour, owned by Nathan Tinkler. As of Friday, there remained five caveats on title claiming interest in the property, but council records indicate that more than $105,000 in outstanding rates had been paid. The 15-bedroom, 15-bathroom mansion had been drastically discounted from its initial $30 million high hopes of last June, down to its most recent advertised price of $15.9 million. Galloway only won because Labour didnt stand a candidate, Starmer said. Obviously we will put up a first-class candidate, a unifier, before the voters in Rochdale at the general election. George Galloway testifying at Capitol Hill in Washington in 2005 over allegations that he received millions of barrels of Iraqi oil for backing Saddam Husseins regime. Credit: AP Galloways victory means that from next week, parliament will once again be home to one of the most eloquent orators from the left wing of UK politics, who will clearly use his position to raise his opposition to Israels operation in Gaza, which, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, has led to the deaths of more than 30,000 people. Galloway had appeared regularly on Moscows state-backed network Russia Today, and declared tens of thousands of pounds in income from the broadcaster in 2014 and 2015, the New York Times reported. Galloway has also appeared on Press TV, the state-funded news channel of Iran. The 10-point program of Galloways new party pledges to halt imperialist wars and financial dominance, and includes calling for the UKs withdrawal from NATO. Loading We will continue to campaign for Britain to leave NATO as a clear and present danger to the security of the British population and seek new collective security arrangements centred on the protection of peoples and not of states or industries, the partys manifesto states. He also recently lauded Tucker Carlsons widely criticised interview with Vladimir Putin, saying it challenged the narrative that portrays him negatively as Vlad the Mad or Bad, Politico reported. The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the largest Jewish community organisation in the UK, said that Galloways victory marks a dark day for the UKs Jewish community. George Galloway is a demagogue and conspiracy theorist who has brought the politics of division and hate to every place he has ever stood for parliament, it said in a statement. Loading The constituency of Rochdale has traditionally been a Labour seat. Galloway said that his Workers Party of Britain will contest similar seats in constituencies where there is a sizeable Muslim minority in the upcoming general election, which must take place within the next 11 months. The governing Conservative Party, which hasnt historically performed well in Rochdale, came in third and voiced worries that Galloways victory will stoke tensions in the town and beyond. In an unexpected statement on Friday evening, Sunak made a call for unity while claiming that Galloway was a candidate that dismisses the horror of what happened on October 7, who glorifies Hezbollah. Linking his victory with other divisive developments on the UK political scene since Hamas attack and Israels subsequent response, Sunak said our democracy itself is a target for extremists, noting how some lawmakers in parliament dont feel safe in their homes and that local political meetings have been stormed. Loading In recent weeks and months, we have seen a shocking increase in extremist disruption and criminality, he said. What started as protests on our streets have descended into intimidation, threats and planned acts of violence. Jewish children fearful to wear their school uniform lest it reveals their identity. Muslim women abused in the street for the actions of a terrorist group they have no connection with. He urged those joining the almost weekly mass protests against Israels offensive in central London and other towns and cities in the UK to do so respectfully, and said that his government would support police. Galloway poured scorn on a prime minister warning about democracy after hed won an election. He dismissed Sunaks central charge, telling Sky News that he does not respect the prime minister at all and that millions and millions of people in this country despise the prime minister. Its not the first time that Galloway has created a stir since he began his political career a half-century ago as a firebrand left-wing Labour member of parliament for a constituency in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1994, he faced widespread opposition for meeting then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and telling him: Sir, I salute your courage, your strength, your indefatigability. In 2004, he returned to parliament as a lawmaker for the anti-war Respect Party after a byelection in a heavily Muslim seat in east London, but was defeated in the general election the following year. He was elected again in a byelection in 2012, but lost his seat once more in the election of 2015. His father forced entry into an outbuilding when he couldnt gain entry. Mr Kingston was found inside. Loading Emergency services were called. Police are satisfied the death was not suspicious. The hearing, at Gloucestershire Coroners Court, lasted only minutes. Several journalists and a Buckingham Palace representative were present but no family members. Kingston once worked as a hostage negotiator in Iraq. Known as Tom, he read economic history at the University of Bristol before joining the diplomatic missions unit at the Foreign Office. He was seconded to Baghdad as project manager for the International Centre for Reconciliation, based at Coventry Cathedral, in 2003. The following year, he cheated death in a suicide bombing in the Iraqi capital that killed 22 people. Reverend Canon Andrew White, then the vicar of St Georges Church, the only Anglican church in Iraq, worked closely with him. He described him as a fearless and very committed Christian, telling The Telegraph: I loved him so much. The thing about Tom was he was never scared. Whatever I asked him to do, he would do it with a big smile on his face in the middle of a war zone. Kingston returned to the UK to work for Schroders, the global asset management firm, as an equity analyst before becoming the managing director of Voltan Capital Management and later a director of Devonport Capital, which provides short-term loans to businesses operating in the developing world. His father was a hugely successful barrister, specialising in planning law. Also a devout Christian, he was elected to the General Synod in 2016. His mother, Jill, is a trustee of a Christian healing centre and runs the Nadezhda Charitable Trust, which supports projects in Zimbabwe. Loading Kingston was introduced to his royal bride by mutual friends and proposed on the car-free Channel Island of Sark, where his parents have a holiday home. Lady Gabriellas father, Prince Michael, is Elizabeth IIs first cousin and a grandson of George V. The couple married at St Georges Chapel Windsor in May 2019, in a lavish ceremony attended by an array of senior royals including the late Queen and Prince Philip. The couple were said to have been happily married to the end and were most recently pictured together, beaming for the camera, on Valentines Day. Buckingham Palace announced Kingstons death on Tuesday evening. Lady Gabriella, paid tribute to her husband, describing him as an exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him. She said his death had come as a great shock to the whole family. Buckingham Palace said the King and Queen joined Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and all those who knew Kingston in grieving a much-loved member of the family. A spokesman said: In particular, Their Majesties send their most heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Gabriella and all the Kingston family. The brief hearing offered no clues to the reason behind Kingstons death. The news left friends and family stunned. Many have insisted that he and Lady Gabriella, who lived in London, were happily married and had no known financial difficulties. Some have speculated that the traumas Kingston witnessed in Baghdad might have had long term effects but if so, they appear to have been hidden. Canon White said this week of their time in Iraq: We survived several suicide bomb attacks. We were regularly caught up in IED [improvised explosive device] attacks. Cars would blow up in front of us and we would just move on. We were always together and had 35 armed guards at all times. Both men are said to have been in Canon Whites Anglican church when it was targeted in a suicide-bomb attack. They entered the building just before the blast, which killed two of the congregation and 20 others. The Kingston family is being supported by Buckingham Palace, which along with the police, has taken measures to protect their privacy for their own safety and security. Prince and Princess Michael attended a memorial service on Tuesday for King Constantine of Greece at St Georges Chapel. ~Formateur requested more time to form a government.~ Harbour View:--- On the 28th of February 2024, the Governor of Sint Maarten, His Excellency Mr. A.G. Baly met with formateur Dr. L.F.E. Mercelina and received an update on the progress regarding the pending points of the formation. Considering that the background screening of candidate ministers is still ongoing, the formateur therefore requested a further extension of his commission to form a new government. Governor Baly as a result and having assessed the situation extended the commission for Dr. Mercelina to present him the final report of the formation process by March 29, 2024. Japan Moon lander put to sleep after surviving lunar night Tokyo, March 2 (AFP) Mar 02, 2024 Japan's Moon lander has been put back to sleep after it surprisingly survived the freezing, two-week lunar night, the country's space agency said, with another operation attempt scheduled for later this month. The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down in January 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. This week, the SLIM probe, which was "not designed for the harsh lunar nights," when the temperature plunges to minus 133 degrees, produced another surprise by waking up after two weeks. "SLIM has gone to sleep again as the sun set after 3 am (Japan Time) on March 1," the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, alongside an image of the rocky lunar surface captured by the probe. "Although the likelihood of failure will increase due to the severe temperature cycles, we will attempt SLIM operation again when the sunlight comes back in late March," JAXA said. The announcement comes after the uncrewed American lander Odysseus became the first private spaceship on the Moon. The lander sent its final image on Thursday before its power banks depleted. 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. 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. NASA is planning to return astronauts to the Moon later this decade. The US, along with international partners, wants to eventually develop long-term habitats in the region, harvesting polar ice for drinking water -- and for rocket fuel for eventual onward voyages to Mars. Scholz vows probe into leak of secret Ukraine war talks Berlin, March 2 (AFP) Mar 02, 2024 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday promised a full investigation after what appeared to be a recording of confidential army talks on the Ukraine war was posted on Russian social media, in a potentially huge embarrassment for Berlin. The head of Russia's state-backed RT channel, Margarita Simonyan, on Friday posted the 38-minute audio recording of what she claimed were German army officers on February 19 discussing potential strikes on Crimea. "What is being reported is a very serious matter and that is why it is now being investigated very carefully, very intensively and very quickly," Scholz said on a visit to Rome. In the recording, discussions can be heard on the possible use by Ukrainian forces of German-made Taurus missiles and their potential impact. Topics include aiming the missiles at targets such as a key bridge over the Kerch strait linking the Russian mainland to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. The discussions also cover the use of missiles provided to Kyiv by France and Britain. A German defence ministry spokeswoman confimed to AFP that the ministry believes a conversation in the air force division was "intercepted". "We are currently unable to say for certain whether changes were made to the recorded or transcribed version that is circulating on social media," the spokeswoman said. Experts consulted by Der Spiegel magazine said they believed the recording was authentic. - 'Sworn enemies' - Kyiv has long been clamouring for Germany to provide it with Taurus missiles, which can reach targets up to 500 kilometres (about 300 miles) away. Scholz has so far refused to send the missiles, fearing that it would lead to an escalation of the conflict. "If this story turns out to be true, it would be a highly problematic event," Green party politician Konstantin von Notz told the RND broadcaster. "The question arises as to whether this is a one-off incident or a structural safety problem," he added. Speaking at a diplomatic forum in Turkey on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the recording indicates that Ukraine and its backers "do not want to change their course at all, and want to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield". Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova demanded that Germany "promptly" provide explanations for the discussion. "Attempts to avoid answering the questions will be regarded as an admission of guilt," she said. "Our age-old rivals -- the Germans -- have again turned into our sworn enemies," former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy head of the Security Council and the foreign ministry, wrote in a Telegram post. - Taurus missiles - The acquisition of German Taurus missiles would provide a massive boost for Ukraine as Kyiv struggles to fend off Russia's invasion. France and Britain have supplied Kyiv with SCALP or Storm Shadow missiles, both of which have a range of about 250 kilometres. But Scholz said last week that Germany could not justify matching British and French moves in sending long-range missiles to Ukraine and supporting the weapon system's deployment. "This is a very long-range weapon, and what the British and French are doing in terms of targeting and supporting targeting cannot be done in Germany," Scholz said, without specifying exactly what he meant. Britain denied that it had any direct involvement in operating the missiles. "Ukraine's use of Storm Shadow and its targeting processes are the business of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," a Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson said in a statement to AFP. Roderich Kiesewetter, from Germany's opposition conservatives, warned that further recordings may also be leaked. "A number of other conversations will certainly have been intercepted and may be leaked at a later date for Russia's benefit," he told broadcaster ZDF. It can be assumed "that the conversation was deliberately leaked by Russia at this point in time with a specific intention", namely "to prevent Taurus delivery by Germany", he said. According to Der Spiegel, the videoconference was held not on a secret internal army network but on the WebEx platform. Zelensky calls for Western air defence as Russian attacks kill 10 Kyiv, Ukraine, March 2 (AFP) Mar 02, 2024 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday urged the West to deliver more air defence systems as a wave of Russian missile, drone and artillery strikes killed at least ten people. Seven were confirmed dead, including a three-month-old baby and two-year-old child, after an overnight drone strike on the southern port city of Odesa. Separate shelling attacks on the frontline Kharkiv, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions killed another three, Ukrainian officials said. "Russia continues to hit civilians," Zelensky said in a post on social media. "We need more air defences from our partners. We need to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield to add more protection for our people from Russian terror. More air defence systems and more missiles for air defence systems save lives," he said. Ukraine is currently on the back foot in the two-year war as a crucial $60-billion aid package is held up in the United States congress. In Odesa, "a nine-storey building was destroyed as a result of an attack by Russian terrorists," Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said on Saturday in a post on Telegram. The attack killed at least seven people, including a three-month-old baby, Klymenko said. Another child, aged two, was also among the dead, Odesa region Governor Oleg Kiper said on state TV. Around 10 people were still unaccounted for, with almost 100 rescuers set to continue a search and rescue operation overnight. Footage shared from the scene showed several floors of a residential building collapsed and its facade ripped off. Ukraine's air force said falling debris from Russian drones it had shot down fell onto residential buildings in both Odesa and Kharkiv. Separate shelling attacks in the frontline regions of Kharkiv in the northeast, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south killed three more, the provincial heads said. - 'Difficult situation' - The attacks came with Russia seeking to press its advantage on the battlefield. Kyiv has admitted it is heavily outgunned and outnumbered, facing ammunition shortages amid aid delays. Half of all promised Western ammunition arrives in the country late, the defence minister has said, in what he called critical delays that cost lives and territory. Russian forces have advanced westwards following last month's capture of Avdiivka, and have seized several small villages in recent days. Visiting frontline military posts on Saturday, Ukraine's new Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said "the situation at the front remains difficult, but controlled". Kyiv also appeared to have launched its own overnight drone attack that damaged a residential building in Saint Petersburg, Russia's second city. Videos on Russian social media showed what appeared to be a drone spiralling downwards into the building, triggering an explosion, blowing out windows and causing small fires. The city's National Guard division said its preliminary assumption was that the damage was caused by a "falling drone". Ukrainian media reported that the drone was shot down by Russia's air defences while targeting an oil depot around a kilometre from the crash site. Kyiv has hit several Russian oil facilities in recent months in what it has called fair retribution for Moscow's attacks on Ukraine's power grid. Russia's Investigative Committee said separately that four of its officials had been injured when a Ukrainian drone dropped explosives over the Bryansk border region. Russia also expressed outrage at a leak of confidential German army talks in which officers allegedly discussed missile strikes on the annexed Crimean peninsula. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday promised a full investigation after the head of Russia's state-run RT outlet posted the alleged leaked recording on social media, in a potentially huge embarrassment for Berlin. A spokeswoman for the German defence ministry on Saturday confirmed that a secret air force conversation had been tapped, but that they could not say for certain whether any changes had been made to the conversation in the leaked audio file. Russia's foreign ministry demanded a "prompt" explanation from Berlin, while Moscow's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov said it showed Ukraine's European backers were intent on inflicting a "strategic defeat" on Russia on the battlefield. The Government has not been on the front foot as these appalling events have unfolded, it wrote. Now, however, the Prime Minister is promising to face down the extremists who would tear us apart, not with pandering but with leadership. Amongst those was Peter Frankental, from Chingford, who carried a sign which read: Aaron Bushnell: an act of bravery and courage that will not be forgotten, referencing the member of the US Air Force who died after setting himself on fire outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC in protest at the conflict in Gaza. The Princess of Wales is said to be recovering at Adelaide Cottage, Windsor, and the nature of the condition for which she required surgery has not been clarified but is said to be non cancerous. The longer this goes on, the more and more in jeopardy this project is going to be. The various stakeholders perhaps need to get round a table and hammer out whatever issues they have between each other and be clear with the public of Northern Ireland about what is required in terms of the cost and what is now going to happen in terms of delivery, particularly around the timescale which is so critical. Addressing the wider political landscape, Ms Long told her party conference: It seems that we have moved rapidly from the post-truth era of politics, ushered in by the likes of (Donald) Trump and (Boris) Johnson, to a post-shame era, where people are willing to scrape any barrel for votes and without the slightest concern for the harm that they do either to the very fabric of our society or to the individuals caught up in the wake of their vile rhetoric, and left to bear the consequences. It comes after media speculation that the brands professional relationship with American supermodel Hadid, who is of Dutch and Palestinian heritage, has come to an end due to her political beliefs about the conflict in Gaza. The WhatsApp messages were sent from an anonymous email account to 149 members of the F1 paddock including the president of the sports governing body Mohammed ben Sulayem, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and the grids nine other team principals, as well as members of the media. She was adamant she wouldnt be there, she would not pretend like everything was OK. But Christians mum has been leaning on her heavily to stand by his side, and publicly back him, and her pleas seem to have worked. Her own team had been urging her to keep her distance and seek advice. 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"The stake of these elections, all elections in 2024, is the fight of the right against PSD. And there is a lot to say on this subject: that in three years we replaced more district heating pipes than they did in 12 years, that they bankrupted the City Hall and we nursed it back to health, that they tried to direct some acquisitions and we risk losing European funds on buses, trolleybuses, trams (...)" said Dan.He went on to say that an important thing in the fight against PSD is also the path Romania has to follow."I think the most important thing in this fight against PSD is where we want to take Romania, because what is PSD-ism? PSD-ism means hijacking institutions - and in fact all our history since the Revolution and University Square is to build some bodies that defend the citizens and not to leave combinations with our people on the commission, with those who know another and another and another, and decisions are taken outside an institutional framework. So, this has been the history, in my opinion, the history of Romania for 34 years. The attempt of some people to create bodies, versus the attempt of other people to keep a communist system a little bit with a human face that says to us: 'We know better. We will give you crumbs and increase your pension by RON 100 lei and be thankful that we govern you." Its 1943, a quarter century after the armistice that ended the so-called Great War, and Americans are once again fighting in foreign lands, battling the ascendant Empire of Japan in the Pacific and confronting Germanys Afrika Corp along the southern rim of the Mediterranean Sea. The country had been divided over whether to enter the war. Isolationists opposed sacrificing American lives to save the democracies of Western Europe. And thousands of Nazi sympathizers openly trumpeted support for Adolf Hitler. Japans sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 unleashed a patriotic fervor that seemed to settle the question, but in some quarters, opposition to the war still ran deep. In Boston, a city long torn by ethnic and religious hatreds, antisemitism, racism and xenophobia ran rampant. Yankee Protestants despised the citys teeming population of Irish immigrants. And the Irish saw no reason why their adopted country should come to the aid of England, which had long oppressed their ancestral land. Such is the setting for Thomas Mullens The Rumor Game, a disturbing yarn about a divided, rumor-riddled nation that offers apt but unstated parallels to present-day America. The plot is driven by Anne Lemire, a young reporter for the Boston Star, and Devon Mulvey, an FBI agent assigned to protect war production from infiltration and sabotage. Lemire writes the Rumor Clinic, a column debunking the flood of Nazi propaganda and other destructive rumors flooding the city. Among them, a rumor that Jews had manipulated America into the war, spawns violent attacks in Jewish neighborhoods by Irish gangs. Meanwhile, Mulvey struggles to unravel a mystery that includes a murder and the theft of military rifles from a Boston munitions plant. Both are obstructed by the Irish-dominated Boston police, the pro-Nazi Christian League and federal officials who think left-wing agitators pose a greater threat. Eventually, Mulvey, an Irish Catholic, and Lemire, raised Catholic but born Jewish, join forces as their investigations merge. To their dismay, both discover evidence of venality and violence in their own families. Mullens novel, his eighth, draws heavily on research, as evident by the historical sources cited in an authors note. The tale begins as a slow burn and then races at a breakneck pace to a dramatic conclusion. The Boston settings, from its docks and factories to its ethnic neighborhoods, are vivid. The writing is tight, and most characters are well-drawn. The lone misstep is a doomed romance between Lemire and Mulvey, which lacks credibility and adds little to the plot. DOVER, Del. A Delaware judge declared a mistrial Friday in the latest lawsuit alleging that exposure to the popular weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. The ruling came about two hours after jurors sent a note saying they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict after three days of deliberations. Superior Court Judge Vivian Medinilla ordered jurors to continue their discussions, but they nevertheless remained deadlocked. The lawsuit was filed by the family of Anthony Cloud, a South Carolina man who worked for more than a decade as a landscaper. Cloud was diagnosed in 2018 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He died in October 2021, about six weeks after his lawsuit was initially filed. His family was seeking $142 million in punitive damages in a trial that began in Wilmington in early February. German chemical company Bayer AG has been beset with tens of thousands of lawsuits since acquiring Roundups manufacturer, Creve Coeur-based agribusiness giant Monsanto, in 2018. In January, a Philadelphia jury ordered Bayer to pay a staggering $2.3 billion in a lawsuit filed by a man diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that targets white blood cells, after using Roundup for two decades. The Philadelphia verdict was the largest yet in years of litigation over the popular weedkiller, following a November verdict by a Missouri jury that ordered Bayer to pay more than $1.5 billion in damages to three plaintiffs. In 2019, a California jury ordered Bayer to pay $2 billion in a Roundup lawsuit, but a judge later reduced the jury award to $87 million. Bayer set aside more than $10 billion in 2020 to settle about 125,000 Roundup lawsuits, but tens of thousands more remained pending. After nine consecutive wins in lawsuits that went to trial beginning in 2021, the company began to suffer legal setbacks last year, as juries began handing down nine- and 10-figure awards to plaintiffs. A California jury last year ordered Bayer to pay $332 million in a Roundup lawsuit, but a judge said the jury award was excessive and reduced it to $28 million. As in other lawsuits, the plaintiffs in the Delaware case alleged that Monsanto had defectively designed Roundup and failed to properly warn users about its health risks. In June, Bayer agreed to pay almost $7 million to settle allegations by New Yorks attorney general that Monsanto made false and misleading statements about Roundups safety. Meanwhile, a federal appeals court in 2022 ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to reexamine its 2020 finding that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, did not pose a health risk for people exposed to it. WASHINGTON The Missouri Republican Party will hold presidential caucuses on Saturday, offering voters their only chance to weigh in on who should represent the party on the November presidential ballot. The contest is one of the last chances for candidates to shape the race for the GOP nomination before Super Tuesday, when 15 states will hold Republican contests on March 5, the most of any day on the primary calendar. Former President Donald Trump looks to extend his string of primary and caucus victories this year, while Nikki Haley, his former U.N. ambassador, seeks her first win of the campaign. Trump prevailed twice under the states old presidential primary system first in 2016, when he barely edged Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and again in 2020, when he won 97% of the vote as the incumbent. The caucuses will also start the process of awarding 51 of Missouris 54 Republican delegates to the Republican National Convention this summer. The caucuses were organized after GOP Gov. Mike Parson signed a 2022 law that, among other things, canceled the planned March 12 presidential primary. Lawmakers have failed to reinstate the primary, despite calls to do so by both the state Republican and Democratic party leaders. Democrats will hold a party-run primary on March 23. Here is a look at what to expect on election night: Caucus day The caucuses are scheduled to convene at 10 a.m. Most Missouri counties and the city of St. Louis have just one caucus location. St. Charles and St. Louis counties each have two. The Missouri Republican Party has listed the caucus locations on its website. GOP caucus sites in St. Louis metro counties Franklin County: Franklin County Baptist Association, 785 Butterfield Drive, Union. Jefferson County: Windsor High School, 949 Windsor Harbor Road, Imperial. Lincoln County: Troy Ninth Grade Center, 80 Elm Tree Road, Moscow Mills. St. Charles County: Two locations. Participation based on voters congressional district. 2nd Congressional District Gymnasium B, Francis Howell Central High School, 5199 Highway N, Cottleville. 3rd Congressional District Gymnasium A, Francis Howell Central High School, 5199 Highway N, Cottleville. St. Louis County: Two locations. Participation based on voters congressional district. 1st Congressional District University of Missouri-St Louis (South Campus), 2993 South Drive, Normandy. 2nd Congressional District Parkway West High School, 14653 Clayton Road, Ballwin. St. Louis City: St. James Center, 1360 Tamm Avenue (at Wade Avenue). Warren County: Warren County Administration Building Training Room (Lower Level), 101 Mockingbird Lane, Warrenton. Source: Missouri Republican Party Whats on the ballot There is no ballot in the traditional sense, as caucus-goers form groups to express their preferences, but the candidates eligible for nomination at the caucuses are Trump, Haley and Florida businessman David Stuckenberg. Texas businessman and pastor Ryan Binkley ended his campaign on Tuesday, and the state partys practice has been to remove former candidates from the caucus mix. Who may participate Caucus-goers must be registered to vote in Missouri and sign a pledge declaring their allegiance to the Missouri Republican Party. The caucus rules state: Only strong and faithful Republican voters residing and registered to vote in the district involved shall be allowed to participate in any caucus or Convention. For years, Missouri voters did not register by party, but the same 2022 election law that canceled the presidential primary also gave voters the option to affiliate with a party through their local county clerks office. While the state party does not require caucus-goers to have officially affiliated with the Republican Party through this new process, it has advised county party chairs and caucus staff that voters who chose to affiliate with the Democratic Party may be barred from participating on Saturday. Delegate allocation rules Missouri has 54 Republican delegates. Fifty-one of them are awarded to candidates through a monthslong process that begins Saturday. Eleven delegates will be awarded to candidates at the statewide level, while five delegates will be awarded from each of Missouris eight congressional districts. Thats a combined total of 51 delegates at stake in whats known as a caucus-convention system. The remaining three delegates are the state party chairman and Missouris Republican national committeeman and committeewoman, who may support any candidate they wish regardless of caucus results. Caucus-goers will express their preferences for president, and those results ultimately are used to determine the number of delegates awarded to candidates both at the statewide and congressional district level. At both the statewide and district levels, all delegates at stake are awarded to the candidate who receives majority support. If no candidate receives a majority, delegates are allocated proportionally among candidates who received at least 15% of support, with some minor exceptions. The individuals who will serve as national convention delegates will be selected at congressional district conventions on April 6 and the state convention on May 4. Decision notes Missouris GOP caucuses vaguely resemble the format Iowa Democrats used for decades before scrapping it this year in favor of a vote-by-mail primary. Unlike state-run primaries, participants must attend in person during a limited time frame and participate in a party meeting, rather than being able to just cast a ballot and leave. Voting is not done by secret ballot. Caucus-goers instead move around the room and form groups in support of their preferred presidential candidate. Any candidate group that comprises less than 15% of the total attendance of that caucus in the first round of voting must disband, and its members have the option of joining another candidate group. The number of people in the newly formed candidate groups is then used to determine how many representatives each campaign will send to district-level conventions in April as well as to the state convention in May. Delegates to those spring conventions will formally allocate national convention delegates to the presidential candidates. If a candidate has the support of more than 50% of the total attendance in a caucus site, the candidate wins all the district and state convention delegates at stake in that caucus. If a candidate wins the caucus with less than 50%, proportionality rules are applied, depending on the number of delegates at stake. The Associated Press will report a statewide winner based on the preferences of caucus participants. The vote results will not reflect the raw votes of all caucus-goers. Instead, the vote will be expressed in terms of how many of the 924 state delegates each candidate has won, as well as the number of district delegates each candidate has won across eight congressional districts. What do turnout and advance vote look like The last time Missouri Republicans held caucuses to allocate delegates in a contested presidential campaign was in 2012, but the format was different and there was no binding presidential preference result to provide a meaningful turnout comparison for this year. Early and absentee voting is not permitted at the caucuses. Caucus-goers must participate in-person at the caucus site. As of November 2022, there were about 4.3 million voters registered in Missouri. Counting and reporting votes The caucuses convene without a hard stop time. Chairs of individual caucus sites must report their results to the state party no later than 5 p.m. The state party has not provided a more detailed vote-counting timeline beyond those broad parameters. Given the number of items on the agenda, the length of time allotted to forming and reforming preference groups and the possibility of delays as caucus staff and participants adjust to an unfamiliar system, it may take even the most efficiently run caucus at least one to two hours to conduct all of its business. In Iowa, caucuses in some precincts have lasted up to three hours. The AP will begin reporting results as soon as they are available. Results will be available online at stltoday.com. Are we there yet? As of Saturday, there will be 135 days until the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and 248 days until the November general election. Associated Press writer David A. Lieb in Jefferson City and the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. RAFAH, Gaza Strip The chaos punctuated by heavy Israeli fire that killed 115 Palestinians trying to get bags of flour from an aid convoy highlights the desperation of the hundreds of thousands struggling to survive amid the devastation of northern Gaza after nearly five months of fighting between Israel and Hamas. Residents say they have taken to searching piles of rubble and garbage for anything to feed their children, who barely eat one meal a day. Many families have begun mixing animal and bird food with grain to bake bread. International aid officials say they have encountered catastrophic hunger. Were dying from starvation, Soad Abu Hussein, a widow and mother of five children who has taken shelter in a school in the Jabaliya refugee camp, said Saturday. Northern Gaza has borne the brunt of the conflict that began when Hamas launched an attack into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing around 250 hostages. Israels air, sea and ground offensive, reduced much of the densely populated area to rubble. The military told Palestinians to move south, but as many as 300,000 people are believed to have remained. Roughly one child in six children under the age of 2 in the north suffers from acute malnutrition and wasting, the worst level of child malnutrition anywhere in the world, Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, said this week. If nothing changes, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza. That has caused such desperation among the people living there that they have overwhelmed trucks delivering food aid to the region and grabbed what they can, Skau said, forcing the World Food Program to suspend aid deliveries to the north. The breakdown in civil order, driven by sheer desperation, is preventing the safe distribution of aid and we have a duty to protect our staff, he said. In the violence Thursday, hundreds of people rushed a group of about 30 trucks bringing a pre-dawn delivery of aid to the north. Palestinians said nearby Israeli troops shot into the crowds. Israel said they fired warning shots toward the crowd and insisted many of the dead were trampled in the stampede. Doctors at hospitals in Gaza and a U.N. team that visited a hospital there said large numbers of the wounded had been shot. Ahmed Abdel Karim, who was being treated at Kamal Adwan Hospital for gunshot wounds in his feet, said he had spent two days waiting in the area for aid trucks to arrive before Thursdays convoy came. Everyone attacked and advanced on these trucks. Because of the large number, I could not get flour, he said. He was then shot by Israeli troops, he said. Radwan Abdel-Hai, a father of four young children, heard a rumor late Wednesday that an aid convoy was on its way. He and five others took a donkey cart to meet it and found a sea of people waiting for the aid. When the convoy arrived, people spread toward the trucks to grab whatever food and water they could get, he said. As they reached the trucks, tanks started firing at us, he said. As I ran back, I heard tank shells and gunfire. I heard people screaming. I saw people falling to the ground, some motionless. Abdel-Hai fled and took shelter in a nearby building along with others. When the shooting stopped, many dead people were lying on the ground, he said. We rushed to help evacuate the wounded. Many were shot in their back, he said. Abu Hussein, the widow, said that more than 5,000 people mostly women and children living with her in the Jabaliya school have not received any aid for more than four weeks. Adults eat one meal or less to save food for the children, she said. A group of people went to the shore to try to fish, but three were killed and two were wounded by gunfire from Israeli ships, she said. They just wanted to get something for their children. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mansour Hamed, a 32-year-old former aid worker living with more than 50 relatives in a Gaza City house, said people are resorting to desperate measures to find something to eat. Some are eating tree leaves and animal food. Some sift through the rubble and abandoned houses for old food. It has become normal to find a child coming out of the rubble with a rotten piece of bread, he said. They are desperate. They want anything to stay alive. Acknowledging the difficulty of getting aid in and the extreme need for food, U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday the U.S. soon will begin airdropping assistance to Gaza and will look for other ways to get shipments in, including possibly a marine corridor. Aid workers were hoping a possible cease-fire would allow them to get food to hungry people across Gaza. A senior Egyptian official said cease-fire talks would resume Sunday in Cairo. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. International mediators hope to reach agreement on a six-week pause in fighting, and an exchange of some Israeli hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins around March 10. Meanwhile, the fighting continued. The Gaza Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll from the war has climbed to 30,320. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says women and children make up around two-thirds of those killed. Magdy reported from Cairo. A Kansas City-area man whose home was sold as he struggled to pay delinquent taxes killed a court employee who tried to serve an eviction notice and a police officer who responded, authorities said Friday in announcing charges. Larry Acree, of Independence, Missouri, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault in the wounding of another officer who responded, and three counts of armed criminal action, according to court documents. The shooting occurred when court employee Drexel Mack tried to serve the eviction notice. The 41-year-old was shot, and then officers responding to the scene were shot at, one struck fatally and two others injured before Acree was taken into custody. Ambush is a strong word but it may be one thats fitting here, Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker said at a news conference. Bond in the case is set at $2 million. Baker said Acree, who sustained minor injuries, remains hospitalized and will be moved to the jail as soon as he is able. Evictions have turned deadly in the past. In August 2022, an Arizona constable who got the job when her predecessor quit over frustration about serving eviction notices was shot and killed while carrying out that same duty. The gunman, his neighbor and the manager of his apartment complex also died, authorities said. That same month, an Oklahoma County Sheriffs Office deputy was shot and killed and a second deputy wounded while the two were serving eviction papers at a home on the southwest side of Oklahoma City. In Jackson County, the process servers wear bullet proof vests and carry firearms and pepper spray, said Jack Foster, director of Civil Process Department for the court. He said it was premature to say whether there would be changes in procedures. According to the probable cause affidavit, a Notice to Vacate sign was posted at the property on Feb. 23, the latest in a series of court actions that began one year earlier. Acree didn't have any right to be there," Baker said. With Acree facing delinquent taxes dating to at least 2019, the 9-acre property had been sold. Acree had bought the land in 2005 and then built the three-bedroom, 2,419-square-foot home, Jackson County property records show. But he had a history of financial problems, including bankruptcies in 1992 and 2004. The 69-year-old also owed more than $30,000 to a roofing company, according to court records. The sale of the property was completed on Aug. 14 for $260,000, and the new owner paid the back taxes. The new owner didnt immediately respond to a Facebook message from the AP seeking comment. On Thursday, Mack and another process server arrived at the address to physically evict Acree. A padlock was removed from the gated drive, and the two process servers approached the front of the home, where they knocked and announced their presence. No one answered, so the property maintenance contractor drilled out the lock on the front door, the statement said. They then entered the home and were fired upon. Mack was struck and fell to the floor just inside the front door, court records said. The other process server ran and sought help, court records said. Independence police then rushed to the home, where three officers entered and tried to retrieve Mack. They then came under additional gunfire, court records said. They came to our rescue, and they paid the price, Foster said. Officer Cody Allen, a 35-year-old father of two young children, was struck in the head, and a second officer was struck in the torso, court records said. Officers then returned fire, and Acree was taken into custody. No attorney is listed for Acree in online court records. Acrees brother, Bill Acree Jr., said he didnt know of the charges or the shooting when reached by The Associated Press. He said he hasnt seen Larry Acree for 17 years, and they havent been close for a long time. The wounded were taken to nearby Centerpoint Medical Hospital, where Mack and Allen were pronounced dead. The officer struck in the torso underwent surgery and is expected to survive. That officer also sustained additional injuries to the arms and face. Police Chief Adam Dustman said previously that a third officer also took gunshot rounds and had minor injuries. No charges were immediately filed stemming from that officer's injuries. Baker said more charges were coming but that they just weren't prepared yet. She declined to release details on the type of firearm or firearms used. A memorial of flowers and flags was growing Friday at the Independence Police Department. Dustman said Allen took a break from policing to work in the private sector but missed it so much that he rejoined the department about two years ago. The Grandview Police Department, where Allen also once worked, described his death as a huge loss. Jackson County Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said that because Mack was an employee of the court, the case will be moved to another county chosen by the Missouri Supreme Court. Mack had worked for the county for over a decade. Otto described Mack, who had a 19-year-old son in Miami and a fiancee in the Kansas City area with three children, as beloved by many. And Foster, who hired, Mack, said he had a big heart. Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents. Baker noted that the tragedy followed a recent shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally in which one woman died and around two dozen others were wounded. Our region has been weighted with it seems one tragedy after another after another, she said, noting that most are linked to firearms. "Its a lot for one community to bear. AP reporter Jim Salter in OFallon, Missouri, contributed to this report. A judge in Montana rejected abortion restrictions, the attorney general in Missouri is accusing Planned Parenthood of illegally transporting minors for abortions and new data shows how the way abortions they're provided continues to shift in a nation where some states have bans and others are protecting access. More than a year and a half since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled overturned Roe v. Wade and the nationwide right to abortion, the details of what that means are still in flux. With lawsuits still pending and ballot questions on the horizon, that's the one thing that's not likely to change quickly. Here are things to know about developments across the country this week. MONTANA JUDGE BLOCKS RESTRICTIONS A Montana judge on Thursday rejected restrictions on abortion that were adopted in 2021, possibly setting up a chance for the Montana Supreme Court to revisit its 1999 ruling that protected a woman's right to abortion until the fetus is viable. The 2021 laws were put on hold and never took effect. They would have banned abortion after 20 weeks' gestation, banned telehealth prescription of abortion pills, required a 24-hour waiting period after giving consent and required providers to show women an ultrasound or hear a fetal heart tone before providing an abortion. The state government plans to appeal the ruling, possibly putting it on a path for another showdown at the state's top court. The high court has previously declined to reverse the 1999 decision including when it backed up a lower court's decision to pause enforcement of the 2021 laws. A judge last year also put on hold enforcement of more restrictions the state adopted last year, including a ban on dilation and evacuation abortions the most common procedure after 15 weeks' gestation. Abortion rights groups are pushing for a ballot question to amend the state constitution to protect reproductive freedom, including the right to abortion. REPORT FINDS CHANGES IN HOW ABORTIONS ARE PROVIDED There have been legal and legislative battles over abortion access in the U.S. for generations, but everything changed when the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that had protected access nationwide. Since then, bans have taken effect in most Republican-controlled states, including 14 where abortion is banned at all stages of pregnancy, with varying limited exceptions. Most Democrat-controlled states have sought to protect access. Those changes are reflected in data released this week by #WeCount for the Society of Family Planning. The group finds that the number of abortions per month nationally is similar to what it was before the court's ruling. Although the number of monthly abortions has dropped to nearly zero in states with bans, they have risen in states that allow abortion and a larger portion of them use pills prescribed by telehealth. STATES PUSH VIDEOS TO DISCOURAGE ABORTION, CLARIFY POLICIES West Virginia's state Senate this week approved a measure to require eighth and 10th graders to see a video on fetal development. The Baby Olivia video is being used in classrooms in North Dakota and there's legislation that aims to require it in Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri. Though it was approved in West Virginia's Senate, Republican Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo, a pulmonologist, objected, saying the video has grossly inaccurate information contradictory to science. The bill now heads to the House of Delegates. Meanwhile, South Dakota is looking to produce another video to guide medical providers on when to apply the one exception to the state's abortion ban. Under state law, abortion is allowed only to save the life of the woman. This week, the state Senate approved the plan, which had already passed the House, this week. It now heads to Republican Gov. Kristi Noem for her signature. MISSOURI ATTORNEY GENERAL SUES PLANNED PARENTHOOD Missouris attorney general is suing Planned Parenthood, asserting that the organization is illegally transporting minors from Missouri where most abortions are banned to obtain them in Kansas. The claim is based on a conservative groups hidden-camera video of someone seeking an abortion for a fictitious 13-year-old. Planned Parenthood denies the claim. The office of Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican running for election this year, has not said whether criminal charges could be filed, too. TEXAS OFFICIAL PUNISHED OVER MURDER CHARGE IN ABORTION CASE The abortion bans across the U.S. seek to criminalize doctors and others who provide abortions and in many cases those who help women seeking abortions but they stop short of allowing charges against those women themselves. Still, a 26-year-old who self-managed an abortion in 2022 in Texas was charged there with murder and spent two nights in jail before being released and having the charges dropped. It was revealed this week that the prosecutor who oversaw the case has been disciplined for his role in it. Starr County District Attorney Gocha Ramirez must pay a $1,250 fine and have his license held in a probated suspension for 12 months under a settlement agreement with the State Bar of Texas. Ramirez says he made a mistake and agreed to the deal because it will keep his office running. ALABAMA LAWMAKERS MOVE TO PROTECT IN VITRO FERTILIZATION AFTER COURT DECISION Alabama lawmakers this week advanced bills to protect fertility clinics after the state's Supreme Court issued a ruling last month that could be devastating for them. The court ruled that frozen embryos are the legal equivalent of children. Three large clinics quickly halted offering in vitro fertilization, a devastating outcome for people trying to expand their families. Abortion rights advocates including U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on a visit to Alabama this week have framed the court's ruling as a consequence of overturning Roe v. Wade and part of a conservative effort to ban abortion by declaring that embryos and fetuses have the rights of people. March 2, 2024: For over a decade Ukraine has been subject to an ominously large amount of Russian network reconnaissance of Ukrainian networks and growing Russian Cyber War attacks. None of this was a major news story and that was typical for the massive Cyber War campaign Russia has carried out against Ukraine in 2022. In 2023 Russian hackers attacked American internet users by quietly infiltrating hundreds of routers belonging to home and small business users and installing botnet malware. This is software that carries out illegal tasks. In this case the Russian malware was called Moobot, which was created by Russian gangsters who specialize in hacking to make money. This particular hacking mission was carried out by the Russian GRU, which is the foreign military intelligence agency of the Russian military. This operation was carried out by GRU Military Unit 26165 to carry out espionage on Ukraine and sabotage of Ukrainian and other foreign networks. In this case the US FBI became aware of the GRU attack in 2024 and used its own malware to delete Moobot malware the GRU had installed on American routers and restore these routers to their pre-GRU attack status. The FBI also installed software that would prevent the GRU from reinstalling Moobot. The FBI has been dealing with attacks by other Russian hacker groups as well as Chinese hackers working for the Chinese government and Chinese gangsters. Russia has always been considered a major Cyber War threat. Since the 1990s Russian Internet based espionage has been very active and effective. That led to fears of a Cyber Pearl Harbor. Russia had hoped for such a daring and damaging attack on Ukraine but was disappointed because Ukraine had looked for and noticed the Russian preparations. Before and after the first Russian attack in 2014, Ukraine had been receiving more military aid and assistance from NATO countries. Ukraine and NATO Cyber War experts agreed that an international effort, including the major American providers of Internet infrastructure and services had to be involved. This meant Amazon, Cloudflare, Google, Microsoft and several smaller but essential Internet services or security firms had to be involved. It is not known for sure if Russia was aware that this international coalition of Internet infrastructure and services was involved with defending Ukraine. This organization came to be known as Cyber NATO because most of the major resources came from NATO nations. Microsoft was the oldest of these Internet giants and the one that pioneered large scale, organized and highly responsive efforts to deal with hackers operating at the consumer level or against national Cyber infrastructure. These Internet giants increasingly cooperated in Cyber defense. When Ukraine and NATO governments went looking for Internet industry help and cooperation, they found that their inquiries and requests were welcomed. Ukraine took advantage of this in 2016 when they established their Ukrainian National Cybersecurity Coordination Center. This operation played a key role in coordination and synchronizing the Western efforts or forming a large-scale effort to detect and block Russian Cyber War activities against Ukraine, or any NATO nation. Before 2022 Russia had a reputation for being a formidable threat as a practitioner of Cyber War. Russia had a formidable arsenal of Cyber War weapons and pre-planned attacks, especially against Ukraine. After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Russian reputation as a military power has been much diminished along with their standing as a Cyber War threat. While Russian military activities were widely reported on by the media, much less attention was paid to the similar defeats Russia suffered as they sought to carry major Cyber War campaigns against Ukraine even before Russian troops crossed the border. The Cyber War defeats continued throughout 2022 and 2023. Like many other capabilities, that reputation was tarnished and diminished during the recent war in Ukraine. For Russia the defeats were frequent and victories few in this network battle space. Russian defeats began the day before Russian troops crossed the Ukrainian border and continued during the first months of the war as Russian unleashed most of their pre-planned attacks designed to do maximum damage to Ukrainian networks and Internet-based capabilities. Ukraine knew what its key Internet vulnerabilities were and, with the assistance of Cyber NATO and the major American Internet services and security providers, the Russian efforts were blocked. China, the other Cyber War threat to NATO and the West, took note. This sort of large-scale coordinated Internet defense was always theoretically possible and now the main Cyber War threats are from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran and these nations saw or experienced this Cyber War in action. That changed the Cyber War strategies of all these aggressor nations. At the moment, the best the Internet threat nations can hope for is that the defense coalition grows less effective over time because the defenders might believe they have the problem solved and major investments of time and effort in defense are no longer necessary. That would be a mistake because the benefits of effective Cyber War weapons expand as more of the world becomes dependent on Internet based services. It takes time and effort to develop effective large scale Internet defenses. Microsoft was the first to discover this. Since the 1990s Microsoft created a formidable Internet security organization that monitors networks worldwide for signs of malware, especially new malware, being used. Network security features have been added to the Windows operating system and one of them for PCs is to automatically send back to Microsoft potential hacker presence information back to Microsoft. At the same time, Microsoft will quickly send out fixes to infected PCs. Ukraine and Microsoft began developing a cooperative relationship in the late 1990s because, after 1991, Eastern Europe, especially Ukraine and Russia, were major sources of hacker activity. Ukraine cooperated with Microsoft to reduce the hacker threat while Russia insisted it didnt exist. For example, back in 2009 Ukraine cooperated with the United States and Microsoft to deal with a Ukrainian gang consisting of six specific individuals who put together one of the largest botnets ever encountered. In February and March 2009, the gang used spam, containing hidden programs, to take control of 1.9 million PCs. A computer security firm discovered the botnet, and subsequent cooperation between Ukraine, the United States and other countries led to the server controlling the botnet being found and taken offline. At the same time this effort identified members of the gang. Ukrainian police arrested the six after participating in the international effort to find them. The Soviet Union trained many software engineers who worked for the government. Most of these programmers and software engineers were out of work after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Some left for the West and found good jobs but most sought opportunities at home and the most lucrative ones involved illegal hacking, often for criminal gangs. Russia never cleaned up this problem, but Ukraine did. Russia allowed the gangs to operate in Russia as long as they did not hack Russian networks and did occasional jobs for the government. This included developing malware to be used against neighbors and Western nations in general. Ukraine vigorously enforced laws against hacking and the local hackers either left the country or found legit jobs. Other East European nations also cracked down on the hackers. Many, but not Ukraine, joined NATO and sought to have NATO declare massive hacker attacks as a cause for war against the aggressor. After the 2022 Ukraine invasion Russia launched a major Cyber War attack on Lithuania because of Lithuanian threats to disrupt access to Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave on the Baltic Coast that must use Lithuanian or Polish railroads or roads for access to Russia, Back in 2007 Russia planned Cyber War efforts against the more prosperous and affluent former Soviet territories. At the top of this list was Estonia, which was hit by a massive Russian Cyber War-scale attack. The Estonians withstood the attack despite the temporary damage it did to their economy. This was something a NATO member had never faced before and Estonia pointed out that if there was no NATO response to the Russian attack on Estonia, the Russians would be tempted to try it on other new NATO members in East Europe. This led to a 2010 agreement with NATO to facilitate cooperation between NATO and Estonia if Estonia was hit by another Internet based attack. In 2008 NATO established a Cyber Defense Center in Estonia. This, and the 2010 agreement, was a result of being called on by Estonia, in 2007, to declare Cyber War on Russia. That was because Russia was accused of causing great financial harm to Estonia via Cyber War attacks, and Estonia wanted this sort of thing declared terrorism, and dealt with. NATO agreed to discuss the issue, but never took any action against Russia. The new agreement did create a legal framework for striking back, or at least to defend Estonia more vigorously if there is another attack. In 2014 Russia seized Crimea province from Ukraine and half of two east Ukrainian provinces. There was not a lot of physical violence, but Russia did use Ukraine as a test site for new Cyber War tactics and techniques. An example of this appeared in 2016 when Ukraine accused Russia of employing hackers to insert trackers into cell phones used by Ukrainian military personnel fighting in Donbas. Ukraine has also found evidence of the same or similar hackers, usually civilian groups working as contractors for the Russian government, going after numerous government and commercial networks in Ukraine. Some of these hackers were also identified as going after targets in the United States. The hacking of cell phones used by military personnel is believed to be the cause of several accurate and fatal attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas who used cell phones excessively. The hackers made it possible to track the location of the phone owners and accurately fire shells or rockets at them. These capabilities had already attracted the attention of the U.S., which was supplying Ukraine with military equipment and technical assistance. American and NATO electronic warfare experts paid close attention to what the Russians were up to in Donbas and the cell phone hack was not unexpected. When it did arrive, it was scrutinized and dissected. That led to countermeasures that were ignored by the Russians and used by Ukrainian forces fighting the 2022 invasion. By the end of 2021 Ukraine had created a network of half a million software engineers, information specialists and other experienced Internet users to deal with Russian Cyber War attacks as well as carry out information campaigns worldwide to let the world know what was really happening in Ukraine. The Ukrainian efforts were successful, and this resulted in Ukrainian attacks against Russian networks and propaganda. The existence of these formidable Ukrainian Information and Cyber War capabilities is another reason NATO is eager to have Ukraine join the EU (European Union) and after that NATO. Ukraine is already a founding member of Cyber NATO. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 1, 2024 / bettermoo(d) Food Corporation (CSE:MOOO), (OTCQB:MOOOF), (Frankfurt:0I5A, WKN:A3D8PP) (the "Company" or "bettermoo(d)") is pleased to announce that it intends to investigate opportunities for a takeover or investment by a major Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) company in the industry. Due to the Company's innovative product offering, and recent successful nationwide launch of Moodrink" (see press release dated February 2, 2024) which saw the product sell out in select stores across Canada (see press release dated February 16, 2024), the Company is becoming a major disruptor in the dairy alternative space. Additionally, the Company has established a strong brand identity by teaming up with impactful partners, which together have amassed 37 million followers across various social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly twitter) and YouTube, which adds to the list of attractive attributes major companies are looking for. "We believe we can be an attractive target for a takeover or investment by a major Consumer Packaged Goods company looking to make an entrance, or further bolster their position, in the dairy replacement market. Thanks to our recent launch of Moodrink", and its strong reception in Canada, bettermoo(d)'s stature has been significantly elevated. Our unique branding, combined with our innovative product, which focuses on having the best nutrition and taste in the market, significantly differentiates the product from competitors," said Nima Bahrami, CEO of bettermoo(d). In the event of a suitable offer, the Company will provide shareholders and the market with further updates as it investigates potential opportunities in the industry. ABOUT BETTERMOO(D) FOOD CORPORATION bettermoo(d) Food Corporation is an innovative plant-based dairy alternative food and beverage company based in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, launching Moodrink", a nutritious dairy-alternative beverage with a revolutionary flavour. Moodrink" includes a blend of herbs and flowers similar to what cows ate, before the time of mass livestock production. Like rich dairy products, Moodrink" contains added healthy plant fats and vitamins, so consumers don't miss out. The "Moodrink" is just the beginning of the revolution for the Vancouver based dairy-alternative company, bettermoo(d). Driven by the motto "What A Cow Eats and A Human Needs" bettermoo(d) seeks to produce dairy alternative products that are good for both people and the planet - ensuring that all products are nutritious and sustainably sourced, and that also emulate the great taste of traditional milk from the Alps regions of Switzerland, France and Austria. Working with food scientists, the Company's goal is to conduct continuous food research and development programs with the aim of rolling out a full line of dairy alternative products, including Moogurt and Buetter, as well as many other products, that are better for YOU and better for the planet. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD of DIRECTORS Nima Bahrami Chief Executive Officer and Director bettermoo(d) Food Corporation For further information please contact: Email: [email protected] Website: www.bettermoo.com Phone: 1-855-715-1865 The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain forward looking statements and forward looking information (collectively, "Forward-Looking Statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements with respect to the anticipated commercial production of Moodrink, are forward-looking statements. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. SOURCE: bettermoo(d) Food Corporation View the original press release on accesswire.com OVERLAND PARK, KS - March 1, 2024 - Tortoise today announced the following balance sheet information and asset coverage ratio updates for TYG, NTG, TTP, NDP and TPZ. Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp. (NYSE: TYG) today announced that as of February 29, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $500.0 million and its unaudited net asset value was $382.8 million, or $35.56 per share. As of February 29, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 639%, and its coverage ratio for preferred shares was 438%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at February 29, 2024. Unaudited balance sheet (in Millions) Per Share Investments $ 498.6 $ 46.31 Cash and Cash Equivalents 0.3 0.03 Other Assets 1.1 0.10 Total Assets 500.0 46.44 Short-Term Borrowings 27.3 2.54 Senior Notes 50.3 4.67 Preferred Stock 35.7 3.31 Total Leverage 113.3 10.52 Other Liabilities 1.8 0.16 Current Tax Liability 2.1 0.20 Net Assets $ 382.8 $ 35.56 10.76 million common shares currently outstanding. Tortoise Midstream Energy Fund, Inc. (NYSE: NTG) today announced that as of February 29, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $279.1 million and its unaudited net asset value was $220.9 million, or $43.37 per share. As of February 29, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 655%, and its coverage ratio for preferred shares was 494%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at February 29, 2024. Unaudited balance sheet (in Millions) Per Share Investments $ 277.9 $ 54.56 Cash and Cash Equivalents 0.3 0.05 Other Assets 0.9 0.19 Total Assets 279.1 54.80 Short-Term Borrowings 13.1 2.57 Senior Notes 29.2 5.73 Preferred Stock 13.7 2.70 Total Leverage 56.0 11.00 Other Liability 0.9 0.18 Current Tax Liability 1.3 0.25 Net Assets $ 220.9 $ 43.37 5.09 million common shares currently outstanding. Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. (NYSE: TTP) today announced that as of February 29, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $88.5 million and its unaudited net asset value was $71.8 million, or $35.71 per share. As of February 29, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 861%, and its coverage ratio for preferred shares was 539%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at February 29, 2024. Unaudited balance sheet (in Millions) Per Share Investments $ 87.8 $ 43.67 Cash and Cash Equivalents 0.3 0.14 Other Assets 0.4 0.23 Total Assets 88.5 44.04 Short-Term Borrowings 6.3 3.13 Senior Notes 3.9 1.96 Preferred Stock 6.1 3.03 Total Leverage 16.3 8.12 Other Liabilities 0.4 0.21 Net Assets $ 71.8 $ 35.71 2.01 million common shares currently outstanding. Tortoise Energy Independence Fund, Inc. (NYSE: NDP) today announced that as of February 29, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $69.7 million and its unaudited net asset value was $59.8 million, or $35.87 per share. As of February 29, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 716%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at February 29, 2024. Unaudited balance sheet (in Millions) Per Share Investments $ 69.0 $ 41.44 Cash and Cash Equivalents 0.4 0.22 Other Assets 0.3 0.18 Total Assets 69.7 41.84 Credit Facility Borrowings 9.7 5.82 Other Liabilities 0.2 0.15 Net Assets $ 59.8 $ 35.87 1.67 million common shares currently outstanding. Tortoise Power and Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (NYSE: TPZ) today announced that as of February 29, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $124.8 million and its unaudited net asset value was $99.4 million, or $16.87 per share. As of February 29, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 498%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at February 29, 2024. Unaudited balance sheet (in Millions) Per Share Investments $ 123.5 $ 20.97 Cash and Cash Equivalents 0.4 0.06 Other Assets 0.9 0.15 Total Assets 124.8 21.18 Credit Facility Borrowings 25.0 4.24 Other Liabilities 0.4 0.07 Net Assets $ 99.4 $ 16.87 5.89 million common shares currently outstanding. The top 10 holdings for TYG, NTG, TTP, NDP and TPZ as of the most recent month-end can be found on each fund's portfolio web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . About Tortoise Tortoise focuses on energy & power infrastructure and the transition to cleaner energy. Tortoise's solid track record of energy value chain investment experience and research dates back more than 20 years. As an early investor in midstream energy, Tortoise believes it is well-positioned to be at the forefront of the global energy evolution that is underway. With a steady wins approach and a long-term perspective, Tortoise strives to make a positive impact on clients and communities. To learn more, please visit www.TortoiseAdvisors.com. Tortoise Capital Advisors, L.L.C. is the adviser to Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp., Tortoise Midstream Energy Fund, Inc., Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc., Tortoise Energy Independence Fund, Inc. and Tortoise Power and Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. For additional information on these funds, please visit cef.tortoiseadvisors.com. Safe harbor statement This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the laws of such state or jurisdiction. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements that may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are "forward-looking statements." Although the funds and Tortoise Capital Advisors believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the fund's reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Other than as required by law, the funds and Tortoise Capital Advisors do not assume a duty to update this forward-looking statement. Contact information For more information contact Eva Lipner at (913) 981-1020 or [email protected]. View the original press release on accesswire.com Highlights: Trifecta Gold is optioning the advanced Mt Hinton gold-silver project, next to Hecla's Keno Hill Mines and Banyan Gold's AurMac Deposit, as well as 10 other highly prospective projects. All 11 projects show characteristics of reduced intrusion related gold systems, like Snowline Gold's recent Valley discovery or Victoria Gold's Eagle Mine. Favorable deal structure allows Trifecta to acquire 100% of the project in a shareholder friendly manner. 4:1 share consolidation to allow restart of Trifecta Gold with a renewed focus on its newly acquired Yukon properties. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 1, 2024 / Trifecta Gold Ltd. (TSXV:TG)(OTCQB: TRRFF) ("Trifecta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire up to 100% of Mt. Hinton and 10 other highly prospective, intrusion-related gold projects located in Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt. Under a two stage earn-in agreement with Strategic Metals Ltd. ("Strategic"), Trifecta can acquire up to a 100% interest in all 11 properties. Tombstone Gold Belt Extending for more than 1,000 km from Alaska into Yukon, the Tombstone Gold Belt hosts many large Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold System (RIRGS) deposits such as Fort Knox in Alaska (>10 million oz), Eagle and Olive in Yukon (>4 million oz) and the past-producing Brewery Creek Mine, also in Yukon. Recent discoveries including Snowline Gold's Tier 1 Valley discovery, Sitka Gold's RC deposit, Banyan Gold's AurMac deposits and Victoria Gold's Raven deposit have drawn renewed exploration interest to the belt. These gold systems are characterized by sheeted, auriferous quartz veins forming in the carapace zones of Cretaceous-age plutons. They have a characteristic geochemical signature of Au-Bi-TeW within and surrounding the intrusion, and a characteristic geophysical signature of a magnetic low (ie. reduced) together with a coincident conductivity low. Moving outward from the intrusions, Au-As veins are common with Ag-Pb-Zn veins further out. Option Terms Under the terms of the option agreement, which is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance, Trifecta can acquire an initial 70% interest in the properties (the "First Option") by incurring aggregate exploration expenditures of $6 million by December 31, 2027 and issuing that number of Trifecta shares to Strategic such that, following the issuance of those shares, Strategic will hold 9.99% of Trifecta's then issued and outstanding share capital, including the shares of Trifecta currently held by Strategic. Following the exercise of the First Option, Strategic will retain a one percent (1%) net smelter return royalty interest in the properties. Trifecta can acquire the remaining 30% interest in the properties (the "Second Option") by issuing additional Trifecta shares to Strategic equal to 9.99% of the then outstanding Trifecta share capital at any time after the exercise of the First Option and prior to March 31, 2028, which number of shares to be issued to Strategic will not include any shares of Trifecta then held by Strategic. Following the exercise of the Second Option, Strategic will retain an additional one percent (1%) net smelter return royalty interest. Trifecta can purchase the second royalty interest from Strategic for the payment of 1,500 ounces of gold or the cash equivalent. If Trifecta exercises the First Option only, the parties shall form a joint venture to further explore and develop the properties. Project Portfolio The optioned portfolio covers approximately 30,000 hectares of highly prospective land within the Yukon portion of the Tombstone Gold Belt across 11 properties - namely, Mt. Hinton, Rye, Lance, Liam, Lois, Leroy, Luke, Leah, Lisa, Husky and Naws. The locations of the properties are available on the Company's website. The flagship Mt. Hinton gold-silver project lies within the Keno Hill District of the Tombstone Gold Belt, ideally located immediately southeast of Hecla Mining Company's ("Helca") Keno Hill Silver Mining Project, 35 km southeast of Victoria Gold's Eagle Mine, and 25 km east-southeast of Banyan Gold's AurMac Deposit. Mt. Hinton is a road accessible, camp scale property with over 60 precious metals veins identified to date. Mt. Hinton is a direct extension of the stratigraphy that hosts Hecla's Keno Hill Mines and much of the historical exploration at Mt. Hinton focused on these veins. Visible gold has been found in many of the known veins resulting in many bonanza grade (>100 g/t gold) assays being reported from surface grab and chip samples: There are active placer mines on all the creeks draining the property. Based on both metal zonation within the district and the regional magnetic signature at Mt. Hinton, a reduced intrusion on the property is theorized to be the driver for much of the mineralization in the district. Many recently identified gold-in-soil anomalies have yet to be prospected and a large magnetic low in the southeastern part of the project has not been investigated. Both will be priority targets for Trifecta. The Rye property is located 14 km south of Fireweed Metals' Macpass Project in eastern Yukon. It hosts a gold- and bismuth-in-soil anomaly associated with a known intrusion as well as multiple gold-rich veins more distal to the intrusion. Located midway between Mt. Hinton and Rye, the Lance property is centered on a multi-square kilometre gold- bismuth- and arsenic-in-soil anomaly that coincides with a magnetic low. Prospecting in 2023, in the western part of the project, discovered sheeted quartz veining within a secondary soil anomaly of a similar character. Liam is similarly centered on a large, coincident gold- bismuth- and arsenic-in-soil anomaly that is partially defined through grid soil sampling. The anomaly also has significant copper-in-soil that ranges from 200 to 847 ppm indicating potential for porphyry type mineralization as well. Lois, Leroy, Luke, Leah, Lisa, Husky and Naws are earlier stage targets that were staked on the same regional stream sediment signatures that mark all of the known deposits and major discoveries in the Tombstone Belt. Share Consolidation Trifecta's board of directors has approved the consolidation of its common shares on the basis of one post-consolidation share for every four pre-consolidation shares. The effective date of the consolidation will be confirmed at a future time, following the Company's receipt of acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange for this share consolidation. About Trifecta Gold Ltd. Trifecta is a Canadian-based precious metals exploration company dedicated to increasing shareholder value through the discovery and development of 100% held gold projects in Yukon and Nevada. Initial drilling at its Yuge Gold Project, located in northern Nevada, has identified multiple broad zones of gold mineralization near historical high-grade mines. The Company's Eureka Project hosts an 8 x 2.5 kilometre belt of surface showings and anomalous gold-in-soil that straddle the headwaters of two of the most productive placer creeks in Yukon's southern Klondike Goldfields. The Company's Treble Project covers a large hydrothermal system, located midway between Western Copper and Gold Corporation's Casino Deposit, the largest copper and gold deposit in the Yukon, and Rockhaven Resources Ltd.'s Klaza Deposit, a high-grade gold-silver deposit. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Richard Drechsler" President and CEO For further information concerning Trifecta or its various exploration projects please visit www.trifectagold.com or contact: Corporate Information Trifecta Gold Ltd. Richard Drechsler President and CEO Tel: (604) 687-2522 This news release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of exploration and other risk factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from the expected results. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE: Trifecta Gold Ltd. View the original press release on accesswire.com CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ohio-based Ancora Holdings Group, LLC (collectively with its affiliates, Ancora or we), which owns a large equity stake in Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) (Norfolk Southern or the Company), today issued the below statement regarding the Companys latest derailment. As a reminder, we recently announced the nomination of eight highly qualified, independent candidates (the Investor Slate) for election to the Companys Board of Directors (the Board) at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. In addition, we announced a proposed management team that includes transportation network leader Jim Barber, Jr. as Chief Executive Officer and lifelong railroad operator and turnaround expert Jamie Boychuk as Chief Operating Officer. To learn more, visit www.MoveNSCForward.com. We hope the crew and everyone in Lower Saucon Township are unharmed by yet another derailment of a Norfolk Southern train. Although our fiduciary obligation is to pursue optimal returns for the pensions, family offices and other clients who entrust us with their capital, nothing takes precedence over the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Our proposed slate and management team are unanimous in their view that Norfolk Southern must become a safer and more reliable railroad before it can ever reach its full potential. Following this latest derailment, we call for the immediate termination of CEO Alan Shaw and stand ready to engage with the Company about an orderly reconstitution of the Board and a transition to capable management with a track record of actually delivering on safety commitments. It is all too common for people to see in the news that a Norfolk Southern train is at the center of a derailment or tragedy.1 It is only by the grace of God that preliminary reports indicate no fatalities are associated with this accident. Images of diesel-filled locomotives lying on their sides underscore the urgent need to replace the Companys failed executive leadership and provide this railroad the fresh start it so desperately needs. This latest incident, which follows other accidents and the tragic death of an engineer this year, has resulted in two locomotives tumbling down a riverbank just 50 miles outside of Philadelphia and 85 miles outside of New York City. A derailment of this nature could cause fuel to leak into the river and nearby soil, resulting in health risks for communities who drink from this water and inviting investigations from state and federal governments. American Rivers, a non-profit, states that the Lehigh River supports the drinking water supply of 15 million people.2 A derailment like this could also hurt near-term service quality on an extremely busy line that connects major cities. This latest chapter in a series of accidents, which have been downplayed by Norfolk Southern, leads us to believe that it is only a matter of time before Mr. Shaws approach results in another wholesale disaster like the one in East Palestine, Ohio. This comes days after the Board arrogantly promoted managements safety record and revealed a 37% year-over-year raise in total compensation for Mr. Shaw, resulting in pay of roughly $13.4 million. It also follows the Boards sustained efforts to poison the well and peddle misinformation about our safety commitments to regulators, shippers, labor and the media. An incident like this, which is drawing national news coverage and resulting in more embarrassment for the railroad, should put an end to the Boards unsustainable efforts to save a tainted CEO with no long-term future.3 How can anyone defend this? About Ancora Founded in 2003, Ancora Holdings Group, LLC offers integrated investment advisory, wealth management, retirement plan services and insurance solutions to individuals and institutions across the United States. The firm is a long-term supporter of union labor and has a history of working with union groups and public pension plans to deliver long-term value. Ancoras comprehensive service offering is complemented by a dedicated team that has the breadth of expertise and operational structure of a global institution, with the responsiveness and flexibility of a boutique firm. For more information about Ancora, please visit https://ancora.net. Advisors Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP is serving as legal advisor, with Longacre Square Partners LLC serving as communications and strategy advisor and D.F. King & Co., Inc. serving as proxy solicitor. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The information herein contains forward-looking statements. Specific forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and include, without limitation, words such as may, will, expects, believes, anticipates, plans, estimates, projects, potential, targets, forecasts, seeks, could, should or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and assumptions. There can be no assurance that any idea or assumption herein is, or will be proven, correct. If one or more of the risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the underlying assumptions of Ancora (defined below) or any of the other participants in the proxy solicitation described herein prove to be incorrect, the actual results may vary materially from outcomes indicated by these statements. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Ancora that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated will ever be achieved. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results and actual results may vary materially from what is expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by applicable law, neither Ancora nor any participant will undertake and specifically declines any obligation to disclose the results of any revisions that may be made to any projected results or forward-looking statements herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such projected results or statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. Certain statements and information included herein have been sourced from third parties. Ancora does not make any representations regarding the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of such third party statements or information. Except as may be expressly set forth herein, permission to cite such statements or information has neither been sought nor obtained from such third parties. Any such statements or information should not be viewed as an indication of support from such third parties for the views expressed herein. CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PARTICIPANTS Ancora Alternatives LLC (Ancora Alternatives) and the other Participants (as defined below) intend to file a preliminary proxy statement and accompanying BLUE universal proxy card (the Proxy Statement) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) to be used to solicit proxies for, among other matters, the election of its slate of director nominees at the 2024 annual meeting of shareholders (the 2024 Annual Meeting) of Norfolk Southern Corporation, a Virginia corporation (Norfolk Southern or the Corporation). The participants in the proxy solicitation are currently anticipated to be Ancora Catalyst Institutional, LP (Ancora), Ancora Merlin Institutional, LP, (Ancora Merlin Institutional), Ancora Merlin, LP (Ancora Merlin), Ancora Catalyst, LP (Ancora Catalyst), Ancora Bellator Fund, LP (Ancora Bellator), Ancora Impact Fund LP Series AA (Ancora Impact AA) and Ancora Impact Fund LP Series BB (Ancora Impact BB) (each of which is a series fund within Ancora Impact Fund LP) (Ancora, Ancora Merlin Institutional, Ancora Merlin, Ancora Catalyst, Ancora Bellator, Ancora Impact AA and Ancora Impact BB, collectively, the Ancora Funds), Ancora Advisors, LLC (Ancora Advisors), The Ancora Group LLC (Ancora Group), Ancora Family Wealth Advisors, LLC (Ancora Family Wealth), Inverness Holdings LLC (Inverness Holdings), Ancora Alternatives, Ancora Holdings Group, LLC (Ancora Holdings) and Frederick DiSanto (collectively, the Ancora Parties); and Betsy Atkins, James Barber, Jr., William Clyburn, Jr., Nelda Connors, Sameh Fahmy, John Kasich, Gilbert Lamphere and Allison Landry (the Ancora Nominees and, collectively with the Ancora Parties, the Participants). Ancora Alternatives, as the general partner and investment manager of each of the Ancora Funds and as the investment manager of the Ancora Alternatives separately managed accounts (each, an SMA) may be deemed to beneficially own in the aggregate 913,180 shares of Common Stock (of which 830,380 shares of Common Stock are directly and beneficially owned by the Ancora Funds, including the 123,500 shares of Common Stock underlying 1,235 American call options held directly and beneficially in aggregate by the Ancora Funds, and of which 82,800 shares of Common Stock are held indirectly and beneficially by the Ancora Alternatives SMAs). Ancora Advisors, as the investment advisor to the SMA of Ancora Advisors, may be deemed to beneficially own all of the 270 shares of Common Stock held in the Ancora Advisors SMA. Ancora Group, as the sole member of Ancora Advisors, may be deemed to beneficially own all of the 270 shares of Common Stock held in the Ancora Advisors SMA. Ancora Family Wealth, as the investment advisor to the Ancora Family Wealth SMAs, may be deemed to beneficially own all of the 9,847.28 shares of Common Stock held in the Ancora Family Wealth SMAs. Inverness Holdings, as the sole member of Ancora Family Wealth, may be deemed to beneficially own all of the 9,847.28 shares of Common Stock held in the Ancora Family Wealth SMAs. Ancora, as the sole member of each of Ancora Alternatives, Ancora Group and Inverness Holdings, may be deemed to beneficially own in the aggregate 923,297.28 shares of Common Stock held by the Ancora Funds (including the 123,500 shares of Common Stock underlying 1,235 American call options), the Ancora Alternatives SMAs, the Ancora Advisors SMA and the Ancora Family Wealth SMAs. Mr. DiSanto, as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ancora, may be deemed to beneficially own in the aggregate 923,297.28 shares of Common Stock held by the Ancora Funds (including the 123,500 shares of Common Stock underlying 1,235 American call options), the Ancora Alternatives SMAs, the Ancora Advisors SMA and the Ancora Family Wealth SMAs. The Ancora Parties beneficially own 923,297.28 shares of Common Stock in the aggregate (including the 123,500 shares of Common Stock underlying 1,235 American call options). Gilbert Lamphere owns 1,200 shares of Common Stock and Sameh Fahmy owns 3,000 shares of Common Stock. IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT Ancora strongly advises all shareholders of Norfolk Southern to read the preliminary proxy statement, any amendments or supplements to such proxy statement, the definitive proxy statement, and other proxy materials filed by Ancora as they become available because they will contain important information. Such proxy materials will be available at no charge on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. In addition, the participants in this proxy solicitation will provide copies of the proxy statement without charge, when available, upon request. Requests for copies should be directed to the participants proxy solicitor. 1 Freight Waves, NTSB investigating after Norfolk Southern worker killed, February 2, 2024 and Associated Press, 10 cars of cargo train carrying cooking oil and plastic pellets derail. Two land in New York river, February 8, 2024 and 13 News Now, 9 train cars derailed at Norfolks Lamberts Point terminal, Norfolk Southern says, February 7, 2024. 2 https://www.americanrivers.org/media-item/lehigh-river-named-among-americas-most-endangered-rivers-of-2023/#:~:text=The%20river%20is%20a%20direct,water%20supply%20of%2015%20million. 3 The New York Times, Freight Cars Derail Along Lehigh River in Pennsylvania, March 2, 2024. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240302388946/en/ Longacre Square Partners Joe Germani / Charlotte Kiaie, 646-386-0091 [email protected] D.F. King & Co., Inc. Edward McCarthy 212-229-2634 [email protected] Source: Ancora Holdings Group, LLC SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Douglas Emmett, Inc. (NYSE: DEI), a real estate investment trust (REIT), announced today that President and CEO Jordan L. Kaplan will be participating in a roundtable discussion at the 2024 Citi Global Property CEO Conference on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 11:00 am Eastern Time. A live webcast of the discussion will be available at: https://kvgo.com/2024-global-property-ceo-conference/douglas-emmett-march A replay of the discussion will be available on the same URL starting twelve hours after the end of the live event and continuing for one year. About Douglas Emmett, Inc. Douglas Emmett, Inc. (DEI) is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT), and one of the largest owners and operators of high-quality office and multifamily properties located in the premier coastal submarkets of Los Angeles and Honolulu. Douglas Emmett focuses on owning and acquiring a substantial share of top-tier office properties and premier multifamily communities in neighborhoods that possess significant supply constraints, high-end executive housing and key lifestyle amenities. Please visit our website at www.douglasemmett.com for more information about Douglas Emmett. Safe Harbor Statement Except for the historical facts, the statements in this press release regarding Douglas Emmetts business activities are forward-looking statements based on the beliefs of, assumptions made by, and information currently available to us about known and unknown risks, trends, uncertainties and factors that are beyond our control or ability to predict. Although we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, they are not guarantees of future performance and some will inevitably prove to be incorrect. As a result, our actual future results can be expected to differ from our expectations, and those differences may be material. Accordingly, investors should use caution in relying on forward-looking statements to anticipate future results or trends. For a discussion of some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2022, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240301175872/en/ Stuart McElhinney, Vice President Investor Relations 310.255.7751 [email protected] Source: Douglas Emmett, Inc. HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority recognized Commissioner Cheryl Creuzot for her work on the commission at its monthly meeting on February 29. Chairman Ric Campo and members of the Port Commission expressed their gratitude for her four years of dedication, invaluable contributions, and service. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240301284921/en/ Former Port Houston Commissioner Cheryl Creuzot shares closing remarks at the end of the Port Houston Commission regular monthly meeting held on February 29. (Photo: Business Wire) In remarks delivered to the Port Commission at the close of the meeting, Ms. Creuzot said: It has been a distinguished privilege and my esteemed honor to have served in the capacity of a Port Commissioner, and in particular, in the historic role as the first African American woman to hold this position. Above all, I take great pride in being a part of this commission as we embarked on a major project to make our channel safer and to increase commerce with Project 11 to widen and deepen the channel. I am very proud of my impactful role in substantially advancing initiatives to bolster business equity and small businesses and in enhancing community engagement. She continued, Having achieved my objectives in these arenas, I chose not to seek a third term and proudly pass the baton on to the next person in leadership. Ms. Creuzot acknowledged Port Commissioner-elect Thomas Jones Jr., who was in attendance. She wished him well, expressing her full support and confidence in the leadership and contributions he will bring, before concluding her remarks: I wish Port Houston continued success as a driving force that contributes jobs and economic prosperity to our region. I want to thank our Chairman, fellow commissioners, and the ports leadership team for their support and kindness during these four years, and I look forward to our continued friendship, as I eagerly anticipate extending my contributions to other areas within our community. Chairman Campo and fellow board members added their appreciation and respect for Ms. Creuzots contributions to the Houston Ship Channel Expansion Project 11, and her efforts to enhance Port Houstons eight public terminals. During her tenure, Commissioner Creuzot focused on Port Houstons Business Equity program and its establishment and ongoing development. She was also a member of the Audit Committee, Community Relations Committee, Governance Committee, and Dredge Task Force. Environmental stewardship and developing green spaces also received her particular attention. Thomas Jones, Jr. is expected to begin his term as the new Port Commissioner this month. Port Commissioners are appointed to serve for two-year terms without pay and may serve a maximum of 12 years. About Port Houston For more than 100 years, Port Houston has owned and operated the public wharves and terminals along the Houston Ship Channel, including the areas largest breakbulk facility and two of the most efficient container terminals in the country. Port Houston is the advocate and a strategic leader for the Channel. The Houston Ship Channel complex and its more than 200 private and eight public terminals is the nations largest port for waterborne tonnage and an essential economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas and the U.S. The Port of Houston supports the creation of nearly 1.5 million jobs in Texas and 3.37 million jobs nationwide, and economic activity totaling $439 billion in Texas and $906 billion in economic impact across the nation. For more information, visit the website at PortHouston.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240301284921/en/ Lisa Ashley-Daniels, Director, Public Relations, Office: 713-670-2644; Mobile: 832-247-8179; E-mail: [email protected] Source: Port Houston WINDSOR LOCKS, Ct.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- XD Fund Advisor, an emerging mutual fund management start-up established in 2023, proudly announces the launch of the XD Treasury Money Market Fund. This innovative fund brings two distinctive share classes to investors: Institutional Class (Ticker: IXDXX) and Investor Class (Ticker: VXDXX). The XD Treasury Money Market Fund is strategically crafted to align with the objectives of investors seeking income consistent with capital preservation and liquidity. Operating as a "Government Money Market Fund" under Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Fund allocates at least 99.5% of its total assets to U.S. government securities, fully collateralized repurchase agreements, cash, and/or other money market mutual funds operating as Government Money Market Funds. Led by Chief Portfolio Manager Scott Riecke, the Fund is committed to risk management, ensuring adherence to requirements related to maturity, credit quality, and portfolio liquidity. For additional information about the XD Treasury Money Market Fund, please refer to the prospectus dated February 9, 2024, which can be found at www.xdfundadvisor.com or by calling (833) 993-9200. About XD Fund Advisor XD Fund Advisor LLC is a Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment advisor, and a Delaware limited liability company that was founded on June 20, 2023. The firm is located in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. XD is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NetXD Inc., a financial-technology company. IMPORTANT RISK DISCLOSURE No Bank Guarantee | Not FDIC Insured | May Lose Value There is no assurance that the portfolio will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Fund's sponsor is not required to reimburse the Fund for losses, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time, including during periods of market stress. Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the XD Treasury Money Market Fund before investing. This and other important information about the Fund is contained in the prospectus, which can be obtained by visiting the funds website at www.xdfundadvisor.com, or by calling (833) 993-9200, and which should be read carefully before investing. The XD Treasury Money Market Fund is distributed by Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. XD Fund Advisor LLC is not affiliated with Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC. 2024 XD Fund Advisor LLC; All Rights Reserved. 17924250-UFD-02232024 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240301690877/en/ XD Fund Advisor (833) 993-9200 Source: XD Fund Advisor London, England, March 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a significant leap forward for the cryptocurrency market, DeFiQuant is proud to announce the launch of its AI-based trading bot, setting a new standard in the automated trading bot industry. This cutting-edge tool is designed to empower traders by leveraging advanced artificial intelligence to optimize trading strategies, thereby maximizing profitability across various market conditions. A New Era of Trading Efficiency and AccessibilityDeFiQuant's latest innovation introduces an unparalleled level of trading efficiency and accessibility, offering tailored plans that cater to investors of all wallet sizes. With some of the most competitive pricing on the market, DeFiQuant is poised to become a leading choice for both novice and experienced traders seeking to enhance their trading performance through automated solutions. Allen Heery, Media Representative for DeFiQuant, shared his excitement about the launch: "Our AI-based trading bot represents a major milestone in automated crypto trading. We've developed a platform that not only levels the playing field for all traders but also sets a new benchmark for what's possible in this rapidly evolving market. Our goal is to provide our users with the best crypto trading bot, combining affordability with unmatched performance." Empowering Traders with Cutting-Edge Technology DeFiQuant's AI-based trading bot stands out in the crowded market with its ability to analyze vast amounts of market data in real time, identify profitable trading opportunities, and execute trades with precision. This level of sophistication ensures that DeFiQuant users can enjoy enhanced trading outcomes, backed by the power of artificial intelligence. Tailored Solutions for Every TraderWhether it's a newcomer looking to dip their toes into the crypto market or a seasoned investor seeking advanced trading capabilities, DeFiQuant's platform provides the perfect blend of functionality and simplicity. Understanding that one size does not fit all in the world of crypto trading, DeFiQuant offers a range of investment plans designed to meet the specific needs and goals of individual traders. Free Experience Bot: $5 investment returns $0.15 plus the initial amount in a day. 1-Day Bot: $50 investment for a $0.3 profit, returned in a day. 5-Day Bot: Invest $500 for a $21.25 profit, returned in 5 days. 7-Day Bot: $1050 investment for a $73.5 profit, returned in 7 days. 15-Day Bot: $3000 investment yields a $540 profit in 15 days. 20-Day Bot: $6000 investment for a $1680 profit, returned in 20 days. 30-Day Bot: $10800 investment brings a $5184 profit in 30 days. 45-Day Bot: $18000 investment for a $14580 profit, returned in 45 days. 60-Day Bot: Invest $30000 for a $36000 profit, returned after 60 days. Competitive Pricing for Maximum AccessibilityIn addition to offering advanced technology, DeFiQuant prides itself on its competitive pricing model. The platform's commitment to affordability ensures that more traders can access the benefits of automated trading bots without compromising on quality or performance. This approach is part of DeFiQuant's broader mission to democratize access to sophisticated trading tools in the cryptocurrency space. Looking Forward: Innovation and ExpansionAs the cryptocurrency market continues to grow, DeFiQuant remains at the forefront of innovation, constantly enhancing its services to meet the changing needs of its users. "The launch of our Best automated trading bot is just the beginning," stated Heery. "We're committed to continuous improvement and expansion, ensuring that DeFiQuant remains synonymous with excellence in the automated trading bot market." Join the Automated Trading Revolution with DeFiQuant Traders looking to leverage the latest advancements in AI technology and automated strategies are invited to explore DeFiQuant's offerings. With its user-friendly platform, competitive pricing, and comprehensive support, DeFiQuant is setting a new standard for what traders can expect from an automated trading bot service. For more information about DeFiQuant's AI-based trading bot and other investment opportunities, please visit www.defiquant.net. For media inquiries, please contact:Allen HeeryMedia RepresentativeEmail: [email protected]Website: www.defiquant.net Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency & securities. Allen Heery info at defiquant.net Source: Defiquant NEW YORK, March 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Sunnova Energy International Inc. (NYSE: NOVA) between February 25, 2020 and December 7, 2023, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important April 16, 2024 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Sunnova securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Sunnova class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=22626 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 16, 2024. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Sunnova routinely engaged in predatory business practices against disadvantaged homeowners and communities, the same groups that Project Hestia, an agreement with Sunnova and the U.S. Department of Energys Loan Programs Office to support solar loans originated by Sunnova under a new solar loan channel, was purportedly intended to benefit; (2) the foregoing conduct subjected Sunnova to a heightened risk of regulatory and/or governmental scrutiny, as well as significant reputational and/or financial harm; and (3) as a result, Sunnovas public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Sunnova class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=22626 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com NEW YORK, March 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC) resulting from allegations that Chemours may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. SO WHAT: If you purchased Chemours securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=22563 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On February 29, 2024, The Wall Street Journal released an article entitled Chemical Giant Chemours Suspends Top Executives, Opens Accounting Probe. This article stated, in pertinent part that, the company said it was putting its top executives on leave and delaying its audited financial filings amid an internal investigation into its bookkeeping, compensation and ethics-hotline reports. The announcement spooked investors who were expecting the Teflon maker to report its latest financial results. Instead, the companys board of directors said it was working with a law firm to conduct an investigation. On this news, Chemours stock fell $9.05 per share, or 31.51%, to close at $19.67 per share on February 29, 2024. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com NON-REGULATORY PRESS RELEASE The NIPU trial is investigating the effect of adding UV1 vaccine to immunotherapy as second-line treatment of pleural mesothelioma. The results were initially presented at the ESMO Conference in October 2023 The publication outlines the full trial results, including observations on UV1s positive impact on objective response rate, overall survival, and additional data on increased efficacy in defined histological subtypes Oslo, March 2, 2024: Ultimovacs ASA (Ultimovacs) (OSE ULTI), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing immunotherapeutic cancer vaccines, today announced that the results from the randomized controlled Phase II clinical trial, NIPU, are published in the European Journal of Cancer . The trial investigates the effect of adding Ultimovacs cancer vaccine UV1 to second-line treatment with ipilimumab and nivolumab for patients with pleural mesothelioma (NCT04300244). NIPU is an investigator-initiated, open-label, multi-center Phase II trial sponsored by Oslo University Hospital with support from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Ultimovacs. Six university hospitals in Australia, Denmark, Norway, Spain, and Sweden participated in the trial. 118 patients were randomized between June 2020 and January 2023. The study did not meet its primary endpoint of improved progression-free survival (PFS) based on blinded independent central review (BICR). Analyses on the secondary endpoints, objective response rate (ORR) by BICR and overall survival (OS), showed a significant benefit of adding the UV1 vaccine to ipilimumab and nivolumab. Local assessment demonstrated an improved PFS among patients in the vaccine arm for all histological subtypes combined, and new subgroup analysis demonstrates further improvement for the epithelioid subtype. The epithelioid subtype represents approximately 70% of all patients with mesothelioma. The safety profile of the combination of UV1 plus ipilimumab and nivolumab observed in the trial was consistent with that of ipilimumab and nivolumab alone, confirming the good safety profile for the UV1 vaccine. ==ENDS== About Ultimovacs Ultimovacs is a clinical-stage biotechnology leader in novel immunotherapeutic cancer vaccines with broad applicability. Ultimovacs lead cancer vaccine candidate UV1 is directed against human telomerase (hTERT), an antigen present in 85-90% of cancers in all stages of tumor growth. A broad clinical program, with Phase II trials in five cancer indications enrolling more than 670 patients, aims to demonstrate UV1s impact in combination with other immunotherapies in multiple cancer types expressing telomerase and where patients have unmet medical needs. UV1 is universal, off-the-shelf, and easy to use. UV1 is a patented technology owned by Ultimovacs. In addition, Ultimovacs holds all rights to the proprietary TET technology platform for any possible future formulations for the treatment of solid tumor indications. The Company is listed on the Euronext Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: ULTI). About NIPU NIPU ( N ivolumab and I pilimumab P lus/minus U V1 vaccination) is a randomized, multi-center phase II trial in which Ultimovacs universal cancer vaccine, UV1, is evaluated in combination with Bristol-Myers Squibbs checkpoint inhibitors, nivolumab and ipilimumab, as second-line treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. The trial sponsor is Oslo University Hospital, supported in the preparation and execution of the trial by Ultimovacs and Bristol Myers Squibb. The 118 patients are randomized 1:1 into two treatment arms. All participants receive treatment with nivolumab (240 mg every 2 weeks) and ipilimumab (1 mg/kg every 6 weeks) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or for a maximum of 2 years. Patients randomized to the experimental arm received 8 intradermal injections of UV1 vaccine during the first three months of treatment. The objective of the study is to achieve a clinically meaningful progression-free survival (PFS) benefit in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) after progression on first-line standard platinum doublet chemotherapy. Subsequent events emerging in patients in both arms of the NIPU study will continue to be monitored beyond the read-out of the primary endpoint. The ipilimumab and nivolumab combination has recently been approved as first-line treatment for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma in Europe and the U.S. About Mesothelioma Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive type of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue that surrounds the lungs and inside of the chest. Mesothelioma accounted for 30 870 new cancer cases and 26 278 cancer deaths worldwide in 2020, according to International Agency for Research on Cancer (Globocan 2020). Pleural mesothelioma is a disease with a high unmet medical need, especially in industrialized countries. The median overall survival is approximately 1 year. Occupational asbestos exposure is the No. 1 cause of the disease, and several occupations like firefighters, military veterans, construction, and industry workers, are at risk. This cancer usually takes several decades to develop after a persons first exposure to asbestos. Most patients are diagnosed after age 70 because of the long latency period. Even though the use of asbestos to a large extent is banned in many countries today, new incidences of mesothelioma will continue to be a medical and public health challenge because of the long latency period typical of the illness. For patients with inoperable disease, few treatment options are available after first-line chemotherapy. The combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab has recently shown increased survival compared to standard chemotherapy, but most patients do not respond, and improvements are called for. Telomerase is expressed in mesothelioma cells and is therefore a relevant target for therapeutic vaccination. About UV1 UV1 is a universal cancer vaccine designed to induce a specific T-cell response against telomerase. UV1 consists of long, synthetic peptides representing a sequence in the reverse transcriptase subunit of telomerase (hTERT), shown to induce CD4+ T-cells. These CD4+ T-cells have the potential to provide inflammatory signals, and T-cell support is believed to be critical for triggering a strong anti-tumor immune response. Following intradermal injection, antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the skin are exposed to the vaccine peptides. These APCs will process the peptides and present vaccine epitopes on Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules to naive T-cells in the lymph nodes. Activated vaccine-specific T-cells will then enter the circulation and search for cells displaying their cognate antigen in the context of HLA molecules. The UV1 peptides contain several epitopes, shown to be non-restrictive in terms of (HLA) alleles for presentation. It is, therefore, not required to perform HLA pre-screening of patients, which potentially enables broad population utilization of the vaccine. UV1 is administered over three months with eight intradermal injections and the immune-modulator GM-CSF. For further information, please see www.ultimovacs.com or contact: Carlos de Sousa, CEO Email: [email protected] Phone: +47 908 92507 Anne Worse, Head of Investor Relations Email: [email protected] Phone: +47 90686815 This stock exchange announcement was published by Anne Worse, Head at Investor Relations at Ultimovacs ASA, on March 2, 2024 at 18:40 CET. 36,904 total articles have been posted to this category. Sign-up to StreetInsider.com Premium to see all today's market moving Hot List reports. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 1. The foreign ministers of Tajikistan and Russia Sirojiddin Mukhriddin and Sergey Lavrov have met on the sidelines of the diplomatic forum in Antalya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan says, Trend reports. According to the information, the parties discussed issues related to interaction between the two countries. The statement notes that the parties discussed current aspects of bilateral relations and exchanged views on cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia within the framework of regional and international organizations. Perth, Western Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 1, 2024) - Visit American West Metals (ASX: AW1) at Booth #2341 at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canadas (PDAC) Convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) from Sunday, March 3 to Wednesday, March 6, 2024. About American West Metals American West Metals Limited (ASX: AW1) (OTCQB: AWMLF) is focused on the discovery of major copper and other clean energy mineral deposits in North America. Our strategy is to develop low cost mines that have a low-footprint and support the global energy transformation.The company is currently expanding the high-grade discoveries at the Storm Copper Project in Nunavut, Canada; developing an advanced zinc-copper-indium deposit at West Desert in Utah, USA and establishing a resource at the expansive Copper Warrior Project in Utah, USA. About PDAC The Worlds Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 24,000 attendees in person in 2023, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events. The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the worlds mineral industry. For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention. We look forward to seeing you there. For further information: American West Metals Dave O'Neill +61 457 598 993 [email protected] https://www.americanwestmetals.com/site/content/ Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 1, 2024) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) (OTCQX: LSANF) ("Los Andes" or the "Company") announces that in accordance with the terms of the US$5,000,000, US$4,000,000 and US$5,000,000 eight per cent convertible debentures issued to Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. ("Queen's Road Capital") on June 2, 2021, April 4, 2022 and September 2, 2022 (the "Convertible Debentures") the Company has elected to issue 12,012 common shares in the capital of the Company ("Common Shares") at a deemed price of US$8.74 (C$11.79) to Queen's Road Capital as payment for US$104,985 (C$141,621) in interest owing on the Convertible Debentures. Under the terms of the Convertible Debentures, interest is payable quarterly, five per cent in cash and three per cent in shares, at the greater of: (i) the 20-day volume weighted average price prior to the interest payment date; or (ii) the Discounted Market Price (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V")). The issuance of the Common Shares as payment for interest owing on the Convertible Debentures is subject to the terms and conditions of the Convertible Debentures as well as the receipt of all requisite approvals, including, without limitation, the approval of the TSX-V. About Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. is a leading financier to the global resource sector. The company is a resource focused investment company, making investments in privately held and publicly traded resource companies. It is intended that the company will acquire and hold securities for both long-term capital appreciation and short-term gains, with a focus on convertible debt securities and resource projects in advanced development or production located in safe jurisdictions. Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. is listed on the TSX under the ticker: QRC. About Los Andes Copper Ltd. Los Andes Copper Ltd. is an exploration and development company with an 100% interest in the Vizcachitas Project in Chile. The Company is focused on progressing the Project, which is located along Chile's most prolific copper belt, into production. Vizcachitas is one of the largest copper deposits in the Americas not controlled by the majors and the Company believes it will be Chile's next major copper mine. The Project is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit, located 150 kilometers north of Santiago, in an area of very good infrastructure. An independent technical report for the PFS, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, is available on the Company's SEDAR profile. Los Andes Copper Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: LA. Qualified Persons Antony Amberg CGeol FGS, the Company's Chief Geologist, is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. For more information please contact: Santiago Montt, CEO [email protected] Tel: +56 2 2954-0450 Elizabeth Johnson, Investor Relations [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] or visit our website at: www.losandescopper.com Follow us on twitter @LosAndesCopper Follow us on LinkedIn Los Andes Copper Ltd Certain of the information and statements contained herein that are not historical facts, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Securities Act (British Columbia), Securities Act (Ontario) and the Securities Act (Alberta) ("Forward-Looking Information"). Forward-Looking Information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend"; statements that an event or result is "due" on or "may", "will", "should", "could", or might" occur or be achieved; and, other similar expressions. More specifically, Forward-Looking Information involves 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. Such Forward Looking Information includes, without limitation, the timing of and ability to obtain TSX-V and other regulatory approvals and the prospects, details related to and timing of the Vizcachitas Project. Such Forward-Looking Information is based upon the Company's assumptions regarding global and Chilean economic, political and market conditions and the price of metals and energy and the Company's production. Among the factors that have a direct bearing on the Company's future results of operations and financial conditions are changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, a change in government policies, competition, currency fluctuations and restrictions and technological changes, among other things. Should one or more of any of the aforementioned risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from any conclusions, forecasts or projections described in the Forward-Looking Information. 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 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/200176 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 1, 2024) - OBERON URANIUM CORP. (CSE: OBRN) ("Oberon" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a property purchase and sale agreement (the "Agreement") with Forty Pillars Mining Corp. ("Forty Pillars") (CSE: PLLR), an arm's length party to Oberon, pursuant to which Oberon has agreed to sell its Element 92 Uranium Property, comprised of a single Saskatchewan mineral claim number covering 5,961 hectares located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, on the southern end of the Athabasca region (the "Property"). Under the Agreement, Forty Pillars has agreed to pay to Oberon $10,000 in cash and to issue 2,000,000 common shares of Forty Pillars on closing of the transaction. The shares will be subject to a four month hold period in accordance with applicable securities laws. It is anticipated that Oberon will be an insider of Forty Pillars on closing of the transaction, by reason of holding approximately 17.25% of the issued and outstanding shares of Forty Pillars post-closing. Closing is subject to customary conditions of closing, including completion of due diligence by Forty Pillars and approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (if required), and is expected to complete shortly. Oberon also announces that Sandy Loutitt is resigning from his position as special advisor to Oberon to pursue other ventures. Oberon's management and board of directors thank Mr. Loutitt for his services to the Company. About the Company Oberon Uranium Corp. is a mineral exploration company with a 100% interest in the past producing Lucky Boy Uranium Property located in Arizona, USA. Oberon also owns a 100% interest in the Fusion Uranium Zone Project and the Element 92 Property both located in the Athabasca Region of Saskatchewan, Canada. For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) or contact the Company by email at [email protected]. On Behalf of the Board of Directors "Lawrence Hay" President and CEO Tel: 778.317.8754 Email: [email protected] Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, including with respect to future plans, and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions, the ability to manage operating expenses, and dependence on key personnel. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, the continued availability of capital and financing, litigation, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 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/200177 Recently, a unique trauma and grief counseling workshop in Johanessburg, empowered community counselors with simple social and spiritual support tools to help others recover from the overwhelming and sometimes deadly mental pressures of life. Recently, a unique trauma and grief counseling workshop in Joburg, empowered community counselors with simple social and spiritual support tools to help others recover from the overwhelming and sometimes deadly mental pressures of life. The Dianetics Workshop, organized by the Church of Scientology in the Johannesburg area, received praise from community members as they claimed that it gave them their lives back from the clutches of trauma and grief. The word Dianetics comes from dia, the Greek word for through, and nous, Greek for mind or soul. Is most accurately described as what the soul is doing to the body through the mind. The 2-day long workshop enabled the attendees to quickly learn how to use Dianetics procedures to counsel each other to overcome their grief and trauma. The closely supervised training creates sustainable and accessible relief from trauma and grief for the many in South Africa who need it and are tired of unworkable solutions. Martha Mlambo, who has been counseling many in her community, felt that what she was doing wasnt working as people always came back with the same problem after months of therapy. However, after attending this workshop, she regained optimism to push on. She said This seminar was a big step in my life. I have counseled many people in the past, without knowing the correct code of conduct. I always ended up crying with them feeling their pain and not knowing what to do. I used to give up on them, especially with married couples. Now I have gained back all my courage. I will continue helping people because now I have this chance to give them life with Dianetics. With reports stating that over 2 million South Africans experience anxiety, depression, stress, grief, and many other forms of mental stress that accompany life, the Dianetics Foundation has been working extra hard to bring solutions to many South Africans suffering amidst the current unemployment rate, crime rate, gender-based violence and many other social issues that plague our nation. For many who said that life was dim, they now report a light at the end of the tunnel. The book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health has been circulating through thousands of hands in the country and readers have been reporting about an incredible boost in mental and emotional stability. Martha is not the only one who has expressed lasting relief from Dianetics. Across South Africa, thousands more continue to express satisfaction with this social and spiritual counseling tool. Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, a top bestselling book on the mind ever written, is bringing mental joy and relief from the trauma and grief that comes from life. This is according to Tony Peacock, Deputy Executive Director of the Church of Scientology in Randburg, who has experienced many people change their lives after being relieved from the burdens of mental issues. Another woman's experience showed that although one can get comfortable with pain, that doesn't mean one should and for her the answer was simple. The mother of two, after several hours of Dianetics counseling, reported that she had fixed a sleeping problem that she had been struggling with for 5 years. An accountant who had been struggling with various work and life stresses, after 36 hours of Dianetics counselling said that his life was now better. He described the relief he experienced through Dianetics. "I have suddenly become calmer, more stable and this has done more for me than several years of previous therapies I had tried". A mother from Gauteng, who lost two of her sons to drugs, said I couldn't talk to anyone about it, not even my husband. It felt like a heavy stone was sitting in my chest and I could feel it squashing every breath I took. She described her Dianetics session and how she could feel the weight lift off. She experienced tremendous relief. I am no longer held back by my loss but I cherish the moments I got to be with my sons." The Dianetics seminar has helped me to feel strong and powerful, said another woman who lost her husband during the pandemic in 2020. I had so much anger towards everybody. I felt sick all the time. Dianetics has helped me with so many things, and in only two days, she added. This is something that we need in this area, said another woman who once attended the seminar. With traumatic incidents affecting all segments of the community, she feels everyone needs access to Dianetics, not only widows. Auditing, which comes from the Latin word audire, means "to listen." A Dianetics auditor (meaning one who listens) guides another person through incidents of pain and painful emotion using simple steps described in the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health by L. Ron Hubbard. You dont have to live with the trauma and grief. There is a solution to permanently get relief from those unpleasant experiences. It is drug-free and works. People are more than welcome to come and find out more from us, concluded Tony who is spearheading the movement for better mental health using Dianetics. Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health was originally published on May 9, 1950. More than 50,000 copies sold immediately and the book soared onto the New York Times bestseller list, where it remained for 28 consecutive weeks. With over 300 million copies of his works in circulation, L. Ron Hubbard has inspired a movement millions strong, spanning six continents. Described as a guide to the human mind, the book is an easy step-by-step procedure to understanding and getting rid of the unwanted traumatic experiences that make life hard. About the company: Since 1981, we have served a growing congregation in Johannesburg North. Johannesburg holds an exceptional place in Scientology history. For it was in Johannesburg that the Founder of our religion, L. Ron Hubbard, made his home in the early 1960s and worked to bring the spiritual freedom of Scientology to our nation. Above all, it was here he sought to revitalise the indomitable African spirita spirit which, once sparked, could burn forth throughout the world and thus realise his prediction and his dream: From Southern Africa will spring the next great civilisation on this planet. Contact Info: Name: SANDILE HLAYISI Email: Send Email Organization: CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY SOUTH AFRICA Address: Gauteng, South Africa Phone: +27 061 907 9325 Website: https://www.castlekyalami.org.za/ Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/castle.kyalami Twitter: https://twitter.com/africa_vm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/castle_kyalami/?hl=en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgDogs77JAdDTDV3p6Zc5IA/ Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt9SyNpirdo Release ID: 89122986 If you encounter any issues, discrepancies, or concerns regarding the content provided in this press release that require attention or if there is a need for a press release takedown, we kindly request that you notify us without delay at [email protected]. Our responsive team will be available round-the-clock to address your concerns within 8 hours and take necessary actions to rectify any identified issues or guide you through the removal process. Ensuring accurate and reliable information is fundamental to our mission. Previous CFO, Bonnie Tomei , will not be Returning after Personal Leave SAN JOSE, Calif. , March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- (TSXV: SEV) (OTCQB: SPVNF) Spectra7 Microsystems Inc. ("Spectra7" or the "Company"), a leading provider of high-performance analog semiconductor products for broadband connectivity markets, today announced that Bonnie Tomei , CFO, is leaving the company effective February 29, 2024 due to a family medical situation. Bonnie has been on personal leave since November 30, 2023 . Dave Mier , who is currently serving as Interim CFO, will continue in that role while the Company searches for a permanent replacement. "I want to thank Bonnie for her leadership and contribution to Spectra7. We wish Bonnie the very best for the future," said Raouf Halim , Chief Executive Officer of Spectra7. ABOUT SPECTRA7 MICROSYSTEMS INC. Spectra7 Microsystems Inc. is a high-performance analog semiconductor company delivering unprecedented bandwidth, speed and resolution to enable disruptive industrial design for leading electronics manufacturers in virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, data centers and other connectivity markets. Spectra7 is based in San Jose, California with a design center in Cork, Ireland and a technical support location in Dongguan, China . For more information, please visit www.spectra7.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. CAUTIONARY NOTES Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, the Company's strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words "believe", "expect", "aim", "intend", "plan", "continue", "will", "may", "would", "anticipate", "estimate", "forecast", "predict", "project", "seek", "should" or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Company's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the risk factors discussed in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2022 . Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law. For more information, please contact: Matt Kreps Darrow Associates 214-597-8200 [email protected] Spectra7 Microsystems Inc. Dave Mier Interim Chief Financial Officer 925-858-7011 [email protected] Spectra7 Microsystems Inc. John Mitchell Public Relations 650-269-3043 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dave-mier-to-continue-as-interim-cfo-302077674.html SOURCE Spectra7 Microsystems Inc. SACRAMENTO, Calif. , March 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With Super Tuesday around the corner and the next presidential election looming, many of us are feeling our anxiety rise. If you've found yourself tossing and turning at night, unable to relax the tension in your shoulders, or even having stomach discomfort, you're not imagining things: you might be experiencing election stress disorder. While election stress disorder isn't an official diagnosis, it is a real phenomenon, according to the Mayo Clinic. A recent study found that 68% of adults attributed a rise in anxiety to the 2020 election, significantly up from the 41% who said the election caused them anxiety in 2016. Election anxiety is even worse for minority and marginalized communities, with the percentage of Black adults reporting election stress jumping from 46% in 2016 to 71% in 2020. Election stress can significantly impact people with existing mental illnesses. Around the 2020 presidential election, office visits for mental health support and prescription drug usage for mental illness rose sharply. The 2020 election also saw a marked rise in self-reports of anxiety and depression. Though the election won't be happening for another handful of months, a major milestone is coming up that can cause significant stress: Super Tuesday. What is Super Tuesday and why does it matter? This year, March 5 will mark Super Tuesday, when most states vote in the presidential primary. Fifteen states will cast primary votes on Super Tuesday: Alabama , Alaska , Arkansas , California , Colorado , Maine , Massachusetts , Minnesota , North Carolina , Oklahoma , Tennessee , Texas , Utah , Vermont , and Virginia . Historically, Super Tuesday has given us a pretty good idea of the presidential nominees. If you're feeling stressed about the presidential election this year, along with over 70% of the rest of Americans, then Super Tuesday's results preview what your anxiety might focus on for the next six months. Voting and civic engagement can have benefits It's not all doom and gloom, however. Though politics remains a significant source of stress and anxiety for many, engaging with politics and voting in a healthy way can improve your mental health. Voting and other forms of civic engagement, especially starting in young adulthood, are positively correlated with mental health. Young adults who vote have lower overall rates of depression throughout their lifespans. Voting can also increase a sense of connection to your values and community, and some researchers hypothesize that voting can help people with mental illness feel less excluded from society. Participating in presidential elections also allows us to vote with our values, which is an empowering experience. Voting and civic engagement are rarely simple, and this is reflected in the data. Presidential elections can cause large amounts of anxiety as a country, but voting can also lower your depression and help you feel connected. This makes it important to engage in politics healthily, both for the upcoming Super Tuesday and the upcoming presidential election this fall. Tips to engage in voting and Super Tuesday in a healthy way Plan ahead with your care team. Talk to your therapist or psychiatric clinician about how to manage the increased stress around election times before you feel overwhelmed. This can look like creating a self-care plan, adjusting medication dosage, or putting a few extra therapy sessions on the calendar in March or November. Unplug from constant election coverage. We're living in the era of the 24-hour news cycle, and especially around election times, we get more information than we know what to do with. Don't be afraid to step away from the constant cycle to protect your mental well-being. Avoid dwelling on the things you cannot control. Trying to control the uncontrollable is a recipe for anxiety. During Super Tuesday and election season, try to stay grounded in what you have control over. A handy tool is the Circles of Influence, Concern, and Control model, which helps remind us of when to let go. Engage socially and civically. Depending on your level of energy and time, engaging in your community on a civic level can help you feel connected and grounded this election season. Make sure to honor your limits and seek support when you need it. Stay non-judgmental about yourself and your feelings. Election season brings considerable anxiety and stress for many of us. Remember to stay open to the experience and hold compassion for yourself, whatever emotions you experience. Visit mindpath.com to learn more about mental health and medication support for election season. This article was written by Julian Lagoy , MD, a board-certified psychiatrist with Mindpath Health in San Jose, CA. Mindpath Health is a leading provider of high-quality outpatient behavioral health services, offering in-person and telehealth visits. We coordinate care with primary care physicians and referring providers to ensure a focus on total health. Visit mindpath.com to partner with us. We have locations in Arizona , California , Florida , Minnesota , North Carolina , South Carolina , and Texas . We offer TMS in California , North Carolina , and Florida . Learn how TMS can help here. We offer Mindpath On Demand in North Carolina , providing urgent therapy and psychiatry. Schedule an appointment at mindpath.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mindpath-health-releases-surviving-super-tuesday-how-election-season-can-affect-mental-health-and-what-to-do-about-it-302076607.html SOURCE Mindpath Health SAO PAULO, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Raizen Fuels Finance S.A. ("Raizen Fuels") today announces the expiration and results of its previously announced offer to purchase (the "Offer") for cash any and all of the outstanding 5.300% notes due 2027 (the "Notes") issued by Raizen Fuels and guaranteed by Raizen S.A. and Raizen Energia S.A. (together, the "Guarantors"). The Offer was made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer to purchase dated February 26, 2024 (the "Offer to Purchase"). As of 5:00 p.m. ( New York City time) today (the "Expiration Date"), according to information received from D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information and tender agent for the Offer, U.S. $.382,999,000 , or approximately 52.83%, of the principal amount outstanding of the Notes was validly tendered, and not validly withdrawn. The following table sets forth certain information relating to the Offer, including the principal amount of the Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn and accepted for purchase in the Offer. Title of Security CUSIP ISIN Principal Amount Outstanding Prior to the Offer Principal Amount Validly Tendered and Not Validly Withdrawn at or Prior to the Expiration Date(1) Principal Amount Following Tender Offer Consideration(2) 5.300% Notes due 2027 75102X AA4 / L7909C AA5 US75102XAA46 / USL7909CAA55 U.S. $725,000,000 U.S. $.382,999,000 U.S. $342,001,000 U.S. $1,000.33 ____________________ (1) Include Notes tendered pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures. (2) Per U.S. $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase, based on the Fixed Spread (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) plus the yield calculated to the maturity date of the Notes, based on the bid-side price of the Reference U.S. Treasury Security (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) as of 11:00 a.m. ( New York City time) today. The Consideration does not include Accrued Interest (as defined below), which will be payable in cash. The deadline for holders of Notes to tender their Notes in the Offer was the Expiration Date or, for Notes tendered pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures (as defined in the Offer to Purchase), the Guaranteed Delivery Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase). Accordingly, Notes that have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn may not be withdrawn or such tenders revoked, except as required by applicable law. Holders who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw their Notes in the Offer on or prior to the Expiration Date or the Guaranteed Delivery Date, as applicable, will be eligible to receive the total consideration of U.S. $1,000.33 per U.S. $1,000 principal amount of Notes tendered (the "Consideration"). The Consideration payable for the Notes accepted for purchase in the Offer was determined in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase by reference to the Fixed Spread plus the yield calculated to the maturity date of the Notes, based on the bid-side price of the Reference U.S. Treasury Security for the Notes as of 11:00 a.m. ( New York City time) today. The settlement date of the Offer will occur promptly after the acceptance by Raizen Fuels for purchase of the Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Expiration Date or at or prior to the Guaranteed Delivery Date, for Notes tendered using the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures, and is expected to be no later than three business days following the Expiration Date, on March 6, 2024 (the "Settlement Date"), subject to extension by Raizen Fuels in its sole discretion. In addition to the Consideration, holders whose Notes are tendered and accepted for purchase in the Offer, including Notes tendered pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures, will be paid accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes from, and including, the last interest payment date to, but excluding, the Settlement Date ("Accrued Interest"), payable on the Settlement Date. For the avoidance of doubt, Raizen Fuels will not pay accrued interest for any periods following the Settlement Date in respect of any Notes purchased in the Offer. Completion of the Offer was conditioned upon the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, which have been satisfied. *** Raizen Fuels has retained Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Itau BBA USA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC to serve as dealer managers and D.F. King & Co., Inc. to serve as information and tender agent for the Offer. The Offer to Purchase, the related Notice of Guaranteed Delivery and any related supplements are available at the D.F. King & Co., Inc. website at www.dfking.com/raizen. The full details of the Offer, including complete instructions on how to tender Notes, are included in the Offer to Purchase. Holders of Notes are strongly encouraged to carefully read the Offer to Purchase because it contains important information. Requests for the Offer to Purchase and any related supplements may also be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc. by telephone at +1 (212) 269-5550 or +1 (800) 714-3305 (US toll free) or in writing at [email protected]. Documents relating to the Offer, including the Offer to Purchase and the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, are also available at www.dfking.com/raizen. Questions about the Offer may be directed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. by telephone at +1 (800) 558-3745 (toll free) or +1 (212) 723-6106 (collect); Itau BBA USA Securities, Inc. by telephone at +1 (888) 770-4828 (toll free) or + 1 (212) 710-6749 (collect); J.P. Morgan Securities LLC by telephone at +1 (866) 846-2874 (toll free) or +1 (212) 834-7279 (collect); and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC by telephone at + (800) 624-1808 (toll free) or +1 (212) 761-1057(collect). This press release shall not constitute an offer to purchase or a solicitation of acceptance of the offer to purchase. Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any U.S. state securities commission nor any regulatory authority of any other country has approved or disapproved of the Offer, passed upon the merits or fairness of the Offer or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of the disclosure in the Offer to Purchase. About Raizen Fuels, Raizen and Raizen Energia Raizen Fuels Finance S.A. is a public limited liability company (societe anonyme) organized and existing under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg since January 20, 2014 , having its registered office at 16, rue Eugene Ruppert , L-2453 Luxembourg, and registered with the Luxembourg Register of Commerce and Companies ( Registre de commerce et des societes, Luxembourg) under number B184033, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raizen Energia, who, in its turn, is wholly-owned by Raizen S.A. Raizen S.A. is a publicly-held corporation (sociedade anonima) under the laws of Brazil . Raizen S.A. is the parent guarantor and ultimate holding company of the Raizen group. Raizen S.A.'s executive offices are located at Avenida Afonso Arinos de Melo Franco , 222, Block 2, Room 321 , in the City of Rio de Janeiro , State of Rio de Janeiro , CEP 22631-455, Brazil , and its telephone number is +55 11 2344-6200. Raizen Energia S.A. is a corporation (sociedade anonima) under the laws of Brazil , and a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of Raizen S.A. Raizen Energia's executive offices are located at Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 4.100, 11th floor, in the City of Sao Paulo, State of Sao Paulo , CEP 04538-132, Brazil . Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Other than statements of historical fact, information regarding activities, events and developments that Raizen Fuels and the Guarantors expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements based on management's estimates, assumptions and projections. Many forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe, "estimate" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are predictions only and actual results could differ materially from management's expectations due to a variety of risk factors. All forward-looking statements attributable to Raizen Fuels or the Guarantors are expressly qualified in their entirety by such risk factors. The forward-looking statements that Raizen Fuels or the Guarantors make in this press release are based on management's current views and assumptions regarding future events and speak only as of their dates. Raizen Fuels or the Guarantors assume no obligation to update developments of these risk factors or to announce publicly any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements that Raizen Fuels or the Guarantors make, or to make corrections to reflect future events or developments, except as required by the U.S. federal securities laws. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raizen-fuels-finance-sa-announces-expiration-and-results-of-cash-tender-offer-302077718.html SOURCE Raizen Fuels Finance S.A. This evening marked the beginning of the "Trinidad Year" celebration During the event, the brand's great novelty was unveiled: Trinidad Robustos Extra 17,800,000 new record collection at the traditional Habano Festival Humidor Auction HAVANA , March 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 24th Habano Festival concluded with a spectacular Gala Evening, held at Havana's Pabexpo convention center, gathering approximately 1,200 guests on this important occasion which paid tribute to the 55th anniversary of the Trinidad brand. This event, which marks the beginning of the "Trinidad Year", became a very special meeting point for lovers and aficionados of one of the most prestigious brands in the world of premium tobacco. The evening was dedicated to celebrating the legacy and excellence of Trinidad , one of the most elegant and exclusive brands in the Habanos, S.A. portfolio and, during the evening, the brand continued to extend its legacy with the presentation of the most important new addition to the brand's standard portfolio in this "Trinidad Year": Trinidad Robustos Extra (50 ring gauge x 155 mm length). It is a vitola that enhances the brands thick ring gauge portfolio and will be available in a new, elegant case in two presentations: a special pack of 12 Habanos and a gift box of 3 units, in which each Habano will be dressed with a permanent foot ring, and an additional 55th anniversary band for the commemorative production. The arrival of this new vitola was not the only novelty to be announced, as part of the actions prepared in commemoration of the "Trinity Year". The prestigious fashion designer Charaf Tajer has collaborated in the design of the limited series of Trinidad 55th anniversary Fundadores Vintage 10 humidors. 1,000 humidors manufactured by S.T. Dupont, of which the first 55 in the series bear the exclusive design of the renowned French designer. This collaboration highlights the fusion between the art of design and the Habano tradition, offering collectors and Habano enthusiasts a unique piece of great artistic and cultural value. On such a special occasion, celebrities, and personalities such as members of the diplomatic corps, as well as the performances of renowned artists such as Manolito Simonet and Ivan Valiente , the Vocal Luna group and virtuosos Jose Maria Vitier, Niurka Gonzalez, Barbara Llanes , Laritza Bacallao or Alisabeth La Santiaguera and Max. All of them made the audience vibrate with traditional Cuban rhythms and the most contemporary melodies, until the moment of the final performance offered by the world-famous Village People. The most exciting moment of the evening was the presentation of the Habano 2023 Awards, which recognize people who have made a significant contribution to the Habano culture over the past year. In addition, the name of the winning couple of the Habanos World Challenge contest, Mr. Philip Ramos and Mr. Aaron Ignacio were announced. Habano Award in Communication: Annie Lorenzo Habano Award in Production: Ana Isel Mederos Habano Award in Business: Mohammed Mohebi The finishing touch to this 24th edition of the Habano Festival was the traditional Humidor Auction. On this occasion, as an initial surprise, the first of the 128 Cohiba Tributo Year of the Dragon humidors was auctioned, followed by 7 exclusive pieces representing the global Habanos brands, as well as a special humidor from Trinidad for its 55th anniversary. The funds raised will go to the Cuban Public Health System. On this occasion, the pieces auctioned raised a total of 17,800,000 The Cohiba humidor obtained the highest amount: 4,500,000. To download high resolution images of the event, click here. Corporacion Habanos, S.A. Habanos, S.A. is a world leader in the commercialization of premium cigars both in Cuba and in the rest of the world. For this purpose, it has an exclusive distribution network present in the five continents and in more than 130 territories. For more information, please visit www.habanos.com Habanos, S.A. commercializes 27 premium brands "Totally handmade", and sheltered by the Habanos Protected Appellations of Origin (P.A.O.) of which Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta , Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey , H. Upmann , and Trinidad , stand out, among others. Habanos remain "Totally handmade" for more than 500 years and since then they have become a benchmark worldwide. *(P.A.O.) Protected Appellations of Origin For more information on Habanos, S.A.: https://www.instagram.com/habanos_oficial/ https://twitter.com/Habanos_Oficial https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCstGLy96wdZG7eCM4855_DA https://www.linkedin.com/company/habanos-sa/ https://open.spotify.com/user/habanosmusic https://www.facebook.com/habanos.sa.oficial/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2353033/Habanos.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xxiv-habano-festival--habanos-sa-closes-the-xxiv-habano-festival-with-a-tribute-to-trinidad-on-its-55th-anniversary-302077762.html SOURCE Habanos, S.A. CAIRO (Reuters) - At least 10 Palestinians were killed by an Israeli airstrike on Saturday that hit a tent in Rafah, the Gaza health ministry said. The airstrike took place over an area where displaced Palestinians have been taking shelter, outside the Emirate Hospital in the suburb of Tel Al-Sultan of southern Gaza's Rafah. The health ministry in Gaza said a medic working at the hospital was among those killed. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Nidal Al Mughrabi; Writing by Adam Makary; Editing by Alison Williams) Leader of the Conservative People's Party Soren Pape Poulsen at the opening of the Parliament Folketinget at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark October 4, 2022. Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix/via REUTERS/File Photo COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Soren Pape Poulsen, the leader of Denmark's opposition Conservative People's Party, died on Saturday after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage, his party said. He was 52. Poulsen, a former justice minister, had collapsed during a party meeting and had been rushed to hospital, his party said in a statement. "He collapsed in the middle of what he had devoted his life to ... the last thing he experienced was a big round of applause from his party colleagues," it said. (Reporting by Stine Jacobsen, Editing by Timothy Heritage) ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 2. Turkmenistan's Turkmengaz State Concern and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkiye signed a Memorandum of mutual cooperation on the development of partnership in the field of natural gas, Trend reports. This document was signed during a meeting between Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who is in Turkiye on a working visit to participate in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In accordance with the signed agreements, Turkmen gas will first be exported to Turkiye and then to world markets. Following the meeting between Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a Declaration of Intent on cooperation in the field of hydrocarbon resources between Turkmenistan and Turkiye and a Memorandum of Understanding between the Turkmenistan Airlines OJSC and the University of Turkish Aeronautical Association were also signed. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan and Turkiye are strategically fostering the development of their bilateral relations, with both nations engaging in continuous discussions and collaborative initiatives to strengthen diplomatic ties and enhance mutual cooperation. For example, recently representatives of Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS), a state-owned crude oil and natural gas trading company, and Turkmengaz, Turkmenistan's national gas company, have held a meeting to discuss prospects for exporting Turkmen gas to Europe via Azerbaijan and Turkiye. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel FILE PHOTO: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a speech during a Get Out The Vote rally ahead of the Democratic presidential primaries at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, U.S., February 2, 2024. REUTERS/Leah Millis/Fi By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz at the White House on Monday as Washington seeks to reach a deal for a temporary ceasefire and increase the flow of aid to Gaza. The talks, first reported by Reuters, are expected to span topics including reducing Palestinian civilian casualties, securing a temporary ceasefire, the release of hostages held in Gaza and increasing aid to the territory, a White House official said. "The Vice President will express her concern over the safety of the as many as 1.5 million people in Rafah," the official said, adding that Israel also had a "right to defend itself in the face of continued Hamas terrorist threats." A statement from Gantz confirmed that he would meet with Harris, as well as with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Republican and Democratic members of U.S. Congress. "Minister Gantz personally updated the prime minister on his own initiative on Friday of his intention to travel, in order to coordinate the messages to be transmitted in the meetings," the statement said. Gantz, Israel's former military chief and defense minister, is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main political rival in opinion polls. His trip to Washington risks upsetting Netanyahu, who has been subject to criticism by U.S. President Joe Biden. In December, Biden said that Israel was losing support over its "indiscriminate" bombing of Gaza and that Netanyahu should change, exposing a rift in relations with the Israeli prime minister. Harris and Gantz will also discuss planning for after the war ends to revitalize Gaza under the Palestinian Authority, the White House official said. The U.S. military on Saturday carried out its first airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza and aid agencies warned of a growing humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian enclave as Israel pressed on with its offensive. Plans for the U.S. airdrop were announced by Biden on Friday, a day after the deaths of Palestinians queuing for aid drew renewed attention to the humanitarian catastrophe. Health authorities in Gaza said 118 people were killed in Thursday's incident, attributing the deaths to Israeli fire and calling it a massacre. Israel disputed those figures and said most victims were trampled or run over. Israel launched the offensive in response to the Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group, in which 1,200 people were killed in Israel and another 253 abducted, according to Israeli tallies. International pressure for a ceasefire has grown, with more than 30,000 Palestinians killed in Israel's Gaza offensive, according to Gaza health authorities, and the U.N. warning that a quarter of the population is one step away from famine. The United States and other countries expect aid would be boosted by a temporary ceasefire, which Biden said on Friday he hoped would happen by the time of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on March 10. Gaza truce talks are due to resume in Cairo on Sunday, two Egyptian security sources said on Saturday, though an Israeli news outlet reported Israel would not send a delegation until it received a full list of Israeli hostages who are still alive. The Egyptian sources said Israeli and Hamas delegations were expected to arrive in Cairo on Sunday. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalaem; Writing by Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Diane Craft and Matthew Lewis) FILE PHOTO: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announces his withdrawl from the Republican presidential candidacy in a still image from video released on social media January 21, 2024. Ron DeSantis campaign/ via REUTERS/File Photo By Kanishka Singh (Reuters) -Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Friday vetoed a bill passed by the state's Republican-controlled legislature that would have banned anyone under age 16 from social media platforms, saying he expected lawmakers to produce "a different, superior bill." WHY IT IS IMPORTANT The bill was passed by Florida lawmakers last week and would have required social media platforms to terminate the accounts of people under 16 and use a third-party verification system to screen out anyone underage. KEY QUOTES "I have vetoed HB 1 because the Legislature is about to produce a different, superior bill. Protecting children from harms associated with social media is important, as is supporting parents' rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech," DeSantis said on X, formerly Twitter, without giving further details. "I anticipate the new bill will recognize these priorities." DeSantis previously expressed concern about the bill's potential infringement on privacy rights. He said last week he believed social media was harmful for children, but that parents "could supervise" and he was wary of a policy that would "overrule" parents. CONTEXT Supporters have said the legislation would stem the harmful effects of social media on the well-being of children who use such platforms excessively and may experience anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses as a result. Critics have said the bill violates the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protections for free speech and that parents, not the government, should make decisions about the online presence of their children. Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, opposed the legislation. The bill did not name any specific social media platforms, but stated its targets were sites that promote "infinite scrolling," display reaction metrics such as likes, feature auto-play videos, and had live-streaming and push notifications. The bill would have exempted websites and apps whose main function is email, messaging or texting between a particular sender and recipient. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler) FILE PHOTO: A soldier works on a tank, on the day German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and German President Frank Walter Steinmeier visit a training site where Ukrainian soldiers undergo maintenance training on Leopard 1 A5 tanks, at the German army Bu FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany said on Saturday it was investigating an apparent eavesdropping of a call, after Moscow said a recording of German officers showed them discussing weapons for Ukraine and a potential strike by Kiev on a bridge in Crimea. A German defence ministry spokesperson said on Saturday the Federal Office for Military Counterintelligence was investigating what appeared to be a case of eavesdropping, and that it was possible that the recording had been altered. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speaking on a visit to Rome, called the potential leak "very serious" and said it was "now being clarified very carefully, very intensively and very quickly". Margarita Simonyan, a Russian state TV journalist and the head of Russia Today, posted the audio on her Telegram channel, and said it revealed German officers "discussing how to strike the Crimea bridge", which links Russia to the Ukrainian peninsula it seized and annexed in 2014. Reuters listened to the 38-minute recording but could not independently confirm its authenticity. Participants in the call discuss the possible delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Kyiv, which Scholz has publicly so far firmly rejected. They also talk about the training of Ukrainian soldiers, and possible military targets. Scholz, speaking on a visit to Rome, told journalists the potential leak was "very serious". "That is why it is now being clarified very carefully, very intensively and very quickly. That is also necessary," he said. Russia's embassy in Berlin did not respond to an emailed request for comment on Saturday about allegations of possible spying. A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson said on social media on Friday: "We demand an explanation from Germany", without detailing its particular concerns. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to journalists on Saturday about "cunning plans of the Bundeswehr (German armed forces), which became apparent due to the publication of this audio recording. This is a blatant self-exposure", Lavrov said. Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the German parliament, told the Handelsblatt newspaper that he considered the reports to be authentic. "Russia is of course showing how heavily it uses espionage and sabotage as part of the hybrid war. It is to be expected that much more was intercepted and leaked in order to influence decisions, discredit and manipulate people," he was quoted as saying. (Reporting by Hans Busemann and Maxim Rodionov; additional reporting by Andreas Rinke and Tom Sims; writing by Tom Sims; editing by Mark Potter, and Peter Graff) FILE PHOTO: A Palestinian man stands at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, March 1, 2024. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/File Photo By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Idrees Ali CAIRO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States on Saturday carried out the first of what it said would be a series of humanitarian airdrops of food into Gaza, as aid agencies warned of a growing humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian enclave in the absence of a ceasefire deal. Three C-130 U.S. military planes delivered more than 38,000 meals into a territory where the United Nations says at least 576,000 people are one step away from famine conditions. Palestinians posted videos on social media showing boxes of aid being dropped. Jordanian forces also participated in the operation. The White House has said the airdrops would be a sustained effort, and that Israel supports them. Critics say airdrops are far less effective than aid deliveries by truck, and it is nearly impossible to ensure supplies do not end up with militants. "Israel welcomes the humanitarian airdrops by the U.S., which were discussed and coordinated with us," said an Israeli official in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity. With talks in Egypt set to resume on Sunday, a senior U.S. official said the framework for a deal on a six-week ceasefire was in place, with Israel's agreement, and depended on the militant group Hamas agreeing to release hostages. "The hostages have to be released," the official told reporters. "The deal is basically there. But I don't want to create expectations one way or the other." U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will meet Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz at the White House on Monday, a White House official told Reuters. In Jerusalem, thousands of Israelis marched to demand the release of about 134 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Protesters, led by families of hostages seized during Hamas' deadly rampage through southern Israel on Oct. 7, arrived at the city at sundown. STRIKES CONTINUE In Gaza, the health ministry said at least 25 people were killed in Rafah on Saturday and into Sunday morning, including 11 Palestinians who died when an Israeli airstrike hit a tent near a hospital and another 14 in one family, including five children, who died when a strike hit a house. The ministry said another 50 people were wounded in the strike near the hospital. In an apparent reference to that incident, the Israeli military said the strike was conducted against "Islamic Jihad terrorists." "The strike hit one tent, where people took shelter, directly, shrapnel came inside the hospital where me and friends were sitting, we survived by a miracle," a witness told Reuters by phone from the area, declining to be identified. More than a million Palestinians have been seeking refuge in the Rafah area, fleeing an Israeli offensive that has laid waste to much of Gaza and killed more than 30,000 people, according to the Hamas-run enclave's health authorities. The Israeli military said its forces killed eight militants in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, around 20 militants in the central Gaza Strip and three more in Rimal, near Gaza City. Residents reported the sound of heavy shelling and tanks advancing overnight around Khan Younis. The Israeli military commented: "As the operational activity is still ongoing, we can only confirm that there have been intensified airstrikes in Khan Younis. We will be able to provide you with further information once the activity concludes." Israel launched the offensive in response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, in which 1,200 people were killed in Israel and another 253 abducted, according to Israeli tallies. SEARCH FOR FOOD U.S. President Joe Biden has said he hopes a ceasefire will be in place by the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on March 10. International pressure for a ceasefire and to facilitate humanitarian assistance for desperate Gazans has grown. Three people searching for food in farmland in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday were killed by Israeli strikes, residents and medics said. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Thirteen children have died at the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza in the last three days from dehydration and malnutrition, according to the Gaza health ministry. Doctors at the hospital said more were at risk of dying. "When a child is supposed to eat three meals a day and he only eats one, he obviously suffers from malnutrition, and all the diseases that come because of it," said Imad Dardonah. Biden announced plans for the U.S. airdrop on Friday, a day after the deaths of Palestinians queuing for aid drew renewed attention on the humanitarian catastrophe. Gaza health authorities said 118 people were killed in the aid melee, attributing the deaths to Israeli fire and calling it a massacre. Israel disputed those figures and said most victims were trampled or run over. The Israeli military on Saturday promised "an exhaustive, truthful investigation" into the incident, which underscored the collapse of orderly aid deliveries to areas of Gaza occupied by Israeli forces. CEASEFIRE TALKS Israel and Hamas have been negotiating via mediators including Egypt and Qatar. Two Egyptian security sources said delegations from both sides were expected in Cairo on Sunday to resume indirect talks. But Israel's Ynet news cited an unnamed senior official as saying Israel would not send a delegation to Cairo until it received a full list of hostages who were alive. There was no immediate comment from Israel or Hamas. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan and Nafisa Eltahir in Cairo, Maayan Lubell and Henriette Chacar in Jerusalem, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Jeff Mason, Trevor Hunnicutt and Matt Spetalnick in Washington, Writing by Tom Perry, Giles Elgood and Patricia Zengerle, Editing by Timothy Heritage, Alison Williams and Cynthia Osterman) By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU (Reuters) - Russia has no right to lecture on democracy, the Moldovan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday, as tensions between the two countries have risen after Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region asked Moscow for help. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier in the week that the Moldovan government "is following in the footsteps of Kyiv" after Transdniestria turned to Moscow to help its economy withstand "pressure" from the Moldovan government, which the Chisinau administration dismissed as a propaganda event. "Minister Lavrov and the Kremlin regime have no moral right to lecture on democracy and freedom," Moldova's Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Saturday. "A country that imprisons opposition politicians and kills them, unreasonably attacks its neighbours, has nothing to offer the world but blood and pain." On Saturday, Russians queued to lay flowers on the grave of Alexei Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's fiercest critic inside Russia, who died at the age of 47 in an Arctic penal colony on Feb. 16. Supporters said he had been murdered. Navalny's death came nearly two years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a war that has no end in sight and in which civilians continue to die. Russia's invasion of Ukraine sparked fears that Moscow might seek to sweep westward through southern Ukraine all the way to the Transdniestria separatist region, which says it has 220,000 Russian citizens. Relations between Moldova and Russia have also frayed as the Chisinau government has steered a pro-European course and accused Moscow of trying to destabilise it. "We are building a European future so that all our citizens, regardless of language and ethnicity, live in peace and prosperity," the Moldovan Foreign Ministry said in its Saturday's statement. (Reporting by Alexander Tanas; additional reporting by Elaine Monaghan and Lidia Kelly; editing by Jonathan Oatis; Writing by Lidia Kelly) Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Yurievich Galuzin speaks during an interview with Reuters, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the embassy in Tokyo, Japan, March 17, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo (Reuters) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin and China's special representative for Eurasian affairs, Li Hui, said it was impossible to discuss a Ukraine settlement without Moscow's participation, the Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday. The Chinese envoy met with Galuzin during his second trip to Europe promoting a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, a tour that will also include Poland, Ukraine and Germany. "A very engaged and thorough exchange of views took place on the topic of the Ukrainian crisis," the Russian foreign ministry said in the statement posted on its website. "It was stated that any discussion of a political and diplomatic settlement is impossible without the participation of Russia and taking into account its interests in the security sphere." China is ready to "continue its efforts to promote peace talks, mediate and build consensus among Russia, Ukraine and other relevant parties, and promote a final political settlement of the Ukraine crisis," China's foreign ministry said in a readout from the meeting. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, calling it a "special military operation" to "denazify" its neighbour. Kyiv and its Western allies call the war, which two years later continues to kill civilians nearly on daily basis, an unprovoked land grab. (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and Antoni Slodkowski in Beijing; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Matthew Lewis and Jamie Freed) By Stephen Nellis PALO ALTO, California - (Reuters) - Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang on Friday said that artificial general intelligence could - by some definitions - arrive in as little as five years. Huang, who heads the world's leading maker of artificial intelligence chips used to create systems like OpenAI's ChatGPT, was responding to a question at an economic forum held at Stanford University about how long it would take to achieve one of Silicon Valley's long-held goals of creating computers that can think like humans. Huang said that the answer largely depends on how the goal is defined. If the definition is the ability to pass human tests, Huang said, artificial general intelligence (AGI) will arrive soon. "If I gave an AI ... every single test that you can possibly imagine, you make that list of tests and put it in front of the computer science industry, and I'm guessing in five years time, we'll do well on every single one," said Huang, whose firm hit $2 trillion in market value on Friday. As of now, AI can pass tests such as legal bar exams, but still struggles on specialized medial tests such as gastroenterology. But Huang said that in five years it should also be able to pass any of them. But by other definitions, Huang said, AGI may be much further away, because scientists still disagree on how to describe how human minds work. "Therefore, it's hard to achieve as an engineer" because engineers need defined goals, Huang said. Huang also addressed a question about how many more chip factories, called "fabs" in the industry, are needed to support the expansion of the AI industry. Media reports have said OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman thinks many more fabs are needed. Huang said that more will be needed, but each chip will also get better over time, which acts to limit the number of chips needed. "We're going to need more fabs. However, remember that we're also improving the algorithms and the processing of (AI) tremendously over time," Huang said. "It's not as if the efficiency of computing is what it is today, and therefore the demand is this much. I'm improving computing by a million times over 10 years." (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in Palo Alto, California; Editing by David Gregorio) FILE PHOTO: Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, arrives at court as lawyers push to persuade the judge overseeing his fraud case not to jail him ahead of trial, at a courthouse in New York, U.S., August 11, 2023. REUTE By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyer urged a judge on Tuesday to impose a lenient sentence for the FTX founder's conviction for stealing $8 billion from customers of the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, arguing clients would get most of their funds back. In a sentencing submission, Bankman-Fried's lawyer Marc Mukasey told U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan that a guidelines range between 5-1/4 and 6-1/2 years would be an appropriate prison term. That is far less than the maximum sentence of 110 years he faces after a jury found him guilty in November on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy, in what prosecutors have called one of the biggest financial frauds in American history. Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty and is expected to appeal his conviction and sentence. He acknowledged making mistakes running FTX, but testified at trial that he never intended to steal customer funds. Kaplan is set to sentence the former billionaire, who turns 32 next week, on March 28. The lawyer's submission was accompanied by letters of support from Bankman-Fried's parents, psychiatrist, and others. His parents, the Stanford law professors Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, said their son was uninterested in material wealth and worked hard to make customers whole in the month between Bahamas-based FTX's November 2022 collapse and his arrest on fraud charges a month later. "Barbara and I...witnessed firsthand his single-minded focus on getting money back to depositors, long after there was any possibility he would be able to save any of his equity or wealth," Bankman wrote. Mukasey called a 100-year guidelines range calculated by probation officers "barbaric", saying it was based partly on a faulty assertion that FTX's customers lost billions. He pointed to the bankrupt company's recent assertion that it expected to repay all customers in full to back up the argument that Bankman-Fried did not set out to steal. "The conviction does not address whether Sam intended to pay the money back. He did," Mukasey wrote. The probation officers' calculation is not binding on Kaplan. The U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan is expected to make its own sentencing recommendation by March 15. ELIZABETH HOLMES OR MICHAEL MILKEN? A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bankman-Fried rode a boom in the values of digital assets such as bitcoin to a net worth Forbes magazine once estimated at $26 billion. His fortune evaporated in November 2022, when FTX declared bankruptcy after a wave of customer withdrawals. At his month-long trial in Manhattan federal court, three former close associates testified that Bankman-Fried directed them to help loot FTX customer funds to plug losses at his Alameda Research hedge fund, even while presenting himself publicly as a responsible steward in the volatile cryptocurrency market. Prosecutors said Bankman-Fried also used customer funds to buy luxury real estate in the Bahamas and to donate to U.S. politicians who might support cryptocurrency-friendly regulations. Bankman-Fried testified that he did not realize how much Alameda owed to FTX until shortly before both failed. Mukasey acknowledged Bankman-Fried's case bore some similarities to that of Elizabeth Holmes, another young entrepreneur who was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2022 for defrauding investors in her now-defunct blood-testing startup Theranos. But he said Holmes put patients at risk, and suggested Bankman-Fried had more in common with Michael Milken - a Wall Street financier in the 1980s known as the "junk bond king" who was released from prison after serving just two years of an initial 10-year sentence on fraud charges. "Given the same chance, Sam would dedicate his post-prison life to charitable works," Mukasey wrote. MOTHER SAYS SHE WOULD CHANGE PLACES Bankman-Fried has been jailed at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since August, when Kaplan revoked his bail after finding that he likely tampered with witnesses. In a letter to Kaplan, Bankman-Fried's psychiatrist George Lerner wrote that he is on the autism spectrum. Mukasey wrote that Bankman-Fried struggles to make eye contact and communicate with others, which could leave him vulnerable in a prison setting. Bankman-Fried's mother wrote that her son had taken responsibility for the errors that led to FTX's collapse and was remorseful, but said she feared for his life in prison. "His father and I face the very real possibility that we will not live long enough to see him freed," Fried wrote. "I would gladly change places with him if I could." (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York and Kanjyik Ghosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) FILE PHOTO: Myanmar's Prime Minister and State Administrative Council Chairman Min Aung Hlaing attends a meeting with Director General of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin in Moscow, Russia July 12, 2022. Roscosmos/Handout via REUTERS/ FILE PHOTO By Panu Wongcha-um BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's parliament opened a seminar on Saturday on the political situation in Myanmar, including opponents of the neighbouring country's military government, despite the junta's objection. "What we are doing today is the first step in bringing a variety of stakeholders to talk to each other," said lawmaker Rangsiman Rome, head of the house committee organising the two-day event. "It will pave the way for a political solution for Myanmar that is peaceful and sustainable." Speakers include senior figures in Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government and ethnic armed organisations, but no representative from the Myanmar government. Myanmar's foreign ministry said in a letter seen by Reuters that it "strongly objects" to parliament hosting the seminar, saying it "creates negative impacts" on bilateral relations. It asked the Thai government to tell parliament not to hold "any activity that could hinder the ongoing cordial ties". Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara was to deliver a keynote address at the seminar but cancelled at the last minute without any explanation. The Myanmar military spokesman did not respond to a call seeking comment. The Thai foreign ministry declined to comment. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power from an elected government in a 2021 coup. Thailand wants to lead a humanitarian initiative by working with the Myanmar military and other groups that would pave way for talks between the warring camps. The "Three Years After the Coup" seminar is at odds with the Thai government's preference for engagement with the junta, said Dulyapak Preecharush, a Southeast Asian studies scholar at Thammasat University. "The parliament's committee platform has open up more space for pro-democracy groups," Dulyapak said. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by William Mallard) Aid is air-dropped over Gaza, amid the ongoing the conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, March 1, 2024. REUTERS/Kosay Al Nemer By Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. military on Saturday carried out its first airdrop of aid into Gaza, after the deaths of Palestinians queuing for food underlined the growing humanitarian catastrophe in the crowded coastal enclave after months of Israeli military operations. Other countries including Jordan and France have already conducted airdrops of aid into Gaza, where the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says a quarter of the population - 576,000 people - are one step from famine. The U.S. airdrop used C-130 transport aircraft which dropped more than 38,000 meals along Gaza's Mediterranean coastline, the U.S. military said in a statement. Jordanian forces also took part in the operation. "We are conducting planning for potential follow-on airborne aid delivery missions," the statement said. A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the drop had not been coordinated with any groups on the ground in Gaza but U.S. officials had seen civilians approaching the aid and distributing it among themselves. "We've been monitoring the location where the assistance was dropped," the official said. A second U.S. official told Reuters the airdrops took place over southwestern Gaza and the town of Mawasi. The White House said on Friday the airdrops will be a sustained effort, and that Israel supported the measure. Under pressure at home and abroad, the Biden administration is also considering shipping aid by sea from Cyprus, some 210 nautical miles off Gaza's coast, according to a U.S. official. The U.S. for months has been calling for Israel to allow more aid into Gaza, something Israel has resisted. Some experts said being forced to resort to costly, inefficient airdrops was the latest demonstration of Washington's limited influence over Israel as it pursues its war with Hamas. Washington is arming Israel and considers it one of its closest allies in the region. Critics of airdrops say they have only a limited impact on the suffering, and that it is nearly impossible to ensure supplies do not end up in the hands of militants. Another U.S. official said distributing aid has been a significant challenge in Gaza because lawlessness has escalated, with criminal gangs taking aid and reselling it. "There's a way that you resolve this problem. And the way is you flood the market. You bring in assistance from every point you can - air, sea, land," the official told reporters. "The president's intent is to see that flooding of the zone." Before the conflict, Gaza relied on 500 trucks with supplies entering daily. The U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA said on Friday that during February an average of nearly 97 trucks were able to enter Gaza each day, compared with about 150 a day in January. Deliveries through the Rafah Crossing between Egypt and Gaza have been almost halted. While trucks have sometimes passed through Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing, they have been disrupted by Israeli protesters seeking to block deliveries. UNRWA says the crossing was closed from Feb. 8-10 and Feb. 15-17. With people eating animal feed to survive and medics saying children are dying from malnutrition and dehydration, the U.N. has said it faces "overwhelming obstacles" getting in aid. Gaza health authorities said Israeli forces killed more than 100 people trying to reach a relief convoy near Gaza City on Thursday. Palestinians face an increasingly desperate situation nearly five months into the war. Israel blamed most of the deaths on crowds that swarmed around aid trucks, saying victims had been trampled or run over. An Israeli official also said troops had "in a limited response" later fired on crowds they felt had posed a threat. Israel says it is committed to improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and accuses Hamas militants of endangering Palestinian civilians by using them as human shields. Thursday's incident near Gaza City was the biggest loss of civilian lives in weeks. Hamas said it could jeopardize talks in Qatar aimed at securing a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. Hopes had been growing of a truce before the March 10 start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay, Jeff Mason and Daphne Psaledakis; Writing by Idrees Ali; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Hong Kong: Chris Sun to travel to Fujian Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun will depart for Fujian on March 3 for a duty visit, the Government announced today. While in Fuzhou, Mr Sun will meet senior Fujian Province officials and visit the Department of Human Resources & Social Security, the Department of Civil Affairs and the Department of Commerce. The welfare chief will also call on enterprises operating labour service co-operation business with Hong Kong. He will also meet Hong Kong people doing business in Fujian and recipients of the Fujian Scheme under the Social Security Allowance Scheme. Mr Sun will return to Hong Kong on March 5. During his absence, Under Secretary for Labour & Welfare Ho Kai-ming will be Acting Secretary. This story has been published on: 2024-03-02. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. More women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are set to gain the skills and resources they need to tap opportunities in international trade, with the announcement of a regional SheTrades Hub on the sidelines of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference. The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC) Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to continue their collaboration on the SheTrades MENA Hub, hosted by DEDC. Through the partnership, the hub will continue to serve as a resource centre for women entrepreneurs in the region, offering business-related skills trainings, ITC SheTrades resources and market access opportunities to scale up their businesses. ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton was joined by Mohammed Al Kamali, Chief Operating Officer, Manufacturing and Export Development, Dubai Economic Development Corporation, at the signing ceremony. The trading system we have must be a more inclusive one, one in which women have the skills and support they need to seize market opportunities, said Coke-Hamilton. The SheTrades MENA Hub helps ensure women in this region have the resources they need to grow their businesses, through trade. Mohammed Al Kamali, COO, Manufacturing and Export Development, DEDC, said: We take great pride in upholding our commitment and continuity to supporting female entrepreneurship. This is embedded at the core of our mission at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, aligning with the aspiration of our visionary leadership to create opportunities for women to shine in various spheres, as well as empowering women entrepreneurs to thrive and play a pivotal role in the growth and dynamism of their countries economy. This is evident in the United Arab Emirates announcement of allocating $5 million to the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy Fund, which is a joint initiative launched by the World Trade Organization and ITC with a budget of $50 million. The SheTrades MENA initiative exemplifies our common goal of promoting women's entrepreneurship, and its continued focus on this key segment of the business sector underscores our aim to foster a conducive environment where women-owned businesses can flourish, connect with global markets and inspire each other towards greater success. Beyond supporting women-led businesses in the region to unlock new markets, the SheTrades MENA Hub has also contributed to the efforts of the ITC SheTrades Initiative to promote the gender and trade agenda on a global scale. Ahead of the WTO Ministerial Conference, the Hub supported the WTO-ITC High-Level Event on Women and Trade, a two-day conference on womens economic empowerment. More than 250 women entrepreneurs from over 60 countries, as well as global business leaders and international development partners gathered to discuss concrete solutions to the challenges facing women entrepreneurs and explored opportunities for women to access new markets in an increasingly green and digital global trading system. Earlier this year, the SheTrades MENA Hub presented regional export opportunities to over 130 women-led businesses, including by tapping into e-commerce markets. TradeArabia News Service ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 2. Turkiye's Calik Holding is working on the implementation of many major projects in Turkmenistan, Trend reports. According to an official source, this was said during a meeting between Board Chairman at Calik Holding A.S. Ahmet Chalik and Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov during his working visit to Turkiye. During the conversation on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, the parties noted that, with the support of the holding, high-tech healthcare, industry, and energy facilities had been put into operation in the country. At the same time, the company plans to build a 1,574 MW power plant in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea. Furthermore, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highly appreciated the contribution of Turkish partners to the development of key sectors of Turkmenistan's economy. He stressed the importance of continuing active cooperation between the countries in the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects. The parties agreed that the Turkmen-Turkish relations are currently experiencing a period of dynamic development on a mutually beneficial basis in all directions. Meanwhile, the development of cooperation between Turkmenistan and Turkish companies is a strategically important process that contributes to strengthening economic ties and mutually beneficial exchange of experience and resources. Joint projects, such as the construction of gas pipelines and infrastructure facilities, stimulate economic growth and promote job creation, which ultimately contributes to the long-term prosperity of both countries. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel FILE PHOTO: The Google logo is seen on the Google house at CES 2024, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 10, 2024. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google must face advertisers' proposed class action lawsuit claiming that it monopolizes the ad exchange market, a U.S. judge ruled on Friday. But U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel dismissed some other antitrust claims, including those focused on ad-buying tools used by large advertisers. Castel was reviewing a number of cases against Google, and his decision struck down many claims but allowed at least one key set to proceed. The advertisers, he wrote, "have not plausibly alleged antitrust standing in the markets for ad-buying tools used by large advertisers, but they plausibly allege antitrust standing as to injuries they purportedly suffered from anti-competitive practices in the ad-exchange market and the market for small advertisers' buying tools." Castel also said Gannett, the largest U.S. newspaper chain and publisher of USA Today, could try in a separate case to prove that Google fraudulently concealed anticompetitive effects of some technology. Gannett alleged that it sold some of its ad space directly to advertisers, but Google still made the inventory available for auction on its ad exchange in order to accrue transaction fees for its own benefit. Google and Gannett did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The judge also ruled in multiple other cases in the nationwide litigation. Google faces a number of claims on antitrust grounds. The U.S. Justice Department sued Google in January 2023, accusing it of abusing its dominance in digital advertising. The government asked for the divestiture of the Google Ad Manager suite, including Google's ad exchange, AdX. Google Ad Manager is a suite of tools including one that allows websites to offer advertising space for sale and an exchange that serves as a marketplace that automatically matches advertisers with those publishers. Advertisers and website publishers have complained that Google has not been transparent about where ad dollars go, specifically how much goes to publishers and how much to Google. (Reporting By Jon Stempel and Sheila Dang; editing by Peter Henderson and Leslie Adler) By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization's moratorium on customs duties on digital transmissions, a key pillar of internet development for decades, won a last-minute reprieve on Friday, but the deal will force companies to confront its expiration again in 2026. The WTO's 13th ministerial meeting in its final hour produced a deal in Abu Dhabi to extend the moratorium until the until the next ministerial meeting in two years, but with a hard expiration that will require a more extensive negotiation at that time. "Some countries may take it as an opportunity to get to work in building tariff systems to go live in 2026," a source close to the talks told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. India, which had sought concessions on agriculture, had blocked the extension but reversed course after a request from host United Arab Emirates, leaving the two-year extension as the only significant outcome from the meeting. Few trade experts know what digital tariffs would look like in practice, as the moratorium was launched in 1998 to foster growth in the fledgling internet and has been regularly renewed since then. Now, with massive companies such as Google and Microsoft taking in hundreds of billions of dollars in revenues, more countries want a share of those riches and tariffs offer a potential avenue. But such duties would "make it harder for companies that rely on data and digital services - which is effectively all companies in this day and age," said Naomi Wilson, who heads trade policy at the Information Technology Industry Council, an industry group in Washington. "So it's more than a Big Tech problem or a developed country problem," Wilson said. "It really stands to undermine the entirety of the digital economy." INDONESIA TEMPLATE Thus far, only Indonesia has a regulation in place that would allow the imposition of duties on digital goods, which it describes as software, electronic data and multimedia transmissions delivered via electronic transmissions. Currently, Indonesia's tariffs on such transmissions are zero, in line with the moratorium. But Indonesia said in a WTO statement that as more imports have shifted to digital delivery, such as movies, video games and music, low-income and developing countries lost $56 billion of tariff revenues between 2017 and 2020. Indonesia added that digital duties would help local software developers and content providers better compete with global technology giants. U.S. industry groups also called for the ban on digital tariffs to be made permanent to end perpetual threats by some countries to block renewal to try to win concessions elsewhere. "It's a relief to see the moratorium survive, by the skin of its teeth," said Tiffany Smith, vice president of global trade policy at the National Foreign Trade Council, a group representing large U.S. companies. "The endless brinkmanship over the moratorium crowds out the ability to make progress on a broader agenda if important issues and undermines the viability of the WTO as a useful forum for trade ministers," Smith added. Should the moratorium ultimately be scuttled, a likely outcome is that some 140 countries supporting it would agree to renew it as part of a WTO "joint statement initiative," representing most major economies, said William Reinsch, a trade expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington. "That would provide some modicum of reassurance to the business community," Reinsch added. (Reporting by David Lawder; Additional reporting by Emma Farge in Abu Dhabi; Editing by Will Dunham) The U.S. Coast Guards Kodiak base as seen in an Oct. 26, 2012, post. (Alaska National Guard/Facebook) (Tribune News Service) The FBI said it will help with debris recovery following a CNN news report Friday afternoon that a possible spy balloon may have been discovered in the waters off the coast of Alaska, according to a statement from the FBI field office in Anchorage. The FBI is aware of debris found off the coast of Alaska by a commercial fishing vessel. We will work with our partners to assist with the logistics of the debris recovery, the FBI said in a statement emailed by Chloe Martin, a spokesperson for the field office. Along with the FBI, the U.S. Coast Guard and Alaska National Guard are also helping facilitate the transfer of the object so it can be analyzed further, according to Alan Brown, a spokesman with the Alaska National Guard. Details about the discovery are limited. Its possible that the item found by fishermen is not a spy balloon, according to the CNN report. Martin and Brown declined to answer questions about the incident, including where in Alaska the debris might have been discovered. Citing anonymous sources, CNN reported that commercial fishermen in Alaska had discovered what officials believe might be a spy balloon. The fishermen shared photographs of the item with law enforcement and are bringing it to shore, the news report said. FBI agents will meet the fishing vessel when it reaches port and transport the item for analysis to the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia, CNN reported. Last year, a Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted over Alaska before it journeyed over Canada and the Lower 48. A U.S. fighter jet shot it down off the coast of South Carolina at the orders of the Biden administration. China insisted the flyover was an accident involving a civilian craft. Soon afterward, the military shot down other unidentified, high-altitude objects, including when a U.S. fighter jet shot down an object flying off the Arctic coast of Alaska. U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska last year raised questions about why the surveillance balloon was not shot down more quickly. On Friday afternoon, an official with Sullivans office said the senator is looking into the discovery of the unknown object. Murkowski is tracking the event, her office said. My team and I have been briefed on the matter and are monitoring it closely, a spokesperson from her office said. We want to thank the USCG, FBI, and Alaska National Guard for coordinating the recovery efforts of this item of national interest. (c)2024 the Alaska Dispatch News (Anchorage, Alaska) Visit the Alaska Dispatch News The guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell returns to Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on March 2, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes) YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan The guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell returned to the 7th Fleet on Saturday after nearly four years of maintenance and upgrades in Oregon. Taylor Pascual, wife of Chief John David Pascual, a hospital corpsman, was among the family members who stood in the cold and waited for the ship to dock. Im very proud of him for being part of everything McCampbell is doing, she said. The McCampbell becomes the 10th warship in Destroyer Squadron 15, the principal surface force for 7th Fleet and routinely the escorts for the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group. The ship was assigned to Yokosuka from 2007 to 2020. It left for Portland, Oregon, in July 2020 for its mid-life modernization, including upgrades that fortified its warfighting capability, according to a news release Saturday from 7th Fleet. We are excited for the opportunity to rejoin 7th Fleet and the forward-deployed ships in Yokosuka, the McCampbells skipper, Cmdr. James Pierce III, said in the release. Our Sailors have trained diligently over the past four years since our departure to prepare for our return to Japan. Loved ones reunite as the guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell returns to Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on March 2, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes) Sailors man the rails as the guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell returns to Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on March 2, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes) USS McCampbell skipper Cmdr. James Pierce III salutes upon the guided-missile destroyers return to Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on March 2, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes) During its previous 13 years in Japan, the destroyer regularly steamed through the Taiwan Strait and took part in freedom-of-navigation operations near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. It also participated in disaster-relief efforts, including missions following a 2008 earthquake and tsunami off the coast of Indonesia and Operation Tomodachi after an earthquake and tsunami devasted northeastern Japan in 2011. After a monthlong acclimation period, the McCampbell will be fully capable of taking on missions in the Western Pacific, said Capt. Justin Harts, commander of Task Force 71 and Destroyer Squadron 15. Police lead away Puerto Rican nationalist leader Lolita Lebron on March 1, 1954, following her arrest in the shooting of five congressmen in the House of Representatives. (WikiMedia Commons/Library of Congress/AP) On the afternoon of March 1, 1954, Dolores Lolita Lebron was seated in the U.S. House of Representatives visitors gallery, just behind the speakers chair. She leaped up suddenly, shouted, Viva Puerto Rico libre! and waved the flag of her homeland in one hand as she fired off a Luger pistol in the other. Her three companions Rafael Cancel Miranda, Andres Figueroa Cordero and Irvin Flores Rodriguez followed her cue and opened fire into the chamber below, sending bullets audibly whizzing by heads, pockmarking seats and tables with holes. The four members of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party injured five congressmen. Rep. Alvin M. Bentley, R-Mich., was the most gravely wounded, surviving a punctured lung and shattered liver. The attackers were arrested and later convicted of assault with intent to kill and seditious conspiracy. The periodic acts of violence by Puerto Rican nationalists in the 1950s aimed to draw attention by any means necessary to the half-century-long controversy over the islands status and to pressure the U.S. government to grant it independence. They failed, but their impact on American democracy is still felt today. On the 70th anniversary of the 1954 assault on the Capitol, their case has taken on greater significance as the Justice Department has prosecuted hundreds of participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol some under the same statute used against the nationalists and has also cited United States v. Lebron. The events of March 1, 1954, were substantially different from the short-lived riot of Jan. 6, as were the motives of the attackers. But legally, there are distinct parallels. Both episodes were defined by violent acts seeking a political outcome, and both interfered with an official proceeding in the U.S. Capitol. Nearly 3,000 pages of stenographers minutes from the two trials of the nationalists, unearthed from depths of the National Archives, reveal details that have been largely forgotten, despite the newfound relevance of their cases. An excerpt from the stenographer's minutes of the trial of Puerto Rican nationalists who attacked the U.S. Capitol on March 1, 1954. () During court proceedings, witnesses described waves of firecracker sounds, muzzle flashes and gun smoke. Plaster rained down like bits of paper, one congressman testified, after slugs from Lebrons pistol hit the ceiling. Rep. Kenneth A. Roberts (D-Ala.) felt a burning sensation near his knee, saw blood and hollered, I am hit. A colleague peeled off his necktie to use as a tourniquet on the 41-year-old congressman. Rep. Ben F. Jensen (R-Iowa), a member of the House Appropriations Committee who relished his efforts to limit the federal payroll, was shot from behind and immediately assumed he was being assaulted by a political enemy, since hed been outspoken against people who I thought were trying to destroy our way of life. In testimony, he described how the instant I was struck [] I said, He got me. Jensen never shared which he had been on his mind. Rep. Usher L. Burdick (R-N.D.) thought the attack was over after the first wave of shooting and glibly lit a cigar in the middle of the House floor, only to run off when gunshots broke out again. Rep. Louis E. Graham (R-Pa.), who was frozen in place, got a chilling view of Flores while standing below. I am as sure as I will meet my God that he was pointing [a gun] towards me, Graham told a Washington, D.C., jury. Flores, whose weapon jammed shortly after the attack started, threw his gun down, ran out of the building and attempted to buy a bus ticket out of town before he was apprehended by the police. Shocked spectators in the vicinity of the attackers leaped into action and tried to pinion them, guns still in hand. W. Swem Elgin, a House gallery doorman who confronted Lebron, told the court that she fought like a tiger. John E. Connolly, an NBC news editor working in the Houses radio gallery that day, testified that a frenzy ensued outside the chamber, with people shouting as they attempted to subdue the rest of the Puerto Ricans. None of this was part of the nationalists plan. A note pulled from Lebrons purse read, My life I give for the freedom of my country. Cancel Miranda, whose train ticket from New York to Washington was one-way like those of his companions, said that he couldnt believe their own bodies werent riddled with bullets by U.S. Capitol Police. After they had been arrested and questioned at the police precinct, all four were charged. By mid-June, they had gone to trial and were found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon. Three were also convicted of intent to kill; the uncertainty about whether Lebron had pointed her gun up in demonstration or down toward the well of the House got her acquitted of that charge. After the convictions in Washington, federal prosecutors with the Southern District of New York linked Lebron, Cancel Miranda, Figueroa Cordero and Flores with 13 other nationalists in an indictment for seditious conspiracy a crime codified in a statute after the Civil War that made it illegal to overthrow or oppose the authority of the U.S. government by force. Prosecutors alleged that since 1950, they had schemed and then attempted to oppose, overthrow, put down and destroy by force the Government of the United States. Throw the Yankees out at pistol point. Revolution, said U.S. Attorney J. Edward Lumbard, painting a picture of the defendants alleged fanaticism for the jury. Give your life and your property for independence. All tyrants are condemned to death, be he a Truman or a congressman. The government built an argument with evidence including weapons purchases, courier networks and fiery party rhetoric. The cornerstone of Lumbards case rested on two people with close ties to the nationalists: a secret FBI informant named Raymond Sanchez Sorrell and Lebrons own brother, Gonzalo Lebron Sotomayor, who flipped on the nationalists after turning himself in to authorities. In the end, prosecutors convinced the jury there had been a conspiracy. The rejection the next year of the nationalists appeal to a federal circuit court sat quietly in the books until another national trauma at the Capitol decades later. In the seven decades since, when federal prosecutors have charged people with seditious conspiracy, the profile of the accused has varied. Jacob Schulz, a former Lawfare editor who has written about the 1954 case, said that before Jan. 6, 2021, the government had been relatively unsuccessful when using the law against right-wing groups. Prosecutors found more success, he said, against al-Qaeda-linked groups and even won convictions against later Puerto Rican groups that continued to be radicalized by the islands controversial status. This is the eternal question and the eternal issue for Puerto Ricans, said Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-N.Y.), the first women of Puerto Rican descent to be elected to Congress. She played a major role in a 2022 bill that would have allowed voters on the island to choose among statehood, free association and independence in a referendum. The bill passed the House that year but stalled in the Senate. El estatus lo afecta todo, she said status affects everything. During cross-examination in the D.C. case, U.S. Attorney Leo A. Rover asked the Spanish interpreter to ask Flores, Why did he not use blank cartridges for this demonstration? Flores responded, Because when the United States went into Puerto Rico they did not use blank cartridges, referring to the U.S. invasion in 1898. Rover asked Cancel Miranda whether he thought someone could have died in what the nationalists were calling a demonstration. I know that the bullet can make damage, Cancel Miranda replied in imperfect English. I know that true from your government a possible reference to the 1937 Ponce massacre, in which local police, under the authority of the U.S.-appointed governor, brutally killed nearly 20 people, including women and at least one child, at a peaceful demonstration. Many in the United States simply didnt understand the grievance, said Margaret Power, author of the book Solidarity Across the Americas: The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and Anti-Imperialism. The attitude of many mainland Americans, she said, was: The nationalists must be crazy to go against the worlds most perfect democracy and not to want to be part of it. In some ways, the nationalist case was less complicated to prosecute than the Jan. 6 cases. In the years since the 2021 attack, prosecutors have dealt with hundreds of defendants from all walks of life and a variety of right-wing groups with different stated aims. But all shared the goal that day of stopping the certification of Joe Bidens win in the 2020 presidential election. In the aftermath of Jan. 6, Schulz published an article detailing how the 1954 sedition case and its Second Circuit opinion could fortify the constitutionality of the [sedition] statute and help the Justice Department pursue pro-Donald Trump conspirators. With a limited number of seditious conspiracy cases to look to, the Puerto Rican nationalists held particular significance. One high-profile Jan. 6 prosecution, of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, cited the 1954 case. When Rhodess counsel made a failed motion to dismiss the case against him, Judge Amit P. Mehtas denial included a footnote referring to United States v. Lebron to refute the argument. The footnote also mentioned a 1955 House Judiciary Committee report, following the attack the year before, recommending an increase in the maximum penalty for the seditious conspiracy statute from six years in prison to 20 a measure the House passed the next year. Rhodes received an 18-year sentence. Graduate student Robert Johnson at the University of Missouri at Kansas City contributed to this report. A portrait of Timothy Pickering by American painter Charles Willson Peale. (WikiMedia Commons) SALEM, Mass. (Tribune News Service) At the Pickering House on Broad Street, hes known simply as Col. Tim. Timothy Pickering is arguably one of the least appreciated of Americas founding fathers. Even in his own backyard. A few may remember him as a footnote in the history books the first U.S. Senator ever censured by Congress. Or that despite distinguished service in the nations founding as Gen. George Washingtons faithful adjutant general and quartermaster general of the Army during the Revolution, as secretary of state, postmaster general and as secretary of war Pickering was ceremoniously kicked out of President John Adams Cabinet. A member of a well-established Salem family, Pickering also served as a U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative and was one of the driving forces behind the Essex Junto, an alliance of New Englanders and other northerners, who reportedly sought succession from the slave-owning South. When he died in 1829, Pickering was also among the last members of the nations first political party the once-dominant Federalist Party that included Hamilton, Hancock and Adams. But this month, Pickering will be honored as the author of Pickerings Plan, the first-ever American militia drill manual that included numerous plates, charts and diagrams of, among other things, placement of the feet while drilling. Pickerings plan a standardized, easy to understand manual of military drills was swiftly adopted and turned the divergent militias into Washingtons Army. Commemorating Salem 1774 and Pickerings Plan, is scheduled to be Sunday, March 3, at 12:30 p.m., with Charlie Newhall and Bob Erbetta marshaling the discussion on the origins of a well-regulated militia and how Salem and Timothy Pickering helped shape the Second Amendment. Its a special Essex County Revolution 250 event sponsored by Essex Heritage and partnering organizations. Those on hand will undoubtedly hear the words of Col. Tim. I gladly embraced the opportunity which then presented, of applying to the service of my country the little knowledge & experience an office in the militia had led me to acquire, by writing the following plain rudiments of the military art, Pickering wrote to George Washington in 1775. The book, formally titled An Easy Plan of Discipline of a Militia came to be in Salem in 1774 when the Massachusetts Provincial government moved from Boston to Salem. Differing factions and the need for a practical manual for the militia to defend Salem led the lawyer-turned-colonel to simplify earlier regulations. Newhall and Erbetta will highlight this turning point of the politics of Salem in 1774, focusing on Pickerings role in reshaping the militia, and the coming of the American Revolution. Newhall, an Early American historian and history teacher at St. Johns Prep, will present the Salem story and Erbetta, a co-founder of Marbleheads Glovers Regiment in 1974 and an experienced reenactor, will walk through the manual of arms and drill of soldiers for viewers. Essex County Revolution 250 is an initiative by Essex Heritage to promote the diverse stories of Essex County residents, free and unfree, during the American Revolutionary period. (c)2024 The Salem News (Beverly, Mass.) Visit The Salem News (Kim Ki Sam/Stars and Stripes) Da Nang, South Vietnam, Aug. 15, 1968: President Nguyen Van Thieu talks with female Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) troops during a ceremony marking the 11th anniversary of the ARVNs I Corps. The Womens Armed Forces Corps part of the ARVN was created just a year earlier and counted over 2,700 women, with the majority of them working as nurses and administrative clerks. The Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. federal courthouse is seen on Jan. 4, 2022, in Miami. Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios, a suspect in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, faced charges in the Southern District of Florida's Miami courthouse. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images/TNS) MIAMI (Tribune News Service) A former Colombian soldier was found to have played a minor role in the plot to kill Haitis president, but on Friday he still ended up getting a life sentence like four other defendants directly involved in the final decision to assassinate Jovenel Moise. Colombian Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios was given the maximum sentence by a federal judge in Miami, even though a prosecutor said he did not participate in operational discussions at key meetings before the July 7, 2021, assassination. Palacios, 45, who pleaded guilty in December to the murder conspiracy spanning South Florida, Haiti and Colombia, became the fifth defendant in the U.S. case in Miami federal court to be sentenced to life. Palacios defense attorney argued he was a foot soldier who only learned at the 11th hour about the change in plans from carrying out the arrest of Haitis leader to killing him, and that he was not in the room where the president was fatally shot by other Colombian commandos at his home outside Port-au-Prince. He had no idea what was going on like the other defendants in the U.S. case until the day before the deadly assault, attorney Alfredo Izaguirre told the judge, urging him to give Palacios 30 years in prison. He was in another room. He never fired his weapon. U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez expressed sympathy for Palacios circumstances, but said he felt restricted by the law because the conspiracy to which the defendant pleaded guilty involved the assassination of a foreign leader. I dont think I can go below a life sentence, Martinez said. Depending on his cooperation, Palacios could end up receiving a sentence reduction from prosecutors Andrea Goldbarg, Monica Castro and Frank Russo in the coming months. Of the 11 defendants charged in the U.S. case, five have pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to kidnap or kill Haitis leader and related charges. A sixth defendant has pleaded guilty to other conspiracy charges involving the smuggling of bulletproof vests to the Colombians that carry up to 10 years. Meanwhile, five other defendants, including a Miami-area man who headed a security firm, face trial in May. More than two months after the assassination, Palacios fled to Jamaica and became the first suspect to surrender to FBI agents in January 2022. After initially confessing to FBI agents at a Kingston hotel a confession that he and his lawyers later claimed was given under duress Palacios chose to accept responsibility for his supporting role in the deadly conspiracy targeting Moise. According to the FBI, Palacios admitted during a nearly six-hour video-recorded interview with federal agents in October 2021 that he took a necklace, two watches, $2,060 cash and other personal items belonging to Moise, and his wife, Martine, when he was killed and she was injured in the assault at their hillside home. However, unlike four other defendants who have pleaded guilty in the murder conspiracy so far, Palacios played a minor role, Goldbarg said, because he was not involved in making strategic decisions about the assassination plot. That factor, along with his cooperation, might help the father of three children ultimately receive less than a life sentence in the future. A factual statement filed with his plea agreement said Palacios retired from the Colombian military in June 2021 after 20 years of service and was recruited by the Miami-area security company, CTU, to provide protection for an aspiring politician who wanted to replace Moise as Haitis president. Palacios was recruited along with more than 20 former Colombian soldiers by CTU and met with its president Antonio Intriago in Haiti in the weeks before the assassination plot was carried out. Intriago, who is being held at a federal lockup, has pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy and other charges in the high-profile case. Initially, Palacios understood that the goal was to capture Haitis president and arrest him. Palacios and the other Colombians conducted training sessions while CTU provided them with security equipment, including armored vests. Palacios was led in the mission by a retired Colombian army officer, German Alejandro Rivera Garcia, aka Colonel Mike, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and was sentenced in October to life in prison. According to the factual statement, Palacios was a line security soldier who took orders from Rivera and other Colombian commando leaders. Palacios did not have the authority to make decisions nor did he take part in planning of any operation. Palacios was informed that the Colombian contractors would be conducting an operation at the presidential residence, the factual statement says. Before the beginning of the operation, the defendant was also told that the president was going to die. Prosecutors said the Colombian commandos took money and jewelry from the presidents home, and that Palacios kept some of the cash and jewels. In the aftermath of the assault, three Colombians died during a shootout with Haitian national police outside the presidents residence. The U.S. governments prosecution of the 11 original defendants has moved quickly with successive plea deals and sentencings in contrast to Haitis investigation, which finally resulted in an indictment filed by a Haitian judge last week. In the U.S. case, a former senator in Haitis parliament was sentenced to life in prison after he had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to kill his countrys leader. The former senator, Joseph Joel John, 52, also is known as John Joel Joseph to his countrymen. John was also present at meetings in Haiti where the operation to kill the countrys leader was discussed, including one gathering at the home of a Haitian businessman the day before the assassination. Among those attending that critical meeting: Rodolphe Jaar, who hosted the gathering; Rivera, the Colombian commando leader; James Solages, a Haitian American; and Joseph Vincent, a Haitian American who previously worked as an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration. Palacios, the ex-Colombian soldier, was also there but prosecutors admitted at his sentencing Friday that he was not part of the discussions to kill Haitis president. Vincent, 58, pleaded guilty to the murder conspiracy and related charges. He was sentenced last month to life in prison. Jaar, 51, admitted to providing weapons, lodging and money in the conspiracy to assassinate Haitis president. A dual Haitian and Chilean citizen, Jaar was sentenced in June to life in prison. Previously, he was also convicted of drug trafficking in the United States. Miami Herald Caribbean correspondent Jacqueline Charles contributed to this story. 2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. South Korean troops form a line during an amphibious assault on Hat Yao Beach, Thailand, March 1, 2024, as part of the Cobra Gold exercise. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes) HAT YAO BEACH, Thailand U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcons making simulated airstrikes split the quiet on the beach here Friday, signaling the start of a massive amphibious exercise by more than 2,000 U.S., Thai and South Korean troops. Ahead of the F-16s, Thai marine special operators stormed ashore in rigid inflatable boats, while U.S. paratroopers carefully descended near smoke signals in the first wave. Within minutes, nearly 20 amphibious vehicles from all three countries lumbered onto the beach and unloaded hundreds of troops. They advanced and fired blanks, but with no enemy to halt their advance, the mock battle ended swiftly. The exercise marked a significant, early piece of Cobra Gold, one of the largest military exercises in Asia and now in its 43rd year, according to Rear Adm. Christopher Stone, commander of the U.S. Navys Task Force 76/3. The drills began Feb. 27 and concludes Thursday. This year we have seven full-participating countries, and we have three limited-participation navies, but broadly, we have 30 nations represented and working together in Cobra Gold, he told reporters before the drill. Its truly impressive to see. Fridays participants included 1,200 Thai troops, 330 South Korean troops and 730 U.S. Marines, sailors and soldiers, according to task force spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Andrew DeGarmo. During the assault, U.S. forces launched from the amphibious transport dock USS Somerset and the expeditionary mobile base USS Miguel Keith in the Gulf of Thailand and stormed the beach about 80 miles southeast of Bangkok. Overhead, aircraft including two AH-64 Apache helicopters and two CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters provided support. On the beach, landing craft unloaded more vehicles, including a Korean K-55 self-propelled howitzer. The combat drill provide training in communication and in working with allied forces despite language barriers and different technology, according to Col. Sean Dynan, commander of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. We train as we operate, and the time to figure out when and how to do that, ideally, isnt at the time of crisis, he told reporters ahead of the drill. Its here, as we exercise at Cobra Gold. An AH-64 Apache helicopter flies past a smokescreen made by U.S., Thai and South Korean troops during a Cobra Gold amphibious assault on Hat Yao Beach, Thailand, March 1, 2024. () South Korean marines stand watch as a K-55 self-propelled howitzer comes ashore during a Cobra Gold amphibious assault on Hat Yao Beach, Thailand, March 1, 2024. () Thai marines storm Hat Yao Beach, Thailand, during Cobra Gold amphibious assault training, March 1, 2024. () Thai marines transport a mock casualty for evacuation during a Cobra Gold amphibious assault on Hat Yao Beach, Thailand, March 1, 2024. () South Korean troops form a line during an amphibious assault on Hat Yao Beach, Thailand, March 1, 2024, as part of the Cobra Gold exercise. () Crises arent limited to combat scenarios, Stone added, and pointed to an ongoing joint humanitarian assistance drill thats taking place throughout Cobra Gold. We need to practice all of our skill sets, whether its the one that were going to do frequently, whether we want to or not, he said. Its a matter of when, not if, the humanitarian crisis will emerge. With new information-sharing technology, the exercise allows participants to understand whats happening in the air, on the ground and under the ocean so they can work as partners with how were going to respond to challenges. Stone is participating in his first Cobra Gold; its Dynans third. His last Cobra Gold was in 2002. Back then, the large-scale exercise focused mostly on combat by Thai and American forces, he said. Now, with more focus on humanitarian operations, its expanded to match reality, Dynan added. What is the most likely scenario that were going to operate on together? he told Stars and Stripes. It might eventually be in something like combat but the most likely thing that is going to occur anywhere in the world is something that requires somebody to be somebodys hero. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 2. Uzbekistan called on China to join efforts to create favorable conditions for the development of multimodal transportation through the territory of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Trend reports. This was discussed during a trilateral meeting of delegations of the governments of Uzbekistan, China and Kyrgyzstan in Kashgar (China) on March 1. Uzbekistan's Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Chairman of Kyrgyzstan's Cabinet of Ministers Akylbek Japarov, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of Chinese Communist Party, secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Ma Xingrui participated in the meeting. Together with Chinese and Kyrgyz partners, significant projects in transportation and logistics, energy, industrial, agricultural and other sectors of the economy are being implemented. Uzbekistan, China and Kyrgyzstan discussed the importance of starting practical work on the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad line this year. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad line, which is supposed to be built within the framework of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, is the shortest alternative road connecting the Central Asian region with China. The idea of establishing a joint venture for the construction and operation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad line was supported. The sides also decided to take appropriate steps to further improve the activity of the Irkeshtom checkpoint, create favorable conditions and expand transit opportunities. At the end of the trilateral talks, the heads of delegations familiarized with the work of the Ulugchat customs terminal and Irkeshtom checkpoint. In general, within the framework of the Uzbek delegation's visit to China, detailed information on the activities of the "Kashgar Economic and Technological Development Zone" was presented, and bilateral meetings were held with the heads of a number of leading companies. Passengers wear masks on a sightseeing bus in Washington in January. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) Americans who test positive for the coronavirus no longer need to routinely stay home from work and school for five days under new guidance released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency is loosening its COVID isolation recommendations for the first time since 2021 to reflect the changing landscape of COVID-19 four years after the virus emerged. The CDC laid out its justification for the guidance change in a 25-page document that describes the evolving risk environment. Although coronavirus infections are continuing at levels similar to years past, new infections are now causing less severe illness and far fewer hospitalizations or deaths, CDC data show. The change, as reported by The Washington Post last month, is effective immediately, CDC officials said. The agency said it is streamlining its guidance for respiratory viral illnesses, and the new recommendations bring COVID-19 in line with how other common viruses, such as influenza and RSV, are managed. Our goal here is to protect those at risk for severe illness while also reassuring folks that these recommendations are simple, clear, easy-to-understand and can be followed, CDC Director Mandy Cohen said during a media briefing Friday. The change, she added, reflects the progress weve made in protecting against severe illness from COVID. The basic advice is now the same: Stay home when youre sick and away from others. Under the new approach, people who test positive for the coronavirus would no longer need to isolate at home if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the aid of medication and their overall symptoms are improving. Once people resume normal activities, the updated guidance encourages them to take additional preventive steps for the next five days to curb disease spread. This includes improving ventilation by opening windows to bring in fresh outside air or purifying indoor air, washing hands often and cleaning frequently touched surfaces, wearing a well-fitting mask and keeping a distance from others, CDC officials said. Not all respiratory infections result in fever, so paying attention to other symptoms, such as cough and muscle aches, is important as someone determines when they are well enough to leave home, according to the CDC. Giving people symptom-based guidance is a better way to prioritize those most at risk and balance the potential for disruptive impacts on schools and workplaces, health officials and experts have said. The federal recommendations follow similar moves by Oregon and California. California shortened its five-day isolation recommendation in January; Oregon made a similar move last May. Other countries have implemented similar guidance, including Britain, Australia, France and Canada, and found no significant change in spread or severe disease, according to a CDC blog post on the respiratory guidance. A simplified message Many experts have said the changes are long overdue and public health guidance needs to shift to a more practical approach. The COVID-19 reality is far different now than early in the pandemic, when the population had no protection against a novel pathogen. By the end of last year, 98 percent of people in the United States had disease-fighting antibodies from vaccination, prior infection or both, which confers the strongest immunity. There are still about 20,000 people a week hospitalized for COVID-19 and about 2,000 deaths a week caused by the disease, according to CDC. The updated recommendations are for the general population and community settings; there are no changes to respiratory virus guidance for health-care settings, such as hospitals, with more vulnerable populations. The respiratory virus guidance covers most common respiratory viral illnesses, but does not replace specific guidance for pathogens, such as measles, an extremely contagious disease that requires much stricter isolation and quarantine measures. Advocates for people with disabilities and others who face higher risk of severe COVIDcondemned the CDCs shift, which they say endangers them by abandoning attempts to control transmission. Changing COVID isolation times does not change how the virus behaves, Maria Town, president of the American Association of People with Disabilities, said in a statement last week condemning the CDCs plans. Mild COVID is still COVID. A person who has COVID without a fever still has COVID. And that means they are still posing a risk to the high-risk, immunocompromised, and disabled members of their community. CDC officials said protecting vulnerable people was a top priority while revising the guidance, and they believe the new approach helps if it means more people stay home while sick with any virus instead of depending on coronavirus tests. Work on revising isolation guidance has been underway since last August but was paused in the fall as COVID cases rose. Agency officials have said they recognized the need to give the public more practical guidelines for COVID-19, acknowledging that few people are following isolation guidance that hasnt been updated since December 2021. Different guidance for different viruses also makes it difficult to know what to do when someone doesnt know what is causing their symptoms, officials said. While every respiratory virus does not act the same, having a common approach to limiting disease spread makes recommendations easier to follow - and more likely to be adopted - and does not rely on people to test for illness, CDC officials said. Estimates suggest only about 50 percent of individuals were testing for COVID-19, said Demetre Daskalakis, who heads CDCs National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. David Margolius, Clevelands top public health official, applauded the updated guidance, adding that hospitalizations from RSV and influenza have exceeded those from COVID-19 in his community. Simplifying the public health messaging to treat all of these dangerous contagious respiratory viruses the same makes a lot of sense, Margolius said. We really want the takeaway to be when youre sick, stay home until you feel better. He said hed continue to urge employers to not force sick employees to come into work. Revised guidance emphasizing being fever-free could help, he said, because some employers made sick employees come to work if they test negative for COVID. As a result, people with other contagious viruses or who received false negatives would still be exposing others in the workplace, Margolius said. Many businesses already stopped offering workers with COVID infections five paid days to isolate and celebrated state officials who moved away from the CDC guidance, arguing it was overly burdensome to keep workers with mild or no symptoms off the job for so long. Cohen acknowledged that organizations need to consider policies that would allow employees to stay home when sick, such as working from home or paid sick leave. Cohen said federal health officials anticipate there will be updated vaccines for flu and COVID-19 this fall. As part of a common approach to respiratory viruses, wed like to see employers hold flu and COVID clinics, she said. Nearly 1.2 million people have died of COVID-19 as of Feb. 10, 2024. The virus was the third leading cause of death in 2021, accounting for 12 percent of all deaths. In 2022, it was the fourth leading cause of death, after heart disease, cancer and unintentional injury. Preliminary data from 2023 shows COVID-19 as the 10th leading cause of death, according to CDC. CDC officials also said more people need to get vaccinated with the latest version of the vaccine made available last fall. Uptake of the updated vaccine among adults has been low - only about 22 percent of those 18 and older have received a dose. And only about 42 percent of those 65 and older have received a dose. Among those hospitalized with COVID-19 this past season, Cohen said, more than 95 percent had not received an updated coronavirus vaccine. Most COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations last year were among people 65 years and older. The CDC this week recommended an additional vaccine dose because it can provide added protection to immunity that may have waned over time. Balochistans newly-elected Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti Saturday reaffirmed the provincial governments plan to continue engaging in dialogue with those involved in armed insurgency. Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti was sworn in at Quetta today. Governor Balochistan Abdul Wali Khan Kakar administered oath to him. Mir Sarfraz Bugti was elected unopposed and by securing 41 votes in provincial assembly. Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also attended the ceremony. In his speech, Bugti extended the olive branch to dissidents in his victory speech after being elected as the provinces chief executive. Deterrence and dialogue are the two options that the government has to address the [law and order] situation in Balochistan, he said while calling on armed groups to join the mainstream politics and play their role in the provinces development. The chief minister, in his speech, urged the Baloch insurgents to continue their struggle while adhering to the Constitution of Pakistan, stressing that there will be no compromise on the states writ. He noted that those fighting for their rights can only achieve their goals via the parliamentary route and not armed struggle. Bugti, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, was elected unopposed as the leader of the house by 41 votes. Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai chaired the session. The chief minister was sworn in as the province's chief executive by Governor Abdul Wali Kakar in a ceremony held at the Governor House. Expressing gratitude to those who voted for him, including the opposition parties, Bugti underscored that the fact that the speaker, deputy speaker and the leader of the house were elected unopposed has given a message of consensus at a time when the province is going through difficult times. Commenting on the PPPs role as a party that represents the federation, the chief minister claimed that it is only the Bilawal Bhutto-led party that can address and solve the crises that have gripped the country. I have faith that Asif Ali Zardari will steer the country out of the crises, Bugti said while stressing the need for reconciliatory politics in present times. Terming governance, terrorism and climate change as the leading issues faced by the province, the chief minister went on to provide a roadmap with regard to the governments strategy to tackle these challenges. On the issue of governance, Bugti stressed that the legislators and the provinces bureaucracy need to own up and not blame others for their shortcomings. How long will we blame other people? he questioned during his speech. Announcing the enforcement of an emergency in the education sector, the CM reassured that his government would give a comprehensive plan of action with regard to reforms to improve the provinces education system. Michael Cahillane was jailed for 16 years in 2011 for his part in the elaborate operation which involved cocaine worth 3.5m (4m) being flown from France A crime-fighting agency has slapped a travel ban on a Co Tyrone man previously jailed in connection with an international drug smuggling operation. Michael Cahillane was jailed for 16 years in 2011 for his part in the elaborate operation which involved cocaine worth 3.5m (4m) being flown from France to a remote airfield in Wales. Cahillane, who was based in Manchester at the time of his conviction, is believed to have been released from prison in 2019. However, the National Crime Agency (NCA) this week confirmed Cahillane, 58, is subject to a travel restriction order (TRO) which bans him from travelling overseas until February 2027. The NCA, which takes the lead in fighting organized crime across the UK, said it uses such orders to make crooks toxic to other gangsters due to the risk of them being monitored. Similar orders include Serious Crime Prevention Orders and Financial Reporting Orders. Breaching an order carries a maximum sentence of five years prison or an unlimited fine. The NCA has published an updated list of active orders for serious offenders and Cahillane is the only person from Northern Ireland on the list. An NCA spokesperson said: Many career criminals regard prison as an interruption which rarely marks the end of their involvement in organised crime. This is why NCA has a policy of Lifetime Management. Once a criminal is on our radar they will stay on it. These orders can include a wide variety of restrictions, all designed to limit the opportunities for criminals to engage in illegal activity. Part of their power is that they make offenders subject to an order toxic to other criminals; the very fact they are being monitored makes it risky for criminals to be associated with them for fear of coming onto our radar themselves. Cahillane was one of three men convicted in connection with the drug smuggling operation. Police found 14kg of cocaine on a light aircraft which had flown from France to Wales in July 2009. The drugs are understood to have been transported from Spain to France before being put on the plane. Officers from North Wales Police met the aircraft when it touched down at Mona Airfield, Anglesey, and carried out a search of the plane which revealed the stash of drugs. Coded text messages between the drug smugglers were found on a mobile phone seized by UK Border Agency investigators. The find prompted a further examination of phone records, establishing the involvement of others in the plot. During their trial at Liverpool Crown Court, a prosecuting barrister said things soon began to unravel for the drug smugglers. He said police had gathered phone evidence that a courier used by the gang to bring the drugs from Spain to France had been sending and receiving texts from a drug dealer in Spain, described in court as a Mr Big and identified on the couriers phone as Him. Here you have a unique insight into what happens when a major drugs deal goes wrong, said the barrister. The big Spanish drug dealer is not at all amused by whats happening, he said. The court heard that Mr Big was not Spanish, but was living in Spain. The barrister said: The team has lost a vast amount of money and drugs and people who were in control of this operation were in communication. He said it was clear the courier had been in touch with a member of the team who was in a position of power and that they did not want to accept responsibility for what happened. Cahillane, whose address was listed as Stanley Road, Stockport, Greater Manchester, was sentenced to 16 years after admitting conspiracy to smuggle cocaine. Another Northern Ireland man, Richard McArthur, 57, of Barn Mills, Carrickfergus, Belfast, was sentenced to six years after admitting smuggling cannabis. The third man, David Watson, 66, of Rainsough Brow, Prestwich, Greater Manchester, who owned the plane, was sentenced to 20 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine. Following the sentencing of the three men, Jim Jarvie, deputy director at the UK Border Agency's Crime Directorate, said it had been a "significant smuggling operation". "They clearly thought that arriving at a small airfield would ensure they were able to bypass law enforcement controls. This was not the case," he said. In an interview before he was jailed in Scotland, he said: Its not going to break me, going in there Outside the Players Lounge pub after the gun attack Ex-Ireland striker Anthony Stokes has said he does not regret attending a memorial for RIRA terror boss Alan Ryan and that he seemed like a normal guy. The former Celtic and Ireland striker is currently in prison in Scotland as he awaits sentencing for harassing his ex-girlfriend and her family. He previously pleaded guilty to stalking his ex-partner Eilidh Scott and was given four-year, non-harassment orders, meaning he could not contact her for four years but continued to contact her. Stokes had been a fugitive after repeatedly failing to appear in court on those charges. However, he handed himself in two weeks ago before he was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing later this month. In an interview with the Daily Mail before he was jailed in Scotland, he said: Its not going to break me, going in there. He also discussed his republican upbringing, his links to Alan Ryan and the death threats he faced after his father John Stokes erected a banner at the Players Lounge Pub in Dublin. Alan Ryan was killed in 2012 John and Joan Stokes adopted Anthony when he was a baby after his mother Ann, who is Joans sister, gave him to them as she was unable to look after him due to a heroin dependency. The heroin epidemic in Dublin went back to the 80s and it was still rife at the time, Stokes said in an interview with the Daily Mail. He said John Stokes who grew up in Cork was a staunch republican and this was passed down to him. He said when he was a boy he remembers seeing people in cars with firearms. Someone might pull up a car in outside and you might see tools' inside. "You kind of get normalised by certain things, he said. Due to the republican connections, the Players Lounge pub which was run by John Stokes in Fairview became a base for Real IRA gang leader Alan Ryan John Stokes, outside his pub the Players Lounge Ryans gang were responsible for a litany of murders in Dublin more than a decade ago as they got into conflict with organised crime gangs. Those conflicts ultimately cost Ryan his life when he was shot dead in north Dublin in September 2012. Anthony Stokes turned up a memorial night for Ryan following his death and also paid tribute to him online. After pictures emerged of his attendance at the event, the then Celtic manager Neil Lennon said Stokes was punished by the club as a result. Despite the trouble caused by his links to Ryan, Stokes said he does not regret attending the memorial. Speaking about Alan Ryan, Stokes said: He would've been around my dad every day. "He was the leader of that group. I knew him well. To me, he was a normal guy. "I would also be sympathetic to my dad's beliefs about Irish Republicanism. Stokes also spoke about his dads decision to erect an anti-monarchy banner on his pub, the Players Lounge, . in 2011, Stokes snr hit the headlines after he was ordered to take down a banner declaring that the Queen was not welcome, ahead of her historic visit to the city. My dad mentioned to me, I'm going to put a banner up. "And I thought he meant maybe over the bar in the pub. "But I woke up the next day - I think we were playing Hearts - and it's a 60-foot banner with a picture of the Queens head, saying, As long as the British Forces are in Ireland, she and her family are not welcome in this pub. I dont know if that's even trying to be funny or what, but obviously it's all over the papers in Scotland and I'm getting it left, right and centre. "The Rangers fans. Messages off the UDF (Ulster Defence Force) listing details of a flight I was taking and threatening to shoot me. I had to go to the police over that. It was getting very hostile. I mean - I support my dad a hundred percent, but for f*** sake mate, come on! I'm up to my neck and as it is! I dont need any of this! The Sunday World previously revealed how Stokes travelled abroad on holiday with Ryan and his associates at the height of Ryans feud with Dublin gangs. Pictures showed Stokes posing with a number of republicans including Ryan and his brother Vinnie, who was also later shot dead, as well as Sligo man Aaron Nealis who was shot in the leg during the same attack which killed Alan Ryan. The Players Lounge pub was the source of continuous controversy at the height of Alan Ryans prominence in Irelands underworld. Ryan used the pub as his base where he hung out with other dissident pals and regularly bedded women he met there. There was a gun attack at the pub in 2010 in which three innocent people were injured when the gunman was trying to murder Alan Ryan. Outside the Players Lounge pub after the gun attack Notorious gangland gunman Alan Wilson was one of the criminal figures involved in that gun attack. In April 2011, gardai raided the pub and found bullets and cocaine as well as three stun guns in a shed at the back of his pub. By August 2011 the pub was destroyed in a blaze allegedly set by raiders who it was claimed stole 80,000 in cash from the premises before setting it alight. It never reopened following the fire and was sold for around 200,000 in 2014. Stokes said his republican beliefs made him a particular hate figure for Rangers fans during his time in Glasgow. Convicted gunman Alan Wilson He said he knocked out one Rangers fan who challenged him to a fight. This fella pulls up, Rangers top on, hat and all. He started kicking my door up. I knocked him out, clean out and left him on the bonnet. Anthony Stokes had had a succession of court appearances in recent years. In 2017, Stokes received a two year suspended sentence for headbutting Elvis impersonator Anthony Bradley at Buck Whaleys on Leeson Street, Dublin, on June 8, 2013. Stokes offered 30,000 as a token of his remorse when he appeared in the Circuit Court and was committed to paying the amount in two weeks but never followed through on that promise. Mr Bradley also took a separate successful civil action in the High Court against Stokes saying that he effectively gave up his career as an Elvis impersonator after the former Ireland striker head-butted him leaving him with a broken nose and damaged teeth. Stokes, who didnt bother attending the civil action, was ordered to pay 230,000 in damages in 2017 but still hasnt paid over anything to Mr Bradley. Anthony Stokes pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Anthony Bradley. Photo: Collins Courts. In 2021 a Scottish court ordered Stokes to complete an anti-domestic abuse course after he admitted harassing his ex-girlfriend. The court heard he followed Eilidh Scott on a number of occasions and shouted abuse at her and also called to her house repeatedly banging on her door and shouting through her letterbox. He also bombarded her with abusive messages - sometimes up to 100 a day. He was also banned from contacting Ms Scott or her parents unless she initiated contact to discuss childcare arrangements. Stokes was back up in court later that year accused of breaching that order. He admitted sending Ms Scotts father offensive and inappropriate text messages about his daughter and repeatedly phoning her mother. Stokes failed to turn up for his sentencing hearing for those offences and Sheriff Allan McKay later ordered a warrant for his arrest. Back in Ireland Stokes had a prosecution for a separate alleged headbutt attack on an English tourist in Dublins Temple Bar struck out in 2022 because the victim did not want to travel to Ireland for the case. Stokes had denied the charge of assault causing harm to Fraser Spratt at Fitzgerald's pub on Aston Quay, in Dublin 2, on March 16, 2019 and claimed he acted in self-defence. Last year Stokes was arrested and charged with 10 separate offences related to drug supply and driving offences. He was charged with dangerous driving at various locations driving without insurance or a licence and failing to produce his documents. He was also charged with possession of cocaine valued at 4,500 for sale or supply but those charges were struck out in January due to delays in a forensic certificate of analysis. Stokes had pleaded not guilty to the drugs charges before they were struck out. Stokes admitted in the interview that his life spiralled in recent years. I went off the rails. All this stuff the police charges, avoiding them, has been draining. I want to move on from it, hand myself in and draw a line. Dwayne Barry (34) was found with the knives in his backpack after gardai saw him stumbling in an extremely intoxicated state A homeless man was caught carrying knives while drunk in what a judge said was a dangerous combination. Dwayne Barry (34) was found with the knives in his backpack after gardai saw him stumbling extremely intoxicated along a north Dublin city centre street. Judge Shalom Binchy adjourned the case for a probation report after hearing he had 114 previous convictions. Barry, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to possession of weapons. Dublin District Court heard when gardai found the accused on January 11, he was slurring his speech and began shouting, telling them to f**k off. When searched at Mountjoy garda station, Barry had a large amount of alcohol and two knives in his backpack. His previous record included similar offences. Barry had got on a community employment scheme and was waiting for a bed for treatment for alcohol addiction, his barrister Ciara Murray said. He cant go around carrying knives, particularly where theres a large level of alcohol consumed, Judge Binchy said. Its a dangerous combination. The judge said it was a worry that Barry had previous convictions for possession of knives. She gave him a six-month suspended sentence on one charge and adjourned the case for a probation report on another. Gareth Killeen (36) was found by gardai kicking the door with a great deal of force A father of three who rained thunderous blows on a womans apartment door while she and her children screamed in terror inside has been jailed for nine months. Gareth Killeen (36) was found by gardai kicking the door with a great deal of force while the family inside were in a state of panic, a court heard. Sentencing him, Judge John Hughes said it was a horrific set of circumstances for the victim. Killeen, a plumber from Slievemore Road, Dublin 12, had pleaded not guilty to burglary. Garda Oisin OSullivan said he was called to a disturbance at an apartment complex at Drimnagh Road at 7pm on February 19 last year. The resident was visibly shaken and told gardai she had heard loud knocking on the front door and the garda observed scuff marks on it and a large crack. He searched the scene but the suspect had fled. An hour later, he was called again and was told a man was kicking the balcony door. Gda OSullivan said the only way to that door was through the apartment and there was no external access unless someone climbed up to the balcony, which was on the buildings third floor. The door was heavy-framed but was being subjected to a great deal of force. There were children screaming and crying in the apartment and the garda heard kicking and banging from the balcony. The garda saw Killeen, who was visibly intoxicated and highly aggressive. The accused was arrested. He made no reply when charged and no comment when interviewed about the incident. Defence barrister Lydia Daly said evidence of the first alleged incident was hearsay as the woman was not in court. In relation to the second, Ms Daly said again the alleged victim was not present to testify that the accused was trespassing. If he had not gone to the balcony through the apartment, there was no evidence as to how anyone might have climbed up the outside of the building, she said. Judge McHugh said the accused had a case to answer as the evidence was that he was kicking with thunderous blows to the door while the occupants were screaming in terror. Killeen did not give evidence in his defence. The court heard he had 29 previous convictions. The accused had issues with cocaine and alcohol and had been homeless for a time, Ms Daly said. It was a horrific set of circumstances for the occupier of the apartment, Judge Hughes said. Sentencing the accused to 10 months in prison, he suspended the final month for two years on condition Killeen stays away from the victim and her family, and the apartment complex where she lives. He was also to pay 1,000 in compensation. Winifred Galbraith was arrested last Thursday after stealing perfume worth over 700 from the duty free store. Pacemaker Press 16/03/2020 A quite Belfast International airport on Monday as the coronavirus outbreak continues, Airlines have cancelled a number of flights from Belfast. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker A woman flew to Northern Ireland last week to visit her sick father and then went on a shoplifting spree at Belfast International Airport. Winifred Galbraith was arrested last Thursday after stealing perfume worth over 700 from the duty free store. After her arrest, other suspected stolen items were found in the 37-year-olds possession. It also emerged she is wanted in connection with an alleged theft in Co Down five years ago. A PSNI officer told Coleraine Magistrates Court on Friday that police were contacted before 7pm the previous evening in relation to the duty-free thefts. Management at the store said two bottles of Tom Ford perfume, valued at 153 each, had been nicked. Police officers looked at CCTV footage which showed a woman lifting the bottles of perfume from the shelf and hiding them under her coat. A short time later, the officers saw Galbraith in an airport bar. She was searched and along with the two Tom Ford bottles, four more bottles of stolen perfume were found on her person. The police officer told the court the total value of the six perfume bottles was 715.40. Galbraith was also in possession of other items with security tags on them. The officer said police did not know where the items had been stolen from. Galbraith was arrested and taken to Antrim police station where she admitted stealing the perfume. A defence solicitor said Galbraith flies into Northern Ireland every Thursday from Birmingham to visit her father, who is in a coma. Among the reasons given in opposition to bail was that Galbraith is believed to have a criminal record in the Republic but the PSNI has not yet been able to access those details. The officer added they had also not yet been able to carry out enquiries in Coventry in relation to Galbraiths home address at Woodside Park in the city. The officer said she is suspected of being involved in a theft incident in Banbridge, Co Down, in 2019. The judge released Galbraith on bail once a cash surety of 500 was paid. Sources said an investigation into this incident and other incidents that may have predated it is now underway Gardai have confirmed they are investigating a number of potentially related incidents after video circulated online of an alleged assault on a Transport for Ireland (TFI) Bus. Shocking footage shared yesterday showed a group of men assaulting a teenager in the upstairs of the vehicle on Thursday evening. A number of the men in the video appeared to be armed with metal pipes. Sources said an investigation into this incident and other incidents that may have predated it is now underway. In a statement to the Sunday World, a garda spokesperson confirmed: Gardai are aware of and are investigating a number of potentially related incidents which occurred in Tallaght, Dublin 24 on the evening of Thursday 29th of February and Friday, March 1, 2024. An Garda Siochana appeals to any person with information on these incidents to contact Tallaght Garda Station at 01 6666000. Officers attached to Ballymun Garda station backed up by the Ballymun Drug unit carried out the operation this morning One of the bikes that was seized Gardai targeting ongoing drug dealing in Ballymun in North Dublin have seized seven scrambler motorbikes in a day of action. Officers attached to Ballymun Garda station backed up by the Ballymun Drug unit carried out the operation this morning. During the course of the operation and under warrant, a number of searches were conducted and resulted in the seizure of seven scrambler motorbikes and a small quantity of cannabis, gardai said. The seized drugs will now be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis. One person was arrested when an outstanding warrant was executed and he has since appeared before the courts. Investigations ongoing. My view on life has completely changed, live everyday as if it was your last and always extend the hand of friendship Former RTE correspondent Charlie Bird has revealed that death is around the corner" but insisted he is not afraid of dying. In an interview with Brendan OConnor he Charlie he revealed how his philosophy on life has radically changed since he was first diagnosed with MND in 2021. Looking back on his life, he spoke of his love for wife Claire, his career highlights and how he knows he doesnt have long left to live. Speaking using an automated voice computer, he said: My view on life has completely changed, live everyday as if it was your last and always extend the hand of friendship no matter who they are. Every one of us will pass so I want to extend the hand of friendship to anyone who is in a dark place. I have learned always to be truthful when answering questions and to to speak always from the heart. I have a terminal illness and I know my death is just around the corner. When Brendan asked Charlie if he was afraid of dying, he replied: Im not afraid of dying I have had a great life as RTE chief news correspondent. I got to work on the biggest stories both home and abroad. I got to travel the world. I feel very privileged that my career in journalism took me to all these places. I always tell the same story, I failed every exam and never went to university but I succeeded in my career. Im proud of that. I also have a wonderful family by my side since my diagnosis that helps me when I need support and to come to term with my illness, that it is terminal and there is nothing I can do to change that. So I am not afraid of dying. Charlie said that while he was never very religious he felt that over the past few years since his diagnosis, he believes there has been someone on my shoulder guiding me along. Charlie also spoke of how his wife Claire has been an incredible support for him, saying she looks after me around the clock, she is my wife first, also my full time carer. I would be lost without her. He now has additional carers as he struggles to get from A to B without the help of two extra people Its depressing, he added. The honest truth is I live each day as if it could be my last. Despite never having gone to university, he says the fact his career brought him to both the North Pole and the South Pole meant in a way I won the Lotto. Insiders also tell us he is due to attend the American premiere of the film next Friday in Austin, Texas CONOR McGregor is planning a cross Atlantic whirlwind tour in the coming weeks to promote his hew blockbuster Road House. The Sunday World can reveal that McGregor will be joining co-star Jake Gyllenhaal for a red carpet premiere of the new flick in London on March 14. Insiders also tell us he is due to attend the American premiere of the film next Friday in Austin, Texas, as well as traveling to New York for several promotional activities. Unlike the premier of his Notorious documentary, he has as of yet no plans for a red-carpet event in Dublin. Film industry insiders believe McGregor is being paid in the region of E5 million for his role in the Amazon flick. There has been some controversy that the movie is not getting cinema release and will go straight to streaming, on Amazon Prime Video. McGregor with a mocked-up poster for the new movie The move has led to director Doug Liman pulling out in protest of its American premiere at the South by Southwest festival in Austin. Id love for it to be in theatres, insists McGregor. Im for the theatre. I understand the business, alsoId love a call with Bezos (the owner of Amazon). McGregor also tells Total Film magazine hes had several previous movie offers prior to Road House. I had turned down a good few roles in my time on my climb, he confirms. Ive had directors turn up at fight camp, really beautiful directors doing top-end movies. And over and over theyd come to me, and Id always turn them down. Id leave people a little high and dry. I probably have a few enemies out there that I dont really know of because I had said I might do it. McGregor plays new brawler Knox in a remake of the 1989 movie, made famous by Patrick Swayze. I was just in awe of it all, the be honest with you, the whole process, explains McGregor. I didnt know how I was going to take to it, to be honest. Im a fighting man, thats my bread and butter. Its where I come fromIm not an actor, but Im showbusiness. That was my vibe to it. I felt that I enjoyed every second of it. He thrived in playing bouncer Know, who ends up in fights with Gyllenhaals bouncer character Dalton. I was told that Knox could be a gleeful terror, he reflects. A lot of people, when they see it, say Im not even acting. It must have been like, Hey, Conor, this is it. Action. And I rocked in. But I gave it my best. I had a job to do a job that I loved to do. So, theres elements that I could relate to, myself. I love the fight game. There is disruption. You can cause a bit of chaos in the business that I am in. So, I had fun with it. Gyllenhaal. admits McGregor confessed to him he was raw around the edges with acting. He said from the very beginning Im a white belt in this, and Im here to learn. So I want to learn about movies, explains the Hollywood star. I said, Well, I maybe lower than a white belt. Im here to learn as well. We started from that place. McGregor maintains he and Gyllenhaal. hit it off immediately. Thank God we did, he stresses. Hes so experienced in the movie game and in acting. Im experienced in fighting. We just blended together. We knew our strengths, and we knew we needed it for each other. Gyllenhaal adds their fights scenes were intense. There were a couple of times actually, almost every time I had to turn to him, and Id be like remember, you dont actually hit me. He was like Ok, lets go. But then there were times we were grappling, and hes talking to me while we were grappling. Hes like, Right arm under. Wrap your leg around me. Now pull me up through the legs. So, there was a real exchange. He came up to me, and he was like, I did that last take. What do you think of that? Was it a bit too big?. Id be like, Well, you have that. Try this. There was a real back-and-forth between us, and a deep respect for both of our primary occupations. Some scenes were filming in front of real UFC audiences, as Dalton once had a career in the sport and the movie uses his time in it as flashbacks. The producers got McGregor to rev up the crowds before the scenes would be filmed featuring Dalton. I went on before the weight-ins, just before Jake comes on, and got the crown going, McGregor recalls to Total Film. I told them all, Guys, youre going to be in the greatest movie. Its my first movie. Were going to blow the roof off this. Give it up for Jake Gyllenhaal!. And then I went into the crowd, and I was hyping up the crowd. So we got the absolute full effect of it. McGregor confirms he was a fan of the original movie. "I was a big fan of the original for sure I was, he admits. Its a classic movie. Swayze is the man. He can fight. He can dance. He can sing. Swayzes done it all. Ive always been a fan of Patrick Swayze. * Road House streams on Amazons Prime Video from March 21. Air New Zealand has admitted it made a mistake when it tried to charge two US tourists $13,000 to change their flights after one of them received a grave medical diagnosis. Todd and Patricia Kerekes flew business class from New York to Auckland in January. The return tickets cost $37,500. They intended to stay until April, but six weeks into their visit Patricia was diagnosed with cancer of the gallbladder. Their surgeon advised them to head home immediately, so Todd contacted Air NZ to have their flights moved up. "Right away on the first call I told them my wife was gravely ill, and we were on holiday and we needed to go back home," the 60-year-old told Checkpoint. "And it was a whole series of long pauses, and I couldn't tell whether they were conferring with co-workers or working at it on the computer, or what it was. "But I would go through a whole series of 15- to 30-minute hold periods, and sometimes the people would come back and basically tell me something I didn't want to hear, like it was gonna cost me NZ$13,000 to change my flight." Todd says he was "momentarily stupefied", saying the new seats were only about $100 more expensive than what he had already paid. "It was just such a large amount, it did not seem like the flights could possibly have gone up by that much. "What they were charging me was four times what the increase in the cost of the flights were." In his four-hour effort to get a more reasonable price, Todd says he was cut off three times, never offered any compassionate options and was not once asked for documentation or proof of his wife's diagnosis. "They weren't rude or unkind, but they were simply like, 'Look, this is the way it is and there's nothing we can do about it.' And I was like, it was surprising to me that in a situation where I was that they couldn't be more helpful." The most surprising thing was that everyone he had met so far in New Zealand had been so kind. "I grew up in New York, outside of New York City, and New Yorkers are unfriendly. We just tend to be brusque. "But Kiwis are downright nice to the point where people were arguing with us that people aren't really as nice as we thought they were "It's not right by any standards, and it's definitely not right by Kiwi standards." 'Fell short of expectations' Air NZ general manager customer care Alisha Armstrong agrees. In a statement, she says Air NZ "pride ourselves on the care and consideration we show our customers". "It's clear we fell short of expectations and our compassionate care policy was not followed in this case. "We have reached out to Kerekes to apologise and issue a full refund for the additional costs incurred to change their original flights. "Our compassionate fare policy is in place to support our customers in times of unexpected medical emergency or bereavement to book a last-minute flight or provide flexibility to easily make changes to existing bookings. "Once again we apologise for how this case was handled and our thoughts are with Mrs Kerekes at this time." Todd says Patricia, 75, only had about four months left. "I resent having that four hours taken away from whatever time I would have spent [with] her, and I do not appreciate the aggravation that my wife had to go through for this." And he worried how people without a New York attitude might fare in a similar situation. "Although they have sorted me out - and I appreciate that - what about the people who don't come out with this 'I'm not going to let you put the screws to me attitude' like I did? "And the people that don't have the energy because they're the ones who are gravely ill or don't have the time to sort that out? "How many people are there out there that don't have the opportunities that I had and the resources that I had?" The Kerekes flew home on February 26. - RNZ Famously known for singing the New Zealand national anthem at Twickenham Stadium in Te Reo Maori, Dame Hinewehi Mohi calls herself an accidental activist. Despite changing the course of our national anthem to now include Te Reo Maori and English versions, her time in the United Kingdom also exposed how music could lead to intentional change in her daughter's life. Hineraukatauri has cerebral palsy, a congenital disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture. Hineraukatauri attended the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy in London and saw amazing responses, which led to her making physical movements that previously were said could never happen. Music therapy is the planned use of music to assist in the healing and growth of people with physical, cognitive and wellbeing challenges. Upon returning to Aotearoa, Dame Hinewehi Mohi set up the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust in honour of her daughter. Almost 20 years later, the charity has reached the Bay of Plenty region and works with over 100 individuals weekly. Initially founded in 2004 in Auckland, the Trust aimed to work with children with developmental disabilities. Today, the Trust works with children and adults throughout their lifespan. Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust General Manager Rachel Farrell says that music therapy is available worldwide but limited in Aotearoa. Overseas, youll see multiple Musical Therapists in hospitals, hospices, schools and private centres; however, before Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust was set up, these specialists were only available via private practices in Aotearoas main centres and in limited numbers. Nate and Jen smiling. Photo supplied. Music therapy allows each client to be celebrated for participating, with a strengths-based focus approach. Often, clients are used to focusing on their negatives and what they cant do to get government funding, which can be hard on individuals and families. Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust allows them to focus on what they can do, the achievements they reach and their abilities. Each client's sessions are individualised to them and their goals. This allows the weekly one-on-one sessions to meet their needs and develop what they can do. Goals for clients range from improving motor, social, or behaviour skills to a clients mental health. With weekly sessions, our clients can see improvements through better communication and have a chance to share their personality. It is special to see people come out overjoyed with the progress, says Rachel. TECT funded Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust $10,000 last year. TECT Trustee Rachael Gemming says having this service available in the Western Bay now allows clients to attend regular sessions near their homes at a subsidised rate, which has never been available in our region. Clients often arent aware that theyre being regulated and doing therapy. Theyre simply having fun, and the therapy work goes unnoticed until they see the impacts and are filled with joy, says Rachael, This form of therapy can give people their life back or show capabilities never seen before. Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust is the only provider of music therapy in the Bay of Plenty and reached capacity four months after arriving in the region last year due to the high need for this service. The Trust has since employed a second Music Therapist, allowing more clients to experience the benefits of music therapy in the Bay of Plenty. Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust is also available in Northland, Auckland, and Hawkes Bay. The business end of the Versatile Williams Cup sees teams jockeying for home track advantage in the playoffs at the end of March. A logjam at the top of the Williams Cup standings, where Flying Mullet Te Puke, Eves Realty Greerton and Bond & Co Mount Maunganui sit locked together, has ramped up the intensity with just three rounds of preliminary play remaining. Lurking just off the pace is Papamoa who sit in fourth equal on the standings. Today, Saturday, Papamoa travel the short distance to the Te Puke Domain to square off with the home side. Their first meeting this season, saw Te Puke bowl their opponents out for 107, then cruise to a six wicket win. Since then Papamoa have reeled off three Williams Cup wins out of five encounters. Papamoa will look to Nikhil Vishwanath to continue his good form with 143 runs from four turns at bat. Te Puke has a genuine strike weapon in Tasman Carsons who has taken 36 wickets in Baywide competition this season. Greerton, will face an extremely determined Element IMF Cadets, who are in the danger zone on the points table. The Tauranga Domain based side have won the Williams Cup prize thirteen times since their first success in 1995, and wont lie down at Pemberton Park. Generation Homes Lake Taupo, who sit in equal fourth spot can make a solid bid for a post section spot, if they get past Sanford Wall Lawyers Central Indians at Owen Delany Park. Mount Maunganui, whose Williams Cup campaign has been blighted by two rained off encounters, should bank the win points on offer against Craigs Tauranga Boys College. The Bay of Plenty senior representative team will enter their two-day ND Fergus Hickey Rosebowl hungry for success at the Tauranga Domain. There will be plenty of attention focused on long serving all-rounder, Peter Drysdale. who is on the cusp of becoming just the second Bay batsman to shatter the 4000 run barrier. RPO Drysdale, who will be playing his 128th game in the blue and gold representative strip, needs just 56 runs to join Bharat Popli in posting four thousand runs for his province. BOPCA Versatile Williams Cup March 2 2024 Generation Homes Lake Taupo v Sanford Wall Lawyers Central Indians, Owen Delany Park; Craigs Tauranga Boys College v Bond & Co Mount Maunganui, Nicholson Field; Flying Mullet Te Puke v Papamoa; Eves Realty Greerton v Element IMF Cadets, Pemberton Park; Geyser City the bye. Points Table: Te Puke 25, Greerton 25, Mount Maunganui 25, Papamoa 20, Lake Taupo 20, Cadets 17, Geyser City 15, Central Indians 12, Tauranga Boys College 5. ND Fergus Hickey Rosebowl @ Tauranga Domain March 2/3 2024 Bay of Plenty v Waikato Valley A lucky Powerball player from Otago will be starting the month on a high after winning $12.3 million with Powerball First Division in Saturdays live Lotto draw. The winning ticket was sold on MyLotto to a player from Otago. The prize is made up of $12 million from Powerball First Division and $333,333 from Lotto First Division. Saturdays winner is the third Powerball multi-millionaire of 2024, and the win comes just weeks after a $8.3 million Powerball prize was won by a couple in Hawkes Bay. The couple are looking forward to investing their prize. Two other lucky Lotto players will also be celebrating after winning $333,333 with Lotto First Division in Saturdays live Lotto draw. The winning tickets were sold at Caroline Dairy in Kaiapoi and on MyLotto to a player from Auckland. Meanwhile, a lucky Strike player will also be celebrating after winning $700,000 with Strike Four. The winning Strike ticket was sold at Countdown The Palms in Christchurch. Powerball wins in 2024: Date Prize Store Location 01 27 January $17.25 million MyLotto Canterbury 02 10 February $8.3 million MyLotto Hawkes Bay 03 2 March $12.3 million MyLotto Otago 11 Lotto players win Second Division Eleven lucky Lotto players had luck on their side tonight after each winning $28,113 with Lotto Second Division in tonights live Lotto draw. The winning Second Division tickets were sold at the following stores: Store Location Fresh Choice Epsom Auckland MyLotto (x4) Auckland MyLotto Rotorua MyLotto Wellington Countdown Springlands Blenheim Culverden Four Square Culverden MyLotto Otago Windsor Stationery & Lotto Invercargill Anyone who bought their ticket from any of the above stores or on MyLotto should check their ticket as soon as possible in-store, on MyLotto, or through the MyLotto App. Players can phone Lotto NZ on 0800 695 6886 if they want to enquire about the best way to claim a prize. Lotto NZ exists to return 100 per cent of its profits to Kiwi communities through lottery grants programmes run by Te Puna Tahua NZ Lottery Grants Board. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 2. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is working with the Uzbek Ministry of Energy and other partners to establish a Green Hydrogen Hub in Uzbekistan, Trend reports. According to the US Embassy, the new initiative (part of USAID's Central Asia Regional Energy Project) was presented in Tashkent on February 29. Uzbek Deputy Energy Minister Umid Mamadaminov and USAID Acting Mission Director Edward Michalski participated in the event, where they discussed the initial stage of implementation of the Green Hydrogen Center concept, including priorities and further actions. The center will function as a hub and will help increase the knowledge of energy sector professionals in new clean energy technologies to shape the future energy landscape of the region and contribute to Uzbekistan's Renewable and Hydrogen Energy Strategy. As part of the strategy, the Uzbek authorities have set a target of 25 percent renewable energy production (solar, wind and hydro) by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. Meanwhile, USAID handed over modern equipment and software for energy sector management worth $1.4 million to the Energy Coordination and Dispatch Center (CDC) in Tashkent. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Happy weekend, everyone! Between stories about marketing regulations, coverage of the states seed-to-sale tracking system and Q&As with industry players, we covered a lot of ground so lets dive in and take a look at the articles we ran. We spoke with several licensed dispensary owners about how marketing regulations are negatively affecting their businesses. New Yorks Cannabis Control Board finalized regulations that govern the states legal cannabis industry in September, including rules for how weed businesses are and are not allowed to advertise their products and stores. The rules prevent dispensaries from buying billboard ads, and stop all companies from using marketing techniques that could be attractive to children. Business owners and prospective licensees in the Empire States cannabis industry have been criticizing the Office of Cannabis Managements rules for advertising as overly broad and stringent since they were first proposed at a CCB meeting in 2022. Now that an increasing number of dispensaries are opening across the state, store owners are saying theyre prohibited from doing basic advertising, and potential customers dont even know they exist. In a piece about how the state is rolling out its BioTrack seed-to-sale tracking system, we reported that cannabis licensees have until the end of April to stand up seed-to-sale tracking systems, but regulators havent provided much clarity or instruction, according to license holders who spoke with NY Cannabis Insider. Sign up for the NY Cannabis Insider Newsletter Enter your email address to get exclusive reporting on NY's cannabis market delivered to your inbox: OCM officials emailed licensees last month, notifying them that regulators planned on launching the BioTrack API in early March. Licensees then have until April 29 to purchase software that can integrate with the states BioTrack system. Korey Rowe, owner of DOSHA Farms dispensary, did a Q&A with NY Cannabis Insider about how business is going at the Oneonta-based store. The store opened over the summer, just barely on time to avoid getting delayed due to a court injunction a judge imposed on the CAURD program around that time. Since DOSHA Farms opened in mid-August, the store has been doing better business than initially expected, owner Rowe told NY Cannabis Insider, and is serving up to 400 people per day. Continuing our NYs women in cannabis series, we ran a profile on Jenny Argie, the founder of Jennys Baked at Home Company, a licensed New York cannabis processor, manufacturer and distributor. Her brand in the adult use market is Jennys. We also added two new entries to our People to know in NY cannabis series: Joseph Abramov, owner and founder of Urban Leaf, a new cannabis dispensary just a few minutes from Grand Central Station in Manhattan; and Rodney Hurricane Carter, Jr., CEO of Trends Dispensaries, a licensed cannabis brand. Lastly, we posted two new editions of attorney Jeffrey Hoffmans Ask Me Anything segment, in which he answered questions about provisional licensing, funding opportunities for social and economic equity businesses and more. Have a great weekend everyone, well be back with plenty more next week. Syracuse, N.Y. No. 8 Syracuse mens lacrosse hosts High Point for Senior Day at 5 p.m. Saturday. Its the Oranges second game of the week, having faced Army and fallen 14-13 in overtime in the Top 10 matchup Wednesday. Linda Brown-Robinson, a longtime leader of Syracuses Black community, will serve on a state commission that will recommend how to address the harmful effects of slavery in the state. Gov. Kathy Hochul chose Brown-Robinson as one of her three appointees to the nine-member New York Community Commission on Reparations Remedies. Hochul signed a bill into law in December that established the commission. Its task is to examine the extent to which the federal and state government supported the institution of slavery. The commission also will look at how New York which fully abolished slavery in 1827 engaged in the transfer of enslaved Africans. New York City, especially, profited off the slave trade. Brown-Robinson, 77, said Friday she realizes the importance of the role she will play on the commission, and knows the historic significance of the task ahead. This is long overdue for our state and long overdue for our country, especially for people who didnt have a voice in the past or had it taken away, Brown-Robinson told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Brown-Robinson is a former president of the Syracuse and Onondaga County branch of the NAACP. She and her husband, Van Robinson, helped start the local branch. Linda Brown-Robinson is now the western region director of the NAACP, overseeing 11 branches in Upstate New York. As part of her initial outreach as a member of the commission, she plans to consult with NAACP leaders at the 11 branches for their ideas to address the wrongs of slavery. The reparations commission could recommend cash reparations, policy changes or other actions aimed at providing a remedy for the long-term effects of slavery on New Yorks Black community. Brown-Robinson said all possibilities should be considered by the commission. The group is required to issue a final report a year after its first meeting. I guess the scope of it would look at what we have, what we dont have and what we think were due, she said. Brown-Robinson said one possibility is that the commission could recommend compensation for ancestral lands or other property taken from Blacks who had no recognized rights. The commissions findings would be non-binding. But Brown-Robinson said she is confident that Hochul will follow through. The governor is pretty fair, she said. I have no doubt that she will sit down and figure out the right thing. She wouldnt have put this together if she wasnt going to take our recommendations and act on it. Brown-Robinson said she suspects any final decision will be put to a voter referendum. Other states are taking similar action to address slavery. In 2020, California became the first state to form a reparations task force. The California group concluded the state was responsible for more than $500 billion in reparations from decades of over-policing and redlining that kept Blacks in certain neighborhoods and made it difficult to obtain bank loans. The New York commission stems from a bill passed by state lawmakers in June 2023. Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie each appointed three members to the commission Thursday. In addition to Brown-Robinson, Hochul appointed: Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, an anti-poverty group in New York City. She is the former chair of the New York City Racial Justice Commission. Timothy R. Hogues, commissioner of the state Department of Civil Service. He is also president of the state Civil Service Commission. Hogues is the former personnel commissioner of Erie County. Stewart-Cousins appointed: Darrick Hamilton, a professor at The New School in New York City, where he is founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy. He is also the schools Henry Cohen Professor of Economics and Urban Policy. Linda Tarrant-Reid, author and historian who heads a project to grow and distribute fresh produce for free to the food insecure in Westchester County. Tarrant-Reid is executive director of The Lincoln Park Conservancy, which oversees the project. Seanelle Hawkins, president and CEO of the Urban League of Rochester. She is also an adjunct professor at St. John Fisher College. Hawkins received her bachelors degree from Syracuse University. Heastie appointed: Ron Daniels, founder and president of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century. The resource center strives to empower people of African descent and people from marginalized communities. Lurie Daniel Favors , executive director of the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College. She is also an author, activist and lawyer who hosts the Lurie Daniel Favors Show on Sirius XMs Urban View Network. Rev. Deborah D. Jenkins, founding pastor of Faith @Work Christian Church in New York City. Jenkins has more than 30 years of experience with youth development programs. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. The sales of the National Iranian Copper Industries Company (NICICO) increased by 49 percent during the first eleven months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2023 through February 19, 2024), compared to the same period last Iranian year, Amir Khorami-Shad, executive director of the company, said, Trend reports. According to Khorami-Shad, the sales volume of NICICO for the mentioned period amounted to 1.11 quadrillion rials (about $26.5 billion). However, in the same period last year, the company's sales value amounted to 747 trillion rials (about $17.8 billion). He also added that the company's domestic sales amounted to 879 trillion rials (about $20.9 billion), while the value of its exports amounted to 233 trillion rials (about $5.55 billion). The representative of the company noted that in the first 11 months, copper cathode production amounted to 211,000 tons, copper concentrate production was about 1.2 million tons, sulfuric acid production was 803,000 tons and sulfur stone production was 51 million tons. Meanwhile, the National Iranian Copper Industries Company produced 300,000 tons of copper cathode and 1.23 million tons of copper concentrate in the last Iranian year (March 21, 2022-March 20, 2023). This figure increased by 5.2 percent and 1.5 percent respectively compared to the previous year. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. Facebook will stop paying newspaper publishers and will shut down its news section entirely, saying that people do not come to the social network for news or political content. Meta, Facebooks parent company, said it would wind down deals with US and Australian publishers and remove a news tab that had served users a feed of articles next month. It said people would still be able to read news on Facebook posted by their friends and by accounts they follow, including those of news publishers. Telegraph British telecommunications giant BT says it expects to launch its first so-called stand-alone 5G network in 2024.Howard Watson, BTs chief technology officer, told CNBC that the telco group plans to switch on its stand-alone 5G network, which is often referred to in the industry as true 5G, later this year. Others are talking about it. Theyre talking about it. But we are working to get the right ecosystem in place, which means the right set of devices, Watson said in an interview with CNBC at the Mobile World Congress tech trade show in Barcelona, Spain. CNBC Back in mid-February, Apple announced that iOS 17.4 would remove support for progressive web apps in the EU. The company blamed this on the EUs Digital Markets Act (DMA), which goes into effect next week and is the reason why iOS 17.4 will come with support for alternative app stores. Following a huge amount of online backlash, today Apple has changed its mind and revealed that progressive web apps will still be supported even in iOS 17.4 in the EU. So, like before, youll be able to add a progressive web app to your home screen. GSM Arena The price of Bitcoin is close to its all-time high, thanks in large part to US finance giants. Investment firms like Grayscale, BlackRock and Fidelity, are pouring billions of dollars into buying the volatile digital asset. In the last few weeks, these powerful institutions have become so called Bitcoin whales. Because of Bitcoins system there will only ever be 21 million bitcoins. 19 million have been created, but many are already accounted for and probably off the market. BBC The existing 15-inch MacBook Air arrived in June 2023, which is not that long ago in terms of Mac update cycles. However, Apple released the current 13-inch MacBook Air back in June 2022. It is now the oldest Mac in Apples current crop, having not been updated in 600 days. But rumors suggest that is unlikely to be the case for much longer. According to Bloombergs Mark Gurman, Apple has new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models in development, and both are said to be scheduled for release in late March. Here are five new features that we expect both models to include. MacRumors The lawyers who successfully argued that Elon Musks $56bn pay package was excessive are seeking a record legal fee worth $6bn, payable in the electric car makers stock, according to a court filing. We recognise that the requested fee is unprecedented in terms of absolute size, Fridays filing by the three law firms with the court of chancery in Delaware said. The fee works out to an hourly rate of $288,888, according to the filing. The Guardian A new letter was sent to the EU which came from Spotify and 33 other companies who are raising a complaint against Apple, specifically for their "lack of DMA compliance" which is hurting the industry. According to Spotify, it is "time to play fair" for Apple in this Digital Markets Act implementation which will take place in the upcoming week, also the time when the adjustments would appear. Spotify is known for being a vocal critic of Apple throughout the years, centering on its App Store policies and other aspects of its tech which it denounces. Spotify Complaint to the EU: Apple's 'Lack of DMA Compliance' In a new letter submitted by Spotify to the European Commission, and made available to their website, the Swedish streaming platform along with 33 other companies is now raising concerns against Apple amidst the upcoming DMA implementation. To be more precise, Spotify and co. are claiming that Apple's upcoming changes "lack" DMA compliance, claiming that it does not "meet the law's requirements therefore inhibiting our ability to deliver the benefits of the DMA to consumers as soon as possible." The letter listed several key points where Apple's changes did not meet the said requirements of the law, including Cupertino's policy of sideloading and its restrictions, new terms set by Apple to developers, the new structure fee and Core Technology Fee (CTF), and privacy and security concerns over new controls. Read Also: Apple iMessage May Stay Exclusive in the EU, Not a 'Gatekeeper' Spotify Wants Apple to 'Play Fair' with DMA Implementation According to Spotify, the EU's response "will serve as a litmus test of the DMA," highlighting the fact that the law was made to improve the lives of Europeans using tech. With this letter, Spotify wants Apple to "play fair" and urges the EU to take "swift, timely and decisive" action against Apple, centering on its citizens and the developers. This letter included signatories like Deezer, Epic Games, Blockchain.com, Threema, and more EU associations and companies. Spotify and Apple's Disputes: Antitrust and MORE For many years already, Spotify and other tech companies have been massive with their moves against Apple, defying the company's App Store policies and rules for developers on the platform. The likes of Daniel Ek, Spotify's CEO, alongside billionaire and X owner Elon Musk, are known for previously speaking out against Apple's policies, with Ek calling it 'absurd.' Before the EU's DMA implementation and making it clear to Apple that its policies and tech are considered "gatekeepers," Spotify was among the first to defy the company with its payment options for iOS subscribers. For those who are on iOS and more, Spotify's subscription for Premium no longer supports in-app purchases via the App Store, avoiding the 70-30 split. The massive defiance of Spotify may also be seen on other platforms like Netflix and more, and it only goes to show how many disapprove of their policies in the current tech landscape. That being said, Spotify is leveraging the DMA again to go against Apple, now towing 33 other companies to bring up what they find lacking in Apple's upcoming DMA compliance, particularly their lack thereof. Related Article: Spotify Defies Apple's 30% Fee with In-App Payments, Major Change Coming for EU Users 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. More than 63,000 tons of various hydrocarbon products will be on sale at the Iran Energy Exchange (IRENEX) on March 2, Trend reports. Of the mentioned volume, 8,51 tons will be on sale on the domestic ring of the energy exchange. The following goods are to be offered: - Bandar Abbas Oil Refining Companys 3,000 tons of naphtha - Isfahan Oil Refining Company's 3,000 tons of naphtha - Tabriz Oil Refining Company's 500 tons of iso recycle, 500 tons of iso feed, 424 tons of solvent-402, 106 tons of solvent-404 - Khuzestan Steel Company's 440 tons of liquid oxygen, and 440 tons of liquid nitrogen. - Pasargad Steel Alloy Industries Companys 100 tons of liquid oxygen Furthermore, 54,500 tons of products will be on sale on the Iran Energy Exchange's export ring: Kangan Oil Refining Company's 44,000 tons of liquefied gas (propane and butane) Isfahan Oil Refining Company's 8,000 tons of liquefied gas (LPG), 1,770 tons of solvent-402, 710 tons of solvent-503 Iran Energy Exchange (IRENEX) sells its products at the SANA exchange rate. SANA system is a currency exchange system implemented by the Central Bank of Iran in which the price of one euro is 465,932 rials and the price of one dollar is 429,206 rials. The sale of hydrocarbons on the Iran Energy Exchange is vital to the country's economy. Iran seeks to boost exports and provide hydrocarbon products to local businesses through energy exchange. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel After initially announcing plans to discontinue home screen web apps for iPhone users in the European Union (EU), Apple has now reversed its decision. (Photo : Miguel Tomas from Unsplash) Siri is tech users' go-to AI assistant for easy commands like turning off the lights and playing a music, but did you know that Apple is training it to write messages for you? Reintroducing Webs Apps Apple reverses course on removal of web apps from iPhones in the EU, slated to reintroduce them in final iOS 17.4 release anticipated early this month. Initially citing compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as the reason behind the move, Apple has now confirmed that European users will once again have access to the same web app experience as before with the upcoming release of iOS 17.4, expected to debut early this month. Apple's latest developer support document confirms the company's decision to maintain support for Home Screen web apps in the EU. This move comes in response to user requests, ensuring that the existing capability for Home Screen web apps will persist in iOS within the European region. Security, Privacy Concerns Apple underscores that the support for these web apps will uphold the security architecture of WebKit, aligning seamlessly with the stringent security and privacy standards of iOS native apps. In the latest development regarding Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), Apple has opted to remove them for European users in the second beta version of iOS 17.4. Instead, users are prompted to open the website in Safari when attempting to access PWAs. Apple initially justified this decision by citing concerns over security, particularly in light of the Digital Markets Act's requirement to support non-WebKit browser engines. In a statement issued back in February, the company explained that accommodating web app support with alternative browser engines would entail developing an entirely new integration architecture. However, Apple deemed this impractical given the constraints of the DMA and the limited adoption of Home Screen web apps by users. Also Read: Apple Facing Scrutiny Over iOS Web Apps in EU The Open Web Advocacy group swiftly voiced its disapproval of Apple's recent reversal. In a statement released in February, the organization highlighted Apple's prolonged period, spanning 15 years, during which it could have fostered genuine browser competition on a global scale. They pointed out that even with nearly two years since the finalization of the DMA, Apple had not taken steps to share functionalities historically exclusive to Safari with other browsers. The group emphasized that Apple's inaction and silence on this matter were significant. EU's Response The European Union's response to the removal of web apps by Apple didn't convey much satisfaction. In late February, ArsTechnica reported that European Commission officials hinted at potential scrutiny of Apple's decision, suggesting a possible formal investigation. According to reports from the Financial Times, regulators reached out to developers to inquire about the repercussions of Apple's Progressive Web App (PWA) removal. As for what prompted Apple's change of heart, the company has chosen to remain tight-lipped. Rather than offering detailed explanations, Apple is characterizing its reversal as a simple response to user "requests" to continue providing home screen web apps. Only European users of the iOS 17.4 beta are currently without web apps, with the expectation that they will regain access once the final version of the software is released. Related Article: Apple iOS 16.4 to Let Safari Web App Send Push Notifications on iPhones 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A significant number of people in Africa still face the challenge of limited access to this essential technology. This disparity doesn't just mean extra expenses for those without refrigeration; it also affects productivity, health, and overall economic development across the region. Amidst these challenges, a promising trend is emerging. (Photo : ABADJAYE JUSTIN SODOGANDJI/AFP via Getty Images) A woman carries water sachets on her head in the Dantokpa market, one of the largest open-air market in West Africa, in Cotonou on February 29, 2024. Revolutionizing Refrigeration Access A new wave of innovators is rising to the occasion, determined to tackle the issue head-on. Innovators are exploring innovative solutions, leveraging renewable technologies to bridge the gap in refrigeration accessibility across Sub-Saharan Africa. By harnessing the power of renewable energy sources and pioneering new approaches, these innovators are not only striving to make refrigeration more accessible but also aiming to positively impact livelihoods, health outcomes, and economic prosperity throughout the region. In regions with unreliable or expensive electricity, the breakdown of the cold chain impacts various industries, including food production, pharmaceuticals, and hospitality. This not only affects the ability to keep food fresh but also hampers economic growth. According to the International Energy Agency, around 775 million people globally lack access to electricity, a number that is increasing. African Innovators In Kenya, where fishing sustains the livelihoods of approximately 1.2 million individuals, the lack of refrigeration infrastructure often leads to significant post-catch wastage. Kuza Freezer, headquartered in Mombasa, is combating this challenge by introducing solar-powered portable freezers and mobile cool boxes that rely solely on battery power. Kuza's innovative approach extends to affordability, offering a pay-as-you-go and rent-to-own model. This allows fishers and other stakeholders to access refrigeration solutions without the burden of upfront costs. Meanwhile, in Nairobi, the startup Baridi is addressing similar challenges within Kenya's livestock industry. Specializing in bridging gaps in the cold chain, Baridi has developed solar-powered cool rooms capable of storing substantial quantities of fresh meat. To make their solutions accessible to smallholders and small distributors, Baridi offers leasing arrangements and a pay-as-you-store model. These initiatives aim to enhance efficiency and reduce waste within Kenya's critical agricultural sectors. In the Ivory Coast, Cool Lion is making strides with its production of solar-powered commercial cool rooms. These units can be powered either by solar energy, grid energy, or a combination of both, offering flexibility to businesses. Similar to other companies mentioned, Cool Lion provides various payment options, including direct purchase, pay-as-you-go leasing, and rent-to-own arrangements, all aimed at reducing upfront costs for customers. SureChill is among the companies dedicated to tackling the refrigeration deficit in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to their estimates, only 17 percent of the total population and a mere four percent of the rural population in this region have access to refrigeration, and even then, it's often sporadic. Also Read: Smart, Efficient, and Stylish-Samsung Launches Bespoke Top-Mounted Refrigerator to Reinvent and Refresh Your Kitchen The new refrigeration technology primarily benefits small business owners and farmers by enabling them to sell cold food and preserve produce longer. Cultural differences play a role in the adoption of refrigeration technology. While in Western countries, refrigeration reduces the need for daily shopping trips, in many African communities, market visits are social events. Interesting Engineering highlights the importance of respecting cultural practices and not imposing external views on household management. Related Article: Students Designed a Fridge That Only Uses Water from Glacial Runoff 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Music streaming giant Spotify has expanded its subscription offerings by introducing a new plan focused solely on audiobooks. "Spotify is continuously innovating to provide the best possible offering for every kind of audio fan. Since launching Audiobooks in Premium, we've seen a 45% increase in free users searching for and interacting with Audiobook content each day. Now we are introducing a new plan option to give our listeners a variety of choices," the streaming platform said in an official announcement. Audiobooks Access Tier on Spotify Dubbed the Audiobooks Access Tier, this new option is currently available in the United States and provides users with 15 hours of audiobook listening per month for a flat fee of $10. With access to Spotify's extensive library of over 200,000 titles, subscribers can immerse themselves in literary worlds while still enjoying ad-supported music via the platform's free tier. While some may find it surprising for Spotify to venture into the audiobook market at this price point, a closer look reveals a strategic move aimed at undercutting competitors like Audible. Spotify Premium, priced at $11 per month, already includes 15 hours of audiobook listening, along with other premium features. Given that audiobooks typically range from seven to 11 hours, Spotify's offering presents a cost-effective alternative to Audible's $15 monthly subscription, which provides only one audiobook credit per month. Spotify's decision to introduce an audiobook-only tier comes on the heels of a significant uptick in user engagement with audiobook content since the incorporation of 15 hours of listening into its Premium subscription in November. The company reported a 45% increase in daily searches and interactions with audiobooks among free-tier users. Moreover, Spotify's foray into audiobooks aligns with its broader strategy of diversifying its content offerings to cater to a wide range of audio enthusiasts. The streaming platform sees this new plan as an opportunity to cater to literary enthusiasts seeking more audiobook-specific content while enjoying music and podcasts through its free, ad-supported service. "Spotify offers several subscription plans tailored to fit a variety of users' preferences and will continue to invest in giving our listeners more options to cater to their unique needs," the company said in a statement. Read Also: Spotify Renews Joe Rogan's Podcast Deal Amid Controversies, No Longer Exclusive Spotify and Other Companies Complain to EU About Apple In related news, Spotify has joined forces with 33 other companies in submitting a letter to the European Union, raising concerns about Apple's alleged non-compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The letter accused Apple of failing to meet the requirements of the DMA, thereby hindering the industry's progress. The letter highlighted various areas where Apple's proposed changes fall short of the DMA's requirements, including its policies on sideloading, developer terms, fees, and privacy and security controls. Spotify and its counterparts urged Apple to address these issues and ensure compliance with the DMA to benefit consumers and foster a more competitive ecosystem. Read more about this story here. Related Article: Spotify's 'ChatGPT' is Popping Up for Some Users, When is Generative AI Playlists Coming? 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)) What's in your tattoo ink might differ from what the label claims. Over 80% of the inks analyzed in a recent investigation have been found to contain unlisted additives and pigments. John R. Swierk, the lead researcher, emphasized in a conversation with Tech Times that their deep dive into identifying the tattoo ink ingredients is intended to spark a dialogue about the need for accurate labeling to "empower artists and clients to be able to make informed choices" and take into account various allergies and health concerns. Where does the tattoo ink go? The machine tattoo artists use a cluster of mechanized needles that make hundreds of microscopic punctures in the skin. Each time a needle pricks the skin, it surpasses the skin's surface, the epidermis, and deposits a small amount of the tattoo ink onto the dermis, the second layer of the skin. The immune system springs into action when tattoo ink is introduced into the body. It directs white blood cells toward the foreign object, the tattoo ink, to engulf it and subsequently eliminate it via the bloodstream. If the white blood cells were to follow through this process, then the tattoos wouldn't be permanent. Fortunately, the pigment particles in tattoo inks are too big to be eaten by the white cells, so the pigments just stick around in the dermis. While most of a small amount of runaway ink escapes into the bloodstream, once in the blood, it can find its way to different organs in our body, like the liver or the lymph nodes. Researchers have observed cases where the tattoo ink found in lymph nodes under the armpits can mimic the appearance of blue sentinel nodes or calcifications in axillary nodes, both of which can lead to misleading results in a mammography test carried out for breast cancer detection. Several studies have also found red tattoo inks at the center of allergic reactions in individuals. "While there are potential concerns around some of the things that you find in tattoo inks, it's not established what is causing those problems in human health. We think it's important to study this [tattoo inks] so that when people have adverse reactions to tattoos, they have an understanding of what was in those inks that might be causing an adverse event and use that knowledge to get the right treatment," stated John. He also highlighted that the safety and health of things in tattooing is still very much an open question, at least in the US. What's in the Ink? Tattoo ink primarily consists of two components: the pigment and the carrier. The finely powdered pigment is dispersed in the liquid carrier that delivers it to the application site. Historically, tattoo inks were prepared from naturally occurring materials like minerals, ground-up plants, or animal parts. One of the oldest examples of tattoos we have discovered so far belongs to Otzi, the 5300-year-old Tyrolean iceman. Chemical analysis of the mummy revealed that the world's oldest tattoo ink was made of soot. In the last few decades, the tattoo ink industry has seen a massive shift due to a significantly higher popularity of tattoos. This led to the market flooding with a wide range of inks ranging from usual colors to glow-in-the-dark variety. "Pigment engineering and science has allowed companies to create much more vibrant colors that go in the skin better and seemingly had fewer health issues, but as time has gone on, new studies have found that these synthetic inks have a whole list of problems on their own," Brandon David, professional tattooer and founder of TattooSpace.com told Tech Times. To keep up with the increasing demand for variety, manufacturers have started adopting more organic molecules commonly used as dyes in the textile, paint, and printing industries-for example, azo compounds. The concern is less about ingredients and more about being used but not listed. The researchers from Birmingham University sourced 54 inks from nine brands common in the United States, both primary and small manufacturers. The inks were tested using a combination of analytical instruments- NMR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry- to ensure all the ingredients, organic, inorganic, big or small, were identified. They found that 45 had significant discrepancies with the labeled contents and contained unlisted additives and pigments. Over half of the samples had polyethylene glycol, an unlisted ingredient, repeated exposure to which has been linked to potential organ damage. Fifteen samples contained unlisted propylene glycol, which is "generally considered safe" but could lead to allergies for some. Other contaminants included an antibiotic often prescribed for urinary tract infections and 2-phenoxyethanol. Still, they could pose health risks like diarrhea in breastfeeding infants and add to the already rising global concern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). According to a 2018 study, over 20% of the US population and 12% of Europeans have at least one tattoo, which calls for stricter regulations around labeling what's in the ink. However, that is not the case. Brandon pointed out that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) treats tattoos and tattoo ink as cosmetic products and exercises regulatory authority over the pigments used in tattooing due to a previous lack of evidence concerning safety problems. "We don't know where the unlisted components are coming from. Whether it's an intentional addition or its contamination of raw materials, but either way, that highlights a failing of the manufacturing process," John said. "We are hopeful that their findings will encourage the manufacturers to be a little bit more thoughtful about their manufacturing approach." About the author: Sanjukta Mondal is a chemist turned science journalist. Her work has appeared in The Hindu, Biospace, and other publications. Find her online at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjukta-mondal-181b3517b 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google Maps, which is a great tool for finding new places and getting route directions, is becoming more of a bane than a boon, as two young men were lucky to find themselves alive after a Google Maps error left them stranded in the heart of Australias wilderness for several days. Philipp Maier and Marcel Schoene, two German tourists, embarked on a straightforward drive from Cairns en route to the small town of Bamaga in Queenslands northern region on February 4, 2024. For their trip, they decided to completely depend on the popular navigation system, Google Maps, for directions. We decided, OK, lets follow Google Maps because Google Maps knows maybe more than we know, said the duo to Australian outlet 9News. Contrary to their belief, their journey took an unfortunate turn, as the maps led the duo to a remote dirt road, which turned out to be the entrance to the Oyala Thumotang National Park that was closed to the public since December 2023. About 37 miles (59 km) into the drive, their car got stuck in the wet mud. With no cell service and limited supplies, the tourists were compelled to abandon the vehicle and embark on a more than a week-long hiking expedition to return safely to Cairns. Recalling the ordeal, the tourists said that they had to face harsh weather conditions and rising temperatures, cross a crocodile-inhabited river, and even spend nights under the open sky after failing to construct a temporary shelter in the wilderness. I feel like in a movie, like in a bad movie, but it had a happy ending. We tried to build a shelter. But that didnt work really well. So we slept under the sky. It was raining the whole time, but it was okay, Maier said. Google has since acknowledged the unfortunate incident and confirmed that the road in question has been removed from Google Maps. 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, a Google spokesperson said in response to the incident. According to the company, multiple sources are used to update locations, including third-party data, user contributions, Street View, and satellite imagery, for map updates. This is not the first time that people have ended up in dire situations due to a Google Maps error. In one incident, Google Maps had directed a group of Californians off the main highway and led them into the desert on their way back from Las Vegas. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. The Palestinian Hamas movement is ready to continue negotiations with Israel with the participation of mediators if a ceasefire is agreed upon, but Israel is not ready for this, the Deputy Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk said, Trend reports. "Our priority is the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, the provision of humanitarian aid and the release of prisoners on both sides. After this we will be able to start negotiations thanks to the intermediaries," Marzouk noted. A combined attack was carried out on Israel on October 7. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. Israel declared a state of war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists. They simply had nowhere to evolve: a Russian paleontologist on the progress of scientific ideas about dinosaurs A business manager suspected of having ordered the attack on an elected official from Saint-Denis Tigrane Seydoux, the Frenchman behind the fashionable Italians in Madrid in which you always have to visit the bathroom Energy transition: The experts say so, the Court of Auditors says so Japan warns of increasing cases of serious streptococcal infection that can cause toxic shock syndrome and death Shanghai police cracked down on a series of burglaries: the suspect "switched his face" by buying film and television silicone masks online Device to produce hydrogen and oxygen on the moon unveiled Planned to launch this winter Second trial of residents who evacuated from the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident also does not accept national responsibility Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant First detection of object that may contain nuclear fuel debris on water Love and family are more important than money: what is the comedy series Inheritance about? Jordi Evole apologizes to Camela in Lo de Evole for an article he wrote in 2000 Organ donation registry: how does it work? Answers to the most important questions Annoyed by a kissing couple: woman attacks the person sitting next to her on the train Founded in the Meiji era, 119 years of history, Endurance, First appearance in Koshien, Locals are in an uproar Darvish: ``I want to fight without putting personal feelings in the way'' in his first match with Otani "Watch me overcome difficulties step by step and fight back." This Chinese golden flower keeps his word. A Blaugrana nightmare and the bogeyman Joao Felix: "It was a game for him, he made a difference" NBA: Victor Wembanyama and Gregg Popovich confirm the Spurs will come to Paris next season Defeat in the FA Cup: Klopp breaks off interview I have no nerves for you Defeat in the FA Cup: Klopp breaks off interview I have no nerves for you 9th day of the Grand Sumo Spring Tournament New entrant with only one winner Takafuji 9 consecutive wins The world's first driverless "air taxi" goes on sale for the first time The world's first driverless "air taxi" goes on sale for the first time China Cuisine Association: Catering consumption was booming from January to February, and companies in the ready-made beverage category were active Real estate crisis: Number of building permits also fell significantly at the beginning of the year 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 Sciences Po: we will be uncompromising on anti-Semitism, promises the president of the Foundation Trump: If I were president, the Gaza invasion would not have happened US Senator: Allegations that UNRWA is a tool in the hands of Hamas are a lie A man stabbed to death in front of a supermarket in Aveyron, in the presence of his wife and son Puy du Fou receives the award for the best show in the world 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" Civil servants will have the salary increase after Easter and before the Budgets are approved Who is the real killer of the Mukhtar of the Dughmosh family in Gaza? 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 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. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 2. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discussed the countries' joint projects in transportation and energy fields, Trend reports via Kremlin. The discussions took place during a telephone conversation. "In continuation of the exchange of views held during the meeting on February 21, 2024, in Kazan, the leaders discussed some topical issues on the bilateral agenda with a focus on the implementation of joint projects in trade and economics, transport and logistics, and energy fields," the statement says. Additionally, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the substantive, programmatic content of the Russian President's address to the Federal Assembly. The parties also confirmed mutual willingness to fully strengthen relations of alliance and strategic partnership between Russia and Kazakhstan. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel French police arrest eight activists targeting chemicals site Pierre-Benite, France, March 2 (AFP) Mar 02, 2024 Environmental activists broke into a French chemicals site Saturday to denounce the production of so-called "forever chemicals" -- PFAS compounds -- leading to eight arrests, local officials said. Around 300 people from the Extinction Rebellion and Youth for Climate groups cut through fences to reach the Arkema site at Pierre-Benite factory near Lyon in southeast France, a spokesman for the organisers said. Once inside they deployed banners and spray-painted graffiti including "PFAS tell the truth" and "Arkema is poisoning us". Police counted around 150 protesters. "We want to close to door for the 'forever chemicals' that Arkema is dumping into the Rhone river," Julien, a spokesman for the organisers, told AFP. "And at the same time, we want to open the door because everything that's happening here is being done in secret," he said. PFAS, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are a family of around 4,000 chemical compounds often referred to as "forever chemicals" because of their long lifespans in bodies and the environment. They resist grease, oil, water and heat. Experts say that exposure to some types of PFAS have been linked to serious health effects. American regulators said this week that materials with PFAS would no longer be sold to package microwave popcorn or other greasy foods in the United States. Arkema said in a statement that the Pierre-Benite site would stop using PFAS compounds to manufacture its products by the end of this year. France's industry minister Roland Lescure denounced the protest, saying on X that "Disagreeing and debating, yes. Destroying, no". The protest came as another chemicals group, Daikin, is seeking to build a new production site nearby, which has sparked protests from residents. Regional authorities said: "The new site from Daikin will not lead to PFAS runoffs in the water, unlike the Arkema site which has been subject to a September 2022 decree that calls for halting the use of PFAS surfactants by the end of 2024." cca-sth/js/jj ARKEMA With the beginning of spring, the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 bookmaker's rating has undergone dramatic changes. For the first time in a month and a half, Ukraine and its representatives Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil were deprived of the lead. ADVERTISIMENT This was done by the Croatian participant Baby Lasagna, aka Marko Purisic, who was not even bet on in his own country. You can follow the situation in real time on the Eurovision World website. A few days ago, the Ukrainians had a 16% chance of winning, and the Croatian had a 12% chance. However, on March 2, the chances were equalized, and both countries had 14%, but Croatia still overtook Ukraine and topped the ranking with the song Rim Tim Tagi Dim. It was predictable, because since Baby Lasagna won the National Selection, his track went viral, and the odds of winning skyrocketed, while the Ukrainians had a steady 16 percent for many weeks. ADVERTISIMENT As you know, the Croatian participant was not announced as one of the 25 finalists of the National Selection, but he was offered the role of an understudy in case one of the main contestants was unable to perform. And so it happened. Imagine the jury's surprise when Baby Lasagna became the undisputed winner, receiving the highest scores from the audience and international judges. Read more about the Croatian star and his offstage image in our article. As a reminder, the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will take place in May in Malmo, Sweden. Ukraine will perform in the first semifinal with the song Teresa & Maria. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! FILE - A physical therapist works with a patient at a field hospital operated by Care New England set up in a former bank call center to handle a surge of COVID-19 patients in Cranston, R.I, Dec. 14, 2020. When James Gill spoke, everybody listened. Read some of his quotes skewering politicians, more. Before my mother died, we spoke openly about end of life and her wishes. Mum wanted to donate her body to science. I was with mum during her dying time and at her death. I washed my mother on her departure just as she washed me on my arrival. I walked beside her as the funeral director wheeled the gurney to the waiting hearse out the front of the nursing home where she had spent the last seven months of her life, due to advanced Alzheimers. Perhaps this aided me in my own decision on what to do with my body after death. Annie Whitlocke with her rescued dogs. As a Buddhist practitioner with over 40 years experience, I have taken the Bodhisattva vow, which requires one simple commitment: to put others first, holding less for oneself. This is important to me as it is a constant reminder of forever being of service to all sentient beings. Those who know me would be familiar with one of my passions, to rescue severely disabled dogs who have been abused and neglected. NSW local member Alex Greenwich called for calm after a confrontation between police and protesters on Oxford Street on Friday night, pleading with people not to take the Mardi Gras parade away from us. Around 300 people attended a snap protest at Taylors Square in Surry Hills on Friday night. In a statement, NSW Police said the protest was unauthorised. NSW Police physically intervene to remove protesters blocking the road during a snap rally on Oxford Street. Credit: @brianthomsontv We dont need anyone stoking division or conflict, Greenwich said in an interview on Weekend Today on Saturday. Ukrainian model Milena Melnychuk, who represented the country at this year's Miss Europe pageant, gave a frank interview about the scandals with the Belarusian contestant and the organizers. According to her, although the contestant from Russia behaved impudently and arrogantly, the real aggression was demonstrated by the contestant from Belarus, Irina Maksimovich. ADVERTISIMENT From the very first meeting, she began insulting the younger contestant, calling her a "stupid kid" who should "shut her mouth in front of adult aunts." It is worth noting that Maksimovich herself called this behavior "defending herself and her country." Milena Melnychuk also revealed other details of the scandals at the Slava Demin contest on YouTube. The participant from Ukraine traveled to Lebanon at her own expense when her candidacy was approved. She had no managers or other support on the show, so there was no one to protect her from threats from the contestants and organizers. The first days were calm, and the participants from hostile Russia and Ukraine simply ignored each other. Everything changed when Iryna Maksimovich arrived from Vitebsk to cause scenes, tantrums, and self-promotion. According to Milena Melnychuk, she admitted to the latter behind closed doors. ADVERTISIMENT "The trash started when the Belarusian woman arrived. She immediately began to treat me aggressively, saying that I was a minor. One of the first questions she asked me was: "How much do you earn?" I answered her, and she said: "Oh, no. You're a stupid little girl. You don't know how much you earn. Go on, shut your mouth, and don't tell this to grown-up aunts," the Ukrainian woman recalled the dialog with Maksimovich. In addition to terrorizing the Ukrainian woman, shouting that she didn't care about the war and that there were "too many" Ukrainian participants, the Belarusian woman also made a scene in the final. ADVERTISIMENT "During the finale, she waved her hands three times on stage because her name was not Iryna, but Irena. She would go back to her position and say: "Until you say my name correctly, I'm not leaving." It was a live broadcast, thousands of viewers, and she was shouting at the host. Then she came on stage to deal with the host. It was very strange," says Milena Melnychuk. The last time she saw the Russian woman on stage, she was handing her the winner's crown, but she was unlucky enough to travel with the Belarusian on the bus. There, the inadequate bronze medalist, while intoxicated, began to throw herself at her Ukrainian competitor. ADVERTISIMENT Later, she called on everyone to keep quiet about the incident and said that she was "defending Belarus and her family," although the only person in the video who really got personal was the Belarusian woman. As OBOZ.UA previously reported, Milena Melnychuk shocked with the details of the "hell" on the show. She was called a "c*nt," humiliated, and directly stated that Europeans do not care about the war that is going on right next door. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Crippling HECS debts are forcing some young Australians to choose between buying a home and an education, a landmark universities review has heard, sparking calls to overhaul the way banks assess student loans. Universities Accord panel chair Mary OKane said authorities should look at the impact of HECS-HELP on home loan assessments as parliamentarians and university leaders urged them to ensure banks did not unfairly use student debt to lock people out of the housing market. Professor Mary OKane says young Australians shouldnt have to choose between an education and a home. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui People said to us that theyd encountered problems trying to get home loans. Were trying to make sure HECS doesnt interfere with that important part of our life, OKane said. Were trying, particularly in the time of high cost of living, to make sure people arent forced with the choice of a home or education, we want them to have both. Iran held its first parliamentary election since mass 2022 protests over mandatory hijab laws following the death of Mahsa Amini, apparently drawing a low turnout amid calls for a boycott. It wasnt immediately clear if voter apathy or an active desire to send a message to Irans theocracy depressed the number of voters coming to polling stations across the Islamic Republic. While state-controlled television broadcast images of lines of voters on Friday, others across the capital of Tehran saw largely empty polling stations. Iranian voters at the ballot on March 1. Credit: Getty Officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sought to link turnout directly to taking a stand against Irans enemies. Others, including imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, urged a boycott of a vote they derided as a sham. Authorities broadly barred politicians calling for any change within the countrys government, known broadly as reformists, from running in the election. Washington: US President Joe Biden announced on Friday plans to carry out a first military airdrop of food and supplies into Gaza, a day after the deaths of Palestinians queuing for aid threw a spotlight on an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in the crowded coastal enclave. Biden said the US airdrop would take place in the coming days but offered no further specifics. Other countries, including Jordan and France, have already carried out airdrops of aid into Gaza. An air drop. We need to do more and the United States will do more, Biden told reporters, adding that aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough. At the White House, spokesperson John Kirby stressed that airdrops would become a sustained effort. He added that the first airdrop would be likely be military MREs, or meals ready-to-eat. First but not foremost The case is convoluted. Normally, the charge would be a misdemeanour. To elevate it to a felony, prosecutors must prove the records were falsified with intent to commit another crime. Bragg has alluded to several other offences in legal filings. He could say the payments violated federal campaign finance laws since they were not declared as contributions, or that taxes were not paid on them. Stormy Daniels was allegedly paid $US130,000 in 2016 to keep her from going public about a sexual encounter she said she had with Donald Trump years earlier. Credit: AP Braggs case falls in a legal grey area. Federal election law pre-empts state prosecutors from bringing cases about federal races. By pursuing an untested legal theory, Bragg has bolstered Trumps claim that he is the target of a partisan prosecution, says Jed Shugerman of Boston University School of Law. There are other problems with Braggs case. The star witness, Cohen, lacks credibility, having lied to Congress and a federal judge. The carnivalesque nature of the trial a former tabloid publisher and a former Playboy model will probably testify will play to Trumps advantage, making the case seem like reality TV, a format in which he is highly practised. Even if Trump is convicted, there seems to be little chance that the judge would sentence him to prison on such novel charges involving the manipulation of records. A big question mark The January 6 case was lodged in federal court in Washington DC by Jack Smith, a special counsel in the Department of Justice (DOJ). Smith charged Trump with four crimes, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and to deny voters their rights by using lies, fake electors and other schemes to thwart the lawful certification of the electoral-college vote by Congress on January 6. The indictment was tight, conservative and designed to move quickly, says Ryan Goodman of New York University School of Law. Though it lists six alleged co-conspirators, only Trump was charged. (The others may be later.) No count relates directly to the violence of the Capitol riot. That would have been a heavier lift for prosecutors. A charge of insurrection or seditious conspiracy used to convict a number of far-right militia leaders who stormed the Capitol would have required proof that Trump knew the protests that day would turn violent. Incitement would have elicited a potentially strong First Amendment defence. Still, Smith will need to show criminal intent. Trumps lawyers contend that he genuinely believed he won and that advisers said his pressure tactics were legal. That may not be a winning defence: plenty of people repeatedly told him he had lost. But it is a viable one. Rebecca Roiphe of New York Law School cautions against calling the case rock-solid. The violent crowd supporting Donald Trump riot outside the Capitol in Washington. Credit: AP Smith faces another vulnerability. Two of the four charges obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to do so relate to the disruption of the counting of electoral-college votes. More than 150 Capitol rioters have been convicted of or pleaded guilty to those felonies. Some of them have challenged the charges by arguing that the underlying criminal statute, which was passed after the Enron accounting scandal, applies only to evidence-tampering. This spring the Supreme Court will hear a Capitol defendants bid to invalidate the charges. A decision will come by July and could oblige Smith to cut his indictment in half. The biggest question mark is the trials timing. Initially, the presiding judge, Tanya Chutkan, an Obama appointee, moved the case along quickly. But in mid-December she froze trial preparation so that Trump could argue in a federal appeals court that the case should be thrown out on presidential-immunity grounds. A three-judge appellate panel unanimously rejected his request earlier this month. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case this week, adding a delay of perhaps months. By July at the latest, Judge Chutkan should have a green light from the Supreme Court to unfreeze the proceedings. (Hardly anyone expects the justices to side with Trump on immunity.) Several weeks of preparation will need to be recouped before the trial actually gets underway. Then the trial itself will take about two to three months. That gives decent odds of a verdict by election day. If Trump is convicted, sentencing will be up to Judge Chutkan. She has required prison time for every convicted Capitol rioter whose trial she has overseen. But that seems highly unlikely for a former president. A more plausible scenario would be a fine, probation or house arrest. In any event, he would remain free while he appealed against the conviction. The Georgia affair If Smiths federal indictment over election interference is a targeted harpoon, its state counterpart in Fulton County, Georgia, is a giant trawl net. Both rely in essence on the same facts and witnesses. The big difference is that Fani Willis, a Democrat who is the elected district attorney in Fulton County, named 18 co-defendants alongside Trump, whom she charged with 13 felonies. All were indicted under an anti-racketeering statute first used against the mafia. A conviction can result in prison time of five years or longer. Willis says she wants the trial to start in August and, given the number of co-defendants, expects it to run into 2025. Three have pleaded guilty so far. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Nathan Wade. Credit: AP But the case has been derailed by revelations of an affair between Willis and a lawyer she hired onto her team. The defendants want her disqualified, prompting a mini-trial about the nature of the relationship. They argue that Willis has a personal stake in prosecuting them, to see her paramour enriched he made $US728,000 on the job, and paid for at least a share of the couples holidays together. Willis denies any impropriety and delivered combative testimony in her own defence at a hearing on February 15. If the judge, Scott McAfee, disqualifies her, a state agency will appoint a new prosecutor, which could take a year or more. Her replacement could alter or even dismiss the charges. Even if Judge McAfee lets her stay, he will probably allow the defendants to appeal against his decision and pause the case. Dont bank on a trial before the election, in other words. The best chance of that happening is if Willis voluntarily takes a leave of absence and her deputy severs Trumps case from his co-defendants, says Clark Cunningham of Georgia State University College of Law. Nothing suggests that will actually happen. But as the only televised trial it could have the biggest impact of the four. Straightforward but slow On the face of it, the case brought by Smith involving Trumps alleged mishandling of classified documents is the most straightforward. But the judge randomly assigned to the case, Aileen Cannon, who was appointed to the bench by Trump, has moved slowly, and there appears to be little chance that it will reach trial before November. Here the facts and the law are uncomplicated. Federal prosecutors charged Trump with 40 felonies over his alleged wilful retention of national defence papers and his refusal to give them back. According to prosecutors, after Trump left the White House, he ordered aides to hide dozens of classified documents from the FBI. They were caught on video shuffling boxes. He appears to have misled his own lawyers, who certified to investigators that everything had been handed over. It took a raid on Mar-a-Lago, his Florida estate, to get them back. Some dealt with Americas nuclear arsenal. Trump is said to have twice shown documents to visitors and acknowledged that they contained secrets. Secret US government documents were found in one of Donald Trumps bathrooms. Credit: Getty Images What makes the case thorny has less to do with its merits than with procedural hold-ups. In national-security prosecutions the government tries its best to withhold classified evidence from the defence, not to mention jurors. The judge decides what material has to be disclosed and to whom; those decisions are contentious and can be appealed against. The back-and-forth means delays. Judge Cannon has scheduled hearings and filing deadlines with unusually long gaps in between, says David Aaron, a former prosecutor who handled similar cases. Brandon Van Grack, another former DOJ lawyer, doubts the trial will begin before November despite a tentative start date of May 20. Judge Cannons decisions so far, he says, show scepticism towards prosecutors who want to limit the disclosure of evidence. That could portend more adverse rulings, which would prompt appeals and drag things out. Whenever the trial does start, it will be held in Trumps backyard in Florida and could draw a sympathetic jury. A single holdout juror can block criminal convictions, which require unanimity in America. Even if he is convicted, sentencing will be up to Judge Cannon. In normal circumstances someone found guilty of the alleged crimes would risk going to prison for a few years. But again that seems unlikely in this instance. Loading I beg my pardon? Say Trump wins in November, and gets convicted and sentenced in any of the four cases before taking office: what then? If he is convicted in either of the two federal cases, he will appeal. After the inauguration he might try to pardon himself, or better yet issue a blanket prospective self-pardon. (His attempt to pardon himself would not help him in either of the state cases, since presidential pardons do not cover state crimes.) No president has ever attempted that. When Richard Nixon contemplated it during the Watergate scandal, the DOJ said it was improper and he was let off by his successor, Gerald Ford. In any event, the Supreme Court would have the last word. A surer bet would be for Trump to appeal against his conviction, and then, while the case was winding through higher courts, order his attorney-general to drop it. Again, that trick would not work in Georgia or New York, since state cases sit outside the Justice Departments purview. Yet DOJ policy says a sitting president cannot be prosecuted, and while the advisory opinion is unclear about state matters, it seems likely that all of Trumps criminal cases would be paused while he held the presidency. Prosecutions might resume in 2029 when he leaves the White House. At that point, he would be 82. Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier of Turkiye, has launched three weekly flights to the Australian city of Melbourne as part of a new growth strategy that will see it expand operations to six continents covering 346 destinations in 130 countries across the globe. The airline flies to more countries than any other, has now added Melbourne as its first destination in the continent of Australia to its ever-expanding flight network served with its modern fleet which now stands at 450 aircraft, said a statement from Turkish Airllines. Flag carrier will operate flights to Melbourne, which stands out as the most populated city in Australia, with special introductory prices, via the Singapore Changi International Airport transfer point, said the statement from the airline. With todays inaugural flights, it becomes the sole European airline flying to the Victoria State capital. By flying thousands of passengers on the Istanbul-Melbourne route annually, the airline will contribute to trade and tourism volumes of both countries, it stated. With the flights that will be operated via Singapore transfer point, Turkish Airlines will also hold the distinction of being the sole European airline currently flying to Melbourne Airport. With the addition of Melbourne flights, Turkish Airlines increases its destinations to 346, while spreading its wings to the continent of Australia for the first time. On the inaugural flight to Melbourne, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof Dr Ahmet Bolat said: "Today marks a monumental milestone for Turkish Airlines, as we celebrate the realization of a long-held ambitionto extend our reach to the Australian continent. This achievement follows meticulous planning and extensive infrastructure developments, symbolizing the successful bridging of Istanbul with a new and vibrant continent." As a special launch offer which runs until March 15, passengers can fly from Istanbul to Melbourne for $1,199 and from Melbourne to Istanbul for $999. "The inauguration of our Melbourne route is a testament to our growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region and underscores our unwavering commitment to fostering connections between diverse cultures and communities across the globe. Australia, with its breathtaking landscapes and warm-hearted people, now becomes the 130th country to join our expansive network, signifying our presence across six continents," he stated. "Through our unparalleled network, we are thrilled to offer our guests a gateway to global exploration, ensuring that our legacy of exceptional service quality continues to flourish in every corner of the world," he added. Minister for Jobs and Industry Natalie Hutchins said: "Victoria is home to Australias largest Turkiye-born community, a big nod to our vibrant multicultural state. We look forward to creating easier connections for this community and boosting tourism with the arrival of Turkish Airlines." Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said the airlines entry into the Australian market provides new options for travellers and local exporters. "Turkish Airlines has an extensive network and flies to more countries than any other airline so this new competitor in the Australian market is fantastic news for consumers. Weve worked closely with the Victorian State Government to bring Turkish Airlines to Melbourne, and we now look forward to see them growing their services over the coming years," he noted. "Increased competition helps put downward pressure on prices, which will ensure Victorian residents and businesses can stay connected with family, friends and clients around the world. Melbourne is proudly home to the largest Turkish population in Australia, so we expect these flights will prove particularly popular with people looking to visit friends and relatives," he added. Lim Ching Kiat, Executive Vice President of Air Hub and Cargo Development at Changi Airport Group said: "We would like to congratulate Turkish Airlines for their inaugural flight to Melbourne. We are happy that Turkish Airlines chose Singapore Changi Airport as the stopover point between Istanbul and Australia. Turkish Airlines connecting passengers can be assured that they will be well taken care of, and will be presented with the best Changi Experience during their layover." "Changi Airport is Europes most served Asian airport, as well as Australias busiest international gateway. Our strong network will offer the passengers of Turkish Airlines many options for their onward journeys. We look forward to deepening our partnership with Turkish Airlines," he added.-TradeArabia News Service The scandal surrounding the Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after Solomiia Krushelnytska continued when it became known that one of the soloists, Yulia Mykhalikha-Roma, returned to Ukraine from abroad, while two of her male colleagues did not. An internal investigation is currently underway. ADVERTISIMENT The day before, a meeting of the ballet company was held at the theater, where they discussed, among other things, the outrageous act of the ballet's leading soloist Andrii Mykhalikh and artist Bohdan Kliuchnyk. This was reported on the company's Facebook page. "We discussed the situation that has gained media publicity with the artists who did not return from the tour. For the media that are actively interested in this incident, we emphasize: as of today, ballet dancer Yulia Mikhalikha-Roma has returned to work at the theater," the post reads. The outraged public was assured that, by the current labor law, the theater administration is conducting an internal official investigation into the men who stayed abroad. ADVERTISIMENT Now the "motives and circumstances of the act" of Andrii Mikhalikh and Bohdan Kliuchnyk are being investigated. Earlier, the media reported that they had informed their colleagues online that they did not plan to return to Lviv. The theater did not inform the artists about this decision, so Ukrainians learned about it from journalists citing sources in the theater community. They also did not explain why the pages of both people involved in the scandal disappeared from the website but expressed hope that the media would follow "art events, cultural initiatives, and large-scale premieres" as closely in the future. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The covers of the spring issue of Vogue Ukraine feature two Ukrainian women: machine gunner Oksana "Xena" Rubaniak, who is called the "red-haired warrior princess" online, and young model Karyna Maziar, who was photographed in a military lyceum. The shots were taken by British photographer Brett Lloyd, who has worked with Dior, Louis Vuitton, Moncler, Calvin Klein, and Fendi. ADVERTISIMENT The photos appeared on the official Instagram page of the Ukrainian glossy. It's worth explaining that there are two covers, as one was chosen for the regular version and the other for the digital version. The first version depicts Karyna Maziar in military-style pants and jacket, with cadets from the Ivan Bohun Kyiv Military Lyceum walking behind her. The photo was taken in motion, imitating a scene as if the subjects were leaving the room. "The spring issue is dedicated to people and causes that inspire it features stories of Ukrainian designers, artists, curators, and philanthropists who are changing the cultural and social landscape around them," Vogue Ukraine explained. ADVERTISIMENT The digital cover was simpler, but its heroine deserves immense respect. "Xena, who became the only female machine gunner in the platoon of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Cossacks, used to work for the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council. Her vocation is to create poetry, so even at the front, the 21-year-old soldier did not give up her life's work. In between battles with the occupiers, she wrote the collections Toward Death and The Road of Life. In March 2022, Xena was injured, but after rehabilitation, she returned to her comrades. The "warrior princess" saw firsthand the fighting in the Bakhmut, Vuhledar, and Maryinka sectors. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that Oksana Rubaniak impressed the network with a photo shoot in a romantic and seductive dress. She ordered it while she was already in the military, hoping to wear it to an appropriate event, but the opportunity did not come. To preserve the memory of her civilian life, the heroine posed without her boots and uniform for the camera. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The history of the Soviet Union is full of secrets, one of which is the closed cities that were surrounded by barbed wire, military, and crossed out of all maps. They are also known as ZATO (closed administrative-territorial formations). ADVERTISIMENT OBOZ.UA has collected information about why the existence of these cities was hushed up and access to them was strictly limited. What secrets did they hide, and why was it forbidden to talk about them? In closed cities, work on the most important projects of the USSR was in full swing. They were engaged in top-secret developments in the nuclear, space, and military fields and conducted tests, such as anthrax, atomic bombs, and radioactive materials. Life in the closed administrative-territorial units It is not surprising that such top-secret cities could not be found on maps, and therefore it was impossible to leave or move there. The ZATO was surrounded by a barbed wire fence on all sides, and checkpoints were located at all entrances and exits. ADVERTISIMENT Residents of closed cities signed special non-disclosure agreements. Violation of these agreements could lead to liability, including criminal liability. Leaving the city was allowed only in case of a business trip or vacation, but only relatives of permanent residents could enter the city. However, as a reward for the inconvenience, the residents of the ZATO received some privileges. They had access to scarce goods, a thriving social sphere, healthcare, education, and a 20% salary increase. After the collapse of the USSR, the closed cities received names instead of a digital code, and many of them lost their secret status. ADVERTISIMENT Arzamas-16 (closed nuclear center Sarov) In the 50s, residents of this city lived in isolation, unable to leave the territory even on vacation. This was because it was here that work was underway to create an atomic bomb. Even today, the former Arzamas-16, now the nuclear center of Sarov, is strictly guarded and considered a closed city. Krasnoyarsk-26 (Zaliznohirsk) In 1950, Gulag prisoners were involved in the construction of space satellite production facilities and a secret mining and chemical plant that produced weapons-grade plutonium. ADVERTISIMENT The city where all of this was located still has the status of a special economic zone, but the enterprises are concentrated on reprocessing and storage of spent nuclear fuel. Chelyabinsk-40 or Chelyabinsk-65 (Ozersk) The city emerged during the construction of the infamous Mayak chemical plant, which produced radioactive isotopes. In 1957, a radioactive waste leak occurred there, endangering the lives of 270,000 people. Currently, it is still closed, but the chemical plant has been re-purposed for processing spent nuclear waste. Tomsk-7 (Seversk) This is the most populated free economic zone. It was built by more than 20,000 convicted criminals in the early 50s to serve the Siberian chemical plant for the production of highly enriched uranium and weapons-grade plutonium. ADVERTISIMENT A little later, in 1958, the world's second Siberian nuclear power plant was built in the city, which operated until 2008. Chelyabinsk-70 (Snezhinsk) It was in Chelyabinsk-70 that the world's largest thermonuclear bomb, known as the "Kuzka's Mother" or "Tsar Bomba," was created. Subscribe to OBOZ.UA's Telegram and Viber channels to keep up with the latest events. Devpt journey characterised by ethos of Talk Less, Do More: CM Staff Reporter Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav said that following the Regional Industry Conclave in Ujjain, similar events will be organised in Jabalpur, Rewa, and Gwalior which will also witness the dedication and inauguration of new industrial units. Dr Yadav praised Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership, crediting it with Indias impressive GDP growth, which has garnered international attention. He expressed optimism about the industrys potential and the significant contributions of Indias 140 crore citizens to the nations development. Dr Yadav extended a warm welcome to investors attending the conclave. CM Dr Yadav commended PM Modis leadership, highlighting his encouragement to embrace new techniques. India, once ranked 11th in terms of economy, has now ascended to the 5th position, a testament to its ongoing upward trajectory. The nations development journey, characterised by the ethos of talk less, do more, remains steadfast. CM Dr Yadav noted the significant presence of industrial representatives at the Regional Industry Conclave in Ujjain. The event is poised to create a historic business and industry worth Rs 1 lakh crore. Land has been allocated for approximately 250 industrial projects, promising direct employment to over 20,000 individuals through the establishment of new units. CM attributed Indias enhanced global standing to the efforts of PM Modi. He recalled the benevolent deeds of Samrat Vikramaditya, who, upon initiating the Samvat system, not only absolved the debts of all inhabitants under his rule but also supported them in achieving self-sufficiency. Dr Yadav emphasised that governance cannot rely solely on power; it must be rooted in public welfare, driven by resolute determination and active public engagement. At the outset, many investors expressed their views regarding investment possibilities in Madhya Pradesh. India inks defence deals worth Rs 39,125 cr NEW DELHI, INDIA on Friday sealed five major defence acquisition contracts worth Rs 39,125 crore including procurement of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, radars, weapon systems and aero-engines for MiG-29 jets as part of efforts to boost the combat capabilities of the armed forces. The mega procurement projects were firmed up amid Indias lingering border row with China in eastern Ladakh, and they will be implemented under the broad framework of the Governments policy to boost domestic defence manufacturing. The contracts for the procurement of the platforms and weapons systems were signed in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, under whose guidance these deals fructified, an official readout said. These deals will further strengthen indigenous capabilities, save foreign exchange and reduce dependency on foreign origin equipment manufactures in future, it said. Two separate deals were firmed up for procurement of Brahmos missiles. The first one is for procurement of BrahMos missiles from the BrahMos Aerospace Private Ltd (BAPL) at a cost of Rs 19,518.65 crore. These missiles would be utilised to meet combat outfit and training requirements of the Indian Navy, the Defence Ministry said. The second contract is for procurement of the ship-borne BrahMos system from the BAPL at a cost of Rs 988 crore. These missiles would be the Indian Navys primary weapon for maritime strike operations and the weapons would be fitted onboard various frontline warships. The system is capable of hitting land or sea targets from extended ranges with pinpoint accuracy at supersonic speeds, the Ministry said. The deal for procurement of RD-33 Aero Engines for MiG-29 aircraft was signed with state-run aerospace giant Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the cost of the project would be Rs 5,249.72 crore. The Ministry said the aero engines will be produced by the Koraput Division of the HAL. Leopard State MP count 3,907; highest in country By Ankita Garg The recent census 2022 released the other day has estimated around 3,907 leopards in Madhya Pradesh in comparison to 3,421 leopards during census 2018. Though Madhya Pradesh is continuously being recognised as Leopard State in terms of having highest population of the species got past a few years but the State has no proper road map for conservation of the cat species. Population of the big cat enlisted as schedule one animal in the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, has increased in State along with the higher mortality, including the poaching cases, but it is still lagging behind its safety and conservation plans in Madhya Pradesh. The population of leopard surpasses tigers in State and their death ratio is too high. According to the census report Madhya Pradesh is followed by Maharashtra (1,985), Karnataka (1,879) and Tamil Nadu (1,070). Among the top three, Panna Tiger Reserve and Satpura Tiger Reserve of Madhya Pradesh has richest population of the cat. In the year 2021, Special Task Force of State Forest Department had arrested more than 45 people accused of killing leopards by electrocution. In first eight months of 2021, 56 cats were found dead. During year 2022, there were around 35 deaths and again in year 2023 there were around 40 leopards died of various reasons. In first four months of 2019, more than 40 leopards were found dead. After sharp rise in leopard mortality cases in the state, forest department is yet to chalk out action plans. Talking to The Hitavada, Ajay Dubey, Secretary of Prayatna, said, Leopard are easy prey for poachers and they reside around residential areas in search of food and water. Death rate of leopard is much higher than other conserved animals in our state and Forest Department is completely focusing on tigers. They do not have action plan for leopards which is need of the hour. He further said that leopard prefer to attack the tiger cubs. In order to save the cubs, tigress fights with the leopard and kills it. He said that Forest Department, NGOs and social workers are completely focusing towards the tigers and their safety. He said that there is need to draft action plan for safety of leopard too as they are schedule one animal. He said that fights between tigers and leopards are increasing day by day. He said that leopards are moving towards residential areas in search of food and water as they easily prey favourite food dogs. But at the same time, it increases the chance of man-animal conflict. Several incidents have been reported from villages of Madhya Pradesh where leopard were killed by villagers with lathis. Alok Kumar, DFO Bhopal, said, Leopard prefers to stay between villages and jungle areas. They like to kill domestic animals and their body is lighter so they easily escape upon trees and behind bushes. We are monitoring the safety of leopards on priority basis. They are also schedule one animals and all protection is being given to save leopard too. He further added that several plans are there to conserve the all wild species and forest areas. One would be surprised to know that leopards population in Madhya Pradesh has surpassed the population of tigers. The population of leopards has increased notwithstanding that there is no conservation plan for them in State. Even forest officials are surprised over the rise in numbers of leopards and they are ecstatic in this regard. Sanskardhani shines in National-level City Beautification Competition under Swachh Survekshan Staff Reporter It is a matter of great pride for the city and the residents as Jabalpur excelled in national-level City Beautification Competition. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav will present the award to senior officials of Jabalpur Municipal Corporation (JMC) during Swachhta Prerna Samaroh to the held in Bhopal. The City Beautification Competition, was organised at national level witnessed Jabalpurs remarkable performance. The competition was organised under the Swachh Survekshan 2024, an initiative by the Central Government, the competition involved participation of municipal bodies from various cities last year. JMC excelled in different categories. As per the letter issued by the Directorate of Urban Administration and Development, Madhya Pradesh, a grand programme will be held at Lal Parade Ground in Bhopal on March 4, Monday, where all the municipal corporation will be honoured by the Chief Minister. JMC had selected several areas, including Dumna Nature Park, Bhawartal Park, Pisanhari Ki Madiya, Gulautalab, Rani Durgavati Museum and Sanskriti Rangmanch among others, for the competition. The selection was based on the historical structures, beauty, available amenities and maintenance of these areas, which were inspected by a four-member team sent by the Centre. Taking into account all factors, Jabalpur received the recognition. Municipal Commissioner Preeti Yadav and public representatives have congratulated all the officials and employees and encouraged them to continue working in the same manner. Russia continues to attack peaceful towns and villages in Ukraine with its missiles. However, not all of them reach residential high-rises, educational institutions, hospitals, or thermal power plants in our country some prefer to stay at home in the Russian Federation. ADVERTISIMENT This is what happened on March 2 with the X-35 anti-ship missile launched by the occupiers, which allegedly fell in the Krasnodar Territory. This was reported by Monitor, a monitoring channel that tracks Russian attacks. "One X-35 did not reach the territory of Ukraine and is resting in the fields of the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation," the administrators of the public channel wrote. The channel also posted a photo of an X-35 missile lying in a field. A number of other publics on Telegram publish photos of the missile from a different angle. ADVERTISIMENT At the same time, some resources note that the enemy X-35 "decided" to stay near the village of Novoshcherbynivska, without specifying the source of this information. Others emphasize that the nearest point controlled by the Ukrainian Defense Forces is more than 180 kilometers away. In total, according to Monitor, as of noon, Russian troops launched at Ukraine over the past 24 hours: one X-35 anti-ship missile in the direction of Mykolaiv region; ADVERTISIMENT five X-59 guided missiles in the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovs'k regions; 62 FAB/UMPK guided aerial bombs in Sumy, Luhansk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. On the night of March 2, Russians attacked Ukraine with 17 Shaheds. Air defense forces destroyed 14 of them, and in addition, they landed another enemy Su-34 fighter bomber that was launching FABs in the east. Meanwhile, in Dnipropetrovs'k region, it was reported that soldiers from the Vostok Air Command landed two Russian missiles in Kryvyi Rih district. Shajahan Sheikh not cooperating with investigating officers: Sources KOLKATA, A DAY after his arrest, now suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh is reportedly not cooperating with the officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal police, who are investigating the cases registered against him, sources said. Shajahan, the accused mastermind behind the attack on ED and CAPF teams at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on January 5, was arrested from Minakhah in the same district late on Wednesday night after being on the run for 55 days. And soon after a district court remanded him to 10-day police custody on Thursday, Trinamool suspended Shajahan, a party strongman in Sandeshkhali whos also accused of harassing the villagers in the trouble-torn area, from the party for six years. State police sources said that Shajahan is reportedly refusing to answer the queries put forth by the investigating officers, especially the ones relating to the attack on ED and CAPF teams on January 5. At times, the sources added, he is even arguing with the interrogating officers, claiming that since he has already answered the same questions put forth by the Basirhat district police, he is not willing to give the same answers again. Tax evasion: State GST team examining documents of M/s Three Sixty Five Pvt Ltd Staff Reporter Anti-Evasion Bureau of State GST Jabalpur is still examining the documents of M/s Three Sixty Five Pvt Ltd and hopeful for finding more transactions of GST evasion amounting in crores of rupees. The Anti-Evasion Bureau of State GST already recovered evaded tax of Rs 7.25 crore from the owner of private company for discrepancy of Rs 40 crore during a raid at office of the private company, on February 29. State GST, Joint Commissioner, Ganesh Singh Kanwar informed that the firm owner had paid the initially calculated taxation amount of Rs 7.25 crore. During the raid, team had found the discrepancy amounting to Rs 40 crore. The company owner has been given time of 90 days for presenting more documents and transaction records for further examination while Anti Evasion Bureau is still examining the seized documents and records. They are hopeful for finding more irregularities and recovery of more tax accordingly. BENGALURU, A BOMB blast at a popular eatery in the city on Friday left ten persons injured and police have launched a probe from all angles after it emerged that an earlier suspected gas leak was not the cause of the explosion. Police suspect that a bag at the eatery with a possible improvised explosive device (IED) could have exploded, even as the NIA and the IB have been apprised of the matter. Officials from the local unit of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) later arrived at the spot. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, investigation is on to ascertain the cause and nature of the explosion at the popular Rameshwaram Cafe in Whitefiled, and added it might have been caused by an improvised explosive device. The incident should not be politicised and everyone should cooperate, Siddaramaiah said, adding strict action would be taken against those involved. State police chief Alok Mohan described the explosion as a bomb blast and said nobody was seriously injured. At 1 PM, a bomb blast occurred at the hotel (cafe), ten people are injured, and no one is serious. We are investigating. FSL (forensic) teams have come and are checking. City police Commissioner and other officers are at the spot. We will certainly identify who did it, he said after visiting the spot. Speaking to reporters, he said the injured -- both staff and customers -- are undergoing treatment. Asked whether an IED was used for the blast, he said, we are checking. Lets not say anything now itself. The FSL team has come and they are checking. Once they collect (samples from the spot), we will examine. Divya Raghavendra Rao, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Rameshwaram Cafe told a Kannada news channel the blast occurred in the area where customers wash their hands. A stand is also kept there, where the waste is collected. The explosion was caused from a bag placed by someone from outside, she claimed. A CCTV video of the incident showed an explosion, leading to smoke and panic-stricken customers and others fleeing the place. The Opposition BJP sought a detailed probe into the matter. Deeply troubled to hear about the blast at Rameswaram Cafe in Bangalore (sic). Praying for a swift recovery of all the injured in the incident. State govt should order a detailed enquiry & spare no efforts in apprehending the perpetrators, BJP state president Vijayendra Yediyurappa said in a post on X. Callousness of the Government in downplaying such crimes is pushing the state into this chaos & proving to be a safe haven for antisocial elements. Failure of police intelligence is also evident in this incident. We strongly urge the police to conduct a thorough probe & eradicate these elements from the core without yielding to any political pressures, he demanded. R Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly said, the bomb blast at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru is yet another glaring example of the deteriorating law and order situation in Karnataka ever since CM @siddaramaiah led @INCKarnataka Govt came to power in the State. While it was initially suspected that a gas leak could have triggered the blast, the Fire Department ruled out the possibility and said a bag was found at the spot. Subsequently, police were looking into all angles related to the incident. A bomb disposal squad and forensic teams were at the spot.. CCTV footage is being scanned to check if there was any suspicious movement in and around the cafe. At 1.08 pm today, the Fire Department received a call about LPG leakage fire in the cafe. When our officers and teams reached the spot, there was no fire or flame. A bag which was lying behind a woman who was sitting with six other customers at the eatery exploded. It is suspected that the explosion could have been caused due to some object in that bag, TN Shivashankar, Director of Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services department told PTI. It is not clear whose bag it was. Two pistols used, Bishnoi gang connection emerges Staff Reporter Police investigation into the murder of photographer Vinay, also known as Bablu Poonekar, in Raj Nagar, has unveiled critical details. According to findings from doctors and forensic experts, it appears that the killers employed two pistols to kill Poonekar. Sources indicate that both the post-mortem report and forensic analysis point towards the use of two pistols in Poonekars murder. The police assert that the assailant, identified as Hemant Shukla, caght Poonekars hair before firing shots, striking him from the back of the neck and later from the front. Initially, the police were unaware of the involvement of two firearms in the crime. Subsequent investigations, however, brought to light that the accused was carrying two weapons during the incident. Further probing into the matter has revealed a connection between the alleged killer, Hemant Shukla, and the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Bishnoi, a notorious gangster with a dozen criminal cases, including charges of murder and extortion, is said to have ties with Shukla. The police have already arrested Sakshi Grover in connection with Poonekars murder. Grover disclosed to the police that she dropped Shukla off at Ajni Railway Station. It is believed that Shukla, while searching for trains to Raipur, managed to evade the police. He potentially fleed to Raipur and later to Uttar Pradesh before crossing the border into Nepal with the help of Bishnoi gang. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group decreased its position in The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX Free Report) by 4.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing levis avellino pink air jordans jayden daniels lsu jersey yeezy store near me vans old skool mustard orecchini farmabijoux trenton bourguet calvin klein ck one summer 2005 amazon brandon aiyuk jersey candy 12lot3 fronius symo hybrid batterie abbigliamento on line offerte amazon skylanders wii portal auto parts store puma x o moscow with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,797 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock after selling 505 shares during the period. Rehmann Capital Advisory Groups holdings in TJX Companies were worth $871,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.bjrn tj city 2 cf226xc nike ultra xt mesh nike run revolution 4 tv sony aplikacia usb konferencny stolik prodejna bradop pink night light recenze ebike motor s8 nike summer collection 2016 co couture kolding garmin edge 520 update sportove tricka s dlhym rukavom damesko i store strrelser arhus Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in TJX. Steward Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of TJX Companies in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in TJX Companies in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new position in TJX Companies in the 3rd quarter worth $29,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC acquired a new position in TJX Companies in the 2nd quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Fortis Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in TJX Companies in the 4th quarter worth $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.28% of the companys stock. Get TJX Companies alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets TJX has been the topic of several analyst reports. Redburn Atlantic cut shares of TJX Companies from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $100.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an outperform rating and set a $105.00 price target on shares of TJX Companies in a research report on Wednesday. UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $90.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, November 16th. Evercore ISI initiated coverage on shares of TJX Companies in a research report on Tuesday, November 7th. They set an outperform rating and a $105.00 price target on the stock. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $95.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, TJX Companies presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $101.38. TJX Companies Stock Down 2.0 % Shares of TJX opened at $99.08 on Friday. The TJX Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $72.92 and a 52 week high of $102.84. The firm has a market cap of $112.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.86. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $95.90 and its 200 day simple moving average is $91.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.47 and a current ratio of 1.21. TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $1.22 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.12 by $0.10. TJX Companies had a net margin of 8.25% and a return on equity of 64.18%. The business had revenue of $16.41 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.20 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.89 EPS. TJX Companiess quarterly revenue was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that The TJX Companies, Inc. will post 4.01 earnings per share for the current year. TJX Companies declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, February 28th that permits the company to repurchase $2.50 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the apparel and home fashions retailer to repurchase up to 2.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically a sign that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued. Insider Transactions at TJX Companies In other news, CEO Ernie Herrman sold 17,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.06, for a total transaction of $1,514,020.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 576,105 shares of the companys stock, valued at $51,307,911.30. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock. About TJX Companies (Free Report) The TJX Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Marmaxx, HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International. The company sells family apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, such as home basics, furniture, rugs, lighting products, giftware, soft home products, decorative accessories, tabletop, and cookware, as well as expanded pet, and gourmet food departments; jewelry and accessories; and other merchandise. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TJX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for TJX Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TJX Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. On the evening of March 1, an explosion occurred at the Kalininskaya power substation in Ekaterinburg, Russia. According to preliminary data, this facility supplies power to three military plants at once. ADVERTISIMENT Propagandists have already invented a legend that traces of explosives were allegedly found at the scene. Russian propaganda media wrote about this. According to emergency services, the explosion occurred around 23:00 local time. Also, representatives of the relevant departments said that "there was a malfunction of electrical equipment at the power substation, accompanied by a pop and a bright flash." Local authorities claim that the incident did not lead to a power outage and that the electrical equipment at the Kalininskaya substation is allegedly operating normally. It is noteworthy that one propaganda outlet reported that the explosion was allegedly caused by a short circuit. However, other propagandists, citing sources in law enforcement agencies, claim that traces of explosives were found at the scene. ADVERTISIMENT It is worth noting that Ekaterinburg is home to a number of defense industry enterprises. Among them are the Novator Design Bureau, the 144th Armored Repair Plant, the Ural Production Enterprise Vector, and the Research and Production Association NPO Automatika. At the same time, last year, Russians complained that the defense industry was facing a personnel shortage, so Ekaterinburg's plants needed more than 2,000 employees. As a reminder, an explosion occurred in St. Petersburg, Russia, on the morning of March 2. The Russians claimed that a UAV had gone down. Later, footage was posted online that captured the first moments after the explosion. Earlier it was reported that the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation complained about another drone attack. On February 29, several UAVs exploded in the Graivoronsky district. The Pantsyr-S1 anti-aircraft missile and gun system was damaged, and there were wounded Russian soldiers. ADVERTISIMENT Corton Capital Inc. purchased a new position in DXC Technology (NYSE:DXC Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 11,849 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $247,000. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of DXC. American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in DXC Technology by 52.2% in the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 80,959 shares of the companys stock worth $2,641,000 after purchasing an additional 27,781 shares during the last quarter. US Bancorp DE grew its holdings in DXC Technology by 10.6% in the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 20,835 shares of the companys stock worth $681,000 after purchasing an additional 1,993 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC grew its holdings in DXC Technology by 11.7% in the first quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 8,776 shares of the companys stock worth $284,000 after purchasing an additional 921 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of DXC Technology by 432.5% during the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 16,497 shares of the companys stock valued at $538,000 after buying an additional 13,399 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of DXC Technology by 19.3% during the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 66,501 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,170,000 after buying an additional 10,773 shares during the last quarter. 88.09% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get DXC Technology alerts: DXC Technology Stock Down 0.8 % DXC opened at $21.69 on Friday. DXC Technology has a twelve month low of $18.61 and a twelve month high of $29.09. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $22.41 and a 200 day moving average price of $21.88. The company has a market cap of $3.97 billion, a PE ratio of -11.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.86. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth DXC Technology ( NYSE:DXC Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $0.87 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.77 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $3.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.36 billion. DXC Technology had a negative net margin of 3.35% and a positive return on equity of 19.00%. DXC Technologys quarterly revenue was down 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.95 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that DXC Technology will post 3.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on DXC shares. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and set a $24.00 price objective on shares of DXC Technology in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Citigroup lowered shares of DXC Technology from a neutral rating to a sell rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $24.00 to $21.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on shares of DXC Technology from $25.00 to $23.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of DXC Technology from a neutral rating to an underweight rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $27.00 to $24.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and five have assigned a hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $23.33. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on DXC About DXC Technology (Free Report) DXC Technology Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides information technology services and solutions primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Australia, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Global Business Services (GBS) and Global Infrastructure Services (GIS). Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for DXC Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DXC Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caxton Associates LP acquired a new position in Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. (NYSE:TPH Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund acquired 15,595 shares of the construction companys stock, valued at approximately $427,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. West Tower Group LLC purchased a new position in Tri Pointe Homes in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. lifted its holdings in Tri Pointe Homes by 168.1% in the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,016 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 637 shares in the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new position in Tri Pointe Homes in the 2nd quarter valued at about $30,000. Point72 Asset Management L.P. purchased a new position in Tri Pointe Homes in the 2nd quarter valued at about $45,000. Finally, Point72 Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new position in Tri Pointe Homes in the 1st quarter valued at about $45,000. 97.59% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Tri Pointe Homes alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently weighed in on TPH. Wedbush reiterated a neutral rating and set a $32.00 price objective on shares of Tri Pointe Homes in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Oppenheimer reiterated an outperform rating and set a $41.00 price objective (up from $36.00) on shares of Tri Pointe Homes in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Tri Pointe Homes from $35.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $38.20. Tri Pointe Homes Trading Up 0.7 % Shares of TPH stock opened at $35.64 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $3.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.33, a PEG ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 1.53. Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. has a 1-year low of $23.00 and a 1-year high of $36.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 2.11 and a quick ratio of 2.11. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $34.95 and its 200-day simple moving average is $31.01. Tri Pointe Homes (NYSE:TPH Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 20th. The construction company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.12 by $0.24. The firm had revenue of $1.24 billion during 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 was down 17.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.98 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. will post 3.64 EPS for the current year. About Tri Pointe Homes (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. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TPH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. (NYSE:TPH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Tri Pointe Homes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tri Pointe Homes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Waverly Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of PPL Co. (NYSE:PPL Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 25,710 shares of the utilities providers stock, valued at approximately $606,000. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in PPL by 15.5% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 69,465,413 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,838,055,000 after acquiring an additional 9,298,570 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its position in PPL by 4.8% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 42,759,744 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,229,596,000 after buying an additional 1,971,238 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in PPL by 2.3% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 15,519,697 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $409,567,000 after buying an additional 346,647 shares during the period. FMR LLC lifted its position in PPL by 13.4% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 14,390,818 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $339,048,000 after buying an additional 1,695,726 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in PPL by 6.4% during the first quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 12,884,134 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $367,969,000 after buying an additional 775,294 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.09% of the companys stock. Get PPL alerts: PPL Price Performance Shares of NYSE PPL opened at $26.14 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $26.54 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $25.64. PPL Co. has a fifty-two week low of $22.20 and a fifty-two week high of $29.03. The firm has a market cap of $19.28 billion, a PE ratio of 26.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.81. PPL Increases Dividend PPL ( NYSE:PPL Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Friday, February 16th. The utilities provider reported $0.40 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.02. PPL had a return on equity of 8.45% and a net margin of 8.90%. The company had revenue of $2.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.56 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.28 EPS. PPLs quarterly revenue was down 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that PPL Co. will post 1.72 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be paid a dividend of $0.2575 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $1.03 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.94%. This is an increase from PPLs previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. PPLs payout ratio is presently 96.00%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In PPL has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $30.00 target price on shares of PPL in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on PPL from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. BMO Capital Markets restated an outperform rating and set a $52.00 price target on shares of PPL in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on PPL from $32.00 to $30.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on PPL from $25.00 to $27.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, PPL currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $32.33. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on PPL About PPL (Free Report) PPL Corporation, an energy company, focuses on providing electricity and natural gas to approximately 3.6 million customers in the United States. It operates through three segments: Kentucky Regulated, Pennsylvania Regulated, and Rhode Island Regulated. The company delivers electricity to customers in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia, and Rhode Island; delivers natural gas to customers in Kentucky and Rhode Island; and generates electricity from power plants in Kentucky. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PPL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for PPL Co. (NYSE:PPL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for PPL Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PPL and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Aflac (NYSE:AFL Free Report) had its price objective lowered by Morgan Stanley from $85.00 to $80.00 in a research report released on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an equal weight rating on the financial services providers stock. Several other research firms have also weighed in on AFL. Evercore ISI lowered shares of Aflac from an in-line rating to an underperform rating and upped their target price for the stock from $76.00 to $78.00 in a report on Thursday, January 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Aflac from $61.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Aflac from $74.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, November 2nd. Raymond James increased their price target on Aflac from $83.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on Aflac from $80.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $80.36. Get Aflac alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on AFL Aflac Stock Performance AFL opened at $80.42 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $46.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 0.91. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $81.32 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $79.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 0.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. Aflac has a 12-month low of $60.20 and a 12-month high of $86.20. Aflac (NYSE:AFL Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.25 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.47 by ($0.22). Aflac had a return on equity of 17.59% and a net margin of 24.92%. The firm had revenue of $3.78 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.44 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.29 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Aflac will post 6.41 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Activity In other news, Director Arthur Reginald Collins sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $79.73, for a total value of $239,190.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 5,592 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $445,850.16. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, Director Masatoshi Koide sold 30,493 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $79.91, for a total transaction of $2,436,695.63. Following the sale, the director now owns 86,090 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,879,451.90. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Arthur Reginald Collins sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $79.73, for a total value of $239,190.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 5,592 shares in the company, valued at approximately $445,850.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Trading of Aflac Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Machina Capital S.A.S. raised its stake in Aflac by 366.6% during the 2nd quarter. Machina Capital S.A.S. now owns 9,701 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $677,000 after buying an additional 7,622 shares during the period. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 12.7% in the 3rd quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC now owns 48,745 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,741,000 after purchasing an additional 5,477 shares during the period. Great Lakes Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. Great Lakes Advisors LLC now owns 81,346 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,678,000 after purchasing an additional 520 shares during the period. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC bought a new position in shares of Aflac in the 3rd quarter valued at about $803,000. Finally, MML Investors Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Aflac in the 2nd quarter valued at about $5,237,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.75% of the companys stock. About Aflac (Get 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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Aflac Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Aflac and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Nova Scotia raised its stake in shares of Amcor plc (NYSE:AMCR Free Report) by 354.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 689,502 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 537,939 shares during the quarter. Bank of Nova Scotias holdings in Amcor were worth $6,316,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV grew its holdings in Amcor by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 48,176 shares of the companys stock valued at $517,000 after buying an additional 857 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its holdings in Amcor by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 247,092 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,466,000 after buying an additional 1,062 shares during the last quarter. IHT Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Amcor by 5.7% during the 2nd quarter. IHT Wealth Management LLC now owns 19,704 shares of the companys stock valued at $197,000 after buying an additional 1,064 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its stake in shares of Amcor by 4.5% during the 2nd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 25,609 shares of the companys stock worth $256,000 after purchasing an additional 1,098 shares during the period. Finally, Utah Retirement Systems lifted its stake in shares of Amcor by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Utah Retirement Systems now owns 80,500 shares of the companys stock worth $959,000 after purchasing an additional 1,100 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 49.52% of the companys stock. Get Amcor alerts: Amcor Trading Up 0.3 % Shares of AMCR opened at $9.09 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 9.75 and a beta of 0.80. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $9.40 and its 200 day simple moving average is $9.29. Amcor plc has a twelve month low of $8.45 and a twelve month high of $11.39. Amcor Dividend Announcement Amcor ( NYSE:AMCR Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.15 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $3.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.29 billion. Amcor had a return on equity of 24.28% and a net margin of 4.59%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Amcor plc will post 0.68 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be given a $0.125 dividend. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.50%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 27th. Amcors dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 113.64%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, Truist Financial reduced their price target on Amcor from $11.00 to $10.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Amcor currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $10.40. Get Our Latest Analysis on AMCR Amcor Company Profile (Free Report) Amcor plc develops, produces, and sells packaging products in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions. The company operates through two segments, Flexibles and Rigid Packaging. The Flexibles segment provides flexible and film packaging products in the food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical, fresh produce, snack food, personal care, and other industries. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AMCR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Amcor plc (NYSE:AMCR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Amcor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amcor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. United Services Automobile Association boosted its holdings in Amphenol Co. (NYSE:APH Free Report) by 14.7% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 15,831 shares of the electronics makers stock after acquiring an additional 2,031 shares during the quarter. United Services Automobile Associations holdings in Amphenol were worth $1,330,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. FMR LLC boosted its stake in Amphenol by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 55,500,422 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $4,661,480,000 after purchasing an additional 691,964 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Amphenol by 6.1% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 48,104,261 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $4,086,457,000 after acquiring an additional 2,752,517 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of Amphenol by 5.7% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 26,214,089 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $2,232,289,000 after acquiring an additional 1,419,808 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Amphenol by 95,441.5% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,868,807 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $1,055,971,000 after acquiring an additional 13,854,291 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its stake in shares of Amphenol by 4.5% during the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 13,145,093 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $1,104,056,000 after acquiring an additional 564,110 shares in the last quarter. 93.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Amphenol alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets APH has been the subject of several research reports. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Amphenol from $88.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Amphenol from $107.00 to $119.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Citigroup assumed coverage on Amphenol in a research note on Friday, January 5th. They set a buy rating and a $117.00 price objective for the company. Truist Financial increased their target price on Amphenol from $97.00 to $109.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 15th. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their target price on Amphenol from $100.00 to $106.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given 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 target price of $102.11. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, VP Lance E. Damico sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.75, for a total transaction of $1,571,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 25,700 shares in the company, valued at $2,692,075. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Amphenol news, CFO Craig A. Lampo sold 100,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.67, for a total transaction of $10,467,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 147,045 shares in the company, valued at $15,391,200.15. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, VP Lance E. Damico sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.75, for a total value of $1,571,250.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 25,700 shares in the company, valued at $2,692,075. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 285,000 shares of company stock worth $29,633,250. Corporate insiders own 2.22% of the companys stock. Amphenol Price Performance Shares of NYSE:APH opened at $110.83 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.17, a quick ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. Amphenol Co. has a 1 year low of $72.00 and a 1 year high of $110.88. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $101.34 and a 200 day simple moving average of $91.99. The firm has a market cap of $66.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.64, a P/E/G ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 1.30. Amphenol (NYSE:APH Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 24th. The electronics maker reported $0.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.77 by $0.05. Amphenol had a return on equity of 23.94% and a net margin of 15.36%. The business had revenue of $3.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.16 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.78 earnings per share. Amphenols quarterly revenue was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Amphenol Co. will post 3.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Amphenol Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.22 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 18th. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.79%. Amphenols dividend payout ratio is 28.30%. About Amphenol (Free Report) Amphenol Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, primarily designs, manufactures, and markets electrical, electronic, and fiber optic connectors in the United States, China, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Harsh Environment Solutions, Communications Solutions, and Interconnect and Sensor Systems. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding APH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Amphenol Co. (NYSE:APH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Amphenol Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amphenol and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco Ltd. (NYSE:IVZ Get Free Report) has received an average rating of Hold from the twelve ratings firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $17.15. Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Invesco from $17.00 to $16.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. TheStreet lowered Invesco from a b- rating to a c rating in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. StockNews.com upgraded Invesco from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Invesco from $20.00 to $19.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, TD Cowen assumed coverage on Invesco in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. They issued an outperform rating and a $21.00 price target on the stock. Get Invesco alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on IVZ Invesco Price Performance IVZ stock opened at $15.53 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $16.50 and a two-hundred day moving average of $15.23. The company has a quick ratio of 5.01, a current ratio of 5.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The stock has a market cap of $6.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -20.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.46. Invesco has a 52-week low of $12.48 and a 52-week high of $18.71. Invesco (NYSE:IVZ Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The asset manager reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.40 by $0.07. Invesco had a positive return on equity of 7.93% and a negative net margin of 1.70%. The business had revenue of $1.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.11 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.39 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Invesco will post 1.71 earnings per share for the current year. Invesco Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 16th will be issued a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.15%. Invescos payout ratio is currently -108.11%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Trian Fund Management L.P. increased its holdings in shares of Invesco by 18.8% in the 1st quarter. Trian Fund Management L.P. now owns 54,034,034 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $1,404,885,000 after acquiring an additional 8,560,175 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Invesco by 14.0% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 52,105,335 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $1,201,550,000 after acquiring an additional 6,384,917 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Invesco by 5.6% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 47,752,801 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $783,146,000 after acquiring an additional 2,528,731 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of Invesco by 58.2% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 25,414,143 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $348,174,000 after acquiring an additional 9,345,810 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of Invesco by 23.1% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 13,798,051 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $246,163,000 after acquiring an additional 2,592,039 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 66.27% of the companys stock. Invesco Company Profile (Get Free Report Invesco Ltd. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm provides its services to retail clients, institutional clients, high-net worth clients, public entities, corporations, unions, non-profit organizations, endowments, foundations, pension funds, financial institutions, and sovereign wealth funds. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of TD SYNNEX Co. (NYSE:SNX Free Report) by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,124,694 shares of the business services providers stock after purchasing an additional 25,054 shares during the quarter. AQR Capital Management LLCs holdings in TD SYNNEX were worth $112,312,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Apollo Management Holdings L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of TD SYNNEX during the first quarter worth $3,622,519,000. FMR LLC lifted its holdings in shares of TD SYNNEX by 4.7% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 6,853,828 shares of the business services providers stock worth $684,423,000 after buying an additional 307,844 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of TD SYNNEX by 4.8% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 4,384,593 shares of the business services providers stock worth $424,385,000 after buying an additional 199,876 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of TD SYNNEX by 2.0% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,215,710 shares of the business services providers stock worth $342,274,000 after buying an additional 84,548 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in shares of TD SYNNEX by 1.9% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,813,767 shares of the business services providers stock worth $170,496,000 after buying an additional 34,186 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.00% of the companys stock. Get TD SYNNEX alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have recently weighed in on SNX. StockNews.com raised TD SYNNEX from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 21st. UBS Group initiated coverage on TD SYNNEX in a research report on Wednesday, November 22nd. They issued a neutral rating and a $105.00 price target on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on TD SYNNEX from $97.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut TD SYNNEX from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and raised their price target for the stock from $112.00 to $113.00 in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $111.00. Insider Transactions at TD SYNNEX In other news, insider Michael Urban sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.67, for a total transaction of $518,350.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 36,131 shares in the company, valued at $3,745,700.77. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, insider Michael Urban sold 5,000 shares of TD SYNNEX stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.67, for a total value of $518,350.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 36,131 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,745,700.77. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Fred A. Breidenbach sold 3,849 shares of TD SYNNEX stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.61, for a total value of $398,794.89. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 18,148 shares in the company, valued at $1,880,314.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 2,279,905 shares of company stock worth $231,500,662. Insiders own 1.90% of the companys stock. TD SYNNEX Stock Performance TD SYNNEX stock opened at $105.34 on Friday. TD SYNNEX Co. has a 12-month low of $86.30 and a 12-month high of $108.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $103.58 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $100.22. The stock has a market cap of $9.38 billion, a PE ratio of 15.70, a P/E/G ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.63. TD SYNNEX (NYSE:SNX Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 9th. The business services provider reported $3.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.56 by $0.57. The company had revenue of $14.41 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.54 billion. TD SYNNEX had a return on equity of 12.34% and a net margin of 1.09%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $3.30 earnings per share. As a group, analysts expect that TD SYNNEX Co. will post 11.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. TD SYNNEX Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 19th were issued a dividend of $0.40 per share. This is a boost from TD SYNNEXs previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 18th. TD SYNNEXs payout ratio is 23.85%. TD SYNNEX Profile (Free Report) TD SYNNEX Corporation operates as a distributor and solutions aggregator for the information technology (IT) ecosystem. The company offers personal computing devices and peripherals, mobile phones and accessories, printers, supplies, and endpoint technology software; and data center technologies, such as hybrid cloud, security, storage, networking, servers, technology software, and converged and hyper-converged infrastructure, as well as computing components. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SNX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for TD SYNNEX Co. (NYSE:SNX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for TD SYNNEX Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TD SYNNEX and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Nova Scotia boosted its stake in General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD Free Report) by 12.7% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 24,522 shares of the aerospace companys stock after buying an additional 2,755 shares during the quarter. Bank of Nova Scotias holdings in General Dynamics were worth $5,419,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of GD. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in General Dynamics by 6.5% in the third quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 687 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $152,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC UT boosted its stake in General Dynamics by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter. Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC UT now owns 2,706 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $598,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its stake in General Dynamics by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 2,013 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $445,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the period. Rock Creek Group LP boosted its stake in General Dynamics by 7.8% in the 2nd quarter. Rock Creek Group LP now owns 623 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $134,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Finally, PSI Advisors LLC boosted its stake in General Dynamics by 40.4% in the 3rd quarter. PSI Advisors LLC now owns 160 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.08% of the companys stock. Get General Dynamics alerts: General Dynamics Stock Performance Shares of GD opened at $271.98 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $74.52 billion, a PE ratio of 22.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.68. General Dynamics Co. has a one year low of $202.35 and a one year high of $274.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 1.44 and a quick ratio of 0.92. The companys fifty day moving average price is $262.37 and its 200 day moving average price is $244.91. General Dynamics Announces Dividend General Dynamics ( NYSE:GD Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The aerospace company reported $3.64 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.68 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $11.67 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.39 billion. General Dynamics had a return on equity of 16.61% and a net margin of 7.84%. The businesss revenue was up 7.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $3.58 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that General Dynamics Co. will post 14.62 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 9th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 19th were issued a dividend of $1.32 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 18th. This represents a $5.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.94%. General Dynamicss payout ratio is 43.93%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms recently commented on GD. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of General Dynamics from $286.00 to $296.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. Alembic Global Advisors lowered shares of General Dynamics from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and set a $296.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Monday, January 29th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and set a $300.00 target price on shares of General Dynamics in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of General Dynamics from $283.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of General Dynamics from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, February 3rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $271.69. Get Our Latest Stock Report on General Dynamics Insider Transactions at General Dynamics In other news, EVP Mark C. Roualet sold 73,330 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $264.75, for a total transaction of $19,414,117.50. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 149,205 shares in the company, valued at approximately $39,502,023.75. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Mark C. Roualet sold 73,330 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $264.75, for a total value of $19,414,117.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 149,205 shares of the companys stock, valued at $39,502,023.75. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Phebe N. Novakovic sold 32,355 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $264.31, for a total transaction of $8,551,750.05. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 773,977 shares in the company, valued at approximately $204,569,860.87. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.52% of the companys stock. General Dynamics Company Profile (Free Report) General Dynamics Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Aerospace, Marine Systems, Combat Systems, and Technologies. The Aerospace segment produces and sells business jets; and offers aircraft maintenance and repair, management, aircraft-on-ground support and completion, charter, staffing, and fixed-base operator services. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for General Dynamics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Dynamics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Nova Scotia lifted its stake in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Free Report) by 30.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 88,933 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 20,762 shares during the quarter. Bank of Nova Scotias holdings in Duke Energy were worth $7,849,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Shepherd Financial Partners LLC increased its position in Duke Energy by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Shepherd Financial Partners LLC now owns 20,845 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,326,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares during the period. First Manhattan Co. boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 11,917 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,227,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 19,405 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,872,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Exencial Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Exencial Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 10,031 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,033,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares in the last quarter. Finally, S.A. Mason LLC boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 11.5% during the 3rd quarter. S.A. Mason LLC now owns 1,203 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $106,000 after acquiring an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 63.68% of the companys stock. Get Duke Energy alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on DUK shares. Royal Bank of Canada raised Duke Energy from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their target price for the company from $101.00 to $113.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. StockNews.com upgraded Duke Energy from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, November 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Duke Energy from $98.00 to $101.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Duke Energy from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, Bank of America downgraded Duke Energy from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $105.00 to $96.00 in a report on Monday, February 12th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $100.00. Insider Transactions at Duke Energy In related 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 in the company, valued at $1,315,697.41. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the companys stock. Duke Energy Stock Down 1.0 % Shares of NYSE DUK opened at $90.89 on Friday. Duke Energy Co. has a 12-month low of $83.06 and a 12-month high of $100.39. The company has a market cap of $70.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.60, a P/E/G ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 0.46. 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 fifty day moving average price of $95.14 and a 200 day moving average price of $92.26. Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The utilities provider reported $1.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.53 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $7.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.24 billion. Duke Energy had a net margin of 9.78% and a return on equity of 8.93%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.11 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.98 EPS for the current fiscal year. Duke Energy Announces Dividend The business 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 payout ratio is 115.49%. Duke Energy Company 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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Duke Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Duke Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. On the night of Saturday, March 2, the Russian army attacked Odesa with Shahed drones once again. The occupiers hit a residential multi-storey building, completely destroying one entrance. Eight locals were injured, including a 3-year-old child and a pregnant woman. ADVERTISIMENT As of 7:00 a.m. on March 2, two dead people were found under the rubble, and eight more residents are being searched for. The head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Oleh Kiper, spoke about the consequences of the Russian criminal attack on his Telegram channel. The explosions in the city occurred around 1 a.m. The Ukrainian Air Force warned that enemy drones are attacking Odesa and the region from the Black Sea from several directions. According to Kiper, the Russian attack damaged residential multi-storey buildings in Odesa. Seven people were injured, including a 3-year-old child. Later, one dead person was found under the rubble. ADVERTISIMENT A pregnant woman is also among the wounded. According to the head of the RMA, a 3-year-old child suffered abrasions to the leg, and is now under medical supervision. Six adults are preliminarily in moderate condition. "Specialists continue to work at the site. The rubble is being cleared, there may be people under it," Kiper said. ADVERTISIMENT Mayor of Odesa Hennadii Trukhanov said that a part of one of the buildings in a densely populated area of the city collapsed as a result of a Shahed hit. The injured are being provided with medical aid. "Another terrorist attack on a peacefully sleeping city. A densely populated area. It's just horrible here. Rescuers, as well as municipal and emergency services are working at the scene. The rubble is being cleared," the mayor of Odesa said. ADVERTISIMENT In addition, utility networks and a boiler room were damaged, and nearby houses were cut off from heating. As of 5 a.m., rescue efforts are ongoing, and there may be people under the rubble, Kiper wrote. Among the injured is a pregnant woman, she is in moderate condition in the hospital. Three more people with numerous injuries were also hospitalized, including a 26-year-old woman in serious condition, and two others in moderate condition. ADVERTISIMENT As reported by OBOZ.UA, on February 23, the occupiers attacked Odesa with drones, hitting a residential building in the Prymorskyi district. Three people were injured as a result of the Russian attack. One man was killed. Only verified information on our Telegram OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE:BKD Get Free Report) shares saw strong trading volume on Thursday . 5,282,855 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 198% from the previous sessions volume of 1,775,659 shares.The stock last traded at $5.75 and had previously closed at $5.71. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts have commented on the company. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Brookdale Senior Living from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their price target for the company from $7.00 to $9.00 in a report on Friday, November 17th. Bank of America upgraded Brookdale Senior Living from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and increased their price target for the company from $3.95 to $6.00 in a report on Friday, December 15th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded Brookdale Senior Living from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a report on Friday, December 29th. Get Brookdale Senior Living alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on BKD Brookdale Senior Living Price Performance Insider Activity at Brookdale Senior Living The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.40, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.80. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $5.73 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $4.89. In related news, Director Marcus E. Bromley sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $5.38, for a total value of $53,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 160,996 shares in the company, valued at approximately $866,158.48. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 1.50% of the stock is owned by insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brookdale Senior Living Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in Brookdale Senior Living by 25.7% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 30,796,560 shares of the companys stock worth $217,115,000 after acquiring an additional 6,299,168 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Brookdale Senior Living by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 18,051,166 shares of the companys stock worth $105,058,000 after acquiring an additional 169,751 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in Brookdale Senior Living by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 10,273,433 shares of the companys stock worth $72,428,000 after acquiring an additional 47,747 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in Brookdale Senior Living by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 6,482,920 shares of the companys stock worth $27,358,000 after acquiring an additional 185,725 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Iron Triangle Partners LP boosted its position in Brookdale Senior Living by 14.7% during the 4th quarter. Iron Triangle Partners LP now owns 4,859,607 shares of the companys stock worth $28,283,000 after acquiring an additional 623,479 shares during the last quarter. Brookdale Senior Living Company Profile (Get Free Report) Brookdale Senior Living Inc owns, manages, and operates senior living communities in the United States. It operates in three segments: Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs). The Independent Living segment owns or leases communities comprising independent and assisted living units in a single community that are primarily designed for middle to upper income seniors. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Brookdale Senior Living Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookdale Senior Living and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Becker Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Brookfield Renewable Co. (NYSE:BEPC Free Report) by 30.9% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 185,986 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 43,862 shares during the quarter. Becker Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Brookfield Renewable were worth $4,453,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BEPC. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Brookfield Renewable by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,433,864 shares of the companys stock valued at $144,899,000 after buying an additional 116,408 shares during the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in Brookfield Renewable by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 4,374,414 shares of the companys stock valued at $104,724,000 after buying an additional 52,049 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. grew its stake in Brookfield Renewable by 4.6% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 3,830,035 shares of the companys stock valued at $167,754,000 after buying an additional 168,284 shares during the last quarter. ClearBridge Investments Ltd grew its stake in Brookfield Renewable by 26.7% in the 2nd quarter. ClearBridge Investments Ltd now owns 3,402,433 shares of the companys stock valued at $106,156,000 after buying an additional 717,378 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Parnassus Investments LLC acquired a new position in Brookfield Renewable in the 3rd quarter valued at $54,942,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 66.15% of the companys stock. Get Brookfield Renewable alerts: Brookfield Renewable Price Performance NYSE:BEPC opened at $24.39 on Friday. Brookfield Renewable Co. has a 1 year low of $21.77 and a 1 year high of $36.16. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $27.33 and its 200 day simple moving average is $26.49. The company has a current ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94. Brookfield Renewable Increases Dividend Brookfield Renewable ( NYSE:BEPC Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The company reported $0.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.14) by $0.15. The company had revenue of $1.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.21 billion. Brookfield Renewable had a net margin of 12.23% and a return on equity of 3.67%. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Brookfield Renewable Co. will post -1.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a dividend of $0.355 per share. This is a positive change from Brookfield Renewables previous quarterly dividend of $0.34. This represents a $1.42 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.82%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th. Brookfield Renewables payout ratio is -443.75%. Brookfield Renewable Company Profile (Free Report) Brookfield Renewable Corporation owns and operates a portfolio of renewable power and sustainable solution assets primarily in the United States, Europe, Colombia, and Brazil. It operates hydroelectric, wind, and solar power plants with an installed capacity of approximately 12,857 megawatts. The company was incorporated in 2019 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BEPC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Brookfield Renewable Co. (NYSE:BEPC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Renewable Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield Renewable and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec raised its holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE Free Report) by 13.4% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 2,061,247 shares of the technology companys stock after acquiring an additional 244,005 shares during the period. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebecs holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise were worth $35,804,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in HPE. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 10.8% in the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 74,736 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,249,000 after acquiring an additional 7,285 shares during the period. D.A. Davidson & CO. grew its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 12.6% in the first quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 16,151 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $270,000 after acquiring an additional 1,809 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A. grew its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 46.4% in the first quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 16,080 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $269,000 after acquiring an additional 5,095 shares during the period. Blair William & Co. IL grew its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 9.8% in the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 332,584 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $5,557,000 after acquiring an additional 29,819 shares during the period. Finally, Aviva PLC grew its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 45.8% in the first quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 634,757 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $10,607,000 after acquiring an additional 199,382 shares during the period. 81.15% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Hewlett Packard Enterprise alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Evercore ISI reduced their price objective on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $19.00 to $18.00 and set an in-line rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an equal weight rating and set a $17.00 price objective (down from $21.00) on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in a research report on Friday. Barclays reduced their price objective on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $15.00 to $14.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $20.00 to $18.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Hewlett Packard Enterprise presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $17.25. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Stock Performance Shares of NYSE HPE opened at $15.56 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $15.79 and a 200 day moving average price of $16.30. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has a 52 week low of $13.65 and a 52 week high of $18.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a current ratio of 0.87. The stock has a market capitalization of $20.23 billion, a PE ratio of 10.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 1.19. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 29th. The technology company reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.45 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $6.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.09 billion. Hewlett Packard Enterprise had a return on equity of 9.20% and a net margin of 6.81%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 13.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.38 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Hewlett Packard Enterprise will post 1.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.34%. Hewlett Packard Enterprises dividend payout ratio is 35.86%. Insider Buying and Selling at Hewlett Packard Enterprise In other Hewlett Packard Enterprise news, EVP John F. Schultz sold 209,748 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.40, for a total value of $3,439,867.20. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 278,118 shares in the company, valued at $4,561,135.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, SVP Kirt P. Karros sold 26,127 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.07, for a total transaction of $419,860.89. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 26,130 shares in the company, valued at $419,909.10. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP John F. Schultz sold 209,748 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.40, for a total value of $3,439,867.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 278,118 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,561,135.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 303,575 shares of company stock worth $4,989,141 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.40% of the companys stock. 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. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HPE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Hewlett Packard Enterprise Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hewlett Packard Enterprise and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec bought a new position in shares of Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 307,400 shares of the technology companys stock, valued at approximately $21,180,000. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Dell Technologies by 45.0% in the third quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 3,216,861 shares of the technology companys stock worth $221,605,000 after buying an additional 998,298 shares in the last quarter. Banco Santander S.A. raised its position in shares of Dell Technologies by 61.7% in the third quarter. Banco Santander S.A. now owns 106,778 shares of the technology companys stock worth $7,357,000 after buying an additional 40,750 shares in the last quarter. Achmea Investment Management B.V. raised its position in shares of Dell Technologies by 154.8% in the third quarter. Achmea Investment Management B.V. now owns 79,068 shares of the technology companys stock worth $5,447,000 after buying an additional 48,036 shares in the last quarter. MRP Capital Investments LLC raised its position in shares of Dell Technologies by 105.5% in the third quarter. MRP Capital Investments LLC now owns 35,389 shares of the technology companys stock worth $2,438,000 after buying an additional 18,164 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Versor Investments LP purchased a new stake in shares of Dell Technologies in the third quarter worth $2,089,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 38.10% of the companys stock. Get Dell Technologies alerts: Dell Technologies Trading Up 31.5 % Shares of NYSE:DELL opened at $124.51 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $83.24 and its 200-day moving average price is $73.40. Dell Technologies Inc. has a 12-month low of $35.96 and a 12-month high of $131.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $88.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 0.91. Dell Technologies Increases Dividend Dell Technologies ( NYSE:DELL Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 29th. The technology company reported $2.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.73 by $0.47. The firm had revenue of $22.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $22.17 billion. Dell Technologies had a negative return on equity of 165.52% and a net margin of 3.63%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.55 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Dell Technologies Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 3rd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 23rd will be issued a dividend of $0.445 per share. This is a positive change from Dell Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. This represents a $1.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.43%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 22nd. Dell Technologiess dividend payout ratio is currently 33.87%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on DELL shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Dell Technologies from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. TD Cowen increased their price objective on Dell Technologies from $75.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Friday. Barclays increased their target price on Dell Technologies from $53.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Friday. Raymond James increased their target price on Dell Technologies from $68.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, December 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Dell Technologies from $85.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $100.19. Get Our Latest Report on DELL Insider Transactions at Dell Technologies In other news, Director Iv (Gp) L.L.C. Slta sold 3,179,972 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.81, for a total transaction of $250,613,593.32. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 293,812 shares in the company, valued at $23,155,323.72. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 48.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. About Dell Technologies (Free Report) Dell Technologies Inc designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports various comprehensive and integrated solutions, products, and services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) and Client Solutions Group (CSG). Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Dell Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dell Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM Get Free Report) (NYSE:CM) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, February 29th, Zacks reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 28th will be paid a dividend of 0.90 per share on Monday, April 29th. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.47%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Price Performance Shares of TSE:CM opened at C$65.77 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is C$62.28 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$56.78. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a fifty-two week low of C$47.44 and a fifty-two week high of C$66.03. The stock has a market capitalization of C$61.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.01 and a beta of 1.09. Get Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce alerts: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM Get Free Report) (NYSE:CM) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 30th. The company reported C$1.57 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$1.58 by C($0.01). Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had a net margin of 23.44% and a return on equity of 9.72%. The company had revenue of C$5.84 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$5.86 billion. Research analysts expect that Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce will post 6.6970021 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Analyst Ratings Changes In other Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce news, Senior Officer Christina Charlotte Kramer sold 15,446 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$57.19, for a total value of C$883,356.74. Insiders own 0.03% of the companys stock. CM has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. TD Securities upgraded Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from C$65.00 to C$70.00 in a research report on Friday. Cormark increased their target price on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$64.00 to C$68.00 in a report on Friday. Bank of America upgraded Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and increased their target price for the stock from C$63.00 to C$66.00 in a report on Monday, December 18th. National Bankshares raised Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price target for the company from C$62.00 to C$71.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price target on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$64.00 to C$67.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Friday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of C$65.38. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Company Profile (Get Free Report) Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSE:CNQ Get Free Report) (NYSE:CNQ) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, February 29th, Zacks reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of 1.05 per share on Friday, April 5th. This represents a $4.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.30%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This is a boost from Canadian Natural Resourcess previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. Canadian Natural Resources Trading Up 3.3 % CNQ opened at C$97.70 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of C$86.24 and a 200 day moving average price of C$86.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.13, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.54. Canadian Natural Resources has a 12 month low of C$67.13 and a 12 month high of C$98.69. The stock has a market capitalization of C$106.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.10, a PEG ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.98. Get Canadian Natural Resources alerts: Insider Activity at Canadian Natural Resources In related news, Director Norman Murray Edwards sold 270,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$88.86, for a total value of C$23,993,361.00. In related news, Director Norman Murray Edwards sold 270,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$88.86, for a total value of C$23,993,361.00. Also, Senior Officer Timothy Shawn Mckay sold 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$88.71, for a total value of C$4,435,580.00. Insiders have sold a total of 427,656 shares of company stock valued at $37,793,044 over the last quarter. Insiders own 2.20% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth CNQ has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$94.00 to C$100.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday. Scotiabank upped their price objective on Canadian Natural Resources from C$90.00 to C$100.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$98.00 to C$96.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, December 18th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Canadian Natural Resources from C$105.00 to C$110.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Canadian Natural Resources from C$95.00 to C$86.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$97.82. Read Our Latest Analysis on CNQ Canadian Natural Resources Company Profile (Get Free Report) Canadian Natural Resources Limited acquires, explores for, develops, produces, markets, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The company offers light and medium crude oil, primary heavy crude oil, Pelican Lake heavy crude oil, bitumen (thermal oil), and synthetic crude oil (SCO). Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Natural Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Natural Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CAVA Group (NYSE:CAVA Free Report) had its price target increased by Citigroup from $49.00 to $60.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the stock. Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on the company. William Blair reissued an outperform rating on shares of CAVA Group in a report on Tuesday. Argus assumed coverage on CAVA Group in a report on Monday, January 29th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Raymond James assumed coverage on CAVA Group in a report on Friday, November 17th. They set a market perform rating on the stock. TD Cowen assumed coverage on CAVA Group in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. They set an outperform rating and a $46.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on CAVA Group from $49.00 to $62.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $55.10. Get CAVA Group alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on CAVA Group CAVA Group Price Performance CAVA Group stock opened at $58.29 on Wednesday. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $48.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $40.10. CAVA Group has a 12 month low of $29.05 and a 12 month high of $59.84. CAVA Group (NYSE:CAVA Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, February 26th. The company reported $0.02 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.01 by $0.01. CAVA Group had a return on equity of 4.28% and a net margin of 1.82%. The business had revenue of $175.50 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $240.03 million. CAVA Groups revenue for the quarter was up 52.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that CAVA Group will post 0.17 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Trading of CAVA Group Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System purchased a new stake in CAVA Group in the third quarter worth about $449,000. Revolution Growth Management Company Inc. purchased a new stake in CAVA Group in the second quarter worth about $265,169,000. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in CAVA Group in the third quarter worth about $1,937,000. New York State Common Retirement Fund increased its position in CAVA Group by 172.5% in the third quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 46,377 shares of the companys stock worth $1,421,000 after buying an additional 29,358 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lord Abbett & CO. LLC increased its position in CAVA Group by 45.2% in the third quarter. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC now owns 768,693 shares of the companys stock worth $23,545,000 after buying an additional 239,471 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 61.83% of the companys stock. CAVA Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) CAVA Group, Inc owns and operates a chain of Mediterranean restaurants. The company offers salads, dips, spreads, toppings, and dressings. It sells its products through whole food markets and grocery stores. The company also provides online food ordering services. Cava Group, Inc was founded in 2006 and is based in Washington, District of Columbia. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for CAVA Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CAVA Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caxton Associates LP lowered its position in American Express (NYSE:AXP Free Report) by 43.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,810 shares of the payment services companys stock after selling 2,121 shares during the period. Caxton Associates LPs holdings in American Express were worth $419,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Blume Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of American Express by 3.1% in the second quarter. Blume Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,112 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $368,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the period. Strategy Asset Managers LLC increased its stake in shares of American Express by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. Strategy Asset Managers LLC now owns 1,818 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $317,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC grew its holdings in American Express by 1.2% during the first quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC now owns 5,566 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $1,041,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the period. Cozad Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in American Express by 4.1% during the third quarter. Cozad Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,713 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $256,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares during the period. Finally, Summit Financial LLC grew its holdings in American Express by 1.7% during the third quarter. Summit Financial LLC now owns 4,044 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $603,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 83.08% of the companys stock. Get American Express alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have issued reports on AXP. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised American Express from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price target for the company from $167.00 to $205.00 in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Monness Crespi & Hardt began coverage on American Express in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. They set a neutral rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on American Express from $220.00 to $226.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. Robert W. Baird downgraded American Express from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and set a $190.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on American Express in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. They issued a buy rating and a $235.00 price objective on the stock. Four research 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 stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $189.00. Insider Buying and Selling at American Express In other American Express news, insider Howard Grosfield sold 7,029 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 30th. The stock was 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 in the company, valued at $2,522,816.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, insider Howard Grosfield sold 7,029 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $203.65, for a total transaction of $1,431,455.85. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 12,388 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,522,816.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider Laureen Seeger sold 84,420 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $212.98, for a total value of $17,979,771.60. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 57,512 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,248,905.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 172,047 shares of company stock worth $36,528,388 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.12% of the companys stock. American Express Trading Up 0.1 % Shares of AXP stock opened at $219.66 on Friday. American Express has a 1 year low of $140.91 and a 1 year high of $220.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a current ratio of 1.63 and a quick ratio of 1.63. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $198.54 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $172.57. The company has a market cap of $159.01 billion, a PE ratio of 19.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 1.23. American Express (NYSE:AXP Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 26th. The payment services company reported $2.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.64 by ($0.02). American Express had a net margin of 13.84% and a return on equity of 30.99%. The company had revenue of $15.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.07 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that American Express will post 12.83 earnings per share for the current year. American Express Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed 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. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 4th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.09%. American Expresss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 21.41%. About American Express (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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for American Express Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Express and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Corton Capital Inc. bought a new position in shares of Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund bought 6,511 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $204,000. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of U. Front Row Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Unity Software by 15,550.0% in the 2nd quarter. Front Row Advisors LLC now owns 626 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 622 shares during the period. Huntington National Bank lifted its stake in shares of Unity Software by 665.0% in the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 895 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 778 shares during the period. Meitav Investment House Ltd. acquired a new position in Unity Software during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC raised its stake in Unity Software by 1,151.0% during the 3rd quarter. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC now owns 1,251 shares of the companys stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 1,151 shares during the period. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc raised its stake in Unity Software by 373.7% during the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 919 shares of the companys stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 725 shares during the period. 64.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Unity Software alerts: Unity Software Stock Down 1.4 % Shares of NYSE U opened at $28.91 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $34.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $32.75. Unity Software Inc. has a 1-year low of $22.20 and a 1-year high of $50.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 2.35 and a quick ratio of 2.35. Insiders Place Their Bets Unity Software ( NYSE:U Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Monday, February 26th. The company reported ($0.66) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.23 by ($0.89). The company had revenue of $609.27 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $551.01 million. Unity Software had a negative return on equity of 9.99% and a negative net margin of 37.64%. The companys revenue was up 35.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned ($0.50) EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Unity Software Inc. will post -0.63 EPS for the current fiscal year. In other Unity Software news, insider Mark Barrysmith sold 2,083 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.43, for a total transaction of $61,302.69. Following the sale, the insider now owns 135,343 shares in the company, valued at $3,983,144.49. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, insider Mark Barrysmith sold 2,083 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.43, for a total value of $61,302.69. Following the sale, the insider now owns 135,343 shares in the company, valued at $3,983,144.49. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Anirma Gupta sold 2,551 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $39.99, for a total value of $102,014.49. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 397,741 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,905,662.59. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 276,293 shares of company stock worth $10,514,558 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 9.00% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms recently weighed in on U. Wedbush dropped their price target on Unity Software from $50.00 to $33.50 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Piper Sandler raised Unity Software from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $35.00 to $30.00 in a research note on Tuesday. Wolfe Research downgraded Unity Software from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research note on Monday, November 13th. Barclays decreased their price objective on Unity Software from $30.00 to $28.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Macquarie lowered Unity Software from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and set a $20.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Monday, February 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Unity Software has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $37.03. Check Out Our Latest Report on Unity Software Unity Software Company Profile (Free Report) Unity Software Inc operates a real-time 3D development platform. Its platform provides software solutions to create, run, and monetize interactive, real-time 2D and 3D content for mobile phones, tablets, PCs, consoles, and augmented and virtual reality devices. The company offers its solutions directly through its online store and field sales operations in North America, Denmark, Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, and South Korea, as well as indirectly through independent distributors and resellers worldwide. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding U? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Unity Software Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Unity Software and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Corton Capital Inc. lessened its position in Teekay Tankers Ltd. (NYSE:TNK Free Report) by 69.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,960 shares of the shipping companys stock after selling 11,328 shares during the period. Corton Capital Inc.s holdings in Teekay Tankers were worth $206,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. CWM LLC lifted its stake in shares of Teekay Tankers by 10,816.7% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 655 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 649 shares during the last quarter. BluePath Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Teekay Tankers during the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. FMR LLC raised its stake in Teekay Tankers by 41.9% in the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,019 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 301 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. acquired a new stake in Teekay Tankers in the 4th quarter worth about $46,000. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its stake in Teekay Tankers by 666.7% in the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,495 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 1,300 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 48.68% of the companys stock. Get Teekay Tankers alerts: Teekay Tankers Stock Up 0.3 % Shares of NYSE TNK opened at $54.74 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $1.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of -0.28. Teekay Tankers Ltd. has a 52-week low of $35.00 and a 52-week high of $64.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 4.02 and a current ratio of 4.40. The companys 50 day moving average price is $56.33 and its 200-day moving average price is $49.17. Teekay Tankers Dividend Announcement Analyst Ratings Changes The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 4th will be given a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 1st. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.83%. Teekay Tankerss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 6.73%. Several analysts have weighed in on TNK shares. Bank of America upgraded shares of Teekay Tankers from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $56.00 to $72.00 in a research note on Friday, January 19th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $70.00 price objective on shares of Teekay Tankers in a research note on Thursday, February 22nd. StockNews.com cut shares of Teekay Tankers from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Evercore ISI dropped their target price on shares of Teekay Tankers from $77.00 to $73.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. Get Our Latest Research Report on TNK About Teekay Tankers (Free Report) Teekay Tankers Ltd. provides marine transportation services to oil industries in Bermuda and internationally. The company offers voyage and time charter services; and offshore ship-to-ship transfer services of commodities primarily crude oil and refined oil products, as well as liquid gases and various other products. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TNK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Teekay Tankers Ltd. (NYSE:TNK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Teekay Tankers Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teekay Tankers and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. In Odesa, rescuers pulled a man from the rubble of a multi-storey building that was damaged by a Shahed attack on the night of March 2. He was in the basement when the drone hit the house. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Oleh Kiper, as of 8:30 a.m. He informed that the search and dismantling of the rubble is ongoing. "Rescuers have just managed to get a man out of the rubble. Fortunately, he is alive! He was in the basement when the enemy drone hit," the head of the region wrote on his Telegram channel. He added that the rescued man is conscious and is being examined by doctors. In turn, the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that six residents of the building are missing. Eight people were injured in the shelling, two of them were killed. ADVERTISIMENT The drone hit a 9-storey building in a residential area of the city. Part of the entrance with 18 apartments was destroyed. A pre-trial investigation into the violation of the laws and customs of war (Part 2, Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) has been launched. As you know, the Russian army attacked Odesa with Shahed drones. At night, explosions occurred around one in the morning. As of seven in the morning, two people were reported dead: they were found under the rubble. In addition, seven people were injured, including a three-year-old child and a pregnant woman. Seven more people were being searched for at the time. The occupiers also attacked the Kharkiv region. Kamikaze drones hit a residential area in Kharkiv and a private house in the village of Velykyi Burluk, killing a man. ADVERTISIMENT In total, the occupiers launched 17 UAVs, 14 of which were shot down by Air Defense Forces. The enemy also used missiles. Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! AQR Capital Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR Free Report) by 10.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 394,749 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 44,987 shares during the quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC owned 0.05% of Danaher worth $97,937,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Danaher in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in Danaher during the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. IAG Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in Danaher by 344.8% during the second quarter. IAG Wealth Partners LLC now owns 129 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in Danaher during the second quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, First Capital Advisors Group LLC. acquired a new position in Danaher during the second quarter worth approximately $32,000. 76.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Danaher alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Danaher In other Danaher news, SVP Georgeann Couchara sold 2,622 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $242.67, for a total transaction of $636,280.74. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 4,244 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,029,891.48. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, SVP Daniel Raskas sold 23,757 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $5,986,764.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 38,102 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,601,704. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Georgeann Couchara sold 2,622 shares of the firms 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 transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 4,244 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,029,891.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 32,957 shares of company stock worth $8,265,802 in the last ninety days. 11.10% of the stock is owned by insiders. Danaher Price Performance Shares of DHR stock opened at $255.87 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $189.27 billion, a PE ratio of 40.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.84. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $239.13 and a 200-day simple moving average of $231.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. Danaher Co. has a twelve month low of $182.09 and a twelve month high of $257.09. Danaher (NYSE:DHR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The conglomerate reported $2.09 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.91 by $0.18. Danaher had a net margin of 17.26% and a return on equity of 12.25%. The firm had revenue of $6.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.10 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.87 EPS. The firms revenue was down 10.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Danaher Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.42%. This is an increase from Danahers previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. Danahers dividend payout ratio is 16.90%. Analyst Ratings Changes DHR has been the subject of several research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Danaher from $250.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 20th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Danaher from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. TheStreet raised shares of Danaher from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Friday, December 8th. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Danaher from $255.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, Barclays lowered shares of Danaher from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $240.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued 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 $266.00. Get Our Latest Report on DHR 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. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Danaher Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Danaher and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ancora Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL Free Report) by 24.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 31,994 shares of the transportation companys stock after selling 10,537 shares during the period. Ancora Advisors LLCs holdings in Delta Air Lines were worth $1,184,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. grew its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 495.7% during the third quarter. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. now owns 685 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 570 shares during the period. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. acquired a new position in shares of Delta Air Lines during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo LLC increased its holdings in shares of Delta Air Lines by 55.2% in the 3rd quarter. Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo LLC now owns 874 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 311 shares in the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Delta Air Lines in the third quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Tyler Stone Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Delta Air Lines during the second quarter worth about $36,000. 71.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Delta Air Lines alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have recently commented on DAL shares. TheStreet raised Delta Air Lines from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. StockNews.com cut shares of Delta Air Lines from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, February 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Delta Air Lines presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $55.54. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Delta Air Lines news, CEO Edward H. Bastian sold 71,840 shares of Delta Air Lines stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $39.20, for a total transaction of $2,816,128.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 428,768 shares of the companys stock, valued at $16,807,705.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.89% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Delta Air Lines Stock Down 0.2 % DAL opened at $42.17 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $40.16 and a two-hundred day moving average of $38.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 0.39 and a quick ratio of 0.34. Delta Air Lines, Inc. has a 12 month low of $30.60 and a 12 month high of $49.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $27.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.42. Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The transportation company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.17 by $0.11. Delta Air Lines had a net margin of 7.94% and a return on equity of 46.35%. The company had revenue of $14.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.55 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.48 earnings per share. Delta Air Liness revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Delta Air Lines, Inc. will post 6.59 earnings per share for the current year. Delta Air Lines Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 26th will be given a dividend of $0.10 per share. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.95%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 23rd. Delta Air Liness dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 5.59%. Delta Air Lines Profile (Free Report) Delta Air Lines, Inc provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo in the United States and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Airline and Refinery. Its domestic network centered on core hubs in Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Detroit, and Salt Lake City, as well as coastal hub positions in Boston, Los Angeles, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, and Seattle; and international network centered on hubs and market presence in Amsterdam, Bogota, Lima, Mexico City, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Sao Paulo, Seoul-Incheon, and Tokyo. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Delta Air Lines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Delta Air Lines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dingdong (Cayman) (NYSE:DDL Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported ($0.02) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.01 by ($0.03), MarketWatch Earnings reports. The company had revenue of $703.31 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $700.70 million. Dingdong (Cayman) had a negative net margin of 0.51% and a negative return on equity of 11.37%. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.08 earnings per share. Dingdong (Cayman) Trading Up 0.9 % Shares of DDL opened at $1.16 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $1.31 and a 200 day simple moving average of $1.72. Dingdong has a 52-week low of $1.07 and a 52-week high of $4.91. Get Dingdong (Cayman) alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On Dingdong (Cayman) Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Morgan Stanley boosted its position in Dingdong (Cayman) by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 958,181 shares of the companys stock worth $4,091,000 after acquiring an additional 2,411 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in Dingdong (Cayman) by 39.7% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 10,856 shares of the companys stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 3,086 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its position in Dingdong (Cayman) by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,460,453 shares of the companys stock worth $7,603,000 after acquiring an additional 8,878 shares during the last quarter. Vident Investment Advisory LLC boosted its position in Dingdong (Cayman) by 40.2% during the 4th quarter. Vident Investment Advisory LLC now owns 34,692 shares of the companys stock worth $148,000 after acquiring an additional 9,942 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC bought a new stake in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. 24.66% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Dingdong (Cayman) Dingdong (Cayman) Limited operates an e-commerce company in China. The company offers fresh groceries, including vegetables, meat and eggs, fruits, and seafood; prepared food, and other food products, such as dairy and bakery products, snacks, oil, seasonings, and beverages. It also operates as a self-operated online retail business primarily through Dingdong Fresh app. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Dingdong (Cayman) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dingdong (Cayman) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DoubleVerify (NYSE:DV Get Free Report) issued its earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $0.19 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.13 by $0.06, reports. The firm had revenue of $172.23 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $171.85 million. DoubleVerify had a return on equity of 7.29% and a net margin of 12.48%. DoubleVerify updated its FY 2024 guidance to EPS and its Q1 2024 guidance to EPS. DoubleVerify Trading Up 1.8 % Shares of NYSE DV opened at $31.45 on Friday. DoubleVerify has a 1-year low of $23.42 and a 1-year high of $43.00. The company has a 50-day moving average of $39.04 and a two-hundred day moving average of $33.65. The company has a market cap of $5.39 billion, a PE ratio of 76.71, a P/E/G ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 1.02. Get DoubleVerify alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $42.00 price objective (down from $44.00) on shares of DoubleVerify in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on DoubleVerify from $44.00 to $41.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Morgan Stanley started coverage on DoubleVerify in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. They issued an overweight rating and a $40.00 target price for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on DoubleVerify from $32.00 to $30.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on DoubleVerify from $38.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $41.84. Insider Activity at DoubleVerify In other news, insider Julie Eddleman sold 750 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.47, for a total transaction of $28,102.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 133,436 shares in the company, valued at $4,999,846.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, insider Julie Eddleman sold 750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.47, for a total value of $28,102.50. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 133,436 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,999,846.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Laura Desmond sold 11,002 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.39, for a total transaction of $411,364.78. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 132,197 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,942,845.83. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 20,977 shares of company stock valued at $785,313 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 3.27% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC raised its stake in DoubleVerify by 38.2% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 16,686 shares of the companys stock worth $649,000 after buying an additional 4,611 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of DoubleVerify by 18.1% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 2,651,003 shares of the companys stock valued at $74,096,000 after purchasing an additional 406,444 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its stake in shares of DoubleVerify by 30.7% during the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 1,842,197 shares of the companys stock worth $51,489,000 after acquiring an additional 433,139 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of DoubleVerify by 110.2% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,100,529 shares of the companys stock worth $30,760,000 after purchasing an additional 577,018 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC acquired a new position in DoubleVerify during the second quarter worth $7,583,000. 97.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. DoubleVerify Company Profile (Get Free Report) DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc provides a software platform for digital media measurement, and analytics in the United States and internationally. The company provides solutions to advertisers unbiased data analytics that enable advertisers to increase the effectiveness, quality and return on their digital advertising investments. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for DoubleVerify Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DoubleVerify and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Douglas Emmett, Inc. (NYSE:DEI Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, February 29th, Zacks reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 28th will be given a dividend of 0.19 per share by the real estate investment trust on Tuesday, April 16th. This represents a $0.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.66%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. Douglas Emmett has decreased its dividend by an average of 12.1% per year over the last three years. Douglas Emmett has a payout ratio of -86.4% indicating that the company cannot currently cover its dividend with earnings alone and is relying on its balance sheet to cover its dividend payments. Equities research analysts expect Douglas Emmett to earn $1.52 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.76 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 50.0%. Get Douglas Emmett alerts: Douglas Emmett Stock Performance Shares of DEI stock opened at $13.42 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44, a quick ratio of 4.91 and a current ratio of 4.91. The business has a fifty day moving average of $13.91 and a 200 day moving average of $13.18. Douglas Emmett has a 1 year low of $10.09 and a 1 year high of $16.12. Insider Activity Institutional Investors Weigh In On Douglas Emmett In other news, Director William E. Simon, Jr. sold 91,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.95, for a total transaction of $1,269,450.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . Insiders own 14.00% of the companys stock. Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. HighTower Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Douglas Emmett in the 1st quarter worth about $210,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Douglas Emmett by 16.9% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 7,420 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $248,000 after buying an additional 1,071 shares during the last quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. acquired a new stake in Douglas Emmett in the 1st quarter worth about $371,000. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS boosted its holdings in Douglas Emmett by 10.5% in the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 64,314 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,149,000 after buying an additional 6,132 shares during the last quarter. Finally, APG Asset Management N.V. acquired a new stake in Douglas Emmett in the 1st quarter worth about $448,000. 97.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Douglas Emmett from an underperform rating to a hold rating and raised their target price for the stock from $10.00 to $15.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. Piper Sandler raised their target price on Douglas Emmett from $13.00 to $17.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Douglas Emmett has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $14.11. View Our Latest Stock Report on DEI Douglas Emmett Company Profile (Get Free Report) Douglas Emmett, Inc (DEI) is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT), and one of the largest owners and operators of high-quality office and multifamily properties located in the premier coastal submarkets of Los Angeles and Honolulu. Douglas Emmett focuses on owning and acquiring a substantial share of top-tier office properties and premier multifamily communities in neighborhoods that possess significant supply constraints, high-end executive housing and key lifestyle amenities. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Douglas Emmett Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Douglas Emmett and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Excelerate Energy (NYSE:EE Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $0.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.17 by ($0.03), reports. Excelerate Energy had a net margin of 2.62% and a return on equity of 1.83%. The business had revenue of $240.06 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $265.31 million. Excelerate Energy Stock Down 0.8 % Shares of NYSE:EE opened at $15.58 on Friday. The businesss 50-day moving average is $14.72 and its 200-day moving average is $16.18. Excelerate Energy has a 1 year low of $13.38 and a 1 year high of $24.00. The company has a market capitalization of $1.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.12 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 3.43 and a quick ratio of 4.05. Get Excelerate Energy alerts: Excelerate Energy Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be paid a $0.025 dividend. This represents a $0.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.64%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 12th. Excelerate Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 9.71%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have issued reports on the company. Raymond James dropped their price objective on Excelerate Energy from $26.00 to $24.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 19th. Northland Securities started coverage on shares of Excelerate Energy in a research report on Monday, February 26th. They issued an outperform rating and a $23.00 price objective on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of Excelerate Energy from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $20.00 to $18.00 in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Excelerate Energy from $30.00 to $19.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 13th. Finally, Capital One Financial began coverage on Excelerate Energy in a report on Friday, November 17th. They set an overweight rating and a $24.00 price objective for the company. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Excelerate Energy presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $24.00. Get Our Latest Analysis on Excelerate Energy Institutional Trading of Excelerate Energy Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Excelerate Energy during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,239,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its holdings in Excelerate Energy by 32.1% during the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 21,551 shares of the companys stock worth $367,000 after buying an additional 5,240 shares during the last quarter. MQS Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Excelerate Energy during the third quarter valued at about $193,000. Swiss National Bank grew its holdings in shares of Excelerate Energy by 2.0% during the third quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 40,400 shares of the companys stock valued at $688,000 after buying an additional 800 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Corton Capital Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Excelerate Energy in the 3rd quarter worth about $275,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 21.78% of the companys stock. Excelerate Energy Company Profile (Get Free Report) Excelerate Energy, Inc provides flexible liquefied natural gas (LNG) solutions worldwide. The company offers regasification services, including floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), infrastructure development, and LNG and natural gas supply, procurement, and distribution services; LNG terminal services; natural gas supply to-power projects; and a suite of smaller-scale gas distribution solutions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Excelerate Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Excelerate Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. George Weston (TSE:WN Free Report) had its price objective upped by BMO Capital Markets from C$172.00 to C$185.00 in a research note released on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Several other research firms have also issued reports on WN. TD Securities increased their target price on George Weston from C$205.00 to C$215.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 26th. Scotiabank reduced their target price on George Weston from C$184.00 to C$179.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Desjardins raised George Weston from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the stock from C$177.00 to C$187.00 in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on George Weston from C$216.00 to C$218.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, CIBC increased their target price on George Weston from C$213.00 to C$222.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, George Weston currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of C$201.00. Get George Weston alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on WN George Weston Stock Up 0.7 % George Weston Dividend Announcement WN opened at C$179.03 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 152.99. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is C$170.81 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$160.61. George Weston has a 1-year low of C$144.41 and a 1-year high of C$184.42. The stock has a market cap of C$24.25 billion, a PE ratio of 17.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.37. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $0.713 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $2.85 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.59%. George Westons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 27.32%. Insider Transactions at George Weston In other George Weston news, Director William Downe bought 8,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 14th. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$159.28 per share, with a total value of C$1,274,240.00. In other George Weston news, Director Willard Galen Garfield Weston sold 79,200 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$144.88, for a total value of C$11,474,503.92. Also, Director William Downe acquired 8,000 shares of George Weston stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of C$159.28 per share, with a total value of C$1,274,240.00. Insiders purchased 8,500 shares of company stock worth $1,284,263 over the last ninety days. 58.47% of the stock is owned by insiders. George Weston Company Profile (Get Free Report) George Weston Limited provides food and drug retailing, and financial services in Canada and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) and Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (Choice Properties). The Loblaw segment provides grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, and financial services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for George Weston Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for George Weston and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Gerdau S.A. (NYSE:GGB Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, February 22nd, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 5th will be paid a dividend of 0.0202 per share by the basic materials company on Tuesday, March 19th. This represents a $0.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.80%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 4th. Gerdau has increased its dividend payment by an average of 0.1% annually over the last three years. Gerdau has a dividend payout ratio of 66.7% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities research analysts expect Gerdau to earn $0.50 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.38 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 76.0%. Get Gerdau alerts: Gerdau Trading Up 4.1 % Shares of Gerdau stock opened at $4.49 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $4.42 and a 200 day simple moving average of $4.64. Gerdau has a 12-month low of $4.11 and a 12-month high of $6.16. The company has a market capitalization of $7.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.62 and a beta of 1.73. The company has a current ratio of 2.93, a quick ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Gerdau during the 2nd quarter worth $92,000. Two Sigma Securities LLC grew its stake in shares of Gerdau by 23.4% during the 2nd quarter. Two Sigma Securities LLC now owns 17,500 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $91,000 after acquiring an additional 3,320 shares during the period. AlphaQ Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Gerdau during the 4th quarter worth $89,000. Centiva Capital LP bought a new position in shares of Gerdau during the 2nd quarter worth $85,000. Finally, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Gerdau during the 1st quarter worth $69,000. Institutional investors own 2.64% of the companys stock. Separately, Bank of America downgraded Gerdau from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $5.60 to $5.10 in a research note on Monday, November 20th. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Gerdau About Gerdau (Get Free Report) Gerdau SA, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a steel producer company. It operates through Brazil Business, North America Business, South America Business, and Special Steel Business divisions. The company provides semi-finished products, including billets, blooms, and slabs; common long rolled products, such as rebars, wire rods, merchant bars, light shapes, and profiles to the construction and manufacturing industries; drawn products comprising barbed and barbless fence wires, galvanized wires, fences, concrete reinforcing wire mesh, nails, and clamps for manufacturing, construction, and agricultural industries; and special steel products used in auto parts, light and heavy vehicles, and agricultural machinery, as well as in the oil and gas, wind energy, machinery and equipment, mining and rail, and other markets. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Gerdau Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Gerdau and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Gotham Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Owens Corning (NYSE:OC Free Report) by 14.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 37,295 shares of the construction companys stock after buying an additional 4,813 shares during the period. Gotham Asset Management LLCs holdings in Owens Corning were worth $5,087,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Owens Corning during the second quarter worth about $911,000. Financial Management Professionals Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Owens Corning during the third quarter worth about $29,000. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of Owens Corning during the second quarter worth about $31,000. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Owens Corning by 78.1% during the second quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 244 shares of the construction companys stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the period. Finally, BluePath Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Owens Corning during the third quarter worth about $36,000. 90.22% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Owens Corning alerts: Insider Activity at Owens Corning In related news, CEO Brian Chambers sold 9,100 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total value of $1,397,487.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 269,696 shares in the company, valued at $41,417,214.72. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CEO Brian Chambers sold 9,100 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total value of $1,397,487.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 269,696 shares in the company, valued at $41,417,214.72. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Gunner Smith sold 657 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.36, for a total transaction of $100,757.52. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 37,587 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,764,342.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 17,907 shares of company stock valued at $2,715,869 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.89% of the companys stock. Owens Corning Price Performance Shares of OC opened at $151.74 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $13.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.41 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a quick ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $149.04 and a 200 day moving average of $139.31. Owens Corning has a twelve month low of $88.86 and a twelve month high of $160.18. Owens Corning (NYSE:OC Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The construction company reported $3.21 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.82 by $0.39. The company had revenue of $2.30 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.25 billion. Owens Corning had a net margin of 12.36% and a return on equity of 25.88%. The firms quarterly revenue was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.49 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Owens Corning will post 14.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Owens Corning Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 4th. Investors of record on Monday, March 4th will be given a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.58%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 1st. Owens Cornings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 18.29%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have commented on OC shares. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of Owens Corning from $175.00 to $169.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Owens Corning from $164.00 to $163.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on shares of Owens Corning from $130.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on shares of Owens Corning from $183.00 to $175.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, Barclays lowered shares of Owens Corning from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $170.00 to $160.00 in a report on Monday, February 12th. Eight 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 company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Owens Corning currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $157.43. View Our Latest Report on OC About Owens Corning (Free Report) Owens Corning manufactures and sells building and construction materials in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates in three segments: Roofing, Insulation, and Composites. The Roofing segment manufactures and sells laminate and strip asphalt roofing shingles, oxidized asphalt materials, and roofing components used in residential and commercial construction, and specialty applications. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Owens Corning Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Owens Corning and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. cut its stake in Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX Free Report) by 61.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 6,873 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 10,732 shares during the quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Phillips 66 were worth $826,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Phillips 66 by 100,843.8% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 9,979,304 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,038,646,000 after acquiring an additional 9,969,418 shares during the period. Barclays PLC boosted its stake in shares of Phillips 66 by 416.9% in the second quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 7,451,470 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $710,721,000 after purchasing an additional 6,009,826 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Phillips 66 during the 4th quarter valued at $364,237,000. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in Phillips 66 by 62.1% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 7,188,087 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $620,979,000 after buying an additional 2,753,700 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in Phillips 66 by 16.2% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 6,961,625 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $724,566,000 after buying an additional 968,055 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.83% of the companys stock. Get Phillips 66 alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on PSX. Barclays lifted their target price on Phillips 66 from $132.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Phillips 66 in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. They set a buy rating for the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Phillips 66 from $151.00 to $163.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Raymond James increased their price objective on shares of Phillips 66 from $140.00 to $155.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of Phillips 66 from $134.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $138.21. Insider Activity In other news, VP Joseph Scott Pruitt sold 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.23, for a total transaction of $133,230.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 6,593 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $878,385.39. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, VP Joseph Scott Pruitt sold 1,000 shares of Phillips 66 stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.23, for a total value of $133,230.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 6,593 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $878,385.39. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Robert W. Pease purchased 682 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $146.58 per share, for a total transaction of $99,967.56. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 1,900 shares of the companys stock, valued at $278,502. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 31,887 shares of company stock worth $4,543,437. Corporate insiders own 4.57% of the companys stock. Phillips 66 Stock Up 1.2 % PSX stock opened at $144.20 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. Phillips 66 has a fifty-two week low of $89.74 and a fifty-two week high of $150.08. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $138.83 and its 200 day simple moving average is $125.37. The stock has a market cap of $61.69 billion, a PE ratio of 9.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.36. Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The oil and gas company reported $3.09 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.37 by $0.72. Phillips 66 had a net margin of 4.68% and a return on equity of 22.10%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Phillips 66 will post 13.06 EPS for the current year. Phillips 66 Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th were issued a $1.05 dividend. This represents a $4.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.91%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 16th. Phillips 66s payout ratio is 27.15%. Phillips 66 Company Profile (Free Report) Phillips 66 operates as an energy manufacturing and logistics company in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties (M&S). The Midstream segment transports crude oil and other feedstocks; delivers refined petroleum products to market; provides terminaling and storage services for crude oil and refined petroleum products; transports, stores, fractionates, exports, and markets natural gas liquids; provides other fee-based processing services; and gathers, processes, transports, and markets natural gas. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PSX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Phillips 66 Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Phillips 66 and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. After the loss of the second A-50 long-range radar detection and control aircraft, Russia has probably stopped flying them. This will continue until internal terrorist investigations reveal the reasons that led to the ineffectiveness of the protection of these aircraft, as well as ways to reduce the threat posed by Ukrainian air defense. ADVERTISIMENT This is stated in the British intelligence report. As noted, the Russian army will look for ways to compensate for the loss of the A-50, possibly by modernizing other aircraft or returning previously mothballed aircraft to service. "The loss of this capability, which ensures the daily command and control of Russian air operations, is very likely to significantly degrade the situational awareness of aircrews. This is a gap in capabilities that Russia cannot afford over the disputed airspace of eastern and southern Ukraine," the report says. The intelligence emphasizes that this capability gap is unacceptable for Russia. "It is likely that Russia will have to explore options for bridging this gap, including repurposing aircraft and taking greater risks to provide the effective air support that its ground forces need but are likely not receiving," the Defense Ministry said. ADVERTISIMENT It is also noted that with the resumption of A-50 operations, aircraft and crew fatigue will almost inevitably increase, and the fleet will become even more stretched. "It is quite realistic that Russia may try to return previously mothballed A-50 aircraft to service to mitigate this problem," British intelligence believes. Earlier, the spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yurii Ihnat, said that the Russian occupation forces had reduced the intensity of the use of A-50 long-range radar detection and control aircraft. The enemy has drawn the appropriate conclusions after losing two such aircraft over the past two months. As reported by OBOZ.UA, before the start of the full-scale war, the Russian Federation had only nine reconnaissance aircraft: three A-50s and six A-50Us. The occupiers use them as correctors during massive shelling of Ukraine, and one such aircraft costs at least $330 million. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Insigneo Advisory Services LLC decreased its stake in Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 63.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 30,314 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 53,517 shares during the quarter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Bank of America were worth $830,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Buckingham Strategic Partners boosted its position in Bank of America by 23.7% during the 2nd quarter. Buckingham Strategic Partners now owns 54,963 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,577,000 after acquiring an additional 10,535 shares during the period. Goodman Advisory Group LLC boosted its position in Bank of America by 104,312.4% during the 2nd quarter. Goodman Advisory Group LLC now owns 194,207 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $5,572,000 after acquiring an additional 194,021 shares during the period. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in Bank of America by 8.2% during the 3rd quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC now owns 55,348 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,515,000 after acquiring an additional 4,187 shares during the period. Eastern Bank boosted its position in 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 during the period. Finally, Virginia Retirement Systems ET AL acquired a new stake in Bank of America during the 2nd quarter worth about $6,317,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.06% of the companys stock. Get Bank of America alerts: Bank of America Stock Performance Shares of NYSE BAC opened at $34.35 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $270.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. Bank of America Co. has a 12 month low of $24.96 and a 12 month high of $35.10. The businesss 50 day moving average is $33.48 and its two-hundred day moving average is $30.37. Bank of America Dividend Announcement Bank of America ( NYSE:BAC Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 12th. The financial services provider reported $0.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $23.70 billion. Bank of America had a return on equity of 11.38% and a net margin of 15.42%. Bank of Americas quarterly revenue was down 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.85 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Bank of America Co. will post 3.14 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be given a dividend of $0.24 per share. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.79%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 29th. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio is presently 31.27%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth BAC has been the subject of a number of research reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded Bank of America from an underperform rating to a market perform rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $29.00 to $30.00 in a research report on Monday, November 6th. Odeon Capital Group lowered Bank of America from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $33.90 price target for the company. in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Morgan Stanley upgraded Bank of America from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and lifted their price target for the company from $32.00 to $41.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. Oppenheimer lifted 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. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Bank of America has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $35.53. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Bank of America Insider Activity In related news, major shareholder Of America Corp /De/ Bank purchased 5,398 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $10.56 per share, with a total value of $57,002.88. Following the purchase, the insider now directly owns 5,398 shares in the company, valued at $57,002.88. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Bank of America Profile (Free Report) Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. It operates in four segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management (GWIM), Global Banking, and Global Markets. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BAC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lazard Asset Management LLC lessened its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 3.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 325,966 shares of the companys stock after selling 10,389 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $175,085,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of LLY. Hodges Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the third quarter worth about $4,078,000. Logan Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 0.9% in the third quarter. Logan Capital Management Inc. now owns 35,290 shares of the companys stock valued at $18,955,000 after purchasing an additional 302 shares in the last quarter. First Business Financial Services Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 7.5% in the third quarter. First Business Financial Services Inc. now owns 6,467 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,474,000 after purchasing an additional 451 shares in the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 3.1% in the third quarter. United Services Automobile Association now owns 102,934 shares of the companys stock valued at $55,289,000 after purchasing an additional 3,094 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Waverly Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 43.3% in the third quarter. Waverly Advisors LLC now owns 11,084 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,953,000 after purchasing an additional 3,348 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.38% of the companys stock. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Insider Activity at Eli Lilly and Company In related news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 14,388 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $630.28, for a total transaction 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 SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders have sold a total of 195,055 shares of company stock worth $125,254,657 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock. Eli Lilly and Company Stock Up 3.8 % LLY opened at $782.42 on Friday. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12 month low of $309.32 and a 12 month high of $794.47. The company has a market cap of $743.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 134.90, a P/E/G ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $673.92 and its 200-day moving average price is $609.71. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last announced 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. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 51.22% and a net margin of 15.36%. The company had revenue of $9.35 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.95 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.09 EPS. Eli Lilly and Companys revenue was up 28.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.48 EPS for the current year. Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 15th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.66%. 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 currently 89.66%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages recently commented on LLY. DZ Bank downgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $820.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $815.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. Bank of America increased their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $800.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $710.00 to $865.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed an overweight rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $677.62. Get Our Latest Analysis on LLY 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. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lazard Asset Management LLC reduced its stake in KB Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:KB Free Report) by 43.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,670,633 shares of the banks stock after selling 1,289,319 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC owned 0.41% of KB Financial Group worth $68,678,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. CWA Asset Management Group LLC bought a new position in shares of KB Financial Group in the 3rd quarter worth $2,770,000. Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank acquired a new stake in KB Financial Group during the 3rd quarter worth $236,000. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC raised its stake in KB Financial Group by 56.3% during the 3rd quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 110,678 shares of the banks stock worth $4,550,000 after buying an additional 39,854 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors L.P. raised its stake in KB Financial Group by 7.9% during the 3rd quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 56,056 shares of the banks stock worth $2,304,000 after buying an additional 4,124 shares during the period. Finally, Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. raised its stake in KB Financial Group by 8.4% during the 3rd quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 403,021 shares of the banks stock worth $16,568,000 after buying an additional 31,281 shares during the period. 6.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get KB Financial Group alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, StockNews.com raised KB Financial Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 20th. KB Financial Group Stock Performance KB opened at $47.45 on Friday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $43.66 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $41.61. KB Financial Group Inc. has a 1 year low of $35.20 and a 1 year high of $51.88. The company has a market capitalization of $19.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.28, a P/E/G ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36, a current ratio of 1.69 and a quick ratio of 1.69. About KB Financial Group (Free Report) KB Financial Group Inc provides a range of banking and related financial services to consumers and corporations in South Korea and internationally. The company operates through seven segments: Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Other Banking, Credit Card, Securities, Life Insurance, and Non-Life Insurance. See Also Receive News & Ratings for KB Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KB Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC Get Free Report) shares traded up 11.8% on Thursday . The company traded as high as $5.34 and last traded at $5.32. 1,447,134 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 42% from the average session volume of 2,478,259 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.76. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. National Bank Financial started coverage on Lithium Americas in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. They set an outperform rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Lithium Americas from $7.00 to $5.50 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $17.13. Get Lithium Americas alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Lithium Americas Lithium Americas Price Performance Institutional Inflows and Outflows The companys 50-day simple moving average is $5.05 and its 200-day simple moving average is $9.22. Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in LAC. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund grew its position in Lithium Americas by 10.0% during the 3rd quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 105,027 shares of the companys stock worth $1,787,000 after purchasing an additional 9,575 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC grew its position in Lithium Americas by 8.5% during the 3rd quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 42,287 shares of the companys stock worth $718,000 after purchasing an additional 3,321 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. grew its position in Lithium Americas by 28.4% during the 3rd quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 203,969 shares of the companys stock worth $3,470,000 after purchasing an additional 45,155 shares in the last quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp grew its position in Lithium Americas by 20.8% during the 2nd quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 69,132 shares of the companys stock worth $1,399,000 after purchasing an additional 11,887 shares in the last quarter. Finally, D.A. Davidson & CO. grew its position in Lithium Americas by 59.2% during the 3rd quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 25,865 shares of the companys stock worth $440,000 after purchasing an additional 9,615 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 27.28% of the companys stock. About Lithium Americas (Get Free Report) Lithium Americas Corp. engages in the exploration and development of lithium properties in the United States and Canada. It holds a 100% interest in the Thacker Pass project located in northern Nevada, as well as investments in exploration properties in the United States and Canada. The company was incorporated in 2023 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Lithium Americas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lithium Americas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Loop Capital began coverage on shares of Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL Free Report) in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $125.00 target price on the technology companys stock. A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on DELL. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Dell Technologies from $78.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. Raymond James raised their price objective on Dell Technologies from $68.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. Evercore ISI raised their target price on Dell Technologies from $85.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Dell Technologies from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. Finally, TD Cowen raised their target price on Dell Technologies from $58.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Dell Technologies presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $100.19. Get Dell Technologies alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Dell Technologies Dell Technologies Trading Up 31.5 % NYSE DELL opened at $124.51 on Wednesday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $83.24 and its 200 day moving average price is $73.40. Dell Technologies has a twelve month low of $35.96 and a twelve month high of $131.06. The company has a market capitalization of $88.60 billion, a PE ratio of 34.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.90. Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 29th. The technology company reported $2.20 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.73 by $0.47. The company had revenue of $22.32 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.17 billion. Dell Technologies had a negative return on equity of 150.29% and a net margin of 2.92%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.55 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Dell Technologies will post 5.66 EPS for the current year. Dell Technologies Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 23rd were paid a dividend of $0.37 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, January 22nd. This represents a $1.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.19%. Dell Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 40.88%. Insider Transactions at Dell Technologies In other news, Director Iv (Gp) L.L.C. Slta sold 3,179,972 shares of Dell Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $78.81, for a total value of $250,613,593.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 293,812 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,155,323.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 48.60% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in DELL. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its position in Dell Technologies by 17.7% during the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 14,076 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $706,000 after purchasing an additional 2,117 shares during the period. D.A. Davidson & CO. acquired a new position in Dell Technologies during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $304,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Dell Technologies during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $568,000. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its position in Dell Technologies by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 254,266 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $12,762,000 after purchasing an additional 4,949 shares during the period. Finally, Yousif Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Dell Technologies by 5.2% during the 1st quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 6,090 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $306,000 after purchasing an additional 302 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 38.10% of the companys stock. Dell Technologies Company Profile (Get Free Report) Dell Technologies Inc designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports various comprehensive and integrated solutions, products, and services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) and Client Solutions Group (CSG). Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Dell Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dell Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Natixis Advisors L.P. bought a new stake in shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 137,768 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $6,333,000. Natixis Advisors L.P. owned approximately 0.13% of Western Alliance Bancorporation at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of WAL. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC boosted its stake in shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation by 5.2% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 4,984 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $413,000 after purchasing an additional 247 shares in the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new stake in shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation during the 1st quarter valued at about $504,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation during the 1st quarter valued at about $374,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,071,776 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $88,776,000 after acquiring an additional 4,468 shares during the period. Finally, Sei Investments Co. lifted its position in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 13.8% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 126,197 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $10,440,000 after acquiring an additional 15,297 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 72.04% of the companys stock. Get Western Alliance Bancorporation alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In WAL has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $76.00 to $82.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $74.00 to $78.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an equal weight rating and set a $72.00 price target (up from $62.00) on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. Truist Financial lifted their price target on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $60.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 15th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $60.56. Insider Activity at Western Alliance Bancorporation In other Western Alliance Bancorporation news, Director Robert P. Latta sold 5,370 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $56.07, for a total value of $301,095.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 2,996 shares in the company, valued at $167,985.72. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 1.51% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Western Alliance Bancorporation Stock Performance Shares of NYSE WAL opened at $56.40 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $62.46 and a 200 day moving average of $53.59. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.62 and a beta of 1.46. Western Alliance Bancorporation has a 12-month low of $7.46 and a 12-month high of $76.90. Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, January 26th. The financial services provider reported $1.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.93 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $1.13 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $705.97 million. Western Alliance Bancorporation had a net margin of 16.74% and a return on equity of 16.33%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.67 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that Western Alliance Bancorporation will post 7.94 earnings per share for the current year. Western Alliance Bancorporation Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 1st. Investors of record on Friday, February 16th were given a dividend of $0.37 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.62%. Western Alliance Bancorporations dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 22.63%. Western Alliance Bancorporation Profile (Free Report) Western Alliance Bancorporation operates as the bank holding company for Western Alliance Bank that provides various banking products and related services primarily in Arizona, California, and Nevada. It operates through Commercial and Consumer Related segments. The company offers deposit products, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as fixed-rate and fixed maturity certificates of deposit accounts; demand deposits; and treasury management and residential mortgage products and services. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WAL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Western Alliance Bancorporation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Western Alliance Bancorporation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Natixis Advisors L.P. decreased its holdings in shares of Crane (NYSE:CR Free Report) by 32.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 74,146 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 35,368 shares during the quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. owned about 0.13% of Crane worth $6,587,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Money Concepts Capital Corp acquired a new stake in Crane during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. raised its position in shares of Crane by 99.3% during the third quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 287 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 143 shares during the period. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Crane by 768.3% during the second quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 356 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 315 shares during the period. Amundi bought a new position in shares of Crane during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC grew its position in shares of Crane by 100.0% in the 2nd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 542 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 271 shares during the period. 85.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Crane alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth CR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Vertical Research initiated coverage on shares of Crane in a report on Monday, November 20th. They set a hold rating and a $110.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Crane from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Crane from $124.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Crane presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $107.83. Crane Stock Performance Shares of CR stock opened at $122.48 on Friday. Crane has a 12 month low of $67.28 and a 12 month high of $127.83. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $119.14 and its 200-day simple moving average is $103.34. The firm has a market cap of $6.96 billion, a PE ratio of 33.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 1.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. Crane (NYSE:CR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, January 29th. The conglomerate reported $0.90 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.81 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $532.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $519.55 million. Crane had a net margin of 13.10% and a return on equity of 24.45%. Equities research analysts expect that Crane will post 7.87 EPS for the current fiscal year. Crane Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 13th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a dividend of $0.205 per share. This is a positive change from Cranes previous quarterly dividend of $0.18. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $0.82 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.67%. Cranes payout ratio is 22.22%. Crane Profile (Free Report) Crane Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells engineered industrial products in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. The company has three segments: Aerospace & Electronics, Process Flow Technologies, and Engineered Materials. The Aerospace & Electronics segment supplies critical components and systems, including original equipment and aftermarket parts, primarily for the commercial aerospace, and the military aerospace, defense, and space markets. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Crane (NYSE:CR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Crane Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Crane and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nomura Holdings Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 5,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $509,000. Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Syon Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Novartis during the third quarter worth about $6,568,000. Mather Group LLC. grew its holdings in shares of Novartis by 8.1% during the third quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 7,763 shares of the companys stock worth $791,000 after buying an additional 580 shares in the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Novartis by 3.4% during the third quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 4,544 shares of the companys stock worth $437,000 after buying an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Novartis by 11.6% during the third quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 161,871 shares of the companys stock worth $16,488,000 after buying an additional 16,882 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LPL Financial LLC grew its stake in Novartis by 1.4% in the third quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 330,042 shares of the companys stock valued at $33,618,000 after purchasing an additional 4,510 shares in the last quarter. 7.00% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Novartis alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on Novartis in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. They issued an equal weight rating and a $114.00 price target for the company. HSBC downgraded Novartis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, December 18th. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on Novartis in a research note on Friday, February 23rd. They issued a market perform rating and a $114.00 price target for the company. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on Novartis in a research note on Wednesday, December 6th. They issued a strong-buy rating for the company. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $104.33. Novartis Stock Performance NVS opened at $102.07 on Friday. Novartis AG has a 12-month low of $79.98 and a 12-month high of $108.78. The stock has a market cap of $216.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.22, a PEG ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.54. The business has a 50 day moving average of $103.87 and a 200-day moving average of $100.13. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. Novartis (NYSE:NVS Get Free Report) last released 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). Novartis had a net margin of 29.83% and a return on equity of 29.90%. The business had revenue of $11.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.69 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.51 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Novartis AG will post 7.18 earnings per share for the current year. Novartis Increases Dividend The company also recently declared an annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 7th. Investors of record on Friday, March 8th will be issued a dividend of $3.7772 per share. This is a boost from Novartiss previous annual dividend of $3.47. This represents a yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. Novartiss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.62%. About Novartis (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. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Novartis Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novartis and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec grew its holdings in shares of Pinterest, Inc. (NYSE:PINS Free Report) by 15.6% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 892,986 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 120,264 shares during the quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec owned about 0.13% of Pinterest worth $24,137,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Pinterest by 53.1% during the 3rd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 3,138,973 shares of the companys stock worth $84,826,000 after acquiring an additional 1,089,299 shares during the period. Trexquant Investment LP lifted its holdings in shares of Pinterest by 332.7% during the second quarter. Trexquant Investment LP now owns 62,650 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,713,000 after purchasing an additional 48,172 shares during the last quarter. National Bank of Canada FI lifted its holdings in shares of Pinterest by 1,059.5% during the third quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 85,723 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,318,000 after purchasing an additional 78,330 shares during the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pinterest during the second quarter valued at $147,982,000. Finally, Los Angeles Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pinterest during the third quarter valued at $1,387,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.63% of the companys stock. Get Pinterest alerts: Pinterest Price Performance Shares of NYSE PINS opened at $36.37 on Friday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $37.07 and its 200-day simple moving average is $32.16. Pinterest, Inc. has a 52 week low of $20.60 and a 52 week high of $41.60. Insider Activity at Pinterest Pinterest ( NYSE:PINS Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $0.29 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.25 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $981.26 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $988.62 million. Pinterest had a positive return on equity of 3.83% and a negative net margin of 1.17%. Equities analysts forecast that Pinterest, Inc. will post 0.35 earnings per share for the current year. In related news, Director Gokul Rajaram sold 1,934 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.95, for a total transaction of $73,395.30. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 39,382 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,494,546.90. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, Director Jeffrey D. Jordan sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.29, for a total transaction of $725,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 94,215 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,419,062.35. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Gokul Rajaram sold 1,934 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.95, for a total value of $73,395.30. Following the sale, the director now owns 39,382 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,494,546.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 90,737 shares of company stock worth $3,324,983 in the last 90 days. 6.85% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. New Street Research assumed coverage on Pinterest in a report on Monday, November 27th. They set a buy rating and a $48.00 target price for the company. Roth Mkm upped their target price on Pinterest from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on Pinterest in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. They set an outperform rating and a $45.00 price target on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on Pinterest from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their price target on Pinterest from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-one have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $37.52. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on PINS About Pinterest (Free Report) Pinterest, Inc operates as a visual search and discovery platform in the United States and internationally. Its platform allows people to find ideas, such as recipes, home and style inspiration, and others; and to search, save, and shop the ideas. The company was formerly known as Cold Brew Labs Inc and changed its name to Pinterest, Inc in April 2012. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PINS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pinterest, Inc. (NYSE:PINS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Pinterest Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pinterest and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Quadrature Capital Ltd lifted its stake in Generac Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GNRC Free Report) by 558.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 89,092 shares of the technology companys stock after acquiring an additional 75,566 shares during the period. Quadrature Capital Ltds holdings in Generac were worth $9,708,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bartlett & Co. LLC bought a new position in Generac in the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Generac during the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Castleview Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Generac during the 1st quarter worth $30,000. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec purchased a new position in Generac in the first quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Operose Advisors LLC bought a new position in Generac in the third quarter valued at $40,000. 87.59% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Generac alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on GNRC shares. Stifel Nicolaus reiterated a buy rating and issued a $135.00 price objective on shares of Generac in a report on Monday, December 4th. Roth Mkm upped their price target on shares of Generac from $105.00 to $118.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. TD Cowen reduced their price target on Generac from $165.00 to $144.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Guggenheim cut Generac from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, Bank of America raised Generac from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and increased their price objective for the company from $76.00 to $110.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $139.79. Insider Activity at Generac In other news, CEO Aaron Jagdfeld sold 5,000 shares of Generac stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.22, for a total value of $576,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 577,690 shares in the company, valued at $66,561,441.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 2.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Generac Trading Up 1.5 % Shares of NYSE GNRC opened at $114.22 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $6.88 billion, a PE ratio of 34.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 2.27. The firms 50 day moving average price is $119.43 and its 200-day moving average price is $113.39. Generac Holdings Inc. has a 52-week low of $79.86 and a 52-week high of $156.95. Generac (NYSE:GNRC Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The technology company reported $2.07 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.09 by ($0.02). Generac had a net margin of 5.33% and a return on equity of 14.15%. The business had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.09 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.78 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 1.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Generac Holdings Inc. will post 6.45 EPS for the current fiscal year. Generac Company Profile (Free Report) Generac Holdings Inc designs, manufactures, and sells power generation equipment, energy storage systems, energy management devices and solutions, and other power products for the residential, light commercial, and industrial markets worldwide. The company offers residential automatic standby generators, automatic transfer switch, air-cooled engine residential standby generators, and liquid-cooled engine generators; residential storage solution consists of a system of batteries, an inverter, photovoltaic optimizers, power electronic controls, and other components; Mobile Link, a remote monitoring system for home standby generators; smart home solutions, such as smart thermostats and a suite of home monitoring products; smart water heater controllers; residential clean energy solutions; and portable and inverter generators; outdoor power equipment, including trimmers, field and brush mowers, log splitters, stump grinders, chipper shredders, lawn and leaf vacuums, and pressure washers and water pumps; and battery-powered turf care products. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GNRC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Generac Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GNRC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Generac Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Generac and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, announced the replacement of some brigade commanders after visiting military units holding defense in the Avdiivka and Kurakhove directions. ADVERTISIMENT Syrskyi made the statement on his official Telegram channel on Saturday, March 2. He explained that it is the brigade commander who is currently responsible for the unit's ability to hold the line. "I continue to work on the eastern front. Within three days, it became quite clear why, given the same manning levels, weapons and military equipment, some brigades manage to deter enemy attacks and hold their positions, while others do not," the commander-in-chief wrote. Syrskyi added that this primarily depends on the brigade commander, his level of training, experience, ability to make adequate and balanced decisions, and understanding of the full extent of responsibility for the fulfillment of tasks and for the lives and health of his subordinates. ADVERTISIMENT The level of training and coordination of the brigade headquarters, through which the commander exercises his authority, is also of great importance. Therefore, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has sent groups of specialists to certain brigades where there are problems with the preparation of the staff to share their experience and provide assistance, he said in a statement. "As a result of hearing the brigade commanders and their deputies, all necessary decisions to provide reserves, ammunition, UAVs and other equipment were made. In cases when the commander is not aware of the situation and his actions and commands directly threaten the lives and health of his subordinates, I am forced to make personnel changes," Syrskyi said. Zhihu (NYSE:ZH Get Free Report) and Mastercard (NYSE:MA Get Free Report) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, risk, valuation, institutional ownership, profitability and dividends. Risk and Volatility Zhihu has a beta of 0.27, meaning that its stock price is 73% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Mastercard has a beta of 1.08, meaning that its stock price is 8% more volatile than the S&P 500. Get Zhihu alerts: Earnings and Valuation This table compares Zhihu and Mastercards revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Zhihu $522.66 million 0.93 -$229.25 million ($0.20) -3.95 Mastercard $25.10 billion 17.72 $11.20 billion $11.83 40.30 Analyst Recommendations Mastercard has higher revenue and earnings than Zhihu. Zhihu is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Mastercard, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. This is a summary of recent ratings for Zhihu and Mastercard, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Zhihu 0 0 0 0 N/A Mastercard 0 2 19 1 2.95 Mastercard has a consensus price target of $471.85, indicating a potential downside of 1.02%. Given Mastercards higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Mastercard is more favorable than Zhihu. Insider & Institutional Ownership 11.7% of Zhihu shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 74.9% of Mastercard shares are owned by institutional investors. 13.6% of Zhihu shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.1% of Mastercard shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Profitability This table compares Zhihu and Mastercards net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Zhihu -21.89% -16.94% -12.20% Mastercard 44.60% 191.22% 29.00% Summary Mastercard beats Zhihu on 13 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks. About Zhihu (Get Free Report) Zhihu Inc. operates an online content community in the People's Republic of China. Its community allows people to seek inspiration, find solutions, make decisions, and have fun. The company also offers technology, business support, and consulting services; information transmission, software, and information technology services; information and marketing services; vocational training; and internet services, as well as holds audio-visual permit. Zhihu Inc. was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People's Republic of China. About Mastercard (Get 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. It also provides solutions that enable businesses or governments to make payments to businesses, including Virtual Card Number, which is generated dynamically from a physical card and leverages the credit limit of the funding account; a platform to optimize supplier payment enablement campaigns for financial institutions; and treasury intelligence platform that offers corporations with recommendations to enhance working capital performance and accelerate spend on cards. In addition, the company offers Mastercard Send, which partners with digital messaging and payment platforms to enable consumers to send money directly within applications to other consumers; and Mastercard Cross-Border Services enables a range of payment flows through a distribution network with a single point of access to send and receive money globally through various channels, including bank accounts, mobile wallets, cards, and cash payouts. Further, it provides cyber and intelligence solutions; insights and analytics, consulting, marketing, loyalty, processing, and payment gateway solutions for e-commerce merchants; and open banking and digital identity services. The company offers payment solutions and services under the MasterCard, Maestro, and Cirrus name. Mastercard Incorporated was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York. Receive News & Ratings for Zhihu Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Zhihu and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stansberry Asset Management LLC grew its position in Seabridge Gold Inc. (NYSE:SA Free Report) (TSE:SEA) by 43.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,809 shares of the basic materials companys stock after purchasing an additional 6,608 shares during the quarter. Stansberry Asset Management LLCs holdings in Seabridge Gold were worth $230,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised its holdings in shares of Seabridge Gold by 14.4% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 6,744 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $125,000 after purchasing an additional 849 shares in the last quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Seabridge Gold by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC now owns 149,733 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $1,804,000 after purchasing an additional 936 shares in the last quarter. Credit Suisse AG raised its holdings in shares of Seabridge Gold by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter. Credit Suisse AG now owns 49,310 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $585,000 after purchasing an additional 936 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc raised its holdings in shares of Seabridge Gold by 10.3% in the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 10,565 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $131,000 after purchasing an additional 986 shares in the last quarter. Finally, IHT Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Seabridge Gold by 5.5% in the 2nd quarter. IHT Wealth Management LLC now owns 19,100 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $230,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. 34.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Seabridge Gold alerts: Seabridge Gold Price Performance Shares of NYSE:SA opened at $11.72 on Friday. The companys fifty day moving average price is $11.09 and its 200 day moving average price is $11.28. Seabridge Gold Inc. has a 12 month low of $9.31 and a 12 month high of $16.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 2.25 and a quick ratio of 2.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.01 billion, a P/E ratio of -39.10 and a beta of 1.07. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Seabridge Gold to a sell rating in a research note on Monday, January 15th. View Our Latest Research Report on Seabridge Gold Seabridge Gold Company Profile (Free Report) Seabridge Gold Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition and exploration of gold properties in North America. The company also explores for gold, copper, silver, and molybdenum deposits. Its principal projects are the Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell property and Iskut project located in British Columbia, Canada; Courageous Lake property situated in Northwest Territories, Canada; Snowstorm project situated in the Nevada; and 3 Aces project located in the Yukon Territory. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Seabridge Gold Inc. (NYSE:SA Free Report) (TSE:SEA). Receive News & Ratings for Seabridge Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Seabridge Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Synovus Financial Corp trimmed its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG Free Report) by 11.4% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 8,647 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,108 shares during the period. Synovus Financial Corps holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $746,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Valley National Advisers Inc. grew its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 84.5% in the third quarter. Valley National Advisers Inc. now owns 2,253 shares of the companys stock valued at $194,000 after acquiring an additional 1,032 shares during the period. W Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 3.3% during the third quarter. W Advisors LLC now owns 45,389 shares of the companys stock worth $3,917,000 after purchasing an additional 1,445 shares during the last quarter. Mather Group LLC. grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 80.0% during the third quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 10,351 shares of the companys stock worth $893,000 after purchasing an additional 4,602 shares during the last quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 15.5% during the third quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 4,980 shares of the companys stock worth $430,000 after purchasing an additional 669 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mcmorgan & Co. LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 2.2% during the third quarter. Mcmorgan & Co. LLC now owns 411,931 shares of the companys stock worth $35,550,000 after purchasing an additional 8,880 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Stock Performance Shares of EFG stock opened at $102.74 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $97.57 and its 200-day moving average is $92.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.77 billion, a PE ratio of 18.69 and a beta of 0.89. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a 52 week low of $67.58 and a 52 week high of $85.81. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Profile iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Toronto Dominion Bank grew its holdings in shares of AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB Free Report) by 16.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 88,014 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 12,670 shares during the quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank owned 0.06% of AvalonBay Communities worth $15,116,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. acquired a new position in shares of AvalonBay Communities during the third quarter worth about $26,000. Quarry LP boosted its holdings in AvalonBay Communities by 255.6% in the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 192 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares during the period. Castleview Partners LLC grew its position in AvalonBay Communities by 1,542.9% in the third quarter. Castleview Partners LLC now owns 230 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 216 shares in the last quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. raised its stake in shares of AvalonBay Communities by 316.7% during the third quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 225 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 171 shares during the period. Finally, Lindbrook Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of AvalonBay Communities by 53.7% during the third quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 312 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.71% of the companys stock. Get AvalonBay Communities alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. KeyCorp reissued a sector weight rating on shares of AvalonBay Communities in a research report on Friday, January 5th. Mizuho cut their target price on AvalonBay Communities from $188.00 to $185.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a neutral rating and set a $191.00 price target on shares of AvalonBay Communities in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. Wolfe Research downgraded shares of AvalonBay Communities from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. Finally, Truist Financial downgraded shares of AvalonBay Communities from a buy rating to a hold rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $202.00 to $203.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, AvalonBay Communities presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $196.34. AvalonBay Communities Price Performance Shares of NYSE:AVB opened at $178.14 on Friday. The firms 50 day moving average is $179.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $177.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $25.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.20, a PEG ratio of 3.29 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.44, a quick ratio of 1.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. AvalonBay Communities, Inc. has a 52 week low of $153.07 and a 52 week high of $198.65. AvalonBay Communities (NYSE:AVB Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.73 by ($1.03). The business had revenue of $704.71 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $701.67 million. AvalonBay Communities had a net margin of 33.56% and a return on equity of 7.98%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.59 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that AvalonBay Communities, Inc. will post 10.86 earnings per share for the current year. AvalonBay Communities Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 28th will be paid a dividend of $1.70 per share. This is a boost from AvalonBay Communitiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.65. This represents a $6.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.82%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. AvalonBay Communitiess payout ratio is currently 100.76%. AvalonBay Communities Company Profile (Free Report) As of December 31, 2023, the Company owned or held a direct or indirect ownership interest in 299 apartment communities containing 90,669 apartment homes in 12 states and the District of Columbia, of which 18 communities were under development. The Company is an equity REIT in the business of developing, redeveloping, acquiring and managing apartment communities in leading metropolitan areas in New England, the New York/New Jersey Metro area, the Mid-Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest, and Northern and Southern California, as well as in the Company's expansion regions of Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte, North Carolina, Southeast Florida, Dallas and Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colorado. See Also Receive News & Ratings for AvalonBay Communities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AvalonBay Communities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Toronto Dominion Bank lowered its holdings in shares of Edison International (NYSE:EIX Free Report) by 13.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 250,084 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 37,784 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Banks holdings in Edison International were worth $15,828,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in Edison International by 12.6% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,234,491 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $86,534,000 after acquiring an additional 137,840 shares during the period. Aviva PLC raised its stake in shares of Edison International by 21.5% during the first quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 151,158 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $10,596,000 after purchasing an additional 26,797 shares during the last quarter. Prudential PLC acquired a new stake in shares of Edison International during the first quarter worth $688,000. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its position in Edison International by 30.5% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 6,916 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $485,000 after buying an additional 1,617 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Edison International by 1.7% in 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 period. 88.17% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Edison International alerts: Edison International Stock Down 2.2 % Shares of NYSE EIX opened at $66.55 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.73. The firms 50-day moving average is $68.47 and its two-hundred day moving average is $67.24. Edison International has a 12-month low of $58.82 and a 12-month high of $74.92. The company has a market capitalization of $25.59 billion, a PE ratio of 21.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 0.96. Edison International Dividend Announcement Edison International ( NYSE:EIX Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The utilities provider reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.16 by $0.12. Edison International had a return on equity of 12.63% and a net margin of 8.35%. The firm had revenue of $3.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.19 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.14 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Edison International will post 4.99 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 28th will be paid a $0.78 dividend. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.69%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. Edison Internationals payout ratio is 100.00%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on EIX shares. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Edison International from $69.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, February 26th. TheStreet downgraded Edison International from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Thursday, February 22nd. Guggenheim upgraded Edison International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $66.00 to $84.00 in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. Mizuho cut their price objective on Edison International from $76.00 to $75.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Edison International from $52.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Edison International has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $73.60. Read Our Latest Report on EIX Edison International Company Profile (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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EIX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Edison International (NYSE:EIX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Edison International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edison International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Toronto Dominion Bank cut its stake in ResMed Inc. (NYSE:RMD Free Report) by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 76,888 shares of the medical equipment providers stock after selling 2,728 shares during the quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank owned about 0.05% of ResMed worth $11,369,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in RMD. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina boosted its position in shares of ResMed by 0.4% during the third quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 65,648 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $9,707,000 after purchasing an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Trexquant Investment LP boosted its holdings in shares of ResMed by 46.3% during the 3rd quarter. Trexquant Investment LP now owns 65,127 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $9,630,000 after buying an additional 20,608 shares in the last quarter. Numerai GP LLC bought a new stake in shares of ResMed during the 3rd quarter valued at $4,593,000. Operose Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ResMed in the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, Nicholas Company Inc. increased its stake in shares of ResMed by 16.9% in the 3rd quarter. Nicholas Company Inc. now owns 78,645 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $11,629,000 after acquiring an additional 11,385 shares in the last quarter. 63.79% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get ResMed alerts: ResMed Stock Up 0.5 % RMD opened at $174.61 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.86, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.66. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $178.83 and a 200-day moving average price of $161.99. ResMed Inc. has a twelve month low of $132.24 and a twelve month high of $243.52. The company has a quick ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 3.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. ResMed Dividend Announcement ResMed ( NYSE:RMD Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The medical equipment provider reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.81 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $1.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.15 billion. ResMed had a net margin of 19.77% and a return on equity of 23.86%. The firms revenue was up 12.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.66 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that ResMed Inc. will post 7.45 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 14th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 8th will be given a dividend of $0.48 per share. This represents a $1.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.10%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 7th. ResMeds dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.74%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of ResMed from $175.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on ResMed from $181.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Oppenheimer increased their target price on ResMed from $185.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. KeyCorp assumed coverage on ResMed in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. They issued an overweight rating and a $227.00 price target for the company. Finally, Needham & Company LLC increased their price objective on shares of ResMed from $180.00 to $215.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $196.30. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on RMD Insider Buying and Selling at ResMed In other ResMed news, Director Peter C. Farrell sold 10,935 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.66, for a total transaction of $1,997,387.10. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 157,404 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,751,414.64. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 1.21% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. ResMed Company Profile (Free Report) ResMed Inc develops, manufactures, distributes, and markets medical devices and cloud-based software applications for the healthcare markets. It operates in two segments, Sleep and Respiratory Care, and Software as a Service. It offers various products and solutions for a range of respiratory disorders, including technologies to be applied in medical and consumer products, ventilation devices, diagnostic products, mask systems for use in the hospital and home, headgear and other accessories, dental devices, and cloud-based software informatics solutions to manage patient outcomes, as well as provides customer and business processes. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RMD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ResMed Inc. (NYSE:RMD Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for ResMed Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ResMed and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its position in BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BJ Free Report) by 205.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 21,765 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 14,651 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRCs holdings in BJs Wholesale Club were worth $1,553,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in BJ. Cibc World Market Inc. bought a new position in BJs Wholesale Club in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,063,000. Jump Financial LLC bought a new position in BJs Wholesale Club in the 3rd quarter valued at about $685,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in BJs Wholesale Club by 46.2% in the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 558,667 shares of the companys stock valued at $39,872,000 after acquiring an additional 176,494 shares in the last quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA lifted its position in shares of BJs Wholesale Club by 7.8% during the 3rd quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA now owns 879,300 shares of the companys stock worth $62,756,000 after buying an additional 63,300 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. lifted its position in shares of BJs Wholesale Club by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 32,172 shares of the companys stock worth $2,027,000 after buying an additional 172 shares in the last quarter. 98.60% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get BJ's Wholesale Club alerts: BJs Wholesale Club Stock Down 2.2 % BJ opened at $71.45 on Friday. BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. has a one year low of $60.33 and a one year high of $78.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.23. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $67.14 and a 200-day moving average price of $67.72. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In BJ has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Roth Mkm reissued a neutral rating and set a $63.00 target price on shares of BJs Wholesale Club in a research report on Monday, November 20th. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of BJs Wholesale Club from $74.00 to $72.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of BJs Wholesale Club from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $79.00 to $71.00 in a research note on Monday, November 6th. Wells Fargo & Company restated 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. Finally, Gordon Haskett lowered shares of BJs Wholesale Club from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $70.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $73.63. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on BJ Insider Transactions at BJs Wholesale Club In other news, SVP Joseph Mcgrail sold 1,000 shares of BJs Wholesale Club stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.87, for a total transaction of $65,870.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 10,464 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $689,263.68. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 2.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. 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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for BJ's Wholesale Club Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BJ's Wholesale Club and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC reduced its stake in Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR Free Report) by 62.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 12,923 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 21,557 shares during the quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRCs holdings in Digital Realty Trust were worth $1,564,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in Digital Realty Trust by 11.8% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 30,815,132 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,508,919,000 after purchasing an additional 3,245,264 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its stake in Digital Realty Trust by 2.3% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 20,596,456 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,345,318,000 after purchasing an additional 464,694 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its stake in Digital Realty Trust by 4.8% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 8,647,509 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,046,522,000 after purchasing an additional 394,682 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 74.2% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 7,324,758 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $834,070,000 after acquiring an additional 3,118,791 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 17.9% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 7,112,088 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $808,046,000 after acquiring an additional 1,079,787 shares in the last quarter. 99.71% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Digital Realty Trust alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research firms have commented on DLR. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $98.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $97.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. Scotiabank downgraded shares of Digital Realty Trust from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $157.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $125.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong 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 $135.93. Digital Realty Trust Stock Performance NYSE:DLR opened at $150.60 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $47.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.54. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $139.29 and its 200 day simple moving average is $131.88. Digital Realty Trust, Inc. has a twelve month low of $86.33 and a twelve month high of $150.66. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92. Digital Realty Trust Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a $1.22 dividend. This represents a $4.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.24%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. Digital Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 164.31%. Digital Realty Trust Profile (Free Report) Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL, the company's global data center platform, provides customers with a secure data meeting place and a proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx) solution methodology for powering innovation and efficiently managing Data Gravity challenges. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Digital Realty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Digital Realty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lowered its holdings in Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL Free Report) by 37.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 22,108 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 13,120 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRCs holdings in Welltower were worth $1,811,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in WELL. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in Welltower by 5.8% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 53,409,103 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,320,262,000 after purchasing an additional 2,929,873 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its stake in Welltower by 4.6% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 32,229,401 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,607,036,000 after acquiring an additional 1,419,482 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors boosted its stake in shares of Welltower by 46.7% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 21,383,365 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,729,700,000 after purchasing an additional 6,808,299 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Welltower during the 4th quarter worth about $1,104,830,000. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Welltower by 25.1% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 12,925,394 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,058,848,000 after purchasing an additional 2,596,718 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.61% of the companys stock. Get Welltower alerts: Welltower Trading Up 0.6 % NYSE:WELL opened at $92.72 on Friday. Welltower Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $65.18 and a fifty-two week high of $94.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 3.22 and a quick ratio of 3.22. The stock has a market capitalization of $52.75 billion, a PE ratio of 144.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 1.08. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $89.92 and its 200-day simple moving average is $86.73. Welltower Dividend Announcement Welltower ( NYSE:WELL Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.94 by ($0.79). Welltower had a net margin of 5.12% and a return on equity of 1.47%. The firm had revenue of $1.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.72 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.83 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 15.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Welltower Inc. will post 4.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 23rd will be given a dividend of $0.61 per share. This represents a $2.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.63%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 22nd. Welltowers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 381.26%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts recently commented on WELL shares. Raymond James upgraded shares of Welltower from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and raised their price target for the company from $95.00 to $101.00 in a report on Thursday, November 9th. Mizuho raised their price target on shares of Welltower from $90.00 to $98.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada downgraded shares of Welltower from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and raised their price target for the stock from $92.00 to $97.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 28th. Evercore ISI raised their price target on shares of Welltower from $86.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Monday, November 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Welltower from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their price target for the stock from $92.00 to $99.00 in a research report on Monday, December 18th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $92.79. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on WELL Welltower Profile (Free Report) Welltower Inc (NYSE:WELL), a REIT and S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. Welltower invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate and infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WELL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Welltower Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Welltower and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Natixis Advisors L.P. boosted its position in shares of Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST Free Report) by 28.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 182,851 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 40,110 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors L.P. owned 0.05% of Vistra worth $6,067,000 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 VST. MetLife Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Vistra during the 1st quarter worth approximately $223,000. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its stake in shares of Vistra by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 458,182 shares of the companys stock valued at $10,653,000 after buying an additional 11,136 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Vistra by 2.3% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 23,939,759 shares of the companys stock valued at $556,597,000 after buying an additional 534,299 shares during the period. Yousif Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vistra by 15.5% during the 1st quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 26,786 shares of the companys stock valued at $623,000 after buying an additional 3,595 shares during the period. Finally, Raymond James Trust N.A. boosted its stake in shares of Vistra by 44.8% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 39,151 shares of the companys stock valued at $910,000 after buying an additional 12,108 shares during the period. 91.31% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Vistra alerts: Vistra Stock Performance NYSE:VST opened at $54.49 on Friday. Vistra Corp. has a 12-month low of $21.18 and a 12-month high of $55.98. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $19.48 billion, a PE ratio of 15.22 and a beta of 1.02. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $42.12 and a 200 day moving average price of $36.52. Vistra Increases Dividend Analysts Set New Price Targets The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.215 per share. This represents a $0.86 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.58%. This is a boost from Vistras previous quarterly dividend of $0.21. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 19th. Vistras dividend payout ratio is currently 23.74%. A number of brokerages have issued reports on VST. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on shares of Vistra from $43.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Vistra from $40.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Vistra Vistra Profile (Free Report) Vistra Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated retail electricity and power generation company. The company operates through six segments: Retail, Texas, East, West, Sunset, and Asset Closure. It retails electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across 20 states in the United States and the District of Columbia. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Vistra Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vistra and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance exploded an ammunition depot of Russian troops in the temporarily occupied Oleshky, Kherson region. A video of the aerial reconnaissance men's precise hit was posted online. ADVERTISIMENT The footage was posted on the Telegram channel of the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine. According to intelligence, Russian troops set up an ammunition depot in an industrial building in the town of Oleshky. Aerial reconnaissance men of the 11th Hrushevskyi Brigade of the Southern Operational and Territorial Association of the National Guard of Ukraine worked on the occupiers. After a precise hit, a fire broke out in the depot. According to various sources, a large-scale fire with ammunition detonation lasted throughout the night until the morning. Earlier it was reported that in the occupied Crimea around 14:30 on Friday, March 1, powerful explosions were heard. An air raid was declared in Sevastopol, Yevpatoriya and Saki, and the occupiers raised a smoke screen over Sevastopol Bay. The Crimean bridge and the Dzhankoy checkpoint were closed. ADVERTISIMENT As OBOZ.UA reported earlier, military expert Vladyslav Selezniov predicted that the occupiers would not restore the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, which was destroyed in a strike in September 2023. The invaders are currently unable to provide reliable protection of this building from Ukrainian attacks. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Waverly Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. (NYSE:MAA Free Report) by 82.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 5,086 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after acquiring an additional 2,298 shares during the period. Waverly Advisors LLCs holdings in Mid-America Apartment Communities were worth $654,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. bought a new position in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities during the third quarter valued at $35,000. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. bought a new position in Mid-America Apartment Communities during the second quarter worth $36,000. Quarry LP raised its stake in Mid-America Apartment Communities by 186.5% during the first quarter. Quarry LP now owns 275 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 179 shares during the last quarter. Hibernia Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Mid-America Apartment Communities during the third quarter worth $46,000. Finally, Lindbrook Capital LLC raised its stake in Mid-America Apartment Communities by 36.1% during the third quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 400 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $51,000 after buying an additional 106 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.42% of the companys stock. Get Mid-America Apartment Communities alerts: Mid-America Apartment Communities Stock Performance Shares of MAA stock opened at $127.64 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $14.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.10, a P/E/G ratio of 3.99 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.09 and a current ratio of 0.09. Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. has a 52 week low of $115.56 and a 52 week high of $161.57. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $130.26 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $130.84. Mid-America Apartment Communities Increases Dividend Mid-America Apartment Communities ( NYSE:MAA Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.37 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.30 by ($0.93). The company had revenue of $542.25 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $542.64 million. Mid-America Apartment Communities had a return on equity of 8.74% and a net margin of 25.73%. The businesss revenue was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.32 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. will post 9 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 12th were given a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 11th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.61%. This is a positive change from Mid-America Apartment Communitiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.40. Mid-America Apartment Communitiess payout ratio is 124.84%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In MAA has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and issued a $136.00 price target on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in a research note on Friday, February 9th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a buy rating and set a $149.00 price objective on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in a report on Thursday, February 22nd. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities from $128.00 to $129.50 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, February 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a hold rating and a $139.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Scotiabank upgraded shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities from a sector underperform rating to a sector perform rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $133.00 to $147.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Mid-America Apartment Communities currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $143.18. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Mid-America Apartment Communities Insider Activity In other news, EVP Melanie Carpenter sold 371 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.33, for a total value of $48,723.43. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 19,067 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,504,069.11. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, CEO H Eric Bolton, Jr. sold 4,028 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.21, for a total value of $524,485.88. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 304,523 shares of the companys stock, valued at $39,651,939.83. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Melanie Carpenter sold 371 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.33, for a total transaction of $48,723.43. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 19,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,504,069.11. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.33% of the companys stock. Mid-America Apartment Communities Profile (Free Report) MAA, an S&P 500 company, is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on delivering full-cycle and superior investment performance for shareholders through the ownership, management, acquisition, development and redevelopment of quality apartment communities primarily in the Southeast, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Mid-America Apartment Communities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mid-America Apartment Communities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Waverly Advisors LLC increased its stake in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 16,071 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 291 shares during the quarter. Waverly Advisors LLCs holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $657,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of WFC. Kathmere Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 19.5% during the third quarter. Kathmere Capital Management LLC now owns 7,248 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $296,000 after purchasing an additional 1,185 shares during the period. Stoneridge Investment Partners LLC boosted its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 410.5% in the third quarter. Stoneridge Investment Partners LLC now owns 67,480 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,757,000 after purchasing an additional 54,262 shares during the last quarter. Caxton Associates LP purchased a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 2nd quarter valued at about $4,967,000. Synovus Financial Corp raised its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 61.7% during the 3rd quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 121,937 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,983,000 after purchasing an additional 46,525 shares during the period. Finally, Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund bought a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $5,143,000. 72.47% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms have recently weighed in on WFC. Odeon Capital Group downgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $48.80 target price on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on 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. Barclays increased their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $54.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. Raymond James raised their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, Robert W. Baird reiterated a neutral rating and set a $55.00 price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Ten research 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 companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $51.43. Wells Fargo & Company Price Performance Shares of NYSE:WFC opened at $55.05 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $49.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $45.04. The stock has a market cap of $196.94 billion, a PE ratio of 11.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 0.88. Wells Fargo & Company has a one year low of $35.25 and a one year high of $55.75. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The financial services provider reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.16 by ($0.30). The firm had revenue of $20.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.30 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 12.40% and a net margin of 16.60%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.67 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Wells Fargo & Company will post 4.72 EPS for the current fiscal year. Wells Fargo & Company Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 2nd were given a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 1st. Wells Fargo & Companys payout ratio is 29.05%. Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile (Free Report) Wells Fargo & Company, a financial services company, provides diversified banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WFC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Waverly Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust (NYSE:SJT Free Report) by 7.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 43,250 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after buying an additional 3,000 shares during the period. Waverly Advisors LLCs holdings in San Juan Basin Royalty Trust were worth $299,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Twin Focus Capital Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 13.0% during the third quarter. Twin Focus Capital Partners LLC now owns 217,124 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $1,505,000 after purchasing an additional 25,000 shares in the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust during the third quarter valued at approximately $70,000. Wealthsource Partners LLC boosted its holdings in San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 0.6% in the third quarter. Wealthsource Partners LLC now owns 507,138 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $3,514,000 after acquiring an additional 2,778 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC bought a new stake in San Juan Basin Royalty Trust in the third quarter worth $76,000. Finally, Meixler Investment Management Ltd. raised its stake in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 7.9% in the third quarter. Meixler Investment Management Ltd. now owns 27,455 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $190,000 after purchasing an additional 2,000 shares during the last quarter. 13.56% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get San Juan Basin Royalty Trust alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, TheStreet cut San Juan Basin Royalty Trust from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Monday, February 12th. San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Stock Performance SJT stock opened at $5.30 on Friday. San Juan Basin Royalty Trust has a 1-year low of $4.37 and a 1-year high of $11.20. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $5.09 and a 200-day moving average price of $6.23. San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be paid a $0.0303 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $0.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.86%. This is a boost from San Juan Basin Royalty Trusts previous monthly dividend of $0.02. San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Company Profile (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. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SJT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for San Juan Basin Royalty Trust (NYSE:SJT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for San Juan Basin Royalty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec raised its stake in Westlake Co. (NYSE:WLK Free Report) by 40.8% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 147,163 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after purchasing an additional 42,633 shares during the quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebecs holdings in Westlake were worth $18,347,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Aviva PLC grew its stake in shares of Westlake by 66.8% in the third quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 119,377 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $14,883,000 after buying an additional 47,799 shares in the last quarter. MQS Management LLC acquired a new position in Westlake in the 3rd quarter valued at about $790,000. FMR LLC grew its position in Westlake by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 4,630,975 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $577,344,000 after acquiring an additional 96,152 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James & Associates grew its position in Westlake by 18.6% in the 3rd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 37,573 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $4,684,000 after acquiring an additional 5,899 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Citigroup Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Westlake by 111.7% in the second quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 45,903 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $5,484,000 after purchasing an additional 24,217 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 28.40% of the companys stock. Get Westlake alerts: Westlake Price Performance Shares of NYSE WLK opened at $137.35 on Friday. Westlake Co. has a 1-year low of $102.64 and a 1-year high of $145.98. The company has a market cap of $17.61 billion, a PE ratio of 37.12, a P/E/G ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a current ratio of 2.37 and a quick ratio of 1.79. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $138.92 and a 200 day moving average price of $130.87. Westlake Dividend Announcement Westlake ( NYSE:WLK Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 20th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.72 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.81 by ($0.09). The firm had revenue of $2.83 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.85 billion. Westlake had a return on equity of 9.70% and a net margin of 3.82%. The firms revenue was down 14.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.79 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Westlake Co. will post 6.95 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be issued a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 27th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.46%. Westlakes dividend payout ratio is currently 54.05%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts recently commented on WLK shares. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Westlake from $139.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. raised Westlake from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on Westlake from $144.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, November 20th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price target on Westlake from $139.00 to $134.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 26th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $131.31. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on WLK Insider Activity In other Westlake news, CFO Mark Steven Bender sold 4,854 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $137.57, for a total transaction of $667,764.78. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 50,110 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,893,632.70. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 74.10% of the companys stock. Westlake Company Profile (Free Report) Westlake Corporation manufactures and markets performance and essential materials, and housing and infrastructure products in the United States, Canada, Germany, China, Italy, Taiwan, and internationally. The Performance and Essential Materials segment offers polyethylene, styrene monomer, ethylene co-products, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), vinyl chloride monomer, ethylene dichloride chlor-alkali, chlorinated derivative products, and epoxy resins. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WLK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Westlake Co. (NYSE:WLK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Westlake Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Westlake and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. XD Inc. (OTCMKTS:XDNCF Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest in February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 99,600 shares, an increase of 209.3% from the January 31st total of 32,200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 0 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently days. XD Stock Performance Shares of XDNCF stock opened at $2.17 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $2.17. XD has a 52 week low of $2.17 and a 52 week high of $2.17. Get XD alerts: About XD (Get Free Report) Further Reading XD Inc, an investment holding company, develops, publishes, operates, and distributes mobile and web games in Mainland China and internationally. The company also operates TapTap, a platform for gamers and game developers, as well as provides information services. its game portfolio comprises online games and premium games. Receive News & Ratings for XD Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for XD and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Ukrainian novelty from the Security Service of Ukraine - naval drones - will become even more dangerous for the enemy this year. They are currently undergoing major upgrades to make them "stronger, more efficient and deadlier" than they were before. ADVERTISIMENT In 2024, the SSU set "completely different requirements for the parameters of drones," General Ivan Lukashevych said in an interview. He is called the father of the latest naval weapons, and it is under his leadership that new naval drones are being built and tested in Ukraine. According to the general, first, the modernization eliminated the shortcomings of the drones that attacked ships in Sevastopol Bay in October 2022. Secondly, the boats had an increase in the size of the warhead. From now on, Ukrainian naval drones are capable of carrying more than 800 kg of explosives. Two more updates to "improve seaworthiness" were made. Thus, after the modernization, the drones are now able to navigate in waves 1.5 meters high. And the range of marine drones is now over a thousand kilometers! ADVERTISIMENT There are separate developments regarding the speed of the equipment and its size. There are also plans to "make maritime drones reusable to make them cheaper and more efficient," Lukashevych said. In the interview, the general did not specify which drones he was talking about. However, it is safe to say that Sea Baby, the SSU's surface unmanned attack boats, are subject to modernization. This particular drone was developed by the security forces in 2022. ADVERTISIMENT The SSU also uses Mamai maritime attack drones for special operations in the Black Sea, but this is a modification of the Sea Baby. The Mamai is currently the fastest object in the Black Sea and can accelerate up to 110 kilometers per hour, according to the SSU. There is also a development of a Ukrainian state-owned company, the Magura maritime drone. However, this is a DIU technique, and the SSU denies its use, emphasizing that their Sea Babies are superior to the Magura in all respects According to the SSU, their maritime drones have hit at least 11 ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. This began in October 2022 when Ukraine attacked Russian ships in the Sevastopol Bay, damaging, in particular, the Admiral Makarov frigate. ADVERTISIMENT In July 2023, Sea Baby was used to attack the Kerch Bridge. In 2023, such drones hit the Samum and Pavel Derzhavin missile carriers, the SIG tanker, and the Olenegorsky Gornyak landing ship. The tugboat Nikolay Moore and the newest reconnaissance hydrographic ship Vladimir Kozitsky were also damaged. The sinking of the large amphibious assault ship Caesar Kunikov is a painful loss for the Russian flotilla. Today, it is already a rather rare specimen in the Black Sea. In total, during the full-scale war, the Defense Forces put about a third of the Russian Black Sea Fleet out of commission. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Works Minister inspects bridge | Works Minister inspects bridge By Our Staff Reporter IMPHAL, Mar 2 : Works Minister Govindas Konthoujam has inspected the condition of Top Khongnangmakhong bridge constructed across Iril River, today. MLA of Kshetrigao AC Sheikh Noorul Hassan has lauded the State Government especially Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Govindas for taking up the initiative to reconstruct the bridge which was constructed over 40 years back. The MLA who accompanied the Works Minister said that people of Khurai and Kshetrigao will benefit greatly if the bridge is constructed. Today Sunny with gusty winds developing this afternoon. High 68F. WNW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Tonight Clear skies. Low around 35F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Tomorrow Generally sunny. High 64F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Local special section Former Miss Indian America fights for veterans' spouses Courtesy photo | Claire Manning- Claire Manning-Dick, President of Gold Star Wives of America and former Miss Indian America, right, poses with Stacy Anders, the National President of Blue Star Mothers of America on May 29, 2023. Courtesy photo | Claire Manning-Dick Claire Manning-Dick, President of Gold Star Wives of America and former Miss Indian America, presents a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day. SHERIDAN Its been nearly 50 years since Claire Manning-Dick served as the 21st Miss Indian America, beginning in 1974. But the memories of the experience stick with her, as does the generosity of the Sheridan community. I really liked Sheridan because the people there were so generous, said Manning-Dick, a member of the Shoshone-Paiute tribe. If theres one thing I took away from my time there, its to always give to others and always know that life is short. While were here on Earth, we need to serve others, and do what we can to help before its our time to go. That message of service has been passed onto Manning-Dick throughout her life, especially by her family. Her grandfather fought in six campaigns near the French border in World War I. Her father served in Pacific campaigns in World War II and helped protect the Native American code talkers during the war. Her husband served in the Vietnam War and eventually died from service-related injuries in 2010. Throughout her life, Manning-Dick has been surrounded by people who have made sacrifices for the country they love. And in her own way, she is carrying on the tradition. Following the death of her husband, Manning-Dick joined the Gold Star Wives of America, a national organization that exists to preserve and enhance benefits to surviving U.S. military spouses and children; to help our members and their children face the future with courage and determination; and to honor the memory of our military spouses who made the ultimate sacrifice, according to the organizations website. Manning-Dick has spent the last decade rising through the ranks of the organization and now finds herself on a national platform to advocate for the surviving spouses of veterans. She is currently serving as the organizations president, has testified before U.S. Congress and recently had a chance to meet President Joseph Biden. She placed a memorial wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day this year and will do the same this coming Veterans Day. Its all been a wonderful journey, Manning-Dick said, but one thats continually rooted in her passion to serve the families of veterans. I understand personally the sorrows and problems of service spouses, Manning-Dick said. I understand the things they need help with when a child loses a parent. My main concern is to be available for spouses and to answer any questions or concerns they have. When they have no other place to turn, I want to be the person they turn to. Manning-Dick said she has several priorities as president of the organization, including connecting military families and spouses with health benefits and insurance. The group is also working to prevent military suicides and is involved with the crafting of legislation that betters the lives of both veterans and their families, Manning-Dick said. For example, Manning-Dick spoke before the Joint Senate and House Committees on Veteran Affairs in March 2022, and identified priorities on which her organization wanted the committees to focus. These included increasing dependency and indemnity compensation the flat monthly rate given to surviving spouses of veterans, which has not been increased since 1993, outside of minimal cost-of-living increases. Since 1993, surviving spouses of military veterans have found themselves falling further and further behind in meeting their financial obligations from month to month, Manning-Dick said in her testimony given March 8, 2022. Many surviving spouses of the World War II, Korea, and Vietnam eras are receiving only DIC; some receive DIC and minimum Social Security benefits. These DIC recipients struggle monthly with their budget of $1,437.66, juggling bills to meet the rising costs in housing, utilities, food, clothing and other personal living expenses. This scenario can lead too often to homelessness, a plight we do not wish to befall anyone, and least of all the surviving spouses of our military veterans. In addition to the hard work Manning-Dick does fighting for military spouses and families, the leadership role also gives her a unique platform to honor veterans, as she did on Memorial Day in Arlington. That same day, she had a chance to meet with veterans and President Joseph Biden. She also attended the National Memorial Day Concert on the Capitol lawn, which was broadcast on PBS. It was an honor to meet some of our war veterans, including some World War II veterans, Manning-Dick said. They reminded me so much of my dad and uncles who served. As far as President Biden, I got to shake his hand and thank him. He was very kind and told me Native American veterans have given so much for our nation. I really appreciated him saying that. Im really proud of how our Native American veterans have served our country over the last 200 years. We are a very patriotic people. While not everybody has the kind of platform she has, Manning-Dick encouraged everyone to take time to celebrate the Veterans Day holiday, and to thank those who served, and those who were left behind. Veterans Day is not only happening in the Capitol, it is happening in every local community, including Sheridan, Manning-Dick said. I really encourage people to go out and celebrate and to honor and protect one another. Manning-Dick encourages anybody who lost a spouse who was killed or missing in action or died from service-related disabilities to reach out to the Gold Star Wives national office at 1-888-751-6350. For more information on the organization, see goldstarwives.org. Related Ukrainian guerrillas have discovered the crash site of a Russian Su-34 fighter jet shot down by the Ukrainian Defense Forces on March 1 in the east. The enemy aircraft landed "unsuccessfully" near Mariupol. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported on the Telegram channel of the Mariupol.Sprotyv community on March 2. Footage from the crash site of the Su-34 was also posted. "Boom. Our guys are back from the search. What can we say? We found that damned Sushka yesterday. Rusnia, Got it?" the post reads. The Air Force confirmed that the video shows a downed Su-34. "Here it is a downed Su-34 in the morning of March 1, 2024, in the Mariupol sector! It is not always possible to please you with such videos, because the Air Force conducts combat operations over long distances! Checked, visually confirmed! Thank you all for your work! Trust the Air Force, not the sofa experts! Together to victory!" said Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Air Force of Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, the day before in the morning, monitoring channels reported the downing of another Russian Su-34 in the east. On Saturday, March 2, the Air Force confirmed this information. "As a result, 11 Su-34s shot down since the beginning of the year... This is more than the Russian VKS received in 2022 (10) or 2023 (6). To date, the Russian Aerospace Forces have about 80 combat-ready Su-34s. At the same time, almost all of them are used to launch air defense strikes," commented Oleksandr Kovalenko, military and political observer of the Information Resistance group. ADVERTISIMENT He added that as of March 1, 60 Su-34s were used in the day. "That is, the bulk of the Su-34 henhouse is concentrated in our direction. But with the success of the annihilation of Russian tactical aviation, will they run out of Su-34s in two months? In theory, yes. They will not be able to compensate for the losses faster than this rate of annihilation," Kovalenko predicted. According to him, at some point, the occupiers will have to compensate for the lack of Su-34s with Su-24 or Su-30 aircraft, which means another increase in losses due to the decline in the quality of the carrier's performance. "The battle for airspace continues..." Kovalenko summarized. As reported by OBOZ.UA, since the beginning of the year, the Ukrainian military has destroyed more than a dozen modern Russian Armed Forces fighters. However, the aggressor country still has a fairly strong military aviation potential. In addition, the enemy manages to restore a certain number of fighters. ADVERTISIMENT On February 29, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk announced the destruction of two more Su-34s at the Avdiivka and Mariupol directions. He noted that Russian pilots do not draw any conclusions and are targeting the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Two more occupants' Su-34s were shot down on February 27. The Russian Federation has adopted the tactic of meat assaults not only on the ground but also in the sky, the Ukrainian Air Force commander said at the time. The defenders also shot down a Su-34 on February 21. It was the seventh downed in a week. Two more Russian planes, Su-34 and Su-35S, were downed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on February 19, also in the east. And on February 17, the Defense Forces destroyed three Russian aircraft at once two Su-34s and one Su-35. However, enemy aircraft received a more serious blow on February 23, when Russia celebrated Russian Army Day: an A-50U, a long-range airborne radar that helps monitor the radar situation deep inside Ukraine, was shot down in the Azov Sea, and there are only a few of these in service with the Russian Armed Forces. ADVERTISIMENT On February 28, Yurii Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force Command, said that enemy pilots no longer risk approaching Ukraine's borders. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and in Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Moving forward in streamlining bike taxis in the city, the state transport department today distributed permits to the operators of two wheelers plying for commercial purposes. According to the official sources in the department, around 129 operators were handed over with the permits at an event at Salt Lake PVD office today. With the addition of the 129 vehicles, the number of bike taxis plying with official permits is said to have reached around 400, according to the members of the union representing the commercial two wheelers. After the permit issuance, the bike taxis would have to be operated with a yellow number plate. After regularizing the bike taxis in the city, the department is exploring options of allowing such vehicles in tourist spots. According to the transport minister, Snehasis Chakraborty, proposals have been received to allow the bike taxis for tourists as well. Advertisement Even with the regularization of the commercially used two wheelers, the process is a long way to go, according to the operators, who, like online app-cab drivers, have come forward with some demands. As pointed out by the union members of the bike taxis, the number around 400 vehicles with permits is small as there is a mammoth figure that plies in the districts of the state. Cumulatively in the districts of Kolkata, Howrah, South 24-Parganas, North 24-Parganas and there around 40,000 to 50,000 bike taxis registered in five aggregating companies. Of this, around 20000-25,000 thousand hit the roads almost every day, according to the members. We welcome the move of issuing permits to the bike taxis and urge the others to come under the permit system as soon as possible. In case of any eventuality, the union would not provide any kind of support to those operating illegally without permits, said the assistant secretary of the CITU-affiliated Kolkata Ola Uber App Cab Drivers Union, Sohag Khan. Like the online app cab operators, the bike taxi drivers are also demanding a hike in fare. In the present set up, the payment to a driver is Rs 7-9 per kilometre, varying from one company to another. Also, apart from one, no company provides us with accident or death claims. After the system of permits in place, where our expenses would go up with a commercial number plate, we are demanding to increase the pay to Rs 12 per kilometre for passenger bike taxis and Rs 14 per km for goods carrying bike taxis, added the assistant secretary. The union plans to organize training on handling women passengers and other behavioural aspects to the drivers on quarterly basis. The state government appointed Prof (Dr) Kaustav Nayek, principal of state-run Burdwan Medical College Hospital and a paediatrician, as the director of medical education (DME). The health department, headed by the chief minister Mamata Banerjee issued a notification in this regard today. With retirement of former DME Prof (Dr) Debashis Bhattacharya several months ago the state government had appointed Dr A Neogy, a retired senior official in the health department, as an acting DME. Advertisement On Tuesday, an interview was held at Swasthya Bhaban, health department headquarters at Salt Lake, for final selection of a candidate for the portfolio of the DME, who looks after medical education affairs in teaching hospitals across the state. Prof Nayek was selected for the DME post. A section of senior officials in the state medical education service (MES) felt that the state government wants to improve paediatric healthcare in the state by bringing down infant mortality rate across districts and the city. Considering Prof Nayeks experience as a paediatrician, Nabanna, state secretariat, appointed him as the DME, the officials said. On the other hand, many government doctors belonging to the West Bengal Democratic Doctors Forum have protested against the appointment of Prof Nayek as DME. The health department has ignored eligibility criteria of other experienced candidates in the interview process to make Prof Nayek the DME, they alleged. Principals, including Prof Nayek of six state-run medical colleges and one former vice-chancellor of the West Bengal University of Health Sciences appeared in the interview held on Tuesday. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has received additional tools that have allowed it to shoot down enemy aircraft more often. The loss of aircraft was a serious psychological blow to Russian military pilots. ADVERTISIMENT This was stated by Yurii Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, during a telethon on March 2. He noted that the occupiers' planes are being destroyed on both the southern and eastern directions. "We have means that work virtually every day, the occupants already realize that a surprise may await them in one direction or another. The work is carried out almost every day, and the enemy does not feel as free as it was before," said the spokesman. Ihnat also said that for six days in a row, the Ukrainian military have not recorded any flights of enemy A-50 aircraft over the Sea of Azov. "Su-34 and Su-35 cannot feel free anymore. The guided bomb has a limited range. To reach further, you need to fly closer. Flying closer could be the end. The pilots and their commanders are well aware of this and act more cautiously. This allows our troops to catch their breath," Ihnat said. ADVERTISIMENT He added that the absence of A-50s in the sky is a good and pleasant fact. Currently, the occupiers do not know how to continue using their aircraft. As reported by OBOZ.UA: British intelligence said that after the loss of another A-50, Russia has probably stopped using them until internal investigations reveal the reasons for the ineffective protection and ways to reduce the threat. On March 1, the Ukrainian Air Force downed another Russian Su-34. Ukrainian partisans discovered the crash site near Mariupol. The occupiers have already lost 38 such aircraft in the war against Ukraine. On February 28, Yurii Ihnat said that enemy pilots no longer risk approaching Ukraine's borders. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and in Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Top Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials are in discussions with their CBI and NIA counterparts on how to get the suspended Trinamul Congress leader into the remand of a central agency. Presently, Sheikh Shahjahan is in the custody of West Bengal CID. Sheikh Shahjahan is the accused mastermind in the 5 January attack on ED and CAPF personnel at Sandeshkhali in North 24-Parganas district. On Thursday, in a plea to a Division Bench, the ED had drawn the attention of the Calcutta High Court to the possibility of crucial evidence being tampered with while Shahjahan was in CID custody. Now, top ED officials are working on technical possibilities to get the accused out of the state polices custody. Sources said that the manner in which a section of the state police had held the ED responsible for inaction and the resultant delay of 55 days in the arrest of Shahjahan, has made the central agency sleuths nervous as they dont expect any cooperation from West Bengal cops. After Shahjahans arrest on Thursday, the additional director general of police (South Bengal), Supratim Sarkar, told media persons, The state police might have some legal hurdles, but the same was not the case with the ED. So there is the question of why did the ED not arrest him. Given this cold war, the ED is also trying for a court order to get the accused out of the state polices remand and into the custody of a central agency. Advertisement A fire broke out at the Lee Memorial School, located on Lenin Sarani, Kolkata, spreading to the attached hostel. Panic ensued during school hours as students and staff rushed to safety. The blaze, originating in the basement, quickly engulfed the school building, causing widespread fear and chaos. Firefighters arrived promptly, battling the flames to prevent it from further spreading. Unfortunately, two hostel rooms suffered extensive damage in the process. The aftermath revealed charred remnants of various belongings in the hostel, leaving many items reduced to ashes. The school premises were evacuated, and the extent of the damage is being assessed. Authorities have declared the school temporarily closed due to safety concerns. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire and assess the structural integrity of the affected areas. Students and faculty members are shaken by the incident, and counselling support is being arranged to help them cope with the trauma. Advertisement This unforeseen tragedy has left the educational institution grappling with the aftermath, and the community is rallying together to support the affected students and staff during these challenging times. Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) on Friday faced a penalty from the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND). The agency has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 5.49 crore on the companys associate entity. The penalty pertains to issues within a business segment that was discontinued two years ago. Following that period, we have enhanced our monitoring systems and reporting mechanisms to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), said a Paytm Payments Bank spokesperson. Earlier in the day, One 97 Communications Ltd, the parent company of Paytm, and PPBL announced to discontinue various inter-company agreements, as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) ban on the banks operations inches closer. Advertisement In a BSE filing, the company said that as part of the process to reduce dependencies, Paytm and PPBL have mutually agreed to discontinue various inter-company agreements with Paytm and its group entities. Further, the shareholders of PPBL have agreed to simplify the Shareholders Agreement (SHA) to support PPBLs governance, independent of its shareholders. The company had announced to sign up new partnerships with other banks and take measures to provide seamless services for its customers and merchants. VD Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly, is working hard to to revitalise the Congress in the southern state. He led the partys campaign from the front in Thrikkakara and Puthuppally bypolls, and is considered one of the architects of the partys splendid victory in the polls. Satheesan along with KPCC president K Sudhakaran is also at the forefront of the Congress fight against the anti-people policies of the LDF government in Kerala and the BJP-led Centre. The Congress leader talked to Achuthanandan Kuniyil of The Statesman on the SFIO probe against the firm owned by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans daughter, the alleged BJPCPI(M) nexus and the states financial crisis, ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections. Excerpts Q: Do you think Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Left are rattled by the SFIO probe into the dealings of Exalogic Solutions, the firm owned by Veena Vijayan? Advertisement A: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier stated in the state assembly that his hands are clean. He later backtracked and said his daughter had established the firm with the retirement money of his wife. There are no doubts about the fact that the Left dispensation in Kerala today has been shaken with the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) probe into the firm owned by Veena Vijayan. When the investigation started, the chief minister forced the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) to file a petition in the High Court, and hired an advocate from Delhi by spending Rs 25 lakh on him to fight the case. Besides, he also asked his daughter to file a petition in the Karnataka High Court to stop the investigation against her firm, Exalogic Solutions. It shows the state government is afraid of the SFIO probe. Now, the High Court has dismissed Veena s petition. Unfortunately, eight long months have been given to complete the investigation. The Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) paid Rs 1.72 crore to Exalogic Solutions between 2017 and 2020 without getting any service in return. This is a clear case of money laundering and should attract provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as well as the Prevention of Corruption Act. Q : You recomments on the CPI(M) justifying Veena Vijayans role in the Exalogic Solutions case? A: The CPI(M) has released a document defending the chief ministers daughter and criticising the central government for allegedly distorting Exalogics bank transactions. However, with the Karnataka High Court dismissing Veenas petition, the document, released as part of the partys attempts to arm its cadres with its version of the controversy, has lost its relevance. It is strange as the party kept mum when similar allegations were leveled against Bineesh Kodiyeri, the son of late CPI(M) leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, two years ago. I do not think that the Left has any document to defend Veena Vijayan. The CPI(M) state secretary, after the High courts order, said that he wont interfere in the matter. Now, the party leaders are also keeping mum on the issue. Q : You have claimed that if the SFIO probe is done properly , the chief minester will also become an accused in the case? A: Chief Minister Vijayan will be made an accused if the investigation takes place properly. Veena and her firm got the money from CMRL because she is the daughter of the chief minister. But I am afraid the unholy nexus between the Sangh parivar and the Left will scuttle the investigation. During the Life Mission corruption case, the central agency had not dared to interrogate the Kerala chief minister, who is the chairman of Life Mission. I do not know if this case will also go the same way as the gold smuggling case, Karuvannur bank scam and the Lavlin case. Q : The Congress has been accused by the Left of adopting soft Hindutva. Your comment? A: The Congress always follows the policy of secularism. It is about doing justice to all. In the case of the Universal Civil Code and the Palestine issue, the party has taken a secular stance. Q: Do you believe the Congress-led UDF can repeat its 2019 performance in the general election this year? A: Definitely. The United Democratic Front (UDF) will definitely repeat its performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls when it won 19 of the states 20 seats. The political climate in Kerala is in our favour. In Kerala, an anti-incumbency factor exists against the state government and the Centre. The Christian community is skeptical of the saffron party over the Centres response to Manipur clashes. The Left-led Kerala government has not paid social security pensions for the last six months. There is perceptible anger among the people against the LDF government. Q: Factionalism is considered a major curse of the Congress in Kerala? A: The Kerala Congress was riddled with factionalism at one point. But, today we are working as a unified party. Q: The Congress-led UDF is often criticised by the ruling Left in Kerala for not questioning the Centre over the financial crisis faced by the state. Your comment? A : The central policies are not the only reason for the financial troubles of Kerala as mismanagement and administrative failures of the ruling Left also contributed to the financial woes. The reduction of the states share of central taxes as per the 15th Finance Commission recommendations is one of the major reasons for this situation. The other reasons include the state governments mismanagement in tax collection, including from sale of goods. The LDF government has created a narrative blaming the central government for all the financial problems of the state to hide its own mismanagement, extravagance and corruption. The UDF released two white papers on the financial crisis faced by Kerala, one in 2020 and the other in 2023. These had highlighted how the LDF government failed miserably in realisation of taxes in the last five years and caused the exchequer a loss of Rs 70,000 crore. They had further stated that the huge borrowings availed by the Pinarayi Vijayan government have left the state in a dangerous debt trap. Eighteen UDF MPs, in a memo given to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, opposed the reduction in the states share of central taxes as per the 15th Finance Commission recommendations. Q: It has been reported that the state government cancelled the mining rights to the private firm only after Veena Vijayans financial dealings with CMRL came to light, even though the Centre issued orders in 2019 to end private participation in mining of minerals? A: It only shows that the chief minister had shown undue interest to ensure that the Kerala Rare Earths and Minerals Ltd (KREML), the company promoted by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd, retained the lease permit for mining beach sand minerals. Q: Do you think it would be difficult for the Left to defend Veena, especially when the Karnataka High Court has given its go-ahead to the SFIO probe? A: All the mechanisms deployed by the Left to defend her have become obsolete now. The party cadres and workers have begun to see the true colours of the chief minister. The Left parties in Kerala are not Left. They are extreme right. All their legislation is intended to help corporates and the trading community. When a Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M) became the chief minister, the state budget presented last week in the Assembly proposed to give permission to open foreign university centres in Kerala. It may be noted that the Polit bureau had earlier opposed the UGC proposal to allow foreign universities to function in India. Q : Are you of the opinion that Pinarayi Vijayan should resign for a free and fair probe into the Exalogic Solutions row? A: The chief minister has committed corruption of a huge magnitude by abusing his power. He does not have the right to continue in office. He must resign for a thorough probe in the case. Q: The CAG report for 2021- 22, which was recently tabled in the Kerala Assembly had also slammed the state government over its off-budget borrowing through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB)? A : I was the first person to oppose KIIFB when the KIIFB Bill was introduced in the Kerala Assembly. The three CAG reports consecutively slammed the state government for its off-budget borrowing by the Board. We strongly believe KIIFBs ways of raising funds are unconstitutional. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated BJP leaders whose names featured in the partys first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and expressed confidence that 140 crore Indians will bless them and give even more strength. Our Party has announced candidates for some of the seats and will be announcing the rest in the coming days. I congratulate all those who have been nominated as our Partys candidates and wish them the very best, Modi said. The prime minister said that his party is going to the people on the basis of its track record of good governance. Advertisement We are going to the people on the basis of our track record of good governance and ensuring the fruits of progress reach the poorest of the poor. I am sure that the 140 crore people of India will bless us yet again and give us even more strength in fulfilling their aspirations and creating a Viksit Bharat, he added. Earlier today, the BJP announced its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The list has covered 16 states and two Union Territories, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal and Jharkhand. The BJP announced candidates on 51 seats from Uttar Pradesh, 20 from West Bengal, 24 from Madhya Pradesh, 15 each from Gujarat and Rajasthan, 12 from Kerala, 9 seats from Telangana, 11 from Assam, 11 each from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, 5 from Delhi, 2 from J&K, 3 from Uttarakhand, 2 from Arunachal Pradesh and 1 each from Goa, Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar and Daman & Diu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest the Lok Sabha elections from his sitting Varanasi constituency, while Home Minister Amit Shah will once again be the BJP candidate from Gandhinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest the Lok Sabha elections from his sitting Varanasi constituency, while Home Minister Amit Shah will once again be the BJP candidate from Gandhinagar. Click here for constituency-wise full list of BJP candidates Flagging concern over the rising apprehension that district courts are increasingly reluctant to entertain matters concerning personal liberty, Chief Justice of India, Justice DY Chandrachud on Saturday reminded the district judges that bail is the rule, jail is the exception. Referring to the rising apprehension over district judiciarys reluctant to entertain bail matters, Chief Justice Chandrachud in his inaugural address at the All India District Judges Conference, Kachchh, Gujarat said, The longstanding principle that bail is the rule, jail is the exception seems to be losing ground, as evidenced by the growing number of cases reaching High Courts and the Supreme Court as appeals against the rejection of bail by trial courts. This trend, CJI Chandrachud said warrants a thorough re-evaluation and asked the district judges present at the conference to reflect as to why this trend is emerging across the country. Advertisement Stating that the district judiciary serves as the primary interface between the justice system and the local communities it serves, the CJI said, , the district judiciary needs to constantly reflect and evolve its working, so that the faith of citizens is maintained. Referring to the common citizens perception that the adjournment has become a part of the judicial system, Chief Justice said, This perception is disheartening, as adjournments, which were never intended to be commonplace, have now become normalized within the judicial process. Imploring the district judges to be conscious of this fact, the CJI said that even one adjournment might look like a routine affair, it can have severe ramifications for the litigants. The CJI cited the instance of a farmer entangled in a property disputea scenario all too common. Often, the outcome of the legal battle never comes to light during the farmers lifetime. He said that the burden falls upon their legal heirs, who find themselves embroiled in protracted legal proceedings long after their loved ones passing. Referring to the usage of the outdated gender stereotypes in district courts judgments, the CJI said: Often judgments coming from district court use gender stereotypes and our district courts must use caution in this and judgments like this perpetuate biases and marginalized women within the legal system. Outdated designation of jamadars, etc., show the dated colonial structure. Underling that nothing is impossible if all of us work together to find effective solutions and in this collective endeavour, the district judiciary plays a crucial role as the first step of judicial ladder, the CJI said: Each one of us, individually and collectively, has volumes to learn from various perspectives and, most importantly, from each other. All we need is the humility to recognize this vast scope for learning and create platforms for such an exchange. Bengaluru restaurant blast: The police has released a CCTV footage showing the suspect behind the blast at Rameshwaram Cafe in Karnatakas Bengaluru. The masked man, also wearing a cap and glasses is seen visiting the restaurant an hour before the blast. The suspect, aged around 28-30, reportedly ordered Rava Idali from the restaurant and left a bag at around 12 PM. About an hour ago at 12:56, the blast rocked the popular eatery, and left at least nine people injured. In other CCTV footages, the suspect can be seen entering the restaurant with a bag, in which the authorities believe he carried the explosive. Advertisement What we know so far about the Bengaluru restaurant blast? According to the preliminary investigation, an improvised explosive device (IED) of low intensity contained in a steel tiffin box was used in the blast. While it is not yet clear what explosive material was used in the blast, some reports suggested the low intensity blast might have used a combination of easily available explosive material. The nature of the blast is said be similar to the one used by Islamic State terrorists. Similar material was used in the explosive device that exploded in an auto rickshaw in Mangaluru in 2022. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the suspect came in a bus, fixed the timer and exploded the device carried in a bag. The deputy CM and home minister visited the spot yesterday. I will also go to the hospital and the spot today. I dont know if this is the work of an organisation or not. A serious investigation is underway. BJP should not play politics in this matter. Mangalore blast and Bengaluru explosion are not related. The blast is still under investigation. Appropriate action will be taken after the report, he said. A historic tripartite agreement was signed on Saturday among the Centre, the Tripura Government and The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA), popularly known as TIPRA Motha, to amicably resolve all issues of indigenous people of the North-Eastern state relating to history, land, identity, culture and language. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was present at the accord signing ceremony in New Delhi, said today is a historic day for Tripura and through this pact, the Centre has looked at the future by honouring history and accepting present day realities. No one can change history but we can always move forward by learning from mistakes and by keeping in mind todays realities, he said, adding the Tripura Government had made several efforts for the accord to fructify. Advertisement On behalf of TIPRA, the agreement was signed by its founder Pradyot Debbarma. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha was also present on the occasion. Mr Shah said that in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modis dream of a Viksit Bharat, Tripura will also be committed to making its contribution. The Centre, he said, has made all-out efforts to give shape to the vision of an insurgency-free, dispute-free and violence-free Northeast. He noted that due to several agreements by the Modi Government, around 10,000 people have given up arms and joined the mainstream, which has resulted in creation of an environment of development. The home minister said that be it the Bru-Reang agreement or the border agreement, it all started with Tripura and today again it is an agreement for this North-Eastern state. He said nobody now has to struggle for his rights and the Centre will itself come forward to develop a system which will protect the rights of all. Under the pact, it was agreed to amicably resolve all issues of indigenous people of Tripura relating to history, land and political rights, economic development, identity, culture and language. Along with this, it was agreed to constitute a Joint Working Group/Committee to work out and implement the mutually agreed points on all the above mentioned issues in a time-bound manner to ensure an honourable solution. In order to maintain a conducive atmosphere for implementation of the pact, all stakeholders shall refrain from resorting to any form of protest/agitation, starting from the day of the signing of the agreement. Full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) headed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar will be in city on Sunday on a three-day visit to review law and order situations in the state, probably a week before dates of the Lok Sabha (LS) polls in the country are announced by the ECI. The bench will hold series of meetings separately with state chief electoral officer (CEO) Ariz Aftab, senior administrative officers like chief secretary (CS) B P Gopalika, home secretary (HS) Nandini Chakraborty, director general of police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar, commissioner of police (CP), Kolkata, district magistrates (DMs), superintendents of police (SP) and representatives of political parties. The bench members may stay in a five-star hotel in central Kolkata, its learnt. The meetings will be held in different phases from Sunday evening in the hotel. Advertisement They will hold a meeting with Mr Aftab and other senior officers of the state CEO office, state nodal officer of police Ananda Kumar on Sunday evening. On Monday, they will meet political parties recognized in both national and state levels respectively, at different times to know issues related to elections. The bench will also hear complaints if any political party wants to raise it in the meeting, sources in the CEO office said. Second meeting will be held with DMs, SPs, CPs, inspectors general of police (IGPs) to take stock of preparatory measures in connection with the general elections. On Tuesday, the commission will also sit with different enforcement agencies in the first session. The second session meeting will be held with the CS, HS and DGP. It will also hold a press conference after the meeting with top bureaucrats and cops on the same day. The bench will hold meetings with concerned departments of state government to discuss about facilities to be made available for the elections. On the other hand, the commission has already deployed 100 companies of central forces in the city and districts much before the election dates are announced. The central forces have already started patrolling as confidence building measures among citizens. Fifty more companies of central forces are also scheduled to be deployed on 7 March in the state. The dates of parliamentary polls in the country may be announced by the ECI during the second week of March. Led by Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, around 25 dignitaries including Ministers of Gujarat Government reached Ayodhya and had darshan of Shri Ram Lalla on Saturday. Gujarat CM said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the construction of Ram temple in this Amrit Kaal and the consecration of Ram Lallas life is like Amrit Utsav for crores of countrymen. Patel , while talking to media persons said, I have the privilege of visiting the grand temple of Lord Shri Ram along with all the members of my Council of Ministers. This occasion is very emotional and reverent for all of us. He said, The supernatural consecration of Lord Shri Ram in the Ayodhya temple under the leadership of the worlds most popular leader and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the announcement of a new era in the country. Not only this, there is also a resolution to establish Ramrajya for the next one thousand years. He said ,Ram Mandir has become the temple of vision of India. In true sense, this temple has become a temple of consciousness and new awakening of the nation. The ceremony of consecration of Shri Ramlala was celebrated as a national festival, which is the beginning of a new era. It was the resolve of every Hindu that a grand Ram temple should be constructed in Ayodhya. Today it is complete. CM Bhupendrabhai Patel said that lakhs of devotees from all over the country are coming to Ayodhya to have darshan of the Lord in the Ram temple. Our government has started a special Aastha train for the travelers of Gujarat, through which thousands of people have got the opportunity to have darshan of Ramlala. It has been decided to build a Yatri Niwas so that the devotees coming to Ayodhya can get the facility of night rest. For this, a provision of Rs 10 crore has been made in the state budget. I thank Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Uttar Pradesh government for providing land for the Yatri Bhawan to be built in Ayodhya in the future, he announced. Earlier , Gujarat CM Bhupendrabhai Patel along with his ministers landed at Maharishi Valmiki Airport Ayodhya where they were welcomed by UP minister Surya Pratap Shahi and others on behalf of the UP Government. Advertisement On the night of March 2, Russian terrorists attacked Odesa with Shahed kamikaze drones. The attack damaged a multi-storey residential building in the city. ADVERTISIMENT Law enforcement and rescuers worked at the scene all night. The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine showed the consequences of the night attack. Russians killed two people in Odesa at night. At least seven other civilians, including a child, were injured of varying degrees of severity. Russian terrorists struck a multi-storey building, destroying the entire entrance. A search and rescue operation at the scene of the attack is underway. It is worth noting that the number of victims may increase as seven residents of the affected building have not been found since the morning of March 2. Rescuers continue to work at the scene, hoping to find survivors under the rubble. Heating stations were quickly set up near the damaged building. The Ministry of Internal Affairs clarified that a dozen apartment buildings were left without heat supply due to the enemy attack. ADVERTISIMENT ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, on the night of March 2, the Russian army again attacked Odesa with Shahed drones. The occupiers hit a residential multi-storey building, completely destroying one entrance. Seven locals were injured, including a 3-year-old child and a pregnant woman. Earlier, it was reported that Russian troops attacked Kharkiv region with attack drones on the evening of March 1. The enemy UAVs hit a residential area in Kharkiv and a private house in the village of Velykyi Burluk, killing a man. ADVERTISIMENT President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the nighttime Russian terrorist attacks in Odesa and Kharkiv. The head of state said that our country needs more air defense systems to protect Ukrainians from enemy shelling. In a shocking incident, a Spanish woman was gangraped in Jharkhands Dumka district on Friday night. According to reports, the incident took place in Hansdiha police station area where the woman, accompanied by another tourist, were spending the night a makeshift tent. The police is yet to come out with more details on the incident but reports claimed that more than half a dozen men overpowered the male partner of the Spanish woman and gangraped her. Jharkhand health minister Banna Gupta said that while he is not aware of complete facts, his government will take strict action against the perpetrators. Advertisement I dont know all the complete facts of this incident but the government is committed to take strict action against all those evil doers whosoever commits such crime against any of our sister, Indian or foreigner, within the law, he told reporters. Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP has termed the incident a stain of the state and slammed the JMM-Congress government over deteriorating law and order situation. This shows the deteriorating law & order situation in the state that even the foreigners arent safe here. Police should act soon and the government should also take cognizance of it and take strict action against such anarchists. This government has been completely failed, BJP MLA Anant Ojha told news agency ANI. India has strongly taken up the issue of Kolkata dancer Amarnath Ghoshs murder in St Louis, Missouri with US authorities, the Indian Consulate in Chicago has said. In a social media post, the consulate also offered its condolences to the family of Ghosh. According to reports, the dancer was allegedly shot dead by unidentified assailants on Tuesday early this week. Deep condolences to family & friends of deceased Amarnath Ghosh in St Louis, Missouri. We are following up forensic, investigation with police & providing support, the Indian Consulate in Chicago said. Advertisement Consulate is extending all help to relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh. Taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack, it added. The incident came to limelight after actress Devoleena Bhattacharjee flagged it and said that Ghosh, her close friend, was shot dead. She said that Ghosh was the only person in his family after the death of his mother three years back. His father, she said, had died when he was just a child. She further urged Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Indian Embassy to look into the matter. My friend #Amarnathghosh was shot & killed in St louis academy neigbourhood, US on tuesday evening.nOnly child in the family, mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood. Well the reason , accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one left in his family to fight for it except his few friends. He was from kolkata. Excellent dancer , was pursuing PHD , was taking an evening walk and suddenly he was shot multiple times by an unknown. Some friends in US are trying to claim the body but still no update about it, she said in a post on X. Kindly see to it if you could. Atleast we should know the reason of his murder, the actress wrote and tagged the Indian Embassy in US, Jaishankar and PM Modi. A day after Trinamul Congress leader Kunal Ghosh resigned from all party posts on Friday, he intensified his attacks slamming Sudip Bandopadhyay, party MP from North Kolkata on Saturday. Mr Ghosh on his X handle today made serious allegations against the veteran MP. Mr Ghosh raised questions saying, Who paid medical bills for Sudip Bandopadhyay, when he was admitted at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. He fell ill and was taken to the hospital after he was arrested in connection with Saradha chit fund scam? Advertisement An inquiry should be conducted by the ED (Enforcement Directorate) and CBI to probe it. His bank account should also be checked, he wrote on his handle X handle. On Friday, he resigned from the posts of party spokesperson and state general secretary, and slammed a section of old guards for being hand-in-glove with the BJP. He also said on Friday that he is a misfit within the system, but rubbished rumours of him joining any other party. I dont want to stay in the post of state general secretary and spokesperson. I am a misfit in the system. I am unable to continue like this. I am a soldier of the party and will continue to work for the party. Please stop this rumour that I am planning to join another party, he had posted on his social media. Mr Bandopadhyay was not available for comment. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that if the Congress forms the government at the Centre, it will provide legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price ( MSP) to farmers and conduct a caste based census across the country. Mr Gandhi addressed large gatherings at Morena and Gwalior today evening after his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Madhya Pradesh this afternoon. Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government, Gandhi said that Modi had waived off the loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore of 10-15 industrialists but was not giving the rightful MSP to farmers. Advertisement He emphasized that caste based census would be a revolutionary step in ensuring justice and equality to a big section of the poor and backward classes. The Congress leader attacked the Modi government over the Agniveer scheme. He alleged that Agniveer soldiers were not getting the status of martyr and other facilities even if they make the supreme sacrifice for the country. Naming industrialist Gautam Adani, Mr Gandhi charged that there is a monopoly of only 5-6 industrialists in every sector. He alleged that the BJP and the RSS were spreading hatred in the country. Mr Gandhi asserted that his yatra is to ensure social, economic and political justice in the country The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday announced the first list of 195 candidates for Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held in April-May this year. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh. The Varanasi constituency, a BJP stronghold, is being held by PM Modi since for the last two terms. Modi first contested the seat in 2014, when defeated Aam Aadmi Party national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal by a margin of over three lakh votes. Advertisement Under the leadership of PM Modi various public interest decisions have been taken in the last 10 years. This time the Sankalp should be BJP 370 & NDA 400 par, Tawde said while announcing the list. The list also includes details regarding 34 Central Ministers and Ministers of States. It also includes the name of Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla and 2 former CMs as well. Of the 195 candidates announced in the first list, 28 are women, while 47 candidates are under the age of 50. The list also has 27 SC candidates, 18 ST candidates and 57 candidates from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Were set to announce candidates on 51 seats from Uttar Pradesh, 20 from West Bengal, 24 from Madhya Pradesh, 15 each from Gujarat and Rajasthan, 12 from Kerala, 9 seats from Telangana, 11 from Assam, 11 each from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, 5 from Delhi, 2 from J&K, 3 from Uttarakhand, 2 from Arunachal Pradesh and 1 each from Goa, Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar and Daman & Diu, Tawde said. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will contest from Bikaner, Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav from Alwar, Union Minister Gajendr Singh Shekhawat from Jodhpur, Union Minister Kailash Choudhary from Barmer, Rajasthan BJP President CP Joshi from Chittorgarh, and Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla from Kota. Union Minister Smriti Irani will contest from Amethi, considered a Gandhi family stronghold untill 2019 when she defeated Rahul Gandhi. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday that the increasing use of technology in government work is bringing about rapid changes in the lives of people and his government was ensuring that the common man was benefitting from the welfare schemes. He added that Ramrajya is all about good governance, ensuring every citizens access to welfare schemes without discrimination. The Chief Minister made the remarks while speaking at a programme organised by the Food and Civil Supply Department, and Rural Development Department here. Advertisement He said, Reforms in every aspect of life, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision, have not only increased transparency, but are also contributing towards ending corruption. He inaugurated 1,100 Annapurna Bhawans and launched Electronic Weighing Scale-linked e-POS machines at 79,000 fair price shops across the state on the occasion. The Chief Minister mentioned that with continuous efforts of public representatives, the government has been successful in providing foodgrain to every poor person. Before 2014, those in need did not receive ration. They had ration cards in their names, but the ration would be distributed elsewhere. In fact, before 2017, there were deaths due to hunger in several districts of the state, he stated. However, we have now started using technology such as e-POS machines and Electronic Weighing machines. This has led to extensive reforms in the distribution of rations. Reforms carried out by the Food and Civil Supply Department, around 80,000 ration quota shops in the state are benefiting approximately 15 crore beneficiaries, Adityanath added. Referring to the technology-based food distribution system, the CM said that it has not only solved the problem of hunger but has also ended corruption in the system. Earlier, once the ration left the FCI warehouses, it would disappear midway. But now it is being monitored from Lucknow itself to ensure that the ration actually reaches the allocated quota shop. This change is in line with the principle of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (Development for All). This is Modi jis mantra which is visible at the ground level, he asserted. He said that before 2014, such a scenario was impossible. Getting ration to the poor was a distant dream, and these kinds of improvements were unimaginable. Speaking of the 1,100 Annapurna Bhawans, he said that they have now become permanent structures for the ration quota. Even if the shopkeeper changes, the ration shops will remain the same. Apart from ration, these Annapurna Bhawans will provide other facilities as well, including affordable generic medicines and other essential household items. He said that warehouses for ration will also be present here. Additionally, there will be a Common Service Centre where services like birth certificates, death certificates, income certificates, and caste certificates can be obtained. Currently, the initiative is starting with 1100 shops, and soon this arrangement will be extended to the 80,000 ration quota shops across the state. When the government is sensitive, it opens the doors to the peoples safety and prosperity. The double engine government is working at double speed because its sole aim is to develop, provide a secure environment, and bring prosperity. We are committed to advancing the work of poverty alleviation without any discrimination, the CM added. Attacking the opposition, Adityanath mentioned that due to lack of vision in the earlier governments, ponds were dug once, then filled, and later dug again under MGNREGA. However, today, new construction projects are underway, and Annapurna Bhawans are being constructed. This not only provides employment but also facilities for the people. The Chief Minister mentioned that the government was soon going to take some more significant steps. The work of Aadhaar seeding of every ration card is underway. Family IDs for every individual are being prepared, which will determine the facilities received by each family member, making it easy to identify and allocate services. He also said that soon, the people of Uttar Pradesh wont have to visit tehsils to check their revenue documents as all their documents will be available at one place. This facility will be integrated with the inheritance process, and through technology, the perennial problem of metering will also be permanently resolved. On this occasion, the Chief Minister handed over symbolic keys of Annapurna Bhawans to 10 fair price vendors of the state. Additionally, on this occasion, the Chief Minister also provided ration kits to the beneficiaries. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has approved the petition to withdraw the criminal case registered against MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, MLC Akshay Pratap Singh and 18 others. The order was given by a single bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi on a petition filed by these people under section 482 of CrPC on Friday. In the petition, the order given by the MP-MLA Court of Pratapgarh on March 17, 2023 was challenged where the state governments application to withdraw the case against them was rejected. Advertisement Senior advocate of the petitioners, HGS Parihar, said that the case was filed in Kunda police station on December 19, 2010 by the plaintiff and candidate Manoj Kumar Shukla during the BSP government. This was related to the election of the chief of Babaganj block. There were charges of murderous attack, robbery, kidnapping among others against 20 people including Raja Bhaiya and Akshay Pratap Singh. On February 27, 2023, the government lawyer had filed an application before the trial court to withdraw the case, which was rejected by the MP- MLA court. This order was challenged in the High Court. The petitioners said that the case was filed due to political rivalry, which deserves to be withdrawn in the interest of justice. On the other hand, the government lawyer and the plaintiffs lawyer opposed the petition, saying that the trial courts order was fair. Meanwhile , in another case, a special MP- MLA court in Lucknow has rejected a UP governments plea to withdraw the ongoing case against the several accused, including BJP leader Ashok Kataria. The court rejected the governments application and issued summons against the accused. The next hearing of the case will be on March 18.This matter is related to sabotage and attacking the police with crude bombs and stones during the protests against the 2005 riots in Mau. The case was registered at Hazratganj Kotwali on November 22, 2005. An application was filed in the court to withdraw the ongoing case against Ashok Kataria and other accused in public interest. No one can be given permission to commit violence under the guise of protests, demonstrations and processions , the Court observed. Besides, the court said withdrawal of the case will not send a good message to the general public. An impression will be created that while being in opposition, they commit crimes in the name of protests and demonstrations and after coming to power, they withdraw the cases. Ashok Kataria was the state president of BJYM at the time of the incident and presently he is BJP MLC. A suspect has been identified, a day after nine people were injured in a blast at a cafe in the capital city of Karnataka, police said on Saturday. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, A person wearing a mask and cap came in a bus, fixed the timer and exploded it. The deputy CM and Home Minister visited the spot yesterday. I will also go to the hospital and the spot today. I dont know if this is the work of an organisation or not. A serious investigation is underway. BJP should not play politics in this matter. Mangalore blast and Bengaluru explosion are not related. The blast is still under investigation. Appropriate action will be taken after the report The incident was reported at Rameshwaram Cafe in Whitefield area of the city, they said. Advertisement As regards the Rameshwaram cafe incident, the investigation is in full swing. Several teams are working on different leads obtained so far. Keeping in mind the sensitivity of the case and the security concerns, the media is appealed not to indulge in speculation and cooperate: Bengaluru CP B Dayananda said. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had on Friday ruled out gas leak as the cause of the blaze. He said CCTV footage has revealed that a man was seen keeping a bag in the cafe. It is not a high-intensity blast but an improvised one. The injured, including the hotel staff, have been shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, he said. Asked if it was a terrorist act, the chief minister said, We do not know it yet, but we are looking at al the possible angles. Talking to media, T N Shivashankar, Director, Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services department said the explosion at the bustling cafe, located in east Bengaluru, occurred around 1 pm during the busy lunch hour when crowds from nearby offices generally line up. At 1.08 pm, the fire department received a call about LPG leakage fire in the cafe. When our officers and teams reached the spot, there was no fire or flame. A bag which was lying behind a woman who was sitting with six other customers at the eatery exploded. It is suspected that the explosion could have been caused due to some object in that bag, he told a news agency. Home Minister G Parameshwara visited the site and took stock of the situation. Mahadevpura MLA Manjula Limbavali met the injured at the hospital and wished them speedy recovery. Karnataka DGP Alok Mohan and Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayanand said a probe is on into the incident. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said, Our officers are investigating (the episode). Who has done it and why. Was it a business rivalry? It is being probed. No need to panic. The cafe was founded in 2021 by CA Divya Raghavendra Rao and Raghavendra Rao. The name was chosen as a tribute to late Dr APJ Abdul Kalams birthplace. Its other branches are located in Indiranagar, JP Nagar, Brookfield, Rajajinagar and one at Madhapur in Hyderabad. We heard a blast and I stepped out to see that the cafe was engulfed with smoke. Some locals and I managed to help around six burn victims and sent them to a nearby hospital. The fire engine arrived only 30 minutes later, an onlooker said. Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly R Ashok hit out at the Congress-led state government over the incident. The bomb blast at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru is yet another glaring example of the deteriorating law and order situation in Karnataka ever since CM @siddaramaiah led @INCKarnataka Govt came to power in the state. Wherever the Congress comes to power, the terrorists and anti-national elements feel emboldened because of its policy of unabashed and unbridled appeasement. The Congress government should first ensure guarantee of safety and security to the people of Karnataka, he posted on X. In a shocking incident in the Haridevpur area, three members of a family have been arrested on charges of driving their 52-year-old relative, Uma Das, to an unnatural death, claimed to be a suicide last night. Umas husband, Naresh Das, son Amit Das and daughter-in-law Madhumita Das were taken into custody following an investigation into allegations that they compelled Uma to take her own life. The incident came to light when Umas lifeless body was discovered from a well near their residence on Kailash Ghosh Road. Upon being rushed to Vidyasagar State General Hospital, doctors declared her dead. Subsequently, a relative of Uma lodged a complaint with the police, accusing Naresh, Amit, and Madhumita of mentally harassing Uma and forcing her into suicide. Based on the allegations, the police initiated an inquiry and, on Friday, apprehended the three accused. They are now in custody until 7 March, as per the courts directive. Meanwhile, the police have heightened security around the detained family members. Locals have expressed resentment towards Naresh, Amit, and Madhumita, accusing them of subjecting Uma to mental abuse for property-related reasons. Umas niece, Mithu Nandi claimed, Due to property disputes, Naresh, Amit, and Madhumita used to harass Uma relentlessly. She wasnt even allowed to eat. Advertisement Umas sister-in-law Ruby Das and her daughter alleged that they were forcibly evicted from their home by the accused. Ruby stated, Its been almost six months since we were thrown out of our house. Relations between India and Canada had reached their nadir during September-October, 2023 after the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had publicly implicated India in the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023 outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. Returning home from New Delhi after attending the G-20 Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau told the House of Commons on 18 September 2023 that the government of Canada had credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar was a leader of the Sikh diaspora and an activist calling for an independent homeland for the Sikhs (Khalistan) and was known to be close to the Khalistan Tiger Force that is listed as a terrorist organization in India. Canada insisted that he was an innocent religiousminded head of the Guru Nanak Gurdwara at Surrey. The Canadian Prime Minister told Members of the House of Commons: Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty. India rejected the allegations of Prime Minister Trudeau as absurd and motivated. Significantly, the Canadian government has failed to provide any concrete evidence of Indias involvement in the killing of the Khalistani leader till date, although the US government officially stated that it shared the information about the Indian government agencys involvement in the killing, with its Third Eyes partner, Canada. Later, the Canadian Foreign Minister Melania Joly said Canada had expelled a prominent Indian diplomat over the incident. India retaliated by expelling a Canadian diplomat, while India-Canada trade talks, scheduled to be held in October were postponed by the Canadian Trade Minister. In an unprecedented move, India also sought to curtail people-to-people contact by suspending all visas to Canadians till further notice, with the student community, businessmen and the Indian diaspora being hit hard. Advertisement This was a hasty decision, as instead of a blanket ban, India could have been more cautious and selective in issuing visas only to those persons who did not have any history of anti-India activities. However, after reviewing the situation, India decided to resume visa services in Canada from 26 October for four categories: Entry Visa, Business Visa, Medical Visa and Conference Visa; and on 22 November, External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar announced that after reviewing the security situation India decided to resume issue of e-visas to Canadian citizens to facilitate people-to -people contacts and business activities. Did this mean a thaw in the deteriorating relations between the two nations? Such hopes were belied by a fresh charge of Indias interference in Canadas domestic politics. At the height of the diplomatic spat, India asked Canada to reduce the staff of its diplomatic mission in New Delhi by 10 October 2023, to bring parity between the diplomatic missions of the two countries, as the presence of a higher number of Canadian diplomats in India and their continued interference in Indias internal affairs warranted such parity. The government of Canada tried to portray this move by India as a violation of international norms. The Ministry of External Affairs, on the other hand, reminded Ottawa that New Delhis move was quite consistent with the Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. This diplomatic slugfest was hardly conducive to the improvement of bilateral ties between the two states and Canada, after sensing that India was quite serious about the move, withdrew 41 diplomats from India by the middle of October. But the million dollar question is why did the Canadian Prime Minister choose to publicly implicate India in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar when Canada could not provide any definitive proof of Indias involvement, despite two visits by Canadas National Security Adviser to New Delhi, and when Canada had not completed its own investigation? As the Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma told a Canadian TV channel, India was convicted in the Nijjar murder case, even before a probe. One possible reason for this could be that Prime Minister Trudeau felt humiliated when the Indian Prime Minister publicly rebuked him for allegedly allowing antiIndia activities of extremist elements in Canada, a reference to the activities of the proKhalistan elements. Even if one accepts the veracity of Prime Minister Trudeaus allegations about Indias role in the killing of Nijjar, would it not have been better for Ottawa to take up the issue through diplomatic/political channels, as indeed was being suggested by the Canadian Foreign Minister, when New Delhi asked the Canadian government to reduce its diplomatic presence in India? By publicly implicating India in the killing of Nijjar, was Mr Trudeau playing vote bank politics? This was in sharp contrast to the developments in India-Canada relations during the early years of Indias independence, especially during the first half of the 1950s. Canada looked upon India as a valuable partner in Asia. Canada and India had a shared history; both were former British colonies and after independence emerged as multi-ethnic, multicultural states within the Commonwealth of Nations. Both had opted for federal democratic structures for governance. Moreover, Indias size, and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehrus quest for an independent foreign policy that enabled India to play an important mediatory role in cold war conflicts, particularly in Asia, seemed to make New Delhi an ideal partner for Canada for resolving cold war conflicts in Asia. Support for a democratic India, wrote Salim Mansur later, allowed Canada the semblance of autonomy in foreign policy, enabled Ottawa to reach out toward other emerging Afro-Asian countries, provided a sense of distance from the dominant voice of the United States within the Atlantic Alliance and fostered a belief that Canada would be an an honest broker in world affairs. Canada, therefore, tried to develop closer relations with India within the Commonwealth and, in dealing with the cold war conflicts in Asia, despite their differences over the Kashmir issue. It was Indias mediatory role that broke the deadlock over the repatriation of the prisoners of war, and led to the Korean truce in 1953. India was made the Chairman of the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission (1953-54). Equally significant was Indias initiative on Indo-China. On 24 February 1954, Prime Minister Nehru, in a speech in Parliament appealed for an immediate ceasefire in Indo-China; Canada supported this. At the Four-Power Geneva Conference that met to discuss developments in Indo-China, V K Krishna Menon and Lester B. Pearson of Canada worked closely to facilitate the signing of the Geneva Agreement that brought to an end the conflicts in Indo-China. During this period (February-June 1954), relations between Canada and India reached a new high, described by then High Commissioner to New Delhi, Escott Reid, as a special relationship. Such close cooperation between the two states was made possible by the good personal relations between the Prime Minister Nehru and his Canadian counterparts, Louis St. Laurent and his successor Lester B. Pearson, which is lacking between the current leadership of the two states. Both states accepted membership of the International Control Commission (ICC) for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. But such close cooperation between New Delhi and Ottawa did not last long, as the Geneva settlements started collapsing within six months after the signing of the Agreement. Differences that emerged in the peacekeeping missions established by the ICC had a profound effect on India-Canada relations in subsequent years. While India felt Canada had become an apologist for the US-backed South Vietnamese regime, Ottawa felt India invariably voted with Poland that supported the communist position. More important than the voting differences was the antipathy that scores of Canadian diplomats and military officers had developed towards their Indian counterparts with whom they worked. The reservoir of ill-will created a strong anti-India feeling within the Ministry of External Affairs, wrote Ivan L. Head and Pierre Trudeau in 1998. This became an important factor in the development of Canadas relations with India in subsequent years. Indias stand on the two international crises that had developed in 1956 ~ the Suez War launched by the UK and France and the Hungarian Uprising that was brutally suppressed by the Soviet Union ~ and the attitude of the Conservative Government that came to power in Canada in 1957 under the leadership of John Diefenbaker towards Nehrus India did not help matters either. (The writer is Professor (retired) of International Relations and a former Dean, Faculty of Arts, Jadavpur University) North Korea has probably suspended the transfer of munitions to the aggressor country Russia by sea. Over the past few weeks, ships that could have delivered weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine have not been seen in ports. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by the Korean edition of NK Pro on Friday, March 1. The journalists wrote that they analyzed satellite images from Planet Labs. According to the article, Russian ships involved in the transportation stopped appearing in the North Korean port of Rason, where the weapons were loaded onto ships, as well as in the port of destination in the Russian Far East called Danube. According to media reports, the vessels Angara, Maya-1, Maria and Lady R have been transporting ammunition to Russia, making at least 32 trips. The last vessel, the Maya-1, called at Rason on February 12, and the Lady R on February 4. So far, no containers have been delivered to the export pier. ADVERTISIMENT Journalists speculate that the DPRK has suspended supplies to Russia due to problems with ammunition production or logistical issues. "Perhaps the operation was stopped due to production problems in North Korea or other logistical difficulties. We should also not rule out the possibility that the weapons are being transferred to Russia by air or rail across the common border of the two countries," the article says. Recently, the SSU found evidence that Russia is killing Ukrainians with missiles from the DPRK. The investigation found that Russian troops have already fired more than 20 North Korean missiles at Ukraine. At the same time, CNN published information that the missile from the DPRK fired by Russia at Ukraine contained American and European components. As you know, North Korea receives significant funds from arms sales to Russia, which revive the DPRK's economy undermined by sanctions. After all, the budget of this small country last year amounted to only $24.5 billion. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! As the Ukraine crisis deepens, Russian President Vladimir Putins explicit nuclear warning has sent shockwaves through the global geopolitical landscape. To truly grasp the significance of Mr Putins statement, we must trace its roots back to the catalyst ~ a proposal presented by French President Emmanuel Macron. Despite facing swift rejection, Mr Macrons proposition laid the groundwork for Mr Putins robust response, adding a complex layer to an already tense situation. Mr Macrons suggestion, made earlier this week, floated the idea of European NATO members deploying ground troops to Ukraine. Though swiftly dismissed by key Western powers, the proposal became the focal point for Mr Putins address to lawmakers and the countrys elite. In response, Mr Putin not only rebuffed the proposition but delivered a chilling warning, asserting Russias capacity to strike Western targets with nuclear weapons. Understanding this context is essential for unravelling the evolving dynamics of the Ukraine crisis, shedding light on the intricacies and tensions shaping international relations. Mr Putins accusations of Western interference in Russias internal affairs and attempts to weaken the nation underscore the deep-seated animosity at the heart of this perilous standoff. The nuclear warning, though not entirely unprecedented in Mr Putins rhetoric, stands out as one of his most explicit statements on the potential consequences of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia. By referencing historical invasions of Russia, Mr Putin suggested that the consequences today would be far more tragic, demanding careful consideration on the global stage. As Russian forces claim initiative on the Ukrainian battlefield and advance in key locations, concerns about further escalation and the potential impact on neighbouring countries intensify. Mr Putins dismissal of suggestions that Russian forces might extend beyond Ukraine as nonsense adds complexity to the unfolding conflict dynamics. The decision to bolster troop numbers along Russias western borders, in response to Finland and Sweden aligning with NATO, introduces a geopolitical dimension to the crisis. Mr Putins emphasis on avoiding an arms race and prioritising defence-industrial development reflects a strategic approach focused on safeguarding Russias interests amid external pressures. The call for discussions on nuclear strategic stability with the United States, set against accusations of false claims and attempts to dictate negotiation terms, highlights the diplomatic challenges at play. Mr Putins scepticism regarding Washingtons genuine interest in such talks adds another layer of complexity to finding common ground amidst escalating tensions. In the unfolding drama of the Ukraine crisis, Mr Macrons proposal acted as a trigger, sparking a chain reaction that now threatens to plunge the world into a geopolitical maelstrom. As the international community grapples with these developments, the imperative for diplomacy and de-escalation has never been more pressing. The coming days will test diplomatic prowess and international cooperation, with the hope of averting a potentially catastrophic outcome that could reverberate across the global stage. Advertisement The iconic Bharatanatyam dancer, Dr Padma Subrahmanyam, the creator of a new style called Bharatanrytam, is a scholar, innovator, author, and teacher par excellence. She is also a musician, with a mastery of Carnatic music. To celebrate the silver jubilee year of Bharata Nritya School of Dance, its artistic director, Roshmi Bandyopadhayay, a disciple of Dr Subramaniam, had invited her to the inauguration of the silver jubilee year, held towards the end of 2023 with a two-day festival with the collaboration of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and Infosys Foundation, a cultural outreach programme. The romanticised poignant tale of Sultan Bazbahadur of Mandu and Rani Roopmati, a leaf from Indian history that happened in the 16th century and which has never seized to inspire poets, political and social historians, or the culturally inclined, was presented in a dance drama format by Roshmi Bandyopadhayay. Roshmi had chanced upon fragments of a script by Roopmati Bazbahadur in her parental home. She had the musical score for the piece composed by her father, Tarun Ganguly. Her mother Krishna and her Guru Balakrishna Menon, a student of Guru Gopinath, founder of Kerala Natanam, were in the roles of Roopmati and Bazbahadur, respectively. They had danced in the Kerala Natanam genre. Roshmi and her repertory members performed to Tarun Gangulys musical composition, recreating the dance pieces in Bharatanrytam style, which she had learned from her guru Padma Subramaniam. Advertisement A beautiful interactive session was held the next morning by Dr Padma Subramaniam on Natyashastra and National Unity with a live demonstration by Gayatri Kannan at the Kolkata Centre for Creativity. Her deep study of the Natyashastra and its implications is phenomenal. The session resembled a class-room situation. She had clarity in what she said, and the contents of her spoken word were like a river flowing unhindered. She said that the phrase Ved-Vak is an irrefutable phrase that shows that the Vedas are sacrosanct and are the basis of the culture of the Bharata, which was lost and the esteem of the people had taken a nosedive. English education started at Calcutta and Madras by Macaulay in 1835 buried the spirit of India, before which there was a better understanding of the whole sub-continent. Coming back to the Natyashastra she pointed out that Nepala, central and south-east Nepal, Magadha, Anga, northern part of Santhal parganas, Pundra (now in north Bangladesh), Malda in West Bengal, Vanga-Central Bengal, Pravanga in the south Bengal, Antargiri Rajmahal in Bihar, Bahirgiri, in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, Mallavartaka in Bihar, Sumotra in Murshidabad in West Bengal and Tamralipta an island which existed in the west of the mouth of the Hooghly river, Bhargava in Sikkim and Bhutan, Pragjyotisha in the Assam valley, or Kamrupa including Guwahati, Utkalinga in north Odisha, Odra south of Odisha and north of Mahanadi, Mahendra, northern part of Eastern Ghat, Pulinda in Nagpur region, some parts of Bankura region of West Bengal etc. come under Odra Magadhi mentioned in the Natyashastra. She further said that the Vedas are in Atibhasa, which is Devbhasa and a language not created by humans, and that Sanskrit starts from Kavya times. As is popularly thought, the Vedas were not composed by Rishis or seers who could see and hear what was in the cosmos. Rishis were the receivers. For a proper understanding of the concept, Rishis may at best be compared to antennas. They received the Vedas, which are mantras. Arya Bhasa actually refers to a refined language. The word Arya, she said, doesnt refer to any two-race theory; there is no existence of a two-race theory in the scriptures. The word Sanskrit means refined. Jati Bhasa is the colloquial language of the people. Bharata, in his Natyashastra, has referred to the rich Prakrits of each region. These are Suraseni in the U.P. plains, Avanti in western India, Magadhi in Bihar, Prachya in eastern India, Ardha Magadhi in south-east India, and Dakshinatta in the southern region. So the entire region is connected to its own special language. She also begged to differ from the scholars of the tenth century A.D., who said that Charis and Karanas are Nritta Karanas, and so they are Rasa and bhava Vihinamdevoid of Rasa and Bhava. She gave the example of Pandit Birju Maharaj rendering fast footwork with an abundance of Rasa to prove that Nritta Karanas are not Rasa and bhava Vihinam. Nritta can never be without Rasa and Bhava. Vidushi Padma Subramaniam has always taken elements from the Natyashastra Nritta Charis and Karanas with Sattva bhava. The Sanskrit word Sattva, meaning goodness, is one of the three gunas, or modes of existence, according to the shastras. Without Sattva, whatever one does will evoke monotony and boredom because of the lack of emotion displayed through expression. The performer will suffer for his or her dance, which in turn will also make the audience suffer. There has to be a state of inner joy in whatever one does. To quote from the Bhagavad Gita, Work is worship. The work will become enjoyable if it is taken as worship. A difficult work will become easy with an abundance of joy, and the net result will be the creation of Rasa, for enjoyment is nothing but Rasa. Giving an example from her own experience, she said that she had performed her choreography of Jatayu Moksha with an orchestral piece from the beginning of the opera Romeo and Juliet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to establish the magic of the treatise Natyashastra, written single-handedly by Bharata. At this point, a video clipping of her path-breaking and much-acclaimed choreographic work, Jatayu Moksha, was shown to prove her point. The press was impressed by her presentation and said that Tchaikovoskys overture fitted in so well with Ms Subramaniams choreography that it looked as if the music composer had anticipated Padmas Jatayu Moksha a hundred years ago. Vidushi Padma Subramaniam used the Sanskrit word Anugrahawhich means divine grace of Godcoming from a higher consciousness that has the power to transform, realise, and experience the nature of universal divine graceto relate to her experience when she was invited to perform at the Harmony and Development in Asia by Japan. A number of recordings were sent to her to select a piece where the written words were in Japanese. A language not known to her. She relied on her hearing ability and chose a piece from the works of Miyagi Michio for her rendition, later to be told that he was a blind composer whose centenary was being celebrated that year. Her advice to students was that they had to earn the ashirwadblessingsof gurus to keep going. Aspirants need to invoke Kriya Shaktione of three parts of the creative cosmic power called shakti. The other two parts are iccha shakti (willpower) and jnana shakti (the power to know). Ms Subramaniams prime disciple, Gayatri, performed Durgashtakam compiled by her from Soundarya Lahari attributed to Pushpadanta as well as Adi Shankara and, of course, Kanakadharastavam by Adi Shankaracharya, and composed and choreographed a piece, a vandana on Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. It was an aesthetic rendition of Dr Padma Subramaniams very own inimitable style of Bharatanrytam. Dr Subramaniam spoke about the Varnam Keno Darshan Dao na Hari, which the great composer Salil Chowdhury had specially written for her, replete with the exact Lakshana, the grammar format of a Varnam, which has many lines of Sahitya followed by swar and lyrics for swar and then the refrain. Her disciple, Roshmi Bandyopadhayay, regaled the audience with her flawless presentation of the Varnam. The writer is a senior dance critic The death of art house filmmaker Kumar Shahani brings to an end a legacy of filmmakers who greatly influenced students of cinema at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. He himself was influenced by a French master like Robert Bresson and the Italian neo-realist Roberto Rossellini. Kumar Shahani was born in Larkana, Sind, but died in Kolkata on 24 February at the age of 83, saddening a loyal band of fans and followers. Closer home, Shahani studied under Ritwik Ghatak at FTII. The teacher and student shared a very close bond, with clear influences of Ghatak on his films, which included a number of experimental documentaries. Advertisement Those were radical times in which these filmmakers operated. Mani Kaul, Adoor Gopalkrishnan, and John Abraham questioned the actual purpose of cinema. With staunch leftist ideals, they were disillusioned with independent India and the sadness reflected in their films. Two outstanding films directed by Shahani were Tarang and Maya Darpan. But it is not films that Shahani is noted for, but for his uncompromising stance that cinema should not be commercialised but pursued with passion. Kheyal Gatha was an experimental documentary made by him to explore this genre of north Indian classical music. None of the films by Kumar Shahani and Mani Kaul, another contemporary of his times, got a theatre release, but their films were critically acclaimed in student circles, among aficionados of cinema, and in international film circuits. At the end of the day, it was all about a very structured and theoretical political cinema where form scored over content. It never touched the heart, but the head. In this, they differed from Ghatak, who touched an emotional chord through his films. Shahanis films were never a success but appealed to a section of idealist film students and filmmakers. Sadly and gradually, he became irrelevant and mostly forgotten, except by his staunch loyalists. A sad end perhaps to a talented man who studied cinema in Paris and even assisted Bresson in one of his films. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte signed an agreement on security cooperation between the two countries, the presidential press service reported. The 10-year deal, which is based on the G7 joint declaration of support for Ukraine, was signed in the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday. The document stipulates that the Netherlands will provide 2 billion euros (about $2.17 billion) in military aid to Ukraine in 2024, and will continue its support in the future. Advertisement Under the deal, the Netherlands undertook a commitment to provide Ukraine with modern military equipment, including air defence means, artillery and armoured vehicles. Besides, the Netherlands will support Ukraines air forces as well as maritime and long-range capabilities. The Netherlands also reaffirmed its commitment to support Ukraines aspirations to join the EU and the NATO. Last year, the Netherlands provided 1.6 billion euros (about $1.73 billion) in military support for Ukraine. US says Israel has agreed to the framework for a Gaza cease-fire. Hamas must now decide A senior U.S. official says Israel has essentially endorsed a framework of a proposed Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal, and it is now up to Hamas to agree to it The Bundestag has demanded clarifications from the German Ministry of Defense regarding reports that Russia allegedly intercepted talks between representatives of the German Air Force. This refers to a 30-minute audio recording released by Russian propagandists, in which allegedly high-ranking German military officials discuss the theoretical possibility of deploying German Taurus missiles in Ukraine and their ability to hit the Crimean bridge. ADVERTISIMENT German lawmakers are now wondering whether, if the conversation is genuine, such leaks are one-offs or a systemic phenomenon. Tagesschau writes about this. The chairman of the Bundestag's Parliamentary Control Committee, Konstantin von Notz, called on MPs to provide explanations about the incident with Russia's possible interception of negotiations between representatives of the German Air Force. He is primarily interested in how deeply (and if at all) the Russians managed to penetrate the communications of the German army. "If this story turns out to be true, it will be a very problematic process. The question arises whether this is a one-time event or a structural security problem. I expect that all preliminary information will be immediately clarified," the politician said. On March 1, a representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, accused Germany of planning to deploy Taurus missiles in Ukraine and destroy the illegal Crimean bridge built by the occupiers to the Ukrainian peninsula they seized in 2014. ADVERTISIMENT In a boorish manner typical of Russian "diplomacy," she accused Berlin of "plans to conduct hostilities against Russia, including the destruction of civilian infrastructure," and demanded immediate explanations. "We demand explanations from Germany. Official Berlin is obliged to provide them promptly. Attempts to avoid answering questions will be considered an admission of guilt," Zakharova wrote. She attached a link to the Telegram channel of Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan to her post. She also posted an audio recording lasting about 30 minutes. The propagandist did not explain where she got the audio from or how she could confirm its authenticity. At the same time, she stated that the audio is an alleged conversation that took place on February 19 between German Air Force Inspector Ingo Gerhartz, Head of Operations and Training Frank Greffe, and employees of the Space Command Air Operations Center named Fenske and Frostedte. ADVERTISIMENT The German Defense Ministry has responded to Russia's loud statements. According to DW, they have begun to check the possibility of interception of communications and wiretapping in the Air Force. "The Federal Office of Military Counterintelligence (BAMAD) has taken all necessary measures," a ministry spokesman said on Friday, March 1. Meanwhile, Roderich Kiesewetter, deputy chairman of the Bundestag's intelligence oversight committee, suggested that the Russians could indeed have intercepted the German military's conversations. "Russia is certainly demonstrating how actively it is using espionage and sabotage as part of its hybrid warfare. It is to be expected that there were many more intercepts and leaks to influence decisions, discredit and manipulate people," he told Handelsblatt. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier this week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gave a new excuse for why Germany is not giving Ukraine Taurus. According to him, if used incorrectly, missiles with a range of 500 kilometers can reach Moscow. According to him, Germany is not ready to send its military to Ukraine to monitor the use of German missiles. Meanwhile, the Russian Federation has begun to fuss about the "interception" of German officers' conversations. They were allegedly instructed by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to work out the Taurus delivery, while Scholz "blocks these deliveries." The audio suggests that Ukraine will receive 100 such missiles in two tranches. The people whose voices were recorded also discuss the hypothetical destruction of the Crimean bridge, which they say is "hard to get" and would require "not ten or even twenty missiles." If the French fighter jet Dassault Rafale is equipped with German Taurus missiles, it will be possible to destroy the illegal structure of the occupiers. ADVERTISIMENT At the same time, the thesis is voiced that if Taurus is transferred to Kyiv, the missiles "will be ready for use only in eight months" because it is necessary to exclude the possibility of "mistaken use." Job Title: Enumerators (114,460 No Experience A Level Census Data Jobs) Deadline Extended Organisation: Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda Reports to: Sub-County Census Supervisor/ Division Census Supervisor Job Reference: UBOS/E/NPHC/02/24 About US: Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) is a semi-autonomous agency of Government responsible for maintenance, coordination, supervising and monitoring of the National Statistical System to ensure the collection, analysis and dissemination of standardised statistical information. The Bureau is also mandated as the principal official statistics About NPHC Census: Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), a semi-autonomous body, will be implementing the enumeration exercise of National Population and Housing Census (NPHC) 2024 from 10th May 2024 to 19th May 2024 with the night of 9th May 2024 as the Census Night in accordance with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics Act 1998, to promote the production of reliable official statistics and ensure the development and maintenance of the National Statistical System. The Census results will provide bench-mark socio-demographic data at all administrative levels necessary for general administration and the planning process. Job Summary: The Enumerators will conduct census enumeration in all the Enumeration Areas assigned. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Attend and participate in all training sessions; Engage in door-to-door community mobilization for the census; Identify the boundaries of the assigned Enumeration Area (EA); Collect information using a tablet on all the persons, households, institutions and communities in the assigned EA following instructions given; Transmit all collected data to the server on daily basis; Notify the Census Enumeration Supervisor of the field progress on daily basis; Prepare an end of assignment report at the end of the enumeration exercise; Maintain all the Census materials/equipment assigned in perfect working condition; Handover the Census materials and tools to the Census Enumeration Supervisor immediately after the Census enumeration exercise; Perform any other functions for the census as may be assigned by the Census Enumeration Supervisor from time to time. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: Should possess at least an A level Certificate or its equivalent Knowledge in basic computer applications Must have a National Identity Card Aged between 18 and 50 years; Should be responsible citizens of good character and integrity. Must be ordinarily be a resident of the village/ cell they wish to work in; Should have proven ability to mobilize the Community; Must have good communication skills; Must have good public relations; Must possess a smartphone. Must have a phone number that is registered on Mobile Money in their OWN NAMES. Must be available exclusively for the Census activity from 1st April to 25th May 2024 Very Important Information Only online applications will be accepted; List of shortlisted candidates will be displayed at each District Local Government and Lower Local Government Notice Boards; Successful candidates will receive notifications on the telephone contacts provided. How to Apply: If you believe you meet the required profile, please see the job details on the UBOS Website and submit your application through the online application system available on the UBOS Website: https://censusrecruitment.ubos.org Not Later than close of business on the, 22nd March 2024 at 5pm. Hardcopies shall not be accepted. INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLY Create an Account: Go to the account creation page. Enter a valid email address for future communications. Verify Your Email: Check your inbox for a confirmation email. Click the confirmation link to activate your account. Check your inbox for a confirmation email. Click the confirmation link to activate your account. Log In: Use your registered email and password to log in. Use your registered email and password to log in. Navigate to Vacancies: After logging in, youll be directed to the Job Vacancies page. After logging in, youll be directed to the Job Vacancies page. Choose a Job: Browse available jobs. Click Details for more information on each vacancy. Browse available jobs. Click Details for more information on each vacancy. Review Eligibility and Requirements: Ensure you meet the specified criteria and skills for the job. Ensure you meet the specified criteria and skills for the job. Application Process: Click Apply Now for the job youre interested in. Click Apply Now for the job youre interested in. Fill Out the Form: Enter your personal data, educational qualifications, relevant training, employment history, and referees. Ensure you use your national ID and a phone number that is registered in your name. Enter your personal data, educational qualifications, relevant training, employment history, and referees. Ensure you use your national ID and a phone number that is registered in your name. Accept Terms: Agree to the declaration to proceed with your application. Agree to the declaration to proceed with your application. Finalize and Logout: After completing your application, remember to log out. You can return later for edits if necessary. Note: Application Notice: You will be considered only for the positions youve applied for. Ensure you complete your applications on the Job Vacancies page. Only shortlisted candidates shall be contacted. All documents tendered in shall be verified with the relevant authorities. Any falsification of documents will lead to prosecution and any form of lobbying and canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification. Deadline: 22nd March 2024 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline With Google delisting apps over billing policy, Indian startups are seeking a solution to tackle the issue. Tech industry body IAMAI (Internet and Mobile Association of India) has urged Google not to delist Indian apps from Play Store after Google removed certain startup applications for allegedly not complying with payment policy. The development came after the tech giant removed matrimony, job and real estate apps from its platform. IAMAI, a not-for-profit body with more than 500 members, has said that Google had sent notices to four of its members over billing policy. "The affected members of IAMAI are of the view that a substantive hearing of the case is pending before the Supreme Court of India, and Google should not take any coercive action during the pendency of the case," the industry body said. Google clarified that existing users can still continue using these apps but new downloads will not be available as of now. Among the affected apps are matrimony apps like Shaadi, Matrimony.com, Jodii and Bharat Matrimony and dating apps like Truly Madly and Quack Quack. Other delisted apps include Naukri, 99acres, Shiksha and KukuFM. Last month, the Supreme Court declined to pass an order to protect firms such as Shaadi and Matrimony.com from being delisted. The court will hear their pleas challenging Google's billing policy on March 19. Meanwhile, Sanjeev Bikchandani, the co-founder of Info Edge, one of the country's oldest internet firms, told Moneycontrol that anti-trust regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) must initiate action against the tech giant over its anti-competitive behaviour. A day after a low-intensity blast rocked a popular eatery Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru, police intensified the hunt for the prime suspect, whose images were captured by the CCTV cameras at the cafe in Brookefield area and those nearby. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has taken up the investigation, and seven to eight teams have been formed. A person, who was with the prime suspect, has, reportedly, is being questioned, though there has been no official confirmation yet. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said that the police are using AI-powered facial recognition technology to identify the prime suspect. The probe teams are also looking at similarities between Friday's explosion, which left around 10 injured, and the November 2022 Mangaluru cooker blast. The injured customers and staff members are out of danger, according to officials. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, meanwhile, has convened a meeting of senior Home Department officials today in the wake of the blast. According to CCTV footage, the suspect was seen carrying a bag, was wearing goggles, and a cap and mask to hide his identity. The police said the blast was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) fitted with a timer in a bag left near the handwash area of the restaurant by a "customer". It exploded between 12:50pm and 1pm. The Bengaluru police have registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act. "The bomb squad, canine squad, anti-sabotage teams and forensic analysts have visited the spot, for investigation and collection of samples," a police official said. Also, sleuths from National Investigation Agency (NIA) and National Security Guard (NSG) reached the spot to help the local police in investigation and shared some inputs with them. 'Cooperating with authorities' Rameshwaram Cafe said it is cooperating with authorities and officials in their investigation. In a statement late on Friday night, Divya Raghavendra Rao, co-founder and managing director of the cafe, said, "We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident at our Brookefield branch. We are cooperating with the authorities and officials in their investigations. Our thoughts are with the injured and their families, and we are offering them all the support, assistance and care they need and pray for their speedy recovery." Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, who is also the MP from the Dharwad constituency in Karnataka, along with Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot and state BJP president Vijayendra Yeddyurappa, visited the injured people at a hospital. (With PTI inputs) Indian custom officials have seized a Chinese shipment meant for Pakistan at the Mumbais Nhava Sheva port in January, on the suspicion of being a possible dual use consignment which could be used for Pakistans nuclear and ballistic missile programme. Indian officials suspect that Pakistan is using China as a conduit to procure dual use and restricted items from Europe and the United States and masking identities to avoid detection. On January 23, customs officials stopped a Malta-flagged merchant ship, CMA CGM Attila at Nhava Sheva port while it was bound for Karachi. Port officials have alerted the Indian defence authorities who inspected the heavy cargo and reported their suspicions, after which the consignment was seized. The seizure falls under the prevention of possible proliferation concerns by Pakistan and China, officials told THE WEEK. Heavy cargo from CMA CGM Attila was seized at Nhava Sheva port | Sourced Top port authorities told THE WEEK that the ship was loaded at Shekou port in China and was carrying CNC machinery, originally manufactured by an Italian firm. CNC means Computer Numerical Control and such machines are basically controlled by a computer and produce a scale of efficiency, consistency and accuracy which is not possible manually. A red flag was raised by Indian custom officials when they scanned the official documents submitted to port authorities. According to documents like bills of lading and other details of the consignment, the consigner was mentioned as Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd and consignee was Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd of Sialkot. According to the website of Pakistan Wings, it is a leading sea and air freight consolidator and third party logistics provider. But when Indian officials dug deeper, it was found that the consignment, weighing 22,180 kg, was shipped by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd and it was meant for Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan. This is not the first instance when Indian port officials have seized such dual use military grade items that were being shipped from China to Pakistan. Cosmos Engineering, which is a Pakistani defence supplier, is on a watch list since March 12, 2022, when Indian authorities had interdicted a shipment of Italian made thermoelectric instruments, once again at Nhava Sheva port. Indian officials suspect that these thermoelectric instruments were meant for a Pakistani uranium enrichment facility. Indian officials also believe that Pakistan Wings was mentioned as a consignee in a deliberate ploy to hide the name of original consignee, which was Cosmos Engineering. Indian officials have long suspected that Pakistani military is using services of Pakistan Wings to facilitate shipments of dual use and restricted items from different parts of the world. Such shipments, they said, are noticed coming from China, Italy and Turkey to Pakistani defence entities. They also suspect that Pakistan Wings has close ties with Quantum Logix, a sanctioned entity by the US for acting contrary to the national security interests. It was added to the US Department of Commerces Export Administration Regulations (EAR) entities list on June 14, 2023. Indian officials say Chinese support for Pakistans nuclear and missile programme is an area of grave concern. Even in February 2020, a consignment of industrial autoclave, a dual use technology that can be used to produce rocket motors for missiles, was seized from a Chinese vessel, Dai Cui Yun, at Kandla port in Gujarat. It was masked as a consignment of industrial drier and was loaded at Jiangyin port in China and was meant for Pakistans Port Qasim. It was hidden in the ships bottom cargo. Indian agencies are now examining whether the suspected Pakistani entities receiving the dual use items were further supplying them to Defense Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), which conducts bulk of the research and development for Pakistan Ministry of Defense Production . Even though both Pakistan and China claim to be committed to international regimes and conventions, officials say, seizure of such clandestine shipments show that both countries are continuing cooperation in possible proliferation trading violating international commitments. The Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin knows what consequences await Russia if it uses nuclear weapons. And all his threats in this regard are psychological intimidation, not real intent. ADVERTISIMENT This was stated by NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana in an interview with El Pais. He noted that there is no immediate threat of Russia's use of nuclear weapons. The NATO Deputy Secretary General also said that such statements by Putin undermine confidence in the nuclear weapons sphere. "We see no immediate threat of Russia using such weapons. But such statements are very dangerous because they undermine confidence in the nuclear weapons sphere. Russia knows the consequences of such a step," Mircea said. Geoana commented on Putin's recent speech, noting that it was nothing more than psychological intimidation. "We have been hearing such threats to use nuclear weapons from Russian leaders for at least two years, since the war in Ukraine began. And this is from a nuclear superpower like Russia. This is very irresponsible because when you have such weapons, you also have an obligation of restraint. These statements are part of their arsenal of intimidation and psychological pressure," the NATO Deputy Secretary General said. ADVERTISIMENT He also emphasized that despite these statements by the Russian dictator, NATO will continue to support Ukraine. "We are determined to continue to support Ukraine and avoid escalation in relations with Russia. This is especially important after Ukraine has started negotiations on EU accession and is moving closer to NATO. We cannot say when, but one day an independent, sovereign Ukraine will be part of both NATO and the EU. This war will probably continue for some time. That is why NATO will continue to support Ukraine and avoid escalation with Russia," Geoana said. It should be reminded that during his address to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on February 29, Putin again began to threaten the entire civilized world with nuclear weapons. In addition, the war criminal boasted of the "successes" of the Russian occupation army. However, even the Russians themselves did not appreciate the dictator's statements. ADVERTISIMENT As OBOZ.UA previously reported, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller called Putin's latest nuclear threats irresponsible. He reminded that the United States has repeatedly warned Russia about the consequences of its use of nuclear weapons. China also reacted to Putin's words about the possibility of using nuclear weapons. China called on all countries possessing nuclear weapons to act prudently and maintain global strategic balance and stability. Beijing is convinced that there will be no winners in a nuclear war. Rajinder Rana, one of the six disqualified Congress MLAs in Himachal Pradesh, has claimed that many other legislators are in touch with them and that Sukhvinder Singh Sukhs government is on the verge of being toppled. Rana also dismissed the chief ministers claim that some rebel MLAs want to return to the party. "No one wants to return. On the other hand, at least nine more MLAs are in touch with us," he said. Expressing complete dissatisfaction with the current dispensation, Rana claimed that they had been raising concerns with the high command for more than a year that "everything is not right in the party" in Himachal. It is not Congress' government in Himachal Pradesh; it is only the government of Sukhvinder Sukhu's friends. Everyone is aware of the state's situation," he said. Rana and five other MLAs were disqualified after they cross-voted for BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the recent Rajya Sabha election, leading to the stunning defeat of Congresss Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Asked about it, Rana said, "We took this decision to uphold the honour of Himachal Pradesh and its people." Rana hinted at the potential defections from within the party, claiming that at least nine MLAs are in contact with him and the state government is on the verge of collapse. "Several other MLAs want to join us (rebel MLAs) and are in contact with us. The state government of Himachal will be toppled soon," he said. CM claims support from 80% of MLAs Chief Minister Sukhu, meanwhile, affirmed that he still has the support of 80 per cent of MLAs. "Eighty per cent of the Congress is together, and the rest are upset with us over small matters. It's my responsibility to clear things, so I have had discussions with them (six disqualified Congress MLAs), he said. The alleged gang-rape of a foreign tourist in Jharkhand shocked the country on Saturday. The survivor was on a road trip with her spouse and was attacked on Friday night. The Jharkhand Police have confirmed multiple arrests in connection with the incident and efforts are on to nab the remaining accused who are at large. Here is what we know so far about the gang-rape of the Spanish woman in Jharkhand's Dumka 1. The incident took place at Kurumahat in the Hansdiha police station area of Dumka, around 300 km from the state capital Ranchi. The woman, a 28-year-old Spaniard, was allegedly assaulted on Friday night at a makeshift tent that she had set up alongside her husband to spend the night. 2. The couple had reached Dumka from Bangladesh on two motorcycles. They intended to reach Nepal via Bihar. 3. The crime came to light when a police patrolling team found two people on the side of the road around 11 pm on Friday. A language barrier restrained the cops from understanding what the couple were saying. 4. Nevertheless, the officers rushed the duo to a local hospital. The two were in a condition to ride the vehicles and travelled to Saraiyahat Community Health Centre on their motorcycles, covering a distance of about 60 km with police escort. 5. It was at the hospital the couple told the doctors that the woman was sexually assaulted. She remains admitted at the Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital in Dumka. 6. Senior police officials told news agency PTI that an investigation got underway in the early hours of Saturday. Immediately after speaking to the woman, the cops started interrogating suspects. Among these were some of the men who were involved in the crime. They were taken into custody as they confessed to having assaulted the tourist. 7. Three persons have been arrested in connection with the crime and a manhunt is underway to nab the remaining accused. They have reportedly spilt the names of other men involved in the incident. A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to nab all the accused at the earliest. 8. News agency PTI, quoting police sources claimed that seven or eight local youths were involved in the incident. 9. The Superintendent of Police told the media that police were not informed earlier about the arrival of any foreign tourists in Dumka. 10. Her husband, a sexagenarian, also needed medical attention as he had sustained minor injuries in the incident. Both are out of danger, a doctor confirmed. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said a serious investigation is underway in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case. The chief minister added he will be visiting the explosion site and injured persons in hospital on Saturday. Talking to presspersons, Siddaramaiah said, A person wearing a mask and cap came in a bus, fixed the timer and exploded it. The deputy CM and Home Minister visited the spot on Friday. I will also go to the hospital and the spot today. I don't know if this is the work of an organisation or not. A serious investigation is underway. BJP should not play politics in this matter. Mangalore blast and Bengaluru explosion are not related, ANI reported. The chief minister added that the blast is still under investigation and appropriate action will be taken once he receives the report. A meeting of senior Home Department officials has been convened today in the wake of the blast. Bengaluru City Police Commissioner said the investigation is progressing at a fast pace in the case. The police investigation in connection with the Rameswaram cafe incident is going on at a fast pace. Based on the clues found at the scene, many police teams are investigating from different angles. As this is a sensitive case related to security issues, the cooperation of the media is requested, he tweeted. Teams of NSG, NIA, Bomb Disposal Squad and Bengaluru police are at the blast site and conducting investigations. Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of late former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, is all set to make her electoral debut as the Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded her in the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency. A Supreme Court lawyer, Bansuri expressed her gratitude to the BJP leadership for nominating her in the prestigious seat. "I feel grateful. I express gratitude towards PM Modi, HM Amit Shah ji, J.P. Nadda ji and every BJP worker for giving me this opportunity. With the resolution of 'ab ki baar 400 paar', every BJP worker will work to make Narendra Modi the 'PradhanSewak' for the third time," she told news agency ANI. Having studied law at BPP Law School in London, the 40-year-old boasts a wealth of experience in the legal profession. Last year, the BJP appointed her as the co-convenor of the BJP legal cell in Delhi. The saffron party announced candidates for five of the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi on Saturday. Besides Bansuri, Kamaljit Sehrawat has been fielded in West Delhi, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri in South Delhi, Praveen Khadelwal in Chandni Chowk and Manoj Tiwari in North East Delhi. In Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress have announced that they will contest the elections together in all seven seats. As part of the seat-sharing agreement, the AAP will contest in four seats and the Congress in three. In yet another deadly attack on Indians and Indian-Americans in the US in recent months, a 34-year-old trained classical dancer from India and a student of Washington University, was shot dead in St Louis, Missouri. Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer Amarnath Ghosh, who migrated to the US from Kolkata last year to follow his dancing dreams, was shot several times near the border of St Louis' Academy and Central West End neighbourhoods. He died on the spot. According to the St Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting happened at 7:15 pm on Tuesday at Delmar Boulevard and Clarendon Avenue, news portal 5 On Your Side' reported on Friday. Ghosh was pursuing his master's in the Performing Arts Department of Washington University. Calling him a very friendly and very talented, Ghosh's friends Hima Kuppa and Ravi Kuppa said, He was always travelling a lot for his performances. A lot of organisations called him for performances, but he always wanted to come back to St Louis. Ghosh was learning ballet and dance. I think it was a full scholarship at Wash U. His ultimate dream was to get his PhD in dance and work full-time with us at our Kuchipudi Art Academy, Hima was quoted as saying by 5 On Your Side.' He enjoyed volunteering as a dance instructor at a local studio and also taught children between the ages 5 and 18. His friends told the news outlet that Ghosh was the only child of his parents; his mother died three years ago and his father died when he was a child. Gosh's killing has prompted India's consulate in Chicago to take up the issue with local police and the university. Asserting that the mission is extending all help to the relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh, India's Consulate in Chicago posted on X that it has taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack. Offering deep condolences to family and friends of the deceased in St Louis, Missouri, it said, We are following up forensic, investigation with police and providing support. Washington University, where Gosh was a student, has condemned his killing as senseless violence beyond comprehension. There are no words to express the pain and anguish Amarnath's family and friends are experiencing. His death is a terrible shock to us all. This type of senseless violence is beyond comprehension and we are devastated by this loss. To have this happen in our own St. Louis community is especially heartbreaking, Anna Dr G Gonzalez, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs said in a statement released to all Washington University students, faculty and staff. It was actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who first alerted the authorities on social media about Ghosh's death. Taking to X, she posted, The reason, accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one left in his family to fight for it except his few friends. He was from Kolkata. Excellent dancer, was pursuing PhD, was taking an evening walk and suddenly he was shot multiple times by an unknown. She tagged the X handles of the Indian Embassy in the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi among others and said, Some friends in US are trying to claim the body but still no update about it and requested the Embassy to look into it. At least we should know the reason of his murder, she said in the post on March 1. Since the beginning of 2024, there have been at least half a dozen deaths of Indian and Indian-origin students in the US. The alarming rise in the number of attacks has caused concern among the community. Sameer Kamath, a 23-year-old Indian-American student at Purdue University, was found dead in a nature preserve in Indiana on February 5. On February 2, Vivek Taneja, a 41-year-old Indian-origin IT executive, suffered life-threatening injuries during an assault outside a restaurant in Washington, making it the seventh death of an Indian or Indian-American in recent months in the US. A week before that, Syed Mazahir Ali, an Indian student was attacked by robbers in Chicago. Earlier, 25-year-old Indian student Vivek Saini was fatally attacked in Georgia State's Lithonia city by a homeless drug addict. In January, 19-year-old Shreyas Reddy Beniger, a student at the Lindner School of Business in Ohio State was found dead. However, local authorities had ruled out foul play. Another Indian student, identified as Neel Acharya at Purdue University, Indiana, was confirmed dead days after being reported missing on January 28. Akul B Dhawan, an 18-year-old at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was found dead last month with signs of hypothermia. The series of attacks on Indians and Indian origin person/students had prompted the officials of the Indian Embassy in Washington and its consulates at various places to hold a virtual interaction with Indian students from across the US, discussing various aspects of student well-being and ways to stay connected with the larger diaspora. About 150 Indian Student Association office bearers and students from 90 US universities participated in the interaction led by Charge d'Affaires, Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan. It was also attended by the Consul Generals of India in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. After Israel's alleged strike on Palestinians waiting for aid in Gaza, the United Nations on Saturday said that several people being treated at hospitals following the attack suffered bullet wounds. UN observers had visited the al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, where about 200 people were still being treated. UNs remark comes after Israel refuted the allegations. Israel had said there was a "stampede" after its troops fired warning shots. Slamming Israel, many nations including France, Germany and Lebanon called for a full investigation of the attack. At least 112 people have died in the incident and another 760 were injured, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. "Dozens of Gazans were injured as a result of pushing and trampling," said Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Responding to the attack, UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron called the deaths "horrific" and said there "must be an urgent investigation and accountability." This must not happen again, he added. US President Joe Biden also announced that the US would begin dropping aid into Gaza but air. "Innocent people got caught in a terrible war, unable to feed their families. We need to do more, and the United States will do more," said Biden. Meanwhile, pressure mounts on PM Benjamin Netanyahus government to arrive at a truce deal with Hamas to release the hostages held in captivity. The families of hostages set out on a four-day protest march and were set to arrive in Jerusalem on Saturday evening. Anti-government protesters were readying to demonstrate in Tel Aviv and nationwide demanding a truce deal. Under the banner of "United to free the hostages", the families and friends of the hostages set off on a four-day march from Kibbutz Reim to Jerusalem on Wednesday morning. Amid intensifying protests from families, mediators including US, Egypt and Qatar, continue with efforts to reach a deal to release the hostages. Netanyahu on Thursday evening expressed pessimism that a deal could be sealed, accusing Hamas of continuing to stonewall Israel rather than make a good faith effort at compromise, reported The Times of Israel. A day after parliamentary polls were held in Iran, the hard-liners seemed to be leading in the initial vote counting in the capital of Tehran. Though the official figures on the voter turnout are yet to be released, the state-run IRNA news agency said the voter turnout was around 41 per cent, a record low, based on the unofficial reports. State-run IRNA news agency and state TV said 1,960 from 5,000 ballots in Tehran have been counted so far. The Interior Ministry report is updated on an hourly basis. It was in the February 2020 election that Iran recorded its lowest of 42-per cent voter turnout. It was the lowest turnout since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. With often running a campaign of 'Death to America', the hard-liners have controlled the parliament for the past two decades. The absolute power in Iran rests with its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though the parliament has various roles including overseeing the executive branch and voting on treaties. Since Mahsa Amini died in police custody in 2022, this was the first election held after the crackdown on the nationwide protests that erupted after her death. Amini, 22, died on September 16, 2022, after her arrest by Iran's morality police for allegedly violating the country's strict headscarf law forcing women to cover their hair and entire bodies. The protests quickly escalated into calls to overthrow Iran's clerical rulers. Over 500 people were killed and about 20,000 were arrested in connection with the protests. Calling the elections a "sham", Narges Mohammadi, the winner of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize, urged people to boycott the polls. "The Islamic Republic, with its ruthless and brutal suppression, the killing of young people on the streets, the executions and the imprisonment and torture of men and women, deserves national sanctions and global disgrace, Mohammadi said in a statement. About 15,000 candidates are contesting for a seat in the 290-member parliament --the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Parliament terms run for four years, and five seats are reserved for Iran's religious minorities. The entire result of the elections will be known only on Monday, however, initial results are expected on Saturday. The US announced it will airdrop food and supplies into Gaza, a day after more than 100 people were killed and hundreds injured while trying to reach a relief convoy in the war-torn region. US President Joe Biden said that the airdrops would begin soon, and that the US will look at other ways, too, to deliver aid to the over five lakh people in the Gaza Strip. Other countries like Jordan and France have already airdropped aid into Gaza. At least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others injured, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, in the rush to collect aid from the trucks on Thursday. While the Hamas officials allege that Israeli troops opened fire at the huge crowds resulting in the huge toll, Israel has categorically denied it, blaming the deaths on stampede. "We need to do more and the United States will do more," Biden told reporters, adding that the "aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough." "Innocent lives are on the line and children's lives are on the line. We won't stand by until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several." He said that the US was also looking at the possibility of a maritime corridor to deliver large amounts of aid into Gaza. White House spokesperson John Kirby said that airdrops would become "a sustained effort", adding that the first airdrop would be likely be military MREs (meals ready-to-eat). The US expects a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas would happen by Ramadan - the Muslim fasting month - which starts on March 10, though Biden admitted that the deaths of Palestinians while seeking aid on Thursday was a setback to the dialogue process. The decision by the US Supreme Court to accept the Trump v. United States case for review and delay its resolution until after the 2024 presidential election has plunged the United States into an existential crisis with far-reaching implications for the future of democracy, both in America and around the world. In a move that has left democracy advocates worldwide stunned and outraged, the US Supreme Court has effectively enabled Trumps election delay gambit, denied the American people their right to make an informed decision in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Scheduling to hear Donald Trumps audacious claims of immunity from prosecution for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election postpones the start of his criminal trial in Washington D.C. The Court has handed the former president a significant strategic victory. Trumps naked aim has been to stall each of the criminal cases against him until after the 2024 election. The calculation is that recapturing the White House would allow him to install an attorney general to make the federal investigations disappear. While legal experts dismiss Trumps immunity assertions as fanciful, the gambit has now succeeded in bogging down prosecutions to run out the clock. Even with Supreme Court arguments slated for late April, Trumps cases remain frozen. If the Court deliberates until June or July before issuing an opinion rejecting his immunity claims, any subsequent trial would be pushed into the height of election season. There is outrage at the prospect that Trump will exploit his unprecedented delay tactics to evade judgment from voters before they head to the polls. Make no mistake, the Supreme Courts accommodation of Trumps transparent stalling strategy effectively enables his assault on accountability. Although the justices are within procedural norms, the consequence is granting cover for a criminally accused former leader to escape public scrutiny as he seeks a return to power. At the very least, the move leaves the feeling of a surrender of judicial duty to political interests that ill serves justice and democracy. The Court had an opportunity to nip Trumps delay gambit in the bud. Instead of allowing his legally outrageous immunity bid to linger, the justices could have swiftly dismissed it as an affront to constitutional order and the rule of law. By failing to do so, the Court is passively abetting Trumps quest for impunity and subversion of the integrity of elections by denying the publics right to know about the legality of his previous actions. This jeopardizes bedrock principles America claims to champion worldwide. This choice of delay, made through a discretionary decision by the court's conservative majority, raises fundamental questions about the judiciary's commitment to upholding the rule of law and providing clarity to the American people during a crucial election year. Without prosecution on the criminality of the former president, voters face a distorted choice at the ballot box. The lack of resolution effectively shields Trump from public judgment regarding his conduct in office. This denial of transparency and accountability contradicts the foundations of an open democracy. It degrades civic discourse and breeds ever more brazen abuses of executive power. Even more alarming is the prospect of Trump successfully winning reelection in 2024 before any immunity arguments are rejected. By its action the court makes it likely that voters will head to the polls without crucial information about the legal consequences of electing a candidate who may have committed disqualifying crimes in the minds of many voters and who claims absolute immunity from criminal prosecution. This would consolidate lawlessness and further erode checks on his actions. With democratic institutions already battered by Trumps turbulent past presidency, many fear a point of no return where election outcomes cease to matter as constitutional norms collapse. By delaying any verdict, the Supreme Court is exacerbating this looming threat. In the cauldron of a hot political contest, this calls into question Americas commitment to the rule of law by providing cover for an authoritarian-minded leader seeking to return to power in order to stop his own prosecution on the 91 criminal indictments he faces. The delay gambit abuses the justice system itself as a shield against consequences for illegal action. While most criminal defendants seek swift resolution of charges, Trump wants to drag proceedings out indefinitely. This brazen attempt to avoid a reckoning corrupts judicial process into a weapon for delaying and denying justice. Trump is able to maneuver the courts in ways unavailable to ordinary citizens because of his wealth and connections and a lifetime of out-moneying and out-timing legal issues. He can afford extensive legal motions and appeals to bottleneck lawsuits and run down the clock. The backstory: Trumps bid for absolute power To appreciate the gravity of the current situation, some background is helpful. The case of Trump v. United States originated from legal actions taken against Donald Trump stemming from his conduct as president and his role in the January 6, 2021 insurrection. As investigators began building cases against Trump, his legal team floated the theory that a former president cannot be charged with crimes committed while in office, a claim so extreme that legal experts give it no chance in law, characterizing its argument that since it is not specifically banned in the Constitution a president should have unlimited immunity as a pragmatic manner. Trumps aim, however, is not to win but to tie up the courts in order to delay the time of his trial because as a presidential candidate and potential winner of the elections, under the American system, he would have the ability to stop all criminal investigations and court actions against himself and even pardon himself, effectively ending any accountability. This claim of lifelong immunity was robustly denied by a lower court and widely panned by legal experts as an absurd overreach and an attempt to place the president above the law. In a bid to shield Trump from accountability, however, his lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court to enshrine this radical theory as settled constitutional law. Many observers expected the Supreme Court to swiftly reject such an obviously anti-democratic assertion. The vision of an unaccountable president operating with impunity flies in the face of the Constitution and the rule of law. The fact that the Supreme Court is taking this argument seriously enough to grant certiorari and a strategic delay to Trump rather than to affirm a decision that the court itself is expected to mirror, speaks volumes about the precarious state of US democracy and has chilling implications. By postponing decisive action, the Supreme Court denies American people the timely understanding of whether Trump as president and afterward operated beyond the law. Voters are now deprived of essential facts as they consider candidates for their nations highest office. In effect, the likely outcome is that Trump and the lawlessness for which he stands indicted will escape court scrutiny on his way to reclaiming the White House. By granting Trump extraordinary deference, the Court signals that Trumps raw power and audacious defiance of norms now reign supreme over bedrock democratic principles and institutional constraints on authority. This is an exceedingly dangerous development at this point in American history. A threat to democratic values At the very least, the Court appears swayed by Trumps powerful demagoguery instead of dismissing it outright. This calls into question the judiciarys ability to be an impartial check on authoritarian power grabs. And it leaves Americas global standing as a champion of rule of law, open democracy, and human rights severely damaged. Many see the Courts certiorari delay as a baldly partisan maneuver by Republican- and Trump-appointed justices aimed at protecting Trump and his allies from accountability. This perceived politicization of the judiciary undermines the legitimacy of not just the Supreme Court but the American Court system in general. America at an existential crossroads With this, the Supreme Court has placed the United States at an existential crossroads with its commitment to democracy in question. Will the nation live up to its ideals of equality under law, or will America go down the dark road of charismatic strongmen operating with impunity? The implications of Supreme Court action could not be more consequential. By postponing any ruling on Trumps legally shaky immunity claim, the very US Supreme Court has made this doomsday scenario more likely. The critical importance of judicial independence America prides itself on leading the free world. But this lofty role rests on the nations commitment to justice, transparency and reasoned deliberation. By enabling the delay in the criminal prosecutions against Trump, the Court reflects a dangerous erosion of principles in a nation long considered the gold standard for liberty. The Court has all but guaranteed a clouded if not compromised electoral process and a continuing threat to American democracy. Global consequences of Americas retreat from justice The stakes of the Supreme Courts decision are not limited to America alone. This resolution of charges against Trump are closely watched around the world as judgment on the resilience of US democracy. The Courts apparent capitulation in the face of Trumps strongman tactics is an ominous signal heard worldwide. America has long declared itself a shining city on a hill and reprimanded tyrannical regimes abroad. But this moral authority now rings hollow as Trump tramples legal restraints and the Supreme Court fails to rein him in. US global leadership and influence cannot be separated from its domestic commitment to justice and democratic principles. For the world, there are also profound geopolitical implications. A United States untethered from the rule of law risks destabilizing alliances, emboldening adversaries, and creating a power vacuum quickly filled by dangerous actors. It forfeits soft power and legitimacy on the global stage. The world grows more hazardous as America abandons its long-stabilizing role as anchor of the liberal democratic order. In democracies and authoritarian states alike, politicians are carefully monitoring Trumps delay, delay, delay tactic against accountability as surging blueprint. Even the perception that the USs most powerful court appeasing a defiant strongman signals that the law will bend to accommodate the powerful who trample it, not restrain them. This contagion endangers democracies worldwide already backsliding toward populist nationalism and minority rule. Determining democracys future course Looking ahead, much remains uncertain as America reaches a dangerous political crossroads. Will the nation reaffirm its commitment to justice, human rights and the rule of law at this crucial hour? Or will expediency and cynicism prevail to drive a final stake through the heart of Americas democratic experiment? The world is watching and waiting to see whether the United States steps back from this constitutional cliff or slides further toward uncharted autocratic terrain. Other nations face their own daunting democratic tests in the years ahead. But America remains the indispensable nation, whose example is followed globally for good and ill. As the eyes of the world focus on the unfolding constitutional drama, the question in the air is whether the great nation can steer the ship of state through stormy waters back to democracy's safe harbor. How this will affect global democracy is in the balance. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK. Taiwan's Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) will provide technology and execution support for the state-of-the-art greenfield facility in Gujarat to address the global semiconductor markets in the areas of automotive, computing, communications, and artificial intelligence MUMBAI, India, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a significant step towards creating an indigenous ('Make in India, For the World') semiconductor ecosystem in India, Government of India has approved a proposal from Tata Electronics to build a mega semiconductor fabrication facility ('Fab') in Dholera, Gujarat in partnership with PSMC. The fab construction will begin this year with a total investment of up to INR 91,000 crores (~US$11bn) and will generate over 20,000 direct and indirect skilled jobs in the region. With this announcement, Tata Electronics enters the global semiconductor industry. Tata Electronics (a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd.) in partnership with Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) will build India's first AI-enabled state-of-the-art Fab. This Fab will have manufacturing capacity of up to 50,000 wafers per month and will include next generation factory automation capabilities deploying data analytics and machine learning to achieve industry-best factory efficiency. The new semiconductor Fab will manufacture chips for applications such as power management IC, display drivers, microcontrollers (MCU) and high-performance computing logic, addressing the growing demand in markets such as automotive, computing and data storage, wireless communication and artificial intelligence. N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons had announced Tata Group's decision to build a semiconductor fab in Dholera in the 20th Vibrant Gujarat Summit in January, 2024. Commenting on the planned semiconductor Fab he said, "Tata Group has a tradition of pioneering many sectors in the country, and we are confident that our entry in semiconductor fabrication will add to this legacy. With AI-led digitization of every aspect of human existence, semiconductors will be the most critical building block. By 2030, Global semiconductor industry is expected to grow to US$ 1 trillion and Indian semiconductor demand is expected to cross US$110bn. India's entry in the semiconductor manufacturing will significantly de-risk global supply chains and will make India a very important player in the global semiconductor industry. We are proud to lead India's entry into global semiconductor fabrication. This will also accelerate our progress towards providing high-technology employment opportunities for the youth of India. Today's announcement is possible because of the enduring vision of the Government of India under the leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in defining comprehensive central and state semiconductor policies, as well as continuous advocacy and support from Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) and the Government of Gujarat." Emphasizing the significance of this strategic step, Dr. Randhir Thakur, CEO & MD, Tata Electronics said, "This marks a beginning of a new era for India. Tata Electronics is proud to play a prominent role in strengthening the global semiconductor ecosystem. Our partnership with PSMC provides access to a broad technology portfolio in leading edge and mature nodes including 28nm, 40nm, 55nm, 90nm & 110nm and also collaboration for high volume manufacturing. We are confident that the upcoming Fab will support our ambitions of 'Make in India, For the World'. We will be able to serve our global customers' requirements for supply chain resilience and meet the growing domestic demand." PSMC, which is one of Taiwan's leading pure-play foundry companies with capabilities across logic and memory technologies, will provide access to leading-edge and mature technologies. Dr. Frank Huang, Chairman, PSMC said, "Tata Group is one of the most established and well-respected names in India and globally. We are very excited to enter in partnership with Tata group, that I believe will script a new era in the global semiconductor industry. Semiconductor industry presents a large and growing opportunity, and India is uniquely placed to capture this opportunity. On one end, India has a large and growing domestic demand and on the other end global customers are looking at India for supply chain resilience. There could not have been better time for India to make its entry into semiconductor manufacturing industry. This partnership has the potential to redefine the contours of global semiconductor manufacturing and we are looking forward to collaboration with Tata Electronics." This new initiative from Tata Electronics will bring to India a portfolio of cutting-edge semiconductor technologies, advanced skill set and talent, and a network of semiconductor manufacturing suppliers and ecosystem partners, resulting in foundational development of indigenous semiconductor ecosystem in India. With this Fab, India for the first time will be able to address the growing chip demand of domestic and global customers across automotive, computing, communications, and artificial intelligence markets. Tata Group's multi-fab vision for Dholera is projected to create over 1,00,000 skilled jobs and establish India as one of the key supply chain partners to the global semiconductor industry. About the Tata Group: Founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1868, the Tata Group is a global enterprise, headquartered in India, comprising 30 companies across ten verticals. The group operates in more than 100 countries across six continents, with a mission 'To improve the quality of life of the communities we serve globally, through long-term stakeholder value creation based on Leadership with Trust'. Tata Sons is the principal investment holding company and promoter of Tata companies. Sixty-six percent of the equity share capital of Tata Sons is held by philanthropic trusts, which support education, health, livelihood generation and art and culture. In 2022-23, the revenue of Tata companies, taken together, was $150 billion (INR 12 trillion). These companies collectively employ over 1 million people. Each Tata company or enterprise operates independently under the guidance and supervision of its own board of directors. There are 29 publicly listed Tata enterprises with a combined market capitalization of over $350 billion as on February 2024. For more details visit www.tata.com About Tata Electronics : Tata Electronics is a global player in the electronics manufacturing business with fast emerging capabilities in Electronics Manufacturing Services, Semiconductor Assembly & Test, Semiconductor Foundry, and Design Services. Founded in 2020 as a greenfield venture of the Tata group, the company aims to better serve global customers through integrated offerings across a trusted electronics and semiconductor value chain. With a fast-expanding workforce, the company presently employs over 15,000 people and has facilities in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in India. Tata Electronics also aims to work towards creating a conscientious socio-economic footprint by employing large number of women in its workforce and providing necessary assistance to local communities in health, hygiene, and education. About PSMC : Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) provides foundry services in advanced memories, customized logic integrated circuits and discrete components with the Open Foundry operation model. From chip design and manufacturing service to equipment and production capacity sharing, PSMC establishes a close and flexible cooperation with customers according to their attributes and demands. PSMC owns two 8-inch and three 12-inch wafer fabs with 8,000 employees; with a brand new 12-inch wafer fab under construction in Taiwan. For more information, please contact: Tata Electronics | contact@tataelectronics.com Adfactors PR: Amisha Gutgutia - amisha.gutgutia@adfactorspr.com | 9899700171 Pooja Rajput - pooja.rajput@adfactorspr.com | 9910278452 (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR Surat (Gujarat) [India], March 1: The adage "necessity is the mother of invention" is used frequently, and various innovations have proven this to be true. A prime example of the same is "Instafood," a Easy to cook brand that currently offers over 25 types of real Gujarati cuisine and expects to grow further in the coming years. The journey of Instafood, which was founded in the year 2021, is quite intriguing. A young, eager student decided to move abroad for further education in the year 2018. He encountered a recurring issue after arriving and establishing there: the lack of wholesome, home-like Indian food. His mother, Darshana Ben, took matters into her own hands and produced meals that could be kept for a long period while retaining their flavor and nutritional value to assist him in solving the problem. Darshana couldnt help but wonder about the number of students struggling with the availability of healthy food. Upon conducting further research and collecting data, she discovered that techniques and methods prevailing in the past could be established as a solution to this problem. Following this, she decided to discuss this with her family and friends. Darshana ben, along with Madhu Ben & Tejal Ben decided to venture into the business of producing ready-to-eat food and make a brand that doesnt compromise on the health aspect of cooking. This led to the birth of Instafood, a Easy to cook brand that commits to providing only the highest quality of food to everyone away from home. They achieve this by employing the Natural Drying Method of preserving food, as opposed to the freeze-drying method which has several adverse effects on an individuals health and is very harmful in the long run. The natural drying method ensures that the food retains its nutritional value and taste without being laden with preservatives and artificial colors. To ensure that no one is constrained by geographic boundaries in their quest for nourishing and healthful cuisine, Instafood offers 100% vegetarian and Jain options. They provide a menu of genuine Gujarati food that is sure to bring back fond memories of your native place. Since takeout has ingrained itself into our daily lives, Instafood was created to encourage home cooking. Despite the fact that takeaways are considered convenient, they frequently come at the expense of one's health, which is why Instafood works to encourage healthy behaviors and a healthy lifestyle. Darshana, Madhu, and Tejal Ben are working continuously to establish the company today. While Darshana Ben concentrates on the recipes, Madhu & Tejal are in charge of its growth. Due to their immense dedication to the mission to provide healthy food to everyone around the globe, the trio also attained extensive support from Sheta Exports & their family members who acted as their pillars. Together, they help Instafood daily achieve new heights. Find out more about them by visiting: https:hopinstafood.com/ (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PNN and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) Taking a strong view of Google pulling off some apps from its Play Store, the government on Saturday said delisting of Indian apps cannot be permitted and that the tech company and the startups concerned have been called for a meeting next week. In an interview to PTI, IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the startup ecosystem is key to the Indian economy and their fate cannot be left to any big tech to decide. The minister's comments assume significance as Google on Friday began removing some apps, including popular matrimony apps, from its Play Store in India over a dispute on service fee payments, even as apps and well-known startup founders cried foul. Taking a serious view of the issue, Vaishnaw said: "India is very clear, our policy is very clear...our startups will get the protection that they need." The minister said the government will be meeting Google and app developers who have been delisted, next week, to resolve the dispute. "I have already called Google...I have already called the app developers who have been delisted, we will be meeting them next week. This cannot be permitted..This kind of delisting cannot be permitted," Vaishnaw asserted. Stating that India has built a strong startup ecosystem of over one lakh startups, and more than 100 unicorns from scratch in a matter of 10 years, the minister said the energy of youth and entrepreneurs must be channelised fully and "cannot be left to the policies of any big tech." "I will be telling Google...Our entrepreneurial energy...startups, look at the whole startup India programme, 10 years back we had practically nothing and today we have more than 1,00,000 startups, more than 100 unicorns...this is something...the energy of our youth, the energy of our entrepreneurs, energy of our talented people that has to be channelised fully well, it cannot be left to the policies of any big tech," Vaishnaw said. On Friday, Google said 10 companies in the country, including "many well-established" ones had avoided paying fees despite benefiting from the platform and Play Store, and proceeded to delist some apps. It did not name the firms but a search of Play Store on android phones did not give results for matrimonial apps such as Shaadi, Matrimony.com and Bharat Matrimony. Balaji Telefilms' Altt (formerly ALTBalaji), audio platform Kuku FM, dating service Quack Quack, Truly Madly also disappeared from the Play Store. The raging dispute is over Google imposing a fee of 11 to 26 per cent on in-app payments after anti-competition body CCI ordered scrapping of an earlier system of charging 15 to 30 per cent. Google went ahead to remove the apps not paying the fee after the Supreme Court did not provide interim relief to companies behind these apps in their battle against the search giant's app marketplace fee. While Bharat Matrimony founder Murugavel Janakiraman described the move as "dark day" for the Internet in India, Kuku FM Co-founder Vinod Kumar Meena in a statement had said that Google was behaving like a 'monopoly'. Quack Quack Founder Ravi Mittal said the company would comply with rules to get back on the marketplace. Google previously sent notices of Play Store violations to Matrimony.com, which runs app BharatMatrimony, and Info Edge, which runs a similar app, Jeevansathi. Info Edge (India) Ltd on Saturday said its mobile apps, including naukri.com, 99 acres.com, and shiksha.com have been removed from Google Play Store. "Indian companies will comply - for now. But what India needs is an App Store/ Play Store that is a part of Digital Public Infrastructure - like UPI and ONDC. The response needs to be strategic," Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani had said in a post on Friday on X (formerly Twitter) tagging Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his office. IAMAI - an industry association that represents some of the largest Indian startups as well as international firms - condemned the removal of apps and had urged Google to reinstate delisted apps. In its blogpost, Google had said 10 Indian companies had chosen for an extended period of time not to pay for the "immense value they receive on Google Play". "For years, no court or regulator has denied Google Play's right to charge," it said, adding that the Supreme Court on February 9 also "refused to interfere" with its right to do so. Google asserted that allowing a small group of developers to get differential treatment from the vast majority of developers who are paying their fair share creates an uneven playing field putting all other apps and games at a competitive disadvantage. "After giving these developers more than three years to prepare, including three weeks after the Supreme Court's order, we are taking necessary steps to ensure our policies are applied consistently across the ecosystem, as we do for any form of policy violation globally," Google said. In the blogpost, Google had said that enforcement of the policy, when necessary, can include removal of non-compliant apps from Google Play. Google, however, added that existing users will be able to continue to access the apps without interruption and that it continues "to offer our support to help developers get into compliance". Developers, it said, are welcome to resubmit their apps to be listed on Play by selecting one of the three billing options as part of its payment policy. "Today, we have over 2,00,000 Indian developers using Google Play who adhere to our policies, helping us ensure we have a safe platform; however, for an extended period of time, 10 companies, including many well-established ones, have chosen to not pay for the immense value they receive on Google Play by securing interim protections from the court," Google had said. Bengaluru, Mar 2 (PTI) With his 2021 documentary on the farmers' protest being dropped from this year's Bangalore International Film Festival, Kannada filmmaker Kesari Haravoo on Saturday said that for the last two years, "our voice was being curtailed more and more with every passing day." "Kisan Satyagraha", Haravoo's documentary on the farmers protest against the erstwhile three farm laws, was dropped from this year's Bangalore International Film Festival (BIFFES) after failing to get a clearance from the Information and Broadcasting ministry. The 15th edition of the film festival was inaugurated on February 29 by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Films are being screened from March 1-7. Haravoo said he came to know about his film being dropped from the festival only when the schedule was released. "My film is there in the catalogue released by the BIFFES 2024. But when I checked the schedule, I could not find it, so I called the artistic director of the festival, N Vidyashankar, who told me that the film did not get clearance from the ministry of information and broadcasting and had to be dropped at the last minute. I find that our voice is being curtailed more and more with every passing day if wa say anything against the establishment," he said. Festival director Thrilok Chandra K V said they were not given any reason for the decision by the I&B ministry. "We must send all the films that we are showcasing for clearance. We sent 200 films to the ministry. Initially, six films did not get cleared. We sent them again, of which two films one from Haravoo and one from Ukraine (20 Days in Mariupol) were denied permission. Haravoos film, being a documentary, did not have any certification," Chandra said. But Haravoo said there is no rule that only certified films should be showcased at international film festivals in the country. Documentaries usually are not certified, and many such films have opened at the international film festivals, he added. Meanwhile, reacting to Haravoo's post about the ban on his Facebook page, another filmmaker from Karnataka's Udupi, and former head of the direction and screenplay department of Annapurna College of Film and Media in Hyderabad, Ramachandra P N said I&B ministry has the authority to stop screening only when public order is disturbed. A few years back, the Kerala FF went to the courts and won the case in two of the three uncertified films that were not given permission. It took 6 months from the film festival for the courts to decide that. But the refusal order was termed as illegal as the reason given by the govt was the possible disturbance of law and order- which the court said that the state is duty bound to maintain. Point is--will the Karnataka govt go to the courts as its own freedom of expression is at stake? (sic)," he wrote. In 2017, I&B ministry had banned the exhibition of three documentaries "In the Shade of Fallen Chinar" "March, March, March" and the "Unbearable Being of Lightness" at the 10th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK). The Kerala HC heard the writ petition filed by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, the organiser of the festival. While "Unbearable Being of Lightness" talks about the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad, "March, March March" is about the protests at Jawaharlal Nehru University and "In the shade of Fallen Chinar" is a short documentary giving a glimpse into the lives of a group of young Kashmiri artists. Ramachandra told PTI, of the three films, the court did not take a stand on the one on Kashmiri students. But the other two films were allowed to be screened," he recalled. Incidentally, in 2019 too, Kerala State Chalachitra Academy filed a writ petition against the banning of Anand Patwardhan's "Vivek/Reason" by the I&B ministry, again at (IDSFFK), stating that screening of the film could cause law and order problems. But the Kerala High Court held the Centre's claim cannot be upheld and that the screening was permissible according to the guidelines framed by the ministry. Haravoo also said, a few years ago, when the Central government brought the rule that documentaries submitted for National awards must be certified, several filmmakers, including Patwardhan, protested and finally stopped submitting for the award. Moscow, Mar 1 (AP) Under a heavy police presence, thousands of people bade farewell Friday to Alexei Navalny at his funeral in Moscow after his still-unexplained death two weeks ago in an Arctic penal colony. The service followed a battle with authorities over the release of the body of President Vladimir Putin's fiercest critic. His supporters said several churches in Moscow refused to hold the funeral for the man who crusaded against official corruption and organised big protests. Many Western leaders blamed the death on the Russian leader, an accusation the Kremlin angrily rejected. Navalny's team eventually got permission from the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Soothe My Sorrows, which was encircled by crowd-control barriers on Friday. As his coffin was removed from the hearse and taken inside the church, the crowd waiting outside broke into respectful applause and then chanted: Navalny! Navalny! Some also shouted, You weren't afraid, neither are we! and later No to war! Western diplomats, including US Ambassador Lynn Tracy, were among those who attended, along with presidential hopefuls Boris Nadezhdin and Yekaterina Duntsova. Both wanted to run against Putin in the upcoming presidential elections and opposed his war in Ukraine; neither was allowed on the ballot. A photo from inside the church showed an open casket with Navalny's body covered with red and white flowers, and his mother sitting beside it holding a candle. Navalny's father was also present, but it wasn't clear who else in his family attended. His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, just two days ago addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France; his daughter is a student at the Stanford University, and the whereabouts of his son are unknown. The politician's closest associates have left Russia under pressure and watched the funeral, which was streamed live on his YouTube channel, from abroad. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged those gathering in Moscow and other places not to break the law, saying any unauthorised (mass) gatherings" are violations. Those people who follow what is happening, it is of course obvious to them that this man is a hero of our country, whom we will not forget," said Nadezhda Ivanova, a Kaliningrad resident who was outside the church with other supporters. What was done to him is incredibly difficult to accept and get through it." After the short funeral, a crowd of thousands marched from the church to the nearby Borisovskoye Cemetery, where the police were also out in force for the burial. With the casket open, Navalny's parents and others stroked and kissed his body. Meanwhile, a large crowd of supporters gathered at the gates of the cemetery, chanting: Let us in to say say goodbye! The coffin was then lowered into the ground, allies said. Navalny's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, spent eight days trying to get authorities to release the body following his Feb 16 death at Penal Colony No. 3 in the town of Kharp, in the Yamalo-Nenets region about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow. Even on Friday itself, the morgue where the body was being held delayed its release, according to Ivan Zhdanov, Navalny's close ally and director of his Anti-Corruption Foundation. Authorities originally said they couldn't turn over the body because they needed to conduct post-mortem tests. Navalnaya made a video appeal to Putin to release it so she could bury her son with dignity. At least one funeral director said he had been forbidden to work with Navalny's supporters, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on social media. They also struggled to find a hearse. Unknown people are calling up people and threatening them not to take Alexei's body anywhere, Yarmysh said Thursday. Russian authorities still haven't announced the cause of death for Navalny, who was 47. Navalny had been jailed since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow to face certain arrest after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. His Foundation for Fighting Corruption and his regional offices were designated as extremist organisations by the Russian government that same year. His widow accused Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin of trying to block a public funeral. We don't want any special treatment just to give people the opportunity to say farewell to Alexei in a normal way, Yulia Navalnaya wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. In a speech to European lawmakers on Wednesday, she also expressed fears that police might interfere with the gathering or would "arrest those who have come to say goodbye to my husband. Moscow authorities refused permission for a separate memorial event for Navalny and slain opposition leader Boris Nemtsov on Friday, citing COVID-19 restrictions, according to politician Yekaterina Duntsova said. Nemtsov, a 55-year-old former deputy prime minister, was shot to death as he walked on a bridge adjacent to the Kremlin on the night of Feb 27, 2015. Yarmysh also urged Navalny's supporters around the world to lay flowers in his honour Friday. Everyone who knew Alexei says what a cheerful, courageous and honest person he was, Yarmysh said Thursday. But the greater truth is that even if you never met Alexei, you knew what he was like, too. You shared his investigations, you went to rallies with him, you read his posts from prison. His example showed many people what to do when even when things were scary and difficult. (AP) SCY SCY Karachi, Mar 2 (PTI) Months after stepping down as the caretaker interior minister, Pakistan Peoples Party's Sarfraz Bugti was on Saturday elected unopposed as the new chief minister of the restive Balochistan province. Bugti, who recently joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and enjoyed the support of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), submitted his nomination papers with Assembly Secretary Tahir Shah on Friday, Dawn News reported. PPP leader and former chief minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri and PML-N leader Nawab Gangeez Khan Marri proposed his name. No other candidate filed nomination papers till 5 pm on Friday. Bugtis nomination papers were accepted after scrutiny by the secretary, who also announced that he had been elected unopposed. The official announcement of Bugtis election as the leader of the House will be made during the assembly session on Saturday. Bugti is also expected to be administered the oath later in the day by Balochistan Governor Malik Abdul Wali Kakar in a ceremony at the Governor House. Separately, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party's Ali Amin Gandapur will be sworn in as the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, according to a statement issued by the provincial governors press secretary. Gandapur has the support of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) members, an offshoot of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's PTI party. Islamabad, Mar 2 (PTI) The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) backed by Imran Khan's party on Saturday named the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai as their presidential candidate against Asif Ali Zardari, the joint nominee of the PML-N and the PPP. Achakzai, 75, was nominated for the post against the Pakistan Peoples Party's senior leader and former president Asif Ali Zardari, Geo News reported. Zardari, 68, is a joint candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other political parties part of the coalition set to form a government in the Centre. Achakzai, the chief of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), won the National Assembly seat from the NA-266 constituency in Balochistan's Kila Abdullah-cum-Chaman. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, who is incarcerated in Rawalpindis Adiala jail, has urged his partys lawmakers to vote for the veteran politician, The News International reported. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan has confirmed the nomination of Achakzai for the presidential poll. It should be noted that a PTI delegation, led by party leader Asad Qaiser, met with Achakzai and Balochistan National Party (Mengal) chief Akhtar Mengal earlier this week to seek their support in raising the voice against rigging in the general elections held last month. During the meeting, Achakzai extended his partys support for every political party that works towards the Constitutions supremacy and empowering the Parliament. According to a notification issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday, the presidential election is set to take place on March 9. The nomination papers of Zardari for the presidential elections will be submitted on Saturday. Zardari was announced as the consensus candidate for the countrys top constitutional office after the PML-N and the PPP decided to form the coalition when neither of the two parties managed to secure a clear majority in the February 8 polls. Zardari has previously served as the president from September 2008 to 2013. On September 8, 2023, Dr Arif Alvi became the fourth democratically elected president to complete a five-year term. However, in the absence of the electoral college required to elect the president, he is still in office. Under the law, the president is elected by members of the National Assembly, Senate and four provincial assemblies. Lahore, Mar 2 (PTI) A Pakistani court has confirmed the interim bail of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan in four cases related to the May 9 violence and others, according to a media report on Saturday. The 71-year-old Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party founder is currently incarcerated at Rawalpindi's high-security Adiala jail in multiple cases. On May 9 last year, Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party workers vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander house), Mianwali air base, the ISI building in Faisalabad, and the Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. During the hearing of the bail petitions of the PTI founder on Friday, Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Arshad Javed confirmed Khan's interim bail in four cases related to the May 9 violence and others, The News International newspaper reported on Saturday. The court confirmed the interim bail of Khan in cases of attack on police outside Zaman Park, murder of PTI activist Zille Shah, torching of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) office in Model Town and a container at Kalma Chowk, subject to furnishing of surety bonds of PKR 500,000, the report said. Another ATC Judge Naveed Iqbal extended the interim bail of the former premier in three cases of May 9 violence till March 7. The court extended the interim bail in cases of attacking the Jinnah House, Askari Tower and the torching of Shadman police station, the report said. New York, Mar 2 (PTI) In yet another attack on Indians and Indian-Americans in the US, a 34-year-old trained classical dancer from India was shot dead in St Louis, Missouri. Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer Amarnath Ghosh, who migrated to the US last year to follow his dancing dreams, was shot several times near the border of St Louis' Academy and Central West End neighbourhoods. He died on the spot. According to the St Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting happened at 7:15 pm on Tuesday at Delmar Boulevard and Clarendon Avenue, news portal 5 On Your Side reported on Friday. Ghosh was pursuing his master's in the Performing Arts Department of Washington University. Goshs killing has prompted India's consulate in Chicago to take up the issue with local police and the university. Asserting that the mission is extending all help to the relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh, India's Consulate at Chicago posted on X that it has taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack. Offering deep condolences to family and friends of the deceased in St Louis, Missouri, it said, We are following up forensic, investigation with police and providing support. Since the beginning of 2024, there have been at least half a dozen deaths of Indian and Indian-origin students in the US. The alarming rise in the number of attacks has caused concern among the community. Sidon (Lebanon), Mar 2 (AP) An Israeli drone strike hit a car in south Lebanon Saturday morning, killing three Hezbollah members, state media and officials said. Another four Hezbollah members were killed in a strike on a house in the town of Ramia overnight, said a Lebanese security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to journalists. The state-run National News Agency said the latest strike on Saturday hit a car in the Naqoura area along Lebanon's southern coast. The Israeli military said in a statement that it had struck a vehicle in southern Lebanon, in which a number of terrorists who launched rockets into Israeli territory were driving. It said the militants operated under the Imam Hossein Division, which is affiliated with Iran and operates under Hezbollah. Hezbollah announced the deaths of seven of its fighters Saturday, but as usual did not specify when and where they were killed. The Lebanese militant group has been trading fire with Israeli forces along the Lebanon-Israel border near-daily since the beginning of Israel's war against Hamas, a Hezbollah ally, in Gaza. The fighting has killed more than 200 Hezbollah fighters and at least 37 civilian in Lebanon and at least nine soldiers and nine civilians in Israel. Hezbollah has said it will not halt its fire until there is a cease-fire in Gaza but would observe a truce if one is reached. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has vowed to step up attacks on Hezbollah even if a cease-fire is reached with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, until the Lebanese militant group withdraws from the border area. (AP) GSP Warsaw, Mar 2 (AP) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that authorities were investigating a purported recording published by Russian state media in which German military officers discussed the country's support for Ukraine, including the potential use of Taurus missiles. Scholz called it a very serious matter in comments to reporters on the sidelines of a visit to the Vatican on Saturday, the German news agency dpa reported. Scholz earlier this week said he remains reluctant to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, pointing to a risk of Germany becoming directly involved in the war. But in the purported audio recording, German officers discuss the possibility of the missiles being used in Ukraine. Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Russian state-funded TV channel RT, said the audio revealed German officers discussing strikes on the Crimean Bridge. In this (...) recording, high-ranking Bundeswehr officers discuss how they will bomb (attention!) the Crimean bridge, she wrote on the Telegram messaging app, adding that the conversation took place on February 19. Within the conversation, she said, one of the officers mentioned a planned trip to Ukraine on February 21 to coordinate strikes on Russian targets. Scholz said German authorities were working to clarify the matter very carefully, very intensively and very quickly. Germany's Ministry of Defense also said it was investigating whether communications within the air force were intercepted by Russia, dpa reported. 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 Ukraine's 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. 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. (AP) RUP RUP RUP New York, Mar 2 (PTI) In yet another deadly attack on Indians and Indian-Americans in the US in recent months, a 34-year-old trained classical dancer from India and a student of Washington University, was shot dead in St Louis, Missouri. Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer Amarnath Ghosh, who migrated to the US from West Bengal last year to follow his dancing dreams, was shot several times near the border of St Louis' Academy and Central West End neighbourhoods. He died on the spot. According to the St Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting happened at 7:15 pm on Tuesday at Delmar Boulevard and Clarendon Avenue, news portal 5 On Your Side reported on Friday. Ghosh was pursuing his master's in the Performing Arts Department of Washington University. Hailing from Suri town in West Bengals Birbhum district, Ghosh was an alumni of Kalakshetra, a prestigious Chennai institution that is a vital centre for the study and performance of fine arts, from 2007 to 2011. His uncle Shyamal Ghosh said in Suri on Saturday, he is still in the dark about the details of his nephews death in the USA even after four days. We had informed the district police and administration about what we had heard from various sources. But till today, we dont have any details about his death, he said. Calling him very friendly and very talented, Ghoshs friends Hima Kuppa and Ravi Kuppa in the US said, He was always travelling a lot for his performances. A lot of organisations called him for performances, but he always wanted to come back to St Louis. Ghosh was learning ballet and dance. I think it was a full scholarship at Wash U. His ultimate dream was to get his PhD in dance and work full-time with us at our Kuchipudi Art Academy, Hima was quoted as saying by 5 On Your Side. He enjoyed volunteering as a dance instructor at a local studio and also taught children between the ages 5 and 18. His friends told the news outlet that Ghosh was the only child of his parents; his mother died three years ago and his father died when he was a child. Goshs killing has prompted India's consulate in Chicago to take up the issue with local police and the university. Asserting that the mission is extending all help to the relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh, India's Consulate in Chicago posted on X that it has taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack. Offering deep condolences to family and friends of the deceased in St Louis, Missouri, it said, We are following up forensic, investigation with police and providing support. Washington University, where Gosh was a student, has condemned his killing as senseless violence beyond comprehension. There are no words to express the pain and anguish Amarnaths family and friends are experiencing. His death is a terrible shock to us all. This type of senseless violence is beyond comprehension and we are devastated by this loss. To have this happen in our own St. Louis community is especially heartbreaking, Anna Dr G Gonzalez, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs said in a statement released to all Washington University students, faculty and staff. It was actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who first alerted the authorities on social media about her friend Ghoshs death. Taking to X, she posted, The reason, accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one left in his family to fight for it except his few friends. He was from Kolkata. Excellent dancer, was pursuing PhD, was taking an evening walk and suddenly he was shot multiple times by an unknown. She tagged the X handles of the Indian Embassy in the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi among others and said, Some friends in US are trying to claim the body but still no update about it and requested the Embassy to look into it. At least we should know the reason of his murder, she said in the post on Friday. On Saturday, Bhattacharjee said in another post on X: Hope we get the update of this heinous crime as early as possible. If I am not wrong, this is 5th or 6th murder of Indian Students in 2 months. We all are worried here & grieving. Since the beginning of 2024, there have been at least half a dozen deaths of Indian and Indian-origin students in the US. The alarming rise in the number of attacks has caused concern among the community. Sameer Kamath, a 23-year-old Indian-American student at Purdue University, was found dead in a nature preserve in Indiana on February 5. On February 2, Vivek Taneja, a 41-year-old Indian-origin IT executive, suffered life-threatening injuries during an assault outside a restaurant in Washington, making it the seventh death of an Indian or Indian-American in recent months in the US. A week before that, Syed Mazahir Ali, an Indian student was attacked by robbers in Chicago. Earlier, 25-year-old Indian student Vivek Saini was fatally attacked in Georgia States Lithonia city by a homeless drug addict. In January, 19-year-old Shreyas Reddy Beniger, a student at the Lindner School of Business in Ohio State was found dead. However, local authorities had ruled out foul play. Another Indian student, identified as Neel Acharya at Purdue University, Indiana, was confirmed dead days after being reported missing on January 28. Akul B Dhawan, an 18-year-old at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was found dead last month with signs of hypothermia. The series of attacks on Indians and Indian origin person/students had prompted the officials of the Indian Embassy in Washington and its consulates at various places to hold a virtual interaction with Indian students from across the US, discussing various aspects of student well-being and ways to stay connected with the larger diaspora. About 150 Indian Student Association office bearers and students from 90 US universities participated in the interaction led by Charge dAffaires, Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan. It was also attended by the Consul Generals of India in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. Islamabad, Mar 2 (PTI) Pakistan's Senate is set to take up a resolution seeking a ban on mainstream social media sites in the light of possible misuse against the country and its armed forces, during its meeting scheduled for Monday, media report said on Saturday. The resolution was moved by Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Senator Bahramand Tangi, whose tenure as senator ends on March 11. It calls for bans on social sites, including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter now X, and YouTube, to save the young generation from their negative and devastating effects, The News International reported. Cognizant of the fact that social media platforms are adversely affecting the young generation in the country; Acknowledging the fact that these platforms are being used for promotion of norms against our religion and culture, creating hatred amongst the people on the grounds of language and religion, the resolution read. Tangi stated that there were concerns about the use of social media platforms against the interests of the country through negative and malicious propaganda against the armed forces of Pakistan. The resolution, which will be non-binding, even if passed, further stated that these platforms were being used for vested interests in spreading fake news about various issues and trying to create and promote fake leadership in the country to hoodwink the young generation. Albeit there was no person or party mentioned, the apparent reference is to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have effectively made use of social media to garner youth support. It was their video posts on social media on May 9 in 2023 showcasing the luxurious lifestyles of army officials that had rattled the powerful establishment. Ahmedabad, Mar 2 (PTI) Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt inaugurated the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) jetty at Vadinar in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district as a step towards augmenting infrastructure development in the ICGs strategically important North-West region. While inaugurating the jetty on Friday, the Union minister lauded the role played by the ICG in safeguarding national maritime interests in its areas of responsibility, an official release said. "The development of the jetty was undertaken by the Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) as a deposit work at a cost of Rs 74 crore," the ICG said in the statement. On average, the headquarters deploys 10 to 12 ships and two to three aircraft daily for security, surveillance, and to keep constant vigil at sea, it said. In addition to the Vadinar jetty, the Coast Guard is also building a 100-metre jetty extension at Porbandar, a 200-metre jetty at Okha and a 125-metre jetty at Mundra in Gujarat, the release said. The ICG North-West regional headquarters was established on December 16, 2009 at Gandhinagar. It executes the Coast Guard's mandated charter in the maritime zones of Gujarat, Daman and Diu. Gujarat has a 1,215-km long coastline, which is one-sixth of the country's total coastline, and shares notional IMBL with Pakistan. Director General Rakesh Pal, Inspector General A K Harbola and other dignitaries of the Central and state governments were present on the occasion, it said. Bhopal, Mar 2 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said his party will provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers legally if it came to power at the Centre. He was speaking at a public meeting in Morena after his `Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' entered Madhya Pradesh from Rajasthan. The BJP government at the Centre has waived loans of Rs 16 lakh crore of ten to fifteen industrialists but it is denying (legally guaranteed) MSP to farmers, he alleged. Farmer organisations in Punjab and Haryana are currently agitating for legally guaranteed MSP for crops. Gandhi also claimed that 73 percent people of the country including Other Backward Classes, Dalits and tribals do not have any representation in the government and various other sectors, and a caste-based census will ensure justice to them. Such a census will ensure equal participation of these communities in various sectors, the Congress leader said. Earlier in the afternoon, MP Congress president Jitu Patwari welcomed Gandhi and senior leader Ashok Gehlot at the border of Morena district. The Yatra resumed from Dholpur in Rajasthan after a five-day break. Jashpur, Mar 2 (PTI) Four persons were killed and two others injured after two motorcycles collided in Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred late Friday evening near Ganjhiadih village in Tumla area, they said. As per the preliminary information, a total of six persons were travelling on two motorcycles, when these vehicles coming from opposite directions crashed into each other, a police official here said. "While three persons died on the spot, three others sustained injuries," he said. Of the three injured, one succumbed to injuries at a government hospital in Kotba, he said. Three of the deceased were identified as Chandan Nayak of Ganjhiadih village, Khageshwar Dhobi and Umashankar of nearby Kolhejharia village, he said. Of the remaining two injured, one was shifted to neighbouring Raigarh district, while another was admitted to the Farsabahar community health centre in Jashpur, the official said. "Prima facie, it seems that both the two-wheelers were at a high speed. However, further investigation into the accident is underway", the official added. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai in a post on social media platform X expressed condolence over the death of the four persons and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. Imphal, Mar 2 (PTI) Special polling stations will be set up at relief camps to enable people displaced due to the ethnic strife in Manipur to cast their votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, an official statement said. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued directions in this regard, the statement issued by the state Chief Electoral Officer on Friday said. "A large number of electors registered in several parts of the state were displaced from their native places during the conflict that started on May 3, 2023. Presently, they are residing in relief camps in various districts. The displaced electors are still enrolled at the places where they were residents before the conflict started," it stated. "The ECI, after due consultation with the central and state governments, has directed that all such displaced persons who had to leave their native places during the conflict shall continue to be borne on the electoral rolls of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies concerned in the state," the statement said. "As per past precedent of similar nature, the internally displaced electors shall be provided with the facility to vote at special polling stations to be set up in relief camps," it added. Voting in these special polling stations "shall be conducted using separate EVMs for each parliamentary constituency". All rules and directions applicable for the conduct of polls at the original polling stations will apply at these special polling stations as well, it added. Counting of votes polled at the special polling stations will be conducted by designated assistant returning officers (AROs) at the specified counting centres specially set up for this purpose with the prior approval of the Commission. A majority of over 50,000 internally displaced people are currently staying at relief centres across five valley districts and three hill districts. At least 219 people have been killed in the ethnic strife in the state that started on May 3 last year after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts. New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) The BJP on Saturday alleged the Congress government in Karnataka has created an "encouraging" atmosphere for anti-national activities in the state. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar cited a forensic analysis to assert that "Pakistan zindabad" slogan was indeed raised by Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain's supporters inside the assembly premises and also hit out at the state government over a blast in Bengaluru that left 10 persons injured. Chandrasekhar said that it should be probed if the two incidents are linked. He told reporters that Congress leaders, including ministers, as part of coordinated efforts first accused the BJP of lying that slogans in support of Pakistan were raised and have now sought to downplay the blast by linking it to business rivalry without any evidence. It is an attempt to pressure the police to brush the incident under the carpet, he claimed. Chandrasekhar said that corruption and appeasement politics have started in full swing since the Congress returned to power in the state. Some people think they are above law when the Congress is in power, he said and accused the government of creating an atmosphere which is encouraging for those engaging in anti-national activities and other crimes. BJP spokesperson Pratyush Kanth said the Congress has a history of its leaders making remarks favouring Pakistan and noted that B K Hariprasad had recently said the Congress has no enmity with the neighbouring country. PTI KR AS \R AS AS New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) The ruling BJP on Saturday announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi will fight again from Varanasi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as it named 34 Union ministers in the first list of 195 candidates. The list also included two former ministers as well as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla from Kota in Rajasthan. Union ministers whose names have been announced by the BJP in the first list of candidates include Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Bhupender Yadav, Mansukh Mandaviya, Sarbananda Sonowal, Kiren Rijiju, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Arjun Ram Meghwal, G Kishan Reddy, Arjun Munda and Smriti Irani. Announcing the list, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde said the party is confident that it would form the government for the third term under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a much bigger mandate. He also said the party has been working on further expanding its footprint across states and also to strengthen the ruling National Democratic Alliance. The list includes 28 women and 47 young leaders, he said. The announced names included those for 51 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 20 in West Bengal and five in Delhi. Modi has set a target for the BJP to win at least 370 seats on its own in this Lok Sabha election and more than 400 for the NDA. The Election Commission is expected to announce the poll schedule later this month and the elections are likely to be held in April-May. The BJP won 303 seats in the 2019 polls but currently it has 290 members in Lok Sabha for various reasons including some MPs recently resigning after winning assembly polls. The announcement of the first list at a press conference at the party headquarters here follows an over five-hour-long meeting of the BJP's Central Election Committee (CEC) on Thursday night. The CEC members, which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party's national president J P Nadda and Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, had discussed the probables for states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa and Uttarakhand among others to finalise the nominees. Before that, Shah and Nadda hat met Modi at his residence to hold consultations. The next CEC meeting is expected to be held next week to discuss further names. Gorakhpur, Mar 2 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday either inaugurated or laid the foundation of 48 development projects worth Rs 1,006 crore involving construction of highways and houses. "We have delivered what we promised, and we will continue to fulfil what we commit," the CM said on the occasion. Adityanath laid the foundation of 35 projects worth more than Rs 954 crore and inaugurated 13 projects worth over Rs 52 crore. The projects include flood protection measures, construction of flyovers, roads, drainage system, residential and non-residential buildings in police training schools, shifting of MSEB offices, and tourism development works, among others. "Today the country is progressing rapidly, advancing in every sector. Security, economic prosperity, respect for faith, livelihoods, every sector is witnessing the vision of New India, which is elevating India's strength. "Uttar Pradesh has seen rapid development akin to the nation's progress, and people's perception towards the state has changed. Now, no one sees UP with a biased view," Adityanath said. The politician said the development was because of a "double-engine" government of BJP, which is ruling the state and the Centre. As he made the remarks, Adityanath also appealed to people to vote for BJP and make Narendra Modi the prime minister for a third time. He said if people with similar ideologies are not present at all levels of governance, they will act as barriers to development. Therefore, there should be leadership with similar ideologies at the central, state, municipal, district panchayat, development block, and village panchayat levels, he added. Adityanath also attacked rival political parties without naming them and said that voting in the name of caste was of no use as these parties only favoured their family members. Such governments played havoc with everyone's lives, striking blows to youth, farmers, traders, and daughters, jeopardising security, he said. Adityanath said that since the Ram Temple consecration in January 65 lakh devotees had visited the temple in Ayodhya. He said that earlier rival parties' governments used to harass people for raising the slogans for the Ram temple. Today, Ramlalla has arrived and this government has pledged to bring everyone to have darshan, he said. New Delhi, March 2 (PTI) A person's decomposed body stuffed in a sack was found at the Rohatak Road here on Saturday afternoon, police said. A call was received at about 2.45 pm about an abandoned sack lying near metro pillar number 124 on the Rohtak Road in west Delhi's Punjabi Bagh area, they said. "Inside the bag, the dead body of an unknown person was found. After inspection by mobile crime team, the body was sent to a hospital," a police officer said. The body is suspected to be of a woman, but it is yet to be established as the body was highly decomposed, the officer said. A case of murder is being registered at the Punjabi Bagh police station and investigation has been taken up, he said. Multiple teams are being formed to work on it, police said. Chandigarh, Mar 2 (PTI) Four shooters involved in the murder of INLD leader Nafe Singh Rathee have been identified and efforts are on nab them, a senior Haryana Police officer said on Saturday. Jhajjar Superintendent of Police Arpit Jain said the car used by the shooters has also been recovered from outside Rewari Railway Station. Rathee, the president of Indian National Lok Dal's Haryana unit, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Jhajjar's Bahadurgarh on February 25. Besides Rathee, INLD worker Jai Kishan was also killed when assailants sprayed their vehicle with bullets. The attack, which came ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, drew sharp reactions from the opposition parties in the BJP-ruled state. Speaking to reporters in Jhajjar, SP Jain said the four main accused involved in the crime have been identified. "Our teams were conducting raids at various places in different states to nab them," he said. The officer said car's owner has also been identified and people who used the car have been rounded up and being asked how the vehicle reached the shooters. A forensic team has lifted samples from the vehicle for investigation. The SP said police on Friday questioned former BJP MLA Naresh Kaushik, and Vijender Rathee, Sandeep Rathee, and Rajpal alias Pale Ram, who have been named in the FIR. "Today Satish Rathee and Gaurav Rathee were questioned," he said. The SP said police have arrested one Dilip Singh, a resident of Balotra in Rajasthan, in connection with threat calls made to the two sons of the deceased INLD leader. However, he was not found to be connected with any gangster or criminal during questioning. Dilip Singh was following some gangsters on social media, said the SP, adding he is still under interrogation. The deceased leader's nephew, Kapoor Singh Rathee, had on Thursday said that his uncle's elder son Bhupinder and younger son Jatinder received 18 threat calls from an unknown number. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had on Monday said the probe into the killing of the INLD's state unit chief will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala has accused the BJP-JJP government of failing to provide security to Rathee, despite there being a threat to his life. New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has demolished the farmhouse of liquor baron late Ponty Chadha in Chhatarpur worth around Rs 400 crore, officials said on Saturday. The demolition took place on Friday and Saturday, DDA officials said. Continuing with its exercise to reclaim government land over which unauthorised occupation and illegal construction has been done, the DDA on Friday demolished the farmhouse of high-profile liquor baron late Ponty Chadha alias Gurdeep Singh, spread over about 10 acres in Chhatarpur worth about Rs 400 crore, the officials said. The ongoing demolition exercise claimed five acres of land on Friday. On Saturday, demolition of the main building over the remaining land of farmhouse was carried out, it said. It may be noted that in an earlier demolition programme in northeast Delhi, carried out between January 13 and January 17 at Gokulpuri, unauthorised encroachments that included commercial showrooms over about four acres of land were demolished, the officials said. No immediate reaction was received from Chadha's Wave group. New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) More than 1,100 writers of about 170 languages from across the country will take part in the 39th edition of 'Sahityotsav: The Festival of Letters', starting from March 11, the Sahitya Akademi announced on Saturday. The annual literary gala will showcase lectures and sessions by eminent writers and poets including Gulzar, who will deliver the Samvatsar lecture, Arjun Deo Charan, Oscar Pujol, Paro Anand, Manisha Kulshreshtha, Humra Quraishi, Yatindra Mishra, and Ranjit Hoskote. The national seminar will be conducted on March 14 on the topic of 'Post-Independence Indian Literature'. While the keynote address will be delivered by Hindi poet and critic Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, English and Hindi scholar Harish Trivedi will deliver the inaugural address. Talking about this year's Sahityotsav, secretary K Sreenivasarao said this will also be the first time that differently-abled writers will take part in the "world's largest literature festival". "This year is special in many aspects. Differently-abled writers will participate for the first time in this festival. It will be the worlds largest literature festival and more than 1100 writers will participate in more than 190 sessions," he said in a statement. The event will also mark the 70 years of the foundation of the Sahitya Akademi. On March 12, the 24 winners of the Sahitya Akademi Award will also be felicitated at a ceremony that will be attended by noted Odia writer and Jnanpith awardee Pratibha Ray and Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chhattisgarh governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, and West Bengal CV Ananda Bose. The six-day festival will also put a spotlight on writings from the Northeast, tribal regions and LGBTQ community through panel discussions, writers and poets' meets, and book readings. Children's writers, young writers, short story writers and writers of women literature will also be part of separate panel discussions and meets. Other writers and poets who will take part in the literature festival include Badri Narayan, Jeet Thayil, Mamta Kalia, Nachhatar, Arundhathi Subramaniam, Damodar Mauzo, Geet Chaturvedi, and Maitreyi Pushpa. The festival will take place in the Rabindra Bhawan Lawns, Kamani Auditorium, Art Galleries of Lalit Kala Akademi and Sahitya Akademi Auditoriums. 'The Festival of Letters' will come to a close on March 16. Chennai, Mar 2 (PTI) Three children of a family succumbed to burns due to a fire accident caused by a suspected gas leak in their house in Chengalpattu near here, police said on Saturday. The mother of the kids, who also sustained severe burn injuries is undergoing treatment at the Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital here. A police official said the fire could have been caused due to a gas leak. The migrant family from Bihar had a stove on the floor and there were no windows in the house. After meeting her husband at his workplace near the Chengalpattu railway station, the woman returned home along with her three children on Thursday and turned on the lights, the official said. No sooner she turned on the switch than the gas got ignited and a fire broke out. Neighbours rushed to their help hearing their screams and all the four were rushed to the Chengalpattu government hospital, he said. The children aged seven and five and the toddler succumbed on Friday while their mother was referred to the Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital for further treatment. The Chengalpattu police have registered a case. Three American transport planes air-dropped thousands of meals for the innocent residents of the Gaza Strip on Shabbos. U.S. military C-130 cargo planes dropped 66 pallets with about 38,000 meals into Gaza at about 8:30 a.m. The combined operation included U.S. Air Force and RJAF C-130 aircraft and respective Army Soldiers specialized in aerial delivery of supplies, built bundles and ensured the safe drop of food aid, U.S. Central Command said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. A US official told Reuters the airdrops took place over southwestern Gaza and the town of Mawasi. The U.S. Air Forces Central Command has just conducted its First Round of Humanitarian Airdrops into the Gaza Strip, with 3 C-130 Transport Aircraft flying at Low Altitude dropping upwards of 66 Pallets containing 38,000 Meals for the Palestinian Population. pic.twitter.com/PXBncWuQhj OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 2, 2024 Three Biden administration officials said the planes dropped the military Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) shelf-stable meals that contain a days worth of calories in each sealed package in locations that were thought would provide civilians with the greatest level of safety to access aid. Afterward, the U.S. monitored the sites and was able to see civilians approach and distribute food among themselves, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details that had not been made public. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Friday that the airdrops were being planned to deliver emergency humanitarian assistance in a safe way to people on the ground. The United States believes the airdrops will help address the dire situation in Gaza, but they are no replacement for trucks, which can transport far more aid more effectively, though Thursdays events also showed the risks with ground transport. Kirby said the airdrops have an advantage over trucks because planes can move aid to a particular location very quickly. But in terms of volume, the airdrops will be a supplement to, not a replacement for moving things in by ground. The C-130 is widely used to deliver aid to remote places because of its ability to land in austere environments. A C-130 can airlift as much as 42,000 pounds of cargo and its crews know how to rig the cargo, which sometimes can include even vehicles, onto massive pallets that can be safely dropped out of the back of the aircraft. Air Force loadmasters secure the bundles onto pallets with netting that is rigged for release in the back of a C-130, and then crews release it with a parachute when the aircraft reaches the intended delivery zone. The Air Forces C-130 has been used in years past to air drop humanitarian into Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti and other locations and the airframe is used in an annual multi-national Operation Christmas Drop that air drops pallets of toys, supplies, nonperishable food and fishing supplies to remote locations in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau. (YWNs Jerusalem Desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel.) (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem & AP) Short-term thinking is among the great bugbears of the British economy. The stock market, with requirements for quarterly reporting, is part of the problem, with analysts and asset managers too focused on immediate outcomes rather than long-term prospects. The patience often required is missing. It took Jeff Bezos's Amazon nine years as a listed firm before it produced its first profit. Such virtue in the UK is missing, with boards and investors rushing to sell out, or move to New York, at the first smell of cordite. None of this is terribly surprising and comes from the top. Hitting the buffers: HS2 has been scythed so all that remains is a stump connecting London to Manchester Next Wednesday, March 6, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will deliver his spring budget, accompanied by 100 pages or more of policy pronouncements and a chunky 160 pages or more of forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. All of this, plus countless guidance and fact sheets, will be unveiled just four months after much the same exercise in November. There is no other Western democracy which feels the need to adjust so many moving parts of the nation's economic and fiscal affairs (outside of crisis conditions) so regularly. Short-termism is hard wired into our democracy. The consequences are hugely damaging to public investment and productivity. The Treasury is so concerned with keeping the nation's books orderly that it becomes almost impossible to deliver for the next generation. To deliver requires sheer determination and a willingness to tolerate delays, cost over-runs and crises. The Elizabeth Line, the South East's newest rail project, is an example of how doggedness can overcome all. Boris Johnson committed to rolling out full fibre broadband to the door for all, albeit years behind Spain and South Korea. The uplift in terms of output and productivity from large infrastructure projects is immeasurable. Of the three biggest plans on the radar post-Brexit, the super nuclear plant at Hinkley in Somerset, HS2 and a third runway at Heathrow, the only one with any chance of reaching the finish line is the power project. That, for the record, is because French government-controlled electricity supplier EDF and Chinese investors are committed to see it through. The summary way in which HS2, Britain's most imaginative rail project since Victorian times, has been scythed so all that remains is a stump connecting London to Manchester, is a triumph for unimaginative, short-term thinking. HS2 wrongly was sold by the politicians for speeding up journey times. But the long-term benefits are economic Rishi Sunak caved in to Treasury pressure over costs. Instead of bringing in new management the engineers who delivered the Elizabeth Line come to mind he simply threw in the towel. Yes, with its dozens of bridges and cuttings, the project had been gold plated. HS2 wrongly was sold by the politicians for speeding up journey times. But the long-term benefits are economic. A study shows that regeneration near to HS2 stations and depot sites in the West Midlands is driving 10billion of investment over the next decade. This includes 41,000 new homes, 30,835 jobs and 704,000 square metres of floor space close to HS2 hubs. Think of the potential long-term growth and productivity boost if the Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow arms of the project, as well as the Heathrow spur and Northern Powerhouse fast link, were still extant. Then there is Heathrow. Covid-19 was an excuse to put plans for a third runway on the back burner. But, as airline financial results showed this week, Britain's premier airport will soon be up against capacity constraints. It was my understanding that Heathrow was playing coy about the third runway for fear it could become an election issue. However, the Sunday Times reports that newish chief executive Thomas Woldbye is dissolving the third runway team and favours making more use of existing runways. Whether that is possible without subjecting passengers to ever more inconvenience is a moot point. Heathrow is critical to Britain's role as a centre for business and professional services. If commerce diverts to Paris, Amsterdam or Frankfurt all of which have more runway capacity it will be another unnecessary blow to Britain: short-term expediency by Heathrow's overseas owners against the broader national interest. Jeremy Hunt prioritised long-term private investment through the permanent 'full expensing' regime in his November autumn statement. But when it comes to public investment, growth-driving projects have a terrible habit of ending up on the cutting room floor. Marks & Spencer has won a High Court battle against Michael Gove after he blocked plans to demolish and rebuild its flagship store on Oxford Street. In a victory for the High Street favourite as it seeks to redevelop the site, a judge ruled the Housing Secretary's decision was unlawful. M&S operations director Sacha Berendji said the judgement 'couldn't be clearer'. Gove will have to take a second look at the plans, which M&S believes will help revive the area and boost its own business. Embarrassment: Gove and how the new Marble Arch store would look In July 2023, the MP for Surrey Heath denied M&S permission to demolish the 1929 art deco building near Marble Arch and build a much larger ten-storey retail and office block. But in an embarrassment for the Government, High Court judge Mrs Justice Lieven yesterday concluded he had made a series of errors in his interpretation and application of planning policy. She agreed with M&S's arguments on five out of the six counts the retailer brought forward last year. 'The [Secretary of State] has not applied the policy, he has rewritten it,' the judge said in her 30-page ruling. She also lambasted Gove's assertion that there would only be 'limited' harm to the wider area should the plans be rebuffed. His decision came even after M&S threatened to abandon the central London shopping street and an independent planning inspector concluded there would be 'significant harm' to the area. Mrs Justice Lieven said Gove 'fails to explain why he reaches this conclusion'. Last year, M&S boss Stuart Machin dubbed Gove's decision 'utterly pathetic' and 'senseless'. He accused the minister of taking 'an anti-business approach, choking off growth and denying Oxford Street hundreds of thousands of new quality jobs'. Berendji said: 'The result has been a long, unnecessary and costly delay to the only retail-led regeneration on Oxford Street which would deliver one of London's greenest buildings, create thousands of jobs and rejuvenate the capital's premier shopping district.' Gove had justified his initial decision on heritage and environmental grounds. But his decree flew in the face of support for the plan from local authorities and businesses. A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesman said: 'We acknowledge the judgement and are considering our next steps.' Some of Britain's leading architects, including London Eye designer Julia Barfield, and Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud opposed the plan. James Souter, partner at law firm Charles Russell Speechlys, said: 'Today's decision will be embarrassing for the Government. 'However, this does not automatically mean that planning permission will be granted Gove will have to re-determine the appeal and could in theory still refuse planning permission.' Elon Musk is suing OpenAI and its chief executive Sam Altman for allegedly abandoning the company's original mission to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity not profit. The lawsuit alleges that Altman and Greg Brockman, co-founder of the artificial intelligence (AI) research organisation, originally approached Musk to make an open source, non-profit company. The focus of the company, which is behind ChatGPT and is backed by Microsoft, on making money breached that contract, Musk's lawyers said in the lawsuit filed in San Francisco. Claim: Elon Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015, but stepped down from its board in 2018 They added that the company kept the design of GPT-4, its most advanced AI model, 'a complete secret'. Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015, but stepped down from its board in 2018. He also runs electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla and rocket maker Space X and bought Twitter for 35billion in October 2022. Last year, entrepreneur Altman was fired by OpenAI's former board. It said it was trying to defend the company's mission to develop AI that benefits humanity. A few days later, Altman returned to the company with a new initial board. OpenAI is planning to appoint several board members in March. ChatGPT, the chatbot from OpenAI, became the fastest-growing software application in the world within six months of its launch in November 2022. It also sparked the launch of rival chatbots from Microsoft, Alphabet and a bevy of start-ups which tapped the hype to secure billions in funding. Relationship: Victoria Price and Mohsin Issa said they are building a life together Mohsin Issa has insisted there is no rift between him and his younger brother Zuber. The billionaire brothers and private equity firm TDR Capital took control of Asda in a debt-fuelled 6.8billion swoop in 2021. But their relationship was understood to be under strain. Moving to quash the speculation yesterday, he told the BBC: 'There is absolutely no rift between myself and Zuber we get on exceptionally well. 'We talk to each other probably two or three times a day.' While Mohsin, 52, runs the supermarket, Zuber, 51, oversees forecourt giant EG Group, which is also part of the family empire. The comments come just weeks after speculation that the brothers had fallen out over Mohsin's relationship with Victoria Price, an accountant he met in 2018 when she presented him with an entrepreneur of the year award. Mohsin has confirmed that he is in a relationship with Price, 41, after walking out on his wife of nearly 30 years Shamim. The entrepreneur also said he was carrying out a 'reset' at the grocer before appointing a chief executive to run the business. Bosses at Britain's last independent haulier have ditched plans to sell to a French suitor and are instead backing a takeover by the Americans. The Wincanton board yesterday accepted a 605p-a-share offer worth 762m from Connecticut-based GXO Logistics. Driving force: Wincanton is named after the Somerset town where it started delivering milk in 1925 Company directors had previously supported a 480p-a-share offer from French shipping group CMA CGM that valued it at 605m. But they changed horses after GXO came in with its higher offer. Wincanton, which is named after the Somerset town where it started delivering milk in 1925 and is known for its blue-and-white trucks, is the latest London-listed company to be snapped up by foreign bidders. Wincanton chairman Sir Martin Read said: 'We have long been clear that Wincanton is a great business with a compelling strategy, strong customer relationships and excellent people.' Pension funds will be forced to reveal how much of savers' cash they invest in British businesses under new Government plans. The funds will also be required to publicly compare performance data on workplace pensions against their competitors, in a bid to help savers make 'informed choices'. More money has been poured into workplace pensions in recent years thanks to the rollout of automatic enrollment. New rules: Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will require pension funds to reveal how much they invest in UK businesses, as well as benchmarking performance against rivals Savers put in 116billion in 2022 according to Government figures, up from 90billion ten years earlier. Under the plans, which apply to defined contribution schemes and have been brought in by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, pension funds will need to reveal their costs and net investment returns, as well as their levels of investment in British firms, by 2027. They will be required to compare their performance data against competitor schemes, including at least two schemes managing at least 10 billion in assets. Schemes performing poorly for savers will not be allowed to take on new business from employers, the Government said. The Pensions Regulator and the Financial Conduct Authority will be handed new powers to intervene when this is the case. The plans are subject to a consultation by the FCA and build on the Governments Mansion House compact, which encouraged pension funds to invest at least 5 per cent of their assets in unlisted equity. Improved outcomes? Hunt said the plan could increase 'overall returns' - but pension funds said they needed to be free to to follow the strategy that would be best for members Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: 'These new rules mean employers and savers can see how their money is invested and how the returns compare to other schemes. 'British pension funds appear to contribute less to the UK economy than international counterparts do as they invest less in our domestic businesses. 'These requirements will help focus minds on how to improve overall returns and outcomes for savers.' Julia Hoggett, chief executive of London Stock Exchange plc and chair of the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce, added: 'Pension holders should know how much is being invested in equities in their home market. 'Investing in UK companies ultimately benefits those companies and the returns they are delivering, which supports the economy and the country in which pension holders live, to everyones benefit and in everyones interest.' Pension firms hit back against plans But pensions firms hit back against the reforms, claiming that pressure to invest more in British companies could result in worse outcomes for savers. James Carter, head of platform policy at Fidelity International said: 'As part of todays announcement, the Government has reaffirmed its broader ambition to stimulate investment in UK markets. It is imperative that defined contribution pension schemes maintain discretion to follow the strategy they believe is in the best interests of members James Carter, head of platform policy at Fidelity International 'While greater transparency of allocation to domestic assets may support this, it is imperative that defined contribution pension schemes maintain discretion to follow the strategy they believe is in the best interests of members.' Jon Greer, head of retirement policy at wealth management firm Quilter, added: 'The Chancellors pension fund reforms are aimed squarely at supporting British businesses and the economy, but they also pose some challenges for the workplace pension industry. 'The new disclosure requirements will increase transparency and accountability, but they will also put pressure on pension funds to justify their asset allocation decisions. 'The Chancellor will have to walk a fine line between encouraging investment in the UK economy and ensuring that pension funds are not exposed to excessive risks or costs.' Rehmann Capital Advisory Group lowered its stake in Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report) by 2.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 5,307 shares of the CRM providers stock after selling 149 shares during the period. Rehmann Capital Advisory Groups holdings in Salesforce were worth $1,076,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in CRM. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Salesforce during the 4th quarter worth about $1,420,381,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Salesforce by 125,717.4% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 10,260,412 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $1,360,428,000 after purchasing an additional 10,252,257 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors lifted its position in shares of Salesforce by 1,151.2% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 7,117,212 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $1,503,547,000 after purchasing an additional 6,548,396 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors lifted its position in shares of Salesforce by 30.2% during the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 19,242,436 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $4,065,157,000 after purchasing an additional 4,458,227 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Starboard Value LP acquired a new position in shares of Salesforce during the 4th quarter worth about $401,215,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.52% of the companys stock. Get Salesforce alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms recently weighed in on CRM. Wedbush boosted their price objective on Salesforce from $280.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday. TheStreet raised Salesforce from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Friday, January 19th. JMP Securities upped their price target on Salesforce from $293.00 to $342.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a report on Thursday. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Salesforce from $300.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Salesforce from $310.00 to $355.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-seven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Salesforce has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $291.86. Insider Activity In other news, CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $299.36, for a total value of $4,490,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 13,341,166 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,993,811,453.76. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, COO Brian Millham sold 293,965 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, January 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.00, for a total transaction of $82,310,200.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $299.36, for a total value of $4,490,400.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 13,341,166 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,993,811,453.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 1,194,112 shares of company stock valued at $326,290,142 in the last 90 days. 3.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Salesforce Stock Up 3.0 % NYSE:CRM opened at $308.77 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $278.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.75. Salesforce, Inc. has a 52-week low of $162.98 and a 52-week high of $310.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.04. The company has a market cap of $298.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 73.52, a P/E/G ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 1.28. Salesforce (NYSE:CRM Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 28th. The CRM provider reported $1.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.72 by $0.06. Salesforce had a return on equity of 10.50% and a net margin of 11.87%. The firm had revenue of $9.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.22 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.01 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that Salesforce, Inc. will post 7.23 EPS for the current year. Salesforce Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 11th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 14th will be issued a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.52%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 13th. Salesforce 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. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CRM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Salesforce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Salesforce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Emerald (NYSE:EEX Get Free Report) and Viad (NYSE:VVI Get Free Report) are both small-cap consumer discretionary companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, earnings, valuation, institutional ownership, dividends, analyst recommendations and profitability. Insider and Institutional Ownership 12.9% of Emerald shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 91.4% of Viad shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.5% of Emerald shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 3.2% of Viad shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Get Emerald alerts: Profitability This table compares Emerald and Viads net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Emerald 8.56% -59.12% 2.95% Viad 0.96% 13.85% 1.28% Valuation and Earnings Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Emerald $325.90 million 1.10 $130.80 million ($0.27) -21.15 Viad $1.24 billion 0.63 $16.02 million ($0.19) -194.89 This table compares Emerald and Viads revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Emerald has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Viad. Viad is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Emerald, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Volatility and Risk Emerald has a beta of 1.37, meaning that its share price is 37% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Viad has a beta of 1.96, meaning that its share price is 96% more volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of current ratings for Emerald and Viad, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Emerald 0 0 2 0 3.00 Viad 0 0 3 0 3.00 Emerald currently has a consensus target price of $10.10, suggesting a potential upside of 76.88%. Viad has a consensus target price of $42.00, suggesting a potential upside of 13.42%. Given Emeralds higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Emerald is more favorable than Viad. Summary Emerald beats Viad on 7 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks. About Emerald (Get Free Report) Emerald Holding, Inc. operates business-to-business (B2B) trade shows in the United States. It operates in two segments, Commerce; and Design, Creative and Technology. The Commerce segment engages in the events and services covering merchandising, licensing, retail sourcing, and marketing that enables professionals to make informed decisions and meet consumer demands. The Design, Creative and Technology segment provides events and services that support various industries connecting businesses and professionals with products, operational strategies, and integration to drive new business and streamline processes, and creative solutions. It also operates content and content-marketing websites, and related digital products, as well as produce publications. In addition, the company operates Elastic Suite platform that streamlines the wholesale buying process for brands and retail buyers; and Flex platform. Emerald Holding, Inc. was incorporated in 2013 and is based in New York, New York. About Viad (Get Free Report) Viad Corp operates as an experiential leisure travel, and live events and marketing services company in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, and Iceland. It operates through Pursuit, Spiro, and GES Exhibitions segments. The Pursuit segment offers vertically integrated attractions and hospitality in destinations with a collection of attractions, lodges, and sightseeing tours. The GES Exhibition operates as an exhibition services company that partners with exhibition and conference organizers as a full-service provider of strategic and logistics solutions to manage the complexity of their shows. The Spiro operates experiential marketing agency that partners with brands around the world to manage and elevate their global experiential marketing activities. In addition, the company offers a collection of travel experiences in recreational attractions, food and beverage, retail, and ground transportation services. It serves event organizers and corporate brand marketers directly, as well as through a distribution channel network that include tour operators, tour wholesalers, destination management companies, and retail travel agencies. Viad Corp was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Receive News & Ratings for Emerald Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Emerald and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE:INVH Get Free Report) have been given an average recommendation of Moderate Buy by the sixteen ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and twelve have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $37.37. Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. BNP Paribas began coverage on shares of Invitation Homes in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. They set an outperform rating and a $39.00 price target on the stock. Raymond James reduced their price target on Invitation Homes from $38.00 to $37.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Invitation Homes in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a hold rating and a $35.00 price objective on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Invitation Homes from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the stock from $33.00 to $41.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Finally, Oppenheimer upped their price target on shares of Invitation Homes from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, January 5th. Get Invitation Homes alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Invitation Homes Invitation Homes Price Performance Invitation Homes Increases Dividend Shares of INVH opened at $34.54 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 0.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53. Invitation Homes has a twelve month low of $28.49 and a twelve month high of $36.53. The company has a market capitalization of $21.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 0.95. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $33.47 and a 200 day moving average of $33.08. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 19th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 27th were given a dividend of $0.28 per share. This is an increase from Invitation Homess previous quarterly dividend of $0.26. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.24%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 26th. Invitation Homess dividend payout ratio is currently 133.33%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Invitation Homes A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in INVH. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Invitation Homes during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,346,883,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in Invitation Homes by 78.0% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 16,553,036 shares of the companys stock valued at $569,424,000 after purchasing an additional 7,252,150 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Invitation Homes by 12.8% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 29,070,728 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,168,062,000 after purchasing an additional 3,310,121 shares during the last quarter. Boston Partners purchased a new position in shares of Invitation Homes in the 4th quarter worth approximately $105,282,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Invitation Homes by 3.3% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 86,649,432 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,481,574,000 after buying an additional 2,784,696 shares during the period. 96.79% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Invitation Homes Company Profile (Get Free Report Invitation Homes, an S&P 500 company, is the nation's premier single-family home leasing company, meeting changing lifestyle demands by providing access to high-quality, updated homes with valued features such as close proximity to jobs and access to good schools. The company's mission, "Together with you, we make a house a home," reflects its commitment to providing homes where individuals and families can thrive and high-touch service that continuously enhances residents' living experiences. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Invitation Homes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invitation Homes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE:BDN Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the four brokerages that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $5.63. BDN has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Truist Financial cut their price objective on Brandywine Realty Trust from $7.00 to $6.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. StockNews.com cut Brandywine Realty Trust from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Brandywine Realty Trust in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a hold rating and a $5.50 price objective on the stock. Get Brandywine Realty Trust alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on Brandywine Realty Trust Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brandywine Realty Trust Brandywine Realty Trust Price Performance Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of BDN. Citigroup Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Brandywine Realty Trust by 17.1% in the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 294,304 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,161,000 after purchasing an additional 42,928 shares during the last quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Brandywine Realty Trust by 23.0% in the 1st quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 42,369 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $599,000 after purchasing an additional 7,935 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its stake in shares of Brandywine Realty Trust by 15.1% in the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 60,243 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $866,000 after purchasing an additional 7,924 shares during the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Brandywine Realty Trust by 55.1% in the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 90,395 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,278,000 after purchasing an additional 32,106 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers lifted its stake in shares of Brandywine Realty Trust by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 510,543 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $7,219,000 after purchasing an additional 3,250 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.53% of the companys stock. Brandywine Realty Trust stock opened at $4.30 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $739.77 million, a PE ratio of -3.73 and a beta of 1.29. Brandywine Realty Trust has a 12 month low of $3.42 and a 12 month high of $5.97. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $4.80 and a 200-day simple moving average of $4.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 2.15 and a quick ratio of 2.15. Brandywine Realty Trust Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 18th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 13.97%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 3rd. Brandywine Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -52.17%. About Brandywine Realty Trust (Get Free Report Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE: BDN) is one of the largest, publicly traded, full-service, integrated real estate companies in the United States with a core focus in the Philadelphia and Austin markets. Organized as a real estate investment trust (REIT), we own, develop, lease and manage an urban, town center and transit-oriented portfolio comprising 160 properties and 22.6 million square feet as of September 30, 2023 which excludes assets held for sale. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Brandywine Realty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brandywine Realty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PowerSchool (NYSE:PWSC Free Report) had its price objective lifted by Piper Sandler from $28.00 to $29.00 in a research report released on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an overweight rating on the stock. Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on PWSC. William Blair reiterated an outperform rating on shares of PowerSchool in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $30.00 target price on shares of PowerSchool in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price target on PowerSchool from $29.00 to $27.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 8th. TheStreet lowered PowerSchool from a b- rating to a c rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price target on PowerSchool from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, December 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $27.67. Get PowerSchool alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on PWSC PowerSchool Stock Performance Insider Activity NYSE PWSC opened at $20.73 on Tuesday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $23.65 and its 200 day moving average price is $22.52. PowerSchool has a twelve month low of $16.41 and a twelve month high of $25.16. The company has a market capitalization of $4.19 billion, a PE ratio of -109.11 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. In related news, CEO Hardeep Gulati sold 58,730 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.50, for a total value of $1,321,425.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 2,205,590 shares of the companys stock, valued at $49,625,775. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, insider Shivani Stumpf sold 2,841 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.55, for a total value of $64,064.55. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 234,113 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,279,248.15. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Hardeep Gulati sold 58,730 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.50, for a total value of $1,321,425.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 2,205,590 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $49,625,775. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 112,377 shares of company stock worth $2,549,897. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its holdings in PowerSchool by 262.4% during the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,348 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 976 shares during the last quarter. Orion Capital Management LLC bought a new position in PowerSchool during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Fifth Third Bancorp bought a new position in PowerSchool during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its holdings in PowerSchool by 63.5% during the 3rd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 2,135 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 829 shares during the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in PowerSchool by 3,244.4% during the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,709 shares of the companys stock worth $64,000 after buying an additional 2,628 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.29% of the companys stock. PowerSchool Company Profile (Get Free Report) PowerSchool Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, offers cloud-based software to the K-12 education market. Its solution embedded in school workflows and is used on daily basis by educators, students, administrators, and parents in schools and districts. In addition, the company provides cloud-based technology platform helps schools and districts manage state reporting and related compliance, special education, finance, human resource, talent, registration, attendance, funding, learning, instruction, behavior, grading, college and career readiness, assessments, and analytics. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for PowerSchool Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PowerSchool and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eumundi Group Limited (ASX:EBG Get Free Report) declared a interim dividend on Thursday, February 29th, MarketIndexAU reports. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be given a dividend of 0.035 per share on Wednesday, March 13th. This represents a yield of 2.78%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. This is an increase from Eumundi Groups previous interim dividend of $0.02. Eumundi Group Price Performance The company has a quick ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 48.10. Get Eumundi Group alerts: Eumundi Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) Recommended Stories Eumundi Group Limited engages in the hotel operation and property investment businesses in Australia. The company's Hotel Operations segment owns and operates public hotels with bar, bistro, and gaming facilities; and conducts commercial and retail liquor sales through owned and leased premises. Receive News & Ratings for Eumundi Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eumundi Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY Get Free Report) (TSE:RY) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, February 29th, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Thursday, April 25th will be given a dividend of 1.0207 per share by the financial services provider on Friday, May 24th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.20%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 24th. This is a boost from Royal Bank of Canadas previous quarterly dividend of $1.02. Royal Bank of Canada has increased its dividend by an average of 7.5% annually over the last three years. Royal Bank of Canada has a payout ratio of 43.7% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities analysts expect Royal Bank of Canada to earn $9.22 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $3.94 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 42.7%. Get Royal Bank of Canada alerts: Royal Bank of Canada Stock Performance Shares of RY opened at $97.32 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. The stock has a market capitalization of $137.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.86. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $98.66 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $91.75. Royal Bank of Canada has a 12 month low of $77.90 and a 12 month high of $102.07. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Royal Bank of Canada Royal Bank of Canada ( NYSE:RY Get Free Report ) (TSE:RY) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 30th. The financial services provider reported $2.05 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.92 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $9.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.63 billion. Royal Bank of Canada had a net margin of 12.43% and a return on equity of 6.44%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.09 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that Royal Bank of Canada will post 8.46 EPS for the current year. Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in RY. Money Concepts Capital Corp purchased a new stake in Royal Bank of Canada in the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. Ancora Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Royal Bank of Canada in the 4th quarter valued at about $85,000. Icon Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Royal Bank of Canada in the 4th quarter valued at about $102,000. Harbour Investments Inc. increased its stake in Royal Bank of Canada by 25.8% in the 4th quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 1,526 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $154,000 after buying an additional 313 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC increased its stake in Royal Bank of Canada by 13.9% in the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 1,640 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $157,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 42.02% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes RY has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Bank of America raised shares of Royal Bank of Canada from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Royal Bank of Canada in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. They set a hold rating on the stock. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Royal Bank of Canada from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. 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 stock. According to MarketBeat, Royal Bank of Canada presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $131.50. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Royal Bank of Canada 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. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Royal Bank of Canada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Royal Bank of Canada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. (NYSE:TKC Get Free Report) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 191,100 shares, a decrease of 18.9% from the January 31st total of 235,700 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 319,400 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.6 days. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the company are short sold. Institutional Trading of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in TKC. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 1,412.9% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 104,634 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $407,000 after acquiring an additional 97,718 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 13.4% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 69,280 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $269,000 after buying an additional 8,162 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. boosted its holdings in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 2,788,000.0% during the first quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 27,881 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $108,000 after buying an additional 27,880 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 713.9% during the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 15,219 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $60,000 after buying an additional 13,349 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 14.0% during the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 114,428 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $445,000 after buying an additional 14,032 shares in the last quarter. Get Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. alerts: Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Stock Performance Shares of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. stock opened at $5.39 on Friday. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $5.27 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $5.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 1.66 and a current ratio of 1.67. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. has a 12-month low of $3.52 and a 12-month high of $5.73. About Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. provides digital services in Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and the Netherlands. It operates through Turkcell Turkey, Turkcell International, and Techfin segments. It offers work contact services, such as mobile communications, fixed business internet and business phone, and customer loyalty and programs; digital business services comprising uninterrupted access, cyber security, data center, Internet of Things, big data, e-transformation, technologies, and managed services, and cloud solutions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund (NYSEARCA:TPYP Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $26.71 and last traded at $26.62, with a volume of 20132 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.32. Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund Price Performance The stock has a market cap of $527.60 million, a PE ratio of 17.78 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $25.98 and a 200-day simple moving average of $25.47. Get Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its position in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund by 11.5% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 4,779 shares of the companys stock worth $118,000 after acquiring an additional 494 shares during the period. Captrust Financial Advisors acquired a new position in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund during the 2nd quarter worth $207,000. Baird Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund during the 1st quarter worth $220,000. Sandy Spring Bank boosted its position in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund by 3.2% during the 3rd quarter. Sandy Spring Bank now owns 37,576 shares of the companys stock worth $919,000 after acquiring an additional 1,155 shares during the period. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC acquired a new position in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund during the 4th quarter worth $2,084,000. Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund Company Profile The Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund (TPYP) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Tortoise North American Pipeline index. The fund tracks an index of North American pipeline entities organized as MLPs, MLP affiliates, LLCs, and corporations. TPYP was launched on Jun 30, 2015 and is managed by Tortoise. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AQR Capital Management LLC lowered its holdings in HF Sinclair Co. (NYSE:DINO Free Report) by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,037,883 shares of the companys stock after selling 93,899 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC owned approximately 1.13% of HF Sinclair worth $116,017,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust bought a new stake in HF Sinclair during the 1st quarter worth approximately $36,000. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. increased its holdings in HF Sinclair by 200.0% during the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 726 shares of the companys stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 484 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in HF Sinclair by 88.4% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,093 shares of the companys stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 513 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in HF Sinclair during the 1st quarter worth approximately $52,000. Finally, UniSuper Management Pty Ltd bought a new stake in HF Sinclair during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $54,000. Institutional investors own 89.15% of the companys stock. Get HF Sinclair alerts: HF Sinclair Stock Up 0.6 % Shares of HF Sinclair stock opened at $55.81 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 2.22 and a quick ratio of 1.16. The company has a 50-day moving average of $56.10 and a 200 day moving average of $55.81. The firm has a market cap of $10.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.72, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 1.28. HF Sinclair Co. has a 1 year low of $37.12 and a 1 year high of $62.20. HF Sinclair Increases Dividend HF Sinclair ( NYSE:DINO Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 21st. The company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $7.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.05 billion. HF Sinclair had a net margin of 4.97% and a return on equity of 17.61%. HF Sinclairs revenue was down 14.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.97 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that HF Sinclair Co. will post 6.38 earnings per share 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 Monday, February 26th will be paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. This is a positive change from HF Sinclairs previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.58%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 23rd. HF Sinclairs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 24.10%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades DINO has been the subject of several analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of HF Sinclair from $64.00 to $67.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. Barclays initiated coverage on shares of HF Sinclair in a research report on Monday, February 26th. They set an equal weight rating and a $60.00 price target for the company. UBS Group raised shares of HF Sinclair from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from $64.00 to $73.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of HF Sinclair from $50.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, February 22nd. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, HF Sinclair has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $64.09. Get Our Latest Stock Report on DINO Insider Buying and Selling at HF Sinclair In other news, EVP Vaishali S. Bhatia sold 18,465 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.24, for a total transaction of $1,001,541.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 51,924 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,816,357.76. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Valerie Pompa sold 7,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.53, for a total transaction of $402,710.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 29,617 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,703,866.01. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Vaishali S. Bhatia sold 18,465 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.24, for a total transaction of $1,001,541.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 51,924 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,816,357.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 28,108 shares of company stock worth $1,542,481. 0.35% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. HF Sinclair Profile (Free Report) HF Sinclair Corporation operates as an independent energy company. It produces and markets gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, renewable diesel, specialty lubricant products, specialty chemicals, specialty and modified asphalt, and others. The company also owns and operates refineries located in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming; and markets its refined products principally in the Southwest United States and Rocky Mountains, Pacific Northwest, and in other neighboring Plains states. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DINO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for HF Sinclair Co. (NYSE:DINO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for HF Sinclair Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for HF Sinclair and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stansberry Asset Management LLC increased its position in Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:EQX Free Report) by 43.7% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 47,749 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 14,513 shares during the quarter. Stansberry Asset Management LLCs holdings in Equinox Gold were worth $202,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Deutsche Bank AG bought a new position in Equinox Gold in the 4th quarter worth approximately $41,000. Cibc World Markets Corp bought a new position in shares of Equinox Gold during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $46,000. Evergreen Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Equinox Gold during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $49,000. First Trust Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of Equinox Gold by 38.1% during the third quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 15,136 shares of the companys stock valued at $55,000 after buying an additional 4,178 shares during the period. Finally, Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Equinox Gold during the second quarter valued at $67,000. 31.61% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Equinox Gold alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts have recently commented on EQX shares. National Bank Financial restated a sector perform spec overwgt rating on shares of Equinox Gold in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Desjardins upgraded Equinox Gold from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Equinox Gold Stock Up 8.1 % Shares of EQX stock opened at $4.38 on Friday. Equinox Gold Corp. has a 1-year low of $3.43 and a 1-year high of $5.84. The stock has a market cap of $1.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 81.00 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.74. Equinox Gold (NYSEAMERICAN:EQX Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 21st. The company reported $0.01 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.02) by $0.03. Equinox Gold had a return on equity of 0.69% and a net margin of 2.65%. The company had revenue of $297.80 million for the quarter. On average, analysts forecast that Equinox Gold Corp. will post 0.13 EPS for the current fiscal year. About Equinox Gold (Free Report) Equinox Gold Corp. engages in the operation, acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in the Americas. The company primarily explores for gold and silver deposits. It holds 100% interest in the Mesquite Gold Mine and Castle Mountain Gold Mine located in California, the United States; Los Filos Mine Complex located in Guerrero State, Mexico; Aurizona Gold Mine located in Maranhao State, Brazil; Fazenda Gold Mine and Santa Luz Gold Mine located in Bahia State, Brazil; and RDM Gold Mine located in Mina Gerais State, Brazil. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EQX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:EQX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Equinox Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equinox Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stansberry Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Teladoc Health, Inc. (NYSE:TDOC Free Report) by 10.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 18,633 shares of the health services providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,724 shares during the period. Stansberry Asset Management LLCs holdings in Teladoc Health were worth $346,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Teladoc Health by 22.6% during the 3rd quarter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC now owns 149,800 shares of the health services providers stock worth $2,785,000 after purchasing an additional 27,581 shares during the last quarter. Corton Capital Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Teladoc Health by 26.1% during the 3rd quarter. Corton Capital Inc. now owns 13,073 shares of the health services providers stock worth $243,000 after purchasing an additional 2,702 shares during the last quarter. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC purchased a new position in shares of Teladoc Health during the 3rd quarter worth about $680,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its holdings in shares of Teladoc Health by 381.8% during the 3rd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 10,595 shares of the health services providers stock worth $197,000 after acquiring an additional 8,396 shares during the period. Finally, Trexquant Investment LP purchased a new position in shares of Teladoc Health during the 3rd quarter worth about $1,174,000. 77.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Teladoc Health alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Teladoc Health news, insider Vidya Raman-Tangella sold 27,310 shares of Teladoc Health stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.00, for a total value of $600,820.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 8,621 shares of the companys stock, valued at $189,662. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Teladoc Health news, Director Karen L. Daniel sold 14,073 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.41, for a total value of $301,302.93. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 36,995 shares in the company, valued at $792,062.95. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Vidya Raman-Tangella sold 27,310 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.00, for a total value of $600,820.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 8,621 shares in the company, valued at $189,662. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 55,660 shares of company stock valued at $1,177,416 over the last 90 days. 1.63% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Teladoc Health Stock Performance Teladoc Health stock opened at $15.00 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $2.51 billion, a PE ratio of -11.19 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $19.98 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $19.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 3.54 and a quick ratio of 3.36. Teladoc Health, Inc. has a 12 month low of $14.36 and a 12 month high of $30.41. Teladoc Health (NYSE:TDOC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 20th. The health services provider reported ($0.17) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of ($0.22) by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $660.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $670.79 million. Teladoc Health had a negative net margin of 8.47% and a negative return on equity of 9.22%. The firms revenue was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted ($0.23) earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Teladoc Health, Inc. will post -1.05 earnings per share for the current year. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Citigroup cut their price objective on shares of Teladoc Health from $21.00 to $19.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Canaccord Genuity Group cut their price target on shares of Teladoc Health from $34.00 to $28.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Piper Sandler cut their price target on shares of Teladoc Health from $30.00 to $25.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on shares of Teladoc Health in a report on Thursday. They issued an overweight rating and a $22.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on shares of Teladoc Health from $30.00 to $25.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $23.44. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Teladoc Health About Teladoc Health (Free Report) Teladoc Health, Inc provides virtual healthcare services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Integrated Care and BetterHelp segments. The Integrated Care segment offers virtual medical services, including general medical, expert medical, specialty medical, chronic condition management, and mental health, as well as enabling technologies and enterprise telehealth solutions for hospitals and health systems. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TDOC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Teladoc Health, Inc. (NYSE:TDOC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Teladoc Health Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teladoc Health and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stansberry Asset Management LLC cut its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Free Report) by 85.8% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 14,472 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 87,585 shares during the quarter. Stansberry Asset Management LLCs holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $840,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of BMY. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Milestone Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 61.5% in the 3rd quarter. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 525 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the period. 74.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Bristol-Myers Squibb alerts: Insider Activity In other news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner acquired 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was bought at an average price of $49.78 per share, with a total value of $99,560.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 82,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,115,412.16. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts recently commented on the company. Redburn Atlantic lowered Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their target price for the company from $77.00 to $54.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. TheStreet lowered Bristol-Myers Squibb from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. They issued a hold rating and a $55.00 target price for the company. StockNews.com raised Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald lowered Bristol-Myers Squibb from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and decreased their target price for the company from $68.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Wednesday, November 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have issued a hold rating, three have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Bristol-Myers Squibb presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $61.17. View Our Latest Report on Bristol-Myers Squibb Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Up 0.3 % NYSE BMY opened at $50.89 on Friday. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 12 month low of $47.58 and a 12 month high of $71.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $102.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.18, a PEG ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 0.38. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $50.31 and a 200 day simple moving average of $53.62. The company has a current ratio of 1.43, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.15. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 50.95% and a net margin of 17.83%. The firm had revenue of $11.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.19 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.82 EPS. The businesss revenue was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 6.61 EPS for the current fiscal year. Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Thursday, December 7th that permits the company to repurchase $3.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the biopharmaceutical company to reacquire up to 2.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often an indication that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued. Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 5th will be given a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.72%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio is presently 62.18%. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Profile (Free Report) Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis 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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BMY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE:SAN Get Free Report) declared a semi-annual dividend on Thursday, February 29th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 30th will be paid a dividend of 0.1027 per share by the bank on Tuesday, May 7th. This represents a dividend yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 29th. This is an increase from Banco Santanders previous semi-annual dividend of $0.09. Banco Santander has a dividend payout ratio of 21.0% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect Banco Santander to earn $0.84 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.17 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 20.2%. Get Banco Santander alerts: Banco Santander Price Performance Shares of NYSE:SAN opened at $4.14 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.24, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.35. Banco Santander has a one year low of $3.20 and a one year high of $4.29. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $4.05 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $3.91. The stock has a market cap of $65.52 billion, a PE ratio of 5.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.40 and a beta of 1.20. Institutional Trading of Banco Santander Banco Santander ( NYSE:SAN Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The bank reported $0.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.18. Banco Santander had a return on equity of 10.82% and a net margin of 19.29%. The business had revenue of $15.67 billion for the quarter. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.14 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Banco Santander will post 0.8 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Barclays PLC lifted its stake in shares of Banco Santander by 248.2% during the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 5,820,776 shares of the banks stock worth $24,098,000 after purchasing an additional 9,747,410 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its stake in shares of Banco Santander by 87.6% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 10,708,245 shares of the banks stock worth $36,194,000 after purchasing an additional 4,999,413 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Banco Santander by 37.3% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 13,999,050 shares of the banks stock worth $47,316,000 after purchasing an additional 3,805,547 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Banco Santander by 116.0% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 6,417,059 shares of the banks stock worth $21,690,000 after purchasing an additional 3,445,757 shares during the period. Finally, State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Banco Santander by 412.7% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 3,292,087 shares of the banks stock worth $12,214,000 after purchasing an additional 2,649,928 shares during the period. 2.14% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Banco Santander Company Profile (Get Free Report) Banco Santander, SA provides various retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large companies worldwide. The company operates through Retail Banking, Santander Corporate & Investment Banking, Wealth Management & Insurance, and PagoNxt segments. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Banco Santander Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco Santander and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Profund Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS Free Report) by 20.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,590 shares of the casino operators stock after selling 1,678 shares during the period. Profund Advisors LLCs holdings in Las Vegas Sands were worth $302,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. California Public Employees Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 4.9% in the third quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 652,220 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $29,898,000 after acquiring an additional 30,500 shares during the last quarter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 15.6% in the third quarter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 10,195 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $467,000 after acquiring an additional 1,379 shares during the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB raised its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 1,422.1% in the third quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 246,976 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $11,482,000 after acquiring an additional 230,750 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. bought a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the third quarter valued at approximately $386,000. Finally, UniSuper Management Pty Ltd raised its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 13.3% in the third quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd now owns 595,904 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $27,316,000 after acquiring an additional 70,128 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 39.16% of the companys stock. Get Las Vegas Sands alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages recently weighed in on LVS. StockNews.com lowered shares of Las Vegas Sands from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $71.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, November 16th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $59.00 to $61.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Susquehanna began coverage on shares of Las Vegas Sands in a report on Friday, December 15th. They set a positive rating and a $59.00 target price for the company. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Las Vegas Sands currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $68.82. Las Vegas Sands Trading Down 5.9 % Shares of NYSE LVS opened at $51.28 on Friday. The companys fifty day moving average is $51.26 and its 200-day moving average is $49.43. The stock has a market cap of $38.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.05, a P/E/G ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 1.17. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a twelve month low of $43.77 and a twelve month high of $65.58. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.96. Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The casino operator reported $0.57 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.61 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $2.92 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.89 billion. Las Vegas Sands had a return on equity of 34.40% and a net margin of 11.77%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 161.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned ($0.19) earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.74 EPS for the current year. Las Vegas Sands Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 14th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 6th were given a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 5th. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.56%. Las Vegas Sandss dividend payout ratio is currently 50.00%. Las Vegas Sands Company Profile (Free Report) Las Vegas Sands Corp., together with its subsidiaries, develops, owns, and operates integrated resorts in Macao and Singapore. It owns and operates The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, the Londoner Macao, The Parisian Macao, The Plaza Macao and Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, and the Sands Macao in Macao, the People's Republic of China; and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Las Vegas Sands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Las Vegas Sands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd lessened its holdings in shares of Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE:RGA Free Report) by 16.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 153,728 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 31,226 shares during the period. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd owned 0.23% of Reinsurance Group of America worth $22,320,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in Reinsurance Group of America by 27.3% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 132,902 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $14,548,000 after purchasing an additional 28,536 shares during the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC boosted its holdings in Reinsurance Group of America by 13.0% in the 1st quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 2,817 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $309,000 after purchasing an additional 324 shares during the last quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can boosted its holdings in Reinsurance Group of America by 11.6% in the 1st quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 39,323 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $4,428,000 after purchasing an additional 4,073 shares during the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Reinsurance Group of America by 20.9% in the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 10,421 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,141,000 after purchasing an additional 1,799 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its holdings in Reinsurance Group of America by 47.8% in the 1st quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 368 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 119 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.78% of the companys stock. Get Reinsurance Group of America alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, EVP William L. Hutton sold 1,588 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $171.83, for a total value of $272,866.04. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 13,625 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,341,183.75. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Ronald Herrmann bought 440 shares of Reinsurance Group of America stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was bought at an average price of $166.78 per share, for a total transaction of $73,383.20. Following the purchase, the executive vice president now owns 440 shares of the companys stock, valued at $73,383.20. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP William L. Hutton sold 1,588 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $171.83, for a total transaction of $272,866.04. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 13,625 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,341,183.75. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.31% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have recently commented on RGA. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Reinsurance Group of America from $170.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Reinsurance Group of America from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, November 7th. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Reinsurance Group of America from $191.00 to $198.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Reinsurance Group of America from $164.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Reinsurance Group of America from $186.00 to $193.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $176.90. Get Our Latest Research Report on Reinsurance Group of America Reinsurance Group of America Trading Down 0.2 % Shares of Reinsurance Group of America stock opened at $176.41 on Friday. Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated has a 1 year low of $120.99 and a 1 year high of $179.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.14 and a current ratio of 0.17. The company has a market capitalization of $11.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.14 and a beta of 0.88. The companys fifty day moving average is $168.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $156.68. Reinsurance Group of America (NYSE:RGA Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The insurance provider reported $4.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.40 by $0.33. Reinsurance Group of America had a net margin of 4.86% and a return on equity of 16.20%. The company had revenue of $5.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.57 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.99 EPS. Reinsurance Group of Americas revenue for the quarter was up 14.9% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated will post 19.17 earnings per share for the current year. Reinsurance Group of America Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 27th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 13th were given a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.93%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 12th. Reinsurance Group of Americas payout ratio is currently 25.32%. Reinsurance Group of America Company Profile (Free Report) Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated engages in reinsurance business. The company offers individual and group life and health insurance products, such as term life, credit life, universal life, whole life, group life and health, joint and last survivor insurance, critical illness, disability, and longevity products; asset-intensive and financial reinsurance products; and other capital motivated solutions. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Reinsurance Group of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Reinsurance Group of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Toronto Dominion Bank raised its holdings in shares of Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE:EXR Free Report) by 77.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 127,779 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 55,686 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank owned about 0.06% of Extra Space Storage worth $15,535,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Capital World Investors raised its position in Extra Space Storage by 29.7% during the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 17,876,089 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,660,805,000 after purchasing an additional 4,096,408 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Extra Space Storage in the 4th quarter worth $380,823,000. Capital International Investors lifted its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 98.7% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 4,216,200 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $627,581,000 after purchasing an additional 2,094,409 shares during the period. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Extra Space Storage during the 3rd quarter valued at about $173,621,000. Finally, First Eagle Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 233,362.8% during the third quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 1,323,734 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $160,940,000 after buying an additional 1,323,167 shares during the period. 66.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Extra Space Storage alerts: Extra Space Storage Stock Up 1.7 % Extra Space Storage stock opened at $143.41 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $30.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.03, a PEG ratio of 3.56 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a current ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. Extra Space Storage Inc. has a 12 month low of $101.19 and a 12 month high of $170.30. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $148.23 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $133.37. Extra Space Storage Dividend Announcement Extra Space Storage ( NYSE:EXR Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.02 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.03 by ($1.01). The business had revenue of $797.77 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $778.05 million. Extra Space Storage had a return on equity of 8.34% and a net margin of 31.81%. Extra Space Storages quarterly revenue was up 57.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.09 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Extra Space Storage Inc. will post 8.17 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a $1.62 dividend. This represents a $6.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Extra Space Storages dividend payout ratio is currently 131.17%. Insider Buying and Selling at Extra Space Storage In related news, Director Joseph Saffire sold 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.32, for a total transaction of $1,393,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 82,344 shares in the company, valued at $11,472,166.08. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.55% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have commented on EXR shares. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on shares of Extra Space Storage from $185.00 to $165.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Extra Space Storage from $168.00 to $187.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. Scotiabank initiated coverage on shares of Extra Space Storage in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. They issued a sector underperform rating and a $131.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Extra Space Storage from an underweight rating to an overweight rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $120.00 to $155.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded shares of Extra Space Storage from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Extra Space Storage has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $149.75. Read Our Latest Report on EXR Extra Space Storage Company Profile (Free Report) Extra Space Storage Inc, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a self-administered and self-managed REIT and a member of the S&P 500. As of September 30, 2023, the Company owned and/or operated 3,651 self-storage stores in 42 states and Washington, DC The Company's stores comprise approximately 2.5 million units and approximately 279.0 million square feet of rentable space operating under the Extra Space, Life Storage and Storage Express brands. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Extra Space Storage Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Extra Space Storage and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Toronto Dominion Bank reduced its position in shares of Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER Free Report) by 89.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 349,298 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock after selling 3,101,814 shares during the quarter. Toronto Dominion Banks holdings in Uber Technologies were worth $16,064,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UBER. Private Advisory Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Uber Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $657,000. Sandhill Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Uber Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth $22,162,000. Sterneck Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Uber Technologies by 16.2% during the 3rd quarter. Sterneck Capital Management LLC now owns 7,674 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $353,000 after acquiring an additional 1,068 shares during the last quarter. Titan Global Capital Management USA LLC lifted its stake in shares of Uber Technologies by 9.2% in the 3rd quarter. Titan Global Capital Management USA LLC now owns 370,325 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $17,031,000 after purchasing an additional 31,243 shares during the period. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina boosted its position in shares of Uber Technologies by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 877,589 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock worth $40,360,000 after purchasing an additional 3,530 shares during the last quarter. 74.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Uber Technologies alerts: Insider Activity at Uber Technologies In other news, insider Tony West sold 18,750 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.08, for a total transaction of $1,314,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 185,566 shares in the company, valued at $13,004,465.28. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Uber Technologies news, insider Jill Hazelbaker sold 20,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.83, for a total value of $1,556,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 107,290 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,350,380.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Tony West sold 18,750 shares of Uber Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.08, for a total transaction of $1,314,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 185,566 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,004,465.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 3.84% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Uber Technologies Trading Up 1.9 % NYSE UBER opened at $81.00 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $68.08 and a 200-day moving average of $56.01. Uber Technologies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $29.22 and a 12 month high of $81.86. The company has a market cap of $168.20 billion, a PE ratio of 94.19, a PEG ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 1.37. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79. Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 7th. The ride-sharing company reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.16 by $0.50. The business had revenue of $9.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.76 billion. Uber Technologies had a net margin of 5.06% and a return on equity of 18.95%. Uber Technologiess revenue was up 15.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.29 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Uber Technologies, Inc. will post 1.16 EPS for the current fiscal year. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms have recently issued reports on UBER. Roth Mkm boosted their target price on Uber Technologies from $72.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Uber Technologies from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 8th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and set a $85.00 price target on shares of Uber Technologies in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. JMP Securities upped their price objective on shares of Uber Technologies from $76.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Uber Technologies from $59.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $73.06. View Our Latest Analysis on UBER Uber Technologies Company Profile (Free Report) Uber Technologies, Inc develops and operates proprietary technology applications in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia excluding China and Southeast Asia. It operates through three segments: Mobility, Delivery, and Freight. The Mobility segment connects consumers with a range of transportation modalities, such as ridesharing, carsharing, micromobility, rentals, public transit, taxis, and other modalities; and offers riders in a variety of vehicle types, as well as financial partnerships products and advertising services. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UBER? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Uber Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Uber Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nomura Holdings Inc. purchased a new stake in Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:IR Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund purchased 6,793 shares of the industrial products companys stock, valued at approximately $433,000. Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd acquired a new position in Ingersoll Rand in the 2nd quarter valued at $23,422,000. Natixis Advisors L.P. grew its stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 136,629 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $8,706,000 after buying an additional 10,840 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC grew its stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 568,633 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $36,222,000 after buying an additional 13,036 shares during the period. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can grew its stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 25.9% during the 2nd quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 525,168 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $34,517,000 after buying an additional 107,875 shares during the period. Finally, Handelsbanken Fonder AB grew its stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 100,013 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $6,373,000 after buying an additional 2,666 shares during the period. 94.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Ingersoll Rand alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages have recently issued reports on IR. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $87.00 to $97.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $83.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $78.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Cfra upped their price target on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $68.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Ingersoll Rand from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $81.64. Insider Buying and Selling at Ingersoll Rand In other news, insider Andrew R. Schiesl sold 13,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.89, for a total value of $934,570.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 45,263 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,253,957.07. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, insider Andrew R. Schiesl sold 13,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.89, for a total value of $934,570.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 45,263 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,253,957.07. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Andrew R. Schiesl sold 10,421 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.95, for a total transaction of $937,368.95. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 48,904 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,398,914.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 271,011 shares of company stock valued at $24,178,259 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.83% of the companys stock. Ingersoll Rand Stock Performance NYSE:IR opened at $91.62 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 2.22 and a quick ratio of 1.67. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $81.96 and a two-hundred day moving average of $72.55. The stock has a market cap of $36.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.22, a PEG ratio of 3.34 and a beta of 1.44. Ingersoll Rand Inc. has a 1-year low of $51.84 and a 1-year high of $92.44. Ingersoll Rand Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 7th will be given a $0.02 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 6th. This represents a $0.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.09%. Ingersoll Rands payout ratio is currently 4.21%. Ingersoll Rand Profile (Free Report) Ingersoll Rand Inc provides various mission-critical air, gas, liquid, and solid flow creation technologies services and solutions worldwide. It operates through two segments, Industrial Technologies and Services, and Precision and Science Technologies. The Industrial Technologies and Services segment designs, manufactures, markets, and services air and gas compression, vacuum, and blower products; fluid transfer equipment and loading systems; and power tools and lifting equipment, including associated aftermarket parts, consumables, air treatment equipment, controls, other accessories, and services under the under the Ingersoll Rand, Gardner Denver, Nash, CompAir, Elmo Rietschle brands, etc. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:IR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Ingersoll Rand Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ingersoll Rand and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nomura Holdings Inc. boosted its holdings in Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX Free Report) by 5.2% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 6,694 shares of the shipping companys stock after buying an additional 328 shares during the quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc.s holdings in Matson were worth $594,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Matson in the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Matson by 43.1% in the 2nd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 362 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the period. CWM LLC boosted its stake in Matson by 41.4% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 413 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the period. Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in Matson in the 4th quarter worth approximately $53,000. Finally, U S Global Investors Inc. acquired a new position in Matson in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $78,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.04% of the companys stock. Get Matson alerts: Matson Trading Down 0.7 % Shares of NYSE:MATX opened at $110.24 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $114.52 and a two-hundred day moving average of $99.56. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.16 and a beta of 1.13. Matson, Inc. has a 12-month low of $56.51 and a 12-month high of $122.99. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. Matson Dividend Announcement Matson ( NYSE:MATX Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 20th. The shipping company reported $1.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.75 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $788.90 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $733.60 million. Matson had a net margin of 9.60% and a return on equity of 12.71%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 1.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.10 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Matson, Inc. will post 7.8 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 7th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 8th will be paid a dividend of $0.32 per share. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.16%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 7th. Matsons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 15.27%. Insider Buying and Selling at Matson In other Matson news, SVP Christopher A. Scott sold 952 shares of Matson stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.93, for a total transaction of $94,181.36. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 10,974 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,085,657.82. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, SVP Richard S. Kinney sold 997 shares of Matson stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $96.30, for a total value of $96,011.10. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 9,427 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $907,820.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Christopher A. Scott sold 952 shares of Matson stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.93, for a total transaction of $94,181.36. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 10,974 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,085,657.82. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 1.90% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com raised shares of Matson from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on shares of Matson from $108.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. View Our Latest Stock Report on MATX About Matson (Free Report) Matson, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides ocean transportation and logistics services. The company's Ocean Transportation segment offers ocean freight transportation services to the domestic non-contiguous economies of Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam, as well as to other island economies in Micronesia. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MATX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Matson Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Matson and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caxton Associates LP purchased a new stake in shares of Forestar Group Inc. (NYSE:FOR Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 13,101 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock, valued at approximately $353,000. Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Federated Hermes Inc. raised its position in shares of Forestar Group by 1,601.6% during the 3rd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 1,038 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 977 shares during the period. Acadian Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Forestar Group in the 2nd quarter worth $34,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Forestar Group in the 1st quarter worth $35,000. JBF Capital Inc. raised its holdings in Forestar Group by 25.0% during the second quarter. JBF Capital Inc. now owns 2,500 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares during the period. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its position in shares of Forestar Group by 22.5% in the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 3,226 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $73,000 after acquiring an additional 592 shares in the last quarter. 35.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Forestar Group alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes FOR has been the subject of several research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Forestar Group from $30.00 to $33.50 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, December 1st. StockNews.com upgraded Forestar Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $32.50. Forestar Group Trading Up 2.0 % Shares of Forestar Group stock opened at $34.38 on Friday. Forestar Group Inc. has a twelve month low of $13.76 and a twelve month high of $38.73. The company has a quick ratio of 2.01, a current ratio of 2.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $32.84 and a 200-day moving average price of $29.99. The firm has a market cap of $1.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.37 and a beta of 1.69. Forestar Group (NYSE:FOR Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.76 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.20. Forestar Group had a return on equity of 13.85% and a net margin of 12.08%. The company had revenue of $305.90 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $273.00 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.42 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Forestar Group Inc. will post 3.93 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity In related news, CEO Daniel C. Bartok sold 949 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.75, for a total value of $32,977.75. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 21,000 shares in the company, valued at $729,750. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CEO Daniel C. Bartok sold 949 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.75, for a total value of $32,977.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 21,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $729,750. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Daniel C. Bartok sold 1,000 shares of Forestar Group stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.23, for a total value of $34,230.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 20,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $684,600. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 15,706 shares of company stock worth $494,922. 0.49% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Forestar Group Company Profile (Free Report) Forestar Group Inc operates as a residential lot development company in the United States. The company acquires land and develops infrastructure for single-family residential communities. It sells its residential single-family finished lots to local, regional, and national homebuilders. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Arlington, Texas. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FOR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Forestar Group Inc. (NYSE:FOR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Forestar Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Forestar Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Toronto Dominion Bank trimmed its position in shares of PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG Free Report) by 20.8% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 129,923 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after selling 34,163 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank owned approximately 0.06% of PPG Industries worth $16,864,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new stake in shares of PPG Industries during the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Harbour Investments Inc. grew its stake in shares of PPG Industries by 84.9% during the first quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 220 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in shares of PPG Industries during the second quarter valued at about $29,000. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new stake in shares of PPG Industries during the second quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Intrepid Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of PPG Industries during the second quarter valued at about $30,000. 79.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get PPG Industries alerts: PPG Industries Price Performance Shares of NYSE:PPG opened at $139.56 on Friday. The firms 50 day moving average is $143.42 and its two-hundred day moving average is $137.81. PPG Industries, Inc. has a 52 week low of $120.32 and a 52 week high of $152.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $32.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.13, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a current ratio of 1.47, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. PPG Industries Announces Dividend PPG Industries ( NYSE:PPG Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 19th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.53 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.04. PPG Industries had a net margin of 6.96% and a return on equity of 23.51%. The company had revenue of $4.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.27 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.22 earnings per share. PPG Industriess revenue was up 3.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that PPG Industries, Inc. will post 8.45 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 12th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.65 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $2.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.86%. PPG Industriess dividend payout ratio is presently 48.69%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth PPG has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Barclays downgraded PPG Industries from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and lowered their target price for the company from $163.00 to $149.00 in a research note on Tuesday. Redburn Atlantic cut shares of PPG Industries from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $160.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Robert W. Baird reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $150.00 price target on shares of PPG Industries in a research report on Friday, January 19th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on shares of PPG Industries from $158.00 to $156.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of PPG Industries from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, PPG Industries has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $158.20. View Our Latest Analysis on PPG PPG Industries Company Profile (Free Report) PPG Industries, Inc manufactures and distributes paints, coatings, and specialty materials worldwide. The company operates through Performance Coatings and Industrial Coatings. The Performance Coatings segment offers coatings, solvents, adhesives, sealants, sundries, and software for automotive and commercial transport/fleet repair and refurbishing, light industrial coatings, and specialty coatings for signs; and coatings, sealants, transparencies, transparent armor, adhesives, engineered materials, and packaging and chemical management services for commercial, military, regional jet, and general aviation aircraft. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PPG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for PPG Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PPG Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fred Alger Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 9,428 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock, valued at approximately $2,437,000. Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC bought a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the third quarter valued at about $25,000. OFI Invest Asset Management bought a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO bought a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the third quarter valued at about $27,000. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A bought a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the second quarter valued at about $36,000. Finally, CGC Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the second quarter valued at about $37,000. 86.72% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Becton Dickinson and Company alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms recently issued reports on BDX. TheStreet lowered Becton, Dickinson and Company from a b rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, November 9th. Piper Sandler decreased 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 report on Friday, November 10th. Raymond James upped their target price on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $269.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Barclays increased their price target on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $301.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their target price on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $310.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 4th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $279.17. Becton, Dickinson and Company Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:BDX opened at $235.33 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $67.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 55.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $239.70 and a 200-day moving average price of $249.87. The company has a current ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 12 month low of $228.62 and a 12 month high of $287.32. Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.39 by $0.29. The business had revenue of $4.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.73 billion. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a net margin of 6.44% and a return on equity of 13.57%. The businesss revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.98 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 12.94 EPS for the current year. Becton, Dickinson and Company Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors 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 yield of 1.61%. Becton, Dickinson and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 90.05%. Becton, Dickinson and Company Profile (Free Report) Becton, Dickinson and Company develops, manufactures, and sells medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic products for healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmaceutical industry, and the general public worldwide. The company operates in three segments: BD Medical, BD Life Sciences, and BD Interventional. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BDX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Becton Dickinson and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Becton Dickinson and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fred Alger Management LLC decreased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK Free Report) by 0.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 34,383 shares of the companys stock after selling 274 shares during the quarter. Fred Alger Management LLCs holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $3,540,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Peddock Capital Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 8.3% in the second quarter. Peddock Capital Advisors LLC now owns 16,794 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,938,000 after purchasing an additional 1,286 shares during the period. Richard P Slaughter Associates Inc increased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 8.8% during the third quarter. Richard P Slaughter Associates Inc now owns 13,532 shares of the companys stock worth $1,393,000 after acquiring an additional 1,091 shares during the period. Wealthspire Advisors LLC increased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 37.0% during the third quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 57,526 shares of the companys stock worth $5,922,000 after acquiring an additional 15,529 shares during the period. Ossiam increased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 118.3% during the second quarter. Ossiam now owns 215,896 shares of the companys stock worth $24,912,000 after acquiring an additional 117,002 shares during the period. Finally, Peoples Financial Services CORP. increased its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 5.9% in the 3rd quarter. Peoples Financial Services CORP. now owns 23,188 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,387,000 after buying an additional 1,294 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 74.59% of the companys stock. Get Merck & Co. Inc. alerts: Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance Shares of MRK stock opened at $126.96 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.25. The company has a market capitalization of $321.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 906.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.37. The companys 50 day moving average price is $121.16 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $110.68. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52 week low of $99.14 and a 52 week high of $130.24. Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend Merck & Co., Inc. ( NYSE:MRK Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $0.03 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.09) by $0.12. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 0.61% and a return on equity of 9.33%. The firm had revenue of $14.63 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.49 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.62 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 8.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. 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 issued a $0.77 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $3.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.43%. Merck & Co., Inc.s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 2,200.00%. Insider Activity In related news, EVP Steven Mizell sold 50,694 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.65, for a total value of $6,420,395.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,619 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,991,346.35. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, EVP Steven Mizell sold 50,694 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.65, for a total value of $6,420,395.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,619 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,991,346.35. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Joseph Romanelli sold 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.89, for a total transaction of $124,890.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 19,569 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,443,972.41. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth MRK has been the topic of several analyst reports. StockNews.com raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Thursday, November 9th. They issued a buy rating and a $115.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $148.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, TD Cowen raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $125.00 to $135.00 in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $130.12. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Merck & Co., Inc. About Merck & Co., Inc. (Free Report) Merck & Co, Inc operates as a healthcare company worldwide. It operates through two segments, Pharmaceutical and Animal Health. The Pharmaceutical segment offers human health pharmaceutical products in the areas of oncology, hospital acute care, immunology, neuroscience, virology, cardiovascular, and diabetes, as well as vaccine products, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Merck & Co. Inc. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Merck & Co. Inc. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fred Alger Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Crown Castle Inc. (NYSE:CCI Free Report) by 37.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 44,167 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 12,092 shares during the quarter. Fred Alger Management LLCs holdings in Crown Castle were worth $4,065,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CCI. Moors & Cabot Inc. grew its position in Crown Castle by 3.4% during the first quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 2,734 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $505,000 after buying an additional 91 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Crown Castle by 33.4% in the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,954 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $730,000 after purchasing an additional 991 shares during the period. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P boosted its position in shares of Crown Castle by 4,497.6% in the first quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 5,701 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,052,000 after purchasing an additional 5,577 shares during the period. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its position in shares of Crown Castle by 12.3% in the first quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 4,802 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $886,000 after purchasing an additional 525 shares during the period. Finally, Covestor Ltd boosted its position in shares of Crown Castle by 205.9% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 878 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $162,000 after purchasing an additional 591 shares during the period. 90.27% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Crown Castle alerts: Crown Castle Trading Up 1.0 % NYSE CCI opened at $111.05 on Friday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $110.13 and its 200-day moving average price is $103.63. The company has a current ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.46. The stock has a market cap of $48.22 billion, a PE ratio of 32.10, a PEG ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 0.74. Crown Castle Inc. has a 12 month low of $84.72 and a 12 month high of $136.29. Crown Castle Announces Dividend Insider Transactions at Crown Castle The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a $1.565 dividend. This represents a $6.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.64%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Crown Castles payout ratio is presently 180.92%. In other Crown Castle news, VP Robert Sean Collins sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.16, for a total transaction of $171,240.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 10,035 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,145,595.60. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.39% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have weighed in on CCI shares. HSBC began coverage on shares of Crown Castle in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. They issued a hold rating and a $110.00 price target for the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Crown Castle from $92.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Crown Castle from an underperform rating to a market perform rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $107.00 to $110.00 in a report on Friday, January 19th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Crown Castle from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and upped their price target for the company from $90.00 to $115.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 5th. Nine equities 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 company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $121.33. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on CCI About Crown Castle (Free Report) Crown Castle owns, operates and leases more than 40,000 cell towers and approximately 90,000 route miles of fiber supporting small cells and fiber solutions across every major U.S. market. This nationwide portfolio of communications infrastructure connects cities and communities to essential data, technology and wireless service bringing information, ideas and innovations to the people and businesses that need them. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Crown Castle Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Crown Castle and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group cut its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report) by 8.9% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 9,058 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 882 shares during the period. Rehmann Capital Advisory Groups holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $628,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of EW. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 104,971.3% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 15,399,249 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,148,938,000 after buying an additional 15,384,593 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Edwards Lifesciences in the 4th quarter worth about $658,390,000. WELLCOME TRUST LTD THE as trustee of the WELLCOME TRUST increased its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 440.0% in the 3rd quarter. WELLCOME TRUST LTD THE as trustee of the WELLCOME TRUST now owns 3,510,000 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $243,173,000 after buying an additional 2,860,000 shares in the last quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main grew its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 655.9% during the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 2,325,457 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $173,502,000 after purchasing an additional 2,017,801 shares during the period. Finally, Capital International Investors grew its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 27,015,032 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $2,548,023,000 after purchasing an additional 1,255,926 shares during the period. 79.25% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: Insider Activity In other news, Director Kieran Gallahue sold 3,058 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.61, for a total transaction of $267,911.38. Following the transaction, the director now owns 67,219 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,889,056.59. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Daveen Chopra sold 3,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.00, for a total value of $245,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 23,950 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,676,500. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Kieran Gallahue sold 3,058 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.61, for a total value of $267,911.38. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 67,219 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,889,056.59. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 193,402 shares of company stock valued at $15,285,554. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Edwards Lifesciences Stock Up 0.4 % Shares of EW opened at $85.22 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 1.05. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 1 year low of $60.57 and a 1 year high of $94.87. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $79.77 and its 200-day simple moving average is $74.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 3.38 and a quick ratio of 2.40. Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The medical research company reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.64. The firm had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.50 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a return on equity of 23.56% and a net margin of 23.35%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.64 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In EW has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Edwards Lifesciences from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on Edwards Lifesciences from $70.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Mizuho lifted their price objective on Edwards Lifesciences from $85.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company raised Edwards Lifesciences from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $94.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Citigroup cut Edwards Lifesciences from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, December 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Edwards Lifesciences has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $87.38. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on EW Edwards Lifesciences Profile (Free Report) Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group grew its stake in shares of Hubbell Incorporated (NYSE:HUBB Free Report) by 9.2% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 1,599 shares of the industrial products companys stock after acquiring an additional 135 shares during the period. Rehmann Capital Advisory Groups holdings in Hubbell were worth $501,000 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. First Manhattan Co. purchased a new stake in shares of Hubbell in the 1st quarter worth about $28,000. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its position in shares of Hubbell by 120.6% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 289 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 158 shares in the last quarter. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Hubbell in the 4th quarter worth about $40,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. acquired a new position in Hubbell in the 4th quarter valued at about $47,000. Finally, Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC acquired a new position in Hubbell in the 2nd quarter valued at about $50,000. 85.97% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Hubbell alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Hubbell from $330.00 to $340.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. TD Cowen assumed coverage on shares of Hubbell in a research note on Friday, December 8th. They issued an outperform rating and a $338.00 target price for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Hubbell from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and boosted their target price for the company from $333.00 to $335.00 in a research note on Friday, November 17th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Hubbell from $351.00 to $360.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Hubbell from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. 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 has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $353.00. Hubbell Trading Up 1.1 % NYSE HUBB opened at $384.90 on Friday. Hubbell Incorporated has a 12 month low of $219.77 and a 12 month high of $385.35. The company has a 50-day moving average of $342.37 and a 200-day moving average of $318.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.01. The company has a market cap of $20.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.40, a P/E/G ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 0.93. Hubbell (NYSE:HUBB Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The industrial products company reported $3.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.58 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $1.35 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.32 billion. Hubbell had a net margin of 14.14% and a return on equity of 30.82%. The companys revenue was up 10.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.60 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Hubbell Incorporated will post 16.39 earnings per share for the current year. Hubbell Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a dividend of $1.22 per share. This represents a $4.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.27%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. Hubbells dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.73%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, insider Mark Eugene Mikes sold 1,837 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $358.16, for a total transaction of $657,939.92. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 5,296 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,896,815.36. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Hubbell news, insider Mark Eugene Mikes sold 1,837 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $358.16, for a total value of $657,939.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 5,296 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,896,815.36. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, VP Katherine Anne Lane sold 1,468 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $352.51, for a total value of $517,484.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 9,355 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,297,731.05. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 34,125 shares of company stock valued at $12,065,100. 0.66% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Hubbell Company Profile (Free Report) Hubbell Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and sells electrical and utility solutions in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, Electrical Solutions and Utility Solutions. The Electrical Solution segment offers standard and special application wiring device products, rough-in electrical products, connector and grounding products, lighting fixtures, and other electrical equipment for use in industrial, commercial, and institutional facilities by electrical contractors, maintenance personnel, electricians, utilities, and telecommunications companies, as well as components and assemblies. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HUBB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Hubbell Incorporated (NYSE:HUBB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Hubbell Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hubbell and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC cut its stake in shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM Free Report) by 15.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 375,348 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 69,817 shares during the period. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC owned approximately 0.19% of Unum Group worth $18,463,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNM. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Unum Group during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Huntington National Bank increased its position in Unum Group by 1,076.4% during the 2nd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 647 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 592 shares during the period. Bangor Savings Bank increased its position in Unum Group by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 664 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 332 shares during the period. Arlington Trust Co LLC acquired a new position in Unum Group during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Finally, FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in Unum Group by 125.9% during the 3rd quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,229 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 685 shares during the period. 79.37% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Unum Group alerts: Unum Group Trading Down 0.3 % Shares of UNM opened at $49.28 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 0.86. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $47.09 and its 200 day simple moving average is $46.89. Unum Group has a twelve month low of $36.27 and a twelve month high of $52.15. Unum Group Dividend Announcement Unum Group ( NYSE:UNM Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.79 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.86 by ($0.07). The firm had revenue of $3.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.14 billion. Unum Group had a return on equity of 16.03% and a net margin of 10.36%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.43 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Unum Group will post 8.19 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 16th. Investors of record on Friday, January 26th were issued a $0.365 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 25th. This represents a $1.46 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.96%. Unum Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 22.50%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms have issued reports on UNM. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on Unum Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Unum Group from $47.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Unum Group from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $55.00 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Truist Financial lowered their target price on Unum Group from $59.00 to $54.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Unum Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $55.44. Get Our Latest Analysis on UNM Insider Activity at Unum Group In related news, EVP Elizabeth Claire Ahmed sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total value of $250,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 55,450 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,772,500. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.94% of the stock is owned by insiders. Unum Group Profile (Free Report) Unum Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial protection benefit solutions primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, and internationally. It operates through Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, and Closed Block and Corporate segments. The company offers group long-term and short-term disability, group life, and accidental death and dismemberment products; supplemental and voluntary products, such as individual disability, voluntary benefits, and dental and vision products; and accident, sickness, disability, life, and cancer and critical illness products. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Unum Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Unum Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec boosted its position in ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE:ZTO Free Report) by 7.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 893,492 shares of the transportation companys stock after purchasing an additional 58,342 shares during the quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec owned about 0.15% of ZTO Express (Cayman) worth $21,596,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ZTO. Captrust Financial Advisors acquired a new position in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) during the 2nd quarter valued at about $36,000. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) during the 2nd quarter worth about $49,000. Huntington National Bank grew its holdings in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) by 22.4% during the 2nd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 2,134 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 391 shares during the period. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. grew its holdings in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) by 26.2% during the 4th quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 2,248 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 466 shares during the period. Finally, Janiczek Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) by 34.3% during the 3rd quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,562 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $86,000 after purchasing an additional 909 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 41.68% of the companys stock. Get ZTO Express (Cayman) alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Bank of America cut ZTO Express (Cayman) from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $34.00 to $28.00 in a report on Tuesday, November 7th. StockNews.com cut ZTO Express (Cayman) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $33.40. ZTO Express (Cayman) Stock Up 5.8 % NYSE ZTO opened at $20.31 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $12.32 billion, a PE ratio of 13.63, a P/E/G ratio of 0.68 and a beta of -0.05. ZTO Express has a fifty-two week low of $15.90 and a fifty-two week high of $30.05. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $18.56 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $21.76. The company has a quick ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. About ZTO Express (Cayman) (Free Report) ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc provides express delivery and other value-added logistics services in the People's Republic of China. It offers freight forwarding services; and delivery services for e-commerce and traditional merchants, and other express service users. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People's Republic of China. Read More Receive News & Ratings for ZTO Express (Cayman) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ZTO Express (Cayman) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lazard Asset Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE Free Report) by 12.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 12,096,927 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 1,686,935 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC owned about 0.27% of Vale worth $162,098,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VALE. Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Vale during the first quarter worth approximately $28,000. Systematic Alpha Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vale in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. AdvisorNet Financial Inc increased its holdings in shares of Vale by 44.7% in the third quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 2,702 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 835 shares in the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its position in Vale by 508.7% in the 3rd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,482 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 2,910 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Money Concepts Capital Corp bought a new position in Vale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $53,000. Institutional investors own 16.90% of the companys stock. Get Vale alerts: Vale Trading Up 0.4 % Vale stock opened at $13.46 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $14.18 and a 200-day moving average of $14.01. Vale S.A. has a one year low of $12.22 and a one year high of $17.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 1.28 and a quick ratio of 0.70. The company has a market cap of $60.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.36 and a beta of 0.98. Vale Cuts Dividend Vale ( NYSE:VALE Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The basic materials company reported $0.56 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.04 by ($0.48). The company had revenue of $13.05 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.95 billion. Vale had a net margin of 19.10% and a return on equity of 20.00%. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.82 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Vale S.A. will post 2.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 26th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.3182 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 12th. This represents a dividend yield of 9.7%. Vales dividend payout ratio is presently 83.61%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In VALE has been the subject of several research analyst reports. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Vale from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of Vale from $16.00 to $15.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of Vale from a buy rating to a hold rating and dropped their target price for the company from $18.00 to $17.00 in a research report on Thursday, November 16th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Vale from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $20.00 target price for the company in a research report on Monday, November 20th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $19.00 target price on shares of Vale in a research report on Monday, February 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $16.98. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on VALE Vale Profile (Free Report) Vale SA, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells iron ore and iron ore pellets for use as raw materials in steelmaking in Brazil and internationally. The company operates through Iron Solutions and Energy Transition Materials segments. The Iron Solutions segment produces and extracts iron ore and pellets, manganese, and other ferrous products; and provides related logistic services. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Vale Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vale and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lazard Asset Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of Ternium S.A. (NYSE:TX Free Report) by 11.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,132,957 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 394,611 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC owned approximately 1.60% of Ternium worth $125,004,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its stake in Ternium by 42.6% during the third quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 131,260 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $5,237,000 after acquiring an additional 39,200 shares during the period. Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its holdings in Ternium by 11.6% during the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 142,325 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $5,679,000 after purchasing an additional 14,811 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in shares of Ternium by 40,884.6% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 10,656 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $426,000 after acquiring an additional 10,630 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Ternium by 67.4% in the 2nd quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 12,148 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $482,000 after acquiring an additional 4,893 shares in the last quarter. Finally, QRG Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Ternium in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $269,000. 12.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Ternium alerts: Ternium Stock Down 0.3 % Shares of TX opened at $40.42 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.75, a PEG ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 1.86 and a current ratio of 3.16. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $39.74 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $39.31. Ternium S.A. has a 52 week low of $35.22 and a 52 week high of $45.81. Ternium Increases Dividend Ternium ( NYSE:TX Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 20th. The basic materials company reported $2.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.32 by $0.79. The firm had revenue of $4.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.94 billion. Ternium had a return on equity of 10.84% and a net margin of 3.84%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 39.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.20 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Ternium S.A. will post 7.85 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 8th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 3rd will be given a $2.20 dividend. This is a positive change from Terniums previous Semi-Annual dividend of $1.10. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 2nd. Terniums dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 63.95%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have recently commented on TX shares. TheStreet raised Ternium from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Friday, January 12th. Bank of America raised Ternium from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $47.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, November 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, three have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Ternium has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $50.38. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Ternium About Ternium (Free Report) Ternium SA, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, processes, and sells various steel products in Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, Brazil, the United States, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. It operates through two segments, Steel and Mining. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ternium S.A. (NYSE:TX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Ternium Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ternium and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Quadrature Capital Ltd trimmed its stake in shares of Hess Co. (NYSE:HES Free Report) by 51.1% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 56,126 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after selling 58,756 shares during the period. Quadrature Capital Ltds holdings in Hess were worth $8,588,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in HES. Raymond James Trust N.A. bought a new position in Hess in the 1st quarter worth about $446,000. Blair William & Co. IL grew its holdings in Hess by 17.1% in the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 4,276 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $458,000 after buying an additional 625 shares in the last quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH increased its position in Hess by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 114,120 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $12,216,000 after acquiring an additional 4,027 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers acquired a new position in Hess during the 1st quarter worth $410,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Hess by 2.2% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 30,928,530 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $3,310,590,000 after purchasing an additional 667,979 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.72% of the companys stock. Get Hess alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have commented on HES. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Hess in a research note on Thursday. They set a sell rating on the stock. Argus upgraded Hess from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $171.00 target price for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 7th. UBS Group lowered their price target on Hess from $210.00 to $195.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Mizuho upped their price objective on Hess from $170.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, February 26th. Finally, Susquehanna lowered their target price on Hess from $160.00 to $152.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $174.29. Hess Price Performance HES opened at $148.19 on Friday. Hess Co. has a 12-month low of $113.82 and a 12-month high of $167.75. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $45.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.93 and a beta of 1.27. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $144.06 and a 200-day moving average of $147.87. Hess (NYSE:HES Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The oil and gas producer reported $1.63 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.43 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $3.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.76 billion. Hess had a net margin of 12.98% and a return on equity of 17.00%. The firms quarterly revenue was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.78 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Hess Co. will post 7.56 EPS for the current fiscal year. Hess Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 29th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 18th were paid a dividend of $0.4375 per share. This represents a $1.75 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.18%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 15th. Hesss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 38.89%. Insider Activity In related news, COO Gregory P. Hill sold 56,925 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.35, for a total value of $8,330,973.75. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 78,287 shares in the company, valued at $11,457,302.45. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Hess news, CEO John B. Hess sold 73,885 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.87, for a total transaction of $10,777,604.95. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 138,718 shares in the company, valued at $20,234,794.66. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, COO Gregory P. Hill sold 56,925 shares of Hess stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.35, for a total transaction of $8,330,973.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 78,287 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,457,302.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 9.93% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Hess Profile (Free Report) Hess Corporation, an exploration and production company, explores, develops, produces, purchases, transports, and sells crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and natural gas. The company operates in two segments, Exploration and Production, and Midstream. It conducts production operations primarily in the United States, Guyana, the Malaysia/Thailand Joint Development Area, and Malaysia; and exploration activities principally offshore Guyana, the U.S. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HES? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Hess Co. (NYSE:HES Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Hess Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hess and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Quadrature Capital Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE:TRGP Free Report) by 364.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 88,834 shares of the pipeline companys stock after purchasing an additional 69,690 shares during the period. Quadrature Capital Ltds holdings in Targa Resources were worth $7,615,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of TRGP. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Targa Resources by 104,219.5% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 25,241,143 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $1,855,224,000 after acquiring an additional 25,216,947 shares during the period. Deutsche Bank AG increased its holdings in shares of Targa Resources by 200.4% in the third quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 5,577,027 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $478,063,000 after purchasing an additional 3,720,270 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in shares of Targa Resources by 424.5% in the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 3,777,797 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $285,110,000 after purchasing an additional 3,057,486 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Targa Resources during the 4th quarter worth about $99,690,000. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Targa Resources by 14.4% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 7,836,957 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $591,455,000 after buying an additional 986,283 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.21% of the companys stock. Get Targa Resources alerts: Targa Resources Stock Performance NYSE TRGP opened at $99.34 on Friday. Targa Resources Corp. has a 1 year low of $64.85 and a 1 year high of $99.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.07 and a beta of 2.20. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.68. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $88.37 and its 200 day simple moving average is $86.56. Targa Resources Dividend Announcement Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st were issued a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.01%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 30th. Targa Resourcess dividend payout ratio is presently 54.50%. Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on shares of Targa Resources from $106.00 to $109.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 26th. UBS Group dropped their price target on Targa Resources from $109.00 to $108.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 18th. Barclays upped their price objective on Targa Resources from $94.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on Targa Resources from $95.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, November 6th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Targa Resources from $104.00 to $112.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $107.40. Read Our Latest Analysis on TRGP Insider Activity In related news, CAO Julie H. Boushka sold 2,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.66, for a total transaction of $244,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 71,808 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,012,769.28. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other Targa Resources news, insider D. Scott Pryor sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $97.00, for a total transaction of $970,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 156,098 shares of the companys stock, valued at $15,141,506. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CAO Julie H. Boushka sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $97.66, for a total value of $244,150.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 71,808 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,012,769.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 81,966 shares of company stock worth $7,987,215. Insiders own 1.39% of the companys stock. Targa Resources Profile (Free Report) Targa Resources Corp., together with its subsidiary, Targa Resources Partners LP, owns, operates, acquires, and develops a portfolio of complementary domestic midstream infrastructure assets in North America. It operates in two segments, Gathering and Processing, and Logistics and Transportation. The company is involved in gathering, compressing, treating, processing, transporting, and selling natural gas; storing, fractionating, treating, transporting, and selling natural gas liquids (NGL) and NGL products, including services to liquefied petroleum gas exporters; and gathering, storing, terminaling, purchasing, and selling crude oil. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TRGP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE:TRGP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Targa Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Targa Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Quadrature Capital Ltd increased its stake in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH Free Report) by 38.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 424,867 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 118,474 shares during the quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd owned approximately 0.10% of Norwegian Cruise Line worth $6,998,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Covestor Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line by 5,020.8% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,229 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 1,205 shares in the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its stake in Norwegian Cruise Line by 272.7% in the first quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,856 shares of the companys stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 1,358 shares in the last quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Norwegian Cruise Line by 46.2% in the second quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,900 shares of the companys stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 600 shares during the last quarter. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new position in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line during the third quarter worth $42,000. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line by 38.0% during the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 3,574 shares of the companys stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 984 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 60.49% of the companys stock. Get Norwegian Cruise Line alerts: Norwegian Cruise Line Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:NCLH opened at $19.28 on Friday. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $17.69 and its 200-day moving average price is $16.64. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. has a 1 year low of $12.15 and a 1 year high of $22.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 40.94, a current ratio of 0.22 and a quick ratio of 0.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.21 billion, a PE ratio of 68.86, a P/E/G ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 2.59. Analyst Ratings Changes Norwegian Cruise Line ( NYSE:NCLH Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The company reported ($0.18) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.13) by ($0.05). Norwegian Cruise Line had a return on equity of 108.69% and a net margin of 1.94%. The company had revenue of $1.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.99 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned ($1.10) EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. will post 0.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company restated an equal weight rating and set a $18.00 target price on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line in a research note on Friday, January 5th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line from $17.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Friday. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday. Susquehanna lifted their price objective on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Citigroup cut their price objective on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line from $23.00 to $19.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 12th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $20.96. Read Our Latest Stock Report on NCLH Norwegian Cruise Line Profile (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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Norwegian Cruise Line Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Norwegian Cruise Line and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. United Services Automobile Association cut its holdings in shares of iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:SUB Free Report) by 14.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 12,790 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,102 shares during the period. United Services Automobile Associations holdings in iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF were worth $1,316,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Arkadios Wealth Advisors bought a new stake in shares of iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $280,000. Heartwood Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter. Heartwood Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 126,383 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,000,000 after acquiring an additional 3,370 shares during the last quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 18,850 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,939,000 after acquiring an additional 305 shares during the last quarter. Diversified Portfolios Inc. increased its stake in iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF by 94.7% during the 2nd quarter. Diversified Portfolios Inc. now owns 44,544 shares of the companys stock worth $4,634,000 after purchasing an additional 21,661 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arkansas Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. Arkansas Financial Group Inc. now owns 137,402 shares of the companys stock worth $14,133,000 after purchasing an additional 2,219 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF alerts: iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF Price Performance NYSEARCA SUB opened at $104.97 on Friday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $105.07 and a 200 day simple moving average of $104.23. iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF has a 52-week low of $102.50 and a 52-week high of $105.58. iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF Profile iShares 2016 AMT-Free Muni Term ETF, formerly iShares S&P Short Term National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P Short Term National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index (the Index). See Also Receive News & Ratings for iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Waverly Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 3,730 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $339,000. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. ICW Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. ICW Investment Advisors LLC now owns 21,922 shares of the companys stock worth $3,548,000 after buying an additional 63 shares during the period. Stone House Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 55.3% during the 2nd quarter. Stone House Investment Management LLC now owns 177 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 63 shares during the period. Chilton Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Novo Nordisk A/S by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Chilton Capital Management LLC now owns 10,063 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,628,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Red Wave Investments LLC grew its stake in Novo Nordisk A/S by 2.3% during the 2nd quarter. Red Wave Investments LLC now owns 3,068 shares of the companys stock valued at $496,000 after acquiring an additional 69 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC grew its stake in Novo Nordisk A/S by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 10,863 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,720,000 after acquiring an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 6.41% of the companys stock. Get Novo Nordisk A/S alerts: Novo Nordisk A/S Price Performance Novo Nordisk A/S stock opened at $124.23 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $557.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.93, a PEG ratio of 2.00 and a beta of 0.41. Novo Nordisk A/S has a 1 year low of $67.66 and a 1 year high of $124.86. The business has a 50-day moving average of $112.61 and a 200-day moving average of $93.52. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend Novo Nordisk A/S ( NYSE:NVO Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The company reported $0.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.66 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $9.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.14 billion. Novo Nordisk A/S had a return on equity of 90.36% and a net margin of 36.03%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.32 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 25th will be issued a dividend of $0.664 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 22nd. This is a boost from Novo Nordisk A/Ss previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.22. Novo Nordisk A/Ss payout ratio is 22.92%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth NVO has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $140.00 target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. UBS Group initiated coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. They issued a neutral rating for the company. Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. They set an overweight rating and a $120.00 target price for the company. Finally, TD Cowen upped their target price on Novo Nordisk A/S from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. Two investment 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. According to MarketBeat, Novo Nordisk A/S has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $121.25. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on NVO 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. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Logan Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (NYSEARCA:VYM Free Report) by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 16,393 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 703 shares during the quarter. Logan Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF were worth $1,694,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of VYM. Providence Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF in the third quarter worth $25,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. purchased a new position in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $32,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF during the third quarter worth about $39,000. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. purchased a new stake in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF in the third quarter worth about $47,000. Finally, Bank of New Hampshire increased its stake in shares of Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF by 380.3% during the third quarter. Bank of New Hampshire now owns 562 shares of the companys stock valued at $58,000 after purchasing an additional 445 shares in the last quarter. Get Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF alerts: Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF Trading Up 0.6 % NYSEARCA VYM opened at $116.14 on Friday. Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF has a 12 month low of $98.40 and a 12 month high of $116.25. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $112.77 and its 200-day moving average price is $107.89. The stock has a market cap of $53.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.80 and a beta of 0.84. Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF Profile The Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund (VYM) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the FTSE Custom High Dividend Yield index. The fund tracks the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index. The index selects high-dividend-paying US companies, excluding REITS, and weights them by market cap. VYM was launched on Nov 10, 2006 and is managed by Vanguard. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VYM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (NYSEARCA:VYM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Free Report) by 24.2% in 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 298 shares of the restaurant operators stock after buying an additional 58 shares during the period. Insigneo Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $546,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Northern Trust Corp lifted its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 5.0% in the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 283,203 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $518,780,000 after purchasing an additional 13,513 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd grew its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 9.2% in the 3rd quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 95 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $174,000 after buying an additional 8 shares during the period. NewEdge Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 3rd quarter worth about $205,000. Laidlaw Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 69.8% during the third quarter. Laidlaw Wealth Management LLC now owns 270 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $495,000 after acquiring an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Clearstead Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 0.7% in the third quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 773 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $1,416,000 after purchasing an additional 5 shares during the period. 91.19% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Chipotle Mexican Grill alerts: Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Down 0.1 % CMG opened at $2,687.31 on Friday. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 52 week low of $1,470.05 and a 52 week high of $2,725.83. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $2,431.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $2,154.22. The company has a market capitalization of $73.69 billion, a PE ratio of 60.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.29. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Chipotle Mexican Grill ( NYSE:CMG Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The restaurant operator reported $10.36 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $9.73 by $0.63. The company had revenue of $2.52 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.49 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 44.41% and a net margin of 12.45%. The firms revenue was up 15.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $8.29 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 53.21 earnings per share for the current year. A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Wedbush reiterated a neutral rating and set a $2,400.00 price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Stephens boosted their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,800.00 to $3,000.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,700.00 to $2,920.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. BTIG Research upped their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,650.00 to $2,750.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, KeyCorp increased their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,250.00 to $2,750.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $2,469.88. Get Our Latest Research Report on CMG Insider Buying and Selling In other Chipotle Mexican Grill news, Director Albert S. Baldocchi sold 750 shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,608.51, for a total value of $1,956,382.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 37,271 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $97,221,776.21. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 1,996 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated 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 in the company, valued at approximately $53,870,779.77. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Albert S. Baldocchi sold 750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,608.51, for a total transaction of $1,956,382.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 37,271 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $97,221,776.21. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 4,744 shares of company stock worth $11,607,678. Insiders own 0.96% of the companys stock. 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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Baraye, the title of a song composed by Shervin Hajipour, means for or because in Farsi. The lyrics that the 26-year-old musician, one of the most popular in Iran, wrote were inspired by 31 messages that other Iranians had posted on social networks: For dancing in the streets, for every time we were afraid to kiss our lovers, for our sisters and for women, life and freedom. These lyrics, which in that last stanza repeat the slogan of the 2022 anti-regime protests sparked by the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman arrested for allegedly violating Irans mandatory headscarf law, has earned the musician a sentence of three years and eight months in prison. The ruling was announced Friday, on the same day that 61 million Iranians were called to elect their new parliament and the 88 members of the Assembly of Experts, the body in charge of choosing the successor to Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, at the polls. The defendant has been sentenced to three years in prison for propaganda against the system and another eight months in prison for inciting unrest with the aim of undermining the countrys security, reads the sentence, which the musician shared on his Instagram account. Hajipour was arrested in October 2022, barely a month after Aminis death on September 16, and subsequently released on bail. Following his arrest, Iranian authorities forced him to delete the song from his social networks. Baraye was by then the anthem of demonstrations in which the long-simmering anger not only of women subjected to draconian legislation, but of other Iranians who took to the streets, often chanting the song crystallized into demands for the fall of the regime. The unrest lasted five months, but was finally quelled by a crackdown in which at least 500 people died, according to human rights NGOs, 22,000 were arrested and at least eight men were hanged. The crackdown further alienated the Iranian regime from part of the population. That unease is one of the factors leading Irans rulers to fear that many citizens will ignore their insistent appeals to vote. Turnout, which according to different polls could range between less than 30% and 41% of the electorate, is the main challenge of an election in which reformist candidates have been disqualified practically in their entirety. Make our friends happy and disappoint our enemies. Please vote, Khamenei declared on Friday as he symbolically opened the election day by casting his ballot. Some 60,000 polling stations opened their doors at 8 a.m. They were to remain open until 6 p.m. but, later in the day, the authorities announced that this deadline would be extended for a few more hours, a measure that seems to be aimed at favoring the objective of increasing the turnout, which, if it collapses, would present a serious crisis of legitimacy. Only about 30 of the 15,200 candidates 1,713 of whom are women from which Iranians can elect the 290 seats in parliament can be considered moderate or reformist. The regimes hardliners also dominate the list of 144 candidates for one of the seats in the Assembly of Experts. These lists, with hardly any opponents, augur the perpetuation of the status quo. The outgoing parliament in Iran was dominated by a conservative majority of 232 out of 290 representatives. The Reform Front, which groups some 20 progressive organizations, decided not to contest the elections, which it defines as not free. Teachers, students, politicians, and activists, such as the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, have also called for a boycott. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Waverly Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Free Report) by 1.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 16,071 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 291 shares during the quarter. Waverly Advisors LLCs holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $657,000 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 stock. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group grew its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 4.5% in the third quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group now owns 29,179 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,192,000 after acquiring an additional 1,248 shares during the period. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC acquired a new position in Wells Fargo & Company in the third quarter valued at about $403,000. Teza Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Wells Fargo & Company in the third quarter valued at about $1,676,000. Morningstar Investment Services LLC grew its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 1.6% in the third quarter. Morningstar Investment Services LLC now owns 1,882,093 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $76,997,000 after acquiring an additional 29,120 shares during the period. Finally, Toronto Dominion Bank grew its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 0.5% in the third quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 3,283,375 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $134,159,000 after acquiring an additional 17,016 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 72.47% of the companys stock. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets WFC has been the subject of several recent research reports. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $51.00 to $50.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Barclays increased their price target 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. Raymond James upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a hold rating and issued a $51.00 price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 1st. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $51.43. Wells Fargo & Company Stock Performance WFC stock opened at $55.05 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $49.99 and a 200-day moving average price of $45.04. Wells Fargo & Company has a 1-year low of $35.25 and a 1-year high of $55.75. The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. The firm has a market cap of $196.94 billion, a PE ratio of 11.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.19. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The financial services provider reported $0.86 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.16 by ($0.30). The firm had revenue of $20.48 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.30 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 16.60% and a return on equity of 12.40%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.67 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Wells Fargo & Company will post 4.72 earnings per share for the current year. Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 2nd were paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 1st. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.54%. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.05%. Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile (Free Report) Wells Fargo & Company, a financial services company, provides diversified banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC lessened its stake in shares of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK Free Report) by 34.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 22,071 shares of the asset managers stock after selling 11,440 shares during the quarter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLCs holdings in BlackRock were worth $14,269,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of BLK. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A bought a new stake in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter worth $26,000. West Tower Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter worth $27,000. Archer Investment Corp bought a new stake in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter worth $29,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Tyler Stone Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter worth $33,000. Institutional investors own 77.01% of the companys stock. Get BlackRock alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. TD Cowen raised shares of BlackRock from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $819.00 to $938.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of BlackRock from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and set a $708.00 target price 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 target price on the stock in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. 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. Finally, UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of BlackRock from $720.00 to $818.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $785.73. BlackRock Stock Up 0.4 % Shares of NYSE:BLK opened at $814.81 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $121.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.32, a PEG ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.37. The company has a quick ratio of 3.72, a current ratio of 3.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. BlackRock, Inc. has a 12-month low of $596.18 and a 12-month high of $823.71. The businesss 50 day moving average is $796.30 and its 200 day moving average is $724.98. BlackRock (NYSE:BLK Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The asset manager reported $9.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $8.84 by $0.82. The company had revenue of $4.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.65 billion. BlackRock had a return on equity of 14.74% and a net margin of 30.81%. BlackRocks quarterly revenue was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $8.93 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that BlackRock, Inc. will post 39.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. BlackRock Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Investors of record on Thursday, March 7th will be given a dividend of $5.10 per share. This is a boost from BlackRocks previous quarterly dividend of $5.00. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 6th. This represents a $20.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.50%. BlackRocks payout ratio is presently 54.78%. Insider Activity at BlackRock In related news, General Counsel Christopher J. Meade sold 18,000 shares of BlackRock stock in a transaction on 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 directly owns 11,914 shares in the company, valued at $3,366,142.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other BlackRock news, General Counsel Christopher J. Meade sold 3,100 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $793.86, for a total value of $2,460,966.00. Following the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 8,628 shares in the company, valued at $6,849,424.08. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, General Counsel Christopher J. Meade sold 18,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $282.54, for a total value of $5,085,660.60. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now owns 11,914 shares in the company, valued at $3,366,142.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 100,511 shares of company stock valued at $71,864,028 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.96% of the companys stock. 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. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BLK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 44.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 16,805 shares of the payment services companys stock after selling 13,367 shares during the period. Hodges Capital Management Inc.s holdings in American Express were worth $2,507,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of AXP. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of American Express by 118,198.3% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,732,068 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $2,028,913,000 after purchasing an additional 13,720,460 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of American Express during the 4th quarter valued at $911,554,000. Swiss National Bank bought a new position in shares of American Express during the 2nd quarter valued at $397,678,000. Boston Partners bought a new position in shares of American Express during the 3rd quarter valued at $210,540,000. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. raised its holdings in shares of American Express by 162.6% during the 4th quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,961,999 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $289,885,000 after purchasing an additional 1,214,731 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.08% of the companys stock. Get American Express alerts: Insider Activity In other news, insider Howard Grosfield sold 7,029 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.65, for a total value 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 legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other American Express news, insider Howard Grosfield sold 7,029 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.65, for a total value of $1,431,455.85. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 12,388 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,522,816.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Stephen J. Squeri sold 69,356 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The shares were 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 disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 172,047 shares of company stock valued at $36,528,388. 0.12% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of American Express from $188.00 to $206.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of American Express from $220.00 to $226.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of American Express from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and lifted their target price for the company from $167.00 to $205.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of American Express from $186.00 to $205.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Finally, Stephens upgraded shares of American Express from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $148.00 to $193.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $189.00. Check Out Our Latest Report on AXP American Express Price Performance Shares of AXP stock opened at $219.66 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $159.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a quick ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. American Express has a 12-month low of $140.91 and a 12-month high of $220.38. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $198.54 and a 200-day moving average of $172.57. American Express (NYSE:AXP Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, January 26th. The payment services company reported $2.62 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.64 by ($0.02). American Express had a return on equity of 30.99% and a net margin of 13.84%. The company had revenue of $15.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.07 earnings per share. American Expresss revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that American Express will post 12.83 earnings per share for the current year. American Express Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 9th. Stockholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.09%. American Expresss payout ratio is 21.41%. About American Express (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. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AXP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for American Express (NYSE:AXP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for American Express Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Express and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Devon Energy Co. (NYSE:DVN Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 21,556 shares of the energy companys stock, valued at approximately $1,028,000. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Shapiro Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Devon Energy by 32.9% during the 3rd quarter. Shapiro Capital Management LLC now owns 1,498,410 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $71,474,000 after purchasing an additional 370,607 shares during the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association lifted its holdings in shares of Devon Energy by 2.0% during the third quarter. United Services Automobile Association now owns 139,091 shares of the energy companys stock worth $6,635,000 after purchasing an additional 2,729 shares during the period. Blackstone Inc. boosted its position in Devon Energy by 1,076.3% in the third quarter. Blackstone Inc. now owns 279,239 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $13,320,000 after buying an additional 255,500 shares during the last quarter. Waverly Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Devon Energy by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Waverly Advisors LLC now owns 40,464 shares of the energy companys stock worth $1,930,000 after buying an additional 985 shares during the period. Finally, Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC raised its position in Devon Energy by 24.7% during the 3rd quarter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC now owns 82,800 shares of the energy companys stock worth $3,950,000 after buying an additional 16,408 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.34% of the companys stock. Get Devon Energy alerts: Devon Energy Price Performance Devon Energy stock opened at $44.39 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $28.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.61, a P/E/G ratio of 0.16 and a beta of 2.18. The companys fifty day moving average price is $43.34 and its 200 day moving average price is $45.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 1.07. Devon Energy Co. has a 1 year low of $40.47 and a 1 year high of $57.13. Devon Energy Cuts Dividend Devon Energy ( NYSE:DVN Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The energy company reported $1.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.39 by $0.02. Devon Energy had a net margin of 24.56% and a return on equity of 31.72%. The business had revenue of $4.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.88 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.66 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Devon Energy Co. will post 5.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.44 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $1.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.96%. Devon Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 13.72%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts have recently commented on DVN shares. Pickering Energy Partners raised shares of Devon Energy from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, November 9th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price target on shares of Devon Energy from $77.00 to $75.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Mizuho cut their price target on Devon Energy from $54.00 to $53.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective 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. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Devon Energy from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their target price for the stock from $48.00 to $52.00 in a report on Monday, December 11th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Devon Energy has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $56.65. View Our Latest Stock Report on Devon Energy Devon Energy Company 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. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Devon Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Devon Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nicolas Maduro said at the VIII Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) that there will be elections during the second half of 2024. The date was established in the Barbados agreements and the commitment to hold them was witnessed by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian Presidency reported. The announcement came after the two presidents held a bilateral meeting within the summit. Maduro affirmed that in 2024 there will be totally reliable and transparent elections in Venezuela. According to Venezuelan legislation, it is the National Electoral Council (CNE) that calls elections in Venezuela, and it has not yet taken that step. The ruling party mobilized allied sectors to propose various schedules to hold the elections, and this Friday it delivered a document with 27 possible dates, based on different criteria. The president of the CNE, Elvis Amoroso, acknowledged receipt of the proposals and said that they would begin to analyze them. Electoral specialists have warned that, technically, there needs to be a period of at least six months between the date the elections are called and the day of the vote itself. This year Venezuela is holding its 31st election in 25 years. I believe that Venezuela has one of the highest rates of electoral and consultative processes in the electoral history over the last three decades on our continent, and in the world. Whenever it has been necessary, according to the Constitution, elections have been held, Amoroso said. The conditions under which the last presidential elections were held in Venezuela in May 2018 an early date that Maduro himself chose, and which saw a large part of the opposition candidates ruled out of running due to disqualifications and had no qualified international observation missions led to a win for Chavismo, but undermined the legitimacy of the re-elected government after the decision by several of the worlds democracies not to recognize a process they considered flawed. Maduro has asked CELAC and also the United Nations whose Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, was present at the summit to send their observation missions, despite the fact that days ago he expelled the teams from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Venezuela is preparing for totally reliable and transparent elections, with an electoral system that I would like CELAC to know about and be able to broadcast beyond manipulation, misrepresentation, and lies, he said. In CELAC, Maduro has found a space to return to international dialogue, after several years of isolation due to the countrys authoritarian drift. And Lula Da Silva has been a mediator in the latest diplomatic spat between Venezuela and its neighbor Guyana over the Essequibo region. The pair met in December in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines headquarters of the pro tempore presidency of CELAC to de-escalate a conflict that had been created after a referendum in Venezuela was held to approve the annexation of the disputed territory. There, Venezuela and Guyana agreed not to threaten each other or use force to resolve the dispute, although days later there were mobilizations of troops and military equipment along the border. The exchange of prisoners with the United States was also completed at the summit as part of the direct negotiations between Caracas and Washington. In the Caribbean island country, Colombian businessman Alex Saab, who was being prosecuted for alleged money laundering stemming from the Venezuelan governments corruption, was handed over to Venezuela and has now been named an official in Maduros cabinet. The date of the elections has become a critical issue in the latest steps in the negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition. But several agreements prior to the elections have collapsed in recent months, in which Chavismo has increased the persecution of dissidents with the arrest of activists and political leaders and has decided to block the candidacy of the main opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado. The government has resorted to a ruling from the Supreme Court, which has gone beyond constitutional precepts. Chavismo is trying to set up elections in which it cannot lose, although 85% of Venezuelans want a change of government and Maduro has an approval rating of less than 20%. According to the Brazilian Presidency, the meeting between Lula and Maduro also touched on the issue of Guyana, where the Brazilian president had made a stop before attending the summit. Also discussed were the million-dollar debt that Venezuela has with Brazil, the intensification of trade between the two countries, and the joint fight against illegal mining in the Yanomami indigenous territory, on both sides of the border. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Two wars in two years. The conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have given rise to the most demanding and exhausting period for the United Nations since the beginning of the century. Then, the war in Iraq shocked the world and lit the fuse once and for all on the new global disorder of jihadist terrorism. The old mechanism of the right of veto has rendered the Security Council the body in charge of ensuring world peace and security inoperative. Thus, while the initiatives for Ukraine have been showing signs of fatigue for months (Russia has blocked them all), those it has put forward for Gaza have also been doomed to failure: the United States vetoed a permanent humanitarian ceasefire resolution for the third time last week. The Global South has criticized the Wests double standards in both conflicts, while continued fighting in the Strip is preventing humanitarian aid from reaching those who need it most. The killing of over 100 people in the enclave during a distribution of flour last Thursday was the umpteenth demonstration of the practical consequences of the organizations paralysis. Dirk Salomons, professor of international relations at Columbia University, talks about the reason why the UN was founded in the first place. After 45 million deaths in World War II, it was agreed that the only way to prevent such a thing from happening again was to guarantee peace through an international organization The responsibility would fall on the five victorious Allied nations and each would have a permanent seat on the Security Council and the right to veto proposals. At the time, two of the five Allies, Great Britain and France, were world powers, with empires that spanned the globe. Now they are world dwarfs. Russia is seen as a criminal mafia enterprise, and China has no ambition to become an arbiter of other countries conflicts. The United States, once the last World War II power standing, lost all credibility after Iraq, as did many of its allies. The Council, or what remains of it, is fatally divided, totally impotent, and has lost its influence. Salomons illustrates the paralysis of the UN executive body, whose operation is based on the geopolitics of the mid-20th century, not the 21st. Todays world is seeing a growing prominence of the Global South, as demonstrated by the third diplomatic path of Lula da Silvas Brazil a negotiated solution in Ukraine, and its unequivocal denunciation of Israels violence in Gaza and the genocide lawsuit against Israel brought by South Africa in The Hague. Brazil and South Africa, two of the so-called BRICS nations, have already altered the traditional distribution of key roles. Few southern countries were members in 1945. Financing problems are not unrelated to the paralysis of the organization. As of Wednesday, only 70 member states had fully paid their share of the regular budget, and the United States, the clubs largest contributor, was not among them. Peacekeeping and humanitarian operations are financed separately, which is why the people of Gaza especially blame the withdrawal of funds for the UNRWA (a UN agency that helps Palestinian refugees) by a dozen countries, of which the U.S. in the lead. These countries have stopped giving finance to the agency following accusations of collusion with Hamas that Israel made a month ago. Silence around Ukraine, clamor for Gaza Like two sides of the same coin, while the war in Gaza grabs headlines, the one in Ukraine is almost invisible in the day-to-day life of the UN. This is illustrated by the more than discreet commemoration of the second anniversary of the Russian invasion, on February 23 (the invasion occurred in the early hours of the following day). There were plenty of speeches in the General Assembly, but no initiative to stop the war. Diplomatic fatigue or a shift of focus to Gaza? Richard Gowan, for decades a senior official at the institution and today at the NGO International Crisis Group, specialized in conflict prevention, responds: I think Gaza is an important factor, but not the only one. Members were already less focused on Ukraine long before October 7 [the date of the Hamas attacks on Israel], and many non-Western states were tired after a year of intense debates and votes on Ukraine. Gowan concedes that the war in Gaza has clearly shaken the diplomatic dynamic in New York. Many UN members, including Arab states, which previously voted in favor of Ukraine in the General Assembly, are unhappy that the U.S. and some major European powers have not shown similar sympathy for the people of Gaza, he explains. The resolutions of the General Assembly, the body to which the Security Council refers the proposed resolutions which it has done in both cases, Ukraine and Gaza are purely symbolic and non-binding. This also fuels impotence, to the extent that Kyiv is bypassing the UN as a mediator. The irrelevance of the UN as an arbiter of the international community not at all of the role of its agencies on the ground is the idea that all the experts consulted for this report agree on. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza have dramatically demonstrated how the UN, created in and for the world of 1945, is incapable of resolving the many complex security challenges we face today. Wars have turned the United Nations into an organization of disunited nations like never before, explains John Kirton, professor of international relations and global governance at the University of Toronto. The G20 as a possible alternative The necessary reform of the Security Council, and specifically of the veto mechanism of its five permanent members, is the elephant in the room. However, there is international consensus about it. Antonio Guterres himself made it clear in his inaugural General Assembly speech in September last year. As has President Joe Biden, whose administration nevertheless uses the veto to stop any resolution that compromises Israel. But in the meantime, the organization is dragging its feet in the case of Ukraine and seems to be shackled when it comes to Gaza. There are no short-term prospects for serious reform of the Security Council or the UN in general, to give the growing Global South, led by democratic India, Brazil and South Africa, the greater voice they seek and deserve, notes Kirton. For the Canadian expert, the G20, a club of 20 equals, dominated by democracies, in which the countries of the Global South are fully balanced with those of the Global North, has in practice replaced the UN as the center of global governance, in the face of the many, old and new, forms of security threats that the world faces. A Copernican revolution is underway in international relations. The trail of blood and destruction due to the two conflicts and many other forgotten ones currently has no end in sight. But while it has just been substantiated, for the moment, as Salomons points out, the political role of the UN in Ukraine and Gaza is marginal, and the impressive appeals of its secretary general barely resonate. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Families for a Jackson County court official and an Independence, Missouri police officer are garnering support from residents across the metro . . . "Both GoFundMe accounts have been verified by GoFundMe." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Today's excuse never to help anybody and why avoiding eye contact after dark isn't such a bad policy: "KCPD noted that the man had been leaving a gas station in the 4500 block of Cleveland Ave. on Feb. 22 and was asked for a dollar - he gave it. However, the individual who asked for the money instead had two others waiting inside the gas station. "As two other individuals exited the gas station, one of them could be seen shooting the victim as the other two rummaged through his pockets and stole his vehicle. "As of Friday, the three individuals had not yet been identified and no arrests have been made. Police said the victim remains hospitalized in stable condition. " Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . KCPD searching for 3 suspects accused in armed robbery at gas station Kansas City police are searching for three suspects who allegedly shot and robbed a man at a gas station near 45th Street and Cleveland Avenue. Police search for suspect who shot, robbed man giving money at KC gas station Police in Kansas City are searching for three individuals who shot and robbed a man who thought he was giving a homeless individual money. Horrific video shows man hand over a dollar before being shot, robbed while laying on the ground - police searching for suspect The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department is asking for the public's help to identify three suspects in a shooting and robbery captured on video on Feb. 22. Developing . . . The middle and working class have given up on marriage across the globe because it's a FAILED system that doesn't really have the best interests of families in mind. Consider . . . Almost 90% of the worlds population now live in countries with falling marriage rates. In the U.S., marriage has declined by 60% since the 1970s, while the median age for first marriages has increased for both men and women. Meanwhile . . . We don't typically link consumer reports but this story about empty wedding shops and broken dreams paints a tragic picture for so many hopeful Kansas City brides who now confront one of many future disappointments . . . Check-it: We no longer see wedding dresses hanging inside of The One Bridal in Kansas City, Missouri. A sign on the door said, We are actively working to arrange delivery of orders for our brides. We will be reaching out to each bride individually to schedule pickups over the next week. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate walk-ins. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . In this post we round up most of the reporting following a press conference earlier today. Technically, this might be another metro triple shooting given that 4 people were injured. Here are the basics of the story so far and links to more local reporting . . . "Larry D. Acree, 69, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, assault in the first degree for wounding a police officer and three additional counts of armed criminal action. "Jackson County property records show that an Independence man purchased the home and property valued in 2023 at $675,500 and had just paid back taxes on it last week. The new owner wrote a personal check for $18,543 to cover taxes from 2022 and 2023. "Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said Thursday wasnt the first time that Mack was at the property. "According to the probable cause affidavit explaining the charges, a 'notice to vacate' was posted in a conspicuous place on the premises on Feb. 23. It said the notice was a result of a request for a writ of possession that was completed Feb. 9. " 'Basically what led us here is a year-long eviction process,' Baker said." TEXTLine Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Independence man charged with murder in shooting that killed police officer and court worker Larry Acree faces two counts of first-degree murder as well as other charges including first-degree assault. Man charged with murder in deaths of Independence officer, civil process server Ofc. Cody Allen and civil process server Drexel Mack died Thursday afternoon after they were fatally shot during an eviction response. Eastern Jackson County man charged in two fatal shootings and assault For Immediate Release March 1, 2024 The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office has filed multiple felony counts, including two Murder in the 1st Degree charges, against an Independence man who fa... Man served eviction papers before fatal Independence shooting lost home over taxes Court records show the former owner had financial troubles for years, filing bankruptcy in 1992 and in 2004. In 2012, the Missouri Department of Revenue filed a tax lien on him, and a judgment was entered for $12,628. Financial problems found in public records connected to the fatal shooting location in Independence A combination of Missouri State court records and Jackson County property tax records reveals financial problems at the property connected to the fatal shootings. Delinquent taxes led to sale, eviction at property where IPD officer, civil process server were fatally shot The property where two people were killed, a civil process server and Independence police officer, during an attempted eviction Thursday afternoon was sold because delinquent taxes. "He was my world": Who was civil process server Drexel Mack? Drexel Mack, 41, was shot and killed while on duty Thursday afternoon. Many in the community have shared their condolences to his family and loved ones. 'A hero': Colleagues mourn loss of Cody Allen, Independence officer who died rendering aid The Independence Police Department is left again mourning the loss of one its own after Officer Cody Allen died while rendering aid to a victim Thursday. Developing . . . It lasted barely three minutes but a week later the Berlinale speeches delivered by Israeli Yuval Abraham and Palestinian Basel Adra still reverberate, to the point of having become a matter of security Abraham has not returned to his country due to death threats and debate about balanced discourse on the Middle East conflict and how Germany manages its historical responsibility for the Holocaust. Last Saturday, Abraham and Adra, both journalists and activists, received the award for best documentary as co-directors of No Other Land. The film, not yet released on the commercial circuit, tells the story of their friendship, Adras personal story, and the expulsions and demolitions of homes where he lives, Masafer Yatta, an inhospitable area in the southern West Bank whose 1,000 Bedouin inhabitants can be evicted at any time after the Supreme Court declared it a military firing range last year. On stage, the Palestinian was the first to speak: It is very, very difficult for me to celebrate something while tens of thousands of my people are being massacred in Gaza right now. As I am here in Berlin, I would like to ask Germany to do one thing: to respect the UN appeals and stop sending weapons to Israel. Abraham then spoke to denounce both would return (he believed then) two days later to a land where they are not equal. I live in a civilian regime and Basel in a military regime. We live 30 minutes from each other, but I have the right to vote and Basel does not. I can move freely around the country, but Basel, like millions of Palestinians, is trapped in the West Bank. This apartheid situation between the two, this inequality, has to end, he said. The Berlinale hall erupted in an ovation that has caused problems for the Minister of Culture, Claudia Roth. For joining it, she has faced calls for her resignation. On Monday, her ministry surprisingly came out to clarify on social networks that the applause was aimed at the Jewish-Israeli journalist and filmmaker, and not the Palestinian, as the former spoke in favor of a political solution and peaceful coexistence in the region. A still from the documentary 'No Other Land.' The issue has taken on such a dimension that Abraham has stopped talking to the media. He wants to lower his profile, in light of everything that is going on, says a friend who prefers to remain anonymous. Nor does Adra respond to requests for interviews. Earlier this week, Abraham spoke to the Israeli daily Haaretz after canceling his flight back to Israel because of the death threats. Im getting dozens, if not hundreds, of anonymous messages, like When you come back, well be waiting for you, you son of a bitch, Ill hunt you down at the airport. Im a journalist and Ive written things more critical than what I said in the speech, but Ive never experienced anything like this [...] Im scared. Its been very stressful, he said. Abraham, 29, is a journalist in left-wing media in his country and abroad and has remained active on social networks, where on Tuesday he posted a tweet in which he denounced that a right-wing mob went to his house the day before to look for him and threatened immediate family members, who had to flee to another city during the night. I am still getting death threats and had to cancel my flight home, he writes. His friend confirms that he has not yet returned to Israel. All this has happened, he laments, after Israeli media and German politicians absurdly labeled his speech as anti-Semitic. The appalling misuse of this word by Germans, not only to silence Palestinian critics of Israel, but also to silence Israelis like me who support a ceasefire that will end the killing in Gaza and allow the release of the Israeli hostages, empties the word antisemitism of meaning and thus endangers Jews all over the world, he says. After recalling that his grandmother was born in a concentration camp in Libya and that most of his grandfathers family was killed in the Holocaust, he added: I find it particularly outraging that German politicians in 2024 have the audacity to weaponize this term against me in a way that endangered my family, he says. And much more so Adras, living under military occupation and surrounded by Israeli settlers. You can have harsh criticism of what me and Basel said on stage without demonizing us. If this is what youre doing with your guilt for the holocaust I dont want your guilt, he concludes. Solidarity On Monday, 40 Israeli filmmakers, including Ari Folman and Guy Nattiv, expressed solidarity with the duo. They accused the response by Israeli public television of cheap populism and incitement in public discourse and stressed that nothing in Abrahams speech was anti-Semitic, but a factual description of reality in the West Bank. Last Monday, in an opinion column, the head of the Kan news channels culture section, Dorit Assaraf Mizrahi, criticized Abraham, who claims to be a journalist, for not mentioning in his speech the Hamas attacks that triggered the Israeli offensive, which has left more than 30,000 people in Palestine dead. An entire country was dragged into the war on October 7 and you, coward, didnt bother to say a word, he wrote. The absence of any reference to the attacks, in which hundreds of militiamen penetrated Israel and killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped more than 240 others - is one of the main criticisms, both in Israel and in Germany. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz himself has deplored such a one-sided position, according to a government spokesman. The organizer of the festival, Mariette Rissenbeek, has come out to say that she understands the indignation caused by some speeches that were perceived as too biased and, in some cases, inappropriate. She would have preferred, she said, more differentiated statements on the Middle East conflict. Israels ambassador to Berlin, Ron Prosor, has seized on the controversy to accuse the German cultural scene of rolling out the red carpet exclusively for artists who promote the delegitimization of Israel. At the Berlinale, anti-Semitic and anti-Israel discourse was met with applause [...] Under the guise of freedom of expression and art, anti-Semitic and anti-Israel rhetoric is celebrated, he tweeted. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Nationwide headlines offered this dystopian view of the future . . . CVS, Walgreens will start stocking mifepristone. What to know about the abortion pill soon to be at the center of a Supreme Court case. However . . . A report from the STL Post-Dispatch provided a local fact check: "Missouri, which has a strict abortion ban, does not allow the use of mifepristone." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Sorry, paywall . . . CVS and Walgreens plan to start dispensing abortion pill mifepristone soon, but not in Missouri Their announcements Friday marked "an important milestone" in ensuring mifepristone access, President Joe Biden said in a statement. Related from both sides of the debate . . . Missouri abortion rights advocates feel momentum but eye GOP legislative hurdle Backers of the Missourians for Constitutional Freedom initiative need roughly 171,000 signatures by early May to make it onto the ballot in either August or November. Missouri Sues Planned Parenthood Over Alleged Trafficking Of Young Girls For Out-Of-State Abortions Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood on Thursday, accusing the organization of trafficking young girls for out-of-state abortions. The announcement of the suit against Planned Parenthood Great Plains comes after Project Veritas released a video of Planned Parenthood workers appearing to say that they would help a young girl get an abortion in Kansas without her parent's knowledge. Developing The Body Shop Canada announced Friday (March 1) that it is filing restructuring proceedings under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. The Canadian subsidiary of the global beauty brand has 105 stores across the country. Following similar proceedings by its parent company in the United Kingdom, The Body Shop Canada, in a news release, said it is commencing this process to obtain a stay of proceedings to provide additional breathing room while it evaluates its strategic alternatives and implements certain restructuring initiatives. All of The Body Shop Canada's 105 store locations, stated the news release, are currently open for business, however, online sales via its Canadian e-commerce store have stopped. The company listed 33 stores in which it is immediately commencing liquidation sales, including these 15 in Ontario. Bayview Village (Toronto) Queen Street East (Toronto) Queen Street East (Toronto) Dufferin Mall (Toronto) The Shops at Don Mills (Toronto) Toronto Pearson Term. 1 (Toronto) Rideau Centre (Ottawa) Carlingwood Mall (Ottawa) Cataraqui Town Centre (Kingston) Lynden Park Mall (Brantford) Stone Road Mall (Guelph) Lambton Mall (Sarnia) Place d'Orleans (Orleans) Lansdowne Place (Peterborough) Timmins Square (Timmins) The company also announced in its release that effective today (March 1) its U.S. stores have "ceased operations." A once pioneering beauty brand known for its cruelty-free heritage and ethical beauty products, the company was acquired from Natura & Co. by Aurelius Group this past December. Alvarez & Marsal Canada has been appointed as the proposal trustee, and additional information related to the proceedings are available here. Today, 27-year-old Andres (not his real name) masturbated four times. Three times at night, because he couldnt sleep, and another time during the afternoon. This jerking-off took place while he watched porn on his cell phone in the bathroom. He prefers his bedroom, but his girlfriend was in there. Theyve been together for six years, and have hardly had sex during the past two years. He considers this a complicated thing, even more so than when their relationship first began. Sometimes it grosses me out just to think about it. For one societal demographic, the relationship with sex appears to be changing. Theres no end to studies that suggest that were having less and less sex, and particularly when it comes to young people. In February, French newspaper Liberation published findings from a survey by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) that suggest only 76% of sexually active individuals have had sex over the last year, a drop of 15 percentage points since 2006. That decline is more pronounced among people from 18 to 24 years old, a full quarter of whom had not been sexually active, five times the amount compared to 2006. Theres also been a drop in frequency: only 43% of those surveyed are getting busy on a weekly basis, compared to 58% 18 years ago. British publication The Telegraph asked: If France loses interest in sex, what hope is there for the rest of us? Fear of a global sexual recession was expressed in 2018 by The Atlantic, based on a survey that showed a decline among U.S. young people when it came to sexual interest. With each study, a new wave of theories is unleashed, many of them linked to porn. Francois Kraus, who was the director of the IFOP survey, says: It generates such powerful fantasies that, for some people, reality becomes bland. Other analysts emphasize burnout caused by our jobs; long workdays leave individuals without energy for sex. Stress and anxiety can also decrease libido. Changes in interpersonal relationships have been cited as well: digitalization can make the development of profound connections and physical contact more difficult. Many articles agree that this is a problem, or even that it constitutes Gen Zs sexual crisis, an invisible pandemic or the death of desire. But this view is rarely expressed by the generation in question. Given that fact, Kraus believes that young peoples attitudes could be in reaction to establishment, and in particular, liberal relationships to sex stemming from the 1960s. Philosopher Margot Rot, 27, author of the Spanish language book Infoxicacion (Paidos, 2024), suggests that, in the absence of taboos that once drove the desire to transgress, young peoples interests could be shifting. Perhaps what is most difficult today is the prospect of creating intimacy. Among a generation less constrained by fears, prejudices and lack of information about sex, which in itself is no longer taboo, desire may have morphed into something else. Young people could merely be looking for a different way of getting close. Teresa, 26, hasnt had sex since December, and she agrees with Rots line of reasoning. It started out as no-boy December, turned into no-boy January and it looks like it will end up being no-boy February as well. She is not worried about her period of abstinence. While I think its great that there are people who are comfortable having sporadic relationships, I prefer to take it slower and establish a relationship based on trust. In Filosofia del deseo (Philosophy of desire; Ariel, 2024), writer Frederic Lenoir suggests that, instinctively, people are rediscovering the lived experiences of past generations, for whom the period of getting to know one another was a socially imposed practice of courtship. Not having sex on the first encounter allows desire to emerge, only its a desire that is not just physical, but more complete. Time creates the climate of trust that is necessary for the sexual relationship to take its course. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Media outlets such as The Atlantic, Fortune, The Economist and the Financial Times have issued a dire prediction for 2024. These leading publications believe that this will be the year of counter-reform in the workplace and the return of the providential man (there are some women, but they are mostly men), or corporate tyrant. According to BBC labor trends expert Alex Christian, that is already happening or will happen a bit everywhere, but especially in the hotbed of global capitalism trends that is the United States. As Christian explains, the post-pandemic years have seen friction between bosses and employees over the crucial issue of returning to the office. Employees from all walks of life have fought tooth and nail to retain the flexibility and quality of life that they associated with teleworking. Some even obtained better salaries, more dignified conditions and a higher degree of autonomy. Between 2021 and the summer of 2023, workers had a formidable resource, akin to the nuclear option of labor relations, at their disposal: the Great Resignation. As defined by Anthony Klotz, the economist who coined the expression, that term refers to masses fearlessness about leaving their jobs if they could not find a way to make them compatible with their personal priorities and life projects. If you dont play by my rules, Im out. For Christian, it became a veritable workers revolt, but eventually it was quelled effortlessly once the pace of hiring slowed down. As early as the first half of last year, companies like Disney, Amazon and KPMG became the first to force their employees to return en masse into the office. In the words of Grace Lordan, associate professor of behavioral science at the London School of Economics, bosses were already resorting to strategies such as incentivizing the return to the office with free menus and yoga sessions, but those who took the step of demanding it without further ado, replacing the carrot with the stick, found that their employees were no longer as willing to leave as they had been a few months earlier. Unsurprisingly, the return of the office brought back the usual servitude of corporate culture. With the return to the office, the usual servitude of corporate culture has come back as well. Beatrice Nolan, a reporter for Business Insider, notes that bosses have regained control, after the sword of Damocles of the Great Resignation proved impotent in this new climate of increasing authoritarianism, layoffs and the steady rise of artificial intelligence. A symptom of this abrupt change in direction is that the international business press has brought back a sub-genre that we thought was finished: the success stories of unscrupulous bosses. Such is the case of Wang Chuanfu, the man who has just snatched Teslas crown as the worlds leading producer of electric cars. The chairman of BYD, a company based in the Chinese city of Xian, and a partner of Warren Buffet (among others), Wang is now in vogue in business schools for his visionary drive, his emphasis on technology, cost-cutting and tight control of the supply chain, and for his firm and merciless management style, as Edward White and Peter Campbell explain in the Financial Times. As described, the senior Chinese executive is both a scourge and a revered figure for his employees. They suffer from his extremely high level of demands Wang doesnt believe in such nonsense as work/life balance, labor consultant Michael Dunne says in the same report and his tendency to replace them at the first sign of weakness, as if they were mere robots. But, in theory, workers are also infected by his Stakhanovite work ethic. Wang has been able to compete with Elon Musk because, as the Financial Times argues, he is cut from the same cloth that of bosses willing to sleep on a rusty mattress in a corner of the factory if circumstances require it and, consequently, inclined to demand the same level of involvement and commitment from the people they have on their payroll. Even those who are paid the least. The epicenter of Wangs electric sedan empire is in an authoritarian state, the Peoples Republic of China. But the leaders of the new labor counter-reform, those who advocate a wholesale return to the logic of non-negotiable effort, grueling schedules, fanatical commitment and lives consumed by careers until the last drop of energy has been squeezed out, continue to proliferate all over. Some of them engage in pathologically narcissistic behavior, as described by Pilita Clark in her article The Inescapable Tyranny of the Bad Boss in the Financial Times. 'Rex, a Different Labor Inspector' is a series that would be a surefire hit. Clark focuses on a couple of particularly grotesque cases, such as that of Steven Yousif, an Australian businessman prosecuted for engaging in motivational practices that could be considered torture. He goes on to provide a striking statistic: over two-thirds of U.S. professionals say that they have experienced the tyranny of a toxic boss at one time or another, and just over 31% say they are currently experiencing it. In Europe, which has a less dynamic labor market but is generally less susceptible to the myth of the great guru and exceptional leader exported by Silicon Valley, the percentage is down to 13%. Sometimes, as Clark points out, the worst bosses are the most obsessed with projecting an image of disruptive leadership. In his opinion, that is true of Ray Dalio, the billionaire founder of Bridgewater Association, one of the worlds leading investment funds. Dalio recently intrigued management experts with his culture of radical transparency, which consists of subjecting his employees to a series of mass meetings in which they are aggressively urged to express their ideas out loud without any filter. It is taken for granted that those who are not willing to speak out will unquestioningly accept the companys basic instructions, which are established in a set of guidelines known as The Principles. In his book The Fund (published in November 2023), journalist Rob Copeland explains how this demand for intense, horizontal dialogue translates into a nightmarish climate, in which employees suffer anxiety attacks after being interrogated, pressured or subjected to public scorn by a leader who must exercise autocratic control of the company he manages and very often confuses frankness with cruelty. Bernat Muniesa, a professor of political thought at the department of history at the University of Barcelona, used to tell his students something that has remained relevant in the past 30 years: Speak freely, lets pretend that we live in a democratic society. Then you will go out into the labor market, and you will see how naive that pretense is. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Those people are our people too. The words of UNC Senator David Nakhid, following the deadly The President of Moldova, Maia Sandu commented on the outcome of the Congress of Transnistrian deputies and their appeal to Russia, saying that in this way, Tiraspol hopes to receive funding from the Kremlin. This is reported by NewsMaker, Ukrinform saw. "Tiraspol asked for money, I saw that they turned to Moscow and international structures and organizations. Meanwhile, Russian propaganda is spreading this boogeyman story (about the possible annexation of Transnistria - ed.)," Sandu said on the air of the Cabinetul din umbra show on Jurnal TV. According to the president, the Kremlin is doing this to intimidate Moldovan citizens against the background of elections set to be held in the country later this year. "The Kremlin wants us to be scared, to be spineless, to be ruled by corrupt individuals and to be negotiated with by bribing politicians, as has been the case for years. We can't let them do that. We must retain the peace. Our peace depends on our unity and our ability not to be deceived," Sandu said. "Today, Russia cannot do anything in Transnistria, even if they wanted to, Sandu believes." In order to "do something," the president said, Moscow must "change the government in Chisinau." "Id like to be extremely clear. We have nothing against the Russians, we are against Russian tanks. We just want Russia, like other states, to respect Moldova, the choice of Moldovan citizens. We are a democracy, and we still need to strengthen this democracy, but people themselves decide what to do, where to go, and with whom to cooperate," Sandu emphasized. As Ukrinform reported, at the February 28, representatives of different levels from the unrecognized Transnistria held a Congress, calling for Russias Federation Council and State Duma to protect the self-proclaimed republic amid what they claimed was "increasing pressure from Moldova." The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova, Mihai Popsoi, stated that Tiraspol Congresss appeal to Russia is an element of a hybrid warfare and an attempt to destabilize Moldova. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called for a peaceful solution to problematic issues of an economic and socio-humanitarian nature in the relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol without any destructive external interventions. Photo: Facebook/Maia Sandu 03/01/2024 By Edwin L. Aguirre On Feb. 6, 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, followed hours later by a second violent quake, devastated southern Turkey and northern Syria. More than 55,000 people were killed, and thousands of homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed. Seven months later, a magnitude 6.8 temblor struck western Morocco, the strongest to hit the country in more than 100 years; more than 2,900 people were killed and thousands of structures were damaged or destroyed. Assoc. Prof. Arghavan Louhghalam of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is conducting research on resilience analytics that could someday help communities mitigate the impact of such earthquakes and other natural disasters. Her effort is supported by a $525,000 CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation . Her team includes Ph.D. student Mojdeh GholamiShali as well as collaborators from UMass Dartmouth and MIT Sloan School of Management. Louhghalam recently spoke to us about her research. Q: You say the ultimate goal of this project is to enhance the resilience of civil infrastructure to natural hazards. What do you mean by resilience? A: Resilience is basically the ability of a system civil infrastructure such as a set of buildings or a network of roads, tunnels and bridges to recover from a natural disaster. When something happens to a system, the functionality of the system or how it performs drops significantly. Resilience has two main components. One is robustness that is, how much damage or loss of functionality or performance can the system tolerate? The other is rapidity or the speed of recovery how quickly the system recovers from the disaster and goes back to normal condition. Our research aims to quantify these components. Resilience has two main components. One is robustness that is, how much damage or loss of functionality or performance can the system tolerate? The other is rapidity or the speed of recovery how quickly the system recovers from the disaster and goes back to normal condition. Our research aims to quantify these components. Q: Does resilience also mean resistance to outside forces? A: Resistance is part of robustness, how much your system is able to resist forces when disaster strikes. For example, in an earthquake, the amount of damage your system sustains is actually a function of how resistant your structure is to the quake. So, we design structures for the highest resistance while considering the cost. Q: Aside from earthquakes, what other natural hazards are your research focusing on? A: Our approach is general and can be applied to different types of natural hazards such as tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and wildfires. This field of study is becoming more important as the frequency and severity of extreme weather events increase due to climate change. We are planning to perform a case study and implement our approach to estimate the resilience for a community subjected to earthquake hazard. The reason we chose earthquakes is mainly because of the richness and availability of data on seismic hazard risks at most locations in the world. Q: Is this the first time this kind of fundamental research is being conducted? A: There has been previous research on resilience, but what we are proposing is a bottom-up approach, in which we start with a building and then a natural hazard, in this case an earthquake, hypothetically hits the structure. How does the building tolerate the quake, and what kind of damage are we going to see in this structure? We will then account for the uncertainties in the structure and the hazard and consider them during the analysis. Finally, we will examine several building representatives of the building stock in the community and try to upscale our building-level estimates all the way to the scale of a city. In our upscaling, we will also account for the existing damage correlations at one point in the city with other locations within the city. Our bottom-up approach is new and has not been implemented before. This is what makes our research unique ? the ability to upscale the study and consider all the associated uncertainties. Q: How will this project help protect lives, properties and businesses? A: The frequency of natural hazards with great potential for economic and social impact has increased significantly in recent years. The extent of damage and loss as a result of these extreme events is also on the rise, due to the vulnerability of infrastructures and significant urban development in disaster-prone areas. Our goal is to help develop mitigation strategies by creating our own simulation tools and integrating AI and physics-based modeling of natural disasters so we can evaluate the ability of a particular structure or environment to cope with the hazards. Such information is sought by city planners, emergency planners, architects, structural engineers, policymakers and government agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. Hopefully, the outcome of our research would help policymakers make risk-informed decisions and strategies that would enhance the ability of civil infrastructures to cope with extreme natural hazards and lead to significant reductions in economic losses and negative social impacts. Q: Can your results be applied to both new and existing infrastructure? A: Yes, our results can be used for new urban developments as well as existing ones. Of course, our tools would be more helpful during the design stages, but that is not practical for many developed countries where the infrastructure is already in place. However, in these cases, in addition to assessing the resilience of the existing building stock, they can be used as a scientific decision tool on how to retrofit or strengthen existing infrastructure. The skin is the human bodys largest organ. A persons skin can take up two square meters, weigh up to 11 pounds and be as thick as one centimeter, in the soles of the feet, or as thin as .02 inches, in the scrotum. It is the interface through which we humans relate to our environment, allowing us to sense everything from cold to burns, shocks to shapes. In the skins three main layers, particularly the epidermis, there are more than 11,000 proteins, the majority with functions that are yet to be discovered. Now, a group of researchers has discovered one, called ELKIN1, which seems to be essential to our sense of touch, the least-studied sense. Without ELKIN1, we might not be able to feel a caress from our loved ones. Gary Lewin of the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine (Berlin, Germany) has spent more than 20 years researching ionic channels, proteins that are present in the membrane, epidermis and cells. They have the ability to open, allowing the exchange of ions between a cells interior and exterior. They have different functions depending on the cell type. In the case of sensory neurons, the channels convert a given stimulus (heat, cold, pressure) into ionic currents (similar to electrical currents) that reach from the most peripheral nerve endings to the brain. In 2020, studying melanoma tissues, a researcher in the Laboratory of Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensations that Lewin directs discovered a protein that gave mechanical sensitivity to these cancer cells. We discovered that they possess ion channel activity very similar to that found in tactile receptors. We identified ELKIN1 as the cause of this activity. The next step was obvious, to see if it had anything to do with touch, says the lead author of the study, who just a few years ago discovered that shaved mice are insensitive to certain kinds of pain. To prove it, they carried out a series of experiments with mice and human cells, whose results were recently published in Science magazine. The rodents ELKIN1 gene was modified using the CRISPR technique so that they did not express the foundational protein. Then, researchers tickled their hind legs with a cotton swab. They found that the unmodified mice pulled away 90% of the time. However, the mutant mice only pulled away 47.5% of the time, suggesting a loss of sensitivity to the mechanical stimuli. Para realizar sus experimentos tuvieron que disenar una nueva pipeta de vidrio capaz de presionar neuronas de unas pocas micras. Felix Petermann, Max Delbruck Center ELKIN1 plays an important role in touch, says Oscar Sanchez, who works in the Lewin laboratory and is a co-author of the study. But there are other ionic channels, like PIEZO2. Its highly probable that in the cases of the mutant rats who displayed a response to the mechanical stimuli, PIEZO2 was compensating for the absence of the other channel, he says. In October 2021, researchers David Julis and Ardem Patapoutian were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine. The former had discovered temperature receptors. The latter had been the first to describe the pressure sensing channels PIEZO1 and PIEZO2. One regulates the sensation of pressure in the internal organs, breath and the bladders control of urine. The other, in addition to proprioception, the sense that allows you to close your eyes and touch your nose, is key to the sense of touch. If the latest findings are confirmed, they will show that PIEZO2 and ELKIN1 work in tandem. According to Lewin, They play complementary roles, each representing approximately 50% of touch. If that proves to be true, different tactile sensations stemming from the outside world reach the endings of sensory neurons that, starting from the spinal ganglia, connect to the epidermis. There, the PIEZO2 and ELKIN1 channels, either overlapping or combined, convert touch into an ionic current that travels up the nervous system until it reaches the brain, which is responsible for interpreting whether what it is feeling is a light touch or a blow. It then fell to the scientists to translate the results theyd observed in mice to humans. To do this, they used human sensory neurons obtained from stem cells that have electrophysiological properties similar to neurons in the spinal ganglia. In them, they detected both the presence of ELKIN1 and its contribution to the ionic currents triggered by pressure applied with miniscule pipettes, a few microns across, a tool invented specifically for the study. While Lewin has spent 20 years investigating ionic channels, Jose Antonito Vega, professor of anatomy and human embryology at the University of Oviedo, has been researching mechanical stimuli for 43 years. Since the beginning of this century, we have been learning about many of these channels: the nociceptors, which detect pain; the thermoreceptors, related to extreme temperatures; the hygroceptors, those related to humidity, which we know are there, though we havent managed to find them yet. Say, you have one arm in warm water, and the other out of the water. You can sense that its wet, but we still dont know how that sensation is produced. Ive been after that for years, he says. Vega, who has had the opportunity read Lewin and his colleagues research, emphasizes the excellence of their work, including its technical side. I want to have that technology, he says. But he also believes that what theyve found does not fully address the gaps in our knowledge. They have demonstrated that this gene, ELKIN1, is expressed in the mechanoreceptor sensory neurons of the spinal ganglia. They also show that ELKIN1 is necessary and capable of conferring mechanosensitivity to cell cultures, Vega says, adding: They study the cells, they study the ganglia, they study the fibers, but they do not study the sensitive corpuscles under the skin. For him, this is what is missing. In his free book El tacto. Tocar y Sentir (The tactile sense. Touch and feel), co-authored by Ivan Suazo of the Autonomous University of Chile, the anatomical and functional description of the sense of touch begins with a series of sensory organs under the skin, the sensitive corpuscles. That is where it all begins. It is in them that mechanical pressure is converted into electrical stimuli by means of ion channels. There is enough data to say that ELKIN1 is involved in touch, but they do not show that it is at the site where tactile sensation begins, he concludes. Vega plans to look for the presence of the new ion channel in corpuscles of mouse paws. For Teresa Giraldez, professor of the University of La Laguna in Tenerife, Spain, who researches different ionic channels, this speaks to the best part of scientific research. Works like this one show that these stories are not complete. People think, they gave the Nobel to Ardem [Patapoutian], theres nothing left to do. But you can always continue to follow the thread, just like the researchers have done who are proposing this new mechanosensitive channel. Like Vega, Giraldez points out factors that are still missing: What you now have to demonstrate is that touch neurons read this gene, produce protein and also express it in the membrane, producing electrical stimulus. Once researchers find proof of this in the corpuscles themselves and, as the winner of the 2021 Nobel did, locate people with a mutated ELKIN1 gene who do not differentiate, for example, a blow from a caress, they too could win the prize. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition President Joe Biden said Friday that the U.S. will begin air-dropping humanitarian assistance into Gaza, a day after dozens of Palestinians were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops. The president announced the move after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured, according to Gazas Hamas-run health ministry, on Thursday when witnesses said nearby Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy. Biden said the air drops will begin in the coming days. Israel said many of the dead were trampled in a stampede linked to the chaos and that its troops fired at some in the crowd who they believed moved toward them in a threatening way. Biden made the announcement while hosting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White house. Biden is hosting Meloni for talks at the White House as the Democratic U.S. leader struggles to persuade House Republicans to pass legislation that would replenish aid to Ukraine and as both leaders face political headwinds at home. Biden has sought to assure European leaders that the U.S. remains behind Ukraine even as hes been unable to win passage of a supplemental foreign aid package that includes $60 billion for Ukraine in addition to $35 billion for Israel and Taiwan. The legislation has passed the Senate, but Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to put it up for a vote in the House. Ahead of Melonis visit, White House officials said they dont have good answers for allies about finding an end to the impasse with House Republicans and reopening the American spigot of aid to Kyiv thats badly needed as Ukraine tries to fend off Russias invasion. Its obviously having a demonstrable impact not just on our national security but the security of allies and partners around the world, White House spokesperson Olivia Dalton said. Biden, along with top Democrats and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, strongly urged Johnson during a White House meeting this week to take up the foreign aid package, but Johnson responded by saying that Congress must take care of Americas needs first. Fridays meeting is the second between Biden and Meloni in about seven months. Both leaders are grappling with war in the Middle East and Europe and looking to shore up their public standing. Biden has begun ramping up for an all-but-certain rematch in November against former President Donald Trump, the likely GOP nominee. Bidens bid for a second term is complicated by the electorates concern about his age, 81, frustration among some Democrats over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war and mixed feelings about the state of the American economy. Polls show that Melonis right-wing Brothers of Italy Party, which swept into power in 2022, still enjoys the most support in Italy, but it has seen a noticeable decline over the last year. Her bloc faced a setback this week when the candidate she campaigned for was defeated in regional elections on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Melonis popularity will be further tested with four more regional elections in 2024 and nationwide elections for Italys representatives to the European parliament set for June. Meloni and Biden both for different reasons seem to be in difficulty, so this meeting can show the public opinion that theres a solid relationship with allies that are considered important, said Gianluca Pastori, an analyst at the ISPI think tank in Milan. Meloni traveled to Kyiv last week to host a Group of Seven leaders meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the second anniversary of Russias invasion. Leaders of Belgium, Canada and the EU Commission joined Meloni in Kyiv, and Biden and other leaders joined by video. Italy assumed its one-year presidency of the G7 in January. During her recent visit to Kyiv, Meloni reaffirmed Italian support for Ukraine and signed a security cooperation agreement for military and technical assistance through the end of the year. Italy is also committed to helping Ukraine reconstruct historical monuments. There was trepidation in the Biden administration when Meloni rose to power as the head of Italys first far-right-led government since the end of World War II. But the two have found common ground over the cause of Ukraine, and Biden heaped praise on Meloni and Italy for its efforts to back Kyiv when she visited Washington in July. The leaders agenda also was expected to cover efforts by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar to broker an extended cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Italys priorities for a G7 presidency, migrant flows into Italy from North Africa, and their countries China policies. Biden said earlier this week that he was optimistic that a cease-fire deal could be reached by early next week. But he acknowledged that a prospective deal may have been set back after Israeli troops on Thursday fired on a large crowd of Palestinians racing to pull food off an aid convoy in Gaza City. More than 100 people were killed. Meloni reacted with dismay and concern to the incident. It is urgent for Israel to ascertain the dynamics of the events and who is responsible, said Meloni, who called for intensified negotiations to reach a cease-fire and for the release of hostages. Meloni is to travel to Canada to meet on Saturday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition A New Jersey businessman pleaded guilty Friday to trying to bribe U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, agreeing to a deal with prosecutors that calls for him to testify in the corruption case against the powerful Democrat and his wife. Jose Uribe, of Clifton, New Jersey, entered the plea in Manhattan federal court to seven charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery from 2018 to 2023, honest services wire fraud, obstruction of justice and tax evasion. Prosecutors allege that he gave the Menendezs wife a Mercedes-Benz. According to a plea agreement, Uribe could face up to 95 years in prison, though he could win leniency by cooperating and testifying against the other defendants, which hes agreed to do. He also agreed to forfeit $246,000, representing proceeds traceable to his crimes. Uribe was among three businessmen charged in the corruption case against Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, which was revealed last fall. Authorities say the couple accepted bribes of cash, gold bars and the luxury car in exchange for his help and influence over foreign affairs. The defendants have pleaded not guilty. Uribe entered the plea before Judge Sidney H. Stein on Friday during a proceeding that the media was not told about in time for reporters to attend. He remains free on a $1 million bond, which was set when he was arrested. His plea deal, dated Thursday, was signed by him on Friday. Uribe had been charged with providing Nadine Menendez with a Mercedes-Benz convertible after the senator called a government official about another case involving an associate of Uribe. Uribes attorney, Daniel Fetterman, declined to comment. Menendez, his wife and the two other New Jersey businessmen are scheduled to go on trial in May. Federal prosecutors allege that Menendez, the former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, used his position to take actions that benefited foreign governments in exchange for bribes paid by associates in New Jersey. An indictment contends that Menendez and his wife took gold bars and cash from a real estate developer, and that the senator used his clout to get that businessman a multimillion-dollar deal with a Qatari investment fund. Menendez is also accused of helping another New Jersey business associate get a lucrative deal with the government of Egypt. Prosecutors allege that in exchange for bribes, Menendez did things that benefited Egypt, including ghostwriting a letter to fellow senators encouraging them to lift a hold on $300 million in aid. Menendez also has been charged with using his international clout to help a friend get a multimillion-dollar deal with a Qatari investment fund, including by taking actions favorable to Qatars government. Uribe was accused of buying a luxury car for Nadine Menendez after her previous car was destroyed when she struck and killed a man crossing the street. She did not face criminal charges in connection with that crash. The indictment says the senator helped Uribe by trying to persuade prosecutors to go easy on one of his business associates who was the subject of a criminal investigation. Attorneys for Menendez and his wife did not immediately comment. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Notre Dame College, a Roman Catholic institution in Ohio, has declared its closure at the end of the spring semester in 2024. The decision comes as a result of various factors, including declining enrollment and financial challenges. Factors Leading to Closure The college administration cited declining enrollment numbers and a shrinking pool of traditional-aged students as primary reasons behind the closure. Over the past decade, Notre Dame College experienced a significant drop in enrollment, with total fall enrollment declining by nearly 37% from 2014 to 2022, according to federal data. Despite efforts to address financial issues through fundraising, debt refinancing, and accessing pandemic relief funds, the college was unable to bridge budget gaps and meet debt obligations. READ ALSO: Jamestown Business College Ceases Enrollment and Plans Closure John Smetanka, interim president of Notre Dame College, expressed sadness over the decision but assured a smooth transition for students as they continue their education elsewhere. Impact and Transition Plan The closure of Notre Dame College adds to a growing list of college closures across Ohio and the United States. At least four public and nonprofit colleges in Ohio have shuttered since 2018, reflecting broader challenges facing higher education institutions. To facilitate the transition for its students, Notre Dame College has arranged teach-out agreements with 10 other institutions, primarily located in Ohio, including Baldwin Wallace University, Case Western Reserve University, and Cleveland State University, among others. Additionally, an agreement with Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania has been established to enable students to complete their credentials without losing credits or time. Michael Joseph, Mercyhurst's interim vice president for enrollment, emphasized the commitment of both institutions to meet the needs of Notre Dame students and ensure a favorable outcome for all parties involved. Under the teach-out agreements, transferring students can expect to pay the same net tuition costs and graduate on time. The college is also in negotiations with additional institutions to provide further opportunities for its students. The closure of Notre Dame College underscores ongoing challenges within the higher education landscape and the need for institutions to adapt to shifting demographics and financial realities. Broader Trends in Higher Education Notre Dame College's closure reflects broader trends in higher education, including declining enrollment and financial instability. The pandemic exacerbated existing challenges, accelerating the closure of numerous colleges and universities across the country. Experts warn that demographic shifts, such as declining birth rates and changing student preferences, will continue to impact the viability of small colleges and universities. Institutions must innovate and adapt to remain competitive in an increasingly challenging higher education landscape. As colleges grapple with financial pressures and changing student demographics, partnerships and consolidation efforts may become more common. Collaborations between institutions can help streamline operations, reduce costs, and provide students with access to a wider range of academic programs and resources. Moving forward, colleges and universities must prioritize strategic planning and proactive measures to ensure their long-term sustainability in a rapidly changing environment. By embracing innovation and collaboration, institutions can navigate challenges and continue to fulfill their educational mission. RELATED ARTICLE: US Colleges Grapple With Closure Threat; Mergers and Transformations Emerge as Survival Strategies Alabama's Senate Bill 129, a recent legislative move targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, has sparked widespread controversy. The bill, introduced on February 20 and swiftly passed by the Senate just two days later, introduces provisions that not only limit DEI programs but also impose what critics are calling a potential "gag order" on professors. This article delves into the details of the bill, its implications, and the growing opposition it faces. The Contentious Provisions The bill encompasses a range of provisions that extend beyond DEI programs. It also addresses what it terms "divisive concepts" and even touches upon transgender individuals' access to campus bathrooms. The rapid advancement of the bill has prompted swift opposition, not only from students but also from free speech advocacy groups and prominent figures. READ ALSO: Indiana Bill Threatens Academic Freedom by Linking Tenure and Diversity to "Intellectual Diversity" Standards Opposition and Concerns Opponents argue that the bill could severely restrict faculty members' freedom of speech. There is a particular concern that professors, even those critical of the bill's listed "divisive concepts," might face limitations in teaching about these ideas. For instance, discussing historical examples of nationalism, racism, or antisemitism could be hampered, potentially leading to disciplinary actions against faculty members. Free speech groups, including PEN America and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, contend that this measure could be one of the most restrictive educational gag orders affecting higher education. Uncertain Future and Growing Resistance Despite its swift passage in the Senate, the bill's future remains uncertain as it moves to the House of Representatives, also controlled by the GOP. Critics emphasize the potential unconstitutionality of the bill and its threat to academic freedom. The lack of clarity in certain provisions, such as the exception allowing teaching in an "objective manner," raises concerns about its impact on faculty members. The bill has not only ignited protests on multiple campuses but has also drawn attention from influential figures. Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin expressed his willingness to organize Black parents and athletes to attend institutions prioritizing diversity and inclusion. This opposition underscores the deep-seated concerns about the bill's potential impact on the state's image, particularly considering Alabama's historical struggles with racism and segregation. In addition to its implications on DEI efforts, the bill could have a far-reaching impact on the education landscape in Alabama. Students, faculty members, and community members are actively mobilizing against the legislation, with protests gaining momentum. The bill's broad and ambiguous language, coupled with the swift legislative process, has created an environment of uncertainty and division, raising questions about its compatibility with academic freedom and the principles of diversity and inclusion. As the bill progresses through the legislative channels, its reception and potential amendments will be closely monitored. The outcome of this legislative endeavor in Alabama could set precedents for similar debates and actions in other states, shaping the future landscape of higher education and freedom of expression. RELATED ARTICLE: Texas Ban on Diversity Initiatives Reflects Trend Across GOP States in an unexpected turn of events, Congress grappled with unintended consequences stemming from the recent overhaul of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) legislation. The Education Department's attempt to align with the law resulted in a significant shift in the formula determining Pell Grant eligibility for low-income students. Initially celebrated by the Biden administration, the formula adjustment would have expanded Pell Grant eligibility. However, it soon became apparent that a legislative error was at play, prompting swift action from Congress. The formula, if left unchanged, risked making excessive numbers of students eligible for Pell Grants. READ ALSO: FAFSA Overhaul Creates Uncertainty for College-Bound Students and Families Continuing Resolution Resolves the Issue To address the FAFSA formula glitch, Congress incorporated corrective measures into the continuing resolution passed on Thursday. The resolution, extending government funding until March 22, aimed to rectify the unintended consequences and maintain the stability of the Pell Grant program. While the correction was framed as a necessary safeguard by some lawmakers, differing opinions emerged on its actual impact. Senator Bernie Sanders expressed concern that approximately 100,000 students might lose access to Pell Grants due to the resolution. Department data suggested an even more substantial impact, with millions of students originally expected to benefit from the revised formula. Representative Virginia Foxx, the House Education and Workforce Committee's Republican chairwoman, defended the resolution, arguing that the formula's expansion would have jeopardized the integrity of the Pell Grant program. She emphasized the need for responsible measures to maintain the stability of financial aid and ensure timely access to crucial information. Divided Perspectives on Pell Grant Future The debate surrounding the FAFSA formula fix highlighted ideological divisions regarding the Pell Grant program's future. Senator Sanders pledged to advocate for significant expansion, insisting that financial considerations should not hinder students' pursuit of higher education. In contrast, Representative Bobby Scott, the ranking Democrat on the House education committee, criticized the resolution's departure from the FAFSA Simplification Act's original intent. He contended that a false choice was presented, asserting that both the expansion of Pell Grants for low-income students and the program's long-term viability could coexist. As Congress navigates the complex landscape of financial aid reform, the FAFSA formula saga underscores the challenges of balancing accessibility and sustainability in higher education funding. Impact on Student Access and Affordability One key consideration is the potential impact on student access and affordability. As lawmakers grapple with competing priorities, such as expanding access to financial aid while maintaining fiscal responsibility, the decisions made in response to the FAFSA formula issue could have far-reaching consequences for students and their families. The resolution of the FAFSA formula discrepancy is unlikely to mark the end of policy debates surrounding higher education funding. With ongoing discussions about the role of government in supporting students' educational pursuits and the appropriate balance between federal assistance and institutional responsibility, policymakers will continue to grapple with complex issues in the years to come. RELATED ARTICLE: Crucial Changes to FAFSA 2024-2025: Here's What You Need to Know Consul General of Malaysia in Pakistan, Herman Hardynata Bain Ahmad has said that around 10,000 Pakistani products were included in free trade agreement whereas Malaysia has 6000 products HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2024) Consul General of Malaysia in Pakistan, Herman Hardynata Bain Ahmad has said that around 10,000 Pakistani products were included in free trade agreement whereas Malaysia has 6000 products. He expressed these views while addressing the members of Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) on Saturday. He said that a delegation of Malaysian traders and businessmen would visit Hyderabad soon. He informed that although 45 memorandum of understanding (MoU) were signed between Pakistani and Malaysia however but in absence of governmental level agreements Pakistani students had limited academic opportunities in Malaysia. The Malaysian Consul General said that his government was offering scholarships to postgraduate ad PhD students. He added that various parts of Pakistan have immense tourism potential and have ideal opportunities there. He was surprised to note that despite having rich coastline in Karachi required attention was given to it for tourism purposes. He said that he would talk to Malaysian government for increasing import of Pakistani rice. He further said that Pakistani exporters could use Malaysian ports for trade purposes for other countries as transit facility. Earlier, HCCI President Adeel Siddiqui welcomed the guest and said that the two countries have friendly ties. He said that Hyderabad has great potential for joint ventures between Malaysia and Pakistani governments in hotel, health and education sectors. He stated Pakistani government was offering all sorts of guarantees. He added that there was big gap between Malaysian and Pakistani trade balance. The HCCI chief said that Pakistani was importing $100 billion palm oil whereas Pakistani was exporting $0.5bn goods to Malaysia.. Adeel Siddiqui said that both the countries needed to review free trade agreements so that a balance could be ensured in the bilateral trade volume. He called for increasing cooperation in education sectors between two countries. President HCCI said veggies, fruits, pulses and cotton were being exported to Malaysia. Chairman HCCIs Diplomatic Affairs Sub-Committee, Hissam Iqbal Baig said that bilateral ties between countries were witnessing stability. He said that business communities of two countries could play important role in increasing trade volume. He added the two sides could earn huge foreign exchange through textile and tourism sector related investments. The guest was informed by chambers members that Malaysia was importing rice worth 700,000 metric tons which is inclusive of Pakistani quota of 250,000 tones. They proposed Malaysian government could increase this import of rice from Pakistan as this would increase trade. APP/nsm (@Abdulla99267510) Information Minister Murtaza Solangi thanks the officials and staff of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for their cooperation during the interim government. ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-March 2nd, 2024) A farewell ceremony was organized today in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in honor of the Caretaker Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi. Speaking on the occasion, Information Minister Murtaza Solangi thanked the officials and staff of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for their cooperation during the interim government. The Minister said the portfolio of Ministry of Information was a great honor and responsibility for him. He said we worked for the promotion of democracy and freedom of expression during caretaker regime. Murtaza Solangi said he is also grateful to the heads of all the departments of the Ministry who extended their support to him during the caretaker government. He also expressed the hope that the new Minister for Information will also continue to work to promote democracy and freedom of expression. Speaking on the occasion, Secretary Information and Broadcasting Shahera Shahid appreciated the role of Murtaza Solangi as Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs in interim government. She said Murtaza Solangi took charge of the ministry at a difficult time and faced many challenges during this time. The Secretary said Murtaza Solangi worked hard for democracy and freedom of expression in his short tenure. At the end of the ceremony, the Federal Secretary Information also presented a commemorative shield to the Caretaker Minister for Information Murtaza Solangi. Additional Secretary, Principal Information Officer, Director General External Publicity Wing, Director General Internal Publicity Wing and Executive Director General Information Service academy also participated in the ceremony. NEW YORK, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2024) A new U.S. poll shows that many voters are increasingly put off by President Joe Bidens leadership, while former President Donald Trump has garnered relatively high support ahead of Novembers presidential election. In survey results released Saturday by The New York Times and Siena College, 47% of 980 registered voters said that they strongly disapprove of Bidens handling of his job, the highest figure for this rate in any Times/Siena poll during his presidency. The national poll, conducted in February, also shows Bidens 43% of support trailing behind Trumps 48%, a potential warning sign for the Democratic president. At 81, Biden has faced criticism for being the oldest sitting president in U.S. history. He has also received pushback for his handling of the current conflict in Gaza, where health officials say that more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels assault since October. Biden has remained a strong supporter of Israel. Meanwhile, 77-year-old Trump has more successfully unified support within his party as he seeks to retake the White House, despite his recent legal losses and upcoming trials. According to the Times/Siena poll, Trump has the support of 97% of people who say they voted for him in the 2020 election, while Biden is winning just 83% of his voters from four years ago. Ten percent of the 2020 Biden voters said they would now vote for Trump, the poll found. Meanwhile, growing outrage over President Biden's support for Israel in its relentless bombardment of Gaza is prompting Arab-American and Muslim voters to declare that they intend to stay away from the polls. In Michigan, where early primaries was held, one-time Biden's Muslim supporters sent his administration a strong message by voting "uncommitted", even as the presidents aides scrambled to meet and mend broken ties with community leaders. Heres what American Arab and Muslim communities want, why the two voting blocs are important for Biden, and the parts of the US where they are most influential: Arab and Muslim communities have been calling on the Biden administration to speak up and halt the killings in Gaza with no results. Some are Palestinians with families and friends in the besieged strip. These communities have diverse demands, the main ones being that: -- The US support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and work to see Palestinian political prisoners, as well as Israeli captives, freed; -- Washington stops military funding to Israel. -- Push for sufficient aid to Palestinians and resumes paused humanitarian funding to UNRWA, the UN aid agency under investigation amid accusations its staff members took part in Hamass October 7 operations, and, -- The US government do more to fight rising anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian hate. However, many say theyre not being heard and that Washingtons stance is particularly painful because of how theyve supported Biden in the past. Communities in Dearborn, Detroit, and other major cities with significant Arab-American populations have successfully lobbied their local council leaders to pass resolutions for a ceasefire in Gaza. While the local laws do not weigh on US foreign policy, Mai El-Sadany, director of the DC-based Tahrir Institute for middle East Policy (TIMEP), told Al Jazeera that local resolutions are symbolic and are pointers to the concerns and priorities of American citizens. APP/ift (@FahadShabbir) Emerging from the shadows after his father's three-decade rule over Chad, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno is poised to consolidate the family dynasty in a presidential election where victory seems inevitable Libreville, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2024) Emerging from the shadows after his father's three-decade rule over Chad, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno is poised to consolidate the family dynasty in a presidential election where victory seems inevitable. The young general appeared timid, his gaze fleeting, when the army announced his father Idriss Deby Itno was killed en route to the front line against rebels on April 20, 2021. Deby Itno junior was not on any list of heirs to the throne drawn up by experts, who believed the veteran warlord and president seemed to worry little about anointing a successor. Three years on, the 39-year-old is following in his father's footsteps as the desert state's new strongman, announcing his bid for a May 6 presidential election with the opposition muzzled and his main rival killed. But not all is well: the head of state's legitimacy within his family and Zaghawa ethnic group has been shaken following the killing of his cousin and main rival on Wednesday. "The man in black glasses," as he is known in military circles, is said to be a discreet, quiet officer who looks after his men, though the public knew little about his past and personality in 2021. Deby Itno immediately took charge of a transitional military council and appointed 14 of the most trusted generals to a junta to run Chad until "free and democratic" elections would be held within 18 months. His extension of the transition by another two years sparked major protests in October 2022 that were brutally repressed by the police and the army. Opposition figures have fled, been silenced or joined forces with him, while any attempts by civil society to form movements, protest or come out against the military rulers have been eliminated. The killing of his cousin Yaya Dillo Djerou eliminated the main opposition figure from the May 6 vote in which Deby Itno initially said he would not run. The election now appears a formality that will further entrench the Deby dynasty's domination. But his cousin's violent demise and the arrest of an uncle, Saleh Deby, has deepened fractures within his family and the Zaghawa ethnic minority that has long dominated Chadian politics. To assert his authority, Deby Itno has removed several generals who had remained loyal to his father. Rumours have surfaced in recent weeks of an attempted coup by soldiers previously close to his father or allies of Dillo and Saleh Deby. Commander in chief of the all-powerful red-bereted presidential guard, or DGSSIE security service for state institutions, Deby Itno carries the nickname Mahamat "Kaka" -- grandmother in Chadian Arabic -- after his father's mother who raised him. A career soldier, just like his father, he is from the Zaghawa, which can boast of numerous top officers in an army seen as one of the finest in the region. Born to a mother from the Sharan Goran ethnic group, he also married a Goran, Dahabaye Oumar Souny, a journalist at the presidential press service. She is the daughter of a senior official who was close to former president Hissene Habre, ousted by Idriss Deby in 1990. Deby Itno was sent to a military school in Aix-en-Provence in southern France but stayed only a few months. Back home in Chad, he returned to training at the military group school in the capital N'Djamena and joined the presidential guard. He rose quickly through the command structure from an armoured group to head of security at the presidential palace, before taking over the whole DGSSIE. Deby Itno was acclaimed for his efforts at the final victory in 2009 at Am-Dam against the rebel forces of Timan Erdimi, a relative. Those forces had launched a rebellion in the east and had reached the gates of the presidential palace a year earlier, before being pushed back following French intervention. He finally moved out of the shadow of his brother Abdelkerim Idriss Deby, deputy director of the presidential office, when he was appointed deputy chief of the Chadian armed force deployed to Mali in 2013. That brought Deby Itno to work closely with French troops in operation Serval against jihadists in 2013-14. gir/imm/bc Buenos Aires, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2024) Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei, in his first policy speech to parliament Friday, said he would push his package of sweeping economic reforms whether or not legislators back it. "We are going to change the country for good... with or without the support of political leaders, with all the legal resources of the executive," Milei told lawmakers, who have stalled his project of deregulation and budget cuts. "If you look for conflict, you will have conflict," he told them. Milei offered a recap of his first 82 days in office, in which he devalued the peso more than 50 percent, slashed state subsidies for fuel and transport, cut tens of thousands of public service jobs, and scrapped hundreds of rules in his bid to deregulate the economy. "I ask for patience and trust," Milei said. "It will be some time before we can perceive the fruit of the economic reorganization and the reforms we are implementing. " Many of his planned reforms face challenges in court, with more than 60 lawsuits under way by labor unions, business chambers and NGOs, while Argentina has seen massive protests by citizens who fear Milei's plans will leave them poorer. "We have not yet seen all the effects of the disaster we inherited, but we are convinced that we are on the right path, because for the first time in history we are attacking the problem by its cause: the fiscal deficit, and not by its symptoms," Milei said. In recent weeks, Milei has reached out to influential provincial governors, party leaders and former presidents to forge a "new social contract" for the country, based on ten principles, including a "non-negotiable" balanced budget, "inviolable" private property, and public spending reduced to the "historic" level of 25 percent of GDP. ON BOARD THE ARC SIMON BOLIVAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2024) Sea ice levels in Antarctica have registered historic lows for three consecutive years, portending grave consequences for life on Earth as we know it. But looking out over the southernmost continent, scientist Miguel Angel de Pablo laments that humanity seems to be oblivious to the warnings. "We (scientists) are very worried... because we don't see how we can solve it ourselves," the Spanish planetary geologist told AFP on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Antarctic archipelago. "The more alerts we send out... to make society aware of what is happening, it seems we are not listened to, that we are (perceived as) alarmist" despite the evidence, he said. The US National Snow & Ice Data Center (NSIDC) reported Wednesday that minimum Antarctic sea ice extent came in at under two million square kilometers (772,000 square miles) for a third consecutive February -- the height of the southern summer thaw season. Minimum sea ice cover for all three years were the lowest since records began 46 years ago. Melting sea ice has no immediate impact on ocean levels, as it forms by freezing salt water already in the ocean. But the white ice reflects more of the sun's rays than darker ocean water, and its loss accentuates global warming while exposing the on-land freshwater ice sheet, which could cause a catastrophic sea level rise if it melts. "Even though we are far from any inhabited part of the planet, in reality what happens in Antarctica affects everything" in the rest of the world, said De Pablo. - 'Not easily undone' - A study last year found that nearly half of Antarctica's ice shelves -- floating sheets attached to the landmass -- have also reduced in volume in the past 25 years, releasing trillions of tons of meltwater into the oceans. This has implications not only for sea levels but also for ocean salinity and temperature, said De Pablo. Some scientists say evidence for climate change impact on sea ice melt in Antarctica -- known for significant annual variations in its summer thaws and winter freezes -- is less clear than in the Arctic north pole. What is not in doubt is that continued global warming caused by human emissions of greenhouse gases will affect these patterns in future. De Pablo, who has devoted 16 years of his life to studying Antarctic ice, told AFP it may already be too late to stop the trend. "The problem is that these degradations are not easily undone," he said. "Even if today we (changed) the rhythms of life that we have in Western societies, tomorrow the glaciers would not cease to degrade nor the frozen soils to be lost," with all that entails. Scientists estimate global temperatures are already 1.2 degrees Celsius hotter overall than pre-industrial levels. The 2015 Paris Agreement had set out to limit warming to 1.5 C (2.7 Fahrenheit) by curbing planet-warming emissions. "We have to ask ourselves whether the manner in which we live our daily lives is truly worth it because in the end we will lose our planet," said De Pablo. "There is no second planet" Earth, he added. KYODO NEWS - Mar 2, 2024 - 08:20 | All, Japan, World Rina Gonoi, a former member of Japan's armed forces, received the U.S. Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award for leading a public campaign against sexual harassment, the State Department said Friday. "Her bravery to take on social norms emboldened countless survivors of abuse to come forward with their own stories so that they no longer suffered in silence," the department said in a statement listing the awardees. Gonoi was sexually assaulted while serving in Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and First Lady Jill Biden will host an annual ceremony at the White House for the award on Monday. Other awardees include women from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Iran and Myanmar. Since 2007, more than 190 women from 90 countries have been recognized with the prize, according to the department. Gonoi, 24, who is scheduled to attend the ceremony, is the first Japanese woman in nine years to be selected as a recipient of the award. In 2015, Japanese activist Sayaka Osakabe was commended for her fight against "maternity harassment," or unfair treatment of pregnant working women. Gonoi came forward in 2022 as a victim of long-term sexual harassment and abuse by colleagues in her unit. Her actions drew attention and led Japan's Defense Ministry to receive more than 1,400 reports of sexual and other forms of harassment within the Self-Defense Forces. In December, a Japanese court found three former male colleagues of Gonoi guilty of sexual indecency. Related coverage: 3 ex-SDF members convicted in high-profile sexual indecency case Japan's Defense Ministry reports sexual harassment in MSDF 2 years sought for 3 ex-SDF members in high-profile sex offense case As Israelis are called up to join the war effort in Gaza, anger is mounting at the ultra-Orthodox community which has long been spared the compulsory military service required of most citizens Jerusalem, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2024) As Israelis are called up to join the war effort in Gaza, anger is mounting at the ultra-Orthodox community which has long been spared the compulsory military service required of most citizens. Since the October 7 attack by Palestinian militants, the question surrounding whether the insular community, whose members see army service as conflicting with their religious duties, should be obligated to serve has sparked debate and led to protests against their decades-long exemptions. "That's how it is when you're a normal Israeli. The whole society has to do its part," said Oren Shvill, one of hundreds of Israelis at a recent demonstration in Jerusalem. The 52-year-old engineer, who lives in a settlement in the occupied West Bank, is among around 340,000 reservists called up in nearly five months of war. Public frustration has heaped pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- long considered a protector of the community -- whose coalition includes the two major ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism. Last year, his government granted Jewish schools, called yeshivas, an unprecedented budget of more than $1 billion. Nearby, young Israelis shout "Lazy bunch" and "Parasites" at a group of ultra-Orthodox men clad in traditional black jackets, long beards and round fur hats. In response, the men tauntingly launch into prayer and dance, singing that "it's better to die than go to the army!" Since Israel's founding in 1948, Jewish men who studied the Torah full-time in a seminary have been granted an annual deferment from military service until the age of 26, at which point they become exempt. This was meant to allow a group of 400 young people to study sacred texts and preserve Jewish traditions, much of which had been lost during the Holocaust. But today, Israel's ultra-Orthodox number 1.3 million people -- bolstered by a fertility rate of over six children per woman, compared with the national average of 2.5. Last year alone, 66,000 members of the community were excused from military service. The army has pleaded for more troops following Hamas's surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7 which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 30,320 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry, which does not specify how many militants have been killed. The army, which says it has lost 242 soldiers in Gaza since launching a ground invasion on October 27, also intends to increase the duration of conscription from 32 to 36 months for men. On Wednesday, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant dropped a political bombshell by calling for an end to the long-time exemptions. "We must all bear the burden," he said. The following day, Netanyahu said he intended to "find an agreement for (the ultra-Orthodox) to join the army or the civilian service, even if not everyone will be satisfied". But he cautioned that doing so during the war would "block everything", collapsing his coalition and triggering elections. The close-knit community, whose members mostly interact and marry among themselves, says its religious and traditional values would be compromised when engaging with the broader society within the army. Additionally, many ultra-Orthodox are apprehensive about military service due to the potential requirement to mix with members of the opposite sex, which 23-year-old yeshiva student Shmuel says is "forbidden by the Torah". Yehuda Chen, another ultra-Orthodox Jew from Jerusalem, said they will "fight against this at all costs." "Taking a boy out of yeshiva is impossible, it's like taking a fish out of water. In a minute, it dies," he said. But according to Tomer Persico, a religions researcher at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, the community has already become increasingly engaged in Israeli society. Between 20 and 30 percent of ultra-Orthodox have entered wider society over the past 30 years through working at companies, or through the civil service or social activities. Among them, just over 1,000 enlist in the army each year, despite the risk of being ostracised by their community. More joined after October 7, but there was no massive shift in enlistment. But according to a former high-ranking officer, the army is also not rushing to enlist them. "They are not good fighters, and we don't have time, in the midst of war, to take months to train people without education other than a religious one," he told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. Betzalel Cohen, a moderate ultra-Orthodox rabbi from Jerusalem, said there may be room for compromise. The state and the community should agree on "reasonable and progressive goals" to integrate the young people into the army, he said. emd-mib/gl/ysm/rox/jd/dv Abu Dhabi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2024) A high-level WTO conference ended Saturday with a temporary extension of an e-commerce moratorium but no deals on agriculture and fisheries, throwing into doubt the effectiveness of the multilateral trade body. The outcomes of the World Trade Organization's 13th ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi highlighted the sharp divisions between the bodys 164 members amid geopolitical tensions and economic headwinds that are threatening global commerce. "The WTO needed a good crisis and perhaps this will lead to a realisation that we cannot continue like this," said a senior European Union official participating in the talks. Speaking at the closing press conference, the Emirati chair of the so-called MC13 gathering, Thani Al Zeyoudi, acknowledged the shortcomings. "Despite our best efforts, we failed to agree on some texts which are of great importance to many of our members," said Al Zeyoudi, who also serves as the UAE's foreign trade minister. For her part, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the talks came up "against an international backdrop marked by greater uncertainty than at any time I can remember". "We have achieved some important things and we have not managed to complete others," she said, while insisting that the "glass was half full". The WTO, the only international body dealing with the rules of trade between nations, requires full consensus from all members to chalk up deals. It was hoping the MC13 would replicate the landmark success of its 2022 ministerial in Geneva, which yielded a deal on fisheries and saw members agree to restore a now-defunct dispute settlement system by the end of this year. But the latest ministerial fell short of that objective. "The unexpected weakness of the overall (MC13) package should... serve as a wake-up call," the secretary general of the International Chamber of Commerce, John Denton, said in a statement. Kyiv, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2024) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday urged the West to deliver more air defence systems after five people were killed in the latest Russian strikes. Overnight aerial attacks claimed three lives in the southern port city of Odesa, while shelling killed one person in the Kharkiv region near the Russian border and another in the frontline Kherson region, Ukrainian officials said. "Russia continues to hit civilians," Zelensky said in a post on social media. "We need more air defences from our partners. We need to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield to add more protection for our people from Russian terror. More air defence systems and more missiles for air defence systems saves lives," he said. Ukraine is currently on the back foot in the two-year war as a crucial $60-billion aid package is held up in the United States congress. In Odesa, "a nine-storey building was destroyed as a result of an attack by Russian terrorists," Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said Saturday in a post on Telegram. The attack killed at least three people, including a child, with others still unaccounted for, Ukraine's emergency services said. "Rescuers pulled out the body of a child, believed to be a three-to-five-year old, from the rubble of a house," the office of Ukraine's Prosecutor General said. Footage shared from the scene showed several floors of a residential building collapsed and its facade ripped off. In Kharkiv, a 76-year-old man was killed in a shelling attack shortly after midnight, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said. And shelling in the frontline Kherson region on Saturday morning killed one more person, the provincial head said. - 'Difficult situation' - Ukraine's air force said Russia had launched 17 Iranian "Shahed" drones overnight and fired three missiles. It said it downed 14 of the drones, but falling debris caused damage to residential buildings in Odesa and Kharkiv. Kyiv also appeared to have had launched its own overnight drone attack that damaged a residential building in Saint Petersburg, Russia's second city. The Russian head of the city reported an "incident" had occurred -- language previously used to describe Ukrainian attacks -- but said there were no casualties. Videos on Russian social media showed what appeared to be a drone falling from the sky into the building, triggering an explosion, and locals said the blown out windows and small fires were caused by a drone hit. Ukrainian media reported Russian air defences had shot down a drone that was targeting an oil depot less than a kilometre away from the building struck in Saint Petersburg. Kyiv has hit several Russian oil refineries in recent months in what it has called fair retribution for Moscow's attacks on Ukraine's power grid. The attacks come with Russia seeking to press its advantage on the battlefield. Kyiv has admitted it is heavily outgunned and outnumbered, facing ammunition shortages amid aid delays. Half of all promised Western ammunition arrives in the country late, the defence minister has said -- in what he called critical delays that cost lives and territory. Russian forces have pressed westwards following last month's capture of Avdiivka, and have seized several small villages in recent days. Visiting frontline military posts on Saturday, Ukraine's new Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said "the situation at the front remains difficult, but controlled." bur-jc/ach Alexey Navalny is laid to rest as supporters vow to carry on his fight for a free Russia. A conversation with David Kramer, Executive Director with the George W. Bush Presidential Center on myths about Russias war on Ukraine that could be helping the Kremlin. International outrage following the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians racing toward aid trucks. Edward Djerejian former U.S. ambassador to Israel and currently senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Middle East Initiative on whether this will derail ceasefire negotiations. With the U.S. presidential election just eight months, some lawmakers are sounding the alarm over foreign actors efforts to create false narratives in order to sway the outcome. Four years after the signing of the Doha agreement, the U.S. and Taliban accuse each other of violating its terms, while analysts say that the agreement was flawed and has had disastrous outcomes for Afghans. The Taliban have not fulfilled their commitments in the Doha agreement, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday in a news briefing in response to a question from VOAs Afghan Service. The Taliban have also not fulfilled their Doha commitment to engage in meaningful dialogue with fellow Afghans leading to a negotiated settlement, an inclusive political system, she said. After seizing power in 2021, the Taliban established an all-male Taliban caretaker cabinet and rejected calls to form an inclusive government. Jean-Pierre added that the U.S. would hold the Taliban to their commitment and work tirelessly every day to ensure that this set of commitments is fulfilled. The Taliban, however, accused the U.S. of violating the agreement. If you have read the agreement, it is written that the U.S. would normalize its relations with the future government in Afghanistan, remove the sanctions and restrictions, and cooperate, which [the U.S. does] not, spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Thursday in an interview with state-run TV in Afghanistan. Mujahid, however, said that the two main objectives the U.S. withdrawal and not allowing anyone to use Afghan soil against the U.S. and its allies have been implemented. The U.S.-Taliban peace deal, signed in Doha, Qatar, on February 29, 2020, paved the way for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The agreement obliged the Taliban to cut their ties with al-Qaida and other terrorist groups and participate in intra-Afghan peace talks to decide on the future political map of Afghanistan. Retired U.S. General David Petraeus, who served as the commander of U.S. forces in South Asia and then as director of the CIA, told VOA that the Taliban obviously had not complied with the deal. If they had, the leader of al-Qaida wouldnt have been a couple of blocks from the presidential palace, in a building controlled by the Taliban in Kabul, the capital ... despite the promise in the agreement not to allow them back on Afghan soil, he added. He said that the outcome of the implementation of the agreement was very tragic, heartbreaking and disastrous, as since the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan has been facing multiple crises. The United Nations says that Afghanistan continues to experience one of the worlds largest humanitarian crises. 'Disastrous for Afghan women' The Taliban imposed repressive measures on women, including barring them from attending high schools and universities, traveling long distances without a male companion, working with public and nongovernmental organizations, and going to gyms and parks. Shukria Barakzai, a former Afghan diplomat and member of the Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of the Afghan parliament, told VOA that the Doha agreement was disastrous for Afghan women, as nothing related to human rights, womens rights and womens achievements from 2001 to 2021 were referred to in the agreement. She added that the agreement paved the way for the return of repressive rules against women introduced when the Taliban were in power in the late 1990s. Before the ouster of the Taliban by the U.S. in 2001, women were not allowed to leave their houses without a male chaperone, work outside their homes, or attend school. The international community has repeatedly called on the Taliban to respect womens rights and form an inclusive government as conditions for their recognition. No country has yet officially recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, although China has accepted the credentials of the Talibans ambassador in Beijing. 'Flawed in almost every way' Annie Pforzheimer, a former U.S. acting deputy assistant secretary of state for Afghanistan, told VOA that there should have been some kind of international guarantee to prevent the Taliban's return. But instead, what happened was a withdrawal that happened before the right circumstances were in place, she said. The agreement was flawed in almost every way, in terms of implementation, Pforzheimer said, adding that the only people who complied with it were the international forces, and in fact the United States withdrew its forces and obliged NATO to do the same. She added that she was concerned about the future of Afghanistan, especially for Afghan girls and women who are denied an education and a future. Right now, theres not much hope, but I think that Afghans working together will understand that they are in greater numbers than the Taliban, Pforzheimer said. Noshaba Ashna of the VOA Afghan Service contributed to this report, which originated in the VOA Afghan Service. German authorities said Saturday they were conducting an investigation after an audio recording in which German military officers purportedly discussed support for Ukraine, including the potential use of Taurus missiles, was published in Russia. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was in Rome on Saturday, called it a "very serious matter" and said that German authorities were working to clarify the matter "very carefully, very intensively and very quickly." His comments were carried by Germany's dpa news agency. In the 38-minute recording, military officers discuss the question of how the Taurus long-range cruise missiles could be used by Ukraine. A debate has been taking place in Germany over whether to supply the missiles as Ukraine faced setbacks on the battlefield after two years of war, and with military aid from the United States being held up in Congress. Earlier this week, Scholz said he remains reluctant to send the Taurus missiles to Ukraine, pointing to a risk of Germany becoming directly involved in the war. His hesitancy is a source of friction in his three-party coalition and annoyed Germany's conservative opposition. But in the purported audio recording, German officers discuss the theoretical possibility of the missiles being used in Ukraine. Germany's Ministry of Defense said it was investigating whether communications within the air force were intercepted by Russia. In a statement carried by dpa, it said: "According to our assessment, a conversation within the air force was intercepted. We cannot currently say with certainty whether changes have been made to the recorded or written version that is circulating on social media." Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Russian state-funded TV channel RT, posted the audio on social media. "In this (...) recording, high-ranking Bundeswehr officers discuss how they will bomb (attention!) the Crimean bridge," she wrote on the Telegram messaging app, adding that the conversation took place on February 19. Within the conversation, she said, one of the officers mentioned a planned trip to Ukraine on February 21 to coordinate strikes on Russian targets. 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 Ukraine's desire for Taurus missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers (311 miles) and could in theory be used against targets far into Russian territory. The chancellor has long emphasized his determination to help Ukraine without escalating the war and drawing in Germany and NATO, stressing that no German soldiers will go to Ukraine. "We will not send European soldiers to Ukraine. We don't want a war between Russia and NATO. And we will do all we can to prevent it," Scholz told a meeting of the Party of European Socialists in Rome on Saturday. On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said the future deployment of Western troops on the ground in Ukraine was not "ruled out," a suggestion quickly dismissed by Germany, Poland and other allied countries. Hundreds took to the streets across Syria's rebel-held northwest Friday in rare protests against its jihadi rulers, as anger simmered a week after a man died in their custody. About half of Idlib province and parts of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia are controlled by former al-Qaida affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. The rebel-controlled region hosts about 3 million people, many of whom fled other parts of the country held or recaptured by the Russian- and Iranian-backed government of President Bashar al-Assad. Dozens of civilians gathered around the Idlib clock tower, chanting slogans against HTS leader Abu Mohamed al-Jolani, an AFP correspondent reported, with one man brandishing a banner that read, "Freedom of opinion and speech is not a crime." "We took to the streets to say no to injustice, no to HTS's policies, and no to Abu Mohamed al-Jolani," said protester Abdul Rahman Talib, 30. Another protester, Mohammed Assaf, 30, told AFP, "Our protests erupted after a crime was revealed: A young man was killed under torture. "Our demands are clear: Overthrow Jolani, free the prisoners, put an end to the security grip they have on us." On February 23, a rebel fighter was killed under torture after eight months in HTS custody, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Since gaining control of the Idlib region, HTS has set up its own security apparatus as well as a civil administration that collects customs duties at the Turkish border. Human rights groups and the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria have accused HTS of human rights abuses, including torture, sexual violence and enforced disappearances. Protesters also took to the streets of other HTS-controlled towns and villages, including Binnish, Marea, Killi and al-Atarib. In the town of Binnish, in Idlib province, dozens chanted, "Jolani, we don't want you." Wearing a three-starred Syrian rebel flag around his neck, Abdulaziz Ali, 54, said he wanted to see HTS's security apparatus held to account. "We are hearing about what happens in prisons things that a human heart can't bear," he said. KYODO NEWS - Mar 2, 2024 - 11:00 | All, Japan Japan is planning to revise its romanization rules for the first time in about 70 years to bring the official language transliteration system in line with everyday usage, according to government officials. The country will switch to the Hepburn rules from the current Kunrei-shiki rules, meaning, for example, the official spelling of the central Japan prefecture of Aichi will replace Aiti. Similarly, the famous Tokyo shopping district known worldwide as Shibuya will be changed in its official presentation from Sibuya. The Hepburn system, which better reflects English pronunciations, has long been predominantly used in society as well as in officialdom, including on passports and road signs, despite the Cabinet deciding in 1954 that the Kunrei-shiki rules would be used in principle. Still, the country's elementary school curriculum guidelines call for teaching third-year students romanization of Japanese based on the decades-old state designation. Amid concern the divide between official rules and common usage is causing confusion, a subcommittee of the Council for Cultural Affairs deemed it necessary to consider the revision to improve communication. To revise the Cabinet announcement that enshrined the Kunrei-shiki system, the education minister will need to consult with the council over the change. Iranian Parliament and Assembly of Experts elections began Friday amid warnings and promises from officials of the Islamic Republic urging Iranians to vote. "Casting a ballot, a simple act, yields substantial results, thus this opportunity must be seized," Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Wednesday. Conversely, a chorus of voices including political, civil and organizational figures inside and outside of Iran recently called for an election boycott. They said Iran's situation, notably over the past three decades, has shown little to no substantial change post-elections. Nevertheless, reports indicate that leading up to Friday, the authorities of the Islamic Republic employed various tactics aimed at increasing voter turnout. They are granting four days of leave to soldiers, permitting voting with five different identity documents, and implementing security measures against individuals advocating for a boycott. Prisoners were told voting was mandatory and those "who abstain from voting should be prepared to face the consequences," Karamullah Azizi, the head of Karaj's Ghezel Hesar Prison told inmates, according to the Human Rights Organization Hengaw. Hengaw also said education departments in Kurdish cities warned teachers through phone calls that "voting is compulsory, even if it's against the regime. Failure to comply will lead to expulsion." The warning came as the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Associations, Iran's largest independent professional organization, described Friday's elections as "theatrical." The calls for citizens to vote coincided with a February 20 report from Etemad Online, an Urdu language news outlet, that said recent surveys conducted by certain official institutions and organizations suggest that "in the latest survey by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting [IRIB], definite participation nationwide is estimated at 35 percent." The Iranian Students' Polling Agency also released the results of its third survey conducted among more than 5,100 individuals on February 26 and 27. It said 38.5% intended to participate in the elections, 7.6% said they were likely to participate, 16% remained undecided, 32.6% said they would abstain from voting entirely, and 5.4% indicated potential participation. The director of the Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran unveiled findings of a survey conducted Wednesday indicating that the estimated turnout for the elections was 25% to 30% nationwide. Ammar Maleki told VOA on Thursday that projected voter turnout in Tehran has been estimated at a maximum of 11%. Maleki said the survey was conducted over a 24-hour period, drawing from a balanced sample of more than 28,000 respondents from within Iran and literate individuals older than 19 years old. Matthew Miller, the U.S. State Department spokesperson, told a VOA Persian Service reporter on Thursday that elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran are "neither free nor fair." "It's worth noting that thousands of candidates have been disqualified in a non-transparent manner previously," said Miller. "And it's widely recognized that Iran's political framework lacks democratic and transparent elements in its executive, judicial and electoral systems." On October 7, when Hamas militants attacked numerous targets in Israel, killing hundreds and abducting others, Marina Degtiar felt she had traveled back in time, to July 18, 1994. What happened in Buenos Aires 30 years ago broke her apart. A bomb-laden van exploded inside a Jewish community center where her 21-year-old brother, Cristian, worked. It was the worst such attack in Argentina's history, killing 85 Degtiars brother among them and injuring 300. The destruction of the Argentine-Israelite Mutual Association, known by its Spanish initials AMIA, came two years after a 1992 bombing on the Israeli Embassy in Argentina, which killed 29 people. Israeli officials say seven of the victims have never been identified. Argentine prosecutors blamed Iranian officials for plotting the AMIA attack and said Hezbollah operatives carried it out, but no one has been convicted. Iran has refused to turn over the former officials and ex-diplomats who face charges and denies any involvement. For many who lost friends and family to the attack, time has not healed their pain. For some, it's been worsened by the lack of justice in the case and the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. "If you ask me how I am, I'm emotional," Degtiar said. "I feel very sad because what's happening in Israel affects us as humankind, as Jews, and me personally." Degtiar said she has lived two lives one before the loss of Cristian and one after his death. Decades ago, she used to feel that her family lived far away from the bombs they saw falling on TV. "Thirty years ago, it was not natural, here in Argentina, to talk about terrorism," Degtiar said. "Bombs did not explode at home like they first exploded at the embassy, or in my case, in the attack against the AMIA." After months of deep grief, she decided that being paralyzed by her pain was a lack of respect to her brother's life, so she took action. She spent years sharing her story among self-help groups and eventually became a psychologist. Currently specializing in grief counseling, Degtiar comforts those who mourn a loved one, as she has done. In her approach toward patients, she usually discloses that she lost someone too and thus can empathize with them. "I built myself a life that justifies me talking about Cristian, my brother, every day," Degtiar said. "I name my brother every day of my life." Argentines among Hamas victims and hostages Sandra Miasnik didn't find out what had happened on October 7 through the news. The horror intruded into her home in Buenos Aires through a WhatsApp group: A screenshot showed her cousin Shiri Bibas hugging her two red-headed children above a message. "They took them away." "I remember that moment very well," Miasnik said. "I said: 'No, that's not her.' Check out the psychological defense mechanism of not seeing what you are seeing." She walked around her house without knowing what to do, waiting for information. Then she learned that her uncle Jose Luis Silberman, who migrated from Argentina to Israel in the 70s to seek a life away from the dictatorship, was killed by Hamas. After the Hamas attack, Argentina's Foreign Affairs Ministry revealed that seven Argentine nationals were killed, while 15 more were snatched from their homes. Among them was Mianisk's cousin and her 9-month-old baby, Kfir Bibas, the youngest Israeli dragged into Gaza. President Javier Milei who has shown a public interest in Judaism traveled to Israel in late January and called for release of the 11 Argentines who remained in captivity. Miasnik said the Hamas attack, though occurring far from Argentina, unleashed grief and fear that felt familiar within Latin America's largest Jewish community. "What Argentine can say that terrorism is (only) in the Middle East?" Miasnik said. "It's not thousands of miles away. It's right here, with us." Personnel from the AMIA community center rushed to offer support to the Argentine relatives of Hamas victims. Miasnik didn't accept immediately. "I thought I had stability, and suddenly I learned that I had never experienced a situation like this," she said. She met Degtiar after the symbolic celebration of her nephew's birthday, and later went to her for counseling. Others approached Miasnik to share comforting words, making her feel that she was not alone. "I have nothing to do with the religious side of Judaism, but I reconnected with my identity," Miasnik said. "This did not just happen to my family. It happened to the community." Remembering the 1994 bombing victims Year after year, relatives of victims of the 1994 attack return to the headquarters of the community center, where a new building was erected. It was a symbolic gesture, said Amos Linetzky, AMIA's president. "Not because of a religious issue, but because they wanted to destroy us and they couldn't do it. They made us stronger and we are still here, in the same place." Founded 130 years ago, the center currently oversees cemeteries, educational institutions, promotes cultural activities and provides guidance for people in search of a job. It is also invested in preserving history for young generations, Linetzky said. The center hosts yearly campaigns to remember the attack and pay tribute to the deceased. "The passing of time cannot be a reason for oblivion," Linetzky said. Outside the building, trees were planted in remembrance of the victims. Patricia Strier, who lost her sister Mirta to the bombing, visits as often as she can. "I give it a kiss, I touch it, I talk to Mirta," Strier said. "Her tree is beautiful. It's full of leaves." Mirta's death was not confirmed immediately. Strier spent a week requesting information in hospitals, morgues and police stations. She says she understands the sorrow and uncertainty of those waiting for news about their loved ones amid the Israel-Hamas war. "At first I only thought about how this would impact my family and friends there (in Israel), but then my pain increased because I saw myself reflected on the terrorist attack in which my sister died," Stier said. "We were victims as well." Her pain has not diminished, but like Degtiar she seeks to keep her sister close by. Seven days after the bombing, she dreamed of a younger, beaming Mirta. "Why are you laughing if we are all desperate to find you?" Strier asked in her dream. "I'm fine," her smiling sister replied. The phone rang after she woke up and the call confirmed Mirta's death. On a modest altar where she lights a Shabbat candle every Friday, Strier keeps a few photos of her parents and Mirta. Her sister rarely laughed, Strier said, and her mother stopped doing so when the bombing killed her daughter. Strier chose to remember them smiling. "That's how I visualize them all," Strier said. "The light comes from above, from my loved ones, from my angels, and I have them all located, each one in its place, so as not to forget any of them." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the world to respond to every manifestation of Russian evil and repel Russia's actions, as the death toll rose Sunday in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa after a Russian drone struck an apartment block, Saturday. In a post Sunday on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Zelenskyy wrote the attack showed the importance of supporting Ukraine. "We must win this war," he said. So far 10 people have been reported dead, including three children, after a local official said that the body of a third child was pulled from the rubble, along with that of the child's mother. Russia has made Ukrainian children its military targets, wrote Zelenskyy after the bodies of the three children were recovered. Three-year-old Mark, eight-month-old Yelyzaveta, and four-month-old Tymofiy were pulled from under the rubble. Local officials said they expect the toll to rise as there are still people unaccounted for. Four more people may be trapped under the debris, the local branch of Ukraine's main emergency service said in a Facebook update Sunday. Rescue and recovery teams continue to comb through the rubble for survivors and bodies said Oleh Kiper, the governor of Odesa. Regional authorities announced a day of mourning for the victims. In his nightly video address Saturday, Zelenskyy urged Western allies to provide weapons to Ukraine, stressing that delays in supplying missile defense systems will cost more Ukrainian lives. When lives are lost, and partners are simply playing internal political games or disputes that limit our defense, it's impossible to understand. It's unacceptable. And it will be impossible to forget the world will remember this, he said. In Washington, officials are viewing the shortage of weapons and ammunition in Ukraine and the drop off in U.S. supply shipments with increasing alarm. It has now been more than two months since the U.S. last sent military supplies to Ukraine, according to The Associated Press. So far, House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to bring to a vote the $95 billion foreign aid package passed by the Senate that includes a crucial $60 billion in aid for Ukraine. That decision could stall the package for weeks after an already monthslong wait in Congress. U.S. Defense Department officials are discussing options that could include tapping existing Pentagon stockpiles before Congress approves funding to replenish them, according to Sen. Jack Reed, the chairperson of the Senate Armed Services Committee. At a White House meeting this week, President Joe Biden, the two top Democrats in Congress and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell all urged Johnson to put the Senate-passed package to a vote. Ukraine talks Chinas foreign ministry said that Special Representative Li Hui and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin met Saturday evening in Moscow and agreed that negotiations are the only way to end the fighting in Ukraine. In a readout published Sunday, China's foreign ministry said that Beijing is ready to "continue its efforts to promote peace talks, mediate and build consensus among Russia, Ukraine and other relevant parties, and promote a final political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. The Russian foreign ministry called the meeting on the war in Ukraine "a very engaged and thorough exchange of views in a statement on its website adding "it was stated that any discussion of a political and diplomatic settlement is impossible without the participation of Russia and taking into account its interests in the security sphere." This was the first stop by Chinas special envoy on Ukraine of a European trip that will also include Brussels, Poland, Germany and France, Chinese and Russian state media reported. Lis trip, the second since last May, comes as Kyiv seeks Beijings participation in peace talks in Switzerland aimed for this spring. China claims neutrality in Russias war on Ukraine but maintains close ties with Moscow, with frequent state visits and joint military drills. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed hopes Sunday that discussions on a cease-fire between Moscow and Kyiv will commence soon. At the end of a diplomatic forum in the southern city of Antalya, Fidan said both sides have now reached the limits of the results they can achieve through war. Fidan told reporters he had discussed the issue of Ukraine among several other issues with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Friday. "We think that it is time to start a dialog for a cease-fire," he said. "That doesn't mean recognizing the occupation [by Russia], but issues of sovereignty and [a] cease-fire should be discussed separately," he added. NATO member Turkey, which shares a maritime border with both Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has sought to maintain good ties with both nations since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago. Some information for this report was provided by Reuters and Agence France-Presse. On July 18, 1994, an explosion destroyed the Buenos Aires headquarters of the Argentine-Israelite Mutual Association, a Jewish community center. The worst such attack in the history of Argentina killed 85 people and injured more than 300. Official reports established that the attack on the center, known by its Spanish initials AMIA, was carried out with a car bomb. Prosecutors blamed former Iranian officials who would have operated through Hezbollah and a local contact. Authorities have maintained these conclusions, but in the past 30 years no one has been convicted of planning or carrying out the bombing. During this time, new indictments have been filed among them, two against former Argentine presidents and the chief investigator of the case died under suspicious conditions. Here's a look at the case. In what context did the attack take place? It occurred two years after a bombing at the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, which killed 29 people; the Argentine government blamed Iran. Argentina's Jewish community is the largest in Latin America. Its population in Buenos Aires is approximately 180,000, and nationwide it's 230,000, according to Daniel Pomerantz, AMIA's executive director. What did the early investigations say? The first official hypothesis indicated that the car bomb was provided by an Argentine whose connection to Iran has never been established. After a trial held between 2001 and 2004 with 1,500 witnesses called a court determined that the judge overseeing the case had lost impartiality. All the accused were acquitted. A second case was opened afterward to look into irregularities during the investigation. Former President Carlos Menem was accused of interfering with the investigation but was absolved in 2019. Unlike him, former Federal Judge Juan Jose Galeano, who headed the initial bombing investigation, was found guilty of embezzlement and malfeasance and sentenced to six years in prison. Who was Alberto Nisman and why was his investigation key for the case? Nisman took charge of the case in 2005. In 2015, he was found dead in his apartment four days after accusing then-President Cristina Fernandez of covering up the role of Iranians who had been charged in the attack. An early investigation stated that Nisman committed suicide, but a later report showed that it was a homicide. The case has not been resolved. According to Nisman's accusation, Fernandez, her then-foreign minister, Hector Timmerman, and others had collaborated in a conspiracy to provide impunity to those accused in the AMIA case. Back in 2006, Nisman requested the arrest of Iran's president, his foreign minister and other officials, as well as the operational head of Hezbollah. A judge issued the international arrest warrant against nine people considered the masterminds of the attack, and a year later Interpol issued red notices against five of them. The notices are requests to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition Iran's government denies any involvement in the attack and has refused to turn over the people sought for trial in Argentina. According to Nisman's accusation, Fernandez's government made an agreement with Iran in 2013: In exchange for favorable deals on oil and other goods, it would ensure that Iranian officials involved in the attack would escape prosecution. Fernandez, who is also accused of alleged money laundering and illicit association on another case, is still awaiting trial for the alleged cover-up. She has always denied any wrongdoing, alleging that her government's agreement with Iran was intended to facilitate the interrogation of the accused. After Nisman's death, new prosecutors were appointed to the AMIA case and it remains open. AMIA's attorney, Miguel Bronfman, declined an AP request to comment on the current details of the case. Myanmars youth leaders are determined to avoid the militarys conscription law that could see them fight against the very resistance they are part of. The Myanmars People Military Service Law, which was enacted in 2010 but activated in February, means men ages 18 to 45 and women ages 18 to 35 can be drafted into the armed forces for two years. People in certain professions, such as doctors, must serve for three years. In the case of a national emergency, the military service could be extended to a total of five years. The countrys ruling junta is aiming to draft 60,000 new recruits a year, with 5,000 by the end of April, according to Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for Myanmars military government. Robert Minn, 25, is a youth activist for Milk Tea Alliance-Friends of Myanmar, an advocacy group that spans several East Asia nations. He told VOA he was recently stopped at a checkpoint in Yangon and asked to join the army. Last week I went downtown, and they checked my phone, he said. I have nothing on that phone, no political stuff. But they asked, Are you willing to serve in the military? Are you willing to join this conscription? Faced with intimidation, Minn said he was determined to get away. I said no, but there was a lot of soldiers, so I said if you officially call me with a letter, I might join, he said. Minn said he paid the soldiers 50,000 MMK (Burmese Kyat), which is $23.80, just to leave the checkpoint. It didnt mean [that I wanted] to join them, he said. I just had to pay money to escape. If I said yes, they might have recruited me at that place. The previous times [the military] were just checking identification cards and I can easily pass, but this time was tricky. Government leaflets encouraging young people to sign up have been distributed throughout Myanmar since the conscription law came into effect on February 10. But Aung Sett, an activist with the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, said the conscription law threatens to force individuals to sign up against their will. They are forcing youths and young students to leave the country or take up arms to join the fight, leaving no choice, he told VOA. "It does have some threats to our group, especially for those living in urban areas. Im really worried about the young people, that they might be recruited against their will. Myanmar has been in chaos since military leader General Min Aung Hlaing and his forces overthrew the democratically elected government in February 2021. The coup sparked an armed revolution that has persisted for three years. The Myanmar resistance includes the civilian-led National Unity Government; its armed wing, the Peoples Defense Force; and ethnic armed groups. An offensive by resistance forces that began in October in Myanmars Shan State saw dozens of military-held townships and posts captured. Despite a cease-fire, conflict continues to rage in other parts of Myanmar, with the junta struggling to take back control. With Myanmars army now seeking more recruits, millions are eligible. Out of a population of 56 million, 14 million 6.3 million men and 7.7 million women qualify for military service, according to the junta. Jewel, who asked that her real name not be used for security reasons, is part of the Pazundaung Youth Strike Committee, an anti-junta group in Yangon. She said the new conscription law could put women in danger. The military service law for women is very worrying during the coup regime because the army rapes women. If not, it will be as a human shield, to carry military equipment or find a [land] mine," she said from Myanmar by phone. Reports of rape have been frequent during the militarys violent crackdowns on resistance forces in recent years. The junta has previously declined to comment when contacted by VOA. Jewel said that the conscription law has forced her members to seek protection under pro-democracy opposition forces. Members of my group are both male and female. Because of the inclusion of girls, every member of the age set by the conscription law fled to the Peoples Revolutionary Army because they did not want to serve in the military, she said. Zarni Soe, a Rohingya youth and human rights activist and founder of the Arakan Youth Peace Network, says his group has also faced significant challenges in recent weeks. Reports say hundreds of Rohingya youths have been detained by junta forces in the state, raising concerns over whether the military will conscript them. As a result, I have had to halt practical activities in the region since then. To safeguard my efforts, I prioritize discretion, utilizing secure communication channels, adopting movement carefully and building a robust network from several areas, he told VOA. The possibility of military service has seen thousands of Myanmar nationals try to leave the country. There have been long visa queues at the Thai Embassy in Yangon, while dozens of Myanmar nationals have been arrested by Thai authorities after illegally entering Thailand. Ye Myo Hein, global fellow at the Wilson Center and visiting fellow at the United States Institute of Peace, said the military activated the conscription law because of the lack of interest in the population for joining the army. With increasing public animosity towards the military following the coup, voluntary enlistment has become virtually impossible, he said in February. "If the junta continues with forced and coercive methods, the public will have a few options, including to flee the country, to increase tangible support to the resistance movement to fight against the junta, and to join the resistance themselves, he said. Reactions have been mixed on Namibias call last month for an international boycott of Israeli goods and companies in response to Israeli policies and practices in the Palestinian territories. If implemented, such a boycott could harm Namibias economy, as Israel is a key trading partner with the nations diamond mining industry. Diamonds are Namibias largest export earner, bringing in at least 10% of the countrys gross domestic product. Trade figures from 2022 show Namibia exported $59 million worth of goods annually to Israel, mostly diamonds. The same year, Namibia imported $3.8 million in goods from Israel, mainly diamond-polishing equipment. A Namibian businessman involved in the diamond trade, who did not want to use his name so that he could speak candidly about the industry, questioned the efficacy of such sanctions. You have to ... ask, [Does] that business directly support or in any way affect the support of IDF or that regime in what they are currently doing? he said, referring to the Israeli Defense Forces. I mean, where do you even start to find that type of connection. Some analysts express concern over the impact of international sanctions against Israel on African nations. Benji Shulman, director of public policy at the South African Zionist Federation, a pro-Israel umbrella organization, said African nations derive many benefits from trade with Israel. If Namibia were to follow a path [of sanctions], it would only hurt Africans who stand to benefit from Israeli innovations in water, health care, agriculture and technologies, Shulman said. Political analyst Rakkel Andreas said Namibia could rely on other buyers for its diamonds. I do not necessarily see Namibian diamonds not getting other buyers just because Israeli companies can no longer buy diamonds from Namibia, Andreas said. I think there is no country that has ever supported the issue of sanctions on another country and not considered its own national interests and counted the cost, she said. If thats the cost Namibia should carry in order for Palestine to be free, for the war to end ... for the carnage to end, then so be it. The call for sanctions came at a hearing at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. Namibia is among 52 countries that sought a nonbinding advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israeli policies and practices in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. Ten US states control and profit from federal Indian reservation lands It is commonly assumed that the U.S. government holds in trust all land inside Indian reservation borders for the exclusive use of tribes. This week, High Country News and the nonprofit online news magazine Grist report that 10 state governments hold trust to 647,500 hectares (1.6 million acres) of surface and subsurface acres of lands inside 83 federal Indian reservations. Tribes have little to no say over how the lands are used, and state-run mining, grazing, logging and leasing generate millions of dollars that are used to support non-Indigenous agencies such as public schools, prisons or universities. In 1887, Congress passed the General Allotment Act, or Dawes Act, carving up reservations into smaller parcels that were doled out to families and individuals. The remaining land about 36,400,000 hectares (90 million acres) was sold or opened up to U.S. states, settlers and federal projects such as state parks. States are legally obliged to make money from state trust lands, so there is no incentive for them to turn land back over to tribes without something in exchange. Some tribes, such as the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in Montana, have negotiated land back. Others have purchased land back a parcel at a time. Read more: ProPublica focuses on museums that got a head start on NAGPRA compliance As part of its ongoing series examining institutions failure to comply with the 1990 Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA, ProPublica reports this week on two museums that have met most or all their obligations under NAGPRA, which forbids federally funded institutions from retaining human remains and artifacts without permission from tribes. They are the Museum of Us in San Diego, California, and the History Colorado Center in Denver, both of which got an earlier start than other institutions in cataloging their holdings and consulting with tribes on how remains and funerary artifacts should be managed and repatriated. In 2018, three decades after NAGPRA was passed, the Museum of Us then known as the San Diego Museum of Man released new Colonial Pathways guidelines, acknowledging that it had long prevented the return of cultural resources to Indigenous communities. At the time, the museum estimated that at least 80% of its 75,000 ethnographic items would require consultation with descendant tribal communities. The museum admitted that it had long prevented the return of cultural resources to Indigenous communities. That process is ongoing, but in Denver, the History Colorado Center has already repatriated all items subject to NAGPRA. It also loans items back out to tribes on request and allows tribes to change their minds and reclaim items. Read more: Editorial: Repatriation does not erase Native Americans cultures In an opinion piece this week, Native News Online editor Levi Rickert writes that while museums are making moves to comply with NAGPRA, he believes some conservative columnists, politicians and benefactors are pushing back against revised regulations that require them to obtain tribal or lineal descendants consent before exhibiting or conducting research on human remains and related cultural items. Since 1492, non-Natives have continually sought to research, examine and showcase our continents Indigenous peoples, Rickert writes. This fascination led to museums collecting hundreds of thousands of Native cultural artifacts and the remains of deceased Indigenous people also known as our ancestors. He notes that while museums are making moves to comply with NAGPRAs updated rules, some conservatives criticize the rules as part of the so-called woke or liberal political agenda and accuse the Interior Department of erasing Indigenous history. If conservative columnists, politicians and benefactors truly want to ensure that Native Americans are not erased, they should stop 'fixating on our ancestors bones and instead focus on honoring treaties and funding health care and education to ensure Native Americans can live 'in modest prosperity.' Read the editorial here: Portrait of 18th-century Mohawk diplomat scores big at auction An engraved portrait of early Mohawk leader Ho Nee Yeath Taw No Riow fetched nearly $39,000 at auction on Sunday. Engraved by London printmaker John Faber the Elder, it depicts a sachem also known as John of Canajoharie (New York), who was one of a delegation of four Haudenosaunee political representatives who in 1709 set sail for London to negotiate an alliance against the French in the Great Lakes region. In London, the so-called Four Kings three Mohawk sachems and a Mahican were wined, dined and celebrated in style. The engraving was part of an extensive collection of prints by Old Masters collected by wealthy 19th-century Arlington, Massachusetts, citizen Winfield Robbins. Fearing that photography would eventually replace the Old World arts of printmaking, Robbins spent years abroad amassing a collection of tens of thousands of prints and other works of art. King Harald V of Norway was implanted with a temporary pacemaker Saturday at a hospital in Malaysia's resort island of Langkawi, where Europe's oldest monarch was being treated for an infection during a vacation this week, the Norwegian royal house said. "The pacemaker was implanted due to a low heart rate," the Royal House of Norway said in a brief statement, adding that the procedure conducted at Hospital Sultanah Maliha was successful. Following the operation, Harald, 87, would likely be transported back to Norway "within the next couple of days," the statement said. "His Majesty is doing well under the circumstances but still requires rest. The procedure will make the return back home safer," Bjorn Bendz, the king's personal physician, said as quoted by the royal palace in Oslo. The royal house said Tuesday that Harald, Europe's oldest reigning monarch, was hospitalized after he fell ill during a vacation in Langkawi. Norwegian media outlets said Harald traveled to the Malaysian resort island to celebrate his 87th birthday. Two days before his birthday last week, Norwegian news agency NTB reported that the king was undertaking a private trip abroad with his wife Queen Sonja, without specifying the destination or dates. A Scandinavian Airlines medical evacuation plane, which took off from Oslo Thursday arrived in Langkawi on Friday. Norwegian authorities haven't confirmed yet whether the Boeing 737-700 aircraft, which has previously been used as a flying ambulance, will pick up King Harald. The Norwegian government arranges the transport, and the Norwegian Armed Forces are responsible for the practical arrangements for the king's return trip, according to the royal house. The aging Norwegian monarch has suffered from frail health over the past few years and has been admitted to a hospital for treatment on numerous occasions. Harald, who has been seen using crutches, had an operation to replace a heart valve in October 2020 after being hospitalized with breathing difficulties. Harald has repeatedly said he has no plans to abdicate, unlike his second cousin, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who stepped down earlier this year. The heir to the Norwegian throne, Crown Prince Haakon, has as a rule stepped in and taken over his father's duties while he's been hospitalized. Harald's duties as Norway's head of state are ceremonial and he holds no political power. He ascended to the throne following the death of his father, King Olav, in 1991. The country's first native-born king since the 14th century, he married a commoner as a prince and won hearts in his egalitarian country by leading the mourning in 2011 for the victims of mass killer Anders Behring Breivik. The Chinese community in Seattle, Washington, took time from Lunar New Year celebrations to mark the Seattle riot of 1886, when mobs started to forcibly expel most Chinese from the city. Organizers of a commemoration march say lessons from then are relevant today. VOAs Natasha Mozgovaya reports. A United Nations report finds nearly 11 months of conflict in Sudan has resulted in mass killings, displacement, destruction of property and rampant human rights violations that have caused immeasurable harm and distress to millions of people, whose plight has been all but forgotten by the rest of the world. The crisis in Sudan is a tragedy that appears to have slipped into the fog of global amnesia, Volker Turk, U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said during an interactive dialogue on the situation in Sudan at the U.N. Human Rights Council on Friday. Turk presented a blistering and bleak assessment of life in Sudan since rival generals of the Sudanese Armed Forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces plunged the country into a ruthless, senseless conflict on April 15. They have manufactured a climate of sheer terror, forcing millions to flee, he said. And they have consistently acted with impunity and a distinct lack of accountability for the multiple violations that have been committed. He said the report highlights a range of gross violations and abuses committed by Sudans warring parties, noting that many of these violations may amount to war crimes or other atrocity crimes. Since the war began, the United Nations reports, at least 14,600 people have been killed and 26,000 others injured. The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, reports the war has uprooted 8.1 million people from their homes 6.3 million within Sudan and 1.8 million as refugees in five neighboring countries making Sudan the largest displacement crisis in the world. Sudan is today facing one of the direst humanitarian crises in the world as a direct result of the armed conflict that started on 15 April, said Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, U.N. special envoy for the Horn of Africa, adding that 18 million people face acute hunger and 25 million need humanitarian assistance. The Sudanese population is bearing the brunt of a conflict at the heart of the military and security apparatus, that is, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, she said. High Commissioner Turk said the war in Sudan was not being waged with just the use of fighter jets, drones, tanks and other heavy artillery. Sexual violence as a weapon of war, including rape, has been a defining and despicable characteristic of this crisis since the beginning, he said, underscoring that his office has documented 60 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence, involving at least 120 victims across the country, mostly women and girls. These figures are sadly a vast underrepresentation of the reality. Men in RSF uniform and armed men affiliated with the RSF were reported to be responsible for 81% of the documented incidents, said Turk. He expressed concern about a rise in ethnically motivated killings, the fate of thousands of civilians held by both parties and their affiliates in arbitrary detention, and the conscription of child soldiers. My office has recently received reports of the RSF recruiting hundreds of children as fighters in Darfur and the SAF doing likewise in eastern Sudan, he said. He said he has received troubling reports of civilians themselves mobilizing under the new Popular Armed Resistance movement. There are real fears this may result in the formation of an armed civil militia with no defined control, increasing the chances of Sudan sliding into a spiral of protracted civil war. These concerns were echoed by Special Envoy Tetteh, who said, The most serious risk threatening Sudan is a de facto partition between the territories controlled by RSF and SAF. The international community should avert this risk of a de facto partition by supporting and facilitating a Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led process addressing the root causes of the conflict, she said, emphasizing the impossibility of two competing military forces co-existing. Sudans minister of justice was clearly annoyed that the U.N. report seemed to equate the actions of the Sudanese Armed Forces with those of the Rapid Support Forces. Justice Minister Moawia Osman Mohamed Khair Mohamed Ahmed said the SAF did not instigate the conflict but responded to an attack by rebels against a sovereign state. This was a conspiracy that took the national army off-guard, he said. This militia tried to take over the power by launching a full-scaled armed attack against the country using looting and burning of buildings. He accused the RSF of committing multiple atrocities across the country, saying that what they have done in Darfur is beyond words. Ahmed said his government has started an investigation of crimes allegedly committed by the rebel forces, particularly related to crimes of genocide, crimes of war, crimes against humanity and other crimes related to killings, rape and robbery. He appealed for international help to reinforce Sudans serious legal procedure in order to achieve justice and provide redress to the victims through the national mechanisms and international mechanisms. High Commissioner Turk said the international community also has a critical role to play to alleviate the suffering endured by the people of Sudan. Decades of turmoil and repression in Sudan preceded this crisis, he said, but nothing has prepared the people of Sudan for the level of suffering they face today. The fighting parties must agree to return to peace, without delay. The future of the people of Sudan depends on it. KYODO NEWS - Mar 2, 2024 - 09:21 | All, Japan, World The United States will end next week a worldwide flight ban placed on Osprey military aircraft in the wake of a deadly crash off a southwestern Japan island in November, The Associated Press reported Friday. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin endorsed plans for a safe and measured resumption of Osprey operations during a high-level meeting Friday morning, the U.S. news agency said, citing officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. On Nov. 29, the Air Force CV-22 Osprey went down off Yakushima Island during a routine exercise. The crash, killing eight airmen, was the deadliest involving the U.S.-made Osprey -- which takes off like a helicopter but flies much faster, like an airplane -- since their combat debut in 2007. The crash renewed concerns in Japan, a major U.S. security ally, over the safety of the aircraft. Following a series of requests from Japan, the U.S. military grounded all Ospreys in Japan and elsewhere after determining the accident may have been due to a technical malfunction. Japan also grounded its fleet of 14 Ospreys. The AP said the head of Naval Air Systems Command is likely to visit Japan next week to brief the Japanese government on the Osprey restart plans. Related coverage: U.S. says analysis of Osprey crash off Japan coast to take weeks U.S. forces ship carrying Osprey wreckage arrives western Japan base U.S. vows not to fly Osprey aircraft until confirming safety Former President Donald Trump continued his march toward the Republican nomination Saturday, winning caucuses in Idaho and Missouri and sweeping the delegate haul at a party convention in Michigan. Trump earned every delegate at stake Saturday, bringing his count to 244 compared with 24 for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. A candidate needs to secure 1,215 delegates to clinch the Republican nomination. The next event on the Republican calendar is Sunday in the District of Columbia. Two days later is Super Tuesday, when 16 states will hold primaries on what will be the largest day of voting of the year outside of the November election. Trump is on track to lock up the nomination days later. Here's a look at Saturday's contests: Michigan Michigan Republicans at their convention in Grand Rapids began allocating 39 of the state's 55 Republican presidential delegates. Trump won all 39 delegates allocated. But a significant portion of the party's grassroots force skipped the gathering because of the lingering effects of a monthslong dispute over the party's leadership. Trump won Michigan's primary this past Tuesday with 68% of the vote compared with Haley's 27%. Michigan Republicans were forced to split their delegate allocation into two parts after Democrats, who control the state government, moved Michigan into the early primary states, violating the national Republican Party's rules. Missouri Voters lined up outside a church in Columbia, home to the University of Missouri, before the doors opened for the caucuses. Once they got inside, they heard appeals from supporters of the candidates. "Every 100 days, we're spending $1 trillion, with money going all over the world. Illegals are running across the border," Tom Mendenall, an elector for Trump in 2016 and 2020, said to the crowd. He later added: "You know where Donald Trump stands on a lot of these issues." Christensen, a 31-year-old from Columbia who came to the caucus with his wife and three children ages 7, 5, and 2, then urged Republicans to go in a new direction. "I don't need to hear about Mr. Trump's dalliances with people of unsavory character, nor do my children," Christensen said to the room. "And if we put that man in the office, that's what we're going to hear about all the time. And I'm through with it." Supporters quickly moved to one side of the room or the other, depending on whether they favored Trump or Haley. There was little discussion between caucus-goers after they chose a side. This year was the first test of the new system, which is almost entirely run by volunteers on the Republican side. The caucuses were organized after Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed a 2022 law that, among other things, canceled the planned March 12 presidential primary. Lawmakers failed to reinstate the primary despite calls to do so by both state Republican and Democratic party leaders. Democrats will hold a party-run primary on March 23. Trump prevailed twice under Missouri's old presidential primary system. Idaho Last year, Idaho lawmakers passed cost-cutting legislation that was intended to move all of the state's primaries to the same date in May. But the bill inadvertently eliminated the presidential primaries entirely. The Republican-led Legislature considered holding a special session to reinstate the presidential primaries but failed to agree on a proposal in time, leaving both parties with presidential caucuses as the only option. "I think there's been a lot of confusion because most people don't realize that our Legislature actually voted in a flawed bill," said Jessie Bryant, who volunteered at a caucus site near downtown Boise. "So the caucus is really just the best-case scenario to actually get an opportunity to vote for a presidential candidate and nominate them for the (Republican Party)." The Democratic caucuses aren't until May 23. The United States on Saturday began airdrops of emergency humanitarian assistance into Gaza. President Joe Biden, who announced the operation Friday, said the U.S. was looking into additional ways to help Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled territory as the Israel-Hamas war goes on. Here is a look at what to know: When did the airdrops start? Three C-130 cargo planes from Air Forces Central dropped 66 bundles containing about 35,000 meals into Gaza at 8:30 a.m. EST Saturday. The bundles were dropped in southwest Gaza, on the beach along the territorys Mediterranean coast, one U.S. official said. The airdrop was coordinated with the Royal Jordanian Air Force, which has been airdropping food and took part in Saturdays mission. More airdrops are expected to follow. Why now? Biden's decision comes after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured Thursday trying to access aid in northern Gaza under disputed circumstances, according to Gazas Hamas-run Health Ministry. Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy, while Israel has said that it fired only when its troops felt threatened and that most of the civilian casualties were from trampling. The U.S. has been pushing Israel to speed the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and to open a third crossing into the territory, but the violence Thursday showed the challenges no matter the circumstances. The loss of life is heartbreaking," Biden said as he announced his decision to order airdrops. "People are so desperate. How will the U.S. ensure aid gets to where it's needed? Asked how the U.S. would keep the supplies from falling into Hamas' hands, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the U.S. would learn over the course of the aerial operation. Theres few military operations that are more complicated than humanitarian assistance airdrops," he said. Kirby said Pentagon planners will identify drop locations aiming to balance getting the aid closest to where it's needed without putting those on the ground in harm's way from the drops themselves. The biggest risk is making sure nobody gets hurt on the ground, Kirby said. He said the U.S. is also working through how the airdropped aid will be collected and distributed once it's on the ground. Will it make a difference? The U.S. believes the airdrops will help address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, but they are no replacement for trucks, which can transport far more aid more effectively although Thursday's events also showed the risks with ground transport. Kirby said the airdrops have an advantage over trucks in that planes can move aid to a particular location very quickly. But in terms of volume, the airdrops will be "a supplement to, not a replacement for, moving things in by ground. What else can be done? The U.S. and allies have tried to broker a new temporary cease-fire between Hamas and Israel that would see the release of more hostages held by the militant group in Gaza, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and an up-to-six-week pause in the fighting. If a cease-fire were secured, the U.S. hopes it would allow large quantities of aid to flow into Gaza over a sustained period. Biden said Friday the U.S. was working with allies on establishing a maritime corridor to provide assistance to Palestinians from the sea. A key U.S. lawmaker highlighted Friday the "shocking" rise in imports under a trade exemption for small packages, amid heightened scrutiny on Chinese-founded online retailers Shein and Temu. Both platforms, known for selling items at low prices, have been said to use a rule that allows products to enter the country duty-free via shipments valued at less than $800. Some 1.05 billion shipments entered tax-free under the provision known as the de minimis exemption in 2023, said Mike Gallagher, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. This was "a shocking 53% increase from 2022," he said in a statement. According to Customs and Border Protection Agency data disclosed to the Select Committee, Gallagher said more than 485 million de minimis shipments have already entered the United States in this fiscal year. Among other issues, such exemptions could allow companies to evade scrutiny over forced labor concerns, he noted. Shein and Temu have made big inroads in the United States and are seen as upstart rivals to Amazon. Shein has quickly conquered the global fast fashion market by selling its products exclusively online and catering to young customers through social media. But it has been accused of exploiting unpaid labor, obscuring production processes and encouraging overconsumption. In interim findings released last June, the Select Committee said Temu and Shein were likely responsible for more than 30% of all packages shipped to the U.S. daily under the de minimis provision. When it comes to such shipments from China, the figure is even higher. "Foreign businesses have built entire sales models to take advantage of the de minimis exemption to avoid taxes and scrutiny while undercutting American companies that play by the rules," said the Select Committee on Friday. Gallagher also urged Congress to take "urgent action" on this matter. Analysts have noted that the rise of Shein and Temu came as leading U.S. fashion companies grew increasingly wary of exposure to China given tensions between Washington and Beijing. Thirty-one members of the U.S. Congress recently signed a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging them to not recognize a new government in Pakistan until an investigation into allegations of election interference has been conducted. Voters in Pakistan went to polls on February 8. On election day, mobile services were blocked by Pakistani authorities and there were cases of violence. Many political leaders and activists were arrested in the weeks before the elections. There was an unusual delay in issuing the election results. All these things led to accusations that the vote was rigged. VOA Urdu Service reporter Iram Abbasi interviewed U.S. Representative Greg Casar, a Texas Democrat, who wrote the letter to Biden. The following transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity. VOA: What are the three demands put forward to the White House and State Department in your letter? U.S. Representative Greg Casar: I've led a group of over 30 members of Congress asking the United States and the White House to, one, withhold recognition of the folks that say they won the Pakistani election until an independent investigation is completed, showing that the election was not rigged. Second, we are urging the release of any of those wrongfully detained for engaging in political free speech or just political activity, because people should be able to be journalists, to be able to be candidates, to be able to be political activists without fear of detention or violence against them. And lastly, we want to make it very clear that the United States security assistance to the military in Pakistan and, frankly, to the military anywhere in the world, is contingent on following strong human rights standards. VOA: What motivated you to lead a group of 31 lawmakers to write this letter to the president and Secretary Blinken? Casar: If we believe in democracy [in] the United States, then we should believe in democracy everywhere, especially when it comes to our allies. I, myself, have long studied how the United States suppressed democracy in Latin America. Far too often in Latin America, the United States supposedly was leading on democracy but instead let oligarchs, let large corporations, and let military interests override the will of the people. And so, the United States supported coups, supported military governments and suppressed democracy in Latin America. And that ultimately hurt, not just Latin Americans, but also hurt people in the United States. It did not work. It did not work economically. It did not work for our safety. The same should apply with [the] United States and Pakistan. We should not simply let geopolitics or corporations or our military alliance override our core value of democracy. VOA: You've just said that the U.S. has supported coups around the world. Some would argue that with this letter, you might be asking the U.S. to meddle in the internal politics of Pakistan. Casar: We are not meddling in those internal politics. In fact, the question is whether or not there was a free and fair election. So, our interest is not whether one group or another group wins an election. The people of Pakistan should be able to decide their own election. ... We have very clear laws that aid is contingent on human rights being respected, free speech being respected. We do not want the United States taxpayer dollars to go to militaries that then use that money to incarcerate journalists or suppress free speech or suppress political parties. VOA: I've spoken to the State Department about this previously because these efforts have been made in the past as well. And their stance is that they want the people of Pakistan to decide who their leader should be. What would you say to that? Casar: I agree that they should have that ... we should not meddle in domestic politics and that whoever the people of Pakistan want to be elected by majority vote, that's who should be elected. So, the question is, did that happen? And there is extensive video evidence, extensive testimony. And in fact, the State Department knows that there are very credible allegations that are on video, of things happening before the election and allegations after the election that are very concerning to the United States, but are also very concerning, even more concerning, to the people of Pakistan. So, I am not saying that we should withhold recognition of a government for no reason. We should only make sure that the will of the people of Pakistan is heard. VOA: What do you think you would be able to achieve with this letter if the State Department has received such requests in the past? As you said, there are examples of how journalists are being put in jail and how there are several voices in Pakistan who are saying that elections are allegedly rigged. The government denies that. But what do you think you'll be able to achieve out of it? Casar: I think if there is an independent and credible investigation into these allegations and it is determined that the elections either were significantly rigged or were not, but the United States and a coalition of nations stands behind whatever the investigation finds that will be very powerful and very important on the world stage and hopefully will help us get to a more stable and secure and democratic Pakistan, which is good for the entire world, because, as you know, this is a country of over 200 million people. This isn't a small thing for the world. VOA: In your letter, there is this notion that there was pre-poll rigging, along with the allegations of election rigging. Your letter seems to include that sentiment toward former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as though he was put in jail for the wrong reasons, or he had not been given a fair trial? Casar: I believe that everyone deserves a fair trial, and it is so important for him [to receive a fair trial]. ... The people of Pakistan want to be able to recognize this and know that their elections are fair and that their leadership was chosen fairly. And so, I think a fair trial for him is important. It's important for everyone, but it is important, of course, for those political leaders. Again, I have no interest in whether he or anyone else leads Pakistan. That is not our interest in the United States. Pakistan should be able to determine its own domestic politics. Editor's note: Here is a look at immigration-related news around the U.S. this week. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com. Biden, Trump Make Dueling Visits to US-Mexico Border U.S. President Joe Biden and former U.S. President Donald Trump visited the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday. While Biden urged Congress to reconsider a bipartisan immigration bill that fell apart in the Senate, Trump focused on crimes committed by migrants. Immigration is expected to be a key issue in the November presidential election, as tens of thousands of migrants have crossed into the United States without authorization each week. VOAs Ken Bredemeier and immigration reporter Aline Barros have more. US Announces Fee Increases for Immigration, Naturalization Petitions The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is increasing certain immigration and naturalization fees for the first time since 2016. The change will be in effect April 1. The increases affect employment-based petitions, family-based immigration applications and U.S. naturalization cases. Per U.S. immigration law, USCIS is required to revise its fee structure every two years. VOAs immigration reporter Aline Barros has more. US, Mexico, Guatemala Boost Cooperation to Control Migrant Arrivals at Southern Border U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted a meeting Wednesday in Washington with top Mexican and Guatemalan officials to discuss managing irregular migration, displacement and expanding lawful immigration pathways in the Western Hemisphere. VOAs immigration reporter Aline Barros has more. Asylum-Seekers Find Shelter at Washington State Church Although the number of migrants crossing daily into the United States has fallen since December, local communities are still scrambling to provide them with resources. In the Pacific Northwest, Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila, Washington, has become a shelter for hundreds of asylum-seekers from Africa and Latin America. Produced by Natasha Mozgovaya. For Some Chinese Migrants, Few Options in Xi's China With only a backpack, a portable tent and a small shoulder bag, Cong, a 47-year-old Chinese migrant, was one of more than a dozen migrants to step out of a narrow wooden boat on the stony shore of the Chucunaque River in Lajas Blancas, Panama. The stop was one of dozens he had made over the past month, and it was where he met with VOA's Mandarin Service on his journey toward the United States a journey that began in China's southwestern province of Sichuan. Cong declined to provide his full name, citing security concerns. Produced by Adrianna Zhang. Judge Blocks Texas Law That Gives Police Power to Arrest Migrants Who Illegally Enter US A federal judge on Thursday blocked a new Texas law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of illegally entering the U.S., dealing a victory to the Biden administration in its feud with Republican Governor Greg Abbott over immigration enforcement. The Associated Press reports. Killing of Georgia Nursing Student at Center of US Immigration Debate Laken Riley was a 22-year-old nursing student out on her morning run at the University of Georgia when, authorities say, a stranger dragged her into a secluded area and killed her, sending shockwaves through campus as police searched for a suspect. The arrest of a Venezuelan man who entered the U.S. illegally and was allowed to stay to pursue his immigration case put the tragedy at the center of the 2024 presidential campaign. The Associated Press reports. Immigration around the world Australia Sends Asylum-Seekers Who Arrived by Boat to Pacific Processing Center A group of asylum-seekers has been flown from Australia to Nauru after they were discovered in a remote part of Western Australia. Their arrival on the Australian mainland reignited the political debate about immigration policy and border protection. The Canberra government has been criticized by the conservative opposition of losing control of Australias maritime borders. Produced by Phil Mercer. News brief Senior official performing the duties of the Deputy Secretary Kristie Canegallo and Indian Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla met in New Delhi to co-chair the U.S.-India Homeland Security Dialogue. During the meeting, officials reaffirmed the commitment of the United States and India to strengthen access to lawful immigration pathways while enforcing immigration law to include returns of individuals who do not have a legal basis to remain in the United States. The United States will not hit its 155-millimeter artillery shell production goals unless Congress passes the supplemental funding bill thats currently stalled in the U.S. House of Representatives, officials tell VOA. Shortly after Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainian forces began burning through U.S. stockpiles of 155 mm rounds used in howitzer systems, which the U.S. had provided to Kyiv to help defend its territory and citizens. To quickly replenish U.S. stockpiles and keep up with demand for shells in Ukraine, the Pentagon set out to expand American production capacity from about 14,000 units per month before Russias invasion to 100,000 rounds per month in 2025. Without additional supplemental funding, we cannot achieve our goal, a U.S. Defense Department official told VOA. Plans to increase production The U.S. is currently producing approximately 28,000 155 mm rounds per month, with a ramp-up plan to produce 70,000-80,000 rounds per month by the end of 2024, Pentagon spokesperson Jeff Jurgensen told VOA. But 155 mm shell production will peak there unless additional funds are provided. A defense official told VOA that would not only prevent aid from flowing to Ukraine but would also impact the United States ability to replenish its own stockpiles. An artillery duel The U.S. and its allies have sent more than 2 million rounds of 155 mm artillery ammunition to Ukraine to help Kyiv repel Russian forces. Analysts and former officials say howitzer systems have been among the most effective weapons provided to Ukraine. The war has largely become an artillery duel between Ukraine and Russia, with both sides burning through as many as tens of thousands of rounds each week. The U.S. Army has said it needs Congress to approve about $3 billion more in funds specifically for expanding 155 mm artillery round production to quickly replace stocks depleted by shipments to Ukraine as well as Israel. The U.S. began sending artillery rounds to Israel following Hamas deadly attack on October 7. Israel has vowed to remove Hamas from the Gaza Strip in response to the attack and launched an operation into Gaza that has killed tens of thousands. James A. Anderson, 89 of Starbuck and formerly of Lowry, died on Tuesday, March 12th. A talking fetus, dreams of the ocean, and Anya Taylor-Joy heres what it all means. Photo: John Nacion/Getty Images Spoilers for the events of Dune: Part Two, as well as speculation about what might happen next. If youve watched Dune: Part Two, or at least seen photos from the movies red carpet premiere, you may have discovered that, surprise, Anya Taylor-Joy is in this franchise now. The actress, who also happens to be leading another sandy Warner Bros. property soon, only appears late in the film in a brief dream sequence where Timothee Chalamets Paul Atreides sees visions of the future. Shes the grown-up version of his sister Alia, who ominously promises him that she loves him and explains their familial connection to the evil Harkonnen dynasty. She stands right where a bunch of sand dunes meet a vast ocean, portending big changes ahead for Arrakis. So, who is this Alia? As you might imagine, shell probably have a much larger role in the third film, whenever that gets made. Alia Atreides is a key figure in Dune Messiah, Frank Herberts wild and pulpier sequel to Dune, though her role in this film is actually cut down from what happens in the novel. Throughout the film, Alia is still in utero, though her fetus communicates telepathically with her mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and by proxy with Paul. While that alone is a pretty wild bit of sci-fi, the book goes even further: Paul and Jessica spend years in the desert with the Fremen before staging their attack on the Harkonnens, so Jessica gives birth to Alia there. Her daughter is then born with all sorts of precognitive abilities and mentally develops preternaturally quickly. Basically, you have a four-year-old with bright blue eyes holding her own in debates with the adults around her (in David Lynchs 1984 version of Dune, Alia was played by Alicia Witt in a tiny Bene Gesserit costume). Paul kills Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) in the climactic battle between the Fremen (the indigenous people of Arrakis) and the Harkonnens in Villeneuves movie. But in the book, Alia gets involved in the fight herself. She leads Fremen fighting parties, gets captured by the Harkonnens, and then kills the Baron herself with a poisoned Gom Jabbar (its pretty badass, and also like that one meme). Her skills in battle earn her the title St. Alia the Knife. So why is Alia like that? Remember, Paul is the product of years of selective breeding by the Bene Gesserit, and his mother jumped the gun on the secretive sisterhoods plans by giving birth to a son instead of a daughter in the first place. (Jessica believed Paul could be the messiah-like Kwisatz Haderach, a man who can take on the abilities of a Reverend Mother, the most powerful among the Bene Gesserit. The rest of the sisterhood, meanwhile, thought it might take another generation.) So Alia, like her brother, has all those highly-powerful genes. When her mother gets exposed to the Water of Life in that Fremen ritual we see in Part Two an act which, as Jessica discovers, mirrors the Bene Gesserit process of anointing a Reverend Mother Alia goes through the same experience in the womb. She, like Jessica and eventually Paul (once he completes the ritual himself and survives, which a man could supposedly only do if hes the Kwisatz Haderach), gains the ability to access generations of memories based down through all that breeding. That gives her telepathy, as well as the ability to project her memories into others, and all sorts of other skills. But in this case, that kind of power is also dangerous its risky to give someone superpowers before theyve fully developed eyes and teeth. The Bene Gesserit consider Alia an abomination because she may become overwhelmed by the personalities of those who came before her. As the movie reveals, Jessica is the Barons daughter, and you really wouldnt want those ancestors banging around in your brain. As a side note, its interesting to place her in a vision in front of a giant body of water. Villeneuves movies have underemphasized it, but a key aspect of Herberts novels is that the Fremen are engaged in a long (like, millennia-spanning) project to transform the environment of Arrakis itself from desert into greenery (Herbert was really inspired by dune reclamation projects in real life). When Paul sees Alia by the water, hes also seeing a future with a successfully transformed planet though of course, flooding Arrakis with water would drown the sand worms, which produce the spice, on which depends so much of the empires whole economy. What an ecological metaphor! So whats Anya Taylor-Joy going to get up to in Dune: Part Three? Its to hard know how Villeneuve and company will work around the ages of their cast of movie stars, but Dune: Messiah takes place 12 years into the future, so we can assume were in for a time jump and will be seeing Taylor-Joy playing grown-up Alia there. (Maybe theyll also say that shes matured quickly thanks to those powers, or find some other way to obfuscate the fact that Timothee is one year older than Anya in real life). The key thing is that, in the book, Alia works as Pauls ally, helping him shore up support within his ever-growing empire, while also entering into a romance with a newly-revived Duncan Idaho. Yup! Jason Momoa will be coming back, because his Han Solo-esque rogue (to be clear, Dune inspired Star Wars, not the other way around) gets revived as a ghola, or clone, named Hayt. (Let the age gap discourse begin.) He and Alia work together to try to unravel a plot against the empire its all very Attack of the Clones, in more ways than one. Their dynamic is complicated by the fact that Hayt is actually a sleeper agent, programmed to take down the Atreides. That plan doesnt succeed due to various plot developments and Alia and a de-programmed Duncan do get together, but the key thing is that as Alia grows more powerful, she also tends to become more ruthless. At the end of the book, acting as regent, she defies Pauls wishes and orders the execution of those responsible for a plot against him. That arc sets up some even wilder developments in Children of Dune, which Villeneuve may not adapt, but which has one key storyline he seems to be hinting at with those visions in Dune: Part Two. You know how Paul keeps seeing an imperious figure walking through the desert surrounded by masses of people in despair? And then he discovers that the figure is a woman? (In one shot that figure looks like Ferguson in profile, but lets just say this is general women in the bloodline foreboding.) Well, in the books, when Alia is regent, she succumbs to the personality of her grandfather Baron Harkonnen and becomes a tyrant in her own right. Because hes in control, she also becomes obsessed with sex. Alias only stopped by Paul and Chanis twin children, who come into the picture at the end of Dune: Messiah and are pre-born themselves but more in control of their powers. With their help, she tries to wrest control of her faculties from the Barons influence, but then jumps out a window to kill herself. (In the 2003 Children of Dune TV miniseries adaptation, she stabs herself with a crysknife instead, which has a nice live by the knife, die by the knife poetry.) Possession and defenestration might be plotlines too far out for Warner Bros. to adapt. But I really do hope that Villeneuve gets to some of that part of Alias arc, if only because I hope Taylor-Joys take on the Harkonnen voice is as wildly Skarsgardian as Austin Butlers. Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images for Central Park Tower Iris Apfel, the larger-than-life fashion icon and interior designer whose Instagram bio fittingly declares More is more & less is a bore, has died at 102. She was the subject of filmmaker Albert Maysless 2014 documentary Iris, which was shortlisted for an Oscar. A spokesman for her estate also confirmed to the New York Times that she died in her home in Palm Beach, Florida, and Apfels official Instagram account also announced the news in a Friday post. Apfels agent, Lori Sale, told Vulture in a statement that working with Apfel was the honor of a lifetime. She was a visionary in every sense of the word. She saw the world through a unique lens one adorned with giant, distinctive spectacles that sat atop her nose, Sale said. Through those lenses, she saw the world as a kaleidoscope of color, a canvas of patterns and prints. Her artistic eye transformed the mundane into the extraordinary and her ability to blend the unconventional with the elegant was nothing short of magical. Born in Astoria in Queens, New York in 1921, Apfel became a collector at age 12 in a Greenwich Village basement, where she haggled for a brooch that became the first of countless pieces she acquired throughout her life. She would eventually become a legendary lender. (In 2005, the Metropolitan Museum of Art displayed items from her colorfully striking wardrobe in its first ever exhibition dedicated to a single persons clothing collection.) After studying art history at NYU and attending fine arts school at Wisconsin University, Apfels post-grad career brought her to Womens Wear Daily, where she worked under interior designer Elinor Johnson. She went on to found fabric company Old World Weavers with her husband, Carl Apfel, and the couple helped restore the White House during nine presidencies. Apfels stacked resume also includes jobs as a textile guru, visiting professor, brand ambassador, and social media star. She has collaborated with companies on collections of eyewear, clothing, beauty products, and rugs. The so-called geriatric starlet signed a modeling contract with IMG at age 97. A couple weeks after her 100th birthday, she told the Cut, I never take a break. I love to work. (Naturally, she also used her birthday party that year as a chance to debut a sneak peek at her latest H&M collection.) KYODO NEWS - Mar 2, 2024 - 10:13 | All, Japan Around a fifth of the 133 nurses employed in a major hospital in Wajima, a city that suffered heavy damage in the Jan. 1 Noto Peninsula earthquake, have decided to quit or are considering it, the hospital has said. The potential exodus poses challenges for the hospital and three other institutions facing a similar situation in the northern Noto region's two towns and two cities, including Wajima, with health services already disrupted in the aftermath of the magnitude-7.6 quake. The figures on the potential loss of 28 nurses, or 21 percent of the total, emerged in Wajima Municipal Hospital's workforce planning for fiscal 2024, which starts in April, after its nurses were surveyed on what would make them stay in their jobs. The 28 who said they have decided to quit or are considering it are primarily in their late 20s and 30s. The hospital said in late February that some of its nurses have no choice but to leave after their homes were damaged or they were forced to move away due to their children's schooling or spouses' work situations. Some have apparently considered raising their children in areas that sustained less severe damage in the quake, the hospital said. Hospital officials said that even before the quake, the area struggled to recruit staff amid an aging population. To prevent further staff attrition, health minister Keizo Takemi said in a Feb. 20 press conference that the government is considering a system to allow medical staff to work at other health care facilities while staying as employees at hospitals in disaster-hit areas. Under the scheme, staff could work at public hospitals in relatively unscathed southern Ishikawa Prefecture, and return to their original workplaces after recovery efforts progress. The hospital in Wajima typically has around 10 nursing staff away on maternity or child care leave at any time. If an additional 28 people are lost, it is expected to be able to care only for around 50 to 60 beds of its 175 capacity. "Secondary evacuations are continuing, and outpatient numbers are down, too, meaning we are able to withstand the decline at present. But looking to the coming years, a rapid decline in young people would be fatal to the personnel structure," said Kuniyuki Kawasaki, the hospital's administrative manager. Related coverage: FEATURE: Noto quake cold deaths spark hypothermia public awareness drive Only 45 quake-hit foreign trainees in Japan allowed to do other jobs Government to extend extra 100 bil. yen for quake relief in central Japan Photo: David Becker/Getty Images for iHeartRadio Bethany Joy Lenz, best known for playing Haley James Scott on One Tree Hill, is in the process of releasing Dinner for Vampires, a book about the decade she spent in a cult called the Big House Family. If that immediately makes you want to ask a few questions, youre in luck. Although the book isnt out until October 22, Lenz did give us a look at the cover art this week. This isnt the first book I thought Id write, publicly, but as difficult as this subject matter is to untangle, Im grateful I get to share my story, my way, she captioned an Instagram post to promote the book. Its a story of forgiveness and a roadmap to how manipulation works, with heartache and humor along the way. We all make mistakes and I hope Dinner for Vampires reminds you that, no matter what weird roads youve gone down, youre not alone . According to publisher, Simon & Schuster, the memoir tracks how a low-key at-home Bible study transformed into something more sinister, leading her to relocate to the Familys Pacific Northwest compound, marry one of the ministers sons, and lose her autonomy (plus millions of dollars). Lenz first opened up about her experience in a lengthy interview with Variety last August. According to Lenz, the One Tree Hill cast and crew were aware of her cult membership while she was working on the WB turned CW teen soap. For a while, they were all trying to save me and rescue me, which is lovely and so amazing to be cared about in that way, Lenz recalled. But I was very stubborn. I was really committed to what I believed were the best choices I could make. Lenz described the cults leader as a sociopathic person, noting that he reminded her so much of NXIVMs Keith Raniere that she DMd Sarah Edmondson after watching The Vow to talk about the similarities. According to Lenz, the group began as a home Bible study in Los Angeles. She said it encouraged isolation from and distrust of non-members, which extended beyond just her One Tree Hill co-stars for Lenz, one of the most painful, shameful, difficult parts is that she distanced herself from friends and family, missing many major life events. Her loyalty to the cult also caused her to turn down opportunities to be in huge movies and Broadway shows at the height of her career, she said. Everything Id trained for, all my childhood dreams were coming true and I said no to all of it so I could go live with this remote, small group of people, convinced I was making a noble, spiritual sacrifice, she recalled. Ill tell you, any group that requires you to believe every detail of what they believe in order to be loved without condemnation please run the other way. Just run. Lenz left the cult very shortly after One Tree Hill ended in 2012. It helped that the show had kept her in North Carolina for nine months out of the year, she said, reflecting that the spatial separation made a big difference when it was time for me to wake up. Motherhood was also a factor. But even after her exit, her time in the cult continued to impact her. Lenz said she has struggled to trust others, as well as her own judgment. Still, she is hopeful that something good will come out of sharing her story. The actress said she plans to publish as many dirty details in her book as she can without causing harm, in hopes of allowing readers to recognize if people in their lives are behaving similarly. I just want to squeeze every ounce of help out of this experience, Lenz concluded. I want this experience to just be the fucking biggest lemon I ever had. Let me fucking squeeze out all the juice for everybody else were gonna make some lemonade. This post has been updated. Photo: John Nacion/Getty Images Well, yes! Stellan Skarsgard recently reminisced about tapping into the male bimbo psyche for his role in Mamma Mia! in an interview with Vanity Fair. The 72-year-old actor said it was absurd that he was asked to be in a musical since he cant sing or dance, but he felt a little safer once he realized that Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth (they cant sing and dance either) had also been cast. He said he and Firth really tried for a month and a half to learn to dance to Voulez-Vous, but ultimately failed. Luckily, Skarsgard knew that wasnt the point of the role. I understood that we were just supposed to be like, in a film that is produced by men and directed by men and men in the leads, you have the bimbo. And we were the bimbos in this female production, he reflected. We didnt have to be anything but look cute and be silly. According to Skarsgard, the only real request made of Amanda Seyfrieds on-screen dads was that they have fun. We get the feeling Skarsgard received a longer list of asks for Dune: Part Two, considering that he reportedly spent eight hours in the makeup chair to transform into Baron Harkonnen. Now theres a guy who has most definitely never been called cute or silly. Photo: Gotham/WireImage James Gunn is making yet another superhero movie, and he has found the Daily Planets next editor-in-chief. The Wires Wendell Pierce will join the cast of Superman as big boss Perry White, per The Hollywood Reporter. Hell report to work alongside David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan as Clark Kent and Lois Lane, plus the Dust Bowl-esque Skyler Gisondo as boyish cub photographer Jimmy Olsen. The addition of the burdened-but-beautiful Gisondo to Gunns Superman revamp and the Daily Planets darkroom may unintentionally bring more memes to Metropolis; however, Gunn does come from a comedic background. He did movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, so maybe his Superman will be more of an action rom-com and less of a slow-burn superhero noir with jazz music in the background (Corenswet is a Ryan Murphy alum, after all). Heres everything we know about the film, which was previously titled Superman: Legacy, so far. Whos in the cast? David Corenswet, a double Ryan Murphy collaborator who famously played Ben Platts characters boyfriend in The Politician, is Clark Kent, while Mrs. Maisel herself steps into Lois Lanes shoes, per The Hollywood Reporter. The casting decision is quite interesting given their vibes I mean, Superman has earth-shattering, I-can-move-mountains energy, so Corenswet totally has the challenge of summoning an immense amount of muscly gravitas ahead of him that he cant mine from a kitschy Ryan Murphy production or Pearl. Brosnahan won out over Sex Educations Emma Mackey and Bridgertons Phoebe Dynevor to play Daily Planet journalist Lois Lane. Corenswet beat The Greats Nicholas Hoult and Grantchesters Tom Brittney for the role, making him the fourth Superman after Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, and Henry Cavill a part that will also serve as his first leading role. Serious stuff (for a possibly unserious film?). Metropolis is filling up with heroes and villians, per THR. Besides Superman, the film will star Gunn mainstay Nathan Fillion as hothead Green Lantern Guy Gardner. Barrys Anthony Corrigan will play true weirdo Metamorpho, Isabela Merced will take up Hawkgirls mace, and Edi Gathegi will play Mister Terrific. Hoult made his way back into the picture as the villainous Lex Luthor. His assistant, Eve Teschmacher, joins him for some sexy but evil moves as Portuguese model Sara Sampaio has been cast. When does it come out? The film will fly into theaters on July 11, 2025, which also happens to be Gunns late fathers birthday. He didnt understand me as a kid, but he supported my love of comics and my love of film, Gunn said, and I wouldnt be making this movie now without him. This post has been updated. This content is expired! Unfortunely this content is expired and cannot be viewed anymore; if You are the owner of this content please login to our Website, go to our access panel and enable this content again. KYODO NEWS - Mar 2, 2024 - 09:10 | All, Japan, World Japan's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by the Okinawa governor against a ruling that paved the way for the state to override the local government and begin landfill work on a controversial U.S. military base transfer. The decision, dated Thursday, is likely to be seen as an endorsement for the central government to continue its work to reinforce soft ground at the relocation site for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within the southern island prefecture. The central government and Okinawa Prefecture have long been at odds over the transfer of the Futenma base from the densely-populated Ginowan to the Henoko coastal area in Nago. Okinawa has hosted the majority of U.S. military facilities in Japan since World War II ended in 1945. The top court has now finalized the ruling by the Fukuoka High Court's Naha branch in December that ordered Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki to approve a modified plan for landfill work to relocate a key U.S. base within three weekdays. Following the ruling, Tamaki ignored the high court's order for him to approve the plan, prompting the central government to intervene and grant approval on his behalf. In early January, the Defense Ministry began the landfill work. The five justices of the Supreme Court were unanimous in concluding there was no reason to accept the final appeal, but they did not offer further details about their judgment. Tamaki, who first became Okinawa governor in 2018 campaigning on a pledge to stop the transfer of the Futenma base, criticized the decision. "I had expected a fair judgment in their capacity as 'guardians of the law.' It is extremely regrettable that the judiciary has thrown out the case without putting forward a tangible decision," he told reporters in Naha after the ruling. Agreement on the relocation plan was reached with the United States in 1996, with Henoko chosen in 1999 by the Japanese government. However, opposition from Okinawa residents and political wrangling have delayed the plan for years. In 2013, then Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima approved the central government's request for landfill work to build a replacement facility in Henoko, but his successor, Takeshi Onaga, revoked the approval in 2015. The Supreme Court later ruled the retraction unlawful, paving the way for landfill works to start in 2018. However, the discovery of soft ground at the reclamation site led the Defense Ministry to apply for a change in the construction plan in 2020. Tamaki did not approve the request, citing insufficient research as the reason. Related coverage: Japan defense minister meets Okinawa governor over U.S. base transfer U.S. base transfer work in Okinawa begins after state OKs by proxy Japan gov't overrides Okinawa objection to U.S. base transfer work A guide to the must see museusm in Naples. Naples, a city rich in history, culture, and art, is home to some of Italy's most fascinating museums. These institutions house vast collections that span centuries, offering insights into both local Neapolitan culture and broader human history. Here's a look at some of the best museums in Naples, each contributing uniquely to the city's vibrant cultural landscape. The National Archaeological Museum of Naples For an in-depth exploration of the rich tapestry of ancient civilizations, the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN) is a must-visit. It offers an extensive collection of artifacts from Pompeii, Herculaneum, and other sites, illuminating Roman life and beyond. The museum is located at Piazza Museo 18/19 and is open from 9:00 am to 7:30 pm, but note that it's closed on Tuesdays. For more detailed information on exhibits and events, you can visit their official website at mann-napoli.it. Capodimonte Museum The Capodimonte Museum, situated in the grand Capodimonte Palace amidst the lush Capodimonte Park in Naples, Italy, is a treasure trove of Italian art. This museum houses an impressive collection that spans several centuries, featuring works by renowned artists such as Caravaggio, Raphael, and Titian. It is not only a testament to the rich artistic heritage of Italy but also offers visitors insights into the historical and cultural contexts of the artworks displayed. For detailed and up-to-date information about visiting hours, current exhibitions, and ticket prices, please consult the museum's official website or a trusted travel guide. The Museum of San Martino Perched atop the Vomero hill, the Museum of San Martino offers panoramic views of Naples, rivaled only by its own collection focused on Neapolitan history and culture. The former monastery now serves as a custodian of art, featuring intricate nativity scenes, paintings, and historical exhibits. Official website here. The Royal Palace of Naples The Royal Palace of Naples stands as a monumental testament to the city's rich historical tapestry. Originally designed in the 17th century as a royal residence for the Spanish viceroys, it has witnessed the comings and goings of various European dynasties, including the Bourbons. Today, it serves as a museum and cultural hub, offering visitors a chance to explore its lavishly decorated rooms, art collections, and the famed Teatro di San Carlo's historical archives. For those interested in delving deeper into Naples' aristocratic past and artistic heritage, the Royal Palace is an essential stop. Official website here. MADRE - The Contemporary Art Museum MADRE, the Museum of Contemporary Art DonnaREgina of Naples, offers a captivating exploration of modern and contemporary art within a historical framework. Established in a refurbished 19th-century building, MADRE showcases a rich collection of artworks from the 20th and 21st centuries, emphasizing both Italian and international artists. The museum's dynamic exhibition program, educational workshops, and special events make it a vital center for cultural discourse in Naples, appealing to art enthusiasts and scholars alike. For more details on current exhibitions and visiting information, please check their official website. These museums not only celebrate the artistic and historical achievements of Naples and beyond but also serve as gateways to understanding the layers of human creativity. They embody the spirit of Naples - a city where the past enriches the present, and culture transcends time. Visiting these museums offers a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the essence of Naples, a city that continues to inspire and captivate with its indelible mark on the world's cultural landscape. Whether you are a history buff, an art aficionado, or simply curious, Naples' museums await to unfold their treasures before your eyes. Ph: Wila_Image / Shutterstock.com On 15 June 2000, ex-windsurfing champion and Italian television producer Enrico Chico Forti was sentenced to life in prison without parole in Florida for the murder of Dale Pike. 20 years later Italian officials are re-expressing interest. Four days ago, on 16 July 2020, Italian actor and Director Enrico Montesano held a sit-in in Piazza Montecitorio in Rome. The reason? To get Italian politicians to vocalise their opinions about the case of Enrico Forti. Matteo Salvini, Federal Secretary of the Lega political party, attended the demonstration and said that the case of Enrico Forti goes beyond Italian politics and that he must be returned home. Enrico Montesanto and Matteo Salvini in Piazza Montecitorio. Ph: AdnKronos The political party Fratelli dItalia , similarly stated on the same day, but in a different location, that All political forces in a unitary and transversal way are active to commit the Government to do everything possible so that our compatriot can serve the remainder of the sentence here in the homeland. So what happened in the case of Enrico Forti and why is his case attracting attention again? The victim Image of Dale Pike Freddy Mercury and Tony Pike The events before 15 February 1998 The body ofwas found on Virginia key in Miami, Florida by a beachgoer on 16 February 1998. Pike, a man of 42 when his body was found, was the son of late hotelier Tony Pike who owned Pikes Hotel in Ibiza where the likes of George Michael and Freddie Mercury partied. Officials confirmed that the cause of death was two gunshot wounds to the back of his head with a calibre 22.The story begins with a real estate deal being made between Tony Pike and Chico Forti.Tony had signed a contract to sell the Pikes hotel to Chico. The two had met on Williams island in Miami through Tonys old friend,. According to Chaive Mesmer, a local shop owner who had briefly been married to Knott, the two had hit it off becoming close friends (as reported by CBS). Nevertheless, Tony had been diagnosed with having AIDS dementia in January 1997, just under a year before the deal was made. This was what propelled Dale to fly from Ibiza to Miami. Brad Pike, brother of Dale and son of Tony, told CBS news that he guessed Dale was suspicious because his father (Tony Pike) was not mentally together and that any deal had to be checked and looked at. Dale flew into Miami airport on the 15 February 1998 with the intention to meet with Chico and talk about the deal. The afternoon of 15 February 1998 Chicos version In a version told by Chico Forti to Erin Moriarty of CBS, Chico had organized to pick Dale up from the Miami airport when he had landed. Dales flight was late and the two communicated via the airport telecom system for an hour and a half.Chico stated that he was already pressed for time because he had to pick up his father-in-law from Fort Lauderdale airport, aproximately 25 miles away. Eventually the two had connected and Chico said that Dale had requested to stop and buy some cigarettes from a gas station. It was there that Forti mentioned Dale had made a phone call using the phone booth. Dale then requested if Chcico could drop him off at a party on Key Biscayne. Enrico declined as he had to collect his father-in-law, but dropped Dale off halfway at a high-end restaurant , The Rusty Pelican. Chico said Dale was going with friends of Thomas Knott. Chico then continued to say that when they arrived at The Rusty Pelican, Dale got into a white Lexus with an unfamiliar driver. He said that not once did they discuss the hotel deal. Forti did not tell his wife that he had picked up Dale from the airport. Dales body was found less than 24 hours later. Evidence against Forti Enrico was found guilty by all jurors for two principal reasons., Chico had told the same lie to the police as he did to his wife: that he did not pick up Dale Pike from the airport. Secondly, grains of sand matching the beach where Dale's body was found were found in Chicos car. This evidence was proven by geologist Doctor Maurrasse. Nevertheless, not everyone involved in Enricos case believed that this was enough evidence to sentence him to life in prison. Lack of further evidence and questionable procedures In his 2019 three-hour special on the Chico Forti case, Gaston Zama of Le Iene documented information on the inaccuracies on the procedures taken during the trial. Joe Tacopina, Fortis lawyer and Sean Crawley, ex-NYPD homicide squad captain and consultant on the case, criticized the procedure the justice system had taken with this case. Tacopina stated that when Forti was initially taken in by the police, they had lied to him intentionally and suggested that Tony Pike had also been found dead. Tacopina went on to surmise that this was to panic Enrico. Chico later told Erin Moriarty of CBS that it was in this moment and under those circumstances that he told the lie about not picking up Dale because he realised he was a suspect. Futhermore, the detectives had reportedly requested that Chico write every single word of a conversation that he had with Tony Pike from 5 months prior on a blank piece of paper. Tacopina quoted it sounds like a comedy but it isnt. Other suspicious procedures, as told by Tacopina, included the illegal act of police driving Fortis car whilst it was in custody and the police searching for the wrong phone transcripts as to who Dale Pike called at the petrol station phone booth on 15 February 1998. Detective Carter, who was the same detective that initially interrogated Forti, searched for phone records in February 1999 not February 1998 which was when Dale was murdered. She confessed that she had got the wrong year. To this day no one knows who Dale Pike called at the petrol station. Tacopina suggested however, that the real miscarriage of justice occurred when it was supposed that Ira Loewy had forged Chicos signature on a conflict interest waiver. Loewy was Enricos defence attorney but was also working part time as a prosecutor for the same office that was prosecuting Forti. In order for Loewy to proceed, Forti needed to sign a conflict of waiver. However, Forti denied having visitors on the date that it was signed as the prison was in quarantine because of an epidemic and even denied ever seeing the waiver. Sean Crawley also communicated that at the beginning of Enricos questioning with the police, they had denied him access to an attorney. He said that any statement given during that time was inadmissible as evidence. An overlooked suspect Image of Thomas Knott Next steps Speculations have been made as to whether Tony Pikes aforementioned friend Thomas Knott was responsible for the death of Dale Pike. Knott had moved from a German prison to Williams island. He was previously convicted of fraud. It had also been discovered that Knott had stolen $45,000 from Tony Pike and Dale Pike knew about it. Albeit a biased statement, Sean Crawley professed in the Le Iene documentary that Thomas Knott fits the profile of Dale Pikes killer.Whilst bigger steps need to be made, the Italian government is still evidently eager to look into the case of Chico Forti.In October 2019 Roberto Paccher, President of the Regional Counsil of Trentino Alto-Adige, where Enrico is from, wrote to the Italian President Sergio Mattarella . The letter requested that Mattarella speaks to U.S. officials on the behalf of Chico on his upcoming U.S. trip. It stated that: I take the liberty of turning to your always kind attention to submit a case already present to our Diplomatic Corps. This is one of our compatriots, Enrico Forti, detained following a conviction for murder for almost twenty years. The position and the procedural procedure has left and leaves ample room for doubt about the actual guilt of our compatriot and countless positions have been taken in his favor over these years, without however having any effect. Knowing your exquisite sensitivity, I take the liberty of requesting your direct interest or your Entourage from the US administration in order to obtain at least the repatriation of our compatriot, while maintaining the state of detention, in order to allow family members certainly a more assiduous presence and frequency, also in consideration of their advanced age . On top of this, on 12 May, Italian Minister of Foreign affairs Luigi di Maio tweeted There is also the Chico Forti dossier, a priority for us Continuiamo ad affrontare importanti temi come il conflitto libico e domani con i miei omologhi europei faremo una videocall sugli esiti della conferenza di Berlino. E poi ce il dossier Chico Forti, per noi prioritario. https://t.co/R83T8l3q5B pic.twitter.com/fIMV9sVpFV Luigi Di Maio (@luigidimaio) May 12, 2020 Italian museums celebrate Giornata internazionale della Donna. Women will have free entry to Italy's state museums and archaeological sites on Friday 8 March as part of an initiative by the culture ministry to mark International Women's Day. In addition to offering free entry, Italy's museums will host a series of special events throughout the day dedicated to women, listed on the culture ministry website. Among the venues free for women on 8 March are the Colosseum, Baths of Caracalla, Pompeii and the Uffizi, with discounted tickets for female visitors at Rome's MAXXI. The free entry for women in Italy's museums on 8 March is preceded by the free opening to all visitors of Italy's state museums and archaeological sites, on Sunday 3 March. Photo credit: Pierre Aden / Shutterstock.com. Pompeii unveils latest spectacular discovery. A newly-unearthed fresco depicting the Greek mythological twins Phrixus and Helle was unveiled on Friday in Pompeii, the ancient Roman city destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, said the fresco was in "an excellent state of conservation", describing it as "a beautiful work for its colours, liveliness and execution." The fresco, discovered by archaeologists at a domus near the House of Leda and the Swan, shows Helle as she drowned after falling from a golden-fleeced ram, despite her brother's efforts to save her. Cantiere di Restauro, Scavo e Valorizzazione della Casa di Leda" posta lungo Via del Vesuvio. Gli interventi stanno interessando gli ambienti gia noti della Casa di Leda emersi tra il 2018 e il 2019 e gli ambienti di due domus limitrofe. L'intervista al Direttore Generale pic.twitter.com/80gu5b5pnL Pompeii Sites (@pompeii_sites) March 1, 2024 "The myth of Phrixus and Helle is widespread at Pompeii but it is also topical" - Zuchtriegel said - "They are two refugees at sea, a brother and sister, forced to flee because their stepmother wants to get rid of them and she does so with deception and corruption. She [Helle] fell into the water and drowned." Zuchtriegel said it was possible that the fresco was the work of the same artists that decorated Leda's House - home of the famed fresco of Leda and the Swan discovered in 2018 - adding that he was hopeful that the houses would soon be made accessible to the public. Photo Gabriel Zuchtriegel 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. At the time, the company was dealing with questions from its top engineers about its next project, according to three people familiar with the projects origins. It had just finished the Apple Watch, and many engineers were restless to begin work on something new. Tim Cook, Apples CEO, approved the project in part to prevent an exodus of engineers to Tesla. Apple also needed to find new ways to expand its business. The company was anticipating that sales of iPhones would slow in the coming years. Cars were part of a $US2 trillion transportation industry that could help Apple, which by then was a nearly $US200 billion business. Despite having a vote of confidence from Apples CEO, members of the team knew they were working against harsh realities, according to the six employees familiar with the project. If it ever came to market, an Apple car was likely to cost at least $US100,000 and still generate razor-thin profit compared with smartphones and earbuds. It would also arrive years after Tesla had dominated the market. A rendering by UK car lease company Vanarama of what the Apple Car could have looked like, based on patent filings. Credit: Vanarama The company held some discussions with Elon Musk about acquiring Tesla, according to two people familiar with the talks. But ultimately, it decided that building its own car made more sense than buying and integrating another business. Musk did not respond to a request for comment. Loading In trouble from the start From its inception, the project was troubled by differing views on what it should be, the people familiar with it said. Steve Zadesky, who initially led the effort, wanted to build an electric vehicle that competed with Tesla. Jony Ive, Apples chief design officer, wanted to pursue a self-driving car, which members of the software team said could be done. Apple, which by then had $US155 billion in cash, spent lavishly to hire hundreds of people with experience in machine learning, a type of AI technology, and other capabilities crucial to making a self-driving car. The influx of people made the project among the first that Apple had developed with so many outsiders new to the companys culture. The car team, composed of more than 2000 employees by this year, included engineers who had worked for NASA and developed race cars for Porsche. The group developed an array of new technologies, including a windshield that could display turn-by-turn directions and a sunroof that would feature a special polymer to reduce heat from the sun. The car team, composed of more than 2000 employees by this year, included engineers who had worked for NASA and developed race cars for Porsche. Credit: NASA To bolster morale and guidance, star executives like Ive and head of Mac engineering, Bob Mansfield, got involved. The company acquired several startups to join the car team. In 2021, to steer the project toward success, Apple put Kevin Lynch, the executive behind its popular Apple Watch, in charge of the car. Ive and his team of designers drew concepts for a car that would look like a European minivan such as the Fiat Multipla 600, which has a half-dozen windows and a curving roof. It had no steering wheel and would be controlled using Apples virtual assistant, Siri. One day, in the fall of 2015, Ive and Cook met at the projects headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, for a demonstration of how the car might work. The two men sank into the seats of a cabinlike interior. Outside, a voice actor read from a script of what Siri would say as the men zoomed down the road in the imaginary car. Ive asked Siri what restaurant they passed and the actor read an answer, said two people familiar with the demonstration. But by 2016, it was clear that the car effort was in trouble. Zadesky left Apple, and his successor, Mansfield, told the team working on the project that they would be shifting their focus from building a car to building self-driving car software, said three people familiar with the shift. The stars have realigned to make this a lot of risk and not a lot of gain. Bryant Walker Smith, an associate professor at the schools of law and engineering at the University of South Carolina, who spoke to Apple briefly about its project in 2015. Apple secured permits from California to begin test driving Lexus sport utility vehicles outfitted with sensors and computers. It held discussions with carmakers such as BMW, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz before striking a deal with Volkswagen to provide Transporter vans for self-driving shuttles on Apples campus. Two more leaders took over the car effort in the years that followed. Doug Field, a former Tesla executive, laid off more than 200 employees on the project as he leaned into efforts to build its self-driving system. Then, Lynch, who succeeded him in recent years, reversed the companys plans and went back to its original idea of making an electric vehicle. Mansfield and Field didnt respond to requests for comment. Loading At the start of this year, Apples leadership decided that it was a better use of the companys time to work on generative AI rather than the car, the company told employees in an internal meeting Tuesday. The company said some members of the Project Titan team would be reassigned to work on artificial intelligence. In interviews with The New York Times, people who worked on the project praised the decision to shutter it, saying the technology behind generative AI could be invaluable to the future of the companys all-important iPhone business. Apples dead car project will be survived by its underlying technologies. The company plans to take what it has learned about artificial intelligence and automation and apply it to other technologies that are being researched, including AI-powered AirPods with cameras, robot assistants and augmented reality, according to three people briefed on the projects. Dont let a split, melty, broken buttercream derail your path to layer cake glory! Heres how to get your buttercream to a flawless smoothing consistency from chilled. Too cool and curdled It will look lumpy and broken/split because it is too cold. The buttercream needs warmth to encourage it to become a stable emulsion. So, take a good scoop out of the mixer bowl, heat (microwave or stovetop) that scoop to melty NOT bubbly hot then stream it back in with the whisk going. Et voila! Too melty. Its soup! If it looks like melted ice-cream, chill the mixer bowl for 30 minutes, stirring with the whisk occasionally to help the buttercream chill evenly. Pop it back onto the stand mixer to whip for 23 minutes. If you leave the buttercream unstirred, it can harden unevenly and cause pesky lumps in the final buttercream. If you have melted it to a broken oily yellow mess, youll need to start over BUT stream as much of the broken/split buttercream into the new batch as you can. The new buttercream emulsion can handle a portion of this before becoming unstable. Pristine consistency The best texture for a spreadable buttercream is like fresh soft-peak whipped cream. To get to the correct consistency from chilled buttercream, heat to two-thirds melted in a double boiler, or zap in the microwave in 30-second bursts on High (100 per cent). Give the buttercream a mash with a hand whisk and then bring the two consistencies together with a vigorous hand whisk (or for an ultra-smooth finish, beat with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer on low speed for 5 minutes). Repeat this technique as needed during the assembly to keep the buttercream easily spreadable it can cool between crumb coating and top coating. Never attempt to whip fridge-cold buttercream it will break/split, but never fear: warmth will always return it to spreadable splendour! Takes About 1 hour. Keeps Up to 1 week chilled; frozen up to 3 months. After chilling or freezing, ensure the buttercream is softened to squidgy before attempting to re-whip. If you whip cold buttercream, it will split. BRASILIA, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday that the 2.9 percent growth of the country's economy in 2023 was much higher than the 0.9 percent forecasted by financial market analysts at the beginning of last year. The official GDP result was released on Friday morning by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). "We have grown much more than expected, and we will continue working to grow with quality and improve everyone's lives," Lula said on his social media account. Also on Friday, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad told reporters that the GDP result exceeded the projections made at the beginning of Lula's third term. "Many people thought that, due to the very restrictive monetary policy, the GDP in the second half of the year would fall," said Haddad. "There was a belief that there would be a slowdown to the point where we would have a slight economic contraction." The Finance Minister reiterated the ministry's projections for the GDP performance at 2.2 percent in 2024. As people head into retirement, most start to dream about the exciting years ahead and the years that they will age through then try to put it into a financial plan. Rarely, if ever, does anyone reflect on their plan to see if their strategy was correct. They simply live out their lives and adapt to the circumstances that present themselves. But for those who are planning how their money might work, a discussion on retirement spending and whether it still works the way history tells us is worthwhile. Traditional thinking says our retirement spending tapers as we get older. But a new study disputes this. Credit: Simon Letch The financial planning framework most people use was defined back in the 1960s, and it suggests that we should plan to spend smoothly across our lifespan. Bengens 4 per cent rule, released in 1994 and still widely used in planning, recommends that people will want to spend 4 per cent per year of their initial wealth at retirement and that this will need to be increased with inflation each year to live a comfortable retirement. The second and perhaps more interesting theory was released in 2014 in the US by Blanchett. It suggests people actually spend more in the first years of active retirement; then spending tapers off as we become settled in a phase they call passive retirement; then again as we become more frail. A regional unit known as the Immediate Response Team (IRT), containing Rolfe and four other officers, was deployed to Yuendumu from Alice Springs. The IRT team was not full-time and would get called up from general duties. Members had received specialist training for high-risk jobs. Its a sweet gig, just get to do cowboy stuff with no rules, Rolfe explained to a former army mate in a text message provided as evidence to the coronial inquest. Rolfe arrived at the local police station ahead of other members of the IRT and met with Yuendumu officer-in-charge, Sergeant Julie Frost, who had made the support request, the inquest heard. The remote community of Yuendumu in central Australia. Credit: Alamy According to evidence previously heard by coroner Armitage, Frost had devised and distributed via email an arrest plan that involved working with members of Walkers family to safely detain him at 5am the next morning. However, after Rolfe learnt that Frost did not know where Walker would be at 5am, he told the inquest this week that he took a leadership role, advising his superior officer how the IRT would go about apprehending Walker. You assumed, didnt you, that you had more tactical experience and skill than Sergeant Frost? counsel assisting the coroner, Dr Peggy Dwyer SC asked Rolfe on Wednesday. Yes, he responded. Dwyer asked: So you took charge of that briefing, did you? In your words, the absence of other leadership, or a leadership vacuum, I think you said? Rolfe responded: No, I believe at that point Ive had the discussion with Julie Frost and informed her how IRT would usually go about business in this scenario. And she agreed that that was a good way in which to handle this situation. CCTV footage taken from inside the Yuendumu police station at around 7pm shows the bulk of the IRT team members, including Rolfe, heading out into the community with a map of select houses and carrying high-powered tactical assault rifles. After visiting the first house identified on the map provided in Frosts original arrest plan, entering the premises without explicit permission from the resident Eddie Robertson, and with Rolfe releasing the retention device on [his] Glock sidearm, the heavily armed group of constables drove to a nearby street containing house 511, according to evidence heard. Numerous police officers from commanders to assistant commissioners, including Senior Sergeant Meacham King, provided evidence to the inquest after watching body-worn video of the search of Robertsons home. They said what Rolfe and the now disbanded IRT did was not gathering intel. Also interrogated across the week were over half a dozen complaints and internal reviews against Rolfe in the years and months leading up to November 2019 for alleged incidents of excessive use of force. Loading The inquiry was provided with police body-worn camera footage of some of the alleged incidents. In one of the videos referred to as the Araluen Park video, Rolfe violently pushes two elderly inebriated Aboriginal men to the ground in an Alice Springs park, and refuses to allow them to stand to answer questions from the police officers attending. According to evidence heard at the inquest, one of the elderly men required urgent medical attention for heart-related complications after the incident. The coroner also heard how that video footage and numerous others were often copied by Rolfe from his body-worn camera using his personal telephone and then shared with colleagues at Alice Springs police station as well as sent in text and social media messages to friends. Despite the repeated complaints, there were never any findings made against Rolfe and he and others present at these incidents only ever received remedial advice from their superiors. Later in the week, under questioning from Phillip Boulten SC who was representing the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, Rolfe agreed that the vast majority of serving NT Police officers thought, and continued to think in private, that his policing methods were above average. Boulten examined Rolfes extent of cultural awareness, asking him if he knew who the traditional owners of Mwpartne/Alice Springs were. Rolfe declined to respond because he was worried he would pronounce Arrernte incorrectly. He admitted to not understanding the concept of Country, songlines, Indigenous kinship systems, or funerary rites like sorry business. Rolfe said he never received any cultural awareness training before being posted to Alice Springs police station. The coronial inquest also heard how Rolfe and another IRT member dragged Walker out of house 511 by the arms and drove the fatally wounded man to Yuendumu police station, where Walker struggled for about 60 minutes before dying. During that period, the IRT squad were advised to perform CPR on Walker by the emergency medical service they radioed. No member of the IRT team did so, the inquest heard. Loading Outside the police station, as word of the police shooting spread across Yuendumu, the angry and frustrated community gathered in front of the station and began throwing rocks onto its roof. Inside the station, Walker called out for his mother. His requests were refused. The option of allowing his family into the station never passed my mind, Rolfe told the coroner on Friday. So in lieu of that, all I did was give him provide him the highest level of comfort that I could provide. Boulten asked: [Do] you accept that that was hardly a humane response to his situation at that point? Rolfe responded: I disagree. I believe our response was extremely humane. In a criminal trial that ended in early 2022, Rolfe was found not guilty of murdering Walker after shooting him three times subsequent to Rolfe being stabbed with a pair of scissors. In early 2023, Rolfe was fired from the NT Police for serious breaches of discipline during [his] policing career. The coronial inquest continues. It was idyllic, she says. It was a very innocent childhood of riding bikes around the neighbourhood and going to the beach. She remembers being taught in her Tamil school textbooks how to hate the Sinhalese, but her own family mixed freely with Sinhalese friends, and Colombo was a melting pot of races and cultures. Tamil civilians fleeing homes in 1985. Credit: AP The fighting between Tamils and Sinhalese was mostly confined to the countrys north. Then in 83 it just all changed very, very quickly one morning, she says. A Sinhalese mob charged through the mostly Tamil neighbourhood where the 11-year-old Shivalingam lived with her engineer father, her science teacher mother and her older brother, Sanjeevan. There was a massive amount of destruction the mob came and started burning our house down. We ended up in an isolated room that was above a garage, and the house was in flames. The family escaped across the roof and jumped into an adjacent backyard. Along with about 30 other terrified Tamils, they were sheltered by an altruistic Sinhalese neighbour before being shifted to a refugee centre, where Shivalingam still remembers the atmosphere of resentment among the young refugees. Dr Shivalingam could see how young boys could become radicalised by the violence that erupted in Sri Lanka. Credit: AP Like, We did nothing wrong, and suddenly, were in a refugee camp. How dare they do this to us? she recalls. The anger was rising, especially with the boys. You sort of got a glimpse of, Oh yeah, this is how terrorism comes about. Shivalingams parents applied for asylum in Australia, and in 1984, they arrived in Sydney. Loading She felt the warmth and welcome of Australia, Shivalingam says, but it was a dizzyingly fast transition from being a middle-class Colombo schoolgirl surrounded by family to a displaced migrant child in a makeshift refugee centre in Maroubra. You really felt the grief of leaving, she says. Yes, the relief of leaving, but also the grief of leaving what was home, what you had always anticipated was home. The family moved to a small place in Chatswood, and Shivalingam attended Mercy College, which she describes as very welcoming and multicultural. She settled in, but for the first couple of years, Shivalingam was emotionally in a bad place. I was angry. That anger was the predominant emotion in me, in my brain. Then, when she was about 14 or 15, Shivalingam asserted control over her brain in a way that seems prescient of her later career choice. I woke up and said, This anger is not helping me. I am going to have to put it away, she recalls. And I did. I remember consciously putting it away. I realised there was a massive opportunity to be whatever I wanted to be in Australia, with no barriers. That really helped switch my mindset to engaging fully with everything life had to offer. And I never looked back. Soon after, when she was about 16, Shivalingam began to consider a career in medicine, sparked by an unlikely (for an average teenager) fascination with the AIDS virus. You could see this horrible virus spreading and killing then I got really interested in the virus itself and how it was able to hide itself in the immune system, she says. That started my interest in the human body and how it works. Shivalingam (left) fell in love with neurosurgery in her first year of medicine at the University of Sydney. Her interest came to rest on the human brain its functional capacity, our intellect, how we develop it, what were born with versus what we develop over time. Dr Shivalingam says brain surgery is like dancing. I used to think about it a lot, and my brother is a computer nerd, and he used to think about artificial intelligence, so we used to talk about this a lot, she recounts. During her first year of studying medicine at Sydney University, Shivalingam was introduced to neurosurgery. I fell in love. Thats actually the only way I can put it, she says. It was intoxicating. There was nothing else I wanted to do. For me, it was always neurosurgery, or I was going to quit. Shivalingams conviction did falter, however, when she was a junior doctor and was exposed to some older colleagues who conformed to the worst stereotypes about arrogant surgeons. She recalls a particular senior registrar who was an all-round nasty person. I was horrified by this person and how he conducted himself, she says. He felt it was his right to yell at all the people around him. Shivalingam wasnt intimidated. She worried she would end up like him. I thought. Okay, if I go down this path of surgery, am I going to become like these people? So, she says: I had to run away. I literally said, Okay Im giving up. Aged 26, Shivalingam did a strange thing for a burnt-out, respite-seeking doctor to do. She had a baby, a son named Ashan (she married her first husband in 1994 when she was a 22-year-old student. They separated in 2009). Maternity leave, while not exactly relaxing, was a chance to focus entirely on something other than medicine. It refreshed her. Shivalingam (right) wanted to be a neurosurgeon and a nice person. But when she and her then-husband moved to Canberra for his job, Shivalingam found herself socially isolated and missing work. She approached Canberra Hospital. They said, Sure, we can give you a resident job, she recalls. There is only one catch youve got to do neurosurgery. Within a couple of weeks of returning to work, Shivalingams love affair with the human brain was reignited. The biggest difference for me was working with neurosurgeons in Canberra who were very nice people, she says. I just needed some nice people to show me that you can be a neurosurgeon and a nice person. There followed stints at Royal North Shore, Canberra Hospital for a second time, and Royal Prince of Wales. In 2001, she had her second baby, a girl named Alisha, and in 2017, she was made head of neurosurgery at Lifehouse. I have eaten my salad, but Shivalingam hasnt had the opportunity to finish hers yet because Ive kept her talking. I ask her to name the traits of a great surgeon. The Moroccan chicken salad at Hoochie Mama Cafe in Newtown. Credit: Janie Barrett You need dexterity and body movement skills, but also to be calm under pressure and not to let stress overwhelm you, she answers. Alongside that, compassion is really important. Its not about you, not about your comfort. Its about [your patients]. Its about getting them through this very, very bad time. Shivalingam now has a highly specialised practice focused mainly on brain tumours, both benign and cancerous. She still finds the human brain very, very mysterious. Her job is fascinating but also tragic. Theres a lot of death, a lot of suffering, she says. But I have a sense of purpose to be there for this person and to try to alleviate their suffering. Thats my role. Shivalingam often reflects on her own survival and her own luck, especially since a personal medical crisis she endured in 2019 when she had what turned out to be the first of three small strokes. Loading The first occurred just after she finished a surgery and was chatting to a colleague in her office. Of course, Shivalingam knew exactly what was happening, and she was in pretty much the best place possible to have a stroke. Investigations showed she had a hole in the heart, but before she had that corrected (in what she calls a beautiful endovascular surgery), a routine body scan revealed a mass on her kidney. It was cancer. The operation to remove it had to wait until she had recovered from the heart surgery. The experience triggered major anxiety, which blindsided her, as she has never been an anxious person, she says. She learned mindfulness, and the voice in her head that she used to soothe herself was a familiar one. I kept saying to myself all the things that I say to my patients. It made sense to me. So I felt like, Oh wow, Ive been saying the right things! she laughs. Shivalingam has been cancer-free for nearly four years. Like her patients, she has regular scans. There have been changes, though. Shivalingam has structured her work week so she has a day at home on light duties. She likes to walk her two dogs, cycle, and do some weight training. She makes a conscious effort to enjoy life with her second husband, Jonathan, who is her daughters former guitar teacher. I stole him from her! she recounts and tells me that although Alicia, then 10 years old, was not happy to start with, it turned out fine. The couple has been married for seven years, and Alisha is now forging a career as a professional musician in Melbourne. I always think that if I had had her upbringing and her privilege, I would probably have pursued dance. Shes very creative, very artistic, Shivalingam says. There may be occasional wistfulness about her unrealised creative life, but Shivalingam has no genuine regrets. The owners of several of Melbournes iconic heritage theatres have revealed they lost $35 million when high-profile shows including Harry Potter and Moulin Rouge! were put on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In documents lodged with the Supreme Court, the chief executive of the Marriner Group, Jason Marriner, said Australias largest privately owned and operated theatre company lost millions during Melbournes various lockdowns and restrictions. The company is chasing Ansvar insurance company for $20 million it says it is owed. Jason Marriner at the Regent Theatre during a 2020 COVID lockdown. Credit: Supplied The COVID-19 lockdowns meant Marriners Princess Theatre, the Comedy Theatre, the Forum Theatre, Regent Theatre and CBD wedding venue the Plaza Ballroom were forced to close in 2020 and 2021 due to restrictions, capacity limits, and stay-at-home orders. According to court documents, the state government conducted an industry roundtable on March 13, 2020, hosted by then Victorian health minister Martin Foley. The discussions involved the risks posed by the new coronavirus and advice for best industry practice. The data release is the first time the Workplace Gender Equality Agency has published the numbers on individual companies (5000 of them) as opposed to more generalised data about the gender pay gap. The national median base salary gap is 14.5 per cent, but when bonuses are factored in, it rises to 19 per cent. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher denies a report on the gender pay gap was useless. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said it was not about shaming. Its not about naming. Sure. Except well, yes it is. For better or worse, the data provides consumers and employees information to vote with their feet. It also puts pressure on poorly performing companies to up their game. But here comes the backlash business leaders, politicians and some media commentators pointed out that its not as if the data shows that men and women are being paid differently for doing the same job. After all, that is illegal. Loading Leaders of major companies such as Woodside, Fortescue, Lendlease and Wesfarmers say women taking more family responsibilities makes the dominance of men in the economys highest-paid roles difficult to shift, reported The Australian Financial Review. One media commentator huffed that the WGEA was bossy and said reporting of the data was nonsense and represented an extra compliance cost for the companies, one they would have to pass on to consumers and shareholders. The commentator also questioned whether ordinary folk, concerned about cost of living pressures were any better off for knowing these throwaway facts. (If the ordinary folk in question are working women, the answer seems pretty obviously Umm, yes.) Coalition senator Matt Canavan said the data was useless and countered with his own (useful?) anecdotal evidence: The big issue right now that I get feedback on is young men, in particular, are constantly told youre not getting promoted because youre a man. I hear that all the time. It is confounding that anyone would argue in favour of less transparency, and even more unusual to argue that such a large, hitherto-untapped data set wouldnt have something (anything!) to teach us. Senator Matt Canavan says publication of the pay data is divisive. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen But there is no big gotcha moment here, except for the companies that have asserted woke values on their websites, only to be undone by the numbers, which, unlike marketing departments, dont lie. It is not new information that women, for social and arguably biological reasons, tend to work jobs that are less senior because they are more likely to be the primary carers of their kids. Women are more likely to work part-time, or in flexible roles that count them out for what are described as greedy jobs by Nobel Prize-winning economist Claudia Goldin, who has devoted her life to studying women and work. The employee who is willing to work at all hours and the one who is on-call at the office is the worker who gets the big rewards, Goldin says. These rewards are disproportionate to the time put in. Doubling the time, far more than doubles the earnings. Loading Certain sectors rely heavily on these kinds of parenting-unfriendly jobs mining and resources industries pay their Fly-In-Fly-Out workers (majority blokes) the big money. Airlines are another industry where the imbalance is structural: Qantas (gender pay gap of 39.3 per cent) defended itself by noting its highest-paid employees are pilots and engineers, who tend to be men. So is the pay gap entirely structural? And is it fair to expect companies to fix gender stereotyping in society at large? We can blame corporate Australia for some things, but not for the fact that women, for their own reasons, choose to do more flexible, family-friendly jobs that happen to be less paid. Right? Well, it requires a truly heroic suspension of reason to conclude sexism and discrimination do not contribute to the pay gap. Salary begins to diverge along gender lines at the graduate level, before most women have had babies. Goldins Nobel Prize-winning work found plenty of evidence of everyday gender discrimination at least in the United States where the bulk of the current earnings difference is between men and women in the same occupation. Goldin even did a blind audition of musicians and found when the auditioners had no idea of who was trying out, there was an even male-female split in successful applicants. If they could see the gender of the person auditioning, men got more gigs. WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge said her agencys research shows that about 25 per cent of the pay gap is attributable to industrial and occupational segregation ie, higher paying industries like mining are masculinised, and lower-paying industries like aged care are feminised. (Is that a coincidence? I have my doubts, but thats another column). Loading A further third of the gap can be explained away by the time out of the workforce women take for babies and caring duties. The remainder is attributable to bias and discrimination, Wooldridge says. If we do accept the gender pay gap as an inevitable product of biology, and the social roles it assigns to men and women, thats fine (if misleading). But lets be honest about what the pay gap, as it stands, will perpetuate: a society in which women are substantially poorer than men, where they are more vulnerable to homelessness and poverty in old age, where its financially difficult for them to leave abusive relationships, and a society which continues to expose the children of single mothers (who comprise the vast majority of single parents) to the risk of poverty. It also means we will neglect a talent pool which, if fully unleashed, will lift national wealth and productivity, and we will spend taxpayer money on educating women (who now represent over half of university graduates) without reaping maximum benefits from the investment. It is a truism that money doesnt buy happiness. But it does buy freedom and security. If we accept a society in which women earn less money, then lets own up to the truth: we consign our daughters to being less free and less secure than our sons. Rafah: Israel has essentially endorsed a framework of a proposed Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, and it is now up to Hamas to agree to it, a senior US administration official said, a day before talks to reach an agreement were to resume in Egypt. International mediators have been working for weeks to broker a deal to pause the fighting before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins about March 10. A deal would likely allow aid to reach hundreds of thousands of desperate Palestinians in northern Gaza who aid officials worry are under threat of famine. Humanitarian aid is dropped by the United States over Gaza City. Credit: AP The Israelis have more or less accepted the proposal, which includes the six-week ceasefire as well as the release by Hamas of hostages considered vulnerable, which includes the sick, the wounded, the elderly and women, said the official. Right now, the ball is in the court of Hamas and we are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House to brief reporters. This photo taken on March 2, 2024 shows a car destroyed by Israeli drone missiles in Naqoura, Lebanon. Three Hezbollah fighters were killed and one member of the civil defense injured on Saturday in an Israeli strike on a civilian car in southern Lebanon, Lebanese medical sources told Xinhua. The sources, who spoke anonymously, said that an Israeli drone fired two air-to-surface missiles at a civilian car that was driving on the international sea route in the Naqoura area, adjacent to the city of Tyre. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua) BEIRUT, March 2 (Xinhua) - Three Hezbollah fighters were killed and one member of the civil defense injured on Saturday in an Israeli strike on a civilian car in southern Lebanon, Lebanese medical sources told Xinhua. The sources, who spoke anonymously, said that an Israeli drone fired two air-to-surface missiles at a civilian car that was driving on the international sea route in the Naqoura area, adjacent to the city of Tyre. An official source in the Civil Defense told Xinhua that vehicles from the Civil Defense and the Lebanese Red Cross rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire and transport the casualties to a hospital in Tyre. The sources added that Israel carried out five raids on three towns and villages in the western and central sectors of the border area and fired 30 shells on eight towns and villages in the eastern and western sectors. 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 332 people on the Lebanese side, including 226 Hezbollah members and 61 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources. Nalucha Nganga-Ziba, the WWF-Zambia country director, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Lusaka, Zambia, March 1, 2024. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) LUSAKA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) issued a warning on Friday, highlighting the dire drought situation in Zambia and its potential negative impact on wildlife, while also exacerbating human-animal conflicts. Nalucha Nganga-Ziba, the WWF-Zambia country director, expressed concerns about the imminent emergence of human-animal conflicts. "The impact of the drought is that it will affect the ecological functionality of any system. This spans from people, livestock, crops, forests and wildlife animals. As we know water is needed for both wildlife and humans for survival," she said in an interview with Xinhua ahead of the commemoration of this year's World Wildlife Day to be held on Sunday. This year's theme, "Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation," underscores the importance of innovative approaches to wildlife preservation. Nganga-Ziba said that areas hardest hit by the drought would likely experience more pronounced human-animal conflicts. Additionally, communities may be forced to fetch water from rivers infested with crocodiles, endangering their lives. Calling for intervention measures to support both humans and wildlife, Nganga-Ziba highlighted the government's declaration of the drought as a disaster and emergency. She recalled the 2015/16 drought, during which wild animals roamed far and wide in search of water and pasture. The WWF official said that the organization has committed to the use of digital innovation to conserve wildlife in Zambia. Digital tools are crucial in monitoring wildlife and protecting them from poachers, she said, adding that collaboration with organizations like Game Rangers International has enabled the monitoring of wildlife patterns, aiding in understanding and protecting wildlife. She noted that poaching and international trade were among the major challenges affecting wildlife in the world and that Zambia has not been spared because there was an increased demand for rhino horns and live pangolins on the international market. According to her, an average of three people were being arrested in Zambia per month in possession of live pangolins. Climate change has exacerbated encroachment in national parks and game management areas, as people are forced to invade protected areas with remaining forests, Nganga-Ziba said. Despite these challenges, she commended the Zambian government for its political will in combating poaching in the country's 20 national parks and 36 game management areas. The WWF has collaborated with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to conserve wildlife, providing training for community game rangers and salaries, she said, emphasizing the need for increased awareness to help communities understand the importance of wildlife, a goal the organization is actively pursuing in various parts of the country. An aerial drone photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows vessels docking for unloading at the Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Some 132,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of goods had been transported by rail-sea intermodal trains through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the first two months of the year, up 10 percent year on year, data from the China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd. showed. Launched in 2017, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage that was built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin) An aerial drone photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows the container storage area at the Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Some 132,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of goods had been transported by rail-sea intermodal trains through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the first two months of the year, up 10 percent year on year, data from the China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd. showed. Launched in 2017, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage that was built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin) An aerial drone photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows a vessel approaching the Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Some 132,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of goods had been transported by rail-sea intermodal trains through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the first two months of the year, up 10 percent year on year, data from the China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd. showed. Launched in 2017, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage that was built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin) An aerial drone photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows a train loaded with containers departing from a railway container terminal in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Some 132,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of goods had been transported by rail-sea intermodal trains through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the first two months of the year, up 10 percent year on year, data from the China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd. showed. Launched in 2017, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage that was built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin) An aerial drone photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows trucks transporting containers at a railway container terminal in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Some 132,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of goods had been transported by rail-sea intermodal trains through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the first two months of the year, up 10 percent year on year, data from the China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd. showed. Launched in 2017, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage that was built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin) An aerial drone photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows a vessel leaving the Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Some 132,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of goods had been transported by rail-sea intermodal trains through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the first two months of the year, up 10 percent year on year, data from the China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd. showed. Launched in 2017, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage that was built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin) An aerial drone photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows a railway container terminal in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Some 132,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of goods had been transported by rail-sea intermodal trains through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the first two months of the year, up 10 percent year on year, data from the China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd. showed. Launched in 2017, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage that was built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin) An aerial drone photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows a railway container terminal in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Some 132,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of goods had been transported by rail-sea intermodal trains through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the first two months of the year, up 10 percent year on year, data from the China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd. showed. Launched in 2017, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage that was built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin) A Castlebar man used a phone scam to deceive a woman out of 320. Joseph Lawrence, aged 22, of Blackrock, Sion Hill, Castlebar pleaded guilty at the local district court to making gain or causing loss by deception in January 2022. Sgt John OReilly said the injured party Jessica Allen went to Roscommon Garda Station on February 1, 2022, and made a complaint. She said she was browsing the internet on January 12 and saw a white iPhone 11 for sale for 320, which she believed was a good price, he said. Jessica decided to send a message and she received a reply from [the vendor], and he agreed to sell the iPhone to her. Lawrence, who used the name Cathal Higgins, sent his bank details to Ms Allen and she transferred 320 to him. He promised to send the device by post but she never received it. After Ms Allen made her complaint to Gardai, they were able to trace the scam back to the defendant who admitted to the offence. He has no previous convictions. Solicitor Gary Mulchrone said his client had 320 in court. The motivation behind it was he concocted this ill-conceived plan to try and make himself some extra money as he was getting married in October 2021 and he was only on 117 per week, he said. He is very apologetic, and he made extremely detailed admissions to Gardai. Mr Mulchrone said his client is now married and currently completing an employment course, after which he hopes to secure a job. Judge Fiona Lydon said she would be willing to apply the Probation Act if Lawrence donates 300 to the Irish Cancer Society by April 17 next. 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. Tomorrow 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. EAST COVENTRY TWP., Pa. - A worker escaped from a fire at a water damage restoration business in Chester County Friday. It broke out around 3 p.m. in the 2700 block of Schuylkill Road in East Coventry Township. Officials say they had to use foam to suppress the flames because the building has a metal roof beneath its roof. No one was injured. Fire officials say it appears the fire started near the back of the building. The investigation into the cause is ongoing. BUSHKILL TWP., Pa. - Family, friends, and first responders from across the region honored a former volunteer firefighter in Northampton County. They gathered for a service, and a "last ride," for Harrison Kline from Bushkill Township. Kline died on Sunday at the age of 71. The procession started at Bushkill Township Volunteer Fire Company, where Kline served for years. It wound its way through the community where he lived and served. L. SAUCON TWP., Pa. The Norfolk Southern accident in Northampton County on Saturday shows the need for change at the top of the railroad, an investor group said. Ancora Holdings Group said the Lower Saucon Township wreck and earlier accidents reinforce the investor's call for new leadership. Ohio-based Ancora has proposed new executives for the railroad along with candidates for the board of directors. "Our proposed slate (of board candidates) and management team are unanimous in their view that Norfolk Southern must become a safer and more reliable railroad before it can ever reach its full potential," the Ancora statement said. Ancora said Norfolk Southern Chief Executive Alan Shaw should be removed. Shaw was paid $13.4 million in 2023, including base pay, awards of stock and stock options. That was up 37% from 2022, when he took over as CEO in May. 69 News has contacted Norfolk Southern for comment. On Feb. 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio, did not cause any injuries but led to the release of chemicals, a fire and evacuations. No injuries were reported in the Lower Saucon wreck Saturday, and no residents were evacuated. Booms were set up to protect the Lehigh River from fuel and oil spills. "An incident like this, which is drawing national news coverage and resulting in more embarrassment for the railroad, should put an end" to the board's support for Shaw, Ancora said. "It is all too common for people to see in the news that a Norfolk Southern train is at the center of a derailment or tragedy," Ancora said. Ancora proposes former United Parcel Service executive Jim Barber Jr. as CEO of Norfolk Southern and Jamie Boychuk, formerly of railroad company CSX Corp., as chief operating officer. On Feb. 26, Norfolk Southern put out a statement rejecting Ancora's nominees and the investor's "short-sighted plan that jeopardizes sustainable shareholder value creation." Shares in Norfolk Southern are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol NSC. The closing price Friday was $257.49, giving the company a market capitalization of $58.2 billion. In the past 52 weeks, the shares have traded as high as $261.37 and as low as $183.09. LOWER SAUCON TWP., Pa. Part of a Norfolk Southern freight train went off the tracks in Northampton County on Saturday. The derailment sent two locomotives down an embankment and partially into the Lehigh River. The incident was reported around 7:15 a.m. near the 2200 block of Riverside Drive in the Steel City section of Lower Saucon Township. During a news conference that was streamed live on WFMZ.com at 11 a.m., officials said that diesel fuel had spilled into the Lehigh River but that the spill had been contained. Polypropylene pellets were also leaking from one of the train's cars. Officials said they believe three trains were involved in the derailment, but they did not say what caused it. Norfolk Southern is on site and working to assess the situation. No injuries were reported, and there was no hazardous materials threat to the public, officials said. 4:56 WATCH: News conference on train derailment in Lower Saucon Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure and Lower Saucon Township Police Chief Thomas Barndt held a news conference at 11 a.m. Saturday to "Some of the cars that were derailed were marked as holding hazardous material, but they were empty," Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure said. "Air monitoring is being conducted, all is at normal levels and there is no danger to the general public at this time." Two locomotive engines landed in the water, and several train cars were derailed, according to Michael Stamets, public information officer for the Nancy Run Fire Company. Booms were placed around the locomotives to contain the spill of diesel fuel. "There is no immediate danger, and the river will be fine," McClure said. McClure, a Bethlehem Township resident, said he heard a "boom" around 7 a.m. and thought it was a derailment. Saturday's accident raised the issue of the 2023 train accident in East Palestine, Ohio. That incident involved Norfolk Southern train cars carrying hazardous materials and led to evacuations. This derailment is not going to cause that kind of problem, McClure said. Lower Saucon Township Council President Priscilla deLeon lives less than a mile from the crash site. She also heard the crash at her Steel City home, where she has resided since 1985. She said she has been concerned for years about water runoff weakening the soil beneath the train tracks. "I heard a noise around 7 a.m. and thought it was thunder," deLeon said. She said evacuating her neighborhood would be difficult. "There are more than 250 homes in Steel City," she said, and the entrance to the neighborhood is a narrow road. The county asked that people stay away from the site so emergency crews can do their job. Riverside Drive was closed at Hillclimb Saturday morning due to the derailment. Norfolk Southern said in a statement, "We appreciate the quick, professional response by local emergency agencies. Our crews and contractors are on-scene and developing a clean-up plan." The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has also been notified about the incident. Norfolk Southern operates 36,000 miles of track and operates more than 4,000 locomotives and 87,000 rail cars. Shares in the company are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol NSC. The closing price Friday was $257.49, giving the company a market capitalization of $58.2 billion. Waving flags and hugs: it was a warm welcome Friday for two New Jersey Marines returning from Afghanistan. An organization called Warriors Watch made sure the Marines made it home safely with a very special escort. 69 News Photojournalist Max Morgan takes us along. RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) Israel has essentially endorsed a framework of a proposed Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal, and it is now up to Hamas to agree to it, a senior U.S. administration official said Saturday, a day before talks to reach an agreement were to resume in Egypt. International mediators have been working for weeks to broker a deal to pause the fighting before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins around March 10. A deal would likely allow aid to reach hundreds of thousands of desperate Palestinians in northern Gaza who aid officials worry are under threat of famine. The Israelis have more or less accepted the proposal, which includes the six-week cease-fire as well as the release by Hamas of hostages considered vulnerable, which includes the sick, the wounded, the elderly and women, said the official. Right now, the ball is in the court of Hamas and we are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House to brief reporters. Officials from Israel and from Hamas did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A senior Egyptian official said mediators Egypt and Qatar are expected to receive a response from Hamas during the Cairo talks scheduled to start Sunday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not publicly authorized to discuss the talks. There is increasing criticism over the hundreds of thousands struggling to survive in northern Gaza, which has borne the brunt of the conflict that began when the Hamas militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing around 250 hostages. U.S. military planes began the first airdrops of thousands of meals into Gaza, and the militaries of Jordan and Egypt said they also conducted airdrops. Aid groups say airdrops should be only a last resort and instead urge the opening of other crossings into Gaza and the removal of obstacles at the few that are open. The European Unions diplomatic service said many of the hundreds of Palestinians killed or wounded in the chaos surrounding an aid convoy on Thursday were hit by Israeli army fire and urged an international investigation. It said responsibility for the crisis lay with restrictions imposed by the Israeli army and obstructions by violent extremist(s) to the supply of humanitarian aid. Gaza's Health Ministry raised the death toll from Thursday's violence to 118 after two more bodies were recovered Saturday. It said the wounded remained at 760. Israel's chief military spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Israel organized Thursday's convoy, and claims that we attacked the convoy intentionally and that we harmed people intentionally are baseless." Residents in northern Gaza say they are searching rubble and garbage for anything to feed their children, who barely eat one meal a day. Many families have begun mixing animal and bird food with grain to bake bread. At least 10 children have starved to death, according to hospital records in Gaza, the World Health Organization said. Gaza's Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll from the war has climbed to 30,320. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says women and children make up around two-thirds of those killed. In the southernmost city of Rafah, where more than half of Gazas people now seek refuge, an Israeli airstrike struck tents outside the Emirati hospital, killing 11 people and wounding about 50, including health workers, the Health Ministry said. Israel's military said it was targeting Islamic Jihad militants. Israels air, sea and ground offensive has reduced much of densely populated northern Gaza to rubble. The military told Palestinians to move south, but as many as 300,000 people are believed to have remained. Roughly one in six children under 2 in the north suffer from acute malnutrition and wasting, the worst level of child malnutrition anywhere in the world, Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, said this week. If nothing changes, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza. People have overwhelmed trucks and grabbed what they can, Skau said, forcing the WFP to suspend deliveries to the north. In the violence Thursday, people rushed about 30 trucks bringing a predawn delivery to the north. Palestinians said nearby Israeli troops shot into the crowds. Israel said they fired warning shots toward the crowd and insisted many of the dead were trampled. Doctors at hospitals in Gaza and a U.N. team that visited a hospital said large numbers of the wounded had been shot. Ahmed Abdel Karim, being treated for gunshot wounds in his feet, said he had spent two days waiting for aid trucks to arrive. Everyone attacked and advanced on these trucks. Because of the large number, I could not get flour, he said. Radwan Abdel-Hai, a father of four young children, heard a rumor late Wednesday that an aid convoy was on its way. He and five others took a donkey cart and found a sea of people waiting. "Tanks started firing at us, he said. As I ran back, I heard tank shells and gunfire. I heard people screaming. I saw people falling to the ground, some motionless. Many were shot in the back, he said. Soad Abu Hussein, a widow and mother of five, said more than 5,000 people mostly women and children living with her in a school at the Jabaliya refugee camp have not received aid for more than four weeks. A group of people went to the shore to fish, but three were killed and two were wounded by gunfire from Israeli ships, she said. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mansour Hamed, a 32-year-old former aid worker living with more than 50 relatives in a Gaza City house, said some are eating tree leaves and animal food. It has become normal to find a child emerging from the rubble with a rotten piece of bread, he said. Acknowledging the extreme need for food, U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. would look for other ways of delivery including possibly a marine corridor. Also Saturday, Israel said three soldiers were killed and 14 injured Friday when they inadvertently triggered explosives in a booby-trapped building outside Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report. Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Chinese Vice President Han Zheng addresses the annual appreciation dinner of the American Chamber of Commerce in the People's Republic of China (AmCham China), in Beijing, capital of China, March 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Friday called on the business circles of China and the United States to consolidate the foundation of friendship and mutual trust and expand cooperation areas. Han made the remarks when addressing the annual appreciation dinner of the American Chamber of Commerce in the People's Republic of China (AmCham China) in Beijing. Noting that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, Han said the business circles of the two countries are participants, witnesses and contributors to the bilateral cooperation, and will be pioneers in the future. Han said the Chinese economy has strong resilience, potential and vast space, and new drivers and advantages are still growing. China will unswervingly expand opening up at a high level, continue to reduce the negative list for foreign investment access, effectively guarantee the national treatment for foreign enterprises, and foster a market-oriented, law-based and international business environment to provide more opportunities for foreign companies to develop in China, Han said. Han welcomed more U.S. companies to invest and develop in China, calling on AmCham China to keep in mind its original intention and forge ahead, strengthen communication with the Chinese organizations, and jointly push for more results in China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation. The cenotaph for Bolivian national hero Murillo stands at the Murillo Square in La Paz, capital of Bolivia, on Jan. 19, 2006. (Xinhua Photo/Wang Yaxiong) The glory and tragedy of Potosi have largely been in tandem with what happened at the mine situated at an altitude of nearly 5,000 meters. Through the extreme brutality of forced labor, Potosi, perceived as a "gold mine" by the colonists, concentrated labor power to an unprecedented degree to maximize the accumulation of wealth unparalleled in world history. POTOSI, Bolivia, March 2 (Xinhua) -- "The blood in my body seems to weep for my homeland," retired miner Julio Reyes mumbled to himself. Reyes' hometown, Potosi, one of the world's highest cities with an average altitude of over 4,000 meters, has a glorious yet tragic past. "This is the first time I've told outsiders the story of me and my hometown, hoping the world won't look down on my homeland because of it," the 67-year-old told Xinhua. SILVER HORSESHOES A vast silver mine was discovered in 1545 in Potosi, whipping local Spanish colonists into a frenzy. It was estimated that at its peak, the silver production contributed approximately half of the world's total output. In just a few decades, Potosi, once "nothing but barren mountains and llamas," expanded into a bustling city with over 100,000 inhabitants, comparable in scale to London and Paris of the same period. Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano described the extreme luxury of the city in his work "Open Veins of Latin America." In his words, "even the horseshoes were made of silver." However, this mountainous wealth belonged solely to the colonists, while the indigenous people who had inhabited the land for generations suffered the dire consequences of its exploitation. Nearly 300 years later, when the colonists departed, there was little silver left in the mines. Today, Potosi is one of the least developed cities in South America. The historical silver refining process, utilizing mercury, generated extensive toxic gases and wastewater, rendering large areas barren. ONCE RICHEST NOW POOREST The glory and tragedy of Potosi have largely been in tandem with what happened at the mine situated at an altitude of nearly 5,000 meters. The mountain was dubbed "Cerro Rico" (Rich Mountain) for its silver wealth. Its red slopes, marked with countless white tracks, resemble the wrinkles on Reyes' face. These indelible scars tell of a history marked by Western exploitation and plunder. "For the indigenous people of that time, this place was like the 'mouth of hell,'" local guide Jhonny Montes told reporters upon entering the mining area. Even today, Potosi miners have an average lifespan of only around 40 years. In the mine, reporters, like what Reyes often did, suited up in miners' helmets, rain boots, and work clothing. Carrying battery packs to power their headlamps, they descended into the 40-meter-deep transport level of the mine, the closest level of the six working levels to the land surface. In the dim and narrow passageways of the mine shaft, reporters had to bow their heads as any misstep could result in their helmets clanging against the overhead rock. Along the way, they encountered two young miners, who were striving to push a mining cart forward, forging ahead at an angle barely exceeding 30 degrees with the earth below. An elderly woman from Potosi who was interviewed by Galeano years ago said that this city once offered the world the most, but now it possesses the least. "The insane exploitation of human and material resources has led to the paradox of once the richest, now the poorest," Galeano wrote. "Potosi remains to this day a bleeding wound left by the colonial system in the Americas, a testament of accusation." DEATH WAS THE ONLY RESPITE A mid-18th-century document from the Historical Archive Unit of the Bolivian National Mint in Potosi outlines the tasks indigenous people were forced to undertake under the "mita labor system," a forced labor practice now included in UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme. The "mita" system, imposed by Spanish colonists, mandated that indigenous people provide a certain amount of labor to the colonial authorities each year. This labor primarily involved mining and related tasks, with shifts lasting up to 18 hours a day in extremely harsh conditions. For many, death was the only respite. Through the extreme brutality of forced labor, Potosi, perceived as a "gold mine" by the colonists, concentrated labor power to an unprecedented degree to maximize the accumulation of wealth unparalleled in world history. What was obtained at the cost of countless indigenous lives was the extravagant luxury for the colonists. The silver of Potosi became a crucial funding source for the long-lasting wars waged by the Spanish monarchy. The Spanish Empire in the 16th century, under the reigns of Charles V and Philip II, was hailed as the "Golden Age," with its colonies spanning across the globe. The term, "the empire on which the sun never sets," was then used for the Spanish Empire under Philip II and his successors, when it reached a global territorial size, two centuries before the British Empire boasted the epithet. Viewing history through a Latin American lens, Galeano highlighted that "Europe heavily relied on the exploitation of America's indigenous peoples to fuel modern capitalism. The plight endured by indigenous communities, spanning from the past to the present, epitomizes the broader tragedy of Latin America." Bolivian President Luis Arce (L) speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Brussels, Belgium, July 17, 2023. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) REVOLUTION FIRE NEVER DIMMED In the late 18th century, with the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolution stirring up waves of change, the people of Latin America began to awaken. On July 16, 1809, a revolution erupted in La Paz, kindling the fire that burned down the old colonial system. Despite the siege by the Spanish colonial army, the flames of revolution never dimmed. On Aug. 6, 1825, Bolivia officially declared independence. In October, the "Liberator" Simon Bolivar arrived in Potosi and was warmly welcomed by the local people. "If it weren't for the economic support of Cerro Rico and the contribution of the people of Potosi, it would have been difficult for the war of independence to succeed," said Sheila Beltran, curator of the provincial government museum of Potosi. Bolivar also held this belief, said Beltran. "'Bolivia' is derived from 'Bolivar,' and this is the name of our beloved country today." TAKE CONTROL OF OWN FORTUNE At an altitude of over 3,000 meters some 200 km west of Potosi's "Rich Mountain" sits the Uyuni Salt Flat, one of the world's largest lithium deposits. Lithium, with its silver-like appearance, has become a highly sought-after mineral resource in the international market in recent years. According to data from the U.S. Geological Survey, Bolivia's lithium reserves currently rank first in the world. In March 2023, Bolivian President Luis Arce condemned Laura Richardson, commander of the United States Southern Command, for openly criticizing Bolivia and other Latin American countries for their international cooperation policies in developing lithium mines. "We must be united in the market, in a sovereign manner, with prices that benefit our economies," he said. True prosperity can only be brought by true independence, a profound lesson the people of Bolivia have learned from the history of Potosi. Former Bolivian Foreign Minister Fernando Huanacuni said that foreign interference and hegemony will never lead to economic and social stability, while the strengthening of South-South cooperation is the key to the process of democratization and integration. At the end of August 2023, following the announcement that BRICS countries agreed to expand membership, Bolivia's President Arce said that his country hopes to become a strategic partner of the BRICS countries. For emerging markets and developing countries, joining BRICS enables them to jointly pursue development while safeguarding national sovereignty and economic independence, said Huanacuni. The National Mint of Bolivia is now thronged with visitors, not least young students. To museum director Luis Arancibia, a critical interpretation of colonial history is needed. "Only by recognizing the harm caused by colonists to our ancestors and our land can we better understand ourselves and continue moving forward," he said. Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Get Free Report) CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $299.36, for a total value of $4,490,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 13,341,166 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,993,811,453.76. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Marc Benioff also recently made the following trade(s): Get Salesforce alerts: On Monday, February 26th, Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of Salesforce stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $300.46, for a total value of $4,506,900.00. On Friday, February 23rd, Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of Salesforce stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $293.39, for a total value of $4,400,850.00. On Wednesday, February 21st, Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of Salesforce stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.77, for a total value of $4,211,550.00. On Wednesday, February 14th, Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of Salesforce stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $287.78, for a total value of $4,316,700.00. On Monday, February 12th, Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of Salesforce stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $288.62, for a total value of $4,329,300.00. On Friday, February 9th, Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of Salesforce stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $292.43, for a total value of $4,386,450.00. On Wednesday, February 7th, Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of Salesforce stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $288.30, for a total value of $4,324,500.00. On Monday, February 5th, Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of Salesforce stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $285.82, for a total value of $4,287,300.00. On Wednesday, January 31st, Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of Salesforce stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $282.95, for a total value of $4,244,250.00. On Monday, January 29th, Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of Salesforce stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $285.05, for a total value of $4,275,750.00. Salesforce Price Performance Shares of CRM opened at $308.77 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $298.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 73.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 1.28. Salesforce, Inc. has a twelve month low of $162.98 and a twelve month high of $310.54. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The company has a 50 day moving average of $278.51 and a two-hundred day moving average of $239.75. Salesforce Dividend Announcement Salesforce ( NYSE:CRM Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The CRM provider reported $1.78 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.72 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $9.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.22 billion. Salesforce had a net margin of 11.87% and a return on equity of 10.50%. Salesforces revenue was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.01 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that Salesforce, Inc. will post 7.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 11th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 14th will be issued a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 13th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.52%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. 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 worth $694,000 after buying an additional 2,700 shares during the last quarter. Pointe Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Salesforce by 370.0% during the second quarter. Pointe Capital Management LLC now owns 1,551 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $328,000 after purchasing an additional 1,221 shares during the last quarter. Walkner Condon Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Salesforce by 2.9% during the third quarter. Walkner Condon Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,633 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $534,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Hawaii raised its holdings in shares of Salesforce by 89.2% during the second quarter. Bank of Hawaii now owns 5,282 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $1,116,000 after purchasing an additional 2,490 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Trivest Advisors Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Salesforce by 288.6% during the second quarter. Trivest Advisors Ltd now owns 952,000 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $201,120,000 after purchasing an additional 707,000 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.52% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on CRM shares. Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $290.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $300.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $310.00 to $355.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday. JMP Securities boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $293.00 to $342.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $260.00 to $310.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $291.86. View Our Latest Stock Report on Salesforce About Salesforce (Get 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. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Salesforce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Salesforce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group reduced its position in Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report) by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 5,307 shares of the CRM providers stock after selling 149 shares during the quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Groups holdings in Salesforce were worth $1,076,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CRM. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of Salesforce by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 45,653,307 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $9,644,718,000 after acquiring an additional 143,962 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its stake in shares of Salesforce by 30.2% in the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 19,242,436 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $4,065,157,000 after acquiring an additional 4,458,227 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley increased its stake in shares of Salesforce by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 19,003,836 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $2,519,719,000 after acquiring an additional 149,012 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors increased its stake in shares of Salesforce by 8.3% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 11,306,042 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $2,388,507,000 after acquiring an additional 865,001 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp increased its stake in shares of Salesforce by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 11,195,108 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $2,270,144,000 after acquiring an additional 121,436 shares during the last quarter. 77.52% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Salesforce alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have issued reports on CRM shares. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on Salesforce from $310.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $325.00 to $335.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $300.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $285.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, JMP Securities boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $293.00 to $342.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a report on Thursday. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-seven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $291.86. Salesforce Stock Up 3.0 % Salesforce stock opened at $308.77 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $298.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 73.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 1.28. Salesforce, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $162.98 and a fifty-two week high of $310.54. The stocks fifty day moving average is $278.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $239.75. Salesforce (NYSE:CRM Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The CRM provider reported $1.78 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.72 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $9.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.22 billion. Salesforce had a return on equity of 10.50% and a net margin of 11.87%. Salesforces revenue was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.01 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Salesforce, Inc. will post 7.23 EPS for the current fiscal year. Salesforce Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.52%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 13th. Insider Activity at Salesforce In other Salesforce news, COO Brian Millham sold 293,965 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.00, for a total value of $82,310,200.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Salesforce news, CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $299.36, for a total value of $4,490,400.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 13,341,166 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,993,811,453.76. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, COO Brian Millham sold 293,965 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.00, for a total value of $82,310,200.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 1,194,112 shares of company stock valued at $326,290,142 over the last quarter. Insiders own 3.70% of the companys stock. About Salesforce (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. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CRM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Salesforce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Salesforce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caxton Associates LP acquired a new stake in Forestar Group Inc. (NYSE:FOR Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 13,101 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock, valued at approximately $353,000. A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in FOR. Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its position in Forestar Group by 1,601.6% during the third quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 1,038 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 977 shares during the period. Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Forestar Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $34,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Forestar Group during the 1st quarter worth about $35,000. JBF Capital Inc. grew its stake in Forestar Group by 25.0% in the 2nd quarter. JBF Capital Inc. now owns 2,500 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $56,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its holdings in Forestar Group by 22.5% in the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 3,226 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $73,000 after acquiring an additional 592 shares during the period. 35.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Forestar Group alerts: Insider Transactions at Forestar Group In other Forestar Group news, CEO Daniel C. Bartok sold 2,202 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.30, for a total value of $68,922.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 44,804 shares in the company, valued at $1,402,365.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Daniel C. Bartok sold 2,202 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.30, for a total transaction of $68,922.60. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 44,804 shares in the company, valued at $1,402,365.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Daniel C. Bartok sold 7,555 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.12, for a total value of $235,111.60. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 27,249 shares in the company, valued at $847,988.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 15,706 shares of company stock worth $494,922. Corporate insiders own 0.49% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. StockNews.com raised Forestar Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Forestar Group from $30.00 to $33.50 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $32.50. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on FOR Forestar Group Trading Up 2.0 % Shares of FOR opened at $34.38 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 2.01 and a current ratio of 2.01. Forestar Group Inc. has a 52-week low of $13.76 and a 52-week high of $38.73. The firm has a market cap of $1.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.37 and a beta of 1.69. The businesss fifty day moving average is $32.84 and its 200-day moving average is $29.99. Forestar Group (NYSE:FOR Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.20. The company had revenue of $305.90 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $273.00 million. Forestar Group had a net margin of 12.08% and a return on equity of 13.85%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.42 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Forestar Group Inc. will post 3.93 EPS for the current fiscal year. Forestar Group Company Profile (Free Report) Forestar Group Inc operates as a residential lot development company in the United States. The company acquires land and develops infrastructure for single-family residential communities. It sells its residential single-family finished lots to local, regional, and national homebuilders. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Arlington, Texas. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FOR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Forestar Group Inc. (NYSE:FOR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Forestar Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Forestar Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Chen Xi, president of the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), attends the opening ceremony of a training program for young and middle-aged officials for the spring semester of 2024 at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) on March 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) on Friday held an opening ceremony for its 2024 spring semester. Chen Xi, the president of the school and academy, attended the ceremony and delivered a speech. In his speech, Chen urged leading cadres to deepen their understanding of the Party's self-reform constantly. Chen also called on them to translate what they learn into real action to advance their work, and to consciously set an example for self-reform. Bank of Nova Scotia boosted its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI Free Report) by 1,247.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 343,750 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 318,245 shares during the period. Bank of Nova Scotias holdings in Albertsons Companies were worth $7,820,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its stake in Albertsons Companies by 161.2% during the third quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 4,720 shares of the companys stock valued at $107,000 after acquiring an additional 2,913 shares in the last quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd purchased a new position in Albertsons Companies during the third quarter valued at $3,908,000. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its position in Albertsons Companies by 0.5% during the third quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 182,956 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,162,000 after purchasing an additional 930 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp lifted its position in Albertsons Companies by 32.0% during the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 2,096,885 shares of the companys stock valued at $47,704,000 after purchasing an additional 508,165 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Federated Hermes Inc. lifted its position in Albertsons Companies by 20.2% during the third quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 483,836 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,007,000 after purchasing an additional 81,244 shares during the last quarter. 68.64% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Albertsons Companies alerts: Albertsons Companies Price Performance Albertsons Companies stock opened at $20.23 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.65 billion, a PE ratio of 8.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 0.52. Albertsons Companies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $19.14 and a 12-month high of $23.88. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $21.91 and a 200-day moving average price of $22.15. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.09. Albertsons Companies Dividend Announcement Albertsons Companies ( NYSE:ACI Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 9th. The company reported $0.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.65 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $18.56 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $18.36 billion. Albertsons Companies had a net margin of 1.71% and a return on equity of 83.38%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.82 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Albertsons Companies, Inc. will post 2.75 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 26th were given a $0.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 25th. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.37%. Albertsons Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 20.51%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In ACI has been the subject of several research reports. Roth Mkm increased their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $23.00 to $24.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Tigress Financial reiterated a buy rating and set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research report on Friday, January 12th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $24.00 target price on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Tuesday, February 13th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group restated a market perform rating and issued a $27.25 target price on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $25.56. View Our Latest Stock Report on ACI Albertsons Companies Company Profile (Free Report) Albertsons Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of food and drug stores in the United States. The company's food and drug retail stores offer grocery products, general merchandise, health and beauty care products, pharmacy, fuel, and other items and services. It also manufactures and processes food products for sale in stores. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ACI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Albertsons Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Albertsons Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Nova Scotia increased its stake in shares of American Express (NYSE:AXP Free Report) by 11.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 56,337 shares of the payment services companys stock after buying an additional 5,735 shares during the quarter. Bank of Nova Scotias holdings in American Express were worth $8,405,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in AXP. Tyler Stone Wealth Management purchased a new stake in American Express in the second quarter valued at $27,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in American Express in the third quarter valued at $29,000. RVW Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in American Express in the third quarter valued at $33,000. Operose Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in American Express in the third quarter valued at $41,000. Finally, BOK Financial Private Wealth Inc. boosted its holdings in American Express by 2,142.9% in the third quarter. BOK Financial Private Wealth Inc. now owns 314 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. 83.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get American Express alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, insider Monique Herena sold 11,242 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $208.41, for a total transaction of $2,342,945.22. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 13,874 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,891,480.34. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other American Express news, insider Monique Herena sold 11,242 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $208.41, for a total transaction of $2,342,945.22. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 13,874 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,891,480.34. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Laureen Seeger sold 84,420 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 $12,248,905.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 172,047 shares of company stock valued at $36,528,388. Company insiders own 0.12% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have weighed in on AXP. Robert W. Baird downgraded shares of 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. Monness Crespi & Hardt began coverage on shares of American Express in a research report on Wednesday, December 20th. They issued a neutral rating for the company. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of American Express from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $212.00 to $222.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of American Express from $157.00 to $159.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of American Express in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. They issued a buy rating and a $235.00 price objective for the company. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $189.00. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on American Express American Express Stock Up 0.1 % AXP stock opened at $219.66 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $159.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.60, a PEG ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a current ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. American Express has a 12 month low of $140.91 and a 12 month high of $220.38. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $198.54 and a two-hundred day moving average of $172.57. American Express (NYSE:AXP Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results 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 analysts expectations of $16 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.07 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that American Express will post 12.83 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. American Express Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 9th. Investors of record on Friday, January 5th were given a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 4th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.09%. American Expresss payout ratio is currently 21.41%. 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. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for American Express Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Express and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC lessened its position in shares of Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX Free Report) by 28.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 9,574 shares of the medical equipment providers stock after selling 3,779 shares during the period. Insigneo Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Boston Scientific were worth $506,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new position in Boston Scientific during the 1st quarter worth approximately $32,000. Motco lifted its position in shares of Boston Scientific by 136.3% during the 3rd quarter. Motco now owns 645 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 372 shares during the last quarter. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Boston Scientific during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Boston Scientific during the 1st quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC lifted its position in shares of Boston Scientific by 2,174.2% during the 2nd quarter. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC now owns 705 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 674 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.11% of the companys stock. Get Boston Scientific alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $58.00 to $61.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $60.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $59.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $70.00 to $72.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $65.00 to $71.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Boston Scientific currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $66.05. Insider Transactions at Boston Scientific In other news, EVP Wendy Carruthers sold 6,983 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.89, for a total transaction of $467,092.87. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 56,508 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,779,820.12. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Wendy Carruthers sold 6,983 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.89, for a total value of $467,092.87. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 56,508 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,779,820.12. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Jeffrey B. Mirviss sold 15,172 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.25, for a total transaction of $898,941.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 56,588 shares in the company, valued at $3,352,839. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 69,830 shares of company stock valued at $4,316,049 in the last ninety days. 0.71% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Boston Scientific Stock Performance NYSE:BSX opened at $67.14 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. Boston Scientific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $46.20 and a fifty-two week high of $67.40. The stock has a market cap of $100.71 billion, a PE ratio of 62.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 0.78. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $62.15 and its 200-day simple moving average is $56.22. Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The medical equipment provider reported $0.55 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.51 by $0.04. Boston Scientific had a net margin of 11.19% and a return on equity of 15.99%. The business had revenue of $3.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.59 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.45 EPS. Analysts expect that Boston Scientific Co. will post 2.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Boston Scientific Profile (Free Report) Boston Scientific Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for use in various interventional medical specialties worldwide. It operates through MedSurg and Cardiovascular segments. The company offers devices to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary conditions; devices to treat various urological and pelvic conditions; implantable cardioverter and implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators; pacemakers and implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers; and remote patient management systems. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BSX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Boston Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Boston Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, March 1st, RTT News reports. Investors of record on Friday, April 5th will be paid a dividend of 0.60 per share by the biopharmaceutical company on Wednesday, May 1st. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.72%. Bristol-Myers Squibb has raised its dividend payment by an average of 8.2% per year over the last three years and has raised its dividend annually for the last 15 consecutive years. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a payout ratio of 33.8% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect Bristol-Myers Squibb to earn $6.87 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $2.40 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 34.9%. Get Bristol-Myers Squibb alerts: Bristol-Myers Squibb Price Performance Shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb stock opened at $50.89 on Friday. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a twelve month low of $47.58 and a twelve month high of $71.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $102.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.18, a PEG ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 0.38. 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 businesss fifty day moving average price is $50.31 and its 200 day moving average price is $53.62. 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 for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $11.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.19 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a net margin of 17.83% and a return on equity of 50.95%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.82 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 6.61 earnings per share for the current year. Bristol-Myers Squibb declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback plan on Thursday, December 7th that allows the company to buyback $3.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the biopharmaceutical company to reacquire up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are generally a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued. Insider Activity In other news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner acquired 2,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were purchased 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 acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bristol-Myers Squibb Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the second quarter valued at approximately $85,000. Alpha Paradigm Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the third quarter valued at approximately $85,000. Hobbs Group Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at about $67,000. MayTech Global Investments LLC acquired a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at about $65,000. Finally, Dark Forest Capital Management LP increased its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 85.2% during the 1st quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP now owns 915 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $63,000 after buying an additional 421 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.98% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts have recently commented on BMY shares. StockNews.com raised shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday. Cantor Fitzgerald lowered Bristol-Myers Squibb from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and cut their target price for the company from $68.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Wednesday, November 15th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $58.00 to $51.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Redburn Atlantic lowered Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their target price for the company from $77.00 to $54.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. They issued a hold rating and a $55.00 target price on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have given a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $61.17. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on BMY About Bristol-Myers Squibb (Get 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. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec reduced its stake in Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW Free Report) by 10.4% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 140,309 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 16,313 shares during the period. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebecs holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $32,315,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of ITW. Briaud Financial Planning Inc purchased a new stake in Illinois Tool Works during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Quarry LP increased its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 52.7% during the first quarter. Quarry LP now owns 142 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares during the period. Union Savings Bank purchased a new stake in Illinois Tool Works during the second quarter worth about $39,000. Steward Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in Illinois Tool Works during the second quarter worth about $39,000. Finally, Arlington Trust Co LLC purchased a new stake in Illinois Tool Works during the third quarter worth about $38,000. 79.56% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Illinois Tool Works alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have issued reports on the stock. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $244.00 to $256.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on Illinois Tool Works from $238.00 to $239.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Bank of America downgraded Illinois Tool Works from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $260.00 to $235.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded Illinois Tool Works from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $277.00 to $240.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on Illinois Tool Works from $215.00 to $224.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $239.33. Insider Activity In other news, Chairman Ernest Scott Santi sold 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $254.44, for a total value of $12,722,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now directly owns 221,015 shares of the companys stock, valued at $56,235,056.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Illinois Tool Works news, Chairman Ernest Scott Santi sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $254.44, for a total value of $12,722,000.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now owns 221,015 shares in the company, valued at $56,235,056.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Sharon Szafranski sold 801 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $256.42, for a total value of $205,392.42. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 5,870 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,505,185.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 152,304 shares of company stock valued at $38,860,831. 0.88% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Illinois Tool Works Stock Performance Shares of ITW opened at $260.19 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $257.93 and a 200 day moving average price of $245.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.10. The company has a market capitalization of $77.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 1.13. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 52-week low of $217.06 and a 52-week high of $267.12. Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The industrial products company reported $2.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.41 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $3.98 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.01 billion. Illinois Tool Works had a return on equity of 96.60% and a net margin of 18.36%. The firms quarterly revenue was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.34 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 10.12 EPS for the current fiscal year. Illinois Tool Works Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 11th. Investors of record on Friday, March 29th will be issued a $1.40 dividend. This represents a $5.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 57.49%. Illinois Tool Works Profile (Free Report) Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment in the United states and internationally. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ITW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Illinois Tool Works Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Illinois Tool Works and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Free Report) by 24.2% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 298 shares of the restaurant operators stock after purchasing an additional 58 shares during the period. Insigneo Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $546,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 2.7% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 2,052,227 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $4,389,714,000 after purchasing an additional 54,820 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4.1% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,085,226 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $2,321,298,000 after purchasing an additional 42,257 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors raised its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 5.3% during the second quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 1,038,882 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $2,222,169,000 after purchasing an additional 52,163 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.7% during the first quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 565,479 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $963,779,000 after purchasing an additional 9,520 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Artisan Partners Limited Partnership raised its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.5% during the third quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 509,953 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $934,147,000 after purchasing an additional 7,677 shares during the last quarter. 91.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Chipotle Mexican Grill alerts: Insider Transactions at Chipotle Mexican Grill In other news, insider Roger E. Theodoredis sold 898 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,622.25, for a total value of $2,354,780.50. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 1,529 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,009,420.25. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, Director Albert S. Baldocchi sold 750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,608.51, for a total transaction of $1,956,382.50. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 37,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $97,221,776.21. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Roger E. Theodoredis sold 898 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,622.25, for a total value of $2,354,780.50. Following the sale, the insider now owns 1,529 shares in the company, valued at $4,009,420.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 4,744 shares of company stock worth $11,607,678 in the last three months. 0.96% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Chipotle Mexican Grill Trading Down 0.1 % Shares of NYSE:CMG opened at $2,687.31 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $2,431.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $2,154.22. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 12-month low of $1,470.05 and a 12-month high of $2,725.83. The firm has a market cap of $73.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 60.59, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.29. Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The restaurant operator reported $10.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $9.73 by $0.63. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 44.41% and a net margin of 12.45%. The firm had revenue of $2.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.49 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $8.29 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 15.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 53.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analysts Set New Price Targets CMG has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wedbush reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $2,400.00 price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,284.00 to $2,500.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Barclays increased their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,246.00 to $2,400.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,600.00 to $2,800.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, BTIG Research increased their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,650.00 to $2,750.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $2,469.88. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Chipotle Mexican Grill Chipotle Mexican Grill 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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CMG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Greystone Housing Impact Investors (NYSE:GHI Get Free Report) and Yiren Digital (NYSE:YRD Get Free Report) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, institutional ownership, risk, profitability, valuation and analyst recommendations. Insider & Institutional Ownership 9.6% of Greystone Housing Impact Investors shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 1.3% of Yiren Digital shares are held by institutional investors. 1.3% of Greystone Housing Impact Investors shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 42.2% of Yiren Digital shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Get Greystone Housing Impact Investors alerts: Earnings & Valuation This table compares Greystone Housing Impact Investors and Yiren Digitals revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Greystone Housing Impact Investors $104.90 million 3.65 $54.01 million $2.08 8.03 Yiren Digital $4.71 billion 0.10 $173.24 million $3.13 1.76 Profitability Yiren Digital has higher revenue and earnings than Greystone Housing Impact Investors. Yiren Digital is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Greystone Housing Impact Investors, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. This table compares Greystone Housing Impact Investors and Yiren Digitals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Greystone Housing Impact Investors 51.49% 13.73% 2.89% Yiren Digital 42.38% 29.54% 22.22% Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current recommendations for Greystone Housing Impact Investors and Yiren Digital, as reported by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Greystone Housing Impact Investors 0 0 2 0 3.00 Yiren Digital 0 0 0 0 N/A Greystone Housing Impact Investors currently has a consensus price target of $19.33, suggesting a potential upside of 15.70%. Given Greystone Housing Impact Investors higher possible upside, research analysts clearly believe Greystone Housing Impact Investors is more favorable than Yiren Digital. Dividends Greystone Housing Impact Investors pays an annual dividend of $1.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 8.9%. Yiren Digital pays an annual dividend of $0.56 per share and has a dividend yield of 10.1%. Greystone Housing Impact Investors pays out 71.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Yiren Digital pays out 17.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Greystone Housing Impact Investors has raised its dividend for 2 consecutive years. Yiren Digital is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. Risk and Volatility Greystone Housing Impact Investors has a beta of 0.66, meaning that its share price is 34% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Yiren Digital has a beta of 0.73, meaning that its share price is 27% less volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Yiren Digital beats Greystone Housing Impact Investors on 9 of the 16 factors compared between the two stocks. About Greystone Housing Impact Investors (Get Free Report) Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP acquires, holds, sells, and deals in a portfolio of mortgage revenue bonds (MRBs) that are issued to provide construction and/or permanent financing for multifamily and student housing residential properties and commercial properties. It operates through four segments: Affordable Multifamily MRB Investments, Seniors and Skilled Nursing MRB Investments, MF Properties, Market-Rate Joint Venture Investments. The company was formerly known as America First Multifamily Investors, L.P. and changed its name to Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP in December 2022. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is based in Omaha, Nebraska. About Yiren Digital (Get Free Report) Yiren Digital Ltd. operates an AI-powered platform. Its platform provides a suite of financial and lifestyle services in China. The company delivers digital financial services, insurance solutions, as well as consumption and lifestyle services. It supports clients at various growth stages, addressing financing needs arising from consumption and production activities, and augmenting the well-being and security of individuals, families, and businesses. The company was formerly known as Yirendai Ltd. and changed its name to Yiren Digital Ltd. in September 2019. Yiren Digital Ltd. was founded in 2012 and is based in Beijing, the People's Republic of China. Yiren Digital Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of CreditEase Holdings (Cayman) Limited. Receive News & Ratings for Greystone Housing Impact Investors Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Greystone Housing Impact Investors and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Corton Capital Inc. purchased a new stake in Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 6,511 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $204,000. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Front Row Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Unity Software by 15,550.0% in the 2nd quarter. Front Row Advisors LLC now owns 626 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 622 shares during the last quarter. Huntington National Bank increased its stake in shares of Unity Software by 665.0% in the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 895 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 778 shares during the last quarter. Meitav Investment House Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Unity Software in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of Unity Software by 1,151.0% in the 3rd quarter. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC now owns 1,251 shares of the companys stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 1,151 shares during the last quarter. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc increased its stake in shares of Unity Software by 373.7% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 919 shares of the companys stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 725 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 64.74% of the companys stock. Get Unity Software alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets U has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Wolfe Research lowered Unity Software from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research note on Monday, November 13th. Macquarie lowered Unity Software from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and set a $20.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Barclays reduced their price objective on Unity Software from $30.00 to $28.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on Unity Software from $32.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, Citigroup reduced their price objective on Unity Software from $50.00 to $38.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $37.03. Unity Software Price Performance U stock opened at $28.91 on Friday. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $34.52 and its 200 day simple moving average is $32.75. Unity Software Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $22.20 and a fifty-two week high of $50.08. The company has a quick ratio of 2.35, a current ratio of 2.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83. Unity Software (NYSE:U Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 26th. The company reported ($0.66) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.23 by ($0.89). The firm had revenue of $609.27 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $551.01 million. Unity Software had a negative return on equity of 9.99% and a negative net margin of 37.64%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 35.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted ($0.50) earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Unity Software Inc. will post -0.63 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Unity Software news, SVP Anirma Gupta sold 756 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.07, for a total transaction of $25,000.92. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 396,985 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $13,128,293.95. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Unity Software news, SVP Anirma Gupta sold 756 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.07, for a total transaction of $25,000.92. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 396,985 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $13,128,293.95. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Tomer Bar-Zeev sold 150,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.92, for a total value of $6,138,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 1,200,332 shares of the companys stock, valued at $49,117,585.44. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 276,293 shares of company stock valued at $10,514,558. Corporate insiders own 9.00% of the companys stock. About Unity Software (Free Report) Unity Software Inc operates a real-time 3D development platform. Its platform provides software solutions to create, run, and monetize interactive, real-time 2D and 3D content for mobile phones, tablets, PCs, consoles, and augmented and virtual reality devices. The company offers its solutions directly through its online store and field sales operations in North America, Denmark, Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, and South Korea, as well as indirectly through independent distributors and resellers worldwide. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding U? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Unity Software Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Unity Software and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Corton Capital Inc. lowered its position in shares of DHT Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:DHT Free Report) by 20.2% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 22,077 shares of the shipping companys stock after selling 5,578 shares during the period. Corton Capital Inc.s holdings in DHT were worth $227,000 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 DHT. Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of DHT in the third quarter worth $1,071,000. FMR LLC increased its holdings in DHT by 42.5% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 16,122,321 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $166,060,000 after buying an additional 4,808,258 shares during the last quarter. Hosking Partners LLP raised its stake in DHT by 10.8% during the third quarter. Hosking Partners LLP now owns 4,353,514 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $44,841,000 after buying an additional 423,836 shares in the last quarter. Amitell Capital Pte Ltd bought a new position in DHT during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $497,000. Finally, Jackson Creek Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of DHT in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,032,000. 59.26% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get DHT alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth DHT has been the subject of several research reports. TheStreet raised shares of DHT from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Truist Financial raised their price target on DHT from $14.00 to $17.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, February 16th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $12.67. DHT Stock Performance DHT opened at $11.01 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 3.54, a quick ratio of 2.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The businesss 50 day moving average is $10.80 and its 200-day moving average is $10.29. The stock has a market cap of $1.79 billion, a PE ratio of 11.12 and a beta of -0.33. DHT Holdings, Inc. has a twelve month low of $7.30 and a twelve month high of $12.13. DHT (NYSE:DHT Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The shipping company reported $0.22 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.22. DHT had a return on equity of 15.52% and a net margin of 28.78%. The firm had revenue of $94.50 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $95.78 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.38 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 19.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that DHT Holdings, Inc. will post 1.42 earnings per share for the current year. DHT Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 28th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 21st were issued a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 20th. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.99%. This is an increase from DHTs previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. DHTs dividend payout ratio is presently 88.89%. DHT Company Profile (Free Report) DHT Holdings, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates crude oil tankers primarily in Monaco, Singapore, and Norway. As of March 16, 2023, it had a fleet of 23 very large crude carriers. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DHT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for DHT Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:DHT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for DHT Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DHT and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Corton Capital Inc. cut its holdings in shares of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK Free Report) by 9.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 319 shares of the asset managers stock after selling 34 shares during the quarter. Corton Capital Inc.s holdings in BlackRock were worth $206,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A purchased a new stake in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter worth about $26,000. West Tower Group LLC bought a new position in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter worth approximately $27,000. Archer Investment Corp bought a new position in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter worth approximately $29,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new position in BlackRock during the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Tyler Stone Wealth Management bought a new position in BlackRock during the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. 77.01% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get BlackRock alerts: BlackRock Stock Up 0.4 % BLK stock opened at $814.81 on Friday. BlackRock, Inc. has a twelve month low of $596.18 and a twelve month high of $823.71. The company has a quick ratio of 3.72, a current ratio of 3.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The stock has a market cap of $121.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.32, a PEG ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.37. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $796.30 and its 200-day moving average price is $724.98. BlackRock Increases Dividend BlackRock ( NYSE:BLK Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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. BlackRock had a return on equity of 14.74% and a net margin of 30.81%. The firm had revenue of $4.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.65 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $8.93 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that BlackRock, Inc. will post 39.63 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Investors of record on Thursday, March 7th will be issued a $5.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 6th. This is a boost from BlackRocks previous quarterly dividend of $5.00. This represents a $20.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.50%. BlackRocks payout ratio is currently 54.78%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have commented on BLK. TD Cowen upgraded shares of BlackRock from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their price target for the company from $819.00 to $938.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of BlackRock from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $885.00 target price on the stock in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. UBS Group raised their price target on BlackRock from $720.00 to $818.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on BlackRock from $719.00 to $793.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, November 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered BlackRock from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and set a $708.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Friday, December 15th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, BlackRock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $785.73. Get Our Latest Analysis on BLK Insider Buying and Selling In other news, CEO Laurence Fink sold 30,978 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $809.92, for a total transaction of $25,089,701.76. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 414,146 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $335,425,128.32. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Laurence Fink sold 30,978 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $809.92, for a total transaction of $25,089,701.76. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 414,146 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $335,425,128.32. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Rachel Lord sold 36,059 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on 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 completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,004 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,910,292.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 100,511 shares of company stock valued at $71,864,028. Corporate insiders own 0.96% of the companys stock. BlackRock 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. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 2, 2024 shows Shenzhou-17 astronaut Tang Hongbo performing extravehicular activities. The Shenzhou-17 crew members, who are currently on board China's space station, have completed their second extravehicular mission on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li He) BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Shenzhou-17 crew aboard China's orbiting space station carried out their second extravehicular mission on Saturday, the China Manned Space Agency has said. Taikonauts Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin successfully completed all assigned tasks at 1:32 p.m. (Beijing time), after approximately eight hours of extravehicular activities. They worked together closely with the support of the space station's robotic arm and scientific researchers on Earth. A spacewalk was conducted by Tang Hongbo and Jiang Xinlin, who have since returned safely to the Wentian lab module. China launched the Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship on Oct. 26, 2023. Its crew conducted a repair test in their first extravehicular mission on Dec. 21 last year. During their second extravehicular mission, the three taikonauts completed maintenance work on the Tianhe core module's solar wings, addressing the impact of small space particles. According to the agency, the solar wing's power generation function is operating normally after evaluation and analysis. It was the first time the taikonauts completed the in-orbit maintenance of extravehicular facilities. The Shenzhou-17 crew also inspected the status of the space station's modules during their spacewalk. The three taikonauts are scheduled to carry out a variety of space science and technology experiments during the remainder of their space journey, the agency said. This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 2, 2024 shows Shenzhou-17 astronaut Tang Hongbo performing extravehicular activities. The Shenzhou-17 crew members, who are currently on board China's space station, have completed their second extravehicular mission on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li He) This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 2, 2024 shows Shenzhou-17 astronaut Jiang Xinlin performing extravehicular activities assisted by the robotic arm of the space station. The Shenzhou-17 crew members, who are currently on board China's space station, have completed their second extravehicular mission on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li He) This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 2, 2024 shows Shenzhou-17 astronaut opening the hatch of space station lab module Wentian's airlock cabin before extravehicular activities. The Shenzhou-17 crew members, who are currently on board China's space station, have completed their second extravehicular mission on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li He) This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 2, 2024 shows Shenzhou-17 astronaut Jiang Xinlin collecting image data while performing extravehicular activities. The Shenzhou-17 crew members, who are currently on board China's space station, have completed their second extravehicular mission on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li He) This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 2, 2024 shows Shenzhou-17 astronauts Tang Hongbo (R) and Jiang Xinlin (L) returning to the Wentian lab module. The Shenzhou-17 crew members, who are currently on board China's space station, have completed their second extravehicular mission on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li He) This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 2, 2024 shows Shenzhou-17 astronaut Jiang Xinlin performing extravehicular activities. The Shenzhou-17 crew members, who are currently on board China's space station, have completed their second extravehicular mission on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li He) Corton Capital Inc. bought a new stake in Cushman & Wakefield plc (NYSE:CWK Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 29,529 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $225,000. Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Cushman & Wakefield by 3,128.2% during the 1st quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 2,292 shares of the companys stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 2,221 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its stake in Cushman & Wakefield by 3.7% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 550,325 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,287,000 after acquiring an additional 19,586 shares during the period. US Bancorp DE raised its holdings in Cushman & Wakefield by 1,215.8% in the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 8,237 shares of the companys stock valued at $169,000 after acquiring an additional 7,611 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its position in shares of Cushman & Wakefield by 7.0% in the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 34,037 shares of the companys stock worth $711,000 after acquiring an additional 2,216 shares during the period. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Cushman & Wakefield by 199.9% during the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 13,220 shares of the companys stock worth $271,000 after purchasing an additional 8,812 shares in the last quarter. 90.47% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Cushman & Wakefield alerts: Cushman & Wakefield Stock Performance Shares of NYSE CWK opened at $9.94 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.85. Cushman & Wakefield plc has a 12-month low of $6.24 and a 12-month high of $13.01. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $10.31 and its 200 day simple moving average is $9.00. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Cushman & Wakefield ( NYSE:CWK Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 20th. The company reported $0.45 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.06. Cushman & Wakefield had a negative net margin of 0.37% and a positive return on equity of 11.87%. The business had revenue of $2.55 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.78 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.46 earnings per share. Cushman & Wakefields revenue was down 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Cushman & Wakefield plc will post 1.01 EPS for the current fiscal year. CWK has been the topic of several analyst reports. UBS Group lowered their price objective on Cushman & Wakefield from $11.00 to $9.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 22nd. Raymond James upped their target price on shares of Cushman & Wakefield from $11.00 to $12.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Wolfe Research raised shares of Cushman & Wakefield from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $12.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, December 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong 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 $10.58. Get Our Latest Report on Cushman & Wakefield Insider Transactions at Cushman & Wakefield In other news, insider Nathaniel Robinson sold 20,000 shares of Cushman & Wakefield stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.82, for a total transaction of $176,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 29,459 shares in the company, valued at approximately $259,828.38. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 1.19% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Cushman & Wakefield Profile (Free Report) Cushman & Wakefield plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides commercial real estate services under the Cushman & Wakefield brand in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates through Americas; Europe, Middle East, and Africa; and Asia Pacific segments. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Cushman & Wakefield Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cushman & Wakefield and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Ensign Energy Services Inc. (TSE:ESI Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the seven research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$4.03. ESI has been the topic of a number of research reports. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on shares of Ensign Energy Services from C$3.00 to C$2.50 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. ATB Capital cut their price target on shares of Ensign Energy Services from C$7.00 to C$5.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 22nd. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on shares of Ensign Energy Services from C$4.50 to C$3.75 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 6th. Finally, CIBC cut their price target on shares of Ensign Energy Services from C$4.00 to C$3.25 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Get Ensign Energy Services alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on ESI Ensign Energy Services Stock Up 13.4 % About Ensign Energy Services TSE ESI opened at C$2.37 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 101.15, a current ratio of 0.27 and a quick ratio of 1.30. The companys 50 day simple moving average is C$2.18 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$2.53. Ensign Energy Services has a 12 month low of C$1.77 and a 12 month high of C$4.06. The company has a market capitalization of C$435.01 million, a P/E ratio of 19.75, a PEG ratio of 202.94 and a beta of 3.07. (Get Free Report Ensign Energy Services Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides oilfield services to the crude oil and natural gas industries in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company offers shallow, intermediate, and deep well drilling, as well as specialized drilling services, including horizontal, underbalanced, horizontal re-entry, and slant drilling for steam assisted gravity drainage applications; and equipment and services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Ensign Energy Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ensign Energy Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY24 earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $4.76-4.96 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.87. EPR Properties also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 4.760-4.960 EPS. EPR Properties Stock Up 1.7 % EPR Properties stock opened at $41.76 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $3.15 billion, a PE ratio of 21.20, a P/E/G ratio of 7.49 and a beta of 1.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 8.55 and a current ratio of 7.53. The firms 50 day moving average price is $44.89 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $44.27. EPR Properties has a twelve month low of $33.92 and a twelve month high of $49.10. Get EPR Properties alerts: EPR Properties Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.285 per share. This is a positive change from EPR Propertiess previous monthly dividend of $0.28. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $3.42 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.19%. EPR Propertiess dividend payout ratio is 167.51%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades EPR has been the topic of several analyst reports. JMP Securities lowered shares of EPR Properties from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. Raymond James upped their price objective on shares of EPR Properties from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, January 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of EPR Properties from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $51.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, December 18th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on shares of EPR Properties from $48.00 to $51.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Finally, KeyCorp increased their price target on shares of EPR Properties from $47.00 to $51.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $48.55. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on EPR Insider Transactions at EPR Properties In other news, Director Lisa G. Trimberger sold 5,933 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.39, for a total transaction of $275,231.87. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, Director Peter C. Brown sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.68, for a total transaction of $121,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 18,094 shares in the company, valued at approximately $880,815.92. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Lisa G. Trimberger sold 5,933 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.39, for a total transaction of $275,231.87. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 9,933 shares of company stock valued at $469,682. Company insiders own 1.89% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On EPR Properties A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in EPR. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of EPR Properties by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 9,251 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $506,000 after purchasing an additional 356 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE increased its position in shares of EPR Properties by 6.2% during the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 6,103 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $333,000 after purchasing an additional 356 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its position in EPR Properties by 16.8% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 10,577 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $579,000 after acquiring an additional 1,523 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can raised its stake in shares of EPR Properties by 987.9% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 98,989 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $5,547,000 after acquiring an additional 89,890 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of EPR Properties by 33.4% in the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 48,362 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,646,000 after acquiring an additional 12,111 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.09% of the companys stock. About EPR Properties (Get Free Report) EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR) is the leading diversified experiential net lease real estate investment trust (REIT), specializing in select enduring experiential properties in the real estate industry. We focus on real estate venues that create value by facilitating out of home leisure and recreation experiences where consumers choose to spend their discretionary time and money. See Also Receive News & Ratings for EPR Properties Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for EPR Properties and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Equinox Gold Corp (CVE:EQX Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the six ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$7.93. Several brokerages recently issued reports on EQX. TD Securities decreased their price target on shares of Equinox Gold from C$8.50 to C$8.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Haywood Securities reduced their price objective on Equinox Gold from C$11.50 to C$10.50 in a research report on Monday, February 26th. Desjardins upgraded Equinox Gold from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from C$7.25 to C$7.75 in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. Scotiabank dropped their price objective on shares of Equinox Gold from C$7.75 to C$7.00 in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Finally, CIBC reduced their target price on shares of Equinox Gold from C$7.60 to C$6.80 in a report on Thursday. Get Equinox Gold alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Equinox Gold Insiders Place Their Bets Equinox Gold Trading Down 0.9 % In related news, Senior Officer Kelly Grant Boychuk sold 9,923 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$5.88, for a total transaction of C$58,347.24. In other news, Senior Officer Susan Caroline Toews sold 13,240 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$6.74, for a total value of C$89,237.60. Also, Senior Officer Kelly Grant Boychuk sold 9,923 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$5.88, for a total transaction of C$58,347.24. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 41,232 shares of company stock valued at $258,986. Shares of EQX stock opened at C$7.88 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of C$892.46 million and a P/E ratio of -43.54. Equinox Gold has a 1 year low of C$4.25 and a 1 year high of C$8.90. The company has a current ratio of 1.94, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 64.28. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of C$7.88 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$7.88. Equinox Gold Company Profile (Get Free Report Equinox Gold Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral deposits. The company's principal properties include the Aurizona project covering a total land package of approximately 223,160 hectares located in Maranhao State, Brazil; and the Castle Mountain property situated in California, the United States. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Equinox Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equinox Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Gotham Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:FND Free Report) by 142.4% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 53,845 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 31,634 shares during the quarter. Gotham Asset Management LLCs holdings in Floor & Decor were worth $4,873,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale purchased a new stake in shares of Floor & Decor in the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Y.D. More Investments Ltd bought a new position in Floor & Decor in the third quarter worth about $45,000. Stephens Inc. AR lifted its holdings in Floor & Decor by 72.5% in the first quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 545 shares of the companys stock worth $54,000 after buying an additional 229 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new stake in Floor & Decor during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $57,000. Finally, Benjamin Edwards Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Floor & Decor during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $58,000. Get Floor & Decor alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have recently commented on FND. Wedbush raised their target price on Floor & Decor from $115.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, February 23rd. Guggenheim raised their price objective on Floor & Decor from $115.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday. BNP Paribas downgraded shares of Floor & Decor from an outperform rating to an underperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of Floor & Decor from $98.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Floor & Decor from $115.00 to $110.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 26th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $104.76. Floor & Decor Price Performance Shares of FND opened at $121.40 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $12.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 53.48, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.83 and a beta of 1.85. Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. has a twelve month low of $76.30 and a twelve month high of $124.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $108.90 and a 200 day moving average of $98.09. Floor & Decor (NYSE:FND Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.27 by $0.07. Floor & Decor had a return on equity of 13.38% and a net margin of 5.57%. The firm had revenue of $1.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.01 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.64 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up .0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. will post 1.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity In other news, EVP Steven Alan Denny sold 5,152 shares of Floor & Decor stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.52, for a total transaction of $636,375.04. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 13,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,639,233.92. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Floor & Decor news, CFO Bryan Langley sold 5,865 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.86, for a total value of $702,978.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 17,422 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,088,200.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Steven Alan Denny sold 5,152 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.52, for a total transaction of $636,375.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 13,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,639,233.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 110,501 shares of company stock valued at $13,264,182 in the last ninety days. 2.50% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. About Floor & Decor (Free Report) Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc together with its subsidiaries, operates as a multi-channel specialty retailer and commercial flooring distributor in Georgia. The company offers tile, wood, laminate, vinyl, and natural stone flooring products, as well as decorative accessories, wall tiles, and installation materials and tools. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FND? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:FND Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Floor & Decor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Floor & Decor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lessened its position in shares of Hormel Foods Co. (NYSE:HRL Free Report) by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 199,554 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,730 shares during the period. Treasurer of the State of North Carolinas holdings in Hormel Foods were worth $7,589,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Hormel Foods by 62.9% during the 3rd quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,028 shares of the companys stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 397 shares during the last quarter. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new stake in Hormel Foods in the 1st quarter valued at $41,000. Dark Forest Capital Management LP raised its position in Hormel Foods by 387.0% in the 1st quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP now owns 1,841 shares of the companys stock valued at $73,000 after purchasing an additional 1,463 shares during the last quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV raised its position in Hormel Foods by 52.8% in the 3rd quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 1,950 shares of the companys stock valued at $74,000 after purchasing an additional 674 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC raised its position in Hormel Foods by 6,213.3% in the 2nd quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 1,894 shares of the companys stock valued at $75,000 after purchasing an additional 1,864 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 41.15% of the companys stock. Get Hormel Foods alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms recently commented on HRL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Hormel Foods from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Friday. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of Hormel Foods from $31.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, January 12th. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Hormel Foods in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. They issued a neutral rating and a $31.00 price objective on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Hormel Foods from $26.00 to $28.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Hormel Foods from $33.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and seven have issued a hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $35.50. Insider Activity at Hormel Foods In other Hormel Foods news, EVP Deanna T. Brady sold 5,024 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.48, for a total value of $158,155.52. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 71,567 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,252,929.16. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Hormel Foods news, Director Susan K. Nestegard sold 8,105 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.78, for a total value of $257,576.90. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 92,615 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,943,304.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Deanna T. Brady sold 5,024 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.48, for a total transaction of $158,155.52. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 71,567 shares in the company, valued at $2,252,929.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 28,021 shares of company stock valued at $886,454. Insiders own 0.69% of the companys stock. Hormel Foods Price Performance Shares of NYSE HRL opened at $33.37 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $18.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.86, a PEG ratio of 4.82 and a beta of 0.27. Hormel Foods Co. has a 52 week low of $28.51 and a 52 week high of $42.62. The companys 50-day moving average price is $30.93 and its 200 day moving average price is $33.47. The company has a current ratio of 1.49, a quick ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 29th. The company reported $0.41 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.34 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $3 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.91 billion. Hormel Foods had a net margin of 6.55% and a return on equity of 11.51%. The firms revenue was up .9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.40 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Hormel Foods Co. will post 1.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About Hormel Foods (Free Report) Hormel Foods Corporation develops, processes, and distributes various meat, nuts, and other food products to retail, foodservice, deli, and commercial customers in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Retail, Foodservice, and International segments. The company provides various perishable products that include fresh meats, frozen items, refrigerated meal solutions, sausages, hams, guacamoles, and bacons; and shelf-stable products comprising canned luncheon meats, nut butters, snack nuts, chili, shelf-stable microwaveable meals, hash, stews, tortillas, salsas, tortilla chips, nutritional food supplements, and others. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Hormel Foods Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hormel Foods and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Chile ETF (BATS:ECH Free Report) by 35.1% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 29,416 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 7,650 shares during the quarter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI Chile ETF were worth $770,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ECH. Metlife Inc. increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI Chile ETF by 0.5% during the second quarter. Metlife Inc. now owns 93,415 shares of the companys stock worth $2,724,000 after purchasing an additional 449 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its stake in iShares MSCI Chile ETF by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 37,200 shares of the companys stock worth $893,000 after buying an additional 810 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its position in iShares MSCI Chile ETF by 362.2% during the third quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,077 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 844 shares during the period. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI Chile ETF in the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Citigroup Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Chile ETF in the third quarter valued at approximately $53,000. Get iShares MSCI Chile ETF alerts: iShares MSCI Chile ETF Price Performance Shares of BATS:ECH opened at $26.48 on Friday. iShares MSCI Chile ETF has a 1-year low of $41.34 and a 1-year high of $56.53. The stock has a market cap of $581.24 million, a P/E ratio of 8.48 and a beta of 0.91. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $26.01 and a 200 day moving average price of $26.28. iShares MSCI Chile ETF Profile iShares MSCI Chile Capped ETF, formerly iShares MSCI Chile Capped Investable Market Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the MSCI Chile Investable Market Index (the Index). The Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure broad based equity market performance in Chile. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ECH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI Chile ETF (BATS:ECH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Chile ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Chile ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC grew its holdings in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL Free Report) by 3.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 5,945 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 193 shares during the quarter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Aflac were worth $456,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Baystate Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Aflac by 24.1% during the 3rd quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 675 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $52,000 after acquiring an additional 131 shares during the last quarter. Dominguez Wealth Management Solutions Inc. raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Dominguez Wealth Management Solutions Inc. now owns 24,969 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,916,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares in the last quarter. Brighton Jones LLC raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 6,156 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $472,000 after purchasing an additional 136 shares in the last quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,779 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $290,000 after purchasing an additional 136 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SVB Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. SVB Wealth LLC now owns 10,370 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $796,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. 66.75% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Aflac alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In AFL has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. UBS Group upped their price objective on Aflac from $80.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Aflac from $82.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Aflac from $85.00 to $80.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on Aflac from $61.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Raymond James increased their price target on Aflac from $83.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $80.36. Aflac Stock Down 0.4 % AFL stock opened at $80.42 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.06 and a quick ratio of 0.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $46.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.38, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 0.91. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $81.32 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $79.62. Aflac Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $60.20 and a fifty-two week high of $86.20. Aflac (NYSE:AFL Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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). The firm had revenue of $3.78 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.44 billion. Aflac had a return on equity of 17.59% and a net margin of 24.92%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.29 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.41 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Transactions at Aflac In other news, Director Arthur Reginald Collins sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $79.73, for a total transaction of $239,190.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 5,592 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $445,850.16. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, Director Masatoshi Koide sold 30,493 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $79.91, for a total transaction of $2,436,695.63. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 86,090 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,879,451.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Arthur Reginald Collins sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $79.73, for a total value of $239,190.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 5,592 shares in the company, valued at $445,850.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. 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. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Aflac Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Aflac and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in shares of Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR Free Report) by 12.7% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 38,523 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 4,340 shares during the period. Insigneo Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Palantir Technologies were worth $616,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in PLTR. Bank of Nova Scotia boosted its stake in Palantir Technologies by 2.0% during the second quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 34,450 shares of the companys stock valued at $528,000 after buying an additional 682 shares during the period. Qsemble Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of Palantir Technologies in the third quarter worth approximately $1,178,000. Trexquant Investment LP purchased a new stake in Palantir Technologies in the third quarter valued at approximately $4,446,000. Van Cleef Asset Management Inc grew its stake in Palantir Technologies by 82.9% in the 2nd quarter. Van Cleef Asset Management Inc now owns 690,267 shares of the companys stock worth $10,582,000 after buying an additional 312,767 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Palantir Technologies by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 684,953 shares of the companys stock worth $10,959,000 after buying an additional 25,787 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 34.21% of the companys stock. Get Palantir Technologies alerts: Palantir Technologies Trading Down 0.6 % NYSE:PLTR opened at $24.93 on Friday. Palantir Technologies Inc. has a 12 month low of $7.19 and a 12 month high of $25.69. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $19.56 and a 200-day moving average price of $17.79. The stock has a market cap of $55.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 276.98, a P/E/G ratio of 6.15 and a beta of 2.81. Insider Buying and Selling at Palantir Technologies Palantir Technologies ( NYSE:PLTR Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 5th. The company reported $0.03 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.04 by ($0.01). Palantir Technologies had a net margin of 9.43% and a return on equity of 6.17%. The firm had revenue of $608.35 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $603.48 million. Equities analysts forecast that Palantir Technologies Inc. will post 0.16 EPS for the current fiscal year. In other news, Director Alexandra W. Schiff sold 4,000 shares of Palantir Technologies stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.11, for a total transaction of $64,440.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 200,783 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,234,614.13. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Palantir Technologies news, Director Alexandra W. Schiff sold 4,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.11, for a total transaction of $64,440.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 200,783 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,234,614.13. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Heather A. Planishek sold 27,608 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.43, for a total transaction of $481,207.44. Following the sale, the insider now owns 712,006 shares in the company, valued at $12,410,264.58. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 550,397 shares of company stock valued at $12,000,202. 13.96% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts recently issued reports on PLTR shares. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Palantir Technologies from an underperform rating to a hold rating and upped their target price for the stock from $13.00 to $22.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Raymond James increased their price objective on Palantir Technologies from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. HSBC cut shares of Palantir Technologies from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $22.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Mizuho lifted their target price on shares of Palantir Technologies from $16.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Citigroup raised Palantir Technologies from a sell rating to a neutral rating and raised their price objective for the company from $10.00 to $20.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $16.71. View Our Latest Report on PLTR Palantir Technologies Profile (Free Report) Palantir Technologies Inc builds and deploys software platforms for the intelligence community in the United States to assist in counterterrorism investigations and operations. The company provides Palantir Gotham, a software platform which enables users to identify patterns hidden deep within datasets, ranging from signals intelligence sources to reports from confidential informants, as well as facilitates the handoff between analysts and operational users, helping operators plan and execute real-world responses to threats that have been identified within the platform. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PLTR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Palantir Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Palantir Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Becker Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (NYSEARCA:EWU Free Report) by 6.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 122,487 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 7,507 shares during the period. Becker Capital Management Inc. owned 0.14% of iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF worth $3,875,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of EWU. Jane Street Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF by 659.9% during the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 22,079,820 shares of the companys stock worth $712,295,000 after purchasing an additional 19,174,359 shares during the period. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF by 353.2% in the 3rd quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,673,519 shares of the companys stock worth $52,950,000 after acquiring an additional 1,304,222 shares during the period. Flow Traders U.S. LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF by 3,267.7% in the 1st quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 1,112,403 shares of the companys stock worth $37,421,000 after acquiring an additional 1,079,371 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF by 264.1% in the 1st quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 575,175 shares of the companys stock worth $19,349,000 after acquiring an additional 417,205 shares during the period. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF by 34.0% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,225,694 shares of the companys stock worth $41,232,000 after acquiring an additional 310,850 shares during the period. Get iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF alerts: iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF Stock Up 0.5 % EWU stock opened at $32.92 on Friday. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $32.58 and its 200 day simple moving average is $32.10. iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF has a fifty-two week low of $30.00 and a fifty-two week high of $34.04. The stock has a market cap of $2.83 billion, a PE ratio of 13.02 and a beta of 0.83. About iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF The iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWU) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI United Kingdom index. The fund tracks a market cap-weighted index of British companies. It covers the top 85% of British companies by market cap. EWU was launched on Mar 12, 1996 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EWU? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (NYSEARCA:EWU Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dr. Luo Jun collects spotted seal dung samples at Dalian Sunasia seal breeding base in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 28, 2024. Between November and March in the coming year is the breeding season for spotted seals, and it is also the busiest time for Dr. Luo Jun's team at the Dalian Sunasia Marine Biology Institute. "Every year, our institute breeds around 10 spotted seal pups," says Dr. Luo. During this period, Dr. Luo and his team members will test the dung for both seal mothers and pups, examine water samples, record the growth of the seals and prepare customized food when necessary. The Dalian Sunasia Marine Biology Institute, where Dr. Luo works, also serves as a provincial aquatic wildlife rescue center which accommodates rescued wild spotted seal pups. In mid-April this year, the Institute plans to release some of the rescued wild pups and artificially bred pups back into the sea. "As I watch these pups swim back to the ocean, I feel reluctant to part with them. I hope that our efforts will contribute to increasing the population of spotted seals," says Dr. Luo. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) This photo taken on Feb. 28, 2024 shows spotted seals at Dalian Sunasia seal breeding base in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) Dr. Luo Jun collects water samples at Dalian Sunasia seal breeding base in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) Dr. Luo Jun prepares food for spotted seals at Dalian Sunasia Marine Biology Institute in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) This photo taken on Feb. 28, 2024 shows a spotted seal pup born in 2024 at Dalian Sunasia seal breeding base in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) Dr. Luo Jun tests sea water samples at Dalian Sunasia Marine Biology Institute in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) Dr. Luo Jun tests sea water samples at Dalian Sunasia Marine Biology Institute in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) Dr. Luo Jun tests sea water samples at Dalian Sunasia Marine Biology Institute in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) Dr. Luo Jun puts nutrition substance into food for spotted seals at Dalian Sunasia Marine Biology Institute in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) This photo taken on Feb. 28, 2024 shows a spotted seal pup born in 2024 at Dalian Sunasia seal breeding base in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) Dr. Luo Jun (R) feeds a spotted seal at Dalian Sunasia seal breeding base in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) This photo taken on Feb. 28, 2024 shows a spotted seal pup born in 2024 at Dalian Sunasia seal breeding base in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (NYSE:KYN Get Free Report) was the target of a large decline in short interest during the month of February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 212,800 shares, a decline of 19.0% from the January 31st total of 262,600 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 643,400 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.3 days. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, President James C. Baker acquired 50,000 shares of Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 10th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $8.84 per share, for a total transaction of $442,000.00. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 681,039 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,020,384.76. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Get Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. CWM LLC bought a new stake in shares of Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund in the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Tanglewood Legacy Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund in the 4th quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, NBC Securities Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund in the 4th quarter valued at about $55,000. Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund Stock Performance Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund Increases Dividend Shares of KYN stock opened at $9.24 on Friday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $8.77 and its 200 day simple moving average is $8.57. Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund has a twelve month low of $7.84 and a twelve month high of $9.33. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 3rd were given a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 9.52%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 2nd. This is a positive change from Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Funds previous quarterly dividend of $0.21. Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund Company Profile (Get Free Report) Kayne Anderson MLP Investment Company is a closed ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by KA Fund Advisors, LLC. It is co-managed by Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United States. It invests in stocks of companies operating in the energy sector. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. lowered its stake in Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX Free Report) by 61.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,873 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 10,732 shares during the period. Hodges Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Phillips 66 were worth $826,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. acquired a new position in Phillips 66 in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Phillips 66 in the second quarter valued at about $30,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Phillips 66 by 134.8% during the third quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 263 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares during the period. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Phillips 66 during the first quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, Bell Investment Advisors Inc lifted its position in Phillips 66 by 82.1% in the third quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 306 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 138 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.83% of the companys stock. Get Phillips 66 alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Phillips 66 from $151.00 to $163.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of Phillips 66 from $134.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Phillips 66 from $132.00 to $139.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Phillips 66 in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Finally, Raymond James boosted their price target on Phillips 66 from $140.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $138.21. Phillips 66 Stock Up 1.2 % Shares of NYSE PSX opened at $144.20 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $61.69 billion, a PE ratio of 9.32, a P/E/G ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $138.83 and a 200-day moving average of $125.37. Phillips 66 has a 52-week low of $89.74 and a 52-week high of $150.08. Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The oil and gas company reported $3.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.37 by $0.72. Phillips 66 had a return on equity of 22.10% and a net margin of 4.68%. On average, analysts anticipate that Phillips 66 will post 13.06 EPS for the current year. Phillips 66 Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th were given a dividend of $1.05 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 16th. This represents a $4.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.91%. Phillips 66s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 27.15%. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, EVP Richard G. Harbison sold 21,934 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.27, for a total transaction of $3,208,286.18. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 24,941 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,648,120.07. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Phillips 66 news, EVP Richard G. Harbison sold 21,934 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.27, for a total transaction of $3,208,286.18. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 24,941 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,648,120.07. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Joseph Scott Pruitt sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $133.23, for a total value of $133,230.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 6,593 shares of the companys stock, valued at $878,385.39. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 31,887 shares of company stock worth $4,543,437 over the last ninety days. 4.57% of the stock is owned by company insiders. About Phillips 66 (Free Report) Phillips 66 operates as an energy manufacturing and logistics company in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties (M&S). The Midstream segment transports crude oil and other feedstocks; delivers refined petroleum products to market; provides terminaling and storage services for crude oil and refined petroleum products; transports, stores, fractionates, exports, and markets natural gas liquids; provides other fee-based processing services; and gathers, processes, transports, and markets natural gas. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PSX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Phillips 66 Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Phillips 66 and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Quadrature Capital Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 234,085 shares of the airlines stock, valued at approximately $6,337,000. Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Motco raised its stake in Southwest Airlines by 151.0% during the third quarter. Motco now owns 1,187 shares of the airlines stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 714 shares during the last quarter. Samalin Investment Counsel LLC raised its position in shares of Southwest Airlines by 247.5% in the 1st quarter. Samalin Investment Counsel LLC now owns 702 shares of the airlines stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Pacific Center for Financial Services bought a new position in Southwest Airlines in the 1st quarter worth about $33,000. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd purchased a new stake in Southwest Airlines during the 2nd quarter valued at about $36,000. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC bought a new stake in Southwest Airlines during the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. 78.22% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Southwest Airlines alerts: Southwest Airlines Price Performance NYSE LUV opened at $33.96 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. Southwest Airlines Co. has a 12 month low of $21.91 and a 12 month high of $39.53. The stock has a market cap of $20.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.28, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.16. The companys 50 day moving average is $30.98 and its two-hundred day moving average is $28.58. Southwest Airlines Dividend Announcement Southwest Airlines ( NYSE:LUV Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 25th. The airline reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.12 by $0.25. Southwest Airlines had a net margin of 1.91% and a return on equity of 9.40%. The firm had revenue of $6.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.75 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned ($0.38) EPS. The companys revenue was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Southwest Airlines Co. will post 1.84 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 6th will be given a $0.18 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 5th. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.12%. Southwest Airliness payout ratio is 96.00%. Analyst Ratings Changes LUV has been the subject of several analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein raised shares of Southwest Airlines from an underperform rating to a market perform rating and raised their price target for the company from $26.00 to $32.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Southwest Airlines from $24.00 to $29.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. StockNews.com raised Southwest Airlines from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Sunday, January 28th. Evercore ISI reaffirmed an inline rating and set a $35.00 price target on shares of Southwest Airlines in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Finally, Melius cut shares of Southwest Airlines from a neutral rating to an underweight rating in a report on Monday, November 13th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Southwest Airlines has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $30.93. View Our Latest Report on Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines Profile (Free Report) Southwest Airlines Co operates as a passenger airline company that provides scheduled air transportation services in the United States and near-international markets. As of December 31, 2023, the company operated a total fleet of 817 Boeing 737 aircraft; and served 121 destinations in 42 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as ten near-international countries, including Mexico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Belize, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LUV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Southwest Airlines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southwest Airlines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd decreased its position in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH Free Report) by 41.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,125,264 shares of the companys stock after selling 790,229 shares during the period. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd owned approximately 0.26% of Norwegian Cruise Line worth $18,544,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in Norwegian Cruise Line by 5,020.8% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,229 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 1,205 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its holdings in Norwegian Cruise Line by 272.7% in the first quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,856 shares of the companys stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 1,358 shares during the period. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Norwegian Cruise Line by 46.2% in the second quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 600 shares during the period. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new position in Norwegian Cruise Line in the third quarter valued at $42,000. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in Norwegian Cruise Line by 38.0% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 3,574 shares of the companys stock valued at $59,000 after buying an additional 984 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.49% of the companys stock. Get Norwegian Cruise Line alerts: Norwegian Cruise Line Trading Down 0.6 % NYSE:NCLH opened at $19.28 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 40.94, a current ratio of 0.22 and a quick ratio of 0.27. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $17.69 and a 200-day moving average of $16.64. The company has a market cap of $8.21 billion, a PE ratio of 68.86, a PEG ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 2.59. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. has a one year low of $12.15 and a one year high of $22.75. Analyst Ratings Changes Norwegian Cruise Line ( NYSE:NCLH Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The company reported ($0.18) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.13) by ($0.05). Norwegian Cruise Line had a return on equity of 108.69% and a net margin of 1.94%. The business had revenue of $1.99 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.99 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned ($1.10) earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. will post 0.87 EPS for the current fiscal year. Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on NCLH shares. Truist Financial upped their price objective on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line from $17.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Friday. Susquehanna upped their price objective on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday. StockNews.com lowered shares of Norwegian Cruise Line from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an equal weight rating and set a $18.00 price objective on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line in a report on Friday, January 5th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $20.96. View Our Latest Research Report on NCLH Norwegian Cruise Line Company Profile (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. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NCLH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Norwegian Cruise Line Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Norwegian Cruise Line and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group reduced its position in Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report) by 8.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,058 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 882 shares during the quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Groups holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $628,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 27,053,304 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $2,551,938,000 after purchasing an additional 108,102 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors boosted its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 27,015,032 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $2,548,023,000 after buying an additional 1,255,926 shares during the period. Alliancebernstein L.P. boosted its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 20,512,235 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,934,919,000 after buying an additional 66,763 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 104,971.3% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 15,399,249 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,148,938,000 after buying an additional 15,384,593 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Advisory Inc. boosted its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 5.7% during the 3rd quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 15,133,146 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,048,424,000 after buying an additional 818,849 shares during the period. 79.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Edwards Lifesciences In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Catherine M. Szyman sold 27,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.62, for a total transaction of $2,311,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 34,814 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,980,774.68. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Catherine M. Szyman sold 27,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.62, for a total transaction of $2,311,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 34,814 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,980,774.68. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Kieran Gallahue sold 3,058 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.61, for a total transaction of $267,911.38. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 67,219 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,889,056.59. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 193,402 shares of company stock worth $15,285,554. 1.29% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Edwards Lifesciences Stock Up 0.4 % Edwards Lifesciences stock opened at $85.22 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.40, a current ratio of 3.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 12-month low of $60.57 and a 12-month high of $94.87. The firms fifty day moving average is $79.77 and its 200 day moving average is $74.06. The company has a market capitalization of $51.24 billion, a PE ratio of 37.05, a PEG ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 1.05. Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The medical research company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.64. Edwards Lifesciences had a net margin of 23.35% and a return on equity of 23.56%. The company had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.50 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.64 EPS. Edwards Lifesciencess quarterly revenue was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.76 EPS for the current fiscal year. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Mizuho lifted their target price on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $85.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $78.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. Finally, Citigroup downgraded shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, December 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $87.38. Get Our Latest Stock Report on EW About Edwards Lifesciences (Free Report) Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC lifted its stake in AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE:ATR Free Report) by 2,351.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 144,547 shares of the industrial products companys stock after purchasing an additional 138,650 shares during the period. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLCs holdings in AptarGroup were worth $18,074,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Picton Mahoney Asset Management increased its stake in shares of AptarGroup by 9.0% in the 3rd quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 1,210 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $152,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in AptarGroup by 57.7% in the 3rd quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC now owns 317 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in AptarGroup by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 4,136 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $489,000 after buying an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. First Republic Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in AptarGroup by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. First Republic Investment Management Inc. now owns 10,383 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,072,000 after buying an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC increased its stake in AptarGroup by 39.0% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 467 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $58,000 after buying an additional 131 shares in the last quarter. 88.61% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get AptarGroup alerts: AptarGroup Stock Down 0.1 % ATR opened at $140.37 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $131.54 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $127.83. AptarGroup, Inc. has a 52 week low of $109.95 and a 52 week high of $142.42. The company has a market capitalization of $9.27 billion, a PE ratio of 33.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.86 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a quick ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. AptarGroup Announces Dividend AptarGroup ( NYSE:ATR Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 9th. The industrial products company reported $1.21 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.12 by $0.09. AptarGroup had a net margin of 8.16% and a return on equity of 14.46%. The business had revenue of $838.48 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $842.50 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.92 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that AptarGroup, Inc. will post 5.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 22nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 1st were issued a dividend of $0.41 per share. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, January 31st. AptarGroups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 38.59%. Insider Activity at AptarGroup In related news, insider Marc Prieur sold 3,200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.24, for a total value of $403,968.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 13,828 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,745,646.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 1.00% of the stock is owned by insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Robert W. Baird upgraded AptarGroup from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and increased their price target for the stock from $125.00 to $150.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Get Our Latest Research Report on ATR About AptarGroup (Free Report) AptarGroup, Inc designs and manufactures a range of drug delivery, consumer product dispensing, and active material science solutions and services for the pharmaceutical, beauty, personal care, home care, and food and beverage markets. The company operates through Aptar Pharma, Aptar Beauty, and Aptar Closures segments. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ATR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE:ATR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for AptarGroup Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AptarGroup and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in The Allstate Co. (NYSE:ALL Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund purchased 3,253 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $362,000. Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ALL. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in Allstate by 123.7% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 5,540,295 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $751,264,000 after acquiring an additional 3,064,105 shares in the last quarter. Cowa LLC acquired a new position in Allstate in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Allstate in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $190,865,000. Invesco Ltd. raised its holdings in Allstate by 46.6% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,121,941 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $459,225,000 after acquiring an additional 1,311,095 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in Allstate by 29.0% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 3,563,628 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $483,228,000 after acquiring an additional 800,665 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.23% of the companys stock. Get Allstate alerts: Allstate Stock Down 2.2 % NYSE ALL opened at $155.14 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $153.87 and a 200-day moving average of $133.34. The stock has a market capitalization of $40.81 billion, a P/E ratio of -125.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.43 and a beta of 0.52. The Allstate Co. has a 52 week low of $100.57 and a 52 week high of $168.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a current ratio of 0.37. Allstate Increases Dividend Allstate ( NYSE:ALL Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The insurance provider reported $5.82 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.87 by $1.95. The company had revenue of $14.83 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.69 billion. Allstate had a positive return on equity of 2.67% and a negative net margin of 0.33%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned ($1.36) EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that The Allstate Co. will post 12.95 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Investors of record on Monday, March 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.92 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 1st. This is a boost from Allstates previous quarterly dividend of $0.89. This represents a $3.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.37%. Allstates payout ratio is -296.77%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CAO John C. Pintozzi sold 4,000 shares of Allstate stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.47, for a total transaction of $637,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 10,736 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,712,069.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 1.70% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts recently commented on the company. Raymond James raised their target price on Allstate from $155.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Roth Mkm raised their target price on Allstate from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. UBS Group raised their target price on Allstate from $171.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Allstate from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the stock from $130.00 to $180.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on Allstate from $140.00 to $158.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, January 19th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Allstate presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $159.12. View Our Latest Research Report on ALL Allstate Company Profile (Free Report) The Allstate Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty, and other insurance products in the United States and Canada. The company operates through Allstate Protection; Protection Services; Allstate Health and Benefits; and Run-off Property-Liability segments. The Allstate Protection segment offers private passenger auto and homeowners insurance; other personal lines products; and commercial lines products under the Allstate and Encompass brand names. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ALL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Allstate Co. (NYSE:ALL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Allstate Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Allstate and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Xinyi Solar Holdings Limited (OTCMKTS:XNYIF Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest in the month of February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 6,019,000 shares, an increase of 138.9% from the January 31st total of 2,519,200 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 7,300 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 824.5 days. Xinyi Solar Stock Performance XNYIF opened at $0.46 on Friday. Xinyi Solar has a twelve month low of $0.41 and a twelve month high of $1.29. The company has a fifty day moving average of $0.51 and a 200-day moving average of $0.64. Get Xinyi Solar alerts: Xinyi Solar Company Profile (Get Free Report) See Also Xinyi Solar Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, produces and sells solar glass products in the People's Republic of China, rest of Asia, North America, Europe, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Sales of Solar Glass and Solar Farm Business. The company offers ultra-clear patterned solar glasses, back glasses, and anti-reflective coating solar glasses to photovoltaic module manufacturers. Receive News & Ratings for Xinyi Solar Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Xinyi Solar and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stanmore Resources Limited (ASX:SMR Get Free Report) declared a final dividend on Friday, March 1st, MarketIndexAU reports. Shareholders of record on Sunday, March 17th will be given a dividend of 0.128 per share on Sunday, March 17th. This represents a yield of 3.9%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 29th. This is a positive change from Stanmore Resourcess previous final dividend of $0.08. Stanmore Resources Price Performance The company has a quick ratio of 1.27, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 38.51. Get Stanmore Resources alerts: Stanmore Resources Company Profile (Get Free Report) Featured Articles Stanmore Resources Limited engages in the exploration, development, production, and sale of metallurgical coal in Australia. The company holds interests in the Wards Well, Isaac Plains, Isaac Downs, Isaac South, Clifford, The Range, Mackenzie, Belview, and Lilyvale projects in the Bowen and Surat basins of Queensland, as well as 50% interests in the Millennium and Mavis Downs mine located near Moranbah, Queensland. Receive News & Ratings for Stanmore Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Stanmore Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stansberry Asset Management LLC trimmed its position in Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U Free Report) by 37.5% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 40,276 shares of the companys stock after selling 24,207 shares during the period. Stansberry Asset Management LLCs holdings in Unity Software were worth $1,264,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Unity Software by 8.8% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 4,349 shares of the companys stock valued at $431,000 after purchasing an additional 350 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Unity Software during the first quarter valued at about $967,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Unity Software by 91.0% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 6,954 shares of the companys stock valued at $690,000 after buying an additional 3,313 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. increased its position in shares of Unity Software by 38.4% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 205,371 shares of the companys stock valued at $20,396,000 after buying an additional 56,958 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board boosted its stake in Unity Software by 684.9% during the first quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 5,000 shares of the companys stock worth $496,000 after acquiring an additional 4,363 shares in the last quarter. 64.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Unity Software alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts recently weighed in on U shares. William Blair restated an outperform rating on shares of Unity Software in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Unity Software from $32.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday. Needham & Company LLC lowered their target price on shares of Unity Software from $40.00 to $31.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Wedbush lowered their target price on shares of Unity Software from $50.00 to $33.50 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Wolfe Research lowered shares of Unity Software from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a report on Monday, November 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Unity Software has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $37.03. Insider Activity In other news, CEO James M. Whitehurst sold 44,091 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.56, for a total value of $1,435,602.96. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 155,909 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,076,397.04. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, CEO James M. Whitehurst sold 44,091 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.56, for a total transaction of $1,435,602.96. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 155,909 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,076,397.04. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Tomer Bar-Zeev sold 150,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.92, for a total value of $6,138,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 1,200,332 shares of the companys stock, valued at $49,117,585.44. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 276,293 shares of company stock valued at $10,514,558 in the last ninety days. 9.00% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Unity Software Stock Performance NYSE:U opened at $28.91 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $34.52 and a 200 day simple moving average of $32.75. Unity Software Inc. has a 1-year low of $22.20 and a 1-year high of $50.08. The company has a current ratio of 2.35, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83. The stock has a market cap of $10.99 billion, a P/E ratio of -13.38 and a beta of 2.45. Unity Software (NYSE:U Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 26th. The company reported ($0.66) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.23 by ($0.89). The firm had revenue of $609.27 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $551.01 million. Unity Software had a negative return on equity of 9.99% and a negative net margin of 37.64%. The companys revenue was up 35.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.50) EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Unity Software Inc. will post -0.63 earnings per share for the current year. Unity Software Profile (Free Report) Unity Software Inc operates a real-time 3D development platform. Its platform provides software solutions to create, run, and monetize interactive, real-time 2D and 3D content for mobile phones, tablets, PCs, consoles, and augmented and virtual reality devices. The company offers its solutions directly through its online store and field sales operations in North America, Denmark, Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, and South Korea, as well as indirectly through independent distributors and resellers worldwide. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Unity Software Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Unity Software and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held the 12th group study session on new energy technology and China's energy security on the afternoon of Feb. 29. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, while presiding over the session, stressed that energy security bears heavily on the overall economic and social development. To respond to global climate change, the international community has reached the consensus to actively develop clean energy and promote the green and low-carbon transition in economic and social development. We should follow this general trend, seize the opportunities, and intensify efforts to promote high-quality development of new energy in China. In this way, we will secure safe and reliable energy supply for advancing Chinese modernization, and make greater contributions to the building of a clean and beautiful world. Professor Liu Jizhen, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, gave a lecture on the topic and offered his advice on the related work. Members of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau listened attentively and had a discussion. Xi delivered an important address following the lecture and discussion sessions. He said that China has stepped up its efforts to establish a new type of energy system since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, which has continuously consolidated the foundation for energy security and provided strong support for the country's economic and social development. At the same time, it should be noted that China still faces challenges in the development of energy resources, including high pressure from energy demand, multiple constraints on energy supply as well as the arduous tasks posed by the imperative of achieving a green and low-carbon transition. The solution is to vigorously promote the development of new energy resources. Xi stressed that China is abundant in resources such as wind power and photovoltaics, and has tremendous potential for developing new energy. Through continuous efforts and the accumulation of experience, China's new energy technologies and equipment manufacturing have led the world. China has built the world's largest environmentally clean power supply system. New-energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products are highly competitive in the international market. China has established a solid foundation for developing new energy resources, playing a significant part in driving the global energy transformation and responding to climate change. Xi noted the need to ensure both the development of new energy and national energy security, adhere to the principle of making plans first, strengthening the top-level design, and doing a good job in overall consideration for coordinated development of the energy sector. It is imperative to properly handle the relationship between new energy and traditional energy, overall and local interests, government and market, energy development and its conservation and utilization, so as to promote the high-quality development of new energy. Xi stressed that it is imperative to set sights on the global frontiers of energy science and technology and focus on the key fields and major needs in the sector. It is essential to choose the right path for technological innovation, leverage the strength of the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide in a joint effort to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, and strengthen the application of scientific research outcomes, so as to develop energy technology and its related industries into a new growth driver to boost the upgrading of China's industries and promote the development of new productive forces. Xi pointed out that it is imperative to respond to the needs of energy transition by building a robust infrastructure network for new energy. This includes advancing the intelligent transformation of power grid infrastructure and the construction of smart microgrids, so as to boost the grid's capability to integrate, distribute and regulate clean energy. It is also important to accelerate the building of a charging infrastructure network to support the rapid development of new energy vehicles. Xi stressed the need to deepen international cooperation in the innovation in new energy technology. The cooperation along the new energy industrial chain should be advanced in an orderly manner to establish a new model of win-win cooperation for green and low-carbon energy transition. It is essential to get deeply involved in the transformation of international energy governance and promote the establishment of a global energy governance system that is fair, just, balanced and inclusive. Lastly, Xi emphasized that achieving self-reliance and strength in science and technology requires not only grasping the general direction of current sci-tech development, but also giving prominence to our own imperatives, taking problem- and demand-oriented approaches, and thus promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of input in scientific and technological innovation. Switzer Dividend Growth Fund (ASX:SWTZ Get Free Report) announced a interim dividend on Thursday, February 29th, MarketIndexAU reports. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 19th will be paid a dividend of 0.008 per share on Tuesday, March 19th. This represents a yield of 0.31%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. Switzer Dividend Growth Fund Stock Performance Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Switzer Dividend Growth Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Switzer Dividend Growth Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Synovus Financial Corp lessened its holdings in iShares Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEV Free Report) by 4.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 17,107 shares of the companys stock after selling 800 shares during the quarter. Synovus Financial Corp owned 0.05% of iShares Europe ETF worth $817,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of IEV. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in iShares Europe ETF by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 12,927,582 shares of the companys stock worth $649,482,000 after purchasing an additional 164,515 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its stake in shares of iShares Europe ETF by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 1,673,506 shares of the companys stock worth $75,793,000 after buying an additional 63,343 shares during the last quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main raised its holdings in shares of iShares Europe ETF by 49.3% in the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 1,316,856 shares of the companys stock worth $59,640,000 after purchasing an additional 435,072 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its holdings in shares of iShares Europe ETF by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,187,054 shares of the companys stock worth $59,377,000 after purchasing an additional 8,104 shares during the period. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised its holdings in iShares Europe ETF by 77.6% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 632,450 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,775,000 after acquiring an additional 276,311 shares during the period. Get iShares Europe ETF alerts: iShares Europe ETF Price Performance IEV opened at $54.10 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $52.49 and a 200-day moving average price of $50.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.45 and a beta of 0.92. iShares Europe ETF has a one year low of $45.43 and a one year high of $54.10. iShares Europe ETF Company Profile iShares Europe ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares S&P Europe 350 Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P Europe 350 (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the stocks of companies in the countries, which includes Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IEV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Europe ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Europe ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Toronto Dominion Bank reduced its stake in D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI Free Report) by 6.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 156,584 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 11,429 shares during the quarter. Toronto Dominion Banks holdings in D.R. Horton were worth $16,828,000 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 DHI. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of D.R. Horton by 390.6% during the third 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 position in shares of D.R. Horton during the third quarter worth approximately $218,000. Cibc World Markets Corp lifted its holdings in shares of D.R. Horton by 36.8% during the second 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 lifted its holdings in shares of D.R. Horton by 16.7% during the second 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 position in shares of D.R. Horton during the second quarter worth approximately $726,454,000. 82.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get D.R. Horton alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have recently commented on DHI. JMP Securities upped their price target on D.R. Horton from $140.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on D.R. Horton in a research report on Monday, November 27th. They set a hold rating and a $119.00 price objective on the stock. Wedbush restated a neutral rating and set a $115.00 price objective on shares of D.R. Horton in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price objective on D.R. Horton from $175.00 to $172.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on D.R. Horton from $155.00 to $192.00 in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $148.65. D.R. Horton Price Performance D.R. Horton stock opened at $152.97 on Friday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $147.68 and its 200 day simple moving average is $128.99. The stock has a market cap of $50.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.01, a P/E/G ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.64. D.R. Horton, Inc. has a 12-month low of $89.05 and a 12-month high of $157.93. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 6.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. D.R. Horton (NYSE:DHI Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The construction company reported $2.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.88 by ($0.06). The firm had revenue of $7.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.55 billion. D.R. Horton had a net margin of 13.18% and a return on equity of 21.06%. D.R. Hortons revenue was up 6.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.76 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that D.R. Horton, Inc. will post 14.19 earnings per share for the current year. D.R. Horton Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 13th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 6th were issued a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.78%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 5th. D.R. Hortons dividend payout ratio is 8.63%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other D.R. Horton news, Director Barbara K. Allen sold 1,748 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $143.26, for a total transaction of $250,418.48. Following the transaction, the director now owns 5,650 shares in the company, valued at $809,419. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other D.R. Horton news, Director Barbara K. Allen sold 1,748 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $143.26, for a total transaction of $250,418.48. Following the transaction, the director now owns 5,650 shares in the company, valued at $809,419. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Aron M. Odom sold 1,213 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.00, for a total value of $185,589.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 5,103 shares in the company, valued at approximately $780,759. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 12,961 shares of company stock worth $1,956,007. Insiders own 1.74% of the companys stock. About D.R. Horton (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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for D.R. Horton Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for D.R. Horton and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its holdings in Ameren Co. (NYSE:AEE Free Report) by 44.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 22,048 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 6,792 shares during the quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRCs holdings in Ameren were worth $1,650,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Penserra Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Ameren in the first quarter worth $25,000. Dark Forest Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Ameren during the first quarter worth $27,000. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Ameren during the third quarter worth $25,000. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Ameren by 218.2% during the third quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC now owns 350 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Missouri Trust & Investment Co bought a new stake in Ameren during the second quarter worth $41,000. Institutional investors own 77.77% of the companys stock. Get Ameren alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In AEE has been the topic of several analyst reports. StockNews.com lowered shares of Ameren from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Monday, February 26th. Bank of America downgraded shares of Ameren from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $82.00 to $77.00 in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Evercore ISI downgraded shares of Ameren from an outperform rating to an in-line rating in a report on Friday, December 15th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Ameren from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Ameren from $75.00 to $76.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Ameren presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $79.89. Ameren Trading Up 0.2 % AEE stock opened at $71.34 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a current ratio of 0.65. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $70.76 and its 200 day simple moving average is $75.08. Ameren Co. has a 52 week low of $67.03 and a 52 week high of $91.18. The company has a market capitalization of $18.76 billion, a PE ratio of 16.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.43. Ameren (NYSE:AEE Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 23rd. The utilities provider reported $0.60 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.61 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $1.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.03 billion. Ameren had a net margin of 15.36% and a return on equity of 10.42%. The companys revenue was down 20.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.63 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Ameren Co. will post 4.63 earnings per share for the current year. Ameren Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.67 per share. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.76%. This is an increase from Amerens previous quarterly dividend of $0.63. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 12th. Amerens dividend payout ratio is presently 57.67%. About Ameren (Free Report) Ameren Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Transmission. It engages in the rate-regulated electric generation, transmission, and distribution activities; and rate-regulated natural gas distribution and transmission businesses. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AEE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ameren Co. (NYSE:AEE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Ameren Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ameren and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its position in shares of Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE:PXD Free Report) by 121.2% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 7,770 shares of the oil and gas development companys stock after acquiring an additional 4,258 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRCs holdings in Pioneer Natural Resources were worth $1,784,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. BluePath Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pioneer Natural Resources in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Ancora Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Pioneer Natural Resources by 77.4% in the 1st quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 149 shares of the oil and gas development companys stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. DecisionPoint Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Pioneer Natural Resources during the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Carmel Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Pioneer Natural Resources during the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, VitalStone Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Pioneer Natural Resources during the 2nd quarter valued at $37,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.72% of the companys stock. Get Pioneer Natural Resources alerts: Insider Transactions at Pioneer Natural Resources In other news, Director Maria S. Dreyfus sold 10,632 shares of Pioneer Natural Resources stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $226.62, for a total transaction of $2,409,423.84. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 4,066 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $921,436.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.57% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have commented on the company. Mizuho increased their target price on Pioneer Natural Resources from $264.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, February 26th. Susquehanna decreased their price target on Pioneer Natural Resources from $250.00 to $237.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 26th. UBS Group cut their price objective on Pioneer Natural Resources from $269.00 to $250.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Truist Financial dropped their price target on Pioneer Natural Resources from $255.00 to $238.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 17th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Pioneer Natural Resources in a research note on Sunday, February 25th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $254.71. Read Our Latest Research Report on PXD Pioneer Natural Resources Stock Up 2.0 % Shares of NYSE PXD opened at $237.27 on Friday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $227.62 and a 200-day simple moving average of $232.34. The company has a market capitalization of $55.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.72 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.72. Pioneer Natural Resources has a 1 year low of $177.26 and a 1 year high of $257.76. Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE:PXD Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The oil and gas development company reported $5.28 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.41 by ($0.13). Pioneer Natural Resources had a net margin of 25.28% and a return on equity of 22.42%. The company had revenue of $5.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.28 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $5.91 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Pioneer Natural Resources will post 21.27 earnings per share for the current year. Pioneer Natural Resources Cuts Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 4th will be given a dividend of $2.56 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 1st. This represents a $10.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.32%. Pioneer Natural Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 24.70%. Pioneer Natural Resources Company Profile (Free Report) Pioneer Natural Resources Company operates as an independent oil and gas exploration and production company in the United States. The company explores for, develops, and produces oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and gas. It has operations in the Midland Basin in West Texas. Pioneer Natural Resources Company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Pioneer Natural Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pioneer Natural Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lessened its holdings in shares of Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER Free Report) by 33.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 36,954 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock after selling 18,370 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRCs holdings in Uber Technologies were worth $1,700,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of UBER. American Century Companies Inc. grew its stake in Uber Technologies by 28.7% during the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 23,045 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $822,000 after acquiring an additional 5,142 shares in the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Uber Technologies in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $3,359,000. Panagora Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Uber Technologies by 29.3% in the 1st quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 22,650 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $808,000 after buying an additional 5,134 shares during the period. Yousif Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Uber Technologies by 11.7% in the 1st quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 26,298 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $938,000 after buying an additional 2,756 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of Uber Technologies by 17.3% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,144,337 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $40,838,000 after buying an additional 168,475 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.07% of the companys stock. Get Uber Technologies alerts: Insider Activity at Uber Technologies In related news, insider Jill Hazelbaker sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.83, for a total value of $1,556,600.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 107,290 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,350,380.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Uber Technologies news, insider Tony West sold 18,750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.08, for a total transaction of $1,314,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 185,566 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $13,004,465.28. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Jill Hazelbaker sold 20,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.83, for a total transaction of $1,556,600.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 107,290 shares in the company, valued at $8,350,380.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 3.84% of the companys stock. Uber Technologies Trading Up 1.9 % NYSE UBER opened at $81.00 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 1.19. The firms fifty day moving average price is $68.08 and its 200 day moving average price is $56.01. The company has a market capitalization of $168.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 94.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 1.37. Uber Technologies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $29.22 and a 12 month high of $81.86. Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 7th. The ride-sharing company reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.16 by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $9.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.76 billion. Uber Technologies had a net margin of 5.06% and a return on equity of 18.95%. The companys revenue was up 15.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.29 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Uber Technologies, Inc. will post 1.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analysts Set New Price Targets UBER has been the subject of several analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of Uber Technologies from $82.00 to $92.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on shares of Uber Technologies from $59.00 to $78.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. TheStreet upgraded shares of Uber Technologies from a c rating to a b- rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Truist Financial restated a buy rating and issued a $90.00 price objective (up from $77.00) on shares of Uber Technologies in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $85.00 price objective on shares of Uber Technologies in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Uber Technologies currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $73.06. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on UBER About Uber Technologies (Free Report) Uber Technologies, Inc develops and operates proprietary technology applications in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia excluding China and Southeast Asia. It operates through three segments: Mobility, Delivery, and Freight. The Mobility segment connects consumers with a range of transportation modalities, such as ridesharing, carsharing, micromobility, rentals, public transit, taxis, and other modalities; and offers riders in a variety of vehicle types, as well as financial partnerships products and advertising services. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UBER? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Uber Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Uber Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina increased its holdings in Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE Free Report) by 0.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 77,534 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolinas holdings in Alexandria Real Estate Equities were worth $7,761,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Truvestments Capital LLC raised its holdings in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 3.7% in the third quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 14,973 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,499,000 after purchasing an additional 536 shares in the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its holdings in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 61.7% during the third quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 291 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. increased its holdings in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 6.1% during the third quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 172,891 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $17,307,000 after acquiring an additional 9,950 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 109.1% during the third quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 849 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 443 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp increased its holdings in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 2.6% during the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 2,168,273 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $217,044,000 after acquiring an additional 54,717 shares in the last quarter. 86.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Alexandria Real Estate Equities alerts: Insider Activity at Alexandria Real Estate Equities In related news, insider Daniel J. Ryan sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.07, for a total value of $1,180,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 166,308 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $19,635,985.56. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, insider Daniel J. Ryan sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.07, for a total value of $1,180,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 166,308 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $19,635,985.56. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Kristina Fukuzaki-Carlson sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.03, for a total value of $292,575.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 30,070 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,519,092.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 24,854 shares of company stock valued at $2,945,471. 1.60% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes ARE has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a buy rating and a $140.00 price objective on the stock. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and issued a $140.00 price target on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Wedbush reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $140.00 price target on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities from $145.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Alexandria Real Estate Equities has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $137.13. Get Our Latest Research Report on ARE Alexandria Real Estate Equities Trading Down 0.4 % Shares of NYSE:ARE opened at $124.27 on Friday. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. has a 1 year low of $90.73 and a 1 year high of $146.46. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 230.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 1.06. 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 businesss 50 day moving average price is $122.93 and its 200-day moving average price is $113.37. Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE:ARE Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.54) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.29 by ($2.83). Alexandria Real Estate Equities had a net margin of 3.59% and a return on equity of 0.46%. The business had revenue of $757.22 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $740.16 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.14 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research 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 disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 12th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th were paid a $1.27 dividend. This is an increase from Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.24. This represents a $5.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.09%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 28th. Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess dividend payout ratio is currently 940.74%. Alexandria Real Estate Equities Profile (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. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ARE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Alexandria Real Estate Equities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alexandria Real Estate Equities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina trimmed its position in Laboratory Co. of America Holdings (NYSE:LH Free Report) by 4.2% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 39,988 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 1,739 shares during the period. Treasurer of the State of North Carolinas holdings in Laboratory Co. of America were worth $8,040,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Lazard Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 532.2% during the 4th quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 1,530,675 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $360,441,000 after acquiring an additional 1,288,574 shares during the period. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 644.2% during the 3rd quarter. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,280,884 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $257,522,000 after acquiring an additional 1,108,776 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Laboratory Co. of America during the 4th quarter worth about $219,236,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 3,836.8% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 806,975 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $162,243,000 after acquiring an additional 786,477 shares during the period. Finally, BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 6.2% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 12,703,935 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $3,065,841,000 after acquiring an additional 743,824 shares during the period. 89.37% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Laboratory Co. of America alerts: Insider Activity In other news, EVP Der Vaart Sandra D. Van sold 237 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $226.45, for a total transaction of $53,668.65. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 7,637 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,729,398.65. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, EVP Der Vaart Sandra D. Van sold 259 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $222.06, for a total transaction of $57,513.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 7,637 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,695,872.22. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Der Vaart Sandra D. Van sold 237 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $226.45, for a total value of $53,668.65. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 7,637 shares in the company, valued at $1,729,398.65. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 35,500 shares of company stock worth $7,670,756. 0.65% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Evercore ISI assumed coverage on shares of Laboratory Co. of America in a report on Friday, February 9th. They set an in-line rating and a $240.00 price objective on the stock. Leerink Partnrs reissued an outperform rating on shares of Laboratory Co. of America in a research report on Monday, February 26th. TheStreet downgraded shares of Laboratory Co. of America from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. SVB Leerink began coverage on shares of Laboratory Co. of America in a research report on Monday, February 26th. They set an outperform rating and a $260.00 target price for the company. Finally, Barclays began coverage on shares of Laboratory Co. of America in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. They set an equal weight rating and a $222.00 target price for the company. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Laboratory Co. of America presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $243.07. Read Our Latest Analysis on Laboratory Co. of America Laboratory Co. of America Stock Up 1.0 % Shares of NYSE:LH opened at $218.00 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. Laboratory Co. of America Holdings has a 52-week low of $174.20 and a 52-week high of $234.09. The company has a 50 day moving average of $223.20 and a two-hundred day moving average of $213.61. The company has a market capitalization of $18.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 1.02. Laboratory Co. of America (NYSE:LH Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 15th. The medical research company reported $3.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.29 by $0.01. Laboratory Co. of America had a net margin of 3.24% and a return on equity of 13.99%. The company had revenue of $3.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.02 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $4.14 earnings per share. Laboratory Co. of Americas revenue for the quarter was down 17.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Laboratory Co. of America Holdings will post 14.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Laboratory Co. of America Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 13th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 27th will be paid a dividend of $0.72 per share. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.32%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 26th. Laboratory Co. of Americas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 61.67%. About Laboratory Co. of America (Free Report) Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as a life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. It operates in two segments, Labcorp Diagnostics and Labcorp Drug Development. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Laboratory Co. of America Holdings (NYSE:LH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Laboratory Co. of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Laboratory Co. of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. United Services Automobile Association raised its stake in Brookfield Co. (NYSE:BN Free Report) by 20.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 47,130 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 7,866 shares during the quarter. United Services Automobile Associations holdings in Brookfield were worth $1,474,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Brookfield during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC acquired a new stake in Brookfield during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. raised its holdings in Brookfield by 102.6% in the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,021 shares of the companys stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 517 shares in the last quarter. Castleview Partners LLC acquired a new position in Brookfield in the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Money Concepts Capital Corp acquired a new position in Brookfield in the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. 58.22% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Brookfield alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Brookfield In other Brookfield news, Director Ocm Growth Holdings Llc sold 562,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.06, for a total value of $6,783,750.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 16,742,168 shares in the company, valued at approximately $201,910,546.08. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, major shareholder Gp Ltd Bcp sold 3,922,786 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $2.20, for a total transaction of $8,630,129.20. Following the sale, the insider now owns 23,352,826 shares in the company, valued at approximately $51,376,217.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Ocm Growth Holdings Llc sold 562,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $12.06, for a total value of $6,783,750.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 16,742,168 shares in the company, valued at approximately $201,910,546.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 6,545,283 shares of company stock worth $22,555,512. Insiders own 11.00% of the companys stock. Brookfield Trading Up 0.6 % Shares of BN stock opened at $41.54 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $68.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 66.99 and a beta of 1.49. Brookfield Co. has a twelve month low of $28.25 and a twelve month high of $42.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $39.96 and its 200 day simple moving average is $35.82. Brookfield (NYSE:BN Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $0.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.14. Brookfield had a return on equity of 3.22% and a net margin of 1.18%. The business had revenue of $24.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.15 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.12 EPS. Brookfields quarterly revenue was up 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Brookfield Co. will post 3.75 EPS for the current fiscal year. Brookfield Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be given a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.77%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 12th. This is a positive change from Brookfields previous quarterly dividend of $0.07. Brookfields payout ratio is 45.16%. Analyst Ratings Changes BN has been the subject of several analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Brookfield from $52.00 to $53.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Brookfield from $48.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. CIBC boosted their price target on Brookfield from $46.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on Brookfield from $36.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Friday, November 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Brookfield from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $47.45. View Our Latest Research Report on Brookfield About Brookfield (Free Report) Brookfield Corporation is an alternative asset manager and REIT/Real Estate Investment Manager firm focuses on real estate, renewable power, infrastructure and venture capital and private equity assets. It manages a range of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Brookfield Co. (NYSE:BN Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. United Services Automobile Association grew its holdings in Manulife Financial Co. (NYSE:MFC Free Report) (TSE:MFC) by 12.9% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 53,810 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 6,164 shares during the period. United Services Automobile Associations holdings in Manulife Financial were worth $983,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MFC. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. boosted its position in shares of Manulife Financial by 8.8% in the 3rd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. now owns 5,507,589 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $100,922,000 after purchasing an additional 446,233 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Manulife Financial by 44.0% in the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 86,268 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,577,000 after purchasing an additional 26,369 shares during the period. Atria Investments Inc boosted its position in shares of Manulife Financial by 7.2% in the 2nd quarter. Atria Investments Inc now owns 93,493 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,768,000 after purchasing an additional 6,245 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its position in Manulife Financial by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 9,445,466 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $172,663,000 after acquiring an additional 119,192 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in Manulife Financial by 66.7% during the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,355,319 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $24,775,000 after acquiring an additional 542,212 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 45.02% of the companys stock. Get Manulife Financial alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have weighed in on MFC shares. Desjardins raised Manulife Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. BMO Capital Markets raised Manulife Financial from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $31.00 to $35.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Royal Bank of Canada raised Manulife Financial from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Manulife Financial in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. They set a buy rating for the company. Finally, TheStreet raised Manulife Financial from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research report on Thursday, December 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $33.33. Manulife Financial Trading Up 0.6 % Shares of MFC stock opened at $23.88 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $43.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.08. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $22.43 and a 200-day simple moving average of $20.09. Manulife Financial Co. has a 12-month low of $17.07 and a 12-month high of $24.89. Manulife Financial Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.298 per share. This represents a $1.19 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.99%. This is an increase from Manulife Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.26. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 27th. Manulife Financials dividend payout ratio is 61.66%. Manulife Financial Company Profile (Free Report) Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; and Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment offers investment advice and solutions to retirement, retail, and institutional clients through multiple distribution channels, including agents and brokers affiliated with the company, independent securities brokerage firms and financial advisors pension plan consultants, and banks. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MFC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Manulife Financial Co. (NYSE:MFC Free Report) (TSE:MFC). Receive News & Ratings for Manulife Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Manulife Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. An aircraft takes off during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) Aircraft perform during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) An aircraft performs simulated bomb dropping during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) Visitors walk past the aircraft museum during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) People take photos during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) An aircraft performs during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) People attend the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) Aircraft perform during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) People watch the performance of an aircraft during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) People watch the performance of an aircraft during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) Aircraft perform during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) An aircraft performs during the Airshow Downunder Shellharbour at Shellharbour Airport (formerly Illawarra Regional Airport), some 100km south of Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2024. The event, formerly known as "Wings Over Illawarra," has been renamed "Airshows Downunder Shellharbour." The brand new airshow takes place from March 1 to 3, 2024 and will be held every other year. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) United Services Automobile Association lifted its holdings in shares of Carrier Global Co. (NYSE:CARR Free Report) by 28.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 24,514 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 5,394 shares during the period. United Services Automobile Associations holdings in Carrier Global were worth $1,353,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of CARR. Capital Research Global Investors increased its holdings in Carrier Global by 7.9% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 83,180,216 shares of the companys stock worth $4,134,884,000 after purchasing an additional 6,104,447 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its holdings in Carrier Global by 11.0% in the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 80,757,252 shares of the companys stock worth $4,014,427,000 after purchasing an additional 7,996,941 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors increased its holdings in Carrier Global by 38.0% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 78,136,207 shares of the companys stock worth $3,884,094,000 after purchasing an additional 21,529,209 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in Carrier Global by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 60,825,164 shares of the companys stock worth $3,023,619,000 after purchasing an additional 2,282,320 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp increased its holdings in Carrier Global by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 33,534,416 shares of the companys stock worth $1,673,138,000 after purchasing an additional 386,968 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.47% of the companys stock. Get Carrier Global alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have issued reports on CARR. Citigroup upped their target price on Carrier Global from $52.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Carrier Global from $63.00 to $57.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on Carrier Global from $63.00 to $60.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $58.29. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Carrier Global news, VP Ajay Agrawal sold 16,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $57.99, for a total value of $956,835.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 89,920 shares in the company, valued at $5,214,460.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, VP Kevin J. Oconnor sold 26,551 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $53.77, for a total value of $1,427,647.27. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 66,083 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,553,282.91. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP Ajay Agrawal sold 16,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $57.99, for a total value of $956,835.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 89,920 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,214,460.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 397,590 shares of company stock worth $21,586,315. Corporate insiders own 0.38% of the companys stock. Carrier Global Stock Up 1.6 % Shares of Carrier Global stock opened at $56.47 on Friday. Carrier Global Co. has a one year low of $40.28 and a one year high of $60.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58, a current ratio of 2.73 and a quick ratio of 2.40. The stocks 50-day moving average is $55.67 and its 200 day moving average is $54.30. The firm has a market cap of $50.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.74, a PEG ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 1.40. Carrier Global (NYSE:CARR Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $0.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.51 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $5.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.22 billion. Carrier Global had a return on equity of 27.19% and a net margin of 6.10%. The companys quarterly revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.40 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Carrier Global Co. will post 2.81 EPS for the current year. Carrier Global Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 9th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 21st were issued a $0.19 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 20th. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.35%. This is a positive change from Carrier Globals previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. Carrier Globals dividend payout ratio is presently 48.10%. About Carrier Global (Free Report) Carrier Global Corporation provides heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation technologies in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through three segments: HVAC, Refrigeration, and Fire & Security. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Carrier Global Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Carrier Global and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. VanEck 1-5 Year Australian Government Bond ETF (ASX:1GOV Get Free Report) announced a interim dividend on Friday, March 1st, MarketIndexAU reports. Stockholders of record on Sunday, March 17th will be paid a dividend of 0.115 per share on Sunday, March 17th. This represents a dividend yield of 0.23%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 29th. VanEck 1-5 Year Australian Government Bond ETF Stock Performance Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for VanEck 1-5 Year Australian Government Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for VanEck 1-5 Year Australian Government Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Yokogawa Electric Co. (OTCMKTS:YOKEY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,000 shares, a decline of 50.0% from the January 31st total of 2,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 1,300 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.8 days. Yokogawa Electric Stock Performance Shares of Yokogawa Electric stock opened at $42.00 on Friday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $39.96 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $39.78. Yokogawa Electric has a 52 week low of $30.32 and a 52 week high of $42.00. Get Yokogawa Electric alerts: Yokogawa Electric Company Profile (Get Free Report) See Also Yokogawa Electric Corporation provides industrial automation, and test and measurement solutions in Japan, Southeast Asia, Far East, China, India, Russia, Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, and Middle and South America. It operates through Industrial Automation and Control Business, Measuring Instruments Business, New Business, and Other segments. Receive News & Ratings for Yokogawa Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Yokogawa Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caxton Associates LP decreased its position in Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM Free Report) by 71.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 3,225 shares of the restaurant operators stock after selling 8,214 shares during the period. Caxton Associates LPs holdings in Yum! Brands were worth $403,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in Yum! Brands in the third quarter valued at $558,000. Bank of Nova Scotia grew its holdings in Yum! Brands by 13.9% in the third quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 31,057 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $3,880,000 after purchasing an additional 3,789 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its holdings in Yum! Brands by 46.1% in the third quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 11,363 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $1,420,000 after purchasing an additional 3,586 shares during the last quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd acquired a new stake in Yum! Brands in the third quarter valued at $1,418,000. Finally, Synovus Financial Corp lifted its position in shares of Yum! Brands by 87.3% in the third quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 79,365 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $9,916,000 after acquiring an additional 36,990 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.17% of the companys stock. Get Yum! Brands alerts: Yum! Brands Price Performance Yum! Brands stock opened at $137.42 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $131.48 and its 200-day moving average is $127.74. The company has a market cap of $38.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 1.10. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a 12 month low of $115.53 and a 12 month high of $143.24. Yum! Brands Increases Dividend Yum! Brands ( NYSE:YUM Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The restaurant operator reported $1.26 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.39 by ($0.13). The firm had revenue of $2.04 billion during 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 businesss revenue for the quarter was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.31 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Yum! Brands, Inc. will post 5.73 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 21st will be issued a $0.67 dividend. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.95%. This is an increase from Yum! Brandss previous quarterly dividend of $0.61. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 20th. Yum! Brandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 47.94%. Insider Transactions at Yum! Brands In other news, VP David Eric Russell sold 9,919 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 owns 18,661 shares in the company, valued at $2,419,025.43. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other news, VP David Eric Russell sold 9,919 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 owns 18,661 shares in the company, valued at $2,419,025.43. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO David W. Gibbs sold 3,756 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.21, for a total value of $485,312.76. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 57,325 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,406,963.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 17,467 shares of company stock worth $2,264,717 in the last three months. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have recently issued reports on YUM. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded Yum! Brands from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $150.00 to $135.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on Yum! Brands from $145.00 to $141.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Yum! Brands from $164.00 to $166.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Stifel Nicolaus restated a hold rating and issued a $135.00 price objective on shares of Yum! Brands in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, Barclays reduced their price objective on Yum! Brands from $146.00 to $144.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $144.75. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on YUM About Yum! Brands (Free Report) Yum! Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, operates, and franchises quick service restaurants worldwide. The company operates through four segments: the KFC Division, the Taco Bell Division, the Pizza Hut Division, and the Habit Burger Grill Division. It operates restaurants under the KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill brands, which specialize in chicken, pizza, made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, Mexican-style food categories, and other food products. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding YUM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Yum! Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Yum! Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 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. XIONG'AN, China, March 2 (Xinhua) -- When discussing the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region over the past decade, Shen Xifeng, a 50-year-old entrepreneur in the Xiong'an New Area, highlighted port cooperation. "The port service on the doorstep has significantly reduced the time required to export our products," Shen said, referring to Tianjin Port Group's service center in the Xiong'an New Area, a 1,770-square-km area some 100 km southwest of Beijing that was established on April 1, 2017. Established in 2019, the center aims to provide efficient port and logistics services for enterprises in Xiong'an and its surrounding areas. Last month, the center successfully assisted Shen's company, Xiongxian Liya Packing Material Co., Ltd, in avoiding a possible default. Before the Chinese New Year, the packing material company planned to export a container of stretch film to Le Havre in France. However, the cold weather and a surge in demand for other products caused a delay in the production of the stretch film. If the container could not be delivered on time, the company would face not only a claim for compensation by its foreign customers, but also a tarnished reputation in overseas markets. Upon learning about the problem faced by Liya company, Tianjin Port Group's service center in Xiong'an immediately coordinated shipping companies, transport operators, port terminals and customs, further streamlining the export process. Finally, the container of the stretch film departed from Tianjin Port on Feb. 13 as scheduled. "Thanks to the service center, our communication (with Tianjin Port) has significantly improved in terms of convenience and efficiency. The timely delivery of our export goods has boosted customers' trust in our company, laying a solid foundation for expanding our overseas businesses," Shen said. Zhao Shuo, responsible for the service center, highlighted Liya's story as another testament to Tianjin Port's commitment to providing high-quality service for the development of Xiong'an, an area which China aims to build into a green, innovative city and a national model of high-quality development. "The establishment of the center also represents a tangible step taken by Tianjin Port to promote the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," Zhao added. In addition to setting up the service center in Xiong'an, Tianjin Port also inaugurated a service center to coordinate port services for Beijing's CBD in 2023. Similarly, Hebei Port Group has also implemented programs to better serve regional enterprises seeking international expansion. Figures provided by the group showed that it has set up nearly 20 inland ports in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Since the coordinated development of the region was proposed as a national strategy in 2014, cooperation and coordination between the ports in Tianjin and Hebei have been gaining momentum. In May 2023, Tianjin Port Group and Hebei Port Group signed a cooperation agreement to enhance the radiating and driving roles of ports, and to provide robust support for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Over the past years, the ports have given full play to their respective advantages and complemented each other. For example, while Tianjin Port handles more exports destined for distant destinations, Qinhuangdao Port, under Hebei Port Group, focuses on export routes to South Korea and Japan. A ship carrying both passengers and cargo departs from Qinhuangdao Port to Inchon in South Korea every Wednesday and Sunday. "The route provides a strong logistics guarantee for expanding our company's business in the South Korean market," said Zhao Jinxing, head of the foreign trade department of Qinhuangdao Lihua Starch Co., Ltd. Meanwhile, feeder vessels are now shuttling between the ports in Hebei and Tianjin. The vessels have ensured that the ports can share each other's route resources and transport capacity. "The feeder vessels are like shuttle buses," Zhao explained, "they can transfer products between ports in the most effective way." Port cooperation in the region has facilitated the company's global expansion. Zhao said the company has exported its products to more than 100 countries and regions each year, noting that port cooperation "has reduced our costs and increased efficiency for export." Biggest ever crackdown on money mules in the UK Efforts to disrupt money mule activity and support exploited victims will be strengthened through a new action plan say UK Government. Efforts to disrupt money mule activity and support exploited victims will be strengthened through a 22 point action plan announced by the Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat. The plan will include a newly funded post at The Childrens Society to raise awareness of child financial exploitation and will also step-up joint working to identify complicit mules through the sharing of intelligence. A money mule is someone who moves and hides illegally gained money on behalf of heinous criminals, including drug dealers, human traffickers and fraudsters. Cifas estimates that there were 37,000 bank accounts which demonstrated behaviour associated with muling in 2023. Approximately 10 billion of illegal money is laundered each year in the UK, according to estimates from the National Crime Agency (NCA). Around 23% of money mules are under 21, and 65% are under 30. They are often groomed by criminal gangs, who offer them the prospect of making easy money. Once they are in the system, the gangs will then coerce them into committing further offending, including through blackmail, debt bondage and sextortion. The UK Government say this is why they are funding a new Financial Exploitation Lead at The Childrens Society who will spearhead a growing movement to educate those on the front-line, including bank employees, teachers and the police. Its work will ensure thousands of children who are at risk of being exploited by criminal gangs get the support they need The Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat, said: I am determined to prevent heinous criminals who exploit our children and profit from it, and it is paramount we stop this vicious cycle. The Childrens Societys invaluable work will protect victims who are being exploited while our wider action plan will ensure these evil criminals face the full force of the law. Financial exploitation is a form of abuse which can have a detrimental, long-term impact. In some cases, for example, vulnerable people have had difficulty opening bank accounts and received criminal charges. The UK Government say they recognise these children as victims and, through the work of The Childrens Society, is raising awareness to help safeguard vulnerable people and ensure victims are able to rebuild their lives. Katie Darlington, Financial Exploitation Lead at The Childrens Society, said: Were working to better identify and tackle child financial exploitation, a growing harm thats part of wider work on tackling child abuse. Such exploitation can inflict real trauma on children caught up in it and they need our help, not blame. With expertise of frontline professionals such as teachers, youth workers and police officers alongside the knowledge of the bank sector, and most importantly by listening to children and young people themselves, our approach will make sure this work is driven by the insights and experiences of the young people most affected. The National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), in the NCA, is already working closely with policing and the private sector, as well as those based across the continent, to crack down on money muling. In the money mules action plan, the NCA has committed to delivering a public awareness campaign on money muling, as well as to continue working with the Home Office, private sector and third sector partners on a money mules online hub, which will contain guidance, advice and support on the topic. Nick Sharp, Deputy Director of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), said: Money muling is used by organised criminals to conceal the profits of some of the most serious crimes in the UK. At the NECC, we work tirelessly with our colleagues in policing and in the private sector, both in the UK and across Europe, to stem the flow of illicit funds. We know that a substantial proportion of money mules are under the age of 30, and many are groomed or coerced into providing the service while at sixth form, college or university. Those involved put themselves and those around them at risk by communicating with dangerous criminals, and by becoming complicit in serious and organised crime. We are proud to be working with the government to prevent more young people being exploited, and raise awareness of what is a significant threat to the public. [email protected] Intrepid group raises nearly 80,000 for Wrexham-based hospice Trekking for a Cause: Intrepid Group Raises Nearly 80,000 for Nightingale House Hospice An adventurous group of trekkers have raised almost 80,000 for Nightingale House Hospice. The team of 30 took on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain in October 2023 in aid of patient care at the Wrexham Hospice. Since then they have continued their fundraising efforts and have raised an astonishing total of 78,878.52. Carole Hughes said she took on the international challenge to say thank you for the phenomenal care and support the hospice provides. She said: As a family, we experience how Nightingale helps people like my husband, David. We wanted to give something back to the hospice in recognition of the phenomenal care and support they had provided to my husband and the family as a whole. We also realise that if it hadnt been for the fundraising from people before us, then we wouldnt have had these facilities, so we also did it so that people in the future can benefit, too. We also wanted to do something for David in his memory as a family, it gave us a purpose to move forward at that moment in time. Commenting on the trek Carole said: You realise that they are not called challenges for no reason. You dont realise how resilient you are and how deep you can dig inside yourself to achieve and complete the challenge. Also, the camaraderie of the whole group empowers you and gives you the strength to finish. My favourite part of the trek was the preparation, anticipation, fundraising, the unknown, but then when you do the challenge. Its the camaraderie and friendships you make you are all doing the challenge for a reason, and all have a story to tell that bonds you together for life. Following the success of the Camino de Santiago challenge, the Wrexham Hospice has recently announced its next international challenge to help raise much-needed funds for patient care. Chloe Deacon, Supporter Engagement Fundraiser, said,:Nightingale House is thrilled to announce an amazing opportunity to trek the Mont Blanc region of the Alps between 11 to 15 September 2024. This exciting challenge will take a group of trekkers through France and Switzerland in just three days, offering stunning cliffs, waterfalls flowing from glaciers, and traditional Swiss villages, witnessing some of Europes most spectacular view. All whilst supporting the local community by raising funds for patient care. Carole added: Not only will the hospice benefit from the money you raise, but you as a person will benefit. What doesnt kill you makes you stronger! Do it. Take on a challenge and do it for you or in memory of someone special. Its a lovely and rewarding experience you will never forget. If you want to learn more, please email [email protected] or call the Nightingale House Fundraising Team on 01978 314292. [email protected] North Wales MS residents to back cancer charitys daffodil appeal An MS is calling on the people of North Wales to join a major fundraising appeal by a cancer charity. Llyr Gruffydd, who represents the region in the Senedd, has given his support to Marie Curies biggest annual fundraising appeal. The Plaid Cymru politician recently joined Marie Curie staff and volunteers at the charitys Great Daffodil Appeal launch at the Senedd. The aim of the appeal is to raise funds to ensure everyone gets the expert care and support they deserve at end of their lives. The charity is hoping that volunteers in North Wales can give just two hours of their time to hand out its iconic daffodil pins in return for donations. If they want, people can also join a Go Yellow day on March 21, fundraise by wearing or baking something yellow at work or school, or in any way that suits them. Currently one in four people dont get the end of life care they need. Marie Curies Great Daffodil Appeal encourages people to donate and wear a daffodil pin to help the charity continue to support people win the work that it does to ensure that more people do. The charitys flagship fundraiser, supported by headline partner Superdrug, helps raise much needed funds for Marie Curie Nurses and healthcare professionals to provide expert support and hospice care. Marie Curie is hugely dependent on public donations and last year supporters helped the charity provide direct care to more than 44,200 people across the UK via its nine hospices and through overnight nursing care in peoples own homes. The money raised also funds the charitys free support line and webchat, which is available to anyone with an illness theyre likely to die from and those close to them. It offers practical and emotional support on everything from symptom management and day-to-day care to financial information and bereavement support. Llyr Gruffydd MS said: The work Marie Curie do is needed now more than ever, and thats why Im urging people across the whole of North Wales to show their support for the Great Daffodil Appeal in any way they can. Each and every donation means that when the time comes, Marie Curie can be there for people and their loved ones at the time they need it most. Claire Phillips, Marie Curie Head of Fundraising in Wales said: Launching our Great Daffodil Appeal in Wales at the Senedd is always an honour. Thank you to Llyr Gruffydd MS for attending to meet our staff and the volunteers who are so vital to the Great Daffodil Appeal every year. Now in its 38th year, the appeal is a brilliant and fun way to join in, and we would love to see our dedicated existing volunteers joined by new faces in North Wales whilst also helping us provide a vital service to those in the final chapter of their lives. Our team is on hand to support all our volunteers and make sure you have the best experience possible in order for you to help Marie Curie continue to provide expert end of life care and support for people with any illness they are likely to die from. If youre interested, wed love to hear from you. To find out more about how you can volunteer visit: Mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil [email protected] The island of Hengqin in south China's Guangdong Province on Friday started to allow most goods to be moved there tax-free from the neighboring Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). The new customs operation became effective at midnight in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, in the city of Zhuhai. The zone covers the 106-square-km island of Hengqin that sits between Macao and the Chinese mainland. Under the new mechanism, tariffs will be generally lifted for goods entering Hengqin from Macao, while goods moving from Hengqin to the Chinese mainland will now be subject to import duties, if they are not eligible for added-value tax exemption. Similar tax exemptions also apply to luggage and parcels entering Hengqin from Macao. The new policy is seen as a major arrangement to enrich the practice of "one country, two systems" in Macao and boost economic diversification of the SAR, which has a land area of only 32.8 square km. Li Weinong, director of the zone's executive committee, said the customs rearrangement also aims to make it easier for Macao residents to live and work in the zone. Macao residents are now allowed to bring a reasonable amount of cooked meat, fresh vegetables and fruits into Hengqin, which is a pioneering reform in China, according to Li. "The new policy will effectively facilitate the flow of goods, personnel, capital and information between Hengqin and Macao, and create valuable new space for Macao's new industries and business forms," said the official. In 2021, China's central authorities decided to build the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and make the island an important new growth point for Macao's economy. By the end of 2023, there were 11,500 Macao residents working or living in Hengqin, an annual increase of over 70 percent, according to the zone's statistics bureau. Xuan Jianguo, secretary-general of the Hengqin Institute of Innovation and Development, said the customs reform will greatly boost the integration of Hengqin and Macao. "Hengqin has completed a key step toward fulfilling its two main goals, which are promoting the diversification of Macao's economy and creating a new home for Macao residents to live and work," Xuan said. Guo Jin works on a fossil at a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 21, 2024. Guo Jin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), is the deputy director of a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City of Yunnan Province. In the past 17 years, he has devoted himself to paleontology research and participated in the preparation work for the world heritage application of the Chengjiang Fossil site. The fossil site was approved to join the World Heritage List in 2012. Guo and his team leveraged modern technological means in exhibiting and injected new vitality into fossils through 3D restoration animation videos and interactive designs. By participating in the design of cultural and creative products, introducing new technologies like AR (augmented reality), 4D cinema, 8K spherical theater, they kept exploring new ways of science popularization. Guo insisted on listening and responding to the concerns of the masses. As a deputy to the NPC, he performed duties based on his work. Guo plans to offer suggestions on strengthening the scientific research function of grassroots museums at the upcoming second session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Guo Jin collects fossil samples at a site in Chengjiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 22, 2024. Guo Jin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), is the deputy director of a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City of Yunnan Province. In the past 17 years, he has devoted himself to paleontology research and participated in the preparation work for the world heritage application of the Chengjiang Fossil site. The fossil site was approved to join the World Heritage List in 2012. Guo and his team leveraged modern technological means in exhibiting and injected new vitality into fossils through 3D restoration animation videos and interactive designs. By participating in the design of cultural and creative products, introducing new technologies like AR (augmented reality), 4D cinema, 8K spherical theater, they kept exploring new ways of science popularization. Guo insisted on listening and responding to the concerns of the masses. As a deputy to the NPC, he performed duties based on his work. Guo plans to offer suggestions on strengthening the scientific research function of grassroots museums at the upcoming second session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Guo Jin (1st R) conducts research in Xincun Village, Haikou Township in Chengjiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 26, 2024. Guo Jin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), is the deputy director of a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City of Yunnan Province. In the past 17 years, he has devoted himself to paleontology research and participated in the preparation work for the world heritage application of the Chengjiang Fossil site. The fossil site was approved to join the World Heritage List in 2012. Guo and his team leveraged modern technological means in exhibiting and injected new vitality into fossils through 3D restoration animation videos and interactive designs. By participating in the design of cultural and creative products, introducing new technologies like AR (augmented reality), 4D cinema, 8K spherical theater, they kept exploring new ways of science popularization. Guo insisted on listening and responding to the concerns of the masses. As a deputy to the NPC, he performed duties based on his work. Guo plans to offer suggestions on strengthening the scientific research function of grassroots museums at the upcoming second session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua) Guo Jin (1st L) and colleagues check a newly collected fossil sample at a site in Chengjiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 22, 2024. Guo Jin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), is the deputy director of a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City of Yunnan Province. In the past 17 years, he has devoted himself to paleontology research and participated in the preparation work for the world heritage application of the Chengjiang Fossil site. The fossil site was approved to join the World Heritage List in 2012. Guo and his team leveraged modern technological means in exhibiting and injected new vitality into fossils through 3D restoration animation videos and interactive designs. By participating in the design of cultural and creative products, introducing new technologies like AR (augmented reality), 4D cinema, 8K spherical theater, they kept exploring new ways of science popularization. Guo insisted on listening and responding to the concerns of the masses. As a deputy to the NPC, he performed duties based on his work. Guo plans to offer suggestions on strengthening the scientific research function of grassroots museums at the upcoming second session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Guo Jin prepares scientific research documents at a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 22, 2024. Guo Jin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), is the deputy director of a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City of Yunnan Province. In the past 17 years, he has devoted himself to paleontology research and participated in the preparation work for the world heritage application of the Chengjiang Fossil site. The fossil site was approved to join the World Heritage List in 2012. Guo and his team leveraged modern technological means in exhibiting and injected new vitality into fossils through 3D restoration animation videos and interactive designs. By participating in the design of cultural and creative products, introducing new technologies like AR (augmented reality), 4D cinema, 8K spherical theater, they kept exploring new ways of science popularization. Guo insisted on listening and responding to the concerns of the masses. As a deputy to the NPC, he performed duties based on his work. Guo plans to offer suggestions on strengthening the scientific research function of grassroots museums at the upcoming second session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Guo Jin (1st R) introduces the evolution of life to visitors at a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 22, 2024. Guo Jin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), is the deputy director of a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City of Yunnan Province. In the past 17 years, he has devoted himself to paleontology research and participated in the preparation work for the world heritage application of the Chengjiang Fossil site. The fossil site was approved to join the World Heritage List in 2012. Guo and his team leveraged modern technological means in exhibiting and injected new vitality into fossils through 3D restoration animation videos and interactive designs. By participating in the design of cultural and creative products, introducing new technologies like AR (augmented reality), 4D cinema, 8K spherical theater, they kept exploring new ways of science popularization. Guo insisted on listening and responding to the concerns of the masses. As a deputy to the NPC, he performed duties based on his work. Guo plans to offer suggestions on strengthening the scientific research function of grassroots museums at the upcoming second session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Guo Jin (C) introduces the evolution of life to children at a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 22, 2024. Guo Jin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), is the deputy director of a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City of Yunnan Province. In the past 17 years, he has devoted himself to paleontology research and participated in the preparation work for the world heritage application of the Chengjiang Fossil site. The fossil site was approved to join the World Heritage List in 2012. Guo and his team leveraged modern technological means in exhibiting and injected new vitality into fossils through 3D restoration animation videos and interactive designs. By participating in the design of cultural and creative products, introducing new technologies like AR (augmented reality), 4D cinema, 8K spherical theater, they kept exploring new ways of science popularization. Guo insisted on listening and responding to the concerns of the masses. As a deputy to the NPC, he performed duties based on his work. Guo plans to offer suggestions on strengthening the scientific research function of grassroots museums at the upcoming second session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Guo Jin (R) communicates with a staff member on the design of a cultural and creative product at a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 23, 2024. Guo Jin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), is the deputy director of a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City of Yunnan Province. In the past 17 years, he has devoted himself to paleontology research and participated in the preparation work for the world heritage application of the Chengjiang Fossil site. The fossil site was approved to join the World Heritage List in 2012. Guo and his team leveraged modern technological means in exhibiting and injected new vitality into fossils through 3D restoration animation videos and interactive designs. By participating in the design of cultural and creative products, introducing new technologies like AR (augmented reality), 4D cinema, 8K spherical theater, they kept exploring new ways of science popularization. Guo insisted on listening and responding to the concerns of the masses. As a deputy to the NPC, he performed duties based on his work. Guo plans to offer suggestions on strengthening the scientific research function of grassroots museums at the upcoming second session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Guo Jin prepares to collect fossil samples at a site in Chengjiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 22, 2024. Guo Jin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), is the deputy director of a museum of Chengjiang Fossil site in Chengjiang City of Yunnan Province. In the past 17 years, he has devoted himself to paleontology research and participated in the preparation work for the world heritage application of the Chengjiang Fossil site. The fossil site was approved to join the World Heritage List in 2012. Guo and his team leveraged modern technological means in exhibiting and injected new vitality into fossils through 3D restoration animation videos and interactive designs. By participating in the design of cultural and creative products, introducing new technologies like AR (augmented reality), 4D cinema, 8K spherical theater, they kept exploring new ways of science popularization. Guo insisted on listening and responding to the concerns of the masses. As a deputy to the NPC, he performed duties based on his work. Guo plans to offer suggestions on strengthening the scientific research function of grassroots museums at the upcoming second session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Demonstrations against the genocide in Gaza in Germany are continuing. They are not only directed against Israels brutal massacre of the Palestinians, but also against the German government, its arms deliveries to Israel and its mendacious propaganda about antisemitism. Support for Israel as a matter of state policy is crumbling among the population. Section of the rally at the Alte Feuerwache, Mannheim, 24 February 2024 (Photo: WSWS) Three powerful demonstrations in Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Mannheim in recent weeks were followed last Monday by a demonstration in Nuremberg against rearmament and arms deliveries. On February 26, several hundred participants protested against the three-day Enforce Tac trade fair. This arms fair, which was held behind closed doors, was opened on Monday by its patron, the Bavarian Minister of the Interior Joachim Herrmann (Christian Social Union, CSU). It not only presented new products from Heckler & Koch, Rheinmetall and other defence companies to an expert audience from the military, police, intelligence services and authorities, but also field-tested military equipment from Elbit, Israels largest weapons manufacturer. As a cynical highlight this year, the Enforce Tac-Village was set up to test the live use of military equipment. In promotional material, this exhibition village, which had been cleared for firing, was initially presented in the look of a Palestinian street with a fruit stand, human dolls and Arabic graffiti, before protests against it became too great. Several Palestinian committees, the Jewish Voice, a Kurdish organisation, and anti-militarist German initiatives called for a protest against the inhuman cynicism of this Nuremberg arms fair. As the demonstration marched loudly through the predominantly working class neighbourhoods, residents applauded from windows and balconies. Slogans calling for a boycott of Elbit and strikes against the arms industry were shouted outside the exhibition centre. The demonstration in Nuremberg was accompanied at every turn by a massive police contingent of USK special forces. The police had dictated far-reaching conditions to the protesters. Practically all slogans calling for a free, united Palestine or expressing sympathy for the Palestinian peoples struggle for liberation were banned across the board. Police water cannon at the Palestine demonstration in Frankfurt, 3 February 2024 (Photo: WSWS) Strict conditions also applied to the Palestine demonstrations in other cities, and large police contingents meticulously monitored compliance. Time and again, the right to freedom of expression was trampled underfoot. In Frankfurt on February 3, an enormous police water cannon was driven through the city centre to intimidate the 2,000 or so peaceful demonstrators. The central demand in Frankfurt was: Stop the criminalisation of Palestine solidarity. Slogans repeatedly pointed out that there was a connection between the fight against the genocide in Gaza and the fight against the official pro-war policy and the arms lobby in Germany, as well as against right-wing terror and its backers in politics and the state. Slogans were chanted such as: From Hanau to Gaza, Yallah Intifada, German weapons, German money are killing all over the world or (directed at the Foreign Minister): Baerbock, Baerbock you will see, Palestine will be free. On the signs and banners were sentences like these: Its not complicated: Its a genocide! I condemn your silence, and Not my government. In conversation with the WSWS, many participants expressed their determination to stop war and genocide and anger and disappointment with the coalition government of the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Liberal Democrats (FDP). Mannheim demonstration on 24 February 2024: (from left) Mohamed, Ahmad and Hossam (Photo: WSWS) Mohamed, Ahmad and Hossam were three of over 3,000 participants who marched from the Alte Feuerwache to Mannheim Castle on February 24 to support the Palestinians in Gaza. There must be no more war and weapons transports, said Hossam. Thats why I came here: We must find a way to stop the genocide. Talking about the fact that all the establishment parties had voted in favour of the arms shipments in the Bundestag (federal parliament), Ahmad said: We need a party that represents us workers and stands up against war, including the war in Ukraine and, of course, Gaza. In Stuttgart, WSWS reporters spoke to Juliane, who has been involved in protests since October 2023 and has regularly taken to the streets since then I dont know how many times. She said, I find it extremely disgusting that the German government supports Israel with arms supplies and politically, and that a ceasefire is rejected as unacceptable. ... A genocide is being denied here and no party, not even the Left Party, is standing up against it. Its so embarrassing, but nobody is talking about it publicly. I find the Greens particularly bad. Some time ago, Habeck gave a speech that everyone thought was cool. I ask myself: Why? As if the issue of arms supplies was somehow a good thing. She continued, Instead, anyone who protests against it is slandered as antisemitic. Im really extremely disappointed in the whole government. I cant even think about it without getting angry. Its so disgusting the way Germany has given itself this integrity: Never again! and that there must never be another genocide like the Nazi era. And its happening now. Juliane said she supported the European election campaign of the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP), adding, Yes, its true: we really need a new party that doesnt go along with this. I fully agree with that. These demonstrations are the only thing at the moment: workers and ordinary citizens are taking to the streets and demonstrating against genocide. Thats happening all over the world right now. I absolutely support the need for workers to unite, outside the parties in the state parliament or the Bundestag, simply as human beings. Mannheim demonstration on 24 February: Not my government (Photo: WSWS) Max, a young man from Stuttgart, was at a demonstration for the first time and said, I came along because I have the feeling and have realised for a while that things cant go on like this. What is happening on a political level is not right and I think that I can participate in this way. This is about anti-Zionism, not antisemitism. These people here are not Jew haters. We are all simply against genocide and against the German government supporting Israel with weapons. Germany even sided with Israel in the ICJ court case. That made me scratch my head. I cant believe it. But for some time now, weve seen time and again that people here are arming for war. And I dont think any party sitting in the Bundestag is better on this issue. Participants have come from far and wide to demonstrate. Muntehe, who came to Mannheim from the Saarland on February 24, emphasised that one thing was particularly important to her: Every human being is worth the same. Thats why the war must be stopped, in Gaza and all over the world. Ana, a young woman from Karlsruhe, explained, We have to support the Palestinian people in what is happening. It cant be right that our government here takes to the streets against the right and supports a right-wing extremist government in Israel. This is particularly important in view of Germanys past. It is a misconception that we can make up for the historical injustice against the Jews by allowing the Palestinian people to be destroyed. Anyone who is informed about the history of the Palestinians and the Israelis knows, of course, that this did not just begin on October 7. It goes way back; it should have been stopped 75 years ago. Ana from Karlsruhe (Photo: WSWS) More and more workers and young people are fighting back against the omnipresent war propaganda and demonstrating their courage in everyday life. In a working class neighbourhood in Stuttgart, young people spontaneously supported a team from the SGP, which was collecting signatures to enable the party to register for the European elections. The team had put up a poster, Stop the genocide in Gaza. When a 50-year-old woman shouted aggressively and loudly that Hamas terrorists were being supported, two students, a girl and a boy, intervened and explained that what the Israeli military was doing in Gaza was a brutal genocide. And that the German government was supporting it. The young people said that it was courageous to openly stand up here with a poster in favour of Gaza, because The media are warmongers who cover up the truth. As the woman walked away, the girl shouted loudly that she herself was also prepared to defend the Palestinian people against people who welcome genocide. Another older woman came along, after observing the exchange and said that she too thought it was right to speak out openly against the war. The US and Thailand have begun the 43rd annual Cobra Gold military exercises, the largest multinational drills in Southeast Asia involving nearly 10,000 troops in total. The latest iteration includes the largest contingent of US troops in a decade amid Washingtons ratcheting up of tensions with China. US Marines take position on light armored vehicles during the ongoing Cobra Gold US-Thai joint military exercise in Chonburi province, eastern Thailand, Friday, March 1, 2024. [AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit] The opening ceremony of Cobra Gold took place on February 27 in Rayong Province Thailand, southeast of Bangkok. Drills will run through to March 10 and will involve live fire exercises and a simulated command post exercise in Rayong and other provinces across Thailand, including Lopburi, Chanthaburi, and Sa Kaeo. There are seven full participants in Cobra Gold this year including Thailand, the US, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia. Speaking at the opening ceremony were US ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Godec, the commander of US I Corps Lieutenant General Xavier Brunson, and Thailands Chief of Defence Forces General Songwit Noonpakdee. US involvement has increased to the largest size in a decade since Thailands 2014 military coup. Over 4,500 US troops are taking part in the war exercises, an increase from 3,800 last year and 1,300 in 2022, with the lower figures in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the coup, over 7,000 US personnel were involved in the drills. Different aspects of Cobra Gold include the Field Training Exercises (FTX) and the Command Post Exercise (CPX). The former incorporates the army, navy, and air force and will include airborne operations, live-fire exercises, and amphibious landings. CPX will train participants in combat in various domains, including land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. These drills also involve the operation of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), light rockets capable of attacking targets at a range of 300km. HIMARS have been used to arm Ukraine in the US-NATO proxy war against Russia. Washington is also supplying HIMARS to Taiwan, where the US is attempting to provoke a war with China as it did with Russia in Ukraine. The US representatives attempted to dress Cobra Gold up as a necessity for ensuring regional stability. In reality, the exercises do the exact opposite as US imperialism targets China. Godec, for example, wrote on Twitter/X on the opening of the war games, Together, with our regional allies and partners, we work together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. The reference to a free and open Indo-Pacific is a thinly veiled denunciation used to demonise Beijing for refusing to acquiesce to US hegemony in Asia. The slogan in reality means the military encirclement of China which threatens a naval blockade of vital shipping routes including through the Malacca Strait that would strangle Beijing economically. Godecs remarks make clear that whatever Washingtons diplomatic window dressing, the Cobra Gold exercises are aimed at preparing for war with China and incorporating its allies in the region into those plans. All of this is taking place on Chinas doorstep. Furthermore, Washingtons attacks on China reek of hypocrisy. For the US, free and open, as well as rule of law, mean the freedom for US imperialism to exploit the world for its own interests under conditions of its economic decline. This includes waging bloody and illegal wars of aggression in the Middle East over the past three decades, including now the Biden administrations complete support for Israels ongoing genocide in Gaza. In addition to the main participants, another 23 countries are taking part to a limited extent. They include other US allies such as Australia, New Zealand, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden. China is also participating for the 11th consecutive year, though only in tabletop humanitarian assistance drills. The limited role played by China is bound up with two conflicting aspects. On the one hand, the US would no doubt prefer to exclude China altogether. On the other, Thailand is engaged in a balancing act between Washington and Beijing, looking to maintain its longstanding diplomatic and economic relations with the latter, its largest trading partner. Two-way trade between the two Asian countries reached $US135 billion in 2023. However, Washington is working towards the strategic goal of incorporating Thailand into its war planning. Thailand is an historic ally of the US and during the Vietnam War was used as a base to host some 50,000 US troops and stage bombing runs throughout Indochina. Cobra Gold grew out of this relationship following US imperialisms defeat in Vietnam. Established in 1982, the exercises were aimed at allowing Washington to continue to exert its influence in the region while threatening Vietnam and more recently China. Other Washington-led military drills are taking place on a regular basis throughout the region. Occurring at the same time as Cobra Gold, the US and Japan began Exercise Iron Fist on February 25 between US Marines and the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force and Maritime Self-Defense Force, the formal names for Japans army and navy respectively. The exercises, which conclude on March 17, are taking place around Japans islands of Kyushu and Okinawa in the East China Sea. The US is also encouraging allies like the Philippines to heighten territorial disputes with China. On February 25, Manila accused the Chinese coast guard of blocking one of its government vessels from resupplying fuel to Filippino fishermen near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, the second such instance in two weeks. The shoal is a triangular feature of rocks and atolls 240 miles west of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. These disputes in the South China Sea have been whipped up by Washington and exploited in order to place pressure on Beijing, falsely accusing China of unilaterally overturning the status quo. Beijing, conscious of US efforts, regards the South China Sea, including the Scarborough Shoal, as one of its core interests to be defended by force if necessary. Beijing, in other words, is unwilling to allow itself to be surrounded by US imperialism and its allies. In April, the US and the Philippines will hold Balikatan 2024, another set of joint war games, which may take place in the Batanes Archipelago, just 150km from Taiwan. This highly provocative action is slated to be larger than last years event which drew 17,000 troops including 12,000 from the US. In this context, the Cobra Gold exercises are part of Washingtons overall effort strengthen military alliances and strategic partnerships throughout the Indo-Pacific in preparation for war against China. Under conditions where the US is already at war with Russia in Ukraine and alongside Israel is fueling a wider conflict in the Middle East, war with China would quickly spiral into a catastrophic global conflict. CANBERRA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Australians lost millions of dollars to scams promoted in deep fake videos and fake news articles in 2023, a government agency has revealed. Authorities on Friday warned Australians to be cautious of misinformation after the National Anti-Scam Centre revealed that 400 people reported losing over 8 million Australian dollars (5.2 million U.S. dollars) to online trading platform scams in 2023. Catriona Lowe, deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), said the scams work by using deep fake videos and fake news articles posted on social media to convince users that celebrities and well-known public figures endorse, and are making money using, investment trading platforms. In one case reported to the government's Scamwatch service, an Australian man lost 80,000 AUD (52,255 USD) in cryptocurrency after investing it with a platform he saw being promoted by billionaire Elon Musk in a deep fake video. When he tried to withdraw his money from the service the man was locked out of his account. "We are urging Australians to take their time and do their research before taking up an investment opportunity -- particularly those seen on social media," Lowe said in a statement. "These fake videos and news articles circulating on social media and video sharing platforms, often claim that the online trading platform uses artificial intelligence or other emerging technologies such as quantum computing to generate high returns for investors, but it is not true." The ACCC and Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) in July 2023 established the National Anti-Scam Centre's investment scam fusion cell, which aims to disrupt investment scams. Lowe said that since the cell was set up there had been a downward trend in losses to investment scams reported to Scamwatch. The recognition that respiratory pathogens which cause COVID-19 were transmitted through airborne mechanisms was a critical insight into the nature of the disease and the need to decontaminate airborne spaces to eliminate these pathogens. However, rather than initiating a major investment in infrastructure and public health, the current official narrative being promoted by the Biden administration and every other government across the world is that the pandemic is over and society must learn to live with the virus, which has by the fifth year of the pandemic led to 30 million excess deaths and hundreds of millions of people debilitated by Long COVID. Recent research is concluding that not only COVID, but many respiratory pathogens may cause long-term health consequences and are not as benign as previously considered. Despite the advances in our understanding of the social implications for public health of these pathogens, the ruling elites have deemed social protective measures superfluous and wasteful. Indeed, the White House Summit on Improving Indoor Air Quality in October 2022 was just political theater with little to show for it but rhetoric. Last month, the Biden administration offered the Environmental Protection Agency a paltry $32 million to address indoor air pollution in schools as part of President Bidens Investing in America agenda, while they have been able to find hundreds of billions more for their war in Ukraine and the Middle East, while bankrolling Israels genocidal campaign against Palestinians. The World Socialist Web Site has been calling for an elimination strategy for the COVID pandemic from the beginning and continues to explain to the working class that the issues surrounding clean air and public health are democratic and social questions which have revolutionary implications insofar as the very governments supposedly charged with their well-being and safety have abandoned all such pretensions. From a technological perspective, the work by Dr. David Brenner and colleagues at Columbia Universitys Center for Radiological Research in recent years is of immense importance in answering the question, Can the virus that causes COVID be eliminated? Their work on far-UVC light at lower wavelengths is proving that this technology is quite suited to the task. And while the White House and the financial oligarchs spare no expense in taking advantage of these advances for their own safety, the promises of infrastructure investment have yet to be realized. Dr. Brenner was kind enough to accept our request for an interview to discuss his work and help bring recognition to this vital technology. David Brenner (DB): Hi Ben. Benjamin Mateus (BM): Hello Dr. Brenner. Thank you for agreeing to do the interview. DB: Before we start, can you give me a one-minute introduction to why you and your publication are interested in far-UVC? BM: In the context of the pandemic and the acknowledgment that respiratory viruses are airborne, the elimination of pathogens and prevention of these types of disease mean we must clean indoor air. As medical historians have noted, this is analogous to the English physician John Snows recognition that cholera was a byproduct of sewage-contaminated water, which led to a revolution in sanitizing water consumed by people and the reduction in rates of cholera. I dont think we can overstate it, but the sanitization of indoor air is really the next public health hurdle we must cross. In this regard, germicidal ultra-violet (UV) light, a proven technology in disinfecting rooms which has been around for more than 100 years, seems ready-made and at-hand for that task. It was for that reason I reached out to Dr. Edward Nardell of Harvard to speak to him about the history of UVC. We were also interested in the work you and your team were conducting with far-UVC 222-nm. The recent science behind 222-nm demonstrates it is safe to use indoors with people around while being quite effective. However, recently, scientists like Dr. Jose Jimenez, aerosol physicists from Colorado have raised concerns about the ozone emissions from these lamps and the secondary volatile organic compounds they produce. I decided to reach out to you to discuss all these issues. DB: Go ahead. BM: Maybe we can start by explaining who you are, what you do and how you became interested in UV and infection control? If I understand correctly, you are a radiation physicist? DB: Yes, I am a radiation biophysicist from Liverpool, England. I study the effects of radiation on human health. Im the director of the Center for Radiological Research here at Columbia University, which is a very old and venerable institution that was founded just over a hundred years ago by a student of Marie Curie, Gioacchino Failla, who went over to Paris to obtain his PhD. He returned after his studies and opened the center though it had a different name at the time. Certainly, our day jobs are not with UV, which is a non-ionizing radiation. We work more with ionizing radiationsx-rays, gamma-rays, and neutronsoriginally in the context of using these in radiation therapy. Marie Curie had made the claim that she was going to cure all cancers with radium. I still hope thatll be true one day. Dr. David Brenner [Photo by David Brenner] Some fraction of our Center works with high-dose radiotherapy while a larger fraction works on the effects of low levels of ionizing radiation, such as understanding the radiation risks associated with routine use of nuclear power and understanding the benefits and risks of computed tomography (CT) and other radiological exams which are used extensively in healthcare. In more recent times much of our work has to do with countermeasures after a large-scale radiological event, be it an accident or a terrorist-style event, and what one should do after such an event. Our particular area of study is bio-dosimetry, which is trying to figure out very quickly what dose a very large numbers of people might have been exposed to, and then what needs to be done to address this. [Dr. Brenners publications include demonstrating that CT scans can slightly increase the risk of cancer among children, something that should be considered when ordering a CT scan. He was extensively cited by the media and gave many interviews after the tsunami hit Japans Pacific Coast in March 2011, leading to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident.] And then around a decade ago we started thinking about UVC light. The initial impetus was that I had a good friend back in the UK who passed away. He went into the hospital for a routine hip operation and passed away from a surgical site infection. I began to wonder and raised the issue with my colleagues here if there was anything we as physicists could do to address this problem. [According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018 there were 157,500 surgical site infections (SSI) in the US with an estimated mortality of 8,205. SSIs contributed to 11 percent of all deaths in intensive care units and an additional 11 days of hospitalization for each SSI. The per annum cost to the health system has been estimated at $3.2 billion. In low to middle income countries, the burden of SSI is much higher, with estimates ranging from 8 to 30 percent. In these environments, SSIs are the most common acquired infections that have considerable morbidity, mortality, and economic devastation. Mortality within 30 days of surgery is the third-leading contributor to global death with SSI linked to 38 percent of deaths in patients with SSI.] DB: We started to think about using far-UVC because we knew that germicidal UVC is very good at killing bacteria and viruses. But we also knew that its not used very much because of the potential hazards to skin and eyes. We then got the idea of going to even lower UVC wavelengths. Conventional germicidal UVC typically peaks at a spectrum of 254 nanometers (nm). UV light at that wavelength is comparatively penetrating on the scale of the skin and eyes. It can penetrate through to the basal layers of the skin and to the cornea of the eyes. It was well known that at lower UVC wavelengths the penetration would go down quite considerably because the light is more and more absorbed by proteins. So, its penetration to critical cells in the skin and eyes would be much less. Relative absorption of protein and DNA at UVC wavelengths 222-nm (KrCL excimer lamps) and 254-nm (Mercury-lamps). [Photo by ACS Photonics 2022 / CC BY 4.0 And given that the very surface of our skin is made of a layer of dead cells called the stratum corneum, our estimate at the time was that the far-UVC light would not penetrate through that layer and therefore couldnt reach the living cells in the epidermis of the skin. Likewise in the eye, there is the tear layer in front of the corneaits a liquid layerthat serves the same function as the stratum corneum of the skin, and far-UVC light would be significantly absorbed by the tear layer and injury to the cornea would not occur. On the other hand, viruses and bacteria, even when theyre clustered together, are much smaller, in terms of scale, than the stratum corneum or the tear layer. Our initial hypothesis was that with these lower UVC wavelengthsfar-UVCwe could kill these bugs without humans sustaining the hazards associated with conventional UVC. We then started looking around to find sources that emitted wavelengths much less than 254-nm. And what we found there was a technology out there called excimer lamps that could produce 207 or 222-nm wavelengths. [Excimer lamps emit light in the UV spectral region and have wide applications in industry that involve photo-chemical processes such as curing inks, and manufacturing adhesives and varnishes.] Thats basically how we got started. That was essentially a Russian invention. We contacted the folks in Russia whod devised these lamps and they sold us a few which we still have and theyre incredibly reliable. And then we started to do some biological studies to test our hypothesis about far-UVC. [Although Brenner and colleagues initially worked with Kr-Br excimer lamps that emit UVC wavelengths at 207-nm, they shifted to using Kr-Cl lamps that emit 222-nm UVC light. Brenner explained that these lamps were far more efficient and penetrated aerosols much better. In their 2013 study with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, using 207-nm Kr-Br excimer lamps, demonstrated efficient killing of these pathogens with a 1000-fold less human cell killing than conventional germicidal UVC lamps used in studies of wound irradiation.] [Two other studies conducted by Brenner and colleagues can be viewed here and here. They demonstrated that continuous exposure of hairless mice and 3D human skin models to far-UVC led to very effective killing of antibiotic-resistant bacteria without causing any damage to the associated skin. As the authors wrote, A central application of our approach is reduction of surgical site infection (SSI), which still represent a major complication of surgical procedures. Current evidence suggests that a majority of SSIs result from bacteria alighting directly onto the surgical wound from the air. Based on our previous studies and on the preclinical results reported here, lamps emitting far-UVC light in the 200 to 222-nm range could potentially be used for continuous low-fluence/low-rate exposures during the course of surgical procedure to inactivate bacteria before they penetrate the interior of the wound.] BM: As I understand it, these excimer lamps produce multiple peaks, and therefore the extraneous wavelengths need to be filtered to get the one you require. Maybe you can explain this? DB: That was basically one of the first things we found out about these lamps. We were interested in wavelengths around 210, 215, 220, and 225-nm. But we dont want wavelengths in the 240s or higher. The two excimer lamps I spoke aboutKr-Br that peaks at 207-nm and Kr-CL that peaks at 222-nmboth have wavelength tails that extend to higher wavelengths. So, we sat down to work on how we could filter these higher wavelengths. And after some engineering work, we found we could filter them although you pay a bit of a price because the peaks that you want are reduced in intensity. But there is still plenty there. And you can, more or less, get rid of all the high wavelengths that you dont want with an appropriately designed filter. Today, essentially all commercial far-UVC lamps, with a couple of notable exceptions, use filters. BM: Turning back to the issue of reducing surgical site infections with germicidal UV lampscan you tell us about how effective these were. Does Columbia have data on surgical site infection rates using these devices? DB: Again, just tracking back into the historyour initial thoughts a decade ago were in terms of reducing surgical site infections and our initial experiments were focused on this. And then we had the idea that if these devices were useful on surfaces, how about targeting microbes that were in the air? Our motivation at the time was to reduce the risk of influenza. [In 2018, Brenner and colleagues wrote, Airborne-mediated microbial diseases represent one of the major challenges to worldwide public health. Common examples are influenza, appearing in seasonal and pandemic forms, and bacterially based airborne-mediated diseases such as tuberculosis, increasingly emerging in multi-drug resistant form.] So, our ideas for using far-UVC expanded, meaning that besides the application of UVC in a surgical suite, there was a much more general application where you could put these lamps in rooms where people are getting together and potentially breathing these airborne bugs. The lamps would kill the bugs floating on the air currents and reduce the person-to-person transmission of airborne diseases like influenza and measles. We didnt abandon the work on surgical site infection, but we started to think more about airborne decontamination. What we did then was we built ourselves a laboratory system whereby we could generate aerosols of any virus we wanted and flow them in front of a far-UVC lamps and look at their efficacy at killing the viruses in the air. Obviously, we had influenza on our mind, and we published our first paper on aerosolized viral particles not long before the COVID pandemic came along. But when the COVID crisis hit it didnt take long for us to realize the relevance of far-UVC against COVID. That said, at the beginning it wasnt clear at the time that it was transmitted through air as opposed to surface transmission. Remember we were all spraying our groceries and our newspapers and stuff at the time. But, I think within a few months it became clear that COVID was an airborne transmitted phenomenon, making far-UVC relevant. Naturally, we started extending our airborne influenza studies to airborne coronavirus studies. At the time, it wasnt feasible for us to use SARS-CoV-2 viruses, but there are plenty of other human coronaviruses that can give you flu-like symptoms that we could use and did use. [Brenner and colleagues published their study in the journal Nature on the efficient and safe use of far-UVC 222-nm to inactivate airborne human coronaviruses which have comparable physical and genomic size to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In a very short time, using modestly low power levels, 222-nm light rapidly inactivated 99.9 percent of all the aerosolized coronavirus particles. At that time, they wrote, The severity of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic warrants the rapid development and deployment of effective countermeasures to reduce indoor person-to-person transmission. We have developed a promising approach using single-wavelength far-UVC light at 222-nm generated by filtered excimer lamps, which inactivates airborne viruses without inducing biological damage in exposed human cells and tissue.] BM: Can you give a degree of scale for how effective far-UVC is? I understand the power of these lamps is critical for the order of viral particle inactivation you get. How do these devices compare to HVAC units or HEPA filters? DB: There is a way of comparing the different approaches, essentially putting them on a level playing fieldand thats the concept of equivalent air changes per hour. If you were trying to clean the air simply with fans and such devices, you can ask how many air changes in the room can I get each hour? With ventilation using fans and air-conditioning units, you can achieve maybe five or six air changes per hour. We can analyze the results we get with far-UVC and convert our results to equivalent air changes per hour which can then be directly compared with more conventional approaches like ventilation. Were not moving the air out of the room in the same way, but we are reducing the level of live bugs in the room air, and we can convert that to an equivalent air changes per hour. The question then becomes how many air changes would you have to do using conventional techniques to match what you can get with far-UVC? And the answer from our study shows that in a full-scale room we were able to get well over 100 equivalent air changes per hour. Clearly, far-UVC is a very efficient approach at cleaning the air in a room than conventional techniques. A schematic of the full-scale room and far-UVC lights in the ceiling. Within ten minutes, using medium to high power settings, there was near elimination of the circulating pathogen. [Photo by Ewan Eadie and David Brenner.] [In the abstract to the report linked above: For the first time, we show that far-UVC deployed in a room-sized chamber effectively inactivates aerosolized Staphylococcus aureus. At a room ventilation rate of 3 air-changes-per-hour (ACH), with 5 filtered-sources, the steady-state pathogen load was reduced by 98.4 percent providing an additional 184 equivalent air changes (eACH). This reduction was achieved using far-UVC irradiances consistent with current American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists threshold limit values for skin for a continuous 8-h exposure. Our data indicate that far-UVC is likely to be more effective against common airborne viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, than bacteria and should thus be an effective and hands-off technology to reduce airborne disease transmission. The findings provide room-scale data to support the design and development of effective far-UVC systems.] BM: Being a surgeon myself, Im still curious as to how effective is germicidal UV at Columbia in preventing SSI? Based on the evidence you have presented, it seems we should have these lamps installed everywhere, especially the healthcare setting. DB: Far-UVC has not yet been used for preventing surgical site infection. We were going along that path when COVID came along and then our focus shifted to airborne decontamination. With COVID hopefully slowly coming to an end, we are going back and basically restarting from where we left off with surgical site infection prevention. One example where there is a lot of interest in using far-UVC is in the veterinary world. Surgical vets are very worried about surgical site infections because they have a somewhat less sterile environment than you as a human surgeon would, though they do the best they possibly can. But surgical sites infections for vets can be as high as 20 percent, while surgical site infection rates in US hospitals are only a few percentage points these days. That is still too high, but it does mean that you need quite a large hospital study to convincingly demonstrate a reduction in the risk. But where the prevalence of the disease is high20 percentand you want to demonstrate far-UVC can halve the rate of SSIs, then you can do a much smaller study to prove your hypothesis. It made sense for a couple of reasons to start in the vet world. First, the vets were very interested because they didnt have many techniques available to them to control surgical site infections. And of course, horses are extremely valuable! When we took this idea to the vet community, we got a very positive reception. The long-term plan is to then do that same study in a human surgical population. But step one, I think, would be to do it in a vet environment. BM: Has that study been done, or are you in the process of collecting the data? DB: No. Those projects went into hibernation when COVID hit. We were getting all our approvals to conduct these studies when suddenly everyone realized COVID was going to be this big thing. So, we put it aside and only now its reasonable to come back to that. But again, its now one of two angles that far-UVC is taking. The other one, which is a more general application, is trying to reduce airborne transmission of viruses in public spaces, like a room, an office, or any place where people get together like schools or hospitals. Our bigger focus is on reducing indoor airborne transmission. BM: Recently, aerosol physicist Dr. Jose Jimenez from the University of Colorado at Boulder raised concerns about the production of ozone with the excimer lamps and the generation of airborne microparticles. Can you speak to this? Is there validity to these concerns? DB: It is true that as the light from these far-UVC lamps travels through the air it interacts with regular oxygen (O2) and can produce ozone (O3). But the amounts are extremely small. The studies that we and others have done looking at this question show that the level of microparticles produced by ozone would be extremely low in a room with any level of ventilation. The studies that people quote about these concerns are being done in airtight rooms, a sealed metal box lets say, which isnt real life. Real-life rooms are very leaky and there are carpets and furniture which absorb the ozone. Overall, I dont think in practice its a concern. The measurements that weve taken, and others also, some of it now published, show that when you turn on and off the far-UVC lamps, you do see a change in ozone levels, but its pretty small compared with the effect from outdoor ozone. The typical average outdoor ozone level is 50 parts per billion (ppb). Far-UVC lights dont produce anything like that. When you try to compare the ozone results between far-UVC lights on and off, what you realize is that the results are actually almost completely dependent on the variation in the outdoor ozone level, and not on the indoor far-UVC lamps. Dr. David Brenner [Photo by David Brenner] [Dr. Brenner wrote in the journal Photochemistry and Photobiology a commentary published on November 30, 2023, a response to the concerns raised about indoor ozone and its associated secondary chemistry, by citing the available evidence. He concluded that these lamps in reasonably well-ventilated rooms compliant with current ACGIH far-UVC dose recommendations would produce ozone levels much less than five ppb, and very much less than 0.5 ppb in scenarios in which current ICNIRP dose limit recommendations are in place. These levels also would not have significant health hazards from the ozone generated or the associated particulate pollutants.] BM: Clearly the work you and your team were conducting was fortuitous and timely. The evidence for the use of far-UVC and indoor air decontamination is quite compelling. Yet, we are still waiting to get these lights into public spaces, which has more to do with politics than regulatory or engineering issues. One of the points you have repeatedly been making in your studies is the need to clean the air and prevent the onward transmission of pathogens. Here we are four years and change into the pandemic and the health economists are telling us we can expect upwards of 220 million COVID infections and 20 million cases of Long COVID every year at an added health cost of $200 billion. DB: And if you dont mind me interrupting you one moment. To my mind there is also the next COVID. All the conditions are ripe for the next one. We are getting on airplanes all the time and nature does what it does in terms of mutationsthere will be another COVID. We know that. I understand the question you are asking. I dont really know the answers to all of it because its clearly a very multifaceted issue. Inevitably, there are regulatory issues which are slowly being addressed by UVC lamp manufacturers. And one of the issues was getting UL approval. UL stands for Underwriters Limited. And no matter what electrical device you buy in a store, you must have a UL sticker on it. Electricians wont install stuff that doesnt have a UL sticker on it. But now the two major far-UVC light manufacturers do have UL approval. So thats one thing which is good. But I think the major issue is that people dont know about far-UVC. From time to time, I give a talk on far-UVC and always the biggest question is, I didnt know about this. How come I didnt know about this? Why isnt it like widespread? And I dont really know how to answer that. We, in our lab, we are biologists, and physicists. What we dont know so much about is public relations and whatever is needed to get a technology out into the real world. Its not our expertise! BM: I raise the issue also because oftentimes people cite the high cost of these far-UVC lamps. But when you compare it to the health problems caused by these respiratory pathogensdeaths, morbidity, hospitalizations, work absenteeism, and so onand then the added understanding that these infections may produce, and certainly exacerbate, chronic health conditions, there is no real comparison or dollar value you can put against it. These technologies have the potential of reducing much suffering. DB: In the scheme of things, the cost is not enormous. And, as with basic economics, as these lamps become more commonplace, and get used more and more, and companies sell more, the prices will come down. The other part of that story is this excimer lamp technology will hopefully, at some point, be replaced by LED technology. Just in the same way that regular light bulbs that we use right now where there has been a gradual evolution from the old-fashioned filament type to LEDs, that same shift will happen in the far-UVC world. And there are several LED companies and universities working on that question. Right now, it is difficult to build an LED lamp with enough intensity and enough lifetime to go into general use. So, I dont think thats there yet. But I think that in a few years time, that would be the case. But even without that, if you do any sort of cost-benefit analysis, the cost of the lamps will be pretty small in the scheme of things. BM: The work you are doing, in the present period in history, seems to be quite transformative. It has tremendous social value. Any final comments? DB: I think talking to folks like you is one of the things that people like me should be doing. I dont see any other way that far-UVC will evolve. One hopes that a couple of large companies, a hotel chain, a chain of offices, would install it in their facilities. Then they could make the claim, We have the cleanest office facilities in the world! Then others could jump on that bandwagon. BM: Thats interesting that you say that. The United States government is using it, the US Air Force is using it, and at Davos, they had UV lights installed everywhere. So, it is being used, but its not being used in schools and factories; only at the highest echelons to protect the well-fed. DB: We have it installed in one of the Columbia dental clinics, which have huge rooms. One of the things we hoped to achieve when we installed it there was to see how the general public would respond. We posted signs on the wall saying, Youre protected by far-UVC lamp. If you have any questions, please provide us with your contact information. In two years, we havent received any complaints. On the other hand, we received many nice compliments. The point is that I think the general public is very accepting of a technology which would prevent them getting the flu next time and maybe would prevent them getting COVID or prevent the next pandemic. On February 21, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in Sri Lanka held a successful lecture titled A study of the Communist Manifesto at Peradeniya University in Kandy. It was the second in a series of lectures on Marxism held at the campus following an invitation from the universitys Political Science Student Association. The first lectureon Historical Materialismwas two months ago. SEP (Sri Lanka) General Secretary Deepal Jayasekera Socialist Equality Party (SEP) General Secretary Deepal Jayasekera delivered the lecture to about 50 participants, including university students, non-academic employees and IYSSE/SEP supporters. He expressed his gratitude to the Political Science Student Association for inviting the IYSSE/SEP to hold the lectures. Jayasekera pointed out that the principles of the world socialist movement, elaborated in the Communist Manifesto and published in 1848, were completely valid today, even after the passage of 176 years. The lecturer referred to the opening sentence of the Manifesto, which states: The history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggles. The analysis of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, he continued, was based on the method of historical materialism, which revealed the dialectical relationship between the productive forces and relations of production within a given society. The lecturer again quoted from the Manifesto: By bourgeoisie is meant the class of modern capitalists, owners of the means of social production and employers of wage labour. By proletariat, the class of modern wage labourers who, having no means of production of their own, are reduced to selling their labour power in order to live. Jayasekera highlighted how various middle-class, pseudo-left organisations promote identity politicsreligious, racial and gender divisionsbecause they were opposed to the scientific fact that the most basic division in bourgeois society is class. IYSSE member speaking with students at Peradina University in Kandy, Sri Lanka Noting the rise of working-class struggles today from the imperialist nations to the backward countries, Jayasekera said: Contrary to the claims of these [pseudo-left] organisations, we have seen since the beginning of this decade an explosion of international struggles by the working class. The Communist Manifesto finds its highest vindication in this context. Jayasekera referred to the Manifesto which noted that the commercial and industrial crises of the capitalist system were part of a fundamental crisis, which threatened the whole of society with devastation. The capitalist class has no progressive solution to the deepening global crisis of capitalism. Their so-called solution is war. During the last century the imperialist powers pushed this planet into two brutal world wars, destroying millions of lives and vast sections of the productive forces, he said. The lecturer explained how the deepening crisis of capitalist system had brought the world towards a third world war, pointing to the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine, Israels genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza, which is fully supported by the US and all the other imperialist powers, and Washingtons intensifying war preparations against China. The lecturer said that the true nature and purpose of the bourgeois statewhether bourgeois democratic, fascist, military-dictatorial or Bonapartistis to defend the capitalist system of private property and profit-making by violently suppressing all resistance by the working class and other oppressed masses. He quoted the Manifesto, which states, The executive of the modern state is but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie. In line with this analysis, Jayasekera pointed out that any struggle by the working class to defend its basic social and democratic rights against the attacks of the capitalist government is necessarily a political struggle against the government and bourgeois rule as a whole. It was therefore necessary, he said, citing the Manifesto again, to organise the proletariat (the workers) as a class and in a political party. Jayasekera discussed the AprilJuly 2022 popular uprising, which led to the resignation of Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapakse and his government. The critical lesson of that struggle, he said, was the necessity to mobilise the working class on revolutionary socialist policies. The response of the trade unions and various middle-class pseudo-left outfits was to impose a no politics directive to try and block the mobilisation of the working class as an independent political movement. Against this reactionary formula, Jayasekera outlined the SEPs response to the mass movement, and its fight to mobilise the working class on the perspective of international socialism. Jayasekera said that the working class could not take power through the capitalist legal framework or its parliament and again quoted from the Manifesto: The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. The speaker rejected the assertions of various apologists of capitalism that the masses today could win some rights and improve their social conditions because there was an existing democracy and therefore no need to oust the capitalist class through a revolution. But what we see globally today, Jayasekera continued, is not the blossoming of bourgeois democracy but a rapid shift towards dictatorial forms of rule as exemplified in former US President Donald Trumps attempted coup in January 2021 and the increasing moves of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to establish a fascist Hindutva state. Concluding the lecture, Jayasekera said: Comrades, we are holding this series of lectures as the world Trotskyist movement. It is todays Marxist party and the only movement fighting to mobilise the international working class as an independent political movement. Our aim is to overthrow capitalism and establish workers power globally, based on the perspective and program of international socialism. I urge you to join with the SEP and the IYSSE to take forward with that struggle and read the World Socialist Web Site. During the question and answer session, one student asked for further clarification about the dangers of dictatorship under a future government led by the opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). The lecturer cited remarks by Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the JVP and its electoral front the National Peoples Power (NPP) at a seminar in Colombo on January 2. The JVP/NPP leader insisted that a national awakening movement needed to be built in Sri Lanka. This meant, Jayasekera said, that workers, peasants, fishermen, writers and students would have to sacrifice for the country. In other words, workers should not ask for wage hikes, peasants should not present their issues and students cannot raise their legitimate demands for education facilities. Jayasekera also referred to Dissanayakes comments about the Syriza government in Greece during an October 17, 2022, interview with the Swarnavahini television channel. Dissanayake hailed the Syriza governments imposition of savage austerity measures as demanded by global bankers, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and insisted that people had to change their consumption patterns. These are the same claims made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Jayasekera said. The lecturer pointed out that the JVP/NPP was fully committed to IMF-dictated austerity, citing their statements that a future JVP/NPP government would renegotiate with the IMF. This would see the JVP/NPP regime move towards dictatorial methods to suppress working-class opposition to its cost-cutting social attacks. Jayasekera referred to the recent national and district conferences of retired military officers convened by the JVP/NPP. Another student asked how the SEP proposed to deal with Sri Lankas huge burden of foreign debts if the IMFs austerity measures were rejected. Jayasekera responded by outlining the partys socialist program. The SEPs call to repudiate these foreign debts, he replied, was based on the strength of the working class and the fight for a government of workers and peasants committed to socialist policies. This includes nationalisation of the banks and the key industries, placing them under the democratic control of the working class and reorganising production according to human need, not private profit. In its refusal to pay back the foreign loans, the Sri Lankan working class necessarily depends on the support of its international class brothers and sisters mobilised in a united movement against imperialist war, austerity and dictatorship, the lecturer said. The Health Workers Rank-and-File Committee (HWRFC) is stepping up its campaign against the targeting of medical professionals who have spoken out against the atrocities committed by the Israeli military in Gaza. In a resolution passed on January 17, the HWRFC condemned the witch hunts and doxxing campaigns orchestrated by Zionist forces against health workers who have condemned the Gaza genocide and ongoing war crimes committed by Israels Netanyahu government. Healthcare workers march in San Francisco, California, October 28, 2023. These targeted individuals, falsely accused of antisemitism, represent a diverse spectrum of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, psychologists, and other health workers, many of whom are women and with Middle Eastern names. Despite being singled out and subjected to harassment and intimidation, they refuse to be silenced. The HWRFC resolution was prompted by a petition issued by the Australian Islamic Medical Association and Australian and New Zealand Doctors for Palestine, urging regulatory bodies such as the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to oppose these egregious attempts to stifle dissent within the healthcare community. AHPRA, however, has yet to respond to the questions posed on the petition. At least 39 individuals are currently under investigation, their professional reputations and livelihoods hanging in the balance as they face baseless accusations. The World Socialist Web Site has already published statements from NHS Fightback in Britain, the Pathology Rank-and-File Workers group in Australia, the Australian and New Zealand Doctors for Palestine and the Sri Lankan Health Workers Action Committee and numerous individual health workers. The HWRFC has called for more solidarity statements from medical professionals and other sections of the working class in Australia and internationally to oppose this unprecedented attack on freedom of speech and democratic rights. Statements and letters of support can be sent to these addresses: Email: sephw.aus@gmail.com Twitter: @HealthRandF_Aus Facebook: facebook.com/groups/hwrfcaus We also urge medical professionals to attend and spread the word about the Socialist Equality Partys forthcoming public meetings: How to stop the genocide in Gaza in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Newcastle early next month. Meeting dates and times, and registration details, are available here. Today we publish two statements of supportone from Tahnee, an acute care and mental health nurse in Victoria, and another from Lisa, disability health worker from New South Wales. Tahnee, a highly experienced acute care and mental health nurse from Melbourne, has worked in rural and remote areas, particularly in Far North Queensland. She sent the following statement: Ive been a registered nurse for over a decade, and I stand in solidarity with anyone who has spoken out against the ongoing genocide being committed without impunity against the Palestinians not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank. It deeply troubles me to hear about the harassment, threats and possible deregistration faced by healthcare workers for simply advocating for the rights of Palestinians and condemning the murder of innocents. The AHPRA investigation is concerning and indicative of a broader trend of silencing dissenting voices. AHPRA must reject all attempts to silence healthcare workers and must uphold the principles of free speech. We should not be penalised for speaking truth to power. Health workers protest Israels attack on Gaza hospital in Melbourne on October 19, 2023 The IDF have destroyed hospitals in Gaza with health care workers being murdered or subjected to torture and humiliation. It feels wrong to stay silent and ignore the truth. Health care workers, as advocates for health and well-being, have a moral obligation to speak out against injustice and advocate for the rights of all individuals, regardless of nationality or ethnicity. The false accusations of antisemitism aimed at health care workers is a deliberate attempt to hush legitimate criticism of state sanctioned violence and only serves to protect oppressive systems of power. It is disturbing to suggest that opposing genocide is tantamount to antisemitism. It is not antisemitic to oppose the policies of the Israeli government nor to advocate for justice and equality for the Palestinians. Zionism, like any political ideology, can be subject to criticism and that does not equate to the hatred of Jewish people. Advocating for peace and justice is a call to uphold human rights and international law. Its a stance against injustice and oppression. Such baseless accusations deflect attention from the real issues at hand and undermines any efforts to hold perpetrators of war crimes accountable. Its crucial to acknowledge that the Palestinians are indigenous to Palestine and have no alternative homeland. They urgently need protection and assistance. This genocide is a stark reminder of the complicity of the Western world in upholding systems of violence, oppression and injustice. Despite the clear evidence of war crimes and human rights violations, the international community, particularly Western powers, have failed to hold Israel accountable for its actions. This indifference coupled with the continuous support of Israel, underscores the inherent supremacist ideologies embedded within Western societies, where the lives and rights of people of colour are systematically devalued and ignored. All governments have a responsibility to protect any civilian from human rights abuses and to hold the perpetrators accountable for their crimes. Failure to do so sends a clear message that the Western world values profit and material gain over human lives and dignity. The struggle for Palestinian liberation is a universal struggle against imperialism and oppression. Injustice affects us all, when one group is oppressed, it undermines the rights and freedoms of everyone. The liberation of all beings is interconnected. Allowing the Palestinian genocide to continue unchecked sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the very fabric of our humanity. If we turn a blind eye to such atrocities, we embolden oppressors and pave the way for future genocides to occur. It is imperative that we stand up against oppression in all its forms before its too late. I encourage everyone to stand in unwavering solidarity and support for anyone brave enough to speak up against oppression and the injustices of the world. Together we can work towards decolonisation and the dismantling of all systems of oppression. Lets pursue a world built on peace, where all rights are respected, and all beings are free to live with dignity and self-determination. * * * Lisa, a disability health worker from Katoomba in New South Wales, says: Im a disability worker wracked and sickened by the Israeli Zionist mass slaughter and traumatisation of the Palestinian population. Amidst the rubble and devastation, hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities are facing impossible challenges and complete disregard for their basic human rights. No moral person can stay silent about the horrors unfolding in Gaza and health workers have an added responsibility to their profession and their Palestinian colleagues to speak out against the genocidethe violation of basic rights to medical care, the targeting of hospitals and healthcare workers and the deliberate murder, maiming, starvation and displacement of men, women and children. Health workers at Sydney mass protest against Gaza genocide, February 11, 2024. The smear and doxxing campaigns targeting healthcare workers who are speaking out is abhorrent and must be exposed and fought. The mainstream media and the political and medical establishment who facilitate or ignore these attacks must also be exposed. In this world turned upside down, speaking out against Zionism and genocide is being falsely labelled as antisemitic. The proposed new anti-doxxing laws announced by Labor are not being developed in response to the doxxing of dozens of Australian nurses and doctors by Zionist groups, but in response to the leaking of the contents of a WhatsApp group J.E.W.I.S.H. Australian Creatives and Academics, a group that has been instrumental in targeting Palestinian activists and making vexatious complaints against them. I am greatly concerned that Australians generally dont understand this and believe what they are being fed about the dangerous rising tide of antisemitism in Australia, harming, as intended, the movement to defend Palestine. As the crisis of the world capitalist economic system intensifies and wars and the arms race proliferate, democratic rights are increasingly under attack. This is part of the wider context in which the campaigns against pro Palestine voices can be understood. As evidenced by their complicit silence or at best isolated actions and statements on Gaza and the persecution of those who speak out against genocide, we cant rely on our associations or union leaderships to defend democratic rights. Nor can we rely on any of the so-called left-leaning parties whose political perspective is simply to appeal to Labor. While class consciousness is not particularly fashionable in our world of identity politics, the international working class remains the force, which through mass strike action, has the power to end the genocide immediately. Union leaderships are not calling for mass strike action. The building of independent rank-and-file workers committees is required. Thank you to the doctors and nurses speaking out against the atrocities and war crimes in Gaza. Sadly, in the current political it is a brave thing to do and comes with the risk of great professional and personal cost. You should be commended and defended. On Thursday, the Socialist Equality Party (US) presidential campaign initiated its ballot access drive in Michigan, sending campaign teams to Wayne State University in Detroit and Stellantis Warren Truck Assembly Plant in nearby Warren. The SEPs presidential candidate Joseph Kishore and vice presidential candidate Jerry White led the campaigns, speaking with dozens of students and autoworkers throughout the day. Explaining the partys program in the 2024 elections, the candidates were warmly received, with many workers expressing enthusiasm upon learning that there will be a socialist alternative to the two capitalist political parties. Warren Truck Assembly Plant worker signing a petition to put Joe Kishore (right) and Jerry White (middle) on the ballot in Michigan Both front-runners in the elections, Joe Biden for the Democrats and Donald Trump for the Republicans, are loathed by broad sections of the population in Michigan and across the United States. In the Michigan primaries held on Tuesday, 101,436 voters cast a protest vote of Uncommitted in direct opposition to Genocide Joe Biden, who garnered the support of only 7.9 percent of the voting age population. Only 9.6 percent of the voting age population cast a ballot for Trump. As has often been the case, Michigan will be a critical swing state in the 2024 elections. Polls indicate that Trump currently has a slight lead over Biden, who narrowly won the state in 2020. Thus, the Democrats in particular can be expected to do everything in their power to keep third-party candidatesin particular socialists challenging them from the leftoff the ballot. As with most states across the US, the requirements to get on the ballot in Michigan are onerous and entirely anti-democratic. Officially, the state requires third-party candidates to collect 12,000 signatures of registered voters, including at least 100 from at least seven of the 13 congressional districts in the state. Given the fact that state officials selected by the Democrats and Republicans are responsible for counting the ballots and validating signatures, and have a history of disqualifying as many signatures as possible on technical grounds, the de facto requirement is at least 20,000 signatures. With a July 18 deadline to submit petitions, the SEP is organizing an aggressive campaign in the months ahead to ensure that this 20,000 signature threshold is met in time. Jerry White (left) and Joe Kishore (right) campaigning at Warren Truck Assembly Plant On Friday, Kishore posted reports on his Twitter/X account noting the significance of the SEPs ballot access campaign in Michigan, the center of the US auto industry. These included a video statement showing both candidates campaigning at Wayne State University and Warren Truck Assembly Plant. In a separate post with photos from Warren Truck, Kishore wrote: The Socialist Equality Party campaign in the 2024 presidential elections began its fight to get on the ballot in Michigan yesterday. @JerrywhiteSEP and I found an enthusiastic response from students at Wayne State University and workers at Stellantis Warren Truck Assembly. We spoke about the need to develop a working class movement against the #GenocideinGaza and the eruption of imperialist war. We explained the connection between the fight against war and the fight of workers against inequality and capitalism, and for #socialism, which must be waged against both the Democrats and Republicans. Kishore also highlighted the fact that both candidates and all SEP campaigners wore high-quality N95 masks throughout the campaigns, both to protect themselves and all those they spoke with from catching COVID-19, which remains a significant ongoing health risk to the entire global population. He wrote: During the campaign, Jerry and I, along with our campaign team, wore N95 masks. This is because, despite the lies of the Biden administration and the entire political establishment, the #COVID19 #pandemic continues. Wastewater data show that nearly one million people continue to be infected every day in the US, and every week over 1,000 Americans are dying. At least 20 million Americans are suffering from the impact of #LongCovid and are totally ignored by the powers-that-be. We did not encounter any opposition from workers and youth to masking, and we took the opportunity whenever possible to explain the measures that are necessary to protect public health. On Friday, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated its isolation guidelines for COVID-19, encouraging individuals to self-diagnose and leave isolation when they are fever-free for at least 24 hours. This unscientific policy change, which the World Socialist Web Site reported on last month, totally ignores the fact that a large portion of COVID-19 transmission occurs through asymptomatic cases. This will only facilitate the further spread and evolution of the coronavirus. In a tweet Friday, Kishore denounced the CDC policy change, writing: Throughout our campaign, @jerrywhiteSEP and I will fight for a socialist public health program in opposition to the Democrats and Republicans policies of mass infection, debilitation and death. We will fight for a vast expansion in funding for #LongCovid research, the renovation of all public spaces to ensure they have clean indoor air, the scientific education of the public so that everyone knows that #CovidIsAirborne, and for a new Operation Warp Speed to create nasal and other vaccines that provide truly sterilizing immunity to all #SARSCoV2 variants. In the months ahead, the World Socialist Web Site will continue reporting on the SEPs ballot access campaign in Michigan and other states, as part of its ongoing coverage of the 2024 US elections. Joe Bidens extraordinary appeal to ex-President Donald Trump on Thursday in an appearance at the US-Mexico border in Brownsville, Texas, in which he called on the Republican presidential front-runner to join me in a bipartisan war on immigrants, is the latest confirmation of the thoroughly reactionary character of the entire political establishment. President Joe Biden delivers remarks during a visit to the southern border, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, in Brownsville, Texas. With the President from left are, Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas. [AP Photo/Evan Vucci] It shatters the pretense of the Democratic Party and the Biden campaign to be defenders of democracy against Trump and his fascistic MAGA movement. Biden followed his appeal for unity with Trump with a call for House Republicans to authorize another $60 billion for Washingtons proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. Calling his anti-immigrant bill, passed by the Senate but stalled in the House, the toughest, most efficient, most effective border security bill this country has ever seen, Biden said: I understand my predecessor is in Eagle Pass today, so here is what I would say to Mr. Trump. Instead of playing politics with this issue, instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation, join me. Or I will join you in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill. This came only minutes after Trump, in an appearance in Eagle Pass, Texas, promoted the unconstitutional usurpation of federal authority over the border by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Trump used his border visit to repeat his claim that Biden was complicit in an immigrant invasion on the Southern border by vermin, who were poisoning the blood of the American people. Trump graphically recounted several recent rapes and murders allegedly committed by immigrants to incite neo-Nazi adherents of the antisemitic Great Replacement Theory. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump walks during a visit to Shelby Park on the U.S.-Mexico border, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. At front left is Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. [AP Photo/Eric Gay] In his border speech, Biden made no mention of the more than 850 migrants who died attempting to cross the US-Mexico border in fiscal year 2022. The figure marks the deadliest year for migrants crossing into the US, according to the Border Patrol. Instead, Biden adopted Trumps anti-immigrant talking points, saying, We cant wait any longer to secure the border. The border security bill Biden is pleading for Trump to support would virtually eliminate the right of immigrants to claim asylum in the US. It would greatly expand immigrant detention facilities and the border police and grant presidents unprecedented executive authority to shut down ports of entry. This massive assault on democratic rights will inevitably be used to target the working class as a whole. Already, in fact, the Biden administration is supporting a bipartisan McCarthyite-style witch-hunt against students, workers and public figures who denounce the genocide in Gaza and US complicity in Israeli war crimes. They are being slandered as antisemites and banned from campus life or fired from their positions. In endorsing the legislation, the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal described it in February as the most restrictive migrant legislation in decades. The Journal observed that it contained nothing for nearly all of the Dreamers who were brought here ... as children, no general pathway to citizenship or green cards. Less than two months ago, on January 5, Biden launched his reelection campaign outside of Valley Forge, Pennsylvaniathe historic encampment site of the Continental Army during the winter of 1777-1778calling on Americans to support his campaign in order to save democracy from the singular threat posed by ex-President Trump. In his January remarks, Biden proclaimed that democracy and freedom were on the ballot and that he and the Democratic Party were the only things standing between American democracy and dictatorship. He said: Today, I make this sacred pledge to you. The defense, protection and preservation of American democracy will remain as it has been the central cause of my presidency. In response, the WSWS wrote: The central cause of Bidens presidency has been the expansion of imperialist war. Even as he spoke, his Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, was on his way to the Middle East to coordinate the ongoing US-Israeli genocide in Gaza and the expansion of the war into Lebanon, Yemen and Iran... Washington is simultaneously escalating its proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, despite the growing risk of a nuclear conflict. In a bid to obtain Republican support for an additional $61.4 billion for arms to Ukraine, Biden is offering to effectively abolish the democratic right of migrants to claim asylum and adopt Trumps fascistic policy of mass deportations and detentions. In now making a direct appeal to Trump, Biden is doing two things. First, he hopes to reach an accommodation with the Republicans, entirely on their terms, which would allow Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to bring to the floor a previously negotiated $95 billion military package that includes over $60 billion for the US-NATO war against Russia and another $15 billion for the Israeli ethnic cleansing campaign in Gaza. Second, he is seeking to outflank Trump on the immigration issue, arguing that Trump is to blame for the broken border because he refuses to support anti-immigrant legislation in order to boost his electoral chances in November. Responding to Bidens plea to work with Trump to attack immigrants, Socialist Equality Party candidate for US president Joseph Kishore issued a statement on Twitter/X Friday that read, in part: For all their talk of defending democracy, Biden and the Democrats will accept the Republicans entire fascistic attack on immigrants in exchange for bipartisan support for the US-NATO war against Russia over Ukraine, which risks nuclear annihilation. Thats why the Democrats worked to cover up the fascistic coup of January 6 and why Biden insisted on the need for a strong Republican Party. The Democrats and Republicans represent two reactionary factions of the capitalist oligarchy... Bidens embrace of the Republicans attack on immigrants exposes all of those, like [Democratic Socialists of America member] Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, who claimed that supporting the Democrats was necessary to protect immigrants. Ocasio-Cortez and the DSA denounced socialist opposition to Biden as privileged. In reality, the DSA is nothing more than an appendage of the Democratic Party. Bidens adoption of the fascistic anti-immigrant policy of Trump underscores that the defense of the democratic rights of the working class requires a break with the Democratic Party and the building of an independent socialist movement of the working class against the capitalist system. On Thursday, a federal judge blocked a recently passed Texas law that usurps federal authority over the southern border with Mexico and violates the US Constitution. Senate Bill 4 (SB4), which was approved by Texas Governor Greg Abbott on December 18, gives the state police sweeping powers to arrest migrants who cross into the US. It also gives local judges authority to deport migrants or prosecute them on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. If the migrants refuse to leave or attempt to return, the law states, they can face felony charges and be sent to prison for up to 20 years. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks as ex-President Donald Trump listens during a briefing at Shelby Park on the U.S.-Mexico border, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. [AP Photo/Eric Gay] SB4 contains xenophobic language that aligns with the anti-immigrant politics of the fascist and presumptive 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, referring to the illegal entry of illegal aliens into Texas from a foreign country. It usurps the authority of the US government over the naturalization of immigrants, especially those pursuing the right to asylum, and refers to an invasion of migrants at the southern border, likening it to a foreign military assault on the US. US District Judge David Ezra of the Western District of Texas in Austin imposed a preliminary injunction on SB4 that will prevent the law from going into effect as scheduled on March 5. The judge ruled the law patently unconstitutional and cited a 2012 US Supreme Court decision that struck down provisions of a similar law in Arizona that empowered local authorities to prosecute undocumented immigrants. In his 114-page decision, Judge Ezra, who was appointed to the bench by Ronald Reagan in 1988, wrote: No matter how emphatic Texass criticism of the federal governments handling of immigration on the border may be to some, disagreement with the federal governments immigration policy does not justify a violation of the Supremacy Clause. The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution of the United States (Article VI, Clause 2) establishes that the treaties made under federal law represent the supreme Law of the Land and take priority over state laws. The clause specifies that certain federal acts take priority over state acts that conflict with the former. Control over the southern border and the process by which immigration is conducted fall under these provisions. The judge also wrote: To allow Texas to permanently supersede federal directives on the basis of an invasion would amount to nullification of federal law and authoritya notion that is antithetical to the Constitution and has been unequivocally rejected by federal courts since the Civil War. In the ruling, Judge Ezra wrote that the Texas law was preempted by the Supreme Court decision in the Arizona case, saying that the two laws had striking similarities. He specifically ruled against claims by Texas officials that the waves of southern border crossings constitute an invasion, and stated that calling it such is a novel interpretation of the Constitution. He added that allowing the law to go into effect would permit the state to engage in war. Since his reelection to a third term as governor of Texas in 2022, Republican Greg Abbott has referred to a tidal wave of immigrants streaming across the border from Mexico and sought use his authority through Operation Lone Star to empower law enforcement and National Guard troops to militarize the border. In January, three months before the official implementation of SB4, Governor Abbott deployed Texas National Guard troops to seize control of Shelby Park in the city of Eagle Pass, a major crossing point for migrants entering the US. The troops were mobilized to block US Border Patrol agents from using the park to process immigrants. Abbott also placed buoys in the Rio Grande and strung razor wire along the border for the purpose of trapping and injuring refugees to deter them from crossing the river to enter the US. These fascistic measures have been combined with steady political attacks on the Biden administration for failing to block immigrants from exercising their right to enter the US. This is despite the fact that a higher percentage of people were arrested for crossing the border in 2021 and 2022 under Biden than under Trump in 2019 and 2020. Responding to the district court ruling, Abbott issued a statement blaming the latest wave of migrants on Biden. He declared that we will not back down in our fight to protect our stateand our nation. Abbott continued: Texas has the right to defend itself because of President Bidens ongoing failure to fulfill his duty to protect our state from the invasion at our southern border. The ruling against SB4, which is expected to be appealed, eventually making its way to the US Supreme Court, was handed down on the same day that Joe Biden and Donald Trump made separate visits to the Texas border. Trump was joined by Abbott in Eagle Pass and Biden addressed the media in Brownsville, Texas. The basic agreement of the Democratic president with the Republican Trump on immigration policy was on display before the international working class when Biden asked the fascist candidate to join me, or Ill join you in telling Congress to pass bipartisan anti-immigrant legislation. Thousands of starving Palestinians wait for humanitarian aid on a beachfront in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. [AP Photo/Mahmoud Essa] The death toll from Israels massacre of Palestinian civilians seeking aid in Gaza City rose Friday to 115 as three further bodies were recovered. With at least 760 injured in the horrific display of sadistic violence by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), US imperialism has continued to support the Israeli regime and its genocide in Gaza. The mass slaughter occurred early Thursday morning at the Nabulsi roundabout in Gaza City, which has been largely levelled to the ground during the IDFs genocidal onslaught. At around 4:30 a.m., a convoy of aid trucks arrived in Gaza City, prompting large crowds to gather to secure flour and canned food. The hundreds of thousands of Gazans still stranded in Gaza City and surrounding areas of the north of the enclave have gone without aid deliveries for weeks, forcing many to eat grass and animal feed. Fully one quarter of Gazas population is threatened by famine, and the water supply had dropped to 7 percent of the pre-7 October level by December. Accounts from eye witnesses and statements from doctors at local hospitals leave no doubt that IDF soldiers shot to kill as many civilians as possible. Al-Jazeeras Ismail al-Ghoul, reporting from the scene, said, After opening fire, Israeli tanks advanced and ran over many of the dead and injured bodies. According to Dr. Mohammed Salha, acting director of the al-Awda hospital, 176 injured people were brought to his facility, of whom 142 had gunshot wounds. A UN team visiting al-Shifa hospital reported seeing a large number of gunshot wounds among patients. Other sources reported that the majority of the dead succumbed to shots in the torso or head, while the remainder were crushed to death in the ensuing stampede. In a clear sign of a cover-up, Israels version of events shifted dramatically throughout Thursday. Authorities initially spoke of a stampede in which Palestinians were crushed to death as they sought to access the food aid. However, when it became impossible to deny that Israeli soldiers had opened fire indiscriminately, IDF spokesmen asserted that the soldiers did so because they felt threatened by the mob. The most cynical of all the justifications was provided by rear admiral Daniel Hagari, who told the media, No IDF strike was conducted toward the aid convoy. On the contrary, the IDF was there carrying out a humanitarian aid operation, to secure the humanitarian aid corridor, and allow the convoy to reach its distribution point, so that the humanitarian aid could reach Gazan civilians in the north who are in need. Israeli officials feel they can lie so brazenly because they continue to enjoy the support of their most important backer, American imperialism. Despite a hypocritical statement from the White House declaring that Thursdays events were tremendously alarming, the reality is that the Palestinians were likely massacred with weapons supplied by the United States. At a Thursday evening emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, the US voted to block a draft statement prepared by Algeria that noted deep concern at the deaths due to opening fire from Israel. According to Palestinian UN ambassador Riyad Mansour, 14 of the Security Councils 15 members were prepared to back the statement. Speaking to reporters afterwards, US deputy UN ambassador Robert Wood declared, The problem is that we dont have all the facts here. This outrageous attempt at obfuscation was echoed in many of the international media accounts on the massacre, which sought to absolve Israel of culpability. The Guardian spoke of a lack of clarity about the facts, while the Tagesschau on German public broadcaster ARD described what happened Thursday as unclear and chaos. The New York Times reported, Questions still surround the convoy disaster, and described the Palestinians as having been killed in a melee surrounding an aid convoy. On Friday, US President Joe Biden pledged to organise air drops of aid into northern Gaza. Even the Times was compelled to note the largely symbolic character of this gesture, since a transporter plane can carry only a tiny fraction of the aid that could be delivered in a single truck. Aid experts have pointed out that there is enough aid on Gazas borders to feed the entire population, but it is being prevented from entering by the Israeli government. Representatives of the imperialist powers called upon Israel to conduct an investigation into the massacre. Politely asking the murderer to examine the crime scene, German Foreign Minister Analena Baerbock, whose government has increased its arms supplies to Israel many times over since the genocide began, wrote on X, The Israeli army must fully explain how the mass panic and shooting could have happened. This pathetic appeal was echoed by US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, who commented Thursday, We have been in touch with the Israeli government since early this morning and understand that an investigation is underway. We will be monitoring that investigation closely and pressing for answers. The answers and explanations for Thursdays massacre are plain for all to see, though Baerbock and her American colleagues would rather keep silent about them. Israel is waging a genocide against the Palestinian people, aimed at killing as many as possible and driving the remainder out of Gaza so that the territory falls under its permanent control. On the same day as the Gaza City massacre, the Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed that the official death toll in Gaza since October 7 has surpassed 30,000, among whom women and children make up the vast majority. The comment early on in the onslaught by Defence Minister Yoav Gallant that Israel is fighting human animals underscored from the onset that for the Israeli government and military establishment, Palestinians are subhuman. Numerous Israeli government officials have explicitly called for the expulsion of the Palestinians and vowed that those who fled their homes in the north of Gaza would not be able to return. They have also openly urged that food aid be used as a weapon of war to starve the population, and ensured that aid deliveries to Gaza are kept at a fraction of what they were prior to the launch of the bombardment. Israel therefore bears responsibility for every single death Thursday, irrespective of whether it resulted from gunshot wounds, the stampede or the aid trucks. The massacring of innocent civilians by Israel has occurred with shocking regularity over the past five months. In October, Israel deliberately targeted the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, killing upwards of 500 people. As in Thursdays massacre, Israel, its US imperialist enabler, and the corporate-controlled media sought to conceal Israels war crime by blaming the carnage on a wayward Palestinian rocket. Statements from French President Emmanuel Macron, the Spanish government and several Arab regimes were somewhat sharper in their language and managed to include calls for an independent investigation into the Gaza City massacre. Macron said: Deep indignation at the images coming from Gaza, where civilians have been targeted by Israeli soldiers. I express my strongest condemnation of these shootings and call for truth, justice and respect for international law. The situation in Gaza is terrible. All civilian populations must be protected. A ceasefire must be implemented immediately to allow humanitarian aid to be distributed. Thursdays massacre underlines the bankruptcy of appeals like Macrons, directed as they are to the international community, i.e., the imperialist powers, to impose a ceasefire in a barbaric onslaught in which they are all thoroughly complicit. In January, compelling evidence was presented to the International Court of Justice demonstrating Israels perpetration of a genocide in Gaza. According to an interim ruling, Israel was supposed to take steps within a month to protect civilian lives and report back on its progress. Nothing of the sort has happened. With the all-out support of the imperialist powers, the IDF has continued and even intensified its genocide. The IDF is preparing before the eyes of the world a ground invasion of Rafah, where some 1.5 million desperate civilians are crammed together. The millions of workers and young people who have taken to the streets around the world over recent months to express their outrage over and opposition to Israels imperialist-backed genocide against the Palestinians should place no confidence in calls by Macron, or any other representative of the imperialist or regional powers, for a ceasefire. The only way to hold Israel and its imperialist backers accountable for the horrific crimes they have committed in Gaza is through the political mobilisation of the international working class to stop the Gaza genocide by putting an end to the crisis-ridden capitalist system that is its source. This necessitates the fight to build an international anti-war movement that fuses the mass protests with the struggles of workers in all the imperialist centres against the deterioration of their living standards, on the basis of a socialist and internationalist programme. The Australian Labor government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rolled out the red carpet on Thursday for Philippine President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr, who became his countrys first leader to address a joint sitting of the Australian parliament. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr [Photo: X/Twitter @albomp] Marcoss speech soon made clear why he was feted. Without explicitly naming China, he launched into a thinly-veiled denunciation of Beijing while focussing on the strengthening of military ties between the two American allies as part of the US-led preparations for war against China. We must come together as partners to face the common challenges confronting the region. Not one single country can do this by itself. No single force alone can counter them by themselves, he declared. The speech was replete with the stock phrases employed by Washington to condemn so-called China expansionism and aggression. The Philippines, he declared, was on the frontline against actions that undermine regional peace, erode regional stability, and threaten regional success. The Philippines and Australia had to join forces, together with our partners, in the face of threats to the rule of law, to stability, and to peace. In reality, it is the US that has profoundly destabilised the entire region. It has consolidated military alliances and partnerships that encircle China, which it regards as the chief threat to its global hegemony. The repeated references to the rule of law and the international rules-based order are to the global framework established by US imperialism in the aftermath of World War II in which Washington sets the rules to advance its interests. The Philippines, a former American colony, has been a critical component of Washingtons increasingly aggressive confrontation with Beijing, in the South China Sea in particular. Marcos emphatically declared that he would defend the sovereign rights of the Philippinesa reference to its territorial disputes with China. I will not allow any attempt by any foreign power to take even one square inch of our sovereign territory, he told the parliament. Over the past decade, the US has deliberately inflamed long-running disputes in the South China Sea between China and its neighbours. It used the Philippines as a proxy in the Permanent Court of Arbitration to challenge Chinese maritime claims under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)a law Washington has never ratified. The 2016 ruling decided on the status of waters surrounding the various reefs, atolls and features in the South China Sea, not on territorial ownership or sovereignty. Since he came to power in 2022, Marcos has ended the efforts of the previous president, Rodrigo Duterte, to ease tensions with China. He has revived and extended US basing arrangements in the Philippines, including those directly adjacent to the South China Sea, as well as joint war games with the US military. His administration and the Albanese government, which is deeply committed to the US war drive against China, are singing from the same songbook. From the outset, Marcoss speech was steeped in militarism, hailing the actions of the Philippines and Australia during World War II in combating Japan, to justify closer military ties today. He hailed the joint military drills, Exercise Alon, held last August. By far the largest war games between the two countries, they involved 560 Filipino soldiers and 1,200 Australian military personnel, and also 120 US Marines. The exercise focussed on amphibious operationsnominally defensive, but it was a trial run for potential efforts to seize Chinese-controlled islets in the South China Sea. The Philippines president pointed out that Australia was the only country, other than the US, that has a Visiting Forces Agreement with the Philippines. Marcos noted that Australia and the Philippines signed a Strategic Partnership last September that established an annual defence ministers meeting and regular high-level meetings. The agreement foreshadowed provocative joint naval patrols in the South China Sea. It also endorsed the 2016 UNCLOS decision and supported the AUKUS military pact between the US, UK and Australia, directed against China, that will supply Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines. The Philippine president further underscored the rapidly strengthening military ties between the two countries, evidenced by the signing of new agreements, including on Enhanced Maritime Cooperation to promote our shared vision on maritime security and respect for international law. Marcos and Albanese agreed to strengthen cooperation on cyber and critical technology, which undoubtedly will have military applications. In feting Marcos, the Labor government has turned a blind eye to the flagrant human rights abuses being carried out by his administration. Marcos, the son of the brutal US-backed dictator Ferdinand Marcos, has praised his fathers rule, far from distancing himself from it. He has continued the notorious war on drugs of his predecessor Duterte, with its extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests and disappearances aimed above all at terrorising the poorest layers of the population. A Human Rights Watch statement highlighted the continuing state violence directed against activists, human rights defenders, union leaders and organisers. The entire joint sitting of Australias parliament listened mutely to Marcoss speech and applauded. The sole feeble protest against this extreme right-wing figure was a sign held up by Greens Senator Janet Rice saying, stop the human rights abuses. She was ejected from parliament. However, none of the parties and politicians, including Rice, has objected to the militarist message that was central to the speech, as they have all lined up with the US-led war drive. Well aware of its anti-China thrust, the Australian media was appreciative of Marcos speech. The state-run Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) cited the remarks of Euan Graham, an analyst from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, a government-aligned think tank, who declared: Marcos has given similar speeches before, but I think the key context here is that we have a South-East Asian head of government talking in forceful direct terms in Australia, and putting defence and security on his agenda, not mincing his words. Marcos is in Australia for a special ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations)-Australia summit in Melbourne next week to mark 50 years of Australias connection with ASEAN as a dialogue partner. Albanese will hold discussions with many of the South East Asian leaders present at the summit in an effort to cajole and bully into line those not fully supportive of Washingtons confrontation with China. It is measure of the Marcos administrations whole-hearted commitment to the US war plans that he was given pride of place before the Australian parliament. Join the fight to save the Post Office! Join the USPS Workers Rank-and-File Committee by filling out the form at the bottom of this article. Postmaster General of the United States of America Louis DeJoy [AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana] Postmaster General Louis DeJoy addressed an open session of the Postal Service Board of Governors on February 8, during which he reviewed postal service in the past year. He also outlined changes coming this year under the Delivering for America restructuring plan. PMG DeJoys remarks focused on the United States Postal Services first quarter of 2024, which includes its peak season that extended from Thanksgiving to New Years Eve 2023. Mail volume increases well over 20 percent during this period, taxing mail handlers and carriers with grueling shifts and overtime. The World Socialist Web Site previously reported on the brutal working conditions experienced by postal workers last December. According to DeJoy, the USPS took the necessary operating risks during the peak season to cut costs as mail volume increased during the holidays. One of those risks was to minimiz[e] peak season staffing by sharply reducing the number of seasonal hires from 40,000 to 10,000. DeJoy celebrated that package revenue was up in 2023. The postal service handled 7 percent more packages even as he reduced the total labor power of USPS by 8 million work hours. DeJoys work hour reduction came at the expense in particular of rural carriers, who saw their hours brutally cut by the rollout of the Rural Route Evaluated Compensation System (RRECS) last spring, but the cuts have impacted every portion of USPS. RRECS has slashed wages for 66 percent of rural carriers with some carriers losing as much as $20,000 from their pay. Many saw their hours increase to 60 or more hours a week under the new system only to find they would not be compensated for more than 48 hours. The Postmaster General did not directly address the delays that have plagued cities across the country during the peak season last year, which has continued into the new year. According to the USPS, on-time delivery of First-Class Mail dropped to 85.4 percent from 91 percent the previous year. On the other hand, DeJoy bragged that packages enjoyed 95.2 percent on-time delivery in the same period, further confirming that the USPS is being transformed into a package delivery service. DeJoy blamed the shutdown last October of the USPS St. Louis Network Distribution Center in Hazelwood, Missouri on a mercury spill, leading to the spike of delays experienced throughout the peak season. He avoided addressing massive slowdowns in major centers such as Richmond, Virginia and Houston, Texas. In reality, these are deeply connected with the overall aims of Delivering for America, one of which is to greatly reduce the size of the USPS network by closing thousands of local post offices and concentrating operations in a handful of large, highly-automated processing centers. Last fall, Richmond became one of the first mail centers to transition into a Regional Processing and Distribution Center (RPDC), one of a total of 60 hubs that will service regions around the country along a new hub and spoke system patterned after Amazon and UPS. Delays caused by equipment upgrades crippled the package sorting operations due to insufficient training on the new high output sorting (HOPS) machines. USPS also launched its Optimized Collections initiative in Richmond one month before the start of the peak season. The is a significant shift in the way mail is transported between post offices and processing centers, and was another major contributor to late and missing mail over the holidays. One effect of optimized collections is that outgoing mail now sits in local post offices overnight to be picked up the following morning. Mail routed through Houston, Texas also slowed to a crawl after a new package processing machine that was delivered did not fit into the building. Two existing parcel sorting machines were removed in order to make room for the new sorter, leaving the facility with no way to handle the increased volume of mail and packages over the holidays and causing unprocessed mail to sit for weeks. The North Houston Processing & Distribution Center (P&DC) is slated to be transitioned to an RPDC. The facilitys transition began almost a year ago in February during the first wave of the implementation of the USPS hub and spoke network. In his address to the Board of Governors, DeJoy announced that the USPS intends to take nine RPDC regions to an improved future state in 2024. These regions include Indianapolis, Jacksonville, and Houston. He also intends to activate more than 40 Sorting and Delivery Centers (S&DC) this year. What this means is that at least 40 more cities in the US this year will see a significant reduction in service. The WSWS has reported on Knoxville, Tennessee, whose outgoing mail is now being shipped to Louisville, Kentucky, more than three and a half hours away, for processing. Similarly, outgoing mail from Buffalo, New York will be shipped to Rochester, over an hour away, to be processed. West Virginia is slated to lose its only mail processing center in Charleston. The states mail will be processed in Sorting and Delivery Centers in Pennsylvania. In meetings set up by the USPS to take public comment about the changes in these cities, residents and USPS workers have been assured that layoffs of full time employees will be minimal. In reality, DeJoy has already made clear he intends to cut the size of the workforce by 50,000 or more, in order for the post office to break even. DeJoy cynically claimed that a benefit of the DFA plan is the reduction of greenhouse gasses as mail processing is be centralized into fewer S&DCs and RPDCs, and as optimized collections eliminate afternoon mail pickup from local post offices. In reality, this will be offset by longer commutes by postal workers to get to their jobs, and longer routes for letter carriers, especially in rural areas. In his remarks, PMG DeJoy notes that the US is in an election year and promised that we will continue to deliver the nations election mail for the upcoming 2024 elections in the same successful manner we have accomplished in the past. In reality, DeJoy, a prominent Trump supporter, conducted unexplained reductions to service in the leadup to the 2020 election. This added grist to Trumps groundless claims that the election was stolen through the use of mail-in ballots. Other critical mail deliveries are already being impacted. For example, more than half of 870 cancer screening tests routed through Richmond were invalidated because they were returned to the testing center months after the two-week return deadline, putting the health of hundreds of people at risk. Near the end of his address, DeJoy openly exposed the breadth of the disruption experienced by the public throughout the US when he said: To those in the nation that are affected by our intermittent service impacts, we apologize and are working hard to improve our service to you. For the over 50 percent of Americans who receive their mail and packages earlyyou are beginning to experience the future performance of the United States Postal Service. In other words, almost 50 percent of Americans experienced intermittent service impacts last year! DeJoys unwavering focus on cost-cutting and increased revenue is aimed at attracting private investors, as his DFA plan aims to transform the USPS from a public service into an operation driven by shareholder profits and a super-exploited workforce. In order to prevent the Amazonification of the USPS, the working class must organize to protect public services, job security, safety, and wages. In the words of the USPS Workers Rank-and-File Committee founding statement: We must prepare action from below to assert the will of 635,000 career and non-career USPS workers to make sure our needs and interests take absolute priority and not the slash-and-burn policies of corporate-controlled politicians. "I'm so impressed. I'm happy to see that democratic consultations have brought so much vigor to this village." A young Bangladeshi scholar visits a rural region in China's Jiangxi Province to find out how democratic practices here contribute to rural development. #GLOBALink The Ministerial Conference brought together nearly 4,000 ministers, senior trade officials and other delegates from the WTO's 164 members and observers as well as representatives from civil society, business and the global media. Initially scheduled for 26-29 February, the Conference was extended in a final push to reach outcomes on the various issues at stake. Members adopted the Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration, where they committed to preserve and strengthen the ability of the multilateral trading system, with the WTO at its core, to respond to current trade challenges. The Ministerial Declaration underlines the centrality of the development dimension in the work of the WTO, recognizing the role that the multilateral trading system can play in contributing towards the achievement of the UN 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. It also recognized the contribution of women's economic empowerment and women's participation in trade to economic growth and sustainable development. Members recognised the role and importance of services to the global economy as it generates more than two-thirds of global economic output and accounts for over half of all jobs. They encouraged the relevant WTO bodies to continue their work to review and build on all the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and to build effective solutions in case of future pandemics in an expeditious manner. Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and MC13 Chair, thanked members for their active engagement during the Conference. He noted that while not everything that delegations set out to accomplish could be delivered, the commitment shown will further strengthen the multilateral trading system. His full remarks are here. On dispute settlement reform, members adopted a Ministerial Decision recognizing the progress made with the view to having a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all members by 2024. Ministers instructed officials to accelerate discussions, build on the progress already made, and work on unresolved issues. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stressed the progress made with contributions from members. Lets continue to roll up our sleeves to advance this reform and deliver by 2024, she said. Ministers adopted a Ministerial Decision that responds to a 23-year-old mandate to review special and differential treatment (S&DT) provisions for developing and least developed countries (LDCs) with a view to making them more precise, effective and operational. This is a win for development, one that will help enable developing countries, especially LDCs, fulfil their WTO commitments, exercise their rights and better integrate into global trade, said DG Okonjo-Iweala. In another first, ministers engaged in conversations on how trade relates to two pressing issues that go to the heart of current political, economic and environmental challenges, namely sustainable development and socioeconomic inclusion. DG Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the recognition by members of "the role trade and the WTO can play in empowering women, expanding opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs,) and achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions economic, social and environmental." Earlier in the conference, ministers formally approved the WTO membership terms of Comoros and Timor-Leste, the first new members in almost eight years. Members also agreed on a Ministerial Decision on concrete measures to ease the path to graduation from the category of least-developed countries. Additionally, ministers adopted a Ministerial Decision reaffirming the commitment to the Work Programme on Small Economies. On electronic commerce, ministers adopted a Ministerial Decision instructing the General Council to hold periodic reviews on the E-commerce Work Programme with a view to presenting recommendations for action to the Ministerial Conference. Members also agreed to maintain the current practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions until the 14th Session of the Ministerial Conference (MC14) or 31 March 2026, whichever is earlier. The moratorium and the Work Programme will expire on that date. Ministers also adopted a Ministerial Decision to extend the moratorium on non-violation and situation complaints regarding the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) until MC14. Momentum behind the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement continued to pick up pace, with South Africa presenting its instrument of acceptance to DG Okonjo-Iweala just before the closing of the Conference. Earlier in the conference, ten WTO members Brunei Darussalam, Chad, Malaysia, Norway, the Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Togo, and Turkiye deposited their instruments of acceptance of the Fisheries Agreement, bringing the total number of WTO members to have formally accepted the Agreement to 71 and putting the historic agreement for ocean sustainability on track for entry into force at a record pace. In the second wave of fisheries subsidies negotiations, you narrowed some outstanding gaps, but several more remain, said DG Okonjo-Iweala. While I had hoped that we could finish these negotiations in Abu Dhabi, you have prepared the ground for its conclusion at the next Ministerial Conference, if not earlier. The livelihoods of 260 million people who depend directly or indirectly on marine fisheries are at stake. On agriculture, despite the intense negotiations during MC13, members were not able to find convergence. Divergences remained on public stockholding (PSH) for food security purposes and in respect of timelines, expected outcomes and the scope of the flexibility to be provided to food imports by the most vulnerable countries from export restrictions. DG Okonjo-Iweala recalled that this has been in the works for over two decades. At MC12, we couldnt even agree on a text. Even though there are challenges, for the first time we have a text. We couldnt finish the work on it here. So let us get back to Geneva and deliver! she said. DG Okonjo-Iweala thanked members for their efforts to seek convergence on difficult issues, particularly as the Conference took place against a global backdrop marked by economic and geopolitical uncertainty. We have worked hard this week. We have achieved some important things and we have not managed to complete others. Nevertheless, we moved those pieces of work in an important way. At the same time, we have delivered some milestone achievements for the WTO and laid the groundwork for more, she said. Her full remarks are here. Other issues MC13 also saw the entry into force of new disciplines on services domestic regulation, which is expected to lower trade costs by over USD 125 billion worldwide. Supported by 72 WTO members, this joint initiative is designed to facilitate services trade by streamlining and simplifying regulatory procedures. It includes the first-ever commitment in a WTO agreement to ensuring non-discrimination between men and women when they seek permits to supply services. Ministers adopted a Ministerial Declaration on strengthening regulatory cooperation to reduce technical barriers to trade (TBT). The Declaration affirms that cooperation assists members in meeting cross border and global challenges, and builds confidence between trading partners through mutual understanding and dialogue. This contributes to the development of effective and efficient technical regulations and avoiding regulatory differences and unnecessary divergence. Co-sponsors of three environmental initiatives at the WTO presented at the Conference the next steps they are taking to advance work on plastics pollution, environmental sustainability, and fossil fuel subsidy reform. More information on each environmental initiative's presentations at MC13 is available here: Additionally, ministers representing 123 WTO members issued on 25 February a Joint Ministerial Declaration marking the finalization of the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement and made it available to the public. Participants represent three-quarters of the WTO membership, including close to 90 developing economies and 26 least-developed economies. Looking ahead, DG Okonjo-Iweala said: The WTO remains a source of stability and resilience in an economic and geopolitical landscape fraught with uncertainties and exogenous shocks. Trade remains a vital force for improving peoples lives, and for helping businesses and countries cope with the impact of these shocks. Let us get some rest, then regroup and resume, she concluded. Her full remarks are here. Find all MC13 documents here. NEW DELHI, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Police in the Indian capital region of Delhi on Saturday stepped up security and sounded an alert after a blast at a popular eatery in the southern city of Bengaluru injured 10, local media reports said. The blast went off at the Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru during the lunch hour on Friday. According to the reports, senior police officials in districts of Delhi have been directed to increase vigilance in crowded areas, especially the marketplaces. The local market associations have been asked to remain alert and report to the nearest police stations in case they come across any suspicious object or activity. They have also been asked to tell shops to ensure their closed-circuit television cameras are functional. The reports said police bomb disposal squads and bomb detection teams have been directed to remain alert. Closed-circuit television camera footage accessed by the police in Bengaluru and aired by local television news channels shows a man wearing a face mask, glasses and a cap carrying a bag inside the Bengaluru cafe's premises. Police believed the man placed the bag near the eatery's handwash area and then left before the blast took place. Police said the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device fitted with a timer. Bengaluru is the technology hub in the South Asian country. What is the National People's Congress? China's parliament body, which marks its 70th anniversary this year, is constitutionally at the top of China's state power hierarchy. It is emblematic of democracy in China's sense. As its annual session draws near, this documentary offers a panoramic view of the country's top legislature. Watch the full video for more details. (Video reporters: Xu Zeyu, Gao Shan, Chen Pu, Tian Zijun, Guo Peiran, Zhou Mi, Zhou Ying, Huang Guobao, Ma Xiaocheng) In advance of the Legends of Orisha trilogy's conclusion, the author talks magic, fashion and the power of online community Sam Vibes Tomi Adeyemi with 'Children of Blood and Bone' If you havent read the book yet, youve at least seen the cover. Tomi Adeyemis Children of Blood and Bone broke records as well as the internet when it first hit the scene in 2018. Hitting No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list, the novel won the author a Time100 spot, Hugo and Nebula awards and her rightful place as all but a household name. Now, with Children of Blood and Bone out on paperback as of Feb. 27 and Children of Virtue and Vengeance set for its paperback release on March 26, The Children Of Anguish And Anarchy the final book in the Legends of the Orisha trilogy will deliver the long-awaited series conclusion on June 25. And for the more visually inclined, a movie adaptation is on its way. With the conclusion in sight, the author spoke with PEOPLE about her inspiration, her love of fashion and why shes striving for excellence, full-stop. Struck by lightning in Brazil The idea for the Legacy of the Orisha story all but smacked Adeyemi on the head when she was in Brazil, trying to get into a museum to do research for the grant that was funding her trip. The museum was closed, it was pouring, so she ducked into the gift shop to regroup. And then I see the Orisha, these dark-skinned African gods and goddesses, and it had never even occurred to me that there could be African gods and goddesses, she explains to PEOPLE. It was like literal fireworks went off in my brain. I saw the landscapes, I saw the lions, I saw the temples. I saw the magic. I didn't know who my characters were. I didn't know what happened in the world, but the world came fully formed. Related: Best Books by Black Authors to Celebrate Black History Month As she wrote, the author discovered she was actually exploring a part of her own Nigerian-American ancestry. To climb all the way back up your family tree on accident, and discover the stories and the beliefs, and the spirituality, and the songs, and the power and the rhythm, and the clothing that your earliest ancestors wore, Adeyemi shakes her head at the magic of it all. To stumble into my ancestry, which then also became my destiny is absolutely insane. That magic has been a theme throughout the last seven whirlwind years of her career, not to mention her work. That's actually one of the things that I care most about when I write, that I can just take you somewhere else, because my God, do we all need a little place to escape to. I think these grand stories just speak to something primal in us, she says. Oye Diran Tomi Adeyemi I Saw it as a Movie in My Head Now, as she works on the movie adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone, Adeyemi is learning a new way to spread the magic. Readers who have noticed the cinematic quality of her books may not be surprised to hear thats how the author experiences these stories, too. Switching to screenwriting was a bit of liberation because I just get to take what's in my head and go on the page, she explains. But then there's also the part of me that's still learning to master that medium. Part of that process enables Adeyemi to bring her love of fashion into her work in a new way. As she sees her characters outfits in her head, she also puts them on a mood board for future costume designers. And as she attends runway shows or watches them online, she finds inspiration there, too. Fashion tells a story, she says. I love that process, and I love that this career as a writer has allowed me to step into that space, and that that's only going to continue because there's so much to bring on screen. Related: 'The Woman King' Director Will 'Never Get Over' Film's Oscar Snub: 'It Speaks to Such a Bigger Issue' As she learns how that translation from page to screen works best, Adeyemi counts Scott Frank, the writer of The Queen's Gambit on Netflix, as her Mr. Miyagi in the process. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood, who is set to helm the movie for Paramount Pictures, has also inspired Adeyemis screenwriting. I feel like I'm being mentored just through watching her work, she adds. She rolls up her sleeves and does the work. It's incredible to work with someone at that caliber. But Adeyemi also finds mentors everywhere she goes. One of her literary heroes, Sabaa Tahir, has even gone on to become a friend. It doesn't matter where you are on your journey. It doesn't matter your success, your accolades, she says. You do want an artist to hold your hand and help guide you forward, so I feel so blessed to look left, right and center, and have these incredible creators guiding me into the next stage of my career. An intimate and communal process Oye Diran Tomi Adeyemi As Adeyemi looks toward the last installment of the trilogy hitting shelves, shes also enjoying connecting with readers in a way that feels very natural to todays reading community but hasnt been around in its current form for very long at all. I believe it was Stephenie Meyer, the author of Twilight, who sort of revamped the entire industry and the entire author-reader relationship, Adeyemi muses, about the internets role in the literary realm. She was in Facebook groups with her readers, and relationships like it didn't exist until then. Since then, of course, Instagram and TikTok have taken over as the realms du jour for authors and readers to connect with one another. It's communal, but it's intimate. We're really getting to see each other. We're really getting to talk, the author says. But the excitement of meeting readers in person hasnt gotten old, either. One of my favorite parts of going on tour is I get to hold hands with my readers. I get to hug them. I get to hear their stories, Adeyemi enthuses. To be able to communicate with them, laugh with them, celebrate with them, it feels like a genuine community. And I'm really, really enjoying it this time around. Related: Eriq La Salle Opens Up About His Thrilling Second Act: Detective Novelist (Exclusive) Striving for excellence The faces of publishing, especially in the fantasy genre in which Adeyemis books live, have changed rapidly over the past few years. And there's still plenty of room to grow. "When I first put out this book in 2018, it was monumental to see someone who looks like this on the cover, she says. Now it's not rare anymore. Adeyemi wants society to strive not for diversity or inclusion, but for books, movies and art to look like the array of humanity around them as a matter of course. One thing that comes to mind is American Fiction, she says. It wasnt like, Oh, here is this Black movie about Black people. Here is the statue about the Black identity. No, its more like Here is a gripping, intimate family drama that also has me cracking up. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The first two Legends of Orisha books are available now, wherever books are sold. The third and final book in the series, The Children Of Anguish And Anarchy, is out June 25 and available for pre-order now. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Marlly Jarina Ardila-Urrego and Chun Ho Vincent Lai have been charged with kidnapping, burglary and robbery king5.com Couple with delivery boxes seen outside the residence of alleged kidnapping Marlly Jarina Ardila-Urrego and Chun Ho Vincent Lai have been charged with kidnapping and burglary, among other charges Authorities allege they traveled from Florida to Washington State to carry out the kidnapping The infant's grandfather reportedly told police a family member had mentioned plans to sell a baby for $70,000 A Florida couple has been arrested and charged after allegedly traveling to Washington State and abducting a relative's 7-month-old baby, according to authorities. Marlly Jarina Ardila-Urrego and Chun Ho Vincent Lai have been charged with kidnapping, burglary and robbery in connection with the alleged Feb. 20 incident in Federal Way, Wash., The Seattle Times, FOX 13 Seattle and KING 5 report. They are also being charged with assault, per FOX 13 Seattle and KING 5. Prosecutors say Ardila-Urrego, 33, and Lai, 42, allegedly targeted the family solely because they have a child, The Seattle Times reports. In the days leading up to the incident, Ardila-Urrego allegedly asked her cousin, the mother of the child, what her address was repeatedly, charging documents say, according toThe Seattle Times, FOX 13 Seattle and KING 5. Ardila-Urrego allegedly told the woman that she had ordered a bed frame for the woman's child and that it would be delivered to her on Feb. 20, according to the documents, as reported by the outlets. When the day finally arrived, the victim says there was a knock on the door soon after her husband left for work, charging documents claim, according to the outlets. She reportedly told authorities that she looked through the peephole and saw someone who appeared to be a delivery driver with an Amazon box. As soon as she opened the door, the purported driver who prosecutors say was actually Lai allegedly began punching her in the face, then threw her to the ground and zip-tied her wrists and ankles, according to court documents, FOX 13 Seattle and The Seattle Times report. A woman unknown to her then entered the apartment, the victim said, and allegedly held her down while the man put the infant in an Amazon box and left the apartment, according to probable cause documents cited by KING 5. One of the suspects allegedly indicated they would harm the womans 2-year-old child if she didnt comply, the documents say, per the outlet. Once the suspects left, the woman was able to free herself from the zip-ties and call 911, charging documents say, according to The Seattle Times and FOX 13 Seattle. This embedded content is not available in your region. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The victims father reportedly told authorities that he suspected Ardila-Urrego was behind the incident, according to FOX 13 Seattle and KING 5. He claimed it was unusual for her to ask about the victims address because they werent close, according to the outlets. He also claimed he was aware of a plan Ardila-Urrego had made to sell a baby for $70,000, FOX 13 Seattle reported. Once police were notified, they were able to use cellphone information to locate the couples vehicle and track them down, according to KING 5 and FOX 13 Seattle. They were able to rescue the infant, who was unharmed, less than four hours after the alleged kidnapping, prosecutors said, according to The Seattle Times. Bail has been set for $750,000 for each of the suspects, per the outlets. Its not clear if they have retained an attorney; they are set to be arraigned in March. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Jonathon Christy has been charged with murder in connection with the disappearance of Brandi Bradley, per police Kokomo Police Department; Brandi Bradley/Facebook Jonathon Christy; Brandi Bradley Brandi Bradley, 44, was last in contact with her family in January, Kokomo police say Jonathon Christy allegedly asked people if he could use their burn piles the day Brandley went missing, authorities allege Bradley accused Christy of abuse in several TikTok videos before she disappeared An Indiana man has been charged in connection with the disappearance of a woman who reportedly warned people about his alleged violent behavior in TikTok videos before going missing. Brandi Bradley, 44, was reported missing on Feb. 11, the Kokomo Police Department said in a statement this week. Bradley last had contact with her family on Jan. 19, police said. Authorities arrested Jonathon Christy, 39, on Tuesday and charged him with murder in connection with Bradleys disappearance, according to the statement. Police said they arrested him after they were tipped off about information that brought them to a remote location for investigation. Bradley, who had an active presence on TikTok, alleged on the platform that she had been abused by Christy, who lived with her, per court documents, WTHR reported. In a video posted on social media prior to her disappearance, she claimed that if something ominous were to happen to her, Christy would be responsible, per court documents, WTHR reported. Ive been choked out five times, unconsciousness, and TikTok needs to know, she claimed in a video snippet shared by WTHR. Help me! she said as the video ends. Her daughter has alleged the man referenced in the video is Christy, WTHR reported. Brandi Bradley/Facebook Brandi Bradley In one video, Bradley said, If I end up dead and my dismembered body is found all over Kokomo, it was Jonathon Christy," according to court documents reviewed by WTHR. The two videos were not available on her TikTok channel when PEOPLE searched on Friday. In another video on her TikTok posted in December, she alleged her bedroom door has been kicked in and her electric heater had been taken from her. Do you have somebody threatening to murder you? she asked her followers. Kokomo police declined to comment on Friday when asked about the videos. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Police arrested Christy after people came forward alleging Christy had asked to use their burn piles. People also alleged that Christy spray painted his truck the day Bradley disappeared, according to court documents, WTHR reported. Authorities recovered human bones, a necklace tarp and a belt among other melted items in a dumpster in Kempton, Ind., where Christy allegedly said he threw away burnt items belonging to his ex-wife, who died in July, according to the court documents. Police have not confirmed the bones belong to Bradley, FOX 59 reports. The investigation remains ongoing, police say. Bradley has entered a plea of not guilty, online court records show. He has retained an attorney but no further information was available about the attorney in the court records. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Sergeant Erik Fogg at 765-456-7369, or call the Kokomo Police Department Hotline at (765) 456-7017. Police are also accepting anonymous tips which can be reported through the "Kokomo PD'' mobile app. People can also text a tip by texting TIPKPD, then a space, followed by the tip, and sending it to 847411. If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Hollywood appears to be taking a liking to the Lake of the Ozarks. Over the past seven years, the mid-Missouri reservoir has gained widespread attention for its portrayal in the Netflix original series "Ozark." Moving away from this dark, ominous portrayal, the Lake of the Ozarks will be given a brighter look in HGTV's new release estate series. HGTV, a television channel known for its home improvement and real estate shows, announced its upcoming series "Lakefront Empire" in early February. The first episode of the eight-part season airs at 9 p.m. Monday, March 11. "Lakefront Empire" will follow Peggy Albers, a former convicted felon, in addition to Cierra Grein, brothers Jonas and Justin Farrell, Gerardo Cornejo and Amanda Smith as they work to secure "dream waterfront homes for their clients." A HGTV news release calls the Lake of the Ozarks the "Hamptons of the Midwest." In the season premiere, Albers will show clients three lakefront listings in Linn Creek, Porto Cima and Sunrise Beach and the Farrell brothers will work with local business owners to find their "dream weekend cabin." More: These 16 television shows, movies are set in Missouri but were they filmed here? Who is Peggy Albers? Osage Beach real estate agent Peggy Albers will be featured in HGTV's new eight-episode series, "Lakefront Empire." The series is about real estate agents working at the Lake of the Ozarks. Considered one of the most successful real estate agents at the Lake of the Ozarks, according to a HGTV news release, Albers does not shy away from sharing her story. At the age of 19, Albers began selling methamphetamine and went on to serve more than 15 years in federal prison. At the time, she was in her 30s and had a 2-month-old son, according to an HGTV promotional article for the series. She was 45 years old when she was released. Following her release, Albers' father encouraged her to obtain a real estate license, but upon her initial try, she was denied, according to a story published by The Missouri Times in 2019. She was eventually permitted a probationary license after the Osage Beach community "rallied" around her. Over the years, Albers has been vocal in supporting legislation that removed barriers for formerly incarcerated individuals with nonviolent, nonsexual criminal records. Telling my story of overcoming obstacles and kicking a** was great, but putting my little hometown on prime-time television its just amazing! Albers said in the HGTV promotional article. Who are the 'Lakefront Empire' cohosts? Jonas and Justin Farrell Brothers Jonas, left, and Justin Farrell during production of HGTV's new eight-episode series, "Lakefront Empire." The series is about real estate agents working at the Lake of the Ozarks. Osage Beach natives, the Farrell brothers are brokers at John Farrell Real Estate Co., a real estate company founded by their parents, John and Lynn Farrell, in 1984. The company specializes in "the sale and management of residential, commercial and development property," according to the John Farrell Real Estate Co. website. Cierra Grein Osage Beach real estate agent Cierra Grein will be featured in HGTV's new eight-episode series, "Lakefront Empire." The series is about real estate agents working at the Lake of the Ozarks. Another Osage Beach native, Grein is a broker and co-owner of Gibson & Grein Real Estate Network, a real estate company that was founded by her mother, Tina Grein, in the 1980s. Cierra was voted Missouri's Best Realtor in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Gerardo Cornejo Jefferson City-based real estate agent Gerardo Cornejo will be featured in HGTV's new eight-episode series, "Lakefront Empire." The series is about real estate agents working at the Lake of the Ozarks. Born in El Salvador, Cornejo and his family emigrated to the United States in 1990; he grew up in Bellflower, California. Today, Cornejo is a broker and co-owner of the Cornejo Group based in Jefferson City. Amanda Smith Real estate agent Amanda Smith will be featured in HGTV's new eight-episode series, "Lakefront Empire." The series is about real estate agents working at the Lake of the Ozarks. Born and raised in St. Louis, Smith is the owner of Smith & Associates Realty Group, which specializes in residential properties. Where to stream 'Lakefront Empire' Osage Beach real estate agent Cierra Grein, right, during production of HGTV's new eight-episode series, "Lakefront Empire." The series is about real estate agents working at the Lake of the Ozarks. Philo: $25 per month, 70+ channels YouTube TV: $62.99 per month, 100+ channels Hulu + Live TV: $76.99 per month, including access to Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Sling TV: $20 per month, 32 channels Fubo: $59.99 per month, 187 channels Discovery+: $4.99 per month Max: $9.99 per month Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: New HGTV series 'Lakefront Empire' to spotlight Lake of the Ozarks Its not like artificial intelligence caught Sundar Pichai off guard. I remember sitting in the audience in January 2018 when the Google CEO said it was as profound as electricity and fire. His proclamation stunned the San Francisco audience that day, so bullish it still seems a bit absurd, and it underscores how bizarre it is that his AI strategy now appears unmoored. The latest AI crisis at Google where its Gemini image and text generation tool produced insane responses, including portraying Nazis as people of color is now spiraling into the worst moment of Pichais tenure. Morale at Google is plummeting, with one employee telling me its the worst hes ever seen. And more people are calling for Pichais ouster than ever before. Even the relatively restrained Ben Thompson of Stratechery demanded his removal on Monday. Yet so much too much coverage of Googles Gemini incident views it through the culture war lens. For many, Google either caved to wokeness or cowed to those whod prefer not to address AI bias. These interpretations are wanting, and frankly incomplete explanations for why the crisis escalated to this point. The culture war narrative gives too much credit to Google for being a well organized, politics-driven machine. And the magnitude of the issue runs even deeper than Geminis skewed responses. Theres now little doubt that Google steered its users Gemini prompts by adding words that pushed the outputs toward diverse responses forgetting when not to ask for diversity, like with the Nazis but the way those added words got there is the real story. Even employees on Googles Trust and Safety team are puzzled by where exactly the words came from, a product of Google scrambling to set up a Gemini unit without clear ownership of critical capabilities. And a reflection of the lack of accountability within some parts of Google. Organizationally at this place, its impossible to navigate and understand whos in rooms and who owns things, one member of Googles Trust and Safety team told me. Maybe thats by design so that nobody can ever get in trouble for failure. Organizational dysfunction is still common within Google, something its worked to fix through recent layoffs, and it showed up in the formation of its Gemini team. Moving fast while chasing OpenAI and Microsoft, Google gave its Product, Trust and Safety, and Responsible AI teams input into the training and release of Gemini. And their coordination clearly wasnt good enough. In his letter to Google employees addressing the Gemini debacle this week, Pichai singled out structural changes as a remedy to prevent a repeat, acknowledging the failure. Those structural changes may turn into a significant rework of how the organization operates. The problem is big enough that replacing a single leader or merging just two teams probably wont cut it, the Google Trust and Safety employee said. Already, Google is rushing to fix some of the deficiencies that contributed to the mess. On Friday, a reset day for Google, and through the weekend when Google employees almost never work the companys Trust and Safety leadership called for volunteers to test Geminis outputs to prevent further blunders. We need multiple volunteers on stand-by per time block so we can activate rapid adversarial testing on high priority topics, one executive wrote in an internal email. And as the crisis brewed internally, it escalated externally when Google shared the same type of opaque public statements and pledges about doing better that have worked for its core products. That underestimated how different the publics relationship is with generative AI than other technology, and made matters worse. Unlike search, which points you to the web, generative AI is the core experience, not a route elsewhere. Using a generative tool like Gemini is a tradeoff. You get the benefit of a seemingly magical product. But you give up control. While you may get answers quickly, or a cool looking graphic, you lose touch with the source material. To use it means putting more trust in giant companies like Google, and to maintain that trust Google needs to be extremely transparent. Yet what do we really know about how its models operate? Continuing on as it if were business as usual, Google contributed to the magnitude of the crisis. Now, some close to Google are starting to ask if its focused in the right places, coming back to Pichais strategic plan. Was it really necessary, for instance, for Google to build a $20 per month chatbot, when it could simply imbue its existing technology including Gmail, Docs, and its Google Home smart speakers with AI? There are all worthwhile questions, and the open wondering about Pichais job is fair, but the current wave of Generative AI is still so early that Google has time to adjust. On Friday, for instance, Elon Musk sued OpenAI for betraying its founding agreement, a potential setback for the companys main competitor. Google, which just released a powerful Gemini 1.5 model, will have at least a few more shots until a true moment for panic sets in. But everyone within the company knows it cant afford many more of the previous weeks incidents, from Pichai to the workers pulling shifts this weekend. The post Inside the Crisis at Google appeared first on TheWrap. BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Among the nearly 3,000 deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), Wang Yongcheng is the only individual with visual impairment. However, this physical challenge has not prevented him from "seeing" the "illumination of China's democracy." While discharging his duty as a national lawmaker at the annual session of the NPC in 2023, Wang, from eastern Fujian Province, submitted multiple suggestions that focus on the employment and education of visually impaired people, as well as the building of an accessible environment. His suggestions were later handled and responded to by multiple agencies. Unlike the replies provided to other NPC deputies, Wang received Braille versions tailored to accommodate his needs. As his fingertips swiftly moved across those raised dots, Wang said that he was extremely excited and felt incredibly warm to receive the reply using Braille and raised dots. "It is a real, tangible experience of democracy." In 1985, at the age of 18, Wang lost his sight in an unfortunate accident. Undeterred, he embarked on a challenging entrepreneurial journey by learning massage skills and conducting non-profit training. Through his efforts, over 6,000 blind individuals have been pulled out of poverty and become self-reliant. Elected to represent the 85 million individuals with disabilities in China at the country's top legislature, Wang has been dedicated to finding solutions for the pressing issues faced by the disabled community and seeking effective strategies to promote the development of disability-related initiatives. Last year, his suggestion, which focused on providing large-print textbooks for low-vision students enrolled in regular schools, was embraced and supported by the Ministry of Education. This led to the promotion of large-print textbook publications, starting with the first grade in the autumn of 2023. Wang said that following the publication of the large-print textbooks, parents of visually impaired students from provinces such as Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Shandong reached out to express their gratitude. Wang's proposal on addressing the difficulties in employment faced by blind masseurs and their clinics has also received much attention. In face-to-face discussions with Wang, the National Health Commission, the China Disabled Persons' Federation, and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine pledged to actively facilitate solutions that would enable eligible blind masseurs to secure stable employment in the medical sector. In response to Wang's advocacy for preferential policies to make public transportation more accessible for severely disabled individuals, China's railway department established special seats, set dedicated ticket quotas, and implemented service reservations specifically catering to disabled passengers. Wang's suggestions were also incorporated into the country's law on building a barrier-free living environment, which took effect on Sept. 1, 2023. As a person with disabilities, Wang is uniquely equipped to understand the needs of this group. Through in-depth field surveys, Wang has pulled out all the stops to advocate for and voice the concerns of the community with valuable suggestions. "As I walk in darkness, I truly understand the value of light; as a blind person, I better understand their aspirations," he said. For the upcoming annual session of the NPC, Wang plans to submit two suggestions. One focuses on improving the elderly care service system with attention to the special needs of disabled elderly individuals. The other focuses on promoting the integrated development of disability services across the Taiwan Strait, such as enabling disabled individuals from the Taiwan region to benefit from disability-related welfare policies in Fujian. "With such a smooth and efficient democratic pathway, what reason do I have not to work day and night, giving it my all?" Wang said. "The crew were unable to control [the unruly passengers] and the pilot stayed in his cockpit until the end, a bystander shared A recent flight from Scotland to Spain erupted into chaos after a fight broke out at 30,000 feet. A video captured by a passenger on a Ryanair flight from Edinburgh to Tenerife on Feb. 19. shows at least three people shouting at each other and getting physical amid a heated argument. The video, which was posted on Instagram by user @twotaboo4you (whose real name is Hannah MacDonald), shows two male passengers angrily yelling at one another from different sides of the plane. Ryanair confirmed that the incident is being handled by local police in Tenerife, according to BBC, Of the unruly passengers, MacDonald told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland on Wednesday: "It was as if they were the only people on their flight, their surroundings didnt matter. It was insane. They were very drunk, it was as if they were on another planet." She also explained to Newsflare that the chaos began when a few ladies seated next to the two men and a blonde woman asked them to stop swearing so much and be a bit quieter. Things reportedly escalated to a shocking degree. "The blonde girl kicked off big time and started to threaten the ladies saying they would have them killed when we landed in Tenerife, the videographer told the outlet. twotaboo4you/ Instagram Related: Passengers Jump in to Break Up Fight After Punches Thrown on Southwest Airlines Flight MacDonald surmised that one of the men was the blonde woman's brother and the other was her boyfriend. She continued, "From what I'm aware of, her boyfriend's brother told her to shut up and then she went absolutely mental at him and they started to argue. Then her boyfriend got involved and hit his brother." In the video, the alleged brothers can be seen yelling at each other in the aisle of the plane and even appear to scream at another passenger who tries to break up the fight. Later in the clip, the woman can be seen getting in on the fight, shouting as one of the two men takes a swipe at the other. One of the men appears to bump into the woman and she lunges at him and tries to hit him with her fists as the other man attempts to separate them. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. One of the men can be seen angrily confronting other passengers as flight attendants try to get him to return to his seat and calm down. One of the flight crew can be seen creating a physical barrier between the couple and the other man. "Any other passengers who tried to stop them got threatened also," the videographer noted. "The police did get called in the end as there was no calming the situation." When the flight finally landed in Tenerife, they noted that it took 30 minutes for law enforcement to arrive and the passengers had to continue to listen to the trio squabble in the meantime. twotaboo4you/ Instagram Related: Delta Pilot's Strongly Worded Speech to Passengers Amid Delay Leaves Internet Divided: 'Is He Going...to War?' "The crew were unable to control them and the pilot stayed in his cockpit until the end, she noted. We all had to wait on the flight until they escorted them off. Ryanair did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on the incident. A shot in the video shows the passengers cheering and clapping as police enter the plane. They appear to talk to some passengers and to the crew before the video concludes. Unruly passenger incidents have been an ongoing issue, particularly in air travel and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a massive uptick in incidents. In the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration, reported a 492% increase in unruly passenger incidents between 2020 and 2021, when there were 5,973 reported. The number of incidents have since gone down by 59% in 2022 and another 15% in 2023, but were still above pre-pandemic levels for the last complete year of data. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Im slightly embarrassed to speak about it under this circumstance, Paul Dano winces. Is it gonna lead somebody to listen? The actor might hate me for mentioning it, but he used to be in a band. Found today in the deeper recesses of Spotify, Mook released two records. They were strange, muddy psychedelic things, made back when Dano was in his early twenties and a reluctant movie star. Little Miss Sunshine had been a big deal. There Will Be Blood had been even bigger. But public attention was tough, frightening. How he dealt with it was to go back to school and make stoner jams with his besties. I wanted a certain amount of distance from whatever it is, he says. These days hes more comfortable with it, but he still tiptoes around words like fame or celebrity. I was still fairly young, and personality-wise it was strange to start getting recognised. That wasnt something that I was seeking. I wanted to work more and be in certain kinds of films, but also set boundaries with some of the other stuff that comes with it. I think it was just necessary. And so we got Mook a breadcrumb to follow in the mystery of deciphering Dano. Sitting at home in New York and dressed in sweats and a pink beanie, the 39-year-old has a gentle countenance and a deep, slightly monotonous voice. It has an odd effect. He is both friendly and aloof; familiar yet a total stranger. Dano isnt guarded, per se, but he is uniquely inscrutable, with a propensity for long pauses and half-thoughts. I am no closer to cracking him at the start of our conversation than by its end. Onscreen, Dano is one of cinemas most dexterous stars, maybe down to that baby face of his. Its cherubic. Sweet. Completely terrifying in certain lighting. In Prisoners, 12 Years a Slave and The Batman, the latter of which saw him play The Riddler to Robert Pattinsons Dark Knight, he gave good villain. For the lopsided romcom Ruby Sparks, the Beach Boys biopic Love & Mercy and Steven Spielbergs semi-autobiographical The Fabelmans, in which he played the proxy of the directors father, he leant in the other direction. These were the films that harnessed that slight woundedness of his, that sense of a fragile soul on the cusp of total implosion. Look into my eyes: Dano as a CGI spider in Spaceman (Netflix) But does Dano have a story, some grand arc to explain how he went from A to Z? The story seems to be that he doesnt really have one. Or at least one that we know about. I ponder if his work is the way in, if there are links to be found between his choices. Wildlife, for example, his 2018 directorial debut starring Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal, revolved around the dissolution of a marriage from the perspective of a young boy. He co-wrote it with the actor Zoe Kazan, his partner since working together on a play called Things We Want in 2007 (today they have two children). The Fabelmans was about a marriage that, despite its manicured appearance, was fraying at the seams. Spaceman, Danos new Netflix film about an astronaut conversing with an enormous CGI spider who may or may not be a figment of his imagination, is also, unexpectedly, about a doomed marriage. So hes interested in stories about marriage, right? I never thought to correlate Spaceman with Wildlife and The Fabelmans, Dano tells me. Dammit. My pull towards those films was about trying to understand my own parents in some way. And in a way working out my own experience. But Spaceman? I more interrogated it from the point of view of the spider. Dano gives voice to the spider in the film a lightly surrealist yarn about love, loneliness and human frailty. Adam Sandler, sporting a vaguely pan-Russian accent that you never quite get used to, receives therapeutic wisdom from the spider while floating around a space station. Back on earth, the astronauts pregnant, unhappy wife (Mulligan again) gazes out of windows while mourning what should have been her great love story. The spider asks Sandlers character about where the love went, why he chose isolation, why human beings are such baffling, baffling creatures. Spaceman seems destined to become a divisive curio on the CVs of everyone involved, but its also so unusual that it bears witnessing regardless. As soon as the word content came into what we do meaning making movies or TV it meant quantity over quality, which I think was a big misstep. And I certainly dont need that as a viewer or as an artist For Dano, that seemed to be his motive for signing on. When I heard that it was Adam Sandler on a spaceship talking to a giant spider, I was like OK, he laughs. It sounded crazy enough to be something. So definitely not the marriage thing, then? Golly, I was thinking more about what its like to be a spirit guide, you know? Dano is very much the sort of man to earnestly use the word golly in casual conversation, lending him the air of someone aged both 39 and 86. He had this slight out-of-time quality as a kid, too. Born and raised in New York, Dano was a child actor, primarily in theatre. On camera, his characters tended to be young people whod get beaten up for their lunch money. The teen comedy The Girl Next Door and a few episodes of The Sopranos both cast him as bookish dweebs think high schoolers who even Matilda Wormwood would call a bit too swotty. He didnt especially like it. If you look at those parts, there is a clear caricature or impression there of, you know, dorky guy with glasses, which He leans in close to his camera, filling up the lens. As you can see, I am. But I think that if I could only do that type of part as an actor, I dont know if Id want to be an actor. I think it would have fallen away. The Girl Next Door, in which a schoolboy played by Emile Hirsch falls in love with a porn star, brought Dano to Los Angeles at 18. He lived in a fancy hotel for a month and felt lonely. I was around other child actors and knew how challenging it could be, but I was trying my best to play a longer game. Which is hard, because you feel so not in control. I dont think it was confidence on my part, or ego, I think there was just a part of me that felt like I really wanted to still be doing this in 20 years time. Preachers pet: Dano alongside Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood (Shutterstock) When he was cast as a potentially dodgy boyfriend by the filmmaker Rebecca Miller in The Ballad of Jack and Rose, a mournful drama starring Millers husband Daniel Day-Lewis, Dano began to see glimpses of that future. I played someone who I would consider to be not like myself, he stammers. He was a little bit punk-rock. Kind of, you know, bad um ass. It confirmed to me that I could maybe be an actor. Because he worked with Day-Lewis twice in quite quick succession There Will Be Blood was shot two years after Jack and Rose, with his role as a mute-by-choice angsty teen in Little Miss Sunshine coming in the middle I assume they must have been friendly. I mean, I wasnt pals with either of Daniels characters, so I think there was a natural distance kept, he says. I mention that the actor Vicky Krieps, who worked with Day-Lewis on the barbed romance Phantom Thread, has also spoken about being kept at a distance by her co-star that it made the film and the dynamic between their characters brilliant, but felt difficult in the moment. I think these things sound, out of context, a little different than they are in practice, Dano says. It feels really natural. It doesnt feel like an artificial boundary being put up. In There Will Be Blood, Dano and Day-Lewis are at violent odds the former an unsmiling snake, the latter a gruff capitalist drenched in sweat and oil. Its appropriate to say we were enemies [on-camera], so [off-camera] it was not about getting to know each other, right? It was about creating distance and intention, and letting those things come together on camera. He continues: For me, it was never at the cost of anything or anybody else. I think you sometimes hear some wacky stories with other method actors. It can come across He trails off. I think it can sound funny. But this all felt in service of the material in a way that felt really good to me. OK, so he didnt end up being best mates with Day-Lewis. But the film did seem to cement the kind of career Dano would end up having rich character parts, sometimes showy, often left-of-centre, always interesting. He shot the film while studying English literature at The New School university in Manhattan, and returned to campus once production had wrapped. It was a one foot in, one foot out approach to filmmaking. Dano could slip under the radar, make music, be as normal as one could theoretically be when most of America has just seen Daniel Day-Lewis tell him hes drunk his milkshake. Riddle effect: Dano as The Riddler in The Batman (Shutterstock) Over time, Dano has loosened up a little. The Batman, he says, was a major professional and personal pivot hed largely avoided work on that scale till then. But I was able to really enjoy it. It wasnt too much for me. I liked the fan fervour around it. I became a total Batman dork. He even wrote a Riddler comic book, published to strong reviews in October 2022, that traced his interpretation of the characters origins. Today, on the heels of The Marvels, Madame Web and The Flash, The Batman feels a bit like one of the superhero genres last stands that final gasp of money-making, crowd-pleasing, cape-and-cowl goodness before franchise fatigue set in. Does he have theories as to why The Batman made it out alive? There are enough comic book movies where you just know what youre gonna get. Reading the script for The Batman, you knew it was a real film. Every sentence thats just [writer/director] Matt Reeves. He thinks our current superhero malaise is the product of an erratic film industry. Its an interesting moment where everybody has to go like, OK what now? Hopefully from that, somebody either breathes new life into [comic book movies], or something else blossoms which is not superheroes. Im sure there will still be some good ones yet to come, but I think its kind of a welcome moment. Its a larger thing, too, he continues. As soon as the word content came into what we do meaning making movies or TV it meant quantity over quality, which I think was a big misstep. And I certainly dont need that as a viewer or as an artist. Dano is passionate, but his voice retains its placid simmer. It might be the most animated he gets when hes not on a film set. But who knows? Spaceman is streaming on Netflix Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) are making their final TV ads buys before Tuesdays Senate primary, but one candidate has shot to the top of the polls without spending a dime on such spots. In fact, according to one poll released today, former Dodgers star and Republican Steve Garvey is leading, albeit slightly, with just days to go. More from Deadline Garvey may have Schiff to thank for pumping up his prospects. According to research firm AdImpact, 60% of Schiffs broadcast ads mention Garvey. None mention Porter. Thats widely viewed as by design on Schiffs part. California has an open primary, and the top two finishers on Tuesday will advance to the general election, regardless of party. Schiff has had an enduring lead in most other polls, and by highlighting Garvey and his conservative positions, he may be helping consolidate the vote on the right. According to a number of pundits, Schiff would have a much easier time of it in the general election going up against a Republican in true blue California than he would going up against Porter, a fellow Democrat. No Republican has won statewide in California since 2006. A Schiff-Porter race also may make the race even more expensive. According to AdImpact, the race already is the most expensive Senate campaign in state history $65.3 million spent on ads so far. About $44.8 million has been spent on ads backing Schiff, and $18.6 million for Porter. Garvey had just $758,260.94 on hand as of Feb. 14; Schiff had $13.7 million. Porter, who has called Schiff cynical for highlighting Garvey, has come out with ads that spotlight another Republican in the race, Eric Early, as way too MAGA for California. Over the weekend, viewers will see a blizzard of spots, as both campaigns have been buying up time during local newscasts and other day parts. Schiffs campaign, for example, put in an order for nearly $300,000 worth of spots on KCBS 2 in Los Angeles alone, while Porters campaign is spending about $60,000, according to records filed with the FCC. While Schiff and Porter have sparred at points in recent debates, their Hollywood backers are largely staying out of the fray. Jane Fonda, in endorsing Porter, wrote on X/Twitter this week, I admire both Rep Lee & Rep Schiff but I believe Katie Porter provides the greatest promise for a CA Senator willing to stand up to Big Oil & Gas. Schiffs campaign has been tapping a stream of industry figures in fundraising pitches, the latest being Billy Crystal. Simply put, there is no one that I trust more than Adam Schiff to protect our democracy not to mention my firm belief that Adam will actually get things done as Californias U.S. senator. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), who has been behind Schiff, Garvey and Porter in polls, has drawn the backing of figures such as John Legend. In a video, he called her the real deal. She is a dedicated advocate for families, a steadfast proponent of affordable housing and a committed reformer of our criminal legal system. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Timothee Chalamet is not afraid to stray away from the ordinary red carpet fashion Marc Piasecki/Getty ; Mike Coppola/Getty ; Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the 'Call me by your name' Premiere on January 26, 2018 in Paris, France. ; Timothee Chalamet attends the 94th Annual Academy Awards on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. ; Timothee Chalamet attends the "Little Women" Premiere on December 12, 2019 in Paris, France. Timothee Chalamet has earned himself the title of fashion icon. Even before his breakout role in Call Me By Your Name, the actor made style choices that were out of the ordinary and his looks have only become more daring and unique as his career has skyrocketed. The star is often photographed in monochromatic ensembles or boldly printed suits. In recent years, he has taken more risks on the carpet, from his backless red top at the Venice International Film Festival in 2022 to his light-blue leather jumpsuit at a Dune: Part Two premiere in 2024. Chalamet has worn several designers over the years, most notably working with Haider Ackermann, Tom Ford, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and the late Virgil Abloh, to name a few. When the star became the first-ever solo male cover star of British Vogue in October 2022, he told the outlet, What's great with Haider [Ackermann] or Tom Ford, as you said, is they're so personal to the process of choosing, same thing with Virgil Abloh. I'm spoiled in that these are the best designers in the world too, but fashion has always been so fun to me. From his unique style beginnings to his latest looks, here are some of Timothee Chalamet's best fashion moments from 2014 to now. Timothee Chalamet at the Snowpiercer premiere in June 2014 Mike Pont/FilmMagic Timothee Chalamet attends the "Snowpiercer" premiere at The Museum of Modern Art on June 24, 2014 in New York City. Chalamet began to make his unique style mark on the world beginning with his earliest red carpet days. At the premiere of Snowpiercer in 2014, the actor paired a formal forest green blazer with a relaxed white tee and black denim shorts. He completed the look with a distressed pair of vans and white ankle socks. Timothee Chalamet at the Interstellar premiere in October 2014 Frazer Harrison/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Interstellar" on October 26, 2014 in Hollywood, California. Going back to the basics, Chalamets look for the premiere of Interstellar in October 2014 consisted of a classic black suit and tie with shiny black dress shoes. The actor had a small role in the movie in which he played the younger version of the character, Tom. Timothee Chalamet at the Guggenheim International Gala Pre-Party in November 2015 Nicholas Hunt/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the 2015 Guggenheim International Gala Pre-Party on November 4, 2015 in New York City. A little over a year later, the star dressed in a simple gray suit with a black turtleneck in place of a typical button-up to complete this sophisticated look at the 2015 Guggenheim International Pre-Party. Timothee Chalamet at the HFPA & InStyle annual celebration of the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2017 J. Merritt/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the HFPA & InStyle annual celebration of 2017 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2017. For a Toronto International Film Festival event in 2017, Chalamet wore a double-breasted brown jacket and green pants by Berluti. He completed the look with black boots. Timothee Chalamet at a photocall for Call Me By Your Name during the BFI London Film Festival in October 2017 John Phillips/John Phillips/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends a photocall for "Call Me By Your Name" during the 61st BFI London Film Festival on October 9, 2017. Chalamet walked the carpet in a dark red velvet jacket with a white button-up and tan slacks. He looked sophisticated yet cool at the photocall during the BFI London Film Festival. Timothee Chalamet at the premiere of Call Me By Your Name during the BFI London Film Festival in October 2017 Isabel Infantes/PA Images/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the premiere of 'Call Me By My Name', as part of the BFI London Film Festival. Chalamet kept the velvet look going into the night where he wore a matching dark green velvet set with a gray sweater underneath. Timothee Chalamet at the 2017 GQ Men of the Year party in December 2017 Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the 2017 GQ Men of the Year party on December 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. A few months later, the actor ditched the velvet but stuck with a matching set for the GQ Men of the Year party, where he wore a black-and-white gingham look. Timothee Chalamet at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominee Brunch in January 2018 Tommaso Boddi/WireImage Timothee Chalamet attends the Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominee Brunch on January 6, 2018 in West Hollywood, California. For the Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominee Brunch, where he was up for an award for his role in Call Me By Your Name, Chalamet wore a brown suede jacket with a black tee, black pants and shiny brown boots. Timothee Chalamet at the Golden Globe Awards in January 2018 Kevork Djansezian/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Timothee Chalamet arrives to the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards on January 7, 2018. Chalamets look for the Golden Globe Awards in 2018 was one of his more simple outfits. The actor went with an all-black ensemble, including a black suit jacket, slacks, button-up and bow tie. Timothee Chalamet at the Call Me By Your Name premiere in Paris in January 2018 Marc Piasecki/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the 'Call me by your name' Premiere on January 26, 2018 in Paris, France. At the Paris premiere of Call Me By Your Name, Chalamet wore a brown leather jacket with a white tee, gray polka-dotted pants and black dress shoes. Timothee Chalamet at the lAcademy Awards Nominee Luncheon in February 2018 Steve Granitz/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon on February 5, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. The actor went with a monochromatic dark green Gucci suit for the Academy Awards Nominee Lunch, where he was nominated for an award for his part in Call Me By Your Name. Timothee Chalamet at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in March 2018 Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic Timothee Chalamet attends the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards on March 3, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. Chalamet returned to his casual yet cool style roots for the Film Independent Spirit Awards in 2018. The actor wore a crisp button-up white shirt by Off-White, which he paired with white sneakers and black pants. Chalamet took home an award for best male lead at the award ceremony. Timothee Chalamet at the Academy Awards in March 2018 Steve Granitz/WireImage Timothee Chalamet at the 90th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals The actor elevated his monochromatic game for the Oscars in 2018 with an ivory tuxedo by Berluti. The same night, the producer of Call Me By Your Name, James Ivory, wore a tux with Chalamets face printed on his button-down shirt. Timothee Chalamet at the Beautiful Boy premiere during Toronto International Film Festival in September 2018 GP Images/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the "Beautiful Boy" premiere during 2018 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. For the premiere of Beautiful Boy at the Toronto Film Festival, Chalamet wore an all-black outfit accented by white splatter patterns throughout. He completed the Ackermann-designed look with Christian Louboutin boots. Timothee Chalamet at the Beautiful Boy premiere during the 66th San Sebastian International Film Festival in September 2018 Juan Naharro Gimenez/WireImage Timothee Chalamet attends the 'Beautiful Boy' premiere during the 66th San Sebastian International Film Festival on September 24, 2018. Brightening up his look from the previous premiere of Beautiful Boy, Chalamet wore another unique suit. This time, he opted for a gray-blue suit embroidered with bright red cherry blossoms and birds designed by Alexander McQueen. Timothee Chalamet at the premiere of Beautiful Boy during the BFI London Film Festival in October 2018 Tim P. Whitby/Tim P. Whitby/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the UK Premiere of "Beautiful Boy" & Headline gala during the 62nd BFI London Film Festival on October 13, 2018. Chalamet turned the florals up a notch for the London premiere of Beautiful Boy. Still wearing Alexander McQueen, this time, Chalamet's look was covered in large red blooms from head to toe. Timothee Chalamet at the Golden Globe Awards in January 2019 Timothee Chalamet at the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards, Arrivals, Los Angeles, USA - 06 Jan 2019 Chalamet made a simple all-black ensemble become the talk of the Golden Globe thanks to the addition of a sparkly harness, which was designed by Virgil Abloh. Timothee Chalamet at the Critics' Choice Awards in January 2019 Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Timothee Chalamet attends the 24th annual Critics' Choice Awards on January 13, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. He turned to another bold Alexander McQueen number for the Critics' Choice Awards in 2019, Chalamet wore a silk black suit that acted as a canvas for orange and blue paint-like streaks. Timothee Chalamet at the premiere of The King during the Venice Film Festival in September 2019 Elisabetta A. Villa/WireImage Timothee Chalamet 'The King' red carpet during the 76th Venice Film Festival in September 2019 In September 2019, Chalamet turned yet again to his trusted monochromatic outfit formula, but with a twist. In another Ackermann look, Chalamet went with an all-silk metallic suit with a loose-fitting top and pants, all tied together with a silk belt. He cuffed his slacks to show off the shiny cowboy boots he wore to complete the look. Timothee Chalamet at the premiere of The King in Australia in October 2019 Don Arnold/WireImage Timothee Chalamet attends the Australian premiere of THE KING at Ritz Cinema on October 10, 2019. Chalamet walked the red carpet in a royal blue outfit that he paired with ankle-high black boots. This brightly colored look was also designed by Ackermann. Timothee Chalamet at the Little Women premiere in December 2019 Dominique Charriau/WireImage Timothee Chalamet attends the "Little Women" Premiere on December 12, 2019 in Paris, France. The actor wore a few pink looks during his Little Women press tour, but this magenta number takes the cake. Chalamet wore a loose-fitting fuschia Stella McCartney set with pants cut-off at the ankle to show off his slightly heeled boots. Timothee Chalamet at the Academy Awards in February 2020 Kevin Mazur/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the 92nd Annual Academy Awards on February 09, 2020 in Hollywood, California. Chalamet channeled comfort with an athleisure-inspired outfit for the 2020 Academy Awards. He wore a white button-up underneath a navy jacket and accessorized with a Cartier brooch. Timothee Chalamet at a Dune photocall in September 2021 Kristy Sparow/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the "Dune" photocall At Le Grand Rex on September 06, 2021 in Paris, France. The Dune press tour in 2021 saw Chalamet in plenty of unique outfits. For this photocall, he wore a denim-colored Tom Ford suit with a silk purple lapel with a white button-up underneath. He paired the outfit with classic black shoes. Timothee Chalamet at the Met Gala in September 2021 Mike Coppola/Getty TimothAe Chalamet attends The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 13, 2021 i Who other than Chalamet can pull off sweatpants at the Met Gala? The actor wore a white Ackermann blazer with sweatpants and white high-top Chuck Taylors to complete the look. Timothee Chalamet at a Dune photocall in London in October 2021 Tim P. Whitby/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the Dune Photocall in London on October 17, 2021 in London, England. The star shined in bright blue and yellow hues for a Dune photocall in October 2021. The floral ensemble was designed by Stella McCartney. Timothee Chalamet at the Academy Awards in March 2022 Kevin Mazur/WireImage Timothee Chalamet attends the 94th Annual Academy Awards on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. Chalamet decided to ditch the button-up undershirt for this shirtless blazer look. The Louis Vuitton suit consisted of an embellished jacket paired with classic black pants and shoes. To make up for the lack of a shirt, Chalamet wore two white gold Cartier necklaces. Timothee Chalamet at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in March 2022 John Shearer/Getty Timothee Chalamet attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. Chalamet strayed away from his colorful and comfortable classics and rocked an all-leather biker look to the Vanity Fair Oscars Party later that evening. Timothee Chalamet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival in September 2022 Daniele Venturelli/WireImage Timothee Chalamet attends the "Bones And All" red carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival Chalamets outfit for the 79th Venice International Film Festival was one to remember as the actor matched the red carpet in a sleeveless (and backless!) blouse. He paired the top with a matching scarf, trousers and black boots. Timothee Chalamet at the premiere of Bones and All at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2022 Neil Mockford/FilmMagic Timothee Chalamet a attends the "Bones & All" premiere during the 66th BFI London Film Festival on October 08, 2022. For the premiere of Bones and All, Chalamet wore a sharp-edged, all-white suit by Alexander McQueen. He accessorized the look with a diamond bone-linked necklace, which was very fitting for the film. Timothee Chalamet at a Bones and All photocall in November 2022 Ernesto Ruscio/Getty ROME, ITALY - NOVEMBER 12: TimothAe Chalamet attends the "Bones And All" photocall at Hotel De La Ville on November 12, 2022 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images) Chalamet attended a Bones and All photocall in Rome in a grayscale look. The star was photographed in a gray ombre sweater printed with hearts. He paired the more casual look with black leather pants, pointed-toe boots and a diamond choker. Timothee Chalamet at the premeire of Wonka in London in November 2023 Neil Mockford/FilmMagic Timothee Chalamet at the "Wonka" World Premiere at The Royal Festival Hall on November 28, 2023 in London, Chalamet rocked a magenta Tom Ford suit to the world premiere of Wonka, a similar shade to the jacket he wore throughout the film. He accessorized with a bejeweled Cartier necklace, which included pink tourmalines and blue opals. The brown Chelsea boots with a slight heel complemented the vivid tone of the suit. Timothee Chalamet at the premiere of Wonka in Paris in December 2023 THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Timothee Chalamet poses on the red carpet upon arrival for the Premiere of the film "Wonka" on December 1, 2023 in Paris, France. By opting to nix accessories for this look, Chalamet made his beaded, sheer top the star of the show at the Wonka premiere in Paris. He paired the top with silk black pants and shiny black loafers. Timothee Chalamet at the Golden Globe Awards in January 2024 Amy Sussman/Getty Timothee Chalamet attend the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 07, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California Chalamet's sequined blazer by Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane was the star of his look for the Golden Globes in 2024. He topped it off with a Cartier diamond necklace. The actor received his third nomination at the 2024 Golden Globes for his role in Wonka. Timothee Chalamet at a photocall for Dune: Part Two in London in February 2024 Dave Benett/WireImage Timothee Chalamet attends the London Photocall for "Dune: Part Two" at IET London on February 14, 2024 in London, England. Sticking with the muted, neutral colors usually worn by Chalamet on the Dune press tour, he wore a scalloped cream-colored long-sleeved top paired with brown leather pants and boots to the Dune: Part Two London photocall. Timothee Chalamet at a press conference for Dune: Part Two in February 2024 Han Myung-Gu/WireImage Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet attend the "Dune: Part Two" press conference on February 21, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. For the press tour stop in Seoul, local designer Juun J designed a grayish-blue leather jumpsuit for Chalamet. Costar Zendaya twinned with Chalamet in a similar look, except her monochrome outfit was a shade of light pink. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. The pantry is where you stockpile your culinary arsenal. It's a trusty storage space for everyday ingredients, as well as long-forgotten ones that you only use once every blue moon. While there are many essential pantry foods, canned peppers may not be on your list as one. Spicy, savory, sweet, and smokey, if you're looking to spruce up a dish, they are the perfect flavorful flare. There are many varieties to experience as well, each of which has a unique taste. No matter where your palate falls on the Scoville meter, the perfect pepper exists. Beyond boosting flavor, canned peppers are loaded with capsaicin, which is responsible for the heat sensation you experience when consuming them. Capsaicin is believed to improve heart health, reduce joint pain, and increase weight loss. For taste, temperature, and nutrients, peppers are easily the best option. What's more, canned peppers offer all those things and have a longer shelf life. They also require less preparation than fresh ones, which means less time in the kitchen. Here are canned peppers that we recommend stocking your pantry with. Read more: 21 Delicious Ways To Use Up Leftover Rice Add Piquant Pizzazz With Hatch Green Chile Peppers HATCH product shot - HATCH Originating from New Mexico's Hatch Valley, hatch chiles are a variety of green peppers grown in volcanic soil. They perfectly complement savory dishes and taste like a mix between green bell peppers and jalapenos, with an earthy flavor that's sweet, smokey, and subtly citrusy. Considered a milder chile, green peppers usually range from 1,000 to 8,000 on the Scoville meter, which is comparable to a poblano on the low end and jalapeno on the high end. While you can certainly find them fresh, a better alternative is to purchase them in the can. Hatch green chile peppers are common ingredients in American Southwest and Northern Mexico cuisines but can elevate countless recipes. You can blend Mexican and Italian flavors by adding canned green chile to marinara. It not only kicks the heat up a notch, it makes the sauce more zesty and crave-worthy. Turn canned hatch green chiles into a delicious sandwich spread as well. Hatch green chile jam is a sweet and spicy condiment made with apples, jalapenos, sugar, and vinegar. Those are but two of the many ways to use this piquant pepper. Try adding it to mac and cheese, soups, stews, dips, mashed potatoes, and more. Chipotle Peppers Give Dishes A Smokey Kick chipotle peppers in adobo - Louella938/Shutterstock There's something irresistible about smokey-flavored foods and when it comes to peppers, chipotles hold the crown. You may be surprised to hear that chipotle peppers are actually jalapenos that have been smoked and dried. While the spiciness is similar, chipotles have sweetness and increased depth of flavor due to the smoking process. The taste is mild and ranges between 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville units. Canned chipotle peppers are a surefire way to amp up the flavor of your favorite dishes. Marinated in adobo sauce, the savory infusion further boosts flavor, making it a finger-licking addition to your cooking process. Adobo sauce is made using spicy red chili powder, sweet tomatoes, and tangy vinegar. It has a chunky consistency similar to a thick barbecue sauce, that is great for spicing chili up, giving fish tacos extra oomph, putting a fiery spin on mac n' cheese, and creamy tomato pasta. Be warned though, as canned chipotle peppers are a bit spicy, especially when paired with adobo sauce. If you have a sensitive palate but still enjoy the chipotle flavor, you can remove them from the sauce and eat them separately. Roasted Red Peppers Can Elevate Endless Recipes Mezzetta roasted red bell peppers - Mezzetta Red peppers are one of the most versatile ingredients. From fresh cut and dried to pepper flakes and paprika, each form is tasty and useful. Red peppers are especially delicious when roasted. With a zestful smokiness, they can give your usual favorites a vibrant boost. Roasting them is straightforward, but you can avoid the cutting and seed removal with canned roasted red peppers. Besides being a necessary pantry staple, canned roasted red peppers can save you time. There are a variety that grocery stores carry; whole peppers, sliced, and also peppers flavored with olive oil or garlic marinade. Its charred vegetal sweetness was made to pair with fresh deli sandwiches, tuna salad, and pastas, and can even be turned into a delicious Middle Eastern dip. In other words, there's no limit to using canned roasted peppers. Romesco sauce, which goes great on salads, grilled veggies, and pizza, can also be made from roasted red peppers. Turn The Heat Way Up With Habanero Peppers La Costena product shot - La Costena Store For those with leather tongues and high heat tolerances, look no further than habanero peppers. Guaranteed to keep you warm and cozy, it's around 76 times more sweat-inducing than jalapenos peppers and ranges between 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units. The hottest variety of habanero is volcanic by comparison, reaching up to 140 times the heat of the mildest jalapeno. Flaming lips aside, these piquant peppers pack more than heat and offer a smokey citrus-like taste. The best way to taste test habaneros is by including them in recipes alone, we recommend keeping a glass of milk nearby. Habaneros are one of the best ways to add flavorful heat to dishes, and like others, can be found pre-canned or pickled. The latter variety has less of a kick, though offers a unique tangy flavor that goes great with other foods. Canned habanero peppers have a wide range of uses. Mango and habanero sauce is an easy way to liven up the palate. If pickling is your thing, celebrity chef Carla Hall created a spicy pickle-habanero brine that can be used to marinade roasts, flavor salads, and more. Keep Pickled Jalapenos For Spicy Tangy Potato Salad Pickled jalapenos in bowl - Jiri Hera/Shutterstock A classic dish is classic for a reason. That means that it's tried and deliciously true. Dependable taste aside, there's nothing wrong with switching things up here and there. You can put a new spin on an old-school classic by introducing different ingredients. Take potato salad for example, an American comfort staple that's ideal for flavorful reinterpretation. Give your everyday potato salad a tangy twist with canned pickled jalapeno peppers. The spicy pickle taste pairs well with the vinegary zest of traditional 'tate salad, giving it a spicy kick. Refreshingly creamy mayo balances the spicier notes too, adding more complexity to the overall recipe. It's just one of a multitude of mouthwatering ways to use canned pickled jalapeno peppers. There are many ways to enjoy the pickle and cream duo as well. Spruce up your charcuterie board with pickled jalapenos and goat cheese spread. For a hearty excursion, try elevating white chili with this spicy creamy pair. Or, if you prefer hands to utensils, pickled jalapeno, and goat cheese cornbread will likely blow you away. Roasted Poblano Peppers Will Amp Up Hearty Dishes San Miguel product shot - H-E-B, LB When it comes to food that sticks to the ribs, nothing beats bread and potatoes. Beyond filling you up, both are neutral-flavored canvases that allow for all sorts of culinary painting. The kitchen is the best place to show off your creative side, and the artful use of canned peppers can turn a rough concept into a tasty masterpiece. To amp up your cornbread, look no further than canned poblano peppers. Similar in taste to green bell peppers, poblanos are its subtly spicy cousin. On the Scoville meter, they range between a mild 1,000 to 1,500 units. Fire-roasted poblanos are perfect for adding smoky earthy flavor to this chorizo cornbread stuffing recipe. Stuffing is usually hit-or-miss, but with this peppery infusion, it'll be the talk of the table. You can express the same culinary creativity with scalloped potatoes. It's a one-note dish that can quickly bore the palate. Trust us, canned roasted poblano peppers will be the life of your scalloped potato party. The best part is that it's an easy addition that only adds a few minutes to the overall process. Stock Pickled Banana Peppers To Flavor-Ify Future Meals Pickled banana peppers - Rich Carson/Shutterstock Your future self will thank you after you take our advice to keep your pantry stocked with pickled banana peppers. With a mild spiciness balanced with subtly sweet and tangy tones, they are just the refreshing kick you need. Appearance-wise, they are often mistaken for pepperoncini and Hungarian wax peppers. Banana peppers have more flavor than spice though, only reaching a humble 500 Scoville units. That makes them an ideal go-to for getting your pepper fix. While the fresh variety is perfectly suitable for enlivening your entrees, we recommend going the canned route. Pickled banana peppers are next-level toppings for sandwiches and salads. But that only scratches the capsaicin surface, these yellow beauties can be used for so much more. You can transform them into a crave-worthy hot pepper butter spread or introduce punch to your pasta, pizzas, freshly baked bread, or any recipe that could use a kick in the caboose. Give Mississippi Pot Roast A Zesty Pepperoncini Touch Aerial shot of pepperoncini - Katerina Maksymenko/Shutterstock The smell that emanates from the oven when cooking pot roast is the stuff dreams are made of. Savory, seasoned, and slow-cooked, it's a recipe that rewards patience with delicious satisfaction. A surefire way to make slow-cooking chefs salivate is with a Mississippi pot roast. Offering a complex array of flavors, the ingredients are simple and consist only of chuck roast, butter, gravy, buttermilk ranch mix, salt and pepper, and canned pepperoncini. Just make sure to put eight hours to the side, because that's what you'll need to tackle this delectable challenge. Fortunately, there's a similar recipe that can shave the cooking time in half. If you opt for chicken in place of beef, you can make the poultry version. Mississippi chicken is a lighter, though equally appetizing option. The ingredients are literally the same, except for the protein. Like the original, Mississippi chicken can be served atop mashed potatoes, roasted veggies or potatoes, and rice just to name a few. The best part about pot roasts is the leftovers, which can last up to five days when properly stored. Save Anaheim Peppers For Smokey, Sweet, And Subtle Spiciness Anaheim peppers grilling - SageElyse/Shutterstock Anaheim peppers are another recommended option for mild palates. Coming in low on the Scoville meter, they only clock between 500 to 2,500 units. That makes them a great flavor additive to your favorite eats. They are particularly common in Southwestern cuisine, used in salsas, chilis, stews, or simply stuffed with ingredients. Earthy and smoky, the taste is comparable to poblano and both can be used as substitutes for the other. There are two varieties of Anaheim peppers, the most common is green, and the other is the red-colored Chile Colorado (or California peppers), which get their red color from an extended ripening process. There are many reasons to keep your pantry stocked with canned Anaheim peppers, namely the countless crave-able recipes that you can add them to. Home chefs with time on their hands will savor this slow-cooked carne picada recipe. For an enchanting experience, Anaheim peppers are the star ingredient in New Mexican green chili. You can even kick the day in gear with an Anaheim pepper-infused egg scramble. Hungarian Wax Peppers Give Goulash A Gratifying Kick Hungarian wax peppers - Fotema/Shutterstock Humble comfort foods are known to be filling, flavorful, and fairly easy to make. In Hungary, goulash (referred to as gulyas) is a dish you must try and it's one of the most comforting dishes around. Although it can vary from region to region, it's basically a thick soup consisting of meat, root veggies, and peppers beef, pork, and lamb are the usual proteins. The dish is so popular that it inspired an American version, which is completely distinct, yet similarly stomach-stuffing. One major difference between the Hungarian and American iterations is the type of peppers they use. Hungarian wax peppers are a regional variety that locals enjoy for their mild yet flavorful taste. They closely resemble banana peppers, but trump them on the Scoville meter with 1,000 to 15,000 units. Along with goulash, the sweet heat of Hungarian wax peppers is commonly incorporated into sauces, soups, and salads. You can also roast or pickle them for an additional boost of "mmm" goodness. Rocoto Peppers Are Ridiculously Tasty For Recipes The Peru Chef product shot - The Peru Chef With thousands of pepper varieties in the world, why not break away from your regular go-to and try a lesser-known type? Rocoto peppers are orange-colored bulbous beauties bursting with spiciness. Their Scoville level is comparable to habanero and Scotch bonnet peppers, so if you can't take the tingle, you may want to save taste testing for a milder pepper. You can expect a whopping 30,000 to 100,000 units of tongue-blazing spice. That said, rocotos are pretty flavorful as well and bring to mind a combo of bell pepper, tomato, and habanero. This necessary pantry item is perfect for canning too. In Peru, it's a popular pepper that's used to make rocoto rellenos (or stuffed peppers), Peruvian sauce, and many savory meat dishes. Unfortunately, finding them here in the States may present some challenges. You'll need to scour local farmer's markets, as grocery stores here don't carry them. A quick online search should produce some results, though. Hot Pepper Jelly Is A Necessary Flavor Enhancer Hot pepper jelly on toast - WS-Studio/Shutterstock One unlikely canned pepper option that we highly recommend stocking in your pantry is hot pepper jelly. A spicy jelly may seem counterintuitive, but after it touches your tongue, it just might be your new jam. Hot pepper jelly is made using a combination of peppers (usually jalapenos, poblanos, and red bells), blended with apple cider vinegar, pectin, sugar, and salt. Its sweet and spicy profile drizzled atop a block of cream cheese is a chef's kiss. And that's just one of the endless ways to incorporate it into your daily eats. With a long shelf life and a wide range of applications, you'll be smothering everything with hot pepper jelly. In only 30 minutes, you can enjoy it with toast, blended into salad dressings, as a glaze for meats, or for adventurous palates, with vanilla ice cream. To make it all you need to do is blend the ingredients together then cook them in a skillet with sugar and salt until everything emulsifies. Once ready, empty the jelly into a mason jar and boil the jar in water for 15 minutes. Let it sit for 24 hours before opening to enjoy. Hot pepper jelly can last for up to a year if properly stored. Serrano Peppers Are A Spicy Condiment For Countless Dishes Canned serrano peppers - Walmart Another pantry must-have is serrano peppers. Widely available, they resemble smaller and thinner jalapeno peppers, yet are hotter, fruitier, and more complex flavor-wise. On the Scoville meter serranos range from 10,000 to 20,000 units and get hotter the smaller they are. While these Mexican-borne peppers have many similarities, serranos still offer a distinct experience. From marinades and salsas to delectable glazes, a pantry without canned serrano peppers might as well be an empty closet. You should store these earthy delights for many reasons, but one especially delicious incentive is so that you can make homemade giardiniera. Giardiniera is a spicy pickled mixture of vegetables that's most commonly used as a topping for sub sandwiches. More specifically, it consists of cauliflower, red pepper, carrot, celery, garlic, and the star of the show, serrano peppers. Beyond sub sandwiches, giardiniera can elevate any of your favorite sammies. For Authentic Chicago-Style Hot Dogs, Use Sport Peppers Aerial shot of sport peppers - Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock Chicagoans are intimately acquainted with peppers, as they are a prominent feature of the city's famous style of hot dogs. If you've yet to experience a Chicago-style dog, you're in for a world of flavor. Unlike typical ballpark franks, these dogs are loaded with peppers, pickle spears, tomato slices, chopped onions, sweet relish, yellow mustard, and celery salt. Another thing that makes them special is the type of pepper used: sport peppers. Similar to serranos but smaller and less spicy, their official name is the "Mississippi sport pepper." These Midwestern delights are pickled in a vinegar brine and are widely available at grocery stores in Chicago. Sadly, you may have trouble locating them outside of the city's borders but they can be ordered online. They fall in the medium range Scoville-wise, ranging between 10,000 to 23,000 units. Along with Chicago-style dogs, sport peppers are tasty toppers for sandwiches and pizza, too. Read the original article on Tasting Table. All of my favorite grocery stores (Costco, Aldi, and Target) have one thing in common: Food isnt the only thing for sale. While its part of my job to grocery shop, checking off all of my errands in one stop really is a nice perk. After picking up a new waffle maker, a birthday gift for an 8-year-old, and shampoo, I made room in my cart for the weeks groceries. At Target, I always check out the Good & Gather items (one of Targets private labels and a brand that Ive loved for years). The quality is top-notch for staples like these frozen stir-fry vegetables, frozen appetizers to serve at parties, and other fun foods that spark my culinary creativity. Here are three new (or new-to-me) dinner finds from Target. Bonus: Theyre all less than $5 each. Credit: Patty Catalano Credit: Patty Catalano 1. Good & Gather Four Cheese Gnocchi Id blame my kids for the fact that we eat pasta and cheese once a week, but the truth is, I love it too. Targets Good & Gather Four Cheese Gnocchi is everything we love about cheesy pasta upgraded. Tender pillows of gnocchi and a cheese sauce made from Asiago, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, and Grana Padano cook in 10 minutes or less. Serve this imported Italian side dish with pan-seared salmon, quick-cooking shrimp, or simple baked chicken thighs. Buy: Good & Gather Four Cheese Gnocchi, $4.99 for 22 ounces Credit: Patty Catalano Credit: Patty Catalano 2. Good & Gather Steam-in-Bag Grain & Roasted Vegetable Blend This bulgur and roasted vegetable side dish is a lifesaver on nights when I have mere minutes to prep dinner. The bulgur is light and tender with generously sized bites of roasted zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, and onion studded throughout. The dish relies on the flavors of the grain and veggies, so its versatile to pair with a variety of proteins. The 12-ounce bag feeds the two adults and two young kids of my family just fine, but if there are bigger appetites at your table, pick up a second bag. At less than $3 a bag, its still a great deal! Buy: Good & Gather Steam-in-Bag Grain & Roasted Vegetable Blend, $2.89 for 12 ounces Credit: Patty Catalano Credit: Patty Catalano 3. Good & Gather Signature Tomato, Garlic & Calabrian Chile Spread A spoonful from this little jar makes even the simplest bowl of pasta taste magical. How they pack so much flavor into this spread is a mystery, but one Im happy to keep tasting until its solved. The basil, garlic, and tomato paste give the spread a familiar Italian vibe, but its unlike any other sauce Ive tried, thanks to the addition of Calabrian chiles. Dont worry the sauce isnt too spicy. The chiles add just the right amount of balanced heat for stirring into pastas and soups, or adding as a spread for sandwiches, spooning over eggs, and seasoning salmon. Buy: Good & Gather Signature Tomato, Garlic & Calabrian Chile Spread, $4.99 for 6.35 ounces What are your favorite new dinner staples to buy at Target? Tell us in the comments below! Even though many of the items you buy are regulated, recalls are not irregular in the retail world. Most of the time but not always recalls are related to safety. Safety is particularly important when talking about food; to that end, in the 2020s, there have been over 400 FDA-issued food recalls a year. The most common reason food is recalled is undeclared allergens, which have the potential to get dangerous and deadly fast. Other reasons include bacterial contamination or foreign objects in the food. Walmart, the world's largest retailer, has encountered its fair share of food-related recalls over the years. The list below is certainly not exhaustive, but it highlights some of the most noteworthy cases involving this store with an untold truth of the last couple of decades. These are recalls in which large batches of items were recalled or people got sick, or in some cases, the reason behind the recall is just a bit bizarre. Read more: 12 Rules Shoppers Must Follow At Costco Peanut Butter (2006) Peter Pan peanut butter on shelf - Bloomberg/Getty Images In 2006, Walmart recalled peanut butter due to a Salmonella Tennessee contamination. The outbreak resulted in 628 reported cases of salmonellosis across 47 states. The CDC and state health departments identified peanut butter brands Peter Pan and Great Value, produced at ConAgra's Georgia facility, as the outbreak's origin. An epidemiologic study and product testing confirmed the link between these brands and the outbreak, leading to significant legal and safety scrutiny in the peanut butter industry. This discovery led to a widespread recall all products with a code beginning in 2111 and an $11.2 million settlement by ConAgra, marking the largest criminal fine in a U.S. food safety case. The outbreak was attributed to facility issues, including a leaky roof, which allowed moisture to facilitate the growth of salmonella. According to the CDC, "Peanuts can become contaminated with salmonellae during growth, harvest, or storage, and the organisms can survive high temperatures in a high-fat, low-water--activity environment." Yikes. Maybe you should just grow your own peanuts and then make the peanut butter yourself. Romaine Lettuce (2018) heads of romaine lettuce - Bhofack2/Getty Images When in 2020, Tanimura & Antle, a Salinas, California-based produce company, issued a recall for nearly 4,000 cases of romaine lettuce due to potential contamination with E. coli O157:H7, it affected products distributed to over 1,000 Walmart stores across the United States. While no deaths were reported, 12 people in California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia got sick. Of them, five were hospitalized. The recall specifically targeted single heads of Tanimura & Antle branded romaine lettuce in clear plastic bags with specific sell-by dates. These products reached consumers across a wide range of states including Virginia, Arkansas, California, and others, extending to Puerto Rico. Just two years prior, after another E. Coli scare involving romaine lettuce, Walmart had implemented blockchain technology to trace leafy greens. The company aimed to quickly track produce from farm to store to improve food safety. The new technology required Walmart's suppliers to trace their leafy greens back to the original farm within seconds, whereas before they were allowed days. Frozen Meat Patties (2019) frozen meat patties - Yevhen Prozhyrko/Shutterstock In 2019, Walmart initiated a recall of more than 6,400 pounds of Walmart's Great Value brand frozen meat (produced by George's Prepared Foods) for possible salmonella contamination. The recall was issued after it was discovered that products meant for disposal due to positive salmonella tests were accidentally distributed across the country instead. The USDA urged consumers to either dispose of or return the affected products to the store. Luckily, no illnesses were reported in connection with this incident. However, salmonella can often lead to salmonellosis, which can lead to illness, such as diarrhea so severe you may need hospitalization. But 2019 is not the only time Walmart's gotten in trouble with its meat. Just three years later, Walmart was affected by a 120,000-pound ground beef recall that hit other stores such as Target and Weis Markets. Hundreds of Walmart stores had to recall beef due to the risk of E. coli. Frozen Berry Mix (2013) frozen berries - Scott-cartwright/Getty Images In 2023, Walmart faced a recall of frozen berry mixes containing strawberries grown in Mexico due to possible contamination with hepatitis A. The voluntary recall from Walmart supplier Willamette Valley Fruit Co. happened after a larger outbreak was investigated, involving 10 cases of hepatitis A across four states (California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington) linked to frozen organic strawberries imported from Baja California, Mexico. The outbreak spanned from November 24, 2022, to May 27, 2023, resulting in four hospitalizations but no fatalities. All affected individuals had consumed frozen organic strawberries, leading to an investigation by the CDC, state public health and regulatory officials, and the FDA. This probe identified the strawberries as the likely outbreak source, connecting them to a common farm. The strawberries were sold under multiple brand labels to various retailers. The Walmart products recalled were Great Value Sliced Strawberries, Great Value Mixed Fruit, and Great Value Antioxidant Fruit Blend. They were sold in Walmart stores in more than 30 states. Infant Formula (2019) infant formula - New Africa/Shutterstock In 2019, Perrigo issued a recall of Choice Advantage Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron, which is sold at Walmart. The recall was due to the potential contamination of a single lot with metal foreign matter, identified through a customer complaint. Though no adverse events were reported, the recall was launched as a precautionary measure. The specific lot affected was marked with Lot Code C26EVFV and a "use by'' date of February 26, 2021. Consumers in possession of the product were instructed to cease use immediately and return it to any Walmart store for a full refund. This response was coordinated in close consultation with the FDA. The recalled lot of this formula included 23,388 containers. However, it's not just Walmart that's had to deal with infant formula recalls. Since 2022, there's been a spate of formula recalls around the country. However, most of those have been due to bacterial contamination and not risk of foreign object presence. Ground Turkey (2011) ground turkey in package - Merrimon Crawford/Shutterstock In 2011, a significant Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak linked to ground turkey resulted in 136 reported cases across 34 states, according to the CDC. This particular strain was resistant to several antibiotics, potentially increasing the risk of hospitalization for those affected. Investigations pinpointed a production establishment as the source, leading to a massive recall of about 36 million pounds of ground turkey products by Cargill to mitigate further illness. The recalled products included brands like Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms at Walmart, and Fit and Active at Aldi. The outbreak spanned from February 27 to September 13, 2011, with patients ranging from less than one to 90 years old. Of those with available information, 39% were hospitalized, and one death was reported. Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation expanded the recall by an additional 185,000 pounds of ground turkey products in September after further testing at their facility confirmed the presence of the outbreak strain, which was also found to be multidrug-resistant. And, in case you haven't lost the stomach for ground turkey, check out some awesome ground turkey recipes. Prepackaged Salad Mix (2024) Bacon Ranch Crunch Salad Kit - Justin Sullivan/Getty Images In February 2024, Walmart recalled two of its Marketside salad kits, Bacon Ranch Crunch Salad Kit and Southwest Chopped Salad Kit, due to a potential risk of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The two salad kit recalls affected over 20 states. In fact, a recent surge in recalls, sparked by listeria detection at Rizo-Lopez Foods in California, has impacted bagged salads and chicken taco kits sold at other major retailers like Albertsons and Costco. Interestingly, the CDC links this current outbreak to two deaths and 23 hospitalizations over nine years, with 26 people affected since 2014. Investigations revealed a connection between the illness and consumption of queso fresco and cotija cheeses, with listeria found in aged cotija cheese leading to a significant recall. The outbreak is tied to a persistent strain of listeria identified at the plant, highlighting ongoing food safety challenges. About 1,600 people in the U.S. get sick from listeria yearly; of them, about 260 die, according to the CDC. Fresh Cut Fruit (2020) fresh cut fruit in containers - littlenySTOCK/Shutterstock In October 2020, Walmart supplier Country Fresh expanded a voluntary recall to encompass a range of Freshness Guaranteed cut and sliced fruit products, including apples, grapes, mangos, pineapples, and cantaloupe, distributed through Walmart due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. This recall was a precautionary action following the detection of Listeria on equipment in proximity to the product packaging area when the FDA identified the contamination risk during an inspection. There were no reported illnesses associated with this recall. Affected products, which were shipped to Walmart distribution centers and then to select stores in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas, were packaged in different sizes of clamshell containers. Walmart removed contaminated products from stores immediately since a listeria infection can cause harmful symptoms and can even result in death. Consumers were advised to either discard the fresh fruit products or return them to Walmart for a refund. 'Five Spice' Donkey Meat (2014) Five spice mix - chenfengchen/Shutterstock In 2014, Walmart China recalled its popular "five spice" donkey meat for containing fox DNA. The inclusion of fox meat, a much cheaper and less desirable product, indicated a significant breach in food safety and authenticity standards, leading Walmart to recall the affected product. An individual associated with the supplier's factory was detained due to fraud. The Shandong Food and Drug Administration confirmed the presence of fox meat in the products. Walmart responded to the controversy by offering refunds to customers who purchased the tainted product and collaborated with local food and industry agencies in Shandong province to investigate the Chinese supplier further. While donkey is a semi-popular snack in areas of China, fox meat is not. However, due to the fur trade, fox meat is cheap. Unfortunately, this is hardly the first (or likely, the last) case of fraudulent meat on the market. Per the U.K. Food Standards Agency via Time, about 10% of foods on the shelves are somehow tainted. Peppermint Flavored Baking Chips (2022) white chocolate chips in bowl - Michelle Lee Photography/Shutterstock In 2022, Walmart and Lily's Sweets initiated a recall for 18,855 cases of 7-ounce Peppermint Flavor Baking Chips due to undeclared soy lecithin. This recall was specifically aimed at protecting individuals with severe allergies or sensitivities to soy, a common allergen that can lead to serious health issues. The product, a limited holiday seasonal offering, was available exclusively at Walmart stores across the United States. The need for this recall was identified after consumers reported finding white candy pieces mixed with the peppermint chips. Lily's Sweets later said it had found the contamination occurred at a co-manufacturer. These white disc-shaped candy pieces mixed in with the peppermint contained soy lecithin and other ingredients not listed on the packaging. Undeclared allergens are the leading factor for food recalls, so it's no surprise that at least one incident would make its way onto the list of Walmart's biggest recalls. Packaged Chicken Nuggets (2010) chicken nuggets and ranch - Moving Moment/Shutterstock In 2010, Walmart was compelled to recall 91,872 pounds of frozen chicken nuggets after the discovery of small pieces of plastic within the product. The plastic could have potentially harmed consumers. The recall, announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), was a response to consumer complaints but, fortunately, did not result in any reported injuries or illnesses. The affected product was the Great Value Fully Cooked Chicken Nuggets produced by Perdue Farms, Inc., packaged in 1-pound, 13-ounce bags with a use-by date of June 9, 2011. These bags, identifiable by the establishment number P-33944 and case code 89008 A0160, were produced on June 9, 2010, and distributed in cases of eight to Walmart stores across the country. Besides being a choking hazard, plastic isn't good for you, especially when heated, says Harvard Health Publishing, so it's a good thing no one was hurt. Baby Breakfast Cereal (2021) bowl of baby cereal porridge - Magone/Getty Images In 2021, Maple Island Inc. initiated a voluntary recall of three lots of Parent's Choice Rice Baby Cereal, manufactured for Walmart, due to potential arsenic contamination. This action came after routine FDA sampling found levels of naturally occurring inorganic arsenic above the established guidance in samples from three production lots. Distributed nationally through Walmart stores and online, Walmart has since removed the product from shelves and implemented a register block to halt further sales. The recall, advised by the FDA and conducted with their knowledge, targeted specific 8-ounce lots sold after April 5, 2021. Despite tests on raw materials and finished products complying with FDA guidelines, the recall was issued as a precautionary measure to ensure consumer safety. The FDA acknowledges that trace elements like arsenic are common in the environment, including water, soil, and food, but emphasizes the importance of minimizing exposure to toxins to protect the developing brains of infants. Frozen Vegetables (2016) frozen peas - John Shepherd/Getty Images In 2016, Walmart and Target, amid a broader wave of food safety concerns, recalled a variety of frozen vegetable products over potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination, a serious health hazard. This action came in the wake of similar alerts from Costco regarding its frozen fruits and vegetables. The recalls at Target involved specific Market Pantry items, whereas Walmart's recall affected more than 20 Great Value brand frozen vegetables, including green peas and mixed vegetable lots, sold from September 2015 to June 2016. Although there were no reported cases of illness, the recalls were precautionary and aimed at averting any risk of listeriosis. Consumers holding any of the recalled items were encouraged to return them for a full refund, with detailed information available on the FDA's website. According to the FDA, Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks in the United States have often been linked to fruits and vegetables, with dairy products and meats being the other biggest offenders. Mac & Cheese (2016) Macaroni and cheese in a ramekin - Linus Strandholm/Shutterstock In December 2016, TreeHouse Foods Inc. issued a secondary recall for various mac and cheese products it produced, including Walmart's Great Value brand, due to potential salmonella contamination linked to powdered milk from Valley Milk Products LLC. It was one of many secondary recalls following the FDA's discovery of salmonella in the latter company's powdered milk. The FDA ended up seizing 4 million pounds from Valley Milk. TreeHouse's nationwide recall affected one Walmart product: Great Value Macaroni & Cheese Original Cups. However, the recall was for mac and cheese cups of nine different "best by" dates. The companies advised consumers to throw away any product they might have or return it to the store for a refund. Salmonella is associated with fever and gastrointestinal problems and can pose a high risk to older people, infants, and those with weakened immune systems. Luckily, no illnesses were reported in association with this recall. Pancake & Waffle Mixes (2022) Pancake batter in bowl - Sokor Space/Shutterstock In 2022, producer Continental Mills recalled pancake and waffle mixes sold under Kroger and Walmart's Great Value brands due to the discovery of cable fragments from equipment in the products. While the Kroger mix was only distributed among select states, the Great Value mix was available in Walmart stores nationwide. The recall on Walmart products affected mixes with one UPC and those with "best by" dates of September 1, 2023. No one reported eating the contaminated product or being injured by it. Continental Mills did not explain how the mixes became contaminated. However, James E. Rogers, Ph.D., Consumer Report's director of food safety research and testing said, "Pieces of conveyor belts, plastic-coated cables, and other parts of machinery can contaminate food if they fail during the packaging and manufacturing process." Customers who purchased the potentially contaminated product were offered refunds when they returned the product to the store. Onions (2021) Onions in a bowl - Marko Jan/Getty Images In 2021, a significant Salmonella Oranienburg outbreak was linked to fresh onions from Chihuahua, Mexico. The CDC reported that 892 people across 38 states and Puerto Rico got sick. The onions included ones imported by ProSource Produce LLC and Keeler Family Farms. Those onions were then distributed to nationwide retailers, including Walmart. Walmart's recall involved onions from several stores in Oklahoma and Texas, the states where 36% of the people got sick. Walmart also recalled onions from one store in Kansas. At the time, onions of many varieties red, white, yellow, and sweet were recalled nationwide. The FDA said the onions were not just in stores but in many food service products. Meanwhile, the CDC warned that the outbreak was especially severe, with an unusually high hospitalization rate. They urged people to thoroughly clean their onions before use. Other major companies affected by this recall included Green Giant, Target, and HelloFresh. Read the original article on Mashed. Maybe you have your favorite: Cheetos, Chex Mix or something else. But what is Delaware's top snack? With National Snack Day on March 4, it can be hard to choose, but no worries, researchers have put together a list of the top snacks in each state. HubScore, a data company, analyzed 20 trending snacks, listing the top five favorites for all 50 states. What is Delaware's favorite snack? According to the 2024 data, Delaware's favorite snack is Doritos, which was the second most popular in the country. Delaware's favorite snack is Doritos. More: What Halloween candy does Delaware love best? It's on a map The top favorite snack across America are Rice Krispies Treats, which came in first place for 18 states, including Pennsylvania, Maine and Washington. The rest of Delaware's top five are as follows: 2nd: Rice Krispies Treats 3rd: Cheetos 4th: Cheerios 5th: Fritos Delaware is not alone in loving Doritos states like Maryland, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia and the District of Columbia all agree with Delawareans. Find the top-five picks for nearby states below the graphic. What is Pennsylvania's favorite snack? Pennsylvania, a bordering state, had slightly differing favorite snack ratings. The state's list is as follows: 1st: Rice Krispies Treats 2nd: Doritos 3rd: Cheetos 4th: Cheerios 5th: Starburst What is New Jersey's favorite snack? New Jersey is the only state to pick Cheerios as its top snack. Here are the state's favorites: 1st: Cheerios 2nd: Lays 3rd: Starburst 4th: Goldfish 5th: Pringles What is Maryland's favorite snack? Maryland has the same top-three picks as Delaware. Here is what's on the state's list: 1st: Doritos 2nd: Rice Krispies Treats 3rd: Cheetos 4th: Goldfish 5th: Cheerios What is Delaware's favorite candy? According to other data from HubScore, Delaware's favorite candy is Milky Way, with the rest of the list as follows: 2nd: Snickers 3rd: M&M's 4th: Starburst This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: National Snack Day: What is Delaware's favorite snack? Mifepristone will soon be available (with a prescription) at some CVS and Walgreens pharmacies. (Getty Images) Mifepristone, a drug thats typically used in combination with another drug called misoprostol in medication abortions, has been under fire ever since Roe v. Wade, which protected the right to abortion in the United States, was overturned in 2022. According to the Guttmacher Institute, medication abortion is the most common abortion method in the U.S., surpassing surgical abortions for the first time in 2020. Mifepristone is currently in the middle of a political tug of war, with some conservative states seeking to restrict or eliminate access to the abortion pill, while other states are trying to protect and expand access. Also, the Biden administration has recently allowed certified pharmacies to dispense medication abortion. Heres what you need to know. What is mifepristone? Mifepristone is a medication that effectively blocks the hormone progesterone and can be used, in combination with misoprostol, to end a pregnancy up to the first 10 weeks of gestation. When someone first gets pregnant, there are a lot of changes in hormones, and one of the most important hormones at the beginning of a pregnancy is progesterone, Dr. Jessica Shepherd, an ob-gyn, tells Yahoo Life. Shepherd explains that progesterone helps sustain a pregnancy, while mifepristone has an anti-progesterone effect, essentially blocking the hormone from doing what it needs to do early in pregnancy, so it cant sustain the pregnancy. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Mifepristone is exceptionally safe, says Shepherd, noting that the drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration since 2000. Its been used for decades, she notes. Its approved in nearly 100 countries. Womens health expert Dr. Jennifer Wider agrees, telling Yahoo Life, "Many, many studies have fully established the safety and efficacy of mifepristone. Recommended reading Whats happening with CVS and Walgreens selling abortion pills? On Friday, CVS and Walgreens two of the largest pharmacy chains in the U.S. announced that they will soon start selling mifepristone via a prescription in states where its legal to do so. Walgreens will begin dispensing the medication at select certified locations in New York, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois and Massachusetts within a week, while prescriptions will become available at CVS Health in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the weeks ahead, according to CVS spokeswoman Amy Thibault. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The Biden administration called the move an important milestone in ensuring access to mifepristone. Many experts applaud the decision. I think its good news and helps ensure womens reproductive rights, says Wider. Shepherd says that the move clearly shows that Walgreens and CVS are making a stance toward how can we get women the care they need? Its so imperative and so overdue. I look forward to seeing where its going and am hopeful it will expand to other states as well. Recommended reading Whats happening with the Supreme Court and mifepristone? After a federal judge in Texas ruled to suspend the FDAs approval of mifepristone in April 2023, which would have pulled the drug off the market, theres been an ongoing legal battle over access to the medication. In August 2023, an appeals court in New Orleans upheld some restrictions to the abortion pill essentially, banning telemedicine prescriptions and mail delivery of mifepristone. However, that ruling was put on hold until the Supreme Court could weigh in, allowing in the meantime access to the drug in states where abortion is legal. On Dec. 13, 2023, the Supreme Court agreed to hear appeals from the Biden administration and mifepristone manufacturer Danco Labs, both of which seek to reverse those restrictions. This will be the first time Supreme Court justices will weigh in on abortion since overturning Roe nearly two years ago. The court is expected to hear arguments beginning March 26. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Recommended reading Why it matters Experts say that patients should have access to mifepristone, with Shepherd calling it a reproductive justice issue. She notes that obstacles have been put in the way in states with abortion restrictions and that access to the medication provides ways for people to make decisions for themselves. Wider agrees, saying: Access to mifepristone is very important because its use accounts for more than half of medical terminations across the country, and its safe and effective. She adds: It allows women to make these choices without putting themselves at risk. Late last year, NYU doctor Kanokporn Tangsuan died of a severe allergic reaction after dining at Disney Springs' Raglan Road Irish Pub. Now, her husband is suing. According to the official complaint, which was filed earlier this week, Tangsuan repeatedly warned staffers of her severe allergies to nuts and dairy. In fact, she explicitly asked about specific menu items and whether they could be made without the harmful ingredients. NBC News reports that servers assured her she was safe to consume the vegetable fritter, battered scallops, vegan shepherd's pie, and onion rings that the couple ordered. Tangsuan and her husband, Jeffrey J. Piccolo, reportedly inquired "several more times" about the allergens and were told they were "unequivocally safe." Sadly, that was not the case. Tangsuan died that night due to anaphylaxis. After leaving the restaurant around 8 p.m., Tangsuan's husband went back to the hotel while she stayed behind to go shopping. She began experiencing difficulty breathing around 8:45 p.m. and went to a nearby restaurant where she collapsed. She was "suffering from a severe acute allergic reaction to the food served at Raglan," the lawsuit reports. She administered her EpiPen and was rushed to the hospital, where she later passed away. Piccolo was alerted to the medical emergency when he tried ringing Tangsuan's cell phone and a bystander answered. He rushed to the hospital, but she had already died. Despite repeated assurances that the food was free of allergens, the autopsy report found both dairy and nuts in her system. The lawsuit names both the restaurant and Disney Parks and Resorts as defendants, and alleges negligence. Piccolo is seeking $50,000 in damages. An investigator for the plaintiff's attorneys, Nicholas F. DeBellis, told NBC that the defendants have not yet been served the lawsuit and have not formally responded. However, their lawyers have communicated. A spokesperson for NYU Langone Health, where Tangsuan served as a physician, released a statement on Monday via email regarding her death. "We are saddened by Dr. Tangsuan's passing and our deepest condolences are with her family," a spokesperson wrote. You Might Also Like CAIRO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Cairo would host talks to reach a truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, Egypt's Al-Qahera News TV reported Saturday. The report, citing an Egyptian official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Egypt has extended continuous efforts to broker "a truce agreement" before the holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to start on March 11 in Egypt. The official noted that there is noticeable progress in the truce negotiations without giving details. He added that Cairo is seeking to reach "a fair agreement." Earlier this week, Al-Qahera reported that two rounds of talks were to be held in Qatar and Egypt respectively to continue what was discussed in the Paris meeting about reaching a truce deal. The talks would be participated by Egyptian, Qatari, U.S., and Israeli "specialists" and a delegation from the Gaza-ruling Hamas movement, said the report, citing an unnamed Egyptian official. It comes after an Israeli official told Xinhua that the war cabinet prepared to send a non-senior delegation to Qatar to discuss technical aspects of humanitarian issues in the deal. The deal that is expected to be reached involves a pause in the four-and-a-half-month war, the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, as well as increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel has been waging a war on Gaza after Gaza-ruling Hamas launched a deadly surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Since then, the conflict has killed 30,320 Palestinians and injured 71,533 in Gaza, the Hamas-run Health Ministry updated Saturday. How far would you travel to watch your next bespoke shirt being made? Some craft-conscious customers will hop over to London to visit Budd or Turnbull & Asser. Others fly to Naples to observe Luca Avitabile and other Italian makers in action. But a select group, it turns out, will journey as far as Amritsar, a city in northwestern India, near the countrys border with Pakistan. More from Robb Report We get a lot of customers, actually. They like to come and see us, says Varvara Jain, cofounder of 100Hands, the company she established with her husband, Akshat, in 2014. The couple previously worked in investment banking, but when Akshat began to crave a change from the corporate grind, he offered to take over a small shirt-making workshop his family owned in Amritsar where six workers made clothes for friends and relatives. With Varvaras supportshe leads sales and marketingAkshat has transformed the companys shirts into a staple for tailoring cognoscenti, with an international reputation for quality and a staff that now runs to 385 members. The only thing we care about is quality. Thats been our mantra from day one. The Jains are at the forefront of a new movement in luxury menswear that positions clothes made in India on par with similar wares crafted in France, Italy, England, and the U.S. Despite the negative headlines generated by the regions fast-fashion industry, India has a rich history in the apparel trade, replete with fabric weaving, intricate embroidery, and hand-sewing. High-profile European designers including Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Dior have quietly relied on Indian craftspeople to produce some of their most complicated designs for decades. Todays bright young things are much more open about doing the same: Bode, the award-winning New Yorkbased brand founded in 2016, is known for the patchwork jackets and embroidered pieces it makes in New Delhi. SMR Days, a U.K. operation started in 2020, is heralded not only for its commitment to sustainability but also for the complex bandhani (tie-dye) and arjak (block printing)both centuries-old Indian craftsthat give its airy shirts and trousers a distinct look. Were focused on making things in the best place that we can get it made, says Peter Middleton, whose New York Citybased label Wythe produces many of its updated takes on vintage Americana in India. Not as in the country, but as in a specific mill or a specific factory. If that factory happens to be in Chennai, thats OK. Whitcomb & Shaftesburys Chennai workshop employs 28 tailors, each trained by Savile Row veterans. But for every 11.11 or 18 East (Western brands that contract with Indian facilities), there are now independent operations going one better. Like 100Hands, these companies have established purpose-built workshops to make shirts, suits, and shoes under their own labels and are setting new standards for ethical employment and manufacturing as they go. The ambition was always to make the finest shirts, says Jain, dialing in from Amsterdam, where she and her husband met. That meant crafting made-to-measure and bespoke examples exclusively by hand, which is what led to the brands name: Fifty skilled individuals are involved with the production of every shirt. Customers can buy its ready-to-wear at 145 stockists across the globe, including the Armoury in New York City, starting around $300. The custom versions, which require getting measured at one of the companys biannual trunk shows in New York or at a participating retailer, are available in two grades of manufacturing: Black Line and Gold Line. In both cases, we hand-draw the patterns and hand-cut [fabric] individually, Jain says. In the Black Line, we hand-sew the fronts, the collar attachment, gussets, and the sleeves. In the Gold Line, we [hand-] sew everything that we think is beautiful to show. Which effectively means that nearly everything is done by hand and the quality of stitching is so fine you can struggle to see it without a magnifying glass. Black Line shirts start at $345 and require around 16 hours to produce, while a Gold Line shirtyours for $495 or morebenefits from up to 36 hours of handwork. (The esteemed Parisian shirtmaker Charvet, by comparison, offers ready-to-wear shirts from around $495, and its custom jobs can cost more than $600.) SMR Days, a London-based brand, is known for using Indian printed fabrics. In addition to quality, 100Hands is also committed to retaining staff. Rather than being paid per piecewhich is common in Indian clothing manufacturing and incentivizes speed over qualityemployees are salaried. Pensions are provided for all staff, and health-care coverage extends to their immediate families. Clearly, it works: The business has developed so robustly that the couple have started to build another factory. Some of Indias luxury-menswear operations have taken a longer route to competing on a global scale. In the case of Whitcomb & Shaftesbury, a bespoke tailor with workrooms in London and Chennai, its understandable. Brothers Suresh and Mahesh Ramakrishnan had just established the brands presence in England when the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami swept across large parts of Southeast Asia, at which point they saw an opportunity to do some good by producing garments in their homeland. They approached the charity Children of the World, which was serving people whod been affected by the disaster and teaching them new craft skills. One of the things we thought about was, rather than build a business and write a check for charity, why couldnt we actually make that part of our business? Suresh says. The pair set up a workshop in Chennai, a city on Indias southeast coast, and dispatched London tailors to teach the new hires. The plan wasnt without its challenges. It took a long time to get to the point where we were really happy with the quality, Suresh notes. The pieces of many Whitcomb & Shaftesbury bespoke suits are cut in London then sewn in India. Yet after four years of training their Indian team and getting the product just right, the brothers made the Chennai workshop the production facility for the companys Classic Bespoke garments, whose component parts are cut by hand in Mayfair and sent east to be sewn. Prices for a two-piece suit start at $4,100. (For clients who want everything made in London, it also offers what it calls a Savile Row Bespoke alternative that starts at $6,500, even though the brand is not located on tailorings most famous street. For comparison, the suits from Huntsmans highest-level bespoke service can cost around $8,000.) As with 100Hands, Whitcombs handmade tailoring is impressiveand, like the shirtmaker, the recipient of a Robb Report Best of the Best award. The Ramakrishnans attribute their success to a sort of workroom buddy system. Of Whitcombs 28 tailors in India, around half are now experienced master tailors who each supervise one or two apprentices, which encourages staff to pass on knowledge. It also helps to ensure maximum consistency for clients, who can place orders in London or get measured during one of the teams regular trips to New York, Boston, and Beverly Hills. Thanks to placement in menswear tastemaker the Armoury and biannual trunk shows in New York, 100Hands has become a favorite of the cognoscenti. We have complete control over quality and our method, says Mahesh. We always try and keep the same coat-maker for the same customerif the customers happy with the coat, we always try and keep that. To keep the staff happy and focused on the highest level of craftsmanship, the company offers salaries, as well as health care and similar benefits to those of 100Hands. If we pay a piece rate, subconsciously, staff are motivated to produce more, and quality takes a back seat, Mahesh says. The only thing we care about is quality. Thats been our mantra from day one. Indias up-and-coming luxury brands can dress you from head to toe. Founded in 2011, Bridlen is the brainchild of the late manufacturer Hasan Kolandaiveedu and Japanese bespoke shoemaker Jose Maria Watanabe. Today, the companys Chennai factory employs 50 people and is run by Hasans son, Affan, who joined the company in 2015 with a degree from the London School of Economics. As per his fathers wishes, Affan started on the factory floor and learned the business from the ground up; he now oversees the annual production of around 10,000 pairs of Goodyear-welted shoes designed by Watanabe. The goal is to create footwear that can stand up to its English or American counterparts. To that end, the brand uses European shoemaking techniques and leathers from artisanal tanneries such as Charles F. Stead, a supplier to Trickers, Lucchese, and Stefano Bemer. Bridlens made-to-order shoes are designed by the highly regarded Japanese cordwainer Jose Maria Watanabe. Kolandaiveedus environmental-studies focus has come in handy for increasing the businesss efficiency and eco-friendliness. I started a project early on to make us a close-to-zero-waste factory, he says. Now, 93 percent of Bridlens raw materials is either recycled or repurposed, and the factory doesnt create any chemical waste. I was able to call up the right people to make sure that these products had a proper end-of-life disposal system, Kolandaiveedu adds. What Bridlen has achieved in a relatively short period is impressive. Its made-to-order goods, which are sold online directly to consumers, borrow from the aesthetic and construction of true bespoke shoes. Take the Founders Line, an experimental collection that enables Kolandaiveedu and Watanabe to test fresh designs and manufacturing techniques while encouraging their craftspeople to learn new methods. Their business model allows for the flexibility to do just that, at the same time keeping prices relatively low. Whereas a Western heritage brand such as Churchs or Ferragamo might charge around $1,000 for a pair of oxfords, many of Bridlens wares come in around $300. Bridlens whole-cut oxfords and other made-to-order styles emulate the look and technique of bespoke shoemaking. Mr. Watanabe kept reminding me, Dont expect to be Crockett & Jones in 10 yearsit took them 200 years to get there, Kolandaiveedu recalls. His goal is simply to be compared to Western labels as an equal. If that takes us another 20 years, Ill enjoy every day getting us there. Set against the full landscape of Indias clothing output, these brands are just dots on the map, but they reinforce a valuable lesson. Dont paint a whole country with one brushstroke, says Suresh Ramakrishnan of Whitcomb & Shaftesbury. There will always be pockets of excellence. For centuries, the fashion industry has relied on Made in Italy or Made in England labels to imply a garments superiority, as though only Italians can produce good shoes or Brits can tailor fine suits. In a globalized society, its an entirely reductive view of luxury menswear. People said the same thing about Italian wine, Suresh notes. They pooh-poohed that and then did the same thing with Californian wine until it won the blind tasting Judgment of Parisit took a blind tasting to open peoples eyes. Fortunately, you can see just how good Indias burgeoning menswear is with your eyes wide open. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Its tax season, and for many people that means a whole lot of financial stress. But thats only if youre working to file your taxeswhich many arent. Over the past few years, thousands of people making $400,000 or more havent filed their tax returns, The Washington Post reported on Thursday. That includes some 25,000 cases involving people who earn more than $1 million, and 100,000 cases with people bringing home $400,000 to $1 million. More from Robb Report They forget one year, and then the next year, they say, Well, if I file now, Ill get in trouble for the year before, Pretty soon, 15 or 20 years later, theyre in a lot worse trouble, Robert Kovacev, a former attorney for the Department of Justice, told the Post. While the IRS had previously been silent on the issue, the agency said on Thursday that it would start sending notices to people making more than $400,000 who did not file at least one tax return from 2017 to 2022. Once someone receives the letter, theyll have about two months to file their missing return. If they dont, the IRS may take further action, which could include filing a substitute return for them and levying the taxes owed from their paycheck or bank account. When people dont file their taxes, they need to know theres a consequence, Danny Werfel, the IRS commissioner, told The Washington Post. The IRS will send out 125,000 notices in all, but some could be going to the same person if they didnt file a return in multiple years. Cumulatively, Werfel said, the missing returns include hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid taxes, on more than $100 billion of income. Yet few will lead to any criminal tax-evasion cases. Part of the reason the IRS hasnt pursued these non-filers in the past few years is because the agency hasnt had the money or resources to do so. In 2022, though, Congress authorized the IRS to receive an extra $80 billion over 10 years, although that was later decreased to $60 billion. Still, the influx of money has allowed the agency to staff up and work to retrieve the millions of dollars in taxes its missed out on. For Americas ultra-wealthy, the bill is finally coming due. Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Jared Leto has recently taken to his Instagrm to reveal a first look at Disney's upcoming highly anticipated sequel to the Tron franchise. The latest installment, Tron: Ares carries on the AI-inspired storyline and has officially begun shooting in Vancouver, Canada. Leto is slated to star as Ares, the protagonist and computer program that was sent from the digital world to the real world. Ares is sent on a mission to introduce artificial intelligence to humans, a plot that appears almost too real in this day and age. The film is a follow-up to the 1982 seminal sci-fi Tron as well as the 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy. The original film followed a video game designer, played by Jeff Bridges, who entered his own creation while the 2010 sequel followed his son, played by Garrett Hedlund. With Ares, the film is set up to spend more time in the real world. Ares is directed by Joachim Ronning and stars Leto alongside big names like Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan and Gillian Anderson. Tron: Ares is slated to release in 2025. Truman Capote was famous for the friendships he cultivated with powerful womenespecially the society doyennes portrayed by Naomi Watts, Demi Moore, and others in Feud: Capote vs. the Swans but one of his most enduring relationships was with a young woman from Long Island named Kerry OShea. She was the daughter of Capote's on-and-off-again lover John OShea , and they became friends after she reached out to him for career advice when she a teenager. Capote invited her to come have lunch with him in New York City and they quickly hit it off. Capote introduced her to his famous friends and helped her find work as a model and she eventually moved into his apartment in the United Nations Plaza and lived with him as a sort of protege and adopted daughter. He encouraged her to chronicle her new life in a diary and change her name for her career. Soon Kerry OShea became Kate Harrington, Capotes constant companion at lunches and nightclubs. Courtesy of FX In Feud, Harrington is played by Ella Beatty, the 24-year-old daughter of Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, and her characterwho features this week in episode sixreveals a different, more compassionate side of Capote. Over the years Harrington, who now lives in New Mexico, has been a moderating voice in the dissection of Capotes legacy. While others focused on his tiny terror reputation and the fallout from the publication of the "La Cote Basque, 1965" excerpt in Esquire, Harrington has spoken about his loyalty and good advice. In a 1984 New York piece called Un-Answered Prayers , she told writer Julie Baumgold, He was my mentor. With all his enfant terrible behavior, with me he was not that way. He protected me at Studio 54. He taught me what to read, took me on shopping sprees. Ron Galella - Getty Images Harrington was also a central character in The Capote Tapes, Ebs Burnoughs 2019 documentary, in which she described Capotes tireless efforts to help her expand her horizons. Slowly, slowly, slowly my whole world began to change, she told Burnough. He opened up the doors of literature, dance, art, music, fashion, and meeting all kinds of accomplished people. In Feud, the Harrington character needs all the help she can get. "I'd let my hair fall naturally," Lee Radziwill (played by Calista Flockhart) advises Harrington when she stops by her and Capote's table at a restaurant. "You're not in the Daughters of the American Revolution." You Might Also Like Courtesy of Crunchyroll Megan Thee Stallion just shut down the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024, wearing a look once again inspired by JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. The rapper made her way to Tokyo, Japan, to serve as a presenter at the awards show and made sure her look didn't go unnoticed when taking the stage on March 2, 2024. To close out the ceremony, Megan graced the stage wearing an outfit inspired by JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's Bruno Bucciarati, complete with a blunt short bob and a tight corset top under a wrap-around white leather dress. Megan Thee Stallion Transforms Into JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's Bruno Bucciarati for Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024 See Photos Screenshot/YouTube, courtesy of Crunchyroll Megan Thee Stallion Transforms Into JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's Bruno Bucciarati for Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024 See Photos Screenshot/YouTube, courtesy of Crunchyroll Megan Thee Stallion Transforms Into JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's Bruno Bucciarati for Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024 See Photos Courtesy of Crunchyroll Of course, this isn't the first anime-inspired outfit the star rocked during her time in Japan. A day before the Anime Awards, Megan also took to social media to show off the Gojo Satoru 'fit she rocked during rehearsals for the ceremony and while wandering around the Japanese capital. Megan took inspiration from the special-grade sorcerer and teacher, one of the main characters of Gege Akutami's shonen series Jujutsu Kaisen, to inspire her look, which featured the same fang nails she first debuted in mid-February. She posed with her index and middle finger interlocked, mimicking the move required to activate Gojo's domain expansion, Unlimited Void. Meg's Gojo get-up consisted of a long, icy platinum blonde wig with bangs, a cropped leather turtleneck jacket with matching low-rise flared pants that perfectly showed off her navel piercing, and, of course, a black blindfold to cover her eyes. She also had not one but two pairs of sunglasses, another Gojo essential, as backup. "I keep swapping between them, Megan told Teen Vogue backstage about her look, where she also waxed poetic about her love for Jujutsu Kaisen, which she namechecked as the perfect starter anime for people who want to give the genre a try. Jujutsu Kaisen is the hottest anime right now. It's the best! Well, let me not talk a bunch of sh*t on my other ones because I love them as well, but Jujutsu Kaisen is my favorite right now, Megan added. Period. Real hot girl sh*t. The second season of Jujutsu Kaisen which aired from July 6 to December 28, 2023, on Crunchyroll was up for 17 awards during this year's Anime Awards, including Best Continuing Series, Best Animation, Best Character Design, and the coveted top prize of Anime of the Year, which Megan herself presented to Jujutsu Kaisen when rocking her Jojo's look. Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more style stories from Teen Vogue? Check these out: "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Meghan Markle joined her close friends Heather Dorak and Kelly McKee Zajfen on a ski vacation with their families. In Instagram posts published last night, both Dorak and McKee Zafjen shared the same snap of the three women with a snowy backdrop. Meghan bundled up in a long, black Aritiza Super Puff, a Monclear wool beanie, and Monclear gloves. She accessorized with her Blenders "Grove" sunglasses. For a California resident, Meghan Markle had quite a chilly month of February. After a trip to Canada with Prince Harry celebrating one year to go until the 2025 Invictus Games, the Duchess of Sussex joined her close friends Heather Dorak and Kelly McKee Zajfen on a ski vacation with their families. In Instagram posts published last night, both Dorak and McKee Zafjen shared the same snap of the three women with a snowy backdrop. Meghan bundled up in a long, black Aritiza Super Puff, a Monclear wool beanie, and Monclear gloves. She accessorized with her Blenders "Grove" sunglasses. The Super Puff Long Shop Now The Super Puff Long aritzia.com $350.00 Wool Cable-Knit Beanie Shop Now Wool Cable-Knit Beanie https://www.neimanmarcus.com $325.00 Padded Gloves Shop Now Padded Gloves bergdorfgoodman.com $950.00 Grove Sunglasses Shop Now Grove Sunglasses blenderseyewear.com $59.00 In her Instagram, Dorak wrote, "Wow, what a perfect trip!! My heart is so full. The kids crushed the slopes by day and the adults howled with laughter deep into the night. Truly lucky in love with our wonderful friends!" In her post, McKee Zajfen called the vacation "one for the books." She added, "Beyond grateful for the best of friends! What a trip! Thank you doesnt even begin to express what my heart is feeling after this trip. The love of family time, adventures, and belly laughs made this trip one for the books! Here's to many more adventures with friends that feel like family and appreciating each day." Based on the other photos both women posted, it appears that they were vacationing at Powder Mountain in Eden, Utah. Both Dorak and McKee Zajfen wrote about the vacation being family trips, so there's a good chance Prince Harry, Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet were also there, but they were not pictured in any of the snaps. You Might Also Like When beauty editor Dianna Mazzone Singh moved into a modern apartment in Manhattans Soho neighborhood, she was met with a challenge many renters face: making the apartment feel like it reflected her and her husbands style without making permanent changes. However, finding temporary ways to personalize the space was exciting. Name a renter-friendly hack, and weve probably tried it! We used peel-and-stick tiles on our kitchen backsplash and applied peel-and-stick wallpaper in both the bathroom and bedroom, Singh wrote at the time of the tour. Because they couldnt make any permanent changes, this meant Singh was always on the hunt for renter-friendly tips. So, when she stumbled across a TikTok hack for hanging sconces without actually wiring them, she immediately sent it to Andrew, a New York City-based handyman assisting with updates. The trick was purchasing traditional sconces, removing the wiring, and installing them on either side of the bed. In place of the wiring, Singh purchased puck lights from Amazon (these are similar!) and popped them into the sconces. Brilliant Evolution Tap Light Push Lights $33.99 (was $39.99) at Amazon These faux sconces add a bit more of a bespoke look but didnt require any demo other than drilling a hole into the wall, Singh shared via email. But what made these lights extra special (besides being renter-friendly) was that they came with a remote that not only turns the light fixtures on and off with a press of a button, but also adjusts the brightness and color. It makes life easier while changing the vibe of the space. The remote control is super handy! Theres nothing worse than having to shuffle over to a light switch thats across the room once youre already settled in bed, Singh explains. The remote-controlled, temporary lights have kept Singh in good graces with her landlord but also lessened the chances of bumping into things in the darkness after switching off the lights. Plus, the lights make a big difference for a minimal cost (the two-pack of the bulbs cost less than $20). Buy: Brilliant Evolution Tap Light Push Lights, $33.99 (normally $39.99) Marilynne Robinsons writing career has, she admits, been one of going against the grain. In our largely secular, sceptical age, her novels address the kinds of questions about religion, the goodness of God, mercy that are widely considered irrelevant. If I had gone to my editor and said, I want to write a novel about a church minister dying in Iowa in 1956, she suggests, referring to the plot of 2004s Gilead, I think he probably would have said, Dear, maybe you should think about this. But I wrote the book first, and he was delighted to receive it. Such is the power of Robinsons prose which manages to enthrall while conveying deep moral seriousness and the uplifting dignity of her characters, that her editor no doubt felt the same when presented with the novels that followed. Home (2008), Lila (2014) and Jack (2020), all returned to Gileads Midwest American setting, each one homing in on a different character. Her books have sold millions of copies and won major prizes on both sides of the Atlantic; Robinsons name is now a fixture on the list of likely contenders for the Nobel Prize in Literature. A mother of two grown-up sons she divorced her husband, Fred, a fellow academic, in 1989 Robinson is unrepentant about doing things on her own terms, but not because she likes to be controversial. It is simply how she is wired. There is always an emerging consensus that you know how to join, she reflects, talking via Zoom from her handsome, book-lined, big-windowed drawing room in upstate New York. My impulse is always not to join, to head in the other direction, to the extent that it is reasonable and profitable intellectually. What I want to do with my life is what I want to do with my life. Im hedonistic in my own way. Robinson's books have sold millions of copies and won major prizes on both sides of the Atlantic - Farrar, Straus and Giroux At 80, Robinson may be single-minded and, by her own admission, reclusive, but she is also warm, funny and good company. She leans forward as she talks, her long grey hair worn youthfully loose, and peppers her remarks with wry laughter, often at her own expense. She leaves a pause after each of my questions to gather her thoughts before answering, and ends many of her sentences with an encouraging you know, as if gently to reassure me that I am keeping up. It is obvious why she was such a beloved teacher for 25 years at the University of Iowa, as an instructor on its celebrated Writers Workshop. America is a society where politicians of Left and Right still talk openly about religion, so her success there is arguably more understandable than here, where Tony Blair chose while Prime Minister not to do God for fear of putting off the voters. But, Robinson says, I dont think the difference between Britain and United States is perhaps as great as it has been historically, as far as this is concerned. In both countries, she believes, there is what she refers to as an almost clandestine, but nevertheless passionately held religious persuasion. I am not talking about crazy religion. I am talking about the kind that one could recognise as a legitimate heir of the better moments of religion, historically. 'A particular sort of truth': The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel - Lucas Schifres/Getty Images If church attendance is down, Robinson argues, that may have less to do with a collective loss of faith than with the failure of the institutional churches, to some of which perhaps collapse is the healthiest thing that could happen. She still considers herself a church-goer. (It is good to sit among other people and realise your mortality, she says. Its not an opportunity that presents itself often.) Although the combination of a recent house move and troublesome knees knees tell you many things about the transience of things means that she now tends to join online. Presbyterian by upbringing, she has been a Congregationalist in adult life, like Gileads minister, John Ames, but the good God she writes about is broader than any denominational tag. Retired from academia since 2016, Robinson is, she says tantalisingly, thinking about writing another novel. But I have reading to do, historical reading, before I feel I am able to do that. In the meantime, her extended essay on the first book of the Bible, Reading Genesis, comes out this month. Among the best-known of biblical texts encompassing the stories of Eden and Creation, of Noahs Ark and the Flood, Abrahams covenant with God and of Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt Genesis is of equal importance in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It couldnt be more primary, says Robinson. If you treat it as a sacred text, it is Gods self-introduction. For some fundamentalist Christians, it is fact. For non-believers, it is pure fiction. For Robinson, it is something in between a particular sort of truth. Science doesnt have all the answers, she adds, though I utterly love and admire it. 'God's not vengeful. It's a mistranslation': Marilynne Robinson - Alec Soth/Magnum Photos Whats more, Genesis has been, to her mind, consistently misrepresented. One of the important things for me to emphasise is that God is not punitive. He says, Thou shalt not, and people do it anyway, and he really doesnt bring down the hammer. But isnt the Old Testament God also at times vengeful? Those readings of him as vengeful are very often associated with bad translation, like the fact that the word is not vengeance, it is judgement. Genesis is also, for her, timeless in its relevance, and that includes for the choice that the United States faces in this years presidential election, where the battle will be particularly bitter in small-town Middle-Western America (as she calls it), the setting for her novels. Donald Trump, she says, is a very confused man. One thing you have to say about him is that he is not like other people. He is so bizarre. Everything that eddies around him is bizarre. He sets off an atmosphere that you would never have suspected was there. And, as a result, there are among his most loyal supporters people who claim to be Christians who are happy saying, we have a thug on our side. I would never have imagined that this type of thinking would develop among the tall-steeple, white-collar Middle Westerners. She pauses. God in heaven, as they say. In a recent interview, she described Joe Biden, a mass-going Catholic, as a gift of God. She shifts uneasily on the sofa when I mention it. I am very glad for the existence of Joe Biden but, with that remark, people heard it and put it into the context of fundamentalism. Its the kind of thing people say about Trump, to my horror. So I feel complicated about it. 'One thing you have to say about Donald Trump is that he is not like other people' - Alex Brandon She is increasingly worried that the United States is dividing into two camps. Here we are in America, put together from a million pieces, and such a jigsaw puzzle, and we now agree too much we have split in half, with people agreeing too much on one side and people agreeing too much on the other. The fault lies, she says, with both parties. It all relies on a worldview that excludes necessary information. It is a nightmare: here is this brimming energy across the borders of Europe, and people act like they just dont want to see that movie. Robinson has been close to the Obamas since the former president awarded her the National Humanities Medal in 2012, saying her books had changed him. Might Michelle Obama make a better Democratic candidate? I think she probably never wants to be president. Not only that, but inter-familial power groups are not healthy for democracy. That then leaves us with the question mark over the octogenarian Bidens senescence. She laughs. Im his age. People pass away but they do it at every age after birth. But Biden muddles his words in public. I do, too. Dont you? Its weighing one thing against another. In the first place, Trump is almost as old as Biden, and in the second, Biden is sane and Trump is very arguably not sane. That, for me, is a big difference. Reading Genesis by Marilynne Robinson (Virago, 25) will be published on March 14 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. When visiting Vietnam, venture beyond Ho Chi Minh City and the Buddhist pagodas to discover an example of human creativity and tenacity buried beneath the foliage. The Cu Chi Tunnels, located near Ho Chi Minh City, are a vast underground network that played an essential role in the Vietnam War. In addition to being a historical site, this intricate complex represents the Vietnamese peoples resolve. A Journey into the Past The story of the Cu Chi Tunnels begins in the late 1940s during the Indochina conflict. Initially, the tunnels were modest in scope, used primarily by Viet Minh guerrillas as hiding spots from French forces. However, as the Vietnam War intensified, the network expanded significantly, eventually spanning more than 150 miles. These tunnels served as living quarters, hospitals, supply routes, and command centers for the Viet Cong (VC). The tunnels also allowed them to launch surprise attacks and vanish without a trace. Visiting Cu Chi is an eye-opener. Crawling through the cramped tunnels makes you appreciate the underground workers resourcefulness all the more. The tunnels were constructed with minimal tools and resources. Yet, they included ventilation systems, booby traps, and even underwater entrances. No corner of the dark, claustrophobic halls fails to reveal the VC combatants ingenuity. A Teaching Moment The site has been conserved and altered so visitors can safely navigate some tunnels. You can crawl down the small corridors, discover hidden rooms, and even practice firing period-authentic weaponry on a regulated firing range. Guides, often descendants of VC fighters or locals with deep connections to the area, share poignant stories and insights that bring the tunnels history to life. These narratives add a deeply personal touch to the visit, transforming the tunnels from a historical curiosity into a profound human experience. Beyond the Tunnels The Cu Chi district offers more than just its underground attractions. The area is an example of rural Vietnamese life, with lush rice paddies, traditional villages, and markets. Many visitors combine their tunnel tour with a cultural immersion experience, sampling local delicacies like tapioca and tea or learning about traditional crafts and farming practices. For those interested in the broader historical context, the nearby War Remnants Museum and Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City provide compelling insights into Vietnams turbulent past. Combined with the Cu Chi Tunnels, these sites form a moving trio that recounts the tale of a nations struggle and resilience. Practical Tips for Visitors Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels is a unique adventure but requires some preparation. Here are a few tips to make your journey more comfortable and rewarding: Dress Appropriately: Wear comfortable, lightweight clothing and sturdy shoes. The tunnels can be hot and humid, so breathable fabrics are recommended. Bring Essentials: Pack water, snacks, and a small flashlight. While the tunnels are lit, additional light can enhance your exploration. Stay Safe: Follow all safety guidelines and instructions from your guide. The tunnels are safe to explore but still a complex underground system. Respect the Site: Remember that the Cu Chi Tunnels are not just a tourist attraction but a site of historical and emotional significance for many Vietnamese people. Plan Your Visit: Try to arrive early to avoid the crowds and the heat. Consider hiring a guide for a more insightful experience. A vacationing New Hampshire couple was charged $8,000 to change their flight home on a New Zealand airline in the wake of learning the wife had roughly four months to live. Todd and Patricia Kerekes, 60 and 75, had flown business class from New York to Auckland in January and were excited to start a 4-month long vacation. She, however, fell ill six weeks in and was subsequently diagnosed with terminal gallbladder cancer. Todd Kerekes followed the recommendation of their doctor and looked to change their return flight, calling Air New Zealand to help make the switch months for the first available flight. Right away on the first call I told them my wife was gravely ill, and we were on holiday and we needed to go back home, Todd Kerekes told Radio New Zealand. Todd and Patricia Kerekes flew Air New Zealand from NY to Auckland in January for a 4-month long vacation. AFP via Getty Images The frantic husband claimed there was little help from customer service and was required to pay roughly $8,000 to return to the US. It was a whole series of long pauses, and I couldnt tell whether they were conferring with co-workers or working at it on the computer, or what it was, Kerekes added. Sometimes the people would come back and basically tell me something I didnt want to hear, like it was gonna cost me $8,000 to change my flight. The charge was nearly half of what the couple had paid for the original return flight in Business Premium, which cost $23,000, even though he stated it was an emergency and didnt care where they sat on the plane. I was expecting a change fee, Kerekes told the New Zealand Herald, I was shocked. The airline has since apologized for the inconveniences the Kerekes faced and even gave a full refund to the couple. Shutterstock Todd Kerekes spent four hours on the phone with the airline while getting cut off three times. He was frustrated with the representatives as they never gave compassionate options nor asked for proof of his wifes diagnosis. They werent rude or unkind, but they were simply like, Look, this is the way it is and theres nothing we can do about it. And I was like, it was surprising to me that in a situation where I was that they couldnt be more helpful, Kerekes told RNZ. Kerekes was surprised by the interaction because up until that point every other person hes talked to while in New Zealand had been nice, far different than the people he was used to back in America. I grew up in New York, outside of New York City, and New Yorkers are unfriendly. We just tend to be brusque, Todd Kerekes said. But Kiwis are downright nice to the point where people were arguing with us that people arent really as nice as we thought they were. Its not right by any standards, and its definitely not right by Kiwi standards. Todd Kerekes says he was annoyed by how long it took to get the new seats, as every second with his wife is now more valuable. I resent having that four hours taken away from whatever time I would have spent [with] her, and I do not appreciate the aggravation that my wife had to go through for this. The couple eventually agreed to pay for the seat changes to fly back to New York on Feb. 26. The airline has since apologized for the inconveniences the Kerekes faced and even gave a full refund to the couple. Its clear we fell short of expectations and our compassionate care policy was not followed in this case, Air New Zealand general manager Alisha Armstrong said in a statement obtained by RNZ. We have reached out to Kerekes to apologize and issue a full refund for the additional costs incurred to change their original flights. Our compassionate fare policy is in place to support our customers in times of unexpected medical emergency or bereavement to book a last-minute flight or provide flexibility to easily make changes to existing bookings. Once again we apologize for how this case was handled and our thoughts are with Mrs Kerekes at this time. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (C) arrives to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkiye, on March 1, 2024. Lavrov on Friday said the French president didn't misspeak over the possibility of NATO sending troops to Ukraine, noting that the troops were already there unofficially. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) ANTALYA, Turkiye, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday said the French president didn't misspeak over the possibility of NATO sending troops to Ukraine, noting that the troops were already there unofficially. "I don't think he misspoke," Lavrov said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, in response to the disputed remarks of Emmanuel Macron on Monday, in which he said "everything that is necessary" must be done to ensure the defeat of Russia, including deploying troops. The Russian foreign minister said that Russia has evidence of the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine. He cited Ukraine's utilization of long-range weapons, which he claimed the country lacks the capability to operate, as an example. Macron's remarks have been rejected by several NATO countries, who said that they had no plans to send troops to Ukraine to fight against Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkiye, on March 1, 2024. Lavrov on Friday said the French president didn't misspeak over the possibility of NATO sending troops to Ukraine, noting that the troops were already there unofficially. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkiye, on March 1, 2024. Lavrov on Friday said the French president didn't misspeak over the possibility of NATO sending troops to Ukraine, noting that the troops were already there unofficially. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) Since Barstool Sports president Dave Portnoy picked up his new dog in mid-February the internet has gone into a frenzy, and everybody is obsessing over the adorable Miss Peaches. Miss Peaches is an American pit bull who was rescued in Atlanta by LifeLine Animal Project alongside 26 other dogs from a neglect, hoarding, and breeding situation. Portnoy debuted her online when he picked her up and has since gotten millions of views on her photos and videos. He even made Miss Peaches her own Instagram account @famousmisspeaches which has grown to 569,000 followers in only a couple of weeks. Embedded content: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3_CbMHPmzf/ He announced on Instagram on Tuesday that he raised $277,000 for LifeLine through T-shirt and sweatshirt sales on Miss Peaches' merch section of the Barstool website. Basically, in a couple of short weeks, she has stolen the hearts of those all across the internet, inside and outside of the Barstool audience. "Dave, thank you for rescuing and especially rescuing a sweet pittie," commented one follower on the Miss Peaches Instagram. "Thank you for advocating for us pitties!" said another. This rally and positive conversation around a pit bull is not something that you always see. In recent years, pit bulls have been sometimes met with fear, banned or restricted in some states, cities, and countries, and made numerous headlines after attacking someone. This is until a pup like Miss Peaches comes around. Her calm demeanor and sweet face do not strike fear in most people, and it begs the question, should people be scared of pit bulls and similar breeds? The conversation around pit bulls Pluto the 4-year-old pit bull who was rescued and rehabilitated by Steve Del Savio of Pack Leader Dogs in New Jersey. Pluto is currently up for adoption through PupStarz Rescue. According to Steve Del Savio, founder and head trainer at Pack Leader Dogs in Hoboken, you should not necessarily be afraid of any dog, especially based on their breed. What you should do is pay attention to each individual dog's energy and behavior. "If a human raises a dog to be highly aroused, they nurture chaos, live in a chaotic environment and their energy is anxious, nervous, chaotic, it is likely going to create a dog or a pit bull who is going to be intensely aroused which can lead to aggression," said Del Savio When it comes down to it a pit bull is likely going to do some behaviors more intensely than some other breeds but no different than other powerful breeds like German shepherds, rottweilers or bulldogs. Pure aggression is going to come from the environment surrounding the pit bull. Del Savio compared the way that we look at dog breeds to the way that people often look at each other and making judgments. With dogs, we look at a pit bull or a rottweiler and immediately think they will be aggressive, when that is not always the case. "Look at Miss Peaches, she is reserved, soft, gentle energy, but she is still a pit bull. But then you see on television the other pit bull that attacked a person at the park. Miss Peaches requires a completely different type of energy and training than a dog who is attacking people on the street," said Del Savio. "At the end of the day we're all animals, so why don't we understand each other based on individual energy. How we look at breeds like put bulls is just an extension of what humans to do each other onto dogs." Rescue, rehabilitate and re-home Del Savio shared his own successful; rescue stories which he described as "rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home" situations. Working with a rescue called PupStarz, Del Savio was able to take in a dog named Pluto that was considered a "red zone dog." This specific dog he found in Brooklyn at the ASPCA. Pluto is a pit bull who had been in the shelter for six months, had a bad reputation, and was going to be put down the next day. "I saw him, and he was a highly aroused dog, very charged up, and most people saw an aggressive pit bull. What I saw was a frustrated dog who didn't have leadership," said Del Savio. Del Savio took him home to his ranch in New Jersey, trained and rehabilitated him, and within a week he was a whole different dog. Pluto has been with Del Savio now for a few months and he is up for adoption through PupStarz Rescue. This is the third high risk dog that Del Savio has rescued and rehabilitated, the first two he adopted himself. "When people say 'pit bulls are this' I say which one? To me, this is way deeper than just judging breeds and the discussions of banning them," Del Savio said. "To me it is more of a representation of a failed approach of humans that we keep doing over and over again which is judging based on these classifications that dont tell us much." What to consider before rescuing or adopting According to Del Savio, the most important thing to consider when taking in a dog is compatibility and picking a dog that matches your energy, the energy of your home, your lifestyle and how much time you have. For someone who has space, time, and is a high energy person a dog like a German shepherd might be a great fit because they can provide that dog with what they need. If you live in the city in a small apartment and are a low energy person, a German shepherd is likely not the right dog for you. So, not only does a dog need to match your energy but, according to Del Savio, you need to know your own personal limits and make sure that you have the means and energy to give that dog what it needs. Every breed and every individual dog are going to be different. Local rescues and shelters If you are interested in rescuing or adopting a pet or donating to rescues and shelters here are a few of the many local options: Jersey Pits Rescue: jerseypitsrescue.com Ramapo-Bergen Animal Rescue in Oakland: rbari.org St. Huberts Animal Welfare Center in Madison: sthuberts.org FOWA Animal Rescue in Wayne: fowarescue.org North Star Pet Rescue in Boonton: northstarpets.org Randolph Regional Animal Shelter in Mendham: randolphregionalanimalshelter.org Eleventh Hour Rescue based in Morris County: ehrdogs.org The Bergen County Animal Shelter: co.bergen.nj.us/animal-shelter-adoption-center This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Miss Peaches the dog, and the conversation surrounding pit bulls DENVER (KDVR) A grand jury indicted a dozen people for an alleged conspiracy to steal construction materials from across the Denver metro area, according to the 20th Judicial District Attorneys Office. According to the indictment, the group would scout lumber yards or locations with building materials. After finding a target, the crime ring members would return at night and complete the thefts, often utilizing a lookout during the crime, according to the DAs office. Colorado pie shop to reopen after employees foot went through damaged floor The investigators found that often the group would cut a hole in the fence of a property to access the materials intended for theft. The group would load the stolen building materials into various vehicles, including rented U-Haul trucks, and leave. Investigators allege that the building materials were often put in various storage units across the metro area, and subsequently posted for sale on social media platforms. The crimes occurred in many communities across the Denver metro area, including Adams, Boulder, Douglas and Denver counties. The ring, dubbed the night siders enterprise, allegedly stole materials valued at over $310,000. Property damage from the thefts totaled approximately $15,000. The group is facing charges under Colorados Organized Crime Control Act for engaging in a pattern of racketeering as an enterprise. Download the FOX31 App: Breaking news alerts & Pinpoint Weather The case was presented to a Boulder County grand jury and on Feb. 23, the grand jury returned indictments on all 12 defendants. So far, 11 members of the crime ring have been arrested. The following is a list of the defendants and their bond amounts: Abiel Castillo-Medina $500,000 cash only Jesus Castillo-Medina $500,000 cash only Arturo Reza Olivan $25,000 cash, surety or property Alejandro Pineda-Vergara $25,000 cash, surety or property Esperanza Hernandez $25,000 cash, surety or property Wilfredo Martinez-Castejon $500,000 cash only Bryan Macias Espinoza $25,000 cash, surety or property Samuel Pineda-Vergara $50,000 cash, surety or property Manuel Cardoza-Peregrino $35,000 cash, surety or property Rubi Rivera $25,000 cash, surety or property Jose Pineda-Vergara $25,000 cash, surety or property One defendant remains at large, and the name is not being released currently. All twelve defendants, if convicted, face a sentence of up to 24 years in prison on the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act charges as well as additional prison sentences on felony theft charges. Colorados inmate population has grown for the first year since COVID The case investigation was led by the Lafayette Police Department, with the assistance of Adams County Sheriff and the Boulder County District Attorneys Office. The prosecution will be in Boulder County courts. The Lafayette Police Department values our communitys safety and security. The outcome of this large investigation was the result of solid teamwork by area law enforcement agencies, led by the members of the City of Lafayette Police Department, said Lafayette Police Chief Rick Bashor in the Boulder DAs release. We appreciate the hard work and dedication from everyone involved to make this a success. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Thousands of people demonstrate against the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in front of the Duisburg City Theater. The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) had called for the rally under the motto "Duisburg is really colorful". Christoph Reichwein/dpa Some 15,000 people took to the streets of Duisburg on Saturday, police said, to show their support for diversity and opposition to far-right extremism. That far exceeded the 5,000 who were registered for the gathering, a police spokeswoman said. The German Trade Union Federation (DGB) had called for the demonstration for social cohesion and against exclusion, hatred and hate speech. The union was joined by a broad alliance of political parties, charitable organizations, clubs and associations to send a "clear signal for a vibrant democracy," the DGB said in a statement. Thousands of people have been demonstrating nationwide in favour of democracy - and against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) - for weeks. The protests were triggered by a report by a media outlet about a radical far-right meeting in Potsdam in November, attended by AfD lawmakers as well as from the centre-right Christian Democrats. They discussed a secret "masterplan" to deport migrants on a large-scale. Ever since people have begun to take the streets in growing numbers. Welfare organizations in Bochum and Herne have called for the formation of a human chain on Sunday, under the banner "Side by side for democracy and humanity." The aim is for participants to form a 7-kilometre link between the two cities' town halls. Meanwhile, Family Minister Lisa Paus called for more support for those who are campaigning for democracy, tolerance and against far-right extremism. Stable support structures are needed, Paus said on Saturday as a guest speaker at the state party conference in Cottbus. She paid tribute to the federal "Live Democracy!" programme but given the precarity of financing, she called for a law to promote democracy as an instrument. The government has launched a draft law on the promotion of democracy, aiming to better finance associations and organizations that work to strengthen democracy, social diversity and the prevention of extremism. Thousands of people march through the city with signs during a demonstration against the Alternative for Germany (AfD). The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) had called for the rally under the motto "Duisburg is really colorful". Christoph Reichwein/dpa Kaliyah King Magee was just a few weeks shy of her fifth birthday when prosecutors say she was beaten to death Dec. 16, 2022, while in the care of Winston Chambers and Princess Arredondo. Chambers and Arredondo each pleaded guilty to criminal charges in her killing. Princess King now has a tough time trusting people. There was no shortage of people who, looking back, say they were willing to watch her daughter, Kaliyah King Magee, at a moment's notice. Cousins, aunts, myriad family and friends, a doting grandmother they all say they were willing to step in to babysit the bright, sometimes-precocious 4-year-old, on any day for hours, even days at a time. On Dec. 16, 2022, King had placed her daughter in the care of Princess Arredondo, a longtime friend. Arredondo's boyfriend, Winston Chambers, would be there, too. Helping to watch over her. On Friday, Arredondo and Chambers stood in front of a judge, each wearing jail jumpsuits, and answered for their roles in little Kaliyah's death. Chambers, 30, of Milwaukee, pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless homicide as a party to a crime and to neglecting a child where the consequence is death. Caretakers 'utterly failed' to uphold duty to protect Kaliyah King Magee Prosecutors believe Chambers punched, kicked and delivered other vicious blows that rendered Kaliyah unconscious and caused her brain to swell. Arredondo and Chambers' mother, Corinne Beechtree, both reached plea deals with prosecutors last year and agreed to testify against Chambers. They were sentenced Friday: Arrendondo, 30, of Milwaukee, was ordered to serve 10 years imprisonment and five years extended supervision for pleading guilty in June to neglecting a child in which the consequence is death. She also received 7 years of initial confinement and five years extended supervision for pleading guilty to a count of child abuse/failing to prevent harm. The sentences were ordered to run consecutively. Beechtree, 57, of Brown Deer, pleaded guilty in September to harboring/aiding a felon. She was sentenced to three years probation. "This child was placed in your home ... because she (child's mother) trusted you. And you allowed (her) to be kicked, punched and beaten ... without intervening," Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Jean M. Kies said while sentencing Arredondo. "You owed this child the duty of protection ... and you utterly failed her." After her release, Arredondo will be prohibited from babysitting any child, except her own. Kaliyah King Magee, at bottom, poses for a selfie with her aunt, Patricia King in this undated photo. Kaliyah was 4 years old when prosecutors say she was beaten to death Dec. 16, 2022, while in the care of Winston Chambers and Princess Arredondo. Hours passed before medical professionals got to treat Kaliyah King Magee Kaliyah's final moments of life, according to a Dec. 21, 2022, criminal complaint, were spent in agony as doctors and medical staff worked feverishly to save her. Police officers began investigating after Kaliyah was brought to a hospital from a home near 23rd Street and National Avenue. She was unconscious and unresponsive. Kaliyah King-Magee was just a few weeks shy of her fourth birthday when prosecutors say she was beaten to death Dec. 16, 2022 while in the care of Winston Chambers and Princess Arredondo. Chambers and Arredondo each pleaded guilty to criminal charges in her killing. Stories differed about what happened to Kaliyah King Magee By the time Kaliyah arrived to the hospital, it may have already been too late. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Torbenson presented text messages between Arredondo, Chambers and Beechtree that showed the three messaged with one another for more than three hours before calling 911 for help, as Kaliyah laid unconscious with blood welling up in her skull. Police say Chambers changed his story several times once Kaliyah arrived at the hospital. He said initially she fell and hit her head on ice. Then he claimed the child was struck in the head by a passing SUV as the two were getting off a bus. Arredondo backed up Chambers' statement. Chambers also gave a fake name and address to officers at the hospital when they began investigating the child's injuries. Torbenson said investigators grew suspicious when Chambers and Arredondo gave different locations of where the SUV supposedly hit the child. Surgeons had to remove part of Kaliyah's skull to relieve swelling and bleeding in her brain. She was later taken off life support and died just three weeks shy of her fifth birthday. "I feel like what happened didn't have to happen," said Princess King, adding she has known Arredondo since ninth grade and felt comfortable leaving Kaliyah in her care. "You could have called anybody" for help. "Now, I don't trust nobody." Patricia King misses her niece, whom she helped raise with Princess King. The loss still feels heavy, even after nearly two years. "I just want to know why it happened," Patricia King said. "What possessed you to do that to a child someone else's child?" Prosecutors dismissed a charge against Chambers of physical abuse of a child-repeated acts causing death, in exchange for his plea. The charge, however, will be read into the record for sentencing purposes. Chambers is scheduled to be sentenced March 27. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 2 sentenced in Kaliyah King Magee's death; a 3rd faces prison time Polls are closed for in person early voting, with 105,142 people casting ballots in Tarrant County, numbers that lag 2020, when voters picked Donald Trump and Joe Biden for their Republican and Democratic party nominees. The two candidates are again on the ballot for the 2024, having emerged as front-runners in their parties. The lack of competitive race at the top of the ticket is holding down turnout, said Jim Riddlesperger, a TCU political science professor. For people who are what I would call pedestrian voters, rather than really motivated voters, there is very little incentive that they see to go out and vote, Riddlesperger said. They havent invested themselves in the congressional or senate or state legislative elections that are up this year. But while numbers are down overall, there are more Republican primary voters this year than in 2020. In 2020, 62,411 Democrats cast ballots early in person and 62,158 Republicans voted early in person. An additional 7,117 Democrats and 6,324 Republicans returned mail-in ballots between Jan. 23 and Feb. 28 of that year, the day the in person early voting period closed. In all, the votes represented 11.9% of Tarrant Countys 1.16 million registered voters. This year, with Trump and Biden poised for another November match-up, 73,500 Republican primary voters and 31,642 Democratic primary voters cast ballots early in person, according to records from the county election office. Early voting began Feb. 20 and ran through March 1. Between Jan. 26 and March 1, 7,042 mail in ballots were returned. Combined, that represents 8.8% of the countys roughly 1.28 million registered voters. Looking at the Republican Party and Democratic primaries separately, there were some 11,000 more people who voted early in person in the Republican primary this year than in 2020. About half as many Democratic primary voters voted early this year compared to 2020. ELGIN, Texas (KXAN) Four people were arrested Friday during a raid in Elgin in connection with criminal activities, according to the Elgin Police Department. During the raid, Elgin PD said detectives also seized multiple firearms, various narcotics, U.S. currency and electronics in addition to the four arrests. Police said Angela Alvarado, Ivan Cook and Anthony Joiner face charges for the delivery of a controlled substance, and Jamaal Bradley was arrested on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. From left to right: Angela Alvarado, Ivan Cook, Anthony Joiner and Jamaal Bradley (Elgin PD photos) According to Elgin PD, it has conducted several investigations in the 800 block of South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard for violent crimes, drug trafficking, and the continuous and unyielding nuisance activities. Police said that, in the area, there was a double murder in March 2023, other reports of gunshots, multiple assaults, as well as narcotics use, sales and trafficking. Over the last year EPD officers have conducted surveillance and made numerous arrests of individuals associated with the property for narcotics such as fentanyl, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine, police said. The Austin and Houston DEA field offices, along with the Williamson and Bastrop County Sheriffs Offices, assisted in the raid, according to EPD. Police asked that anyone with additional information regarding the investigation to contact Sergeant Nichole Brimhall at 512-801-5750 or nichole.brimhall@elgintexas.gov. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. 4 injured after large tree collapses on car in SFs Fillmore District SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) Four people were injured after a large tree collapsed on a car early Friday evening, the San Francisco Fire Department announced on social media. The tree fell in the Fillmore District at Golden Gate Avenue and Laguna Street. All four people inside the car were injured, SFFD said. They were taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Rescuers have left the scene. A tree collapsed in the Fillmore District early evening Friday, resulting in four people being injured (San Francisco Fire Department). Draymond Green saved by Klay Thompson on a boat during APEC Bay Bridge protest Lanes in the area of Laguna and Golden Gate have been closed in all directions until the tree is cleared from the roadway. The public is asked to take alternate routes. As of 6:15 p.m., the tree is still blocking the roadway. Strong winds and rain were reported across the Bay Area on Friday, including San Francisco. A thunderstrike was heard in downtown San Francisco on Friday afternoon. For the latest weather updates across the Bay Area, click here. KRON4s Dan Thorn is at the scene. Check back for updates as we learn more. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. A local university is considering layoffs and cutting expenses due to a multi-million-dollar shortfall. Central State University interim president Alex Johnson sent a letter to university staff stating, The need to reconcile the budget earlier than usual has become an urgent matter. >> Urgent search for woman beaten unconscious, put in car and driven away from Dayton gas station The university is currently facing a $4 million shortfall. Johnson said the gap is due in part to overspending in prior years using Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds for recurring expenses. To balance the budget, Johnson said he will immediately implement several actions. Spending in all operating accounts including office supplies, travel, and personnel services, will stop. According to Johnson, personnel actions and routine activities will be evaluated to make sure they support affordability, technological enhancements, and student outcomes. More organizational realignments will be implemented to improve efficiencies, eliminate redundancy, and avoid duplication, the letter read. In a frequently asked questions portion of the letter, Johnson wrote that there would be some loss of personnel. >> Semi dangles from bridge over Ohio River following crash The quality of the student experience both inside and outside the classroom will not suffer, the university wrote. Hiring at the university will be suspended, except for grant-funded positions and non-redundant, critical positions. Most temporary employees will be released, as the university is working to close the budget shortfall. A small number of temporary roles remain on a limited basis to address specific areas of expertise and skills, the university wrote. A portion of the $11 million ERTC refund has been designated to close the budget shortfall. Central State University Provost Erik Brooks and Vice President for Finance and Administration Curtis Pettis will oversee these efforts. Self-regarding institutions like Central State University must act now to create a base on which to offer programs and services committed to innovation and excellence and not constrained by convention and the lack of resources, the letter read. MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) Authorities have arrested and charged 4 teens accused of attacking a 17-year-old boy during a fight in Times Square in February, police said. The group repeatedly kicked, punched, and stabbed the teen in the back near West 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue around 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 22, according to the NYPD. The boy was rushed to a hospital and is expected to survive, authorities said. Authorities charged two 15-year-old boys with gang assault and assault on Monday, police report. A 16-year-old and 17-year-old were also charged with gang assault and assault, authorities said. More PIX11 Stories Local News Read More Six people, including five teenagers, have already been charged in connection with the stabbing on Feb. 23, according to the NYPD. Four more suspects are suspects sought in connection to the incident. Authorities report that a total of 16 people are connected to the incident, police said. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Charline Charles is a digital journalist from Brooklyn who has covered local news along with culture and arts in the New York City area since 2019. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Bloomin Brands, the group that owns Outback Steakhouse, Carrabbas Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and Aussie Grill by Outback, has closed 41 restaurants across its portfolio, a spokesperson has confirmed. The news was first reported by Nations Restaurant News on Feb. 23, citing an analysts call in which Bloomin Brands CEO David Deno shared that the goal was to eliminate shops with below-average business. We periodically review our asset base and, in our latest review, we made the decision to close 41 underperforming locations, Deno said, according to NRN. The majority of these restaurants were older assets with leases from the 90s and early 2000s. Deno said that a variety of factors resulted in the decision, including sales and traffic-trade areas, which means how close customers live to a business location and how far they might travel to patronize it. He also noted that the brand plans to open 40 to 45 restaurants in 2024. A Bloomin Brands spokesperson says that all the affected locations have been closed as of Friday, Feb. 23, and include Outback, Carrabbas and Bonefish Grill locations. Closing restaurants is never easy. This was a business decision that has no reflection on the staff or their service, the Bloomin Brands spokesperson tells TODAY.com. Many team members will have the opportunity to transfer to open positions at another restaurant. Employees who do not will receive severance. The spokesperson did not share a list of stores affected, but, according to NBC affiliate WCNC, Outback locations closed in Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and the last remaining Hawaii and New Hampshire Outback restaurants also shuttered. Further, Bonefish Grill locations in New Jersey and Virginia closed, as well as Carrabbas in Virginia and at least three New York locations. Bloomins CEO also added during the call that the company plans on investing $20 million in 2024 to build traffic through marketing with both television and digital advertising initiatives. It also aims to increase carryout and to-go orders for its businesses. Last quarter, Bloomin Brands netted $43.3 million, according to NRN, down from a net of $58 million in the same quarter last year. The company also saw declines in sales percentages across its brands year over year, with same-store sales at company-owned restaurants declining a combined 0.2%, though it reported a 2.6% increase at Carrabbas. As of March 1, Bloomin Brands has more than 1,450 restaurants in 47 states, Guam and 13 other countries. This includes 673 Outback Steakhouses in the U.S., according to a location breakdown on the Outback website. This article was originally published on TODAY.com This photo taken on Feb. 29, 2024 shows a scene of a seminar titled "China-CEE Cooperation: Prospects and Paths" in Budapest, Hungary. Chinese and European experts advocated for new cooperation opportunities between China and the European Union (EU) during a recent seminar held here. Hosted by the China-CEE Institute on Thursday, the seminar focused on the evolving dynamics between China, Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), and the broader EU-China relationship. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) BUDAPEST, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and European experts advocated for new cooperation opportunities between China and the European Union (EU) during a recent seminar held here. Hosted by the China-CEE Institute on Thursday, the seminar titled "China-CEE Cooperation: Prospects and Paths" focused on the evolving dynamics between China, Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), and the broader EU-China relationship. Zhao Zhimin, secretary-general of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that despite the context of a sluggish world economy, intensified global turmoil, and increased geopolitical risks, China's economy has resumed growth and is opening up to the outside world. "China and the EU are important strategic partners, and we welcome the EU to share China's large-scale market opportunities and obtain more cooperation opportunities," he added. Viktor Eszterhai, a research fellow at the John Lukacs Institute, Ludovika University of Public Service of Hungary, underlined the transformative potential of crises such as the Ukraine crisis in reshaping EU-China relations. He emphasized China as "a significant opportunity" for cooperation in various sectors. Jasna Plevnik, founder and president of the Geoeconomic Forum Croatia, praised the achievements of the China-CEE cooperation. Meanwhile, she criticized the EU's increasing reliance on Washington to guide its foreign policy. Employers can fall into legal pitfalls leading to costly litigation brought by workers. Employment attorneys say companies make common mistakes that could land them in legal trouble. These mistakes could result in hefty settlement payments to employees, the lawyers say. In businesses small and large, employers can fall into a series of legal pitfalls that could lead to both costly and damaging litigation brought by their workers. The outcome could involve hefty settlements that employers are compelled to cough up to employees who brought workplace-related lawsuits against them. Business Insider spoke with two high-profile employment rights attorneys about some of the most common mistakes companies make that can land them in legal hot water and compel them into making settlement payments to their workers. 1. Improper handling of employee complaints The vast majority of internal complaints that employers get are not considered legally protected under federal or state laws, but if employers "mess up" on ones that are protected such as cases involving discrimination or harassment it could be a "big deal" and open the door to legal liabilities, Ron Zambrano, the employment litigation chair at the California-based law firm, West Coast Trial Lawyers, told Business Insider. If an employee reports that their supervisor has repeatedly made inappropriate advances, like asking them out on dates and sending them messages, and the company fails to address the situation, it can become a clear-cut case for the employee to take legal action and come out on top, according to Zambrano. "That is easy, easy money" for the employee, Zambrano, who is suing the musicians Lizzo and Ye (formerly known as Kanye West), on behalf of ex-employees, said. Having an under-trained human resources department could pose major legal troubles for a company, added David Gottlieb, a partner at the New York City-based employment law firm, Wigdor LLP. People working in HR departments at companies may find themselves in a "tricky position" because they could deal with cases that involve the law, yet have no background in that realm, Gottlieb told BI. "I can tell by the way things transpire when employees call [the law firm] with complaints that HR is not well trained on what the law is, and they're often not well trained on what the company's own policies are," said Gottlieb, who is one of the lead attorneys handling a blockbuster class action racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL. In order to avoid legal liability, Gottlieb said it's important for employers to make sure that their HR reps undergo robust, yearly training on how to handle complaints and are intimately familiar with the company's employee handbook. Gottlieb said many of his law firm's cases center on allegations of retaliation as opposed to underlying discrimination. For example, said Gottlieb, "It's like, there's some issue, an employee goes to HR and complains, and then the case ends up being about what happens after that." "Exposure on cases could be really minimized if HR is really able to adequately handle the complaints," Gottlieb added. Zambrano echoed those remarks, emphasizing the importance of companies maintaining a set grievance process that is "obvious" to employees. Employers should "act quickly and put it in writing" when employee complaints arise, Zambrano said. When there's a "50-50 chance of liability" for an employer, the company "will absolutely throw money" and try to settle the case, said Zambrano. "All companies want to settle," Zambrano said. "It's a matter of whether the employee is accepting the money as quote-unquote 'enough.'" If a case has some merit, employers will "absolutely" offer money to an employee pursuing legal action, continued Zambrano. "The real question is whether the employee's going to take it," he said. Companies will generally look to settle with employees, lawyers say. Getty Images 2. Being a jerk to your employees It may seem like common sense, but treating employees with "dignity and respect" can go a long way in helping to keep a company out of legal jeopardy, according to Gottlieb. Gottlieb said his law firm frequently gets phone calls from employees with gripes that their performance was not judged correctly or about their boss being rude, demeaning, or even condescending. "None of those things are in and of themselves unlawful," said Gottlieb. However, he said, those calls could end up opening the door to more legally inappropriate misconduct. "One thing that I find over and over and over again is people call a lawyer when they're angry and have gripes with the way they're being treated, and then during the course of a conversation with a lawyer other stuff might come up that otherwise might not have," Gottlieb said. This could lead to what a potential lawsuit could be pinned on, according to the attorney. Issues employees initially call the firm with may be totally irrelevant to the law, but then it may be uncovered that the person is being paid unlawfully, said Gottlieb. "There may be a pregnancy discrimination issue that the person wasn't even thinking of, or there may be any number of issues that they weren't even thinking of," Gottlieb said. "And if the employer just treated their employee with dignity and respect and sensitivity such that they didn't feel the need to call a lawyer in the first place, that would be a way to avoid a lot of issues." "The point is," said Gottlieb, "if employers treat people nicely with dignity and respect and compassion other issues that lawyers might be able to identify could be avoided." 3. Misclassifying employees as exempt from overtime Zambrano said that another common issue he encounters is employers misclassifying employees, sometimes in order to save money for the company. Oftentimes employees will be misclassified as salaried employees exempt from overtime pay when they should be paid an hourly rate with overtime compensation, according to Zambrano. "That's another mistake I see a lot," said Zambrano, who explained employers regularly face lawsuits for overtime pay violations and misclassifying employees. "A lot of personal assistants will go through this," Zambrano said. Employees will routinely call Zambrano's firm with grievances about being "overworked and underpaid," he said. "But what I am learning is that they're overworked and incorrectly paid they should be paid by the hour," said Zambrano. When it comes to the classification of an employee, it's not about the amount of hours an employee works, but the type of work that an employee does, Zambrano said. "The more independent judgment and discretion you have in the execution of your duties, the more likely you are correctly paid on a salary," he explained. 4. Poor handling of employee pregnancy Employers can open themselves up to legal risks depending on how they handle an employee's pregnancy. LaylaBird/Getty Images Employers open themselves up to legal risks if they fail to properly handle an employee's pregnancy, parental leave, and reintegration back into the workplace, according to Gottlieb. "When an employee announces that they're pregnant, that's an opportunity for an employer to demonstrate their commitment to that person by having a meaningful and open dialogue," Gottlieb said. Yet, Gottlieb said that oftentimes he finds employers are so "worried" about talking with an employee about their pregnancy, fearing they may cause offense, that it prevents employers from having a "meaningful" conversation with the employee about it at all. "That's harmful to the woman to not be able to make an informed decision about how her maternity leave and return will be handled," the lawyer said. Additionally, Gottlieb said, there's many cases where individuals returning from pregnancy-related leave find themselves not being adequately integrated back into the workplace the way they were before their leave. "If someone is not integrated back into the workplace into their previous role, that's discrimination and retaliation," said Gottlieb. As an employment rights attorney, Gottlieb said that pregnancy discrimination in the workplace is one of the most prevalent types of discrimination he comes across. 5. Reliance on an 'automated' points-based attendance tracking system A June 2020 report by the worker-advocacy group A Better Balance found that an estimated 18 million workers across 66 US employers, including many big companies, were affected by points-based or so-called "no-fault" attendance policies. Major companies such as Walmart and Amazon use these kinds of controversial points-based attendance systems to track worker absences and, in turn, fire employees if they rack up a certain amount of points in a specific time period, Zambrano has told Business Insider. "A lot of these large companies are just really stepping in with this point system," said Zambrano, explaining that these heavily automated systems "make a lot of mistakes" and seemingly have issues filtering "an absence that is 'unexcused' or an absence that is protected" by law. Points-based attendance policies have recently led to several wrongful termination lawsuits filed by West Coast Trial Lawyers against Walmart and Amazon Tyler Le/BI These kinds of points-based attendance policies have recently led to several wrongful termination lawsuits filed by West Coast Trial Lawyers against both Walmart and Amazon, according to Zambrano. A Walmart spokesperson previously told BI that the retail giant will continue to defend itself against the litigation. An Amazon spokesperson has told BI that the points system the megacorporation uses has human oversight and that the company works with its employees if they're dealing with an emergency or any unforeseen circumstances. Zambrano said his firm has been getting multiple calls a week in recent months from people reporting they were wrongly fired from their jobs after racking up too many points for absences, even though their leave should have been protected or was already cleared with managers. "This stuff is happening very routinely, and people are just being laid off just because they hit these points, and there's no one fixing it," Zambrano said. "It is absolutely crazy." Read the original article on Business Insider After taking 50 cruises, I've learned that some upgrades are worth the hype. I always upgrade to a balcony cabin for views of the ocean and a quiet spot to chill. The best coffee onboard is also an added cost, but it's worth it, in my opinion. Over the past 15 years, I've taken 50 cruises with family and friends, trying out different ships, routes, and cabins. Here are five cruise upgrades I think are actually worth the money. The number one upgrade I pay for on any cruise is a balcony cabin. I like being about to hang out on my private balcony when I want some quiet time. Megan duBois Whether I'm headed to the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, or the Bahamas, I always pay extra for a balcony cabin on a cruise. I love that I can walk outside and see the ocean at any time. Another perk is that it can be a quiet place to rest or read a book when the pool decks get too busy but I still want to be outside. It's different on every cruise, but balcony cabins typically cost at least $100 to $200 more than interior staterooms. I try to book specialty dining as soon as I can. Splurging on specialty dining is a treat on a cruise. Megan duBois One of my favorite ways to treat myself on a cruise is by booking specialty dining. Oftentimes, the options can range anywhere from $50 to over $100 a person, depending on the type of restaurant and meal. A few of my must-do specialty restaurants include Palo for brunch on all five Disney Cruise Line ships, Raw on 5 on the Celebrity Edge ships, and Jamie's Italian by Jamie Oliver on some of the Royal Caribbean ships. Specialty coffee drinks are a must for me. I can't settle for mediocre drip coffee. Megan duBois Just like hotel coffee, standard cruise coffee generally isn't all that great. After sipping on a cup in the main dining room or buffet to get me going in the morning, I usually head to the onboard coffee shop for something more to my taste. It's usually always better than the complimentary coffee. Plus, it's whipped up by baristas who can make everything from lattes to coffee-based cocktails. On a recent Disney Cruise, I went to Cove Cafe, an adults-only coffee shop, and found my new favorite coffee drink at sea: an iced salted-caramel coconut latte ($5.50). Some cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, have a Starbucks on some ships too, which is great for those who want their normal morning brew. Thermal-suite passes are a little luxury I try to book as often as I can. I love spending an afternoon in the thermal suites at the spa. Megan duBois Thermal suites on cruise lines just getting better with newer ships. These serene spaces within the spa are filled with plunge pools, hot tubs, heated loungers, experience showers, and more. On cruises longer than three nights, I try to book a length-of-cruise pass where I can come and go from the thermal suite as often as I want. Prices vary depending on cruise lines and the length of the trip, but week-long passes typically cost between $120 and $300 a person. It can be challenging to land the pass since there's only a limited number available, so I always head straight for the spa at embarkation. Some unique activities are worth the extra cost. It was fun to ride the roller coaster on a Carnival Cruise. Megan duBois As cruise ships get bigger, more "How did they get that on a cruise ship?" activities appear on decks. For example, the newest Carnival Cruise Line ships have a roller coaster that goes around the top deck. It costs $15 to ride, and you get two laps around the deck. Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line's go-karts allow cruisers to race their family and friends around the track. It costs $15 a person for 10 laps, or you can pay $200 a person for an unlimited pass. I'm more than willing to shell out a little extra cash to try these activities even if it's just to say I've done it especially since most of them are one-and-done splurges. Read the original article on Business Insider MADISON, Wis. (WFRV) A 77-year-old Wisconsin man has been formally charged after pulling a folding knife on staff members at a comedy club because he wasnt allowed to perform. Court records show James A. Bailey, 77, has been charged with one count of disorderly conduct with use of a dangerous weapon for the incident that happened on Wednesday evening. How could he be dead?: Details of Menasha shooting released, woman charged with killing her 71-year-old boyfriend According to the Madison Police Department, officers were sent to the 200 block of State Street around 8:30 p.m. on February 28. Staff explained that Bailey pulled a folding knife on a staff member after being denied the right to perform at the comedy club. Bailey eventually left the location before officers arrived, but they were able to locate him nearby and arrest him for the incident. Unattended candles cause $10K in fire damages at Allouez residence Bailey appeared in the Dane County Courthouse on Friday, where the judge set his cash bond at $500.00. Additionally, Bailey is not allowed to possess any type of dangerous weapon and cannot be in the State Street and Langdon area. James Bailey is expected to return to court on March 26 for a pre-trial conference. No additional details were provided. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Nine Oregon counties are under a Secretarial natural disaster designation after the United States Department of Agriculture determined multiple weather events in 2023 led to crop losses, officials announced Friday. The USDA issued the declaration on Feb, 23 in response to a letter sent by Oregon Gov. Kotek in September that outlined the impact of weather events on Oregon crops, including a 35% loss of Oregons cherry production because of poor fruit set. In some cases, production levels were low enough to approach crop failure status, Kotek noted in her letter. ODOT to close major Portland-Beaverton connection for nine months Oregon farmers faced serious economic losses during last years crop season, Kotek said in a statement. Our agriculture community is invaluable to Oregon, feeding families across the state. This designation is critical to ensure that farmers are able to receive support from the federal government in recuperating those losses. Under the first designation, which is defined as excessive rain that started July 7, Hood River County is listed as a primary county. Contingent counties include Clackamas, Multnomah, and Wasco counties. Under the second designation, which is defined as drought, excessive heat, and high winds that occurred July 5-15, Wasco County is listed as the primary county with Clackamas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jefferson, Marion, Sherman, and Wheeler counties designated as contingent counties. Farmers have until October to apply for USDA assistance if they produce crops in any of the primary or contingent counties, officials said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. LINCOLN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) Major road and bridge reconstruction are set to begin soon on I-94 in Berrien County. The three-year, $204 million project now shifts to the section between the Puetz Road and Washington Avenue overpasses near Stevensville and Benton Harbor. The project adjacent to this was the US-31 completion to the connection on I-94, then the I-94 rebuilding to I-196, that interchange, Michigan Department of Transportation spokesman Nick Schirripa explained. People probably remember that big project. Were just moving one phase to the west of that. Beginning March 11, crews will begin gutting and reconstructing the pavement, which will force traffic pattern changes, similar to recent work on I-69 in the Olivet area. Well be putting both directions of traffic on one side. So well be reducing three lanes of eastbound and three lanes of westbound to two lanes in each direction on one bound, Schirripa said, which means that as one side of the highway is closed, there will be a traffic shift that puts both directions of traffic on the other side. Work starts soon to rebuild I-94 in Berrien County Crew will also rebuild the Red Arrow Highway interchange and bridges at Exit 23 north of Stevensville. Schirripa said drivers who use that interchange on a regular basis should expect some detours. The I-94 bridge over Red Arrow Highway near Stevensville. (March 12, 2024) The I-94 bridge over Red Arrow Highway near Stevensville. (March 12, 2024) Drivers should also expect some delays throughout this phase of the work, which is expected to take all year. It wont be hugely significant. Were not talking about hours. Were talking about minutes, Schirripa said, saying local traffic should anticipate at least 5 to 10 minutes added to their commute. If youre traveling through that corridor theres going to be congestion, he said. This embedded content is not available in your region. Inside woodtv.com: Live traffic conditions According to MDOT, the $204 million project funded by the governors Rebuilding Michigan program will support more than 2,900 jobs. Its not just construction jobs. Its subcontractors and local businesses thatll benefit from that increase of traffic: restaurants, where these guys have lunch, that kind of stuff, Schirripa explained. So its kind of a ripple effect. Work on the 8.5-mile stretch is not expected to be done until the end of 2026. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. On Sunday morning, 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell walked calmly up to the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC and set himself on fire. Dressed in his US Air Force uniform, Mr Bushnell said he would "no longer be complicit in genocide". He shouted "Free Palestine" as he burned, until he collapsed to the ground. Hours later, he died in hospital. Mr Bushnell live-streamed his self-immolation, ensuring that his actions - which he described as an "extreme act of protest" - were seen far beyond Washington. Though his initial video was removed, the footage was shared widely on social media, and Mr Bushnell's suicide has prompted vigils in US cities this week by those campaigning against Israel's military actions in Gaza. The death toll there passed 30,000 this week, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Others have expressed concern about the extreme nature of his protest and fears it could inspire other deadly acts. But for Mr Bushnell's friends, his death has hit much closer to home. His self-immolation took even those closest to him completely by surprise and they have found themselves caught between the weight of grieving a friend and processing what he did, while also dealing with the sudden spotlight from the world's media. Those who knew him in San Antonio, Texas, where Mr Bushnell lived from 2020 to late last year while stationed at Lackland Air Force base, said his death had rippled through a community of organisers and activists like a "shockwave". "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," Mason Escamilla, who knew Mr Bushnell, told the BBC on Friday before a public vigil held in a San Antonio Park. "It's hard that he chose these actions, it's hard to comprehend even from people who sympathise with a ceasefire and the safety of Palestinian people and civilians," Mr Escamilla, 25, said. At least 200 people attended the vigil, including many local Palestinians. One by one, Mr Bushnell's friends took to the microphone to remember and mourn him. Mason Escamilla lights a candle at a San Antonio vigil for Aaron Bushnell Before Sunday, Mr Escamila said he knew Mr Bushnell as "normal, quiet, friendly, quirky guy," who drank root beer, embraced leftist politics, and volunteered with groups who helped people experiencing homelessness. The airman had a cat named Sugar and liked the Lord of the Rings, he said. Moon, a friend of Mr Bushnell's who asked to be identified only by his first name, met him through volunteer work and described him as "incredibly strong willed". The video of his final moments, he said, "was very tough to see." Sara Masoud, a 32-year-old Palestinian organiser who attended the vigil, said learning the news of his death "was really devastating." But the shocking act has prompted discussion among activists who feel "a sense of relatability to the futility that drove his action", she said. If you've been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line. In the United States, support is available by dialling 988 Lifeline. Mr Bushnell had described himself as an anarchist, once writing that he "believed in the abolition of all hierarchal power structures" through legal means. While based in San Antonio with the Air Force, he was also active in number of community and mutual aid groups and gravitated especially towards helping the homeless, his friends said. In initial volunteer outings, delivering supplies like first aid and clothing, Mr Bushnell was "a little shy", Mr Escamilla recalled, but said he soon learned to engage closely with the people he helped. Mr Escamilla believed Mr Bushnell felt a tension between his military service and his political beliefs. He was still in the military when the Israel-Gaza war erupted in October last year. Some 1,200 people were killed after Hamas gunmen attacked communities in southern Israel. They took around 250 hostages back into the Gaza Strip, with many still alive and being held there. About 1.8 million Palestinians have been displaced since Israel launched retaliatory military action, which it says is aimed at destroying Hamas. Moon, a friend of Aaron Bushnell's, speaks at the San Antonio vigil While Mr Bushnell had strong pro-Palestinian views and engaged with local activist groups, no-one expected that he would end his life in a protest against the war in Gaza. An unusual journey Aaron Bushnell grew up in Orleans, Massachusetts, in a tightly cloistered religious community known as the Community of Jesus, according to his friends. A childhood friend, Ashley Schuman, told the New York Times he had told her he left the community in 2019. Mr Escamilla said that Mr Bushnell was no longer involved in the Community of Jesus and had distanced himself from his family. Some former members of the Community of Jesus alleged psychological abuse in a 2021 ABC News investigation. Mr Bushnell's parents, the Community of Jesus, and a former employer in the community declined to comment to the BBC. In his youth, Mr Bushnell belonged to a competitive performance group called Spirit Winter Percussion. A group photo from six years ago on his Facebook page shows the young performers wearing colourful uniforms and large grins. "Back then he didn't really talk about much besides sports, music, etc," Brian Spencer, who was in the percussion group with Mr Bushnell, told the BBC. "But he was a good dude and would always lend a helping hand when needed." Mr Bushnell entered active service on 5 May, 2020, according the Air Force. His most recent role was in cyber defence operations. Friends say he left San Antonio late last year, and he was living in Ohio before his death. On his LinkedIn page, Mr Bushnell wrote he was seeking opportunities in the US military's SkillBridge program, which allows military personnel to transition into civilian jobs after their service ends. He was still in the Air Force at the time of his death. "We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Senior Airman Bushnell," US Air Force Col. Celina Noyes said in a statement. At Friday's vigil, there was an emphasis on remembering the airman as his friends knew him and the causes he believed in, rather than how the world had come to learn his name. Before she began her speech on Friday, a woman who volunteered with Mr Bushnell told the crowd: "You're going to hear a lot of sad things. But you're also going to hear a lot of really good things. "Because this final, fiery moment was not the sum of his life." President Joe Biden walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Washington. Biden is flying to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to New York for the day to attend campaign receptions. | Evan Vucci An earlier version of this article was published in the On the Trail 2024 newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox on Tuesday and Friday mornings here. To submit a question to next weeks Friday Mailbag, email onthetrail@deseretnews.com. Good morning from beautiful Washington, D.C., where Nikki Haley will try to woo big-money GOP donors at a rally this afternoon. Im following Haley through the weekend her last stand before Super Tuesday as she pitches voters in D.C., Virginia, North Carolina and Massachusetts. 3 things to know The Big Idea Abandon Biden turns west Bidens presidential campaign hit its biggest electoral snag yet on Tuesday. In the Michigan primary, Biden won big he garnered over 80% of the vote and neither of his challengers, Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson, finished above 3%. (Williamson, who dropped out of the race three weeks ago, decided to unsuspend her campaign this week.) But in several Michigan cities, Biden took second place to a ballot choice labeled uncommitted. In Dearborn, where he won the 2020 primary by a 3-to-1 margin, Biden finished with 40%, and uncommitted netted 56%. In Hamtramck, which Biden carried 5-to-1 in 2020, uncommitted surpassed 60%. Its a symptom of a larger issue: progressive voters, led by Muslims and Arab Americans, are spurning Biden over his support for Israel. Dearborn and Hamtramck boast Michigans highest concentrations of Muslims, and for months, a grassroots effort to Abandon Biden has taken shape in Michigan and beyond. The organizers are encouraging voters to protest Biden by voting against him in Democratic primaries. In South Carolina, the first Democratic primary, the effect was minimal; in Nevada, none of these candidates netted 6%. In Michigan, though, alarm bells started to blare. Abandon Biden organizers set a goal of winning 10,000 votes for uncommitted. The lowball prediction served them well within an hour of polls closing, theyd already surpassed it, finishing the night with over 100,000 votes. The result quickly put Bidens surrogates on the defensive. Its important not to lose sight of the fact that any vote thats not cast for Biden (in November) supports a second Trump term, said Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer during a CNN appearance Wednesday morning. She referenced Trumps Muslim travel ban and vowed to build bridges with the frustrated Michigan voters. A second Trump term would be devastating, she said. But this isnt a problem that will die in Michigan. As the primary calendar progresses, the question isnt whether Biden will be the Democratic nominee in November; its how much support from his partys progressive flank he will hemorrhage by then. A big test will come in Arizona, a 2024 swing state where Arab Americans are already organizing the anti-Biden vote. Arizona has the largest per-capita Muslim population west of the Mississippi. They were instrumental in delivering a razor-thin Biden victory in 2020. Arizona is a swing state again in 2024, but an increasing number of Arizona Muslims are speaking out against the president. In early November, an Abandon Biden news conference was held at the state capitol, where Muslim leaders accused Biden of genocide and announced they would not support him. Last week, on Muslim Day, they reiterated their stance during a press event outside the Phoenix City Hall. Their efforts go beyond Biden alone. Our main goal is not to make sure that a certain president is out of office, said Ahmed Ewaisha, co-chair of Abandon Biden Arizona. Our main goal is to send a message to the entire American people that there are consequences for not calling for a ceasefire. An estimated 110,000 Muslims live in Arizona, making up 1.5% percent of the population the highest proportion in the western U.S. (In Michigan, by comparison, Muslims account for 2.4%). But the anti-Biden vote may go well beyond Muslims and Arab Americans alone. In Michigan, the progressive hubs near large state universities saw high vote totals for uncommitted: in Ann Arbor, home of the University of Michigan, 19 percent; in East Lansing, home of Michigan State, 15 percent. At Arizona State University in Tempe, there are over 8,000 Muslim students, faculty and staff. An academic center is dedicated to studying the Muslim experience in the U.S.; a Muslim Students Association is active on campus. Ewaisha, an associate professor of engineering at ASU, explained that his main focus is the general election. But we will also try to send a message in the primary, he said. The Arizona Democratic primary is on March 19, two weeks after Super Tuesday. Biden still has over eight months until the general election, and it is futile to predict the status of the Israel-Hamas war in the coming months. But Biden is seeing his first real test this primary election and its not coming from another candidate. Weekend reads Why is Haley still in the race? There are dueling opinions here. One is that she plans to win at least five Super Tuesday states, which would allow her to challenge Trumps nomination on the floor of the RNC this summer. More on that here: Theres a Good Reason Haleys Still Running And Its Not Trumps Legal Problems (Henry Olsen, Politico magazine) Another possibility and one Haley has denied frequently, including during her meeting with our editorial board Wednesday is that she wants to run as an independent after Trump secures the nomination. The problem? Some states ban sore losers from running again meaning, should someone lose a primary election, state law keeps them from launching an independent bid for the general. More on the state-level legal complexities at play: How Much Sore Loser Laws Would Impede Nikki Haley on a No Labels Ticket (Jim Geraghty, National Review) A tragic murder in Georgia, committed by an undocumented immigrant, has unleashed a wave of anti-immigrant vitriol and plenty of misinformation. Trump, for example, is warning of a migrant crime wave sweeping the country. But an NBC analysis shows that overall crime levels are dropping in cities with the highest rates of immigration. Trumps claims of a migrant crime wave are not supported by national data (Olympia Sonnier and Garrett Haake, NBC News) See you on the trail. Editors Note: The Deseret News is committed to covering issues of substance in the 2024 presidential race from its unique perspective and editorial values. Our team of political reporters will bring you in-depth coverage of the most relevant news and information to help you make an informed decision. Find our complete coverage of the election here. Adam Schiff is far ahead of his opponents for the California U.S. Senate seat in every way campaign cash is measuredmoney raised, spent, ads, and so on. But none of that guarantees a good showing in Tuesdays primary. Schiff was down by two to Republican Steve Garvey, whos been a distant fourth in fundraising among the Senate candidates, in the Feb. 22-27 Berkeley-IGS poll. Schiff led Garvey in an Emerson College poll taken at about the same time, with the Republican in second. That survey showed roughly one in 10 of voters remain undecided, a bloc that could swing what remains a tight race. Money does not always determine election outcomes, said John Pitney, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College and former Republican National Committee staffer. He cited the 2010 California governors race. Republican Meg Whitman outspent Jerry Brown, $177 million, most of it her own money, to $36 million. Brown won a third gubernatorial term easily. Schiff, a Democratic congressman from the Los Angeles area, is vying with Garvey, a former all-star first baseman whos never run for public office. Also running are Democratic Reps. Katie Porter of Irvine and Barbara Lee of Oakland., among a long list of other candidates. The top two finishers Tuesday will move on to the November general election to fill the seat now held by Sen. Laphonza Butler. Shes a Democrat who Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed last year to fill the term of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died in September. Spending is way up AdImpact, which tracks political advertising, has found Senate primary spending is up 242% over the past three California Senate races dating back to 2016. As of mid-February, Schiff had $13.7 million on hand. Porter had $4.8 million, Lee $582,123 and Garvey $758,261. Schiff and his backers have tried to boost Garveys stature through ads, figuring hed be easier to beat in November. While Garvey has not run ads, AdImpact reported that as of Friday, 60% of Schiffs broadcast airings mention Garvey. The Berkeley poll shows Schiff would beat Garvey in the fall, 53% to 38% and Porter would also beat Garvey easily. But a Schiff-Porter race, the poll suggested, would be too close to call. Porter is campaigning as a strong consumer advocate, noting that big corporate interests tend to stay away from her campaign. Katie Porter is proud to be the only Democrat in this U.S. Senate race whos never taken corporate PAC money, refuses donations from federal lobbyists, and wont cash checks from Big Bank, Big Oil, or Big Pharma executives, said spokeswoman Lindsay Reilly. Lees camp Tuesday is counting on a strong grassroots get out the vote effort to push into the top tier. What were seeing is that despite millions being spent on TV, there is low voter turnout. And so talking directly to voters on the ground and getting them to cast their ballot matters and that is what we intend to do from now until election day, said Tina Olechowski, a Lee campaign spokesperson. Schiffs spokesperson pointed to his prolific fundraising as evidence of strong support. He is also taking no corporate political action committee money for this campaign. Adams campaign is proudly fueled by over 300,000 grassroots supporters from every county in California with an average donation of $36, and hes running the largest grassroots campaign for U.S. Senate in the states history, said Marisol Samayoa, Schiff for Senate communications director. Candidates had to file pre-primary reports showing their financial activity through mid-February, and then submit updates to the Federal Election Commission showing last-minute activity. Where the money comes from and goes Some of the highlights of those filings, according to the FEC and OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan group that analyzes campaign finance data: Schiff has a solid lead in money raised. The congressman, well-known nationally because of his leadership efforts in the impeachment of former President Donald Trump, has raised $31.1 million as of mid-February. Porter has received $27.9 million, which includes about $11 million from her congressional campaign account. Lee has raised about $4.96 million and Garvey at $2.1 million. Outside spending. Super Political Action Committees can try to influence voters, but are not allowed any contact or coordination with candidates. They can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money. The Standing Strong Super PAC has spent $8.5 million as of this week, mostly on ads highlighting Garveys conservatism. Schiff himself has run ads doing the same. The aim is believed to try to boost Garvey so Republicans will rally around him and propel him to second place, a strategy that appears to be succeeding. Kyle Layman, Standing Strongs executive director, explained in a text to The Bee why the group is running the ads. Voters deserve to know the truth about his record of supporting Donald Trump and his agenda, Layman said. Garvey has said he voted for Trump twice, but will not say who he may vote for this year for president this year. Garveys campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Retirees are a huge source of campaign funds. Schiff has benefited from $5.2 million in contributions from retirees. Porter has collected $2.25 million, while Lee has received $714,037 and Garvey, $111,330. All figures reflect contributions in the 2023-24 election cycle. The second biggest group of contributors to Schiff have been lawyers and law firms, at $1.7 million. Topping the list are people associated with the Paul, Weiss firm, which has more than 1,000 attorneys and 10 offices around the world, including three in California. The firm did not respond to a request for comment. Lawyers are also Lee and Porters second biggest source of funds. Attorneys and their firms gave $627,264 to Porter, $289,444 to Lee. and $12,300 to Garvey. In the Berkeley poll, Schiff led Garvey among voters 65 and older, 35% to 34%. Porter had 13%. Among younger voters, though, Porter has a big lead. Shes got 30% of the 18 to 29 year old vote. Garvey is next at 10% and Schiff is at 8%. Among 30 to 39 year olds, Porter has 25% while Garvey and Schiff each have 11%. The label lockdown sceptic was once a badge of shame used to denounce anyone who questioned punitive Covid restrictions as a heartless granny killer. What a difference four years makes. Now the majority of scientists believe that more attention should have been paid to the true cost of lockdowns, with only half thinking the action was always justified. Perhaps this is the benefit of hindsight talking. But what is clear is that few were brave enough to put their heads above the parapet at the time for fear of damaging their careers. Its not how science should work and we need more gumption from our best minds. But it is a striking indication of how thoughtful reflection has been replaced by activism and dogma in the very institutions that should be the champions of free speech Universities which have lurched alarmingly to the Left in the last few decades are now so mired in groupthink that even the most liberal academics struggle to be heard inside such a noisy echo chamber. Politically driven Covid was a good example. Much of the pro-lockdown narrative was controlled by a small group of scientists who effectively organised themselves into a politically driven movement that sought to influence policy. Independent Sage, a group of largely Left-wing academics which regularly called for ongoing restrictions, was put together with help from The Citizens, a group founded by Carole Cadwalladr, a Guardian and Observer journalist and activist. The group, which was allowed an unconscionable amount of airtime by the BBC and Sky News, confused the public, with many people believing they were hearing from real Sage scientists. All usual decision-making processes went out of the window, replaced by emotional hyperbole that ran roughshod over cost-benefit calculations set in place to make sure taxpayers money was being well spent on health interventions. As early as 2020, Prof Carl Heneghan, of Oxford University, warned that lockdown would bankrupt the country and leave a catastrophic health legacy. He roughly estimates that, based on a 400 billion UK Covid spend, more than 13 million lives would have needed to be saved by measures to justify the eye-watering costs. Prof Neil Ferguson, of Imperial College, predicted 500,000 deaths could occur but only if politicians took no action at all, and that figure was thought highly unlikely by many scientists. In pandemics, decision-making is too often made from behind a computer and is overly influenced by modelling, said Prof Heneghan. The Coronavirus Act placed power into a few panicked individuals. They were aided and abetted by scientists and their advisers, who were too quick to recommend harsher restrictions with no evidence to inform their actions. Whether this will make a difference in future remains to be seen. Faced with a similar threat, many might choose the path of least resistance. Scale of fallout Jason Oke, a senior statistician at Oxford University told me: Had you taken this survey in the middle of 2020 I think you would have seen different responses. I would hypothesise that many did not anticipate the scale of the fallout from the lockdown. But the lack of willingness to speak up about hot-potato issues is also apparent in the polling results that deal with the origins of Covid. A cabal of vocal scientists on social media continues to assert that a consensus has been reached on the issue with academia now thoroughly behind a zoonotic origin. Many journalists parrot this view without considering whether it is accurate. Our polling results show a much more nuanced picture with more than a quarter believing coronavirus leaked from a lab in China. Only 37 per cent of scientists are convinced that a lab leak did not happen, with nearly the same amount not having a view one way or another. Put another way, of people who had an opinion, 59 per cent is Team Zoonosis, while 41 per cent are Team Lab Leak. Hardly the overwhelming consensus were led to believe. The same tale of division appears when considering gain-of-function experiments work that increases the virulence of viruses and bacteria. Many virologists working in the field will tell you that such science is crucial and concerns about escapee pathogens are overblown. Our results show that while one third of scientists do believe such work is crucial for preventing a dangerous zoonotic outbreak, the same number believe it could spark a future pandemic. This difference of opinion is healthy but it is largely happening behind the scenes while the public is being led to believe that a general agreement has been reached on the subject. It is a similar picture with the row over sex and gender. Of those who expressed an opinion, 66 per cent said sex is binary, even though influential academics such as Professor Alice Roberts will have you believe such thoughts are essentialism and bad science. It is, of course, concerning that 33 per cent dont, but I would hazard a guess most of those people do not work in the biological sciences. Overall this survey has given me some cause for hope. My advice to scientists? Be brave, stand up. There are more people on your side than you realise. 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 loud explosion has been heard in St Petersburg on the night of 1-2 March as Russian air defence systems downed a drone. Source: Russian Telegram channels Ateo and Mash Details: Russian journalists stated that a multi-storey building was damaged as a result of the air defence system responding, but there were no casualties. The likely target of the UAV was the Ruchi oil depot in the northeast of St Petersburg, less than a kilometre from the scene. Updated at 8:30: St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov wrote on his Telegram channel that there were no casualties, only partially damaged balconies of two buildings. Residents of the affected apartments have been evacuated. According to Beglov, emergency workers and law enforcement officers are working "at the scene" in the Krasnogvardeysky district. The governor did not specify the nature of the incident. Support UP or become our patron! ADDIS ABABA, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced a 46 million U.S. dollars grant to improve access to water and sanitation for pastoral communities in Ethiopia. The financial support from the African Development Fund, the bank group's concessional financing window for low-income countries, is intended to improve access to integrated, sustainable, climate-smart, gender-sensitive water supply and sanitation services for pastoral communities in the arid lands of the Borana area in Ethiopia's Oromia region, the AfDB said Thursday. Noting that Borana's population is growing rapidly with majority of them relying on pastoralism for their livelihood, the bank said the area is subject to the effects of varying rainfall levels and recurrent drought that lead to water insecurity. The financial support will be used mainly to implement the second phase of the Borana Resilient Water Development for Improved Livelihoods Program, which envisaged optimizing water production and transport systems, building reservoirs, distribution systems and connections to give 36,000 new users access to drinking water, it said. According to the bank, as of March 2023, over 3.3 million livestock have died of water scarcity in the area, leaving over 67,000 households without livelihoods. It said the climate impacts on pasture and water availability further tend to exacerbate tensions over land and water resources. The Russians have launched three Kh-59/Kh-35 air-launched guided missiles from the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson and Donetsk oblasts and 17 Shahed attack drones on the night of 1-2 March. The air defence forces have managed to down 14 UAVs. Source: Ukraines Air Force Details: A total of 14 Shahed drones were downed within Odesa, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. Civilians were killed and injured as a result of the strikes and the falling debris in Odesa and Kharkiv oblasts. The Russians launched UAVs from the city of Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia and from Balaklava in occupied Crimea. In addition, the Air Force also reported that at around 09:00 on 1 March a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber was destroyed on the eastern front while attempting to strike Ukrainian positions with guided air bombs. Support UP or become our patron! The Ukrainian Air Force deployed anti-aircraft guided missiles against two Russian aircraft, a Su-34 and a Su-35, on 2 March. The Su-34 was shot down. Source: Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Ukraines Air Force Commander, on Telegram Quote: "The enemy continues to attack on the eastern front using guided bombs dropped from tactical aircraft. Just now, there has been a combat use of anti-aircraft guided missiles against two enemy aircraft, a Su-34 and a Su-35. We await confirmation of the desired outcome!" Updated: Oleshchuk later said that only the Su-34 aircraft has been downed. Quote from Oleshchuk: "Regarding the operation I reported about an hour ago, the Skhid (East) Air Command has confirmed that a Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft was destroyed. Unfortunately, the Su-34 alone. We are continuing to defeat the occupiers!" Background: The Air Force reported that on 1 March, a Russian Su-34 attempting to strike Ukrainian positions with guided bombs was successfully downed on the eastern front. Ukraine's Defence Ministry reported that the Ukrainian Air Force shot down 13 Russian aircraft in February 2024. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian forces shot down one more Su-34 attack aircraft on March 2, the Air Force said. The report came almost an hour after Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk announced that surface-to-air missiles had been fired at Russian Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft in the east of Ukraine. The East Air Command confirms the downing of a Su-34 fighter-bomber. Unfortunately, it was only one, the Air Force wrote on Telegram. The destruction of the jet is the latest in a recent uptick of downed Russian planes. This list includes 12 Su-34 fighter bombers, two Su-35 fighter jets, and a rare A-50 military spy plane. Another A-50 aircraft was downed a month prior. Three Su-34s were reportedly destroyed in a single day on Feb. 29 over eastern Ukraine. Another Su-34 plane was downed on the morning of March 1, the Air Force said. The rapid destruction of aircraft comes amid Russia's attempts to advance on the battlefield after the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Avdiivka and three villages in Donetsk Oblast, in addition to Ukraine's widely mentioned ammunition shortage. Yuriy Ihnat, the Air Force's spokesman, has said that Ukraine now has "tools" to destroy planes "at quite long distances," explaining the recent uptick. Russia's total losses during the all-out war amount to about 670 aircraft 345 planes and 325 helicopters, according to Ukraine's General Staff. The General Staff's figure could not be independently verified. Read also: Ukraine destroyed 13 Russian military aircraft in 2 weeks. How? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian forces shot down 14 of the 17 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia overnight on March 2, as well as a Su-34 attack plane on the morning of March 1, the Air Force reported. This is the first Russian jet fighter shot down this month after Russia lost 13 warplanes in just two weeks of February. The Su-34 was reportedly downed at 9 a.m. local time on the eastern front while trying to attack Ukrainian positions with guided aerial bombs. The 17 Shahed-type drones were launched from Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and from occupied Crimea. Some 14 of them were downed above Odesa, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. Even though the majority of the drones were intercepted, the attack dealt damage and civilian casualties, including at least two people killed and seven injured in Odesa and three injured in Kharkiv Oblast. Russian forces also attacked Ukraine with air-launched cruise missiles Kh-59/Kh-35 from occupied parts of Kherson and Donetsk oblasts, according to the Air Force. Read also: Ukraine destroyed 13 Russian military aircraft in 2 weeks. How? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber in the east (illustrative photo) Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber in the east on March 1, The Air Forces officially confirmed that on Telegram on March 2. It is reported that the enemy aircraft tried to strike Ukrainian positions with guided bombs. Read also: On March 1, it was also reported that a Russian fighter jet was shot down near Volnovakha, but there was no official confirmation of this information. Read also: Ukrainian military capable of targeting Russian aircraft far from front, Air Force spokesman says This is the 14th Russian fighter jet that Ukrainian defenders have managed to shoot down in less than a month. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine The First States newest member of the Delaware State Fire Commission is Ajax, a 2-year-old golden retriever-Labrador mix. The Delaware State Fire Commission oversees the operations of the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Delaware State Fire School, along with protecting the people and places within Delaware and overseeing the training and certification of all EMTs and firefighters. The newest member of the Delaware State Fire Commission is Ajax, a two-year-old golden retriever-Labrador mix. He works with handler Frank Fioravaniti, an investigator with the Delaware State Fire Commission, and assists with therapy and education needs. To aid its mission, the Delaware State Fire Commission welcomed service dog Ajax in February, from Canine Companions for Independence, to help comfort victims involved in fire incidents, teach students about fire safety and assist in lowering tension and stress among first responders who experience traumatic events in their line of work, the fire commission said. Coping with trauma: Most first responders don't want to talk about trauma on the job. In Kent County, they are About Canine Companions Ajax, a two-year-old golden retriever-Labrador mix, is the First States newest member of the Delaware State Fire Commission. Canine Companions, the largest nonprofit provider of service dogs in the United States and has paired more than 7,100 service pups from its in-house breeding and training program with people in need since the organization was founded in 1975. The mission of Canine Companions is to enhance peoples lives and foster their independence by pairing them with specialized working dogs who allow them to live on their own terms with confidence, according to the organization. The newest member of the Delaware State Fire Commission is Ajax, a two-year-old golden retriever-Labrador mix. He works with handler Frank Fioravaniti, an investigator with the Delaware State Fire Commission, and assists with therapy and education needs. The jobs of a dog vary depending on the needs of its owner, but pups are taught more than 40 commands like how to pick up items, turn lights on and off, help with alarms, pull wheelchairs, open doors, interrupt nightmares and soothe anxiety. Puppies can help in a variety of ways, from assisting physical therapy needs for children or in health care settings, and, like Ajax, some puppies can be placed with organizations as a facility dog to assist a wide range of individuals and needs. Service dog helps Delaware woman: An extraordinary thing: Service dog helps 23-year-old Rehoboth woman achieve dreams Welcome to the team, Ajax! The newest member of the Delaware State Fire Commission is Ajax, a two-year-old golden retriever-Labrador mix. He works with handler Frank Fioravaniti, an investigator with the Delaware State Fire Commission, and assists with therapy and education needs. Ajax was raised by Peggy and Tom Peeler for Canine Companions and later paired with Frank Fioravaniti, an investigator with the Delaware State Fire Commission, during a two-week training program. Fioravaniti previously worked for the Dover Police Department as a sergeant in the K-9 unit and met Canine Companions facility dog Roy and his partner officer Lee Killen. When Fioravaniti retired from the Dover Police Department and joined the Delaware State Fire Commission, he thought a facility dog could be used in his new job the same way Roy was used at the police department, said Canine Companions. The newest member of the Delaware State Fire Commission is Ajax, a two-year-old golden retriever-Labrador mix. He works with handler Frank Fioravaniti, an investigator with the Delaware State Fire Commission, and assists with therapy and education needs. As his handler, Fioravaniti will be joined by Ajax as he assists first responders throughout Delaware. Interested in a visit from Ajax and Fioravaniti? Call the Delaware State Fire Commission at (302) 739-3160 or email fire.commission@delaware.gov. To learn more about Canine Companions, visit www.canine.org or call 1-800-572-BARK. Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware State Fire Commission welcomes service, therapy dog Ajax In the Alabama state supreme court case that dubbed embryos extrauterine children and imperiled the future of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the state, the first reference to the Bible arrives on page 33. Related: The Republican party wants to turn America into a theocracy | Robert Reich The principle itself that human life is fundamentally distinct from other forms of life and cannot be taken intentionally without justification has deep roots that reach back to the creation of man in the image of God, the Alabama supreme court justice Tom Parker wrote in an opinion that concurred with the majority. Attributing the idea to the Book of Genesis, Parkers opinion continued to cite the Bible as well as such venerable Christian theologians as John Calvin and Thomas Aquinas. For experts, Parkers words were a stunningly open embrace of Christian nationalism, or the idea that the United States should be an explicitly Christian country and its laws should reflect that. He framed it entirely assuming that the state of Alabama is a theocracy, and that that is a legitimate way of evaluating laws and policies, said Julie Ingersoll, a University of North Florida professor who studies religion and culture. It looks like he decided to just dismiss the history of first amendment religious freedom jurisprudence at the federal level, and assume that it just doesnt apply to Alabama. Debates over the centrality of Christianity in US life have raged since the founding of the country. But now that Roe v Wade has been overturned and Donald Trump is once again running for president, observers say Christian nationalism has gained a stronger foothold within US politics and its supporters have grown bolder. Theyre sort of saying the quiet parts out loud, said Paul Djupe, who studies Christian nationalism as the chair of data for political research at Denison University in Ohio, of Parkers decision. Today, 30% of Americans support tenets of Christian nationalism, according to a study released earlier this week from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). Researchers asked more than 22,000 Americans how much they agreed with statements such as: The US government should declare America a Christian nation; Being Christian is an important part of being truly American; and God has called Christians to exercise dominion over all areas of American society. Ultimately, about 10% of Americans qualify as adherents to Christian nationalism, and another 20% are sympathizers. White evangelicals are particularly likely to support Christian nationalism: 66% hold Christian nationalist views. PRRI did not ask whether people self-identify as Christian nationalists, because many people who may hold those beliefs shy away from the divisive label. Yet over the last several years, conservatives at the local, state and federal level have notched major legal and political victories that have cleared the way for Christian nationalist priorities such as the overturning of Roe v Wade and the proliferation of efforts targeting sex education, LGBTQ+ rights and the separation of church and state in schools. Now, supporters are seeing further opportunity in a potential second Trump term. Whether someone openly claims the label of Christian nationalist is almost beside the point, Ingersoll said. Are we a pluralistic democracy, where everybody stands on equal footing before the law, or are we a promised land for European Christians? Robert P Jones There are all kinds of people who are influenced by it in ways that theyre not even aware of, Ingersoll said. Most people couldnt tell you who Thomas Aquinas was, but that doesnt matter. They dont have to know who that is to have been shaped by a form of Christianity that arose from his work. And I think that happens with Christian nationalism all over the place. Its a way of shaping the public discourse. Parker has ties to proponents of the Seven Mountain Mandate, a theological approach that once seemed fringe within evangelicalism but is now gaining traction. Backed by a network of nondenominational, charismatic Christians known as the New Apostolic Reformation, this mandate calls on its adherents to establish what they believe to be Gods kingdom over the seven core areas of society, including the government. On 16 February, the day the Alabama supreme court issued its ruling, a prominent proponent of the Seven Mountain Mandate released an interview with Parker. God created government and the fact that we have let it go into the possession of others is heartbreaking, Parker said in the interview, whose existence was first reported by the liberal media watchdog Media Matters for America. The interview took place in front of a framed copy of the Bill of Rights. A spokesperson for the Alabama state supreme court did not immediately return a request for comment from Parker. It is clear that in the US, there have been two competing visions of the country, said Robert P Jones, PRRIs president and the author of The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future. Theyre mutually incompatible visions of the country, but they really have been: are we a pluralistic democracy, where everybody stands on equal footing before the law, or are we a promised land for European Christians? Im going to be your defender Support for Christian nationalism is deeply linked to partisan politics. Residents of red states are far more likely to espouse Christian nationalist beliefs; in Alabama, 47% of people are adherents of or at least sympathetic to Christian nationalism, according to the PRRI survey. More than half of Republicans also hold Christian nationalist beliefs, compared with a quarter of independents and just 16% of Democrats. Related: Mike Johnson, theocrat: the House speaker and a plot against America According to Jones and the PRRI survey, Christian nationalists top litmus tests for politicians are support for access to guns and opposition to immigration, although they are also very likely to say that they would only vote for a candidate who shares their opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. The 2015 US supreme court decision Obergefell v Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, sparked a huge backlash among many conservative Christians. Galvanized by the ruling, they threw their considerable electoral power behind Trump, who had announced his presidential candidacy just days before Obergefell was decided. Conservative Christians have long had this kind of worldview that theyre embattled by the broader culture, Djupe said. The Obergefell decision was a huge spur and Trump played with it. He came on the scene to run for president about the exact same time saying: Youre about to be persecuted. Im going to be your defender. Trump went to great lengths to reward rightwing Christians for their support. According to one analysis, Trumps judicial appointees were more than 97% Christian and a majority had some kind of affiliation with a religious group such as churches, the Christian law firm the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Catholic fraternal order the Knights of Columbus far higher rates than judges who were appointed by Democrats or other Republicans. (The judges were no less well-credentialed.) Trump-appointed judges were also much likelier to vote in favor of Christian and Jewish plaintiffs embroiled in cases over the free exercise of religion. Trump also appointed three of the six US supreme court justices who voted to overturn Roe. The supreme courts new conservative majority has steadily eroded the separation of church and state embedded in the US constitution. The post-Roe skirmish over abortion rights illustrates another key element of a Christian nationalist worldview: the tendency to not only cast issues in binary terms, but to believe that the opposing side is a force of literal evil. If you believe that babies are being murdered which is the rhetoric that you often find in these pro-life, anti-abortion circles if you believe that, then that is a very troubling and even diabolical activity, said Matthew Taylor, Protestant scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies and author of an upcoming book about Christian extremism, The Violent Take It by Force. Theres no dialogue with the other side in their mind, you never compromise with demons. You exorcise demons. Christian nationalists are roughly twice as likely as other Americans to believe that political violence is justified, according to the PRRI survey. Theyre seeing the energy In 2022, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far-right Republican congresswoman from Georgia, openly embraced Christian nationalism. We need to be the party of nationalism, she said. I am a Christian and I say it proudly, we should be Christian nationalists. But Greene is something of an outlier. Powerful organizations within the Christian legal movement, such as the Alliance Defending Freedom, are not yoked to the charismatic strain of evangelical Christianity that is today more closely linked to Christian nationalism, according to Djupe even if they often work toward similar aims. Still, Djupe believes that the energized charismatic movement is pulling other Christian groups further to the right. Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House, has ties to the New Apostolic Reformation, which has also been linked to Trumps rise. Johnson once suggested that no-fault divorces were responsible for school shootings. Theyre seeing the energy, theyre seeing the growth among charismatics, and saying, Hey, you know, theres clearly something to that formula thats influential, Djupe said. I think theyre starting to adopt it. Politico reported last week that the Center for Renewing America, a rightwing thinktank close to the former president, is drawing up plans to infuse Christian nationalist ideas throughout a second Trump administration. The Centers president, Russell Vought, has also advised another powerful conservative thinktank, the Heritage Foundation, on its Project 2025, a playbook of proposals for a Trump administration 2.0, according to Politico. If Trump does win in November, experts fear what may happen next. This is a worldview that does cast political struggles into an a kind of apocalyptic struggle between good and evil, Jones said. We stop thinking about our fellow citizens as political opponents and we start seeing them as existential enemies. And that really, at the end of the day, is poison to the blood of democracy. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) Alabama legislators, on both sides of the aisle, are protecting familys access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. New legislation in the Alabama House and Senate provides criminal and civil immunity to anyone offering IVF treatments in the state, but the bills do not change how the state classifies embryos. Neither bill even mentions the word embryo. Alabama IVF patient forced to seek care elsewhere, Doctor calls situation devastating In the wake of an Alabama Supreme Court decision saying embryos are considered children, clinics across the state halted IVF care. Now, the legislation is expected to give the go-ahead for infertility clinics to resume care. However, the Alabama Supreme Court decision stands. Embryos are still considered children, and some lawmakers said the legislation does not go far enough to protect families. House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels said he has spoken with coupes who tell him IVF treatments are the only way theyll be able to have a baby. He said something needed to be done quickly to resume care. I want to provide families who want to bring life into this world with an opportunity to do so, Daniels said. Alabama Senator Katie Britt to deliver Republican address to the nation ahead of State of the Union Daniels said he believes more needs to be done. Longer term, we have to address this from a constitutional amendment standpoint, Daniels said. I do suspect this will further impact our ability to recruit families to the state of Alabama and retain individuals within the state of Alabama long term because of this ruling. Daniels proposed a bill last week that would make certain a fertilized embryo cannot be considered a child before it is implanted in a mother. What that does, is for an IVF clinic or facility, it wouldve assured them that if something happened to the embryo that they wouldnt be charged with manslaughter, Daniels said. The clarity is what I was trying to provide. Daniels said he encourages voters to stay informed. I think its extremely important that families continue to monitor this, Daniels said. This is just one example of unintended consequences, and there will be others we are confronted with. The legislation protecting IVF procedures in Alabama is likely to hit Gov. Kay Iveys desk next week. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. (KRON) Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price went on the record to apologize for a poorly developed and untested technological infrastructure her new administration inherited in 2023, the DAs press release stated on Friday. Oakland Police Commission officially submits finalists for police chief Upon taking office in January 2023, Price tasked her chief of administration and operations to build a first-of-its-kind data use agreement with UC Berkeleys California Police Lab, blaming the data use agreement as the main reason why a public record request takes so long to process. While the current case management system supports day-to-day responsibilities, Price states the system is woefully inadequate for creating summary data accurately representing our operations over time. The announcement comes after the SF Chronicle attempted to gather evidence of smaller cases that are not widely covered, and the DAs office simply refused to do so for more than a year, the Chronicle stated. Our goal is to create a data-driven support system that will be an asset for prosecutors while simultaneously meeting the need for transparency without compromising the pursuit of justice for victims of crime, DA Price said. Public record requests from lesser-known prosecutions during the past year, such as ones made by SF Chronicle, have yet to be obtained from the Alameda DAs office, the Chronicle reports. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. The Alaska Supreme Court is seen on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Juneau. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) An Alaskan is someone physically present in the state who intends to remain permanently and make a home here, the Alaska Supreme Court concluded in a split opinion published Friday. Residency can begin even if someone leaves the state before moving all of their belongings here, the justices said. Fridays opinion has implications for a variety of state services, including the Permanent Fund dividend, that are available only to state residents. The opinion was the result of a 2022 lawsuit that challenged the eligibility of Rep. Jennie Armstrong, D-Anchorage, to run for (and serve in) the Alaska Legislature. A three-judge panel of the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Armstrongs eligibility in January 2023 with a short order, and Fridays opinion explained justices reasoning. I feel immensely grateful for the courts continued affirmation of my residency and their acknowledgment of the abundance of evidence showing such, Armstrong said on Friday. One of the key moments during Superior Court discussions was a discussion by Armstrong and her husband about how they met, fell in love and made the decision to live together in Alaska. Im grateful that our love story can live on in the public record, she said. Under the Alaska Constitution, a candidate for legislative office must have been a resident of Alaska for at least three years. The justices said candidacy implicates several laws: The person must be an eligible voter, which has its own requirements; they must be a resident of their state House district for at least one year; and they must have been a resident of Alaska for at least three years. Liz Vazquez, Armstrongs Republican opponent in the 2022 legislative election for their shared Anchorage district, brought the lawsuit and cited social media posts from Armstrong that appeared to indicate that she moved to Alaska in June 2019. Armstrong registered as a candidate on June 1, 2022, and if she had moved to Alaska after June 1, 2019, she would have been ineligible to run in 2022. In Anchorage Superior Court, Armstrong offered evidence that she formed the intent to remain in Alaska indefinitely and to make her home here on May 20, 2019, and Superior Court Judge Herman Walker ruled in her favor. Vazquez appealed to the Supreme Court, which concluded that Walker ruled correctly but cited the wrong law when he ruled in favor of Armstrong. The start date of someones Alaska residency, the justices concluded, is determined by when someone intends to remain here and make a home here, even if they briefly are absent from the state. The law, the justices concluded, says that someone must demonstrate intent by maintaining a principal place of abode within Alaska for at least 30 days and by acting consistently with the intent to remain, even during absences. In Armstrongs case, that meant leaving Alaska to gather her things and move them to the state. Because she left some personal items at the home of her future husband before leaving, she established a principal place of abode, the court wrote. Alaskas five high-court justices typically issue consensus opinions, but they did not in this case, splitting on the definition of state residency. Justice Susan Carney dissented from the other four members of the court, saying that their opinion open(s) the door for almost any tourist that falls in love with Alaska or an Alaskan to immediately become a state resident. She speculated that under the majority opinion, someone who visits Alaska as a tourist might be able to rent a room, leave some belongings there, then leave the state for an indefinite period before returning. Would a month be too long? Several months? A year? Carney wrote. The majority justices said that speculation ignores other possible evidence in favor of or against the idea that someone was maintaining a principal place of abode within Alaska. In Armstrongs case, the majority justices wrote, the superior court heard and considered detailed evidence regarding each of these points, and after weighing that evidence, determined that Armstrong demonstrated the requisite intent. Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the fact not all judges participated in the decision. The post Alaska Supreme Court decides key question: Who is an Alaskan? appeared first on Alaska Beacon. China on Friday issued a guideline on the handling of crime cases involving health insurance fraud in a bid to intensify its crackdown on such offenses, which have been on the rise in recent years. The guideline, jointly issued by the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Ministry of Public Security, is expected to provide a detailed legal basis for punishing individuals committing health care fraud. According to the guideline, conspirators will face punishment for committing fraud in schemes conducted by medical institutions such as fabricating medical services and medical bills. Individuals who received health insurance refund payments illegally through fraudulent means, including using others' medical insurance certificates, will also be punished for committing fraud, as stated in the guideline. According to official statistics, Chinese courts concluded at least 1,213 first-instance cases involving health insurance fraud between 2021 and 2023, of which 500 cases were concluded in 2023. BEIRUT, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Four Hezbollah fighters were killed and three other people were wounded on Friday in Israeli air strikes targeting a village in the border region of southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources told Xinhua. The sources, who spoke anonymously, said that the casualties were caused by several Israeli raids on the village of Ramyah in the Bent Jbeil district in southern Lebanon. According to military sources, Israel carried out four air strikes on Ramyah and three on the villages of Aita al-Shaab and Jabal Balat, destroying five houses and damaging 15 others. Meanwhile, Israel fired about 40 shells on nine towns and villages in southern Lebanon. For its part, Hezbollah said its fighters shot down an Israeli drone in southwest Lebanon. The military sources told Xinhua that the Lebanese army, in cooperation with UNIFIL peacekeepers, carried out a sweeping operation and found an Israeli drone in the Labouneh area. The sources said the drone, carrying leaflets, had been transported to one of the Lebanese military centers. Hezbollah added that its fighters on Friday attacked a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Jal al-Alam site and the sites of Ruwaisat al-Alam, al-Manara, al-Baghdadi, Ramim, and Hadab al-Bustan. 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 329 people on the Lebanese side, including 223 Hezbollah members and 61 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources. LOS ANGELES - Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva is looking to return to elected office in Tuesday's election, taking on incumbent county Supervisor Janice Hahn, who is also being challenged by Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank. The District 4 seat represents more than 50 communities, including Artesia, Long Beach, Pico Rivera, Torrance, Whittier, along with the unincorporated areas of East La Mirada, Santa Catalina Island, Westfield, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Harbor City, San Pedro and Wilmington. Hahn, a longtime politician hailing from one of California's most prominent political families, is running for her third and final term. She was elected in 2016 and re-elected to another term in 2020. Previously, she served three terms on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 15th District before being elected to Congress in California's 36th and, later, 44th districts. RELATED: Hahn, 71, said her top priority is confronting the homelessness crisis. According to her campaign's website, "Hahn is leading the implementation of California's new Care Court in L.A. County, which is helping get unhoused people with severe mental health issues off our streets and into supervised care facilities to receive the treatment they need." As a supervisor, Hahn has "created housing solutions across her district quickly and affordably using former motels and vacant government property," her campaign website states. The campaign also touts her efforts to improve public safety and emergency response. California Primary 2024: Voter guide "She has invested in local police, firefighters and paramedics to reduce emergency response times and is working to increase the number of Metro police in stations and on trains to make LA Metro safer," Hahn's campaign said. Hahn is also fighting to "reduce gun violence and keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals, including those accused of domestic violence." During his term as sheriff, Villanueva often clashed with the Board of Supervisors. He was also accused of mishandling certain issues within his department, including the investigations into deputy gangs and refusing to enforce COVID 19 vaccine mandates -- criticisms he vocally rebuffed. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva testifies on deputy gangs Villanueva, 61, served as sheriff from 2018 to 2022, when voters gave the job to former Long Beach Sheriff Robert Luna. Before being elected sheriff, Villanueva was a deputy sheriff for more than 30 years. He is running on a platform of restoring safety and security, and reducing the impact of homelessness on families and businesses. "The Board of Supervisors has a responsibility to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the county," Villanueva said in September, when he announced his candidacy. "In that regard, they have failed absolutely miserably." Villanueva told LAist that when it comes to improving public safety, he would welcome a new district attorney "who will prosecute for starters." He also said he wants to rebuild the sheriff's department "after it was gutted by the defunding movement." Additionally, Villanueva wants to repeal Prop 47, which voters passed in November 2014. It classified retail theft under $950 as a misdemeanor, not a felony. Villanueva told LAist he wants to improve the experience for Metro riders: "The MTA is a transit system, not a sanctuary or a social experiment. The suffering of passengers needs to end, which means we have to enforce the law fairly, restrict use of the system to paying passengers. Homeless outreach should be the responsibility of municipal and county government, not the MTA." On the issue of homelessness, Villanueva told LAist he would expand residential treatment for mental illness by replacing the Men's Central Jail with a mental health treatment center. He would also reopen St. Vincent Medical Center and L.A. County General Medical Center as psychiatric hospitals. Cruikshank is not only the mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes but also the president and CEO of two Southern California engineering firms. "The current Board of Supervisors lacks the experience and knowledge required to address the challenges that our county is currently facing," Cruikshank said on his campaign's website. Cruikshank, 57, said he will tackle what he calls the core four issues: public safety, infrastructure, homelessness and economic empowerment. "We need to reopen our jails and start putting the bad guys back in them," Cruikshank said. He added that if the county D.A. is "soft on crime," then it is the "law-abiding citizens who suffer the consequences." On the issue of homelessness, Cruikshank told LAist he would "eliminate the housing first policy. Bring back conservatorships to get the mentally ill the real help they need." Cruikshank said he will also tackle the housing crisis. "We need to allow each county and city to be able (to) convert any underutilized buildings into housing," he said on his campaign's website. The supervisorial seats are nonpartisan. If no one wins more than 50% of the votes, the top two candidates will compete in a November runoff election. The candidates up for reelection have history on their side, as it's been 44 years since an incumbent county supervisor has lost a reelection bid. The L.A. County supervisors rank among the most influential local government officials nationwide. The five board members govern a county with approximately 10 million residents. Supervisors are elected to serve four-year terms and can remain in office for up to 12 consecutive years. Alexei Navalny was one of Putin's most outspoken critics We witness events, and we report on them. But in the age of 24-hour news, there is often precious little time for journalists to pause, take breath and take in the magnitude of what has happened. In the hours after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, I was filing non-stop for TV, radio and the BBC news website. Only at 2am the following morning, after my last TV live of the day, could I stop and try to compute the enormity of the moment. It has been the same with Alexei Navalny. For two weeks I have been reporting on the death of Russia's most prominent opposition leader in an Arctic penal colony. I talked about the problems his family had encountered as they tried to recover his body; I spoke to Muscovites laying floral tributes to him. On Friday I watched Mr Navalny's coffin being carried into a Moscow church. I saw thousands of Russians lining up to pay their final respects. This embedded content is not available in your region. I saw his supporters throw roses and carnations at the hearse before it headed to the cemetery. But only once I'd seen the dramatic images of his coffin being lowered into the grave did Mr Navalny's death finally, fully, hit home. Today the tributes continued, as Russians - including Mr Navalny's mother Ludmila - came to Borisov cemetery and laid flowers at his grave. I've been thinking about the extraordinary scenes I witnessed yesterday and about what they tell us - if anything - about Russia today. Considering the current wave of repression against dissenting voices, it was unclear how many Russians would come out to say goodbye to the Kremlin's staunchest critic. A steady stream of people laid flowers on Navalny's grave at Borisovskoye cemetery In recent days hundreds of people had been detained by police across Russia at events commemorating Mr Navalny. But, thousands came. When I talked to people, young and old, queuing outside the church, they spoke of the hope Mr Navalny had given them of a better, brighter future for their country. They spoke in support of freedom, democracy, and peace. Lyudmila Navalnaya, mother of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, mourns near her son's grave at a cemetery on the outskirts of Moscow Later, the crowds chanted the kind of slogans unheard on Russian streets since the invasion of Ukraine, such as "Freedom to Political Prisoners!" and "No to war!" It struck me, here was a Russia who had been absent from public view for two years; a Russia which does not support Vladimir Putin, or the war in Ukraine, and wants to be a democratic country. It stands in complete contrast to the Russia shown on state TV: Russia is rabidly anti-Western, pro-Putin, full-square behind the "special military operation" in Ukraine and embracing authoritarianism at home. The question I'm left with is this: were yesterday's scenes the dying embers of liberal democracy in Russia, a "last hurrah" for freedom of expression before it is extinguished completely? Those in power here may well believe so. Russians gathered to try to pay respects to late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny during his funeral They've certainly been working hard to achieve that, adopting repressive laws designed to silence and punish dissent. As a result, Russia's most high-profile opposition figures have either fled abroad or are in prison at home. With the death of Mr Navalny, the opposition has lost its most charismatic leader. In two weeks time, President Putin will face no serious challenge in Russia's presidential election - his fiercest critics are not on the ballot. President Vladimir Putin is widely tipped to win a fifth term in office, as Russians take to the polls in the country's presidential election After what is expected to be declared a "landslide" victory, the authorities will portray President Putin and his policies as super popular and dismiss his critics as a tiny minority of the Russian public. But, here's the thing. Very often Russians who vote for him tell me they do so not because they're excited by his policies or his vision of Russia: they simply see no alternative. That's exactly what the Kremlin has sought to achieve by removing all serious rivals from the political stage. What I saw on the streets of Moscow, on the day of Mr Navalny's funeral, was very different: a genuine outpouring of support for a politician who had inspired a section of the Russian public with an alternative vision for Russia. Mr Navalny is dead. But for these people, their desire for a different Russia is very much alive. Planet Bound The Drake equation, formulated by astrophysicist Frank Drake in 1961, explores the question of why we still have yet to encounter an extraterrestrial civilization. The equation takes a number of different factors into consideration, including the number of stars that have planets orbiting them, the rate of star formation, and the fraction of planets that could actually develop and sustain life. In a new article published in the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, first spotted by Universe Today, Elio Quiroga Rodriguez, a professor at the Universidad del Atlantico Medio in Spain, argues that Drake's equation didn't go far enough. He suggests there's a chance that water or other liquid-dwelling aliens, as well as civilizations on super-Earths, may actually be trapped on their planets due to "physical limitations," even if they wanted to leave a fascinating new wrinkle to one of the core questions at the center of our search for intelligent extraterrestrial life. Fishbowl Dilemma In his article, Quiroga argued the Drake equation should consider two additional possibilities. The first would be civilizations on planets much larger than Earth would need much higher escape velocities to surmount their planet's mighty gravity. If it were too high, extraterrestrials "would not be able to leave the planet using any conceivable amount of fuel, nor would a viable rocket structure withstand the pressures involved in the process, at least with the materials we know," Quiroga wrote. Second, the researcher considers "fishbowl worlds" where the impetus to develop long-distance communication technologies is much lower since messages already can travel over vast stretches without having to be amplified with complex tech in a fluid environment. For such an underwater species, "communication between individuals could be feasible without the need for communication devices," Quiroga argued. "Such a civilization would not be 'communicative' and would not be contemplated in the Drake equation." In short, it's an extension to an already considerable conundrum facing us today. Could there really be woefully unaware aliens living inside massive oceans, or frustrated civilizations struggling to break past the immense gravitational well of their planet? It's a brain teaser certainly worth mulling over. More on SETI: Scientists Scanning Beautiful Star System for Signs of Alien Tech DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The leader of an alleged cult accused of rape learned his fate Friday afternoon. A jury found Eligio Bishop guilty on all counts, including rape, false imprisonment, and charges related to revenge porn. Bishop, who also goes by "Natureboy" and "3God," is the leader of Carbon Nation, which authorities characterize as a sex cult. Prosecutors say he raped a former group member as she tried to escape and then posted revenge porn online. The trial gave an inside look into the operations of Carbon Nation and how Bishop and his followers used social media to promote their holistic lifestyle and teachings. PREVIOUS STORIES Former Carbon Nation cult members speak at sentencing Several of Bishop's former cult members spoke during his sentencing hearing, held after the verdict was read. They described, through tears, how his actions impacted each of them. "He said my soul belonged to him and there was absolutely no saying no to him," one woman testified during his sentencing hearing. "You were our guy, but now youre a prisoner like you imprisoned us," another woman testified. During their statements, Bishop could be seen in a room at the DeKalb County jail "cutting it up," in the words of DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Stacey Hydrick, and talking to the bailiff. Eligio Bishop addresses the court during his sentencing Before being sentenced, Bishop addressed the judge. "I just want to say something, to all of them," Bishop said. "Well, direct it to me, please" Judge Hydrick interrupted. "Are you happy?" Bishop asked. "Im not answering any questions of yours," the judge interjected. "I forgive, I forgive you," Bishop said, talking over the judge. "And I still love you." Bishop continued to appear to address the victims and his supporters adding, "Kiss my girl for me." "Alright, I just muted the courtroom, were done with that," the judge said after his brief remarks. Eligio Bishop sentenced for rape, other charges Prosecutors asked for the maximum sentence, while the defense argued that he should be given life with parole based upon his bad childhood and his lack of priors. "I would have been inclined to exercise some discretion if Mr. Bishop showed any remorse, guilt, or regret throughout this process. And I saw nothing during the trial, but him laughing, cutting it up, and looking shocked and surprised at all of the testimony," said Judge Hydrick. "Mr. Bishop, you are a master manipulator and probably the classic definition of a narcissist that I have ever seen." The judge scolded him for taking advantage of "lost souls looking for some guidance or comfort" and filling a void. She said he caused potentially irreparable harm. She added that she hopes the victims can find some peace, hopefully beginning with this sentence. Judge Hydrick was not swayed and sentenced Bishop to life without parole. He was also sentenced to 10 years to serve consecutively. The sentences for revenge porn will be served concurrently. In addition, Judge Hydrick ordered that he cannot have any contact with the victims, either direct or indirect, which also includes posting anything to the internet. She also told Bishop he cannot profit from his crimes by way of a book deal or other means. The defense has 30 days to file a motion for a new trial in the case. Carbon Nation supporters react to verdict, sentencing of Eligio Bishop Many of his supporters were not in the courtroom for the verdict but took issue with the judges words. They called the case one-sided. "This is a setup," said Kayle Buckner. "These women are scornful; they are spiteful because they couldnt have Mr. Bishop to themselves." Bishops supporters say he will appeal the conviction. Only one witness for the defense spoke during the hearing on Friday due to their being barred from the courtroom for either inappropriate things said on the stand or outbursts caused by them while sitting in the gallery. Carbon Nation leader accused of abuse, revenge porn Eligio Bishop in court on Feb. 26, 2024. Bishop was arrested in April 2022 after a former member of his organization went to the police. During a hearing a month after his arrest, DeKalb County Police Detective Monica Panosian testified that the woman, who FOX 5 Atlanta is referring to as "AV," reported to investigators on March 30 that she had recently left Bishop's cult and that he had posted multiple videos of them having sex on Twitter without her consent. AV told police Bishop had ordered other women in the group to hit her because she "made a face" at him. The woman then told Bishop she wanted to leave, and he told her to pack her things while the other women screamed at her. As she waited for a rideshare driver to pick her up, AV told investigators Bishop asked her to come say goodbye to him. "He began to tell her how she was his b**** and that she was no longer allowed to leave," said Det. Panosian. "She stated she began to essentially beg him to leave and began to cry. She stated Mr. Bishop then began to attempt to have sex with her. She told him no and he continued." The woman waited until the morning when most of the other people in the house were asleep and snuck out, according to police. Panosian said AV changed her phone number and ceased all contact with the cult. Three days after she left, police said the woman discovered the videos and called police. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. President Volodymyr Zelensky called on allies to quickly transfer weapons to Ukraine, saying in his evening address on March 2 that their "political games and disputes" are limiting the country's defense. Zelensky made the appeal after Russia's overnight drone strike against a multi-story building in Odesa which killed at least eight people, including a four-month-old boy and a two-year-old one. A three-year-old girl is among the eight injured residents of the house. The delay in the supply of weapons to protect Ukrainians leads to such losses, the president noted, saying that "the world has enough air defense systems, systems which can protect against the Shahed drones and missiles." Ukraine asked for nothing more than necessary to protect lives. When lives are lost, and partners are simply playing internal political games or disputes that limit our defense, it's impossible to understand. It's unacceptable, Zelensky said. 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. Earlier, Zelensky said that Kharkiv, which is regularly attacked by Russia, is not yet protected and safe enough for residents to return. The southern port city of Odesa is also a frequent target of Russian drone attacks, which Moscow has intensified after the collapse of the grain deal in July 2023. Read also: Who are they fighting, children? Family of 5 killed in devastating Russian attack on Kharkiv Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The union said strike action would likely create a shortage of rolling stock Workers responsible for maintaining and preparing trains across the East Midlands are set to take strike action. About 70 workers at Alstom Engineering in Derby will walk out over four days from Wednesday, 6 March. Their trade union, Unite, said Alstom had "failed to make any form of a pay offer". An Alstom spokesperson said they are in contact with the union "to address their concerns and come to a resolution before next week". The workers are responsible for service and preparation of trains and carriages, fault finding and logging of incidents online and general problems with the fleet for East Midlands Railway. Workers could be set to walk out on four separate days Industrial action is "likely to create a shortage" of available rolling stock, according to Unite. It also warned further dates are likely to be announced if "Alstom fails to return to the negotiating table with an offer". Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Alstom has won lucrative contracts for maintaining trains and yet it has seen fit to fail to offer a pay increase for workers performing highly skilled and safety-critical roles. "Our members are rightly angry at the lack of a pay offer from Alstom." The BBC understands Alstom sent a pay offer to Unite on Thursday and members are expected to be balloted on the proposal. Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. The American Red Cross of North Florida is kicking off its annual Red Cross Month celebration in March to honor local community heroes who help ensure their neighbors never face crises alone. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< During Red Cross Month, we are proud to honor the people in our community who step up to support one another when help cant wait during emergencies, said Christian Smith, Regional CEO, of the American Red Cross of North Florida. This relief and hope wouldnt be possible without these local heroes. Please consider joining in their commitment by donating or volunteering. Join the Red Cross Month celebration by visiting redcross.org to make a financial donation, give blood or platelets, become a volunteer, or take a lifesaving skills course. Those who donate at redcross.org/givingday on March 27 will be part of the 10th annual Red Cross Giving Day, which aims to rally 30,000 supporters nationwide to help provide shelter, food, relief items, emotional support, and other assistance for people affected by disasters big and small. Volunteers comprise 90% of the national Red Cross workforce to power its lifesaving mission, along with generous financial donors; people trained in skills like first aid and CPR; and other supporters. Below are some of the ways that people from the North Florida community have delivered relief with the Red Cross in fiscal year 23: Helped 1,174 families affected by home fires or other disasters. Provided 19,608 services to military members veterans and families. Installed 4,571 free smoke alarms for the Home Fire Campaign. Trained 48,409 residents in lifesaving courses such as CPR/AED and first aid. Taught 11,211 residents and children on how to keep safe during a disaster. Collected 1,057 blood donations from 59 blood drives. Home fires are the most frequent disaster response for the Red Cross, which is also working to help families stay safe by installing free smoke alarms during its Sound the Alarm home fire safety events in at-risk communities. Learn more at www.soundthealarm.org/NorthFlorida. About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nations blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members, and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/northflorida or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media @RedCrossNorthFL. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. By Nathan Layne GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (Reuters) -Donald Trump on Saturday easily won the Republican caucuses in Michigan, where the party has been riven by infighting that some Republicans fear could hurt his campaign in the key battleground state as he gears up for the general election in November. The former U.S. president also won the Missouri and Idaho Republican caucuses on Saturday, according to Edison Research. In all three states Trump trounced Nikki Haley, his last remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination, moving him closer to becoming his party's White House standard-bearer and a likely general election rematch with President Joe Biden, a Democrat. In Michigan, Trump beat Haley in all 13 districts taking part in the nominating caucuses, according to the state Republican Party. Overall, Trump won with nearly 98% percent support: 1,575 votes to just 36 for Haley. Pete Hoekstra, the Michigan Republican Party's chair, called it an "overwhelming, dominating victory. More than 1,600 party insiders participated in the presidential caucus in the western Michigan city of Grand Rapids, where they were choosing delegates for Trump or former U.N. Ambassador Haley for the party's national nominating convention in July. Haley is fast running out of time to alter the course of the Republican nominating race. Next up is Super Tuesday on March 5, the biggest day in the primaries, when 15 states and one territory will vote. With victories in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, South Carolina, and now Michigan, Missouri and Idaho under his belt, Trump is far and away the frontrunner in the race, with Haley hanging on thanks to support from donors keen for an alternative to the former president. For this election cycle, Michigan Republicans devised a hybrid nominating system, split between a primary and a caucus. Trump won the primary convincingly on Tuesday, securing 12 of 16 delegates up for grabs. He took all of Michigan's remaining 39 delegates at stake on Saturday. At one of the 13 caucus meetings, the participants - knowing Trump would win easily - decided to save time by simply asking anyone who backed Haley to stand up. In a room of 185 voting delegates, 25-year-old Carter Houtman was the only person who rose to his feet. "It was a little lonely," Houtman told Reuters in an interview afterward. Houtman said he would likely vote for Trump in November's general election if he is the nominee but felt it was important to stand up for his beliefs on Saturday. "I didn't like the way that Trump handled himself after the last election," Houtman said. Dennis Milosch, 87, a Trump supporter, said the former president's dominating win on Saturday underscored how the party has been transformed from one aligned with big business to one focused on the working class. "Wherever he goes, whatever he does, he pays attention to, responds to, the average person," Milosch said. RIFT IN MICHIGAN PARTY The contest in Michigan on Saturday had held the potential for confusion. Internal turmoil has been percolating in the party for months, pitting backers of Michigan's former Republican Party chair, Kristina Karamo, against the faction of party members who voted to oust her on Jan. 6, and installed Hoekstra as chair. Hoekstra, whom Trump backed as chair, was overseeing the convention in Grand Rapids. Karamo had been planning to chair a dueling convention in Detroit on Saturday, but that was canceled after a Michigan court this week affirmed her ouster and an appeals court denied her request to stay the ruling. Pro-Karamo party chairs for at least two districts held caucus meetings in separate locations from Grand Rapids in protest. However, the results from those are unlikely to be accepted by the Republican National Committee, which last month formally recognized Hoekstra as state party chair. Hoekstra was the U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's presidency. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the caucus meetings, he said he was confident the Michigan Republican Party would unite around the objectives of winning the White House and a U.S. Senate seat up for grabs and retaking the state House of Representatives. "There is not a philosophical divide or an issue divide," Hoekstra said. "This is about getting the party ready to win in November. ... The focus is on beating Joe Biden." Trump's victories in Missouri and Idaho netted him 54 and 32 delegates respectively. (Reporting by Nathan Layne in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Additional reporting by Tim Reid in Washington; Editing by Ross Colvin, Colleen Jenkins, Deepa Babington, Matthew Lewis, Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman) Attendees at the 2024 March for Life rally in Phoenix on March 1, 2024, carry signs. Photo by Gloria Rebecca Gomez | Arizona Mirror A sea of pink and blue balloons emblazoned with Choose Life descended on the Arizona state Capitol on Friday, during the annual rally held by anti-abortion organization March for Life, the theme of which was resounding opposition to the states upcoming abortion rights ballot initiative. This is a crucial time in Arizona, because the abortion lobby is more aggressive and more deceptive than ever before, said Garrett Riley, executive director of the Arizona Life Coalition. We rally and we march today to confront the lies of abortion with truth. In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated the constitutional right to abortion by overturning the protections granted in Roe v. Wade nearly 50 years earlier. In anticipation of that decision, Arizona lawmakers had passed a 15-week gestational ban, with no exceptions for rape or incest, that is currently in effect. Last year, reproductive rights groups responded by drafting the Arizona Abortion Access Act, seeking to win voter approval to enshrine the procedure in the Arizona Constitution. The effort is still in the signature-gathering stage, but is well on its way to meeting the qualification threshold to qualify for the November ballot. In January, the campaign announced it had already collected 250,000 of the 383,923 signatures needed. On Friday, abortion foes called on the hundreds of Arizonans gathered at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, across from the state Capitol, to defeat the fledgling ballot initiative. State Treasurer Kimberly Yee, a Republican, said she had built her political career around her pro-life beliefs, and touted her accomplishments as a lawmaker, when she passed the states ultrasound law. The requirement mandates that abortion providers show patients an ultrasound image of their fetus and offer them the opportunity to listen to the fetal heartbeat at least 24 hours before a procedure. Yee warned rally goers that law, among other abortion restrictions, stand to be struck down by the abortion ballot initiative. That law was passed and has been on the books, and we have to protect it from those who dont choose life, she said. If passed, the initiative would protect abortion access up to the point of fetal viability, usually considered to be around 23 to 24 weeks, invalidating any state law or policy that restricts or denies a persons ability to obtain abortion care. The act does include an exception for laws intended to safeguard the patients health that dont infringe on their decision-making ability. Olivia Escobedo, political director for the It Goes Too Far campaign that was launched to oppose the abortion initiative, denounced the act as too extreme for Arizona. In order to expand abortion, proponents are putting forward a dangerous and extreme ballot measure, she said. What they are seeking to do is to enshrine unrestricted, unregulated late term abortion into Arizonas state constitution. The initiative also shields abortions sought after the point of fetal viability if the patients health provider agrees it is necessary to preserve their physical or mental health. The broad exception has been the subject of vehement criticism by opponents. Escobedo warned that, as a voter-approved constitutional amendment, the proposal will be outside of the legislatures ability to change. The 1998 Voter Protection Act largely forbids lawmakers from editing any voter-approved measures without first going back to the ballot to request permission. The only recourse left, Escobedo said, is to prevent it from passing. What we need to do is fight this, because the legislature, if this passes, will have no power to overturn it, she said. We have to talk to every single voter. The It Goes Too Far campaign is spearheading a Decline to Sign strategy to convince voters not to support signature petitions in the hopes that the proposal will be killed before it can make it to the ballot. But with the proposal already more than halfway to the required signature threshold, thats a tall order to meet. Attendees at the 2024 March for Life rally in Phoenix on March 1, 2024, carry signs encouraging people not to sign a proposed ballot initiative that would enshrine abortion rights in the Arizona Constitution. Photo by Gloria Rebecca Gomez | Arizona Mirror Republican lawmakers showed up to support the rally, calling on attendees to reject the abortion ballot initiative and brandishing their anti-abortion bona fides. Dont let distractors confuse you with misleading terms, Rep. Selina Bliss, flanked by GOP colleagues, said. A child is not a reproductive choice and abortion care is not health care. Just a day earlier, the Republican from Prescott introduced a proclamation in the state House of Representatives urging Arizonans to defeat the abortion proposal. Every Republican in the lower chamber signed onto the proclamation, and a mirror version in the state Senate garnered similar support. Whereas we oppose the effort underway to change the Arizona Constitution to allow children to be aborted during all nine months of development in the womb and whereas we celebrate the wonder of human existence and renew our resolve to build a culture of life where every person of every age is protected, valued, and cherished, we in the Arizona legislature urge every person to refuse to sign the Arizona Abortion Access Act on the ballot as this is an assault on Gods value and sovereignty regarding the sanctity of human life, reads the proclamation Bliss reread and waved to loud cheers from the crowd. Opponents of the Arizona Abortion Access Act have sought to highlight its post-viability exception to characterize it as unacceptably extreme. But data shows that the vast majority of abortions occur before 20 weeks of gestation. In 2021, 94% of the 13,896 abortions provided in Arizona were performed at or before 15 weeks, and just 1.6% of abortions were obtained after 20 weeks. Following the rally, attendees marched around the state Capitol, holding up handmade signs and chanting Let their hearts beat and One, two, three, four, Roe v. Wade is out the door! Five, six, seven, eight, now its time to legislate! Brina Sauer told the Arizona Mirror that she is opposed to the Arizona Abortion Access Act because its too permissive. Every abortion, she said, should inspire concern. And the states 15-week ban, she added, also doesnt go far enough. There needs to be a tightening of the law, but were headed in the right direction, she said. The Arizona Supreme Court is currently mulling whether to reinstate a near-total ban from 1864 that would outlaw every abortion except those to save the mothers life. The law carries with it a mandatory 2 to 5 year prison sentence for doctors who violate its Civil War-era provisions. Democrats across the country are counting on abortion to be a motivating factor in the November elections and, while Republicans are largely moving away from all out bans in an attempt to avoid voter backlash, Sauer said her pro-life beliefs will feature prominently in who she votes for. But Rachel Thompson, who joined the march with her nine-month-old son strapped to her back, said her opinions about abortion arent going to take her to the ballot box, despite her strong opposition to the initiative. Its not a political issue for me, she said. I see it as more of a political theater. Instead, her top concern is immigration a topic that has risen to the number one spot in voter minds for the first time in five years. Thompson added that she opposes any state action on abortion, saying that she fears restrictions will only push women to underground options or across state lines. Instead, she said, shed prefer to educate women about their options, including motherhood, and let them make their own decisions. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post Amid a push to add abortion rights to the AZ Constitution, pro-lifers rally for crucial action appeared first on Arizona Mirror. A time-sequence composite of the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse In this case, time runs from left to right, from the last filtered partial phases shot, through unfiltered shots of the rapidly changing last glimmer of sunlight disappearing behind the advancing Moon at Second Contact, forming Bailys Beads, to totality at centre] The sequence continues at right with the Sun emerging from behind the Moon in a rapid sequence at Third Contact, followed by two post-totality filtered partials to bookend the total eclipse images The C3 limb had a beautiful array of pink prominences. On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible across North America. Our total eclipse 2024 guide tells you everything you need to know about the phenomenon from where to see it it to why it's so special. If you can't catch the eclipse in person you can watch the total solar eclipse live here on Space.com. During a total eclipse, the moon appears almost exactly the same size as the sun and blocks the entire disk for a few minutes known as totality. The 115-mile-wide (185 kilometers) path of totality will cross three states in Mexico, 15 U.S. states and four states in southeast Canada. What is a solar eclipse? | How to photograph a solar eclipse | How to view the sun Ring of fire solar eclipse of 2023 is one week away! The path of annularity crossing the U.S. on October 14, 2023. Eclipse Safety Gear Celestron solar observing kit If you're looking to safely observe a solar eclipse, the Celestron EclipSmart 2x Power Viewers Solar Eclipse and Solar Eclipse Glasses Observing Kit are great for beginners. Read our full review. The stage is set for one of the greatest sun events of 2023, if not the greatest skywatching event of the year! We are officially one week away from the annular solar eclipse of Oct. 14 and is one that could potentially be visible to millions of people across the United States. While not a total solar eclipse, the annular eclipse will offer a "ring of fire" effect for observers in the path of maximum coverage, as the moon will not completely cover the sun during the event. Instead, it will leave a small ring of the sun visible, also called an annulus, hence its name. Ultimate guide to October's 'ring of fire' solar eclipse The path of annularity will cross parts of Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas before moving on to Central and South America. If you are not in the path of annularity, you'll be able to see partial solar eclipse, BUT BE SURE TO USE PROTECTIVE SOLAR ECLIPSE GLASSES to protect your eyes and vision. Here's a look at some of Space.com's resources for the solar eclipse to help you prepare for the event. We'll have daily stories leading up to the event. How fast will the Oct. 14 annular solar eclipse travel? How long with the Oct. 14 solar eclipse last? 10 events, viewing parties and festivals for October's 'ring of fire' solar eclipse 10 beauty spots to see October's 'ring of fire annular solar eclipse Total vs. annular: Why solar eclipses produce totality or a 'ring of fire' 7 places to see rare 'edge effects' during October's 'ring of fire' solar eclipse Future solar eclipses will all be rings of fire Photographer Alexander Krivenyshev of WorldTimeZone.com captured the In the far future, total solar eclipses will be a thing of the past and there's physics behind it. As we prepare for the upcoming Oct. 14 annular solar eclipse, our skywatching columnist Joe Rao takes a look into the future, when the moon's distance in relation to the Earth will be such that it will no longer totally cover the sun's disk as seen from the Earth's surface. Here's why all solar eclipses will be rings in the future, and let us know how ready or excited you are for the Oct. 14 solar eclipse! Less than one week to go until the sun is turned into a spectacular 'ring of fire' an annular solar eclipse at sunset with a blood red sky and a flock of birds are silhouetted as they fly across the scene in the foreground. The countdown to the annular solar eclipse 2023 is well underway! As we get ready for the impressive "ring of fire" spectacle we summarize where the eclipse is visible and why scientists are so excited! REMEMBER to NEVER look at the sun directly. To safely view this solar eclipse you must use solar filters at all times. Whether your location will experience a partial solar eclipse or an annular solar eclipse, the dangers are the same. Observers will need to wear solar eclipse glasses, and cameras, telescopes and binoculars must have solar filters placed in front of their lenses at all times. Our how to observe the sun safely guide tells you everything you need to know about safe solar observations. Explore the annular eclipse with this awesome interactive map 2023 eclipse explorer showing when moving the time slider in the user interface advances or reverses the eclipse through time on the day of the eclipse. Moving the time slider in the user interface advances or reverses the eclipse through time on the day of the eclipse. (Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio) If you can't get enough of eclipse content as we countdown to the annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14 then this interactive eclipse map is for you! NASA's Eclipse Explorer's interactive map details when and where the eclipse can be seen, including the path and duration of annularity (the areas from which the 'ring of fire' can be seen), allowing you to track the eclipse down to the second! You can even toggle between cities and use the slider bar at the bottom to move through different stages of the eclipse. So what are you waiting for? Explore the annular solar eclipse today! 3 days to go until the eclipse! But how fast will it travel? graphic illustration depicting how fast a solar eclipse travels with a speedometer graphic overlaid on top of a graphic of a solar eclipse. Did you know that on Oct. 14 when the annular solar eclipse sweeps across the Americas the speed of the moon's shadow varies from more than 550,000 mph (more than twice as fast as a bolt of lighting) to as slow as 1,250 mph (about the same as a jet fighter). In the U.S., when the moon's shadow strikes the Oregon coast at 9:13 a.m. PDT its speed will have already slowed down significantly to 5,683 mph. As it leaves the coast of Texas just 50 minutes later at 12:03 p.m. CDT it will have slowed down to 1,772 mph. Why? It all depends on where on Earth the eclipse is happening, the distance to the moon and the moon's orbital speed. We take a more in-depth look at how fast the annular solar eclipse will travel including where it will move the fastest and the slowest. Did you know that there will be two eclipses this month? Two panel image showing an annular solar eclipse (left) and a partial lunar eclipse (right) Annular solar eclipse (left) and a partial lunar eclipse (right). (Image credit: Paul Souders (left) Biswarup Ganguly/ Eyepix Group/Future Publishing via Getty Images (right)) Earth will experience two eclipses this month, an annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14 and a partial lunar eclipse on Oct. 28. While the annular solar eclipse will be visible to observers across the Americas, the lunar eclipse will be visible across much of the Eastern Hemisphere, including Europe, Africa and Asia. Read more: Earth will experience 2 eclipses this month. Here's what you need to know Looking for an app to help track the eclipse? a phone with an image of a solar eclipse on it Popular astronomy app SkySafari has added a special set of features for tracking and viewing this week's annular solar eclipse. The new eclipse features are available for SkySafari 7 Pro users (subscriptions start at $17.99), although anyone interested in trying it out can download a free trial. NASA has released its own Eclipse Explorer 2023, an interactive map that lays out when and where the eclipse will be visible, including the path of annularity (the areas that will see the "ring of fire"). And nonprofit organization Astronomers Without Borders is offering the "One Eclipse" app, designed to give users worldwide a front-row seat to the annular solar eclipse right in the palms of their hands. Here's how the eclipse will play out series of stages of an annular eclipse where the moon appears to take a bigger and bigger Digital composite view of annular solar eclipse on May 20, 2012. Seven separate exposures were made twenty minutes apart and combined into one image. (Image credit: Paul Souders via Getty Images) On Saturday (Oct. 14), an annular solar eclipse will sweep across the Americas. Here we explain the five main stages of the eclipse and what you can expect to see. An annular eclipse occurs when the moon is far from the Earth, and therefore, the sun will not be completely obscured, leaving a fiery golden ring shining around the dark lunar disk. This will happen gradually, with the annular eclipse bookmarked by partial solar eclipse phases. Annular eclipse weather forecast a ring of orange light surrounds the dark sphere of the moon. The moon obscures most of the sun during an annular, or "ring of fire," eclipse. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Dunford) Space.com's skywatching columnist and veteran meteorologist Joe Rao takes a look at the weather forecast for the annular solar eclipse. Skywatchers across the U.S. who are looking forward to viewing Saturday's solar eclipse may run into a problem thanks to several unsettled weather systems that will predominate over the east-central part of the country, as well as along the Pacific coast. Read more: 'Ring of fire' solar eclipse on Oct. 14: Will the weather cooperate? 'Ring of Fire' Eclipse day is here! This map shows the paths of the annular Good morning, Space Fans, and today's the day: It's annular solar eclipse day for parts of the U.S., Central America and South America. A "ring of fire" solar eclipse will occur today and you'll be able to watch it online, if you were unable to get to a location within the path of annularity, in which the moon will cover most, but not all, of the sun, leaving a brilliant ring around its edges known as a "ring of fire." The eclipse will begin its partial phase at 11:03 a.m. EDT (1603 GMT) and begin its ring of fire phase for the first time at 12:13 p.m. EDT (1713 GMT) as it passes over parts of Oregon. It will then cross seven other U.S. states, moving from Oregon to Texas before crossing the Gulf of Mexico to reach Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Brazil, making the famous "ring of fire" visible to millions of people. You can watch it here live, starting at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1630 GMT). You can see the entire path of annularity including start and end times for different stages of the eclipse at each location in this interactive map created by French eclipse expert Xavier Jubier. NASA has also created a helpful interactive map for tracking the eclipse across the U.S. down to the last second and seeing what it will look like from select destinations along the route. You can also use the SkySafari app to track the eclipse from your location. If you are not in the path of annularity, you will be able to see a partial solar eclipse. But of course, it all depends on your local weather. Our skywatching columnist Joe Rao has a full weather solar eclipse forecast for the United States here. Space.com Editor Brett Tingley is in Nevada to observe the eclipse and will attempt to send updates here as it happens if his connection allows. We'll also be posting updates of the eclipse's progress here throughout the day. -- Tariq Malik Space.com's Editor Brett Tingley is ready and waiting! great basin national park annular solar eclipse 2023 "The sun is just rising over the mountains on a crisp, cold morning at the foot of Great Basin National Park as we're just an hour away from the beginning stages of today's annular solar eclipse." -- Brett Tingley Space.com's editor Brett Tingley is waiting for the eclipse to begin and has already captured an awesome image of the sun, just look at the size of those sunspots! great basin national park annular solar eclipse 2023 Here it comes! annular eclipse Brett "Some clouds are passing by but we're seeing the first edge of the moon pass over the sun" -- Brett Tingley Look at the top portion of the image and you can just start to see the moon! annular eclipse Brett Brett is using the Unistellar eQuinox 2 with Smart Solar Filter to capture the impressive views of the eclipse from The Great Basin National Park. Our eclipse livestream has begun! Solar eclipse photographed in Chon Buri, Thailand. The red hue image shows a distinct 'ring of fire' glowing in the sky, slightly obscured by a cloud. Our annular solar eclipse livestream courtesy of NASA has begun! Watch the eclipse live here. Clouds could be problematic for some annular eclipse "Clouds are moving in here at Great Basin National Park, obscuring the view of the beginning stages of the annular solar eclipse. There's still an hour to go before annularity, though, and crowds here are hopeful that they will clear out in time. Eclipse chasers have gathered here from all over the United States, some with homemade t-shirts commemorating the event and the long road trips it took to get to remote Baker, Nevada." -- Brett Tingley, Editor, Space.com. Relief! (for now) annular eclipse brett "As the clouds begin to part, the crowds here at Great Basin National Park let out audible sighs of relief as the sun and the moon emerged back into view some 30 minutes after the eclipse began." -- Brett Tingley Livestream is underway with stunning views annular eclipse nasa weather balloons You can watch the livestream of the annular eclipse courtesy of NASA here. Impressive views of the eclipse are already coming in alongside an interesting conversation about scientific research balloons! Partial eclipse stage is well underway annular eclipse brett The partial eclipse stage of the eclipse is well underway as the moon appears to take a large "bite" out of the sun. This image was captured by our Editor Brett Tingley using the Unistellar eQuinox 2 with Smart Solar Filter from the Great Basin National Park. You can watch the livestream of the annular eclipse courtesy of NASA here. First of three eclipse-studying rockets has been launched sounding rocket launch The first of three sounding rockets to study the eclipse has been launched! Launching from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the rockets will specifically target the ionosphere. During the eclipse, temperature and density will drop in the ionosphere, creating a wave-like effect that can affect satellite communications, including GPS. Read more: NASA will launch rockets into the annular solar eclipse's shadow on Oct. 14 More than half of the sun is eclipsed! annular eclipse More than half of the sun is now eclipsed by the moon! The famous "ring of fire" will be the next significant phase. This image was captured by our Editor Brett Tingley using the Unistellar eQuinox 2 with Smart Solar Filter from the Great Basin National Park. You can watch the livestream of the annular eclipse courtesy of NASA here. Hungry moon takes a big "bite" annular eclipse The moon is taking a huge "bite" out of the sun as the annular solar eclipse edges closer to the "ring of fire" phase. This image was captured by our Editor Brett Tingley using the Unistellar eQuinox 2 with Smart Solar Filter from the Great Basin National Park. You can watch the livestream of the annular eclipse courtesy of NASA here. Moon turns sun into crescent annular eclipse "The light is beginning to change as more and more of the sun is blocked by the moon. The temperature has dropped slightly." -- Brett Tingley This image was captured by our Editor Brett Tingley using the Unistellar eQuinox 2 with Smart Solar Filter from the Great Basin National Park. You can watch the livestream of the annular eclipse courtesy of NASA here. annular eclipse Behold! The "ring of fire" has arrived! annular eclipse "A cheer just went up here at Great Basin National Park as we've reached annularity. The temperature has dropped significantly, and the light has taken on a twilight quality." -- Brett Tingley This image was captured by our Editor Brett Tingley using the Unistellar eQuinox 2 with Smart Solar Filter from the Great Basin National Park. You can watch the livestream of the annular eclipse courtesy of NASA here. End of annularity for Great Basin National Park annular eclipse end of annularity The "ring of fire" stage has ended for those in the Great Basin National Park, it will now turn into a partial solar eclipse. You can learn about the main stages of the annular solar eclipse here. You can watch the livestream of the annular eclipse courtesy of NASA here and follow the "ring of fire" as it moves across the U.S. It hasn't finished yet! This image was captured by our Editor Brett Tingley using the Unistellar eQuinox 2 with Smart Solar Filter from the Great Basin National Park. The "ring of fire" has made it to Albuquerque, New Mexico annularity The "ring of fire" has passed over Albuquerque, New Mexico. You can follow the "ring of fire" across the U.S. and watch the livestream of the annular eclipse courtesy of NASA here. Kerrville, Texas welcomes the "ring of fire" annular eclipse The "ring of fire" has now made it to Kerrville, Texas! You can follow the "ring of fire" across the U.S. and watch the livestream of the annular eclipse courtesy of NASA here. See the 1st 'ring of fire' photos and video annular eclipse The first images of the moon passing between the sun and the Earth in a so-called "ring of fire" solar eclipse are coming in and the views are amazing. See the first photos and video here You can follow the "ring of fire" across the U.S. and watch the livestream of the annular eclipse courtesy of NASA here. Things are wrapping up at Great Basin National Park (but the eclipse is far from over) annular eclipse brett "The temperature has risen back to normal as the end of the annular solar eclipse approaches. Most of the crowds have left already." -- Brett Tingley This image was captured by our Editor Brett Tingley using the Unistellar eQuinox 2 with Smart Solar Filter from the Great Basin National Park. You can continue to follow the eclipse as it moves through Colombia and Brazil online here courtesy of timeanddate.com. We are approaching the "ring of fire" in Neiva, Colombia annular eclipse crescent sun The moon is turning the sun into a thin crescent in Neiva, Colombia! You can continue to follow the eclipse as it moves through Colombia and Brazil online here courtesy of timeanddate.com. Annularity has reached Neiva, Colombia annular eclipse colombia The "ring of fire" is now in Neiva, Colombia! This impressive image is courtesy of timeanddate's free livestream. The Neiva footage is by Planetario de Medellin. You can continue to follow the eclipse as it moves through Colombia and Brazil online here courtesy of timeanddate.com. Eclipse enters the Southern Hemisphere! Canaa dos Carajas eclipse The annular solar eclipse has now crossed the equator and is traveling across the Southern Hemisphere. It's traveling approximately 1,459 mph (2,351 km/h) (and getting faster!) and is visible over Brazil. The image above shows the partial eclipse stage as we approach annularity in Canaa dos Carajas, Brazil. The "ring of fire" has reached Brazil! annular The annular solar eclipse is currently traveling over Brazil where it will end at sunset. Here the "ring of fire" is visible over Canaa dos Carajas, Brazil. You can continue to follow the eclipse as it moves through Brazil online here courtesy of timeanddate.com. And that's a wrap! Rajat Kumar Pal annular solar eclispe Wowee! Today's annular eclipse did not disappoint. You can view a roundup of some of the best photos from around the world here in our "Annular solar eclipse of 2023 wows skywatchers with spectacular 'ring of fire' (photos, video)" article. Stay tuned for more annular eclipse content over the coming days including a special report from our Editor Brett Tingley about his incredible eclipse adventure. We hope you have enjoyed this annular solar eclipse as much as we have! Clear skies. Hot off the press! Read all about what it was like chasing the solar eclipse on the Extraterrestrial Highway sign that reads extraterrestrial highway Space.com's editor Brett Tingley recounts his incredible eclipse-viewing adventure that took him through the state of Nevada along state route 375, the "Extraterrestrial Highway." "It was still cold when those skies began to lighten on the morning of the eclipse in Ely, Nevada, while wispy clouds blew above the recreational vehicles and camp chairs that began to line the route from Ely to Great Basin National Park. As the sun rose over the pine-covered mountains of the Schell Creek Range in the distance, more and more visitors arrived and set up tripods and cameras. Some of the gathered eclipse-chasers wore homemade T-shirts commemorating the event, and many had driven for days just to get a glimpse of the 'ring of fire.'" Read more: Fire in the sky: Chasing the annular solar eclipse 2023 on the Extraterrestrial Highway Wow! Satellites watched the annular solar eclipse from space satellite view of annular solar eclipse 2023 over earth The eclipse, during which the moon blocked out the center of the sun, causing it to appear as a glowing ring of fire in the sky over Earth, was seen by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellites GOES-East and GOES-West. Read more and see the incredible timelapse video here: Satellites watch the annular solar eclipse 2023 sweep over the U.S. (video) Watching the eclipse from the home of ancient solar astronomy annular solar eclipse 2023 Eclipse-chasers and archaeo-astronomers flocked to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico to see annularity from the home of the famous 'Rock of the Sun' petroglyph. Space.com's contributing writer Jamie Carter describes what it was like to view the annular solar eclipse from the home of ancient solar astronomy. Read more: What the 'ring of fire' eclipse looked like from the home of ancient solar astronomy Countdown to April's total solar eclipse has begun! USA, Oregon, Mount Hood National Forest, View of solar corona during total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 With the impressive annular solar eclipse behind us, we now take a look at the total solar eclipse that will occur on April 8, 2024. The spectacle will be visible to millions of skywatchers across the Americas. It's not too early to start planning your trip and lucky for you our contributing writer and eclipse expert Jamie Carter has written a handy guide to help. From scouting locations to staying safe, here's how to prepare for the total solar eclipse. Read more: Total solar eclipse April 2024: 8 top tips for planning your trip Remember '99% totality' does not exist! eclipse map showing the path of totality across the U.S. On April 8, a total solar eclipse will be visible across the Americas. (Image credit: Michael Zeiler/GreatAmericanEclipse.com) There's a reason why the path of totality is called what it is. Mistakes will be made by many would-be eclipse-chasers on April 8, 2024. Inside the 115-mile wide path of totality which will stretch across North America that day some will forget to take off their eclipse glasses (during "totality"), missing a once-on-a-lifetime view of the solar corona. Others will lose track of time and be queuing for the bathroom as the moon totally eclipses the sun. However, the biggest celestial crime it's possible to make when a total solar eclipse comes to town is to settle for 99%. Read more: '99% totality' does not exist! Why you need to get to the path for April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse Here's how scientists will study the sun during the total eclipse The total solar eclipse that will sweep across the Americas on April 8 will provide scientists with a rather unique view of the sun and the perfect opportunity to study it in more detail. "Scientists have long used solar eclipses to make scientific discoveries," Kelly Korreck, program scientist at NASA Headquarters, said in the statement. "They have helped us make the first detection of helium, have given us evidence for the theory of general relativity, and allowed us to better understand the sun's influence on Earth's upper atmosphere." Learn more about the five science experiments selected by NASA to study the Great North American Eclipse of 2024. Where will the total eclipse be visible from? Totality as seen from Easter Island on July 11, 2010. Location is key to a successful total solar eclipse viewing experience. All of North America will see a partial solar eclipse, but only those within the path of totality will get to encounter a total solar eclipse. The all-important path of totality heads from northwest Mexico through the U.S. to southeastern Canada. That path will be 115 miles (183 kilometers) wide, on average, and only within it will it be possible to experience darkness in the day and glimpse the sun's corona for up to 4 minutes 28 seconds. Read more: Where will the April 2024 total solar eclipse be visible from? Will El Nino affect the chances of clear skies? people watch a total solar eclipse in partly clouds sky. (Image credit: Pete Marovich/Getty Images) Where will the best weather be for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024? That's the burning question for eclipse chasers who are now making preparations and travel plans, but an incoming El Nino threatens to make things a little more complicated. The incoming disruptive global climate pattern underscores the path of totality through Mexico and Texas as the best places to be for the lowest chance of cloud cover. Read more: How El Nino may affect the chances of clear skies for the 2024 total solar eclipse Where is the best place to see the April 2024 total solar eclipse? people on a hillside look upward at the sun, some holding cameras or telescopes Total solar eclipses are rare opportunities that are not to be missed. After next year's total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, the next total solar eclipse that will be visible from North America will be in 2044. Being in the right place at the right time is crucial for seeing one of these celestial spectacles. Want to know where you should be to catch the "Great American Eclipse?" Read our guide below for a list of the best places to see the April 2024 total solar eclipse. Read more: Where is the best place to see the April 2024 total solar eclipse? Where will you be celebrating the total solar eclipse? people sitting down wearing eclipse glasses and staring at the sky. If you want some inspiration on where to head for the ultimate total solar eclipse viewing experience we've rounded up some of the best parties, festivals and eclipse events across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The all-important path of totality will pass through northwest Mexico, 15 U.S. states (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine) and five Canadian provinces (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland). Read more: April 2024 total solar eclipse viewing events: Parties, festivals and more Planning on viewing the eclipse from Mexico? blue water surrounded by grassland and shrubs with blue sky above and mountains in the background. Some of the best places to witness the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, are in Mexico. The shadow of the moon will first strike Earth about 370 miles (600 kilometers) off the west coast of Mexico at Isla Socorro before visiting three of the Islas Marias just 60 miles (100 km) from the mainland. It will then sweep across Mexico from Mazatlan, Durango, Torreon and Monclova as the path tracks northeast toward the U.S. border at Piedras Negras. Read more: The best places in Mexico to see the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 The 'Totality' app is the perfect tool to accompany you on your eclipse viewing experience totality app screenshots showing a map and information about the april 2024 total solar eclipse. The free "Totality" app is available for iOS and Android users in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. The app's interactive map feature shows you where in the world upcoming solar eclipses will be visible and uses your phone's GPS to tell you what those eclipses would look like from your current location. The "learn" section provides ample solar eclipse resources such as information on how, when and why solar eclipses occur as well as classroom activities meant to inspire the next generation of budding eclipse chasers. Read more: Experience April's total solar eclipse from the palm of your hand with the 'Totality' app from Big Kid Science Why not experience nature's most remarkable spectacle in a beautiful setting? Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States The path of totality a narrow path around 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide where the moon completely obscures the sun runs through Mexico to Canada via 15 U.S. states, and will pass through many state parks, national parks and other scenic spots that offer a perfect backdrop for this rare and stunning event. We've rounded up 10 of the best locations to enjoy the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Read more: 10 scenic spots to watch the April 2024 total solar eclipse Looking for some new kit to view the solar eclipse? If you're looking to purchase some new kit to view the upcoming solar eclipse, this Cyber Monday telescope deal is well worth it! The Cyber Monday deal from B&H Photo Video slashes the price of the Celestron NexStar 6SE Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope and EclipSmart Solar Filter Kit by more than $1,000. Originally $2,047.95 it is now $948.95. A great all-rounder telescope and with the EclipSmart White-Light Solar Filter that is ISO 12312-2 compliant for safe solar viewing, it's the perfect eclipse-viewing companion. Read more: Cyber Monday telescope deal: Save over $1000 on this telescope and solar filter bundle for more than 50% off Celestron NexStar 6SE Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope and EclipSmart Solar Filter Kit was $2,047.95 now $948.95 from B&H Photo Video. Save $1,099 on a telescope and solar filter kit that offers clear views of the cosmos and an excellent tracking system. The 1499 mm focal length is great for exploring deep space objects and the EclipSmart Solar Filter is the ideal accessory to help you safely view an eclipse. View Deal Here's why the sun's corona should look its spectacular spiky best during April's eclipse total solar eclipse with dark circle in the center and white streamers and eruptions surrounding it. A dramatic view of the sun at' solar maximum' will await eclipse-chasers on April 8, 2024, during North America's total solar eclipse. Only those within a 125-mile (200 km) wide path of totality can glimpse the sun's corona its hotter outer atmosphere with their naked eyes during totality. Only during the exact moment of totality, when the moon completely obscures the sun can you look with the naked eye. At all other times, precautions need to be taken. It's a sight to behold, whatever the level of solar activity, but the latest predictions have the sun reaching the peak of its current cycle in 2024, the corona now looks set to be at its largest and spikiest just in time for totality. With cameras much improved since the last solar maximum in 2012, unique images will be possible. Read more: Solar maximum: Why April's total Solar Eclipse will bring unique views of the sun's corona Planning on watching the eclipse from Canada? a sklyine reflected in adjacent water We've rounded up some of the best viewing locations in Canada to watch the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. "It's going to be a huge event because even though totality is only coming to the south of Canada, everybody in the country will see a partial eclipse," Olivier Hernandez, director of the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium in Montreal, told Space.com. "That has not happened for over 30 years." Read more: The best places in Canada to see the 2024 total solar eclipse The best places in the US to experience totality graphic showing the path of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Seven years ago, the path of totality was relatively remote. This time, on April 8 2024, it will pass by some vast cities and metropolitan areas, ranging northeast from Texas through Maine. Only from within this path will it be possible to witness totality for up to 4 minutes and 26 seconds. Here we have rounded up some of the best places in the US to experience the total solar eclipse. Why not experience totality from one of these eclipse-themed locations? a map showing the path of totality and labelled places along the path that experience totality. Eclipse Island, Corona and Moon Island are just some of the places you can watch the total solar eclipse on April 8. Here we've rounded up eclipse-related place names located within the path of totality along with the local time and duration of totality. Read more: These eclipse-themed places will experience totality on April 8, 2024 Want to avoid the crowds? People watch the solar eclipse at Saluki Stadium on the campus of Southern Illinois University on August 21, 2017 in Carbondale, Illinois Texas could see a million visitors for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, while half a million could travel to Indiana and Ohio, according to new eclipse visitation estimates from eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler at GreatAmericanEclipse.com. You may have heard about specific events, cities promoting themselves and beauty spots that would make ideal eclipse-observing locations. But where will people actually go on April 8? Read more: Where will the most crowded places be for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024? Don't make these common mistakes! the moon blocks the sun, leaving a fiery aura in the sky. A total solar eclipse is a dynamic event that can be complicated to understand. For example, totality is only on the menu for those within a narrow path stretching across North America. It's only 115 miles wide. Everyone else in North America will see an under-whelming partial solar eclipse. But it also matters where you are within the path of totality. Experiencing a total solar eclipse doesnt require any scientific knowledge, but it does require some planning and decision-making. Here are some common mistakes would-be eclipse-chasers make. Read more: 10 rookie mistakes first-time eclipse-chasers make (and how to avoid them) Don't stress about getting to the centerline map showing oblique circular shadow of the moon explains how long totality last within the path. On average, the path of totality will be 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide as it crosses northern Mexico, parts of 15 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces, but people at the center and those at the edge will have a different viewing experience. If you're aiming to experience totality then stay away from the very edge of the path but there is no need to obsess over the centerline. The closer you get to the centerline, the less difference it makes in duration. Given that crowds will go to locations right on the centerline, it makes sense to go somewhere just shy of it. Read more: Why you don't need to get to the centerline for April's total solar eclipse and what will happen at the edge Did somebody say road trip? two people watching the solar eclipse from their car. If you're after a unique way to experience the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, then consider a road trip. On that day, a path of totality 115 miles wide (185 kilometers) will stretch across parts of three Mexican states, 15 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces. It will be an exciting space event not to be missed but it's also an excellent opportunity to explore. Whether you're a stargazer, history buff, or space enthusiast, here are six road trip options to make the total solar eclipse a memorable experience. Read more: Road trip! See April's total solar eclipse from one of these awesome North American routes One of the best US solar eclipses in 100 years! a total solar eclipse seen against a black sky The April 8 total solar eclipse will be one of the longest and most visible for the U.S. in 100 years, with a maximum duration of 4 minutes 28.2 seconds. During the last 100 years, from 1925 (inclusive) to 2024, the maximum duration of totality of 75 solar eclipses sampled (including annular-total/hybrid and non-central total eclipses) averaged 3 minutes 13 seconds. Our upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8, will achieve a maximum duration of 4 minutes 28.2 seconds in north central Mexico. Among the 75 solar eclipses that we sampled, 29 belong to the "Four Minute or Greater Club" and the April 8 eclipse ranks among the top 25% in terms of duration. Read more: Total solar eclipse April 8, 2024: The longest and most visible for the US in 100 years What you'll see if you're outside the path of totality a map showing what the sun will look like across the united states during a solar eclipse on april 8, 2024 Unlike a total eclipse of the sun, concentrating its excitement into a few fleeting minutes, a partial eclipse can be watched leisurely from wherever one happens to be. On April 8, 2024, viewers about 2,600 miles (4,200 km) on either side of the totality path will get a partial eclipse, with the moon initially making a slight dent in the sun's edge. Read more: Total solar eclipse April 8, 2024 What you'll see if you're outside the path of totality Shadow bands: Possibly the most eerie phenomena that can accompany a solar eclipse a drawing of a house during a solar eclipse; on the outside of the house are wavy lines of shadow On Monday, April 8, as most readers certainly know by now, the shadow of the moon will sweep down from space and slide across the surface of the Earth, bringing a total solar eclipse to parts of the contiguous United States for the first time since 2017. The highlight of totality for many will be the opportunity to view the incredible solar corona the twisted outer atmosphere that reveals the presence of the sun's active magnetic field as well as seeing stars and planets pop into view during the daytime. But there is another unusual phenomenon that is visible only when the sun has narrowed to just a filament of light: Shadow bands. Read more: Shadow bands are a solar eclipse mystery (and not everyone sees them) Total solar eclipse 2024 vs 2017: How do they compare? map of the United States with the paths of the 2017 and 2023 total solar eclipses. On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse moved from the Pacific to the Atlantic, throwing a narrow corridor through 14 U.S. states under the moon's shadow in the first coast-to-coast totality for 99 years. On that day, the shadow moved from Oregon across the U.S. to South Carolina, from roughly northwest to southeast. It's about to happen again, with the total solar eclipse on April 8 again beginning in the Pacific and ending in the Atlantic, but this time, the path appears to track from southwest to northeast. We take a look at how these two iconic solar eclipses compare. Read more: How will the 2024 total solar eclipse differ from the 2017 total solar eclipse? 60 days to go are you ready? A girl in a blue top holds a pair of eclipse glasses on her face while watching an eclipse. The countdown is on! With just 60 days until the total solar eclipse on April 8, now is the time to make sure you're all kitted out with everything you need to view the eclipse safely. There are lots of ways to view the sun but one of the easiest is perhaps to just don a pair of certified eclipse glasses. Our solar eclipse glasses guide tells you everything you need to know about choosing a pair of eclipse glasses including where to buy them from. Read more: Solar Eclipse Glasses: Where to buy the best, high-quality eyewear Have you planned your eclipse trip yet? eclipse map showing the path of totality across the U.S. With 54 days to go it's not too late to plan your eclipse viewing trip. From scouting locations to staying safe, here's how to prepare for the total solar eclipse. Read more: 8 top tips for planning your trip Want all the gear but have no idea where to start? Male uses a telescope with solar filter to observe the sun in yellow jacket and with a blue sky behind With 53 days to go until the total solar eclipse, it's time to make sure you have everything you need! To help you get the most out of your solar eclipse viewing experience we've rounded up some of the best solar viewing equipment including solar glasses, telescopes, binoculars and filters. Read more: Best solar viewing kits to observe the April 8 solar eclipse How to photograph the 2024 total solar eclipse with a smartphone Male hand holds smartphone whilst photographing a solar eclipse The 2024 total solar eclipse is just 52 days away! For many of us, the eclipse will be a once-in-a-lifetime event, and we'll want the photos to look back upon. But even if you don't have a professional photography rig, it's it's possible to produce spectacular images and videos of April's total solar eclipse across North America using a smartphone. We've assembled a list of expert tips to help you get the best photos of the total solar eclipse possible using only your mobile device. Read more: How to photograph a solar eclipse with a smartphone 2024 8 tips from an expert Delta Air Lines offers special eclipse flight a total solar eclipse seen through an airline window We're now just 46 days out from the total solar eclipse on April 8; do you know where you'll be seeing it from? If you're still making plans, Delta Air Lines is offering a unique way to experience the total solar eclipse with a special flight along the path of totality. A Delta flight from Austin, Texas to Detroit, Michigan will fly along the path of the moon's shadow during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, offering passengers an extended view at the longest and most visible total solar eclipse for the US in 100 years. It'll certainly be a flight to remember! Read more: Delta Air Lines wants to fly you through the 2024 total solar eclipse from 30,000 feet in the sky Time to test drive those eclipse glasses! A girl in a blue top holds a pair of eclipse glasses on her face while watching an eclipse. If you're all prepared for the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8 then it's likely you have already got your eclipse glasses at the ready, so why not give them a test run before the big day? With certified solar eclipse glasses you may be able to see the largest sunspot of Solar Cycle 25 AR3590 on the surface of the sun! Remember to NEVER look at the sun without appropriate safety equipment, only Observers need to wear solar eclipse glasses, and cameras, telescopes and binoculars must have solar filters placed in front of their lenses at all times. Want some more tips on how to view the sun and what to look out for check out our handy sun viewing guide. Space.com's eclipse bookazine is now available a dark background with a base of orange-hued clouds. in front, the image of a magazine showing an eclipse on the cover, on the right, smaller open magazines show people in sunglasses. the words 'SPACE COM ECLIPSES' are large. Space.com has come to print with a special magazine that guides you through all the information you will need to safely view and enjoy the most exciting astronomical event of 2024: a total solar eclipse that will sweep across the United States on April 8. It's on sale now, and you can buy it here through Magazines Direct. Read more: Get ready for the 2024 total solar eclipse with Space.com with our 'Eclipses' bookazine NASA are investigating how the eclipse will affect nature An illustration shows a grasshopper on a branch with the total eclipse in the background While humans will enjoy the majesty of the total solar eclipse as it sweeps across several states in the U.S. on April 8, 2024, the celestial event will also be experienced by flora and fauna. That's why the NASA-funded Eclipse Soundscapes Project will observe and collate the sights and sounds of the total solar eclipse to allow humanity to better understand how such events can impact wildlife. The agency is also urging the public to join in on this effort. Read more: NASA Eclipse Soundscapes Project will record how 2024's total solar eclipse impacts nature Don't get the eclipse wrong! The path of totality on April 8, 2024, by state. With just 39 days to go until the total solar eclipse on April 8, now is the time to make sure you plan to be in the right place at the right time! Here's why you need to get to the path of totality and why settling for "99% totality" will not do. Read more: '99% totality' does not exist! Why you need to get to the path for April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse Location Location Location! a map showing which parts of the united states will see a total eclipse on april 8, 2024 and which will see a partial. small illustrations of the sun are over each state, with varying levels of the moon blocking it Find out where the total solar eclipse 2024 will be visible from and make sure you're in the best spot to experience totality at its finest. The total solar eclipse will be visible through northern Mexico, parts of 15 U.S. states and southeastern Canada. It will be one of the most watched eclipses ever with over 32 million people living within the path of totality. Read more: Where will the April 2024 total solar eclipse be visible from? Astronauts on the ISS don't know where to look (at least for now) a solar eclipse in progress with the moon starting to cover part of the sun The Expedition 71 crew, which will include SpaceX's Crew-8 slated to launch no earlier than March 2, is finalizing its solar eclipse observing schedule. The goal is to catch the event from the International Space Station as it sweeps over the United States on April 8. However, NASA astronauts told Space.com on Jan. 25 that, while the cameras are ready and the astronauts are trained, timing can't be decided for a long time. Read more: Why ISS astronauts won't know where to look for next total solar eclipse for a while Check out this great eclipse map and app eclipse app graphic showing screenshots from three areas of the app showing how users can find eclipse events in the area and how long totality will last in their region. The Eclipse Company has developed 'The Eclipse App' in partnership with the Planetary Society. It is available for free for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Play Store. The Eclipse App is a great resource for people wanting to connect with local communities that lie within the path of totality. Users can browse local communities and save an itinerary of activities, as well as seek out official parking locations and explore local points of interest. Their online interactive map allows users to track the path of the eclipse, find out the best viewing locations and see what eclipse events are being hosted in their local area. Read more: Immerse yourself in the total eclipse 2024 with 'The Eclipse App' from The Eclipse Company Get yourself a free pair of solar eclipse glasses! Skywatchers use eclipse glasses to safely observe the total solar eclipse of Aug. 21, 2017, in Nashville, Tennessee. Warby Parker, known for its affordable yet trendy lenswear, has announced that all of its stores will be handing out free solar eclipse viewing glasses starting April 1 until the big day April 8. Warby Parker confirms that the glasses, manufactured by American Paper Optics, are ISO-certified which means they meet an international safety standard for solar viewing. Read more: Warby Parker will give you free solar eclipse glasses for the big day on April 8 Eclipse maps, get your eclipse maps! a map showing what the sun will look like across the united states during a solar eclipse on april 8, 2024 33 days to go! Make sure you're in the right place at the right time for the total solar eclipse by navigating your way to the path of totality the 115-mile (185-kilometer) wide route through Northern America where the moon will cover 100% of the sun's disk. Here's a look at the path of totality for the 2024 eclipse using maps by cartographer Michael Zeiler of GreatAmericanEclipse.com. Read more: Total solar eclipse 2024 maps of the 'path of totality' If you need a helping hand we have written a "how to read and understand an eclipse map" article to help keep you on the right path. What to see and photograph during the eclipse a total solar eclipse with the moon blocking out the sun and only the outer atmosphere of the sun is visible as white light streaming out in all directions. From 'shadow snakes' and 'double diamonds' to Baily's beads and the corona, there's so much to look out for on April 8. While totality, may be the visual, experiential, and photographic highlight of the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, it's far from the only thing to experience. Here's what not to miss during the entire partial phases and totality. Read more: 10 phenomena to see and photograph during April's total solar eclipse How well do you know the total solar eclipse 2024? The sun eclipsed by the moon over the Oregon Coast in 2017. Only 28 days to go until the total solar eclipse sweeps across North America on April 8! But how much do you know about it? From exactly how long the moon's central shadow will move across the planet to why the event will repeat for hundreds of years and one day return to North America here are ten facts that may surprise you. Read more: 10 things you probably didn't know about the 2024 total solar eclipse Stages of the total solar eclipse the moon blocks the sun, leaving a fiery aura in the sky Here we break down the entire chronology of the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8 as the moon's shadow sweeps across North America. Explore what causes an "eclipse season" and learn about the mechanics behind a solar eclipse with this informative guide by our skywatching columnist and meteorologist Joe Rao. Rao also takes us on an in-depth and descriptive tour of each stage of the solar eclipse and what you can expect on the big day. Read more: A chronology of the April 8 total solar eclipse Take a trip back through time In June 1927 a group of nurses gathered to watch a solar eclipse that occurred over the U.K. The total solar eclipse on April 8 will be one of the most-watched eclipses ever. But we have been captivated by such events for millennia and there's no surprise why. When the sky darkens and the temperature drops, all we can do is watch in awe as the spellbinding event unfolds. Here we take a look at some iconic photographs through the ages of people enjoying the beauty and wonder of a solar eclipse. Read more: Solar eclipse viewing through history: A roundup of some of the best photos Witnessing a total solar eclipse is extraordinary : Locals and travelers from around the world gather on Menan Butte to watch the eclipse on August 21, 2017 in Menan, Idaho. Millions of people have flocked to areas of the U.S. that are in the A total eclipse of the sun is without a doubt, the greatest cosmic pageant that can be witnessed. The daytime darkness will devour portions of 15 states, and only those inside the path of totality will have a chance to enjoy the brilliant show in the sky. The delicate pearl-tinted halo known as the corona and the blood-red feathery markings called the prominences are visible only to those who see the total eclipse. Read more: What will it be like to experience the total solar eclipse 2024? Win a chance to watch the total solar eclipse from a jet! An artist's impression of a solar eclipse in the sky. Hurry! You only have until March 14 to enter! The public charter jet service JSX has announced it'll be arranging a specialty eclipse flight for winners of an online sweepstakes. Flight 4824, a release put out by the airlines says, will depart on April 8 from a JSX-dedicated hangar at Dallas-Love Field in Texas at 1:00 p.m. CT. The 30-seat jet will ascend 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) and travel within the path of totality aka, the path along which you can see the moon totally eclipse the sun then land back at the hangar by 3:00 p.m. CT. Everyone, of course, will get a window seat. Read more: You could win a chance to watch 2024's total solar eclipse from a jet. Here's how Need some inspiration to keep little eclipse chasers entertained? A child wearing an astronaut costume observes the Annular Solar Eclipse with using safety glasses at the facilities of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, Mexico on October 14, 2023 "Every adult has a few childhood memories that stand out vividly from the blur that becomes our history," said Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, Chair of both the Rochester Task Force for Eclipse 2024 and Co-chair of the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force, to Space.com. "The upcoming eclipse presents a once-in-a-childhood opportunity for parents to help shape a lifelong memory for their kids and create a vivid bond with them that will resonate into their future." From eclipse masks and pinhole cameras to capturing the emotions of the big day, here are some ideas on how to keep kids entertained! Read more: How to organize an eclipse event for kids: 9 things to do before, during and after the total solar eclipse 2024 The total eclipse will make baseball history! In 2017, a minor league baseball game between the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes and Hillsboro Hops was delayed due to the total solar eclipse the first The total solar eclipse on April 8 will hit two cities that host Major League Baseball games that day. During a total solar eclipse, the moon appears almost exactly the same size as the sun in the sky, blocking the entire solar disk for viewers in the path of totality, which, on April 8, 2024, stretches from Mexico, across 15 U.S. states and into southeastern Canada. Along that path lies Arlington, Texas, and Cleveland, Ohio, two cities that will host MLB games on April 8. That's never happened before in the history of baseball or eclipses. Read more: April 8's total solar eclipse will make baseball history. Here's how BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Saturday released a circular on the launch of a campaign to expand basic medical insurance coverage for children, aiming to safeguard the rights, interests and health of children in the country. The circular, issued by the National Healthcare Security Administration, the Ministry of Education and the National Health Commission, sets the goal that by the end of 2024, over 80 percent of newborns are covered by national basic medical insurance in the year of birth. The document sets out various arrangements for the campaign, including improving the supply of medical services, strengthening data-sharing between departments, and optimizing procedures for newborns to be included in the national insurance scheme. Infants should, in principle, be covered by national medical insurance within 90 days of birth, and all eligible medical expense incurred during this period should be reimbursed, according to the circular. It also outlines specific requirements to ensure children in need of medical assistance and subsidies are covered by medical insurance in a timely manner. We are in a new anti-Semitic age. The conditions for this global economic and political uncertainty, the pandemic and social media domination are perfect. Where once Jews were targeted as Christ-killers, then later as racially inferior, attacks are now being masked as anti-Israel or anti-Zionist. British Jewry is vibrant, dynamic and enjoys relative safety compared to many other Jewish communities. Yet following Oct 7, we are living through a new anti-Semitic age in which, as one MP put it, there is a creeping tolerance of anti-Semitism dressed as anti-Israel invective. A statue of Amy Winehouse had a Palestinian sticker placed over her Star of David a symbol of the Jewish people. At the Soho Theatre, an Israeli audience member was hounded from the premises, followed out by Jews who felt intimidated, isolated and scared because of his treatment at the hands of the man with the power - the performer on stage. Anti-Semitic views no bar to election A couple registering the birth of their child had the certificate returned with the word Israel scrawled out. Anti-Israel obsessiveness with anti-Semitic impacts. Meanwhile, all the major parties have been dealing with candidates or councillors using anti-Semitic tropes or language. Democracy is serving us candidates who have expressed anti-Semitic views, and it isnt necessarily a bar to election. Jewish students have been the focus of attacks, so too have Jewish chaplains. Jewish schools, students and teachers have all been subjected to hate. The head of the BBC was moved to write to staff to condemn anti-Semitism because Jewish staff have felt isolated and anxious. In synagogues across the country, people discuss their safety, while at weekly protests across the UK we have seen anti-Semitic placards and arrests in the hundreds. And the examples go beyond these shores: the firing of weapons, firebombing and banning of Jews from shops. Hate incidents predated response to Hamas atrocities The Community Security Trust reported more than 4000 incidents of anti-Semitism in the UK last year, much of it before the Israeli response to the barbaric Hamas attacks. This against a community numbering less than 1 per cent of the British population. It isnt difficult to criticise Israel without being anti-Semitic. Israelis often do it. So do many Jews. Dont use ancient tropes of power, money or blood. Dont hold Jews collectively accountable for Israeli government decisions. Dont insist Jews take a view on the conflict, or categorise them accordingly. Dont hide anti-Semitism by swapping the word Jew for Zionist or Israeli. It isnt complex. Despite this, Israel is singled out by some as different to the rest of the international community, treated as the Jew among nations. The UN General Assembly condemns it twice as often as any other country. It is required to behave according to different rules, and Jews, collectively, serve as fodder for those feeling Israel has failed these special parameters. Israel is portrayed as uniquely evil and any behaviour to target Israelis living in the UK is deemed permissible. When Jews raise concerns, contrary to the Macpherson principles established in the wake of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence, we are told we are weaponising anti-Jewish racism to silence criticism of Israel. Penalties for anti-Jewish racism should be severe David Baddiels Jews Dont Count book underlines the problem. Some employers are doing the right thing and training staff, and applying HR policies, and whilst the police and Government and Opposition parties are saying the right thing, there remains a feeling that anti-Semitism just is not as serious as other forms of racism, that it doesnt count. This is particularly the case when it overlaps with anything to do with Israel. Anti-Jewish racism needs to be understood, reviled and addressed in the same way any other form of racism is. It should be viewed as repugnant, and penalties for engaging in it should be severe. The word Israel shouldnt make any difference to how that racism is perceived or acted upon. Those who seek to intimidate, bully or threaten Jews, and indeed public figures, our national security and our democracy, need standing up to. Anti-Semitism has long been referred to as a gauge for the health of a democracy. At present, in this anti-Semitic age, democracy has a fever and the body civic requires urgent attention. Danny Stone is the chief executive of the Antisemitism Policy Trust Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. On Oct. 26, 40 to 50 teens marched through Origins HS in Sheepshead Bay waving a Palestinian flag and chanting "Death to Israel!" and "Kill the Jews!" staffers said. The kids are all reich. A Brooklyn high school has become a haven for Hitler-loving hooligans who terrorize Jewish teachers and classmates, The Post has learned. On Oct. 26, just three weeks after the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre of 1,200 Israelis, 40 to 50 teens marched through Origins HS in Sheepshead Bay waving a Palestinian flag and chanting Death to Israel! and Kill the Jews! staffers said. Students ripped down the Israel flag from Danielle Kaminskys international display, missing above, and told her it was burned. The hateful procession was shocking even for Origins, a school rife with bias and bullying, insiders told The Post. I live in fear of going to work every day, said global history teacher Danielle Kaminsky. According to interviews with multiple staffers, and a Jewish students safety transfer request, recent hate incidents include: A student painted a mustache on his face to look like Hitler, and banged on classroom doors. When someone opened, he clicked his heels and raised his arm in the Nazi gesture, security footage shows. Three swastikas in one week were drawn on teachers walls and other objects, a manager found. A 10th-grader told Kaminsky, 33, who is Jewish, I wish you were killed. Another student called her a dirty Jew and said he wished Hitler could have hit more Jews, including her. Students pasted drawings of the Palestinian flag and notes saying Free Palestine on Kaminskys classroom door. One scribbled note that said simply, Die. The teen tormentors have so far faced no serious discipline under interim acting principal Dara Kammerman, who has done little beyond contacting parents in an effort to practice restorative justice, staffers said. She is perpetuating an antisemitic environment and a school of hate, said Michael Beaudry, campus manager of the Sheepshead Bay building that houses Origins and three other schools. The students continue these behaviors because they know there wont be any consequences. In response, the city Department of Education said it will launch a probe: There is currently no evidence that these claims are true, but we are investigating the claims. This student allegedly sported a Hitler mustache and went door-to-door giving a Nazi salute. Teachers allege that interim principal Dara Kammerman perpetuates antisemitism by not disciplining students. In a disturbing instance in late January, a group of boys came into Kaminskys classroom at the end of the day, and cornered her, laughing, she said. Miss Kaminsky, do you love Hitler? one asked. I was so taken aback, she said. I did not respond, and they all gave the heil Hitler sign. Frightened, Kaminsky quickly left her classroom. One boy waved to his friends to chase her inside the building, a scene captured on security footage, Beaudry said. Origins HS student who allegedly painted a Hitler mustache on his face and went door to door giving the Nazi salute . Courtesy of Sidney Southerland Kaminsky immediately reported the harassment to the acting principal who refused to suspend the boys because she found they did nothing wrong, records show. We cant do anything because the students claimed they were trying to have an academic conversation, staffers quoted her as explaining. Antisemitism at Origins HS has festered for several years, Kaminsky and Beaudry said. Danielle Kaminsky says students asked Do you love Hitler? and chased her through the building. Michael Nagle At Kaminskys request last March, Kammerman arranged for a group of students to visit the Museum of Jewish Heritage, which had a new program to educate students about antisemitism and the Holocaust. The museum, in Battery Park City, first sent two female interns to Origins to prepare the teens for what they would see. Several boys nearly brought the young women to tears with rude and appalling comments, according to emails with the museum and staff accounts. One student wrote die on Kaminskys classroom door. One teen said he would have sex with a dead Jewish woman. Another said he would take money from the dead Jewish peoples corpses. Others made derisive remarks like Who cares about the Jews? The museum canceled the visit. When another group of Origins kids went later that year, some stuffed trash in the donation box. A scribbled note put on Kaminskys classroom door said Die. Michael Nagle The museum omitted a meeting with a Holocaust survivor because some kids were so disrespectful. About 40% of Origins students are Muslim. DOE stats list 22% as Asian, 22% Black, 17% Hispanic and 32% white. The school has many students in families from Middle Eastern nations such as Yemen, Egypt, and Palestine who identify as white, along with those from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in Central Asia. Several Jewish students bullied because of their religion have fled Origins since last year. In that time, the schools enrollment of 508 has plummeted to 445. Currently, no more than a dozen Jewish kids attend Origins, staffers say. In one case, a Jewish sophomore found three swastikas scribbled on his laptop charger when he returned from the restroom, he wrote in a safety transfer request obtained by The Post. I feel like in history class Im always targeted and its hard for me to take, the student wrote, He also said he heard that a classmate called Hitler the G.O.A.T. A 10th-grader told Kaminsky I wish you were killed. I feel very uncomfortable in this school, and the comments just make it worse and worse every day. Kaminsky, who joined Origins in 2017 after working four years in Long Island, has experienced antisemitism only at the DOE school, she said. Kaminsky is pro-Israel, but aims for neutrality in lessons and at cultural events, she said: As history teachers, we know how to discuss controversial and sensitive topics while looking at all points of view, and encouraging kids to become critical thinkers. Its widely known among students that Kaminsky is Jewish, though she doesnt make a point of it, she said. Campus manager Michael Beaudry, at left, raised alarms about the anti-Jewish harassment of Kaminsky. MICHAEL NAGLE Her students routinely draw swastikas next to their names on classwork, engrave the Nazi symbol on their desks, and scribble them on bulletin boards, she said. An Israeli flag one of nearly 200 from countries around the world that Kaminsky hangs in her classroom was ripped down in the spring of 2021. A group of girls told her it was taken across the street and burned. Ive been yelled at, followed, taunted, Kaminsky said. I report everything to the principal. Ive been to a school safety committee. Ive told my union, the UFT. Ive told my superintendent, Brooklyn South high schools chief Michael Prayor. Theyve offered little help. Nothing has made me feel safe going to school, she said. Nothing has made me feel safe going to school, Kaminsky said. Helayne Seidman I used to get involved in after-school clubs, sports, and Regents prep. Now I dont want to stay in the building any longer than I have to. Its heartbreaking, said a non-Jewish female student who graduated in June and now attends SUNY. I love Miss Kaminsky. During my junior and senior years, she was one of the teachers I could confide in, and she would help with whatever I needed. She cares about her job. Shes trying. Shes working in a system that doesnt support her. Jews are not the only target of hate. The same week in October when three swastikas were scrawled on walls and other objects, KKK was written on a black girls notebook; and the n-word used against other black girls, Beaudry reported. The LGBTQ community is being taunted and terrorized every single day, he said. Michael Beaudry is campus manager of the Sheepshead Bay building that houses Origins HS and three other schools Helayne Seidman One of my students who identifies as gay told me hes been bullied to the point where he doesnt want to come to school anymore. When Beaudry urged the youth to submit statements on the abuse, the teen replied, Its a waste of time because they dont go anywhere. During an assembly in November, when a gay teacher announced a new LGBTQ club, a mob erupted, Beaudry said. They started ripping stuff off the walls. They chanted kill the f-ts and stop with the gay shit.' One kid threw an object that hit a teacher in the head. Origins High School has become a school of hate, Beaudry said. Helayne Seidman Teachers locked their classroom doors during the ruckus to protect other students and themselves. The school is a ticking time bomb, said Beaudry, 48, an ex-cop and father of three. Kammerman has failed to record many cases of violence and misconduct in the DOEs incident-reporting system, charged Beaudry, who is responsible for the operations and safety of the Frank J. Macchiarola campus. The building also houses two charter schools and a DOE transfer school for older kids behind in credits. The other schools have posed no unusual problems, he said. Beaudry has filed 15 complaints against Kammerman with the Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools. One alleged that the acting principal left the school building after a student had collapsed in cardiac distress not waiting for the ambulance or the boys frantic parents to arrive. Free Palestine notes stuck to history teacher Kaminskys classroom door. The SCI referred all of the complaints back to the DOE to handle internally, a spokesman said. But Kammerman, who became acting principal 14 months ago when John Banks was promoted to deputy superintendent, has issued dozens of disciplinary warnings to Beaudry and Kaminsky in what they call retaliation. The principal has accused both of various offenses, including insubordination for actions like calling parents without her permission, but neither has been officially charged. Kaminsky and Beaudry asked City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov and ex-Assemblyman Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, to intervene. They contacted Mark Goldfeder, senior counsel with the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under the Law. The center is preparing to file a civil-rights lawsuit on behalf of Kaminsky, Beaudry and potentially others, he said. Fight in the halls of Origins HS. Even in this time of heightened antisemitism, I am shocked at the level of depravity on display here, and at the administrations callous, indefensible tolerance of it, Goldfeder said. Antisemitism, like all forms of hate, is not intuitive. It must be learned. Apparently, it is being taught at Origins, and that is simply unacceptable. Vernikov said she has reviewed dozens of complaints and spoken with teachers, parents and students. The horror described by those who teach and attend this school is beyond belief, she said. It has become abundantly clear that this school is a living hell hole for so many. If immediate change is not made, many will continue to suffer. This kind of hate within our school system must end. The Jewish community is tired of empty words. Action is needed. Consequences are needed, Hikind said. Vernikov and Hikind plan to hold a press conference with Kaminsky and Beaudry outside the school at 10:30 am Sunday. Kammerman did not return a request for comment. In a statement, DOE spokesman Nathaniel Styer praised Kammerman and superintendent Michael Prayor. Principal Kammerman has a track record of building bridges across an incredibly diverse school community and supporting students, staff, and families. That track record includes effectively handling incidents of bias brought to her attention. The principal has brought in outside organizations to help students learn and grow, while making it clear that hate including antisemitism has no place in our schools, and the superintendent has been engaged in supporting school leadership and staff in that effort, Styer said. Two men are wanted in connection with an arson attack on a house in Leeds that had a mother and baby inside. Police said two men approached the house on Scott Hall Road on 13 July, 2023, before one poured petrol in the letterbox and ignited it. Images of the men, who are believed to have travelled to West Yorkshire from the Thames Valley area, via Birmingham, have now been released. West Yorkshire Police said the incident "could have had tragic consequences". 'Baby-shaped outline' The force said a family member returned home shortly after the blaze was started, but, even in that short time, the baby's room was affected. Det Con Lindsey Crawford, of Leeds District CID, said: "There was a clear baby-shaped outline found in soot in the cot afterwards. "We need to identify these pictured males as part of our ongoing enquiries." The vehicle the men used was later recovered in the West Midlands. Det Con Crawford added: "I would urge anyone with information about their identities, or indeed the males themselves, to come forward to assist our investigation." Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk Is the appearance of impropriety enough to change the trajectory of the Donald Trump trial in Georgia? Thats one legal question Scott McAfee, the Fulton county superior court judge, will wrestle with as he contemplates whether to throw the Fulton county district attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade off the trial of the former president and co-defendants in the sprawling racketeering and election interference case. Related: Tense Fani Willis hearing ends as judge plans to decide on disqualification The stakes are high. If Willis is disqualified, it will plunge the prosecution against Trump, and others, into chaos, likely triggering delays that could go beyond the November election. If Willis remains, the prosecution of the former US president for seeking to undermine Georgias 2020 election will continue though it will be badly damaged in terms of political optics. Defense attorneys argued early in the hearing Friday on the defense motion to remove Willis and her office from the case that the standard for disqualifying Willis requires only that the defense prove the appearance of conflict of interest. She is supposed to be disinterested under the sixth amendment, and she has been anything but that, argued attorney John Merchant, who is representing Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign official and co-defendant in the trial. If this court allows this kind of behavior to go on public confidence in the system will be shot. Williss team countered that the legal standard isnt an appearance of a conflict, but an actual conflict, and that its a high burden that the defense hasnt met. If Willis had concocted a scheme of self-enrichment with Wade, she would not have approached two other people to lead the prosecution first, nor would she have been pushing for the earliest-possible date to begin the trial, said Adam Abbate, an assistant district attorney for Fulton County. McAfee expressed a sense of ambiguity in case law related to prosecutorial disqualification, noting that there was no clear-cut previous example resembling the issue before him. There are a number of cases that appear to exclusively rely on an appearance of impropriety, McAfee said. They acknowledge that there is some ambiguity here. Testimony has centered on when Wade and Willis began dating, whether Willis had unjustly enriched herself by financially benefitting from a relationship with Wade retained as a government contractor in the case and how much value to place on that testimony and other evidence. McAfee seemed poised to entirely discount the testimony of Wades former law partner, Terrence Bradley, whose text messages to Romans attorney Ashleigh Merchant arguably launched the explosive revelation of Williss relationship with Wade in the disqualification motion in January. Bradley denied knowing anything of detail when finally put to question on the stand. The district attorneys office argued that phone data presented by the defense tracking Wades phone did not meet legal standards of evidence, and did not show him at Williss home when Willis was there. But Romans defense attorneys raised a second set of arguments for disqualification in their closing: that Williss speech before congregants at Big Bethel AME church in downtown Atlanta, days after the disqualification filing, constituted forensic misconduct, in which a district attorney unduly influences the jury pool or inappropriately demeans the character of defense counsel. During the prepared church speech, Willis, citing comments by the Fulton county commissioner Bridget Thorne and so many others, described questions about her decision to hire Wade as a special counsel as racially motivated. Related: Star witness for Trump defendants in Georgia fails to give damning testimony Oh, Lord, theyre going to be mad when I call them out on this nonsense. The first thing theyll say: Oh, shes going to play the race card now. But no, God, isnt it them whos playing the race card when they only question one? she said. Isnt it them playing the race card when they constantly think I need someone from some other jurisdiction in some other state to tell me how to do a job Ive been doing almost 30 years? Defense attorneys did just that Friday. She chose to pull the race card and the God card, said Craig Gillen, who represents the former Georgia Republican chair David Shafer, one of the 19 charged in the case. She chose to deflect and to say them and the others and they choose to go after the Black man. Gillen argued that the speech had been tantamount to jury tampering by characterizing her courtroom opponents as racists. What is she saying? The listener is not necessarily in that audience in that church. Its in Fulton county, the potential jurors who will come into a courtroom, Gillen said. She chose to inject race into the minds of the listeners and virtually everybody in this community. Though almost every defense attorney raised similar concerns about Williss church speech, McAfee noted that he knew of no case example of a district attorney being pulled off a trial for public comments about a case. McAfee said at the end of final arguments that he would rule on the matter within the next two weeks. APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) Its the restaurant that brings Caribbean flair to Northeast Wisconsin. The food I cook reminds people of vacation and we do have the ambiance and the only thing we dont have is just the ocean, said owner Reggie Desamour. He is the owner of Area 509 in Appleton named after his beloved home country of Haiti. He remembers falling in love with cooking at a young age when he used to help his mom prepare meals for their family. I was always cooking for parties with friends and stuff and they were always enjoying it so I decided to turn it into a business, he said. Lambeau Field model reunited with builder after nearly four decades Desamour said he came to the United States back in 2009. He originally studied to become a radiologist, but soon found his passion was in cooking so he started a food truck. Im not a morning person, but when it comes to food trucking 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. Ill get up for cooking, but if it is something else Im not getting up, he said. In the early days of the food truck, Desamour met Marko Sosa a fellow small business owner who also has his own food truck. They quickly became friends. I fell in love with the food and then the guy turned out to be a pretty cool guy too, said Sosa. Sosa has watched Desamours business evolve from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar restaurant on the corner of Spring Street, Badger Avenue, and Linwood Avenue in Appleton. He said what hasnt changed about Desamour is his passion for showcasing the culture of his home country of Haiti through his authentic Caribbean dishes. Wisconsin Huddle: Badgers hockey thriving and eying conference title Do not be afraid of food (that is different than what youre used to), try it because its delicious it will transport you to a different place, said Sosa. This year, Desamour said hes celebrating Black History Month by continuing to bring people together by showcasing his Caribbean culture hes so proud of. Hes also showing that anything is possible no matter where youre from or what you look like. Hes living his American Dream. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Argentina has transferred two Mi-171E multipurpose helicopters to Ukraine, having initially received them from Russia, the Financial Times reported on Feb. 29. The transfer was personally approved by Argentinian President Javier Milei. Read also: Latvia to provide Ukraine with helicopters and howitzers in new aid package According to the report, Milei favors ties with countries that value freedom, including the United States, Israel, and Ukraine. He has "transferred two military helicopters of Russian manufacture," the article says. Further details of the deal were not disclosed. Argentina had purchased the helicopters from Russia for transport missions and search and rescue operations in Antarctica. However, due to the helicopters not passing periodic inspections and maintenancea problem exacerbated by sanctions against RussiaArgentina decided to halt their operation. Read also: Croatia hands over entire Mi-8 helicopter inventory to Ukraine Earlier, Milei announced plans to host a "summit of Latin America support" for Ukraine in 2024. His position contrasts with those of other Latin American leaders such as Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Read also: Germany to provide Ukraine with military helicopters On Nov. 22, 2023, Milei had a telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during which he proposed holding a summit in Latin America to discuss the war in Ukraine. On Dec. 10, 2023, Zelenskyy attended Milei's inauguration ceremony in Buenos Aires. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Ukrainian diplomats have helped settle an argument between Ukrainian drivers and Polish police who blocked them near the Korczowa checkpoint at the Polish-Ukrainian border. Source: Oleh Kuts, General Consul of Ukraine in Lublin, in a comment to Ukrinform, as reported by European Pravda Details: Kuts reported that the Polish police had been persuaded not to penalise the Ukrainian drivers for holding an unauthorised gathering. Quote: "We also managed to agree on a format for future interactions between the drivers, the protesters and the police to avoid escalation between the three parties further on." According to this format, Ukrainian drivers will send two or three people to any negotiations with Polish farmers and give advance warning to the police officers on duty. Drivers will be allowed to go to a nearby food shop in groups of not more than 10. Kuts added that the Ukrainian drivers had submitted their demands through the consulate to the local administration and the heads of the Lublin and Podkarpackie Voivodeships (provinces), their main request being that the number of lorries allowed to pass the Polish protesters per hour should be increased. The drivers, who face very long waits in queues, have also asked for food, water and portable showers. The Ukrainian diplomats requested that there should be ambulances on duty at all times in the areas where Ukrainian drivers are queuing. Background: Numerous protests by farmers have been ongoing across Poland over the last few days. The protesters are blocking roads, highways and border checkpoints on the border with Ukraine. The farmers are protesting against the influx of Ukrainian goods and calling for an end to the EU Green Deal. Support UP or become our patron! Arizona lawmakers recently rejected a state proposal that would commission a statute of the late Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day OConor to sit in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol, according to multiple reports. We cannot allow the distinguished members of this body to have to suffer walking by such an undistinguished jurist when they enter here in the morning, state Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R) said earlier this week, per the Arizona Mirror, but the statute would sit in Washington, D.C., not the Arizona Capitol. OConnor, the first female justice to sit on the nations highest bench, died in early December at the age of 93. She was also a swing vote on many big cases for the court. Current and former Supreme Court Justices remembered her for blazing an historic trail and making history. A daughter of the American Southwest, Sandra Day OConnor blazed an historic trail as our Nations first female Justice, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote after the news broke. She met that challenge with undaunted determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor. OConnor was born in Texas and raised in Arizona, serving in all three branches of The Grand Canyon States government prior to being elected to the high court. She died in her home state due to complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimers, and a respiratory illness, according to the Supreme Court. Another Arizona state representative, Neal Carter (R), brought up his distaste for the late Supreme Court Justice, remembering a time in which another justice, who was unnamed, told him that OConnor was the worst thing that happened to the federal bench, the local outlet reported. I believe that we should honor people, things and institutions for their merit, and not merely because they came from this state, Carter said, according to the Mirror. The Hill has reached out to Reps. Carter and Kolodin. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Tuvan Gumrukcu ANTALYA, Turkey (Reuters) - Armenia is ready to sign a peace agreement with Azerbaijan if Baku shows the same political will, and is keen to make progress on normalising relations with Turkey, a senior Armenian official said on Saturday. Yerevan and Baku said in December they wanted to reach a peace deal after decades of being at odds, but no agreement has been signed yet. The most divisive issue has long been the Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan. Baku's forces recaptured the mountainous area in September after years of ethnic Armenian control, prompting most of its ethnic Armenians to flee to Armenia. Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan said Armenia had the political will for a normalisation of relations with Azerbaijan based on principles previously agreed upon by the two sides. "This is an issue of political will and leadership," he told Reuters in an interview during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey. He said Yerevan had shown the political will needed, including at talks on Friday between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey, Baku's main backer. "Now, if the Azerbaijani side is really interested in having peace, we just need to agree to put the agreed principles by the leaders (on paper) and sign it," he said. Among outstanding issues is the lack of agreement over their shared border, with each side holding small areas surrounded by the other's territory. Kostanyan said the two sides needed to recognise each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and drew attention to Yerevan's "Crossroads for Peace" plan for opening n communication lines in the region to help regional stability. There was no immediate comment from Baku n his remarks. SEEKING BETTER TURKEY-ARMENIA TIES NATO member Turkey has deepened political and military ties with Azerbaijan in recent years but has also been working to revive ties with Armenia after decades of animosity after severing diplomatic and commercial ties in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan during a war Baku was fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. Kostanyan said Armenia wanted a full normalisation of ties with Turkey, including the opening of their shared border and establishment of diplomatic relations. "The establishment of diplomatic relations is basically communications between two states," he said. "Of course, reconciliation between two nations can take longer, but we need to have diplomatic relations which will help us and help our people." He said Yerevan had done the work needed to open borders with Turkey, including infrastructure repairs, and was awaiting on Ankara's response. Turkey and Armenia are at odds primarily over the 1.5 million people Yerevan says were killed in 1915 by the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor to modern Turkey. Armenia says this constitutes genocide. Turkey accepts that many Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire were killed in clashes with Ottoman forces during World War One, but contests the figures and denies it was systematic. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Huseyin Hayatsever and Timothy Heritage) WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Nearly eight months after someone shot and killed a rideshare driver in Northeast D.C., the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said at least one person responsible for his murder was in custody. MPD said that members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested a 15-year-old boy from Northeast for the killing of Nasrat Ahmad Yar, 31, of Alexandria, Va. Major crime in DC down for 2nd month in 2024 Nasrat Ahmad Yar was shot and killed in D.C. on July 3, 2023. (Abdul Mateen Rahmati) Investigators said shortly after midnight on July 3, 2023, officers went to the 400 block of 11th St. after they received word of an unconscious person. When police arrived, they found Yar, a Lyft driver, shot inside a vehicle. He died at a hospital. Yar was a husband and father of four who served as a translator for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan for a decade before he came to the United States in 2021. The reckless actions of these teens caused a mans life and shattered a family just starting out on their journey in this country, said Assistant Chief, Leslie Parsons. No arrests will be able to make them whole but todays news sends a message loud and clear to those looking to introduce guns on our streets. Our detectives do not rest until the reckless actions like this are met with severe consequences. Man shot, killed in DC served along US Army in Afghanistan, worked as Lyft driver Chief Pamela Smith said crime is down overall but theyre working on ways to keep it that way. We are doing everything we can to work with our youth and Im in regular contact with our schools and our youth leaders to make sure that we are intervening before another child gets to this path or this point, Smith said. The Metropolitan Police Department said the 15-year-old boy faces a charge of First Degree Murder While Armed. Investigators still were looking for other people who may have been involved in Yars killing. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. UNITED NATIONS, March 1 (Xinhua) -- A UN team visited Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and brought aid, the first time the world body has been able to deliver aid into besieged northern Gaza in over a week, said UN humanitarians. A team from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Health Organization and the UN Children's Fund visited Al-Shifa and brought with them medicines, vaccines and fuel to help ensure that the medical facility remains functioning, said OCHA. The team also met with people who were among those injured on Thursday while seeking life-saving aid west of Gaza City. The hospital, the largest in the Gaza Strip, has reportedly admitted more than 700 people injured in that incident, about 200 of whom were still hospitalized on Friday, said OCHA. By the time of the team's visit on Friday morning local time, the hospital had also received the bodies of more than 70 people who had been killed in the incident. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the overall death toll from Thursday's incident has reached 112, said OCHA. HICKORY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Hickory Police and those in the art community have been left to wonder how thieves made off with portions of a giant red thumbtack sculpture, which spanned 10 feet. The piece, created by local artist Hunter Speagle, went reported mission Wednesday morning. It was like a real-life art heist, he explained to Queen City News. Speagle owns A-TACT, an art gallery in Hickory, where the red thumbtack has been on display for years, but it had garnered attention throughout the art world for years prior. He made the thumbtack in his garage in Savannah, Georgia, in 2002 out of, foam, acrylic, and cardboard. Hunter Speagle with the remaining portion of the stolen sculpture. Though it was a simple design, to him, it carried a deeper meaning. I had a theory about what the thumb-tact meant and how it meant in the art world, he explained. I saw myself as a tac being able to display artwork that people can see. The saying used to be that the art world is a bulletin board and I am a tact. The piece was displayed in art galleries in New York, Atlanta, Boston, and even Charlotte before it ended up in Hickory. It picked up a few new stories along the way with small dents and dimples in its hull. MORE FROM QUEEN CITY NEWS Crime & Public Safety Five days before it went missing, the piece was placed outside the T-ACT gallery to make room for other artists work. When Speagle showed up to work Wednesday morning he found most of the thumbtack was gone, with a third of the piece being left in a parking lot a few feet from his front door. Im just curious as to where the other pieces went. You know? It being a small town, a lot of the time these things just get washed over. Neighboring businesses have security cameras, but Hickory Police have not said if they were able to find evidence of who or how it was moved. Speagle said, he does not plan to rebuild the art piece, but rather allow it to take on a new meaning. Carry on a new story about the symbolic meaning like theft within art, how its used, how art is misappropriated. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Over a year in the making, Clinton County Conservation will share the true colors of nature brought to you by Clinton abstract artist Gabriella Torres and naturalist Jessica Steines at a reception Saturday afternoon, March 2. The free reception for the Wildness Art Project will be at the Mississippi River Eco Tourism Center, 3963 291st St., Camanche, from 2 to 4 p.m. Clinton artist Gabi Torres, left, and Clinton County naturalist Jessica Steines brought some of the silk panels to Living Local at WHBF Friday, March 1, 2024. Mingle with fellow art and conservation lovers, and you can see 70 gorgeous large silk panels (each 48-by-55 inches) hanging from the ceiling, colored using plants all collected in Clinton County all while enjoying hors doeuvres by D-lectable D-Lites of Fulton, beverages and listening to local musician Joshua Mussmann. Torres is deeply inspired by nature and the Iowa landscape. She uses acrylic paints and realized theyre very toxic, so Torres wanted to make her own eco-friendly pigments that wont harm the environment. One of my goals I want to learn to make my own pigments, to make natural earth pigments, dyes, things that are going to be non-toxic and more environmentally mindful, she said in a March 2023 interview. Because I love where I live so much and I love Iowa, I want to be able to go out and make paintings that celebrate and honor the environment, using those materials, Torres said. How cool would it be to make abstract landscapes, literally using the landscape? Im using the earth to celebrate the earth. Steines asked Torres in December 2022 to come up with an art project to help attract people to visit the center. Torres was inspired by nature in Clinton and suggested an artist residency program for this past November and December. One of the 70 abstract silk panels, created with natural pigments, to be displayed at the Eco Tourism Center in Camanche through March 31, 2024. Im an abstract artist and I usually use acrylic paints to work with, but theyre really plastic based so theyre not great for the environment, she said Friday, March 1. I love nature and Im really passionate about what Clinton County and our parks and landscape there. What if I was able to create artwork using more environmental and mindful methods? Torres recalled. What if we gathered berries and whatever we could make colors out of and used those materials to create the pigments for these pieces? Jess being amazing, was like Yeah, lets do it. Neither of us had any idea what we were doing. Steines and Torres interviewed on Living Local on Friday morning, March 1. Clinton County was amazing, she said, noting they donated a cabin for her to live in during the project creation. That was our home base, where we worked out of during November and December. It was really amazing to be out in basically the middle of nowhere, in the woods. Theres this beautiful creek that runs through it. The Saturday reception is free thanks to a REAP grant and other generous donors. RSVP is not required but appreciated by texting or calling Jessica at 563-212-0955. The Wildness panels will be on display in Camanche through March 31. For more information on Torres, visit her website HERE. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. On Feb. 14, major national elections took place in Indonesia. The results, especially in historic context, are a victory for democracy. An enormous nation with an autocratic history has successfully held a peaceful election. Incumbent President Joko Jokowi Widodo is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term. According to quick counts from selected polling stations, the winner of the presidential contest is Prabowo Subianto, a retired army general and current defense minister. He received nearly 60 percent of the votes. Official results may not be known for up to a month, but the quick count system has proven a reliable indicator over time. Arthur I. Cyr Subianto is a controversial figure. He has been accused of serious human rights violations in the 1990s, and was for a time banned from the United States. However, he has never been formally charged and has vehemently denied all such accusations. Indonesia is the worlds third-largest democracy, and the largest nation with a Moslem majority. The election was the largest one-day free election in the world, with over 200 million participants. Indonesian citizens 17 years of age and older are eligible to participate, and turnout was high. Geography as well as politics are complicated in this nation. Over 17,000 islands comprise national territory, including the large islands of Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi and parts of Borneo and New Guinea. In 2018, a Gallup Poll found that an unprecedented 75 percent of Indonesians believed elections are honest. This was the highest percentage ever, in a long-term upward trend in public confidence, following a troubled national history. Gruesome earlier events provide graphic, important context. In May 2018, the Islamic State conducted bloody terrorist attacks in Surabaya, Indonesias second-largest city. Terrorism is persistent though not frequent in Indonesia. In a 2016 attack, four people died. In 2002, the worst attack killed 202 people on Bali, including many foreign tourists. Trade routes and commodities provide Indonesia with great strategic significance. Washington has the opportunity to highlight Indonesia, and neighboring nations, as success stories of expanding political stability, modernization and the rule of law. In 1998, opponents forced Indonesias long-time autocratic president and former general Muhammad Suharto from power. Since then, the nation has had representative government. Dictatorship has ended, though corruption remains a problem. During the height of the Cold War, Indonesia enjoyed status as a pivotal power among Third World nations. Flamboyant nationalist President Sukarno played the Soviet Union and the United States off against one another. CIA efforts to bring Sukarno down were frustrated, and boomeranged, especially in providing important impetus for Indonesia-Soviet cooperation. During the 1960s, cooperation between Indonesia and the Soviet Union expanded exponentially. The Soviet and Indonesian navies were integrating their crews, and other close cooperation was taking place. This development, vital in the massive U.S. military intervention in Vietnam in 1965, is rarely mentioned today. British forces, with Australian and New Zealand allies, defeated Indonesian attacks on Malaysia. Earlier, Britain defeated an aggressive, virulent Communist insurgency in Malaya, which today is part of Malaysia. Britains military avoided massive firepower, in contrast to the U.S. in Vietnam, especially from 1965. To be sure, the British military employed air strikes and artillery, but relatively selectively. Officials regarded heavy bombing as counterproductive. Given American preferences for firepower and technology, we should keep this fundamental lesson always in mind. Freedom slowly expands in the world. Our veterans, especially of the Vietnam War, should feel pride in this long-term success. Arthur I. Cyr is the author of After the Cold War (Macmillan/Palgrave and NYU). Contact acyr@carthage.edu. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Arthur Cyr: Indonesia election: Victory for democracy, with global significance Former NUM leader Arthur Scargill gave a speech to Dodworth Miners' Welfare on Saturday Former miners' leader Arthur Scargill was the guest of honour at a rally marking 40 years since the year-long strikes. Mr Scargill was involved in major industrial action to prevent pit closures in Yorkshire and the rest of the UK in the mid-1980s. He gave a 40-minute speech at Dodworth Miners Welfare near Barnsley at a rally marking 40 years since the strikes. He told the BBC the lesson for trade unionists was to "fight like we did". Arthur Scargill said trade union leaders today must "keep fighting" Mr Scargill, 86, worked as a coal miner at Woolley Colliery from the age of 15 and joined the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) when he was 19. He went on to become an activist and rose to national prominence after the so-called Battle of Saltley Gate in 1972, when he led an initial group of 400 Yorkshire miners on a picket of the Saltley Gate coal depot in Birmingham. The strike led to a victory against the Conservative government at the time, which agreed to meet the miners' demands for increased pay and better working conditions. Hundreds of people gathered to remember the famous industrial action Mr Scargill stepped down as president of the NUM in 2002. Speaking outside the rally, he said: "It's important to come today to pay tribute to the miners, their families and the women against pit closures who fought so hard during 1984 and 1985. "The important thing is, people stood together - all over Britain and all over the world we became known for sticking to principles. "It was an important part of history. "People took part in an historic dispute - they marched into the pantheon of the trade union movement." Earlier in the day, hundreds of people gathered by Dodworth mining memorial to reflect on the strike and all those who had lost their lives to the industry. Bagpipes were played and The Reverend Canon Keith Farrow led the service. The Revd Canon Keith Farrow said some words at the Dodworth mining memorial He added: "There are painful stories still being told but there is a sense of people coming to terms with the past. "I don't see great divisions." Mr Scargill said there was a "lesson" for all trade union leaders today. "Fight like we did, don't give in and fight consistently... not in bits and pieces," he said. "I've miss two medical appointments because I'm iust not prepared to cross a picket line. "That's called class consciousness." Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk Scott Kelly recently returned to the International Space Station during a trip to Berlin. The first American astronaut to spend more than 500 days off the planet, including nearly a year aboard the space station during his fourth and final spaceflight in 2016, Kelly was in Germany when he stepped back into his exotic home away from home. "The outside was just plywood, but the inside looked better than the space station training mockup we have at the Johnson Space Center," said Kelly in an interview with collectSPACE. "Well, not functionally, but appearance-wise it looked much more like the real thing." "But then, the one at NASA was designed for different things," he said. The almost full-scale space station at Studio Babelberg was built to film the off-Earth scenes in "Constellation," the new psychological thriller now streaming on Apple TV+. The production spent five weeks on the space station set capturing sequences that were set within the microgravity environment of the orbiting laboratory, including a mysterious accident that propels the series' main storyline. "They really wanted it to look real," said Kelly. "I tried to have them put a lot of junk in it, like cables and boxes and power supplies, and they did as much of that as they could. They even put food and coffee stains on the walls, like there are on the space station, trying to make it as realistic as possible." Related: 'Constellation' season 1 episode 4 review: Compelling drama makes up for a thin mystery Space bootcamp In addition to serving as an advisor for the production crew, Kelly also met with the actors portraying astronauts to help ensure their performances were as true to life as possible. "We had space bootcamp sessions," he said. "We had some Zoom calls and then we had some meetings as a group in Berlin, and then I had individual chats with them." a man in a blue flight stands in a white hallway with lots of wires and other equipment on the walls The cast of "Constellation" includes Noomi Rapace, who plays Swedish astronaut Johanna "Jo" Ericsson with the European Space Agency (ESA); William Catlett as Paul Lancaster, the NASA astronaut commanding the expedition; Henry David as Russian cosmonaut Ilya Andreev; Sandra Tele as Yazmina Suri, an ESA astronaut; and Carole Weyers as French astronaut Audrey Brostin. Simulating weightlessness was challenging and called for the skills of set design to cinematography, stunts and special effects. In addition to using in-camera techniques to capture the actors' freedom of movement, the cast (and their stunt team) were hooked up to an elaborate wire harness system. "I've done that for a commercial one time, just for a short period, and it's not easy," said Kelly. "It's uncomfortable, it's painful." After speaking with Garrett Reisman, a fellow former NASA astronaut and a technical advisor for another Apple TV+ space-themed series, "For All Mankind," Kelly adopted a leveled approach to advising the "Constellation" cast. "The highest category were things you just didn't want to mess up. Like one time, I was watching Noomi in a scene on the space station where she was almost about to cry. And I was like, 'Don't let that tear drop!' and so they cut away from her. That is the kind of thing you just didn't want to see on screen." (Without the pull of gravity, tears do not roll down astronauts' cheeks like they do on Earth. Rather, surface tension keeps them balled up around the eye.) Related: Noomi Rapace and Jonathan Banks on making Apple TV+'s twisty space thriller, 'Constellation' (exclusive) two photos, one top and one bottom, of a woman and man, respectively, sitting in a cockpit full of wires, levels and cables "Then there was the medium category they should fix this, but if they don't, I'm not going to be heartbroken. And then there was the stuff that was minor, small details no one was going to notice. I'd tell them, 'If you want this to be right, this is how it is, but nobody is going to care about it.'" "Certainly, people changing direction mid-module without using an opposing force on something, as if they had on a jetpack, that was the worst," said Kelly. Watching with us Even though he worked on it, Kelly's first time watching "Constellation" was as it debuted on Apple TV+. The first three episodes began streaming last week, with the fourth premiering Wednesday (Feb. 28). His first impression of the series is that it is "awesome." "Especially the space stuff," said Kelly. "Obviously, I'm a little biased since that was the part I worked on, but I think it has probably some of the best depictions of life on the space station as I have seen. The other stuff is well, I understand it can be a little bit hard to follow, but I think that will all unfold as you get further into the story." Kelly does not make a cameo, though his daughter thought she picked up on a familiar, or rather, family theme. "My daughter texted me, 'Wait a minute, are those two old bald guys [Henry and Bud Caldera, as played by Jonathan Banks] twin astronauts?" And I replied, 'Do you want me to tell you?' She didn't want me to tell her," said Kelly, whose twin brother Mark was also a NASA astronaut before being elected to the U.S. Senate representing the state of Arizona. a woman in a blue flight suit looks out a circular window RELATED STORIES: Everything we know about 'Constellation:' Release date, plot, cast, & more 'Constellation' trailer teases new 'action-packed space adventure' on Apple TV+ Best sci-fi TV shows of all time As for the show using the real space station to set up a suspenseful thriller, Kelly thought it was a natural connection. "I think it's just people's natural proclivity towards being afraid of stuff that they don't understand much about or stuff that is dark and creepy, as you might imagine space to be," said Kelly. "There is certainly a lot of risk involved and it's dangerous, so it just kind of makes sense." "But that can also be funny," he said. "One of my neighbors texted me, upset: 'Why didn't you tell me not to watch that right before bedtime? Now I can't sleep.'" Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2024 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved. (Bloomberg) -- Australia will consult with media organizations after Meta Platforms Inc. said it would wind down the Facebook News tab from April. Most Read from Bloomberg The government will look at all the options that are available to us, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Saturday in an interview on Australian televisions Weekend Sunrise program. Journalism is really important. And journalists need to be paid for the work that they do. In 2021, Australia passed a world-first law to force digital companies to pay local publishers for news content, resulting in a news blackout before a compromise was reached. The Facebook News tab, which lets users see headlines and stories, will be deprecated in the US and Australia in early April, Meta said in a blog post on Thursday. The company previously stopped promoting news content for users in the UK, Germany and France. Meta said that fewer users are turning to Facebook for news and that it will not enter into new commercial deals when existing agreements with publishers expire. Facebook users will still be able to share links to news stories, it said. The current deals with the California-based company are worth almost A$250 million ($163 million) a year for local publishers, the News Corp.-owned Australian newspaper said on Saturday. Read More: Meta to Wind Down Its News Feature in the US and Australia Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Read the full story on The Auto Wire Australia Wants To Make Its Own Electric Cars It wasnt that long ago Australia made some interesting and many respectable cars which its citizens adored. Sure, Holden was owned by American auto giant GM and the Aussie-specific Fords were still connected in a way to the company here, but they were still symbols of pride for those Down Under. Today, the Australian market is flooded with brands from China, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Europe, and North America, something the federal government might be wanting to change. Learn why an Australian group wants to ban young men from having a drivers license here. Thats right, Australia might start making its own cars again, although theyll be a far cry from the muscle cars and utes from yesteryear. Per a report from Australian automotive site Drive, the government has released a consultation paper for its National Electric Vehicle Strategy, which includes providing citizens with cheaper battery-electric cars. Images via GM If you dont know, vehicles in Australia are incredibly expensive. One of the justifications used for the ridiculous costs is that its an island nation, so everything must be shipped in and often at great distances. Not all Aussies believe this line, but this fact is why so many have turned to cheap Chinese cars. With the current geopolitical atmosphere, thats not a great strategy moving forward. To provide these cheaper EVs, the recommendation in that consultation paper is to increase local manufacturing of vehicles. Reportedly, the federal government is trying to scheme up ways to lure automakers to operate factories on the island once more. Of course, everyone immediately thinks of Tesla. After all, its still the dominant brand in the fledgling EV market and its been expanding aggressively, putting factories in Germany and China. However, the Australian government could easily approach Ford and GM about reopening their operations in the country, considering theyve only been absent for several years. What seems certain is that Chinese automakers wont be approached. While some Chinese automakers have been expanding operations beyond the Middle Kingdom, like BAIC Group establishing a facility in South Africa, considering the incredible tension between the CCP and Australian government, its doubtful such an arrangement would be made. Source: Drive Images via GM Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Authorities have identified the suspect in a fatal shooting at a North Portland bar last month, and Portland police are requesting public assistance about his location. Officials believe Portland man Harold Bob Dulaney, 53, shot and killed 56-year-old Charles Hassel on Monday, Feb. 5. There is an active warrant for Dulaneys arrest for second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon, police said. Portlands Safe Blocks program works toward gun violence prevention amid rising levels Efforts to locate Dulaney have been unsuccessful. Police say he is a 6-foot-3 caucasian man who weighs 260 lbs. with brown hair and hazel eyes. He is known to walk in a hunched posture and uses a cane. The evening of the homicide, he was wearing a black winter coat with gray accents on the shoulders, police said. Dulaney is considered armed and dangerous, according to officials. Anyone with information about Dulaneys whereabouts should contact Portland police. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. A London nightclub which was owned by a medic in the Israeli army was targeted with a parcel of baby clothes painted red accompanied by the message: Your boss is a Zionist killer. The package was sent by post to the club, called E1, which was co-founded by Yuval Hen, who has served in a medical capacity in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The club has been the target of calls for a boycott by pro-Palestinian campaigners protesting against the Gaza war. Mr Hen travelled to Israel after the Oct 7 massacre carried out by Hamas when his life fell to pieces, according to a friend. Having lost friends and family on the day around 1,200 people were murdered by terrorists, he dropped everything to support his home country. Last month, having decided to move back to Israel permanently, he returned to Britain for a week to arrange his departure, including leaving his position at the club where he has been a director since 2015. On his return to London he found that he and two members of staff had been sent baby clothes painted red in the post, along with the message personally addressed to them. He has since returned to Israel. Club targeted by calls for boycott His club has been the target of calls for a boycott by a group calling itself Ravers for Palestine, which posted screenshots of Mr Hen on Instagram which the group said showed him fighting alongside the IDF during its ongoing ground invasion of Gaza. It added: No-one wants to lose another rave venue in London. But there can be no place in our culture for actors engaged in colonial violence, especially those in positions of power and ownership. We urge all ravers and DJs to boycott E1 until further notice. In a statement Mr Hen provided for DJ promoters and others in the nightclub industry, he said: I write to you as you have probably by now seen the news about me leaving E1. I wanted to reach out personally to explain my reasoning behind this and to assure you the club is left in good hands. Back in October I stepped away for personal reasons. The crisis in Israel and Palestine has changed my life and I could not see myself celebrating or being around a happy environment, so I chose to go home and be with family and assist being a medic. I returned last week to arrange my official exit and resignation as director so as to not affect E1 and its team. I would like to thank you for working with me in the past and hope you continue your relationship with E1 on my departure. Oliver Laurence, a former police officer, told The Telegraph: I see no affirmative action by the Met to make the Jewish community feel safe, this does not appear to me to be a priority for them. Week in and week out were seeing actions and activities carried out by pro-Palestinian marchers which go unchallenged by authorities. The Jewish community have a right to be fearful, from this lack of action by our policing leaders. 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. Seven candidates are running for the Springfield school board election April 2. The Back on Track America PAC, which has been active in the Springfield school board race, has returned a $25,000 donation from the Cook Family Foundation. The political action committee reported the return as part of a delayed campaign disclosure form filed Feb. 26 with the Missouri Ethics Committee. The deadline was Feb. 22. It had been the largest single gift recorded by the PAC. Three days later, in a separate report, the PAC reported four donations totaling $25,000 from members of the Cook family. The private foundation based in Ozark was organized as a 501(c)(3), which is strictly prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. According to the Internal Revenue Service, contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position, verbal or written, violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Any violation of this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status, according to the IRS. The donation was made Dec. 12 and returned two months later. It does not appear any of the funds were spent. The foundation was created in 2018 by members of the family connected to the Loren Cook Company, which was founded in 1941. The company opened a manufacturing plant in Springfield in 1964. The president is Loren Cook II and the senior vice president is Paula Cook Daugherty. In 2017, the company hosted a Springfield visit by U.S. President Donald Trump, who was in office at the time. The foundation's 2022 report, filed with the IRS, listed Gerald Cook as the president, Kay Cook as the vice president, Paula Cook Daugherty as the secretary and treasurer, and Loren Cook II, Chip Cook, Elaine Cook and Jerry Daugherty as board members. At the time, the foundation had $3.4 million on hand and paid out $789,722 that year. The largest gifts were $300,000 to Camp Barnabas and $200,000 to the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri. Other notable gifts were to the Child Advocacy Center, Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott's Distinguished Posse, Christian County Sheriff's Department, Honor Flight of the Ozarks, and Wreaths for Fallen Heroes. The campaign disclosure report filed Feb. 26 by Back on Track America PAC showed $10,770 in new contributions including a $10,000 loan from leader Dianne Ely, a self-employed beauty consultant, to be repaid after the April 2 election. The other financial gifts listed were $500 from Gregg and Kai Stancer, of Ozark; and $150 from Richard Grills. More: Campaign fundraising by SPS school board candidates tops $205K, with 5 weeks still to go Any gift of $5,000 or more must be reported promptly and the PAC reported four sizable donations from members of the Cook family on Feb. 29. They include: $6,250 Paula Cook Daugherty, of Ozark; $6,250 Gerald and Kay Cook, of Ozark; $6,250 Gerald "Chip" Cook Jr. of Springfield; $6,250 Loren Cook II, of Springfield. The 2024 Springfield school board candidates include, clockwise from top left, Susan Provance, Scott Crise, Landon McCarter, Chad Rollins, Danielle Kincaid, Maryam Mohammadkhani, and Kyler Sherman-Wilkins. The PAC has endorsed three Springfield school board candidates on the April 2 ballot: candidates Chad Rollins and Landon McCarter and incumbent Maryam Mohammadkhani. Most of the recent spending by the PAC was for social media, web hosting, video meetings, email lists, and the printing of flyers and the voter guide. The PAC reported it has spent $379 on behalf of Rollins, McCarter and Mohammadkhani. The other candidates on the ballot include incumbents Danielle Kincaid and Scott Crise and first-time candidates Susan Provance and Kyler Sherman-Wilkins. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Back on Track PAC returns $25K donation from Cook Family Foundation This undated photo provided by Yemeni government shows the British cargo ship Rubymar, which was attacked by the Houthi group on Feb. 18, 2024, anchoring near the coast of Yemen. Yemen's internationally recognized government announced on Saturday the cargo ship Rubymar sank off the coast of Yemen Friday night amid stormy weather conditions. The British-owned, Belize-flagged ship carries thousands of tons of fertilizer and oil. The government expressed regret over the sinking, warning against a possible major environmental disaster in Yemen's territorial waters. (Xinhua) ADEN, Yemen, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's internationally recognized government announced on Saturday the cargo ship Rubymar sank off the coast of Yemen Friday night amid stormy weather conditions. In a statement released by the state-run Saba news agency, the government said Rubymar, a cargo ship abandoned for over 12 days after being attacked by the Houthi group, has sunk off the coast of Yemen. The British-owned, Belize-flagged ship carries thousands of tons of fertilizer and oil. The government expressed regret over the sinking, warning against a possible major environmental disaster in Yemen's territorial waters. On Feb. 18th, the Houthis fired two missiles at Rubymar while it was passing through the Red Sea, partially damaging the ship. The Houthis claimed they believed the ship was carrying weapons bound for Israel. Despite appeals from the Yemeni government over the past 12 days to avoid catastrophe, Rubymar could not be secured and sank Friday night amid rough seas. The Yemeni government convened an emergency meeting following the incident to address the imminent environmental fallout. On Monday, the Yemeni government renewed its calls for international assistance to help contain a potential massive oil spill from the sunken cargo ship. An emergency committee has also been formed to deal with the impending crisis. The Houthis have stepped up their attacks on international shipping since mid-November last year, saying they were in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza who faced intense Israeli attacks. The U.S.-British forces since January have responded with dozens of airstrikes on Houthi targets, including mobile missile launchers and underwater drones, but have failed to deter the group from launching more attacks. This undated photo provided by Yemeni government shows the British cargo ship Rubymar, which was attacked by the Houthi group on Feb. 18, 2024, anchoring near the coast of Yemen. Yemen's internationally recognized government announced on Saturday the cargo ship Rubymar sank off the coast of Yemen Friday night amid stormy weather conditions. The British-owned, Belize-flagged ship carries thousands of tons of fertilizer and oil. The government expressed regret over the sinking, warning against a possible major environmental disaster in Yemen's territorial waters. (Xinhua) This undated photo provided by Yemeni government shows the British cargo ship Rubymar, which was attacked by the Houthi group on Feb. 18, 2024, anchoring near the coast of Yemen. Yemen's internationally recognized government announced on Saturday the cargo ship Rubymar sank off the coast of Yemen Friday night amid stormy weather conditions. The British-owned, Belize-flagged ship carries thousands of tons of fertilizer and oil. The government expressed regret over the sinking, warning against a possible major environmental disaster in Yemen's territorial waters. (Xinhua) This undated photo provided by Yemeni government shows the British cargo ship Rubymar, which was attacked by the Houthi group on Feb. 18, 2024, anchoring near the coast of Yemen. Yemen's internationally recognized government announced on Saturday the cargo ship Rubymar sank off the coast of Yemen Friday night amid stormy weather conditions. The British-owned, Belize-flagged ship carries thousands of tons of fertilizer and oil. The government expressed regret over the sinking, warning against a possible major environmental disaster in Yemen's territorial waters. (Xinhua) This undated photo provided by Yemeni government shows the British cargo ship Rubymar, which was attacked by the Houthi group on Feb. 18, 2024, anchoring near the coast of Yemen. Yemen's internationally recognized government announced on Saturday the cargo ship Rubymar sank off the coast of Yemen Friday night amid stormy weather conditions. The British-owned, Belize-flagged ship carries thousands of tons of fertilizer and oil. The government expressed regret over the sinking, warning against a possible major environmental disaster in Yemen's territorial waters. (Xinhua) This undated photo provided by Yemeni government shows the British cargo ship Rubymar, which was attacked by the Houthi group on Feb. 18, 2024, anchoring near the coast of Yemen. Yemen's internationally recognized government announced on Saturday the cargo ship Rubymar sank off the coast of Yemen Friday night amid stormy weather conditions. The British-owned, Belize-flagged ship carries thousands of tons of fertilizer and oil. The government expressed regret over the sinking, warning against a possible major environmental disaster in Yemen's territorial waters. (Xinhua) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital is scheduled to host a job fair March 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to organizers. BBHH is looking to fill multiple open job positions and will also conduct on-the-spot interviews for Registered Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses and Mental Health Workers, the hospital said in a news release. Bakersfield Aids Project to host free rapid HIV testing through July Some of the open job vacancies the hospital is looking to fill include: Housekeeping/EVS Supervisor, Call Center Care Coordinator, Quality Assurance Data Analyst, Therapist and Recreational Therapist. The following positions will also include a sign on bonus: Chief Nursing Officer $25k Sign-On Bonus Registered Nurses $10k Sign-On Bonus (Days/Nights available) LVN Licensed Vocational Nurses (Days/Nights available) Mental Health Workers (Days/Nights available) The hiring event is happening at the Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, located at 5201 White Lane. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The Bakersfield Police Department is asking for community assistance in locating a missing 22-year-old. Khellin Warren Montgomery, 22, was last seen in the 10400 block of Sterling Silver Street on Feb. 29, according to the Bakersfield Police Department. Montgomery, last seen around 6 a.m., is considered at-risk due to a medical condition. Powerful storm to bring rain and snow to Kern Friday night Police say Montgomery is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs around 160 pounds. He has black hair, and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black hoodie with black pants and white shoes. Anyone with information regarding Montgomerys whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Bakersfield Police Department at 661-327-7111. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17. About 64,000 vote-by-mail ballots sent out to registered voters in Fresno County have been received so far by county elections officials ahead of Election Day on March 5. But that figure reflecting ballots that have been returned by mail or through secure drop-off boxes throughout the county as of March 1 represents only a small percentage of the more than 507,000 ballots that went out to voters in early February. Turnout has been slow so far, James Kus, the countys clerk and registrar of voters, told The Fresno Bee on Friday. Classically, at least over the last 20 or so years, turnout for presidential primaries averages around 40% in Fresno County sometimes a little higher, sometimes a little lower. Right now, if you look at what weve gotten back so far, were at around 13-ish percent, he added. Thats pretty far from 40%. By Friday, almost 48,000 ballots had been received from voters via the U.S. Postal Service, while another 16,000 were delivered to and picked up from dozens of drop-off boxes scattered across Fresno County. Some vote-by-mail ballots have also been dropped off at 11 in-person voting centers that have been open since Feb. 24 in Fresno and other parts of the county. Another 41 vote centers were set to open Saturday and be open through Election Day on March 5, including 28 in the city of Fresno. Kus said the elections office is prepared for the unlikely prospect of 100% turnout, adding that he avoids making predictions because he doesnt want a low forecast to dissuade voters from casting their ballots. But based on prior presidential primary elections, the office is planning for about 40%. Complicating any such forecast is the unknown number of ballots in the hands of the U.S. Postal Service that have not yet made their way back to the elections office. Ballots that are postmarked by Election Day need to be received by March 15 in order to be processed and counted. Voter turnout in presidential election years is typically greater than it is for off-year elections. On Election Night, the first preliminary results will be released shortly after the polls close at 8 p.m. and reflect any ballots received by mail or from drop-off boxes through Monday, Kus said. Subsequent Election Night results will include tabulations of results from vote centers. Periodic updates will follow in the days following the election as late mail-in ballots and provisional ballots are received, processed and counted. DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) The Barrels of Love Non-Perishable Food Drive is helping restock food pantries in Morgan County. Donations were made by the car load at Beltline Church of Christ Friday morning. Organizers with the food drive have been collecting donations since Valentines Day. Those same food items will be used to feed children and families in need. Woman who broke barriers now empowering the next generation Food pantries have a tendency to dry out after the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, explained food drive chairman Joe Holmes. Ashley Boyd with The Committee on Church Cooperation agrees. The end of the year is always so very generous to food pantries and then it really slows down during the spring and summer months, she said. This was one effort to help replenish them. Items collected help restock food pantries at Salvation Army of Decatur, The Committee on Church Cooperation, and Backpack Feeding Programs for Decatur City and Morgan County Schools. Boyd says drives like this can help restock food pantries for up to four months. Paving the Way: One Generation at a Time Jeanne Wheat with Decatur City Schools said these donations will help over 1,000 students get food during school holidays. What the food drive does for us is it provides some supplemental food our students who may be food insecure for the week of spring break, Wheat said. Barrels of Love has managed to raise over one-million items in the last 11 years for different agencies around Decatur. You can continue adding to that number by visiting their website here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Reporters appeared to endorse the attack on Israel carried out by Hamas - AP BBC Arabic journalists who were subject to an investigation over biased social media posts in the wake of the Oct 7 attacks are still covering the Israel-Gaza conflict, it has emerged. Following the attacks, reporters at BBC News Arabic appeared to endorse comments likening Hamas to freedom fighters and praising the atrocity. The BBC said shortly after the revelations that it was urgently investigating social media activity by several of its journalists in the Middle East. But several of those whose social media activity was the subject of complaint are again reporting on the Israel-Gaza conflict, with no further disciplinary action taken against them. They include Sally Nabil, a journalist who liked over a dozen tweets which appeared to legitimise the targeting of Jewish civilians, including tweets which called the Oct 7 attacks a morning of hope, and liked a tweet describing Israel as an occupation state. In December, Ms Nabil also liked a tweet making unsubstantiated allegations that large numbers of Jews from around the world are buying up land in Northern Cyprus, with the aim being to seize the territory for Israel It has now emerged that Ms Nabil was sent to Chicago by BBC Arabic in mid-January to cover reported threats to the citys Palestinian community and two weeks later wrote a piece about Western diplomacy during the war. Sally Nabil liked tweets which called the Oct 7 attacks 'a morning of hope' Salma Khattab, a journalist based in Cairo for BBC News, had liked a tweet from Oct 7 appearing to refer to Hamas as freedom fighters. The tweet stated: You cannot support freedom fighters in Ukraine as they resist Russian occupation but not in Palestine against Israeli occupation, unless you have no conscience. But in January Ms Khattab was again reporting on the conflict, examining the plight of a Palestinian poet who claimed he suffered abuse at the hands of the Israeli Defence Force when he was detained in Gaza, as well as covering discussions over aid entering the conflict zone. Salma Khattab liked a tweet from Oct 7 appearing to refer to Hamas as freedom fighters A third BBC Arabic journalist, Sanaa Khouri, reposted and liked tweets appearing to support the Oct 7 massacre of Israelis, including one about sweets being distributed in Lebanon following the Hamas raids. The Beirut-based religious affairs correspondent also tweeted in the wake of the attacks: Israels prestige is crying in the corner. Ms Khouri has since contributed to the BBCs coverage of South Africas lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice in January. Sanaa Khouri, reposted and liked tweets appearing to support the Oct 7 massacre of Israelis Mahmoud Sheleib, another BBC Arabic journalist who was subject to complaints about bias, took part in a Twitter conversation shortly after the Oct 7 attacks in which he appeared to joke about a woman whose grandmother was abducted by Hamas receiving an inheritance. He had also suggested in a tweet that all young Israelis were combatants and should not be regarded as civilians in a conflict. Mr Sheleib is still listed as the executive producer of the Egypt Mean Time programme, which regularly discusses the war from an Egyptian perspective. The show frequently interviews guests who take an anti-Israel or an apparently anti-Semitic stance. Mahmoud Sheleib appeared to take part in a joke on Twitter about a woman whose grandmother was abducted by Hamas receiving an 'inheritance' The BBC is obliged to achieve due impartiality in all its output. According to its guidelines, its news journalists also have a particular responsibility to uphold the principle in their actions on social media. A spokesman for Camera Arabic, a US-based NGO that campaigns for accurate and balanced coverage of Israel, said: Employees who spread hatred and celebrate violence on social media are clearly unable to uphold the BBCs self-professed standards of accuracy and balance in coverage of Jewish and Israeli affairs and should not be allowed back in the newsroom, let alone to report the current war on the Corporations behalf. By reinstating Sheleib, Khouri, Nabil and Khattab to their former positions, BBC Arabic shows that it is oblivious to what every impartial observer would quickly acknowledge: biased journalists make for bad journalism. The British public deserves a better product in exchange for its license fee payments. Ms Nabil, Ms Khattab, Ms Khouri and Mr Sheleib were approached for comment through the BBC. A BBC spokesman said: As we said at the time, we take allegations of breaches of our social media guidance very seriously and we took urgent action to investigate each case in detail. We do not comment on individual staff matters, however, if we find breaches we take the appropriate action. 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. BEDFORD, Va. (WFXR) The Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce announced they will be hosting their 11th annual job fair at the Timberlake Christian School on Horizon Drive on Friday, March 15. From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the job fair strives to assist in developing a healthy workforce through connecting job seekers with hiring employers face to face. Employers will be accepting resumes and conducting interviews, and some are looking to hire employees on the spot. Positions will be offered for full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions. Many employers say that they will hire for attitude over skill set. And in the age of digital applications, we cannot always convey who we are with just a resume or cover letter, remarked Foster Garrett, Director of Marketing and Events. Thats why I love our job fair: it allows employers and job seekers to get to know each other, gauge each others expectations and values, and determine if they might be a good fit before the tedious hiring process begins. Industries attending the job fair include healthcare, communications, construction, HVAC, insurance, education hospitality, manufacturing, automotive, law enforcement, propane, and more. Lynchburg Public Works set to begin renovations at Riverfront Park The Chamber of Commerce also announced some new additions for the 2024 event. In previous years, workshops were offered on-site. This year, the Bedford Chambers workshop development committee determined that some adult job seekers need resume help and interview practice before attending the job fair. Because of this, free job preparation workshops will take place at the Bedford Central Library on Wednesday, March 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They have also partnered with the Bedford County Office of Economics Development to bring Bedford County seniors looking for employment after graduation to the event through Bedford Offering New Experiences, or Bedford ONE. Students interested can attend a soft skill workshop and interview with employers. The last day to sign up for the job fair is Friday, March 8. Entry is free for job seekers. For more information regarding this event, please visit BedfordAreaChamber.com or call the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce at 540-586-9401. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv. The University of Florida nixed its entire diversity, equity, and inclusion staff on Friday, thanks to Florida Governor Ron DeSantiss wingman in the GOPs war on education, Ben Sasse. Sasse, the former Republican senator from Nebraska turned university president, terminated 13 full-time positions and 15 administrative appointments for faculty members, a university spokesperson told Axios. According to an administrative memo obtained by the the campuss student paper, The Alligator, DEI staff would be fired effective immediately, with severances tantamount to 12 weeks of pay. Additionally, $5 million would be redirected from DEI programs and placed in a faculty recruitment fund to be administered by the universitys Office of the Provost however it deems fit. These colleagues are allowed and encouraged to apply, between now and Friday, April 19, for expedited consideration for different positions currently posted within the university, the memo read. Florida is where DEI goes to die DeSantis coldly wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, shortly after the decision became public. The employees are the latest victims of DeSantiss all-out war on what he describes as woke culture on college campuseswhich Sasse has been gleefully helping him lead. Last May, the conservative politician signed a bill that effectively defunded diversity programs, prohibiting state schools from spending state or federal funds on DEI initiatives. If you look at the way this has actually been implemented across the country, DEI is better viewed as standing for discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination, DeSantis said during a press conference at the time. And that has no place in our public institutions. This bill says the whole experiment with DEI is coming to an end in the state of Florida. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Memphis Police say a bicyclist was seriously injured after he was struck by a car in North Memphis. Police responded to the scene on Vollintine Avenue and Randle Street at 4:20 p.m. Memphis Police say the bicyclist went to the hospital in critical condition. Man accused of stealing car at Carmax arrested Police say the driver of the car stayed on the scene. Memphis Police are asking drivers to take an alternate route while officers investigate the crash. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. On his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border this week, President Biden rued the death of the bipartisan Senate border policy bill, called on former President Trump to join him in calling for the bills revival and tried to flip the script on his weakest issue. But he did not sign a much-prognosticated executive action to crack down on asylum. Presidential power on immigration and border policy is expansive, but multiple administrations have hit a brick wall with court challenges blocking executive efforts to work around legislative impasses. Republicans including Speaker Mike Johnson (La.) have chided Biden for not taking enough executive steps to address conditions at the border, but the administration has few short-term tools left. For instance, the Biden administration has already tightened asylum regulations, though without extra funding to implement those restrictions, they have little effect on everyday enforcement. When were talking about piling restrictions on restrictions, if you dont have the funds to implement them, then the same challenges arise, said Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst with the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute. The Biden administration shocked immigration advocates when it implemented its Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Rule, essentially a rule making it harder for people who cross the border without authorization to apply for asylum. That rule, first implemented in May amid a doom-and-gloom frenzy over the end of Title 42, was immediately challenged in court by advocacy groups including the ACLU, who derided it as an asylum ban, a moniker rejected by the administration. Despite the lawsuits and public controversy, the rule didnt change much on the ground. In order to carry out an asylum ban rapidly at the border, you need asylum officers who can apply that ban as part of the credible fear process. And if you dont have enough asylum officers, then that ban cannot be applied at the border and has to be applied years later in immigration court, said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director at the American Immigration Council. So until you fix those fundamental restrictions, fundamental resource limitations, you just cannot apply these quick asylum denial processes to the majority of migrants. Both the Biden and Trump administrations have dealt with the same core problem amid rising migration in the Western Hemisphere: The asylum system does not have the capacity to quickly process hundreds of thousands of people a month and determine who is eligible for protection. Because of sheer numbers, wait times to determine eligibility stretch into years, and successive administrations have determined it is neither practicable nor desirable to indefinitely detain hundreds of thousands of people, including children. Asylum applicants are therefore released within U.S. borders, in many cases with eligibility to apply for work permits, pending their immigration court cases. To speed up that process or to generally redirect border enforcement, the executive needs cash. There are some hard limitations on where the president can get money from. We saw this with the Trump administration with the taking of [Defense Department] funds to build the border wall, thats something that some judges actually ruled was unlawful, said Reichlin-Melnik. Those cases ended they never made their way to the Supreme Court because the Biden administration won [the 2020 election], and the cases were mooted out. But you may have eventually have the Supreme Court ruling that the funding was not lawful. Bidens pitch for the defunct bipartisan Senate deal rests largely on budgetary grounds. In his visit to Brownsville, Texas, on Thursday, Biden called on Trump to back the deal, which was built on the structure of a White House supplemental budget request that would have greatly expanded both enforcement and processing. They desperately need more resources, the president said of U.S. border agencies. They need more agents, more officers, more judges, more equipment in order to secure our border. On the same trip, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praised the Senate deal, for which he provided technical and operational expertise. But Mayorkas also brushed aside any suggestion that Biden would announce executive actions. There will not be any executive actions announced today. As I continue to say, the legislation is what we need. It is the enduring solution. Actions taken outside of legislation are often met with litigation challenges in court, said Mayorkas. He also said the administration would not implement an order based on Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Trump administration implemented a proclamation based on the statute, known as the Muslim ban, which lasted from 2019 to 2021. But the proclamation lacked teeth, and an accompanying Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice regulation to enforce it was shut down in court because it violated the basic precept of asylum law that all foreign nationals on U.S. soil are allowed to apply for asylum. The Supreme Court upheld the third version of that, but that was about preventing people who would have been flying into the country, so people are getting visas and refugees, said Bush-Joseph. And the whole difference here is that with the southern border, I dont see how the president can absent congressional action quote-unquote, shut down the border.' Republicans such as Johnson, however, are pushing one Trump-era policy that showed more resilience against legal challenges: Remain in Mexico. There is no direct obstacle from the U.S. legal system at the moment that would prevent the Biden administration from restarting the Remain in Mexico program, said Reichlin-Melnick. There is ongoing litigation over the Biden administrations decision to end the program, but Remain in Mexico formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) faces political, diplomatic and humanitarian challenges, as well as legal constraints on the Mexican side of the border. A Supreme Court decision on the Mexican side said that if Mexico were to do something like MPP again, then they would actually have to put in place rules or regulations for the safety and well-being of migrants because of what happened last time, said Bush-Joseph. Its not just about whats legal on the U.S. side, its also about whats legal in Mexico, and what would need to happen for them to have the political will to put it in place and then what legal steps they would have to go through. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is unlikely to acquiesce to such a program, though he did in 2019 after Trump threatened to impose unilateral tariffs. Mexico will have a presidential election in June, and though Lopez Obradors chosen successor, former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, is running ahead in the polls, Lopez Obrador is likely to avoid folding in the face of U.S. interests. He is even less likely to accept a return of the program after Johnson publicly said hed essentially dared Biden to impose the policy against Mexicos wishes. And like other border executive actions, Remain in Mexico did not work as intended. Instead of releasing asylum applicants into the United States, migrants selected for Remain in Mexico were given court dates and expelled back into Mexico. The program drained resources from both U.S. and Mexican border officials, who had to process asylum seekers attending their U.S. immigration court appointments, and it further contributed to backlogs among those asylum seekers who were not in the program and were released into the United States. At its peak, Remain in Mexico processed around 20,000 migrants a month a fraction of the number arriving monthly at the border. Of course, 20,000 people is nothing, and the United States does not have anywhere close enough to the ability to shift that number of resources to the border, said Reichlin-Melnik. On the flip side, the Biden administration has also tried to expand pathways to entry for migrants in an attempt to regulate the existing flow of people. The administration has centered its efforts on that end on expanded use of parole, a program to more quickly process nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, and improvements to the CBP One app, which helps migrants schedule appointments at ports of entry. The administration has also expanded use of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a program that allows nationals of certain designated countries to live and work in the United States for a period of time. But by and large, programs focused on making it easier for migrants to arrive have largely faced similar legal, budgetary and logistical challenges as enforcement policies. Advocates have called on the Biden administration to improve coordination among NGOs, state and local authorities as an escape valve to better onboard the new arrivals, given the lack of options at the border. The administration has congressional authorization to fund the Shelter and Services Program, which in turn funds non-governmental shelters for migrants, and it has expanded efforts to help eligible migrants more quickly process their work permits. But the administration has so far shied away from proposals for broader federal coordination that could direct migrants to parts of the country with sufficient services and with demographic needs. There are communities across the country right now that are saying we actually would love for migrants to show up here. And youve seen some cities like St. Louis, for example, has actually opened up its doors and said we would like more migrants to come here, because we have a desperate need of more people, said Reichlin-Melnick. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON Israel has essentially agreed to a six-week ceasefire in Gaza that would include the release of hostages, and negotiators are now waiting for Hamas to sign off on the deal, U.S. officials said Saturday. The ball is literally in the court of Hamas, one official said. The Israelis have more or less accepted the framework of a deal that would include a six-week ceasefire and the release of vulnerable hostages, including women, children and those who are elderly or wounded, said senior administration officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity. President Joe Biden said Friday he hopes that a deal can be in place by the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins March 10. Biden is under pressure to call for a ceasefire as hunger and disease spread in Gaza after months of attacks by Israel following the start of the Israel-Hamas war. In this image grab from an AFPTV video, people carry food parcels that were air-dropped from US aircrafts above a beach in the Gaza Strip, on March 2, 2024. Israel's top ally the United States said it began air-dropping aid into war-ravaged Gaza on March 2, as the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry reported more than a dozen child malnutrition deaths. (Photo by Aline MANOUKIAN / AFP) (Photo by ALINE MANOUKIAN/AFP via Getty Images) ORIG FILE ID: 2046327955 The U.S. began airdropping humanitarian aid into the area on Saturday, days after over 100 Palestinians were killed when witnesses said Israeli forces fired at people waiting for food in Gaza City. Officials said the airdrops would make sure that food and other commodities get to people who need them and help prevent the looting that has plagued the delivery of goods into the region on the ground. Over 30,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza since the start of the war after Hamas militants stormed southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Negotiations on a ceasefire deal are ongoing in Doha, Qatar, and significant progress has been made over the past few weeks, officials said. But like all things, until a deal is actually done, its not done, one official said. Hamas has yet to agree to the terms of the deal, officials said. Biden spoke with the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi about the framework of the deal and about other issues that still need to be resolved. The question, officials said, is whether Hamas is committed to releasing hostages as part of any agreement. The hostages have to be released, one official said. Is Hamas committed to do that? Thats really the main issue now. Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @mcollinsNEWS. More: Gaza is a 'death zone' with little food, dire conditions, WHO chief says This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden seeks Gaza ceasefire by Ramadan; US waiting for Hamas to sign off Three Spain-born giant pandas, together with their parents, arrived in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province on Friday after a flight of about 12 hours. #XinhuaNews Standing in a line that wrapped around the Whittier Elementary School cafeteria near downtown Boise, registered Republicans waited to be let into the schools gymnasium to vote for their next president. Red, white and blue balloons adorned the tables as voters mingled, some chatting with Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane. Idaho Republicans turned out across the state to cast their votes Saturday in the GOP presidential caucus, with many raising concerns about the direction the countrys heading under Democratic President Joe Biden and calling for a change. They criticized Bidens policies and said their biggest issues included immigration, the economy and the nations debt. The roughly 90-minute caucus, run by the Idaho Republican Party, comes after lawmakers last year passed a bill that mistakenly eliminated the presidential primary and then failed to agree on how to reinstate the election. All other primaries will be held in May. At Borah High School, a caucus site on the Boise Bench, the line to get into the building stretched toward the back of the parking lot as voters waited for the doors to open at noon. Some sported gear representing the candidates they supported, including hats for former President Donald Trump that read the revenge tour. Supporters of Trump said they respected what he had accomplished in his first term in office and thought he was the only candidate who could address many of the concerns they had under Bidens presidency. Were in a big mess, a real big mess, said Darwin Packard, waiting outside of Borah High to cast his vote. Packard told the Idaho Statesman he voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020. Trump is the only one that is qualified to bring us out of this mess, he said. Trump voters said they were specifically concerned about security at the southern U.S.-Mexico border. Since his 2016 campaign, Trump has made immigration one of his key talking points. Trump visited a Texas border town earlier this week, when he claimed the country was being overrun by the Biden migrant crime, according to the Washington Post. Multiple studies have found immigrants are less likely to have criminal convictions and become incarcerated than people born in the U.S. Several supporters of Trump on Saturday had supported the former president in the previous two presidential elections. They said he was a strong commander-in-chief who had earned respect among international leaders. The other candidates may be highly qualified, Mary Ellen Nourse, who ran against state Rep. Sue Chew in 2022, told the Statesman. But right now, to me, we need someone whos going to be able to step in and, from day 1, start turning things around. Trumps legal battles didnt deter some of his supporters, who said they were a result of targeted attacks against him. Trump is the first U.S. president to be accused of criminal charges and is facing 91 felonies across four states and multiple lawsuits. The charges center around his handling of classified documents and his actions around the 2020 election, when Trump claimed he won the election and alleged widespread voter fraud leading up to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. But supporters of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, also a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said they believe she would be a better leader than Trump. Some called Trump a liar and a crook, despite supporting some of the former presidents policies. Natalie Fleming, who previously ran in the 2022 primary for a U.S. Senate seat against Sen. Mike Crapo, said she supports Haley because she treats people with respect. As a Christian, Im a very strong believer in compassion and respect and respect for people who disagree with you, she told the Statesman. Every time I see him speak, I see him telling us that our neighbors who disagree with us are the true enemy. And I cant stomach that. Although Trump and Haley are the only two candidates on the ballot who are still in the race, some Republicans planned to use their vote to support their first choice candidates. A few people told the Statesman they plan to vote for Florida Gov. Rod DeSantis, who dropped out of the race in January and endorsed Trump. DeSantis supporters praised his track record in Florida. A candidate will receive all 32 of Idahos delegates to send to the Republican National Convention if he or she gets a majority of the votes. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the delegates will be split up proportionally to the votes among candidates with over 15%. Results of the caucus are expected later Saturday afternoon. The caucus sites also offered flyers from state and local Republican parties calling for donations to fight against ranked choice voting. Reclaim Idaho, an advocacy group, is leading an effort to bring a ballot initiative that would create an open primary system and allow voters to rank their candidates in order of preference, an effort supporters say would curb partisanship. Another flyer at a site warned that elections will be stolen until we the people fix the problem. Trump, Haley send videos asking for votes Ahead of the caucus, Trump and Haley submitted videos encouraging Idaho voters to choose them. The videos, which played in some caucus sites, were posted on the Idaho Republican caucus website. In his nearly three-minute video, Trump went through many of his frequent talking points on the economy and the countrys borders. He went after Biden, calling him the worst president in the history of our country and said that under his leadership, the U.S. had become a laughing stock all over the world. Today youre going to send a big signal to the entire world that this is your country, and its also Trump country, he said in the video. Youre going to send a message straight to crooked Joe Biden that we are coming like a freight train this Nov. 5. In Haleys video, she spoke of her record as South Carolina governor and warned that Trump couldnt win the general election. Haley served in Trumps administration and voted for him twice. We can do better, but in order to do better, weve got to acknowledge some hard truths, she said The truth is, chaos follows him. At Whittier Elementary on Saturday, rows of chairs were set up in front of a large projector screen, where voters were told candidate videos would soon begin playing. After more than an hour, a small laptop played Trumps brief speech that was turned to face the audience instead, with a microphone held up to the computers speakers. When it was over, the handful of people who had stuck around clapped and cheered. When asked if they wanted to watch Haleys video, they began to boo. Late-night host Bill Maher offered advice for dealing with President Joe Bidens age, encouraging the 81-year-old to lean in to his advanced yearslean in like youre eating soup. On Fridays episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, the comedian touched on one of the more hot-button issues of the 2024 campaign cycle, calling the president an old fart and telling him to own it. Instead of trying to refute all the too-old-to-be-president slams, Joe must embrace them, he said. Just admit it say yes, Im bad with names and I walk like a toddler with a full diaper. Yes were all worried Joe is not as quick as he used to be, but when did we start insisting that our presidents be smart? he added, before pulling up a photo of Donald Trump and George W. Bush and quipping: Like these assholes? He further encouraged the president to let his old fart flag fly at the upcoming State of the Union, and cut to a skit in which he pantomimed Biden giving the address from a walker labeled Walker One. You dont want a young person in charge of our defense, he said, pretending to be Biden. We need a president who can stand up to Russia and say to its current president, Mr. Gorbachev, get off my lawn. Bidens advanced age is a persistent stumbling point for his campaign, which recently joined TikTok as a way to reach young voters. (Of the social media platform, Maher advised: Get off that shit right now.) A New York Times/Sienna poll from last fall found 70 percent of voters say Biden is too old to be president; a Reuters poll from around the same time found 65 percent of Democrats feel similarly. The issue came to a head last month, when a special counsel report on his handling of classified documents surfaced, describing Bidens memory as hazy,and poor and noting he could not recall the years he served as vice president. (My memory is fine, the president said during a press conference in response.) The White House physician said after Bidens annual physical this week that he was a healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male" who continues to be fit for duty and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations. Maher, however, suggested that leaning into concerns about his age might make the president more relatable to some of his core demographic. Take all your ads off Twitter and put them on CBS, he said. Tell America I feel your joint pain. Be yourself, he added. And Joe, yourself is old. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Policemen seen around a damaged residential building after an alleged drone attack, which was reported by local media at Krasnogvardeisky district. -/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Several people were injured in an explosion at a residential building in the Russian city of St Petersburg on Saturday, as local media reported that a drone had been detonated. Governor Alexander Beglow spoke only of an "incident" as he vowed to promised help to the residents of the flats that were damaged. Six people had sought medical help and a 92-year-old woman was taken to hospital, the authorities said. The explosion shattered some of the windows in the five-storey apartment building. Residents of the flats were being housed in a kindergarten and treated by psychologists, according to reports. Videos were shared on social media that showed a powerful explosion along with the audible sound of the blast, although the authenticity of the footage could not be verified. The Russian Ministry of Defence did not comment on the incident. The drone might have been aiming for a nearby oil storage facility, according to a report by St Petersburg news site Fontanka. The facility reportedly has a drone defence system. In the evening, the governor of the Leningrad region bordering St Petersburg, Alexander Drosdenko, also reported on the deployment of air defence on the Gulf of Finland. He published a video showing an explosion. The clip is supposed to show a drone being shot down by an anti-aircraft missile. There were no injuries or damage. However, aircraft were briefly not allowed to land at Pulkovo Airport, it was reported. As Ukraine tries to fend off the full-scale Russian invasion, it has attacked targets in the Russian hinterland several times, seeking to disrupt the supply of Russian troops. Mostly, these attacks have been in Russian regions close to the border, although some targets have been hit deeper in the country. Few drones have made it as far as St Petersburg, although Kiev has said that the range of Ukrainian drones is increasing. The scale of damage wrought by Ukraine does not compare to the extent of death and destruction caused by Russia's daily attacks on its neighbour since the Kremlin launched the war in February 2022. A view of a broken window on the ground after an alleged drone attack, which was reported by local media at Krasnogvardeisky district. Stringer/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Ukraine may receive the first of the 800,000 artillery shells identified through a Czech-led allied initiative "within weeks," Bloomberg reported on March 1, citing Czech Deputy Defense Minister Jan Jires. As Kyiv faces critical ammunition shortages due to U.S. assistance being stalled in Congress, Czech President Petr Pavel said last month at the Munich Conference that Prague had identified 500,000 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm shells outside Europe. The ammunition could be shipped to Ukraine quickly if other partners provide financing, he added. Czechia said it had received commitments from Canada, Denmark, and other countries that do not wish to be identified. Belgium has also allocated 200 million euros ($216 million) to the initiative, while the Netherlands pledged 250 million euros ($271 million). Jires said in an interview with Bloomberg that the initiative is "demonstrating we are actually doing something, not waiting what is going to happen on the (Capitol) Hill." The U.S. has been a key supplier of 155 mm shells to Ukraine, delivering some 2 million rounds since the outbreak of the full-scale war. Artillery ammunition is a crucial item used up in high quantities on Ukrainian battlefields, and delays in their supplies have contributed to the loss of Avdiivka, a key front-line city in Donetsk Oblast. While the U.S. Senate approved a $95 billion aid bill, allocating $60 billion for Ukraine, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to put it to a vote in his chamber. Jires told Bloomberg that European countries are part of the initiative but did not specify which nor from where the shells are being sourced. Politico previously reported that the countries of origin could include South Korea, Turkey, or South Africa, but the claim has not been publicly confirmed. Read also: Our reserves will run out: Ukrainian artillery sounds alarm on Western shell shortage Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Miami-Dade boaters may face more limitations on where they can anchor their vessels based on a proposal that passed in the Florida House and is moving favorably in the Senate. The legislation aims to target overnight anchoring in Biscayne Bay, which lawmakers say would help solve concerns about environmental damage in the area and the safety of recreational boaters. But critics of the legislation say it infringes on the rights of boat owners, leaves liveaboard boaters with fewer options and unfairly blames them for the issues cited by lawmakers. The House version of the bill passed Thursday evening. It would prevent boaters from anchoring at night in waterways between the Venetian Islands and around Palm Island. The Senate bill is set to be voted on next week, but it differs slightly from the House Bill. The language would need to be sorted out between the two bills in order to make it to the governors desk. The area addressed in the bill is a very popular recreational boating area, perhaps the most traveled in the state, but at this moment permanently moored boats are creating a hazard situation for recreational boaters, said South Florida Republican and sponsor of the Senate bill, Ileana Garcia. More importantly, considerable damage is being done to the environment in this portion of Biscayne Bay as human waste and trash is not properly disposed of by irresponsible boaters.Theres still plenty of locations in Biscayne Bay for overnight anchoring. The bill does not completely shut down the geographic area, said Garcia. Opponents of the bill say that boaters arent the central cause of the problems. Tension between boaters and Miami Beach commission Liveaboard boaters and the Miami Beach Commission have been at odds since the end of last year after the commission voted to remove a dock popular with local liveaboard boaters that they say assisted them to get food and water from the mainland. Commissioner David Suarez has been spearheading the initiative to enforce stricter measures on liveaboard boaters in the area and said that hes disappointed that the legislation has been watered down to cover less area than what was initially planned. Its only going to help out those particular areas and Im not a fan of just taking bites at the apple. The way I view things is that everyone should benefit from good legislation, said Suarez in an interview with the Miami Herald. While he said that environmental and safety issues were big concerns that he had with liveaboard boaters in Biscayne Bay, he also said he believes that short-term vacation rentals on liveaboard boats are growing in popularity in Miami Beach. Theres absolutely nothing that we can do as a city to regulate that and so thats a big concern for the commission because now, its not just a liveaboard community, its going to be an out-of-control enterprise of short-term rentals and business that unfortunately were preempted from regulating, said Suarez. Carlos Leon, the organizer of the Miami Beach Boaters Association, noted that in January the Miami Beach Police and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission conducted a search of various liveaboard boats that showed that only two out of 39 boats were cited for improperly disposing of their waste, saying the real damage to the Bay is caused from breaks in the sewage lines. That narrative of us damaging the bay, its not true. This is our backyard. This is where we live. This is where we swim. Do you think if we were throwing our waste in it wed be swimming in the water?, said Leon in an interview with the Miami Herald. Suarez said he does not view that sanitation check as significant, saying that it only covered a small portion of the liveaboard community in the area and that he believes there are simple ways to cover your tracks if you have been improperly dumping sewage. Leon said he doesnt agree with the legislation. He says blocking off the areas around the Venetian Islands is understandable given the expensive property in those sections, but he fears that the legislation will give way to more laws in the future that could restrict more areas of Biscayne Bay. I think we just want people to see us as humans, Leon said. Its very saddening to be labeled as criminals. Ive been a resident of South Beach since 10 years ago so for my community, the one that I worked in, the one I lived in, to tell me oh, youre not welcome here is very saddening. Whats in the House and Senate bills? HB 437 effectively designates additional portions of Biscayne Bay as anchoring limitation areas. The bill states that a person may not anchor a vessel at any time during the period between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise in the waterways between San Marino Island and Di Lido Island, Rivo Alto Island and Di Lido Island and between Palm Island and the MacArthur Causeway. It states that if a vessel is questioned by law enforcement for being in an anchoring limitation area, they must provide proof of their location with documentation showing that the vessel was in another location at least 1 nautical mile away within a period of less than 45 days before the inquiry. The bill also says that electronic evidence can be used for this, including, but not limited to, navigational devices or tracking devices, but they must be permanently affixed to the vessel. If the boat owner fails or refuses to provide proof to law enforcement, they can be issued a citation. Current state statutes make the following exceptions for using anchoring limitation areas: If the boat has a mechanical failure that poses an unreasonable risk of harm to the vessel or the people onboard, if imminent or existing weather conditions in the vicinity pose a risk to the vessel or the people onboard or if the vessel is attending a regatta, race, marine parade, tournament, exhibition or other special event. The Senate version of the bill does not include the area between Rivo Alto Island and Di Lido Island as an anchoring limitation area. Emergency workers dealing with the aftermath of the Russian attack on Odesa. Photo: Ukraine's State Emergency Service The death toll from the Russian Shahed UAV attack on an apartment building in Odesa has risen to seven. The body of a woman with her three-month-old baby has been found under the rubble. Source: Oleh Kiper, Head of Odesa Oblast Military Administration; Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko Quote from Kiper: "The body of a baby has also been found next to the woman's body. The death toll from the attack has now reached seven." Details: Earlier, Kiper reported that a woman's body had been retrieved from the rubble, bringing the death toll from the Russian attack to six. Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko added that emergency workers had uncovered the bodies of a mother and her three-month-old baby in Odesa. Telegram Photo: Klymenko on Telegram This means that there are now two children among the seven people killed in the strike. The search and rescue operation is underway. Later, in his evening address, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Tymofii, the boy killed in the Russian attack on Odesa, was four month old. Background: Around 14:50, emergency workers retrieved the fifth body from the rubble of an apartment building partially destroyed by a Russian Shahed UAV attack on Odesa. Previously: Support UP or become our patron! Emergency workers dealing with the aftermath of the Russian attack on Odesa. Photo: Ukraine's State Emergency Service The body of a fifth civilian was retrieved from the rubble of a multi-storey building destroyed by the Russian Shahed UAV attack on the city of Odesa by rescue workers of Ukraine's State Emergency Service (SES) at 14:50. Source: SES Details: Like the two previous bodies, this one has been found on the ground floor level. As of 15:00, reports indicated that a total of five people have been killed in the building, including one child. Eight people were injured, including one child. Five people were rescued. Support UP or become our patron! Boeing said Friday that it is in preliminary talks to buy Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages for Boeing 737 Max jetliners, including the one that suffered a door-panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight in January. Boeing used to own Spirit, and it said that bringing the supplier back into the Boeing fold would improve plane quality and safety, which has come under increasing scrutiny by regulators, Congress and airlines. Buying Spirit back would reverse a longtime Boeing strategy of outsourcing key work on its passenger planes. That approach has been criticized as problems at Spirit have disrupted production and delivery of popular Boeing jetliners including 737s and 787s. Concerns about quality came to a head after the Jan. 5 blowout of a panel on an Alaska 737 Max 9 at 16,000 feet over Oregon. Days after the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration announced increased oversight of Boeing and Spirit. This week, the FAA gave Boeing 90 days to submit a plan to improve quality and address safety concerns raised by a panel of experts who spent a year studying the company. Boeing CEO David Calhoun has long defended the outsourcing strategy, but his tone changed after the blowout. On Jan. 31, as Boeing reported a fourth-quarter loss, Calhoun said that outsourcing probably went too far. In a statement Friday, the company said, We believe that the reintegration of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems manufacturing operations would further strengthen aviation safety, improve quality and serve the interests of our customers, employees, and shareholders. A deal would give Boeing more control over its production chain, but fixing Spirit would present Boeing with new challenges while regulators are pressuring the company to improve its own work. And it could add to Boeings debt load, already at $52 billion. Spirit AeroSystems also confirmed the talks, while cautioning that it could not make any promises about closing a deal or its terms. Shares of Spirit rose more than 15% after media reports that the two companies were talking about a sale. Boeing spun off Spirit in 2005. In recent years, quality problems have mounted at Spirit, including fuselage panels that didnt fit together precisely enough and holes that were improperly drilled. Spirit which is not related to Spirit Airlines removed its CEO in October and replaced him with Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who served as acting defense secretary in the Trump administration. Things seemed to be going more smoothly until the Alaska Airlines incident. Investigators said a panel used in place of an extra emergency door had been removed at a Boeing factory to let Spirit workers fix damaged rivets, and bolts that help hold the panel in place were missing after the repair job. It is not clear who removed the bolts and failed to put them back. Two weeks later, during a tour of the Spirit factory in Wichita, Kansas, Calhoun and Shanahan pledged to work together to improve manufacturing quality. We will restore confidence, Shanahan vowed. About 70% of Spirit AeroSystems revenue last year came from work done for Boeing, according to Spirits latest annual report. That is up from 60% two years earlier. Most of the companys other revenue comes from making parts for Airbus, Boeings European rival. The talks between Boeing and Spirit were first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which said Spirit hired bankers to consider strategic options and had held preliminary discussions about a sale to Boeing. Spirit also is looking into selling operations in Ireland that make parts for Airbus, the newspaper reported. Spirit lost $616 million last year and hasnt turned a full-year profit since 2019. Since then, it has lost more than $2.5 billion. Boeing agreed in October to give more financial help to Spirit. Boeing said it would provide $100 million for Spirit to retool its factory and adjust prices to give the supplier another $455 million over two years. Boeing is in talks to rebuy Spirit AeroSystems, a manufacturer linked to a mid-air blowout on one of its planes earlier this year, which sparked backlash and led to several lawsuits. We have been working closely with Spirit AeroSystems and its leadership to strengthen the quality of the commercial airplanes that we build together, Boeing said in a statement Friday. We confirm that our collaboration has resulted in preliminary discussions about making Spirit AeroSystems a part of Boeing again. The news, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, comes more than a month after an explosive decompression occurred on a Boeing 737 Max 9, when a door panel flew off mid-flight. Spirit AeroSystems made the fuselage and door plug that blew during the Alaska Airlines flight, leaving a gaping hole in the aircraft. Spirit AeroSystems was broke away from Boeing in 2005, according to The Associated Press. The company has faced increased scrutiny over the years around the quality of its fuselage panels and issues with them not fitting together properly, per the AP. In their statement, Boeing added that they believe the reintegration of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems manufacturing operations would further strengthen aviation safety, improve quality and serve the interests of our customers, employees, and shareholders. Although there can be no assurance that we will be able to reach an agreement, we are committed to finding ways to continue to improve the safety and quality of the airplanes on which millions of people depend each and every day, the statement reads. A few days after the Alaska Airlines incident last month, shares of Boeing and Spirit fell nearly 9 percent and about 14 percent respectively. The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said earlier this month that Boeing has a quality control problem following a preliminary report by the agency which found that four bolts that were supposed to secure the door plug on the flight were missing before last months incident. I think there is a quality assurance problem, a quality control problem. And thats exactly what were digging in on right now, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said. Following an audit by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing was given 90 days to create plan that will address systemic quality control issues. In a statement to The Hill, Spirit AeroSystems spokesperson Joe Buccino confirmed the company is is currently engaged in discussions with Boeing. No assurances can be given that a definitive agreement will be entered into, that any transaction will be consummated, or the timing, terms or conditions of any such transaction, Buccino said. The Spirit Board of Directors and management team are committed to enhancing shareholder value and regularly review the Companys opportunities to further this objective, he continued. We do not intend to comment further on market speculation or disclose any developments unless and until it otherwise deems further disclosure is appropriate or required. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Boston police are searching for a 16-year-old girl who hasnt been seen in two days. Police say Taliah McDonald-Francis was last seen at 50 Essex Street in Cambridge MA 02139 on Wednesday, February 28. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is asked to contact 911 or D-4 Detectives at (617) 343-5619. If you would prefer to share information anonymously you can do so by call the CrimeStoppers Tip Line AT 1-800 (494) -TIPS or by testing the word TIP to CRIME (27463), Boston police say. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) held an opening ceremony on the morning of March 1 for the training program for young and middle-aged officials for the spring semester of 2024. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, gave important instructions. He emphasized that young officials are a new force in the development of the Party's and the country's cause, and successors to the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. On the new journey, young officials, with heavy responsibilities on their shoulders and great accomplishments to make, must keep firmly in mind the Party's original aspiration and mission, strive hard to make progress and do a good job in taking on their historical mission. Xi stressed that they should consciously and firmly believe in, and implement the Party's new theories, and keep enhancing cohesion and forging their souls with the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Xi urged them to keep strengthening and cementing their faith and ideal, have a strong political standing, and effectively improve their understanding of the Marxist theory and their ability to apply it. It is imperative for young officials to be conscious role models in practicing loyalty and honesty toward the Party, take a clear-cut stance in maintaining political integrity, and greatly improve their capacities for political judgment, thinking, and implementation. They should strictly abide by the Party's political discipline and rules, speak their minds, do solid work, be honest, and always keep aligned with the CPC Central Committee. They should also commit themselves to selfless dedication, striving to bring more benefits to the people. This requires them to put the people in the paramount position and cultivate a correct understanding of what it means to perform well. They should carry out the Party's mass line for the new era, improve their capacities for working with the people, and put their hearts and souls into addressing the pressing concerns of the people, so as to constantly increase people's sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security. They are required to work hard and be courageous enough to shoulder responsibilities and perform their duties. They should carry out reform and innovation with determination, and have the courage and ability to carry out struggle. They should be willing and ready to take on the heaviest burdens, confront the toughest challenges, and handle the most difficult tasks, constantly opening new ground in their work by facing and solving problems head-on. They should act as strong promoters of establishing a sound political environment, and carry out thorough self-reform. They should remain frugal and humble. It is essential for them to firmly oppose pointless formalities, bureaucratism, and privilege-seeking mindsets and practices, so as to forever maintain the political integrity of uprightness and honesty as they should as members of the CPC. Xi made it a requirement for Party organizations at all levels to work with a strong sense of political responsibility and historical mission, doing a good job in the fundamental work of cultivating more qualified successors to carry forward the cause of the Party and the country. They should optimize the mechanism of training and selecting excellent young officials on a regular basis, strictly educate, manage and supervise young officials, and continuously train and bring up reliable successors capable of taking on the great task of building China into a strong country and realizing national rejuvenation. Xi's important instructions were conveyed at the opening ceremony. Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. Cai noted in his speech that General Secretary Xi's important instructions are profound and insightful and of great political, ideological, guiding and pertinent significance. They should serve to mobilize and motivate young officials to embark on a new journey and make achievements in the new era. They should function as a handbook for their healthy growth, and serve as a sound guide to ensure a good job in work related to young officials. The instructions therefore must be conscientiously studied and resolutely implemented. Cai put forward hopes and requirements for young officials. They are as follows: strengthen theoretical study and have a good command of abilities to put theories into practice, thoroughly study and have an in-depth understanding of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as what is the most fundamental and crucial, have a good command of its scientific system, core essence and practical requirements, and turn what they have learned into what they do in performing their duties and promoting the cause of the Party and the country. It is a must to remain loyal and honest to the Party, lay a solid political foundation, forever uphold the Party's guideline, follow the Party's will and stay committed to the Party's mission. Young officials must gain a deep understanding of the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. They must have firm ideals and convictions, raise organizational awareness, be honest and aboveboard, and match their deeds to their words. It is important for them to foster a sincere care for and strive for the well-being of the people, stand firmly with the people, and maintain a people-centered mindset, so as to regard working for the people's well-being as the most crucial aspect of their job performance and immerse themselves in practical work to address the issues that are important to people's livelihoods. They must make efforts to actively fulfill their duties, act with a sense of responsibility, apply a realistic and pragmatic approach and make solid progress, be determined to carry out reforms and overcome difficulties, have the courage to respond to various challenges and prevent risks, and take effective measures to address real issues. It is imperative for them to strictly observe the Party's discipline and rules, always be honest and clean, always be highly conscious of the importance to abide by the Party's rules and the country's laws, and keep the consciousness of self-examination, be prudent as if treading on thin ice and subject themselves to strict Party supervision and discipline, so as to jointly cultivate a wholesome political atmosphere of integrity. They are required to keep in mind what the Party and the people expect of them, bear the mission of the times in mind and on shoulders, and dedicate themselves to the Party, the nation and the people, so as to contribute to the great endeavor of building China into a strong country and realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. Li Ganjie presided over the opening ceremony. Jiang Xinzhi and Chen Xi were present. Trainees of the 2024 spring training program for young and middle-aged officials at the Party School participated in the opening ceremony, and leading officials from relevant central Party departments sat in on it. Theres sewage in our waterways, microplastics in bottled water, fluoride, oestrogen and even cocaine in what comes out of our taps. So what is the best water to drink? The emerging science around water contamination can feel alarming. In November 2023 the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), which is responsible for regulating the public water supply companies in England and Wales, detected 11,853 samples of water which contain potentially harmful forever chemicals. Labelled this because they never break down, poly and perfluorinated alkyl substances PFAS for short have tainted our humble tap water. There are thought to be more than 4,700 types of PFAS and studies have found that some PFAS are associated with a higher risk of fertility problems, cancer and thyroid disease. Sadly, its not as simple as reaching for bottled mineral or spring water instead. A new study by the University of Columbia found that a bottle of water can contain a quarter of a million pieces of plastic. Scientists have created a new category called nanoplastics to refer to the plastic pollution that happens when microplastics break down even further. People are doing their best to try and keep us safe but we have contaminated things on a greater scale than we really realised, says Dr David Megson, a senior lecturer in chemistry and environmental forensics at Manchester Metropolitan University. Its only now that were starting to understand the science behind these things as weve been struggling to get the mechanisms for testing PFAS in place. With water contamination causing concern whether we drink it from the tap or a bottle, whats the best option? Boudicca Fox-Leonard: 'The emerging science around water contamination can feel alarming' - Andrew Crowley Its a debate that Dr Megson has with himself constantly. Its a minefield, he says. And youve got to be careful not to put people off drinking water. So what are our options? How safe is tap water? Affectionately known by many as council pop, each water company responsible for our tap water in the UK is held to the same guidelines. There are strict regulations on what happens to our drinking water, but depending on your area and the water company they use a variety of processes, says Dr Charlotte Lloyd, an environmental chemist at the University of Bristol. There are a list of pollutants and chemicals that water companies test for, however, what concerns Dr Lloyd are the unknown chemicals. There are regulations on what is deemed safe, but we could argue whether the numbers are right and the list is long enough. There are lots of things we dont measure either because we dont know they are there or they are not on the list. I think we need to constantly review whats on the list. The current Drinking Water Directive, which is available on the UK Drinking Water Inspectorate website, lists the chemicals which are monitored. But there are interesting clauses such as for pesticides where it says that the list of pesticides monitored should include those that they think are relevant for that supply area meaning that they are only monitoring the correct things if they have checked regularly to see what is there. In some areas (not all as it depends on the natural levels of fluoride in the source water) extra fluoride is added to water supplies (up to 1 milligram per litre) to increase intake and prevent tooth decay. While links to poor cognitive development in children might seem concerning, Dr Lloyd says fluoride levels in tap water are closely monitored by water companies as instructed by the DWI. In some areas of the UK, fluoride is being added to water supplies to prevent tooth decay - iStockphoto The legal limit for fluoride in drinking water is 1.5 milligram per litre. However a harmful dose would be much higher, says Dr Lloyd. There is much more fluoride in toothpaste for example. Oestrogen is an example of a whole range of chemicals that makes its way into our waters which could potentially cause problems. There are many types of oestrogens, both synthetic (like that used in the contraceptive pill) and a range of natural sources as well, explains Dr Lloyd. There are also many chemicals which are referred to as endocrine disrupting, these are chemicals which mimic the behaviour of hormones in our body things like bis-phenol A and phthalates (both plastic additives) and so can have similar effects to oestrogens in the water. Some of these will be removed during water treatment, but low levels are likely to still prevail. In terms of the safe drinking water limit and hormones, these will be set according to our best current knowledge about safe limits for intake of these compounds, says Dr Lloyd. What it doesnt necessarily reflect is what happens if this low level intake builds up over time and starts having detrimental impacts. A 2009 study by Brunel University found male fish were being affected by anti-androgens, used in a number of medicines including cancer treatments and pesticides used in agriculture, and warned that it could also be contributing to a reduction in human sperm counts, which have fallen in the past 50 years. Another growing area of concern is trihalomethanes (THMs), the name for disinfection byproducts, which have been linked to bladder cancer. These are compounds that are formed during the water treatment process. We use chlorine in order to disinfect the water for drinking and this can impact on the organic matter in the water. Waters which contain high concentrations of organic matter, this could be natural from waters that drain peatlands for example, or areas where there is organic pollution from sources such as agriculture or sewage, you have higher potential for the creation of carcinogenic by-products during the drinking water treatment process. This sounds alarming, yet, says Dr Lloyd: In a global context our drinking water is still good. There is no need to panic. Should we be filtering tap water? When it comes to filtering, its a matter of taste, as well as safety. Tap water will usually have a residual concentration of chlorine in it to ensure that it is safe. While the amount will be deemed safe, it might affect taste. Filtering can help with this. Regionality does make a difference, says Dr Megson. London and the South East is a hard water area, and that can affect taste more than anything else. Filtering might help to make it more palatable. I have quite a lot of faith in the water where I am geographically in Manchester, because it comes from a reservoir. If I lived in London I would be filtering. The water in that region comes partly from underlying aquifers [groundwater under London] and those areas have been shown to have problems with PFAS. Those water companies know about it and are blending their water to make it as safe as possible. Some choose to filter their water to improve the taste - Alamy Many of Dr Lloyds colleagues filter their water, although she admits to not being organised enough. A fellow chemist and colleague has an activated carbon filter on his kitchen tap. This will help take out some of the trihalomethanes left in the water. While filter jugs made out of plastic may also reduce contaminants, the plastic itself is a concern. You can get glass jugs now, but for most theres still always some element of the filter that passes the water through plastic. Again it is a choice of choosing the best of the worst options. Although if you do decide to use a plastic filter jug, Dr Megson cautions against ever putting it in the dishwasher. Hard and soft water: Whats the difference? The concentration of certain minerals is what creates the hardness of water. Surface water tends to be soft, containing fewer minerals, and acidic by nature, while groundwater tends to be harder. Hard water tends to contain higher levels of calcium and magnesium. While some people complain this gives the water a chalky mouthfeel, it can actually be beneficial for you and there are no serious adverse health risks associated with drinking hard water. Soft water, meanwhile, tends to have higher concentrations of sodium, which is a bigger concern for people with high blood pressure. A costly solution to this is to use a reverse osmosis system that is effective at removing or reducing sodium. Is bottled water better for our health? In 2022, the bottled water market was worth 2.07 billion, with Highland Spring water the most frequently selected brand. There are three distinct types of water that may be bottled as identified by Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs): natural mineral water, spring water and bottled drinking water. Regulation is the responsibility of local authorities where the water is sourced. If the bottled water is from outside the UK it must be compliant with the compositional and safety standards of the country of destination. Natural mineral water from outside the UK, cannot be marketed as such unless it is recognised by the relevant UK authority; Defra, Food Standards Scotland and Food Standards Agency in Wales. Mineral water This is water that has filtered down through rocks, purifying it and adding minerals naturally, which is then taken directly from deep underground by boreholes drilled far into the ground and bottled at source; it certainly sounds healthier and tastier than Londons much recycled tap water. However, despite the perception that mineral water is pristine and uncontaminated, Dr Lloyd says: It is likely that the science is just not there at the moment to confirm if there is contamination of mineral waters with PFAS. To meet requirements of the definition, all UK mineral water must contain consistent mineral composition including calcium, magnesium, potassium and sulphates and use only five permitted treatments to improve the water: filtration or decanting; removal of free carbon dioxide; adding carbon dioxide to produce sparkling natural mineral water; ozone-enriched air oxidation to separate compounds of iron, manganese, sulphur and arsenic from water when they occur naturally at source; and activated alumina to remove fluoride. It takes two years to be officially recognised as mineral water through a local authority, during which time it is repeatedly analysed. They will be continually testing their source to make sure nothing is getting into that ground water source, and there will be a list of things they have to look for. But if its not on the list it wont be tested for because it is expensive to test, says Dr Lloyd. Her work looking at river pollution hasnt convinced her that springs are guaranteed to be contaminate-free. What we see from river water is that there are chemicals that are human derived in every river, even in the most pristine stream we still find plastic chemicals. When you think about groundwater, where a lot of spring water will come from, theres no guarantee that those springs are any cleaner than our processed water. Of course there are regulations and they have to be tested but I wouldnt say they are any cleaner or any better. In the United States, a 2020 study by Consumer Reports found toxic PFAS chemicals in several popular water brands, especially carbonated ones. Finding true mineral water is difficult in our polluted world. The best water is probably buried in Antarctica, stuff thats been locked away for thousands of years where weve not had a chance to contaminate it, says Dr Megson. And the last thing I would recommend is going there, digging up the ice and using it for our drinking water. Spring water Similar to mineral water, the term spring is used to refer to water collected directly from a natural source, typically far underground in natural aquifers where the spring water rises to the surface. Unlike natural mineral water, there is no formal recognition process required for spring water, although it must still be registered with the local authority. Many natural mineral waters begin their lives as spring waters trading as such during the two year testing period. Unlike natural mineral waters, spring waters may undergo permitted treatments. Bottled water A bottle of water that is labelled neither as spring or natural mineral water is called table water. Table water may come from more than one source and may include the public water supply. In 2004 Coca-Cola faced ridicule after its Dasani branded bottled water was revealed as being treated tap water from Sidcup, Kent. It was after a batch was contaminated with levels of bromate, a suspected human carcinogen that the brand was withdrawn from the market. Bottled water can be treated to meet the compositional and microbiological requirements of the regulations. Water bottled in plastic is often at risk of contamination from different chemicals - cofotoisme Some companies may also add mineral salts to their waters to replace those minerals lost during treatments or to enhance those which already exist. An example might be a can of water that extols the virtues of added magnesium, calcium and potassium: I would be asking to know where this water comes from and what theyre doing to it. It wouldnt seduce me, says Dr Lloyd. The plastic problem Approximately 85 per cent of bottles used for bottled water were made from plastic in 2019. Even if your mineral water does come from an unpolluted source, if you buy it in plastic, Dr Megson says that causes its own problems. When it goes through that processing system a lot of them have polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) plastic thats made out of fluorinated chains that are very similar to PFAS. So you can have PFAS leaking into your nice, fresh spring water from your bottling manufacturer process. Its very difficult to be free. Dr Megson states that you should avoid reusing plastic bottles, and certainly not put them in a dishwasher or leave them in the sun, as this causes the plastic to degrade. All those chemicals are coming out and contaminating your water. While glass is better, Dr Megson is sceptical of spending vast amounts of money on brands such as Voss from Norway. From a sustainability perspective we already have the infrastructure for our tap water and its heavily regulated to get us down to minimum safe levels. I dont think we should be importing our drinking water. What do the scientists choose? Both Dr Megson and Dr Lloyd favour carrying metal water bottles and drinking tap water. When it comes to bottled water theres no evidence that its any cleaner than our processed tap water, says Dr Lloyd. I would certainly be concerned about drinking water that comes in plastic, personally. There will be places in the world where they have to rely on bottled water but in this country we are not in that situation. Recommended The full-fat milk renaissance fuelled by Gen Z and science Read more Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The boyfriend of a Los Angeles woman detained in Russia was thinking of proposing to her before she was imprisoned on treason charges, he told NBC News on Thursday. Chris Van Heerden, 33, said it was painful that the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg had denied a request from Ksenia Karelinas lawyers to lift her detention and replace it with house arrest. I didnt get my hopes up, said Van Heerden, a South African boxer known as The Heat, adding that he knew Karelina, a 33-year-old dual U.S.-Russian citizen, was going to need a miracle for a judge to order her release from prison, and he was so sad that Karelina had to go back to jail. After she was detained last month, Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) alleged that since February 2022, Karelina had proactively collected funds in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organizations, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It did not provide further details or evidence of her alleged crime. A criminal case has been launched against her, the FSB said, and she is facing charges of treason, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Pervy Otdel, a Russian lawyers group, said it had information that Karelina had donated just over $51.80 from her U.S. bank account on Feb. 24, 2022 the day that Russia launched what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine to a charity that sends aid to Ukraine. Authorities have not confirmed that, and NBC News was not able to independently verify the sum or the nature of the alleged donation. Van Heerden, who said he has known Karelina for four years, said he couldnt wrap my head around the idea that she had been arrested for donating such a small amount. He added that he had made plenty of donations to various causes without even thinking what Im doing. Fifty-one dollars, come on, he said, adding that Karelina had made a simple donation because shes kind. Van Heerden said he had received a love letter from her after she was detained. He said the former ballerina-turned-aesthetician had described her new life behind bars, including 6 a.m. wake-up calls for someone who is not a morning person. They got to go to bed at 10 and they get to shower once a week, which is painful, he said. They get a book once a week to read. While prisoners were allowed out once a day for a bit of fresh air, he said it was snowing and cold out there. He added that sometimes the guards left them outside for hours. She also wrote something beautiful, he said. She said, Ive got a little window in my cell and I can see the sun and I know that I look at the same sun as you look at when the sun goes down, Van Heerden added. He also spoke of his guilt because he had paid for her plane ticket to Russia. Visiting had not been an option since before the Covid-19 pandemic, and she wanted to see her 90-year-old grandparents, he said. Shes afraid that she wont see them, he added. Although she had encouraged him to join her, he said he would meet her in the middle and they would spend New Years together in Istanbul. We had a magical time, he said, adding that she was excited to go home. If he hadnt bought the ticket, he reasoned, she would have found another way to go. I was actually thinking of proposing to this woman, so every day is tough, he said, adding: Shes got an affectionate smile. Always happy, so, so, so giving. She lives a full life. In an earlier interview with NBC Los Angeles, Van Heerden said Karelina faced problems from the moment she arrived, and was detained at the airport. She was eventually released, although authorities kept her mobile phone, Van Heerden said. They used her mothers phone to communicate in the meantime, he said, but on Jan. 27 she said she was going to pick up her phone, and it was the last time they spoke. Karelinas detention is part of a long-standing trend of Russian authorities detaining foreign citizens and Russian citizens who have citizenship in another country. Two journalists with American citizenship are currently in Russian custody. In the most recent case, in January, U.S. national Robert Romanov Woodland was arrested and detained in Russia on drug trafficking charges. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said last week that diplomats in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow were working to learn more and gain access to Karelina. But he made clear that Russia does not officially recognize any dual U.S.-Russian nationals American citizenship. In the meantime, Van Heerden said he was doing everything in his power to secure her release and had petitioned the White House and lawmakers about her case. While he said he was trying to live his own life as best as possible, he was trying to remain positive that Karelina would be released. I am now more hopeful than ever, he said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Editors note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal. A Middle Eastern restaurant called Al Baik Kabob House is among Brevard Countys top 10 eateries. Al Baik, which offers Palestinian cuisine, has climbed to Yelps No. 2 spot in the county since opening in March 2023. Read: Get Fringed: Orlando Fringe Festival returns to Loch Haven Park for its 33rd year Todd Deratany, a Melbourne-based food reviewer whose family hails from Syria, said he has been watching the Middle Eastern food scene develop in Melbourne over the past two decades, and Al Baik is a welcome addition. Click here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journals website. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Pueblos Fuel & Iron has publicly unveiled Fuel Kitchens, a full-scale commissary kitchen that will serve as a business incubator for the citys food entrepreneurs. Fuel & Iron earlier this month announced that the long-awaited kitchen was set to open after being under construction for nearly a year. The project is Fuel & Irons second to come online after the food hall. Jolene JoJo Collins, the director of operations and mentorship for Fuel Kitchens and the entrepreneur behind JoJos Siracha, told dozens of people in attendance during Fridays grand opening that it was an exciting day for food entrepreneurship in Pueblo. The kitchen can accommodate up to 60 businesses. Jolene "JoJo" Collins speaks to attendees during the grand opening ceremony of Fuel Kitchens on Friday, March 1, 2024. We really see this as a bridge between people making products in their home and being able to ultimately graduate from the kitchen and open their own facilities down the road, said Nathan Stern, co-founder of Fuel & Iron Food Hall. In August, Collins shared with the Chieftain what makers will have at their disposal when they enter the facility, which is located at 1745 N. Erie Ave. The building features a 2,000-square-foot walk-in refrigerator, a freezer that is three times that size, and a 3,000-square-foot kitchen for cooking or baking. It also has spacious dry storage and packing and shipping areas. Makers can also access food processors, ovens, stock pot burners and mixers, among other commercial cooking items inside the space. There will be 24-hour access to the facility. Fuel Kitchens will operate on a membership basis but offer a day pass for people who temporarily need the space. According to Fuel & Iron, its the first commissary kitchen in Pueblo. How some makers feel about the new space At least a few makers plan to use the space to test their products and expand their business. Gaynell Pritts, a baker who launched Whippy Cakes, was serving up custom-flavored portions of cheesecake to attendees on Friday. Gaynell Pritts of Whippy Cakes hands some cheesecake to a customer during the grand opening of Fuel Kitchens, Pueblo's first full-scale commissary kitchen, on Friday, March 1, 2024. Over the past year, Pritts started making cheesecake just for family but has since expanded her business idea, feeling Pueblo lacked a market for high-quality, customizable cheesecake. She hit a few snags, however, once the side gig turned into a plausible business opportunity she felt she could explore. She said she spoke with Collins last month and realized how helpful the resources from Fuel & Iron, Pueblo Food Project and Fuel Kitchens can be for businesses. Its not just a kitchen, Pritts said. They really want to develop food entrepreneurs. Its such a daunting thing to do figuring everything out (to build a business). Pritts has fielded multiple requests from people who want different types of cheesecake. She'll likely have plenty of time inside the kitchen to experiment with distinct flavors. I really enjoy people bringing me their different requests, Pritts said. Ive had requests for smores, a marshmallow on top. Thats the fun of it for me. Calvin McElroy of Cs Sauce also plans to use the space to develop different sauces. Hes been selling his products for nearly 15 years and is now based in Pueblo West. Calvin McElroy, a small business owner who owns C's Sauce, sells some of his product to a customer during the grand opening of Fuel Kitchens on Friday, March 1, 2024. This is great, McElroy said of the kitchen. This is a good opportunity for everybody to come in here and you dont have to worry about it being an FDA-approved kitchen. You can come in and (work on your food). Its nice, very nice. Fuel Kitchens marks next step toward creating ecosystem for entrepreneurs Both Collins and Stern said that Fuel Kitchens is the latest step toward the groups goal of cultivating an environment where food entrepreneurs can thrive and grow their businesses. The food hall was the first step and a planned urban farm is the bookend to a three-part plan to build incubator spaces. Fuel & Irons mission is to have Pueblo be the best place in Colorado to start a food business, Collins said during Fridays ceremony. With that, you need an ecosystem, and these are all examples the kitchen, food hall and (farm). When you really create that ecosystem, thats how you get sustainability so that if you want a career and pathway in culinary arts and food entrepreneurship, Pueblo is the home for that. More: Meet the three Pueblo leap-day babies who all work in the same office Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @josuepwrites. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com. This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo's Fuel & Iron unveils its new commissary kitchen The Rubymar was carrying more than 41,000 tons of fertiliser when it came under attack - Yemeni Al-Joumhouriya TV HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock A British-owned cargo ship sank in the Red Sea after it was damaged in a Houthi attack last month, Yemens government said on Saturday. The government statement said the Rubymar sank on Friday night and warned of an environmental catastrophe. It is believed to be the first vessel lost since the Iran-backed Houthis began targeting commercial shipping in mid-November. The ship was carrying more than 41,000 tons of fertiliser when it came under attack, the US militarys Central Command previously said. Yemens Houthi militants have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea region, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. On Monday, a Yemeni government team visited the Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, UK-owned cargo ship, and said it was partially submerged and could sink within a couple of days. The US military previously said the attack had significantly damaged the freighter and caused an 18-mile oil slick. The United States Navys Fifth Fleet did not immediately respond to a request to confirm the sinking on Saturday. Houthi attacks have prompted shipping firms to divert vessels on to the longer, more expensive route around southern Africa. They have also stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread, destabilising the wider Middle East. The United States and Britain began striking Houthi targets in Yemen in January in retaliation for the attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden. Yemens internationally recognised government is based in the southern port of Aden while the Houthis control much of the north and other large centres. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Some of Broadways highly acclaimed musicals are coming to the San Diego Civic Theatre starting this fall and into next year. Broadway San Diego kicks off its 47th season with Kimberly Akimbo, a new musical about a young girl who is forced to deal with a rare genetic condition and family secrets, among other problems, after moving to suburban New Jersey. Kimberly Akimbo will have showings at the San Diego Civic Theatre from Oct. 8-13, 2025. Other musicals coming to San Diego for the first time include Back to the Future: The Musical, Some Like It Hot, A Beautiful Noise, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, and Shucked. From Jan. 14 to 19, Back to the Future: The Musical revamps the beloved 1985 Robert Zemeckis film with original music by multi-Grammy award winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jacksons Man in the Mirror). Get ready to be enthralled by tap-dancing gangsters in the four-time Tony Award-winning musical Some Like It Hot from Jan. 28 to Feb. 2. Set in Chicago during the Prohibition Era, the story follows two musicians on the run after witnessing a mob hit, all while delivering an irresistible combination of laughs and dazzling choreography. The hit musical Wicked returns to the Broadway San Diego stage with nearly a month of showings from Feb. 5 to March 2. Then, the story of Neil Diamond comes to life onstage in A Beautiful Noise from May 27 to June 1. It takes theatergoers and American pop music fans through his journey from growing up in Brooklyn to selling out concerts around the world. 10-time Tony Award winner Moulin Rouge! The Musical, a stage adaptation of the Baz Luhrmann film Moulin Rouge, will also be stopping by San Diego. Showings are scheduled for June 24 to July 6. The 47th season closes August 12 to 17 with Shucked, a musical comedy about a man who tries to save the livelihood of his small town and, of course, corn. Broadway San Diegos seven-show ticket packages start at $328. All shows take place at the San Diego Civic Theatre located at 1100 Third Ave. downtown. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Two lawmakers from opposing parties in Congress will be interviewed as part of the inaugural episode of The Hill Sunday on NewsNation. NewsNation political editor Chris Stirewalt will talk with Rep. Jim Himes (D-Ct.) on Russian President Vladimir Putins nuclear warning to the West, election security, and the U.S. role in conflicts abroad. Stirewalt will also interview Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), who late last year announced he would retire from Congress. The shows first panel discussion will feature Christine Rosen of the American Enterprise Institute, Editor-in-Chief of The Hill Bob Cusack, Senior Writer at The Dispatch David Drucker and David Swerdlick, a Senior Staff Editor for the New York Times opinion section. Stirewalt, a former editor at Fox News, told The Hill this week his goal for the Sunday public affairs program is to avoid partisan screaming matches, which he called doing it the hard way. We could try to cut corners here and be the next partisan blowtorch, but were going to were going to take our time and do it in a way that we can be proud of, Stirewalt said. NewsNation is a cable news channel launched in 2021 by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. BRANCH COUNTY The Branch Area Career Center is closer to restarting its hands-on building trades home construction program after the Branch Intermediate School District board approved plans Thursday for a new residential home. Quincy students Kelsie McFadden, Maddi Fifer, and Maicey McGinnis nail shingles to a floor level roof insides the Brach Area Carrer Center building trades classroom. Assistant Superintendent Dustin Scharer said BACC wants to start construction this fall on the 1,500-square-foot, three bedroom, two bath home designed by the CAD architecture class. The house, with an open floor plan and an attached two-car garage, will have an unfinished basement. BISD retained lots in the Thompson Boulevard subdivision east of the career center. "We're building a house that fits the community, one that isn't way more elaborate or undersized," Scharer told the board. BACC students built houses for decades until 2013 when an expensive house and recession caused a loss, which prompted the BISD board to end the program. Assistant Superintendent Dustin Scharer recommend the house design for construction to the BISD board. Scharer said this home will fit the Thompson Boulevard market, "Not be over the top but also not too cheap. We're hoping to create a great product that serves a family well for years." The next step is for building trades instructor Shawn Hulin to request bids from subcontractors for the site work, foundation, and basement to start this fall, work students can't do. Hulin took over the building trades program two years ago after teaching math at Centreville schools for 25 years. Prior story Branch Area Career Center wants to get back to building homes Hulin comes with a Michigan Residential Contractors license. When he graduated from Grand Valley State University in the middle of a year, teaching jobs were hard to find. "I started working for a framer, and I worked for him for two years," Hulin said. While teaching math, Hulin continued to build homes as a contractor during summer breaks. BACC wants the students to take two years to finish the house so they obtain the most experience possible. He hopes the walls and roof will be completed by the summer of 2025 to secure the house while students are off. Hulin expects students to do all the work except for those jobs that require particular expertise and licenses, such as mechanical and electrical. Shawn Hulin "Our goal is to have our kids at least work side-by-side with them to learn about the trades," Hulin said. BACC has room in each morning and afternoon building trades class for 16 students. Six seniors are graduating this term. With 10 juniors returning next fall, BACC will take applications for the open 22 spots this spring. Current students learn to use tools and build models to learn construction standards. Walls and roofs are constructed now inside to learn, then torn down. Subscribe Follow this and other stories. Subscribe to the Daily Reporter. Next fall, students will build permanent walls and a roof and finish work on a home expected to stand for decades. Hulin said of building trades, "There are a lot of jobs available for students who graduate here." -- Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: BISD approves home for career center building trade students to build Bulgaria halted Russian oil imports this week as part of the European Union's ban on Russian oil, thereby ending a two-year embargo exemption, the Bulgarian news outlet BGNES reported on March 1. The E.U. imposed an embargo on Russian oil imports two years ago. Bulgaria was granted a two-year exemption that was meant to last until the end of this year. The Bulgarian parliament adopted a new timeline late last year to end its crude imports from Russia. Bulgaria stopped its Russian imports entirely on March 1. Earlier this week, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Initially a hesitant partner, Bulgaria has become increasingly supportive of Ukraine as the war has progressed. The Balkan country 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). Zelensky thanked Denkov for "fruitful and practical talks" and expressed his appreciation for Bulgaria's support in helping "to expand trade flows and restore normal shipping in the Black Sea and Danube regions." As Bulgaria's government increasingly turns away from its historical ally Russia, it continues to face issues with Russian intelligence infiltration at home. Bulgaria's security service announced on the morning of Feb. 26 that it had banned two Russian citizens from entering the EU over their suspected role in intelligence operations in Bulgaria. Read also: Bulgarias Soviet stockpiles and large defense industry may be key to Ukraines success Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chair of the Bundestag Defence Committee, has called for a response after Russia released a recording of Bundeswehr officers' conversations. Source: German news channel n-tv, as reported by European Pravda Details: The official stated that espionage has always been one of the tools of Russia's hybrid warfare. "It's not surprising that conversations are intercepted," she said, adding that it was only a matter of time before the content of the conversations would be made public. "We urgently need to strengthen our security and counterintelligence because we are obviously vulnerable in this area," said Strack-Zimmermann. The politician believes that the reason for the disclosure of the conversations is that Russia seeks to discourage Chancellor Olaf Scholz from giving the green light to supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Background: The Federal Ministry of Defence of Germany has reportedly initiated an investigation into whether conversations of representatives of its air force who, according to Russian propaganda, allegedly discussed blowing up the Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles were intercepted. Afterwards, a range of German politicians called for the situation with possible bugging and espionage in the Bundeswehr to be clarified. This week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz once again ruled out sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine, claiming that this would mean that Germany would become a party to the war against Russia. Chancellor added that Germany could not give Ukraine weapons with a range of 500 km, which, "in case of incorrect usage, could hit a certain target somewhere in Moscow". Support UP or become our patron! This photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows ruined buildings in central Gaza Strip city of Deir el-Balah. The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,320, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Saturday. (Xinhua) GAZA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,320, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Saturday. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli army killed 92 Palestinians and wounded 156 others, bringing the total death toll to 30,320 and injuries to 71,533 since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the statement. Among them, 15 died in Al-Aqsa Hospital in the city of Deir al-Balah due to an Israeli airstrike targeting two houses, and two others were killed in an airstrike targeting a house in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip. Ten people were killed in Israeli air raids on neighborhoods of Al-Zaytoun, Tal Al-Hawa, Al-Sabra and Al-Daraj in Gaza City, added the sources. Meanwhile, in the northern Gazan town of Beit Hanoun, a group of people picking herbs to satisfy hunger were targetted in an Israeli artillery shelling, with three of them killed and seven others injured, according to eyewitnesses. In Rafah, in the far south, an Israeli drone bombed a civilian vehicle in the Al-Shaboura neighborhood in the center of the city, killing two people and wounding a third. They were transferred to the Kuwaiti Hospital. Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. A Palestinian checks a damaged building after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 2, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,320, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Saturday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua) A Palestinian checks a room of a damaged building after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 2, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,320, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Saturday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua) A Palestinian checks a room of a damaged building after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 2, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,320, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Saturday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua) This photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows ruined buildings in central Gaza Strip city of Deir el-Balah. The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,320, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Saturday. (Xinhua) This photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows ruined buildings in central Gaza Strip city of Deir el-Balah. The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,320, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Saturday. (Xinhua) This photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows ruined buildings in central Gaza Strip city of Deir el-Balah. The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,320, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Saturday. (Xinhua) Konstantin von Notz, Chair of the German Bundestag Parliamentary Oversight Panel, has called for clarification regarding reports of Russias alleged interception of communications between German air force generals. Source: Tagesschau; European Pravda Details: "If this story turns out to be true, it will be a very problematic process," he said. "The question arises whether this is a one-time event or a structural security problem. I expect all previous information to be clarified immediately," the politician stated. Earlier, Russian media had reported the possible interception of conversations about the supply of Taurus missiles. Roderich Kiesewetter, German Bundestag Parliamentary Oversight Panel, considered reports of Russia intercepting the conversations of the military air force to be credible. "Russia, of course, is demonstrating how actively it uses espionage and sabotage as part of its hybrid warfare. It is to be expected that much more has been intercepted and leaked in order to influence decisions, discredit and manipulate people," Kiesewetter noted in an interview with Handelsblatt. Background: The Federal Ministry of Defence of Germany initiated an investigation into whether the conversations of representatives of its air force who, according to Russian propaganda, allegedly discussed blowing up the Crimean bridge with Taurus missiles were intercepted. This week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz once again ruled out sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine, stating that doing so would mean Germany would become a party to the war with Russia. He said that Germany could not give Ukraine "a weapon with a range of 500 km, which, if used incorrectly, could hit a certain target somewhere in Moscow". Support UP or become our patron! URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) Fans of anime and comics are gathering in Central Illinois this weekend for the first UI-CON. The convention, hosted at the Illini Union, is a free event for the public and students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign alike. The focus of the event is anime, comics and WEBTOON. Participants can expect local artist and product vendors, performances and a cosplay contest. The featured guests of the event include voice actress Krystal Laporte (Hazbin Hotel), MaryMaryCosplay and The Kao Studios. The event came together as a collaborative effort from different student-registered organizations at UIUC including the Japanese Anime Club, Cosplay Design League, Character Creation Hub and more. Comic-Con returns in full force with costumes, crowds We aim to provide opportunities to students and local artists to sell their art and products, make new connections, and support fan culture in Central Illinois, especially for students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said Emma Weber, programming coordinator for the event. Weber said the organizers have collaborated with multiple high-scale entities such as video game developers, voice actors and WEBTOON. The event is going on this Saturday, March 2 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., as well as on Sunday, March 3 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. More information, such as a map and schedule, can be found on the events website. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. (FOX40.COM) A new bill that would prohibit Californias colleges and universities from receiving funding through state grants if they give preferential treatment to applicants with donor or alumni connections was introduced on Wednesday. Were told that opportunities are available to anyone who works hard and gets good grades. But thats simply not true, said an author of the bill, Assemblymember Phil Ting, D-San Francisco. Theres a side door for students who come from wealth or have connections. How can I vote for US president in Californias primary election? The practice of legacy admissions allows for students who are connected to donors or alumni to have priority admission into institutions of higher education over non-connected students, even if they dont meet academic standards. Because I believe strongly in the value of diversity in higher education, I brought this legislation back in light of the SCOTUS ruling to level the college admissions playing field for our students, Ting said. Californias primary election is around the corner: Heres the key dates, things to know The legislation Ting is referring to is AB 1780. He said the bill is a response to the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that bans race considerations in the college admissions process and more than 27 years of Californias affirmative action. Ting said the focus of the bill is equality. It heavily tips the scales towards someone related to a donor or alumni of the university or college, Ting said. The legislation aims to level the playing field by giving all students a fairer shot when applying to schools. AB-1780 was joint-authored by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento). Its time to close the door on privilege-based admissions, or legacy admissions as elite private universities call them, McCarty said. Legacy admissions are based on privilege and wealth, and diminish the work non-legacy admits do to get into college. Im proud to be joint-author of this legislation again with Assemblymember Ting and look forward to ensuring this measure becomes law. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. Updated 10 a.m. Sunday with new snow totals, conditions at ski resorts. A powerful blizzard that has already dumped 3 feet or more of snow across the Sierra Nevada range created life-threatening conditions on a major California highway artery, forced closures and delays at Tahoe ski resorts and plunged thousands of residents east of Sacramento into the dark. And its not letting up. The fierce winter storm brought treacherous spinout conditions to Interstate 80 over Donner Pass, the regions major east-west roadway, beginning Friday night, stranding vehicles and leaving authorities with no choice but to close a 100-mile stretch of the freeway between Sacramento and Reno. I-80 as of Sunday morning was closed in both directions from Colfax to the Nevada state line, said Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol, as both agencies worked Saturday to retrieve cars and tractor-trailers left stranded when conditions quickly deteriorated. A mass amount of vehicles were abandoned Friday night over Donner Summit as emergency personnel ferried motorists to safer locations amid whiteout conditions. It took several hours for emergency personnel and tow trucks to reach motorists, the CHPs Truckee office said in a series of social media posts. There is no estimated time of reopening the freeway, so we suggest you stay home. Stay warm and dont put yourself and your family in a dangerous situation. Kyle Frankland, a veteran snow plow driver, said several parts of his rig broke as he cleared wet snow underneath piles of powder. Ive been in Truckee 44 years. This is a pretty good storm, Frankland said. Its not record-breaking by any means, but its a good storm. Officials werent sure when the road would be safe to open. A Caltrans tow truck is surrounded by snow along a closed Interstate 80 near Donner Pass on Saturday, March 2, 2024, after authorities shut down the major freeway due to whiteout conditions. A blizzard that was raking over the Sierra is expected to dump as much as 12 feet of snow on the region by the end of Sunday. Bulldozers work to clear snow on Interstate 80 near Donner Pass on Saturday, March 2, 2024, after authorities shut down the major freeway due to spinout conditions. A blizzard that was raking over the Sierra is expected to dump as much as 12 feet of snow on the region by the end of Sunday. Caltrans outpost affected by storm The storms severe winds also knocked out power at Caltrans fortified nerve center just west of Donner Pass. Power is out at our Kingvale office. Not only are the cameras affected so are the message boards, Caltrans District 3 said in a social media post. At this point, we are only allowing first responders and Caltrans employees on I-80. No essential big rigs, no ski resort employees. All others will be on a case-by-case basis. The Kingvale Maintenance Station, the crown jewel of Caltrans roughly 350 maintenance stations since the 1960s, can accommodate and feed as many as 160 workers. Its also home to a massive repair station, a communications center and Snowfighter University, the highway departments elite training program where Caltrans workers can learn the latest in snow-clearing techniques. Other Sierra roadways, Caltrans said, werent in much better shape, and officials cautioned tractor-trailer drivers and others to avoid using smaller highways to bypass the closures. Highway 50 traffic had been problematic Saturday and Sunday mornings with a brief closure that reopened the roadway just before 9 a.m. Sunday following about 3 feet of snow sluff landing on the westbound side of the roadway, according to the Tahoe Daily Tribune. The area at Echo Summit has steep rocks and sheds snow naturally, the newspaper said. Caltrans officials said snow sluff was a common occurrence that happens outside the avalanche zone. Traffic is moving (slowly) in both directions, Caltrans District 3 officials said in a social media post. Chain controls remain in place. Highway 20 was closed to eastbound traffic in Nevada City while Highway 49 was shut down between Downieville and Highway 89 in Sattley. Highway 89 was closed between Emerald Bay and Bliss State Park and, late in the day, Highway 267 was closed south of Truckee to Highway 28 in Kings Beach. Travel was treacherous east of the Sierra, where Caltrans also cited multiple spin-outs and collisions and whiteout conditions, as it closed 90 miles of Highway 395 from near Bishop in the Owens Valley to Bridgeport, north of Mono Lake. Yosemite National Park closed Friday and officials said it would remain closed through at least noon Sunday. Chains are installed on a big rigs tires during a storm, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. Significant snow totals continue Remarkable snow totals continued to pile up, especially along the I-80 corridor, according to the National Weather Service. Caltrans officials at Yuba Pass had measured 72 inches of snow around 8 a.m. Sunday, the weather service said. That was double what was recorded Saturday morning. Other impressive totals as reported to the weather service Sunday: UC Berkeleys Sierra Snow Lab which sits just off Donner Pass Road had recorded another 23.8 inches after receiving 39.8 inches by Saturday morning: This takes us to over five feet for this storm so far, they said of the storms totals with reached 63.6 inches. The weather service said Soda Springs Caltrans measured 76 inches of snowfall over the last 72 hours. 34 inches measured in last 24 hours. Sugar Bowl had measured 87 inches of snowfall at the summit level since the storm arrived. Officials said that 35 inches were measured in last 24 hours at summit level. 63 inches measured at base level over last 72 hours, with 23 inches measured in last 24 hours. Sierra at Tahoe Ski Resort measured 61 inches of snowfall at the summit over the last 72 hours. 26 inches measured at summit in last 24 hours. 50.5 inches measured at base level over last 72 hours. 20 inches measured at base level in the last 24 hours, the weather service said. Other remarkable daily (and overall) totals: Kirkwood had 21 inches of new snow (48 inches overall); Bear Valley resort received 30 inches (57 inches total); Soda Springs had 40 inches over a day (84 inches). National Weather Service meteorologist William Churchill said snow totals by late Sunday would range from 5 to 12 feet, with the highest accumulations at elevations above 5,000 feet. Lower elevations were expected to be inundated with heavy rain, he said. A person uses a snow blower to clear snow from a driveway during a storm, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. Snow covers the shore on Donner Lake, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. Its certainly just about as bad as it gets in terms of the snow totals and the winds, Churchill said. It doesnt get much worse than that. Avalanche danger was high to extreme in backcountry areas through Sunday evening throughout the central Sierra and greater Lake Tahoe area, the weather service said. The blizzard warning was extended to 4 a.m. Monday for areas above 6,500 feet and a winter storm warning was put into effect for elevations above 3,000 feet through 4 a.m. Wednesday. Down in the Sacramento Valley, rain was expected to return briefly Sunday afternoon, according to forecasts. While meteorologists said the storm would exit by Sunday evening, another storm was already expected to rake across Northern California as early as Monday. Temperatures in the capital region were expected to remain in the low to mid-60s during the day and as low as 40 degrees on the Valley floor through Monday morning. A stretch of quieter and more seasonable weather is then expected late week into next weekend, the weather service said. Vehicles make their way along a snow-covered road during a storm, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. A person uses a shovel trying to clear snow from a property during a storm, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. Power outages across Sierra counties The storm, as expected, caused significant power outages in the Sierra, which continued Sunday. According to data collected by the Governors Office of Emergency Services, nearly 15,000 customers living in the High Sierra counties Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra and Tuolumne were without power as of 11 a.m. Sunday. For those of you who have ever shoveled snow, you know that snow is heavy, said PG&E meteorologist Scott Strenfel. The weight of the snow is basically weighing down trees in proximity to our lines, also weighing down the assets and causing some of those assets to fail or trees to fall into our lines. Its also providing challenges just accessing some of these areas because were expecting feet on feet on feet of snow and just accessing some of these areas, especially in some of the high winds that were seeing too is going to be a challenge, he said. Strenfel said the challenges wouldnt end after the snow stops falling: We have whats called unloading and, basically, the snow is going to melt and then its gonna fall off trees that can impact our lines again. So were looking at continued weather risk. Tahoe City and the surrounding area of homes and cabins had nearly 5,000 customers without power Sunday. Other areas like Portola in Plumas County (1,552 homes and businesses) and areas around Tahoma (1,293) were among the largest swaths without electricity. According to the data, heres how many customers were off the grid in PG&E and Liberty Utilities territories around 11 a.m. Sunday: Amador: 29 customers Calaveras: 251 customers El Dorado: 2,504 customers Mariposa: 259 customers Mono: 198 customers Nevada: 1,090 customers Placer: 7,283 customers Plumas: 2,238 customers Sierra: 423 customers Tuolumne: 629 customers We are aware of widespread outages, Liberty Utilities officials said Saturday morning in a social media post. Crews continue to work around the clock to restore power. Due to poor road conditions, remote access challenges, heavy snow, falling trees, and/or the nature of repairs required, there may be a delay to getting power restored. A person tries to clear snow from a road during a storm, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. A mailbox and the roof of a home are covered in snow during a storm, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. Ski resorts delayed or closed The blizzard didnt let up on the constellation of snow resorts across the Sierra, but Sunday proved to be better. Several ski resorts were forced to temporarily close Saturday after a perfect storm of bad conditions heavy snow, gusty winds, tough ice on chairlifts, road closures and power outages, to name a few. On Sunday, some were planning to reopen but the conditions remained challenging. We gave it our best shot, but after a monumental effort by our team weve made the difficult decision to remain closed for today, March 3rd, Palisades Tahoe officials said in a social media update. All lifts have been removed from todays operating schedule at both Palisades and Alpine. Many spots, according to OnTheSnow.com, reported receiving 15 to 42 inches of fresh snow over the 24 hours ending Sunday morning. There are a lot of steps that go into reopening, Palisades officials said in an overnight post. Especially when we are starting from scratch. Only after Ski Patrol performs snow safety work can we complete grooming tasks, start spinning chairlifts (which have their own daily checklist), and continue dig-out work. For its twin resorts, the issue wasnt just the snow it was the wind. According to reports, winds topped 190 mph at Palisades Tahoe just after 10 p.m. Friday night while neighboring Alpine Meadows recorded a gust of 184 mph. Both gusts were recorded just above 8,600 feet. Though our snowplots were scoured by wind, we estimate weve already received up to 5 feet of snow on the upper mountain, and we could see another 2-3 feet by Monday, Palisades said. It should be less windy (Sunday), which we are hoping will help us get chairlifts open. Poor visibility has been a scourge these past few days. After delays opening its lifts for several hours on Saturday, Heavenly and Northstar had some runs open amid new snow accumulations. On Sunday, operations remained limited in most places. Also open Sunday: Kirkwood and Sugar Bowl. Among those closed: Boreal, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Tahoe Donner. Palisades officials had hoped to have some lifts and runs operating by noon, but that plan was scrapped by 10:30 a.m. officials said they were in no rush to hit the slopes, especially if conditions werent the safest. We know this is a ton of fresh snow and we are stoked to ski it, too. Remember, we will be open through at least Memorial Day. Thats three months to keep skiing and riding, so you have plenty of time to get out on the hill. They echoed the view of local residents, forecasters and emergency personnel: This storm is NOT over yet. The Associated Press contributed to this story. A person walks with a dog on a snow-covered road during a storm, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. By Divya Rajagopal TORONTO (Reuters) -Canada is concerned about market manipulation and dumping in key metals used in electric vehicle batteries, a federal Canadian minister told Reuters, adding the country wants to explore a U.S.-mooted alternative pricing model. Canada, along with Australia and the U.S., is looking to develop its critical mineral supply chain to break the monopoly of China which controls over 90% of key metals that are crucial for energy transition. "There will be significant incremental demand for critical minerals going forward, but we do have some challenges right now with prices and clearly we are concerned about issues relating to market manipulation and dumping," Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said this week, adding the concerns are shared by many democratic countries. Dumping refers to an anti-competitive trade practice when a country exports certain products at a price lower than what is sold in its home country. The minister said the topic will be discussed during the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto, one of the world's largest gatherings of mining companies and their financiers, that starts on Sunday. Wilkinson said there is still some way to go before Canada and its allies solve the issue of dumping, but one of the ideas being discussed is the concept of an alternative pricing mechanism. The U.S. Department of Defense plans to develop a program to estimate prices and predict supplies of critical minerals to boost market transparency. Wilkinson said Canada does not want to be in a position like Germany which was reliant on Russia for cheap natural gas. "We need to find pathways through which we are developing resources outside of Chinese influence." The mood at the four-day PDAC gathering will be dour, as miners are buffeted by weaker demand and plummeting prices. Lithium and nickel prices have fallen by over 70% and 40% respectively in the past year, forcing many to cut production and cut jobs. The S&P TSX Venture Metals and Mining index is down 28% year-on-year. In Canada, which is home to about 40% of the world's listed mining companies, the slump in battery metal prices has impacted companies' ability to raise funds. Canadian miners say the commodity crash, macroeconomic challenges and the government's increased scrutiny of foreign deals have led to a feeling that Canada is not as attractive a destination for capital formation as it was a few years before. "I think Canada has lost its shine with regards to capital formation," said Dominique Barker, Chief Financial Officer, Lithium Royalty Corp, adding that better policy alternatives in countries such as Australia are making them more attractive to investors. Ottawa's move in 2022 to force three Chinese companies to divest from Canadian listed companies citing national security concerns has cast a shadow on inbound deals in the mining sector. "The decision (of asking Chinese companies to divest) dissipated or reduced the ability for transactions to occur during a very active phase of fund raising," said Ali Haji, CEO of ION Energy, a lithium exploration company with a project in Mongolia. (Reporting by Divya RajagopalEditing by Denny Thomas and Josie Kao) The Canadian government is funding a multimillion-dollar "gender-inclusive" effort in Ukraine to remove landmines and explosive ordnance from the war-torn country, a government official confirmed. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus office announced last week that the nation was committing $3.02 billion CAD, or roughly $2.2 billion USD, in financial and military support for Ukraine, as war rages in the country. The press release detailed several initiatives within the funding package, including $4 million CAD, or just under $3 million USD, for an initiative dubbed, "Gender-inclusive demining for sustainable futures in Ukraine." "This project from the HALO Trust aims to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of Ukrainians, including women and internally displaced persons, by addressing the threat of explosive ordnance present across vast areas of the country," the press release on the funding stated. "Project activities include conducting non-technical surveys and subsequent manual clearance in targeted communities; providing capacity building to key national stakeholders; and establishing a gender and diversity working group to promote gender-transformative mine action in Ukraine." CANADA SENDING MORE THAN 800 DRONES TO UKRAINE TO SUPPORT ITS FIGHT AGAINST RUSSIA Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, June 10, 2023. Fox News Digital reached out to Trudeaus office for additional details and information on the initiative, which directed Fox to Global Affairs Canada, the government's agency that manages the country's diplomatic and consular relations. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Department spokesperson Charlotte MacLeod said in a statement Canada is funding the project with humanitarian group HALO Trust in an effort to "safeguard the lives and livelihoods of Ukrainians, including women and internally displaced persons." "The project will do this by conducting non-technical surveys, explosive ordnance risk education and clearance, as well as building the capacity of state demining institutions," MacLeod explained. HALO Trust "established a dedicated in-house Gender and Diversity Working Group, to ensure gender is integrated into every aspect of HALOs survey, demining and risk education operations in Ukraine, from recruitment to community engagement," MacLeod added. The HALO Trust is a U.K.-based non-governmental organization that works to remove landmines and explosives left in nations following war. The group, founded in 1988, gained international attention back in 1997 when the late Princess Diana walked through HALOs minefields in Angola, the group states on its website. "Clearing landmines inspires confidence by making land safe. It is also empowering for men and women alike. With training and a living wage, they can take control of their destiny," HALO's website states. GREG GUTFELD: DEI IS CORRUPTING AIRLINES, MEDICAL SCHOOL AND NOW LANDMINES UKRAINES A STEP CLOSER TO JOINING THE EU. HERES WHAT IT MEANS, AND WHY IT MATTERS News of the Canadian governments commitment to the HALO Trust and its "gender-inclusive demining effort" has left many on social media scratching their heads and others expressing outrage. "No joke! YOURE ALL PAYING TO PROMOTE GENDER-INCLUSIVE DEMINING IN UKRAINE," Peoples Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier posted. "@JustinTrudeau what the hell is this? It isn't even comprehensible. But it's really on the website," author and psychologist Jordan Peterson asked in a post earlier this week when news first surfaced of the plan. Fox News Greg Gutfeld quipped on "Gutfeld!" this week that the initiative is an example of "peak idiocy." "So how do you know when you've reached peak idiocy? When we now need diversity guidelines for clearing landmines. It seems Canada has just donated $4 million bucks toward an effort to clear landmines in Ukraine. But in a gender-inclusive manner," he said. POLAND, CANADA SEEK TO REDIRECT EXPORTS OF UKRAINIAN CROPS TO WORLD'S POOREST COUNTRIES Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. To ensure the project in Ukraine is "gender-inclusive," the "gender and diversity group" will work to "unite national and international experts to equip HALO and other mine action operators with data and evidence required to go beyond integration of gender equality considerations, towards implementation of gender-transformative mine action programming in Ukraine," according to MacLeod. Canada has a longstanding commitment to "women, peace and security" as part of the countrys global affairs policies. The government explains on its website that Canada "knows that sustainable peace is only possible when women are fully involved in the resolution of conflict." MacLeod explained that the HALO initiative in Ukraine abides by these commitments, citing a "range of policies" that incorporate "specific interests and needs of women and men." "In Ukraine, HALO has been a proponent of gender equality in mine action, a traditionally male-dominated sector. This includes providing fair and equal job opportunities in all program areas, from finance and HR to operational management and explosive ordnance disposal," the spokesperson said. The official pointed to HALOs lobbying efforts in 2017 in Ukraine that advocated for the inclusion of women as deminers. A previous Ukrainian labor law banned women from working as deminers, the Canadian spokesperson said, which HALO successfully advocated to overturn. The group has since trained hundreds of women in "demining, team leadership, intermediate care provision and explosive ordnance recognition and disposal." Now, according to data provided to Fox News Digital, 29% of HALOs 1,127-member staff in Ukraine are women, with hopes to increase the proportion of female staff, especially in senior roles, as the group grows, according to MacLeod. ZELENSKYY TURNS TO EUROPE FOR AID AS TRUMP BASHES US FUNDING PACKAGE Feb. 24 marked the second year since Russia officially invaded Ukraine, with Trudeau visiting Ukraine's capital on the anniversary. "While in Kyiv February 24, Prime Minister Trudeau and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, held a bilateral meeting to discuss the situation on the ground and Ukraines needs over the coming months and the two leaders signed a new, historic agreement on security cooperation between Canada and Ukraine to establish a strategic security partnership. As part of this commitment, Canada will provide $3.02 billion in critical financial and military support to Ukraine in 2024," the spokesperson added. Original article source: Canada pledges millions to 'gender-inclusive' effort to remove landmines from Ukraine Almost one year after an on-duty DEA agent struck and killed a Salem cyclist, the legal case to charge the agent with criminally negligent homicide remains in limbo. Months passed before agent Samuel Landis, 38, faced criminal charges in Marion County Circuit Court. Landis is accused of running a stop sign at High and Leslie streets SE just south of downtown while conducting surveillance of a drug trafficker on March 28, 2023. Marganne Allen, 53, who was riding her bike home from work, was hit and later died at the hospital. When Landis' attorneys argued he was entitled to use the federal defense of immunity under the Supremacy Clause because he was actively surveilling a "dangerous fentanyl supplier" while on duty, his case was taken out of local circuit court and into federal court. According to court records, other agents were further ahead and trailing the suspected trafficker. A trial was set for May 1 in U.S. District Court in Eugene. But an appeal by the Oregon Department of Justice on the district court's decision to move the case to federal court paused proceedings. The case is now being handled in the Ninth Circuit U.S Court of Appeals. An oral argument is set for May 7 in Seattle. Salem crash leaves Marganne Allen dead A display of flowers and candles still marks the intersection where Allen died. The scene of the crash sits at the bottom of a hill as High Street transitions from downtown into the Bush's Pasture Park neighborhood. The intersection has a stop sign for those traveling eastbound on Leslie Street. There is no stop sign for those traveling on High Street. Allen's family posted a note at the crash site thanking neighbors for caring for Allen until an ambulance arrived and holding a vigil in her honor. "Marganne was a kind and loving person that would have done the same for you," her family said in the note. "To us, this will always be a sacred place and you will always be our heroes." Those remembering 53-year-old Marganne Allen, who died after being struck by a vehicle driven by an on-duty DEA agent while riding her bicycle in March 2023, made a memorial site on High and Leslie streets SE. Neighborhood cameras captured Landis speeding through the neighborhood and running the stop sign, according to reporting from Salem Reporter and confirmed by neighbors. The police response has drawn criticism in the past year. Landis did not face any immediate charges. Keizer Police took over the investigation after Salem Police discovered Landis was an on-duty DEA agent and cited a potential conflict of interest. Months of silence from city and county officials regarding Allen's death ensued. On Aug. 31, a Marion County grand jury returned a secret indictment charging Landis. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Sept. 6. Immunity defense takes Samuel Landis' case out of circuit court Landis' criminal case was assigned to Marion County Circuit Court Judge Tracy Prall without entry of a plea. On Oct. 16, Landis defense team filed a Notice of Removal of State Criminal Prosecution to remove the prosecution from Oregon state court, in this case the Marion County Circuit Court, to federal court. His defense attorneys argued that because he struck the victim while he was working as a federal agent, he is entitled to immunity from prosecution by the state, even though he may have broken state law. "In some instances, breaking traffic laws is necessary for law enforcement to do their job; the failure to do so would render them 'ineffective,'" Landis' attorneys argued in a motion. They cited DEA policy permitting special agents to violate traffic laws and rely on their best judgment. Despite the tragedy, his attorneys said, Landis was entitled to argue he was immune from prosecution. Landis' attorney also cited the case of an ICE agent who ran a stop sign in southern California, killing three women and injuring two children. In 2012, a U.S. District Court judge said federal law gave immunity from state prosecution to federal law enforcement officers accused of crimes committed in the course of their duties, according to reporting from the San Diego Union-Tribune. The judge said that even though the agent wasn't responding to an emergency when he killed the three women, punishing him could have a "chilling" effect on federal agents responding to actual emergencies. The three manslaughter charges against the ICE agent were dropped. Marion County prosecutors Ashley Cadotte and David Wilson said in court documents Landis showed "grossly negligent actions." "While conducting surveillance in Salem, Oregon, in which no exigent or emergency circumstances were present, defendant ran a clearly marked stop sign and killed a cyclist as she entered the intersection," prosecutors said in a response filed in federal court. The prosecutors said Landis admitted to running the stop sign and had no lights or sirens on when he entered the intersection in an unmarked vehicle. There were no plans to arrest an individual being surveilled that day or to immediately intervene to disrupt the transportation of drugs, prosecutors said. "(Landis) is not being prosecuted for carrying out his federal duties, rather, he is being prosecuted for driving his vehicle in a grossly negligent manner that resulted in the death of an individual," prosecutors said. "There is no meaningful connection between defendants federal duties and his conduct of running a stop sign and killing a cyclist." U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane ruled the case would be heard in federal court. The move allowed Landis to argue for law enforcement immunity as a possible defense. Federal law provides law enforcement officers with a potential criminal defense of immunity from prosecution. Such a defense does not exist under Oregon state law. The Marion County District Attorney's Office objected to the removal and sought an appeal of the decision from the Oregon Department of Justice. Oregon DOJ appeals decision Attorneys with the Oregon Department of Justice appealed the decision, claiming the judge "clearly erred" by allowing Landis to remove his prosecution to federal court. DOJ attorneys argued Landis didn't put forward evidence his immunity defense was plausible. "The bald assertion of a federal defense is not sufficient to confer jurisdiction on the federal court and, conversely, wrest jurisdiction from the state courts," said Senior Assistant Attorney General Philip Thoennes in a reply brief. Landis failed to provide evidence that disregarding the stop sign and driving through the intersection at nearly 20 miles per hour was objectively reasonable given the circumstances, Thoennes said, adding that other agents were already further ahead and trailing the suspect. In court documents, Landis' attorney, Amy Potter, said the judge did not err in sending the case to federal court and the state's action of trying to get the case back in Marion County Circuit Court was an "extraordinary" and "rare" remedy. She said the effort was unwarranted and drastic, and the case belonged in federal court. "The states primary contention is that because agent Landis purportedly failed to prove an exigency or urgency that required him to run the stop sign, he has foreclosed any argument that his actions are objectively reasonable," Potter said. "That is simply incorrect." For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter at @wmwoodworth This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Case of DEA agent accused of killing Oregon cyclist in limbo AUSTIN (KXAN) The Texas A&M Forest Service reported that the Smokehouse Creek fire in Hutchinson County is considered the largest in Texas history. The fire covers more than one million acres, or 1,600 square miles, and is 15% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service as of Friday night. Some firefighters from Central Texas answered the call to help out our neighbors in the Panhandle. Several departments deployed crews. Things are still pretty crazy out there Some Kyle firefighters are waiting on standby to leave at a moments notice. The Kyle Fire Department said its preparing to possibly send two more of its firefighters to the panhandle. (Photo: KXAN) The Kyle Fire Department said its preparing to possibly send two more of its firefighters to the panhandle. (Photo: KXAN) Things are still pretty crazy out there. We have two firefighters that are on standby. Theyll go in a water tender, a 3,000 gallon water tender, to help with water management in that area and help with the supply, said Kyle Fire Department Community Outreach Specialist Andy Womble. Womble said the departments chief along with three other firefighters are already deployed. She said theres a chance more could join. They started packing all their stuff up, all their personal items. So that way, if they do get the call, they can come straight to the station and start getting their truck ready. Andy Womble Travis County ESD #1 headed north as well. They sent two firefighters to the area. Travis County ESD #1 deployed two of its firefighters to help in the Panhandle. (Photo: Battalion Chief Ben Walker) Travis County ESD #1 deployed two of its firefighters to help in the Panhandle. (Photo: Battalion Chief Ben Walker) Travis County ESD #1 deployed two of its firefighters to help in the Panhandle. (Photo: Battalion Chief Ben Walker) Right now theyre currently walking on foot, they have an 80-mile line. Theyre walking to make sure theres no hot spots thatre gonna flare back up, said Battalion Chief Ben Walker. These departments are part of the Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid System. The Texas A&M Forest Service makes the call during large-scale incidents such as this. Its just the ability to mobilize assets from across the state. Whether it be bulldozers, strike teams, fire engines. Battalion Chief Ben Walker When fighting a fire of this size, department said this type of statewide response is vital. Its not hard to get any of these guys to go there, Walker said. Theyre ready to go. Both Kyle Fire and Travis County ESD #1 said their crews will typically stay up to two weeks. If they need to stay out longer, theyll swap crews. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. By Mahamat Ramadane N'DJAMENA (Reuters) -Chad's interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby said on Saturday he plans to run in this year's long-awaited presidential race. Deby's confirmation came at the end of a chaotic week in which opposition politician Yaya Dillo was shot and killed in the capital N'Djamena, prompting the European Union to express its deep concern. Dillo's death on Wednesday in disputed circumstances has further exposed divisions in the ruling elite at a politically sensitive time as the Central African country prepares for the promised return to democratic rule via the ballot box. The Chadian government has said Dillo was killed in an exchange of gunfire with security forces and has accused members of his party of also attacking the internal security agency. On Friday, the government confirmed that Deby's uncle, General Saleh Deby Itno, had been arrested in the wake of Wednesday's events. Itno had recently defected to Dillo's opposition Socialist Party Without Borders (PSF). "He has now been charged by the public prosecutor and his life is in no danger," government spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah said, without specifying what charges Itno faces. Chadian rebel group the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) and the CNRD opposition party have described Dillo's death as an assassination. The URT opposition party said Dillo "democratically opposed the dangerous trajectory of the military transition in Chad". In a statement on Saturday, the URT said recent events were "a dangerous and deliberate move to muzzle the political opposition". Addressing supporters and state officials, Deby announced his candidacy for the May-June election in a speech that made no reference to Dillo's killing or his uncle's arrest. "It is ... with a mixture of honour, humility, responsibility and gratitude that I accept this nomination," he said. Later on Saturday, the diplomatic service of the European Union said it was deeply concerned about the recent violence in N'Djamena and called for the facts and those responsible to be established in "a credible and independent way". "These events undermine the efforts needed to ensure a transparent, pluralist, inclusive and peaceful transition," it said in a statement. Deby initially promised an 18-month transition to elections after he seized power in 2021, when his long-ruling father was killed in clashes with rebels. But his government later adopted resolutions that postponed elections until 2024 and allowed him to run for president. The electoral delay triggered protests that were violently quelled by security forces with around 50 civilians killed. (Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Mike Harrison and Mark Potter) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) Two new businesses are opening up in Champaign in the next week to get cars ready for a road trip. One of them is Smittys Car Wash, located at 1703 South Neil Street., and it opened on Friday. Billed as an auto spa, it is the companys tenth location but the first in Central Illinois. Smittys Car Wash has several different pricing options ranging from $12 to $23 or a membership that ranges from $25 to $35. But all car washes from opening day until March 11 is free. The other business is a Quik Trip gas station at Neil Street and Edgebrook Drive. The station is planned to open on Mar. 7, and they are still hiring. New discount variety store coming to Champaign Matt Brunk, Smittys Vice President of Operations, said the company has hit a record by building their Champaign location within seven-and-a-half-months. We first were looking for locations. We saw that Champaign needed one in this area of town, Brunk said. So thats why we bought this piece of land and demod the property that was here already. The company is building another car wash in Danville, with an expected opening in the summer. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei casts his vote at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2024. Voting for Iran's 12th parliament and sixth Assembly of Experts began at 8:00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) Friday at about 60,000 polling stations across the country. More than 15,000 candidates are competing for 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, while 144 candidates are vying for positions at the eight-year-term Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that oversees the activities of Iran's supreme leader, and is empowered to designate and dismiss the supreme leader. (Xinhua/Shadati) TEHRAN, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Voting for Iran's 12th parliament and sixth Assembly of Experts ended at 12:00 a.m. Saturday local time after 16 straight hours, the official news agency IRNA reported. The voting began at 8:00 a.m. Friday local time at 59,000 polling stations across the country, with more than 15,000 candidates competing for 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, and 144 candidates vying for positions at the eight-year-term Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that oversees the activities of Iran's supreme leader, and is empowered to designate and dismiss the supreme leader. A total of 61.17 million people, comprising 30.94 million men and 30.22 million women, were eligible to vote in the two elections, according to the Iranian Election Office affiliated to the Interior Ministry. The voting was initially scheduled to end at 6:00 p.m. local time, but was extended three times, with each extension lasting for a two-hour period. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei cast his vote at a polling station in the Iranian capital Tehran immediately after the voting began. After casting his ballot, the leader said, "Our dear nation should know that today, the eyes of many people in the world, both individuals and politicians and those who hold prestigious national and political positions, are on Iran and you. They want to see what you are doing in the elections and what will be the results of your elections. Both our friends and those who are interested in the Iranian nation and the ill-wishers," according to a statement published on his website. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi cast his ballot at 9:55 a.m. local time at the Interior Ministry's building, after which he told reporters that the people's votes were determining in Iran's Islamic Republic establishment, according to a statement published on the website of his office. During the voting process, Iran's Police Chief Ahmad Reza Radan said no security problem had occurred at any of the polling stations across the country and full security had been ensured, IRNA reported. Speaking in a live interview with state-run IRIB TV, Iran's Constitutional Council spokesman Hadi Tahan Nazif said the turnout would be announced after the end of the voting process. He added that the Constitutional Council had tasked 230,000 people with the mission of monitoring the polling stations. The turnout in the previous elections for the Iranian parliament, which was held in 2020, stood at 42 percent, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. People vote at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2024. Voting for Iran's 12th parliament and sixth Assembly of Experts began at 8:00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) Friday at about 60,000 polling stations across the country. More than 15,000 candidates are competing for 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, while 144 candidates are vying for positions at the eight-year-term Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that oversees the activities of Iran's supreme leader, and is empowered to designate and dismiss the supreme leader. (Xinhua/Shadati) People vote at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2024. Voting for Iran's 12th parliament and sixth Assembly of Experts began at 8:00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) Friday at about 60,000 polling stations across the country. More than 15,000 candidates are competing for 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, while 144 candidates are vying for positions at the eight-year-term Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that oversees the activities of Iran's supreme leader, and is empowered to designate and dismiss the supreme leader. (Xinhua/Shadati) A man votes at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2024. Voting for Iran's 12th parliament and sixth Assembly of Experts began at 8:00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) Friday at about 60,000 polling stations across the country. More than 15,000 candidates are competing for 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, while 144 candidates are vying for positions at the eight-year-term Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that oversees the activities of Iran's supreme leader, and is empowered to designate and dismiss the supreme leader. (Xinhua/Shadati) A man votes at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2024. Voting for Iran's 12th parliament and sixth Assembly of Experts began at 8:00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) Friday at about 60,000 polling stations across the country. More than 15,000 candidates are competing for 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, while 144 candidates are vying for positions at the eight-year-term Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that oversees the activities of Iran's supreme leader, and is empowered to designate and dismiss the supreme leader. (Xinhua/Shadati) A man votes at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2024. Voting for Iran's 12th parliament and sixth Assembly of Experts began at 8:00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) Friday at about 60,000 polling stations across the country. More than 15,000 candidates are competing for 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, while 144 candidates are vying for positions at the eight-year-term Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that oversees the activities of Iran's supreme leader, and is empowered to designate and dismiss the supreme leader. (Xinhua/Shadati) Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei casts his vote at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2024. Voting for Iran's 12th parliament and sixth Assembly of Experts began at 8:00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) Friday at about 60,000 polling stations across the country. More than 15,000 candidates are competing for 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, while 144 candidates are vying for positions at the eight-year-term Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that oversees the activities of Iran's supreme leader, and is empowered to designate and dismiss the supreme leader. (Xinhua/Shadati) Another extraordinary meeting of the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency ended with chaos and ultimate inaction on two major projects the Airport and North Monroe Street gateways after three of the members abruptly left the dais and didnt return. The meeting, which lasted a numbing seven-plus hours Thursday at City Hall, unraveled as the Blueprint board, made up of all 12 city and county commissioners, tried to reach consensus on the Airport Gateway. The project, as approved in 2018, would improve one main route from downtown to the airport along Springhill Road and create another through a new road that would cut through FSUs southwest campus and Innovation Park. Last year, the Blueprint board voted to scale it back at the behest of County Commissioner Christian Caban, who complained that the price had ballooned from $82 million to nearly $118 million. City Commissioner Curtis Richardson participates in a Blueprint meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Feb.29, 2024. During Thursdays meeting, Blueprint board members locked horns on whether to initiate a process that would allow them to substantially change the project and draw on the savings for other projects. City Commissioner Curtis Richardson moved to approve the full scope, which was the recommendation of staff. But Caban moved to scrap the new road which he and others said would tear through neighborhoods. By the time the item came up, Mayor John Dailey had already left chambers without public explanation. After County Commissioner Nick Maddox, CEO of Family Promise of the Big Bend, recused himself, the board voted on the motions but tied 5-5. Not long after, City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox exited the chambers, followed a couple of minutes later by Richardson. Neither said at the time why they were leaving. A Blueprint meeting is held at City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. County Commissioner Carolyn Cummings suggested the commissioners dial in over the phone. But Blueprint attorney Susan Dawson said the board must have a physical quorum in order to vote. The vanishing acts prompted criticism from some Blueprint board members. Its just highly irregular for three commissioners to leave before business is done to deny a quorum, City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow said. City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow participates in a Blueprint meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. County Commissioner Rick Minor expressed alarm that without a vote on another item, the North Monroe Street Gateway, an application for federal grant money wouldnt be filed in time. The application is due May 16, the same day the Blueprint board is scheduled to next meet. Because of us taking so long and having people leave on all these issues, what should be a rather straight-forward agenda item, we might lose out on $17 million in federal funds, Minor said. We certainly do not want to lose out, said Cummings, chair of the Blueprint board. But I dont believe we have a choice if we dont have a quorum. Mayor John Dailey participates in a Blueprint meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. Blueprint Director Autumn Calder said the application could still be submitted and that Blueprints commitment of funds needed for the grant could be approved later. I think that should give you some comfort, Calder told the board, adding that a special meeting of the IA wouldnt be required. County Commissioner Rick Minor participates in a Blueprint meeting on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. Neither Dailey nor Williams-Cox returned phone calls Friday from the Democrat. Richardson said Friday that he just felt it was time for me to leave. "I was just tired and I knew that I wouldn't be coherent and be able to add to the discussion, he said, and it didn't look like it was going to end anytime soon. Blueprint meeting ends unceremoniously Before the meeting ended, several public speakers weighed in on the Airport Gateway project, which dates back more than a decade in concept and once enjoyed enthusiastic support from Florida State University, which more recently cooled on it. David Van Williams, president of the Providence neighborhood, urged the Blueprint board to support the full project scope. County Commissioner Brian Welch participates in a Blueprint meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Feb.29, 2024. Weve got this beautiful neighborhood that this Airport Gateway is going to travel through, and our neighborhood has been waiting a long time to get funding to make improvements, he said. Were looking forward to the Airport Gateway project. County Commissioner Brian Welch also urged the Blueprint board not to undo the work of the previous board, which approved the larger-scaled gateway in 2018. He said a new road through campus would help showcase Innovation Park and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. Just generally speaking, I dont think we need to be messing with all these projects, he said. It opens up a huge can of worms across the board. County Commissioner Christian Caban participates in a Blueprint meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Feb.29, 2024. Caban, who represents District 2, where the project is located, said he was disappointed and a little frustrated that staff recommended fully funding the project at $118 million despite the boards previous vote to hold the budget at $82 million. I know how important an Airport Gateway project is, Caban said, but I think what were leaving out is my constituents live in these neighborhoods that were about to build a road through. County Commissioner Bill Proctor, who in previous meetings suggested killing the project altogether, noted that no one from FSU was on hand to speak in favor of it. He mentioned the FAMU Way project that saw residents uprooted from their homes. County Commissioner Bill Proctor participates in a Blueprint meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Feb.29, 2024. I don't understand why Blueprint wants to go down in history as destroying another Black neighborhood," Proctor said. "I think enough blood has been given with respect to FAMU Way. We removed people, tore down trees." Before leaving chambers, Williams-Cox expressed support for the project in its entirety, invoking the name of the late County Commissioner Jimbo Jackson, who died in 2022. Blueprint is dysfunctional. The entire agency can collapse at the whim of three Commissioners walking out of a meeting. Thats what happened last night when Curtis Richardson purposefully broke a quorum in the middle of a vote because things werent going his way. 1/2 Jeremy Matlow (@JeremyMatlowTLH) March 1, 2024 "This was approved by unanimous vote of the IA Board and this unanimous vote included our beloved commissioner, Jimbo Jackson," she said. "Now I just got to believe Jimbo Jackson wouldn't do anything to harm ... constituents in the neighborhood." But Caban, whose aide is one of Jacksons daughters, objected to Williams-Cox's comments: "That's extremely inappropriate," he said. "That's so inappropriate." County Commissioner Carolyn Cummings participates in a Blueprint meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Feb.29, 2024. Finally, the meeting ended in disarray. Cummings suggested scheduling another meeting to again take up the gateways. But staff said the board couldnt do so without a quorum. OK, we are at a standstill, Cummings said. Thank you, commissioners. We did what we could. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Blueprint meeting: Airport Gateway 'standstill' after city officials bolt Manatee County Commission candidate April Culbreath is challenging a vote of no confidence cast against her in her role as Manatee County Republican Executive Committee Chair last Monday night during the second REC meeting to be contested this year. Manatee County Commission candidate April Culbreath is challenging a vote of no confidence cast against her in her role as Manatee County Republican Executive Committee Chair on Monday night during the second REC meeting to be contested this year. The meeting is the first to be called to order by Culbreath since Manatee REC members held a contested special meeting in January against her will. During that meeting, members voted to fill two vacancies on the REC's executive board and to approve new constraints on executive board spending. However Culbreath, state committee members Cindy Spray and Dave Matthews, and those who support them insist that the special meeting is invalid, thus nullifying the vote on the new executive board members and spending policies and casting an awkward shadow over Monday night's meeting. At one point during the evening, Culbreath, Spray and Matthews left under the belief that Culbreath had adjourned the meeting. Meanwhile, a quorum of REC members who remained at the meeting claim the three officers abandoned their posts without calling the meeting to order nor adjourning it. Those members cast votes of no confidence against them in their absence, with Vice Chair Nathan Knight presiding. In case you missed it: Florida GOP chair backs Culbreath in Manatee County REC power struggle Previously: Manatee County Republican Executive Committee chairwoman is under fire over financial woes But much like January's meeting, the validity of February's meeting and subsequent votes are now also being contested. Culbreath claims that she adjourned the meeting and that the votes of no confidence cast by members after she left were done outside of proper procedure, invalidating them. Other members claim events transpired a little differently. They say Culbreath did not open the meeting, nor follow procedures to adjourn the meeting, and claim the no-confidence votes are valid. The decision on whether the two meetings were valid, as well as any votes taken during them, could take months to determine. Manatee REC members filed a grievance with the Republican Party of Florida to resolve the matter. An awkward seat at the table There were no seats for two contested officers, Sandra Freas and Jacqueline Heisse, at the head of the meeting with the rest of the Manatee REC executive board on Monday night. So the two women grabbed chairs from the audience, took seats next to other board members and held their ground. The two women were elected to the Manatee REC executive board during the contested special meeting held in January. Heisse was named the REC's new treasurer and Freas was named secretary, to replace two previous executive board members who resigned in December due to concerns over executive board spending. Former Manatee County Commissioner and past Manatee County REC Chair Donna Hayes said she was happy to see both women force the situation on Monday night. "They took their own chairs up to the head table, which would be normal procedure for all the board members to sit up there," Hayes said. "Then the chairman, April, decided that they should not sit there because they were not on the board. Well, she was mistaken because we did have an authorized special meeting in January. They rightfully needed to sit up there at the head table." "I was very pleased to see Sandy and Jacque step forward and sit up there," Hayes said. "It was just reassuring to me. From my perspective I feel it was a very successful meeting, we accomplished a great deal, and we were a very cohesive group." Hayes, and others who spoke with the Herald-Tribune about Monday's meeting, shared similar stories of the events on Monday night. However, they also expressed conflicting viewpoints on some key details of what transpired. Culbreath's supporters say that she adjourned the meeting before leaving her seat, while opponents say the meeting was not adjourned according to proper procedure. Keith Green, who is running against Culbreath and incumbent At Large Commissioner George Kruse during the upcoming primary election, said he empathizes with Culbreath. He described the meeting as rowdy, and is among those who believe the meeting was adjourned. Also: Who is Kevin-Kyle Kaczynski Von Oswald XVII? Persona mocks Manatee County politicians "It got very loud, very obnoxious," Green said. "April was trying to do her best to get the meeting started but they just kept getting louder, and louder and louder. My recollection of it, she decided to adjourn the meeting. I personally don't blame her for doing, because it was just getting very loud. I was feeling like it was getting very confrontational in my opinion." Freas declined comment about the meeting, but said she is holding her ground on behalf of the members who voted for her. "It was super uncomfortable, but we really had little choice," Freas said. "The majority of the committee wants us up there." Culbreath said that she adjourned the meeting abruptly in response to disruption, but that the meeting agenda included the opportunity to vote on officers once again. "The secretary and the treasurer that they think that they voted in, they pulled their chairs up to the front of the room and said, 'We're sitting up here because we are on the board,'" Culbreath said. "I said, 'Ladies please take your seats. You're not on the board. We are fixing to hold elections.'" "The whole point to hold that January meeting that they think that they called was to have elections done, that was the whole point of that, and here we are at an official February meeting with elections on the agenda, there's no cheating there's no swaying anything, let's just do it again officially," she said. "Why not just let the process play out and do it again? They just wanted to protest the whole meeting." Vote of no confidence The hands of Manatee REC members are tied, and they are not able to vote to remove Culbreath nor the state committee members from their executive board seats because of a recent rule established by the Republican Party of Florida. Otherwise, Manatee REC members who spoke with the Herald-Tribune including some who did so anonymously said the vote of no confidence could have instead been a vote to oust Culbreath from office. Votes of no confidence were also cast against Matthews and Spray, although the members specified that it solely reflected opinions on their roles within the Manatee REC and not other public offices. Members also voted to forbid any REC funds to be used to attend the RNC National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July. They also voted to refute an audit committee report submitted by a contested audit committee on Feb. 19, which some members say was formed without following proper procedure. Lastly, members approved meeting minutes for the contested Jan. 22 special meeting. Grievance filed over contested January meeting Freas and Heisse filed a grievance against Culbreath, Spray and Matthews with the RPOF on Feb. 19 over the lack of recognition of January's special meeting. The grievance argues that the special meeting was valid and raises claims that Culbreath attempted to disrupt the January meeting by canceling reservations at the original venue and sending emails to members where she claimed the meeting was not valid, according to the document. "As far as we are concerned, there is no question as to the legality of that meeting because we followed every single step," Hayes said. "There is nothing we can do now until a response is made by the grievance committee chair." The grievance takes note of instances where Culbreath took actions that did not follow proper protocols, including spending of REC funds that led to disagreements, and the eventual resignation, of former Treasurer Bruce Stamm. It also raises concerns over an audit committee formed to review party finances in preparation of financial audit reports due on April 1. The grievance also claims that Culbreath contacted the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections office and removed a member who was key to organizing the petition to call the January special meeting, claimng that the member in question had not filled out a second loyalty oath after moving to a new precinct. Culbreath said that upon review of the situation, which could take months, she believes the RPOF grievance committee will invalidate the January and February meetings. "I am already 100% confident on what their decision will be, and that will be that the January meeting was not valid and that whatever they held after the February meeting was not valid," Culbreath said. "They are just trying to spread the word that they got together and held a vote of no confidence. That is their whole goal." This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Manatee GOP executive committee chair contests vote of no confidence TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Newly released body camera videos shows troublesome encounters between intoxicated passengers and police at Tampa International Airport. In 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recorded 2,455 cases of unruly passengers. That number is down from 5,973 cases of unruly passengers in 2021, when many people were angry about being required to fly with masks and created disturbances on aircraft. Sheriff confident missing 13-year-old Florida girl is dead The number of unruly passengers in 2022 and in 2023 is still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. At Tampa International Airport, unruly passengers also create problems in the terminals before they board aircraft. A number of videos obtained by WFLA document the problems. You can view a few of them in the video player below. Intoxicated passengers can go from being happy to profane and abusive in a short amount of time. In one video, a woman goes from asking why she cant fly, to yelling at police, telling them to arrest her. Yall got to go, an officer said to her at the gate. Arrest me. Arrest me right now then, the woman shouted. Because you know what? I know my f rights. The woman was arrested in the terminal about 10 minutes later, according to the body camera video. Retired Airline Pilot John Cox, who is now the CEO of Safety Operating Systems, says any airline can refuse to allow an intoxicated passenger on a plane. For the very basic reason, they can become a safety hazard to themselves and others, Cox said. He says intoxicated passengers have been known to try and open the outside doors of aircraft in flight and they present real dangers to the flight crew. The passenger said he aint getting off the airplane unless hes physically removed, an American Airlines crew member told police in another clip. The body camera footage shows the belligerent passenger had to be removed from the jetway. Sadly, in a number of cases, they end up become belligerent and they will end up picking fights with crew members or other passengers, Cox said. At Tampa International Airport, they say the number of passengers who create problems is relatively small compared to the 24 million people who fly through the airport each year. Several passengers shown in the body camera footage claimed that they werent drunk. Cox says an airline doesnt have to prove a passenger is intoxicated to prevent them from boarding an aircraft. That typically will be the judgement of the captain, but there is not a breathalyzer test. There isnt a blood alcohol content or anything. The wording of the regulation is appears intoxicated, Cox said. The FAA can also levy fines against passengers that create problems on aircraft. The fines can go up to $37,000 if an aircraft is diverted due to a problem caused by a passenger. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. CHEBOYGAN During the Cheboygan County Board of Commissioners meeting on Feb. 27, Cheboygan County Sheriff Tim Cook and Undersheriff Josh Ginop singled out three members of the department to commend for their hard work and dedication. The first to be recognized was Jail Administrator Lt. Brenda Beckwith. Lt. Beckwith has been the jail administrator since 2014 and has been involved in every aspect of jail management from staff to inmate care to budget. She has brought technology to the jail which allows staff the resources needed to do a very tough job, said Cook in a press release. Cook noted the importance of a jail administrator who takes the responsibilities of their job to the next level, which was especially true of Beckwith during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lt. Beckwith was exceptional with having to manage her staff with new rules and regulations handed down from the state and (Michigan Department of Corrections), Cook said. Everything from testing, to sanitary schedules and quarantine. Cook presented Beckwith with a plaque for Distinguished Service. More: Downtown Cheboygan shuts down as multiple departments battle fire at Tissue Depot storage facility Subscribe: Check out our offers and read the local news that matters to you Next, Cook recognized Cheboygan County Emergency Manager Lt. Jeremy Runstrom. In particular, Cook highlighted Runstroms leadership responding to the Tissue Depot fire in September. Lt. Runstrom was appointed the new Cheboygan County Emergency Manager in the summer of 2021 and got to work. He went through the training and became a Certified Emergency Manager in the summer of 2023 and then he was put to the test with the fire, said Cook. According to Cook, Runstrom initiated a response by opening a command post on scene, initiating a unified command and opening the emergency operations center to gather resources to assist the fire departments on scene as well as measures to protect the public from potential hazards. The response is still ongoing with cleanup and Lt. Runstrom is still gathering the unified command to make decisions with all stakeholders to provide a proper and safe cleanup, Cook said. Runstrom was presented with a Letter of Commendation plaque for his efforts. Cook also recognized Deputy Dale Kolatski for his investigations involving illegal alcohol and drug abuse. We have a great team at the sheriffs department and everyone does an outstanding job. Sometimes we have those that go above and beyond and that is why I am here today with Deputy Kolatski, Cook said. In 2023, Deputy Kolatskis investigations into drunk, drug driving and illegal narcotics resulted in 46 arrests, with nearly two pounds of meth removed from our streets and community. I could not be more proud of what he has done in stepping up for the protection of our citizens. Kolatski was also presented with a Letter of Commendation plaque. Cook noted that two more staff members Cpl. Tyler Cronk and CO Patricia Maylowski were recognized at a recent department staff meeting. They both received a Letter of Commendation plaque in recognition of their interception of unauthorized items and an unknown substance brought in illegally by an instructor. Cpl. Cronk and CO Maylowski locked down the area and conducted a thorough search. The investigation led to the instructor being barred from the jail, said Cook. Attention to detail provides safety to staff and inmates and they certainly stepped up and did their jobs. Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com. This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Cheboygan County Sheriff recognizes staff members for hard work, dedication HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WETM) The Chemung County IDA received $4 million from New York State to continue developing the former Holding Point in the Village of Horseheads. According to the Chemung County IDA, Southern Tier Logistics has been redeveloping the Holding Point since it took ownership of the industrial area in 2021. Southern Tier Logistics has demolished old buildings and started new construction at the site, but it needed additional funds to upgrade the areas infrastructure. The company plans to use the $4 million to reconstruct existing rail lines, install new water lines, improve the sewer infrastructure, and upgrade the stormwater system. Saving Elmiras clock tower: More deterioration found We are grateful for this award from Empire State Development as it will allow Southern Tier Logistics to advance its plan to transition the site into an advanced manufacturing hub, said IDA Executive Director Joe Roman. Communities need shovel ready sites to be competitive and this will allow Chemung County an advantage. The $4 million came from the Focused Attraction of Shovel-Ready Tracts New York (FAST NY) grant program. This competitive program was designed to prepare and develop sites across New York State so the sites can attract large employers and high-tech manufacturing companies. The goal of FAST NY is to create more jobs and opportunities for New York States residents. Southern Tier Logistics and the Chemung County IDA expect the continuing development of the Holding Point to bring more logistics, warehouse, and manufacturing jobs to Chemung County. Additionally, the Holding Point area recently became the Southern Tiers first Foreign Trade Zone, which will allow companies to use special customs procedures. The International Trade Administration says that these zones help local economic development and help create employment opportunities. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. UNICOI, Tenn. (WJHL) The Cherokee National Forest has announced the schedule for reopening seasonal roads to vehicles in the northern portion of the forest. Most roads will reopen on March 15 with seasonal limitations to protect wildlife, reduce road maintenance costs, and for public safety, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Johnson City to cut ribbon on new Winged Deer athletic complex Road reopenings may be delayed due to poor road conditions caused by weather or fire danger. A Motor Vehicle User Map can be found on the forests website. The U.S. Forest Service released the following road opening schedule: Roads Open March 15, 2024 December 20, 2024 Carter County Frog Level NFSR 50F Little Pond Mountain NFSR 6034 Mill Creek/Holston Mountain NFSR 56/202 Bitter End NFSR 293 Open to second gate White Rock NFSR 5314 Not recommended for highway legal vehicles until repairs are complete Cocke County Wolf Creek NFSR 96-1 Big Clifty NFSR 404 Meadow Creek Mountain NFSR 142 Weaver Bend Road NFSR 209C Rattlesnake NFSR 3242 Greene County Rough Branch NFSR 422A Little Paint Creek NFSR 31B Old Forge (Jennings Creek) NFSR 331 Shad Road NFSR 422 Dead end at MP 2.6 due to road failure. No access to Shad Road (NFSR 422) Round Knob NFSR 88 Upper Rough Branch NFSR 93E/93C Open to second gate Firescald (Kennedy Cabin) NFSR 358 Open to boulders blocking road and second gate. No vehicle in fields. Johnson County Gouge Tract NFSR 602101 Sullivan County Little Oak NFSR 87G Unicoi County Irishmans Branch NFSR 313 Little Mountain NFSR 359 Unaka Mountain Road NFSR 230 Long Branch/Dark Hollow NFSR 4365 Rich Mountain NFSR 190 Washington County, Tenn. Briar Creek (Pinnacle Mountain) NFSR 188 NFSR 188 to double gate at upper parking area Horse Cove Gap NFSR 5352 Buffalo Mountain ATV Parking Lot Roads Open March 15 May 17, 2024 Carter County Piney Grove NFSR 53351 Open to second gate Johnson County Parks Branch NFSR 6049 1.0 mile to second gate Temporary Access Disrupted Carter County Cedar Gap NFSR 293A Temporarily closed for timber sale George Creek NFSR 53301 Temporarily closed for timber sale Griffith Branch NFSR 5081 Temporarily closed for timber sale Johnson County Sink Mountain NFSR 298 Temporarily closed until repairs are complete Sullivan County Camp Tom Howard NFSR 6099 Temporarily closed for timber sale Fishdam NE NFSR 87B Temporarily closed for timber sale Unicoi County Unaka Mountain Road NFSR 230 Temporarily closed for construction. Expected opening mid-May Recommended Avoidance to Highway Legal Vehicles Due to Weather Damage Cocke County Rocky Top NFSR 249 Not recommended/impassable for vehicle usage until repairs are complete Chestnut Ridge NFSR 22501 Not recommended for highway legal vehicles until repairs are complete Brown Gap NFSR 2250 Not recommended for highway legal vehicles until repairs are complete Hall Top (From MP 4.06 to 7.28) NFSR 207 Not recommended for highway legal vehicles until repairs are complete Roads Not Scheduled to be Opened Due to Resource or Storm Damage Carter County Cherry Flats NFSR 50A Johnson County Whetstone Branch Road NFSR 124 Sullivan County Dogwood Bench NFSR 4431 Big Creek NFSR 87C Unicoi County Rocky Branch NFSR 4343 Martin Creek NFSR 410 For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. CHILLICOTHE Death is something that at some point will touch us all gently, viciously, tragicallyinevitably. No matter the circumstances, the grief that accompanies death is palpable, and for some, is an everlasting, almost unbearable experience. Having worked in the death industry for well over four years, I have had the privilege of spending time with families in varying circumstances to memorialize their loved ones; however, nothing is quite so difficult as parents who have lost a child. In September of 2023, Diamond and Skylar Nutt tragically lost their little girl; she was only two years old. They came to Chillicothe Monument in search of a monument for her, but were so grief-stricken and broken; like many families, they had no idea where to begin. So much of what we do at first is listen, and on that first day when they visited our Walnut Street location, I listened to them talk about Allaya and how they wanted to be able to sit and visit her every day. They walked the showroom floor and stopped only when they came to a large bench that had a leaning heart. As far as headstones go, benches are in the higher price range, so they told me they would get back with me. It was then that my wheels began spinning and the phrase, It takes a village, began to take on entirely new meaning for me. First, I asked for my owners blessing to get the memorial donated. Eric Gunnoe, Dave Strickland, and Justin Long owners of Chillicothe Monument and Hardy Memorials gave me the green light to work with all the necessary people to get this little girl a monument. Within two days, the following blessings occurred: I reached out to one of our vendors Tecstone Granite, out of Columbus, Ohio asked them to donate the very bench the Nutt family wantedthey generously agreed without hesitation; Hardy Memorials agreed to donate the sandblasting and the labor to set the bench; Gina Perry, owner of LazerCreative in Grove City, Ohio, donated the laser imaging; and an anonymous donor provided the foundation at the cemetery. Though the project itself took four months to complete, the bench was finally installed Feb. 28, 2024, and the Nutt family has a beautiful monument to memorialize their beloved daughter. It was without hesitation that all of these people came together and gave so generously to make this memoriam a reality for a grieving family. They are beyond grateful and now have a place to sit and remember. This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: A Place to Sit: Chillicothe Monument helps remember two year old China will debut several new Long March rockets this year to boost its options for space launches. Two major rocket-making academies under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Science (CASC) are set to give test flights to new rockets . The Long March 6C is a new variant of the existing Long March 6A , which is China's only rocket using a liquid propellant core with solid-fueled side boosters. The rocket will launch from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China at some point during the first half of the year. Related: China's Long March rocket family: History and photos "The Long March 6C is about 43 meters [141 feet] long. With its three liquid oxygen-kerosene engines, it will be used in launch missions with a mass of 2,000 kilograms [4,400 pounds], which will help it enhance its capacity for high-frequency launch missions," Yu Yansheng, a rocket expert from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), under CASC, told China Central Television (CCTV). SAST is also preparing to debut another, more powerful rocket the Long March 12. The two-stage, kerosene-fueled Long March 12 will be capable of carrying 22,040 pounds (10,000 kg) of payload to low Earth orbit or 13,200 pounds (6,000 kg) to sun-synchronous orbit, boosting China's options for launching satellite constellations. The Long March 12 will launch from a new commercial launch site at Wenchang, near China's national coastal Wenchang spaceport. It will be China's first launch vehicle with a diameter of 12.4 feet (3.8 m). This means it can be transported over land by rail. China's largest-diameter rocket, the Long March 5, at 16.4 feet (5.0 m), needs to be transported by sea. China has a range of Long March rockets. The first, the Long March 1, flew for the first time in 1970. The Long March 2, 3 and 4 series rockets are older launch vehicles using toxic, hypergolic propellants. Newer rocket series using kerosene and liquid hydrogen fuels, such as the Long March 5, 6, 7 and 8, began to be introduced in the 2010s. These are expected to eventually replace the older members of the family. RELATED STORIES: China just launched a rocket with 5 satellites to orbit from a platform at sea China plans to take 'hack-proof' quantum satellite technology to new heights China continues remote-sensing buildup with new launch of Yaogan satellites (video) Additionally, CASC will launch a modified version of its new Long March 8 rocket this year. "The structure efficiency of the thrust and the payload capacity have been greatly improved on the basis of the Long March 8," Shao Yetao, rocket chief designer with CASC's China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), told CCTV. The rocket could be used for a range of multi-satellite, commercial and rideshare missions. It will also launch from Wenchang's commercial spaceport. CASC is also developing the super heavy-lift Long March 9 and Long March 10 rockets for large space infrastructure and crewed moon missions, respectively. The state-owned space and defense giant CASC recently stated that China aims to launch around 100 missions this year . Around 70 of these will be conducted by CASC, including an ambitious lunar far side sample return mission . The rest will be carried out by China's commercial launch service providers. Smiles and handshakes brightened the chill of a winter day in 2016 as South Carolina leaders congratulated themselves on a job well done. Industrial recruiters had negotiated for years to bring a Chinese manufacturing plant to Columbia, a state capital that needed private industry to diversify its economy, which was heavily dependent on government jobs. So it was hard to suppress the delight politicians felt when they broke ground on a fiberglass factory that represented Richland Countys largest industrial announcement in more than 30 years. What they didnt foresee were the troubles that lay ahead for China Jushis $300 million plant on Shop Road. A looming set of environmental and safety problems would ensnare the fiberglass maker in years of disputes with state and local agencies. After opening in May 2019, the factory let hazardous waste build up to potentially unsafe levels, discharged heavy metals into Columbias sewer system and repeatedly broke air pollution laws, according to public records obtained by The State. Collectively, government documents show hundreds of environmental violations. In some instances, air pollution coming from the China Jushi USA plant was so thick it was difficult to see the sky. In others, toxins that rose into the air threatened public health, records show. Air pollution was such a concern that state regulators briefly shut down the plant a rare action until immediate problems were addressed. Potentially harmful wastewater the factory flushed into Columbias sewer system exceeded state limits, threatening to corrode and disrupt the system, according to a 2020 city of Columbia notice of violation. On at least one occasion, the company failed to take steps to prevent the accidental ignition of toxic waste, a 2022 DHEC enforcement report says. Violations that began soon after the plant opened prompted South Carolinas environmental agency to hit China Jushi USA with more than $460,000 in fines last year, an unusually high amount. Meanwhile, the state labor department launched five separate investigations, finding the company violated worker safety laws on at least three occasions and hitting Jushi with more than $11,000 in fines, records show.. In one case a worker was pinned to a conveyor line and hospitalized. In that and another case, the company did not provide proper equipment to protect workers, according to state labor department records. As China Jushi dealt with its environmental and safety issues, the company also found itself in court. One former health and safety manager at Jushi, Al Leftwich, said in court documents he urged the company to fix problems at the plant but was rebuffed. The problems were then used against Leftwich as justification for firing him after he had missed several months with health issues, a 2021 lawsuit he filed against China Jushi USA says. Leftwich, the plants environmental health and safety manager from 2017 to 2020, alleged in the suit that Jushi discriminated against him because he was an American at a Chinese-run plant, the suit said. The company denied claims in the lawsuit but eventually settled the case for an undisclosed sum. Repeated efforts by The State Media Co. to reach someone who could respond for China Jushi have been unsuccessful. But one company official in Columbia told state officials that Jushi has had some trouble following environmental rules. In a May 1, 2023, letter to DHEC, company environmental, health and safety manager Maurice Caldwell said there are no arguments from China Jushi into the violations found. We as a company have been making diligent efforts to correct the issues. Some current and former government regulators said the China Jushi problems were more extensive and lasted longer than expected for a new company. The companys Richland County production plant was its first in the United States. The facility makes fiberglass for use in an array of industrial applications. Whether Jushis compliance problems were related to a foreign company opening its first plant in the United States is unknown, but the issues followed turnover in management. Caldwell said he was the fifth environmental health and safety manager at China Jushi since it opened in Columbia. As soon as he took the job, Caldwell sought an environmental audit to help get a grip on the breadth of the problems at China Jushis plant, according to the May 2023 letter that asked DHEC for leniency from a potential environmental penalty. One former high-ranking state air pollution regulator, who asked not to be named because the person is retired, said it has not historically been typical for new plants to experience the number of challenges following the rules that China Jushi had after opening. DHEC fines in excess of $400,000 for air pollution are not common, nor are orders for plants to shut down, as occurred with China Jushi in Columbia, the former regulator said. Typically, when a facility starts up and gets an air permit, they have the proper equipment and would have made sure that it operated properly, the former regulator said. The agencys enforcement database indicates that the $410,000 fine for air violations is one of the highest single penalties DHEC has levied in at least 10 years, exceeding six-figure fines for a polluted industrial site in Greenville County, a packaging plant in Darlington County and a gold mine in Lancaster County. China Jushi officials and South Carolina politicians are all smiles during a groundbreaking ceremony for the plant in 2016. Gov. Henry McMaster, then the states lieutenant governor, is pictured sixth from the right. Who knew? China Jushis troubles have sparked a variety of reactions from government leaders, including some who championed bringing the company to Richland County in 2016. Gov. Henry McMaster, who was lieutenant governor under Gov. Nikki Haley when the state recruited China Jushi, is aware of the environmental issues surrounding the fiberglass factory and is concerned, a spokesman said. But the issues are being handled through the proper channels by DHEC and the state labor department, said Brandon Charochak, a governors office spokesman. Hes confident there will be a fair and just outcome reached, Charochak said. In November, McMaster said China Jushi had not caused any trouble since locating in South Carolina, but Charochak said the governor was referring to security issues. A spokesperson for Haley, a Republican candidate for president, did not provide a comment on China Jushis troubles. Some local officials said they were unaware of the challenges China Jushi has had complying with environmental and worker safety regulations. Among those is Torrey Rush, chairman of the Richland County Council during the China Jushi groundbreaking. In a brief interview with The State, Rush said jobs promised by the company were appealing, but he is no longer involved in politics and had little more to say. I just dont know, said Rush, who did not seek reelection to county council in 2016. Ive not been engaged in it enough. I would be shooting in the dark trying to figure that out. Paul Livingston, a veteran county councilman who supported recruiting China Jushi, said he also was unaware of the problems at the plant. But Livingston said he is glad state regulators held the factory accountable for issues that arose after it opened. Livingston told The State there was no reason to expect the troubles China Jushi ran into. Taxpayer advocate Don Weaver, a county councilman who was not in office when the plant opened, said the environmental violations were troubling. We want to recruit industries that have a good environmental track record, Weaver said. I dont know what their experience may be in China, that maybe they dont have these tough environmental laws. But we do. These companies should understand when they come here that we passed these environmental laws for a reason. China Jushi was a major industrial recruit to Richland County. The fiberglass plant is seen here while under construction. The plant opened in 2019, employing about 400 people. Tracy Glantz/The State Prized industry Before China Jushi had trouble with state environmental and health agencies, the company was seen as the cornerstone of an effort to bring world class industries to the Columbia area. The international corporation, headquartered in Zhejiang, China, already was a global leader in fiberglass production. In addition to China, the companys holdings include a large factory in Egypt that news reports show has made Jushi an economic leader in the Middle East and North Africa. When the China Jushi USA plant opened in Columbia, it joined the worldwide effort, making fiberglass strands that eventually would wind up in things like windmill blades, boats and huge transfer trucks, The State reported in 2018. Then Lt. Gov. McMaster was effusive in his praise of the company during the 2016 groundbreaking, which was attended by 200 people. We are poised to lead the rest of the nation in good, strong economic development thanks to partnerships like this one between Richland County and China Jushi, he said at the time. Haley was equally enthusiastic. Get excited! China Jushi is creating 400 new jobs and investing $300 million right here in Columbia, Haley wrote in a June 1, 2016, Facebook post. They are the leading supplier of fiberglass reinforcements and fabrics worldwide. To get China Jushi to locate in South Carolina, the state and local governments offered plenty of inducements. That included 197 acres of free land from the county for the plant site valued at nearly $5 million and a new, taxpayer-funded road to the property in a 900-acre industrial park. A 2019 county news release said the project to extend Shop Road cost $35 million. The state Department of Commerce provided $7.2 million to prepare the site, including road and water and sewer upgrades. China Jushi was approved for job development credits, according to the commerce department. Neither the Department of Commerce nor Richland County would provide the total value of the incentive package. Discussions with a top Commerce Department official had been underway since 2012, before the company announced in 2016 it would come here, according to a news report in The State and The Greenville News. In return for incentives, China Jushi said it would create 400 jobs, with pay beginning at $16 per hour, at its facility on Shop Road. The plan was to expand the plant in the future, adding up to 400 more jobs. China Jushis $300 million investment marked the largest in Richland County since the Union Camp paper mill committed to a $600 million investment in 1984, county officials said in 2016. I thought at that time, it was the quality of the jobs, Livingston said of his interest in China Jushi. It was also connecting with and creating that link and relationship with China for other opportunities possibly. It certainly was going to help (the county) with overall revenue. For all the optimism about the plant when it was announced, Haleys enthusiasm for the investment has cooled in the face of national political battles. China Jushi is partly owned by the China National Building Material company, an entity that is tied to the Chinese government, The New York Times reported last year. Haley sustained withering attacks from fellow Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, during the 2024 campaign over her decision to bring in Chinese companies like Jushi. DeSantis, who has since dropped out of the presidential race, said China is no friend of the United States but Haley had been too welcoming to Chinese investments. While Haley defended her actions, shes now critical of Chinese intentions. Every governor in the country has tried to recruit Chinese businesses over the last how many years because everybody thought Oh if were nice to China theyll want to be like us, Haley told Fox News, the conservative media outlet. But Haley indicated that the effort did not work. They want to destroy the West. The state Department of Commerce says it vetted China Jushi before bringing the company to Richland County. That involved reviewing financial statements, meeting with company representatives and completing a cost-benefit analysis. But the department has no regulatory authority in any substantive area, including environmental and workforce safety matters, spokeswoman Kelly Coakley said in an email. Workers during construction at the China Jushi fiberglass plant in Columbia. The Chinese company makes spun fiberglass and was a prized industrial recruit when it opened the $300 million plant in 2019. Sept. 20, 2018 Significant non-compliance So what exactly happened after China Jushi arrived in Richland County? At about the same time the plant was opening in 2019, environmental troubles surfaced. A May 31, 2019 letter to China Jushi USA from the city of Columbia said the company was not submitting required reports on the wastewater it was flushing into the sewer system. Those reports are important to keep track of discharges that could corrode pipes or hurt the citys wastewater treatment system if not within legal limits. By July 2019 two months after the plant opened Columbia officials found the factory in significant non-compliance with wastewater regulations, according to a 2019 letter from the city to China Jushi. In November of that year, Columbia hit China Jushi with a notice of violation for exceeding pH limits in wastewater, as well as releasing too much wastewater, records show. A November 2019, letter from the city to China Jushi said the company had repeatedly failed to correct problems from May to September of that year. Toxic metals, such as arsenic, lead and mercury, were among contaminants the factory discharged above approved limits. That occurred between January 2022 and July 2022, three years after the plant opened, according to city records reviewed by The State. Columbia inspectors also found fiberglass scattered around the plant basement, clogging drains and causing liquid to pool, a September 2022 city report said. Clint Shealy, Columbias assistant city manager over utilities, said new companies sometimes have trouble complying with environmental regulations in the year after they open, but it is not common to have lingering problems for multiple years, as China Jushi has had. Theirs extended for longer than the one year or so that you typically see, Shealy said. Shealy said he is not aware that the company challenged any of the citys findings. Then-Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster participates in ceremony welcoming the China Jushi fiberglass maker to Columbia in 2016. The Chinese company was the focus of South Carolina industrial recruitment efforts. McMaster is now governor. Hundreds of violations As wastewater problems were emerging, state regulators also were finding problems with air pollution at China Jushis factory. Two months after the Jushi plant opened, DHEC discovered that the company was exceeding air pollution limits for nitrogen oxide, a finding that would foreshadow a string of air problems involving China Jushi, enforcement records show. Nitrogen oxide is a pollutant that, at low levels, can cause eye, nose and lung irritation, resulting in coughing and shortness of breath,according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. High levels can cause spasms and tissue swelling in the upper respiratory tract, buildups of fluid, and in extreme cases death, the agency says. China Jushi also released excessive amounts of particulate matter, or soot, for 219 days over three years beginning in July 2019, according to a May 2023 enforcement order signed by both DHEC and company officials. Particulate matter can create smoggy, hazy conditions, and it can be a health hazard for people who breathe in the sooty material. It can worsen asthma, decrease lung functions and cause people to cough. Perhaps the most stark problems cited by regulators at China Jushi USA were releases of a smoky material that was so thick it clouded the sky. On multiple occasions, the factory violated what are known as opacity limits. These are measures of the thickness of air pollution and whether that blocks visibility. At China Jushis plant, DHEC found that the company had violated opacity limits 120 times in 2022, according to inspection records from that year. The limit was 20%, but in some cases the opacity readings approached 100 percent, records show. DHECs May 2023 enforcement order, signed by a China Jushi official, cited the plant for violating opacity limits. The problem, according to an Aug. 16, 2022, inspection report, was linked to clogs in a poorly equipped air pollution control system. The control system needed 800 filters, but was operating with only 300. The company was scrambling to airlift control filters in from Taiwan, the report said. DHECs inspection came a day after the agency received a complaint of a white powder leaving a smoke stack at China Jushi, the report said. The departments 2023 enforcement order said the company had failed to operate pollution control equipment for nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. These were among problems serious enough that DHEC took the rare step of shutting down the company through an emergency order on Sept. 1, 2022. The department said it took the emergency action to address the danger to public health, safety and welfare presented by China Jushis operations in the absence of emission controls maintained and operated in a manner consistent with good practice. Agency officials lifted the emergency order the next day, after China Jushi took steps to control the problem. DHECs May 2023 enforcement order fined China Jushi USA $410,000 for air pollution violations. The company paid the fine, the agency said in a Jan. 10 email to The State. Flammable waste But China Jushis troubles were not limited to air pollution and wastewater discharges. China Jushi also paid a $57,000 penalty for violating hazardous waste laws, DHEC said. Among the transgressions cited by DHEC were battery leaks, spilled liquids, China Jushis failure to tell the agency it was generating large amounts of hazardous waste, and a lack of hazardous waste training by employees, according to a Nov. 21, 2022, violation notice and a May 26, 2023, hazardous waste enforcement order signed by a China Jushi official. DHEC also said 10 of 55 containers at the plant were storing corrosive, flammable and toxic waste streams, including sulfuric acid and hydrofluoric acid, the violation notice said. While some of material at the site was ignitable, China Jushi didnt tell DHEC, the violation notice and enforcement order said. The companys issues with serious worker safety violations resulted from complaints to the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation about conditions inside the fiberglass factory. The company paid $11,625 in fines for three serious labor violations, according to labor department records and an agency spokeswoman. The serious violations included one case in which 12 chopping devices were not protected properly, the labor department said in citing the company for exposing a worker to a knife and blade roller. Additionally, a cover on one chopping machine was disconnected and left open while the machine was running, a June 10, 2021, letter from the labor department to Jushi said. In the early spring of 2022, another serious violation involved a worker who was pinned to a conveyor line. The accident caused the employee to collapse and be sent to the hospital, according to Occupational Safety and Health Records. The Department of Labor Licensing and Registration did not comment specifically on the China Jushi cases, but said serious violations arent anything to discount. A violation is considered serious if there is a substantial chance that death or serious harm could result from a plant condition, the agency said in an email to The State. Workers during construction at the China Jushi fiberglass plant in Columbia. The Chinese company makes spun fiberglass and was a prized industrial recruit when it opened the $300 million plant in 2019. Sept. 20, 2018 Next steps Several former and current state and local officials say they believe China Jushi is trying to resolve problems, and is beginning to have success. Shealy, the city of Columbia utilities chief, said recent violations of wastewater standards were not substantially higher than the limits.He said he doesnt remember the company ever challenging the citys findings, but instead, has tried to resolve the problems. They had some startup issues; there were some lingering problems beyond that, Shealy said. We are working with them to try to get those addressed. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Environmental Control said in a recent email that the agency has no pending enforcement actions against China Jushi. Lewis Gossett, a former head of both the state labor department and the SC Manufacturers Alliance, said South Carolina has generally had a good track record in recruiting industries that follow environmental and safety laws, noting that BMW has been a good corporate citizen since the German automaker opened a plant in Spartanburg County more than 30 years ago. Gossett, who said the environmental and safety violations seems like a lot to me, said the key now is for China Jushi to make improvements to reduce any troubles. Theyre obviously running into some challenges regarding various start-up efforts, Gossett said. Jushi should hire the right kind of regional consultants and people that can help them move through these things. China Jushi, a fiberglass maker, was received with great fanfare when it opened a plant in Richland County. File photo/The State Gosia Jansen lives in a two-story house in Rose Hill, semi-retired with a backyard she describes as a wildlife preserve, not far from the gated communitys paths she walks her Bernedoodle on. Closer to Old Town Bluffton, Rolando Rico lives in a trailer, driving U.S. 278 to Hilton Head for work most days. Former Californians Allison and Bear Walters are raising their family in Blufftons May River Preserve, but own businesses on the island and mainland. All of them recently moved to Bluffton despite having some connection to Hilton Head and against the popular notion that the island gained population over the last couple of years. They enjoy the substantially lower cost of living, relatively fewer tourists, accessibility to Savannah and Hilton Head, and the community the mainland offers. In recent years, Westerns and Northerns may have been ushered South by reasons such as milder weather, more closely aligned politics and affordable living, but statistics show many are forgoing Hilton Head for its neighboring municipalities. Hilton Heads population is plateauing at 37,660 full-time residents after immense growth in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The island population grew 11% between 2000 and 2020 compared to Blufftons 2,074%. Hilton Heads population is plateauing after a boom of growth in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Its not just Beaufort County, whose population grew 55% during the same period, thats growing at a much faster rate than Hilton Head. People like mother and daughter Karen and Jordan LeDuke, who moved from New Hampshire about a year ago, are choosing to live in Hardeeville in Jasper County, which grew 317%. Those who elect to live off-island must weigh the downsides. Theyre not as close to the beach and endure traffic over the bridge. Some Bluffton residents such as Rico, 26, are waiting until they can save up enough to make the move. All that traffic in the summer is definitely going to be fun, he said, sarcastically. Rico grew up on Hilton Head, where his parents live, and said he hopes to move back someday. He relocated to a trailer in Bluffton when it was time to move out on his own, despite working at a Hilton Head pizza restaurant. Allison and Bear Walters moved to Bluffton from California two years ago. Photographed in Fiddle and Shine, their home and plant store Feb. 22, 2024. For others, it doesnt bother them. Bear Walters, 43, who runs an indoor plant shop in Bluffton and a gym on Hilton Head is one of those people. He relocated with his wife and three children from California two years ago. Thats not traffic, he said of the typical commute from Bluffton to Hilton Head, compared to California highways. Hilton Head is just so expensive. Bluffton and Hardeeville residents tout that they bought double the house for a smaller price, as Hilton Head Island residents, and its what Jansen said of her move from Hilton Head Island to Bluffton in the mid-2000s. Home values on Hilton Head are more than $250,000 higher than Bluffton and $300,000 higher than Hardeeville, causing many families to look to the mainland instead of the island if they need more space. On Hilton Head the average home value is $740,720, in Bluffton, it is $487,856 and in Hardeeville, it is $416,306, according to Zillow. Gosia Jansen lived on Hilton Head Island for about 18 years before moving to Bluffton around 2005. In this photo taken Feb. 22, 2024 at the Bluffton Farmers Market, she sits with her Bernadoodle, Bryza, which means breeze in Polish. We had three little beds in there, Jasen said, describing her triplet girls room in their old Windmill Harbor home. At their home in Blufftons Rose Hill, each triplet each had a room. While Jansen could live on Hilton Head in a smaller home, that isnt feasible for Rico right now. Its just so expensive, he said. However, he said he could see himself finding a home and taking a loan out to purchase it in the future. Blufftons downtown is pretty rad Its tough luck to find a parking spot at Hilton Head restaurants in the middle of August. The lots are jam-packed and the table wait is daunting. You cant eat on Hilton Head during the summer, said Bluffton resident Linda Bellinger, who sold her home on Hilton Head two years ago after living there for 20 years. An hours wait for dinner on a Tuesday night represents a larger reason people are choosing Bluffton and Hardeeville instead of Hilton Head: theyre frustrated with Hilton Heads tourist population. Linda Bellinger lived on Hilton Head for 20 years until two years ago, when she moved to Bluffton. She works at Bluffton Candles, where she was photographed Feb. 22, 2024. In the past year, Hardeeville had 10 short-term rentals listed compared to Blufftons 290 and Hilton Head Islands 7,012, according to AirDNA, a data collection website that tracks Airbnb and Vrbo vacation rentals. Thats an 184% difference between Bluffton and Hilton Head, which matters when raising a family, according to Walters, the plant and gym store owner. Walters didnt consider living on Hilton Head: I didnt want to live with tourists, he said. Instead, when looking to leave California they considered other South Carolina towns and cities such as Mount Pleasant and Greenville, as well as states such as Alabama and Tennessee before settling on Bluffton. At his Bluffton-firefighter friends recommendation, he decided to give the town a chance. Two weeks later he fell in love with the place while visiting. Downtowns pretty rad, he said. Theres a lot going on. Its got a lot of charm. A lot of good people down here. Of those people, many are families with school-aged children, which Walters said was important considering he has three of his own. Age In the middle of the day, patrons can hear children from the local Montessori school laughing across the street from Fiddle and Shine, Walters plant shop in Old Town Bluffton. Some of those giggles may be from his kids, who attend the school. Its a convenient setup, and part of the reason he and his wife choose Bluffton: to be surrounded by children aged similarly to his own. Pictured is the Haag Elementary building of May River Montessori as seen on May 15, 2023 located on the corner of Bridge and Calhoun streets in Old Town Bluffton. I have a three-year-old, a ten-year-old and a 14-year-old, Walters said. Bluffton seemed to fit that bill quite a bit better (than Hilton Head). Households on the island are getting smaller and older, and less likely to include school-aged children, making families who are moving to the area consider Bluffton instead, where there are more children to raise their own alongside. Being surrounded by other families provides a support system and is a determining factor for many when deciding where to move. On Hilton Head the average household size decreased 4.3% between 2000 and 2020, compared to 1% for other areas of Beaufort County. Its average household size is 2.19, which is less than Blufftons 2.73, but more than Hardeevilles 1.96. On the island during the same period, households over 65 increased by 50% and people living alone increased by 57%. Households with children decreased by 35%. Bluffton is moving in the opposite direction. Households with children under 18 increased by 70% from 2010 to 2020. The number of school-aged children stayed at around 20%, but since the population grew during that time, the number of children grew by about 2,400. Age-wise, Hardeeville falls more in line with Hilton Head, which worries Hardeeville resident Jordan LeDuke, 33, who had a baby this year. However, LeDuke is hopeful that by the time her daughter is school-aged, the areas education will improve, especially with Hardeevilles planned development. These are four of the soon to be built 10 buildings that will eventually total more than 4.2 million square-feet of Class A industrial Park space at Riverport Commerce Park as photographed on Jan. 5, 2024 in Jasper County, S.C. The park is located less than 10 miles from Georgia Ports Authority Port of Savannah. Thats one thing I really like about the Bluffton area, she said. The school systems are for sure desirable. Location Whats better than beaches and marsh views? Oftentimes for those who chose to live in Bluffton or Hardeeville: easier access to Savannah. Bluffton and Hardeeville sit in between Hilton Head and Savannah, and the short drive to the Georgia city, and its airport, is desirable, especially to those who moved from more urban places. If we lack cultural exposure, we can just hop on a flight, Jansen said. She was born in Poland, and her triplets live in New York City, Miami and Savannah. If theyre not an easy drive away, theyre an easy flight away, she said. Her husband even works part-time as a doctor in Savannah. Bluffton and Hardeeville residents say they still appreciate the ocean, they just have to drive to the water. Something that they would probably be doing anyway even if they did live on the island because oceanfront property was out of budget, according to Walters. Its a smart way of living in a tourist location, Walters said. You still have all the plus sides of it, but (youre) not in it. This article is one in a series of explorations of the demographic changes happening in the Beaufort County area. Other installments are coming soon. COLOMBO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Maldivian marine police rescued 13 individuals, including 10 foreign divers and local instructors, who were adrift in the sea due to strong currents on Saturday morning. Police said in a statement that a marine police speed boat initially spotted two individuals in distress near Gan, an uninhabited island of Southern Huvadhu Atoll. After rescuing them, marine police found other divers had been swept away by strong currents. Marine police launched a search and rescue operation, during which everyone was rescued, police said. View of the New Mexico set where director Christopher Nolan shot the Los Alamos scenes for his Oscar-nominated movie 'Oppenheimer' (VALERIE MACON) An entire town filled with nuclear laboratories, built from scratch in the remote mountains of New Mexico, with every single person involved sworn to secrecy? It is not just the plot of "Oppenheimer," but also the story of how Christopher Nolan's Oscar-nominated movie about the invention of the atomic bomb was made. "This is the most I've ever spoken about it," said David Manzanares, field producer for Ghost Ranch, as he took AFP on a recent tour of the location for the movie's Los Alamos scenes. "It definitely took on the air of secrecy," he recalled. A few miles from the nearest paved road, through gates marked "RESTRICTED AREA," many of the wooden homes, offices, security checkpoints and even a chapel built for the film remain standing. The buildings line a dusty street that is bookended by stunning purple-hued mountains. The real Los Alamos -- an hour's drive away -- is now a modern town that remains home to a giant, top-secret government lab charged with safeguarding the US nuclear stockpile. Its historic buildings were used for several interior scenes. But Nolan selected this far corner of the southwestern US state to double as the town for exterior scenes, constructing a 1940s-era replica of its main street. The British filmmaker famously insists on using authentic, practical sets to inspire his actors. The movie's atomic bomb test was shot with minimal computer effects, and real Los Alamos scientists were hired as extras. This meant the replica of the town had to be built at full-scale, offering Nolan the possibility of filming from every angle at a moment's notice. But until a month after the film premiered last July, Manzanares and his Ghost Ranch team were not even allowed to acknowledge that the movie had been shot there. "There was no conversation, there was no posting" allowed, he said. "That's just the way business is conducted on a Christopher Nolan shoot." - Mesas - In mid-October 2021, Manzanares was contacted by a friend who works as a location manager for movies, asking if he knew of any pristine sites with wide, sweeping vistas. The friend could not say what the project was, but shared that it was set in 1940s New Mexico -- enough for Manzanares to hazard a guess, given the buzz already surrounding Nolan's next big film. Ghost Ranch fit the bill, and the following month, Nolan himself came to check it out. "He loved it right off the bat," recalled Manzanares. Nolan gave his blessing, before adding a complication: "Oh, by the way, we need a double of it." The movie first needed to shoot a scene of Cillian Murphy's titular scientist showing a US army general (Matt Damon) an empty, proposed site for the Manhattan Project's new base. The following day, they would need to get the cameras rolling on the Los Alamos town set itself. Having found two sufficiently similar-looking "mesas" -- the elevated rock shelves that make up northern New Mexico's distinctive mountains -- the production set to work. Crews worked through multiple blizzards that winter to get the set ready in time for eight packed days of shooting, with the A-list cast hunkered down at a hotel down the road. The secrecy applied to "everyone, even the actors," recalled Manzanares. "They would get pages, they'd go to their hotel room and read, but they couldn't take the script out." - Rattlesnakes - The secrecy surrounding "Oppenheimer" was not entirely unusual for a film of its scale and fame. Media outlets are hungry for any on-set photos, production gossip or script fragments, any of which can spoil a major movie before its premiere. Once the Los Alamos scenes were complete, the fake town's "laboratories" were removed, as were telephone poles that would soon have blown down in gusty winds. But producers agreed to leave around a dozen wooden structures standing -- the first time a movie production filmed at Ghost Ranch has been allowed to do so. That meant the set needed to remain secret for more than a year after filming wrapped. The site will eventually be used for other movies, such as Westerns. But before then, from next month, the ranch owners will start offering an "Oppenheimer Tour." They hope to capitalize if -- as expected -- the movie wins multiple Oscars, including best picture, on March 10. Employees are currently working to prepare the remote site, which was left to the elements for months. "We went up there, we found rattlesnakes and black widows," said Ghost Ranch tours manager Julia Haywood. "It is perfectly safe now," she added. amz/hg/sst The George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge is expected to partially reopen to vehicle traffic by 6 p.m. Saturday following a Friday semitruck crash and dramatic mid-air rescue. Firefighters rescued the driver of the semitruck from its cabin Friday afternoon as it dangled off the bridge above the Ohio River. The bridge, also known as the Second Street Bridge, will remain closed to pedestrian traffic, pending repairs. Heres what we know about the crash. What caused the Second Street Bridge crash? The trailer of the semi-truck is pulled up on the Second Street Bridge Friday afternoon. One person was rescued from the vehicle. Mar. 1, 2024 Investigators are still working to figure out the factors behind Friday's bridge crash. The multi-vehicle collision around noon Friday involved two passenger vehicles, a pickup truck and a semitruck, according to early information from the Louisville Metro Police Department. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said Saturday that, according to witnesses, a vehicle going south on the bridge hit a stalled vehicle that was in the right lane of southbound traffic. After the impact, the driver of the moving vehicle lost control, crossed into the northbound lane, and hit the semitruck, which was traveling north. That, in turn, caused the semitruck to go through the guardrails and partially off the bridge. There are no cameras on the bridge, Greenberg said, so no surveillance video is believed to exist of the incident. The semitruck driver was taken to the hospital with what police said were not life-threatening injuries. Two other people who were in another vehicle involved in the crash were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Greenberg said Saturday that one person, the operator of the southbound vehicle, remained at the hospital with serious injuries. Asked if any criminal charges could be filed in the matter, Greenberg said the crash investigation is ongoing. How was the semitruck driver rescued? The crash led to the semitruck going off the side of the west side of the bridge. Pictures from the scene show the semitrucks rear wheels lifted off the roadway, with the rear top corner of the trailer seemingly wedged into a steel beam on the bridge infrastructure. About half the vehicle was hanging off the bridge at the time of the rescue. Firefighter Bryce Carden lifts a driver out of the cab of a tractor trailer on the Clark Memorial (Second Street) Bridge on Friday, March 1, 2024 Firefighter Bryce Carden, 29, rescued the semitrucks driver at 12:45 p.m., according to Louisville Fire Chief Brian O'Neill, who said she was "extremely lucky" the semitruck did not fall into the river. Louisville Fire and Rescue lowered Carden in a harness from a ladder truck to reach the trailer's driver, secure her and lift her back onto the bridge. "She was just praying. She was praying a lot, and I prayed with her," Carden said Friday. Built in 1929 and reconstructed in 1958, the bridge spans the Ohio River, connecting downtown Louisville with Jeffersonville, Indiana. 'Tremendously lucky': Woman rescued from truck hanging from Clark Memorial Bridge When will the Second Street Bridge reopen? One woman is rescued by a Louisville Metro Firefighter Bryce Carden after a tractor trailer ran off the bridge and was left hanging above the Ohio River following a collision on the Clark Memorial Bridge. March 1, 2024 Officials announced mid-afternoon Saturday that most lanes on the bridge would reopen by 6 p.m. Saturday to vehicular traffic only. The bridge's southbound left lane and both northbound lanes are due to open by 6 p.m. on March 2. Both northbound and southbound pedestrian sidewalks will remain closed. Is the bridge safe to drive on? Kentucky Transportation Cabinet engineers inspect the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge over the Ohio River on March 2 following a multi-vehicle crash the day before that sent a semitruck over the side of the bridge, leading to a rescue that captured national attention. Bridge inspectors with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet assessed damages Friday and again Saturday morning to see what repairs would be needed and how soon the bridge could safely reopen. The investigation found damage was contained to the bridge's pedestrian sidewalk area, said State Highway Engineer James Ballinger at a Saturday news conference. While there is damage that needs to be repaired, the assessment confirms that the bridge is safe for vehicular travel, he said. The damages ... do not affect the bridges structural integrity. Details are forthcoming on future repairs, though Ballinger said he doesn't expect future long-term closures. Plans are in the works to repair damaged hand railing and sidewalk, along with steel repairs to sidewalk supports. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet engineers inspect the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge over the Ohio River on March 2 following a multi-vehicle crash the day before that sent a semitruck over the side of the bridge, leading to a rescue that captured national attention. As such, the bridge is closed to pedestrian traffic. Crews are putting up new signs and barriers to discourage people from crossing the bridge on foot. Please do not walk around the signs and barriers, Greenberg said, telling the public to use the Big Four Bridge for pedestrian crossing. This is for your safety and the safety of the drivers. The state plans to use an existing contractor that recently did repairs on another section of the bridge to make the upcoming repairs. What did inspection crews do to assess the bridge? Bridge inspections have begun on the George Rogers Clark bridge. Engineers are using a snooper truck to initially assess conditions under the deck. Daytime inspections will also take place tomorrow. The bridge is still closed to traffic. pic.twitter.com/NCT61bN9Yb KYTCDistrict5 (@KYTCDistrict5) March 2, 2024 Engineers used drones Friday for an initial inspection of the bridges sidewalk and railing, followed by a physical inspection both above and below the bridge. The semitruck was cleared from the bridge just before 8 p.m. Friday by Suburban Towing, allowing inspectors full access to the scene. Transportation officials said the sidewalk support under the deck that connects to the adjacent bridge structure was a particular area of focus. In a Saturday press conference, Ballinger called the incident "extremely rare and unusual. He said in the last five years, state crash data shows fewer than 20 incidents of roadway departures or other crashes of this type on the bridge. He noted an estimated 40 million vehicles crossed that bridge in that timeframe. Truck hanging off Second Street Bridge in Louisville on Friday, March 1, 2024. Reporter Matthew Glowicki can be reached at mglowicki@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4000 or on Twitter @mattglo. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 2nd Street Bridge partially reopen following truck accident Unearthed Officials are worried that rising global temperatures could cause disposed nuclear waste, dating back to the Cold War, to resurface. According to a January report by the US Government Accountability Office, as spotted by ABC News, waste beneath former nuclear weapons testing sites could be unearthed by 2100 if temperatures continue to rise at current rates. Climate change could spread the contamination of these testing sites by spreading the contaminated soil or having it enter the oceans, a worrying escalation of an already immense environmental problem. Rising Tides It's not just the United States, either. Nuclear waste across the globe could be affected. Nuclear power plant waste that's been frozen in ice sheets in Greenland could melt as well, per the report. And the clock is ticking: the Greenland Ice Sheet's melting at unexpectedly fast rates, scientists have found. In the Marshall Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the central Pacific Ocean where the US conducted 67 nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958, rising sea levels could disturb disposed radioactive waste and potentially contaminate local water supplies. Despite initial cleanup missions during the Cold War, troops didn't account for longer-term changes in the environment, critics argue. "The military was in the rush of the Cold War," North Carolina State University associate professor of nuclear engineering Robert Hayes told ABC News. "In hindsight, they could have done a better job." Fortunately, especially for regions that are near an ocean where huge amounts of water could easily dilute the threat of nuclear contamination, the risk remains relatively low. "There is generally a public fear that is much higher than the actual risk," Hayes told ABC News. In other words, according to Hayes, we'll have much "greater issues from climate change" that we'll be grappling with than from a pesky distraction like, say, nuclear waste. More on nuclear waste: Experts Alarmed by Barrels of Radioactive Waste Off the Coast of LA A cold storm system is set to bring rain and gusty winds to Southern California this weekend, causing the National Weather Service to issue a High Surf Advisory for communities along the coast. Large breaking waves of up to seven feet may be accompanied by dangerous rip currents, especially at westward facing beaches in Los Angeles County, NWS said. Former NBA player, actor gets 90 years to life in California State Prison for violent sexual assaults Further north, west facing beaches in Ventura County may see swells of up to ten feet. Residents are advised to watch for minor flooding of some beach areas, and inexperienced boaters are encouraged to remain in port. There is an increased risk for ocean drowning rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea, weather officials said. Large breaking waves can cause injury, wash people off beaches and rocks and capsize small boats near shore. Coastal communities brace for high surf as cold storm system hits Southern California And while a few locals may see the big waves and grab a surfboard, others from out of town know better than to mess with Mother Nature. US military aircraft airdrop thousands of meals into Gaza in emergency humanitarian aid operation [I guess] experienced surfers know the tides and the rip currents already, David Priestas, who is visiting Hermosa Beach from Pennsylvania, told KTLA 5s Carlos Herrera. I would not go in there. The storm system, which is not expected to be as strong as the some of the storms SoCal experienced in February, is expected to linger until Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. The Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Bishop of Dover, said Anglicans needed to 'further embed racial justice' - Julian Simmonds The Church of England is hiring a deconstructing whiteness officer to combat racial injustice. The 36,000-a-year role is part of a new 11-person racial justice unit being set up by the Diocese of Birmingham to work across the West Midlands. The job advertisement comes just a week after the General Synod, the Churchs legislative body, approved a motion that told all parishes to draw up race action plans. The Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Bishop of Dover, told Synod on Feb 25 that Anglicans needed to further embed racial justice and should not be afraid of being called woke. But critics of the new racial justice unit which will work across the dioceses of Birmingham, Coventry, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield and Worcester accused the Church of drinking the critical race Kool Aid and indulging in student politics. The irony of many of these projects is they are importing American perspectives and overlaying them on a country that is incredibly tolerant, the Rev Daniel French, vicar of Salcombe, Cornwall, and co-host of the Irreverend podcast, told The Telegraph. No less than 80 per cent of the worldwide Anglican Communion is black, and their black theology is very conservative. But you never see the Church paying any attention to that. Attempt to end racism Proponents of deconstructing whiteness argue that white people are more privileged than those of other ethnicities, that there are characteristics and habits which are distinctly white and that these are deemed by society to be the norm. They argue that deconstructing, or dismantling, these ideas is the only way to end racism. The job, whose advertisement does not itself define deconstructing whiteness, is one of 11 being funded by the Church of Englands national racial justice unit. That unit is part of the Archbishops Council, an executive body which is led by the archbishops of Canterbury and York. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, has previously called the Church, which he has led since 2013, institutionally racist. The Rev Marcus Walker, rector of St Bartholomew the Great in the City of London and chairman of the Save the Parish campaign group, said: Its hard to overestimate how shocking this is. This is the Church, whose scripture tells us there is neither Jew nor Greek but all are one in Christ Jesus, telling a whole category of person that one of their intrinsic characteristics their ethnicity needs to be deconstructed. He added: When yet another round of figures show that yet again the CofE has lost an even greater portion of the population, I wonder if any of those in charge will ask themselves what part they played in telling so many Anglicans that they are no longer welcome in their church. A Photoshop joke The Rev Leonard Payne said he thought the advert was a joke, a Photoshop job when he first saw it and that the Church should spend the funds on overstretched parish ministry instead. There does seem to be some theological illiteracy and Im afraid the key players here are the bench of bishops who in their efforts to balance the books, over-reach in their destruction of parishes, he said. The national racial justice unit was set up by the Church of England after it was recommended in its From Lament To Action race report, which was commissioned in the wake of George Floyds death in May 2020. It is led by the Rev Guy Hewitt, Britains former high commissioner to Barbados, who was a prominent campaigner for the Windrush generation of Caribbean migrants. A spokesperson for the Diocese of Birmingham said: The CofE Birmingham is seeking to respond to the Lament to Action report. The strong relationships between neighbouring dioceses in the Midlands have led to a collaborative joint response to the report. This approach has enabled the larger regionally deployed team you have identified, enabling a far stronger response to the Lament to Action report across the Midlands dioceses. 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. Democrats said they were "extremely disappointed" after a fresh attempt to increase Pell grant funding was nixed. On Tuesday, the Biden administration promised that hundreds of thousands more students than it originally thought would qualify for federal financial aid to pay for college this year. By Thursday, that promise had disappeared. Congress slapped it down, as lawmakers squabbled to reach an agreement on a temporary measure to keep the federal government's lights on. Some of them accused the Biden administration of overstepping its authority. The Education Department said it was just trying to give more help to families who need it. The blame game is only stressing colleges out more, after the people who put together financial aid offers spent a week in limbo because of all the political back-and-forth. Some, including Karen McCarthy, the vice president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, worry the turmoil in Washington might only end up delaying financial aid offers to students even further over the coming months. "Theyre all scrambling to figure out what their plan is now," she said, referring to the software providers that work with colleges, during a podcast interview this week. The quiet battle among congressional budget experts was prompted by a sudden request from the Biden administration on Monday. The Education Department abruptly briefed them that the agency planned to direct billions of additional dollars next year to the federal Pell grant program. Pell grants help low-income families pay for college. The move would have increased financial aid for potentially hundreds of thousands. But it also would have quickly depleted Congress' reserves for the program, threatening that same aid in the years to come. Money for that program was already disappearing and fast. New research published just last week suggested Congress Pell coffers would run dry by 2026, endangering financial help for millions. The new demand wouldve required Congress to pass more funding by later this year amid a presidential election, when federal lawmakers often sit on their hands. Some congressional staffers felt blindsided. By the time the news got around Congress on Thursday, Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the chairwoman of the House education committee, derided the Education Department for what she called an 11th hour demand with the potential to cripple the Pell Grant program by creating a $7 billion funding gap. It was part and parcel, in Foxxs mind, of the agencys botched rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. In recent months, criticism of the Biden administration over the FAFSA has been a rare area of bipartisan agreement. Though the form is used by millions of students and parents annually, the Education Departments computer systems for it havent been fully modernized in decades. In 2019, a federal watchdog was sounding the alarm about it, and not long after, Congress passed a bipartisan law to streamline the form, hoping to get more money for school into the hands of families with the most need. Yet since then, technical errors and unforeseen delays have left broad swaths of students and colleges feeling whiplash. This week was no different. Read more: Millions of students may have just weeks to compare college financial aid offers The Education Department unexpectedly said Tuesday it came across a mistake in the roughly three-year-old law. Because of the oversight, the agency said it had been short-changing a large chunk of students. That morning, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona announced new technical updates'' to the form, but he was vague on the details. Questions immediately started to swirl in the higher ed community, and in Washington, about whether the department was overstepping its authority to fix the error, or whether Congress had to pass a new law. Everything changed by Thursday. After days of congressional negotiations, President Joe Biden signed a stopgap spending measure Friday that, while keeping the federal governments lights on for a few more weeks, also reversed his own education secretarys announcement from just a few days earlier. It set aside about $8 billion for the Pell program, protecting its funding through 2027, but at lower levels than what the Biden administration was intending. Read more: Congress passes short-term deal to avert partial government shutdown As the dust settled, everyone seemed to be a little miffed Democrats with the end result, and Republicans with how the Biden administration went about it. I am extremely disappointed in this outcome, said Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., in a statement Thursday. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said the same thing. The debacle hasnt done anything to bolster the already-tenuous level of trust between the federal government and college officials across the country, many of whom have spent the last few months pulling their hair out amid a barrage of problems with the new FAFSA. And its only further evidence of just how unpredictable and political the rollout has become, even as the Education Department is insisting the back-and-forth wont delay things any further. The Departments top priority continues to be making sure that all students can access the maximum financial aid that they are entitled to under the law, an Education Department spokesperson said in a statement. We are committed to implementing the FAFSA Simplification Act as written by Congress and will implement this update without any changes to our implementation timeline. Some people arent persuaded, according to Jon Fansmith, the senior vice president for government relations at the American Council on Education, higher eds top advocacy group. It sort of feels like when a kid proactively says I didnt do something, he said in an interview. You absolutely did it then. Bryce McKibben, who helped draft the legislation that passed in 2020, commended Congress for coming up with a solution on a quick timeline. "This bill provides a timely fix to an inadvertent drafting error in the FAFSA Simplification Act which, left unaddressed, could have exacerbated a looming Pell Grant shortfall," he wrote on X. Short-term Pell bill indefinitely stalled The disarray also appeared to help pump the brakes on another bill to expand college financial aid. The Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act, which is supported by both Scott and Foxx, was originally set to hit the House floor this week. It would extend Pell grants to college programs as short as eight weeks. Supporters of the legislation say it's desperately needed and would help low-income students afford tuition for technical classes in trades like welding. Opponents say many of those types of short-term programs, even just 15 weeks long, are already eligible for Pell grant funding. Under the bill, even online-only programs would qualify for the vouchers. If it became law, critics say for-profit colleges would ultimately use the new money as an opportunity to take advantage of vulnerable students. Its really hard to imagine an 8-week program thats going to give you access to the middle class, said Rachel Fishman, the acting director of the education policy program at the think tank New America. Dissent over bold proposals to pay for the bill have left some of higher ed's biggest lobbying groups vocally against the measure at least as it's currently written. It's unclear when the legislation might be considered again. Zachary Schermele covers education and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College financial aid faced tumult during federal shutdown melee NCF Freedom is an organization that has been working to fully protect the future of New College of Florida as a unique public liberal arts college that honors academic freedom, educational innovation and collaborative student-guided learning. We are also working to promote New College's foundational values of open discourse within a just, diverse, equitable and inclusive community. Kathleen Coty Recently, the administration of New College distributed a press release implying that it has prevailed in a lawsuit filed against it by NCF Freedom since the suit has been "voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiffs." While this is technically true, it is important to clarify the significance of this outcome beyond the legalese and political spin. In reality, the lawsuit was not set aside because of the success of the colleges administration. In fact, the lawsuit succeeded in exposing SB 266 which is commonly referred to as "The Higher Education Censorship Bill" for what it is: vague legislation that has no enforcement mechanism and has been solely designed for political gain and bullying. NCF Freedom filed the suit against SB 266 because the legislation had the potential to significantly censor higher education and impact academic freedom. As the proceedings developed, the state was forced to take the position that the bill does not apply to students and teachers. Members of the audience turn their backs and hold up "Protect Academic Freedom" signs after the board of trustees of New College denies early tenure to five professors at a meeting in April 2023. Some protesters are wearing T-shirts with the words, "BAN THE FASCISTS SAVE THE BOOKS." The state's position led presiding U.S. District Judge Mark Walker to determine that NCF Freedom, a membership organization that includes students and faculty, did not have legal standing as plaintiffs because the students and faculty would not be harmed by the bill. Let's put it another way: In order to get the case dismissed, the state had to resort to arguing that SB 266, which was introduced with much bluster and fanfare, is in reality toothless. As a result, the bill can neither be enforced nor struck down as unconstitutional under the First Amendment. And it is now clear that the bill was nothing more than a political ploy designed to have a chilling effect on Floridas educators and students, with the added bonus of appearing to be a political victory for the bill's supporters. Unfortunately, its worked: just look at the number of educators who are leaving Florida. Sadly, this complaint is not likely to be our last; indeed, we stand ready to pursue legal remedies as soon as the New College administration institutes policies or programs that impact academic freedom and student learning. If our efforts to hold New College accountable are a distraction for the current administration, it should make sure that its actions do not violate constitutional rights. In this specific case, our work has also demonstrated to students and faculty throughout the state that they cannot be censored by SB 226 without their consent. At a time when research shows that Floridians are increasingly uncomfortable with politicians rather than educators dictating curriculums and policies at our institutions of public education, we know that our work has never been more relevant. Our goals and objectives are absolutely aligned with what taxpaying Floridians want for their schools and their children. We will persist. Kathleen Coty is treasurer of NCF Freedom and a New College Charter Class alumna. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: NCF Freedom will protect the rights of New College students, educators WASHINGTON No Supreme Court justice seemed eager last month to kick former President Donald Trump off the ballot when they heard Trumps challenge to the decision in Colorado that he cant be a candidate. Their apparent agreement on a highly charged political issue that could have divided the justices along ideological lines suggested a speedy decision on a case that had already been expedited. But Colorado holds its primary Tuesday, and the court has stayed silent. Voters are also going to the polls in Maine, another state where Trumps ballot eligibility is waiting for a ruling from the high court. And in Illinois, which votes March 19, a judge last Wednesday relied on the same anti-insurrectionist section of the Constitution used by Colorado to declare that Trump cannot be a candidate a decision the judge immediately put on hold until the Supreme Court acts. Experts say theyre not surprised by the delay. If the justices comments during oral arguments correctly indicate they will eventually side with Trump, theres less urgency to act. Thats because the moves to remove Trump from Colorados and Maines ballots remain paused until the Supreme Court weighs in. 'Votes for Trump will be counted' It is hard to predict exactly how the U.S. Supreme Court will decide the case, but it is very unlikely that the SCOTUS decision will retroactively alter the outcome of the Colorado primary election, said David Sloss, a constitutional law professor at Santa Clara University. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who had urged the Supreme Court to keep Trump off the states ballot, said she had been hoping for, and expecting, a decision two weeks ago. Because at the end of the day, it would be better for Coloradans and Americans to know where the Supreme Court is, she said. If we do not have a decision before we start announcing results on Tuesday night, votes for Trump will be counted. Protestors gather outside the United States Supreme Court as the court reviews a ruling by a Colorado court that barred former President Donald Trump from appearing on the states Republican primary ballot due to his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attacks on the U.S. Capitol. Supreme Court is expected to side with Trump During their Feb. 8 oral arguments, the justices from both sides of the ideological divide questioned the real-world consequences of a state knocking a major presidential candidate off the ballot. I think that the question that you have to confront is why a single state should decide who gets to be president of the United States, Justice Elena Kagan, one of the courts three liberal justices, told the attorney for the Colorado voters challenging Trumps eligibility. Rick Hasen, a professor and election law expert at the University of California, Irvine School of Law, said the courts delay in writing up its decision would only be surprising if a majority were going to side with Colorado. But it seemed from oral argument that the court will not say that, and the Colorado Supreme Court put its order on hold, so things were not urgent, Hasen said. Still, he added, the court knows it has to act. Last Wednesdays decision by an Illinois judge that Trump is ineligible makes that clear. Its possible, Hasen said, that the court could issue a decision before Illinois March 19th primary. 'Myriad reasons' possible for the delay Given the justices apparent consensus during oral arguments, its taking longer than many people anticipated for a decision, said Notre Dame Law School Professor Derek Muller, who has been closely following the ballot eligibility issue. The delay could be because theyre trying to reach common ground on the reasons for overturning Colorados ruling. Or, if they cant, they may need time for multiple justices to write up separate opinions that arrive at the same conclusion. There are myriad reasons why it is taking time, but there's no question is puts the public in a worse spot if voters lack guidance on this topic as they are voting, Muller said. Cardozo Law School professor Alex Reinert, who clerked for Justice Stephen Breyer, said the justices need to be as careful as they can on such an important issue to make sure they anticipate the consequences of the reasons they give. One potential consequence is to their own credibility. While justices were expressing concerns about one state deciding the election for the entire country, Reinert said, thats an issue of federalism and doesnt address the legal arguments for disqualifying Trump. It didnt strike me as particularly compelling from a legal rationale, he said. It might be more compelling from a political or pragmatic rationale. More: Trump's Supreme Court appeal to be on Colorado ballot relies on these 5 arguments Norma Anderson, lead plaintiff in the lawsuit seeking to remove former President Donald Trump from the Colorado ballot, speaks to members of the press outside the United States Supreme Court after the court reviewed a ruling by a Colorado court that barred former President Donald Trump from appearing on the states Republican primary ballot due to his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attacks on the U.S. Capitol. Ballots have already been cast The chief counsel for the watchdog group representing the Colorado voters who challenged Trumps eligibility said the delay indicates to him that the off-ramps many pundits thought were available to the Supreme Court arent that simple. And that, ultimately, were right on the facts and the law. And Id be happy for the Supreme Court to take the time that they need to get there, said Donald Sherman, chief counsel for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). The issue of Trumps disqualification will remain a valid issue until the Supreme Court decides or until the general election. A spokesman for the Trump campaign, which has called the ballot challenges anti-democratic, did not respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, early voters in Colorado have had access to ballots since mid-February. More than 830,000 had been returned as of Friday. Griswold, the secretary of state, said her office has received few questions from voters about the issue. And she said voters will still be able to express their views on Trump no matter what the Supreme Court decides. In reality, whether Trump is on the ballot or not, she said, the American people will have all the power to save democracy and make their voices heard in the November election. A landmark case? Takeaways from Trump's immunity claim at Supreme Court This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court decision on Trump eligibility pending as Colorado votes Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has announced personnel changes among brigade commanders whose actions endanger the lives and health of their subordinates. Source: Syrskyi on Telegram Quote from Syrskyi: "I continue to work on the eastern front. Over the course of three days, it has become quite clear why, given the same levels of personnel, weapons and military equipment, some brigades manage to deter enemy attacks and hold their positions while others do not. First and foremost, it depends on the brigade commander, his level of training, experience, ability to make relevant and balanced decisions, and understanding of the full extent of responsibility for the performance of tasks and for the lives and health of his subordinates. Indeed, the level of training and cohesion of the brigade headquarters, through which the commander exercises his authority, is of great importance. That is why I have sent teams of specialists to certain brigades where there are problems with staff training to share their experience and provide assistance. After hearing from brigade commanders and their deputies, all the necessary decisions were made to provide reserves, ammunition, UAVs and other equipment. In some cases, when a commander does not know the situation and his actions and commands directly threaten the lives and health of his subordinates, I have to make personnel decisions." Details: Syrskyi also praised the actions of the 54th Separate Mechanised Brigade, which destroyed two convoys of Russian armoured vehicles with accurate artillery fire combined with skilful mining, as well as the resilience and courage of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade and 47th Separate Mechanised Brigade in the battles for Orlivka and Berdychi, and the determination and courage of the 79th Airborne Assault Brigade in repelling Russian attacks near Novomykhailivka. Syrskyi also spoke of the positive results of replacing one of the brigades on the front line after two years of continuous fighting and moving to the rear to restore combat capability. This is likely to be about the 110th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after Marko Bezruchko, which defended Avdiivka. Support UP or become our patron! Algerian Energy and Mines Minister Mohamed Arkab (R) and Secretary-General of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Mohamed Hamel attend a press conference after a ministerial meeting for the 7th GECF Summit in Algiers, Algeria, on March 1, 2024. Senegal became an observer member of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) on Friday, joining the group of major gas producers at a ministerial meeting in Algiers, the Algerian energy ministry said. (Xinhua) ALGIERS, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Senegal became an observer member of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) on Friday, joining the group of major gas producers at a ministerial meeting in Algiers, the Algerian energy ministry said. The meeting was a prelude to the 7th GECF summit, scheduled for Saturday, in the Algerian capital, where heads of state and government, as well as other senior officials and experts, will discuss the role of natural gas in the global energy transition. Algerian Energy and Mines Minister Mohamed Arkab, who chaired the meeting, stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation among gas producers and consumers to highlight the benefits of natural gas as a clean, reliable, and affordable energy source, the ministry said in a statement. The GECF, now comprised of 12 member states and 8 observer states, represents about 70 percent of the world's natural proven gas reserves. Algerian Energy and Mines Minister Mohamed Arkab (L) and Secretary-General of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Mohamed Hamel (R) welcome Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, the minister of mineral resources, oil and gas of Angola, before a ministerial meeting for the 7th GECF Summit in Algiers, Algeria, on March 1, 2024. Senegal became an observer member of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) on Friday, joining the group of major gas producers at a ministerial meeting in Algiers, the Algerian energy ministry said. (Xinhua) For more than two decades, no one listened to Sally Leydon as she begged for help to find her mother who mysteriously vanished during a trip abroad in 1997. At the time, Australian police dismissed her concerns, insisting that her mother, Marion Barter, had disappeared by choice, and wanted nothing to do with her family. It was a story Leydon refused to accept, and on Thursday her efforts to find her mother led to a crowded courtroom in western Sydney, where a coroner handed down her findings in an inquest spanning almost three years. For many, the final inquest hearing offered the ultimate live update of The Lady Vanishes, an Australian podcast that has meticulously pieced together evidence in the case since the first episode aired in March 2019. On Thursday morning, Leydons most loyal Australian supporters crammed into the courtroom, wearing green, Barters favorite color, as the podcasts followers in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Europe, the United Kingdom and beyond tuned into a live YouTube feed as Magistrate Teresa OSullivan delivered her findings. Marion Barter is deceased, and died some unknown time after October 15, 1997, said OSullivan from the bench. Barters body has never been found. Leydon didnt need a coroner to confirm her mothers death she has long accepted that painful truth in the absence of any evidence otherwise. But the coroners words confirmed what shed suspected for years that the early police investigation into her mothers disappearance was botched, and that Ric Blum a convicted conman now in his 80s, who admitted having an affair with Barter in the months before she vanished had lied repeatedly on the stand and knew more about her mothers disappearance than he was letting on. A mother vanishes In 1997, Marion Barter was ready for a change, and on June 22, she boarded a plane from Brisbane, Australia to the United Kingdom with plans for a holiday and perhaps a fresh start. In rather dramatic fashion, the 51-year-old teacher had quit her job halfway through the school year, sold her house, and put her beloved antiques into storage on the understanding that one day shed come home to get them, or have them shipped to her, if she settled in the UK. As far as anyone knew, she was traveling alone. After three marriages and divorces, Barter was single with two children who were in their 20s and engaged to their partners. Leydon told CNN she encouraged her to go and Barter arrived safely in the UK in late June 1997. She kept in touch with friends and family with postcards and a letter. On August 1, Barter phoned Leydon purportedly from a payphone in Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England. Leydon, then 24 years old, told the podcast she had just finished telling her mother about the wedding dress shed bought when the payphone ran out of credit. She never heard from her mother again. At first Leydon didnt dwell on the silence, but on October 18, when Barter didnt phone her son, Leydons brother Owen, for his birthday, she started to worry. One of the first calls Leydon made was to Barters bank to see if her mother was using her account. Regular amounts were coming out, a bank worker told her, but not from the UK. Someone in Australia had been using her mothers identification to withdraw 5,000 Australian dollars ($3,450.00) every day for three weeks over the counter in Byron Bay and the Gold Coast, where Barter used to live. A shocked Leydon was sure it wasnt her mother and reported it to the police. Then came the response that set Leydon on a course thats consumed most of her adult life. Police told her that the bank confirmed that her mother had withdrawn her money and wanted nothing to do with her family. Barter had returned to Australia, they said, and wanted to disappear. Marion Barter with her two children Owen and Sally. - The Lady Vanishes/Facebook A new life, and a new name Years went by with little information about what happened to Barter, until an intriguing clue emerged via a police investigation that belatedly began a decade later. Barter had changed her name in the weeks before she left and returned to Australia on August 2, 1997 just one day after she last spoke with Leydon. Barters new name was Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel, and her incoming passenger card listed her as a married resident of Luxembourg, according to the inquest. The name Remakel opened new doors that led police to Blum. In 1994, Blum placed an advertisement in an Australian-French newspaper, describing himself as a single, 47-year-old tall, dark, sober man, who was looking for a relationship with a view to marriage. The ad was signed Mr. F. Remakel, but the phone number linked to a coin business in the New South Wales town of Ballina run by one of Blums many aliases. The inquest heard Blum held at least 10 passports in different names that he used for international travel. He told the inquest he frequently adopted new aliases for fantasy because it was legal. I didnt have a specific purpose, he said. When asked what name he was given at birth, Blum replied, I dont really know. But on the record of my birth I was declared Willy Coppenolle. This marks the mysterious beginning of Mr. Blums life, the coroner noted in her findings. Ric Blum told the NSW Coroner's court that he last saw Barter in June 1997, just before she left Australia. - Courtesy Bryan Seymour A man of many names Blum was born in July 1939 to unmarried parents in Tournai, Belgium, a picturesque city near the French border. He said he spent time in an orphanage before being returned to his mother and taking the name of her new husband Wouters. Blum arrived in Australia as Willy Wouters in 1969 but left just a year later. His next destination was France, where he was imprisoned for fraud, forgery, confidence tricks, and giving a false identity, the inquest heard. After his release in 1974, he returned to Australia by boat, and in February 1976 became an Australian citizen under the name Frederick de Hedervary. Around the same time, Blum married his fourth wife a 19-year-old woman he met in 1969 on the boat from the United Kingdom to whom he is still married. Frederick and Diane de Hedervary settled into life in Australia before moving to Luxembourg, Belgium, and the UK for several years, and then returning to Australia in 1986. By then, they had two children. In 1997, the family was living in regional New South Wales, where Blum collected a disability pension and his wife received a carers pension. When it was put to Blum in court that at that time money was tight, he agreed. Blum told the court he began an affair with Barter in February that year, though its unclear how they met it may have been through the personal advertisement that Blum placed in 1994, presenting himself as Mr F. Remakel. He claimed he may have answered an ad placed by Barter, but the coroner could find no evidence of that. Blum said their affair ended in the weeks before she went overseas in June when he told her he couldnt see her anymore because he was married with children. He testified the last time he saw her was three weeks before she left for the UK, when she collected tea chests shed left at his house with a man in uniform, who he took to be a navy officer or a pilot. Deceived lovers The real Mr. F. Remakel is the ex-husband of a woman Blum once knew, Monique Cornelius, who claimed they had an affair, which Blum denies. According to testimony read out in court in February 2022, Cornelius told police Blum was a serial liar who told her he worked as a special agent at the British Embassy in Luxembourg. She said he wrote her a letter in 1980 professing his love for her and suggesting he would buy a boat so they could sail away together. I am intimately persuaded that you will not regret your decision to leave with me and to start a new life, he wrote in the letter, which was read to the court. Their affair ended when she found out he was married and kicked him out, Cornelius told police. Blum told the court Cornelius had lied about their relationship, which was platonic, he said. Other women told the inquest of their encounters with the man now known as Blum. Some were romantic, others not. But all involved allegations of deceit. Ginette Gaffney-Bowan told the court that she placed an advertisement in a newspaper in the late-1990s that was answered by Blum, who she knew as Frederick De Hedervary. She said at that time, she was extremely lonely and working long hours in her childcare business. Gaffney-Bowan said Blum told her he had lost his home, so she said he could stay in the studio apartment at her property in Sydney during his frequent trips to the city. She said their relationship wasnt sexual, and instead he proposed a business partnership, dealing in coins. With dreams of closing her stressful childcare business, she gave him 30,000 Australian dollars ($19,500) in start-up funding. Soon after, he proposed that she sell her house so he could buy her what he called a beautiful and spacious apartment in Paris, she said. She refused. Gaffney-Bowan told the court Blum belittled her and tried to drive a wedge between her and her daughters over the sale of her house. While Blum didnt physically hurt her, she told the court he tried to blackmail her with nude photos he had taken of her. She said she became scared of him, went to the police and was granted an apprehended violence order in early 1999. Blum told the court that Gaffney-Bowan had dragged me into a bed and asked him to take salacious photos of her, which he didnt have developed. He denied taking her money. Another lonely divorcee, Janet Oldenburg told the court she met Blum, who she knew as Rick or Rich in 1996 through her husbands coin-collecting circles where they both lived in New South Wales. They reconnected in 1999 when she was 51 years old and had just finalized her divorce, she said. Blum had offered her a job, but before shed started, she said he urged her to move with him to the French Riviera to start a new life. Blum denied ever telling Oldenburg he had feelings for her and said he had bought her a one-way ticket to Europe because she wanted to find an agent and start a new career as a belly dancer. Oldenburg claimed that Blum abandoned her in England during their travels after inventing a story that hed been attacked at a train station while taking a side business trip to Lille, France. Blum admitted in court that hed abandoned her in England because he no longer wanted anything to do with her. My life was with my wife and kids in Australia, he said. He denied her claims hed stolen jewelry and the title deeds to her house. Several years later, Ghislaine Danlois-Dubois met Blum in 2006 through an advertisement she posted in a newspaper seeking companionship. Via video link from Brussels, she told the court she knew him as Frederick de Hedervary. An image of Ric Blum believed to be from 2008. - Courtesy Joni Condos At the time, Danlois-Dubois was a 72-year-old widow looking for a distraction, and quickly fell in love with the stranger, who told her he was a bank manager from Australia with an interest in coins, she said. Danlois-Dubois told the court that after a whirlwind romance, de Hedervary suggested they get married on the Indonesian island of Bali, and that she should sell her house and give him the proceeds so he could open bank accounts for her children, so they had ready cash when they came to visit them in Australia. She said she refused his requests to keep their impending marriage secret from her children, and he disappeared with her money, some 60,000 euros ($65,000). Blum denied the allegations and told the court Danlois-Dubois didnt give him a penny. Four years later, Blum crossed paths with Andree Flamme, an elderly woman he says was confined to a wheelchair, living with dementia and who couldnt put two words together. When that was put to Flamme, who gave evidence to the inquest via a live link from Portugal last year, the then 92-year-old laughed. She denied ever needing a wheelchair while he stayed with her, and, yes, she said with a smile, she could put two words together. Flamme told the court the man she knew as Frederick de Hedervary stayed with her for several weeks in May and June 2010. While there, she said he asked to inspect her late husbands coin collection, then disappeared with them one day when she left the house for an errand. He left a little piece of paper to say he was leaving, and hed be back but I never saw him again, Flamme said through a translator. Blum has denied the allegations. A sixth woman, Marie Landrieu, submitted a statement to the inquiry alleging that shed been fooled out of cash in 2012 by a man she knew as Willy, who was the cousin of her late husband. She said Blum had proposed they buy a house together in Bali, so she gave him 100,000 euros ($108,000). But after they traveled to Indonesia, he said he needed to leave on urgent business. She never saw him or her money again. Blum told the court Landrieu gave him 50,000 euros ($54,000) in cash that he considered was owed to him from an inheritance from his mother. He denied trying to seduce her, and said they went to the tropical island because she was interested in seeing Bali, according to the inquest findings. Where is Marion? In her findings, Coroner OSullivan said she accepted the testimony of the women, which showed Blum had a history of mispresenting himself to single, vulnerable women for financial gain. She found that Blum exploited Barter, in the same way he later exploited other women who gave evidence against him. OSullivan said she did not accept as accurate anything Mr. Blum has said in the absence of corroborating evidence. As to Blums role in Barters disappearance, she drew attention to an extraordinary claim by Blum on the final day of the inquest, one he made for the first time despite hours of questioning since his first police interview in 2021. Blum, an elderly man with a full white beard, was asked in the witness box once again if he had any information on the whereabouts of Marion Barter. I myself believe she is alive, thats what I believe. But I dont know anything about what, what she did or not, nothing. I dont know, he stammered. OSullivan interjected with a question: Why do you believe Marion is still alive? She said that she wanted to separate from her family, she didnt want anything to do with any member of her family, Blum said. She was a bit of a strange person. The next day, Blum was recalled via video to explain why he hadnt offered this information to police or the inquest at any time in the previous three years. He told the court he didnt tell police when he was interviewed in June 2021 because they never asked. When pushed, he said, I had no idea of the importance of it. It was just talking. What can I say? OSullivan said in her findings, This evidence, along with his lies and deception throughout the inquest has convinced me that he does indeed know more than he is saying. She found Blum formed a relationship with Barter in 1997, while posing as Fernand Remakel and encouraged her to start a new life with him in Luxembourg. The coroner found Blum persuaded or otherwise encouraged Barter to sell her house before they left, and evidence suggested they spent some time together in England. During the trip Barter wrote to her daughter Leydon on notepaper branded Hotel Nikko Narita the same hotel Blum stayed in on his way to Europe. Barter traveled via South Korea, according to her passenger card. It was thought Marion Barter traveled to Europe alone in 1997. - Courtesy Sally Leydon The coroner found that Blum likely gave the hotel notepaper to Barter after they met in England. On her return to Australia, the coroner also found that Barter withdrew money from her accounts in August and October 1997 on the encouragement of Mr. Blum. The day before Barter transferred 80,000 Australian dollars ($52,000) from her bank account, on October 15, 1997, the court heard Blum opened a safety deposit envelope, but the coroner found no evidence that he received the proceeds. OSullivan found that Barter spent some months living in the community undetected, between August and October that year and that during that time, Blum was in contact with her. She said Blums claim that he last saw Barter when she retrieved the tea chests from his house with a man in uniform in June were implausible. And while she determined that Barter was dead, she said there was no evidence to suggest how, why or when she died. The coroner explained that it wasnt in her power to assign blame for Barters death. But she referred the matter to the NSW Police Commissioner for investigation as an unsolved homicide. Despite submissions from Leydons legal team that Blum should be referred to the director of public prosecutions for alleged perjury and making false statements during the inquest, OSullivan said that was best left to police as part of the investigation. The coroner was scathing in her assessment of the initial police response, which she said was inadequate and led to the loss of information that could have determined far earlier what happened to Barter. She also praised Leydons unwavering commitment to finding her mother. Sally Leydon hugs a supporter outside court on Thursday, February 29, the day the coroner handed down her findings in her mother's inquest. - Angus Watson/CNN No remains have yet been located, but Leydons DNA has been added to the New South Wales and national DNA registries, the coroner said. This means that the DNA profile of Sally [Leydon] will remain on the NSW and National DNA databases and will be searched against all unidentified deceased profiles every day, OSullivan said. OSullivan concluded by reading Leydons own words about her mother, Marion Barter, read from her submission. [She was] a kind, caring soul with a wicked laugh. She was intelligent, she was cultured, and she had so many friends who loved and miss her still. She would always bring you flowers or a cake. She was a very generous human. Leydon left the court without speaking with local media, but she did tell CNN affiliate 7 News that her search for answers isnt over. It just doesnt stop just because weve got an answer today from the coroner, she said. Blums believed to be living freely in northern New South Wales and has not faced any charges relating to Barter or any of the other women who gave evidence against him. Through his barrister, Matthew White, SC, Blum declined CNNs emailed request for comment. He and his family request that all media respect their privacy, White said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) A Conway man is accused of holding a person at gunpoint, hitting them in the head and robbing them of $1,200, according to documents obtained by News13. Mikkie Deon Mcleod Jr. is charged with armed robbery and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Officers were dispatched on Feb. 25 to a home on Pine Street about a weapons incident. According to documents, by the time police arrived, Mcleod had fled in a black Jeep Grand Cherokee. Police talked the victim and multiple witnesses and both confirmed that Mcleod had assaulted and robbed the person at gunpoint, documents state. Mcleod is being held without bond at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, according to online booking records. * * * 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. Read the full story on The Auto Wire Corvette Outruns Helicopters In California Police Chase A blue Chevrolet Corvette led authorities on a high-octane chase from the Inland Empire to the heart of downtown Los Angeles late Thursday night. The pursuit, which saw speeds surpassing 140 mph, showcased the driver's reckless disregard for public safety and the law. The chase began in Pomona, quickly escalating as the driver fled into San Bernardino County, only to double back to Los Angeles County, weaving through traffic at breakneck speeds. AIR7 HD captured the nail-biting moments as the suspect navigated the 210 and 605 freeways in the San Gabriel Valley area, pushing the Corvette to its limits. Eyewitnesses and law enforcement watched in disbelief as the vehicle darted across lanes on the 10 Freeway near University Park, narrowly avoiding collisions by driving over gore points and swerving around other cars. The audacity of the maneuvers left many onlookers fearing for the safety of innocent bystanders. As the chase continued onto the streets of downtown L.A., the suspect's driving became increasingly erratic, making the pursuit even more dangerous. Despite the high risk, authorities persisted in their chase, determined to bring the fugitive to justice. However, in a surprising turn of events, the Corvette driver managed to elude capture, disappearing into the night and leaving law enforcement grappling with the aftermath of the pursuit. The initial cause for the chase, as reported by authorities, was a vehicle code violation, with the Corvette lacking proper license plates. This detail, however, paled in comparison to the gravity of the situation that unfolded on the streets of Los Angeles. Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook. EDMOND A senior at Edmond Santa Fe High School, Teddy Doe has had a cellphone since sixth grade. He routinely uses it during school time, often to do research for assignments on websites that are blocked using the electronic device provided by the school district, but sometimes to kill time once his classwork is finished. While access to the cellphone during school hours is not a necessity, he says, its convenient to have. From his perspective, he doesnt see students abusing the privilege of having phones available during school hours. Thats the modern age, where these kids have all grown up with mobile devices, said Teddys father, Doug Doe. Theyre wired for this stuff. Thats the way they have done everything, so its a natural extension of who they are and what they do. Multiple cellphone-related bills were introduced this session in the Oklahoma Legislature Even so, a growing number of superintendents, administrators and teachers see cellphones causing behavior and mental health problems in schools. During the current session of the Oklahoma Legislature, multiple bills advanced that would incentivize districts to develop cellphone-free policies for students during instructional hours. On Wednesday, one of those bills, Senate Bill 1314, was amended to go much further it would mandate cellphone-free school campuses in public schools. After a debate lasting more than 35 minutes in the Appropriations Committee, the bill by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, passed 12-8 and now is eligible to be heard by the full Senate. Senate Education Committee Chairman Adam Pugh and Vice Chair Ally Seifried are pictured Feb. 27 during a meeting at the Oklahoma Capitol. Pughs bill originally had financial incentives attached to it when it was approved by the Education Committee, which he chairs. But he removed those before it was heard in the Appropriations Committee, citing in part a potential $181 million cost he said the state cannot afford. But neither can the state afford to do nothing, he said. This is serious enough in nature that its risen to a level where the state needs to have this discussion, and thats why were doing this, Pugh said. In addition to Pughs bill, companion bills in the state Senate and House of Representatives, authored by Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, and Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, would authorize the Oklahoma State Department of Education to create a one-year pilot program for the 2024-25 academic year. The bills House Bill 3913 and Senate Bill 1321 would provide grants to public middle schools, junior high schools and high schools to incentivize phone-free spaces for student learning. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, asks a question of state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters during a Jan. 24, 2023, education subcommittee meeting at the state Capitol. Seifrieds bill received Education Committee approval and Caldwells bill was approved by a House subcommittee, but neither was heard by their chambers respective Appropriations Committees and wont advance further this session. Still, the idea of a bill on the topic of cellphone-free campuses originated in the Senate with Seifried. At 31, she is one of the youngest legislators at the Capitol, one young enough to have grown up with cellphones in classrooms but old enough to remember when they werent present in great numbers. A bill by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, would mandate cellphone-free school campuses in public schools. It passed 12-8 and now is eligible to be heard by the full Senate. I had my first cellphone in sixth grade. That was very abnormal, Seifried said. I didnt really use it, other than for emergencies. It was not something I thought about very often. Social media hadnt taken off either, until my senior year of high school. I was one of the last kids to be able to have a somewhat normal upbringing before it just permeated every aspect of our lives. Frustrated with the states academic outcomes, she developed the idea for her bill after speaking with teachers and officials from schools in her Rogers County district. Were trying to look for out-of-the-box, innovative solutions really, truly searching for an answer, she said. I wanted to bring that conversation to the state level. Leaders of school districts with cellphone bans already in place are thrilled with the change Claremore Superintendent Bryan Frazier said his district implemented a cellphone ban for this school year at its Will Rogers Junior High School, which serves grades six through eight. Students must put their phones in their lockers before the first bell rings, he said, and arent allowed to access them until the final bell rings to end the school day. Its pretty obvious that students need to be in school, and to be completely in school means you have to be away from your phone, Frazier said. In order for school to be effective, kids need to disengage from other stuff, outside noise, and focus on whats going on. Frazier said the program has reduced student discipline issues, including vaping and bullying. I think to say thats going to be eliminated would be a pipe dream at the middle school level, but overall, discipline is better, he said. Our goal is, if we can get them to focus on the classroom, student learning will improve. Jeremy Atwood, the principal at Silo High School in Bryan County, tells a similar story. The growing southeastern Oklahoma school district had an open cellphone policy for years, but the more freedom you gave, it all started getting out of hand, with social media and all of the hidden platforms that we as adults didnt have the ability to see, he said, estimating that 70% of student disciplinary issues stemmed from social media issues that were brought into the school. Silo High School Principal Jeremy Atwood says his school district has a zero-tolerance policy on cellphone use in the classroom. The district now has a zero-tolerance policy, with no cellphones allowed to be used at the school. Students can leave their cellphones in their car, home or locker. As far as in the classrooms, the teachers love it, Atwood said. The biggest thing we saw, pretty quickly, is that kids were talking to one another again. We just simply decided that we have to protect that 50 minutes, eight hours a day, in the classroom. Instruction is uninterrupted. That is the most important thing. Local control, pushback from parents and students are issues facing legislators, districts Some legislators who approved Pughs bill in the Education Committee did so, but with a caveat, wondering why the Legislature doesnt just implement a statewide ban, and Pugh took their comments to heart, making the changes in the bill before it was heard in the Appropriations Committee. But this approach circumvents the principle of local control, which many at the Republican-dominated Capitol hold dear as do nearly all district superintendents. The chair of the Appropriations Committee, Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, said he voted against the bill for that reason. Pugh said hes very sensitive to the local control issue but noted the Legislature has usurped local control of schools in other areas, such as mandating certain classes. We insert ourselves on local control issues all the time. That puts him at odds with the superintendent of a large school district he represents. I do always believe in local control and that school boards should get to set their own policies for what they want, Edmond Public Schools Superintendent Angela Grunewald said. We do have policies. Sometimes those are harder to enforce than you can even imagine. You also have parents that want to be able to get a hold of their child or want their child to be able to get a hold of them. As Grunewald noted, parental pushback can be an issue when a district considers a cellphone ban. In an era of well-publicized school shootings, the knowledge their child is just a text away can be reassuring. From a safety and security standpoint, I like him being able to have access to it, in case something happens in school, said Doug Doe, the Edmond parent. I can see both sides of it, but I like the idea of him (his son) being able to get to a phone. Christina Brunt, of Oklahoma City, has a similar belief. Her daughter, Eva, is a freshman at Classen School of Advanced Studies. Its important being able to reach her should an emergency arise, be it at school or in our household, Brunt said. Sometimes I need to relay information thats critical or get a hold of her if something happens at school. The other part of it, its not just their physical safety, but their emotional safety. If something happened at lunch or in the classroom or if theres bullying or if theyre just having a rough time, for them to communicate with me about how theyre feeling is important. Eva has another practical reason for wanting her phone at school: You can text your parents when you forget something at home. District leaders understand concerns, but encourage parents to see how cellphone bans work Frazier, the Claremore superintendent, said he understands such concerns, even as he asks parents to route their communication with their student during school hours through the school office. The reality is, when we think about our school safety plan, never ever is a student having a phone part of our emergency plan, he said. Never has been, never will be. If you run it through law enforcement, they say (student with phones) just screw things up. If you have to lock down the building and they show up and want to get their kid, nothing good can come of that. But thats difficult for parents, because theyre so used to telling them to call or text when theyre free. Its been a bit of a process to get used to that. But once they have seen they still have access to their kiddos, theyre OK with it. Added Atwood: The common complaint that weve had, everybody is concerned with what might happen. If somebody were to come into the school, I dont have access to communicate with my child. Our response to that is, youre worried about what might happen, but were worried about every single day in the classroom, and the phone is a distraction for the classroom every single day. State Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, opposes a cellphone ban in schools for safety and security reasons. Those concerns about what might happen led Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, to vote against Pughs bill in the Appropriations Committee, even though shed previously voted for it in the Education Committee hearing. Since that time, I have been contacted by many constituents who are concerned that this Legislature would be banning phones (in schools) before guns, Hicks said. Their specific language to me was, While guns are emboldened to be in our public schools, my child will continue to have their phone for security and safety reasons, and I agree. Teddy Doe thinks if cellphone use by students is limited by the state, there would be some pushback. As a student, its a bit of a privacy issue. Christina Brunt understands the rationale of those supporting cellphone bans, but wonders if some sort of middle ground can be found. Maybe they can have something like a cellphone bin, to put your device in while (teachers) are instructing, she said. Something where the device is in safe keeping with a teacher, but they have access to them if they need it. That might be a good compromise. Pugh doesnt know if his bill will become law this year, but he said the conversation is a necessary one. I dont know where this will go, Pugh told fellow senators. I dont know if well get this over the finish line, because all of you that have spoken, whether it be publicly in this committee or privately to me, youve raised valid concerns I want to address and I will try my best to do that. But I believe in my heart this is the right thing to do for kids, no matter how hard it is policy-wise for us to figure out. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Cellphone ban in Oklahoma schools closer to approval in Legislature One Mississippi lawmaker has proposed a bill to close three of the states public universities as a way to conserve state funds allocated to higher education institutions in the wake of dropping college enrollment rates. State Sen. John Polk authored Senate Bill 2726 which, if passed, would require the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) to shut down three of the eight schools it governs by 2028. We do not have enough appropriation right now to support eight universities, and with a cliff, or downward spiral in enrollment, it will even be worse, Polk told WAPT. Jackson State University (Photo: Visit Jackson website) The proposal is troubling some HBCU advocates who believe the states historically Black colleges would be targets if the bill passes despite only one suffering from low enrollment rates. The IHL board presides over three of Mississippis HBCUs Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, and Mississippi Valley State University. The latter is among the three lowest performing schools governed by IHL. HUD Regional Administrator for the Southeast and Alcorn alumna Jennifer Riley Collins posted her personal opinion on LinkedIn, stating that the criteria stated within the bill places Alcorn and other HBCUs at high risk if the bill becomes law. Morehouse College English and American literature professor Corrie Claiborne wrote on X, This bill is definitely aimed at Mississippi HBCUs which are owed 400+ million dollars by the state for illegal underfunding. We need to buy JSU, Alcorn, MVU and turn them private. Senator Polk insisted if his intentions were to put HBCUs on the chopping block, hed stated as such. If I were trying to close an HBCU, I wouldve put that in the bill, he told Mississippi Today. In 2009, then-Gov. Haley Barbour proposed merging all three of those historically Black colleges into one university because it was too costly to keep all of the IHL schools. Many state lawmakers and alumni groups opposed the idea at the time, so it never picked up steam. As for this most recent proposal, state legislators have said Polks bill is likely to die with the Senate Colleges and Universities Committee. Even Polk told Mississippi Today that the chances the bill would pass are slim. His primary goal was to pull the Band-Aid off the wound. Telling the local paper, Until I introduced this bill, no one was talking about that. However, the issue with the states dwindling high school graduation rates remains, which means colleges will struggle to maintain their enrollment rates. According to Mississippi Today, data presented by one University of Mississippi administrator shows the state will experience the second-worst decline in high school graduation rates in the Southern United States by 2027, behind Virginia. The state schools registering the lowest enrollment rates at present are Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Delta State University in Cleveland, and Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena. If IHL decided to close those schools, that would shore up roughly $85 million, which could be allocated to the remaining five institutions. The enrollment cliff presents challenges, not just in Mississippi, but across the country, IHL Communications Director John Sewell told WAPT. All of our public universities are focused on recruiting and retaining the best and brightest students from around the state and beyond. Polks bill would require the IHL to consider several factors in its decision to close a school such as enrollment data, tuition rates, degrees offered, and economic impact. Rather than close universities as Polk proposes, another state lawmaker believes the answer to turn their shrinking registrations around lies with more state support. If you give the institutions the tools they need to attract students, that will address that, state Sen. Hillman Frazier told The Associated Press. It sounds good politically, trying to be a fiscal conservative, but we need to give our universities the tools they need to be successful. Could a Proposed Mississippi Bill Lead to the Closure of Three of the States HBCUs? Senator Polk Claims He Only Wanted to Stir Conversations. Four years ago, the two candidates running to represent the Hollywood Hills on the Los Angeles City Council spent several months trying to show who had the strongest credentials as political progressives. Urban planner Nithya Raman, then looking to oust Councilmember David Ryu, discussed her volunteer work on homelessness, touted her refusal to accept corporate money and called for the defunding of the LAPD. Ryu, a one-term incumbent, ran on his legislation barring real estate developers from making campaign donations, while voting to help renters whose lives had been upended by COVID-19. Raman prevailed, becoming the first member of the Democratic Socialists of America to oust an incumbent at City Hall. Now, as she seeks a second four-year term in Tuesdays election, the political environment is a bit more complex, with two opponents assailing her from the right, some activists criticizing her from the left, and a deluge of outside money making it the most expensive L.A. City Council contest this year. The outcome of the race which now tops $2.6 million in overall spending, two-thirds of it for Deputy City Atty. Ethan Weaver will help determine the future of the progressive vision embraced by Raman and her allies at City Hall, said Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez. Read more: Your guide to the L.A. City Council District 4 race: Nithya Raman faces two challengers That vision, Soto-Martinez said, includes newly enacted measures to reduce the number of evictions and expand renter relocation payments; compassionate efforts to move homeless people indoors, such as Mayor Karen Bass Inside Safe program; and transportation initiatives such as Measure HLA, which would require bus and bicycle lanes on designated boulevards. Raman, who describes herself as a pragmatic progressive, supports all three. Whats at stake is the direction of where the city goes, said Soto-Martinez, who has been helping Raman with her reelection bid. Nithya has been a steadfast champion on tenant issues, on homelessness and housing. Shes really brought a different perspective, one that is being used citywide now. Weaver, who is running to unseat Raman, argues that his opponent has veered too far left on key issues. Weaver, a self-described pragmatic Democrat, said his opponents views on homelessness, public safety and other topics are out of step with voters in the district, which stretches from Silver Lake to the San Fernando Valley. City leadership shouldnt be about right or left, said Weaver, who lives in Los Feliz. It should be about moving things forward in a practical, effective way. Ethan Weaver, a candidate for City Council, greets Dr. Suzanne Wenzlaff, 80, while door-knocking in Los Feliz in December. (Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times) On the campaign trail, Weaver has repeatedly emphasized his support for a city law that bars homeless encampments near schools. Raman voted against it, calling it ineffective. Weaver has endorsed Bass package of police raises, saying they are needed to boost recruitment in a city that has lost about 1,100 officers. Raman opposed the LAPD salary deal, saying the raises were too expensive and would trigger a budget crisis. Weaver, while voicing support for Inside Safe, also argued that the city has been spending more than$1 billion per year on homelessness without making a serious dent in the crisis. The city needs to rectify that by pulling out of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, he said, and replacing it with an entity that is directly accountable to city leaders. Raman said city leaders are already taking steps to make LAHSA more effective, and warned that a pullout would jeopardize federal funds for homelessness. As he wages his first run for public office, Weaver has received huge financial support from police and firefighter unions, residential and commercial landlords, and other types of donors. By midday Friday, those backers had spent a combined $1.2 million on mailers, campaign videos and other independent expenditures promoting Weaver or disparaging Raman the most ever spent to unseat an incumbent L.A. council member. Raman, who lives in Silver Lake, has sought to turn that money against Weaver, saying she is being targeted for her willingness to stand up to special interests. In a message to voters, Raman said the police officers union, a billboard company and a Westside landlord who is seeking to evict hundreds of tenants are helping Weaver because they do not like her record fighting police raises, opposing digital billboards and passing pro-renter legislation, respectively. That money, Raman said, could have a ripple effect beyond her race, discouraging council members from acting independently in the future. Its nice to be seen as impactful, but I worry a lot about the chilling effect on real change, she said. Supporters of Raman have portrayed Weaver as part of a right-wing takeover an allegation that Weaver, who supports gun control and abortion rights, denies. Raman said that despite the deluge of outside money, the organizations looking to oust her have failed to puncture her record, which includes what she called the strongest package of tenant protections to be approved in L.A. in more than 40 years. Raman said her office has made serious progress on street homelessness, moving unhoused residents indoors from more than a dozen major encampments. Shootings, robberies and homicides dropped by double digits in the district last year, according to figures from her campaign. Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, left, talks with Mayor Karen Bass at a campaign event in Sherman Oaks. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Crime has gone down. People are more secure in their homes. Homeless encampments have gone away in many locations, Raman said during a campaign event with Bass. Theyre not saying any of that is not true. They just dont like the fact that I care about people. Weaver offered a more bleak assessment, saying residents and business owners in Hollywood, Studio City and elsewhere remain frustrated with the ongoing homelessness crisis and concerned for their own personal safety. He said statistics offered by Raman also do not reflect certain crimes that are frequently not reported, such as car break-ins and low-level theft. The crimes that impact people the most are the day-to-day crimes that are dramatically under-reported, he said. People tell me, Why would I call 911 when it takes 20 minutes to get an operator and 40 minutes to get an officer? Under the citys election rules, any candidate who secures more than 50% of the vote will win the race outright, avoiding a November runoff. That outcome has been made less likely because of the presence of a third candidate, software engineer Levon Lev Baronian, who sits on the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council. Baronian has voiced alarm at the money being spent for Weaver by the citys police and firefighters unions. At the same time, he pointed out that Raman is also benefiting from outside spending, which reached $400,000 on Friday. Those pro-Raman donors include Unite Here Local 11, the hotel workers union, which has sought to shape planning and zoning decisions. Another is Service Employees International Union Local 721, which has been negotiating a package of raises for city workers. Baronian says he believes the costly campaigns are turning off the public. Voters have looked at these two special-interest candidates and said, No, no thank you, he said. Ramans district looks quite different from the one she won in 2020. A year after she took office, her colleagues dramatically redrew the boundaries, taking out such areas as Hancock Park and renter-rich Park La Brea, while adding Encino and parts of Studio City and Reseda. Meanwhile, the citys progressive politics have gotten trickier. Some activists criticized Raman last year for voting in favor of Bass budget, which called for the hiring of 1,000 police officers. Meanwhile, one of Ramans long-standing supporters has sent mixed messages. The L.A. chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America has been assigning volunteers to knock on doors for Raman. Yet that same group also censured Raman in January over her decision to seek the endorsement of Democrats For Israel-Los Angeles. DSA-LA accused that group of supporting settler colonialism and violence against the Palestinian people. Elected officials endorsed by DSA-LA are expected to co-govern with the chapter to realize the Democratic Socialist Program (DSP), which includes a commitment to overcoming imperialist capitalism and the exploitation of working people across the world, the group said in its letter censuring Raman. Raman, asked about the letter, said she has been trying to create safer, more supportive conditions for all of the citys residents. In this time of immense pain and division for so many people around the world, Im trying to act in ways that acknowledge everyones grief, she said in a statement. Democrats For Israel-Los Angeles ultimately issued a dual endorsement, supporting both Raman and Weaver. Weaver and his allies have sought to highlight Ramans DSAs ties, telling voters the group holds radical stances, such as support for police abolition and removal of federal funding from Israel. That message has resonated with Kristin Glushon, who lives in Encino and has hosted two campaign meet-and-greets for Weaver. Read more: Unions, business groups unleash a deluge of outside spending in L.A. council races Glushon, a self-described liberal Democrat, said she is troubled by DSA support for Raman. She also spoke in favor of the LAPD raises, saying the city needs more officers to address burglaries and car thefts in her neighborhood. Right now, the community is not feeling heard and not feeling safe, she said. Raman has described DSA-LA as one member of a broad coalition of supporters, one that includes Bass and 100 others. That message has been echoed by her supporters. Former City Councilmember Paul Koretz, who represented Encino for several years, said he initially feared Raman would be too extreme. But he said that, after she took office, he found her to be an effective legislator on climate change and other issues. Koretz delivered that message in January to the countys Democratic Party, which then voted to endorse Raman. There are plenty of people that have the wrong impression of her, that shes a crazy radical and a strong DSA-er, Koretz said in an interview. I think DSA was just one of many supporters of hers. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. NASA and SpaceX are keeping a close eye on the weather ahead of the launch of the Crew-8 mission. Cape Canaveral Space Force Stations 45th Weather Squadron predicts a 40% chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch at 11:16 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 2, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There is a backup window available on Sunday, March 3, at 10:53 p.m. ET. Read: Sources: Madeline Sotos body discovered in rural Osceola County NASAs SpaceX Crew-8 mission will carry NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Baratt, and Jeanette Epps, and cosmonaut mission Alexander Grebenkin, will launch the International Space Station on a 6-month science mission to the International Space Station. It will be the first trip to space for Dominick, Epps, and Grebenkin. Read: Osceola pastors console community after week-long search for Madeline Soto Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Officials with El Paso County and the Hospital District gathered Friday, March 1 to honor the hard-working health-care workers who kept showing up and doing their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony, at University Medical Centers main lobby, honored what County officials are calling COVID heroes at UMC, at El Paso Childrens Hospital and El Paso Health. County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said that these heroes showed us the way forward during the pandemic and saved countless lives. During the ceremony, a special wall with more than 2,100 names was unveiled. These people worked through the pandemic to save lives and need to be recognized for the heroes they are, officials said. So many people tell me about a grandmother or a grandfather who would have died if UMC hadnt come to their aid and (they hadnt) gone through intensive care, Samaniego said. Samaniego said health-care workers are hidden heroes to some and to others, they are very obvious heroes. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. The inquiry heard the Welsh government didn't expect to be in charge of Wales' pandemic restrictions until three days before were handed the reigns The UK Covid Inquiry has spent its first week in Cardiff scrutinising the Welsh government's handling of the pandemic. So what are some of the most notable things we've learned so far? The inquiry is investigating the decision-making of the UK government and devolved governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, more than 12,000 people in Wales have died with Covid. The Welsh government didn't expect to be in charge The pandemic gave the Labour Welsh government an unprecedented role in people's daily lives - deciding where they could go, who they could see, even what they were allowed to buy in the supermarket. Up to 700,000 viewers would tune into its televised briefings on the BBC to find out the latest rule changes for Wales. What is now clear is that until just a few days before the first lockdown in 2020, ministers in Wales did not actually expect that level of control. The Welsh government expected the Boris Johnson-led UK government to make the key decisions during the pandemic The evidence from Prof Dan Wincott from Cardiff University suggests that before 20 March the working assumption for Mark Drakeford and his cabinet was that the UK government would be making the big decisions under civil contingency legislation. However, it soon became clear those laws couldn't be applied, and so health legislation was used instead. This meant that three days later, when the shutters came down on businesses and we were told to stay at home, it was ministers in Cardiff Bay who decided what happened next in Wales, as health is a devolved matter. By May 2020, it became clear that Mr Drakeford's government wanted to ease restrictions at a far slower pace than over the border in England. The following October the Welsh government was emboldened to launch its own lockdown without co-ordinating with other parts of the UK. The pandemic is now seen by some as the time when devolved government in Wales came of age. Whether true or not, things could have been very different if the Welsh government had not been put in charge. Ministers knew there were problems We expect to hear from the politicians later in the hearings, but we are already getting a picture of who knew what and when. An email shown to the inquiry revels how, a day after the first lockdown in March 2020, then Health Minister Vaughan Gething sent himself a message spelling out concerns by frontline staff. It read: "Complete chaos at our hospital. No protection for nurses, very low morale masks not being released". Vaughan Gething, who's now running to be Welsh Labour leader, was health minister for much of the pandemic Underneath, in brackets it reads "from at consultant at PCH" which we believe was Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil. This is very different to the picture Mr Gething had painted earlier in a statement released in March that spoke of "early and decisive" action being taken to protect communities and ensure there were "timely preparations" for an expected surge in cases. Deleting messages was the default The strength - or not - of the Welsh government's preparations is something Mr Gething is likely to be quizzed on when he gives evidence. As is his use of WhatsApp messages and vitally, why some were deleted from Mr Gething's phone. This has already been a tricky subject for ministers elsewhere in Westminster and Scotland. The Welsh government has always insisted that it did not use informal messaging systems for making decisions. However, that may be difficult to prove when some of the messages have disappeared. Mr Gething had his WhatsApp set to delete messages automatically after a certain period of time The inquiry has heard claims that Welsh government senior special advisers "suspiciously and systematically" deleted communications - and requests were sent to clear out WhatsApp chats at the end of every week. It was also told that Mr Gething turned on a disappearing messages function which meant his communication would be deleted by default. Was this simply good phone memory management or something else? The inquiry will want to know. It's not just politicians who disagree We are already familiar with the feuds between politicians during the pandemic. Several times during 2020 Mr Drakeford made a point of saying he had not been able to speak to Prime Minister Boris Johnson about key decisions. He was later caught on camera describing the former prime minister as "awful". What we are starting to see in the inquiry evidence is that there was also some tension within the scientific community. Mark Drakeford even called for Mr Johnson and then-chancellor Rishi Sunak to resign in 2022 after it had emerged the pair had been fined for breaking lockdown rules In his evidence to the inquiry Dr Robert Hoyle, the Welsh government's head of science, explained how, in early in 2020 his view of the pandemic differed to his boss, Prof Peter Halligan, the chief scientific adviser. By mid-February he said he had become alarmed and realised a major public intervention would be needed. But when he raised the issue he was given the impression that it was "someone else's problem" and the subject was not escalated until a week before the first lockdown. Later on, while other nations made the use of facemasks mandatory, the Welsh government resisted. Dr Hoyle says he disagreed with the decision made by Dr Frank Atherton, Wales' chief medical officer, who is due to give evidence next week. Dry pubs don't help Back in November 2020, publicans and politicians joined to criticise the Welsh government's decision to stop pubs and restaurants selling alcohol. At the time, Mr Drakeford said the changes, which included having to close completely at 18:00, could save more than a thousand lives. Wales wasn't alone in limiting alcohol sales as a public health measure - but did it work? According to Dr Roland Salmon, a retired epidemiologist who used to work for Public Health Wales, there was no real scientific rationale. He told the inquiry the idea of a "no alcohol pub" made no real sense - once people were gathered together it didn't matter what they were drinking. What then was behind the pandemic prohibition? According to Dr Salmon it was perhaps more down to "an overly enduring legacy of the chapel heritage". The Columbus Police Department announced on Friday, that they are set to host another womens self-defense and firearms course this month. The courses will be held on March 22 and 23. There are only 30 spots available and CPD says participants must be at least 21 years old and living or working in Columbus. The self-defense and firearms training course will highlight the following: How to avoid becoming a victim Firearm safety & responsible handling Understand local laws and regulations Empowerment through knowledge and skills Interested individuals can sign up by emailing cpdga@columbusga.org. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL. Three Spain-born giant pandas, together with their parents, arrived in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province on Friday after a flight of about 12 hours. The three pandas -- Chulina, Jiu Jiu and You You -- were sent to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding with their parents Bing Xing and Hua Zui Ba. All the five pandas are in good health condition, and are undergoing quarantine procedures. The panda parents started their residency at the Madrid Zoo Aquarium of Spain in September 2007. Chulina, the older sister, was born in August 2016 in Spain, while male panda twins Jiu Jiu and You You were born in September 2021. Generally, giant panda cubs born overseas are returned to China between two and four years old to avoid inbreeding during the reproductive period of four to six years old. In line with the agreement between China and Spain, another pair of young pandas will be sent to Madrid to further the friendship of the two peoples built upon pandas. ADDIS ABABA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat has "strongly condemned" the mass killing of Palestinians queuing for humanitarian aid in Gaza. The chairperson "strongly condemns an attack by Israeli forces that killed and wounded more than 100 Palestinians seeking life-saving humanitarian aid in occupied Northern Gaza on Thursday," said an AU statement issued late Friday. Faki called for an international investigation into the incident to bring the perpetrators to account. Palestinian officials said Israeli forces on Thursday opened fire on a crowd of Palestinians waiting for aid on a coastal road west of Gaza City, killing 115 people and wounding over 700 others. An Israeli military spokesman said the troops fired "in self-defense" after Gazans attacked and looted aid trucks that entered the Gaza Strip early in the morning. The chairperson of the pan-African bloc reiterated the call of the AU for an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire in occupied Palestine to stop the ongoing and increasing State of Israel's assault against the lives and means of survival of the Palestinian people." He called on the international community to assume their responsibilities to urgently impose peace and guarantee the rights of the Palestinian people. A SpaceX Crew Dragon named Endeavour carrying the four is scheduled to blast off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida (-) A planned launch on Saturday of a mission to take three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut to the International Space Station was scrubbed due to poor weather. SpaceX announced that the launch was delayed, and NASA said the agency would now target Sunday at 10:53 pm (0353 GMT Monday) for liftoff. The SpaceX Crew Dragon named Endeavour is to carry the four atop a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Hours before Saturday night's scheduled launch, SpaceX posted on X that "elevated winds" forced the delay. It was the latest postponement for the launch, which initially was slated for February 22. Elon Musk's SpaceX has been providing astronaut launch services for NASA since 2020 under NASA's Commercial Crew Program, while a rival program by Boeing has yet to get going. Matthew Dominick, who leads the "Crew-8" mission, is making his first spaceflight, as is fellow American Jeanette Epps. It will also be the first time for Russian Alexander Grebenkin. Michael Barratt, a physician, is making his third visit to the ISS. His first two were aboard space shuttles, which were discontinued in 2011. Space remains a rare area of cooperation between the United States and Russia in the wake of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The US last month imposed fresh sanctions on 500 Russian targets, seeking also to exact a cost for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a Siberian prison. The crew will carry out experiments including using stem cells to create organoids (artificially grown masses of cells resembling organs) to study degenerative diseases, taking advantage of the microgravity environment to enable three-dimensional cell growth not possible on Earth. Joel Montalbano, NASA's International Space Station program manager, told reporters that the US was keeping a close eye on a "small leak" on the Russian side of the research platform, the latest of several recent issues on the Russian side. A hatch is currently closed to isolate the leak from the rest of the ISS. ia/bbk/tjj/acb NEW YORK CITY - From an MTA conductor slashed in the neck to a bodega worker fatally shot, here's a look at this week's top crime stories throughout NYC. FOX 5 NY's "Crime in the City" recaps crimes that made headlines each week covering murders, gang takedowns, drug busts and more along with reactions from the public, politicians and police. Click HERE to check out episodes from previous weeks. This week, we cover: Subway conductor stabbed in neck An MTA conductor was slashed in the neck when he stuck his head out of the cabin window on a Brooklyn subway train, the NYPD said. The incident happened on Thursday shortly after 3:30 a.m. on a southbound A train at the Rockaway Avenue Station in Brownsville. According to police, the 59-year-old conductor, identified as Alton Scott, was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where he received 34 stitches to the gaping wound. The suspect, described as an adult man wearing a blue vest, fled the station, police said. So far, no arrests have been made. Scott has 24 years of service. Brooklyn bodega worker fatally shot The NYPD released new images of the man suspected of fatally shooting 37-year-old bodega worker Nazim Berry on Monday in Brooklyn. According to the NYPD, Berry was shot in the head just after 4 p.m. inside the bodega on Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights after allegedly refusing to give away a free cigar. He was taken to NYC Health and Hospitals/Kings County, where he was pronounced dead. Berry, who lived in the neighborhood with his grandmother, had worked in the bodega for several years, his mother said saying he was never in trouble. She said Berry had previously complained about people asking him for things for free at work. The individual is described as a man with a cornrow braids hairstyle and a dark complexion. He was last seen wearing a black and white jacket, black sneakers and black jeans. Calls for more security at migrant shelters Mayor Eric Adams said the city is installing metal detectors at the migrant shelter on Randalls Island. According to the NYPD, a 23-year-old migrant struck a security guard in the face, causing a scuffle. At least two migrants were placed under arrest and charged, marking the third violent incident to occur at this shelter in just the last several months. On Tuesday, Adams again renewed his call to the White House to give migrants faster access to work papers. Adams is also making it clear that he wants to make changes to the sanctuary city laws. Bronx subway shooting suspects arrested The three suspects wanted in connection to the murder of a man on a subway train last week in the Bronx were arrested and charged, the NYPD said. The suspects, identified as Justin Herde, 24, Betty Cotto, 38, and Alfredo Trinidad, 42, are all charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. According to police, the suspects were picked up Monday just before noon at an apartment in the Bronx. Police believe the trio fatally attacked William Alvarez, 45, on Friday just after 5 a.m. on a southbound D train, in the Fordham Heights section, that was pulling into the 182-183 Streets station. As the train approached the stop, police said one of the suspects sat next to Alvarez and started arguing with him. That's when the dispute quickly turned physical, with the two others joining in. At some point, a gun went off, killing Alvarez. By the time the train pulled up to the station, police said the suspects took off. Alvarez was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. NYC tackles rising subway crime rates Officials are crediting security cameras for the arrest of three people accused in last week's Bronx subway shooting as MTA workers and commuters alike voice concern over a spike in NYC subway crime. The NYPD and MTA are celebrating the arrest of two men and a woman after Alvarez was shot early Friday morning on a southbound D train as it pulled into the 182-183 Streets station. They said images of the suspects were all clearly captured on cameras. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has also vowed to install security cameras on every train and platform, much to the appreciation of investigators. Crime was 45% higher this January compared to 2023, with grand larceny being the main driver, according to the NYPD. FORT PIERCE - Former President Donald Trump on Friday waved and gave a thumbs up to a rowdy crowd that cheered his arrival at the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse to attend a hearing in his classified documents case. When Trumps motorcade arrived around 9:30 a.m., more than 50 supporters lining a sidewalk along Fifth Street waved huge flags and yelled out as he passed in a black SUV with dark tinted windows and entered an underground parking area. The motorcade, consisting of several black SUVs, a motorcycle escort and fire rescue vehicles, traveled from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach to downtown Fort Pierce amid heightened security surrounding the federal courthouse at 101 S. U.S. 1. This was Trumps second appearance in Fort Pierce before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon, who called the hearing to in part discuss the May 20 trial date and pretrial preparations, which could delay scheduling the trial. Trump was last here Feb. 12 for a sealed hearing to discuss the handling of classified documents. Former President Donald Trump arrives at the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse for a hearing into his classified documents case, on Friday, March 1, 2024, in. Fort Pierce. Longtime Trump supporters Glen Bush, 73, and his wife Barbara Bush, 72, of Fort Pierce, said they showed up Friday to watch the former president arrive at the courthouse. Both said they wanted to show their support and intend to vote for Trump in November. We are losing the country and hes going to save it. I believe he is for the U.S., out of anybody, Barbara Bush said. He was the one who was doing good. And they undid everything that he put in place. Its sad. Longtime Donald Trump supporters Glen Bush, 73, and his wife Barbara Bush, 72, of Fort Pierce showed up at the federal courthouse Friday March 1, 2024 to watch the former president arrive at the courthouse. We are losing the country and hes going to save it, Barbara Bush said. He was the one who was doing good. And they undid everything that he put in place, its sad. Trump and his two codefendants, Walt Nauta, his valet and bodyguard, and Carlos de Oliveira, property manager at Mar-a-Lago, are criminally charged with mishandling federal documents uncovered on Aug. 8, 2022, at Mar-a-Lago. All three have pleaded not guilty. Trump faces 41 charges related to keeping and hiding documents with classified markings. More than 300 classified documents were recovered from Mar-a-Lago more than a year after Trump left the White House, most under subpoena in June 2022 or during the FBI search in August 2022. What were Trumps supporters saying ahead of his arrival? Trump fans began lining up behind the courthouse along Fifth Street about two hours before he arrived, as music blared from vehicles and vendors hawked Trump-related merchandise. Jimmy Jackson, of Virginia, said he arrived about 5:30 a.m. and was selling Trump gear including flags, hats, bumper stickers and magnets just west of the courthouse. He said hes done so at 60 to 75 rallies in several states. Sales on Friday, he said, were steady. Michael Symonette (center), of Miami, arrived at about 11 a.m. in a Rolls Royce SUV. Wearing a Blacks for Trump T-shirt, he criticized special counsel Jack Smith, former President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden and others. Im not scared to talk about them because they are the devil. Michael Symonette, of Miami, sporting a Blacks for Trump T-shirt, criticized Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith, former President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden and others. Im not scared to talk about them because they are the devil, he said outside the courthouse. Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, of Fort Pierce, who was outside the courthouse before Trump arrived, chatted with Trump fans, took selfies and listened to supporters. GOP U.S. Congressman Brian Mast of Fort Pierce meeting fans of former President Donald Trump ahead of a 10 a.m. hearing Friday, March 1, 2024, at the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse. Mast, who lives in Fort Pierce, said he appeared at the courthouse to support my president. Gotta have the back of our president against these witch hunts that go on against him constantly, Mast said. Whether its the value of land at Mar-a-Lago or whether its saying the president cant decide whats classified or not classified and have it locked up where National Archives and Records tell him to lock it up and then he gets charged for it just absolutely ridiculous charges across the board. Activities outside the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse along South Fifth Street on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Fort Pierce as former President Donald Trump arrives for a hearing in his classified documents case. Marge Matthew, a resident of Tradition in Port St. Lucie, waved an American flag at Orange Avenue and Fifth Street waiting for Trump to arrive. She wanted him to see her support, she said. Im supporting Trump. I want $1.87 gas again, Matthew said. Drill, baby drill. Thats my motto. Not everyone outside the courthouse were rallying for Trump. A trio of Trump dissenters held up hand-made signs at the corner of Orange Avenue and U.S. 1 that stated, We are all immigrants! and Justice Delayed is Justice Denied." Trump protesters Philip Stasic, left, of Merritt Island, and Richard Silvestri, of Fort Pierce, stand along U.S.1 at Orange Avenue, outside the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse, on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Fort Pierce before former President Donald Trump arrives for a hearing in his classified documents case. Brevard County resident Philip Stasik displayed a sign that said, Traitor Trump. Most important thing is to remind Mr. Trump and his supporters that no one is above the law, Stasik said standing outside the federal courthouse. I think every American is hoping to see the law prevail. What was discussed at the hearing? During Fridays hearing, which was open to the public and members of the media, attorneys spent the morning discussing the May 20 trial date. The lawyers were also discussing ongoing disputes related to proposed redactions to highly classified documents involved in the case. Cannon has already postponed multiple dates in Trumps case and during Fridays hearing Trump lawyers and federal prosecutors working for special counsel Jack Smith argued over when a trial could be scheduled. Federal prosecutors on Thursday filed papers requesting a July 8 trial date, according to the Associated Press. Defense lawyers said there was no way to hold a fair trial this year at a time when Trump is looking to clinch the Republican presidential nomination but nonetheless proposed Aug. 12 as a possible date to begin jury selection. Staff writers Will Greenlee and Nick Slater contributed to this report. Melissa E. Holsman is the legal affairs reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers and is writer and co-host of "Uncertain Terms," a true-crime podcast. Reach her at melissa.holsman@tcpalm.com. If you are a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest local news on the Treasure Coast. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Donald Trump attended a federal hearing on Friday in Fort Pierce It might be a day later than usual, but March has arrived and spring is in the air. There's lots to look forward to, with this week's announcements including John Waters' return to the director's chair for the first time in 20 years and a new Sally Rooney novel titled 'Intermezzo' being published in September. But back to the here and now, where internet sleuths continue to ponder the whereabouts of British royal Kate Middleton and the following recommendations are guaranteed to be better than Glasgow's Willy Wonka experience. Exhibitions Zineb Sedira: Dreams Have No Titles, London, UK Zineb Sedira, Installation view from Dreams Have No Titles at the Venice Biennale, 2022 - Photo credit: Thierry Bal Lose yourself inside French Algerian artist Zineb Sedira's immersive recreations of film sets at London's Whitechapel Gallery. A concept originally conceived for the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022, Sedira features a ballroom from Ettore Scolas film Le Bal (1983) and the coffin from Orson Welles The Stranger' (1946), combined with a recreation of her Brixton home's living room to blur the boundaries between reality and fiction; exploring collective experiences and colonialism through interweaving biography with avant-garde cinema. 'Insert Coin', Paris, France Coins won't get you much in today's increasingly cashless, cost-of-living-addled society - but they used to be enough for a great night out. The flashing lights, bulbous joysticks and playful pings of pinball machines beckon your loose change at a new exhibition at La Monnaie de Paris, which celebrates the golden-era of midcentury, coin-operated gaming machines and jukeboxes. It's a chance to interact with history and feel like you're truly in it: not a care in the world but beating that Donkey Kong record. 'Pre-Raphaelites. Modern Renaissance', Bologna, Italy Over 300 works from the 'Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood' are now on display at the Museo Civico in Forli in celebration of the 19th-century British movement. The exhibition, which features Pre-Raphaelite paintings, sculptures, textiles and jewellery by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones, Ford Madox Brown, William Morris and more, traces the profound impact of historical Italian art on the movement between the 1840s and 1920s by placing British works alongside their Italian prototypes. Festivals and events Paris Fashion Week Models wear creations as part of the Dries Van Noten Fall/Winter 2024-2025 - Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP Paris Fashion Week is in full flow, with the hottest of haute couture catwalking across the city. On until the 5 March, there's still plenty to see. Although many of the big shows are by invite only, there's also the opportunity to livestream them. Highlights include Vivienne Westwood, Hermes, Comme des Garcons and Alexander McQueen on 2 March; Balenciaga and Valentino on 3 March; Stella McCartney, Pierre Cardin and Sacai on 4 March; Chanel and Louis Vuitton on 5 March. Also part of Paris Fashion Week, we'd recommend visiting the IKEA+ exhibition 'Life At Home', a collaboration between the Swedish furniture behemoths and legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz along with six young photographers. Open until 28 at rue de Lappe, it offers an intimate look inside the homes of people around the world. London Comic Con Spring, UK Nerds, unite! The first London Comic Con of the year takes place this weekend (2-3 March) at Olympia. It's the perfect opportunity to dress up as your favourite fictional characters and meet cult stars, including: Julian Bleach (Doctor Who, Torchwood, Avengers: Age of Ultron), Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones, John Wick, Jojo Rabbit) and Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Secret Diary of a Call Girl). For the merch fans, there will also be plenty of stalls selling fan art, books, accessories and more. Allons-y! Movies Dune: Part Two Steady your sandworms, Dune: Part Two has finally arrived. Based on Frank Herbert's sprawling 1965 sci-fi novel of the same name, expectations have been very high following Dennis Villeneuve's excellent predecessor. Initial responses to the movie have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic, with some comparing it to fellow intergalactic saga The Empire Strikes Back, but our resident film critic David Mouriquand had a more balanced perspective: "While Dune: Part Two is bigger and more muscular, it is not better. Its epic filmmaking at its most ambitious, and a terrific continuation of the first instalment one which many unwisely dismissed as a place-setter. That said, there are sizeable issues when it comes to pace and payoff." Read his review in full. Berlinale 2024: Top 10 Movies The Best Movies of the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival - Berlinale - A24 While the 74th Berlinale might be over - and still grappling with some political fallout - it gave us a wealth of incredible cinema to look forward to. Of the nearly 200 films that were shown over the course of the ten day festival, Euronews film critic David Mouriquand has picked his top ten (and we always trust his recommendations.) From Rose Glass's riveting return Love Lies Bleeding, to The Devil's Bath, a mesmerising portrait of female melancholia in 18th century, you'll want to add every one of these to your 2024 watchlist. Spaceman Debuting on Netflix is existential sci-fi drama Spaceman, directed by Johan Renck (Chernobyl) and based on the 2017 novel 'Spaceman of Bohemia'. It stars Adam Sandler as Jakob Prochazka, a Czech astronaut journeying to the fringes of the solar system to explore some big bang residue. The isolation of space, however, starts to warp his mind, while his relationship with wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan) begins to fray from distance. Other notable cast members include: Isabella Rossellini as commanding officer Komisarz Tuma and Paul Dano as a giant talking spider. David Mouriquand called it "an ambitious but hollow endeavour that wastes its cast and the audience's time by feeling like an amalgamation of far superior films like Solaris, Interstellar and Ad Astra." He adds: "Still, the Enemy -reminiscent spider was a creepy idea at the start - and then got ludicrous the second you realise it doesn't communicate telepathically and has a distractingly silly mouth." Oof. TV series Shogun 'Shogun', which premiered this week on Disney+, has already been met with much hype. Touted by critics as the new 'Game of Thrones', it's the kind of epically engrossing TV that feels more like an event than just something to pop on while you scroll through IG Reels on your phone. Based on the chunky 1975 novel by James Clavell (and somehow condensed into a ten part series) it immerses viewers in the gore, violence and political turmoil of turn of the century 1600s Japan as three central characters encounter one another, their destinies changed forever. CVS and Walgreens announced on Friday that they will soon start dispensing mifepristone, one of the two drugs used for medication abortions, in states where abortion is allowed. The two large pharmacy chains said they had received certification to dispense mifepristone, following a rule change the Food and Drug Administration finalized in January 2023. The FDA decision broadened the availability of abortion pills by allowing pharmacies to dispense them to patients in person or or by mail, though neither CVS nor Walgreens are sending the medication by mail yet. Previously, patients were required to pick up the medication in person at a clinic, medical office or hospital. Mifepristone is the first of two pills used in medication abortions. The second is misoprostol. The FDA policy still requires pharmacies to meet certain requirements and complete a set of forms to get certified to sell mifepristone thats the process CVS and Walgreens have completed. Walgreens said it will begin dispensing mifepristone pills within a week consistent with state laws in select locations in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. We are beginning a phased rollout in select locations to allow us to ensure quality, safety, and privacy for our patients, providers, and team members, Walgreens said in a statement. CVS said it is working with manufacturers and suppliers to secure the medication and are not yet dispensing it in any of their pharmacies. The statement added that pharmacies will begin to fill prescriptions in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the weeks ahead, then will expand to additional states, where allowed by law, on a rolling basis. CVS and Walgreens said mifepristone will be only dispensed at their physical pharmacy locations, though Walgreens added that home delivery via a courier service will be available for customers at select locations in accordance with state and federal laws. Pharmacies in states where abortion is banned will not sell mifepristone. Medication abortion made up more than half of all U.S. abortions in 2020, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that advocates for abortion access. Boxes of mifepristone at the West Alabama Women's Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on March 16, 2022. (Allen G. Breed / AP file) Following the CVS and Walgreens announcements, President Joe Biden issued a statement praising the change. With major retail pharmacy chains newly certified to dispense medication abortion, many women will soon have the option to pick up their prescription at a local, certified pharmacyjust as they would for any other medication, Biden said. I encourage all pharmacies that want to pursue this option to seek certification. CVS and Walgreens announcements come as the Supreme Court is poised to hear oral arguments in March in a high-stakes case that takes aim at FDA policies that have expanded access to mifepristone in recent years. It will be the first significant abortion case before the Supreme Court since its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization overturned the constitutional right to abortion. This article was originally published on TODAY.com DALLAS - A young woman is fighting for her life nearly a month after a deadly hit-and-run, pile-up crash in Dallas. Camryn Herriage was in a car with her college roommate and three other friends when they were struck while waiting at a light on Feb. 11. She's still on a ventilator. Her friend was killed. Police arrested the woman they say caused the crash and ran off on foot. Herriage recently graduated from Texas Tech University in December and moved back to North Texas. She has her own Dallas apartment and an incredible circle of friends. It was supposed to be a new chapter in life for the 23-year-old. But now, Herriage is fighting for her life in the ICU on a ventilator. Herriages older sister, Casie Campanello, hasnt left her side for weeks waiting for the day she wakes up. "Literally, a careless act. Put us in a situation that changed all of our lives," she said. "We are very helpless and just stay strong for her, but its very difficult to see." Back on Feb. 11, Herriage and her five friends were waiting at the stoplight at Beckley Avenue where Woodall Rogers Freeway ends. Dallas police say a Ford pickup truck slammed into the back of their vehicle, causing a chain reaction crash. Herriage and four others were rushed to the hospital, but her roommate at Texas Tech, Sara House, was killed. The hit-and-run crash took place just two blocks from Herriages apartment. "Makes me wonder if they werent there and how close they were to their home," Campanello said. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, witnesses called 911 stating a woman exited the drivers side of the truck "wearing a small black dress and white clubbing shoes. The woman also appeared to be extremely intoxicated." That woman who took off from the scene on foot was later identified by police as 27-year-old Carmen Guerrero. Detectives located Guerreros wallet in the abandoned truck and took her into custody last week, 11 days after the crash. Friday, Campanello says her focus isnt on the investigation or forgiveness, only on her little sister and her future. "When she came out of her first surgery, the surgeon told us he told us he never saw anyone make it to the hospital with her injury," she said. "So she has a purpose." Guerrero faces multiple charges including manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She remains in the Dallas County jail. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said it was holding an AirTag giveaway in Northeast D.C. for car owners. AirTags are tracking devices that can help people find and recover missing or stolen things. Girl dies in Metro train surfing incident, police say The event will be held on Thursday, March 7, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Union Market, located at 6th Street between Morse and Neal streets NE. To be eligible for an AirTag, people need to: Live in the 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506 or 507 police service area of D.C. Have ID and matching registration that shows proof of address Android users will need to have the Tile app downloaded Residents are asked to bring their car so MPD officers can install the devices on site. The AirTags will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information on the giveaway, click here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. The death toll of a Russian drone attack against Odesa on March 2 has risen to four as another body was found in the rubble, the State Emergency Service reported. The overnight strike hit a multi-story building in the southern city, destroying 18 apartments and trapping people under the rubble. The three other victims found dead earlier included a boy aged two to three years, a woman in her early 70s, and a man in his mid-30s, according to Governor Oleh Kiper. Eight residents were reported injured, including another child. Five were rescued from the rubble, the State Emergency Service said. Search operations are ongoing as 12 more people may be trapped in the debris, Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said on air. Due to the attack, Kiper announced a day of mourning in the entire Odesa Oblast on March 3. Ukraine came under a large-scale drone attack overnight, with the Air Force reporting 14 of the 17 Russian Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) shot down. Read also: The economic toll of 10 years of Russias war against Ukraine in charts Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The death toll of a Russian drone attack against Odesa on March 2 has risen to five as another body was found in the rubble, the State Emergency Service reported. The overnight strike hit a multi-story building in the southern city, destroying 18 apartments and trapping people under the rubble. Search operations are ongoing as 12 more people may be trapped in the debris, Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said on air. The four other victims found dead earlier included a boy aged two to three years, a woman in her early 70s, and a man in his mid-30s, according to Governor Oleh Kiper. Eight residents were reported injured, including another child. Five were rescued from the rubble, the State Emergency Service said. Due to the attack, Kiper announced a day of mourning in the entire Odesa Oblast on March 3. Ukraine came under a drone attack overnight, with the Air Force reporting 14 of the 17 Russian Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) shot down. Read also: The economic toll of 10 years of Russias war against Ukraine in charts Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The death toll of a Russian drone attack against Odesa on March 2 has risen to eight as one more body was found in the rubble, the State Emergency Service reported. The overnight strike hit a multi-story building in the southern city, destroying 18 apartments and trapping people under the rubble. The bodies of a woman and her three-month-old baby are among the latest to have been removed from the rubble. According to the State Emergency Service, search and rescue operations are still underway. The attack reportedly injured eight residents, including a child. Five people were rescued from the rubble of damaged buildings. Ukraine came under a drone attack overnight, with the Air Force reporting 14 of the 17 Russian Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) shot down. Governor Oleh Kiper announced a day of mourning for Odesa Oblast on March 3 to grieve those who were killed in the attack. Read also: Macron forces Western partners to show their hand after comments on sending troops to Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. UNITED NATIONS, March 1 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians said Friday that they are supporting the Zambian government-led response to a worsening humanitarian crisis caused by extreme weather conditions, economic hardship and a cholera outbreak. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said it is working with the UN Team in Zambia to scale up the response over the next nine months. This plan will urgently require funding of 39 million U.S. dollars. "UN agencies aim to provide emergency cash transfers to some 475,000 people facing high levels of food insecurity in more than a dozen districts in the country," OCHA said. "These households will also receive drought-tolerant crop varieties and other critical agricultural support meant to help farmers maintain their livelihoods and prevent hunger-filled migration." The office said that more than 2 million people, 21 percent of Zambia's population, are estimated to face high food insecurity levels this year. On Thursday, the Zambian government declared a state of national disaster and emergency to respond rapidly to the prolonged drought, which threatens national food security and electricity supply. Two weeks after the police civilian review process in Minneapolis was plunged into chaos with the sudden departure of its two top officials, city leaders are vowing to redouble their efforts to get it back on track. It is the latest episode in history that stretches back more than 30 years, in which civilian review has seen four incarnations, all of which have come under fire. The Community Commission on Police Oversight (CCPO), created 15 months ago by the City Council, has made little progress, hampered by a large backlog of citizen complaints against the Minneapolis Police Department, waiting to be heard by commission panels. Few panels have met. That backlog was one of the factors that prompted Mayor Jacob Frey to fire Civil Rights Director Alberder Gillespie on Feb. 16. The same day, John Jefferson, who reported to Gillespie and had direct responsibility for clearing the backlog, left his position as director of the Office of Police Conduct Review (OPCR). City officials declined to reveal the circumstances of his exit, but a source with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed that he resigned. When a citizen files a complaint of misconduct against a Minneapolis police officer, the Office of Police Conduct Review conducts an investigation and prepares a report. The report and investigative files are then reviewed by a panel, comprised of three citizen members of the Oversight Commission and two police officials who then vote on whether to recommend to Chief Brian O'Hara that an officer be disciplined. The police department's Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) conducts investigations of some of the police misconduct cases that are also presented to the review panels. Four days before the departure of Gillespie and Jefferson, the deputy police chief tasked with overseeing the IAU was quietly stripped of his title after just six months in the role. He was transferred to a newly created position. Minneapolis police officials claimed he was "needed most" in the new inspections unit, which will oversee compliance of off-duty employment by providing a "critical second layer of accountability." But department sources attributed Cmdr. DeChristopher Granger's transfer to the slow pace at which IA cases were moving through the system and a delay in background checks of new officers which contributed to the cancellation of a training academy class last fall. In an interview this week, City Operations Officer Margaret Anderson Kelliher said the administration is "one thousand percent committed to implementing civilian oversight" and named Carolina Amini as interim director to replace Jefferson. Amini, a former investigator in the Civil Rights department, most recently worked for the City Attorney's Office as project manager for the implementation of the city's settlement agreement on police reforms with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. Anderson Kelliher said the city has also posted an opening for a new civil rights director with an aim to hire someone "with speed and thoughtfulness." Meanwhile, she will continue serving as the interim civil rights director after Gillespie's departure. "Our commitment at the city is to help get the Office of Police Conduct Review stabilized and working at a really excellent level" Anderson Kelliher said, so the CCPO "can complete their mission which is, in my mind, to really bring justice for those folks who are making complaints against police officers. And that means being timely, it means being thorough, it means having quality investigations," she said, that can hold up in the arbitration process, if the CCPO recommends discipline and O'Hara concurs. To outsiders, the disarray in the city's civilian review system has not gone unnoticed. "It seems like a predictable mess," said Rachel Moran, an association professor law professor at the University of St. Thomas, who studies civilian oversight of police. "My sense of Minneapolis is that it has a sort of a desire to address the police misconduct issues, but a reluctance to cede power" to a civilian review process, she said. "I want to give them a chance, but I fear that it is set up for ineffectiveness." Anderson Kelliher urged Mayor Jacob Frey to fire Gillespie in a memo two weeks ago, saying her leadership of the civil rights department was "threatening" the city's ability to make improvements to comply with the state Human Rights Department settlement agreement "to make meaningful police reforms." She accused Gillespie of failing to make data available to the city attorney's office, not working with an assistant attorney assigned to her office, not making sufficient progress on a backlog of 297 open complaints against police and refusing to provide assistance to pro bono attorneys helping to clear that backlog. In its first nine months, the new oversight commission heard 17 misconduct cases and sent 14 to O'Hara for disciplinary decisions. Asked by the Star Tribune about her dismissal, Gillespie said only: "I will absolutely stand on my work and my commitment for getting justice for the people in the city of Minneapolis." Jefferson has not responded to messages seeking comment. 'Better and consistent training' promised Several prominent Black leaders have since questioned Gillespie's termination and defended her integrity before the Council. Supporters criticized the decision to fire Gillespie while she was out of town on vacation, then swiftly release disciplinary records before she had a chance to view them. Meanwhile, some police reform advocates believe the CCPO is unworkable regardless of who is in charge. "It goes way before Gillespie and it goes way beyond Gillespie," says Dave Bicking, a member of Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB). "The powers that be in this city, in general, have never wanted civilian review to actually work. They want the appearance of significant civilian review, without the reality." Police have also been skeptical of civilian review. Retired policeman Al Berryman was president of the Minneapolis Police Federation when the first oversight group, the Civilian Review Authority (CRA), was created in 1990. He opposed it then and still does. "I think it's a waste of tax dollars" and was created "to make people feel good,"he said. Marches and rallies to protest police brutality put pressure on Mayor Don Fraser and the city council to implement civilian review. The first CRA was approved by the council in 1990. It was a 7-person panel to investigate police misconduct complaints of misconduct and issue recommendations to the police chief. More than 100 dissenting officers jammed the council chambers, wearing buttons that read, "Cops or Crack: Your Choice." The city's police chiefs were criticized over the years for often ignoring CRA recommendations for discipline. In 2011, the CRA said it had "no confidence" in Police Chief Tim Dolan to impose discipline. Within a year, the council replaced the CRA with the Police Conduct Oversight Commission (PCOC), staffed by two civilians and at least seven police investigators. "We are pretty much giving up civilian review," council member Cam Gordon said at the time. Discipline remained sporadic. In March 2022, Abigail Cerra, oversight commission chair, resigned, saying she spent most of her time "advocating and fighting for the PCOC to exist." The previous chair, Cynthia Jackson, said "It felt like a farce." In December 2022, the council scrapped the PCOC, creating the 15-member CCOP. It began meeting in April, but by November, only two panels heard complaints. "There has been a lot of turmoil in civil review boards around the country," says Sam Walker, emeritus professor of criminal justice at the University of Nebraska Omaha, who has written extensively on policing, including a book on civilian review. "The selection of the board, the resources they have, the process of hearing a particular case, there is no common policy. It is really chaotic. For the most part they have not been successful in bringing consistent standards of discipline. Many of them have been created and don't get down to the issues they intend [to take up]. It is a colossal mess." Anderson Kelliher promised to schedule "better and consistent training" of oversight commissioners and transparency on the number of cases facing the commission and the stages the cases are in. A public dashboard listing case data has been behind until recently. Next week, she said, the council will be asked to approve a contract with the Wiley Reber law firm to help conduct investigations of complaints for the OPCR. The Jones Day law firm provided pro bono investigative assistance in 2022 and early 2023. British defence firms say they are being prevented from sending weapons and kit to help Ukraine by a lack of engagement from the Ministry of Defence. Companies have complained that trying to get hold of officials to discuss how they can help the war effort is a nightmare, with the MoD lacking the resources to look at proposals from smaller firms. Ukraines war with Russia is at a delicate stage and president Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that a shortage of weapons played a part in his forces having to withdraw from the town of Avdiivka last month. Rishi Sunak has committed to providing 2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2024-25, to help push back Russias invasion. However, British companies who want to help arm the country say they are being held back from doing so because the MoD is unable to respond to their offers. A Ukrainian soldier inside a house containing a small number of shells, in Marinka - ANADOLU Andrew Kinniburgh, the director general of Make UK Defence, said that until recently firms wishing to help Ukraine were being directed to the Department for Business and Trade, as if the transfer of military hardware to help a war was akin to run-of-the mill business exports. Mr Kinniburgh told The Telegraph: We are one of two national defence trade associations in the UK and although recently there have been some briefings by MoD officials to industry they are in effect broadcast only, because they have no capacity to deal with enquiries from our members. MoD simply dont have the staff. He went on: This is a slightly improved situation as up till a month ago we always got sent to the Department for Business and Trade on any Ukraine enquiries, as if it was just another regular export market rather than a war zone. This seems a curious approach and is effectively preventing many UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and mid-tiers, from engaging meaningfully in the much bigger issue of industrial capacity and how SMEs and mid-tier defence companies might be able to help Ukrainian companies. Mr Kinniburgh added that smaller companies with innovative products could make a significant contribution. Its the SMEs in most markets that are nimble, fast moving, can get stuff done in no time, he said. Forced to abandon project One owner of a small company involved in defence manufacturing told The Telegraph that his business had been approached by a Ukrainian firm about a project to remove Chinese components from drones. The boss, who asked not be named, said the project only required modest investment from the MoD or resourcing help with issues such as dealing with regulatory duties. However, the company had to abandon the project when such support was not forthcoming. He added: Trying to speak to anybody inside of the MoD is a nightmare. I think businesses like us have a lot to give. An MoD spokesman said: We have a long-standing target to improve access for SMEs to defence opportunities, both directly with the department and through prime suppliers supply-chains. Small businesses have been game-changing on the front line, and we are committed to supporting the military needs of Ukraine while bolstering the British defence industry, through initiatives like the international Drone Capability Coalition, co-led by the UK. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The high-profile lawyer for an illegal migrant from Guatemala slammed Florida police after his client's charges were dismissed in the manslaughter of a police deputy. Virgilio Aguilar Mendez, 19, was charged with aggravated manslaughter of an officer after a scuffle involving several law enforcement officers in May 2023 left Sgt. Michael Kunovich of the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office dead. On Friday, Aguilar Mendez's charges were dropped, but the teen remains in federal custody in Florida and faces deportation. "Recent expert testimony regarding the defendants inability to comprehend the English language, his cultural background and concerns about his intellectual capacity have raised significant issues to consider in the case," the 7th District State Attorney's Office said in a statement. "Furthermore, based on the courts recent ruling that the defendant is incompetent to proceed based on that expert testimony, dismissal of the charges is appropriate. Arrest and time served is sufficient." MIGRANT CHARGED IN DEPUTY'S DEATH FILES CIVIL LAWSUIT, CITES DISABILITY OF NOT KNOWING ENGLISH Defense attorney Jose Baez has joined Aguilar Mendez's defense. Following the ruling, Aguilar Mendez's attorney, Jose Baez, blasted the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office for "creating a false narrative" that the teen "failed to follow instructions." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Baez said that Aguilar Mendez primarily spoke Mam, a Guatemalan language, and is not competent in English. "Culture that starts and ends with the sheriff, who not only doubled down and tripled down by creating a false narrative that this young man, who came in at 17, was someone who failed to follow instructions," Baez said in a press conference following Aguilar Mendez's dismissal. "He says if he only followed instructions Kunovich would still be alive," Baez said. "I want to one day see him comply to orders given to him in Mam or Spanish and I would guarantee you that he would not comply. Then claim Vergilio Aguilar Mendez was going to use a knife, knowing that was a lie," Baez said. Sgt. Michael Kunovich was a 25-year veteran of the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. The dismissal comes nine months after Kunovich, 52, collapsed from "medical distress" during the encounter with Aguilar Mendez, who was 18 at the time. The officer later died. According to the St. Johns County Sheriffs Office, Kunovich initially approached Aguilar Mendez about 9 p.m. on May 19, suspecting him of a crime. Aguilar Mendez then continued walking away from the deputy. "Aguilar Mendez was walking on a public sidewalk and speaking with his mother, which is not a crime," the lawsuit states. "When Sgt. Kunovich seized Aguilar Mendez, he stopped and did not try to flee." MIGRANT INITIALLY ACCUSED IN GANG ATTACK ON NYPD OFFICERS HAS CHARGES DROPPED AFTER BE EXONERATED: DA The officer pursued Aguilar Mendez, who apologized in English, before continuing to resist the arrest. The migrant was allegedly confused and told the deputy: "I'm sorry, no speak, no speak English." Other deputies, including those who spoke Spanish, responded to the scene, which ultimately saw the officers tase the migrant and tackle him to the ground, Sheriff Robert Hardwick said at the time. The sheriffs office said the deputies attempted to restrain Aguilar Mendez, who they claim was resisting arrest. "While fighting on the ground, the suspect attempted to grab Sergeant Kunovichs taser and continued to violently resist for approximately 6 minutes and 19 seconds," Hardwick said. The deputies then handcuffed the migrant, but he managed to acquire a small pocketknife. The office did not say if the migrant attempted to use the weapon. "Sergeant Kunovich collapsed moments after the subject was disarmed and relentless lifesaving measures were initiated by St. Johns County Fire Rescue and Flagler Health+ personnel. He was ultimately pronounced deceased shortly after transport to Flagler Hospital," the statement continued. MINNESOTA SHOOTING: 2 POLICE OFFICERS, PARAMEDIC KILLED RESPONDING TO BURNSVILLE DOMESTIC CALL IDENTIFIED Baez claims that his client was confused and was "unable to understand the brutality of the officers." The scuffle was recorded by the officers bodycams and the lawyers point to the video as evidence of the migrants inability to understand or speak English. "Without question, Aguilar Mendez did not understand the purpose or reason for the officers to pile on him, to physically strike him multiple times, and the repeated use of a taser by Sgt. Kunovich," Baez said. Attorney Jose Baez enters the Duval County Courthouse in Jacksonville, Fla., in November. A lawsuit from Baez claimed that Lt. Jose Jimenez, another responding deputy, did not make Aguilar Mendez aware of his Miranda rights , or attempt to obtain an interpreter for him. The deputies "knew there was a substantial likelihood that Aguilar Mendez would be unable to communicate effectively, absent any interpretive aid for Mam, and ignored Aguilar Mendezs statutory rights and SJCSOs policies regarding limited English proficiency," the lawsuit reads. Kunovich was a 25-year veteran of the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Hardwick described him as a "valued member of the St. Johns County Office who passionately dedicated his career to keeping our community safe." The St. John's Sheriffs Department and Jose Baez were not immediately available for comment. Fox News' Lawrence Richard contributed to this report. Original article source: Defense attorney slams Florida sheriff after charges dismissed for illegal migrant accused in deputy death DENVER (KDVR) Denver police shot and killed a man at a 7-Eleven on Federal Boulevard on Friday night. No officers were hurt in the shooting at Fifth Avenue and North Federal Boulevard. The road in front of the 7-Eleven store and its parking lot were blocked with police tape as investigators responded to the scene. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said officers responded to the store about 7:50 p.m. on a report of a stabbing and robbery. When they arrived, they found that a clerk seemed to be under duress behind a door to the back room, where he was locked inside. Officers ended up using a ram to bust the door open and found three males in the room, and one of them appeared to be threatening, actually had a hold of another male party, threatening him with some sort of a sharp instrument, Thomas said. WATCH: 7-Eleven shooting update from Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas Officers found that the person was in imminent danger and opened fire, hitting the man, who was taken to a hospital and died, Thomas said. The suspect was described as a white man, but no further information was available about him. Thomas said the two victims were shaken but unharmed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a bill that clears the way for the release of grand jury testimony about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein, a wealthy Palm Beach resident, was investigated by Palm Beach authorities in 2006 for allegedly sexually abusing young girls at his mansion, leading to a grand-jury investigation. Through a deal approved by prosecutors in 2007, Epstein sidestepped federal charges and agreed to plead guilty to two state prostitution charges, including procuring a minor for sex. Read: Madeline Sotos body found in rural Osceola County The bill (HB 117), sponsored by Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, R-Highland Beach, and Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, expands an exception to a prohibition on the disclosure of testimony or evidence received by grand juries. During a bill-signing event at the Palm Beach Police Department, DeSantis called it wrong that a very rich and well-connected person was able to engineer an outcome that the average citizen would likely never have been able to do. There needs to be a mechanism in some of these rare circumstances where people can get the truth and where we can try to pursue justice, DeSantis said. Read: Parents push for change to school absence notification procedure in light of Madeline Soto case Polsky issued a statement that said she looks forward to the transparency the legislation will provide to people in the state. The public and the victims deserve to know if prosecutors steered the jury away from indicting Epstein on more severe charges, Polsky said. We need to know if the system worked or failed in the pursuit of justice of this heinous individual. Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex-trafficking offenses involving minor girls, and he was found dead in a New York jail in what was deemed a suicide. The Palm Beach Post filed a lawsuit in 2019 in an effort to ob Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he issued a veto of a measure restricting social media use by minors in favor of an alternative bill that is seen as less strict. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI March 2 (UPI) -- A proposed Florida law banning social media use by youth under age 16 has been vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who says he instead favors a less-restrictive alternative measure. DeSantis on Friday vetoed House Bill 1, which would have banned anyone under age 16 from having one or more social media accounts, even if a youth's parents approved of the accounts and supervised their use. The proposed law also would have required social media providers to use third-party age verification to reasonably assure underage youth weren't creating accounts. DeSantis and conservative activist group Moms for Liberty voiced concerns that an outright ban would violate parental rights and instead favored a less-restrictive approach to regulating social media use by Florida adolescents. The governor vetoed House Bill 1 in favor of what he calls a "superior bill" that Florida lawmakers introduced Friday. "Protecting children from harms associated with social media is important, as is supporting parents' rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech," DeSantis said in a statement. The state's lawmakers instead have a week to work on a proposed law, House Bill 3, that would enable teens who are 14 and 15 years old to open social media accounts after obtaining parental permission. The alternative measure would enable parental control and impose stronger penalties on social media companies that disregard the law. It requires social media publishers to initiate a reasonable process for age verification and prohibits them from retaining information that identifies account holders. Violations would be prosecuted under Florida's Deceptive & Unfair Trade Practices Act and enable parents of victimized youth to initiate civil proceedings against social media services providers for any harm done to their children. Social media use by children has raised concerns and spurred investigations and lawsuits at the state and federal levels regarding harm caused to children using platforms. The alleged harms include poor performance in school, mental health issues and suicide. NAPLES, Utah (ABC4) Naples authorities released details, including the suspects identity, on the Wednesday shooting that left two people in critical condition. Mara Ashley Anderson, 28, has been publicly identified as the suspect in the case. She is facing several charges including two counts of attempted aggravated murder and assault on a peace officer with a dangerous weapon, according to the probable cause affidavit. At approximately noon, Naples authorities received a call from a man saying he had been shot by Anderson. When authorities arrived at the scene, they located a 28-year-old female bleeding in an open garage area. They later located the 35-year-old male who appeared to have been shot in his abdomen. A police officer said he searched for Anderson, locating her outside the residence. He said he recognized her from previous interactions, however, this time she was wearing a wig and a hat, according to the affidavit. ORIGINAL STORY: 2 hospitalized, 1 arrested after shots fired in Naples, Utah The police say he directed Anderson to put her hands up and stop walking several times, even drawing his weapon, however, she continued walking towards him. When she was within 3 to 5 feet away from him, she allegedly reached into her bag and pulled out a gun. The officer and Anderson engaged in a physical struggle where he attempted to keep the gun pointed away from both her and himself, the affidavit states. With help from another officer, they safely placed her in handcuffs and allegedly had to force her into the vehicle. During the arrest, the affidavit says Anderson told police the victims came at me and said to kill her instead of sending her to prison. The victims allegedly told police there had been an argument in the residence that led to the shooting. The female said as she attempted to call 911 Anderson shot her hand holding the phone. Following Andersons arrest, police said they noticed her gun had jammed with a live round in it, preventing Anderson from continuing to fire the weapon. READ NEXT: COVID-19 no longer means five days in isolation, CDC says The victims were transported to a local hospital where they were then life-flighted to the University of Utah Medical Center. They both arrived at the hospital in critical condition. The Naples Police Department released an update saying the female victim has improved and is no longer in critical condition and the male victim remains critical but is stable and showing positive progress. Anderson is booked in the Uintah County Jail. Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. WARREN, Ohio (WJW) The U.S. Postal Inspector in Cleveland has released a statement regarding the deadly shooting of a postal carrier Saturday afternoon in Warren. Detectives are investigating the shooting. The shooting happened near Washington Street and Olive Avenue in the city. Local fire dept. lockdown lifted: Suspect in custody City officials confirmed to the I-Team late Saturday night that the mail carrier died. Postal Inspector Ian Ortega is asking the publics help for any information on this crime and released the following statement to the Fox 8 I-TEAM. Earlier today, (Saturday) postal inspectors responded to Warren, Ohio, for a reported shooting of a postal employee. The employee was taken to the hospital, where they later succumbed to their injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims family, friends, and fellow postal employees. This homicide is being investigated by postal inspectors alongside the Warren Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. At this point in time, we are still in the early investigative stages, so I cannot provide specifics at this time. The Postal Inspection Service views the security and well-being of postal service employees as its top priority and will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring those responsible for this senseless crime to justice. If anyone has any information related to the incident, please contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455. All information will be kept confidential. Senseless act of violence and our condolences go out to the victims family, said Warren Safety-Service Director Eddie Colbert. He said it is too early in the investigation to know the motive for the shooting. No arrests have been made at this time. We reached out to Warren Police Chief Eric Merkel for more information. Man charged with criminal homicide after pregnant Amish woman found dead Check back for updates on this developing story, as more information is expected to be released soon. Warren is about 60 miles east of Cleveland. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. WELLS, Maine A developer from Massachusetts is seeking to build 110 single-family homes and 40 multi-family townhouses on currently undeveloped property behind the antiques shop at 502 Post Road. On Monday, the Wells Planning Board will receive a pre-application for the proposal, which is seeking to subdivide 44 acres into eight lots. As well, the board likely will schedule a site walk at the property for a date in April, according to the agenda for its March 4 meeting. The property falls within the towns general business, 75-foot shoreland overlay, and rural districts. This map details how a developer hopes to build more than 100 new homes and about 40 new townhouses on currently wooded property behind the antiques shop at 502 Post Road in Wells, Maine. The developer, Arnie J. Martel, of AJM Construction, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, said the project is a combined effort with the owner of the property, Richard Jorgensen, who operates the antique shop on the site. Were at the beginning stages of this, Martel said during an interview on Feb. 29. There are still a lot of moving parts to this. Martel also said he is not seeking to maximize the density of the wooded property. I just want to create a nice community for the town, he said. A developer is proposing to build more than 100 new homes and about 40 new townhouses on currently wooded property behind the antiques shop at 502 Post Road in Wells, Maine. While a public hearing on the proposal likely will not be scheduled until a later date, residents already are weighing in on the project on social media. Earlier this week, a resident posted images of the applications paperwork on the Wells, Maine page on Facebook, prompting a lengthy discussion about development, zoning, taxes, traffic, housing, quality of life, and other topics. Some commenters urged others to attend the upcoming Planning Board meeting. Jones & Beach Engineers, of New Hampshire, is the firm that submitted the paperwork on the applicants behalf. Martel said he hopes the people of Wells will be open to his idea for what he said would be a gated community. I think it will be a nice addition, he said. More: Why Kennebunk, Maine wants to buy church where Taylor Swift filmed 'Mine' music video This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Developer seeks to build 100+ new homes on Post Road in Wells, Maine Earlier this month the Sturgis Journal ran two stories that would have had old-time newsboys peddling papers on the street shouting, Extra, extra read all about it! It was banner-headline news about cannabis in Michigan and chickens in Sturgis. But first a word about our new state slogan: YOU CAN IN MICHIGAN. Forget about PURE MICHIGAN. That didnt work. Michigans population was shrinking. Governor Whitmer was unhappy. So now a new multi-million dollar Michigan marketing campaign is in full swing. The consultants creating the new program are the same ones that came up with the old one. So, Im keeping my expectations in check. Magee Certainly, the new campaign will highlight Michigans remarkable success with cannabis. Last year we bought three billion dollars worth of it. We were the second biggest cannabis market in the country second only to California! High fives all round, beat the drum, wave the flag, wow! If that doesnt get folks rushing to Michigan, I dont know what will. But theres a problem. According to the Detroit Free Press story in the Journal, cannabis companies are struggling too much inventory, too much competition, and too few sales to go round. Prices are falling like water over Niagara. The average price for an ounce of recreational marijuana in December of 2020 was $350.88. By December of 2023 it had plunged to $95.08. Ouch. Stop the parades; cancel the parties. The cannabis boom could collapse into a Michigan bust. I confess, I dont know which of two cannabis problems is the worst. Is it that were consuming in Michigan a product that many see as a health threat or is it that a part of our business community is facing financial difficulties or both? Im stumped. So, lets move on to chickens. The question here is: should residents of Sturgis be allowed to keep chickens on their property? The issue is nothing new. It first came up for discussion in 2011! And were still fussing with it. While Ive not heard the arguments for and against the proposition, I assume theyve remained the same over the years unless the chickens have changed in some ways that make em better or worse. Ive never had a personal relationship with a chicken. They seem a nervous lot, always cackling and strutting about. In 1928 Herbert Hoover, running for president, promised that if elected thered be a chicken in every pot. He won the election. Good for the chicken. Now were about to find out whether a chicken in a pot is better than a chicken in a yard. The City Commission is reviewing an ordinance prepared by the City Planning Commission. I hope it doesnt get sidetracked by the question of which came first, the chicken or the egg. I dont know how many long hours the Sturgis Planning Commission has spent in hearings, meetings, and preparing a draft of the ordinance. Nor do I know how long the City Commission itself has labored over the issue. It never ends. The draft covers six pages. Holy smokes! Thats more words than in the Bill of Rights. There must be more to keeping chickens than meets the eye. And were in a kerfuffle that takes excessive time and effort to settle. Its likely there will be a referendum in the summer. Then everybody in town will have their say. And thats okay. How often does a whole community have a chance to decide something about anything? Good for us. But hold on theres something more important than cannabis and chickens in Sturgis. While writing this column, I reviewed some Sturgis census data and was shocked at what I stumbled upon. Last year, just under 19% of our population fell below the federally designated poverty level! This percentage would translate into about 2,068 people. Now imagine in your minds eye a line of these people our neighbors each standing three feet from the person next in line. Then imagine the line starting at the stop light on Centerville Road and Main Street extending east through town. It crosses the railroad tracks, passes the Strand Theater, moves beyond the post office, continues across Lakeview, and finally ends just short of Maplecrest Plaza. Thats a line too long. We need to think more about people than we do about cannabis and chickens. Dick Magee is a resident of Klinger Lake and a frequent columnist for the Journals opinion page. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Dick Magee: Cannabis, chickens and a line too long Vintage cars travel on a highway during a grand vintage car cruise in Cairo, Egypt, on March 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) CAIRO, March 1 (Xinhua) -- It was a sight to behold: dozens of classic cars zooming along a highway in Cairo, Egypt, as part of a grand vintage car cruise. The event, organized by the Classic Cars Community in Egypt, attracted more than 65 vintage vehicles of all kinds, from vintage Volkswagen Beatles to classic Mercedes, all made before 1985. The cruise was a celebration of Egypt's rich and diverse vintage auto heritage, as well as a chance for classic car enthusiasts to mingle and marvel at each other's prized possessions. "We want to show the world that Egypt has some unique and rare classic vehicles that are worth seeing and preserving," said Ibrahim al-Gazzar, the head of the community and a vintage car lover himself. The convoy drove for several kilometers on the Cairo-Alexandria desert road, drawing the attention and admiration of other drivers and passers-by. Some of the participants could not contain their excitement as they snapped selfies with the stunning cars. "I cannot believe that I'm surrounded by this large number of beautiful classic cars. I'm going to take selfies with all of them," said Ismail Ahmed, an accountant from Cairo who owns a modern car but dreams of buying a vintage one someday. Ahmed explained that vintage cars are very valuable and expensive, especially if they have a history of being owned by famous people like artists, politicians, or royalty. "These cars are like antiquities, they only get more precious with time. I hope to own one in the future," he said, smiling. Another participant, Ahmed al-Sherbiny, was joining the event for the first time with his 1971 Fiat 124 Spider, which he restored himself. He said the event was a great opportunity for classic car owners to share their experiences and tips on restoration, modification, and maintenance. "This is my first classic car, and I'm very proud of it. I spent years looking for it and fixing it up. It shows how much we love our vintage cars, we treat them like our babies," he said. He added that owning and restoring a vintage car requires a lot of passion, patience, and persistence, as well as a lot of money and time. "Many people have the passion to own vintage cars, but few have the patience and persistence to do it," al-Sherbiny said. Vintage cars are pictured during a grand vintage car cruise in Cairo, Egypt, on March 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) Vintage cars are pictured during a grand vintage car cruise in Cairo, Egypt, on March 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) LOUISIANA (KLFY) Considered the most notorious crime couple in American history by the FBI, the story of Bonnie and Clyde came to an end here in Louisiana. America has tradition of romanticize infamous criminals and engraining them into our popular culture. Whether it be gangsters like Al Capone or serial killers like Ted Bundy, their stories and legacies continue to live on long after their death for better or for worse. In particular, Bonnie and Clyde have become immortalized in pop culture around the world, not just for their notorious crimes but also their love story. People have grown fond of the criminal couple, using them as a benchmark for love in various films, songs, tv series and even slang. Whether it be their crime or love, heres the story of how it all came to an end in Louisiana. This Louisiana archeological site still baffles scientists The first meeting between Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow has many interpretations, but the most credible version has the two meeting on Jan. 5, 1930. They were both Texas natives, and met at a mutual friends house at the ages of 19 and 20. Legend has it the two fell in love right away and became inseparable from that moment. Clyde would be sent to Eastham Prison Farm in April of 1930 for auto theft, and remained there for two years. In this time Bonnie remained loyal to him and even smuggled a weapon in for Clyde, which he used to escape for a short time before being recaptured. After Clydes release, the couple would begin their streak of crimes along side other members of the Barrow gang. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Over a span of two years, Bonnie, Clyde and the rest of the gang would commit several robberies, murders and a jail break from Eastham Prison. The crime duo is said to have killed at least 12 people during this two year crime spree, nine of which were law enforcement officers. In 1934, the Texas Department of Corrections contacted former Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer and persuaded him to attempt to bring an end to the Barrow Gang. Hamer was able to determine that Clyde led the gang in a circular pattern and was centered on family visits. Hamer predicted they were due to stop in Louisiana next. On May 21, 1934, the posse of four Texas officers and Louisiana officers Henderson Jordan and Prentis Morel Oakley, got word that Bonnie and Clyde would be heading to Bienville Parish to meet gang member Henry Methvins family. The officers set up an ambush along Louisiana State Highway 154, where they waited for the couple to pass. At approximately 9:15 a.m. on May 23, the posse was almost ready to give up after a day of waiting when the heard a vehicle approaching. In the official report, they stated Henry Methvins father had parked his truck on the shoulder of the road that morning. Methvins father had been persuaded to do so by Louisiana officer Henderson Jordan, in exchange for not giving the death penalty to Henry, who killed two Texas patrol men alongside Clyde two months earlier. As they hoped, Clyde recognized the vehicle and slowed down to speak to Henrys father. The posse awaited in a nearby bush, and as Clyde slowed his vehicle they opened fire on the couple. Clyde was shot in the head and died instantly. 130 rounds were fired in total, and riddled both the car and couple with bullet holes. After two years on the run and numerous crimes, the story of Bonnie and Clyde came to an end. Today you can find the car and a shirt Clyde was wearing behind a glass panel at the Primm Valley Resort and Casino in Nevada. A mile maker can also be found at the site of the ambush on State Highway 154 near Gibsland, La. Latest Posts For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. PORTLAND, Ore. (PORTLAND TRIBUNE) From the moment I heard the story from World War II veteran Dick Powers of Portland, to the day I answered a phone call from a tearful JoAnne Tyner of Eastchester, NY, my quest involved 21 years of my life. In August of 1943, Powers one of our nations first U.S. Army ski troops discovered the grave of American pilot Joseph Levy, 23, on the volcanic island of Kiska in the Aleutians. Japanese soldiers based on the Alaskan island had buried Levy and marked his grave, a break from how the war was being conducted. That discovery stunned Sgt. Powers, a defining experience of the war and the rest of his life. He doesnt play much: Milwaukie man claims $8.4M Megabucks jackpot Levy also defined Tyners life. She is his namesake. Her mother, Edna Edison, was Levys sister. Three years after his death, Edna named her newborn daughter JoAnne, a tribute to her much-loved brother. Later she also named her second child, a boy, Joseph. Powers also fought in Italy, earning the Bronze Star for meritorious service in combat in the Apennine Mountains and the Po Valley. After the war, he became a successful Portland photographer and died in 2015. But what he learned about Levys burial on the island before then finally found its way to his family. Eastern Oregon creek sees first salmon spawn in 30 years How the story began When the 87th Mountain Division loaded onto ships that August for their first ever combat, they knew nothing about their assignment, until infamous Japanese propagandist Tokyo Rose came on the radio. Read more at PortlandTribune.com. The Portland Tribune and its parent company Pamplin Media Group are KOIN 6 News media partners For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. A Texas district court judge on Friday temporarily halted a demand from the state attorney generals office for an LGBTQ advocacy group to hand over information related to its support of transgender children receiving gender-affirming medical care. PFLAG National, a nonprofit group that supports LGBTQ people and their families, sued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) late Wednesday in Travis County District Court, arguing that the demand from Paxtons office was a clear and unmistakable overreach. Paxton in a Feb. 5 civil investigative demand ordered PFLAG to provide information related to an investigation of actual or possible violations to Texass Deceptive Trade Practices Act, a state law that allows victims of false, deceptive or misleading business practices to sue for damages. Paxtons demand pertained to allegations of fraud related to misrepresentations of gender-affirming medical care, according to Wednesdays lawsuit, and instructed PFLAG to surrender information on members with transgender adolescents in Texas, including any contingency plans to obtain care for their children, which is illegal under a Texas law that went into effect in September. Paxtons demand for the records, PFLAG said in its lawsuit, is part of the states relentless campaign to persecute Texas trans youth and their loving parents. Its also retaliatory, according to the group, which is locked in two separate legal battles over access to gender-affirming care in Texas. District Court Judge Maria Cantu Hexsel granted PFLAGs request to block Paxtons demand on Friday. It clearly appears to the Court that unless the Defendants are immediately restrained from abusing the Deceptive Trade Practices Act by enforcing or otherwise requiring PFLAG to respond to the Civil Investigative Demand and Notice of Demand for Sworn Written Statement, immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to PFLAG and its members from the Defendants wrongful actions, Hexsel wrote in the four-page order. Hexsel, whose August order blocking Texas from enforcing its ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender minors was swiftly overturned by the state Supreme Court, additionally ordered Paxton to appear at a hearing slated for March 25 in Travis County to show cause, if any there be, why a temporary injunction should not be issued. The four legal groups representing PFLAG in court Transgender Law Center, Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the ACLU of Texas celebrated Hexsels order in a joint statement on Friday. Were grateful that the Court saw the harm the Attorney Generals Offices intrusive demands posed for PFLAG National and its Texas members and is protecting them from having to respond while we continue to litigate the legality of the offices requests, the groups said. We now will return to court to seek an extended and ultimately permanent block so that PFLAG can continue supporting its Texas members with transgender youth in doing what all loving parents do: supporting and caring for their children, they said. Paxtons office did not immediately return a request for comment. In a statement on Thursday, Paxton said his office is committed to holding organizations that violate Texas law accountable. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Wendsler Nosie Sr., an Apache elder and longtime opponent of the proposed Resolution Copper mine, said the court ruling "will not stop our struggle to save Oak Flat." (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) A heavily divided panel of federal judges Friday rejected an Apache religious challenge to the construction of a massive copper mine on Oak Flat, a stretch of land in Arizona that tribe members consider sacred and irreplaceable. The tribe members, who go by the name Apache Stronghold, denounced the ruling in the closely watched case and pledged to fight on with an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. "Oak Flat is like Mount Sinai to us our most sacred site where we connect with our Creator, our faith, our families and our land," Wendsler Nosie Sr., an Apache elder and leader of the group, said in a statement. "Today's ruling targets the spiritual lifeblood of my people, but it will not stop our struggle to save Oak Flat." Vicky Peacey, president and general manager of Resolution Copper, the company behind the proposed project, welcomed the decision. "There is significant local support for the project, which has the potential to supply up to one quarter of U.S. copper demand, add up to $1 billion a year to Arizona's economy and create thousands of local jobs in a region where mining has played an important role for more than a century," Peacey said in a statement. "As we deliver these benefits to Arizona and the nation, our dialogue with local communities and tribes will continue to shape the project as we seek to understand and address the concerns that have been raised, building on more than a decade of government consultation and review." Read more: Battle for Oak Flat: How Apache opposition to a copper mine became a religious liberty test Apache Stronghold had asked the court to block construction of the planned mine on the grounds that it would violate their constitutionally protected religious rights and an 1852 treaty between the United States and the Apache. The group said Oak Flat on the edge of the Tonto National Forest outside Phoenix, not far from the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation is a unique and biodiverse archaeological site used for religious ceremonies they cannot hold anywhere else. According to federal planning records, the multibillion-dollar mine would transform Oak Flat which the Apache call Chichil Bildagoteel into a nearly two-mile-wide, 1,000-foot-deep industrial crater to access one of the largest untapped copper ore deposits in the world. Resolution Copper is a subsidiary of the multinational mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP Group. Apart from the court challenge, the project remains under a federal environmental review. Mine shaft infrastructure is seen at Oak Flat, a piece of desert wilderness in Arizona that is sacred to the Apache tribe. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) In a 6-5 ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Daniel P. Collins wrote that Apache Stronghold's religious claims failed because, while the government's transfer of federal land to Resolution Copper would significantly interfere with their ability to practice their religion, it would not "coerce" them into acting contrary to their religious beliefs, "discriminate" against or "penalize" them, nor deny them rights or privileges afforded to other citizens. Collins, an appointee of President Trump whose opinion affirmed a lower court decision, wrote that Apache Stronghold had not only asked for the government to allow their free exercise of religion, but for "de facto" ownership of a "rather spacious tract" of public property a request he said had to be rejected. Collins was joined by Judge Carlos T. Bea, a George W. Bush appointee, and four other Trump appointees to the court: Mark J. Bennett, Ryan D. Nelson, Danielle J. Forrest and Lawrence VanDyke. The proposed Resolution Copper mine is east of Phoenix, near the small town of Superior, Ariz. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times) In a dissent joined fully or in large part by the remaining judges of the panel, 9th Circuit Chief Judge Mary H. Murguia, an Obama appointee, wrote that the "utter destruction" of Oak Flat clearly represented a "substantial burden" on the Apache's religious rights under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act and should therefore be blocked and the case sent back down to the lower courts for reconsideration. "This conclusion comports with the First Amendment's protection against government conduct prohibiting the free exercise of religion, because the destruction of the Apaches' sacred site will prevent worshipers from ever again exercising their religion," Murguia wrote. Several other judges wrote their own dissents and concurrences, as well reflecting a diverse array of opinions in a complex case that has created strange bedfellows, uniting religious conservatives with liberal environmental activists, and drawn interest from a vast array of other interest groups, from heavy industry to megachurches to rock-climbing enthusiasts. Attorneys for Apache Stronghold said the split nature of the court's decision put the case "on a fast track" to the Supreme Court. "Blasting a Native American sacred site into oblivion is one of the most egregious violations of religious freedom imaginable," said Luke Goodrich, an attorney for the group. "The Supreme Court has a strong track record of protecting religious freedom for people of other faiths, and we fully expect the Court to uphold that same freedom for Native Americans who simply want to continue core religious practices at a sacred site that has belonged to them since before the United States existed." Mila Besich is the mayor of Superior, Ariz., a historic mining community east of Phoenix. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Whether the conservative-leaning high court will indeed see legal cause to revisit the decision is unclear. Nosie's 24-year-old granddaughter, Naelyn Pike, a prominent youth voice in the battle, told The Times that Friday's decision was a reminder of her people's "inheritance of colonization and oppression" and one that religious people of all stripes should reject. "Indigenous leaders and all religious leaders of this country must stay resilient through faith and prayer so that we can fight against religious oppression," she said. Mila Besich, mayor of nearby Superior, Ariz., welcomed the decision. "This has been something that we've all been waiting for, one way or the other," she said. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times) The mine promises to bring thousands of jobs to Superior, and Resolution Copper has already given millions of dollars to the town for building renovations, business development, schools, roads and other projects. Besich said the court's decision appeared to be well-reasoned, and she hopes it will help clear other hurdles including the pending federal environmental review and kick the mine's promised hiring into high gear. "When this mine finally gets open, it's going to bring high-paying jobs to our community, which is going to add to the vibrancy of our community and our sustainability," Besich said. "Mining is one of the last few work sectors where people can make a living wage for their families without needing a college degree." Copper is used in electric vehicles and a slew of other modern technology, and Besich said her town wants to fuel the "green economy" of the future while building a firm economic foundation that will see Superior into the future well beyond the mine's projected 60-year lifespan. The copper deposit thousands of feet below Oak Flat holds an estimated 1.4 billion tons of ore, containing an estimated 40 billion pounds of copper, according to federal records. Resolution Copper's plans call for the deposit to be blown up into small pieces and hauled out through mine shafts. As a result of that process, the surface above the cactus-covered, sun-baked landscape of Oak Flat will slowly crater into itself, the plans say. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) launched a mobile billboard that will appear in North Carolina and Virginia Saturday, attacking former President Trump during his visits to the Super Tuesday states. The mobile billboard, which was first shared with The Hill, argues that Trump is coming for your healthcare if hes elected to another term. Medicaid expansion? Gone, it reads. Abortion? Banned nationwide. IVF? Under attack, it adds. Trump-MAGA extremism. Bad for your health. The mobile billboard will be on a truck that circles in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday during the day, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., and in Richmond, Virginia in the evening, from 5 to 8 p.m. both as Trump, the likely GOP nominee, is holding rallies in the area. Both North Carolina and Virginia are holding GOP primaries on Tuesday, when Trump will be on the ballot against primary challenger Nikki Haley. Haley will also be campaigning in North Carolina Saturday, holding a rally in Raleigh. Donald Trump is bad for your health. His extreme MAGA agenda includes ripping away health care coverage from millions, siding with greedy insurance companies over hardworking families, banning abortion nationwide, and taking away parents ability to grow their families with IVF, DNC rapid response director Alex Floyd said. In 2020, Trump won North Carolina with nearly 50 percent of the vote and President Biden won Virginia by over 54 percent. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Nikki Haley: I dont think that there should ever be a president that has total immunity to do whatever they want to do. Nikki Haley: I dont think that there should ever be a president that has total immunity to do whatever they want to do. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP Asked if she thought Donald Trump would follow the US constitution if he is elected for a second term as president, Nikki Haley said: I dont know. I dont know. I dont I dont know, the former South Carolina governor, Trumps last opponent for the Republican presidential nomination, told NBCs Meet the Press in an interview to be broadcast in full on Sunday. I mean you always want to think someone will, but I dont know. Related: Nikki Haley says I have a duty to stay in race despite latest loss to Trump Trump has won every primary vote and heads into Super Tuesday on 5 March, when multiple states hold nominating contests, on the brink of securing the nomination. Refusing to drop out, Haley has attacked Trump in steadily harsher terms. But though she has kept the twice-impeached former president from utterly dominating at the polls, she has not come close to winning a state. Trumps campaign rhetoric has been characteristically dark, including a wish to be a dictator on day one in office and promises to take ultimate and absolute revenge on his enemies. He has mused about vindication and about terminating the constitution. Haley said: You know, when you go and you talk about revenge when you go and you talk about, you know, vindication [and] when you go and you talk about what does that mean? Like, I dont know what that means, and only he can answer for that. What I can answer for is, I dont think there should ever be a president thats above the law. I dont think that there should ever be a president that has total immunity to do whatever they want to do. The US supreme court this week stunned many observers when it said it would hear oral arguments over Trumps claim, in his federal election subversion case, that he has absolute immunity for acts committed in office. A federal appeals court roundly rejected the argument but it will be presented to a rightwing-dominated supreme court to which Trump appointed three justices in four years. Scheduling concerns mean any trial is likely to be close to or after the November election. Facing 91 criminal charges for election subversion (four federal, 13 state), retention of classified information (40) and hush-money payments (34), Trump has sought to delay each case, ultimately to be able to have them dismissed if he is re-elected. Haley, who served the former president as ambassador to the United Nations, has said Trump cannot win a general election but also refused to rule out endorsing him and said she will not support Joe Biden. Trump has roundly mocked Haley and demanded she drop out. As president, Haley told NBC, I think that we need to have someone that our kids can look up to, that they can be proud of. Trumps hush-money trial concerning payments to an adult film star who claimed an extramarital affair will begin in New York at the end of March. Haley added: I think we need to have a country of law and order, a country of freedom, and a country that goes back to respecting the value of a taxpayer dollar, and we dont have any of that right now. GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) The parents of a two-year-old are calling for accountability after a daycare left a toddler without part of a finger. February 20 was just another day for Tonishia Anthony, mom of Seawn Sutton. She dropped Seawn off at Rising Stars of Farmville, a local daycare. Around 11 a.m. that day, Anthony received a notification from the daycare that Seawn hurt his finger. Anthony said that when she got to the daycare, she could not believe what she saw. (Contributed photo used with permission) They unwrapped his hand and the only thing I could say was Oh my God, it was so bad, I couldnt even stomach it, it was so bad, Anthony said. Anthony rushed Seawn to the ECU Health Medical Center emergency room, with Shawn Sutton, Seawns dad, meeting the two at the ER. You gotta watch that, you gotta let them, theres nothing we can do at that point, just stand there helpless and go through that, Sutton said. Charlotte daycare shut down by state over health and safety concerns has 2 locations Surgeons tried to reattach Seawns finger but were unsuccessful. Sister station WNCT reached out to Rising Stars of Farmville. In an e-mail statement, they wrote: As a family-oriented child care center committed to providing quality services, Rising Stars of Farmville regrets that a toddler in its care suffered injury to a finger last week and are hopeful the child experiences a speedy recovery. We are cooperating with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which is investigating the matter. As an organization, we remain committed to providing high-level care services and serving our community in the best way possible. (Sarah Gray Barr, WNCT photo) Sister station WNCT also reached out to NC Department of Health and Human Services. In an e-mail statement, they wrote: The NCDHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education is aware of the concerns and is considering next steps; we cannot comment on investigations or possible investigations. Seawns parents said Seawn still relives that day whenever he goes for a follow-up doctors visit. I have the video, it starts back when they unwrap it, he goes through the whole trauma again, Sutton said. We dont know what else this is going to affect, yes his hand, yes part of his finger is missing, he has to grow up with it, Anthony said. Sutton and Anthony said the immense community support has been a light in the dark. We call them virtual aunties and uncles, Sutton said. Like an art heist. 10-foot long thumbtack sculpture stolen from Hickory art gallery Wearing shirts that read My Accident Could Have Been Prevented, Seawns parents said they hope the daycare is held accountable. Dont let there be another Seawn, dont let the incident that happened to Seawn, happen to your child. Thats what were doing now, awareness, Sutton said. You can search for information on regulated childcare facilities in North Carolina at: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/childcaresearch. On this page, you can view facility information, license information, DCDEE visits to facilities, and more. Visits are made to childcare programs to monitor compliance with childcare laws and rules are displayed as announced or unannounced. The visit history chart shows the DCDEE visits made to childcare programs over the last three years. Additionally, DCDEE has compiled a list of questions and issues that families may want to discuss with a potential childcare provider at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Parent/Choosing-Quality-Child-Care/Checklist. For those interested in donating to Seawns recovery fund, click here to see the GoFundMe page. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Michigan Republicans awarded Donald Trump 39 more delegates during a state convention Saturday, padding the former president's lead for the nomination heading into a series of "Super Tuesday" primaries. The Michigan Republican Party held its state convention amid turmoil that included separate meetings of party dissidents across the state - disorganization that could undermine Trump's attempt to win a key battleground state in the fall election. We do have a strong unifying head of the party, which is President Trump, said Matt Marko, president of the North Oakland Republican Club and an attendee at the Grand Rapids convention. Donald Trump and Nikki Haley He added: And if we can get everybody in lockstep behind him - and with what he's running against - I think that we should be able to deliver Michigan. Wrapping up a complicated delegate selection process that included a primary on Tuesday, Trump won more than 89% of the official convention vote over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, his last remaining Republican opponent. In the primary held earlier this week, Trump won just more than 68% of the vote while Haley won just under 27%. Trump claimed 12 convention delegates while Haley received four. Trump also won Republican caucuses Saturday in Missouri. Idaho is also hosting Republican caucuses, and Trump is expected to do well in that state. In the nomination race overall, the former president began the day with 155 delegates to Haley's 24, according to the Associated Press. Haley has vowed to stay in the race and looked forward to Tuesday's contests that will select more than a third of the delegates to the Republican convention in July. Super Tuesday states include California, Texas, North Carolina, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts. Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and American Samoa. Trump has now won every delegate contest this year: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. Saturday's convention in Michigan completed an intricate process set up by a very divided state Republican Party. Most of the Michigan GOP members who who attended the convention at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids appeared hopeful that their party is turning a new page. There were debates in some district meetings over who was eligible to vote for delegates. But one thing was for certain: Trump was bound to be the eventual winner of the vast majority of those votes. The Michigan GOP put together a two-step system for awarding delegates because of a new state law governing primaries. Michigan's Democratic-majority government passed a law last year moving the state's primary from March to February. Michigan Republicans objected, saying their national party reserved pre-March delegates for a small number of states. The Michigan Republicans came up with a plan to award 16 delegates based on the pre-March primary. The remaining 39 delegates were awarded at the Saturday convention. In-fighting within the Michigan Republican Party also complicated Trump's campaign, and could continue to do so. GOP members ousted former chair Kristina Karamo amid criticism over the way the party was being run. Karamo supporters tried to organize a Trump convention in Detroit, but those plans fell through. Smaller groups of Michigan Republicans planned small meetings in Houghton Lake and Battle Creek, but they did not amount to much. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump wins more delegates from divided GOP in Michigan Russia's attempt to seize Hostomel airport in 2022 was part of a "well-established playbook." "Appreciation of this playbook is key for states who might find themselves in the crosshairs," experts wrote. Even though Russia may dwarf a small state, that doesn't guarantee a successful airport seizure. Here's some advice for nations who don't want Russian troops as uninvited guests: Guard your airport. That's the recommendation from two American defense experts who point to a pattern in Russian operations over the last 50 years: when the Kremlin wants to occupy another nation, it goes for the airport. Russia's failed attempt to seize Kyiv's Hostomel airport at the start of the 2022 Ukraine invasion was part of a "well-established playbook," Kevin Stringer and Heather Gregg wrote in an essay for West Point's Modern War Institute. Moscow sent commandos and paratroopers to seize airports in Prague in 1968, Kabul in 1979 and Sevastopol in 2014, to facilitate an advance by ground troops invading across the border. "An appreciation of this playbook is key for states who might find themselves in the crosshairs of future Russian aggression," the essay warned. The strategy can work with blistering speed as elite assault troops seize the airport to create an aerial beachhead. Air transports can then fly in reinforcements to expand the airhead, while waiting to link up with armored columns pouring across the border. Russian operations follow a typical sequence, according to the essay. "Positioning conventional forces on the borders of the targeted country to amplify political pressure and organize for invasion; infiltrating special operations (Spetsnaz) units to prepare and spearhead the incursion; seizing a strategic airport through airborne units; and airlanding additional assault troops to secure the battlespace and decapitate the national government in conjunction with the already inserted special operations units." The airport invasion force typically comprises a "special forces detachment to achieve surprise, followed with a battalion-sized element to pave the way for at least a brigade to follow on," Stringer, a retired US Army colonel, told Business Insider. A Russian brigade typically numbers about 4,000 paratroops. The strategy doesn't always work. The 2022 Kyiv air assault was a fiasco: air strikes failed to suppress Ukrainian air defenses that shot down numerous helicopters, close air support for the airhead was lacking, and Ukrainian forces quickly counterattacked the 300 beleaguered paratroopers. However, other Russian airport takedowns have been largely successful. The Prague attack helped Warsaw Pact forces to occupy Czechoslovakia with minimal fighting and casualties. The Kabul attack, which aimed to topple Afghan president Hafizullah Amin, was bloodier: Hundreds of Afghans, as well as KGB and Spetznaz commandos, died during an assault on the presidential palace that ended with Russian troops killing Amin. At Sevastopol, Spetznaz units (the notorious "little green men" in unmarked uniforms) seized two airfields in a mostly bloodless operation. Russian soldiers take their position upon their landing at an unspecified location in Ukraine in this image released on Dec. 6, 2022. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/AP Photo Given that seizing airports has worked for Russia in the past, it's reasonable to assume the Kremlin will use similar methods against other potential targets, such as the Baltic States, Moldova or Georgia. But that's easier said than done for small nations with small militaries. "Russia may have its hands full in Ukraine right now, but adequately preparing for Russia's invasion playbook takes time," the essay said. "This, combined with Russia's pattern of invading a country and deposing its leadership, makes it critical for vulnerable countries to take measures to counter the threat. For countries like Moldova and Georgia, this preparation is no small feat, given that both have Russian troops already in their country, are relatively small, and are faced with a range of resource constraints." The authors suggest several solutions that aren't ruinously expensive. The first is to deploy special military units to defend key airports. "The Ukrainians left elements of the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade of the National Guard at the Antonov Airport, despite the overwhelming need for Ukrainian troops to confront the Russian invasion at its borders," the essay noted. "This unit of around three hundred troops succeeded in frustrating the Russian forces' seizure of the airport and rendered the airstrip unusable, foiling subsequent Russian efforts to land forces and seize the capital." Stringer points to a special airport defense regiment that Switzerland stationed at Zurich Airport during the Cold War, as a good model. "It was a brigade-sized element of approximately 3,000 personnel, primarily local reservists on standby. It consisted of four operational battalions armed with machine guns, 81-mm and 60-mm mortars, armored personnel carriers with 20-mm cannon, and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. Airport vehicles could be used to block the runway. I think this model would be both pragmatic and affordable for a small state today." Even though Russia may dwarf a small state in military power, that doesn't guarantee a successful airport seizure. Lightly armed airborne troops have historically been vulnerable to anti-aircraft defenses as they fly in and counterattacks by the defender before they can organize a ground position. "If the defense is prepared, the Russians are vulnerable," Stringer said. "This vulnerability increases if they do not have air superiority over the airfield." If Russian troops do manage to capture an airport, the defender's best option is "immediate counterattack to dislodge the assaulting force and block the runway in order to prevent reinforcement and expansion of the airhead," Stringer said. The US and Europe can also assist vulnerable nations in defending their airports. "The United States military has several units dedicated to seizing or securing airstrips, particularly within the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment and Air Force special operations forces," the essay said. "These units could provide valuable training on how to plan for and disrupt a Russian assault on critical airports. Similar capabilities exist within European special operations and conventional forces, including countries with total defense plans, such as Finland and Sweden." In addition, the US and Europe may also be able to provide intelligence warnings of Russian plans to capture airports. For example, before Russia's February 2022 invasion, the CIA reportedly warned Ukraine of plans to capture Hostomel Airport. "Ultimately, at-risk states and the countries that advise and support them should aim to increase the costs for Russia to execute its invasion playbook," the essay concluded. "Understanding and delineating the sequence of events Russia has historically used to initiate a coup and devising countermeasures to thwart these actions may prove critical in defending against the next Russian invasion." Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds a master's in political science. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn. Read the original article on Business Insider A zipline course on the site of the former Pavilion in downtown Myrtle Beach quietly closed in January 2024, and its unclear why. Myrtle Beach Zipline Adventures announced its permanent closure on Facebook Jan. 18. The post did not say why the zipline was closing. The final owner was The Lodges at Banning Mills Retreat, a nonprofit in Whitesburg, Georgia, according to Mark Kruea, director of public information for the city of Myrtle Beach. The Lodges at Banning Mills Retreat could not be reached for comment before publication, but the ziplines operator has changed hands multiple times since opening in 2012. Eric McGee, who The Sun News reported in 2017 as operating the zipline, ceased leasing the land for the business from property owners Burroughs & Chapin in 2020. McGee, who also operates Jet Boat Rides at Broadway at the Beach, said the zipline business was not satisfactory and was never part of the long-term vision for the property. It did not meet our expectations, McGee said March 1 in an interview with The Sun News. RIVERVIEW, Fla. - Dozens of women took the U.S. citizenship oath Friday during a naturalization ceremony in Riverview. During the event, which coincided with the start of National Women's History Month, formally approved the citizenship of 54 women. "Today is a very emotional day for me. I am very excited. I feel so proud," said Paula Cespedes, who immigrated from the Dominican Republic. "It was very important for me because my mom made many sacrifices for our family and to finally be able to say that I'm a U.S. citizen means the world because that's one of the biggest goals that we had." According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the citizenship candidates had to be green card holders and current lawful permanent U.S. residents, while also meeting all the requirements to naturalize, including passing a civics exam. READ: Madeline Soto was killed by mom's boyfriend Stephan Sterns, Orange County sheriff says: 'Devastating news' The naturalization ceremony comes at a time when immigration remains a heated debate in the U.S. Many of the people participating in the event didn't come to the U.S. at the southern border, but they're still keeping a close eye on the response from federal lawmakers. "Immigrants bring a lot to the table when it comes to forming a part of the United States and contributing to society and community here," Cespedes said. "The amount of people that want to come in no matter what and, like I say, [they're] good and bad people, right? I always think if you can do these things the right way, that is the best way," said Andrea Ratio, who immigrated from Colombia and said she's excited to celebrate core American ideals. "The liberty, the freedom, the protection; you don't get the same in my country." This group of new U.S. citizens originated from 30 countries: Albania, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Italy, Jamaica, Kosovo, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Korea, United Kingdom and Vietnam. SIGN UP: Click here to sign up for the FOX 13 daily newsletter Former daytime TV psychologist Dr. Phill McGraw said he thinks President Biden should go forward with a cognitive test in order to prove that he has nothing to hide, as questions about the incumbents age and mental acuity arise amid his reelection campaign. When asked by host Bill Maher on whether Biden should take a test, McGraw said why not? People that have nothing to hide, hide nothing. So, why not? he answered in the panel interview Friday evening on Real Time with Bill Maher, highlighted by Mediaite. Biden, 81, is the oldest sitting president in U.S. history. The likely Republican nominee, former President Trump, who has also faced some scrutiny over his age, is 77. A new survey found that 86 percent of Americans believe Biden is too old to serve in office, while 56 percent believe both Biden and Trump are too old. Those concerns were only exacerbated by a recent report from special counsel Robert Hur, after reviewing classified documents found at his old vice presidential office and family home in Delaware, which described the president as an elderly man with a poor memory. Biden angrily defended himself, his memory and age in a press conference after the reports publishing. He cursed and insisted that his memory is fine, but later mistakenly referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as the president of Mexico. Despite the mishaps, the presidents doctor released the results of his physical exam last week, but they determined he did not need a cognitive test. Trump has called on Biden to take one and said the results would prove why he makes such terrible decisions. Trump said all presidents and presidential candidates should be required to take a cognitive exam. Hes also for years bragged about his ability to pass a test designed to detect early signs of cognitive decline or dementia. Bidens team and Democrats in Congress have maintained that he is capable of doing the job and is handling complicated issues like the respective wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the southern border just fine. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Russian air defense was shooting down drones in St. Petersburg, wreckage of one of them hit a residential building Russian air defense systems shot down drones over St. Petersburg, with wreckage from one hitting a residential building, local Russian Telegram channels reported on March 2. Photos and videos have been also reported. Additionally, reports indicate that explosions were heard in the city during the night. Read also: Images from the scene reveal blown-out windows in the residential building. Fortunately, there have been no reported civilian casualties. Russian media asserts that the drones were targeting the Ruchi oil depot in northeastern St. Petersburg, located less than a kilometer from the crash site. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine The Duchess of Sussex was noticeably more tactile than the rest of the royals when she joined the family, a royal photographer has revealed. Samir Hussein, an award-winning photographer who captured the now world-famous picture of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex leaning into each other under an umbrella in 2020 that went viral, described it as unusual. He told The Telegraph: It was very noticeable when Meghan came on the scene just how tactile she was, like holding the Dukes hand and being arm-in-arm, so that was quite unusual. The Duchess, 42, and the Duke, 39, are known for their displays of affection and hand-holding when out, marking a breakaway from the usual formality seen in royal relationships. Mr Husseins image of the couple looking adoringly at one another in the rain, taken at one of their final engagements before they stepped down as senior royals, will now go on display in London in a new exhibition charting his familys photography of the monarchy over the years. The exhibition, titled Princess Diana: Accredited Access, will open at St Katharine Docks, London, on May 25 after successful runs in the US, Australia and Canada. It is a collection of images taken by the longest-serving royal photographer - and Mr Husseins father - Anwar Hussein, as well as those from his and his brother Zaks collection. Anwar Hussein is well-known for the many picture he took of the late Diana, Princess of Wales The family passion for photographing the royals spans seven decades during which time the trio have curated a collection of official pictures of five generations of the monarchy. Anwar Husseins pictures of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, remain among the most prominent that chart her public life and her private moments. Each photo in the exhibition has a unique, untold story, Sam said, and we really explore how Diana changed the world - her influence just on so many things about royal life. It shows how she was a royal mum, and modernised motherhood in many ways as a royal by being very hands on and a loving mom and you can see that legacy in William and Harry. We also explore how she is the fashion icon and spearheaded a new era of royal fashion in many respects, and also just being such an amazing humanitarian. The Duchess of Sussex with her husband-to-be in Nottingham in 2017 - EDDIE KEOGH/REUTERS Anwar Husseins younger son, Zak, added: Were photographing her children now, so bringing that element [to the exhibition] brings a lot to it. The two brothers, now in their 40s, spent a lot of their childhood surrounded by royalty because of their father. Sam Hussein recalled days where they would accompany his father, now 86, to the polo where he would be photographing the-then Prince Charles playing while Princess Diana watched. It was very relaxed, he said, we would play around and William and Harry would be playing there as well, so we were kind of exposed to all of that from a young age. Zak added that their similar ages to the princes meant they could relate to them in a different way. The brothers told The Telegraph that they aim to continue their fathers style of photographing the royal family in a more candid manner, catching them in moments between formality rather than always posing for the lens. Royal photographers Anwar, Samir and Zak Hussein outside Buckingham Palace He wanted to shoot more of a human side that makes them more relatable, Sam Hussein said, adding: I think thats something that weve tried to continue. The exhibition, which will run to Sept 2, displays the familys photographs in life-size formats and provides a unique audio tour - narrated by both brothers - to guide the experience. Speaking about the long-running show finally coming to the home of the royals, Zak said: It just means a lot more being in the UK, where a lot of pictures were taken, it feels like more of a homecoming event. Anwar Hussein also credited the exhibition coming home to London. He said: I am delighted that the images captured, as well as those of my sons, are coming home to London to recognise and memorialise such a remarkable woman and her sons. There are so many memories of our two families connecting and creating a special relationship, which I am pleased to be able to display in such a unique way through the exhibition, he added. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Two expectant eagle parents in California have tens of thousands of people eagerly awaiting the hatching of their chicks, thanks to a live feed of the birds nest. Jackie, a female, and Shadow, a male, are bald eagle mates who share a nest in Southern Californias San Bernardino Mountains. The nest is about 145 feet up in a pine tree with a view of Big Bear Lake. Jackie and Shadow are shown in their nest in an image released by Friends of Big Bear Valley. Friends of Big Bear Valley via AP Since 2015, the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley has had a webcam providing a livestream of the goings-on inside the nest and lately, things have gotten especially interesting. Jackie laid three eggs in January, and The Associated Press reported Thursday that the chicks could hatch soon. On early Saturday afternoon, nearly 20,000 viewers were tuned in to a YouTube livestream, participating in what multiple news outlets are calling hatch watch. The Saturday stream showed one of the eagles dutifully incubating the eggs as rain and wind buffeted the nest, but the parents-to-be are no strangers to inclement weather. Last month, the two were seen protecting the eggs in shifts amid a fierce snowstorm. At one point, Jackie stayed atop the eggs without a break for just under 62 hours. The livestream has also captured many lighter moments, including Shadow bringing Jackie a whole fish Sunday. He was in heaven & proud that he pleased his lady, Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote on a Facebook page that recaps nest highlights. Related... An airport security officer has returned home after abandoning an attempt to climb the highest mountain in the Americas. East Midlands Airport's Michael McCorkindale was close to the summit of Aconcagua when conditions and an injury forced him to turn back. He had previously been hurt by a trekker's crampon as he stopped him slipping during an earlier climb. The 36-year-old said: "It was hard to make the decision to go down. "But the alternative was a one-way ticket to the top." The former soldier, who is known as the airport's "resident action man", was taking on the challenge for children charities The Children's Society, Magic Breakfast and Medcare. Mr McCorkindale sustained his injury when his group - led by Argentinian Sherpas - summited a neighbouring peak at over 5,000m (16,404ft) as part of acclimatising to the gruelling conditions. The group started climbing Aconcagua during a heatwave and once on the peak known as the Mountain of Death, they faced a combination of avalanches, mudslides and a storm. Mr McCorkindale, from Anstey in Leicestershire, said he spent a night in a tent on a cliff edge as the storm blew in, causing an avalanche which forced the group to ascend a further 1,100m (3,608ft) without rest. He began suffering from hallucinations due to the lack of oxygen and physical exhaustion, and had to abandon the challenge at 6,100m (20,013ft) of the 6,960m (22,834ft). Mr McCorkindale said: "I had been doing well physically and mentally but unfortunately everything that could go wrong did go wrong. "I did defeat the Mountain of Death because I refused to let it take my life. A mountain man isn't someone who always summits but is someone who lives to tell the tale." He now plans to trek thousands of steps for five days in May along the Great Wall of China to help to repair a broken section. Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. In 2017, LongStory Coffee owner Erik Busch drove to Sparta to view the eclipse. At that time, he worked for Schlafly, which launched an eclipse-themed beer. For the upcoming eclipse, he wants to celebrate in a similar way with coffee. So, in time for the April 8 solar eclipse, Longstory will offer Totality, a medium roast organic coffee that is available from March 1 through April 8, Busch said. He said hes been thinking about the roast over the last year and actively worked on it for the last month and a half. Busch wants a coffee that appeals to as many coffee drinkers as possible. So opted for a medium roast and create a perfect balance between a roasty bitter and acidic flavor. He chose an organic bean for those who prefer organic goods. This medium roasted Peruvian organic coffee showcases the balance between light and dark, with sweet flavors of brown sugar and chocolate blending with hints of nuttiness, stated an email from LongStory Coffee to its mailing list subscribers. It all sounds good to me! The back of the Totality bag includes information about how eclipses were seen in ancient cultures. In ancient Chinese lore, an eclipse was seen as an ancient dragon attacking the sun, the label says. It also includes Native American, African and ancient Greek lore and the date for this years total solar eclipse. I should also mention that each bag comes with a pair of eclipse glasses (while supplies last, of course). Busch found a company online that makes glasses ideal for viewing an eclipse and bought a bundle two months ago. Totality also is available through April 8 through LongStorys website. After that, remaining bags will be pulled from the shelves, and the baristas get to take it all home, said Busch. LongStory, the podcast In addition to roasting coffee, Busch keeps pretty busy. In December, he and regular LongStory customer Owen Pye launched a new podcast. LongStory Short features a collection of side hustles, cool jobs, and interesting hobbies from your coffee shop regulars. Pye is a videographer, content creator and regular who, according to Busch, wanted to launch a podcast without being in a podcast. (He is included in two episodes, one as interviewer and another as interviewee.) Busch says he often chats up the regulars and learns about their jobs and interests. Those that stand out are invited to be guests in a podcast. Some of these include a pastor/bartender, artists, musicians and others. Upcoming episodes feature a bee keeper and a fire spinner. Busch said they shoot the podcasts in batches with the goal of releasing one every other week. You can find all of the LongStory Short podcasts on YouTube. Farmers market ends soon The coffee shop at the old train depot is also the setting of a monthly farmers market, which takes place 8 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of each month. Busch said Market at the Station is doing well and that after the last two dates in March and April, the idea of hosting the market during the regular season will be revisited. He is also collaborating with Mike Johnson and Jeremy Hall at Shoehorn Brewing to create a new brew. Ill have more on that in a separate story very soon, so keep reading. On top of all that, Busch has many other projects and events in the works for 2024. You can keep up with the activities via the LongStory Coffee Facebook page. About LongStory Coffee LongStory Coffee is located at 732 S. Illinois St. in Belleville. Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 618-975-7398, visit longstorycoffee.com or check out the Facebook page. The U.S. Department of Education is opening an investigation into whether the Oklahoma school district where a 16-year-old transgender student, Nex Benedict, died after a fight in a high school restroom, failed to respond appropriately to sex-based harassment, according to a letter addressed to the Human Rights Campaign. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), one of the countrys largest LGBTQ+ rights groups, filed complaints with the Department of Education and the Department of Justice following Benedicts death on Feb. 8. Benedict died one day after a fight with three other Owasso High School students, putting a spotlight on the culture of fear and harassment facing LGBTQ+ students in Oklahoma and beyond. This letter is to notify you that the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), is opening for investigation the above-referenced complaint that you filed against the Owasso Public Schools (the District), wrote Karen Mines, the Education Departments regional director, in a letter to HRC. Your complaint alleges that the District discriminated against students by failing to respond appropriately to sex-based harassment, of which it had notice, at Owasso High School during the 2023-2024 school year. The letter also notes that the Office for Civil Rights will investigate whether the district failed to follow Title IX guidelines when responding to sex-based harassment. Current Title IX law includes language that protects transgender students in any school or educational program that receives federal funding. Brock Crawford, a spokesperson for the Owasso Public School District, confirmed by email that the district received a notice of the investigation from the Office for Civil Rights. The district is committed to cooperating with federal officials and believes the complaint submitted by HRC is not supported by the facts and is without merit, Crawford said in the email. In the days since news broke about Benedicts death, dozens of organizations have accused Oklahomas state superintendent, Ryan Walters, of creating a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ and two-spirit students. The conservative superintendent has faced backlash for appointing Chaya Raichik, the woman behind the far-right social media account Libs of TikTok, to a voluntary seat on the states library review committee. In 2022, Libs of TikTok targeted one of Benedicts eighth-grade teachers, Tyler Wrynn, prompting them to resign because of the harassment. On Wednesday more than 300 advocacy and LGBTQ+ organizations called for Walters immediate removal, stating that his choice to appoint Raichik, as well as his emergency rule to block a trans Oklahoma teen from changing his gender on his school records, have created a culture where rampant harassment of 2SLGBTQ+ students has been allowed to go unchecked. CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, a headline on a previous version of this article mistakenly used the pronoun his. Benedict used the pronouns they and them. Related... The Department of Education said Friday that it is opening an investigation into the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old Oklahoma high school student who died one day after getting into a fight in the girls bathroom at school, where they were allegedly bullied for months over their gender identity. The departments Office for Civil Rights notified the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) of the investigation, which it said was opened in response to a letter sent by the LGBTQ rights organization that alleged Nexs school district, Owasso Public Schools, failed to respond appropriately to the sex-based harassment that may have contributed to Nexs death. HRC President Kelley Robinson called for federal investigations into the teenagers passing in letters sent on Feb. 21 to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. We are deeply concerned about the failure of Owasso High School to address documented instances of bullying, violence, and harassment against Nex, which occurred in earnest over the course of the previous school year and were in violation of Nexs rights under Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Robinson wrote in her letter to Cardona. We therefore urge the Department to urgently investigate whether Owasso High School unlawfully failed to address the discrimination and harassment to which Nex was subjected, she continued. In addition, we call upon the Department to conduct a Title IX compliance investigation for Owasso High School. The organizations calls for federal investigations were amplified by leading LGBTQ figures and lawmakers including Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.). Key details surrounding Nexs death and identity are still unclear. Nexs mother, Sue Benedict, told The Independent that Nex did not see themselves as male or female. Nex saw themselves right down the middle. Friends of Nex told NBC News last week that Nex was transgender and primarily went by he/him pronouns at school but also used they/them pronouns. A police investigation is still ongoing. Local authorities said last week they have not ruled out the fight as a possible cause of Nexs death. The incident has cast a spotlight on Oklahoma, which currently leads the nation in anti-LGBTQ legislation filed this year, according to the ACLU. Advocacy groups and lawmakers following initial reports of Nexs death said hateful rhetoric and laws that target LGBTQ individuals were to blame. The tragedy has also put a national focus on Oklahoma schools and state education officials. More than 350 LGBTQ and civil rights organizations including the HRC this week called for the removal of the states Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, who has espoused anti-LGBTQ views. Walters in January appointed Chaya Raichik the conservative activist behind Libs of TikTok, whose posts often target LGBTQ people to a state library advisory board. A former teacher at Nexs high school.resigned last year after he was featured in one of Raichiks posts. Sue Benedict told The Independent that Nex was upset about the departure of the teacher, who was targeted for affirming LGBTQ students. Nexs family, community, and the broader 2SLGBTQI+ (two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex+) community in Oklahoma are still awaiting answers following their tragic loss, Robinson said Friday in a statement. We appreciate the Department of Education responding to our complaint and opening an investigation we need them to act urgently so there can be justice for Nex, and so that all students at Owasso High School and every school in Oklahoma can be safe from bullying, harassment, and discrimination, she added. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (The Hill) The Department of Education said Friday that it is opening an investigation into the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old Oklahoma high school student who died one day after getting into a fight in the girls bathroom at school, where they were allegedly bullied for months over their gender identity. The departments Office for Civil Rights notified the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) of the investigation, which it said was opened in response to a letter sent by the LGBTQ rights organization that alleged Nexs school district, Owasso Public Schools, failed to respond appropriately to the sex-based harassment that may have contributed to Nexs death. HRC President Kelley Robinson called for federal investigations into the teenagers passing in letters sent on Feb. 21 to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. We are deeply concerned about the failure of Owasso High School to address documented instances of bullying, violence, and harassment against Nex, which occurred in earnest over the course of the previous school year and were in violation of Nexs rights under Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Robinson wrote in her letter to Cardona. We therefore urge the Department to urgently investigate whether Owasso High School unlawfully failed to address the discrimination and harassment to which Nex was subjected, she continued. In addition, we call upon the Department to conduct a Title IX compliance investigation for Owasso High School. The organizations calls for federal investigations were amplified by leading LGBTQ figures and lawmakers including Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.). Key details surrounding Nexs death and identity are still unclear. Nexs mother, Sue Benedict, told The Independent that Nex did not see themselves as male or female. Nex saw themselves right down the middle. Friends of Nex told NBC News last week that Nex was transgender and primarily went by he/him pronouns at school but also used they/them pronouns. A police investigation is still ongoing. Local authorities said last week they have not ruled out the fight as a possible cause of Nexs death. The incident has cast a spotlight on Oklahoma, which currently leads the nation in anti-LGBTQ legislation filed this year, according to the ACLU. Advocacy groups and lawmakers following initial reports of Nexs death said hateful rhetoric and laws that target LGBTQ individuals were to blame. The tragedy has also put a national focus on Oklahoma schools and state education officials. More than 350 LGBTQ and civil rights organizations including the HRC this week called for the removal of the states Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, who has espoused anti-LGBTQ views. Walters in January appointed Chaya Raichik the conservative activist behind Libs of TikTok, whose posts often target LGBTQ people to a state library advisory board. A former teacher at Nexs high school.resigned last year after he was featured in one of Raichiks posts. Sue Benedict told The Independent that Nex was upset about the departure of the teacher, who was targeted for affirming LGBTQ students. Nexs family, community, and the broader 2SLGBTQI+ (two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex+) community in Oklahoma are still awaiting answers following their tragic loss, Robinson said Friday in a statement. We appreciate the Department of Education responding to our complaint and opening an investigation we need them to act urgently so there can be justice for Nex, and so that all students at Owasso High School and every school in Oklahoma can be safe from bullying, harassment, and discrimination, she added. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. NAIROBI, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) wrapped up on Friday evening in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, with delegates adopting resolutions to advance collective efforts in addressing global climate challenges. Held under the theme of "effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution," the five-day assembly adopted 15 resolutions, two decisions and a ministerial declaration to help tackle multiple ecological crises. Leila Benali, president of UNEA-6 and Morocco's minister for energy transition and sustainable development, said the assembly endorsed resolutions on improved water resources management, curbing air pollution and land degradation. In addition, Benali said that delegates unanimously adopted resolutions calling for better ocean governance and promoting synergies in the multilateral environmental agreements. "The ministerial declaration reflects the great urgency of the environmental planetary crisis and the differentiated impact and threats of the multiple environmental challenges we face," Benali said. More than 7,000 delegates from 182 UN member states and more than 170 ministers had registered for the five-day conference that ended on Friday, according to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The assembly focused on discussion covering a wide range of topics including the circular economy, solar radiation modification, climate justice, sand and dust storms, and the sound management of chemicals and waste. Some of the key highlights of the assembly included a whole day dedicated to discussing multilateral environmental agreements, a science-policy-business forum, and a high-level segment attended by several African heads of state and government. Inger Andersen, the UNEP executive director, said that UNEA-6 injected fresh vitality into multilateralism to help address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature loss and pollution in a coherent and harmonized manner. Andersen noted that resolutions on halting desertification and ecosystem degradation will boost progress toward securing a green, food-secure, healthy and resilient planet. Abdullah bin Ali Al-Amri, the incoming president of UNEA-7 who is also the chairman of the Environment Authority in Oman, called for solidarity among nations to boost the response to planetary hazards. Strengthening multilateral environmental governance combined with adequate financing and cooperation will be key to securing a green, secure, and livable planet for future generations, Al-Amri said. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) El Paso Desert ADAPT/PACT celebrated International Wheelchair Day on Friday, March 1 at the Judge Marquez Public Library. The event touched on the history of the wheelcahir and how it impacts people with disabilites, according to a press release from the organization. International Wheelchair Day is an annual day of events and activities which take place around the World when wheelchair users celebrate the positive impact a wheelchair has on their lives, the press release said. International Wheelchair Day was launched in 2008, and since then celebrations have taken place in Australia, Nepal, Senegal, South Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, United Kingdom and United States of America. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Data compiled by KTSM shows that in the first 10 days of early voting for this years primary elections, voter turnout has been lower than in 2020s primary election in El Paso County. So far, there have been 24,095 voters in 2024 compared to 33,713 voters in 2020 who cast their ballot in the same time period for the primary in El Paso County. However, this years early voting numbers for the primary elections are higher than in 2016s primary election during that same period, when only 18,293 voters cast their ballot. We choose 2024, 2020 and 2016 for this comparison because all three are presidential election years. Data compiled by KTSM on El Paso County Early Voting KTSM has provided coverage on four highly contested local races in this years Democratic primary. House District 77 El Paso County district attorney El Paso County sheriff County commissioner, Precinct 1 Friday, March 1 was the last day for early voting. KTSM spoke with local residents about this years voter turnout. Rita Williamson already voted and she said local elections are very important because they affect peoples daily lives, but she didnt feel comfortable with this years primary election. I did find that it was mostly clogged mailboxes, flyers that didnt really give us information on the candidates platforms, which I found to be upsetting and kind of annoying. We dont need that kind of junk mail, so to speak. said Williamson. What I would appreciate more from the candidates would be actual information on what they stand for. Her father Owen Williamson shared the same sentiment. The information weve gotten is really, really insufficient. So in most of the local races that are contested, I honestly didnt vote for anybody because the information we have is not sufficient to decide, Owen Williamson said. Perla Mendoza did not vote in the early election period but plans to vote on Election Day on March 5 as she values having her voice heard, but said waiting until Election Day has its benefits. Mainly me because I work really late, I havent had the chance to do it. But also in the end I want to look at everything towards the end so itll help me make my decision, Mendoza said. Mario Padilla cast his vote on the last day of early voting, and expressed his thoughts on the importance of local elections. I think every election is important. We dont have a right to complain unless we participate in the election system, Padilla said. El Paso is home and has been home for over 40 years. Its dear to me, its dear to I think all of us that voted today and are voting in the general election. So we have to make sure that we have the right individuals in there doing the right things for all of us. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. El Paso federal magistrate Judge Leon Schydlower speaks before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, at a hearing in Washington, D.C. regarding his nomination for U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Texas. El Paso federal Magistrate Judge Leon Schydlower is on the verge of being confirmed by the U.S. Senate as a federal district court judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas after a strong showing of bipartisan support from the Senate judiciary committee. Schydlower, who is currently a federal magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, and U.S. Department of Justice Senior Attorney Advisor Ernesto Gonzalez both received 20-1 votes from the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary during a Feb. 29 committee meeting in Washington D.C. Both men were nominated in December by President Joe Biden for federal district court judicial seats for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Schydlower and Gonzalez appeared before the committee in January to answer member questions. The committee voted late last week to send the nominees to the U.S. Senate for confirmation. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas includes El Paso, Austin, San Antonio and Del Rio. The only committee member to oppose the two nominees was U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, who voted against all the judicial nominees discussed during the hearing. Hawley could not immediately be reached for comment. "The votes were very strong for the two of them," said Carl Tobias, Williams Chair in Law at the University of Richmond's School of Law. "Each of them received a 20 to one vote, which is incredible." More: What you know to know about money being donated in El Paso District Attorney race The majority vote from the committee was due in large part from the strong support of the nominees by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Tobias, a prominent national law scholar with an emphasis on federal judicial selection. "Sen. Cornyn took the lead on the two Texas nominees for the Western District and he pointed out that both of them were strongly recommended by the Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee that he and Sen. (Ted) Cruz, (R-Texas) rely on to collect applications, then interview and make recommendations to the senators and then the senators recommend to the White House who they would like to have nominated," Tobias said. "They were strongly recommended by the committee and then strongly recommended to the White House by the senators. The strong support by the two Texas Republican senators, especially Cornyn, seemed to be very persuasive, especially to the Republicans on the committee." Cornyn touts legal experience of both nominees Prior to the votes on each nominees, Cornyn encouraged his fellow committee members to vote to approve both nominees because of their decades of legal experience and knowledge of border issues impacting the Western District of Texas. "Judge Schydlower was a product of a recommendation from the Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee, a bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee," Cornyn told the Senate judiciary committee. "He's a magistrate judge in El Paso and highly qualified for this position. He deserves the unanimous support of this committee and that's what I ask for. For each of our colleagues to vote in favor of his nomination." U.S. Department of Justice Senior Attorney Advisor Ernesto Gonzalez speaks before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, at a hearing in Washington, D.C. regarding his nomination for U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Texas. Schydlower was nominated to fill the judicial seat left vacant from the passing of longtime El Paso federal Judge Philip Ray Martinez in 2021. The El Paso native and Hank High School graduate has served as a federal magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas since 2015. He worked as a private practice lawyer from 2000 to 2015 and worked as a special assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii from 1998 to 2000. He has decades of legal experience in the military as a member of both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force. He served as an attorney and judge in the military for more than a decade. More: 'Join me or I'll join you': 5 takeaways from Biden and Trump's dueling border showdown Gonzalez is nominated to fill a vacancy in the Del Rio area of the Western District of Texas. Gonzalez is currently a senior attorney advisor for the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division, Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section. He previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas from 2000 to 2003 and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas from 2003 to 2023. "Mr. Gonzalez is a 30-year plus experienced prosecutor and somebody magnificently qualified for this position," Cornyn told the Senate judiciary committee. "He also is the embodiment of the American dream. His parents were farm workers, came to this country from Mexico in order to seek a better life." No issues expected in full Senate confirmation process The nominations of Schydlower and Gonzalez will now move forward to the full U.S. Senate for debate and then a final vote. Both nominees are expected to have a controversy-free confirmation hearing, Tobias said. Cornyn strong support carried the nominees through the committee and will now guide them through the remaining confirmation process, Tobias said. "There will not be any hold ups on these nominees," Tobias said. "Not when you have a 20 to one vote out of that committee. That hardly ever happens. All 11 Democrats (on the committee) vote for Biden's nominees because they agree with him. It's sometimes hard to pick up the Republican votes. But today I think everybody deferred to and was impressed by what Cornyn said and so that carried the day." U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-TX, introduces El Paso federal magistrate Judge Leon Schydlower and U.S. Department of Justice Senior Attorney Advisor Ernesto Gonzalez during a Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary in Washington, D.C. Schydlower and Gonzalez will likely be confirmed by the U.S. Senate in April, Tobias said. "The next steps is they go to the floor of the Senate and there are not very many people ahead of them," Tobias said. "So I think it may not be March, but by April I believe they would then have debates, a cloture vote, which is just a vote to cut off debate, and then they could have confirmation votes, be confirmed and then start taking cases." The urgent need for judges to fill vacancies in the Western District of Texas also will aid in getting speedy confirmations for both Schydlower and Gonzalez, Tobias said. "They're all ready to be confirmed and pretty soon we'll have new judges in the Western District of Texas," Tobias said. "And that's great because they're both emergencies because the caseloads are so huge in the Western District of Texas. It would be really great to fill those seats and get good people in there hearing those cases." Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Judge Schydlower receives strong support from judiciary committee The Sacramento Bees Editorial Board meets with dozens of candidates to determine who our board will endorse in local, state and federal races. Opinion Here are our choices: U.S. CONGRESS U.S. Senate Congressional District 3 Congressional District 6 Congressional District 7 CALIFORNIA Proposition 1 Senate District 3 Assembly District 1 Assembly District 5 Assembly District 6 Assembly District 7 Assembly District 9 Assembly District 11 City of Sacramento Mayor of Sacramento Sacramento City Council, District 2 Sacramento City Council, District 4 Sacramento City Council, District 6 Sacramento City Council, District 8 Measure C Sacramento County Sacramento County Supervisor, District 3 Sacramento County Supervisor, District 4 Placer County Placer County Supervisor, District 3 Placer County Supervisor, District 4 Placer County Supervisor, District 5 New Hampshires Department of Transportation has conditionally awarded $2.8 million toward electric vehicle charging infrastructure in North Woodstock, Tilton, Rochester, and Sanbornville as part of phase one of the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program. The federal program, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is expected to send approximately $17.2 million to New Hampshire over a five-year period to deploy electric vehicle charging stations along alternative fuel corridors. Phase one of the plan in New Hampshire will provide a framework to develop charging stations along major travel corridors of Interstate 93 and Route 16. The four projects selected for phase one include: White Mountain Visitor Center in North Woodstock, developed by ReVision Energy; 75 Laconia Road in Tilton, developed by Gridwealth EV; 127 Market Place Boulevard in Rochester, developed by Gridwealth EV; Global Mobil Mart in Sanbornville, developed by Global Montello Group. The projects are expected to begin in mid- to late 2024, after National Environmental Policy Act completion and approval by the governor and Executive Council. This story was originally published by the New Hampshire Bulletin. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Electric vehicle charging stations coming to NH on I-93, Rt. 16 Elijah McClain died after police put him in a chokehold and a medic injected him with ketamine A paramedic who injected Elijah McClain with a fatal overdose of a sedative after police put him in a chokehold has been sentenced to five years in prison. Paramedics Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper were found guilty in December of criminally negligent homicide. Peter Cichuniec was sentenced on Friday, and Cooper will learn his punishment at a hearing in April. The 2019 killing of the 23-year-old black man initially received little attention from the public. But it faced fresh scrutiny a year later after George Floyd's death in Minnesota sparked nationwide racial justice protests against police brutality. Cichuniec, 51, was also convicted of second-degree assault for making the decision to inject McClain with ketamine, a powerful sedative. McClain, a massage therapist, had been walking home from a convenience store when he was stopped by three police officers from the Denver suburb of Aurora responding to a call about a "sketchy" person in the area. Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec (left) were found guilty in December He was placed in a chokehold during the confrontation that followed. Bodycam footage of the incident showed him repeatedly telling officers: "I can't breathe." Prosecutors said the paramedics failed to conduct basic medical checks on McClain before injecting him with the maximum dose of ketamine. He never regained consciousness and died after being removed from life support three days later. They had also left him lying on the ground, making it difficult to breathe, and had failed to monitor his condition. Cichuniec was accompanied in court by his wife and family on Friday, according to Colorado Public Radio. "There are many, many tragedies in my career, but there are people I wish I could say they are OK, but I can't," he tearfully told the judge. "We are not God. I am not God. And we can't always have a positive outcome. We can't save everyone Elijah will always be on my mind, along with all the others," he continued, according to CPR. Two officers involved in the incident, Nathan Woodyard and Jason Rosenblatt, were acquitted of charges in November and October, respectively. A third officer, Randy Roedema, was found guilty in October of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. Prosecutors in that case argued that his statement that McClain was "definitely on something" had contributed to the paramedics' decision to inject him with ketamine. Roedema was sentenced in January to 14 months in prison. The city of Aurora in 2021 agreed to pay $15m (12m) to settle a lawsuit brought by McClain's parents. TWO RIVERS As the search for missing 3-year-old Elijah Vue continues, Two Rivers Police Chief Ben Meinnert said March 1 people can support the effort to bring the boy home by displaying blue and green ribbons and lights. Elijah has been missing since Feb. 20 despite daily search efforts by local, state and federal law enforcement officers that have included canvassing urban and rural neighborhoods; searching rivers, shores and a landfill in Calumet County; and K-9 teams checking and rechecking various areas. In a news release at 4:45 p.m. March 1, Meinnert said Elijahs favorite color is blue and green is a symbol of hope for the recovery of all missing children, which is why those colors were chosen for people to display. The chief also said search efforts March 2 would focus on expanding rural search efforts with large-scale coordinated operations. Two Rivers Police Chief Ben Meinnert speaks at the press conference held at Two Rivers city hall, about the missing three-year-old Elijah Vue, Tuesday, February 27, 2024, in Two Rivers, Wis. We request the communitys cooperation with those efforts to ensure we are thorough, he said in the release. Team leaders of those operations will always have law enforcement identification and badges with them. Meinnert provided no further update on the search for Elijah in the March 1 news release. The FBI has offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to locating Elijah or convicting those responsible for his disappearance, and Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers has offered a $1,000 reward. Elijah Vue search in 11th day: Elijah Vues mother seeks bail change as search for the missing 3-year-old continues on 11th day in Two Rivers Coordinated community effort continues in search for Elijah Vue. Elijah's family, along with hundreds of people from the community, have turned out each day to search public properties. A coordinated civilian search effort is being organized with the Mikadow Theatre, 1118 Washington St. in Manitowoc, as a base of operations. People coordinating the searches are now at the theater every day 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and will assign volunteers to areas that need to be searched. A woman leaves the Mikadow Theatre after attending a meeting for people wishing to volunteer in the search for missing 3-year-old Elijah Vue Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, in Manitowoc, Wis. People and businesses have also donated food and drinks to the law enforcement officers conducting the search. The Two Rivers police ask that anyone who wishes to donate contact their business line at 920-793-1191 to make arrangements. Two Rivers Police Department has asked the public in Two Rivers and Manitowoc County to check their own property with the following guidelines: Check anywhere a small child could hide, climb or fall. Check your own property for items that don't belong to you which could include anything from Elijah such as the red-and-white plaid blanket or dinosaur-printed shoes. Check your surveillance systems from Feb. 12-20. Look for anyone matching Elijah's description in the surveillance footage. Search public land for the same items or anything relevant to the investigation. Do not touch anything you find, but contact the tip line (1-844-267-6648) or Two Rivers police (920-686-7200) right away. Do you have information about Elijah Vue? Elijah was reported missing from a Two Rivers apartment building in the 3900 block of Mishicot Road at 10:59 a.m. Feb. 20. His caretaker, 39-year-old Jesse Vang, said he had last seen Elijah at 8 a.m. that day. Vang was taking care of Elijah for a week before the boy went missing. He has since been charged in Manitowoc County Circuit Court with felony child neglect in relation to Elijah's disappearance and is being held on $20,000 cash bond at Manitowoc County Jail. According to a criminal complaint, he and the boy's mother, Katrina B. Baur, 31, of Wisconsin Dells, were in a relationship and Baur told police she wanted Vang to teach Elijah "how to be a man." What to know about Jesse Vang: What to know about Jesse Vang, the Two Rivers man charged with neglecting missing 3-year-old Elijah Vue Baur is being held at Manitowoc County Jail on a $15,000 bond and is suspected of felony child neglect in connection with the disappearance of her son. Police describe Elijah as being of Hmong and white ethnicity with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He is approximately 3 feet tall and has a birthmark on his left knee. He was last seen wearing gray pants, a dark-colored, long-sleeve shirt and a pair of red-and-green dinosaur slip-on shoes. He may also be carrying a red-and-white plaid blanket. An apartment complex in the 3900 block of Mishicot Road in Two Rivers was where 3-year-old Elijah Vue disappeared from, as seen Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, in Two Rivers, Wis. If you have information that could help the Two Rivers Police Department find Elijah Vue, contact their tipline at 844-267-6648 or submit information via the Crime Stoppers app P3. People who share information that leads to finding Elijah or the arrest of anyone involved in or responsible for his disappearance could be eligible to receive a reward of up to $1,000 through Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers or $15,000 through the FBI. Contact Brandon Reid at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @breidHTRNews. Alisa M. Schafer is a reporter for the Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc. She can be reached by email at aschafer@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Elijah Vue missing in Two Rivers, police plan extensive rural search EXCLUSIVE: House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik is looking at ways to leverage U.S. taxpayer dollars going to colleges and universities to ensure they crack down on antisemitic incidents on campus. "You have to deliver accountability," Stefanik, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital. "Legislatively, theres a number of avenues that Im looking at." Stefanik was among a group of lawmakers who heard from Jewish college students at a Thursday roundtable, led by House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., where the young adults recalled instances of feeling threatened and being confronted with profanity just because of their Jewish identity. It is part of the committees ongoing investigation into antisemitism on campus, which has already precipitated the departures of presidents at two major Ivy League schools Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. PURE HATE: JEWISH STUDENTS DISCUSS LIFE IN WAKE OF ISRAEL WAR Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., wants to leverage federal funding to universities that are not doing enough about antisemitism. The New York Republican suggested shes looking at possibly introducing legislation that would help improve the safety of Jewish students on campus as well, specifically targeting federal funds, foreign funding and offices of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "Number one, U.S. taxpayer funding for these institutions U.S. taxpayers do not want to prop up this moral rot of antisemitism, and we have to make sure that that is not the case," Stefanik said. "Foreign funding as well, there is not full transparency in terms of foreign funding and strings that are attached to that foreign funding. This is a major issue on these college campuses." She also listed "the elimination of the offices of DEI," calling DEI "inherently antisemitic." AS UNIVERSITIES GRAPPLE WITH ACTIVISM AND ANTISEMITISM, YALE PROFESSOR INSISTS COLLEGES MUST REMAIN NEUTRAL "We heard from numerous students today that when Jewish students reach out to offices of DEI, they don't even get a response when it comes to harassment and violence," Stefanik said. "So there's so much work to do, but this is a reckoning. It's an earthquake, and it's long overdue." Foxx would not go into detail about her committees next steps, but said lawmakers had an abundance of information to digest before moving forward, having sent numerous requests for colleges to shed light on how they are protecting Jewish students on campus. Stefanik made the comments after a roundtable with Jewish students held by Education and Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., center. "We have a lot of work to do with combing through the material that we're getting in from the campuses, and we'll see what happens school by school," Foxx told Fox News Digital. "The most important thing from this roundtable was to make sure that the American people heard what [the students] had to say. Their testimony is compelling, they are in fear on their campuses. And that should not be happening to any student on a college campus in this country. And it is up to the heads of those campuses to make sure that these students are not in fear of their life or their safety." For roughly two hours, bipartisan lawmakers heard from students from around the country who said their schools are not doing enough to combat antisemitism on campus. Harvard University student Shabbos Kestenbaum said Congress was his "last hope" because "Harvard has refused to take any responsibility, any accountability, and to help Jewish students." "If antisemitism is a disease, then certainly Harvard University is the Wuhan wet market," he said. HARVARD BOARD STANDS BY EMBATTLED PRESIDENT CLAUDINE GAY, ADMITS INADEQUATE CITATION IN SOME WRITINGS A sign declares the Jewish student organization HILLEL society's building at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a safe space. A Harvard student urged House lawmakers to "subpoena, subpoena, subpoena" over the school's handling of antisemitism. Rutgers University student Joe Gindi said a program coordinator at the New Jersey state school once "screamed" at Jewish students, "F--- you. F--- you, colonizer. F--- you, Zionist." Instances of antisemitism and Islamophobia have both risen in the wake of Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel, when militants entered the southern part of the country and slaughtered more than 1,200 people during a music festival. Israel has responded with heavy shelling and a ground invasion of Gaza. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not delineate between fighters and civilians, has said that more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed so far. Original article source: Elise Stefanik eyes crackdown on colleges' federal dollars amid campus antisemitism probe When Jovita Neliupsiene left her home in Lithuania for Washington, she brought along a closets worth of business attire and left behind the emergency ''go'' bag that many of her countrymen keep nearby in case of a Russian attack. You have to always have money, gasoline and so forth on hand, said Neliupsiene, the European Union's new ambassador to the U.S. Because it's literally on your doorstep. Now, as Europes top diplomat in America, Neliupsiene is working to instill in congressional leaders the sharp urgency thats felt on Europe's eastern border, as a $60 billion American aid package for Ukraine lies stalled in the Republican-controlled House. Two months into the job, it hasnt been easy. Americans are in favor helping defend Ukraine, she said. If we look at the public opinion polls, it's more than 70%, who actually support U.S. actions for Ukraine, she told USA TODAY. So when someone is saying that you have to persuade your constituencies, it's not true. What is extremely important is the leadership the moral clarity. Related: Alexei Navalny, a thorn in Vladimir Putin's side, died. What does it mean for Russia? A holdup in the House While nearly three-quarters of Americans view Ukraines defense against Vladimir Putin as important to U.S. interests, according to a recent survey, there are other more vexing numbers standing in Neliupsienes way. The GOP controls the House of Representatives by a six-seat majority, 55% of Republicans say Washington is spending too much on Ukraine, and opposition to aid has become a mark of fealty to former President Donald Trump, whos holding even with President Joe Biden at 44% in a new YouGov poll. With American aid caught in the fist of the House Freedom Caucus, the E.U. and its 27 members have pledged an additional $50 billion to Ukraine, bringing European support to $150 billion since Russia first invaded two years ago. European leaders have pledged to buy desperately-needed ammunition for Kyiv as U.S. shipments have dwindled. The U.S. has so far given Ukraine $75 billion in humanitarian, financial and military support. In a sign of European concerns over waning American interest, French President Emanuel Macron suggested this week that some European countries might dispatch troops to Ukraine, a notion that leaders of several NATO countries disavowed, and that Putin said could lead to nuclear war. WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 27: U.S. President Joe Biden meets with (L-R) Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on February 27, 2024 at the White House in Washington, DC. President Biden plans to discuss the urgency of legislation to keep federal funding going past midnight on Friday, as well as his requests for billions of dollars in aid for Ukraine and Israel. (Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776112847 ORIG FILE ID: 2036025194 Seizing Russian assets on both sides of the Atlantic "We need two feet on the ground, one on one side of the Atlantic, another on the other side, over there, if we want to have success and to see this war over," Neliupsiene said. While the aid money remains stalled on Capitol Hill, Washington and Brussels are both working to find ways to seize Russian government assets and use the funds to rebuild Ukraine. The Senate is set to vote on the Repo Act, which would allow the government to seize $5 billion in frozen Russian government assets held inside the U.S. The E.U., meanwhile, is considering taxing the interest on an estimated $170 billion in frozen Russian assets. "It's a huge step," Neliupsiene said, one that could reap between $5 billion and $6 billion an year for Ukraine. "The E.U. is a key partner, especially in our efforts to repossess Russian sovereign assets to help rebuild Ukraine," Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told USA TODAY. I look forward to working with the ambassador on it in the months and years ahead. Related: NATO troops in Ukraine? French proposal brings a warning from Russia Strong words from Poland to Speaker Mike Johnson On Monday in Washington, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski pushed House Speaker Mike Johnson to allow a vote on Ukraine aid, telling an audience at the Atlantic Council that if Ukraine was to suffer reversals on the battlefield it will be his responsibility." Neliupsiene, whose work involves smoothing transatlantic relations on topics including trade, artificial intelligence, and climate change, avoided commenting on U.S. domestic politics during a 45-minute interview. But the career diplomat, who wrote her doctoral thesis on Ukraine and Belarus, made clear the moral necessity of stopping Putin. A soldier of the United Kingdom's 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian infantry storms an enemy position in a simulated attack during the NATO "Brilliant Jump" military exercises on February 26, 2024 in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland. More: Congressional leaders meet with Biden, discuss government shutdown and Ukraine aid U.S.-Russia comparisons: 'Draw your own conclusions' Asked about statements by a number of Republicans likening Trump, who faces four criminal indictments, to Alexei Navalny, the Russian dissident who died last month in an Arctic Circle prison camp and was buried on Friday, Neliupsiene brushed off any comparison between the U.S. and Russia. Well, I can tell you what Russia is like, and maybe you can draw your own conclusions, she said, launching into a long list of outrages committed by Vladimir Putins government, from the hundreds of political prisoners in Russian prisons, to rampant corruption to the muzzled press to the invasion of Ukraine itself, which has killed 10,500 civilians and more than 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers. Returning to Navaly, she noted that Russian police had arrested mourners for trying to place flowers at memorials to the activist after his death. Im not really sure theres something like that in the Western countries, she said cooly. The body of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seen during the funeral service at the Mother of God Quench My Sorrows church in Moscow's district of Maryino on March 1, 2024. More: In Tucker Carlson interview, Putin's plans for Ukraine appear to echo Trump's History's shadow Neliupsiene formally presented her credentials to President Biden at the White House on Tuesday and the two spoke briefly of the need to stand fast on Ukraine. Russians don't care about the people, they don't count human lives, she said. And they would spare actually no life to get what they want. And that's why the war in Ukraine is so brutal. More: Despite 'dim prospects,' battered but unbowed Ukraine fights on 2 years after invasion While Neliupsiene represents Europe, Lithuanian history informs her stance on the war. Neliupsienes grandparents on both sides of her family were among the 132,000 Lithuanians deported to prison camps in Siberia after the Soviet Union swallowed Lithuania and the other Baltic nations after World War II. Some family members were forced to walk much of the way home, a distance of more than 2,000 miles, when their sentences were complete. She has been a consistent voice warning of Russias danger to Europe. One month after Russian forces occupied the Ukrainian region of Crimea in 2014, she warned that Putin wouldnt stop there. "Due to Russia's unpredictable behavior, the real security of the entire region, the entire international systemis in danger, she said then. TOPSHOT - Local residents walk past the railway station destroyed by a Russian missile attack in Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region, on February 25, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Deadly consequences 'if Putin can outlast us' Today, Neliupsiene is adamant that failure to support Ukraine will only lead to more invasions. On Wednesday, leaders in Transnistria, a Kremlin-backed breakaway region of Moldova bordering western Ukraine, requested Moscows protection an apparent invitation for more Russian troops to deploy there. Other authoritarian or dictatorial leaders are looking at what is happening, and if Putin can outlast us, then the consequences can be quite global, Neliupsiene said. European Union's Ambassador to the United States Jovita Neliupsiene is interviewed on Feb. 28, 2024 in Washington, D.C. And so the European ambassador, like the White House and the Senate, waits for a breakthrough in the House. I think everybody in Europe is getting really very impatient, she said. The Ukrainian people are looking toward Europeans and Americans, for they want to be with us and in our institutions, she said. They're fighting for our values. So if we really believe in what we preach, I think it's important to make a decision. More: Mitch McConnell says Donald Trump made Ukraine aid package 'doubly challenging' as he fights for deal This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Europe 'very impatient' over $60B in Ukraine aid stalled in Congress Schmit, the current European Commissioner for jobs and social rights, received the mandate by acclamation on Saturday afternoon at the end of the party's congress in Rome. The 70-year-old politician from Luxembourg led the internal race uncontested, as he was the only name put forward. "We will not allow that Europe will take the path of austerity and social repression as it did during the financial crisis. This is the main argument, this why we want to win these elections, together, in all 27 member states," Schmit told the audience at La Nuvola, on the outskirts of Rome, as he took the stage surrounded by young activists. "I want voters to know that social democrats will keep fighting for all citizens and will respect their commitments and promises." As a result, Schmit will face off against his boss, Ursula von der Leyen, the lead candidate of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP). Both are part of the so-called Spitzenkandidaten system, under which the parties that take part in the elections to the European Parliament are supposed to select a top aspirant to preside the European Commission, the bloc's most powerful and influential institution. Some groups follow the template, while others choose to ignore it. The upcoming race, however, will be deeply uneven: Ursula von der Leyen is the indisputable frontrunner thanks to the strong reputation she has built throughout her first mandate at the Commission's held, from which she spearheaded transformational policies to cope with climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the energy crisis and China's assertive behaviour. Schmit, for his part, has kept a low profile since his arrival in Brussels in 2019, when von der Leyen assigned him the portfolio of jobs and social rights. Among his most notable projects were the launch of a 100-billion programme for short-time work schemes during the coronavirus lockdowns and a directive to ensure minimum wages are set at "adequate levels." His proposal to improve the conditions of platform workers, those who service apps like Uber, Deliveroo and Glovo, is currently stuck in negotiations among member states and is close to plunging into limbo. Schmit's cabinet is one of the teams overseeing the freezing of EU funds for Hungary over persistent rule-of-law deficiencies. The Commissioner faced the ire of the Parliament after the executive released 10.2 billion in cohesion funds for Budapest, despite the antagonistic attitude of Viktor Orban, and pleas by civil society. As of today, Hungary is still denied access to roughly 21 billion in cohesion and recovery funds. Speaking before the PES top ranks, including Germany's Olaf Scholz, Spain's Pedro Sanchez, Portugal's Antonio Costa and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen, the anointed candidate attempted to build his power base and vowed to defend the party's core values and priorities: labour rights, gender equality, climate action and social justice. "We are the movement that fights against precariousness, especially the lives and jobs of young people," he said. "We will fight for the Green Deal with a red heart." Still, Schmit has virtually no chance of taking over the Commission. The Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the group in the European Parliament that encompasses PES members, is projected to finish second at the June elections. The latest estimate by Europe Elects, a poll aggregator, shows a considerable distance between the S&D (from 154 seats in 2019 to 140 in 2024) and the EPP (from 182 to 180). Asked about the recognisability gap between himself and von der Leyen, Schmit said he had a "lot of esteem" for the president but insisted "we're both candidates." "We will see," he said. "The campaign will start and then I invite everyone to judge." 'The very soul of Europe is at risk' Even more worrying for socialists, the forecasts also predict a strong rise of hard-right and far-right parties, which would tilt the hemicycle decisively towards conservative ideas and away from the progressive causes that socialists favour. During von der Leyen's first mandate, the grand coalition between EPP, S&D and the liberals from Renew Europe proved instrumental to advance far-reaching, ambitious proposals to speed up the transition to climate neutrality, rein in the excesses in the digital world, reform the bloc's migration and asylum policy, ensure continued financial support for Ukraine, ramp up domestic production of cutting-edge technology, and decrease dependencies on unreliable suppliers, like Russia and China. But in the past year, the grand coalition began to wobble and shake, as the EPP adopted a more confrontational attitude against the Green Deal, one of von der Leyen's flagship initiatives, claiming the multiple pieces of legislation approved to slash the bloc's greenhouse gas emission have created excessive red tape for the private sector, made it harder to invest and risked the loss of competitiveness. The fierce battle over the Nature Restoration Law, a regulation to gradually rehabilitate the EU's degraded ecosystems, laid bare the simmering tension between conservatives and socialists, with bitter recriminations and finger-pointing. Although the EPP eventually lost that fight, it enabled the group to re-position itself as a "pro-business" and, particularly, a "pro-farmers party," a stance that the recent protests have only reinforced. Von der Leyen's withdrawal of a contentious law to halve the use of chemical pesticides, an important source of nitrogen emissions, was warmly celebrated by EPP lawmakers last month. The move marked the first major defeat under the Green Deal. In response to this ideological shift, socialists have ratcheted up their rhetoric, warning the EPP is moving away from the mainstream centre and normalising talking points of the extreme right for purely electoral purposes. The alliances struck between mainstream conservatives and hard-right formations in countries like Italy, Sweden and Finland are evidence of this increasingly blurred line, socialist leaders said at Rome. European socialists came together to elect Nicolas Schmit (second on the left) as lead candidate for the EU elections. - Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse In his speech, Schmit made it clear his political family will not cooperate with Identity and Democracy (ID) or the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), the two most Eurosceptic groups in the European Parliament. The candidate then asked the EPP and the liberals to "be coherent with yourself" and "stay faithful to your own history, to your European commitment" before striking any new alliances. "We will fight those propagating hate and division in our societies, those who fuel fears and prepare the return of nationalism," Schmit said. "The normalisation of the extreme right, as we have seen it in the Netherlands, is dangerous and irresponsible." A similar message was echoed by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who spoke of "ghosts of the past" that are creeping over the European institutions and longing for a time that "never existed." "The far right is growing all over Europe, in many places supported by conventional right that is imitating its arguments and populist techniques," Sanchez told the congress. "The very soul of Europe is at risk. And once again, it's up to us, the social democrats, to defeat that threat and ensure that history continues to advance in the right direction." Despite the difficult prospects ahead, socialists joined forces to reclaim their legacy, arguing the main policy responses provided to the most recent crises, including the 750-billion recovery fund and the joint procurement of coronavirus vaccines, had been inspired by social democracy and therefore justified the validity of their ideology. "These elections are crucial for the future of Europe. It is up to us to provide progressive and fair solutions to the main challenges threatening our societies and our people," said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, referring to migrant smuggling, social dumping, corporate tax evasion and children poverty. "Our next step is to demonstrate how our social democratic goals of social justice, economic (equality), green ambition and security go hand in hand." The elections to the European Parliament will be held between 6 and 9 June. About 350 million eligible voters will be called to cast their ballots across 27 member states. In the immediate aftermath of the elections, EU leaders are expected to gather in a crucial summit to divvy up the bloc's top jobs: president of the European Commission, president of the European Council and high representative for foreign and security policy. With the Commission all but guaranteed to land on the EPP's camp, socialists are aiming to secure the European Council's presidency, currently occupied by Charles Michel, a liberal politician from Belgium. This article has been updated with more information about the PES Congress. SYDNEY, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Australian police reported on Saturday that a teenager has been charged in Victoria after a stabbing incident injured two people in a town situated in the state's southeast. At about 7:00 p.m. local time on Friday, the incident took place on Church Street in Morwell, approximately 150 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne. According to Victoria Police, two men, both from Morwell, got out of their car and were involved in a physical altercation with a group of people. The 25-year-old and 18-year-old were stabbed before being transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Following the incident, the group fled the scene on foot but was soon located near a railway station. "A 15-year-old Traralgon boy was arrested and has been charged with intentionally cause injury, affray, assault with a weapon, and unlawful assault. He will appear at a children's court at a later date," the state police confirmed. SACRAMENTO, California On one side of Californias Proposition 1 the ballot measure to overhaul how the state treats mental health disorders are Gov. Gavin Newsom, an eight-figure campaign fund backed by Uber and ads featuring big city sheriffs. On the other is a 76-year-old former mental health policy analyst named John Li, whose $1,000 donation makes him the sole funder of the official opposition. Li says he is the only one willing to stand up to a policy change favored by one of the nations most prominent Democrats because everyone else is worried about political repercussions. Everyone is terrified that if they come out against Prop 1, King Gavin will beat the crap out of them for the rest of their lives, Li said. Its pathological. The lopsided contest gives the politically ambitious governor a clear path to a potential landslide victory that includes significant Republican support when the measure appears on the March 5 ballot. The $6.4 billion measure prioritizes county mental health budgets away from preventing mental illness and towards treating people ailing on the streets, redirecting one-third of those funds towards housing. The meager opposition has also afforded Newsom the opportunity during a budget shortfall to repackage a costly policy priority in a way that better aligns with voter concerns related to homelessness and crime that have intensified on his watch. With little pushback, the governor and his allies are selling the complex measure as an effort to clear street encampments and provide homes to military veterans. Newsom's campaign has avoided thorny questions about the consequences of forcing people with addiction into treatment or how counties will afford to staff 11,000 new treatment beds being built with one-time bond money. Ads from the ballot measure committee controlled by Newsom showcase law enforcement officials rather than doctors or therapists in what committee officials describe as an effort to win over right-leaning voters typically wary of the Democratic governor. Police speak to a certain segment of the electorate more than others, and showing that theyre part of your coalition I think shows the breadth of support, explained committee spokesperson Anthony York. Were trying to speak to a broader audience, and maybe some of the Blue Lives Matter [supporters] as well will be inclined to support. The path to Prop 1 Prop 1 will make changes to the Mental Health Services Act, a tax on incomes over a million dollars that was groundbreaking when approved by voters in 2004. It gave counties fairly wide latitude to spend the money on whatever mental health programs they saw fit, with limited coverage for substance use disorders. Newsom has been itching to rewrite the law for years. When he devoted his entire State of the State Address in 2020 to the problem of homelessness, he excoriated counties for hoarding MHSA funds instead of using them to address the crisis. After being sidetracked by the pandemic, Newsom finally had the chance to tackle the issue last year. Proposition 1 began its path to the ballot as two separate bills. One directed counties to change the way they spend and report their mental health budgets, requiring they spend more on housing and treatment for people in encampments. A companion bond issue committed $6.4 billion to fund new residential mental health and addiction treatment, and housing for veterans. Because voters approved the MHSA in 2004, they would now be required to weigh in on the dense new policy, rechristened the Behavioral Health Services Act. The companion bills won early and vocal support from local officials such as mayors and supervisors, along with public safety figures like firefighters, who backed the shift in priorities for the states mental health agenda to focus more on street homelessness, severe mental illness and drug use. Cautious resistance from county mental health providers and youth mental health advocates won concessions like adding some budgetary flexibility and setting aside some money to serve people 25 and younger. The ACLU and Disability Rights California opposed the bills, arguing that taking money from mental health programs to fund housing would exacerbate existing problems and lead to more people being locked up and forced into treatment. But the most visible opposition came from the lived experience community, as past and present clients of county-based mental health programs call themselves. They showed up to bill hearings in lime green no on SB 326 shirts, and used the public comment periods to speak about how the services they currently used, including peer counseling and crisis interventions, would be slashed under the new proposal. As goes Panda Express Both bills passed with wide bipartisan margins in September and were ushered onto the March ballot as Proposition 1. Newsom took charge of the effort to pass it, placing his former chief of staff, deputy chief of staff and spokesperson atop a campaign dubbed Treatment Not Tents. The committee has raised more than $12 million just since then, including seven-figure contributions each from indigenous tribes and hospitals and five-figure contributions from companies with little evident stake in mental health policy, like T-Mobile, Airbnb and Panda Express. It reflects the broad coalition that has arrayed behind the measure: At a January press conference to kick off the campaign, the governor was flanked by representatives of both organized labor and the California Chamber of Commerce. When Li that same month offered to make a contribution to counter Newsoms push, Californians Against Prop 1 did not even have a bank account, and Li had to write a personal check to the groups leader, Paul Simmons. A co-founder of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of California, Simmons has written about living with bipolar disorder. He works to rally others drawn to the issue with their own horror stories of treatment gone wrong or a system that has failed them. Volunteers show up or write letters when they arent running peer counseling groups or depression support organizations. They claim meager accomplishments as victories, like launching a website and having their arguments against Prop 1 included in the official voter guide booklet that is sent to everyone on the electoral rolls. The reality is, theyre a complete failure. Theyre a complete tragedy, Li said of the No campaign. Do I wish Id taken my money back? I think about it. Californians Against Prop 1 has actually seen its coalition contract, as some of the prominent groups on both left and right that opposed the proposal as it moved through the legislature have kept their distance from the ballot measure campaign. For months, the ACLU tried to offer behind-the-scenes communications advice without being formally associated with the effort. Their support is mostly moral support, not real logistical or financial support, said coalition leader Paul Simmons. Only in mid-February did the ACLUs state affiliate formally come out against the measure, joining smaller groups like Disability Rights California and Mental Health America of California. The committee also won the support of the League of Women Voters, which asserted Prop 1 would have the overall effect of reducing counties ability to set priorities based on local needs for mental health services." With few resources, the opposition to Prop 1 has been forced to engage on Newsoms terms. When the two sides did meet for a debate at Stocktons public library on a wet Saturday afternoon in February, Prop 1 proponent state Sen. Susan Eggman went up against a peer counselor granted only a few minutes to speak. The two never interacted directly. Veterans play The No campaign has been forced to rely on whatever free media it can get. Simmons met with editorial boards in Los Angeles and San Francisco, both of whom ended up endorsing Prop 1. So far the only editorial boards that have taken their side belong to the Santa Cruz Sentinel and the right-leaning Orange County Register, which called Prop 1 a costly bureaucratic power grab that robs counties of mental health services funding and saddles taxpayers with $6.38 billion in debt. (The paper also published an op-ed from one of the states most prominent Republicans, Bakersfield Sen. Shannon Grove, supporting the measure.) Even reliable conservative critics of expanded government programs are avoiding the fight over Prop 1. There has been pro forma criticism of the measures cost, which will ultimately total $10 billion after interest on the borrowed funds. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has argued that the measure will steal money from counties and eventually require higher taxes to fund those services. But with other tax-related questions expected on the ballot in November, theres been no money behind their opposition. The biggest spending against the measure has come from former San Diego City Councilor and current Assembly candidate Carl DeMaio, who is keeping his distance from Californians Against Prop 1. The Republican has committed $22,000 from his Clean Up Our Streets committee on mailers making the case to voters that the measure is too expensive and will only benefit the rich developers who build new housing. Newsoms committee has dominated the airwaves with over $13 million spending to date. The committees first ads, released in late January, highlights how the bond measure will pay back military veterans for their sacrifices with new housing and services. Prop 1 is for them, Newsom says. The second flight of ads featured sheriffs Robert Luna of Los Angeles and Jim Cooper of Sacramento attesting that the people their officers encounter on the streets are often mentally ill and addicted, and Prop 1 will provide money for their treatment. Newsom justified the campaigns initial emphasis by describing veterans as one of our great rhetorical assets. How can we not? lead with veterans, Newsom said at a February press conference promoting Prop 1. It's the one unifying thing, and everybody talks good talk on it, but we're not delivering. Early polls showed around 70 percent of those surveyed voters support the measure, though Prop 1 strategists say they expect the final margin to be closer. (A poll released last week by the Public Policy Institute of California showed 59 percent support of likely voters.) Newsom attended get out the vote events around Prop 1 in Los Angeles, San Diego and Palm Springs in the days leading up to the March 5 primary. Meanwhile, Californians Against Prop 1 now has a bank account, but it holds nothing beyond Jon Lis thousand dollars. There is no money for campaign consultants or TV ads, just DIY social media videos and webinars about forced treatment. When the committee organized a protest on the west steps of the state Capitol in February, attendees were outnumbered by secessionists, casually milling about and handing out literature in favor of New California. The Prop 1 opponents were a walking illustration of the ways their campaign had not progressed since last falls legislative debate, still wearing their lime green no on 326 shirts. CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this article did not reflect the get out the vote events that Newsom did around Prop 1 in the days leading up to the primary. SEATTLE - Chad Wheeler, former Seattle Seahawks lineman, was sentenced to nearly 7 years in prison on Friday after he was found guilty of assaulting a former girlfriend. Wheeler was found guilty of first and second-degree domestic violence assault charges stemming from a January 2021 incident. A third charge of unlawful imprisonment was returned as not guilty by the jury. GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 03: Seattle Seahawks Offensive Tackle Chad Wheeler (75) lines up during a game against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium on January 3, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kiyoshi Mio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Wheeler was alleged to have strangled his former girlfriend to the point of unconsciousness twice in the January 2021 altercation. The victim locked herself in a bathroom after regaining consciousness and called the police. She sustained a concussion, fractured humerus and a dislocated elbow from Wheeler's attack. The first-degree charge came with a finding that Wheeler used force of means likely to result in death, which allows the state to seek a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years. SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 13: Chris Carson #32 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with Chad Wheeler #75 after scoring a 5 yard touchdown against the New York Jets during the second quarter in the game at Lumen Field on December 13, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) RELATED STORIES: Wheeler was a backup offensive tackle who appeared in five games for the Seahawks during the 2020 season. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Vice President Harris delivers remarks on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Dubai FILE PHOTO: U.S. Vice President Harris delivers remarks on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Dubai By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz at the White House on Monday as Washington seeks to reach a deal for a temporary ceasefire and increase the flow of aid to Gaza. The talks, first reported by Reuters, are expected to span topics including reducing Palestinian civilian casualties, securing a temporary ceasefire, the release of hostages held in Gaza and increasing aid to the territory, a White House official said. "The Vice President will express her concern over the safety of the as many as 1.5 million people in Rafah," the official said, adding that Israel also had a "right to defend itself in the face of continued Hamas terrorist threats." A statement from Gantz confirmed that he would meet with Harris, as well as with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Republican and Democratic members of U.S. Congress. "Minister Gantz personally updated the prime minister on his own initiative on Friday of his intention to travel, in order to coordinate the messages to be transmitted in the meetings," the statement said. Gantz, Israel's former military chief and defense minister, is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main political rival in opinion polls. His trip to Washington risks upsetting Netanyahu, who has been subject to criticism by U.S. President Joe Biden. In December, Biden said that Israel was losing support over its "indiscriminate" bombing of Gaza and that Netanyahu should change, exposing a rift in relations with the Israeli prime minister. Harris and Gantz will also discuss planning for after the war ends to revitalize Gaza under the Palestinian Authority, the White House official said. The U.S. military on Saturday carried out its first airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza and aid agencies warned of a growing humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian enclave as Israel pressed on with its offensive. Plans for the U.S. airdrop were announced by Biden on Friday, a day after the deaths of Palestinians queuing for aid drew renewed attention to the humanitarian catastrophe. Health authorities in Gaza said 118 people were killed in Thursday's incident, attributing the deaths to Israeli fire and calling it a massacre. Israel disputed those figures and said most victims were trampled or run over. Israel launched the offensive in response to the Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group, in which 1,200 people were killed in Israel and another 253 abducted, according to Israeli tallies. International pressure for a ceasefire has grown, with more than 30,000 Palestinians killed in Israel's Gaza offensive, according to Gaza health authorities, and the U.N. warning that a quarter of the population is one step away from famine. The United States and other countries expect aid would be boosted by a temporary ceasefire, which Biden said on Friday he hoped would happen by the time of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on March 10. Gaza truce talks are due to resume in Cairo on Sunday, two Egyptian security sources said on Saturday, though an Israeli news outlet reported Israel would not send a delegation until it received a full list of Israeli hostages who are still alive. The Egyptian sources said Israeli and Hamas delegations were expected to arrive in Cairo on Sunday. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalaem; Writing by Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Diane Craft and Matthew Lewis) Claim: Women absorb and retain DNA from every man with whom they've had sex. Rating: Rating: False In late February 2024, a claim that women "store DNA from every guy" they have ever had sexual intercourse with went viral on X (formerly Twitter): Nothing in the above post contains a biological fact. The claim, which has circulated online for years, stems from research into a phenomenon in which male cells are present in the tissue of human females male microchimerism. Most, but not all, cases of this condition are the result of tissue derived from pregnancy with a male fetus. While the source of male DNA in women who have never had a pregnancy is an ongoing question in science, intercourse is merely one speculated source of male microchimerism. This same claim has gone viral several times since 2012, usually as a defense of conservative social politics. Snopes first fact-checked the claim in June 2017, when the website known as Your News Wire (which presently goes by many names including The People's Voice) posted an article asserting that "Women Absorb and Retain DNA from Every Man They Have Sex With." That article made the claim that "a new study" demonstrated that cells transferred from a man to a woman during intercourse become integrated into that woman's body after sex "every single time." In actuality the study to which they referred, which was published in PLoS ONE in 2012, demonstrated male microchimerism in female brain tissue in 63% of the 59 women whom the researchers analyzed post-mortem. Those researchers did not seek, nor did their study make, any conclusions about the likelihood of intercourse-derived male microchimerism. The paper's significance was that it demonstrated that male cells were able to cross what is known as the blood-brain barrier a semi-permeable membrane that prevents most chemicals in the blood from entering the brain. In fact, that study does not once mention sexual intercourse as a proposed mechanism. This is as close as the 2012 study gets in terms of the source of those cells: The most likely source of male [microchimerism, Mc] in female brain is acquisition of fetal Mc from pregnancy with a male fetus. In women without sons, male DNA can also be acquired from an abortion or a miscarriage. The pregnancy history was unknown for all but a few subjects in the current studies, thus male Mc in female brain [tissue] could not be evaluated according to specific prior pregnancy history. In addition to prior pregnancies, male Mc could be acquired by a female from a recognized or vanished male twin, an older male sibling, or through non-irradiated blood transfusion. A paper published in 2015 investigated this topic further, concluding that potentially all of those potential mechanisms may contribute. That paper, which was fairly limited in its dataset, makes it clear that the sexual intercourse transfer of male chimerism remains entirely speculative: Data suggest that male microchimerism in young girls may originate from an older brother either full born or from a discontinued pregnancy or from transfusion during pregnancy. We speculate that sexual intercourse may be important but other sources of male cells likely exist in young girls. Research conducted since Snopes' original 2017 fact check have shed some, but not much, additional light on the origins and significance of male microchimerism. A September 2021 study, for example, reaffirmed the existence of male microchimerism in women who had never been pregnant. While the authors acknowledged the hypothesis that intercourse could be a source, they said their study was unable to address that question and proposed other alternative hypotheses: Our study indicates that the origin of the microchimeric cells may not necessarily be a close family member. One source is repeated sequential fetal-maternal exchanges across generations. Possible further sources are unreported or unrecognized interrupted pregnancies, breastfeeding, placental structure, pregnancy complications including preeclampsia and it has also been suggested that sexual intercourse may play a role. We did not have these data available for a sufficient number of participants for comprehensive analyses of these alternatives. Collectively, all science can say with confidence is that many but not all women have some male cells in their tissue and that most of those cases but not all are related to pregnancy with a male fetus. Science is unable to answer with certainty if intercourse is one potential source of male cells in cases where no pregnancy has occurred, but it absolutely can not say that a woman "will store DNA from every guy that entered her private parts without protection." Science isn't even sure such a phenomenon occurs at all. Because the science underlying the claim that women retain the DNA of all the men they have ever slept with is misrepresented, the assertion is False. Sources: Chan, William F. N., et al. "Male Microchimerism in the Human Female Brain." PLoS ONE, edited by Martin Gerbert Frasch, vol. 7, no. 9, Sept. 2012, p. e45592. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0045592. Funke, Daniel. "Fact-Checkers Have Debunked This Fake News Site 80 Times. It's Still Publishing on Facebook." Poynter, 20 July 2018, https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2018/fact-checkers-have-debunked-this-fake-news-site-80-times-its-still-publishing-on-facebook/. Johnson, B. N., et al. "Male Microchimerism in Females: A Quantitative Study of Twin Pedigrees to Investigate Mechanisms." Human Reproduction, vol. 36, no. 9, Aug. 2021, pp. 252937. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deab170. Muller, Amanda Cecilie, et al. "Microchimerism of Male Origin in a Cohort of Danish Girls." Chimerism, vol. 6, no. 4, Oct. 2015, pp. 6571. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1080/19381956.2016.1218583. Yan, Zhen, et al. "Male Microchimerism in Women without Sons: Quantitative Assessment and Correlation with Pregnancy History." The American Journal of Medicine, vol. 118, no. 8, Aug. 2005, pp. 899906. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2005.03.037. Claim: Ronald Reagan, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease five years after he left the presidency, was already suffering from the disease while he was still in office. Rating: Rating: Unproven Long-standing questions about U.S. President Joe Biden's mental fitness for office took on added urgency during the 2024 presidential campaign, in which Biden, the Democratic incumbent, was challenged by former President Donald Trump, a Republican, whose mental fitness had also been raised as an issue. Both Biden, 81, and Trump 77, had shown a propensity for verbal gaffes, confusion and forgetfulness since the beginning of the 2024 race. Ronald Reagan, who served as president from 1981 to 1989, was also prone to bouts of confusion and mental lapses, most visibly during the 1984 presidential election debates and his 1990 Iran-Contra testimony. Although he was not diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease until 1994, five years after leaving the presidency, observers openly speculated during his second term of office that Reagan was experiencing a gradual mental decline unacknowledged by his inner circle. A 1987 article in the New Republic posed the troubling question outright: "Is Reagan Senile?" That was precisely what CBS News reporter Lesley Stahl was asking herself during a 1986 visit with a president she would later describe in her 2000 memoir, Reporting Live, as "shriveled" and verging on catatonic. "Reagan didn't seem to know who I was," she wrote. "He gave me a distant look with those milky eyes and shook my hand weakly. Oh, my, he's gonzo, I thought." But a few minutes later, he snapped out of it and from that point on seemed perfectly fine. When asked, White House aides admitted to Stahl that they had witnessed similar episodes. Even Reagan's own son, Ron, sensed something was wrong at the time. He wrote in his 2011 book, My Father at 100: A Memoir, that he first became concerned that "something beyond mellowing" was afflicting his father three years into Reagan's first term. Of the latter's bumbling debate performance against Walter Mondale in 1984, the younger Reagan observed: At 73, Ronald Reagan would be the oldest president ever re-elected. Some voters were beginning to imagine grandpa who can never find his reading glasses in charge of a bristling nuclear arsenal, and it was making them nervous. Worse, my father now seemed to be giving them legitimate reason for concern. My heart sank as he floundered his way through his responses, fumbling with his notes, uncharacteristically lost for words. He looked tired and bewildered. But Ron Reagan isn't a physician, much less one trained to diagnose the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease. His half-brother Michael Reagan vehemently disagreed with Ron's armchair diagnosis and accused him of trying to "sell out his father to sell books." Ron later softened his claims in remarks to the New York Times, insisting he never meant to say his father was suffering from dementia while still in office, but rather that the disease was "likely present in him" long before it was diagnosed. Experts say physiological and neurological changes linked to Alzheimer's start showing up in the brain years before outward symptoms appear. However, the physicians who directly attended Ronald Reagan while he was president agreed unanimously that he never displayed signs or symptoms of dementia the whole time he was in office, the New York Times reported in 1997: ...even with the hindsight of Mr. Reagan's [Alzheimer's] diagnosis, his four main White House doctors say they never detected any evidence that his forgetfulness was more than just that. His mental competence in office, they said in a series of recent interviews, was never in doubt. Indeed, they pointed out, tests of his mental status did not begin to show evidence of the disease until the summer of 1993, more than four years after he left the White House. "There was never anything that would raise a question about his ability to function as President," said Dr. Lawrence C. Mohr, one of Mr. Reagan's physicians in his second term. "Ronald Reagan's cognitive function, belief structure, judgment, ability to choose between options, behavior and ability to communicate were totally and completely intact." [...] He "never forgot appointments, misplaced or lost things, where he put his glasses, never forgot to put his hearing aids in, never forgot to put his contact lenses in, and these are things he did for himself," Dr. Mohr said. "I saw him saddle and bridle horses at the ranch and later put things back exactly where they belonged." And Mr. Reagan, the doctors stressed, was punctual, never depressed and had no difficulty with language or understanding what was going on around him. Although no cognitive tests were administered to Reagan during his time in office (his doctors saw no need for them), he did begin receiving annual mental and psychological assessments in 1990, after undergoing surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain. The four-hour battery of tests, which would have detected signs of dementia, found nothing amiss for the first three years they were administered. "All parameters for his age absolutely were within the normal range," one of Reagan's doctors said. It was Reagan himself who announced the diagnosis of Alzheimer's in 1994. There were certainly no indications of dementia (age, perhaps, but not dementia) when the 81-year-old former president delivered a 35-minute speech at the 1992 Republican National Convention, a performance Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward described as "flawless." It must also be said that given that the average life expectancy of a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease is eight to 10 years, Reagan, who died in 2004 (10 years after his diagnosis), would have been extraordinarily long-lived for an Alzheimer's patient if he was already suffering from the disease, as some claim, in 1984. Two academic studies, one published in 1988 and the other in 2015, analyzed transcripts and recordings of Reagan speaking in debates and press conferences to see if his speech patterns betrayed otherwise imperceptible signs of cognitive decline. The first, which compared Reagan's speech patterns to those of other politicians, found that Reagan had "significantly higher levels of cognitive impairment scores" than other subjects in the study (including President Carter and Vice President Mondale). The second found that changes in Reagan's speaking patterns known to be associated with the onset of dementia were detectable "years before clinical diagnosis." But although these findings indicate that Reagan did display subtle linguistic signs of cognitive decline while still president, they are experimental and do not suffice to push back the post-presidency diagnosis of Alzheimer's into his time in office. Visar Berisha, assistant professor of science and hearing at Arizona State University and the lead researcher in the 2015 study told us: While the language complexity declines we observed are consistent with what you may expect to see in individuals with early signs of dementia, it is impossible to make any conclusive diagnosis based on our study. It's certainly possible that President Reagan deliberately simplified his language because he found it to be politically advantageous. Sources: Altman, Lawrence K. "Parsing Ronald Reagan's Words for Early Signs of Alzheimer's." The New York Times. 30 March 2015. Altman, Lawrence K. "When Alzheimer's Waited Outside the Oval Office." The New York Times. 21 February 2011. Altman, Lawrence K. "While Known for Being Forgetful, Reagan Was Mentally Sound in Office, Doctors Say." The New York Times. 5 October 1997. Berisha, V. et al. "Tracking Discourse Complexity Preceding Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis: A Case Study Comparing the Press Conferences of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Herbert Walker Bush." Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. January 2015. Christensen, Jen. "Doctors Want President Trump's Head Examined." CNN. 16 January 2018. Corn, David. "How Close Did Lesley Stahl Come to Reporting Reagan Had Alzheimer's While in Office? Very Close." Mother Jones. 20 January 2011. Epstein, Jennifer. "Son: Reagan Suffered Alzheimer's While in Office." Politico. 14 January 2011. Gottshalk, Louis A., Uliana, Regina and Gilbert, Ronda. "Presidential Candidates and Cognitive Impairment Measured from Behavior in Campaign Debates." Public Administration Review. March-April 1988. Liptak, Kevin. "White House Doctor: 'No Concerns' About Trump's Cognitive Ability." CNN. 16 January 2018. Mayer, Jane. "Worrying About Reagan." The New Yorker. 24 February 2011. Needham, John. "UCI Study Calls Reagan Intellectually Impaired." Los Angeles Times. 24 December 1987. Reagan, Ron. My Father at 100: A Memoir. New York: Penguin, 2011. ISBN 9781101475546. Schwartz, Allan B. "Medical Mystery: Did Reagan Have Alzheimer's While President?" The Inquirer. 9 January 2018. Shear, Michael D. and Altman, Lawrence K. "Trump Has Perfect Cognitive Test Score, White House Physician Says." The New York Times. 16 January 2018. Shipman, Claire, Gomstyn, Alice and Gerdau, Richard. "Reagan Brothers Clash: Anger Over Alzheimer's Allegations." ABC News. 17 January 2011. Shirley, Craig and Heubusch, John. "President Reagan Didn't Have Alzheimer's While in Office." CNN. 11 January 2018. Stahl, Lesley. Reporting Live. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000. ISBN 9780684853710. Weller, Chris. "Ronald Reagan's Speech Patterns May Reveal Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease." Medical Daily. 3 April 2015. Welsh, Ashley. "White House Doctor: 'No Concerns' About Trump's Cognitive Health." CBS News. 16 January 2018. Fox News. "Michael Reagan Rejects Half-Brother's Charge Their Father Had Alzheimer's While President." 14 January 2011. Claim: American author Mark Twain was born and died on the days that Halleys Comet passed Earth. Rating: Rating: Mixture What's True: Halley's perihelion, the comet's closest approach to the sun, occurred in 1835 and 1910, Twains birth and death years. What's False: The comet was not at its closest point to Earth on the days that Twain was born and died. Dubbed a "weird but perfect ending," the death of American writer Mark Twain had the same adventurist narrative arc as some of his most beloved and classic storytelling. Famously, the "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" author said, "I came in with Halley's Comet and I expect to go out with it." Details of the literary icon's death have been shared across social media, often noting the coincidence of Twain's birth and death with the passing of the periodic comet, such as this post shared to X (formerly Twitter) on Feb. 22, 2024: Mark Twain was born on the day when Halley's Comet flew by Earth. He said "I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it." Halley's Comet next appeared on April 21, 1910 - which is the day Mark Twain died. pic.twitter.com/grAUfEwkUU Eli (@hollow_maven) February 22, 2024 Halley's perihelion its closest approach to the sun occurred in 1835 and 1910, Twain's birth and death years. But the comet was not at its closest point to Earth on the days Twain was born and died, as implied by the claim the comet "flew past" the planet on those dates. For this reason, we've rated this claim a "Mixture." Snopes spoke with NASA Chief Historian Brian Odom, who referred our newsroom to an Oct. 14, 2021, article titled "955 Years Ago: Halley's Comet and the Battle of Hastings." In it, John Uri of the Johnson Space Center wrote: In an interesting historical quirk, American writer Mark Twain, born two weeks after the comet's 1835 perihelion, died the day after its 1910 perihelion. According to The Mark Twain House & Museum, the American author, whose given name was Samuel Clemens, was born in Florida, Missouri, on Nov. 30, 1835. He died at the age of 74 on April 21, 1910. The museum noted that Twain "was born and died in years when Halley's Comet passed by Earth" not the dates it was at its nearest. Halley passed its perihelion on Nov. 16, 1835, and data published by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory shows that the comet's next perihelion was on April 20, 1910 the day before Twain died. Because comets are subject to the laws of physics, it can take days, weeks or even longer for them to make a pass of Earth. News reports from 1910 suggest that Halley's comet was most visible in the U.S. between May 18 and 20, though Wired reported the comet was at its brightest from May 14 to 22. That Halley was so visible during this timeframe suggests the comet was at its closest point to Earth, also known as perigee. Regardless, this occurred roughly a month after Twain died. Halley's 1910 passage was especially newsworthy as "newspaper predictions about the impact of Halley's Comet led to public fear and mass hysteria," the Library of Congress wrote. Before the comet arrived, some scientists reportedly said cyanogen gas in its tail could end all life on Earth, inducing public anxiety about the "end of the world." It should come as no surprise that Halley's appearance impressed Twain, with the author being credited as having said not long before his death: I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don't go out with Halley's Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: "Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together." Oh, I am looking forward to that. Officially known as 1P/Halley, the periodic comet moves backward to Earth's motion, or in retrograde, around the sun. On average, this orbit takes around 75 years, though the period varies due to the gravitational effects of the surrounding planets. Halley's passing is measured from one perihelion passage, the closest distance to the sun, to the next, with its shortest orbit being 74.42 years, between 1835 and 1910, according to NASA. Discovered in 1705 by Edmond Halley and described in his "Synopsis Astronomia Cometicae," Halley was the first comet scientifically proven to return to Earth. Since then, the comet has been connected to ancient observations for more than two millennia, including its feature on the famous Bayeux tapestry that depicted the 1066 Battle of Hastings between the Norman-French and English armies. (Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons) Referred to by NASA as "cosmic snowballs," comets are made of dust, rock and ice that degrade over time. With each orbit around the sun it's estimated that Halley, which is about 9.3 miles by 5 miles across, loses between 3 and 10 feet of material. Halley has been in orbit for at least 16,000 years and as the average periodic comet lasts about 1,000 trips around the Sun will be visible for another 60,000 years, give or take a few. Halley is the only comet visible to the naked eye comet that can be seen twice in a human lifetime, according to NASA. Upon its return to the inner solar system, Halley sprays ice and rock into space resulting in two yearly meteor showers, May's Eta Aquarids and the Orionids in October. Halley's Comet as it appeared in 1910, photographed in Arequipa, Peru. (Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons) Sources: 1P/Halley - NASA Science. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/1p-halley/. Accessed 28 Feb. 2024. 955 Years Ago: Halley's Comet and the Battle of Hastings - NASA. 14 Oct. 2021, https://www.nasa.gov/history/955-years-ago-halleys-comet-and-the-battle-of-hastings/. 1909Obs....32..175L Page 175. https://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1909Obs....32..175L#:~:text=1835)%20was%20first%20detected%20by,(1773)%20at%20176%20Gorrespondence. Accessed 28 Feb. 2024. Biography - Mark Twain House. 5 June 2017, https://marktwainhouse.org/about/mark-twain/biography/, https://marktwainhouse.org/about/mark-twain/biography/. Comets - NASA Science. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/. Accessed 28 Feb. 2024. Great Comets in History. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sb/great_comets.html. Accessed 28 Feb. 2024. Halley, Edmond. A Synopsis of the Astronomy of Comets. 1705, https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/synopsisofastron00hall. "Https://Twitter.Com/Hollow_maven/Status/1760766068149096549." X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/hollow_maven/status/1760766068149096549. Accessed 28 Feb. 2024. "Https://Twitter.Com/Rainmaker1973/Status/1760641993233818058." X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/Rainmaker1973/status/1760641993233818058. Accessed 28 Feb. 2024. "Is It True That Mark Twain Was Both Born and Died on the Same Day That Halley's Comet Passed Earth?" Quora, https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-Mark-Twain-was-both-born-and-died-on-the-same-day-that-Halleys-comet-passed-Earth. Accessed 28 Feb. 2024. "Mark Twain's Weird but Perfect Ending." PBS NewsHour, 21 Apr. 2022, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/mark-twains-weird-but-perfect-ending. NASA History Office - NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/history/history-office/. Accessed 28 Feb. 2024. Pop Culture Influence - Mark Twain House. 5 June 2017, https://marktwainhouse.org/about/mark-twain/pop-culture-influence/, https://marktwainhouse.org/about/mark-twain/pop-culture-influence/. LEWISBURG, WV (WVNS) A West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine faculty member was recognized in the Health Care Hall of Fame. Jill Cochran, Ph.D., spent much of her long career as a nurse helping the community, and was inducted into the West Virginia Executive magazines Health Care Hall of Fame in 2024. Beckley to become the first Inclusive Recovery City in the United States Cochran and nine other health care professionals in the state who were 2024 Hall of Fame recipients attended an awards event in Charleston, West Virginia on February 27, 2024. I feel honored and privileged to be thought of, let alone be a recipient of this award. At my age, and having 40-something years experience in health care, this is probably one of the coolest things Ive received. Especially being a nurse, because sometimes our work is not recognized since there are so many layers above and below us. To be picked from those layers is validating that your career has been worthwhile. Jill Cochran, Ph.D | West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine faculty member Cochrans career started in the late 1970s working with newborns and their mothers, and the most recent place she worked was in the Rainelle Medical Center emergency department and as a family nurse practitioner at the Robert C. Byrd Clinic from 1999 to 2021. She has been an associate professor of clinical sciences at WVSOM since 2010 teaching pediatrics, although her experience reaches beyond clinics and health care facilities. MBS Program WVSOM Jill Cochran Photo Courtesy: WVSOM 2024 WV Exec Health Care Hall of Fame WVSOM Jill Cochran with President James Nemitz Photo Courtesy: WVSOM I have built my community from the office. People see me at Walmart and ask me a medical question and I give them an answer. I am who I am no matter if Im with my kids or someone else. If patients recognize me and need something related to health care, Im going to help them. Community members expect me to be there for them and to stand for what I said in the office These people trust what Im telling them, and that can be an overwhelming feeling, but thats what drives me. The community comes to you for answers Jill Cochran, Ph.D | West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine faculty member Cochran is also involved in translational research projects that focus on childhood obesity, diabetes, health care needs of children, and care of children in rural Appalachia. During her time as a faculty member at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, she handled clinically based research through the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute, as well as teaching students how to observe trends when they are caring for patients. Other schools may do basic science or bench research, but WVSOM excels in translational research. These projects may not make the journals, but they impact people. Our translational research faculty may not be finding a cure for cancer, but they can understand how we can better work with patients with fussy babies, lack of resources or over-the-counter medicine management. Thanks to translational grants, health care professionals can look out of the box or out of the exam room to connect the dots within community-based research. Its research from the bottom up. Jill Cochran, Ph.D | West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine faculty member Cochrans research helped add programs such as the Robert C. Byrd Clinics telesoothe program in early 2020. While the program started with in-person visits that showed swaddling to family members using an infant simulator, COVID-19 meant that the program had to be offered through telehealth since parents could not visit clinics or have the necessary contact with other people to help. 103rd Annual Dinner and Community Awards Gala announced by Beckley Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce The Hall of Fame award winners stories can be found in the Winter 2024 edition of the West Virginia Executive magazine, and 2024 is the fifth year that the magazine has recognized health care professionals, with a WVSOM administrator or alumni being acknowledged each year. People who have positively influenced the state through developing devices to help with medical treatment, leading efforts to treat underserved populations, creating a unique business to meet a need, finding new ways to address West Virginias health issues, or being a trailblazer in the profession are acknowledged by the Health Care Hall of Fame. Those who are inducted can include those who work behind the scenes like volunteers, researchers, and entrepreneurs, or they can be on the front lines like doctors and nurses. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. The parents of a British 26-year-old who was murdered by Hamas said their treatment by cold and heartless Foreign Office officials has left them feeling desolate. Michael and Lisa Marlowe, from Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, said they have been utterly let down by the Government following their son Jakes death and criticised a derisory compensation payment. Jake Marlowe grew up in north London but moved to live in Israel two years ago after becoming worried about rising anti-Semitism in the UK. He was killed at the Supernova music festival when Hamas terrorists stormed southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023. Mr Marlowe, a 62-year-old former JP Morgan trader, said: To put it bluntly, weve been disregarded by the British Government. They have shown little or no compassion about the tragic and senseless loss of our son Jake, a peace-loving British citizen who was murdered at just 26-years-old with his whole life ahead of him. We are grieving parents and we are sinking ever lower through our lack of help, understanding and care from our Government. Jake was a UK citizen, we are UK citizens and it is just outrageous how we are being treated. We are feeling grievously let down by our country. Mrs Marlowe, who is a full time carer for her 24-year-old daughter Natasha who has special needs, said she found the weekly pro-Palestinian marches in central London terrifying, adding: Nothing is done about it. We would never go into town on a Saturday. We just feel like the whole country is against us. A lot of Jewish people are talking about leaving the country. Michael and Lisa were initially told by the Government that it would not repatriate his body - Paul Grover Mr Marlowe described how UK Government officials have presided over a catalogue of errors, from initially refusing to organise the repatriation of Jakes body which they later apologised for to disclosing incorrect information about the nature of his death. But most of all, Mr Marlowe and his wife are upset by the lack of compassion they have been shown by officials, saying: It has shocked us to the very core how cold and uncaring they are. Jakes murder seems insignificant and unimportant to the British Government. There should be a knock on the door, and a how can we help you? Instead they have been obtrusive in every possible way. Meanwhile, its the polar opposite with the Israeli Government which is jumping over itself to help us. In the cold light of day, Jake was a UK citizen. Mr Marlowe reserved particular criticism for Simon Walters, the British Ambassador to Israel, who he feels completely and utterly let down by. Four days after the Oct 7 massacre, Mr Marlowe flew out to Israel in the hope of finding his son who was at that time still missing. Mr Walters came to visit Mr Marlowe and told him they had intelligence to suggest that Jake was still alive, and had been taken into Gaza as a hostage. Michael and Lisa, centre, say they have been left upset by the lack of compassion from UK officials Mr Marlowe said the exchange was emotional as they spoke father to father and during the conversation, Mr Walters had tears in his eyes and a frog in his throat. However, later that day, two IDF soldiers came to deliver the news that the Marlowe family had been dreading: that Jake had been murdered by Hamas. After this initial meeting, Mr Marlowe did not hear from the ambassador again. It was the total lack of communication, he said. Just a phone call, a brief message or a letter, it would have taken five minutes at best. Mrs Marlowe added: Nothing, not a hello, not a goodbye, not a text. Mr Marlowe described how his family were initially told that the UK Government would neither organise nor foot the bill for repatriating the body. It was cold and heartless and matter of fact, they said it was down to us, he said. But it later transpired this information was not correct, and about two months later a foreign office official apologise[d] unreservedly that they had been misinformed. Another heartache for the Marlowe family was the conflicting information they were given about how their son died. When I went to identify Jake in Israel, the forensics guy said he was shot twice in the chest and in the neck, Mr Marlowe recalled. This was on Oct 11, in a temporary morgue set up at an army base, four days after the massacre in southern Israel by Hamas. I could identify Jake by his tattoos, and I know his boots. I had to kiss him goodbye and tell him I love him. The body had already started to decompose because it had been outside for four days. It is something that will be with me until my last breath. Back in the UK, an official autopsy was carried out and the Marlowes were invited to a meeting with the coroner where they were shown Jakes official death certificate. The document, dated Oct 31, stated that his cause of death was gunshot wounds to head, neck and chest, which left them with the impression he had been shot three times. Jake Marlowe worked at the Supernova music festival to earn money for a holiday in Jerusalem Then, at a meeting with counter terrorism police on Jan 11, they were informed that Jake had in fact been shot nine times. To hear that our son was shot nine times, sent us spiralling into an even deeper, darker, hole, Mr Marlowe said. He added that he does not hold any ill will against the Israeli forensic expert, given that it was only four days after the massacre and Israel was still a battle zone. Mr Marlowe explained: He had been identifying bodies for 22 hours without a break. We were at an army base and all you could see was lorries coming in they werent carrying food, they were carrying bodies. The Marlowes hit out at the derisory and insulting compensation payment of 11,000 that they were eligible for, under the Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme, pointing out that those who are injured are entitled to more than those who have been killed. They were also upset that despite being offered a meeting with the Foreign Secretary, they read in the news about a meeting they had not been invited to, between Lord Cameron and the relatives of British hostages. Officials stressed that the Marlowe family have been offered a meeting with the Foreign Secretary as well as with the ambassador to Israel since their sons death. Jake had been working as a security guard at the Supernova music festival in southern Israel, along with his friends Aviv and Shlomi. Aviv was murdered and Shlomi was taken into captivity in Gaza, where he remains. Mr and Mrs Marlowe said Jake took up the festival job to earn some extra money so he could take his girlfriend on a trip to Jerusalem for her birthday where they believed he may have even proposed to her. Recalling her last conversation with him, Mrs Marlowe said: He phoned at 4.30am so 6.30am Israeli time to tell me loads of rockets were going over but that we werent to worry because the IDF and the police were there. But obviously it wasnt, it was Hamas in IDF and police clothing. He said he loved us very much and that was the last we heard from him. Later they learned that he had tried to save the lives of people at the music festival by getting people to safety on a quad bike. He was always a hero to us and he was murdered as a hero, trying to save people, Mrs Marlowe said. A Foreign Office spokesman said: We offer our sincere condolences to Jakes parents, family and friends at this horrific time. We continue to provide consular support to Jakes parents. They added that the Marlowe family are being supported by police family liaison officers as well as consular officials. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The fate of former President Trumps 2020 election interference case in Georgia now rests with a state judge tasked with determining whether to disqualify Fulton Countys district attorneys office from the historic prosecution over a romance between two top prosecutors. Judge Scott McAfee heard arguments Friday to determine whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) and special prosecutor Nathan Wade should be kicked off the sweeping racketeering case because of their once-romantic relationship. McAfees decision could hinge on how he weighs the evidence presented across three days of hearings. The judge previously said the allegations against Willis and Wade could result in their disqualification if evidence shows an actual conflict of interest or the appearance of one. The entire outcome is pretty much contingent on what standard of disqualification he applies, said Anthony Michael Kreis, a law professor at Georgia State University who has closely followed the case. [The defense] has come up quite short of proving or demonstrating that Fani Willis received a considerable kickback, or anything of that nature, from the prosecution, so if the standard is an actual conflict, I think they have a pretty uphill battle, Kreis said. But if the standard is an appearance of a conflict or an appearance of impropriety I think its possible that the defense has muddied things up enough. The weeks-long detour in the Georgia election interference case originated with a January motion filed by defendant Michael Roman, a Trump 2020 campaign operative, who accused Willis of financially benefitting from her relationship with Wade via lavish vacations the prosecutors took together. Throughout several hearings, Willis and Wade took to the witness stand to defend their integrity. They confirmed their romantic relationship but said it began in early 2022, before they parted ways in summer 2023. Testimony from two associates of the prosecutors an ex-friend of Willis and Wades former law partner contradicted that timeline. Robin Yeartie, who met Willis in college, testified that Willis and Wade no doubt began dating in 2019, after a judicial conference. She said she saw the pair hugging and kissing before Wades hiring. The ex-law partner, Terrence Bradley, claimed in text messages with Roman attorney Ashleigh Merchant that the prosecutors began dating before Wades hire, too. Do you think it started before she hired him? Merchant asked. Absolutely, Bradley replied. Bradley, who was also once Wades divorce attorney, initially attempted to assert attorney-client privilege, but the judge required him to testify in more detail about his knowledge of the relationship. When on the witness stand, he described his texts as speculation. Trump attorney Steve Sadow urged the judge to view Bradleys private communications as the truth, despite his walk back while testifying. Now, absolutely is not a speculative word, Sadow said. Thats not speculation; thats a definitive statement. Fulton County prosecutors described Bradley as a disgruntled, vengeful speculator and said Merchants texted question to the lawyer itself implied speculation. The ex-Wade law partners inconsistencies draw into question his credibility and the credibility of the defenses motion, said Melissa Redmon, director of the University of Georgias Prosecutorial Justice Program. As salacious as it is, [the motion] appears to have been just based on gossip, Redmon said. Fulton County prosecutors argued that the judge should consider whether the defense proved Willis and Wades relationship presents an actual conflict of interest and purported that the defense failed to meet that burden. In court filings, defense attorneys pointed to the pairs vacations to Aruba and Belize, plus two cruises to the Bahamas and other trips, for which they say Wade paid. But Willis and Wade claim they divide their travel expenses rather evenly, and the defense could not dispute their claim Willis paid Wade back in cash, despite asserting their payment method didnt pass the smell test. Why would Ms. Willis repeatedly ask this court to set a trial date as soon as possible if her motive in prosecuting this case was to continue to financially gain? prosecutor Adam Abbate said. It doesnt line up. It doesnt make sense, and it doesnt make sense for a reason, because it doesnt exist. McAfee pushed back on the states contention that an actual conflict must be proven, indicating the judge may be looking at a broader method to examine the evidence for disqualifying Willis and her office. There are a number of these cases that seem to exclusively rely on the appearance of impropriety, the judge said. I would submit to the court that is not the standard, Abbate replied, after some back and forth. If McAfee does boot the district attorneys office from the case, it could throw the prosecution into limbo. The state could not appeal the trial courts granting of the motion to disqualify, Redmon said, which would hand the case over to the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia. The agency would then appoint another district attorneys office to take it up. However, the case would still have a Fulton County judge and jury. The agencys executive director, Pete Skandalakis, previously said he would consider how far from Fulton County the new prosecutor would be, indicating a nearby county might be tasked with the massive prosecution if Willis and her office are removed from it. The new prosecutors would have full agency to prosecute the case at their discretion including to drop the case altogether. Its probably a matter of like, how much bandwidth do they have? How much political will do they have? Obviously, theres these moving parts of political violence do they want to deal with that? Kreis said. Of course they have their own cases to handle, he added. Do they want to be bothered with this? If McAfee does not disqualify the district attorneys office, the defense could apply for a discretionary review by the appellate court, though grants of such appeals are rare, Redmon said. If the defense chose to apply for a review of the matter, they would have 10 days after McAfees order to do so. Either outcome could further delay a trial in the matter. Willis and her office were disqualified from prosecuting Georgia lieutenant governor Burt Jones in July 2022, after Willis headlined a fundraiser for one of his political opponents. The council still has not reassigned the case, a year and a half later. However, Trumps other legal matters might make delay inevitable. His D.C. federal case is on pause as he appeals the issue of presidential immunity, while delays in his Florida federal case appear imminent. A trial date has not yet been set in the Georgia case, though prosecutors proposed an Aug. 5 start. I think the August trial date was ambitious, Redmon said, citing numerous unresolved motions in the case that could still be appealed once ruled on by McAfee. I would be surprised if the case went to trial before the election. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, speaks at the organizations conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, on 15 July 2023. Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, speaks at the organizations conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, on 15 July 2023. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Turning Point USA, a far-right youth group known for its fundraising prowess and for promoting election-conspiracy theories, is mounting a multimillion-dollar mobilization drive via its advocacy arm in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin. Arizona-based TPUSA, a non-profit co-founded in 2012 by then 18-year-old Charlie Kirk thats become a key ally in Donald Trumps Maga ecosystem, has launched the drive through Turning Point Action, which has raised tens of millions of dollars and is hiring hundreds of full-time employees in the three states, according to its spokesperson, Andrew Kolvet. While its current fundraising drive is to support the voter-outreach efforts, TP Action is likely to help finance other political advocacy initiatives, including ousting some key Arizona election officials who disputed claims of election fraud in 2020. Related: If Trump wins, hell be a vessel for the most regressive figures in US politics | Katrina vanden Heuvel Dubbed chase the vote, the drive is being supplemented by another get-out-the-vote campaign that TP Action is starting with the Christian nationalist and televangelist Lance Wallnau. Together with Wallnau and some other Maga allies like Moms for America, TP Action is planning a courage tour in the same three swing states to enlist pastors and their churches in the voter-mobilization drive, which will include booths in churches to register voters. TP Actions fledgling campaign is aimed at identifying and registering patriotic voters, encouraging early voting and getting voters to the polls in November, according to its website. Billed as the first and most robust conservative ballot-chasing operation, TP Actions drive could benefit Trump and Maga-allied candidates in the three states. *** The new political advocacy drives come after TPUSA and TP Action sparked strong criticism from veteran Republicans, watchdog groups and analysts for backing several hard-right candidates in Arizona who were defeated in 2022, and pushing conspiracies about election fraud, Covid-19 and other issues. TPUSA has a radicalized worldview that they use as a litmus test in backing candidates, said Kathy Petsas, a GOP district leader in Phoenix. When it comes to the general elections that matter, their ROI is lousy. Notably, four top Arizona candidates in 2022 who were backed by TP Action lost to Democrats, including ex-Fox News anchor Kari Lake in her race for governor, and Mark Finchem in his bid to become secretary of state. Virtually every major race they touched they lost in the general election in Arizona, the former Arizona congressman Matt Salmon said. Everyone Trump endorses they get behind. Its not clear if its the tail wagging the dog, or vice versa. Kolvet pushed back on criticism of the groups 2022 results, noting that TP Action only spent $500,000 in total in several states in 2022, but that this year it intends to mount a much better-financed and robust effort, hiring hundreds of full-time employees for its chase the vote drive and seeking to raise an eye-popping $108m dollars. TP Actions aggressive fundraising could prove useful in other election-related projects this year that the group is likely to get involved with. Austin Smith, a state legislator and TP Actions enterprise director, in a tweet this week signaled an effort to oust several key election officials in the states largest county, Maricopa, in primaries this July. Smith said [we] need to clean house in Maricopa county and cited, among other officers, the county recorder, the Republican lawyer Stephen Richer, who rejected unsubstantiated claims of voting fraud in 2020 and 2022. Kolvet said TP Action to date hasnt joined the effort, but added that its more likely than not well get involved in some of these races. Were going to get behind conservative candidates. One key example: TP Action in February endorsed Trump loyalist Kari Lakes 2024 Arizona senate campaign. *** Kirk and TPUSAs strong fundraising talents could prove helpful to TP Actions current drive. TPUSAs annual revenues have soared in recent years with help from leading rightwing donors including the Bradley Impact Fund, which chipped in $7.8m in 2022, the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation and dark-money behemoth Donors Trust. TPUSA has also benefited mightily from hosting several gaudy gatherings at Trumps Mar-a-Lago club and in tony Arizona venues that have drawn some big donors and conservative stars like the representatives Marjorie Taylor Green and Matt Gaetz, and Don Trump Jr. These events and mega-donor checks have helped make TPUSA a fundraising goliath: the groups revenues soared from $39.8m dollars in 2020 to $55.8m in 2021 and $80.6m in 2022, according to public records. TPUSA now employs 450 people and has broadened its focus from fighting left and woke influence on campuses to other culture war fronts by setting up a Turning Point Faith unit thats hosted large gatherings at churches featuring Wallnau and other Christian nationalist figures. *** Notwithstanding TPUSAs fundraising successes, the organization and Kirk have been buffeted by criticism on multiple fronts. Late last year, Kirk ignited a political firestorm in mainstream GOP circles by using his eponymous radio show and an Arizona bash to make incendiary attacks on the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, which recycled old and unverified slurs about King, and disparaged Black airline pilots. During a major TPUSA event in Arizona in December, Kirk opined that MLK was awful. Hes not a good person. He said one good thing he actually didnt believe. Kirks cheapening of Martin Luther Kings legacy and disparaging remarks about Black pilots hurt our cause, and dont help it, Salmon of Arizona said, adding that Kirk is one of the strongest voices for factionalism in the party. Other GOP veterans also voiced harsh critiques. Kirk chases conspiracies that animate his followers and generate funds, the long-time GOP consultant Tyler Montague said. Kirk has used this method to push conspiracies about election fraud, Christian nationalism, anti-immigrant xenophobia, and now hes opened a new front in racism with his Martin Luther King attacks. Montagues comments are in keeping with earlier criticism of Kirk for promoting Trumps unsubstantiated claims of election fraud in 2020. Kirk and TP Action collaborated with about a dozen other groups to bring busloads of Trump allies to DC to attend Trumps 6 January March to Save America rally that preceded the mob attack on the Capitol. Prior to the rally, Kirk predicted in a tweet it would likely be one of the largest and most consequential in American history, but he quickly deleted the tweet after the days violence. Independent analysts who study misinformation criticize Kirks penchant for pushing conspiracies and false narratives on the Charlie Kirk Show, which runs daily on the evangelical Salem Radio Network. The Charlie Kirk Show consistently ranks high in the top 100 shows on Apple podcasts, and has been a leader in spreading false and unverified claims, said Valerie Wirtschafter, a Brookings Institution fellow in AI and emerging technologies. Kirks dubious claims range from the idea that the Covid-19 vaccine was poison, to the belief that the election was stolen in 2020 with fraudulent ballots, to claims that purported Ukrainian bioweapons facilities are somehow linked to Anthony Fauci, she added. *** Kirk had company in backing Trumps election fraud claims, which could pose legal risks to a top TP Action official: Tyler Bowyer, the COO, who also had that title with TPUSA, and who was one of Arizonas 11 fake electors for Trump in 2020. He and the other fake electors are facing a state attorney general probe. The 11 fake electors filmed themselves signing documents stating they were legitimate electors, even though the then GOP governor, Doug Ducey, had certified Bidens win by more than 10,000 votes. Bowyer, an Arizona GOP national committeeman who signed paperwork falsely claiming that Trump had won, introduced a resolution at a Republican National Committee meeting that began in late January seeking to get the RNC to indemnify RNC members in multiple states who had been fake electors and who face legal bills due to state probes. Bowyer justified his resolution by writing on X that we need to send a clear signal that the RNC will defend those who serve as electors against Democratic radicals trying to criminalize civic engagement and process. The resolution didnt pass, but to appease Trump backers the RNC pledged to vocally back individuals who lawfully served as Trump electors in states that Biden actually won. Related: Missouri Republicans disown Ku Klux Klan-linked candidate for governor Prosecutors in three states have brought charges against fake electors for sending certificates to Congress falsely stating Trump had won their states, and the justice department has probed fake elector schemes in multiple states in its wide-ranging inquiry into efforts by Trump and his allies to thwart Bidens election. Serendipitously, right before the RNC meeting, TP Action hosted a two-day summit dubbed Restoring National Confidence, which drew several big-name election deniers including My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, ex-Trump senior White House strategist Steve Bannon and Don Jr. In a tweet, Don Jr wrote: It was great speaking to all my friends at the Turning Point Restoring National Confidence Summit earlier this week. The tight ties between TPUSA and Don Jr were underscored in 2020 when TPUSA paid a company owned by Don Jr $333,000 to buy copies of one of his books, which TPUSA gave away as part of a fundraising drive, according to the Associated Press. But watchdog groups are alarmed by TPUSA and TP Actions record of promoting the ex-presidents bogus claims of election fraud, and candidates in Arizona in 2022 who espoused similar election falsehoods. Theyre bracing for more in another heated election year. Theyve backed conspiracy theorists for high office, mobilized activists around the big lie and hired one of Arizonas fake electors to help run their campaign arm, said Heather Sawyer, the president of the watchdog group American Oversight. Since January 6, TPUSA has become an animating force behind the election-denial movement. WELLINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- A New Zealand research published on Saturday found that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on scientific research, tourism and policy-making in Antarctica. The pandemic has caused significant impacts to the region, which accounts for 10 percent of the Earth's surface and has a significant impact on the global climate, the research showed. The profound impacts included those on international cooperation and governance in Antarctica, research funding, fieldwork operations and career development for scientists working in the region. Many people mistakenly think the Antarctic escaped the impact of the global pandemic, but the reality was quite different, said University of Canterbury School of Earth and Environment Associate Professor Daniela Liggett. "At the time, the Antarctic was looked at as an enclave that was spared due to its remoteness and extreme environment, but this wasn't the case," said Liggett, lead author of the research. COVID-19 first reached Antarctica in December 2020, with tourism operations and research fieldwork ceased in the 2020-2021 season. One of the key concerns raised in the paper is the governance of the region, Liggett said, adding the Antarctic and Southern Ocean is governed by Antarctic Treaty parties, and as a consensus-based system, the parties had already been under pressure for not responding fast enough to challenges posed by climate change issues. The researchers also found that the pandemic caused significant disruptions to scientific progress and placed substantial hardship on Antarctic researchers. "Suddenly field support was cut and operations were halted, causing delays of at least one or two years, with some considerably longer, and the cancellation of some field projects," Liggett said. This interrupted long-term observations that require annual data to be collected to understand the trends relating to areas such as climate change, and impacts on ecosystems and atmospheric phenomena, she said, adding the delays and cancellations have been further aggravated by funding cuts, resulting in the early retirement of experienced staff. The authors believe new approaches to research were also explored, such as increased use of remote sensing technologies for data collection and efforts to increase data sharing and collaboration due to lockdowns and limited international travel. American interior designer and fashion icon Iris Apfel has died at the age of 102. The self-proclaimed geriatric starlet worked for decades in the textile industry before she soared to fame as an octogenarian with recognition of her eccentric design sense. Apfels signature look was characterised by her oversized glasses, layers of chunky jewellery and colourful and eclectic clothing, with her bob-cut white hair. The death of the extraordinary Apfel was confirmed by her commercial agent, Lori Sale, who did not provide a cause of death. It is believed she died at her home in Palm Beach, Florida. The news came on her verified Instagram page on Friday, which a day earlier had celebrated that Leap Day represented her 102nd-and-a-half birthday. Iris Apfel has died at the age of 102 (Getty Images for Central Park To) Born on 29 August 1921 to a Jewish family in New York, Apfel began by studying the history of art and specialised in interior design, becoming an expert on textiles and antique fabrics. She and her husband Carl Apfel owned a textile manufacturing company, Old World Weavers, and specialised in restoration work, including projects at the White House under six different US presidents. Apfels celebrity clients included Estee Lauder and Greta Garbo. Iris Apfel attends the Joanna Mastroianni Fall 2013 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Studio at Lincoln Center on 10 February 2013 (Joe Kohen/Getty Images for Joanna Mastroianni)) Apfels public profile skyrocketed in 2005 when the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute in New York City curated a show dedicated to her, titled Rara Avis, which means rare bird in Latin. The museum celebrated her style, describing it as both witty and exuberantly idiosyncratic. It happened out of sheer luck as the museum was looking for a last-minute replacement but ended up becoming a hit and gained an avalanche of publicity. She amassed nearly 3 million followers on Instagram, where her profile declares: "More is more & Less is a Bore. On TikTok, she drew a following of 215,000 as she shared insights on fashion and style while also promoting her recent collaborations. Being stylish and being fashionable are two entirely different things, she said in one TikTok video. You can easily buy your way into being fashionable. Style, I think is in your DNA. It implies originality and courage." Iris Apfel attends front row at Monse in 2016 (Getty Images) In 2011, she told The New York Times: When you dont dress like everybody else, you dont have to think like everybody else. She then became a subject of the documentary Iris, an Albert Maysles production first aired in 2014. It became available for movie enthusiasts a year later in America and Britain. It was hailed by movie critic Manohla Dargis of The New York Times as an insistent rejection of monocultural conformity and a delightful eye-opener about life, love, statement eyeglasses, bracelets the size of tricycle tires and the art of making the grandest of entrances. Iris Apfel attends the 25th Annual ACE Awards on 2 November 2021 (Getty Images for Accessories Cou) In 2016, Apfel appeared in a television commercial for the French car DS 3, became the ambassador for the Australian brand Blue Illusion, and initiated a collaboration with the start-up WiseWear. The following year, Mattel crafted a unique Barbie doll in her likeness, although it was not available for sale. She described herself as the accidental icon, which later became the title of her autobiography she published in 2018 filled with her mementoes and style musings. When asked for fashion advice in 2017 by the Associated Press, she said: "Everybody should find her own way. Im a great one for individuality. I dont like trends. If you get to learn who you are and what you look like and what you can handle, youll know what to do." Additional reporting by agencies Interstate 85 southbound in eastern Gaston County closed for sevenhours after a fatal wreck early Saturday that involved a driver in a disabled vehicle with no lights on, police said. Officers found the driver dead in the far right lane of Interstate 85 at the Belmont-Mount Holly Road bridge about 1:45 a.m., according to a Belmont Police Department news release on Saturday afternoon. Police identified the driver as 65-year-old Jackson Munsey. He lived in Gaffney, South Carolina, public records show. Police said a 25-year-old driver told them he was in the far left lane when he suddenly observed a disabled vehicle in his lane with no lights on, according to the release. The driver couldnt avoid the vehicle and hit it from behind, ejecting the driver into the roadway, where he succumbed to his injuries, police said in the release. Motorists were detoured from I-85 south as officers from the Belmont police traffic division investigated the collision. Belmont police urged anyone with information about the crash to contact Traffic Officer Mike Fussell at 704-825-3792. All information received will be kept confidential, police said. Lanes opened at 7:45 a.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. An 18-wheeler overturned on Interstate 77 southbound in northern Iredell County on Saturday, March 2, 2024, emergency officials said. Also early Saturday, an 18-wheeler overturned on I-77 southbound, closing the highway for hours near Exit 65 Highway 901 in northern Iredell County, officials said. Union Grove Fire & Rescue released a photo of the truck on Facebook. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. The FBI is investigating possible debris from a Chinese spy craft that flew over Alaska early last year after a fisherman reported the curious finding on Friday. An Alaskan fishing vessel recovered the debris days ago and is expected to return to the coast sometime this weekend and turn it over to the FBI for examination, according to ABC News. "The FBI is aware of debris found off the coast of Alaska by a commercial fishing vessel. We will work with our partners to assist with the logistics of the debris recovery," the FBI said in a statement on Friday. FBI sources emphasized to the outlet that it has yet to determine whether the craft if of foreign origin, but the recovered material is being taken to the FBI lab in Quantico, as was material recovered from a confirmed Chinese spy balloon last year. GREAT BASIN TRIBES CAMPAIGN TO GET SACRED NEVADA SITE PROTECTED, NAMED NATIONAL MONUMENT U.S. forces haul debris from China's surveillance balloon onto a boat off the coast of South Carolina in 2023. Similar debris has reportedly been found off the coast of Alaska. President Biden's administration was met with a firestorm last year after U.S. intelligence tracked a Chinese balloon as it entered U.S. airspace over Alaska and then crossed the entire continental U.S. before being shot down just off the coast of South Carolina. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP U.S. intelligence admitted at the time that the balloon was not an isolated incident, and the debris recovered in Alaska this week may be of the same origin. MILITARY TRACKS HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOON OVER WESTERN US The U.S. intercepted another high-altitude balloon over Utah in late February, but officials said they determined it was a hobbyist balloon and it eventually left U.S. airspace. "The balloon was intercepted by NORAD fighters over Utah, who determined it was not maneuverable and did not present a threat to national security. NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon," NORAD said. "The FAA also determined the balloon posed no hazard to flight safety. NORAD remains in close coordination with the FAA to ensure flight safety." Debris from the shot-down Chinese balloon was taken to the FBI's facilities in Quantico. China initially claimed that last year's balloons were merely weather balloons that blew off course and sailed into U.S. airspace. U.S. authorities deemed that to be untrue, noting surveillance equipment found on the craft. Original article source: FBI to examine possible debris of Chinese spy craft found by Alaskan fishermen Protestors demand justice at a march for 36-year-old Breonte Johnson-Davis, who died after an incident involving the Palmetto Police Department on Nov. 1, 2023. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement recently concluded its investigation into the use of force in the encounter. PALMETTO Four months after an incident involving the Palmetto Police Department and Breonte Johnson-Davis, a 36-year-old Palmetto father who died after being detained on Nov. 2, 2023, a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation concluded that officers did not use excessive force in deploying a Taser two times on Davis before he was pronounced dead several hours later at a local hospital. The Medical Examiners Office reported the cause of death was cardiac arrest and ruled the manner of death an accident. A toxicology report by the Medical Examiners Office as as part of the investigation said that a combination of methamphetamine drugs and mild heart disease were the determining factors in Davis death. "The Medical Examiner found no connection between the application of the Taser and his death," said Palmetto Police Chief Scott Tyler. Previous coverage: FDLE investigating Palmetto Police tasing incident, death of Breonte Johnson-Davis The extended period between Davis' death and the results of the investigation roiled the community, which responded to the lack of information from police with protests and critical comments to city leaders at public meetings. Family, friends, and community members had called for body cam footage, police reports and witness statements to be released, but Tyler declined as the FDLE investigation continued. He saw the results as a vindication of the approach. "I expected that outcome, but I still knew it was important to have an independent review of that entire matter," Tyler told the Herald-Tribune Friday. "I know it was a long few months. It is a long time to wait for answers, but I think, again, having that independent review is critical. A lot of people in the community, and people close to Breonte, especially his family, they are upset about it and I can understand that," Tyler said. The three officers from the Palmetto department remain active on the force, Tyler said, and there is no record of discipline as a result of the encounter in the FDLE investigation documents provided by the chief. Palmetto officers Caleb Cottom, Martin Ilimas, and Matthew Wilson along with a fourth officer, Julian Jackson of the Bradenton Police Department, were named in the FDLE investigation summary. The 14-page report on the state agency's investigation also concluded that the officers' accounts of the incident aligned with witness accounts of the incident. Palmetto Police were dispatched to a Circle K convenience store on 8th Avenue to assist with what they believed to be a substance abuse (Marchman Act) call, according to reports of the incident. Davis encountered staff in a state of paranoia before fleeing the store and running into a police patrol car, where he was subdued after the use a Taser, according to the reports. Officers attempted to resuscitate Davis before EMS's arrival. Video from police body cams shows that police encountered Davis around 2:15 a.m. and that he was subdued by the officers over approximately eight minutes. He was tased two times during the encounter before his cardiac arrest. Davis could be heard speaking incoherently for several seconds following the second tasing before losing consciousness. Palmetto Police Department body camera footage screen shot of officers subdue Breonte Johnson-Davis following a Taser being deployed during the incident leading up to Davis' death on Nov. 2, 2023. Davis' family began asking for a missing police report last December, one month after his death. The FDLE concluded the investigation on Feb. 2 and the State Attorney's Office reviewed the findings before they were publicly released. Davis' parents, Manatee County residents Tracy Washington and Willie Davis, begin rallying at Palmetto Police Department and Palmetto City Commission meetings on Jan. 7 seeking answers about their sons death investigation. The Herald-Tribune investigated reports on the use of force by Palmetto Police, finding that the agency deploys and uses Tasers at a higher rate than any other weapon or local agency of its size. Investigation: Palmetto police use-of-force report shows officers turn to Tasers most often Palmetto Police Chief says agency complies with use of force reporting amid FDLE probe At a Jan. 22 Palmetto City Commission meeting, Tyler pushed back against the Herald-Tribune report concluding that the agency hadn't submitted a required quarterly report on the use of force in the incident to the FDLE. He contended the report had been submitted, though the publicly accessible database does not show the document. Tyler said during an interview in his office in late January that he had submitted the required report, and produced a screenshot of the time stamp of submission from his administrative office dated early December 2023. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Medical examiner concludes cause of death accidental in Palmetto case People attend a vigil in New York City on 26 February after the death of Nex Benedict. People attend a vigil in New York City on 26 February after the death of Nex Benedict. Photograph: Sarah Yenesel/EPA Federal authorities have announced an investigation into allegations of bullying involving Nex Benedict, the non-binary teen who died last month after a fight with classmates in a womens bathroom at their high school in Oklahoma. Related: New video sheds light on fight that took place before non-binary student died The US Department of Education said in a letter on Friday that it was investigating whether Owasso public schools, outside Tulsa, had failed to appropriately respond to alleged harassment of students a violation of federal law. Authorities said they were responding to a complaint brought by Kelley Robinson, president of LGBTQ+ rights group Human Rights Campaign (HRC), that claimed the school district had notice of sex-based harassment at the high school, including instances of bullying, violence, and harassment, that it had failed to respond appropriately to, creating discrimination. It remains unclear what led to Benedicts death on 8 February, a day after the 16-year-old student told family and friends that they had been involved in a bathroom fight with classmates. Benedicts guardian and biological grandmother, Sue Benedict, told the Independent that her grandchild had been badly beaten by three older girls. I didnt know how bad it had gotten, Sue Benedict said of the bullying. Authorities have not released Benedicts cause of death, but authorities have said that a preliminary autopsy finding showed the student did not die as a result of trauma. After the Department of Education announced it would investigate Owasso public schools compliance with Title IX sex-based discrimination protections and Title II disability discrimination protections, the school district issued a statement. Schools spokesperson Brock Crawford told USA Today on Friday that the district is committed to cooperating with federal officials and believes the complaint submitted by HRC is not supported by the facts and is without merit. Benedicts death has drawn renewed attention to the issue of school bullying after Owasso police released body camera video showing an officer speaking with the Benedicts in a hospital a day before Nex died. Benedict said that on the day of the fight, they were in the bathroom. I was talking with my friends, they were talking with their friends and we were laughing. And they had said something like, Why do they laugh like that? And they were talking about us in front of us, Benedict said. Things escalated after Benedict poured water on the students, who then responded by grabbing at their hair. Benedict then pushed one the girls into a paper towel dispenser, and eventually got thrown to the floor and beaten up. The fight was broken up by other students and a faculty member, police say. Benedicts family later said that details of the fight were troubling at best and urged authorities to mount a thorough investigation fully, fairly and expediently. The Benedicts know all too well the devastating effects of bullying and school violence, and pray for meaningful change wherein bullying is taken seriously and no family has to deal with another preventable tragedy, the family added. The chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Representative Mark Pocan, said in a statement on Friday that the investigation is an important step toward ensuring that all students in Owasso Public Schools can learn free from discrimination or harassment. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A FedEx employees leg was reportedly run over outside of the FedEx World Hub in February. According to a report from the Memphis International Airport Police, officers responded to Republican Drive outside of the World Hub on February 18. A FedEx security guard reportedly said an employee was trying to get an item off a dolly when she tripped and fell. What is the clerks office doing with your wheel tax? According to the police report, a tug driver pulled off, catching the employees leg under the dolly. The report states that the driver immediately stopped when he saw the employee under the dolly. The employee went to Regional One Hospital in non-critical condition. Tennessee OSHA started an inquiry into the accident. FedEx released a statement on the accident, saying, Our thoughts remain on the well-being of our team member. Safety is our top priority, and we continue to cooperate with the investigation. In November 2023, a FedEx employee died after a work-related accident at the World Hub. Memphis Police did not release specific details regarding the accident. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. The federal government has opened an investigation into an Oklahoma school district where Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old non-binary student, was allegedly bullied before a bathroom altercation and their subsequent death. The U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights announced the probe in a letter to the Human Rights Campaign, an advocacy group that complained about the Owasso School Districts failure to stop harassment and discrimination. Please note that opening the complaint for investigation in no way implies that OCR has made a determination on the merits of the complaint, the agency wrote. Nex, who used they/them pronouns, was injured last month during a confrontation with other students in the girls bathroom. The teens grandmother, who had adopted her, brought them to a hospitalwhere they described pouring water on a student who was mocking them and then getting thrown to the floor. They got my legs out from under me and got me on the ground and started beating the shit out of me, Nex later told officers. A Dead Non-Binary Teen and a School Boss Cruel Transphobia The following day, Nex suffered a medical emergency and died, according to a 911 call. The results of an autopsy have not been released, but police said the cause of death was not any injury suffered in the fight. Their death is a gut-wrenching tragedy that exposes the chilling reality of anti-transgender hatred spreading across the United States, and that the Department must investigate as part of Owasso High Schools failure to address harassment and discrimination on its campus beginning in the 2023 school year, the Human Rights Campaign wrote in a letter to the U.S. Department of Education. Nexs family has hired an attorney conduct an independent investigation into how they were treated at school and their death. No charges have been brought in connection with the fight. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. The much-loved tree was illegally felled in September provoking outpourings of sorrow, the park authority said The Sycamore Gap tree which was illegally felled last year is to go on public display, it has been announced. Northumberland National Park said it had received 2,000 "heartfelt" messages from people from all around the world expressing sorrow after the tree was cut down in September. The authority said the largest section of the felled tree would go on display at The Sill, a tourist attraction close to Sycamore Gap, in September. It added it was still considering plans to preserve the tree's legacy. These included leaving the stump alone in the hope it would grow, making the area a place of reflection and turning sections of the felled tree into art installations. A fence has been placed around the remaining stump in the hope that it will grow Tony Gates, chief executive officer of the park authority, said: The felling of the Sycamore Gap tree has shown just how much nature and landscape mean to people and to their very well-being. "As stewards of the legacy of Sycamore Gap, the partners have been humbled by the outpouring of love and emotion for the tree. "We understand the diversity of opinions surrounding a future legacy and are committed to navigating this journey with the utmost care and respect. "We are grateful for everyones patience and understanding." Forensic investigators from Northumbria Police examined the felled Sycamore Gap tree The landmark, a focal point along Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, was cut down in what Northumbria Police described as a "deliberate act of vandalism". The force said in December a man in his 60s and a 16-year-old boy arrested in connection with the felling, would face no further action. The park authority said a fence had been placed around the remaining stump so it could be left alone but still be seen. "We are looking to see how nature responds at the site," a spokesman added. "The original tree stump remains in situ, in the hope it will regrow in time. "While we wait, there will not be another intervention at the site for now. "To give the tree the best chance of regrowth, there is a need to protect the stump without detracting from peoples experience of the site." Follow BBC North East on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. More on this story Related internet links Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, right, walks with his wife Geri Halliwell prior to the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Saturday, March 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) The president of Formula 1s governing body told the Financial Times the controversy around Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is damaging the sport, but that the FIA wont conduct its own inquiry unless it receives a complaint. Ahead of Saturday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, Horner arrived at the F1 paddock holding hands with his wife Geri Halliwell, who is better known as Ginger Spice of the pop group the Spice Girls. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said any complaint lodged with its compliance officer would be investigated but it had not received one related to Horner's situation and would not jump the gun, the Financial Times reported. It's damaging the sport, Ben Sulayem told the newspaper, which added that he was speaking Friday after a meeting with Horner. This is damaging on a human level. On Wednesday, the teams parent company dismissed a complaint of alleged misconduct by Horner toward a team employee. A day later during practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix, a file alleged to contain evidence against Horner was emailed to nearly 200 people in the F1 paddock, including Liberty Media, F1, the FIA, the other nine team principals and multiple media outlets. The authenticity of the files has not been verified by The Associated Press; the file came from a generic email account. Horner has denied wrongdoing and said in a statement issued Thursday that he would not comment on anonymous speculation. Three-time defending champion Max Verstappen said after qualifying on pole position Friday that Horner was fully committed to the team but that his team principal was also probably a little bit distracted. ___ AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing The Dennis Police Department was saddened to announce the passing of their retired K9 Bodo. Bodo served the town of Dennis for almost 10 years, retiring in 2020. According to the Dennis Police Department, Bobo had ferocious bark, and the ability to shake his K9 vehicle. He had a goofy personality and the love he had for his family. Bodo never gave up the ferocious bark, even after retirement. Any noise or stranger around his house would prompt the barking, he department wrote. Bodo loved his job, was fiercely loyal, and never asked for anything in return, the department wrote. Bobo was just shy of his 14th birthday He will be sorely missed and never forgotten. Thank you for your service K9 Bodo, they added. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Alexander Stubb (2nd L) attends a swearing-in ceremony during a session of the Finnish parliament in Helsinki, Finland, March 1, 2024. Alexander Stubb took office as the 13th president of Finland on Friday during a session of the Finnish parliament, succeeding Sauli Niinisto. (Juhani Kandell/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland/Handout via Xinhua) HELSINKI, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Alexander Stubb took office as the 13th president of Finland on Friday during a session of the Finnish parliament. Stubb, 55, succeeds Sauli Niinisto who served as Finland's head of state for 12 years. In his inaugural address, Stubb promised to promote an open, safe and international Finland and ensure its continued success. He called for unity and solidarity among the people, urging them to cherish the traditions of trust, justice and communal support that underpin the Finnish society, and to embrace changes and technological advancements with empathy and adaptability. Stubb said Finland's foreign and security policy line is founded on "value-based realism" and elaborated later at a press conference that his line is based on traditional idealism and democratic values, "but combined with accepting the need to talk with those who do not share our values." Stubb won the presidential election in February. He once served as Finnish prime minister and foreign minister. Finland maintains distinct representation within the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), with the president attending NATO summits and the prime minister representing the country within the EU. The president and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo both belong to the National Coalition Party. The presidential transition in Finland came against the backdrop of a major political conflict over the cabinet's plans to cut back social security and terms of labor. Addressing the cabinet, Stubb pledged support for the government's efforts to stabilize the economy. Stubb is proficient in English, French and German, in addition to Finland's two official languages, Finnish and Swedish. He said his first planned trip abroad as president will be in Norway, where he will inspect a NATO maneuver. Finland joined the military alliance last year. Sweden will be the destination of his first official state visit, according to tradition. Alexander Stubb (R, front) and former Finnish President Sauli Niinisto are pictured at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, March 1, 2024. Alexander Stubb took office as the 13th president of Finland on Friday during a session of the Finnish parliament, succeeding Sauli Niinisto. (Roni Rekomaa/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland/Handout via Xinhua) This article was originally published in CommonWealth Beacon. The state dragged its sex education guidelines into a new millennium last year, updating health frameworks for pre-K through 12th grade students to include modern language on sexuality and consent. But a growing coalition that has pushed for the better part of a decade to keep sex ed in step with the times says theres still more work to be done if only the House of Representatives will get on board. Supporters of the Healthy Youth Act are taking a fifth swing at passing the legislation, which has made it through the state Senate four times only to fizzle in the House. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week, and proponents believe the tide is finally turning in their favor in both chambers. I just think that the time is now, said bill sponsor Sen. Sal DiDomenico, of Everett, who has pushed for the Healthy Youth Act for the past decade along with House sponsor Rep. Jim ODay, of West Boylston. I think theres momentum built up behind the bill, DiDomenico said. The coalition has been working very hard, getting support and just showing people that we dont have time to wait these are kids who are still making decisions every single day and still talking about this every single day in their own little groups, and we need to get that information in their hands so they can make the decisions going forward. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Though the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education last year updated its sex and health education guidelines for the first time since 1999, with support from Gov. Maura Healey, the Healthy Youth Act has teeth that the framework does not, DiDomenico said. Broadly, the act would require that state standards for sex and health education be inclusive, reflective of current science, and updated at least every 10 years. Cities and towns would be required to describe their sexual education curricula to the department each year, as well as report the number of students receiving that education. The new DESE framework is a good suggestion, DiDomenico said. Its a floor, but not really digging deep into the curriculum standards. For instance, he said, it still allows schools to choose to provide abstinence-only sex education. Under the Healthy Youth Act, any educational institution that offers a sex ed course has to provide medically accurate, age-appropriate, comprehensive sexual health education. Under the act, health curriculum guidelines would cover human anatomy, reproductive and sexual activity, preventing sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, effective use of contraceptives, discussing safe sexual activity and healthy relationships, and age-appropriate education on gender identity and sexual orientation that affirms a variety of gender and sexual identities. The act would not override or change Massachusetts state law allowing schools to decide whether to offer sexual health courses and parents to opt their children out of that health segment. Parents and guardians would be informed by letter about the comprehensive sex education curriculum and informed of the opt-out option. But the act would prevent the molasses-like evolution of sex ed frameworks thats marked the last quarter-century. It isnt enough, DiDomenico said, to bank on a sympathetic governor with an interest in inclusive health policy. We dont know what the future brings us and who will be in that seat, he said. So if we do not have a regular updating process, then its up to the will of the people who are in charge at that particular moment in time and if they decide to kick the can down the road, or they decide not to address it, or they decide to just ignore it and hope that someone else will take it up at a later date. Gearing up for yet another tilt at the windmill, supporters have said this cycle that momentum is on their side around 80 representatives and senators have signed on to versions of the bill, including members of House leadership. This push coincided last year with a wave of anxiety about reproductive choices and support for LGBTQ+ people. Speaker Ron Mariano, who stood alongside elected leaders and reproductive health organizations to express support for protecting access to medication abortion, said at the time about the sex ed bill that he was going through the details and having conversations with members. His office did not respond to requests for comment. This article first appeared on CommonWealth Beacon and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen calls on the West to increase military support for Ukraine and to find money for shells "immediately". Source: European Pravda with reference to Yle Details: According to Hakkanen, Europe has not realised the seriousness of the war through the prism of history and has not provided Ukraine with sufficient support. The EU aims to supply Ukraine with one million artillery shells this year. Earlier, Czechia reported that it had found 800,000 pieces of artillery ammunition in countries outside the EU. The country has asked other EU and NATO countries to help finance the procurement. The estimated value of the ammunition is about 1.3 billion. No decision on funding has been made yet. Quote from Hakkanen: "Funds to support armaments in Ukraine must be found immediately." More details: The defence minister of Finland also stressed the importance of increasing domestic arms production in the EU. Some progress has already been made in this regard, Hakkanen said. "European countries have managed to increase their own production, and they are close to achieving the goal," he said. Background: The Czech initiative to procure 800,000 shells for Ukraine outside the EU, which is financed jointly by a number of states, will be able to make first deliveries to Kyiv in a few weeks. The Czech Defence Ministry previously stated that it was coordinating the effort and had secured preliminary commitments from Canada and Denmark, as well as other countries that wished not to be named. The Netherlands publicly confirmed its participation by donating 250 million for the purchase of ammunition. Support UP or become our patron! Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen has urged Western allies to increase support for Ukraine immediately and provide it with more weapons, the Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported on March 2. 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. "Funds to support arms for Ukraine must be found immediately," Hakkanen noted, saying that Europe has not realized the seriousness of the war through the eyes of history. The minister also said that European countries succeeded in increasing their own weapons production and are close to achieving the goal. In December 2023, Hakkanen said Finland was planning to boost its artillery ammunition production in a few weeks to arm Ukraine amid worries that the EU would fail on its promise to supply Kyiv with 1 million shells by March 2024. Czech President Petr Pavel said at the Munich Conference in February that Prague had identified 500,000 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm shells outside Europe. According to him, the ammunition could be shipped to Ukraine quickly if other partners provide financing. Bloomberg reported on March 1 that Ukraine may receive the first of the 800,000 artillery shells "within weeks." Read also: Our reserves will run out: Ukrainian artillery sounds alarm on Western shell shortage Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A man in South Carolina was convicted last week on federal charges for the 2019 killing of a Black transgender woman in the nation's first gender identity-based hate crime trial. The historic prosecution nearly five years after Pebbles LaDime "Dime" Doe's death granted the woman and her loved ones, who celebrated the guilty verdict on social media, justice via the legal system that trans and gender non-conforming Americans don't often receive. But experts caution that, in the current social and cultural climate, the trial is not enough. Jurors found Daqua Lameek Ritter guilty last Friday of the 2019 hate crime murder of Doe after around four hours of deliberation, The Associated Press reported. Ritter, who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole, was also convicted of using a firearm in connection to the fatal crime and obstructing justice. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. The guilty verdict arrived against a harrowing social backdrop colored in part by the growing prevalence of anti-LGBTQ, particularly anti-trans, rhetoric and conservative-led legislative efforts to limit the communities' freedoms. The FBI in 2022 also saw a 32.9 percent increase in gender-identity-based hate crimes from 2021, while the Human Rights Campaign, which declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ Americans last summer, in the last four years recorded a spike in the fatal violence against gender expansive Americans. Ritter's trial being the first of its kind raises concerns around how effectively the law the case was prosecuted under addresses the greater cause of the violence: widespread and deepening transphobia. "Of course, it's a win when anti-trans violence is recognized under the law, but there's just such a wave of hate-motivated both attacks verbally and physically against trans folks now that this type of violence needs to be recognized and addressed more often," said Jordan Woods, a University of Arizona professor of law who researches criminal justice issues affecting LGBTQ populations. The lack of trials for violent hate crimes based on a victim's gender identity under an act that is more than a decade old, the 2009 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act, is also glaring, Woods added, noting the dozens of trans and gender expansive people who have likely been killed because of gender identity bias since that time. The 15-year-old Hate Crime Prevention Act criminalized willfully causing bodily injury or attempting to do so with a deadly weapon when done because of the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity, among other protected categories. The provision allows for more robust data collection on gender identity and sexual orientation-based hate crimes and grants the government authority to prosecute a wider range of those hate crimes that it did not previously have jurisdiction for, Woods explained. The law also allows the federal government to cooperate with and provide resources to a state or local hate crime investigation, particularly in states like South Carolina that do not have hate crime laws. In those cases, the Department of Justice acts as a "second set of eyes" and determines whether the local or state jurisdiction conducted the most thorough and reasonable prosecution possible given the available evidence, according to David Stacy, the vice president of government affairs for the Human Rights Campaign. "The other reason [for] having the U.S. DOJ there looking over their shoulder is there are prosecutors that we know in the past and I'm sure in the present day don't want to prosecute these crimes or want to under prosecute the crime because they don't care enough," Stacy told Salon. According to the AP, federal officials have previously prosecuted gender identity-based hate crimes, but the cases never reached trial. Most, like other crimes, Woods said, end in plea deals. The first gender-identity-based hate crime prosecution and conviction under the act occurred in 2017 after a Mississippi man pleaded guilty to killing Mercedes Williamson, a 17-year-old transgender girl whom he had a sexual relationship with, in 2015, according to CBS News. The perpetrator, Joshua Vallum, who was 29 at the time of his sentencing, received a 49-year prison sentence from the federal government on top of a state-level life sentence. How data on these crimes are collected can also hinder the federal government's ability to intervene. FBI statistics are voluntarily reported, Stacy said, and the local police officer on the beat must accurately identify the crime as bias-motivated rather than a regular assault or homicide in order to get the reporting right from the start. Inaccurate identification of the victims as their sex assigned at birth or by a deadname further complicates the reporting process. While the documentation of hate crimes based on gender identity has improved with greater public awareness about the violence trans and gender-expansive people face, contributing in part to an increase in the number of reported cases, the total is likely much higher than what the government is able to record because of those early introduced inaccuracies, Shoshana Goldberg, the HRC's public education and research director, told Salon. "Another thing is, we are in a state of emergency," added Goldberg, who leads the campaign's fatal violence tracking efforts, citing an increase in anti-trans legislation, rhetoric and violence throughout the country. "We're seeing just a large spike in this happening against a political system that is really perpetuating and legitimizing stigma against trans folks, while also increasingly trying to push them out the spaces of public life as well as confine the spaces in which a person can exist," she said. The Human Rights Campaign has been tracking fatal violence against trans and gender non-conforming people since 2013, including both FBI-labelled hate crimes and other killings it identifies "where bias, hate and structural violence and stigma played a role," according to its 2023 report. The report found that half of all identified killings of trans and gender non-conforming people occurred in the last four years. It also saw that, of the 335 deaths the civil rights organization recorded since 2013, trans women comprised 83 percent of the victims, with trans women of color amounting to 75 percent of the victims. Black trans women, including Doe, specifically account for 62 percent of all known victims recorded since 2013. "There's multiple marginalization here. People are in a vulnerable spot economically, they're in a vulnerable spot in their relationships, or their families, they don't have the same support systems. All of these things combined result in a greater incidence," Stacy said, explaining why Black trans women and trans women of color are more impacted by the violence. "One of the things we see in a lot of bias-motivated crime, and is particularly true in relation to trans women, is they tend to be more violent," he added. "When violence results the violence tends to be more extreme and therefore more likely to result in more injury, more death because of the hatred involved. So, the dehumanization that comes with that that's another factor that you layer on top." Since 2013, guns have been involved in nearly 70 percent of all fatalities the HRC identified, the report said. Over half of all killings by an intimate partner, which amount to just over 20 percent of all the HRC-recorded cases, as in Doe's case, involved a gun. The trial over Doe's killing lasted four days and revolved around the secret relationship between her and Ritter, who was angered by the public exposure of their affair in Allendale, South Carolina, witness testimony and text messages obtained by the FBI indicated, according to the AP. Prosecutors alleged Ritter shot Doe three times with a .22 caliber handgun to prevent further disclosure of his relationship with a trans woman. Text messages obtained by the FBI show that Ritter wanted to keep their relationship a deep secret, prosecutors said. He reminded Doe to scrub their messages from her phone, and hundreds of texts from the month before her death were deleted. Their conversations became strained shortly before her death, the AP reported. One message from July 29, 2019, saw Doe complain about Ritter's lack of reciprocity when it came to her generosity toward him. Ritter replied that he believed they both understood she didn't need the "extra stuff." Ritter also told Doe that his main girlfriend at the time had called him a homophobic slur after learning of their relationship. Doe, in a July 31 text, said she felt used and told Ritter he should never have let his girlfriend find out about their relationship. A defense lawyer argued at trial that no physical evidence pointed to Ritter as the perpetrator, pointing to how state law enforcement never processed a gunshot residue test Ritter took voluntarily and arguing Ritter being seen in her car hours before her murder should be no surprise given their intimate relationship and frequent car rides. April Carrillo, an assistant professor of criminal justice at the University of South Dakota, sees the transphobia in Doe's murder overlapping with the circumstances around the recent death of Nex Benedict. Benedict, a 16-year-old trans nonbinary student in Oklahoma who used he/they pronouns, died in early February, a day after sustaining severe head injuries, according to local police, from a fight in a high school bathroom. Benedict, who the Owasso Police Department said did not die due to head trauma based on preliminary autopsy results, told a school resource officer that, after pouring water on older students' heads for making fun of him and his friend, they had been jumped in the girl's restroom by older students, swept to the ground and beaten on the floor. A 2022 Oklahoma law prohibiting people from using a bathroom that didn't align with their sex assigned at birth had forced Benedict to use the girl's bathroom at their school. Their mother also told the media that they had been bullied since the beginning of the school year for their gender identity. A final autopsy and toxicology reports are pending, and the police have not declared a cause of death at this time. The case is not currently being investigated as a hate crime, but police told independent news Substack Popular Information, murder charges are "on the table." Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Carrillo, a criminologist who focuses on LGBTQ people and the legal system, told Salon that they aren't convinced a hate crime law and any resulting convictions could really address the virulent transphobia at the root of these kinds of incidents. "It's not like [the perpetrator is] going to go to prison and then also be educated about gender identity or queer people in general," Carrillo said, noting that the carceral system is not designed for reformation and adding: "We just blame this whole systemic issue of transphobia and violence on the singular person and wipe our hands of it in the legal system and go, 'Alright, we got 'em.'" Instead, Carrillo posits that, on a public level, improving youth engagement with trans, gender expansive and LGBTQ people through public events like drag queen story hours, LGBTQ history-inclusive school curricula and challenging bias in institutions of knowledge will broker broader acceptance that can undercut the impetus for these crimes. For its part, the criminal justice system should create an atmosphere of cultural competence where practitioners are aware of LGBTQ people and issues, trained on inclusive terminology and approach exchanges with gender-expansive people with nuance and respect, they continued, citing the textbook "Culture, Diversity and Criminal Justice." Providing federal funding to programs that address other types of violence that LGBTQ Americans face at equal or disproportionate rates like sexual or domestic violence would also serve to prevent violent incidents, Stacy explained, offering as an example funding for greater access to shelters for trans and LGBTQ people fleeing abuse. "When you put all those things together, you create a culturally safe environment," Carrillo added, emphasizing how officials' "really disgusting" rhetoric plays a role in the current climate. "When you create something culturally safe, it's almost a top-down thing. When you have members of the community, stakeholders, saying, 'Hey, we value these folks in our community. We find their identities valid. They're just human beings,' other people are more inclined to be like, 'Oh, yeah, sure, of course.'" The Fresno Police Department is investigating after bags containing hate messages were thrown onto some local driveways. (Fresno Police Department) Police are investigating after plastic bags filled with fliers containing hate messages and conspiracy theories were thrown onto residential driveways in Fresno Friday morning. Residents in a suburban neighborhood found the bags and reported them to authorities, the Fresno Police Department said in a statement. Police canvassed the neighborhood which authorities did not identify to remove any additional fliers and search for any homes or businesses that could have useful video surveillance. The recovered fliers do not contain "direct threats to any members of our community," authorities said, but rather "general hate propaganda and unfounded conspiracy theories." "This is currently being investigated as a hate incident," the department said in its statement. Police did not disclose the fliers' contents, but The Fresno Bee reported they contained antisemitic, homophobic and misogynistic rhetoric. This is far from the first sudden appearance of hate-filled and antisemitic fliers in California. Recent years have seen such fliers anonymously littered or posted in communities including Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Redlands, as well as in Orange County. Anyone with information about this latest incident is encouraged to contact the Fresno Police Department at (559) 621-7000. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. While on vacation in Hawaii, our return flight was canceled for days due to a malfunction. Our kids missed the start of school, but we made the most of our extended trip. It ended up being the best vacation we've had, and four days later, we caught a return flight. Last month, I was just wrapping up a short but sweet family vacation in Hawaii with my husband and our 9-year-old twins. It had been mostly uneventful in the best way, and we spent our time perfectly balanced between relaxation and light adventure swimming in the pool and the sea, horseback riding, doing archery, and eating well. On the morning of what was to be the last day of our five-day trip, I woke up early and groggily peered into my phone. That's when I saw the breaking news that a piece of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 plane had blown off in mid-flight, and the whole fleet was being investigated. A quick double-check of our itinerary confirmed what I suspected: that was the very airline and the very aircraft we were scheduled to fly home on. When Alesandra Dubin and her family got stranded while on vacation, they made the most of their trip. Courtesy Alesandra Dubin We still hopefully packed and checked in for our flight, but eventually, the inevitable happened: The airline canceled our flight back home to Los Angeles, along with all the others. We searched aggressively for alternative flights that could get us home any time soon, but given the widespread nature of the disruption, we soon figured out we were truly stuck indefinitely. We made the most of our circumstances While my husband and I had our laptops with us and could work remotely as the delays dragged on, we knew our kids would miss the first days of school back after the long holiday break, causing a source of stress (for us parents, if not so much for the kids). But given there was no way to drive (nor swim) thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean, no amount of fretting would get us home faster. Plus, I had a travel insurance policy covering all four members of my family, so I knew we wouldn't have to take a major hit financially a major load off. We started to shift our mindset: We decided to embrace it and soak up our extra family time in paradise. And that's exactly what we did. Alesandra Dubin and her family went horseback riding in Hawaii. Courtesy Alesandra Dubin Amid wintry mainland conditions, our Hawaii trip became the ultimate snow day filled with incredible, indelible memories. Instead of the school cafeteria fare they'd be eating had we returned home, my kids enjoyed endless savories and confections from the hotel breakfast buffet. Instead of homework after dinner, we settled into family shuffleboard tournaments in the lounge. And instead of a short recess between fourth-grade class work each day, my kids splashed in the waves and searched for breaching whales and rainbows. We didn't want our kids to know what had caused the delay Along the way, we were careful to tell them only what they needed to know about why we weren't going home yet: They knew that many planes were undergoing maintenance inspections, but not that there had been a terrifying in-flight incident. (Even I'd avoided reading more of the news than I cared to know at that moment.) On one occasion, another hotel guest started chatting to our family obliviously about the dramatic incident on the Alaska Airlines flight that forced the grounding. He launched into the story about the child whose shirt was ripped off their body and out the gaping hole in the plane but before he could get into the details, my husband and I both gestured frantically at him that we'd rather not get into this in front of the kids. He shut up. Crisis averted. Alesandra Dubin and her family kept themselves busy with activities like archery. Courtesy Alesandra Dubin Eventually, available flights started to populate travel search engines again, and I booked the family on a flight home just over four days after our originally scheduled flight. I could say I was relieved to be returning to normality to work, school, homework, and scheduling obligations but I'd only mean it a little bit. This potential travel disaster had turned into the best family vacation, and the best bonding experience, we'd had in a long time. Read the original article on Business Insider As Florida officials move to ban people from sleeping on public property, Peter Roberts wonders where hell be forced to go. Now he spends daytime hours at the Christian Service Center in Orlando, where he gets meals, toiletries and other services. But at night when it closes, Roberts, who has been homeless for nearly two years, said sleeping on the sidewalk is his only option in a community lacking sufficient affordable housing and where limited shelter beds are almost always full. His disability check isnt enough to cover rent for a place of his own, he said. It seems like were being punished now, he said when told of the impending ban. Ive got to lay down somewhere Ive got to sleep. Florida Republicans have prioritized legislation this year forcing cities and counties to ban public sleeping, which also authorizes residents, business owners and the state attorney general to bring civil action against governments that turn a blind eye. Bills laying out the plans have soared through committees in the House and Senate, and Republicans passed the legislation through the House on Friday. The Senate is due to take the issue up next week, putting it on the fast track to Gov. Ron DeSantis desk by the time the session is due to close March 8. DeSantis has endorsed the plans. The proposals allow counties to create permanent encampments, where all of an areas unsheltered population would be directed. The legislation requires such encampments to have 24-hour security, clean restrooms, water, behavioral health services and case managers. What it doesnt say is what happens if a county decides it cannot afford such an encampment advocates suspect most, if not all counties will decide they cant or if a person refuses to go. Our bill doesnt prescribe criminal penalties. We leave it to the local jurisdictions to make a determination on what is the best way to address the problem, said Rep. Sam Garrison, a Republican from Fleming Island, this week. They can go wherever they want. They just cannot stay on public property overnight, or public right of way or public buildings. Garrison has maintained the plan is compassionate and shows Florida leaders care about the unsheltered by bringing them better access to services. But it will leave Floridas growing homeless population few options and is likely to force law enforcement to arrest people who sleep outside, said Eric Gray, who runs the Christian Service Center. Effectively what theyre doing is making it illegal to be homeless in the state of Florida, said Gray, CEO of the center, which provides services to hundreds of homeless people in Orlando daily. If you cant find shelter and you dont have a car to live in, and theres no family willing to take you in, then the only option is for you to sleep outside. Unsheltered homelessness has increased about 75% in the Orlando area since 2019, as rents have surged by roughly $500 per month in that same period. Florida saw about a 17% increase in the last year, with 15,706 people counted living unsheltered. Gray suspects the legislative push will likely have two impacts over time: Law enforcement will be forced to arrest people sleeping on the streets to comply with camping bans, and local governments will have to confront providing additional options. I think every county in the state is going to be having a serious conversation over the next year about having to build a shelter, he said. Star Davis, a retired bus driver, has slept in her car around Orlando since arriving here two months ago from Louisiana. She doesnt make enough on a fixed income to afford a place of her own. So she picks up day-labor jobs in the area as she hopes to pay off her car and one day have a better place to live. To her, the bans sound like a step in the right direction. They need to get a little stricter on them, she said of people who sleep in public places. Theyre too comfortable. But life on the streets has been hard for Robin Carter. She said she recently came to Orlando from Marion County and has been a crime victim since her arrival. Shes found a sliver of private property where she and others have been allowed to sleep in Parramore. But she said a ban on public sleeping will put her and others in more dire circumstances. When they do that, where are we supposed to go? she asked. Where are we supposed to sleep? rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com (NEXSTAR) With air travel projected to spike in 2024 and spring break around the corner, you may have noticed some travel booking secrets hitting your social feeds. On TikTok, flying channels with suggested filters like Cheap Flight Hacks and Traveling Tips & Hacks have hundreds of millions of views. But are those booking tips legit? Are flights cheaper if you book on a certain day? Supposedly Tuesday is the cheapest day to book flights one TikTok video says. We have definitely found this to be true when looking at the same flights on a Friday or Saturday or even a Monday. Unfortunately its not quite that easy, according to Jake Bouvrie, chief economist with travel search engine Kayak.com. Flight pricing is dynamic and highly dependent on route so there is really no magic date or time, Bouvrie said. Delta adds another eclipse flight: Which other flights will offer a view of the solar event? Google Flights experts agree. If you shop for flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays instead of Saturdays or Sundays, prices have only been 1.9% cheaper on average over the past five years, according to a blog post by James Byers, group product manager with Google Flights. So if your trip is just a couple of weeks away, dont wait for Tuesday to roll around book your flight now in case the price goes up. Both Kayak and Google offer tools that you can use to see the historically cheapest times to book a certain flight. Does the day you fly matter? Always book your flights for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, these are usually the cheapest days to book your flights, another TikTok video with over 128,000 views says. Bouvrie says Kayak data has shown that certain departure days are cheaper, but they arent the ones mentioned above. A recent study of Kayak round-trip flights departing from the U.S. found that, on average, Thursdays and Fridays were the cheapest days to fly. Tourist flights over national parks face new rules. None are stricter than at Mount Rushmore Prices can be about 14% lower versus flying on the two most expensive days (Sunday and Monday), Bouvrie said. An analysis run by Google Flights last summer found a different pattern, although both agree on one thing: dont fly on Sunday. Historically, its been cheaper to fly in the middle of the week than on the weekend especially Sundays, according to Google. On average, flights that depart on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday have been 12% cheaper than weekend departures. If you exclude international destinations, the potential savings jump even higher to 20%. Will repeated online searches drive up the price? Another piece of advice that pops up on TikTok is to use an internet browsing mode like Chromes incognito that wipes the search history, cookies and other data from ones device. Always use Incognito mode when looking for tickets, flight booking websites track your activity and if you check certain tickets often they increase prices because they know youre going to buy them, one TikTok hack dispenser advised. A Google spokesperson told Nexstar that browsing in incognito mode or switching devices wont have any impact on the prices for individual flights that show up on Google Flights. First, we rely on third parties like airlines and other booking sites for all of the prices we display, the spokesperson said. Google isnt making any decisions about how much to charge for a flight. So why do prices sometimes change while shopping for a flight? Google says ticket prices are constantly changing and being updated by data providers sometimes by the second and those price fluctuations show up in the billions of potential ticket combinations that users see when refreshing a search or switching devices. We suspect this could also be the basis of the common misconception that using your browsers incognito mode will unlock lower prices on Google Flights, the spokesperson added. Unfortunately for deal-seekers, its not true: the prices we show at any given moment are the same for everyone in a particular country, regardless of whether youre browsing on incognito mode. If Google Flights shows a different price than the airlines own website, it may be because Google also displays prices from online travel agencies that might differ, or the price has yet to update. We work hard to minimize these occurrences, so we refresh our pricing data as often as we can and hold ourselves to an extremely high standard for price accuracy, the spokesperson said. A Kayak spokesperson also confirmed to Nexstar that they do not raise prices in that way. Scott Keyes, founder and chief flight expert of Scotts Cheap Flights, told Travel and Leisure that flight prices are volatile and any changes you may notice are pure coincidence. If this was true, the Flight Experts at Scotts Cheap Flights would have a much harder time finding deals, Keyes told the travel site in a statement. We run thousands of searches every day, day after day. If prices were rising based on those previous searches, wed see it. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. New footage appears to show 23 Russian tanks and IFVs destroyed on a 'road of death' by Ukrainian paratroopers Ukrainian troops released footage appearing to show the total destruction of a Russian brigade. Russia has suffered heavy losses along this route, known as the "road of death." Ukraine's elite 79th Air Assault Brigade published the video. Ukrainian paratroopers have released drone footage appearing to show the near-total destruction of a large column of Russian armor in Novomykhailivka, Donetsk Oblast. The 79th Air Assault Brigade published a compilation video that appeared to depict some 23 Russian armored vehicles and tanks being destroyed and smoking at the side of a country road. Ukrainian troops refer to the area as the 'road of death' because of Russia's continued losses in the region. Further clips appear to show Russian soldiers attempting to escape from strike drones, clambering out of their tanks and hiding behind mounds of soil. Many are then hit again. The brigade says the strikes were carried out using artillery fire, anti-tank missile systems, fences rigged with mines, and UAVs. Business Insider could not independently verify the undated video, which the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine also distributed. Soldiers from the 79th Air Assault Brigade continue to destroy enemy armored equipment near Novomykhailivka. pic.twitter.com/dEUEDkXJTB Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) February 27, 2024 The 'road of death' Novomykhailivka has been a major conflict point between Russia and Ukrainian troops in Donbas. Russian forces launched attacks from the east of the village in December, headed south in January, and returned to the east in February. At the end of January, a video published by Ukraine's 72nd Mechanized Brigade appeared to show Ukrainian drones hitting 11 tanks and armored vehicles on the same stretch of road. Are FPV drones effective on a battlefield? The warriors from the 72nd Mechanized Brigade, with the help of drones, turned a convoy of russian tanks and IFVs into a scrap metal army. pic.twitter.com/z62aeqJA4f Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) February 1, 2024 The road connecting Novomykhailivka to the neighboring village of Blahodatne has been a lethal trap for Russian troops for more than a year. In September 2023, photos published by Reuters showed Ukrainian volunteers collecting the bodies of Russian soldiers from Blahodatne three months after the battle which liberated the village. The route in to the village was dubbed the "road of death" due to the number of Russian soldiers killed. Ukrainian volunteers carry bag containing body of dead Russian soldier in village of Blahodatne. September 8, 2023. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak In these areas, Russian forces have repeatedly resorted to sending large numbers of personnel into battle like cattle. These so called "meat assaults" are high-risk frontal assaults that attempt to overwhelm Ukrainian positions. They rely on Russia's large numbers of troops, with commanders appearing to care little whether their soldiers return or not The tactic was used in the battle of Bakhmut, which became known as the "meat grinder" for tens of thousands of soldiers, and continues to be used in the eastern town of Avdiivka, where Ukrainian troops have been forced to withdraw in recent weeks. One Ukrainian commander fighting in Avdiivka previously told CNN that Ukraine may kill "40 to the 70 [Russian soldiers] with drones in a day" but "the next day they renew their forces and continue to attack." Ukrainian forces are facing critical shortages of Western artillery ammunition. The White House said earlier this month that Ukraine pulled out of Avdiivka because "Ukrainian soldiers had to ration ammunition due to dwindling supplies as a result of congressional inaction." Read the original article on Business Insider After another Russian attack on Kharkiv, Odesa and Sumy oblasts, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on the West to change its goal from "as long as it takes" to "as quick and as much as it takes." Source: European Pravda, citing Kuleba on Twitter (X) Quote: "Russia acts every time the West fails to act. For every word uttered to explain why something cannot be done for Ukraine, Russia takes a real human life," Kuleba wrote. He stated that for every undelivered air defence system, Russia responds with hundreds of missiles and drones attacking cities in Ukraine. Additionally, for every round exported from Europe instead of being sent to Ukraine, Russia seizes another square metre of European land. "Invest in production, purchase, and ban exports outside of Europe now. The goal is not to act as long as it takes but as quick and as much as it takes. Deliver!" the minister wrote. Background: Earlier, it was reported that the Czech initiative to purchase 800,000 ammunition rounds for Ukraine from outside the European Union, jointly financed by various states, is expected to make its first deliveries to Kyiv in weeks. On the night of 1-2 March, a Russian attack on Odesa by Shahed drones left three people killed, civilians injured, and high-rise residential buildings damaged. In addition, on the night of 1-2 March, explosions were heard in Kharkiv; the citys mayor Ihor Terekhov reported strikes. Support UP or become our patron! KIEV, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte signed an agreement on security cooperation between the two countries, the presidential press service reported Friday. The 10-year deal, which is based on the Group of Seven (G7) joint declaration of support for Ukraine, was inked in the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine. The document stipulates that the Netherlands will provide 2 billion euros (about 2.17 billion U.S. dollars) in military aid to Ukraine in 2024, and will continue its support in the future. Under the deal, the Netherlands undertook a commitment to provide Ukraine with modern military equipment, including air defense means, artillery and armored vehicles. Besides, the Netherlands will support Ukraine's air forces as well as maritime and long-range capabilities. The Netherlands also reaffirmed its commitment to support Ukraine's aspirations to join the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Last year, the Netherlands provided 1.6 billion euros (about 1.73 billion dollars) in military support for Ukraine. People who have more to spend on holiday and stay at nice hotels are more likely to share restaurant photos - ilkermetinkursova/E+ Despite an ever-growing army of posers and Instagrammers booking up tables, Michelin star restaurant patrons really are seeking quality cuisine rather than status, a study has found. The rise of influencers and the social media age has led some food critics and chefs to speculate that the main motivation for going to prestigious restaurants is to brag about the experience online, but new research dispels this myth. People are three times more likely to frequent an esteemed restaurant for the unrivalled service, exquisite food and beautiful surroundings rather than for bragging, data show. Scientists looked at why people go to Michelin-starred restaurants on holiday and found people were almost three times as likely to go for the experience as they were to go for the status signalling. More than 1,500 people who went to a Michelin star restaurant not in their home city in the past two years filled in a questionnaire which assessed their motivations. Natalia Daries-Ramon, from the University of Lleida in Spain, told the Telegraph: The study found that the relationship between customer experience and satisfaction is about 2.8x stronger than the relationship between customer experience and status. This compelling result reinforces the notion that patrons are drawn to Michelin-starred restaurants for the sheer enjoyment of the culinary journey, rather than seeking social recognition. Consumers primarily frequent upscale restaurants not to flaunt their status but to savour innovation and new experiences that justify the price tag. The study emphasises that customer satisfaction is deeply rooted in the overall dining experience, overshadowing the influence of customer status. The data underscores that while consumer status does play a role, it is not the primary driver behind visits to upscale restaurants. The scientists found there is a subset of tourism where people go to the best restaurants, and this is split into two groups of people. One is families and large groups who go on holiday to a city or area and have less disposable income. The second is a group of people who stay in nice hotels for short periods of time, have more money to spend and focus on visiting food establishments. The second group, the scientists say, is the one most likely to share their experience of a Michelin restaurant online, but both groups become advocates of the experience and the restaurant they visited, the scientists found. The research challenges stereotypes about Michelin-starred restaurant patrons, highlighting that the allure of these establishments lies not in social status but in the genuine enjoyment of culinary artistry, Ms Daries-Ramon said. By broadening our understanding of consumer motivations, this study enriches the discourse on upscale dining, providing valuable insights for both the hospitality industry and discerning food enthusiasts. People recommend restaurants because they have enjoyed the experience and are really satisfied with it, and not so much because they want to get likes. The study is published in the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. 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. ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (KRQE) After pleading guilty to producing child pornography, former firefighter Jason Ross-Lattion Fleming has now been sentenced to 45 years in prison. Fleming, 37, will have to serve five years of supervised release after his prison sentence and register as a sex offender. In 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Fleming on accusations that he had been involved in a series of incidents with a 10-year-old while he was a firefighter. The child reported that Fleming had molested her and showed her child sexual exploitation materials, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Officer named in Albuquerque Police Department DWI scandal resigns Following the allegations, state police searched Flemings home, and federal investigators executed a search warrant on Flemings cellphone, which revealed hundreds of images and videos of child exploitation, the DOJ said. Fleming eventually pled guilty to the production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and providing child pornography to a minor. Flemings case is part of a larger, nationwide effort to prosecute child exploitation and abuse, called Project Safe Childhood. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. DENVER (KDVR) One of the two paramedics convicted in connection to the 2019 death of Elijah McClain appeared in court for sentencing Friday afternoon where he was given a five-year sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections. In late December 2023, an Adams County jury found Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec guilty of criminally negligent homicide. Cichuniec was also found guilty of one second-degree assault charge related to unlawfully administering ketamine without consent. The five-year DOC sentence for second-degree assault will be followed by a three-year parole term. The judge also sentenced Cichuniec to a one-year concurrent sentence for criminally negligent homicide, followed by one year of parole. He was also given 70 days credit for his pre-sentence confinement. Cichuniec was found not guilty of a second count of second-degree assault intended to cause bodily injury. Cooper was found not guilty of both counts of second-degree assault. Both paramedics were terminated from their jobs, according to an Aurora spokesperson. Attorney generals office weighs-in Attorney General Phil Weiser released a written statement following the sentencing of Cichuniec on Friday. His office headed the prosecution against Cichuniec, Cooper and the Aurora police officers. Emergency medical professionals serve honorably every day and save lives. In this case, Mr. Cichuniec disregarded his training and ordered Elijah McClain to receive a deadly dose of a powerful sedative while he was restrained and motionless on the ground, which killed him. A jury found the defendant guilty of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree assault, the AG wrote. No action will bring Elijah back or take away the pain and loss that his mother, Sheneen McClain, continues to experience, the AGs statement continued. But todays sentence from the court is one of accountability for the defendants criminal negligence in the death of Elijah McClain. It sends a strong message that no profession, whether a paramedic, a nurse, a police officer, an elected official, or a CEO should be immune from criminal prosecution for actions that violate the law and harm people. Case background: Investigation into Elijah McClains death The charges stem from actions taken by the first responders on the night of Aug. 24, 2019, while responding to a 911 call for a suspicious person. That person was McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, who died six days after he was stopped and forcibly restrained by Aurora police officers, then injected with an overdose of ketamine, a sedative, by paramedics. A revised statement by the coroner said McClain died due to ketamine administration following forcible restraint. Three officers have already stood trial for their alleged actions on that night. Two were acquitted, including one who has since returned to work as a police officer, and the third was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. Ex-Aurora officer appeals negligent homicide conviction in Elijah McClains death That third officer, Randy Roedema, filed a notice of appeal for his October conviction in the death of McClain. Roedema was the most senior law enforcement member who initially responded to the scene. He was found guilty in a joint trial with former officer Jason Rosenblatt, who was acquitted but was fired from the Aurora Police Department for a related scandal. Agencies raise concerns of paramedics conviction Several agencies and public figures released statements directly after the conviction of Cichuniec and Cooper, including Aurora Fire Rescue Chief Alec Oughton. Im deeply concerned and disappointed that our medics, Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper, have both been convicted of Criminally Negligent Homicide in the trial stemming from the death of Mr. McClain, Oughton said. While I appreciate the jurys diligence, integrity and public service to ensure a fair trial, I am discouraged that these paramedics have received felony punishment for following their training and protocols in place at the time and for making discretionary decisions while taking split-second action in a dynamic environment. The community has asked for true pathways to accountability, transparency and justice to ensure incidents like this dont happen in the future. We are committed to continuous improvement in our organization, he said. 2 paramedics found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in Elijah McClains death Oughton noted that Aurora Fire has taken specific actions to ensure a similar tragedy never occurs again. These include: Re-establishing a medical branch within the department to oversee emergency medical procedures and incidents Implementing protocols to clarify who is in charge when multiple agencies are at a scene Requiring 100% quality-assurance review on all sedative administration and strict adherence to this new protocol Implementing citywide protocols to dispatch the appropriate level of care to each call Increasing communication and coordination with community groups and residents to gain input on how Aurora Fire can better serve them The Associated Press contributed to this report; this is a developing story. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. The arrival of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries in Sudan's Al-Jazira state sent residents fleeing (-) A communications blackout has made information scarce from Sudan's Al-Jazira state, which paramilitaries pushed into in December, but rare interviews with residents have detailed grim conditions in the former safe haven. One resident, who requested anonymity for their safety, told AFP that Mohamed Hamdan Daglo's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shot at dozens of people in the village of Baranko last week. The testimony adds to a litany of abuses during more than 10 months of war between Daglo's forces and Sudan's army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The United Nations human rights chief on Friday said Sudanese civilians are living in "sheer terror" and both sides had consistently acted with impunity for multiple rights violations. "On February 22, the militia fired on dozens of residents who were protesting against the arrest of several young people guarding the houses," said the resident of Baranko, about halfway between state capital Wad Madani and Khartoum to the north. Multiple local sources reported 18 wounded in the shooting, a few of whom managed to reach a hospital in Shendi, 250 kilometres to the north, by taking side roads. Breaking the communications siege via a rare satellite phone call, the anonymous resident told AFP that young men have been taking turns guarding houses at night. It is a modest attempt to protect the homes from pillage, a signature RSF tactic. The paramilitary force is the descendant of the Janjaweed militia, which began a scorched earth campaign in Sudan's western Darfur area more than two decades ago under strongman Omar al-Bashir. Washington has accused both sides of war crimes, and said the RSF also carried out ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Al-Jazira, in central Sudan, had become a refuge for those fleeing the fighting in and around the capital Khartoum. But in December, the RSF swept into the former breadbasket and proceeded to kill and plunder, witnesses told AFP at the time. - Fleeing again - The war has killed thousands, uprooted eight million people and led the country to the edge of famine, aid agencies have warned. According to UN figures, nearly half a million people had sought refuge in Al-Jazira, including in Wad Madani, but the fighting eventually caught up with them there too, sending thousands fleeing again. Then on February 7, the internet and telephones were cut off. Many residents hope to leave Al-Jazira for somewhere safe, but getting away is not easy, said another Al-Jazira resident, Al-Samani, who only gave his first name out of fear of reprisal. He lives in the village of Tabet, 80 kilometres northwest of Wad Madani, and spoke to AFP during a brief window of phone signal. Buses have either been stolen or run out of fuel in a country where service stations have not been resupplied because of closed roads or challenges moving between areas under rival control. Even for those lucky enough to find a bus and fuel, they need funds but "leaving is difficult because you have to pay, but online payment applications are paralysed" without internet, said Samani. In the past 10 months in Sudan, the economy has gone mostly virtual, after a rise in cash thefts that often ruined families. The mobile app for the country's main bank allows users to wire money, to collect tickets and pay for purchases in stores. But it requires an internet connection, which is no longer functioning. - 'Terrorising women' - "For a week, militiamen have been attacking houses and terrorising women to steal their gold jewellery," an essential dowry in Sudan, Samani told AFP. "And there is not a tractor or agricultural tool they have not looted." In the nearby village of Abu Adara, "five inhabitants were killed by the RSF on February 25," a local group, known as a resistance committee, reported. The resistance committees used to organise pro-democracy protests but now provide aid during the war. Throughout Al-Jazira during the past week, the resistance committee recorded 86 deaths, as well as others wounded, in 53 villages hit by RSF violence. Amid the blackout, prices are constantly rising, residents say. One litre of fuel now costs 25,000 Sudanese pounds, or about $20. One kilogram (2.2 pounds) of meat, once priced at 6,000 Sudanese pounds before the RSF arrived, has doubled in cost. RSF fighters took over swathes of land in Al-Jazira, leaving farmers unable to tend their crops, and accelerating economic damage on top of the looting. With Sudan having lost "80 percent of its income because of the war", according to Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim, an army loyalist, imports have nearly disappeared, compounding the struggle for survival in Al-Jazira state. bur/vl/srk/dcp/it PROVIDENCE Gov. Dan McKee without any announcement has appointed Richard Leclerc, the retired president and CEO of Gateway Healthcare, as the new director of the state's sprawling, $327-million-a-year Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals. The appointment came to light at 5:29 p.m. on Friday when the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services scheduled a confirmation hearing for Leclerc next Thursday. On Monday, McKee's office belatedly confirmed the unannounced appointment by the governor in a letter to the Senate dated January 22. "I am proud to nominate Richard, who has significant federal and state experience in mental and behavioral health which will be crucial to our Administrations goal to improve health outcomes across Rhode Island, McKee said Monday. "I know that Richard's decades spent in the healthcare field have prepared him to hit the ground running on day one," McKee said. In response to Journal inquiries, the governor's office provided copies of Leclerc's submissions to the Senate, including a financial disclosure statements in which he identified his affiliation with the Faulkner Consulting Group, which has netted $3,140,834 from the state so far this year, and $7.3 million last year in consulting fees in connection with a behavioral health initiative. Sen. Joshua Miller, the chairman of the committee that will hold the confirmation hearing, confirmed on Friday night that he and other senators met with Leclerc last week. Richard Leclerc, retired president of Gateway Healthcare, is the governor's pick to head the state's Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals, pending Senate confirmation. Miller said Leclerc made a good impression and has the kind of background he considers important in the top job of the state agency that oversees the two state-run Eleanor Slater Hospital campuses in Cranston; Zambarano, the stand-alone state psychiatric hospital; and a wide array of mental health care programs. "To me it is always important to have a provider perspective, and he's a longtime provider, and I think that is really important," Miller said. More: RI looking for new insurers to run state Medicaid program. What it means. Leclerc was president and CEO of Gateway Healthcare, the largest nonprofit behavioral healthcare provider in Rhode Island, until his retirement from there in 2016. He was last in the news in 2019 when Newport Mental Health hired him as the project director for a new nationally funded expansion project, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. The $4-million CCBHC project, funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, had Newport Mental Health as the lead agency along with Thrive Behavioral Health in Warwick and Community Care Alliance in Woonsocket. The collaboration was aimed at expanding the services of the participating centers to thousands of Rhode Islanders with little or no health care insurance, including many who had gone untreated. The aim: to enable people in this predicament to receive mental-health treatment. More: After less than a year on the job, top doctor at Eleanor Slater resigns. What's next? At that point, Leclerc also chaired the Governors Council on Behavioral Health and served on the National Council for Behavioral Health. According to McKee's office, "Leclerc has over four decades of experience in the healthcare field. He most recently served as a consultant for BHDDH where he supported the development of statewide Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in Rhode Island, providing strategic guidance on federal compliance, budgeting, and staffing." "He previously served as project director at Newport Mental Health where he was responsible for implementing millions of dollars in federal grants, including the implementation of evidence-based practices, care coordination agreements, and outcome measurements. "He was also an adjunct professor at Rhode Island College and a Policy Associate at the Substance Use and Mental Health Leadership Council." If confirmed by the Senate, Leclerc will succeed Louis Cerbo, the longtime deputy director who took over from McKee's last BHDDH appointee, Richard Charest, on an interim basis when Charest moved into an expanded role as the state's Health & Human Services secretary last spring. According to Leclerc's LinkedIn page, he worked for Gateway Healthcare for 31 years before retiring in 2016. Gateway describes itself as "Rhode Islands largest nonprofit behavioral health organization providing treatment, intervention and prevention services." With Leclerc's appointment, McKee will have one less acting director in his Cabinet. The state's interim director of health and state epidemiologist Dr. Utpala Bandy gave notice on Jan. 19 that she will retire on March 31. The job has not been advertised, but McKee spokeswoman Olivia Darocha told The Journal in late February that "two candidates have been interviewed by the Governors Office." While Bandy promised to "be available to volunteer time as needed for a smooth transition," she also named Dr. Staci Fischer, the agency's chief administrative officer, as the on-staff doctor who would perform "those functions ... via delegated authority ... that the Director of Health specifically has to do." Fischer was the transplant infectious disease specialist for the transplant team at Rhode Island Hospital for 15 years. "The current salary for the Department of Health Director is $175,383. The discussion around the specifics of the salary is ongoing as the Administration works through the hiring/interview process," DaRocha said. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: McKee appoints Richard Leclerc to oversee RI's state hospital agency NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) A former researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has pleaded guilty to the 2021 killing of a Yale University graduate student found shot outside his car in Connecticut. Qinxuan Pan faces 35 years in prison following his guilty plea Thursday in a New Haven court. The 32-year-old will be sentenced Thursday, April 25. Pans lawyer William Gerace said Friday that it was prudent to take this reasonable plea bargain as his client was facing 60 years if convicted. Carol Stream police release of bodycam video in deadly shooting of Isaac Goodlow Prosecutors say that on the morning of Feb. 6, 2021, Pan shot Kevin Jiang multiple times on a street in New Haven, which is home to Yale University. He fled, leaving Jiang lying by his car with gunshot wounds to his head, chest and extremities. Pan had eluded authorities for three months following the shooting death and was apprehended in Alabama, where officials said he was caught living under a fake name with $19,000 in cash, a passport and several cellphones. A graduate student at Yales School of the Environment, Jiang grew up in Chicago and was an Army veteran. WATCH: IDOT worker rescues 2 women from burning car on Kennedy expressway Thursdays statement from prosecutors didnt mention a motive for the killing, but court documents show Pan knew Jiangs fiancee, Zion Perry, from when they both attended MIT. But Perry told authorities they never had a romantic or sexual relationship, they were just friends, but she did get a feeling that he was interested in her during that time. Jiang had just left Perrys apartment after a day of fishing when Pan shot him. Jiang and Perry had been engaged just days earlier. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. As younger adults opt for wellness products, many are practicing alcohol abstinence. Sometimes referred to as sober curious, this trend of often forgoing alcohol has forged public conversations on the health benefits of abstinence. Few, however, reflect on its connections to the temperance movement, one of the major social movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Its leaders not only believed that alcohol abstinence would lead to better health, but they saw it as a way to create a just society. This movement laid a foundation for the successful campaign for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Enacted in 1920, the 18th Amendment barred the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages. Because of the difficulties of legal enforcement, and following a national campaign waged against Prohibition, the amendment was repealed in 1933. That repeal still casts aspersion on how the temperance movement is remembered today. Many Americans see it as a moralistic crusade dominated by religious zealots. However, temperance became an international movement, with many of its leaders being women. A historical figure who sheds light on this movement is Frances Willard. In a recent biography, I discuss how Willard came to lead the temperance movement. Global reach of temperance movement Born in 1839, Willard wanted to become a Methodist minister. Instead, she became a teacher, as women could rarely be ordained at the time. Ultimately, she became the first dean of the newly founded Womans College at Northwestern University. In 1874, Willard helped found the Womans Christian Temperance Union, an organization committed to campaigning for prohibition legislation. She was elected its president in 1879, holding that office until her death in 1898. Throughout her presidency, the WCTU ran shelters, medical dispensaries and free kindergartens that reached out to destitute families. Willard focused on alcohols impact on women and children. At a time when women had few legal safeguards compared with men, Willard highlighted how what today is known as alcohol use disorder drained economic resources, while liquor manufacturers made huge profits at the expense of the poor. She argued that money spent on alcohol not only took away resources from families, it led to inebriated men committing domestic violence against women and children. Emphasizing what the WCTU called organized mother love the belief that women could apply the ideals of motherhood to the social issues of the time Willard built the WCTU into one of the largest womens organizations in the world. By the late 19th century, it had over 150,000 members. The temperance movement was not confined to the U.S. In 1884, Willard inaugurated the Worlds WCTU. This organization formed WCTU chapters in over 40 countries including Sweden, Japan and Australia. This Frances Willard statue is in the Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol. Douglas Graham/Roll Call/Getty Images In 1905, when a statue of Willard was unveiled in the National Statuary Hall a chamber devoted to sculptures of prominent Americans in the U.S. Capitol she became the first woman to receive that distinction. She was inducted into the National Womens Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York, in 2000. Elevating womens voices For Willard, prohibition was one of her many interests. Through her slogan, Do Everything, she challenged women to become politically active, encouraging them to embrace any issues they saw as important. Under her leadership, the WCTU advocated for womens suffrage, lobbied for prison reform and campaigned for age-of-consent laws that were designed to raise the legal marriage age for women from 10 to 18. Believing that the best way to ensure prohibition legislation was through giving women the right to vote, Willard mentored WCTU women who became suffrage leaders. These reformers included Anna Howard Shaw and Carrie Chapman Catt, who helped lead the campaign to ratify the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. Willard supported third-party political movements that endorsed prohibition, universal suffrage and economic reforms. Always at the center of her message was the belief that overhauling the American political system required womens voices. I am glad to live in a day when we are talking about justice, she wrote in 1892. What we women want is simply justice. Willard was a harsh critic of anyone who stood in the way of womens achievement. Opposing male physicians of the time, who believed that exercise would damage a womans health, she learned how to ride a bicycle. Willard described her mastery of bicycle riding in a popular book published in 1895. An activist faith Willards Methodist faith shaped her reform commitments. She was influenced by the 18th-century founder of Methodism, John Wesley, who emphasized doing good works in service to the poor. His example influenced later religious-based reform movements, including temperance. Willard built on this Methodist foundation, believing that reforming society required that ones faith be put into practice. Motivated by Jesus commitment to serve the poor, she pushed WCTU women to work for economic justice and social equality. Willard supported the fledgling labor movement. She called for women to receive the same pay as men in the workplace, and backed federal legislation to regulate business monopolies. She also pushed for the ordination of women, believing that increasing womens voices in churches would facilitate the building of a just society. Willards model of progressive religion is evident today in former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Like Willard, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee often discusses how her Methodist faith inspires her political vision. Complicated legacy Willard was far from perfect. Her legacy is haunted by an absence of a systemic understanding of racism. In the 1890s, she became embroiled in a controversy with the African American journalist Ida B. Wells. Wells criticized Willard for not taking a stand against the lynching of African Americans in the South. She noted how Willards desire to placate white Southerners blinded her to the atrocities of Jim Crow racism. Willards reluctance to address Wells accusations was typical of white reformers of the time. It reflects the historical failure of many white Americans to prioritize issues of racial justice. Despite her shortcomings, Willards leadership not only played a critical role in the temperance movement. She helped shape 21st-century feminism and progressive-based movements associated with todays religious left. At the height of her fame, many believed that if women won the right to vote Frances Willard would be the first woman elected president. Oftentimes, she expressed hope that she would live to see a woman elected to that office. This dream of Willards remains unfulfilled. Ever the optimist, however, Willard wrote in 1889, I have sincerely meant in life, to stand by the great cause of poor, oppressed humanity. There must be explorers along all pathways. This has been my call from the beginning. Willard died before the passing of the 18th and 19th Amendments. Yet she played a vital role in molding movements that led to their enactment. Her contributions are a reminder to celebrate the work of many visionary women, like Willard, who did not live to see their dreams become reality. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Christopher H. Evans, Boston University Read more: Christopher H. Evans does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Editors note: Two participants in the clinic who spoke with The Tribune about their experiences requested anonymity. Given the nature of the clinic, The Tribune is referring to those sources by their first name and last initial only. Peter H. is not the same person he was 40 years ago. From his 20s to early 30s, he struggled with substance abuse and racked up several drug and alcohol-related charges, including drinking while driving. I did a lot of things that I knew were not right, Peter told The Tribune. Unless you change, nothing is gonna change. It was hard because being afraid of the change, it made it difficult, but I knew in my heart that that lifestyle was not meant for me. Peter described himself as a functional alcoholic and said at the time he quit, he was drinking a 30-pack of beer per day. He knew he had a problem, he said, and one day he decided to stop drinking and prayed to God to ask for help. The next day he broke his usual routine skipped going to the store to buy alcohol and went to the doctor. He was prescribed medication to help him through withdrawal, and he never drank again. Peter began to rebuild his life on a new path, but his convictions followed him. Namely, he didnt apply for certain jobs because he knew his record would disqualify him. By 64, hed been sober from alcohol for nine years and drug-free for more than three decades. He was ready to completely move on from the life hed left behind. He called the SLO Defenders to ask how he would go about the process he said he could not afford a private lawyer and they referred him to the Clean Slate Clinic, a legal clinic that helps people with qualifying convictions expunge their records to help them gain housing and employment. The clinic did his intake over the phone and began Peters petition to have his record expunged. He was one of 142 people who has had at least one conviction expunged since the programs inception in 2022. Two in-person clinics have served 300 people in San Luis Obispo County and a third in-person clinic is scheduled for March 8. One would think well, why would they be such a big deal? But for me it was, Peter said. It was like the world was just lifted off my shoulders. How does Clean Slate Clinic work? Defense attorneys and law professors Joseph Doherty and Renee Lizarraga pitched the project to San Luis Obispo College of Law in January 2022 to have law students be involved in the clinic. The two were inspired by the Post-Conviction Justice Project they took part in while attending USC law. We were able to understand firsthand the benefit of clinical work as law students and how that prepares you for client representation and practice, Doherty said. While working with the SLO Defenders, the primary public defender organization in the county, Doherty decided to pitch the clinic to the school. A lot of people dont understand that at the end of the day people who are labeled as criminals, theyre just people who have made a mistake or who have been in a difficult circumstance, Lizarraga said. But that doesnt mean that theyre not capable of change. The two then reached out to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorneys Office, the county Probation Department and other key players to create an in-person multi-agency approach. Everyone seemed to understand the obvious benefits of increasing stability for community members, especially our most vulnerable community members in San Luis Obispo County, Doherty said. Helping them achieve housing and employment was going to drive recidivism down and is going to increase those housing and employment options for people that otherwise didnt have access to that because of their criminal records and that was going to benefit everybody. Doherty and Lizarraga also hold leadership positions in the Peoples Justice Project and California Rural Legal Assistance, which are partners of the clinic. So how does it work? The clinic follows something of an assembly line, starting at an intake table where someones file can be located if they did a phone intake or they could begin a file if theyre a walk-in. Then, the client will speak to a defense attorney to see if their case qualifies under the law. People with convictions for lower-level felonies and misdemeanors that have completed probation, paid fines and restitution and had at least one year pass since sentencing may qualify for expungement. If their case does qualify, the client heads to the probation departments table to ensure theyve completed their post-conviction requirements, and then to the District Attorneys table to have their case reviewed. If the District Attorneys Office does not oppose the petition, it gets filed and signed by a judge without a hearing. If the the District Attorneys Office does oppose a petition, law students will help prep it for a hearing. Doherty then litigates the petition in the hearing and a judge decides whether the petition should be granted. After the visit with the District Attorneys Office, other tables, like Restorative Partners, will be available. Doherty said he hopes to continue adding more wrap-around services like housing, employment and substance abuse help to the in-person clinic. According to data from Doherty, the clinic has served 300 people 177 at the last in-person clinic and filed 448 petitions. Of those petitions, 317 were granted and 131 are pending. Zero petitions have been denied. Of the 142 people who have had at least one petition granted, only three have been charged or convicted of another crime. All three of those people were charged or convicted of crimes relating to a substance abuse disorder, Doherty said. Nearly 98% of people who have their records expunged in San Luis Obispo County have not returned to the criminal justice system, numbers provided by Doherty show. SLO County woman finds housing, employment after record expunged According to an outcome survey of 111 clients that was provided to The Tribune by Doherty, 92% of respondents reported being housed after participating in the clinic, nearly 88% reported improved emotional well-being, 82% reported improvement in self-sufficiency, nearly 80% reported being employed and nearly 56% reporting increased wages and benefits. None of the clients who responded to the survey had been arrested or convicted of another crime at the time they filled it out. Both Lizarraga and Doherty said stability is key when it comes to preventing crime, and helping people secure housing and employment by clearing their records can help immensely with that. Clearing her record helped Darlene J., who told The Tribune she was convicted of felony theft from an elderly person after a misunderstanding with the elderly woman she was caring for. She said the woman gave her jewelry, and about a year later she was short on bills and pawned a few rings. A year after she pawned the rings, the woman died and her husband reported the jewelry stolen, Darlene said. After her conviction in 2019, Darlene couldnt find work and her housing applications kept getting denied. Her self-esteem was plummeting. I was at a dead end, she said. I couldnt find employment or any type of residence. She was staying with a family member when she saw an article about the Clean Slate Clinic and she contacted it immediately. By October, her record was expunged. Darlene said she felt immediate relief when the judge approved her petition to have her record expunged. It made me see theres a light at the end of the tunnel, she said. She began applying for jobs as soon as she could, was quickly hired and found new, stable housing. Darlene said if it werent for the clinic, shed likely be facing homelessness. I dont have words for it, Darlene said. It turned my life around. The next clinic is scheduled to take place March 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the SLO County Law Library in front of the courthouse. To preregister, call 805-902-2752. Stephane Sejourne, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, believes that there is no split between France and Germany, despite evident differences between President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Olaf Scholz regarding Ukraine. Source: Sejourne in an interview with Le Monde, as reported by European Pravda Quote: "There is no Franco-German clash; we agree on 80% of the issues," Stephane Sejourne states. Details: In addition to his statement regarding the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine during a conference supporting Kyiv organised by Paris on 26 February, which caused a stir, Macron appeared to implicitly criticise countries such as Germany, which has hesitated for a long time to provide Kyiv with certain heavy weaponry. "I spoke with my German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, and we will meet next Tuesday in Paris. There is a willingness to talk to each other," said Sejourne. "There is no drama here because we have the same goal to support Ukraine," he emphasised. The minister of foreign affairs recalled that France and Germany have had "different degrees of commitment" since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, especially "regarding missiles." Additionally, the French minister dismissed the idea that discussions about a military presence in Ukraine are for pre-election purposes ahead of the European elections in June. "The issue is not electoral; it is existential. Ukraine has become the centre of electoral debates because there are indeed differences of position on this issue. I would prefer that this was not the case and for there to be a broad consensus across party lines," Sejourne stated. Background: The tension in German-French relations is causing concern among Chancellor Olaf Scholzs Social Democrats, who believe that it is detrimental to supporting Ukraine in the war. At the end of a meeting in Paris earlier this week, Macron stated that the possibility of Western troops entering Ukraine could not be ruled out. Scholz clearly opposed this and reiterated his opposition on Wednesday: "As the Chancellor of Germany, I will not send any soldiers from our Bundeswehr to Ukraine." Support UP or become our patron! Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis looks on during a hearing on the Georgia election interference case March 1 in Atlanta. The hearing is to determine whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be removed from the case because of a relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she hired in the election interference case against former President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Alex Slitz, Pool) A Fulton County judge on Friday said he plans to rule in the next two weeks on whether to remove District Attorney Fani Willis and her team of prosecutors from the high-profile 2020 election interference case that has been sidetracked by a series of contentious court filings and court hearings. Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said Friday that he intends to mull over legal questions and witness credibility issues that cropped in recent weeks while the the state and attorneys representing Donald Trump and his co-defendants argued constituted prosecutorial misconduct while Willis had a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she hired in 2021 to lead the sweeping case. Fulton D.A.s office prosecutors and defense lawyers sparred for more than three hours on Friday over how high the legal threshold is for removing a district attorney from a case for alleged ethical violations or for other misconduct. According to prosecutors, the defense has failed to prove that Willis benefited financially from the Trump case or that the trial outcome is connected to her starting a romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade several months after he accepted the position. Willis testified under oath at an earlier hearing she paid for her share of travel costs in cash. Defense attorneys claim Willis gave her longtime boyfriend Nathan Wade a lucrative contract funded by taxpayers to be the lead prosecutor in the election case. Wade spent thousands of dollars on the couples travel to take vacations together on cruises out of the country, weekend trips out of state and other expenses. According to Fulton prosecutor Adam Abbate, if Willis motive was to profit from the case, then she should not have gone against a special grand jury recommendation that listed Trump and 38 other alleged conspirators for trying to overturn Georgias 2020 presidential election. In August, a grand jury indicted Trump and 18 co-defendants that included former members of his inner circle and other allies. More importantly, why would Ms. Willis repeatedly ask this court to set a trial date as soon as possible if her motive in prosecuting this case was to continue to financially gain as alleged from the prosecution of the case, Abbate said. It doesnt line up because it doesnt make sense. And it doesnt make sense because it doesnt exist. John Merchant III, an attorney for co-defendant Michael Roman, said that the defendants have the witness testimony and corroborating evidence to meet the appearance of a conflict of interest legal threshold needed to remove a district attorney from a case. Willis and Wade testified at a hearing on Feb. 15 that their romantic relationship began several months after he was hired for the case and ended last summer. According to the defense attorneys, Wades cell phone records and other witness testimony indicate they began dating before Willis began her first term as district attorney in January 2021. The reason why the appearance of a conflict is so prescient here is because if this court allows this kind of behavior to go on and allows D.A.s across the state to engage in these kinds of activities, the entire public confidence in the system will be shot, Merchant said. Willis claims that she used cash to repay Wade and the reason they cant account for it is because they came up with a cash theory, Merchant said about the Feb. 15 testimony of Wade and Willis. Abbate accused the defense of falling far short of their claims that testimony from Wades former law partner and ex-divorce attorney, Terrence Bradley, would be sufficient for impeaching Wade and other D.A. office staff members for lying about the extent of the relationship. Trump attorney Steve Sadow said that Willis and Wade have the strongest motive to be untruthful about them becoming a couple well in advance of the November 2021. What happens if the relationship started before November 1? They get disqualified. Who has the best motive of anyone to lie? Who has the most at stake to lie? They do. Who wants to stay in this case for whatever the financial reason may be. They do. The post Fulton judge to rule in two weeks on Fani Willis disqualification motion in 2020 election case appeared first on Georgia Recorder. ANTALYA, Turkiye, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said Saturday that his country opposes imposing sanctions on Russia and won't send any weapons or troops to Ukraine to escalate the conflict. "Sanction hurts even more the European Union than the Russian economy," he told reporters after a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held in the southern Turkish city. "We will not support any other sanction which will hurt more Slovakia than Russia," he noted. "As the new government of Slovakia, we will not deliver any weapons from the warehouses of Slovakia force to Ukraine," said Blanar, noting that his government halted sending a package of weapons that cost around 40 million Euros to Ukraine. "Our position is more clear now than before because the frontier doesn't move, and we are calling for ceasefire and peace talking process which is the only solution of this crisis," he told reporters. His remarks came after French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that "everything that is necessary" must be done to ensure the defeat of Russia, including deploying troops. In response to Macron's remarks, Lavrov on Friday said Macron did not misspeak over the possibility of NATO sending troops to Ukraine, noting that the troops were already there unofficially. Macron's remarks have been rejected by several NATO countries, who said that they had no plans to send troops to Ukraine to fight against Russia. Lets talk about sex. (I had to.) Sex is an increasingly important but complicated topic among adolescents and teens. Studies show that in recent years, teens have been having less sex than they were three decades ago, when almost half reported having sex, but other kinds of sexual activity, including conversations like sexting, have grown and evolved. The Fort Worth Independent School District just decided to implement an abstinence-based sex education curriculum following heated debate about what a sex education curriculum should include. They picked Choosing the Best, a curriculum that aligns with state law and emphasizes a more traditional view of sex, suggesting that students abstain until theyre married to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. By comparison, in California, schools teach comprehensive sex education that presumes kids will have sex and suggest how to have it safely, using contraception and condoms to prevent pregnancy and infections. Choosing the Best will replace HealthSmart, which some parents criticized because it included teaching about topics such as sexual orientation and gender identity. In several sessions, the new curriculum teaches young people about teen pregnancy and STD risks and avoiding unhealthy relationships. For middle schoolers, it emphasizes the risks of sexual activity while also emphasizing the positive benefits of sexual delay. In high school, kids learn 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. This sounds not only fairly comprehensive, but also wise. The American Academy of Pediatrics argues that while abstinence is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy and STIs, research has conclusively shown that abstinence-only sex education programs do not support healthy sexual development in youth. This is kind of like saying that being sober is the best way not to become an alcoholic but that teaching sobriety as a means of preventing alcoholism doesnt teach people how to drink responsibly. Even still, its actually surprising that choosing this curriculum would be controversial. Its painfully obvious that abstaining from sex is the only sure way not to worry about not getting pregnant or contracting an STI that could have a range of mild to dire consequences. The difficulty is that it takes discipline and willpower and we live in a world of excess, not moderation, and certainly not abstinence. Teaching todays youth to reign in their desires and passions seems like a valuable tool for any part of life, including sex. Its understandable why public schools choose to teach kids about sex and their bodies. It is a part of life and in fact, one where one choice can dramatically alter a persons life trajectory, especially for girls. There are probably also kids who will only ever hear about sex from their teachers. But the importance of sex is also why sex education shouldnt just be left up to schools. Perhaps if schools knew parents were more involved in discussing this topic with their kids, there wouldnt be such controversy about what to teach and why. The best place for kids to hear about sex, however awkward, is from the people who love them the most and have the most to gain from their child making good choices. Parents should teach their kids, at appropriate ages and maturity, about their bodies including whats OK and whats not and the fact that sex is not merely a physical investment but an emotional one, which is often why young people have found casual sex so harmful. Next to parents, peers are probably the most powerful influence on a teens burgeoning sexuality. This is also why its important to teach kids to surround yourself with people who want the best for you, as the psychologist and best-selling author of Twelve Rules for Life Jordan Peterson says, and to encourage them to stand up for their beliefs and values, even if they feel pressure to act otherwise. Of course, if parents want their kids to know about contraception, gender identity issues, or anything else, they can teach it. Teaching kids about sex in schools, or to just abstain from it, is smart and wise but it shouldnt be the first or last time kids hear about it. They should hear it early, at age-appropriate seasons and often, in a safe environment from parents who love them. Do you have an opinion on this topic? Tell us! We love to hear from Texans with opinions on the news and to publish those views in the Opinion section. Letters should be no more than 150 words. Writers should submit letters only once every 30 days. Include your name, address (including city of residence), phone number and email address, so we can contact you if we have questions. You can submit a letter to the editor two ways: Email letters@star-telegram.com (preferred). Fill out this online form. Please note: Letters will be edited for style and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed. The best letters are focused on one topic. Officials in charge of keeping people safe at popular beaches in Florida say theyre ready for Spring Breakers, but want them to be prepared as well. They told Channel 2s Elizabeth Rawlins that they want to get the word out about deadly rip currents, because every year, Georgia students find themselves in dangerous waters. Its going to sound counter-intuitive, but you have got to relax. Youve got to use the ocean as your friend at this point, South Walton Fire Beach Safety Director David Vaughn said. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] They respond to calls west of Panama City, Florida all the way to Miramar Beach, Florida, which is about a 47-mile stretch. During the March to April Spring Break period in 2023, they responded to more than 170 water rescues. Its terrifying because all you keep thinking is, What if I cant get out? Kennesaw State University student Mikalia Burdge said. Last Spring Break, 16-year-old Atlanta teen Bryce Brooks died trying to help distressed swimmers in Perdido Key, Florida. TRENDING STORIES: Burdge says those strong waters are something she can relate to. There was a time when I was swimming in the water and I went under and it started rolling me around, she described. Officials say swimmers should not fight it and bystanders should not respond. The safest thing to do is relax and ride it out with the waves. What kills people is an expenditure of their energy reserve, Vaughn said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: I told you so. Normally those words carry an air of triumph, but today there is only despair. My book, Israelophobia, was published on September 7, exactly a month before our great struggle began. It warned that the resting spirit of Jew-hate had been roused. To blame was Islamism, reimagined as anti-colonialism; American identity politics, selecting Black Power over the wisdom of Martin Luther King; Soviet anti-Zionist propaganda, which coined slurs like Zionism is racism; and the afterlife of Nazi dogma in the Middle East. My book argued that this ideology had gripped our social elites and Islamic radicals, who were bent on imposing it on the rest of us. It showed how the oldest bigotry, which had inhabited religious fervour in the Middle Ages and racial pseudo-science in the 20th century, had found a new Trojan horse on which is pinned a Palestinian flag. And so to the election of George Galloway, which is emblematic of the radicalism that is now flaunted on our streets. Here is a man who has branded Bradford an Israel-free zone, appeared regularly on the propaganda channels of Russia and Iran and refused to debate a student who was a dual Israeli citizen, while posing as a tribune of the working classes. Here is a man let us not forget who appeared to salute Saddam Hussein for his indefatigability. Here is a man who was pictured embracing the Hamas terrorist leader Ismail Haniyeh. And this man has been rewarded with a seat in the parliament five months after October 7. Perhaps this should come as no surprise. The latest figures show that the largest surge in anti-Semitic incidents last year occurred in the days following the Hamas atrocities, before Israel had even fired a shot on Gaza. On Friday, Rishi Sunak described the Rochdale election as beyond alarming. Galloway, he added, dismisses the horror of what happened on October 7, glorifies Hezbollah and is endorsed by Nick Griffin, the racist former leader of the BNP. For Jews, that speech eased the tightening of the chest a fraction. At least the Prime Minister understood. Two days earlier, I had joined 1,300 diners in applauding his speech pledging extra funding to the Community Security Trust, the organisation that protects our schools and synagogues. But how much longer will Sunak remain in Number 10? How much longer will the civil service fail to implement Sir William Shawcrosss Prevent reforms? And how much longer will Sir Keir Starmer hold firm against Labours Hamas fan club? The rabble from Rochdale is rising and genocidal slogans fall across Big Ben. Buoyed by the by-election results, Chris Williamson, the deputy leader of Galloways self-styled Workers Party of Britain and a fellow broadcaster on Iranian and Russian propaganda outlets, gave an interview to Radio 4. In it, he failed to disavow Nick Griffins endorsement of his party and defended Hamas sadism as armed resistance. He even voiced the conspiracy theory that most of the people who were killed the innocent people who were killed on October 7 were killed actually by Israeli forces. On an already shameful day, this display of swivel-eyed crankism on the Today programme dragged our politics, our national broadcaster and indeed the country into the mud. Is this the new normal? And is the new normal a staging post to something darker? Israelophobia activists form just one brigade of a twilight army. Other battalions are devoted to divisive positions on race, gender, empire, slavery, the environment and capitalism. This new radicalism, as I now call it the situation is too grave for terms that can be dismissed as provocative is not a problem only for Jews. It is weakening us from within under the eyes of Putin, Xi and the Ayatollahs. They are coming for us all. Jake Wallis Simons is editor of The Jewish Chronicle Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The family of a gay airline employee is demanding his release from Qatari prison, accusing authorities of torture by withholding his HIV medication. Manuel Guerrero, 44, moved to Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal, seven years ago for his work. He was detained on February 4, according to his relatives, who say that the Mexican-British dual citizen was entrapped by law enforcement through a fake Grindr profile. They also claim that authorities framed him for drug possession by planting a quarter of a gram of methamphetamine in his apartment. Guerrero's brother, Enrique, said that their family was not informed of his arrest until 23 days after it occurred. He told Agence France Presse that Guerrero "was forced to sign numerous documents in Arabic that he does not understand. He did not have an interpreter or a lawyer. The embassies were never informed by the Qatari government." "It's not acceptable for a Mexican and British citizen to be imprisoned because of their sexual orientation," he said. Guerrero also told his brother that Qatari authorities also forced him to name other LGBTQ+ people, and that they are currently refusing to administer his HIV medication. Enrique spoke further in an interview on Mexican television, via The US Sun, referring to the acts as "torture," and stating that authorities have also deprived his brother of food and water, and allegedly forced him to witness other prisoners' whippings. The Mexican embassy said in a statement via multiple outlets that representatives of the United Kingdom must engage with Qatari officials, as Guerrero was registered as a British resident of Qatar, but that they will "do everything within the power of the Mexican state to safeguard Manuel's rights, his dignity, and his access to necessary health treatments." A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office only confirmed that it is "providing consular assistance to a British man who is detained in Qatar and are supporting his family." Guerrero has a court hearing on March 13 where public prosecutors will decide whether to expel him or put him on trial. Enrique said that "sending the case to trial would imply a process of months which without adequate medical treatment would condemn him to death." Qatar penalizes homosexuality and any issues pertaining to sexual diversity, but ... human rights supersede their homophobic laws," he continued in his interview. "Sexual orientation, sexual diversity is a human right, not a crime. Georgia Department of Corrections officials announced that a man convicted of kidnapping, rape, robbery and murder will be executed this month. On Thursday, Spalding County court officials filed an order for a seven-day window in which the execution of Willie James Pye can occur, starting at noon on March 20. This will be the first execution the state of Georgia has performed since Jan. 2020, when Donnie Lance was put to death by lethal injection for the 1997 murders of his ex-wife and her boyfriend in Jackson County. Pye was convicted for the 1992 murder of his ex-girlfriend, Alicia Lynn Yarbrough. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to court documents, Pye had been in an on-again-off-again relationship with Yarbrough. At the time of her murder, she was living with another man, Charles Puckett. At the time, officials said Pye and two of his friends planned to rob Puckett because he had collected money from the settlement of a lawsuit. Pye was also angry because officials said Puckett had signed the birth certificate of a child whom Pye claimed was his. The three men then drove to Griffin, where officials said Pye bought a large pistol and then went to a party. Witnesses told the court they heard Pye say as he left, Its time, lets do it. Then, the witness said all three men wore ski masks and gloves. Court documents said as the men approached Pucketts house, they saw that Yarbrough and her baby were the only ones home. When Pye tried to open a window, officials said Yarbrough saw him and screamed. He then ran around to the front door, kicked it in, and held her at gunpoint. TRENDING STORIES: After the men realized there was no money in the house, court records said they took a ring and a necklace from Yarbrough and abducted her, leaving the baby in the house. Officials said the men then drove to a nearby motel where Pye rented a room using an alias. Once in the room, officials said the men raped Yarbrough at gunpoint. Officials said the four then left the motel room and drove onto a dirt road where Pye shot and killed Yarbrough. Police later recovered several items Pye left behind near Yarbroughs body, linking him to the crime, court documents said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Pye was indicted in 1994 for malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, armed robbery, burglary, rape and aggravated sodomy. His trial began in 1996 where the jury found him guilty on all counts except felony murder and aggravated sodomy. Since being convicted, Pye has tried multiple times to appeal his conviction, however the Georgia Supreme Court denied each appeal. State officials have not provided details regarding Pyes execution. IN OTHER NEWS: Authorities are looking for a man who is accused of killing two people at a middle Georgia motel. Statesboro police said they are looking for 20-year-old Kentaevious Davis of Glennville, who is accused of shooting two men to death at the Days Inn on Fair Road on Thursday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to the investigation, hotel management performed a welfare check on the occupants of a room. When they entered the room, they found two men who had been shot. Authorities confirmed that both men had died as a result of their injuries. Their identities have not been released. There are two warrants out for Davis arrest, charging him with felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault. TRENDING STORIES: Officials said Davis should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information regarding this case should contact Senior Detective Katie Reese at 912-764-991. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: The death of a Georgia student has taken center stage in Washingtons battles over immigration, as former President Trump and his allies lean into the issue to attack President Biden and Democrats over the border. Trump, whose signature issue is border security, has repeatedly criticized Bidens policies over the death of 22-year-old Laken Riley. Riley, a nursing student at Augusta Universitys Athens campus, was found dead last Thursday after her roommate reported that she did not return from a run in the wooded area of the University of Georgia campus. A 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen named Jose Ibarra was arrested in connection to her death and charged with murder. U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement has said Ibarra entered the country illegally in September 2022 near El Paso, Texas, from Mexico and was released for further processing after being detained. We have a new category of migrant crime, and its going to be more severe than violent crime and crime as we know it, Trump said during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference last week. Democrats have criticized Republicans for linking Rileys death to Bidens handling of the border, arguing that the issues of immigration and crime should not be conflated. A series of Cato Institute papers have found that immigrants including undocumented immigrants commit murders at a lower rate than native-born Americans. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) said a sense of outrage is normal following violent crime, but it shouldnt change broader policy. I think the important thing to focus on is any one instance shouldnt shape our overall immigration policy, which has so many different facets, including economic choices about what workers to allow and how to create prosperity in America, she said during an interview on CNNs Erin Burnett OutFront on Monday. The White House and Democrats also have been blistering in criticizing Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other Republicans for rejecting a bipartisan Senate bill aimed at tightening border security. Republicans opposed to that compromise argued it didnt go far enough, but the White House is leaning into the argument that Trump and the GOP, by politicizing the border bill, have actually prevented the government from taking steps to tighten security at the border. Trump and Republicans see a political advantage in highlighting Rileys death as emblematic of what they see as chaos at the border. Both Trump and Biden visited spots on the border on Thursday, but the former president noted that he called Rileys parents the day before and directly blamed Biden for Ibarra entering the country. I spoke to her parents yesterday. Theyre incredible people that are devastated beyond belief, he said. Numerous GOP officials, from allies of Trump such as Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) to GOP officials who have clashed with the former president, such as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, have linked the students death to immigration policies they say are too lenient. Kemp, who had a falling out with Trump over the governors opposition to overturning the results of the 2020 election in the state, argued that the country has a nightmare with mass migration. 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, he said. The Georgia case gives Trump a dramatic story to point to, even as the investigation into exactly what happened continues. Any time that you can put a face, especially a child or a young persons face, and attach it to a policy, whether its good or bad, its going to have a much more outsized impact, said Georgia-based Republican strategist Jay Williams. And the more personal you can make it, the more effective it becomes. GOP strategist Brady Smith said the incident will make for an extremely effective attack for Republicans. Its going to be that inflection point where this is going to be the one that especially stands out, and everything else is going to harken back to Laken Riley, he said. Polls have shown immigration overtaking the economy as the top issue on voters minds. A Gallup poll released Tuesday showed it ranked as most important for the first time since 2019. Biden is seeking to go on offense himself on the border. Its one reason he went to the border on Thursday, and its reflected in the White House attacks on Johnson over the border bill. A senior Democratic operative argued that the assertion Biden is to blame for the killing is an absurdity. This operative said Kemp is more responsible for the incident as the governor overseeing the people of the state. I didnt know Joe Biden was a beat cop in Athens, Ga., the operative said. Why is it that anytime anything happens with illegal immigrants that they have no responsibility? Why is it that they have no responsibility for crime? Republicans have often argued that allowing migrants to continue across the border only increases the chances of crime or potentially an attack on U.S. soil. However, several studies have found those who enter the country illegally are not more likely to commit other crimes than U.S. citizens. Cato analyzed Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) figures because that agency keeps track of immigration status for people arrested and convicted of crimes in the state. DPSs figures from 2015 to 2019 consistently show a lower murder rate among undocumented immigrants. Few people are murderers, and illegal immigrants are statistically less likely to be murderers. Still, some illegal immigrants do commit homicide, and that statistical fact is no comfort to victims and their families. More importantly, nobody should expect the statistics to comfort individuals affected by violent crime, wrote Alex Nowrasteh, author of the Cato papers. Williams, the GOP strategist, said the specific details of the case further add to Republicans argument, given that Ibarra was previously arrested in New York City a few months ago. ICE has said Ibarra was charged with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation, but New York officials released him before immigration officials could detain him. Democrats have pointed to Rep. Tom Suozzis victory in the special election for New Yorks 3rd congressional district last month as an example of how they can still win races that are tied to the issue of immigration. Suozzi flipped a seat for Democrats this month following a successful campaign in which he made his position on immigration clear and challenged his Republican opponent for her opposition to the bipartisan Senate border bill that Trump also opposed. We need to do what Tom Suozzi did, which is to address the issue head on, the operative said. Brett Samuels contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Kyiv wants Germany to provide it with Taurus missiles, which can reach targets up to 500 kilometres (300 miles) away (JUNG Yeon-Je) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised Saturday a full investigation after a recording of confidential army talks on the Ukraine war was circulated on Russian social media, in a huge embarrassment for Berlin. A German defence ministry spokeswoman confirmed to AFP that the ministry believed a conversation in the air force division was "intercepted". "We are currently unable to say for certain whether changes were made to the recorded or transcribed version that is circulating on social media," the spokeswoman said. The head of Russia's state-backed RT channel, Margarita Simonyan, posted Friday the 38-minute audio recording of what she claimed were German army officers discussing potential strikes on Crimea in a February 19 videoconference. In the recording, discussions can be heard on the possible use by Ukrainian forces of German-made Taurus missiles and their potential impact. Topics included aiming the missiles at targets such as a key bridge over the Kerch strait linking the Russian mainland to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. The discussions also cover the use of missiles provided to Kyiv by France and Britain. Kyiv has long been calling on Germany to provide it with Taurus missiles, which can reach targets up to 500 kilometres (300 miles) away. - 'Sworn enemies' - Scholz has so far refused to send the missiles, worried that it would lead to an escalation of the conflict. "What is being reported is a very serious matter and that is why it is now being investigated very carefully, very intensively and very quickly," Scholz said during a visit to Rome on Saturday. Germany's ARD broadcaster described the leak as a "catastrophe" for the German secret services. According to Der Spiegel magazine, the videoconference was held on the WebEx platform, and not on a secret internal army network. "If this story turns out to be true, it would be a highly problematic event," Green party politician Konstantin von Notz told the RND broadcaster. Speaking at a diplomatic forum in Turkey on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the recording indicated that Ukraine and its backers "do not want to change their course at all, and want to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield". Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova demanded that Germany "promptly" provide explanations for the discussion. "Attempts to avoid answering the questions will be regarded as an admission of guilt," she said. "Our age-old rivals -- the Germans -- have again turned into our sworn enemies," former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy head of the Security Council, wrote in a Telegram post. - Taurus missiles - The acquisition of German Taurus missiles would provide a massive boost for Ukraine as Kyiv struggles to fend off Russia's invasion. France and Britain have supplied Kyiv with SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles, both of which have a range of about 250 kilometres. But Scholz said last week that Germany could not justify matching British and French moves in sending long-range missiles to Ukraine and supporting the weapon system's deployment. "This is a very long-range weapon, and what the British and French are doing in terms of targeting and supporting targeting cannot be done in Germany," Scholz said, without specifying exactly what he meant. Britain denied that it had any direct involvement in operating the missiles. "Ukraine's use of Storm Shadow and its targeting processes are the business of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said in a statement to AFP. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the defence committee in Germany's parliament, said Moscow's intention was "obvious". Scholz is being "warned against" supplying Ukraine with Taurus missiles, she said. "We urgently need to increase our security and counterintelligence, because we are obviously vulnerable in this area," she told the Funke media group. Roderich Kiesewetter, from Germany's opposition conservatives, warned that further recordings might also be leaked. "A number of other conversations will certainly have been intercepted and may be leaked at a later date for Russia's benefit," he told broadcaster ZDF. fec/js German Chancellor Olaf Scholz takes part in a discussion with young tradespeople after the top-level meeting of German industry. Scholz and representatives of the business community met as part of the International Crafts Fair (IHM). Sven Hoppe/dpa German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised swift clarification following the Russian publication of a recording of German air force officers discussing support for Ukraine. Speaking on the fringes of a visit to the Vatican on Saturday, he described it as a "very serious matter." The conversation between German defence officials was published on Friday by the head of the Russian state broadcaster RT, Margarita Simonyan. In it, senior air force officers discuss the theoretical possibilities of a deployment of German Taurus cruise missiles in Ukraine. The clip also contains a politically sensitive reference to the British having "a few people on the ground," in connection with the deployment of their Storm Shadow cruise missiles delivered to Ukraine. Germany's Defence Ministry has reported that an internal conversation between German Air Force officers has been intercepted. Source: German news channel n-tv, as reported by European Pravda Details: "We believe that a conversation [between] Air Force [officers] has been intercepted. We currently can't say for sure whether the recorded or written version that is being circulated on social media has been altered," a ministry spokeswoman told dpa in Berlin. This was also reported earlier by Berlin's ARD studio. Background: The Federal Ministry of Defence of Germany has reportedly initiated an investigation into whether conversations of representatives of its air force who, according to Russian propaganda, allegedly discussed blowing up the Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles were intercepted. An online conference call of senior Air Force officers, possibly intercepted by the Russians on 19 February, concerned the preparation of a 30-minute briefing for Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on the possibility of a mission involving Taurus long-range missiles in Ukraine. The officers openly mentioned, among other things, that US and UK troops were operating in Ukraine and discussed the possibility of training Ukrainian personnel in Germany for the Taurus mission. Afterwards, a range of German politicians called for the situation with possible bugging and espionage in the Bundeswehr to be clarified. This week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz once again ruled out sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine, claiming that this would mean that Germany would become a party to the war against Russia. Chancellor added that Germany could not give Ukraine weapons with a range of 500 km, which, "in case of incorrect usage, could hit a certain target somewhere in Moscow". Support UP or become our patron! The inpatient ward of the Rare Disease Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) was officially opened on Feb. 29, marking a significant milestone as China's first specialized inpatient ward for rare diseases. The ward welcomed two patients for comprehensive treatment upon opening. The opening ceremony saw the attendance of notable figures, including Wang Zhizhen, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former vice chairman of both the central committee of the Jiusan Society and the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Other distinguished guests included Zhao Yupei, academician and honorary president of PUMCH; Zhang Xue, secretary of the CPC Committee of Harbin Medical University; Zhong Dongbo, secretary of the CPC Committee of Beijing Municipal Health Commission; Li Linkang, executive director of the China Alliance for Rare Diseases; Zhang Shuyang, president of PUMCH, and Du Bin, vice president of the hospital. Following the ceremony, the guests also visited the first patients admitted to the ward. From the joint outpatient services to the specialized inpatient ward, the Rare Disease Department continues to enhance medical services, making it more accessible, safer, and more welcoming for patients seeking treatment for rare diseases. Wang Zhizhen noted that the establishment of the Rare Disease Department and the opening of the inpatient ward marked the beginning of a new and innovative approach to diagnosing and treating rare diseases at PUMCH. She also encouraged young doctors to establish goals and pursue their ideals and values in medicine, guided by mentors and enriched through continuous learning and practice. Zhang Shuyang noted that the day coincided with the 17th Rare Disease Day, and that the launch of the rare disease inpatient ward holds special significance. The innovative model of the ward, featuring multidisciplinary collaboration between medical and nursing teams, as well as a unique teaching system for rare diseases, also aims to develop tailored training plans for young doctors and to cultivate more valuable talents in the field of rare diseases. In April 2023, PUMCH established the Rare Disease Department, serving as an integrated platform that combines medical treatment, education, and research. The department currently consists of three full-time physicians and eight nurses, with plans to recruit seven clinical postdoctoral researchers in 2024. Shen Min, the executive deputy director of the Rare Disease Department, stated that the ward is equipped with 23 beds and will gradually open to patient admissions. The ward aims to provide comprehensive care for two categories of patients: first, those with diagnosed rare diseases requiring multidisciplinary collaboration for treatment; and second, patients who have undergone careful medical examinations but remain undiagnosed for long. The operations of the ward adhere to a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Beyond the full-time physicians in the Rare Disease Department, various clinical specialties will assign resident physicians, attending physicians, and visiting professors to manage the ward. Additionally, a multidisciplinary team (MDT) consisting of rare disease experts will participate in MDT ward rounds, ensuring high-quality medical care for patients with rare diseases and undiagnosed conditions. In the initial rotation of the ward's medical team, Dr. Wu Di, deputy chief physician from the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, serves as the attending physician. The team of resident physicians includes professionals from the departments of internal medicine, endocrinology, neurology and dermatology. The nursing team consists of nurses with diverse backgrounds in cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, dermatology, critical care, pediatric, and neurological specialties. The ward operates under a 24-hour responsibility system for resident physicians, employs a three-tier ward round system, and utilizes MDT expert consultations to ensure medical safety and enhance the quality of care. Additionally, the ward is equipped with a clinical phenotype collection room and has established a platform for genetic analysis and consultation. A multimodal database for rare diseases and undiagnosed conditions is currently under development. OSLO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian King Harald V had a pacemaker implanted at a hospital in Malaysia on Saturday, the Royal House of Norway said in a press release. "The king has today had a temporary pacemaker implanted at the Sultanah Maliha Hospital in Langkawi. The medical transportation to Norway is likely to take place within the next couple of days," said the Royal House. "The pacemaker was implanted due to a low heart rate. The decision was made earlier today, and the procedure was successful," said the king's personal physician Bjorn Bendz in the release. The king is doing well under the circumstances, but still needs rest. The procedure will make the return back home safer, he added. The 87-year-old Harald V is on a private trip to Malaysia. He was hospitalized due to an infection on Tuesday. On Friday, the Royal House said the king is still recovering and will be in hospital for a few more days for treatment and rest, before returning home. Born on Feb. 21, 1937, Harald V acceded to the throne of Norway in 1991. A general view of Germany's Bitkom digital association logo at the Hannover Messe. Bitkom has distanced itself from the political positions of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and warned of the consequences of implementing the party's demands. Christophe Gateau/dpa Germany's Bitkom digital association has distanced itself from the political positions of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and warned of the consequences of implementing the party's demands. Germany's digital economy would be damaged and its international competitiveness massively impaired if the AfD's programme and positions voiced by its representatives were translated into policy, according to a position paper published by Bitkom. Bitkom represents more than 2,200 companies in Germany's digital economy, employing more than 2 million people. Bitkom sharply criticized the AfD's positions on immigration. Under the AfD's policies, Germany's IT skills shortage would worsen massively. There are already 149,000 vacancies in Germany that cannot be filled, the association said, adding that this gap cannot be closed without immigration. "Almost 1.4 million people from all regions and countries work in Germany's IT and telecommunications companies alone," said Bitkom president Ralf Wintergerst. 180,000 people were of a different nationality, with 70% coming from outside the EU. "They are indispensable for digital Germany. Diversity makes us strong," he added. If Germany wants to keep pace with the leading innovation centres such as the United States and China, it needs to attract the best IT specialists in the world, he argued. Anyone who discouraged or deterred these people was therefore massively damaging the digital economy and ultimately all companies that use digital technologies - and their workforces. Other German business associations have previously called for public opposition to the demands of the AfD, including the Federation of German Industries (BDI). Delegates walk in front of the AfD logo at the party's conference in the Magdeburg Exhibition Center. Carsten Koall/dpa A Eurofighter Typhoon was launched from Lielvarde air base to intercept Russian aircraft Russian military IL-20 and IL-76 aircraft were intercepted near Latvian territorial waters, the countrys Air Force reported on Facebook on March 1, sharing photos. This marked the first instance of German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft being deployed to intercept Russian military aircraft. The interception took place from the air base Lielvarde in Latvia, the statement said. French Mirage 2000-5 fighters earlier intercepted two Russian Su-30M fighters and an Antonov An-72 transport aircraft over the Baltic Sea. Gaisa speki/Facebook Gaisa speki/Facebook Gaisa speki/Facebook Gaisa speki/Facebook On Feb. 26, the German Air Force scrambled a Eurofighter jet to intercept a Russian military aircraft Il-20M in the vicinity of Finland. Read also: For second straight day, Russia encroaches on NATO air space, forcing France to scramble Mirage jet 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 German fighter jets took off from the Latvian military base Lielvarde on 1 March to intercept Russian aircraft near Latvian territorial waters. Source: Latvian Air Force, reported by European Pravda Details: The Latvian Air Force wrote on Facebook that this is the first time that German Eurofighter jets from Lielvarde have undertaken such a mission. "NATO air policing is fully operational and Allies are able to respond immediately. Today, for the first time, German Eurofighter jets intercepted two Russian military aircraft near Latvian territorial waters," commented Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds. Background: It was reported earlier that on Saturday, 2 March, the Latvian National Armed Forces Lielvarde military airbase would host the opening ceremony of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission. For the next nine months, Latvia will take over the operation of NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission as the airfield at Amari Air Base in Estonia undergoes modernisation. In 2023, aircraft belonging to NATO air forces in Europe were scrambled more than 300 times to intercept Russian military aircraft approaching Alliance airspace, with most interceptions taking place over the Baltic Sea. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, NATO significantly reinforced its air defences on its eastern flank, including by increasing the number of fighter jets, surveillance aircraft and ground-based air defence systems. Following repeated Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure located very close to the NATO border, the Allies deployed additional fighter jets to Romania. Support UP or become our patron! After a recording of an internal conversation between German Air Force officers was published in Russia, security policy maker Agnieszka Brugger from Alliance 90/The Greens warned Germany of the likelihood of further Russian subversive actions in the coming months. Source: Brugger in an interview with Spiegel, as reported by European Pravda Quote: "The recent events have once again demonstrated that Vladimir Putin is trying to negatively affect our open society, especially in Germany, through disinformation, destabilisation and spying. This year, the year of important elections, this threat will only grow, so we have to be a lot more prepared for it in politics, media, and as a society. As a society, we have to be stronger, more resilient and better protected." Details: The recording shared by Russian propaganda media on Friday, 1 March, high-ranking German Air Force officers discuss theoretical possibilities for deploying Taurus missiles on the Webex platform. "Its right for the Military Counterintelligence Service to handle and look into this incident," Brugger said. "Still, regardless, it is obvious that all communications at the level of the federal government, Bundeswehr and other authorities have to be as protected as possible," she stressed. Background: The Federal Ministry of Defence of Germany has initiated an investigation into whether the conversations of representatives of its air force who, according to Russian propaganda, allegedly discussed blowing up the Crimean bridge with Taurus missiles were intercepted. Germany's Defence Ministry has confirmed that an internal conversation between German Air Force officers has indeed been intercepted. Afterwards, a range of German politicians called for the situation with possible bugging and espionage in the Bundeswehr to be clarified. This week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz once again ruled out sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine, claiming that this would mean that Germany would become a party to the war against Russia. Chancellor added that Germany could not give Ukraine weapons with a range of 500 km, which, "in case of incorrect usage, could hit a certain target somewhere in Moscow". Support UP or become our patron! Chairman of the German Bundestag's Parliamentary Control Panel Konstantin von Notz gives a press statement. German lawmakers are demanding clarification after the publication of an alleged Bundeswehr briefing by a Russian media outlet in which sensitive issues relating to Ukraine were apparently discussed. Kay Nietfeld/dpa German lawmakers are demanding clarification after the publication of an alleged Bundeswehr briefing by a Russian media outlet in which sensitive issues relating to Ukraine were apparently discussed. "If this story turns out to be true, it would be a highly problematic incident," Konstantin von Notz, the chairman of the Bundestag's parliamentary oversight committee, told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) news agency. He was referring to a 30-minute audio recording published on Friday by the head of Russian state broadcaster RT, Margarita Simonyan, which German lawmakers fear could have been intercepted. In the clip, senior air force officers can be heard discussing the theoretical possibility of Ukraine using German Taurus cruise missiles. The German Ministry of Defence is now investigating whether confidential communications may have been intercepted, a ministry spokeswoman told dpa. The alleged conversation includes details of the debate over the provision of Taurus missiles to Ukraine, as well as a potentially explosive statement about other Western allies. The exchange heard in the recording addresses whether Taurus cruise missiles would theoretically be technically capable of destroying the bridge built by Russia to the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, annexed by Moscow in violation of international law. The clip also contains reference to the British having "a few people on the ground" in connection with the deployment of their Storm Shadow cruise missiles delivered to Ukraine. It follows anger in Britain over what London saw as indiscretion on the part of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Scholz had said, in the context of the Taurus debate, that "what the British and French are doing in terms of target control and accompanying target control cannot be done in Germany," without elaborating further. Some saw this as indicating that French and British forces are supporting the control of cruise missiles supplied to Ukraine. London immediately denied this was the case. Scholz has repeatedly ruled out the supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine, despite repeated requests by Kiev, arguing that he fears Germany could be drawn more deeply into the war launched by the Kremlin in February 2022. Counterintelligence agents in Germany have sprung into action after one of Vladimir Putins top allies in the press published an audio recording on Friday that she claimed was a conversation between German generals plotting to blow up the Crimean Bridge. The 38-minute audio clip, first shared by RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan, circulated simultaneously in Russias state-controlled media and among pro-Kremlin social media channels before prompting furious finger-pointing from Russias Foreign Ministry, which said the supposed leak was proof that British and American troops are on the ground in Ukraine. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, publicly demanded an explanation from Germany, noting that the lack of one would be seen as an admission of guilt. The authenticity of the recording could not immediately be confirmed. But the Kremlins propaganda machine has been known to use audio of supposedly leaked top-secret conversations in the past to further Moscows agenda, famously releasing a shoddily produced, obviously scripted recording in 2015 they claimed was proof of the CIA plotting to shoot down flight MH17. Moscow claims the conversation between Germany's high-ranking officers occurred on Feb. 19, with the discussion centered on blowing up the Crimean Bridge with long-range Taurus missiles. Incidentally, the supposed leak of such a conversation comes as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces increasing pressure to supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine, a move he has so far come out firmly against, warning that if used incorrectly, [Taurus missiles] could reach a target in Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at a conference in Turkey, claimed the German generals in the recording had specifically discussed how to deliver the Taurus missiles to Ukraine without anybody noticing, so as not to upset Scholz. I dont know how they will explain themselves to their population, Lavrov said. Kremlin-controlled media started churning out furious reporting on the scandal late Friday that included the names and photos of every single German officer Moscow said was involved in the discussion. The German Defense Ministry, meanwhile, was quoted telling Deutsche Welle that the Federal Military Counterintelligence Service had initiated all necessary measures to investigate whether communications between military representatives had been intercepted. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Germany's office responsible for asylum procedures is to receive a significant increase in staffing, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. An additional 1,600 full-time positions at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees should be filled "as soon as possible," an agency spokesman confirmed to dpa. It currently has around 8,000 positions, according to its own information. The government is also working hard to speed up and digitalize asylum procedures, at a cost of 300 million ($325,6 million), Faeser said. Migration is a divisive issue in Germany, fuelling the popularity of far-right parties such as the Alternative for Germany. Faeser said a government review into the feasibility of conducting asylum procedures in countries outside Europe was ongoing. "There are experts who believe that such a system is possible, while others say that the legal situation would have to be changed," she said, noting that the key criteria were the human rights enshrined in German and European law. When asked where she could imagine such procedures taking place, Faeser said: "In countries, for example, that are on the route to Western Europe and comply with the rule of law." She said it was crucial that asylum applicants were kept safe throughout the procedure and could be returned to their country of origin if they did not qualify for international protection. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Germany's state premiers agreed in November that the government would examine the feasibility of asylum procedures outside of Europe. The conclusions of the review are not yet available, but could be discussed at the group's upcoming meeting next week. Germany says it will investigate after a recording leaked of a conversation between several top-ranking German officers on the countrys Ukraine war strategy. During the conversation, posted online by the head of Russias state-backed RT channel, Margarita Simonyan, air force officers discuss the possible delivery of Taurus weapon systems to Ukraine as well as the potential targeting of the Kerch Bridge, which connects the annexed Crimean peninsula to mainland Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the leak a very serious matter. It will now be investigated very carefully, very intensively, and very quickly, Scholz promised while on a visit to Rome on Saturday. A spokesperson of the German Defense Ministry confirmed to CNN the recording was authentic. According to our assessment, a conversation in the air force sector has been intercepted. We are currently unable to say with certainty whether changes have been made to the recorded or written version circulating on social networks. The audio discussion centers around providing air force support for the delivery of long-range Taurus missiles, as well as how the systems could be used by Ukraine, with one officer speaking of a long and short path to implementation. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius suggested a certain choreography in the incident, referring to to the date that the audio was leaked on Alexey Navalnys funeral as well as comments from Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of Russias President, Vladimir Putin. Medvedev, known for using inflammatory language, alleged that the 38-minute long conversation showed that Germany was preparing war against Russia. The whole thing doesnt just seem to be, but is, choreography, said Pistorius. A few hours, I believe, after this recording was published, by none other than one of Vladimir Putins chief propagandists, this report [of Medvedevs reaction] emerged. It is highly unlikely that they reacted so quickly, so it was certainly coordinated and choreographed, and is intended to reinforce the myth that we are working on a war against Russia, which is completely absurd, Pistorius said. Pistorius also alleged the release of the hack was part of a Russian campaign to destabilize confidence. The Kerch bridge has been a targeted for Ukraine throughout the conflict. - Alexey Pavlishak/Reuters Germany has been resisting sending the Taurus system to Kyiv, fearing they could be used for attacks on Russian territory. Officers can be heard discussing the potential targeting of the Kerch bridge using Taurus missiles, with one stating that the Taurus has the potential to reach the bridge despite it being a difficult target, as well as ammunition depots. Moscow said it was seeking answers over the recording. We demand explanations from Germany. Official Berlin has to provide them promptly. Any attempts to evade answering questions will be viewed as an admission of guilt, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel Friday. The audio has caused alarm among German politicians. Roberich Kiesewetter of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) told public broadcaster ZDF that a number of other conversations will certainly have been intercepted and could be leaked at a later date, Deutsche Welle reported. This is a developing story and will be updated. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The German military intelligence has opened an investigation into an alleged leaked conversation between German officers published by Russian state media, German public broadcaster ARD reported on March 2. The recording was published on March 1 by Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Kremlin-controlled TV channel RT. It is alleged to be a conversation between German military officials about the possible delivery of Taurus long-range missiles and the training of Ukrainian troops. In that recording, the interlocutors allegedly discussed the possibility of Ukraine using Taurus missiles to strike targets such as the Crimean Bridge and mentioned that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had not approved the transfer yet. They also said that Ukrainian soldiers could be trained to use the missiles. The German Defense Ministry confirmed to ARD that a conversation of Air Force personnel had been intercepted. The ministry's spokeswoman said that Berlin "cannot currently say with certainty whether changes were made to the recorded or written version that is circulating on social media." According to media reports, Germany's Air Force Chief Ingo Gerhartz was among the participants of the conversation, which is alleged to be a preparation for a briefing with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. Calling it "a very serious matter," Scholz vowed that the situation is "being clarified very carefully, very intensively, and very quickly." German TV Channel ZDF reported on March 2 that such a conversation had taken place, citing its sources in the German Armed Forces. The wiretapping scandal comes as Scholz continues to oppose Germany's provision of Taurus missiles due to what he perceives as risks of Berlin being drawn into the war in Ukraine. Earlier this week, Scholz voiced fears that "if used incorrectly, (Taurus missiles) could reach a target in Moscow." Taurus missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles), have been a subject of extensive discussion since Ukraine submitted a request to acquire the weapons in May 2023. Ukraine is also using British-made Storm Shadow missiles with a range of over 250 kilometers (155 miles) to effectively strike Russian targets, such as the Black Sea Fleet headquarters. The U.K. government has discreetly urged Berlin to supply Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine, as Germany refuses to greenlight this critical capability, Bloomberg reported on March 1. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivers his speech at the PES congress after main candidate to the next European elections Nicolas Schmit has been elected, in Rome, Saturday, March 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) WARSAW, Poland (AP) German authorities on Saturday said they were investigating after an audio recording, in which German military officers purportedly discussed support for Ukraine, including the potential use of Taurus missiles, was published in Russia. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was in Rome on Saturday, called it a very serious matter" and said that German authorities were working to clarify the matter very carefully, very intensively and very quickly. His comments were carried by Germany's dpa news agency. In the 38-minute recording, military officers discuss the question of how the Taurus long-range cruise missiles could be used by Ukraine. A debate has been taking place in Germany over whether to supply the missiles as Ukraine faced setbacks on the battlefield after two years of war, and with military aid from the United States being held up in Congress. Earlier this week Scholz said he remains reluctant to send the Taurus missiles to Ukraine, pointing to a risk of Germany becoming directly involved in the war. His hesitancy is a source of friction in his three-party coalition and also annoyed Germanys conservative opposition. But in the purported audio recording, German officers discuss the theoretical possibility of the missiles being used in Ukraine. Germanys Ministry of Defense said it was investigating whether communications within the air force were intercepted by Russia. In a statement carried by dpa, it said: According to our assessment, a conversation within the Air Force was intercepted. We cannot currently say with certainty whether changes have been made to the recorded or written version that is circulating on social media." Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Russian state-funded TV channel RT, posted the audio on social media. In this (...) recording, high-ranking Bundeswehr officers discuss how they will bomb (attention!) the Crimean bridge, she wrote on the Telegram messaging app, adding that the conversation took place on Feb. 19. Within the conversation, she said, one of the officers mentioned a planned trip to Ukraine on Feb. 21 to coordinate strikes on Russian targets. 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. The chancellor has long emphasized his determination to help Ukraine without escalating the war and drawing in Germany and NATO, stressing that no German soldiers will go to Ukraine. We will not send European soldiers to Ukraine. We dont want a war between Russia and NATO. And we will do all we can to prevent it, Scholz told a meeting of the Party of European Socialists in Rome on Saturday. On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said the future deployment of Western troops on the ground in Ukraine was not ruled out," a suggestion quickly dismissed by Germany, Poland and other allied countries. Description Starting with two dance workshops, each band plays a set, then the two meet and jam for the third and final "Mashup" set! Drinks and food will be available for purchase, and don't forget your dancing shoes! ABOUT THE ARTISTS: Grosse Isle, a traditional music trio hailed as "absolutely magical" by The Irish Music Magazine. Sophie Lavoie du Lac-St-Jean (fiddle, piano, vocal), Andre Marchand (guitar, vocal), and Fiachra ORegan (uilleann pipes, whistle, banjo) blend Irish and Quebecois traditional music with original compositions. Their rich and enveloping music ranges from laments to lively reels and jigs, promising a varied and captivating performance. The band name refers to the story of the mass arrival of the Irish in the 19th century, on Grosse Ile in the St. Lawrence River, as they fled the Great Famine. It is a striking encounter between two peoples and two cultures. What do you get when a group of NYCs most eclectic musicians take a break from their regular gigs to come together and play everyones favorite dance music? Polka Loca featuring Accordion demon Erica Mancini, currently touring with Gogol Bordello, is joined by trumpeter Frank London of the Klezmatics, drummer Brian Chase from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and a motley crew consisting of Ron Caswell (StumbleBums, Frank Londons Klezmer Brass Allstars), Lynn Ligammari (Antibalas, Conor Oberst), and Michael Winograd (VulfPeck) to fuel the swingingest, skronkiest, funnest Polka Party this side of Buffalo. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks to journalists after a meeting with Pope Francis. The head of more than 1.4 billion Catholics welcomed the SPD politician to the Apostolic Palace. Christoph Sator/dpa Rome (dpa) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has defended his decision not to send soldiers to Ukraine, in comments made during a congress of the Party of European Socialists (PES) in Rome on Saturday. "We will not send European soldiers to Ukraine. We don't want the war between Russia and NATO, and we will do all we can to prevent this," he said. There was a realization among the Western partners that NATO and none of its countries should become a party to the war, he added. The key to restoring peace in Europe was the West's continued support for Ukraine in its defence against the Russian war, Scholz continued. At the same time, he called for the EU to invest more in its own security and defence, meaning that narrow-minded self-interest must be put aside. His comments come after French President Emmanuel Macron said he would not rule out a deployment of Western ground troops in Ukraine. Many other leaders, including Germany, distanced themselves from the idea and Scholz said from a German perspective, there would be no deployment of ground troops. Despite differing positions on support for Ukraine, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said earlier that he saw no rift between France and Germany, in an interview ahead of talks with his counterpart. "There is no Franco-German conflict, we agree on 80% of the issues," said Sejourne in an interview with Le Monde newspaper on Saturday. "There is a will to talk to each other," he said, adding he had spoken to his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, whom he is due to meet in Paris on Tuesday. Both France and Germany are key backers of Ukraine in its attempt to fend off the full-scale Russian invasion launched in 2022. Kiev is heavily reliant on Western allies in its struggles, and has repeatedly called for more and heavier weapons to repel Moscow's forces. However, alongside opposing the sending of ground troops, Scholz continues to categorically rule out the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles. France has already made SCALP missiles, which are similar, available to Kiev and says more will follow. "I'll be honest: everything we ruled out at one point in time, we did six months later because of the situation," said Sejourne. He noted that Germany and France supported Ukraine to different degrees, for example on the question of missiles. "This is not a drama, because we have the same goal of supporting Ukraine." What is needed, however, is more coherence in the European approach, the French diplomat said. "When you hear the German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius say two weeks before the meeting that we will probably be at war with Russia in the next five years, then we think we have to draw the consequences," he added, saying Europe needs to discuss the issue. Macron did not take the participants at the Ukraine aid conference in Paris by surprise, said Sejourne. "They knew very well what was on the agenda and that it was not about sending in fighting ground troops." It was about reversing the balance of power with Moscow, he said. "It is necessary to have this debate among ourselves, even if there is still no consensus." Essentially, everyone had the same analysis of the situation and the same goals of ensuring Russia does not succeed in its war on Ukraine, he said. He also referred to another remark by Scholz, who caused anger and confusion with a comment suggesting Britain and France had soldiers in Ukraine to programme the cruise missiles they had supplied, which Germany could not do. London immediately denied this was the case. Sejourne also denied that French soldiers are in Ukraine. "At the moment there is no military presence, only support in the form of material and weapons." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks to journalists after a meeting with Pope Francis. The head of more than 1.4 billion Catholics welcomed the SPD politician to the Apostolic Palace. Christoph Sator/dpa German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised swift clarification on Saturday following the Russian publication of a recording of German air force officers discussing support for Ukraine. Speaking on the fringes of a visit to the Vatican, he described it as a "very serious matter." The conversation between German defence officials was published on Friday by the head of the Russian state broadcaster RT, Margarita Simonyan. In it, senior air force officers discuss the theoretical possibilities of a deployment of German Taurus cruise missiles in Ukraine. Scholz has repeatedly ruled out the supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine, despite repeated requests by Kiev, arguing that he fears Germany could be drawn more deeply into the war launched by the Kremlin in February 2022. The clip also contains a diplomatically sensitive reference to the British having "a few people on the ground" in Ukraine, in connection with the deployment of their Storm Shadow cruise missiles to the country. The reference follows anger in Britain over what London saw as previous indiscretion on Scholz's part. Scholz had said, in the context of the Taurus debate, that "what the British and French are doing in terms of target control and accompanying target control cannot be done in Germany," without elaborating further. Some saw this as an indication that French and British forces are supporting the control of cruise missiles supplied to Ukraine. London immediately denied this was the case. Pressed by a dpa correspondent on Saturday about possible diplomatic fall-out from the intercepted Bundeswehr exchange, Scholz said: "That is why this is now being clarified very carefully, very intensively and very quickly. That is also necessary." Air Force inspector Ingo Gerhartz was among those present at the meeting, which is said to have been in preparation for a briefing to Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. The exchange heard in the recording addresses whether Taurus cruise missiles would theoretically be technically capable of destroying the bridge built by Russia to the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, annexed by Moscow in violation of international law. The discussion also addresses whether Ukraine could carry out the strike without the involvement of the German armed forces. It is made clear in the recording that German lawmakers are not willing to provide Kiev with cruise missiles. Sources told dpa earlier on Saturday that the recording is genuine and that the discussion was hosted on Webex, a US-made online conferencing platform. The German Ministry of Defence was investigating whether the communication had been intercepted. "The Federal Office for the Military Counterintelligence Service has initiated all necessary measures," a ministry spokeswoman said on Friday evening. German security lawmakers responded with calls for improvements. "We urgently need to increase our security and counterintelligence, because we are obviously vulnerable in this area," Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chairwoman of the Bundestag Defence Committee, told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) news agency. "The question arises as to whether this is a one-off incident or a structural security problem," said Konstantin von Notz, chairman of the Parliamentary Control Committee. The publication unleashed widespread speculation about its timing, with Strack-Zimmermann speculating Russia aims to deter Scholz from giving Kiev Taurus missiles. She told RND that espionage is "part of Russia's toolbox of hybrid warfare," adding it was not surprising that conversations were intercepted. "It was only a matter of time before it became public," she said. Others speculated that the Bundeswehr leak could be a Russian attempt to divert the public debate away from recent revelations or the funeral of dissident Alexei Navalny. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attends the Electoral Congress of the Party of European Socialists (PES). Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised swift clarification on Saturday following the Russian publication of a recording of German air force officers discussing support for Ukraine. Speaking on the fringes of a visit to the Vatican, he described it as a "very serious matter." The conversation between German defence officials was published on Friday by the head of the Russian state broadcaster RT, Margarita Simonyan. In it, senior air force officers discuss the theoretical possibilities of a deployment of German Taurus cruise missiles in Ukraine. Scholz has repeatedly ruled out the supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine, despite repeated requests by Kiev, arguing that he fears Germany could be drawn more deeply into the war launched by the Kremlin in February 2022. Germany's Defence Ministry later on Saturday said it believes an internal conversation between senior air force officers has been intercepted. "According to our assessment, a conversation [between air force officials] has been intercepted. We are currently unable to say with certainty whether changes have been made to the recorded or transcribed version that is circulating on social media," a ministry spokeswoman told dpa in Berlin. The clip also contains a diplomatically sensitive reference to the British having "a few people on the ground" in Ukraine, in connection with the deployment of their Storm Shadow cruise missiles to the country. The reference follows anger in Britain over what London saw as previous indiscretion on Scholz's part. Scholz had said, in the context of the Taurus debate, that "what the British and French are doing in terms of target control and accompanying target control cannot be done in Germany," without elaborating further. Some saw this as an indication that French and British forces are supporting the control of cruise missiles supplied to Ukraine. London immediately denied this was the case. Pressed by a dpa correspondent on Saturday about possible diplomatic fall-out from the intercepted Bundeswehr exchange, Scholz said: "That is why this is now being clarified very carefully, very intensively and very quickly. That is also necessary." Air Force inspector Ingo Gerhartz was among those present at the meeting, which is said to have been in preparation for a briefing to Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. The exchange heard in the recording addresses whether Taurus cruise missiles would theoretically be technically capable of destroying the bridge built by Russia to the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, annexed by Moscow in violation of international law. The discussion also addresses whether Ukraine could carry out the strike without the involvement of the German armed forces. It is made clear in the recording that German lawmakers are not willing to provide Kiev with cruise missiles. Sources told dpa earlier on Saturday that the recording is genuine and that the discussion was hosted on Webex, a US-made online conferencing platform. The German Ministry of Defence was investigating whether the communication had been intercepted. "The Federal Office for the Military Counterintelligence Service has initiated all necessary measures," a ministry spokeswoman said on Friday evening. German security lawmakers responded with calls for improvements. "We urgently need to increase our security and counterintelligence, because we are obviously vulnerable in this area," Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chairwoman of the Bundestag Defence Committee, told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) news agency. "The question arises as to whether this is a one-off incident or a structural security problem," said Konstantin von Notz, chairman of the Parliamentary Control Committee. The publication unleashed widespread speculation about its timing, with Strack-Zimmermann speculating Russia aims to deter Scholz from giving Kiev Taurus missiles. She told RND that espionage is "part of Russia's toolbox of hybrid warfare," adding it was not surprising that conversations were intercepted. "It was only a matter of time before it became public," she said. Others speculated that the Bundeswehr leak could be a Russian attempt to divert the public debate away from recent revelations or the funeral of dissident Alexei Navalny. DANVILLE, Va. (WFXR) Gods Pit Crew is providing relief supplies to the Texas Panhandle to provide aid during the ongoing deadly wildfire outbreak damaging the state. Gods Pit Crew is sending a semi-load of Blessing Buckets, which are five-gallon buckets containing valuable resources, including non-perishable food, water, hygiene items, first-aid kits, bibles, and handwritten notes of encouragement. These items will be sent soon and travel to the Encounter Church in Amarillo, Texas where the supplies will be distributed by officials in the area to anyone in need. So many homes have been destroyed and many residents have had to evacuate leaving behind everything to escape the approaching fire, said Chris Chiles, Gods Pit Crew Immediate Disaster Response Coordinator. We are praying for all those who have been impacted and pray that we can provide help as soon as possible to those desperately in need. Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce hosting 11th annual job fair Gods Pit Crew President Randy Johnson hopes the relief supplies being sent will be a way to bring hope and healing to the state. The continuing wildfires have been devastating and heartbreaking to hear about, said Johnson. We pray that the help and supplies our ministry is sending will bring much needed relief to all those affected, and we truly appreciate all of our unwavering volunteers and donors that make our response possible. The wildfire has recently grown and is now impacting over one million acres of land. According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, the fire is only 3% contained at this time. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv. Ukraine has relied heavily on its arsenal of naval drones to cause headaches for Russia's Black Sea Fleet. These explosive systems have been used to damage and destroy dozens of warships. A Ukrainian general overseeing some of the ops said it's like "hunting prey." For at least one Ukrainian general, going after Russian warships with exploding drone boats is more than just hitting the enemy. "You feel like a hunter, hunting prey. As long as the enemy is a beast, we will hunt it," Brig. Gen. Ivan Lukashevych said. "You can only communicate with a person, not with an animal that is trying to kill you." Lukashevych serves in the Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU, and leads a team responsible for carrying out naval drone attacks on Russian warships and infrastructure in and around the Black Sea. "For the head of an operation or for a marine drone operator, emotions are superfluous. Under their influence, you can make a mistake," he said in translated remarks to Business Insider. "We can't afford that we need a sober mind." A Sea Baby drone. UNITED24/Ukrainian government Lukashevych said that as part of these efforts, the SBU is working "to reduce the human factor to a minimum." To do so, technology specialists from Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation have teamed up with the security service to implement artificial intelligence in planning naval operations and analyzing the overall environment of the Black Sea. From the start of Russia's full-scale invasion more than two years ago, Ukraine has lacked a proper navy. To compensate for this deficiency, the country sought to develop what it calls "the world's first fleet of naval drones." These deadly systems were first introduced in 2022 as Kyiv looked to weaken Moscow's grip on the Black Sea. "We analyzed how best to get to the Russian fleet; what means and methods would be appropriate. That's how the idea to make an unmanned vehicle gradually emerged," Lukashevych said. A series of four stills from footage shared by Defense Intelligence of Ukraine claiming to show the sinking of the corvette Ivanovets during an overnight attack on Jan. 31, 2024. Defense Intelligence of Ukraine In the environments where the drones would operate, "the Russians have no technical means of detecting us," the general said. "Echolocation and radar do not work here, and we'd decided for the naval drones to be no higher than one meter and no deeper than one meter." Ukraine's naval drone program is focused on an unmanned surface vessel, or USV, called Sea Baby , and Kyiv is currently trying to build up an arsenal of these systems for the SBU, including through donations and fundraising. These drones have been used to wreak havoc on Russia's Black Sea Fleet damaging and destroying warships and hitting critical infrastructure in the region. While Moscow has tried to adapt to the threat, and has even found some success in defending against the drones, it ultimately has been unable to stop the drones from wounding its fleet. In this photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on July 21, 2023, warships of Moscow's Black Sea Fleet sail while taking part in naval drills. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP As a result of these devastating attacks, Ukraine has driven some of the Black Sea Fleet away from its headquarters in Sevastopol, a city in the southwestern corner of the occupied Crimean peninsula, across the sea to Novorossiysk in western Russia. Kyiv's forces have also opened up a maritime corridor, allowing exports to resume and securing another one of its aims. The Sea Baby drones, meanwhile, have evolved a lot from the original models that were deployed in 2022, Lukashevych said. They have since been outfitted with larger warheads, are now more durable so they can sail in taller waves, and are capable of covering a distance of roughly 600 miles, nearly three times as far as that between Odesa, a coastal city in southern Ukraine, and Sevastopol, along the Crimean coast. Lukashevych said Russia is very much aware of the threat posed by the Sea Babies, but Ukraine is constantly trying to stay several steps ahead of Moscow. The SBU, he said, is "constantly testing and improving its inventions to be forward-thinking." "We are at war and fulfill the task set" by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he added. "We are not just driving the enemy fleet away, but destroying it." Read the original article on Business Insider Elsbeth season 1, episode 1 spoilers follow. Elsbeth creators Robert and Michelle King have addressed the potential for The Good Wife star Julianna Margulies to make an appearance in the show. The latest Good Wife spin-off premiered this week and included some references to some of the franchise's past characters. There was a nod to Matt Czuchry's Good Wife character Cary Agos originally being up for Elsbeth Tascioni's current job as an NYPD observer and it has previously been revealed that Margulies's Alicia Florrick is now in New York too after moving from Chicago. Despite those Easter eggs, the Kings have cast some doubt on any characters from The Good Wife appearing in Elsbeth while speaking to TVLine. Jeff Neumann/CBS via Getty Images Related: The Good Fight star "stunned" to learn show is ending "We think about our friends in Chicago, but it's not our expectation that they're traveling to New York anytime soon, Michelle King said. Elsbeth is on her own in New York, which is kind of part of the fun, that she's enjoying it and enjoying it on her own. Series star Carrie Preston suggested that their reluctance to introduce any Good Wife characters is rooted in a desire for Elsbeth to succeed on its own merit. "This is decidedly not The Good Wife, not The Good Fight. It's its own world. It's lighter, it's comedic in nature, Preston said. You've got this Case of the Week, and it's dealing with crime and not politics. So we have a bunch of different new things. So it's the same woman, but you don't have to have watched those shows to dive into this show. Elizabeth Fisher/CBS via Getty Images Related: Schitt's Creek and The Good Wife stars join Nine Perfect Strangers season 2 Elsbeth airs on Thursdays on CBS. A UK airdate has yet to be announced for the series. You Might Also Like (COLORADO SPRINGS) On Friday, March 1, Governor Polis toured Colorado Springs schools in honor of Read Across America Day, and to promote the Colorado Universal Preschool Program, which is now open for enrollment. The Governor read Me and My Dragon by David Biedrzycki to preschool students at the Early Learning Connections Center at the Colorado Springs Day Nursery. He also visited Soaring Eagles Community School and read I Promise by Lebron James to the first-graders there. As of Thursday, Feb. 29 families can register for the Colorado Universal Preschool Program, which makes preschool available to every child in Colorado. The Governor spoke highly of the program, and said that he was happy to support the program with his reading tour. I was thrilled to tour and read to students at the Early Learning Connections Center and Soaring Eagles Community School. Its a great reminder that preschool enrollment is open for the 2024-25 school year and families should sign up to help save money and ensure their children are receiving the education they deserve, he said. Families can browse providers, apply for funding, and learn about the enrollment process on the Colorado Universal Preschool website. I really encourage parents to sign up, said Governor Polis. We have even more choices and providers than last year, all across our state, from schools to private providers to home-based provider programs, and you can see whats best for your kid. The program was very well-received last year, Governor Polis said. And this year there have been even more parents and providers interested in joining. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. Russian forces struck the village of Prymorske in southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, killing one person, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said on March 2. The village is located about 30 kilometers south of the regional capital, Zaporizhzhia. Over the past day, Russian forces struck parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast 306 times, destroying at least 28 houses and buildings in the front-line areas, Fedorov. More than two years into Russia's full-scale war, Russian forces continue to regularly attack civilian areas across the country. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, fierce fighting rages on near Robotyne, which was the only village liberated by Ukrainian forces in the region during the 2023 counteroffensive. Russian forces are on the offensive, trying to break through Ukrainian defense lines. Read also: Who are they fighting, children? Family of 5 killed in devastating Russian attack on Kharkiv Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of Iranian morals police in 2022 inspired protests around the world where a Grammy-winning anthem written by Iran's Shervin Hajipour was sung. Hajipour was sentenced to prison this week in connection with the song. File Photo by Tino Romano/EPA-EFE March 2 (UPI) -- Grammy-winning Iranian musician Shervin Hajipour has been sentenced to more than three years in prison in connection with a song he wrote that became the anthem for anti-regime protests in 2022. As part of the three-year, eight-month prison sentence handed down Friday, Hajipour, 26, must also write a song about U.S. "atrocities against humanity," according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. The artist revealed the sentence in a post in Farsi on his Instagram account, where he also thanked his legal team and management. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Court convicted him of "inciting unrest against national security," and "spreading propaganda against the regime," the activists said. He was also handed a two-year travel ban as part of the sentence and must use his platforms to "promote the achievements" of the Islamic Revolution. Hajipour wrote and recorded the song Baraye in 2022, only a month after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman, was killed in police custody in Tehran. Amini was arrested by the country's morality police for opposing mandatory hijab rules. Amini's death sparked protests across Iran, and Baraye, which means "For" in Farsi, became the rallying cry for many. Hajipour later won the Grammy for Best Song for Social Change for the composition. He was initially arrested Sept. 29, 2022, for violating Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code by releasing "propaganda against the system" and "inciting people to violent acts," but was released on bail in October. It wasn't immediately clear if Hajipour would serve any part of the custodial portion of his sentence in Iran's notorious Evin prison. The New York-based nonprofit organization PEN America called for his immediate release and the sentence to be quashed. "Shervin Hajipour's sentencing is another awful attempt to suppress the independent voices who channel the demands of the Iranian people for basic freedoms. The Iranian government is attempting to silence a powerful movement spearheaded by musicians who believe in freedom and women's rights," Artists at Risk Connection director Julie Trebault said in a statement. "The Iranian government fears the power of music to give hope and inspire citizens to dream of a better and more equitable future for all," she said. GREGG COUNTY, Texas (KETK) During this years early voting primary, Gregg County voters surpassed the early voting totals reached in the 2022 and 2020 primaries. Johnston McQueen Elementary in Longview gets book vending machine According to data provided by Jennifer Briggs, the Gregg County Elections Administrator, 7,068 people voted early in the 2024 primaries, compared to 6,762 early votes in 2022 and 6,709 in the 2020 primaries. Briggs said that by their early voting turnout was still behind by Wednesday this week but then Thursday and Friday voting put them over the top. Briggs provided the following day by day breakdown of this years early voting in Gregg County; March 1 Democrat 229 Republican 1,275 Feb. 29 Democrat 110 Republican 712 Feb. 28 Democrat 84 Republican 629 Feb. 27 Democrat 96 Republican 520 Feb. 26 Democrat 116 Republican 487 Feb. 25 Democrat 20 Republican 44 Feb. 24 Democrat 46 Republican 251 Feb. 23 Democrat 121 Republican 595 Feb. 22 Democrat 90 Republican 536 Feb. 21 Democrat 93 Republican 453 Feb. 20 Democrat 115 Republican 466 To view more detailed voting information visit Gregg County Votes online. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has hinted that Formula 1 is poised for a potential shakeup in the European leg of its calendar starting in 2026, with the introduction of rotating venues. Such a change has been often debated in the past, but a convergence of contract expirations in 2025 for five European races - Imola, Monaco, Spa, Zandvoort and Monza will likely see rotation become a reality. The shift would also come amidst a trend by F1 of securing long-term contracts for races outside of Europe. In 2026, Madrid is set to replace Barcelona as Spains official Grand Prix, although the Circuit de Catalunya apparently still holds a contract for that year according to Motorsport.com. Events such as the Dutch and Belgian Grands Prix are prime candidates to be paired for a rotation. But interestingly, such an alternation would drop the tally of rounds back to 23, thus freeing up a slot which could potentially be filled by Barcelona should it choose remain on the docket or by a new destination. "That is a year where there will be a lot of grands prix, mainly in Europe, where we have different options that we can take," said Domenicali, when asked about F1s 2026 calendar. "I think Madrid shows one thing that was very important for us, to see that the attention of F1 is there, also in the old continent, where everyone was thinking, 'Oh, you know, we need to move out of Europe, because there's not anymore the interest.' But we showed the opposite." Read also: Hinting at a rotation, Domenicali said: I think in '26, you're going to see something interesting. We are discussing with other promoters in Europe to do something that will be announced soon. "But Madrid will be a big boost. Because the event will be organised in a place where we'll be around the convention area to allow the opportunity for fans to live that event in an incredible way. "But the focus in Spain is in Barcelona. There is a big commitment to do a great grand prix there in the next couple of years." Addressing the recent trend of long-term contracts being signed with race promoters, Domenicali emphasizing that these deals go beyond securing consistent revenue, highlighting not only their stability but also F1s ability to nurture and develop these events over time. I think as always when we take the decision with regard to the renewal, there are a lot of elements that we need to consider," he said. "First of all, of course, the financial aspect is relevant, no doubt. "And the fact that we are able to stabilise with certain promoters, which we believe represent incredible opportunities, in terms of our stability in these markets, is a relevant element to consider. "The fact that you have seen in the last couple of years that we were able to ratify incredible agreements with certain promoters means that is, from one side, of course, a very interesting financial package. "But on the other side, an incredible opportunity to develop our business in other areas that are on top of the one that is related to the promotional fee. And that's really our approach." Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter Something old, something new, something space-age, too? Newlywed Jacob Wright donned an unconventional accessory during his February wedding in South Jordan, UT. Wright, a software engineer, had previously discussed wearing his new Apple Vision Pro headset in wedding photos with his now-wife, Cambree, before their Feb. 10 wedding ceremony. Id been, like, trying to convince her like, 'itd be so fun,' and 'itd be such a good meme' because I kind of felt like it would go viral, he says. Despite Cambree's initial hesitation, Jacob decided to go for it once the two were officially wed and the ceremony was through. We were winding down photos with our wedding photographer after the ceremony and everything, and most people were kind of like, dipping out. I had my Apple Vision Pro in the car, so while my wife was doing her bridal photos, I just ran and grabbed it, he says. When Jacob shared a photo of himself wearing a VR headset in the professional photos, he had a feeling it would grab attention. "I kind of knew that was gonna blow up," he tells TODAY.com. Wright didn't quite expect that people would still be so interested or so opinionated. "It kind of blew away our expectations," he says. As Jacob's X post gained traction, commenters frequently pointed out Cambree's less-than-thrilled expression in the images. However, Cambree says that her displeased demeanor stemmed from the chilly outdoor temperatures, rather than her husband's antics. "Everyone had left, so I didn't really care," she says. "I actually thought it was kind of funny, especially since it shows who Jacob is and his interests. I wasn't mad at all. I was just cold." After the photo went viral, Cambree was inundated with messages questioning their relationship or even encouraging her to leave the marriage. "We're very happily married," she says, laughing. "I was very surprised to wake up to a bunch of people messaging me telling me to divorce Jacob. It was a little bit crazy." Many commenters assumed that Jacob wore the headset during the ceremony, but the couple clarifies that he only wore it for a few post-ceremony photos. "That would be a huge problem," Cambree says. "That's not what happened." Jacob, a self-described "tech evangelist," actually ended up returning the Apple Vision Pro headset after the wedding because it "felt like a chore to use." "I was trying super hard the first two weeks to get it into my daily use. Like, I spent an entire workday using it to see if I could eke out any type of productivity. And I just could not," he says. Does Jacob have any regrets about immortalizing the headset in their wedding photos? "I think my kids are gonna be proud that I was an early adopter," he says, adding that he hopes to turn the VR footage into a hologram someday so that the whole family can watch it together. "I think that they'll be grateful that I wore some silly goggles for a little bit." This article was originally published on TODAY.com SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) The Photographic Society of Northwest Arkansas will be teaching people how to take pictures of the upcoming eclipse that will be visible in much of Arkansas on March 23 from 2-3 p.m. at the Shiloh Meeting Hall in Springdale. According to a press release, the event is free and open to the public and will be taught by photographer and executive chairman of PSNWA Melissa L. Jones. Arkansas eclipse map: Which cities will have the best view? The class is open to PSNWA members and guests. The eclipse will be seen by most people in Arkansas between 12:30-2 p.m. on April 8. The path of totality will start in southwest Arkansas and cross through central Arkansas into northeast Arkansas. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is partnering with Gulf Shores City Schools in a project aimed at reducing the environmental and health impacts of school buses. B.C. Rain teacher accused of sex act with student, arrested: MPD According to a press release, the project will use funding from the Diesel Emission Reduction Act to help reduce diesel emissions through a school bus replacement project. Officials with the ADEM say the project will replace older bus models with newer models that meet EPAs emission standards. ADEM has awarded the Gulf Shores City Schools with $63,469.50 to aid in the purchase of the new buses. Officials say this is an important project due to the impact of exhaust on human health. Diesel exhaust from these older buses has a negative impact on human health, especially for children who have a faster breathing rate than adults and whose lungs are not yet fully developed. More than 700 students absent from Fairhope East Elementary after norovirus sparks concern, precaution The project is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 30 according to the release. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. The biggest of the Panhandle wildfires, the Smokehouse Creek Fire, has killed at least two people and destroyed as many as 500 structures. H-E-B says it will give $1 million in donations to support recovery efforts. H-E-B Chairman Charles Butt on Saturday announced a $1 million in donations to support Texas Panhandle residents and first responders with recovery from the massive wildfires that have swept that region. The Texas-based grocery store chain is giving $500,000 to the State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund, which aids Texas farmers, ranchers, producers and agribusiness owners affected by natural disasters, company officials said in a news release. It also committed $500,000 to support recovery efforts and nonprofits responding to the Texas Panhandle wildfires. The release said H-E-B officials have been in contact with the High Plains Food Bank to provide truckloads of supplies, including shelf-stable food, water, hygiene items and cleaning products. "Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this disaster," said Winell Herron, H-E-B Group's vice president of public affairs, diversity and environmental affairs. "With our chairman and the entire H-E-B family, we will work to ensure affected communities can recover from this tragic event. The Smokehouse Creek Fire began Monday and has killed at least two people, left a charred landscape of scorched prairie and dead cattle, and has destroyed as many as 500 structures. Firefighters on Saturday were still battling the largest wildfire in Texas history while facing wind gusts of up to 45 mph. The fire, which has merged with another fire and crossed into western Oklahoma, has burned more than 1,700 square miles and was 15% contained, the Texas A&M Forest Service said Friday. H-E-B also has launched a donation campaign that allows customers to give when checking out at store registers at H-E-B, Central Market, Joe Vs Smart Shop and Mi Tienda stores, and when placing an order with Favor Delivery. Customers can support relief efforts by giving to nonprofits such as the High Plains Food Bank, the STAR Fund and theSpirit of Giving Fund. This article includes material from The Associated Press. Ranchers on Friday move cattle killed by the Smokehouse Creek Fire out of burned ranch land in Skellytown. Officials and local ranchers estimate the Panhandle wildfires have killed thousands of cattle. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: H-E-B gives $1 million to Panhandle fire relief efforts In a segment of Newsmax TVs "Sunday Agenda," Trump attorney Alina Habba laid out a number of theories she has regarding Joe Biden's strategy for "cheating" in his campaign against Trump ramping up to the November election, saying she suspects he's relying on votes from non-citizens in hopes of yanking away a second term. Speaking to host Lidia Bastianich, Habba expressed her view that Biden is planning to flood the country with 10 million illegals and engineer it so they can vote for him, suggesting that's his only hope for beating Trump. "This is all by design, and its not about keeping us safe. New Yorkers are not safe. America is not safe," Habba said on the topic of borders being a swinging door, in her eyes. "Joe Biden is more concerned with his polls, which he cant win fair and square because the man cant even walk. So he has to do this. He has to let you in." Going on to say that Biden and his allies aren't concerned about "the fentanyl" or "the children," and are only concerned about one thing, which is figuring out a way to cheat, she credited this as motivating Trump to keep fighting. "Its really an atrocity. Our country is in deep trouble, and I dont think November can come soon enough," Habba furthered. "As long as they dont steal it. We should be in good shape as polls are amazing." (Bloomberg) -- Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins backed Nikki Haleys bid for the White House, delivering the long-shot Republican contender her first endorsements from sitting US senators days before voters hit the polls on Super Tuesday. Most Read from Bloomberg Alaskas Murkowski endorsed Haley in a statement Friday, saying she had the right values, vigor, and judgment to serve as our next President. Collins, a Republican from Maine, called her extremely well-qualified in comments to the Bangor Daily News. She has the energy, intellect, and temperament that we need to lead our country in these very tumultuous times, the newspaper cited Collins as saying. Their support comes ahead of the Super Tuesday contests on March 5, when more than a dozen states, including Alaska and Maine, vote in nominating contests. Haley is struggling for momentum to stay in the GOP contest against frontrunner Donald Trump. The former president has swept all of the Republican contests so far and is aiming to clinch the nomination by mid-March with the RealClearPolitics average of national polls showing him leading his last remaining challenger by over 64 percentage points. Murkowski and Collins have defied Trump before: Theyre among just seven GOP senators who voted to convict him in 2021 on impeachment charges of incitement of insurrection over the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol. Haley has insisted she will stay in the race until at least Super Tuesday, despite her losses to Trump in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. She has been criss-crossing the country in recent days, hosting rallies in states voting next week in a last-ditch effort to encourage Republican voters to embrace her as an alternative to Trump, warning that his legal challenges and divisive rhetoric threaten to hurt the party in Novembers general election. Earlier: Haley Criticizes GOP Priorities as Trump Nears Nomination Her campaign said she raised $12 million in February, funds that will allow her to stay in the race even as her path narrows. Haley has seen some donors drop their support, with the Charles Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity Action saying it would stop funding advertisements and get-out-the-vote efforts on her behalf. Billionaire Ken Griffin, who gave $5 million to Haleys allied super political action committee, has said he will focus on congressional races. Haley said in a statement she was grateful for Murkowskis support and leadership, praising the first woman to represent Alaska in the Senate as a trailblazer and a strong, independent voice who doesnt bow down to the powers that be in Washington. (Updates with Collins endorsement starting in first paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Friday declined to speculate whether former President Trump would abide by the Constitution if hes reelected in 2024. Haley expressed doubt, though, when asked by Meet the Press host Kristen Welker if she thought Trump would do so if he takes back the Oval Office. I dont know. I mean, you always want to think someone will, but I dont know, Haley said during a pre-taped interview on Meet the Press set to air Sunday. When you go in and you talk about revenge vindication what does that mean? she continued. I dont know what that means. And only he can answer for that. Haleys comments come in the wake of several states moving to nix Trump from their ballots, citing the 14th Amendments insurrection clause which bars anyone who has taken an oath of office from rebelling against the government. Arguments against the former president, the current frunt-runner in the GOP primary race, claim he incited the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, and thus should be ineligible to run for office. Most recently, an Illinois judge moved to remove Trump from the states GOP primary ballot. Judge Tracie Porter, from Cook County, Ill., later suspended her order after the former presidents legal team appealed. The former president will now be allowed to remain on the ballot until the Appellate Court of Illinois hands down a final verdict. The Supreme Court is also expected to take up whether Trump can be disqualified from appearing on Colorados ballot setting up a historic case that could upend the presidential election. The high court held oral arguments in the case earlier this month. Despite Trumps wide lead in the race, Haley who recently suffered losses in Michigan and her home state of South Carolina has vowed to stay in the race until at least Super Tuesday. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Two young children, who prompted an Amber Alert in New Hampshire, are safe, and their father is in custody after police said he shot and killed their mother. According to the New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella, 37-year-old Dustin Mark Duren was charged with second-degree murder in the death of 31-year-old Caitlyn Naffziger. Police said that Duren allegedly shot his wife, Naffziger, on Thursday night in the couple's shared Berlin, New Hampshire apartment. The discovery of Naffziger's body prompted state police to issue an hour-long Amber Alert for the couple's two daughters, 4-year-old Elowyn Duren and 1-year-old Vaelyn Duren. FAMILY OF 70-YEAR-OLD WHO DIED AFTER BEING PUNCHED BY DETROIT COP FILES $50M CIVIL RIGHTS SUIT 37-year-old Dustin Mark Duren was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection to the death of his wife, 31-year-old Caitlyn Naffziger. Attorney General Formella said that the girls had been last seen in Berlin, New Hampshire, around 8 p.m. Thursday with their father, Duren. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP They said Duren "may possibly be armed and dangerous," but did not offer any additional details. KENTUCKY HERO WHO SAVED SEMI-TRUCK DRIVER WHO WAS DANGLING FROM BRIDGE IDENTIFIED At 10:30 a.m. on Friday, New Hampshire State Police announced that Elowyn and Vaelyn had been found safe at an Applebees restaurant in Keene, which is about three hours south from Berlin. Authorities said that Duren was taken into custody without incident at the restaurant. When the Amber Alert was initially issued, state police asked the public to be on the lookout for a white 2017 Subaru Impreza with a New Hampshire license plate. On Friday evening, Formella announced that the Amber Alert issued had been canceled. "The Department of Justice greatly thanks the public for their assistance in this matter and their responsiveness to the alert issued earlier by the New Hampshire State Police," the attorney general said in a release. The New Hampshire District Attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Original article source: New Hampshire father who triggered state-wide Amber Alert found, facing murder of children's mother NORFOLK, Va. Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, or NRMA, installations in Hampton Roads are looking for lifeguards to operate all Morale, Welfare and Recreation pools. MWR is seeking candidates for full-time and part-time. Not having any lifeguards affects fitness, mission readiness, the physical readiness test, and forces us to remove aquatic programs for families to use, said John Lucas, NRMA Fleet Readiness Director. Lifeguards in Hampton Roads are paid $17-$20 per hour depending on level of expertise. Certified lifeguards are preferred, but training will be provided to those who are not. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to make some extra cash on summer break or for someone wanting to make this a long-term career, Lucas said. Interested applicants can search and apply for open lifeguard positions at usajobs.gov. Minimum age to apply is 16 years old. Check with WAVY.com for updates. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan touted his new media company Friday evening, saying one benefit to going solo is that Im my own boss. I cant say Ive ever been a fan of having bosses.. one of the appeals of doing this, is that now Im my own boss, which is a scary thought, I know, to me and many people who know me, Hasan said in an interview on NewsNations Cuomo Friday. Hasans new company, Zeteo will cater to the progressive left and will seek answers for the questions that really matter, while always striving for the truth, according to a Substack website for the company. During the interview with host Chris Cuomo, Hasan said his wife questioned him about starting the company, arguing that he is not an entrepreneur and doesnt know how to run a business. And shes right, but Ive surrounded myself with a good team of people, he countered. I have a very clear idea and a clear message. The progressive commentator also recently told The Washington Post that he has raised $4 million for the venture. This is one of the biggest news years of our lives, and thats why I wanted to do something like this, Hasan told the Post. Im not a businessman. Im not an entrepreneur. Ive never done anything like this before. Its a huge gamble. But if I wasnt confident, I wouldnt be doing this, he added. Hasan announced his departure from MSNBC in January, after the media company canceled his late night opinion talk show amid a weekend shakeup. The Guardian also announced last week that Hasan would join the team as a columnist. He kicked off his work with the outlet via a column asking President Biden to push Israel to agree to a cease-fire in Gaza amid its war with Palestinian militant group Hamas. I have been poring over columns in the Guardian since I was a teenager. Now I get to write some of my own, in what is perhaps one of the busiest and biggest news years of my lifetime, Hasan said in a statement. Its a huge honor and a privilege. NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Artificial Intelligence (AI) needs a massive amount of computing power and data storage to thrive. That's powering a boom in data center demand. According to Blackstone president Jonathan Gray, major tech companies will pour $1 trillion into data centers over the next five years. Third-party data center operators are one of the many beneficiaries of the AI boom. They're seeing high occupancy levels and rising lease rates at existing locations, and many new expansion opportunities. That's accelerating growth and driving up the value of most data center operators. However, the market hasn't yet grasped the magnitude of the AI-powered growth ahead for global infrastructure giant Brookfield Infrastructure (NYSE: BIPC)(NYSE: BIP). Because of that, it trades at a super-cheap valuation compared to real estate investment trusts (REITs) with growing data center platforms: Data center company Recent Price 2024 FFO Forecast (midpoint) Price-to-FFO Ratio American Tower $186.68 $10.33 18.1 Brookfield Infrastructure $33.53 $3.16 10.6 Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR) $138.23 $6.68 20.7 Equinix $873.05 $34.95 25.0 Iron Mountain $74.00 $4.45 16.6 Data source: Google Finance and company investor relations websites. NOTE: The recent price is as of February 27, 2024. That makes it a bargain buy for those seeking to cash in on the coming AI-powered boom in data centers. Quietly building a leading global data center platform Brookfield Infrastructure operates a globally diversified infrastructure platform with investments in the utilities, energy midstream, transportation, and data sectors. Its data infrastructure platform features 228,000 operational telecom tower sites, over 33,500 miles of fiber optic cable, two semiconductor manufacturing facilities currently under construction, and 135 data centers. The company has built its global data center platforms over several years. In 2019, it spent $1 billion to acquire a portfolio of data centers from AT&T in the U.S., creating the Evoque Data Centers platform. It has also formed two international joint ventures with data center REIT Digital Realty. The companies joined forces to acquire the Ascenty data center platform in South America and have since formed a data center development joint venture in India. Story continues Brookfield made three more data center investments last year. It acquired a co-controlling stake in North American data center developer Compass Datacenters. It also acquired European data center operator Data 4. Finally, Brookfield bought a portfolio of U.S. data centers out of bankruptcy from Cyxtera and the underlying real estate from third-party landlords, including Digital Realty. It merged those facilities into Evoque, creating an even larger-scale platform. Capitalizing on a once-in-a-generation opportunity Brookfield operating a large-scale, global data center platform positions it to capitalize on the explosive growth it sees ahead for data center demand. At its annual investor day last fall, a speaker commented, "In terms of megawatt (MW) capacity over the next three years, we estimate that an additional six gigawatts (GW) of capacity will be required to meet data demand." That drives its view that "We're in a once-in-a-generation investment cycle for data centers at the moment." The company has the platform and the land bank to deliver transformational growth over the coming years. It currently operates 135 data centers with 750 MW of capacity. It has 900 MW of contracted capacity currently in its backlog. Those projects will grow its data center funds from operations (FFO) by 2.5 times over the next three years. Meanwhile, it has the space to expand its total capacity to 2.3 GW over the next five years. In addition to acquiring growing operating platforms, Brookfield has been strategically expanding its land bank to support additional expansion. CEO Sam Pollock wrote in his fourth-quarter letter to investors that it has been "acquiring strategic parcels of land that have strong customer interest." For example, he noted, "Following further discussions with our customers regarding their growth ambitions, we acquired a strategic land site in Milan that can accommodate over 60 megawatts of capacity." Brookfield has the scale and access to capital to rapidly scale its data center portfolio over the next several years, which could create significant value for shareholders. Transformational growth for a dirt cheap price The market has yet to fully grasp the massive growth potential of Brookfield's data center platform. Because of that, it trades at a dirt cheap price compared to other data center developers. That allows investors to scoop up its cheap shares to cash in as it capitalizes on the anticipated explosive growth ahead for the sector. It could significantly outperform its more expensive rivals as the market catches on to its AI-powered upside potential. Should you invest $1,000 in Brookfield Infrastructure right now? Before you buy stock in Brookfield Infrastructure, 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 Brookfield Infrastructure 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 26, 2024 Matt DiLallo has positions in American Tower, Blackstone, Brookfield Infrastructure, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, Digital Realty Trust, Equinix, and Iron Mountain. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends American Tower, Blackstone, Digital Realty Trust, Equinix, and Iron Mountain. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $180 calls on American Tower and short January 2026 $185 calls on American Tower. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 Super-Cheap Way to Cash In on This $1 Trillion Artificial Intelligence Megatrend was originally published by The Motley Fool Hate preachers will be blocked from entering the UK under new plans being drawn up by the Government amid a shocking increase in extremist activity. Officials will identify the most dangerous extremists from countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Indonesia, so they can be added to visa warning lists. Under the plans, those on the list will be automatically refused entry to the UK. Ministers also believe they can use existing national security powers to boost efforts to bar people from entering the UK who are deemed to be non-conducive to the public good. This could include blocking individuals who have a track record of preaching racism, incitement, or using intimidation or violence to undermine the democratic process. Speaking on the steps of Downing Street on Friday evening, Rishi Sunak said the election of George Galloway as the MP for Rochdale was horrifying and that the rise in extremism demanded a response from all of us. Barclays banks, like this one on Tottenham Court Road, have been targeted by Palestine groups - Jeff Gilbert The Telegraph also understands that the Home Office is looking at proposals to clamp down on far-Left anti-democratic organisations amid warnings of an unholy alliance with Islamist groups. The Metropolitan Police made 12 arrests at demonstrations in London yesterday. Growing threat An official review by Lord Walney, the Governments independent adviser on political violence and disruption, calls on ministers to tackle the growing threat posed by fringe, Left-wing groups that have allied with Islamist extremists at pro-Palestine marches across the UK. Lord Walney told The Telegraph: One of the conclusions of my review is to look at and understand the threat from anti-democratic far-Left groups, alongside that posed by Islamists and the far Right. For understandable reasons, the focus since 9/11 has been on violent terrorism. Because the far-Left has not posed a similar kind of violent threat, there has been less understanding and less focus on the way in which they can harm our society. You are seeing an unholy alliance between far-Left groups and some of the Islamist extremism that has been seen on the marches. He said there needs to be a greater understanding, capacity and willingness to tackle far-Left groups to protect our liberal democracy. Lord Walneys report is currently being poured over by Home Office officials and is due to be published later this month. A Home Office spokesman said: Extremism has no place in our society and we will not tolerate tactics that set out to intimidate, threaten or cause disruption to the law-abiding majority. In recent months, we have also witnessed a small number of protestors display violent and hateful behaviour, and the police have our full support in tackling extremism and hate crime. We are considering the reports recommendations extremely carefully and will respond in due course. Pro-Palestine protests continued across England and Wales on Saturday following Mr Sunaks warning that demonstrations and democracy itself were being targeted by extremists. Those who gathered outside the Houses of Parliament chanting From the River to the Sea, described by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism as genocidal language, were watched by about 30 officers. Organised by the fringe Palestinian Pulse group, placards referred to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, as Satanyahu and another accused the British Government of being complicit in the deaths of 30,000 innocent Palestinians in Gaza. Met police made a number of arrests across London on Saturday - Tayfun Salci/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) singled out Barclays bank for its day of action, assembling at nearly 50 locations including the branch on Tottenham Court Road, in Central London. Lord Walney said: There is a gap in the Governments understanding of damage that the anti-democratic far-Left can do. They are now at the forefront of the threat to our democratic institutions by manipulating protest movements, hijacking them with extreme illegitimate protest methods this is one of the hallmarks of a number of far-Left groups. His report calls for all mainstream political party leaders to instruct their MPs not to engage with any organisation that seeks to intimidate MPs or break the law to get their way. He said that a message must be sent that if you resort to these tactics, its not going to work, adding: You cant on the one hand be encircling and menacing someones office, and then be invited in for a cup of tea and a chat. We need to do more to protect our democratic decision making. He said that the way the PSC has been directly and aggressively targeting MPs, shows that they are at best, in the most generous interpretation, facilitating a level of militancy which is not acceptable. 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. FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) The Fresno Police Department announced Friday that they are investigating a hate incident after papers containing general hate propaganda and unfounded conspiracy theories were left on central Fresno driveways. Residents in the area say they found plastic bags with what appeared to be Nazi propaganda in them near Fruit and Dakota avenues. Police confirm that they were also notified that residents living in the area had found papers containing hate statements. The papers had been placed in plastic bags and thrown onto the residential driveways. Officers, community service officers, and police cadets have begun canvassing the affected neighborhoods and removing any flyers they can find. Officers are also working to secure any surveillance video that shows who left the papers. Of the flyers recovered so far, police say there are no direct threats to any members of our community. Anyone with information about who left the papers is encouraged to contact the Fresno Police Department at 559-621-7000. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. Victoria Atkins, the Health Secretary, has been criticised over what the MPs and peers called a wall of silence - HEATHCLIFF O'MALLEY FOR THE TELEGRAPH MPs and peers have accused the Health Secretary of withholding data that could link the Covid vaccine to excess deaths, and criticised a wall of silence on the topic. A cross-party group has written to Victoria Atkins to sound alarm about the growing public and professional concerns at the UKs rates of excess deaths since 2020. Ministers have blamed the rise in excess deaths on record NHS waiting lists and the pandemic backlog. But the parliamentarians are demanding to be shown the underlying data to support the Governments assertion that there is no evidence linking excess deaths to the vaccines for Covid-19. If those data do indeed exist, please share them; if thorough investigations have already ruled out such a link, please share the relevant reports, their letter says. There is no place here for blind faith. The group of 21 MPs and peers from four parties have written to the Health Secretary and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), as well as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to request the data. They believe potentially critical data which maps the date of peoples Covid vaccine doses to the date of their deaths have been released to pharmaceutical companies but not put into the public domain. The MPs argue that the data should be released on the same anonymised basis that it was shared with the pharmaceutical groups, and there seems to be no credible reason why that should not be done immediately. They add: We warn that by withholding official data which could help reassure the public, the DHSC, the UKHSA and the MHRA are now fuelling concerns and hesitancy about public health messaging. Questions about these trends, however, have to date been met by a relative wall of silence from your organisations and other public health officials. The letter was organised by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on pandemic response and recovery and the campaign group UsForThem. Its signatories include the Conservative MPs Miriam Cates, Danny Kruger, Philip Davies and Karl McCartney, as well as the Labour MP Graham Stringer, who sits on the science, innovation and technology committee. The leader of Reform UK has committed his party to a public inquiry into excess deaths and alleged Covid vaccine harms. Richard Tice said there was a serious problem with thousands more people dying than expected and suggested the side-effects of coronavirus jabs could be responsible. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been accused of overestimating excess deaths in the first year of the Covid pandemic. The statistics body announced last week that it was updating its methodology for calculating excess deaths to include current death rates, as well as the growing and ageing population a change that many experts said was long overdue. But academics from the University of Oxford warned the new modelling revealed a major drop in expected deaths in 2020, making it appear that far more people had died than normal during the first year of the pandemic. A DHSC spokesman said: We are committed to data transparency and publish a wide range of data on excess mortality. The datasets published are kept under constant review. A wide variety of factors can contribute to excess mortality each year and we work closely with the MHRA and UKHSA to analyse significant trends and adjust public health interventions where appropriate. 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. Drexel Mack had a big family because his friends often became his family. It didnt take him long to accept you as his own, family and friends said Friday, remembering him as a great father, great uncle and great friend. I still cant believe it, Im missing a brother, Carmon Mack, his sister, said during an interview with The Star on Friday. This is not OK. Drexel Mack, a 41-year-old civil process server for the Jackson County Circuit Court, was shot and killed Thursday while serving a writ of possession at a home in Independence. Independence police officer Cody Allen, 35, was also shot and killed. Two other police officers were shot and wounded, and were expected to recover. Larry D. Acree, 69, a longtime resident of the home, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killings of Drexel Mack and Allen. Acree, also injured during the shooting, was being held in custody on a $2 million bond. A brother, a friend Carmon Mack had a close relationship with her brother Drexel from an early age. She remembers being like two peas in a pod. He was my protector and I was his, she said. They grew up in the Bahama Islands and moved to the United States as children. Drexel Mack still has family in Florida, including a 19-year-old son. It was the first place he lived with his sister in America. Drexel Mack would eventually serve in the U.S. Navy. His sister didnt want him to go, she said, but he went anyway. While active duty, he was in the U.S. Navy Choir, and she remembers that he had a gifted voice. Drexel was very sweet and that boy could sing his behind off, Carmon Mack said. Drexel Mack pictured with his sisters Helen Lightbourne (left) and Carmon Mack (center). Drexel Mack was eventually medically discharged from the Navy. He then worked as a corrections officer in Florida before moving to the Kansas City area in 2010. He again worked as a corrections officer locally before being hired to work for Jackson County. Darnell Hill, a friend and former coworker of Drexel Mack, met him about a decade ago. At the time, Hill was working in a diversion program with youth offenders, and Mack was assigned to a group home where some of those youths lived. Shortly after, Drexel Mack went to work in civil processing, and Hill followed him into the same department. Mack had a really big heart for his family and for people, Hill said. Hill said his friend took his job seriously and was meticulous about how he worked with others. Drexel Mack wore his court deputy badge with dignity and pride, Hill said. Drexel Mack was around six feet tall and could be intimidating to others. But in reality, Hill said, he was genuine and kind with a contagious smile. He was big in stature, but man, he had a heart of gold, Hill said. I know his passion was, when he worked with the family court, he was able to render social skills to those in the group home. He had real conversations with some of those kids. We even lost a kid a kid was killed that was part of the group home and Mack and I took it real hard, Hill said. We were there for each other. Drexel Mack (left) with his son Drexel Mack Jr. Hill said their work often put them in difficult social situations where not everybody liked them, but it was hard for anyone to dislike Mack. People in the community, including property managers working with him on evictions, enjoyed his company. Jackson County 16th Judicial Circuit Court Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said Drexel Mack worked with the courts for 12 years. Otto said this was the first time she has heard of a civil process server killed in the line of duty. Its very difficult, Otto said in a press conference outside Centerpoint Medical Center Thursday. Everyone in the courthouse is there because that is where they want to be as public servants to try and make Jackson County as best as they can. Drexel has been a fixture there for over a decade, she said. Hes beloved by many, (he) is kind and a hard worker. So were still fighting through it. This is going to affect us very much in the next few weeks. During a press conference Friday on the fourth floor of the Jackson County courthouse in downtown Kansas City, Jack Foster, director of the courts civil process servers, recalled hiring Drexel Mack about 10 years ago. Over his career, Drexel Mack was named the top employee during his third year with the office, Foster said, and received glowing reviews from his coworkers. As an execution deputy, Drexel Mack was responsible for serving out orders of protection and many of the courts most time sensitive and important documents. He was remembered as a hard worker, who went above and beyond to follow through with tracking down and carrying out the demands of his job. Foster said Drexel Mack was part of a small department within the court a staff of about 15 execution officers and seven clerical staff members where coworkers were also feeling the pain of his sudden loss. Always cracking jokes Hill also remembers that Drexel Mack was a big gamer. He enjoyed games like Madden 2K, and his consoles of choice were the Playstation 4 and Playstation 5. Hill remembers going to Drexel Macks house in south Kansas City on Saturdays for a couple games of 2K. He said Drexel Mack balanced his work and family life well, and that his friends often became more like family. Drexel Mack with his fiance Janelle Ruffin. Drexel Mack is survived by his fiance, Janelle Ruffin, who has three children, and his son Drexel Mack Jr., 19, who lives in Miami near other relatives. He also had a few other children he considered his own, his sister said. He had ups and downs in relationships but he found somebody that loved him and he loved her, Hill said of Macks fiance. She was a really big part of his life. Drexel Mack was always smiling and cracking jokes, his sister said, never asking for help and always making sacrifices for others. I dont even understand how we move forward from this, Carmon Mack said. He was really special. NEW HOPE, Ala. (WHNT) Authorities say a two-year-old boy died after he was attacked by a dog in New Hope on Friday evening. HEMSI Spokesperson Don Webster said they responded to the call on T R Christian Road at about 5:21 p.m. Webster said the child who was attacked was pronounced dead on the scene. Community finds different ways to honor 4-year-old killed in Morgan County dog attack Madison County Coroner Tyler Berryhill said the child was a two-year-old boy and suffered fatal bite wounds during the attack. A GoFundMe created to help the family with the financial burden of being out of work and the costs of a funeral identifies the boy as Mark Alan Partain. Brent Patterson, a Madison County Sheriffs Office spokesperson, said the boy was at a neighbors house when they were attacked by a neighbors dog. A News 19 crew at the scene said they saw two dogs being taken in by animal control after the incident. News 19s Darryl Burke spoke with a neighbor who said one of his dogs, a Husky, was responsible for the attack. The man said both of his dogs were taken by animal control, though he said he believes only one was involved in the attack. Berryhill said an autopsy will be performed on the boy this week in Huntsville. The GoFundMe for Partains family says that in addition to donating to the online fundraiser, those looking to donate can do so directly to the New Hope Funeral Home. It added that a meal train will be set up soon for the family. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Robin Gill, astronomy education specialist at The Wilderness Center in Sugar Creek Township, conducts a program to teach those interested how to successfully and safely view the solar eclipse. The timing of a rare solar eclipse and an influx of visitors has prompted school districts across the state to cancel classes April 8. Northeast Ohio is in the path of the solar eclipse, with it passing through cities such as Toledo, Mansfield, Akron and Cleveland. Stark County is on the edge of the 124-mile-wide band in Ohio that will experience the total solar eclipse an event that hasn't occurred in the state in more than 200 years. Solar eclipse: The sky's the limit for Ohio's solar eclipse tourism. How will it impact the economy? The total eclipse will last for approximately three minutes and 40 seconds in parts of the path. With the eclipse happening when many schools will be dismissing students, the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce is encouraging districts to plan now for traffic and potential safety concerns. Many districts have opted to cancel classes. Which Stark County schools have canceled classes for the eclipse? These Canton-area schools are closed on April 8: Alliance City Schools Brown Local Schools Canton City Schools Canton Country Day School Canton Local Schools Canton Montessori School Carrollton Exempted Village Schools Central Catholic High School Dalton Local Schools Fairless Local Schools Green Local Schools Heritage Christian School Jackson Local Schools Lake Center Christian School Lake Local Schools Louisville City Schools Marlington Local Schools Massillon City Schools Minerva Area Christian Minerva Local Schools North Canton City Schools Northwest Local Schools Osnaburg Local Schools Our Lady of Peace Perry Local Schools Plain Local Schools Regina Coeli St. James St. Joan of Arc St. Mary St. Michael the Archangel St. Paul St. Peter St. Thomas Aquinas Sts. Philip and James Sandy Valley Local Schools Sebring Local Schools (in-service day) Tuslaw Local Schools Minerva Area Christian School will have an early dismissal at 11:45 a.m. West Branch Local Schools has not made a decision yet. This story will be updated as schools make a decision. This article originally appeared on The Independent: Which Stark County schools are closed for the eclipse? SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/ KUSI) A pair of weather advisories have been issued for parts of San Diego County as the weekend brings scattered showers and wind to the region. High Surf Advisory According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a High Surf Advisory will go into effect for the coastal areas starting at 4 p.m. Saturday. This will remain in place until Monday morning at 9 a.m. Meteorologists have said a northwest swell from 280 to 290 degrees is expected to bring large breaking waves upwards of 5 to 7 feet. The highest surf will be on exposed west-facing beaches. During a High Surf Advisory, swimming and surfing conditions are considered to be dangerous as NWS said breaking wave action poses a threat to life and property within the surf zone. Inexperienced swimmers are encouraged to remain out of the water. COASTER, Amtrak service temporarily suspended between these areas High Wind Warning NWS also issued a High Wind Warning at 6 a.m. Saturday, which will remain in effect until noon Sunday for the San Diego County mountains. This includes areas like Julian, Pine Valley and Campo. Meteorologists have said westward winds could be between 35 to 45 mph with isolated gusts up to 80 mph expected. Additionally, isolated gusts could reach up to 90 mph. The strongest winds are expected to be on the desert slopes of the mountains. During High Wind Warnings, damaging gusts may blow down trees and other unsecured objects. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles, said NWS. People should avoid being outside in forested areas and around trees and branches. If possible, remain in the lower levels of your home during the windstorm and avoid windows. (National Weather Service) Weekend forecast NWS said winds will peak Saturday afternoon into the night. Meanwhile, rainfall is expected to be mostly widespread during the day Saturday from the coast to the mountains due to a weak atmospheric river, according to meteorologists. On Sunday, more rainfall is on the forecast, ranging from one-third inch for North County to around one-tenth of an inch for southern portions of the region. The mountain areas are expected to see one-half to 1.5 inches. (National Weather Service) Stay safe this weekend, San Diego. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Hazardous winds are plaguing the state of Utah Saturday, causing UDOT officials to issue multiple warnings, ski resorts to shut down lifts, and a Real Salt Lake match to be delayed. Hazardous wind gusts in excess of 65 mph are hitting across Utah today. While they are expected to decrease with the passage of a cold front this weekend, the wind is causing delays and road concerns. UDOT recommends to avoid driving up Little Cottonwood canyon Saturday. RoadUpdate #SR210: The front has hit. Expect thunder snow, low visibility, winds, snow and hail. Avoid driving up, UDOT officials said. If you have to drive to/from @AltaAlerts @AltaCentral @SnowbirdAlerts, you need to be able to handle these conditions. Traction devices are required for driving in the canyon. The storm is here and we are ready. Our crews are out pre-treating Bangerter Highway now, UDOT officials said. The Utah Dept. of Transportation has prohibited high profile vehicles from traveling on Eastbound I-80 from milepost 99-0, or Lake Point to Wendover in Tooele County. Strong winter storm moving through this weekend Saturdays Real Salt Lake match against Los Angeles FC has also been delayed kickoff now scheduled for 3:05 p.m. Ticket gates were also delayed from opening due to the wind, but have since opened. UPDATE: Were nearing the closing of the 30 min window where lightning has passed,' a post states on social media. Real Salt Lake officials said theyre offering one free popcorn per family at Sandy Sandwich Co., City Grill, Royal Feast, and Royal Feast Express until 12:30 p.m. as a way to say thank you for your patience. Utah Tech Universitys Womens Tennis match scheduled for Saturday has also been cancelled. Brighton Resort has also closed multiple lifts due to the high winds, with Great Western Express, Snake Creek, and Milly Express shut down for the time being. Night riding has also been canceled for tonight due to the heavy winds and storm conditions. NOW: Tumbleweeds, wind damage affecting South Jordan, Herriman Snowbird Resort has also reported that all lifts are currently on hold due to the winds. The winds are expected to persist with heavy snowfall arriving in the afternoon. Deer Valley Resort has also reported that only seven of 21 chairlifts are open at this time. Our teams is closely monitoring conditions and will open chairlifts on a case-by-case basis as we are able, resort officials stated. As of 2:18 p.m., all Solitude lifts are currently on a lightning hold, resort officials said. Salt Lake City Council has declared a Code Blue in Salt Lake County for Saturday, Mar. 2. Code Blue Alerts were approved as state law that became effective in 2023. These alerts are issued when temperatures in specific areas are expected to drop to 15 degrees, including wind chill, for two hours or more during a 24-hour period. The alert allows shelters to relax and expand to give officials some flexibility to identify new locations to shield people who are experiencing homelessness from the cold, the Utah Dept. of Health and Human Services website states. More details on Salt Lake Countys Code Blue are available here. This post will be updated as new information becomes available. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Ms Shahzadi said her senior colleagues were very supportive A hijab-wearing army solider said she had to "educate people" when she first joined the forces. Corporal Iqra Shahzadi, from Surrey, said: "Just because I wear a hijab doesn't mean I'm not competent." Ms Shahzadi works as a military nurse at Frimley Park and said she always aspired to be in the Army, despite not seeing Muslim women represented. The NHS trust that runs Frimley Park said it was a "special honour" to have Ms Shahzadi among their colleagues. Ms Shahzadi told the BBC: "It hasn't been an easy road." When she told her parents about her aspirations to join the Army, Ms Shahzadi said "they thought it was a phase - she'll get over it". She remembered flicking through army magazines in a career's office and not seeing anyone like herself in the pages. Even though she did not see anyone else wearing a hijab, she spoke to the Armed Forces Network Association, who said they would support her to wear it. Ms Shahzadi did not see anyone like herself in the Army After completing her training, Ms Shahzadi became a combat medical technician but said she still faced struggles. "I had to educate people. To the naked eye, this may just be a cloth - it may not mean anything. "To me, it doesn't just cover my hair, it tells me that I am a Muslim," Ms Shahzadi explained. Ms Shahzadi said: "The unit that I am part of is very supportive of my faith" Ms Shahzadi wears a grey hijab to match the grey beret of the role and said: "The unit that I am part of is very supportive of my faith." The Frimley Park NHS Trust said: "We are really proud both of our diverse workforce and our partnership with military medical staff from Joint Hospital Group South East." Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Forest Hill Police Chief Eddie Burns was fired from his position on Feb. 17. Now, some Forest Hill residents are fighting for him to be reinstated, saying he was wrongfully terminated. Burns and protesters supporting him stood outside of Forest Hill City Hall on Friday, demanding that the city bring him back to the police department. They also protested the need for a new city manager. This is the worst Ive ever seen our city, said former Forest Hill mayor Lyndia Thomas. Were putting people in these positions who do not know how to manage thats one reason why we are mad. The protest comes almost two weeks after Burns was terminated by Forest Hill City Manager Venus Wehle. A source in the citys administration told the Star-Telegram that Wehle fired Burns with no input from the mayor or city council. Forest Hill residents hold signs in support of their police chief, Eddie Burns Sr., who was fired in February after being on medical leave for months before his termination, in front of Forest Hill City Hall on Friday, March 1, 2024. Were angry because when you have a person like Venus Wehle as a city manager, and she has no idea of how to manage not to say shes not a good person but shes not the person for Forest Hill, Thomas said at the protest. Burns, who had been on medical leave for months, said that the city fired him in retaliation after he filed an EEOC complaint against city officials alleging discrimination and malfeasance. Its the history of the city and things that have been taking place for a long time and I brought it to light through the media, Burns said. The next thing I know, Im getting an attorney. Today's top stories: Play cancellation, film crew visit spark outrage in Keller ISD 6 people, 2 teens, injured in Arlington police pursuit of shooting suspect Fort Worth nursing home hosted a weekly happy hour. It didnt end well Get free alerts when news breaks. Burns was hired as police chief in July 2021. He commanded the Forest Hill Police Department during a period marred by internal complaints of harassment and a spree of resignations without new hires to fill empty spots, according to city records and multiple former officers. In their resignation letters, some former officers wrote that problems in the department predated Burns tenure and that they had noticed efforts by Burns to change the direction and culture of the department but the officers felt those efforts had not made enough of a difference by the time they resigned. Burns personnel file, obtained by the Star-Telegram through an open records request, shows that Burns had received three letters of reprimand from Wehle, all in 2023. Two of them related to the police chiefs communication with others and one reprimanded Burns for hiring an attorney in connection with another officers EEOC complaint without the approval of the city council. Former Forest Hill Police Chief Eddie Burns Sr., who was fired in February after being on medical leave for months before his termination, looks on at the dozens of residents rallying and holding signs in support of him in front of Forest Hill City Hall on Friday, March 1, 2024. Burns said that even after all the issues hes encountered regarding his termination, he wants his job back. Ive had a long career in public safety and I think by the people that came out tonight, that they support me, Burns said. They care. I care. And so thats my message: That I do care about Forest Hill and I appreciate everyone coming out tonight in support of what I was trying to do in this community. From 2006 to 2011, Burns was the Dallas Fire-Rescue chief, a term the Dallas Morning News in 2011 described as rocky. Under his leadership, Dallas Fire-Rescue was the subject of allegations of discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation, all of which have been alleged during his tenure as the chief of Forest Hill police. He resigned from his position in Dallas after city leadership found out he owned a stake in a bar in Arlington and another in south Dallas, the Dallas Morning News reported. But protesters and Forest Hill residents on Friday praised Burns performance as a leader in law enforcement. Forest Hill residents rally and hold signs in support of Police Chief Eddie Burns Sr., who was fired last month after being on medical leave, in front of Forest Hill City Hall on Friday, March 1, 2024. Chief Burns was doing an outstanding job. He was the only chief that weve had in 45 years that I know of that started having meetings with the citizens to hear our concerns, to share what was going on in the police department, Thomas said. So the bottom line is we need Chief Burns back because he is the only positive that has come out of this building. Thomas added that the city is facing several issues inside and out of the city government, including racism, discrimination and financial problems. We need people who care about the citizens and the city, Thomas said. We need somebody that wants to come in here, embrace this city and move forward. Im looking forward to the investigation to reveal the malfeasance and the discrimination thats been taking place in this city for a long time, Burns said. Residents and community members will attend a city council meeting on Tuesday, when they expect Wehle to provide an official statement regarding her decision to fire Burns from the police department. Stocks have roared higher over the past year, and much of that gain is thanks to the "Magnificent Seven." I'm not talking about the Western that hit the silver screen back in 1960 or a newer version that made it to theaters in 2016, though. The seven I'm talking about are a group of industry-leading companies, all developing cutting-edge technology, with names you'll probably recognize: Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. All of these stocks, with the exception of Tesla, have climbed in the double or triple digits over the past year, helping the indexes rise in this new bull market. There are many reasons to like the Magnificent Seven, from their growth track records to their investments in hot technologies, like artificial intelligence (AI). These players also stand out for their moats, or competitive advantages. A moat is particularly important because, if it's strong enough, it can help a company hold onto its leadership for the long haul -- and that can result in lasting earnings growth. Two Magnificent Seven stocks, in particular, offer rock-solid moats -- which is one of the reasons they should be on your buy list. Image source: Getty Images. Alphabet Alphabet is the company behind a tool you may use daily: the Google search engine. When most of us need to find out about something, our first reflex often is to "Google" it. Advertisers know this, and that's exactly why they flock to Alphabet to advertise their goods or services on Google. These advertising dollars make up the lion's share of the company's revenue -- 75% of it in the recent quarter -- and that's likely to continue, thanks to Alphabet's terrific moat. The company's competitive advantage in search is that most of us turn to Google Search as part of our daily routine. And this has helped the platform steadily hold a more than 90% share of the search market. This dominance also has reinforced Alphabet's competitive advantage. Story continues Alphabet's moat may be about to get even stronger because the company is investing in AI, a technology that can make search even better. The company introduced Gemini, its most powerful AI tool ever, late last year and recently launched the next-generation model -- Gemini Ultra. Alphabet is testing Gemini in search, and the results have been very positive -- making the process faster -- and generative AI is improving search results in many ways. For example, Google can address more complex questions and offer a broader range of links corresponding to your query. All of this should keep people coming back to Google for their search needs -- which means advertisers should stick around, too. On top of this, Alphabet has developed AI tools to help advertisers create their campaigns. Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai says the company has seen "a lot of interest" here. Today, Alphabet shares trade for 20x forward earnings estimates. This is an absolute steal for a Magnificent Seven stock with such a fantastic moat. Apple Apple may be a word you pronounce every day in your household -- not referring to the fruit but, instead, to the company that makes so many leading consumer products from the iPhone to the Mac. Owners of Apple products tend to stick with them, regardless of price increases or the offerings or rivals. As a result, this technology giant has enormous brand strength. This brand strength is Apple's moat, and so far, it's been rock solid over the long term. In the smartphone market, Apple has held a place among leaders, and last year, rose to the top of the rankings with the iPhone. For the first time ever, the company became the world's No. 1 player in the smartphone market, with a 20% market share, according to research firm IDC. The total installed base of Apple's devices recently reached a new record high of 2.2 billion worldwide. Not only did the iPhone's active user base reach a record, but Apple announced an all-time high of iPhone upgraders during the quarter -- which shows that users keep returning to Apple. But this doesn't mean Apple's growth is limited to current customers. The company also continues to attract new users to its products. For example, in the recent quarter, about half of Mac and iPad buyers were new to those particular products -- and two-thirds of Apple Watch customers were first-time buyers. Apple's brand strength helps it hold onto longtime customers and bring in new ones. This strength has helped Apple increase earnings in the triple digits over the past decade -- and grow return on invested capital. That means Apple's investments have been wise ones, and the company has benefited from them. AAPL Net Income (Annual) Chart Today, Apple shares trade for 27x forward earnings estimates. This is a very reasonable price for a company that's delivered so much growth over the long term -- and promises more to come, thanks to its rock-solid moat. Should you invest $1,000 in Apple right now? Before you buy stock in Apple, 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 Apple 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 26, 2024 Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Adria Cimino has positions in Amazon and Tesla. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 "Magnificent Seven" Stocks With Rock-Solid Moats to Buy Now was originally published by The Motley Fool DENVER (KDVR) Denver police are searching for the driver in a hit-and-run crash that caused two vehicles to hit an elderly womans home and run through her yard near downtown Denver. One person was hurt in the crash, which caused some chaotic moments at 5th Avenue and Inca Street. Traffic stop leads to 2 deputies firing shots, 1 suspect dead A pickup truck pulling a trailer hit a car and then hit the home. The struck car went flying through a fence and ended up in a yard belonging to a 77-year-old woman. The womans daughter said the damaged pickup truck was able to take off, but only made it a few blocks away. However, the driver took off running from the corner of 3rd Avenue and Inca Street where the truck stopped. The driver of the car told FOX31 that the pickup truck ran a stop sign before hitting him. Olivia Jimenez was in the home, but thankfully was not in the room, when the truck and car crashed. Jimenez, who was using a wheelchair to get around in front of her home, said she was just thankful to be OK. I heard loud bangs and was wondering what was going on, Jimenez said. Denver police are searching for the driver in a hit-and-run crash that caused two vehicles to hit an elderly womans home and run through her yard near downtown Denver. They told FOX31 that items went crashing down inside the home and windows were shattered. Jimenez said she was scared and began looking for her phone to call for help. The driver of the car that was hit, Alexis Hamed, was injured and taken to the hospital. Hamed returned to the scene and told FOX31 he estimated the truck that ran the stop sign was moving about 50 mph before hitting his car. 12 indicted in alleged Denver-area crime ring to steal building materials Jimenezs family members were shaken, and helping the older woman to figure out what to do next. Her daughter said this was a close, close call. Im just grateful that she was in her room away from this wall because it could have been a lot worse, Leonor Jimenez said. So far, the Denver Police Department has not released a description of the driver and has not made any arrests. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Hospital parking charges could be cut after the taxman lost a VAT legal battle against an NHS trust in a potentially landmark ruling. HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC) has been ordered to pay 267,443 in wrongly claimed value added tax back to Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust following a ruling in the Court of Appeal. The decision could have wide-ranging ramifications with 50 similar appeals by NHS bodies set to follow, worth approximately 70 million, the Telegraph understands. Exorbitant parking fees at hospitals have been a frustration of patients, their visitors and NHS staff alike. Hospitals made 146m from patient and visitor parking in 2022-23, up by 50pc on the year before, the equivalent of 400,000 per day. Meanwhile, staff in England spent a total of 46.7m on parking at hospitals where they worked, which was up eight-fold on the year before. NHS workers had been temporarily allowed to park at hospitals for free during the pandemic but are now back paying fees that are, in line with NHS guidelines, reasonable for the area. In some cases fees have reached as high as 3 an hour. Staff in Scotland and Wales are able to park for free. The court declared that NHS bodies operating under a special legal regime should not be subject to VAT because they are providing medical care, overturning two previous tribunal rulings. It means the HMRC will have to pay back more than a quarter of a million pounds in VAT for the three years ending in March 2016, and tens of millions could follow. However, the tax authority is allowed to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, which experts have warned is likely. Geraint Lewis, a VAT director at audit firm Moore Kingston Smith said it was likely a number of other NHS Trusts with a very similar fact pattern could stand to benefit. He said there was clearly an opportunity for the NHS to reduce parking fees by the amount of VAT at no loss to themselves, [but] whether they choose to do that is a commercial, or political matter. Parking fees in hospitals is a high profile issue, and one that is not particularly popular with patients and their families. So I can imagine there would be quite a lot of public clamour to see this passed over as a saving, Mr Lewis said. As the ruling has been made for one single trust, HMRC could seek to battle each case separately, in addition to an appeal, which would delay refunding hospitals the VAT charges imposed. The Department of Health could enact a no win, no lose situation, Mr Lewis added, where the Government keeps the money by other means such as reducing its funding. Any NHS Trusts that have outsourced their parking to third parties will not be able to claim back the VAT under the exemption, it is understood.The tax office is in talks with various NHS bodies while it considers the effects of the ruling. An HMRC spokesman said: The tax rules apply to everyone and we discharge our responsibility across all sectors fairly and evenly. In this case, we are considering the judgement and our next steps. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was asked for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. More than two months of direct fighting with the Houthis has heavily taxed the U.S. military, which is spending a significant amount of money to take down cheap drones, launch retaliatory strikes and defend against rebels who are, in turn, shooting down pricey American drones. In most cases, the U.S. is launching $2 million defense missiles to stop $2,000 Houthi drones, a discrepancy that the Yemeni rebel group has noted in its statements mocking Washington. The cost of taking on the Houthis is also becoming more apparent as the defiant fighters show no signs of stopping and could lock the U.S. into a long conflict and its throwing the world into a tough spot. North Yemen is becoming like North Korea when it comes to firing rockets over the seas, said Mohammed al-Basha, a Yemen and Middle East expert at Navanti Group. Its going to be a long-term issue for not just us, but for the world. Since late November, the Houthis have attacked commercial boats and U.S. ships dozens of times, with most of the attacks unsuccessful, as the U.S. shoots down drones or anti-ship cruise missiles on a near-daily basis. But they successfully hijacked a ship in November, set a ship on fire in January and sunk a British cargo vessel. To date, the Houthis have hit 15 commercial ships since the fighting between Israel and Hamas began in October, with four of those ships being U.S. vessels, according to Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Pete Nguyen. The U.S. in December set up a task force called Operation Prosperity Guardian, which involves a coalition of other allied nations, to patrol the waters of the Red Sea and defend commercial shipping against the Houthis. In January, the U.S. began launching strikes on the Houthis with the U.K., and both nations have continued to target the group in Yemen to knock out military capabilities before they can be used in attacks. The maritime operation is still in effect. Between four and eight coalition ships are in the Red Sea on any given day, according to the Pentagon, but the U.S. is the primary actor taking down Houthi drones and missiles. While playing defense, the U.S. Navy is likely using Standard Missile-2 surface-to-air missiles, which cost more than $2 million a piece, to take down Houthi attacks. The Navy may also be using Standard SM-6 missiles, which cost more than $4 million each. The missiles are effective because they can neutralize threats over a larger area, enabling the U.S. to protect commercial ships. Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. will continue to safeguard international trade and noted that if the coalition hadnt taken action, lives would be in danger and assets at risk. What would have been the cost of sunken ships, lives lost, environmental disaster, had we not and were we not working with the international community to address this problem? Ryder asked. Ryder said for the Houthis, in the long term it is not to their benefit to continue this. Its almost like the Houthis are trying to wreck their own neighborhood, he said. Robert Murrett, a retired Navy vice admiral and a former vice director of intelligence for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, agreed. The cost is an absolute drop in the bucket compared to the global disruption thats being visited on the worlds economy by the Houthis, he said. My firm advice to all the men or women on these [Navy boats] is use whatever youve got. Dont worry about the cost. Still, Murrett, now a professor at Syracuse University, said the U.S. could look at cheaper means of taking down the drones like electronic jamming. One of the best ways to deal with a cheap, unmanned aircraft is soft kill, and it has to do with electronic warfare jamming and other devices such as that, which is fairly inexpensive, he said. The Houthis are also costing the U.S. elsewhere: taking down two roughly $32 million Reaper drones in November and another in February. Wes Rumbaugh, a fellow with the missile defense project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said any military engagement is going to cost money and argued you cant put a dollar value on saving lives. The United States Department of Defense is not trying to win an accounting exercise, he said. Rumbaugh also said he would place his bets on the U.S. over the Houthis in a protracted economic battle. I dont think the rookies are going to be able to bankrupt the United States, he said. But the Houthis have not only stepped up attacks over time, they are also introducing new capabilities into the fight. Last month, Houthi fighters launched an underwater drone for the first time in the Red Sea combat arena. And Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said this week that he would soon introduce new surprises into the fight after vowing to carry on the battle. We have surprises, which the enemy will not expect, al-Houthi said, beyond anything the enemies and their friends could expect. The Houthis, like other Iranian-backed groups, are protesting Israels war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. The Yemeni group has claimed to target ships heading to Israel or Israeli-based ships, while other Iranian proxies have hit U.S. bases because Washington supports Israel. But Iranian-backed groups in Iraq and Syria have not launched attacks since early February, following massive U.S. strikes on the proxies in both countries after they killed three American troops in an attack on a base in Jordan. The Houthis, who endured years of bombings from a Saudi-backed government in Yemen, are more battle-tested and more independent from Iran than other proxies. They have refused to give up, even after the U.S. launched three waves of large strikes in Yemen to degrade their capabilities. Some experts have cautioned that the Houthis are enjoying the fight and the global attention and they may not stop even if the Gaza war were to end. The Houthis will only stop if it benefits them, said al-Basha from Navanti Group. Al-Basha said the Houthis have Soviet-made bunkers for hiding equipment and that a ground operation may be the only way to ensure deterrence, though that option is likely not on the table in Washington or elsewhere in the region. Because this is linked to Palestine, people are not eager to start a ground operation, he said. People are just shying away from that. The Houthis are also inflicting economic damage on international trade, a gambit at which they appear to be succeeding. Al-Houthi also said his group has been effective at blocking Red Sea traffic and claimed that they have targeted 54 ships so far. While the Houthis have attacked commercial shipping and U.S. assets before, they have never done so on this scale. The Red Sea remains largely shut down, with commercial ships still avoiding the shortcut through the Suez Canal, which is the channel for about 10 percent of global trade. Shipping giants including Maersk have opted to avoid the Red Sea and the Houthi threat by circling around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, adding miles to their trip and taking on extra costs that have jacked up shipping rates. Matt Colyar, an economist at Moodys Analytics, said the U.S. economy is strong and demand is not as high as it was in the midst of the pandemic. He doubted the Houthis could inflict economic damage like the supply chain snarls of 2021 or force major economic challenges for the U.S. economy in the event of a prolonged conflict. Still, he noted that Maersk has hiked its shipping cost for a 40-foot container from $2,000 to $6,200, and a drawn-out conflict could impose costs on countries like Egypt, which gets a large share of its tax revenue from ships in the Suez Canal. It can make that country thats already in a really dire fiscal situation that much worse, he said. Then you have a country of hundreds of millions of people in a sovereign debt crisis. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A cop and a teacher with two small children and a modest home in Yorktown. A shop owner and a nurse in Suffern. A landscaper and a non-profit executive expecting a first child in Carmel. This is what middle class families look like in the Hudson Valley, and many of them are hurting. Prior to 2017, married New York couples were able to fully deduct state and local taxes SALT from their perennial federal income tax filings. The 2017 SALT revisions, signed into law by then-President Donald Trump, restricted the amount one can deduct to $10,000 for both individuals and married couples, effectively penalizing couples for tying the knot. Thats no small loss for families pinching pennies to get by. A recent non-partisan study estimated that amounted to a $1,700 tax increase for local families on top of what are already the highest taxes in America. I promised voters Id do something about this if elected to Congress, and Im proud to say that, after months of passionate haranguing, I was able to force through the Rules Committee legislation I authored called The SALT Marriage Penalty Elimination Act (H.R.7160) that would provide a full $20,000 annual deduction for married couples. Rep. Mike Lawler talks with his constituents during his Mobile Office Hours event at Haverstraw Village Hall Feb. 22, 2024. In passing the 2017 SALT deduction changes, politicians in both parties in Washington argued that families living in high tax states, like New York and California, have no right to higher federal deductions than Americans in other states. They reasoned that by penalizing taxpayers in expensive, big-government states, voters feeling the sting would pressure state and local legislators to begin reducing their tax loads. Good luck with that in New York, where the Democratic governor and Democratic majority in the Legislature have shown zero willingness to reduce New Yorks tax load, only adding to it with outrageous new taxing schemes like the upcoming $15 congestion tax to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street by car. Indeed, Albany hasnt substantially lowered taxes since former Gov. George Patakis personal income tax cut in his first year in office. That was a long, long time ago. With near total gridlock in Washington, a common-sense, bipartisan law change over SALT would have pointed the way for other cooperative efforts between the two parties. God knows we need that. When I first ran for Congress almost two years ago, I promised voters that Id call balls and strikes in Washington on legislation that could help or hurt my constituents. The SALT deduction inequity for married couples is one of those issues. It doesnt matter that my Republican colleagues passed the 2017 SALT limitations, or that they were signed into law by a president from my own political party, the revisions were bad for my neighbors, so I need to do something about it, politics be damned. I had been hopeful to have enough bipartisan support for this measure to finally reverse the SALT inequity on married New Yorkers. But, alas, partisan politics got in the way. For years, Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have claimed theyre fighting to lift or repeal the SALT Cap. Yet, just like when they controlled the White House, Senate, and House in 2021 and 2022, when Democrats were presented with a real opportunity to provide SALT relief to hundreds of thousands of families across New York State, they balked. Every single New York House Democrat voted no. Why? Because they put politics before the very people they represent with Leader Jeffries making it clear he wouldnt allow New York Republicans a win in an election year. So much for wanting to work across party lines to address SALT. There are also a number of Republicans in Washington who didnt support my bill, and theyve let me know it. Some of them loudly. They erected every possible obstacle to my legislation along the way to kill off this latest attempt at SALT relief which Hudson Valley residents so deserve. Shame on both parties especially as we had all just worked together on a landmark tax bill, which I supported, that greatly expanded the Child Tax Credit and enacted significant small business tax cuts. I joined with my Democratic colleague from New Jersey, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, whom I am also working with in opposition to the congestion pricing tax, to lobby for these changes. Gottheimer and I even sent a joint letter to the Ways and Means Committee advocating for this critical tax relief. Rep. Mike Lawler talks with his constituents during his Mobile Office Hours event at Haverstraw Village Hall Feb. 22, 2024. There was a time in Washington when bipartisan efforts like ours were a matter of course. We need to get back to that again. But rest assured, I will not be deterred. We will continue to work towards lifting the cap on SALT which expires in 2025 and fighting for hard working middle-class New Yorkers and Hudson Valley families that need immediate tax relief. Rep. Mike Lawler represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which includes Rockland County, Putnam County and portions of Westchester and Dutchess counties. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: SALT legislation 2024: Congress must deliver The desert planet, Arrakis, in "Dune: Part Two" has extreme temperatures and little water. Surviving on such a planet would take technology and adaptability. Three experts explain what it might be like to live on Dune's planet. In a distant star system, 20,000 years into the future, a scorchingly hot planet with arid deserts and little water is home to blue-eyed, seminomadic inhabitants called the Fremen. Frank Herbert first described this harsh, fictional world of Arrakis in his 1965 novel "Dune," which was recently adapted into a film trilogy. The trilogy's second iteration "Dune: Part Two" debuted in US theaters Friday. The movie was shot in the deserts outside Abu Dhabi, but we wondered what it would actually take to survive on a real-life Arrakis. While it would require some ingenuity and technology, it wouldn't be impossible, according to scientists we spoke with. "There are populations that have lived for centuries and even millennia in deserts," Seth Collings Hawkins, a wilderness medicine specialist with Wake Forest University School of Medicine, told Business Insider. What the planet in Dune would look like in real life "There are so many factors that make Earth habitable to humans," Amy J. Kreykes, an aerospace medicine expert at the University of Texas Medical Branch, told BI. That includes everything from the atmosphere to its distance from the sun to its available water. "Everything is just uniquely perfect," she said, "and really any deviation from any of that could make other environments a hostile environment for humans." Dune's planet Arrakis has enormous sandworms, a drug known as spice that helps with interstellar travel, and two moons. Yet it's not totally dissimilar to Earth. According to experts, Frank Herbert did an impressive job creating a realistic world in "Dune." Warner Bros. Pictures When "Dune: Part One" came out in 2021, University of Bristol meteorologist Alexander Farnsworth and several other scientists used a weather-prediction climate model to simulate the conditions of Arrakis. They input everything they could find from The Dune Encyclopedia on the planet's geographical features, atmosphere, and astronomy. There were a few places where the team's model differed from the book's descriptions, like the weather at the planet's poles and tropics, for example. Overall, though, Farnsworth said he was impressed by the world Herbert created. "I think what surprised me most was overall how accurate Frank Herbert was in envisioning a desert world without having a physics background or a supercomputer to run any sort of calculations on," he said. "He must have done a huge amount of research into the various earth system components to understand how such a world could work," he added. In fact, Herbert said he spent six years researching for the book. Based on their calculations, Farnsworth and the other researchers found that living on Arrakis would be possible, though probably not all that pleasant. Surviving Arrakis' lack of water Stillsuits in "Dune" help prevent the characters from deadly dehydration. Warner Bros. Planet Arrakis lacks oceans, lakes, or even tiny puddles on its surface. Needless to say, that's bad news for humans. "There's a rule of threes," Hawkins said. The human body can go for about three minutes without oxygen, about three days without water, and about three weeks without food. "This would be the point at which your body would start to break down," he said. To survive such dry conditions on Dune, the fictional Fremen wear what are called stillsuits, which capture the body's perspiration and other bodily fluids and turn them into drinkable water. However, this concept isn't completely sci-fi. Hawkins called space the "ultimate water-deficient environment," which is why the International Space Station's toilets turn nearly 85% of astronauts' urine into drinking water. Reclaiming that moisture is essential in environments where there's no ready external source. However, as crucial as water is, on Arrakis, the temperature is the real killer. "You would probably get heat stroke before you would die of dehydration," Hawkins said. Surviving Arrakis' temperature extremes If the lack of water on Arrakis doesn't kill you, the heat certainly will if you're not prepared. Warner Bros. Unlike in the book, Farnsworth's scientific model of a real-life Arrakis found the tropics to be more hospitable than the polar regions because the temperatures would be milder year-round. At the poles, the temperatures ranged from 158 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer to -76 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. Meanwhile, temperatures at the tropics would range from 56 to 113 degrees. "So [at the poles] it is not just heat stress but also cold stress that living things would have to contend with," on a real-life Arrakis, he said. Therefore, if you could pick, you'd want to live near the equator on Arrakis. "The most feared consequence of being out in that environment is heat stroke, which is literally cooking of the brain," Hawkins said. The body's temperature would rise to 106 or 107 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than a fever. Travel by night would be the smartest way to move around on Arrakis. Warner Bros. "You just wouldn't travel during the day at all," he said. Everyone would find shelter until temperatures began to cool off at night. In the event that you'd have to venture out during the day, you'd need something akin to a stillsuit. "It really seems paradoxical [to cover yourself], but we know now that a lot of the problem is the radiation and the heat exposure from the sun," Hawkins said. Certain fabrics are both breathable and good at reflecting heat. Integrating heat-conducting materials into clothing can help, but you would still want some kind of internal fan or air conditioner, Hawkins said. "With technology, we can actually add tools on that help prolong our time out in the sun or in the hot environment with less bad effects," Hawkins said. Surviving Arrakis' atmosphere Lack of water isn't the only thing that would make growing plants on Arrakis difficult. Warner Bros. When it comes to the composition of the atmosphere, "humans are very specific in their needs," Kreykes said. The atmosphere on Arrakis is similar to Earth. It has similar pressure, slightly less nitrogen (74.32% compared to about 78% on our planet), and a bit more oxygen (23.58% versus Earth's 21%). Despite the similarities, humans might still have an adjustment period. "Anytime that you start messing with the atmosphere and changing those parameters, that has the potential to have significant effects on the human," Kreykes said. "Any deviation would need to be looked at very, very closely for habitability for humans." Arrakis also has a little less carbon dioxide than Earth, which could affect plant growth. It would be another challenge on top of the limited water sources. A glimpse of the future Earth? Earth is becoming more similar to Arrakis every day as the climate crisis raises global temperatures, but thankfully climate scientists don't predict giant worms in Earth's future. Warner Bros. While learning to tame giant sandworms is a problem that Earth will hopefully never have to face, parts of our planet aren't all that different from Arrakis. For example, the Sonoran Desert along the Mexican-U.S. border recently hit 177 degrees Fahrenheit, one of the hottest surface temperatures on record. Arizona, New Mexico, and California have all faced droughts or water shortages in recent years. As Earth continues to warm in the face of climate change, excessive heat and water scarcity will continue to affect not only humans but plants and animals worldwide. One reason for the popularity of "Dune" and similar speculative fiction, Hawkins said, is because we can see elements of our own futures in it, "and I do think that this story has that message for us." Read the original article on Business Insider Several hundred people rallied in the Senegalese capital Dakar on Saturday calling for the country's postponed presidential elections to be held before April 2, the date when incumbent Macky Sall's term is set to end. The protesters gathered at a sandy lot in a working-class neighbourhood for the protest, called by the "Resistance Front", an alliance of opposition parties and campaigning groups. Many brandished Senegalese flags and portraits of the opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, jailed since July for "incitement to insurrection" and barred from running in the presidential vote. Sonko has endorsed Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is also in jail but who was cleared to be on the ballot. The crowd shouted "Macky Sall dictator" and "Free Sonko", singing a song in his praise. Several speakers representing some of the election candidates addressed the crowd, including former prime minister Aminata Toure, a member of the "Bassirou President" coalition. "What we are asking President Macky Sall is to organise these elections before April 2 and to give the keys to the palace to his successor face to face, so that we can begin to rebuild our country," he said. The West African country was thrown into a political crisis on February 3 when Sall postponed the presidential election planned for February 25. His announcement, denounced as a "constitutional coup d'etat" by the opposition, sparked huge protests that resulted in four deaths. On February 15, the constitutional council overruled Sall, and ever since the country has been waiting for a new date. "We want an election before the 2nd (of April) with the 19 candidates retained by the Constitutional Council and for Senegalese democracy to continue to shine," said one demonstrator, 27-year-old trader Assane Camara. A national dialogue, organised at the start of the week by the president but boycotted by the opposition, had recommended holding the elections on June 2. Sall indicated that he would ask the constitutional council for its opinion on the request. Saturday's rally, approved by the authorities, ended in confusion following what appeared to be scuffles between supporters of rival candidates for the presidency, Sonko and Khalifa Sall, former mayor of Dakar (no relation to the president). Supporters of the outgoing president have called for a "march for peace" Sunday morning in the capital Dakar. sjd-fal/jj/gv Hungarian parliament acting speaker Sandor Lezsak has signed off on Sweden's accession to NATO after Hungary's legislature ratified it earlier this week, Reuters reported on March 2, citing the parliament's voting records. The legislation will now go to the desk of Hungary's acting president, Laszlo Kover, for promulgation. The Hungarian parliament voted to ratify Stockholm's entry into the alliance on Feb. 26, ending months of delay. 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 came shortly after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson in Budapest. At the Feb. 23 meeting, the two 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. 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 is set to become the 32nd member of NATO. Accepting a new country into the alliance requires unanimous support from all members. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine signs long-term security agreement with Netherlands Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russias statements that it is ready to hand over the bodies of the dead Ukrainian military in the IL-76 plane crash that occurred in Belgorod Oblast on Jan. 24 are strange, spokesman for Ukrainian militarys Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), Andriy Yusov, said on the national television on March 2. 207 defenders returned to Ukraine as part of a prisoner exchange on Jan. 31. The Coordination Headquarters clarified that 65 soldiers who, according to the Russians, were on the plane, were not among those released. On Feb. 13, Yusov said that 65 servicemen who were declared dead in the crash of the IL-76 plane by the Russians are still considered prisoners of war in Ukraine. On Feb. 9, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said that there were no Ukrainian prisoners of war in the IL-76, but that Ukraine did not know for sure whether the soldiers who were supposed to be returned were alive. On Feb. 1, Yusov, said that Russia refuses to hand over bodies of allegedly killed prisoners of war in the plane crash. The Russians did not warn Ukraine about the need to secure the airspace near Belgorod, as they had done before. Ukraine was also not informed about the form of delivery of the prisoners, the route, or the number of vehicles. The General Staff has officially stated that it tracks the launch sites of Russian missiles and the logistics of their delivery, especially by military transport aircraft, and will continue to take measures to destroy delivery planes and control the airspace in order to destroy the terrorist threat. Read also: Putin lies about IL-76 aircraft HUR Ukraines Armed Forces are not currently confirming that they downed the aircraft on the morning of Jan. 24, Armed Forces spokesperson Bohdan Senyk told NV. I can state that the exchange planned for today is not going ahead, he told Radio Svoboda. However, the head of Ukraines Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR), Andriy Yusov, said a prisoner exchange had been scheduled to take place. Ukraines General Staff, as quoted by NVs sister outlet Ukrainska Pravda, said the plane was transporting missiles for Russias S-300 air defense systems. There was no mention of prisoners of war. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that 65 Ukrainian POWs were on board, heading to Belgorod Oblast for a prisoner exchange. Russia accused Ukraine of taking down the plane. A video of the incident appeared on social media. The footage showed the plane catching fire in midair and exploding in a huge fireball when it crashed. A Russian IL-76 military transport plane, designed to airlift troops, cargo, military equipment, and weapons, crashed in the Korocha district of the southern Belgorod Oblast, which borders Ukraine, on Jan. 24. Russian IL-76 crash what is known On March 1, Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova announced that Russia is ready to hand over to Ukraine the bodies of the dead Ukrainian military, who allegedly died in the crash of the Il-76 military transport plane. If it turns out that people were on board, this is another crime of the aggressor state, he added. Yusov noted that Russia did not warn that it would transport Ukrainian prisoners. Read also: Ukraine's top security official disputes Russia's claim about crashed transport plane carrying POWs They talked about friendly fire, about shooting down Ukrainian drones. Indeed, enemy air defense was operating on this territory that day, he said. In addition, the intelligence noted that on the day of the crash, there were different reactions from Russian propagandists. According to Yusov, the Russians did not provide any information about the remains of the plane for a long time, as well as information about the bodies on board. There could have been weapons on the plane, but whether there were people on board needs to be established. The HUR spokesman noted that from the lists of the allegedly dead that Russia published, Ukraine confirmed that 65 people were Ukrainian servicemen who were held captive by the aggressor state. The fate of these people is a matter of ongoing investigation. He also added that since the plane crash, Ukraine has been conducting its own investigation and insisting on an international one. At the same time, Russia keeps refusing. If people died on board, there were requests for the return of the bodies. The wording that Moscow is ready to hand over the bodies is quite strange. Different versions are being checked, said Yusov. He added that it would be possible to comment on the plane crash only when Russia returns the bodies of the prisoners of war, an international examination is conducted, and the number and circumstances of the crash are studied. According to him, Ukraine has already submitted requests for the return of the bodies, but Russia has not responded to them. 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 In 2021, South Carolina banned people from cruising in the left lane without a good reason, but how does this work when theres a three-lane highway? The Myrtle Beach area has a few three-lane highways, including U.S. 501 and S.C. 31. State law requires drivers to only use the far left lane when overtaking and passing another vehicle. Exceptions to the law allow motorists to drive in the left lane when driving in the right lane is impractical, such as with congested traffic or when inclement weather makes the left lane the safest. The law also says you can remain in the left lane as long as there is nobody behind you. That means it is illegal to pass someone in the right lane, according to the law. But when it comes to three lanes, drivers in the left and right lanes often pass motorists in the middle lane. Lance Cpl. Lena Butler with the South Carolina Highway Patrol said she does not know of any traffic laws, outside of the left lane laws, that prohibit the driving continuously in the middle lane of a three-lane highway. Heres the traffic etiquette to follow when driving on a multi-lane highway from the American Automobile Association (AAA). AAA says when driving on a multi-lane highway, people looking to cruise or stay a steady speed should remain in the middle lane. The far right lane should also be reserved for people entering and exiting the highway and people who are driving slower. AAA also suggests driving at a legal speed that matches the flow of traffic, as driving too fast or too slow can cause accidents. If you drive under the speed limit in the farthest left lane, you could have violation points added to your driving record, according to South Carolina law. Drivers also can receive a ticket for violating the move right law. I'm flying from India to Singapore with a friend to catch my first Taylor Swift concert. We've spent $1,700 on the trip so far. Taylor Swift will be performing for six nights in Singapore, her only Eras Tour stop in Southeast Asia. Swaksha Krishnakumar is planning to fly in from India with a friend to catch the concert. She bought a $635 experience package, which includes two concert tickets and a one-night hotel stay. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Swaksha Krishnakumar, a 28-year-old Swiftie based in Bangalore, India. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified her expenses. The first Taylor Swift song I heard was "Love Story" when I was 14. I started listening to her more during her "Red" album era and was a proper Swiftie by 2014, during her "1989" album era. When Taylor first shared the US dates for her Eras Tour in 2022, there was a lot of chatter online about the possibility of a world tour, too. I'm very active in the Taylor Swift fandom, especially on X and Instagram. I had notifications turned on for almost every major social platform in case she dropped her Asia tour dates. Mentally, I was already prepared to travel to see her. When Taylor finally announced the international dates last year, she only had Tokyo and Singapore in Asia. Tokyo is too far, so I decided I'd try to catch her in Singapore instead. But buying tickets for her concert was tough My friend and I weren't able to get tickets through Ticketmaster, so I started looking for alternate ways. That's when I learned that Klook, the booking platform, was launching an Eras Tour experience package that included two concert tickets and a one-night hotel stay. The sale went live on the Klook mobile app during Singapore time, and due to the time difference, my friend and I had to wake up early for it. After clicking on the link, I was immediately sent into the waiting room. I think I was 9,000 or something in the queue. It was a long shot, but I moved up the queue quickly. It felt too good to be true My friend and I had looked through the packages prior, trying to see which would fit our budget best. But when I finally got to the page, the cheapest package was already sold out. At that point, the concert date and the seats didn't matter I just wanted to get tickets. I ended up getting category six tickets to Taylor's last show in Singapore. I paid 52,675 rupees, or about $635, for two concert tickets and a one-night stay at Capri China Square, a four-star hotel in Singapore. I think we got a pretty good deal with the package, especially after we divided the cost between the two of us. We're nowhere close to the stage, but it doesn't matter to me. Our seats are at the top of the stadium, slightly toward the middle, so we'll get a good view of the stage and the screens. We booked a direct flight from Bangalore to Singapore. We paid 56,335.80 rupees, or about $680, for return tickets for two people. This will be my first time in Singapore, so we extended our stay by two nights. We booked a hotel outside the city center and paid 30,063 rupees, or about $363, for a two-night stay in one room. This is going to be my first Taylor Swift concert When she was on her Reputation world tour, I was doing my masters in the UK. Some of my friends were going to her concert in Manchester, and they offered me an extra ticket. But I was on a student budget and I had exams, so I passed on their offer. I ended up watching the concert through their Instagram stories. I regretted it, but one of the fun parts about getting older is that you make your own money to do stuff like this. Some of the friendship bracelets I've made in preparation for the concert. Swaksha Krishnakumar I've made about 25 friendship bracelets, and I'm planning to make some more for the concert. I'm also planning to wear this "Eras Cats" shirt I bought online it's Taylor Swift's cats dressed in the versions of her albums. It's not my first time flying overseas for a concert. If the cost is reasonable and the country isn't too far away, I would definitely do it again for Taylor or for another artist that I love. Read the original article on Business Insider frankpeters / Getty Images It is no secret that Los Angeles is an expensive city to live in. Learn More: Housing Market 2024: Avoid Buying a Home in These 4 California Cities For You: 6 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money Housing costs [are said to be] 101% more expensive than the national average [in Los Angeles], said The Los Angeles Times. Even with exorbitant housing costs, the City of Angels still remains as a popular destination for millionaires, young single people and families alike. Los Angeles County has the largest population of any county in the nation, exceeded by only eight states, according to the County of Los Angeles. GOBankingRates has listed the cheapest, safest LA neighborhoods, places where your salary will go the farthest in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Sponsored: Protect Your Wealth With A Gold IRA. Take advantage of the timeless appeal of gold in a Gold IRA recommended by Sean Hannity. Encino Home Price: $753,844 median purchase price Monthly Rent: $1,475 median monthly rent Located in the San Fernando Valley, Encino is a Los Angeles suburb that maintains a suburban feel. Encino has one of the lowest monthly rents on this list and is a neighborhood meant for retirees and young professionals alike. With community-oriented farmers markets and hiking and biking trails, this city provides a safe living space just outside of the heart of the city. Los Feliz Home Price: $740,684 median purchase price Monthly Rent: $1,407 median monthly rent Los Feliz provides an urban-suburban lifestyle while still being considered in Los Angeles. Los Feliz borders Griffith Park, home of the iconic Griffith Observatory. Additionally, it is known for its trendy shops and restaurants. Los Feliz is a great neighborhood for those who want to live that Hollywood lifestyle; out of all the neighborhoods on this list, its truly located near the heart of the city. Mar Vista Home Price: $797,290 median purchase price Monthly Rent: $1,576 median monthly rent Story continues Mar Vista lies on the west side of Los Angeles, near the Santa Monica Airport. Mar Vistas median rent near LAs beaches is still below average for Los Angeles. Mar Vista offers the pleasures of an urban lifestyle but is also close enough to the beach for outdoor activities typical to Southern California, such as surfing or paddleboarding. Playa Vista Home Price: $655,300 median purchase price Monthly Rent: $1,535 median monthly rent Playa Vista is a neighborhood located just off of the 405 Freeway, one of Los Angeless busiest freeways. This neighborhood is especially known to be family-friendly due to its reputable private schools. Additionally, houses are relatively affordable in Playa Vista. Playa Vista is close to LAX, Los Angeles Countys largest airport, which makes preparing for a flight convenient. Porter Ranch Home Price: $681,550 median purchase price Monthly Rent: $2,763 median monthly rent Not only is Porter Ranch the priciest neighborhood on this list regarding monthly rent, but it is also the farthest from the heart of Los Angeles. In northern San Fernando Valley, Porter Ranch is about an hour from Downtown LA and boasts hiking trails and regional parks. Because it is farther removed from the city, houses in Porter Ranch usually have large yards and are on spacious lots. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Most Affordable Los Angeles Neighborhoods FILE - A bronze sculpture of Alfred Kinsey, a sex researcher who founded Indiana University's branch of sex research, the Kinsey Institute, sits outside the institute's research facility, Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Arleigh Rodgers, File) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Indiana University's board of trustees abandoned a proposal to turn the Kinsey Institute into a nonprofit Friday, dispelling monthslong uncertainty over the future of the famous sex research center targeted by Republican lawmakers. Lawmakers blocked state dollars from going to the institute last year in a Republican-sponsored measure. The legislation prompted a highly criticized internal plan to partially split the Kinsey Institute from the university to ensure compliance with the new law. Board members instead committed to finding another way to comply with the state law while maintaining the institute's ties to the university. Cynthia Graham, a senior scientist at the Kinsey Institute and a professor of gender studies, said she and many others were greatly relieved to hear the trustees' decision after months of anxiety. This is actually the best scenario of all, she said. Higher education and how its institutions instruct topics such as gender, sexuality and race has become a frequent target of GOP state lawmakers across the country. Indiana legislators, for example, passed a bill Thursday creating regulations on faculty tenure and campus diversity, equity and inclusion programs, describing it as a way to make public universities and college campuses friendly to conservative students and professors. Located about 50 miles (82 kilometers) from Indianapolis on Indiana Universitys Bloomington campus, the institute is named after its founder Alfred Kinsey, who disrupted cultural norms surrounding sex. A wide variety of research conducted at the institute includes sexual assault prevention and contraception usage. The institute has been the subject of repeated conservative criticism for decades. Critics blame the institute and Kinsey for contributing to a greater acceptance of homosexuality and pornography. Additionally, part of the persistent opposition stems from unfounded claims of evidence of child abuse in Kinsey's research. The institute's website includes a page dedicated to correcting misinformation about Kinsey and the institute's research. In November, the board of trustees tabled a vote on whether to turn Kinsey into a nonprofit but keep its collections with the university following outcry from faculty, students and academics around the world. The possible separation of the institute from the university prompted fear over the future of its collections and even the safety of its researchers. Weve really been in the dark about this and about what exactly they were going to propose," Graham said. The board voted Friday to forgo the original proposal. The university will instead submit a plan to the Indiana State Board of Accounts to ensure state dollars are not being provided to the institute, according to a news release. With the action taken today, we are taking steps to ensure that the Kinsey Institute remains a beacon of intellectual inquiry, Indiana University President Pamela Whitten said in a written statement. University officials said the plan will show the institute's funding sources and demonstrate that no state appropriations are being directed to it. The university also committed to affirm valuable work of the Kinsey Institute, which has faced continued opposition fueled by misinformation," the news release said. Graham's only remaining concern is the possibility of future attacks from state lawmakers on the institute's operations. We're much more heartened by the support that we have from IU now that really seems concrete, she said. Friday's elections have been seen as a crucial test of legitimacy and national support for Iran's leadership - but a low turnout was expected Election officials in Iran are counting ballots after Friday's parliamentary election, as unofficial reports suggest the lowest turnout since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The election was the first since the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, triggered widespread protests in 2022 . A number of reformists are boycotting the election, amid widespread hardship. Early results show that conservatives have won Tehran's 30 seats. Two separate polls took place on Friday: one to elect members of parliament, and another to elect the Assembly of Experts. The assembly selects and oversees Iran's most powerful figure and commander-in-chief, the supreme leader. Iran has been badly hit by international sanctions, an economic crisis and violent unrest. More than 61.2 million Iranians were eligible to vote. Despite Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's appeal for people to cast their votes, many Iranians were split on whether or not to take part. The 2020 parliament was elected during the Covid-19 pandemic with a turnout of 42.57% - officially the lowest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. An Iranian woman shows her ink covered finger after she cast her vote at Ershad mosque in northern Tehran Early polling on Friday suggested the election's turnout could be at a new record low and is thought to be particularly low in the capital, Tehran. A state-linked polling agency projected a 41% turnout for the parliamentary elections - which, if accurate, will be the lowest turnout in the past 12 such votes. Caroline Davies, the first BBC reporter in Tehran since 2019, reporting on the election This embedded content is not available in your region. With votes tallied manually, Iran's ballot takes time to count. Some of the results have been announced. According to Iran's state news agency, IRNA, most of the Assembly of Experts for major cities have been counted. This assembly is a group of 88 Islamic clerics who have the responsibility to select the next supreme leader when the time comes - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is 84 and the new assembly will sit for eight years. Around 50 of the 290 parliamentary seats so far have been declared by some city councils. The final results are likely to be clear tomorrow. No official turnout figure has been announced. Analysts suggested a low turnout would be a show of disenchantment with politics after many of the country's officials called for voters to head to the polls. The Supreme Leader, who cast his vote first, did so saying "vote as soon as possible, the eyes of Iran's friends and ill wishers are on the results". Iris Apfel (at her 100th birthday party in 2021): 'Seventy-year-old ladies don't have 18-year-old bodies, and 18-year-olds don't have a 70-year-old's dollars,' she would say - Noam Galai/Getty Images Iris Apfel, the interior designer, who has died aged 102, decorated the White House for nine American presidents, but was more remarkable for emerging as a fashion icon or, as she put it, a geriatric starlet when she was in her mid-eighties. Her new celebrity was generated in 2005 when the New York Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute put on an exhibition of her enormous collection of outfits and accessories. The fashion world was riveted by Iris Apfels look: neatly cropped white hair; thick black-framed spectacles with eyepieces the size of saucers; multicoloured layers of clothing; outlandish necklaces, and great stacks of bangles adorning her wrists. When it came to lipsticks, she favoured orangey-red and a nice hot pink. An Iris Apfel handbag: in the postwar years she and her husband trawled the flea markets of Europe and the souks of North Africa for antique fabrics to decorate the houses of America's rich - Kyle Ericksen/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images Soon brands such as Citroen, MAC Cosmetics and the wearable tech company WiseWear were queuing up to hire her to front their campaigns, and the documentary maker Albert Maysles made a film about her life, Iris, which was released shortly after his death in 2015. Iris Apfel relished her celebrity as the high priestess of style, and frequently castigated the fashion industry for its obsession with youth: Seventy-year-old ladies dont have 18-year-old bodies, and 18-year-olds dont have a 70-year-olds dollars, she would say. For their part, women should not play the industrys game: I believe it was Chanel who said, Nothing makes a woman look so old as trying desperately hard to look young. I think you can be attractive at any age. I think trying to look like a spring chicken when youre not makes you look ridiculous. She was dismissive of plastic surgery for purely cosmetic purposes (I mean, nobodys going to think youre 32, so whats the point? You could come out looking like a Picasso painting.). Iris Apfel, centre, with models and businesswomen during Spring 2016 New York Fashion Week - Monica Schipper/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows She was born Iris Barrel on August 29 1921 in Queens, New York, the only child of Samuel Barrel, whose family owned a business selling glass and mirrors, and his Russian-born wife, Sadye, who owned her own boutique and, according to her daughter, dressed like the Duchess of Windsor. As a schoolgirl Iris liked to explore the junk shops in Greenwich Village, in one of which she managed to purchase a diamond brooch for 65 cents. After reading art history at New York University she first considered becoming a teacher, but abandoned this in favour of a job with the fashion industrys trade journal Womens Wear Daily. She then landed an assistants job with the interior designer Elinor Johnson. In 1948 she married Carl Apfel, and two years later they established a textiles firm, Old World Weavers. Together they had been trawling the flea markets of Europe and the souks of North Africa for antique fabrics to decorate the houses of Americas rich (at the same time she began to collect some of the exotic outfits that would feature in her extraordinary collection). Iris Apfel and Whoopi Goldberg - Wendell Teodoro/WireImage But it quickly became clear that they could not source genuine antique textiles in sufficient quantity; so Old World Weavers employed local artisans to replicate the designs of their forebears. The Apfels clients included Greta Garbo, Estee Lauder, and every US President from Harry Truman to Bill Clinton. [The White House] was a relatively easy job, actually, she told The Guardian, because everything had to be as close as humanly possible to the way it was until Mrs Kennedy came along. She employed a very famous Parisian designer to gussy up the house and make it a real Frenchie, and the design community went bananas. After that we had to throw it all out and start again. But I did like Mrs Nixon. She was lovely. Finally, in 1992, the Apfels sold their business and retired to their Park Avenue apartment, which was stuffed full of antique French, English and Italian furniture, and exotic tapestries and paintings collected over many years. Thirteen years later the Mets Costume Institute needed to find something to fill its autumn show, and its curator Harold Koda asked Iris Apfel if she would contribute items from her collection of clothing and jewellery. The exhibition, called Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Apfel Collection, was a spectacular success and launched her on to a wider stage. Iris Apfel and Jean-Paul Gaultier - Stephen Lovekin/WireImage Iris Apfel was soon in demand as a lecturer on style and fashion, and at the age of 90 found herself appointed as a visiting professor at the University of Texas. She starred in an advertisement for the jewellery designer Alexis Bittar; was the subject of an exhibition at Le Bon Marche department store in Paris; and modelled for the Australian fashion brand Blue Illusion, which targets women who are over 40. To the end of her life Iris Apfel remained staunchly traditional in her attitudes, disdaining social media and online shopping, and deploring what she saw as a chronic lack of imagination in the way young people today dress: If you walk down the street in New York in the winter, all the young ladies look alike. They all have long hair, a black leather bomber jacket and black tights and black boots and they look like they came out of a machine. She professed to be puzzled by the adulation that accompanied her status as a style guru, in 2015 telling The Daily Beast: I went to Brazil last year, and all these kids were jumping all over me at the airport. I couldnt believe it. And they photographed me for Vogue and all kinds of stuff. I mean, they carry on with me like I invented penicillin. Her husband Carl died in August 2015, three days before his 101st birthday. They never had time for children. Iris Apfel, born August 29 1921, died March 1 2024 Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Israel has reportedly agreed to the framework of a proposed temporary cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza that comes after weeks of negotiations by international mediators. The Israelis have more or less accepted the framework and now the ball is in Hamas court to agree to the terms, a senior U.S. administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the The Associated Press Saturday, a day before talks will continue in Egypt. The deal, if accepted by all sides, will reportedly include a six-week cease-fire and Hamas would release hostages considered at risk, according to the U.S. official. The framework would also include a larger influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza as thousands of Palestinians, around one-quarter of Gazas residents, are a step away from famine, according to a senior U.N. official. The response from Hamas about the proposed deal is expected on Sunday, a senior Egyptian official who spoke on condition of anonymity told the AP. Scrutiny of Israel has intensified as more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds of thousands are battling for survival in northern Gaza following retaliation by Israel after Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7 that left over 1,200 Israelis dead. The U.S. Air Forces Central began air dropping aid into Gaza on Saturday. President Biden announced the plan on Friday, reiterating that he believes the U.S. and others need to do more to help Palestinians. This comes as one in six children in Gaza under the age of two suffer from malnutrition, according to the U.N. official, per the AP. The proposed cease-fire comes as more than 100 Palestinians died in Gaza City when trying to access humanitarian aid from the convoy delivering food. Palestinians have accused Israel of firing at civilians while Israeli officials said their forces only shot those who were a threat. The Biden administration has been involved in months of negotiations between Egypt, Qatar, Egypt and Hamas for a pause in fighting. On Thursday, the president acknowledged that the civilian deaths could complicate the deal. Right now, the ball is in the court of Hamas and we are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can, an official told the AP. The Associated Press contributed reporting. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The decolonisation story is a moral melodrama, performed in stark divisions: black versus white, oppressed versus oppressor, good versus evil. Thats the comic-book source of its recruiting appeal, exciting the desire of mortal humans to plug their little lives into a grander narrative where they play righteous crusaders crushing underfoot unrighteous infidels. Its also the spiritual source of the decolonisers unscrupulousness. For, what does utter evil deserve except utter destruction? By this reasoning, what do MPs who refuse to vote for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza deserve except the intimidation of their families and death threats? The sinister logic was laid bare last October by University of Kent lecturer, Dr Shahd Hammouri, who, the day after Hamass atrocious attack on Israel, asserted online that resistance by the Palestinian people by all means available is a legitimate act. Two months later, on Al Jazeera, she invoked Israels settler colonialism in justification: Israel is a colonising power and the Palestinians the colonised indigenous population. Thats the simplistic melodrama. Heres the complicated truth. Before 1914, Jewish corporations bought Palestinian land from Arab landlords to settle thousands of Zionist immigrants fleeing Russian pogroms. The immigrants preferred building their settlements with fellow Zionists. Accordingly, they let go of Arab tenants theyd inherited. Naturally, the Arabs resented this. Their displacement was legal, but since was bound to excite racial antagonism, it was also tragic. Whatever our evaluation, this was no invasion. In 1917 the British government made the Balfour Declaration, pledging to establish a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, without prejudice to the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities. A major motive was sympathy for the Zionist story of an exiled people yearning to return home. Its widely believed that the declaration betrayed a promise made in 1915 to Hussein, sharif of Mecca, that Britain would establish an Arab state encompassing Palestine. But there was no betrayal. The British established two Arab states, Jordan and Iraq. And, as Elie Kedourie argued in his book In the Anglo-Arab Labyrinth (1976), they hadnt promised to include Palestine. After the First World War, the League of Nations mandated Britain to administer Palestine with the aim of building an independent state and a Jewish homeland out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. What kind of national home remained undetermined. During the Mandates quarter of a century, the British tried a variety of permutations to satisfy both Jew and Arab a semi-autonomous Jewish province in an Arab state, a Jewish state in an Arab federation, and a bi-national state. However, they had underestimated the difficulty of constructing a viable polity out of cultures as divergent as those of European Jews and Levantine Arabs. No option proved mutually acceptable. British frustration was memorably expressed by Ronald Storrs, governor of Jerusalem, when he wrote in his 1939 Orientations: Two hours of Arab grievance drive me into the Synagogue, while after an intensive course of Zionist propaganda I am prepared to embrace Islam. Arab frustration had burst into violence in 1920, when the Nebi Musa riots left five Jews dead and 216 wounded. Further riots followed, culminating in the Arab Revolt of 1936-9. While the immediate motive was anti-Zionist, it wasnt untainted by historic anti-Semitism. One instigator of the 1920 riots, who became the leader of Arab resistance, Haj Amin al-Husseini, ended up in Nazi Germany in 1938, where, as the far-Left Israeli historian Ilan Pappe charitably puts it, he confused the distinction between Judaism and Zionism. Responding to Arab grievances, the British considered restricting Jewish immigration in 1930, but decided against it out of sympathy for Jews fleeing Nazi Germany. When they did impose limits in 1939, the extremist Zionist terrorist group, Lehi, sought an alliance with Hitler to oust them. Exasperated by their failure to broker a compromise and subject to increasing violence, the British unilaterally withdrew from Palestine in February 1947. In November, the United Nations voted to create two states, one Jewish, the other Arab. At that point, Jews occupied only ten per cent of the territory. However, when invading Arab armies failed to crush the nascent Israel in 1948-9, some 750,000 Arabs fled Palestine, abandoning their land. Some reckon half were deliberately expelled. Similarly, Arab troops occupying Jerusalem forced Jews out and a further 900,000 were driven from Arab countries, most seeking refuge in Israel. Thats the whole, messy truth about the founding of the State of Israel. It involved victims and villains on both sides, and a lot of human tragedy. The cartoonish decolonisation narrative doesnt begin to do justice to the past and authorises unrestrained, even genocidal, violence in the present. So, whether driven by what Kedourie called the canker of imaginary guilt or merely by the desire to look good in the eyes of peers, those who are busy decolonising our universities, schools, museums, and media need to wake up. Theyre spreading poison. Nigel Biggar is Emeritus Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. On Monday afternoon, while snacking on ice cream with a late-night television talk show host, US President Joe Biden hinted that a new ceasefire was within reach in the Gaza War, perhaps as early as this coming Monday. "My national security adviser tells me that we're close," he said. His words, which the White House has since walked back, landed with a thud for many in the American Palestinian community. Then on Tuesday night in Michigan, one of the key battlegrounds in November's presidential election, more than 100,000 people in the Democratic primary cast their ballot for "uncommitted" as part of a protest organised by pro-Palestinian groups. "This is a warning sign," said Lexis Zeidan, one of the organisers, on Tuesday night. This has been a week in which Mr Biden has been reminded that the turmoil in the Middle East, and the White House's response to it, could translate into electoral peril. Since the start of the conflict after the 7 October attacks, the president has been caught in a vice, forced to make Middle East policy choices that anger keys parts of his coalition. But the Biden administration is treading carefully when it comes to substantive policy shifts. And despite this week's domestic pressure, the Biden administration has largely remained set on its current course. At a briefing on Thursday, US State Department Press Secretary Matt Miller said the US continues to give aid to Israel to support the nation's "legitimate right" to protect itself and prevent an attack like 7 October from happening again. "There is a mistaken belief that the United States is able to dictate to other countries sovereign decisions," he said. "Israel makes its sovereign decisions - we make clear where we disagree with them." On background, US officials have said that the Americans are considering delaying further arms shipments to Israel and other measures. Mr Biden is trying to balance competing constituencies in his party Most opinion polls suggest that the American public as a whole tends to support Israel in the conflict, even while key components of Mr Biden's Democratic coalition - young voters and people of colour - do not. The domestic political calculations are complicated. His administration has to balance competing constituencies within the Democratic Party that could all claim they are essential to the president's re-election cause. Pro-Palestinian groups in the US have called for a permanent ceasefire, support for diplomatic efforts in the United Nations and the threat of an end to American military aid to Israel if it does not change course. "People are upset, and you've got to give them a reason not to be upset," says Jim Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute. He describes the Biden administration's efforts so far as "ham-fisted, half-measure statements about how we were sorry we didn't express more sympathy and we're working behind the scenes". The protest vote in Michigan amounted to less than the margin by which Mr Biden beat Republican Donald Trump in the state in 2020, but is much more than the 10,704 votes Democrat Hillary Clinton lost the state to him in 2016. "There's no doubt that there were some folks in Michigan that wanted to send the president a message," Mitch Landrieu, the campaign's national co-chair, said on Thursday. "Every issue is complicated, and this is one of them that needs to be worked through." The protest vote in Michigan was small but campaigners like Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud wanted to send Mr Biden a message. In reality, while the pro-Palestinian groups are a vocal minority, they are still a minority, says Derry Sragow, a California-based political consultant. "There's a chunk of the electorate that is very much focused on Gaza, but it's a very small," he says. "That's not to say that how the president deals with Gaza is unimportant, but it is just another brushstroke on the canvas that voters are going to be looking at when they cast their vote." Polls show that the American public is more concerned about the economy, immigration and abortion rights. And even in Michigan, Mr Sragow notes, there are as many Jewish voters who are passionate about supporting Israel as there are pro-Palestinian voters. And Jewish voters continue to overwhelmingly support Democrats, with more than 70% backing him in 2020 and polls showing that majorities approve of his handling of the Gaza War. Emotions are raw as civilian bloodshed continues in Gaza With eight months until the election, Biden campaign officials are hoping that the prospect of a binary choice between Mr Biden and Donald Trump will encourage dissenting voices in the Democrat political coalition to ultimately fall into line. Campaign officials are already pointing to a number of controversial policies Mr Trump implemented during his presidential term, such as moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and support for Jewish settlements on the West Bank. But with new headlines of civilian bloodshed in Gaza virtually every day, emotions are raw. This week the death toll in Gaza surpassed 30,000, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. And on Thursday at least 117 Palestinians were killed and hundreds were injured during an aid delivery in Gaza. "We're supposed to be in the position where you hurt us, you ignore us, you pay no attention to our feelings, but we'll have to vote Democrat?" says Mr Zogby. "Why can't you apply that same logic on the side of the Jewish community?" Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has being going to lengths to dash any White House hopes that a change in rhetoric will put more pressure on Israel to conclude the war. "From the beginning of the war, I have been leading a diplomatic campaign whose goal is to deflect the pressure to end the war prematurely," he said this week. Mr Netanyahu seems finally attuned to the US domestic political situation, as well, and says the American public overwhelmingly supports his cause. All of this suggests Mr Biden has few easy means to extricate himself from his current political predicament. "He's been dealt a very, very limited, difficult hand to play," says Sragow. "If I was a member of the senior staff advising Biden, I don't know what I would say other than just do what you think in your heart is the right thing to do." The pro-Palestinian groups in the US would probably echo this sentiment, except they firmly believe the president's heart is in the wrong place - and that he is poised to pay a high political price for it come November. More from the Israel Gaza briefings By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Idrees Ali CAIRO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States on Saturday carried out the first of what it said would be a series of humanitarian airdrops of food into Gaza, as aid agencies warned of a growing humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian enclave in the absence of a ceasefire deal. Three C-130 U.S. military planes delivered more than 38,000 meals into a territory where the United Nations says at least 576,000 people are one step away from famine conditions. Palestinians posted videos on social media showing boxes of aid being dropped. Jordanian forces also participated in the operation. The White House has said the airdrops would be a sustained effort, and that Israel supports them. Critics say airdrops are far less effective than aid deliveries by truck, and it is nearly impossible to ensure supplies do not end up with militants. "Israel welcomes the humanitarian airdrops by the U.S., which were discussed and coordinated with us," said an Israeli official in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity. With talks in Egypt set to resume on Sunday, a senior U.S. official said the framework for a deal on a six-week ceasefire was in place, with Israel's agreement, and depended on the militant group Hamas agreeing to release hostages. "The hostages have to be released," the official told reporters. "The deal is basically there. But I don't want to create expectations one way or the other." U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will meet Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz at the White House on Monday, a White House official told Reuters. In Jerusalem, thousands of Israelis marched to demand the release of about 134 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Protesters, led by families of hostages seized during Hamas' deadly rampage through southern Israel on Oct. 7, arrived at the city at sundown. STRIKES CONTINUE In Gaza, the health ministry said at least 25 people were killed in Rafah on Saturday and into Sunday morning, including 11 Palestinians who died when an Israeli airstrike hit a tent near a hospital and another 14 in one family, including five children, who died when a strike hit a house. The ministry said another 50 people were wounded in the strike near the hospital. In an apparent reference to that incident, the Israeli military said the strike was conducted against "Islamic Jihad terrorists." "The strike hit one tent, where people took shelter, directly, shrapnel came inside the hospital where me and friends were sitting, we survived by a miracle," a witness told Reuters by phone from the area, declining to be identified. More than a million Palestinians have been seeking refuge in the Rafah area, fleeing an Israeli offensive that has laid waste to much of Gaza and killed more than 30,000 people, according to the Hamas-run enclave's health authorities. The Israeli military said its forces killed eight militants in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, around 20 militants in the central Gaza Strip and three more in Rimal, near Gaza City. Residents reported the sound of heavy shelling and tanks advancing overnight around Khan Younis. The Israeli military commented: "As the operational activity is still ongoing, we can only confirm that there have been intensified airstrikes in Khan Younis. We will be able to provide you with further information once the activity concludes." Israel launched the offensive in response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, in which 1,200 people were killed in Israel and another 253 abducted, according to Israeli tallies. SEARCH FOR FOOD U.S. President Joe Biden has said he hopes a ceasefire will be in place by the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on March 10. International pressure for a ceasefire and to facilitate humanitarian assistance for desperate Gazans has grown. Three people searching for food in farmland in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday were killed by Israeli strikes, residents and medics said. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Thirteen children have died at the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza in the last three days from dehydration and malnutrition, according to the Gaza health ministry. Doctors at the hospital said more were at risk of dying. "When a child is supposed to eat three meals a day and he only eats one, he obviously suffers from malnutrition, and all the diseases that come because of it," said Imad Dardonah. Biden announced plans for the U.S. airdrop on Friday, a day after the deaths of Palestinians queuing for aid drew renewed attention on the humanitarian catastrophe. Gaza health authorities said 118 people were killed in the aid melee, attributing the deaths to Israeli fire and calling it a massacre. Israel disputed those figures and said most victims were trampled or run over. The Israeli military on Saturday promised "an exhaustive, truthful investigation" into the incident, which underscored the collapse of orderly aid deliveries to areas of Gaza occupied by Israeli forces. CEASEFIRE TALKS Israel and Hamas have been negotiating via mediators including Egypt and Qatar. Two Egyptian security sources said delegations from both sides were expected in Cairo on Sunday to resume indirect talks. But Israel's Ynet news cited an unnamed senior official as saying Israel would not send a delegation to Cairo until it received a full list of hostages who were alive. There was no immediate comment from Israel or Hamas. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan and Nafisa Eltahir in Cairo, Maayan Lubell and Henriette Chacar in Jerusalem, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Jeff Mason, Trevor Hunnicutt and Matt Spetalnick in Washington, Writing by Tom Perry, Giles Elgood and Patricia Zengerle, Editing by Timothy Heritage, Alison Williams and Cynthia Osterman) FILE PHOTO: Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari points at what he says is a guard roster in a room the military suspects was used by Hamas to hold hostages in the basement of Rantissi Hospital JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Israeli military on Saturday promised an exhaustive and truthful investigation into the deaths of Palestinians queuing for aid in Gaza this week, an incident that has drawn condemnations and calls for an international inquiry. Gaza Health authorities said 118 people were killed in Thursday's incident, attributing the deaths to Israeli fire and calling it a massacre. Israel disputed those figures and said most victims were trampled or run over as crowds swarmed aid trucks. An Israeli official also said troops had "in a limited response" later fired on crowds they felt had posed a threat. "We are investigating this incident, we have all the documentation that we need in order to carry out an exhaustive, truthful investigation into the facts of this incident and we will present our findings," spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv. "It was a humanitarian operation we were running and the claim that we deliberately attacked the convoy and deliberately harmed people is completely baseless," Hagari said. He added that it was the fourth such operation in that area. Although the accounts of what happened differed sharply, the incident has underscored the collapse of orderly aid deliveries in areas of Gaza occupied by Israeli forces, with no administration in place and the main U.N. agency UNRWA hamstrung by an inquiry into alleged links with Hamas. With a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, many countries have urged a ceasefire, but U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday's incident will complicate talks at which a deal involving a truce and hostage release is being sought. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell, Editing by Timothy Heritage) The Israeli government faces mounting calls to bring home the remaining captives held in Gaza (GIL COHEN-MAGEN) Thousands of Israeli demonstrators thronged a Jerusalem square on Saturday, concluding a four-day march from the Gaza border intended to pressure the government to free hostages held in the Palestinian territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has faced mounting calls to bring home the 130 captives Israel says remain in the Gaza Strip -- including 31 who are presumed dead. They are among the 250 Israelis and foreigners abducted during Hamas's October 7 attack that triggered the ongoing war. The unprecedented attack on southern Israel also resulted in the deaths of around 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures. In almost five months of war since then, at least 30,320 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry. Protesters in Jerusalem waved flags and raised posters with the hostages' pictures or slogans calling for their release. Organisers said 20,000 people participated in either the march or Saturday's rally. "Now, now, all of them now," the crowd chanted during the rally which also featured prayers, songs and remarks from relatives. "I was scared because I thought people are starting to forget or starting to get indifferent" about the captives' fate, said 50-year-old protester Daphna Keidar. "But this is different" from past rallies, she said. "This is bigger." As the rally was underway in Jerusalem, a senior US official said a truce deal which may see hostages freed could be within reach. Mediators have scrambled to lock in a new truce before the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan begins later this month. The US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Saturday that Israel had "more or less accepted" a ceasefire deal and that "the ball is in the camp of Hamas". Also on Saturday, thousands of anti-government protesters gathered in Tel Aviv to call for early elections. In Jerusalem, a relative of one of the hostages still in Gaza said he hoped the rally would signal to officials that freeing the hostages must be their top priority. "They must seal this deal no matter what," said Eyal Kalderon, cousin of hostage Ofer Kalderon. "I don't know if they will have another chance. It's now or maybe never." Reut Diamant, a 53-year-old demonstrator, told AFP that all Israelis "should be marching and should be coming to these events in order to show how important it is". "I don't know anyone personally" who was abducted, she said. "But it could have happened to my kids who are in the army, or to anyone else that I know." rcb/jd/ami A Palestinian inspects the destruction of a house belonging to the Abu Ghali family, following an Israeli airstrike killing one person. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa At least 11 Palestinians have been killed in a suspected Israeli airstrike on a refugee camp in Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry. A further 50 people were injured, the authority said on Saturday. The information could not be independently verified. The Israeli military did not initially comment on the incident. According to the authorities, some tents belonging to refugees who were in front of the Emirati hospital in the Tal al-Sultan district were hit. A paramedic and a nurse at the hospital were among the casualties, it said. In Rafah, which lies on the border with Egypt, about 1.5 million people are currently crowded together in cramped areas. Most of them have fled the war from other parts of the sealed-off coastal strip. They are mostly living in tents without adequate sanitary facilities or healthcare. Israel had designated parts of Rafah, including Tal al-Sultan, as safe when it had called on the Palestinian civilian population to evacuate other regions of the Gaza Strip in earlier phases of the war to avoid being caught up in the fighting. So far, 30,320 people in Gaza have been killed and more than 71,500 injured since the war began, unleashed by the October 7 attacks when Hamas and other extremist groups killed 1,200 people in Israel and abducted approximately 240 more. Palestinians inspect a vehicle destroyed by an Israeli military drone. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa A Palestinian child inspects the damage caused by an Israeli air strike on several buildings in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza Strip. Mohammed Talatene/dpa A Palestinian child inspects the damage caused by an Israeli air strike on several buildings in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza Strip. Mohammed Talatene/dpa Sunlight streamed through the glass-paneled roof over the Town Square food court in downtown St. Paul, where workers sat at tables, wolfing down Potbelly sandwiches during the busiest stretch of lunch hour Wednesday. A wooden picket fence blocks the pair of motionless escalators leading up from the skyway level to a third floor once a beloved spot for work breaks. For two decades, the 26,000-square-foot atrium was an indoor city park, home to a trickling brook and waterfalls, more than 250 tropical plant species and a historic hand-carved carousel. For the last 23 years, Town Square Park has sat empty, hidden from passersby. The glass panes are foggy and discolored. Tarps and buckets have been placed to catch leaks. The cacti, palm trees and spider plants were sold long ago, eventually replaced by unwanted vegetation that city inspectors warned could compromise the roof system. "It was this lovely oasis in the middle of downtown," said Joe Spencer, president of the St. Paul Downtown Alliance. "Nobody even knows it's there anymore." Opened in 1980, the indoor park was the crown jewel of a massive development meant to revitalize downtown St. Paul as retailers moved out to the newer suburban malls. The vision never fully came to life. By 2001, with maintenance costs rising and $2 million in repairs looming, St. Paul officials decided to close the park. A year later, the city sold the space to a caterer who wanted to turn it into an event center plans that also never came to fruition. In recent years, the former park was acquired by New York-based Sentinel Real Estate Corp., which owns the rest of the Town Square complex at 445 Minnesota St. Representatives from the company did not respond to questions about the future of the space, which has been considered a blight on downtown since it was added to the city's vacant building list in 2009. "It's really a shame to see it sitting there vacant," said City Council Member Rebecca Noecker, who represents the area. "I don't have any specific prescription for what should go there, but just generally would like to see it have new life." Story continues Failed urban development Though Town Square Park attracted weddings, proms, corporate events and concerts over the years, it didn't draw the crowds of shoppers city leaders hoped it might. Upkeep of the park was originally funded by assessments charged to nearby retailers. That changed in the mid-1990s as stores became offices, which lobbied to stop paying the fees meaning taxpayers picked up the full maintenance costs. Citing dwindling use and a need for major roof repairs, city leaders chose to mothball the park, saving $180,000 in operating costs. In 2002, they sold it for $101,500 to wedding caterer Michael Wong, who planned to add a commercial kitchen for events. St. Paulites with fond memories of the park were sad to see it go. City leaders were relieved to have it off their hands. Sentinel had offered a lower bid for the park and argued the city should have fixed the roof before it sold the parcel. The company developed a contentious relationship with Wong, filing lawsuits for roof leaks that damaged tenants' offices. John Rupp, a downtown developer who assisted Wong with financing, said Sentinel essentially blocked the caterer from using the park by shutting off utilities and limiting his access to the space. "The city sold him a piece of property that he couldn't use," Rupp said. "They never stepped in to help." Wong could not be reached for comment. In 2007, he told the Pioneer Press that he "lost everything" because of the Town Square failure. Through foreclosure, Sentinel took over the property in 2022. A foggy future Over the years, many have wondered how the space could be reused as a restaurant, as a senior center, as a department store. Spencer, of the Downtown Alliance, said he once brought Live Nation up there to see if the airy enclave could be turned into a concert venue. "My understanding is that it has accumulated so much deferred maintenance over the years, that has just kind of intimidated people from tackling it," he said. Staff from St. Paul's Department of Safety and Inspections said the abandoned park does not pose imminent danger to the public, though they haven't been up to the the space since a complaint in 2021. Inspectors walk through the skyway level every couple of weeks to look for signs of major problems. To get off the vacant building list, which costs $2,700 in fines this year, Sentinel must first request a code compliance inspection, said Robert Humphrey, St. Paul's vacant building project facilitator. The property owner cannot pull building permits until doing so. The city has unusually limited recourse, officials said, because the former park is attached to other core downtown properties. If a single-family house is left abandoned, the city can eventually take steps to demolish it. "Why is it OK for a big New York real estate company to block Michael Wong for years from using it, and then when they buy it, they allow it to be sitting there derelict?" said Rupp, who has previously clashed with St. Paul inspectors at his restaurant at the Commodore. "The last thing we need is to further degrade the experiences of people who are trying to live and work downtown." As public and private leaders debate strategies to push downtown St. Paul through a post-pandemic transformation, the old Town Square Park space remains left out of conversations, largely forgotten just as it is by hundreds of others who stroll by to visit Caribou Coffee and Cassie's Deli, passing the still escalators that once led to a sunny, verdant respite in the heart of the city. Ivanka Trump and her shiny sari are attempting to single-handedly revive the glamorous face of Trumpworld at Ambani's pre-wedding bash Ivanka Trump is in India for a glitzy wedding event, and in top form. Trump has in the last year distanced herself from politics, but she's been active on social media. Now, she's back in the spotlight and rubbing shoulders with some of the world's wealthiest people. Ivanka Trump sparkled in a flashy sari at the Ambani pre-wedding soiree, bringing a pretty piece of the Trumpworld to the star-studded event. Among many tech leaders, billionaires, and celebrities on Saturday, Trump appears to be squarely back in the spotlight, rubbing shoulders with the world's wealthiest and most well-connected. Posing with her husband and their daughter, Arabella Rose Kushner, Trump rocked a gold and silver sari. They were there for a pre-wedding party to celebrate the upcoming July nuptials of Anant Ambani, the son of Asia's richest man, Mukesh Ambani. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump with their daughter --- Also spotted at the festivities were Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. The extensive guest list for the weekend's billionaire bonanza also includes Rihanna, Bill Gates, and Sundar Pichai. Before the 2016 election, Trump was a glamorous daughter of a New York businessman. Then came former President Donald Trump's onslaught of legal troubles and controversies, some of which involved her husband, onetime Trump senior advisor Jared Kushner. Trump herself served as an advisor in the White House. But throughout her father's 2024 campaign, Trump has shied away from making rally appearances or campaigning for her dad. Instead, she's been cozying up to the Kardashians, renouncing future political roles, and partying with the Indian billionaire Ambani family. Trump's also been spotted traveling and reintegrating herself into high society circles. She's taken trips to Greece, gone surfing, and snapped selfies in New York, per her regular Instagram updates. Meanwhile, Trump's brothers have gone in the opposite direction, further entrenching themselves in their father's political sphere. Donald Trump Jr. is podcasting and insulting his father's political rivals, while Eric Trump and his wife Lara remain staunch supporters of Donald Trump's 2024 White House bid. A lawyer for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside of regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) As Alabama lawmakers rush to get every fertility clinic in the state back up and running, George Washington University Law professor Sonia Suter warns this battle may not be over. I would worry about it. Theres more uncertainty than I would want to deal with for a procedure that involves so much, she said. Suter says while state lawmakers are pushing a bill to shield clinics from lawsuits, it does not clarify Alabamas Supreme Court ruling, which says that frozen embryos used for in vitro fertilization are children. You would have to have a lawsuit. Youd have to have it come up before the Alabama Supreme Court, Suter explained. But I could see in the way some of the justices have written this, a court say, no, Im sorry, the sanctity of unborn life means all unborn life. The White House is urging Congress to pass federal guidelines to clarify the law. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden said, Yes, that means protecting IVF. The effort to protect IVF effort hit a wall earlier this week. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) says she supports IVF, but Democrats proposal goes way too far. It would legalize gene edited designer babies and let the federal ban on the creation of three parent embryos, she said as she objected. Emma Waters with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, says this is a battle of morality. She said that many researchers have described the fertility industry in the United States as a wild, wild West, and to protect human life, there should be more, not less, oversight of the fertility industry. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Michael Sparks, the man accused of being the first rioter to enter the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has been convicted on charges that he interfered with police and obstructed Congress from certifying the election results. A federal jury in Washington, D.C. convicted Sparks, 46, a Kentucky resident, on all six charges he faced, including two felonies. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly is set to sentence him on July 9, The Associated Press reported. On the day of the Capitol riot, Sparks jumped through a broken window just after another rioter smashed it open. Inside the Capitol, he joined other people in chasing a police officer up a flight of stairs. A prosecutor for the Department of Justice said during his trial that Sparks was the tip of the spear, and he entered the building less than a minute before senators evacuated the chamber to escape. Sparks defense attorney, Scott Wendelsdorf, conceded that Sparks is guilty of four misdemeanor counts, including trespassing and disorderly conduct, but pushed back on the felony charges civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding. After attending the Stop the Steal rally, Sparks, wearing a tactical vest, made his way to the front of the mob. He jumped in the Capitol window after other rioters told him not to, and a U.S. Capitol Police officer pepper sprayed him in the face. Wendelsdorf said Sparks left the Capitol when he realized former Vice President Mike Pence would not overturn the results of the election on behalf of former President Trump. Sparks was arrested after a tipster recognized him the day after the riots. Sparks reportedly had said he was attending a pro-Trump rally in Washington and said, this time we are going to shut it down. A day after the riot, Sparks texted his mother that he would go again given the opportunity. The DOJ argued that he showed no remorse. By the time he went back to Kentucky, photos circulated online identifying him. Sparks called the local police department and offered to turn himself in, prosecutors said. He was arrested on Jan. 19, 2021, and he was indicted on Feb. 5, 2021, followed by a superseding indictment in November of the same year. The Associated Press contributed reporting. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Akiko Okamoto TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States on Friday said it would honour former Japan Self-Defense Forces soldier Rina Gonoi with the International Women of Courage Award for bringing about change in the Japanese military with her victory in a sexual harassment case. Gonoi, 24, will be among 12 recipients globally of the U.S. award on March 4, according to a U.S. State Department statement, with recognition also going to women from Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Cuba and others. "It makes me happy if people saw courage through my actions or they were inspired to change. Accepting this award means my actions weren't wrong. I hope I can give courage to people, and to the people that cannot stand up for themselves," Gonoi told Reuters in an exclusive interview. A Japanese court in December found three former soldiers guilty of sexually assaulting Gonoi, who joined Japan's Self-Defence Forces after receiving aid from them as an evacuee when a massive earthquake struck the northeast coast of Japan in March 2011. She quit the military, however, after officers ignored her complaint over an incident in 2021 when she was pinned down by three male colleagues, who simulated a sex act on her. "Ms. Gonoi's bravery to take on social norms emboldened countless survivors of abuse to come forward with their own stories so that they no longer suffered in silence," said the U.S. statement on the award winners. After Gonoi went public with her accusations in 2022, Japan's defence ministry issued a public apology and began a widespread survey of harassment in the military and military-linked entities that found more than 1,400 complaints. "It is an award for women, but I always say women and men should work together to make our society better. It's not about being a woman or man. People should proactively take action for the right things and stand up for themselves," Gonoi told Reuters. (Reporting by Akiko Okamoto; Writing by Katya Golubkova. Editing by Gerry Doyle) TUKWILA, Wash. - The man who was a person of interest in the murder of a Tumwater cab driver is now named a suspect in the case, police said. On Jan. 15, 34-year-old Nick Hokema's body was found with multiple stab wounds at the Southcenter Mall parking lot. Later that week, police reported they were looking for his red Toyota Camry with "RediCab" markings. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Cab driver killed while working, body dumped in Southcenter Mall parking lot Kokema's car was recovered and Jonathan Kang Lee, who was wanted for military desertion and child molestation, was taken into custody on charges unrelated to the homicide. RELATED COVERAGE: Girlfriend of cab driver murdered in Southcenter speaks out: He was honest. He was the man I loved Lee was last seen at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) on Jan. 14 before he was wanted for deserting. He was convicted and sentenced by a court-martial on a number of unspecified felonies. He is reportedly facing 64 years behind bars for those crimes. On March 1, the Tukwila Police Department named Lee as a suspect in the homicide case. The department also said the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is reviewing the case and the Tukwila Police Department's Major Crimes Unit and the Army Criminal Investigation Division are still actively investigating. The Chancellor said that the Office for Budget Responsibility had 'gone against us', leaving him with less room for manoeuvre than he had hoped - Paul Grover for the Telegraph Jeremy Hunt is plotting a war on immoral Whitehall waste to fund tax cuts, The Telegraph can disclose. In an exclusive interview, the Chancellor revealed that he will unveil plans in this weeks Budget to crack down on bureaucracy in the public sector and to slash tens of thousands of civil service jobs. He has vowed to cut red tape that forces doctors, nurses and police officers to spend hours filling out forms and he criticised Whitehall departments that spend public money on woke initiatives that he finds very hard to defend. The Chancellor also disclosed that the economic forecasts he received this week from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) have gone against us, leaving him with less fiscal headroom than he hoped And he added that he thought people were at the limit of how high they are prepared to see their taxes go, but warned that there was a long path ahead before he brings them down Mr Hunt is weighing up whether to axe non-dom status or extend the windfall tax on oil and gas companies as he seeks novel ways to fund tax relief for Middle England in the Budget. Treasury officials are believed to be considering a range of options, including reducing employee national insurance contributions, cutting income tax and extending the freeze on fuel duty. The Sunday Times reported that Mr Hunt will scrap the preferential tax regime for holiday lets in the Budget. It is expected that the move will help to raise 300million a year. This week Mr Hunt will announce plans to boost public sector productivity in an attempt to deliver up to 1.8 billion worth of benefits by 2029. He said: Public sector waste is immoral. It is taking money out of taxpayers pockets. The Chancellor said he wanted to restart the programme of public sector reform which was halted during the pandemic, adding: Were going to do it for a very conservative reason, which is that I look around the world and I know that the most successful economies are ones with lower taxes, particularly North America and Asia. Mr Hunt went on to say that there is too much waste across many parts of the public sector, adding that the money we spend on public services could be spent much more efficiently. He also criticised woke spending by Whitehall departments, where civil servants time and resources are spent on equality, diversity and inclusion hires and initiatives. Glass ceilings I find some of those initiatives very hard to defend, he said. Im a big believer in smashing glass ceilings, but the people who smash glass ceilings, or who can make sure the glass ceilings are smashed, are the people who run companies and who run organisations. Its not something you should subcontract to a kind of a unit of people who are paid a lot of money. Earlier this year, the head of Britains spending watchdog warned that more than 10 billion of taxpayers money was being wasted by the public sector every year. Gareth Davies, the head of the National Audit Office, said poor management, benefits fraud and antiquated computer systems were to blame. The Chancellor will announce a range of measures to boost productivity, such as fitting MRI scanners with artificial intelligence so patients can get faster results, and interviewing crime witnesses and victims via video call to speed up police investigations. Mr Hunt said he would like to see the number of Civil Service jobs return to pre-pandemic levels, meaning 66,000 Whitehall jobs would be cut, which is equivalent to one in seven. I think overall, there are definitely areas where we are employing more people than we should, he said. I do think that we need to get back to our pre-Covid baseline when it comes to the numbers of civil servants. You had a huge expansion of Civil Service during the pandemic that was justified. It was an exceptional situation, but were not in a pandemic now. And still weve ended up with a civil service that is significantly bigger than it was. Mr Hunt is facing a backlash from Tory backbenchers and Army chiefs after reports emerged that no new money was set to be announced for the Ministry of Defence in Wednesdays Budget. The Defence Secretary wrote to the Chancellor formally making a request for more money, in which he warned that the UK needed to re-establish our leadership in Europe. Responding to the row, Mr Hunt said: No one needs to persuade me of the importance of our commitment to defence. And I do think we will need to spend more money on defence. But in order to fund that over many years, what I need to do is to get the economy growing. Interview Jeremy Hunt: 'The public are at their limit over taxes' Read more Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Cllr Garfield told the meeting it would "take a lot more to bully [him] out of public life" - Newham Labour A Jewish councillor was hissed at by members of the public at an east London council meeting last week. Joshua Garfield was pushed to tell councillors and residents on Thursday that it would take a lot more than heckling to bully [him] out of public life. Cllr Garfield is the only Jewish councillor for the London Borough of Newham. The Metropolitan Police confirmed they made three arrests on Saturday in relation to the incident and are treating it as a hate crime. The detained individuals remain in custody. Footage of the full meeting, which was live-streamed, caught hissing sounds from the public as Cllr Garfield rose to discuss the councils budget. The meeting was then halted to clear the public gallery. Responding to the heckling, Cllr Garfield said: If members of the gallery want to hiss me, they might wish to speak to my face about the issues they have. The meeting was reconvened after around 15 minutes and Rohima Rahman, the council chair, said: Any anti-Semitism or Islamophobia is not acceptable for this council. Robust debate always welcome Cllr Garfield, a Jewish Labour Movement official, addressed the gallery once again to say: Robust debate, disagreement, agreement however strongly is something that I and I know my colleagues in Labour group always welcome. But Ive spent four years as the only Jewish member of this council, 18 months as the only Jewish member of cabinet. It will take a lot more to bully me out of public life. Several politicians took to social media to offer their support to Cllr Garfield. Writing on X, formerly Twitter, James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, said: Joshua stood against me in the General Election. We debated and we disagreed, but always with good grace. He is right to stand strong against attempts to bully him and others from the public space. I am determined to protect his right to represent and speak for his community. Meanwhile, Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, described the incident as disgusting in his own post to X. This is disgusting. As minister responsible for local government I want to express my solidarity with Councillor Joshua Garfield. Anti-semitism is a poison we must all confront https://t.co/i4hRZ4SS6u Michael Gove (@michaelgove) March 1, 2024 Newham Labour Group also issued a message of support for Cllr Garfield, saying: Democracy is the beating heart of our strong, inclusive and diverse Newham. We all have a role to play as elected representatives, citizens and voters to protect and preserve it. For our Jewish councillor Joshua Garfield to be hissed at as he got up to speak is anti-Semitic hate. Det Supt Dion Brown, based in Newham, said: We are aware of the incident that took place at a Newham Council meeting on Thursday Feb 29. We are treating this incident as a hate crime and have made contact with the victim. An investigation has been launched. On March 2 three people were arrested on suspicion of a racially/ religiously motivated offence under the Public Order Act. They remain in custody. 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. Former Commons Speaker John Bercow in action on the show - PEACOCK/TNI PRESS LTD. Former Commons Speaker John Bercow has been banished from the US version of The Traitors. Bercow, who quit as speaker in 2019 after a decade at the helm, described the psychological reality show as much more complicated than politics. Politics is childs play by comparison, the 61-year-old said. The show sees competitors split, with secret traitors tasked with murdering the other faithful contestants at a remote castle in the Scottish highlands to win a financial prize that has risen to $250,000 (197,500). 'Politics is child's play by comparison,' the 61-year-old said of the show - PEACOCK/TNI PRESS LTD. During the episode, Bercow was seen opening an envelope that read: By order of the traitors, you have been murdered. He anticipated his departure earlier in the episode, after repeatedly expressing that former The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Phaedra Parks was a traitor - to the dismay of other contestants. Im not surprised in the slightest by my macabre fate, he said after his exit. I was on to Phaedra and she wasnt going to allow me to hang around any longer. Fellow contestant and TV star Trishelle Cannatella shed a tear, saying she was entirely devastated that Bercow had departed. TV personality Chris CT Tamburello said: I hope I am as functional as him when I am his age, while Shahs of Sunset star Mercedes Javid joked: I dont think hes old, I think people in England just dont get Botox. The former speaker during an episode of the show - PEACOCK/TNI PRESS LTD. The former MP for Buckingham was the seventh celebrity to be axed from the second US series of the reality show, hosted by Scottish actor Alan Cumming. Bercows fate was chosen by Parks, who agreed with fellow traitor and Below Deck star Kate Chastain that she has the most chance of surviving the show without Bercow because hes most eloquent. Oh god he talks so much, Parks said, while Chastain added: I know you miss the evening news but come on, youre not the only speaker in this house. In 2022, a Commons Independent Expert Panel report upheld a finding that Bercow was a serial bully and said he should never again be allowed a parliamentary pass. The ex-Speaker was accused of throwing a mobile phone and swearing at officials. The second season of the UK version of The Traitors, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, was recently won by 22-year-old traitor Harry Clark who outwitted his fellow contestants to win more than 95,000. 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. HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) Air Combat Command has a new commander. Gen. Ken Wilsbach was welcomed into his new role during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base Langley-Eustis on Thursday, Feb. 29. Before coming to ACC, Wilsbach served as commander of Pacific Air Forces in Hawaii. As the commander of ACC, he now oversees more than 154,000 total force Airmen and civilians operating around the world. He is a command pilot with more than 4,500 hours in multiple aircraft. During the ceremony, Wilsbach shared his vision for the future of ACC. We will continue to put an emphasis on the people, Wilsbach said. If you look at the patch that we wear on our uniforms it says, People First, Mission Always. Its because the people are the ones who do the mission and if the people are hurting, if the people dont have what they need they cant do the mission. So, we will continue to put an emphasis on making sure that those high performing team members can continue to be high performing. Wilsbach succeeds Gen. Mark Kelly, who had led the command since August 2020. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. A Placer Superior Court judge declared a mistrial Friday in Northern Californias first fentanyl-murder jury trial after a lab failed to provide a document, officials said. Carson Schewe, 22, has pleaded not guilty to murder and two counts of drug sales in the December 2021 overdose death of Kade Kristopher Webb, 20, at a Safeway on Rosevilles Sierra Boulevard. Schewe appeared this week at the Historic Courthouse in Auburn as his trial began and attorneys presented evidence. Deputy District Attorney Devan Portillo began calling witnesses after opening statements concluded on Tuesday. He had planned on calling several doctors to speak about fentanyl, according to his opening statement. Portillo was eliciting testimony from an NMS Labs toxicologist, Brianna Peterson, about the victims blood tests on Thursday. NMS Labs bills itself as a company offering forensic toxicology laboratory tests and clinical drug monitoring programs associated with postmortem toxicology. District attorneys offices around the country often contract its services for lab work. Peterson failed to provide both the prosecution and defense with report detailing a summary of results, the Placer County District Attorneys Office said in a news release. Expert witnesses are required to turn over documents used in a case to attorneys, who are then mandated to turn over all materials to every lawyer in a case. Judge Michael Jones declared a mistrial Friday, Placer Superior Court records show. Jones declared a new jury must be selected and set a new trial selection date on March 7. Public defender Brad Whatcott and Rohan Beesla, representing Schewe, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The District Attorneys Office did not comment on the reports contents. The Placer County District Attorneys Office has been among the first to charge alleged dealers of the synthetic opioid with homicide as fentanyl overdose deaths soared in the county. Schewes case was the first time Placer County prosecutors charged a defendant with murder for allegedly supplying the drug to a person who died of an overdose and argued the case in front of a jury. District Attorney Morgan Gire has secured convictions against other defendants who killed victims by giving fentanyl, but they accepted plea deals and skipped a jury trial. Gire said its unfortunate there are honest human mistakes that can cause delays in a case, but attorneys will try to move forward and proceed with the case as quickly as they can to reduce trauma to the victims family. During the opening statements, Portillo argued Schewe knew of fentanyls dangers: People close to him died from its toxicity and he overdosed himself. Whatcott sowed doubt that his client acted with malice to kill Schewe and that he supplied the narcotic leading to Webbs death. He noted his client is guilty of selling drugs, but asked jurors to return with a not guilty verdict on the murder charge. What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. So when we looked at Best Buy (NYSE:BBY), they do have a high ROCE, but we weren't exactly elated from how returns are trending. What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)? Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for Best Buy, this is the formula: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.24 = US$1.7b (US$15b - US$7.9b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to February 2024). Thus, Best Buy has an ROCE of 24%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 14% earned by companies in a similar industry. View our latest analysis for Best Buy roce In the above chart we have measured Best Buy's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for Best Buy . How Are Returns Trending? In terms of Best Buy's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Historically returns on capital were even higher at 36%, but they have dropped over the last five years. On the other hand, the company has been employing more capital without a corresponding improvement in sales in the last year, which could suggest these investments are longer term plays. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line. Story continues On a separate but related note, it's important to know that Best Buy has a current liabilities to total assets ratio of 53%, which we'd consider pretty high. This effectively means that suppliers (or short-term creditors) are funding a large portion of the business, so just be aware that this can introduce some elements of risk. Ideally we'd like to see this reduce as that would mean fewer obligations bearing risks. What We Can Learn From Best Buy's ROCE To conclude, we've found that Best Buy is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. And investors may be recognizing these trends since the stock has only returned a total of 38% to shareholders over the last five years. So if you're looking for a multi-bagger, the underlying trends indicate you may have better chances elsewhere. One more thing: We've identified 3 warning signs with Best Buy (at least 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) , and understanding them would certainly be useful. Best Buy is not the only stock earning high returns. If you'd like to see more, check out our free list of companies earning high returns on equity with solid fundamentals. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. A judge at the centre of a row over his lenient treatment of three women who celebrated the Hamas paraglider attacks may have violated the judiciarys code of conduct by talking about jailing a police officer, it has been claimed. Tan Ikram, a deputy senior district judge, told students during a diversity presentation last year that he had horrified the police by jailing one of their officers, who had sent racist Whats App messages. But the Court and Tribunals Judiciary code of conduct states that judicial office holders cannot talk about cases they or colleagues hear, and they are urged to not comment on matters of controversy. In an apparent reference to the case of James Watts, a former police constable jailed in 2022 for sending grossly offensive WhatsApp messages, Mr Ikram reportedly told students at the College of DuPage in the United States: I sent somebody to prison recently. Policemans messages were disgustingly racist It was a police officer. He was on a WhatsApp group and was sending messages to all his fellow police officers, which were disgustingly racist. And he said it was a private group. Lord Wolfson KC, a former justice minister, suggested Judge Ikrams comments could fall foul of the code of conduct. The longstanding practice of the judiciary was to keep any political opinions private, at least for so long as the judge continued to sit, and to take care not to comment on cases which the judge had heard. Justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done - and these rules of judicial conduct are an important part of that, he said. The Judicial Press Office said it could not comment on whether complaints have been received, or the status of complaints. Steven Barrett, a leading barrister, said: When there are very serious questions about any judge, it is important that the authorities take the matter seriously. This requires full investigation, if public trust in our judges is to survive. Officer mocked murder of George Floyd Watts was serving with West Mercia Police in 2020 when he shared messages with former colleagues including images that mocked the murder of George Floyd, a black man killed by a police officer in Minneapolis. During the presentation to students in February last year, Judge Ikram reportedly said: This was a police officer bringing the police service into disrepute. So I gave him a long prison sentence. The police were horrified by that. Because it was the first time that a police officer had been sent down in those sorts of circumstances. Judge Ikram faced criticism last month after he decided not to punish three women who were convicted of a terror offence after glorifying Hamas with images of paragliders following the atrocities of Oct 7. He told the defendants: You crossed the line, but it would have been fair to say that emotions ran very high on this issue. It later emerged he had liked a social media post describing Israelis as terrorists. Judges given guidance on expressing views Judicial guidance as set out in the 2023 official guide requires that judges known to have strong views should consider whether or not to hear a case, and to be aware that you can convey information about yourself and your views by liking posts. The Crown Prosecution Service looked into the case and said that no action would be taken because the option of judicial review of Judge Ikrams handling of the case is unlikely to be successful. The judge is among the contributors to the Equal Treatment Bench Book, a UK judiciary diversity guide which employs contested concepts such as unconscious bias and microaggressions. Boris Johnson awarded him a CBE in his 2022 New Year Honours, for services to judicial diversity. Judge Ikram was approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Montana Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway, R-Great Falls, speaks in support of her ban on abortions after 20 weeks of gestation. (Arren Kimbel-Sannit/The Daily Montanan) In a ruling deeply critical of restrictions placed on abortion by the 2021 Montana Legislature, Yellowstone County District Court Judge Kurt Krueger struck down three laws that he said placed unreasonable and unconstitutional limits on abortions in Montana. The decision converted what had been a temporary injunction on the laws into a permanent one, but it does not affect a raft of abortion restrictions that were passed by the 2023 Montana Legislature and are still being challenged in Montanas courts. The ruling, issued Thursday, struck down three laws that made obtaining an abortion more difficult in Montana, and Krueger said those restrictions had no basis in medical science, by the states own admission. He said the measures trample upon the more robust state constitutional protections, as well as the landmark 1999 decision that the right to obtain an abortion was part of the states right to privacy, enshrined in the Montana Constitution. The Montana Attorney Generals Office, which defended the lawsuit, did not comment when asked on Thursday afternoon. It can appeal the decision to the Montana Supreme Court. Planned Parenthood of Montana brought the lawsuit challenging House Bills 136, 140 and 171. House Bill 136 bans abortions at 20 weeks, which is before the point of viability, based on the legislative conclusion that the fetus is able to experience pain at that point during the gestation. House Bill 171 implemented a host of restrictions, including banning abortions via telehealth, imposing a 24-hour waiting period, requiring a patient to use a state form that had various notifications, and required an entirely new set of credentialing for medical providers who perform abortions. House Bill 140 required providers to provide two forms of ultrasound and fetal heart tones, and imposed civil penalties for providers who dont offer it. In the ruling, Krueger struck down each of the bills one at a time, and said the state failed to present medical evidence to support its position, while also incorrectly tying Montanas right to abortion to the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs vs. Jackson Womens Health decision, rather than to the Armstrong case in the state. Notably, Armstrong rejected the states attempts to regulate abortion, not on the basis that the procedure should be protected per se, but because a womans right to decide up to the point of fetal viability, what her pregnancy demands implicates her right to procreative autonomy. If the state can infringe on that autonomy in favor of birth, then, necessarily it also has the power to require abortion, neither of which would be acceptable, Krueger said. The role of the Dobbs decision The judge also rejected the idea that state officials have repeated that Montana courts should base their decisions about abortion because of the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs decision, which returned the power to regulate abortion to each state. The state cites to Dobbs for its assertion that it has a compelling interest in respecting and preserving human life, including prenatal life at all stages of development, regardless of determinations of viability. But Dobbs does not control here. Federal precedent is not binding on questions of state constitutional law, Krueger said, pointing to a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court case. Krueger said that while the state has the right to use its police power to regulate the health of its residents, that also is not unlimited. Krueger referenced other recent decisions that were hotly contested outside the area of abortion to demonstrate his rationale. For example, the judge said that a challenge to Montanas mask mandate brought by Missoula parents was upheld because a public school policy requiring students to wear masks to prevent spread of infectious disease did not violate the right to make private health care decisions because the mask amounted to a public health intervention, not treatment the same way the state Supreme Court has ruled that requiring a motorcycle helmet is not a treatment for a head injury. Krueger instead said that the state of Montana has failed to show a bonafide health risk presented by abortion. Courts are particularly wary of ideological or sectarian legislation presented as health care interests, the order said. The court found that Montana was able to present no evidence that 20 weeks of gestation for a fetus was medically viable, and Montanas laws protect abortion up to the point of viability. But the new law, HB 136, bans abortion after 20 weeks because of the equally unsupported claim that a fetus can feel pain, Krueger said. Under the Montana Constitution, contrary to Dobbs, citizens retain their right to procreative autonomy up through the point of viability. The scope of any asserted state interest in protecting fetal life, therefore, depends on determinations of viability, he wrote. In this case, the law largely bans abortions at 20 weeks. It is undisputed that no fetus is presently viable at that point. Krueger also said that HB 136 smacks of the ideologically motivated legislation condemned by the court in Armstrong, and that it failed to show a compelling state interest. The court order demonstrated that no deaths from 2010 through 2020 were attributed to abortion, and only 0.3% of abortions in the state had a complication, so the states argument of medical risk was not substantiated. Montanas House Bill 171 Krueger also struck down HB 171, which included a panoply of rules governing abortion and telehealth. It violates the right to privacy by imposing numerous and severe burdens on patients and providers, which lack a basis in demonstrable medical science and do not apply to any other medical treatment, Krueger wrote. The state produced no discovery showing the risks of telehealth administered medication abortion versus in-person. Moreover, the state admits that Montana law does not expressly authorize or prohibit telehealth for any other medical provider. The court found that other provisions of the bill, like a 24-hour waiting period, were not justified by any medical science, and instead, served only to put more barriers in place; nor do other medical procedures require such a period. The state, in the court order, said that it passed the law to ensure that women werent being forced into abortions, but Krueger pointed out during the court process, the state of Montana failed to produce any evidence that this was a problem, or even occurred. The judge also took issue with several provisions of a state-designed form that women seeking an abortion must sign, including information that abortion is a reversible process. In his ruling, Krueger said that theres very little medical evidence to support that claim, and requiring patients to sign such a statement may give the impression that an abortion provider agrees with that advice, which violates First Amendment protections for the provider to speak freely. There is scant evidence that abortion reversal is even possible, and no evidence of a legitimate, recognized health risk which the promise of reversibility purports to solve, apart from the bare assertions that it furthers informed consent, Krueger said. The judge also counted more than 20 different, new and burdensome requirements placed on medical providers who offer abortion. Those requirements he described as expansive and only aimed at abortion providers because they offer the service, not because its medically necessary. Providers must be credentialed to handle any adverse physical or psychological condition arising from the performance of an abortion, the judge said. The law lists 29 such conditions, including renal failure, pelvic inflammatory disease, metabolic disorder, shock, subsequent development of breast cancer, any psychological condition, coma and death. The court claims no special medical expertise, but surely a doctor with credentials in all these areas would be among the worlds renowned medical experts. Krueger also pointed out that part of the form would require the medical provider to advise that the abortion will result in the death of an unborn child, a statement he called legally incorrect. Armstrong recognizes the right to an abortion pre-viability, and plaintiffs only perform abortions to that point, Krueger said. Ipso facto, a patient exercising their protected right does so in relation to a fetus which is not viable and cannot be legally considered an unborn child. Moreover, the implication would suggest to the average patient that they are ending a life tantamount to a criminal act. Such language is, at best, wrong and misleading. Krueger also said that Montana was violating First Amendment rights by pushing a particular viewpoint on abortion in the legislation. The requirement appears motivated by a particular perspective the viewpoint that abortion is wrong. That statute is conspicuously absent of any requirement that providers discuss the potential risks of carrying a pregnancy to term, Krueger wrote. If the patients well-being and autonomy were truly the underlying motivations behind the law, why not require providers to discuss all aspects of the decision regarding ones pregnancy, regardless of which decision a patient prefers? SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE Senate Bill 140 House Bill 140 requires the options of both ultrasounds and fetal heartbeat tones, and also requires the health care providers to provide those services, even if theyre not medically warranted. It infringes the right to privacy by requiring providers to offer medical interventions which may violate their own best judgment, without basis in generally-accepted medical consensus, the judge said. Krueger also said it treated pregnant patients who want to get an abortion differently than those who want to complete a full-term pregnancy. Because the ultrasound and fetal heart tone requirements do not correspond to bonafide health risks and only apply if a patient decides to terminate a pregnancy, the court is left with the strong impression that the law aims to advance the ulterior motive of discouraging abortion, the court order said. Statement from Planned Parenthood of Montana CEO Martha Fuller We are relieved that Montanans will no longer live with the threat of these harmful restrictions taking effect. But make no mistake, our fight continues. For years anti-abortion politicians at all levels of government have made banning abortion their number one priority, despite the current protection held in our state constitution. During the 2023 Montana legislative session, an onslaught of anti-abortion bills was introduced, passed, and signed into law, and PPMT is working hard to beat back these attacks and more. We will never stop working to ensure that all Montanans and those who are forced to travel here for care can access the care they need. Order-Granting-Summary-Judgment-1 The Daily Montanan, like the Idaho Capital Sun, is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Follow Daily Montanan on Facebook and Twitter. The post Judge strikes down a trio of Montana abortion laws passed in 21 as unconstitutional appeared first on Idaho Capital Sun. From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch I think all of the cases should be dealt with before November, Nikki Haley said Thursday when asked about Donald Trumps many pending criminal trials. We need to know whats going to happen before it, before the presidency happens, because after that, should he become president, I dont think any of its going to get heard. I just think a president has to live according to the laws, too, she added. You dont get complete immunity. You can count on one hand the number of Republicans with a national profile who are willing to lend that much public credence to the prosecutions against him. Day by day, hour by hour, Haley is inching closer to the full Liz. And not a moment too soon, as her candidacy isnt long for this world. But shes not going to get her wish. Its far more likely that none of Trumps criminal cases will be resolved before Election Day than that all of them will. In three of the four pending matters, I think Trumps critics can live with that. The one that stands the best chance of coming to trial before November, the Stormy Daniels matter in New York City, is one in which theyve never been emotionally invested. Its so stale and overtly political, even to many of his political enemies, that even a conviction is apt to seem illegitimate. Fulton Countys prosecution for election interference has also grown less savory as the district attorneys ethical foibles have turned messier. And expectations for a timely trial in the federal case involving classified documents were always low, partly because litigation involving sensitive information moves at a slower pace and partly because the Trump-appointed presiding judge may or may not be sympathetic to the defendant. In those three cases, Trumps critics are prepared for disappointment. The fourth is different. The federal case against him for attempting to overturn the 2020 election is The Big One because it cuts to the heart of the moral and civic argument against him. He attempted the first coup in U.S. history; its a singular disgrace, dangerous enough that it can never be repeated. After a long life lived with impunity for disgraces great and small, there must, for once, be accountability for Donald Trump. And theres no reason it shouldnt happen quickly: Surely the American justice system can manage to prosecute a coup plot arising out of the last presidential election before the coup-plotter faces voters again in the next one. It cant, it turns out. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court announced that, in all likelihood, there will be no trial in The Big One before Election Day. The justices agreed to take Trumps appeal on whether he should enjoy absolute immunity for presidential acts but wont hear oral arguments until April 22. Presumably, a decision wont be issued for weeks or months after that, whereupon Trumps legal team will likely seek further delay by peppering the trial court with additional pre-trial motions. Even if those are disposed of before November, the prospect of starting the trial so close to the election will appear unseemly to many. The Big One is likely to remain unresolved when polls open this fall. Liberals have spent the past 48 hours collectively losing their minds over the courts timetable, unable to fathom how Trumps plan to escape legal accountability could be working so well when his strategy has been plain for years. Law enforcement has been standing on train tracks since early 2021, watching a tiny light on a locomotive in the far, far distance grow ever larger, yet somehow still cant get motivated to get out of the way. I share their exasperation in the abstract. Justice delayed is justice denied. But whose fault is that delay? The case that the court is deliberately slow-walking Trumps coup prosecution starts with the fact that it could have moved faster than it has in hearing his appeal. It moves pretty fast with appeals in capital cases where it suspects dilatory legal tactics are being used to postpone execution, after all. Why not here? Better yet, it could have declined to move at all. Admittedly, it would be strange for SCOTUS to punt on a question as momentous as whether the man most likely to be elected president this year should enjoy absolute criminal immunity while in office, especially given how that man behaved during his first term. But absolute immunity is such a preposterous concept, lending itself to such outlandishly absurd hypotheticals, that the court might reasonably have concluded that it neednt dignify the idea by taking it up. The D.C. Circuits ruling nuking Trumps arguments could have been allowed to stand. And if it had, this matter would already be back before the district court, full speed ahead toward trial. Conservative Former federal judge @judgeluttig: There was no reason in this world for the Supreme Court to take this case.pic.twitter.com/wpAVuUz28W Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 28, 2024 If the Supreme Court were intent on deciding this matter, it could have expedited the process by scheduling oral arguments sooner than April 22. Or it could have granted special counsel Jack Smiths motion in December to leapfrog the D.C. Circuit and have SCOTUS take the case from the district court directly. That would have accelerated the appellate timetable; instead, the court chose the slowest path available, denying Smiths motion so that the circuit court would have to hear the matter and then agreeing to hear Trumps appeal itself instead of deferring to the D.C. Circuits ruling. Theres a reason SCOTUS didnt move faster, you might counter. Trump shouldnt be above the law but he also shouldnt be below it. By forcing Smith to follow the same appellate steps as other prosecutors, the court is making the point that Trump is entitled to the same procedures as any criminal defendant would be. If it expedited his appeal, it would be operating on a political timetable, not a legal one. Its a fair point, but there are two wrinkles. The first is that the Supreme Court is expediting his appealsomewhat. Just not to the extent that Smith and angry progressives would like. Two different things can be true:#SCOTUS *isnt* moving as fast as it possibly could/as fast as many folks want it to in resolving Trumps immunity appeal; and SCOTUS *is* moving much faster than Trump wanted it to *and* much faster than it does in virtually all of its cases. Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) February 29, 2024 Trumps lawyers wanted SCOTUS to wait until its next term to hear his case, ensuring that the trial wouldnt begin before the election. The court is moving at warp speed by scheduling oral arguments in April instead and preserving the faint chance of a verdict before November. Why would it do that if its not following a timetable thats at least somewhat political? The answer to that question lies in the other wrinkle. Election Day isnt just a political deadline in this matter, its a legal one. Certainly, liberals are keen to have Trump tried and found guilty before ballots are cast because they expect to gain an electoral advantage from it. Polls routinely show that some meaningful bloc of American voters is willing to support a candidate whos been accused of a crime but not a candidate whos been convicted of one. Even if a guilty verdict against Trump didnt move votes, though, time is still of the essence in prosecuting him. In all of American history, hes the only person whos ever stood a plausible chance of gaining the legal power to quash federal criminal charges that are pending against himand no one in either party doubts that hell use it. The stakes of this election are nothing less than whether one candidate will be granted a get out of jail free card by voters for the coup he plotted. Thats what Nikki Haley meant when she speculated that the cases against him will never be heard if theyre not heard before Election Day. Trump isnt any ol criminal defendant, and SCOTUS understands that. Its willing to expedite the immunity hearing for the sake of holding him accountable to the law before voters make that impossible. Just not so much as to maximize the chances of a trial actually happening before November. Strangely, it reminds me of Joe Bidens too-clever-by-half approach to arming Ukraine. For two years, the president has tried to find a middle ground between supplying weapons that are sophisticated and powerful enough to enable a vigorous Ukrainian defense but not so sophisticated and powerful as to turn the tide of battle and infuriate Russia, risking escalation. Its a half-pregnant approach to armament. The same with the Supreme Court and Trump: It will accelerate his appeals enough to give Smith a fighting chance of taking the case to trial before Election Day but not so much as to ensure that the trial will take place before then, which would infuriate the right and draw accusations of election interference. Its a half-pregnant approach to law. So were agreed, then: The slow timetable is all SCOTUS fault, yes? Not at all, actually. The case against blaming the court for the pace of Trumps coup prosecution begins with this juicy item in Politico from earlier this month. The president is miffed at his attorney general, it seems, and for more than one reason. Hes mad that the special counsel who investigated him for retaining classified documents saw fit to dub him a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory who couldnt recall when his beloved son, Beau, died. Hes also mad that the investigation into his other son, Hunter, has dragged on as long as it has and required the appointment of a second special counsel. But thats not all: In recent weeks, President Biden has grumbled to aides and advisers that had [Attorney General Merrick] Garland moved sooner in his investigation into former President Donald Trumps election interference, a trial may already be underway or even have concluded, according to two people granted anonymity to discuss private matters. That trial still could take place before the election and much of the delay is owed not to Garland but to deliberate resistance put up by the former president and his team. Some of the delay is owed to legal tactics by Trumps lawyers. But most of it belongs to Garland and his advisers at the Justice Department. Last summer the Washington Post reported that the attorney general and his deputies dithered for more than a year after January 6 in pursuing a criminal case against Trump arising from his coup plot, even as evidence of the extent of his malfeasance became clearer over time. When the DOJ did finally begin investigating the Trump White House for its role in the plot, the FBI initially resisted identifying Trump himself as a focus of the investigation. Not until November 18, 2022, two days after Trump announced his third presidential candidacy, did Garland appoint Jack Smith as special counsel in the matter. It would be another eight months before Smith obtained an indictment of Trump for it. In blaming Garland, Joe Biden remembered something that SCOTUS-bashing progressives have conveniently forgotten: It may be true that the American justice system has dragged its feet in prosecuting Trump but its also true that the American justice system doesnt let courts initiate prosecutions. Had the presidents Justice Department moved expeditiously after January 6 to hold Trump accountable for his plot, the case probably would have already been resolved. Perhaps a conviction would have convinced Trump not to run for president again or, if not, at least would have wounded him mortally in the primary, producing a different Republican nominee. Either way, Democrats who are demagoguing the Supreme Court this week for not accelerating Trumps trial are essentially showing up at a restaurant five minutes before it closes and being mad at the waitstaff that theyre eating at such a late hour. But theres a wrinkle to this argument too. Garland and his team didnt slow-walk the case against Trump because theyre lazy or disengaged, or because they were hoping to bring the matter to trial in the thick of the 2024 general election campaign for maximum political advantage. Per the Post, they slow-walked it because they didnt want to put the country through a horrendous ordeal if they could avoid it and, if they had to, wanted to be really sure of their case when they did. You dont prosecute a former president, particularly one who inspires fanatic devotion in millions, unless he all but dares you to and youve got the goods. Initially, following years of perceived politicization, the DOJs institutional rehabilitation took precedence. The Justice Departments painstaking approach to investigating Trump can be traced to Garlands desire to turn the page from missteps, bruising attacks, and allegations of partisanship in the departments recent investigations of both Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election and Hillary Clintons use of a private email server, the Post reported. The DOJ, in other words, didnt want to antagonize Republican voters again after the intense backlashes inspired by the Steele dossier and the Mueller probe. Frankly, had Trump simply retired from politics and gone away, I suspect Garland would have let him slide on criminal charges in the interest of national healing. But he wouldnt go away. In fact, he ran for reelection explicitly on a program of retribution against the so-called deep stateone that would begin by returning him to the White House and granting him the legal power to place himself beyond accountability to the Justice Department. No doubt to the shock and horror of Merrick Garland, the base of Trumps party is not only willing to grant him that power, theyre enthusiastic about it. Declining to charge him for his coup plot thus would not, in fact, bring about healing and reconciliation, it turned out. Worse, the fact that Trump had suffered no consequences, legal or political, for that plot meant there was nothing deterring him from trying again at some point. So the DOJ did the only thing it could think to do, very belatedly charging him and hoping to gain a conviction before he returned to the White House and turned the department into his personal plaything. And so if its not fair to blame the Supreme Court for the slow pace of prosecution, it seems not quite fair to blame Garland and the Justice Department either. The reason blame is difficult to apportion in this matter is because the blame ultimately doesnt lie with any institution. It lies with the corrupt voters of the Republican Party who continue to make Trump politically viable. Thats an uncomfortable fact for institutions like SCOTUS and the DOJ. In a constitutional democracy, government institutions have dual loyaltiesone to democracy, in which ultimate authority lies with the people, and one to the constitutional order, in which ultimate authority lies with the law and the civic norms that the law establishes. Typically the two authorities are sufficiently well-aligned that those dual loyalties arent pitted against each other. But when the people are prepared to place an accused criminal in charge of federal law enforcement, they cant be reconciled. So courts and prosecutors are left to face agonizing moral dilemmas for which theyre fundamentally unprepared. When choosing whether to seek criminal accountability for a political leader, should institutions be guided by the law or by the people? Does the answer depend on whether that leader, once elected, intends to continue to commit crimes? What if the people understand his criminal intentions and support him anyway? Theres no correct way for the Supreme Court or the Justice Department to handle the timetable for Trumps coup trial because a constitutional democracy isnt supposed to select miscreants like him as political leaders. He has a persistent deranging effect on American institutions because he frequently pits the moral authority of his democratic support against the moral authority of the constitutional order, sometimes in explicit ways. Inevitably, institutions are forced to choose how to prioritize, and no matter which choice they make, they lose some legitimacy in the eyes of Americans who would have chosen differently. This explains the theatrical outrage of liberals at SCOTUS timetable in the Trump matter, primed as those liberals are to believe (falsely) that our conservative court is in the tank for the Republican candidate. All of this is perfect for Trump, of course. As American institutions become less legitimate, they become less capable of mustering popular support to resist his authoritarian designs when the time comes. Their failure in turn drives his political opponents to despair, leading them to consider extraordinary, and extraordinarily dubious, tactics in the name of thwarting him that he can exploit later. The mind reels, for instance, at how much hot rhetoric about court-packing well be treated to next year from the left if Trump manages to delay a trial past Election Day and succeeds in being reelected president. But it wont be the Supreme Courts fault. We have a virtuous civic tradition and an increasingly unvirtuous people, and somethings got to give. Until it does, the machinery of law enforcement can only muddle through unhappily, alienating everyone by turns. In the end, in fact, perhaps its best that Trump isnt tried before ballots are cast. Electing an accused criminal would be terrible but electing a convicted criminal and granting him the power to pardon himself would be unforgivable, shattering our national image. Better that we go on laboring under the illusion that the greatest country in the world would never stoop to such things rather than face the hard reality. 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. In the latest installment of I Watch This Stuff So You Dont Have To: Today, were looking at Thursdays informational hearing on a bill pending in the Kansas Legislature that seeks to ban gender-affirming medical and psychological care for minors, and punish those who provide it. It actually wasnt as bad as I expected. And Im truly puzzled as to why state Sen. Beverly Gossage, Eudora Republican and chair of the Public Health and Welfare Committee, felt it necessary to keep the witness list secret from the public and her own committee until the last minute. In the event, Gossage allowed equal time for proponents and opponents of House Bill 2791. At times, it was difficult to listen to the testimony from both sides. The first witness, Chloe Cole, is a Californian who transitioned from female to male, and then re-transitioned back to female. As a teenager, she underwent hormone therapy and breast reduction to appear more masculine. It didnt go well. She has a pending lawsuit against the Kaiser Permanente health care system in California and now travels the country advocating for bills like H.B. 2791 in state legislatures and Congress. Today, I experience joint, back and pelvic pains, I have issues with atrophy, with my sexual dysfunction and pain, and the testosterone may have made me infertile, Cole testified. The skin grafts they created out of my areolas have become open wounds and I have to bandage myself every single day. Contrasting that was the lived experience of D.C. Hiegert, a transgender individual and lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas. Kansans have told you we do not want this bill, because we know it will cause serious harm, and I do not mean that in an abstract sense people will die, families will suffer, Hiegert testified. The very care this bill attacks is the reason Im alive and able to advocate for my fellow Kansans rights. I love Kansas and Im proud to call it my home. I know countless trans Kansans that feel the same way. But bills like these tell us our state does not love us back. Im tempted to agree with state Sen. Pat Pettey of Kansas City, the ranking Democrat on the committee, who protested the hearing as a waste of time. We have many more important issues like Medicaid expansion that we could be using our committee time for, so I want to voice my opposition to this, she said. Shes not wrong. The hearing was practically a rerun of proceedings last year when the Republicans who dominate the Legislature pushed through a similar bill, which was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. The obvious motivation behind the Senate hearing was to accommodate the travel schedules of the professional out-of-state activists brought to Topeka to testify in a House hearing, also Thursday. The Senate hearing was, as I said, fairly balanced. But in the end, it still sends a harmful message to LGBTQ children struggling to understand their identity and where they fit into society. Were doing harm to these kids who have to keep hearing over and over that they arent worthy to be here, said Amanda Mogoi, a Wichita nurse practitioner with more than 2,000 LGBTQIA+ patients, and Kansas only health care provider certified by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. This committee and the Legislature, over and over, tells children that they are not valuable and not worthy to make their own health care decisions and to say who they are, and to be believed, Mogoi said. Thats hard to argue with. These past few years, Kansas has gone far out of its way to marginalize and ostracize LGBTQ people, with transgender individuals bearing the brunt of the fiercest attacks. Its time to quit it, and learn to live and let live. May Thursdays hearing be the last spectacle of its kind. Kari Lake, the Arizona Republican candidate running for Senate, has proclaimed abortion the ultimate sin, said abortion pills should be illegal, and praised laws to restrict reproductive rights in other conservative-led states. In August, Lake was in Ohio to campaign for a ballot measure that would have made it more difficult to pass a constitutional amendment enshrining the right to abortion. Now, Lake, in an exclusive interview with NBC News, is seeking to moderate her position in a way that acknowledges the tricky spot that Republicans find themselves after the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that enshrined abortion rights nationally. Lake said she believes Arizona will settle on a rule that offers access to abortion up to 15 to 24 weeks. She called the states current 15-week limit a good law, and told NBC News that she does not support Arizonas controversial territorial rule, a near-total ban on abortion that is under dispute in the courts. As recently as November 2023, Lake responded to a question about her previous support for the territorial ban, saying, I havent changed. A state ballot initiative is poised to go before voters later this year. Its probably going to be the 15th week or whatever is in this ballot initiative, Lake said of where she expects Arizonans to land. I trust the people of Arizona to vote on this, if thats what happens, and get this right. She praised the 15-week rule as something that Americans can get behind because it gives people options, gives women options, and makes sure that there are carveouts. The vast majority of Americans and Arizonans hold the view that abortion should be legal and that late-term abortion should not be legal, she added, with exceptions for rape, incest and obviously the health of a mother. Along with Republicans in other battleground states, Lake has come out against a federal abortion ban and opposes restrictions on access to in vitro fertilization. I hope that the court will strike that down, she said of an Alabama court ruling that prompted fertility clinics to shut down and Republicans to race to temper the political fallout. Still, Lake maintains there is no role for federal lawmakers in the equation, calling it a question the states should be deciding, and declined to weigh in on whether she would vote to protect IVF nationwide if she is elected. If one state has a ban, another state will have abortion, and so women are going to be able to access abortion, she added. Democrats are working to make reproductive rights a defining issue in the race, as they did during Lakes 2022 campaign for governor. A new high-stakes legal battle over abortion pill mifepristone is set to take place this year, returning the issue to the forefront. Amid this, Lake is trying to make an argument for Republicans that there is a path forward to talking about abortion. Lake said she wants to back up Republicans family policy rhetoric with policies that make a difference in peoples lives. She is focused on finding solutions to ease the burden of mothers and pregnant women, she said, and vowed to work across the aisle to help pass baby bonuses, more child tax credits and paid family leave. What we need to do is really start supporting women and giving them true choices, Lake said. We need to prioritize. We talk about being pro-family, and its about time we put the money where our mouth is. Congress has spent almost $200 billion in Ukraine and wanted to send another $75 billion recently, she added. Instead, we can invest that money into American families through baby bonuses, prenatal care, parental resources and classes and child care. She said the funds to pay for her proposals would come through tax incentives and tax cuts. This is where I can actually help in the Senate, by pushing some really great legislation that would actually provide baby bonuses for families, extend and beef up child tax credits to provide more tax incentives, and tax cuts for moms and dads and babies, Lake told NBC News. She touted paid family leave so that new parents can spend more time with their newborns without worrying about returning immediately to work. I think we should incentivize this for companies and new families, Lake explained. Other measures proposed by Lake include financial support, grant money for prenatal care and parenting resources and classes. She argued that passing an agenda to help ease the economic plight of families is simply a matter of discerning priorities. We bail out companies all the time, but we never help families, Lake continued. We need to help families. And Im willing to do that if Democrats want to do that. Republicans have historically shown less interest in directing government spending toward child care or other measures that help balance the cost of having children. But with abortion increasingly restricted in half of the nations states, more Americans are worrying about how to afford the cost of a child. The issue has emerged as a political liability for the party, with voter backlash against new restrictions on abortion in Republican-controlled states credited with limiting GOP gains in recent elections. Since the Supreme Courts ruling, statewide ballot questions on abortion have yielded victories for abortion rights advocates in red-leaning states such as Ohio and Kansas, with efforts underway to get protections on the ballot in 2024 in at least a dozen more. In a year where Donald Trump, the Republican former president credited with bringing about the end of Roe v. Wade, continues his march toward the GOP nomination, the party faces a daunting reality. Lake, an anti-establishment firebrand, has worked to mend ties with the Republican Party and, in January, earned the endorsement of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. That institutional firepower is now trained on attacking Lakes Democratic opponent, framing the Arizona congressman running against her as someone out of step with voters and impugning his record with women. Ruben Gallego supports taxpayer-funded abortions up until birth and cant name one restriction he supports on abortion, NRSC spokesman Tate Mitchell said. Gallegos campaign says its Lake that has the extreme position. Kari Lake will say anything to get elected, but her actions are clear: She supports banning abortion without exceptions for rape or incest and will ban medication abortion. Arizonans wont be fooled by her attempts to erase her record, campaign spokeswoman Hannah Goss said. Lakes campaign has responded to criticism from Gallego by pointing to reports that he and his ex-wife split when she was still pregnant. His ex-wife, now the mayor of an Arizona city, has endorsed his run for the Senate and their split has been described as amicable. Im the only woman in this race for U.S. Senate in Arizona who has actually given birth, experienced pregnancy, and experienced the joy of motherhood, said Lake. That makes me more qualified to talk about pregnancy than Ruben Gallego, my opponent, a man who walked out on his wife when she was nine months pregnant, so Im not going to be mansplained by him. There has been a push from some Republicans to support families financially in recent years, with polling shows public attitudes shifting in this direction, especially among American conservatives. But theres no clear path to bringing these ideas into law. Lake cited Hungary as a model to argue that better supporting families could be a way to reduce abortion, without using the law to limit its access. They managed to cut the number of abortions in half in Hungary, she said. They never touched any laws. The laws didnt change, didnt matter. And Viktor Orban said, We decided to just encourage individuals to start a family. Even Trump has tilted toward the need for policies that help make it easier to grow a family. After pushing to grow the child tax credit while in office, Trump last year made baby bonuses for couples who have children part of his pitch for a 2024 agenda. (Critics said his tax credit policies in office failed to help families whose earnings were so low that they owed little in federal taxes.) Orban, whose populist agenda has drawn conservative praise, is set to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago next week, according to reports. Lakes political opponents have seized on her past positions, attacking her for calling for a carbon copy of a six-week abortion ban in Texas to be put before the Arizona Legislature during her run for governor in 2022, and for her comments in an interview where she called Arizonas territorial ban a great law. For Republicans, this is a toxic issue, said Barrett Marson, a Republican strategist in Arizona. She can read the polling and see that she has to walk back she has to be much more open to what is going on. But the problem is her words from 2022 will come back to haunt her, Marson continued. 2022 Kari Lake is 2024 Kari Lakes worst enemy. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Six years ago, I was a senior at Parkland. Many students and teachers were murdered on Valentines Day that year by a person using an AR-15 assault rifle, the voice says.Its been six years, and youve done nothing. Not a thing to stop all the shootings that have continued to happen since. The thing is, I died that day in Parkland, the voice continues. My body was destroyed by a weapon of war. Im back today because my parents used AI to recreate my voice to call you. That voice was the voice of Joaquin Oliver who was 17 when he was killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Kendall P. Stanley Parents of students killed at other schools and some other gun victims have also joined the effort to bring the voices of their loved ones back in the public eye as they work to get changes in gun laws across the country. The new campaign marks a new push by parents to be recognized for their loss, and to use it to change minds and the laws around the country. My wife and I have been trying to use our voices for the last six years. Nonstop. We have tried almost every single way to approach gun violence in a way that people will pay attention. We havent been very successful, Manuel Oliver told CNN, who founded the Change the Ref advocacy group in memory of his son after the 2018 shooting in Florida. So we decided, you know what? Lets bring the voices of our loved ones. Lets bring the voice of Joaquin. Another voice is that of Uzi Garcia. I love video games, telling jokes and making my friends laugh and jumping on the trampoline with my family, Uzis AI-generated voice says in his message. Im a fourth grader at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Or at least I was when a man with an AR-15 came into my school and killed 18 of my classmates, two teachers, and me. That was almost two years ago. Nothing has changed. Even more shootings have happened. His father spent hours going through audio of his son to make sure it sounded just right. It was bittersweet because we get to hear his voice again, he says. But he should be here to speak for himself, and hes not. So we have to get more and more creative to get these politicians to listen to us. The campaign allows people to listen to the voices and then plug in their zip code so the message will be sent to the right Congressional office. Some have called the messages unethical and ghoulish but lets ask this one question: what is more ghoulish than a classroom shot full of rounds that tore elementary school bodies apart? Meanwhile in Charleston, S.C., The Rev. Eric S.C. Manning, senior pastor at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church known worldwide as Mother Emanuel had prayed for the words to counsel his members through Americas ceaseless violence. They were all aware, intimately so, that the worst can happen and nothing much changes, according to The New York Times. Since the start of January, the United States has counted six mass killings, its rate of firearm-wrought bloodshed outpacing every other wealthy nation by far. The candidates vying for the GOP nomination, if they address the carnage at all, make no mention of safeguarding access to the weapons used in attack after attack after attack. Donald Trump and Nikki Haleys comments on the campaign trail have troubled Manning and others close to Mother Emanuel, many of whom have lobbied for stronger background checks, a policy shift most Americans support, only to meet resistance from conservative leaders. The familiar disappointment crept back when, just as the Republican contenders were descending on Iowa for its caucuses, a teenager not far from Des Moines staged the first school rampage of 2024. Meet-and-greets resumed before the dead were buried. Haley, the former South Carolina governor, had offered the most detailed policy solution: funding more mental health care though, she said, the states would have to pay for it. The pastor doubted that approach on its own would make a dent in the countrys daily death toll. Trump, meanwhile, was calling himself the best friend gun owners have ever had in the White House. As president, he briefly considered tightening background checks in 2019 after gunmen in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, killed 31 people over one August weekend. Then, under pressure from the National Rifle Association, he scrapped that idea, saying, A lot of the people who put me where I am are strong supporters of the Second Amendment. These days, he boasted about doing nothing literally, the pastor lamented. During my four years, nothing happened, Trump told a gathering of NRA members this month in Pennsylvania. And there was great pressure on me having to do with guns. We did nothing. His remarks at a northeast Iowa rally one day after the school shooting in rural Perry killed an 11-year-old boy and the high school principal had landed like salt in the Mother Emanuel congregations psychic wound. It was so surprising and just terrible, Trump said before adding, but we have to get over it. We have to get over it? Is that the best we can do as a society, just get over it? Is the best we can do as a society to boast We did nothing. Is the best we can do as a society is throw up our hands and say theres nothing we can do, its the crazy ones we have to watch out for? Our best just doesnt seem to be enough, does it. Kendall P. Stanley is retired editor of the News-Review. He can be contacted at kendallstanley@charter.net. The opinions expressed in this column are those of the writer and not necessarily of the Petoskey News-Review or its employees. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Kendall Stanley: The voices of children A 25-year-old murder suspect was shocked she wouldnt be getting out of jail in time for the weekend. Thats f--d up, Katelynn Trigger Vinson exclaimed when she learned that prosecutors have until Tuesday to file charges for her rash of crimes, including a 2023 murder. She seemed to assume she would have been let out by Saturday or Sunday. Vinson appeared in court by video from the Benton County jail Friday, a day after a high speed chase across the Tri-Cities that ended in the lawn of a Richland home. Deputy Prosecutor Brittnie Roehm said they planned to charge Vinson before the Tuesday deadline, as she asked for Vinson to be held on more than $1 million bail. Public defense attorney Charles Dow reserved arguing about bail. Ruff agreed with the prosecutors request. While Vinson qualifies to have a public defender, she said that she plans to hire an attorney. No attorney has told the court that they plan to represent her. Vinson allegedly got into an argument with Daniel Punisher Bueno, 36, inside a home on the 2600 block of Sixth Avenue on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, according to court records. She allegedly followed him out to the truck and shot him under his arm while she was standing at the open passenger window. A friend of Bueno called 911 about 9:45 p.m. to report that the father of two was wounded inside the cab of a Dodge pickup truck. He was rushed to Trios Southridge Hospital in Kennewick where he died. The case was one of five unsolved homicides in Benton County in 2023. Vinson is well known to police, Commander Isaac Merkl told the Tri-City Herald. She has been tied to a number of crimes across the Tri-Cities, including allegedly shooting at her ex-boyfriend in 2016 and eluding police in 2019. Buenos Murder While court records dont explain what kicked off the argument, the results and the shooting were caught on a neighbors security camera. The video shows Bueno stop in front of the house and go into the Sixth Avenue home. Shortly after he walked into home the argument started and lasted for 10 minutes. You can hear a male repeatedly saying Triggs, which is Katelynns street name, Detective Elizabeth Grant wrote in her affidavit of probable cause. A female is telling a male to leave the residence and gives a countdown. As they continued to argue, Bueno can be seen walking out of the home and get into his truck. Katelynn appears on video walking down beside the house in the dark, watching Bueno, according to court documents. Then she walked quickly over to the open passenger window and continued to argue with the man. As she was standing at the open window, a gunshot can be heard, court records say. Katelynn runs from the truck and into the house, Bueno can be heard saying, You f---g ho, you got me in the lungs, Grant wrote. Katelynn can later be heard saying Take your a-- to the f---g hospital and quit crying like a little b--h. Vinson vanished from the house for a little over a month after the shooting, an informant told police. When she appeared again, she said it was awkward at the house, and that she didnt mean for it to go down like that. It was an accident. The Washington State Patrol Crime Lab identified Vinsons DNA from a swab taken from the frame of the window on the truck. Assault Vinson is accused of beating another woman on Feb. 28 at the same Sixth Avenue home where she allegedly killed Bueno. This time she allegedly knocked on the door of the home and when the woman answered the door, Vinson pushed her. Then Vinson allegedly punched her in the face. When the woman fell on the couch, Vinson allegedly got on top of her and continued to hit her. Then Vinson got the other woman onto the ground and kicked her in the face. During the attack, Vinson threatened to kill her if she ever saw her again. The woman ran barefoot out of the house and to a nearby Circle K, where an employee called 911 for her. There was also an unrelated SWAT standoff at the house earlier in the week when police were attempting to serve a warrant related to a kidnapping. The suspect was not arrested at that time. Chase Police had been looking for Vinson on Thursday in connection with Buenos murder and for the Feb. 28 attack and threats, according to court documents. Detectives were watching a trailer on the 400 block of South Conway Street on Feb. 29 when Vinson walked out to throw away garbage. Vinsons mother was seen leaving the trailer and police believed signaled her daughter that officers were watching the house. Within a minute, detectives saw the door to the trailer fly open and Katelyn sprinted to a car with Joe Gonzalez, 39. Detectives moved into to arrest Vinson, but the car sped out of the driveway and passed multiple patrol cars. This kicked off a chase that reached 115 mph on Interstate 182, and 80 mph on Highway 395. They were in Richland, when Gonzalez, the driver, bailed out of the car. And Vinson got into the drivers seat. She continued speeding at up to 80 mph in residential Richland streets before the car fell apart at the corner of Lee Boulevard and Cottonwood Drive in Richland about 25 minutes after the case started. Vinson was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of second-degree murder, attempting to elude police, misdemeanor assault and felony harassment. A police community support officer (PCSO) who saved the life of a woman who was choking has received a top award. PCSO Sophie Lusher was recognised by the Royal Humane Society for her actions last June in Tunbridge Wells. She went to the aid of a woman in a parked car who was having trouble breathing after choking on a sandwich. Kent Police Chief Constable Tim Smith described the PCSO as "a credit to her profession". Kent Police said PCSO Lusher performed a prolonged series of abdominal thrusts and back slaps in order to clear the woman's airway and restore her breathing. The officer then took her to hospital as a precaution. The woman has since made a full recovery. Mr Smith said: "The doctor who treated the woman later said that PCSO Lusher's quick thinking and decisive medical intervention had without doubt helped to save her life." 'Lots of training' PCSO Lusher was presented with a Royal Humane Society Resuscitation Certificate at an awards ceremony this week. She said: "It was really lovely to win an award for what I did, but the main achievement for me is that the lady I helped is okay. "She came into the police station the next day to bring me some flowers, and I went to her house and we had coffee together. "I have been in the job for nearly 17 years and received lots of first aid training, so I knew what I had to do and just got on with it." Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. A solitary killer whale, or orca, has been filmed hunting and killing a great white shark in an "astonishing" attack. Scientists said it was "unprecedented" and showed the exceptional predatory skills of killer whales. Two orcas in particular off South Africa's coast have been observed before working together to hunt and kill sharks, including great whites. "But this caught us off guard," said shark biologist Dr Alison Towner. Dr Towner, who is from Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, has studied the animals for several years. She and her colleagues published a detailed and grisly account of their new observations in the African Journal of Marine Science. The attack - filmed in 2023, which you can watch here - was, scientists, said "solo and swift". The male killer whale killed the shark and consumed its liver - all in under two minutes. In 2022, scientists captured aerial footage of orcas working together to hunt great whites Scientists first captured drone footage of two male orcas working together to hunt great white sharks in 2022. The scientists then reported that the animals, nicknamed Port and Starboard because their dorsal fins are bent in opposite directions, "exhibited a predilection for extracting and consuming the sharks' livers". During the attacks, the sharks would tightly circle the killer whales, in a desperate attempt to avoid predation," recalled Dr Towner. In this newly reported attack, Starboard hunted on his own. Scientists described how the orca gripped the left pectoral fin of a 2.5m long juvenile shark and "thrust forward several times before eventually eviscerating it". Marine mammal scientist Dr Luke Rendell from the University of St Andrews said it was "a really beautiful observation" of the behaviour. "It's interesting that it's just one animal," he told BBC News, and how much skill it demonstrates in tackling the shark - ramming it in the side and grabbing the pectoral fin to keep away from those big, nasty jaws. "A great white shark is a nice, big concentration of food, so it's perhaps unsurprising that some populations [of orcas], where these sharks occur in sufficient numbers, have learned to exploit that." The solitary orca (seen on the right of the image) 'eviscerated' the shark in under two minutes It raises questions about how killer whale behaviour might be affecting the shark populations in the areas. The scientists do not know what is driving the behaviour, but Dr Towner told BBC News that it was becoming evident that "human activities, like climate change and industrial fishing, are exerting significant pressures on our oceans". And there could be health repercussions for killer whales hunting sharks, including ingesting toxins and metals from shark flesh. "Disruptions in the balance of apex predators can affect other species too," explained Dr Towner. "Endangered African penguins could face increased predation by cape fur seals [if the fur seals are not being eaten by] white sharks." Dr Rendell pointed out that there was no way of knowing if the behaviour was new or simply observed for the first time. "But what really stands out is is how skilful these animals are as hunters." Dr Towner added that every discovery in these interactions [between orcas and sharks] was "fascinating". The children at Casa del Sagrado Corazon in El Paso aren't going to stay there very long. The temporary shelter is just one stop on a very long journey for them and their families one that might have started in Venezuela or Guatemala, El Salvador or Honduras, Colombia or Nicaragua. It's taken them across deserts and through jungles, far from the desperation, poverty and violence they knew at home. Volunteers and Jesuit clergy at the Catholic Church where the shelter is located take in donations, but "children are the demographic (of migrants) that is least supported," Michael DeBruhl, the shelter director, said. "You think, well, we know people are coming so let's get them clothes and toiletries and other necessities, but you don't always think about how a lot of them are children." But other children in Philadelphia are thinking about the kids at Casa del Sagrado Corazon. They're making bags full of candy, coloring books, puzzles, small stuffed animals and pocket-size games for the shelter's young people to take to their next stop wherever that might be. Who are these pint-size helping hearts? Sons and daughters of immigrants themselves, who are paying it forward by sending "Mighty Bags" to the border. Sara Dickens-Trillo and the children of Mighty Writers El Paso helped bring Mighty Bags to children at a migrant shelter in the border town. Children of immigrants helping migrants' children Mighty Writers, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit, is behind the outpouring of goodwill. The group, which has chapters that include Camden, Atlantic City and Newark, New Jersey; Kennett Square, Pennsylvania; and El Paso, Texas, offers educational, afterschool and literacy programs for more than 4,500 children and teens. Its original mission of promoting literacy for children in underserved communities has now expanded into family support, including food and diaper distributions. "A lot of our children know about migration because they know the transition their own parents made, not necessarily as refugees but as immigrants coming to the United States," said Sara Dickens-Trillo, senior director of Mighty Writers El Paso. Dickens-Trillo, who grew up in Mexico and El Paso, used to work with Mighty Writers El Futuro in Kennett Square, a farming community in Chester County known as the Mushroom Capital of the World. She returned to El Paso, her family home, in 2023 and began a new Mighty Writers program in the border town. Mighty Writers founder and executive director Tim Whitaker came up with the idea to help children at the migrant shelter there. Claudia Peregrina, director of Mighty Writers El Futuro in South Philadelphia, said many of the children she works with have parents who work multiple jobs to support their families particularly Philadelphia's restaurant and hospitality employees, construction workers, nannies and housekeepers. Many of the children at Mighty Writers in South Philadelphia come from Mexico, Honduras, Colombia, Guatemala and Peru. They need support while their parents work: help learning English, acclimating to U.S. schools and maintaining their own cultural identities, Peregrina said. The bags Mighty Writers kids made for migrant children include candy, books and puzzles they can take with them. "As immigrants, we bring a lot of great things to the United States," said Peregrina, a native of Mexico City who's worked as an art therapist, educator and translator. "We work very hard; a lot of our parents work two and three jobs." Mighty Writers, which serves more than 50 children in South Philadelphia, offers instruction in creative writing and literacy, as well as homework support, mentorship, social and emotional support and cultural programs. There are programs for teens and younger children, even "mommy and me" sessions for newer moms with babies and toddlers. As they created the bags, teachers spoke with the children about the challenges migrants face, the difficulties of traveling on foot, crossing the border and finding a home in a new country. "They know, even with all they're facing themselves, how lucky they are," Peregrina said. "We talk about their blessings, feeling grateful for the good things you have and feeling empathy and supporting others. It's important because they feel they have so much in common (with the children at the migrant shelter)." The children at Mighty Writers El Futuro in Philadelphia made bags filled with candy, books and puzzles for children at a migrant shelter in El Paso. A short respite for migrants on a long journey The shelter at Sacred Heart Church in El Paso opened in December 2022, said DeBruhl, who took over a year later after retiring from law enforcement. It operates mostly on donations from individuals, religious and philanthropic organizations and some reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It's been well over its original capacity of 120 people. DeBruhl said when he arrived in December 2023, there were 1,000 people, and numbers have climbed as high as 1,300. Currently, he said, "it's diminished significantly," averaging about 80 to 90 people, most from Venezuela "with a sprinkling from other places in South and Central America." The children of Mighty Writers jot notes of encouragement in Spanish to migrant children at an El Paso shelter. "We are an emergency 24-hour shelter," he said. "We offer help with basic needs: showers, meals, a place to stay for a night. This is meant to be a stop on their way somewhere else." The shelter recently began enrichment programs and brought in psychologists for the children. "Before we began the enrichment, we might have 50 kids running around, being boisterous, being kids," he said. "Their parents are exhausted from keeping track of them and from walking through sometimes eight, nine countries, through the Darien Gap (a particularly difficult stretch of jungle terrain)." "We asked (Mighty Writers children) to come up with ways to help these children on a difficult journey," Dickens-Trillo said. "Not so much to think about where they might sleep or eat, but ways to help them have a few minutes of peace and relaxation." "We've had trouble getting Spanish books and other things to entertain the children: toys, books, puzzles, things that might be educational," DeBuhl said. Mighty Writers bags included puzzles of U.S. maps, books in Spanish, little craft kits to keep small hands occupied. "We're really happy they can support us and support the children," DeBuhl said. "They can be entertained by something that keeps them using their minds creatively. That is a real boon to them, and to their parents." Contact Phaedra Trethan by email at ptrethan@usatoday.com, on X (formerly Twitter) @wordsbyphaedra, or on Threads @by_phaedra. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amid migrant surge, children of immigrants are paying it forward Bitcoins most recent rally has brought it within an arm's reach of its all-time-high, but some experts say that this is just the beginning. The most popular cryptocurrency surged as high as $63,100, according to CoinGecko, before slightly retreating on Friday afternoon. The coin is now up more than 30% year-to-date and nearly 170% compared to this time last year. It is now only a few thousand dollars from its record high of $69,044 reached at the height of the crypto bull market in 2021, and experts predict this cycle could finally lift Bitcoin above the coveted six-figure mark. The approval of mainstream financial institutions issuing ETFs, such as BlackRock and Fidelity, has helped drive investors to the cryptocurrency, Steven Lubka, managing director and head of private clients at Swan Bitcoin, told Fortune. The exchange-traded products have made it easier than before for retail money to buy in and for people to add Bitcoin exposure to their retirement accounts, which has helped convince some naysayers, he added. People that have been skeptical are now open-minded, Lubka said. Although Lubka warned that nobody has a crystal ball, he said Bitcoin could reach $300,000 during the next year-and-a-half thanks to Bitcoin ETF inflows. That cash influx has been fueled in part by marketing and promotion on the part of the issuers. Yet, the ETFs have only been trading for about two months, Lubka said, and there is much more that the firms have in store. I have it on pretty good authority that the promotion hasn't even really started yet, he said. We're in the first inning of their marketing efforts. I have this direct from some of the issuers. Even if the newcomers are only dedicating a small percentage of their holdings to the cryptocurrency (one Fidelity research note recommends 2%-4% allocation to the asset), that still amounts to billions of dollars of investmentwhich is already starting to be reflected in the inflows to the most popular Bitcoin ETFs, Lubka said. Story continues On Friday, the largest of the ETFs, BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), jumped above $10 billion in assets under management after receiving a record $612 million of inflows in a single day. And already, the $7.7 billion in year-to-date Bitcoin inflows have exceeded all inflows from 2021, the year in which the coin reached its record high, according to Bank of America Global Researchs Flow Show team, led by investment strategist Michael Hartnett. On average, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have brought in $212 million per calendar day in February, Zach Pandl, the managing director of research at Grayscale, which issues one of the spot Bitcoin ETFs, said in a statement. Also playing into Bitcoins recent rise is the impending halving, which sometime in April will halve the crypto reward issued to miners for successfully issuing a Bitcoin on the blockchain to reduce the rate at which Bitcoins are introduced into circulation, said William Quigley, the cofounder of stablecoin Tether and the WAX blockchain. Although Quigley cautioned that data is limited, he added that Bitcoin could rise further based on the past three halvings, which lifted Bitcoins price by many multiples. He added that based on historical trends, Bitcoins price usually peaks in the six months following the halving, and then retreats heavily after 18 months, although he said it should settle somewhere above its pre-halving price. "I'd probably say to people, if you're going to get involved in in in in Bitcoin, do that prior to November 2024," he said. Quigley told Fortune that he believes Bitcoins price will continue to increase, although he warned that investors should not get caught up in a herd mentality. He predicts that a bull market could begin in October or November and last about a year, bringing Bitcoin to a peak price of $250,000. Still, Quigley cautioned that investors could get caught up in the hype and lose money if the sentiment changes around Bitcoin in the future unless they can hold on for the long run. I tell everybody who's thinking about getting into Bitcoin, I would not buy it if I couldn't hold it for at least five years, he said. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Californians on Super Tuesday, March 5, will determine the fate of Proposition 1, an initiative championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that would commit billions of dollars to mental health and addiction services, as well as prioritize additional housing for people struggling with homelessness. All California voters will have the proposition on their ballot, regardless of which party ballot they receive in the presidential primaries. To find out what else will be on your California ballot or for more information about voting on Tuesday, check out the Desert Sun's California 2024 election guide. What would Proposition 1 do? A Yes vote for Proposition 1 would allow California to borrow up to $6.4 billion to build more places where people could get mental health care and drug or alcohol treatment and provide more housing for individuals struggling with mental health, drug or alcohol challenges. Most of the funds, an estimated $4.4 billion, would be used for 10,000 new in-patient and residential treatment beds statewide, according to CalMatters. A person walks past a sign that reads "standing, sitting, lying, or moving on or through this area is prohibited and punishable as a misdemeanor" near Sunny Dunes Road and Crossley Road in Palm Springs, Calif., Feb. 22, 2023. This area is directly behind the Palm Springs Walmart. It would require counties to focus services more on housing people who are chronically homeless. A No vote would keep mental health care and drug or alcohol treatment services as they are in California counties. How much will Proposition 1 cost? According to the California voter guide, approval of Proposition 1 would shift about $140 million a year in current tax revenue for mental health, drug and alcohol treatment from counties to the state. It would also increase state bond repayment costs by $310 million a year for 30 years. Who supports and opposes the initiative? Supporters include: Newsom, California Professional Firefighters, California Association of Veteran Service Agencies, National Alliance on Mental Illness - California. According to the state voter guide, supporters allege the initiative would help the state address its crises of homelessness, mental health and addiction. California Gov. Gavin Newsom looks at land where ABC Recovery Center in Indio could expand in the future during his tour of the facility March 1, 2024. Opponents include: Mental Health America of California, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, CalVoices. According to the state voter guide, opponents described the initiative as "huge, expensive and destructive." They allege it would cut funds for current mental health programs that are working. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Proposition 1 would fund addiction, mental health, homeless services AUSTIN (KXAN) As the celestial event of the April 2024 solar eclipse gets closer, more schools are announcing closures for that day, including Lago Vista Independent School District. Academic calendars across Central Texas show at least 10 districts in the area are canceling classes on April 8, 2024, due to the eclipse. In a letter sent out to parents, Lago Vista ISD Deputy Superintendent Suzy Lofton Bullis said the district will close school for staff and students on April 8. This day will not be made up. Schools across U.S. give day off for 2024 solar eclipse The eclipse will be in the path of totality for residents of the district, according to Lago Vista ISD. The district said this would be the last total solar eclipse visible in the U.S. until 2044. This decision comes after discussing with district staff and city officials about the safety and well-being of students and staff during the event, the letter said. Although Lago Vista ISD will close that day, it emphasized the solar eclipse is a unique education experience that we hope will foster a sense of wonder and curiosity about the universe. Students will be given classroom instructional activities as it gets closer to the event, and they will also get one pair of safety glasses to take home, the district said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Lake Wales appears poised to regain ownership of the historic Walesbilt Hotel after a judge ruled in its favor recently. The city claimed a developer made false claims to win a contract in 2010 for renovating the 10-story structure. Lake Wales is poised to reclaim ownership of the Walesbilt Hotel, a historic but long-vacant downtown landmark, after a court ruling issued Thursday. The city sued the propertys owner, Dixie-Walesbilt LLC, in January 2022, alleging that its manager, Raymond E. Brown, made false claims to win a contract in 2010 for renovating the 10-story structure. Browns company has made limited progress in restoring the property and has not fulfilled its promise of converting it to private residences. Circuit Judge William D. Sites issued an order granting a motion for summary judgment filed in June by Lake Wales and its Community Redevelopment Agency. The city requested a partial judgment based on two of 14 counts in its complaint against Dixie Walesbilt LLC, based in Winter Haven. Those counts alleged that Browns company committed fraud in its bid for the Walesbilt renovation contract by making false claims about its financial backing and progress on pre-sales of units. In the motion, Kevin Ashley, the citys attorney, focused on Browns claim that a supposed associate, Rajesh Kumar, an Indian entrepreneur, was the main financial backer of the project. In depositions from 2014 and 2022, Brown acknowledged that Kumar was never a principal with Dixie-Walesbilt LLC and had not contributed any capital to the company. Ashley also targeted Browns assertion in a second-round submission for the contract that Dixie-Walesbilt LLC had already begun to pre-sell units in the building and was on target to meet its sales goals. The city cited Browns testimony in a 2014 lawsuit filed by an architect hired for the project that the company never pre-sold any of the hotels 40 planned units. In his 22-page order, Sites cited testimony from former Lake Wales City Commissioner Terrye Howell that she would not have voted to approve the redevelopment agreement with Browns company in 2010 had she known that Kumar had no membership interest with Dixie-Walesbilt LLC and had not contributed money toward the hotel project. Sites also cited an affidavit from current Lake Wales City Manager James Slaton, who is executive director of the citys CRA. Slaton said that the city would not have approved the redevelopment agreement had officials known that Browns claims about financing were unfounded. Brent Geohagan, the lawyer representing Dixie-Walesbilt, offered 17 affirmative defenses in response to the citys motion, including assertions that the allegations of fraud were statements of opinion, that the relevant statute of limitations had expired and that the city had failed to state a claim. In his order, Sites repeatedly wrote that the defense had failed to support its assertions. The Walesbilt Hotel, which opened in 1927 at 5 Park Ave. W., is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sites ruling followed court hearings held in August and November. Sites was recently reassigned to a different division, and Circuit Judge Jennifer Swensen has taken over the Walesbilt case. Lake Wales Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson, the chair of the citys Community Redevelopment Agency, said he wanted to review the judges order carefully before speaking in detail about it. We are grateful for the judges order and believe it is eminently correct, Gibson said. The Lake Wales City Commission will discuss the judges order at Tuesdays regular meeting, Gibson said. We will convey all that we can convey, Gibson said. The citys original complaint sought damages and attorney fees in addition to the revocation of the agreement with Browns company. Geohagan did not respond to a voicemail left Friday morning. Frostproof mayor becomes seventh candidate in race for Florida House District 48 The Walesbilt Hotel, which opened in 1927 at 5 Park Ave. W., is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Among its original owners were Florida Gov. John W. Martin and a consortium that included Hollywood actors Mary Pickford, Glorida Swanson and Clara Bow. The structure, known in the 1980s as the Hotel Grand, was sold at auction in 1995 and closed. It has remained vacant for decades, a sad symbol on the west side of downtown Lake Wales. The city transferred ownership of the building in 2011 to Brown, who had submitted a redevelopment proposal pledging to renovate the hotel for apartments and retail space. His proposal said he would convert the former hotel rooms into 40 units, with shops planned for the first floor. The developer has completed some restoration of the building's interior. In 2011, he told The Ledger he had spent $1.5 million on renovations. Brown has completed some restoration of the buildings interior, as documented by The Ledger. In 2011, Brown told a reporter that he had spent $1.5 million on renovations. In the citys complaint, Ashley quoted from a 1997 Florida Supreme Court ruling that referred to a decision from 1980. The initial ruling stated that one who purposely used false information to induce another party into signing a contract should not be able to profit from it. City-run recreation center: Lake Wales plans to convert decades-old YMCA facility DWL should not be allowed to profit from its blatant wrongdoing, obtaining public property under false pretenses, Ashley wrote in the complaint. Dishonest conduct should never be rewarded or condoned. Sites, addressing the citys claim of a fraudulent inducement, wrote: On the Record presented, particularly the sworn testimony of Mr. Brown, the court concludes that only one reasonable conclusion exists: Defendants representation that residential units and the Hotel had already been pre-sold was false at the time the Redevelopment Agreement was entered and Defendant knew the statement was false at that time. Sites wrote that the court reserved jurisdiction to award attorney fees to Lake Wales. The main lobby of the Walesbilt Hotel in Lake Wales shows the ornate details of the building, which opened in 1927 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The city adopted a multiyear revitalization plan in 2021 that includes many downtown projects, such as a redesigned streetscape on Park Avenue, adjacent to the Walesbilt. It is not yet clear how city leaders might seek to pursue another restoration of the hotel if it regains ownership. Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lake Wales gains victory in lawsuit against owner Walesbilt Hotel Friends, family and community members gathered at Woodstock City Church in Woodstock, Georgia, on Friday afternoon to remember Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student allegedly murdered by an illegal immigrant on Feb. 22. Riley was jogging along dirt trails surrounding Lake Herrick on the University of Georgia campus that Thursday morning when Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national, allegedly attacked and murdered her. She died of blunt-force trauma to the head. Steady rain fell over Woodstock during the funeral, as hundreds of people gathered to remember the nursing student, described as "passionate," "kindhearted," and "amazing daughter, sister, friend and an overall extraordinary person" in her obituary. "When the world loses someone like Laken, whose light consistently shined so bright, it seems that much darker in their absence," Woodstock City Church lead pastor Samer Massad said in a Friday statement to Fox News. "Laken was special. She was a gift to anyone who knew her. Smart, kind, compassionate, and thoughtful dont even begin to scratch the surface. She was a loving daughter, sister, and friend. She had a gift for making anyone she was around feel comfortable and seen. But the most special thing about Laken was her faith in Jesus." LAKEN RILEY MURDER EXPOSED GLARING SECURITY LAPSES ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, NEED FOR EMERGENCY BLUE LIGHTS Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. The pastor added that Riley "didn't just believe" her faith; "she lived it." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Hearse carrying casket of UGA student Laken Riley departs Woodstock City Church for small cemetery following memorial with more than 1,000 attending, Friday, March 1, 2024. "And because of her faith, as hard as days like today are, we grieve her loss and celebrate her life with the hope that she is now in the presence of Jesus, her Savior," Massad said. "We will miss her dearly. Lakens family is family to us, and as their church family, we here at Woodstock City Church are committed to walking alongside them and carrying this burden with them. To John, Allyson, and Lauren we love you all so very much, and we are with you!" A red, black and white bow is among scores of University of Georgia colored memorials attached to trees Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 in preparation for the funeral Friday at Woodstock City Church for UGA nursing student Laken Riley. LAKEN RILEY MURDER SUSPECT LIVED WITHIN 5-MINUTE WALK OF UGA CRIME SCENE On Wednesday, Riley's mother, Allyson Phillips, shared a memory of her daughter from one of Riley's former teachers. The teacher, Gina Ann Carlton Riggs, shared a photo of a project Riley made in the first grade, when they were asked to write books sharing what they wanted to do in the future. "When I grow up I want to be a nurse because it helps people get better and it looks very fun to help people," the then-first-grade Riley wrote. "For working I would like to get $10,000. I will not be married[d] I will stay with my family until I die." Gina Ann Riggs, Laken Riley's first-grade teacher, shared a photo of a project Riley made in her class, when they were asked to write books sharing what they wanted to do in the future. Carlton Riggs told Fox News Digital that she "taught school for 17 years," and Riley was in her first-grade class "in 2008-2009." "She had the sweetest spirit," Carlton Riggs said in an emailed statement. "She was always smiling and had an infectious giggle. She was just an all-around perfect student. Some of the other moms and I have been going through old pictures for the family. There were so many precious memories of field trips, class performances, and classroom activities." On Monday, UGA and Augusta University students gathered at UGA's Tate Plaza to remember their beloved classmates, including Riley and Wyatt Banks, a student who died by suicide days before Riley's murder. LAKEN RILEY MURDER: STUDENTS ON UGA CAMPUS, JOGGERS NATIONWIDE SHOCKED AFTER ALLEGED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT KILLING Chloe Mullis, president of UGA's Alpha Chi Omega chapter, where Riley was a member, described the 22-year-old as a "devoted Christian, sister, student, daughter and friend." Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. "It is so obvious to me why it feels so dark right now, and it's because we lost one of the brightest lights there's ever been," Mullis said. "This campus and our sisterhood will never be the same without Laken Riley. "Whether it was nursing school, being the Alpha Chi banner chair or the incredible runner that she was, Laken showed devotion throughout every avenue of her life," Mullis said. " She was devoted to making this world a better place, and we have no doubt she would have been an incredible nurse. It is earth-shattering that the world will never have that opportunity." Riley's murder shocked not only the college communities in Athens, Georgia, but the nation, as politicians and pundits pointed to the border crisis and lax enforcement of immigration laws as the reason Ibarra was able to allegedly commit the gruesome crime. LAKEN RILEY MURDER SUSPECT'S BROTHER FIRED FROM UGA AFTER PRESENTING FAKE PASSPORT Four days after Riley's death, the White House issued a statement responding to news of Ibarra's arrest in connection with her brutal killing. Following the vigil, dozens of female UGA students walked in a single-file line to place roses at the Alpha Chi Omega house on the school's campus. "We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Laken Hope Riley," a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "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." GEORGIA MURDER SUSPECT CONFIRMED TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT Former President Trump also spoke out about Riley's death on Thursday while visiting the U.S.-Mexico border. "A beautiful 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia was barbarically attacked. She was on a morning run she was a beautiful young woman," President Trump said Thursday. "I spoke to her parents yesterday, they are incredible people. They are devastated beyond belief. She was so beautiful in so many ways." Trump said she was "brutally assaulted, horrifically beaten, kidnaped, and savagely murdered." "The monster charged in the death is an illegal alien migrant who was led into our country and released into our communities by Crooked Joe Biden," the former president continued. University of Georgia murder suspect Jose Ibarra lived within a five-minute walk of the approximate scene where he allegedly murdered 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley on Feb. 22. Ibarra and his brother, Diego Ibarra, were living in the country illegally in an apartment complex in Athens when Jose allegedly killed Riley while she was jogging. Jose entered through the U.S.-Mexico border in 2022 and was freed on border parole. He initially lived in New York City before moving to the Georgia college town. Diego Ibarra was fired from a dishwashing job at UGA after presenting fake green card documents, the school previously told Fox News Digital. Fox News' Ashley Papa, Michael Ruiz and Bill Melugin contributed to this report. Original article source: Laken Riley funeral in Georgia commemorates nursing student allegedly murdered by illegal immigrant In early 2005, Larry Acree bought about 9 acres of land along North Elsea Smith Road in rural Independence. That same year, he built a three-bedroom home. Its there at that 2,400-square-foot home with a gated entry that Jackson County prosecutors say he opened fire Thursday afternoon on a civil process server who had come to evict him. When officers showed up to help that process server, Drexel Mack, authorities said Acree shot three of them as well, killing one. Mack, 41, and Independence Police Officer Cody Allen, 35, died at an Independence hospital. The other two officers will make full recoveries from their injuries, police said. Acree was arrested and taken to an area hospital. Hes charged with two counts of first-degree murder, first-degree assault and three counts of armed criminal action. Court records showed that he is being held on a $2 million, cash-only bond. No court date has been set. Investigators are working to learn more about the 69-year-old man, who over the years has repeatedly failed to pay his taxes and bills. Hes declared bankruptcy twice and was hit with a $12,628 tax lien from the Missouri Department of Revenue. Last July, a Blue Springs roofing company petitioned for a $32,155 real estate levy on Acrees property. And shortly after that, an Independence man bought his property in a delinquent tax sale. But Acree didnt move out. He basically became a squatter in a home he settled in nearly two decades ago. Failed marriages, other court proceedings Real estate records indicate that Acree signed a deed of trust for the rural Independence property in March 2005 with a woman who less than three months later became his wife. Their marriage license application shows it was the fourth marriage for both. Nearly six months later, in December 2005, Acrees wife filed for divorce. On April 13, 2006, a hearing was held for an ex parte order on Acree. The court docket showed photos of petitioner taken as evidence. On June 6, 2006, a judgment was issued for a full order of protection. But on July 10, the petitioner requested a dismissal of the order, and it was dismissed four days later. Court records show a different woman filed for divorce in September 2006. It isnt clear when that marriage took place. On March 14, 2007, Acree pleaded guilty to failure to display plates on a motor vehicle and paid a $30.50 fine. In May 2007, another judgment for a full order of protection was issued on Acree. The docket entry said that respondent is authorized to go to the residence accompanied by a law enforcement officer at 2 p.m, on May 5, 2007, to remove personal property. Five years later, the Missouri Department of Revenue filed a tax lien on Acree, and a judgment was entered for $12,628. Acrees wages were garnished from GSM Corp., and the judgment was satisfied in 2016. In July 2023, Zucca & Daughters & Sons Roofing Co. petitioned for a real estate levy on Acrees property for $32,155.34. Jackson County Circuit Court authorized it. Failure to pay taxes on property The value of Acrees property has steadily increased in recent years, jumping from $343,279 in 2020 to $675,500 in 2023. Jackson County filed liens on his property in 2022 for delinquent land taxes of more than $23,000, with interest to accrue at the first of each month. Court records from that time said Acree was two years or more behind on his taxes. Records show the new owner the Independence businessman bought the property on Aug. 14, 2023, for $260,000 in a delinquent tax sale after the county foreclosed on the liens. On Nov. 20, 2023, a judge confirmed the sale of Acrees property, court records show. The Court Administrator for Jackson County, Missouri, duly advertised said sale and sold at public auction, said the document. Tax records indicate that on Feb. 22, the new owner wrote a personal check to pay $18,543 in property taxes for 2022 and 2023. As for Acree, he also still owes $1,150 in back taxes for 2019 through 2023 for a livestock trailer, two utility trailers, a pickup, an SUV and two horse trailers, according to court records. A Last Generation climate activist is carried away by police officers while "Help! Your children" is written in orange on the Chancellery wall. Annette Riedl/dpa Members of the Last Generation climate activism group daubed orange paint onto the facade of the German chancellery on Saturday morning. A photo published by the group shows the phrase "Help! Your children" written in large letters, and numerous handprints. Several activists can be seen sitting or lying down on the ground in front of the wall. Berlin police are investigating the incident, and detained 16 people between the ages of 13 and 16 to check their identities. The police opened an investigation on suspicion of damage to property. The activists are calling on the German government to live up to its responsibility towards the younger generation in terms of climate change, a Last Generation press release said. Last Generation has repeatedly made headlines with dramatic protests calling attention to climate change, with some activists arrested for disrupting traffic and other measures. The group has been demonstrating for more climate action with street blockades and other measures since the beginning of 2022. They have also daubed the Brandenburg Gate with orange paint in the past. Several investigations and trials are under way of members of the group, many of whom have already been convicted. Alexa Doblado hasnt felt safe at the University of Georgia since Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was found dead on campus. Riley was killed while on a jog at the universitys intramural fields, and her body was later found behind a nearby lake. In the days after Rileys death, Doblado said she felt unsafe walking alone as a woman. But then, as the news spread that the suspect in Rileys killing was an undocumented Venezuelan migrant, Doblado said she became frightened for an entirely different reason. Rileys brutal killing has sparked a number of online threats against migrants and Latino students at the University of Georgia. CNN has not independently verified these posts, but screenshots of threatening messages have circulated among the schools tight-knit Latino community, creating a climate of fear. Doblado said she chose not to attend Mondays campus vigil for Riley and another UGA student who died by suicide, out of fear that shed be targeted for being Latina. We had to watch it from my couch like 30 minutes after it happened because we were scared that people would say something to harass us, Doblado said. Its almost like everybody else can lean on each other for support, she added. But Hispanic students, Latinx students, immigrant students slash international students couldnt really feel the bond or the community anymore because it felt like everybody had kind of turned their backs on us. The day after the vigil, Doblado said she was harassed by a man while waiting for the bus on campus, after she said a few words in Spanish on the phone. I got off the phone and he turned to me, and he said, Well, you should just go back to your own country, Doblado said, adding that the incident shook her, and she called her mom. Other students told CNN about messages posted to YikYak, an anonymous social media app where college students can share posts with users in their vicinity, set off a wave of bigotry. Whos [SIC] wants to go hunting tonight? I know a few places where these migrants hang out, read one post that has since been deleted. That was the first [post] that kind of made everybody realize that it was a problem, a Mexican American UGA student told CNN. The student asked to remain anonymous out of concern for their safety. It may have just been an empty threat and it probably was given that people feel they can say whatever when their name is not attached to it and theyre behind the screen. But even so, it did cause unease and feelings of unsafety among the Latino students on campus, and I just dont think that thats ever okay, the student added. CNN contacted the University of Georgia to ask about the climate of fear among some of its Hispanic students. The university said in a statement that harassment and discrimination against any member of the university community is prohibited. Yik Yak has faced criticism for harassment and threats that have occurred on the platform and the company shut down its operation in 2016. But four years later, the company returned promising the same anonymity but with strict guidelines for content. Now, if a post gets more than five downvotes, its automatically deleted, according to the companys website. On the new Yik Yak, its against the Community Guardrails to post bullying messages or use hate speech, make threats, or share anyones private information, the company website says. The app specifically doesnt allow content that perpetuates the oppression of marginalized communities. CNN has reached out to Yik Yak for comment about recent posts targeting Latino students at UGA. Other posts on X and YikYak reviewed by CNN called for violence against undocumented people and said that Rileys death was the result of Athens, Georgia, being a sanctuary city. [At first] everyone seemed to be coming together on YikYak and on other platforms, saying we love each other, and we support each other People were talking about especially girls walking and running together in groups for Laken, the anonymous student said, adding that the tone on campus quickly shifted. It really shouldve just stayed focused on the people we lost this week. Augusta University students, in blue, and University of Georgia students gather on the UGA campus to pay tribute to Laken Riley. - Nell Carroll/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP Grief compounded by fear In 2022, Hispanic students made up nearly 7% of the student body at UGAs campus, according to demographic data published by the university. Several Latino student groups hosted an emotional support event on the same day as the vigil, so students could discuss their feelings as a community. We started off with a moment of silence for those who had passed, and a prayer to set the tone of what was going on, Emmett Hincapie, a UGA graduate student of Puerto Rican and Colombian descent, told CNN. We were really trying to focus on some of these different complex emotions that come with loss, as well as now, all this rhetoric going around, Hincapie said. During one activity, the students went around the room and each said a word that made them feel empowered. The universitys Hispanic Student Association and Latinos Invested in the Students of Tomorrow addressed the hateful comments in a joint statement and called for unity on campus. The hurtful and discriminatory comments made following the tragic loss of one of our own have deeply shaken us all. Such grief should not be made use of for racism, hatred, or xenophobia, the groups wrote. Now, more than ever, we must come together to reject hate in all its forms and create a campus community where every member feels safe, valued, and respected. We belong here just as much as any other. Scapegoating and silence Jean-Luc Rivera, deputy executive director of the nonprofit Latino Community Fund of Georgia, said the rhetoric that has emerged since Rileys killing is a result of scapegoating. A lot of folks are experiencing some very real and justified fear based on messages and narratives that are being spawned and calls to actions or blaming entire groups of people for this murder, Rivera told CNN. Scapegoating makes some people feel better about themselves when its a solution to a problem that is complex. But you know, we absolutely reject that message. It dehumanizes immigrants and it separates us and it makes us feel weaker. Kimberly, a Salvadoran-Mexican American student at UGA, said she would feel safer on campus if the university released a statement acknowledging the issue. CNN agreed to only use her first name out of respect for her safety concerns. They should definitely speak on it and say that its not okay. Maybe theyre afraid it would take away from the bigger issue going on, but they should be saying that they see whats going on instead of ignoring it, she said. In the wake of Rileys death, the university has also announced new safety measures, including blue light call boxes, which allow students to call police by touching a button, lighting upgrades and increased funding for the campus police department. Doblado said she thinks the universitys administration should be doing more to address the concerns and fear among Hispanic and Latino students. You need to acknowledge everybodys pain. The fact that Latino students are processing this grief while on top of it, having to process this fear, its very, very scary, she said. The fact that theyre staying silent is very, very upsetting, and its telling And I love UGA, its a great school. But right now, it really sucks to be a Latino student here. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Congressional leaders are moving quickly to pass their first batch of bills to fund the government for most of 2024 by next Friday, but negotiators are already looking to a March 22 deadline when they say their tougher bills come due. Congress approved its fourth stopgap for fiscal year 2024 this week after leaders said they needed more time to pass the first set of government funding bills. Leaders have said negotiators have come to an agreement on the first tranche of bills coming down the pike next week but funding chiefs have signaled some trouble ahead as they negotiate the remaining bills. I feel like theres some optimism, obviously were talking about six right now, Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), a spending cardinal for the subcommittee that handles funding for the IRS and other offices, said this week. We got another six, those are the more problematic ones. Weve still got a few issues that were divided on, but its what we do. We negotiate back and forth and find some agreement, Womack said. The Arkansas Republican previously noted areas like the FBI, IRS and election security assistance as early points of contention. His subcommittees forthcoming bill, which funds financial services and general government (FSGG), falls under the March 22 deadline. Other full-year funding bills covered by the deadline include dollars for the departments of Homeland Security, the Pentagon, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State, as well as foreign operations and the legislative branch. Negotiators tasked with crafting the bills have been mostly quiet on details of the evolving plans, but some have pointed to a combination of partisan policy additions and the difficulty of finding common ground in divvying up their allocations as hurdles to talks. Pressed on specifics about the bill earlier this week, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the head of the upper chambers subcommittee negotiating the FSGG bill, said this week that negotiators are still working through the numbers that are not finalized. But he also argued that the bigger issue right now is Republican demands for poison pill riders, as Democrats have sharply come out against a lengthy list of conservative priorities being sought by other side of the aisle in funding discussions. The measures Republicans pursued as part of their initial FSGG funding plan proposed last year included language targeting the Districts law that aimed to protect people from employer discrimination based on their reproductive health decisions. Divides over that proposal, in addition to other issues related to FBI funding, helped lead to House Republicans scrapping plans to pass it amid internal divides in the conference on funding. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been facing pressure from his right flank to secure as many conservative policy changes as possible in the funding fight, particularly as hardline conservatives have been vocal in their dissatisfaction with the overall funding levels agreed to as part of a bicameral and bipartisan spending compromise announced earlier this year. However, leaders and spending cardinals on both sides have indicated further disappointment may be on the way for conservatives. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, told reporters Thursday that no poison pills made it into the first package of funding bills expected to drop in the days ahead. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), who heads the subcommittee that oversees funding for the Interior Department, also said of his subpanels emerging bill on Thursday that Republicans got some things in there that I think are important to some members. But he signaled a chunk of the more partisan plan the House GOP was initially pushing for ended up left on the cutting room floor. A lot of stuff that got dropped out, as we knew it would, and everybody knew it would, but they want to make a statement on the floor and thats okay, Simpson told reporters. But the Democrats were never going to agree with a lot of those things. But I think we got some good provisions, he said. So, did Democrats frankly, thats kind of the nature of a compromise. Johnson himself has told Republicans not to expect many home runs or grand slams. The comments come as some Republicans argue that internal divides in the party have strengthened Democrats hand heading into bipartisan spending talks earlier this year. House GOP leadership is expected to bring up funding legislation next week under a suspension of the rules, given staunch opposition from hardline conservatives. While that would allow the House to bring up legislation without having to do a procedural vote first, it would also require two-thirds of the chambers support for passage, instead of the usual simple majority threshold meaning Democratic support would be necessary to get the measure across the finish line. The reality is that if you have to pass these things by suspension, youve given [Democrats] more strength, Simpson said, adding: I cant tell you how many times during negotiations, what we heard from the other side was Hey, were going to bring 200 votes to pass these by suspension, what are you going to bring? It feels kind of like were in the Senate, where the Democrats in the Senate have to get 10 Republican votes to pass anything, you know? he said. Well, okay, we need some Democratic votes to pass these if were going to do it on suspension. So, it gave them, I think, the Speakers right, it gave them leverage that they wouldnt otherwise have by our inability to pass a rule, he added. Under the stopgap measure signed into law by President Biden on Friday, lawmakers agreed to push bills funding the departments of Agriculture, Justice, Commerce, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Interior and Energy up against the March 8 deadline. Negotiators say staffs have been moving quickly behind the scenes and combing through text to prepare for a weekend rollout. Our guys were reading it in today every single page, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), top Republican on the subcommittee assembling the Interior funding bill, told The Hill on late Thursday. They read it out loud to one another. They sit around the table. All the staffs from all the four corners, and they read it to the comma, and to the period, and to the quotations, and to the cites, she added. Its tedious, takes forever. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Lawrence plastic bag ban officially in full effect LAWRENCE (KSNT) -Plastic bags are officially banned in Lawrence, but will that ban stay? The City Commission passed an ordinance last year that took effect on Friday. The ordinance banned single-use plastic bags in an effort to reduce the use of plastics in the city. Were very excited about it, Lawrence resident Misti Osbern said. Weve been trying to use our reusable bags for a long time. However, the changes could come to a halt, if new legislation is passed. There are ongoing efforts to prohibit plastic bag bans at the state level, after failed attempts in previous years. Currently, House Bill 2446, prohibiting cities and counties from regulating plastic or other containers designed for consumption, transportation and protection of food, merchandise or beverages is still alive at the statehouse. The bill was requested for introduction by the Kansas Chamber. According to Kansas Chamber spokeswoman Sherriene Jones-Sontag, if it passes, the plastic bag ban in Lawrence would be redacted. We love what we do: Ta Co. Topeka reveals new hours at West Ridge Mall Eric Stafford, the Kansas Chambers Vice President of Government Affairs, sent the following statement to Nexstars Kansas Capitol Bureau, regarding Lawrences ban on plastic bags. When one city or county in a state decides to ban something, or require something of businesses not required in other jurisdictions, it places burdens on employers and increases costs on consumers. The logic behind banning single-use plastic bags is so flawed. Supporters argue you can no longer use a single use plastic bag to carry your food wrapped in plastic. Instead you have to buy reusable plastic bags that contain three times as much plastic as a single use bag, all under the false impression you are doing something to protect the environment. Statement from Eric Stafford, Kansas Chambers Vice President of Government Affairs For now, Lawrence residents have to switch up their shopping routines due to the plastic bag ban. Its going to take some adjusting to get used to bringing my bags in every time, Lawrence resident Julie Shrak said. Overall, I think its good for the environment. Less waste and if we can all get on board with it, itll be better for the environment. The city is encouraging its residents to use reusable bags, but paper bags are also available. Some stores are charging around 10 cents per bag. Others like the Hy-Vee located on Clinton Parkway are currently allowing customers to use paper bags for free. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. FILE - A Tesla electric vehicle emblem is affixed to a passenger vehicle Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, in Boston. The lawyers who successfully argued that a massive pay package for Tesla CEO Elon Musk was illegal and should be voided have asked the presiding judge to award them company stock worth $5.6 billion as legal fees. The attorneys, who represented Tesla shareholders in the case decided in January, made the request of the Delaware judge in court papers filed Friday, March 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) DOVER, Del. (AP) The lawyers who successfully argued that a massive pay package for Tesla CEO Elon Musk was illegal and should be voided have asked the presiding judge to award them company stock worth $5.6 billion as legal fees. The attorneys, who represented Tesla shareholders in the case decided in January, made the request of the Delaware judge in court papers filed Friday. The amount would apparently be far and away the largest such award, if approved. Lawyers in class-action suits stemming from the collapse of Enron got a record $688 million in legal fees in 2008. We are prepared to eat our cooking, the Tesla plaintiff attorneys wrote in the court filing, arguing the sum is justified because they worked purely on a contingency basis for more than 5 years. If they lost they would have gotten nothing. The benefit to Tesla was massive, they said. The requested award represents 11% of the Tesla stock worth some $55 billion that Musk was seeking in the compensation package, which Judge Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick ruled illegal in January. Not only does the request take nothing from the electric car company's balance sheet, it is also tax deductible, the attorneys argued. They are also seeking $1.1 million in expenses. In her ruling, Judge McCormick accepted the shareholder lawyers' argument that Musk personally dictated the landmark 2018 pay package in sham negotiations with directors who were not independent. It would have nearly doubled Musk's stake in Tesla. He currently holds 13%. Ellis hired as development director for Salvation Army Hollee Ellis The Salvation Army announced the addition of Hollee Ellis to its Springfield team in a press release. Ellis will serve as the new development director for The Salvation Army of Springfield. Ellis is a native of southwest Missouri and has a "servant's heart," according to the release. She comes to the Salvation Army with various nonprofit experience, ranging from fundraising to event planning. As the development director, Ellis will spearhead fundraising initiatives, build strategic partnerships, and ensure sustainable growth of the Salvation Army of Springfield. Her role will be instrumental in elevating community awareness of the Salvation Army's mission to serve area residents. Visits to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield up 11% in 2023 A historical demonstration at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. The National Park Service has announced that 400 national parks reported a total of 325.5 million visits in 2023, an increase of 13 million or 4% over 2022. Reflecting that growth, numbers at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield increased 11% in 2023, reaching 316,770 visitors. According to a press release, the increase reflects improved access to the battlefield after becoming a fee-free site in 2023. In addition to regular visitor use, Wilson's Creek gave 80 educational programs to more than 25,000 students and chaperones. Nearly 2,000 youth earned their junior ranger badges, and more than 2,000 visitors participated in special demonstrations or events. Managed by the National Park Service, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield preserves the site of the first major battle of the Civil War west of the Mississippi River. The Confederate victory on August 10, 1861, focused national attention on the war in Missouri, leading to greater federal military action. Mercy collaborates with Microsoft on new generative AI chatbot A screenshot of the "Joy" AI chatbot. Mercy is introducing "Joy," a new generative AI chatbot, in collaboration with Microsoft, according to a press release. Joy acts as a "super-smart" assistant that transforms how Mercy co-workers access information about their benefits. It is hoped that Joy will address the long-standing challenge of navigating tens or even hundreds of documents for benefits information. Joy is powered by Microsoft Azure Open AI Service and other data solutions. Story continues "With Joy, it's as simple as having a conversation with someone who has all the answers and can respond to your questions and offer an explanation 24/7," said Kerry Bommarito, Mercy vice president of enterprise and data science. More: Customers, BBB say Willard business auctioned off items, didn't turn over payment Ayanna Pierce, Mercy's vice president of benefits and talent relations center, said the chatbot reduces the volume of calls to her team. This frees the team to take on more complex issues and deliver quicker results. "Joy delivers answers instantly in a way that might even be more comprehensive than what a live agent would deliver," Pierce said. Missouri military personnel, families can get free tax help Missouri military personnel who want to file free dederal tax returns have several options, including the Department of Defense's MilTax and the IRS Free File program. These programs offer online tax preparation, electronic filing, and direct deposit of refunds at no cost. MilTax is a suite of tax services available for members of the military, qualifying veterans, and family members. There are no income limits. The software was specifically designed to address the unique circumstances of military life such as combat pay and multiple moves. Eligible taxpayers can use MilTax to complete and electronically file a federal tax return and up to three state returns for free. Taxpayers, including active-duty military, with an adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less in 2023 can find an offer from an IRS Free File provider who matches their needs. Those with an AGI over the limit can still file their return for free with Free File Fillable Forms. Cox Medical Centers nursing fellowship program receives first-in-nation accreditation Cox Medical Centers' International Nurse Fellowship Program has been accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the first such accreditation awarded in the United States. This elevates the program to the highest possible standard through ANCC. "The distinction signifies to nurses around the world that CoxHealth's approach meets the highest national and international standard for programs that help nurses successfully transition into new practice settings," a CoxHealth press release says. To receive accreditation, Cox Medical Centers was required to meet standards in program leadership, goals and outcomes measures, organizational enculturation, development and design, and practice-based learning. In addition to a survey completed by fellowship participants, appraisers from ANCC met with nurse fellows, preceptors, peer mentors, educators, nurse leaders and human resource representatives to learn about the program. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Salvation Army hires development director, Mercy introduces AI chatbot Above video: Residents speak out after two fatally shot at Grantville apartment complex SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Two people were killed in a shooting Friday evening in the Grantville neighborhood, authorities said. The shooting occurred around 8:50 p.m. in the 4500 block of Alvarado Canyon Road, the San Diego Police Department confirmed to FOX 5. Responding officers located two victims suffering from gunshot wounds inside the stairwell of an apartment complex. They were transported by paramedics to local hospitals, where police said they were both pronounced dead. Disgruntled former customer arrested in deadly El Cajon dental office shooting Neither of the victims have been identified at this time, though authorities described them to be black men in their 20s or 30s. Homicide detectives are working with the San Diego County Medical Examiner to identify them. Based on the preliminary investigation, SDPD said it appears there was some sort of altercation among a group of people near the pool area inside the apartment complex. It is believed at this time that at least one or two suspects pulled out firearms and began shooting, though police said more people could have also been shooting because at least seven rounds were fired. I thought someone was just banging their trash can in the garbage room, but then immediately, like 2 or 3 minutes later, I heard sirens outside, said Anshul Khilani, a complex resident. The suspects were reported to have ran away from the scene westbound. An initial description of the suspects, according to SDPD, was one or two black men wearing red hoodies and black or red pants. A police helicopter was unable to find suspects matching these descriptions. Video Below: Two killed in Grantville shooting (video from March 1) A group of people leaving the apartment complex were detained right after the shooting, but police said no one in the group appeared to be the suspects. They were all released shortly after. I looked outside and saw six cop cars outside, I immediately locked my doors, closed all the blinds and tried to keep myself updated on twitter, Khilani said. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477. Juliette Vara contributed to this report For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in April in a significant case determining whether former President Donald Trump is immune from federal criminal prosecution in the Jan. 6, 2021, election interference case against him. The court agreed on Wednesday to consider the immunity claim, marking a short-term victory for the former president, who has attempted to delay the criminal case charging him with plotting to subvert the 2020 presidential election. The trial, which was initially scheduled to begin in early March in Washington D.C., could be delayed until late summer or fall or even after Election Day. The Supreme Court indicated in a one-page order that during the week of April 22, it will address a legal question that has not been previously tested: "Whether and if so to what extent does a former President enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office." The question presented was clearly heavily negotiated among the justices, Norman Eisen, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and CNN legal analyst, told Salon. It's not the question that either of the parties presented. My reading is that there are three very important clues in the question presented that show that the justices are as skeptical about, frankly, the astonishing idea that a president can commit political assassinations as part of his official acts and escape accountability unless he's impeached and convicted, which has never happened to a president in American history, Eisen said. The court adopted the circuit court's narrowing principle of only ruling on former presidents, simplifying the case's assessment against Trump because they don't have to reach the harder question of a sitting president with the additional constitutional and other protections that a current president enjoys. They ask whether and to what extent the immunity applies to official acts, Eisen explained. When you have a situation like that, where the overwhelming balance of the acts is clearly political, I read that to signal of if you have some extent of officiallness, but it doesn't predominate, that's not going to be enough," he said. The third clue is the keyword allegedly as it points to the allegations in the case which are contained within the indictment, Eisen pointed out. This suggests that the justices can deliberate on this matter solely based on legal documentation, without the need for an evidentiary hearing. Those are just clues, he added. We may be misreading the clues or learn something different later, but those are the clues embedded in the question presented. The court would need to take the narrowest possible approach to this question, Bennett Gershman, a former New York prosecutor and law professor at Pace University, told Salon. A broad approach would require the court to provide convincing reasons for cases with terrifying implications like immunity for ordering the assassination of a White House official about to expose Trump taking bribes for pardons, ordering the kidnapping of a senator about to vote on legislation Trump opposes and many more of these horrendous hypotheticals. Since this is the first time a former president is facing criminal charges, this is a novel matter for the Supreme Court to consider. The final decision could establish guidelines not only for Trump but also for the conduct of any future president. Trump and his attorneys have largely argued that his actions to overturn the 2020 election results were part of his presidential duties so subjecting him to a criminal trial would create concerns for future presidents about facing prosecution for their official actions. This could potentially limit their ability to issue decisions in the public's interest, his team argued. Lower courts have dismissed Trump's assertion of immunity in this case. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, the judge in the federal election interference case, ruled that former presidents can face prosecution for "any criminal acts undertaken while in office." The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled along similar lines last month, delivering a strong and unanimous opinion asserting that Former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant. This aligns with special counsel Jack Smiths stance, whose office argues that there is no legal foundation for presidential immunity since the actions Trump is accused of are not considered part of a president's official responsibilities. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Trump heavily relies on a 1982 ruling, Nixon v. Fitzgerald, which dealt with presidential immunity in a civil lawsuit involving Nixon, NBC News reported. In that case, the court ruled that presidents are immune when their conduct falls within the "outer perimeter" of their official duties. However, Smith contends that this ruling pertained to a civil case, not a criminal one, potentially limiting how it's applied. The Court of Appeals refused to extend Fitzgerald to the actions surrounding January 6, arguing both that there is no absolute immunity and that the January 6 actions were not official acts, David Schultz, professor of political science at Hamline University, told Salon. I would be surprised if the Supreme Court actually reversed on this, but I would not be surprised if it throws the question back to a lower court, Schultz said. It may continue to say that there is no absolute immunity for nonofficial acts, but that whether January 6 constitutes an official act is a matter for a jury to decide. Such a decision might require a separate lower court decision or it could be incorporated into the criminal case and heard by the jury, he added. The latter might not cause too much delay and a trial could still happen late summer or early fall. While the Nixon v. Fitzgerald case will be considered, criminal cases are vastly different and are often seen as involving considerations concerning public safety and the rule of law that civil cases concerning "private grievances" do not address, Gershman explained. Most of the protections in the Bill of Rights involve criminal cases, not civil cases. If you grant complete insulation from criminal accountability and that goes into the mix with all of these autocratic and even dictatorial aspirations that Trump and his allies are articulating, it has the potential to transform the rule of law in America and how it would act, Eisen said. So, it fits into a context of a much more dangerous pattern of threatened behavior. The Supreme Court must slam the door on that. Hollie Tompkins believes measures previously taken to tackle the problem only mask it A mum from Leicester fears mould in her rented home could be making her 16-month-old son ill. Hollie Tompkins said she first reported a mould problem to housing association Midland Heart in February 2021 - and it was treated. But she says the mould has returned and believes it is affecting her son who has had respiratory problems. Midland Heart said "there was no evidence of damp and mould" in a 2023 survey - but will revisit the property. Ms Tompkins, who also has a five-year-old daughter, moved into the house in 2021 - and claimed she reported the mould to Midland Heart shortly after moving in, followed by a formal complaint in 2022. Midland Heart said it then carried out an anti-fungal wash. But Ms Tompkins claimed she was told by one of the people carrying out the work that the anti-fungal wash would only mask the problem rather than prevent it. A Midland Heart survey recorded mould in Ms Tompkins' bedroom as being caused by condensation She said: "My son has been rushed to hospital several times - it's continuous. He's never had a break. "He's nearly 17-months and I can't tell you a week that he's had just being well." Last year, a health visitor wrote a letter to Midland Heart urging it to move Ms Tompkins and her children to more suitable accommodation "as a matter of priority", saying her son's respiratory illness "could be" caused by his exposure to damp in the home. The toddler has since been referred to an allergy clinic for further tests, said Ms Tompkins. Ms Tompkins' first daughter died of health complications at just six weeks old, in 2016. She said: "Seeing my son going into the hospital just brings that all back again. I have been through it before, I don't want to do it again." The 23-year-old said she had thrown away mattresses, clothes, shoes and furnishings that have become mould-infested since she moved in. Ms Tompkins claimed mould in the bathroom was persistent despite her keeping the window open Midland Heart said in statement: "As soon as this issue was first reported to us in January 2022, we responded quickly and treated the mould with anti-fungal wash to resolve the problem and remove any health risks to Ms Tompkins' home. "We believed this treatment to have been successful, and this was reinforced by full property surveys completed in 2022 and 2023, where we found no evidence of damp and mould. "As soon as any further concerns were brought to us, we attended the property straight away. We have now completed a range of works to prevent the formation of mould, including loft insulation, insulation boarding and improvements to ventilation in the bathroom. Since November we have had no further reports of mould at Ms Tompkins' home. "We are of course disappointed to hear that Ms Tompkins is experiencing this problem. We take issues of this nature extremely seriously and have already arranged to attend Ms Tompkins home to complete further works, at her earliest convenience of Monday, 4 March." The Government introduced Awaab's Law after two-year-old Awaab Ishfak, who had been living within his parents in social housing, in Rochdale, died from exposure to mould in 2020. A consultation on the new legislation, which would require landlords to investigate and fix reported health hazards within specific timeframes, is ongoing until March. Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. A notoriously lenient city judge who recently sprung a Venezuelan migrant without bail after he stabbed a man in Times Square has struck again releasing a vagrant who randomly bashed a woman in Union Square as she walked to work, cops said. Jill Burke, 24, only learned her alleged attacker Eric Taylor was cut loose when she showed up to testify against him to a grand jury, The Post has learned. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Valentina Morales released Taylor who has two prior felony convictions and 22 misdemeanor convictions, records show despite a prosecutors request for $20,000 cash bail or $60,000 bond, records show. Eric Taylor told cops he hit Burke with the bag because he thought she was a spy. Burke said she was walking around 10 a.m. to work at a startup financial firm on Jan. 31 when she was suddenly struck in the face with a heavy object and knocked to the ground. He was carrying a plastic bag full of things in one hand and kind of pointed at me with the other hand like he was aiming, Burke, who lives in the East Village, told The Post. He took the plastic bag and hurled it at my face from about two feet away. I fell to the ground and then he just walked away. Police responded and took the bag as evidence Burke said it felt like it had glass bottles in it but she never had a chance to look inside before they tracked Taylor to a nearby electronics store and got a clear photo of him, she said. Judge Valentina Morales released the homeless man who whacked 24-year-old Jill Burke with a bag laden with heavy objects in Union Square. Taylor, 50, told cops he threw the bag at Burke because he thought she was a spy and was plotting against him, court records show. Burke suffered a black eye and a cut above her eyebrow. Her attacker was arrested and charged with felony assault, a bail-eligible offense. This is a stranger assault in which the defendant threw a shopping bag filled with various hard objects at a complete strangers head for no reason, according to prosecutors. If convicted on the top count, Taylor faces a minimum of three years in state prison. Jill Burke suffered a black eye and concussion when she was assaulted in Union Square on January 31. Courtesy of Jill Burke But when Burke showed up to testify before a grand jury on Feb. 21, she learned the jurist appointed by Mayor de Blasio in 2021 had sprung Taylor. I dont know how a judge would let someone like this walk free, Burke said. I looked up the judges name immediately. Just seeing the history and how many times she has repeatedly let very violent criminals go is just disgusting to me, really shocking. Obviously, I would like to see him stay in jail for a long time, she said. Judge Morales released Venezuelan migrant Walter Almachi Leal without bail after he slashed a 43-year-old man with a busted beer bottle on Oct. 2, 2023, in Times Square. NYPD Morales, a Columbia Law School graduate, previously released Venezuelan migrant Walter Almachi Leal without bail after he slashed a 43-year-old man with a busted beer bottle on West 39th Street on Oct. 2, 2023, police said. Leal had only been in the country for two months. The alleged victim required 20 stitches in his arm. In 2022, Morales was working as a Bronx jurist when she released ex-con Frankie Centeno with electronic monitoring for gun possession charges. Centeno had a history of violating parole. He fled the country and had to be rearrested four months later. Morales once ran The Womens Project at the non-profit Fedcap Group, which pushed for alternatives to incarceration under de Blasio. Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Judge Morales to a 10-year term in 2021. Stefan Jeremiah for New York Pos Burkes attacker finally landed in jail six days after Morales released him thanks to a different judge. He was arrested Feb. 27 for burglary at a closed Home Depot on West 23rd Street and was sent to Rikers on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond by Judge Michael Gaffey, jail records show. Prosecutors cited Burkes assault and Taylors prior convictions in arguing for bail. Burke made a TikTok video about the attack to warn other women, she said. Even though I dont think there was anything I could do to prevent this from happening, I think its so important for women to always be prepared, Burke, whos 5-foot-9, said in the video.Make sure you know whats going on around you and get your head out of your phone because you just need to be so aware of your surroundings. Office of Court Administration spokesperson Al Baker refused to comment on Moraless decision to let Taylor go. We dont comment on bail decisions except to say that in cases like these in New York, judges have discretion in making bail decisions in accordance with the law and based solely on an assessment of a defendants risk of flight, Baker said. Two candidates for Maricopa County supervisor have dropped their campaigns since retiring U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko announced she would run for the seat in District 4. Republicans Jack Hastings and Robert Canterbury both said they would halt their election efforts. That leaves just one candidate, Republican Bob Branch, running against the sitting congresswoman. The district covers much of the northwest Valley. Lesko's surprise campaign announcement came days after sitting Supervisor Clint Hickman revealed he wouldn't seek reelection after more than a decade on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. She previously said she wouldn't run again for her seat in U.S. Congress because she was frustrated with her role in Washington, D.C., and wanted more time at home with her family. Lesko, who formerly served in the Arizona Legislature, also stands to gain a boost to her state pension if she ends up winning the supervisor seat. U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko speaks during a rally, Oct. 9, 2022, in Mesa, Ariz. Lesko announced on Oct. 17, 2023, that she will not run in 2024. Her decision to run for the position is a sign of how the once lower-profile Board of Supervisors has become heavily publicized. Supervisor seats were long highly coveted positions by Arizona politicos because they often served as a useful stepping stone to higher political office. Former county supervisors include former U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor and former Gov. Jan Brewer. But county supervisors faced false allegations of election fraud following the 2020 and 2022 elections, as well as threats and harassment. That drew public attention to the control county officials have over voting. The seats are now drawing in bigger names and more money than ever before. In addition to Lesko, the list of people running for supervisor spots this year includes several former state lawmakers. That makes it hard for city officials, school board members and others who often pursue county supervisor seats to compete. Hastings, a teacher at West Point Elementary and a city council member in Surprise, said he made his decision to withdraw from the race after spending about $10,000 collecting signatures to file his nomination paperwork. Embed code - He said he has "a lot of respect for Lesko" but was "frustrated" she decided to run because he is "all about new blood in politics." "I just know I don't really have a chance against her," he said. In a statement on social media, Canterbury compared himself to a military commander looking across the battlefield. "Sometimes the best course of is to retreat, live another day and come back and not only win the next battle, but sometimes the war," he wrote, adding that "the odds" were clearly against him. "In the fight for Maricopa County, this is one of those such times." With two candidates left, what's next? Bob Branch. Branch, a professor at Grand Canyon University, said he was disappointed so many candidates chose to drop out of the race in Lesko's wake. "It's unfortunate that the other people saw her and ran," he said. "But I'm not going anywhere. People need a choice." It won't be his first time going up against a seasoned politician. Branch previously ran for superintendent of public instruction against Frank Riggs, a former California U.S. congressman and charter school founder. He only narrowly lost the Republican primary, and Riggs went on to lose the general election to Democrat Kathy Hoffman. "You run on who's the most qualified, not who has the biggest name," Branch said. He also has long represented District 4 on the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. He's hoping his county bona fides and in-state experience will help distinguish him from Lesko. "Debbie is a legislator, and that's good," Branch said. "I'm a leader and I know how to govern. So, there's two different sets of skills there." Lesko didn't immediately respond to The Republic's request for comment. Whoever wins the July primary will face Democrat David Sandoval in the November general election. Sasha Hupka covers county government and regional issues for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip to share? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Threads: @sashahupkasnaps. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Debbie Lesko's Maricopa County supervisor run prompts 2 GOP withdrawals TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A traffic crash blocked traffic on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge early Saturday morning. Traffic cameras from the Florida Department of Transportation showed a total blockage on the northbound lanes of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The Florida Highway Patrol said the crash happened between three vehicles, one of them being a pickup truck that flipped. The driver of the pickup was taken to a hospital for treatment. The lane has since reopened. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. I live in Indonesia and only get to shop at Trader Joe's when I visit the States twice a year. I usually fill a whole suitcase with products for myself and to give out as gifts. I stock up on pantry staples like olive oil as well as treats like peanut-butter cups. Since moving from the US to Indonesia, one of the things I miss most is shopping at Trader Joe's. My daughter and I still crave our favorite products, but the chain only exists in the States. When I visit family in the US twice a year, I always buy enough to fill an entire suitcase. Here are my favorite things to buy at Trader Joe's. Extra-virgin olive oil is a reliable pantry staple for cooking and salads. Trader Joe's has great olive oil. Elizabeth Sinclair I find Trader Joe's slightly peppery, delicately flavored oil consistent from bottle to bottle and well-priced. I use it at home to saute veggies, dress salads, flavor soups and dips, and drizzle on bread. I've found it hard to find good-quality olive oil in Indonesia, so I always bring back a few bottles. Balsamic vinegar of Modena has an earthy flavor that's sweet and sharp. Balsamic vinegar is a staple in my pantry. Elizabeth Sinclair Balsamic vinegar is another pantry staple I use in salads, cooking, and dips. It's even great drizzled over fresh fruit, ice cream, or pie. Ghost-pepper potato chips are a crunchy, spicy combination. The spicy potato chips at Trader Joe's are very unique. Elizabeth Sinclair My daughter loves Trader Joe's spicy, salty chips made with potatoes and fiery ghost peppers even if they arrive home slightly crushed in my luggage. I add a handful to her school lunches while they last. Nutritional yeast is an underutilized topping for many dishes. I stock up on Trader Joe's inexpensive nutritional yeast. Elizabeth Sinclair Trader Joe's nutritional yeast is versatile, inexpensive, and high in B vitamins. It adds a nice, cheesy flavor to popcorn, soups, and salads. It's hard to find and expensive in Indonesia, so I make sure to bring extra bags as gifts. The daily facial sunscreen is my teens favorite face product. Trader Joe's invisible gel sunscreen is a dupe for Supergoop. Elizabeth Sinclair I picked up Trader Joe's sunscreen for my daughter a few years ago, and it's now her favorite skin-care product. The oil-free sunscreen contains SPF 40, and it's light, nongreasy, and well-priced. Sturdy cotton shopping bags come in a range of fun, food-related designs. I always pick up the latest design. Elizabeth Sinclair Every Trader Joe's store has artists on staff, and the colorful, fun signage, store murals, and shopping bags are created in-house. On each trip, I look forward to seeing the new designs. I usually buy a whole stack of bags since they're inexpensive, and I'll wrap Christmas and birthday presents in them as an extra gift. The turmeric shot is a fruity vitamin boost after a long plane ride. I like to take a juice shot after travel days. Elizabeth Sinclair Trader Joe's cold-pressed juice shots in the refrigerated section give me a good vitamin boost after a long, dehydrating plane ride. The refreshing coconut water and lemon juice balance out the flavors of the spicy black pepper and turmeric. Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend is great and easy to pack. I can stock up on a few jars of seasoning. Elizabeth Sinclair The small jar of seasoning is bursting with umami flavor that's perfect for any savory dish. I always bring back multiple jars for friends and family. Chai-tea mints are another one of my teens favorite products. The flavored mints are usually located near the checkout. Elizabeth Sinclair My daughter loves Trader Joe's tea-flavored mints. They have a lightly spicy chai flavor and leave her breath minty fresh. She keeps a tin in her school bag to use after lunch. Dark-chocolate peanut-butter cups are a rich treat. I always pick up some chocolaty treats. Elizabeth Sinclair I always make space in my luggage for the creamy, peanut-butter cups coated in dark chocolate. Everyone in my family loves them. Sadly they don't last long when I get back home. Peanut-butter-filled pretzel nuggets are a great snack. I think the peanut-butter-filled pretzels are filling and flavorful. Elizabeth Sinclair Trader Joe's peanut-butter-filled pretzel nuggets are a high-protein after-school snack (a serving has 5 grams). My daughter and her friends love the interesting combination of salty, crunchy pretzels with smooth, creamy peanut butter. They're also a great party nibble for adults if the kids haven't devoured them all. Unexpected Cheddar is a unique and delicious cheese. I make plenty of room in my luggage for my favorite Trader Joe's products. Elizabeth Sinclair Trader Joe's beloved Unexpected Cheddar is creamy with a hint of a sharp bite. It really is an unexpected flavor combination, and it's so good. Cheese is usually expensive in Indonesia, so I like to bring back a few blocks as gifts. Click to keep reading Trader Joe's diaries like this one. Read the original article on Business Insider PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. (WFRV) The Pleasant Prairie Police Department is thanking a suspect for leaving blood on a smashed jewelry case at a JCPenney during a burglary of the business. According to the officers, early Thursday morning, the department received an alarm at JCPenney. Three suspects had smashed the front door and went to the jewelry department. 77-year-old Wisconsin man charged for pulling knife on comedy staff after he wasnt allowed to perform The suspects allegedly made off with some low level jewelry and fled the scene, but not before a rookie mistake from one of the alleged thiefs. To the overzealous burglar who left his blood on the smashed jewelry case, we say THANK YOU, said officials with the Pleasant Prairie Police Department. It is refreshing to see criminals work so hard to assist us in their eventual capture. We will be in touch soon! Man holds cashier at gunpoint during armed robbery at a gas station in Wisconsin There is no information regarding if officers have arrested any of the alleged suspects at this time. Officers also thanked the Kenosha County Sheriffs Office for assisting in the incident. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. From left, Charly Heinrich, 16, and Em Day, 17, from Wachusett Regional High hold signs at the vigil for Nex Benedict Friday at the YWCA in Worcester WORCESTER - Amanda Early did not want to be standing in the YWCA gym at Salem Square on Friday night. She did not want to be holding an electric candle alongside dozens of other attendees at another vigil. "We shouldn't have to be here, mourning the death of a child," said Early, shaking her head. The vigil was in memory of Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict, 16, who died early last month following being assaulted in a high school bathroom. More: What we know about death of Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict after beating in school bathroom The incident has drawn further national attention to the consequences of anti-trans rhetoric and legislation, especially on nonbinary and transgender youth. At the YWCA event, young speakers from Greater Worcester described their experiences, fears and how they saw themselves in Benedict. Just like me, Nex enjoyed art, nature and watching television like 'The Walking Dead,' said Finn Santora, 15, one of the speakers. What happened to you, Nex, makes me worried because that could happen to me, but also reminds me to stick up for myself. The Vigil for Nex Benedict was organized by representatives from multiple local organizations, including Love Your Labels, SWAGLY and Safe Homes. Along with candles, attendees held signs in support of trans and queer youth such as We deserve to grow up and Amplify Trans Youth. State Sen. Robyn Kennedy, D-Worcester, was in attendance. "Nex is described by his community as a fiery kid, with so many dreams and passions to share with the world," said Anthony Margolis, 17, of Auburn. "Nex was a straight A student with a talent for arts." I dont think people understand the implications of trans youth having to get up here and speak, said El Martinez of SWAGLY. I kept asking myself, How many more times will I have to do this? How many more vigils will I have to organize? El Martinez of SWAGLY speaks at the vigil. A large poster was taped to the wall, with "Youth Deserve" written in large letters in the colors of the trans flag of blue, pink and white. After the speakers finished, attendees were invited to write their own end to the sentence. "It was very important that this event was youth-led," said organizer Daniela Harrigan, gesturing to the poster. "This has impacted them, their future and their well-being." Its so weird because I just want to live my life the way I want to live and I dont understand why people care so much about how I dress and how I act, said Santora. He said that sometimes he wishes could fit in at school, but believes visibility is important and a way to honor Benedict's memory. "Nex was unapologetically himself. He was known to never afraid and someone I strive to be." The comments on the "Youth Deserve" poster at the vigil. The event was co-sponsored by Kiva Centers, Love Your Labels, Santora Automotives, United American Indians of New England, SWAGLY, Safe Homes, Southborough Safe Spaces and the YWCA of Central Massachusetts. The "Youth Deserve" poster will be on display at one of the sponsoring organizations, likely either SWAGLY or Safe Homes. Among the comments written on the poster were "to feel safe in school," "to be kids," and, in small letters, hidden amid other messages, "to live." This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Nonbinary trans youth hold Nex Benedict vigil in Worcester Riding around curvy roads in northeast Mississippi campaigning for reelection in 2007, Republican Gov. Haley Barbour unveiled to a reporter his plan to create a state exchange where individuals and businesses could shop for health insurance at a lower rate. The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed in 2010 had a feature strikingly similar to what Barbour proposed, which coincidentally already was being used in Massachusetts. The ACA gave states the option to piggyback off the federal exchange to create their own exchange. The federal subsidies offered through the ACA would be available to individuals purchasing insurance off the federal or a state exchange. Barbour wanted to create a state exchange that would include features from the proposal he offered during his 2007 reelection campaign. State Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney also strongly supported a state exchange, saying his office would have more authority to shape a state exchange to fit the needs of Mississippians. But the ACA had by then morphed into Obamacare, which was meant to be a derisive term, and many Mississippi legislators, and then-Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, were opposed to being associated with any part of the landmark national health care law touted and proposed by then-President Barack Obama. In the end, there was no state exchange set up in Mississippi, though it could be argued that the national exchange has been a success in the state. About 270,000 Mississippians currently have insurance policies purchased off the national exchange. Yet for 13 years now, most Mississippi politicians have continually demonized Obamacare and anything associated with the national law. They blocked Medicaid expansion that would provide health care for primarily the working poor in Mississippi, and they rejected a state-run exchange. And along the way, Medicaid expansion and Obamacare became dirty words in the minds of many Mississippi politicians. That demonization might be ending. On the same day in the Mississippi House last week, members by an overwhelming 98-20 margin voted to expand Medicaid. Soon after that vote, House Ways and Means Chair Trey Lamar, R-Senatobia, offered a bill, which passed 112-5, to create a statewide exchange. Under the bill, Mississippians will go to the state exchange to purchase their insurance policy, but importantly, the federal subsidies still will be available. Lamar is hoping by offering state tax incentives to private insurance companies to join the exchange that there will be more choices for Mississippians shopping for health care coverage. And he is hoping that by providing tax incentives to health care providers who accept patients who have exchange insurance coverage, that more of them will do so. Hello, Haley Barbour and Mike Chaney from 2012. During the debate of the two bills in the House, no one uttered the word Obamacare. And in general, fewer and fewer Mississippi politicians are saying Obamacare in a derisive manner, though many go out of the way not to say the phrase Medicaid expansion when they are talking about gulp expanding Medicaid. Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves delivers his State of the State address to the Mississippi State Legislature, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, at the state Capitol in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis/AP One politician, of course, continues to proudly and derisively use the term Obamacare. When arguing against expanding Medicaid, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves recently reposted a social media comment from former President Donald Trump proclaiming: Obamacare sucks!!! When explaining the bill to expand Medicaid to fellow House members, Missy McGee, R-Hattiesburg, did not talk about Obamacare. Instead, she talked about the fact that Mississippi has many of the nations worst health care outcomes. Mississippi has among the highest rates of infant mortality, diabetes deaths, cardio disease death and the list goes on. The bottom line is Mississippians have the shortest life expectancy in the nation. In terms of action by legislators to address those bad outcomes, she said, No is not a policy that has helped. Before this session is over, Reeves may have to decide whether he wants to continue the demonization of Obamacare or sign into law Medicaid expansion in an effort to address those poor health care outcomes. There is a strong possibility the bill also will pass the Senate and reach his desk, where he must decide whether to sign it or veto it or allow it to become law without his signature. If so, Reeves will not be the first Mississippi governor to face some difficult decisions surrounding Medicaid. In 1969, then-Gov. John Bell Williams, who had voted against creating the original Medicaid program when he was in the U.S. House in 1964 and who had railed against it, called a special session to ask legislators to opt into the Medicaid program. Williams said the fact he opposed the program should not keep lawmakers from embracing a federal program that would help Mississippians. This analysis was produced by Mississippi Today, a nonprofit news organization that covers state government, public policy, politics and culture. Bobby Harrison is Mississippi Todays senior Capitol reporter. If you bought shares of Meta Platforms in late 2022, you could have more than doubled, possibly tripled, your investment. Buying a solid stock when the markets are overly bearish on it can prove to be an excellent move in the long run. In Meta's case, the recovery happened incredibly quickly. One stock that could have the potential to generate similar returns is Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE: BABA). The tech stock has been struggling in recent years as investors have grown concerned about the impact the Chinese government has on the business -- it has a stake in over a dozen of Alibaba's entities. While it's a risk investors shouldn't gloss over, it's also hard to underestimate the size and prominence of Alibaba in the Chinese tech and e-commerce markets, and its attractive long-term growth prospects. Here's a closer look at why this stock could be worth taking a chance on today. Alibaba's business is diverse and there's more growth on the horizon A big concern about Alibaba's business lately was its lack of growth. There has been an increase in competition in the Chinese e-commerce market as the emergence of shopping platform Temu, which PDD Holdings owns, has put pressure on retailers all over the world who are competing with its low-priced items. But even amid those challenges, Alibaba's business was fairly resilient. In the company's most recent earnings report, for the last three months of 2023, revenue from online shopping platforms Taobao and Tmall rose by 2%. And while e-commerce is Alibaba's core business, the company's overall operations are diverse, and that is what helps make this a great investment. For example, Alibaba's cloud intelligence group accounts for more than 10% of segmented revenue and its Cainiao Smart Logistics Network isn't far behind either, representing just under 9% of sales this past quarter. While Alibaba has faced headwinds due to a slowing Chinese economy, there's still plenty of growth potential ahead. Alibaba co-founder Joe Tsai believes that the level of e-commerce penetration in China will grow to more than 40% over the next five years; currently it's around 30%. Story continues Alibaba has the benefit of already being a large, established player in the Chinese e-commerce market, which can put it in an excellent position to benefit from more growth in the sector. The stock's valuation is incredibly attractive In 2022, amid a sharp sell-off, Meta's stock fell so much that at one point its price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple was barely above 8. Today, the stock trades at more than 32 times its profits. Alibaba's stock, however, remains discounted, with a P/E ratio of just under 14. Over the past 12 months, shares of Alibaba are down 15% and it's possible the stock can fall even further, depending on how relations between China and the U.S. progress, and how strong the Chinese market proves to be. Investors are getting the stock at a discount because of these unknowns and the geopolitical risk that comes with an investment in Alibaba. But for such a large tech player in the international and Chinese e-commerce markets, there's a lot of value here. Should you invest in Alibaba stock? Alibaba looks like a great buy at its current valuation and it has the potential to be one of the better growth stocks to buy right now. The Chinese market isn't done growing and while the Chinese government's influence on the company is a concern, it shouldn't be enough of a worry to deter long-term investors. The potential upside for Alibaba's stock could be significant. It was trading at around $200 in 2020 and in the long run, it wouldn't be surprising for it to get back to those levels again. Should you invest $1,000 in Alibaba Group right now? Before you buy stock in Alibaba Group, 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 Alibaba Group 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 26, 2024 Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool recommends Alibaba Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Buying This Tech Stock Could Be Like Buying Meta Platforms in 2022 was originally published by The Motley Fool A Los Alamos tourist shop sells bobbleheads of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is referred to around town by his affectionate nickname 'Oppie' (VALERIE MACON) Christopher Nolan's $1 billion-grossing "Oppenheimer" hasn't just lined the pockets of Hollywood studio executives -- it has also brought an unexpected windfall to the secretive community of Los Alamos. The movie, the clear frontrunner to win best picture at the Oscars on March 10, tells the story of the invention of the atomic bomb. Much of the action takes place in Los Alamos, a town built around a top-secret lab that was created from scratch in New Mexico at the suggestion of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who had a lifelong passion for the surrounding mountains. Since the film's release last July, tourists have been flocking to sites like the Oppenheimer House, and Fuller Lodge, where nuclear scientists held parties to celebrate their success in building the bomb. Visitor numbers leapt by 68 percent last year, town officials say. "We started seeing a huge influx" last spring, even before the film hit theaters, said Kathy Anderson, a tour guide for the local historical society, which had to triple the number of daily tours. "If it does win Oscars, I think we're going to see a lot more interest." But the success shrouds a complicated relationship that Los Alamos has with its past and with Oppenheimer, who is still widely referred to around town by his affectionate nickname "Oppie." - 'Very complicated' - On the one hand, the tourist boom could help raise the $2 million needed to restore the century-old home where the Oppenheimers lived, which is in dire need of repairs. "Oppenheimer was renowned for his martinis and for being a very accommodating host. A lot of history happened just in these rooms," said Los Alamos National Laboratory historian Nic Lewis. On the other hand, there is no escaping the destruction caused by the nuclear bombs forged in this town -- where 15,000 scientists and staff still work at the same high-security lab. As the film shows, Oppenheimer himself became a vocal critic of nuclear proliferation during the Cold War. Oppenheimer even later confessed, "I am responsible for ruining a beautiful place," according to "American Prometheus," the book on which Nolan's film is based. "We do recognize here that he was a person, who had flaws, who made mistakes," said Lewis. "He was very complicated. He was very thoughtful. I think Nolan very accurately depicted that part of Oppenheimer." Still, Nolan's decision to shoot many scenes in the very Los Alamos buildings where they occurred caused enormous excitement around town. An ad in the local newspaper called for the lab's actual scientists to appear as extras. Shane Fogerty, an astrophysicist and Nolan fan, ended up explaining nuclear fusion and the genesis of the Moon to stars Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr between takes. "Chris (Nolan) would have to remind everyone, 'We're at work, quiet down, please. Let's go to the next take,'" said Fogerty. It is an anecdote he frequently shares with the growing number of tourists he meets in town these days. "It is harder to get a reservation at the few restaurants in town," he said. amz/sst LEESBURG, Va. (DC News Now) On Friday night, tons of community members in Loudoun County got together to raise money for the firefighters hurt in the massive home explosion in Sterling. The Loudoun First Responders Foundation (LFRF) donated all of the money it raised since Feb. 16 to a fund created for the 11 firefighters who were injured along with, 45-year-old volunteer Trevor Brown, who died. It will continue to pledge 100% of its money raised to that group through March 16. Loudoun County community rallies around those affected by Sterling home explosion LFRF hosted a fish fry on Friday night in Leesburg, presented by Fleur De Cuisine, just days before Browns funeral. Whatever theyre going through, we can ease their pain through this trying time, said Mike Reilly, an investigator with Loudoun County Fire & Rescue. Reilly joined many other first responders, both from LCFR and other agencies, as well as political leaders at the event. Loudoun County Board Chair, Phyllis Randall, spoke in front of the crowd at the beginning of the night. We have helped with medical expenses, mortgages, whatever the first responders need and their immediate time right now for financial support, said Tina Johnson, the president of the Loudoun First Responders Foundation. Thats what were there to do. Natalie Ramos, the CEO and founder of Fleur De Cuisine, said she is also catering Browns funeral. She described the night as emotional. Fire marshal: Underground propane tank leak led to Sterling house explosion You dont realize that one person can make a change, she said. When you see the efforts, you understand that one person can make that change. Reilly said only one of the firefighters injured by the explosion is still hospitalized volunteer Brian Diamond. He remains in a burn unit, where hes expected to stay for another month, according to Johnson. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. A Lubbock County jury deliberated for less than 15 minutes before returning to the courtroom with an 85-year prison sentence for a 39-year-old repeat offender who they believed unlawfully possessed a firearm that officials believe he used to threaten people in a home three years ago. Brett Johnson, who has been held at the Lubbock County Detention Center since his July 10, 2021 arrest, will have to serve about 15 years of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. Johnson's sentence stems from a 3-day trial that began last week in the 140th District Court when he pleaded not guilty to a count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Brett Johnson The charge is a third-degree felony, which typically carries a punishment of 2-10 years in prison. However, Johnson, who had three prior felony convictions for drug and weapon offenses, faced an enhanced punishment range of 25 years to life in prison. Johnson's latest charge arose from a Lubbock police investigation into a shots fired call at a home in the 2100 block of 35th Street. Jurors heard from an employee at BPL Plasma who called 911 saying he heard what he appeared to be gunshots from a nearby home. The witness, who was a former Navy firearms instructor, told jurors he saw someone armed with a blue and silver handgun enter the home before hearing gunshots. A Lubbock police officer who responded to the scene met with a woman who declined to press charges. However, about 30-45 minutes after the call, the officer returned to the area for reports of a man threatening people at the home with a gun. At the scene, the officer, who also handled a police dog, spotted Johnson who began running away, carrying a purse. The officer set the dog after Johnson and he was arrested. A search of the purse yielded a blue and silver .380 caliber handgun. The officer spoke to the occupants of the home who said Johnson entered the home, assaulted his girlfriend and fired his gun three times before leaving, according to a police report. The woman told the officer she collected three shell casings from inside the home and threw them on the front lawn, the report stated. The woman said about a half-hour later she heard a knock on the front door. She said she answered the door, believing it was her husband. However, it turned out to be Johnson, who forced his way in through the door armed with a handgun. She told the officer that Johnson again assaulted his girlfriend - who was not at the scene when police arrived - and left. Johnson initially faced additional counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and burglary of a habitation with intent to commit aggravated assault. However, prosecutors were unable to pursue the aggravated assault and burglary charges against Johnson because the witnesses and victims in that case couldn't be found to testify. Instead, prosecutors pursued the felony weapons charge with an enhanced punishment range. Johnson's defense attorney told jurors his client went to the residence, which is believed to be a drug house, to take his girlfriend out of it. However, jurors watched a video of Johnson in the back of the officer's vehicle where he could be heard saying he took the purse found on him as payback. Jurors deliberated on Tuesday for about an hour and 1/2 before returning to the courtroom with a verdict finding Johnson guilty as charged. During the punishment phase of the trial, prosecutors presented evidence of Johnson's prior convictions, which included a 60-year sentence in 2009 for possession with intent to deliver 4-200 grams of cocaine, a 2005 guilty plea for possession with intent to deliver 4-200 grams of cocaine, for which he ultimately was sentenced to 4 years in prison after his probation was revoked, and a 2004 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Prosecutor Russell Mayne argued to jurors that Johnson's repeated offenses showed he didn't care about the rule of law. He said Johnson's past 60-year sentence, for which he was released on parole, didn't deter him from re-offending. Mayne asked jurors to consider a sentence they believed was enough to deter him from future crimes. "This jury found (an 85-year sentence) was appropriate and we respect their decision," Mayne said after the trial. "We're grateful for their service and their time." This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock jury sends repeat offender to prison for 85 years Models in clothes by fashion designer Laduma Ngxokolo wait backstage before a show in Cape Town, South Africa - archive shot Laduma Ngxokolo can pinpoint the exact moment he became a man - and how it inspired his unique sense of fashion. In 2004, he spent a month in the wilderness with a troop of young men from his community - all part of a coming-of-age ritual traditionally observed by South Africa's Xhosa ethnic group. As per the tradition, Ngxokolo and his fellow initiates were supposed to re-enter society with fresh clothes after their month away. "It was a British-style, gentleman type of look. So your typical look would be a hunter cap or a hat and a jacket," Ngxokolo tells the BBC. But Ngxokolo decided to fashion his own outfits from scratch, ones more reflective of Xhosa culture. An outlier among his fellow "amakrwala", as initiates are called, he emerged from boyhood donning "an accent colour around the calf, around the neck, around the chest... and lots of stripes". Having personally witnessed the lack of Xhosa-inspired high-end clothing companies, Ngxokolo began to develop MaXhosa Africa - a designer brand dominated by knitwear and colourful Xhosa patterns. Laduma Ngxokolo's designs are rooted in his Xhosa culture Since then, MaXhosa has been endorsed by Beyonce, worn by US musician Alicia Keys, featured in Vogue and will be presenting a new collection at Paris Fashion Week on Sunday. And Ngxokolo's not alone - in recent years several African luxury designers have burst onto the global fashion scene. Since 2019, three South Africans - Thebe Magugu, Lukhanyo Mdingi and Sindiso Khumalo - have bagged the prestigious LVMH Prize for emerging talent. The following year, Beyonce's Africa-centred Black Is King film showcased the continent's leading brands to a Western audience. Vogue has also increasingly been promoting fashion from Africa - in 2022 a cover story shot in Ghana with actress Michaela Coel went viral. Africa "holds all the cards to become one of the next world fashion leaders", according to a 2023 report from the UN's cultural body Unesco. Imane Ayissi founded his label in 2004 and his creations have been worn by Hollywood A-listers like Zendaya This past month goes some way to backing up Unesco's forecast. Alongside MaXhosa, brands from Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon have been launching new collections at the industry's "big four" fashion weeks - Paris, Milan, London and New York. After his show in Paris, ballet dancer-turned-designer Imane Ayissi tells the BBC "there's been a "noticeable increase" in African showing at Europe's fashion weeks. "Six years ago, there were no designers from Africa in official Western fashion weeks," he says. Ayissi, the son of a Cameroonian champion boxer and a beauty queen, sent his models down the Paris runway wearing layers of taffeta and satin, into which he incorporated kente (a handwoven Ghanaian textile) along with traditional fabric from Burkina Faso. Imane Ayissi's latest collection juxtaposed materials like satin with traditional African fabric designs "The main inspiration is the way women, in a lot of different African countries, mostly in Western and Central Africa, use simple pieces of fabrics and drape them around their hips to create a kind of skirt, sometimes with several levels," the designer says. But why have African styles and textiles like this seen such a rise in popularity recently? There are a variety of reasons, one being the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, says Frederica Brooksworth, chief executive of the Council for International African Fashion Education (CIAFE). "For once, because everything was happening online and not many people were able to do things like fashion weeks, it was an amazing opportunity for Africa's voice to actually be heard," she tells the BBC. She also points to the dizzying rise of the Afrobeats genre, the growth of successful fashion shows within Africa - like Lagos Fashion Week - and the impact of creatives in the diaspora. Tolu Coker's latest collection was a tribute to street vendors in West Africa Born in the UK to Nigerian parents, breakout designer Tolu Coker was among the handful of diasporans showcasing their heritage at London Fashion Week last month. Her latest collection pays homage to the tenacity of West Africa's street hawkers, who sell goods from kiosks or brave traffic to reach passing drivers. "My mother used to hawk when she was younger... that's a really big part of her story," says Coker, whose fans include Rihanna and Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage. A market stall was set up at the end of the runway for Tolu Coker's London show Coker's models marched down the Mayfair runway sporting razor-sharp tailoring, raffia bags and, in one instance a chic, multi-coloured suitcase - "a nod to the businesswoman". While championing Nigerian culture, Coker notes that diaspora designers like her are "privileged" and enjoy opportunities that their counterparts on the continent often cannot access. Poor infrastructure, as well as a lack of formal education and investment are among the challenges faced by designers working in Africa, Unesco says. "African luxury fashion is a very lonely space to operate in"", Source: Laduma Ngxokolo, Source description: South African designer, Image: Laduma Ngxokolo Ngxokolo attests to this assessment - he tells the BBC that "African luxury fashion is a very lonely space to operate in". "Initially, I didn't feel supported. I went to banks, I went to government funding agencies - most of the funding packages are for people that are into mining, the food business, farming." Bobby Kolade, founder of Ugandan brand Buzigahill, and who has presented his collections at Berlin Fashion Week, has similar gripes. "I don't think that our governments and our leaders see the value of small business. If we were creating 3,000 jobs at once, then they'd be on our side," says Kolade, whose melding of fashion and activism piqued the interest of global media publications. Buzigahill's latest collection is inspired by workers in Kampala Africa does have an increasing market for luxury clothes at it has a growing middle-class - though its designer brands are currently only accessible to a "small, wealthy percentage", Unesco says. And some African governments are taking steps to support their designers. For instance, Kenya's government helped to launch the Kenyan Fashion Council, while an initiative from the Central Bank of Nigeria funds some designers there. There are also other upsides, Kolade stresses. To him, Uganda's capital, Kampala, is a wellspring of inspiration. Buzigahill's latest collection drew from the city's security guards, tree surgeons and farmers who, according to Kolade, "don't know how much swag they have". Fashion weeks from Lagos to Johannesburg show there is also a growing middle-class on the continent willing to spend on high-end brands His words reflect a common ethos among Africa's designers - that of planting their cultures at the centre of their work, while still drawing the attention of the Western-led global fashion industry. Two decades on from his amakrwala fashion debut, Ngxokolo is putting the final touches to his Paris Fashion Week show while also preparing to open his first New York store. But, Ngxokolo insists, South Africa has always been his "priority". "The loyalty and the love that your people give you is great," he says. "It's a form of great sustainability for the business." Images subject to copyright. You may also be interested in: The crash caused long tailbacks on the M23, south of Gatwick Airport Six people were taken to hospital and about 30 treated at the scene of a multiple vehicle pile-up on the M23 in West Sussex. The crash, involving 15 vehicles, happened about 17:40 GMT on Friday, and led to the motorway being closed between junctions 10 and 11, close to Crawley and Gatwick Airport. The road was reopened in the early hours of Saturday. Police said none of those taken to hospital had life-threatening injuries. Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. France is considering sending some of its special forces units into Ukraine to protect key infrastructure and limit Russian strikes, Le Monde reported on March 1. Read also: Frances Macron believes Russia could attack EU in coming years Paris may allow special forces and other military units to cross the Ukrainian border, creating a "strategic dilemma" for Moscow. The journalists sources believe that the presence of French troops could help safeguard some Ukrainian territories from Russian attacks. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, numerous government entities with connections to Western intelligence services have been present in Ukraine, Le Monde notes. According to the report, covert diplomatic personnel, advisers, and intelligence service employees have played certain roles in the war effort. The nature of these services is secretive, and therefore, they are not subject to the laws of war, former employee of France's Directorate-General for External Security, Vincent Crouzet, told Le Monde. Read also: France weighing sending soldiers to Ukraine for strategic border control or airspace protection PM A Ukrainian diplomatic source, who wished to remain anonymous, said that all allied states have a presence in Ukraine, although none have sent combat units thus far. Meanwhile, Ukraine is pleased that the issue of a more direct involvement of its partners is being discussed as the war enters its third year. Read also: France, Greece, Cyprus block plans to buy artillery shells outside EU German MP If there are arms supplies, there should be people providing information on how to use this equipment on the ground," the Ukrainian source said. Before the summit of European leaders in Paris on Feb. 26, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that several NATO and EU member states were discussing the possibility of sending their militaries to Ukraine based on bilateral agreements. Slovakia will not take such a step but will respect the decisions of countries that agree to send troops to Ukraine. Read also: Ukraine to finally receive more long-range weapons after Macron announces allied coalition French President Emmanuel Macron said later that sending Western troops to Ukraine in the future could not be ruled out, though he added that there is currently no agreement on the issue. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal echoed Macrons statement regarding the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine, emphasizing that Paris would not accept a situation where Russia wins the war. 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 Madeline Soto, 13, disappeared on 27 February in Kissimmee, Florida. Her mothers boyfriend Stephan Sterns (right) is the lead suspect (Orange County Sheriffs Office) Police in Florida announced on Friday that they had found the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, less than a week after she failed to show up for school in Kissimmee, Florida. After a four-day search, the local sheriffs office said it was confident that she was dead. The grim discovery was made several hours later. Her mothers boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, is lead suspect and in police custody on sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material charges. Here is everything we know about the Madeline Soto case so far. When did Madeline Soto go missing? Madeline Soto, 13, was reported missing on Monday 26 February at around 8.30am. Orange County Sheriffs Office (OCSO) said that she was last seen off Village Park Drive in Kissimmee, near Orlando, heading to school. Madeline was described as white, 51 tall, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a green sweatshirt, black shorts and white Crocs. Her mothers boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, claimed that he had dropped her off close to Hunters Creek Middle School but not outside. However, the girl never showed up for class. Her mother only discovered that Madeline was missing when she went to pick her up from school later that day. More than 50 law enforcement officers spent the days following Madelines disappearance searching for her in nearby woodland. Officers had found messages on her phone that she said she wanted to live in the woods when she turned 13. Orange County Sheriffs Office deputies search woods in Kissimmee for missing teenager Madeline Soto (Orange County Sheriffs Office/X) Madeline Sotos body discovered On Friday 1 March, OCSO said they now believe that Madeline was never dropped off near school on Monday morning and that she was already dead at that time. Sheriff John Mina said he had met with Madelines mother on Thursday night to tell her he was confident that her daughter was dead and that his deputies were now looking for her body. The sheriff explained that OCSO has video evidence which shows Mr Sterns throwing items into a dumpster behind their apartment building at around 7.35am. Those items included the teens backpack and her school-issued laptop. At 8.19am, we have evidence that shows Stephan Sterns returning to the complex and Madeline was visible in that vehicle. We believe she was already dead at that time, the sheriff said. On Friday afternoon the sheriffs office confirmed that her body had been found in a wooded area in Osceola County. At about 4:30 p.m. today, off of Hickory Tree Road, Osceola County Sheriffs Office search teams located the body of Madeline Soto in a wooded area. Madelines family has been notified, the office said in a statement. We have no additional information to release at this time. Kissimmee PD is the lead agency in this homicide investigation. That work continues. Mothers boyfriend is main suspect On Wednesday 28 February, OCSO announced that it had arrested Mr Sterns, following the discovery of disturbing images on his phone, which he had tried to delete. These photos and videos were criminal and sexual in nature, the office said. The office shared a video of the suspect in handcuffs. MAJOR DEVELOPMENT in the case of missing 13-year-old Madeline Soto: This evening, the Kissimmee Police Department, working in conjunction with the Orange County Sheriffs Office, arrested Stephan Sterns, 37, for sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material. pic.twitter.com/yZn8O8JpYM Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) February 29, 2024 At Fridays briefing, Sheriff Mina said that investigators believe Mr Sterns dumped Madelines belongings before moving her body, rather than taking her to school as he had originally claimed. Kissimmee Police Department has Mr Sterns in custody. He is being held on sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material charges. Kissimmee PD shared photos of Mr Sterns car, which he was seen driving between 1pm and 2.30pm on 26 February in the area of State Road 192 and Old Hickory Tree Road. It is believed he had a flat tyre at the time. Madeline Soto was last seen on Monday 26 February 2024 near her school in Kissimmee, Florida (Orange County Sheriffs Office) Madelines mother is not considered a suspect at this time. Tributes paid to Madeline In a statement released on Friday afternoon, Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Dr Maria Vazquez paid tribute to their precious student. My thoughts and prayers go out to Maddies family and her school community, Dr Vazquez said. To lose a child so suddenly and tragically is extremely difficult especially for family and friends. Counsellors continue to be available for any student or staff member dealing with the news. I ask that you keep the entire Hunters Creek Middle School community in your prayers as they grieve the loss of one of their own. A prayer vigil was held on Friday evening. The two largest pharmaceutical chains in the U.S. will begin selling the abortion pill mifepristone this month, just weeks before the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the drug's approval, which the Biden administration defends. CVS and Walgreens completed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certification process to dispense mifepristone, the companies separately confirmed to Fox News Digital. The pill will not be sent through the mail, and the companies will follow the FDA's guidelines issued last year the same guidelines that will be challenged in the high court on March 26. Walgreens on Friday told Fox News Digital that it "expects to begin dispensing within a week" across select pharmacies in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and Illinois. CVS told Fox News Digital that it will begin filling prescriptions for the pill in Massachusetts and Rhode Island "in the weeks ahead" and will expand to more states "where allowed by law, on a rolling basis." SUPREME COURT AGREES TO DECIDE ON ABORTION PILL ACCESS, APPROVAL PROCESS Pro-life organization Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America (SBA) called the rollout "shameful" in a statement to Fox News Digital. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "As two of the worlds largest, most trusted health brands, the decision by CVS and Walgreens to sell dangerous abortion drugs is shameful, and the harm to unborn babies and their mothers incalculable," SBA state policy director Katie Daniel said. "Even when used under the strongest safeguards, abortion drugs send roughly one in 25 women to the emergency room, according to the FDAs own label," Daniel said. "Yet under Democrat presidents, the FDA has illegally rolled back basic safety standards, like in-person doctor visits, even allowing these deadly drugs to be sent through the mail." In a few weeks, Daniel said, the Supreme Court will hear a case "brought by doctors who routinely witness the fallout for women and girls who turn up in ERs with severe pain, heavy bleeding, infections and other serious complications." President Biden called the announcement an "important milestone" on Friday. "With major retail pharmacy chains newly certified to dispense medication abortion, many women will soon have the option to pick up their prescription at a local, certified pharmacy just as they would for any other medication. I encourage all pharmacies that want to pursue this option to seek certification," Biden said in the statement to the media. KEY STUDY IN FDA ABORTION PILL CASE AT SUPREME COURT RETRACTED IN 'PARTISAN ASSAULT,' AUTHORS SAY Walgreens said it "expects to begin dispensing within a week" in select pharmacies in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and Illinois. In overturning Roe v. Wade in June 2022, the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization that the U.S. Constitution does not guarantee the right to an abortion and that the matter should be decided by the states. In the aftermath, 14 states have banned abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with some exceptions, and two others have banned abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is around six weeks of gestation. The Biden administration and the maker of the drug mifepristone are asking the high court to reverse an appellate ruling that would cut off access to the drug through the mail and impose other restrictions, even in states where abortion remains legal. The restrictions include shortening from the current 10 weeks to seven weeks the time during which mifepristone can be used in pregnancy. The nine justices rejected a separate appeal from abortion opponents who challenged the FDA's initial approval of mifepristone as safe and effective in 2000. Mifepristone, made by New York-based Danco Laboratories, is one of two drugs used in medication abortions, which account for more than half of all abortions in the U.S. More than 5 million people have used it since 2000, according to The Associated Press. The second is misoprostol, which some health care providers say is less effective in ending pregnancies. Fox News' Danielle Wallace contributed to this report. Original article source: Major drug stores start selling abortion pill some say is 'dangerous' for women ahead of landmark SCOTUS case Almost two thirds of UK scientists think China was not open and transparent about the origins of Covid, and more than a quarter think the pandemic leaked from a Chinese lab. However, the majority (67 per cent) believe the virus was of natural origin and not deliberately engineered. The results of the survey, conducted by the Telegraph and Censuswide, reveal a split in the scientific world over how the coronavirus pandemic emerged. Very few scientists believe the virus is not natural (16 per cent) and most experts seemingly subscribe to one of two theories: either that the virus spread directly from animals into people, likely through the Huanan seafood market, or an animal virus being studied at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) was either deliberately or accidentally leaked. An anonymous survey of almost 200 lecturers in all disciplines across UK universities revealed a close split between the lab leak and not lab leak schools of thought among the 125 people who gave an answer, with 41 per cent of them in favour of the former. More than a third replied with either no views or prefer not to say. The origin of the coronavirus pandemic has been a divisive topic ever since the first cases emerged in Wuhan at the end of 2019. Vicious arguments erupted between warring factions of scientists, often closing off constructive debate. Conversation about the possibility of a lab leak was largely shut down in the midst of lockdown after a group of scientists wrote in the Lancet that they strongly condemned conspiracy theories. Ongoing investigations, including from a US Congressional Inquiry, have found cause for concern around the biosecurity of the WIV, which was known to be storing and working on coronaviruses before the pandemic. Prof James Wood, head of the department of veterinary medicine at the University of Cambridge, said although the survey sample size was small it usefully distinguished between the two lab-leak scenarios. There has been a lot of confusion or conflation between the lab-leak hypothesis and whether this was an artificially constructed virus. This survey pulls these separate questions apart, he said. Lab theory plausible Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, added: It always seemed entirely plausible to me that Covid escaped from a laboratory, but that doesnt mean that it was deliberate or the result of nefarious activity. Labs like the one in Wuhan routinely collect and store samples of the pathogens they are studying, so Covid could have been collected from a wild animal, taken to the lab for study, but accidentally released because of a lapse in biosecurity. However, Professor Ravindra Gupta, an expert in clinical microbiology at the University of Cambridge, said the prevailing belief is that the SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged naturally. The lay of the land among scientists is people saying it is most likely of natural origin through the market; there were a lot of animals there and there was evidence of the SARS virus, so most likely that is what happened. But we cannot ignore that laboratory work was going on at unsafe containment levels in Wuhan. It is possible it leaked from a Chinese lab and it should be taken seriously. Scientists also slammed China for its role in the pandemic, with two thirds agreeing that China has not been open and transparent about the origins of Covid-19. Prof Wood said the slow release of information from China has likely increased uncertainty over Covids origins. Coupled with the fact that retrospective investigations of outbreaks can often fail to identify specific epidemic sources, even when there is complete official openness, it is not clear that further investigations now will ever be able to identify a source, he added. Prof Clarke agreed, saying: Weve probably missed the opportunity to investigate whether thats what actually happened. China behaved badly throughout Prof Lawrence Gostin, distinguished university professor at Georgetown University in the US, and director of the ONeill Institute, a WHO-collaborating centre on global health law, said China had behaved badly throughout the pandemic. It has not been a good global citizen and may be partially responsible for the failure of an early response to help contain the virus, Prof Gostin said. China was late in reporting the outbreak to WHO, conveyed misleading information to the WHO suggesting there was limited human-to-human transmission, and blocked any attempt at an independent scientific investigation of Covid origins. Because of China, the world may never know the full truth. After all the world has suffered from Covid-19, Chinas actions have been reprehensible. Controversial experiments Scientists were also quizzed on the usefulness and risks of gain-of-function lab experiments, which take a virus and give it enhanced abilities, sometimes relating to mortality and transmissibility. One third of those questioned (34 per cent) thought these experiments were needed to prevent future pandemics, but the same proportion said they risk sparking future pandemics. They are only justifiable if they have important and immediate public health benefits, Prof Gupta said, adding they need to be very tightly regulated. I think the survey shows that people believe in the ability of science to answer questions, but some of those experiments carry a risk. Prof Gupta, who is also co-chairman of the Independent Task Force on Research with Pandemic Risks, recently presented a report to the UN, which stated Covid could have been caused by a research-related incident. This survey is an independent validation of what we have just put out, he told The Telegraph. Scientists are saying, in an anonymous fashion, that they agree with what the reports findings are. There are risks associated with doing this work, but also this sort of work is essential to be able to save lives in the future. However, Richard Ebright, professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Americas Rutgers University, disagrees, and thinks gain-of-function research has zero civilian applications. He said: It provides no information useful for preventing pandemics and no information useful for responding to pandemics. It is not required for, and does not contribute to, the development of any vaccine or therapeutic agent. Virologists at the WIV have previously dismissed claims of a lab leak. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. On my first visit to Malta in the summer of 2015, I ate a very special dish. A bold statement since even though I was already growing into an avid foodie as a student back then, the finances and lifestyle of university didnt always go hand in hand with incredibly memorable dining experiences. But back to The Dish. It was my first time having rabbit bolognese and it certainly made an impression. A twist on the classic Italian favourite, a new depth of flavour was brought to the dish by the use of rabbit. While not known as the islands piece de resistance, stewed rabbit (stuffat tal-fenek) is a traditional Maltese dish that is often referred to as the countrys national dish. All I can say is that almost a decade later, Maltese rabbit still holds a place in this foodies heart. Upon first introduction, Maltese cuisine bears a heavy resemblance to Italian food, with the likes of pasta, risotto and antipasti all playing a prominent part in a classic Maltese dinner party table. Add in some Arab and North African influences which can be seen in various dips, stews, herbs and spices and you get a bit of a better idea of the countrys style of food. When I landed in Malta again, this time to visit the gorgeous Xara Palace hotel, situated in the heart of Mdina, all I could think about was hunting down the dish that had stolen my heart, and my palate, the first time I was here. Neslted within the medieval city, the Xara Palace is a 17th century palazzo that emulates the citys historic charm and stunning architecture and is also home to two restaurants, as well as the wider collection boasting a standalone restaurant in Mdina, plus two further ones in The Xara Village, in popular holiday spot St Julians. While Malta itself hosts a myriad of exciting eateries to feast your tastebuds upon, the Xara Collection offered a wide variety itself and made for an exceptional gastronomic second trip to the island. The de Mondion Restaurant De Mondian has one Michelin star (Xara Palace) The entire Xara Palace oozes a beautifully rustic charm and even its Michelin-starred restaurant de Mondion is tucked away within the bastion walls of the roof terrace. Having retained its star for four years, this fine dining restaurant prides itself in celebrating and serving top seasonal, organic and local produce with chef Clint Grech at the helm. The Taste of Malta menu features an impressive seven courses, with every bite an absolute explosion of flavour; a wild party for the tastebuds. Perfectly paired with a range of wines, hand-selected by the sommelier, every dish was well-complemented. Standout dishes include the Gozitan octopus, with swede, unagi and tapioca a mouthwatering course that arrived plated up like a piece of art. The foie gras with chocolate and miso was one of the more interesting dishes on the menu, while the tagliolini with cuttlefish and sea urchin fully transported you to the sea, all in one bite. Throughout our stay at Xara Palace, the traditional Maltese bread ftira featured on a variety of menus and it was served alongside a stunning suckling pig (with kohlrabi, apple vinegar and black truffle) at De Mondion, too. demondion.xaracollection.com The Medina Restaurant Medina restaurant is over 500 years old (Amira Arasteh) Your tummy and tastebuds are not ready for the gastronomic heaven that awaits them at Medina. Xara Collection also holds this 500-year-old restaurant within its portfolio, tucked neatly away within the stone walls of the Silent City itself. With gorgeous green decor, complementing the honey-coloured stone walls, the eatery is like a hidden oasis just off the main cathedral square and down one of the many winding streets. Championing the Mediterranean Arabs influence on Maltese cuisine, Medina focuses on a carefully curated array of ingredients and flavour within every dish on its menu. Earning a well-deserved feature in the Michelin Guide, highlights from this gorgeous restaurant include the dolmas, tabbouleh salad, local fish tartare and classic Maltese fish soup Aljotta (dont skip this, please). The starters are very much a nod to the Middle East, with falafel bites and baba ghanoush also making appearances on the menu while local octopus stew and pan-fried rabbit were more contemporary classics that were equally delicious. The Maltese roast potatoes (a real treat for the tastebuds, seasoned with garlic and fennel) are also not to be missed. At the back of the menu is an educational insight into the sources of various ingredients and the significance to Maltese food, with the popularity of the modern day fenkata (rabbit), dating back to the Arab rule of Malta, when it was mostly consumed by those of high social standing. Sharbat (sugary drinks common in the Middle East) are what are said to have influenced the iced tea and sorbet craze in Malta nowadays, too. The rabbit pasta at Medina kicked my core memory versions (from 2015) butt. It was just on another level. In fact, we were a group sharing various small plates and everyone else at the table was only too kind and gracious (or perhaps just street smart and savvy for pre-empting future hangry consequences) to allow me the dish to myself. It wasnt even love at first bite as the smell that wafted towards the table as the dish was brought over was pure intoxication. Heavenly. It looked incredible, and I either implore the restaurant to set up a residency in my hometown London or for pasta restaurants in the city to step up their game. medinarestaurant.xaracollection.com Trattoria AD 1530 Trattoria is more of a casual eatery (Amira Arasteh) Xara Palaces more casual eatery, Trattoria AD 1530 is situated on the ground floor of the hotel grounds with easy access for those who are not hotel guests, too. Focusing on the Italian roots here, diners can feast upon various pizzas, pastas, salads and meat and fish grills in this cosy and charming spot. Aubergine parmigiana and calamari are commonly expected dishes that make appearances on the menu but if youre looking to enjoy whats on offer with a Maltese touch, my recommendations would be the bruschetta, as its served on the iconic toasted Maltese bread, and theres even a dedicated Maltese platter featuring a selection of Maltese sausage, tuna sott oligo (preserved under oil), the local A bejna soft, peppery cheese, bigilla (a tasty and traditional Maltese mashed beans dip-style dish) and local ftira bread. The pizzas and beef tagliata were all met with favourable sounds as they were wolfed down but I am me and could not bypass the linguine with clams. xarapalace.com.mt/dining/trattoria-ad-1530 Rosami At The Villa Listed in the Michelin Guide, Rosami focuses on locally sourced ingredients (Amira Arasteh) Another worthy entrant to the Michelin Guide is Rosami at Xara Villa, a 19th-century palazzo which overlooks Balluta Bay (were coming full circle as I actually stayed in this area upon my first visit to Malta). The restaurant takes on the persona of a more playful and contemporary addition to the Xara Collections culinary repertoire, following in the footsteps of de Mondion, without as much focus on the traditional fine dining concept. Chef Cliff Borg has designed a beautifully elegant menu, with all dishes featuring locally sourced ingredients to create such mouthwatering dishes. Standout plates include the theatrically presented Xara Egg, housing a creamy veloute-style soup, and the divine red snapper, served with burratina and nduja haricot ragout, as well as the toasted rice dessert with chocolate and Earl Grey. Guests can also indulge in a pre-dinner aperitif on the ground floor terrace at Okas where the colourful and carefully curated cocktails keep on coming and can be enjoyed alongside sharing plates of seafood platters and more hearty meat dishes, should you wish to dine there, too. rosami.xaracollection.com For more information visit okas.xaracollection.com Even if it's not a huge purchase, we think it was good to see that Sophie Moloney, the Chief Executive Officer of SKY Network Television Limited (NZSE:SKT) recently shelled out NZ$85k to buy stock, at NZ$2.82 per share. While we're hesitant to get too excited about a purchase of that size, we do note it increased their holding by a solid 14%. See our latest analysis for SKY Network Television SKY Network Television Insider Transactions Over The Last Year In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when insider Philip Bowman bought NZ$537k worth of shares at a price of NZ$2.70 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is NZ$2.77. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. The good news for SKY Network Television share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price. While SKY Network Television insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Insider Ownership Of SKY Network Television Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Based on our data, SKY Network Television insiders have about 0.7% of the stock, worth approximately NZ$2.8m. We consider this fairly low insider ownership. So What Does This Data Suggest About SKY Network Television Insiders? The recent insider purchase is heartening. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. While the overall levels of insider ownership are below what we'd like to see, the history of transactions imply that SKY Network Television insiders are reasonably well aligned, and optimistic for the future. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. To that end, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with SKY Network Television (including 1 which is a bit concerning). Story continues But note: SKY Network Television may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A man was arrested earlier this week for allegedly sexually abusing a child. Now, Washington County authorities are searching for additional victims. Officials say they began investigating Marquise Brazile, 23, last month for multiple crimes against more than one underage victim. Authorities searching for man accused of fatal shooting at North Portland bar During that investigation, detectives found evidence showing Brazile had assaulted and strangled an underage girl in Washington County on multiple occasions, in addition to threatening her with a gun. Brazile had also created and shared explicit videos of that person, authorities said. After detectives tracked Brazile to a home in Gresham on Feb. 22, he was arrested and later booked into the Washington County Jail. On Feb. 28, Brazile was indicted on several charges. Using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct (two counts) Using child in display of sexually explicit conduct (two counts) Encouraging child sexual abuse in the first degree (two counts) Sexual abuse in the second degree (two counts) Attempted unlawful possession of a machine gun Felon in possession of a firearm (two counts) Unlawful use of a weapon (firearm) Strangulation (two counts) Menacing Fourth-degree assault Brazile is also being held on a Multnomah County parole violation warrant. Detectives learned Brazile has been the subject of police investigations in many local communities, including Portland, Gresham and Beaverton. Brazile has been connected to multiple shootings and serious assaults, as well as numerous statutory rape cases, and detectives believe there are additional victims. Brazile has stayed at addressees in Portland, Gresham, Bethany, Beaverton, and Vancouver, officials said. Anyone with information about any other cases involving Brazile is asked to contact the Washington County Sheriffs Office. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. An arrest has been made after a deadly shooting outside of a bar in the Hill District. The shooting happened outside of the Laundry Mat bar in the 2200 block of Webster Avenue on Jan. 31. >> 1 person killed during shooting outside Hill District bar Derrick Eggleton, 30, was shot in the abdomen and died at the hospital. Deshawn Wallace, 46, was arrested on the East Busway after a brief foot pursuit, Pittsburgh police said. Wallace is charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, carrying a firearm without a license and recklessly endangering another person. Police said Wallace had narcotics on him during his arrest and he faces additional charges. He is now in the Allegheny County Jail. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Dental office suing Butler County man over negative comments online Top of ambulance flies off while on I-79; drivers mistake piece for boat Driver ejected from vehicle in Washington County crash, flown to hospital VIDEO: Fish fry fundraiser to be held for paramedic injured in ambulance crash DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) said it arrested a man in connection with a gun store burglary that took place in Hybla Valley Thursday. FCPD said members of the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) arrested Oscar Morales Toro, 22, at the New Carrollton Metro Station in Maryland and that Morales Toro had one of the stolen guns on him at the time. Teen charged in drunk driving crash that killed 1, injured 5 Police said officers responded to H&F Arms, located at 7524 Richmond Hwy., for the burglary at 2 a.m. Thursday. FCPD said security footage showed two people entering through the front door of the business. The people took six guns and two air soft pistols, investigators said. Police said the charges against Morales Toro, were Burglary, Destruction of Property, Grand Larceny of a Firearm (6 counts). As of Friday, he awaiting extradition back to Fairfax County. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) The Albuquerque Police Department has charged Alexander Ortiz with the murder of a second woman days after he is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend. Ortiz is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, Alianna Farfan, at her apartment in the Northeast Heights on January 11. Detectives said the two had an abusive relationship and that Ortiz was upset with Farfan on the day of the shooting. Police say Ortiz was in her bedroom the night of the shooting and that witnesses heard a gunshot. They say he left through a window. APD asking for help finding suspect in Embudo Trailhead murder APD stated Ortiz is also a suspect in the murder of Nicole Maldonado at the Adam Food Market on January 17. Ortiz was tracked to a home on Pennsylvania St. near the food mart where he is believed to have fled after the shooting of Maldonado. He was taken into custody after a SWAT call out. City officials have said the market and the surrounding area has quote the most murders than any other location in the southeast area, with seven murders in the last four years. We know that this has been a problematic part of our city for a long time we understand that. And the challenge that were seeing is it continues just to get worse, says Mayor Tim Keller. According to detectives, they found parts of a .40 caliber handgun including an extended magazine, a 50-round drum magazine, a Glock 22 .40cal slide, .40cal ammunition, and a phone. Detectives say several of the firearm parts were similar to those used in the Adam Food Market shooting. In a conference earlier this week, city officials stated theyve gotten 500 calls on their emergency response system at the Adam Food Market, costing the city at least $400,00 in the last four years. The city is currently filing a lawsuit to close down the store. Something needs to be done and we will continue to work through this case and were hoping that were much more successful. I think we have a stronger case this time with everything that weve put together, says APD Chief Harold Medina. We are not going to give up in terms of trying to keep our community safe, trying to improve this intersection, and also making sure that were all in this together, says Keller. Ortiz was charged with murder in Farfans death and is now charged with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder resulting in death, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and tampering with evidence in Maldonados death. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. A man died when flames roared through a single-family Bronx house that was illegally divided into 17 tiny apartments rented cheap to low-income people, said city officials and building residents. Flames erupted around 2 p.m. Friday in the three-story home on Grand Ave. between W. 190th and W. 192nd Sts. in the Fordham neighborhood. It had heavy fire on it. We had fire on three floors, and the attic, said FDNY Deputy Chief William McCormack. Firefighters found the dead man in the buildings attic, but they were not sure he lived there as the space did not appear liveable, McCormack said. But the dead man did live in the attic he bedded down on an air mattress there, said another tenant in the building. Thats where he lived. He worked at a car wash, said the tenant, who did not give his name. He was a good, hardworking guy. McCormack said that even though the building was already divided into a number of small spaces, its owner was in the process of building more. The new construction may have been where the blaze started, he said. Its all rented rooms, said the tenant. Weve lived there for years. The rents are from $200, $250, to $300 a month. City officials had been told that the building was divided into many separate apartments. A complaint on the Department of Buildings website in February 2021 states that a resident of the building reported living in what he believed was an illegal basement apartment. He was not aware that it was illegal when it was rented to him, the Buildings Department record says. Similar complaints were made about the building in 2018, 2011 and 2008, Buildings Department records show. Buildings Department officials say they are investigating, and that additional enforcement actions are pending that investigation. The Red Cross has offered emergency shelter to the buildings residents, the Buildings Department said. A man died early Saturday morning after he crashed into a building in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Vermont Vista neighborhood, police confirmed. The crash was reported at 5:49 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Officers responded to the area of Figueroa and 106th Streets and found a vehicle that collided with a building. In-N-Out eyeing expansion to yet another state The driver, only identified as a 42-year-old man, was pronounced dead at a hospital. As of Saturday it remained unknown whether drugs or alcohol was a factor. Police were actively investigating the cause of the crash. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. VERNON COUNTY, Mo. A Vernon County man is found guilty of first-degree murder after telling the jury he would do it again if he had to. It took the jury about two hours on Thursday (2/29) to convict 65-year-old Steven Vignolo of first-degree murder for the September 2021 shooting death of Justin Goolsby. Vignolo told authorities he killed Goolsby because he believed Goolsby was sexually abusing his granddaughter. The Missouri Attorney Generals Office prosecuted the case. Last October, a Vernon County judge was close to ordering a dismissal of charges because prosecutors had repeatedly delayed the case. Thats when the assistant attorney general prosecuting the case dismissed it and then re-filed it essentially resetting the deadlines. The shooting happened at a Pilot Travel Center in Nevada on September 22, 2021. Vignolo told police he knew Goolsby would be at the truck stop for a child custody exchange. After police arrested Vignolo, he told them he shot Goolsby multiple times with a 45-caliber handgun. Vignolos attorney said he will file a motion for a new trial and a notice to appeal the verdict. The only sentence allowed for first degree murder, if its not a death penalty case, is life in prison without parole. Sentencing is set for June 10th. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. (WFRV) An employee working at a BP Gas Station in southern Wisconsin was held at gunpoint on Thursday during an armed robbery, and police are searching for the suspect. According to the Pleasant Prairie Police Department, officers responded to an armed robbery at the BP on Stateline Road and Sheridan Road in the village of Pleasant Prairie. Click here for more news, weather, and sports The suspect fled on foot prior to law enforcement from both Illinois and Wisconsin arriving on the scene. Officers and sheriffs were unable to locate the suspect and are now asking the public for any information regarding the robbery. If you have information regarding this armed robbery, you are encouraged to call Detective Brey at (262) 694-7353. Additionally, you can also report a tip and possibly get a reward at Kenosha Area Crime Stoppers. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for stabbing another person to death in northwest Olympia last April. Thurston County Superior Court Judge Sharonda D. Amamilo sentenced Kevin Andrew Johnson on Feb. 23 to 181 months in prison for second-degree murder. Johnson pleaded guilty on Jan. 4 to murdering Nathaniel Alex Montoya on April 30, 2023. The homicide occurred before 2 a.m. that day in the 1800 block of East End Street Northwest, west of Division Street. Johnson, along with three other relatives, were arrested near Vancouver in Clark County after a multi-day search. His sentencing came after he accepted a plea agreement that avoided a jury trial. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorneys Office said they were grateful to the community members and law enforcement who worked to apprehend and investigate the defendants in this case. The defendants acceptance of the plea offer extended by the State resolved the criminal case in a way that avoided witnesses reliving that tragic day during a jury trial and provided some certainty to the closure of this case, the PAO spokesperson said. We hope the resolution of this case makes it easier for family and friends to grieve. An obituary for Montoya described him as an artist, musician and skateboarder with a sense of humor. He is survived by his son, parents, sisters and the rest of his extended family. Nathaniel Alex Montoya leaves behind a loving extended family and a broad network of friends whose hearts ache in the absence created by his murder and who are comforted by the memories of his infectious joy, the PAO spokesperson said. Johnson had no prior criminal history, so his sentencing range was 123-220 months in prison, according to court records. Prosecutors initially charged him in May 2023 with second-degree murder while armed with a deadly weapon and tampering with physical evidence. Kevin Andrew Johnsons brothers, Mathew Ryan Johnson, 26, and Michael Jay Johnson, 35, pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 to second-degree rendering criminal assistance. Judge Indu Thomas sentenced the two brothers to 364 days in jail that same day. Their father, Steven William Johnson, 60, pleaded guilty on July 10, 2023, to first-degree rendering criminal assistance and tampering with physical evidence. Judge Amamilo sentenced him to a total of one year and 364 days of confinement. Why did Johnson stab Montoya? Johnson stabbed Montoya six times in the street in front of his parents home in the early morning of April 30, 2023. His mother reportedly called 911 as he bled out on the pavement. At the time, Montoya was walking to his parents home after spending the evening at a local tavern. Steven William Johnson pulled up to Montoya in his RV home and confronted him. He believed Montoya had pounded on the RV earlier and told them something to the effect of get out of the neighborhood, according to court records. An argument ensued and the two men grabbed each other, per court records. In response, Kevin Andrew Johnson exited the vehicle from the passenger door and stabbed Montoya. William B. Starnes and Jose R. Villanueva, Johnsons attorneys, argued in a memorandum to the court that Montoya antagonized the Johnsons while intoxicated and engaged in a physical fight with Steven William Johnson. They argued Kevin Andrew Johnson acted to save his father. Nathaniel Montoya didnt deserve to die, but in a state of extreme drunkenness he attacked someone that had done him no harm, and that mans son (unbeknownst to Montoya) had an entire lifetime of anger, grievance, love and desperate desire to prove his worth to unleash upon him, the memorandum says. Johnsons attorneys stated their client experienced a traumatic life since childhood, suffered from untreated head trauma and self-medicated with alcohol and cannabis. Hes spent almost every day of his life being a victim, being hated for being different and lacking any positive reinforcement for having any value at all. So, he drank. So, he smoked, the memorandum says. In another memorandum, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Randy Trick acknowledged the Johnsons felt targeted and have unaddressed trauma. However, he said it was unclear if Montoya was actually the person to pound on the Johnsons RV. Nothing justifies Kevin Johnson stabbing Mr. Montoya six times and slashing him four times when a push, a tackle or pulling the RV forward could have ended any altercation with Steven Johnson, Trick said in the memorandum. How were the Johnsons caught? Following the stabbing the Johnsons fled south in their RV and sought to destroy evidence, Trick said in his memorandum. They allegedly bought cleaning supplies to remove blood from their RV, disposed of the murder weapon in a river along Interstate 5 and threw away blood-stained clothing along the way, according to Trick. Steven William Johnson tried to sell the RV to an auto-parts dealer near Vancouver, but the dealer reportedly refused. Instead, they abandoned the RV with a sign that read Free and continued on foot. Clark County deputies found the RV after Olympia police publicized it as a vehicle of interest. The deputies found the Johnsons near the auto-parts dealer and took them into custody without incident, according to Trick. Olympia police reportedly identified the RV after reviewing surveillance footage that showed it leaving the area. Another detective recognized the RV as one that had been parked by Burri Park a few blocks away. Matthew Ryan Johnson and Michael Jay Johnson both spoke with Olympia detectives. They reportedly admitted to tampering with evidence and identified Kevin Andrew Johnson as the one who stabbed Montoya. As the case has progressed, all of Kevin Johnsons co-defendant family members have corroborated that he acted alone in stabbing Mr. Montoya, Trick said. How did Montoyas family react? In a victim statement to the court, Shauna Montoya, Nathaniel Montoyas mother, described seeing her son die in front of her. She said her soul was mortally wounded. To lose my only son, to have him bleed to death before my eyes has left me paralyzed by sorrow, Shauna Montoya said in her statement. The sadness in my children, my husband and all of Alexs family and friends is devastating. To live on daily without Alex is unbearable. In response to the plea agreement and sentencing range, Shauna Montoya said she has lost faith in the justice system. Americas justice system is archaic and outdated, the laws and sentences for these brutal crimes do not give the victims or their familys justice befitting the crimes. Americas justice system has failed, Shauna Montoya said. In another statement, Gina Downes, Nathaniel Montoyas aunt, said she has watched her family suffer on a daily basis due to Montoyas death. She asked the court to give Kevin Andrew Johnson the maximum penalty. This world cannot keep losing compassionate, loving, caring people, and those who have no regard for human life continue to work the system, and in a short amount of time are released into an oblivious population, Downes said. Montoyas family set up a GoFundMe in his memory to support his son and one of his sisters, who is autistic and needs caregiver assistance. They have raised $10,905 as of Friday. DENVER (KDVR) A man received a 35-year prison sentence Thursday for kidnapping and holding two hikers hostage in the summer of 2022. Kerry Endsley, 75, pled guilty earlier this year to one count of attempted murder in the first degree as a crime of violence and one count of attempted disarming of a peace officer, according to a release from the Colorado First Judicial District Attorneys Office, Hikers held at gunpoint knew kidnapper The kidnapping happened on June 17, 2022. Two hikers, a man and a woman, were having an early morning run at Fehringer Ranch Park when they passed a man, now identified as Endsley, kneeling on the path. According to the release, he wore blue clothes, a fake mustache, a FedEx hat and sunglasses. As the hikers passed, Endsley pointed a firearm at them, ordering them to get on their knees and put their heads forward. He then put a leash around the womans neck and led them at gunpoint to the middle of a field. Endsley told the hikers they would die that day, according to the release. The woman recognized Endsley by his watch and distracted him while her husband grabbed his gun. According to the release, thats when the hikers fled, running in opposite directions as Endsley continued threatening them. Another runner witnessed the incident and told dispatchers what was happening in real-time. When a Jefferson County Sheriffs Deputy arrived, Endsley charged at him and reached in his pocket to pull out a stun gun, which caused the deputy to fire his weapon. Endsley continued to approach the deputy until another deputy arrived and tased him. When deputies searched Endsley, they found a stun gun, pepper spray and keys to his SUV. Deputies uncovered a frightening scene when they searched the vehicle, according to the release. In the vehicle, deputies found a mattress, blankets, tarps, multiple restraints, power tools, leashes, collars, rope, knives, ammunition, another stun gun, duct tape, handcuff keys, a FedEx hat, a FedEx sweatshirt, a hatchet and an extra loaded magazine. Endsley said he was having a heart attack and was taken to the hospital where he asked a deputy for help getting his legs onto the hospital bed. Then, Endsley lunged at the deputy, reaching for his gun and punching him in the forehead. Court case leads to guilty plea from suspect Endsley pled guilty to one count of attempted murder in the first degree as a crime of violence and one count of attempted disarming of a peace officer on Jan. 22. Man who kidnapped hikers had background of bribery, domestic violence On Thursday, he was sentenced to 35 years in prison with no credit for time served for the above crimes and was resentenced to six months in jail with credit for time served for a 2021 domestic violence harassment charge. During the sentencing, the woman addressed how Endsleys actions have affected the victims lives. She said she has dealt with constant fear and anxiety since that day. I hope that I can be a strong voice to create more awareness and hope for others while they face their fears and navigate through their recovery and trauma experiences, she said. Neither hiker was physically injured in the kidnapping, and the family has since relocated to another state to start over, the release stated. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. FILE PHOTO: Chile's Finance Minister Mario Marcel and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen meet in Santiago SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile wants to have three or four new lithium projects operational by 2026, the country's Minister of Finance Mario Marcel said on Saturday. The South American country - the world's largest copper producer and the second-largest producer of lithium - initiated a policy last year to increase state control of the strategic metal needed in batteries for electric vehicles. Marcel spoke following a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who has been touring the country. On Saturday, Yellen visited the U.S. lithium producer Albemarle in northern Chile, saying expanded U.S.-Chilean ties would benefit both countries, improve energy security and help achieve key climate goals. There are currently only two producers of lithium in Chile - Albemarle and SQM - with investors still waiting for the left-wing government of President Gabriel Boric to define its national lithium strategy as it seeks public-private partnerships to develop its lithium salt flats. Earlier this week, Chile's mining minister said the government had hoped to finalize lithium exploration tenders in the first quarter of this year for private companies. Chile's state-owned copper mining company, Codelco, has been selected to represent the Chilean state in the new public-private model for lithium as Boric seeks to expand the long-stalled industry. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Writing by Lucinda Elliott; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 37-year-old man is dead after he was shot by his father when they were having an altercation Saturday, March 2 in El Pasos Upper Valley, El Paso Police Departments Public Information Officer Adrian Cisneros said. Cisneros said that at about 9:48 a.m. officers received a call about a shooting along the 700 block of Rhaelynne Drive in El Pasos Upper Valley. When officers arrived, they located a 37-year-old man with a gunshot wound. Cisneros said the man was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. Cisneros said that the mans father, a 79-year-old man, shot his son when they were having an altercation. Cisneros said Crimes Against Persons is investigating the case. No names were given, and no arrests have been made. KTSM is working to gather more information and update this developing story. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., appeared to square up against a climate protester after being confronted during an appearance at the Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Friday. A video posted on X, formerly Twitter, by climate change group Climate Defiance, shows an activist approaching Manchin during the round-table discussion. "Joe Manchin, you sold our futures and got rich doing it," the protester told the senator. "You sick f---. How dare you?" JOE MANCHIN WILL NOT LAUNCH THIRD-PARTY PRESIDENTIAL RUN Manchin immediately stood up and began to make his way toward the activist before a man stepped between the two. "You sold our futures," the activist proceeded before being shoved to the ground. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP The edited video cuts to Manchin speaking with the activists, saying, "Y'all want to sit down somewhere and talk?" Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., appeared to square up against a climate protester after being confronted during an appearance at the Harvard Kennedy School on Friday. "I'm not going to sit down," one activist responds. "You've received more funding from fossil fuels than any other senator." "You've made millions, you've made millions out of your position. You drive a Maserati," another activist tells Manchin. "Oh my goodness," Manchin is heard saying in response. MANCHIN HINTS AT POTENTIAL THIRD-PARTY RUN AFTER SUPER TUESDAY: PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR OPTIONS The activists specifically honed in on questioning the senator over the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Manchin played a role in securing the pipeline in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, filing his own amicus brief in the Supreme Court case last year. "Do you think people support this pipeline?" one activist asked the senator directly. WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE: Manchin began to explain why people should support the pipeline before being cut off by the same activist. "They don't support it," the activist said. The activists are then heard chanting, "Not our futures, not your profits" as Manchin shakes individuals' hands before appearing to head out. Manchin was scheduled to appear alongside Resident Fellow Alison King at the Kennedy School on Friday, wherein they would cover who Manchin expects to back in the 2024 election among other topics, according to the Institute's promo of the event. "Earlier today, protesters disrupted for a few minutes an IOP study group in which Senator Joe Manchin was the guest speaker," a statement released by Harvard stated. "A Harvard University police officer ordered the protesters to leave the Kennedy School campus, and the protesters complied. Senator Manchin continued his discussion with IOP students after the disruption. The Harvard University Police Department and the Kennedy School are reviewing the incident." Fox News Digital reached out to Manchin's office, Harvard Police Department, the Kennedy Institute of Politics, and Climate Defiance for additional comment. FAR-LEFT GREEN ACTIVISTS 'SURROUND' JOE MANCHIN EVENT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE JUST WEEKS AFTER WHITE HOUSE INVITE Manchin was scheduled to appear alongside Resident Fellow Alison King at the Kennedy School on Friday, wherein they would cover who Manchin expects to back in the 2024 election among other topics, according to the Institute's promo of the event. Climate Defiance also confronted Manchin in January, saying the organization had surrounded him in New Hampshire in an effort to confront him over energy and climate policy. Climate Defiance said its members had cornered Manchin, forcing him to hide in an "old" building in Goffstown, New Hampshire. This came shortly after the senator addressed the New Hampshire Institute of Politics "Politics & Eggs" forum which is often attended by presidential candidates. The West Virginia senator settled speculation of a potential presidential run of his own last month, saying he would "not be seeking a third-party run, I will not be involved in a presidential run." 36 PROGRESSIVE HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST BIPARTISAN GREEN ENERGY BILL Manchin made the announcement during a speech at West Virginia University as part of his "listening tour" that kicked off in January with his daughter's campaign group "Americans Together" a movement that touts itself as the "moderate majority" that rejects the "extremism in politics." He had previously stated he would tap Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah, or former Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman to be his vice presidential running mate in a hypothetical run. As of late February, Manchin has yet to endorse President Joe Biden, telling CNN's Kaitlan Collins, "Im not endorsing anybody, right now. Were going to see what all happens." Manchin who has previously said a president should possess the "knowledge," "passion," and "ability" necessary to unite the divided populace said he still has reservations about Biden's increasingly polarizing policies . "Ive had this conversation with him and with his people that hes gone too far to the left. Theyve pushed him, and pulled him, and whatever," Manchin said. "But thats not where America is. Thats not where our country is." Fox News' Jamie Joseph and Thomas Catennaci contributed to this report. Original article source: Manchin appears to square up against climate protester after being called a 'sick f---' Charges were dropped against Jhoan Boada, one of the migrants arrested in connection to the Times Square melee in late January between migrants and two police officers, the Manhattan District Attorneys office announced Friday. Boada, 22, became the face of right-wing backlash after he was photographed flashing twin birds at reporters and insisting he was innocent as he left his arraignment in late January. A thorough and diligent investigation cleared Boada in the case, the DAs office said in a statement. Jhoan Boada has been exonerated as a participant in this assault, the statement said. Boada was mistakenly arrested two days after the assault, when officers found he matched their description of a man in a black and white jacket with pink shoes, according to the DAs office. During his Jan. 31 arraignment, Boadas attorney adamantly denied the Venezuelan migrant was involved in the brawl. Boada was released without bail. When leaving his arraignment, Boada flipped two middle fingers to the news cameras that followed him out becoming the face of the political firestorm that soon ensued. His image, splashed on headlines across the country, became a symbol for right-leaning Americans of the dangers of immigration and sanctuary city laws. It drew the anti-migrant fury of Americans from Texas to Great Neck, L.I. Mazi Pilip, a Republican who lost her special election bid to fill George Santoss seat in Congress from Queens and Nassau Count, posted a picture of Boada and labeled him a thug. The incident prompted calls from elected officials, including Gov. Hochul, for stronger punishments from the DAs office. I dont understand, Boada said in Spanish at the time. I didnt do nothing. The DAs office says Boada was mistaken for another suspect, Marcelino Estee. Estee has been charged in the assault, and is due to be arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court, the DAs office said. The chaotic Jan. 27 confrontation started when police officers approached a group of migrants standing on the edge of the sidewalk in front a shelter building, ordering them to move. It escalated when they moved to arrest a man, and the group of migrants then attacked the two cops, kicking and punching them. After this high-profile incident, fears of a migrant crime wave have spread with little evidence to back up the idea that any significant rise in crime is being driven by the more than 170,000 asylum seekers whove arrived in the city since spring 2022. Boada initially faced charges of attempted assault on a police officer and gang assault, but he was indicted with the others first arrested in the attack as the DAs office continued to investigate his role in it. Five other migrant men allegedly involved in the Jan. 27 attack were ordered held on bail last month on felony charges brought by a Manhattan grand jury. AUSTIN (KXAN) Judge Rick Rico Olivo, the Justice of the Peace for Precinct 5 which includes all of downtown said nearly 400 citations DPS issued in his jurisdiction last year are still pending in the county court system. When the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) came to Austin as part of the Austin Violent Crimes Task Force (AVCTF), the agency made more than 87,000 traffic stops, according to DPS data. Many citations that came from those ended up in Olivos court. Bringing citations to us in stacks of 750 at a time, he said. According to Olivo, 83% (8,182) of all citations (9,817) that went through his court last year came from DPS. The agency had an increased presence in Austin from the end of March through December with a month-long break in the middle to assist the Austin Police Department (APD) amid a staffing shortage. By comparison, 4% of citations Olivo received came from APD and 1% came from the Travis County Sheriffs Office. In addition to processing citations, Justice of the Peace courts also handle small claims, evictions, public student loans from the state, driver license suspensions, warrant signings and courthouse weddings. [Processing citations] takes our time away from some of the other work that we do, Olivo said. In December, Travis County commissioners approved $80,000 in taxpayer money for Justice of the Peace precincts to handle the backlog the DPS citations brought on. Olivo said he used that money for overtime to staff the court on Saturdays for a six-week period ending March 9, so staff could process citations or address other work they had to put aside. The extra day also gives the public more time to visit the court. We really want to make sure people have access to the courts, Olivo said. According to data APD presented to city council about DPS presence in Austin, violent crime went down when troopers patrolled in town, and rose when DPS left. During the AVCTF, DPS made more than 4,000 arrests, seized nearly four million lethal doses of fentanyl, recovered more than 300 stolen vehicles and conducted nearly 700 crash investigations. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. March roars in like a lion on the Prairies with major snowstorm Click here to view the video March rolled in across Canada with quite a contrast between warm and cool weather. Unfortunately, for the Prairies, they are on the latter side of that divide accompanied by a major storm that threatens to bring 40+ cm of snow for some areas through this weekend. Coupled with blustery wind gusts of 50-70 km/h and blowing snow, blizzard conditions are possible for many areas. SEE ALSO: Expect a turbulent March across Canada as the seasons duke it out A large swath of winter storm warnings and watches, along with snowfall and blizzard warnings, and special weather statements are in place across the three Prairie provinces. image2 Expect travel to be highly interrupted during the storm. Consider postponing non-essential plans until conditions improve. Public Safety Canada encourages everyone to make an emergency plan and get an emergency kit with drinking water, food, medicine, a first-aid kit and a flashlight. Saturday sees snow push in, storm will then peak on Sunday Well watch a Montana low continue to organize and spread north Saturday, bringing snowfall across Alberta and Saskatchewan by the afternoon and evening. image4 Cold temperatures across the western half of the Prairies will make this a light and fluffy snow, which accumulates in a hurry and easily blows around in gusty winds. Folks across Alberta will see snowfall ease on Sunday as the system continues to strengthen and push east across Saskatchewan and into southern Manitoba. image6 Heavy snow is likely across much of southern portions of Saskatchewan and Manitoba by Sunday morning, continuing through the day. Very heavy snowfall rates of 5+ cm per hour are possible along the Yellowhead Highway during the storms peak on Sunday. WATCH: Saskatchewan and Manitoba brace for blizzard conditions throughout the weekend Click here to view the video Blowing snow a significant concern for weekend travel Gusty winds of 50-70 km/h will accompany the heavy snowfall across the region, leading to extended periods of severely reduced visibility. Blizzard conditions will continue through Sunday and end Monday morning. Complete whiteouts are possible at times. Travel will be difficult if not impossible on all roads across the region during heavy snow and high winds. image5 Rapidly accumulating snow and poor visibility will make travel difficult or nearly impossible, especially along the Yellowhead. Travellers along the Trans-Canada Highway in Saskatchewan and Manitoba will also have to contend with heavy, blowing snow. Snowfall totals of 40+ cm are possible The greatest accumulations in Alberta will largely miss the QE2, with 10-15 cm in the forecast across Calgary, and potentially as much as 20 cm for Red Deer and Edmonton. Farther east, we could see well over 20 cm of snowfall by the end of the weekend around Oyen and Cold Lake, with totals of 40+ cm possible around Lloydminster. AB RELATED: Avalanche warning issued as snow piles up in the Rockies Since the snowfall is anticipated to be light and fluffy, accumulations will likely exceed forecast amounts in some areas. Forecasters expect the heaviest snowfall totals to target central and southern Saskatchewan, and southwestern Manitoba, where 20-40+ cm of snow is possible by the time precipitation wraps up on Monday. snowamount Folks around Regina in the south could see 15-30 cm of snow by Monday. It would only take a slight shift in the storm's track to bump these higher totals toward the north or south. The greatest uncertainty surrounding this storm is the potential for a sharp cutoff in snowfall totals around Winnipeg. That is due to the centre of low tracking across the Red River Valley, and as it does so, pulls in warmer air with it and will elevate the risk of a wintry mix. This intrusion of warm air into southern Manitoba could force a changeover to ice pellets in and around Winnipeg, which would significantly cut down snow accumulations here. Warmer temperatures will also make for wetter snow in Manitoba as opposed to the light and fluffy powder expected to the west. Snow continues Sunday overnight, then becoming lighter by Monday morning. It will end in the afternoon as it moves northeast. Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on this snowstorm across the Prairies. WATCH: Pileup on Trans-Canada Highway caused by zero-visibility snowstorm Click here to view the video For the second year in a row, Coldwater and Quincy received increased marijuana excise tax revenues from the $87 million distributed among the 269 municipalities that allow these businesses, the Michigan Department of Treasury said Thursday. Branch County received $827,208 from the 14 retail licenses in the county. The county anticipated only $450,000, according to its budget. The new marijuana grow and retail sales facility on Garfield Street will not provide excise tax revenues to Coldwater and then county until next year. Branch County placed its revenue in the general fund after suggestions it pledge the marijuana money to help cover the $989,560 allocated for six new road patrol deputies. There were 737 retail licensees operating in the state's cities, villages, and townships during the 2023 fiscal year. The $87 million collected is about a 46% increase from the $59.5 million in tax revenue collected for the 2022 fiscal year. Quincy Village received $177,259 for the three authorized licenses open in the village. That money goes into the village general fund. Coldwater received $649,949 from 11 open establishments in 2023. There are two more expected to add tax revenue next year from 2024 sales. Craft Leaf will open retail sales at the Garfield Street grow operation this year. That is the only licensed sales location outside the C-4 district around I-69. Another retail marijuana sales location is under construction on Michigan Avenue, south of U.S. 12. The city of Coldwater pledged marijuana tax funds to redevelop Rotary Park along both sides of the Coldwater River. With the new tax revenue, there is $1.385 million to start the work this summer. Complete tax distriubtion list Michigan Department of Treasury marijuana tax distribution 2023 Next year, California Township will receive a share for the Fremont Road California Michigan Cannabis Company, which opened last month. Michigan pools the state excise tax from all retail sales and divides taxes evenly among counties and municipalities by licensed locations. Subscribe Support local news. Subscribe to the Daily Reporter. Each 2023 share was just over $59,000 per license. More than $100 million was sent to the School Aid Fund for K-12 education, and another $100 million went to the Michigan Transportation Fund. -- Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Michigan marijuana tax shares increase from 2023 retail sales MARION, Va. (WJHL) A man was arrested Saturday morning after reportedly jumping through a storefront window on Main Street in Marion, Virginia, and leading police on a short pursuit, a town spokesperson said. According to a news release from Marion town leaders, the incident occurred around 10:26 a.m. when an off-duty officer observed Gregory Dalton Graham leap through the plate glass window of the store Hungry Grapplers on the corner of Commerce Street and Main Street. Speed limit to increase to 70 mph on I-81 in Sullivan County The release said Graham emerged from the building and fled the scene in a maroon pickup truck. He then led law enforcement with the Smyth County Sheriffs Office and Marion Police Department on a short pursuit. After the pursuit, Graham was arrested following a scuffle with officers, according to the release. He was taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries from the broken glass, then transported to the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Abingdon. The release said Graham is charged with destruction of property, criminal trespassing, eluding officers and assault on a law enforcement officer. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. A Massachusetts woman plans to build cabins after she recently won $1 million on a scratch ticket. Marcia Paris of Lanesborough opted to receive her 300X $30 instant ticket game prize as a one-time payment of $650,000 (before taxes) according to the Massachusetts State Lottery. Paris claimed her prize at lottery headquarters in Dorchester. In addition to building cabins on her property, she also wants to take a vacation to Aruba. Paris said that her father had purchased a 300X ticket first, then someone else bought the next ticket in the book before she got what turned out to be her winning ticket. She purchased her winning ticket at the Mobil at 107 Main St. (Route 7) in Lanesborough. The store received a $10,000 bonus for the sale of this ticket. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Measles vaccinations given in '70s and '80s may have worn off by now, doctor warns If you were vaccinated for measles in the 1970s or '80s, theres a chance the protection has worn off by now, some doctors are warning. Amid the current measles outbreak in Florida, USF College of Public Health associate professor Jill Roberts spoke to FOX 13 in Tampa about the possibility of legacy vaccines becoming less effective over time. The measles vaccine was first introduced in 1968. AMID MEASLES OUTBREAKS, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SPEAKS OUT AGAINST FALSE INFORMATION Three years later, in 1971, the MMR vaccine made its debut. This combination vaccine provides a trifecta of protection against measles, mumps and rubella. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP If you were vaccinated for measles in the 70s or 80s, theres a chance the protection has worn off by now, some doctors are warning. A couple of decades after the release of the MMR vaccine, measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. For those who received measles vaccinations in the 70s and 80s mainly people currently in their 40s and 50s Roberts recommends checking with a health care provider about their status. MEASLES OUTBREAKS IN US, UK HAVE HEALTH AGENCIES ON HIGH ALERT: BE VIGILANT "There's absolutely no risk in getting another MMR, so if you don't know, just go get another shot," she advised. "They're inexpensive and widely available." Measles is a highly contagious virus for those who have not previously been infected or vaccinated, Roberts warned with up to a 90% chance of transmission. For those who received measles vaccinations in the 70s and 80s mainly people who are currently in their 40s and 50s Roberts recommends checking with a health care provider about immune status. Dr. Jacob Glanville, a virology expert and founder of Centivax, a San Francisco pharmaceutical company, warned about recent outbreaks in under-vaccinated communities. "If you have ever received the MMR vaccine, you likely still have immunity, although talk to your doctor about a measles titer test if you have concerns," he told Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER The titer test measures an individuals level of immunity to the virus. Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, emphasized the importance of measles vaccinations "particularly with the amount of circulating measles virus and underimmunized people coming into the U.S. at a time when there is a big measles surge around the world." As of Feb. 29, a total of 41 measles cases had been reported by 16 U.S. jurisdictions. "This is not yet an official suggestion anywhere, but I do check measles titers in many of my patients, and if they are low, I may give a booster as a precaution," he told Fox News Digital. "The protection from the original vaccines may wear off over time." As of Feb. 29, a total of 41 measles cases had been reported by 16 jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health . Original article source: Measles vaccinations given in '70s and '80s may have worn off by now, doctor warns MEMPHIS, Tenn. The City of Memphis could be seeing a more unified front when it comes to tackling crime, poverty, and jobs. Dozens of city leaders joined forces Friday to hash out their budget priorities that will directly impact you, the taxpayer. All hands were on deck at the executive-legislative retreat at the Museum of Science and History to address some of the biggest issues facing Memphis. Its going to be tough conversations, but I wanted to make sure as we get ready for the budget, were going into it with our eyes wide open, said Mayor Paul Young. Young, along with members from his administration and the council, outlined their priorities for the upcoming budget. What is the clerks office doing with your wheel tax? We have got to close the wealth gap, and we dont want the State on the hill taking control of us, said Cooper Sutton. And then our housing stock, we need to really work on that, said Councilwoman Rhonda Logan. From housing, poverty, jobs, and crime, city leaders agree a united front is needed. Its about collaboration. We have a budget thats coming that will show a deficit. We are trying to figure out how to put the pieces together to move the city of Memphis forward, said Vice Chair JB Smiley. But can the city really move forward while plagued by crime? Mayor Young, who recently met with gang members to address the problem, admits something has to be done. That effort we are undertaking is in alignment with engaging all of our community. I firmly believe we cant have a dialogue on how to fix crime unless we engage those who are participating in it, said Young. WREG also wanted to find out about the status of Interim Police Chief CJ Davis, her reappointment, and whether it affects the citys ability to fight crime. Police Chief Davis: Im a member of this community Well come back and address the interim and go before the council at a time to be determined. I would presume in the next five to six months, said Young. She can and will be effective (as interim). We as a community will be effective. Shes not the only person that needs to be working on public safety. But some council members say a decision about the citys top cop needs to be made soon. I think it can cause confusion more for the rank and file. You need a strong leader that people know will be there and set a vision that theyre going to execute over a multi-year strategy. I think its something we definitely need to have a conversation about sooner rather than later, said Memphis City Councilman Chase Carlisle. Davis also attended Fridays retreat, but we were told she was not available for comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. (Bloomberg) -- Some of Asias biggest coffee-producing nations are finding it more challenging to satisfy the caffeine cravings in their home markets. Most Read from Bloomberg From the streets of Ho Chi Minh City to the cafes of Jakarta, consumers are rapidly developing a taste for coffee, and thats transforming Asian producers into large buyers. While Vietnam and Indonesia still rank as major shippers, they are increasingly sourcing coffee from agriculture powerhouse Brazil to meet the consumption boom. Its pretty remarkable how people love their coffee, consultant Judy Ganes said, referring to Indonesias thriving cafe culture. Innovative drinks such as a coffee-avocado mix have enticed new consumers part of a growing movement across Asia as increases in disposable income foster coffee consumption, she added. Both Indonesia and Vietnam, big growers of the bitter robusta variety favored to make espresso and instant drinks, prefer to export their coffee production while importing for domestic consumption their own beans are more expensive than Brazils. Coffees cool factor at home is a good indication that the imports will continue, especially after extreme weather and insufficient yields over the past years have weighed on global production. The worlds largest coffee trader, Neumann Kaffee Gruppe, is betting on the shift, opening an import office in Indonesia as it expects demand there will eventually be higher than what the nations crops will be able to handle. Indonesian coffee consumption grew about 4% annually over the past decade, according to the local exporters association. Thats higher than the 2.2% growth in global demand expected this year by the International Coffee Organization, following a period of ups and downs during the pandemic era. Story continues Shipments from Brazil to Indonesia, the worlds fourth-largest producer, more than doubled last year, according to Cecafe. The potential for growth is still very large, especially because consumption per capita is lower than in other parts of the world, said Marcio Ferreira, chairman of the exporters group. As coffee-drinking habits flourish, Indonesias bean production has mostly stalled. Demand may exceed output within the next five to eight years if the same pace continues, said Moelyono Soesilo, head of downstream coffee industry at the Association of Indonesian Coffee Exporters and Industries. The group is seeking to help farmers manage their estates, looking to boost yields above the current level of 1.1 metric tons per hectare. In comparison, areas that produce a similar coffee variety in Brazil have yields of about 2.5 tons per hectare, according to crop agency Conab. Meanwhile, shipments from Brazil to Vietnam are also surging jumping more than sixfold in the 12 months ended in January, Cecafe reported. Imports from the South American country are serving Vietnams instant coffee industry, said Trinh Duc Minh, head of the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Association in Dak Lak province. Some companies have imported beans to honor signed contracts and make roasted coffee as well, said Tran Thi Lan Anh, deputy director of second-largest exporter Vinh Hiep Co. Read More: Coffees Future Looks Bitter as Climate Change Wilts Key Growers Weather is helping bring more imports to the region. The El Nino phenomenon has brought extreme dryness to Southeast Asia this season, reducing production in Vietnam and Indonesia and causing a spike in local prices. Vietnam coffee is currently trading at more than a $30 premium to Brazilian beans, making South American purchases even more attractive. Its tough to get beans these days despite the higher prices, Anh said, suggesting there are probably not many beans left in farmers hands. While Vietnam is the worlds largest supplier of robusta, extreme weather and years of low profits prior to last years price surge led some farmers to switch to other crops. The countrys share of the global market has gradually shrunk over the last decade its now at the smallest since 2008, risk management firm Hedgepoint Global Markets estimates. Some recovery is expected in both Vietnam and Indonesias coffee supply, as higher prices will bring higher revenue to farmers, spurring them to invest in expanding and improving their crops. Still, long-term challenges will persist, said Carlos Costa, Hedgepoint head of sales. The amount of small, family properties makes it more difficult to see gains of scale, he said. The big alternative to come onto the market should be Brazil. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Experts call a lack of access to behavioral health services in Nevada a critical problem but say that a new plan is expected to improve the situation. Cassandra Bouakka said getting her teen son the care he needs has taken two years, with the road to services littered with no, we cant, and you have to make an appointment. My child has had severe major depression with recurring psychosis, Bouakka said, adding that things got so bad for her son that he was hospitalized. Mental illness is something so hard to wrap your head around because your child is in pain. According to Mental Health America, in 2023, Nevada ranked 39th in the nation for access to mental health care, and 51st for youth mental health, indicating that Nevada youth have a higher prevalence of mental illness and lower rates of access to care. Bouakka said she was not surprised at the ranking, adding that people of all ages have trouble finding a behavioral health provider. The Silver State Health Improvement Plan, a document which focuses on the need for improved health care in the region, said the state needs an additional 424 mental health workers, and 1,714 substance abuse, behavioral disorder counselors. Additionally, experts say some providers opt out of contracting with insurance companies, saying that the reimbursement rate is so low that keeping the doors open would be unsustainable. Mira, a company providing health insurance alternatives, said the average cost of mental health therapy in Nevada is $140 per session without insurance. Officials say the Silver State Health Improvement Plan aims to help parents like Bouakka, highlighting bills and initiatives meant to increase and retain behavioral health professionals in the region. Additionally, it aims to improve Nevadas behavioral health workorce pipeline by expanding loan repayment options and extending teleheath requirements. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Soldiers knock down a door during an anti-gang operation in Guayaquil, Ecuador - John Moore/Getty Images Angels body lay on the concrete after soldiers dragged him out of his home and beat him in front of his family. Save me, mummy! Theyre killing me! he said before he slipped into unconscious on the steep streets of Vista del Mar, high up in Esmeraldas, a port city in Ecuador. As the agitated crowd watched on, an officer pulled out his taser and revived Angel with an electric shock before throwing water over his head. He was bundled into the back of a van along with four other young men, the last time he was seen alive. Angel Alfredo Ortiz and his peers including his brother and cousin - were terrorists in the eyes of the military, which is pursuing an unforgiving crackdown on gang crime and drug trafficking. But the story of the young men at the front lines of the latest chapter in the new war on drugs sweeping Latin America may not be so black and white. Vista del Mar is controlled by Los Tiguerones or Los Tigres, The Tigers, one of Ecuadors most influential gangs. The streets carry the scars of decades of neglect. The residents lives are overshadowed by hardship. It is a neighbourhood tainted by violence. A group of young gangsters agreed to grant me rare access to their lives on the condition that they would not be named and their faces would be covered during our filmed interviews. They tell a story of young men as pawns in a greater war, caught between a new breed of hardline presidents and powerful gang bosses. Before I met them, Angels brother told me how troops kicked in their door, smashed their windows and captured the men mere hours after Daniel Noboa, Ecuadors president, declared war on gangs. A taste of what happens when you are caught up in the violence. You could see the anger in the soldiers eyes, said Mauricio Renteria, Angels brother, who was also captured. They were driven by the devil. The five men were driven by the military to a bridge on the outskirts of Esmeraldas. Mr Renteria, a 34-year-old barber who survived the ordeal along with one other, said the soldiers taunted them with death threats. He had four broken ribs and said he was hit over the head with a stick, cracking open his skull, before he was ordered to climb onto the railing. Justina Cheme Gracia, the mother of one of the missing young men allegedly thrown off the bridge - Victor Raison for The Telegraph It was difficult for him to recall the incident. There was so much blood, but I didnt want to give the soldier satisfaction of hitting me again, of pushing me in, of killing me, so I closed my eyes and jumped. His hands were tied, but he doggy-paddled as hard as he could. After that, he said, the soldiers threw the other men into the river one by one. His brother, a weak swimmer, begged him to save his life. He kept screaming Dont let me drown, he said. His cousin and the youngest among them were barely conscious after the beating they had suffered. They were silent in the water, said Mr Renteria.I tried to save my brother, but in the end, the current was just too strong. The bodies of Mr Renterias younger brother and 22-year-old Javier Perlaza Garcia washed up on the coast days later. Mr Renterias cousin, Edwin Eduardo Patachely, is still missing. Colonel Milton Rodriguez, the head of the militarys joint task force in Esmeraldas, denied allegations of brutality and extrajudicial murder. Theyre not practices of the armed forces. Any suspects we capture are taken to the police and processed, he told a local television station. Daniel Noboa, Ecuador's president, declaring war on gangs The governments latest state of emergency was declared in January after a wave of unprecedented violence erupted across the country. Prisoners rioted and gangsters rampaged, burning cars on the streets, shooting at police and civilians and invading a live TV news broadcast. For a few long hours, the Ecuadorian state lost control of its streets as the criminal insurgency took hold. Schools and businesses were locked down. Transport networks suspended. Residents were confined to their homes in fear. The crackdown echoed the hardline anti-gang strategy of El Salvadors president Nayib Bukele, but Mr Noboa has denied he is plagiarising from his security handbook. Gang commanders have fled abroad or have gone into hiding in the countrys dense rainforests since January 9. Those bearing the brunt of military violence are predominantly the rank-and-file lackeys who tend to be young, modestly-paid men who joined the gangs for protection and to support their families. I met one of them, Juan, who goes to university. He has learned to be a chef and now studies business administration. The intricate dance between his two contrasting worlds is difficult. Its like having two identities, he said. Sometimes it is hard to know who I am. In Esmeraldas, the insidious influence of gangs spreads like poison, drawing young men into the gravitational pull of organised crime. Young men navigate a landscape in which becoming a gangster is often inevitable for both survival and identity. You become a gangster just by being born in the territory of a rival gang. You become a target for an enemy you have never even met, said Esteban. Its kill or be killed, said 17-year-old Jose. Ever since I was little, I always wanted to learn and be somebody in life, he added. But in a place where there are no opportunities, where you earn more doing bad stuff than studying, its what you have to do. Esmeraldas is a stronghold of Los Tigres. Once able to roam the streets waving their pistols, they had hidden their weapons and their drugs and were patiently waiting for their orders to emerge from their overlords. Whatever happens, were ready, said Jose. Like most of Ecuadors gangs, Los Tigres are controlled largely by kingpins in prison, but since the security crackdown began many of those have reportedly been moved to solitary confinement. These young gangsters knew they were trapped in a cycle of violence, but gang bonds run deep. A key milestone for a Los Tigres gangster is to be given a placa, a form of registration plate tattooed on the body. They brand you. They give you a tattoo on the leg or another visible place, said Jose. Usually, the placa is made up of an image with a combination of letters and numbers, often a gangsters initials and their date of birth. A placa is a symbol of power. It has to be earned, usually by becoming el mas loco, the craziest. With it comes respect and often a combo of gangsters to lead. Even the youngest can become the most ruthless. A young member of the Los Tigres gang - Victor Raison The lack of legitimate economic opportunities allows gangs to thrive in Ecuador. You do it for your family because, in this context of poverty, you have to do whats necessary to survive, said Jose, who joined the Los Tigres gang a year ago. Los Tigres, were not all like they say on the TV, killers, or that we throw bombs like terrorists. No. Los Tigres are a family, he told me. Juan, 23, has been in Los Tigres for three years. He rejected the presidents claim that gangsters had become terrorists in Ecuador. For us, this is an insult. The president hasnt lived what we have. Hes not on the streets, he said. He doesnt even know how to take a bus. He should take a bus and see the day-to-day of how people live here. When this month ends, youll see how many soldiers will die, how many people will suffer because what the military has done, cant be left like that, said Juan. Gang life comes with basic training and codes, the young men I spoke to explained. Its usually a six-month trial in which they send you to complete different missions. They can send you to steal, sell drugs, move a package or kill. It is a test, said Jose. Another gang member who spoke anonymously to The Telegraph They teach you to shoot. Everyone needs to know how to ride a motorbike. Everyone needs to know that if you grass, theyll kill you, said Esteban. Everyone needs to know they should protect their barrio and if you come across the enemy, you have to end their lives whatever. Young recruits also attend murder camps in which they are desensitised to violence and taught lethal techniques. They take you to a place where you can shoot in the open, said Esteban. Its for several days. Its like theyre teaching you to play on the PlayStation. These young gangsters are on the frontlines of organised crime. Many recognise that they are foot soldiers in a battle that echoes far beyond them. Im just another pawn, Jose told me. They send me to do something and I have to do it. President Noboas clampdown has done little to disrupt the supply chain. While he wages war against the gangs in their neighbourhoods, cocaine continues to be shipped through Ecuador. Since the beginning of the latest state of emergency, 43 tonnes of the drug have been seized. Cocaine laboratories remain active, according to sources inside Ecuadors intelligence services. Corrupt officials in the corridors of power continue to line their pockets by colluding with gangs. These young gangsters rarely reap the criminal profits from their part in international drug trafficking networks. We dont earn much. Everyone thinks that we get thousands of dollars, but no. For example, to kill someone, its $200-400 (160-320)and to move a large package, it can be anything upwards of $600, said Jose. This war is about the interests of the commanders. All of this is for them to have more power and money, he added. The gangsters worldview revolves around protecting the barrio even if that means extorting its residents. It is a warped sense of duty that expects everyone to contribute to the gangs cause. Its about protection. With so many enemies out there, it is about being able to keep our barrio safe, said 23-year-old Carlos. We need to be able to afford weapons. Gangs seek to establish their dominance and with a constant threat of violence, they can control the communities in which they operate. We are terrorists. You have to terrorise people so they pay extortion. The president is not wrong if thats what he means, said Esteban. Ecuador has become a key cocaine pipeline into the US and Europe and with it one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America. Gangs fight to control turf to vie for lucrative partnerships with international drug traffickers from Mexico and Eastern Europe. Local gangs like Los Tigres are hired to secure trafficking routes and transport cocaine from the Colombian and Peruvian borders to beaches and ports on Ecuadors coast. When Mr Noboa, Ecuadors youngest-ever president, came to power he pledged to put gang leaders in new maximum-security detention facilities, but his tough-on-crime policies fuelled a violent backlash from the gangs. It began with the escape of drug kingpin Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, 44, alias Fito, before he could be transferred. News of the breakout provoked prison riots across the country and the violence spilled onto the streets, culminating in the invasion of a TV studio in Guayaquil during a live news broadcast. The president had to act. The government had to make a show of force, not just to quash the gangs, but to reassure the people that the state was still in control. Tanks were deployed and the army restored order to neighbourhoods and prisons. Taking back control of the penitentiaries is one thing, but a military occupation is not sustainable, said Daniel Ponton, a security analyst and academic in Quito, the countrys capital. Also, going after the gangs on the streets has limited impact if you do not go after corruption and the police, prosecutors and judges being paid off by the drug traffickers. The military occupation of Ecuadors prisons has also brought with it allegations of torture. Judges have ordered a full investigation into the claims, submitted by Guayaquil-based campaign group, CDH. In response, Mr Noboa labelled human rights defenders as anti-patriots. The rhetoric of the president is extremely worrying, said Billy Navarrete, the director of CDH. Security in the country should not come at the cost of human rights. Police keep watch over arrested men who attempted to take over a hospital in Guayas, Ecuador, on Jan 21, 2024 - STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images Activists fear Mr Noboa may take another page from president Bukeles handbook and present human rights violations as a form of collateral damage, the price worth paying for increased safety. The Telegraph could not put the allegations of human rights abuses and extrajudicial murder to Ecuadors ministry of defence because requests for an interview were denied. Gang life revolves around what they call missions. These are the specific tasks dished out by the more senior commanders. There are some that sell drugs, others that transport drugs and those that kill. But theres always one that has the full package. Thats me, said Juan. A 12-year-old 'sicario', or hitman - Victor Raison for The Telegraph The most difficult missions are known as suizas, or Swiss. It is a play on the word suicide, and a reference to Switzerland and its assisted dying laws. Los Tigres are an alliance of small factions comprised of combos of between four and six individuals, usually male. Each neighbourhood is controlled by a commander, who may have several combos at his disposal. The commander will rely on a small number of what the gang calls secuaces, or henchmen who act as his lieutenants. Local commanders are relatively autonomous and control local drug sales, extortion rackets, as well as teams of hitmen or sicarios. They oversee the transportation of drugs through the neighbourhoods and surrounding areas they control. It is their responsibility to expand and secure turf, and see off rival gangs. More territory means more possibilities to move drugs, which means more money, said Esteban. The youngest gang member I spoke to was Oscar who was recruited just a few months ago at age 12. When I asked what he liked best about the gang, his answer was chilling. Killing, he told me. Dispatch The 12-year-old assassin caught up in Ecuador's gang war | Dispatch Watch Oscars childhood innocence had been eclipsed by the darkness of gang life, following in the footsteps of his father, uncles and brothers before him. He had no childhood ambitions, his dreams fixed on a darker horizon. I want to be a gang commander, he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed seven healthcare-related bills into law. The bills were approved by lawmakers in the 2024 legislative session. Delivering quality healthcare to New Mexicos population requires a tailored approach that takes into account rural communities, New Mexicans benefiting from Medicaid, and the tens of thousands of public employees in our state, Gov. Lujan Grisham said in a press release. These are bills that are going to positively impact a vast swath of New Mexicans. CDC: Flu vaccines have helped this year, but New Mexico is still seeing elevated flu levels One of the bills, House Bill 7, aims to reduce health insurance costs for small businesses and low-to-moderate-income New Mexicans. The bill sets a distribution to the states existing Health Care Affordability Fund, which helps provide insurance to New Mexicans. Since it was created in 2021, the Healthcare Affordability Fund has made our state healthier by helping tens of thousands of New Mexicans attain affordable health insurance, House Majority Whip Reena Szczepanski (D-Santa Fe) said in a press release. House Bill 7 will sustain the Healthcare Affordability Fund so that workers continue to get the coverage they need, small businesses can offer the benefits their employees deserve, and we can keep cutting New Mexicos uninsured rate, which will reduce costs for everyone. New Mexico lawmaker joins effort to reform presidential campaign funding The governor also gave her signature of approval to Senate Bill 14, which further establishes the states Health Care Authority, a restructuring of the states Human Services Department that began in 2023. Every New Mexican deserves to have access to health care. Building off our efforts last year to establish the Health Care Authority, this measure will now help in streamlining the collaboration between the Department of Health and the Health Care Authority in the sharing of data, and ultimately improve health care access and affordability across the state, Sen. Elizabeth Stefanics (D-Bernalillo, Lincoln, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Torrance and Valencia Counties) said in a press release. Michelle Lujan Grisham also signed Senate Bill 17, which unlocks federal match funding for hospitals in New Mexico. Senate Bill 161 has also been signed by the governor that bill offers temporary financial assistance for independent rural hospitals. The governor approved House Bill 33 (requiring annual reporting of prescription drug pricing), House Bill 165 (requiring reimbursements to community-based pharmacists for Medicaid-related ingredient costs), and Senate Bill 135 (changing requirements for how insurers can push patients to use non-preferred medication over more expensive options). For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The Michigan Republican Party gathered in Grand Rapids on Saturday to select delegates for the national convention. While not everyone who considers themselves part of the Michigan GOP was on board, the meeting felt like a group of people who were willing to put the past behind them and try to win some elections. Trump wins the Missouri caucuses and sweeps Michigan GOP convention as he moves closer to nomination The crowd at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel was not of a single mind when it came to the party and its makeup. The vast majority seemed to support former Congressman and Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, who is now recognized by the Republican National Committee and, perhaps as importantly, former President Donald Trump as the leader of the Michigan GOP. Hoekstra told News 8 political reporter Rick Albin, I think weve had a pretty good day. We had a good turnout, a broad-based turnout, a lot of folks that Ive worked with over the years, weve got new people here. And for what we were expecting two weeks ago, this is a really pretty good outcome. National Republican party sides with former Rep. Pete Hoekstra in battle over Michigan GOP chair Though some, including one man who claimed to be part of ousted chair Kristina Karamos legal team, vowed to fight on in court and others who did not get credentialed held unsanctioned meetings elsewhere in the state, the vast majority of the Michigan Republican Party was in Grand Rapids. Most of them were ready for the business of getting on with the rebuilding of the party. Michigan House Republican Leader Matt Hall said, So, youre seeing the party growing again and people coming back. I think the credential says rising up from the ashes, right, so Petes unifying our party. Dueling pro-Trump factions in Michigan throw the swing states Republicans into disarray While Trump, as expected, won the vast majority of the partys delegates, something perhaps more important was going on as familiar faces in party politics reemerged after being absent in the past months. Despite the occasional dispute that will happen at all such gatherings, the meeting for the most part ran smoothly and largely on time. For a party that has been in a chaotic state since before the 2022 election, Saturdays show of unity was a welcome sign as Republicans head into what will be a serious test of their ability to win after stunning defeats just two years ago. Ousted Michigan Republican Party chair loses key ruling at appeals court Hoekstra says convention-goers are ready. Theyre enthused about November, he said. They want to win, and they believe they need to win, so were back. Trump won all 39 delegates allocated at Saturdays Michigan GOP convention. These delegates, in addition to the 16 decided by Tuesdays primary, will represent Michigan at the Republican National Convention later this summer. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. A South Florida janitors union celebrated on Saturday after securing higher wages, more working hours, and extra paid time off for its members, who struggle to make ends meet in one of the most expensive areas to live in the country. The improvement in benefits and salaries is the result of a new contract that offers significant pay raises, creates more full-time positions, and gives additional sick time and holidays to workers of the 32BJ SEIU union. It covers about 1,500 cleaners, mostly immigrant women, who clean office buildings all over downtown Miami and Fort Lauderdale. A South Florida janitors union celebrated on Saturday, March 2, 2024, after securing higher wages, more working hours, and extra paid time off for its members, who struggle to make ends meet in one of the most expensive areas to live in the country. This contract is a testament to our power and shows that when workers come together, we can accomplish anything, Vanesa Gandara, one of the groups leaders, said in a statement. Members unanimously voted to ratify the new agreement on Saturday afternoon. A recent report from the group found that, at $13.32 an hour, janitorial workers in the Miami region are among the lowest-paid compared to other major U.S. metro areas. The development comes days after 32BJ SEIU members authorized a strike vote, which gave union leadership the ability to call a work stoppage. The Miami Herald reached out to some of the cleaning contractors who employ the workers on Friday afternoon, but they did not respond to requests for comment. Janitors in South Florida met at the Courtyard by Marriott in protest on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, in downtown Miami. READ MORE: Janitors who clean South Floridas offices, many of them immigrants, fight for higher wages This achievement showed my colleagues that our strength is in our unity, said Aurora Mendoza, a 58-year-old Nicaraguan woman who cleans a gym in Brickell. It gives us the strength to keep fighting, to protect the jobs we have now, and to earn other things we need. Members will earn nearly $4 per hour more over the course of the four-year contract, and long-time workers will also have an additional five days of paid time off. The contract will also provide for a legal fund to give them access to counsel. Union members often need help with immigration affairs, such as renewing work permits and green cards and applying for visas on behalf of family members, said Mendoza. As immigrants, we came to this country for better lives and to escape countries where we were persecuted and mistreated for raising our voices. But workers united will never be defeated, Jackeline Bonnet, a cleaner from Colombia, said in a statement. I paid $10,000 in legal fees to bring my family to this country. It gives me peace of mind to know that my coworkers and I now have access to the legal fund for ourselves and families. The unions members are nearly all Hispanic and foreign-born, according to the union. They mostly hail from Latin America and the Caribbean, including countries such as Honduras, Cuba, and Nicaragua. During their fight for better pay, they marched across downtown Miami, shared their testimonies with local media and garnered the support of Miami-Dade officials. The janitors said that many of them work part-time and have to find other jobs to help pay the bills. But their wages often dont cover housing, caretaking, and healthcare costs. The janitorial work is also arduous. The workers scrub cubicles and conference rooms clean, carry heavy garbage bags and stock office supplies. Some have several floors assigned per shift, which doesnt give them enough time to do all their duties, they told the Herald. For workers like Elsa Romero, who has a part-time position, the contract will mean the possibility of earning more by expanding their job into a full-time gig. Romero, 60, came from Honduras almost 40 years ago. She cleans a house twice a week and also works as a janitor in the Miami Tower. Romero has diabetes. She used to inject less insulin than her doctor prescribed to make the expensive doses last as long as possible. She became sick from not getting enough of the life-sustaining medication. The new contract is a relief for Romero, and she hopes to soon be earning more money to pay for her healthcare and other living expenses. Now, Romero wants janitors who arent part of the union yet to join them. She recalls how scared she was when she first heard about the union, and shes willing to visit office buildings to encourage cleaning workers to organize with them. We will keep fighting, because this isnt over, she said. A Miami Beach police officer shot a fellow officer while in a scuffle with a possibly armed man Saturday, authorities said. Around 12:30 p.m., Miami Police Department put out an alert that a man, possibly armed, was walking on the Venetian Island Causeway, Miami Beach police spokesperson Christopher Bess said. Update #1: We are currently at the scene of a shooting investigation involving an MBPD police officer. The officer is stable and alert. The investigation is ongoing. Please continue to avoid the area. https://t.co/swqqnvMDC0 Miami Beach Police (@MiamiBeachPD) March 2, 2024 Miami Beach officers found the man and a struggle ensued. During the altercation one officer shot their colleague, police said. They were rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospitals Ryder Trauma Center with non-life-threatening injuries. [The officer] is in stable condition and was alert, Bess said. The man alleged to have a gun was detained and speaking to investigators. Police have not said whether charges will be filed. Authorities said the incident is not related to spring break and there is no threat to the community. Venetian Causeway closed Residents are being told to avoid the Venetian Causeway as parts of the bridge are closed during the investigation. Its not known how long parts of the bridge will be closed. This embedded content is not available in your region. Motorists have two detours they can take to get to Miami Beach or to Miami. From downtown Miami, the closer option is the MacArthur Causeway to the south. Drivers can turn onto it by going down Biscayne Boulevard from Northeast 15th Street. This embedded content is not available in your region. To the north is the Julia Tuttle Causeway. Drive up Biscayne Boulevard and turn right on Northeast 36th Street to get onto the causeway. This embedded content is not available in your region. From Miami Beach, motorists can go south to the MacArthur Causeway by going down Alton Road. Taking Alton Road north will lead them to the Julia Tuttle Causeway. Former President Donald Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley will compete in Saturdays caucus for the remaining delegates in Michigan. Voters in Michigan already casted their votes in the states primary, with Trump winning 68.1 percent of the vote, according to results from The Hills partner Decision Desk HQ. Follow DDHQs live results here for the caucuses: For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - After weeks of arguments, a lawsuit, and threats of dueling conventions, the Michigan Republican Party did something fairly organized on Saturday. It held a low-key convention and awarded more delegates to front-running former President Donald Trump. Yet the comic opera that preceded the rather dull convention also underscored a divided state Republican party that may have trouble helping Trump win Michigan - an essential state if he hopes to defeat President Joe Biden. There is not one thing occurring right now at the state GOP that will help them to elect candidates, nothing, said Richard Czuba, founder of nonpartisan Michigan-based polling firm Glengariff Group. This is all an internal battle about who has control of the party. Michigan GOP drama over former chair Kristina Karamo The latest scuffle within the Michigan Republican Party began in January when members organized the removal of chair Kristina Karamo, accusing her of mismanagement. Saturday's convention was much less exciting than the one a year ago that elected Karamo - an outspoken election denier who believes in demonic possession and names names about it. Karamo still protests both Trump's loss to Biden in 2020 and her own defeat in a 2022 Michigan secretary of State race - a loss by nearly 14 percentage points. In addition to her management style, Michigan Republicans also criticized Karamo for a series of odd statements. Karamo has said that "demonic possession is real," and ascribed that condition to singers Beyonce, Jay-Z, Cardi B, Billie Eilish and others. The former Michigan Republican chair has compared abortion to Pagan child sacrifice, and that women who support abortion rights are doing so because" ..they can live sexually promiscuous lives." A party social media post during her tenure compared gun control proposals to the Holocaust. After her removal in January, Karamo sued unsuccessfully. She and her supporters tried to organize a separate convention to pick a separate slate of delegates. But their plans fell apart right before Saturday's official GOP state convention. An air of hope There was a noticeable air of hope that the drama was behind them, as newly-installed chair Pete Hoekstra promised to bring major donors back to the party and the spectacle of a competing convention in Detroit was avoided. Things were quiet - for the most part. Most of the 13 caucuses went off without a hitch, but at least one devolved into a screaming match. Also, some Karamo-camp attendees were denied the chance to vote from their peers who said they had not registered in time. Fundraising - and getting out the vote Delegates who attended the official Republican convention in Grand Rapids said the problems could hurt fundraising and get-out-the vote operations. That might change if the party can put their divisions behind them and - perhaps more importantly - raise enough money to fund the efforts necessary to win elections. Trump and the RNC Trump and the Republican National Committee have been careful to distance themselves from all the drama in Michigan. Neither has spoken ill of Karamo but both expressed support for the election of Hoekstra, a former congressman and a Trump supporter. After Saturday's convention vote, Trump told supporters at a rally in North Carolina that he was happy to win all of the available Michigan delegates. He also told a little joke. "100 percent," he said. "Can't we do better than that?" Why Michigan is important Every vote counts in Michigan, a state Trump probably needs to win if he is to re-capture the White House. Michigan certainly played a major role in Trump's two previous presidential campaigns. Failure to get out even a small number of votes could lose the state for either candidate. Trump won the Electoral College in 2016 thanks to narrow wins in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin - just a little less than 11,000 votes in Michigan. Biden defeated Trump in Michigan in 2020 by a little more than 150,000 votes. Other states: Georgia, Arizona, Nevada Michigan isn't the only state where Republicans are trying to improve local operations. There is Republican infighting in other states that Trump needs in order to win the general election. They include Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada - states that have often voted Republican in the past, but went for Biden four years ago. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan Republican Party gets it together Trump at convention Water Cooler A massive Microsoft data center in Goodyear, Arizona is guzzling the desert town's water supply to support its cloud computing and AI efforts, The Atlantic reports. A source familiar with Microsoft's Goodyear facility told the Atlantic that it was specifically designed for use by Microsoft and the heavily Micosoft-funded OpenAI. In response to this allegation, both companies declined to comment. Powering AI demands an incredible amount of energy. Worsening AI's massive environmental footprint is the fact that it also consumes a mind-boggling amount of water. AI pulls enough electricity from data centers that they risk overheating, so to mitigate that risk, engineers use water to cool the servers back down. According to the Atlantic, Microsoft has been incredibly shady about its Goodyear center's water use, even redacting exact figures in city records on grounds that its water consumption is "proprietary" information. But in estimates commissioned by Microsoft itself, the 279-acre campus, which currently houses two buildings and is on track to host a third, would consume an annual 56 million gallons of drinking water once the final building is completed. To put that in perspective? Per the Atlantic, that's approximately the amount that a total of 670 Goodyear families would consume in a year combined. And though that's a lot of water anywhere, it's especially material in a place like southern Arizona's Sonoran Desert, where a drying Colorado River and property development loopholes have led to an increasingly dire water crisis. Priority Planning Per the report, the Goodyear facility was first announced back in 2019, soon after Microsoft had put its first $1 billion into the then-less-publicly-known OpenAI. To be clear, because Goodyear is an incorporated part of the Phoenix area, it's unlikely that Microsoft's facility is going to make any households go thirsty in the near term, that is. But as Hao's report suggests, diverting water away from families or, you know, just leaving it where it is for Arizonans of the future! so that ChatGPT can spit out shopping lists in the style of William Shakespeare is certainly a choice, and one that comes with an implied cost. "We're going to have to make tough choices in the near future to make sure our state is protected for future generations," Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes told the Atlantic. "Allowing one more data center to come to our state is an easy but stupid decision in a lot of cases." This is one of Microsoft's many data centers worldwide. And again, data centers anywhere, particularly those fueling AI efforts, are resource-heavy. But as the Sonoran Desert only gets hotter, that this facility continues to power forward paints an especially striking picture of where the AI industry's priorities seem to lie. More on AI thirst: Critics Furious Microsoft Is Training AI by Sucking Up Water During Drought Improvements could be coming to U.S. 17, and the Florida Department of Transportation is allowing you to take a look at the plans. Its holding a meeting to talk about the work thats proposed from Oak Street to Black Creek. The meeting will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Heritage Baptist Church. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Read: Another Gate River Run crosses the finish line FDOT staff will be there to answer questions and accept comments about the project. A formal hearing will begin at 6 p.m. If you cant make it in person, you an attend online by at nflroads.com/virtualmeetings or by phone at (213) 929-4212 (access code 729-015-093). [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Yum China Holdings Inc (NYSE:YUMC) boasts a robust portfolio with leading brands like KFC and Pizza Hut, driving its dominance in China's restaurant industry. Despite a strong brand presence, YUMC faces regulatory challenges and competitive pressures in the dynamic Chinese market. Opportunities for YUMC lie in expanding its digital capabilities and leveraging emerging brands to capture a larger market share. Threats include potential regulatory changes and the ongoing competitive landscape that could impact YUMC's market position. On February 29, 2024, Yum China Holdings Inc (NYSE:YUMC) filed its 10-K report, revealing a year of substantial growth and resilience. As the largest restaurant company in China, YUMC reported $11 billion in revenues for 2023, with a vast network of 14,644 restaurants. The company's success is anchored in its flagship brands, KFC and Pizza Hut, complemented by emerging brands such as Lavazza and Taco Bell. This SWOT analysis delves into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as disclosed in the 10-K filing, providing investors with a comprehensive understanding of YUMC's strategic positioning. Decoding Yum China Holdings Inc (YUMC): A Strategic SWOT Insight Strengths Market Leadership and Brand Portfolio: Yum China Holdings Inc (NYSE:YUMC) stands as a titan in China's restaurant industry, with a commanding presence and a diverse brand portfolio. The company's flagship brands, KFC and Pizza Hut, are household names, contributing significantly to its $11 billion revenue in 2023. YUMC's strategic partnerships, such as the joint venture with Lavazza, showcase its commitment to expanding its offerings and capturing new market segments. The company's mastery in localizing global brands to suit Chinese tastes has been a key driver of its sustained dominance. Operational Expertise and Expansion Potential: With over 35 years of operational experience in China, YUMC has honed its ability to navigate the complex Chinese market. The company's extensive network covers over 2,000 cities, indicating a deep market penetration and a strong understanding of regional consumer preferences. YUMC's strategic expansion plans, underscored by its ambition to further penetrate the Chinese market, signal potential for continued growth and an ability to leverage its operational expertise to maximize its expansive footprint. Story continues Weaknesses Regulatory and Market Risks: YUMC's operations are subject to stringent regulatory environments in China, which pose potential risks to its business model. The company's reliance on dividends from its Chinese subsidiaries, which are subject to a 10% Chinese withholding income tax, reflects a vulnerability to changes in tax regulations. Additionally, the complexities of currency conversion and capital contribution regulations could impact YUMC's liquidity and ability to fund its business, as well as its expansion efforts within China. Dependence on Chinese Market: YUMC's financial health is heavily reliant on its performance in the Chinese market. While this focus has facilitated deep market penetration, it also exposes the company to economic fluctuations and consumer trends within a single geographic region. This concentration increases the risk of adverse impacts from local economic downturns, shifts in consumer preferences, or other region-specific challenges that could affect YUMC's revenue streams and growth trajectory. Opportunities Digital Transformation and Innovation: YUMC has the opportunity to further embrace digital transformation to enhance its customer experience and operational efficiency. The company's investment in digital initiatives, such as mobile ordering and delivery platforms, positions it to capitalize on the growing trend of online food services in China. By continuing to innovate and integrate technology into its business model, YUMC can attract a tech-savvy consumer base and streamline its operations to remain competitive in the fast-paced restaurant industry. Emerging Brands and Market Trends: The growth of YUMC's emerging brands, including Lavazza and Taco Bell, presents significant opportunities to diversify its revenue streams and cater to evolving consumer tastes. As the Chinese market continues to show an appetite for new dining experiences, YUMC's ability to scale these brands and introduce new concepts could drive future growth. Additionally, leveraging its established market presence to explore untapped cities and regions within China could yield substantial rewards. Threats Regulatory Changes and Compliance: The regulatory landscape in China is dynamic and can pose significant threats to YUMC's operations. Changes in laws governing foreign investments, currency conversion, and taxation could materially impact YUMC's financials and its ability to conduct business effectively. The company must navigate these regulatory waters with caution, as non-compliance or adverse changes could lead to increased costs, penalties, or restrictions on its operations. Competitive Pressures and Market Saturation: YUMC operates in a highly competitive market, contending with both international and domestic brands. As the market matures, the risk of saturation increases, potentially leading to intensified competition for market share, consumer attention, and prime restaurant locations. YUMC must continue to innovate and differentiate its offerings to maintain its competitive edge and appeal to a diverse customer base. In conclusion, Yum China Holdings Inc (NYSE:YUMC) exhibits a strong market position with a robust brand portfolio and significant operational expertise. However, it must navigate regulatory uncertainties and market concentration risks. Opportunities for growth through digital innovation and brand expansion are countered by the threats of regulatory changes and competitive pressures. YUMC's strategic approach to these factors will be crucial in maintaining its leadership in China's restaurant industry. 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. A 22-year-old migrant accused of taking part in the infamous mob attack on two police officers in Times Square was misidentified and has been exonerated, prosecutors said Friday. The Manhattan DAs office is dropping its case against Jhoan Boada, who was initially charged with assault over the Jan. 27 brawl that led to the arrests of seven other migrants. After a thorough and diligent investigation, Jhoan Boada has been exonerated as a participant in this assault, the district attorneys office said in a statement. Jhoan Boada was exonerated by prosecutors after being misidentified as one of the migrants who attacked police in Times Square. Steven Hirsch Instead, the DAs office said they identified and charged the suspect originally believed to be Boada. Our investigation has revealed that Marcelino Estee, not Jhoan Boada, is the individual described in this complaint, wearing the black & white jacket with pink shoes, committing this assault, the DAs office said. Marcelino Estee has been charged for his participation. We are therefore moving to dismiss this complaint against Jhoan Boada. Estee, a Venezuelan migrant, appeared in court Friday and was arraigned on an assault charge. He was held on $15,000 cash bail. Boadas lawyers had emphatically denied his involvement in the melee, which erupted when one of officers tried to detain a migrant who failed to move along on West 42nd Street. Surveillance footage shows the officer grabbing the man, and leading him towards a building before all hell broke loose when the migrant tried to get away. Shocking video showed the group of men wailing on the cops, delivering kicks and punches to the head and body of the pair of New Yorks Finest. Investigators believed Boada was the man in the black and white jacket seen kicking the police officers. DCPI Investigators alleged Boada was the man wearing a black and white jacket and pink shoes who can be seen on video repeatedly kicking the cops as they wrestled on the sidewalk. He was arrested two days after the attack, but sprung without bail the following day and flipped news cameras the bird as he left court. [Boada] says if you watch the videotape you will not see him on there, defense attorney Javier Damien told the judge at Boadas arraignment. He wasnt involved in the situation at all. Estee was fingered as a suspect after prosecutors tracked down his social media accounts which showed him wearing the identifiable jacket and sneakers, according to Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Zachary Kotin. He was arrested Thursday in Midtown after cops recognized him from a wanted flyer, but Estee initially denied his involvement. Boada flipped the bird to reporters after he was released without bail last month. Steven Hirsch However, after being presented with the video, surveillance footage, and still images from the footage, the defendant admitted that he is the individual dressed as described above, and that he kicked the officers multiple times during the course of the assault, Kotin said in court Friday. Estees defense attorney questioned the evidence used to charge his client. The lawyer said police rushed and arrested the wrong person and then now saying that its my client based on an alleged statement that he made while hes in custody. That alleged statement is the only evidence thats contained in the complaint tying my client to this incident, he added. Boada had been charged with attempted assault of a police officer. Steven Hirsch Seven other migrants Yohenry Brito, 24, Yorman Reveron, 24, Ulises Bohorquez, 21, Wilson Juarez, 21, Kelvin Servat Arocha, 19, Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, 19 and Yarwuin Madris, 17 were charged in connection to the attack. The brutal beatdown caused uproar across the city. You want to know why our cops are getting assaulted? There are no consequences, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said last month. Eight people attacked two cops. Cowards. The case has also prompted calls for deportation, including from Gov. Kathy Hochul, who told reporters, Get them all and send them back. You dont touch our police officers. You dont touch anyone, she said. MILLBURY A movie showing and dinner with friends or family has always been a good option for a weekend night at The Shops at Blackstone Valley since its opening in 2004. Spreading across almost 19 acres off Route 146, it is the largest open-air shopping center in Central Massachusetts, according to its owner WS Development, anchored by a movie theater on one side and shops and restaurants on the other. It is mostly a comfortable setting especially for younger people, who see it as a fun hangout spot to spend time when schools out. However, occasionally, Millbury Police Chief Brian Lewos said, youll see some groups that dont know how to act in public. They might run around, which is part of being a teenager. We understand that, said Lewos. Its when people are destroying landscape or screaming at the top of their lungs. In a more recent incident, a 13 year old was arrested after allegedly attacking two teenagers Feb. 23 with a BB gun as they exited a dessert shop in the afternoon, allegedly breaking a window in the process. No injuries were reported, although the Millbury teen faces eight charges for which he is set to appear in front of Worcester County Juvenile Court. Friday, the window of the business, Crumbl Cookies, remained covered in black plastic and tape, as business continued as usual. The incident happened during winter vacation week, when school's out and teenagers tend to populate the mall more than usual. In another instance, Lewos said, officers serving at the mall ran into a juvenile whom they have arrested three times. Dennis Sosa, the Crumbl Cookies franchise owner, said he has noticed an increase in teenagers patronizing the mall, which recently tends to lead to mischievous behavior." Sosa, who opened the Millbury location in May 2022, recalled another incident from last year in which teenagers threw eggs at passing cars. Also citing theft as a problem at neighboring businesses, Sosa said the mall's managing company, WS Development, held a meeting with the merchants sometime in recent years to address issues. Following that meeting, Sosa said, changes were implemented. The shopping scene has changed in Worcester over the years, said Sosa. We do have police helping and also the landlord has increased security by adding two security officers on weekends, one officer during the week, security cameras with license plate readers. While Sosa said he was happy none of his workers was hurt in the Feb. 23 BB gun attack, he is still burdened with costs north of $2,000 to replace the window and signage. At our Foxborough location, after 8 p.m., anyone under 15 years old has to be accompanied by an adult, said Sosa. Its something to consider. Most teens from surrounding towns Lewos said most of the younger people officers stop are often from surrounding areas such as Worcester, Southbridge, Grafton and other towns. Lewos added that theft has also been an issue, something he credits to drug addiction or financial woes. Friday and Saturday evenings, Lewos said the mall is staffed with officers who patrol on foot and cruisers as late as 2 a.m. Unruly teenagers or shoplifters are often issued trespass notices. I think its the city not having anything, said Lewos. You had the Galleria back in the day. With Showcase closing, for example, that is driving more people towards Millbury. Despite disturbances, Lewos believes in the safety of the mall and that the teenagers are mostly not disruptive to business. No complaints from merchants He added that the department hasnt heard of any complaints from merchants. Ten years ago, it was a major hangout with 50 to 60 kids, said Lewos. Those groups are getting smaller. It's a safe place and businesses are doing well. With over 40 businesses, the mall is set to grow by at least two more shops this year with activewear brand Lululemon having already opened its location and eyeglass retailer Warby Parker expected to open its doors later this year. Spokesperson Chris Langley of the public relations firm 44 Communications, which represents WS Development, declined to comment about the safety of the mall. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Millbury police hold line on unruly teens at Shops at Blackstone Valley Millennials rejoice: Wedge sandals are back! Chloe's runway show this week featured models (and celebs) in high-heeled wedge sandals. Platform wedges were popular in the late '00s and 2010s, but have fallen out of style. Until now. Finally, a trend that's come back that we can get behind. I gasped when I saw a TikTok from Vogue France from the runway show in Paris for the high fashion brand Chloe. It wasn't the clothes on the models but rather the image of the celebrities sitting in the front row all wearing big, chunky platform wedge sandals. The clothes, the debut collection from Chloe's new designer Chemena Kamali, were very nice, too. But I was laser-focused on those wedges. I remember these platform wedges being incredibly popular around 2010, and I had a few pairs (definitely not Chloe; probably Payless). Loved them. But after a few years, like all trends, it fizzled and looked outdated. Technically, Vogue already declared "wedge sandals are back" last April. But seeing these clompy wood and leather wedges in the wild, well, on my phone screen, set my heart aflutter. Finally, something good has come back in style. Elder millennials have suffered the indignity of seeing some of the trends of their youth come back low-rise jeans, trucker hats. But wedge sandals? These are flattering to nearly everyone, they make you taller, they go well with lots of things, and most importantly: They're comfortable. Best of all, they are capable of walking across grass or sand for a summertime outdoor formal event. New York Times fashion critic Vanessa Friedman said in her review of the show, "Get ready to wear a lot of wooden clogs and wedges again." Aye aye. I'm ready. Read the original article on Business Insider MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Millington Police Department is investigating the possible abuse of a high school student. According to Millington Police, a student arrived at Millington Central High School with injuries consistent with abuse Thursday. Millington Police say the alleged abuse happened at the students home. $1M bond for mom accused of hiding childs body in bags The student reportedly went to Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital for a medical evaluation. Millington Police say detectives are working to identify the suspects and determine possible criminal charges. The Millington Municipal School District confirmed the report and said that the incident was properly investigated. The school district says it cannot comment any further because this is an open investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. An estimated 38 million Americans are family caregivers. Among them is former minister Jim Meadows, who went from helping his entire community to focusing his efforts on his wife, Georgie, who has Alzheimer's. As Meadows cared for his wife, he soon realized he also needed help. The family caregiving work done by Meadows and millions of other Americans is valued at about $600 billion a year, but they pay the price in pain, loneliness, and stress. "I think it's hard to for men to admit that they need help in any any kind of situation, and also this sense that we're taught to be able to fix things," Meadows said. It can be hard for caregivers to find support or connect with other caregivers, but all that changed during the coronavirus pandemic. Duet, a decades-old organization based out of Phoenix, Arizona, is devoted to supporting family caregivers, and as the world locked down to slow the spread of COVID-19, it transferred its support groups online, making them available to a whole new audience. "We realized that we had work to do to better serve the people we intend to serve, they can't all just make it to us. So we had to figure out how to make it to them," explained Ann Wheat, the director of Duet. "We think of it as a virtual community, for these family caregivers." For Meadows, joining a Duet support group meant finally finding people who understood what he was going through. The online support groups also reached places like Berryville, Arkansas, a town of just 5,000 where there are few resources for family caregivers like Cynthia Morin, who cares for her husband who has dementia. A child interacts with a relative. / Credit: CBS Saturday Morning "Many times, it starts to feel like you're in this alone," Morin said. With Duet, she found that advice and new friends were just a Zoom call away, which she said helped her get through the day "without losing it." Wheat said that since the world has opened up again, Duet has continued to expand. The organization now has trained facilitators in 15 states, in Canada, and on the Navajo Nation, which she said shows that the group's model "works in the most remote isolated settings imaginable." Linda Roddy, who attended an in-person group, said that giving fellow caregivers a helping hand has been an important mission. "I've touched people all over the country, which has been really powerful, both for me as a caregiver and being part of it, but also just supporting others on this journey because it's so misunderstood," Roddy said. "I feel what they're going through, and I think that's powerful, rather than just being an outsider." The online programs also still operate. Duet sends out video seminars from Dr. Pauline Boss, a pioneer researcher in the field of grief and family stress. Boss focuses on explaining the sensation of ambiguous loss, where a person is physically present but psychologically absent, which can leave family members or caretakers without any closure. Morin said in addition to the support group, the seminars helped ease the fear and guilt that once haunted her. Her husband, Tom, died a year ago, but the group has helped her understand she did all she could for him. "There were times that I was afraid. There were other people that were afraid. There were times that I was exasperated and ready to get out. Here were other people who had had these problems, too," Morin said. "So it gave me a little more courage to be able to face what might be coming for me." Global outcry grows after carnage at Gaza aid convoy Driver rescued after wreck leaves big-rig dangling off Louisville bridge Judge appears skeptical of July trial date in Trump documents case The Government did not pay sufficient attention to the long-term collateral damage of lockdowns, a majority of British scientists surveyed believe. A wide-ranging survey conducted by The Telegraph and Censuswide shows that nearly seven in ten (68 per cent) academics believe more consideration should have been given to the fallout caused by shutting down the country. The views are in stark contrast to the public discourse at the height of the pandemic, when only a few dissenting scientific voices spoke out to highlight the health and economic risks from lockdowns. While just over half (51 per cent) of scientists thought lockdowns were always proportionate and always justified, one third disagreed. The survey also reveals that while 44 per cent of scientists believed pandemic modelling was excellent or good, some 37 per cent thought it was average, poor, or very poor. Experts said the results show there was far less scientific consensus than the public was led to believe, and warned that many academics had felt unable to speak their mind at the time. Scientists feared loss of patronage Prof Robert Dingwall, a former government Covid adviser, from Nottingham Trent University, said: It was always clear to those of us who were able to make evidence-based criticisms of official science and government actions, that we enjoyed considerable tacit support in the scientific community. This was, however, muted by concerns about loss of patronage, access to research grants and difficulty in publication as the cost of speaking out. Others certainly paid a price for trying to voice loyal opposition. I dont blame anyone for keeping their head down if they had a career to build, a family to support or a preference for a quiet life. Bob Seely, a Tory MP who during the pandemic spoke up against lockdowns, said: At the time we were, understandably, focused on immediate risk. However, it was also clear that there was precious little thought as to the long-term damage to a society, especially in the development of young people. Schools should never have been shut. We are seeing a generation of young people damaged. There was too much politics from some scientists who were pushing a politicised agenda. He added: The lack of interest in the origins of the virus seems bizarre. My fear is that at very least, lockdown will be seen to have been an ineffective way of dealing with the crisis. The lack of an open and science-led conversation during the crisis was, I felt, disturbing. A generation scarred Last month, the World Bank warned that lockdown disruption to education would scar multiple generations of children who suffered serious developmental and learning delays. NHS waiting lists soared to a record 7.8 million last September and there have been tens of thousands of extra non-Covid deaths since the pandemic, particularly among heart and cancer patients. A study from University College London in February estimated that 12,000 years of life had been lost in Britain because of delays in diagnosing skin cancer during Covid lockdowns. Gordon Wishart, chief medical officer at Check4Cancer, and visiting professor of cancer surgery at Anglia Ruskin University, repeatedly warned in 2020 and 2021 that delaying cancer diagnosis and treatment would lead to deaths, but said his fears were ignored. I did feel like my concerns were falling on deaf ears as far as the Government is concerned, he said. I have real concerns that we would not do anything different if we have another pandemic, as the Covid Inquiry did not seem that interested in identifying what went wrong with our approach, and how we would change it next time. The Telegraph survey, taken between December and February by 198 scientists from universities across Britain, also showed that 70 per cent believed government decisions were not transparent or well communicated. Just three per cent thought all scientific views had been considered by the Government, while a third believed officials had focused on only a minority of opinions. Sunetra Gupta, professor of theoretical epidemiology at the University of Oxford, said it was important to prevent the abuse and persecution of scientists who were prepared to challenge the consensus. There are clearly systemic problems in academia that need to be addressed in order to permit a fuller debate of these critical issues, she said. In future, I hope universities and institutions like the Royal Society, as well as the government and the media, will see fit to put on more debates and allow dissenting voices to be heard. The survey also showed that scientists are split over whether Covid-19 leaked from a laboratory, with the majority thinking that China has not been open and transparent about the origins of the disease. Around one third believe that gain-of-function experiments which increase the potency of viruses and bacteria could spark a pandemic, while the same number think the work could help prevent future outbreaks. Ravi Gupta, professor of clinical microbiology at the University of Cambridge, said: I think the survey shows that people believe in the ability of science to answer questions but some of those experiments carry a risk and they need to be regulated. Now the dust is settling, hopefully people are allowed to have a balanced discussion. The survey, which dealt with current contentious issues within science, also found that around six in 10 scientists think that sex is binary, while a similar number agree gender is fluid. Responding to the survey, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: Throughout the pandemic, the Government acted to save lives and livelihoods, preventing the NHS being overwhelmed, and delivered a world-leading vaccine rollout which protected millions. We have always said there are lessons to be learnt from the pandemic and are committed to learning from the Covid-19 Inquirys findings, which will play a key role in informing the Governments planning and preparations for the future. Analysis Sceptical scientists need to sure their braver side Read more Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Tuesday, Minnesota Democratic Congressman Dean Phillips will put his home state support to the test when Minnesota votes with 15 other states in the Super Tuesday presidential nominating primary. Phillips received backlash from his party when he broke rank to take on President Joe Biden, running on being a younger Democratic alternative to the 81-year-old incumbent. The two-term representative has received even less support in the polls, heading into next week without having won an early primary state. Polling data and early primary results predict Biden will be the Democratic nominee, and former President Donald Trump the Republican nominee. The St. Cloud Times sat down with Phillips days before he headed into Super Tuesday to reflect on his campaign so far and what he's doing to ensure we don't see a repeat of the 2020 election. The following conversation has been edited for clarity. Times: You placed in fourth in the Michigan primary, behind self-help book author Marianne Williamson who is now unsuspending her campaign. What's going through your head? Phillips: Well, I came to know Marianne during the early parts of my campaign and came to really appreciate and respect her. She has been introducing herself to the country for many years now with great passion. Many of her propositions are anything but crazy, or bizarrely leftist, they're actually quite reasonable. I think it's also disappointing that she's not afforded any platform to introduce herself or make her case as well. I've discovered the great deficiencies in the party process. I welcome her back, if you will, to the race. I think it's good to have competition. She sees the same thing I do, which is a slow-motion train wreck going on right in front of us, which is completely preventable. And yet, the powers that be, clearly, either unwilling or unable to do anything about it. I do think that, like I said before, I'm glad Marianne's back in the race, I wish that others had entered the race when they had ample opportunity and time to make their case, and I made those calls, both privately and publicly. They weren't heated. And then we find ourselves in the very predicament that I was warning us about, literally since July of 2022, when I first made the case that President Joe Biden should pass the torch. More: Marianne Williamson says she is 'unsuspending' her longshot presidential campaign Super Tuesday is right around the corner, and so far you havent earned any delegates. What are you doing differently in your home state to win over voters? My campaign is, was, from the get-go, one of principle and a conviction that, sadly, President Biden, the man I admire, is not fit to succeed in the next election. I knew full well going into this that winning states, earning delegates, taking on not just the incumbent president, but my entire party, would be no easy task. But the core mission remains the same, which is to remind Democrats, those opposed to Donald Trump, independents, never-Trump Republicans that there's a choice and that we better wake up from this delusion soon, before it's too late. So, I will continue to make the case and to encourage participation in primaries and remind people that the real responsibility is not from the candidates, but from voters. I intend to continue that through Super Tuesday and every day I assess how I can best participate in ensuring that Donald Trump comes nowhere near the White House ever again. Do you foresee a future where you could win a Super Tuesday state? First of all, with very, very low name recognition, and without the platform and resources of the Democratic Party, it's very hard to introduce myself, and that's the truth. But if more people would vote in primaries, and some of those platforms were available to challengers like me, there's no question. But considering the circumstances, I think it's very unlikely to perform a whole lot better considering I entered this with such low name recognition, and that's the strategy of the Democratic Party. It works very efficiently. But it is also an unfortunate affront to success and to the essence of democracy, which is disappointing, but something that we have to reckon with. Has former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley given you a response on your proposal for a unity ticket? If it were to come to fruition, do you think it would appeal to moderate Minnesota voters? Neither she nor I have been presented to a conversation. I think she and I are both focused on getting at least through Super Tuesday to assess where things stand. My case, as it always is, based on data and the data is very clear. Nikki Haley trounces Joe Biden, in a head-to-head matchup, trounces. The Marquette poll I think had her beating him by 16 points nationally. So, my contention is Donald Trump will win the nomination, but Nikki Haley would crush Joe Biden in a head-to-head matchup and that's the evidence. So, my only proposition was that if people are opposed to Donald Trump, and I'm clearly in that camp, that people should keep their hearts and minds open to alternative ways to ensure that he doesn't return to the White House and that also means Democrats might have to reassess their perspectives if their core mission is to prevent that return to the White House. There's nobody better positioned to do that than Nikki Haley, and that's just the truth. So, we've not had a conversation. If it comes to that, would I have one with her? Of course I would and I think there are many others who could and should because the mission continues, and I know that that is something that actually unifies a lot of Nikki Haley supporters, my supporters, and the overwhelming majority of Americans who do not want to see Donald Trump returned to the White House. More: Dean Phillips floats being running mate for Haley on a possible 'unity ticket' Youve announced you wont seek re-election for Congress. What have you taken away from your time representing District 3? Let me just say that running for office here in Minnesota was the most joyful experience of my entire life, running for president in the United States, even more so. The most important message is that we cannot let "anger-tainment" have us believe that we're more divided than we really are. I've discovered the beauty of our country, the great blessings, the great challenges, the great heartbreak of so many people, and if anything, I've only fallen more in love with my country, which has only impassioned me to continue to do what I can to protect it, preserve it, and promote it both for my children and their generation and future ones. On the other side, what I've discovered is that our two-party duopoly is perhaps the most dangerous. It's probably one of the greatest dangers facing our country, and the very danger that George Washington warned us about in 1796 in his farewell address when he talked about the great risk of political factions, and his great concern has now manifested itself clearly, and that's the sad truth. I intend to speak the truth about it and do what I can to ensure that our system is reformed to a place where Americans once again actually have a government for the people by the people. Some ex-supporters have expressed anger over you giving up this safely Democratic seat for a long-shot bid for the presidency while also missing House votes. Do you think running was worth it? Absolutely. I'd do it 1,000 times. In 2016, I gave up a very cool life in Minnesota to resist Donald Trump, flipping the seat that hadn't elected a Democrat since 1958. On January 6, I was trapped in the House chamber because of Donald Trump. In 2024, he's walking right back to the White House while we sleepwalk away. I would have done it 1,000 times again. It's not about me, it's about protecting the country and protecting democracy. The good news is that the third district is going to be in the competent hands of Dr. Kelly Morrison who I wholeheartedly support and endorse. And this notion of missing votes, I told [Democratic House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries that I would return for any vote of consequence for what he needed me. I've upheld my promise and will continue to do so. What I'd like people to know another untold truth about Congress in Washington is that the most important work is not done by members of Congress, but actually by the very hard-working, underpaid, extraordinary Americans are the ones that keep the offices running, that take care of case files, that provide constituent services, take nasty calls from people, take heartbreaking calls from people and do the most important work every single day. I'm a proud representative and will continue to be the representative. But the notion that somehow, I'm not doing my job well, everybody who runs for president, you have to introduce yourself especially when you're denied platform, and that's why I have to crisscross the country doing so. I will continue to miss some votes, but I will be there for the ones where my vote is absolutely needed. More: Why Dean Phillips is not running for reelection to Congress in 2024: 'Time to pass the torch' You said that you would do this '1,000 times' over, would you do anything differently? Yes, I'd do a lot differently. But in light of the circumstances and the short time available to me, the blackballing of the Democratic Party of very experienced able political operatives, I've surely done the best I could with limited resources. Had I had more time and more resources to prepare, I really believe I would've been able to attract somebody with name recognition and competency to run in the primary, and I failed in that effort, and I will continue this mission until I see that there's literally no other way to prevent the inevitable. How much longer do you plan on being in the race? Well, I think that I'm on about 43 state ballots, which was a Herculean effort, and while I have been unsuccessful in mounting the type of campaign that I would have liked to, my mission of principle has not changed one iota of anything, it's been only reinvigorated, reinspired and become more important because everything I've been saying for a year and a half is now proving true. Even the pundits are starting to come around to the reality that I've been expressing now for a year and a half. So, I will continue on for now. And like I said, every single day, I'm assessing various strategies to play some role in ensuring that we prevent tragedy in November and that's what this is all about. I've given up my career in Congress, I clearly have enemies amongst people who see it differently. But I know we're all aligned when it comes to the most important objective which is to keep America safe and secure and enhance democracy, not ruin it. What does your role in politics look like outside of this election cycle? You talk about this 'train wreck' that the Democratic Party is undergoing, what are you planning to do to help it? Well, my life experience has been marked by providing competition for industries, categories, products that in my estimation, and my partner's estimation, needed it. And now I've discovered yet another duopoly that's in need of disruption and I believe it's the political industrial complex, and I will surely be playing some role to either reform my own party and or ensure that there's viable, authentic, competent, competition to provide American voters the options that they are clearly demanding. Then, more importantly, perhaps, is to compel American voters to start participating, no person can single-handedly change the dynamic. Americans have to start taking responsibility seriously and participating in primary elections and general elections. And if we can't solve that problem and inspire people to participate, I'm afraid then, and only then, are we in great, great danger and we still have time to course correct, and I will play some role in trying to do so. More: Minnesota elections: Everything you need to know about casting your ballot Is there anything youd like to say to Minnesotans before they head to the polls? I want to express my love and affection and deep gratitude for a state that has hosted my family and our businesses literally for 130 years. That has afforded us the blessings of opportunity and community and friendship and success and philanthropy. No matter what transpires on March 5, that affection never changes. I would also invite and encourage Minnesotans who may not be considering voting right now in March to please do so. Because it's not about voting for me that matters most, it's about voting. I hope that is in some way my legacy here in Minnesota, to say the quiet part out loud, expressed courage in the face of too much cowardice and to inspire a rising generation to be participants in this great experiment. This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: QA with Rep. Dean Phillips ahead of Minnesota primaries On a recent Friday afternoon, Twin Cities Uber driver Mohamed Egal ferried a pilot from Nashville, a Crave chef, a Domino's worker and a patient on oxygen. After six trips in two hours, Egal's driver-app showed Uber would pay him $69.33 for the rides after fees. He'd earned just $622 since Monday. He would have to work the weekend, too, to earn enough for the week. It had been a costly month for the Minneapolis resident who has driven for Uber since 2015. That week he paid $200 for gas, $80 to fix shaking wheels, $20 for a car wash and $1,350 for six months of personal car insurance coverage. That's on top of the $9,000 on transmission and engine maintenance paid four weeks ago for his 2015 Dodge Caravan. His credit card bill is $20,000 all related to car maintenance. "It's not fair. What Uber pays us just covers our expenses but no profit at all," said Egal, who used to be a taxi cab driver for 15 years before Uber and Lyft disrupted the marketplace and his business. Uber and Lyft say the roughly 12,000 independent contractors who drive for them in the Twin Cities are treated fairly. For some of the drivers, it's a side gig. Egal and many others, though, drive full-time and struggle to make the economics of app-based driving work. Egal said he earned $23,000 last year, much less than in years past. As the algorithms that determine how much customers pay and drivers earn change, many drivers are getting louder with demands for better pay and more transparency about how the company determines the amount they receive. That collision of low pay and high expenses has angered hundreds of Minnesota drivers, sending them to elected officials in search of remedies. Protests, strikes and intense lobbying at city council meetings and state capitols have intensified in Minnesota and elsewhere, creating a national movement that recently brought change to the ride share industry in California, Washington and New York and resulted in a Lyft policy change. The Minnesota Legislature passed a bill last spring vetoed by Gov. Tim Walz that would have set minimum pay. The Minneapolis City Council is considering a measure that would do the same. Uber and Lyft have threatened to stop serving the city if a law is passed. Uber and Lyft say pay is fair The pressure campaign by drivers resulted in a change of policy for Lyft. Last month, Lyft said it would guarantee 70% of a week's fares, minus external fees like car insurance premiums and tolls, to drivers. Both Uber and Lyft say they not only provide drivers flexibility, they pay fairly. They also say they are improving transparency around how much drivers will earn. "We're also launching a new earnings summary in the Lyft app, redesigned with a focus on transparency, so drivers can see a breakdown of where every cent of the rider fare goes," said Lyft spokesman CJ Macklin. In Minnesota, the companies said the pay averages $26 to $35 an hour when a passenger is being ferried. Drivers said because they are not paid for the time it takes to return to the Twin Cities after dropping off a passenger or for assignment waiting times, especially at places like the airport, the pay ends up being less. The companies also admit the fees deducted from drivers' pay are increasing but blame the rising cost of insurance, which they pass on to both drivers and passengers. They also are trying to help drivers in other ways, for example helping them to rent cars to keep driving when their vehicles break down. At the end of the day, drivers said they often discover they now earn just 25% to 60% of the total fare. They said when they started, they were earning 70% to 80% of the fare. They also say there was a recent rash of sudden "deactivations" that kicked drivers off ride share apps with little explanation and no way to appeal. So far, both companies have opposed per-mile and per-minute pay-minimums proposed, not only in Minnesota but around the country. Uber spokesman Josh Gold said the company has told the state it would support a minimum fee of $26 an hour for the time spent getting and carrying passengers. Minneapolis could weigh in The Minneapolis City Council, for a second year in a row, is considering setting minimum pay. The current proposal would require companies such as Uber and Lyft to pay drivers a minimum of $1.40 a mile and 51 cents a minute while transporting passengers on any trip within city limits, among other guarantees. Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed a similar measure last year. The state Legislature in the spring passed a bill that would guarantee at least $5 per ride, $1.45 a mile and 34 cents a minute in the metro area. Pay would be $1.25 a mile and 34 cents a minute in greater Minnesota. Gov. Tim Walz, after vetoing the bill, set up a task force to come to a solution amenable to all parties. The task force report, filed Dec. 30, called for a new minimum of $5 per ride, and said there should be minimum per-mile and per-minute compensation but did not set an amount. It also laid out transparency recommendations. But it did not resolve the differences between drivers, the companies and state agencies. Uber spokesman Gold said the company supports the recommendations. Now some of the task force members say the effort may end up with no change at all. "To me this is very disappointing," said John Budd, a member and professor at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. Making the economics work One thing that has helped drivers stay in business, at least in the short term, is Uber and Lyft help in renting cars. Drivers say it helps in a pinch so they can keep working. But in Minnesota, drivers pay around $331 to $338 a week to rent a basic sedan. That's more than a car payment and makes the gig more of a gamble, they said. Sam Jones started driving for Lyft 18 months ago. After putting 84,000 miles on his car, the transmission died suddenly shortly after the warranty expired. "Driving murdered my vehicle, and it was basically a new car," said Jones while waiting on a Monday about a month ago to rent a Nissan sedan at the Hertz rental car facility for Uber and Lyft drivers in St. Paul. He hopes renting works out, but he's far from sure. Jones had an airport customer recently pay Lyft $38 for his ride. Jones made only $9 from the fare. "When I first started with them the fare wasn't that fair, but at least it was decent. Now? It's not even decent," he said. Still, until he can find another job, he'll drive rented wheels and see how the math works out. Jones was at the Hertz with 17 other drivers in similar predicaments, including Mauricio Castaneda. Castaneda had driven his own black Expedition 10 hours a day for Uber and Lyft until his transmission also died. The Robbinsdale father of three replaced it with a 2019 SUV. But Castaneda said he had been making less and less for the same hours driving and fell behind on the loan payments. The SUV was repossessed in January. He said he took a passenger from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to Hinckley and made $38. But Lyft charged the passenger $100 or more. He said he felt robbed. Now, he will try to make the math work with a rented Chevrolet Malibu. "I hope it works out. But what choice do I have? I have to feed my family. I have rent," he said. "I'm going to work at least 18 hours a day. It's hard to make the money. I am not going to sleep too much." The Orange County Sheriffs office has discovered the body of a missing 13-year-old girl on Friday. Madeline Soto was reported missing after she never arrived at school on Monday morning, and police said they believed that she was already dead by the time school started. Police suspect Madelines mothers boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, who told police hed dropped her off near school on Monday, according to ClickOrlando. At a press conference on Friday afternoon, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said that the police had obtained video evidence of Sterns discarding something in the trash of his apartment building early that morning. When they investigated the receptacle, police found the teenage girls backpack and laptop. We have evidence that shows Stephan Sterns returning to the complex and Madeline was visible in that vehicle. We believe she was already dead at that time, he said. Soto was arrested on Wednesday on charges of sex battery and possession of child sex abuse material, which was discovered on his phone as part of the investigation. Police also said they believed she had already been killed before she was deposited in the woods in Osceola County, Florida, where her body was discovered. This is a sad day for our community and we mourn the loss of such a young life, said Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland in a press release. The Kissimmee Police will take lead on Sterns sexual battery case. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. The body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto was found Friday in a wooded area of Florida's Osceola County days after she went missing, the Orange County Sheriff's Office confirmed to Fox News Digital. Her body was located by search teams from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office at around 4:30 p.m. local time. No other information is being released at this time, the department said. Earlier Friday, authorities said in a press conference they were "confident" that Madeline was dead less than a week after she went missing. MADELINE SOTO DISAPPEARANCE: BOYFRIEND OF MISSING FLORIDA TEEN'S MOM ARRESTED, NAMED PRIME SUSPECT Madeline Soto never made it to school on Feb. 26, "instead we believe she was already dead at the time and that Stephan Sterns moved her body in the early morning hours on that day," the Orange County Sheriff's Office said Friday. Detectives with the Kissimmee Police Department told Madelines mother the "very devastating news" Thursday night that "although we have not found Madeline, we are confident she is dead," Sheriff John Mina said. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Mina said the case has transitioned into a homicide investigation following her disappearance on Monday when she didnt arrive at school. He said Madeline never made it to school on Feb. 26, "Instead we believe she was already dead at the time and that Stephan Sterns moved her body in the early morning hours on that day." Sterns was the boyfriend of Madelines mother, Jenn Soto, and he is now the main suspect in the case. Sterns was arrested on Wednesday for unrelated capital sexual battery charges, Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland said. He is being held at the Osceola County jail. "Right now our top priority is recovering Madeline," Holland said. "We are still appealing to our community for their help in this case." Mina said investigators have video evidence of Sterns throwing items in a dumpster in an apartment complex in Kissimmee around 7:30 a.m. that morning before Madelines laptop and backpack were found by detectives in the dumpster. TENNESSEE WOMAN DISAPPEARS IN NASHVILLE AS SHE MISSES START OF NEW JOB, SERVICE DOG LEFT HOME ALONE: REPORT Stephan Sterns, 37, was named a "prime suspect" in the investigation into the disappearance of his girlfriend's 13-year-old daughter, Madeline Soto. He said they have evidence of Sterns returning to the apartment complex after 8 a.m. that morning "and Madeline was visible in that vehicle. We believe that she was already dead at that time." She noted that there is still "a lot of information" that they cannot yet release. Madelines mother is not a suspect in the case. Holland said Sterns was seen driving a silver 2010 Lincoln MKZ with Florida tag IYLL82 on Monday near Kissimmee and may have had a flat tire. Mina said that while the investigation started in Orange County, the Kissimmee Police Department is taking over as the lead agency. Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez said in a statement Friday that she is "heartbroken" over the news. "I am heartbroken to hear from the Orange County Sheriffs Office of the tragic death of our precious student, Madeline Soto," she said, according to FOX 5. "My thoughts and prayers go out to Maddies family and her school community. To lose a child so suddenly and tragically is extremely difficult especially for family and friends. Counselors continue to be available for any student or staff member dealing with the news. I ask that you keep the entire Hunters Creek Middle School community in your prayers as they grieve the loss of one of their own." Original article source: Missing Florida teen Madeline Soto's body found as moms boyfriend named main suspect Director Mary Mcdowell has executed a sale of 5,000 shares of Autodesk Inc (NASDAQ:ADSK) on March 1, 2024, according to a recent SEC filing. The transaction was carried out at an average price of $275 per share, resulting in a total sale amount of $1,375,000.Autodesk Inc is a leader in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software. The company offers a broad range of products for industries such as architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, and entertainment.Over the past year, the insider has sold a total of 13,806 shares of Autodesk Inc and has not made any purchases of the company's stock. The insider's recent transaction follows a pattern observed over the past year, where there have been no insider buys and 31 insider sells for the company. Director Mary Mcdowell Sells 5,000 Shares of Autodesk Inc (ADSK) The insider transaction history indicates a trend of insider sales, which could be a point of interest for investors monitoring insider behaviors.On the valuation front, Autodesk Inc's shares were trading at $275 on the day of the insider's sale, giving the company a market cap of $56.631 billion. The price-earnings ratio stands at 62.29, which is above the industry median of 28.125 but below the company's historical median price-earnings ratio. Director Mary Mcdowell Sells 5,000 Shares of Autodesk Inc (ADSK) Considering the stock's price of $275 and the GuruFocus Value of $256.33, Autodesk Inc has a price-to-GF-Value ratio of 1.07, indicating that the stock is Fairly Valued based on its GF Value. The GF Value is a proprietary intrinsic value estimate from GuruFocus, which takes into account historical trading multiples, a GuruFocus adjustment factor based on past returns and growth, and future business performance estimates from Morningstar analysts.Investors and analysts often monitor insider transactions as they can provide insights into the insider's perspective on the value of the company's stock. However, it is important to consider a wide range of factors when evaluating the potential implications of insider trading activity. Story continues 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. On Wednesday, Sen. Mitch McConnell announced that he will not seek another term as leader of the Senate Republicans, stepping down from the post (though not his seat) in January 2025. McConnell will leave a legacy of extreme obstruction, having pioneered new ways to paralyze the upper chamber in an effort to stymie Democratic legislation. He also regularly kowtowed to Donald Trump, even voting to acquit the former president following his impeachment trial over the Jan. 6 insurrection. But McConnells most indelible mark on history is likely to be his fixation on stacking the courts with far-right ideologues, thus fundamentally refashioning the federal judiciary in the image of the modern Republican Party. On a new episode of Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discussed the wrecking ball that McConnell took to the independent federal judiciary and its enduring impact on American democracy and civil rights. Their conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity. To listen to the full episode of Amicus, join Slate Plus. Dahlia Lithwick: Can we talk about Mitch McConnell for a minute? He announced that hes stepping down as the leader of Senate Republicans in the near future. Mark Joseph Stern: What was your first reaction when you heard the news? My first reaction was that I hate this timeline so much. Its the timeline where we have to miss Rep. Kevin McCarthy because the person who followed him was, as sure as night follows day, vastly crazier. Thats how I feel about McConnell. This is the person who singlehandedly did more to destroy Senate norms of comity and respect, to help Donald Trump evade accountability, and to steal and pack the Supreme Court with people who should not be sitting on the court. And still, in this moment, were going to have to thank him for respecting the vestigial norms that he did and not being an utter sociopath each and every day. Because the person who follows him will be worse. Ill add that, in my view, no one has done more to destroy the federal judiciary than Mitch McConnell. This is the guy who, under Obama, decided to block as many judicial nominations as possible, for no reason other than to leave the seats open so Trump could come in and fill them. This is the guy who violated every known norm to hold open Justice Antonin Scalias seat, ostensibly because it came open in an election year, only to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs seat when people were already voting in the 2020 election. I think he made a lot of Americans wake up and realize that this was all Calvinball, that he had no principles to begin with. But even more than that, Mitch McConnell was the guy who realized you dont need to win elections to enact Republican policy. You dont need to change hearts and minds. You dont need to push ballot initiatives or win over the views of the people. All you have to do is stack the courts. You only need 51 votes in the Senate to stack the courts with far-right partisan activists like Aileen Cannon and Matthew Kacsmaryk. And they will enact Republican policies under the guise of judicial review, policies that could never pass through the democratic process. And those policies will be bulletproof, because they will be called law, and Democrats will need at least a century to win back the courts. Anyone who believes in an independent judiciary with any integrity should loathe McConnell to their bones. I want to add that McConnell, for so many reasons, stands out as somebody who knew exactly who Donald Trump was, exactly what happened on Jan. 6, exactly what his responsibility was in that moment. And he didnt do it. He normalized the idea that you can mumble stuff and do nothing. Then we all live with the consequences. He made it easier for whoever follows him to do even less. And now hes being praised as some elder statesman? Really? Hes totally morally bankrupt. The only silver lining, Mark, is that whoever follows him will not be as good as him at this crap. I agree. Under Trump, McConnell built the most impressive and efficient judicial confirmation machine ever seen. He really helped to keep the broader Republican Party and conservative movement behind Trump by saying, dont worry, were still getting all the right judges! He pushed them through at a record clip. Aileen Cannon, the judge thwarting Trumps trial over the Mar-a-Lago documents, was confirmed after the 2020 election, when Trump had already lost! This went on right up until the end. And I dont think his successor will match those heights, even if he or she isnt quite as loony as were speculating. Think about how much Joe Biden and his team have struggled to match the number of confirmations that Trump and McConnell achieved. They cant do it. We may have passed peak efficiency for judicial confirmations under any president. But is that anything to celebrate? McConnells successor will still scrape and strive to get crazy people on the bench. And sure, they might get 20 percent fewer judges through, because they wont have the same ruthless efficiency. But Republicans will take that deal, because it only takes one insane district court judge to thwart an entire presidency. The Modesto Police Department on Friday afternoon released video of an officer-involved shooting early Feb. 13 that wounded an armed passenger in a car that had been pulled over in west Modesto. The Facebook post that includes the video also identifies the man shot 41-year-old Mark Coke Jr. and the officers who fired their weapons. They are Clayton Keener and Rafael Campos, both four-year veterans of the Police Department. Coke remains hospitalized, MPD spokeswoman Sharon Bear told The Bee on Friday evening, and the investigation of the incident remains active. When released from the hospital, Coke will be charged with attempted murder of a police officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and an outstanding domestic violence warrant, the post says. The video posted includes footage from both officers bodycams and Keeners dashcam. It is introduced by Assistant Police Chief Ivan Valencia. The incident began with a traffic stop by Keener at about 12:40 a.m. Feb. 13 in the area of Paradise Road and South Martin Luther King Drive. The video shows Keener approaching the vehicle from the passenger side and talking to the woman driving and her male passenger. The reason for the stop is given as a headlight and taillight being out. The driver provides her license, but the passenger says he has no ID on him, so identifies himself verbally. Keener calls for backup while he returns to his vehicle to confirm the occupants identities. The name given by the passenger is that of a man on searchable probation, Valencia says, but it also turns out to be false. The birth date provided by the passenger does not match that of the name provided. Keener asks the driver to get out to speak with him, and after they are away from her car, he asks why the passenger is lying. She says she doesnt know, and that she hasnt seen him in years but he came by her home earlier that night. She also repeatedly confirms that his name is the one he gave Keener. Does he have anything we need to know about? Keener asks the driver, likely referring to a weapon. She first says No, and then, I dont know. Keener joins Campos, whos been standing by the front passenger door as Coke sits inside. They instruct Coke to get out of the car, but he questions them What the hell did I do? and will not show his left hand as instructed. Keener has his Taser drawn at this point, and Coke repeatedly is told, Dont reach down. Keener warns, Im going to tase you, to which Campos responds, Youre not tasing me, bro. As Campos reaches over to control Cokes left arm, Coke raises it, revealing a gun, which he aims in the officers direction, Valencia said. Keener deploys his Taser and both officers quickly discharge their firearms as they retreat from the car. It sounds as though a total of 10 shots are fired, but Bear could not confirm that Friday night. She also said she did not know how many times Coke was struck. In the video, Coke falls to the ground and cries out in pain. He starts to sit up and repeatedly is warned not to reach for the gun. It sounds like he replies that he wont. The officers waited for additional officers and a ballistic shield to arrive on scene, Valencia said. Once the suspects weapon later determined to be a loaded 9mm Ruger was recovered, medical aid was provided. After the shooting, the video shows Keener approaching the driver, who repeatedly says that she didnt know her passenger had a gun. Moldovan officials are growing increasingly concerned that Transnistrias request for protection from Russia is a sign that Russia is preparing to interfere in Moldovas presidential election and European Union referendum later this year, a top Moldovan official told The Daily Beast. Transnistria, the Russia-backed breakaway region in Moldova, held a special congress earlier this week to request protection from Russia. Its a move that alarmed many poeple, who believe it could be part of an effort to give a green-light to Russia to extend its territorial ambitions, lean on its military presence of 1,500 troops in Transnistria, and possibly annex the region. On the other hand, Moldovan officials have dismissed the move as a propaganda stunt, part of Russias hybrid war against Moldovas pro-Western government. In an exclusive interview with The Daily Beast, Moldovas Ambassador to the United States, Viorel Ursu, said this was an influence campaign aimed at spreading fear and chaos, which will only increase as Moldovas elections and its EU referenduma creep westwards Russia has long detestedloom large this year. It is no coincidence that this kind of rhetoric and tension has been rising, Ursu told The Daily Beast. We are likely to see more of these type of actions in the coming months with the main purpose to instill fear and uncertainty in Moldova, and in this way to shape the outcome of the presidential election and EU accession referendum. Moldova declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, with Transnistria claiming independence from Moldova soon after, although Transnistrias independence is not internationally recognized. The breakaway regions request for protection from Moscow this week comes nearly two decades after Transnistria requested Russia annex it in 2006a request that Russia ignored. And though the congress did not request full-on annexation this time, the request for protection, appears to be a step toward leaning more heavily on Russia, echoing the kind of Russian rhetoric about proxies in eastern Ukraine. It should be an alarm bell that many more Russia-backed destabilizing actions aimed at fueling discord in Moldova are coming, said Ursu. Currently what we see the Kremlin doing is engaging in an information campaign against Moldova to stir panic and turmoil, Ursu told The Daily Beast. Well see more of that. Its part of the toolbox of the hybrid war that Russia is conducting against Moldova. Breakaway Moldovan Region Asks Moscow for Protection The concern about Russias increasingly menacing influence operation comes after years of U.S. and Moldovan officials warning that Russias campaign is aimed at destabilizing Moldovas pro-Western government. Moldovas president, Maia Sandu, warned last year that Russia was preparing a coup in Moldova alongside hostage plans and other attacks. With Sandu up for reelection later this year, and with Moldova recently entering into accession negotiations for joining the EU, the stakes are even higher now, warned Ursu. Russian Influence As Moldovans gear up to vote later this year, Moldovas government is working to shore up its defenses against other ways Russia can stoke division and cause chaos. The government has its eyes on Russia taking advantage of demonstrations in Moldova, as Ilan Shors pro-Russia party has infiltrated protests in the past, as well as the possibility that Russia will conduct disinformation campaigns on Telegram, Facebook, and Twitter, Ursu said. Moldova has been dealing with a farmers protest and is expecting transportation demonstrations in the near future, each of which contains the risk that Russia is stoking discontent. Its the same risk as it was last year that Russia might be infiltrating violent elements among the protests, provoking the police to overreact, Ursu said. Last year, the Shor party helped give training to people in Moldova on how to cause disorder during protests, according to Deschide.MD. This is something that we are watching Every time there is a protest of course, the government engages in trying to solve those problems before they escalate, Ursu said. But I'm sure Russia is watching and will try to use vulnerability related to these events. Russia may also seek to use gas and electricity supplies as political leverage, said Ursu. Putins Allies Accused of Plotting Another Russian Land Grab While Moldova was previously dependent on Russian gas, it recently stopped importing it directly for its energy needs. However, it continues to receive a large chunk of its electricity from Transnistria, where it is produced by burning Russian gas. Moscow is likely keen to exploit this vulnerability as well, Ursu warned. I know they're gonna use it, Ursu said. We are doing our best to build the infrastructure to connect to the European electricity market. However, we might not be ready by the end of the year. A Timely Reminder The destabilizing effects of this protection request from Transnistria cannot be underestimated, but there are very real economic tensions underlying Transnistrias request, Ursu said. Although Russia has kept a force of about 1,500 troops in Transnistria for decades, the appeal for protection was likely a reference to economic concerns, said Ursu. Moldova recently implemented a new customs agenda, forcing businesses in Transnistria to pay customs duties in both Transnistria and Moldova. That, Ursu says, likely was the last straw. This has been perceived by the Transnistrian authorities as a way of pressure, Ursu said. The main appeal of this gathering, the main objective, is to get additional cash from Russia. Russias war in Ukraine has changed Transnistrias economy immensely. Ukraine shuttered its border with Transnistria soon after Russia invaded, dealing a blow to Transnistrias trade. And an agreement that enabled Russian gas into Transnistria via Ukraine is expiring at the end of the yearand Kyiv has said it is not interested in renewing the deal. This has left Transnistria pining for additional support from Russia, Ursu said. Well hear more of this kind of rhetoric. Its to remind Russia the Transnistria region still exists and they need Russian cash to survive. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) A Wyoming mother is facing felony child abuse charges after her nine-month-old daughter arrived at the hospital with a broken wrist and severe burns covering more than 16% of her body. When Berline C. Burkholder was asked about the injuries, she initially told police she left her daughter with a stranger (Uber driver) while she spent the evening in an unknown hotel, court records show. The story fell apart and Burkholder eventually admitted: Yes, I did something I wasnt supposed to do, court records show. Investigators say the incident happened on or about Dec. 20 at a home on Hudson Street SW near Cleveland Avenue. Burkholder was initially charged in late December with lying to a peace officer and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The latter charge alleges that Burkholder failed to seek medical care in a timely manner. The child abuse charges were added last week. Father, girlfriend charged after allegedly locking boy in makeshift room Burkholder has a probable cause conference set for next week in Wyoming District Court. She remains jailed on a $20,000 bond. A phone call to her attorney was not returned on Friday. Wyoming police were notified after the child arrived at Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital on Dec. 20 with severe burns over 16% of her body and a non-accidental fracture to her right wrist, court documents show. Burkholder initially stated to police that she left (the baby) with a stranger (Uber driver) over the evening of 12/19 while she spent the night alone in an unknown hotel, court records show. During a later interview, Berline changed her story to include that she used drugs and partied in a hotel room with unknown people during this time at the unknown hotel, a detective wrote in a probable cause affidavit. Detectives were able to discredit the story through interviews, cellphone records and Uber records. The investigation concluded that Burkholder was the only individual at the Hudson Street SW home when the child was burned. When confronted by her boyfriend over a jail call, Berline admitted: Yes. I did something I wasnt supposed to do,' court records show. Sign up for the News 8 daily newsletter The child was treated at the hospital on Dec. 20. A burn specialist indicated that a delay in seeking treatment would cause a severe risk of developing hypovolemic shock, which is a life-threatening condition. The doctor stated he believes the injuries were caused by a scalding hot liquid being poured over (the baby) while she was laying on her back, court records indicate. Burns to the childs toes are also consistent with a scalding hot liquid burn, but were likely caused by a separate exposure, according to court records. As a 9-month-old, (the baby) was unable to cause these injuries to herself, the officer wrote. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Hundreds of conservation and public land supporters rallied at the Capitol in Helena to oppose bills that would strip marijuana tax revenue away from the Habitat Montana program on Feb. 23, 2023. Hundreds of conservation and public land supporters rallied at the Capitol in Helena to oppose bills that would strip marijuana tax revenue away from the Habitat Montana program on Feb. 23, 2023. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan) In my family there is a wide swath of political views and when you are in the same room as we were for the holidays, the juvenile name calling stops and thoughtful discussions can occur. What these discussions revealed was that while we have many differences, there is also agreement. Well, if Im being honest, there was some juvenile name calling, too, we are family after all. But back to my point, I wonder then, why dont we at least have the things we all agree on? For example, we all agree that we want more public land; we want that land better maintained and we want better access to those lands. Why dont we at least have that? The answer to that question is not as complicated as politicians would like you to think and can be found in the actual legislation, not juvenile name calling and anonymous social media posts. One need to look no further than the governors veto of a bipartisan Senate Bill 442, funding public land as requested directly by the voters of Montana. The voters specifically asked via ballot measure that marijuana be legalized and that a defined portion of the tax money be sent to conservation, a Republican-sponsored bill followed the will of the voters and passed the legislature with broad bipartisan support. The governor then sought a shady procedural loophole to veto the bill. This shady loophole has now been found to violate the Montana Constitution. Whatever pro-public land soundbite he or his spin doctors try to stumble through to explain his shady act should be evaluated against the substance of his act. Montana has a long and proud history of bipartisan support for conservation efforts. We need to have leadership that reflects this bipartisan value. It also raises the question if the governor is not listening to the voters, the legislature or the constitution, whose bidding is he doing? I would wager they arent from Montana, and they have a lot more money than you. But it is not just the governor failing public lands. The Biden Administrations Forest Service is doubling down on its Holland Lake failure and nearing completion on a land swap in the Crazy Mountains that will result in the largest loss of public access in a generation, or the Fish and Game Committee chairman in the legislature telling Montanans if they like public land to move to Venezuela, Russia or China and perhaps the most offensive, the Attorney General preferring that public land be reserved for buyers from California, not the hunters of Montana. Their words, not mine. These are issues for which there is broad bipartisan support. If you find your favorite trail, your favorite hunting spot or river access less crowded than it used to be, continue electing these folks. However, if like me, you find them all more crowded, look no further than the leaders we are electing and the policies they are enacting. Andrew Posewitz is a fourth-generation Montanan and a fierce public land and hunting advocate. He previously served as chief of staff in the State Auditors office where he advised on State Land Board issues and is one of the founders of the Montana Public Trust Coalition and a frequent speaker at conservation events. The post Montana should be investing in wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation areas appeared first on Daily Montanan. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) What seemed impossible turned out to be a dream come true. After years and years apart, a reunification from a special group that traveled from Mexico to be reunited with loved ones. There were tears, hugs and so much joy for more than 40 Mexican seniors who reunited with their families ready to start a new life again with their loved ones. One by one seniors walked out of buses not knowing that inside the center next to the closed Silver Nugget Casino in North Las Vegas, family members waited anxiously to see them. There were tears, hugs and so much joy for more than 40 Mexican seniors who reunited with their families ready to start a new life again with their loved ones. (KLAS) All of them traveled from Hidalgo, Mexico, and embraced their loved ones on a stage for the first time in 10, 15, or 30 years. For some like Brigida Zamora Huerta, its been close to 20 years since she had seen her son. Its a dream that I have always dreamed about, but now I have my family, all thanks to God, she expressed. Felipe Castro told 8 News Now Anchor Ozzy Mora about all the moments he missed out on with his mother. Sometimes some men dont show emotion, Ive never been the type to show my feelings, but anything to do with family, that changes, Castro expressed. There were tears, hugs and so much joy for more than 40 Mexican seniors who reunited with their families ready to start a new life again with their loved ones. For some like Brigida Zamora Huerta, its been close to 20 years since she had seen her son. (KLAS) The family thanked the organization behind it, Federacion Hidalguense Las Vegas USA. Its president, Isidro Maqueda Martin said each senior receives a 10-year visa through the program, Raices de Hidalgo. This organization has existed for 18 years, but reuniting families since 2017 and the money is thanks to the state of Hidalgo and families, Martin explained. Maqueda said they are the only group reuniting Mexican seniors with their families in the Las Vegas valley. Federacion Hidalguense Las Vegas USA has been reuniting families since 2017. (KLAS) Its an opportunity for Brigida and Felipe to believe in hope once again. Maqueda also said they will continue to reunite families if resources are available. In the meantime, the families say they are eager to make new memories and catch up on old times. Commissioner Tick Segerblom also attended the event and told 8 News Now, that Las Vegas is a Spanish town and moments where we can honor culture is important. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Positive charge Every Florida city has potential to empower strong communities through positive change. Though the need for volunteer help has never been greater, the number of Americans who formally volunteer has continually declined, according to the Census Bureau. We can reverse that trend. Corporate volunteerism connects businesses with the places they call home and serves as a conduit between residents and the causes they hold dear. At its core, community engagement empowers employees, fostering a heightened sense of purpose and a stronger bond within the workplace. At Florida Power & Light Company, weve witnessed that positive impact first-hand, from distributing hurricane preparedness meal kits to seniors statewide, to honoring local veterans during the holidays with energy-efficient home makeovers. Recently, we celebrated our 16th annual Power to Care campaign, a week dedicated to the spirit of giving back. Hundreds of FPL employees, alongside family and friends, volunteered on numerous projects statewide. In South Florida, they partnered with Miami-Dade Parks to beautify Ojus Park through painting and landscaping efforts. They also planted sea oats in Dania Beach in partnership with the South Florida Audubon Society. Across Florida, we planted trees, sorted local food pantries, and aided families, children and seniors in need. FPLs commitment extends beyond a week. Last year, our employees contributed nearly 55,000 hours to communities, supporting more than 2,500 nonprofit organizations. We hope to see more Florida companies inspiring their workforce to engage in philanthropy. Nonprofits and charitable organizations play an invaluable role, extending aid when resources are lacking. Financial donations will always be crucial, but volunteering is just as valuable; it connects us all and promotes a sense of service. Lets pledge to strengthening and endorsing volunteerism in our communities. Pam Rauch, vice president, external affairs and economic development, Florida Power & Light Co., Juno Beach Contrast reactions Re: the Feb. 22 Herald online story, After Key Biscayne tragedy, lawmakers advance bill to help cities restrict e-bike use. One woman dies. Ban all e-bikes. Dozens of children are murdered. Thoughts and prayers. Marcelo Salup, Coral Gables Courts on trial U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts must explain to the American public the judicial rationale for delaying ex-President Donald Trumps immunity case. The public wants this decision as soon as possible to make informed voting decisions. The courts delay in this case contributes to civic ignorance and, quite frankly, emits a fetid odor of judicial conspiracy to sway a potential presidential election. Don Derez, Miami Incompetent adults Why is everyone so surprised at the recent cases of measles in a Broward school? This disease was defeated years ago because inoculations were required before students could attend school. However, anti-vaxxers have decided they no longer want their children vaccinated and they are putting unvaccinated children at risk. Our state officials add to the problem because, instead of telling parents to get their children vaccinated, they pretend not to know what is happening. They know better. This isnt the last outbreak we are going to see in the schools if parents and officials in charge dont do their jobs. Frederica B. Neal, North Miami Housing project As residents, researchers, attorneys and advocates, we strongly disagree with the Miami Heralds portrayal of Liberty Square redevelopment as generally successful in the Feb. 11 online story, Massive Miami makeover? 5,000 affordable apartments proposed for aging industrial area. The documentary, Razing Liberty Square, reveals that most residents have already been displaced. In a city where public housing is increasingly unavailable and unaffordable due to privatization, the projects list of failures include poor construction quality; residents reporting indoor flooding and mold; management company TRG prioritizing trivial matters over critical maintenance; fewer units, contradicting former Director Michael Lius promise to replace units 1-to-1; relocating residents through Section 8 vouchers, potentially leading to incomplete development, as seen at Scott Carver projects (also chronicled by the Herald); promise broken by developer Related to safeguard anchor institutions, and a lack of community inclusion leading to decisions misaligned with residents needs. If Related and the countys Public Housing and Community Development office had collaborated with the people directly affected by this project, we would be building something that benefits everyone. Residents have launched an accountability campaign and we urge the Herald to give attention to our concerns. We should determine our communitys future. We hope the reporting will reflect our reality. Samantha Kenley, resident, Adrian Madriz, co-executive director, Struggle for Miamis Affordable and Sustainable Housing, Miami Care needed The disastrous Miami Seaquarium has been cited for multiple animal-care failures. Now, with the resignation of its veterinarian, dozens of marine mammals and birds and hundreds of fish are even less likely to receive the medical attention they require. This latest debacle is further proof that this colossal failure must be shut down immediately. Miami-Dade County authorities must terminate the Seaquariums lease without delay so that the victims will have a chance to receive adequate care in reputable facilities. Philp Tripp, Largo COVID deaths Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and Gov. Ron DeSantis were partially responsible for the more than 86,000 COVID-19 deaths in Florida. They were disinterested in promoting vaccines but interested in sending people back to work sooner than most states. Should we trust these two with our lives? Janet Weller, Coral Springs Gables manager Congratulations to the City of Coral Gables on appointing Amos Rojas as city manager. He is hard-working, experienced, intelligent and an honorable man. When I was on a search committee in another city, it was apparent that the only reason for a nationwide search was to find someone from outside the area with no local support, so as to control the new hire. Commissioners who appointed Rojas have shown they are interested in what is best for Gables citizens and not in furthering their own interests. Elyse Targ, Pinecrest Support this bill In early February, representatives on both sides of the aisle in Washington, D.C., overwhelmingly voted to pass the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 5856). This bill would reauthorize important programs under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, provide about $1 billion in funding for anti-trafficking measures, authorize the creation of a Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program, support grants for programs that prevent and detect trafficking of school-age children and require that USAID encourage integration of activities to counter human trafficking in programs under its purview. This legislation is critical for continuing and bolstering our nations efforts to eradicate the scourge of human trafficking and assist survivors. This scourge is not unknown in Florida. I call upon Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott to work with their colleagues to pass the Senate version without delay. Thomas Wenski, archbishop, Archdiocese of Miami Say something Former President Donald Trump rants daily about how Democrats and liberals are destroying our country and democracy. True or not, if you keep saying something often enough, without any response or refuting it, some people will begin to believe it. Democrats and President Biden may make some vague statement every few days about how Trump is a bad person, but thats not enough. If they dont go after Trump, attacking his lies in the same manner, he will win because voters will have no one else to believe and democracy will truly die. Bruce Hartman, Kendall Wall of money In 2015, Donald Trump promised in his campaign for president that Mexico would pay for a wall at our southern border. How much exactly did Mexico pay for the wall? If border states want walls, then they must ask Trump and his family where those funds went. Nancy Cogen, Miami Healthy gift Brava to philanthropist Ruth Gottesman for her fantastic $1 billion donation that will make tuition free to all students at The Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. My wish is for anyone with the means to do the same. Give the gift that pays it forward. Diane Goodman Dolcourt, Pinecrest People gather to honour the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died two weeks ago in an Arctic prison. The funeral service was held at the "Assuage My Sorrows" symbol of the Mother of God in the city's south-eastern Marino area, and the burial was in Borisov Cemetery. Artem Priakhin/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa A day after the funeral on Friday of Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny, people continued on Saturday to bid farewell to the Russian dissident at his grave in Moscow's Borisov cemetery, undeterred by the presence of police. Independent Russian media reported that the police allowed the mourners to stay unhindered at the grave and lay flowers. Pictures of the gravesite showed a sea of flowers and wreaths, and a Russian Orthodox cross with a photo of a smiling Navalny. According to the authorities, Navalny died on February 16 in a prison camp in the Yamal region, 1,900 kilometres north-east of Moscow, at the age of 47. The circumstances of his death have not been clarified. Following Friday's funeral, Navalny's team emphasized once again that the opposition, which had fled into exile abroad, would continue its fight against corruption and the power apparatus of President Vladimir Putin. Navalny's legacy will remain alive "as long as there are millions of people in Russia and the world who are not indifferent to this," they said. "That's why we must not give up." On the day of the funeral, memorial events took place across the country, with dozens of arrests. The civil rights platform OVD-Info reported on Saturday morning that there had been more than 100 arrests in 20 cities, including around 20 people in Novosibirsk alone. In Moscow, thousands of people gathered at the church and cemetery for the funeral service on Friday. Many chanted "Putin is a murderer!" and "Russia without Putin". Relatives, supporters and human rights activists accuse Putin of murdering his opponent in the prison camp where he was held. The politician, weakened by an earlier poison attack and repeated solitary confinement, is said to have collapsed in the icy prison yard and died despite attempts to resuscitate him. The Kremlin rejects responsibility for his death, while continuing preparations for elections on March 15-17 that are expected to install Putin for a fifth term. People gather to honour the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died two weeks ago in an Arctic prison. The funeral service was held at the "Assuage My Sorrows" symbol of the Mother of God in the city's south-eastern Marino area, and the burial was in Borisov Cemetery. Artem Priakhin/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa People gathered to honour the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died two weeks ago in an Arctic prison. The funeral service was held at the "Assuage My Sorrows" symbol of the Mother of God in the city's south-eastern Marino area, and the burial was in Borisov Cemetery. Artem Priakhin/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Henry Fraser's life has been depicted in a musical based on his memoir of the same name, The Little Big Things An artist who paints with his mouth said things had been "pretty wild" since his life was depicted in a stage musical. Henry Fraser, 32, who lives near Watford in Hertfordshire, was paralysed in an accident in 2009. The Little Big Things, based on his memoir of the same name, has its final performance at Soho Place in London's West End this weekend. "They made something pretty special," he said. As a teenager, Fraser was a promising rugby player on the books of Premiership club Saracens. During a post-exam holiday, aged 17, he dived into the sea and hit his head on the seabed, dislocating a vertebrae in his neck. In 2015, he began experimenting with his tablet and rediscovered his love of art. He found an app on his iPad that he could use to paint by attaching the utensils to a mouth stick. "Adversity has given me a gift," he previously said, in an article for Waterstones. As well as becoming an acclaimed mouth artist, he also began working as a motivational speaker. His memoir, The Little Big Things, was published in 2017 and became a Sunday Times bestseller. It has since been adapted into a musical by Nick Butcher, Tom Ling and Joe White, and opened at Soho Place in September 2023 for an initial 12-week run. Subsequently extended for a further three months, it has so far picked up a Best Casting Direction award for Jill Green in the What's On Stage awards and was nominated for Best New Musical. Before the show opened, Fraser told BBC News he was "incredibly excited and nervous" about the prospect of seeing his story depicted on stage. He said that since his accident, many unplanned things had happened that "really surprised me, in a great way" and the musical was one of them. Ahead of its final performance on Saturday, he told the BBC: "It's been a pretty wild six months. "I can't take credit for the cast and the production but the guys have made something pretty special. "I was nervous beforehand and didn't really promote it, but once I saw it, I promoted it everywhere - it was pretty awesome, I loved it." He added it was also important to him to see his family portrayed. "A lot of the talks I do are about me," he said, "so to have my family get the recognition they deserve means a lot... it was very emotional for all of us." In his life as a as a tetraplegic, one of Fraser's quotes to "accept and adapt" is a lesson he said he has learnt through his experiences and is a message he tries to spread. "You can't dwell on what might have been or what your life could have been like because it holds you back," he said. As his journey from a hospital bed to rediscovering life through art and the people around him is portrayed in the musical, this is the message that comes across. Jonny Amies plays Fraser in his younger years and wheelchair user Ed Larkin portrays him after the accident. Fraser said having this kind of representation was vital. "It's the first time a wheelchair user has been used as a lead in the West End so it was very special indeed," he said. "When I've been [at the show] all the wheelchair-user spaces were used up, there were people there who wanted to see someone like themselves depicted. "Wheelchair users need to see themselves and everybody needs to see other people's stories told to open their eyes to different lives from their own and that's what theatre does. "It's also important for able-bodied people to see what disabled people can do with the correct systems in place." As Fraser waits to see what happens next for the show, he is turning his efforts to a new exhibition of his paintings at the Grove Hotel in Watford in September. "I really need to get painting," he said. "For the last six months I've been enjoying everything surrounding the show so now I need to actually work, there's going to be a lot of painting done." Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830 More than $87 million in funding through the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act is being distributed to counties and municipalities across the state, including St. Joseph County and Sturgis. St. Joseph County is set to receive more than $1 million, part of a payment setup from the Marijuana Regulation Fund given out to 99 cities, 30 villages, 69 townships and 71 counties. For the state of Michigan's 2023 fiscal year, this means each eligible municipality and county will receive more than $59,000 for every licensed retail store and microbusiness located within its jurisdiction. Marijuana flower ready for sale in Michigan Revenue was collected from 737 licensees among the state's cities, villages and townships during the 2023 fiscal year. Some of these municipalities host more than one licensed retail store and microbusiness. For the 2023 state fiscal year, there was more than $290.3 million available for distribution from the Marijuana Regulation Fund. Sturgis will receive $413,604.45; Constantine will be given $236,345.40, and Three Rivers has been allocated $354,518.10. Aside from the more than $87 million in disbursements to municipalities and counties, $101.6 million was sent to the School Aid Fund for K-12 education and another $101.6 million to the Michigan Transportation Fund. The tax funding for municipalities and counties that comes from the marijuana excise tax is a very important benefit of the legal cannabis industry in Michigan, said Cannabis Regulatory Agency Executive Director Brian Hanna in a statement. "The CRA is committed to doing our part in supporting our licensees so that they can continue to grow the local economy throughout the state with good-paying jobs and increased revenues for local government budgets. This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Local municipalities to receive marijuana tax funding Eli Lilly stock will surge 29% over the next year with its weight-loss drug on pace to do $60 billion in sales by 2030, BofA says Eli Lilly received a street-high $1,000 price target from Bank of America on Friday, marking 29% upside from current levels. The bank said Eli Lilly's GLP-1 weight loss drug could top $60 billion in sales by 2030. "We'd argue that additional opportunities in heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and liver disease are vastly underappreciated," BofA said. Shares of Eli Lilly could surge another 29% from current levels as its GLP-1 weight loss drug sees a sales boom, according to Bank of America. The bank reiterated its "Buy" rating and increased its price target to $1,000 from $800, which represents the highest price target on Wall Street. "While investors clearly recognize the commercial opportunity for Mounjaro (diabetes) and Zepbound (obesity), we'd argue that additional opportunities in heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and liver disease are vastly underappreciated," Bank of America analyst Geoff Meacham said in a Friday note. The bank expects sales of Eli Lilly's GLP-1 drugs to see continued strength for years to come, with the potential for sales to top $60 billion by 2030. For perspective, Eli Lilly generated $34 billion in revenue last year. The drug company has experienced a swift uptake in sales for its GLP-1 drug, which helps patients lose weight faster with less frequent side effects than competing FDA-approved drugs. But the opportunity for Eli Lilly is expanding its approved indications for the drug to beyond obesity, which could lead to increased insurance coverage for the drug. "We acknowledge there's wood to chop on access/manufacturing capacity, but we'd argue our forecasts are still conservative, as by 2030, we assume <7% of US adults will be on a GLP-1 for obesity (includes competitors)," Meacham said. Next-generation weight loss drugs from Eli Lilly, if approved, could add an additional $20 billion to the company's revenue by 2030, according to the note, bringing its total weight-loss class of drugs to more than $80 billion of sales. Story continues The company is developing an oral version of its GLP-1 drugs, as opposed to the current injection form of the drug, as well as a GGG agonist, which has shown promise in helping patients lose weight without significant muscle loss. Finally, Meacham noted that Eli Lilly has a portfolio and pipeline of drugs aside from its weight-loss franchise that, while much smaller than the projected growth of Mounjaro and Zepbound, should help add diversification to its business. "Given the robust P&L impact of Lilly's GLP-1 portfolio, its neuroscience, oncology, and I&I segments seem less impactful. That said, these other segments and diversification + optionality and for oncology / I&I, we see an impressive +16% 5-year CAGR," Meacham said. I&I refers to Eli Lilly's immunology and inflammation drugs. Read the original article on Business Insider Election Day cant come soon enough for some people in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Or Pembroke Pines. Or Delray Beach. A Town Hall meeting in LBTS ended Tuesday with harsh words from outgoing Mayor Chris Vincent. He held up a mysterious piece of political mail with various accusations against three town candidates he supports. The piece ripped Vincent for endorsing them, too. This is divisive, delusional, illegal and intellectually irresponsible, Vincent said. The mailer was a response to one that Vincent himself had co-signed, promoting the same trio because all are Republicans. Such tactics are increasingly common in municipal elections, which used to be crushing bores about drainage and code enforcement. The mudslinging has reached Main Street as never before. The flyer carries the disclaimer of Concerned Citizens for Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, but under Florida election law, that group must be registered with the Division of Elections, so the public can see whos paying for the message (it isnt). Not registering is against the law. The committees business address must be listed with the disclaimer, and it wasnt. The front of the mail piece shows a bulk mail permit in Dallas. Slimy stuff. Voters have no way of knowing who was behind it. But this mixture of a little bit of fact and a lot of innuendo and half-truth reflects the increasingly shrill, highly partisan tone of municipal elections in South Florida. Concerned citizens targeted the three town candidates who are backed by the Broward County Republican Party, mayoral hopeful Edmund Malkoon and commission candidates John Graziano and Richard DeNapoli. Malkoon is a town commissioner, and one of his opponents is fellow Commissioner Alfred (Buz) Oldaker. Asked about the hit piece, Oldaker told us in an email: I did not have anything to do with it, nor do I know who sent it. Another mailer, full of thin political accusations about mayoral candidate Ann Marchetti and circulated by email, carries a disclaimer of LBTS Concerned Citizens, 5200 N. Ocean Blvd., Apt. 208. No such PAC can be found anywhere. Marchetti is recommended by the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board. Read our endorsement for a balanced account of the three candidates for mayor in the March 19 election. Voters, beware of mystery groups who claim to be concerned citizens. Theyre somebodys hired guns. Do your homework. Dont fall for anonymous attacks. Be especially wary of candidates who talk more about their opponents than about themselves. In Pembroke Pines, opponents of city commission candidate Maria Rodriguez spread texts and flyers with a photoshopped image of her appearing to be standing in front of a sign that said De-fund the police. A total fabrication, Rodriguez said. The flyer carried the disclaimer of Conservative Voters PAC, whose listed treasurer in state records is local GOP activist Jay Narang, with a Davie address. Rodriguez sent us the original photo, showing her at the grand opening of El Balcon de las Americas, a Colombian restaurant in town. She also circulated a photo of her alongside a city police officer at a Coffee with a Cop event. I will always stand with our police and first responders and support funding them fully, Rodriguez said. For sheer volume, no local political contest can match the slugfest for mayor in Delray Beach between Vice Mayor Ryan Boylston and former Commissioner Tom Carney. This race features a third candidate, former Commissioner Shirley Johnson. The high vote-getter on March 19 becomes mayor, with or without a majority. At least in Delray, the candidates are personally standing behind their messages. Carney, a lawyer and self-described numbers guy, emphasizes how the size of the city budget has ballooned during Boylstons six years in office, in an email to supporters. A Boylston mailer calls Carney a failed politician who raised taxes during his tenure. Another Boylston piece dredged up Carneys two minor motor vehicle accidents in 2007 and 2016 and referred to both as hit-and-run crashes, a loaded phrase. No one was injured in either accident, and you have to read Boylstons footnoted fine print to see that charges were dropped in one case. This race may turn on the perennial issue of development, and each mans vision of the city. Carney is the only candidate who can say he voted against what he calls the monstrosity of the Atlantic Crossing project. (Boylston and Johnson were not in elected office at the time.) But Boylston was a Downtown Development Authority member who spoke in favor of Atlantic Crossing at a 2014 meeting. His grainy videotaped comments about how the city is no longer a village by the sea we are a mini-metro, have taken on new life in this race, as Carney has recycled the snippet to portray Boylston as pro-development. There were signs this week that the decade-old no longer a village remark has drawn blood, because Boylston rolled out an email blast about our village by the sea. There is always more to learn, Boylston wrote. Im proud to say I have grown, and continue to grow, taking each lesson Ive learned serving in a new role and applying it forward. Steve Bousquet is Opinion Editor of the Sun Sentinel and a columnist in Tallahassee and Fort Lauderdale. Contact him at sbousquet@sunsentinel.com or (850) 567-2240 and follow him on X @stevebousquet. A rocket standing up with a nasa logo half-painted. people on a crane wield spray paint. the rocket is in a warehouse. the door is visible at right and a large staircase visible at left. A new video shows NASA's "worm" crawling on the side of a rocket. Engineers recently sprayed the iconic NASA "worm" logo on two solid rocket boosters for Artemis 2, which will be the first human moon mission in more than 50 years. The agency video shows the process in action: the outline of the curvy "NASA" lettering rapidly filling up with red as technicians carefully color in the lines. The two boosters will support the Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket that will send four astronauts around the moon no earlier than September 2025. Each letter of the worm is nearly 7 feet (2 meters) high, and the logo is roughly 25 feet (7.5 m) from end to end, according to a recent NASA statement. Related: NASA brings back retro 'worm' logo for upcoming Artemis 2 moon mission (photos) a rocket standing up with a nasa logo half-painted. people on a crane wield spray paint. the rocket is in a warehouse. the door is visible at right and a large staircase visible at left Engineers spray the NASA "worm logo" on an Artemis 2 solid rocket booster at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image credit: NASA) Artemis 2 is slated to launch NASA commander Reid Wiseman, NASA pilot Victor Glover (who will become the first Black person to leave low Earth orbit, or LEO), NASA mission specialist Christina Koch (the first woman to go beyond LEO) and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (the first non-American). The launch dates for Artemis 2 and the moon-landing effort Artemis 3 were delayed in January due to numerous technical reasons. But development continues on the two missions, as well as training for Artemis 2. Artemis 3 will touch down on the lunar surface no earlier than 2026, pending readiness of spacesuits and SpaceX's Starship lander. two views of a person on a crane painting the letters of 'nasa' on the side of a rocket, inside a warehouse The NASA "worm" logo being painted on the side of an Artemis 2 solid rocket booster, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024. (Image credit: NASA/Glenn Benson) NASA revived the worm logo first used in 1975 for limited use in 2020, according to Space.com partner collectSPACE. More commonly, NASA uses its "meatball" logo, a 1959 image brought out of retirement by the agency in 1992 to invoke the "glory days" of Apollo, according to agency materials. You can also spot the worm upon the Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft that will house the four astronauts during their moon mission. a cone-shaped spacecraft on a factory floor The Orion spacecraft for Artemis 2, including the NASA worm logo, at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image credit: NASA/Rad Sinyak) RELATED STORIES: US must beat China back to the moon, Congress tells NASA Astronauts won't walk on the moon until 2026 after NASA delays next 2 Artemis missions 55 years after Apollo 8's Christmas at the moon, a new Artemis crew readies for launch (exclusive) Artemis 2 and 3 are both part of the larger Artemis program that aims to take astronauts to the moon's south pole and to build a permanent settlement there, where water ice can supply life support, fuel and other mission needs. NASA is leading a coalition of nations under the Artemis Accords. Some of those countries, like Canada and certain member states of the European Space Agency, are directly contributing hardware in exchange for moon mission opportunities. Other nations have signed on under the second aim of the accords, which is to agree to norms of peaceful space exploration led by the United States. During a local march organized as part of a nationwide event, Tennessee clergy and nonprofit leaders called out socioeconomic injustice across the state and lawmakers attempt to dampen awareness of such crises. A local chapter of the faith-based social justice movement, the Poor Peoples Campaign sought to articulate a more progressive vision to address issues including the wealth gap, inadequate health care, and underfunded public schools. While Nashvilles march was among 32 similar events across the country, it focused on local issues at the center of debate in the ongoing Tennessee legislative session. The Tennessee Poor People's Campaign, a local chapter of a national faith-based social justice movement, organized a march on Saturday, March 2, 2024 in Nashville, Tenn. as part of a nationwide event to speak against socioeconomic injustice. None of this, like a public school system theyre trying to bankrupt and then portray as unsalvageable, is accidental, said the Rev. Dahron Johnson, a Nashville United Church of Christ minister. He said it in a speech to about 50 marchers at a rotunda in front of the state Capitol on Saturday morning. One of the most important decisions currently facing the General Assembly is whether to expand school vouchers across the state to help pay for Tennessee students to attend private schools. In the past week, a House subcommittee passed the universal school choice proposal. Speakers addressed a crowd of about 50 during a Poor People's Campaign march in Nashville on Saturday, March 2, 2024. From left to right, Christine Fox, Dustin Overton and Rev. Dahron Johnson. Johnson said the school voucher proposal and other Republican-led education policies limit awareness about various social ills. When those same folks then try to rewrite our history when they try to whitewash, straight wash and cis-wash not only our textbooks and our classrooms ... its no surprise that the end result is my, your, our erasure from public life, said Johnson, a transgender woman. Likewise, speaker Dustin Overton, a leader with the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Tennessee, a local chapter of a predominantly Black fraternity of Freemasons, took issue with blindness to neighbors struggles. Nashville, a city known for its vibrant music scene and thriving economy, hides a stark reality beneath its glitzy facade, Overton said. Behind the bright lights and bustling streets, individuals and families are struggling to make ends meet. In addition to Overtons organization, attendees of Saturdays march included pastors and congregants with local churches and other nonprofits such as Sunrise Movement Nashville, The Equity Alliance, Preserve Cheatham County, the Climate Reality Project, and the Nashville Peace & Justice Center. Marchers exit McKendree UMC in a procession to the state Capitol during a Poor People's Campaign event in Nashville on Saturday, March 2, 2024. The group assembled at McKendree United Methodist Church and then marched toward the state Capitol, some carrying signs and someone playing a trumpet. Speaking about these issues from experience, Memphis resident and seminary student Christine Fox said her underemployment has caused her to live below the poverty level and to live without health insurance. Fox cited statistics about other Tennesseans in similar circumstances and called out Tennessees Republican supermajority for failing to address these needs. We are called to tend each others wounds, Fox said in a speech. We are not to follow the example of the Tennessee GOP who dress the wounds of Gods people as though their wounds are not serious. Other PPC event in Nashville: Tennessee clergy and their congregants march on state Capitol to protest gun violence Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on social media @liamsadams. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville faith-based justice march calls out pay and health inequity More than 90 Native American artifacts have been found on property owned by Lehigh in Upper Saucon Township. The artifacts will be returned to Delaware Nation, a sovereign, federally recognized nation of Lenape people. (Photo/Lehigh Univesity) More than 90 Native American artifactsincluding pieces of pottery, tools and a flint knifepoint believed to be about 3,000 years oldhave been found on property owned by Lehigh in Upper Saucon Township. The artifacts will be returned to Delaware Nation, a sovereign, federally recognized nation of Lenape people whose traditional homelands encompass the Lehigh Valley, including what is today Lehighs campus. The artifacts, which include complete tools made of jasper, quartz and chalcedony, were found during a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) archeological survey of nearly 100 acres, about half of which is owned by Lehigh. Once the artifacts are returned Delaware Nation plans to display them in their new museum expected to open this spring at their headquarters in Anadarko, Oklahoma. The museum will be housed in a historic building that includes Delaware Nations library, archive, and historic preservation office, said Carissa Speck, tribal historic preservation director for Delaware Nation. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. The vast majority of Lenape artifact collections are still housed across Lenape homelands, which encompass eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and parts of New York, Connecticut and Maryland. Delaware Nation and the other federally recognized Lenape Tribal Nations were forced out of their homelands as a result of settler colonial dispossessions and broken treaties. Other federally recognized Lenape Tribal Nations are: Delaware Tribe of Indians (Bartlesville Oklahoma); the Stockbridge Munsee Community (Bowler Wisconsin), and the Munsee Delaware Nation and the Eelunaapeewii Lahkeewiit (Delaware Nation at Moraviantown), both in Ontario, Canada. Since looting of Native artifacts is still a problem in many areas, Delaware Nation does not want to share specifics of where the artifacts were found, Speck said. These artifacts will help us grow our collection, and we will be able to display them for our tribal citizens to have access to and see them in person, she said. Most tribal citizens do live in Oklahoma. If the artifacts were on display in Pennsylvania, many of our members wouldnt be able to see them. In the fall of 2023, Lehigh officials received a letter from A.D. Marble, an engineering firm hired by PennDOT for the archeological survey, that stated the artifacts had been found, said Erin Kintzer, senior director of real estate services for Lehigh. Laws vary depending on the state, but in Pennsylvania, artifacts found on private property belong to the current property owner, said Steven McDougal, an archeologist for PennDOTs District 5, based out of Allentown. Typically very few collections have gone to Native American tribes or nations," he said. Having collections donated to Native American tribes and nations is a relatively new idea, at least in Pennsylvania. I personally think its a really good idea. Most of the time, the landowner will keep what is found. If not, PennDOT encourages the landowner to donate the collection to The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, McDougal said. Kintzer said it was the first time in her nearly nine years at Lehigh that she was contacted about artifacts. Kintzer consulted two sociology and anthropology professors and spoke with Lehigh College of Health Dean Beth Dolan to decide the best option for the artifacts. Kintzer said it was the first time in her nearly nine years at Lehigh that she was contacted about artifacts. Kintzer consulted two sociology and anthropology professors and spoke with Lehigh College of Health Dean Beth Dolan to decide the best option for the artifacts. If you dont make a decision, the artifacts go to the Pennsylvania Museum of History. That felt a little too distanced or removed from what we were hoping to accomplish here, Kintzer said. I was worried they might end up in a drawer where someone forgets about them, versus being something that would be honored and used. Dolan suggested contacting Delaware Nation. University leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Delaware Nation in October 2023, signaling an ongoing, reciprocal partnership. The agreement also enabled Delaware Nation to relocate an extension of their historic preservation office to Lehighs campus. At the time of the signing, Sean M. Daley, a faculty member with the College of Health who directs Lehighs Institute for Indigenous Studies (IIS), said he hopes the MOU will encourage Delaware Nation students to not only come to Lehigh to study, but to start a connection with their ancestral lands. Dolan said the timing of the find was fortunate. Katelyn Lucas, Delaware Nations historic preservation officer, moved into her office at the IIS at the start of the Fall 2023 semester and was quickly able to handle the transfer of the artifacts to their rightful home. Honoring the history and culture of the Lenape people is a foundational goal of Lehighs MOU with the Delaware Nation, a goal that is further supported by the Institute for Indigenous Studies in the College of Health, Dolan said. Most of the artifacts found on Lehighs property are pre-contact artifacts, meaning they were made before European settlers arrived, said Richard White, an archeologist at A.D. Marble & Company. Swedes were the first European settlers in Pennsylvania. The first settlement was recorded in 1643 when Governor Johan Printz of the colony of New Sweden arrived and established his capital at Tinicum Island, according to Britannica. Artifacts collected at the site include debitage, or the material produced during the process of fashioning stones into tools or weapons; stone tools, stone knife points and ceramic fragments from pottery. Anytime PennDOT officials are undertaking a project, they have to consider its effects on cultural resources, including archeological sites, historic buildings and historic districts, McDougal said. There were a number of previous archaeological sites in the area of this particular project, which is why PennDOT decided to conduct the survey. The State Museum has a predictive model that takes into consideration locations of previously recorded sites, the type of soil, landforms in the area and natural resources Native people would have needed to live, such as streams, McDougal said. Last April and May archeologists excavated a total of 566 test pits across an area of just under 100 acres, White said. The excavation site included property not owned by Lehigh where artifacts had previously been recorded by amateur archeologists 20 to 30 years ago, White said. The majority of artifacts uncovered in the spring were discovered on Lehighs land, he added. PennDOT completed its study of the property. Archaeology is the study of humanity through the lens of material culture. McDougal said. I personally think its really important to understand the history of the land we are on, dating back as long as there have been people there. You study past peoples, whether it be Native Americans, or early European settlers of this area, and that tells you a lot about how people lived, the small bits and pieces of life. I think it gives you a very good picture of common humanity. People have been living in what is now Pennsylvania for roughly 15,000 years, McDougal said. There are still many important Native American sites across eastern Pennsylvania which warrant proper respect and protections, Lucas said. The Lenape Tribal Nations still care deeply about their ancestors sites and belongings in the homelands. But because they were historically forced out and relocated far away, it has often been difficult to get institutions and organizations in the homelands to recognize and respect their ongoing relationship to these lands. Lehighs decision to return the artifacts to Delaware Nation is an ideal model for such collections, Lucas said. Lenape Tribal Nations should also be consulted before ground disturbance happens in their homelands, she added. Theres a really long history of settler colonial institutions problematically implying that Tribal Nations arent capable of handling their own artifacts, Lucas said. Returning ownership of collections and management agency to Tribal Nations for their own museums is critical. About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net." Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net NEOSHO, Mo. Firefighters say theyre going to let a tire fire in Neosho thats been burning for more than a day, burn itself out. Around 3:00 p.m. Thursday (2/29), an outdoor fire caught hundreds of tires ablaze at Trouble Free Used Tire Shop, located near Highway 86 and Nogales Lane. Neosho Fire Chief Aaron Houk says the fire destroyed a mobile home, several vehicles, and a warehouse. Nearly a dozen area fire departments responded. The fire produced thick, black smoke that could be seen as far away as Joplin. Fire crews gained control of the blaze around 10:00 p.m. Thursday, however it continues to burn within a contained area. SLIDESHOW: Multi-Alarm Fire Incident In Neosho Because of the large and intense nature of this fire, The Salvation Army even sent a crew to help keep firefighters safe. The number of calories you spend fighting a fire is unbelievable its just like going to the gym for hours in a row, so just being able to provide the hydration and some food, I just thank God that we can be here, said Captain Bill Middendorp with The Salvation Army of Jasper and Newton Counties. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MO DNR) was called in to assess any hazards posed by run-off as a result of extinguishing burning rubber. Following the recommendation from MO DNR the Neosho Fire Department will let the fire burn itself out which they say could take several days. Until then, Neosho fire crews will continue to monitor the situation. Fire Chief Houk says the decision to allow the fire to extinguish itself will mitigate the risk of water run-off, and its potential impact on the local area. The cause remains under investigation and no injuries were reported. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Northumbria Police said an investigation was under way A pedestrian has died after being hit by a people carrier. Officers were called to Westgate Road in Newcastle at 17:20 GMT on Friday, after reports a black Mercedes had been in collision with a man. Northumbria Police said the 77-year-old was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. The force said an investigation was under way. It appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to get in touch. Follow BBC Newcastle on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. SACRAMENTO, Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California has increasingly been a national presence, flying to Washington to meet with President Joe Biden, appearing on Sunday news shows and targeting conservative states with ads for reproductive rights. This week, however, a more local concern abruptly drew his attention to Sacramento: allegations that the Democratic governor favored a campaign donor who owns two dozen Panera Bread franchises by pushing for a carve-out in a new minimum wage law. The controversy, triggered by a report in Bloomberg, has unleashed a flurry of charges and countercharges. The state Legislatures Republican leaders have written to the California attorney general, demanding an investigation. Editorial boards have weighed in. (Californians knead answers, the Los Angeles Times opinion page declared.) A spokesperson for the governors office dismissed the accusation of favoritism as absurd. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Political analysts compared the furor to another restaurant-related pickle involving Newsom. Its hard not to think of the French Laundry, said Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at the University of Southern California and the University of California, Berkeley, alluding to the 2020 haute cuisine dinner the governor had during pandemic lockdown that helped fuel an unsuccessful but still troublesome recall effort against Newsom. Its deja vu all over again, although this time Newsom seems to be trying to address it before a small problem turns into a big problem, Schnur said. Still, his office still hasnt provided a credible explanation for why the bill was drafted the way it was. At issue is legislation signed by the governor in September that will increase the minimum wage for more than a half-million fast-food workers to $20 per hour starting next month. The legislation codified yearlong negotiations that had warded off a ballot fight between the states powerful labor lobby and fast-food giants and granted major concessions to each side. Californias $16 minimum wage would rise to $20 this year for fast-food workers. Lawmakers would step back from a plan to hold fast-food corporations legally liable for labor violations in their franchise locations. At a news conference celebrating the hard-fought deal, the governor was asked why the language included an unusually specific exemption for restaurants with on-site bakeries that sold bread as a menu item. Thats part of the sausage making, he said, chalking the language up to the nature of negotiation. There are a lot of component parts in the industry, he said. Its not just Jack in the Box, not just McDonalds. But allegations that the legislation benefited one of Newsoms campaign donors sent the governor backpedaling this week. On Wednesday, in a look at the new rules, Bloomberg reported that a driving force behind the carve-out had been Greg Flynn, a Bay Area billionaire who has done business with the governor and is a longtime campaign donor. Flynns company, which generates billions of dollars in sales from an assortment of franchises, owns two dozen Panera franchises in California, the report pointed out, and Flynn and Newsom attended the same high school in the Bay Area. Flynn has donated a little more than $200,000 to Newsoms campaigns during the past seven years, campaign records show. Republican legislative leaders lashed out, calling the report the latest example of the favoritism by Californias ambitious governor toward campaign backers. Its not, Oh, hey, this is just politics, said James Gallagher, who is the Republican leader in the Assembly and represents the rural northern Sacramento Valley. This is not how our government should run. Conservative activists on Monday began another recall drive against Newsom, though political consultants in both parties said the bid has almost no chance of qualifying. It is the seventh such attempt against Newsom; the only one that reached the ballot was soundly rejected by voters in 2021. In contrast to his sluggish reaction to the French Laundry fallout, which boosted recall signatures during the pandemic, the governors response to the Panera uproar was swift and forceful. The governor never met with Flynn about this bill and this story is absurd, Alex Stack, a spokesperson for the administration, said in a statement. Newsom has raised tens of millions of dollars in campaign donations from thousands of donors, and met with dozens of business owners in the course of the bill negotiations, administration officials said. Moreover, Stack said, under the bakery exemption, the establishment must operate a bakery that produces bread for sale on the establishments premises. Many chain bakeries such as Panera Bread mix dough at centralized off-site locations and then ship that dough to retail locations for baking and sale. Our legal team has reviewed, Stack said, and it appears Panera is not exempt from the law. Tia Orr, executive director of SEIU California, a service workers union that was instrumental in negotiating the law, issued a statement saying that there was never an intent to exclude one company, but instead to provide clarity on what constitutes a fast-food establishment. Similarly, a memo Friday from Jot Condie, the president and CEO of the California Restaurant Association, to the groups board of directors asserted that the group was involved in virtually every meeting on the bill, including the final negotiations in the governors office. It added that there was never a discussion or even a mention of any restaurant brand seeking an exemption from the law, including Panera Bread. In a statement to the television station KCRA, Flynn said that while he had opposed the initial fast-food law, so had thousands of other California restaurant owners and at no time did I ask for an exemption or special considerations. Flynn said he had met with the governors office, but not the governor himself. He had sought not to exclude his own restaurants, but the whole category of fast-casual sit-down restaurants. He said he was surprised to see the special bakery exemption because it was too narrow to have much practical value. As fast-food wages rise, he said, fast-casual restaurants would have to increase pay to compete for workers. Also, he said, he had not met the governor in person until he was an adult. Although they attended the same high school, he said in the statement, I never met him there. Keith Miller, a Subway franchisee in Northern California who staunchly opposed the fast-food legislation, said that while the bread exemption had always struck him as odd, its far from his biggest concern with the new law. Miller, a vocal advocate for fellow restaurant owners, said that too few franchisees were involved in the talks about shaping the legislation with Newsoms team and union leaders. In recent months, Miller said, he has fielded calls from several other franchisees about next steps and how to prepare financially for when the law takes effect April 1. Our opposition is not simply based on wages, he said. Why is the law segregated to go only after franchisee owners of fast-food restaurants? People who work at big box stores or hotels dont need a fair wage? Willie Armstrong, the chief of staff for Chris Holden, the Democratic assemblymember from Pasadena who sponsored the legislation, said the lawmaker would not offer insights Friday into the exemption for bread bakeries. However, half a million fast-food workers in our state now have the power to improve their workplace, Armstrong said in a statement, and will be able to put more food on their own tables. c.2024 The New York Times Company Caltrans recruiters setup at a career fair held at AT&T Park, in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, August 17, 2017. With the passage of SB1, a gas tax and transportation funding bill, Caltrans is going on a road repair blitz and plans to hire some 1,100 new employees to speed up construction across the state. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) (Photo by MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images) OAKLAND, Calif. - California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday released Caltrans' new 10-point plan to improve the streets of Oakland. Part of the plan focuses on specific sites for cleanup, beautification and restoration. This includes clearing garbage, graffiti abatement, signage repair, and landscaping. "These improvements will further assist the city in cleaning up neighborhoods, enriching public spaces by removing litter and debris, and improving safety on our streets," the governor's office official X account (formerly Twitter) posted on Friday. Speaking directly, Newsom said, "Oakland is a beautiful city and we must ensure its neighborhoods are clean and safe." The 10-point plan includes scheduled clean-up of specific homeless encampments that are linked to Caltrans District 4 sites in Oakland. You can read more about the full 10-point plan here. Last fall, the governor announced $300 million would go to local jurisdictions as well as Caltrans to remove camps on state property. Those living in those encampments would be offered assistance in finding other places to live. The plan points to six locations along Highways 24, 77, 580, 880 and 980, where homeless encampments occur frequently. There has been back and forth on whether California cities can legally clear homeless encampments without offering adequate shelter options to those impacted by the clearing of the encampment. California is announcing a new 10-point action plan to improve Oakland's streets. These improvements will further assist the city in cleaning up neighborhoods, enriching public spaces by removing litter and debris, and improving safety on our streets. pic.twitter.com/d80a0EzYLi California Governor (@CAgovernor) March 1, 2024 The news release says Caltrans will coordinate with city staff on shelter efforts. Caltrans will re-initiate discussion with the City of Oakland for available spaces on Caltrans right-of-way. That means, in addition to the clearing of encampments, you could expect tree-planting opportunities and volunteer cleanup coordination in some of these right-of-way locations. "Oak leaves will be painted on structures adjacent to I-880 to aesthetically enhance walls visible to the public," the news release read. The litter blitz will occur along major corridors; Highways 880, 580, and 24. Some of this maintenance will require shoulder closures. Any ramp closures will be scheduled during the daytime or early hours of the weekend for four to five hours at a time. The plan includes a lighting project along International Boulevard to improve safety. Caltrans and the governor's office will work with city officials to further support California Highway Patrol and the Oakland Police Department by installing security cameras. The new plan also includes local hiring events, and community outreach. Supporters of Nikki Haley gathered at a Charlotte rally on Friday, expressing hope that her campaign for the Republican presidential nomination can finally notch a win and that she can find a way to stay relevant even if she cant defeat former President Donald Trump. Haleys rally was held at Suffolk Punchs Norfolk Hall in SouthEnd, her first of two events in North Carolina over the weekend ahead of the states Tuesday primary. Numerous states across the country will hold their primaries or caucuses on Super Tuesday, making it a pivotal day for Haleys campaign. Shes yet to get a win in the Republican nominating process, losing in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina and Michigan. Republican primary polls continue to show Trump well ahead of Haley. Nikki Haley works the line of supporters following her speech during a rally at Norfolk Hall at Suffolk Punch in SouthEnd on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Charlotte, NC. JEFF SINER/jsiner@charlotteobserver.com The former president leads the former South Carolina governor 73.8% to 20.2% in North Carolina in FiveThirtyEights latest average. In national polls, Trump leads Haley 76.8% to 15%, according to FiveThirtyEight. Haley told reporters Friday morning she didnt have an answer for you on whats next for her campaign after Super Tuesday, ABC News reported. My approach has always been, as long as were competitive, Haley said. Super Tuesday were going to try to be competitive. I hope we go forward. But this is all about how competitive we can be. At Fridays rally, the candidate reiterated her belief that she is the only Republican candidate left standing with a chance to beat President Joe Biden in November. She cites polling data that shows her running ahead of the Democratic incumbent and Trumps ongoing legal problems. We dont anoint kings in America, we have elections, she said. ... Dont complain about what happens in a general election if you dont vote in this primary. Haleys campaign has also highlighted their fundraising success, announcing they raised $12 million in February after bringing in a campaign-best $16.5 million in January Some in Fridays crowd acknowledged that despite her upbeat tone, its an uphill climb for Haley to win in North Carolina and beyond. Still, they said theyre prepared to vote for her in the primary and are open to finding other ways to support her as the campaign progresses. Anti-Trump, independent voters consider Haley Nikki Haley, center, smiles at supporters as she shakes hands and signs autographs at Norfolk Hall at Suffolk Punch in SouthEnd following her speech on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Charlotte, NC. JEFF SINER/jsiner@charlotteobserver.com Laura Schwenk, of Huntersville, said she was drawn to come see Haley speak after seeing her performance in Republican primary debates and because of her husbands support for the candidate. I feel like shes the only one who kind of held her ground with everything, she said. Schwenk said that as a swing voter, shes considering voting for Haley in Tuesdays primary. Her husband, Binit Patel, noted that he and Haley have similar roots as theyre both Indian-American and grew up in rural South Carolina. Patel said he thinks a younger, woman president would be good change for the country. I think shes done well for herself, and I think shed be a good leader, he said. I think we need a change. Hes decided hell vote for Haley Tuesday, Patel said. Andrew Vayfard, of Waxhaw, said he likes Haley in part because he despises Trump. We need a change, and I like her views, he said, adding that he plans to vote for Haley in the primary but is unsure whether she can win North Carolina. Its going to be close, he predicted. Would Haley voters back a third party or independent bid? Nikki Haley waves to supporters as she walks onto the stage at Norfolk Hall at Suffolk Punch in SouthEnd on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Charlotte, NC. JEFF SINER/jsiner@charlotteobserver.com Theres been increased speculation in recent days that Haley could run with the No Labels party, a self-described centrist group thats considering launching a unity presidential ticket, after one of the groups leaders cited her as a possible nominee. Were looking for great quality people, folks that have broad appeal to independents, Democrats, Republicans. And, yeah, I mean, Nikki Haley is somebody wed definitely be interested in, former Democratic South Carolina Congressman and No Labels national director Joe Cunningham said in an interview on Fox and Friends Sunday. But Haley pushed back on that notion on a call with reporters Friday, saying shes had no contact with the group and couldnt agree to having a Democratic running mate, NBC News reported. Ive always believed if you do something, do it right or dont do it, she said. And so I dont think I can do it right. If I ran for No Labels, that would mean its about me. Its not about me. Its about the direction I think the country should go. Former Charlotte Mayor and North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, whos been involved with No Labels, told the Charlotte Observer Friday it would be inappropriate to not give (Haley) a chance to win the Republican nomination. I know her well, and she ought to be given every opportunity to follow through on the process that shes been working on a long time. So Im going to respect her ability to do that. She has every right to do that, he said. Patel said he thinks it would be interesting if Haley mounted an independent or third party bid. I dont want to see her give up the fight. I think that shes got a lot of good traction, he said. She has a voice that needs to be heard. Schwenk said that as an independent, she could see Haley gaining ground with voters like her who are frustrated with both the Republican and Democratic parties. I think that could go well for her, she said. Vayfard said hed definitely support Haley if she ran as an independent or third party candidate. But when asked if he thinks she could win in November that way, he gave a one-word answer: No. Trying again is important John Diehl of Cornelius, NC stands along the railing waiting for the Nikki Haley rally to begin at Norfolk Hall at Suffolk Punch in SouthEnd on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Charlotte, NC. JEFF SINER/jsiner@charlotteobserver.com Regardless of whether Haley stays in the 2024 race or not, Maddison Saliba of Cary wont be old enough to vote for her. But that didnt stop the teen and her father, Matthew Saliba, from traveling to Charlottes event for what they called a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Draped in an American flag dress, the younger Saliba said shes seen coverage of other Haley events on television and really likes what Nikki Haley has been doing. I like the energy. I like her foreign policy. I like her can-do spirit, she said. If Haley doesnt win in the North Carolina primary and beyond, Saliba said shed still like to see her involved in making policies that help America move forward, especially on issues of immigration and public safety. And if Haley were to run again in a future election when Saliba was old enough to vote, the teen said shed have her support. I think trying again is important, she said. Haley in Raleigh At her rally in downtown Raleigh on Saturday, she gave her pitch to Republican voters about how she is a better candidate than Trump to defeat Biden in the fall. She also criticized the media for asking why shes still in the race. Why does she keep fighting? Why does she keep doing this? I think Im pretty much proven Im not trying to be vice president. And if this was about my political career, trust me, I would have been out a long time ago, Haley said during her speech at Union Station. The reason Im doing this is because of my kids. Its because of your kids and our grandkids, right? Haley said to enthusiastic applause from the crowd. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a rally at Union Station in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, March 2, 2024. Ethan Hyman/ehyman@newsobserver.com College student Margaret Hope Scott, a Haley supporter passing out signs and other items as people came in, was at not just her first Haley event, but her first time volunteering for any political event. The direction that she would like to head with this country, Im a huge fan of it. I think its definitely something we need, especially as a younger generation, shes really got the embodiment of the American values back where it needs to be, said Scott, who lives in Clayton. Scott said she applauds Haley for staying in the race, even though Trump has won primary elections in other states. I think its really inspiring, everything that she does, Scott said about Haley. She told reporters after the Raleigh event that shes going to keep going. Were running through the tape. Thats whats happening. ... Anywhere and everywhere. We leave here, were headed to Boston, and were headed to Vermont, and were headed to Maine. Were gonna keep going, and were gonna keep pushing, Haley said on Saturday. Want more coverage of Charlotte-area government and politics? Subscribe here for free to the Observers weekly CLT Politics newsletter and never miss a story Welsh hospitals need thousands of extra nurses, says the Royal College of Nursing for Wales A deal to recruit 250 nurses and doctors from India will not be enough to fill staff shortages, a nursing union boss said. Welsh health minister Eluned Morgan has signed an agreement with the Keralan government, aiming to close the vacancy gap and cut costs. Last year's NHS figures showed there were nearly 4,300 vacancies - 2,300 in nursing, midwifery and health visiting. But the Royal College of Nursing said nearly 3,000 nurses are now needed. Helen Whyley, director of the Royal College of Nursing in Wales, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast: "Whilst we absolutely welcome them to be here, we also know this is not the solution to the gap. "We would say it's closer to nearly 3,000 vacancies for registered nurses. So, clearly, 250 are not going to close that gap. "We have seen investment into undergraduate education programmes, and we welcome that, but even that doesn't come up to the level that health boards say they need." She added retention of staff was also a huge issue in Wales. "If we have trained x number, we absolutely need to keep them. What I hear from members all the time is the offer is just not good enough to keep them nursing in Wales," she said. "I think that's a shame because Wales is a fantastic place to work. We've got a huge amount of nursing innovation that is happening, but we do need more investment into that retention issue to keep our staff here and to make it the absolute place of choice in the UK. "When you qualify as a nurse, you should be saying 'I want to go and work in Wales'." Nurses from Swansea Bay University Health Board recruited at an event in India Health boards in Wales currently already recruit staff from abroad to fill staff shortages. Swansea health board recently announced a plan to recruit 900 nurses from Kerala. Speaking to Radio Wales from Kerala, after signing the deal, Wales' health minister Eluned Morgan said the new agreement would cut the costs of finding workers through agencies. "What's different here is it's a direct government relationship and we're cutting out the agencies that are usually the middle men between the recruitment of the nurses themselves and governments in the United Kingdom," she said. "We're doing this on a once-for-Wales basis, so rather than having seven different health boards coming over here to recruit independently, we're doing it on behalf of all of the health boards in Wales. "So in future, Swansea health board won't need to come out here independently, we'll have done that for them." 'We are losing staff' But RCN boss Ms Whyley said more action needed to be taken by the Welsh government to fill the thousands of nursing vacancies. "I absolutely think that they could do more... I think they could be cleverer with the money that's already in the system," she said. "Pay is a huge issue. When you can work in a local supermarket for only a couple of pounds an hour less than you're getting paid to do a safety critical role such as nursing after having studied at degree level, then it is no wonder why we are losing staff." She added that workers brought from India would also need a clear career trajectory, as better pay was available in countries such as the United States. "We need to make sure that we're investing in them so they make a career and are promoted to become charge nurses and ward sisters and senior nurses and executive directors of nursing," she said. "Our track record so far on our international nurses for that is not so good. "Without that career progression, they will move on to pastures new." It is usually uneventful when a single insider buys stock. However, When quite a few insiders buy shares, as it happened in Tribeca Resources Corporation's (CVE:TRBC) case, it's fantastic news for shareholders. While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. See our latest analysis for Tribeca Resources Tribeca Resources Insider Transactions Over The Last Year The insider Bjorn Saven made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for CA$478k worth of shares at a price of CA$0.34 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being CA$0.21). 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. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels. In the last twelve months Tribeca Resources 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. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! Tribeca Resources is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Insider Ownership Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Tribeca Resources insiders own 50% of the company, currently worth about CA$7.2m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders. Story continues So What Does This Data Suggest About Tribeca Resources Insiders? The fact that there have been no Tribeca Resources insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. It would be great to see more insider buying, but overall it seems like Tribeca Resources insiders are reasonably well aligned (owning significant chunk of the company's shares) and optimistic for the future. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. To that end, you should learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with Tribeca Resources (including 1 which doesn't sit too well with us). If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Friday nights rain didnt stop Nikki Haley supporters from stopping by South End to listen to their first choice for president. Haley made her final case for their votes at Norfolk Hall ahead of North Carolinas March 5 primary during her cross-country blitz to Super Tuesday. The Republican presidential hopeful and former South Carolina governor made three campaign stops in York and Lancaster counties but this was her first in Charlotte proper. What is Super Tuesday? Why it matters and what to watch For many supporters, this was their first time hearing Haley in person. Youre in for a treat, said York County Republican Congressman Ralph Norman. Haley discussed several ways she wants to save America including how she would fix the economy. One of her methods is by attacking COVID loan fraud. The first thing we do is we claw back the $100 billion of unspent COVID dollars that are still sitting out there, she said. Instead of 87,000 IRS agents going after middle America, we go after the hundreds of billions of dollars of COVID fraud. One out of every $7 was spent fraudulently. If 8 percent of our budget is interest, quit borrowing. Cut up the credit cards, she continued. You have to balance the budget every day. I had to balance the budget as governor. Why is Congress the only group that refuses to balance the budget? Well, stop the spending. Well stop the borrowing, well eliminate the pet projects, and I will veto any spending bill that doesnt take us back to pre-COVID levels, that will save us trillions. Haley also encouraged Congress to tackle the border security bill despite direction from former president Donald Trump to hold off until after the election. The good part about that border bill was it strengthened asylum laws. We have to strengthen the asylum laws because 3 million illegal immigrants came in under the Trump watch because our asylum laws werent strong enough, she said. The weak part of that bill, it didnt have remain in Mexico and we need to have that. We cant wait one more day to pass a strong border bill Congress needs to get in a room and figure it out, and Trump needs to stay out of it, period. Among of the South End crowd was 16-year-old Eion Mullins, who drove from Virginia to hear Haley speak on a birthday trip. He says if he were old enough to vote, she would get it. Most of it is because she is younger, and she was a phenomenal governor, Mullins said. And at the UN she faced dictators and was strong. And thats hard to do. And I feel like we need that. Lawmakers could change how North Carolina schools are graded Rob Almqusit says he only lives about 20 minutes the venue, so he made sure to attend the rally. He says right now Haley is the best candidate America has. I early voted and its not looking good, but its not over till its over, Almquist said. So Im hoping Super Tuesday, you know, defies the polls and makes a big difference. But well see. Haley ended her speech saying the primaries are important because this is where voters are really heard. She plans to make at least six more stops across the country before polls open in North Carolina and 14 other states for Super Tuesday. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Nikki Haley on Friday received endorsements from two of the GOPs most moderate senators in Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. Collins, who previously voted to convict then-President Trump in his impeachment trial in which he was acquitted, revealed Friday that she voted for Haley in Maines primary this week, calling her "extremely well-qualified." "She has the energy, intellect, and temperament that we need to lead our country in these very tumultuous times," she said, according to the Bangor Daily News. On Friday, Murkowski also threw her support behind the former South Carolina governor, saying she was "proud" to endorse her. HALEY SLAMS TRUMP FOR SENATE LOSSES, CALLS OUT GOP LAWMAKERS FOR COURTING HIM Nikki Haley has insisted on staying in the GOP presidential race. Collins and Murkowski are the only senators to endorse Haley as the rest of the party has coalesced behind Trump, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, from Haleys home state. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "We need a president who sees Americans as one American family, and thats why I came to the very warm state of New Hampshire to endorse the next president of the United States, President Donald Trump," Scott said in January. Sens. Susan Collins, left, and Lisa Murkowski have both endorsed Nikki Haley. Haley has yet to win a primary or caucus, having most recently lost South Carolina 39% to Trumps 59%. DC PRIMARY REPRESENTS HALEY'S BEST CHANCE YET TO BEAT TRUMP Still, the 52-year-old has refused to drop out of the race, insisting Republicans need another option besides Trump. Nikki Haley has lost every state so far to former President Trump. She also claimed last week that Trump would not be able to beat President Biden in the general election. "Donald Trump will not win the general election. You can have him win any primary you want, he will not win a general election," she told CNN last Friday. "We will have a female President of the United States: It will either be me or it will be Kamala Harris. But if Donald Trump is the nominee, you can mark my words, he will not win a general election." Original article source: Nikki Haley gains endorsements from moderate GOP senators amid uphill primary battle WASHINGTON Nikki Haley appears to want to have it both ways in the Republican primary: Shes running as the voice of Republicans looking for an alternative to former President Donald Trump but she doesnt want to be labeled an anti-Trump Republican. In a roundtable discussion with reporters in Washington on Friday, Haley said she was running to help the Republican Party move past Trump and expand its appeal to Americans tired of the nations angry and divisive politics. But after a series of losses to Trump, she cast herself as a happy warrior and stressed that her bid was about policy and solutions, not the man she once served under as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Everybody pretty much assumes that this is an anti-Trump movement, and it is actually not, she said, describing herself as not anti-Trump but pro-America. This is a movement where people want to be heard. The Washington event, held in the board room of a hotel in Georgetown, was part of a national campaign swing that has included stops in Michigan and Super Tuesday states across the country before that delegate-rich primary day March 5. Following her streak of losses, including in South Carolina, her home state, Haley has been ramping up her attacks on Trump and his transformation of the Republican Party. In the wide-ranging conversation Friday, Haley continued her sharp critiques of Trump and President Joe Biden, calling them two old guys running for president a recurring attack and describing their dual visits to the border Thursday as mere photo ops a jab she made earlier this week. But in a newer twist, she blasted Trump for his record of holding vendettas and his clutch on the party, suggesting that his obsession with retribution and loyalty had made the Republican Party about one man. When Donald Trump said anybody who supports me is barred permanently from MAGA, she said, that is saying, if youre not with me, youre against me. Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, said her run for president had made her understand why so many people have left both parties. But she rejected the notion of running on a third-party presidential ticket with the centrist group No Labels, saying she did not see the group aligning with her priorities. I know that they have sent, like, smoke signals that they want me to talk to them, but Im a Republican, she said, adding that she would reject a ticket that would require a Democratic vice-presidential candidate. I cant do what I want to do as president with a Democrat vice president. (Nancy Jacobson, the No Labels CEO, has told donors privately that the group will pick a Republican to lead its ticket and a Democrat as the vice-presidential candidate.) Haley said her campaign has recently outraised Trumps, revealing that she and her joint fundraising committees had pulled in $12 million in February. But asked if she would stay in the race through the convention, in mid-July, or continue the fight with Trump should she end her bid, Haley said she was focused only on Super Tuesday. I am not thinking as far as yall, she said. c.2024 The New York Times Company Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a rally at the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. If theres one thing Utahns can agree on, its that America needs a new direction. Everywhere you look, were heading deeper into chaos. Too many students dont know how to read or do basic math. Too many families cant afford groceries, much less a first home. Our southern border is utterly lawless. We have murders in our cities, fentanyl on our streets and children being killed by stray bullets. Theres war in Europe and the Middle East. It threatens to spread further and draw America in. In this time of crisis, theres another thing we can agree on: America cant afford a rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Theyre incapable of solving the problems we face, and we all know why. Theyre dividing the country instead of uniting us. One calls his fellow Americans vermin. The other calls his fellow Americans fascists. Theyre stoking fights instead of inspiring Americans to unite in the fight for a better future. If we hope to reach that future, we must move beyond the failed candidates and ideas of the past. Biden has turned the country upside down and brought the world to the brink of war. His weakness has cost the lives of American soldiers first in Afghanistan and now in Syria. Meanwhile, Trump is insulting our military heroes and veterans and has invited Russia to invade our allies. We need a president who restores the strength that leads to peace, not one who encourages war. For that matter, we need a president who unleashes the strongest economy on Earth. Biden is crippling our economy with corporate welfare and out-of-control spending, while Trump added more national debt in four years than any president ever. Now he wants a 10% tax hike on every American. Families dont need even higher taxes and prices. We need real relief, and we need it now. A stunning 70% of Americans dont want neither Trump nor Biden to be president. We know what theyll do. But we also realize who they are. Most Americans know that Trump and Biden are too old. They stumble over words and forget world leaders. Thats not who you want in the Oval Office when Russia launches a nuclear weapon at our satellites or China shuts down our electricity grid. The presidency is the most demanding job in human history. You dont give it to someone whos at risk of dementia. You give it to someone whos disciplined who can work day and night for eight years straight. You give it to someone whos fighting for America, not themselves. Im running for president to save America. Both Trump and Biden want me to drop out, but I will stay the course until Utah voters have the chance to make their choice in the primary election on March 5th. I ask that you put your trust in me. I will keep up the fight until Americans speak. Ive always been a fighter, as governor of South Carolina and as Americas Ambassador to the United Nations. And Im married to a fighter who reminds me every day about the urgent need to defend America. My husband, Michael, is a major in the South Carolina Army National Guard. Hes currently deployed in the Horn of Africa. Its the same region where Irans terrorist proxies are launching missiles at American troops. He and his brothers-and-sisters-in-arms are serving and sacrificing for the sake of our country. We honor them by choosing a new direction for America. Utah can make that choice on March 5. And I will keep fighting to restore an America thats strong, proud and united in purpose. Nikki Haley is running for president. She served as Governor of South Carolina and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. With days to go before its previously announced mid-March deadline of finalizing plans for a third party presidential ticket, No Labels still doesnt have a candidate or a clear plan even as it looks to take swings at President Joe Biden that its own officials acknowledge are more potent than accurate. And major potential recruits are still holding out: a person familiar with the conversations told CNN that No Labels officials have talked with advisers to Chris Christie, but that the former New Jersey governor has declined to meet with them himself. The groups officials now say that they have no set date and still deliberately have provided no explanation for how they will make a decision. And several prospective candidates and members who have heard the groups pitch told CNN they have been left skeptical about the mechanics actually translating to a workable campaign. No Labels officials who have repeatedly said they dont want to become a spoiler that would result in Donald Trump going back to the White House have urged prospective candidates and others to prioritize accusing Biden of having politically toxic positions he does not actually hold. They are hoping to spread those accusations more widely next week, ahead of Bidens annual State of the Union to Congress. In a private presentation the group has circulated among members and prospective candidates are two claims that No Labels officials say would be damaging to Biden, even as they acknowledge the claims arent true: that he is for open borders and that he is captive to a far left that wants to abandon Israel and is sympathetic to Hamas. Those claims, alongside accusing Biden of overseeing a ballooning national debt, are the best way to appeal to voters, No Labels suggests in slides from their presentation obtained by CNN. One official who verified that the slides were accurate after audibly sighing in frustration as each was described said these claims were meant as some themes that Biden should be considering before the State of the Union. These are ideas that I would imagine any No Labels unity ticket would be embracing, the No Labels official added. Were putting that out there. Another official agreed that these are exactly the issues a unity ticket should run on, arguing that the cumulative effect of Bidens policies has been effectively open borders, and that even though Biden is adamant about not abandoning Israel, the voters they have polled believe that a large part of a dominant faction of the Democratic base now does support pulling away from Israel. The point, the second official explained to CNN, is to capitalize on how they believe voters view Biden and Trump, which is drawn in part on polling No Labels has conducted periodically since last year by presenting these false positions as options. The plan was for former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, a Democrat, to write a more polished version of these arguments in an op-ed to publish before Bidens speech. Earlier this week, No Labels announced a $750,000 ad campaign urging Congress to back the bipartisan immigration and border bill. Biden went to the border on Thursday to reiterate his support for the bill and again called on Trump to join him in backing the legislation, instead of convincing Republicans to scuttle for his own political gain. A CNN poll in February showed immigration to be a huge political liability for Biden, with just 30% approving of the job he is doing on the issue and 79% including majorities of both Democrats and Republicans saying the situation at the border is a crisis. An early January poll from CBS showed that 63% wanted Biden to be tougher at the border. Biden has also faced protests over his handling of Israels war with Hamas. More than 100,000 people voting uncommitted in Tuesdays Michigan primary following an effort by Arab American activists to send a message about seeking a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. That same CNN poll showed Biden with an overall 41% approval rating for his handling of Ukraine, which includes his push for more aid and support, and a 34% approval rating of his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas, which has been centered on steadfast public support of Israel while ratcheting up condemnation of the military action in Gaza, and negotiating toward another pause in fighting in exchange for the release of more Israeli hostages. Republicans were about twice as likely as Democrats 40% to 19% to say that America is doing too little to help Israel, while Democrats were about twice as likely as Republicans 41% to 21% to say that America is doing little to help Ukraine. The national debt has increased during Bidens presidency, but not at nearly the rate it increased under Trumps. The claims in the No Labels presentation about Trump, meanwhile, are largely accurate: one slide says he will be for militarized mass deportations and detention camps. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon said in a Thursday podcast, Mass deportations are going to start, if you dont like that, then dont vote for President Trump. Others around the former president made similar comments. The presentation contrasts the positions of the far left to those of the far right, which it says wants to abandon Ukraine and is sympathetic to Vladimir Putin. Trump opposes extending aid to Ukraine and has said that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to European nations that do not spend enough of their budgets on defense. No Labels argues, Our divisions at home are strengthening out adversaries like Russia, China and Iran abroad. Pushback to No Labels steps up as candidate chase continues The No Labels effort has had Biden-supporting Democrats on edge since last year, and more of that will break into the open next week ahead of the groups virtual convention. In details shared first with CNN, MoveOn, in partnership with the American Federation of Teachers, the Service Employees International Union and the liberal group Way to Lead, is launching a new website and ad campaign to undercut No Labels, focused in North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin. With a focus on young voters, the ads, which will appear on streaming services, will start by saying No Labels is helping Trump. Once a ticket is picked, the ads will shift to attacking the candidates directly, with early versions on several of the expected options already prepared. The effort from the left-leaning groups is unquestionably on turning Democrats against the effort, with the website set to call No Labels a dark money group with funding from MAGA donors and that voting for the ticket would be a trap to help reelect Trump, according to a preview of the design obtained by CNN. Voters deserve to know who is behind their dangerous thought experiment, said MoveOn Political Action Executive Director Rahna Epting. MoveOn and our members refuse to stand idly by as No Labels attempts to create chaos and enable a would-be dictator in Donald Trump who threatens our core values. With days before decision deadline, No Labels process still in the air Another slide in No Labels presentation summarizes the polling the group has conducted itself as giving Trump a very large advantage in a two-way race over Biden, but that the results would be almost evenly split if the No Labels ticket had a Republican as the presidential candidate and a Democrat as the vice presidential candidate. Most public polls show Trump and Biden locked in a close race nationally. That Republican-Democrat ticket configuration, the second official said, is also being urged on members who are deciding whether to move forward with a campaign. How No Labels is making that and other decisions about its presidential plans remains deliberately shrouded in mystery. The group is taking a two-step approach: first, 800 delegates will vote in a virtual convention on March 8 whether to go forward with fielding a ticket or if they opt against that move because they are worried that the ticket wont work or that it might prove a spoiler that would help Trump win. The second No Labels official said that those 800 delegates were chosen from among active members of the group and others who had been recommended, but declined to explain the criteria used other than to say each person chosen had been through multiple screening conversations with staff. If those delegates vote to go forward with a campaign, there will be another process to decide who would be on the ticket they will offer their ballot line to. The No Labels official said that the process of choosing between candidates is still being worked out, as is who will have a say in the process and when exactly the process would conclude. While several board members and senior staff members from No Labels in January told CNN that they were aiming to have a ticket by mid-March, this official now said there was no set date yet. No Labels officials have continued reaching out and making presentations to several prospective candidates, even as top prospects like West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan have distanced themselves from the effort. Christie, the former New Jersey governor, has suggested he is slightly more open to No Labels than he had been while running for the GOP nomination, and that a Republican as the presidential candidate might hurt rather than boost Trump. Still, he said on CNN, If anybody is going to pursue that, theyd have to be convinced that there was a path to 270 electoral votes. Also getting the pitch: former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, also a Republican. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trumps last remaining Republican primary challenger, said she will not take No Labels calls, but some involved hope that may change if she does not have a more successful Super Tuesday than in her string of losses to Trump so far. A No Labels official declined comment on specific candidates the group is in touch with. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Bering Sea is seen from space on May 15, 2002, in this satellite image captured by NASA's SeaWiFS Project. Varying shades of green indicate the presence of plankton blooms. (Image provided by NASA) The Bering Sea is seen from space on May 15, 2002, in this satellite image captured by NASA's SeaWiFS Project. Varying shades of green indicate the presence of plankton blooms. Bottom trawling is banned in the northern part of the Bering Sea, but federal scientists have developed a plan to test the effects of the fishing practice there. That plan will not be carried out this summer, however. (Image provided by NASA) A controversial bottom-trawling experiment that a federal agency has designed for the Northern Bering Sea will not be conducted this year, a decision that was welcomed by tribal and environmental groups poised to sue to block the project. The project, called the Northern Bering Sea Effects of Trawling Study, or NETS, has been envisioned as an experiment to examine impacts of commercial bottom trawling in an area of the Bering Sea where it is currently banned. Bottom trawling is a method of fish harvesting that uses nets to sweep the seafloor. While it is prohibited in the Northern Bering Sea, the shift in fish populations caused by climate change may build pressure for bottom trawling there in the future, according to the study plan. The study has been designed as a multiyear project to start as early as this August. It was to be conducted by the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Fisheries Service, also known as the National Marine Fisheries Service. News of the decision came in an emailed letter from Janet Coit, director of NOAA Fisheries, to tribal organizations that had expressed opposition to the project. To provide more space for continued dialogue, NOAA Fisheries has decided not to move forward with the NETS research project this year. We value our responsibilities to and partnerships with Alaska Native communities and want to ensure NOAA is creating space for respectful dialogue and trust building, Coit said in her letter, sent Feb. 23. We are eager to further engage with you on that prospective project, and more broadly, to discuss the research plans NOAA has to improve understanding of the impacts of climate change, fishing practices, and other activities on our ocean ecosystems, she said. The proposed study, which is designed to test the effects of commercial-grade trawl gear in selected spots, is different from the normal Bering Sea trawl surveys that NOAA Fisheries conducts. Those surveys use non-commercial gear and equipment to assess fish stocks and environmental conditions, including water temperatures. Information gained through those surveys, which are usually conducted annually, is used by managers setting annual harvest quotas. Janet Coit, director of NOAA Fisheries, speaks at the Sept. 23, 2023, Belugas Count! celebration held at Anchorage's Kincaid Park. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Janet Coit, director of NOAA Fisheries, speaks at the Sept. 23, 2023, Belugas Count! celebration held at Anchorages Kincaid Park. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Tribal organizations and the Center for Biological Diversity on Feb. 8 filed a notice of intent to sue both NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stop the bottom-trawl experiment, alleging violations of federal environmental law, including the Endangered Species Act. Under that act, parties must submit a notice of intent at least 60 days before any lawsuit may be filed. The Feb. 8 notice cited potential damages to ringed and bearded seals and spectacled eiders, all species listed as threatened. The decision announced by Coit is a reprieve, but the notice of intent to sue remains in place, said Cooper Freeman, Alaska representative for the Center for Biological Diversity. The project isnt canceled. Theyve only decided to cancel this summer, he said. We certainly dont see this as over at all, but its a big win for the moment. A leader of one of the three tribal governments that filed the notice of intent to sue characterized the decision to forgo experimental bottom trawling this summer as only a partial victory. The Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area is already protected from commercial bottom-trawling, but clearly (its) pristine state needs continued and strengthened protections, and while we are relieved that NETS is not continuing this year, the response from NOAA does not comfort us. Rather, we feel its more important than ever for NOAA and AFSC to rapidly make steps forward with regards to co-production of research in the Bering Sea, John Melovidov, president of the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, said in a statement. The Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area, an initiative of regional tribal organizations, is a protected zone designated in 2016 through an executive order issued by President Barack Obama. President Donald Trump later abolished the designation, but President Joe Biden resurrected it through an Inauguration Day executive order. Independently of the now-postponed Northern Bering Sea bottom-trawling experiment, NOAA Fisheries has embarked on a program to modernize its regular surveys. Those regular surveys are based on designs that date back to the 1950s, Bob Foy, science and research director of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, told the North Pacific Fishery Management Council at its meeting earlier this month in Seattle. Modernization is needed for several reasons, including rapid climate change that has shifted fish populations, advances in technology and a demand for new types of data that were not previously gathered, he said in his presentation to the council. That modernization project is expected to be carried out over a few years, he said. The post NOAA postpones controversial bottom trawling experiment in Alaskas Northern Bering Sea appeared first on Alaska Beacon. Boat firms say they are fearing for their future because high water levels are making a historic bridge almost impassable. They say only the smallest vessels can now get under Potter Heigham bridge on The Broads in Norfolk. Hire firms are having to weigh their vessels down so they can safely pass under the medieval crossing. The water level has also left some boatyards near the bridge flooded and unusable. Potter Heigham bridge on the River Thurne is not easy to navigate even when the water is at its average level and many hirers use boat pilots to take their craft safely under the stonework. Since October, there has hardly been any clearance between the roofs of boats and the bridge, and many larger craft have been unable to get through. Ian Curtis, of Martham Boats, which has been trading for 77 years about a mile from the bridge, said: "We've had problems since before Storm Babet in October. "That half-term we had to swap people over on boats on either side of the bridge. This is starting to affect people's livelihoods." Brothers Peter and Robin Richardson, who run Phoenix Fleet, have been unable to work for months due to the flooding, which has left their car park and yard swamped. Robin Richardson said: "No one is denying there has been heavy rain but in all our lives we have never seen anything like this." "A lot of people are worried sick," he added. Nippy Chippy, the fish and chip shop next to Potter bridge, has endured frequent floods this year and fears it may have to close in the next six months if the situation does not improve. Manager Liam Chipperfield said: "We just don't see an end. We're barely keeping open at the moment. If this continues throughout the summer we won't be open come the winter." Some businesses have called for more dredging to lower the river bed, but the Environment Agency (EA) does not believe that is the solution. A spokesperson for the EA said: "While dredging may seem a conventional approach, our decision not to pursue it is based on our current understanding of the river's dynamics and ensuring that our interventions are focussed on long-term efficacy over short-lived fixes." Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830 A freight train derailed into a river in eastern Pennsylvania Saturday morning, days after it was revealed that the train companys CEO received a significant pay raise last year. The company, Norfolk Southern, was also behind the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that caused lasting environmental damage. Saturdays derailment took place in Lower Saucon Township, population 11,000. Local police shut off the road leading to the site, where the train plunged into the Lehigh River, but the county government reported no evacuations, no injuries, and no leaks from any containers. Some of the train cars were marked as carrying hazardous chemicals but were found to be empty, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure told local news station WMTZ. He added that there was no danger to the general public at this time." Norfolk Southern said in a statement that there was no threat to the public, no hazardous material concerns from the railcars, and no reports of injuries to our crew members. Our crews and contractors will remain on-scene over the coming days to cleanup, and we appreciate the publics patience while they work as quickly, thoroughly, and as safely as possible, the company said, adding that it would investigate this incident to understand how it happened and prevent others like it. The derailment followed reports that Norfolk Southern CEO Alan H. Shaw received a 37 percent pay raise last year, the same year as the derailment in East Palestine that forced the evacuation of much of the small town. The CEO received $13.4 million in salary and stock options in 2023, up from $9.8 million in 2022, part of which could be attributable to 2023 being Shaws first full year as president. The companys net income fell 44 percent that year. The evacuation orders in East Palestine were lifted last year, and the EPA says the air and water are safe, but several dozen residents have yet to return to their homes for fear of the toxic chemicals that were released in the accident, according to the Associated Press. Others have reported respiratory problems, rashes or headaches. Norfolk Southern says it has given more than $100 million to restoring the community to date. The way theyll trust is you make promises and you keep promises, Shaw told the AP. And thats exactly what weve done over the past year. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Days before Super Tuesday, presidential candidate Nikki Haley made her case in Raleigh on Saturday about why shes the best Republican primary candidate for America to be normal again and why her opponent, former President Donald Trump, will mean that Republicans lose to Democratic President Joe Biden in the general election this fall. Before a crowded Union Hall at Union Station in downtown Raleigh, Haley said Trump spends most of his time on a rant about being a victim and at no point is he talking about the American people. She told supporters that all Trump talks about his himself, ignoring what American people need and want. She took aim at Trump on the U.S.-Mexico border, him wanting to put his daughter-in-law Lara Trump in RNC leadership, saying Trump wants to make the RNC his legal slush fund. Trump faces a slew of criminal charges for his failed attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump was also in North Carolina on Saturday for a rally in Greensboro and leads in primary elections so far. Haley is the last candidate standing against him in the primary. Haley told reporters after her event Saturday that she was super excited to get the endorsements of Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins. They are two strong, very courageous women who really do want to see what I want to see, which is getting our country to move in a great direction, Haley said. She said her candidacy is not an anti-Trump movement, this is a pro-American movement, and that Trump is why Republicans keep losing. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a rally at Union Station in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, March 2, 2024. Normal again for America Theres a lot of us that want normal again. But we have to go and do something about it, Haley said, encouraging people to vote in the North Carolina primary on March 5. After her speech ended, she took photos and signed posters with hundreds of supporters at Union Station. Haley also talked about a variety of policy issues, including wanting tax cuts for the middle class and spreading the blame for the cost of living not just to Biden, but also to Trump. You look at whats happening, no one is talking about the debt. No ones talking about how tough things are out there. You feel it your paycheck doesnt go as far, your grocery bill is a whole lot higher. So are your utility bills. And I would love to tell you that Joe Biden did that job. And he sent us down this roller coaster of socialism, thats dangerous. But I have always spoken in hard truths. And Im going to do that with you today. Donald Trump and Republicans did that to us, too, she told the crowd. Haley criticized Trump for not wanting to solve the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. She talked about what she liked and didnt like about Congress bill addressing the border. What bothers me is, what normally should have happened was Congress would have gotten in a room and debated until they strengthened it to get it out. But instead what happens, Donald Trump told Congress not to do anything until after the general election because it would hurt him. We cant wait one more day to pass a strong border bill, Haley said. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a rally at Union Station in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, March 2, 2024. Haleys pitch for new generational leader Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, is 52, and would be the nations first president from Generation X. The last younger president, Barack Obama, was 47 when he first took office. Biden is 81 and Trump is 77. Dont you think we need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75? Now I want to be clear. Im not being disrespectful when I say that. We all know people over 75 that can run circles around us. And then we know Joe Biden. Congress has become the most privileged nursing home in the country, she said. She asked North Carolina primary voters to pick her on Tuesday. Now is the time. We need a new generational leader that can put in eight years, day and night, fixing the things we need to fix with no negativity, no drama, no vendettas just real results for the American people, Haley said. She also made her pitch to the next generation. If you look at the younger generation, look at what theyve been through, Haley said. They went through COVID, which was traumatic. Then they go and they see this $34 trillion in (national) debt they know theyre gonna end up being responsible for. They worry about getting a job. They worry about making ends meet. They dont know that theyre ever going to be able to afford a home, and they feel these wars around the world, and all of that is under this umbrella of America thats full of anger and division. And then we want to know why theres so much stress, anxiety and depression? Our kids deserve to know what normal feels like, she said. College student Margaret Hope Scott was at not just her first Haley event, but her first time volunteering for any political event. Scott was passing out Haley merchandise as people came into the building. The direction that (Haley) would like to head with this country, Im a huge fan of it. I think its definitely something we need, especially as a younger generation, shes really got the embodiment of the American values back where it needs to be, Scott said. Scott said she applauds Haley for staying in the race, even though Trump has won primary elections in other states. I think its really inspiring, everything that she does, Scott said about Haley. Haley is what we need Haley supporter Tina Rivenbark of Wilmington was volunteering for the third time for the Haley campaign, she said, including two events in Wilmington. I think shes smart. I think she makes sense. I think she is graceful, intelligent and strong, Rivenbark said about why she supports Haley. And I think thats what we need. I dont think we need to just burn every conversation down every time something comes up, she said. Haley said that right now the people of North Carolina have a decision to make. Do you want more of the same, or do you want to go in a new direction? After her rally, Haley told reporters that the biggest concern is people who dont like Trump will just sit out voting in the general election, leading to a Biden win. She said her supporters want to be part of something positive. They want to be a part of something good. GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) North Carolinas Super Tuesday ballot has plenty to draw voters, with primaries for governor and president in a swing state that will be among the most closely watched in November. But first, voters must deal with a long list of new laws pushed by Republican lawmakers to make sure they can cast their ballots and that they will be counted. This will be the first statewide election requiring voters to provide a photo ID to vote in person due to a 2018 law that had been delayed by lawsuits. A separate law added a requirement that voters who cast their ballot by mail include a copy of their photo ID in the envelope. Yet another change approved last year says any mailed ballot received after Tuesday wont be counted, eliminating the previous three-day grace period for ballots postmarked by the day of the election. All this has landed on local election officials, who must not only work the new rules into their election preparations but also educate voters on how to navigate them. If you dont know if youve got the right kind of ID, just bring everything you got, said Charlie Collicutt, elections director in Guilford County, home to some 377,000 registered voters. Dump your purse out and were going to find if one of your IDs works. And if it doesnt, we got a process for you. His advice to voters: Be persistent and dont let the new rules deter you from casting a ballot. The changes in North Carolina were among the most extensive state voting reforms passed last year and continue a trend among Republican state legislatures, many of which have passed laws since 2021 adding new voting restrictions. The laws were pushed through after former President Donald Trump began falsely claiming that widespread fraud cost him reelection, claims that have resonated with many Republicans. Democrats in North Carolina and elsewhere have criticized many of the new laws as attacks on voting rights that often target minority and low-income voters. North Carolinas changes in 2023 were pushed through without any Democratic support by Republican lawmakers who hold a super-majority in the legislature. They overrode a veto by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, whose final term ends this year. They want chaos to continue to try and cover up the fact that Trump tried to steal this election, Cooper said in an interview. They are trying to change the laws in order to gain significant advantage by restricting peoples voting rights. Mail voting has been a major focus of Republican legislatures over the past few years. They have moved up deadlines to request mail ballots, added ID requirements and limited third-party ballot collection. Some states also have banned or limited the use of ballot drop boxes. In another state voting Tuesday, Texas, legal challenges have not stopped sweeping changes made in 2021 from taking effect. During the states 2022 primary, about 13% of mail ballots were rejected as voters struggled to navigate new rules. One of the new laws in North Carolina that has drawn significant concerns, a planned overhaul of who picks state and county election board members, is on hold pending a legal challenge. Republican legislators have said the changes respond to what their constituents believe are problems in recent elections. While Republicans performed well in 2020 in the state, GOP leaders were unhappy with legal actions involving the state board that extended the deadline for receiving mail ballots, a change made amid worries about mail delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new changes contain commonsense reforms that restore faith in our elections, GOP Sens. Paul Newton and Warren Daniel, the 2023 bills chief sponsors, said in a statement when lawmakers voted to override the governors vetoes. Voters can go to the polls knowing that elections are being conducted in a fair, nonpartisan manner. While no major problems have been reported statewide ahead of the final day of voting Tuesday, critics of the changes have warned that many voters could be in danger of not having their ballots counted. More than 12,000 ballots out of the 5.5 million counted for the November 2020 election in North Carolina were received in the three days after the general election and were counted, according to state data. Republicans argue that everyones voting deadline should be the same and that people will get used to the earlier absentee ballot deadline. In North Carolina, weve had an election system that has been tried and true, said state Rep. Allen Buansi, a Democrat from Chapel Hill. When youre making those kinds of changes for our election systems without even the consent or negotiation of a minority party much less the people of the state who vote youre causing just tremendous damage to our election systems. For election officials, the focus has been on educating voters as they enter a presidential election year that is expected to generate high interest. Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, said the agency launched an advertising campaign for the new ID requirements that includes an informational webpage and a mailer that was sent to 4.9 million households ahead of the primary. Another mailer is planned before the November election. With this primary, we are going to learn a lot about how far-reaching our message has been helping voters to understand that we do have photo ID in place, and we will continue that messaging into the fall, Brinson Bell told reporters last month. Data from last Novembers municipal elections, the first time the new voter ID bill was in use, showed that of the 614,000 ballots cast, fewer than 600 provisional ballots were submitted by people who didnt have a qualifying ID at the polls. Just over half of those ended up being counted. Voting rights groups, however, released a report after the municipal elections that found voters lacking qualifying IDs were treated differently depending on the county and sometimes failed to receive an exception form. The State Board of Elections approved rule changes in February to help address those concerns. The new photo ID requirement for mail ballots means more materials to produce, increased postage costs and more work for local election officials. Olivia McCall, the elections director for Wake County, which has about 823,000 registered voters, said her staff was trying to ensure that casting a ballot remains seamless. Our goal is for people to be able to vote, have a smooth voting experience and come out saying, Hey, this was an easy process, she said. Jeronica Dickerson took advantage of early voting recently at a voting center in Raleigh, the state capital, and said she had no problems with the new voter ID requirement. She thought it was odd that she didnt have to show her ID in previous elections. Were from South Carolina. When we initially moved here and we went to vote, we pulled out our ID because it was habit for us. And they were like, Oh, no, you dont need that, she said. So with this happening now, I didnt feel weird showing my photo ID. But she also said she can understand voters who arent used to the new law and might get frustrated if they dont have the right kind of ID. In the run-up to Tuesdays primary, voting advocacy groups across the state have been trying to help voters understand all the new rules. Common Cause North Carolina has created a 12-page booklet outlining the changes made since 2020, including how voters can file challenges if turned away. Jennifer Rubin, president of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina, said her group has spent significant time explaining the law so voters dont get frustrated and decide to stay home. Were trying to walk the line between informing and not confusing, she said. But its a fine line between these changes and people just saying, Oh my God, it sounds confusing. Im just not going to vote. ___ Robertson reported from Raleigh, North Carolina, and Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press coverage of race and voting receives support from the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation. See more about APs democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. When a single insider purchases stock, it is typically not a major deal. However, when multiple insiders purchase stock, like in The Weir Group PLC's (LON:WEIR) instance, it's good 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. See our latest analysis for Weir Group Weir Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Independent Chairman Barbara Jeremiah bought UK45k worth of shares at a price of UK18.09 per share. That implies that an insider found the current price of UK18.52 per share to be enticing. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. We do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. The good news for Weir Group share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price. Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 4.52k shares worth UK81k. On the other hand they divested 1.96k shares, for UK35k. Overall, Weir Group insiders were net buyers during the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Insider Ownership Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Insiders own 0.2% of Weir Group shares, worth about UK11m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders. Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At Weir Group Tell Us? The fact that there have been no Weir Group insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders do have a stake in Weir Group and their transactions don't cause us concern. 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. You'd be interested to know, that we found 1 warning sign for Weir Group and we suggest you have a look. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. North Korea has suspended the supply of ammunition to the Russian Federation by sea, likely due to production issues in the DPRK or logistical problems. Source: South Korea-based news platform NK Pro Details: Vessels carrying weapons have not appeared in ports over the past few weeks. NK Pro said four vessels, namely Angara, Maia-1, Maria and Lady R, had transported ammunition to Russia, making at least 32 trips. The last time the Maia-1 entered North Korea's Rason Port was on 12 February, and the Lady R on 4 February. During this time, no containers were recorded as being delivered to the export pier. NK Pro noted that containers delivered by the Maia-1 and Lady R in early February have remained in the port for the past few weeks. This indicates that they may be empty or that there may be no urgent need to deliver them to their destinations in North Korea. All of these vessels are subject to sanctions by the US Department of the Treasury for their alleged involvement in transporting military equipment and ammunition from North Korea to Russia. Satellite images from 12 February show no large cargo ships near the two docks in Rason, where weapons are usually loaded. Satellite images also indicate that containers from North Korea's internal regions have not been transported to the Rason port by rail. Perhaps the operation was suspended due to production issues in North Korea or other logistical difficulties. It is also possible that weapons are being transferred to Russia by air or rail across the shared border. NK Pro noted that the ships involved in the joint operation between North Korea and Russia did not activate their automatic identification system during all departures to avoid detection. Support UP or become our patron! When North Port city commissioners discuss the future of Warm Mineral Springs Park Tuesday, they will consider options on the restoration of the three historic buildings that were in disrepair before being damaged by Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022. NORTH PORT North Port leaders will discuss the future of Warm Mineral Springs Park Tuesday, as recent reports suggest there are options to preserve all or some of the popular facility's three historic buildings damaged by Hurricane Ian 17 months ago. Architectural and engineering reports submitted in a Feb. 28 memo from Sweet Sparkman Architecture & Interiors indicate that all three historical buildings believed to be designed by Jack West of the Sarasota School of Architecture can ultimately be restored. The city created its local historical register specifically so the three structures at 12200 San Servando Ave. could be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. They were awarded that status in 2019. Ultimately though, city commissioners will have to decide whether a historically faithful restoration is worth the cost. The last formal bid, received on June 6, 2022, came in at $17.6 million. Since then, the sales and spa buildings and cyclorama sustained heavy damage when Hurricane Ian made landfall on Sept. 28, 2022. Warm Mineral Springs Park located in North Port has an average temperature of 85 degrees. The three structures built for the Florida Quadricentennial are all on the 21.6-acre Warm Mineral Springs historical site. The commission will also discuss more options for the 61.4-acres of parkland surrounding attraction since the city and Warm Mineral Springs Development Group recently ended plans for a public-private partnership. As part of that partnership, WMS Development Group would have renovated the three structures and operated the springs. It would also have built a hotel, residences and other amenities on the surrounding parkland. For the three year period of 2020-22, the park pulled in a net profit of more than $2 million but in the 2022-23 fiscal year, which included the impact of Hurricane Ian and subsequent closure it lost $208,138, taking in $644,087 compared with $852,115 in expenses. This portion of Warm Mineral Springs Parks is part of the 61.4 acres that the city wanted to see developed as part of a public-private partnership. The future of this land once envisioned as a park has sparked considerable comment from people who do not want to see it targeted for any commercial development. In the first three months of the 2023-24 fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, the park has brought in $447,501 vs. $290,163 in expenses. The commission meets at 10 a.m. March 5 in chambers at City Hall, 4970 City Hall Blvd. What to do with the historic buildings? Hurricane Ian left the sales and spa buildings in poor condition and the cyclorama in fair-to-poor condition, according to a report by Snell Engineering Consultants. Combined, all three structures represent 13,775 square feet of covered area 3,370 square feet for the sales building; 6,055 for the spa building and 4,350 for the cyclorama. The original renovation plan, developed by Sweet Sparkman and Kimley-Horn, included gutting the structures to their historic bones, with significant structural repairs, replacement of all windows, as well as mechanical electrical and plumbing systems, and installation of a fire sprinkler system, according to the memo from John W. Bryant, vice president at Sweet Sparkman. This photo, which is part of a report submitted to the North Port City Commission, shows roof, soffit and fascia damage caused by Hurricane Ian on the cyclorama at Warm Mineral Springs. All three buildings were constructed using ceramic-faced structural clay tiles. Those tiles are not readily available and would likely need to be produced by a specialty clay tile company from custom-made molds. Also, at that time, the structures were not in what the Federal Emergency Management Administration considers a high-risk flood zone. As of March 27, 2024, they will be in a FEMA high-risk flood zone. Hurricane Ian left a flood water line measured at 14-to-16 inches above the finished floors. That flood water also likely caused further deterioration in exposed structural steel columns, many of which were being kept in the original renovation plan, Bryant wrote. The flood damage may result in more of those needing replaced. These photos, which are part of a report submitted to the North Port City Commission, show damage to custom clay tiles on one of the three historic buildings at Warm Mineral Springs, as well as deterioration of interior steel beams, after Hurricane Ian. The buildings could be renovated at their current flood elevation, Bryant wrote, but in that case he suggested upgrades, including removable flood barriers at all doors; elevating all mechanical equipment 24-inches above grade; elevating all electrical outlets 24-inches above the finished floor; and having no permeable surface or drywall within 24-inches of the finished floor. All of those suggestions would increase the overall cost. What are the options? Option 1, a complete historic renovation, could cost between $800 and $950 per square foot. The structures would not need to be elevated because of a historic building code exemption. With that in mind, Bryant cited a potential construction cost between $11 million and $13.1 million. That does not include design fees and site construction costs, as well as extending water and sewer to the three buildings, which was part of the original Phase One bid that came in at $17.6 million. Option 2 is a partial historic renovation of the complex, with only one of the three buildings historically restored. The Cyclorama one of three in the U.S. and roughly 30 around the world is the most likely candidate in that scenario. Bryant noted that more research must be done to see if raising the other two buildings jeopardizes the historic designation of the third building and the historic building code exemption. While Bryant pegged the cost of historic renovation in the $800 to $950 per square foot range, he figured the cost of new construction at $650 to $800 per square foot. That placed the potential historical renovation cost for the cyclorama between $3.5 million and $4.1 million, excluding the design and site construction costs. Option 3 would be to raze all three structures and replace them with new facilities at a cost of $650 to $800 per square foot. When North Port city commissioners discuss the future of Warm Mineral Springs Park Tuesday, they will discuss options on the restoration of the three historic buildings that were mostly in disrepair prior to the impact of Hurricane ian on Sept. 28, 2022. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Future of 3 historic buildings at Warm Mineral Springs to be weighed Joe Biden twice confused the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, in his latest on-camera gaffe. Speaking on Friday before a meeting with Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, Mr Biden referred to the need to get additional food and supplies into Ukraine and seek to continue to open up other avenues into Ukraine. The president said the food and supplies would be transported with the help of Jordan, an ally in the Middle East, and that the US hoped to establish a marine corridor to deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance. A White House transcript of his remarks released on Friday evening corrected his words to refer to Gaza, not Ukraine. The supplies Mr Biden mentioned will be airdropped into the territory in the coming days. Mr Biden has attracted public criticism for his tendency to misspeak in public. President Biden says they will be completing air drops of 'food and supplies into Ukraine', and the US is seeking to open up 'other avenues in Ukraine'. Mr Biden meant to say Gazahttps://t.co/GD1gLkuJSj pic.twitter.com/zvx5phNx5p Sky News (@SkyNews) March 1, 2024 Last month, a report by federal special prosecutor Robert Hur ruled that Mr Biden should not stand trial for improperly storing classified documents because a jury would find him to be a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. The report claimed that in interviews with Mr Hur and his team, he could not recall the dates he had served as vice president to Barack Obama, and could not remember when his son had died. Mr Biden hit back, declaring that my memory is fine, and that he had refused to answer questions about his son because he thought it was an inappropriate subject for Mr Hur to discuss. How in the hell dare he raise that? he said. Kamala Harris, the vice president, later said the report was politically motivated. Concerns about his age and mental acuity have filtered through to voters, with 86 per cent of Americans reporting in a recent poll that Mr Biden, 81, is too old to serve a second term in the White House. A smaller majority also said that Mr Trump, 76, was too old to serve again as president. Although in public Mr Biden has approached the subject of his age with humour, his aides are understood to be frustrated with a growing media narrative that he is senile. Arthur Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times, said recently that White House media advisers were extremely upset about the papers coverage of Mr Bidens age. We are going to continue to report fully and fairly, not just on Donald Trump but also on President Joe Biden, he said. Earlier this week, the official White House doctor said Mr Biden was a healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male. The tests he took did not include a cognitive exam. 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 65-year-old ex-con has been arrested for bashing a stranger with a pipe inside a Queens train station where a Brazilian tourist had been attacked two days earlier, police said Saturday. Ricky Wilson was apprehended in Fresh Meadow, Queens, for the Feb. 17 attack inside the Queens Plaza E, M and R train station on Feb. 15. Wilson got into an argument with a 31-year-old man in the Long Island City station just before 1 a.m., cops said. As the argument escalated, Wilson allegedly bashed his victim in the head several times with the pipe, then ran off, cops said. Medics took the victim to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell in stable condition with cuts to his head, cops said. Surveillance images of Wilson were shared with the media a day after the attack. Cops tracked Wilson down on Monday and charged him with assault and weapons possession. A judge ordered him held on bail of $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond during a brief arraignment hearing Tuesday. Wilson lives in a hotel converted into a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, cops said. In 1980 Wilson was sentenced to five years in prison following a robbery conviction in Queens, according to court documents. He was released in 1985. The suspect who slashed a 29-year-old Brazilian tourist in the Queens Plaza station on Feb. 15 remained at large on Saturday. Without saying a word, the stranger lunged forward with a knife and slashed the left side of the victims neck before running out of the station. Medics took the victim to Elmhurst Hospital where he was treated and released. The back-to-back attacks come as the NYPD tackles a 13% jump in crime in the citys subway system, including an 11% increase in assaults. As of Sunday, NYPD transit cops have investigated 86 assaults in the citys subways compared to 77 by this time last year. There have also been three homicides in the first two months of the year on the citys rails compared to zero by this point last year. The NYPD has added another 1,000 cops to the citys transit system in light of the uptick in violence, officials announced earlier this week. Anyone with information regarding the Feb. 15 attacker is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. The New York Times has reported on "poor Ukrainian defenses" west of Avdiivka. Source: NYT, referring to satellite images, US officials and military experts Details: In an article headlined Surprisingly Weak Ukrainian Defenses Help Russian Advance, the newspaper notes that the rapid advance of Russian troops near Avdiivka is partly due to a lack of ammunition for Ukraine's Defence Forces due to the decrease in Western aid, but another reason is the weakness of Ukrainian defences. Based on satellite imagery from Planet Labs, the newspaper reports that "Sparse, rudimentary trench lines populate the area west of Avdiivka that Ukraine is trying to defend" that "lack many of the additional fortifications that could help slow Russian tanks and help defend major roads and important terrain." Quote: "US officials said privately that it was concerning that Ukraine did not shore up its defensive lines early or well enough, and that it may now face the consequences as Russian units advance slowly but steadily beyond Avdiivka." More details: The newspaper notes that the Ukrainian command has had enough time to prepare defences in this area. "But the Ukrainian defences outside Avdiivka show rudimentary earthen fortifications, often with a connecting trench for infantry troops to reach firing positions closest to the enemy, but little else," the newspaper says. Instead, the report notes that Russian fortifications near Verbove, a village in Ukraine's south, which Ukraine tried to regain this autumn, "show a much different picture". "Unlike the poorly fortified villages that Russian forces are trying to capture outside Avdiivka, Verbove has a concentric ring of fortifications. It starts with a trench wide enough to ensnare advancing tanks and armoured vehicles, followed by a mesh of cement obstacles known as dragons teeth also used to stop vehicles and, finally, a sprawling trench for the infantry. Satellite imagery from February shows the multilayered Russian defences to the west of Verbove, with thousands of shell craters visible in the surrounding fields," the NYT writes. According to the NYT, there are many possible reasons for the apparent lack of defence in Ukraine. "Ukrainian officials may have been too focused on offensive operations last year to dedicate the necessary resources to building the kind of multiple trenches and tank traps that Russian engineers built since late 2022 in the countrys south, the US officials and military experts said," the newspaper says. According to US officials, a psychological element might have influenced the situation as well. If Ukrainian troops intensively mine certain areas to impede the advance of Russian troops, it will be a tacit admission that they are unlikely to conduct offensive operations in the same area in the future, the newspaper reports. The NYT adds that while Moscow began building defensive lines in the south more than six months before Kyiv's counteroffensive, Ukraine appears to have started planning new fortifications only three months ago. During a visit to the frontline in late November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that areas in eastern Donetsk Oblast, where Avdiivka is, "will receive maximum attention," noting the "need to boost and accelerate the construction of structures". But Pasi Paroinen, an analyst at the Black Bird Group, which analyses satellite imagery and social media content from the battlefield, said "nothing significant has happened" since Zelenskyy's visit. According to the analyst, outside Avdiivka, "there are new positions being prepared, but they do not yet constitute a particularly formidable defensive line" and are not comparable in scale to Russian fortifications in Ukraine's south. As the NYT notes, delays in the construction of fortifications mean that Ukrainian troops are likely having to reinforce their defences under Russian fire, making this task much more difficult. Background: Support UP or become our patron! (KRON) The search for a new chief of police in Oakland has taken a step forward. The Oakland Police Commission has submitted a list of four finalists to the mayor for her consideration. Oakland deli burglarized, partially set on fire Friday morning KRON4 reached out to Mayor Sheng Thaos office for public comment: Mayor Thao has received recommendations from the Oakland Police Commission and will conduct her due diligence in reviewing the candidates. The Mayor can select from the finalists or ask the Police Commission to provide her with a new list of candidates. This is an important decision, and Mayor Thao will take the time that is necessary to select the person that will lead the Oakland Police Department. Finding the right leader for the police department is a priority and Mayor Thao intends to conduct this process in a timely manner. Mayor Sheng Thao On Tuesday night, the police commission released a list of four possible candidates to be the new chief. More information on the candidates can be found here. While the statement from the commission did not list the candidates by name, it is confirmed they are the same four candidates that were invited to take part in Thursdays community forum. The mayor will now review the choices and conduct her own interviews of the four. At that point, she can pick one to be police chief, or she can reject them all and ask the police commission to come up with another list of finalists. Oakland has been without a permanent police chief for a little over a year. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. (KRON) The Oakland Zoo has a veterinary care program for sick, injured, and orphaned wild mountain lions. You can now watch them at any time on the Oakland Zoos live CubCam. On Nov. 14, 2023, two young mountain lion sisters, estimated between 6-10 weeks old, were found wandering near Burlingame after their mother had been hit and killed by a vehicle nearby, the Oakland Zoo stated. The orphaned cubs were picked up by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and brought to Oakland Zoos veterinary hospital for rehabilitation. Baby tiger found with 10 bone fractures rescued by Oakland Zoo The cubs were given full examinations and got treated for parasites and viruses. The following day, the mountain lion rescue team named the sisters Maple and Willow. Oakland Zoos veterinary team gives rescued animals services such as immediate care, ongoing treatment, and providing shelter in their intensive care units. According to the zoo, the mountain lion rescue program has rescued over 20 mountain lions since 2017. Cubs can stay anywhere from several hours to several months, but the goal of the program is to eventually release these mountain lions back into the wild. Sadly, a majority of rescued cubs are so young, that without their mothers to teach them essential skills, they wouldnt survive in the wild. In those cases, CDFW chooses forever homes at reputable organizations or sanctuaries, the mountain lion rescue team stated. In February, Oakland Zoo expanded its program to include a head start space. When healthy enough, the head start space allows rescued cubs to interact and socialize with their resident adult mountain lions. These interactions build social skills, help cubs adjust to non-hospital settings, and provide an easier transition to their future homes, giving them experience with animal neighbors, human visitors, and other factors, the rescue program stated. Maple and Willow can be seen on the CubCam at any time between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., but the zoo recommends best viewing in the 10 a.m. hour after they had their breakfast and have new toys to play with. The Oakland Zoo will continue housing Maple and Willow until the California Department of Fish and Wildlife finds the pair a suitable furrever home. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. McConnell leaves a Republican luncheon Wednesday, after announcing that he will step down as Senate Republican leader in November. via Associated Press This article is part of HuffPosts biweekly politics newsletter. Click here to subscribe. In the days since Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would step down from his role leading Senate Republicans, evaluationsofhistenurehave often deployed a word McConnell loves to use to describe himself: institutionalist. I love the Senate, McConnell said Wednesday during a speech on the Senate floor. It has been my life. There may be more distinguished members of this body throughout our history, but I doubt there were any with any more admiration for the Senate. To describe McConnell as an institutionalist, however, is to give him an incredibly short shrift. No single man has done more to shape modern American politics, and the modern Senate, than McConnell. He helped create the era of big-money politics; shaped the Supreme Courts archconservative majority; and ratcheted up Senate obstruction to new levels. All of those came together to define his relationship with former President Donald Trump, the man who would ultimately take over the GOP McConnell built. McConnells disdain for Trump and for the business moguls isolationist and protectionist policies has been obvious at times, but he continued to justify working with him to achieve broader conservative goals, even as Trump brought American democracy to the brink. He rarely backed up his tough talk about opposing Trump with hard actions, and is now stepping aside as Trump is poised to seize control of the GOP yet again. McConnells defenders have long portrayed him as holding up the grandest traditions of the upper chamber. But even his longstanding opposition to weakening the filibuster could not stand once it got in the way of an otherwise attainable bit of political power. Money: Campaign finance and McConnell vs. FEC McConnell and his legal team speak to the press after arguments before the Supreme Court in McConnell vs. FEC. Douglas Graham via Getty Images Well before McConnell was a household name, his name was on a 2003 lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission seeking to overturn the McCain-Feingold reform law, which put restrictions on campaign financing. He had led multiple filibusters against it before its final passage. McConnells opposition to the campaign finance reform law flowed from his work raising money for the Republican Party in the 1990s. As momentum built towards reform following the 1996 presidential campaign, McConnell promised, That will not happen. But the reform bill did pass in 2002, and was reluctantly signed by President George W. Bush. The Supreme Court ultimately upheld most of the law. But dissents from the conservative justices laid the groundwork for Citizens United vs. FEC. That case and others led to the super PAC era in American politics, in which donors can give infinite sums sometimes even anonymously to PACs that support their chosen candidate. McConnell does not deserve sole credit here. Democrats, eager to gain fundraising advantages, also contributed: The California Democratic Party, for instance, also sued to overturn parts of McCain-Feingold. But Americans for Tax Reform head Grover Norquist credited McConnell for essentially waging a solo battle against campaign finance reform in the 1990s and 2000s. Mitch McConnell changed the direction of the world, the conservative political activistwrote on social media. He stopped the destruction of the Republican Party by opposing, delaying and weakening and ultimately defeating the drive for campaign finance reform that would have left union bosses as the sole power in America. That battle, along with McConnells ownprowess at raising campaign money, helped solidify his support among his GOP colleagues as he sought to lead the caucus. Obstruction: McConnell in the drivers seat McConnell talks to reporters outside of the West Wing in 2010. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images McConnell became the GOPs Senate leader in 2006, but most Americans first saw his impact in 2009, when Obama entered the presidency amid lofty rhetoric about bipartisanship. McConnell ensured thatrhetoric would not become reality. He made the GOPs main strategy one of obstruction, pressuring Republican senators not to break off and support Obama administration policies even if somewould later go on to support bipartisan deals on immigration and gun control during Obamas second term. The use of the filibuster a procedural hurdle requiring bills to receive 60 votes instead of 50 to pass went from a tactic to an expectation. He put it bluntly in an interview in October 2010: The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president. His obstructionist goals culminated in 2016, when he refused to meet with or consider Obamas nomination of then-D.C. Court of Appeals Judge Merrick Garland to serve on the Supreme Court (more on this later). Once Trump became president, however, the reputation McConnell had earned as a master tactician faltered. His long-hyped, long-awaited attempt to repeal Obamacare went down with the late Sen. John McCains thumbs-down no vote in July 2017. Can you believe that Mitch McConnell, who has screamed Repeal & Replace for 7 years, couldnt get it done. Must Repeal & Replace ObamaCare! Trump tweeted. But Trump and McConnells efforts to stop Democrats expansion of health insurance had permanently failed. Republicanssuccessfully passed tax cuts favoring corporations and the wealthy the GOP equivalent of low-hanging fruit later in 2017, but that was the last of their legislative accomplishments. The Courts: Destroying Senate norms to confirm judges Demonstrators protest against Judge Neil Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill April 6, 2017 in Washington, D.C. Aaron P. Bernstein via Getty Images Arguably, McConnells most lasting legacy is how he reshaped the nations courts and blew up Senate norms to put as many conservatives into lifetime federal judgeships as possible. He will forever be remembered for denying a Supreme Court seat to President Barack Obama. In February 2016, barely an hour after Justice Antonin Scalia had died, McConnell made the unprecedented announcement that he would block any Obama nominee to fill the vacancy, saying voters should first choose the next president in November and allow the winner to appoint the next justice. Trump won in November, and when Democrats filibustered his appointment of Neil Gorsuch, McConnell used the Senates rarely invoked nuclear option and eliminated the filibuster an institution he had longdefended for Supreme Court nominees. Thanks entirely to that change, Republicans were able to confirm Gorsuch. Three years later, when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died in September 2020, McConnell ignored his own precedent and raced to fill the vacancy with Amy Coney Barrett just weeks before Joe Biden was elected. McConnell delivered both of those vacancies to Trump, who reliably filled them, along with a 2018 vacancy, with conservative picks. Without McConnell, Trump would have filled justone seat, and todays Supreme Court wouldnt have its current 6-3 conservative supermajority responsible for the courts most stunning decisions in recent years, including the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Asked Wednesday to name McConnells greatest accomplishment, Senate Republicans said the same thing again and again: his hand in reshaping the Supreme Court. Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told HuffPost. For sure. McConnell is also how Trump was able to put more than 230 people into lifetime federal court seats, a massive number of judges to confirm in a single presidential term. McConnell made judicial confirmations his top priority as Senate majority leader, and he worked closely with Trumps White House and the Federalist Society to keep the pipeline of district and appeals court nominees flowing. Virtually all were male, white right-wing ideologues. By the end of Trumps term, he had filled almost every vacancy on a U.S. appeals court. Nearly one in every three U.S. appeals court judges was a Trump pick by the end of 2020. Mitchs tenure has had many legacies, but no legacy is more consequential than the nomination and confirmation of hundreds of principled constitutionalists to the federal judiciary, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Judiciary Committee who has butted heads with McConnell, told HuffPost Wednesday. That is a lasting benefit to the American people, for which Im deeply grateful. Opposing Trump, But Never Enough Trump and McConnell embrace during one of the relationships peaks: the passage of a large tax cut in 2017. Their relationships valleys would be much, much lower. via Associated Press McConnell had to do business with Trump to win the courts. The relationship between the two Republican leaders was always rocky. Trump ran in the 2016 GOP primaries as a hard-right insurgent against the party elite, including McConnell. His victory forced longtime party leaders to find common ground where they could. For McConnell, thatmeant blunting Trumps populist and anti-internationalist instincts while getting what hecould out of him. Trump appointed McConnells wife, Elaine Chao, to be his Transportation Secretary, a conciliatory move following Trumps election-year attacks on the Senate leader. McConnell, meanwhile, covered for Trumps most inflammatory conduct, brushing off the continued operation of his business as it received millions from foreign governments and claiming ignorance of Trumps bizarre tweets. After their legislative ups and downs, the relationship between the two Republicans became increasingly frosty, until it ultimately fractured with Trumps 2020 re-election loss to Biden. When Trump lied and claimed that he had won, McConnell humored him, stating that Trump was 100% within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options. Then came the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. As Trump directed a mob of supporters to march on the Capitol as electoral votes were being counted, McConnell and the rest of Congress were forced to flee from the violent assault. In a speech from the floor of the Senate after the insurrectionists were cleared, a furious McConnell said that the Senate would not bow to lawlessness or intimidation from thugs, mobs or threats. The next day, McConnell reportedly told journalist Jonathan Martin that he was exhilarated by the fact that Trump had finally, totally discredited himself. He put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger, McConnell told Martin, according to his book, This Will Not Pass. But Trump had not discredited himself not in the eyes of his followers, nor in the eyes of the conservative media that relies on those followers to profit. All Trump had done was to load the metaphorical gun and leave it for McConnell to pull the trigger. McConnell refused. Trumps second impeachment trial in the Senate, this time for incitement of insurrection, would be the first impeachment of a president whod already left office. This bit of unprecedented procedure gave McConnell an excuse to let Trump slide. Seven Republicans joined the entire Democratic Party caucus to vote to convict Trump 10 votes short of the total needed for conviction. McConnell was not among them. There is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day, McConnell said afterwards. The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president. But McConnell claimed that a post-office impeachment was unconstitutional. This proved highly consequential: Had Trump been convicted, the Senate could have banned him from seeking office in the future, preventing him from running for president again. And then Trump announced he would run again in 2024. His third presidential campaign would focus on valorizing the insurrection he inspired on Jan. 6 and getting revenge on all his enemies real or imagined, Democrat or Republican. And yet McConnell is in talks to endorse Trump, whom he has labeled as despicable and practically and morally responsible for Jan. 6. McConnells relationship with Trump, in all its ups and downs, shows what lies at the heart of the soon-to-be-departing Republican leaders career: Personal humiliations, policy losses and threats to the constitutional order were all part of the price he paidfor Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. That deal, however, looks better for Trump. On the same day McConnell announced his forthcoming retirement as leader, the Supreme Court said it would hear arguments on April 22 on Trumps absurd claim of absolute immunity from prosecution for his actions surrounding Jan. 6. The decision to take up the case for arguments could fatally delay Trumps prosecution, helping him win re-election, whereby he could become immune from prosecution or even pardon himself. Related... A mourning period has been declared throughout Odesa Oblast on 3 March for the casualties of the Russian attack on the night of 1-2 March. Source: Oleh Kiper, Head of Odesa Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote from Kiper: "A day of mourning has been declared tomorrow in Odesa and the oblast in connection with human losses due to a Russian drone attack." Details: Kiper said that a search and rescue operation is ongoing. Three fatalities have been reported so far. Support UP or become our patron! SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Two men are facing charges after officers found more than 11 pounds of fentanyl pills, guns and large amounts of cash in a Magna residence. Jorge Perez-Ceballos, 30, was arrested Thursday on two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. Olma Suazo-Barelo, 24, was also arrested Thursday on one felony count of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, the Utah County Major Crimes Unit said. Utah Medicaid continues to work with pharmacies amidst vendor network interruption According to booking affidavits, the Major Crimes Unit served a narcotics search warrant to an address in Magna. When officers arrived, Perez-Ceballos fled through a bedroom window. When detectives found him, he fled on foot before being apprehended, the affidavit states. While the Major Crimes Unit was serving the warrant, Suazo-Barelo arrived at the home. He was searched and was found to be in possession of a handgun, fentanyl pills, and large quantities of cash, the affidavit states. Inside the residence, which Suazo-Barelo admitted to be his, detectives found an assault rifle, approximately 50,000 fentanyl pills, and nearly $20,000 in cash which officers believe to be proceeds of drug sales in Perez-Ceballos possession. Additionally, a search warrant was served at Perez-Ceballos known residence in West Valley City, where detectives located an additional $23,000 in cash. Both Perez-Ceballos and Suazo-Barelo were both booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on the previously mentioned charges. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Ford Motor Co. is requiring its dealerships to complete training of shop technicians by April 1, including a newly required course on supplemental restraints that includes air bags, or risk not getting paid by the automaker for certain repairs. In a letter emailed Friday by Ford regional zone service managers, dealers were reminded of the deadline and told that only 46% of Ford repair technicians have completed all the training required to perform "field service actions." "The proper completion of FSA repairs can impact the safety and satisfaction of Ford and Lincoln customers," the letter to dealers states. "To help ensure that FSA repairs are being completed correctly, any technician completing an FSA repair is required to be certified ..." Field service actions include recalls and customer satisfaction programs, which are repairs Ford deems important that fall short of formal recalls, company spokeswoman Jessica Enoch said. The emailed letter, obtained by the Detroit Free Press, reminded approximately 3,000 Ford dealers in the U.S. that technicians must complete five required training modules in service, steering and suspension, brake system fundamentals, high voltage systems safety and a newly added program on supplemental restraints, which includes air bags and seat belt pretensioners. The letter, dated Jan. 29, was also emailed early last month. It references key concerns about the integrity of Ford's repair process and warns of the rapidly approaching deadline. Ford's reinspection of 270,000 vehicles A Detroit Free Press investigation published Feb. 25 revealed that Ford is in the thick of two programs to check whether dangerous air bags were replaced correctly. In one instance, it is reinspecting 41,600 vehicles whose air bag recall work was done by what a Ford spokesman termed "rogue" technicians found to have not completed some repairs despite submitting claims to Ford. The company also has recalled nearly 232,000 Ranger pickups in which replacement air bags may have been installed incorrectly and "may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury," Ford wrote to federal regulators. In that instance, Ford told the Free Press, technicians failed to follow instructions properly. Story continues In either case, occupants of vehicles with flawed repairs are in danger. The company says it is about 11% done with those reinspections, and is finding problems in about 1.5% of the vehicles in both categories. That error rate across both programs would mean about 4,000 vehicles whose owners think they are fixed have defective air bag repairs. Ford told its dealers that certification requirements "will be enforced" starting with repair orders opened on or after April 1. The letter explicitly warns that submitting work done by noncertified technicians under codes registered to certified technicians is a "false practice." If found guilty of such activity, punishment may include terminating a dealership franchise. This is a photo from the training course for technician certification to do a field service action, specifically supplemental restraints that include air bags and seat belts. The Free Press investigation, launched by a whistleblower filing obtained by the newspaper, verified that Ford fined dealerships whose technicians submitted false claims for reimbursement which were paid. The investigation also exposed a rift between Ford and its dealers and service technicians, and that was reflected in reactions to the letter. The whistleblower reacts Ford notes in the letter that claims will not be rejected until April 1, indicating the potential that some noncertified technicians have been doing work for which they're not fully trained. On Friday, the whistleblower responded to the Ford letter. Federal whistleblowers have legal protections against retaliation, but the Free Press is not naming the whistleblower because of the person's need to protect their relationship with Ford. "I came forward because I was deeply concerned about systemic repair fraud," the whistleblower told the Free Press on Friday. "Once, there was an ecosystem of nothing but integrity every process pushed optimal integrity then Ford opened Pandoras box by lowering standards. It used to be Ford demanded strict compliance, and all repairs had to be proven they were performed by a certified competent technician." Things changed in 2019, when the Dearborn automaker was overwhelmed by Takata repairs and overall warranty and recall repairs, the whistleblower complaint alleges. Prior to 2019, if a technician wasnt certified, Ford wouldnt pay for the repair, the whistleblower said. Then Ford encouraged the use of noncertified technicians, the complaint said. Ford has acknowledged that federal regulators at the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration strongly encouraged "creative" steps to address the backlog of air bag repairs, but is adamant that it never changed its technician standards for recall work. The letter to dealers This embedded content is not available in your region. "They wanted NHTSA off their back and it came at a cost," the whistleblower said. "The Ford fraud audit that dealers performed was a self-audit, so thats just a tip of the iceberg. Well never be able to reconcile how many air bag repairs were dispatched to noncertified and unqualified techs. This letter shows Ford is aware its been a problem. April 1 just means they're not going to pay anymore. They know some dealers, in order to get claims paid, have been using noncertified techs but using technician ID numbers of actual certified techs. Ford is stopping it." The whistleblower praised Ford for that action. "The whole reason I came forward to the Detroit Free Press and to NHTSA is because this is what its going to take to restore trust with consumers," the whistleblower said. "No one wants to tell the emperor he has no clothes on. When a manufacturer starts asking dealers out of desperation to find people to replace air bags that the dealer feels 'may be able' or 'might be technically inclined,' the consumers have lost. ... Ford has got to be candid that this was a systemic issue and it's been muted over the past five or six years." Why Ford says it is requiring the training Ford spokeswoman Maria Buczkowski said there is absolutely no connection between the memo to dealers and the Free Press inquiries about consumer safety and air bags. "The training touches on a broad range of topics from steering and suspensions, to brake systems and EVs," Buczkowski said. "The supplemental restraint training has been available to technicians in some form since 2009, with the majority already completing this coursework over the past few years as part of other requirements." Yet the new Ford letter notes that the training requirement has been "added as new." Meanwhile, a service official who works at a Ford dealership reached out to the Free Press and said it had been unclear why the memo was distributed in January. The last training update came out two years ago, noted the service official, which was confirmed by Ford on Friday. Many of the techs not meeting certification requirements haven't taken the new air bag course, said the service official, who works in the eastern half of the U.S. and asked not to be identified for fear of alienating their relationship with Ford. The letter, in addition to being emailed, is posted on the password-only Ford dealer web portal. A Ford dealer told the Free Press on Friday that shop repair workers are certified by the state of Michigan but that each manufacturer has its own requirements related to warranty repair and special training. "This is so frustrating," said the dealer, who requested anonymity to protect his business relationship with the automaker. "It's so hard to find technicians right now. They get frustrated doing warranty work because they have to write a novel about the cause, the corrections, what they've done. They're built to work on cars, not write novels. They don't want to deal with warranty work." The whistleblower said, "You can't lower standards just because you have a monumental backlog. That doesn't work with anything. No sane person would ever put someone they love in cars where you're unsure if the air bag was replaced properly." More: Ford E-Series brake, steering assist repairs not done correctly, investigation finds More: Out of Gear: Follow the full Ford investigation Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on X at @phoebesaid This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ford sets April 1 deadline for dealers to complete technician training KIRYAT SHMONA, IsraelWar is inevitable, Avichai Stern told The Daily Beast, as artillery and rocket fire cracked around us, If it is only a question of time then making a pre-emptive attack is a better idea than being sitting ducks here. Dressed in a smart suit and rimmed glasses, the mayor of border city Kiryat Schmona sticks out among the Israeli Defense Forces soldiers in their combat fatigues, toting their machine guns. But they are all agreed on the fight ahead of them. We are just waiting here for the big war to start, said Aidan, an IDF soldier originally from the town. Signs of war are everywhere. Driving to the city, we saw large numbers of Israeli artillery pieces being transported on the back of transport carriers towards the frontlines. Fighter jets flew back and forth overhead, presumably coming from bombing runs towards Gaza or northern Lebanon. Just a few miles over the border are the fighters of the fearsome Iran-backed militia Hezbollah, their command posts and missile launch sites entrenched in southern Lebanon. Despite being designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., U.K. and even the Arab League, the militia holds enormous power in Lebanese politics and is considered the worlds most heavily armed non-state actor. Mayor of Kiryat Shmona Avichai Stern. Tom Mutch/The Daily Beast After Hamas militants killed nearly 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel began its retaliatory campaign that has killed 28,000 Palestinians in Gaza, a smaller scale conflict started here, with both the IDF and Hezbollah firing sporadically across the border. Around 200 Hezbollah fighters have been killed, along with at least 30 Lebanese civilians and three journalists. On the Israeli side, 12 IDF soldiers have fallen and seven civilians have been killed. Our interview with the mayor was temporarily delayed when a siren rang out, announcing the presence of incoming rocket fire. Even hearing one of these is lucky, explains Ofri Moyal, a 24-year-old who was evacuated from Schlomi, another border town. Many of the bombs there, they dont hear any alarms or sirens because it is too close, he told The Daily Beast in an interview from the hotel where his family is staying in Jerusalem. That is why we cant go home, they have no idea when it is about to hit their houses, there is no siren. Of Kiryat Shmonas original population of around 23,000, around 1,000 or so remain. Tom Mutch/The Daily Beast Israel fires in one direction, Hezbollah fires in the other. Civilians are stuck in the middle, he said. The danger has forced both countries to evacuate tens of thousands of their civilians from the border regions, turning them into what one soldier described as a free-fire zone for both sides. Stern evacuated on Oct. 16, when Hezbollah rockets started landing near his house. Since then, he and his family have been living in a hotel in Jerusalem. Around 96,000 people have been evacuated from the Israeli side of the border. For many, it is their second time. Moyal remembers when he was 7 years old, he and his family were forced to move to tents in southern Israel, after war broke out between Hezbollah and Lebanon in 2006. Bombing the Last Refuge: Israel Makes It Impossible to Safely Follow Their Orders in Gaza Yet it is the prospect of a full-scale war here that keeps Israeli and American military planners up at night. Standing outside his office in the city center, now transformed into a military-style command bunker, Stern shows us a video produced by a Hezbollah propaganda channel that shows a plan for a Hezbollah strike on northern Israel. First, thousands of rockets will be fired from hidden launch facilities. Then, thousands of seasoned troops would swarm down and capture towns such as Schlomi, Metulla and Kiryat Schmona, taking hostages and human shields among the civilian population to dissuade further Israeli strikes on their positions. Before Oct. 7, plans like these were treated as empty blusternow they are taken deadly seriously. In a 34-day war in 2006, Hezbollah fought the IDF to a standstill on the ground, denting the perception of military superiority Israel had enjoyed over its Arab neighbors ever since the first war in 1948. Israelis speak of Hamas with contempt and disgust. They speak of Hezbollah with fear and grudging respect. Hezbollah is not just a terrorist group, Stern says, they are a great powerful military, their troops fought in Syria in the last six years, they are well trained and ready for war. A report by Reichman Universitys Institute for Counter-Terrorism from before Oct. 7 recently detailed the lack of preparation in Israel for the realities of all-out war with Hezbollah. It said, Beyond causing immense destruction in Israel, including thousands of casualties on both the frontlines and the home front, causing public panic, a central objective of the multi-front attack will be to collapse the IDFs air defense systems. Precision-guided munitions and low-signature weapons, such as loitering munitions, drones, and standoff missiles, will attempt to physically strike and destroy Iron Dome batteries. It was a miracle they didnt co-ordinate their assaults on Oct. 7, said one local IDF security official. Or we simply wouldnt have been able to stop them. Ofri Moyal Tom Mutch/The Daily Beast Since 2006, Stern says, Hezbollah took their time to buy ammunition. To increase their Radwan unit from 5,000 to 10,000 Increase their missile from 1,000 a day to 4,000 a day. It isnt legitimate we wont let the people of Kiryat Schmona be killed an evil force like Hezbollah they have to be eliminated. He goes on to elaborate a controversial equation that critics say is the IDFs strategy not just in Lebanon, but in Gaza. We must create an equation that anyone who threatens Israel will be hit much more they must be threatened by us everyone in the Middle East who has bad intentions for Israel must be taught a lesson. This is the unofficial strategy elaborated by a former IDF commander, Gadi Eisenkot, in 2008 called the Dahiya doctrine, named after a suburb in Beirut that was a Hezbollah hub before it was annihilated by Israeli airstrikes in the 2006 retaliation. The doctrine specifically calls for overwhelming force to be used as a response to attacks on Israel in order to deter the enemy from ever attacking again. As he put it: We will wield disproportionate power against every village from which shots are fired on Israel, and cause immense damage and destruction. Israels critics believe that this doctrine is at the heart of its tactics in the current war in Gaza, where it has leveled major population centers with huge civilian casualties. Stern agrees that Beirut would be a major target in a wider war. We would not hesitate to strike at the heart of Lebanon, Stern said. For Israeli officials, this is necessary to deter wider threats emanating from Iran and its proxy network in the region. Understand that everything is about Iran. Hezbollah and Hamas are proxies of Iran and this is why they have the same ideology and are capable of the same atrocities, Stern said. Hezbollah chiefs have expressed equal confidence in their supposedly inevitable victory. In a speech in early November, Hezbollahs Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said, Israel has revealed itself to be a weak state, as fragile as a spider web, and promised to fight until Israels destruction. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Officials at the Department of Public Safety are so fed up with increased speeding on state roads and its resulting high death toll that they are planning to carry out an education and enforcement campaign that will last the entire summer. Crackdowns typically last anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks and occasionally for a month. But with traffic fatalities already alarmingly high and the busiest travel season yet to come, law enforcement will work overtime every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day to pull over lead-footed drivers, said Mike Hanson, director of the department's office of traffic safety. "We are doing something unprecedented to bring sanity to our roads," Hanson said. "When a small percentage of drivers think the rules [of the road] don't apply, that is when there is chaos and tragedy." And there has been plenty of that. As February drew to a close, 50 people had lost their lives in crashes this year in Minnesota. That's 18 more deaths than during the first two months of last year and the most in that time period over the past five years, state data shows. "These are numbers we don't see at this time of year when you have a normal January and February," Hanson said. The absence of a traditional Minnesota winter has contributed to the grim and troublesome statistics, Hanson said. Crash numbers typically go up during January and February due to icy and snowy roads. However, a majority of them are of the fender-bender variety because speeds generally are slower, Hanson said. This year, dry roads have led to fewer wrecks, Hanson said. But without conditions forcing drivers to slow down, speeds are way up, and crashes, when they happen, have turned deadly. "Speeding makes everything worse," Hanson said. "A crash brings energy, and energy determines the outcome." Impaired driving also has been a big factor in this year's deaths. Of the 50 reported as of Feb. 29, 12 were attributed to drivers being under the influence. There were eight impaired-related deaths at this time last year, public safety data shows. "What we are seeing are a lot of high-risk and dangerous driving we see in the summer," Hanson said. "We need everybody to step back from the driver's door and think about the decisions they make behind the wheel." Armed with $2 million awarded last year by the Legislature, the traffic safety office will provide grants to more than 300 agencies across the state to pay troopers, sheriff's deputies and local police departments to do the extra enforcement. That could include high visibility saturation exercises or what many people call speed traps. The money also will cover media campaigns to educate drivers on why it's important to obey the speed limit. "Policymakers sent a loud and clear message: Make Minnesota roads safer," Hanson said. "This is an all-hands-on-deck effort. We are working to make them safer." EAST LANSDOWNE, Pa. (AP) Four of the five family members found dead in a house fire near Philadelphia were fatally shot by an adult male relative who also killed himself after setting fire to the home, authorities said Wednesday. The youngest victim, a 10-year-old boy, was not shot but died of smoke inhalation, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said as officials closed the investigation into the six Le family deaths in East Lansdowne. Two police officers were shot and injured by Canh Le, 43, as they responded to the scene. Other officers dragged them to safety, and both are recovering. Three generations of the Le family lived in the home, including grandparents who had come to the U.S. from Vietnam five decades ago and their two adult sons. Canh Le was single; his younger brother was married with three children. They came here as refugees to build a new life, and they did so, in a beautiful community. In one full swoop, everything that they held dear is gone, Stollsteimer said. The grandparents fled the home and called for help as the shooting began the afternoon of Feb. 7. They told authorities that their older son got a semiautomatic pistol from his bedroom after arguing with his 13-year-old niece. He then used the long gun to shoot and kill the girl, her parents, her 17-year-old sister and himself, while also firing shots out the window at arriving police. Authorities said they will never know what prompted the argument. Nobody knows what, and nobody knows why. Im never going to be able to answer that question for you, Stollsteimer said at a news conference. The victims include Xuong Le, 40; Xuong Les wife, Britni McLaughlin Le, 37; and the couples three children: Natalya, 17, Nakayla, 13, and Xavier, 10. Authorities said they dont know much about Canh Les life. Records suggest he had only one encounter with police during the many years the family spent in the area. In 2006, he was charged with making terroristic threats, trespassing and disorderly conduct. Details of the incident remain unclear, but the first charge was later dropped and he completed a diversion program on the two lesser charges, leading him to serve 32 hours of community service and pay $1,400 in fines during a year of probation, according to court records. One of the wounded officers, 44-year-old John Meehan of the East Lansdowne department, had surgery for a left forearm wound. Lansdowne Officer David Schiazza, 54, was treated for a leg wound. The home, which was owned by the Le family, has been razed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. This article was originally published in Ohio Capital Journal. A study by researchers from Ohio State University found that the likelihood of violence against teachers could be greater in schools that focus primarily on grades and test scores. The study, which was published in the Journal of School Violence, surveyed 9,000 teachers in the nation, particularly before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only did researchers find that violence against teachers was more likely in elementary schools than in other schools, but also that female teachers experienced more violence than others pre-COVID-19, according to the study. Female teachers were more likely to report experiences of violence from all types of perpetrators pre-COVID-19, whereas females only experienced more violence perpetrated by parents during COVID, the study stated. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter There was a difference in region as well, with rural and suburban schools reporting less violence than teachers in urban schools before and during the pandemic. But overall, the performance goal structure was what the study found connected teachers with levels of violence, no matter who perpetrated the violence. Our results indicate that an instructional climate that emphasizes performance and test scores may set the stage for negative teacher and student interactions that may lead to violence against educators, the study stated. Of the teachers surveyed, 65% reported at least one verbal threat or property damage incident by a student before the pandemic. In the 2020-2021 school year, incidents dropped 32% verbal threats and 26% property damage, but the lower rates dont mean the likelihood of violence was less common overall, according to the lead author, OSU educational psychology professor Eric Anderman. People say no one was in schools then. Thats not true, Anderman said in a statement. A lot of times teachers were in the building, but the students were at home. And some of the violence occurred over Zoom. Anderman said the research didnt show an emphasis on mastering skills, so much as the focus on placing a grade or test score at the forefront of education, that created violent situations. What was really striking was this performance culture predicted all kinds of increased violence by students, whether it be physical violence, verbal threatening, or property violence, Anderman said in a release announcing the study. Solutions posed in the study involved changing the performance-focused methods in schools and creating channels for students to release stress without pushing grade-based success. This is about changing the way we talk to kids about what learning is about and what is really important, Anderman stated in the release. The study comes after a separate teacher survey conducted during the pandemic showed nearly half of all teachers who participated wanted to quit or transfer. Anderman was a part of that 2022 study as well, as part of the American Psychological Associations Task Force on Violence Against Educators and School Personnel, and the anecdotes and information from the study showed him there was a crisis in the teaching profession, according to a release when the survey was published. That survey showed 33% of the teachers participating reported verbal attacks or threats of violence, 29% of those threats received from parents. Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Ohio Capital Journal maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor David Dewitt for questions: info@ohiocapitaljournal.com. Follow Ohio Capital Journal on Facebook and Twitter. A faith-based disaster relief group has been responding to wildfires that recently devastated parts of Oklahoma, and more efforts are expected to begin on Monday. Jason Yarbrough, Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief director, said volunteers delivered pallets of water and snacks to Gage and other parts of Ellis County in the initial aftermath of wildfires that spread through the area on Feb. 26. He said a team of volunteers will be sent to the area on Monday to assist about 13 property owners whose homes have been damaged or destroyed. The disaster relief leader said volunteer "ash-out" teams will assist with personal property recovery by sifting through burned properties and helping to pull out salvageable items. "It all depends on the extent of the burn or damage to the place," Yarbrough said. He said such recovery efforts often take place several days after a fire because property owners need time to connect with insurance providers, and sometimes disaster relief crews must wait for ashes to cool. An Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer sweeps up ash in the aftermath of an Oklahoma wildfire. "Once we've done everything we can with our hands, we use our heavy equipment to actually come in and clear the slab or the property of the destroyed home and then sweep it and get it clean and ready for them to be able to step forward with their next step," he said. More: Warm temps, high winds, drought culminate in massive wildfires across Oklahoma this week The disaster relief group, part of a network of Southern Baptist disaster relief organizations, provides assistance free of charge. Yarbrough said Oklahoma Baptists teams were deployed for about 190 days in 2023, providing disaster relief assistance across the state, as well as Florida and Guam. The group also provides spiritual care chaplains who are available to visit with property owners. "Our motto is that we bring help, hope and healing to people in crisis, and so we come in and we help physically because that's the immediate need that people have, but we also realize that there's an opportunity for us just to listen to them, to hear their stories, to potentially pray with them and to share with them some hope in the midst of what seems like a hopeless situation to them," Yarbrough said. "It's very rewarding to get to do what we do." More: How to prepare and protect your home from wildfires Yarbrough said the group also has been asked to help their Texas counterparts with disaster relief efforts in the Texas Panhandle, where recent wildfires wreaked havoc. Highways in the area were closed due to the Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest blaze in the area. He said his teams are expected to help in the northwestern part of Oklahoma for about three weeks and then travel to assist in Texas relief efforts. For more information about Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief or to make a donation to the organization, go to https://www.okdisasterhelp.org/. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Baptists to provide aid to victims of devastating wildfires The tragic Oklahoma incident that has captured national attention, where a transgender teen in Owasso died, has sparked a wave of concern over the safety and treatment of LGBTQ+ students in schools across the state. Nex Benedict, 16, passed away under mysterious circumstances a day after being involved in a physical altercation at Owasso High School on February 7, an event that has since led to a broader discussion about the environment in which LGBTQ+ youth are being educated. According to a report published Thursday in The Oklahoman, friends of Benedict recounted experiences of bullying targeted at them due to their gender identity, highlighting an ongoing issue within the school system. The altercation that preceded Benedicts sudden death is currently under investigation, with authorities probing whether it was an act of gender-based violence. While the Owasso Police Department initially claimed that autopsy results indicated that injuries from the fight did not directly lead to Benedicts death, the exact cause remains undetermined nearly a month later. According to reports, police are still investigating what connection the fight had to Benedicts death. This incident has shed light on the harsh realities faced by transgender, nonbinary, gay, and otherwise queer students in Oklahoma, particularly against the backdrop of anti-transgender rhetoric and legislation by state officials. A law enacted in 2022 mandating students to use restrooms corresponding to their birth certificate sex and a proposed bill aiming to ban discussions of gender identity and sexuality in schools contribute to a hostile atmosphere for students in the state. Ren Stolas, 20, a transgender former student, shared their harrowing experiences. "I was bullied pretty much every day, consistently," Stolas said. "Thats why this hurts a little extra," they added. Juan Pablo Alvarez, a 17-year-old senior, lamented the lack of open discussions about bullying within the school environment. "Honestly, I just wish theyd talk about bullying more because its a prominent issue," Alvarez said. These direct accounts from students who have navigated the challenging dynamics of school bullying offer a poignant insight into the daily realities faced by many, particularly those from marginalized communities. As the Oklahoma community near Tulsa grapples with Benedicts early February death, critics are increasingly vocal about the anti-LGBTQ+ climate fostered by Republican policies in the state, which they argue enables bullying. In a notable development, Sean Cummings, an Oklahoma City business owner and local politician, has criticized Ryan Walters, the states superintendent of public instruction, for contributing to a culture that encourages such bullying. Walters recently appointed Chaya Raichik, the creator of the hateful Libs of TikTok accounts on social media, to a role on a state board that oversees content in school libraries. Raichik does not live in Oklahoma or have expertise in childhood development or education. Her tweets, however, have been linked to bomb threats and other threats of violence, with those threats happening after Libs of TikTok spotlights institutions or people. During a recent public meeting of the Oklahoma Department of Education, Cummingss comments went viral after he accused Walters of playing a part in creating an environment that facilitated the bullying of LGBTQ+ students like Benedict. The response from the Owasso community and beyond has been mixed. While a memorial and peaceful demonstrations call for better protections for LGBTQ+ students, some residents view the national outcry as an overreaction influenced by external advocacy groups, The Oklahoman reports. Nonetheless, former and current students have come forward with their own stories of bullying and administrative negligence, resonating with Benedicts experience and painting a grim picture of the schools climate. School officials have expressed condolences and reiterated their anti-bullying stance, but specifics on any new measures taken in response to Benedicts death remain vague. The silence from school representatives at a candlelight vigil for Benedict and the rapid removal of a makeshift memorial has only added to the communitys frustration and demand for transparency and action. On Friday, the federal government announced an investigation, which aims to address the Oklahoma school districts response to harassment that may have contributed to the tragic death of Benedict. ADAMS COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) The rescue of a neglected horse in Adams County has led to a Maryland man facing animal abuse charges. A severely malnourished female horse owned by 58-year-old Daniel Price that had limited time left to live was seized by Troopers in Septemeber, State Police in Gettysburg said in a criminal complaint. Previuous coverage-> Troopers find neglected horse in Adams County, investigation underway State Police say they began their investigation after getting a report of the neglected horse at a property along Sunset Road in Franklin Township. Troopers had a hard time finding the property, but eventually, they found the horse after going down a long dirt driveway. A Trooper noted in the complaint that there was no resident or anyone present. The brown horse was severely malnourished, State Police say, and was in a quarter-acre pasture with dead animals, lacking proper water or food. The horse was also dragging its rear hoofs as it walked. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Morning Weather Troopers took pictures of the horse and sent them to the countys SPCA, which determined the animal had a body score of one and had limited time to live. The horse was seized and transferred to the SPCA for care. Troopers say they tried to contact Price after finding out he was the owner but couldnt get a hold of him. Ex-Shippensburg University employee allegedly spent $14K on school bank card The horse has made a great recovery, gaining 138 pounds since the SPCA took care of it. The animal had an injury to its jaw but once the veterinarian healed it, it started to gain its weight back. Price faces a misdemeanor charge of neglect of animals vet care and a summary charge of neglect of animals sustenance/water, online court documents show. Price has a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 3. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. One person had to be taken to the hospital after a rollover crash in Mansfield Friday night. The injured person was taken to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries after a truck collided with a telephone pole on Hall Street, police said. Hall Street was closed and the telephone pole will need to be repaired before it can reopen, police said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW BUZZARDS BAY It takes self-empowerment and courage, said Cambria Parrott, a senior engineering student at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, to be one of the few women in the maritime field. "Most of the time I'm the only woman in the room," said Parrott of Brewster. "But that's when I remember that representation matters and women can have just as much of an opinion as everyone else." Parrott, along with hundreds of maritime cadets from seven maritime schools across the country, attended the 12th annual Women on the Water Conference. The three-day event, which ends Saturday, also attracted a host of maritime professionals and faculty to the academy for panel discussions, workshops, and a ferry guided tour of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center at the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. It takes self-empowerment and courage, said Cambria Parrott, a senior engineering student at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, to be one of the few women in the maritime field. Parrott attended the 12th annual Women on the Water Conference held Thursday through Saturday. During a keynote address on Thursday, U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration Rear Admiral Ann Phillips spoke to convention attendees and said she was one of only a handful of women during her time in the U.S. Navy in the 1980s. "We outnumber the men in the room tonight but there less than 7% women at sea," said Phillips, who was sworn in as the 20th administrator for the Department of Transportation on May 16, 2022. The conference, she said, is just one avenue in the maritime industry where women can network and support each other. "A life at sea is worth the time and effort. There are beautiful moments and terrifying moments. But the beautiful moments and camaraderie will overcome the terrifying ones and will make good sea stories in the end," said Phillips. "A life at sea is worth the time and effort," said U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration Rear Admiral Ann Phillips on Thursday at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay. Phillips was a keynote speaker at the 12th annual Women on the Water Conference. Phillips acknowledges lack of women and women of color at sea Phillips said it is incredibly hard for women of color to break into the maritime industry. When Phillips attended a shipping week excursion in the United Kingdom at the beginning of her career, she said she noticed how few women of color were represented. "There were 500 people on a vessel and one person was a minority and there were a half dozen women," she said. "We are still in a very difficult situation when it comes to making change in industry." Academy Cadet Bridget Ruiz is Colombian and identifies as biracial. Despite challenges for women of color, she said she and other cadets work at creating a sense of camaraderie. "Women and women of color in the industry are paving the way for everyone coming behind," said Ruiz, who is also a diversity, equity and inclusion officer at the university. "It make you feel hopeful because you have so many people looking out for you." Ruiz just accepted a job with the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA Corps, but she said no matter where she goes, she will continue to help her "sisters and brothers" in the industry. "Im making sure that I am having those personal connections with them so that when they break into this industry I can look them up and support them as much as I can," she said. Building a respectful culture at sea In the last several years, the U.S. Department of Transportation has been streamlining opportunities for cadets in the maritime industry by doubling incentive programs for cadets and young mariners at state maritime academies, and through its Center of Excellence program, which recognizes educational institutions that offer training in the maritime world, said Phillips. Building a respectful culture at sea for female mariners is also a top priority, she said. During her speech, she spoke about a sexual assault that occurred at sea in 2021. Phillips didn't go into specifics during her speech. Through Every Marine Builds a Respectful Culture or EMBARC, Phillips said the country is focused on keeping merchant cadets safe at sea. EMBARC, said Phillips, established a sexual assault prevention and response program. "In addition to the Coast Guard Act, it puts safety management practices into the safety management system so that ships, carriers, and companies have a process by which their program can be inspected and managed," said Phillips. Ships will also be inspected and managed by the Maritime Administration, said Phillips, through the Office of Cadet Training At-Sea Safety, or OCTAS, office. It's an opportunity to ensure that midshipman cadets and all mariners are safe and valued as employees "and are not subject to bullying and harassment and worse while they are sailing," she said. Change starts at home for Mass Maritime female cadets Academy Acting Marine Engineering Department Chair Katherine McClellan said the female faculty is aware of the obstacles female mariners face. "We are really trying to support them. They know they can talk to us about anything they feel is a problem," she said. Staff also provides all cadets with mentors on and off the ships, said McClellan. "We've all faced these challenges and we have the ability to get through them if we work together," she said. Faculty also brings back female officers from the industry to campus so students can continuously interact, learn, and network. "Back in the day we didnt always have that," said McClellan. "Seeing a person that looks like them, and is doing what they want to do, makes all the difference." Massachusetts Maritime Academy Acting Marine Engineering Department Chair Katherine McClellan said the female faculty on the Buzzards Bay campus is aware of the obstacles female mariners face. "We are really trying to support them. They know they can talk to us about anything they feel is a problem," McClellan said Thursday at the school. What it means for cadets to see successful women in the maritime industry For Parrott, the outpouring of women at the conference was important for her to witness, she said. "It kind of give you faith that the industry is up and coming for women," said Parrott. McClellan said times are changing not only with more women in the industry, but also with more female visibility on campus. As a Cape Codder, Parrott said working on the water has always been a calling. And after the conference, she's even more confident that she can find success at sea. "It's been a huge insight into what I want to see and what I aspire to be," said Parrott who is planning to ship with a company for the next few years. "It gives me excitement." Rachael Devaney writes about community and culture. Reach her at rdevaney@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @RachaelDevaney. Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Support, connections for women mariners a focus of Cape college event A bill that would bring millions of dollars to tribes in Washington state to address the opioid crisis received unanimous support in the House on Friday, opening the door for state funding to address a scourge that some say is claiming a generation. This bill invests in Indian country. It invests in the Native Americans of Washington state. It invests in the preservation of generations of Native Americans whose land we stand on today, Democratic Rep. Debra Lekanoff, who is Tlingit and Aleut, said during the vote. The proposed measure is expected to provide nearly $8 million each year for the 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington, funds drawn in part from a roughly half-billion-dollar settlement between the state and major opioid distributors. The approach comes as Native Americans and Alaska Natives in Washington die of opioid overdoses at five times the state average, according to 2021-2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data that includes provisional numbers. The rate in Washington is one of the highest in the U.S. and more than three times the rate nationwide but many of the Indigenous nations in the state lack the funding or medical resources to fully address it. The state Senate previously unanimously approved the bill, but it will need to go back to the body for concurrence before going on to Democratic Gov. Jay Inslees desk. Jaime Smith, a spokesperson for the governors office, said in an email that Inslee has been very supportive of this effort and appreciates the work of legislators to bolster our states opioid response on multiple fronts, including support for Tribes. But some tribes say the proposed funding, while appreciated, would barely scratch the surface in the face of such a deadly crisis. Opioid overdose deaths for Native Americans and Alaska Natives have increased dramatically during the past few years in Washington, with at least 100 in 2022 75 more than in 2019, according to the most recent numbers available from the Washington State Department of Health. Republican state Sen. John Braun, the bills prime sponsor, has said this is just a first step. This is just going to get us started, and make sure were not sitting on our hands, waiting for the problem to solve itself, he said. The bill would earmark funds deposited into an opioid settlement account, which includes money from the states $518 million settlement in 2022 with the nations three largest opioid distributors, for tribes battling addiction. Tribes are expected to receive $7.75 million or 20% of the funds deposited into the account the previous fiscal year whichever is greater annually. The money provided through the legislation does not come with a specific end date. But starting in 2031, there would no longer be a minimum required dollar amount, according to an amendment approved Friday. The state would provide 20% of the money deposited in an opioid settlement account during the prior fiscal year. And if the average amount deposited into that account gets too low, no funding would be required to go to the tribes. Flash Russia does not plan to deploy nuclear weapons in space, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with the country's security council members Friday. "We have already discussed false allegations that are currently being made by some Western officials about our supposed plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space," said the Kremlin, citing the president. In his annual State of the Nation address on Thursday, Putin called such allegations "unfounded" and "fake narratives," designed by the West to draw Russia into negotiations on terms that only benefit the United States. The statement came after a wave of Western media reports claiming U.S. intelligence data has revealed that Russia is working on the development of a nuclear space weapon. Capital Ones (COF) $35 billion deal for Discover Financial (DFS) and Walmarts (WMT) $2.3 billion acquisition of smart TV maker Vizio (VZIO) sent a signal that corporate America is willing to spend big on M&A again. But that optimism may be short-lived. The Federal Trade Commissions (FTC) recent bid to block Krogers (KR) $25 billion acquisition of Albertsons (ACI) may deter dealmaking activity, posing a potential risk for investors. [The Biden administration] has sent a clear message that mergers will be looked at more carefully and with a broader approach, former FTC commissioner Mozelle Thompson told Yahoo Finance Live. The Biden administration has sent a signal that may have a chilling effect to mergers, and the market is responding to that. Since stepping into the White House in January 2021, the Biden administration has made antitrust a priority. The FTC brought 24 merger enforcement challenges in fiscal year 2022, according to the annual Hart-Scott-Rodino Report. It's the second-highest figure in the past decade. The FTCs suit to challenge the Kroger-Albertsons tie-up is the latest in a long list of moves taken by the Biden administration to block consolidation across industries, from Big Tech to airlines. Recent wins include a federal judge siding with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and blocking JetBlues (JBLU) $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines (SAVE), as well as biotech firm Illuminas (ILMN) decision to sell Grail. A JetBlue Airways Airbus A320, left, passes a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 as it taxis on the runway, July 7, 2022, at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Experts warn the offensive on corporate America consolidation will likely continue, regardless of who wins the 2024 presidential election. The populist movement is shifting how a lot of Republicans look at antitrust, Stifel's chief Washington policy analyst Brian Gardner told Yahoo Finance. For those who think there's going to be some big M&A boom if Trump wins are going to be sorely disappointed. Gardner added, The M&A antitrust moves that the Biden administration has undertaken originated at the end of the Trump administration. The Biden administration took the ball and ran with it. I see a subtle shift [if Trump is elected], but I don't see a big shift. Story continues Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio) recently commended FTC chair Lina Khans antitrust crackdown, telling attendees at Bloombergs RemedyFest technology forum that shes doing a pretty good job. Bipartisan pushback on Krogers deal to buy Albertsons was evident from the start. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), the chair and top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust panel, both expressed concern that the transaction would reduce competition and consumer choice during a bipartisan hearing shortly after the deal was announced. And the bipartisan opposition extended to the state level as well. A group of nine state attorneys general joined the FTC in the lawsuit, including Nevada attorney general Aaron Ford, who told Yahoo Finance a merger would eliminate pricing competition, and erode product quality. Its also important to point out that the FTCs challenge of Krogers deal to buy Albertsons is among the first to come under new merger guidelines published by the FTC and DOJ, which includes consideration of how mergers affect labor market competition. The expanded guidelines could reshape the business landscape for years to come, as a wider range of mergers will likely be questioned as a result. The antitrust climate is going to be tough, Thompson added. Companies looking to merge are going to have to not only look at the timing of those mergers but be able to showcase some real benefits. Deals may still get through, but it will be more expensive and take more time. Seana Smith is an anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow Smith on Twitter @SeanaNSmith. Tips on deals, mergers, activist situations, or anything else? Email seanasmith@yahooinc.com. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance State legislators at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem have voted to recriminalize possession of small amounts of drugs amid a surging opioid crisis in the state. Photo by M.O. Stevens/Wikimedia Commons March 2 (UPI) -- Three years after Oregon voters approved a referendum decriminalizing possession of small amounts of drugs, the state's Legislature has overturned the measure amid a booming fentanyl crisis. The Oregon Senate on Friday voted 21-8 to approve House Bill 4002, which makes it a misdemeanor to possess small amounts of illicit drugs. House members approved the measure by a 51-7 vote Thursday. The law now goes to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, who hasn't said whether she would sign or veto the proposed law, The Oregonian reported. The proposed law would create a new misdemeanor that is punishable by up to 180 days in jail, although offenders would be given an alternative option of enrolling in a substance abuse program instead of going to jail. Those who are convicted of possession offenses could have their criminal convictions expunged by completing a diversion program for substance abuse treatment. The Senate also approved $211 million in funding for substance abuse education and to expand residents' access to programs and projects that address substance abuse. The funding also would apply to programs for those who are incarcerated or obtaining mental health services in Oregon. "We are doubling down on our commitment to make sure Oregonians have access to the treatment and care that they need," Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber said in a statement to Oregon Public Broadcasting. Lieber, who co-wrote the measure, said enacting it would "be the start of real and transformative change for our justice." The measures were spurred by a growing drug crisis largely fueled by fentanyl and methamphetamine and a surge in overdose deaths since voters approved Measure 110. Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp Measure 110 didn't live up to its promise of enabling people struggling with drug abuse and addiction to get treatment. Instead, it spurred drug use in public and exponentially increased overdose deaths caused by opioids, fentanyl and other illicit drugs, he claimed. Lawmakers opposing House Bill 4002 said the proposed law disproportionately would affect people of color and signal a return to the war on drugs. State legislators in Oregon just voted to reinstate the war on drugs. The state Senate on Friday affirmed the Houses previous vote to re-criminalize drugs, after a months-long, coordinated disinformation campaign to scapegoat drug decriminalizationknown locally as Measure 110for their own failures. The bill, HB 4002, now heads to Gov. Tina Koteks desk. When it comes to covering drug policy, it is clear facts dont matter. The truth is that politicians seeking reelection have been hellbent on hiding this fact from you: decriminalization works. Tax Legal Weed and Give the Money to Drug War Victims Drug decriminalization via Measure 110 made progress towards its goal of decreasing the harms of criminalization, and the barriers to jobs and housing that come with a criminal record. It prevented tens of thousands of arrests, saving Oregon nearly $40 million in criminal legal system costssavings used to help Oregon start to fill its gap in effective addiction services. Measure 110 also invested an additional $302 million from marijuana tax revenue towards addiction services, resulting in over a 100 percent increase in people accessing services they need, including substance use disorder treatment, housing, and overdose prevention. Even the proponents of its repeal have admitted that Measure 110 was successful in this regardagreeing the services it created must stay in place. That doesnt make the public suffering we see in places like Portland any less tragic. But it is one of politicians own makingtheir chronic underfunding of effective addiction services, affordable housing, and accessible health care are to blame. Put a national overdose epidemicexacerbated by the spread of fentanylon top of that reality and you have the disaster we are witnessing. Counter to what opponents of Measure 110 would have you believe, government inaction is fueling the public disorder that continues to put our collective safety at risk. There is no evidence supporting claims that decriminalization increased homelessness, overdose, or crime rates. Measure 110 was implemented against the end of COVID-19 eviction protections, a rising cost and limited supply of housing, and Oregons second-highest rate of homelessness in the country. Measure 110 funds helped people get off the streets with sober housing and extended housing periods for people going through treatment. But these funds alone were not going to solvenor were they ever meant to solvethe homelessness crisis in Oregon. More investment is needed. Our lawmakers inability to enact housing solutions put people on the street, not drug decriminalization. When an existing homelessness crisis meets a lack of affordable housingand lack of supportive spaces and servicespublic drug use will inevitably increase. Homelessness is often a catalyst for drug use. People experiencing homelessness may increase drug use to cope with trauma of being homeless, including to stay awake and alert as a protective measure. Convicted DEA Agent Says He and Others Swindled the Government in Very Fun Drug War Several studies have also shown no association between Measure 110 and fatal overdose rates. Oregons overdose deaths remain close to the national average and far less than states like West Virginia or Tennessee, despite being the only state to decriminalize drugs. And there is simply no research to substantiate claims that Measure 110 is associated with any changes in crime. In fact, crime in Oregon was 14 percent lower in 2023 than it was in 2020. Decision makers have dropped the ball on prioritizing, understanding, and addressing the overlapping crises of homelessness, poverty, and addiction. And they dropped the ball on Measure 110 implementation. Now they need to distract voters from the chaos they have caused. This recriminalization is dangerous. Weve been down this road before. More than 50 years of evidence demonstrates that locking people up for possessing drugs or forcing them into court-ordered programs does not end drug use, but it does increase harms, including death. People experience tortuous withdrawals and overdose when in jail or prison. The treatment they are promised is either non-existent or ineffective. Only one in 13 people arrested with a substance use disorder receive treatment while in jail or prison. Drug and alcohol overdose deaths have more than doubled in jails and prisons. Those who make it out alive are 27 times more likely to die from an overdose within two weeks of release compared to the general population. Throwing people in jail for drug use doesnt make our streets safer, it temporarily hides people from public view until they end up back on the street. An important part of the puzzle to reduce suffering is to end criminalization and the barriers it creates. Our elected officials need to prioritize real solutions: increasing street outreach, offering more housing and humane shelter, and creating community-led crisis response teams that effectively connect people to care. Ron DeSantis Wants You to Be Scared Senseless About Crime (Dont Be) How people are engaged and connected to services matterfor services providers to be conduits of care, they need more resources and funding. We need more accessible, effective, and voluntary addiction services with access to medications that cut opioid cravings and reduce overdose risk. We also need overdose prevention centers that can help bring drug use off the streets and into facilities run by experts, while connecting people to care. We know that people suffering need more support, not punishment. We have all the data and research to back us up. Politicians know it, and now so do you. Any politician increasing criminalization for drug possession is trying to hide the people they have harmed, not solve the problems they have created. We will not stand idly by while they shield their incompetence by rolling back the progress weve made to heal and restore safety to communities who need it now more than ever. They can keep trying, but we wont stop until criminalization does. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. In 2020, Oregon voters passed Measure 110, shifting the state's approach to drugs by eliminating criminal penalties for the possession of small amounts. On Friday, the state Legislature sent a bill recriminalizing drug possession to Gov. Tina Kotek's desk, further undoing Oregon's first-in-the-nation law. The move comes as lawmakers have faced pressure to respond to Oregon's drug crisis. Senators passed House Bill 4002 by a vote of 21-8. The House passed the bill by a vote of 51-7 on Thursday. Measure 110 rollback: How Oregon House Bill 4002 works Senators vote on House Bills 5204 and 4002 on Friday, March 1, 2024 at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Ore. Class E violations, created by Measure 110, are repealed under HB4002. Instead, a person stopped with small amounts of illicit drugs will face an entirely new drug enforcement misdemeanor as of Sept. 1. If a county offers a deflection or diversion program and a prosecutor uses them, the individual could remain on probation for 18 months. If they violate probation, the person could face a 30-day jail sanction. And if probation is revoked, the individual could be ordered to a maximum of 180 days in jail. The bill also: Addresses reducing barriers to accessing substance use disorder medications. Requires the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission to study access to opioid use disorder treatment and interventions and report its recommendations to the Legislature. Modifies the definition of drug delivery charges. Enhances penalties for drug dealers selling near homeless shelters, treatment centers and parks. Includes automatic expungement of records. Requires the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to track arrest and prosecution data for the new possession crime. Extends welfare holds for someone admitted for intoxication or controlled substances from 48 hours to 72 hours. Establishes grants for jails to provide medications for opioid use disorder treatment. Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber, D-Portland, speaks about House Bill 4002 on Friday, March 1, 2024 at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Ore. Work on HB4002 began months ago with the creation of the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response. Led by Rep. Jason Kropf, D-Bend, and Sen. Kate Lieber, D-Portland, the committee was tasked with "ensuring law enforcement has the tools to effectively keep our communities safe, that addiction treatment services are accessible for people who need help, and that the state is preventing people from falling into addiction," according to a release announcing its creation in September. The committee held hearings with addiction service providers, people in recovery, law enforcement, researchers, agency staff, community groups and other stakeholders. Hundreds submitted testimony online and more than 100 provided testimony at the Capitol during public hearings for the bill. What Measure 110 was intended to do Measure 110 decriminalized drug possession for small amounts and redirected marijuana tax revenues to substance use treatment. Critics of Measure 110 say it did little to incentivize drug users to seek treatment. Those stopped for possessing a small amount of drugs receive a $100 citation. The citation can be dismissed if the person calls a 24-hour hotline and goes through an addiction screening within 45 days of receiving the ticket. If they dont, there is no punishment for not paying the citation. State auditors reported just 1% of those who received citations in the first year after the law took effect called the hotline. During the first 15 months Measure 110 was implemented, the hotline had a total of 119 calls, auditors wrote. Oregon's bill to recriminalize drug possession receives praise, criticism Senators vote on House Bill 4002 on Friday, March 1, 2024 at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Ore. Supporters of HB4002 say the bill prioritizes treatment before jail, offering different opportunities to avoid jail time to those charged with the new misdemeanor created by the legislation. Opponents say the bill will do more harm than good without requiring counties to offer diversion or deflection programs and with an ongoing public defense crisis. Among Senators who spoke in opposition was Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, who sat on the Joint Committee. He referred to the bill as a sledgehammer being used to put in a finishing nail. Measure 110, Prozanski said, went into effect just three months after passage and funding went out the door 18 months afterward. Criminalization is not supported by the available data, he said. 4002 will take us down a path that I cannot support. Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Portland, said the bill had too many flaws to support and was concerned it was attempting to use the same tactics of the past, which had failed. A reporter for 17 years in Portland, Frederick said he saw firsthand the effects of the war on drugs. He said he could not have faith there would be equal compassionate treatment for every community given the history of other anti-drug efforts. Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, said he remained concerned the bill was taking Oregon down a dangerous path and making the same mistakes of Measure 110 in reverse, recriminalizing before the infrastructure is in place to handle new criminal cases. The Oregon Public Defense Commission said it would need to hire an additional 39 full-time public defenders to provide the representation needed for the estimated new cases under the bill. Nearly 3,000 people are currently unrepresented in the state. Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Portland explains his "no" vote on House Bill 4002 on Friday, March 1, 2024 at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Ore. Lieber said she acknowledged concerns but lawmakers could not lag in taking action with a looming ballot measure initiative to repeal Measure 110 and an ongoing addiction crisis. "We must take action. The drug crisis is killing Oregonians and threatening the health and safety of our communities. The Oregon Drug Intervention Plan is a treatment-focused approach that gives providers and law enforcement the tools they need to keep people safe and save lives, Lieber said. She said the bill represented a step forward in reimagining what the criminal justice system could be. It was an explanation rejected by groups including the ACLU of Oregon. Oregonians dont deserve lawmakers who are passing really bad bills for political expediency, said executive director Sandy Chung in an interview before the vote. She and other opponents were resigned to the bills looming passage on Friday. Tera Hurst, executive director of the Oregon Health Justice Recovery Alliance, said organizations had already raised their concerns and were shifting their focus to reducing the harm they believe the bill will inflict on communities in Oregon. Hurst said lawmakers could have focused on housing, services, and partnerships with police and providers for results instead of criminalization. On the floor, senators shared stories of how they had been impacted by addiction. Sen. Mark Meek, D-Canby, had the ashes of his uncle sitting on his desk. He passed away in 2010 and battled an ongoing heroin addiction, according to Meek. Allowing people to overdose and die is not humane, Meek said. Sen. Mark Meek, D-Clackamas, speaks about his uncles struggle with drug addiction as his remains sit on his desk on Friday, March 1, 2024 at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Ore. Democrats made it clear their support came with concerns. Several said they would be closely monitoring the implementation of the bill to ensure concerns raised of disparate impacts on Oregonians of color wouldnt materialize. There are hard votes and there are harder votes and then there is HB4002, said Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin, D-Corvallis. Gelser Blouin said she was voting in favor of the bill because it was the best chance lawmakers had to stop the ballot measure to fully repeal Measure 110. She said she was choosing the lesser evil. The coalition behind the ballot measure said Thursday it would abandon its efforts if Kotek signs the bill into law. Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, speaks about House Bill 4002 on March 1 at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem. Republicans Friday evening applauded the bill's passage. At the beginning of the legislative session, they had called for stricter penalties and up to a year in jail for possession of drugs. On the floor, Republicans said the bill was not perfect but was a victory for the state. "The Oregon Legislature just ended Oregons experiment with decriminalizing drugs," Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, said after the vote. Lawmakers also passed an accompanying $211 million funding package to support HB4002. Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, speaks about the vote on House Bills 5204 and 4002 on Friday, March 1, 2024 at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Ore. Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on Twitter @DianneLugo This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon Senate passes bill recriminalizing drug possession Editors note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal. Marty Hudson sees a 10-acre space under Interstate 4 as a key part of downtown Orlandos future. The city of Orlando urban project manager said The Canopy, a proposed community park on the land under the interstate, represents a unique opportunity for the city. The property mostly has sat dormant, with city-owned parking spaces under it having closed in 2017 to make room for the I-4 Ultimate road construction. The roughly $30 million project will include up to 500 parking spaces, walking trails, bike paths, space for public gatherings and interactive art installations. Read: Madeline Sotos body found in rural Osceola County Click here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journals website. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. OSHKOSH The citys latest centenarian is keeping up with the times. Oshkosh Public Museum has got some new art on display, having unveiled a more modern and trendier logo to celebrate its 100th anniversary in style as part of a new rebrand. This is more than just a change in our logo; it represents a renewed energy, said Museum Director Sarah Phillips in a news release. The Oshkosh Public Museum is forward-looking, lively and dedicated to the rich stories that shape our community. Going for a more minimalist look, the logo features three lowercase letters O, P and M prominently while the middle part of the M serves as the stem for the P. Wisconsin's oldest living resident: Wisconsins oldest living resident, Oshkosh's Ruth Stryzewski, shares keys to long life as she turns 112 The M is brought to the forefront of this new design, replacing an old logo that drew inspiration from the sunrise over Lake Winnebago and the jewel tones of the Tiffany-stained glass landscape window found at the Sawyer Home. In talking with community members, we realized that our name was usually shortened to simply The Museum. [so] were embracing that identity and cant wait for people to join us at The Museum! Phillips said. The rebrand is just one part of a year-long celebration that will see the museum host a series of exhibits, events and programs dubbed OPM 100. Just last month, OPM staged a 1920s-themed exhibit before hosting a date night at the museum. At least three more special exhibits will be held this year, including the opening part to the Sawyer Saga March 15, and another three special events capped by the Nov. 8 OPM 100 Reception. Leap Day: Leap Day mom welcomes Leap Day baby in Oshkosh OPMs next hundred years focuses on creating a community of culture, and offering new ways to explore the regions heritage, Phillips said. According to the release, the new logo and rebranding will be implemented across the museums website and social media channels throughout the year. Have a story tip or public interest concern? Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh Public Museum has a new logo for 100th anniversary year This article was produced as a project for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalisms 2023 National Fellowship. NASHVILLE, Tenn. After he graduated, Derek Scott proudly hung his degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law on his wall at home. By most measures, hed been an unlikely candidate for law school he was the first in his immediate family to go to high school and struggled for years with opioid addiction before enrolling in college at age 32. The degree served not just as a reminder of all he had overcome, but also as proof that he belonged. When he passed the bar exam in 2021, his dream felt almost in reach. All he had left to do was pass the character and fitness portion of his application a step all prospective lawyers have to take. I knew there were going to be questions asked, Scott, now 44, said. But I didnt think my medication would be the biggest hurdle. Image: Derek Scott (Hannah Rappleye / NBC News) On his bar application, Scott disclosed that he had been convicted of three misdemeanors nearly two decades earlier, as well as accused of other criminal charges that would ultimately be expunged from his record. To his surprise, those disclosures would thrust him into a nearly three-year battle over his right to use buprenorphine, a Food and Drug Administration-approved medication that addiction medicine experts and top federal health officials call the gold standard of treatment for opioid use disorder. Buprenorphine had changed Scotts life it gave him a sense of normalcy, he said, and set him on the path to law school. His future, however, would come to hinge on a choice that didnt feel like much of a choice at all: get off the medication that protected him from relapse and attend abstinence-only treatment, or lose his chance to become a lawyer. I almost felt like I was being punished, Scott said. Though its not well known, the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against people with substance use disorder. Those protections extend to people who use what are known as medications for opioid use disorder, or MOUD, which include buprenorphine and methadone. Both medications curb withdrawal symptoms and cravings, and substantially reduce the risk of overdose. Still, these medications remain strikingly underutilized nationwide, and the fraction of patients fortunate enough to access them often face obstacles similar to Scotts. This interference with peoples medication happens regularly in the criminal legal system and child welfare system, as well as employment, housing and even health care settings, said Sally Friedman, an attorney and senior vice president of legal advocacy for the Legal Action Center, a national nonprofit that works to combat discrimination against people with criminal records and substance use disorder. The harm it causes is enormous. Image: Packets of buprenorphine, a drug that helps control opioid cravings. (Elise Amendola / AP file) The U.S. Justice Department is trying to change that. In the past six years, the agency has begun using the ADA to combat such discrimination by launching investigations, filing lawsuits and forcing alleged violators, including health care providers and a professional licensing board, into settlement agreements. So far, it has taken enforcement action in at least 10 states, from Massachusetts to Colorado. The Justice Department is currently investigating Scotts case, according to sources close to the investigation and documents reviewed by NBC News. Both the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Tennessee declined to comment. The Tennessee state Supreme Court, which oversees attorney licensure and the state Board of Law Examiners, declined to comment on Scotts case or answer questions about its policies. Legal precedent for such protections has been slow to trickle down, especially in states like Tennessee, where opioid overdose deaths and barriers to accessing medication both remain high. In the meantime, patients like Scott find themselves caught between proponents of abstinence-only treatment and their right to determine their own path to recovery. People with opioid use disorder should not have to choose between taking lawfully prescribed, often lifesaving treatment and receiving public services, pursuing employment opportunities or accessing health care, said Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Justice Department. Hes going to be a lawyer Scotts grandmother Nellie raised him in a single-wide trailer in Clay County, Tennessee, a quilt of hills and tobacco fields just below the Kentucky border. They didnt have much, Scott said, but Nellie made sure he devoted himself to school. As he grew, he dreamed about becoming a lawyer inspired by the television shows he and Nellie watched, like Perry Mason, and by her unwavering belief that their circumstances didnt have to define his future. Hes going to be a lawyer, shed tell anyone who would listen. I just always had a feeling that I could do anything I put my mind to, he said. My grandma made me feel that growing up. Image: Derek Scott as a young boy holding an American flag. (Courtesy Derek Scott) By the late 1990s, Clay County began to fall into economic decline after several major factories shuttered and the first wave of the opioid epidemic crested through the region. Scott quit college after a semester so he could work and take care of Nellie. After she died, he started using opioids recreationally and then was prescribed them to treat pain from a severe skin infection. Like millions of other Americans, his dependence on them would spiral into addiction. When youre in addiction like that, its the first thing you think of when you wake up, he recalled. It takes over your brain. Its like, I cant function without getting this. While methadone has been approved to treat opioid use disorder since 1972, it has remained highly stigmatized and tightly regulated by both the federal government and states keeping the medication out of reach for many who need it. Buprenorphine, which can be dispensed by pharmacies, is more accessible. By the early 2000s, as Scotts dependence on opioids grew, the federal government had poured millions into the development of buprenorphine and had started to approve its use, in various forms, for patients like him. Federal legislation had also expanded access to it by allowing specially certified doctors to prescribe the medication out of their offices. Like methadone, buprenorphine is a synthetic opioid highly effective at blocking intoxication, withdrawal symptoms and cravings by binding to the opioid receptors in the brain. Both have been shown to slash the risk of fatal and nonfatal overdose, in some research by more than 50%. Methadone is a full opioid agonist meaning it fully activates the brains opioid receptors and is often considered a better option for patients who have grown dependent on higher doses of opioids. Buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, carries less risk of respiratory depression and therefore less risk of overdose for patients who are just beginning treatment. Both, according to federal guidance, are safe to use long term. It wasnt until 2011, a year when more than 1,000 Tennesseans died of overdose, that Scott was able to get a prescription for Suboxone, a form of buprenorphine. By then, he was working at a chicken processing plant and had seen friends try, and fail, to get sober without medication. He had also tried to quit but couldnt push through the painful withdrawal symptoms, including vomiting and extreme body aches, that he described as the worst feeling Ive ever had. You will do anything, just about anything, to make it go away, he added. Suboxone did that for him. Almost immediately, he said, it had another effect it made him feel like he could change things for real. That meant leaving Clay County. At age 32, Scott enrolled in Western Kentucky University. He started attending church and began working part time helping others in recovery. After graduating with a 3.9 GPA from the honors program, he received a full scholarship to the University of Tennessees law school. There, his trajectory continued upward. He worked at its law clinic, interned with a state appellate judge and felt, finally, like he was becoming the person he knew he could be. Worried about what people might think, Scott said he never spoke to any of his classmates or professors about his history. They never knew that I had some kind of addiction problem in the past, he said. They just knew I was an older student, nontraditional. He stayed on his medication the whole time, keeping a laserlike focus on his studies and his recovery a closely guarded secret: To tell anyone felt like handing over the key theyd need to lock him out of the profession. Scott was lucky to get medication, said Dr. Stephen Loyd, a physician from East Tennessee who currently serves as chair of the states Opioid Abatement Council. Most young people from his area and other rural communities across the state who struggle with addiction have had their access to medication restricted, or never had the option presented, Loyd said. Imagine if you died and there was medication that improved your chance of living by 50 to 60% that no one ever told you about. By the time Scott graduated from law school in 2019, fentanyl had begun to seep into Tennessees illicit drug supply, eventually driving the states death toll up to 3,826 in 2022. Today, the state has the third-highest rate of fatal overdose in the nation behind West Virginia and Washington, D.C. according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Image: Derek Scott sits at a desk with framed degrees on the wall above him. (Hannah Rappleye / NBC News) In Tennessee, there remains deep suspicion of pharmaceutical answers to a crisis that was caused by pharmaceuticals in the first place, Loyd said. The state has strict regulations for clinics that distribute methadone. Over the years, unscrupulous pain clinics and pharmacies have drawn federal indictments for prescribing and dispensing opioids at rates topping national averages. Patients have long found themselves unable to find a local pharmacy willing to fill their buprenorphine prescription, forced to make long, daily drives to access methadone, or facing limited treatment options outside of faith-based, abstinence-only rehab. Loyd, who recovered from opioid addiction through abstinence-only treatment, has pushed to expand access to medication in Tennessee. (He is also chief medical officer for Cedar Recovery, which operates 10 opioid treatment clinics across the state.) Theres a pervasive belief that youre switching one medication for another, and if you just go to church more and pray more, itll just go away, he said. Theres also a tendency in our state to disregard what the feds say. Devastating When Scott learned he passed the bar exam in April 2021, he was already working at a law firm and had signed a contract to stay on once he got his license. His elation fell, however, when he received a second email from the Board of Law Examiners, telling him that his application had raised concern about his ability to practice law. Before he could move forward, the board told him, hed have to be evaluated by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP), a state-administered program that helps lawyers, judges, law students and bar applicants struggling with physical or mental disabilities, including substance use disorder. Participation in such programs can be voluntary they offer confidential, free assistance to lawyers who need help but they also help state boards evaluate bar applicants and monitor attorneys during disciplinary proceedings. In addition to passing the bar exam, prospective lawyers have to demonstrate they possess the character and fitness to practice law a high-stress, high-stakes profession, where a clients very life can hinge on their attorneys ability to perform their duties responsibly. To do so, applicants must provide a full accounting of past conduct, including criminal convictions and financial debts. Depending on the state, applicants might also face questions about expunged criminal charges or convictions, and mental health and substance use disorder diagnoses or treatment. While almost all states will license people with criminal records, including felony convictions, to become attorneys, those applicants typically face increased scrutiny. There has been a national push to dismantle barriers faced by nontraditional applicants, including eliminating questions about expunged and juvenile convictions and mental health diagnoses. In his bar application, Scott didnt have to disclose his substance use disorder. But he did have to list every conviction, arrest and charge, including those that were expunged. He disclosed that he had three prior low-level criminal convictions. In 1998, when he was 18 years old, he was convicted of misdemeanor criminal trespassing after he climbed through his aunts window to retrieve a Nintendo cartridge. In 2002, at age 22, he was convicted of driving while impaired, also a misdemeanor. The third conviction, a misdemeanor, occurred in 2004 and was expunged from his record after he submitted his application. Scott also reported a series of other low-level charges that occurred before he sought treatment in 2011. All of them had been dismissed and most were ultimately expunged from his record. Two final misdemeanor charges, which occurred in 2019 and were pending at the time of his application, were also dismissed and ultimately expunged. In his first meeting with TLAP that May, he said he was asked if he took any prescribed medication. He hesitated, then disclosed that he used buprenorphine. I didnt think itd be as big of an issue as it became, he said. Soon after, he attended a brief hearing before the board. He had given them a 63-page document explaining his family history and each charge in detail, along with what he learned from each incident. The board did not mention his medication disclosure, but told him he should continue to work with TLAP. The assistance program soon began to focus not on Scotts criminal record but on his substance use history. TLAP told Scott that hed have to participate in its monitoring program and submit to an assessment at an addiction and behavioral health facility before it could make any recommendation to the board regarding his ability to practice law. He was given a list of seven approved providers to choose from. None of them were in Tennessee one was more than 2,000 miles away, in Malibu, California but all had experience in treating white-collar professionals, including lawyers. Later that month, Scott paid a $2,000 fee and checked himself into the Palmetto Addiction Recovery Center in Rayville, Louisiana. By then, hed been on his medication for more than a decade. Over that time, hed attended counseling, passed drug screens and never relapsed. His doctor would later testify before the board that he was a model patient. I thought in my head I was fine, Scott recalled thinking as he drove to Louisiana. Ive been in this treatment a long time. Im not impaired. No ones ever questioned my abilities. Once there, he underwent a physical examination, a psychiatric evaluation and psychological testing. Though drug tests revealed only buprenorphine in his system, he told staff that he had occasionally used CBD and a THC product called delta-8, both of which are legal in Tennessee, to relieve anxiety. He also disclosed he had smoked marijuana, but stopped before entering law school. He immediately felt stigmatized, Scott said. No one at Palmetto consulted with his doctor. He was pressed to answer why he filled his prescription in Kentucky, explaining that he did so not just because he lived near the state line and it was close to the church he attended, but because Tennessee pharmacies wouldnt fill it. Before he left, he said, the facilitys medical director told him outright that hed have to stop using Suboxone before he could practice. (Palmetto did not respond to requests for comment.) Scott was stunned. Then he saw the evaluation results. Palmetto diagnosed him with moderate opioid use disorder and moderate cannabis use disorder, issuing two recommendations: that he sign a five-year monitoring contract with TLAP and complete a TLAP-approved long-term inpatient program. That treatment, the report continued, should include detoxification off all controlled medications including Suboxone. Scotts doctor would later write a letter on Scotts behalf stating that he disagreed with the diagnosis of cannabis use disorder and that Scott had previously been able to stop using cannabis without any difficulty. We do not consider cannabis use to indicate a failure of a patients recovery process, he wrote. TLAP informed Scott it would stick to Palmettos recommendations, trapping him in a catch-22. If he didnt attend abstinence-only treatment, TLAP would consider him noncompliant, giving the board grounds to deny his application to practice law. If that happened, he couldnt reapply for bar admission for another three years. But the idea of going off the medication that had given him his life back, that his doctor said was safe to continue using long term, terrified him. It was devastating, Scott said. Unless I showed signs of impairment, unless I had some kind of negative consequences from the treatment I used, why would you question it? Why would you try to make me stop? 100% success Addiction treatment can mean anything from equine therapy to the peer-supported spiritual programming of 12-step recovery groups. Of the treatment options for opioid addiction, methadone and buprenorphine have the strongest scientific evidence, said Dr. David Fiellin, director of the Yale Program in Addiction Medicine. Compared to detoxification or treatments that dont include medication, both have demonstrated that they uniformly do better with respect to keeping patients on treatment, decreasing the amount of illicit opioids that theyre using, improving their function in society, decreasing their criminal behavior, and decreasing their risk of infectious complications such as HIV, he said. When prescribed at appropriate doses, neither medication produces euphoria or a high, Fiellin said. Professional organizations, however, have grappled with condoning the use of medication to treat opioid use disorder especially in safety-sensitive positions, a term used to describe roles where any cognitive impairment of an employee can greatly impact the safety of others. Examples of such workers include law enforcement and doctors. A third medication, naltrexone, has also been approved by the FDA to treat opioid use disorder. Naltrexone is not an opioid and can be administered as a monthly injection. Its that formulation, often referred to by its brand name Vivitrol, that is often preferred by both corrections officials and professional organizations because it has less potential for abuse. However, many addiction medicine experts consider Vivitrol to be a second-line medication. Research has shown that its much less protective against overdose, in part because it requires a patient to detox fully from opioids before beginning it, a process that can take weeks and elevates risk of relapse. That reduces a patients tolerance to even low doses of opioids, thereby leaving them more vulnerable to overdose if they return to use after its effects wear off. Image: Coordinators with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services at an International Overdose Awareness Day vigil in Jackson, Tenn., in 2022. (Chris Day / Jackson Su / USA Today Network) Guidance recently issued by the American Society of Addiction Medicine states that patients should have access to the full range of FDA-approved medications. Regulatory agencies including state licensing boards, the ASAM said, should not discriminate against the type of treatment an individual receives based on unjustified assumptions that certain treatments cause impairment. Scott began driving for Uber to make extra money for rehab and even tried decreasing his medication dosage. In the meantime, he said, he faced increasingly uncomfortable questions from his employer, who wanted him to stay on but wondered why he hadnt gotten his license yet. He felt torn on what to do. Ive had 100% success with my recovery, he said. What made it so hard is the science was on my side on this. What happens if I am right and then you put me into long-term treatment? Who knows what happens after that? He didnt know that federal authorities at the time were actively investigating a similar scenario just two states over, in Indiana. A very strong signal Though the protections afforded to people with substance use disorder by the Americans with Disabilities Act are more than three decades old, experts say the stigma and discrimination faced by people who use buprenorphine and methadone remains endemic. Over the years, Friedman and her colleagues at the Legal Action Center have represented many clients who have been forced to make the choice between their legally prescribed medication and their livelihoods or access to services. Weve personally witnessed people struggling with these orders to taper off, she said. Suffering and kind of agonizing about whether they should go back to an appropriate dose where they were thriving, or continue to taper against medical advice so that they can comply with some ill-thought-out and discriminatory order. Until recently, there had been little enforcement of ADA protections for people who take medication to treat their opioid use disorder. The Justice Department first published its argument that discrimination based on a patients use of medication was tantamount to discrimination based on disability in 2018, when it reached a settlement with a skilled nursing facility that denied admission to a patient who used Suboxone. Since then, the agency has released guidance explaining how the ADA applies to opioid use disorder and expanded its work to various contexts, filing lawsuits and forcing entities into consent decrees. The push to protect access to these medications is part of the Justice Departments overall strategy to combat the opioid epidemic. Its cases have focused on people penalized for using the medications or who have been denied access to them including in the criminal legal system, where few correctional facilities allow prisoners to use them. Our rigorous enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act should send a clear message that the rights of people with disabilities, including those with opioid use disorder, must and will be protected, said the DOJs Clarke. When it comes to opioid use disorder, we reject discriminatory and unlawful policies and practices that are rooted in nothing more than stereotypes, myths and misconceptions. Other federal agencies including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have also stepped up enforcement. But experts say its the DOJ that has sent the strongest signal and established critical precedent where there once was little. Just last year, it reached its first settlement resolving claims of employment discrimination based on MOUD when it required a Tennessee county to make policy changes and pay damages to a correctional officer who was pushed out of his job because he used buprenorphine. The agency found that the Cumberland County Sheriffs Office had violated the ADA by failing to make reasonable accommodations to allow him to work and use the medication. Each time the Justice Department breaks new ground, Friedman said, it becomes easier for front-line attorneys to advocate for their clients in court. It also helps patients like Scott. Like any good lawyer faced with a problem, Scott began to research. He learned his medication was federally protected, and then about a case remarkably similar to his own. In March 2022, the Justice Department announced its findings that Indianas State Board of Nursing had violated the ADA by requiring that a nurse who was seeking to reinstate her license stop using buprenorphine in order to participate in a program that rehabilitates and monitors nurses with drug or alcohol addiction. The boards abstinence-only policy violated the law, according to the Justice Department, in part by creating barriers that screened out people who used MOUD. Indianas nursing board denied breaking the law, but agreed to pay damages and make policy revisions to ensure that nurses who use medication can remain on it while participating in a monitoring program. Scott suddenly felt like he had something to stand on. He began to push back against TLAP. Not fit to practice By the fall of 2022, Scotts life had changed. Hed left his job at the law firm because he couldnt get licensed, but got a new job negotiating contracts at a health care company. His first child, a boy, was born. Scott had previously asked the Board of Law Examiners for more time as he tried to figure out how to comply with TLAP. He had decided he wanted to stay on buprenorphine, so he asked TLAP for permission to get a second opinion, this time from a Tennessee-based program, hoping a new evaluation would support his use of the medication. Though TLAP granted his request, by then Scott had grown increasingly frustrated with the process and traded a handful of contentious emails back and forth with the organization. The board allowed him to postpone his final hearing to get the evaluation, but warned that failure to comply with TLAP would be grounds to deny him his license. Scott paid $6,000 for the three-day evaluation, submitting again to drug tests, cognitive testing and extensive questioning about his criminal record and family history. The results came a day before the hearing. When he read them, his heart sank. The physician concluded Scott had used buprenorphine for more than a decade without any legal, educational or occupational deficiencies or consequences, and that his criminal history was representative of living in poverty in a small community, not of any underlying personality disorder. Ultimately, however, he determined that Scott didnt have a foundation of recovery treatment and was not fit to practice law. The physician diagnosed Scott with mild cannabis use disorder in early remission, as well as alcohol use disorder by history. Scott would later dispute both in writing to TLAP he said he didnt drink alcohol and was able to stop his occasional use of CBD and delta-8, the THC product, without issue. Scott should follow Palmettos recommendation of attending abstinence-based treatment, the physician wrote, and also consider switching his medication to naltrexone. Scott and his attorney had arguments on his criminal history prepared for his next hearing, but not the new evaluation. When they arrived at his hearing, they saw a representative from TLAP, which had also received a copy of the report. The stakes couldnt have been higher. If the board denied his application because he hadnt complied with TLAP, his bar score would expire before he could apply again. He had one last option: withdraw and reapply as a first-time applicant, restarting the clock. He took it. As he walked out of the room that day, he fought back tears. I have a lot of work to do A year passed. By the fall of 2023, Scott was spending his days working from home beneath his unused law degree, vacillating between hope and frustration. By most standards, he was thriving. Hed been promoted, and his nearly 2-year-old son was enchanted with his new puppy. But he hadnt given up on his dream. Scott reapplied for bar admission. At the end of November, he was called to a hearing that would determine, finally, whether or not hed get to be a lawyer. Scott received notice of the hearing on a Friday, just six days before it was scheduled. He contacted a new attorney, Greg Brown, who had years of experience representing professionals, including lawyers and doctors, before licensing boards. Brown spent that night reading through Scotts file, and on Saturday morning, outraged over what was happening to him, officially took him on as a client. Brown worked through the weekend, quickly drafting a legal strategy. He filed a response to the board stating that Scott would not comply with the requirement that he stop using his medication and attend abstinence-only treatment. Four days later, Scott and Brown walked into a hearing room near the Capitol building in Nashville and sat at a white folding table facing four attorneys with the Board of Law Examiners. They expected to go head to head with TLAP and lose, and were prepared, Brown said, to file a federal civil rights claim afterward. But no one from TLAP was at the hearing. Right away, according to the hearing transcript, the board made clear it didnt want to discuss Scotts medication or his noncompliance with TLAP at all. Though Scott had filed dozens of pages of supplemental material since the board first referred him to TLAP in 2021 including court records, reference letters and detailed explanations of his legal record the board wanted to focus its questioning on his past conduct. That included his criminal history, but also his communications with TLAP and the board, which had grown increasingly heated as time passed. Scotts past and his behavior during the licensure process were troubling, an attorney representing the board said at the hearing. His conduct demonstrates that there is a lack of accountability for his actions and long history of conduct that gives rise to certain criminal arrests, and then an inability again to control his temper, he said. Scott testified on his own behalf, explaining his past criminal charges and apologizing for lashing out at TLAP. The board highlighted one particular email that Scott sent to Buddy Stockwell, TLAPs executive director, after he withdrew his application the year before. In it, he stated he was looking forward to working with the Justice Department to fix the character and fitness process in Tennessee. It may be funny to you guys, but Ive worked my ass off and I have a family to provide for. This isnt over yet, Scott wrote. The board said it didnt want to get into anything regarding the DOJ, according to the transcript. But it asked Scott to explain himself. I was very emotional, Scott testified. It hurt. I worked very hard to get here, and he had made requirements that I could not overcome. Brown began pressing the issue. The assessment Scott received before his last hearing, he pointed out to the board, concluded that Mr. Scott was not fit to practice law because hes on Suboxone treatment. Thats what it says. He asked if he could bring Scotts doctor in to speak. I dont think that that is our focus, a board member said. That the any fitness issues or the particular treatment that hes chosen to treat his addictions. Brown called Scotts doctor anyway. For the first time, he testified before the board, saying he had no concerns about Scotts fitness to practice law and that he had also treated other professional patients, including doctors and lawyers, with buprenorphine. Other witnesses followed, offering glowing assessments of Scotts character. After several hours of testimony, the board broke to deliberate. Scott steeled himself for bad news. When they returned, the board announced Scott would get his license, without any conditions. Scott wouldnt have to talk to TLAP again. It was over. I bet my eyes were big, Scott recalled. I was thinking, This is unbelievable. Before the hearing ended, a board member told Scott that the licensure process would have gone a lot easier if he had communicated better. Conflict, she advised, was an inevitable part of practicing law. Scott nodded and thanked her. I dont plan to be back before any board ever again, he said. A month later, and nearly three years after he passed the bar exam, Scott stood in a courtroom in front of a judge and the Tennessee state flag with his right hand raised. As his son watched him swear his oath of admission to the bar, he thought about the price he paid to get there. But he also thought of his grandmother Nellie and how proud she would have been to see it. Now, I have a lot of work to do, he said. Its just the beginning. Image: Derek Scott is sworn in by a Judge in a courtoom. (Courtesy Derek Scott) This article was originally published on NBCNews.com The aftermath of Russian attack on Odesa. Photo: the State Emergency Service of Ukraine Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, has stressed that Moscow will be brought to justice after Russia's latest attack on the city of Odesa. Source: Rousopoulos on Twitter, as reported by European Pravda Quote from Rousopoulos: "I strongly condemn the drone attack on Odesa last night, which caused injuries and destruction. Russia will be held accountable for all the crimes it committed in Ukraine." I strongly condemn the drone attack on Odesa last night, which caused injuries and destruction. Russia will be held accountable for all the crimes it committed in Ukraine.@GoncharenkoUa Theodoros Rousopoulos (@PACE_President) March 2, 2024 Background: After another Russian attack on Kharkiv, Odesa and Sumy oblasts, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on the West to change its goal from "as long as it takes" to "as quick and as much as it takes." On the night of 1-2 March, Russian forces attacked Odesa with Shahed loitering munitions. Earliest reports indicated that two people had been killed, and later, the body of a child, 3, was retrieved from the rubble. Support UP or become our patron! Paramedic sentenced to 5 years in prison in death of Elijah McClain A Colorado paramedic was sentenced Friday to five years in prison in the death of Elijah McClain, a Black pedestrian who was given a lethal dose of ketamine in 2019 after a confrontation with police. A jury in December found Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper guilty of criminally negligent homicide. Cichuniec was also found guilty of second-degree assault through the unlawful administration of drugs. Cichuniec was sentenced to five years in prison Friday. Cooper's sentencing is scheduled for April. A demonstrator carries an image of Elijah McClain (David Zalubowski / AP file) Police confronted McClain, 23, in Aurora on the night of Aug. 24, 2019, after someone called them and reported a suspicious person wearing a ski mask which McClains family said he regularly wore because of a blood condition that made him feel cold. Officers eventually tackled McClain, and paramedics injected him with the powerful sedative ketamine. After he was injected, McClain had no pulse in the ambulance, and he went into cardiac arrest and died six days later, on Aug. 30. Judge Mark Warner described the tragic outcome of that night as "the death of a young man who was simply walking home from a convenience store." "I expect for most people, and certainly this court, it is impossible to un-remember the video images of Elijah McClains suffering in the last minutes of his young life," Warner said before imposing the sentence. Cichuniec broke down in tears as his wife, also crying, took the stand to speak on his behalf ahead of the sentencing. He continued to cry as his two sons followed with remarks. In his own remarks, Cichuniec said it "destroys" him that he couldn't tell McClain's mother that her son was OK. On the stand, McClain's mom, Sheneen McClain, asserted that Cichuniec should be held responsible for her son's death. After the sentencing, she left the courthouse with her fist in the air. Im not OK. I never will be, she said after Fridays sentence. She said her son was talking when paramedics got there and they had the opportunity to save him. Image: Paramedic Jeremy Cooper (Philip B. Poston / Sentinel Colorado via AP file) Image: Paramedic Peter Cichuniec (Philip B. Poston / Sentinel Colorado via AP file) The Adams County coroner found McClain died from complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint. An independent probe commissioned by the city of Aurora found that police had no justification to stop or use force to detain McClain and that responding paramedics sedated him with ketamine without conducting anything more than a brief visual observation. This sort of callous behavior that kills a young man ... is a crime, Sheneen McClains lawyer said, adding that Cichuniec knew he gave McClain too much ketamine and left him prone and vomiting for six minutes. Warner noted that Cichuniec and others were trained that the condition of excited delirium which Warner called a now discredited condition could be life-threatening. Colorado had allowed EMS to use ketamine to treat it, but state health guidelines have since been changed. He sentenced Cichuniec to five years in prison on the assault charge, which is the mandatory minimum under the law. Cichuniec was also sentenced to one year on the criminally negligent homicide charge, to run at the same time as the five-year sentence. He will get credit for 70 days already served in jail, and he will be on parole for three years. In a statement following the sentencing, Attorney General Phil Weiser called Cichuniec's sentence "one of accountability for the defendants criminal negligence" in McClain's death. "It sends a strong message that no profession, whether a paramedic, a nurse, a police officer, an elected official, or a CEO should be immune from criminal prosecution for actions that violate the law and harm people," Weiser said. Cichuniec and Cooper are the last two of five first responders who were criminally charged in connection with McClain's death. Cooper was the medic on the call and was responsible for crew and patient safety. Cichuniec ordered the ketamine from the ambulance and Cooper injected it, according to a 2021 grand jury indictment. Aurora police officer Randy Roedema was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault in October; he was sentenced in January to one year and two months in jail. Officers Nathan Woodyard and Jason Rosenblatt were charged but acquitted by juries. Aurora Fire Rescue made changes in the wake of McClains death, including re-establishing a medical branch to increase oversight of emergency procedures and incidents, in addition to a required review of the use of sedatives, Chief Alec Oughton has said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Early to bed, early to rave. Millennials who want to party like rock stars but sleep like their grandparents have found a safe space in the East Village. Matinee Social Club throws Saturday dance parties twice a month at Joyface, a 70s-themed cocktail bar on Seventh Street, that runs from 5 pm to 10 pm sharp leaving ample time to get tucked away in bed for a blissful eight-hour sleep. Westchester resident Alicia Roldan is a Matinee regular. Jade Greene I danced my face off and then I left. I was very literally in bed by 11, boasted Alicia Roldan about her first time attending the party in January. Its cool being able to feel like youre dancing all night long but getting home before midnight. Last weekend, she returned to Joyface, which is decorated in true 70s fashion with a disco ball, retro couches, and a water bed, with eight of her pals, one of whom has children. The timing provides high-functioning adults who have responsibilities ranging from demanding careers to children and family to get the most out of their weekend, said Roldan, 37, a physician who travels to the parties from her home in Westchester. We can now party and still wake up early enough for a productive and full Sunday. DJ Mike Vosters launched Matinee Social Club in September. Jade Greene Matinee Social Club is the brainchild of Mike Vosters, a deejay and event planner who lives in Williamsburg. I was talking to friends and saying, We need to get together more, but no one wanted to be out late, Vosters, 34, said. There isnt a place where 30-year-olds can go out dancing without being out until 4 in the morning. So I said jokingly, We should throw a matinee so everyone can still get to bed on time.' He threw the first event in September and assumed it was going to last for a limited time only, but after a video of it went viral with 16.3 million views in December, he kept the party going and now hosts two a month. To make things comfortable for mature millennials, partygoers must purchase a ticket, which eliminates the long lines that typically form outside clubs. Guest lists are also capped. Nicole Matthews, 36, said, Its nice to be around people your age. Jade Greene Nicole Matthews, who first moved to the Big Apple to attend New York University, misses her college days of hitting up clubs in the Meatpacking District. She said cutting a rug at Matinee is nostalgic for her. The nightlife scene in New York is definitely catered more to twentysomethings, said Matthews, 36, who lives in the East Village. Its nice to be around people your age. Melvin Cross, an emcee from the Bronx, first attended a birthday party at Matinee with his girlfriend and was happy not having to wait all night to party. Guest lists are capped to avoid the usual overcrowding at most nightlife spots. Jade Greene Being a professional emcee, I go to parties all the time that sometimes end at 1 am and then Im exhausted, said Cross, 38. We danced the whole night away and were home and in bed before midnight. Nightlife photographer Jade Greene sees a difference in Matinees guests, who are there just to have a good time and are not worried about impressing anyone. There are some parties you go to where you feel like people are there to be seen and show off how much money they have and what kind of clothes theyre wearing, said Greene, 31, who lives in Washington Heights. The vibe in here is were here to dance, have fun, meet people, get sweaty, and go home and go to bed. Its very wholesome. A court in Pennsylvania dropped an injunction against an Amish farmer, who suffered a police raid last month for selling milk in violation of government regulations, but blocked them from selling raw milk to the public. County Judge Thomas Sponaugle ruled on Friday that the injunction against Amos Miller's farm was lifted following a battle with the state's agriculture department and Attorney General Michelle Henry. The lawsuit alleged that Miller's raw milk products had been connected to E. coli outbreaks in two other states. Those reports led to a raid of Miller's farm in early January, followed by a lawsuit from the agriculture department. CONSERVATIVES RALLY BEHIND PENNSYLVANIA AMISH FARMER WHO SUFFERED FROM POLICE RAID OVER MILK SALES The lawsuit alleged that raw milk products had been connected to E. coli outbreaks. Following the hearing, the judge ruled that Miller is allowed to sell his farm's raw to "immediate family," but is blocked from marketing and selling their products to the public. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP The judge also ruled that Miller's farm must allow the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to "inspect, draw records, draw samples [and] conduct tests." "This court cannot ignore this Commonwealth's regulations requiring a permit to sell raw milk," the ruling said. Retail sale of raw milk is illegal in 23 states, and producing it in Pennsylvania requires a license. "For years, this business has brushed off efforts to bring its commercial farm operation into compliance with the law as all commercial farms are required to do," Henry argued at the filing of the lawsuit. NOROVIRUS ALERT: FDA WARNS OF CONTAMINATED RAW OYSTERS FROM MEXICO Following the farm's raid and the lawsuit, some Republicans condemned the raid on Miller's farm. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., condemned the raid as "shameful" in January, arguing it was a classic example of government overreach. "It's a shame that small farmers have been pushed into these situations by overbearing government regulatory agencies and lawmakers captured by corporations and monopolies," he told Newsweek in a statement on Wednesday. "I support all small farmers and consumers who wish to engage in voluntary transactions. It's imperative that Congress take up my PRIME Act to ameliorate the plight of small farmers like Amos," he added. Donald Trump Jr. Donald Trump Jr. also weighed in on X, sharing a video of the police raid and condemning Pennsylvania for going after "farmers selling to their neighbors." "Imagine what law enforcement could accomplish if they went after oh I dont know, say, members of elite pedophile rings rather than farmers selling to their neighbors?," Trump Jr. wrote in an X post. The Pennsylvania state border. Not all Republicans sided with Miller, however. State Rep. Dave Zimmerman, a Republican who represents nearby Lancaster County and a member of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee, argued that Miller is not above the law. "Let me be very clear, I'm 100% against government overreach and have spent much of my time in the legislature fighting overregulation," he wrote in a Jan. 17 statement. "I also recognize that while limiting the government is critical, some government is necessary." "Mr. Millers case is not about the buying and selling of raw products as some have suggested many farmers throughout the state sell raw products. I can go to a local farm right now to purchase raw products. There are many farmers with roadside stands right here in Lancaster County who sell raw products. Mr. Millers case is about following basic agriculture regulations that every other farmer in the state is subject to for the production of safe food. Is it too much to ask for farmers to follow these basic requirements to ensure food safety?" he asked. "Is the solution to simply ignore Mr. Miller and allow him to violate basic regulations that all other farmers must follow? That would certainly not be fair to other farmers," he said. Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report. Original article source: Pennsylvania court drops injunction against Amish farmer who suffered from police raid Key Insights Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, Glatfelter's stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions The top 10 shareholders own 51% of the company Ownership research, combined with past performance data can help provide a good understanding of opportunities in a stock A look at the shareholders of Glatfelter Corporation (NYSE:GLT) can tell us which group is most powerful. With 61% stake, institutions possess the maximum shares in the company. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company. Institutional investors would appreciate the 12% increase in share price last week, given their one-year losses have totalled a disappointing 40%. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Glatfelter. View our latest analysis for Glatfelter What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Glatfelter? Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. We can see that Glatfelter does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Glatfelter's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters. Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. It looks like hedge funds own 16% of Glatfelter shares. That worth noting, since hedge funds are often quite active investors, who may try to influence management. Many want to see value creation (and a higher share price) in the short term or medium term. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Carlson Capital, L.P. with 16% of shares outstanding. BlackRock, Inc. is the second largest shareholder owning 7.0% of common stock, and The Vanguard Group, Inc. holds about 5.1% of the company stock. Story continues We did some more digging and found that 10 of the top shareholders account for roughly 51% of the register, implying that along with larger shareholders, there are a few smaller shareholders, thereby balancing out each others interests somewhat. While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. Our information suggests that there isn't any analyst coverage of the stock, so it is probably little known. Insider Ownership Of Glatfelter The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions. We can see that insiders own shares in Glatfelter Corporation. It has a market capitalization of just US$101m, and insiders have US$4.1m worth of shares, in their own names. Some would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board, though we generally prefer to see bigger insider holdings. But it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling. General Public Ownership With a 19% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Glatfelter. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Glatfelter better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Glatfelter you should know about. If you would prefer check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, backed by strong financial data. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Campaigners fighting a holiday village being built on a country park will have their case heard as part of a judicial review. Outline planning permission was granted in 2016 to build 500 holiday cottages at Penrhos Coastal Park near Holyhead. It would see development on around 200 acres of the park, which was set up for the community in 1971 by the former Anglesey Aluminium plant. A campaign group said the deadline to begin work has expired. They have argued that the entire development must be resubmitted for fresh planning consent. But Anglesey council said the holiday village permission still stands and that enough work has been carried out to meet the deadline. This week, a court hearing in Cardiff decided the case was worthy of further consideration and it is expected to be heard later in the year. A spokesperson for Anglesey council said: "Following the hearing on Tuesday, the judge confirmed that the claimant had a case that could be argued on two specific grounds only and that another hearing would be arranged for the High Court later this year to hear arguments on those grounds. "The judge confirmed that allowing these two grounds to be argued was done by a narrow margin and that he did not wish to give 'false hope' (the judge's words) to the claimant. "The county council remains confident in its decision-making process and will present this case once again in the High Court." According to developer Land and Lakes, "an effective start to the development at Penrhos was made in 2021, which means the planning permission for the site is now held in perpetuity". However, it added that "full-scale development has been paused as we wait for the current challenges in the UK economy to ease". The company said there are no plans to restrict public access to the Penrhos site. "We are committed to ensuring that there will be a right of access to 73 acres of trees and paths, and will open another 100 acres near Cae Glas for the public to enjoy," it said. Having attracted local support, the Save Penrhos campaign group's latest appeal to help fund their legal costs has now topped 22,000. Hilary Patterson-Jones of the group said: "We're delighted that its progressed to a full judicial review as feelings run very strong in the area that this development can't go ahead. "We had to prove that they [Land and Lakes] hadn't made a material start and the judge was quite happy that we had a case. "Ours is a grass roots campaign but the support has been incredible, we've been battling for 14 years now and aren't going to give up now." People smugglers can be stripped of their British citizenship as judges have backed the Home Office. In a test case, senior immigration judges have ruled that the Home Secretary can treat people smugglers in the same way as terrorists and serious organised criminals by depriving them of their citizenship. They said the threat to national security and safety of the public overrode the traffickers rights under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The ruling, revealed in papers from the special immigration appeals commission (SIAC), followed an undercover investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), Britains equivalent of the FBI. The NCA agents infiltrated an organised crime gang which smuggled young men and women into the UK, some of whom were used for cheap labour or sexually exploited. NCA agents bust operation The trafficking operation was run by two Afghans, known only in court as D5 and D6, who had secured UK citizenship after entering the UK illegally and claiming asylum between 2001 and 2007. Part of the hearing was held in secret because of the sensitivity of the NCA investigation. Described in court as a sophisticated operation carried out for significant financial gain, the pair, an uncle and his nephew, charged each migrant 8,000 to 9,000 to be smuggled into the UK by lorry drivers who got a 2,500 cut of the money. The trafficking ring was smashed when the two Afghans recruited two intercontinental lorry drivers, named in court as Mark and George, who were in fact undercover NCA agents secretly taping their conversations. D6 said that he wanted George to smuggle people from mainland Europe into the UK, that it would be one to three people on each run, with two to three runs a month and with a payment of 2,500 per person smuggled, the court was told. D6 would meet the immigrants off the lorry and would pay George himself. D6 said that he was making good money. As a result of the investigation, the pair were charged with multiple immigration offences including assisting unlawful entry to the UK. D6 was jailed for 10 years, and his uncle, D5, for five years. This was a sophisticated enterprise which included: arrangements for pick up and drop-off points, organisation of migrants being loaded, stowed and unloaded, consideration of border checks and CO2 probes and arrangements for the exchange of money, said the sentencing judge Sarah Plaschkes, KC. Judges reject appeal The pair were stripped of their citizenship but appealed the decision on multiple grounds, leading to the ruling by SIAC, which has now been published as an open judgment but with the identities of the two Afghans remaining secret for legal reasons. The three SIAC judges rejected all of their claims on the basis that the Home Office had acted correctly under the terms of its own internal guidance that allows deprivation of citizenship in the most serious organised crime cases as well as for terrorism, spying and war crimes. They rejected the pairs claim that it would be a breach of their right to a family life, under the ECHR, and that they should have been given the chance to challenge the removal of their citizenship before it was authorised by the Home Secretary. The judges ruled: It would have been impossible, impracticable and pointless to give any of them a right to make representations before making the deprivation and exclusion decisions. There was no breach of policy. The material was not put before the Secretary of State in an unfair or misleading way. Applying judicial review principles, it has not been shown that the Secretary of States decisions were otherwise flawed on public law grounds. The appeals of D5 and D6 are dismissed. A Home Office spokesman said: We will do whatever it takes to ensure the safety and security of the UK, which will always be our priority. Deprivation of citizenship only happens after careful consideration of the facts and in accordance with international law. It is used against those who have acquired citizenship by fraud and the most dangerous people, such as terrorists, extremists and serious organised criminals. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Flag Fen Bronze Age site has been trying to address the effects of climate change Experts looking after a Bronze Age site said we must adapt to climate change and learn to live with flooded landscapes the way our ancient ancestors did. In 1982 Time Team archaeologist Dr Francis Pryor discovered the Flag Fen causeway, near Peterborough, which dates back about 3,500 years. He said he could see a time when the Fens were once again engulfed by water. He said we should learn from the past and "live in harmony" with nature. Flag Fen has been described as one of the most important Bronze Age archaeological sites in Britain, and its centrepiece is the remains of a stilted wooden causeway that was built over the marshy landscape. Francis Pryor uncovered the Bronze Age site in 1982 Excavation of the causeway began in 1982 when millions of preserved timbers covering more than half a mile (0.8km) of Fenland were found. The site's manager, Jacqueline Mooney, said Flag Fen was "starting to disappear under the water" The Bronze Age site's manager, Jacqueline Mooney, said: "I think Flag Fen is the perfect example of what climate change is doing to the Fens. "The very, very dry summers are drying out the peat - we're losing the vegetation so we lose the wildlife that needs the vegetation. "In the winter when it becomes extremely wet it prohibits the grass from growing again and we get a shorter time each year for the ground to recover, so it limits wildlife opportunities and our visitor opportunities. "Because we've had such a deluge of rain - the wettest February on record - we're just starting to disappear under the water." Ms Mooney added: "This site would have been much more lake than land 3,500 years ago, and the humans that lived here really had to adapt, building huge causeways and huge platforms in order to keep a living and raise their animals. "We're now starting to find ourselves in a similar situation because our climate is changing - and we are not yet set up for that." Dr Pryor said our ancestors "did not abuse the environment" Dr Pryor said the Bronze Age people working at Flag Fen "lived in harmony with their environment". "That's the important thing - they did not abuse the environment," he said. "So, yes, they built houses, they felled lots of trees, they grew crops. They did all that sort of thing, but they didn't pump fumes into the atmosphere. "It was all done in a manageable way - nature could cope with it." The recreated Bronze Age site is a popular tourist attraction 'Surge floods' Climate change had been "a long-term process", Dr Pryor said, "and as an archaeologist I notice [the] change is happening really quite rapidly. "Water levels are rising, you're having Fenland flooding but it's still sort of under control, thanks to all the drainage dykes. "But there are long-term effects that really worry me. "I think we're likely to see water levels rising and really substantial changes in the Fens. Certainly within the next 100 years, but I think more likely the next 50 years "We're probably going to have some pretty nasty events a bit sooner than that. "The worst-case scenario would be a North Sea tidal surge, as which happened in 1947, and the waves coming down the east coast and flooding the Fens. "The Fens are a million acres, and if a surge floods the Fens it's not going to flood London. "I can foresee terrible circumstances where the Fens have to be allowed to flood to preserve areas further south. "I think what we should learn from our prehistoric ancestors is to live in harmony with the Fenland environment as much as we can." He added: "Changes will happen, but you don't want catastrophes, you want manageable change. "That's what they understood in the Bronze Age, and it's something we've got to understand today." A spokesperson from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "We recognise the threat from climate change and rising sea levels, which is why we are investing a record 5.2bn over six years in flood and coastal erosion schemes to better protect properties across England. "We have also set out a clear five-year adaptation plan to increase the country's resilience to the effects of climate change and protect people, homes and businesses against risks such as flooding, drought and heatwaves." Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830 Regina Jollivette Frazier loved Christmas because it meant time with her family. If you were to ask my mother what her biggest achievement was, I really think she would say her family, said her daughter Rozalynn Frazier, recalling her mothers insistence on a 9-foot Fraser fir tree and gold decorations. I think she poured into us at every moment and really set an example for all of us to follow. The world saw my mothers outward persona, the professional side my mother was mighty in this community but to us, she was just Mommie. Spelled M - O - M- M- I- E. The Miami community suffered a great loss with the passing of Frazier on Feb. 15, 2024. She was 80. A member of a trailblazing Miami family, Frazier continued their legacy when she became one of the youngest directors in the history of University of Miami Hospital and Clinics. She also made a point to give back at every turn. She understood community service, said longtime friend Antonia Williams-Gary, later adding that although she loved the finer things, Regina was grounded. Frazier was born September 30, 1943 in the historically Black neighborhood of Overtown to parents Cyrus Martin Jollivette and Frances Reeves Jollivette Chambers. Her father, Cyrus, worked as a pharmacist and founded Liberty Citys Community Drug Store in 1948 while her mother, Frances, was a teacher and daughter of The Miami Times founder Henry E. S. Reeves. With that sort of DNA, its no surprise that Frazier set the bar very high, said Williams-Gary. Regina was the It girl, said Williams-Gary who first met Frazier at age eight. All I heard my entire childhood was you have to be like that Reeves girl. Frazier would go on to graduate from Miami Northwestern as valedictorian in 1961. When it came time for her to go to college, she knew she had to leave Florida. My mother was still trying to decide where I should go and I said, Look, as long as its out of the State of Florida its fine with me, Frazier told The HistoryMakers, a nonprofit committed to preserving the stories of both well-known and unsung Black Americans, in 2017. I said, I have been sheltered all my life and its time for me to kind of get out on my own. Regina Jollivette Frazier became director of pharmacy for University of Miami Hospitals and Clinics, one of the youngest people to be named a director at UM Hospital. She died Feb. 16, 2024 at age 80. The Miami native eventually chose Howard University due to the institutions school of pharmacy. There, she would meet her eventual husband, Ronald E. Frazier. It wasnt quite love at first sight but Frazier knew what she wanted and eventually, she got him. I found out that the team, the swim team was going to Baltimore for a meet, she told The HistoryMakers. Ronald was on the swim team at the time. I got a ride over there and I watched him and after the meet I went up to him and I said, Oh, can you help me? I have no way to get back to campus. So he got me back to campus and the rest is history. Shortly after Fraziers graduation from Howard in 1966, she and Ronald would marry. By 1970, she returned home to accept a senior pharmacist position at the University of Miami Hospital and Clinics. In just three years, she would be promoted to director of pharmacy. Frazier would serve at the helm of UMs Pharmacy department until 2007 while also receiving her M.B.A. degree from the University of Miami in 1983. She was woman who fought through the adversity of her time racism, sexism to have this fantastic career, become a pillar of the community and leave this rich legacy, Rozalynn said. Frazier would also join The Links, Incorporated, a service organization dedicated to empowering Black women, in 1970 and by 1986, she became youngest person to be elected national president. As president, a position which she held until 1990, she charted the first international chapter in the organizations history. My agenda was to make the chain of friendship that encircled the globe not only figuratively but literally, Frazier told The HistoryMakers. And to that end, I charted the first international chapter in Nassau, the Bahamas. Regina Jollivette Frazier looks at some recent pictures of her family at her home in Miami Shores. Fraziers stature in the community made her a mainstay on many board of directors including the United Way of Miami-Dade, New World School of the Arts and National Coalition on Black Voter Participation. Her affiliations included Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Orange Bowl Committee, and the International Womans Forum. Her extensive list of recognitions including Florida Memorial Colleges Sarah A. Blocker Meritorious Community Service Award, Anti-Defamation Leagues Woman of Achievement Award and Association of Black Health-System Pharmacists Meritorious Service Award even earned her a spot on Ebony magazines One Hundred Most Influential Black Americans from 1987 to 1990. Every organization she belonged to she became a true leader, said friend Toni Randolph. Frazier is survived by her husband Ronald, her sister Cleo L. Jollivette, her three children Ronald E. Frazier II, Robert C. Frazier and Rozalynn as well as her grandson Ronald E. Frazier III. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. March 7 at St. Rose of Lima Church, 415 NE 105th St., Miami. UPDATE: Pittsburgh police said he has been found and is safe. Pittsburgh police are searching for a missing 12-year-old boy. Jackie Heyward was last seen leaving Environmental Elementary School at 1:15 p.m. Friday. Police believe he could be near the school. Jackie is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes and was wearing a baggy white t-shirt and gray sweatpants. Anyone with information is asked to call 412-323-7141 or 911. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Dental office suing Butler County man over negative comments online Top of ambulance flies off while on I-79; drivers mistake piece for boat Driver ejected from vehicle in Washington County crash, flown to hospital VIDEO: Fish fry fundraiser to be held for paramedic injured in ambulance crash DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts MANHATTAN (KSNT) The Riley County Police Department (RCPD) is cracking down on Fake Pattys Day festivities in the Little Apple. Just before 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, the RCPD took to social media to give an update on actions being taken to enforce the law on Fake Pattys Day. So far, the RCPD said it has issued 20 citations and made two arrests. The citations were related to minor in possession/minor in consumption, open container and urinating in public violations. Two arrests have been made for hosting-related violations as well. The RCPD said it is also monitoring the area of Northeast Ratone Street along with other parts of the city. Why are parking costs going up in Manhattan? Fake Pattys Day has its origins with Kansas State University as the occasion gives students the chance to celebrate St. Patricks Day early before Spring Break. 27 News spoke with local businesses and the RCPD about what to expect for the day earlier this week. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. DENVER (KDVR) Police in Denver began investigating a shooting late Friday night that killed a man. The shooting occurred in the 9800 block of East Girard Avenue near Cherry Creek State Park. 1 dead in crash near downtown Denver Police said the victim was pronounced dead on the scene, and that the incident was being investigated as a homicide. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Police at the scene of a fatal shooting in Independence Missouri on 29 February 2024 (ABC News/KMBC) A Missouri police officer and court official were shot dead by a man as they served eviction papers at his home. Officer Cody Allen, 35, was described as a hero following the shocking incident at the property in Independence, Missouri, on Thursday. Officer Allen and server Drexel Mack had gone to the home of Larry Acree, 69, to serve him the eviction notice when they were fatally shot. The pair, and other officers, had announced their presence but there was no answer from inside the property, officials said. So they removed the locks and entered the home and that was when Mr Acree allegedly opened fire. Mr Allen and Mr Mack were struck and killed, while two other officers were injured as they tried to help them. Speaking on Thursday afternoon, Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman paid tribute to his fallen officer, who had spent over a decade serving with the department. He did exactly what the men and women of law enforcement are called to do day in and day out. And I could not be more proud of him and his service to this community, Chief Dustman said. Visibly shaken at a different press conference, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said it was another loss for the police department. There are widows and children and moms that lost somebody really important to them, Ms Baker said. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker detailed the charges against Larry Acree during a news conference Friday, 1 March 2024 (AP) The official said it appeared Mr Acree was being evicted over unpaid taxes and that the process had begun in February 2023. We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job, Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said. Our hearts are heavy, and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire court family, and the Independence Police Department. Officials managed to take the suspect into custody and charged Mr Acree with two counts of murder and one count of assault. He is being held on a $2m bond and is in hospital. Officer Allen is survived by his wife, two children and his parents, while Mr Mack is survived by his fiance. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Police are looking for a man wanted for burglarizing an East Nashville high school several times. The Metro Nashville Police Department said 25-year-old Roy Knowles is wanted for breaking into Cora Howe Exceptional School on Greenwood Avenue several times over the last month. Have breaking come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts Knowles may be driving a gray 2009 Toyota Camry with Tennessee tags, according to investigators. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463 or East Precinct detectives at 615-862-7600. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. MILLCREEK, Utah (ABC4) A 15-year-old girl is reported missing out of Millcreek. Natalie Van Sickle was last seen on Wednesday going to school in the Millcreek area, but the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake said she is possibly headed to Park City. Officers find 50k fentanyl pills, assault rifle, large quantities of cash in Magna residence Natalie is 52, 115 pounds, and has blonde hair and blue eyes. Courtesy of the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake If you have any information on Natalies whereabouts, please contact police at 801-840-4000 or Specialist Blakeslee at 385-468-9858. There is no further information available at this time. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. A Topeka building described by the Kansas Historical Society as one of the last remaining important architectural structures from the pre-World War I time period of Topeka" is on the market. The historic Dillon House, 404 S.W. 9th St., is across the street from the Kansas Statehouse. "This quality of this finish, you just don't get this quality," said Mike Morse, of Kansas Commercial Real Estate Services. "This package you don't see anywhere else in the city." That wasn't the case just more than a decade ago. The Historic Dillon House, 404 S.W. 9th St., is listed for sale through Kansas Commercial Real Estate Services. What is the history of the Dillon House? The home listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 badly needed repairs earlier this century. The ceiling support beams were bowing, making it dangerous for anyone to walk on the second or third floors. A bill introduced in the 2010 legislative session would have allowed the Kansas Arts Commission to begin raising $4.6 million to restore the house, but the bill fell through. Then-Gov. Sam Brownback defunded the commission the following year. In 2013, Pioneer Group president Ross Freeman bought the Dillon House from the state at auction, with a winning bid of $700,000. Freeman later restored to its condition today investing about $5.5 million over three years using the first floor as an events venue and the second and third floors as offices for Pioneer Group and Dillon House Events. Mike Morse, with Kansas Commercial Real Estate Services, shows off the grand staircase and other architecturally significant features at the Dillon House on Tuesday morning. Freeman died in 2021 at the age of 81. Pioneer Group developed more than 1,500 affordable housing projects and pursued numerous restorations of historic buildings, his obituary noted. The condition of the home at its age is truly rare, Morse said. Topeka banker and lawyer Hiram Price Dillon and his family moved into the three-story house in 1914. It features stained glass windows and Italian Renaissance-style architecture, as well as the first electric elevator installed in a Topeka home. Handcrafted woodwork, plaster ceilings and solid wood oak floors are also featured in the home. Story continues Dillon and his family lived in the home until the 1940s. Subsequent tenants included an insurance company, the First Presbyterian Church and the state of Kansas, which got it in exchange for a parking lot in 1998. Grand fireplaces and ornate decorations fill the Dillon House, which was built in 1914. What might Dillon House be used for in the future? The Dillon House went onto the market about a month ago, Morse said. "It's been working its way through the estate, Mr. Freeman's estate," he said. Morse said: "At the moment, everything's a package deal. So, everything that's here is part of the building." That includes an original 104-year-old grand piano nicknamed "Goldie," which was first owned by Susie Dillon, Hiram Dillon's wife and a talented musician . Susie Dillon's original 104-year-old grand piano, named "Goldie," will be included in the sale of the Dillon House. Morse said he thinks the Dillon House would best serve to continue as an event space. It can host group sizes ranging from 12 to 225 with office spaces that were originally bedrooms. "The next buyer can use it how they want," he said. "It's certainly set up for an event center. It does everything. It's just a beautiful building to design where you can multi-divide. And that was always Mr. Freeman's dream and to make it work that way. And he had his offices on the second floor. More: October Topeka air show to offer U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, 'planes shooting fireworks' "The challenge for anything is the buyer's got to be able to see a way to make money. That or they have to have a need for themselves. If it's somewhere they can say, 'We need office space and we want to be next to the Capitol this works great for us for location.' "These locations really work well for events, but it has to be an operator. ... There's no way it could ever be remodeled to this quality of price that the seller's asking." Stained glass windows can be seen throughout the Dillon House. The 11,942-square-foot house has a sale price of $2,900,000. It was most recently appraised at $1,510,400 in 2023 and $1,464,500 in 2022. "But it still comes down to you have to have a buyer that can have the vision and see the opportunity to make money," Morse said. "Nobody wants to buy a property and lose money." More: Kansas microbrewers hope liquor law change could help them sell more craft beer Keishera Lately is the business reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. She can be reached at klately@cjonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @Lately_KT. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka's historic Dillon House has been events venue in recent years TYLER, Texas (KETK) The Tyler Police Department said they are searching for a woman suspected of pulling a gun at a man at Discount Tire on Friday. Two arrested in Nacogdoches County for allegedly selling meth, cocaine According to Tyler Police Department PIO Andy Erbaugh, at around 1 p.m. a woman was getting her vehicle serviced at the Discount Tire on Loop 323 when a man attempted to repossess her vehicle. The woman reportedly pulled out a gun on the man who then stopped trying to hook up the vehicle. The woman allegedly drove off and police are now working on an arrest warrant. Erbaugh said they know the identity of the woman but will not release the information as the investigation continues. No further information is available at this time. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. A new survery finds President Biden struggling to persuade ordinary Americans that his policies are working for them (SAUL LOEB) Days before the biggest night of the presidential primary season, a new poll published Saturday will ring alarm bells for Joe Biden, who is seen lagging behind his likely White House challenger Donald Trump. The nationwide survey of registered voters by the New York Times and Siena College found that if the election were held today, 48 percent would choose Trump with 43 percent for Biden. The poll comes just ahead of "Super Tuesday" -- when more than a dozen US states hold presidential nominating contests in an exercise expected to finally end the challenge of Trump's remaining Republican rival, Nikki Haley. The survey found President Biden struggling, despite many positive economic indicators, to persuade ordinary Americans that his policies are working for them. Only one in four said the country is moving in the right direction, and more than twice as many voters said Biden's policies had hurt rather than helped them. Significantly, the poll found waning support for Biden among some normally reliable Democratic constituencies, including blue-collar workers and non-white voters. And while Trump has unified his base to a remarkable extent -- 97 percent of those who voted for him in 2020 said they would do so again -- only 83 percent of Biden's 2020 voters vowed to stick with him and a full 10 percent now back Trump. The Times/Siena poll also noted a dramatic decline in Biden's support among less educated working-class voters of color. Four years ago, Biden won that demographic by 50 points but the poll suggested the margin over Trump had since plummeted to just six points. Much can happen in the months before the November 5 election, and Trump is still battling four indictments and 91 felony counts, though his core supporters appear to shrug those off. And while Super Tuesday should see the end of Haley's challenge, analysts say Trump's dominant primary showing hides stiff opposition to his candidacy among the moderate Republicans and independents he needs to defeat Biden. Nor is it clear how many skeptical Biden voters might grit their teeth and support him again rather than see Trump return to office. The poll of 980 registered voters had a sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 points. bbk/md VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis, who has been suffering from influenza, said he delegated the reading of a speech at a ceremony on Saturday to an aide because he was unable to read it due to bronchitis. "I have prepared a speech but as you can see I am unable to read it because of bronchitis. I have asked Monsignor (Filippo) Ciampanelli to read it for me," a hoarse-sounding pope said. The speech was for the opening ceremony of the judicial year of the Vatican tribunal. Afterwards, the pope was able to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during an audience at the Vatican. Francis, who is 87, has had a number of health issues recently. On Wednesday he made a brief trip to a Roman hospital for a check up after he missed reading at his weekly audience, saying he had "a bit of cold". He cancelled appointments on Monday and last Saturday due to what the Vatican said was a mild flu, but he gave his regular weekly address to the crowds in St Peter's Square on Sunday. The pope was forced to cancel a planned trip to a COP28 climate meeting in Dubai at the start of December because of the effects of influenza and lung inflammation. In January, he was unable to complete a speech owing to "a touch of bronchitis". Later that month he said he was doing better despite "some aches and pains". As a young man in his native Argentina, Francis had part of a lung removed. (Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Mike Harrison) PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Police have arrested a man in California for his alleged involvement in the murder of Deshawn Pledger in the Hazelwood neighborhood back in January, the first recorded homicide of 2024, according to the Portland Police Bureau. Police say the initial call started as a welfare check to a home on Southeast 106th Avenue off of Division Street just before 11 p.m. the night of Jan. 8. When officers arrived, they reported finding Pledger dead. 9 Oregon counties under disaster designation for weather-related crop loss The PPB Medical Examiner determined that Pledger died of homicide by gunshot wound. Detectives with PPBs Homicide Unit were able to identify 32-year-old Xavier Lucas as a suspect in the shooting and on Thursday, members of the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force arrested him in Hesperia, California. Lucas was booked into the San Bernadino County West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, California on charges of second-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. A camper truck heads north on Interstate 80 at the Donner Pass exit Friday in Truckee, Calif. The most powerful Pacific storm of the season is forecast to bring up to 10 feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada this weekend. (Andy Barron / Associated Press) The most powerful California blizzard of the season pounded the Sierra Nevada with gusts of up to 190 mph, while heavy snow Sunday forced the closure of key roads to the Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain areas. A rare blizzard warning was extended through Monday morning for the Lake Tahoe area, and until Sunday night for the Mammoth Mountain area. Key roads to Mammoth Mountain from Southern California, and to the northern Tahoe area from Sacramento and Reno, remained shut down Sunday afternoon. Gusts greater than 100 mph were expected on the Sierra ridges through early Monday, according to the weather service. At Donner Pass along Interstate 80, an additional 18 inches of snow could fall through early Monday. Most of the new snow will fall from Highway 50 northward, which includes the Lake Tahoe region. Around Mammoth Lakes, south of the highway, another 1 to 4 inches could fall by Monday morning. There could be a brief gap in new snowfall on Monday, but by nightfall and continuing into Tuesday, more snow could fall, mostly concentrated over the Sierra north of Highway 50. Avalanche warnings remain in place through Sunday night. For many hours Saturday and Sunday, the main road to Mammoth Mountain ski resort, U.S. 395, was shut down in both directions to the south, toward Southern California, and to the north, toward Reno. The 75-mile stretch was closed from just northwest of Bishop in Inyo County to Bridgeport in Mono County, "due to multiple spinouts and collisions, as well as whiteout conditions," the California Department of Transportation said. Late Saturday, the road to the south was reopened, but was again shut down overnight. "High winds with speeds up to 60 mph are still creating whiteout conditions on the highway," Caltrans said on social media just after 9 a.m. Sunday. At 6 a.m. Saturday, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area reported it had received almost 2 feet of snow in some places. Two hours later, the resort said it was closing down for the day because of extremely strong winds and blizzard conditions. Heavy snow removal equipment rolls as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes in the eastern Sierra Nevada of California on Saturday. (David Swanson / Getty Images) A 50-mile stretch of Interstate 80 was shut down Friday afternoon over the Sierra, which was extended to a 75-mile section by Saturday morning, between Colfax and the Nevada state line. I-80 was still closed in both directions Sunday morning. The Caltrans office in Kingvale, about 12 miles west of Truckee, lost power on Saturday, leading to the failure of its cameras and message boards. "At this point, we are only allowing first responders and Caltrans employees on I-80. No essential big rigs, no ski resort employees," Caltrans said on social media Saturday. The highway was a mess. Overnight, "we had a mass amount of vehicles over Donner Summit and it took several hours for emergency vehicles and tow trucks to reach motorists," the California Highway Patrol office in Truckee said Saturday morning. "At one point, emergency personnel and tow trucks had a difficult time getting to motorists due to blizzard conditions," the CHP said. Crews worked on removing vehicles abandoned on Interstate 80 after motorists were rescued. A day earlier, multiple vehicles spun out and a big rig jackknifed. A six-mile section of Highway 88 south of Lake Tahoe was also closed Sunday in both directions due to heavy snow. The closure extends from the west near Ham's Station in Amado County to Picketts Junction in the east in Alpine County. "We suggest you stay home," the CHP said. "Stay warm and don't put yourself and your family in a dangerous position.California monster blizzard batters Tahoe, Mammoth, Sierra amid avalanche warnings. A portion of Highway 50, which connects Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe, was closed for a period of time Sunday amid heavy snowfall. A snow sluff an avalanche made of loose snow trapped a few cars on Highway 50 for about a half an hour, and crews worked to pull vehicles out of the snow. No one was injured. A child plays on a snowbank as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe on Saturday during a powerful multiple-day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada in Truckee, Calif. (Mario Tama / Getty Images) A section of Highway 89 at Emerald Bay has also been shut, blocking the roadway that connects South Lake Tahoe and Tahoe City on the lake's western shore. A gust of 190 mph was detected Friday night at Palisades Tahoe at an elevation of 8,700 feet, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters warned of extreme avalanche danger across the Tahoe region in the Sierra backcountry through Sunday afternoon. Around Mammoth Mountain in Mono County, peak winds clocked in at 114 mph Friday afternoon. The record in California for the fastest wind gust verified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was 199 mph on Feb. 20, 2017, at Ward Mountain, also known as Ward Peak, at Palisades Tahoe. Forecasters urged people to stay where they are unless there's an emergency, and warned that it could take time for plows to dig out communities. Meteorologists say the storm, which could dump up to 12 feet of snow in the highest elevations of California's mightiest mountain range by Sunday, might result in one of the top 10 snowiest days of the central Sierra since 1970. "Conditions in the Sierra will be treacherous through Sunday morning with life-threatening travel," the weather service said. The crest of the Sierra overall is expected to get 6 to 10 feet of snow; Mammoth Lakes, 2 to 4 feet; and the Tahoe Basin, 3 to 6 feet. Snow has been falling steady at about 2 inches per hour, with intermittent rates of 3 to 4 inches per hour, the weather service said, which should peak late Saturday. The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab had received 3 feet of snow by Saturday morning, and expected several more feet by Monday morning. Mammoth's ski resort forecast a high of 15 degrees Saturday and, besides the blizzard, forecast "thundersnow," in which lightning can occur within a snowstorm. "Light, fluffy snow will be easily blown around, creating whiteout conditions with near-zero visibility at times," the weather service office in Reno said. For those who do venture out, "pack an emergency kit and prepare to be stranded in your vehicle for an extended period of time." Sophie Abadilla at Footloose Sports, a ski shop in Mammoth Lakes, said she had been forced to walk to work rather than drive because of the storm. Although the town usually quickly clears sidewalks during storms, she still had to trudge through more than a foot of snow, she said. With the ski resort closed Saturday, the shop was busy with tourists, Abadilla said. They say, Were tired of staying in our hotel room watching the same movies. At the same time, local residents were avoiding shopping or even going out because of the dangerous conditions. We just want to stay home, she said. Despite the storm, the Mammoth Film Festival scheduled through Monday continued with its schedule, said Tanner Beard, the events co-founder. Caltrans workers assisted, Beard said, when some people expected to work at a festival event got stuck in Bishop and were able to follow behind snow plows up the mountain to get to Mammoth Lakes. Beard said it was the third blizzard to hit at the time of the annual film festival in the last six years. Nothing will stop filmmakers, he said. The show must go on. Palisades Tahoe ski resort, located northwest of Taho City, said its ski lifts were closed Sunday due to intense weather conditions. Read more: With blizzard pounding Tahoe area, even some ski resorts are urging people to stay away The rare blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service office in Reno will last through Sunday morning. The blizzard warning extends from Lassen Volcanic National Park in Shasta County to Kings Canyon National Park in Fresno County. Blizzard warnings for the Sierra Nevada are typically issued about every other year. There should be a bit of a lull starting Sunday morning, but there will still be chances of snow showers that will continue into Wednesday, the weather service said, especially for the Sierra north of Highway 50. Drier weather is expected after that. Thousands of customers in the Tahoe area were without power Saturday, according to the Truckee Donner Public Utility District and Liberty Utilities. Other areas of California are also forecast to be affected by the strong winter storm. A stretch of Interstate 5 in Siskiyou County, near the Oregon border, could get more than 1 foot of snow. And Highway 101 in Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties could see snowfall. Highway 101 at Ridgewood Summit in Mendocino County could get up to 1 foot of snow; at Prairie Creek Summit in Humboldt County, up to 1.5 feet; and south of Crescent City in Del Norte County, about half a foot of snow. Read more: The upside of Californias epic blizzard: Snowpack and water supplies should be in good shape Yosemite National Park was ordered shut down starting Friday and its visitors told to leave by noon. The park will remain closed at least through noon Sunday, and its closure could be extended. Some 6 to 12 inches of snow could fall in Yosemite Valley the most popular part of Yosemite National Park, the National Weather Service office in Hanford said. A winter storm warning was in effect through Sunday morning. Snow is cleared from a road during a storm Saturday in Truckee, Calif. (Brooke Hess-Homeier / Associated Press) A more intense blizzard warning was already in effect for the rest of Yosemite National Park outside of Yosemite Valley, which will last through Sunday morning. Some 2 to 3 feet of snow could fall at the Big Oak Flat entrance to Yosemite National Park along Highway 120, a route often taken by travelers from the San Francisco Bay Area. Along Highway 41, a route to the park often taken by those from Fresno and Southern California, 3 to 5 feet of snow could fall at the entrance to the park, around Mariposa Grove. At the historic Victorian-era Wawona Hotel, 3 to 6 feet of snow could fall. Read more: High avalanche danger, winds topping 100 mph as blizzard slams Tahoe, Mammoth, Sierra Nevada The winter storm was expected to be more mild for Southern California. The wettest period of the weekend was expected Saturday, but there's still a chance of rain Sunday. Still, there could be "isolated and brief bursts of heavy rain likely through Saturday night," mainly in the foothills and coastal slopes, the weather service office in Oxnard said. There is the potential for mudslides and rockslides on canyon roads and below steep hillsides, and ongoing land movement in recent landslide areas. For the weekend storm, downtown L.A. could get 0.6 of an inch of rain; Long Beach, 0.44 of an inch; Pomona, 0.74 of an inch; Pasadena, 1.33 inches; Santa Clarita, 0.77 of an inch; Oxnard, 0.65 of an inch; and Santa Barbara, 0.92 of an inch. San Diego could get up to 0.2 of an inch; Irvine, San Clemente and Riverside could get up to 0.3 of an inch; Anaheim, up to 0.4 of an inch; Ontario and Temecula, up to 0.7 of an inch; and San Bernardino, up to 1 inch. The San Francisco Bay Area encountered thunderstorms Friday night, and more rain arrived Saturday. Cities in the Bay Area were generally forecast to get between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain through Sunday. Four people were hurt in San Francisco on Friday evening when a tree fell on their car at Golden Gate Avenue and Laguna Street, firefighters said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Next week more than a dozen states will vote on whats known as Super Tuesday. It puts more than a third of the total delegates up for grabs. Its not enough for any candidate to lock up their partys nomination, but it could get them pretty close. From California to Texas to Virginia, fifteen states head to the polls on March 5. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is fighting to stay in the Republican race. Do we want more of the same? Or do we want to go in a new direction? Haley asked. She has yet to win a single primary contest against former President Donald Trump. All hes doing is talking about himself. And thats the problem. Its not about him, its about the American people, Haley said. But Super Tuesday could deliver the death blow to her struggling campaign. Were going to fight for Super Tuesday, Haley said. Trump spent his Friday at a court hearing in Florida. His numerous legal issues continue to drag him away from campaigning, but hes still poised to win big on Super Tuesday. Trump is focused on competing against President Joe Biden. I call him crooked Joe because hes crooked and hes a terrible president, the worst president our countrys ever had, Trump said. In dueling trips to the border this week, Biden and Trump campaigned on immigration issues. But instead of attacking his Republican opponent, President Biden used his visit to push for unity to fix the southern border. Lets remember who the heck we work for. We work for the American people, not the Democratic party, the Republican party, Biden said. This weekend First Lady Jill Biden is rallying voters in swing states, planning stops in Georgia, Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. A crowd of about 150 protesters gathered outside the Houses of Parliament on Saturday - Jamie Lorriman/Jamie Lorriman Actress Tracy-Ann Oberman has revealed she was advised against leaving a London theatre because of pro-Palestinian protests taking place outside. The star, who is playing Shylock in a West End production of The Merchant Of Venice, is Jewish and has been a vocal campaigner against anti-Semitism. On Saturday evening a day after Rishi Sunaks speech pledging to combat extremism she said she had been told not to leave the Criterion Theatre due to the protests. The Met made 12 arrests at nearby Trafalgar Square: one for the theft of an Israeli flag; one for assaulting an emergency worker; one for being drunk and disorderly; and nine for failing to comply with the section 35 dispersal order. The former EastEnders star, 57 said in a tweet directed at the Prime Minister and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer: Another Saturday post matinee and I have been asked not to step out the theatre because of all the demonstrations and marches going on. London 2024 - ridiculous isnt it. Pro-Palestinian activists have called for Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer to be charged with aiding and abetting genocide just hours after the Prime Minister warned that democracy was being targeted by extremists. A crowd of about 150 protesters made their way to the Houses of Parliament on Saturday and were heard chanting: From the river, to the sea. About 30 officers watched on in central London as the protesters repeatedly shouted what the Campaign Against Antisemitism has previously described as genocidal language. When The Telegraph asked one police officer why the chant was allowed, he said: It depends on the context. The protest, organised by the fringe Palestinian Pulse organisation, was accompanied by a drum, trombone and trumpet band. At one point, the protesters chant appeared to be directed towards the Prime Ministers comments from Friday, as they shouted: In our thousands and our millions, we are all Palestinians. We wont be intimidated. Protesters in Westminster acrry placards attacking Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak's stance on the war in Gaza - Tayfun Salci / Avalon 'I am not an extremist, just stop killing children' reads one woman's placard - Tayfun Salci / Avalon Protesters demand immediate aid into Gaza and call on Sunak to resign - Vuk Valcic / Avalon One protester held aloft a piece of cardboard saying: Rishi you are the extremists, not us. They then began chanting: Rishi Sunak, resign. The demonstration was organised just days after George Galloway was voted in as MP in Thursdays by-election in the former Labour stronghold of Rochdale. A group of six police officers was positioned to guard Westminster Pier, not far from where protesters were filmed throwing flour. One placard referred to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, as Satanyahu and another accused the British government of being complicit in the deaths of 30,000 innocent Palestinians in Gaza. The central London protest was one of a number held across the country. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) singled out Barclays bank for its day of action, assembling at nearly 50 locations, including the branch on Tottenham Court Road in central London. Protesters marched from Mornington Crescent to the Barclays branch, accompanied by the controversial from the river to the sea chant and flanked by a mass of police officers. The central London protest was one of a number held across the country - Jamie Lorriman/Jamie Lorriman At the Barclays branch on Tottenham Court Road, the police ordered protesters to move across the road, citing Section 14 of the Public Order Act. Among those was Peter Frankental, from Chingford, who carried a sign that read: Aaron Bushnell: an act of bravery and courage that will not be forgotten, referencing the member of the US Air Force who died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington in protest at the conflict in Gaza. Asked whether he would condone a similar action outside the Houses of Parliament, he said: Yes, certainly, its a supreme act for somebody to take their life in that way for what they believe in. Very few people would be prepared to do that and it communicates a strong message. Luca Salice, 67, co-chair of the Camden Palestine Solidarity Campaign, dismissed the Prime Ministers rhetoric around extremists as an election ploy and said protesters were actually grateful for the police. Rishi Sunak is losing an election. He is scrambling, Mr Salice said, adding: I dont think our protests are extremist. I dont see how being in favour of human lives is extremist. Mr Salice, an Italian who now lives in Camden, added: There could be one or two extremists who come into the protests. I cant say that is impossible and luckily we have the police here, who are working with us. They are helping us organise this protest and making sure they are safe. And whenever they see the odd person who may do something wrong, it is up to them to arrest them. Mr Sunak warned that there had been a shocking increase in extremist activity in Britain in the wake of Hamass October 7 attack on Israel. The Campaign Against Antisemitism has said that weekly pro-Palestinian marches made our capital city a no-go zone for Jews, and repel law-abiding Londoners. The PSC targeted Barclays branches in Croydon, Hammersmith, Haringey, Harrow, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Streatham, Tower Hamlets, Willesden and Wimbledon. It comes after the Home Secretary James Cleverly said pro-Palestinian protesters had made their point and questioned: What are these protests genuinely hoping to achieve? The group has called for a boycott of the British bank because it claims Barclays holds substantial financial ties with arms companies supplying weapons to Israel. The protesters later moved on from the Houses of Parliament and the statue of Winston Churchill, where they passed by an anti-World Health Organization rally being led by Piers Corbyn, before turning up along Whitehall and past the Cenotaph. They walked up the other side of Whitehall to Downing Street, passing by a rally of 30 Pakistanis supporting the countrys jailed former president Imran Khan. Shadowed by 40 Met officers and with 13 police vans parked along the middle of Whitehall, the protesters chanted: Rishi Sunak youre a liar, we demand a ceasefire. One protester wore a white and black striped prison uniform and a Keir Starmer cutout face mask. Protesters climbed the platform around Nelsons Column and continued chanting, with others gathering around the statues base. At 4.50pm, three young girls not older than 10 years old took to the megaphone and started chanting: From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. The crowd joined in and the trio were cheered. Police issued a section 35 dispersal order at 5pm and started breaking up the protest at Nelsons Column with at least 60 officers. It came after Maytal Abramovich, a 44-year-old Israeli tourist from Jerusalem, started waving the Israel flag in a one-woman counter protest on the pavement on the road opposite Nelsons Column. As she told The Telegraph that if Hamas wanted peace they could have had it, a pro-Palestinian protester grabbed the flag from her hands and disappeared into the crowd of demonstrators. Police made no attempt to get her flag back to her. As you can see were trying to deal with quite a lot, one officer said. Mrs Abramovich confronted the protesters, and one shouted at her: Youve been killing people for 70 years and one white woman said youre European, you look like me, Palestine is the Middle East, not Europe in an apparent denial of her Jewishness. Our greeting is shalom, shabat shalom, it means peace, Mrs Abramovich said. There were at least five arrests made for breaching the dispersal order, and at least 100 uniformed officers were at the scene. A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: These protests are why a staggering 90 per cent of British Jews say that they would avoid travelling to a city centre if a major anti-Israel demonstration was taking place there, according to our polling. Our urban centres have become no-go zones for Jews. It has now reached a point where a Jewish actress starring in an adaptation of a Shakespearean play about antisemitism is being told to stay indoors for her own safety. Which other demonstrations are having this kind of effect? On Friday night, the Prime Minister made a speech demanding that the police finally take firm action against surging antisemitism and extremism in our country. If Britain is to remain a bastion of tolerance and decency, the authorities must restore order on our streets. 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. ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) On Friday, drivers of 120 school buses took part in a procession in honor of one of their own. 55-year-old Aleita Gladson passed away on Monday following a crash involving the Hawkins County Schools bus she was driving. We are celebrating and memorializing a wonderful lady who has passed, said Kevin Hilton, Director of Transportation for Hawkins County Schools. She was a member of our Hawkins County Schools for 30 years. PREVIOUS: School bus driver dead after Hawkins County crash In her memory, buses from 24 school districts met at Cherokee High School and proceeded to Volunteer High School, traveling the route Gladson drove. Buses represented numerous Northeast Tennessee school districts like Hawkins, Sullivan and Washington Counties and Kingsport. However, some came from further, with buses belonging to school districts as far as Nashville. This is a sad day, said Hilton. Our hearts are broken. And we just wanted to do something to memorize her and just for a memorial. Those who worked with Gladson said the number of buses that showed up for her shows the strong bond formed by the local community of bus drivers. When one hurts, we all hurt, said Hilton. And so we all come together. Our brothers and sisters, drivers across the nation here or across the state come together, and theyre just pouring out their hearts and showing respect by coming today. To those who knew her, Gladson is considered a hero. She had two students on that bus, Hilton said. And it was because of her and her diligence of putting those kids in that seat properly, buckle them, secure in them. And those kids are alive today because of her. So Mrs. Aleita is a hero, and we want that to be known. While Gladson is gone, Hilton said her memory will continue to live on. Our hearts are broken, said Hilton. And we loved her deeply, but her memory will live on. Gladsons family told News Channel 11 that they are thankful for the support they have received over the past week. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. If Putin isn't stopped 'whatever happens next is Europe's problem at large,' Lithuanian PM says Lithuania, which borders Russia, says Russia could attack other countries if not stopped in Ukraine. The country is one of Ukraine's biggest allies and is urging the West to do more to help it. Its prime minister told BI that if Putin is not stopped "whatever happens next is Europe's problem at large." Whatever Russia does next will be a problem for the whole of Europe unless it's defeated in Ukraine, Lithuania's prime minister told Business Insider. Ingrida Simonyte said in an interview that "the outcome of this fight in Ukraine is crucial for Europe." "If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, then whatever happens next is Europe's problem at large," she said. Lithuania, which borders part of Russia and Russia-aligned Belarus, is one of the countries that has given the most support to Ukraine, at least in terms of percentage of its GDP. It was also giving Ukraine support and military equipment before Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, when proxy fighting was taking place in its east. Last year, Simonyte told BI that Ukrainians are dying to help protect Europe and that supporting Ukraine is "investing into our security." Lithuania, a member of NATO and the EU, was once part of the Soviet Union and now warns vocally that Russia could attack it, too. Many other European countries warn of a similar scenario. Multiple nations have said that Russia could attack one of them next if it's not defeated in Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers reload artillery on the front line. Ignacio Marin/Anadolu via Getty Images An attack on a NATO member would likely drag the US and other NATO states into a wider and more expensive war, as NATO considers an attack on one member an attack on all. Simonyte said the continent is becoming more aware of this threat. "Now it seems like Europe understand this is Europe's problem," she said, but added that some countries still seem to have a hope that things will be sorted out by themselves. Simonyte also said that European countries must give everything they can from their arsenals, as well as ramp up manufacturing. Ukraine is running low on weaponry and ammunition, with US support stalled by House Republicans and European countries saying they don't have enough in their arsenals to spare. She encouraged countries to look beyond "red lines" they set for themselves. "Putin laughs at our red lines," she said. Vice President Kamala Harris (right) with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte (left) in Washington DC in December 2022. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky Simonyte said countries keep setting out red lines of weapons they won't give to Ukraine, only to turn around and do so months later. It's frustrating to watch this scenario repeatedly play out, she said. "During those couple of months, we have so many casualties, so many deaths, so many losses that could have been avoided." Simonyte said Ukraine can win this war, but "it's so sad when the debate takes longer than it is reasonable." "It is about deaths of people that Ukraine faces every day just because we are sort of lagging behind," she added. Read the original article on Business Insider Putin is rehashing his nuclear threats but this time, he may be threatening nuclear catastrophe in an effort to sway American voters Vladimir Putin made an explicit nuclear threat against the West this week. But experts remain skeptical of Putin's nuclear saber-rattling after three years of similar threats. One expert suggested Putin is drumming up fear among American voters to cut US support for Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a new nuclear threat this week, threatening the West over its support for Ukraine in his most explicit intimidation tactic yet. But a regional expert says Putin's recent bout of nuclear saber-rattling is less a promise of mutually assured destruction and more an attempt to mobilize the American public against ongoing assistance for Ukraine. In his annual state-of-the-nation speech on Thursday, Putin alluded to recent comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said earlier this week that he could not rule out NATO troops being sent to Ukraine to help fight Russia. (Though Germany and Poland quickly countered that suggestion.) Putin warned that Western nations "must realize we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory." "All this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilization. Don't they get that?" Putin said, according to Reuters. The Russian president made several similar threats after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Most experts at the time, however, cast doubt on the likelihood that Putin would actually deploy a nuclear weapon, given the perilous global position in which doing so would leave Russia. Two years later, experts still think the chance of nuclear warfare is low. "Putin's shtick is, at least, predictable at this point," Simon Miles, an assistant professor at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy and a historian of the Soviet Union and US-Soviet relations, told Business Insider. "He's repeating his same, tired nuclear threats." Putin is working to project an image of himself as a stalwart president whose leadership is the only thing protecting Russia from catastrophe with the West, Miles said, especially ahead of the country's presidential election later this month a race Putin is all but sure to win. But there may be more than one election on Putin's mind as he rails off his nuclear threats. Russia's President Vladimir Putin gives an interview with US talk show host Tucker Carlson at the Kremlin in Moscow on February 6, 2024. GAVRIIL GRIGOROV vias Getty Images Putin may be speaking directly to Americans "He is aiming these remarks at Western publics and Western civilian political leadership," said Matthew Schmidt, an associate professor of national security and political science at the University of New Haven who previously taught planning at the US Army's School of Advanced Military Studies. "He's trying to make sure that Ukraine does not get significant aid from the US," Schmidt added, chalking Putin's most recent nuclear threats up to an attempt to sway American voters against supporting politicians and policies that would result in further US funding for Ukraine. Since the war began, the Biden administration has directed nearly $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine, including military and financial support, according to The Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research institute. But further funding for Ukraine has been stalled in Congress as House GOP support for US aid wanes. Just this week, Congress narrowly averted a government shutdown but still made no progress on passing a $95 billion package with emergency funds for Ukraine, Israel, and other foreign allies. "American politicians are already responding to this war in a way that helps Russia," Schmidt said. "Putin is trying to create the conditions for that to continue happening." While military professionals and international relations experts may be rightfully skeptical of Putin's threats, the average American voter likely doesn't understand the nuances of nuclear politics, Schmidt said. When a civilian hears that Putin threatened nuclear warfare as a result of American involvement in Ukraine, that civilian may respond by voicing their opposition to ongoing assistance at the ballot at least, that's what Putin is hoping for, Schmidt said. Putin's information warfare comes at a critical time for Ukraine, as Russia has racked up a series of military wins in recent weeks. Last week, Zelenskyy pleaded with Western allies for artillery and air defenses, saying Ukraine's victory depends on continued support. But Putin may ultimately have the more resonant message when it comes to American voters, Schmidt said. "It's far more complicated to explain why Ukraine is important to US voters than it is for Putin to threaten nuclear war," he told BI. Read the original article on Business Insider Gartner Inc (NYSE:IT), a leading research and advisory company providing insights, advice, and tools for leaders in IT, finance, HR, legal and compliance, marketing, sales, and supply chain functions across the world, has reported an insider sell according to a recent SEC filing. On February 28, 2024, EVP, Consulting Akhil Jain sold 250 shares of Gartner Inc at an average price of $464.55 per share. The transaction resulted in a total value of $116,137.50. Following this transaction, Akhil Jain's holdings in the company have decreased, reflecting a change in the insider's investment portfolio. Over the past year, Akhil Jain has sold a total of 600 shares of Gartner Inc and has not made any purchases of the stock. This latest transaction continues a trend observed over the past year, where there have been no insider buys but a total of 50 insider sells for the company. Shares of Gartner Inc were trading at $464.55 on the day of the transaction, giving the company a market capitalization of $36.76 billion. The stock's price-earnings ratio stands at 42.63, which is above both the industry median of 28.125 and the company's historical median price-earnings ratio, indicating a higher valuation compared to its peers. The stock's current price relative to the GuruFocus Value (GF Value) is also noteworthy. With a share price of $464.55 and a GF Value of $382.77, Gartner Inc has a price-to-GF-Value ratio of 1.21, suggesting that the stock is modestly overvalued according to this metric. The GF Value is calculated considering historical trading multiples, a GuruFocus adjustment factor based on the company's past performance, and future business performance estimates provided by Morningstar analysts. Insider Sell: EVP, Consulting Akhil Jain Sells 250 Shares of Gartner Inc (IT) The insider trend image above provides a visual representation of the insider transactions over the past year, highlighting the absence of buys and the prevalence of sells among insiders. Insider Sell: EVP, Consulting Akhil Jain Sells 250 Shares of Gartner Inc (IT) The GF Value image offers insight into the stock's valuation relative to its intrinsic value estimate, supporting the assessment that Gartner Inc is currently trading at a premium to its GF Value. Story continues Investors and analysts often monitor insider transactions as they can provide valuable insights into a company's internal perspective on its stock's value and future prospects. The recent sell by EVP, Consulting Akhil Jain may be of interest to current and potential shareholders as they evaluate their investment in Gartner Inc. 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. Kids in the Quad Cities celebrated Dr. Seusss birthday and Read Across America day on Friday. Schools in the Quad Cities shared the love and importance of reading thanks to Quad Cities mayors and volunteers taking the time to read to elementary students. (Photo by Michael Frachalla) Thirty volunteer readers visited 10 schools across the Quad Cities area to help celebrate. Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayaputi was one of them. She visited Washington Elementary in Moline. Theres plenty of evidence that shows that a love of reading leads to a lifetime of success and Im happy be a part of helping to instill that love of reading, said Rayaputi. Im really happy to be here at a Moline school to share some time with the kiddos. (photo by Michael Frachalla) Rayaputi read to kindergarten kids in Miss Freemans class, where students were engaged with the story. I just really want the kids to enjoy the act of reading and the worlds that can open up to them because they see and hear whats possible in this world outside of what they might already know based on their life experience, Rayaputi added. (photo by Michael Frachalla) Each student who listened to Rayaputi read aloud Friday afternoon also got their own copy of the book How the Crayons Saved the Unicorn. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Lawyers for a pimp accused of killing and dismembering a sex worker to collect on $200,000 in life insurance tried Friday to pin the blame on the suspects accomplice-turned-government witness, who they claim was motivated by jealousy over a love triangle. Cory Martin, 36, is on trial in Brooklyn Federal Court for murdering 26-year-old Brandy Odom in his Rosedale, Queens, home in 2018. Martin allegedly used a reciprocating saw to sever Odoms limbs and head from her torso, and then dumped her body parts in a Brooklyn park. Adelle Anderson, 35, who lived with Martin and Odom, is accused of taking out the insurance policies on Odoms life. Anderson pleaded guilty of in that case in 2021. Martins lawyer said Anderson and Odom fought each other after Martin and Odom began to have sex and that the feuding gave Anderson a motive for killing her onetime friend and fellow sex worker. Adelle grew to dislike her, and by the time of Brandys murder, Adelle hated her. Thats motive, said Anthony Cecutti, a lawyer for Martin. Cory did not know her that well. He did not have a reason to hate her, said Cecutti. Brandy had sexual relations with two of Adelles childrens fathers. This was not hate, this was pure greed, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Dean in a rebuttal, describing how Martin was $62,000 behind on his mortgage. Upon Odoms death, Dean said, Martin began looking up reviews of luxury cars in anticipation of a financial windfall. Odoms head and torso were found by a dogwalker in Canarsie Park in April 2018. The following day, her limbs were recovered in garbage bags. Martin became a suspect within weeks after cops discovered video of him backing his car into the driveway of his home and putting large plastic bags believed to contain Odoms dismembered remains into the trunk. Martin allegedly got dismemberment how-to tips from the TV crime drama Dexter, and tips about police procedures from a crime documentary series, The First 48. It wasnt until November 2020 that Martin and Anderson were charged, initially with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for taking out policies on Odom and trying to collect on them after her murder. A month after Anderson took a plea deal in the case, Martin was charged with murder for hire. Cecutti also said Anderson had manufactured the abuse she testified Martin inflicted upon her in their tumultuous on-again off-again relationship that began when they were in high school. Earlier in the trial, prosecutors told the court that Martin forced the two women to be naked at all times around the house, forbade them from showering and eating without his permission, and forced them to call him Daddy. Prosecutors also alleged that Martin had punched Anderson in the face, held a knife to her, and threatened to kill her and her son. Did she look like she was in fear? Cecutti said of Anderson, referring to her appearance when she testified at the trial. Cecutti called Anderson a woman in control. Did she look like she took directions from anyone? he asked. The defense also pointed to sexually-charged texts between Martin and Anderson as evidence of their closeness. It is undeniable that Cory Martin abused her, said prosecutor Dean. He discounts that domestic violence and the cycle of domestic violence in a relationship even exist. He argues that if it was ever bad, then it cant be good. She told you herself about the abuse, I always lied about the abuse, countered defense lawyer Cecutti. When he concludes in his PowerPoint presentation a quote I lied about the abuse, said Dean. That was something she said when she lied about the abuse to doctors. Consider that when you have to credit anything he has to say to you at all, concluded Dean. The judge in the case began instructing the jury late Friday, after which deliberations were expected to begin. The 16th annual Reach for the Stars Dinner & Auction raised more than $140,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac. FOND DU LAC The 16th annual Reach for the Stars Dinner & Auction took place Feb. 23 in support of the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac. The event raised more than $140,000 for the organizations summer youth programs. A significant portion of the proceeds stemmed from the Sponsor a Child summer scholarship promotion, which raised more than $36,000. In addition to a speech by Stephany Lopez, the Boys & Girls Clubs 2023-2024 Youth of the Year, there was a performance by a group of club youth. Dan Hebel, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club, also provided a brief update on the impact and continued growth of the club, including expansion plans for the partnership between the Fond du Lac Family YMCA and Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac. Reach for the Stars included an online silent auction and a raffle for a chance to win a Door County Experience package, won by Mindy Ausloos. For more about the Boys & Girls Club, stop in at 76 W. Second St., call 920-924-0530, or visit bgcfdl.org. Sturgeon spearing recap: How rough was Wisconsins sturgeon spearing season amid poor ice and open water? Here are 2024s final numbers. Welcome to your weekly dose. Here is more news from throughout Fond du Lac County. Moraine Park hosts job/college fair March 5 Moraine Park Technical College will host Future Fair, a community-wide job and college fair, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 5 at the Fond du Lac Campus Conference Center. Seventy-six employers and college exhibitors will be in attendance. Employers will showcase their businesses and recruit for internships and job opportunities, and the educational institutions will be there to discuss various transfer options. Registration is not required. Free headshots will be provided between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. For more information, contact Michele Sabel, Moraine Parks career and employment services specialist, at 920-924-3205 or msabel@morainepark.edu. Women of all faiths welcome to Energizing Spirits breakfast The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes will host Breakfast with Women: Energizing Spirits March 7 at Hotel Retlaw in downtown Fond du Lac. Women from all belief systems and spiritual journeys are welcome. Panelists are Sisters Rhea Emmer, Jean Hinderer, Patrice Rog, Susan Seeby and Jomarie Zielke. Each sister brings a personalized approach to spiritual direction and spiritual companionship informed by years of training and experiences in diverse settings. The event will start at 8:15 a.m. with presentation, discussion and panel questions, leaving time to socialize with other attendees. Check-in and breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. Tickets are $25 per person and are available at csasisters.org/breakfast. This event also will serve as the first Sisters & Seekers gathering for 2024. New participants are always welcome. For more information, contact dkrikau@csasisters.org. Meet candidates for city council in Fond du Lac, Ripon The Democratic Party of Fond du Lac County will offer a chance to Meet Your 2024 City Council Candidates at 6 p.m. March 7. Meet candidates in the contested races in Fond du Lac and Ripon at Labor Hall, 50 E Bank St., or on Zoom. Four of the seven city council seats in Fond du Lac are up for election this year. In Ripon, there is one contested race for City Council. Fond du Lac candidates attending the event include Antonio Godfrey, Angela Luehring, Jane Puddy Ricchio and Brett Zimmermann. Mark Denkert is running in Ripon District 2. To view the Zoom event, visit the groups Facebook page at facebook.com/FDLDems. For more information, visit wisdems.org. Students invited to attend College Preview Day at MPTC Moraine Park Technical College will host a College Preview Day for high school juniors and seniors March 13. It will be held 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Fond du Lac Campus Conference Center. During the event, students have the chance to tour campus, visit program areas, connect with MPTC staff and students, win prizes and more. For more information and to register, visit morainepark.edu/visit-us/college-preview-day. Registration closes March 6. Ripon library offers movies, game night and more The Ripon Public Library hosts a variety of programs for youth, teens and adults. Patrons 11 and older are invited to take part in Dungeons and Dragons and other role-playing games from 1 to 4 p.m. March 10. Beginners are welcome. On March 11, a newly-released movie will be shown at 2 p.m. There will be complimentary popcorn. Ripon College Professor Emeritus Skip Wittler will present a program on the benefits of diverse ecosystems to humans from 6 to 7:30 p.m. March 11. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session. The third Wednesday of the month is adult game night. From 6 to 8 p.m. March 13, patrons ages 16 and older are invited to play modern board games. The library is at 120 Jefferson St., Ripon. For more information, contact 920-748-6160 or visit riponlibrary.org. Decker joins advancement team at St. Mary's Springs Chris Decker has been named director of advancement at St. Marys Springs Academy. Decker brings a wealth of experience and expertise in philanthropy, including fundraising, stewardship and institutional marketing. Chris Decker Decker previously served as the director of advancement for St. Mary Catholic Schools in Neenah, where his role was crucial in building relationships with stakeholders, including alumni, parish partners, Board of Trustee members, and community supporters. President Stacey Akey said in a news release: Through the interview process Chris demonstrated a true passion for servant leadership and Catholic education. I am confident he will leave a lasting impact as he becomes part of the SMSA legacy. Abel is most recent DAISY Award winner at SSM Health Registered Nurse Heather Abel, part of the Medical/Surgical team, has been named a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses winner at SSM Health Waupun Memorial Hospital. The award recognizes the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. Heather Abel Abel was nominated by a patients family who wrote in part: ... Heather was grandpas nurse a few times, and each time she spent some extra time with him and our family, to either explain things, answer questions, or just reminisce with us. We felt so welcomed and at home which is hard in a hospital, especially knowing grandpa wasnt going home ... During a brief ceremony, Abel received a certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a sculpture called A Healers Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. For more information, visit DAISYfoundation.org. Richest families: These Wisconsin families landed on Forbes' list of the richest families in America Popp of Society Insurance honored at leaders conference Gina Popp of Society Insurance has been honored by the American Property Casualty Insurance Association as an emerging industry leader. Popp joined a select group of property and casualty insurance professionals at the 2024 Emerging Leaders Conference in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 4 to 6. The conference provides insights on executive leadership, facilitates networking and promotes professional and personal development. It was an honor to be surrounded by such a talented group of insurance professionals, Popp said in a press release, who serves as Societys director of information technology delivery. This was a great opportunity to recognize the contributions these individuals are making not only at their companies and within the industry, but also in the communities they serve. The future of insurance and technology looks brighter than ever with so many thought leaders truly working to make a difference. Contact Mara Wegner at mwegner@gannett.com or 920-996-7241. This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac Boys & Girls Club announces Reach for the Stars proceeds Democrat Rep. Katie Porter came home to Southern California on Saturday to cast her vote in the 2024 primary election for the Golden States open seat in the U.S. Senate. Rep. Porter went to a voting center in Irvine alongside her son Luke, who is a first-time voter, according to her office. She currently represents Californias 47th congressional district, which includes Irvine and a portion of Orange County, and has held her seat since 2019. Porters fellow Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, maintains a lead in the Senate race, according to an Inside California Politics/Emerson College poll released on Thursday. Feb. 29, 2024 Poll Results The poll found that Rep. Schiff had the support of 28 percent of likely voters; he is trailed by Republican candidate and former Los Angeles Dodger Steve Garvey who has 20 percent, followed by Rep. Porter with 17 percent and Democrat Rep. Barbara Lee with eight percent. Seventeen percent of those surveyed remained undecided. The winner of the November runoff election will succeed Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who held the seat from 1992 until her death in September 2023. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. In-N-Out Burgers apparent nationwide expansion could see the popular fast food chain establish its presence on the entire West Coast, according to reports. The Irvine, California-based company told USA Today that the first In-N-Out location in the state of Washington could be on its way. Mike Abbate, vice president of store development, told the news outlet that the potential expansion is still very early in the development process. The first city the chain is eyeing is Ridgefield, just north of Vancouver and Portland, Ore. How many of these In-N-Out secret menu items do you know? News of In-N-Out expansion is now commonplace after being exclusive to Southern California for more than 40 years. Last year, it announced its first locations in New Mexico and the Nashville, Tennessee area which the company said could be part of a wider expansion to the South. Of course, SoCals crown jewel isnt leaving its home behind. Its also planning a new location in Lake Elsinore. In a rare occurrence, the chain actually announced the closure of an Oakland location in January, citing ongoing crime in the area. The famous burger chain got its start in 1948, in the Los Angeles suburb of Baldwin Park. It took until 1992 for it to expand outside of the Golden State, when a location was opened in Las Vegas. Since, In-N-Out locations have opened in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon and Colorado, and Idaho. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. MILWAUKEE - A major shakeup is coming to the Republican National Committee. Next week, the chairwoman will resign and FOX6 News took a closer look at what it means for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. "This city has been so welcoming and wonderful," said Ronna McDaniel, outgoing Republican National Committee Chair. But now, McDaniel will not be welcoming the world to Milwaukee. That is because she will resign next week months before the convention. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News "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. The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition," McDaniel said. "When were talking about the economic impact that the RNC is going to have here in Milwaukee and the marketing and all of the media that are going to be here, I dont think theres going to be any impact on that at all," said Alex Lasry. Ronna McDaniel Alex Lasry Lasry bases that response on his experience. He is not helping with this year's convention. But he led Milwaukee's pitch to win the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Lasry then was the 2020 Host Committee Finance Chair. "The host committee is non-partisan. That is the arm for the city to be able to raise money, so its a private organization that is raising money to make sure that the convention is able to be put on, to make sure theyre able to do things in the community," Lasry said. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android Those leading the 2024 Milwaukee Host Committee are working to raise roughly $68 million. "Planning is full speed ahead. The Host Committee is the non-partisan, nonprofit effort here, working on behalf of the city, the community, businesses, and we are just so excited to showcase Milwaukee and Wisconsin to the world," said Alison Prange, Milwaukee 2024 Host Committee COO. That work started back in 2022, when Ronna McDaniel officially announced the party was picking Milwaukee to host the 2024 RNC. The Host Committee plans logistics and infrastructure, recruits volunteers and reserves venues. "I think everybody is just keeping our eye on the goal," Prange said. That is basically the same message FOX6 News is hearing from the separate Republican National Convention they say their work goes on. Both groups have four-and-a-half months to get the city ready to meet the world. Gov. Kevin Stitt answers questions from reporters during his weekly news conference Friday at the state Capitol. Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt ramped up his criticism of fellow Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummond on Friday, accusing the AG of playing political games with an opinion that forced Transportation Secretary Tim Gatz to resign from both the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and as a governor's Cabinet secretary. Stitt made the statements during his weekly news conference at the state Capitol. He praised Gatz and Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who also resigned from the governor's Cabinet this week. "Unfortunately they (Gatz and Pinnell) have been caught up in some political games up to this point," the governor said. "It's just super disappointing. I know it's disappointing for Oklahomans that we have these type of political games happening instead of doing the business of making Oklahoma a top 10 in everything we do." Tim Gatz, Gov. Kevin Stitt and Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Deputy Director Joe Echelle attend an ACCESS Oklahoma project groundbreaking on Thursday. Stitt said his office needed clarification on who can and cannot serve as a member of a governor's Cabinet. Stitt said he modeled his Cabinet after those of previous governors, including former governors Fallin, Henry, Keating, Walters and Bellmon. "We think precedent is on our side. We think legal arguments are on our side. That's why this is such a head scratcher," he said. "Why are you (Drummond) weaponizing your office and coming after a great public servant like Tim Gatz?" Who will fill vacant Cabinet positions remains unclear The governor's spokesman, Abegail Cave, said Stitt's office was still deciding what to do with both open Cabinet positions. State law allows the governor to appoint up to 15 Cabinet members. Stitt said he would continue to use Gatz as an adviser on transportation issues. "Who would advise the governors besides the people who are running transportation? When you come after someone, that's just wrong," he said. "Oklahomans don't appreciate it." Stitt said Gatz had been confirmed twice by the Oklahoma Senate. "The only person that voted against him was a lady named Mary Boren and apparently, she supposedly requested this opinion, so maybe she has an axe to grind, I don't know." More: Lt. Gov second to resign from cabinet over AG opinion; Stitt warns of shockwaves through government Stitt was referring to state Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, who requested the AG's opinion. While the governor stopped short of saying whether his office would mount a legal challenge to the opinion, he did say there were "very good legal arguments and very good statutes" that give his office the authority to make dual appointments. A spokesman for Drummond pushed back against the governor's claims. Phil Bacharach, director of communications for Drummond's office, said the attorney general "simply applied the law as it exists today." "(Attorney General Drummond) will continue to uphold the law as he swore an oath to do," Bacharach said. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt says attorney general 'playing political games' /// Missouri voters gather Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Family Worship Center of Columbia, Mo., to caucus for the Republican presidential nominee. (AP Photo/Summer Ballentine) COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) Former President Donald Trump continued his march toward the GOP nomination on Saturday, winning caucuses in Idaho and Missouri and sweeping the delegate haul at a party convention in Michigan. Trump earned every delegate at stake on Saturday, bringing his count to 244 compared to 24 for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. A candidate needs to secure 1,215 delegates to clinch the Republican nomination. The next event on the Republican calendar is Sunday in the District of Columbia. Two days later is Super Tuesday, when 16 states will hold primaries on what will be the largest day of voting of the year outside of the November election. Trump is on track to lock up the nomination days later. The steep odds facing Haley were on display in Columbia, Missouri, where Republicans gathered at a church to caucus. Seth Christensen stood on stage and called on them to vote for Haley. He wasn't well received. Another caucusgoer shouted out from the audience: Are you a Republican? An organizer quieted the crowd and Christensen finished his speech. Haley went on to win just 37 of the 263 Republicans in attendance in Boone County. Here's a look at Saturday's contests: MICHIGAN Michigan Republicans at their convention in Grand Rapids began allocating 39 of the states 55 GOP presidential delegates. Trump won all 39 delegates allocated. But a significant portion of the partys grassroots force was skipping the gathering because of the lingering effects of a monthslong dispute over the party's leadership. Trump handily won Michigans primary this past Tuesday with 68% of the vote compared with Haleys 27%. Michigan Republicans were forced to split their delegate allocation into two parts after Democrats, who control the state government, moved Michigan into the early primary states, violating the national Republican Partys rules. MISSOURI Voters lined up outside a church in Columbia, home to the University of Missouri, before the doors opened for the caucuses. Once they got inside, they heard appeals from supporters of the candidates. Every 100 days, were spending $1 trillion, with money going all over the world. Illegals are running across the border, Tom Mendenall, an elector for Trump in 2016 and 2020, said to the crowd. He later added: You know where Donald Trump stands on a lot of these issues. Christensen, a 31-year-old from Columbia who came to the caucus with his wife and three children age 7, 5, and 2, then urged Republicans to go in a new direction. I dont need to hear about Mr. Trumps dalliances with people of unsavory character, nor do my children, Christensen said to the room. And if we put that man in the office, thats what were going to hear about all the time. And Im through with it. Supporters quickly moved to one side of the room or the other, depending on whether they favored Trump or Haley. There was little discussion between caucusgoers after they chose a side. This year was the first test of the new system, which is almost entirely run by volunteers on the Republican side. The caucuses were organized after GOP Gov. Mike Parson signed a 2022 law that, among other things, canceled the planned March 12 presidential primary. Lawmakers failed to reinstate the primary despite calls to do so by both state Republican and Democratic party leaders. Democrats will hold a party-run primary on March 23. Trump prevailed twice under Missouri's old presidential primary system. IDAHO Last year, Idaho lawmakers passed cost-cutting legislation that was intended to move all the states primaries to the same date in May. But the bill inadvertently eliminated the presidential primaries entirely. The Republican-led Legislature considered holding a special session to reinstate the presidential primaries but failed to agree on a proposal in time, leaving both parties with presidential caucuses as the only option. "I think theres been a lot of confusion because most people dont realize that our Legislature actually voted in a flawed bill, said Jessie Bryant, who volunteered at a caucus site near downtown Boise. So the caucus is really just the best-case scenario to actually get an opportunity to vote for a presidential candidate and nominate them for the GOP. One of those voters was John Graves, a fire protection engineer from Boise. He said the caucus was fast and easy, not much different from Idahos usual Republican primary. He anticipated the win would go to Trump. Its a very conservative state, so I would think that Trump will probably carry it quite easily, Graves said. And I like that. The Democratic caucuses arent until May 23. The last GOP caucuses in Idaho were in 2012, when about 40,000 of the states nearly 200,000 registered Republican voters showed up to select their preferred candidate. ___ Cooper reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writers Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, and Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report. On May 3, 2022, Maine Senator Susan Collins greeted news of the leaked draft of the Dobbs decision with her trademark rue: If this leaked draft opinion is the final decision and this reporting is accurate, it would be completely inconsistent with what Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh said in their hearings and in our meeting in my office. When asked for more details, Collins demurred, offering only that her statement speaks for itself. What Collins said may have been literally true, in that Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaughlike all Supreme Court nominees for decades nowdidnt explicitly show their hands on major, divisive legal questions during their hearings and congressional rounds. But it was also a breathtaking dodge by Collins, one that laid bare either her profound ignorance or her mendacityand its worth recalling today because Collins and her ilk are once again being put on the spot over reproductive rights, this time with in vitro fertilization. Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, as everyone in Washington (including, surely, Collins) knew at the time of their respective nominations, were practically lab-grown to ascend to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe. Thats precisely why their names were provided to President Donald Trump by the conservative legal movement. Beyond that, Kavanaugh actually did make clear his intentions toward Roeat least, to legal minds who were paying attention. He told Senator Ted Cruz that when it comes to rights that are unenumerated in the Constitution but considered implicit in the text, all roads lead to the Glucksberg test. He was referring to Washington v. Glucksberg, in which Chief Justice William Rehnquist held that such unenumerated rights need to be deeply rooted in this Nations history and tradition to be considered valid. In Glucksberg, the specific right being challenged was the right to a physician-assisted suicide. The abortion rights wrought by Roe fall into the same category. So while Kavanaugh may have been speaking in judicial code, it wasnt that hard to penetrate. It doesnt take the brains of a fourth-term United States senator from Maine to figure out what this means if Kavanaugh is confirmed, ThinkProgresss Ian Millhiser explained at the time. Judge Kavanaugh will be the fifth vote to kill Roe if he joins the nations highest Court. As Millhiser predicted, the Glucksberg test was applied in precisely this fashion in the Dobbs decision. Why rehash this history? Mainly because Collinss prevarication two years ago is how Republicans are going to try to run the post-Dobbs gauntlet in this election year, in an attempt to evade responsibility for the terrors they have unleashed and those they have planned for the future. They will lie, and they will play dumb. The contours of this strategy blew into wide view after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are people, throwing the future of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, in the Yellowhammer State and beyond, into doubt. Republicans in Congress rushed out statements in support of IVF, but as The New Republics Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling documented, their sudden interest in preserving IVF was dramatically at odds with their support for the Life at Conception Act, which hoped to recognize fertilized eggs as children at the federal level in an attempt to ban abortions nationwidea measure co-sponsored by 163 Republicans in the House. Indeed, the Alabama ruling was nothing more than a plain reading of similar laws in state law and its constitution, which enshrines fetal personhood in a similar matter. All of these various laws and legislation are the product of the same 50-year project that took down Roe, and which is straightforwardly geared toward a nationwide abortion ban. But the contretemps raised by the ruling has amplified a schism between Republican elites who hope to choreograph a piecemeal rollback of these and other rights, and far-right firebrands outside of Washington who want to bring about this future as instantaneously as possible. As Ive written before, this tension has led some institutional Republicans to try to rebrand the pro-life movement as moderaterather than hell-bent on banning all abortions. This rebranding will, in this campaign year, essentially amount to dodging and weaving. Youre going to see various GOP elites proclaiming support for exceptions and limits, but there wont be a valid commitment to advancing any such protections. Indeed, South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace spent the week shopping for co-sponsors for a resolution that purports to support IVF, but which, as Business Insider reporter Brian Metzger notes, doesnt actually do anything.* (My colleague Adrienne Varkiani greeted this news like so: A resolution that does nothing is peak Nancy Mace.) But what happens in Washington matters less than what happens in the states, where, The New Republics Greg Sargent says, the true implications of GOP positions on reproductive rights will be harder to evade. After all, its the states where the radicals hold levers of power, and their attempts to reassure voters that theyre not actually radical is proving even more ham-handed than Beltway Republicans: This week, Alabama Republicans put forward a bill purportedly protecting IVF, which automatically repeals itself in 2025. In other words, it secures these rights only until the election is over, after which state lawmakers can get back down to the job of taking them away again. This election year, Republicans will lie endlessly about their abortion positions. That much is certain. The question is whether political reporters will launder Republicans extreme positions by accepting at face value the benign, moderate things they say about reproductive freedomswithout adding the all-important context that the GOP is part of a half-century movement dedicated to a wholesale rollback of all abortion rights. Thats how you get an Associated Press story characterizing Donald Trump as some sort of champion for IVF when, given his Supreme Court picks, hes played the biggest role of any politician in advancing the notion that frozen embryos are people. These GOP lies should be easy to decipher and expose, but as Susan Collins knows, they tend to work like a charm. * This article originally misidentified Maces state. Congressman Jim Jordan (left) and James Comer are leading the impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden Republicans have demanded information about a discredited FBI informant whose claims formed the basis of their probe into President Joe Biden. Alexander Smirnov was charged with giving false statements to agents last month after 14 years as an FBI source. He fabricated claims that a Ukrainian energy firm paid bribes to Hunter Biden and his father, prosecutors said. The lawmakers claimed that the charges raised concerns about the FBI's vetting of confidential sources. In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Republican congressmen Jim Jordan and James Comer, the chairs of the House Judiciary and Oversight committees, asked for documents showing how federal agents vetted the informant and how much they paid him. Mr Smirnov's testimony was a key part of their ongoing impeachment investigation launched last year. "Only after Mr Smirnov reported that President Joe Biden accepted a bribe from a Ukrainian energy company in exchange for using his official position to oust the Ukrainian Prosecutor General did the FBI apparently take a hard look at this CHS [confidential human resource]," the lawmakers wrote. "During the intervening period, the FBI represented to Congress that the CHS was 'highly credible' and that the release of his information would endanger Americans." The two lawmakers gave the FBI until 15 March to provide documents concerning any FBI wrongdoing or inaccurate reporting on Mr Smirnov. Mr Jordan and Mr Comer, who are leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, also asked for documents relating to an FBI probe into the bribery allegations involving Mr Biden. Prosecutors allege that Mr Smirnov, 43, falsely claimed that an executive at Ukrainian energy company Burisma told him in 2015 or 2016 that the company paid the Bidens as much as $5m (3.9m) in bribes each. The FBI initially rejected lawmakers' requests to turn over documents related to the claim, arguing it would reveal their confidential source. Eventually, some lawmakers were allowed to review the record, which they used as central evidence in their impeachment trial against Mr Biden. Mr Smirnov was indicted in February on charges of making a false statement and creating a fictitious record, with prosecutors alleging he did not meet the Burisma executive until years after he had claimed. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial in jail. Prosecutors asked that Mr Smirnov be held without bail, citing alleged "extensive" contacts with Russian intelligence agencies. Mr Comer and Mr Jordan claimed his arrest "raises even greater concerns about abuse and mismanagement in the FBI's" confidential source programme. The letter comes after Republicans released a transcript of testimony from Hunter Biden before the House Oversight Committee. The party has accused President Biden of being improperly involved in his son's foreign business dealings. The 229 pages of testimony offered few new insights. Hunter Biden focused on defending his father. "For more than a year, your committees have hunted me in your partisan political pursuit of my dad," he said in opening statements. "You have trafficked in innuendo, distortion, and sensationalism, all the while ignoring the clear and convincing evidence staring you in the face: You do not have evidence to support the baseless and MAGA-motivated conspiracies about my father because there isn't any." (Bloomberg) -- Irans decision to reduce its stockpile of near bomb-grade uranium in favor of producing a specialized fuel for advanced civil nuclear reactors may be a negotiating tactic, according to western officials. Most Read from Bloomberg Under most circumstances, a move by Tehran to scale back its inventory of highly-enriched uranium would be welcomed by diplomats at the International Atomic Energy Agency, who gather for their quarterly meeting on March 4 in Vienna. But escalating tensions in the Middle East including military clashes between US and Iranian proxy groups has raised suspicions about whats really happening in the Islamic Republic. Read More: How Iran-Backed Groups Provoke Wider Mideast Conflict: QuickTake The main concern about Irans nuclear activities is not about the visible, but the part that is no longer visible, said Ali Vaez at the International Crisis Group, who echoed the analysis of senior diplomats who spoke before next weeks IAEA meeting. The reduced stockpile, achieved by turning uranium into a fuel highly coveted by the UK and US nuclear industries, doesnt relieve concerns about other aspects of Irans program. Those range from potentially undeclared new sites to a lack of cooperation with international inspectors, said one European official, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive matters. Another who spoke on condition of anonymity said nuclear diplomacy with Iran is essentially on hold until after the US presidential election on Nov. 5, when former President Donald Trump is expected to run against Democrat incumbent Joe Biden. Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers agreed to by his predecessor, Barack Obama. Attempts by Bidens administration to revive the accord have failed, yet a fresh solution needs to be found by October 2025, when United Nations sanctions are scheduled to be lifted. Story continues Iran held its own parliamentary vote on Friday, seen as a test of public support amid its heightened role in regional unrest, including the Israel-Hamas war. Read More: Irans Leaders Seek to Send Signal to US With Election Turnout Despite the concerns, some former officials said theres a positive element to Irans actions. The decision to dilute its highly-enriched uranium inventory a process called down blending could have a positive impact on the global civil nuclear industry, according to Robert Kelley, a former IAEA director and nuclear weapons engineer. It may be taken as a very strong signal that Iran is willing to reduce stocks of material seen as a threat, turning it into material suitable only for civilian purposes, he said. There should be a high priority diplomatic effort to allow Iran to produce and sell all of its diluted stockpile under ordinary IAEA safeguards. Irans growing stockpile of so-called high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU, potentially opens new negotiation pathways because the country can offer a product needed by western markets. Gaps in supply could delay the deployment of advanced reactors, according to the Department of Energy. Government pledges to support production have helped push uranium prices higher. HALEU is expected to be used in small modular reactors, allowing them to operate longer without refueling, potentially helping to reduce operating costs. Read More: Can Small Nuclear Reactors Really Help The Climate?: QuickTake The UK has committed 300 million ($379 million) to boost production of HALEU, which only Russia currently supplies commercially. The US paid $150 million for Centrus Energy Corp. to produce just 20 kilograms (44 pounds) in November. Meanwhile, Iran made 145 kilograms of the fuel in the last three months and has 712 kilograms stockpiled. The higher rate of conversion to HALEU appears to me as Irans way to stay off further escalation, said Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation. While western nations may not yet be ready to legitimize Iran as a potential HALEU supplier, the change could create space for discussions in the months ahead. Irans downshift to HALEU could provide a way forward, said Tariq Rauf, the IAEAs former head of verification and security policy. Iran could allow greater safeguards access to IAEA inspectors in return for HALEU production destined for global nuclear-fuel markets, he said. A new deal is necessary. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Here are some of The Providence Journal's most-read stories for the week of Feb. 25, supported by your subscriptions. Here are the week's top reads on providencejournal.com: Harut Matkasyan of Riviera Restaurant in East Providence stands in his biggest dining space, which he often doesn't use now because business is down due to bridge traffic. For restaurant owners in East Providence, the Washington Bridge crisis has been more than an inconvenience. It's put their livelihoods in peril. Columnist Mark Patinkin heard the same dire stories at many restaurants. At one, business was down 30% from the previous year; at another it was off 40%; and a fish market had lost half its sales. Even in areas where traffic congestion has eased, many customers are still staying away. That's having a ripple effect, the owners told Mark. When revenue is down, they have to cut back on payroll and postpone needed improvements, affecting employees, contractors, vendors and suppliers. And as they wait to find out whether the bridge will need to be replaced instead of just repaired, they wonder how long they can hang on. Mark Patinkin: They reached for a dream. The Washington Bridge closure has them barely hanging on. Union groups rally outside the Rhode Island State House in November 2011 to protest what they considered severe pension cuts. The price tags are steep, but so are the hopes of Rhode Island's retired public employees and current workers for the potential pension relief spelled out in the long-awaited report that emerged Monday from a pension advisory group. The report approved unanimously on Monday by the advisory group makes no specific recommendations on what, if anything, the legislature should do to "address any unintended consequences" of the 2011 law aimed at reining in the skyrocketing cost of public employee pensions. But it lays out "options for consideration," ranging from restoration of annual COLAs for retirees to lower age/work requirements for current-day workers, and the potential cost of each one. Some of the projected numbers in the final report are eye-popping. Politics: Should RI reverse 2011's pension-cutting moves? State panel approves final report Back in 2007, just before their secret hideaway in the Providence Place garage would be discovered, before their four-year exploit as clandestine mall dwellers drew international attention, the band of artists was looking to redecorate. Michael Townsend, then 37, wanted a new sofa. His wife at the time, Adriana Yoto, thought their cinder-block space needed more color. And couldnt they make their 750-square-foot clubhouse, tucked away in a corner of the malls south parking garage, a bit more comfortable for visitors? But unamused mall security officers would, on that September day, dash their makeover plans, slap handcuffs on Townsend for trespassing and instantly make the group of cheeky homesteaders urban legends. Now, their artistic experiment and its aftermath are the subject of a documentary film. Local news: Artists lived in a secret apartment inside Providence Place mall. Now it's a movie Workers clean up and check the damage to the Coast Guard House restaurant in Narragansett after Hurricane Bob swept through in 1991, the last time a major hurricane made landfall in Rhode Island. Early signs point to a busy hurricane season, according to some meteorologists, and Rhode Island is overdue, as a hurricane hasn't made landfall in the Ocean State for more than 30 years. AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter has "serious and growing concerns" about the upcoming hurricane season, the weather service reported in a story on its website. Signs point to the Atlantic generating more storms, more powerful storms and a longer hurricane season. See what factors are behind this prediction, and start stocking up on canned goods and batteries. Weather: 'Serious and growing concerns': Meteorologists already expect a busy hurricane season Sports media personality Colin Cowherd, host of The Herd had a bit of a scare when returning to his Watch Hill home on Friday night. In a clip of his podcast shared to TikTok, Cowherd said he was coming home at about 9:30 p.m. on Friday with his wife, Ann, when he encountered another car already in his driveway. "I pull in behind the car, and I walk up to it with my phone, and I ask this young girl . why are you here?" he said. Cowherd said later on his podcast that he thought the girl might have been at his house thinking it was the home of Swift, whose waterfront mansion, the "Holiday House," is nearby. Find out what happened when the police arrived. Local news: With Taylor Swift in mind, Colin Cowherd thought someone had broken into his Westerly house To read the full stories, go to providencejournal.com. Find out how to subscribe here. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Journal top stories: Bridge crisis hurts restaurants; hurricane season ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)The Roanoke Police Department has released an update on the death investigation, stating they are now investigating the incident as a homicide. On Saturday, Feb. 24, the Franklin County Sheriffs Office requested officers from RPD to perform a well-being check at a residence on Forest Hil Ave regarding an active investigation in its jurisdiction. Officers responded to the residence and found the body of 54-year-old Nicole C. Dingle. According to the police department, official results on the cause of death have not been completed by the Medical Examiners office. However, police say they have enough evidence to indicate some degree of foul play was involved in Dingles death. RELATED STORY: Roanoke police investigating suspicious death on Forest Hill Ave NW Police confirmed that the suspect was a man who died in the active investigation in Franklin County. Police say they are not looking for additional suspects and believe there is no threat to the community regarding this situation. This remains an ongoing investigation. WFXR News will update this story as further information is released. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv. WASHINGTON - Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week. Along with roll call votes this week, the Senate also passed these measures: the Justice for Murder Victims Act (S. 3859), to ensure that homicides can be prosecuted under federal law without regard to the time elapsed between the act or omission that caused the death of the victim and the death itself; and the Victims' VOICES Act (S. 3706), to clarify that restitution includes necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by a person who has assumed the victim's rights. The House also passed these measures: a bill (H.R. 5426), to require the Small Business Administration to provide a link to resources for submitting reports on suspected fraud relating to certain COVID-19 loans; the Service-Disabled Veteran Opportunities in Small Business Act (H.R. 3511), to require training on increasing contract awards to small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans; and the SBA Rural Performance Report Act (H.R. 5265), to require a report on the performance of the Office of Rural Affairs. House votes Congressman Chuck Edwards House Vote 1: NUCLEAR POWER: The House has passed the Atomic Energy Advancement Act (H.R. 6544), sponsored by Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., to make a variety of changes to federal policies, including easing Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations, with the goal of speeding the development of advanced nuclear energy technologies. Duncan said the bill "contains numerous, sensible regulatory reforms and market incentives that will empower the nuclear industry to provide affordable, resilient, reliable, and responsible power for Americans." The vote, on Feb. 28, was 365 yeas to 36 nays, with 1 voting present. YEAS: Edwards R-NC (11th). House Vote 2: CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS: The House has passed the Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act (H.R. 7463), sponsored by Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, to provide funding, through March 8, for one group of federal agencies, including agriculture, energy, and military construction; and funding through March 22 for most other federal agencies. Granger said the extensions were needed to give Congress enough time to finish drafting and reviewing legislation for full-year appropriations. A bill opponent, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said rather than continuing to fund excessive levels of government spending, "we ought to pass single-subject spending bills. We ought to vote for the spending cuts that this country desperately needs." The vote, on Feb. 29, was 320 yeas to 99 nays. YEAS: Edwards R-NC (11th). House Vote 3: TRIBAL SMALL BUSINESSES: The House has passed the Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act (H.R. 7102), sponsored by Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., to authorize creation of an Office of Native American Affairs at the Small Business Administration. Davids said the Office would aid "successful entrepreneurship in tribal communities." The vote, on Feb. 29, was 402 yeas to 16 nays. NAYS: Edwards R-NC (11th). House Vote 4: FUNDING FOR AIRPORTS: The House has passed the Airport and Airway Extension Act (H.R. 7454), sponsored by Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., to extend authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration's airport improvement program through May 10. Graves said: "Failure to enact this extension is going to jeopardize aviation safety and will directly and immediately increase our national debt by more than $50 million a day." The vote, on Feb. 29, was 401 yeas to 19 nays. YEAS: Edwards R-NC (11th). Senate votes Sens. Ted Budd, left, and Thom Tillis Senate Vote 1: FLORIDA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Jacqueline Becerra to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Becerra was a federal government attorney for a decade, then, from 2004 to 2019, was a private practice lawyer in Miami; she has been a magistrate judge in the Southern District since 2019. A supporter, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Becerra's "experience in both criminal and civil matters has prepared her to serve with distinction." The vote, on Feb. 27, was 56 yeas to 40 nays. NOT VOTING: Tillis R-NC. NAYS: Budd R-NC. Senate Vote 2: SECOND FLORIDA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of David Seymour Leibowitz to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. After being a government attorney for a decade, in 2012 Leibowitz took on his current role as a senior lawyer at the Braman Management holding company in Florida. A supporter, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Leibowitz's "significant litigation background in both civil and criminal matters ensure that he will be an asset to the district court." The vote, on Feb. 27, was 64 yeas to 33 nays. NOT VOTING: Tillis R-NC. NAYS: Budd R-NC. Senate Vote 3: GOVERNMENT LAWYER: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Hampton Y. Dellinger to be Special Counsel for the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) for a 5-year term. Dellinger was a senior attorney in North Carolina's government until fall 2021, when he became an assistant attorney general in the Justice Department. A supporter, Sen. Gary C. Peters, D-Mich., said Dellinger "has demonstrated the utmost integrity throughout his career. He is willing to take on powerful interests for the public good and will lead OSC in an independent, nonpartisan way." The vote, on Feb. 27, was 49 yeas to 47 nays. NOT VOTING: Tillis R-NC. NAYS: Budd R-NC. Senate Vote 4: THIRD FLORIDA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Julie Sneed to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Sneed was a private practice lawyer for most of the years between 1995 and 2015, when she was appointed to her current role as a magistrate judge on the Middle District. A supporter, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., cited Sneed's "deep ties to the Florida legal community, combined with her courtroom experience on and off the bench." The vote, on Feb. 28, was 54 yeas to 44 nays. NAYS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC. Senate Vote 5: FOURTH FLORIDA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Melissa Damian to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Damian became a magistrate judge on the district court in 2021; previously, she was a federal prosecutor in the district and a private practice lawyer in Florida. The vote, on Feb. 28, was 77 yeas to 20 nays. YEAS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC. Senate Vote 6: IRS LAWYER: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Marjorie A. Rollinson to be the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) chief counsel. Rollinson worked for Ernst & Young as a tax lawyer for most of the time from 1987 to 2023; from 2013 to 2019, she was an official at the Office of Chief Counsel at the IRS. A supporter, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., cited her "decades of tax and management experience in both the private sector and the public sector." The vote, on Feb. 29, was 56 yeas to 41 nays. YEAS: Tillis R-NC. NAYS: Budd R-NC. Senate Vote 7: ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS: The Senate has failed to override President Biden's veto of a resolution (S.J. Res. 38), sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., that would have disapproved of and voided a 2023 Federal Highway Administration (FHA) rule temporarily waiving Buy America requirements for materials used in electric vehicle (EV) chargers. An opponent, Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said voiding the rule "would result in more EV charging projects being built overseas, not less. It would undermine American workers and our nation's ability to be global leaders in electric vehicles." The vote to override, on Feb. 29, was 50 yeas to 47 nays, with a two-thirds majority required. YEAS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC. Senate Vote 8: MILITARY SALES TO TURKEY: The Senate has rejected a motion to discharge from committee a resolution (S.J. Res. 60), sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., that would have disapproved of the planned $23 billion sale to Turkey of F-16 military fighter airplanes. Paul cited various examples of Turkey violating its citizens' rights, and said the U.S. "cannot proudly proclaim human rights to be at the center of our foreign policy while it arms a country that commits gross violations of human rights." A resolution opponent, Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, cited an agreement with Turkey that it would be supplied with the F-16s if it supported Sweden and Finland joining NATO, and said "it is imperative to the United States, when we give our word on something, that we keep our word." The vote to discharge, on Feb. 29, was 13 yeas to 79 nays. NAYS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC. Senate Vote 9: CONTINUING APPROPRIATONS: The Senate has passed the Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act (H.R. 7463), sponsored by Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, to provide funding, through March 8, for one group of federal agencies, including agriculture, energy, and military construction; and funding through March 22 for most other federal agencies. A supporter, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the bill "would keep the lights on while appropriators complete their work and put annual appropriations bills on a glide path to becoming law." The vote, on Feb. 29, was 77 yeas to 13 nays. YEAS: Tillis R-NC NAYS: Budd R-NC. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Here's how WNC's members of Congress voted Feb. 23-29 Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has called for the backing of Labour and Lib Dem voters at the next election in a bid to pile pressure on Humza Yousaf. Ross also took aim at the first minister's track record at his party's conference in Aberdeen. He wants to use the general election to "send Humza Yousaf packing" - though the result does not determine who leads the Scottish government. The Tories have not won a general election in Scotland since 1955. In his speech on Saturday, Mr Ross said: "If pro-UK voters want to kick the nationalists out, then they need to unite behind the Scottish Conservatives in key seats. "Together, we can beat the SNP and take Scotland forward." It comes after Labour, who easily took by-election victories in Kingswood and Wellingborough, lost the Rochdale constituency in Greater Manchester to George Galloway, leader of the Workers Party of Britain. Labour had withdrawn support for their candidate Azhar Ali after remarks widely alleged to be antisemitic. Mr Galloway has long campaigned on causes related to the Middle East, including for Palestinian rights. Later on Friday, in a speech outside Downing Street, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the UK must face down extremists trying to "deliberately" undermine the country's "multi-faith democracy"- but did not set out details of any new policies. No 10's lectern set up is usually reserved for big announcements such as elections. Mr Sunak had earlier attended the Scottish Conservative conference in Aberdeen. During Saturday's conference, Mr Ross highlighted the first minister's WhatsApp messages revealed by the UK Covid inquiry, in which he said he was "winging it". The Highlands and Islands MSP told delegates: "We all knew that long ago. Humza Yousaf has been found out in every job he's ever done. "He was the transport secretary when the trains never ran on time, and celebrated the launch of a ferry with painted-on windows. "He was the justice secretary who left the police at breaking point and brought in the disastrous Hate Crime Act. "He was the health secretary who let waiting times spiral out of control and Audit Scotland said had no vision for the NHS. Only in the SNP would he fail upwards." Tory support 'drops' On Friday Rishi Sunak said he expected his party to make gains in Scotland at the next general election, despite recent polling. A Survation poll suggested the Tories in Scotland would drop to 15% support at the next election - the lowest rating since immediately after Liz Truss's mini-budget. But the prime minister said the party is feeling positive about the response of voters on the doorstep. Rishi Sunak at the Scottish Conservative conference in Aberdeen He also said his UK government would continue to "champion" the North Sea industries as he pointed to how it could transition to greener forms of energy in the future. However he refused to say whether his government planned to raise or extend the windfall tax on energy firms. And he accused the SNP of "virtue signalling" over the future of oil and gas. The SNP have vowed to oppose Labour's plans to increase the windfall tax. It was introduced in 2022 to help fund a scheme to lower energy bills for households and businesses and applies to profits made from extracting UK oil and gas. Sir Keir Starmer wants to raise the tax on fossil fuel firms from 75% of excess profits to 78%, while also extending it to 2029. Russia claims its forces captured a US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). The IFV appears to have undergone testing on its armor, Defence Blog reported. Russia has a habit of flaunting captured Ukrainian armor. Russia has claimed its forces captured a US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) in Ukraine and it appears to be preparing to parade it across Russia. The Russian Embassy in South Africa said on X, formerly Twitter, that the Russian army had captured the "fully operational" vehicle on February 26. Other photos shared on the platform claim to show the vehicle arriving in Moscow on a train, although it is unclear when or where the pictures were taken. Business Insider was unable to verify the claims independently. Military news website Defence Blog suggested that the IFV showed signs of armor testing, saying that the images likely showed the results of strikes from a 30mm 2A42 autocannon with armor-piercing rounds. The Bradley trophy has arrived in Moscow -Russia. pic.twitter.com/nYZtYYzLEa -Tboy (@TobiAyodele) February 26, 2024 The report added that armored tiles, known as Bradley Reactive Armor Tiles, also appeared to have been removed from the sides of the vehicle, possibly for analysis. Russia also said in December that it had captured a Bradley IFV, Reuters reported. Footage shown on Russian television claimed to show the vehicle after it had been captured on the front lines in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine, the report said. Ukrainian soldiers patrol with a Bradley Fighting vehicle in Avdiivka, Ukraine on December 4, 2023. Anadolu According to data from the open-source military intelligence site Oryx, 69 Bradley fighting vehicles have been either destroyed, damaged, abandoned, or captured in the conflict so far over a third of the 186 that have been delivered to Ukraine by the US. The IFV's fearsome 25 mm gun and maneuvrability mean many Russian soldiers are afraid of going up against it, a Ukrainian commander told Newsweek, and a video showing one of the IFVs overpowering a Russian T-90M tank would have done little to calm those fears. Russians already started unpacking the captured Bradley. According to him: - The vehicle was manufactured in 2022 (IMO was refurbished, but they said it was manufactured) - The engine is in working condition - Two Russian units participated in evacuation, a recon team (in EMR pic.twitter.com/QEjazbjcXe (@TheDeadDistrict) December 6, 2023 A boost for Russian propaganda This is not the first Western-donated military vehicle Russia has openly flaunted as a trophy, as the propaganda value of parading such vehicles is high. In one video that was circulating on social media last week, Russian soldiers appeared to conduct field testing on a captured US-made Humvee. Russian soldiers appeared to be in awe of the strength of the bullet-proof glass. "Fuck, there's no way. We're shooting it with bullets," one of the soldiers can be heard shouting. "I found a bullet in the glass, it fell out," another replies. Russian soldiers captured an American Humvee that was in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They found themselves perplexed by the fact that the windows seemed unbreakable. True Sci-Fi Magic! pic.twitter.com/mjFhGvm19j Astraia Intel (@astraiaintel) February 23, 2024 But Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said last year that the war in Ukraine had "debunked many myths about the superiority of Western military standards" and noted that Russia had obtained data on Western military systems throughout the conflict. "We have data on the destruction of German tanks, American armoured vehicles, British missiles and other weapons systems," he said, per Reuters. "We are ready to share our assessments with our partners," he added. Last week, Russia also claimed it knocked out an M1 Abrams tank near Avdiivka, a first for the US-made armor in service with the Ukrainians. The US-made M1 Abrams was considered by experts and officials to be the strongest, most durable tank Ukraine had received from the West . Read the original article on Business Insider MLRS components will be manufactured by subcontractors, which may affect the quality of parts Defense enterprises in Russia and Belarus have failed to reach an agreement on the price of components for the Grad self-propelled multiple rocket launcher (MLRS), Ukraines Defense Ministrys Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported on March 2. They did not agree on the cost of parts and assemblies, the statement said. According to the contract, the Belarusian contractor, Volatavto, is to supply 250 units of products necessary for the production and repair of the Grad MLRS to the Russian customer, PJSC Special Design Bureau. This includes frames, bases, guide tubes, pipes, and other elements of combat vehicles. The disagreement emerged when Belarus presented documentation with calculations, revealing that the cost of certain products exceeded Russian expectations by 500-600%, HUR said. Read also: Kyiv military authorities weigh risks of renewed Russian assault on Kyiv by summer After intense negotiations, the Belarusians conducted an additional calculation and found a way to reduce the cost: the components will be produced by subcontractors who do not have the appropriate licenses, the HUR said. This means a decrease in the quality of products, and therefore, increased risks of using Grad MLRS assembled from such parts and assemblies. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine The so-called military commanders announced the destruction of the second A-50 on Friday, February 23. Russia might bring previously mothballed A-50 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AWACS) aircraft back into service due to the destruction of two such units by the Ukrainian Defense Forces in two months, the UK Defense Ministry reported on X on March 2 One week after losing the second A-50 aircraft, Russia ceased their flights. The aircraft will not be used until Russia reduces the threat posed by Ukrainian air defense, the report said. The loss of the A-50, responsible for daily command and control of Russian air operations, is likely to significantly degrade the situational awareness provided to aircraft crews. This is a capability gap Russia can ill afford over the contested airspace of eastern and southern Ukraine, said the UK intelligence. Russia will have to explore strategies to avoid this problem. One solution is to repurpose the aircraft and use them despite the risk of destruction to provide effective air support for the ground forces, the intelligence said. Read also: Ukrainian Air Force notes steep decline in observations of Russia's key A-50 recon aircraft recently Russia will likely attempt to bring previously mothballed A-50s back to service to alleviate the problem. Downing of Russian A-50s: what is known The media reported on Jan. 14 that the Ukrainian military had shot down a Russian A-50 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AWACS) aircraft and an Il-22 command and control aircraft over the Sea of Azov. The next day, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuk, indirectly confirmed this information by writing on Telegram: This is for Dnipro! Burn in hell, you brutes!. Later, the information about the destruction of the Russian A-50 and Il-22 aircraft was confirmed by the then-Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who thanked the Ukrainian Air Force for a perfectly planned and executed operation in the Azov Sea. Read also: Magical month: Ukraine shoots down 13 Russian planes worth over $1 billion full list & infographic According to Defense Express, the downing of the A-50 was the first-ever destruction of a long-range radar detection aircraft. The Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down a second A-50 on the evening of Feb. 23. This was officially confirmed by the Ukrainian Air Force and Defense Intelligence (HUR). According to media reports, the plane was hit by a Soviet S-200 air defense system. NVs sister publication Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources in the HUR, reported on Feb. 24 that all 10 crew members were killed, including five majors, three captains, an ensign, and a lieutenant. Read also: Russia intensively seeks replacement after another A-50 downing 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 Courts in four Russian oblasts have equated the surname of the late opposition politician Alexei Navalny with extremist symbolism. Source: Pervy Otdel and OVD-Info human rights projects; Radio Liberty's Russian Service Details: The Pervy Otdel project refers to three notices under the Code of Administrative Offences issued to participants of Navalny memorial events in the cities of Chelyabinsk, Krasnodar and Murmansk. Previously it was reported that such notices had been issued for mentioning Navalny in Ulyanovsk. Courts have imposed arrests for offences under the same code on participants of the events for displaying Navalny's name on their placards. In their rulings, the courts referred to the fact that the Anti-Corruption Foundation, recognised by the Russian authorities as an extremist organisation, repeatedly used the name and surname "Alexei Navalny" as "attributes and symbols". Pervy Otdel noted that informant Danil Mikhayev's "expertise" was used in describing the circumstances of the "violations". Courts have repeatedly relied on his conclusions in cases involving the demonstration of prohibited symbols, despite the fact that in 2022, the Ministry of Justice recognised Mikhayev as "unqualified". Pervy Otdel believes that no court decision has prohibited Navalny's name and that this cannot be done. HHuman rights activists pointed out that given such a broad geography, punishment for a surname could be considered to be a widespread practice rather than a local exception. The OVD-Info human rights project stated that over 104 people were detained in 19 cities across Russia in connection with Navalny's funeral. Background: The funeral service for Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who died in a penal colony on 16 February, took place in Moscow on 1 March. On the afternoon of 16 February, Russias Federal Penitentiary Service reported the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at Correctional Facility No. 3 in Kharp, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, in northwestern Siberia. Representatives of the colony where Navalny was located told the politician's mother that he died of sudden death syndrome. On 24 February, Russias prison employees finally handed over the body of opposition leader Alexei Navalny to his mother. On 27 February, the politician's spokesperson Kira Yarmysh reported that Moscow funeral agencies refused to provide premises for the funeral of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Support UP or become our patron! Russia has likely grounded its early warning aircraft fleet from flying Ukraine operations because of unsustainable losses, says UK intel Russia's early warning aircraft fleet is likely grounded, the UK MoD said. Russia only has a handful of the hi-tech planes that detect incoming missiles and identify ground targets. Ukraine has been having great success in shooting down Russian aircraft in recent weeks. Russia has likely grounded its fleet of A-50 early warning and control aircraft after Ukraine shot down a second one in two months, the UK Ministry of Defense said in an intelligence update on Saturday. The fleet is likely to remain grounded while internal investigations take place into why the losses happened and how Russia can better combat Ukrainian air defenses, the UK department said. The A-50 is an airborne radar system that detects enemy aircraft, missiles, and air defense systems. They also provide daily command and control to Russian air operations and identify ground targets. Before these two losses, Russia was believed to have only eight of the high-value aircraft, which cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build. Justin Bronk, an air war specialist from the think tank the Royal United Services Institute, previously told the BBC that losing an A-50 with its 15-strong specialist crew would be a "highly operationally significant and embarrassing loss" for Russia's air force. Losing these planes from the skies likely "significantly degrades the situational awareness" provided to Russian aircrews, according to the UK department. Russia has lost three of these high-value planes in total. Kyiv's forces first hit an A-50 in February 2023, when an exploding drone flew to an air base in Belarus and destroyed an A-50 parked on the runway. Russia will likely have to explore different options to bridge the gap, including repurposing aircraft and assuming higher risks to deliver the necessary air support its ground forces need, the UK defense department said. Russia might also attempt to bring previously mothballed A-50 airframes back into service, per the UK MoD. Ukraine has had a string of recent victories in shooting down other Russian warplanes, claiming to have downed around a doaen in the past month. Yurii Ihnat, the spokesman for Ukraine's air force, said that the recent killstreak of 10 Su-34s and two Su-35s was part of the Ukrainian response to an increasingly aggressive Russian aviation presence on the eastern front, RBC-Ukraine reported. However, the recent losses had forced the Russian jets dropping glide bombs to fly further away to protect themselves, making their bombs less accurate. "They need to fly closer because the bomb glides. It doesn't have its own engine. It glides and loses speed. So they need to take risks to strike," he said, per RBC-Ukraine. But, he said, "Russian pilots are no longer so impudent, they aren't flying as close." Read the original article on Business Insider A Ukrainian tank of the 17th tank brigade fires at the Russian positions in Chasiv Yar - AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky Russia is massing its forces around Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine as it seeks to make a breakthrough in the Donetsk region, according to Kyiv. Russian forces appear to be making a push on the strategic city, which lies several miles to the west of Bakhmut, which fell to Moscow last May, said Illia Yevlash, a Ukrainian spokesperson for the operational group overseeing the eastern frontline. Mr Yevlash added that the Kremlin is hoping to advance towards Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. It comes as Russia has seized the momentum in the two-year war and is slowly pushing Ukraine back as Kyiv struggles with supplying arms and soldiers. In recent weeks, the towns of Avdiivka and Petrovske have been captured, along with the villages of Stepove and Sieverne. Follow the latest updates below 05:02 PM GMT Thats all for today Thank you for following our coverage. The key developments from today were: Seven people were killed in a Russian drone attack in Odesa, the State Emergency Service reported. The German defence ministry said it was checking whether a confidential videoconference on the Ukraine war had been wiretapped after a recording was posted on Russian social media. The Netherlands will donate patrol boats as part of a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine. The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny visited his grave on Saturday, a day after thousands of Russians had risked arrest to pay tribute to the anti-corruption campaigner at his funeral. A Ukrainian drone hit an apartment building in St Petersburg, Russias state news agency has reported. A senior member of Slovakias government met his Russian counterpart in a rare high-level encounter between a European Union member state and a country the EU has sought to isolate. Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine needs more air defence capabilities from our partners after an attack overnight on Odesa. Hungarian parliament speaker Sandor Lezsak has signed off on the ratification of Swedens Nato accession and forwarded the legislation to the presidents office for promulgation. 04:44 PM GMT Defence firms seeking to arm Ukraine hamstrung by nightmare MoD Will Hazell and Edward Malnick report: British defence firms say they are being prevented from sending weapons and kit to help Ukraine by of a lack of engagement from the Ministry of Defence. Companies have complained that trying to get hold of officials to discuss how they can help the war effort is a nightmare, with the MoD lacking the resources to look at proposals from smaller firms. Ukraines war with Russia is at a delicate stage and president Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that a shortage of weapons played a part in his forces having to withdraw from the town of Avdiivka last month. Rishi Sunak has committed to providing 2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2024-25, to help push back Russias invasion. However, British companies who want to help arm the country say they are being held back from doing so because the MoD is unable to respond to their offers. Read more here 04:17 PM GMT Slovak foreign minister meets with Russias Lavrov A senior member of Slovakias government met his Russian counterpart in a rare high-level encounter between a European Union member state and a country the EU has sought to isolate. Slovakias foreign minister Juraj Blanar held talks with Russias Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum in Turkey, the countries said. The meeting, one of the few involving senior European and Russian officials since Moscows 2022 invasion of Ukraine, was immediately criticised by Slovak opposition parties. Slovak prime minister Robert Fico said the encounter was an example of our balanced and sovereign foreign policy. Slovakias defence minister Robert Kalinak met his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, on Friday. Mr Fico also said Mr Blanar and Mr Lavrov spoke about the possibilities a Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland can bring. The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement the two sides discussed international issues, including Ukraine. The Russian side confirmed its readiness to restore relations with Slovakia at the interparliamentary level, in the cultural, humanitarian and military memorial fields, the statement said. 03:43 PM GMT Death toll of Russian attack against Odesa rises to 5 The death toll of a Russian drone attack in Odesa has risen to five as another body was found in the rubble, the State Emergency Service reported. The overnight strike hit a multi-story building in the southern city, destroying 18 apartments. Search operations are ongoing as 12 more people may be trapped under the rubble, prosecutor general Andrii Kostin said. The four other victims found dead earlier included a boy aged two to three years, a woman in her early 70s, and a man in his mid-30s, according to governor Oleh Kiper. 01:53 PM GMT Hundreds of Russians visit Navalnys grave Hundreds of Russians have visited the grave of dead Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny today, risking arrest to pay tribute to the anti-corruption campaigner for a second day running. AFP said mourners queued outside the Borisovo cemetery in southern Moscow, carrying flowers and placards in honour of Mr Navalny. Despite warnings from the Kremlin that they faced arrest, thousands had come out for the official funeral service on Friday. A woman lays flowers at the grave of Alexei Navalny a day after his funeral at the Borisovskoye Cemetery - AP Photo Authorities have erected airport-style security scanners at the entrance to the cemetery, and police on Saturday were filmed frisking and searching those who had come to pay homage to the Kremlin critic. Officers ordered mourners to keep moving as they laid stacks of red and white roses and carnations on Mr Navalnys grave. 01:14 PM GMT Number of dead from Odesa attack increases to four The number of people killed in a Russian drone attack in Odesa has increased to four, authorities said. At the scene, reporters said smoke poured from rubble strewn across the ground where the drone had ripped a several-storey sized chunk out of the building. Clothes and furniture could be seen among the ruined mass of concrete and steel hanging off the side of the ruined apartment block. 01:05 PM GMT St Petersburg hit by rare drone attack A Ukrainian drone hit an apartment building in St Petersburg, Russias state news agency has reported. RIA Novosti said six people received medical help after the explosion early on Saturday morning and published a video reportedly showing the moment the apartment building was struck. In the footage a strong flash of light is seen engulfing one side of the building, sending fragments of debris flying into the air. Russian emergency servicemen work near a damaged residential building following an alleged drone attack in St Petersburg - ANATOLY MALTSEV/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Alexander Beglov, St Petersburgs Governor, said an incident had taken place in the citys north-eastern district of Krasnogvardeyskiy. There were no casualties, but residents were evacuated from their apartments, he said. Lying about 620 miles from the Ukrainian border, attacks on St Petersburg have been rare. In January, Ukrainian drones struck a major gas export terminal on the outskirts of the city. The claims could not be immediately verified, and neither Ukraine or Russias Defence Ministry have yet commented on the incident. 12:52 PM GMT Ministry of Defence statement The Ministry of Defence has released its latest intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine. Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine 02 March 2024. Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/La7njOX8O7#StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/kPFLiE5xjf Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) March 2, 2024 11:15 AM GMT Biden hails Italian PMs Ukraine stance US president Joe Biden hailed Italian prime minister Giorgia Melonis unwavering support for Ukraine on Friday. Despite their political differences, the far-right Italian leader and the veteran Democrat have had warm relations, particularly because of Ms Melonis strong stance on Ukraine as it battles Russias invasion. I want to thank you for Italys unwavering support for Ukraine, Mr Biden, 81, said as he sat with Meloni, 47, in the Oval Office. We have each others backs we also have Ukraines back, added Mr Biden. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and US president Joe Biden during their meeting at the White House in Washington - FILIPPO ATTILI/CHIGI PALACE PRESS OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock We intend first and foremost to reaffirm the rules-based international order defending freedom and giving peace for Ukraine, Ms Meloni said alongside Biden. Ms Meloni also emphasised the significance of sustained US support for Ukraine, the White House said in a statement after the meeting. 10:52 AM GMT Navalnys mother visits grave after funeral draws thousands The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny visited his grave on Saturday, a day after thousands of Russians had risked arrest to pay tribute to the anti-corruption campaigner at his funeral. Mr Navalny, president Vladimir Putins fiercest critic for more than a decade, died in an Arctic prison colony last month, where he was serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges largely seen as political retribution for his opposition to the Kremlin. His mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, visited his grave, which was covered in flowers and wreaths, at the Borisovo cemetery in southern Moscow early on Saturday morning. She was accompanied by Alla Abrosimova, the mother of Mr Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya. Lyudmila Navalnaya (L), mother of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, accompanied by Alla, mother of Yulia The two mothers stand in front the grave of Alexei Navalny - REUTERS Yulia Navalnaya, the couples two children and Navalnys brother all live abroad and did not attend the funeral, where they could have been arrested for their own opposition to Mr Putin. Yulia Navalnaya has pledged to continue her husbands work and said Mr Putin murdered Navalny. The two women leave the grave - Olga MALTSEVA / AFP 10:26 AM GMT Russian drone strike on Odesa kills 3 Three people including a three-year-old child were killed and eight others wounded when a Russian drone crashed into an apartment block in Ukraines southern port city of Odesa on Saturday, authorities said. Russia continues to fight civilians... One of the enemy drones hit a residential building in Odessa. Eighteen apartments were destroyed, Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Telegram post. Ukraines Armed Forces reported that the Odesa region was attacked by eight drones, of which seven were shot down by air defences. Rescuers at an apartment building heavily damaged by a Russian drone strike in Odesa - UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES Ukraines State Emergencies Service posted photos including of a dead toddler being placed in a body bag by rescuers. This is impossible to forget! This is impossible to forgive, it wrote. It said five people including a child had been rescued alive. Across the country more widely, air defences shot down 14 of 17 drones launched against Ukraine, according to the countrys Armed Forces. Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported Saturday morning that over 20 settlements in the eastern Ukrainian province had sustained Russian artillery and mortar attacks, while high-rise buildings in the regional capital, also called Kharkiv, were damaged by a drone attack. Ukraine's Armed Forces reported that the Odesa region was attacked by eight drones - UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES He said that there were no casualties, but that three people suffered an acute stress reaction. In the partly occupied Kherson region, Russian artillery shelling killed a 53-year-old man on Saturday morning, the Kherson regional prosecutors office said. 10:15 AM GMT Netherlands donating boats as part of Ukraine security pact The Netherlands will donate patrol boats as part of a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine. The pact inked on Friday is similar to the deals Ukraine has secured recently with the UK, Germany, France, Denmark, Italy and Canada. It will provide Ukraine with 2 billion in military aid from the Netherlands this year and further defence assistance over the next ten years, Mr Zelensky said in a statement. The aid will include air defence, artillery and long-range weapons and assistance for Ukraines air force. The Dutch ministry of defence said it will also provide Ukraine with 14 rigid-hull inflatable boats, eight paramilitary river patrol boats, and CB90-class fast assault craft. Some of the watercraft will be supplied from the Dutch militarys own inventory while others will be sourced from industry. 10:05 AM GMT German army probes possible wiretap of Ukraine war talks The German defence ministry said it was checking whether a confidential videoconference on the Ukraine war had been wiretapped after a recording was posted on Russian social media. The head of Russias state-backed RT channel, Margarita Simonyan, on Friday posted a 38-minute audio recording of what she claimed were German officers discussing striking Crimea. We are investigating whether communications in the air force sector were intercepted, a spokeswoman for the defence ministry told AFP. In the recording, discussions can be heard on the possible use by Ukrainian forces of German-made Taurus missiles and their potential impact. Other topics include aiming the missiles at targets such as a key bridge linking Russian-occupied Crimea to the Russian mainland over the Kerch strait. Kyiv has long been clamouring for Germany to provide it with Taurus missiles, which can reach targets up to 500 kilometres away. German chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far refused to send the missiles, fearing that it would lead to an escalation of the conflict. If this story turns out to be true, it would be a highly problematic event, Green party politician Konstantin von Notz told the RND broadcaster. 09:54 AM GMT Photos from the alleged drone attack in St Petersburg The governor of Saint Petersburg said residents of the affected apartments were evacuated - ANATOLY MALTSEV/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Russian state media said six people received medical help after the explosion early on Saturday morning - REUTERS/Stringer 09:40 AM GMT We need more air defence capabilities from our partners, says Zelensky Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine needs more air defence capabilities from our partners after an attack overnight on Odesa. The Ukrainian air shield must be strengthened in order to effectively protect our people from Russian terror. More air defence systems and air defence missiles are what saves lives, the Ukrainian president said in a social media post. Russia continues to wage war against civilians. It launched a night attack using Shahed drones on Kharkiv, Odesa, and cities in the Sumy region. One of the drones hit a residential building in Odesa, destroying 18 apartments. Currently, two deaths have been confirmed, with eight pic.twitter.com/RpFGx9dE3v Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 2, 2024 09:33 AM GMT Hungarys parliament speaker signs off on Swedens Nato accession Hungarian parliament speaker Sandor Lezsak has signed off on the ratification of Swedens Nato accession and forwarded the legislation to the presidents office for promulgation. Lawmakers approved Swedens Nato accession on Feb 26, clearing the last hurdle before the historic step by the Nordic country whose neutrality lasted through two world wars and the Cold War. The Hungarian vote ended months of delays to complete Swedens security policy shift and followed a visit by Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson, during which the two countries signed an arms deal. Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbans government has faced pressure from Nato allies to fall in line and seal Swedens accession to the alliance. Hungarys president now has up to five days to promulgate the legislation. Stockholm abandoned its non-alignment policy for greater safety within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Fort Lauderdale, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - March 2, 2024) - In a groundbreaking move towards convenience and efficiency, Keyzoo, a pioneering platform in the locksmith industry, announces the launch of its innovative online ordering system for car keys. Leveraging cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence technology, Keyzoo is set to transform the way people access and procure car keys, offering an unparalleled level of ease and affordability. Keyzoo's 24/7 Locksmith Services To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9987/199533_4518f6e5445d9a02_001full.jpg With the rise of digital solutions, Keyzoo introduces a seamless online platform where customers can effortlessly order their car keys from the comfort of their homes. By harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence, Keyzoo has developed a highly efficient system designed to save customers money on their car keys while ensuring a swift and hassle-free ordering process. Founder Eli Itzhaki, a veteran in the locksmith industry, identified a critical gap in the market - the arduous task of finding reliable car key services amidst a sea of software complexities and tool dependencies. Eli's firsthand experience led to the inception of Keyzoo, a platform committed to providing customers with easy car key solutions at flat prices, eliminating the uncertainty and exorbitant costs associated with traditional locksmith services. "At Keyzoo, we are dedicated to revolutionizing the way people access car key services," says Eli Itzhaki, Founder of Keyzoo. "Our mission is to simplify the process, empower customers with transparent pricing, and deliver unparalleled convenience through our innovative online platform." Keyzoo's groundbreaking technology extends beyond online ordering to its network of interactive kiosks, strategically located for easy access. These kiosks serve as convenient hubs where customers can click and collect their car keys, streamlining the entire process and eliminating unnecessary wait times. Story continues Locksmith in Florida is a 24/7 locksmith services for residents in South Florida and beyond, ensuring prompt assistance whenever the need arises. With a commitment to customer satisfaction and reliability, Keyzoo stands as a trusted partner in the realm of car key solutions. Experience the future of car key services with Keyzoo today by visiting Keyzoo's Website. About Keyzoo: Keyzoo is a pioneering platform in the locksmith industry, dedicated to providing easy car key solutions through innovative online ordering and interactive kiosks. With a commitment to transparency, affordability, and reliability, Keyzoo revolutionizes the way people access car key services. Media Inquiries : Name: Eli Itzhak Company: Keyzoo Email: office@keyzoo.com +Phone: 1 888-539-9660 Website: http://keyzoo.com/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199533 UK Defence Intelligence has assessed that one week after losing its second A-50U long-range radar detection aircraft, Russia has most likely ceased flights of this aircraft to support operations in Ukraine. Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 2 March, as reported by European Pravda UK intelligence says that the grounding of the A-50 will continue until internal investigations are completed regarding the inability to protect another crucial asset and how to reduce the ongoing threat posed by Ukrainian air defence. Quote: "The loss of this capability providing daily command and control to Russian air operations highly likely significantly degrades the situational awareness provided to air crews," the review reads. It is emphasised that this capability gap is something Russia cannot afford. "It is likely that Russia will have to explore options to bridge this gap, including repurposing aircraft and accepting greater risk to provide the effective air support its ground forces require, but are likely not receiving," the intelligence states. They add that the fatigue of aircraft and crews will almost certainly intensify when the A-50s resume operations, and the fleet will become increasingly stretched. "It is a realistic possibility Russia may attempt to bring previously mothballed A-50 airframes back into service to alleviate this," UK Defence Intelligence believes. Background: Earlier, UK Defence Intelligence stated that although Russia still has a reserve of A-50 aircraft, losing an experienced crew could be quite significant. The recent incident of the downing of this aircraft raises questions about the effectiveness of the planning and protection by Russian forces of such valuable assets. After the downing of the first A-50, UK Defence Intelligence reported that Russia had begun using a new similar aircraft, but with more caution. They also suggested that the loss of the aircraft was almost certainly not an accident. Support UP or become our patron! Germans call on their government to arm Ukraine with Taurus missiles during a march in Cologne Germany is investigating the apparent interception by Russia of army officers discussing supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles - and possible targets. Audio of the video-conference meeting was posted to social media by the head of Russia's state-run RT channel. The officers discuss how the missiles could hit the Kerch Bridge, which links Russia to the illegally annexed Crimea. Russian politicians said the audio proved that its "sworn enemy" was planning attacks. Germany's chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday called the apparent leak "a very serious matter and that is why it is now being investigated very carefully, very intensively and very quickly". According to Der Spiegel magazine, the videoconference was not held on a secret internal army network but on the WebEx platform. The 38-minutes of audio was posted by RT chief Margarita Simonyan on Friday, who said it was proof Germany was planning strikes on Crimea. In the recording, discussions can be heard on the possible use by Ukrainian forces of German-made Taurus missiles and their potential impact. A spokeswoman for the German defence ministry told the AFP news agency that a secret air force conversation had been tapped. However, she said that she was "unable to say for certain" whether the voices on the recording had been tampered with before publication. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova demanded that Germany "promptly" provide explanations. "Attempts to avoid answering the questions will be regarded as an admission of guilt," she said. Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia's Security Council and foreign ministry, said on Telegram: "Our age-old rivals - the Germans - have again turned into our sworn enemies." "Look, with what thoroughness and in such detail the (Germans) discuss striking our territory with long-range missiles, choose targets to hit and discuss how to inflict the maximum harm to our motherland and our people," he said. Taurus missile systems are used by Germany, Spain and South Korea Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that the discussion betrayed the "cunning plans" of the German armed forces, which he said had committed "a blatant self-exposure". Kyiv wants Germany to provide it with Taurus missiles, which have a range of around 500km (300 miles). Mr Scholz has so far refused, fearing it would lead to an escalation of the conflict. France and Britain have supplied Kyiv with Scalp or Storm Shadow missiles, both of which have half the range. Roderich Kiesewetter, from Germany's opposition conservatives, warned that further recordings may also be leaked. "A number of other conversations will certainly have been intercepted and may be leaked at a later date for Russia's benefit," he told broadcaster ZDF. It can be assumed "that the conversation was deliberately leaked by Russia at this point in time with a specific intention", namely "to prevent Taurus delivery by Germany", he said. Russia has tested the RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile in order to instil fear in Western audiences and thus weaken Western support for Ukraine. Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Details: The Russian Ministry of Defence announced on 1 March that Russian troops had successfully conducted a live-fire exercise of launching the RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV). Putin also stressed during his address to the Federal Assembly on 29 February that Russia possessed weapons that could strike Western countries. ISW continued to assess that the Kremlin often uses nuclear threats to instil fear in Western audiences and weaken Western support for Ukraine. Military analysts said that Russia's use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and beyond was unlikely. For reference: The RS-24 Yars is a strategic system based on a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile. It was adopted by the Russian Federation in 2009. The system is equipped with a warhead that separates into 3 to 6 warheads, depending on the modification, each of which can hit a different target. The missile's flight speed can purportedly reach Mach 14, and its explosive power is equivalent to one million tonnes. Propagandists claimed that no missile defence system is capable of shooting it down and that a Yars missile can completely destroy a small town. To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 1 March: Reported details of Russian-Ukrainian peace negotiations that occurred in Istanbul in April 2022 indicate that Russia has consistently envisioned a settlement for its illegal invasion of Ukraine wherein Ukraine would be unable to defend itself from a future Russian attack an objective Russia continues to pursue under calls for Ukraines "demilitarisation." Reported details of the draft treaty suggest that Russia intended to use the treaty to set conditions for future attacks against Ukraine while also prompting the West to make concessions on Ukraines sovereignty. Russian authorities suggested that the Kremlin has likely adopted a more extensive set of goals regarding Ukraine over the course of Russia's war against Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to disparage Russian elites in his 29 February Federal Assembly speech, more closely aligning himself with the veteran and military community and drawing praise from ultranationalist milbloggers. Kremlin officials met with leaders of the pro-Russian Moldovan autonomous region Gagauzia and emphasised Russias support for Gagauzia against perceived Moldovan "oppression" on 1 March. Ukraine and the Netherlands signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement on 1 March. Russian forces made confirmed advances near Avdiivka and Donetsk City on 1 March. Russian authorities will likely use annual combat training for Russian reservists to support crypto-mobilisation efforts. Support UP or become our patron! ISW analysts consider Russia's nuclear threats to be just "saber-rattling" The Kremlin regime is unlikely to dare to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine or any of its allies despite its regular threats, the U.S.-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on March 1. Russias Defense Ministry announced on March 1 the successful combat training launch of the RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin, in his address to the Federal Assembly on Feb. 29, threatened Western countries that Russia already has all the possibilities to strike them. Putins statements are nothing more than a banal saber-rattling to instill fear in Western audiences to weaken support for Ukraine, the ISW analysts said. Read also: OSINT analysts identify Russian military unit responsible for shooting nine POWs near Bakhmut Russian nuclear use in Ukraine and beyond is highly unlikely, military experts say. The gradual increase in Russias military power appears realistic, the ISW said, particularly in terms of increasing mobilization, not only to fill its significant losses in Ukraine but also to create new combat groups. Russian authorities will likely use annual combat training for Russian reservists to support crypto-mobilization efforts, the ISW said. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the annual decree on conscripting Russian reservists for military training in 2024. Russian reservists in the Russian armed forces, Rosgvardia, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Federal Security Service (FSB), and other state security agencies will undergo combat training. Russian citizens who have previously been conscripted into the Russian military are considered reservists. Russian authorities will likely use this mandatory combat training to try to recruit Russian reservists through ongoing crypto-mobilization efforts that offer incentives for signing military contracts. Read also: Zelenskyy and Sandu discuss situation in unrecognized "Transnistria" The UK Ministry of Defense reported that the Russian military-industrial complex significantly increased artillery ammunition production in 2023 and is likely to continue this in 2024, reaching a peak in the next 12 months. Ukraine is also trying to develop its own defense-industrial base to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on its Western partners. This is especially important given the refusal of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson to sign a bill on military aid for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Read also: Zelenskyy and Sandu discuss situation in unrecognized "Transnistria" 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 Russia launched an attack against the village of Stanislav in Kherson Oblast on March 2, killing a 54-year-old man on the street, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. No further details about the consequences of the attack were provided. Stanislav, with a pre-war population of almost 5,000, lies at the shores of the Dniprovska Gulf, roughly 35 kilometers west of Kherson. Ukraine's Armed Forces liberated Kherson and other regional settlements on the west bank of the Dnipro River, such as Stanislav, in the fall 2022 counteroffensive. Russian troops were pushed to the river's east bank, from where they have since been firing at the liberated territories, regularly resulting in civilian deaths as well as large-scale destruction of homes and infrastructure. Over the past day, Russian attacks damaged a high-rise building and damaged 11 houses, as well as other civilian property, Prokudin said in his morning report on March 2. Read also: The economic toll of 10 years of Russias war against Ukraine in charts Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian attacks on March 2 injured two women aged 65 and 66 in the Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, as well as a 55-year-old volunteer near Kharkiv Oblast's Kupiansk, officials reported. The Nikopol district came under attack in the morning. Russian artillery reportedly hit Nikopol itself and the Chervonohryhorivka community. Both injured women were provided medical assistance. A local cafe caught on fire as a result of the attack, Governor Serhii Lysak said, adding that further consequences are being determined. Nikopol lies at the shores of the mostly dried-up Kakhovka Reservoir across the Russian-occupied Enerhodar and Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The city suffers Russian attacks on a nearly daily basis. In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian forces struck the outskirts of Kupiansk, likely using KAB aerial bombs, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. The injured volunteer suffered shrapnel wounds and was hospitalized, according to Syniehubov. The northeastern city of Kupiansk was briefly occupied by Russian forces in 2022 before being liberated in Ukraine's surprise fall counteroffensive. In recent months, Russian forces began ramping up pressure against Kupiansk again, reportedly aiming to encircle this key logistics hub. Read also: Ukraine destroyed 13 Russian military aircraft in 2 weeks. How? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day killed at least four civilians and injured at least 13, with children reported among the casualties, regional officials said on March 2. The country came under a large-scale drone attack, with the Air Force reporting 14 of the 17 Russian Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) shot down. Russian forces also attacked Ukraine with air-launched cruise missiles Kh-59/Kh-35 from occupied parts of Kherson and Donetsk oblasts. Multiple casualties were reported in Odesa, where a drone hit a residential building, destroying 18 apartments. Three people have been killed in the southern city as of 10:45 a.m., according to Oleh Kiper, the governor of Odesa Oblast. Eight people were reportedly injured, including a child and a pregnant woman. According to the State Emergency Service, one of the killed victims included a child whose body was found in the rubble. Many nearby apartments were also left without heat as a result of the attack. Russian drones targeted Kharkiv around midnight, damaging several houses, five garages, and 17 cars, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. Three people sought assistance due to acute stress reaction, he noted. A 76-year-old woman was killed in an attack against the Velykyi Burluk village in the Kupiansk district of Kharkiv Oblast, Syniehubov said. In Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks injured two people in Siversk, regional officials reported. Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts also came under attack, but no casualties were reported. Read also: The economic toll of 10 years of Russias war against Ukraine in charts Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Editor's Note: This is a developing story. A Russian drone attack on Kharkiv Oblast killed one man, local authorities reported on March 2. The 76-year-old man died under the rubble of his house after a Russian drone struck his home in the Kupiansk district of Kharkiv Oblast at around 12:10 a.m. local time. Regional police also told local media that an elderly woman was evacuated from a nearby house. Earlier tonight, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov announced that a drone attack on the city of Kharkiv, the regional capital, destroyed four cars and damaged the windows of at least ten residential buildings. No casualties have been reported in the city. Due to its proximity to the Russian border, residents of Kharkiv Oblast have faced near-daily attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion. Part of the region was also occupied in early February 2022 before its liberation in early September. More than 20,000 buildings have been destroyed in Kharkiv since Feb. 24, 2022, according to Ukrainian government figures. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine signs long-term security agreement with Netherlands Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Editor's Note: This is a developing story. A Russian drone attack on Odesa injured at least four civilians, including a child, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper reported on Telegram early on March 2. Kiper also announced that several residential buildings were damaged. A Russian drone attack was announced in Odesa at around 12:40 a.m. local time. According to local authorities, information about the victims continues to develop. Drone attacks are a daily occurrence in Ukraine, affecting various regions across the country. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine signs long-term security agreement with Netherlands Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Editor's Note: This is a developing story. A Russian drone attack on Odesa killed three people and injured at least eight others, Governor Oleh Kiper reported on March 2. Among the injured is a three-year-old boy who is currently hospitalized with a wounded leg. The other victims are reportedly in moderate to severe condition. Some of the injured include a pregnant woman and a 26-year-old girl in serious condition. The drone reportedly struck the ninth floor of a high-rise residential building. Three people were found dead, buried under the rubble, including a child, the State Emergency Service said. Five people were reportedly rescued from the rubble. Many nearby apartments were also left without heat as a result of the attack. A drone attack was announced in Odesa at around 0:40 a.m. local time. Drone attacks are a daily occurrence in Ukraine, affecting various regions across the country. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine signs long-term security agreement with Netherlands Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. (Bloomberg) -- As global investors scrutinize South Koreas plan to boost corporate valuations, they note a key hurdle the prevalence of family-controlled businesses, or chaebols, which are often blamed for keeping stocks undervalued. Most Read from Bloomberg From Samsung Electronics Co. to Hyundai Motor Co., Korean conglomerates are run by members of the founding families who can wield outsized power through complex cross-shareholdings. The controversial structure and a tendency to sideline minority shareholders are among reasons why Korean firms have traded at a much lower valuation than overseas peers for years, resulting in a phenomenon that investors call the Korea Discount. Officials in Seoul are taking a cue from Japan, where a push for corporate reforms has been one of the key drivers for a world-beating equity rally. Yet the lukewarm market response to Koreas Corporate Value-up Program this week showed that the efforts are falling short of firmly addressing poor governance. Also, after driving Korean stocks higher for weeks in anticipation of the measures, investors seem to be coming around to the view that any reform and a re-rating of equities will take years to bear fruit, as was the case in Japan. Regulators must understand that there are no effective ways to reduce the Korea Discount other than by reducing the power of controlling shareholders, said Jonathan Pines, lead portfolio manager of Asia ex-Japan equity at Federated Hermes. Some controlling shareholders prefer lower stock prices to reduce inheritance tax and provide continuing opportunities to force minority shareholders out at the cheap market price. Story continues Read more: Korea Voluntary Governance Reform a Contrast to Japan Shame List Cheap Korea The benchmark Kospi Index trades at a little over 10 times its earnings estimates, compared with ratios near 16 and 17 respectively for Japans Topix Index and Taiwans Taiex gauge. The Kospi has fallen 1% this week following the release of the governments plan, halting a five-week winning streak. It has gained about 9% over the past 12 months. In the same period, Japans gauge has rallied more than 35% and Taiwans 21%. Seouls valuation drive relies on voluntary efforts and lacks punitive measures, with companies encouraged to self-evaluate their improvement in areas including corporate governance and shareholder returns for tax incentives. Some skeptics even downplay the plan as a political move ahead of the April parliament election to win retail votes, saying it may lose momentum once thats over. Mom and pop investors, which account for more than a quarter of the countrys 52 million population, have become a key political bloc. Faced with pushback that the value-up plan lacks teeth, authorities emphasized that they are seeking a longer-term upgrade of the market. Their determination on delivering a change in corporate behavior will be put to test in June, when the details of tax incentives and other guidelines are released. Whether its incentives or penalties, they both seem insufficient at the moment, said James Lim, senior research analyst at Dalton Investments Inc. Controlling shareholders control the board and the management. Are these incentives big enough to change their behavior meaningfully? Its not compulsory so it remains weak. Chaebol Problem Chaebols business structure has been under debate in Korea for decades. While their concentrated leadership allows speedy decision making and has proved crucial in transforming the country into industrial powerhouse, it has also been criticized for a lack of transparency and decisions that neglect shareholder interest. In a landmark case that involved the countrys largest conglomerate, governance watchers have expressed concern that Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee has been acquitted from charges of stock manipulation related to the merger of two Samsung affiliates. While some Japanese companies have founding families participating in management, the practice isnt as widespread as in Seoul, with their influence non-existent in long-standing conglomerates like Mitsubishi group and Sumitomo group. Reforms in Japan have been years in the making, starting almost a decade ago when the Shinzo Abe government urged companies to tackle low profitability and introduced measures to hold the management accountable for boosting corporate value. It was a slow process that finally started to pay off last year as the Tokyo Stock Exchange deployed a name-and-shame tactic. Many companies initially only did the bare minimum to comply with government requests, such as installing more outside directors on the board. Read more: Tokyo Bourses Name and Shame List Builds Pressure for Reform The Nikkei and Topix benchmarks have powered ahead to multi-decade highs with the historic rally also driven by a weaker yen as the Bank of Japan kept its policy loose, and a revival of price pressures in Japans deflation-plagued economy. A growing presence of activist investors has also instilled fear into corporate leaders. Activism is also on the rise in Korea, which could spur a push for more reforms to protect the interest of minority shareholders, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Retail investors becoming more vocal can also add tailwind to reform efforts. I have been always thinking that the biggest reason behind the Korea Discount is governance problems, said Kenji Hashizume, chief investment officer at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Private Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. If governance reforms accelerate, there will be huge room for rerating in South Korean stocks. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. A Russian drone attack in Kherson Oblast injured two police officers, the National Police reported on March 2. The officers, aged 36 and 37, are part of the Kakhovskyi District police department. According to the National Police, the officers were hospitalized after sustaining non-life-threatening wounds to several parts of their bodies. More than a year after Ukraine liberated swathes of territories on the river's western bank in Kherson Oblast, Russia continues to heavily bombard the land that it lost daily, putting enormous risks on civilians living in the area. As of November 2023, over 400 civilians were killed and about 1,700 wounded in and around Kherson since the liberation, according to local authorities. Read also: Ukrainian soldiers storming eastern bank of Dnipro fear their mission is hopeless Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The governor of Russia's Leningrad Oblast, Alexander Drozdenko, claimed on March 2 that air defense had shot down aerial targets over the waters and coast of the Gulf of Finland. Drozdenkos claims came after Russian state-owned media wrote about explosions near the Bronka port in St. Petersburg. There were no casualties or damage in St. Petersburg's Lomonosovsky District, the governor claimed on the Telegram. Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency said that restrictions had been imposed on the departure and arrival of planes at Pulkovo Airport from around 7 to 8 p.m. local time. In recent weeks and months, Russian authorities reported an increasing number of drone strikes targeting Belgorod, Bryansk, Oryol, and Leningrad oblasts, as well as other regions. St. Petersburg's governor Alexander Beglov claimed two buildings were damaged following an unspecified "incident" in one of the city's districts early on March 2. Ukrainian officials usually do not comment on these statements, which cannot be independently verified. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) A man was arrested Wednesday in San Marcos in connection with two indecent exposure investigations, according to the San Marcos Police Department. SMPD said 27-year-old Ricky Hardeman, of San Marcos, faced two charges of indecent exposure and was booked into the Hays County jail on a $10,000 bond. Police said on Monday, officers responded to a call shortly after midnight to a restaurant located between Interstate 35 and Highway 123. SMPD said restaurant staff reported a man entered the restaurant and exposed himself. Staff also said earlier that same evening, the subject entered the womens restroom while a teenage female was using the bathroom. According to police, the man was no longer at the scene when officers arrived, but a man matching the description was later found. That man was identified as Hardeman, according to SMPD. Police also received a call regarding a separate indecent exposure incident where a man matching Hardemans description knocked on the door of a residence Feb. 25 at approximately 10:40 p.m. and exposed himself. The Feb. 25 incident was captured on surveillance video, and SMPD said the footage confirmed the suspect was Hardeman. Our primary goal is always to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents, SMPD Sergeant Michael Casillas said. We take reports like the ones we received in these cases very seriously, and our officers are committed to thoroughly investigating each incident and presenting the strongest possible case to the Hays County District Attorneys Office. SMPD said police would continue to investigate the incidents and additional charges could be filed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) The City of Clovis has sandbags available for residents on sight of the upcoming storm. According to the US National Weather Service in Hanford, a strong storm system will impact Central California from Thursday evening into Sunday morning, resulting in periods of heavy rain. The majority of this precipitation will fall Friday evening through Saturday evening. A few things the City of Clovis advises to keep in mind: The self-service sandbag fill station for Clovis residents is open at all hours at the Clovis Corporation Yard at 155 N. Sunnyside Ave., maximum of 10 per household. It is normal for gutters to fill up to the top of the curb as part of the drainage process. Streets where the water stops moving and pools above the top of the street curbs should be reported. To report a problem such as flooding, fallen trees, or other storm-related issues, please contact the Public Utilities Department at (559)324-2600 or use the GoClovis app. For more information click here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is pushing harder for a cease-fire in Gaza and demands that the United States send not another nickel to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. My view, not another nickel for Netanyahus government if hes going to continue this wholesale slaughter of the Palestinian people, Sanders told MSNBCs Alex Wagner Friday. Sanders declaration comes just days after the death toll in Gaza surpassed 30,000 people since the start of the war on Oct. 7, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. More than 100 Palestinians in Gaza City were killed and more than 700 injured Thursday, when Israeli soldiers opened fire on the people scrambling to access humanitarian aid, some media outlets reported. Sanders, who recently voted against sending more aid to Israel for its war against Hamas, stressed the importance of stopping the unprecedented humanitarian disaster. The Vermont senator argued that President Biden, who has put pressure on Netanyahu and Israel to scale back its attacks, is taking an important step forward, but argues that we need to do more. Biden said Friday that the U.S. will begin airdrops of aid to Gaza amid negotiations for a cease-fire. Sanders said Biden should be telling the Israeli government to open borders so trucks of food, water and medical supplies that are critical to the more than 1 million refugees in the region can be delivered. During the interview, Sanders said that its totally absurd that the United States is sending humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, but also supplying Israel with the funds and military capabilities to hurt those civilians. He said the recent protest vote, where more than 100,000 people in the Michigan primary voted for uncommitted instead of Biden, shows the White House that there are large numbers of young voters, minority voters and others who are sick and tired of the slaughter of the Palestinian people. Again, this is not some distant thing. This is with our tax dollars. Those guns and those planes are largely, or significantly, are paid for by U.S. tax dollars, Sanders said, in a clip highlighted by Mediaite. I mean, we cannot continue to support this right-wing extremist government. No more money. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson has reportedly been told that there appears to be no further spread of her skin cancer, after two back-to-back health scares. Ms Ferguson was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in January, just six months after treatment for breast cancer and undergoing breast reconstruction surgery. The ex-wife of Prince Andrew underwent examinations of the skin in the area around the malignant mole, and learned that it was all free of cancer, the Daily Mail has reported, citing her friend. Shes undergone further surgery following the melanoma diagnosis to examine the area around the mole that was found to be malignant and her lymph nodes, said the friend of the duchess, who was not named. The good news is that these have all been found to be free of cancer so it looks like there has been no spread of the disease and the prognosis is good, though shell have to have regular check-ups going forward. Its a huge relief for Sarah and the entire family after the most stressful time and an anxious wait for results. Doctors have advised her to be vigilant and undergo regular check-ups every 12 weeks while still refraining from using the term cancer free for her, sources close to the duchess said. File Sarah, Duchess of York smiles outside after attending the Royal Familys traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham Estate in eastern England (AFP via Getty Images) She is very lucky that the melanoma was caught early thanks to the vigilance of her dermatologist, who asked for a number of moles to be checked while she was undergoing reconstructive surgery after her mastectomy, her friend said. Her friend said that she will now be banging the drum to make more people aware of the need for regular check-ups and urging people not to miss mammograms or getting moles checked. Her intention will be to get the message out about the importance of being vigilant about checking the size, shape, colour and texture of moles. If melanoma is caught early, it can be treated very effectively, her friend added. The mother of princesses Beatrice and Eugenie wrote in late January that she was in shock after being diagnosed with a malignant melanoma after undergoing surgery for breast cancer, but added that she remains in good spirits. Breaking her silence for the first time since the news emerged, she also gave her thanks to those rallying around her and praised the medics who cared for her in a social media post. Prince Andrew (left) leads the line alongside Sarah, Duchess of York Duchess of York, Zara Tindall, Sir Timothy Laurence, Mike Tindall and Anne, Princess Royal at a meorial service for the late King Constantine of Greece (Getty Images) She had several moles removed during breast reconstruction surgery, with one of them being identified as cancerous. Her diagnosis was one among a series of health scares to hit the royal family. It comes as King Charges was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer during a check-up last month on an unrelated, enlarged prostate that proved to be benign. A statement issued by Buckingham Palace read: His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer. Around the same time, the Princess of Wales was recuperating after being discharged from hospital at the end of January, having undergone successful, planned abdominal surgery. Ms Ferguson is now planning to travel to Australia in the next few days to see her sister and celebrate. She is slated to take part in the Global Citizen Now forum in Melbourne. She is overjoyed, her friend said. A South Carolina police officer has been charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced Friday. An investigation revealed that David Lonny Geronimo Templet, a former officer with the Latta Police Department, attempted to rub an 11-year-old on July 11, 2019, according to arrest warrant affidavits. Between July 2019 and September 2020, Templet is also accused of masturbating in front of two juvenile victims in separate incidents and he attempted to rub a juvenile victim while they slept in another, according to the affidavits. These actions placed the child involved at an unreasonable risk of harm, affecting the childs mental health. Further details about the incidents were redacted from the four affidavits. SLED charged Templet with third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, which is a lewd or lascivious act upon the body, or its parts, of a child under sixteen years of age with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of the actor or the child, under South Carolina law. He was also charged with exhibiting harmful performance to minors and two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child. Templet was arrested and booked at the Dillon County Detention Center. The South Carolina Attorney Generals Office will prosecute the case. A Scott County Deputy faces multiple charges after allegations of misconduct and falsifying public documents, according to arrest affidavits. Court records show that Scott County Deputy Anthony Johnson, of LeClaire, faces a felony charge of falsifying public documents, an aggravated misdemeanor charge of tampering with records, and a serious misdemeanor charge of non-felonious misconduct in office. Scott County Deputy Anthony Johnson when he was sworn in in 2019. (OurQuadCities.com) Incidents in 2023 On Dec. 1, 2023, the Scott County Sheriffs Office received information of an inappropriate relationship between Sex Offender Registry Detective Anthony Johnson and a person he supervised on the sex-offender registry, according to arrest affidavits. According to arrest affidavits, obtained records and statements made indicated a sexual relationship began between Johnson and the person around Nov.14, 2023. Johnson used his Scott County department-issued cell phone to communicate with the subject, affidavits say. Affidavits say Johnson was placed on administrative leave through Scott County Sheriffs Office on Dec. 1, 2023. Johnson and the subject both stated Johnson went to the subjects residence in his department-issued vehicle while on duty and engaged in a sex act between November 27 and November 29, affidavits say. Text message records and statements made by Johnson indicated Johnson told the subject to delete messages from their cell phone as late as November 30, 2023. A review of Johnsons department-issued cell phone and comparison to cell records indicate an absence of about 2,000 text messages between Johnson and the subject between November 14 and November 28, 2023, according to affidavits. The Scott County Sheriffs Office policy for electronic device usage of cell phones defines the phone number and records of a county-issued cellular device as public record, affidavits say. Johnson used his department-issued vehicle and cell phone to further his inappropriate relationship with the subject while accruing wages from the County. Johnson admitted to deleting the messages in an attempt to prevent their discovery, officials allege in affidavits. Records and statements made during the course of the relationship indicated the subject believed Johnson could have criminally charged the subject with a violation of the registry but did not. Johnson admitted to knowing the subject was using a number during their contacts that was not registered with the sex-offender registry, although registration was required, according to affidavits. Johnson was aware the subject was operating a motor vehicle that was not listed on the sex offender registry, and was aware the subject had already been warned by another officer to register, and Johnson did not charge the subject with a registry violation, affidavits show. Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane told Our Quad Cities News that Johnson, who remains on administrative leave, turned himself in to Cedar County. Johnson is not in custody, Lane said. Now that charges have been filed, we will move forward with an internal investigation, Lane said. The sheriffs office immediately turned it over to the DCI (Division of Criminal Investigation) when we became aware of it. Court documents say Cedar County Attorney Adam Blank, or a designee, is appointed as the special acting Scott County Attorney for the purpose of prosecuting Johnson. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Climate activists disrupted an event at Harvard University featuring Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), with the lawmaker standing up to confront a protester who called him a sick fuck, according to a video of the encounter posted online by the environmental group Climate Defiance. The protester, who was then shoved off his feet and through a doorway by an apparent member of Manchins security detail, was joined in the room by several others who took issue with how Manchin facilitated the ongoing construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. BREAKING: we just called Joe Manchin a sick fuck. We humiliated him in front of a herd of Harvard elites. He squared up. We held firm. Barbaric murderer, hideous fiend, he torches humanity and laughs. pic.twitter.com/1ajrQsKnbJ Climate Defiance (@ClimateDefiance) March 1, 2024 The natural gas pipeline, first proposed in 2014, is expected to run through Manchins home state and into southern Virginia, cutting through the Appalachian Trail. Several environmental groups, including the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Natural Resources Defense Council, have opposed it, citing the potential for soil erosion, landslides, gas leaks and lessened water quality, as well as general scenic damage and the effect of fossil fuels on climate change, among other reasons. Last June, the pipeline cleared regulatory obstacles and lawsuits seeking to stop its construction after it was included in a debt ceiling agreement that Congress approved and which President Joe Biden signed. Manchin celebrated the occasion in a statement. For more than nine months, I have worked tirelessly to build consensus and garner the support necessary to complete MVP, he said, adding that it would create more than 2,500 jobs, generate $50 million in tax revenue and more than $175 million in royalties for West Virginia landowners. Manchin may be the latest target of Climate Defiances protests, but hes not the first. Last month, the group confronted the CEO of Bank of America during a fireside chat on the economy at a swanky Massachusetts country club, according to Rolling Stone. That came days after Biden reportedly delayed approving what would be the countrys largest natural gas export terminalsomething the group sees as a win. Climate Defiance activists similarly disrupted speeches by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell late last year. As for the groups tactics, 30-year-old executive director Michael Greenberg told Rolling Stone: Were not just trying to have moving, heartfelt conversations with people in power. What we really want to do is shake society awake. Manchin, who said last year that hes not running for re-election, had flirted with a third-party presidential run until announcing in February that he would not launch a White House campaign. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey will hold a hearing next month to investigate Steward Health Cares ongoing financial crisis, describing the situation as a financial Ponzi scheme. Markey announced he will chair a Senate subcommittee hearing April 3 in Boston to examine the role of for-profit companies in the health care system. The Democrat said he would call on Stewards CEO to explain the companys dire financial situation after receiving $675 million in federal COVID-19 relief money. Steward got here because the company executives filled their wallets while hollowing out the healthcare system, Markey said. They took taxpayer dollars to float on their yachts, all while their hospitals drowned. Steward operates nine healthcare facilities across Massachusetts, including Good Samaritan in Brockton. The company said it does not have the money to keep the facilities open and wants out of the Massachusetts Health Care Market. The company employs around 16,000 Massachusetts workers. For-profit companies like Steward shamelessly profit off the backs of health care providers while making it harder for people to get the care they need, Markey said. For-profit companies, including private equity, put our hospitals on life support to turn a profitall while forcing communities to clean up the mess they leave behind. Gov. Maura Healey ripped into the financially embattled Steward Health Care system Monday, saying the companys financial woes are of its own making and added that the state is still working toward what she called an orderly transition away from the company. It frankly disgusts me, Healey said Monday, in terms of how [Stewards CEO] ran operations and put patients and providers and our communities at risk. Healey said state monitors are on the ground keeping an eye on the nine health care facilities operated by the company, including hospitals in some of the states poorer communities. This is a problem that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts did not create, she said. One individual and one management team at Steward created this mess and it has put a lot of people at risk, caused a lot of understandable concern and makes a lot of us really, really angry. A spokesperson for Steward said the company has provided state officials with audited financial statements through 2021 but does not have audited statements yet for 2022, and will turn them over as soon as they are completed. Late Friday night, a Steward spokesperson provided the following statement to Boston 25 but did not specifically comment on Markeys hearing. We continue to work with public officials to transition our hospitals to other ownership; in the meantime, our hospitals are open 24/7 and we are a critical resource to many in the Commonwealth. The solution must be found but first we have to put a spotlight on the problem, Markey said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LTH) Q4 2023 Earnings Call Transcript February 28, 2024 Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. beats earnings expectations. Reported EPS is $0.19, expectations were $0.09. Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. isnt one of the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds at the end of the third quarter (see the details here). Operator: Good morning, and welcome to the Life Time Group Holdings Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Earnings Conference Call. Please be advised that reproduction of this call in whole or in part is not permitted without written authorization from the company. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. I will now turn the call over to [indiscernible], Vice President of Corporate Finance. Unidentified Company Representative: Good morning, and thank you for joining us for the Life Time 2023 annual earnings conference call. With me today are Bahram Akradi, Founder, Chairman and CEO; and Erik Weaver, Interim CFO and Chief Accounting Officer. During this call, the company will make forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those forward-looking statements made today. There is a comprehensive discussion of risk factors in the company's SEC filings, which you are encouraged to review. The company will discuss certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted net income, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted diluted EPS, net debt to adjusted EBITDA or what we refer to as net debt leverage ratio and free cash flow. This information along with reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are included in the company's earnings release issued this morning, our 8-K filed with the SEC and on the Investor Relations section of our website. With that, it is my pleasure to turn the call over to Erik Weaver. Erik? Erik Weaver: Thank you, Danny, and good morning, everyone. Before I begin, I'd like to take a moment and share how excited I am to be on the call with you today. I've been with Life Time for over 20 years holding various roles in the finance department and have made a seamless transition into my role as Interim Chief Financial Officer. We have an amazing company and a strong financial team. I'm now pleased to share our financial results. Starting with our fourth quarter. Total revenue increased 18.2% to $558.8 million driven by a 20.9% increase in membership dues and enrollment fees and an 11% increase in incentive revenue. Access memberships increased 5.2% to end the year at more than 763,000 memberships. Total memberships ended the quarter at approximately 815,000. Story continues Average monthly dues were $183 up 13.2% from the fourth quarter last year. Revenue per access membership increased to $711 from $640 in the prior year period as we continue to benefit from higher dues, increased visits, and increased in center activity. Net income for the fourth quarter was $23.7 million up 73% versus the fourth quarter 2022. Adjusted net income was $38 million an increase of $20.4 million versus the fourth quarter 2022. Adjusted diluted earnings per share was $0.19 compared to $0.09 per share in the fourth quarter last year. Adjusted EBITDA increased 28.7% to $137.7 million and our adjusted EBITDA margin of 24.6% increased 200 basis points as compared to the fourth quarter 2022. Our strong financial performance continues to drive growth in cash flow and a reduction of our net debt leverage. Net cash provided by operating activities increased 74.7% to $132.1 million as compared to the fourth quarter 2022. We reduced our net debt to adjusted EBITDA leverage to 3.6x in the fourth quarter versus 6.5x in the prior year period. For the full-year, total revenue increased 21.6% to $2.217 billion driven by a 24.4% increase in membership dues and enrollment fees and a 15.3% increase in incentive revenue. Net income for 2023 was $76.1 million versus a $1.8 million net loss in 2022. Adjusted net income was $129.7 million which increased by $171.3 million versus a net loss in the prior year. Adjusted diluted earnings per share was $0.64 compared to a loss of $0.21 per share for the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA increased 90.6% to $536.8 million and our adjusted EBITDA margin of 24.2% increased 8.8 percentage points compared to the full-year in 2022. We are extremely pleased with the company's financial performance in 2023. With momentum on our side, we are very excited about the opportunities in front of us in 2024. I will now turn the call over to Bahram. A diverse group of people engaging in various activities in a modern fitness center. Bahram Akradi: Thank you, Erik. For your commitment to the company for the past 20 years and for excelling at your new role as Interim CFO. Let me begin by expressing my gratitude to our 37,000 plus team members at Life Time. Our continued progress and success would not be possible without their passionate and relentless commitment to elevating our brand and delivering the finest member experiences in the leisure industry. We accomplished this through our innovative programming and services designed to delight our 1.5 million members across North America. I'm extraordinarily proud of our accomplishment this past year. 2023 was a great year of outstanding progress for Life Time. We achieved every one of our operating and strategic objectives, while exceeding our financial goals and our progress is continuing this year and has set us up very nicely for 2024. Early 2024 has been among the strongest starts we have ever seen in terms of member engagement, member visits, and member retention. In terms of financial goals during 2023, we increased our revenue by over 20%. Even more impressively, our adjusted EBITDA almost doubled compared to the prior year. In addition, a primary financial objective has been to lower our net debt to adjusted EBITDA. We are making progress here and we expect this ratio to be under 3x by the end of 2024. As it relates to our operating and strategic progress, we continue to elevate our brand, our programming, and our member experiences are the finest in the high end leisure industry. The enhancements we have developed in the areas such as a small group training, pickleball, and Aurora offering have increased the desirability of our brand and the engagement of our members. As a measure of remarkable progress we achieved during 2023, by the back half of the year, member visits in our same-store clubs had essentially caught up to the very high levels of 2019. The clubs look and feel healthy and energized, a trend that we're seeing into the 2024. With the increased demand for our membership, we have now more than 20 clubs with waitlists, and we expect to have additional clubs on the waitlist by the April,, May timetable. While establishing waitlist for our busiest club is designed to maintain our extraordinary member experience, it also improves our member at retention. We are experiencing record visits per membership as a result of the strategic initiatives we developed and implemented over the last several years. Increased visits per membership translates into higher retention rates and enhanced member satisfaction. We expect to realize the highest retention rates in the history of the Life Time for 2024. Like most high end leisure brands, we're not seeing any weaknesses in our demands or traffic so far in 2024. Right now, we see no reason to suggest the positive trends we're experiencing today should change going forward. Importantly, we're not seeing any negative impact on our business from the new weight loss drugs we're all hearing so much about. For individuals on such programs, exercise and strength training is absolutely vital for avoiding the loss of lean muscle mass and for maintaining healthy weight long term. We are confident that this megatrend will be particularly positive for Life Time. I will be glad to expand on this with more details during Q&A. Now, our key financial objectives for 2024 are: first, to deliver double-digit growth for revenue and adjusted EBITDA. As stated in our earnings release this morning. We're guiding to a revenue of $2.46 billion to $2.5 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $595 million to $610 million for 2024. And secondly, to be cash flow positive after all capital expenditure for the year. At this point, we're still expecting to turn positive during the Q2 of this year. Again, we'll be glad to expand on this during Q&A. Now that Life Time's recovery is very much behind us, going forward our intention is to issue guidance on an annual basis consistent with our high end leisure industry peers such as Vail Resorts. We plan to visit this annual guidance quarterly and update as needed throughout the year. To help with this transition, we're providing first quarter revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance, and this will be our last quarterly guidance. With that, we're guiding to the revenue of $585 million to $595 million and adjusted EBITDA of $142 million to $146 million for the first quarter. Over the last 30 years Life Time has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to respond to major challenges and emerge better and stronger every time. We have become a highly coveted high end leisure brand and as such. Our growth opportunities have continued to expand as our business has evolved. As a highly evolved subscription business, our priority is to be the most desirable brand in the leisure industry by providing the finest destinations, the strongest programming, and the best customer experiences. To track our success, we constantly measure member engagement, which has never been higher as illustrated by visits per membership and our improving retention rates. In sum, for 2024, we look forward to continue to build upon the progress and the successes that we delivered in 2023, and the momentum we're enjoying so far this year. Thank you. We're happy to take your questions now. See also 14 Social Security Spousal Benefits and Loopholes You Need to Know and 15 States That Dont Tax Retirement Pension Payouts. To continue reading the Q&A session, please click here. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden has asked federal agencies to crack down on a data broker accused of selling Planned Parenthood visitors information to anti-abortion companies. In mid-February, Wyden wrote a letter to the chairs of the Federal Trade Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission. The senator revealed his office had launched an investigation into data company Near Intelligence, Inc. which has since transferred operations to Azira in May 2023, prompted by an article from the Wall Street Journal. Portland bagel shop hikes prices, eliminates tipping to guarantee consistent wages The newspaper reported that Veritas Society, the nonprofit established by a Wisconsin-based pro-life organization, hired ad agency Recrue Media to place anti-abortion ads across the U.S. According to Wyden, Recrue Medias co-founder revealed the company used Near Intelligences location data to target ads toward people who had recently visited reproductive health facilities. The senator alleged the campaign ran from November 2019 through the summer of 2022, following the Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe V. Wade. On May 26, 2023, my staff spoke with Nears Chief Privacy Officer, Jay Angelo, who confirmed that, until the summer of 2022, the company did not have any technical controls in place to prevent its customers targeting people who visited sensitive facilities, such as reproductive health clinics, Wyden wrote. Portland man accused of January fatal shooting arrested in California, charged with murder The senator said the full scope of the ad campaign remains unknown, but a now-deleted website reported 14.3 million anti-abortion ads and messages had been delivered in Wisconsin alone. Across the U.S., Recrue Medias co-founder told officials visitors at 600 Planned Parenthood locations in 48 states had been targeted. Wyden cited the Federal Trade Commissions recent case against X-Mode Social, in which the agency reminded data brokers it is illegal to sell data collected without consent. The senator also noted Nears former executives are being investigated for fraud, just months after the company filed for bankruptcy. 9 Oregon counties under disaster designation for weather-related crop loss But prosecuting those individuals for engaging in financial fraud will not address Nears corporate abuses, which harmed both the public and investors, nor protect consumers from further harm caused by the use of their data that was illegally collected, stored and sold by Near, he said. The data company hasnt responded to the request for comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. The Florida Senate on Friday passed a measure that could lead to the history of communism being taught in grades as low as kindergarten. The proposal (SB 1264) was approved in a 25-7 vote, and would need approval from the House before it could go to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis. Under the bill, the state Department of Education would be directed to prepare and offer educational standards related to communism history instruction, and would require certain concepts to be included. For example, the curriculum would have to include lessons on the increasing threat of communism in the United States and to our allies through the 20th century and the economic, industrial, and political events that have preceded and anticipated communist revolutions. Read: A new burger joint has opened this weekend The educational standards would have to launch in the 2026-27 school year and would have to be age appropriate and developmentally appropriate for students. Senate bill sponsor Jay Collins, R-Tampa, and other supporters of the bill have warned that young people are increasingly viewing communism in a positive light. Heres what I know about communism: It doesnt care what race, creed, color, gender, sexual identification, ideology you come from it will destroy your life and your familys life completely the same, Collins said. Read: Saturday: SCPS hosts teacher career fair in Altamonte Springs Florida students currently can get lessons on communism in high-school social studies courses or in a seventh-grade civics and government course. A high-school U.S. government class required for graduation also includes 45 minutes of instruction on Victims of Communism Day that covers various communist regimes throughout history. Sen. Geraldine Thompson, a Windermere Democrat who is a former educator, said the measure is duplicative because instruction about communism already exists in public schools. Read: Local Central Florida boy will show off his cooking skills on MasterChef Junior If we want to have a greater emphasis on communism, lets just infuse it into the curriculum that we have now. And because its duplicative and puts an additional responsibility or burden on already overworked individuals, I cannot support the bill, Thompson said. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Gueva Ba sells used cell phones in Dakar's Colobane market Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Ba, who tried to reach Europe via Morocco eleven times, flew legally to Nicaragua and made the rest of the journey illegally by land to Mexico's northern border, before being repatriated from the United States to Senegal in September 2023. (AP Photo/Sylvain Cherkaoui) DAKAR, Senegal (AP) Gueva Ba tried to reach Europe by boat 11 times from Morocco, failing each attempt. Then, in 2023, the former welder heard about a new route to the United States by flying to Nicaragua and making the rest of the journey illegally by land to Mexico's northern border. In Senegal, its all over the streets everyones talking about Nicaragua, Nicaragua, Nicaragua," said Ba, who paid about 6 million CFA francs ($10,000) to get to Nicaragua in July with stops in Morocco, Spain and El Salvador. Its not something hidden. Ba, 40, was deported from the U.S. with 131 compatriots in September after two months in detention, but thousands of other Senegalese have gained a foothold in America. Many turn to savvy travel agents who know the route touted on social media by those who've successfully settled in the U.S. They are part of a surge in migration to the United States that is extraordinary for its size and scope, with more people from far-flung countries accounting for crossings at the border. And as with this route used by the Senegalese, more are figuring out plans, making payments, and seeking help via social networks, and apps like WhatsApp and TikTok. Arrests for illegal crossings on the U.S. border with Mexico reached record highs in December. January saw a drop for the month, but arrests have topped 6.4 million since January 2021. And Mexicans account for only about 1 of 4 arrests, with the others coming from more than 100 countries. U.S. authorities arrested Senegalese migrants 20,231 times for crossing the border illegally from July to December. That's a 10-fold increase from 2,049 arrests during the same period of 2022, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Many cross in remote deserts of western Arizona, like Ba, and California. Word of the Nicaragua route began spreading early last year in Dakar and took hold in May, said Abdoulaye Doucoure, who owns a travel agency that sold about 1,200 tickets from Dakar to Nicaragua in the last three months of 2023, for the equivalent of several thousand dollars each. People didnt know about this route, but with social networks and the first migrants who took this route, the information quickly circulated among migrants, he said. Some are motivated by Senegal's political turmoil authorities delayed Februarys presidential elections by 10 months but the sudden draw seemed to hinge largely on social media posts and the spread of the route there. Spikes attributed to social media have occurred in other West African nations, whose people have historically turned first to Europe to flee. Mauritanians have arrived at the U.S. border with Mexico in similarly large numbers, and migrants from Ghana and Gambia have come, too. Many are eventually released in the U.S. to pursue asylum in immigrant courts that are backlogged for years with more than 3 million cases. Passports from many African countries carry little weight in the Western Hemisphere, making the journey by land to the United States difficult to even begin. Senegalese can fly visa-free to only two countries in the Americas: Nicaragua and Bolivia, according to The Henley Passport Index. Nicaragua is much closer than Bolivia and avoids the notoriously dangerous Darien Gap in Panama. As U.S. sanctions against Nicaragua's repressive government have increased, the government of President Daniel Ortega has used migration to push back. The Nicaraguan government went so far as to hire a Dubai-based firm to train Nicaraguan civil aviation to manage national immigration procedures for charter flight passengers. More than 500 charter flights landed from June to November, mostly from Haiti and Cuba, according to Manuel Orozco, director of the migration, remittances and development program at the Inter-American Dialogue. But migrants from farther afield, like Ba, also made their way to Nicaragua on a series of connecting commercial flights from Africa. In African capitals, migrants typically buy multileg tickets from travel agents connecting through Istanbul or Madrid, followed by stops in Bogota, Colombia, or San Salvador, El Salvador, before ultimately arriving in Managua, Nicaragua. From there, they meet smugglers offering to take them to the Honduran border, or arrange the trip all the way to the U.S. The U.S. State Department has called on Nicaragua to play a responsible role in managing hemispheric migration, but that has yet to be seen. Nicaraguan first lady and Vice President Rosario Murillo did not respond to a request for comment on the surge in extra-continental migration through her country. In October, El Salvador began charging $1,130 for citizens of 57 largely African countries and India transiting the countrys airport. Authorities said most of those charged were on their way to Nicaragua aboard Avianca, a Colombian commercial carrier. El Salvadors fee caused airfares from Dakar to rise toward the end of 2023, said Serigne Faye, an agent at the Touba Express travel agency in Senegals capital. Some passengers instead fly through Bogota. Stopovers in Turkey are the most expensive. While most asylum claims fail, the immigration court backlog means that people can remain in the U.S. for years, with eligibility for work permits. The asylum grant rate for Senegalese was 26% in the U.S. governments budget year ended Sept. 30, compared with 14% for all nationalities, according to Justice Department figures. Ousmane Anne, 34, left Senegal on Sept. 25 with a plane ticket to Nicaragua, purchased from a travel agency. His journey took a month longer and costlier than anticipated. Mexico was treacherous, he said, describing his traveling group as frequently harassed, threatened and robbed by gangs. Despite the enthusiasm back home, he said, he'd be hard-pressed to recommend the trip to anyone who doesn't understand the risks. But he made it to New York, which has the largest Senegalese population of any U.S. metropolitan area, according to census data. I knew it would not be very easy to come here to the States, but the hope that I had was higher than all the obstacles and problems, Anne said. I knew the opportunities would be greater here. He recently attended a forum in Harlem, hosted by the Senegalese Association of America. He learned basics of U.S. law, heard some dos and donts from police officers about the e-bikes and mopeds that are popular with migrants, and got tips on navigating the health care system. Even if he came away with more questions than answers, Anne said, he remains hopeful. ___ This story corrects the spelling of Colombia. ____ Associated Press writers Philip Marcelo in New York, Elliot Spagat in San Diego, and Christopher Sherman and Maria Verza in Mexico City contributed. As the investigation continues into what happened to Maddie Soto, members of her school community came together Saturday to support one another. They held a prayer vigil at Focal Point Church, in Orlando. Hundreds of parents, teachers, fellow students, and school staff joined in prayer to honor the life of the 13-year-old. Our community is hurting, said Pastor Andrew Daniel during the service. We are here today, together, because thats what this community is about. Read: Madeline Sotos body found in rural Osceola County Maddie Soto went missing on Monday, and later was found dead in a wooded area in Osceola County. Her mothers boyfriend, Stephen Sterns, is now the primary suspect in her disappearance, detectives said. Sterns being held at Osceola County jail and faces multiple child sex battery charges. Maddie was described a child full of light and love. Read: 2 killed after motorcycle was rear-ended on I-4, troopers say She was always smiling, said Becky Daniel, her former teacher. Friday was an awful day because the kids quickly found out about it; were a digital school, they saw what was going on. And I knew at that moment I wasnt just their math teacher. I was there to comfort them. The event was organized just moments after Maddies death was confirmed by investigators. For teachers, parents, and students, Maddies death is a tough reality that has impacted the entire school. Read: Community holds prayer vigil for Madeline Soto In times when theres tragedy, we need to find comfort, and I think this is one of those times when the community needs to come together, said Pastor Andrew Daniel. We believe that the churchs roles are to bring this community together. During the vigil here at focal point church, organizers gave out little green pins. They mark the schools colors, but also serve as a visual reminder that the community will stay together as they look to one another to heal from the tragedy. The Orange County Sheriffs Office said Friday evening that Madeline Sotos body has been found. Investigators said Osceola County deputies found the missing 13-year-old girls body at about 4:30 p.m. in a wooded area along Hickory Tree Road. Detectives believe Stephan Sterns killed 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Monday morning at a Kissimmee apartment complex. Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon. Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon. Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon. Sources say that Maddies body was found in rural St. Cloud near Hickory Tree Road. Police and deputies canvassed the area of Osceola County for 13-year-old Madeline Soto. The Kissimmee Police Department will handle the search for Madeline Soto, said Chief Betty Holland. The sheriff said the efforts will now shift to recovering her body. Sheriff John Mina said he is confident that she is dead, and recovery efforts will continue. Members of the community will gather to pray for 13-year-old Madeline Soto. Deputies in Orange County said 13-year-old Madeline Soto has been missing since Monday morning. And now, her mothers boyfriend is in jail on charges of sexual battery and possession of child sex abuse material. Stephan Sterns was supposed to go before an Orange County judge Thursday morning but refused to be in court. More than 50 members of the Orange County Emergency Response Team looked for the 13-year-old in various areas as our detectives continued their investigation. More than 50 members of the Orange County Emergency Response Team looked for the 13-year-old in various areas as our detectives continued their investigation. Madeline Soto Madeline Soto Madeline Soto Madeline Soto Madeline Soto Madeline Soto Madeline Soto Madeline Soto Madeline Soto The Orange County Sheriffs Office on Friday confirmed that the body of Madeline Soto, 13, has been located. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. A cargo ship that was abandoned on Feb. 18 after being attacked by Yemens Houthi rebels has sunk in the Red Sea, officials say. The Rubymar was struck by a ballistic missile in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and began drifting northward, taking on water for days. Yemens Houthi militants have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea region since mid-November as a show of support for Palestinians in Gaza. This is the first vessel that the group has successfully destroyed as part of its objection to Israels war in Gaza. Yemens Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak called the ships sinking an unprecedented environmental disaster. Its a new disaster for our country and our people, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Every day, we pay for the Houthi militias adventures, which were not stopped at plunging Yemen into the coup disaster and war. The ship was set to be towed to Saudi Arabia amid concerns of a potential oil spill. The original attack caused an 18-mile oil slick, the U.S. Central Command said in a social media update on Feb. 24. The British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, which watches over Mideast waterways, separately acknowledged the Rubymars sinking Saturday. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. The red sweater appears as if it was purchased yesterday but it's been more than 200 years since the handmade gift has seen the light of day. Archivists opened parcels from the Anne-Marie cargo ship, which was seized by the British Navy during the Second Battle of Copenhagen, Thursday at the National Archives in the United Kingdom. Along with the sweater, the archivists opened parcels containing fabric samples, stockings, silver coins and other items from the beleaguered ship. Sarah Noble, the senior conservation manager for imaging at the National Archives in the United Kingdom, handles a wad of paper rix-dollars which were wrapped around 18 silver coins, which include Danish skillings dating back to the reign of Frederick III of Denmark, 1648-1670 which was found in a parcel among a stash of 19th-century letters, when opened for the first time at the National Archives in Kew, London. / Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images But none were as unique as the surviving sweater, the archivists said, "This is a rare example of a parcel surviving in the Prize Papers, which often contain letters consigned to ships for delivery by sea," said Dr. Amanda Bevan of the National Archives. The fine hand-knit sweater was shipped from the Faroe Islands by a carpenter named Niels C. Winther, a statement from the National Archives said. It was accompanied by a letter from Winther to the fiance of Mr P Ladsen in Copenhagen saying, 'my wife sends her regards, thank you for the pudding rice. She sends your fiance this sweater and hopes that it is not displeasing to her.' The letter was written in Danish. Sarah Noble, the senior conservation manager for imaging at the National Archives in the United Kingdom, holds a 200-year-old sweater in a traditional Faroese knit which was found in a parcel among a stash of 19th-century letters, when opened for the first time at the National Archives in Kew, London. / Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images The cargo ship had sailed from the Faroe Islands through Denmark when it was targeted by the HMS Defence off the coast of Norway on Sept. 2, 1807, and both the cargo and the ship's mailbox were taken, the statement said. Archivists said they plan to digitize the letters and the packages' contents. Various cargo from shipwrecks have been recently recovered. Last month, divers exploring the British HMS Erebus wreck off the coast of Canada discovered an array of "fascinating artifacts," including pistols, coins and an intact thermometer. Last year, divers discovered a Dutch warship off the coast of southern England. The ship was carrying a cargo of marble tiles for use in building high-status homes. Reporting contributed by Stephen Smith. Texas Smokehouse Creek Fire becomes second-largest wildfire in U.S. history College graduates still hold major advantage in job market, study finds How to save on airfare this spring and summer This undated photo released Sunday, March 3, 2024, by the U.S. military's Central Command shows the Belize-flagged vessel Rubymar sinking in the Red Sea. The Rubymar, earlier attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels, has sunk in the Red Sea after days of taking on water, officials said Saturday, March 2, 2024, the first vessel to be fully destroyed as part of their campaign over Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (U.S. military's Central Command via AP) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) A ship attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels has sunk in the Red Sea after days of taking on water, officials said Saturday, the first vessel to be fully destroyed as part of their campaign over Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The sinking of the Rubymar, which carried a cargo of fertilizer and previously leaked fuel, could cause ecological damage to the Red Sea and its coral reefs. Persistent Houthi attacks have already disrupted traffic in the crucial waterway for cargo and energy shipments moving from Asia and the Middle East to Europe. Already, many ships have turned away from the route. The sinking could see further detours and higher insurance rates put on vessels plying the waterway potentially driving up global inflation and affecting aid shipments to the region. The Belize-flagged Rubymar had been drifting northward after being struck by a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile on Feb. 18 in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Yemen's internationally recognized government, as well as a regional military official, confirmed the ship sank. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as no authorization was given to speak to journalists about the incident. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, which watches over Mideast waterways, separately acknowledged the Rubymar's sinking Saturday afternoon. The U.S. military's Central Command said early Sunday the Rubymar sank at 2:15 a.m. local time Saturday. It released an image of the vessel on its side as it was sinking. The approximately 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer that the vessel was carrying presents an environmental risk in the Red Sea, it said in a statement. As the ship sinks it also presents a subsurface impact risk to other ships transiting the busy shipping lanes of the waterway. The Rubymars Beirut-based manager did not respond to a request for comment. Yemen's exiled government, which has been backed by a Saudi-led coalition since 2015, said the Rubymar sank as stormy weather took hold over the Red Sea. The vessel had been abandoned for 12 days after the attack, though plans had been made to try and tow the ship to a safe port. The Iran-backed Houthis had falsely claimed the ship sank almost instantly after the initial attack. Late Saturday, a Houthi leader tried to blame British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over the Rubymar. You have an opportunity to salvage the ship M/V Rubymar by guaranteeing ... that the relief trucks agreed upon at that time would enter Gaza, Mohammed al-Houthi wrote in an online message. Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, the prime minister of Yemen's internationally recognized government, called the ship's sinking an unprecedented environmental disaster. Its a new disaster for our country and our people, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Every day, we pay for the Houthi militias adventures, which were not stopped at plunging Yemen into the coup disaster and war. Greenpeace also raised concerns about the ship sinking. Without immediate action, this situation could escalate into a major environmental crisis, said Julien Jreissati, program director at Greenpeace MENA. As well as any further leaks of fuel oil from the engines, the sinking of the vessel could further breach the hull, allowing water to contact with the thousands of tons of fertilizer, which could then be released into the Red Sea and disrupt the balance of the marine ecosystems, triggering cascading effects throughout the food web. The Houthis have held Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014, expelling the government. The rebels have fought a Saudi-led coalition since 2015 in a stalemated war. Satellite pictures analyzed by The Associated Press from Planet Labs PBC showed smaller boats alongside the Rubymar on Wednesday. It wasn't immediately clear whose vessels those were. The images showed the Rubymar's stern sinking into the Red Sea but still afloat, mirroring earlier video taken of the vessel. The private security firm Ambrey separately reported Friday about a mysterious incident involving the Rubymar. A number of Yemenis were reportedly harmed during a security incident which took place on Friday, Ambrey said. It did not elaborate on what that incident involved and no party involved in Yemen's yearslong war claimed any new attack on the vessel. A satellite image taken Friday from Maxar Technologies showed new blast damage on the Rubymar not previously seen, with no other vessels around it. Additional satellite images taken Saturday by Planet Labs PBC of the area the Rubymar had been in recent days no longer showed the vessel. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over the Israel-Hamas war. Those vessels have included at least one with cargo bound for Iran, the Houthis main benefactor, and an aid ship later bound for Houthi-controlled territory. Despite over a month of U.S.-led airstrikes, Houthi rebels have remained capable of launching significant attacks. That includes the attack on the Rubymar and the downing of an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars. The Houthis insist their attacks will continue until Israel stops its combat operations in the Gaza Strip, which have enraged the wider Arab world and seen the Houthis gain international recognition. The attacks have also disrupted aid shipments to both Yemen and Sudan, which is gripped by its own monthslong war. In recent days, the International Rescue Committee said it suspended its aid shipments to Port Sudan through the Red Sea over long delays and drastically increased costs. However, there has been a slowdown in attacks in recent days. The reason for that remains unclear. Between four to eight U.S. and allied warships now patrol the Red Sea on any given day, said Maj. Pete Nguyen, a Defense Department spokesperson. On Saturday, the Italian Defense Ministry said one of its vessels, the destroyer Caio Duilio, shot down a suspected Houthi drone in self-defense that appeared to be flying toward it. "The terrorist attacks by the Houthis are a serious violation of international law and an attack on the safety of maritime traffic, on which our economy depends," the ministry said. ___ Associated Press writer Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report. FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) Hundreds of smoke shops operate in Fresno, and the city is cracking down to make sure they all stay on the right side of the law. We found that 96% of the smoke shops in Fresno were violating city and state laws, said Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias. Councilmember Nelson Esparza says an inordinate number of smoke shops are acting as pseudo marijuana dispensaries. The warning comes after the Fresno Police Department said they received multiple complaints of children purchasing illegal cannabis and flavored nicotine vapes from certain smoke shops within the city. Owner of Fresno smoke shop arrested, police say The two councilmembers, and City Attorney Andrew Janz, are behind a push to bring a citywide ordinance to regulate smoke shops, many of which they say are popping up near schools and causing crime and blight. The councilmembers revealed that on Feb. 28, the City Attorneys Office Code of Enforcement Division, Fresno Police Department, California Department of Tax and Fee, and the State of California Department of Cannabis Control, jointly served a search warrant at Sals Smoke Shop at 4729 Cesar Chavez Boulevard #108 and Rs Smoke Shop at 4843 E, Butler Avenue. City officials say thousands of dollars worth of illegal cannabis, illegal tobacco, and paraphernalia were discovered at the time of the searches. A firearm and ammunition were confiscated from Sals Smoke Shop. Both illegal operations were near schools, and a third location was searched and significant code violations were discovered. Over $40k illegal products found at Fresno smoke shop, police say According to the City of Fresno, inspected smoke shops revealed: Cannabis Cultivation Illegal Dispensaries Illicit Cannabis Products Illicit Drug Paraphernalia Flavored Tobacco Products Illegal Gambling Code Violations It is shocking that Smoke Shops continue to operate illegally knowing that the City of Fresno has taken such an aggressive posture regarding illegal and unregulated cannabis sales. Again, our intent is to assist legal cannabis dispensaries who have followed rigorous rules and regulations to open their sanctioned and legitimate businesses, said Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz. We have about a thousand shops that sell tobacco of which 125 are licensed smoke shops, 100 more unlicensed smoke shops, said Fresno City Council Member Miguel Arias. As the City of Fresno continues the smoke shop raids, officials report continuing to find smoke shops near schools selling illegal products. Some of the proposed new regulations to crack down on illegal smoke shops include: The city currently does not have the authority to shut down the illicit shops, but a new ordinance would change that. Under the citywide ordinance, you would be required to have a conditional use permit and a license that could be revoked immediately if youre caught engaging in illicit activity, said Arias. The ordinance would also limit the number of smoke shops within the city. Councilmember Arias says once the final ordinance is drafted, it will go to the planning commission and then back to the city council for a final vote. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. BROWN DEER, Wis. - Brown Deer police arrested a suspect after shots were fired in a Walmart parking lot on Friday, March 1. It happened around 3:15 p.m. at the store near 64th and Brown Deer. Police said they were first called for a fight but learned shots were fired in the parking lot while officers were on the way. "I just went to the floor, I got down. It was very scary, people were running and screaming, its scary," said shopper Amanda Hedrick. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Upon arrival at the scene, witnesses told police that the shooter ran off. Officers then found and arrested the suspect in a residential neighborhood just north of the store. Police said the people involved in the fight also left the scene. Authorities said the bullets struck their car, and they are still trying to find those people and the vehicle. Shooting outside Brown Deer Walmart There is no outstanding threat to the public, and no injuries were reported. Police believe all the people involved in the fight and shooting knew one another. Crime scene tape was taken down around 4 p.m. and the store reopened to customers shortly before 6 p.m. Anyone with information is asked to call the Brown Deer Police Department at 414-371-2900. Shoppers will see more police officers at an Ohio Kroger after someone shot through the stores window. >>Woman beaten unconscious, put in car and driven away from Dayton gas station found alive Cincinnati Police officers responded after a security guard reported that a gunshot was fired into the store around 8 p.m. Thursday night at 100 E. Court Street, according to our news partner WCPO in Cincinnati. The bullet got caught in a t-shirt on a rack directly in front of the stores window. No injuries were reported. Officers are looking through security footage to find a suspect. Key Insights The projected fair value for See Hup Consolidated Berhad is RM0.89 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity With RM0.92 share price, See Hup Consolidated Berhad appears to be trading close to its estimated fair value When compared to theindustry average discount of -300%, See Hup Consolidated Berhad's competitors seem to be trading at a greater premium to fair value How far off is See Hup Consolidated Berhad (KLSE:SEEHUP) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. 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. 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. View our latest analysis for See Hup Consolidated Berhad 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 begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Seeing as no analyst estimates of free cash flow are available to us, we have extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the company's last reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Story continues A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (MYR, Millions) RM2.85m RM3.58m RM4.27m RM4.89m RM5.43m RM5.92m RM6.35m RM6.74m RM7.10m RM7.44m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ 35.35% Est @ 25.81% Est @ 19.13% Est @ 14.45% Est @ 11.18% Est @ 8.89% Est @ 7.28% Est @ 6.16% Est @ 5.37% Est @ 4.82% Present Value (MYR, Millions) Discounted @ 11% RM2.6 RM2.9 RM3.2 RM3.3 RM3.3 RM3.2 RM3.1 RM3.0 RM2.9 RM2.7 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = RM30m After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (3.5%) 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 11%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033 (1 + g) (r g) = RM7.4m (1 + 3.5%) (11% 3.5%) = RM110m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= RM110m ( 1 + 11%)10= RM41m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is RM71m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of RM0.9, 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. dcf The Assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at See Hup Consolidated Berhad as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 11%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.101. 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 See Hup Consolidated Berhad Strength Debt is well covered by cash flow. Dividend is in the top 25% of dividend payers in the market. Weakness Interest payments on debt are not well covered. Current share price is above our estimate of fair value. Opportunity Has sufficient cash runway for more than 3 years based on current free cash flows. Lack of analyst coverage makes it difficult to determine SEEHUP's earnings prospects. Threat Dividends are not covered by cash flow. Looking Ahead: Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For See Hup Consolidated Berhad, there are three pertinent items you should explore: PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Malaysian 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. State Sen. Melissa Hurtado and former state Assemblyman Rudy Salas, both Democrats, are battling in California's 22nd Congressional District for Republican incumbent David Valadao's House seat. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times; Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) For the record: 12:29 p.m. March 1, 2024: An earlier version of this story stated that Sen. Melissa Hurtado spoke out against an early version of a farmworker unionization bill in 2018. She did so in 2021. On a recent Friday, state Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) mingled with supporters inside the Kern County firefighters' hall, posing for pictures, chitchatting about politics and raising $36 apiece from those seeking to elect her to replace the area's Republican congressman. State Sen. Melissa Hurtado launched her campaign for Congress after being contacted by Emily's List, a group that seeks to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) That same night, 30 miles north up State Route 99, Rudy Salas, a former Democratic member of the state Assembly and current Cal State Bakersfield professor, handed out hats and work boots as part of a food and clothing drive at the Forty Acres, United Farm Workers' historic former headquarters in Delano. He was there to remind them that he was running for Congress once again. Either would seem to be a solid choice for the Central Valley's 22nd Congressional District, where the Democratic Party far outweighs the GOP in voter registration. But the Republican incumbent, Rep. David Valadao of Hanford, has proven formidable. The fight between the two prominent Democrats to unseat Valadao has become so fierce that there is a possibility neither will survive the March 5 primary, ensuring a Republican will hold a congressional seat considered pivotal in determining which party controls the House of Representatives. Former state Assemblyman Rudy Salas has the financial backing and endorsements of top Democratic leaders and groups. He lost to incumbent GOP Rep. David Valadao by a small margin in 2022. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Salas, 46, is the clear choice among top Democratic leaders in Washington, who have spent more than half a million dollars supporting his campaign. He has been endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Alex Padilla, the California Democratic Party and the United Farm Workers after challenging Valadao in 2022 and losing by about 3,100 votes. Hurtado, whose state Senate district overlaps with the vast majority of the congressional district, launched her campaign after being contacted by Emily's List, a group that seeks to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights. Some Democrats fear that Salas and Hurtado may fracture the Democratic vote in the March 5 primary so much that Valadao and far-right Republican Chris Mathys will be able to finish in the top spots. In California's top-two primary system, the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of their parties, go on to the November election. Democrats and Republicans are flooding the race with funding, believing the incumbent is vulnerable because he voted to impeach former President Trump for being what Valadao described as a driving force behind the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Read more: Your guide to California's Congressional District 22 race: San Joaquin Valley This is such a big deal that [top Democratic leaders have] come out and said, Were going to go against a sitting member of the Senate and support Rudy,'" said Mark Martinez, chair of the political science department at Cal State Bakersfield. The 22nd Congressional District covers vast swaths of farmland across Kern, Kings and Tulare counties and encompasses the cities of Bakersfield, Delano, Shafter and Porterville. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has identified the district as a red to blue seat or one they believe they can flip and the House Majority PAC, the super PAC affiliated with the chamber's Democratic leadership, began running Spanish-language ads supporting Salas. Hurtado, meanwhile, faces an uphill battle in fundraising, and her campaign has struggled. While Salas campaign reports making contact with at least 20,000 voters, Hurtado said her campaign has not done on-the-ground canvassing due to a lack of funds. As of mid-February, Salas had raised over $740,000, and Hurtado about $76,000. (Valadao had raised just under $2.3 million) In an interview, Hurtado said she did not consider running until she was contacted by Emilys List. She had weekly meetings with the organization to discuss fundraising and her campaign up until December, when it became clear the organization was not going to back her. "I know my district even more now than I did back in 2018," Melissa Hurtado says of her election to the state Senate at age 30. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) I am perfectly fine figuring this out on my own. I did this on my own for the first time I ran for state Senate in 2018, Hurtado said. I know my district even more now than I did back in 2018. Hurtado was first elected to the Legislature's upper chamber that year, defeating Republican incumbent Andy Vidak at age 30 to become the youngest woman elected to the state Senate. The state senator grew up in the Central Valley and was elected to the Sanger City Council after living through two recessions and realizing, she says, how poverty affected the valley's residents, including her own family. She believes she can unseat Valadao by building a coalition of independent, Republican and Democratic voters. There's a lot at stake," she told the dozen or so supporters who attended the fundraising event that Friday night in Bakersfield. "I think, in my humble opinion, our democracy is really at stake here. And I think that people feel it, they understand it. And it's going to take each and every one of us to speak up, to try to listen to one another, to try to understand one another, and to really overcome our differences. Salas, who teaches an American government and politics class at Cal State Bakersfield, said his campaign started canvassing earlier than he did ahead of the 2022 election that he narrowly lost to Valadao that November. He has crisscrossed the district, traveling to small farming towns like Avenal, knocking on doors in Bakersfield, and reminding residents in Corcoran about his past work in the state Assembly, where he served five terms. We're out in every single community knocking and talking to voters, telling them how important it is to get out to vote to make sure that their voices are heard, Salas said. A lot of doors that I go to, people know who I am because of stuff that we've done in their community. As a member of the state Assembly, Salas became an advocate for farmworkers, due in part to his own familys history of working in the fields, and advocated for funding for school districts and access to clean water. Salas and Hurtado overlapped in the state Legislature, where they were political allies. When Hurtados 2022 state Senate race came down to a recount, Salas helped to cure ballots to make sure they were counted. Hurtado won by 13 votes. Rudy Salas with labor activist Dolores Huerta at an event for his 2022 congressional bid. Salas has worked with rival Melissa Hurtado, but has differed with her on issues including those affecting farmworkers. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) While the two share similar views on issues such as healthcare and immigration, they have differed on reproductive rights and farmworker rights. Read more: A farmworker's son and a dairy farmer battle to represent the Central Valley in Congress The UFWs decision to endorse Salas was an easy choice, said union spokesperson Antonio De Loera-Brust. We have a real long-term relationship with Rudy Salas, and he's the real deal, De Loera-Brust said. The fact that his opponent is Melissa Hurtado just makes it even easier. On every critical issue that the UFW has faced, theres a sharp contrast. He pointed to Salas record: Salas voted to increase overtime pay for farmworkers and to ban pesticides harmful to their children; joined marching farmworkers; and supported legislation that would make it easier for farmworkers to unionize. Hurtado spoke out against an earlier iteration of the unionization bill in 2021 and did not record a vote when it passed in 2022. Hurtado said the farmworkers she spoke with had lost hours and jobs due to the overtime pay legislation. The pesticide bill, she said, cited an outdated study. And the unionization legislation, which the UFW has already used to successfully unionize a farm, didnt have support in her district, she said. The farmworkers I would run into or have personal conversations with they weren't supportive of it, she said. She noted that she has advocated for farmworkers in other areas, such as expanding job training for laborers. Salas campaign has also sought to differentiate himself from Hurtado with an ad that criticizes her for not casting a vote on abortion access legislation: She did not vote on a measure to remove co-pays to make abortion care more accessible, or on a bill to ensure no one will be prosecuted for ending a pregnancy or experiencing pregnancy loss. Hurtado defended herself as a reproductive healthcare advocate, citing her support for 2022's Proposition 1, which enshrined abortion rights in the state Constitution. We are pleased that State Sen. Hurtado took more pro-reproductive freedom votes in the last year, but we remain highly concerned with her past voting record, said Shannon Olivieri Hovis of Reproductive Freedom for All, which in 2022 labeled Hurtado as "hostile" to reproductive freedom. The road to restoring the federal right to abortion and expanding access to care runs right through the House and this crucial district in California. Low voter turnout could make the race unpredictable. As of Wednesday, about 19,200 ballots had been submitted, and voter turnout was higher among Republican than Democrats. While Republicans make up 27% of registered voters, they were responsible for 42% of returned ballots. Democrat make up 42% of registered voters and accounted for 44% of returned ballots. Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data Inc., said that turnout is looking historically low in the Central Valley, which could make the race volatile but that while a Republican-only runoff is possible, it remains unlikely. In that kind of environment, you have a lot of people bed-wetting about what happens if two Republicans make the runoff, he said. To stave off that outcome, he said, Democrats are infusing the race with money in an effort to ensure their party's endorsed candidate survives the primary. Among Hurtados strengths, her supporters say, is her vantage point as a sitting elected official who is delivering for the community. They point to her efforts to secure funding for small-town police and fire departments, and her advocacy for residents' water rights. Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) said he had seen Hurtado vote against the state Senate Democratic Caucus in the interest of her district, showing her authentic commitment to her constituents. How much more tested can you be than Melissa Hurtado? Shes ready for a partisan fight, he said. Martinez, the political science chair at Cal State Bakersfield, said Hurtado owes her own state Senate wins to Salas, who did on-the-ground canvassing for Democrats during a tough election year. It doesnt make any sense, because she doesn't have the presence and community in Kern County, he said. Melissas young, shes green, and she really doesn't understand the broader picture. Salas appears to be well-known in Bakersfield. Signs declaring support for him line frontyards and farmland along the highway. He said that while he benefits from high-level endorsements, he also has local support, from mayors and teachers associations. "Those are people that live in our communities," he said. "The people that are here are actually putting in the work and getting their family and friends to vote as well." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Sir James Hennessy, who has died aged 100, was Britains high commissioner in Uganda for three nerve-racking and at times humiliating years, with Idi Amin at the height of his barbaric unpredictability. Previously he was head of chancery in Montevideo, taking charge when the ambassador, Geoffrey Jackson, was kidnapped by Tupamaro guerrillas; Hennessy helped secure his release after eight months. To a former district commissioner in peaceful Basutoland (now Lesotho) who spent 20 uneventful years in the colonial service before becoming a diplomat, the murderous farce of Amins rule (backed by Libyas Col Gaddafi) was a revelation. Yet Hennessy handled the situation with courage, skill and patience. In 1974 Amin expelled 14 British diplomats, declaring the handful remaining in Kampala the slaves of Africans. The next year it took a visit from the foreign secretary James Callaghan for a death sentence against Denis Hills, a British lecturer, for describing Amin in an unpublished book as a village tyrant, to be dropped. After the raid on Entebbe by Israeli special forces in 1976 to free 100 hostages from a hijacked airliner, Hennessy flew to London to tell Callaghans successor Anthony Crosland that 75-year-old Dora Bloch, a British/Israeli citizen taken to hospital from the aircraft, had been abducted by Amins security service and murdered. Aware that he was being depicted as a buffoon, Amin habitually used Hennessy as a sounding board for his rage against the British media. But at times the menace was personal: Amin threatened him with serious steps after he protested at Hills being denied legal representation. In June 1975 Hennessy was summoned to meet Amin, who told him that two Britons had been arrested as spies and Hills had been charged with treason; Hills would be shot unless Callaghan flew to Kampala within a week. Having studied reports from Hennessy, the prime minister, Harold Wilson, told Amin that Callaghan would come within 10 days. When he arrived, Amin, wearing a Seaforth Highlanders glengarry and with five rows of medals on his Air Force uniform, kept him waiting half an hour, then sat down with him under a portrait of Gaddafi. Amin said of Hennessy: No one should say I dont like him. I am very happy with him. He is very intelligent and the only man I can discuss Mr Hills with. He told Callaghan the two spies had been released Hennessy was sure they had never existed. Callaghan flew Hills out, insisting no bargain had been struck and believing his visit had safeguarded the lives of 700 Britons still in Uganda. A week later, Amin arrived at an Organisation of African Unity conference in Kampala on a chair borne by four expats. November 1975: Idi Amin, president of Uganda, takes the oath of allegiance of 12 British ex-army officers in Kampala - Keystone/Getty Images James Patrick Ivan Hennessy was born on September 26 1923, the son of Richard Hennessy DSO, MC. From Bedford School he went to Kings College, Newcastle, completing his studies later at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and the LSE. He joined the Royal Artillery in 1942, and after two years was seconded to the Indian Army as adjutant and battery commander, 6th Indian Field Regiment. He was demobilised in 1946. Graduating in 1948, he joined the colonial service as a district officer in Basutoland, a colony surrounded by South Africa. Promoted to district commissioner, he became joint secretary to the countrys constitutional commission, supervisor of elections in 1959 and secretary to the executive council. In 1961 Hennessy was seconded to the British High Commission in Pretoria; he returned to Basutoland as permanent secretary for local government (1964), a member of the legislative council (1965) and, after independence in 1966, Secretary for External Affairs, Defence and Internal Security. After a brief spell in the Lesotho prime ministers office, he joined the diplomatic service in 1968. His first posting, to Uruguay, proved a baptism of fire. Barely had he arrived in January 1971 than ambassador Jackson was ambushed while being driven to the embassy, and held by his captors in a peoples prison to embarrass the government of President Pacheco. Hennessy took charge of the embassy as the Foreign Office sent out first a security adviser to strengthen diplomatic protection, then Edward Heaths special representative Oliver Wright to help negotiate Jacksons release. Eight months later, Hennessy received an anonymous phone call that he would find Jackson in a church, where the guerrillas had left him to make his confession. Driving there in the ambassadorial Daimler, he took Jackson to the British Hospital, where he asked for a scotch before being given the medical all-clear. Amin was already making waves when Hennessy was appointed High Commissioner to Uganda (and Rwanda). Soon after he arrived, the capricious dictator urged the incoming Labour government to forget the past and send the country secretarial tutors and military mechanics. In May 1974, having realised he was becoming a laughing stock, Amin dropped in on Hennessy and his wife for a dip in their pool, and asked him to invite the Archbishop of Canterbury and the BBC to Uganda. Days after Hennessy invited Amin to his Queens birthday celebrations, the dictator threatened to expel the 1,000 Britons in Uganda. Hennessy flew to London to reassess relations, while Jomo Kenyatta persuaded Amin to hold back. On his return, he was summoned to Amins command post for a series of rambling lectures. After SNP gains in that autumns election, Hennessy was handed copies of a letter from Amin to the Soviet Union, China and the UN urging formation of a Scottish provisional government. The leaders of the Scots provisional government have also asked me to inform their excellencies that England is now bankrupt, the letter added. Relations thawed after the Hills episode, but the murder of Mrs Bloch taken from Mulango hospital which was Britains indepence gift to Uganda was the last straw. Hennessy met Amin for an hour to discuss the case; Amin claimed he knew nothing about it and was ordering an inquiry. When Hennessy sought clarification, Amin refused to see him and accused James Horrocks, acting high commissioner in Hennessys absence, of conniving in Mrs Blochs abduction. A second secretary at the high commission who had seen her in the hospital with two plainclothes guards was expelled. Hennessy remained in London for consultations, then in 1977 was appointed consul-general in Cape Town. Three years later, he was despatched to Belize as governor and commander-in-chief. Moves to grant the colony independence were frustrated by a territorial claim from Guatemala. On the eve of a constitutional conference in London, Hennessy declared a state of emergency after two days of strikes and riots by government workers demanding independence. That summer, Hennessy was tipped off that a Panamanian ship off Belize was carrying a large consignment of marijuana. A Royal Navy frigate closed in, supported by a Harrier from Belize, and 31.5 million worth of drugs were seized. Hennessy retired after Belize became independent that September. Then, at the start of 1982, he took up a new challenge as Chief Inspector for Prisons. His brief covered England and Wales, but his most notable investigation concerned Northern Ireland. In September 1983, 38 IRA men broke out of the Maze prison after guns were smuggled into a supposedly secure compound. Nineteen got away including the senior Provisionals Brendan Macfarlane and Gerard Kelly, and several to the intense embarrassment of the authorities were never recaptured. There were calls for the Northern Ireland Secretary James Prior to resign, notably from Enoch Powell, and Prior saying he would only go if there had been a failure of policy asked Hennessy to investigate. His report blamed faults in the design of the prison, poor security procedures, human weakness, negligence and inadequate management, for which he held the governor, Ernest Whittington, responsible. Whittington resigned; Prior and his prisons minister Nicholas Scott stayed on. Whittingtons deputy, William McConnell, was murdered by the IRA after going on television to comment. When the 19 recaptured escapers went on trial for murder in 1987 the judge, Lord Lowry, criticised Hennessy for refusing to let the prosecution see statements taken during his inquiry. Hennessy said he had promised witnesses their evidence would not be published; moreover, it was not needed to support the Crowns case. Hennessy tried to persuade ministers that more prisons, longer sentences and a tougher regime would not solve the problem of rising crime. He observed of the Thatcher governments short, sharp shock approach to young offenders that the boys adjusted to it, while prison staff did not like it. And he repeatedly warned that conditions in some jails were close to breaking point. After a wave of riots at 46 prisons in May 1986, the Home Secretary Douglas Hurd asked Hennessy to investigate. He blamed the worst night of violence the English prison service has ever known on gross overcrowding, squalid conditions and industrial action by prison officers, with 5.5 million worth of damage, 800 places lost and 45 inmates having escaped. Later that year, Hennessy blamed regrettable lapses of security for a Category A prisoner facing two attempted murder charges being sprung from St Marys Hospital, Paddington. Officers guarding him had been out of radio range, and unaccountably allowed him visitors. Hennessy stepped down in 1988 with a call for a prison ombudsman to be appointed. For three years more, he was a member of the Parole Board. He was appointed MBE in 1959, OBE in 1968, CMG in 1975 and knighted in 1982. James Hennessy married Patricia Unwin in 1947; they had five daughters, and a son who died young. Sir James Hennessy, born September 26 1923, died February 25 2024 Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. DILLON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has charged a former Latta police officer with sex crimes involving underage victims, according to documents obtained by News13. David Lonny Geronimo Templet, 35, of Latta was charged with two counts of unlawful conduct towards a child, third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, and exhibiting harmful performance to minors. In July 2019, Templet is alleged have rubbed an 11-year-old juvenile in an undisclosed area. Between July 2019 and September 2020, Templet allegedly masturbated in the presence of two underaged children which placed the children at unreasonable risk of harm and affected their mental health, documents state. According to the documents, a forensic interview as well as the victims testimony led to Templets arrest. Latta Police Chief Zane Bryant provided a statement to News13 about the incident. Latta Police Department was notified by SLED of an open investigation involving an officer, Bryant said. The officer was immediately placed on suspension pending the outcome of the investigation. Once SLED informed that criminal charges were filed, the officer gave his resignation effective immediately. We have and will continue cooperating with SLED. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said Templet was booked into the Dillon County detention Center and the case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office. Count on News13 for updates. * * * Taylor Ford is a digital journalist for News13. She joined the News13 team in January 2023. Taylor is a Florence native and covers the Pee Dee out of News13s Florence Bureau. Read more of Taylors work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. Slovakian Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Turkey on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey, on March 2. The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed the ministers discussed the "most pressing issues on the international agenda," including the "situation" in Ukraine. The Slovak Foreign Ministry has yet to announce the meeting. The meeting raised eyebrows amid the West's decision to sever ties with Russia amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. Blanar is one of the few European leaders to have met with a Russian authority in person since the onset of the full-scale war. The current Slovakian government has made several moves and statements perceived as Ukraine-skeptic over the past few months. Elected in September on a populist, Ukraine-skeptic platform, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico halted arms supplies from Slovakia's military stocks and repeatedly criticized both defense assistance for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. In January, the Slovak Culture Ministry reversed a ban on cooperating with Belarus and Russia. Meanwhile, Robert Fico came out with another anti-Ukrainian public statement on Jan. 20, telling Slovak radio that he would block Ukraine's accession to NATO. In November 2023, Fico said that Slovakia should prepare for "the end of the war in Ukraine and for the standardization of Slovak-Russian relations." Read also: Not backing Ukraine is disastrous for Slovak security, says former defense minister Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar has met and held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a diplomatic forum in Antalya, Turkiye. Source: Slovak news outlet Aktuality, as reported by European Pravda Details: Russia's Foreign Ministry posted a photo of Lavrov and Blanar shaking hands. Back in 2022, Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin were added to the European Union's sanctions list. Since then, out of all EU countries, only Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto had had meetings with Lavrov. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said the meeting was an example of "our balanced and sovereign Slovak foreign policy towards all sides of the world". The foreign ministers reportedly discussed the opportunities the peace summit in Switzerland could bring. "I knew about this meeting, I fully recommended him to meet with the Russian minister," Fico said. The meeting took place at a diplomatic forum in Antalya, Turkiye. In addition to Blanar, Lavrov also met with representatives of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Eswatini. On the second anniversary of the full-scale war, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico claimed that Russia started its war against Ukraine in 2014 because "Ukrainian neo-Nazis" were "rampant". Earlier this week, he convened a security council, raising concerns about a meeting of allies in Paris to discuss support for Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! A controversial solar cell manufacturing facility is one step closer to opening in Fort Mill after securing its construction permit. Friday afternoon, the Department of Health and Environmental Control released its approved permit, allowing the proposed Silfab Solar panel manufacturing facility off Highway 77 to begin construction. PAST COVERAGE: Community members pack public hearing over proposed York County solar panel manufacturing facility Silfab is a Canadian-based solar panel company. They have multiple two-panel manufacturing facilities in Washington, but in those plants, the facility assembles solar panels from cells it imports. The proposed plant in Fort Mill will be the first plant where the facility will manufacture solar modules and photovoltaic cells to assemble into panels on-site or at its other facilities. Silfab is currently leasing an existing warehouse on Logistics Lane and plans to modify the facility to accommodate the advanced manufacturing process. The company promises the Fort Mill facility will bring 800 jobs to the region, starting at an hourly wage of $19 and $60,000 for salaried employees. The synthetic minor permit, released Friday, details the emissions requirements for the factory as well as regulations regarding how the company must handle chemicals the EPA identifies as hazardous air pollutants, such as hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, toluene, and silane. The chemicals will be stored on-site and used in the manufacturing process. Neighbors concerns The decision comes despite significant opposition from Fort Mill and York County neighbors. Concerns range from the traffic impact of the facility to its water usage but primarily, many are concerned about how close the facility will be to two York County schools, currently under construction on properties directly adjacent to the Logistics Lane facility. At a public hearing in October, hundreds of neighbors packed the hearing room voicing their fears about the impact of chemical emissions so close to the schools and the risk of potential chemical leaks. Neighbors are also skeptical of Silfabs emission-reduction claims and are worried DHEC will not apply enough regulatory oversight to ensure the company will reliably keep its chemicals out of the air and water. Theres 2,000 or 2,500 children that are going to be in those two schools and this air theyre gonna breathe with toxic pollution in it, that close, said Andy Lytle, a neighbor opposed to the project. PAST COVERAGE: York Co. solar plant part of manufacturing trend in the southeast In response to those comments, DHEC has increased the frequency of several reporting, records, and testing standards. DHEX added that all air pollutants the plant may emit are well below state and federal air quality guidelines. In response to parents concerns, the school district said it will defer to the expertise of regulatory agencies to ensure community safety. Permits needed Silfab must submit a risk management plant to the EPA for approval and apply for a separate operating permit once the internal construction at the Logistics Lane facility is complete. DHEC says the facility can start construction and begin operating under its construction permit, and an operating permit will later be issued if the facility demonstrates that it met the conditions of its construction permit. The existing building that Silfab plans to use is zoned as light industrial and York County determined the planned fabrication within the facility is a legal land use. Lytle disagrees, arguing the use of several highly regulated chemicals should require a higher zoning standard. That just doesnt sound like light industrial to me, Lytle said. The countys standards do allow for electronics manufacturing in the light industrial zoning category, though solar cell manufacturing is new to York County and South Carolina in general. The Fort Mill School District sent the following statement in response to the proposal: The District Administration nor the School Board is involved in the planning or approval process for the zoning or use of property surrounding our schools. This responsibility lies with the York County Council. We maintain a strong relationship with York County and have communicated with them regarding this project and the safety of the facility once completed. We understand that multiple agencies, including the EPA, SC DHEC, SCDOT, etc., have guidelines and regulations governing the placement and operation of businesses like this one. As this project progresses through the required construction phases, we will defer to the expertise of these agencies to ensure the safety of our surrounding community, as they are the governing bodies for projects of this nature. The District remains steadfast in our commitment to the ongoing safety of our students and faculty. We will continue to prioritize this focus throughout the development and operation of this project. VIDEO: York Co. solar plant part of manufacturing trend in the southeast The solar eclipse is just over a month away and the astral wonder is set to dazzle skywatchers across the country. The eclipse will cast a 115-mile wide path of totality across North America, temporarily covering hundreds of cities and towns in darkness. Humanity has taken strides in understanding the relationship between the sun, moon and Earth but certain ideas around the intersection of the three seem to stubbornly remain. "Some older ideas seem remarkably resistant to replacement by the more scientifically-correct explanations," NASA said ahead of the 2017 eclipse. Here are five myths about solar eclipses and the explanations for them. Solar eclipses don't (usually) blind people Once the eclipse reaches totality, the visible corona emits electromagnetic radiation that can appear with a green hue, according to NASA. The coronal light is not able to blind a person who is looking at it as it crosses over 90 million miles of space before reaching Earth. If you stare at the sun before or after totality you will see the sun's surface and the light may cause retinal damage. NASA says that it is human instinct to look away before it does. Delicate streamers in the sun's corona surround the totally eclipsed sun during the Aug. 21, 2017, total solar eclipse. Observers along a narrow track from Mexico to Maine should have a similar view on April 8, 2024. Solar eclipses don't do damage during pregnancy While the sun's corona does emit electromagnetic radiation seen as light, the radiation does not harm pregnant women, according to NASA. A form of radiation called neutrinos reach the Earth from the sun on a daily basis and pass through the moon during an eclipse. The neutrinos do not cause harm to people. You can see solar eclipses at the poles It would be fair to assume that eclipses would be hard to view from the North and South Poles, however NASA says that there is not anything particularly special about the poles when it comes to eclipses. Santa's neck of the woods saw a total eclipse on March 20, 2015 at the same time as the Spring Equinox. The South Pole saw a total eclipse on November 23, 2003. Solar eclipses are not omens Cultures throughout time have tied negative superstitions to the solar eclipse. Multiple cultures tied the sun's disappearance to it being consumed by a monster or other evil being. The deaths of notable people close to eclipses including French Emperor Louis the Pious on May 5, 840 and the Prophet Mohammad's son Ibrahim on Jan. 27, 632 further tied negative beliefs to the astral event. However these associations are caused by confirmation bias according to NASA, which the American Psychological Association defines as, "the tendency to look for information that supports, rather than rejects, ones preconceptions." Confirmation bias also explains the tendency to tie astrological forecasts to the eclipse. The moon does not turn entirely black during a solar eclipse While photographs of the moon during the eclipse show a completely black disk, NASA says that you may still be able to see the moon's surface during an eclipse. The moon can be illuminated by earthshine or light reflecting off the earth. There is enough earthshine to see the surface of the moon faintly, according to NASA. See the path of the total eclipse This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Solar eclipses come with a lot of myths, assumptions: Don't buy these SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's government late on Friday publicly ordered 13 doctors, at least some of whom have been vocal about a walkout by roughly 9,000 physicians over a health system reform plan, to return to work or face penalties. The public legal notice is the latest sign of the South Korean government's continued hardline stance toward trainee doctors participating in the walkout or criticising the reform plan, after local police raided officials of a doctor's association on Friday, a public holiday in South Korea. The health ministry posted on its website the license numbers and hospitals of 13 doctors, ordering them to return to work or potentially have their license suspended or face criminal charges. The doctors' names were partially redacted, but at least some appeared to be trainee doctors who had been especially vocal about the walkout and critical of the government, including Park Dan, head of the Korea Interns and Residents Association. Authorities on Friday stepped up pressure to end the walkout, with South Korean police launching a raid targeting officials of the Korean Medical Association. The government had given Thursday as the deadline for the doctors to return or face penalties, but health ministry data showed more than two-thirds of the trainee doctors, or nearly 9,000, had ignored the call to return to work. Doctors are planning a mass demonstration on Sunday to protest the government's plan to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 starting from 2025 to remedy what it said is a shortage of doctors in one of the world's fastest-ageing societies. (Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Chris Reese) CHICAGO - A woman accused of stabbing a 41-year-old man on the Southwest Side is now behind bars. Luvenia Slaughter is charged with one felony count of aggravated battery/use deadly weapon and one felony count of aggravated battery/great bodily harm. An hour before her arrest on Feb. 28, she stabbed a man in the 6000 block of S. Western Avenue. Further details on what led up to the stabbing or the man's condition haven't been released. Slaughter is expected to appear in court for a detention hearing on March 2. Jonathan Yardley, who lives in Burnhill Green, was left without hot water when his ground-source heat pump broke - John Lawrence Heat pumps in eco-friendly homes built by the Crown Estate have left homeowners with eye-watering bills to fix or rip out the technology, it has emerged. The development of homes went up for sale in Burnhill Green, Staffordshire, promising to be both sustainable and affordable. But issues with the properties ground source heat pumps left one homeowner without heating or hot water for a month, and some 5,000 in repair bills. Another ripped it out for an oil boiler. The Crown Estate is one of the largest property managers in Britain and has total assets worth roughly 15bn. It is owned by King Charles in right of the Crown, meaning it is neither government property nor the private property of the reigning monarch. The King receives 25pc of profits made by the estate, and the remainder goes to the Treasury. The award-winning development in Burnhill Green was built by the Estate 14 years ago to meet international standards for sustainability. Builders used reclaimed materials and each home was fitted with a rainwater harvesting system, sheep wool insulation, and a ground-source heat pump. Mr Yardley bought one of the Crown Estate's 'eco-friendly' properties in Burnhill Green, Staffordshire, in 2010 - John Lawrence The 10 properties were modelled after Poundbury, an urban extension to the Dorset county town of Dorchester built on Duchy of Cornwall land, and were originally earmarked as affordable housing before being privately sold to buyers and landlords. Jonathan Yardley, a quantity surveyor from Wolverhampton, bought one of the homes in the mid 2010s for 280,000. He assumed the property would be more economical and reliable, but five years later in December 2022, the heat pump malfunctioned, leaving him without heating and hot water, while temperatures dropped to 3C. Mr Yardley contacted local companies recommended by the heat pumps manufacturer, Worcester Bosch, who recommended three service companies. Several engineers from different companies were dispatched to the property, at Mr Yardleys expense. However, he claims an engineer sent by one of them didnt have a clue how to fix a ground source heat pump. All he was used to was combi boilers, he added. He said: I paid all these engineers to have a go but none of them could resolve it. Mr Yardley attempted to contact Worcester Bosch directly. Over three days, Mr Yardley claims he spoke with 14 different customer representatives over the phone, one of whom allegedly tried to flog an insurance policy to him. I had no heating and hot water at this stage, Mr Yardley said. I had to go to friends for showers and boil kettles for hot water and buy oil-filled radiators. Mr Yardley claims he spoke with 14 different customer representatives over the phone about his broken heat pump - John Lawrence In a letter to the manufacturer, Mr Yardley said: I took the view that I want my house to maintain its eco credentials and the Energy Performance Certificate and Sustainable Homes Certificate, so I have persisted. But it is expensive and hard work and marginal whether you repair it or scrap it and replace it with an oil-fired boiler. Worcester Bosch eventually sent an engineer from Manchester who actually knew what he was doing, Mr Yardley said, but the repairs cost him 2,000. In total, he estimates he spent up to 5,000 fixing the heat pump. Mr Yardley said: I told Worcester Bosch the Crown had used the technology they honed in Poundbury to create unique dwellings and everything has been wrecked by Worcester Boschs uselessness. Carbon-free heating is the future but apparently not yet at Worcester Bosch. Its not a good look. A Worcester Bosch spokesman said: The issues Mr Yardley experienced with the ground source heat pump were a result of its age and normal wear and tear with no previous issues, indicating that it was not a manufacturing fault. We have the appropriate number of fully qualified service and repair heat pump engineers available, and we are growing this through apprenticeships and training initiatives. Other residents living in the development have experienced similar issues with the green technology. A landlord who owns one of the homes ripped out its heat pump and replaced it with an oil boiler, according to Savills, which still manages the property. Oil boilers generate more carbon emissions than almost any other type of home heating, and the Government plans to phase them out to meet net zero targets. Savills said that the original heat pump was condemned, and an oil boiler was chosen based on cost consideration and the preferences of the tenant. A spokesman said: As the managing agent, Savills can confirm that out of the properties in question on Snowdown Road in Wolverhampton, only one home now has an oil boiler. The original ground source heat pump was condemned and options for various replacement systems were obtained. In line with cost considerations and the preference indicated by the tenant an oil boiler was installed. In the last financial year, the Crown Estate made 442.6m net in profits, 129.9m more than the previous year. However, King Charles is not involved in the Crown Estates management and has no control of its affairs. A statement said that the Crown Estate had no knowledge of any works carried out on the estate after the houses were all sold between 2014 and 2016. Recommended Heat pump grants available from today here's how to get 7,500 off the cost Read more Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. 'This is not a joke': 20-year-old Texas woman spends 70% of her income on rent and has racked up $4,000 in credit card debt. She laughs it off as 'girl math.' Caleb Hammer responds The bank of mom and dad is the de facto safety net for many young Americans. However, Rylie from San Antonio, Texas, doesnt seem to realize just how much her parents clean up her bad financial decisions. At 20 years old, Rylie has already managed to switch college majors several times and at one point accumulated $4,000 in credit card debt. She laughs off her reckless decisions as the consequence of girl math on a recent episode of Caleb Hammers show Financial Audit on YouTube. This is not a joke, responds Hammer. Don't miss On top of managing hefty debt, she spends a ludicrous amount of her income on rent. Rylie doesnt seem to realize the impact of her personal spending habits. Reckless spending Rylies a part-time student and a full-time receptionist at a local budget hotel. Her monthly income is around $2,000, which could be enough to live on if she didnt have a budgeting problem. Rylie spends $1,400 a month 70% of her income on rent. Thats above the average rent in San Antonio, which is $1,290 according to RentCafe. In fact, 24% of apartments in the city can be rented for $1,000 or less. You cannot afford it, Hammer explained. General wisdom among finance experts is that housing costs should account for about 30% of a persons income. Read more: Here's how you can invest in rental properties without the responsibility of being a landlord Overspending on housing leaves little room for Rylies other expenses. However, that hasnt stopped her from frequently eating out and shopping online. These expenses are funded from her credit cards. Her credit card debt, at its peak, was around $4,000. Story continues By comparison, Gen Z Americans aged 18 to 26 have an average of $3,262 in credit card debt, according to Experians latest consumer debt report. This cohort has been borrowing at a faster rate than others. Gen Zs total debt balance grew 15.4% in 2023. Younger Americans might also have access to another source of credit: their parents. Bank of Mom and Dad When Rylies parents realized her credit card balances were unsustainable, they stepped in and paid most of it off. Hammer accuses her parents of serving as enablers and an invisible safety net. This isnt unusual for someone her age. In fact, 61% of Gen Z say they are somewhat dependent on their parents for financial support, according to research from Experian. Around 37% of both (Gen Z and Millennials) say their parents did not teach them about personal finances. Hammer advises Rylies mom, who appeared in-studio but not on-camera, to stop funding her reckless spending and demand behavioral change in return for financial assistance. He suggests Rylie pay off her remaining credit card balance of $1,418 herself to learn how to manage her own finances and be responsible. He believes she can manage the minimum monthly payments based on her current income. You can easily fit that in your budget, Hammer said. Then what you're learning, for the first time in your life, is how to sacrifice your finances [and be] an adult. What to read next This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. (WJW) The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico has issued a spring break travel warning for Americans planning to visit the country. U.S. citizens should exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark, the advisory said. It also noted that crime can occur anywhere in Mexico. The advisory that was issued earlier this week also warns of other potential hazards like unregulated alcohol and pharmaceuticals. Unregulated alcohol may be contaminated, and U.S. citizens have reported losing consciousness or becoming injured after consuming alcohol that was possibly tainted, the advisory said. Is flying on a Tuesday cheaper? Testing 3 TikTok flight hacks The U.S. Embassy and Consulates noted that counterfeit medication is common and could be ineffective or an incorrect strength. Those products may also have dangerous ingredients. The advisory also warned of drowning and high private hospital prices, among other risks. The message urged travelers to take precautions like keeping an eye on their drinks; staying with a group of friends in bars and clubs, while walking in dark areas or in taxis at night; and letting family and friends know about their travel plans. Despite the warning, however, it noted that the vast majority of U.S. citizens visiting Mexico at spring break each year do so safely. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. St. Johns County continues to push forward on numerous priority projects and policy initiatives as outlined in the 2024 St. Johns County Legislative Action Plan, discussed at the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) regular meeting on Feb. 20. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< For infrastructure and public safety, the county is eyeing several critical projects for inclusion in the States Fiscal Year 2024/2025 Budget. These include initiatives like: Enhancing regional emergency response capacity with projects such as the Central Public Safety Station and the All Hazards Training Facility, Advancing transportation improvements on State Road 16 and County Road 2209. Coastal restoration efforts are also underway, with projects in progress in: South Ponte Vedra Beach Vilano Beach Main Street St. Johns County remains committed to safeguarding its coastal areas and promoting sustainable development. Beyond infrastructure, St. Johns County is actively engaging in legislative advocacy on various policy fronts. Notably, the county is addressing concerns regarding the health and well-being of emergency responders, with a proposed legislative policy to expand disability coverage for first responders diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases due to toxic exposure. Additionally, efforts are underway to restore Hastings statutory identity as a rural community, opening avenues for public infrastructure investment and agricultural tourism. St. Johns County is also spearheading initiatives for regional estuary restoration and proposing the establishment of the Florida Museum of Black History, showcasing the states rich cultural heritage. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Commissioner Christian Whitehurst emphasized the importance of addressing key issues affecting St. Johns County public schools, including: Facility capacity Teacher recruitment School security The unanimous approval by the BOCC to schedule a joint meeting with the St. Johns County School District underscores the commitment to collaborative solutions in education. As St. Johns County navigates the legislative landscape, collaboration remains paramount in advancing the countys priorities and ensuring a prosperous future for its residents. Citizens are encouraged to participate in ongoing surveys and engage with county officials to shape the communitys future direction. For more information and updates, visit the St. Johns County website. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. University Avenue barbecue staple Hickory Hut is marking its 30th anniversary with a daylong celebration Saturday, March 2. Free anniversary T-shirts will be given to the first 50 customers in the door and, throughout the day, guests can win a variety of free food, gift cards and other merch. Plus, at the end of the day, the restaurant will raffle off big-ticket prizes like a $100 Hickory Hut gift card, a TV, passes to Nickelodeon Universe and a grill. The restaurant is open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. No purchase is required to win giveaways throughout the day, and those who buy food can enter their names into the big prize drawing. Hickory Hut originally opened in 1994 on Lake Street in Minneapolis. The St. Paul spot, on University Avenue near Dale Street, opened in 1996. The Minneapolis location closed in 1998. Besides ribs and smoked meats, the restaurant is also the modern home of chicken wings made with Art Songs Secret Recipe. Song, a Chicago musician and bartender, moved to the Twin Cities in the 1940s and gained a cult following for the dry-rubbed wings he served at a string of restaurants in Minneapolis through about the 1980s. Hickory Hut: 647 W. University Ave.; 651-224-9464; hickoryhutstpaul.com Related Articles Two buildings were damaged following an unspecified "incident" in St. Petersbug's Krasnogvardeisky district early on March 2, the city's governor, Alexander Beglov, reported. The governor's statement comes amid claims spread on Russian Telegram channels that Russia's second-largest city came under a Ukrainian drone attack. According to the Mash Telegram channel, the likely target was the Ruchi oil depot northeast of St. Petersburg, less than one kilometer from the crash site. Footage published on Mash shows damaged balconies of a multi-story residential building and what the authors claim to be a fragment of a drone. Another recording partially captures a strong explosion over the building, with shards of glass and other debris falling on the ground. Beglov said that the residents of the affected buildings were evacuated, and emergency services are working on site. Six people sought assistance after the incident, and one person was hospitalized, the Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported, citing health officials. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims, and Ukrainian officials have not commented on the incident. The news comes the same day when Ukraine came under a large-scale Russian drone attack, killing and injuring people in Odesa and Kharkiv oblasts. Alleged drone attacks against Russian oil depots and refineries have become a common occurrence in recent months, with incidents reported in multiple regions, including Bryansk, Oryol, and Leningrad oblasts. Read also: The economic toll of 10 years of Russias war against Ukraine in charts Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ann Eubank is a Republican candidate for District 3 on the Alabama State Board of Education. (Contributed) This is one in a series of profiles of Alabama State Board of Education candidates. Read the profiles to date here. Ann Eubank started going to the Alabama Statehouse in 2010 to protest Common Core, standards aimed at providing consistency in state educational standards around the country. So I went to the Legislature and I started fighting there, she said. And Ive been there since then. Eubank said she has not been able to make the change she has hoped for on the outside of the system, so shes going to try to do so from the inside. Ann Eubank Age: 75 Profession: Retired Education: A.A., Jefferson State Community College, political science, 2012. Party: Republican Offices held/ sought: First run for public office Eubank, a Republican, is running to represent District 3 on the State Board of Education. The district runs through the middle of the state and includes parts of both Montgomery and Jefferson counties. Incumbent Stephanie Bell, a Republican, decided not to run again after nearly three decades on the board. Eubank said that she decided to run to stop the Marxification of education, quoting James Lindsay, a right-wing author who appears in the Southern Poverty Law Centers Extremist Files, which cite his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and racism. Eubank said that Common Core was a part of the transformation of America, and she said it lowered standards. In order to close the gap, everybody had to become common, and nobody could be taught better than anybody else, she said. Eubank said she was interested in implementing a curriculum like the Hillsdale education model, a classical Christian education. Eubank said that this model was based in fact, not emotion. Hillsdale charter schools have become more popular in recent years, especially in red states like Tennessee. Hillsdale College is a conservative, private school in Michigan. The woke policies, the sexual revolution policies, thats not what public school is for, she said. Public school is to teach children history, math, and how to read so that they can be a productive citizen. Thats what I want. The Alabama House of Representatives Wednesday approved a voucher-like program that would extend up to $7,000 in tax credits for households to use on non-public education expenses, including private school tuition and tutoring. Eubank said she supported education savings accounts but was working through the practicalities of this years legislation from the governor. I think its a parents God-given right to educate their children, as they see fit, she said. Eubanks top three priorities for the district are more teachers and fewer students in the classroom; fewer school administrators, which she said distracts from the focus of teachers in the classroom; and less paperwork for teachers from the federal government. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post State Board of Education: Ann Eubanks political interests started with anti-Common Core drive appeared first on Alabama Reflector. Alabama State Board of Education member Tonya Chestnut listens to a presentation during the board's regular meeting on February 9, 2023. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) This is one in a series of profiles of Alabama State Board of Education candidates. Read the profiles to date here. Tonya Chestnut said that education and children are her passion. And being a voice for children and just education as a whole, she said. The Democratic incumbent said she still has a lot to offer the board as she seeks a second term representing State Board of Education District 5. Chestnut is the only Democrat in the primary but will face a Republican challenger in the general election. Tonya Chestunut Age: 62 Party: Democratic Occupation: part-time realtor and consultant, retired educator Education: B.S., Early Childhood education, Jacksonville State University, 1982; M.Ed., Early Childhood Education, Alabama State University, 1985; Ed.S, Instructional Leadership, Auburn University Montgomery, 1997; EdD, Concordia University, 2020. Offices held/sought: Alabama State Board of Education, 2021-present. District 5 includes much of the Black Belt and most of Montgomery County. Chestnut said that her three priorities are recruiting and retaining teachers; literacy; and creating safe learning environments. Chestnut said that it can be hard to attract teachers to rural communities, so she would like to look into incentives. For retention, she said she wants to make sure that people have the support they need. Chestnut said she wants students to have literacy support beyond early grades and literacy for choosing career and college choices. We are in a state where whats offered from school district to school district is not the same, she said. It puts the students that are in more rural communities at a disadvantage, because they are not afforded the same opportunities. For school safety, Chestnut said that she wants safeguards in place. She said they should also be considering cyber-bullying, as well as what happens on campuses. She said a lot of challenges spill onto campuses from the community. So bridging that gap between the community and the school, making sure that everybodys on the same page and ensuring that our children are in a safe place, she said. Chestnut later added that she would like school resource officers in every school. The Alabama Legislature is currently considering a bill that would provide up to $7,000 for households with school-age students to pay for education-related expenses. It has passed the House. Chestnut said parents have the right to make the best decisions for their children but if public funds are being used, private schools should have the same accountability and requirements as public schools. Alabama has historically scored relatively low on the NAEP, or The Nations Report Card, but its scores have risen relative to other states in the latest cycle. To improve NAEP scores, Chestnut said that she wanted to make sure that students have the necessary support. But she said that the NAEP is one assessment and not all students start at school on the same level. Weve got to make sure that we are intentional in providing the necessary support, so that all children can be successful, and Im not sure that we have accomplished that at this point, she said. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE This story was updated to include an EDS and specify that Chestnut retired from education. The post State Board of Education: Tonya Chestnut says education is her passion appeared first on Alabama Reflector. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, center, speaks at a press conference with Nim Kidd chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, left, and Hutchinson County Judge Cindy Irwin, right, Friday, March. 1, 2024, in Borger, Texas. Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune Get the data and visuals that accompany this story Texas officials do not yet know the full damage from the ongoing wildfires, but have already described a wide swath of devastating destruction to homes, land and livestock. Follow the current conditions, estimates of damage and efforts to recover here. As firefighters battle the raging Smokehouse Creek fire, Gov. Greg Abbott said the cause of the fire which covers more than 1 million acres is under investigation. Were going to continue to work with our local partners to do calls in origin determination, Abbott said during a press conference this week. The fire, which is the largest in Texas history, started Monday along with a string of others that have left the region in devastation. State and local officials are unable to start investigating how the fire started, leaving many questions unanswered, nearly a week after the fire began. Juan Rodriguez, the Texas A&M Forest Services incident commander for the Smokehouse Creek fire, said his agencys officers are investigating and will eventually have a report of its findings. Part of their process is looking into all the details and doing site protection, he said. Once they come to a determination, well start releasing that information. But as fire officials work on reports about the Panhandle wildfire causes, lawyers of landowners are zeroing in on a downed Xcel Energy power line located outside Stinnett. In a Wednesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy revealed it had received a letter from attorneys asking the company to preserve a fallen utility pole near where the Smokehouse Creek Fire may have started. The filing does not name the law firm but said it represented various property insurance interests. Xcel Energys subsidiary, Southwestern Public Service Company, serves the area where the fire is burning, according to the SEC filing. The location is outside of the jurisdiction of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the power grid that provides electricity for most of the state. In that filing, Xcel Energy said that investigations into origin, cause, and damage of the wildland fires burning in or near the service territory of SPS, including the Smokehouse Creek Fire, are underway. The company also said it is working with emergency responders to provide assistance to those impacted by the fires. Then on Friday, Reuters reported that homeowner Melanie McQuiddy filed a lawsuit in Hemphill County against Xcel Energy claiming that one of the companys splintered power poles started a fire there when it fell. And on Saturday, multimillionaire trader Salem Abraham told The Texas Tribune of his plans to file suit this month against Xcel and Osmose Utility Services over the Xcel Energy pole for damages to his ranch and his brothers land. Abraham is the owner of the 3,500 acre Mendota Ranch near Canadian. Around 95 percent of the fences and pastures on Abrahams land which stretches along five miles of the Canadian River were burned in the fire, along with wildlife and thousands of trees. Once filed this month, it will be the fifth lawsuit related to wildfire damages Abraham has filed in the past 30 years and the third one involving electrical lines, he said. He sued Xcel in 1996 after a wildfire destroyed land on his ranch. Im sick and tired of it, Abraham said. This is not my first or second or third or fourth or fifth fire rodeo, and its not my first one with these utilities [companies]. Abrahams lawyer Kevin Isern, of the Amarillo law firm Lovell, Isern & Farabough, said the firm is finalizing a suit against against Xcel Energy, which generates, sells and delivers power in the Texas Panhandle and Osmose Utility Services, a Georgia-based company that Isern said inspects Xcel Energy equipment in Texas. Isern said Abrahams suit will center on what they believe was Xcel Energys failure to comply with the National Electrical Code, which sets U.S. standards for safe installation of electrical wiring. Late Saturday, Xcel said in a statement that the cause of the fire remains undetermined and under investigation. The company said has restored power to "customers who can receive power." Our thoughts are with the families and communities impacted by the devastating wildfires across the Texas Panhandle," the statement said. "As members of this community, we will continue to support our neighbors in this recovery." Investigators sent by the law firm located the pole on Monday, Isern said. They believe it was pushed over by strong winds, and started the wildfire when it fell and its electrical wiring came into contact with dry grass. Iserns firm sent Xcel Energy a preservation letter that the company accepted on Friday. Multiple other firms also sent Xcel preservation letters, Isern said. Abraham said his brothers Eddie and Jason Abraham own over 25,000 acres of Texas ranchland and will likely join his lawsuit. The fire burned their pastures and killed much of their livestock. Downed power lines have caused other massive fire outbreaks, including the Dixie Fire and Kincade Fire that sparked in California from Pacific Gas And Electric power lines. Last year, the Hawaiian Electric Co. acknowledged downed power lines caused the initial fire in the Maui town of Lahaina. Power was cut to the area and that fire was declared extinguished by firefighters, who then left the area. The utility did not blame firefighters for leaving the scene, but only pointed out that firefighters had left the area when the second fire that killed 97 people, erupted 75 yards from the initial blaze in an area where power was turned off. An official cause of the deadly fire has not been determined. Gerald Singleton, managing partner of Singleton Schreiber, a San Diego-based law firm that has handled similar cases before, said the most common cause of these fires is lightning strikes. Since that can be ruled out in the Panhandle fires, Singleton said the next cause to look at is proximity to power lines. Were going to have to wait until the scene is clear, but from the reports were getting, it appears the fire started near this power pole going down, Singleton said. 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. Get the data and visuals that accompany this story OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Oklahoma voters are set to head to the polls Tuesday for the Presidential Preferential Primary and several nonpartisan elections. The State Election Board offers these tips and reminders to Oklahoma voters ahead of the March 5 Election. ELECTION DAY VOTING Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Lines at the polls are typically longest before work, during the lunch hour, and after work. All eligible voters in line by 7 p.m. will be permitted to vote. CLOSED PRIMARIES There are three presidential primaries taking place in Oklahoma on March 5 Republican, Democratic, and Libertarian. Voter are reminded that Oklahoma has closed primaries. However, for the 2024-2025 election years, the Democratic Party has opened its primaries to registered Independents. The Republican and Libertarian parties have chosen to keep their primaries closed. Independent voters wishing to vote a Democratic ballot should let the poll worker know when they check in at their polling place. As a reminder, there are local elections on the ballot in some precincts. You do not need to participate in a primary election to vote a nonpartisan ballot. VERIFY POLLING PLACE All voters should verify their polling place before heading to the polls. Voters can verify their polling place using the OK Voter Portal or by contacting their County Election Board or the State Election Board. The State Election Board reminds voters that you must vote at your assigned polling place. BE PREPARED Study the candidates and issues before going to the polls. View your sample ballot using the OK Voter Portal. You can also use the portal to find your polling place and track the status of your absentee ballot. The election list is available on the State Election Board website. PROOF OF IDENTITY Oklahoma law requires every voter who votes in person to show proof of identity before receiving a ballot. There are three ways to show proof of identity under the law (only one proof of identity is required): Show a valid photo ID issued by the federal, state, or tribal government; or Show the free voter identification card issued to every voter by their County Election Board; or Sign an affidavit and vote a provisional ballot. (If the information on the affidavit matches official voter registration records, the ballot will be counted after Election Day.) ACCESSIBILITY Some voters may need assistance to vote because they are blind or visually disabled, physically disabled or infirmed, or illiterate. Such individuals may request to have an assistant or vote privately and independently using the ATI device attached to the voting device. Those who require assistance should talk to their precinct official or contact their County Election Board directly for instructions. BALLOT STATUS It is common for voters to ask, How do I know my voted counted? Information regarding ballot status can be found on the State Election Board website, along with details regarding Oklahomas voting devices and security procedures. Voter history is manually entered into the OK Voter Portal following the election and may take several weeks to be recorded. ELECTION RESULTS Election results will be available on the State Election Board website after the polls close at 7 p.m. on election night. The State Election Board recommends setting results on auto-refresh. BEWARE OF MISINFORMATION/DISINFORMATION During election time, misinformation and disinformation can run rampant. Voters are asked to be wary of information that seeks to promote false claims of fraud, voter suppression and/or other problems. However, if you experience an issue or believe an election or voting crime has been committed, your first action should be to notify your precinct officials and contact your County Election Board while the incident is in progress. County Election Board officials will take immediate action to resolve the issue and/or contact local law enforcement. State and county election officials should always be your trusted sources for information. URL Guide Closed Primaries: OK Voter Portal: County Election Board: State Election Board: Election List: Ballot Status: Voting Devices: Security Procedures: Proof of Identity: For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. CHICAGO The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency this week issued statements that denied their involvement in how the city distributes supplies at migrant shelters after the Tribune reported that a shortage of essential supplies was forcing some migrants to have to reuse diapers. Mary May, a spokesperson for the city, told the Tribune last week that supply shortages from IEMA and FEMA can result in temporary shortages of some supplies. But state officials told the Tribune Friday that while they supply the city with diapers and other essentials, city officials are responsible for identifying shortages and requesting to fill the gaps. Emergency orders can be fulfilled if needed, said Kevin Sur, spokesperson of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security. As always, state partners will work to find items requested by the City of Chicago in an emergency. On Feb. 23, advocates for migrants told the Tribune there was a shortage of diapers in the citys shelters, forcing some parents to reuse dirty diapers on their babies. The desperation of the families galvanized mutual aid groups to collect diapers, toilet paper and other hygiene products after city officials told them they couldnt keep up with supplies, volunteers said. According to Sur, the citys one and only request for diapers was in October when they provided 64,000 diapers. Earlier this week they received another request for additional supplies but it did not include diapers, Sur said. Though diapers were not requested, the state agency provided another 600 diapers that had been donated, he added. Friday afternoon, May said the citys initial statement was only describing the resource request process and was not attributing any shortages to IEMA or FEMA. May added that the city requests or orders supplies from city of Chicago vendors and the state emergency management agency. If we need additional assistance due to supply requests, emergencies, or a presidential disaster declaration the city would reach out to FEMA, May said. A FEMA spokesperson would not clarify if it provides diapers or other goods to the city of Chicago for migrants under the citys care, but said the organization is not involved in the provision of the referenced supplies. The distribution of supplies is provided by nonprofits and in coordination with local and state agencies. FEMA is not involved, the spokesperson said. Sur said the city makes requests for supplies every other week. The state provides various items and hygiene supplies including winter coats for all ages, socks and underwear for all ages, pallets of laundry detergent and family lice kits. Migrant families at several of the largest shelters around the city began to report the need for diapers and other hygiene products weeks ago, according to volunteers. The extreme need forced some parents to reuse dirty diapers for their children, migrants said. After reporting the concern, city officials said they couldnt keep up, said Annie Gomberg, a lead volunteer helping migrants. Gomberg said she is concerned about how the city is rationing the limited supplies. Last Friday the city received a large delivery of supplies from a city of Chicago vendor that included diapers to distribute to shelters, according to May. But earlier this week, migrants said they were still going for days without essential goods at shelters around the city. Out of desperation, they have had to form small groups inside shelters to ration supplies, they said. According to Gomberg, volunteers at the mutual aid group Southwest Collective received dozens of boxes of diapers following the Tribunes Feb. 29 article about shortages. But (the volunteers are) not giving them to shelter employees, she said. They give diapers directly to shelter residents. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) State government offices in Carson City and four Nevada counties along the Sierra Nevada closed early as a storm arrived on Friday. Gov. Joe Lombardo ordered all executive branch state government offices to close at 1:30 p.m. The road over Mount Rose summit near Lake Tahoe had already closed by then, and white-out conditions were reported at Donner Pass on Interstate 80 by midmorning on Friday. A 100-mile stretch of I-80 closed after 5 p.m., shutting down the road from the state line to Emigrant Gap, California. The storm is expected to bring as much as 10 feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada. In Reno and Carson City, rain was in the Friday forecast, turning to snow at night. The Governors Office cited severe weather and potentially dangerous road conditions worsening this afternoon as offices were ordered to close. Essential public safety operations are continuing in Carson City, Douglas County, Lyon County, Storey County and Washoe County. The Governors office will continue to monitor weather conditions. Governor Lombardo urges northern Nevadans to take caution on roadways and to follow all NDOT and DPS guidance, according to a statement sent just before 1:30 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Flash Israeli troops conduct military operations in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis, on Feb. 28, 2024. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua) Amid growing domestic discontent over his handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, U.S. President Joe Biden is now pressing for a ceasefire in Gaza in the run-up to November's presidential elections. As more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel began its offensive against Hamas in October, Biden said earlier this week that he hoped to see a ceasefire by next Monday. "Well I hope by the beginning of the weekend, I mean, the end of the weekend," Biden said Monday. "We're close, it's not done yet. And my hope is that by next Monday we'll have a ceasefire." "The status quo isn't working," Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua while commenting on Biden's words. Recent weeks have seen an increase in pressure on Biden to call for a ceasefire after the president was criticized when the United States vetoed another United Nations resolution that called on Israel to halt the fighting. To protest Israel's military operation in Gaza, an active-duty airman of the U.S. Air Force set himself on fire Sunday at the Israeli Embassy in Washington. "The uptick in criticism from Progressives and Democrats overall for his response to the war is a real danger to the president," reported The Hill, a Washington D.C. newspaper that reports on Congress and politics. Biden's "pro-Israel stance could result in him losing votes in 2024 in critical states like Michigan," The paper reported last week. Our Revolution, a political group founded by Senator Bernie Sanders, encouraged Michigan voters to vote "uncommitted" in Tuesday's Democratic primary instead of voting directly for Biden. Over 101,000 Michigan voters cast their votes as "uncommitted" to protest Biden's handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, accounting for more than 13 percent of the Michigan Democratic primary vote. The state of Michigan is home to many Arab-Americans, who have expressed a sense of betrayal by what they believe is Biden's pro-Israel stance in the war in Gaza. Greg Cusack, a former member of the Iowa House of Representatives, told Xinhua he thinks that "nothing will placate his (Biden's) domestic critics short of ending the destruction of Gaza, and I see no indication that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is willing to help at all." Recent polls have revealed that voters generally disapprove of Biden's management of the violent conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Younger Americans are notably more critical than older voters, expressing dissatisfaction with both Israel's actions and the administration's handling of the Gaza conflict. The U.S. government has been facing increasing protests across the country calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and some groups are even seeking legal challenges to force the White House to withdraw support for Israel. Speaking of whether a ceasefire would help Biden, Galdieri said: "I don't know that it will turn around his numbers with the public at large." Readers hoping to buy Air New Zealand Limited (NZSE:AIR) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. 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. It is important to be aware of the ex-dividend date because any trade on the stock needs to have been settled on or before the record date. Accordingly, Air New Zealand investors that purchase the stock on or after the 7th of March will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 21st of March. The company's next dividend payment will be NZ$0.02 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed NZ$0.04 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Air New Zealand has a trailing yield of 6.6% on the current stock price of NZ$0.605. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Air New Zealand's dividend is reliable and sustainable. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing. See our latest analysis for Air New Zealand If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Air New Zealand has a low and conservative payout ratio of just 21% of its income after tax. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. Fortunately, it paid out only 40% of its free cash flow in the past year. It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously. Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. Story continues Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing? When earnings decline, dividend companies become much harder to analyse and own safely. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. With that in mind, we're discomforted by Air New Zealand's 22% per annum decline in earnings in the past five years. Ultimately, when earnings per share decline, the size of the pie from which dividends can be paid, shrinks. The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Air New Zealand has seen its dividend decline 6.7% per annum on average over the past 10 years, which is not great to see. While it's not great that earnings and dividends per share have fallen in recent years, we're encouraged by the fact that management has trimmed the dividend rather than risk over-committing the company in a risky attempt to maintain yields to shareholders. Final Takeaway From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Air New Zealand? Air New Zealand has comfortably low cash and profit payout ratios, which may mean the dividend is sustainable even in the face of a sharp decline in earnings per share. Still, we consider declining earnings to be a warning sign. Overall, it's not a bad combination, but we feel that there are likely more attractive dividend prospects out there. In light of that, while Air New Zealand has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Air New Zealand you should be aware of. 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. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Nevada has dozens of charter schools, but a state agency is focusing on a number of them experiencing some financial troubles. The State Public Charter School Authority is planning to increase its scrutiny of 10 schools in Clark County, mostly due to concerns over the debt they carry. Nevada Prep Charter School located near Nellis and Lake Mead boulevards is one of those schools. We have made every monthly payment since Ive gotten here, we are not at risk, Nevada Prep Executive Director John Haynal said. We have the funding and the budget to go ahead and finish the year in good standing. Haynal spoke with 8 News Now before Fridays SPCSA meeting. The problems of the past, belong in the past and were working on them together. But were happy to say were going to be here for a long time, Haynal said. A plan submitted to the State Public Charter School Authority shows Nevada Prep laid off five of its staff and eliminated housekeeping, landscaping, and pest control to help with its money issues. They received a total of six deductions primarily due to late submission of required reports and documents, including some really important items, SPCSA director Katie Broughton said. According to its most recent tax filing, Nevada Prep reported a loss of more than $900,000. As of Friday, the school owes $466,000 to the states teacher pension fund, which is called PERS. Nevada Prep Principal Jeffrey McAlpine says hes confident they can turn things around. Our focus is on great instruction and getting kids to learn as much as they can in the time we have with them, McAlpine said. Including Nevada Prep, a total of 10 schools in Clark County left Fridays SPCSA meeting with an issue of concern. Battle Born Academy CIVICA Academy Democracy Prep Discovery Charter School Mater Academy of Nevada pilotED Cactus Park Sage Collegiate Signature Preparatory Sports Leadership and Management Academy Democracy Prep High School nearly closed until the Andre Agassi Foundation stepped in with a donation. Sage Collegiate, which opened in January of 2023, is carrying debt from its opening, and due to low enrollment, is in a difficult financial situation, according to SPCSA. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Undergraduate students from North Carolina wont see a change in their tuition for at least another year if they attend a UNC System university. On Thursday, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors decided to freeze in-state undergraduate tuition rates. They cited challenges with FAFSA, the application for government-issued student loans, as the reason for the freeze. The UNC Systems average annual in-state undergraduate tuition is $4,553. ALSO HAPPENING: Tuition costs rising for some students at UNC schools next year The system president, Peter Hans, advised campus leaders to extend enrollment deposit deadlines because of delays in FAFSA processing. He also called for flexibility and increased communication with students. Our commitment to college affordability is unwavering, Hans said. The UNC System will continue to hold the line on costs and keep its doors open to any qualified student who wishes to pursue a degree at our outstanding universities. UNC System institutions include: Appalachian State University East Carolina University Elizabeth City State University Fayetteville State University North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University North Carolina Central University North Carolina State University University of North Carolina Asheville University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of North Carolina at Greensboro University of North Carolina at Pembroke University of North Carolina School of the Arts University of North Carolina Wilmington Western Carolina University Winston-Salem State University This is the eighth year in a row of frozen tuition. (WATCH: Duke University offering free tuition to many students in the Carolinas) Kennedy Cole, left, and Emma Nichols, right, show their school spirit at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore. Coles base tuition, as a resident of Nevada, is higher than Nichols, whose family lives in Oregon. The number of out-of-state students attending state research universities has risen over the past two decades in virtually every state. (Photo by Elaine S. Povich | Stateline) CORVALLIS, Oregon. Kennedy Cole, a college junior studying accounting, knew she wanted to attend school outside her native Nevada to expand her choices, meet new people and explore different places. Emma Nichols, a sophomore majoring in vocal performance, chose a school close to her home in Corvallis, Oregon. The two friends, Oregon State University tour ambassadors who guide prospective students and families around campus, both think they made the right decision. Cole said it was scary and tough to be at a school where many first-year students already knew one another or had gone to local high schools, but she found most students were friendly. Nichols said one of the exciting aspects of Oregon States campus is the ability to meet out-of-state students and international ones from a different culture. But while they both have scholarships, theres a big difference in their base tuition. The university charges an estimated $13,800 in tuition and fees for in-state undergraduates in the 2023-24 academic year and about $36,600 for nonresidents. At a time when school budgets are tightening and college enrollment is decreasing, state universities are increasingly turning to nonresident students to boost their revenues. In 47 states, public research universities increased the proportion of out-of-state undergraduate students they admitted between 2002 and 2022, according to an analysis of federal education data done for Stateline by University of Wisconsin-Madison education professor Nicholas Hillman. In those two decades, the percentage of out-of-state undergraduate students at those universities rose steadily from a nationwide average of 18% to 28%, Hillman found. Public research schools are generally large state universities that receive significant grants for research. Universities that have broad access missions have the least revenue stream, Hillman said in an interview. Any shift in public funding affects them more. Slots are being given away to people paying higher tuition. Politically, this is such a hot potato. Legislators are getting interested in this. While the funding boosts universities, critics worry that in-state students are being shut out. To minimize that, some states limit the number of out-of-state students. The ability to go to a high-quality school near where you grew up is being taken away for many kids through a complex process in which public universities are swapping in-state students for out-of-state. Aaron Klein, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution Aaron Klein, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution, a centrist think tank, wrote a report on out-of-state enrollment in 2022. In an interview with Stateline, Klein said: The ability to go to a high-quality school near where you grew up is being taken away for many kids through a complex process in which public universities are swapping in-state students for out-of-state. In the end, society is no better educated, and student debt rises substantially. In Oregon, the average percentage of undergraduate students from out of state rose from 23% to 47% at the states public research universities, according to Hillmans analysis. At Oregon State University, 63% of undergraduate students are nonresidents, according to Jon Boeckenstedt, vice provost of enrollment management, who has written extensively on the subject. The percentage drops to about half when including graduate students, he said. But Boeckenstedt also said virtually no Oregonian applicant who is qualified is denied a place at his campus. The universitys acceptance rate for first-year applicants in 2022-23 was nearly 83%, according to data provided by the school to the U.S. Department of Education. Up until about 2019 or 2020, we had sort of an informal, trustee-mandated ratio of two-thirds resident, one-third nonresident balance, he said in an interview in his office on the lush Oregon State campus. But if you manage to that ratio, and resident enrollment falls by 100 (students), you need to purposely exclude out-of-state residents who want to come here and bring their out-of-state tuition dollars, Boeckenstedt said. And so I said, Lets think about this differently. Shift toward out-of-state students The trend toward admitting more out-of-state students started as far back as the 1980s, when state legislatures and governors began reducing funding for higher education, said Ozan Jaquette, an associate professor of higher education at the UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies who has studied nonresident enrollment at public universities. He added that the trend has accelerated over the past decade. Once states said, Hey, you can make your own money, the public universities that could, said, We are going to dramatically increase nonresident enrollment because they pay higher tuition, he said. Up until the end of the last decade, the move toward out-of-state recruitment mostly applied to flagship state universities, Jaquette said, as they had the widespread name recognition to attract students from other places. But now, he said, it has trickled down to the next tier of public colleges, as budgets get tighter and more nonresidents apply. Some universities that recruit out-of-state students tend to focus on private high school students, since their families often can afford to pay higher tuition, he said. But some recruiting lately has expanded to public high schools, usually in affluent suburbs, or areas where there are few public state universities and pockets of affluent students all competing for the in-state slots. Its easier, sometimes, to get in at a university in another state. The only viable route (to increase the budgets) is nonresident enrollment, he said of schools with declining state funding. If you are not Stanford or Princeton, there are limits to how much donation and endowment you have and there are limits to research funding. Some schools also recruit internationally. Arizona State University spotlights the fact that it is the top public university choice for international students, according to an Institute of International Educations Open Doors report. Nearly 18,000 international students studied at the school in the 2022-23 school year, according to Open Doors data. The research institution tracks U.S. students studying abroad and international students coming to the United States. About two hours south at the University of Arizona in Tucson, current undergraduate enrollment is 50% students from the state, 45.2% from out-of-state and 4.5% international, for about a nearly even split between residents and nonresidents, Kasandra Urquidez, the schools chief enrollment officer, wrote in an email. While University of Arizona enrollment for undergraduate state residents dropped 4.6% over the last decade, from 19,206 to 18,323, nonresident undergraduates have risen 41%, from 10,244 to 14,478, according to figures provided by Urquidez. Arizona resident tuition for undergraduates is $13,200 and nonresident tuition is $39,600, she said. As a state university, non-resident enrollment provides university revenue and decreased state funding causes the university to seek alternative forms of revenue, she wrote in the email. She added that Arizona does not limit spots for residents: We are very dedicated to the citizens of our state and would never turn away a qualifying resident for a non-resident. Chanah Tanioka is a senior of Japanese descent from Hawaii studying pre-med at Oregon State University. Shes the first of her family to go to college and said she looked at public universities all over the country, but chose Oregon State because it felt more welcoming to someone of her heritage than some schools in the Midwest or Southeast. She also had a close family friend who attended the school and now lives in nearby Salem. Tanioka has scholarships that make it possible for her to afford the steeper tuition and recommends that students from other places who want to attend a big public university check out its culture before going. Tanioka belongs to the Hawaii Club on campus, which helps make her feel at home. She said one jarring thing about going to school on the mainland is the lack of understanding of her native Hawaiian Pidgin vernacular, in which Are you pau with your food? means Are you finished? Some states seek limits While many public universities have embraced nonresident enrollment in recent years, some states have quotas or laws that are aimed at putting in-state residents first. In North Carolina, five state schools including the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University have an 18% cap. Seven have a 25% cap, two have a 35% cap, and one, Elizabeth City State University, has a 50% cap. Historically Black colleges and universities, known as HBCUs, and schools that had declining in-state enrollment were granted the higher caps. In Texas, state law mandates that high school students graduating in the top 10% of their class (except the top 6% for the University of Texas at Austin applicants) are automatically admitted to any public Texas university. That can effectively limit the number of non-Texas students at those schools. Out-of-state enrollment in Texas public universities grew only 1 percentage point during the past decade, from 6% to 7%, according to Hillmans research. The University of California Board of Regents, under pressure from state lawmakers alarmed at the high percentage of nonresident students attending California universities, in 2017 adopted a new policy to limit nonresident enrollment. The board settled on 18% at five campuses; on four other campuses that already had exceeded that percentage, enrollment would be capped at their 2017-2018 levels. The legislature then worked to appropriate more money to make up for the revenue hit the California campuses would take by admitting fewer higher-paying nonresident students. The deal directed $31 million in state funding to the universities in 2022-23, and grew to $61 million in 2023-24, and is expected to increase to $92 million in 2024-25, according to Justin Tran, spokesperson for California state Sen. John Laird, a Democrat and chair of the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education, who was instrumental in the actions. That is aimed at reducing nonresident enrollment to 18% of the undergraduate student body, replacing about 900 nonresidents with Californians annually, Tran wrote in an email. Oregon lawmakers also are concerned about the number of nonresident students attending state universities. State Rep. John Lively, a Democrat and chair of the House Committee on Higher Education, wrote in an email that the lower ratio of Oregon students to nonresidents is something that deserves a hard look to see what role cost plays in that calculation. He also suggested that people from elsewhere who go to school in Oregon may enhance the states economy by staying after graduation to work. Its also a goal of mine to attract new students and decrease the barrier that cost of higher education creates on individuals and families hoping to make a future here in Oregon, he wrote. This story was originally published by Stateline which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. The post State universities admit more out-of-state students for the tuition bump appeared first on Daily Montanan. The park will host various events after opening on 18 March A new rooftop park in Stockport has been named ahead of its official opening later in March. Based above the new transport interchange, the two-acre Viaduct Park is part of a 120m project to improve the town centre. The name of the venue, which offers views of the town's viaduct built in 1840, was chosen from a shortlist of three suggestions after a public vote. Local officials said "thousands of votes" were cast. Councillor Mark Hunter, leader of Stockport Council, described the park as the "heartbeat" of a 1bn investment in the town. "The winning name is a great nod to our iconic viaduct and it's fitting that the park will provide great views of this amazing structure for years to come." Stockport Viaduct, depicted here in about 1845, still carries trains The 28-arch structure, which is said to contain more than 11 million bricks, was built for the equivalent of 6.1m in today's money and still carries trains travelling on the West Coast Main Line. A month-long light show will be held at Viaduct Park after it opens on 18 March. The venue will also feature playground equipment and a new link to the railway station. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham previously said investment would "celebrate the town's rich history and unique character". The wider interchange development, which includes 196 homes, is one of the biggest single projects outside of London. Weir Mill nearby is also being converted into flats, and a new learning and discovery centre, known as Stockroom, will open later in 2024. Why not follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk Chatter buzzed throughout Selma High School Saturday morning as community members, civil rights foot soldiers and their families sat around cafeteria tables to eat breakfast. Foot soldier Charles Mauldin started the Jubilee weekend tradition 19 years ago as a way for everyone who fought for equal rights in the 1960s to reconnect and celebrate one another on an annual basis. "We sometimes don't really appreciate the small things that people do. We always look at with the big things people do, but those small things added up to the creation of a movement," Mauldin said. "We want to respect that." A number of foot soldiers were honored Saturday morning, including those who have recently died. Here is a collection of some of the stories the activists and their families shared: Charles Mauldin looks on during the Foot Soldiers Breakfast in Selma on Saturday, March 2. 'He almost paid the ultimate price' Leroy Moton Jr. remembers the day he first heard about his father's civil rights legacy. He was seven years old, riding in the backseat of his dad's car as it flew down US 80. They passed a spot that looked familiar, and Moton Sr. launched into the story of the time he played dead in Viola Liuzzo's passenger seat to avoid being murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. Liuzzo was the only white woman murdered in the violence surrounding the Civil Rights Movement. The pair had been ferrying participants in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March back and forth, and on the final day of the march, Luizzo was shuttling Moton back to the capital. Before they could make it out of Selma, though, a group of KKK members spotted them. According to the testimony of one of the assailants, the men hoped that killing a 39-year-old white woman supporting Black voting rights and a Black, teenage activist would send a clear message to those trying to change things in the South. The KKK members followed Luizzo and Moton for about 20 miles before racing up beside them and firing a gun into the car. Luizzo died immediately, and when the car ran off the road, an unharmed Moton pretended to be dead. "He almost paid the ultimate price for our freedom and our right to vote," event facilitator Joyce O'Neal said Saturday. The situation increased increased support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and it also moved President Lyndon Johnson to order a federal investigation of the KKK, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama. "He told me the story, and even then turning seven, I knew the importance," Moton Jr. said. "If that incident had never happened, we wouldn't even know if Black people would be able to vote now." Moton Jr. said a lot of people know his dad as the lanky teenager who survived the infamous murder, but few know what happened to him after that. He moved to Connecticut and started a family. "He was an amazing individual," Moton Jr. said. "After that event, he lived a very fulfilled life, and he was always honored when he came back down to Alabama." Moton Sr. died in September 2023 at the age of 78. The mother of activists In 1965, Eva Alexander was the mother of five children in Selma. When youth protests and nonviolent demonstrations for civil rights began cropping up in the area, her children all wanted to get involved. She drew the line at double digits, allowing her oldest three kids to participate, but keeping her nine-year-old Lynette home with her baby sister. "I didn't understand," Lynette Fuller said on Saturday. "I tugged on her, and I tugged. I wanted so badly to be a part of the Civil Rights Movement." The Foot Soldiers Breakfast is held at Selma High School in Selma, Ala., on Saturday March 2, 2024. After weeks of begging, as the movement reached a crescendo, Alexander gave in. She took Fuller by the hand and boarded a Greyhound bus to Montgomery. They reached the city just in time to stand in front of the Alabama state Capitol, demanding equal voting rights. "We were there," Fuller said. "We didn't actually march, but we were there." The memory has grown hazy over the years, but she said she's proud to have it. Alexander, now 95 years old, received a certificate acknowledging her valuable contributions to the 1965 voting rights efforts. Legitimizing the 'young rebels' Louretta Wimberley taught at the defunct R.B. Hudson High School in Selma during the 1960s, and she remembers the energy that shifted in the halls when the Civil Rights Movement kicked into high gear. Breakfast organizers Mauldin and O'Neal were two of her students around that time. Louretta Wimberly shows her R.B. Hudson High School t-shirt as she is honored during the Foot Soldiers Breakfast in Selma, Ala., on Saturday March 2, 2024. "Without them, I don't think the movement would have been as successful," Wimberley said. "I want to give honor and thank them for their bravery." She recalled the day after the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham. Her students showed up for class, and shortly thereafter, in an organized fashion, they filed out of the school to protest. This was one of many protests she witnessed. Wimberley also participated in the teachers march to the Dallas County Courthouse. She remembers some community members calling for the superintendent to punish the teachers who participated, but that never happened. "They knew we had to be there to teach the children," Wimberley said. Mauldin said the protest is not very well known, but it meant a lot to him and his peers. "We felt like villains because be were going to jail and protesting," he said. "It's because of people like Mrs. Wimberley who gave young rebels like me legitimacy. We knew that we were right." Other honorees Many others were honored during the event, including Earnest Carter, Charles A. Lingo, John Pettaway and Richard Smiley. Mauldin said he looks forward to keeping the tradition going next year when the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday comes around. Hadley Hitson covers children's health, education and welfare for the Montgomery Advertiser. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work,subscribe to the Advertiser. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: 3 foot soldier stories to know ahead of Bloody Sunday anniversary There was a protest at Liverpool Street station last week whose slogan printed on a huge banner read Climate Activists for a Free Palestine. The climate contingent of this enterprise staged a die-in alongside their (very professionally produced) banner to signify the mortal threat which they believe climate change represents to the planet. You may or may not agree with this proposition. Similarly, you may or may not agree with what is clearly implied by the demand for a free Palestine which is to say, the immediate cessation of Israels campaign to eliminate Hamas. But whatever your views on these two issues, they are entirely separate. That is, they have, on any rational assessment, nothing to do with one another. In fact, if you passionately believe there is an imminent climate crisis generated by the use of fossil fuels, you would presumably be disinclined to support the control of Gaza by Hamas, which is funded by Iran whose economy has been built on oil. So what is it about these two causes that could possibly draw their supporters together under one banner? An even more bizarre mismatch of causes was the widely ridiculed slogan Queers for Palestine which proffered the support of people whose sexual orientation is punishable by death under Islamist regimes, against the democratic state of Israel which embraces the social and personal freedoms that are familiar in the West. Rishi Sunak got it absolutely right in his remarkable speech on Friday. This is not politics, not even of the radical kind that we have been familiar with for generations. It does not offer any reasoned argument about principles which it is possible to imagine one side winning. It is inchoate, incoherent rage which is ready to make common cause with anyone else who is enraged even on contradictory grounds. If you believe your gender identity is under threat from a bigoted society, you join hands with angry people whose bigotry is so extreme that they would condone your murder. If you fear that the world is under threat from the continued use of fossil fuels, you march with protesters who are being sponsored by oil wealth. There was a time when dissidence of one kind making common cause with dissidence of another kind had a ready explanation. The infiltration of varying causes was a mainstay of Marxist subversion throughout the mid-20th century. Seemingly unconnected and disparate organisations, from community co-operatives to social reform movements, would be turned into front groups for systematic re-purposing by dedicated Left-wing agitators, some of whom were actually Soviet assets and others anti-Stalinist Trotskyists. (Indeed, the animosity between those factions was as virulent as the hatred of the capitalist economies which they were all committed to destroying.) To bring this right up to date, we now have an entity called the Workers Party a name that summons up traditional Left-wing dedication to the interests of working class people winning a by-election in Rochdale by somehow conflating the Palestinian cause in Gaza with local working class needs. So a party that might have represented the Left as we once knew it secular, socially progressive, committed to wealth redistribution has become something altogether different. Something, in truth, that is of little interest to most British working class voters. In fact, it has become the whatever-George-Galloway-wants party. That will end at the general election in a few months time but as the Prime Minister suggested, what the Galloway model represents is much greater and more dangerous than the man himself. There is a pattern here which will not end without deliberate action. One message is being channelled consistently through those unlikely alliances of disruption: these iniquities are all rooted in the same evil. Whatever produces discontent, whatever provokes a sense of injustice or cosmic despair however unconnected those things may seem can all be traced, the agitators claim, to the Western model of society. The inextinguishable sins of colonialism, capitalist exploitation and meaningless freedoms are the root cause of absolutely everything that is wrong. There is no weapon too lethal, no threat too extreme to be used against this hegemony which relies on a great lie to subdue populations into accepting its values. The old mechanisms of infiltration are being used to take over and redirect the energies of every disaffected group that appears on the scene and gains public notice. What is particularly striking about the current incarnation of this phenomenon is how much it looks and sounds like the version I knew so well: an alliance between the impressionable young with their reckless energy and desire to bond with their peers and the much older mentors whose objectives are focussed and well-practised. So many of the apparently spontaneous uprisings of recent years Black Lives Matter, Just Stop Oil, the Palestine support marches are now being guided (and often spoken for) by the sort of experienced handlers who would once have organised the Communist takeover of trade unions or the hugely successful mass entryism into local Labour parties by Trotskyists. (The latter are on quite a high at the moment with the Socialist Workers Party name emblazoned on most of the printed posters carried at Palestine support marches.) But the notable difference between the infiltration of the past and the one that is being pursued so shamelessly now is that, back then, there was an alternative system being offered by the combatants. There was an argument about the competing values of capitalism and revolutionary socialism. Now all that is on offer is morbid self-hatred and permanent discord. There is a lesson in this for those who still believe that liberal democracy and free market economics are the best possible conditions for life. Do not join in this game: resist the temptation to respond with hate to those who would incite it for their own disruptive motives. The Lee Andersons and the Suella Bravermans, whose anger and frustration I can understand, must appreciate that they risk playing into the hands of those who want nothing more nor less than endless bitterness and irreconcilable discord, and ultimately the death of democracy itself. 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) -- Rishi Sunaks chances of winning the next UK election have already been written off by most in Westminster. Yet close allies worry the challenge is becoming even harder than it should be because one of his own Cabinet ministers is positioning to succeed him as Conservative Party leader. Most Read from Bloomberg The prime ministers office is increasingly concerned by Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, according to ministers, lawmakers and aides who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity to discuss internal party politics. One said the 44-year-old Badenoch, who is also the bookmakers favorite to be the next Tory leader, is rapidly emerging as Sunaks chief political headache. A glance at recent newspaper headlines is enough to explain why. Badenoch has made a series of interventions on high-profile issues viewed as priorities for grassroots Conservative Party members who get to choose the next leader. In December, it emerged Badenoch had pushed for a harder line on Sunaks flagship migration policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, something Tory members view as one of the most important issues facing the country. Weeks later, a group of former government advisers briefed journalists that Sunak was leading the party to electoral oblivion and that he should be replaced by Badenoch. She swiftly distanced herself from the group, though she faced some embarrassment when it was then reported she was in a WhatsApp group called jokingly, some members said the Evil Plotters. The noise has picked up this month. She waded into a row over transgender rights with a post on the social media site X not signed off by Sunaks aides accusing opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer of trying to politicize the murder of a teenager. She also became embroiled in a public spat with a former Post Office official she alleged was the subject of a bullying investigation when she fired him. Sunaks spokespeople refused to endorse her claim. In some respects, its consistent with the abrasive reputation Badenoch has built up. Shes publicly argued with journalists and often inserted herself into conversations about core Tory issues in a way that her colleagues suspect is motivated by her leadership ambitions, one Conservative MP said. Observers say it appears more calculated recently. After Sunak triggered outrage with a jibe about gender identity backfired in the House of Commons, Badenochs decision to double-down played directly to the audience of Tory members who are critical of transgender rights. Targeting a former Post Office official is also safe ground politically amid the furor over wrongful convictions of staff, yet her intervention did Sunak few favors by drawing further attention to the slow payment of compensation. Spokespeople for Sunak and Badenoch declined to comment. Skepticism about Badenochs motives is growing in Sunaks inner circle, according to people familiar with their thinking. Theres frustration because they want to focus on an economy expected to improve before voters cast their ballots, and build a presidential-style campaign led by the premier. One said Badenoch had replaced Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary sacked by Sunak, as his teams least favorite Cabinet member. Its a far cry from when Sunaks chief of staff, Liam Booth-Smith, used to praise Badenoch at weekly meetings of government advisers. That has stopped in the last few months, one person said. According to a Conservative MP, Sunak doesnt have any leverage over Badenoch to rein her in, and warned he cannot afford to lose her from his Cabinet without facing a leadership challenge. Badenoch, a former associate director at the private bank Coutts, has risen up the ministerial ranks rapidly since becoming an MP in 2017. A keen supporter of Brexit, she stood in the leadership contest ultimately won by Liz Truss in 2022. Under Sunak, she first served as trade secretary before the premier added the business department to her portfolio. Shes also the equalities minister, though the right-leaning press have dubbed her the anti-woke warrior. One minister said the inevitability of the Tories defeat had drained Sunak of his authority and caused a breakdown in discipline among Tory MPs, branding them a rabble. That played into the latest Conservative turmoil, when MP Lee Anderson took aim at Labours Muslim Mayor London Sadiq Khan, accusing him of handing over the capital to his Islamist mates. Sunak suspended Anderson, but triggered a backlash from the MPs supporters on the right of the Conservative Party. Badenoch again weighed in, posting on X that she opposed the concept of Islamophobia, instead preferring the term anti-Muslim hatred. Thats another distinction welcomed by the Tory right. Responding to Badenochs momentum, more centrist Conservatives are trying to lay down a marker. Security minister Tom Tugendhat was due to appear for the government on a morning broadcast round on Tuesday, but was pulled by Sunaks office because he planned to strongly condemn Anderson. MPs in the so-called One Nation caucus launched an unofficial Anyone But Kemi drive. At a party fund-raiser with dozens of leading donors on Thursday, Home Secretary James Cleverly attracted attention as he worked the room. Both Tugendhat and Cleverly, as well as Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, are now seen as more likely leadership candidates from the center-right than Penny Mordaunt, the one-time favorite who is in danger of losing her parliamentary seat, according to multiple Tories from that wing of the party. To be sure, Badenoch doesnt have the right of the party sewn up. According to Chris Hopkins, director of the pollster Savanta, Badenoch is less popular than her rivals in a survey of people who voted Conservative in the 2019 general election. Still, her name recognition was also lower, Hopkins said. It might not be such a bad idea for the Conservative Party to choose a relative unknown to lead them in opposition, if the election results in the change of government that polling currently suggests, he said. Some prominent figures on the Tory right said she would struggle to win over Boris Johnson supporters, due to accusations in a book by ex-Tory MP Nadine Dorries that Badenoch plotted against the former premier. Braverman is another seen as having leadership ambitions, though she has relatively few supporters in the parliamentary party, people familiar with the matter said. Instead Priti Patel, another former Home Secretary, is talked about as an under-priced candidate from the right, they said. Thats partly because she has kept a low profile political Tory wisdom is that early plotters rarely come out on top and because she is likely to keep her parliamentary seat in Essex even if the Conservatives suffer an electoral whitewash. The lack of discipline is becoming so harmful that some Conservatives speculate Sunak could bring forward the election date to May he has previously said he expects it in the second half of 2024. Sunaks team fears Braverman and even Badenoch are preparing pressure on the premier to shift the campaign away from the economy to a tougher line on immigration. The premier has moved to counter that with strong language about pro-Palestine marches late Friday. But one prominent Tory summed up the view in Cabinet: Sunaks government is all but finished, and everything now is about the leadership after the election. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. After weeks of witnessing presidential politics play out in other states, voters in Massachusetts will have their chance to formally weigh in on Tuesday. In a file photo, Parks Department foreman Mark Rainey sets up voting booths at Worcester Technical High School. The presidential primary shifts to Massachusetts and 14 other states for Super Tuesday. Polls are generally open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Communities can open earlier in the day. Vermont and Maine are the other New England states that are part of Super Tuesday. More: Which states vote on Super Tuesday? What to know ahead of the presidential primaries President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and former President Donald Trump, a Republican, hold early leads in their respective parties. In the primary, there are 92 delegates at stake in the Democratic race, and 40 for the Republican contest. Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina, and Trump are the major GOP candidates on the ballot. Voters will see ballots with the names of candidates who have dropped out of the race. There are about 4.9 million registered voters in Massachusetts, with 114,124 in Worcester. Many voters have already filled out their ballots. As of last Wednesday, 8.1% of registered voters had cast ballots, according to Secretary of State William Galvin. In Worcester, 7,650 voters cast ballots as of Friday afternoon, either through mail-in ballots or by in-person early voting at the Worcester Public Library. Mail-in ballots can be dropped off at City Hall and city fire stations until the close of polls at 8 p.m. Tuesday. By Friday, election officials were asking that mail-in ballots be returned to drop boxes, opposed to traditional mail. Meantime, voters in Southbridge, Dudley and parts of Charlton and Spencer will see an additional ballot for a separate race, one that holds little suspense. The race to fill the vacant House of Representatives seat in the 6th Worcester District will be formally decided Tuesday. But Dudley Selectman John Marsi, a Republican, is in line to fill the seat, once held by Peter Durant, with no other candidates on the ballot. Marsi defeated Southbridge Councilor David Adams in the February party primary. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Massachusetts holds presidential primary Tuesday with 14 other states GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) Donald Trump and several other prominent North Carolina Republicans spoke at the Greensboro Coliseum rally on Saturday. Supporters of the former President gathered ahead of his Saturday afternoon rally at the Greensboro Coliseum. The Get Out the Vote Rally took place at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex on West Gate City Boulevard. Who will be Donald Trumps running mate? Doors opened at 11 a.m. and Trump began speaking at around 2:14 p.m. Trump began his speech by covering topics such as immigration and securing the border, his ongoing legal battles and claims that the 2020 election was rigged. Trump compared the damage that President Joe Biden has done during his Presidency to the 10 worst Presidents in American history and claimed that Biden is giving aid and comfort to foreign enemies of the United States and referred to him as a danger to democracy. The former President also acknowledged Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and endorsed his ongoing gubernatorial campaign calling him an outstanding lieutenant governor. He also compared Robinson to Martin Luther King. Sen. Ted Budd and Rep. Dan Bishop were also among the politicians Trump acknowledged in his speech. He endorsed Bishops campaign for attorney general. Rep. Virginia Foxx and Rep. Lauren Boebert also received praise from the former President. Trump also endorsed Addison McDowells run for North Carolinas 6th District. Trump also spoke positively on how he dealt with ISIS and other foreign conflicts during his Presidency. He criticized Biden on topics like inflation and gas prices and promised to impose penalties on China and other trade abusers if elected again. He also promised to overhaul the Department of Justice and to protect the Second Amendment. Trump also called for the use of paper ballots and the use of voter IDs in elections. The former President also criticized the use of electric vehicles for military equipment; specifically tanks and aircraft. Trump also repeatedly referred to those jailed as a result of the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2020, as hostages. Trump also claimed that a great recession would occur in the stock market if he does not win the 2024 election. Video showed thousands gathered outside the Greensboro Coliseum waiting for the doors to open, waving flags and chanting in support of the former President. FOX8s Justin Lundy was at the scene as those supporters as the former President and several other prominent North Carolina Republicans spoke. Notable attendees and speakers at the rally include: Rep. Virginia Foxx Sen. Ted Budd North Carolina Sheriffs Association President Darren Campbell Rep. Jimmy Dixon NCGOP chairman Michael Whatley Speaker of the North Carolina House Rep. Tim Moore. Rep. Dan Bishop Addison McDowell Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson Foxx, Campbell, Dixon, Whatley, Moore, Bishop, McDowell, Budd and Robinson gave opening remarks for a little over half an hour as the rally began. Trump comes to Greensboro following his victory in the South Carolina primary over Nikki Haley. The Greensboro Police Department announced on Thursday that drivers can expect delays and heavy traffic around the Coliseum area on Saturday. If you do not need to be in the area it is suggested you avoid it. As of Friday afternoon, GPD said that it was still establishing times and routes for Trumps visit. However, no roads along the route are expected to be closed for any extended period of time. You can watch Trumps full speech on the FOX8 Facebook page. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. WASHINGTON With the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to take up Donald Trumps claim that he is immune from prosecution for his coup attempt, the former president and near certain Republican presidential nominee could be spending every weekday of the campaigns final month sitting in a Washington, D.C., courtroom. Instead of visiting key states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia, where his efforts to regain the White House will likely be decided, Trump might instead be sitting before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, listening to his former aides testify about his attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss. Instead of long speeches at rallies, Trumps campaigning could primarily consist of his signature rants about election interference and a witch hunt as he stands outside the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Court House just blocks from the U.S. Capitol, which a mob of his followers attacked on Jan. 6, 2021, as part of his last-ditch attempt to retain power. Youre going to have the spectacle of his former officials, one after the other, day after day, testifying about what he did, said George Conway, a conservative lawyer who worked on the civil lawsuit that led to former President Bill Clintons impeachment and, more recently, helped writer E. Jean Carroll sue Trump for sexually abusing and defaming her. Whether such a scenario would help Trump or hurt him is unclear. Trumps campaign aides did not respond to HuffPost queries, but much of his 2024 campaign has already been based on his supposed victimhood at the hands of the deep state, and it has let him glide toward winning the nomination over a field of rivals. And whether the October trial scenario comes to pass depends entirely on how quickly the Supreme Court justices issue their ruling after the scheduled oral arguments on April 22. A date for the trial of former President Donald Trump in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election will be set Aug. 28 by Judge Tanya Chutkan. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images The high court historically has moved quickly on questions about the presidency. In 1974, just 16 days after hearing oral arguments, justices ruled unanimously that President Richard Nixon had to turn over recordings he had made in the White House. Those tapes revealed he was aware of the cover-up in the Watergate scandal, and Nixon wound up resigning days after the tapes were made public. In December 2000, the Supreme Court ruled just one day after oral arguments that Florida could not conduct a statewide hand recount of presidential ballots, thereby giving the presidency to Texas Gov. George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore. If the Supreme Court rules in a similar fashion in Trumps appeal, the case could be back in Chutkans hands by early May. She has previously said she would not penalize Trumps legal team for appealing the immunity question and would give them the three months they had remaining in early December before the trial was to have started. The resulting early August trial date potentially means it would be wrapped up and a verdict issued by Election Day on Nov. 5. This case can still go to trial if the Supreme Court moves quickly, and they should, said Norm Eisen, a former White House lawyer in the Obama administration who worked with House Democrats in the first Trump impeachment in 2020. If, however, the court does not rule until the very end of its term in late June or early July, Chutkans three-month clock would push a trial start date to late September or early October. At that point, Trumps lawyers would be out of legal arguments to delay the case any further but are almost certain to continue their political argument: claiming that it would be unfair to proceed so close to the election. Some legal experts worry that in a presidential contest, those arguments would be difficult for Chutkan to resist. No judge is going to start a trial four weeks before the election, especially with the possibility trial might extend beyond Election Day, said Preet Bharara, a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. To date, however, Chutkan has indicated that she will not treat Trump differently than any other criminal defendant coming before her. The fact that hes running a political campaign currently has to yield to the orderly administration of justice, Chutkan said at a hearing last August. Regardless of what is going on with his, I hate to say, his day job, this is a criminal case. I cannot and I will not factor into my decisions the influence it will have on a political campaign on either side. That a federal trial on the election conspiracy charges will happen at all is based on the assumption shared by many if not most legal experts that the high court will uphold a February appellate court ruling that Trump does not have immunity from prosecution over his actions while president. That it could start before the election is largely based on the presumption that justices will not send the case back to Chutkan with a demand that she hold a fact-finding hearing. Eisen said the wording of the Supreme Courts order Wednesday accepting the case suggests that its decision will be based on the assumption that the accusations in the Jan. 6 indictment are true. They talk about making the determination based on allegations, he said. Thats a reference to making the determination based on the indictment. Conway, though, said that even if the court does send the case back to Chutkan to determine, for example, whether his attempts to overturn the election were official presidential duties or not, she could hold a hearing on that specific question relatively quickly over the summer, bringing in the same witnesses who will later appear at the trial. It would be a mini-trial, Conway said, which would have the same effect of bringing forward incriminating testimony just as the campaign season heats up. Thats probably not going to be good for him. The Jan. 6-related federal case is just one of four criminal prosecutions Trump is facing. A Georgia case is based on his attempt to overturn his election loss in that state, while a separate federal prosecution stems from his refusal to return secret documents he took with him to his South Florida country club upon leaving the White House. A New York state indictment, meanwhile, accuses him of falsifying business records to hide payments made ahead of the 2016 election to silence accusations of extramarital affairs. Related... China's ongoing efforts to challenge the dominance of the West in global governance have been on show this week with the visit of Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio to Beijing. And according to observers, by winning support from developing countries like Sierra Leone, China is positioning itself as a voice for the Global South - offering an alternative to the largely Western leadership of international affairs. In a meeting with Bio at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the two countries should strengthen their cooperation at the United Nations Security Council so they could "jointly safeguard the interests of Africa and developing countries". 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. Sierra Leone is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, representing the interests of African countries, while China is a permanent member of the council with veto power. Africa has long argued that the present global governance system disproportionately favours the West. "China has always regarded the development of solidarity and cooperation with African countries as an important cornerstone of its foreign policy," Xi was quoted as saying in a statement released after the talks. Gyude Moore, a senior policy fellow at the Washington-based Centre for Global Development and a former minister in Liberia, said Africa's leverage was significantly more political than economic - voting with China at the UN and other international forums. "President Xi gave a speech in which he communicated China's intent to be a voice for developing countries. It is thus important to have the support of those countries to lend that voice legitimacy," Moore said of China's increased efforts to court countries in the Global South, which are developing nations mostly in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. Story continues Xi and Bio agreed that reform of the UN Security Council should support developing countries, including those in Africa, "to play a greater role, expand their representation and voice in the Security Council, and correct the historical injustice suffered by Africa". The African Union has been pushing for reform of the international system for decades, in line with the 2005 Ezulwini Consensus and the 2005 Sirte Declaration which call for, among other things, two permanent seats on the Security Council for Africa and an expansion of non-permanent seats to five, with the members to be decided by the continent. According to David Shinn, a professor at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, Bio is the first African head of state to visit China this year, "probably marking the revival of increased high visits by African leaders to China in the post-Covid era". China is also Sierra Leone's largest trading partner. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio pledged to work together to further African interests at the UN Security Council. Photo: Xinhua alt=Chinese President Xi Jinping and Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio pledged to work together to further African interests at the UN Security Council. Photo: Xinhua> Shinn said Bio supported China's "core" interests, and during the visit the leaders agreed to deepen their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. "The visit underscores Xi Jinping's goal to become the leader of the Global South. On the other hand, China made only modest new financial commitments for Sierra Leone," Shinn said. During the talks, Xi promised that Beijing would continue to bankroll the construction of Sierra Leone's infrastructure and allow more products from the West African nation to enter the Chinese market. He said China "will provide assistance and support within its capacity" to develop Sierra Leone's agriculture, infrastructure construction and human resources. Beijing will further encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in the nation and start businesses there. Xi also said China would "deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in mining, fishery, vocational and technical education and related infrastructure construction". Sierra Leone would also be invited to take part in the China International Import Expo and "actively support more Sierra Leone products to enter the Chinese market", Xi said. Meanwhile, Bio agreed to improve the business environment and provide good conditions for Chinese companies to operate in his country. Bio, whose five-day state visit ends on Saturday, described China as "a friend that Sierra Leone trusts and relies on". He also said he appreciated China's strong support for his country's economic and social development. Bio added Sierra Leone was willing to learn from China's experience, strengthen cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, and expand infrastructure construction, trade and education. "We look forward to leveraging strategic opportunities for the benefit of our two countries," he said, adding that relations with China had flourished, encompassing various areas, including trade, infrastructure development, education, mining and healthcare. During his trip, Bio has also talked with Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and Premier Li Qiang. He also made a speech at the Sierra Leone Investment Forum in Beijing, inviting Chinese investors into the West African nation, as he spruiked its abundant natural resources. Moore of the Centre for Global Development said the economic slowdown in China carried serious risks for African economies. "China is Sierra Leone's largest trade partner, so securing Chinese investment and retaining China as a market is important for the Sierra Leonean economy," Moore said. "The obverse is not true; Africa as a whole comprises a single-digit percentage of total Chinese trade." Bio also met with Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, during his visit to Beijing. Photo: Xinhua alt=Bio also met with Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, during his visit to Beijing. Photo: Xinhua> Chinese business interests in Sierra Leone include mining, ports and fishing. Chinese firm Leone Rock Metal Group, for example, last year broke ground on a 12 million tonne iron ore processing plant through its local subsidiary Kingho Mining Company. It is investing US$230 million to build a mineral beneficiation plant for the second phase of its expansion strategy at the Tonkolili mine, which has an estimated 13.7 billion tonnes of iron ore. Leone Rock Metal Group is also upgrading the railway and port infrastructure in the coastal town of Pepel, where bulk iron ore is shipped from, at a cost of US$153 million. According to the Chinese firm, the works will improve the haulage capacity of the rail line and the operational capacity of the port to ensure it attains an annual material handling capacity of 20 million tonnes. The firm has since signed a lease agreement with the Sierra Leonean government to operate the rail and port facilities. China is also funding the building of a US$55 million industrial fishing harbour in Sierra Leone. But conservationists and landowners have criticised the project as "a catastrophic human and ecological disaster" that would destroy pristine rainforest, plunder fish stocks and pollute fish breeding grounds and marine ecosystems. John Calabrese, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said Sierra Leone was minerals-rich but has a very impoverished and fragile economy. "I know that China has invested in the extractive and agricultural sectors, and that Chinese companies have built roads and other infrastructure," Calabrese said. There was also a sizeable Chinese community in Sierra Leone capital Freetown, he said. "President Bio is probably in Beijing looking for an infusion of new investment and loan cancellation or at least debt rescheduling," Calabrese said. Meanwhile he said Xi would make new pledges for Sierra Leone "to generate goodwill and build political influence". After their talks, Xi and Bio witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents regarding the Belt and Road Initiative, agriculture, economic development, and the implementation of global development initiatives. 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. A living person was pulled out from under the rubble of a high-rise building in Odesa A survivor was rescued from the wreckage of an Odesa high-rise entrance hit by a Russian drone, regional governor Oleh Kiper reported on Telegram on March 2. Rescuers managed to extract a man from under the rubble, Kiper said. Read also: Ukraines Defense Forces neutralize all Russian attack drones in overnight incursion The man was in the basement during the drone strike and is currently conscious, undergoing a doctors examination. Search and clearing operations are ongoing at the site, Kiper added. Read also: Ukraine downs all 10 Russian drones fired overnight, debris causes major damage in Odesa A Russian drone struck a 9-story building during the attack in Odesa, destroying an entrance. At least two fatalities have been reported. Search and rescue operations are underway. 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 Pennsylvania State Police have reportedly arrested a 52-year-old man for the murder of 23-year-old pregnant Amish woman Rebekah Byler. WKBN reported that Shawn Cranston of Corry, Pennsylvania was being charged with criminal homicide, criminal homicide of unborn child, burglary, and criminal trespass. The station said he was arraigned just before 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning and is being held without bail at the Crawford County Jail. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 15. On Feb. 26 police were called after Bylers husband, Andy, and another person returned to the home and found her unresponsive. Rebekah Byler, who was six months pregnant, reportedly had fatal wounds to her head and neck. The Bylers two young children were found in the home unharmed, Trooper Cynthia Schick said Thursday. She said an autopsy had given police an idea of what the murder weapon was but they did not have it in their possession. The case has rocked the Amish community in the small Sparta Township in Crawford County, just outside of the borough of Spartansburg and about 35 miles southeast of Erie, Pennsylvania. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Wrens Police K9 tracking dog Harlowe gets out of a patrol car to begin looking for leads at the Regions Bank shortly after a robbery at that location. Officers with the U.S. Marshals Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Eddie Adonis Garnett, 53, of Augusta, Thursday, Feb. 15 in connection to the Wrens Regions Bank robbery that occurred earlier this month. Wrens Police Chief John Maynard said that around 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1, Garnett entered the building on Broad Street across from City Hall, told the teller he wanted all of the $100, $50 and $20 bills and then jumped over the counter. Garnett proceeded to go through the drawer himself, stuffing cash into his sweatpants and sweatshirt pockets. He then walked out of the bank. No weapon was used during the robbery and no one was injured. Footage from the Wrens Regions Bank robbery on Feb. 1. By canvassing nearby businesses security cameras, investigators believe Garnett then left in a vehicle which had been parked nearby with another unidentified person. Garnett has been charged with two counts of robbery by intimidation and one count of burglary in the second degree in this case. According to reporting in The Augusta Chronicle, Garnett was previously arrested for robbery of the Gordon Highway SunTrust in 2012, was a suspect in a Morrow, GA, bank robbery and was wanted at that time in connection with violating his federal probation from previous bank robberies. In 2005, Garnett was arrested in McDuffie County after a Thomson bank was robbed. In 1997, Garnett pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to three counts of bank robbery from banks in Augusta, Martinez and Thomson. Garnett was sentenced to nine years without parole for taking more than $42,000. Maynard said that the FBI, U.S. Marshals Office and Jefferson County Sheriffs Office assisted in the Wrens Regions Bank robbery investigation and Garnetts apprehension. I appreciate Capt. Robert Chalker from the Sheriffs Office who received a tip, followed up with it and was able to gather a lot of information none of us knew and that information was relayed up to the federal level, Maynard said. It aided in his (Garnetts) capture. Maynard recommended that other area businesses and banks ensure they have safety plans and protocols in place and that they rehearse these often. Make sure all of the security equipment is working properly and try to remain calm and cooperative in the event of something like this happening, Maynard said. We hope that it doesnt, but this is proof that this can happen here at any time. Garnett is currently being held in the Jefferson County Detention Center. This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Suspect arrested in Wrens bank robbery, previously charged in others The suspected Chinese spy balloon drifts to the ocean after being shot down off the coast of South Carolina in February, 2023 - Randall HIll/Reuters A suspected spy balloon has been found by fishermen off the coast of Alaska, according to reports. The commercial crew is expected to hand over the object to FBI agents for analysis when they dock over the weekend. After discovering the object, the fishermen sent photographs to officials who found it shared enough similarities with foreign surveillance balloons to be investigated, three sources told CNN. Although it is not clear what the object is, if it does turn out to be a foreign-owned spy balloon it could worsen already-frosty international relations between the US and its rivals. It comes one year after a Chinese spy balloon was shot down by a US fighter jet off the coast of South Carolina. That balloon entered the US from Alaskan air space and crossed above sensitive military bases before being taken down by an F-22 Raptor. It was later revealed to have been part of an extensive surveillance programme run by Beijing. Intelligence officials found the balloon had used a US internet service provider to send short, periodic transmissions of data related to navigation and location back to China, sources claimed at the time. The Pentagon later said while the balloon had intelligence collection capabilities, it did not collect sensitive information while flying over the US. At the time, China claimed the balloon was being used for weather-related issues. The discovery further strained an already fragile relationship between Beijing and Washington. The US military did not initially shoot it down due to the risk of it landing on a populated area. It was downed off the Atlantic Coast on the orders of Joe Biden. Republicans lambasted Mr Biden for not shooting it down earlier. It led to the US military searching the skies for other objects that were not being captured on radar and could be a national security threat. It also prompted the US to improve its radar systems to better detect objects travelling above a certain altitude. Last week a small balloon was intercepted above Utah. The North American Aerospace Defence Command said in a statement that the object was likely a hobby balloon that posed no national security threat. 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Memphis Police Department is searching for the suspects responsible for an early morning burglary at an Orange Mound store. According to reports, officers responded to the S & L Grocery and Market located at 2966 Carnes Avenue, just before 6 a.m. Saturday. Photo courtesy of the Memphis Police Department Photo courtesy of the Memphis Police Department Photo courtesy of the Memphis Police Department Police say video surveillance shows three men using a 2017 Nissan Armada to pull the security bars off the business to gain entry into the store. The suspects stole an undetermined amount of cash and cigarettes and fled the scene before officers arrived, reports say. At this time, no arrests have been made. 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. (PORTLAND TRIBUNE) First District Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici saw the impact of increasing food and housing costs in outer Southwest Portland when she recently toured the pantry for low-income families operated by Neighborhood House. Recipients were lined up outside the door, aisles were crowded, and volunteers were packing boxes with food for delivery to those who could not make the trip to the organizations longtime facility in the heart of Multnomah Village during her Feb. 26 visit. Oregon Senate passes bill to end Measure 110, recriminalize hard drugs I very much appreciate everything you are doing, the Democratic U.S. representative told pantry staff and volunteers. She also talked about her work in Congress to increase food available for low-income families through Farm Act renewals, pushing to increase SNAP benefits, among other efforts. The pantry now called the Free Food Market is the largest in west Portland. It serves between 800 and 900 families a month, comprising approximately 2,500 people. It is stocked by contributions from the Oregon Food Bank, grocery stores, food-gathering collective, and others. Food can either be picked up in person or delivered by Door Dash, a service created during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when the pantry had to close. Deliveries are funded through a grant from the Portland Childrens Levy. Read more at PortlandTribune.com The Portland Tribune and its parent company Pamplin Media Group are KOIN 6 News media partners For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Ukrainian exporting companies will be able to apply for export credit guarantees from the Swedish Export Credit Corporation. Source: Swedish National Export Credits Guarantee Board (EKN) The guarantees will apply to exports to Ukraine that can contribute to its development and prosperity. Special export credit guarantees make investments in Ukraine simpler and less risky for Swedish companies. This means improved opportunities for exporting essential goods to Ukraine and, thereby, can contribute to economic development and recovery. The Swedish government has also decided to open a trade secretary office in Kyiv and appoint a new trade secretary to Ukraine. "Export credit guarantees and establishing a new trade office in Kyiv will facilitate Swedish companies' investment in Ukraine. This is also a concrete example of how the government is working to strengthen synergy between aid, trade, and business promotion," says Johan Forssell, Minister for International Development Cooperation of Sweden. Background: In early February, the Swedish government allocated 26.4 million to the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) to support energy efficiency projects in Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! 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. As Sweden joins NATO, it bids a final farewell to more than two centuries of neutrality. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos, File) STOCKHOLM (AP) Sweden's last war ended in 1814, and when the rifles and cannons it aimed at Norway fell silent, the once-warring power would not take up arms again. For the next two centuries, Sweden embraced a policy of neutrality, refusing to take sides in wars or join any military alliance. It was a stance that kept peace at home and contributed to the country becoming a prosperous welfare state and humanitarian superpower. This remarkably long era of nonalignment is coming to a close as Sweden joins NATO. The ceremonial formalities are expected soon, after 18 months of delays while Turkey and Hungary held up ratification and sought concessions from other members of the alliance. Sweden is now leaving 200 years of neutrality and nonalignment behind us," Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said after Hungary's Parliament gave its approval Monday, overcoming the final hurdle. "It is a big step. We must take that seriously. But it is also a very natural step that we are taking. Sweden, like neighbor Finland, had long ruled out seeking NATO membership. That changed practically overnight when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The attack sparked fears across Europe of Moscows revived imperial ambitions alarm that has grown as Russia gains momentum on the battlefield in Ukraine. Its the right path for us, said Jacob Frederiksen, a 24-year-old pilot, who like many Swedes has embraced NATO membership amid the breakdown of the post-World War II order that largely kept the peace for decades. I think in this new era, its better to be part of an alliance than being independent and neutral. The invasion had a shock effect on Swedish political life," said Henrik Ekengren Oscarsson, a political scientist at the University of Goteborg. He analyzed polling data showing that support for NATO membership surged from 35% in 2021 to 64% after the invasion. It was the largest and fastest shift in opinion that has so far been measured in Swedish political history, Ekengren Oscarsson wrote. Still, new anxieties come with being part of an alliance amid rising tensions between Russia and the West. Ulrika Eklund, a 55-year-bank employee in Stockholm, said she feels uncertainty about being in NATO and the effect it will have on Sweden. But she understands why the step has been taken with so much going on in the world and in Europe. The country's neutrality has its roots in the early 19th century, when Europe was engulfed in the Napoleonic wars. Though Sweden ended up on the winning side of battles against Frances warrior-emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, the loss of territorial possession in Finland to Russia years earlier put an end to any illusions of Sweden continuing in a big-power role. After having gained Norway, the policy was aimed at staying outside the quarrels of the big powers and instead developing Sweden as a country. And that we did," said Robert Dalsjo, senior analyst with the Swedish Defence Research Agency. The policy allowed Sweden to grow, Dalsjo said, putting it on the path to a modern state after being one of the poorest and most backward countries in Europe in the early 19th century. As Sweden adjusted to its new status, King Karl XIV John declared the countrys neutrality in 1834. In a letter to the courts of Britain and Russia, he urged respect for Swedens wish to stay out of their conflicts. Preserved in the Swedish National Archives and considered the oldest document on Swedens neutrality, the text reads: We will request, as we do now, to stay totally outside of this struggle, and that Sweden and Norway, by keeping a strict neutrality towards the warring parties, can deserve, by our impartial conduct, respect and the appreciation of our system. Along the way, Sweden's neutrality was tested particularly during World War II, when it made concessions to Germany to stay out of war. The Second World War was a near-death experience for Sweden," Dalsjo said. Many Swedes believed they remained at peace due to their neutrality, he said, but in reality "we were flexible in our application of neutrality: early in the war, making concessions to the Germans and later in the war, making concessions to the allies. During the Cold War, when Sweden and Finland were buffer countries between NATO and the Warsaw Pact alliance, many Swedes and Finns felt that being outside either bloc was the best way to avoid tensions with Russia, the powerful eastern neighbor in the Baltic Sea region. But that never meant a full embrace of pacifism. In the 1950s and 60s, Sweden had the fourth-largest air force in the world and the ability to mobilize around 800,000 men, including reservists, in case of war, said Andreas Ohlsson, curator at the Swedish Army Museum. Being neutral is not being naive. Its actually a way of thinking that we have to be self-dependent if the war comes," Ohlsson said. As the years passed, the idea of Sweden as a voice for peace and nuclear nonproliferation became core to Sweden's identity. The home of the Nobel Prize institutions funded foreign aid programs, took part in peacekeeping missions abroad and relied on its neutral status to act as a mediator in regional conflicts around the globe. Olof Palme, Swedens prime minister in the 1970s, described Sweden as a moral superpower that should become active in situations where other countries, as a result of their foreign policy stance, have been incapable of engagement. Fears of Russians military power stretch back centuries and lasted into the twilight years of the Cold War. In 1981, a Soviet submarine ran aground in the Stockholm archipelago, coming close to the main Swedish naval base. Tense days followed. After the Cold War, fears diminished, and Sweden cut back on defense spending. But in recent years, Sweden has invested more in its military and built up contacts with NATO, participating in training with the alliance. A key catalyst was Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014. In 2017, Sweden brought back conscription. The next year, a regiment on Swedens strategically important Baltic Sea island of Gotland, northwest of the Russian territory of Kaliningrad, was reestablished after being disbanded in 2005. Over time for Sweden clearly rooted in the West and a member of the European Union since 1995 the word nonalignment became more apt than neutrality." For 30 years, we have edged away from the pure-hearted neutrality that was never so pure, to an alliance position, Dalsjo said. And you might say that we finally consummate it by joining NATO. Qantas paid tribute on its parade float in honour of the former employee Luke Davies A moment's silence has been held in Australia at Sydney's annual Mardi Gras Pride a week after a police officer was charged with murdering a gay couple. The bodies of journalist Jesse Baird, 26, and Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29, were found on Tuesday at a rural property outside Sydney. Beaumont Lamarre-Condon has been charged with two counts of murder. Mardi Gras organisers wanted no police at the event, but after negotiations plain-clothed officers were allowed. The parade came to a halt on Saturday in a collective act of remembrance for Mr Baird and Mr Davies. It was described as a "chance to collectively reflect on the lives of Jesse and Luke and to stand together in solidarity". Qantas, Mr Davies' former employer, paid tribute on its parade float in honour of the former cabin crew member. More than 12,000 people are expected to march in the parade Gil Beckwith, chief executive of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, said the theme for this year's parade is "Our Future" - with an acknowledgement of the past and how far the community has come in the last few decades. Sydney's Mardi Gras parade has a complex history of both LGBT activism and police brutality, after the first march in 1978 resulted in dozens of people being beaten and arrested by local officers. Now seen as a historic act of defiance, the events that day paved the way for Australia's modern LGBT rights movement, as well as reforms to homophobic laws and police practices. The bodies of Jesse Baird, 26, and Luke Davies, 29, were found in Bungonia, New South Wales Uniformed police have participated in Sydney's Mardi Gras parade for the last two decades, but this year's organisers said the decision to ban officers was essential to create a safe environment "to protest, celebrate" and "honour and grieve those we've lost". Police allege the killings were "of a domestic nature" and not a "gay-hate crime". Mr Lamarre-Condon, a New South Wales Police senior constable, was charged on 23 February with murdering Mr Davies and Mr Baird, allegedly with his police-issue handgun. The 28-year-old, who once dated Mr Baird, is yet to enter a plea. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on March 2 said he was forced to make "personnel decisions" regarding some eastern front brigade commanders whose actions "threaten the life and health" of their soldiers. Syrskyi replaced Valerii Zaluzhnyi as the commander-in-chief on Feb. 8 amid wider personnel changes in the military's leadership. Ukraine has been facing mounting challenges on the battlefield in recent months, as U.S. military aid remains blocked while Russia ramps up pressure along the front. "I continue to work on the eastern front. Within three days, it became completely clear why... some brigades manage to hold back enemy attacks and maintain their positions, while others do not, "Syrskyi said on his Telegram channel. "First of all, it depends on the brigade's commander, his training, experience, and his ability to make adequate and balanced decisions," he stressed. Syrskyi said he sent specialists to brigades facing problems to assist and provide expertise. He also said that based on reports from commanders, Syrskyi made all necessary decisions regarding reserves and supplies of ammunition, drones, and other equipment. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us "In some cases, when the commander does not control the situation, and their actions and commands directly threaten the life and health of their subordinates, I am forced to make personnel decisions," Ukraine's chief commander commented, without mentioning specific units or officers. Syrskyi highlighted the combat performance of several units, namely the 54th Mechanized Brigade, which took out two columns of Russian armored vehicles with artillery fire and mines. The commander-in-chief also praised the 25th Airborne Brigade and the 47th Mechanized Brigade for their prowess in the battle of Orlivka and Berdychi and the 79th Air Assault Brigade, which repelled Russian attacks in the Novomykhailivka sector in Donetsk Oblast. Syrskyi said that an unnamed brigade that had spent two years of continuous battles was moved to the rear to restore combat capability. According to Ukrainska Pravda, he was likely referring to the 110th Mechanized Brigade that fought at Avdiivka. Shortly upon his appointment as the commander-in-chief, Syrskyi named the "fastest and most rational distribution" of military supplies as one of his key priorities. One week later, Syrskyi withdrew Ukrainian units from Avdiivka, a key front-line city in Donetsk Oblast facing months of intense attacks, "in order to avoid encirclement and preserve the lives and health of servicemen." Read also: Who is General Syrskyi, Ukraines new chief commander? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. It looks like North American Construction Group Ltd. (TSE:NOA) is about to go ex-dividend in the next four days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. The ex-dividend date is important because any transaction on a stock needs to have been settled before the record date in order to be eligible for a dividend. Therefore, if you purchase North American Construction Group's shares on or after the 7th of March, you won't be eligible to receive the dividend, when it is paid on the 5th of April. The company's next dividend payment will be CA$0.10 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of CA$0.40 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, North American Construction Group has a trailing yield of approximately 1.2% on its current stock price of CA$34.36. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether North American Construction Group's dividend is reliable and sustainable. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing. See our latest analysis for North American Construction Group Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. North American Construction Group is paying out just 14% of its profit after tax, which is comfortably low and leaves plenty of breathing room in the case of adverse events. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether North American Construction Group generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. The good news is it paid out just 21% of its free cash flow in the last year. It's positive to see that North American Construction Group'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. Story continues 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 earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. It's encouraging to see North American Construction Group has grown its earnings rapidly, up 68% a year for the past five years. North American Construction Group looks like a real growth company, with earnings per share growing at a cracking pace and the company reinvesting most of its profits in the business. Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Since the start of our data, 10 years ago, North American Construction Group has lifted its dividend by approximately 17% a year on average. It's exciting to see that both earnings and dividends per share have grown rapidly over the past few years. Final Takeaway Is North American Construction Group worth buying for its dividend? We love that North American Construction Group is growing earnings per share while simultaneously paying out a low percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. These characteristics suggest the company is reinvesting in growing its business, while the conservative payout ratio also implies a reduced risk of the dividend being cut in the future. North American Construction Group looks solid on this analysis overall, and we'd definitely consider investigating it more closely. With that in mind, a critical part of thorough stock research is being aware of any risks that stock currently faces. To that end, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with North American Construction Group (including 1 which is a bit concerning). Generally, we wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here's a curated list of interesting stocks that are strong dividend payers. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Britains public sector is plagued with waste, inefficiency and incompetence, with billions upon billions of taxpayers money squandered every year. Its productivity has declined scandalously, with Covid and lockdowns triggering a seeming collapse in financial rigour and management ability across the state sector. It is good news that Jeremy Hunt now wants to start tackling this problem. He is right that the level of waste is immoral, and that the number of civil servants need to be brought back to pre-Covid levels. Taxpayers deserve value for money and ensuring the state performs its basic functions in the most efficient way possible. The Cabinet Office this week unveiled plans to spend 110 million on artificial intelligence tools and technical staff in order to accelerate dogsbody work in Whitehall. John Glen, the Civil Service minister, rejected calls from officials to work four days a week for the same pay. The civil service bill mushroomed from 9.7 billion in 2016 to 15.5 billion in 2023. A total of 5.9 million people are now employed by the state yet public-sector productivity has been essentially static since mid-Covid, and is still down 7.5 per cent on 2019. Resources have flooded in, demands to plug gaps in output with extra spending are a constant feature, yet there has been precious little to show for it. Without market pressures which force private sector organisations to focus assiduously on the bottom line, government departments or arms-length bodies can become petri dishes for progressive causes, with the demand for a 20 per cent reduction in working hours with no corresponding reduction in wages no exception. Officials may come to regard it as perfectly acceptable to devote working time to issues not directly related to serving the public. Last year, this newspaper revealed that the Competition and Markets Authority was encouraging staff to spend 10 per cent of their working week on activities that built an inclusive culture and working environment. It is most welcome that Jeremy Hunt has acknowledged that major productivity gains can be made to our public services. He will now need to move fast to convince taxpayers that he is on their side. 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. President Bidens reelection campaign wants independent swing voters to really hear what former President Trump is saying. Trump gets a lot of news coverage, particularly over his legal problems, which appears to be helping him win the GOP primary. But the Biden campaign thinks that it can emerge victorious in November if people are paying more attention to what Trump is saying particularly what he says hell do as president. They argue this will turn off independent voters and help Biden, who is lagging behind in polls, pull off a reelection win. Were lifting the dangerous and unpopular things Donald Trump says because its critical voters know just how devastating a second Trump term would be for families across the country, said T.J. Ducklo, a Biden senior adviser for communications. The voters who will decide this election the swing voters in the key battleground states, independents and the folks who particularly may not be paying as close attention right now because theyre busy living their lives those are the folks were talking to, Ducklo added. They are putting muscle into the effort on social media, where they share clips of Trump talking about him welcoming the blame for killing the bipartisan border deal, defending himself for mixing up names and other verbal slipups, and saying Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is respected by everybody. The idea that Biden wants to run against Trump and believes his best way to keeping the White House is by demonizing the former president is not new. But with Trump now the likely GOP nominee and ahead of Biden in key polls, the anti-Trump operation will only get more intense. Biden led Trump by nearly 10 points with independents in 2020, with 52 percent of such voters supported Biden, compared to 43 percent backing Trump, according to Pew Research Center. Strategists say elevating Trump through the Biden campaign is a way to recreate that. It can remind them of why they turned against Trump in 2020, said GOP strategist Doug Heye, referring to swing voters. It can have that affect for sure. That may be the bigger target actually than the base. The campaign has aggressively gone after Trumps more controversial remarks, including saying recently that Black voters were attracted to him because he faced criminal indictments and that hed serve as a dictator only on day one if reelected. Todays fractured media environment means everyone is getting their information from more places than ever which is why its our job to capture peoples attention to alarming things Trump says when he says them, Ducklo said. Highlighting these types of comments from the former president can attracts the press, who in turn can report on it so swing voters see it, backers say. Its always smart to be edgy or snarky by highlighting Trumps nutty rhetoric. Their stuff is definitely creative and clever, and I assume it grabs the attention of their intended audience the press. When journalists and legacy media pick up and amplify their content, they can reach even more people, said Michael LaRosa, former press secretary to first lady Jill Biden and special assistant to Biden. Heye said that part of the reason why the campaign lifts up Trumps comments is that he isnt dominating the media like he did in 2016 and 2020. The Biden campaign wants to, I think, make sure that on some of the more far-fetched or outrageous things that he says that the base or disaffected voters are reminded that they voted against the sequel to the to the movie one time and to try and push them to do it again, he said. Meanwhile, theres no shortage of media attention on Trumps legal troubles. His four criminal indictments are well-documented by the media, and his trials are consistently covered on television and in print media. The Biden campaign shares clips of Trump when hes running for president, instead of when hes defendant Trump sitting in courtrooms. Were focused on this election, not on Donald Trumps personal problems, Ducklo said. What he says about immigrants poising the blood of our country, about banning Muslims, imposing a national abortion ban, his refusal to protect IVF these affect peoples lives. This election is not about what happens to Donald Trump. Like all elections, its about what happens to voters lives. The effort to elevate Trumps rhetoric comes as Biden has struggled in polls with independent voters. Trump outpaced Biden by 11 points with independent voters in a Messenger/Harris poll in January. The former president garnered 46 percent, Biden got 35 percent and 20 percent said they were undecided. Independents nearly split their vote in 2016, with 43 percent supporting Trump and 42 percent supporting Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Bidens lead over Trump with the independent voting bloc in 2020 was essential to his success in winning back swing states Clinton had lost. An alum of Bidens 2020 campaign said the team highlighting Trumps remarks to attract swing voters isnt a substitute for the president taking on Trumps words himself, suggesting Biden confront his rival head on. While the content creation and rapid response are supplemental components to communicating, the impact is far more consequential when voters and the media see or hear the candidate punching the other guy in the face, the source said. Its hard to land punches on Trump with meaningful impact if Biden isnt the one confronting him. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Police in Washington, D.C., have arrested a 15-year-old in the July killing of an interpreter from Afghanistan who was working as a ride-share driver after fleeing the country in 2021. Nasrat Ahmad Yar, 31, was shot and killed while driving for Lyft in the D.C. area on July 3. The unidentified 15-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder while armed, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a Friday news conference. Yar had served as an interpreter for the U.S. Army Special Forces in Afghanistan. In 2021, he fled the country with his wife and four children after the fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban. INTERPRETER WHO SURVIVED AFGHANISTAN SHOT DEAD IN DC: ABANDONED BY OUR COUNTRY Nasrat Ahmad Yar was killed in July. Yar, 31, was an interpreter for the U.S. Army U.S. Army Special Forces in Afghanistan before leaving the country in 2021. Leslie Parsons, the assistant chief of the Investigative Services Bureau for the Metropolitan Police Department, said investigators have been "poring" over evidence to bring the perpetrators to justice. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP He said Yar, who was "working extremely hard for his family," had just dropped off a passenger when he was approached by several suspects who may have been attempting to steal his vehicle and one of the suspects shot him. Four individuals were captured on an outdoor Nest camera, fleeing the scene after the shooting. Parsons said the video was "instrumental" in identifying the 15-year-old suspect who was arrested Friday morning. "The reckless actions of these teens cost a man's life and shattered a family just starting out on their journey in this country," Parson said. Investigators are still searching for the other suspects. TWO SUSPECTS IN CUSTODY AFTER DC HOUSING AUTHORITY OFFICER SHOT IN BROAD DAYLIGHT Outdoor Nest camera footage of people fleeing the scene after the shooting of Nasrat Ahmad Yar was "instrumental" in identifying the 15-year-old suspect, police said. Last summer, Yars widow told FOX 5 through an interpreter that she pleaded with him not to go out that night, but he told her he needed to make money for their family. Yar was finishing up a late-night shift of driving for the ride-share company Lyft, before he was shot in Washington, D.C., just after midnight. "Our hearts are with Mr. Nasrats loved ones as they confront this unspeakable tragedy," a Lyft spokesperson told Fox News Digital at the time. "We have reached out to his family to offer our support and are in contact with law enforcement to assist with their investigation." Original article source: Teenager arrested in killing of Afghan interpreter working as Lyft driver in Washington, DC Over the past couple weeks we've watched this bill - HB1605/SB1722 - get rammed through committee without lawmakers being upfront about its intentions. The Tennessee House of Representatives passed it on Feb. 26. I have watched legislators acknowledge its unconstitutionality, admit to not knowing its full implications, and attempt to dance around the reality of the bill. Its a bill created in search of a problem, and its real intentions are obvious to those willing to say it out loud. To be honest, I am still not sure what problem this bill sets out to address. We have been told that this bill is about preventing indoctrination of schoolchildren. Indoctrination is defined as the process of teaching a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically. The bills sponsors have not provided any evidence or compelling arguments as to how the presence of a flag (a pride flag, as has been referenced many times) has led to any students uncritical adoption of an LGBT identity. The mere existence of a flag on a wall does not in and of itself constitute indoctrination. What I believe the sponsors of this bill intend to prevent is more accurately called social representation - a means by which communication take[s] place among the members of a community by providing them with a code for social exchange and a code for naming and classifying unambiguously the various aspects of their world and their individual and group history. Are we okay with Nazi flags, but not Pride flags? On Feb. 17, we saw the symbolic purpose of a flag. When white supremacists marched through downtown Nashville waving Nazi flags, I dare to assume that they did not convert any bar-hopping bachelorettes into Nazis, nor do I believe that was their intention. People hold pride flags during a news conference on Feb. 13, 2024. The presence of Nazi flags was to identify themselves as white supremacists. The Nazi flag is hateful imagery, rooted in fascism, racism, homophobia, ableism, antisemitism, and evil. This group of small-minded out-of-towners chose to come to Nashville and wave Nazi flags because they desire to see a world with increased representation of Nazi ideals. I would ask us all to consider why they chose this very city for their goal of furthering Nazi representation. Could it be because there is currently a bill, the one we are discussing today, that would allow Nazi flags to be flown in public schools? If this bill becomes law, should we expect to see more Nazi flags, Confederate flags, other flags rooted in violence and oppression? Those who seek to divide us will seek further social representation of their hatred. While those flags would be allowed, there is one flag that would be explicitly banned under this legislation - the pride flag. Unlike symbols of fascist oppression, this flag was created in direct response to the hatred and violence of the Nazi regime. In 1978, Harvey Milk commissioned a new pride flag design by U.S. Army veteran Gilbert Baker to replace the prior pink triangle symbol that was co-opted by Nazis to identify gay men in concentration camps. Due to the symbols dark past being used as a tool of oppression, the community sought a new symbol to represent LGBT identity, inclusion and diversity. The creation of the rainbow pride flag was a direct reaction to the oppression and violence against gay identity by a fascist dictatorial regime. In creating the rainbow pride flag, Milk, Baker, and others involved sought to signify the dignity, value, and worth of every LGBT citizen and counteract the violence against their community. More: Pride flags came out of persecution. Tennessee shouldn't seek to ban them in the classroom Tennessee is inviting lawsuits for an unconstitutional proposal While the flag may have evolved since its initial design in 1978, its goal and values remain relevant. The pride flag communicates LGBT acceptance and support by offering LGBT individuals social representation. The existence of a pride flag symbol on a teachers earrings or a school counselors door is not indoctrination, as has been suggested. Social representation is not indoctrination. LGBT identity is not a political ideology - it is an identity. LGBT people exist, whether or not they are represented. But social representation can be lifesaving and life-giving. Under this bill, social representation of an entire identity is banned. But social representation of hateful, violent ideology is allowed. Do we want our schools to be a place where LGBT young people feel seen and less alone, or do we want our schools to be a place where Nazis and white supremacists feel comfortable to preach their hateful social-political ideology? Becca Dryden This bill is a symbolically powerful one. If passed, this bill will make history in that it will cause an historical amount of Tennessee taxpayer money to be wasted on lawsuits attempting to defend an indefensible bill. If passed, this bill will make history as one of the most logically unsound and obviously unconstitutional bills passed in recent history. If passed, this bill will send the message to both the LGBT community and Nazis which community you believe deserves to be represented in our society. Rebecca Dryden is a mother of two Metro Nashville Public Schools students. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Pride flag classroom ban: Tennessee is setting a bad precedent A Senegalese man who was busted this week for illegally housing dozens of African migrants packed into two of his properties was also nabbed for operating a similar makeshift shelter in January, the New York Post reports. Ebou Sarr, 47, who has apparently had several run-ins with the law in the past, was found to have been charging the desperate migrants $300 a month to stay at his two New York City properties a furniture store in Queens and a former cell phone store in the Bronx where they faced cramped living conditions. Video from inside the Queens building shows a room with tightly packed bunk beds side by side divided by a narrow aisle. Sarr was hit with a slew of violations for the buildings' dangerous conditions and both were ordered vacated. Ebou Sarr, top left, the Old Fordham Library where migrants were staying, bottom left, and a photo from inside an illegal shelter in Queens, right. FACING COMMUNITY PUSHBACK, NYC MAYOR REVERSES PLAN TO HOUSE MIGRANTS IN LUXURY BUILDING The New York Post, citing court documents, now reports that Sarr was also busted in January for operating a third pop-up hostel in an abandoned library in the Bronx. The building, known as the Old Fordham Library, is located at 2556 Bainbridge Ave., just off Coles Lane. He reportedly told police they were walking into "our migrant shelter," when they sweeped the old bookhouse, the court documents state. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "I run it," Sarr told police, according to a criminal complaint. "I help these people because they have nowhere to go. Shelters wont accept us. I have proof of residency from the mayor I have a business up the street, but this is where I live." He was charged with criminal trespassing, the NYPD told Fox News Digital. DOZENS OF AFRICAN MIGRANTS FOUND LIVING PACKED INSIDE STORE BASEMENT, SLEEPING IN SHIFTS Still, Sarr is demanding the city let migrants use the building as a shelter since it is currently lying idle. "Places like that, they can put the people in. Fix the place and put the people in there," Sarr told the Post. "It was a place that I think is empty and its safe for us to put our people. We were trying to get the city to give us that library. Its been there for so many years," Sarr told The Post Thursday. Police also revealed to Fox News Digital that Sarr has been arrested several times over the last decade. In 2020, he was arrested for allegedly pushing his wife, causing her to hit her head on a chair, before then trying to strangle her. He has also been arrested for operating a stolen car without a license, criminal possession of marijuana and criminal contempt for violating an order of protection. On Wednesday, city officials swept a two-story commercial building on East Kingsbridge Road in Fordham being operated by Sarr, where they found 34 beds on the first floor and 11 beds in the cellar tightly packed together. Inspectors also found extension cords, e-bikes, space heaters and hotplates inside the Bronx building, the New York City Dept. of Buildings (DOB) told Fox 5. Lithium batteries caused a record number of fires, injuries and deaths in New York City last year, according to the FDNY, highlighting the hazardous nature of the facility. The sweep came just two days after a furniture building in Queens owned by Sarr was found to have also been converted into a makeshift hostel, cramming at least 74 migrants into the first floor and cellar. Sarr told Fox 5 that most of the migrants are from Senegal and that he was providing them with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cellphone video from inside the building showed the African men in a bright white room full of beds with a low ceiling. The beds are placed close together with limited walking room a single narrow lane runs through the room with beds on either side. Another video showed a similar room full of bunk beds. Original article source: Third illegal makeshift shelter housing African migrants revealed in NYC By Ilan Rozenberg JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A march by thousands of Israelis demanding the release of hostages held in Gaza reached Jerusalem on Saturday as negotiators prepared to resume ceasefire negotiations in Cairo that would include a swap deal with Hamas. A column of protesters, led by families of hostages seized by Palestinian militants during Hamas' deadly rampage through southern Israel on Oct. 7, walked up the winding highway to Jerusalem, arriving at the city at sundown. Holding up Israeli flags, yellow balloons and posters of the hostages, they concluded a four-day march that began at one of sites hit by the October attack, and were expected to be joined by more protesters at a rally outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence. "We're here marching in support of the families of those who are kidnapped, wishing that they will be released soon and that they will be safe. We're praying for them in every step that we take," said Danny Cuperman, one of the marchers. Gaza truce talks are expected to resume in the Egyptian capital on Sunday. U.S. President Joe Biden has said he hopes a ceasefire will be in place by the time of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on March 10. Dozens of hostages could be freed if a deal is reached. "This is the only humane thing that can happen," said Yair Mozes, whose 79-year-old father Gadi was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz. "They must be (coming) home. That's it." 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 Hamas released more than 100 hostages, mostly women, teens and children, and Israel freed about three times as many Palestinian female and teen prisoners. Almost five months into the war in Gaza, 134 hostages are still being held incommunicado in the coastal enclave, according to Israeli authorities. Among them are soldiers and civilians, men and women, a child and his baby brother. Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and abducted 253 in their Oct. 7 attack, Israel said. Israel responded with a military assault on Gaza that has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians there, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave. Israelis have been protesting nearly every week under different banners, though in numbers far smaller than the mass demonstrations that gripped the country in 2023. Some demand the government quit over the Oct. 7 security failure while others focus on the release of hostages and aid to Gaza. (Writing by Maayan Lubell, Editing by Timothy Heritage) Click here for the previous days coverage of Sebastian Rogers. HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The search for 15-year-old Sebastian Rogers, who went missing from his home in Hendersonville on Monday, has entered its sixth day. Now, a significant reward is being offered for information leading to his discovery. Despite the thousands of miles that have been searched, officials said there have been no sightings of the missing teen. Facebook page helps feed first responders searching for Sebastian Rogers Its been an extensive effort to locate Sebastian as several agencies assist in the search via bloodhounds, helicopters, dive teams, and more. A News 2 crew was at the command post on Saturday, March 2 and saw teams that came from as far away as Collierville and Knox County. (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) Officials hoped to learn new information with more people being home during the weekend and able to more thoroughly search their properties. We had really hoped that today, since everybody or a lot of people would be at home during the daytime hours, where they hadnt been all week, that they would have an opportunity to search their property, search their farms. Theres a lot of farmland around here, said Ken Weidner, director of Sumner County Emergency Management Agency (EMA). You know, we expect to find people, so we dont expect to not be able to find that child or that parent and Sebastian in this case. During a Thursday, Feb. 29 press conference, first responders urged residents in the Beech High School area to check their properties in pairs and look into any confined spaces. Officials encourage community members to check their sheds, in their garages, under tarps, in dense brush, etc. in other words, places where a child could seek shelter or accidentally get trapped as well as go through any surveillance footage. It just represents him: Sumner County wears green for Sebastian Rogers Were asking everyone in the area to meticulously review footage from security and trail cameras, the Sumner County Sheriffs Office posted on Facebook Saturday afternoon. Please focus on the timeframe from SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. We believe even the smallest detail could be the key to locating Sebastian. If you see any movements, vehicles, or individuals in that footage, you are asked to register online and send an email to bcarter@sumnersheriff.com, or call (615) 442-1865 so law enforcement can physically retrieve the footage. Authorities told News 2 that Sebastian enjoys fishing, he loves cats, and green is believed to be his favorite color. In a call for solidarity, Sumner County residents wore the color green on Friday, March 1 to show their support for Sebastian and his family. The search for the missing 15-year-old resumed Saturday around 7 a.m., entering its sixth day. (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) shared pictures on Saturday showing personnel assisting in the search. According to the agency, officers in region II have been coordinating directly with the Sumner County EMA to help look along waterways and wooded areas. The sheriffs office told News 2 that an anonymous group of business owners in the Nashville area pledged a minimum cash reward of $3,000 for information that helps investigators find Sebastian. No other information has been released. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers, 15, was reported missing on Monday, Feb. 26 from the Beech area in Hendersonville. Sebastian Rogers: Description Sebastian is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 120 pounds with dirty blond hair. He was last seen on Monday, Feb. 26 near Stafford Court wearing a black sweatshirt and black sweatpants, said the TBI. AMBER Alert Issued The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) originally issued an Endangered Child Alert for Sebastian on the morning of Feb. 26 as multiple agencies took to the area to look for him. Based on additional investigative information developed during the search, the TBI issued an AMBER Alert for Sebastian on the afternoon of Feb. 27. An AMBER Alert is issued when there is reasonable belief by law enforcement that an abduction has occurred and the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death, per the DOJ. Multiple agencies including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Nashville Fire Department, City of Hendersonvilles first responders, Sumner County Sheriffs Office and Shackle Island Volunteer Fire have assisted in the search for Sebastian. Who to Contact If you have seen Sebastian or have info about his whereabouts, call the Sumner County Sheriffs Office at (615) 451-3838 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND. 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. An officer with the Gadsden Police Department reportedly shot a dog that was attacking a child Friday afternoon. According to the Crockett County Sheriffs Department, deputies, Gadsden Police, and first responders with Crockett County EMS responded to reports of a dog attacking a child on Mason Grove Road at 4 p.m. The sheriffs department claims that medical personnel werent able to get to the child because of two aggressive dogs. The sheriffs department says one of the dogs had broken loose from his chain. Millington Police investigates possible child abuse According to the sheriffs department, the dog became more aggressive when law enforcement arrived on the scene. A Gadsden officer reportedly fired one shot at the dog and killed it. The sheriffs department says medical personnel were then able to treat the child. The child was transported to a local hospital. The Crocket County Sheriffs Department described the incident as a tragic and difficult call for all involved. The sheriffs department claims the dogs owner yelled, Kill my dog during the attack. There is no word on whether any charges will be filed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) One Tennessee lawmaker wants to remove what he calls another barrier for potential foster families in Tennessee. State Sen. Bo Watson (R-Hixson) got the final stamp of approval from the Tennessee Senate Thursday, Feb. 29, when the chamber approved SB 2359. The bill would prohibit the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services (DCS) from requiring a flu or pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine for individuals before they foster a child under the age of 18 months if such vaccines object under religious or moral convictions. Watson told News 2 the measure is just continuing to eliminate unnecessary barriers between potential foster families and children who desperately need them. Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom There are a lot of really good, loving, caring families that are vaccine concerned families that choose not to immunize their children, but theyd make really good foster parents, he said. I thought that the 18 months was an unnecessary barrier to some of these families participating in the program. According to Watson, there are at least several families in his district that were excluded from the fostering process due to being vaccine concerned, but he theorized there would be many more families across Tennessee who felt the same way and would make for great foster parents. During a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting, Watson called the current prohibition on unvaccinated families fostering or adoption discriminatory, saying the bill would expand the eligible pool of families for foster care and adoption. The state could benefit, he said Wednesday, Feb. 20, from more good, caring, loving homes available for placement. Further, he asked during the meeting why would the state hinder good families, safe families, who desire to foster and/or adopt these babies? Multiple pediatric flu deaths reported in Tennessee Jim Layman with DCS said the department worked with Watson on the bill to address any potential funding concerns, which were alleviated, but he also said the departments stance on the bill was that vaccines protect children in DCS care. Additionally, Layman said the department has an adequate supply of foster homes, especially for infants, including those who are willing to get their flu and pertussis vaccines. Where the department lacks an adequate supply is for foster homes for older children, sibling groups, and harder to place children. We need all the great foster families that we can get. We need those for any age, but since we do have a good supply for the infant children, were fortunate that even with these vaccine requirements in place, we can still find good homes for them and that theyre safe, Layman said in committee. According to DCS Communications Director Ashley Zarach, no families are turned away from the foster or adoption process due to immunization status. Rather, current rules place limits on which children can be placed with parents who do not receive a flu or pertussis vaccine. Under current rules, foster parents who choose not to comply with vaccine requirements are limited from being able to take in children under 18 months old and children who have significant medical needs, she told News 2 via email. Have breaking come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts During the committee meeting, Watson pushed back on Laymans claims that DCS had enough foster families. I disagree with the argument that we have enough families, he said. There arent a lot of people that are willing to foster an NAS babya meth-addicted baby. Those are very challenging fostering infants. Everybody wants to foster the healthy child. There are plenty of folks to do that, but what about the family thats willing to foster the NAS baby, which we all know, if you sit on health, there are a lot of kids like that. Watson told News 2 he felt health-related concerns of potentially unvaccinated families fostering babies until 18 months old were exaggerated. I think theyre overstated, Watson said. Some of these families, if not most of these families, are loving, caring environments, and a lot of these infants need those loving, caring environments. Further, Watson said the families who would be helped by his bill would create an environment for foster babies that would outweigh any potential health concerns. People who tend to be vaccine concerned also tend to be a little more affluent and tend to be a little more educated, and I just think the environment thats created for some of these children would be worth any of this risk, he told News 2. I dont think we should be creating barriers to participating in our foster care program. If we have good families that can provide good environments for infants and children to grow and develop in, we should be encouraging those families to participate, not creating barriers for participation. Middle Tennessee hospitals welcome Leap Day babies According to data from the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), there have been five pediatric flu deaths so far this flu season. The health department recommends everyone 6 months of age and older receive their flu vaccine annually in order to slow the spread of flu and reduce severity in flu illnesses. The TDH says whooping cough is most likely to cause serious illness or even hospitalization in infants under the age of 3 months. If passed by the House, the bill would take effect in Tennessee upon receiving Gov. Bill Lees signature. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A Toledo man was sentenced to prison on Thursday in relation to a 2020 armed robbery that occurred in Columbus. Juarvez Reemos Juan Whitfield-Neeley, 25, of Toledo, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison, according to the United States Attorney of the Southern District of Ohio Kenneth Parker. Gun test leads to arrest for 2023 Gahanna road rage shooting of infant According to court documents, in March 2020, Whitfield-Neeley shot three people during two separate robberies. On March 15, 2020, Whitfield-Neely robbed the Berkeley & Main Market in Columbus and shot a store clerk in the back of the knee. A struggle followed the shooting, during which a gun fell out of the clerks pocket. Whitefield-Neely then stole the clerks gun and fled the scene. Two weeks later in Toledo, Whitfield-Neely used the gun he stole and fired several shots at two clerks in a corner store. He shot both clerks in the torso, stole a gun from one of the injured clerks and took cash from the register, according to Parker. In June 2020, Whitfield-Neeley was charged for the Columbus robbery and shooting. He was later taken into custody in the Northern District of Ohio, where he pleaded guilty to crimes associated with the Toledo robbery and was sentenced to 207 months in prison. Whitfield-Neeley will serve the 121-month sentence consecutively to the sentence he is already serving. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Semiconductor companies and their suppliers are investing billions of dollars in new Arizona factories or fabs, but many of the people who eventually will be working at these sites havent entered the field yet. Many don't know how to enter or what opportunities are available. Thats why the tech industry is seeking to sign up and train apprentices who might ultimately fill the majority of full-time jobs. At semiconductor fabs, about two-thirds of overall employees are at the technician level, said Mike Russo, president and CEO of the National Institute for Innovation and Technology, which is coordinating a technician-apprenticeship program for the industry. The greatest needs and opportunities are at the technician level." While the industry already employs legions of engineers and other highly educated specialists, technicians are critical to keeping these complexes running. For example, technicians install, operate and maintain sophisticated equipment as well as air conditioning units, ultra-clean water systems, power components and more. These are all technician positions, Russo said. Earning while learning The exterior of one of the buildings of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. in Phoenix on Aug. 24, 2023. Potential applicants first must be hired by the appropriate company. After that happens, apprentices learn on the job. These full-time paid positions could appeal to a range of individuals including recent high school graduates, veterans and midlife workers seeking to shift their career paths. More information can be seen at www.niit.org. Salaries range widely based on employer, location, job skills, requirements and other factors, but inexperienced individuals lacking even a two-year college degree might start out at roughly $50,000 a year, with experienced individuals in high-demand markets and positions commanding pay well above that. Nationally, 85 companies in 17 states are participating in the apprenticeship program run by NIIT, a not-for-profit group headquartered in Maryland, under an exclusive contract with the federal Department of Labor. NIIT held a forum Feb. 22 at Gateway Community College in Phoenix to spread the word among local employers, community-college educators, local government officials and others. Story continues Apprentices receive a high level of expertise, training and instruction, Russo said, adding that some apprenticeship programs also are open to beginning engineers. TSMC's apprenticeship program Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which is building a $40 billion complex in north Phoenix, is the first company in Arizona to join NIITs program, which began in 2022. NXP Semiconductors, with a facility in Chandler, also has expressed interest in joining. TSMC is investing $5 million and establishing a new apprenticeship program, with the company initially planning to train facility technicians over the next five years, eventually increasing that and expanding the curriculum to include additional positions. The program receives financial support from Phoenix and the Arizona State Apprenticeship Office. TSMC's facility apprentices will work in mechanical operations, water-treatment, gas/chemicals, electrical and other areas. Apprentices also must complete various courses taught by partner Maricopa Community Colleges. Some of TSMCs first apprentices were recruited from contractors that have been constructing the massive $40 billion complex in north Phoenix. They become full-time TSMC employees upon hire and serve as apprentices for 18 to 24 months. The company anticipates that future apprentices will be recruited from community colleges and vocational-education programs. Reach the writer at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How to land one of 1000s of chip-manufacturing jobs coming to Arizona When police first came to Margaret Caldwells door in April 2005 and told her that her daughter, Emma, was missing, her breath caught in her throat. For the next five weeks, Margaret and her husband William existed in a kind of terrible purgatory. We spent hours and hours every day looking for her. Sometimes you thought you saw her in the distance, but it was someone else. We didnt know what else to do. Those weeks pale in comparison to what the Caldwells would later be forced to endure. Emmas body was found on May 8 in Limefield Woods, 44 miles from Glasgow, where she lived. She was naked and had been strangled. Despite early evidence linking her death to one particular man, it would take 19 years to convict him. Nineteen years, a bungled police investigation, and the tenacity of one mother with an army of women behind her, all of them ready to speak up for Emma, for themselves, for the many girls who had suffered at the hands of her killer. Iain Packer was convicted this week of murdering her daughter and sexually assaulting 22 women. But Margaret should never have had to endure two decades of purgatory, while Packer lurked in plain sight, free to attack again and again and again, while the police force that should have caught him covered its own tracks. He hadnt fled the country or gone underground; he was going about his life right under the polices noses. Iain Packer was this week convicted of the murder of Emma Caldwell and the sexual assault of 22 other women - PA Wire/Police Scotland After a newspaper in Scotland eventually named him as a suspect in 2015, prompting the investigation into Emmas murder to be reopened, Packer was even arrogant enough to court press attention. He asked the BBC if theyd like to interview him, so confident was he that he would never be found out. He maintained his innocence all the way through the trial. Now 51, he has been sentenced to 36 years in prison the second-longest term in Scottish legal history. You suspect that, for every one of those 36 years, he will claim never to have laid a finger on Emma. There was such a clear path leading the police to Packer that their failure to convict him is difficult to comprehend. When she went missing, Emma was living in a hostel in Glasgow. She was 27 and had been living something of a half life. She had grown up in a happy, stable home. She loved horses and had dreams of going to America or Australia to work on a ranch. When her older sister, Karen, died in 1998, Emma turned to drugs to cope with her grief, becoming addicted to heroin. Her parents worried about her day and night, but they still saw her often and spoke constantly. She phoned every day, she wanted to know what we were having for dinner, how the family were, Margaret told journalists this week. She still kept a certain amount of pride, even though she was in those circumstances and we just lived for her coming home. Grief-stricken by the death of her sister, Emma Caldwell had turned to heroin and sex work - Strathclyde Police/PA Wire They knew the drugs had a terrible grip on her; they didnt know she was making money to fund her addiction through sex work. We just thought she wanted to stay at the hostel till she could get into rehabilitation some way, said Margaret. Women who knew Emma in the hostel have spoken since of how close she was to getting the help she needed. The Caldwells didnt know how much [heroin] cost. I have heard later it cost hundreds of pounds maybe even per day in some cases. After her death, Margaret has said she was plagued by guilt. It was a terrible place to live, Inglefield Street. I wish Id taken her home. Any guilt, of course, should only lie with one man. A rape allegation was first made against Packer as early as 1990. Magdalene Robertson, who has waived her right to anonymity, was his first known victim. He was in a relationship with a relative of hers and raped her when she was just 14, going on to assault her repeatedly over the course of two years, driving her to the brink of suicide. In the trial, she said only one word was applicable to Packer: incubus a sex-obsessed demon. By 1993, Packer was soliciting sex workers whenever he could afford it and was known in the community for being a violent client. In the trial, the prosecuting barrister told the jury that at the time police were dismissive of reports of assault made on sex workers. Violence was deemed part and parcel of their job. A witness told the trial how Packer chose girls who were young, vulnerable and on drugs. He became obsessed with Emma, following her and attempting to scare away other clients. From the moment her body was discovered, he was an obvious suspect. Packer was first spoken to by police six weeks after Emma was found. He denied knowing her two months later he admitted he did and that he had taken her to Limefield Woods. In the first two years of their investigation, police would interview Packer six times, but never under caution as a suspect. Officers wanted to charge him but somewhere up the chain, the message came: let him go. Police interviewed Iain Packer six times, but never under caution as a suspect - Police Scotland/PA Wire Strathclyde Police were doggedly pursuing a different line of inquiry. The last call on Emmas phone the night she went missing led them to a Turkish cafe, which was where the police focused their investigation. For two and a half years (and to the tune of 4 million) they went after the wrong men. They bet the ranch on the Turkish suspects, says Brendan McGinty, former deputy editor of the Sunday Mail, which eventually exposed Packer as a suspect. Before I even knew the name Iain Packer, this investigation into the Turkish men was a big, big deal. It was going to be the biggest case based on surveillance at the time. So when that collapses you can see the obvious difficulty for the police and for the Crown to then go okay, lets do plan B, which is Iain Packer, an incredibly viable suspect who has had zero to do with the Turkish case. It was easier and more expedient for everybody, I think, to forget about it. And so the investigation went quiet. For ten years, Packers name never saw the light of day, affording him the protection he needed to go on offending. Gary Holmes, a former Scotland Yard Homicide Senior Investigating Officer, says Strathclyde Polices failure to not return to the drawing board is unconscionable, particularly given the evidence they already had on Packer. If you get any evidence or any leads you have a duty to investigate, no matter the reason, it would be undoubtedly wrong to not reexamine lines of inquiry if theyre valid, if nothing else then for public confidence. Not returning to a known suspect after one trail goes cold is extremely rare, almost to the point of being unheard of, he says. If you have a suspect for a homicide investigation you really do make the effort to do all you can to convict that person. There were police officers possibly at a junior level who were pressing for a revisit on Packer, says McGinty. Id love to know why that revisit didnt take place. Id like to know where up the chain this thing ended. In 2015, on the ten-year anniversary of Emmas death, the Sunday Mail, which had been leaked his name, published a story naming him as a forgotten suspect in the case. McGinty spoke to Packer outside his house. He recalls a man who seemed a mix of confident and stupid. When youre suspected of a murder that is a very dangerous combination to be. An April 2015 investigation in Scotland's Sunday Mail named Iain Packer as a forgotten suspect in the case Sources who knew Packer told the paper he was unlikely to be confrontational when approached. They said his violence was towards women. That he would react differently to a man. On the doorstep, he refused to answer questions. That was surely a job for the police and the justice system. There was a feeling among people who knew him that if you could get this guy into the dock he would trip himself up, says McGinty. Thats why there was a lot of frustration over the failure of the police and the criminal office in Scotland to get him into the dock over so many years. The thought was he is delusional, hes confident possibly over confident hes stupid and he tells lies. And that combination may be eventually what trips him up. Rather than go back to the case, the police attempted to hunt down whoever had leaked to the paper. They didnt reopen the murder case, they opened an investigation into finding out who the leak was in the police, says McGinty. It was utterly farcical. It wasnt until several weeks later that the case was reopened and it wasnt reopened by the police, it was reopened by the Lord Advocate who ordered the police to reopen it. McGinty met with senior officers, who said Packers name constantly being in the paper while they pursued the case might not be that helpful. By this point, the story had had the desired effect. We took them on trust at that point that there wasnt any real point in us doing story after story after story on Packer. The case had reopened, the police had appealed to us to allow them the space to investigate and we thought it was only fair that we should allow them to do that. Police were eventually found to have conducted an illegal spying probe on officers and journalists involved in the Packer leak. They unlawfully accessed my colleague Jims phone, says McGinty, now a communications consultant. Of course we were incredulous at it. It surprised us but it didnt surprise us. If you knew the policing culture at the time, it wasnt a huge shock when it emerged that it had happened. I think there was a paranoia in the very upper echelons of the police about the Press. Deputy Chief Constable Neil Richardson was forced to step down over the probe in March 2016. By 2018, Packer seems to have become almost giddy with power. At this point, his name was still attached to Emmas murder, but no one has arrested him. He contacts the BBC saying he wants to clear his name. Samantha Poling interviews him, investigates him, and interviews him again. In the first he looks flushed, his thick neck sunken into hunched shoulders. He is braced, but confident. Ask me anything, he tells her, arrogantly assuming she wont then go and do the job of an investigative journalist and find out what he has done. BBC journalist Sam Poling at Glasgow High Court. She had interviewed Iain Packer twice in connection with Emma Caldwell's murder - Andrew Milligan/PA Wire After months of investigating him I knew that he was an incredibly sexually violent man, Poling said. I started to find out that Iain Packer had been taking women down to remote woods where he would force them to strip, where he would sexually assault them, where he would terrify them. And just metres away from where this was taking place is where Emmas body was found and she was naked and she was strangled. When she tells Packer this on camera in the second interview, you can see his face change. A former partner told the trial he was white as a sheet after that second interview. You could see something had gone badly wrong. It was as if it was all closing in on him, she said. Two days after the BBCs programme airs, Packer is charged with attacking a former partner and in February 2020 he is jailed after pleading guilty. In 2021, soil in the footwell of his van is found to be a 97 per cent match for the soil found at the exact spot Emma was found. In February 2022, Packer is arrested on suspicion of her murder; by December, additional charges have been brought. Sixteen women were attacked after Emma was killed and after Packer was first on the polices radar. This weeks victory is theirs, and that of Margaret Caldwell, who paid tribute to those women who spoke up not just for Emma but for the many unknown victims of Iain Packer. Outside court, her lawyer said: Margaret also wishes to acknowledge those who have been lost due to illness, overdose and other forms of harm. Those women were a part of our communities. They were important to their loved ones, to their families, and should have been important to the police. She believes police systematically sabotaged an investigation into Packer for a decade and have blood on their hands. Police Scotland has apologised to the victims, saying they were all let down by policing in 2005. It is clear that further investigations should have been carried out into Emmas murder following the initial inquiry in 2005. The lack of investigation until 2015 caused unnecessary distress to her family and all those women who had come forward to report sexual violence. Emmas father never lived to see his daughters killer brought to justice. For her mother, at least, 19 years after her breath first caught in her throat, it was finally safe to exhale. Now I feel as if I can breathe again. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The rain came down hard the morning I was due to go into Gaza, moving in off the Mediterranean as it usually does, and perhaps it was just as well. They say its often too cold or hot or wet in a war, so maybe this was the way to see it. But by the time we dozen journalists gather at 10 a.m. by a deployment spot just outside the strip, the storm is over, the sky leaden, the air cool enough that you are glad for the extra layer of the required bulletproof vests. It is the first time the Israel Defense Forces has taken reporters inside in three or so weeks. Among our stops will be a tunnel destroyed the night before. It ran from the nearby Khan Yunis refugee camp, where fighting is now heavy, under the no mans land buffer near the border fence, ending so close it took just minutes for scores of Hamas to charge into Israel on that terrible day of Oct. 7. Thats the only thing the tunnel was for. Our assigned overseer is IDF Lt. Col. Anshi, first names only, a courteous tech guy in civilian life who, like countless Israelis, has been called to war. Among those gathered for the embed are correspondents with CBS and Fox News, as well as counterparts from other countries. Anshi asks us to turn off our phone locations no one wants a surprise. 'Welcome to Gaza' We squeeze into a pair of side-bench Humvees, then start speeding along the border on our left, splashing through puddles and sandy mud. On our right are bountiful banana plants belonging to a nearby kibbutz where dozens were slaughtered, and each time soldiers go by it, they are reminded of why they are here. Every few seconds, military vehicles speed past us the other way, going out. Israeli combat soldiers dont like to drive slowly. Our Humvee has a canvas top, open sides and a front-mounted machine gun. It lurches as we go, wind whipping loudly around us. Suddenly, we turn left through a break in the fence. Lt. Col. Anshi would soon tell us its one of the very openings blown apart by Hamas on their way in. You cant help but note the irony that Israel is now using it to attack back. Mark Patinkin, center, and other journalists in an IDF Humvee driving through Gaza. The Gaza side is open terrain, weedy and treeless, left fallow as a clear zone. Soon, we pull up to a spot with big piles of dirt, excavated to reveal the tunnel below. Welcome to Gaza, says Anshi. So far, because there are no buildings, I dont see the familiar images of dystopia. But Anshi says well get there. At that, theres an enormous boom a helicopter-fired missile, he says. The front line, explains Anshi, is less than a mile away in dense Khan Yunis. An hour from now, I would hear a more unsettling sound of war. Many US voters want Gaza cease-fire. Do Jewish, evangelical faithful agree? Theres a steep dirt ramp to the tunnel opening, soldiers posted along it to help us down. We were surprised by the scope of it, says Anshi. It runs all the way to Khan Yunis, then connects to the Gaza subway. Two at a time, we walk and slide down to see it, boots sinking into the deep loose earth. When I get to the bottom, a burly soldier named Major Nir is next to it. Its so close to the border, I say. Major Nir shakes his head. Its not near the border, he says, its on the border. Mark Patinkin at the opening of an attack tunnel in Gaza near the Israeli border. Everyone in Israel has an Oct. 7 story Nirs five-day beard growth is white. It turns out hes 66 and a businessman but volunteered to do his part. His son is at Khan Yunis in the fight. It worries Nir, but this is where both feel they need to be. I slide past Nir down the last 8 feet to look directly into the opening. The top is reinforced with curved concrete, and I cant help but think, here it is one of the spots where it began, a war that has upended the world. As other pairs of journalists go down, I head to ground level and chat with Anshi. Ive learned by now that almost everyone in Israel has an Oct. 7 story. In Anshis case, he was awakened by missiles that morning, and within a day, was deployed with the job of collecting civilian bodies. Hamas still holds my son hostage. Every day has been a living nightmare. Anshi has two kids, 19 and 15. He spent a few of his younger years in Boston when his physician dad worked at Dana-Farber. Thats when I hear the sound thats more unsettling than explosions, though not as loud. Its automatic weapons fire, closer than I expected. It goes nonstop for many minutes and makes you picture what that kind of fighting must be like. Its a skirmish, says Anshi. Theres no big armor-versus-armor. Its two terrorists coming out of a hole and shooting. How close? I ask. Twenty to 30 meters, he says. Or less. Everything is close. Three IDF soldiers stand over the excavated tunnel. Entering dystopia Indeed, most soldiers carry rifles with shortened stocks so they can swing the weapons around corners without being overly exposed. That is how the ground war here is being fought. Early in it, Anshi says, too many Israelis were killed because of mistakes. When a Gaza civilian called for help, or a Hamas member darted away, IDF troops would run toward them. But it was usually a trap. We paid a heavy price for that, Anshi says. There was a lot of learning. And its still a dilemma, with unarmed civilians walking innocently, then running into a house where theyve stashed weapons. We squeeze back into the Humvees, speeding to our next stop, an elementary school Hamas used as a base. Every school, says Anshi. Every mosque. Every health facility. As we head that way, the terrain changes and we reporters fall silent. Smoke rises in the distance from a Gaza battlefield. Weve entered dystopia, a suburb where big stone homes with a half-acre or so around each unfold in a mile-long, treeless neighborhood as we drive. Except now its post-apocalyptic, most of the houses turned to rubble piles. Its like a tornado scene, except worse because the earth is disrupted, too. At last, we pull up to a large elementary school, three stories high with two wings. It has become an IDF staging area with many soldiers and parked tanks. Anshi says they took the school from militants at night, then secured it, or thought they did. The next morning, four Hamas came out of a missed basement tunnel and began firing. Two of Anshis men were killed in seconds. So were three Hamas, the fourth escaping back down the tunnel. Lt. Col. Anshi in front of a Gaza school that had a militants' tunnel under it. Two of his men were killed here by Hamas militants who came out of it. Anshi himself was shot in the left arm here by a sniper. Moments after that battle, as Anshi walked by a school door, a sniper bullet went through the flesh of his left arm. Thats the kind of war it is, he says. They come out of both the ground and nowhere. How can this place ever be whole again? Its the reason most houses we just drove through were destroyed. That stays with me as a terrible sight, a beautiful neighborhood demolished. But Israeli soldiers ask, what do you do when militants hide in it to kill you? I approach another soldier who is trying to light a cigarette, but the wind is too strong. He tries three times before he gets it. He gives his name as Bar, 26, and says he was on vacation in Thailand on Oct. 7. He was back on Oct. 8, assigned to help tow the burned cars at the Nova music festival site, some no doubt with human remains, to a gathering point. Bodies of Hamas militants were still on the ground. Is Israel guilty of genocide in Gaza? Why the accusation at the UN is unfounded. Bars grandparents used to tell him about Jews being murdered in pogroms in Russia, which seemed far in the past. But now it had happened again, and that, he says, is why he fights, so Israel can be safe. At that, there is a blast so huge things around us shake. A soldier says it was a bomb from an Israeli plane. We are 2 miles into Gaza, close enough to the war that 20 seconds later the bombs diffuse smoke wafts across us with a fireworks smell. 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. Anshi says its time to go embed trips like this are tightly scripted and soon were speeding back across the dystopian landscape. For every house left standing, there are five turned to debris. It makes you wonder how this place can ever be whole again. And whether Israel needed to do this much damage. But you wonder more why Hamas doesnt free the hostages and save whats left of the land they call home. Now our two Humvees turn through the hole in the border fence, leaving Gaza behind, and a mile later, arrive at our original staging area. They tell us the information from the trip is embargoed for 24 hours because it could put troops in jeopardy. The clouds have receded, and as my guide and I begin the drive back to Jerusalem, I see a contrast that to me is a symbol of Israel. Its a beautiful grove that goes on and on, the sun reflecting off thousands of Jaffa oranges. So much promise. But so close to the border. And the sounds of war that follow us as we drive. Mark Patinkin by one of the border crossings between Israel and the West Bank. Photos of Mark Patinkin by Robby Berman, hired by Mark as translator and journalist's guide for this story. Mark Patinkin is traveling to Israel personally and is not sponsored by or affiliated with any organization. He will report firsthand from the region as he has done for the last four decades through his award-winning journalism. This column first published in The Providence Journal. He can be reached at mpatinki@providencejournal.com 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 The Providence Journal: Israel military took me through Gaza. What I saw was post-apocalyptic Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine A total of 82 combat clashes occurred over the past day. The Russians launched nine missile strikes and 100 airstrikes and fired multiple-launch rocket systems at Ukrainian military positions and populated areas 161 times. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 06:00 on 2 March Details: The Russians attacked Ukraine with attack drones once again on the night of 1-2 March 2024, using 17 Shahed UAVs. The Ukrainian air defence assets and personnel destroyed 14 attack UAVs. Settlements in Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts and the villages of Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka and Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast were subjected to airstrikes. More than 140 settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Mykolaiv oblasts came under Russian artillery fire. In the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group on the Kupiansk front, the Russians did not conduct any offensive (assault) operations. On the Lyman front, Ukrainian defenders repelled 14 Russian attacks near Terny, Yampolivka and Rozdolivka (Donetsk Oblast) and Bilohorivka (Luhansk Oblast). On the Bakhmut front, Ukraine's Armed Forces repelled eight Russian attacks near Bohdanivka, Ivanivske and Andriivka (Donetsk Oblast). In the area of responsibility of the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group on the Avdiivka front, Ukrainian defenders repelled 24 Russian attacks in the vicinity of Berdychi, Orlivka, Tonenke, Pervomaiske and Nevelske (Donetsk Oblast). On the Novopavlivka front, the Defence Forces continued to hold back the Russians near Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Pobieda, Novomykhailivka and Urozhaine (Donetsk Oblast), where the Russians tried to break through Ukraines defences 29 times. On the Orikhiv front, the Russians did not conduct any offensive (assault) operations. In the area of responsibility of the Odesa Operational Strategic Group on the Kherson front, the Defence Forces continue to hold their positions. The Russians did not conduct any offensive (assault) operations. At the same time, Ukrainian defenders continue to actively inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the Russian occupation forces, depleting them along the entire line of contact. Over the past day, Ukraine's Air Force struck 13 areas where Russian personnel were concentrated. Ukraine's Rocket Forces and Artillery struck one area where Russian military equipment was concentrated, three artillery pieces, three command posts and three ammunition storage points belonging to the Russians. Support UP or become our patron! LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Authorities say a train derailment in eastern Pennsylvania has left some railroad cars along a riverbank Saturday morning and at least one partially in the river itself. Dispatchers in Northampton County said the derailment was reported at 7:14 a.m. in Lower Saucon Township. Northampton County Executive, Lamont McClure said three cars derailed. "We dodged a bullet here," McClure stated. "Were just extremely lucky, but there were three trains involved in the incident and it could have been much worse." The Nancy Run Fire Company posted pictures showing a number of railroad cars scattered along the riverbank and at least one partially in the water. Taken by the Nancy Run Fire Company, a Norfolk Southern train is shown derailed near Bethlehem, Pa. McClure went on, "Were very grateful that there are no injuries. No reported injuries. No one had to be evacuated. There is no danger to the general public. We really want to make that clear theres no danger to the general public." Norfolk Southern said in a statement there was no threat to the public, no injuries to crew members and "no hazardous material concerns from the railcars." Norfolk Southern said a small diesel fuel leak which the company said was "common when locomotives are involved" had been contained with booms and would be "vacuumed out." Plastic pellets spilled from one car, predominantly onto the ground, and that would also be cleaned up, the company said. Norfolk Southern praised "the quick, professional response by local emergency agencies." McClure said most of the cars were empty. He added that normally, the train cars would usually be carrying dangerous material. "Butane and ethanol, two things that are obviously very highly flammable and could have been devastating had they been there and there was a leak." Officials say theyve been monitoring the air and say everything is normal, but theyll keep testing to make sure everything is okay. There was no immediate word on the derailment's cause. Norfolk Southern is the same company involved in the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio back in February 2023. Thats where 38 cars went off the tracks and spilled hazardous materials. Right after East Palestine, Northampton County required mandatory training, just in case something like that ever happened here. "We had three trainings with respect to train derailment and you can see here, today, in Northampton County, our agencies and our municipalities in Lower Saucon really shone well," McClure stated. The cleanup efforts will continue for the next couple weeks. Local officials say they will be on hand to monitor. The Associated Press contributed to this report. OAKVILLE, Mo. St. Louis is famous for its toasted ravioli, its ooey-gooey butter cake, and now, a new contender: trashed wings. But what are trashed wings, and where were they invented? Trashed wings are bone-in chicken wings that are fried, sauced, and then fried again before being served. Many locations around St. Louis have their own version of trashed wings, but one eatery, which is 35 years old, claims to be the original creator. At Frankie Gs Grill and Bar in Oakville, they claim that they are the original inventors of Trashed Wings. Billy Gianino, son of the owner, recalls when his father, Bill Gianino, started trashed wings in his restaurant, and the tradition has continued My familys been in the restaurant business in Saint Louis for over 50 years with my family and probably 70 years with my grandfather, Gianino said. The Gianino Family of Restaurants owns eight establishments in total: Billy Gs Kirkwood Billy Gs Chesterfield Frankie Gianinos Frankie Gs Bill Gianinos Joey Bs Concord Joey Bs Manchester Joey Bs On the Hill 1 dead, 1 hurt in shooting at south St. Louis QuikTrip Gianino said that his father started making trashed wings in the late 1980s. He then brought them to Frankie Gs in Oakville. Gianino said that he would consider trashed wings to be a staple of St. Louis cuisine. Theyre fried, sauced, and then fried again. But theyre double-fried, and they are delicious, said Gianino. When he first made them, he said that they trashed his fryer oil faster.' Gianino explained that after you sauce the wings and then drop them again in the frying oil, the sauce would affect the fryer oil. Trash is my fryer oil. Trash wings, said Gianino. He was looking for a crispier wing. His son explained why trashed wings even got started. But Gianino said that they never thought it would become a big hit, thus becoming a family tradition. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Publics favorite places for trashed wings: Other locations have now picked up on serving their own version of trashed wings. We asked our Facebook fans and our Instagram fans where they enjoy this St. Louis staple. Jackie said, Frankie Gs is the best. Brian said Fraileys, Frankie Gs, and Garveys, all three are fantastic. Heather said, Fraileys Southtown Grill has the absolute best wings! I love their trash and grilled wings. Most commenters did say that they like the diner that originally claims to be the creator of the trashed wings. But some other commenters had other opinions. Marlene said, Shirleys is the best in St. Charles on North highway 94. Chad said, Peppers has some good ones too. And many others agreed with him. Many also agreed with Kevins choice of Sybergs. Sybergs and extra Sybergs sauce on the side please, said Kevin. Many other locations were named on the list for the best place to get trashed wings, these are just some comments that were pulled from the Facebook and Instagram posts. No matter where you get your trashed wings, from the original pace or from someone who added their twist, St. Louisans love these STL style wings. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Imagine someone whose childhood ranks at the very bottom in every dimensionneglect, foster homes, adoption into a family that breaks upbut who, unbeknown to any of the people around him, has an intellect at the very top. As an adult, he brings his intellect to an account of what such a childhood looks and feels like from the inside. Thats what you get with Rob Hendersons newly published book, Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class. It is an indispensable document for understanding Americas large and multiracial underclass. Underclass does not simply refer to impoverished people, but to people who are both low-income and dysfunctional. Their dysfunctions may include criminality, substance abuse, mental illness, an inability to hold a job, and dropping out of the labor force. However, the signature dysfunction is the breakdown of the family. Though the term was primarily used in the 1980s to describe poor urban blacks, the early 1990s revealed that a white underclass had been forming under the radar, characterized by rapidly rising nonmarital births as well as rising divorce rates. Few liberal scholars at the time (the late sociologist Sara McLanahan was a courageous exception) thought that lacking a biological father mattered, and conservatives like me seldom had the personal life experiences to talk about the white underclass. We werent anthropologists; we had plentiful published accounts of low-income black family life, but we had to rely on sparse journalistic accounts or doctoral theses for parallel descriptions of white families. Decades went by and no one wrote a widely available account of what the growing white underclass meant in human terms. By the time readers encountered J.D. Vances Hillbilly Elegy in the mid-2010s, they could be excused for assuming the now-senators memoir depicted a peculiar Appalachian phenomenon, not a nationwide underclass. Hendersons Troubled rips away that comforting thought. He spent his first years in Los Angeles in multiracial foster care and the rest of his childhood and adolescence in Red Bluff, a working-class town in Northern California, 87 percent white at the time he moved there. Half-Korean and half-Hispanic, he technically does not qualify as part of the white underclass, but thats the world where he came to adulthood. Rob, named after the father he never knew, was born to the daughter of a wealthy Korean family. She had come to the United States to go to college but began using drugs and dropped out. Her drug use intensified, accompanied by promiscuity, and she bore two children by two different men before getting pregnant with Rob. Robs father disappeared before his birth. Henderson writes: When I was a baby, my mother and I lived in a car. About a year later, we moved into a slum apartment in Westlake, a poor neighborhood in Los Angeles. Documents from social workers report that my mother would tie me to a chair with a bathrobe belt so that she could get high in another room without being interrupted. She left bruises and marks on my face. While my mother did drugs, I would cry from the other room as I struggled to break free. At age 3, Rob was taken into the Los Angeles County foster care system, and his mother was deported to South Korea. He never saw her again. During the next five years, Rob lived in seven foster homes. He attended six different elementary schools by the end of second grade. Then he was adopted by the Hendersons, a married couple with one biological daughter who lived in Red Bluff. His new mother was Korean-born and had herself been adopted into a white family. His new father was white and had grown up poor. He had once been a corrections officer but was driving trucks for a living when Rob joined the family. Both parents were Seventh-Day Adventists. Life was pretty good for a year, and Rob became close to his adoptive father. Then his adoptive parents divorced. Shortly after that, the adoptive father cut off all communication with Rob. This new abandonment, on top of everything else, was so wrenching for Roband for methat I wanted to stop reading. The next paragraph reminded me why I couldnt quit: It wasnt just me, though. Most of the kids Id met either had stepdads or no dads. Even though Id been in foster care and was adopted, my past never really came up in conversations with other kids. This was probably because the families that lived in this town were so messy that even my unusual backstory didnt raise too many eyebrows. Awful as the foster care system is, it applies to only about half a percent of American childrenabout 285,000 in 2021. However, according to my analysis of the Census Bureaus American Community Survey for that same year, about half of Americas children grow up without married biological parents. (For working-class households, its two-thirds.) In total, that amounts to more than 38 million children growing up without married biological parents. These percentages have been about the same since the early 2000s. To live in a working-class neighborhood in 21st-century America has meant living in a neighborhood where intact families are a minority, whether you are white, African American, or Hispanic. Meanwhile, the intact family remains the overwhelming norm among children with a parent in a professional or managerial occupation84 percent of them were living with married biological parents in 2021. Henderson had a textbook personal experience in a neighborhood with few dads. He was an indifferent and occasionally disruptive student (except when something interested him), frequently got into fights, had run-ins with the police, did the usual teenage drugs, and hung out with other kids who had the same problems with their families. When Rob was 17, he decided to enlist in the Air Force. He took the ASVAB (the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery) while hungover after a late night of drinking and playing video games with his buddies. He knocked the test out of the park. The military introduced structure, discipline, and a sense of purpose into Robs life. He continued to drink heavily, still had emotional problems, and eventually had to do a stint in rehab. But he did well in his military specialtyelectronic warfare technicianand kicked his alcohol dependence. Then Rob went to Yale (the chapters describing his interactions with other Yale students are worth the price of the book), got his degree, and won a highly competitive scholarship to Cambridge University, where he was awarded a doctorate in psychology in 2022. Henderson has recounted an astounding adult triumph over childhood adversity, but when others tell him that everything worked out in the endthat his experiences as a child made him who he is todayHenderson doesnt buy it. He writes: The tradeoff isnt worth it. Given the choice, I would swap my position in the top 1 percent of educational attainment to have never been in the top 1 percent of childhood instability. Much of my own life has been an unsuccessful flight from my childhood. I hope that Henderson realizes what a valuable voice the trade-off has given him, especially from the viewpoint of us scholars who write about the importance of the intact family. We contend that social policy should maximize the proportion of children who come into the world with a loving mother and father committed to their care. The institution most likely to produce that result is marriage. The culture most likely to produce that result is one that celebrates marriage and stigmatizes people who bear or sire children they arent prepared to raise. But American culture and social policy over the last 60 years have sent the opposite incentives and signals. Hence, a nation in which only about 1 in 10 children were without both biological parents in 1960 has become one in which about half are without one or both. The net increase in childhood suffering has been immeasurable but enormous. How can people like me convey that persuasively? Statistics showing the effects of broken families on childrens adult unemployment rates, the likelihood of imprisonment, and educational attainment look bloodless, even heartless, when put alongside the immediate needs of an infant who had no choice in parents. We who use those statistics havent been able to convey the pain and loss that lie behind the numbers. Rob Henderson paid an inexpressible price to be able to do it, but he has made the suffering of millions of children palpable in a way that none of the rest of us can. We are in his debt. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. A political outsider running for the Republican Partys agriculture commissioner nomination says allies of longtime Commissioner Steve Troxler have at least twice denied him the platform to state his case. Colby Bear Hammonds is a Robeson County native who now runs a cattle farm in Holly Springs. Hes running in the primary against Troxler, who has been the states head agricultural official since 2005. As the campaign rattled toward its conclusion in February, Hammonds alleges that he was denied the chance to have a booth at the Southern Farm Show, which is a key expo for the agricultural community. Hammonds also says that Rep. Jimmy Dixon, a Duplin County Republican, denied him the chance to speak at a Feb. 17 political rally. Put together, the incidents show the challenges of campaigning against an entrenched incumbent, particularly one like Troxler who has cultivated powerful allies and connections over decades in public office. its very difficult to be able to put your foot in the door and I understood that and I expected that before I even put my name on the piece of paper to run, Hammonds said in an interview. Troxlers campaign did not respond to a message seeking comment for this story. The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat Sarah Taber, who does not have a primary opponent, in Novembers general election. Steve Troxler has been the N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture since 2005. Here, hes shown listening to debate during a Council of State meeting in December 2022. Southern Farm Shows Exhibit Hammonds wanted to rent an exhibit at this years Southern Farm Show, an annual expo featuring agricultural vendors held at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. This years show was held from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. But David Zimmerman, the shows longtime organizer, told Hammonds he doesnt rent space to political campaigns. Besides, Zimmerman recalled in an interview, the event was already sold out. Hammonds said he asked Zimmerman if Troxler, his opponent in the primary, would have a booth at the event and was told there would not be one. So, Hammonds said, he was surprised to find a Troxler campaign booth at the show.. A video Hammonds posted to YouTube shows Troxler mingling with attendees at the show and inspecting a cardboard cutout bearing his likeness in front of a sign touting his candidacy. All were asking for is an even playing field, and the same rules should apply to everyone one, Hammonds said in the video. So how did Troxlers campaign secure a booth, seemingly in contradiction with the shows policies? The Troxler campaign subleased part of the exhibition space from the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina, a trade group that Troxler helped found before entering politics. A campaign finance report filed this week shows that the campaign paid $400 for the space. Graham Boyd, the executive vice president of the Tobacco Growers Association, said he told Zimmerman in a conversation that the group intended to allow Troxler to use some of the space it had leased. Zimmerman, Boyd recalled, had no problem with that arrangement. I dont think he was surprised that all of a sudden Steve Troxlers in our booth, Boyd said. Zimmerman said this week that he was unaware the agreement between the Tobacco Growers and the Troxler campaign had been a sublease. That violates the shows exhibitor guidelines, which say show organizers must approve sublease agreements. They are supposed to let me know if theyre selling it but I have had people support different candidates in the past, Zimmerman said, raising a slightly different situation where vendors have brochures for political causes or candidates in their leased space. Zimmerman is a longtime Troxler supporter. In January, a week before the Southern Farm Show, Zimmerman donated $1,000 to Troxlers campaign, according to campaign finance reports. Still, Zimmerman insisted in an interview that his personal support for Troxler has nothing to do with the sublease situation. Hammonds, he said, was afforded the same chances to cooperate with a friendly vendor. I told (Hammonds) at the time that if he has people he knows at the show or if some of his supporters are at the show, hes welcome to work with them in their exhibit space and hand out brochures, Zimmerman told The News & Observer. Boyd, of the Tobacco Growers Association, said that while the organization doesnt take a formal stance in statewide races, much of their membership would support Troxler, whom he called an incumbent who is overwhelmingly supported. The booth wasnt the only involvement Troxler and the Tobacco Growers Assocation had at the farm show. The trade group holds its annual meeting on the Friday morning of the show, typically drawing about 700 people associated with the industry. Troxler spoke at that event three times this year. Boyd called the chance to speak at that meeting more impactful than handing out stickers or shaking hands in a booth that expo attendees may or may not see. But those are the advantages of the incumbent. We dont invite candidates, its office holders who come and speak, Boyd said. Hammonds still feels like he was treated unfairly by the shows organizers. If the events policy is no political booths, he said, there shouldnt be a way to get it around it by subleasing from a friendly organization. I really dont think theres a loophole, I think its pretty clear, I think someone just disregarded the whole policy, Hammonds said. No chance to speak in Duplin Less than three weeks after the Farm Show, Hammonds alleges that a legislative ally of Troxlers denied him the opportunity to speak at a Feb. 17 political event. Hammonds said the event was a Mark Robinson rally held in Faison, attended by 150 to 200 people. Typically, Hammonds said, Robinson allows other candidates for state office to speak for a couple of minutes to make their pitches to voters. Thats normal. That happens all the time, Hammonds said. Hammonds had registered online to speak at the event. Then, upon arriving a half hour before it started, he wrote his name third on a roster of speakers. The event was particularly important, Hammonds said, because Duplin County is a key agricultural area. Thats the audience that I want to put my message out to, Hammonds said. Rep. Jimmy Dixon, a Duplin County Republican who is influential in state agricultural policy, was serving as the master of ceremonies. When candidates started talking, Hammonds said, it quickly became clear that Dixon was skipping him. Rep. Jimmy Dixon allegedly prevented Colby Bear Hammonds from speaking at a February 17 political rally in Duplin County. Here, Dixon is showing listening to debate in the N.C. General Assembly in 2022. After several other people running for statewide office spoke, Dixon said the portion of the program featuring statewide candidates had ended. At that point, Hammonds recalled, an audience member stood to ask if he would be allowed to make his pitch. Dixon said Hammonds hadnt signed up to talk. Hammonds, standing nearby, said he had and was still prepared to speak. Dixon, Hammonds recalled, said he would not be given the opportunity. It was clear to me that he was not only trying to voice or communicate his power to me in that venue, but based off the audience reaction, I felt it was directly intimidation he was doing to them not to vote for me, Hammonds said. Dixon did not respond to a voicemail seeking comment for this story. 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. Former president Donald J. Trump spoke before thousands of supporters in the Special Events Center at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Campaigning in North Carolina just days before Super Tuesday, former President Donald Trump vowed to launch the largest domestic deportation operation in American history if he returns to the White House. Addressing thousands of supporters in Greensboro on Saturday afternoon, Trump said the southern border was an open and gushing wound that has been pouring drugs, gangs, terrorists, and millions and millions of illegal aliens into our country, and promised to end what he said were the Biden administrations open border policies on his first day in office. Trump touted his own administrations approach to curbing illegal immigration, praising policies of sending migrants seeking asylum to Mexico while they awaited their court dates and using existing laws to deny entry to migrants beginning at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you broke in, we caught you, we detained you, we deported you immediately, just like clockwork, Trump said to cheering supporters. Polling has shown that immigration is a top issue for voters this year, in some cases second only to the economy. The Biden administration has blasted Republicans in Congress for rejecting a bipartisan border security bill that Trump came out against strongly. Trump and President Joe Biden were both in Texas on Thursday, visiting different areas along the border. During his visit to Texas, Biden urged Trump to reconsider his stance on the border deal and join him in pressing Congress to pass it. Joining Trump at Saturdays rally were several top surrogates for his campaign in North Carolina, including Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, who warmed up the crowd. Trump endorsed Robinson for the first time in his campaign for governor. During his speech, Trump also addressed the multiple criminal trials he faces, calling himself a victim of political persecution and telling supporters that law enforcement agencies had been weaponized. He added that it was critical that voters arent deprived of the opportunity to vote for him when they decide who the next president should be. North Carolina is one of 15 states holding primaries on March 5, known as Super Tuesday. With a large number of delegates up for grabs, Super Tuesday is typically a turning point in the race to secure either major partys presidential nomination. But this year, the primaries are only expected to confirm that Trump and Biden will face off against each other in November. Trump spoke at the N.C. Republican Party convention last June, which took place days after he became the first president to face federal charges, for his handling of classified documents after he left office. Since then, Trumps lead among GOP voters has only grown, causing all of his opponents but one to drop out. Nikki Haley, the former U.N. ambassador appointed by Trump and governor of South Carolina, has remained in the race, despite losing all of the first five states in the nominating process to the former president. Haley, who has won between 20% and 30% of the vote in each state, has vowed to stay in the race as long as were competitive, according to ABC News. She held a campaign event in Raleigh on Saturday. Normal again. Nikki Haley on why shes a better choice than Trump in NCs GOP primary Former President Donald Trump once again threw his support behind Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, whose three-year tenure representing Coloradans has been marred by allegations ofhypocrisy. Writing on his website Truth Social, the former president called Boebert a Proven Conservative and Effective Leader and a trusted America First Fighter who has his Complete and Total Endorsement. Boebert was first elected in 2020 to represent Colorados 3rd congressional district, encompassing the western half of the state. She rose to right-wing fame by touting her love for guns and Trumps MAGA movement while capitalizing on conservative anger over COVID-19 health restrictions as the owner of a restaurant that has since shuttered. After a narrow re-election win in 2022, Boebert decided to run to represent the states 4th congressional district in 2024 instead a large swath of eastern Colorado that draws more consistently Republican votes. She also has sought to position herself in a softer light in recent months. Last summer, set on her mission to impeach President Joe Biden, Boeberts tense relationship with fellow Trump Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) sparked an ugly scene on the House floor in which Greene called Boebert a little bitch. Then in September, Boebert suffered a spectacular fall from grace when she was forcibly removed from a stage production of Beetlejuice at a Denver performing arts theater. The congresswoman and her date were caught on video kissing, groping and vaping during what was billed as a family-friendly show. For an elected official who has championed family values and baselessly accused members of the LGBTQ+ community of sexually inappropriate behavior around children, the incident was embarrassing, and Boebert later apologized. Her personal life inspired headlines again in January, when her ex-husband, Jayson Boebert, allegedly started drunken fights twice in a span of days once with the congresswoman and once with one of the pairs sons. Earlier this week, her eldest son, 18-year-old Tyler Boebert, was arrested on felony charges; he allegedly robbed a woman with a brain tumor of her last $75, police said. Boebert responded by saying she would never give up on him. Related... Donald Trump defeated Nikki Haley in the Missouri and Michigan primaries Saturday before also clinching Idahos Republican presidential caucuses, edging him even closer to securing the Republican nomination. The Associated Press called Idaho for the former president at 5 p.m. local time Saturday. Just hours earlier, the AP had called Missouri for Trump at 12:45 p.m., less than two hours after voters went to the polls, though the state officially takes a month to award all of its 54 delegates. Polling from Decision Desk HQ and The Hill showed Trump with 88 percent of the vote compared to Haleys 12 percent. Michigan Republicans handed Trump all their delegates in their convention Saturday, amid protests and boycotts over the party's leadership. The clean sweep was perhaps predictable, as Trump already handily won the Feb. 27 primary. Haley has yet to win a single Republican primaryincluding her home state of South Carolinabut has vowed to stay in the race through Super Tuesday on March 5. Missouris primary put Trump at 155 presidential delegates, with Haley at 24. THANK YOU, MISSOURI! Together, WE are going to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! Trump posted on Truth Social following the announcement of the Missouri results. Haley did not immediately comment on the results, instead tweeting a video from a rally in North Carolina, which will hold its primary Tuesday. Missouri was scheduled to hold its primary on March 12 until lawmakers accidentally canceled the contest and missed the deadline to reinstate it. Instead, voters were required to turn out in person for caucuses and pledge their support of the Missouri Republican Party, though they did not have to be registered Republicans. I dont know what my role here will be, besides standing in a corner for Trump, Columbia resident Carmen Christal told the AP, though she added that she was looking forward to the experience of it. The result in Michigan was to be expected: Trump won 100 percent of the vote in Tuesday's primary in four of its congressional districts, and more than 90 percent in almost all of the nine others. Those votes accounted to 16 of the states 55 delegates; the rest were assigned at Saturday's convention. But the convention still offered some drama in the form of debates over who should be named party chairperson. Supporters of former chair Kristina Karamo, who was ousted in January, had threatened to organize a separate convention of their own, but that plan fell through at the last minute following a court order. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. One company that is quickly emerging as a front-runner in the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution is Palantir Technologies (NYSE: PLTR), which has a suite of data analytics software platforms that it sells to the U.S. government, its Western allies, and the private sector. Last year, Palantir released its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), and it has been a game changer for Palantir, helping draw over 100 new customers in 2023. The company ended 2023 with 497 customers. Given that some of Palantir's enterprise deals are in excess of $10 million, the rapid customer adoption of AIP appears to be setting the company up for long-term sustained and robust growth. Make no mistake about it -- as the bull narrative becomes clearer for Palantir, investors are taking note. The stock is up 200% over the last year, handily topping the return of the S&P 500 index. With such a dramatic shift in the stock, investors may be wondering if they've missed out. Let's dig into Palantir and assess what the future could hold and whether now is a good time to scoop up shares, or if investors missed the boat and should look for growth elsewhere. How is Palantir performing? For years, one of the biggest bear arguments surrounding Palantir was that the company relied too heavily on government business. While a lot of money can be made in the public sector, investors typically do not apply as much of a premium to government contractors given the lumpy and less predictable nature of these types of deals. However, Palantir has spent the past few years rounding out its host of platforms: Foundry, Apollo, and Gotham. Moreover, with the addition of AIP, Palantir now has an artificial intelligence (AI) product that is looking to disrupt competing platforms such as Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, and others. In 2023, Palantir increased it total customer count by 35% year over year. More impressively, the company grew its nongovernment customers by 44%. In the fourth quarter, the company's revenue from U.S. private sector customers grew by a jaw-dropping 70% year over year. Story continues Clearly, Palantir's software is in high demand outside of the government, and its adoption by these new customers is helping drive significant top-line acceleration. Total revenue grew 17% in 2023. What's even better is that Palantir's overall business is financially strong. The company has been profitable on a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis for five straight quarters, and its balance sheet ended the year with $3.7 billion of cash and equivalents, with no debt. Given these results, it's no surprise to learn that Palantir stock has rocketed over 40% since the company reported fourth-quarter earnings on Feb. 5. Given such a dramatic move in a short time frame, investors should zoom out and look at what Palantir's future could hold. Image source: Getty Images. What the future could look like for Palantir Getting a sense of how Palantir drove such strong growth last year should help shed light on the company's prospects. With demand for artificial intelligence services rising, it can be challenging for companies to differentiate their products from the competition's. Palantir employed a unique strategy following the commercial release of AIP. The company started hosting immersive seminars that it calls "boot camps." During these sessions, Palantir allows prospective customers to test out its various products and identify a specific use case revolving around AI. The idea behind this lead generation strategy is to help foster potential customers for Palantir's pipeline. This system allows Palantir to get more prospects through the door at a faster rate. In theory, should these boot camps convert to actual paying customers at a high rate, Palantir now has a unique opportunity to upsell and cross-sell additional products to these new customers. Management has been speaking about the success of boot camps for the last several quarters. However, during the fourth-quarter earnings call, investors received some much-needed detail. Since the release of AIP in April 2023, Palantir has completed over 500 boot camps. To put this into perspective, the company held 92 demos for prospective clients during all of 2022. I am encouraged by the results of the boot camps so far and see this as an approach to customer acquisition that can work well in the long run. 2023 was just a preview of what's to come. As Palantir continues to add customers at double-digit growth rates, the company's top and bottom lines should accelerate exponentially for years. Is it too late to buy Palantir stock? The chart below illustrates the price-to-sales (P/S) ratio for Palantir stock benchmarked against a number of high-growth software-as-a-service (SaaS) names, as well as some of the megacap leaders in AI PLTR PS Ratio Chart While Palantir's P/S around 24 is the highest among this cohort, investors can clearly see the multiple expansion following the company's blowout earnings report in early February. Although this might suggest that Palantir stock needs a breather, acclaimed Wall Street analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities sees significant upside in Palantir stock -- even from its current levels. My personal take is that Palantir's premium valuation is warranted. The company is well positioned from a capital perspective to continue investing in relentless product innovation, and the demand trends for its boot camps could result in much further growth in the long run. While the stock is enjoying some momentum right now, a prudent approach could be to use dollar-cost averaging to build around a long-term position. Should you invest $1,000 in Palantir Technologies right now? Before you buy stock in Palantir Technologies, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Palantir Technologies 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 26, 2024 Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. Adam Spatacco has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Datadog, Microsoft, MongoDB, Palantir Technologies, and ServiceNow. The Motley Fool recommends International Business Machines and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is It Too Late to Buy Palantir Stock? was originally published by The Motley Fool By James Oliphant and Gram Slattery GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Reuters) -Republican frontrunner Donald Trump on Saturday made clear he was turning his focus to the November presidential election and a rematch with President Joe Biden, while his rival Nikki Haley was imploring Republican voters not to let Trump get that far. Trump and Haley stumped less than 100 miles (160 km) apart in North Carolina ahead of its primary contest next week that could carry deep implications for the November general election. Speaking to roughly 1,000 supporters at a train station in downtown Raleigh, Haley, who faces vanishing odds of beating Trump, argued she is better positioned to beat Biden in the general election and Trump had led the party to disappointing outcomes in past presidential and congressional elections. "We need someone who can actually win a general election," Haley said to cheers. Trump barely referenced Haley during his remarks at a larger rally in Greensboro, training his fire almost solely on Biden. The state's March 5 primary is part of a Super Tuesday slate of 16 nominating contests that will bring Trump close to clinching the Republican nomination. It also is the only race that day that will be held in a battleground state that could decide the next occupant of the White House. Trump is heavily favored in North Carolina's primary. But Haley's performance should give a sense of his vulnerabilities in the Southern state, particularly among moderate and independent voters, said Thom Little, a professor of political science at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. The state's election rules allow independents who are not affiliated with a party to vote in the Republican primary. Those voters have been a source of strength for Haley in states such as New Hampshire and her home state of South Carolina, where she scored about 40% of the vote. Some voters at Haley's event in Raleigh, the state capital, said they had voted for Trump in the past and would do so again, while others said they might seek a third-party option or simply stay home. "I voted for Trump twice, and I just don't think he's the right person right now," said Terry Johnson, 57, of Cary, North Carolina. Of her choice in a potential Biden-Trump rematch she added: "It'd be really hard. I might vote for an independent person. I'm not sure right now." At Trump's rally, however, Vicky Lennox, 52, of Winston-Salem was sporting a T-shirt adorned with a Trump's image and the words "Never Surrender." Lennox said she never considered voting for Haley, calling her a "RINO" - a "Republican in Name Only." During the rally, Trump repeatedly returned to the topic of the 2020 election and his unfounded claim that he was the victor, the subject of state and federal cases against him. His goal for the 2024 election, Trump said, is a result that will be "too big to rig." Trump urged his supporters to come out in force on Tuesday "to send a signal." "We have to let them know we're a freight train - and we're going, and we're not stopping," he said. NOVEMBER BATTLEGROUND With Trump expected to clinch the nomination soon, voters who come out for Haley in North Carolina will have to decide in November whether to switch to Trump, stay home without voting or cross over to Biden, Little said. Those voters would be targeted by both the Biden and Trump camps. Unaffiliated voters now make up a larger segment of the electorate in the state than registered Democrats or Republicans. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win the state was Barack Obama in 2008. Both the Biden campaign and the main super PAC backing it, Future Forward, have identified North Carolina as a priority along with other Sun Belt states such as Arizona and Georgia. Early opinion polls of a head-to-head matchup show Trump leading Biden in North Carolina. "It's a state where both parties are going to spend a lot of time," Little said. "And money." (Reporting by James Oliphant in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Gram Slattery, in Raleigh, North Carolina; Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Deepa Babington, Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman) Former President Trump continued his attacks on the top prosecutors in his Georgia election subversion trial, as the judge prepares to determine if the two will will be disqualified from the case due to their once-romantic relationship. WHERE DID FANI GET ALL THAT CASH? NO WAY SHE PAID HER LOVE, PROSECUTOR NATHAN WADE, BACK, Trump posted on Truth Social, referring to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) and special prosecutor Nathan Wade. SHE MADE UP THE CASH STORY WHEN SHE REALIZED THAT HER SEXCAPADES WERE PAID FOR BY THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA. The former presidents post stemmed from a January motion filed by defendant Michael Roman, a Trump 2020 campaign operative and co-defendant in the Georgia election case, who accused Willis of financially benefiting from her relationship with Wade because the two took vacations together. Judge Scott McAfee heard final arguments Friday from Trumps lawyers, who have argued Willis and Wade should be removed from the racketeering case because of a conflict of interest that stemmed from their relationship. The judge said he could make a determination within two weeks. That decision will likely hinge on how he weighs the evidence presented during three days of hearings. Both Willis and Wade took to the witness stand to defend themselves and while they confirmed their relationship, they claimed they parted ways last summer. McAfee previously said the romantic allegations could result in both of them being disqualified from the case if there was evidence that there was an actual conflict of interest or the appearance of one. In his post online, Trump argued that Willis made up excuses about the money AFTER SHE GOT CAUGHT. He continued, saying the prosecutors only WANTED MONEY AND FAME, and thats why they are the top prosecutors in the Witch Hunt against him. The former president also claimed the pair worked with President Bidens Department of Justice to go after him. Trump, the current GOP front-runner in the race for the White House, has already pleaded not guilty to the charges, which centers on his alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the state. Terrible stuff! THIS CASE MUST BE DROPPED A GREAT EMBARRASSMENT TO GEORGIA! he posted on Truth Social. Fridays arguments ended the nearly two-month battle surrounding Willis and Wades relationship. While McAfee will likely issue his ruling on the prosecutors quickly, a delay in the trial still seems likely. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By James Oliphant GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Reuters) -Republican frontrunner Donald Trump accused President Joe Biden on Saturday of engaging in a "conspiracy to overthrow the United States" through lax security policies that have allowed millions of migrants to stream across the U.S. border with Mexico. Speaking at a campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, Trump appeared to be suggesting, as he has in the past, that Democrats are hoping to convert migrants who enter the country illegally into reliable voters. Bidens administration, Trump contended, seeks to collapse the American system, nullify the will of the actual American voters and establish a new base of power that gives them control for generations. Trump elaborated at an evening rally in Richmond, Virginia, after repeating the allegations. Referring to the Biden White House, he said, "They're trying to sign (migrants) up to get them to vote in the next election." Trump also accused Biden of providing "aid and comfort to foreign enemies of the United States" as part of his border policies. In response, Biden's campaign pointed to a border security bill in Congress Trump helped torpedo last month by urging Republicans to vote against it. "Once again Trump is projecting in an attempt to distract the American people from the fact he killed the fairest and toughest border security bill in decades because he believed it would help his campaign. Sad," said Biden spokesperson Ammar Moussa. Under pressure from Republicans who accuse him of failing to control the border, Biden called on Congress last year to provide more enforcement funding and said he would "shut down the border" if given new authority to turn back migrants. Last month, however, a bipartisan immigration bill stalled in the U.S. Senate after Trump told Republicans not to support it even though it contained several border-security measures they had sought. In past statements, Trump has suggested that Democrats are purposefully allowing migrants into the country to grow their political support, a longstanding claim espoused on the far-right known as the great replacement theory. Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections. But Trump has made border security a central tenet of his campaign as polls show voters in both parties becoming increasingly concerned about the steady stream of migration. Both Biden and Trump toured the southern border along Texas in separate visits on Thursday, a sign they each view the issue as politically potent. Trump frequently claims without evidence, as he did again on Saturday, that migrants have caused a spike in violent crime in U.S. cities. At the North Carolina rally, Trump called the influx of migrants an invasion and said Biden would turn our public schools into migrant camps. We are not going to let them turn the USA into a crime-filled, disease-ridden dumping ground, Trump said. Jennifer Mercieca, a professor at Texas A&M University who has written a book about Trump's rhetoric, said he often uses unfounded conspiracy allegations to undermine opponents with "self-sealing narratives" that can't be proven true or false. "Previously he's said that Biden's weakness was allowing weakness at the border, but here it's a plot," she said. "Trump has prevented the border bill from passing so that he can make these accusations against Biden." Trump was campaigning in North Carolina and Virginia ahead of their primaries on Tuesday, two of 16 nominating contests that will be held across the country that likely will push him close to clinching the Republican presidential nomination. (Reporting by James Oliphant in Greensboro, North Carolina; Additional reporting by Nathan Layne; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Jonathan Oatis) Donald Trump waved at migrants at the southern border and exclaimed that they like him. Trump has proposed launching a mass deportation campaign if reelected in 2024. On a rival visit, Biden urged Trump to support a bipartisan border security package. Former President Donald Trump waved and pumped his fist at migrants at the southern border with Mexico the very same ones he is trying to keep out of the country. "They like Trump, can you believe it?" an amused Trump said while visiting the border near the Rio Grande in Texas on Thursday. "They like me, governor," Trump added to Texas Gov. Greg Abbot, who was taking him on a border tour. Trump has suggested that he would launch the largest deportation campaign in history if he's reelected in 2024, among other stringent measures to keep migrants out. Not long after he waved at the migrants, Trump gave a speech at Eagle Pass in which he said Biden had the "blood of countless innocent victims" on his hands" because of his immigration policies. He listed specific cases in which undocumented immigrants were reported to have attacked people, including the killing of 22-year-old Laken Riley, whose death has grabbed national attention. "The monster charged in the death is an illegal alien migrant who was led into our country and released into our country by crooked Joe Biden," Trump said. Despite such individual cases, studies have found that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than US-born individuals. President Biden tells Trump 'join me' Migrants wait in line adjacent to the border fence under the watch of the Texas National Guard to enter into El Paso, Texas, May 10, 2023. Andres Leighton/AP Photo President Joe Biden simultaneously visited another border town across the state on Thursday as both tried to score political points on the flash point issue of immigration as the November election nears. Polls show that immigration is one of Biden's major vulnerabilities, and Trump has continued to highlight his contrastingly draconian approach. On his rival Texas visit, Biden urged Trump to help him pass his proposed border security package, which Republicans tanked under Trump's orders. The package would see billions of dollars put toward staff and resources on the southern border, where officials have been overwhelmed by a surge in migrant crossings. "Here's what I would say to Mr Trump," Biden said. "Instead of playing politics with the issue, instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation, join me." "You know, and I know it's the toughest, most efficient, most effective border security bill this country's ever seen. So instead of playing politics with the issue, why don't we just get together and get it done?" Biden said. Read the original article on Business Insider GRAND RAPIDS Former President Donald Trump scored an overwhelming victory Saturday in Michigan Republican Party district caucuses held at a convention in Grand Rapids. Trump, who has dominated Republican contests to date and is opposed only by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, won all 39 delegates awarded Saturday at 13 separate caucuses held in Grand Rapids amid months of party infighting before and after the recent removal of Kristina Karamo as state party chair. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2024, at National Harbor, in Oxon Hill, Maryland., Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. "Clearly, this is Trump country, and clearly it's a great day for Donald Trump," said Michigan Republican Party chair Pete Hoekstra, a former congressman and U.S. ambassador during the first Trump presidency. Trump won all 13 district caucuses with at least 90% of delegate votes in each, and in some cases, 100% of the vote. Across all caucuses, his 1,575 delegate votes represented 98% of the total, with only 36 delegate votes going to Haley. Under the party's caucus rules, whoever gets a simple majority of the delegate votes wins all three national convention delegates for each district. Michigan Republicans get 55 convention delegates in total. In a Tuesday primary, Trump won 12 of the 16 delegates awarded and Haley won four. So the final Michigan count is 51 delegates for Trump and four for Haley. Hoekstra, whose chairmanship of the state party was further strengthened Tuesday when a judge issued a preliminary ruling that Karamo had been lawfully removed from the top party post, said breakaway delegates were free to meet Saturday in Houghton Lake and Battle Creek, as their district chairs announced they were invited to do, but only the delegates elected in Grand Rapids Saturday will be seated at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July. Former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, left,, the new chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, has a conversation at the Michigan GOP state convention on March 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Even before Kent County Circuit Judge Joseph Rossi ruled against Karamo in a protracted party leadership dispute, Hoekstra was recognized as state chair by the Republican National Committee, which will run the national convention. Karamo had planned her own caucus/convention Saturday in Detroit, but that was canceled Friday in light of the judge's ruling. Both Karamo and Hoekstra, plus the vast majority of party activists who vote in county conventions and district caucuses, back Trump for president. Delegates from more than 20 Michigan counties where the leadership backed Karamo were denied credentials for Grand Rapids because officials said they missed deadlines to submit lists of delegates recently elected at county conventions. That prompted the chairs of the 1st Congressional District, in northern Michigan, and the 4th Congressional District, in western and central Michigan, to announce their own Saturday caucus locations, in Houghton Lake and Battle Creek, respectively. But not all delegates heeded calls from their district chairs, and officials said even some delegates from counties that had been denied credentials were allowed to participate after showing up in Grand Rapids on Saturday. "I want my vote to count," said Creston Scheel, a 1st District delegate from Emmet County, where the chair was among the district delegates who met the deadline for Grand Rapids credentials. Creston Scheel "This is where thats going to matter and I want our voices to be heard and our votes counted," said Scheel, who hoped to be selected as a Trump delegate to the national convention. "I have sympathy, frankly, for all sides of this," Scheel said. "Its been very chaotic, with all of the emails and the attacks nonstop over the last several weeks its been insane. And so I totally understand why some are going to different conventions, because there is bit of a power vacuum. But at this point we need to come together and unify as a party and have our voices heard." Bernadette Smith, the state party's ethnic vice-chair and a Saturday candidate for RNC committeewoman from Michigan, said she, too, has sympathies on both sides of the dispute. Smith said she's not convinced Karamo received due process and would have liked to have seen her leadership debated by the party's full state committee, which has a little over 100 members. Instead, competing state committee meetings were held with Karamo's backers boycotting meetings called by the dissidents and the dissidents staying away from meetings called by Karamo. Bernadette Smith "We have to unify around the truth, and that's what I want," Smith said. At the same time, there's been a legal ruling that Hoekstra is chair, "so he is chair," Smith said. Many delegates said the Grand Rapid caucuses proceeded more smoothly than expected Saturday, though there were lengthy delays getting results from the caucuses for the 3rd and 9th congressional districts. The 9th District caucus became particularly heated in a leadership dispute and was the last to report its results. In the 5th Congressional District, where there is a legitimacy dispute between two competing Hillsdale County GOP leadership factions, delegates quickly OK'd a pact under which one faction was able to seat seven delegates at Grand Rapids and the other was able to seat six. Mike Brown, a member of the Republican state committee and a Michigan State Police captain, said he is hoping Saturday's caucuses signal good things to come. "I'm pretty excited about the convention today," Brown said. Michigan Republican Party delegates convene at the Michigan GOP state convention on March 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In Berrien County, where he is from, "everyone is looking to put this fight on the state chair behind us," he said. Not all the Republicans in Grand Rapids were backing Trump. Roger Kahn, a former GOP state senator from the Saginaw area, was hoping to be elected as a delegate to the national convention. But Kahn didn't like his chances, since he put his name forward as "uncommitted." "I think we need to have an open convention," Kahn said. In other business Saturday, Michigan Republicans elected Dr. Rob Steele to a third term on the Republican National Committee. They also elected Hima Kolanagireddy, the 6th district chair, to the RNC. She replaces Michigan representative Kathy Berden, who has moved to Tennessee. Until Friday, many backers of Karamo expected to meet at Huntington Place in Detroit. Instead, some went to Grand Rapids, but others to Houghton Lake or Battle Creek or just stayed away, which strengthened the unity of the Grand Rapids convention. On Saturday, hundreds poured into the downtown Detroit convention center, but it was to attend the annual Detroit Autorama, dubbed Americas Greatest Hot Rod Show! Larry Tracy, 80, of Waterford, wore a Trump 2024 campaign hat for the event, but he said he was not a stray convention delegate. He was there to see the cars, an event he looks forward to every year. He saw a sign in the garage with a notice of cancellation for the Michigan GOP convention in large font, but he hasnt closely followed the drama that has plagued the state party. Tracy couldnt say who leads the party these days. Id be telling you a lie. I dont know anymore, and I dont think they do either, he said. But he thinks Trump can win Michigan in the fall regardless of the strength of the state party apparatus. I wear my little red hat everywhere I go, and alls I get is positive. And that just tells me theres a whole lot of Trump supporters out there, he said. A lot of people have them but they just dont want to wear them because they dont want to get their feelings hurt. Former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, left, the new chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, watches voting results being posted at the Michigan GOP state convention on March 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on X, @paulegan4. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump wins big at Michigan caucuses held at Grand Rapids convention TechCrunch It's been over two years since a key piece of the tracking-ads' industry's consent collection apparatus was found to breach European Union's data protection laws. Today the surveillance data complex suffered another body blow: The bloc's top court flicked away arguments made by the ad industry body responsible for the tool -- confirming the strings of data it generates in response to users' privacy choices are personal data, within the meaning of the bloc's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as they contain a personal identifier. The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) also held that the ad industry association responsible for devising the consent management tool, IAB Europe, is what's known as a "joint controller", with its advertiser members -- meaning it can't eschew responsibility for ensuring the data processing complies with the GDPR. A 90-year-old Pakistani man and an 89-year-old Indian man, who were childhood friends before the partition of the subcontinent, are building a renewed bond after meeting again in the U.S. A TikTok of their story and emotional reunion is going viral. Megan Kothari, 32, documented the experience of reuniting her grandfather Suresh Kothari with his childhood best friend, AG Shakir. The two grew up together in Deesa, Gujarat, and were separated in 1947, when the division of the country forced Shakirs family to flee to Pakistan. They were both around 12 years old. He talks a lot about this one friend, Kothari said of her grandfather. How they were very close, they were very mischievous together then he remembers, overnight, how he had to leave. The two reunited in October on the occasion of Shakirs 90th birthday party, where they greeted each other with an eager embrace and spent much of the evening hand-in-hand. Having filmed the whole experience, Kothari decided to share it on TikTok this week. In two days, her post quickly garnered hundreds of thousands of views and comments. Suresh Kothari, left, and AG Shakir. (Courtesy Megan Kothari) The story struck a chord with South Asian users, most of whom have their own partition stories to tell, Kothari said. Pakistani people commenting, Indian people commenting, theyre all coming together, which is so beautiful, she said. Deesa, in the Indian state of Gujarat, is located just a few hours from the Pakistani border. On Aug. 15, 1947, the then-British-ruled country was divided in two: a Muslim-dominated Pakistan and a Hindu-dominated India. The mass migration that followed was the most violent event in South Asian history, leaving 500,000 to 2 million people dead and 15 million displaced. Shakirs family left the city on a boat to Karachi in October 1947, his daughter Saeema Shakir told NBC News. Fleeing in the middle of the night, they didnt have time to inform friends or loved ones of their journey. Suresh Kothari, who was studying in Bombay at the time, returned home to the news that his best friend was gone. The specifics of the partition, he doesnt really talk about, Megan Kothari said of her grandfather. I think its very common with that generation because they all endured so much trauma. Suresh and Shakir tried to write to each other over the years, but the geopolitical tensions between the two countries eventually made it impossible, Kothari said. The men had no communication between 1948 and 1982, during which time Shakir moved to Connecticut. A chance encounter with a fellow Deesa-native in New York City finally put the friends back in touch. When Suresh also came to the U.S. for work in 1982, Shakir picked him up from JFK airport. They stayed together the next four days to catch up on the years spent apart, the granddaughter said. For a while, the two met and spoke regularly, until Shakir moved to Virginia, and the two were separated again, she said. After nearly nine years, at Shakirs 90th birthday party, the two met again last year. Kothari and her grandfather made the four-hour trip to Virginia, and she filmed on her phone as Suresh got ready to see his best friend again. My grandfather wore his best suit, she said. He definitely did his hair to look really cute They were like inseparable all night. Kothari recalled the two talking about memories from their childhood in Deesa, which is still Sureshs home when hes not with family in New Jersey. It seemed, she said, like no time had passed for them. They hope to reunite in New Jersey at Sureshs upcoming 90th birthday. Suresh Kothari, left, and AG Shakir. (Courtesy Megan Kothari) When I watch the video, I still cry, she said. It just showed that theres so much love between both people and, despite all the obstacles in their friendship, still after 80 years they were able to maintain that relationship. Hailing from two countries that are now very different, Suresh and Shakirs story reminds Kothari of the things people in the diaspora have in common. Thousands of comments on her post reflect the same sentiment, she said, and demonstrate a hunger for more stories like this to be shared. You see the way that my grandfather hugs his friend, and the way that theyre talking about the same things. But they come from two countries where its a very tense situation, she said. The power of human connection can never be really extinguished by governments and borders and distance. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) Two Houston County men were arrested on Thursday and booked into the Houston County Jail on bonds over a million dollars after deputies say they found a multitude of drugs during a home raid and car chase. On February 29, Houston County Sheriffs Special Response Team (SRT) executed a search warrant at a home in the 200 block of Lewis Road in Pansey. According to the Houston County Sheriffs Office, during the raid of the home, deputies found 112 grams of methamphetamine, Fentanyl pills, approximately 240 grams of marijuana, and a handgun and arrested 39-year-old Devon Jones, who was in the home. Jones is charged with two counts of Drug Trafficking, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana 1st Degree, and Certain Persons Forbidden to Possess a Firearm. Additionally, he is facing two counts of violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). He was booked into the Houston County Jail on a combined bond of $3,075,00. Major Bill Rafferty says that at the same time authorities were raiding the home, deputies were chasing a vehicle on Highway 84 near the intersection of Lewis Road and stopped the car using a PIT maneuver. Major Rafferty tells WDHN that during the search of the car, driven by 55-year-old Robert Peterson, deputies found 30 grams of meth, marijuana, and a large sum of money. Peterson, an Ashford resident, was charged with one count of Drug Trafficking and booked into the Houston County Jail on a $1,500,000 bond. It is currently unknown if the chase and raid are connected. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com. Eight killed in Russian drone attack on Odesa, Ukraine says By Iryna Nazarchuk ODESA, Ukraine (Reuters) -A Russian drone attack whose multiple victims included an infant and a two-year-old on Saturday could have been avoided if Ukraine was not facing delays to weapons supplies, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. Seven Western leaders have signed 10-year security agreements with Ukraine in the last two months as Kyiv fights to plug a big hole in stockpiles with a vital package of U.S. military assistance stuck in Congress and facing months of Republican opposition. "When lives are lost, and partners are simply playing internal political games or disputes, limiting our defence, it's impossible to understand," Zelenskiy said. As emergency services posted images of bodies being pulled from the rubble of an apartment block in the southern port city of Odesa, he also used his nightly video address to deliver a strong message to his new army chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, who replaced Valeriy Zaluzhnyi in a shakeup last month. "The commander-in-chief has carte blanche for personnel changes in the army, in the headquarters, for any changes," Zelenskiy said. He said he expected a "detailed report and specific proposals for further changes" from Syrskyi when he returns from the front early in the week. Rescue workers pulled eight bodies out of the rubble and were still searching for more late in the night. Zelenskiy said earlier that an Iranian-supplied Shahed drone destroyed 18 apartments in a single apartment block. Oleh Kiper, the regional governor, said the adults killed included three men aged 35, 40 and 54, and two women aged 31 and 73. Eight people were wounded, including a three-year-old girl. Zelenskiy said Russian attacks using Iranian-supplied Shahed drones "make no military sense" and were intended only to kill and intimidate. "The world knows that terror can be opposed," he said. "Delaying the supply of weapons to Ukraine, missile defence systems to protect our people, leads, unfortunately, to such losses." Zelenskiy identified the youngest victims of the attack as four-month-old Tymofiy and Mark, aged two. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the infant was found dead alongside his mother and posted a photograph of a rescue worker next to a bloodied blanket, a baby's arm visible on one side and an adult arm extending out the other. Smoke poured from rubble strewn across the ground where the drone had ripped a chunk several storeys high out of the building. "My husband quickly ran out to help people ... then I saw people running out and I understood people had died in there," said Svitlana Tkachenko, who lives in a neighbouring building. Clothes and furniture were scattered in the ruined mass of concrete and steel hanging off the side of the apartment block. Ukraine's State Emergencies Service posted photos including of a dead toddler being placed in a body bag by rescuers. "This is impossible to forget. This is impossible to forgive," it said in a statement. It said five people, including a child, had been rescued alive. Several thousand long-range, winged, Shahed drones have been fired at targets inside Ukraine since Moscow's full-scale invasion two years ago. (Reporting by Iryna Nazarchuk in Odesa, Max Hunder in Kyiv, Maria Starkov in Lviv and Elaine Monaghan in WashingtonWriting by Max Hunder and Elaine MonaghanEditing by Giles Elgood, Timothy Heritage and Matthew Lewis) The back-to-back arrests of two guards at the Richland County jail has highlighted the ongoing struggle to contain contraband flowing into the troubled facility. It also highlights an even messier problem: policing relationships between guards and inmates. On Thursday, Richland County Sheriffs Department investigators were informed that detention center officer Zavius Calloway was engaged in possible misconduct, according to the Richland County Sheriffs Department. Deputies say Calloway admitted he and an unnamed detainee were roommates and former co-workers. The two had continued engagement while the former roommate was housed at the jail. Calloway was allegedly aware that his roommate had a cellphone inside of the jail, which he used to send Calloway money through Cash App, a digital payment app. The day before, detention center officer Jala Gladden was arrested following an eight-day investigation into her relationship with an inmate, according to deputies. An incident report obtained from the Richland County Sheriffs Department stated that the investigation began following an internal report from the jail. Deputies say that the investigation revealed Gladden had provided a cellphone for the inmate she was in a relationship with. The officer communicated with the male inmate on a regular basis from her personal cellphone. Gladden never disclosed the nature of her relationship with the inmate to the jail and did not notify the jail of the contraband cell phone, according to deputies. Calloway was charged with misconduct in office and two counts of furnishing contraband. Gladden was similarly charged with misconduct in office and one count of furnishing contraband. They are the tenth and eleventh detention center officers arrested so far this year. In comparison, in 2023, nine detention center officers were arrested and charged with misconduct in the course of their duties. Its appalling to see the level of deception that individuals will utilize to compromise the security and safety of the facility and those who work and are cared for there, Richland County Administrator Leonardo Brown said in a statement on Jan. 29 announcing strengthened safety measures at the jail. In the statement, county officials cited security reasons in declining to provide information about the enhanced and ongoing contraband mitigation efforts. But, Brown said, the Countys actions are indicative of the increased contraband reduction measures. Asked Friday about the increase in arrests of staff over 2023, Richland County spokesperson Susan OCain said that it was positive as it demonstrated the county administrations efforts towards cleaning up the culture at the jail. We have been very open about our efforts to improve conditions of confinement at the facility. As we stated previously, any sort of misconduct in office will not be tolerated and we are cracking down, OCain said. Of the eleven guards arrested so far this year, eight have been charged with furnishing contraband. A review of the incident reports and statements from the Richland County Sheriffs Department indicates a thriving black market for drugs, cigarettes and other contraband inside of the jail, with much of the communication and coordination being arranged through contraband cellphones. According to the reports: On Feb. 12, Shatara Smith was charged with hiding bags of pills in drink cups and in a Tupperware container of pasta salad. On Jan. 27, Consuela Porch was found with cigarettes and three vapes hidden inside of a Styrofoam cup. Porch allegedly used her smart watch to communicate with inmates inside of the jail to arrange deliveries of contraband. A nurse, Jakiera Day, was charged with hiding bricks of marijuana inside of a cracker box, and a search revealed that she was allegedly in possession of medication from the jail and notes to inmates. Incident reports accuse other guards of having inappropriate contact with inmates. One guard, Donisha Grey, allegedly made 65 calls to an inmate between June 2023 and January 2024. Another, Antiona Walker, was accused of delivering a DoorDash meal to an inmate. According to Hayden Smith, a professor at the University of South Carolina who studies prisons system, inappropriate relationships with inmates and smuggling degrade conditions for both inmates and employees at jails. These things can permeate a culture, and once they get in there and it becomes an easy pathway, through contraband and technology, its hard to stop. Where in the past drugs like cocaine were the most sought after contraband, today it is technology, Smith says. Giving an inmate a cellphone also gives them the capacity to facilitate the introduction of more contraband into a prison or jail. The South Carolina Department of Corrections has waged its own war on cellphones, investing in everything from netting to prevent drones from dropping cellphones into prison yards, to a multi-million dollar system that allows prison officials to selectively disable contraband cellular devices. But employees are often the weak link in preventing contraband. While pay is rising, a level one detention center officer at Alvin S. Glenn makes $36,500 a year. They can triple or quadruple that by dealing contraband, Smith said. Guards can also be motivated to bring in contraband due to pressure or relationships with inmates that pre-existed or were developed inside the jail. One unusual feature of jails in South Carolina, Smith highlighted, was the disproportionate number of female guards. Its not always a sexual relationships; they can be more like aunties or grandmothers to the inmates, Smith said. And its a slippery slope from bringing in innocent contraband like sweets or snacks to then bringing in cellphones and drugs. The quality and level of staffing has long been identified as a major problem at the troubled jail. In an announcement launching an investigation into the jail, the U.S. Department of Justice identified staffing as a leading concern that drove violence and a breakdown in conditions. Last April, then-interim jail Director Crayman Harvey, who was appointed permanent director last August, identified a need to attract better staff in order to change the jails culture. Violence has continued at the jail. On Feb. 15, inmate Jabriel Jones was charged with assaulting an officer after he refused to get back in his cell. Jones was able to remove the officers taser and attempted to use it against her before pushing her, causing her to hit her head on a beam. ones also punched her several times in the face, according to authorities. The officer was only saved when three inmates ran over and helped subdue Jones, preventing him from assaulting the guard further. Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSE:TD) First Quarter 2024 Results Key Financial Results Revenue: CA$12.7b (up 10% from 1Q 2023). Net income: CA$2.75b (up 84% from 1Q 2023). Profit margin: 22% (up from 13% in 1Q 2023). EPS: CA$1.55 (up from CA$0.82 in 1Q 2023). All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Toronto-Dominion Bank Revenues Beat Expectations, EPS Falls Short Revenue exceeded analyst estimates by 11%. Earnings per share (EPS) missed analyst estimates by 8.1%. Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 3.1% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 5.3% growth forecast for the Banks industry in Canada. Performance of the Canadian Banks industry. The company's share price is broadly unchanged from a week ago. Risk Analysis Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Toronto-Dominion Bank 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. Russia has likely stopped flying its A-50 early warning and control planes in support of operations in Ukraine after the downing of the second aircraft, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in its March 2 report. The Russian Air Force has recently lost two of its A-50 planes, one in January and another on Feb. 23, reportedly due to Ukrainian attacks. One such aircraft costs around $330 million. The A-50 plane provides several critical functions for the ongoing war in Ukraine, such as detecting air defense systems, guided missiles, and coordinating targets for Russian fighter jets. Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on Feb. 27 that Ukrainian forces have not detected an A-50 aircraft for days since Feb. 23. Russia will likely keep the planes grounded during internal investigations into the failure to protect this highly valuable asset, the U.K. Defense Ministry said. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support us "This is a capability gap Russia can ill afford over the contested airspace of eastern and southern Ukraine," the ministry believes. The loss of A-50 support will likely degrade the situational awareness of air crews and force Russian warplanes to take greater risks to support ground forces, the analysis read. Russia recently experienced a string of airpower losses, including 10 Su-34 fighter bombers and two Su-35 fighter jets in the last two weeks of February. One more Su-34 was reportedly shot down on March 1. According to the U.K. Defense Ministry, Russia may attempt to refit older A-50 airframes to offset the losses, as there are likely only a few aircraft currently in operation. Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said that Russia's A-50 fleet currently includes only six operational planes. Read also: Ukraine destroyed 13 Russian military aircraft in 2 weeks. How? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Ukrainian power system provided emergency assistance to Poland on 1 March. Source: Ministry of Energy of Ukraine Details: On 1 March, Poland requested emergency assistance. Ukraine provided assistance from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 17:00, with a total capacity of 1540 MWh. Ukraine is not experiencing a deficit in power capacities, with 14 units of power generating equipment from thermal power plants in reserve, including 11 units and three units of power generating equipment from thermal and combined heat and power plants, which will be engaged if necessary. Additionally, commercial imports and exports of electricity are planned for the day. Imports of electricity amount to 153 MWh, and exports to Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova, and Hungary amount to 8,779 MWh. Background: In February, on some days, Ukraine exported more electricity than it imported over the course of a day. Support UP or become our patron! Ukraine is set to receive the first batch of ammunition under the Czech-led initiative to purchase artillery shells from outside EU, Czechias director for Defense Policy and Strategy, Jan Jires, told Bloomberg on March 1. Read also: France, Greece, Cyprus block plans to buy artillery shells outside EU German MP Jires announced the upcoming delivery without specifying which countries would finance the procurement or from whose inventories the munitions would be sourced. However, Belgium, Canada, and the Netherlands previously stated their willingness to help fund the program. We are working with these countries to ensure that more [weapon] systems are delivered to Ukraine, Dutch PM Mark Rutte said during a press conference in Kharkiv on March. The Netherlands will support the Czech initiative of purchasing 800,000 rounds of ammunition, which will happen in the upcoming weeks. I can say we will allocate EUR 250 million [to this]. Read also: Artillery shells and drones in new German aid package On Feb. 28, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced that Belgium would allocate EUR 200 million ($218 million) for the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine outside the EU. Read also: Russia has received millions of artillery shells from North Korea Prague found hundreds of thousands of artillery munitions abroad that could be transferred to Ukraine if other countries help with funding, Czech President Petr Pavel said during the Munich Security Conference on Feb.17. The EU will only supply Ukraine with 52% of the 1 million artillery shells promised by March 2024, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said on Jan. 31, adding that they will only be able to fulfil the commitment by Winter 2024. 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 view of Avdiivka, from which the Ukrainian Armed Forces of Ukraine withdrew on the night of February 17 Ukraines defense line west of Avdiivka was surprisingly poorly prepared, leading to Russian advances after Ukrainian forces left on Feb. 17, The New York Times reported on Feb. 26. Russian troops continue to make small but rapid gains outside Avdiivka, the NYT said. This is partly due to a shortage of ammunition for Ukrainian forces and a decline in Western aid. But there is another reason Ukraines weak defense. Journalists, who analyzed satellite images from Planet Labs, claim that the Ukrainian line of defense west of Avdiivka contains rather sparse and primitive trenches. They lack many of the additional fortifications that could slow down Russian tanks and help defend major roads and important positions. Read also: Command errors affected Ukrainian defense resilience, admits Syrskyi Avdiivka has become the first significant Russian conquest since May 2023. The Ukrainian army, after leaving the city, said it had secured defensive lines outside the city. But Russian troops have captured three villages west of Avdiivka within a week, and are contesting for at least one other. The U.S. officials told the NYT that it was concerning that Ukraine did not shore up its defensive lines early or well enough, now possibly facing the consequences as Russian units advance slowly but steadily beyond Avdiivka. Russian forces have advanced about 6.4 km from the center of Avdiivka, which is a small but unusually rapid advance compared to previous offensive operations, the UK intelligence said. Ukrainian command had enough time to prepare the defense outside Avdiivka. This area has been under attack since 2014, and Ukraine has controlled it since Russia launched a full-scale invasion two years ago, the article said. However, the Ukrainian defenses outside Avdiivka show rudimentary earthen fortifications, often with a connecting trench for infantry troops to reach firing positions closer to the Russian soldiers but containing little else. The lack of robust Ukrainian entrenchments in this area is especially glaring when compared to the formidable Russian defenses that thwarted the Ukrainian counteroffensive last summer, which ultimately failed, the journalists said. Read also: Ukrainian forces reclaim control of Orlivka, Donetsk Oblast Syrskyi Unlike the poorly fortified villages that Russian forces are trying to capture outside Avdiivka, Verbove has a concentric ring of fortifications, the article said. It starts with a trench wide enough to ensnare advancing tanks and armored vehicles, followed by a mesh of cement obstacles known as dragons teeth also used to stop vehicles and, finally, a sprawling trench for the infantry. Satellite images from February show a multi-layered Russian defense west of Verbove, with thousands of shell craters in the surrounding fields. There are many possible reasons for Ukraines apparent lack of defenses, the article said. Ukrainian officials may have been too focused on offensive operations last year to dedicate the necessary resources to building the kind of multiple trenches and tank traps that Russian engineers built since late 2022 in the countrys south, the U.S. officials and military experts said. Read also: Ukrainian SBU charges two Russian army militants near Avdiivka Who cared and who considered it as an option because its a very costly option the construction of defensive lines? No one, said Serhiy Hrabskyi, a retired Ukrainian Army colonel, noting that Ukraine had few resources to spare at the time There may have also been a psychological element at play, the U.S. officials said. If Ukrainian troops heavily mined certain areas to thwart Russian advances, it would be a tacit acknowledgment that they were unlikely to carry out offensive operations in the same area in future. They would effectively be writing off that territory to the Russian military, the officials said. While Moscow began building defensive lines in the south more than half a year before Ukraines counteroffensive, Ukraine appeared to have begun plans for new fortifications only three months ago, when government officials announced the creation of a working group to coordinate efforts between civilian and military authorities. Responsibility for building the first line of defense would fall to the military units stationed in the area, while the next defensive lines would be built by civilian authorities, with the help of private contractors, the officials said. Denys Shmyhal, Ukraines Prime Minister, said that 30 billion Ukrainian hryvnias ($800 million) were allocated for fortifications in 2024. Areas in the Donetsk Oblast, where Avdiivka is, will receive maximum attention, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a visit near the front line in late November, noting the need to boost and accelerate the construction of structures. Read also: Ukrainian officer on how Ukraine held Krasnohorivka interview 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 Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of Ukraine's Air Force, has released a video of a burning Russian Su-34 aircraft that was downed on 1 March. Source: Oleshchuk on Telegram Quote from Oleshchuk: "Here it is the Su-34 shot down on the Mariupol front on the morning of 1 March! It's not always possible to please you with such videos because the Air Force conducts combat operations over long distances! It is verified and visually confirmed!" Support UP or become our patron! Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) speaks at the Capitol in Washington on Thursday. Shortages of ammunition and supplies are resulting in Ukraine losing ground, congressional leaders warn, yet the Republican-controlled House has shown little hurry to resupply Kyiv with military aid. Johnson appears determined to chart his own course on a foreign aid package, which could leave Congress stalled for weeks longer. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Ukrainian drones fly without ammunition. Russian artillery unleash deadly volleys from safe positions beyond the range of Kyiv's troops. Shortages of ammo and supplies are resulting in lost ground to Moscow, U.S. congressional leaders warn, yet the Republican-controlled House has shown little hurry to resupply Ukraine with military aid. Across Washington, officials are viewing the drop-off in ammunition shipments with increasing alarm. It's now been over two months since the U.S. which since World War II has fashioned itself as the Arsenal of Democracy last sent military supplies to Ukraine. But House Speaker Mike Johnson appears determined to chart his own course away from a $95-billion foreign aid package passed by the Senate a decision that could stall the package for weeks to come after an already arduous months-long wait in Congress. With U.S. military shipments cut off, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the eastern city of Avdiivka last month, where outnumbered defenders had withheld a Russian assault for four months. Delays in military support from the West are complicating the task for Kyiv's military tacticians, forcing troops to ration ammunition and ultimately costing the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. "If Ukraine gets the aid they will win. If they don't get the aid they will lose with dire consequences to the United States, said Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who recently visited Ukraine. Read more: In war-torn Ukraine, a woman searches for her husband. Will she find him? Defense officials are discussing options, which include possibly tapping existing stockpiles even before Congress approves funding to replenish them, according to Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. And at a White House meeting this week, President Biden, the two top Democrats in Congress and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky all took turns intensely urging Johnson to take up a Senate-passed package that would provide $60 billion worth of assistance for Kyiv. So far, the Republican speaker has refused. The Louisiana Republican just four months into the powerful job as speaker, second in line to the presidency is under intense pressure from all sides. The leaders of 23 European parliaments have signed an open letter urging him to pass the aid. And within his own House ranks, senior Republicans are growing restive at the inaction, even as other far-right members have threatened to try to remove him from leadership if he advances the aid for Kyiv. The House is actively considering options on a path forward, but our first responsibility is to fund the government and our primary, overriding responsibility and it has been for the last three years has been to secure the border, Johnson said at a news conference. Johnson responded to the pressure on Ukraine by saying the House had only received the funding legislation in mid-February after the Senate took four months to negotiate, including enforcement policies at the U.S.-Mexico border. The deal on border security swiftly collapsed after Republicans, including Johnson, criticized the proposal as insufficient. Yet Johnson and other House Republicans are once again hoping to secure some policy wins on border security. When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Congress late last year, he told Johnson that the military aid would last into February. But as Congress entered March, Johnson so far has allowed House members to craft their own proposals and revealed little on his plans for the package. Were beyond the time frame that this should have taken, this analysis and careful consideration by the House should have been completed before the end of the year or very shortly after the new year, said Rep. French Hill, an Arkansas Republican. Hill and several other senior Republicans are pressing Johnson to act by crafting a new national security package in the House. That bill, which is being drafted by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and key appropriators, is expected to come in less than the $95-billion Senate package but include many similar provisions including money that Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific allies could use to purchase U.S. military equipment, as well as some humanitarian assistance. It may also include a version of the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians, or REPO Act, which would allow the U.S. to tap frozen Russian central bank assets to compensate Ukraine for damages from the invasion, Hill said. He said it would save taxpayer dollars in the long run and help gain Republican votes in the House. This is more a matter of finding out the way to move forward, said seasoned Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the chairman of the Rules committee. But a substantial majority of both houses of Congress wants to help Ukraine. You had 70 over there, he said about the robust Senate support, and the vote here will be well north of 300. Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire, who leads a caucus of centrist Democrats called New Dems, said many in her party are ready to help Johnson pass a military aid package if he brings it to the floor. But she said the bill already passed by the Senate would have the broadest support. Were at a critical moment right now, and I encourage Speaker Johnson to work with us, Kuster said. He has such a slim majority. Meanwhile, any decision by the Pentagon to send Ukraine weapons before Congress approves funding is fraught with risk. Since there is no money to replenish the equipment and weapons sent, the military would be depleting its stockpiles and potentially risking harm to unit readiness for war. In addition, there are worries that action from the Pentagon could dissuade Congress from moving quickly on the funding bill. Reed said it would make more sense for Congress to pass the supplemental package, because then the Pentagon could immediately order the equipment theyre drawing down. We run the risk without that of drawing down the equipment and not being able to replace it or being confident of replacement. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Ukraines Air defense forces shot down 14 out of 17 Russian Shahed kamikaze drones during the overnight attack, the Air Force press service reported on Telegram on March 2. The Russians launched three Kh-59/Kh-35 guided air missiles from the occupied areas of Kherson and Donetsk oblasts, along with 17 Shahed kamikaze drones from the territories of Primorsko-Akhtarsk (Russia) and Balakliya in the occupied Crimea. Read also: How territorial defense units protect Kyiv from enemy drones first-hand account Air defense units and mobile groups repelled the Russian attack, destroying 14 Shaheds over Odesa, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhya, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. There are reports of dead and wounded due to hits and falling debris in the Odesa and Kharkiv oblasts. Read also: Russian drone struck a 9-storey building during the attack in Odesa, destroying an entrance. At least two fatalities are reported. Search and rescue operations are underway. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine The commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuk, showcased footage of a burning Russian Su-34 fighter jet, which was shot down on March 1, in a video posted on Telegram on March 2. According to Oleshchuk, the Ukrainian military downed the Russian aircraft in the Mariupol sector. The video depicts the aircraft engulfed in flames, with visible signs of the engagement in the sky. It is not always possible to please you with such videos, because the Air Force conducts combat work at great distances! Oleshchuk said. The Russian aircraft was reportedly attempting to strike Ukrainian positions with guided aerial bombs. Read also: Air Forces confirm downing of another Su-34 This marks the 14th Russian fighter jet downed by Ukrainian defenders in less than a month. During the week, Ukraines forces destroyed five Russian aircraft. Two Russian Su-34s were destroyed on Feb. 29 in the Avdiivka and Mariupol sectors, and another Su-34 was reportedly shot down on the Eastern front on the same day. Additionally, Ukrainian military shot down a Su-34 on the Eastern front on Feb. 27, with another Su-34 later reportedly destroyed on this front. Read also: Ukrainian military capable of targeting Russian aircraft far from front, Air Force spokesman says Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine The Ukrainian Air Force probably destroyed Russian Su-34 and Su-35 aircrafts on March 2, the Commander of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Mykola Oleshchuk, reported on Telegram on March 2. He noted that the Air Force attacked the enemy aircraft with anti-aircraft guided missiles. There is no confirmation of destroying them yet. According to the commander, the Russians continue to strike at the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the eastern direction, using guided bombs from tactical aircraft. On March 1, the Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber in the east. This was the 14th Russian fighter jet that Ukrainian defenders managed to shoot down in less than a month. Read also: Magical month: Ukraine shoots down 13 Russian planes worth over $1 billion full list & infographic 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 Polls show nearly two-thirds of voters remain undecided in the Los Angeles County district attorney's race. With a historically large field of a dozen prosecutors, judges and attorneys attempting to unseat George Gascon, the challengers have struggled to differentiate from one another. Even their campaign ads have sounded identical. If you're still staring at the ballot in confusion, here's a quick guide to the candidates who have staked out the strongest and most distinct positions on some of the most hotly debated issues in the contest. Read more: Your guide to the L.A. County district attorney race: 11 candidates aim to unseat Gascon Sentencing Enhancements Gascon has taken flak for many of his reform-minded policies, with his heavy limitations on the filing of sentencing enhancements chief among them. Enhancements can add years to the prison sentences of defendants in a variety of scenarios, including crimes connected to gang activity or where a gun is used. Critics argue they are disproportionately used against people of color. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon. (Associated Press) While Gascon has somewhat relented on his position on enhancements they are still often filed in cases where police officers are hurt or killed in the line-of-duty, for instance virtually the entire field of challengers has expressed a desire to push for more years behind bars whenever applicable. Former federal prosecutor Jeff Chemerinsky and defense attorney Dan Kapelovitz are the only candidates who have expressed hesitance about completely undoing Gascon's work on enhancements. Chemerinsky says their use in gang cases need to be closely scrutinized, warning they have been "abused" in the past. Kapelovitz, the only candidate running to Gascon's left, has been dismissive of all policies that he says contribute to mass incarceration, including enhancements. Death Penalty Gascon barred prosecutors from seeking the death penalty when he took office, a move that is somewhat symbolic since Gov. Gavin Newsom had already placed a moratorium on capital punishment in California in 2019. Among the leading challengers to Gascon, former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman and Deputy Dist. Atty. Jonathan Hatami have promised to seek the death penalty in extreme cases, both citing mass shootings and the killings of police officers as examples. Los Angeles District Attorney candidates forum at Pacific Palms Resort. Left to right are Debra Archuleta, Jeff Chemerinsky, Jonathan Hatami, Nathan Hochman, John McKinney, David S. Milton, Craig Mitchell, Maria Ramirez and Eric Siddall. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Chemerinsky has said he does not support the death penalty. Deputy Dist. Atty. Eric Siddall is also opposed to the death penalty, arguing its impractical given Newsom's executive order. L.A. County Superior Court Judge David S. Milton has been the only candidate to seem enthusiastic about the use of capital punishment, often citing his experience winning death verdicts as a prosecutor as a reason to vote for him. Juvenile Justice Gascon came into office with a blanket ban on trying juveniles as adults. He rescinded it in 2022 after national criticism for the Hannah Tubbs case, which saw the office allow a 26-year-old to plead guilty to sexually assaulting a child in juvenile court. Gascon has since modified his policy, creating a committee that has approved 14 cases to be considered for transfer to adult court, according to a district attorney's office spokeswoman. Nathan Hochman at the Los Angeles District Attorney candidates forum at Pacific Palms Resort. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Hatami and Chemerinsky say they would largely treat juveniles as such, though neither would commit to specific cases where they would seek to try teens as adults. L.A. Superior Court Judge Craig Mitchell said in an interview with The Times last year he would likely only seek to try teens accused of murder or child rape as adults. Experience Factor The general election winner will take charge of an office in turmoil, leading some to call for a pair of steady hands to replace Gascon. While many of the candidates boast decades of legal experience, Deptuy Dist. Atty. Maria Ramirez has spent the most time in a management position within the office she seeks to run. With 30 years on the job 12 of those in management she served as the office's director of specialized prosecutions before clashing with Gascon early in his term. She has since sued the office, claiming she was moved out of that post for challenging Gascon's policies. Maria Ramirez at the Los Angeles District Attorney candidates forum at Pacific Palms Resort. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Hochman boasts the most diverse job resume in the field, having served as a federal prosecutor, defense attorney, candidate for statewide political office and president of the L.A. Ethics Commission during a 34-year professional career. Cash Bail The L.A. County Superior Court system overhauled the way it uses cash bail last year, triggering a lawsuit from more than a dozen cities that a judge all but struck down last December. Hatami has been the most vocal supporter of the lawsuit among Gascon's challengers, claiming during a debate last year that the new bail schedule is leading to a rise in repeat offenders. Data provided by the court system, however, show just 3% of the roughly 5,000 people processed under the new schedule were re-arrested during the first three weeks it was in effect. While Gascon enacted a policy limiting when prosecutors could seek bail, only the court system can govern the types of cases for which a defendant can be cited and released. Jeff Chemerinsky at the Los Angeles District Attorney candidates forum at Pacific Palms Resort. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Chemerinsky says he's supportive of bail reform and that he generally supports the modified system implemented by L.A. County Superior Court, arguing that a defendant's custody status should be based on the threat they pose, not wealth. Siddall, Ramirez and Mitchell have all said bail is "imperfect." Deputy Dist. Atty. John McKinney has offered the most thorough position on how bail could be changed. He champions risk-assessment tools that have been used in other jurisdictions to judge a defendant's likelihood to re-offend by analyzing their criminal record, history of failing to appear in court and other similar factors. Misdemeanors The district attorney's office filed charges in just 47% of the misdemeanor cases it was presented last year, down from 72% in 2020, then-Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey's final year in office. The drop-off is by design, as Gascon wants the office less focused on what he deems low-level offenses. Gascon's overall effect on misdemeanor crime in the county is debatable. He has no impact on misdemeanor prosecutions in large population centers like L.A. and Long Beach, which have their own city attorneys to handle those cases. But his stance on low-level offenses like drug possession and trespassing has fed into the perception that Gascon is soft on crime. Craig Mitchell at the Los Angeles District Attorney candidates forum at Pacific Palms Resort. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Citing his time working with homeless and mentally ill people through the Skid Row Running Club, Mitchell says he's the most qualified to improve the office's stance on misdemeanors. If elected, the judge says he intends to charge defendants with simple drug possession with the intent of leveraging the person into a treatment program. Hochman and Hatami have also championed the use of drug courts for defendants suffering from addiction, and Chemerinsky is supportive of diversion programs for similarly situated defendants. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Roughly a third of Ukraine's landmass is thought to be hazardous because of mines - VIOLETA SANTOS MOURA/REUTERS Ukraine has turned to a company founded by Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel to clear thousands of square miles of mines and explosives. The deal will see Palantir supply Ukraine with its artificial intelligence (AI) tools to organise and accelerate its demining efforts. Ukraine is hoping to decontaminate 80pc of its potentially mined land within 10 years and bring it back into economic use, freeing up millions of acres of farmland. Roughly a third of the countrys landmass is thought to be hazardous owing to mines or unexploded ordnance. The World Bank has estimated efforts to remove the explosives could cost up to $38bn (30bn), with Ukraine seeking international deals and support to accelerate the effort even as it grapples with Russian advances in the Donbas. The 12-month agreement with Palantir builds on an earlier pilot programme. Palantirs technology can be used to create a digital map of Ukraines territory and resources, such as heavy machinery and drones, and prioritise its clearance efforts. Mr Thiel's Palantir is known for its work with US intelligence agencies and its armed forces - John Lamparski/Getty Images Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraines economic minister, said clearing Ukraines land would take decades with the resources we have. Weve discussed with Palantir the opportunity to set up a programme for a more sophisticated approach, she said. It is very important to prioritise. The country has approximately 50 heavy demining machines and has trained around 3,500 sappers. It is seeking to double the number of machines it has available in deals with overseas suppliers and by boosting local factories. Louis Mosley, Palantirs European executive vice president, said the companys technology allows you to make a data driven decision about the highest priority area to demine. The deal with Palantir does not have an initial upfront cost to Ukraine. Mr Mosley said: Fundamentally we are doing this because we believe supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do. Ukraine is struggling to plug its huge budget deficit and restart its economy even as politicians in Washington DC delay a crucial aid package for Kyiv. It comes as Ukraine is forced to retreat from eastern villages following Russias capture of Avdiivka in February after months of costly fighting. Story continues In an interview with The Telegraph, Ms Svyrydenko called on the US to follow the same example of Europe and pass the multibillion-dollar support package. A $54bn EU deal to provide more aid to Ukraine was agreed in February. However, she added some EU officials still needed to be persuaded to unlock further funds by sending frozen Russian cash to Ukraine. Hundreds of billions of euros are locked in Russian bank accounts across the EU, with calls to use the interest for Ukrainian aid. Ukraine was forced to retreat from eastern villages after months of costly fighting - VITALII NOSACH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock During this year our minimum goal is to get at least income from the frozen assets, Ms Svyrydenko said. I believe that our professional team will be able to persuade. But it is the right direction. On Wednesday, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, expressed her backing for the idea, while Rishi Sunak has been a vocal proponent. Last week, Ms Svyrydenko, on a visit to London, met with Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, to discuss further efforts to support Ukraine, such as expanding war insurance agreements with underwriters in the City. Founded by Republican donor Mr Thiel, Palantir is known for its work with US intelligence agencies and its armed forces. Since Russias invasion in 2022, it has been working in Ukraine on supporting its armed forces and resettling refugees, as well as sifting through evidence for prosecuting potential Russian war crimes. Palantirs sales have surged this year on the back of demand for its AI technology, which is aimed at governments and the defence sector. Its shares jumped 50pc in one day in January amid investor enthusiasm for AI, valuing the business at $55bn. Ukraine has relied heavily on software and novel technologies such as small drones to boost its war effort in the face of Russias vast military resources. In January, Palantir said it had signed a deal with Israels government to provide its technology for war-related missions. In the UK, it has provided services to the government during Covid and signed a major NHS data contract, despite concerns from campaigners over its ties to US spy agencies and far-reaching defence deals. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The University of Florida announced Friday that it had terminated all of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) related positions to comply with a new state law that bars state colleges from using state or federal money to fund the programs. The rule, which the Florida Board of Education implemented in January, said strict regulations would be put on the Florida College System about the use of tax dollars to support DEI. The board said DEI programs are programs that categorize individuals based on race or sex for the purpose of differential or preferential treatment. The University of Florida leadership said in a memo Friday it had closed its Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, eliminated DEI positions and administrative appoints and stopped DEI-focused contracts with third-party vendors. University employees who lost their positions will receive the standard twelve weeks of severance pay and are encouraged to apply for expedited consideration for different positions currently posted by the university. The schools Office of the Chief Financial Officer will reallocate about $5 million formerly funding DEI expenses like salaries and expenditures to now go to a faculty retirement fund. Finally, the University of Florida is and will always be unwavering in our commitment to universal human dignity, the memo said. As we educate students by thoughtfully engaging a wide range of ideas and views, we will continue to foster a community of trust and respect for every member of Gator Nation. Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr. said at the time of the rules announcement that the actions will ensure taxpayer money wont be spent on DEI and radical indoctrination that promotes division in our society. He said higher education needs to return to its essential foundations of academic integrity instead of being corrupted by destructive ideologies. The rule will affect 28 of Floridas state schools. It follows a law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) last year that bans public colleges from using tax dollars for DEI initiatives. Its the latest in threats by conservatives against diversity programs, which they say is a threat to education. DeSantis celebrated the Universitys action in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities. Im glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A new study led by University of Washington researchers found that large wildfires appear to exacerbate preexisting mental health conditions and comes as wildfires are expected to increase in the western United States in the next two decades, according to researchers. The study published Feb. 26 in JAMA Open Network analyzed drug prescription data in California near 25 large wildfires over the course of eight years. Researchers found a significant increase in prescriptions for certain psychoactive drugs in the six weeks after fires that each burned at least 25,000 acres. Large pothole causes damage to nearly a dozen vehicles on Portland street The study encompassing seven million people who lived near wildfires found an increase in prescriptions for antidepressants, anxiolytics, and mood-stabilizing medications during the fire period compared to the period before the fire. The increase included new prescriptions and refills including drugs taken to treat depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, and did not see parallel increases in prescriptions for anti-psychotics, hypnotics, or cholesterol-lowering statins, which were the control drugs. This research adds a significant amount of evidence that there is a really substantial mental health impact related to wildfire in our communities, said lead author Zack Wettstein, a UW Medicine emergency medicine doctor. 9 Oregon counties under disaster designation for weather-related crop loss Previous studies have examined the mental health effects of earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods. However, theres little research on how wildfires impact mental well-being on a population level, Wettstein said. We have a lot of research that supports that wildfires have huge impacts on respiratory health and cardiovascular health, Wettstein said. But people dont think as much about the mental health impacts, which affect all of us. Its important that we now have stronger evidence that associates wildfire exposure, wildfires in our communities and impacts on our mental health. As a clinician during wildfire season, I certainly feel like its caused me to feel more stressed or affect my sleep, Wettstein added. Ive cared for patients who present for not just the respiratory and cardiovascular disease that we all know about, but also for things like stress and anxiety and exacerbations of their underlying mental health conditions. The database used in the study only included patients with health insurance, and it is less clear how wildfires impact the mental health of rural residents who have less access to mental health care, researchers said. Sinking ship: MultCo Board votes down immediate action, but passes long-term approach to ambulance crisis According to Wettstein, the study shows the need for a mental health approach to wildfires and to ensure access to mental health resources for people during and after fires. We certainly need more research, but I think this is enough to inform policy discussions around resource allocation, Wettstein said. We have a lot of work to do in terms of preparing for and responding to wildfire season from a mental health standpoint. As climate change continues to alter weather patterns, wildfire activity is expected to increase in the western United States in the coming decades, the University of Washington noted. Wettstein conducted the study as a guest researcher for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with colleague Ambarish Vaidyanathan. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Nikki Haley holds a campaign rally in Richmond ahead of Super Tuesday on March 5 - MICHAEL REYNOLDS/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK Sheryl Crows Woman In The White House floats through the hotel ballroom as Nikki Haleys supporters queue for selfies with the 52-year-old in Richmond, Virginia. If the long-shot Republican presidential candidate is engaging in some subliminal messaging, it seems optimistic to say the least. Donald Trump has racked up a string of consecutive wins over the former UN ambassador on his march toward securing the partys nomination. He shows no signs of stopping ahead of March 5 so-called Super Tuesday when more than a third of the delegates that make up the grand prize are up for grabs. But the packed ballroom of Haley supporters here in Richmond on a Thursday afternoon dont seem to care about this seemingly irrefutable political arithmetic. Come what may, this unlikely coalition of Democrats, independents and Republican Never-Trumpers are determined to voice their opposition to a choice between two geriatric candidates. At 74, Virginia resident Toni Ferguson believes that Mr Trump, 77, and Joe Biden, 81, are simply too old to lead the Free World. Ms Ferguson is a Democrat, and voted for Mr Biden in 2020. But she is interested to hear what Ms Haley has to say. I just want another option, she said. Meanwhile, Freda Rosso, a 62-year-old project manager and lifelong Republican, said she will not be voting for Mr Trump or Mr Biden under any circumstances. She thinks Ms Haley should stay in the race to give the country a third option over an inevitable rerun between the two men neither of whom we have a lot of confidence in. Ms Rosso still hopes Ms Haley can carry Virginia, and perhaps swing some other states. At a minimum, she says, it will send a message. There are loud cheers from the crowd as Ms Haley takes to the stage, dressed in a teal coat, to argue her race is not yet done. Let the last couple of months be our judge, she says, a grin spreading across her face. Its been a roller coaster ride. We had 14 men in the race... I just got one more. I gotta catch up. Super Tuesday offers a final opportunity to do so. Virginia is among 11 of the 15 states and territories casting ballots in the GOP primary on Tuesday which allow non-Republicans to vote. The Haley campaign still believes this offers a tentative route however complex and unlikely to stay in the race. To do so, they are relying on an unlikely coalition of independent and Democratic voters, as well as Republicans who oppose Mr Trump. Virginia, a state which in many ways reflects the diversities of the general electorate, is a desirable target for Ms Haley. Prof Larry Sabato, president of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said: The Republicans there in large, populous suburban areas are mainstream, old Republican types. Theyre not part of the pro-Putin wing of the new Republican Party and they arent particularly pro-Trump. Most of them have not voted for him, or voted for him very reluctantly, in the past. Nikki Haley meets the voters after speaking at a campaign event in Richmond, Virginia - JAY PAUL/REUTERS Virginia borders Washington DC, and its northern counties on the outskirts of the US capital are some of the wealthiest in the country. They are also home to voters with high-education rates Ms Haleys only consistently strong support base and equally high anti-Trump sentiment. However, parts of the state, particularly the south west, remain staunchly pro-Trump and polls show he commands a decisive lead. The former president was also due to head to Virginias capital, Richmond, on Saturday for a get-out-the-vote rally. As well as targeting Virginia and its 48 delegates, Ms Haley is targeting other states with a large proportion of moderates. Minnesota, Colorado, and North Carolina all feature on her last-dash tour. Ms Haley has even travelled out to Utah, a deeply conservative state, but whose large Mormon population strongly opposed Mr Trump in 2016. There was tremendous resistance to Trump in Utah, explains Prof Sabato, because of the lifestyle that he had lived and the lack of truthfulness on his part, and so on. However, he noted Mr Trump did considerably better in the state in 2020, benefiting from the incumbency of the White House. He suggests Ms Haley is banking on support from what he terms Utahs Romney Republicans, in the vein of the states senator Mitt Romney, a leader of the anti-Trump wing of the GOP. To me its a long shot, but its possible, Prof Sabato adds. On Saturday and Sunday, Ms Haley will travel through Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts, more moderate-leaning states which all allow independents to vote on Super Tuesday. To be competitive, Ms Haley will need a strong turnout among the voting blocs where Mr Trump is weakest: in large suburban counties, with a mix of educated and wealthy voters. However, Prof Sabato was pessimistic about her chances. Whats there to vote for? he said, noting the race was essentially over. Despite that undeniable logic, Ms Haley has continued to fight on. Speculation is rife over Ms Haleys motivations for doing so. Rob Godfrey, a senior aide to Ms Haley while she was South Carolina governor, said: Conventional wisdom has been this is a campaign that one candidate was always going to end up winning. Anyone who knows Nikki Haley knows that you should never view her within the prism of conventional wisdom. She is all about the fight. Shes all about the cause. He added: I think thats what has motivated her from the start, and thats whats kept her in the race. Remaining in the race will undoubtedly raise her profile ahead of a potential second run in 2028, but some theorise Ms Haley may even be considering a third-party run this year. Others speculate that continuing to rack up GOP delegates would put her in a strong position as an alternative candidate should Mr Trump find himself convicted on one or more of his 91 criminal counts before November. Jeff Shutterly, 38-year-old attorney, said: I dont think shes a dumb woman. I think she knows the math is not there [for Tuesday]. So I feel that shes gambling therell be a vacuum in November, and if shes the only one that was willing to stand up that shes going to be the natural one to step in. Despite her long odds, almost 2,000 supporters came to hear Ms Haley speak at her stops in Virginia, according to her campaign. Money has continued to pour in too: she reported raising $1million (790,000) the night of her humiliating defeat to Mr Trump in her home state of South Carolina, although one major donor has pulled the plug. Her campaign advisers say her determination to stay in the race is motivated by a desire to demonstrate that the Republican Party has not been wholly subsumed by Mr Trump. They argue her ability to continue to draw a significant minority of the party base, despite Mr Trumps frontrunner status, highlights his deep vulnerabilities among the general electorate. On stage in Richmond, Ms Haley continues to hammer that message. We all need to acknowledge that all we have done under Donald Trump is lose, she told the crowd. This is about where exactly is the Republican Party gonna go? If you keep going in this fight, I promise you our best days are yet to come, she concluded, before stepping off stage and into the crowd as Crows Woman in the White House starts up. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. On Feb. 29, 2024, former President Donald Trump visited Eagle Pass, Texas, which had become the center of the ongoing conversation about the U.S.-Mexico border in recent months. While there, Trump met with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and gave an address to the media that was broadcast on Fox News. As Trump spoke about people "who don't speak languages. We have languages coming into our country we have nobody that even speaks those languages they're truly foreign languages. Nobody speaks them," users on X (formerly Twitter), were paying attention to something else. Behind Trump stood Maj. Gen. Thomas M. Suelzer, the adjutant general for the state of Texas, in his combat uniform. Because the Department of Defense does not want to influence elections, service members are forbidden from attending partisan political events in uniform. This is a terrible failure of leadership by Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer. It is literally Military 101 that you don't act in a political capacity while in uniform. This man is utterly incompetent at best. Everyone knew this event was a political stunt. Nodding at racist trash. https://t.co/PgDGXuUsvH John Jackson (@hissgoescobra) March 1, 2024 Was this a breach of regulation? The answer depends on whether Trump's visit to Eagle Pass was a partisan political event. According to the Texas State Directory, Suelzer graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1990 before completing 10 years of active-duty service and seven years of reserve service in the Air Force. After that, he moved to the Texas Military Department, where he became a deputy adjutant general-air before Abbott gave him the lead job. Snopes looked at regulations for the U.S. Air Force, both active-duty and reserves, and the Texas Military Department, which includes the Texas State Guard, Texas Army National Guard and Texas Air National Guard to cover all possible bases to see whether Suelzer broke with protocol. From the Air Force's website, under the section titled "When NOT to Wear the Air Force Uniform: 1.4.2. Except when authorized by the AF/A1, when participating in activities such as unofficial public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies, or any public demonstration which may imply Air Force sanction of the cause for which the demonstration or activity is conducted. The same document notes that reserve members should "conform to the same standards of appearance, military customs, practices and conduct in uniform prescribed for active duty members when participating in short or long (extended) periods of active duty, to include active duty training time." As for the Texas Military Department, the most recent memo on political activities we could find was from 2019. It applies to the Texas State Guard, and directs members of the Texas Army or Air National Guard to "Department of Defense Directive (DoDD) Number 1344.10". For the Texas State Guard, the following regulations apply: a. It is Texas Military Department (TMD) policy to encourage members of the TXSG to carry out the obligations of citizenship. In keeping with the traditional concept that members should avoid inferences that their political activities imply or appear to imply official sponsorship, approval, or endorsement, the following policy shall apply: (3) Members of the TXSG shall refrain from participating in any political activities while in uniform or using Government facilities or resources for furthering political activities. (4) Members of the TXSG may not attend partisan political events in uniform or as an official representative of the TXSG As directed by that memo, we next checked DoDD 1344.10 to confirm the regulations for Texas Army and Air National Guard personnel: 4.1.2. A member of the Armed Forces on active duty shall not: 4.1.2.1. Participate in partisan political fundraising activities (except as permitted in subparagraph 4.1.1.7.), rallies, conventions (including making speeches in the course thereof), management of campaigns, or debates, either on one's own behalf or on that of another, without respect to uniform or inference or appearance of official sponsorship, approval, or endorsement. Participation includes more than mere attendance as a spectator. 4.5. Holding and Exercising the Functions of a State or Other Non-U.S. Government Office Attained by Election or Appointment 4.5.1. Paragraph 4.5. applies to a civil office in a State; the District of Columbia; a territory, possession, or commonwealth of the United States; or any political subdivision thereof 4.5.5. Any member on active duty authorized to hold or exercise, or not prohibited from holding or exercising, the functions of office under paragraph 4.5. is still subject to the prohibitions of subparagraph 4.1.2 In conclusion, no matter what branch of the armed forces you consider, determining whether Suelzer violated uniform code is dependent on one thing: Was Trump's address a partisan political event? Sources: England, Gordon. Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces. Department of Defense, 19 Feb. 2008, https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/134410p.pdf. "Https://Twitter.Com/AndrewflemingJ/Status/1763423177181692354." X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/AndrewflemingJ/status/1763423177181692354. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024. "Https://Twitter.Com/Hissgoescobra/Status/1763376052888543520." X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/hissgoescobra/status/1763376052888543520. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024. Kanno-Youngs, Zolan, et al. "In Dual Border Visits, Biden and Trump Try to Score Points at a Political Hot Spot." The New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/29/us/biden-trump-border-visit. Major General Thomas M. Suelzer - Texas State Directory Online. https://www.txdirectory.com/online/person/?id=42069&staff=9229. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024. National Guard Biography. https://www.nationalguard.mil/portals/31/Features/ngbgomo/bio/3/3631.html. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024. Norris, Tracy. Political Activities of Members of the Texas State Guard (TXSG). Texas Military Department, 23 Sept. 2019, https://tmd.texas.gov/Data/Sites/1/media/tmdpolicies/2019/txsg/dec/tmdd-1030.05-political-activities-of-members-of-the-txsg.pdf. Reporter, James Bickerton US News. "Military Presence behind Donald Trump during Border Speech Raises Alarm." Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2024, https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-border-speech-texas-military-presence-raises-alarm-1874991. Times, James Barragan, The Texas Tribune, and Davis Winkie, Military. "Gov. Greg Abbott Replaces Texas Military Leader Who Has Overseen Heavily Criticized Border Mission." The Texas Tribune, 14 Mar. 2022, https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/14/texas-greg-abbott-border-military-thomas-suelzer/. Wagner, Alex. DRESS AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE PERSONNEL. Department of the Air Force, 29 Feb. 2024, https://www.afpc.af.mil/Portals/70/documents/DRESS%20AND%20APPEARANCE/dafi36-2903%20(29Feb24).pdf. Wermund, Cayla Harris, Benjamin. "In Texas Visit, Trump Praises Abbott's Border Crackdown: 'This Is like a War.'" San Antonio Express-News, 29 Feb. 2024, https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/donald-trump-texas-border-abbott-18691009.php. Photo from the bomb shelter in Kyiv at 05:10, published by the President of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics on his page in the X social network About 10 billion UAH ($262 million) was spent on shelters in 2023, and 6.5 billion UAH ($171 million) allocated in 2024, but the total expenditure should not be less than that of 2023, Ukraines Statistics Ministry said, NV Business reported on Feb. 29. There are approximately 60,000 bomb shelters in Ukraine capable of protecting 17 million people half of the countrys population, NV Business said. The rest, primarily residents of the private sector, take refuge in their own basements, follow the two-wall rule, and rely on luck. Read also: Couple killed at home in Russian aerial bomb attack on Ukraines Sumy Oblast The city allocates funds for the reconstruction of bomb shelters only if the shelter meets all the standards, the article author said. However, 99% of basements in old buildings do not meet these requirements. A shelter must have two exits, a ventilation system, and no communication pipes, according to the standards, the article said. Read also: US warns of limited supply of Patriot missiles to Ukraine NYT Local administrations are responsible for the arrangement and financing of shelters, and they also keep all the statistics, the author said. However, after the tragedy in June last year, when three people died from fragments of a Russian rocket due to a closed shelter at a polyclinic in the Desnyanskyi district of Kyiv, the Strategic Industries Ministry was entrusted with control over this issue. Read also: As Ukrainians nationwide head to bomb shelters, Russia strikes Poltava and Kropyvnytskyi The closer a city is to the frontline, the more it invests in equipping bomb shelters, the article said, citing Deputy Strategic Industries Minister Tymur Tkachenko. Lviv, with an annual budget of 15 billion UAH ($394 million), allocated 700 million UAH ($18 million) for this purpose last year, he said. On the other hand, Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast spent 100 million UAH ($2.6 million) on equipping shelters, which is one-tenth of the citys budget. Quickly assembled concrete protective structures for 20-30 people are being installed in crowded places in Kherson, Tkachenko added. They cost from 800,000 ($21 thousand) to 1.5 million UAH ($39 thousand) each, and you wont see them in Kyiv, Lviv, or Uzhhorod, the article said. The oblast center, de-occupied in November 2022, suffers from Russian shelling almost daily its residents have only minutes to hide from missile attacks, and the new structures have become a good solution to the problem. Most residents of oblast centers in Ukraine are reportedly dissatisfied with the bomb shelters that function in their cities. You can read the full text of the article Billions of hryvnias at stake. Why the reconstruction of bomb shelters risks becoming a new Great Construction here. 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 URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) After countless hours of input from Urbana residents weighing in on the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Urbana City Council is finalizing a resolution calling for peace in the Middle Eastern region. The Urbana City Councils Committee of the Whole is expected to vote on a resolution calling to end the War on Gaza Monday, according to their posted agenda. This follows several meetings filled with dozens of speakers of residents speaking their viewpoints on the international conflict. For several weeks, members of the local community have expressed deep concern regarding the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel which has resulted in devastating loss of life and destruction of public infrastructure, the summary of the resolution reads. This conflict impacts the well-being of the local Muslim, Jewish, Israeli and Palestinian communities as well as other Urbana residents. In the resolution, the city calls for the return of all hostages on both sides, a just and lasting peace between Israel and Palestine and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The resolution also supports the sovereignty and free elections for both Israeli and Palestinian states. Urbana families rally, voice concerns over elementary school redistricting plans The full resolution can be found below. URBANA-GAZA-RESOLUTION-0304Download In past meetings the audience has gotten so disruptive for speakers during the public comment that the city council has warned to kick out the public. Some members of the public at Mondays City Council meeting advocated for the resolution to be passed. The Urbana City Council should pass this resolution for the sake of our shared humanity, Terri Barnes, an Urbana resident for 10 years said. We are all linked to this terrible conflict in some way. Urbana to be home to semi-pro womens soccer team Others believe the city passing the resolution is a futile measure, and worry it may cause further divide between opinionated residents. I wonder if its appropriate on these international issues that you speak for some of the citizens of your city, and knowingly refuse to speak or recognize or acknowledge or be concerned about the other citizens of Urbana, who very much have a different point of view, Marc Ansel, another Urbana resident, said. Urbana citizens are clearly divided, as are many across the country. More than 50 municipalities across the country have passed resolutions calling for peace or a ceasefire in Gaza including Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit and San Francisco. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. The United States began airdropping humanitarian aid into the stricken Gaza Strip on Saturday, days after over 100 Palestinians were killed when witnesses said Israeli forces fired at people waiting for food in Gaza City. U.S. Air Force C-130 cargo planes, along with Jordan's air force, conducted airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza for two hours on Saturday, according to U.S. Central Command. The planes dropped over 38,000 meals along the coastline of Gaza allowing for civilian access to the critical aid. The Pentagon is planning for future airborne aid drops, according to a statement from Central Command. The parachute-borne packages have been packed so that they can be dropped safely in populated areas. President Joe Biden announced Friday that the airdrops would begin, saying the U.S. would join Jordan and other countries to provide the airdrops of supplies, and would look to open up other avenues for delivering support. Residents of Gaza, overwhelmingly displaced due to Israel's ground offensive targeting Hamas, have suffered an ongoing humanitarian crisis with little access to food and critical supplies. Humanitarian group officials have said airdrops aren't an efficient way to distribute aid and are a measure of last resort. "Innocent people got caught in a terrible war unable to feed their families, and you saw the response when they tried to get aid," Biden said. "But we need to do more, and the United States will do more." Israel has denied that its military caused most of the deaths in Gaza City on Thursday during food distribution. According to spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, troops only fired warning shots when huge crowds of people surged. The military in a statement said dozens of Gazans were wounded as a result of "overcrowding, crowding and trampling." "We didnt open fire on those seeking aid," Hagari said. "Contrary to the accusations, we didnt open fire on a humanitarian aid convoy, not from the air and not from land." Palestinian health officials said most of the people treated at Al-Awda Hospital had been shot. The Health Ministry in Gaza said Saturday that two more bodies had been recovered from the scene, bringing the total dead to 118. About 760 were injured. Over 30,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza since the start of the war after Hamas militants stormed southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Palestinians stand amid the rubble of a mosque that was destroyed in Israeli strikes in Deir El-Balah in central Gaza on March 2, 2024, as battles continue between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Latest developments: Seven Hezbollah members were killed in separate Israeli strikes overnight and early Saturday, Lebanese officials and media said. An Israeli airstrike on Saturday struck tents outside the Emirati hospital in Rafah, killing 11 people and wounding about 50, including health workers, Gazas Health Ministry said. Israel open to potential cease-fire deal, US officials say Israel has essentially agreed to a six-week ceasefire in Gaza that would include the release of hostages, and negotiators are now waiting for Hamas to sign off on the deal, U.S. officials said Saturday. The ball is literally in the court of Hamas, one official said. The Israelis have more or less accepted the framework of a deal that would include a six-week ceasefire and the release of vulnerable hostages, including women, children and those who are elderly or wounded, said senior administration officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Biden said Friday he hopes that a deal can be in place by the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins March 10. Biden is under pressure to call for a ceasefire as hunger and disease spread in Gaza after months of attacks by Israel following the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Hamas has yet to agree to the terms of the deal, officials said. US officials: Looting has hampered deliveries of humanitarian assistance in Gaza Efforts to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza over the ground have been complicated by criminal gangs looting trucks carrying the commodities and selling them, U.S. officials said Saturday. Police and other security officials have been removed from multiple routes into the region, leaving convoys carrying humanitarian aid vulnerable to attacks, senior administration officials said. The U.S. believes that airdropping assistance into Gaza, which began on Saturday, will help get the goods to the people who need them and avoid further looting, the officials said. Large number of Palestinians killed, wounded were shot, groups say The European Union's diplomatic service on Saturday urged for an international investigation into the chaotic surge for food in Gaza and actions by the Israeli military, saying that many of the people killed or wounded were hit by Israeli fire. The responsibility for this incident lays on the restrictions imposed by the Israeli army and obstructions by violent extremist(s) to the supply of humanitarian aid, the European External Action Service said. A United Nations team that visited Shifa Hospital in Gaza City reported "a large number of gunshot wounds" among the more than 200 people being treated there after the violence, the U.N. said. Hundreds of people rushed about 30 trucks delivering food and aid to the north Thursday. Ahmed Abdel Karim, who was treated for gunshot wounds to his feet, told the Associated Press he had been waiting for the aid trucks for two days, and was shot by Israeli troops. "Everyone attacked and advanced on these trucks. Because of the large number, I could not get flour, he said. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel-Hamas war updates: US begins airdropping food into Gaza The United States and Jordan air-dropped humanitarian aid into Gaza, US Central Command said Saturday, one day after President Joe Biden asserted the US would pull out every stop to get more aid into the besieged coastal enclave. The combined operation by the US Air Force and the Royal Jordanian Air Force saw US C-130 aircraft dropping 38,000 meals along the Gaza coastline, CENTCOM said in a statement. There were 66 total bundles dropped 22 from each of three aircraft, a US official said. There was no water or medical supplies in the bundles. These airdrops are part of a sustained effort to get more aid into Gaza, including by expanding the flow of aid through land corridors and routes, CENTCOM said. White House officials described Saturdays operation as successful. The fact that todays airdrop was successful is an important test case to show that we can do this again in the coming days and weeks successfully, a senior administration official said during a call with reporters Saturday. People watch as the US military carries out its first aid drop over Gaza on March 2, 2024. - Kosay Al Nemer/Reuters The senior official added that the Defense Department is planning on conducting additional airdrops in Gaza in the days ahead but declined to offer further details. Following Saturdays airdrops, Biden said on social media that the amount of aid flowing into Gaza was not nearly enough and that the US would continue to pull out every stop we can to get more aid in. The comments echo Bidens remarks from a day earlier when he bemoaned the slow pace of assistance into Gaza. Speaking alongside Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office, Biden also said that the US was working to broker a ceasefire that would allow for additional aid. Biden said Friday he would insist that Israel allow more trucks and routes for aid into Gaza. Were going to insist that Israel facilitate more trucks and more routes to get more and more people the help they need, no excuses, the president said. Innocent lives are on the line, and childrens lives are on the line. Other countries, including the United Arab Emirates and France, have air-dropped aid into Gaza. But Saturdays operation was a first for the US. Prior to the announcement of Saturdays operation, several aid agencies criticized the US plans to drop food aid as ineffective, as the United Nations warns that hundreds of thousands of Gazans are on the brink of famine. Richard Gowan, the International Crisis Groups UN director, said on social media: Humanitarian workers always complain that airdrops are good photo opportunities but a lousy way to deliver aid. This story and headline have been updated with additional information. CNNs Camila DeChalus and Sophie Tanno contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com FILE - An Apache activist dancer performs in a rally to save Oak Flat, land near Superior, Ariz., sacred to Western Apache tribes, in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, July 22, 2015. An Apache group that has fought to protect land it considers sacred from a copper mining project in central Arizona suffered a significant blow Friday, March 1, 2024, when a divided federal court panel voted 6-5 to uphold a lower court's denial of a preliminary injunction to halt transfer of land for the project. (AP Photo/Molly Riley, File) PHOENIX (AP) An Apache group that has fought to protect land it considers sacred from a copper mining project in central Arizona suffered a significant blow Friday when a divided federal court panel voted 6-5 to uphold a lower court's denial of a preliminary injunction to halt the transfer of land for the project. The Apache Stronghold organization has hoped to halt the mining project by preventing the U.S. government from transferring the land called Oak Flat to Resolution Copper. Wendsler Nosie, who has led Apache Strongholds fight, vowed to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court the decision by the rare 11-member en banc panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Oak Flat is like Mount Sinai to us our most sacred site where we connect with our Creator, our faith, our families, and our land, Nosie said. Todays ruling targets the spiritual lifeblood of my people, but it will not stop our struggle to save Oak Flat. Apache Stronghold represents the interests of certain members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. The Western Apaches consider Oak Flat, which is dotted with ancient oak groves and traditional plants, essential to their religion. Oak Flat also sits atop the world's third-largest deposit of copper ore, and there is significant support in nearby Superior and other traditional mining towns in the area for a new copper mine and the income and jobs it could generate. An environmental impact survey for the project was pulled back while the U.S. Department of Agriculture consulted for months with Native American tribes and others about their concerns. Apache Stronghold had sued the government to stop the land transfer, saying it would violate its members rights under the free exercise clause of the First Amendment, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and an 1852 treaty between the United States and the Apaches. The majority opinion of the appeals panel said that Apache Stronghold was unlikely to succeed on the merits on any of its three claims before the court, and consequently was not entitled to a preliminary injunction. The dissenting five judges said the majority had tragically erred and will allow the government to obliterate Oak Flat. Apache Stronghold, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, has 90 days to appeal to the Supreme Court. Blasting a Native American sacred site into oblivion is one of the most egregious violations of religious freedom imaginable," said Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket. "The Supreme Court has a strong track record of protecting religious freedom for people of other faiths, and we fully expect the Court to uphold that same freedom for Native Americans who simply want to continue core religious practices at a sacred site that has belonged to them since before the United States existed. Vicky Peacey, Resolution Copper president and general manager, welcomed the ruling, saying there was significant local support for the project, which has the potential to supply up to one quarter of U.S. copper demand. Peacey said it could bring as much as $1 billion a year to Arizonas economy and create thousands of local jobs in a traditional mining region. "As we deliver these benefits to Arizona and the nation, our dialogue with local communities and Tribes will continue to shape the project as we seek to understand and address the concerns that have been raised, building on more than a decade of government consultation and review, Peacey said. U.S. Raul M. Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, called the court's decision wrong. Tribal communities deserve the same religious freedom protections for their sacred sites that are respected for every other American, Grijalva said. The court acknowledges that foreign-owned Resolution Copper will completely and irreversibly desecrate Oak Flat, but theyre giving them the green light anyways. Its a slap in the face to tribal sovereignty and the many tribes, including the San Carlos Apache, who have been fighting to protect a site they have visited and prayed at since time immemorial, he added. ___ Daly reported from Washington. US Army attack helicopter units are pushing themselves and their aircraft in the Arctic. A training in Alaska last month featured drills in a tough environment, including a 150-mile deep strike run. They face a variety of challenges in subzero temperatures, from keeping aircraft ready to whiteout conditions. Soaring through the Alaskan skies during a training exercise meant to ready them for war in the unforgiving Arctic, US Army attack helicopter pilots battled the brutal conditions and freezing temperatures, challenging themselves and their aircraft. 11th Airborne Division soldiers and troops from international allies and partners trained together, including in exercises to improve helicopter readiness in cold weather conditions, a massive 150-mile helicopter deep strike, and confronting threats and challenges such as enemy air defense and electronic warfare interference. The sheer scale and effort seen during the training, the third annual Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center's Alaska rotation, speaks to "the progress that we have made as a division to be able to operate in this unique, very challenging environment," Brig. Gen. Thomas E. Burke, the 11th Airborne Division's deputy commanding general for support, told Business Insider during an in-person interview at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The Army has put renewed emphasis on preparing its soldiers for combat in the Arctic after years of focusing on counterinsurgency ops in the Middle East. Readiness to fight in the region's unpredictable conditions is now a top priority for the Indo-Pacific region, USARPAC commander Gen. Charles Flynn told Business Insider. The region is home to several US rivals and adversaries, to include China, Russia, and North Korea. Focus on molding soldiers into Arctic warriors for operations in what Maj. Gen. Brian S. Eifler has previously described as "the most challenging environment on the planet," preparing attack helicopter pilots to conduct missions in the extreme cold is also a major priority. Two Alaska Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, approach a mock evacuation site while participating in a mass-casualty training event at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Nov. 21, 2017. U.S. Air Force photo by Alejandro Pena That requires a host of specific and uniquely difficult preparations, like attaching skis to helicopters to prevent them from sinking into snow or other changing landscape conditions. The skis, like ones seen on Blackhawks at Fort Wainwright, are fat and wide, giving the helicopter a larger footing to land on. Aircraft are also kept warm inside, which helps them stay ready "so that when it's time to do the mission, we can push them out, start them up pretty quickly, and get into the air," Burke said. But in general, he added, the aircraft are "remarkably able to function in extreme cold weather conditions." But some other pieces of equipment can't endure subzero temperatures that sometimes run as low as -60 degrees Fahrenheit. Soldiers told BI during observations of the training that there have been cases of hoses cracking and breaking while being unrolled in freezing weather, and they warned of the dangers of working on helicopters or any vehicle without proper protective gear. Burke told BI that "a lot of those lower 48 solutions," referring to the 48 continental states, "are insufficient up here in the Arctic." "And so," he said, "we are constantly searching for, what is a better solution. What type of equipment is more resilient in these extreme cold weather conditions?" Paratroopers from the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, hold onto static lines inside of a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, prior to conducting an airborne assault as part of a joint forcible entry exercise during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 in Alaska, Feb. 8, 2024. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Natalie Doan Some of the first exercises during the recent training in Alaska included preparing helicopter pilots to land in snow and how best to do that to avoid "whiteout," which is when the helicopter picks up all the snow, causing it to obscure the pilot's vision and the aircraft's surroundings. When helicopter pilots land, they have to approach snowy conditions in a certain position and at a relatively fast speed to best avoid whiteout, but pilots still need to be ready to land the aircraft in those conditions, even if they can barely see the ground. Helicopter pilots also have to be able to land in confined spaces, such as a small openings located in dense forests. Burke said "that takes a level of training and finesse that may not necessarily be trained to the same extent in another unit because the requirements aren't there routinely." A pilot's strengths in these kinds of situations come from their familiarity with their helicopter's different capabilities. Inside the cockpit, a pilot may be heavily reviewing instrumentation and altitude and air speed indicators while landing to effectively time their descent and avoid the worst effects. AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters fly over a mountain range near Fort Wainwright, Alaska, on June 3, 2019. Cameron Roxberry/U.S. Army via AP Towards the end of the recent JPMRC rotation in Alaska, Eifler told reporters about a 150-mile deep strike conducted with attack helicopters. "We did a 150-mile deep attach with our Apache division while avoiding air defense emitters that we put out," Eifler said. "They had to duck and weave over those 150 miles close to the terrain to get to the target and destroy it and get back safely." Navigating the battlespace was challenging. It was the first, longest, and biggest deep strike in JPMRC history, Eifler said. The opportunities, particularly for helicopter pilots, are limitless, Burke told BI. "You can replicate almost any global environment here in Alaska," he said, pointing in particular to mountainous and forested trainings, and adding that pilots get to replicate distances you can't elsewhere. As soldiers told Business Insider during the training in Alaska, if you can master warfighting in the Arctic, you can wage war anywhere. Read the original article on Business Insider Rather than meeting employees at the bargaining table, Google decided to do what could be described as the equivalent of hucking the table into the sky. This week, YouTube Music workers who were recently locked in a tense union fight with Google were laid off while in the middle of testifying before Austin City Council. this is the exact moment our coworkers found out we had been laid off while speaking in front of city council pic.twitter.com/IcsCszGe3Z jacob (@peepaw_) March 1, 2024 In a video of the testimony, Jack Benedict spoke of their unionization efforts, explaining that a group of less than 50 was determined to fight two of the largest corporations in the world (Google and its subcontractor Cognizant). During the speech, another employee approaches and says "They just laid us all off. Our jobs are ended today, effective immediately. Benedict, visibly shocked, responds wow, and they leave the podium as theyre told their time is up. This all comes in light of a year-long fight, after a group of 58 employees on the YouTube Music Content Operations Team unanimously voted to unionize as part of the Alphabet Workers Union last spring, in an election overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), per a press release by Austin City Council Members. Employes spoke of the need for better pay, benefits, and a more flexible return-to-office policy. The news of Google laying off the YouTube Music team broke before the results of an Austin City Council vote on a resolution calling for Google and Cognizant to negotiate with the YouTube Music Content Operations Team. The resolution passed 9-1. While workers were at city hall testifying, they received word that their team had been laid off. Instead of getting the chance to stay and celebrate the passage of their resolution they instead needed to leave to go retrieve their personal belongings from their office, according to an Austin City Council press release. Many of the workers feel they could lose their homes due to the sudden and unexpected layoff, which some of them believe could be retaliation for standing up today. Story continues The dark side of tech Employees unionized as part of the larger fight for better pay and benefits and petitioned Google to come to the table for negotiations, but the software company had refused. The company has claimed that because the employees are contractors, Google is not responsible for bargaining; instead, the contractor, Cognizant, is. But the NLRB has said otherwise, ruling Google and Cognizant as joint employers of YouTube Music workers. The NLRB has ruled that Google's refusal to bargain with YouTube Music workers is illegal. The board also introduced a new rule this December that would make it even harder for companies like Google to argue they arent responsible for dealing with unionization efforts by third-party contractors, according to the Verge. Indeed, in a statement to Fortune, a Google spokesperson says that the Austin-based unionized workers are not Google employees. Cognizant is responsible for these workers' employment terms, including staffing. They add that they have no objections to Cognizant employees electing to form a union. We simply believe its only appropriate for Cognizant, as their employer, to engage in collective bargaining, and say that Google will be appealing the NLRB's ruling that stated otherwise. Google also denied that it fired the YouTube Music workers, saying this was a routine end of contract which was agreed to with Cognizant. After this story's publication, a Cognizant spokeperson told Fortune, "ramp-downs and ramp-ups of projects are a normal part of Cognizants business operations. This contract ended at its planned expiration date. " The spokesperson added that the former YouTube Music workers "will become part of Cognizants deployable talent pool, better known as our bench, where they are given seven (7) weeks of dedicated, paid time to explore other roles within the organization and build new skills through our training ecosystem. " Still, the Alphabet Workers Union said that the contract end had come as a surprise, with no notice to affected workers. As a former employee noted, the NLRB has twice ruled that Google and Cognizant are joint employers of these contractors and that Google has illegally changed working conditions without contacting the union. Alphabet Workers Union directed Fortune to its public statement on the issue, which mentioned how many employees were forced to work multiple gigs to make ends meet and were unable to meet the mandate to work in person as they were not paid enough to afford the associated expenses with in-person work, like gas and childcare costs. They also highlighted a quote from the regional director of the NLRB in Fort Worth, Texas, from last years ruling that found the contractors were employed by both Alphabet and Cognizant. Google exercises direct and immediate control over benefits, hours of work, supervision and direction of work, said the regional director. An employee who had worked at YouTube Music for three years opened up about how the tech job was not as cushy as its often stereotyped to be. Truth of the matter is, we get paid $19 an hour here with awful benefits that come out of our paycheck and [we had] a restrictive PTO policy, they said in an Instagram post. This is simply not enough to live with any kind of comfortability in this city which is, across the board, significantly increasing its average cost of living year by year. Adding that the group unionized to change these conditions and pay, the employee notes that the gig was easier when working remotely as they could save money by skipping a commute and making food at home. Google and Cognizant have profited immensely off of our labor and consequently -for lack of a better word- fucked us, says the employee. Update, Mar. 1, 2024: This story has been updated with a response from Cognizant. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com The US will start airdrops of food and emergency supplies into Gaza in the next few days, Joe Biden has announced, amid UN warnings of famine and after Israeli troops opened fire on Gazans seeking food aid. The use of airdrops is a spectacular but inefficient way of delivering aid, and Fridays announcement suggests that Biden had given up on being able to persuade Israel in the near future to coordinate a large-scale ground-based relief effort under the threat of mass starvation across Gaza. Critics suggested it represented no more than a gesture, which obscured Bidens reluctance to use US leverage to force Israel to be more cooperative in the delivery of humanitarian aid. Airdrops are not the solution to relieve this suffering, and distract time and effort from proven solutions to help at scale, the International Rescue Committee aid organisation said. All diplomatic focus should be on ensuring Israel lifts its siege of Gaza. Related: Israel faces mounting pressure to investigate Gaza food aid deaths The loss of life is heartbreaking, Biden said, making the announcement at the White House at a meeting with Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in a terrible war unable to feed their families and you saw the response when they tried to get aid in. And we need to do more and the United States will do more, the president added. In the coming days, we are going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing airdrops of additional food and supplies [into Gaza]. The Jordanian and French air forces have already made airdrops. It is a highly expensive and uncontrolled way of distributing food in the midst of a crisis, but access for food trucks has been limited and far below expectations and requirements. Hundreds of trucks of aid are stuck at Gazas border, unable to proceed mainly because of security concerns. At least 112 people were reported killed on Thursday on the outskirts of Gaza City, where a crowd had formed to meet an aid convoy. The Palestinian authorities accused Israeli troops of opening fire on the crowd. The Israeli army gave a different account, saying that most of the fatalities were caused by a stampede around the aid convoy and some people being run over by the trucks. The army admitted opening fire but only on a smaller group of Palestinians who they said had threatened Israeli soldiers after the alleged stampede. The administration at a local hospital said that 80% of the injuries it was treating were gunshot wounds, and the US, France and Germany have asked Israel to carry out an investigation. Biden said that while it carried out airdrops, the US was looking at opening other aid corridors to Gaza, including the possibility of a marine corridor to deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance. In a worrying sign for Democrats, anxious about the 81-year-old presidents ability to handle a gruelling election campaign, he mistakenly said Ukraine twice in the course of the announcement when he meant to say Gaza. In addition to expanding deliveries by land, as I said, were going to insist that Israel facilitate more trucks and more routes to get more and more people the help they need, Biden said. No excuses, because the truth is [that] aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough now. Innocent lives are on the line and childrens lives are on the line. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several, he said. And I wont stand by, we wont let up and were trying to pull out every stop we can to get more assistance in. Biden and his administration have been trying unsuccessfully for months to persuade Benjamin Netanyahu to allow more aid into Gaza, but the president has opted so far not to use some of the powerful leverage the US has over Israel, including Israeli dependence on regular and substantial arms supplies. If the US government disavows the use of any meaningful leverage to bring the Gaza conflict to a close, it is left with desperate and inadequate measures like this to try to address the resulting humanitarian catastrophe around the margins, Brian Finucane, a former state department lawyer now working at the International Crisis Group, wrote on X. Robert Ford, a former US ambassador to Algeria and Syria wrote on X that being forced to carry out airdrops on Gaza was Israels worst humiliation of USA Ive ever seen. The United States military began delivering humanitarian aid into Gaza via C-130 cargo planes Saturday morning. Three planes from Air Forces Central dropped 66 bundles that contained about 38,000 meals into Gaza around 8:30 am ET, two officials told The Associated Press. The airdrop, expected to be the first of many, comes just days after more than 100 Palestinians in Gaza city were killed and more than 700 injured when Israeli soldiers opened fire on the people scrambling to access humanitarian aid. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 30,000 since the start of the Oct. 7 war. President Biden announced Friday that the United States would begin the delivering aid into Gaza as the war continues in the region. Innocent people got caught in a terrible war, unable to feed their families, and you saw the response when they tried to get aid, Biden said. And we need to do more, and the United States will do more. The president added that the aid drops are coordinated with Jordan and acknowledged that resources flowing into Gaza are nowhere nearly enough now. The airdrops are seen as a way for the U.S. to provide aid to the area while negotiations continue for cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, the allowance of more food, medicine, water and other supplies to be delivered, as well as the release of the remaining hostages held by the militant group. White House spokesperson John Kirby said it is extremely difficult to conduct airdrops in such a crowded area. The C-130 cargo plane is a widely used military aircraft that has been used to deliver aid to remote places because of its ability to land in difficult environments. It can lift as much as 42,000 pounds of cargo, the AP reported. Crews can load bundles of supplies onto pallets that is rigged for release at the back of the plane and then drop it with a parachute when they are in the delivery zone. Its been used in the past to drop aid to Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti and other remote places, the newswire reported. The Hill has reached out to the Air Force for further comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Iris Apfel, centenarian style icon from the New York borough of Queens immediately recognizable by her oversized owlish glasses, has died at age 102, according to her Instagram account. The self-described "geriatric starlet," best known as a textile designer and fashion celebrity, reached peak fame only in her 80s and 90s. A flamboyant interior designer, she was a fixture on front rows of Paris fashion shows for more than half a century. Her cropped white hair, massive glasses, bright lipstick, large-bead necklaces and bangles earned her kooky distinction among New York's glitterati. Apfel filled two floors of her Park Avenue apartment with work by the great designers of the 20th century, amassed over her multiple decades of life. And designers and fashion notables from Alexander Wang to Isaac Mizrahi declared themselves fans of the world's most chic centenarian, well-known for her love of baubles. - 'Find your own bliss' - New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art staged the first major retrospective of her wardrobe in 2005, with Apfel admitting she was as likely to pick up interesting jewelry in a Harlem junk shop as in Tiffany's. Helping Apfel's fame spread beyond the style pages was Albert Maysles's successful 2014 documentary about her, "Iris." Four years later her autobiography "Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon" hit bookstore shelves. Always the entrepreneur, Apfel was known for her collaborations with a variety of brands: a Barbie was made in her image, she had a Home Shopping Network collection and even produced a makeup line with MAC Cosmetics. The key to enjoying life, she said, was to never stop working. "I haven't," she once told guests at a reception in her honor at the American Embassy in Paris. "Try new things. Don't let age and numbers frighten you. You have to find your own bliss, be as individual as you can, and don't go with the herd," she added. Apfel and her husband, Carl Apfel, who lived to be 100, co-owned Old World Weavers from 1950 to 1992, restoring and selling textiles including to the White House. Born Iris Barrel on August 29, 1921 in Queens, Apfel went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin's art school and worked as a copywriter for Women's Wear Daily. Never one to shy away from color or unconventional silhouettes, Apfel urged young women at one gathering to abandon the modern "uniform of black tights or jeans with a sweater, boots and a leather bomber jacket." Instead, she told them to "dare to be different. Be yourselves, be individual. "If you wear something and it doesn't work, don't worry," she quipped, "the style police are not going to arrest you." Tributes poured in from across the internet following Apfel's death, reflecting her wide following. Musician Lenny Kravitz described Apfel on Instagram as someone who had "mastered the art of living," while clothing store Old Navy remembered her as a "forever icon." bur-bfm/tjj/tym/cwl RAFAH, Gaza Strip Israel has essentially endorsed a framework of a proposed Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal, and it is now up to Hamas to agree to it, a senior U.S. administration official said Saturday. The Israelis have more or less accepted the proposal, which includes the six-week cease-fire in Gaza as well as the release by Hamas of hostages considered to be vulnerable, which includes the sick, the wounded, the elderly and women, said the official. The Israelis have basically signed on to the elements of the arrangement, the official said. Right now, the ball is in the court of Hamas and we are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can. The official briefed reporters on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing cease-fire talks. A campaign for an investigation into Elijah McClain's death gathered pace in the wake of the murder by police of George Floyd (Michael Ciaglo) One of two paramedics who injected a young Black man with ketamine as he was put in a chokehold by US police was jailed for five years on Friday. Peter Cichuniec had been convicted in December of criminally negligent homicide and unlawful administration of drugs over the death of Elijah McClain, an unarmed 23-year-old who died several days after a struggle with police in Colorado. He had suffered a cardiac arrest in the ambulance in the moments after his forceful arrest. The episode unfolded in August 2019 when police in the city of Aurora responded to reports of a "suspicious" Black male "acting weird" in the street and wearing a ski mask. McClain's family later told media he had been out buying iced tea, and often wore the mask to stay warm because he suffered from anemia. One officer said McClain, who was unarmed, had reached for another officer's gun. No evidence was produced to support this claim. They grappled with him and while they were restraining him Cichuniec and fellow paramedic Jeremy Cooper injected him with ketamine. During the trial, the paramedics' lawyers argued that their clients had simply followed protocol in administering a drug approved in Colorado for people in an "agitated state." Prosecutors countered they had ignored their training in handling distressed patients. Ahead of his sentencing on Friday, Cichuniec said he was "truly sorry" to Sheheen McClain for the loss of her son's life. "I wish I could tell Ms. McClain that Elijah was going to be okay," he said, according to CBS News. "But I can't." "We can't save everyone. I wish my mind could forget the things my eyes have seen over the last 18 years," he continued. "Elijah will always be on my mind, along with all the others." McClain's death occurred months before the killing of another Black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis in May 2020, but drew renewed attention soon after as protests against police brutality swelled. A celebrity-backed campaign led to a special investigation in which three police officers were ultimately indicted, along with the two paramedics. Two of the police officers were acquitted, while the third was jailed in January for 14 months. Cooper, the other paramedic who was convicted alongside Cichuniec in December, is set to be sentenced in April. hg/amz/tjj A guest wears U.S. and Singapore flags prior to arrival ceremony at the White House in Washington WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Friday said the U.S. government was taking seriously an internal watchdog report that the U.S. ambassador to Singapore threatened his staff and failed to submit about $48,000 in travel expenses on time or with proper documentation. Ambassador Jonathan Kaplan, a political appointee, had poor relations with some Singaporean ministries and was often unprepared on issues, the State Department's Office of Inspector General (OIG) said in a report. "OIG found the ambassador did not model integrity, plan strategically, collaborate, or communicate," it said, urging the State Department to assess his leadership and management and, if appropriate, "take corrective action." "Numerous staff described a fear, and even direct threats, of reprisal from the Ambassador," it said. "They described his mannerisms with personnel as belittling and intimidating." The report noted the ambassador's view that "although there had been a difficult transition when he assumed his position, morale had improved under his leadership, and he was confident that he had gained the trust" of his staff. "The president always wants his representatives ... to manage people with dignity and respect," White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. "He's comfortable that the State Department is taking this seriously." The report faulted Kaplan, an entrepreneur, for failing to follow procedures in hiring consultants who submitted bills of $5,650 for "a furniture research project" and of $4,250 to redesign the embassy's cafeteria. The report found Kaplan did not follow many of the State Department's travel policies, failing to use a travel agency under contract with the U.S. government and to comply with a U.S. law requiring the use of U.S. carriers. "OIG found approximately $48,000 worth of outstanding travel obligations extending back to December 2021 that either were not submitted for reimbursement or lacked sufficient supporting documentation to pay the travel claim," it said. (Reporting By Arshad Mohammed. Editing by Gerry Doyle) Before the war, Mohammed Hamouda and his wife, Dina, would stroll along beaches in northern Gaza, where their three young children loved to swim, eat ice cream, and ride camels on the shoreline. On other days, the family of five sat with relatives on the balcony overlooking a green garden at their home in Beit Lahia. My children used to live a simple life. We used to go out on the weekends, the displaced health worker told CNN. They used to enjoy themselves a lot. Now, the sound of laughter has been replaced by that of Israeli strikes raining down on the enclave. They are very fearful. All day, we have to be by their side, Hamouda reflected from Rafah, in southern Gaza, where they have fled. They keep asking me about when we will go back home. But the family has no home to go back to. They recently learned that their house in Beit Lahia was destroyed. Hamoudas youngest child, Kareem, 2, is too young to understand, but his eldest children, Ella, 6, and Sila, 4, were devastated by the loss and would not stop crying. I couldnt find any words to console her (Ella), he said. Palestinian siblings Ella Mohammed Hamouda (left) and Sila Mohammed Hamouda (right) ride a camel on a beach in northern Gaza, on October 6, 2023. - Mohammed Hamouda Of the 2.2 million people living in Gaza, about half are under the age of 18. As a result of Israels partial blockade, the life expectancy for Palestinians in Gaza was already a decade shorter than in Israel, with rates of neonatal, infant and maternal mortality more than three times higher, according to the World Bank. Since the war began, life for young people in the strip has become even more fragile. Nearly five months into Israels offensive, Palestinian children in Gaza are living with violence, homelessness, starvation, and disruption to education. Some have been orphaned, while others endure the fear of their parents being killed by Israeli strikes. Days spent playing with friends or going to school have been replaced by forced displacement from one shelter to another with no promise of safety. Several parents and carers told CNN they struggle to explain the war to children, who they say are psychologically terrorized by relentless bombardment. Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza after the militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing at least 1,200 people, including 36 children, and kidnapping more than 250 others. CNN is relying on figures released by the Ministry of Health in Gaza and UN agencies for data on deaths and injuries. CNN cannot independently confirm the numbers due to the lack of international media access to Gaza. Israeli attacks in Gaza have now reached a grim new milestone: more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Ministry of Health. At least 8,000 of those are women and about 12,550 are children, the ministry added. On average, Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed almost 90 children per day since the war started, according to CNN calculations based on figures from the Ministry of Health. I miss my room and my toys, Ella told CNN in a voice message. I wish I could see the school, see my friends and my teachers. No relief for injured children Israels military campaign in Gaza has demolished family homes, razed entire neighborhoods, and turned swathes of the territory into rubble-filled wasteland. In recent weeks, the Israeli military intensified airstrikes in central and northern Gaza, ahead of an anticipated ground offensive in Rafah. Families like the Hamoudas fear they will have nowhere left to flee. Nearly 30% of Gazans are estimated to have no home to return to, with more than 60% of housing units across the strip either totally destroyed or partially damaged, the UNs Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in February. Ella dreams of the day she can return to the beach with her friends, siblings Amira, 8, Yehia, 10, and Mohamed, 6, Hamouda said. He hasnt had the heart to tell her that Amira was killed, along with her father, Waseem El Ostaz, and his wife, Helal, in a strike on their home in Beit Lahia, in November. Hamouda felt able to tell his daughter only of the death of Amiras parents, who were close friends of the family. She cried a lot, and she was very sad She stopped eating, said Hamouda of Ella. She asked me to bring over those kids after the war is over and take them to the beach to make it up to them because they lost their parents, so that she can have a role in helping them and comforting them. Ella Mohammed Hamouda (left) and her father, Mohammed Hamouda (right) sit at a beachside restaurant in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, on June 26, 2023. - Mohammed Hamouda Both Yehia and Mohamed were burned in the strike, according to Hamouda. Yehia also sustained a fractured lower limb. The two siblings were displaced to a relatives house in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza. Many children have sustained life-altering injuries from Israeli strikes, according to the UNs childrens agency (UNICEF). Around 1,000 children lost one or both legs from the beginning of the war until the end of November, UNICEF reported. Palestinian children run as they flee from Israeli bombardment in Rafah, in southern Gaza, on November 6, 2023. - Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images Health workers have previously told CNN they cannot offer life-saving treatment to Palestinians wounded in the war including children and infants because Israels bombardment and besiegement of Gazan hospitals has crushed the medical system. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claims Hamas uses hospitals for its military operations. Hamas denies using hospitals as cover. CNN cannot independently verify either claim. Forced displacement leads to insecurity, hunger Ayas, 8, who was disabled, and lived in an orphanage in Gaza City, was en route to a hospital in Rafah when he died, Hazem Saeed Al-Naizi, the orphanage director, said. His condition had worsened after the orphanage was forced to flee with all 40 young people in its care most of them children and infants living with disabilities and bring them south. Due to shortages, Ayas couldnt get the medicine he needed. Without it, his muscles stiffened, his convulsions and inflammation increased, making it difficult for him to eat or sleep, Al-Naizi said. UNICEF warned in January of a triple threat to children in Gaza not just the danger of raging war, but also of malnutrition and disease. Israels bombardment and restrictions on aid entering the strip have severely diminished food and water supplies, exposing the entire population to the risk of famine. In February, UNRWA, the main UN relief agency in Gaza suspended deliveries to northern Gaza after an Israeli attack on one of their convoys, further limiting aid. Soon after, the UN World Food Programme also stopped deliveries, citing attacks. One in six children under the age of two in northern Gaza are estimated to be acutely malnourished, according to an assessment by the Global Nutrition Cluster, which is co-chaired by WFP and UNICEF. Ayas was displaced at least six times before his death, said Al-Naizi. At least 1.7 million Gazans have been forcibly displaced, according to the UN. Many of those including about 610,000 children have sought refuge in cramped shelters in Rafah, according to Save the Children. Hazem Saeed Al-Naizi (right) and Ayas (left) celebrate Eid at the orphanage in Gaza City, on May 12, 2022. - Hazem Saeed Al-Naizi Hamouda, the health worker, told CNN his family had been displaced three times since October 7. While staying at a shelter in Rafah, his children fell ill from exposure to cold winter weather and unsanitary conditions, he said. Forced displacement, even to the homes of relatives or acquaintances, exposes children to the indignities of cramped living conditions with little privacy, according to Saeed Muhammad Al-Kahlot, a mental health specialist displaced in Rafah with his three children Siwar, 15, Muhammad, 9, and Saba, 7. Children do not sleep in their own beds, and since the house is not their home, they are even deprived of playing and eating, so as not to disturb the host of the house, he told CNN. These symptoms appear in the childs questions: Are we going to stay here for a long time? Is this a place where we can play? How do I relieve myself when the bathroom is always busy? As many as 17,000 children in Gaza are unaccompanied by or separated from their parents, UNICEF said in February about 1% of the total displaced population. Children whose parents have been killed by Israeli bombardment or who have been separated from their guardians are forced to take on the role of parenting younger siblings. I also saw a kid who is barely seven years old, and he was getting his baby sisters milk ready, and he was changing her diaper because he lost his mother, said Hamouda. Nearly 20,000 babies were born in Gaza from October 7 to January 19, UNICEF reported, meaning many newborns are starting life amid these dire conditions. Robbed of an education Dressed in a blue pinstripe dress with a frilly collar, Ella used to carry her pink and purple rucksack to pre-school where she would play with her friend, Aya. I want to be a pilot, Ella said in a voice message to CNN. When I was coming home (from pre-school) my mother used to wait for me by the window and she used to smile. But the war has disrupted her first year of school the building was struck by bombardment in November, Hamouda told CNN. She (Ella) wonders if her friend Aya is still alive or not. She wonders what happened to her school, he said. She is very upset because she doesnt know how to read or write. Children in Gaza are expected to lose at least a year of education because of the war, according to the UN. A recent damage assessment by UNICEF identified over 160 school buildings that were directly hit. Field reports from the agency also found that nearly four-fifths of school buildings across the strip have been damaged and at least 26 destroyed. There is no safe place for more than 625,000 students who need schooling, UNICEF added. One in 100 teachers and one in 130 students have been killed by Israeli strikes, as of January 30. Psychological trauma, changes in behavior The number of children in need of mental health support has doubled to more than 1 million since the start of the war nearly all children in the strip, UNICEF estimated. Saba, Al-Kahlots daughter, on the ruins of their house in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, on October 10, 2023. - Saeed Al-Kahlot Al-Kahlot, the mental health specialist displaced in Rafah, treats patients at a clinic affiliated with the Ministry of Health. He told CNN that children in Gaza display symptoms including bedwetting and nightmares, separation anxiety, death anxiety, avoidance of social situations and fear of leaving the house. This situation we are going through has never been seen before in the previous wars, he added. Palestinians have told CNN they feel helpless because they cannot protect their children from the reality of war. As a father, I am unable to provide help for my children, I know what they need but the resources are very limited, Hamouda said, adding that he is desperately hoping to evacuate Gaza with his family. There is no safe place for us to take them to play, he reflected. I fear losing their souls and I fear that they might get injured or that they might suffer from a disability for life. I want my children to live like the rest of the worlds children. CNNs Nourhan Mohammed and Eyad Kourdi contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Teachers of American history in Utah would be allowed to teach the Ten Commandments in class under a bill thats headed to Gov. Spencer Coxs desk. On Thursday, the second-to-last day of the legislative session, lawmakers in the Senate passed House Bill 269, titled Public School History Curricula Amendments, on a party-line vote, 20-4. Last week, the bill passed the legislatures lower chamber on a 49-26 vote, with lawmakers expressing concerns about religious instruction in public schools. Weekend storm threatens snow-covered roads, near-hurricane-force gusts Rep. Michael Petersen, R-North Logan, the bills sponsor, said during the House debate that the point of HB269 was simply to enlarge the list of documents from which American history and government teachers can teach. Other such documents currently listed in the school code include the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the national anthem. This legislation is not about proselytizing, its about exposing students to the truths of American history, Petersen said. Along with adding the Ten Commandments to the list of documents that educators could teach, it also adds the Magna Carta. In both chambers, some lawmakers pushed back at the idea the Ten Commandments were in any way fundamental for students to understand American history. The Ten Commandments does not fit into that list, said Sen. Kathleen Riebe (D-Cottonwood Heights). I think it brings religion into our schools. Meanwhile, supporters of the bill cited the Old Testament text as a key influence on American law and ideas concerning governance. The Ten Commandments is the basis of our laws and shows there is a higher law above the Constitution, said Rep. Tim Jimenez (R-Tooele). If we dont get that in our schools then we allow the government to become a tyrant. Earlier in the session, the bill underwent major changes. Initially, it would have required schools to display a poster detailing the Ten Commandments. While in committee, however, this requirement was dropped, and the changes to school curricula were added. Another bill thats still pending in the legislature also concerns religion in Utah schools. House Bill 514 would allow schools to enlist volunteer chaplains to provide emotional and spiritual support for children, although no student would be required to receive their services. The bill passed the House last week on a 56-13 vote, and it went on to get a favorable recommendation in a Senate committee. However, the bill remained circled as of Thursday on the Senates reading calendar. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. The postbox, which was wrenched from the ground, has been repaired and is back in place A woman who found comfort in a "Letters to Heaven" postbox after losing her mother to cancer has spoken of her disgust after it was vandalised. The postbox in Workington's Vulvan Park was wrenched from the ground on 21 February. Workington Town Council said the vandalism was "senseless" and the box had been repaired. Toni Lee, whose mother Doris died in March, said she did not know how the culprits could sleep at night. "They obviously haven't lost anyone close to them. I'm pleased it's back up and I'll be posting a Mother's Day card next week," she said. "I was disgusted how someone can do something like that and go home and sleep at night - it's beyond me." The postbox is located in Vulcan Park's Reflection Garden next to memorial roses for loved ones Ms Lee, 32, said the park had meant a lot to her mother, and she had taken great comfort in posting a card at Christmas. Workington Town Council installed the box in November in the hope it would support grieving families. The cards and letters posted are stored and will eventually be turned into compost to be spread in the park. A spokeswoman said the postbox contained 70 letters and cards when it was targeted, but they had not been damaged. "To say that we are disgusted and upset would be an understatement, " she added. "Over the last few weeks we have had numerous break-ins at our allotment sites and storage units in Vulcan Park with machines and tools stolen. "And now this, senseless vandalism. "What is wrong with people and what is happening to our town?" She said the culprits had not yet been caught and urged anyone with information to contact the police. "A big thank you and well done to our estates team for their welding skills and for getting this repaired and back in place so quickly," she added. All cards and letters posted are stored securely and will eventually be turned into compost to be spread in the park, the council said. Follow BBC Cumbria on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Last night, for an evening hosted by StrictlyVC, this editor sat down with Trae Stephens, a former government intelligence analyst turned early Palantir employee turned investor at Founders Fund, where Stephens has co-founded two companies of his own. One of these is Anduril, the buzzy defense tech company that is now valued at $8.4 billion by its investors. The other is Sol, which makes a single-purpose, $350 headset that weighs about the same as a pair of sunglasses and is focused squarely on reading, a bit like a wearable Kindle. (Having put on the pair that Stephens brought to the event, I immediately wanted one of my own, though there's a 15,000-person waitlist right now, says Stephens.) We spent the first half of our chat talking primarily about Founders Fund, kicking off the conversation by talking about how Founders Fund differentiates itself from other firms (board seats are rare, it doesn't reserve money for follow-on investments, consensus is largely a no-no). We also talked about a former colleague who manages to get a lot of press (Stephens rightly ribbed me for talking about him during our own conversation), whether Founders Fund has concerns that Elon Musk is stretching himself too thin (it has stakes in numerous Musk companies), and what happens to another portfolio company, OpenAI, if it loses too much talent now that it has let its employees sell some percentage of their shares at an $86 billion valuation. The second half of our conversation centered on Anduril, and here's where Stephens really lit up. It's not surprising. Stephens lives in San Francisco but spends much of each day overseeing large swaths of the outfit's operations in Costa Mesa, California. Anduril is also very much on the rise right now for obvious reasons. If you'd rather watch the talk, you can catch it below. For those of you who prefer reading, what follows is much of that conversation, edited lightly for length. Keith Rabois, who recently rejoined Khosla Ventures, was reported to have been "pushed out" of Founders Fund after a falling-out with colleagues. Can you talk a bit about what happened? At Founders Fund, everyone has their own style. And one of the benefits that really comes down from Peter [Thiel] from the beginning, when we were first founded around 20 years ago, is that everyone should run their own strategy. I do strategy in a different way than [colleague] Brian [Singerman] does venture. It's different than the way that Napoleon [Ta] -- who runs our growth fund -- does venture, and that's good, because we get different looks that we wouldn't otherwise get by having people executing these different strategies. Keith had a very different strategy. He had a very specific strategy that was very hands-on, very engaged, and I think Khosla is a very good fit for that and I'm really happy that he found a place where he feels like he has a team that can back him up in that execution. Image Credits: TechCrunch You've talked in the past about Founders Fund not wanting to back founders who need a lot of hand-holding The ideal case for a VC is you have a founder who is going to be really good at running their own business, and there's some unique edge that you can provide to help them. The reality is that that's usually not the case. Usually the investors who think they're the most value added are the most annoying and difficult to deal with. The more a VC says, "I'm going to add value," the more you should hear them say, "I'm going to annoy the ever-living crap out of you for the rest of the time that I'm on the cap table." If we believe that we -- Founders Fund -- are necessary to make the business work, we should be investing in ourselves, not the founders. I find it interesting that so much ink was spilled when Keith moved to Miami, and again when he moved back to the Bay Area in a part-time capacity. People thought Founders Fund had moved to Florida, but you've told me the bulk of the firm remains in the Bay Area. The vast majority of the team is still in San Francisco Even when I joined Founders Fund 10 years ago, it was really a Bay Area game. Silicon Valley was still the dominant force. I think if you look at fund five, which is the one I entered at Founders Fund, something like 60% to 70% of our investments were Bay Area companies. If you look at fund seven, which is the last vintage, the majority of the companies were not in the Bay Area. So whatever people thought about Founders Fund relocating to Miami, that was never the case. The idea was that if things are geographically distributed, we should have people who are closer to the other things that are interesting. Keith said something earlier today at the [nearby] Upfront Summit about founders in the Bay Area being comparatively lazy and not willing to work nine to nine on weekdays or on Saturdays. What do you think about that and, also, do you think founders should be working those hours? I used to work for the government, where, when you speak publicly, the goal is to say as many words as possible without saying anything It's just like the teacher from Charlie Brown. Keith is really good at saying things that journalists ask about later. That's actually good for Keith. He made us talk about him here onstage. He wins. I think the reality is that there aren't enough people in the world that say things that people remember that are worth talking about later. My goal for the rest of this talk is to find something to say that someone will ask about later today or tomorrow: "Can you believe Trae said that?" I have a solution to that, but that comes later! OpenAI is a portfolio company; you bought secondary shares. It just oversaw another secondary sale. Its employees have made a lot of money (presumably) from these sales. Does that concern you? Do you have a stance on when is too soon for employees to start selling shares to investors? Image Credits: TechCrunch In tech, the competition for talent is really fierce, and companies want their employees to believe that their equity has real monetary value. Obviously it would be bad if you said, "You can sell 100% of your vested equity," but at a fairly early stage, I think it's fine to say, "You've got 100,000 shares vested; maybe you can sell 5% to 10% of that in a company-facilitated tender, so that when you're being compensated with equity, that's real and that's part of your total comp package." But the scale is so different. This is a company with an $86 billion valuation [per these secondary buyers], so 5% to 10% is a lot. I think if you start seeing a performance degradation related to people checking out because they have too much liquidity, then yeah, that becomes a pretty serious problem. I haven't seen that happen at OpenAI. I feel like they are super mission-motivated to get to [artificial general intelligence], and that's a really meaty mission. You're also an investor in SpaceX. You're an investor in Neuralink. Are you also an investor in Boring Company? We're an investor in Boring Company. Are you an investor in X? No. No, no, no, no. [Laughs.] But you're in the business of Elon Musk, as I guess anyone who's an investor would want to be. Are you worried about him? Are you worried about a breaking point? I'm not personally concerned. Elon is one of the most unique and generational talents that I think I'll see for the rest of my life. There are always trade-offs. You go above a certain IQ point and the trade-offs become quite severe, and Elon has a set of trade-offs. He's incredibly intense. He will outwork anyone. He's brilliant. He's able to organize a lot of stuff in his brain. And there are going to be other parts of life that suffer. You are very involved in the day-to-day of Anduril, more than I realized. You've built these autonomous vessels and aircraft. You recently introduced the Roadrunner, a VTOL that can handle varying payloads. Can you give us a curtain raiser about what else you're working on? The nature of Anduril and what we're doing there is that the threat that we're facing globally is very different than it was in 2000 through 2020, when we were talking about non-state actors: terrorist organizations, insurgent groups, rogue states, things like that. It looks now more like a Cold War conflict against near-peer adversaries. And the way we engaged with great power conflict during the Cold War was by building these really expensive, exquisite systems: nuclear deterrents, aircraft carriers, multi-hundred-million-dollar aircraft missile systems. [But] we find ourselves in these conflicts where our adversaries are showing up with these low-cost attritable systems: things like a $100,000 Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone or a $750,000 Turkish TB2 Bayraktar or simple rockets and DJI drones with grenades attached to them with little gripper claws. Our response to that has been historically to shoot a $2.25 million Patriot missile at it, because that's what we have, that's what's in our inventory. But this isn't a scalable solution for the future. So since we were founded, Anduril has looked at how [we can] reduce the cost of engagement, while also removing the human operator, removing them from the threat of loss of life And these capabilities are not hardware capabilities largely. This is about autonomy, which is a software problem so we wanted to build a company that's software-defined and hardware-enabled, so we're bringing these systems that are low cost and supplementing the existing capabilities to create a continued deterrent impact so that we avoid global conflict. I'd read a story recently where someone from one of the defense "primes," as they're called, rolled their eyes and said defense tech upstarts don't know enough yet about mass production. Is that a concern for you? Startups don't know how to do mass production. But primes also don't know how to do mass production. You can look at the Boeing 737 problem if you want some evidence of that. We have no supply of Stingers, Javelins, HIMARS, GMLRS, Patriot missiles -- they can't make them fast enough. And the reason is they built these supply chains and manufacturing facilities that are more like the manufacturing facilities of the Cold War. To look at an analogy to this, when Tesla went out to build at massive scale, they said, "We need to build an autonomous factory from the ground up to actually hit the demand requirements for producing at a low cost and at the scale that we need to grow." And GM looked at that and they said, "That's ridiculous. This company will never scale." And then five years later, it was evident that they were just getting absolutely smoked. So I think the primes are saying this because it's the defensive reaction that they would have to say these upstarts will never get it. Anduril is trying to build a Tesla. We're going to build a modular, autonomous factory that's going to be able to keep up with the demand that the customer is throwing at us. It's a big bet, but we hired the guy that did it at Tesla. His name is Keith Flynn. He's now our head of production. Image Credits: TechCrunch I'm sure you get asked a lot about the danger of autonomous systems. Sam Altman, at one of these events, told me years ago that it was among his biggest fears when it comes to AI. How do you think about that? Throughout the course of human history, we've gotten more and more violent. We started with, like, punching each other and then hitting each other with rocks and then eventually we figured out metals and we started making swords and bows and arrows and spears, and then catapults and then eventually we got to the advent of gunpowder. And then we started dropping bombs on each other, and then in the 1940s, we reached the point where we realized we had humanity-destroying capability in nuclear weapons. Then everyone kind of stopped. And we stood around and we said, "It would not be good to use nuclear weapons. We can all kind of agree we don't actually want to do this." If you look at the curve of that violent potential, it started coming down during the Cold War, where you had precision-guided munitions. If you need to take out a target, [the question became] can you shoot a missile through a window and only take out the target that you're intending to take out? We got much more serious about intelligence operations so we could be more precise and more discriminating in the attacks that we delivered. I think autonomous systems are the far reach of that. It's saying, "We want to prevent the loss of human life. What can we do to eliminate that, to the extent possible to be absolutely sure that when we take lethal action, we're doing it in the most responsible way possible." Am I scared of Terminator? Sure, there's some potential hypothetical future where the AGI becomes sentient and decides that we will be better off making paper clips. We're not close to that right now. No one in the DoD or any of our allies and partners is talking about sentient AGI taking over the world and that being the goal of the DoD. But in 2016, Vladimir Putin, in a speech to the Technical University of Moscow, said, "He who controls AI controls the world," and so I think we have to be very serious about recognizing that our adversaries are doing this. They're going to be building into this future. And their goal is to beat us to that. And if they beat us to it, I'd be much more concerned about that Terminator reality than if we, in a democratic Western society, are the ones that control the edge. Speaking of Putin, what is Anduril doing in Ukraine? We're deployed all over the world in conflict zones, including Ukraine. You go into a conflict with the technology you already have, not with the technology you hope to have in the future. So much of the technology that the United States, the U.K., and Germany sent over to Ukraine were Cold War era technologies. We were sending them things that were sitting in warehouses that we needed to get out of our inventory as quickly as possible. Anduril's goal, aside from supporting those conflicts, is to build the capabilities that we need to build, to ensure that the next time there's a conflict, we have a big inventory of stuff that we can deploy very quickly to support our allies. You're privy to conversations that we probably can't imagine. What is in your survival kit? And is it in a bunker? I do have a bunker, I can confirm. What's in my survival kit? I don't think I have any interesting ideas here. It's like, you want nonperishables. You want a big supply of water. It might not hurt to have some shotguns. I don't know. Find your own bunker. It turns out you can buy Cold War era missile silos that make for great bunkers and there's one for sale right now in Kansas. I would encourage any of you [in the audience] that are interested to check it out. You're obviously very passionate about this country. You worked in government service. You work with Peter Thiel, who has thrown his resources behind people who've been elected to public office, including now, Ohio senator J.D. Vance. Will we ever see you run for office? I'm not personally opposed to the idea, but my wife -- who I love very much -- said she would divorce me if I ever ran for public office. So the answer is a strong no. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ8Vne5P9bA?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&listType=playlist&list=PLHRxVckaE8da_lkoYUqwiUijWQN907hAP&w=640&h=360] (Bloomberg) -- As the ripple effects from a hack on a UnitedHealth Group Inc. unit extend for more than a week, some health-care providers face an increasingly difficult dilemma: whether to deny medication to patients or risk not being paid for costly treatment. Most Read from Bloomberg For days, providers have been unable to verify if a patients health insurance will cover the cost of their prescription, typically an almost-instantaneous check that Change Healthcare, the victim of the cyberattack, provided to these businesses. However, operators of smaller pharmacies say they can only cover the cost of prescriptions while they wait to be reimbursed for so long. Shaukat Zakaria, who manages an independent pharmacy in Houston, said his business, HealthQuest Therapeutics, has continued filling prescriptions for existing patients but is turning away some new patients, for which he has no previous knowledge of their insurance coverage. His company is awaiting reimbursement on a backlog of 140 claims. We cant afford to not get paid, Zakaria said. Each one of our claims can range anywhere from $500 to up to $60,000. Read More: UnitedHealth Cites Nation-State in Hack Disrupting Pharmacies Change Healthcare processes insurance claims and pharmacy requests for over 340,000 physicians and 60,000 pharmacies. The hack, which was discovered on Feb. 21, shut down the Change network for health-care providers across the nation. UnitedHealth on Feb. 29 confirmed that the ransomware gang BlackCat was behind the attack. As the shutdown extends into March, its become more difficult to navigate a path forward for some companies within Changes supply chain. Insurance premium payments are generally due around the beginning of the month. If a patient doesnt pay their premium early this month, they could be dropped from their insurance plan. Story continues But it will be nearly impossible for health-care providers to know if a patient is still covered given the current circumstances. You may be filling medication that theoretically could cost $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, but the patients not even active with their insurance any longer, said Dalia Kasseb, vice president of operations at Pyramids Pharmacy in Texas. In such a case, the pharmacy would have to eat the cost of the drug, a severe blow to smaller, independent stores. Ophthalmologist Matthew Gewirtz said he is choosing to continue performing eye procedures at his practice in New Jersey without knowing if or when he will be compensated. They need to be done. If theyre delayed, then people can have permanent visual loss, Gewirtz said. Read More: Fallout From Change Healthcare Hack Still Roils Health Care While many providers continue to service patients and bear the brunt of the impact themselves, some patients are facing delays or outright refusal. Morgan Overbeck said she told by a local Walmart pharmacy in Houston that her medication was being delayed ultimately by four days because of the hack. Usually I could get it in 30 minutes to an hour. It shouldnt take four days. I think there has to be a backup plan if something like this happens again, Overbeck said. A Walmart spokesperson didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. For a few days, health-care providers were using manual workarounds around the issue calling up pharmacy benefit managers to verify if their patients care was covered. But according to Kasseb, the wait time for calling can be as long as two hours, and some of the services her pharmacy was using are no longer available. Theyve stopped doing that. I think theyve gotten overwhelmed by the amount of calls, Kasseb said. UnitedHealth on Friday said it would offer temporary funding without interest or fees to providers who cant get paid due to the Change outage. It directed providers to register with UnitedHealths Optum Pay service to access the funds. UnitedHealth also published information about workarounds on a new response website and said an electronic prescribing service had been restored. The company hasnt yet said whether patient information has been compromised and offered no clarity on when the broader outage would be resolved. If the claims are eventually paid, the lag time itself could still create financial problems for providers, who often operate on a strict payment schedule. Gewirtz, who spends money to finance his operations at the beginning of each month, usually is reimbursed with the cash received from claims at the end of the month. Without the compensation, his practice might have to pull their line of credit to stay afloat. Small businesses dont have the capital to indulge in providing unmeasured resources. You wont survive more than a month, Kasseb said. The Change outage disrupted retail pharmacies for two to three days, said Scott Wagner, interim chief executive officer of online prescription service GoodRx. Large companies including GoodRx quickly switched to other services to process transactions, he said. Smaller competitors are weighing other options too, but usually without the financial cushion of their larger rivals. Zakaria said he is switching software providers to avoid the ongoing issues of the Change Healthcare hack. We dont know if this is going to last another two days or two weeks. We really have no choice, Zakaria said. Gewirtz said his practice might eventually have to make some hard decisions if the systems remain down, like cutting staff or halting patient care. Until then, they both are expecting to continue treating patients as they always have. As a pharmacist, my oath tells me to do no harm and take care of patients. Were praying that theres no harm thats going to eventually come down to us, Kasseb said. --With assistance from John Tozzi. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. The city of Ventura received $640,000 through the state's Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention grant supervised by the Ventura County Continuum of Care. Ventura will help at least 100 eligible households with up to $4,000 in rental and utility assistance to ensure that people keep their housing. The aid is possible through $640,000 in state funding awarded to the city in February that kickstarts a two-year homelessness prevention and diversion pilot program. More than $410,000 will go directly to applicants and the remaining funds cover administrative and staffing costs and associated taxes and benefits for the program. The program is supported by California's Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention grant and supervised by the Ventura County Continuum of Care, an agency working to end homelessness. "It is one of the kindest and least expensive ways to address and combat homelessness in our community because it gives people the right to remain in their homes," said Leona Rollins, Ventura's housing services manager. The assistance may be in the form of either payment for back rent or up to two months of future rent to prevent evictions. It could also cover outstanding utility costs like water, trash, electricity or gas bills, costs for repairing any damages in a housing unit as well as incentives for landlords in the form of deposits. To be eligible for the assistance, an individual or household must first live in Ventura. Aid is available regardless of immigration status. Additionally, one of the following criteria should be met: the person is at risk of homelessness in 14 days and falls within 80% of the area's median income limit; or is an unaccompanied youth, youth with children or pregnant 18-24-year-old; or is fleeing domestic or dating violence, sexual assault or human trafficking and has no other residence. The income limit is $74,400 a year or less for a one-person household or $85,000 or less for a two-person household. Fifteen percent of the grant money, $96,000, is set to assist transitional-age youth between 18-24-years-old. Residents who receive the funding once may be eligible again next year if they qualify. Jennifer Harkey, program director for Ventura County Continuum of Care, said by email that this grant is more flexible than the county's federally funded programs. Many other programs are restricted to 30% of the area median income. Harkey added that 2023 county data showed that 98% of households served with rental assistance remained stably housed after six months of support through case management. According to the 2023 point-in-time homeless count, Ventura County showed an increase in the local homeless population for the fifth year in a row for a total of 2,441. However, the city of Ventura saw a decrease last year going from 714 individuals experiencing homelessness in 2022 to 644 in 2023, Rollins said. As the point-in-time count represents only a portion of the total affected population over a year, she said that there is some room for error with the number because the agencies are not able to count every single individual and family. Ventura Mayor Joe Schroeder said in a news release that the city has increased the number of affordable housing units by 250 and allocated over $1.5 million to combat homelessness over the past year. Still, the need for help has been apparent. Ventura County 211, an information and referral service, reported a rise in calls for aid, with over 380 calls originating from residents within Ventura in 2022. The city also has several partners like the Salvation Army, the National Health Foundation, Project Understanding and others that do much of the groundwork to decrease homelessness. Rollins added that previously the city was referring people to either the county's rental assistance program or to one of their nonprofit partners. Ventura Homeless Prevention is a nonprofit that has been helping residents with up to $1,500 per household in rental assistance since 2007. Sue Brinkmeyer, the nonprofit's board president, said that the need for rental assistance in Ventura is huge. A growing number of Ventura County residents are paying over 30% of their income in rent, which means that they can't save for emergencies, Brinkmeyer said. "When they miss income due to illness, or job loss, or they have a major medical bill or car repair bill, things which are quite unexpected, and yet need to be dealt with, they will run out of savings and be unable to pay their rent, often before they are able to get back to work and start earning again," she said. "I am thrilled that the city was wise enough to put money into homeless prevention." The nonprofit hopes to continue to fill the gaps in service, and Brinkmeyer added that they can help any Ventura resident regardless of income, immigration status or type of housing while other programs may have limitations along those lines. To apply for housing-related help with the city, contact Mercy House at 805-399-9099 ext. 385 or case manager Norberto "Sal" Meza at norbertom@mercyhouse.net. Dua Anjum is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at dua.anjum@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura gets $640,000 for homelessness prevention Veteran protesters in Portland, Oregon, set their military uniforms on fire Wednesday in memoriam of Senior Airman Aaron Bushnell's self-immolation on the steps of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25 in protest of the war in Gaza. A video that was widely shared on social media Feb. 28 showed a number of protesters in front of a sign that read, "Veterans Say: Free Palestine! Remember Aaron Bushnell" as they put their uniforms in a metal drum and set them on fire. "Aaron wore his uniform as he took that act, that ultimate sacrifice," Matt Howard, a Marine Corps veteran and board member with About Face, the group behind the vigil, told Military.com. "There's obviously an intentional decision that he made, and I think similarly, folks, our members and other veterans that participated, felt really strongly that that symbolism is important." Read Next: VA Set to Make Its Abortion Policy Official on Monday, Despite Opposition from Republicans in Congress In the minutes leading up to his protest, Bushnell donned his uniform and walked toward the embassy, recording his last moments before setting himself ablaze, screaming "Free Palestine!" as he burned. The 25-year-old airman from Whitman, Massachusetts, said he was making an "extreme" protest in response to the more than 30,000 Palestinians killed in the last five months. Israel declared war in response to Hamas' unprecedented cross-border attack Oct. 7, in which the Islamic militant group killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 250 others hostage. The country launched a brutal, ongoing ground offensive in the weeks following the attack, and the destruction in Gaza has been likened by some experts as akin to genocide. About Face: Veterans Against the War, originally founded as Iraq Veterans Against War, held the vigil for Bushnell in effort to ensure the sacrifice they said he made was not in vain. "Some of us are burning our medals. The rest of us are burning the last pieces of the military we had, to tell Aaron that he's not alone, and to show him that he's not alone," one of the protesters said in the video. The group has seen a serious uptick in the number of veterans reaching out, Howard said, since Bushnell's passing last Sunday. The now-widely reported event is just one of a growing number of public protests since his death specifically aimed at the U.S. military's leadership and the organization's role in the war. "The war on Gaza wouldn't be able to happen if it wasn't for U.S. munitions, diplomatic cover, U.S. support," Howard said. "We [feel veterans] need to reject the idea that we all just need to kind of follow this particular line that the administration is pushing, and that the military is obviously very supportive of as well." The U.S. has not put any military boots on the ground in Gaza, and President Joe Biden has vehemently denied that it will. In support of Israel, however, the U.S. has sent a number of munitions such as Iron Dome rockets, in addition to a small number of special operations forces to help Israel with intelligence operations. The Navy has deployed ships to police the Red Sea and fend off attacks by Houthi rebels, who have targeted merchant shipping in opposition to Israel. Speaking Wednesday at the Brookings Institution, a think tank in Washington, D.C., Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin was interrupted by a number of activists who were escorted out of the room as they shouted their remarks. "Say his name, Aaron Bushnell!" one activist shouted. "Cease-fire now," another yelled, according to footage provided to Military.com from someone involved in the protest. The Air Force is treating Bushnell's death as one of the 100 or so suicides it faces every year, Allvin said. The service and the other military branches have been struggling to reduce the number of troops who die by suicide, as well as increase access to mental health resources. "Right now, where we are in that case is, understanding that has a lot of political fervor attached to it, this is just one of our airmen that we lost," Allvin said at the think tank event. The service is offering other airmen and Guardians mental health care and guidance on how to move forward following Bushnell's death and as they conduct an investigation into it. In addition to the burning of uniforms, more than 300 veterans attended a virtual vigil held for Bushnell this week, sponsored by About Face, Howard said. Other veterans, like Shaniyat Chowdhury, a Marine Corps veteran in New York City, have been attending local protests against the war and candlelight vigils both for Bushnell and for the lives lost in Gaza. Chowdhury was among a number of veterans arrested in the days leading into Veterans' Day weekend in 2023, after conducting a sit-in at the office of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., demanding her support in calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Gillibrand is a senior member of the Armed Services Committee. "He was one of us. You know, so it's like even in those final moments, we just understood," Chowdhury said of Bushnell in an interview with Military.com. "There is a sense of just that camaraderie that is forever-lasting, especially now that we're on the other side of things and are trying to use our experience in a way that will be more helpful to the world." While veterans are no longer subjected to the restrictions of military regulations, active-duty, reserve and Guard service members still must adhere to a number of guidelines from their individual branches and the Defense Department as a whole. Under DoD Directives 1344.10 and 1325.06, active-duty service members are allowed to participate in various forms of protest, including joining political organizations and attending events as spectators as long as they remain out of uniform. But they are not allowed to actively participate in protests as organizers or to speak at such events, nor are they allowed to pen political sentiments outside of letters to editors, for example. Although the burning of flags and uniforms is a historically protected form of First Amendment speech, they still have to adhere to Defense Department guidelines, Rose Riley, an Air Force spokesperson, told Military.com in an email. -- Thomas Novelly contributed to this story. -- Rachel Nostrant is a Marine Corps veteran and freelance journalist, with work published in Reuters, New York Magazine, Military Times and more. Related: Air Force Identifies 25-Year-Old Cyber Specialist as Airman Who Set Himself on Fire in Front of DC Embassy Retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman suggested Friday that President Trump has every intention to undo American democracy if reelected, as concerns rise over whether the former president would launch a revenge campaign in a second term. We might have only one more vote left that really matters, Vindman said in an interview on MSNBCs The Last Word with anchor Ali Velshi. If Trump comes to office, hes already declared that he intends to be a dictator. The President and the chief executive is invested with broad powers. And its not easy to undo American democracy thats been around for nearly 250 years, but a lot of damage has been done, he added. And, President Trump has every intention to do that. Vindman, who was a key witness in Trumps first impeachment inquiry, suggested Trump would try to run the White House the same way Russian President Vladimir Putin runs the Kremlin. He urged voters to make sure they vote in order to avoid the challenges and oppression that the Russians are facing. His comments come after he criticized Trump for his rhetoric around NATO in the wake of the recent death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnys death. Donald Trump invited Vladimir Putin to attack NATO, Vindman told MSNBCs Michael Steele a little over a week ago. I would say that that probably was a contributing factor in the calculus around the assassination of Navalny. At a rally in South Carolina last month, the former president spoke about his time in office and how he worked with NATO. He called the organization busted before he entered the presidency and seemingly made reference to a lack of contributions to the defense fund made by NATO allies. One of the presidents of a big country stood up, said, Well, sir, if we dont pay and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? Trump said at the rally. I said, You didnt pay, youre delinquent. He said, Yes, lets say that happened. No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want, he added. In his interview on The Last Word, Vindman also warned against what Trump and Republicans would do if there was an attack on NATO. This is not a what if scenario, What happens if Donald Trump is back in office in 2025? Vindman said. The threat is real, because what Donald Trump has done, is hes offered a signal that the Republican party, not just Trump in the future, but the Republican party today would not show up, in the event of an attack on NATO. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Voters, beware. Advertisements from independent expenditure committees are landing in your mailboxes to sway the choices you make on your ballot ahead of the March 5 primary. Opinion If you live in Sacramento, youve been bombarded with a ridiculous amount of mail for the wide-open 6th Assembly district election, where a large field is looking to replace the departing Kevin McCarty, an aspirant in the Sacramento mayoral race. On Feb. 8, The Bee Editorial Board endorsed Paula Villescaz in this race. She is a hard-working member of the San Juan Unified School District board with an impressive grasp of the issues and experience in managing a large school district budget. Thatll be a good skill to have as the legislature grapples with Californias looming and sizeable budget deficit. Yet within a week of our endorsement of Villescaz, The Bee reported that at least nine independent expenditure groups were investing heavily and primarily for two of Villescazs opponents. One is Deputy Attorney General Maggy Krell: Various independent expenditure committees have reported more than $800,000 in spending in recent weeks, according to a review of late expenditures on the California Secretary of State website. Law enforcement groups have accounted for about $100,000 of that spending, and more than $400,000 has come from a company with more than 300 kidney dialysis centers in California, Davita Inc. The second biggest giver is the so-called Keep California Golden independent expenditure committee at more than $200,000. Its contributors also include Davita, but also law enforcement, apartment owners, car dealers and tobacco giant Philip Morris USA. Carlos Marquez, the former ACLU California executive director, has also been the focus of big investments from independent expenditures. Previously an advocate for the California Charter Schools Association, related interests group have spent about half a million dollars on in recent weeks. By contrast, Villescaz has a $2,000 late independent expenditure from the Courage California State Political Action Committee. Independent expenditures are supposed to operate separately from a candidate with no coordination with the campaigns they invest in. Candidates understandably focus on themselves rather than who is funding them and how much. And for voters who have yet to cast their ballots, precious time is left to make important choices. If early projections hold, there may be a record low turnout for a presidential primary locally, even with some important races here in Sacramento. That means every vote counts, now more than ever. Any rush of last-minute mailers lifting candidates or trashing them deserve extra scrutiny because voters should strongly question the motives and money behind them. They should also question whether political candidates could be unduly influenced by the special interests paying for the mailers stuffing their mailboxes this weekend. A vote shouldnt be bought. A vote should be earned. An earlier version of this editorial incorrectly reported that candidate Paula Villescaz received more than $160,000 in independent expenditures. WASHINGTON Organizers are banking on hundreds of low-income workers and others showing up with bullhorns and signs in key battleground states Saturday to urge their peers to vote. At least a dozen states will hold presidential primaries for Super Tuesday, and the Poor People's Campaign wants to ensure voices like theirs are heard then and on Election Day in November. Were going to wake the sleeping giant, said William Barber, national co-chair of the Poor Peoples Campaign. At these rallies poor and low-wage people are going to be the major speakers and calling their peers to action. Then were going to go out and do the hard work. Leaders of organizations representing low-income people and others advocating for people of color hope such rallies and other get-out-the vote efforts will help combat what they see as an "enthusiasm gap." They said a lack of interest in a likely presidential rematch could also affect turnout for local elections, including key congressional races. Black and Latino voters haven't shown much excitement about giving President Joe Biden a second term in office, said Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, a national civil rights organization. But many, he said, are very concerned about former President Donald Trump returning to the White House. Tuesday's primaries will be a test, he said. Low voter turnout, particularly in battleground states, could signal where parties, particularly Democrats, are falling short, experts and advocates said. It's just kind of a peek at what could happen in November, Garcia said. Low turnout "would mean that the Biden team will have to redouble its efforts on the enthusiasm gap. And then also maybe (that would) leave an opening for the Trump campaign to exploit either through voter suppression or try to get another 5 or 10%" of support from those groups. Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), spoke Feb. 14, 2024 at the organization's conference in Washington, D.C. To motivate voters, candidates have to talk about pressing issues for people of color, advocates said. It's very important that people are aware of what's at stake, Garcia said, "whether it's regarding education, economy, democracy, immigration those are all key factors. For Barber, the key issue remains poverty, which he said candidates haven't talked about enough on the campaign trail. We really should in this country be talking about the abolition of poverty, he said. Poor and low-wage people in battleground states, which represent diverse racial and ethnic groups, make up a significant portion sometimes 30% to 40% of the electorate, Barber said. And in other states they make up at least 20%, but many dont vote. The No. 1 reason these voters are not voting is because nobody talks to them, Barber said. Bishop William Barber spoke at a rally in April 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. Voters of color could play key role Super Tuesday With outcomes of some races coming down to narrow margins, even a small turnout of voters of color can determine who wins or loses, said Terry Ao Minnis, vice president of Census and Voting Programs at Asian American Advancing Justice AAJC, a national civil rights organization. Minnis noted that Asian Americans make up more than 5% of the electorate in six states participating in Super Tuesday. She also pointed to North Carolina, where she said Asian Americans make up 2.8 % of the electorate, a number larger than the difference in 2020's close presidential race. States holding primary elections on March 5 are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia. One territory, American Samoa, will also hold a primary. Black voters are asked to 'show up and show out' for Biden in South Carolina In addition to the presidential primary in those states, Californians will winnow the Democratic field for the Senate and decide on a ballot question about homelessness and mental health, Alabamans will weigh in on a fierce congressional battle and North Carolinians will vote on several statewide positions, among other races. Both parties have been courting Asian American voters. Those all point to voters of color especially playing a key role Tuesday, Minnis said. Energizing Black voters beyond South Carolina South Carolina's Democratic and Republican primaries in February were the first 2024 presidential contests in a state with a diverse population. In their get-out-the-vote campaign, Democrats, in particular, targeted African American voters, who have traditionally supported Democratic candidates and were crucial to Biden's 2020 victory. Civic engagement groups local and national also conducted campaigns aimed at urging voters of color to cast ballots. The goal, they said, was well beyond just South Carolina. Eric Manning, pastor of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, hopes to get Black voters to cast ballots in the primaries and the general election. You have the challenge of getting people excited to ensure that they turn out and that they vote, said Eric Manning, pastor of the historic Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. As we are galvanizing and pushing towards the general election, we then have to make sure that that momentum doesnt cease, but that we get excited all the way through November.'' The lack of enthusiasm for a Biden bid isn't new, said Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, which launched its national "We Fight Back'' campaign in South Carolina last month. "The truth is, Black voters weren't necessarily all that enthusiastic about the Biden run in 2020. What you saw was a very pragmatic response. Black voters said, 'Look, this white guy is our best chance to beat the other white guy,' '' Albright said. "But there wasn't a deep level of like: 'Oh, I'm excited. ... I'm deeply connected to Joe Biden. ' So to a certain extent what people are seeing now isn't really new. It's just being manifested in a different way.'' Young voters 'not happy with their choice' With Biden and Trump expected to win their party primaries, turnout among voters of color could signal to parties what steps to take as they move toward the fall, said Manuel Pastor, a professor of sociology and American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California. What matters is what it tells us about the generals, Pastor said. For example, Pastor said, Democrats will have to shift strategies if voters of color show support for GOP candidates. There are signs Trump is gaining ground among Latino voters, though his support remains flat among Black voters overall, according to recent polls. Asian Americans are the fastest growing electorate in the country. USA TODAY's States of America discussed what motivates them in elections. Another group to watch is young voters of color, said Pastor, also director of the USC Equity Research Institute. Young voters are not happy with their choice, he said. In noncompetitive races, it may be hard to motivate voters of color, who disproportionately are working class and may decide not to take time off from work or other tasks to vote, Pastor said. But in more competitive contests, Tuesday's race may give the parties an opportunity to test out the machinery for their get-out-the-vote efforts for the fall elections, he said. Barber said that if 20% or in some cases as little as 10% of poor and low-income infrequent voters are energized to cast ballots, it could tilt an election. What we found is the lift isnt that heavy, he said. In addition to rallies, the Poor Peoples Campaign plans to train thousands of people to help mobilize low-income voters through social media and other efforts. The campaign will also tie efforts to key moments in Black history, including the upcoming commemoration of Bloody Sunday, Juneteenth and the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer. We are going all the way in, Barber said, adding that the campaign will also ramp up leading into the political conventions. "We must refuse to be silent anymore with our votes and our voices ... whether Black or white." Noah Waters, left, and Brooklyn Jones practiced canvassing techniques during an instructional session for Black college students organized by Black Voters Matter in North Charleston, South Carolina, in January. Minnis of Advancing Justice AAJC said she would be disappointed if turnout Tuesday is low, adding that campaigns would have to double down, triple down to motivate voters of color. There is still plenty of time between Super Tuesday and the November general election to better educate voters about issues and the importance of voting, said Minnis, who met this week with voting rights activists and civic engagement advocates. A lot of people are working hard to make sure voters of color have a voice, she said. Regardless of the turnout next week, we have more work to do to make sure our communities are able to vote in November. Contributing: Ken Tran Follow Deborah Berry on X/Twitter at @dberrygannett This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Super Tuesday turnout may show 'enthusiasm gap' among voters of color A new coffee shop just opened in Sacramento with a mission it hopes will set it apart from competitors. Terra Forte Coffee opened a brick-and-mortar at 1125 Second St. on Saturday at the Old Sacramento Waterfront with coffee from around the world. Customers choose a cup of joe from a list of countries Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico and will be educated on its beans. Its hard work for the people in their country to give us a cup of coffee ... I get chills, co-owner Miriam Ponce told The Sacramento Bee on Friday at her coffee shop. She owns the business with her fiance, Francisco Quintero. After a successful run selling coffee beans for a year and a half, the couple from Mexico started conceptualizing a coffee shop of their own. The duo toured the space in Old Sacramento in December, which was once home to a Subway, and signed the contract. Three months later, they were open for business. Terra Forte Coffee opened at 1125 Second St. on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at the Old Sacramento Waterfront. The roughly 2,500-square-foot space was calm on early Friday morning before customers began trickling in. Dont Stop Believin by rock band Journey played from the speakers as the smell of coffee wafted throughout the shop. Quintero, who has been living in Sacramento for 22 years, said the Old Sacramento Waterfront is a great location because of its historic significance to the city. Being on the corner of the block is a plus, he said. We would like to be remembered, Quintero said, adding that he specifically wants to impress tourists who visit the region. Sacramento coffee shop owner: The smell makes me wake up Ponce has loved coffee for as long as she can remember, stealing cups from her mother and grandmother when they werent looking. For her, this business venture is special for more reasons than one. I was waiting for them to leave from the kitchen to go and steal a little coffee ... the smell makes me wake up and remember my grandma and my mom making food together, said Ponce, who has lived in Sacramento for 24 years. Ponce and Quintero, who met five years ago over a cup of coffee at Starbucks, know a good brew solely based on its color and taste. The taste is very important, Ponce said, adding that coffee that sits out for a while tastes burnt. A bin of coffee beans at Terra Forte Coffee at 1125 Second St. on Friday, March 1, 2024, at the Old Sacramento Waterfront. The new coffee shop opened its doors on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. Whats on the menu at Terra Forte Coffee? The menu at Terra Forte is coffee-heavy; options include both hot and cold drinks and a couple of iced tea flavors. A specialty menu is also in the works. Prices range from $1.85 for a medium regular iced tea to $5.75 for a large hot mocha or iced frappe. Also available are lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos. Quintero said that customers will soon be able to order food along with their drinks. Various sandwiches will be available for purchase in roughly two weeks including ham and turkey, and avocado and tomato. Paninis and croissant sandwiches will also be on the menu. Sandwich prices will range from $10.99 to $12.99. When is new cafe open? Terra Forte Coffee is open Monday through Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Thursday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The coffee shop is closed on Sundays. What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com. Folks digging out from feet of snow in the West this weekend may not believe it, but Thursday was the last day of winter, at least according to meteorologists' record books. And what a winter is was (or wasn't ...): According to preliminary data collected by AccuWeather, it was the warmest winter on record in the U.S., when temperatures are averaged out across the entire nation. (For statistical purposes, climatologists and meteorologists define winter as the coldest three months of the year, thus winter ended Feb. 29. Astronomical winter still has a couple of weeks to go, as the spring equinox isn't until March 19.) Indeed, for millions of folks in the north-central and northeastern U.S., it was the warmest winter season of their lives, upending traditions from sled dog races to ice festivals and spurring on golf matches in Wisconsin and packed playgrounds in Minnesota. Its the year without a winter in the upper Midwest, declared AccuWeather chief broadcast meteorologist Bernie Rayno. Natalie Dean, left, and Katlyn Butler enjoy an unseasonably warm winter day on the shore of Joe Pool Lake, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in Grand Prairie, Texas. Dozens of locations across the central U.S. set record high temperatures on Monday. Record-shattering warmth Just earlier this week, temperatures in the central U.S. soared into the balmy 70s and 80s, shattering records that had stood for a century or more. Many locations broke temperature records for the month of February. For the winter as a whole, in addition to cities like Minneapolis-St. Paul, Milwaukee, Des Moines and Albany, dozens of other locations were also in line to set all-time record warm winters, as final data was still being tabulated Friday. The data is based on the average national temperature ranking for Dec. 1, 2023, through Feb. 29, 2024, compared with all winters since 1893. Low snow this winter too Cities in the Northeast also endured a lack of snow because of the warmth. Storms that would usually dump snow brought rain instead, said AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pasternak. Syracuse, New York, recorded a nearly 5-foot snow deficit, the National Weather Service said. Meanwhile, snow did fall in the West just not as much as hoped. The vital Sierra Nevada snowpack, which normally supplies about a third of Californias water when it melts, had a slow start but has gotten a bit better. The snowpacks water content Thursday was 80% of normal amounts to date, according to the state Department of Water Resources. What caused the warmth? Meteorologists say that El Nino, as predicted last fall, was the primary driver for the warm weather pattern that persisted throughout the winter. El Nino typically produces unusually warm winters across the northern tier of the nation. AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jon Porter also said that our warming climate also contributed to the unusually mild conditions for much of the country this winter. What's the forecast for March? In a forecast released this week, forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center said the mild trend in the eastern U.S. is expected to continue throughout March, especially in the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The West, however, is predicted to see a cool, soggy March, the center said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warmest winter on record? Early data says it could be as spring begins A trooper with the Washington State Patrol was killed early Saturday morning after they were struck by a motorist in Marysville. According to Washington State Patrol, at about 3 a.m. the trooper was struck and killed on southbound Interstate 5 near 136th Street North. According to Courtney OKeefe with the Snohomish County Sheriffs Office, the suspects vehicle was traveling southbound on I-5 and veered off the roadway onto the shoulder where he struck the troopers patrol car. After striking the troopers patrol car, the suspects SUV was then struck by a van with six people in it. The driver of the van was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the five passengers were not injured. A 32-year-old man from Lynnwood was taken into custody and booked into the Snohomish County Jail for vehicular homicide. The Washington State Patrol later identified the trooper as Christopher Gadd of Shelton. He was 27 years old. He is survived by his wife Cammryn and a two-year-old daughter, Kaelynn. His father is a current trooper with the Washington State Patrol, serving in Bellevue and his sister is a state trooper in Texas. His mother, Gillian, posted on Facebook Sunday morning, asking for support toward her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Dearest family and friends, thank you for your love and support. We need it so much. There is peace in knowing there is... Posted by Gillian Gadd on Sunday, March 3, 2024 An incredibly sad day for @wastatepatrol and Washington state. A motorist struck and killed a trooper early this morning. As the investigation continues and we await more information, Trudi and I send our deepest condolences to the troopers family and loved ones. https://t.co/gsEG1Ml8yK Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) March 2, 2024 All southbound lanes of I-5 in the area were closed as investigators worked the scene, but reopened just after noon. This death marks the 33rd line of duty death for the Washington State Patrol. Security camera video shows a tornado traveling across a field in Ohio early Wednesday morning. >>PHOTOS: Sky 7 drone footage shows Clark County tornado damage >>PHOTOS: Storm Damage from across the Miami Valley The video shows an EF-1 tornado moving through a field near Chris Esteps home in Madison County. Estep is a storm chase with the Interstate Storm Team and posted the video on social media. Man, we must have had a guardian angel watching over us, he said on his Facebook page. Our house was in between 2 tornadoes with both tornadoes going on at once. It shows the 110-mph tornado started to take out transformers across the area. >>RELATED: Clark Co. tornado traveled over 20 miles, 6th tornado confirmed in Ohio, NWS says News Center 7 reported that the National Weather Service has confirmed at least six tornados touched town early Wednesday morning. The National Weather Service has confirmed the following tornadoes: An EF2 tornado touched down in Springfield, Clark County, then turned into an EF1 tornado as it moved toward Madison County. An EF1 Tornado touched down in Riverside, Montgomery County, and moved into Greene County An EF2 tornado was confirmed in Blacklick, Franklin County An EF1 tornado in Hillard , Franklin County An EF2 tornado was confirmed in Licking County An EF2 tornado was confirmed in Monroe County, according to NWS Pittsburgh Cleanup continues from these tornadoes. Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo from: Adam Barron/Staff Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo Courtesy 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Photo from Dennis Moore/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Dennis Moore/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Dennis Moore/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Dennis Moore/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Dennis Moore/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Dennis Moore/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Dennis Moore/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Dennis Moore/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Dennis Moore/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Dennis Moore/iWitness7 Viewer Photo by Zach Spina/iWitness7 Photo by Zach Spina/iWitness7 Photo by Zach Spina/iWitness7 Bayside Drive (Riverside) Photo by April Craddock/iWitness7 Viewer Photo by April Craddock/iWitness7 Viewer University Suites (Beavercreek) University Suites (Beavercreek) University Suites (Beavercreek) Bayside Drive (Riverside) Airway Shopping Center Airway Shopping Center Airway Shopping Center University Suites (Beavercreek) University Suites (Beavercreek) Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Ridge Road - Photo by Chad Wilson/iWitness7 Viewer Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Storm damage on Mitchell Road in Springfield Twp. Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Storm damage on Mitchell Road in Springfield Twp. Storm damage on Mitchell Road in Springfield Twp. Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Suman Avenue in Dayton Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) Mitchell Road damage (Springfield Township.) An iWitness 7 viewer shared photos reporting storm damage at Building 4 in Area B of Wright-Patterson AFB. An iWitness 7 viewer shared photos reporting storm damage at Building 4 in Area B of Wright-Patterson AFB. An iWitness 7 viewer shared photos reporting storm damage at Building 4 in Area B of Wright-Patterson AFB. Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Ridge Road (Clark County) Young's Christmas Tree Farm Damage Young's Christmas Tree Farm Damage Young's Christmas Tree Farm Damage Young's Christmas Tree Farm Damage Young's Christmas Tree Farm Damage Photo via Shelly/iWitness7 Viewer Photo via Shelly/iWitness7 Viewer Photo via Shelly/iWitness7 Viewer Photo via Shelly/iWitness7 Viewer Photo via Shelly/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Lily Unger/iWitness7 Photo from Lily Unger/iWitness7 Photo from Amber/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Amber/iWitness7 Viewer Photo from Amber/iWitness7 Viewer HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) Crews rescued a semi-truck driver as their truck dangled from a bridge outside of Louisville, Kentucky on Friday, March 1. You can watch the video of the rescue above. Video filmed by Janice Moore Howard shows the truck hanging over the side of the Clark Memorial Bridge, also known as 2nd Street Bridge, over the Ohio River. The incident was caused by a collision involving the truck, police said. The Louisville Fire Department said Friday that they rescued the driver of the truck, a woman described as conscious and stable, from the cab using a rope system. The department also said one person from one of the other two vehicles involved in the collision was injured and transported to a local hospital. Storyfuls Jasmine Perry contributed to this article. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Vesuvius (LON:VSVS) Full Year 2023 Results Key Financial Results Revenue: UK1.93b (down 5.7% from FY 2022). Net income: UK118.5m (down 35% from FY 2022). Profit margin: 6.1% (down from 8.8% in FY 2022). The decrease in margin was driven by lower revenue. EPS: UK0.44 (down from UK0.67 in FY 2022). All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Vesuvius EPS Beats Expectations, Revenues Fall Short Revenue missed analyst estimates by 1.2%. Earnings per share (EPS) exceeded analyst estimates by 1.3%. Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 2.1% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 4.4% growth forecast for the Machinery industry in the United Kingdom. Performance of the British Machinery industry. The company's shares are down 2.6% from a week ago. Risk Analysis It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Vesuvius, and understanding them should be part of your investment process. 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. SAN FRANCISCO - Autonomous vehicle company Waymo won approval to expand its driverless taxis into San Mateo and Los Angeles counties after having its application briefly suspended by the California Public Utilities Commission. The expansion was approved Friday and is effective immediately. Waymo's expansion request was previously suspended in February after a cyclist was injured in San Francisco and because of concerns raised by local leaders. The Mountain View-based company had only been approved by California authorities to operate in San Francisco County. CPUC officials previously said this suspension would allow the company to have further discussions about what an expansion throughout the Peninsula and Southern California would look like. CPUC officials said Waymo had updated its Passenger Safety Plan and expanded their operational design domain, allowing for its approval. Ethan Elkind is Director of the Climate Program at UC Berkeley Law's Center for Law, Energy & the Environment. "The DMV in some ways has primary authority. They're the ones taking all the accident reports. It's very transparent," Elkind said. "The CPUC regulates them as a taxi service." Elkind says nationwide, states have maintained primary authority over autonomous vehicles. "I don't know of any states that give local governments any kind of formal role or veto over jurisdiction over autonomous vehicles," Elkind said. Some people say they'd be glad to catch a ride. "I heard or actually read that it's been through a lot of trials, and it's pretty safe, so I would do it, yes," Toukhig Arslanian of San Mateo said. Others say they feel the approval is too fast, and want a slower rollout. "I would say I'm not really for them right now. I mean let them develop them and all that, but I just, I worry at the speed of things," Neal Luczkiewicz of Palo Alto said. Waymo initially submitted its expansion request on Jan. 19 to the dismay of the City of South San Francisco, the County of San Mateo, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance. They had lodged their opposition to state regulators. "This was an irresponsible decision by the PUC," said San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Canepa. Canepa says the county's opposition is due to concerns about safety and wanting more communication with Waymo to address the issues with local stakeholders. "I'm not against technology. I just don't think it's ready yet," Canepa said. "We're trying to put guardrails in making sure that local jurisdictions have local control." However, Waymo also received support from over 80 organizations for its expansion into these areas. In a response, Waymo argued that the opposing voices "failed to state a valid basis for protest" and that they "failed to identify any deficiencies in Waymo's updated PSP," among other things. Waymo's updated safety plan includes new car features, including enhanced exterior lighting and partnerships with some public safety agencies. "[CPUC] finds that Waymo has complied with the requirements of the Deployment DecisionTherefore, [CPUC] approves Waymos updated PSP and authorizes expansion of Waymos Driverless Deployment service to the areas of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula it has requested," the CPUC said in a statement. Waymo told KTVU they are "grateful for the vote of confidence," saying the approval "paves the way for the deployment of our commercial Waymo One service in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula." "As always, well take a careful and incremental approach to expansion by continuing to work closely with city officials, local communities and our partners to ensure were offering a service thats safe, accessible and valuable to our riders," the statement read. A bill by State Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) is calling for more local power to oversee autonomous vehicles. Cortese released a statement saying in part: "While we support the innovation of autonomous vehicle technology, it's crucial that regulation occurs at both state and local levels to maintain the public safety standards that California upholds for all vehicles on our roadsMy bill isn't about eliminating state oversight but augmenting it with local expertise to protect pedestrians, school zones, cyclists, and other motorists." On Friday night, the Waymo app did not show any taxi service for the expanded area and a spokesperson said no date had been set for starting up service. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) Waymos proposed expansion to deploy driverless autonomous vehicles to the Peninsula and Los Angeles has been approved by the California Public Utilities Commission. Waymo, which is based in Mountain View, submitted a letter in January seeking approval for an expansion. Last week, the CPUC said it had suspended review of Waymos application to operate in San Mateo County and parts of Santa Clara County pending further review. At the time, it was expected that the delay would push Waymos expansion efforts back by at least four months. However, on Friday, the CPUC issued a letter saying that the request had been approved with the effective date of March 1, 2024. San Francisco is hosting the fourth annual World Goth Day According to the letter, Waymo submitted an updated Passenger Safety Plan (PSP) regarding the proposed expansion. The submitted PSP described policies and procedures Waymo has in place to minimize risk for all passengers in driverless vehicles. These include education of passengers and the public, in-vehicle safety and accessibility features, vehicle identification features and pickup and drop-off protocols, protocols for responding to adverse events both within and outside the vehicle, and protocols for communicating with and supporting passengers, the CPUC letter went on to say. CPUCs Consumer Protection & Enforcement Division (CPED) determined that Waymo had complied with the requirements of the Deployment Decision and that the PSP submitted was complete relative to the requirements described in the Deployment Decision and is reasonable for planned service. As a result, the CPED approved the updated PSP and authorized expansion of Waymos autonomous driverless service to parts of the Peninsula and Los Angeles. The authorization allows the autonomous vehicle service to begin fared, driverless passenger service in the specified areas immediately. KRON4 reached out to Waymo for comment on the CPUCs ruling and received the following statement from a spokesperson: Were grateful to the CPUC for this vote of confidence in our operations, which paves the way for the deployment of our commercial Waymo One service in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula. As always, well take a careful and incremental approach to expansion by continuing to work closely with city officials, local communities and our partners to ensure were offering a service thats safe, accessible and valuable to our riders. Were incredibly grateful for the riders and community partners who have supported our service to date including +15,000 rides thus far in LA and were looking forward to bringing the benefits of fully autonomous ride-hailing to more people. Waymo declined to share specifics regarding plans to expand to the Peninsula. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Waymo received approval Friday afternoon from the California Public Utilities Commission to operate a commercial robotaxi service in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Peninsula and on San Francisco freeways. The approval removes the last barrier for the Alphabet company to charge for rides in these expanded areas. Importantly, it opens up new territory for Waymo in one of the country's largest cities and unlocks a route to San Francisco International Airport, which is located south of the city. Waymo has operated a commercial service 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the city of San Francisco since receiving approval from the commission in August. Waymo is also allowed to give people free driverless rides in parts of Los Angeles. But until today's approval, it was not able to charge for rides in Los Angeles. Last month, the CPUC's Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division suspended Waymo's application to expand its robotaxi service in Los Angeles and San Mateo counties for up to 120 days to provide extra time for review. The CPUC said it received 81 responses and five protests, which the agency said "required a little extra time beyond the 30 days to carefully review and incorporate into the staff decision." The five protests came from the city of South San Francisco, the county of San Mateo, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance. Waymo, which kicked off a community tour of Los Angeles in October, was wrapping up its final neighborhood stop as it awaited final approval. waymo tekedra mawakana strictly vc Image Credits: TechCrunch The CPUC decision comes just a day after Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana discussed the future of the company and the broader autonomous vehicle industry onstage at StrictlyVC LA. She said that Waymo robotaxis had received a "warm welcome" in the city with more than 15,000 people using the service. Mawakana said that trip data showed customers were using the service for everyday errands evidence that she said suggested the service would do well commercially in Los Angeles. "It's exciting to see that like 2,000 of those trips are people going to very, very basic errands, right, which is that's going to run an errand in a Waymo is like using it for your life," Mawakana said. "Similarly, people are taking it to restaurants, bars at the same number, like 2,000 trips. And then 300 of the trips are people going to school, college as well as K through 12. So we like that signal that people aren't just giving us a warm welcome, but they are really integrating into their lives." She said 50,000 people have joined the waitlist to use the service in Los Angeles. Mawakana suggested Thursday evening that Waymo wouldn't immediately start charging for rides in Los Angeles if it received approval (which of course happened a day later). "We will, as we did in San Francisco, expand our service before we start charging," she said. "And I mean, we sort of show up and you get to experience this for a couple of months or several months without paying. And then we have that moment of truth, which we went through in San Francisco, which is we start charging, and then we figure out how many people [have] really integrated it into their lives. What's the price point they're willing to pay?" You can watch the full interview below. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1WJJ9wTbL8?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&w=640&h=360] Wayne Couzens may keep a taxpayer-funded pension because of complex legal issues preventing the Government from stripping it from him, the Telegraph can reveal. The 51-year-old stands to benefit from a 4,000-a-year public sector pension payout from his time serving in the force which protects Britains nuclear facilities, where he worked for seven and a half years before joining the Metropolitan police in 2018. He was stripped of his separate Met Police pension in January last year, after Sadiq Khan, who as Mayor of London is the citys police and crime commissioner, wrote to the Home Office requesting it be withheld. Number 10 also backed calls for the murderer and rapist to be stripped of his second pension, accrued from his time at Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC). In March last year, following his conviction, the CNC recommended the pension entitlements be forfeited. But it has now told the Telegraph the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the administrator of its pensions scheme, is yet to confirm this has happened. It has also emerged that it may not be possible for the benefit to be taken away at all, under current rules. The Telegraph has learnt plans to withhold his pension are subject to an ongoing legal wrangle between government lawyers and the UKAEA, with a government spokesman blaming the delay on complex legal issues. They confirmed there was no timeframe for when this will be resolved. It means Couzens remains eligible to start drawing on his pension from age 60 and can take out a lump sum of up to 12,000. He is also able to start drawing a reduced rate early, at 55, in just four years. It comes in the wake of an official report published last week that that implicated Couzens in decades of prolific sex offending. MPs from both major parties have called on the Government to do everything possible to block access to the payout. The shadow policing minister Alex Norris said: Couzens should never have been a police officer, he abused his role in the most terrible of ways so no one wants to see this brutal murderer benefit from his time in any police force. It was right that the Mayor of London acted to remove access to his pension from the Metropolitan Police. We would urge the Government to explore all avenues to do the same for his time in the Civil Nuclear Constabulary too. Sir Bob Neill, the Conservative chairman of the justice select committee, said the public would be shocked to hear Couzens could retain his pension after committing such a terrible murder, saying the legality of that situation needed to be looked into. The Government did not comment on the precise nature of the barriers preventing the pension being withheld, but the rules of the UKAEA pension scheme state that only an offence in connection with any employment to which this scheme applies can justify the forfeiture of a pension, along with breaking the Official Secrets Act and treason. Couzens was found guilty and sentenced to a whole life term in prison last year for kidnapping, raping and murdering Sarah Everard, 33, while a serving Met Police officer in March 2021 an offence which occurred after he had left the CNC. Matthew Swynnerton, a pensions lawyer at City law firm DLA Piper, said that the Government could be forced to change the law to take away his pension. He said: It wouldnt be straightforward, particularly if there are changes to the regulations needed. At the same time there is a lot of public sentiment that will drive it along in a way that a regular legislative change might not benefit from. Thats not to say its not achievable. The question is whether the offence that Wayne Couzens has been convicted of has been in connection with his role as a public servant at the CNC, he said, describing the issue as a grey area. The gold-plated public sector pension pays out one-eightieth of an officers final salary annually for each year of reckonable service. Officers pay in 8 per cent of their earnings and their employer makes contributions of almost 21 per cent. Couzens is thought to have been paid a salary of up to 43,000 when he transferred to the Met in 2018, having worked for the CNC since 2011. Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, of the CNC, said: The CNC is not the pensions authority or administrator of the pension scheme. On Couzens conviction we made a formal recommendation that any pension entitlements arising from his CNC employment should be forfeited. The decision on how to overcome the legal hurdle now lies with Claire Coutinho, the current secretary of state for energy security and net zero. The UKAEA was approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A beauty queen who was seriously injured in a crash says she's "overwhelmed" to finally make it to this year's Miss World competition. In January 2023 Miss Wales Darcey Corria broke her neck and pelvis in a crash on the M4 near Bridgend. As a result it looked like she might have to forego her place at the pageant as she struggled with her mental and physical recovery. But now she says she is determined to "bring the crown home to Wales." Darcey, who won the Miss Wales title in 2022, was driving home from Swansea last year when she lost control of her car in bad weather. Having skidded to a halt across the carriageway, her vehicle was hit by another, and the impact threw her through the passenger window. She spent 20 days in hospital and struggled with her mental and physical recovery for some time. But the 22-year-old from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan insists that accident has only helped make her stronger. "I just kept saying to myself, 'Keep going, keep going, you've come this far'," said Darcey. "'This time last year you couldn't even make it to the bathroom on your own, so look how far you've come'. "This is a proud moment for me," she added. Having "fulfilled her dream" of competing in 2024's pageant in India, her goal now is to win and become a role model for young women from ethnic minority backgrounds and anyone struggling with recovery. "Living in Wales when I was younger I really didn't feel like diversity was celebrated enough and I didn't really see anyone who looked like me in the media," said Darcey, who has a white mother and a father of Jamaican heritage. "So the most important thing would be to stand as a message to young Asian, black and ethnic minority women in Wales that their dreams are achievable. "I would also like to be a message to the wider world," she added. "Recovery is such an immense challenge and you really do have to dig deep to find that mental strength to pull through. "Because when you get through the other end, like I have, it's such a beautiful and life-changing moment." With 115 countries represented in Miss World Darcey described herself as an "ambassador for Wales" and has been trying to teach her fellow contestants Welsh and get people interested in her country. "This morning the girls were quizzing me about Welsh food and I was telling them about Welsh rarebit," she said. "I've also been talking about the scenery and what there is to do, along with how friendly and kind the people are. "I am just trying to spread the message that Wales is such a welcoming and diverse country and hope that everyone will come and visit soon." This year's Miss World winner will be announced on 9 March. Because, sadly, we now seem primarily to regard the Middle East as a place of conflict we often forget its importance as a cradle of civilisations. Egypt has the pyramids; Saudi Arabia has Islamic shrines; Israel sites sacred to the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths; and Syria and Jordan have, not least, extensive Roman remains, though how well these have survived the appalling civil war in the former is unclear. Another nation with a rich cultural past is Bahrain, probably the most pro-British country in the region, which I had the good fortune to visit recently. The kingdom has several Unesco World Heritage sites, the most arresting of which is the protected landscape known as Qalat al-Bahrain. Its centrepiece is a magnificent desert fort and historic harbour, adjoining some pearl-fishing grounds, and one of the Persian Gulfs commercial hubs for nearly 5,000 years. Archaeology in Bahrain remains a work in progress. British practitioners have worked there with local experts, and centuries of sand accumulations on this coast continue to be excavated in the hope of finding ancient shipwrecks. The main work was done by two major archaeological missions, one from Denmark in the 1950s and another from France in the 1970s. These missions began excavating not just within the perimeter of the fort, but in a substantial adjacent site that, almost 70 years after the first explorations, now reveals a complex urban plan of alleys and houses dating from about 2050 BC the home of the first civilisation recorded in Bahrain, the Dilmun. The fort itself is much later, but was effectively abandoned for more than 250 years until 20th-century Bahrain began to take a deep interest in its past. It comprises three large buildings, the earliest of which dates from the 15th century. It was the work of the princes of Hormuz, a dynasty from what is now southern Iran. Shortly after expanding the fort to cope with the development of artillery, the Hormuzi were driven out by the Portuguese, who created a well-defended trading post; at that time, they led the world in sea exploration and commerce. Scholars have detected Italian, and especially Genoese, styles in the main bastions dating from the 1560s. This is attributed to aesthetic influences brought to bear on the architect Inofre de Carvalho. 'An intensely culturally significant part of the Persian Gulf': Bahrain Fort - John Engel/Alamy Stock Photo The fort was, though, soon a white elephant. Silting-up meant that by the second half of the 16th century, Portuguese vessels had to moor over a mile from the protection of the fort. This led to its abandonment, making its survival into the 21st century, and in such excellent condition, all the more remarkable. Most of the main bastions of the fort remain intact, as do several of its rooms all with gunports. The main trade routes from the Gulf led to India and to China, explaining why much Ming pottery has been discovered around the fort. To its south is a much older construction: a Bronze Age city wall built by the Dilmuns, also in about 2050 BC. Their civilisation lasted until about 500 BC, when the Greek, or Hellenistic, civilisation supplanted it. These cultures are reflected in the fine modern museum, by the Scandinavian architects Wohlert, devoted to items found in and around this site since systematic excavations began in 1954. It lies in view of the fort, divided from it by a site of several acres where detailed archaeological investigations continue. Much of its ceramic exhibitions are of Islamic vessels from Persia, Iraq, Syria and Oman; but also displayed are parts of a 310-coin hoard of silver tetradrachms found by the city wall and in its design imitating the coinage of Alexander the Great, from the 2nd century BC. The museum also contains figurative gravestones from the Hellenistic period, Sumerian carvings, ancient Indian cups, Bronze Age jars, Babylonian cuneiform tablets and a fine collection of figurines of bearded men from the first millennium BC. It is a crash course in the multiplicity of civilisations of this small, but intensely culturally significant, part of the Persian Gulf and, with excavations continuing as Bahrain becomes more fascinated by its past, there is doubtless far more to come. 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. Radek Sikorski said an arms race could be triggered by the lack of a united resolve over Ukraine - AP/AP Countries without nuclear weapons may soon begin scrambling to acquire them if the West fails to send Ukraine the weapons it needs to defeat Russia, Poland has claimed. The warning raising the spectre of nuclear proliferation came amid continued wrangling in the United States over the future of a $60-billion military aid package for Kyiv, and growing frustration in some European quarters over Germanys reluctance to provide Ukraine with cruise missiles. This week, Radek Sikorski, Polands foreign minister, said the impasse in Washington over the support package and a perceived lack of a united resolve over the defence of Ukraine could trigger an arms race. If America cannot come together with Europe and enable Ukraine to drive Putin back, I fear that our family of democratic nations will start to break up. Allies will look for other ways to guarantee their safety, he said during an interview with the Atlantic Council think tank. Far East Some of them will aim for the ultimate weapon, starting off a new nuclear race. Im thinking of the Far East, he continued, later referring to Japan and South Korea, in particular. Underscoring these warnings is the fact that Ukraine once was a nuclear power. It inherited a chunk of the Soviet Unions nuclear arsenal upon the collapse of the red empire in 1991 but under the terms of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which Russia signed, Kyiv gave them all up in return for recognition of its independence, sovereignty and national borders. If Ukraine had kept its nuclear weapons, the theory goes, Russia would not have dared to invade. The point is probably not lost on South Korea and Japan, two countries threatened by a nuclear-armed North Korea. While more countries, unsure that the West will provide the security they need, might seek nuclear weapons to give them their own deterrent, experts warn that autocratic powers could take note of how Putin has used the threat of nuclear war to force the West to back down. Autocrats Autocrats around the world will take note of Putins success in Ukraine and draw the logical conclusions for their own expansionist agendas, Peter Dickinson, a Ukraine expert at the Atlantic Council, wrote this week. If nuclear intimidation works for Moscow, why not for Beijing or Pyongyang? This has the potential to spark a dangerous arms race. If Russia manages to normalise nuclear intimidation as a foreign policy tool, numerous countries will soon be scrambling to acquire nuclear arsenals of their own. And even if countries are unable to get their own nuclear weapons, they might try to seek shelter under somebody elses nuclear umbrella. Poland neither has the capacity nor the intent to produce or acquire nuclear weapons but it has expressed a willingness to join Natos Nuclear Sharing programme. Under the programme, Nato states without nuclear weapons can participate in the planning for their use. It could also mean Poland hosting American B61 air-dropped nuclear bombs on its territory or certifying its F-35A aircraft to carry nuclear weapons a step that for many in Poland believe will help ensure the countrys security against what they regard as an expansionist and imperialist Russia. 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. Undaunted by snipers on rooftops and riot police lining the streets, thousands gathered in Moscow yesterday for the funeral of Alexei Navalny. The Russian opposition leader died last month in suspicious circumstances in an Arctic penal colony at the age of 47, in a tragic development that will have shocked few but has galvanised many. His name was chanted and applause could be heard as the hearse arrived outside the Soothe my Sorrows Church, offering glimmers of hope that the desire for democracy and freedom that Navalny represented has not been completely extinguished in Russia. But the wider context is Vladimir Putins increasingly totalitarian rule. This week, Oleg Orlov, head of the human rights group Memorial, was also jailed for voicing his opposition to the Ukraine war. Even calling the conflict a war can lead to a prison sentence. In recent months, the Russian president has abandoned any remaining pretence of behaving like a rational actor with whom the West can negotiate. Instead, the UK must be prepared for all eventualities. Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, wants defence spending to be increased to 2.5 per cent of GDP. As Britain faces its most hazardous geopolitical situation since the end of the Cold War, Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt will surely find it hard to disagree. History has taught us that the only response to tyranny is to defeat it. Failure to bolster our woefully overstretched Armed Forces could leave us with little choice but to appease. 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. French President Emmanuel Macron was left on his lonesome by his fellow European allies after saying that the possibility of sending Western troops on the ground in Ukraine should not be ruled out in the future. Macron made the remarks on Feb. 26 at a gathering of 20 European heads of state and other Western officials at an allied conference in Paris to reaffirm support for Ukraine as Russias war against the country enters its third year. Everything was discussed this evening, in a very free and direct manner. There is no consensus today to send officially, take responsibility for, and endorse ground troops. But in terms of options, nothing should be ruled out, Macron said. "We will do everything needed so Russia cannot win the war. Macrons comments prompted swift responses from both the U.S. and European countries, who reiterated their public positions that none of their troops would be sent to Ukraine to join in the fight against Russia. Read also: Czech PM: No one in Europe is going to send troops to Ukraine While foreign militaries fighting in Ukraine may never come to fruition, keeping the option on the table could unsettle Moscow and keep it guessing as to what Europes plans are, experts say. (It is) important to keep all options open, to not tell the Russians what we wont do. It was a mistake when U.S. President Joe Biden did that just before Russia's large-scale invasion two years ago, U.S. Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ben Hodges told the Kyiv Independent. Public disagreements and communicating to Russia that they will never send troops to Ukraine could also undermine Western allies' cohesion and potentially signal vulnerability to Moscow, Hodges said. Clarifying the remarks, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne told French lawmakers that the comments were meant to spark debate on the issue but that there were no concrete plans on the issue, France 24 reported. "We must consider new actions to support Ukraine. These must respond to very specific needs, I am thinking in particular of mine clearance, cyber defense, the production of weapons on site, on Ukrainian territory," Sejourne said. "Some of its actions could require a presence on Ukrainian territory without crossing the threshold of fighting. Nothing should be ruled out. This was and still is the position today of the president of the (French) Republic." Ukrainian soldiers walk during a training exercise with French soldiers at a French military camp in France in November 2023. (Olivier Chassignole/AFP via Getty Images) Macron's comments are nonetheless a marked departure from the obstinate position among Kyivs Western allies regarding the potential deployment of their soldiers to Ukraine. As further funding for Ukraine remains tied up in Congress, the French president has recently insisted that Europe must be capable of standing on its own in its support for Ukraine. His Feb. 26 remarks may be a calculated attempt by Macron to strengthen Europes overall strategic position as an ally of Ukraine in the fight against Russia. During his speech in Paris, he declined to provide specifics regarding which nations were considering sending troops, adding that he prefers maintaining some "strategic ambiguity." Read also: NATO members say they are not considering sending troops to Ukraine This is not the first time Macron has spoken outside the box, said Nathalie Tocci, a director of the International Affairs Institute in Rome. This has the value of saying what many think and do not say. It helps catalyze a strategic debate that Europe often lacks, Tocci told the Kyiv Independent, adding that nevertheless, the timing of the comments may have created more problems that they solved. Macrons remarks come as Ukrainian troops face ammunition shortages while Russia is on its offensive in several directions in eastern Ukraine and just captured a major stronghold, Adviivka. Macron was signaling that Europeans simply cannot afford and will do whatever it takes to prevent Ukraine from losing the war, said Tocci. French President Emmanuel Macron talks during the press conference with media at the end of EU Summit in Brussels on Feb. 01, 2024. (Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images) Reiterating current levels of support for Ukraine Western leaders reactions to Macrons comments do not signal a willingness to do whatever it takes, however. Following the statement, U.S. President Joe Biden's administration emphasized providing military aid to Ukraine and reaffirmed Washington's stance against sending troops to fight in the region. President Biden "has been clear that the U.S. will not send troops to fight in Ukraine," National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said on Feb. 27. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said on Feb. 29 that there is a "small number of personnel" in Ukraine who support the countrys military, but that there are no "plans for large-scale deployment" beyond the existing support. Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Szholz of Germany, the biggest European aid contributor to Ukraine, said on Feb. 27 that in a very good debate, it was discussed that what was agreed from the outset among ourselves and with each other also applies to the future, namely that there will be no ground troops, no soldiers on Ukrainian soil sent there by European countries or NATO states." This stance was echoed across Europe. Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Finland, and Spain, were among those who repeated support to Ukraine while maintaining their position that they would not be sending their troops to Ukraine. The reactions also fueled disagreements between France and Germany, one of Ukraine's major allies. Macrons remark was "deliberately ambiguous to create uncertainty for Russian military planners but "went against the wishes of Scholz's office," Bloomberg reported on March 1, citing unnamed officials familiar with the matter. Bloomberg also reported the recent disagreement as a sign of the two leaders longstanding difficulties in relations and different approaches, which can "jeopardize" the war's course. Read also: NATO members say they are not considering sending troops to Ukraine Weakness provokes (Russians) to do what they do. It's not just Putin. It's always been this way. So it's dangerous when we in the West look weak, don't have resolve, are not united, or are not prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect (Ukraine), said Hodges. Europe might also not be militarily ready to send its troops to Ukraine. Macrons logic of leaving the option on the table would work only if Europeans were actually capable of doing that, said Sven Biscop, European foreign and security policy expert at EGMONT Institute in Brussels. If it was a real possibility, and we had the troops ready to go, then it could be a signal to Putin. But we cannot do it. Its obvious, including to Russia, that it is a bluff, Biscop told the Kyiv Independent, adding that Europe should also not look for escalation. Meanwhile, the Kremlin listened carefully to Western leaders ruling out the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine, claiming Macrons comments were evidence of escalation and threatening the use of nuclear weapons. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed during a two-hour State of the Nation address on Feb. 29 that there will be tragic consequences if NATO troops are sent to Ukraine, and the West's support for Kyiv risks a conflict using nuclear weapons. Nonetheless, Hodges believes that each time Russia uses a nuclear threat it makes Putin look weak. (Russians) are not going to use a nuclear weapon because there's no benefit for Russia. Their nuclear weapons are only useful if they don't use them because (they) can threaten people with nuclear strikes. Because (Putin) sees how we react to it, said Hodges, adding that using nukes will have catastrophic consequences for Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a speech ahead of 2024 Russian presidential election in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 31, 2024. (Contributor/Getty Images) Long-range weapon systems coalition Fears of escalation with Russia have partly prevented Western partners from readily transferring the weapons Ukraine desperately requests, while the difficulty to ramp up production in Europe has also left it scrambling to supply Kyiv with what it needs. Rather than talking about troops, Europeans should send more and better weapons to Ukraine, Tocci said. To do so, it will have to ramp up weapons and ammunition production, and strengthen its forces, according to Biscop. But that may not be so easy. When it comes to more (weapons) it is France, like Italy, that is badly, in fact shockingly, wanting, said Tocci. At the Paris summit on Ukraine, Macron announced on Feb. 26 that a new coalition will work to supply Ukraine with "medium- and long-range missiles and bombs." France and other allies will "create a coalition for deep strikes and therefore medium- and long-range missiles and bombs," Macron told reporters. Ukraine has long appealed to allies for long-range weapons, including the U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Germany's Taurus missiles. Ukrainian servicemen fire with a French-made CAESAR self-propelled howitzer toward Russian positions in eastern Ukraine on Dec. 28, 2022. (Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP via Getty Images) To alleviate fears among Western partners, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 24, the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, that Ukraine will not use Western systems to strike targets in Russia. France has already supplied Ukraine with long-range SCALP missiles, the equivalent of the British Storm Shadows. These can travel up to 250 kilometers, a shorter range than that of ATACMS and Taurus missiles. "Today, the initiatives we have launched will be put on the table, and in 10 days' time, you will have a clear answer with a serious agenda," Macron said, without specifying the types of long-range systems discussed. He also said that some of the initiatives shouldnt be made public. If any initiatives in the world strengthen Ukraine, they are positive for the whole world, Zelensky said following Macrons announcements. But the timing of deliveries matters. Zelensky has repeatedly said that every weapons supply delay costs Ukrainians their lives. The survival for Ukraine means having very concrete solutions, Zelensky told reporters on Feb. 28 following the Ukraine-South East Europe Summit in Albania. Recent developments indicate Western allies need to establish a clear objective, maintain confidence, and enhance the organization for supporting Ukraine to win, Hodges said. We're not organized properly. That's why we're having problems finding ammunition and weapons, and there are disagreements on what to provide, said Hodges. Read also: Russias descent into totalitarianism: How it happened Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Samantha Reilly, Education Naturalist with Stark Parks, talks about the upcoming Towpath to Totality solar eclipse event which will take place at St. Helena Park. Thursday, February 22, 2024. The total solar eclipse will stretch across the country April 8. If you're looking to make an event of it, there are plenty of opportunities around Stark County to view it and experience the area. Parts of northwest Stark County, such as Canal Fulton, will be in the line of totality. Other areas, such as Canton, will be in the area of a partial solar eclipse. Visit Canton, the Stark County visitor's bureau, has put together a list of events and viewing spots for the solar eclipse. Tonja Marshall, chief marketing officer for Visit Canton, said the eclipse is an opportunity to get people to travel to the county. "This is a great opportunity, something that we don't necessarily have to put together a big program," she said. "Mother Nature is taking care of it for us and we happen to fall in just the right location." She said the bureau has been specifically looking for events that can encourage people to extend their stay in the county. "The key will be making sure we have programs and opportunities for people to not just watch the eclipse, but then maybe add on an additional experience," Marshall said. Related: 'Arrive early, stay late, stay put': Stark County predicts tourism boom for solar eclipse Here's what's happening across Stark County: The upcoming Towpath to Totality solar eclipse event will take place at St. Helena Park. Stark Parks presents 'Towpath to Totality' event If you're looking for an outdoorsy eclipse experience, Stark Parks is holding an eclipse day event at St. Helena Heritage Park, 123 Tuscarawas St. NW, Canal Fulton. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 8. Eclipse glasses provided by the Great Lakes Science Center will be available first-come, first-served basis. Starting at 10 a.m., there will be eclipse-themed activities, such as crafts, educational presentations and an obstacle course. This embedded content is not available in your region. "We're hoping that will draw people in that are in the community," said Angela Palomba, community engagement manager for Stark Parks. "We're wanting to put it out there so that there's an opportunity for people that are looking to come into town." The partial eclipse will begin at 1:58 p.m. and totality will begin at 3:14 p.m. Parking will be available at the park. There will be additional overflow parking available at the Lock 4 Trailhead, a short walk on the towpath away. The park district is working with the city of Canal Fulton and the YMCA to put on the event. Solar eclipse fundraiser at MAPS Air Museum A map shows where totality can be experienced in Ohio during the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse. The Military Aviation Preservation Society (MAPS) Air Museum, 2260 International Parkway, Green, is opening to observe the eclipse. The event is $40 per car. Admission includes parking and access to the museum. Inside, visitors will have full access to tour the museum's 140 displays and 60 airplanes. The all-day event will also include movie viewing and lunch for purchase. In the parking lot, each car will get two pairs of eclipse glasses and a view of the solar eclipse. Kim Kovesci, executive director of the museum, said funds made from the event will go toward maintaining the museum and educating the public about the history of aviation. "What we do, it's all about education," he said. "We get grants and fund high school trips for high school kids to come. We do four different counties, 23 different schools, 2,500 kids here at no cost to the school district." The eclipse event can accommodate up to 360 cars. Kovesci said they have sold about a third of available tickets so far. Total Eclipse of the Hart(ville) Reserve free tickets to the eclipse viewing event at Hartville MarketPlace & Flea Market on their website. Experience a weekend of shopping and stargazing at Hartville MarketPlace & Flea Market, 1289 Edison St. NW. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 8, there will be a DJ "to keep everybody excited," said Christa Kozy, marketing and group tours coordinator. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Stark Library will provide kids games and activities such as a bounce house obstacle course weather permitting. The free eclipse viewing package includes two pairs of eclipse glasses for the first 500 people who register and a spot in the viewing area located in the southwest corner of the campus. Hartville Kitchen will also host Johnny Cash tribute artist Terry Lee Goffee at 7 p.m. April 8. Tickets are $35 for general admission and $45 for premium. Watch party at Stark County Fairgrounds The Stark County Fairgrounds will be opening from April 5 to April 8 for rides, games and concessions in observance of the eclipse. Admission to the fair will be free. Ride prices may apply. The fairgrounds, located in Canton, is not within the line of totality, but visitors can still watch the partial solar eclipse with the appropriate viewing glasses. Camping spots will be available for $50 per day from April 4 until April 8. Call 330-452-0621 to reserve a spot. Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@gannett.com. Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Where to view the solar eclipse in Stark County Flash Wang Zhiming provides acupuncture treatment to a patient at the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe on Feb. 29, 2024. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) In Zimbabwe, the ancient Chinese healing technique of acupuncture is proving to be a beacon of hope for patients seeking relief from various ailments. The Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, the capital, has been thronged with locals eager to experience the magic of acupuncture needles. "Those needles, I don't know what's the magic, but they work wonderfully in the body," said Martha Tsiga, who was on her seventh session to treat her back problem resulting from a fall. "Once those needles were inserted, I just relaxed, and I slept," she said. "For those 10 to 15 minutes, my body was just responding positively. It's magical... it heals perfectly." "I am now able to walk. I wasn't even able to walk for about a kilometer or so. I would just sit down and start crying, but right now I can drive, I can walk, I can do even my daily chores," Tsiga said. Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a medical system with a history of over 2,000 years that has been used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses. Traditional Chinese medicine also employs techniques such as moxibustion, cupping, and uses herbal products and mind-body practices. Charlotte Muziri, the current Miss Zimbabwe International, decided to volunteer at the hospital after witnessing the healing power of acupuncture on her father, who suffered a stroke. His condition improved markedly after just two sessions of the procedure. "Acupuncture, for me, has been a miracle that has been given to the people of Zimbabwe," she said. "It's really working wonders." "I have seen many patients who have been healed. Some of them no longer come for treatment because they are now okay," Muziri said. Wang Zhiming, a TCM doctor at the center, said many people have been healed by the ancient technique. "Every day, many patients come to our clinic for acupuncture treatment because acupuncture is very effective for lots of conditions and diseases such as acute and chronic pain, stroke, facial palsy, insomnia and headaches, which are very common in Zimbabwe," he said. Wang said more locals will be trained in traditional Chinese medicine to ensure that Zimbabweans continue to benefit from the ancient practice. "We want to train a group of local doctors who can independently do acupuncture and moxibustion... to benefit more Zimbabweans," he said. Hu Sha, another TCM doctor at the center, said the number of people seeking treatment has been growing. "There are more than 30 to 60 patients each working day in our clinic. We treated more than 18,000 patients last year, and our current appointments have been scheduled up to July 2024," Hu said. The Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center was set up in 2021 to provide free services to locals. China and Zimbabwe share a long history of health cooperation. Since 1985, China has dispatched 20 batches of medical teams to Zimbabwe. A patient receives acupuncture treatment at the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center under Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe on Feb. 29, 2024. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) It's ba-a-ck! If you lived on the East Coast in 2015, you probably remember the saga of Raytheon's wandering blimp. A few days before Halloween, a Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) air defense aerostat that Raytheon -- now RTX Corporation (NYSE: RTX) -- sold to the military broke loose from its moorings and began floating willy-nilly up and down the countryside before eventually being shot out of the sky by Pennsylvania State Troopers armed with shotguns. It probably made for a fun story back at the police barracks, but it was a bit of a black eye for the Pentagon. The tether that had originally (but no longer) secured the blimp to its location, you see, followed the blimp like a hanging tail, taking out power lines along its route, causing about 18,000 homes to lose power, and rendering $2 million in damages to infrastructure. However, not to be dissuaded by the negative press, it turns out that Poland now wants to buy some of these aerostats for itself. Blimps over Poland Last month, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency -- the Pentagon arm tasked with coordinating weapons sales to U.S. allies -- notified Congress that Poland wants to buy "Airspace and Surface Radar Reconnaissance (ASRR) aerostat systems" with "Airborne Early Warning (AEW) Radars" for its air defenses and will pay $1.2 billion for the privilege. It's unclear from the notification precisely how many such systems Poland is ordering. But this arms sale's $1.2 billion price tag implies several blimps will be involved. In coverage of the 2015 fiasco, CBS News reported that a single JLENS blimp cost about $235 million. It's also not 100% certain that the systems Poland wants to buy are part of the JLENS program, although RTX's leading role in the sale does imply that this is the system in question. RTX is named as one of the principal contractors on the project, along with privately held TCOM (which helped RTX develop JLENS), ELTA (a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence), and Avantus Federal (a subsidiary of Britain's QinetiQ). Story continues JLENS would also be a logical and economical system for Poland to order. JLENS aerostats are uncrewed and require very little maintenance. Thus, RTX says a two-aerostat JLENS "orbit" can provide 24/7 aerial and ground overwatch over distances of more than 300 miles for about one-fifth the total cost of buying and operating a single AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System)-style airborne early warning airplane. What it means for RTX Corporation Within the JLENS system, RTX's role revolves around the provision of radars and other sensors mounted on the aerostat -- the eyes and ears of the system. And good news for investors: This happens to be RTX's single biggest business and its second-most profitable. According to data from S&P Global, the company's threat detection division, which now bears the old name of Raytheon within the RTX conglomerate, sales of this sort generate above-average 9% operating profit margins for the company. Therefore, a $1.2 billion sale run through this division as revenues are parceled out to RTX's subcontractors can reasonably be expected to add about $108 million to RTX's operating profits -- about $0.08 per share. Admittedly, that's not a huge number for a $120 billion defense giant like RTX. Last year, the company cleared just under $69 billion in revenue. This current aerostat contract, therefore, probably represents no more than about 1.7% of the company's annual revenue stream and 3.4% of annual profits. But as the saying goes, "every little bit helps." As Europe looks for ways to balance the need to upgrade its defensive systems in the face of the Russian threat with the need to keep budgets under control, JLENS would appear to be a workable solution to both problems. Poland may be the first European nation to ask RTX to sell it some aerostats. It probably won't be the last. Should you invest $1,000 in RTX right now? 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Why Is Poland Buying $1.2 Billion in Blimps from RTX Corp? was originally published by The Motley Fool In the popular imagination of many Americans, particularly those on the left side of the political spectrum, the typical MAGA supporter is a rural resident who hates Black and Brown people, loathes liberals, loves gods and guns, believes in myriad conspiracy theories, has little faith in democracy, and is willing to use violence to achieve their goals, as thousands did on Jan. 6. According to a new book, White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy, these arent hurtful, elitist stereotypes by Acela Corridor denizens and bubble-dwelling liberals theyre facts. The authors, Tom Schaller, a professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Paul Waldman, a former columnist at The Washington Post, persuasively argue that most of the negative stereotypes liberals hold about rural Americans are actually true. Republicans Hunter Biden Witch Hunt Is an Epic Fail They do not mince words about what this means for the future of democracy in America. Rural votersespecially the White rural voters on whom Donald Trump heaps praise and upon which he built his Make America Great Movementpose a growing threat to the worlds oldest constitutional democracy. And Schaller and Waldman bring receipts. In a book filled with reams of data to back up their arguments, Schaller and Waldman show that rural whites are the demographic group least likely to accept notions of pluralism and inclusion and are far less likely to believe that diversity makes America stronger. In rural America, support for Donald Trumps Muslim travel ban ran 15 points higher than in urban areas. Rural whites are 13 points more likely to view LGBTQ+ Americans in a negative light, and express fear and anger toward immigrantsboth legal and undocumentedat much higher rates than other Americans. Less than half, 46 percent, say diversity in their communities is something they value. They are the largest segment of the population that incorrectly believes Trump won the 2020 election, at 47 percent. By contrast, only 30 percent of suburban residents and 22 percent of urban dwellers feel the same. Rural whites are more skeptical of the vaccines to prevent COVID-19, and are more likely to think Barack Obama was not born in the United States. In a survey done in 2009 in North Carolina and Virginia, rural Republicans were 20 percentage points more likely to believe in birtherism than non-rural GOP members. Rural residents are also 1.5 times more inclined to embrace the QAnon conspiracy theory than those who live in urban areas. But the problems in rural America run deeper than hostility toward minorities and facts. Rural residents disproportionately express hostility toward basic democratic principles. They are more likely to favor restrictions on the press, oppose checks on presidential power, endorse white Christian nationalist views, and support efforts to restrict voting access. Finally, rural Americans are more likely to believe that it may be necessary at some point soon for citizens to take up arms against the government. Indeed, more than one out of four rural residents agree that Trump should be returned to office by force if necessary. As Schaller and Waldman argue, not all citizens with anti-government views live in rural America, but rural Americans are overrepresented among those with insurrectionist tendencies. Donald Trump supporters on Nov. 1, 2020 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Spencer Platt/Getty Images After reading this tale of woe, one might shake their head at the state or rural white politics but also wonder about Schaller and Waldmans claim that such a small segment of the population has more power than any other large demographic group in America. After all, rural Americans are 20 percent of the U.S. populationrural whites are only 15 percent. The other 5 percent are non-white, a group that the authors ruefully point out is seldom acknowledged in political conversations. Their power is a by-product of Americas political system, which grants disproportionate power to sparsely populated states. In the Senate, for example, California and Wyoming have two representatives, even though Los Angeles Countywith its 10 million residentshas a population that is 17 times larger. Indeed, L.A. Countywhich is home to just a quarter of Californias residentsalso has a larger population than 40 American states. In partisan terms, Senate Democrats, who currently hold 51 seats in the Senate, represent approximately 193 million people Senate Republicans hold only two fewer seats, yet they represent 140 million people. Things are just as bad in the Electoral College. Wyoming has 18 fewer electoral votes than California, even though California has a population that is 68 times larger. Since Republicans are so disproportionately reliant on states with large rural populations, they are far more attuned to their interests than would be the case in a political system where rural areas didnt have such built-in influence. If the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Had Never Happened, Trump Still Attempted a Self-Coup One might assume that such political influence would translate into tangible benefits. But as Schaller and Waldman note, the opposite is true. Rural America is in deep economic and social decay, defined by declining wages, rising unemployment, persistent poverty, and increased government dependency. Rural populations are aging as younger generations flee areas with few economic opportunities and increasingly blinkered worldviews. Those who remain in rural areas live shorter lives, have limited access to health care, and on any host of health metricsfrom maternal mortality to deaths caused by drug overdoseshave a rate higher than any other geographic group. Indeed, opposition to Obamacare was perhaps stronger in rural America than in any region of the country, even though no area was more likely to benefit from the legislation. (The Affordable Care Act reduced lack of health care access in rural America from 24 to 16 percent.) A pro-Trump display features a Donald Trump mannequin on a tractor pulling a wagon containing the heads of Trumps political rivals. Paul Weaver/Getty Image In short, rural America has made one of the worst deals in American politicsthey slavishly support a Republican Party that not only does little to stop their inexorable decline but actually makes it worse. The GOPs anti-abortion agenda means rural maternity wards got shut down. Opposition to public broadband most directly harms rural America, where there is little incentive for private companies to set up service. Republican attacks on higher education have a disproportionate influence on underserved rural universities. And anti-vax attitudes have led to COVID death rates that rival or surpass far denser population areasan outcome that makes little public health sense but is easily explained by partisan politics. Yet, none of this has stopped rural Americans from casting votes for Republican politicians. If anything, their support for the GOP has intensified as Trump has taken control of the party. In 2016, 62 percent of rural America voted for Trump. In 2020, it jumped to 71 percent. Paradoxically, the worse things get, the more it increases despondency, disillusionment, and resentmentthe three attributes Republican politicians most effectively mine to maintain their support in rural America. Rather than offering an agenda for rural development, Republican politicians simply ladle out more steaming hot bowls of resentment and targets for rural anger, be they urban-dwelling liberals, undocumented immigrants, trans kids, beer companies, or the fake news media. And rural MAGA laps it up. Do Schaller and Waldman have a solution for this sad state of affairs? I asked Schaller (who, in the interests of full disclosure, is an old friend), and he turned my question around. Why, he asked, is it the responsibility of liberals to solve these problems? The expectation that he and Waldman should have a solution to the ills of rural America is, he argued, part of the problem. The Supreme Court Is Doing Trumps Campaign Work for Him These answers cant come from well-meaning Democrats and liberals; they need to originate from rural America itself. Until rural Americans demand more from their elected leaders, i.e., Republicans, their plight will only get worse. In Schallers view, this doesnt necessarily mean electing Democratsbut, rather, better Republicans. If youre not going to be an advocate for your own material needs, says Schaller, then you cant expect others to do it for you. But, as Schaller notes, rural influence is not a constant. Rural populations will continue to wane, and as that happens, their power will decline, too. The choice for rural America is to demand more or decline further. In the meantime, their problems will only get worse, and the threat to American democracy will remain with us. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Although the Supreme Court effectively delayed Donald Trump's federal election interference case on Wednesday by agreeing to hear his immunity appeal in late April, the former president is still poised to go on trial on March 25 in his New York criminal case. Legal experts said they expect that date to hold, even if Trump tries to claim immunity in that case in the coming days. However, experts thought Trump might gain some delay over the immunity issue in his Florida federal case dealing with whether classified documents were illegally retained. Trump's New York criminal case centers on whether he illegally falsified business records to cover up a hush money payment by his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse Feb. 15, 2024 before a procedural hearing ahead of his trial over a hush money payment to an adult film star before the 2016 election. In its Wednesday order agreeing to hear Trump's immunity argument in the federal election subversion case, the Supreme Court said it plans to address whether a former president is immune from prosecution "for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office." Trump legal team has argued he cannot be prosecuted for any crime committed as part of an official act as president, even ordering the assassination of a political rival, unless he was impeached and convicted by Congress. "It would be hard for him to make the argument that ordering Michael Cohen to pay off Stormy Daniels is anything related to an official act of the president of the United States," said David Schultz, a visiting law professor at the University of Minnesota who teaches courses on election and constitutional law. Cohen made the payment to Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election and was later reimbursed by Trump through payments whose purpose was disguised through false business records, according to prosecutors. Cohen later pleaded guilty to making an illegal campaign contribution through the payment. How Trump could seek New York delay As he has done in other cases, Trump could file a motion to dismiss the New York charges based on presidential immunity. For example, he could argue that immunity applies because according to claims he has previously made he hired Cohen in order to separate his business affairs and presidential duties, and the conduct he's charged with related to his position as president. Trump might, at that time, ask the trial judge to suspend the case, perhaps pointing to the Supreme Court's anticipated ruling in his federal election case as something that could have bearing on whether he can be prosecuted in the New York criminal case. Even if he has no realistic chance of succeeding with a presidential immunity argument, he may pursue the strategy in order to gain a delay that would push his trial past the presidential election in November. If Trump wins the election, he could then argue it would be improper to hold a trial while he is the president-elect or, later, the president. Still, whether or not Trump's argument has any chance of succeeding is something courts would take into account when deciding whether to delay a trial while an issue is appealed, Schultz said. "It's pretty hard, I think, to make the argument that, again, this is an official act of the presidency, and therefore comes within any reasonable gamut of what the courts have already said about immunity," Schultz said. New York: 'The path is so grim that he may not even try' Norman Eisen, a Brookings Institution senior fellow and former special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee, agreed Trump will likely fail if he tries to delay the New York trial based on a presidential immunity argument. Eisen pointed to a July ruling from a federal judge over whether Trump could get the New York case moved to a federal court based on his argument that the case related to acts performed "under color" of his presidential office. Adult film actress Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) exits the United States District Court Southern District of New York for a hearing related to Michael Cohen, President Trump's longtime personal attorney and confidante, April 16, 2018 in New York City. There, Judge Alvin Hellerstein concluded that Trumps alleged conduct in the New York case does not reflect in any way the color of the Presidents official duties. "Hush money paid to an adult film star is not related to a President's official acts," Hellerstein wrote. Trump initially filed an appeal, but later dropped it. Eisen noted legal principles that prevent individuals from re-litigating issues that have already been decided, and from raising arguments that should have been raised earlier. Those principles don't mean Trump won't try to invoke immunity to seek delay, "but he will almost certainly fail if he does," Eisen said. "In fact, the path is so grim that he may not even try, despite his usual predilection for never missing an opportunity to seek delay," Eisen said. Florida: Judge 'may be tempted to apply immunity' In Florida, where Trump is federally charged with illegally retaining documents and trying to obstruct justice, federal Judge Aileen Cannon chose not to set a trial date at a scheduling conference on Friday. Cannon expressed skepticism about the government's proposal to start July 8, but she didn't clarify when she will set a date. Trump may have more of an opening to seek an immunity-related delay in that case, even if his immunity argument is a longer stretch than in his federal election case, experts said. Trump advanced his immunity argument in Florida last month, asking federal Judge Aileen Cannon to dismiss the case. Prosecutors say Trump retained hundreds of classified documents after he left office, and resisted turning them over in response to a grand jury subpoena. While presidential immunity would typically not cover acts after leaving office, Trump has argued that the charges turn on him deciding when he was president to designate the records as personal and have them removed from the White House. "The alleged decision was an official act, and as such is subject to presidential immunity," Trump said in his filing. FILE - Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to reporters Friday, June 9, 2023, in Washington. The judge presiding over the federal prosecution of former President Donald Trump takes the bench in the case for the first time this week as she and lawyers for both sides discuss the procedures for handling classified information in the case. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) ORG XMIT: WX178 Cannon hasn't yet ruled on the issue. Schultz said the pause the Supreme Court has placed on the federal election interference case shouldn't affect the Florida federal trial because the alleged crime appears to be the retention of documents after Trump was no longer president. Whether Trump changed the status of the documents as president and therefore didn't commit a crime later is a question for a jury, Schultz said. Still, the Florida federal court might fear proceeding only to realize later that the Supreme Court has issued a ruling on immunity that forces the lower court to backtrack, according to Schultz. "I could see a federal judge saying, 'We're just going to wait a couple more months and let the Supreme Court clarify any issues here,'" Schultz said. The particular judge in the case could also provide an edge for Trump in getting some delay, according to Eisen. He noted that Cannon was rebuked by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals after she said that Trump's status as a former president supported temporarily blocking the government from using lawfully seized records in a criminal investigation. The appeals court described the idea of a special exception for former presidents as defying the "foundational principle" that the law applies to everyone. "She said in her earlier rulings that he deserves special treatment as a former president," Eisen said. "So she may be tempted to apply immunity." Contributing: Hannah Phillips This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Could a Supreme Court Trump immunity case spell New York trial delay? TOPEKA (KSNT) Kansas Gas Service (KGS) is looking to raise utility bills by more than $80 annually. The gas company announced Friday its seeking a request with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to increase its rates. This is being done to recover investments the KGS has made to ensure safe, reliable and environmentally-friendly services are delivered to its customers. Were committed to safety, improving our system and the reliable delivery of natural gas, even in challenging weather like Winter Storm Uri in 2021 and Winter Storm Gerri this past January, said Sean Postlethwait, vice president of operations for Kansas Gas Service. During these extraordinary winter events, our team worked around the clock to provide reliable natural gas service to more than 647,000 customer homes and businesses in 360 communities across Kansas. We love what we do: Ta Co. Topeka reveals new hours at West Ridge Mall If approved, the rates for those using natural and less natural gas will go up $6.71 or $9.48 per month, based on whether the customer uses less or more gas. The KGS noted this filing does not impact the section of the bill associated with the cost of gas itself. Our employees work hard to manage our expenses to help keep energy costs at reasonable rates, Postlethwait said. We are here to assist our customers with programs to manage their monthly bills and provide helpful energy-saving tools. The KCC has 240 days following this filing move by the KGS to review the request. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. High-earning parents are better off only working four days a week as bizarre tax rules mean it no longer pays to work. The Chancellor has been urged by MPs and think tanks to scrap so-called tax cliff-edges in next weeks Budget because they distort behaviour and punish aspiration. One of the biggest distortions in the tax system occurs once a parent earns more than 100,000. At this point they lose their entitlement to free childcare, worth potentially 14,500 a year for someone with two children. This creates a perverse incentive for parents earning 99,000 to turn down a pay rise so they can hold on to the government benefit. Workers are also incentivised to keep their income under 100,000 so they can avoid paying 60pc tax. Once someones salary hits 100,000 they lose the personal allowance at a rate of 1 for every 2 until it disappears at 125,140. Greg Smith, Conservative MP for Buckingham, said the 100,000 cliff-edge is a double whammy tax hit that must be addressed. He said: Tax needs to be simple but the reality is a web of complicated thresholds with conditions attached, that creates perverse outcomes for people as they become more successful in their careers. One reader told The Telegraph they were considering shortening their working week from five days to four after realising they would keep more of their pay by earning 92,000 as opposed to 115,000. Reducing the working week makes perfect financial sense for many parents earning 100,000 or more. By working fewer days they would not only dodge the tax trap but also cut their childcare costs, which currently average at 285 per week full-time, or 13,695 a year. Experts are warning that the cliff-edge is holding back Britains economic growth by driving parents to shun work. Karl Williams, of the Centre for Policy Studies, said: The UK tax system is horribly complex, with cliff-edges and shocking marginal tax rates scattered across the income distribution. For those earning 100,000, the withdrawal of the Personal Allowance and potential impact on childcare benefits creates a perverse incentive to work fewer hours or turn down promotions. Instead of encouraging aspiration and encouraging economic growth, the UK tax system is penalising success. The Government is under pressure to revive the UKs stagnating productivity. Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that the working week is 20 minutes shorter than in 2019 equivalent to 310,000 fewer people in work. Meanwhile, a total 9.3 million people are classed as economically inactive, with many suffering from long-term sickness. Under the Governments childcare support scheme, a parent earning less than this is eligible for 30 hours of free childcare a week. British parents spend about a third of their income on childcare, making it one of the worst countries in the developed world for childcare costs. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt last year announced a package of reforms to ease the burden on parents. But ironically, the 4bn investment in childcare has only deepened the 100,000 cliff-edge. Currently the scheme only applies to families of three- and four-year-olds. From September 2025, the Government will extend the 30-hour offer to working parents of children under five. The reforms will be introduced in stages, with parents of two-year-olds eligible for 15 free hours from April 2024. Once the reforms are in place, a parent with two children under three will be 14,500 worse off if their salary passes 100,000, according to analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). Only one parent needs to earn 100,000 for their entitlement to free childcare to vanish. This means a single-breadwinner family could be thousands of pounds poorer than a dual-earner household with the same total income. The cliff-edge will be even more severe for those with above-average childcare costs. A parent paying average London rates for 50 hours of childcare a week would be worse off earning 144,000 than a parent in the same position earning 99,000, the IFS found. Christine Farquharson, of the think tank, said: For parents with young children, the cliff-edge at 100,000 is one of the biggest distortions going in an already-distorted tax and benefit system. While only a small minority of parents will be directly affected, the consequences are enormous: in some circumstances a parent might plausibly give up a pay rise of more than 44,000 to stay beneath the threshold. This sort of disincentive to working and earning more is particularly ironic for a programme billed as one of the Governments flagship reforms to boost labour supply. Mr Hunt estimates the extension to the benefit will bring an extra 60,000 parents into employment. However, the reforms could also stop higher earners from progressing their careers. Together, the loss of free childcare and the 60pc tax trap create a huge incentive for parents to keep their income below 100,000 while their children are young. More than 1.5 million workers currently earn over 100,000, according to official data obtained by insurer NFU Mutual in a Freedom of Information request. Of these, an estimated 620,000 earn between 100,000 and 125,140 and therefore fall into the 60pc tax rate. This is because their 12,570 personal allowance reduces by 1 for every 2 earned over 100,000. This rule was introduced by former Chancellor Alistair Darling in 2009. It means someone earning 10,000 over the 100,000 threshold will immediately lose 40pc to income tax, leaving them with 6,000. Because of the tapering they then lose 5,000 of their personal allowance. This is taxed at their current rate of income tax which is 40pc. Of the 10,000 pay rise, they end up with just 4,000. Last year, the Treasury select committee warned in a report that the UKs overcomplicated tax system was a barrier to economic dynamism. The group of MPs urged the Government to report annually on the steps it had taken to make tax simpler. Individuals earning 100,000 or more may want to consider saving more into their pension. You can save up to 60,000 into their pension each year. By increasing pension contributions, someone could bring their income beneath the 100,000 threshold, while also saving more for retirement. It comes as last month, the Tax Law Review Committee warned that a parent in London with three children earning 140,000 could be worse-off than someone on 99,000. The report said the distortions created by the sudden withdrawal of these benefits were among the most severe you will ever see within a tax and benefit system. Recommended Child benefit calculator: how middle class parents are punished Read more Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Rather than splitting time between campaigning and appearing in federal court this coming week, Donald Trump will be celebrating his widely expected victories in "Super Tuesday" Republican presidential nominating elections. Initially, it looked like Trump would be summoned to appear at the Elijah Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, D.C., for the start of his trial on four felony counts rooted in what prosecutors allege was the 45th president's attempt to stay in power after losing the 2020 election. But that trial has been delayed. For that matter, the legal proceedings related to two other sets of criminal charges against Trump, who has declared his innocence and railed at the cases he says are "election interference," also are stalled. Which raises the question: Will Trump's court challenges be resolved in 2024? Here is a rundown of where things stand. 1. The People of the State of New York against Donald Trump Trump was indicted last March in a 34-count felony case alleging a business fraud scheme to cover up a purported hush money payment to a porn star in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election. That case is scheduled to go to trial on March 25. The judge in the case, Juan Merchan, is reported to have said the trial could last just over a month, which would presumably reveal a verdict by mid-May. By then, the majority of state primary and caucuses would have been concluded and Trump is likely to have won enough delegates to be the Republican presidential nominee. Former President Trump attended a March 1 hearing at the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Fort Pierce on the classified documents case. 2. United States of America v. Donald J. Trump, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira The second indictment filed against Trump, this one in the Southern District of Florida in June of last year, accuses the former president of keeping government and classified documents and then working with two aides to conceal them and obstruct efforts to retrieve the files. In a March 1 hearing on the case, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon appeared ready to delay the start of the trial from May 20 to an undetermined date. Federal prosecutors suggested July 8, a week before the GOP convention in Milwaukee, while Trump's lawyers insist the case should be postponed until after the November election. Cannon is to decide the question, but did not indicate when she might issue an order on a trial date. Other Trump legal battles: Judge said Mar-a-Lago's valuation was 'fraudulent.' Trump still fuming over $355M hit 3. United States v. Donald J. Trump Trump was indicted in August of 2023 on four felony counts related to a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The case was scheduled to start on March 4. But it was delayed when Trump's lawyers filed a challenge in which they claim U.S. presidents have blanket immunity from prosecution for any actions they take in their official duties while in office. A three-judge appellate panel ruled unanimously against Trump, but the former president then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court on Feb. 28 said it would decide the question and has set oral arguments for the week of April 22. 4. The State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump et al The case in Fulton County, Georgia, also filed last August, accuses the former president and 17 others, including lawyer and confidant Rudy Giuliani, of racketeering charges in a conspiracy to overturn the results of the state's presidential voting in 2020. That case was moving along, and prosecutors procured guilty pleas and public apologies from three defendants, including high profile lawyers Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro and Jenna Ellis. But the case is stalled, and its future in question, following a high-profile challenge to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The source of the opposition is that Willis's judgement was impaired and the validity of the case is invalidated by an affair she had with a special prosecutor she appointed to assist in the case, Nathan Wade. The presiding judge, Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, will rule on whether to disqualify Willis and her office. Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Will Trump stand trial this year? An update on his four criminal cases Victoria Beckham is attending Paris Fashion Week with an unexpected set of accessories that users online say stylishly accentuate her recent foot injury. On March 1, photographs from one of the biggest weeks in fashion showed the 49-year-old stepping out in crutches. The Spice Girl and fashion designer is currently in the French capital to debut the autumn/winter 2024 collection of her eponymous clothing line. Online videos and photos of Beckham during her time in Paris show her making her way around town with the help of crutches. Victoria Beckham is seen on March 01, 2024 in Paris, France. (Marc Piasecki / GC Images) In line with her keen eye for fashion, departed from the conventional medical-grade aluminum walking aids. Instead, Beckham has been spotted in Paris sporting a sleek, modish set of black crutches. According to People, the designers husband, David Beckham, shared in an Instagram post that Beckham broke her foot on Valentines Day while at the gym. Apparently, my wifes little accident in the gym was a clean break, David wrote in the post per People. Victoria Beckham is seen on February 26, 2024 in Paris, France. (Marc Piasecki / GC Images) Even with a broken foot, fans of Beckham agree that her sense of style remains intact. On Instagram, users commented on a video shared by Vogue magazine of the designer as she appeared on the catwalk towards the end of her show. I love her! one user commented. So sophisticated, even with a broken leg!! I swear if she has heels on in crutches, another wrote. The ultimate posh girly. The crutches add spice, a user on X added. All in all, Beckham isnt one to be held back from putting her best foot forward. In a video capturing her final walk down the runway, the designer smiled as she made her way to her husband to give him a kiss, while attendees cheered her on. This article was originally published on TODAY.com A Wichita Fire Department battalion chief is recovering at home on Saturday after being hospitalized the night before. He had been taken to the hospital after his pickup truck was rear-ended when he was stopped at a red light while coming back from a fire call. Its unclear if the driver who rear-ended him was injured or if they were cited for anything. A police spokesperson did not have those details on Saturday afternoon. The battallion chief, who has been with the department more than 25 years, was eastbound on Murdock, stopped at red light at Market, when his vehicle was hit, officials said. He was driving a WFD Ford F-150 and going back to the station after having responded to a semi-trailer fire call. The wreck happened at 10:02 p.m. EMS took the battalion chief to the nearby Ascension Via Christi St. Francis for neck, chest, and back pain, according to police spokesperson Andrew Ford. WFD battalion chief Jose Ocadiz said his coworker was released Saturday morning and was recovering at home. Ocadiz said he believed his injuries wouldnt keep him from work for long. The truck he drove had extensive rear-end damage, Ocadiz said. WICHTA, Kan. (KSNW) A jury in Wichita has found LaNiha Banks guilty of all counts in connection to the Old Town shooting that killed Lationna Johnson in May 2023. The jury found Banks guilty of: Murder in the first degree; In the commission of a felony Criminal discharge of a firearm; Recklessly at occupied vehicle Four counts of aggravated assault; Use of a deadly weapon Attempted murder in the first degree; Intentional and premeditated Criminal discharge of a firearm; Recklessly at occupied vehicle Banks was arrested on June 6 after the shooting happened on May 20 in the 1000 block of E. First St. Police arrived around 11:10 p.m. and found Johnson, the mother of an infant, with gunshot wounds to her upper body. She was taken to a local hospital, where she later died. Boeing in talks to buy Spirit AeroSystems, company confirms A police investigation found Johnson was trying to break up a fight between Banks and another group of people. After she managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away when Banks fired a handgun at her car. Banks is scheduled for sentencing on April 26. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) The wife of an Horry County firefighter died Thursday night in a house fire in the area of Highway 917 and Farguson Road near Nichols. Martha Bibbee, 63, died in the fire. Her husband, Robbie Bibbee, has worked for Horry County Fire Rescue for 14 years at Station 10. Two family dogs, chihuahuas named Buttercup and Gizzy, also died. The Horry County Coroners Office said Martha Bibbee was pronounced dead at McLeod Loris ER from smoke inhalation. HCFR said it happened just before 8 p.m., and the home was heavily damaged by the fire. The cause of the fire is still being investigated. All I could see was fired and where was my sister at, Debra Causey, Martha Bibbees sister said. News13 photo: Jackie Librizzi News13 photo: Jackie Librizzi News13 photo: Jackie Librizzi Courtesy: Horry County Fire Rescue/Facebook News13 photo: Jackie Librizzi News13 photo: Jackie Librizzi News13 photo: Jackie Librizzi Robbie Bibbee said the fire broke out while crews were out all day trying to control a wildfire in the area. The fire started in the kitchen. Units from the Loris Fire Department, Mullins Fire Rescue, South Carolina State Fire and the Horry County Police Department assisted at the scene. This embedded content is not available in your region. No additional information was immediately available. Highway 917 was closed to allow crews to safely work in the area. A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money to help the family pay for funeral expenses. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Two metal devices with blue lights at their necks are pointed up toward the sky. In the sky, there are lots of stars and the center of the Milky Way is visible. By measuring how energy waves wiggle in the sky over Earth, scientists have created a way to delve into the history of our 13.8 billion-year-old universe starting right at its "first light." The team, led by Johns Hopkins University astrophysicists, used an array of microwave telescopes called the Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor (CLASS) to map 75% of the sky over Earth. This observatory is located in the Andes mountain range, some 16,860 feet above Chile's Atacama Desert. The measurements made by CLASS have to do with "microwave polarization," associated with the direction in which waves of light are aligned. These measurements will help scientists filter a wavelength of radiation released from the Milky Way connected to the universe's first light, a celestial fossil called the "cosmic microwave background," or CMB. "By studying the polarization of the CMB, astrophysicists can infer what the universe must have been like at earlier times," Tobias Marriage, team co-leader and Johns Hopkins professor of physics and astronomy, said in a statement. Astrophysicists can go back to very, very early times the initial conditions, the very first moments where matter in the universe and the distribution of energy was first put in place and can connect all that to what we see today. Related: Surprise gamma-ray discovery could shed light on cosmic mystery Decoding a cosmic fossil The CMB is composed of remnant light from an event that occurred around 380 million years after the Big Bang during a period called the "epoch of recombination." Up until this point, the universe was filled with a hot, dense plasma that made it opaque. These so-called cosmic dark ages were caused by free electrons endlessly bouncing around particles of light called photons. Then, the epoch of recombination began when the universe had expanded and cooled enough to allow electrons to bond with protons, create the first atoms and give rise to the universe's lightest and simplest element: Hydrogen. The sudden absence of free electrons meant photons were instantly free to travel, and the universe became transparent to light. This first light is seen today as the CMB. Because it dates back to when the universe was vastly denser than it is today, the CMB has been spread almost evenly throughout the cosmos. Still, tiny variations exist in the CMB, and because this radiation has been around for around 13.4 billion years, it is those variations that tell the story of matter and how its distribution has evolved. This includes the formation of the first stars, galaxies and galactic clusters. "Studying the relic radiation from the beginning of the universe is critical for understanding how the entire cosmos came to be and why it is the way it is," Nigel Sharp, program director of the National Science Foundation's Division of Astronomical Sciences, which has supported CLASS for over a decade, said in the statement. "These new measurements provide essential large-scale details within our growing picture of variations present in the cosmic background radiation a feat which is particularly impressive because it was achieved using ground-based instruments." New CLASS polarization sky maps have less noise than the corresponding satellite maps. The direction of polarization is depicted by red and blue while the polarization strength is captured by the depth of color. Gray sections depict parts of the sky that the CLASS telescopes cannot observe due to their geographical location. The CLASS maps grant insight into a microwave signal called linear polarization, which is emitted when light is confined to a single plane. The linear polarization of microwaves is the result of the Milky Way's magnetic field whipping electrons around at high speeds. This signal can thus help study the Milky Way but it can also get in the way of investigating the early universe using the CMB. By clearly mapping the microwave sky and allowing scientists to filter out linear polarized microwaves, CLASS could improve our understanding of the physical processes that existed in the early universe. Those processes would've been capable of creating a background of circular polarization. Circular polarization happens when light behaves as a two-dimensional transverse wave; it is distinct from linear polarization microwaves. Linear polarization vs circular polarization. The linear diagram shows light moving in a plane while the circular diagram shows light moving in a sort of spiral format. "It's very important to know the brightness of emission from our Milky Way galaxy because this is what we have to correct for to perform a deeper analysis of the cosmic microwave background," Joseph Eimer, research lead author and an astrophysicist at John Hopkins University, said in the statement. "CLASS is very successful in characterizing the nature of that signal so that we can recognize it and remove those contaminants from observations." RELATED STORIES: 300 gamma-ray-blasting neutron stars found in massive haul and some are 'spider pulsars' NASA's Fermi Telescope: Studying the high-energy cosmos New dark matter map created with 'cosmic fossil' shows Einstein was right (again) With the delivery of these new results, CLASS has set a new standard for mapping the polarization of light, breaking new ground for an observatory based on Earth that may need to contend with interference from our planet's atmosphere. "The project is at the forefront of pushing ground-based polarization measurements in the largest scales," Elmer concluded. The team's research was published on Feb. 26 in The Astrophysical Journal. (Bloomberg) -- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the US is likely to increase mineral imports from Chile, a key supplier of lithium used in the batteries that power electric vehicles. Most Read from Bloomberg Wrapping up a trade-focused visit to the South American country, Yellen said the US wants to acquire minerals from free-trade partners like Chile, which also produces with great environmental sensitivity and has a strong climate agenda. I cant tell you numbers but I imagine that we will be expanding substantially our purchases from Chile, she told reporters Saturday after visiting an Albemarle Corp. lithium processing facility in the northern city of Antofagasta. Weve been talking about that throughout the trip. Yellens trip was meant to strengthen ties with an ally rich in a metal thats essential to the Biden administrations electric vehicle vision. As we accelerate toward a clean energy future, our already strong economic relationship is poised for further strengthening, Yellen said in a speech earlier Saturday. The Treasury chief met with top officials in Santiago on Friday including President Gabriel Boric, Finance Minister Mario Marcel and Rosanna Costa, president of the central bank. Chile has the worlds largest reserves of lithium and is the No. 2 supplier after Australia. That also makes it a vital partner for China, by far the top global EV producer, which last year bought about two-thirds of Chiles lithium exports. Friend-Shoring The Biden administration is backing domestic EV plants with massive subsidies as it seeks to grab a bigger share of the industry. At the same time, its pushing companies to secure materials from countries other than China. Story continues Parts of our key supply chains, including for clean energy, are currently over-concentrated in China, Yellen said, adding that this makes the US more vulnerable to supply-chain shocks. Earlier: US Bid to Loosen Chinas Grip on Key Metals for EVs Is Stalling To mitigate that risk, the Biden administration has pursued a friend-shoring agenda to make US supply lines less dependent on China. As a free-trade partner with the US for more than two decades, Chile stands to benefit from President Joe Bidens green stimulus program, potentially increasing demand for its lithium. Trade between the countries has grown about 9% a year since 2003. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Scott McBroom looks at the rubble of his burned house March 1 in Fritch, Texas. Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune FRITCH Blankets. Family photos. Toiletries. An old prom dress. These were some of the personal belongings Deana McBroom organized into piles when she heard fires had begun to encroach on her neighborhood. At a moments notice, she could just take them. There was still time, she said. Then, on Tuesday, her phone rang. The fire had breached her neighbors backyard. The family needed to leave now, her neighbor said. Emergency sirens began to wail the sign to evacuate. McBroom grabbed her 2-year-old granddaughter, ran to the SUV parked out front and strapped her into the car seat while her husband, Scott, got the dogs. Please dont die, she told her husband of 8 years. I can live without the dogs, but not you. The family fled from the land they called home, where Scott had grown up. They would never see that home again. The couple had managed to salvage just one box of paperwork. Their land was just two acres of the staggering over 1 million lost to an inferno that burned through ranchland, towns and pastures in what state authorities have determined is the largest wildfire in Texas history. As firefighters struggled to fend off five separate fires that raged relentlessly, residents of the Panhandle scrambled to find shelter and relief. A burned truck sits on lot while other areas behind appear to be untouched in Fritch, Texas. Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune The McBroom family fled to their daughters house in the neighboring city of Borger, where they have been waiting out the fires for the past few days. Their new daily routine is to stop by a local church that repurposed its halls to shelter the displaced. They grab food and water but they mostly go for the company. Fritch, a city of 2,300 residents, has been mostly closed off as officials work to survey the damage to buildings. It all just happens so fast, Scott McBroom said. They dont tell you how fast it is. Experts said the high wind gusts on Tuesday afternoon contributed to the Windy Deuce fire spreading further, spanning 142,000 acres. It is 30% contained as of Friday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Deana McBroom holds one of their baby goats that survived the fire. Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune Cups and other items Scott and Deana McBroom have been able to salvage from their burned house Friday, March. 1, 2024, in Fritch, Texas. Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune Broken china from Scott McBrooms mother sits in the rubble of Scott and Deana McBrooms house Friday, March. 1, 2024, in Fritch, Texas. Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune On Friday, the McBrooms faced the debris on their property for a second time. They picked out things that survived the fire: shards of china that Scott had inherited from his mom, a water bowl for one of the dogs, a brittle skeleton mug and shot glasses. Odds and ends. The couple had spent six years working on the home. You just don't think it's going to happen, Deana said. I lost all my stuff. State and local officials continue to try and make sense of the devastation that has so far claimed two lives, according to Texas Department of Public Safety Officials and CNN. In Fritch, which is located between Moore and Hutchinson counties, its unclear just how many homes were lost to the wildfire, according to Terry Krasko, a spokesperson for Southern Area Blue Complex Incident Management Team, a federally established agency partnering with county and state officials to quantify the aftermath. We know we lost towns, Krasko said. We just dont have the number. Fritch Mayor Tom Ray told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the fires destroyed approximately 50 homes on the citys south side. He recalled a wildfire just 10 years ago had devastated homes on the citys north side. Late on a sunny Friday afternoon, along the roads of Fritch, families began to conduct surveys themselves. Dan and Sarah Cogswell picked through a half-acre pile of rubble, ash gray and charred black. It was all that was left of the home that Dans father left him. Dan had planned to clean and remodel, hoping to have an additional home for the family. When the couple heard the sirens on Tuesday, they packed their belongings and ran for the truck. Once on the highway, they hit traffic. Plumes of smoke blurred their visibility. The burned remnants of Dan Cogswells shed on Friday in Fritch, Texas. Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune A few blocks away, a firefighter knocked on their daughters door, ordering her to evacuate. Rachel, the couples daughter, raced to the school to pick up her three teenagers. They all crashed at a motel that night. A day later, Rachel gets a phone call. Fires caught up to her home, burning it to ash. She had just paid off the house. At the Fairlanes Baptist Church in Borger, the family sought legal assistance. What do you do about a home you just paid off when it burned to the ground? What about two? We carry on, Sarah Cogswell said. Not much else you can do. 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. Whats happening President Biden easily won the Democratic presidential primary in Michigan on Tuesday, but a significant share of his partys voters used the election as an opportunity to express their anger over his support for Israels war against Hamas in Gaza. More than 100,000 Michigan Democrats cast their ballots as uncommitted, with many seeking to pressure Biden to call for a ceasefire to end the Israeli militarys ongoing assault on the Palestinian territory, which has killed an estimated 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza since it started in early October. We need Joe Biden to listen to the voice of Michiganders, said Layla Elabed, the campaign manager for one group seeking to pressure Biden, to the New York Times. Listen to the voice of his core constituents and demand a permanent ceasefire now. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Biden, a steadfast supporter of Israel throughout his lengthy political career, has consistently asserted Israels right to defend itself in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and has urged Congress to approve billions in additional military aid to bolster the campaign. At the same time, he has publicly urged the Israelis to practice restraint and has reportedly been much more forceful in private while seeking to help negotiate a temporary pause in hostilities. Polls show that Americans as a whole are generally unhappy with the way Biden has handled the conflict. But that discontent is especially pronounced within key segments of the Democratic base, particularly young voters and people of color. Michigan, a critical swing state with the highest share of Arab American voters in the country, was widely viewed as the first real test of how damaging the war in Gaza might be for Biden as he heads into what is expected to be a tightly contested rematch against Donald Trump. Why theres debate Organizers behind the uncommitted protest argued that the vote sent a clear message to the president that he risks alienating voters he cant afford to lose by continuing to stand behind Israel as it carries out what they consider to be a genocide in Gaza. They argue, though, that Biden still has time to win back these voters who otherwise align with him on most issues, if he takes a stand by calling for a permanent ceasefire. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement But others say the implications of the uncommitted vote are less obvious. They argue that while 100,000 votes could be enough to tip a state like Michigan in a close race, its not an overwhelming figure and may even be smaller than the number of pro-Israel Democrats he might turn away if he changed his stance on the war. Another looming question is how many uncommitted voters are willing to go beyond simply making a statement against Biden and actually withhold their support for him when it really counts in November, knowing they could be helping Trump recapture the presidency. Whats next Biden has expressed optimism that an agreement on a short-term ceasefire could be reached as soon as next week, but the already tenuous negotiations could be complicated even more amid reports that Israeli forces killed more than 100 Palestinians who were waiting for aid delivery in Gaza on Thursday. More evidence of how large and widespread Bidens Gaza problem is will come on Super Tuesday, when eight of the participating states will allow some variation of uncommitted voting in their primaries. Perspectives Michigan proved that Bidens support for Israel could cost him the election A substantial portion of Michigan Democrats showed him that they werent bluffing. Their message was blunt: Bidens presidency could hang in the balance if he doesnt pay attention to voters he needs in November. John Nichols, the Nation ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Bidens Gaza critics are vocal, but there arent that many of them Theres one consolation for Democrats: These voters are a small share of the electorate, and its hard to see even a huge swing being decisive. Nate Cohn, New York Times We dont know how many 'uncommitted' votes would really abandon Biden when it counts Clearly, if the voters who registered their protest today walk away this fall, it could be decisive. But this was a cost-free vote. In the fall, it will be a choice of much greater consequence. David Axelrod, former Obama administration senior adviser, to Wall Street Journal Theres plenty of time for Biden to change his fortunes if hes willing to stand up to Israel Look the election is eight months away. Some people saying today that theyll never vote for Biden will stay true to that word. But eight months is a long time. If the reality of November is markedly different, Biden can win a substantial number of these voters back. But he needs to do some tough things to make that reality different. Michael Tomasky, New Republic ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Taking a stand against Israel would hurt his chances even more If Biden changes his stances and tone to placate those fuming 100,000 or so voters in Michigan, he risks alienating the much larger pro-Israel portion of the electorate all across the country, including in several crucial swing states. They say, Youve got to dance with the one that brung ya, and Biden defies that axiom at his peril. Jim Geraghty, National Review We shouldnt overreact, in either direction, to one states primary so far from Election Day One primary in February will not dictate the results of the general election. And its impossible to predict how Biden will fare in a rematch against Trump, who seems an even worse fit for voters of Arab descent after suggesting hed try to reimpose his Muslim travel ban in a second term. Trump also has his general election liabilities to worry about. Stephen Collinson, CNN There may be nothing Biden can do to win back these voters Members of the Arab American and antiwar communities view Biden as complicit in what they say is genocide in Gaza. If Biden does effect a ceasefire, can the [pro-Palestinan] groups deliver Arab American and antiwar votes for Biden, whom some activists have dubbed Genocide Joe? I'm not sure they want to. Nancy Kaffer, Detroit Free Press ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement At the very least, pro-Palestine voters have made their voices heard It's unlikely Michigan will be where this ends. You can bet the White House, despite all public pledges to the contrary, will be closely paying attention to them. Shirin Ali and Alexander Sammon, Slate Gaza wouldnt be such a liability if Biden had done more for young voters on other issues Its no surprise that Bidens support would have declined since 2020. He was never young peoples preferred candidate. In the minds of many young Americans (and interest groups), he wasnt progressive enough, including by not acting boldly enough on student loan cancellation, climate change, and other priorities for the political left. Christian Paz, Vox WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) The Texas governor could receive a formal show of support next week from some Central Texas leaders for his concentrated, aggressive efforts on the border. At their meeting Tuesday morning, the Williamson County commissioners will vote on a resolution to commend Gov. Greg Abbott for his dedication to securing the Texas border and for his proactive efforts to address the complex issues associated with illegal immigration and border security. Gov. Abbott reacts after Trump says he is on a shortlist for his running mate The commissioners court agenda specifies that Commissioner Valerie Covey, who represents precinct three, is introducing the measure. While the item is not specifically advocating for any local policy changes, it would send a political message that Williamson County leaders back any efforts aimed at enhancing border security and pledges our support for Abbott. The resolution concludes, We, the Commissioners Court of Williamson County, affirm our support for the implementation and maintenance of secure borders for the United States of America, and that we advocate for the allocation of federal resources necessary to effectively monitor and control the nations borders, in alignment with Governor Abbotts vision and initiatives; and that we call upon the federal government to work collaboratively with Governor Abbott and his administration to advance solutions that promote secure borders, protect our communities, and uphold the principles of law and order. The commissioners will discuss this resolution at their meeting, which starts at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the historic Williamson County Courthouse in downtown Georgetown. The governor started Operation Lone Star, a multibillion dollar initiative to slow down illegal border crossings. These efforts grew to include busing migrants to other cities across the country, building a military base camp in one community and stationing National Guard soldiers throughout the area. The border is becoming an even more of a high-profile issue on the presidential campaign trail with Abbott joining former President Donald Trump on a Thursday trip to Eagle Pass. On the same day, President Joe Biden visited Brownsville to push for a border deal that fell apart after Trump urged his supporters in Congress to oppose it. Trump also made headlines by saying Abbott is on his vice presidential shortlist. However, the governor said Friday he plans to stay in Texas. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. WJBF The WJBF NewsChannel 6 family is mourning the loss of one of our colleagues. Web Producer James Bryan Randall died Friday afternoon after a short illness, surrounded by close friends and family. Bryan returned to work at Television Park in October after a long stint at WFXG. Before that, he worked in our newsroom with WAGT, which shared a newsroom with WJBF. In addition to his solid journalism and ethics, Bryan brought a smile and a great attitude with him to work each day and will be sorely missed by his co-workers. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) A 38-year-old woman was found dead inside a Bronx apartment on Friday after authorities responded to reports of assault, according to the NYPD. Police responded to a 911 regarding a past assault at 240 West 167th St. in Highbridge at about 10:09 p.m., authorities report. Officers found the victim unconscious and unresponsive. More Bronx News First responders declared the woman dead at the scene. The victims boyfriend was taken into custody on an unrelated issue, police sources said. The medical examiner will determine the victims cause of death. No arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Charline Charles is a digital journalist from Brooklyn who has covered local news along with culture and arts in the New York City area since 2019. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Woman stole over $1,200 worth of items from Target in Southern California A Southern California woman was arrested for allegedly stealing over $1,200 worth of items from a Target in Chino. Security video from Chino Police captured the female suspect walking around the store while pushing an empty shopping cart She stops in the kitchen supply section and after appearing to check her phone, begins filling the cart with large boxes containing KitchenAid stand mixers. Security cameras captured a woman stealing a cart full of KitchenAid mixers at a Target store in Chino. (Chino Police Department) Security cameras captured a woman stealing a cart full of KitchenAid mixers at a Target store in Chino. (Chino Police Department) Security cameras captured a woman stealing a cart full of KitchenAid mixers at a Target store in Chino. (Chino Police Department) Security cameras captured a woman stealing a cart full of KitchenAid mixers at a Target store in Chino. (Chino Police Department) The lineup of KitchenAid stand mixers available at Target can range anywhere from $250 to $450 per item. The woman places several boxes containing both large and smaller mixers into her cart until its filled. She then casually pushes the cart toward the store exit and leaves with the merchandise without paying, police said. Officers later spotted the woman driving nearby and pulled her over. She was only identified as a Chatsworth resident but police said she is also wanted for retail theft charges out of Illinois. Thieves steal over $20,000 worth of sneakers in Southern California Before the Target theft, police said the woman was accused of stealing numerous KitchenAid mixers from at least two other stores. She was taken into custody and booked at the county jail. Over $1,200 worth of stolen merchandise was returned to Target. Footage of the theft can be seen in the video player above. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. How much do you know about the history of women in Rockford? In celebration and recognition of Women's History Month, the Rockford Register Star has partnered with Midway Village Museum to bring readers a local women's history fact of the day. Visit rrstar.com or the Rockford Register Star newspaper each day throughout the month of March to read about the women who played significant roles in Rockford history. Vivian Hickey Born in 1916 in Clayton, Illinois, Vivian Hickey moved to Rockford to attend Rockford College and soon after embarked on a distinguished career as an educator. She taught at local schools, and in 1964 was elected to the founding board of Rock Valley College. In 1974, Hickey was appointed to the Illinois Senate after Sen. Betty Ann Keegan died while in office. Hickey went on to win re-election to a four-year term before her own health problems ended her political career in 1979. Her work as senator was noted for strong advocacy for lowering taxes on food and drugs, and for working to dismantle the control of the Chicago Machine over politics in Springfield. Want to learn more about Vivian Hickey? Visit Midway Village Museum online at midwayvillage.com or in person at 6799 Guilford Road, Rockford. This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Womens History Month: Who was Vivian Hickey? The shelter house at Lake Hudson was flattened by the storm early on Wednesday. The early-morning storm that spun up at least six tornadoes in Ohio on Wednesday did significant damage at Lake Hudson, a favorite summer hangout in Granville. "We have tornado-like damage in Granville on a track between Spring Valley (Nature Preserve) and Lake Hudson," said Village Manager Herb Koehler, who said he supplied details about the damage to the Licking County Emergency Management Agency, which forwarded them to the National Weather Service. "We havent heard back yet about whether they will declare it tornado damage," Koehler said. Lake Hudson is owned and operated by Granville Mayor Melissa Hartfield and her family. Hartfield said that while they dont have confirmation that it was a tornado, she has no doubt "that a tornado touched down on that property and ran the length of it." She said the storm cut a swath 200 feet wide, ripping old-growth trees out by the roots and tearing the roof off of one building and tossing it 100 yards into Raccoon Creek. The one residence on the property, where two of her relatives live, escaped with little damage, even after a tree fell onto its porch. More than 50 trees were uprooted or snapped off at Lake Hudson by the storm that passed through Granville early in the morning on Wednesday. Hartfield said Lake Hudson, named for her late grandfather, has been a summer home to five generations of her family. "I was sick to my stomach," she said about first seeing the place after the storm. "Ive spent my whole adult life there, nurturing that with my family." It is owned now by Hartfield and her mother, Sue Hartfield, and her sister, Elisabeth Hartfield. Her grandfather, who also owned a Chevrolet dealership that was in the building now occupied by Elms Pizza and other businesses, bought the land in 1957 from a sand and gravel business that operated at the site just east of the Granville Township Fire Department. "He was Luther Hudson Williams," Hartfield said. "Everybody called him Hud. Thats where the Hudson came from. The shelter that was crushed, he built. This whole thing was his brainchild," she said. She said her uncle, Bernie Williams, 94, was crestfallen at the site of the place. "He was one of the ones, who, when they bought it, he spent a lot of time helping develop it. Pushing sand and helping build the buildings." Hartfield said shell never think twice about running for cover when tornado sirens sound. "Im one of the people who was guilty of thinking that because of the hills around Granville that were protected. Not anymore," she said. National Weather Service reports most of Wednesdays tornadoes were between Blacklick and Granville A storm assessment tool used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration mapped the paths of the tornadoes in Ohio and shows four of the six tracking on a line between Blacklick, in eastern Franklin County, and Granville. The National Weather Service reported late Wednesday that one of the tornadoes began in the Havens Corners area, near Reynoldsburg-New Albany and Havens Corners roads, "and quickly strengthened as it moved through the Havenswood neighborhood in Franklin County, producing tree and minor structural damage indicative of winds between 85 mph and 100 mph. "The tornado continued to rapidly strengthen as it approached McOwen Road (west of Beechwood Trails), where considerable tree damage was observed, with numerous stands of soft and hard wood trees snapped off completely or uprooted," the weather service wrote. "A shipping container was tossed, and a home suffered extensive roof loss and the loss of one exterior wall, with debris thrown hundreds of yards downstream. In this area, winds were estimated to be around 120 mph." The weather service said the tornado began weakening just a bit as it crossed into Licking County, but still produced a wide swath of tree and structural damage along its path across Graham Road SW (at Mink Street). Structural damage was mainly in the form of windows blown out, destroyed barns, and minor roof removal. The tornado continued to slowly weaken as it moved east-northeast from the Jersey area toward the southwest side of Granville, where it dissipated. But not before the storm did damage on the south side of Granville, where tornado sirens were blaring between 5:30 and 6 a.m. Wednesday. Some are questioning whether that damage was done by a tornado. Koehler said the storm damaged a bridge at Spring Valley before knocking down a tree across the Ohio 16 exit ramp to Ohio 37 south, on the south edge of town, and then across the freeway, where it flattened road and street signs along Ohio 16 and River Road. It uprooted trees near River Road Coffeehouse and Joe & Mimis Pizzeria, Koehler said, and snapped off a tree nearly 3 feet in diameter near Cedar & Thread boutique. Then it headed east over Lake Hudson. It just missed an occupied house, then, on a run of about 400 meters along the lake it took out several dozen old-growth trees by the lake, took the roof off the restrooms the entire roof landed in Raccoon Creek and one of the shelter houses was taken out, Koehler said. The roof of the restroom building at Lake Hudson was blown off and into Raccoon Creek after early morning storms on Wednesday. All of the structures on the property have damage, and three power poles were knocked down. "Were really lucky there wasnt a significant rain event with the storm," Koehler said, because trees and debris blown into Raccoon Creek could have blocked the stream and caused flooding. At Lake Hudson, friends and volunteers showed up Thursday to help clean up the mess caused by the storm. "We are heartbroken today," was the message on the Lake Hudson Facebook page. "It looks as if the tornado came straight through the Lake. Generations of our family have been through, cried with us, offered help and shared in our devastation. Lost the roof of our bathrooms, shelter house completely crushed and close to 50 trees down. When the tornado siren blows take heed to safety instructions. Thankfully no one was hurt." Lake Hudson is a privately owned, recreational lake open during the summer for swimming and recreation. It offers seasonal memberships, as well as daily admission for residents of Licking, Knox, Perry, Muskingum, and Fairfield counties, according to its website. It typically is open from early June through the end of August. Hartfield said its unclear whether the storm damage will affect the opening this year. "Were still trying to figure out this summer, and what that will look like and how we put Humpty Dumpty back together," she said, adding that she and her family are grateful to a supportive community, including Lake Hudsons employees, who were in tears at the site of it on Wednesday. On its Facebook page, Lake Hudsons owners posted photos of the damage and said, "We wanted to say thank you to all of the wonderful friends, customers of the Lake and community members who have reached out to offer help. We feel like George Bailey at the end of It's a Wonderful Life very blessed." Alan Miller writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison Universitys Journalism program, which is funded by the Mellon Foundation and donations from readers. This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Damage at Granvilles Lake Hudson possibly caused by a tornado Sapper Connor Morrison was described as a "truly selfless and kind-hearted professional soldier" A soldier who died from exertional heatstroke may have survived if he had been treated earlier, a report found. Sapper Connor Morrison, 20, of 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment stationed in Woodbridge, Suffolk, collapsed during a group run on 21 July 2022. A Defence Safety Authority (DSA) report said medics and other soldiers failed to treat him in time. A British Army spokesperson said it was committed to minimising the chance of a repeat incident. In a tribute, his commanding officer Lt Col Jack Crossley described Sapper Morrison as a "professional soldier with much promise" who was a "loyal friend". 'Weaving side-to-side' The late diagnosis of heatstroke "may have significantly reduced Sapper Morrison's chances of survival," the panel said. The soldier, from Erskine in Renfrewshire, Scotland, "struggled" at multiple points throughout the run according to witnesses and was "weaving from side-to-side" immediately before collapsing at the 8km (5 miles) mark. His collapse followed several days of hot weather but the panel said the temperature that morning was not a factor. He died in Ipswich Hospital two days later. The DSA found multiple contributory factors for the soldier's collapse. It concluded "on the balance of probabilities Sapper Morrison died of exertional heatstroke". Other participants on the run not having completed all heat illness prevention training "may have reduced the likelihood of an effective response", the panel added. It also noted Sapper Morrison should have had a routine fitness assessment upon arriving at the Suffolk barracks a week prior. None of the nine people on the run were carrying water which also meant there was no way to cool down or rehydrate him when he collapsed. Attempts to cool Sapper Morrison did not happen until 31 minutes after his collapse, which was outside of the recommended treatment window. Insufficient guidance The panel said there were "sufficient indicators to support an immediate heatstroke diagnosis but this was not acted upon immediately". It stated the ambulance call handler, the paramedic on site and military personnel all missed the opportunity to diagnose Sapper Morrison, and said that clinical guidance to ambulance staff on heatstroke was "not sufficient". Sapper Morrison died in July 2022 after collapsing at Rock Barracks in Sutton Heath, near Woodbridge Air Marshal Steve Shell, director general of the DSA, concluded the report stating that exertional related incidents would continue to happen "given the challenging nature of military training" but there was a "responsibility to reduce all risks". "Had effective measures been applied immediately, Sapper Morrison may have survived," he said. The DSA made 41 recommendations, including that heat illness prevention and recognition training was completed. A British Army Spokesperson said: "Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with Sapper Morrison's family and friends at this difficult time. They continued: "We take our responsibilities as an organisation extremely seriously and are wholly committed to improving organisational learning to minimise the chances of repetition." The East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) said it submitted "significant evidence" to the inquiry and it was "disappointing to see this is not reflected in the findings". "Our paramedic carried out the correct procedures to assess the patient and began treatment for heatstroke within minutes of arrival, in line with national guidelines," an EEAST spokesman said. Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830 The Richland City Council will consider waiving nearly $20 million in property taxes over 10 years to woo a $1.1 billion green fertilizer plant to town. The city council will consider a tax break submitted by Atlas Agro when it meets at 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 5, at city hall, 625 Swift Blvd. The matter is on the councils Items of Business agenda, with a presentation by the citys economic development manager followed by a possible discussion by the council members. The council previously waived a combined $9 million in property taxes for ATI Specialty Alloys and Components and for French nuclear fuels manufacturer Framatome. Those requests were handled in the citys consent agenda without public comment. Public comment is accepted at the start of the meeting. Tripling down If the council signs off on the Atlas Agro request, it will triple the amount of local property taxes waived by the city, bringing the total to date to nearly $30 million. Benton County previously waived its share of property taxes for ATI and Framatome about a week after the city acted. The county has not yet scheduled Atlas Agro on any upcoming agendas. The tax waiver request was signed by Dan Holmes, Atlas Agros local executive, who keeps an office at The Parkway. Targeted urban areas Richland is the first city in Washington to take advantage of the states new targeted urban area tool. The TUA program lets cities and counties waive their share of property tax bills to growing businesses that meet certain employment and wage targets. Waivers do not affect other taxing entities, such as school districts. The city is betting that waiving millions of dollars in property taxes will pay off by positioning Richland as a leading center for clean energy manufacturing in the Pacific Northwest. It anticipates that the added jobs and economic activity will compensate for the lost tax revenue. Property taxes support general government services such as law enforcement, first responders, parks, planning and more. Site purchase delayed Atlas Agros project, called the Pacific Green Fertilizer Plant, is by far the largest to seek a tax break. Exactly one year ago, Atlas Agro agreed to purchase 150 acres at 1500 Horn Rapids Road from the Port of Benton. The deal was scheduled to close by this month, but the port recently agreed to extend the deadline a year to give the company additional time to conduct due diligence. The deal is now expected to close by late 2024 or early 2025, according to port officials. While the companys commitment to Richland appears firm, the city may have a rival suitor. Karl Dye, president of the Tri-City Industrial Council, told the ports elected commissioners that the local community risks losing it to an unspecified Oregon site if it doesnt stand behind Atlas Agro. If built, the green fertilizer plant would employ 158 once operational and would exceed the states definition of a living wage. The project still must clean numerous hurdles. Most importantly, it told the city it could need up to 350 megawatts of power to fuel its process to convert air and water into green fertilizer for agriculture, or enough electricity to power the city three times over. The city previously granted ATI a $2.6 million waiver in exchange for a $111 million expansion of its titanium melting plant in north Richland. Framatome received about $6.7 million in tax waivers for a $360 million plant it is considering building at its campus on Horn Rapids Road. For city agendas, go to richlandwa.portal.civicclerk.com. Sign Up: Boom Town Tri-Cities Stay up to date on Tri-Cities growth and development with our weekly business newsletter. Get the latest on restaurant and business openings and closings, plus the regions top housing and employment news. Click here to sign up. In your inbox every Wednesday. Bitcoin soared to a new high above $72,000 on Monday. Demand for digital currency surged so much that it even led the crypto-trading platform Coinbase to crash the previous week. After the brutal crypto winter that began in 2022, bitcoin could soon shatter its previous records as investors pour money into newly created bitcoin spot ETFs or exchange-traded funds. The price of ether, the native token of the ethereum network, also soared to levels not seen since April 2022 as investors speculated that ethereum ETFs will eventually win approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as well. As billions of dollars pour into bitcoin ETFs daily, is it time to get in on the party? Proceed with caution. Whats the big deal about the new bitcoin ETFs? Less than a year ago, 75% of Americans whod heard of cryptocurrency said they werent confident in its safety or reliability, according to a Pew Research Center survey. But the price of the worlds largest cryptocurrency began climbing again in late 2023 after a federal appeals court ruled that the SEC wrongfully rejected an application from Grayscale Investments to convert its Grayscale Bitcoin Trust into a spot bitcoin ETF. The SEC said in October that it wouldnt appeal the court ruling. And in January, it gave the OK to nearly a dozen new exchange-traded funds called spot bitcoin ETFs. Spot ETFs own the underlying asset like gold, silver, or now bitcoin and closely track its price, minus trading costs or fees. "There have not been any ETFs like this before," said Ric Edelman, founder of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals. "There are ETFs that invest in stocks of companies that do business in the crypto industry, such as exchanges and miners, and there are ETFs that trade futures in bitcoin, which is like buying equity options instead of stocks, but until now there have not been any ETFs that directly invest in and own bitcoin." The SECs decision allows investors to get direct exposure to bitcoin without going through a crypto exchange or dealing with the headache of storage or security issues. Instead, investors can easily gain bitcoin exposure by owning shares in their brokerage accounts, including individual retirement accounts (IRAs). "The new spot bitcoin ETFs are widely viewed as the safest from a custody perspective because the ETFs are regulated by the SEC, and they handle the safeguarding of your bitcoin for you," Edelman said. Does bitcoin belong in an investment portfolio? With all the hype surrounding bitcoin, its understandable if youre tempted to buy in. But theres a lot you need to know first before you try to profit off the skyrocketing price. Its still a speculative asset Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are speculative investments, which are assets that people put money into, hoping the price will rise rapidly. Sometimes, speculative assets are called nonproductive assets because they dont generate any income, like interest, dividends, or earnings. Investors who buy speculative assets are typically seeking to profit off short-term price fluctuations. "Normally, the way you think about a financial asset is youre providing capital to the company," said Michael Finke, a professor of wealth management who holds the Frank M. Engle Distinguished Chair in Economic Security at The American College of Financial Services. "The company uses that capital to make something, and the people buy it. That creates profit. You can value the company based on the profitability you expect in the future." "With bitcoin, its not producing anything, so the valuation is entirely speculative," he said. That may not seem like a big deal if youve been watching the price of bitcoin tick higher and higher. Who needs dividends or interest when bitcoins price is up 40% in two months? You might think that the price of bitcoin can keep going up forever. After all, the stock market has a solid track record of rising over long periods of time. But keep in mind that, unlike a company whose stock you might buy, bitcoin isnt creating a product or service that people actually use. Even as a payment method, its usage is extremely limited. Also, much of the wealth historically generated by the stock market has come from reinvestment rather than rising stock prices. As dividends get reinvested which usually happens automatically in most 401(k)s and many automated brokerage accounts youre buying more shares, allowing your money to compound and earn even more over time. About 69% of the S&P 500 indexs total return between 1960 and 2022 came from dividends rather than price gains, according to research by Hartford Funds. Put another way, a $10,000 investment in the S&P 500 in 1960 would have been worth more than $4 million by the end of 2022. But without dividend reinvestment and compounding, the same investment would have only been worth about $641,000. Since bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies dont earn dividends, any returns you earn will have to come from price appreciation alone. "People tend to get attracted to things that have gone up recently," Finke said. "And thats attractive to anybody whos investing, but particularly those who tend to be more sentiment-driven investors. They see the price go up, and they think they want to be part of it. Theres always that fear of missing out." Bitcoins price remains highly volatile Bitcoin is far more volatile than the overall stock market. That can be exciting when the price is on a tear, like the one weve seen in recent months. But when times are bad, bitcoins price often takes a much harder fall compared to stocks. Take 2022, which was generally an awful year for stocks, with the S&P 500 plunging around 19%. In the same year, bitcoin lost over 60% of its value. Edelman stresses that bitcoin is highly speculative, with a history of volatility, but he believes its potential makes it appropriate for a long-term portfolio, provided that investors limit it to 1% to 5%. "The risks are high, and if it fails, a low single-digit allocation wont cause material harm," he said. "And thanks to the potential for outsized returns, a small allocation can have a big impact on your overall investment returns." Its not the diversifier it used to be Still, one common reason for investing in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is for portfolio diversification. Spreading risk across multiple asset classes can reduce your overall risk of major losses. The relationship between stock and cryptocurrency prices has long been debated. But recent research suggests that stock and bitcoin prices are becoming more correlated, which means theyre increasingly moving in the same direction. A 2023 working paper by the International Monetary Fund states that bitcoin and stock prices "are fairly uncorrelated before 2020, then increasingly correlated from the second half of 2020." One potential explanation is that institutional investors are more likely to have exposure to both bitcoin and stocks. Researchers at Georgetown University noted a growing correlation between bitcoin and the S&P 500, particularly in times of crisis. The paper states that the correlation "significantly increased during COVID, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the crypto winter, indicating that bitcoin failed to serve as a hedging asset during these events." Bitcoin probably isnt coming to your 401(k) Dont expect your 401(k) administrator to start offering bitcoin anytime soon. Fidelity and a smaller administrator called FORUSALL have both been offering employers the option to let plan participants invest a small portion of their retirement money in cryptocurrency. But Finke doesnt expect plans will make crypto widely available to employees, even with the new bitcoin ETFs. Plan sponsors have a fiduciary duty, meaning theyre obligated to act in participants best interests. One of those responsibilities is to minimize the risk of substantial losses. "Plan sponsors are very cautious, and their consultants are very cautious about adding investment options to the core menu of a plan," Finke said. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor has warned 401(k) plan administrators to exercise caution before offering crypto assets in their retirement plans, noting in a March 2022 memo that it can be "extraordinarily difficult, even for expert investors, to evaluate these assets and separate the facts from the hype." So, should you invest in bitcoin? Ultimately, investing in bitcoin is a personal decision, whether youre buying ETFs or actual digital coins. If you decide to invest, you should have an already diversified portfolio of assets like index funds. You typically dont want to invest money in speculative assets you cant afford to lose. Before you buy bitcoin, think about whats motivating you: Do you believe bitcoin has potential long-term investment value? Or is it a case of FOMO or fear of missing out? "Investors who get attracted to shiny things because theyve gone up in value a lot recently tend to get consistently punished," Finke said. "This recent run-up in bitcoin seems like a perfect example of a shiny object that has attracted a lot of attention from investors but may not really perform that well in the future. JERUSALEM Over the last two years, since Russian forces invaded Ukraine, countries around the world have stepped up to help more than 6.5 million Ukrainian nationals flee the ongoing fighting. In Syria, during 13 years of civil war, more than 12 million forcibly displaced civilians managed to leave the war-torn country, resettling in the region and beyond. In Afghanistan, where the radical Islamist Taliban group returned to power in 2021, more than 2.6 million people are now spread out across the globe. The number of people in need of permanent refuge or at least some respite from the ongoing unrest continues to rise, according to data provided by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). And while countries around the world, including the U.S., continue to offer some of them a safe haven, there is no such escape for an estimated 1.9 million Palestinians who have been displaced and are suffering after nearly five months of war between Israel and the militant terror group Hamas. The mere suggestion of relocating these desperate men, women and children, even temporarily, just a few miles beyond the borders of the Palestinian enclave has been sharply criticized and quickly dismissed. BIDEN'S VISION FOR A PALESTINIAN STATE DOOMED, EXPERTS SAY: 'AN EXPLICIT RECOGNITION OF HAMAS' READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP On Oct. 7, thousands of Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel, murdering some 1,200 people and kidnapping 240, triggering an Israeli ground and air offensive that Hamas officials now say has killed more than 30,000 Gazans. Since then, even countries sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, including nearby Arab nations, have refused to offer any sort of refuge to Gaza civilians. In fact, Egypt, which borders the Strip to the south, has bolstered its border fence and deployed additional troops in the event Palestinians in search of respite and aid might attempt to enter its territory. In Europe, Thomas Corbett-Dillon, a U.S. based political commentator and former adviser to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, told Fox News Digital the unwillingness to provide refuge to Gazan civilians was mainly due to past waves of refugees and migrants, "particularly Muslims who have failed to assimilate into our culture," he claimed. "The European appetite for accepting refugees is over," Corbett Dillon said, adding that recent polling in the U.K. and across Europe "consistently shows the vast majority do not want any more refugees." Corbett Dillon said the rejection of Palestinian refugees was less due to anti-Israel bias and more based on an overall rejection of opening doors to further immigration, including both those escaping war and those searching for better economic opportunities. "Europe is struggling," he said. "Flooding the continent with people who will take more out of the system than they put in will only make the European crisis worse." ISRAELI SECURITY EXPERTS SAY BIDENS PALESTINIAN STATE PUSH IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT For Arab states, the refusal to even discuss offering Palestinians from Gaza refuge is more personal. "The Palestinian record in Arab countries has not been one of behaving guests, which has made Arab countries reluctant to take in any number of them from Gaza," explained Hussain Abdul-Hussain, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He noted that Palestinians relocating to Arab countries in the past created friction and even sparked conflict, such as in Jordan, where Palestinian armed factions tried to topple the government, or Lebanon, where Palestinian terrorists drew Israel into multiple wars. In addition, Abdul-Hussain said that for most Arab leaders, it would be "politically toxic" to urge Palestinians to leave the coastal enclave even if it meant sparing their lives. "No Arab official wants to be seen as the one who called on Palestinians to surrender their territory to the Israeli army," he said. "Prioritizing land over a good life for Palestinians has been at the heart of the problem and of Palestinian misery." Abdul-Hussain said that while many countries and activists are calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, they hold back from calling for lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians because they want "the Palestinians to prevail over Israel." The al-Hawl refugee camp in northeast Syria "Getting Palestinian civilians out of harms way weakens the position of Hamas and allows a quicker Israeli victory," he said. "The international community deals with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict along the lines of a theoretical framework that is devoid of reality, suggesting that the solution is territory, regardless of the interests of Palestinians." ISRAELI PARLIAMENT BACKS NETANYAHU, REJECTS PUSH FOR 'UNILATERAL' RECOGNITION OF PALESTINIAN STATE Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, left, meets King of Jordan Abdullah II in Amman, Jordan, Feb. 25, 2024. "The global model is inefficient and perpetuates the conflict, including making hereditary Palestinian refugee status," said Abdul-Hussain, referring to UNRWA, the U.N. agency dedicated to servicing Palestinian refugees. "On a per capita basis, Palestinian refugees receive more global attention and resources than all other displaced persons on the planet," he said. "This global generosity has transformed humanitarian aid and agencies into an industry in which many have vested interests and want to see them continue." Abdul-Hussain pointed out that the U.N., which works successfully to resettle refugees from all other conflicts, could have set up a temporary camp for Gazans in Sinai, the sparsely populated Egyptian territory. "The U.N. seems unwilling to impose such a decision on Egypt," he said, noting that the international body has also held back from pressuring Hamas into surrendering, another way that could "spare further Gazan and Israeli deaths. . The only pressure the U.N. decided to apply is on Israel. If this is not bias, I dont know what is." When asked by Fox News Digital if UNRWA had considered or discussed assisting Gazans who might want to leave the Strip, even temporarily for the duration of the fighting, Juliette Touma, the agencys director of communications, responded sharply. "We are not taking part in forced displacement," she said. Israel has long said that UNRWAs unprecedented approach to helping Palestinian refugees only serves to perpetuate the decades-old intractable conflict between the two. Instead of finding a permanent solution, the agency, which was initially established to provide shelter, welfare and health services to some 750,000 Palestinians displaced when Israel was created in 1948, continues to add refugees. Today, it works with more than 5.9 million Palestinian refugees, descendants of the original group, in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, as well as in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. Women walk by a mural depicting the late Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in Ain el-Helweh, Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp, near the southern coastal city of Sidon Jan. 31, 2020. With clear evidence that individuals employed by UNRWA participated in the Oct. 7 atrocities against Israel, Israeli officials have been ramping up their calls to disband the agency and create a new entity to help Palestinian refugees or have them fall under the broader UNHCR umbrella. "The world has a legal obligation under international law to protect Palestinian civilians from forced displacement, indiscriminate harm, collective punishment and atrocity crimes," Jeremy Konyndyk, president of U.S.-based Refugees International, told Fox News Digital. URBAN WARFARE EXPERT SAYS ISRAELI MILITARY TAKING UNPRECEDENTED STEPS TO PROTECT GAZA CIVILIANS Smoke and flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza Strip, Gaza, Nov. 2, 2023. Konyndyk said few countries were likely to help Gazans leave without a credible guarantee they would be able to return to the Strip one day. "No country in the region wants to be seen as facilitating ethnic cleansing, which would be the perception in many countries," Konyndyk said. "The goal of providing refuge for people fleeing extreme violence should not be permanent relocation but to provide temporary protection until conflict ends. "There is very little trust that the Israeli government would eventually allow displaced Palestinians to return to Gaza, hence the lack of enthusiasm for taking in Palestinian refugees from this conflict." A senior Israeli government official told Fox News Digital that claims of ethnic cleansing by Israel in Gaza were false and hypocritical. "In every situation of war and conflict there are people who wish to leave," said the official, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the situation. "We saw it in Syria and in Ukraine, but only in Gaza the refugee organizations are unwilling to give people who want to move out the option." "Palestinians are the only people in the world where relocation is not even considered," the official said. "I am sure there are many in Gaza who would be willing to start a new life somewhere else." The official pointed to around 1,000 Gazans with relatives in Canada who were recently given safe haven there and are already starting a new life. "More countries could offer that to the people in Gaza, but instead the majority will stay there, with the world stopping them from leaving," said the government official, who also rejected claims refugees from the Strip would not eventually be able to return once the war ends. "Egypt is the one that controls the border with the Gaza Strip, not Israel, so no one will block them from returning home whenever they want to," the official said. Original article source: World, UN signal no exit for civilians caught up in Gaza war: 'Politically toxic' The 2024 Brit Awards ceremony kicked off with a surprise appearance from former postmistress Jo Hamilton who was impacted by the Horizon scandal. The biggest night in British music took place on Saturday night (2 March)at the O2 Arena in London, where artists were honoured for their achievements this past year. Dua Lipa, Rob Beckett, and Ellie Goulding were among the celebrities who made their way across the red carpet ahead of the star-studded ceremony, which was hosted by Love Islands Maya Jama and Clara Amfo. You can find a full list of winners here, and follow along with all the latest updates from the event at The Independents live-blog here. The honour of presenting the first award of the night, for Best Song, was given to former postmistress Jo Hamilton and actor Monica Dolan, who played Hamilton in ITVs Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The pair were welcomed on stage by Amfo, who asked the audience to show their love to them both. I just want to thank everybody in the country literally for the love and support theyve given the postmasters, said Hamilton. Please could you keep on supporting us, she continued. Because in spite of what the government says, they are not paying the postmasters. Thank you. (ITV) Hamilton is one of hundreds of subpostmasters and postmistresses who were falsely convicted of offences including theft, false accounting, and fraud in the Post Office scandal. More than 700 branch managers around the UK were prosecuted by the Post Office between 1999 and 2015 when the faulty Horizon accounting software led to false accusations of stolen money from their shops. Their campaign for justice was thrust into the spotlight last year, with the series sparking public outrage. Last week, Alan Bates who was played by Toby Jones in the series, and who led the campaign for justice told MPs that he can see no end to the scandal, as the government admitted that it was still failing to meet its own targets on payouts. Bates, who previously rejected an initial cruel offer of compensation, said that the government should get on and pay people. Alan Bates (Lucy North/PA Wire) He added: Its very disappointing and this has been going on for years, as you well know, and I cant see any end to it. Last week, it was also announced that hundreds of postmasters will have their names cleared under new legislation unveiled by the government. The new law will come into effect by the end of July and follows prime minister Rishi Sunaks announcement earlier this year that convictions would be quashed. At the time, Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake said the unprecedented intervention will deliver long overdue justice to postmasters. On stage at the Brits, Dolan and Hamilton presented the award for Best Song to R&B artist RAYE for her track Escapism with 070 Shake. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A former math teacher at Eastwood High School has been arrested and charged with having an improper relationship with a student, according to El Paso Police and the Ysleta Independent School District. Police said that 33-year-old Ryan Anthony Avalos was arrested and charged with improper relationship between an educator and a student on Friday, March 1. The Ysleta ISD confirmed that Avalos is a former math teacher at Eastwood and he hasnt been employed by the district since Jan. 30. Police said the victim was an 18-year-old female. According to El Paso Police, an El Paso police school resource officer was contacted by school officials in January and was advised about the victim having a relationship with Avalos. Police did not say what school Avalos worked for but did say he was employed by Ysleta ISD at the time of the alleged incident. The Police Departments Crimes Against Children unit began to investigate the allegations. During the investigation, it was learned that Avalos had started a relationship with the victim in early November of last year. Avalos was booked into El Paso County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond. Here is the full statement sent to KTSM by Ysleta ISD: The Ysleta Independent School District can confirm that Ryan Anthony Avalos, a former math teacher at Eastwood High School, is no longer a district employee effective Jan. 30, 2024. Due to confidentiality laws, no other details can be released. However, we want to reassure the public that Ysleta ISD follows policy on all personnel matters and will continue working closely with local law enforcement authorities throughout their investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. More than 90 rescuers were working to pull people from the rubble in Odesa, Ukraine's emergency services said (Oleksandr GIMANOV) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday called on the West to rapidly deliver more air-defence systems as a wave of Russian missile, drone and artillery strikes killed at least 11 people. Eight were confirmed dead, including a child and a baby, after an overnight drone strike on the southern port city of Odesa, a regional official said. Separate shelling attacks on the frontline regions of Kharkiv in the northeast and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south killed another three people, Ukrainian officials said. "Russia continues to hit civilians," Zelensky said in a post on social media. "We need more air defences from our partners. We need to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield to add more protection for our people from Russian terror. More air-defence systems and more missiles for air-defence systems save lives." Ukraine is currently on the back foot in the two-year war as a crucial $60 billion aid package is held up in the United States Congress. In Odesa, "a nine-storey building was destroyed as a result of an attack by Russian terrorists", Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said in a Telegram post Saturday. Around 10 people were still unaccounted for, with almost 100 rescuers set to continue a search and rescue operation overnight. Footage from the scene showed several floors of a residential building collapsed and its facade ripped off. Ukraine's air force said falling debris from Russian drones it had shot down fell onto residential buildings in both Odesa and Kharkiv. - 'Difficult situation' - The attacks came as Russia sought to press its advantage on the battlefield. Kyiv has acknowledged that it is heavily outgunned and outnumbered, facing ammunition shortages and aid delays. Half of all promised Western ammunition arrives late, the defence minister has said. Russian forces have advanced westwards following last month's capture of the key eastern town of Avdiivka, seizing several small villages in recent days. Visiting frontline military posts on Saturday, Ukraine's new Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said "the situation at the front remains difficult, but controlled". Kyiv appeared to have launched its own overnight drone attack, with the Russian defence ministry claiming early on Sunday to have shot down 38 drones over the occupied territory of Crimea. An apparent Ukrainian drone also damaged a residential building a day earlier in Saint Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city. Videos on Russian social media showed what appeared to be a drone spiralling downwards into the building, triggering an explosion that blew out windows and caused small fires. The city's National Guard division said its preliminary assumption was that the damage was caused by a "falling drone". Ukrainian media reported that the drone was shot down by Russia's air defences while targeting an oil depot around a kilometre from the crash site. Kyiv has hit several Russian oil facilities in recent months in what it has called fair retribution for Moscow's attacks on Ukraine's power grid. Russia's Investigative Committee said separately that four of its officials had been wounded when a Ukrainian drone dropped explosives over the Bryansk border region. Russia also expressed outrage at a leak of confidential German army talks in which officers allegedly discussed missile strikes on the annexed Crimean peninsula. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday promised a full investigation after the head of Russia's state-run RT outlet posted the alleged leaked recording on social media. A spokeswoman for the German defence ministry confirmed on Saturday that a secret air force conversation had been tapped, but that they could not say for certain whether any changes had been made to the conversation in the leaked audio file. Russia's foreign ministry demanded a "prompt" explanation from Berlin, while Moscow's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov said it showed Ukraine's European backers were intent on inflicting a "strategic defeat" on Russia on the battlefield. bur-jc/js/jj/smw/dhw Russian drone destroys the entrance of a nine-story building in Odesa Following another attack by Russian drones, Ukraine needs more air defense systems and missiles from its partners, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram on March 2. President posted a video of the aftermath of the Russian attack on Odesa, where at least four people were killed in the rubble of a residential building. Zelenskyy noted that Russia continues to fight civilians. A night attack by the Shaheds (suicide UAVs): Kharkiv, Odesa, cities of Sumy Oblast, he wrote. Read also: Survivor pulled from rubble after Russian drone hits Odesa high-rise One of the enemy drones hit a residential building in Odesa. 18 apartments were destroyed. So far, four people have been killed and eight others injured, including a child. My condolences to the families and friends of the victims. He added that the search and rescue operation is ongoing and thanked everyone involved in the rescue. He also appealed to partners. We need more air defense from our partners, Zelenskyy stated. We need to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield to add protection to our people from Russian terror. More air defense systems, more missiles for air defense is what saves lives. Read also: Odesa and oblast mourn victims of Russian night attack on high-rise building In Odesa, during a night attack on March 2, a Russian drone hit a nine-story building, destroying one of the entrances. At least four people were killed and eight wounded. A four-year-old boy was among the dead. One more person was killed in a nighttime drone strike in Kharkiv Oblast. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that delays in sending weapons and air defence systems to Ukraine is resulting in civilian casualties, including among children. Source: President Zelenskyys video address Quote from Zelenskyy: "The world knows what systems can be deployed to defy terrorism. The world has enough missile defence systems, systems that can be used to protect [Ukraine] against Shahed drones and missiles. Sadly, delaying the supply of weapons and of missile defence systems to Ukraine so that we can protect our people leads to losses and to the fact that the list of children whose lives Russia has taken is constantly growing. Ukraine asked for nothing more than what is necessary to protect lives. When lives are lost, and partners are simply playing internal political games or engaging in disputes that limit our defence capability, it's impossible for us to understand. It's unacceptable. And it will be impossible to forget the world will remember this." Details: Zelenskyy shared some information about the children who were killed or injured in the Russian overnight Shahed drone attack on an apartment building in Odesa. "As of now, seven people are known to have been killed [in the attack], including two children. Tymofii, a four-months old boy, and another little boy, Mark, who was barely three Eight people sustained injuries, including another child, a three-year-old girl," Zelenskyy said. He stressed that attacks such as these have no military grounds. "This is pure terror, whose goal it is only to destroy lives, only to make people afraid," Zelenskyy said. Background: Part of a multi-storey building collapsed in the city of Odesa on the night of 1-2 March due to a Russian Shahed drone attack. Eighteen flats were destroyed and another seven damaged. Seven civilians, including two children, were killed in the attack. Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on partners to provide additional air defence systems and missiles for Ukraine after a Russian attack on Odesa on the night of 1-2 March, when at least two people were killed. Source: Zelenskyy on Facebook Quote from Zelenskyy: "Russia continues to fight civilians. [There was] a night attack with Shahed attack drones on Kharkiv, Odesa and the cities of Sumy Oblast. One of the enemy drones hit a residential building in Odesa. 18 apartments were destroyed. So far, two people have been killed and eight others injured, including a child. My condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed. We need more air defence from our partners. We need to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield to add protection for our people from Russian terror. More air defence systems and more missiles for air defence systems is what saves lives." Background: On the night of 1-2 March, two people were killed, civilians were wounded and residential high-rise buildings were damaged in Odesa as a result of the Russian drone attack. Support UP or become our patron! What you need to know After being teased at a Galaxy Unpacked event, the Galaxy Ring was officially showcased at MWC 2024. The Galaxy ring will be Samsungs first attempt at a smart ring and will compete against the likes of the Oura Ring. A definitive release date is yet to be confirmed by Samsung, but it is likely to be later this year. After finally giving us a close-up look at the Galaxy Ring at MWC, we confirmed several new details about Samsung's device, which is set to compete with other smart rings such as the Oura Ring. And while we were able to get a look at the style and colors the new ring will offer, as well as a few other insights, theres still plenty of information Samsung has yet to confirm. It appears that one mystery may have been solved thanks to recent briefings given to Korean news outlets. According to those reports (via Android Authority) the Galaxy Ring looks like it will last over a week between charges. According to the Korean outlet Financial News, Dr Hon Pak, head of the digital health team at Samsung, told reporters at a briefing that the Galaxy Ring battery lasts for about five to nine days. This was echoed in a report by TechM, which quotes Samsung Electronics President Roh Tae-moon as saying,it [the Galaxy Ring] can be used without the need for recharge for up to nine days. A trio of Samsung Galaxy Rings According to a report from CNET, the Galaxy Ring battery will vary in size depending on the size of the ring itself. According to that report, the smallest Galaxy Ring will have a 14.5 mAh capacity, while the largest will have a 21.5 mAh battery. It isnt clear, however, exactly how that will translate into real-life battery performance, although it might indicate that a smaller Galaxy Ring will be closer to five days than nine, and vice versa for a larger ring. Five to nine days would put the Galaxy Ring firmly in line with, or slightly ahead of, other smart rings. The Oura Ring claims a battery life of up to seven days, while the Ultrahuman Ring lasts four to six days between charges. While we dont yet know for certain how long the battery life will be, it appears we wont have to wait too long to find out. A Galaxy Ring teaser from earlier this year seemed to hint at a release in the second half of 2024, while another report from Korea points to a release in the second half of this year. We contacted Samsung to seek verification of these claims. They simply said, it's still under development and not final. Looking to Save on Stanleys? Check out These 9 Tips Buc-ees, the travel center said to offer a Disney World experience to those in need of bathroom breaks, snacks and refills, has filed an application to open a store in Stafford County. Its near the Embrey Mill subdivision, on the east side of Austin Ridge Drive between Courthouse Road and Shields Road. Buc-ees needs a conditional use permit from the county to build a convenience travel center with fuel stations on a 36-acre site in the Garrisonville District. The permit requires various mandatory reviews, and the fees associated with them, totaling almost $15,000, have not been paid yet, according to the county website. While Buc-ees with its red-hat wearing beaver isnt exactly a household name in Virginia, its a well-known stop along the roadside in Texas, where the chain originated. Founded in 1982, Buc-ees has 34 stores in the Lone Star state and 13 centers throughout the rest of the South. It seems to have a Texas-sized reputation, both for its footprint and how clean it is. Billboards out West apparently claim their restrooms are so clean, we leave mints in the urinals. Others boast that Buc-ees overbite is sexy and encourage travelers to risk it for the brisket. A story in The Nashville Ledger noted its offerings for hungry nomads, including: A wall of beef jerky. Yards of homemade fudge. A bakery that features Texas kolaches (picture a giant pig in a blanket). Hot-roasted sugared nuts. Hand-cut fried potato chips. And rows and rows and rows of bagged snacks, including the exclusive Beaver Nuggets and all the gummies the world has ever known. It also offers everything from coolers and clothes to souvenirs and toys. Bucees, considered by many as offering a road side Disney World Experience, boasts the nations largest convenience store footprint and was ranked No. 1 by Forbes Magazine in their Customer Experience All Stars List for 2023, beating out Chick Fil-A for the top spot, according to the S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. website. Nusbaum was writing about Buc-ees in June after the company purchased 28 acres off Interstate 81 in Rockingham County for Virginias first Buc-ees. Gov. Glenn Youngkin attended groundbreaking ceremonies in January for the supercenter which will consist of about 74,000 square feet of retail space, with multiple fueling positions and EV chargers, and abundant parking for cars, buses and RVs. It will employ about 200 people and open in mid-2025, according to the Virginia Business website. Buc-ees also has purchased land in New Kent County and plans to open four Virginia locations, according to Virginia Business. Push for WA Democrats to vote uncommitted instead of for Biden in March 12 primary picks up steam If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. The two Prince William County men shot outside a Spotsylvania convenience store Wednesday night were on their way to a job site when they stopped to get gas, police said. They later told police that they were confronted at the Thornburg Sheetz by a driver they had noticed following them as they left southbound Interstate 95. After asking them questions about their Hispanic heritage and how long theyd been in the country, court records state that the shooter fired one shot into one victims abdomen while the other man was shot three times, twice in the abdomen and once in the arm. Police said the shootings were unprovoked. Both men, ages 29 and 45, remained in critical condition Friday, Spotsylvania Sheriffs Maj. Troy Skebo said. The man accused of shooting them, 57-year-old Douglas Wayne Cornett of Ruther Glen, is charged with two counts of aggravated malicious wounding and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. Police said more charges are being considered. Court records show that police believe that Cornett, who is white, attacked the two victims primarily because they are Hispanic. Skebo said the victims reported seeing the suspects Honda SUV trailing them as they headed south on I-95. The SUV continued following them as they left the interstate at the Thornburg exit. They stopped at one store before pulling into the nearby Sheetz. According to an affidavit for a search warrant filed in Caroline Circuit Court, camera footage from Sheetz showed the SUV following the victims box truck as it entered the parking lot. The Honda driver, later identified by police as Cornett, is seen pulling next to the passengers side of the box truck and saying something to the victims. The SUV then parked by the store entrance and waited for a few minutes. The affidavit states that the Honda driver then pulled back to the passengers side of the truck and again began saying something to the occupants. He then pulled around the fuel pumps to the drivers side and more words were exchanged. A short time later, the camera showed both victims and a Sheetz employee running as shots were being fired. Both victims were limping as they ran to the grassy area of the median. Detective S.A. Norris wrote that police were able to get a description of the suspect and the license plate of a 2004 Honda SUV that is registered to Cornett. They went to his home in the 25000 block of Hunter Lane in Caroline and saw the vehicle parked in the driveway. They found a judge to approve the issuance of a search warrant for Cornetts home and property. Norris wrote that police did not want to wait until later that morning because they believed this was a racially motivated shooting and feared the suspect might leave the home and commit more violence against minorities. The Caroline Sheriffs Office assisted in the search and subsequent arrest. Among the items seized from Cornetts residence were his vehicle, a Sig P320 gun, magazines, seven rounds, two cartridges, clothing, three Confederate flags and two phones. Cornett was arraigned Thursday in Spotsylvania General District Court, where a preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 15. The Public Defenders Office was appointed to represent him. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. City officials will celebrate FredericksburgGhana Friendship Day on Wednesday, with various events and displays downtown in honor of Ghanas Independence Day and the many bonds local residents share with the African country. The public is invited to the celebration, from noon to 2 p.m. at Fredericksburg Market Square. In the event of bad weather, activities will move to St. Georges Church. Fredericksburg Mayor Kerry Devine will present a proclamation to delegates from the Ghana embassy in the United States, including Francis Gborglah, head of chancery; Brig. Gen. Abdulai Mahama, defense, naval and military attache; and George Kwasi Bright, social secretary. The event will include tasting of Ghanian food supplied by Michael Carter Jr., who leads the sistercity initiative between Fredericksburg and Princes Town, Ghana. Hes an Orange County farmer well-versed in africulture, which focuses on the principles, practices, plants and people of African descent. Other committee members will display artifacts, clothing, paintings and Kente cloth from their own collections. Tema Choir USA will sing the national anthems of both countries; slides will show life in Princes Town and at Fort Fredericksburg, where more than 300,000 Africans were transported during the Transatlantic slave trade; and displays will depict key moments in Ghanaian history, including the sistercity relationship that started in 2006. Fredericksburg resident Pamela Bridgewater, former ambassador to Ghana, will have displays showing key events during her tenure. She said Ghanas Independence Day is an ideal time for Fredericksburg to acknowledge the growing number of residents of our city who were born in Ghana and are now living as partners, friends and valued members of our city and surrounding communities. Paula Royster, a historian and author who initially explored a relationship between the two cities, said the common bonds run deep. Not only is the relationship a historic first in Virginia, she said, but there also is ample evidence that more than 10,000 Africans arrived directly at Fredericksburg docks from many nations, including Ghana. As evidence of such, she said that the cowry shell, Ghanas official currency, was found during an archeological dig at Ferry Farm in Stafford County. The relationship with Princes Town has deep historical meaning for the City of Fredericksburg and the people of Princes Town, Royster said. After several visits in recent years between officials in the two cities, Fredericksburg members considered holding a Kundum, a harvest festival similar to whats held in Princes Town. Then Bridgewater proposed the Friendship celebration to honor Ghana becoming the first country in the sub-Saharan to gain its independence. That happened on March 6, 1957. Carter believes the momentous occasion should be celebrated in both cities as our roots are connected and interconnected in both oppression and freedom. A foreign national from Spain was reportedly gang raped in the Dumka district of Jharkhand on Friday. The incident took place in the Kurumahat area within the jurisdiction of Hansdiha police station, 300 km from the state capital of Ranchi. According to the Sub Divisional Police Officer of Jarmundi, Santosh Kumar, the alleged assault occurred on Friday night while a tourist couple from Spain was spending the night in a makeshift tent. According to reports, the victim has been hospitalised locally. Anukuran Purty, Superintendent of Phulo Jhano Medical College, told ANI that while the confirmation of rape is yet to be established, the examination of external injuries has been concluded. Definite conclusions can only be drawn after assessing internal injuries. Purty added, "She is now out of danger. Age determination and the formation of a committee will follow." An official source, speaking anonymously, mentioned that seven to eight youths from the local area were implicated in the incident. The official stated that three individuals have been arrested, and efforts are underway to locate the others involved. Expressing sadness over the situation, Congress leader Amba Prasad told PTI, "Our government will not spare the culprit and will take stringent actions against them." According to available information, the couple had travelled from Bangladesh to Dumka on a two-wheeler and were en route to Bihar and eventually Nepal. PM Expressed Concerns On declining law and order In Jharkhand Coincidentally, the purported crime took place on the same day that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jharkhand and expressed grave concerns about the worsening law and order situation and extortion activities in the state. PM, during his public address on Friday, called out the dynasty-led and appeasement politics of the governing authorities in the region. He accused the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) of being heavily involved in corruption and claimed that their appeasement policies had led to increased infiltration. The PM remarked, "JMM, in my view, stands for 'Jam Kar Khao' (feast as much as you can). There is a noticeable rise in appeasement; extortion is at its pinnacle, and law and order have taken a back seat," he added. New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday declared its first list of 195 candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, with Bansuri Swaraj, the daughter of late former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, getting the ticket from the New Delhi seat. Bansuri Swaraj will make her electoral debut in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. She had formally joined active politics in March 2023, when she was appointed as the co-convener of the BJP Delhi State Legal Cell. She said that she had been assisting the party in legal matters even before that. The BJP announced the list of candidates even before the election dates were announced, hoping to gain a huge first-mover advantage in its quest to win 370 seats in the Lok Sabha. The list features the partys top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will seek re-election from Varanasi for the third time, and Home Minister Amit Shah, who will contest again from Gandhinagar in Gujarat. Who Is Bansuri Swaraj? Bansuri Swaraj is a lawyer with expertise in legal procedures. She completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature from the University of Warwick and her law degree from BPP Law School in London. She also became a Barrister at Law and obtained her Master of Studies from the University of Oxford. In her professional career, Bansuri Swaraj has handled high-profile clients in complex litigation across various judicial platforms. She has resolved disputes related to contracts, real estate, tax, international commercial arbitrations, as well as several criminal trials. Bansuri Swaraj has also been designated as the Additional Advocate General for the State of Haryana while maintaining her private practice. Bansuri Swaraj grabbed the headlines last year when she slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023. During a press conference in the national capital, she described the AAP government as jhagdalu (quarrelsome) and nikammi (useless), accusing them of being ineffective since 2015. She praised President Droupadi Murmu for passing the Bill, expressing confidence that the administration in Delhi would now function in accordance with the law. Her mother, Sushma Swaraj, died at the age of 67 due to a cardiac arrest in 2019. She was the External Affairs Minister in the previous BJP-led government. She was also the first woman Chief Minister of Delhi for a short span in 1998. New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday declared its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking re-election from Varanasi. The list also featured 34 Union ministers, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani. The list also had two former chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh) and Biplab Deb (Tripura) and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who will contest again from Kota in Rajasthan. Chouhan will fight from Vidisha and Deb from Tripura West. Other prominent names in the list are Union ministers Mansukh Mandaviya, Jitendra Singh, Sarbananda Sonowal, Gajendra Shekhawat, Bhupender Yadav, G Kishan Reddy, Kiren Rijiju, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Arjun Munda. BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde, who announced the list, said the party is confident of forming the government for the third time under Modis leadership with a bigger mandate. He also said the party is working to expand its presence across various states and strengthen the National Democratic Alliance. The list has 28 women and 47 young leaders, he said. The names announced include those for 51 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 20 in West Bengal and five in Delhi. The list saw major changes for Delhi with Ramesh Bidhuri, Parvesh Verma, Meenakshi Lekhi and Harsh Vardhan being dropped from their seats, while Sadhvi Pragya Thakur was also dropped from her Bhopal seat. Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of the late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, will make her electoral debut from the New Delhi seat, Kamaljeet Sehrawat will fight from West Delhi, MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri from South Delhi, Praveen Khadelwal from Chandni Chowk, while Manoj Tiwari has been retained from the North East Delhi seat. Besides Lekhi, John Barla is another Union minister who has been dropped from their seat. Bhojpuri singer and actor Pawan Singh has been fielded from Asansol in West Bengal. In Uttar Pradesh, the party has fielded former BSP MP Ritesh Pandey from Ambedkar Nagar Lok Sabha seat, while Hema Malini, Ravi Kishan, Ajay Mishra Teni, Mahesh Sharma, SPS Baghel and Sakshi Maharaj are among those being repeated from their seats. In Jharkhand, former Congress MP Geeta Koda has been fielded from Singhbhum (ST reserved). Modi has set a target for the BJP to win at least 370 seats on its own in this Lok Sabha election and more than 400 for the NDA. The Election Commission is expected to announce the poll schedule later this month and the elections are likely to be held in April-May. The BJP had won 303 seats in 2019 polls but currently it has 290 members in Lok Sabha, the number decreasing for various reasons including due to some MPs recently resigning after winning assembly polls. The BJPs Central Election Committee (CEC) had met for over five hours on Thursday night and deliberated on names for their first list. The CEC members, which included Modi, partys national president J P Nadda and Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, had discussed the probables for states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa and Uttarakhand among others to finalise the nominees. Before that, Shah and Nadda had met Modi at his residence to hold consultations. The next CEC meeting is expected to be held next week to discuss further names. Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, pledged his eternal loyalty to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Saturday. He made this vow while addressing the inauguration ceremony of projects worth Rs 21,400 crore in Aurangabad district, which was presided over by Modi. He said, I have no doubt that the NDA alliance will secure more than 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. I promise the PM that I will stay with the NDA for life. Kumar had ditched the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan and rejoined his old partner BJP last month. He said, We are honoured to have you (the PM) in Bihar. Bihar is witnessing a lot of progress. I am sure that things will speed up now and Bihar will achieve new levels of development. The people of Bihar will feel more prosperous and empowered. "...You (PM Modi) had come earlier as well, 'par idhar hum gayab ho gaye the. Hum phir aapke saath hai.' I assure you that I will not go here and there. 'Hum rahenge aap hi ke saath', Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said while addressing the crowd. Prime Minister Narendra Modi fired fresh jibes at the Mahagathbandhan alliance, specifically targeting the Rastriya Janata Dal (RJD) party for instilling fear in the people of Bihar. Speaking at a public meeting in Aurangabad, he labeled the party as 'maa-baap ki sarkaar'. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also attended the event. "Earlier generations in Bihar lived in fear, were forced to migrate out of the state; that era must not return," PM Modi said while addressing the crowd. He also unveiled development projects valued at over Rs 21,400 crore in the state. Prime Minister Modi strongly criticised the dynastic politics within the RJD, asserting that with the strengthening of the NDA, the current leaders hesitate to acknowledge the achievements of their parents. He highlighted the irony that those who once instilled fear in others are now reluctant to participate in public elections. I have heard that their party leaders are not ready to contest Lok Sabha elections. They are now looking for Rajya Sabha seats," he added. VIDEO | "Politics of familism is waning in Bihar after NDA was strengthened. The problem with politics of familism is that you inherit party and chair, however, you don't have the courage to mention about the work done by 'maa-baap ki sarkar'. I have heard that senior leaders of pic.twitter.com/07yievlnTf Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 2, 2024 PM Modi recalled the glorious past of Bihar, saying that a few days ago, Karpoori Thakur was conferred with Bharat Ratna Awards. He further said that this is the land of Goddess Sita. "Bihar will develop only with the poor of the state's progress...Therefore, our government is focused on increasing the capacity of every poor, Dalit, Adivasi, and deprived...," he added. During his Bihar visit, PM unveiled the projects at an official function in Ratanwa village. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Governor Rajendra V Arlekar, Deputy CMs Samat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several Union ministers were among those present at the programme. PMs visit to the state has come at a time when Bihars political landscape has just recovered from a significant shift, since NItish Kumar sworn in as Chief Minister for the ninth time as he moved from an alliance with RJD to being allys with the BJP. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress party in West Bengal on Saturday. Addressing the public in Krishnagar, PM Modi stated that the TMC's priority is not the development of the state but corruption and nepotism. Further criticizing the party, PM Modi expressed that the TMC has disappointed the people of West Bengal and betrayed those who consistently voted for the party. "The way TMC is working here, they have disappointed the people of West Bengal. People have continuously voted for TMC but this party has become another name for atrocities and betrayal," the prime minister said. #WATCH | At Krishnanagar, West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "The way TMC is working here, they have disappointed the people of West Bengal. People have continuously voted for TMC but this party has become another name for atrocities and betrayal. For TMC, the pic.twitter.com/19rnyHystu ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2024 "For TMC, the priority is not the development of Bengal, but corruption, nepotism and betrayal. TMC wants to keep the people of Bengal poor so that its politics and game continues...," PM Modi said. 'Open Persmission To Goons, Mafias Of TMC In West Bengal': PM Modi The Prime Minister also criticized the ruling party for obstructing the construction of AIIMS Kalyani and questioning over permissions from the green tribunal. He remarked that the same party, which openly allows hooliganism by goons and land mafias, is now hindering the construction of a hospital by demanding environmental permissions. "I recently inaugurated AIIMS in Kalyani of Nadia district via video conferencing. However, the West Bengal government has raised concerns about the construction of Kalyani AIIMS, questioning why permission wasn't obtained," said PM. #WATCH | At Krishnanagar, West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "AIIMS was inaugurated by me via video conferencing in Kalyani of Nadia district a few days ago, but the West Bengal government has a problem with the construction of Kalyani AIIMS, they are asking why was pic.twitter.com/1K7G1tDnuy ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2024 "In West Bengal, TMC's goons and land mafias have been given free rein for hooliganism, yet the TMC government is creating obstacles when it comes to environmental permissions," added PM Modi. New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday during his visit to the state, where he will inaugurate multiple development projects. Ahead of Banerjee's meeting with PM Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Dilip Ghosh criticized the West Bengal CM, noting that during the PM's last visit to the state, she did not engage in conversation with him and questioned her motives for this meeting. Commenting on Mamata Banerjee efforts on multiple fronts to salvage her party's standing Ghosh said, she failed to align with the INDIA bloc and didn't find common ground with the Congress. Now, she's attempting to seek assistance from PM as Shahjahan Sheikh comes under scrutiny from the Enforcement Directorate intensifies, and her party faces internal disarray. "Mamata Banerjee is in trouble today, that is why she is running everywhere... She is not getting along with Congress, she is doing a lot to save the party and the leaders... #WATCH | Kharagpur, West Medinipur: On Mamata Banerjee's meeting with PM Modi, BJP MP Dilip Ghosh said, "Mamata Banerjee is in trouble today, that is why she is running everywhere... She is not getting along with Congress, she is doing a lot to save the party and the pic.twitter.com/FUwQ9hNptm ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2024 "Last time the Prime Minister came here, she did not talk about anything. What is the compulsion today? Leaders like Shahjahan Sheikh are slowly coming under the vigil of ED and the party is falling apart. That's why she must have gone to make a request to the Prime Minister...," said Dilip Ghosh PM Modi's Visit To West Bengal Prime Modi will inaugurate, lay the foundation stone of and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth crores in West Bengal and Bihar on Saturday. The Prime Minister who is on a two-day visit to three states, reached West Bengal's Arambagh on Friday afternoon where he launched several development projects and addressed a rally in Hooghly. On Saturday, at around 10.30 am, the Prime Minister will reach Krishnanagar, Nadia district, West Bengal, where he will inaugurate, dedicate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth Rs 15,000 crore. New Delhi: The National Capital Region (NCR), including Delhi, experienced a rainy start to Saturday. Light rainfall was observed in Delhi and its neighboring areas during the early hours of Saturday morning. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted additional downpour over the next two days. The Meteorological Department has issued a weather warning for the Western Himalayan Region, predicting fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning until March 3, 2024. Delhi Weather Update According to IMD's weather bulletin, scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds ranging from 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph, is expected over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi. #WATCH | Delhi: National capital witnesses sudden change in weather; received light rainfall. (Visuals from the Greater Kailash area) pic.twitter.com/ZVFXuppGTB ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2024 Isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall is likely over Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and north Madhya Pradesh on March 2 and 3, stated the met department. IMD's Rain Alert For Bihar Jharkhand Light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is likely over several regions, including Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha today. According to IMD, rainfall is also expected over Chhattisgarh during March 2nd to 5th; Bihar, Jharkhand, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim during March 2nd to 4th; Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha on March 3rd & 4th, 2024. Additionally, isolated hailstorms are expected over specific areas during this period. IMD Predicts Heavy Snowfall In Himachal, Jammu And Kashmir In specific regions, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall or snowfall is anticipated over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand on March 1st and 2nd. Punjab is likely to experience heavy rainfall on March 2nd, 2024. Hailstrom Alert For Uttar Pradesh Rajasthan, Punjab And Other States On March 2nd, hailstorms are expected over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, West Uttar Pradesh, north Madhya Pradesh, and East Rajasthan, while on March 2nd, it's likely over East Uttar Pradesh. Heavy Rainfall To Lash Arunachal, Sikkim, Predicts IMD A cyclonic circulation over Northeast Assam, along with the eastward movement of the current Western Disturbance, will bring isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall/snowfall over Arunachal Pradesh for the next 7 days. Isolated heavy rainfall/snowfall is likely over Arunachal Pradesh on March 4th and over Sikkim on March 3rd, 2024, stated IMD. Furthermore, isolated light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is anticipated over Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during March 3rd-6th, 2024. New Delhi: Taking a strong view of Google pulling out some apps from its Play Store, the government on Saturday said delisting of Indian apps cannot be permitted and that the tech company and the startups concerned have been called for a meeting next week. In an interview to PTI, IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the startup ecosystem is key to the Indian economy and their fate cannot be left to any big tech to decide. The minister's comments assume significance as Google on Friday began removing some apps, including popular matrimony apps, from its Play Store in India over a dispute on service fee payments, even as apps and well-known startup founders cried foul. (Also Read: Google Responds To Criticism By Reinstating Shaadi.com, Naukri, And Other Apps On Play Store) Taking a serious view of the issue, Vaishnaw said: "India is very clear, our policy is very clear...our startups will get the protection that they need." The minister said the government will be meeting Google and app developers who have been delisted, next week, to resolve the dispute. (Also Read: Google Faces Backlash For Removing Indian Apps From Play Store Amid Fee Dispute) "I have already called Google...I have already called the app developers who have been delisted, we will be meeting them next week. This cannot be permitted..This kind of delisting cannot be permitted," Vaishnaw asserted. Stating that India has built a strong startup ecosystem of over one lakh startups, and more than 100 unicorns from scratch in a matter of 10 years, the minister said the energy of youth and entrepreneurs must be channelised fully and "cannot be left to the policies of any big tech." "I will be telling Google...Our entrepreneurial energy...startups, look at the whole startup India programme, 10 years back we had practically nothing and today we have more than 1,00,000 startups, more than 100 unicorns...this is something...the energy of our youth, the energy of our entrepreneurs, energy of our talented people that has to be channelised fully well, it cannot be left to the policies of any big tech," Vaishnaw said. On Friday, Google said 10 companies in the country, including "many well-established" ones had avoided paying fees despite benefiting from the platform and Play Store, and proceeded to delist some apps. It did not name the firms but a search of Play Store on android phones did not give results for matrimonial apps such as Shaadi, Matrimony.com and Bharat Matrimony. Balaji Telefilms' Altt (formerly ALTBalaji), audio platform Kuku FM, dating service Quack Quack, Truly Madly also disappeared from Play Store. Separately , Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said he has been flagging the concerns around dominance of Google stifling competition and startups. The government, he said, has to find if the current issue "trespasses" into the "abuse and misuse" of dominance category. "I have raised concerns on the dominance of Google in the past, it controls more than 90 per cent of the app ecosystem in India, the fact that they are a vertically integrated large company, we are concerned that their dominance does stifle competitions and startups, and it can be misused against startups, and there are some legitimate concerns that the government has," Chandrasekhar said. The government and court has to look whether this particular incident trespasses into that territory of abuse and misuse, he added. The raging dispute is over Google imposing a fee of 11 to 26 per cent on in-app payments after anti-competition body CCI ordered scrapping of an earlier system of charging 15 to 30 per cent. Google went ahead to remove the apps not paying the fee after the Supreme Court did not provide interim relief to companies behind these apps in their battle against the search giant's app marketplace fee. While Bharat Matrimony founder Murugavel Janakiraman described the move as "dark day" for the Internet in India, Kuku FM Co-founder Vinod Kumar Meena in a statement had said that Google was behaving like a 'monopoly'. Quack Quack Founder Ravi Mittal said the company would comply with rules to get back on the marketplace. Google previously sent notices of Play Store violations to Matrimony.com, which runs app BharatMatrimony, and Info Edge, which runs a similar app, Jeevansathi. Info Edge (India) Ltd on Saturday said its apps, including naukri.com, 99 acres.com, and shiksha.com have been removed from Google Play Store but within hours stated that some of them have been restored. "Many of the Info Edge apps are back on the play store. An effort very well led by (company MD and CEO) Hitesh and the entire Info Edge team. People were up all night for this. Great crisis management," Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani said in a post on X. On Friday, Bikhchandani had emphasised on the need of an app store/ play store that is a part of Digital Public Infrastructure. "Indian companies will comply - for now. But what India needs is an App Store/ Play Store that is a part of Digital Public Infrastructure - like UPI and ONDC. The response needs to be strategic," he had said. Bikhchandani had claimed that Info Edge had cleared all pending Google invoices in a timely manner and was compliant with its policies. IAMAI - an industry association that represents some of the largest Indian startups as well as international firms - condemned the removal of apps and had urged Google to reinstate delisted apps. Area students selected for rural health program The University of Nebraska at Kearney is once again welcoming a record-breaking group of students into its signature health science program. A total of 72 high school seniors were recently accepted into the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP) for fall 2024. These students come from communities across the state and represent the future of rural health care in Nebraska. This years class is the programs largest-ever, surpassing the 56 students admitted in 2023. Its very promising and exciting to have such a highly talented group of students who are dedicated to practicing health care in rural Nebraska, said Peggy Abels, director of UNK Health Sciences. The KHOP program is an important part of the rural health initiatives on the UNK campus that are designed to alleviate the health care workforce shortages in our state. We look forward to working with these future Lopers as they prepare to serve their communities as health care professionals. A partnership between UNK and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, KHOP was launched in 2010 as a pipeline program designed to grow the states health care workforce by recruiting and training students from rural Nebraska who are committed to practicing in these communities as professionals. The program offers financial assistance, academic support and professional development opportunities, with many participants receiving full-tuition scholarships to attend UNK and guaranteed admission to UNMC. KHOP members can study in the fields of dental hygiene, dentistry, medical laboratory science, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant and radiography. Participants also receive a $3,000 room waiver through the KHOP Learning Community. A requirement for freshmen, the one-year residential learning community gives students a chance to explore various health care careers while receiving support and guidance as they transition to college. KHOP members meet with health care providers and tour medical facilities throughout the region, better preparing them for professional school and beyond. The following area students will start the Kearney Health Opportunities Program this fall: Fremont: Chloe Hemmer, physician assistant; Caleb Kirby, physical therapy. Yutan: Braxton Wentworth, physician assistant. Former Fremont Public Schools special education teacher and substitute teacher Steven J. Hansen filed candidate papers on Thursday, Feb. 29, seeking a seat on the FPS Board of Education. Steven Hansen is one of four total candidates for the FPS six-member board, joining incumbents Jon Ludvigsen, Todd Hansen and Pamela Murphy in the at-large election for three seats. Steven is not related to incumbent candidate Todd Hansen. A full-time teacher at FPS for two years and a substitute in the district for another five years, Steven Hansen said he is seeking to be elected for several reasons, chief among them the safety of students and staff following the Feb. 5 brawl at the Fremont Middle School as well as what he claims is a lack of pre-planning by district officials. Steven Hansen said he is also seeking a seat on the board to see if I could help make some changes, to district policies. He claimed that the administrative leadership team of the district has issues, which he feels are negatively hampering the effective management of the district and campuses. I think there is a lot of restructuring that is needed. The big one is accountability with the kids. More than anything, it is accountability, he said. At the Feb. 12 FPS board meeting the week after the large fight at the middle school, Steven Hansen was one of nearly a dozen people to speak during public comment about the incident, as well as the Feb. 8 false shooting scare at FMS that led to parents pulling hundreds of students from classes that day. He said that he has done informal investigating of the Feb. 5 brawl, and said hes been told by middle school staff members he did not want to identify that the fight was allegedly known about by school officials several days ahead of time. He believes if that was true, the brawl could have been prevented. Ive heard (from staff) that there was talk (by school officials) that the fight was happening two to three days before it happened. (The fight) needs to be dug into more, Steven Hansen said. The (district) follow-up afterward and response was adequate. But, I heard there were staff members that were injured, he said. I have watched videos of the fight, and in one of the videos, one of the staff members, it appeared, had their hair pulled and was injured. District officials and FMS Principal Todd Niehaus have denied anyone was injured in the brawl, and also contested claims that Fremont Police officers were required to break up the fight. From his experience at the district as a special education teacher as well as what he has allegedly been told by other school district officials, Steven claimed the fight on Feb. 5 was between rival groups of students from Mexico and others from Guatemala. In several interviews since the brawl, FPS officials and Superintendent Mark Shepard have declined to identify the students based on racial identity or national origin, but did admit that the brawl was between two rival groups of students, which had boiled over from prior disputes outside of district campuses. In his opinion, Steven said the students have been mislabeled as Hispanic or Latino, when the fight from what he claimed he has learned was based on the rivalries and cultural disputes between students from the two nations. Classifying the brawl as merely a Hispanic or Latino dispute was misleading and unfair, he said, because students from at least a dozen nations can claim both racial identities. From his knowledge, Steven claimed the fight was due to national differences that he believes must be addressed by district officials. (The fight) could have been a cultural thing. Some different cultures from that region just do not get along, Steven said. His main reason for seeking office is to, in part, lead an investigation into the brawl, but mainly to focus on ways to improve overall student safety on all FPS campuses. He also believes exploring the reasons why violence may erupt between any individual or groups of students that are in the district is critical to making safer campuses. A native Fremont resident, Steven said he was born and raised in the city and is a graduate of both Fremont High School as well as Midland University. He is married to his second wife the couple have been together 16 years and he has three daughters, two step sons and one step daughter. Steven described himself as a late bloomer in life, having gone back to college at Midland in his 40s and eventually graduating. In addition to his jobs at FPS schools, he has also worked as an EMT/paramedic for the former Fremont Volunteer Fire Department for 14 years and has been a special education teacher focused on troubled students at Brook Valley school in La Vista. The primary election is Tuesday, May 14, with the general election scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 5. Nebraskas top election official has ruled that voters will get to decide this year whether to repeal a law that gives taxpayer money for private school scholarships. But both Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen and state Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who authored the school choice law and sought to have the repeal effort kept off the ballot, acknowledge that the courts will likely ultimately decide if the repeal question makes it onto Novembers ballot. Evnen said in a news release late Thursday that he consulted state law and previous state attorney general opinions before concluding that the referendum question is legal and will appear on the November ballot unless otherwise ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction. Those behind the referendum effort lauded Evnen's decision. Nebraskans have been clear that they want to vote on the issue of diverting public tax dollars to fund private schools, said Nebraska State Education Association President Jenni Benson, who also serves on the board of the group that carried out the referendum petition effort last year. "State lawmakers also must respect voters on this issue and reject new legislative attempts to impose voucher schemes on Nebraska taxpayers. The conflict stems from Linehan's law passed last year allowing millions in state income tax to be diverted to organizations that grant private school tuition scholarships. That passage set up a battle between powerful education unions and heavily-funded conservative groups trying to make their mark on school policies following COVID-19 lockdowns and ongoing fights over transgender policies. Even before the bill was signed into law, a petition effort backed largely by public school unions and supporters was launched to ask Nebraska voters to repeal it. The effort collected nearly double the number of valid signatures needed to put the question on the November ballot, and Evnen approved the ballot measure in October. But in January, Linehan sent Evnen a letter backed by private practice attorneys asking him to declare the ballot initiative unconstitutional and pull it from Novembers ballot. The letter argued that the state constitution places the power of taxation solely in the hands of the Legislature. In denying the request, Evnen said he based his rejection on past opinions by the attorney general's office. Those opinions found that a referendum question can't be rejected only for frustrating the Legislature's taxation power. Instead, it must completely destroy the taxing authority of the Legislature, which the referendum question doesn't do, he said. But Evnen also acknowledged that Linehan's challenge raises substantive constitutional questions that are outside the purview of my office to consider. Such issues must be left for the courts to decide, he wrote. Linehan has said as much since sending the letter, acknowledging that however Evnen ruled on the ballot challenge, the side not favored would likely sue to reverse it. This will end up being left up to the state Supreme Court to decide, she said. Passage of the scholarship-funding law made Nebraska among the latest states to adopt a system that allows public money to fund scholarships or vouchers for private school tuition. Republicans around the country have been pushing private school scholarship funding for years and have seen a recent surge of success. Lawmakers in Iowa approved a similar law last year. In West Virginia, the state Supreme Court in 2022 upheld its school choice model that funds private school scholarships. The new school funding law does not appropriate taxpayer dollars directly toward private school vouchers. Instead, it allows businesses, individuals, estates and trusts to donate a portion of their owed state income tax. Businesses and individuals would be allowed to donate up to $100,000 per year, while estates and trusts could offer up to $1 million a year. The bill would allocate $25 million a year over the first two years starting in 2024, and up to $100 million annually thereafter to cover such donations. That dollar-for-dollar tax credit is money that would otherwise go into the states general revenue fund. Supporters of the scholarship program say it helps underprivileged students who have few other choices when they find themselves in an underperforming or toxic public school environment. Public school advocates counter that the act sends taxpayer dollars to private schools that are allowed under religious tenets to discriminate against LGBTQ+ students. After seven days of testimony, a Sarpy County jury deliberated for just over two hours before they found a Bellevue man guilty of the first-degree murders of his young children. Adam Price, 38, will receive an automatic minimum sentence of life in prison without parole when he is sentenced in May. The jury found that he intentionally and with premeditated malice smothered his 5-year-old daughter, Emily, and 3-year-old son, Theodore, to death before posing their bodies in their beds and fleeing from the state. The case was submitted to the jury shortly before 11:25 a.m. Thursday, and it returned a guilty verdict at 1:42 p.m. Deliberations were preceded by closing arguments from Sarpy County Deputy Attorney Gage Cobb and public defender Tom Strigenz on Thursday. Cobb portrayed Price as a man who planned his childrens deaths after his marriage failed. Strigenz sought to portray Price as a loving father broken up by his failed marriage. He also criticized many aspects of the law enforcement investigation, including the determination of cause of the childrens deaths, what items were submitted for evidence and how they were tested. This case is a tragedy, Strigenz said. Any time a child dies its tragic. At the time of the deaths, Price and the childrens mother, Mary Nielsen, were in the midst of divorce and custody proceedings. In February 2021, Price and Nielsen were granted joint legal and physical custody of their two children, according to court documents. They were ordered to alternate custody every week, and each party was to have phone or FaceTime visitation with the children every day the children were with the other party. Shes not breathing. Shes dead. The little boy is dead, too On May 10, 2021, Nielsen saw her children alive for the last time when she dropped them off to spend the week with Price. Nielsen was living in Illinois at the time and would meet Price at a halfway point in Iowa each week to exchange custody. When she couldnt get in touch with Price or her children via FaceTime on May 14 or 15, Nielsen twice called 911 to request a welfare check. Police went to the Bellevue home both times but said they lacked probable cause to enter. It was a friend of Nielsens, Morgan Clark, who walked into the unlocked home and found the bodies of Emily and Theodore on May 16. Clark, the first witness prosecutors called, cried throughout her testimony as she recalled finding the children and attempting CPR on Emily. A recording of her 911 call was played in court. Please, please send an ambulance, she had said to the dispatcher. Shes not breathing. Shes dead. The little boy is dead, too. Photos taken by investigators and published at trial showed Emily and Theodore tucked into their beds with closed eyes and purple lips. Emily was laying under a pink comforter with a stuffed giraffe tucked under her arm. Theodore was underneath a black and red blanket. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty Nielsen also testified, as did two priests Price visited in California after fleeing from the state. On May 16 the day of his arrest Price confessed to killing his children to a Roman Catholic priest in San Francisco, who then called police and waited with Price until they arrived. He was then extradited to Nebraska. Speaking with reporters after the verdict, Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov said he doesnt believe that the confession Price made set a new precedent for evidence submitted to the court. We just have to rely on what the conditions are, not only the rules that the priesthood (falls) under but also the rules and laws of the state, Polikov said. It was an interesting aspect. But I dont have any concerns. Strigenz told reporters Prices confession that helped lead to the guilty verdict could be the basis for an appeal. Strigenz also said his office is also looking at other issues related to the evidence. We knew it was a tough case. We put on a fantastic defense, he said. We understand the jury did what the jury did. Were still unpacking the jury result. Were going to have to talk to our client and see what the next steps are going to be. Strigenzs office had filed a motion last year seeking to not have Prices confession entered into evidence. But Sarpy County District Court Judge George Thompson denied the motion, ruling that the confessions were not made in confidence and that the priests did not have duties to keep their conversations with Price secret. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty for Price. Polikov said he strongly considered the death penalty but decided not to do so. Polikov added Price is going to face a significant sentence although it will be up to a judge what exactly that sentence will be. You are here: World Flash Australian police reported on Saturday that a teenager has been charged in Victoria after a stabbing incident injured two people in a town situated in the state's southeast. At about 7:00 p.m. local time on Friday, the incident took place on Church Street in Morwell, approximately 150 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne. According to Victoria Police, two men, both from Morwell, got out of their car and were involved in a physical altercation with a group of people. The 25-year-old and 18-year-old were stabbed before being transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Following the incident, the group fled the scene on foot but was soon located near a railway station. "A 15-year-old Traralgon boy was arrested and has been charged with intentionally cause injury, affray, assault with a weapon, and unlawful assault. He will appear at a children's court at a later date," the state police confirmed. An Omaha woman was charged Thursday with trying to pass methamphetamine to a Lincoln inmate during a visitation at the Reception and Treatment Center, according to court documents. On Wednesday at about 9 a.m., 40-year-old Alicia Cain was visiting someone at the Reception and Treatment Center, located at 3218 W. Van Dorn St. Nebraska State Patrol investigators believe Cain placed two plastic bags containing approximately 2.1 grams of meth in a bowl filled with candy to slip the drugs to an inmate, the probable cause affidavit said. Cain was able to smuggle the meth bags into the visitation area by hiding them in her belly button, according to the affidavit. Investigators spoke with Cain at the prison and she consented to a search of her vehicle. Troopers found two pipes and 2.4 grams of synthetic cannabis in her car, according to the affidavit. Cain was charged with intent to deliver a controlled substance and unlawful acts in the Department of Corrections. Judge Thomas Zimmerman set Cain's percentage bond at $75,000, meaning she would have to pay $7,500 to be released. She is being held at the Lancaster County jail. Photos: Nebraska's new Reception and Treatment Center With an incoming snow storm set to dump between 9 and 18 inches of snow at higher elevations, the Colorado Department of Transportation warns drivers that two major highways may experience closures this weekend. A rendering of what Icons next iteration could look like. Bar owners John Wolfe and Josh Franklin said they are in talks to buy a property in downtown Colorado Springs, and will announce the location once the deal is finalized. Two people connected to the Air Force died this past week, according to a recent Air Force Academy social media post. Officials announced Chong Hirthler, a 23-year-civilian employee, was discovered dead on campus Wednesday before sunrise. According to the academy officials, one of Hirthler's family members had reached out to USAFA officials when she was late coming home from work. She was discovered dead inside of her car. Foul play is not suspected at this time, officials said. 10th Air Base Wing Deputy Commander Col. Dan Werner described Hirthler as a, "dedicated 23-year member of our Mitchell Hall Food Service team." She was well-known and loved across the 10th Air Base Wing, the Preparatory School, and throughout the Cadet Area. Cadets, faculty and staff enjoyed her thoughtfulness and mentorship," Werner said. "She will be missed by everyone. Sign Up for free: Military Brief Your weekly local update on local military news and events, sent straight to your inbox. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. On Thursday in a separate incident, 21-year-old cadet Tristen Burton died in an off-campus motorcycle crash. According to officers with the Colorado State Patrol, the fatal crash occurred just outside Manitou Springs along Highway 24. Officials said it appeared Burton was taking a turn when his motorcycle ventured outside of the lane and collided with a guardrail. USAFA superintendent Lt. General Richard M. Clarke described Burton as a, "trusted peer and respected wingman, who excelled in the classroom and in the gym as an avid weightlifter." According to Clarke, Burton came to the Academy from Granger, Texas and was studying mechanical engineering with the hope of someday becoming a special warfare officer. The motorcycle crash remains under investigation, CSP said. Authorities are searching for a Colorado Springs man, who, along with his friend, have been missing since Monday in the area of Blanding, Utah. Christopher Owens, 28, and his friend, William Bull, 29, were last seen midday on Feb. 26. The San Juan County Sheriff's office posted on Facebook that the men may have been in a black Dodge pickup truck, and that their direction of travel was unknown. Alan Owens, Christopher's father, said his son's disappearance is confusing to the family. He said that police have not yet been able to locate the men using CCTV or cellphone data. "It's a strange situation," he said. "I'm baffled with today's technology no one could find him." He said he last spoke to his son on Sunday, and that he went to Utah to work as a mechanic. He said that Owens and Bull are long-time friends who went to school together. The Utah investigation is still underway. Anyone with information is asked to call the San Juan Sheriff's Office at 435-587-2237. The Colorado Springs man recently found competent to stand trial for killing a man at a 7/11 in 2022 appeared in court on Friday for his preliminary hearing on a charge of first degree murder. Tyrek Williams, 23, appeared to court handcuffed to a wheelchair with a spit guard covering his mouth and his attorneys informed the court that they did not wish to proceed with the scheduled preliminary hearing. Williams attorney, John Winegar, informed the court that defense counsel had not spoken to their client since May of 2023, and that even at the courthouse on Friday Williams again refused to speak with him. Because of the lack of communication, Winegar requested to have the preliminary hearing delayed as he felt he could not adequately defend his client without speaking to him. Winegar was also clearly frustrated by the courts decision to declare Williams competent to proceed at his previous court hearing. According to previous reporting from The Gazette, in December Judge Frances Johnson heard testimony from prosecution and defense experts with competing opinions on Williams competency and mental health. According to the defense's expert, Williams had a family history of "thought disorders" like schizophrenia. Testimony from the jail therapists also made mention of the possibility of Williams having experienced "internal stimuli," like hearing voices, during visits with staff. The prosecution called a psychologist contracted with the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo, the state's coordinator for competency evaluations. Williams' evaluation was completed in March of last year, reflecting the state's long-term backlog of court-ordered mental health evaluations. The state's psychologist said that their evaluation of Williams pointed strongly to a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, which would not provide cause for Williams to be found incompetent. The CMHHIP evaluator downplayed the reported symptoms of more serious mental issues, alleging that Williams may have been faking symptoms in order to receive better jail accommodations. She also testified that Williams appeared "rational" and "reasonable" in the 1-hour-long interview conducted. Featured Local Savings Johnson denied the defenses request to delay the preliminary hearing, where the prosecution called only two witnesses to the stand, both members of the Colorado Springs Police Department Each witness spoke with the prosecution about the investigation that led to the arrest of Williams for killing Andrew Dominguez, 56, in the Colorado Springs 7/11 in February 2022. The primary piece of evidence presented by the prosecution was a 20-minute-long video recording of the killing. Judge Johnson opted to watch the video off the bench and not in the courtroom, but Colorado Springs detective Mike Lee stated during his testimony that the video shows Williams striking Dominguez 113 times in total with his feet, fists and a coffee pot. Lee testified that the injuries sustained from Williams led to Dominguez's death at a Colorado Springs hospital several days later. (The surveillance footage) is one of the most horrific videos Ive ever seen, prosecutor Jennifer Viehman remarked during argument. During rebuttal, Lee admitted to the defense that Williams stated after the incident that he had attacked Dominguez because he had threatened to shoot him with an assault rifle earlier in the night. After Johnson completed watching the video of the assault she ruled that the lone charge of first-degree murder faced by Williams was bound over for trial. In addition to the first-degree murder case, Williams has eight open assault cases in El Paso County, all dealing with alleged incidents within county jail after he had been arrested on suspicion of the first-degree murder. SUNDAY, MARCH 3 UPDATE: The Las Animas/Bent County Fire Protection District announced on Sunday that the Boggsville fire is now 80% contained and remains at 1,030 acres. All pre-evacuations were lifted Sunday night. Officials said that fire crews were able to suppress sections of the blaze that jumped the river on the north side. Crews are suppressing hotspots as well as reinforcing any fire breaks on all sides of the blaze, excluding the north side which is currently being held by the inaccessible Arkansas River, the announcement said. Saturday, March 2 update: Evacuations have been lifted for a wildfire burning near Boggsville in Bent County Saturday. The fire, which had burned an estimated 1,030 acres as of 8:30 p.m. Saturday, is 0% contained, according to an update posted to the the Las Animas/Bent County Fire Protection District Facebook page. Evacuations were lifted around 7 p.m., though residents were still on pre-evacuation notice. A Red Cross evacuation shelter was closed at 6:45 p.m. Because of the fire, visitation at the Bent County Correctional Facility was canceled for Sunday. Featured Local Savings Officials said the fire sparked Saturday morning amid fire danger warnings that were issued for the area. Evacuation orders were initially in place for residents along U.S 50, east of Las Animas and Fort Lyon. According to the fire district, the rapidly progressing" fire had burned a total of 470 acres at 1:30 p.m., and by 3:30 p.m., the fire had nearly doubled, burning a total of 831 acres with 0% containment, a social media announcement stated. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado 101 was closed between 11th Street and County Road BB, south of Las Animas. U.S. 50, which was closed for several hours Saturday, reopened at 4:30 p.m. Earlier in the day, officials with the John Martin Reservoir asked the public to avoid visiting the area, and reported that Park Rangers were facilitating evacuation orders. According to reservoir officials, the fire was affecting the west end of the property, and the Black Bridge and Keller areas were closed to the public. Reports by Gazette news partner KOAA say smoke from the fire is visible from La Junta. Click or Tap Here for a map of the impacted area and live fire updates. This is a developing story. This article will be updated once more information is received. Call it 2 feet, 24 inches, whatever. The overall concensus between most forecast models is Colorado's central and northern mountains are forecast to receive up to 2 feet of snow by Monday morning the European model is lower and the Korean model is higher, but the average is 20-24 inches. Sunday is the storm/powder day, Monday is the left over/bonus powder day for Colorado's ski areas and resorts. Recap: On Friday the state saw mostly sunny and warm, but breezy, conditions with highs at base areas Purgatory's high was 43, according to AccuWeather data. Forecast: On Saturday, the winds will be gusty ahead of the incoming storm, which dropped 15 inches overnight at Kirkwood, California and 24 inches at Palisade Tahoe, California, as the Sierra Nevada Mountains continue under a blizzard warning and multiple feet of snow continue to accumulate. East Wall season at Arapahoe Basin has arrived | Whiteout In Colorado, the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning in effect from 5 p.m., Saturday to 9 a.m., Monday for several mountainous zones. Snow accumulations between 9-18 inches is forecast for the Front Range, Medicine Bows, Williams Fork, Rabbit Ears and eastern Gore Range mountains of the northern mountains, 10-20 inches and up to 24 inches for the Park and Elkhead mountains of the northwestern mountains, 8-16 inches and up to 24 inches for the western Gore, Sawatch and Elk mountains, and the Grand Mesa of the central mountains, and 5-14 inches in the eastern Sawatch mountains. Moisture funneling up from the southwest will meet colder air dipping down from Wyoming on a cold front and mix, and stay stationary, over Colorado's central mountains Saturday night into Sunday. The ECMWF synoptic composite shows a southwest to northeast frontal line splitting Colorado in half diagonally, which is one main factor in why the central and northern mountains are forecast to receive large amounts of snow. The cold front won't move much from this boundary line, creating intense snow north of the boundary line. Aspen/Snowmass, Crested Butte, Beaver Creek/Vail and Sunlight (18-24") should get the most snow, but don't be surprised if Steamboat, Summit County resorts and Winter Park (14-20") get higher amounts depending on the location of the frontal boundary. Long Range: On Tuesday, sunshine returns with dry weather dominating the skies during the day, however the European model forecasts a weak disturbance pushing through Colorado in the afternoon and evening with the potential for small accumulations in the central and northwestern mountains. Wednesday will be dry and sunny as well. For Thursday through Saturday, more storminess is forecast for Colorado, beginning Thursday afternoon. This system is tracking further south than the last few systems from model runs on Friday and Saturday, but more details will emerge as the system nears and the models dial in better specifics. For Sunday - 24 hour snow total from Colorado resorts: Arapahoe Basin - 6" Aspen Mountain - 9" Aspen Highlands - 9" Beaver Creek - 15" Featured Local Savings Breckenridge - 8" Buttermilk - 7" Cooper - 9" Copper Mountain - 7" Crested Butte - 8" Echo Mountain - 2" Eldora Mountain - 5" Granby Ranch - 8" Hesperus - Closed for season Howelsen Hill - 4" Kendall Mountain - 3", open weekends Keystone - 6" Loveland - 7.5" Monarch - 3" Powderhorn - 10" Purgatory - 0" Silverton - 4" Snowmass - 10" Steamboat - 8" Sunlight - 4" Telluride - 5" Vail - 10" Winter Park - 7" Wolf Creek - 4" Kyle Leggott, M.D., is a family physician practicing in Lone Tree and Aurora and a member of the Committee to Protect Health Care. He provides care to patients in the clinic and in the hospital. He also teaches family medicine residents and medical students about health care policy. Unexpectedly, the Mid-Willamette Valley Intermodal Center sits quiet along Interstate 5 in Millersburg. The $35.5 million, 60-acre facility should be bustling with shipping activity, with forklifts, cranes and straddle carriers removing containers from semitrucks, storing them or loading them onto trains headed to Portland, Tacoma or Seattle seaports and onward. A Place to Sleep, episode 9: Sleep The latest episode is here, and this time we put a lot less emphasis on the word "place" and a lot more on "sleep." The project, one of an initial five transloading projects, got the green light after a competitive process, drawing support from various stakeholders: State senators and representatives, Linn and Benton County commissioners, among others, urged Oregon Department of Transportation to go Millersburg's way when deciding which proposal would get $25 million in Oregon Connect funds from House Bill 2017, a $5.8 billion transportation package passed in 2017. Union Pacific signed a track agreement as freight rail partner and ITS ConGlobal signed on as operator although the latter is no longer a part of the project. More than a year after it officially opened in late 2022 about 10 months behind schedule shipping activity has yet to materialize at a facility that promised to be a bubbling regional logistics center back in 2016-17, when conversations first began about an intermodal facility and industrial hub at the former International Paper site. According to Linn County Commissioner and board Chair Roger Nyquist, kick-off is still about six to nine months out, after a new operator is selected to coordinate logistics at the facility. A changing business environment, Nyquist said, is one key reason for the delay. "Everything about those market conditions has changed," Nyquist said. Agriculture's needs In 2016, ECONorthwest was contracted by Business Oregon and the Infrastructure Finance Authority to develop a feasibility study for an intermodal transfer facility to serve the Willamette Valley. Weekly containerized shipping at the Port of Portlands Terminal 6 had discontinued the year before, and the Oregon Legislature was exploring improved shipping alternatives for exporters, one of which was to strategically locate truck-to-rail intermodal facilities around the state. The 2016 study showed that a facility in the region could potentially serve an agriculture industry that exports to international markets, on average, 38,170 containers of predominantly straw and hay from the Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon with pulp, lumber, seeds and grains making up the majority of the rest. But the study noted that demand and use of such a facility was strongly dependent on whether it could offer competitive shipping costs. Those with goods to ship indicated they generally favored trucking, though expensive, over rail. So timeliness and reliability in meeting ocean carrier deadlines would be key to the intermodal facility's success. "Given the small margin in cost between other transportation options available to most shippers, and importance of noncost factors, it is possible that many shippers would not choose the (facility) until its benefits were proven first by other shippers, which may further delay adoption," the 2016 feasibility study acknowledged. A 2018 check-in on the economy also by ECONorthwest, for the Linn Economic Development Group, the private business group which spearheaded the project noted the market conditions that prevailed during the previous study had not changed significantly. Seemingly, all systems were a go. But the 2018 study did cite a report by Tioga Group, which raised concerns about citing of the Millersburg operation. The transportation consultant concluded that "rail intermodal service over short distances needs special circumstances to succeed," such as large volume of exports as evidenced in Northwest Container Services' shipping between Portland and Boardman for Waste Connections, its parent company. "Rail service gains a structural competitive advantage when transporting large volumes over long distances," consultants noted in the study. There were also strong concerns about empty container availability. According to the 2016 study, West Coast ports accumulate empty containers. It was imperative that those containers get to shippers in the mid-valley, where there is typically a deficit as shippers send goods out more than they bring in. Still, a little more than half of the growers, shippers, packers and distributors of crops and commodities interviewed said they envisioned using the facility to ship 245 containers per week during peak season. Other cases made for the facility included its promise to reduce highway congestion, increase traffic safety and prevent approximately 11,600 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, all while moving approximately 17,537 loaded containers and generating approximately $1.2 million in net operating income annually. "When the Oregon Transportation Commission made the decision to fund the construction of the facility in Millersburg, they believed (Linn Economic Development Group) had addressed to the best they could at the time the key factors from the respective feasibility studies and other recommendations," Erik Havig, ODOT transportation planning manager, said via email. Changing winds? When the project development began in 2017, Nyquist said the cost of truck shipping was at an all-time high, especially for growers, shippers and distributors in the agriculture sectors the facility was primarily supposed to serve. "Everything about those market conditions has changed," Nyquist said, citing changes in shipping routes, imports and export volumes, exchange rates, among others. "We have, obviously, no control over that," Nyquist said. The lower costs to ship by truck mean rates to connect cargo ships and railroads are no longer competitive at the moment, Nyquist said. "Those costs are on the lower end of things right now. That's removed a bit of the urgency, if you will," Nyquist said. Competitive shipping costs have always been crucially tied to the facility's success, as noted in both the 2016 and 2018 feasibility studies. Trucking, though expensive and subject to traffic congestion or driving policy changes, is preferred, especially by growers and shippers of nonperishables, like straw and hay, as they are more flexible and can get to ocean carriers in timely fashion. Calculations in the 2018 study concluded that compared to a proposed facility in Brooks, which was the last competing project standing in the race to win the Oregon Connect funding, Millersburg offered more cost savings for rail transport over trucking to Portland. "If it is more cost-effective to truck to Portland, that is where shippers will deliver," said state Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, owner of Boshart Trucking. "If its more cost-effective to truck to Tacoma, youd see more trucks delivering directly to Tacoma. Millersburg, at this point, has not been cost-effective," Boshart Davis said via email. She's done the math: "The first time I actually got an answer as to how much it would cost per container was spring of 2023. My answer was quickly, 'No.' It simply wasnt cost-effective," Boshart Davis wrote. Challenges regarding container supply, typically handled by ocean carriers, have remained, according to John Pascone, president of Linn Economic Development Group, who also blamed delays on market conditions changing between the plans' formation and their completion. "In that time, a container glut in the Midwest has dried up with the pandemic, recession and reduced imports from China and the Far East," Pascone said via email. Nyquist also blamed the war in Ukraine for changing shipping patterns that are impacting the flow of empty containers toward Millersburg. "And the other is, things have just slowed down with ag and many parts of ag, so theres just not as much activity there either as there was at the time. So thats a bit of a challenge too," Nyquist said. Several grass seed suppliers declined to be interviewed for this article. Declining to go into detail, Nyquist said officials are looking into the issue of container supply, formulating new options for its sourcing. Boshart Davis would be surprised to see Millersburg get empty containers, she said. "I was one person that was interviewed in, I believe 2016, and I would say now the same thing I said then its tough to get containers even in Portland," Boshart Davis said. "The longer and farther containers are away from the terminal, the less that shiplines make money. They want to turn containers quickly, and thats harder to do the farther away you get," she said. These challenges aside, the length of time it will take shippers and growers to test out the services and decide if the facility is worth utilizing, and for it to reach peak activity, remains a concern. "Nobody wants to be first," Nyquist said. Industrial park, future plans While the start of operations at the intermodal facility remains tentative, plans to turn the remaining 132-acre parcel into an industrial park are underway. "We have in the meantime, leased out a 40-acre parcel to National Carbon that will produce more than $400,000 next year in revenue to the county," Nyquist said. The lease is for a 17-year period and will generate about $9 million over that time period, Nyquist said. Funds from the leasing agreement are already being put to use through a grant that was awarded the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce to repair property damage from a hit-and-run, according to Nyquist. The international shipping market has always been predisposed to fluctuations, and revenue from leased-out parcels are supposed to partly fund the intermodal facility during downward market trends. "There's no way to put a positive spin on the fact that the train has not left the station yet, but long-term we still feel pretty good about the project," Nyquist said. Currently, Nyquist said the plan is to find and sign agreements with an operator in the next six months to replace ITS ConGlobal. "The (Mid-Willamette Valley Intermodal Center) is working with three potential operators," Pascone confirmed, "one of which just visited last week, and who provided a broader market assessment than was originally planned." Nyquist said operations will likely begin in six to nine months, after an operator has been identified. It's far too soon to deem the project a failure, he added. It is an infrastructure project with sights set 50, even 100 years from now, and commitment to its success has not waned, he said,. He likened the current concerns about the slow take-off to similar concerns about the Linn County Fairgrounds at completion. "We hope to be operating this year," Pascone said. "This is a long-term investment, and we at ODOT are hopeful that (Linn Economic Development Group) will bring on a new operator who will be able to work with local businesses and the ocean carrier shippers to start moving containers through this facility," Havig said. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by becoming a subscriber today. But utilization and success of the facility will boil down to basic supply-and-demand, the primary driver of the international shipping market, according to Boshart Davis. "I think if the markets not there, the markets not there," she said. Boshart Davis believes local leaders in Millersburg have done their best to prepare the facility for shipping activities. "Today, its not working, but that doesnt mean it wont work in some capacity in the future," she said. "The location is ideal. I mean, Albany is "hub city" for a reason! And there is now potential there, just maybe not for containers. Time will tell," she wrote. Related stories: Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is condemning a "stunning" student referendum at the University of Virginia calling on the school to divest from companies doing business in Israel. In a letter sent to the school's leaders on Friday, Miyares directly compared the divestment movement, which has picked up momentum on college campuses during Israel's monthslong war with Palestinian terror group Hamas, with the deadly Hamas attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people and launched the war in the first place. I write to you today with grave concern about the recent student-led referendum at the University of Virginia, Miyares wrote to the school's governing Board of Visitors. The UVA referendum in question urges the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia Investment Management Company to participate in the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. Students held a referendum this past week on a measure calling on the school to divest any and all monies in its $13.6 billion endowment invested in companies engaging in or profiting from the State of Israels apartheid regime and acute violence against Palestinians. Nearly 8,000 voted, and the referendum passed Thursday with 67.87% of the vote. The referendum is nonbinding, however, and has no power over the Board of Visitors or the UVa Investment Management Company, the agency charged with regulating the schools endowment fund. The institution is not bound by the results of this student referendum, UVa spokeswoman Bethanie Glover previously told The Daily Progress. Nevertheless, Miyares still called on the Board of Visitors to reject the referendum and offer students essential moral clarity. My earnest desire is for the Board of Visitors to explicitly reject and definitively repudiate the misguided attempt by the UVA student body to undermine the legitimacy of Israel, he wrote. Miyares letter warns of alarming trends among college-age young adults between 18 and 24, citing a December Harvard-Harris poll which found 60% of the demographic deemed Hamas Oct. 7 terrorist attack justified. The fact that a majority of young Americans surveyed feel that terrorism might be justified indicates a moral compass veering dangerously towards the rocky shoals of antisemitism, Miyares wrote. Terrorism and kidnapping of the innocent must never be justified. He noted that Virginia recently codified into law a definition of antisemitism: a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or nonJewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities. Miyares argued the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement is inherently antisemitic. Just like direct attacks from Hamas, BDS poses an existential threat to the Jewish state, he wrote. Reports of antisemitism have been on the rise at UVa since Oct. 7. There have been dozens of complaints from Jewish students and their families that they have been harassed, intimidated and even physically assaulted. The university has said it is looking into those claims, and the U.S. Department of Education has opened an investigation. The referendum was spearheaded by UVa Apartheid Divest, a group that has roots in the student protests against the racist apartheid regime in South Africa and has been revived in recent years in response to other worldwide conflicts. A third-year representative of that group, who asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation, acknowledged that the referendum is nonactionable but told The Daily Progress that it is a line in the sand. His group, he said, will use the results of the referendum as a lobbying tool as we continue to push the unaccountable, undemocratic institutions that have control over our universitys investments to be transparent about our investments and divest from apartheid and genocide. But the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, Miyares wrote, disguises its malicious intentions while ignoring other human rights abuses elsewhere in the world. I await the same organizers at UVA who pushed the BDS referendum to place as much effort to condemn the rape, sexual assault of innocent Jewish women, and the murder of the innocent, he wrote. More than 30,000 people have died so far in the Israel-Hamas war, the overwhelming majority of those Palestinians. Since Oct. 7, Israel has been bombing and blockading the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, a 140-square-mile territory home to 2 million people, half of which are under the age of 18. Palestinian authorities, including Hamas, have charged Israel with senselessly killing civilians. Even U.S. President Biden has called the Israeli response "over the top." Israel has maintained that Hamas, which started the conflict when it attacked Israeli civilians going on five months ago, continues to operate out of hospitals, schools and apartment buildings, using civilians as shields. Governor's Prayer Breakfast at Carroll The Montana Governors Prayer Breakfast is 8:30-10:30 a.m. March 16 at the Carroll College Campus Center. The breakfast features Gov. Greg Gianforte, and guest speaker J.P. De Gance. De Gance is the founder and president of Communio and the co-author of the book Endgame: The Churchs Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America. He is also the author of the Nationwide Study on Faith and Relationships. Many churches throughout the state will be hosting the simulcasted event. For more information about hosting or joining an event go to: www.montanaprayerbreakfast.church. Tickets are $25 each, and available online: www.montanaprayerbreakfast.church. Will call tickets: please mail checks to 226 Willowbrook Drive, Helena, MT 59602, Attn: Governors Prayer Breakfast. Please be sure to include the name(s) for the tickets. For more information, contact: www.montanaprayerbreakfast.church Commission names 2 to boards The Helena City Commission has appointed Pat Bousliman to a first term on the Citizens Conservation Board. The term will expire Feb. 28, 2027. The commission on Monday also appointed Brenda Valerio to a term on the Helena Citizens Council as a representative of District 6. That term will expire Dec. 31, 2025 Film features Helena's homeless The film Why Should I Care: Helenas Shelterless, will be presented 7 p.m. March 7, at St. Pauls United Methodist Church, 512 Logan St., Helena. Admission is free. The film, produced by Hands On Global and videographer Jeanie Warden, is a compilation of interviews with the unsheltered in Helena, the nonprofits that serve them, the faith community and the citizens of Helena. It will be followed by a discussion led by Sam Forstag, director Montana Coalition to End Homelessness, and including representatives of nonprofits, faith community and city representatives. Spot those election lies Learn how to quickly navigate the internet to find reliable, fact-based information during a March 6 webinar with Stanford University professor, author and researcher Sam Wineburg. How to Navigate Misinformation Online with Sam Wineburg, co-sponsored by the Helena League of Women Voters and the Lewis & Clark Library, will be broadcast at 6:30 p.m. Participate by watching it on the big screen at Lewis & Clark Library, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch, or by Zoom. Register to watch via Zoom at https://bit.ly/3P6FJZd and an invitation will be emailed to you. Wineburgs books will be on sale at the library during the webinar. This webinar will not be recorded. Knights hold fish fry Friday The Knights of Columbus will be having a fish fry 5-7 p.m. on March 8 and March 22 at the KC Hall, 1867 Washington St., behind Pomps Tire. The public may attend. Cost is $15 for fresh cod, potatoes and cole slaw. Clam chowder for $6, mac and cheese for $4 and drinks will also be available. People are asked to bring a nonperishable item for Helena Food Share. A Helena police officer was injured while chasing a suspect and transported to the hospital Friday, authorities said. Officers responded at 3:11 p.m. to the 100 block of Cutler Street for a report of a 35-year-old man trying to enter a residence, Assistant Police Chief Cory Bailey said in an email. The complainant said the man was armed with a metal bar. When officers arrived, the male ran from the area. The officer was injured while chasing the man, Bailey said. The man was placed under arrest on suspicion of aggravated burglary, second-offense partner family member assault, third-offense violation of a protection order, obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest, Bailey said. Police sent an email at 6:52 p.m., saying the officer has been released from the hospital. They did not release any further information. A fissure started to open between the votes of Montanas two U.S. House members this week as a divided congress managed to approve just enough funding to keep the federal government fully though March 8. Western Montana Representative Ryan Zinke joined a majority of Republicans voting to the keep government running. Without the Thursday vote, government services for military veterans, and public housing, as well the EPA and the Transportation Department would have ended at midnight Saturday morning. Rosendale, true to his weeks-long rant against the short-term funding vote, was one of 97 Republicans voting no. Ahead of the vote, Rosendale had rolled out a disparaging one-liner, about the House Republican caucus having too many punters on its team, which is too many people willing to support a stopgap funding measures, which Rosendale has consistently opposed. What hasnt happened in the six months since Congress blew its September deadline to pass a federal budget is what Rosendale calls regular order, which is to say passage of the 12 appropriations bills that comprise federal discretionary spending. Only four times in the last 46 years has Congress managed to pass a budget this way through committee process. Despite the persistent whine by Rosendale and other hardliners, few of whom have meaningful roles in appropriations, the number of budget years requiring extraordinary measures is going to stretch to 47. In the Senate, Montana Democrat Jon Tester voted to keep the government running. Republican Steve Daines didnt vote on the funding measure, or several other matters Thursday. Whats to come are votes on a half dozen appropriations bills with any differences between the House and Senate versions already reconciled through conference. Then, lawmakers will take up the remaining bills that comprise the rest of the federal budget, which is now more than six months past due. Its the second tranche that will chaff Rosendale, because the legislation represents a settlement between Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress, with no committee action and no opportunity for lawmakers to make amendments before the voting on whether to approve the settlement. Several policy riders by House Republican hardliners, including Rosendale, have also been weeded out, because they lack support in the Senate and make passing the appropriations nearly impossible. Specifically, Rosendale sought riders against male encroachment in medical spaces occupied by female veterans at VA care centers, a move against accommodations for transgender vets. Months ago, Lee Montana newspapers reported on Rosendales efforts to stop women in the military from traveling for abortion access. That policy position, too, is dead. Zinke has policy riders that are going to make it into the spending legislation to address things like parity in pay for federal and tribal crews fighting wildfires. Also, there are a dozen projects specific to Western Montana that have made it into the final budgeting bills. Things like a 911 call center and radio equipment for Glacier County and funding to modernize the Madison County Nursing Home. Theres several million dollars for a forestry school at the University of Montana in Missoula. House Appropriations records for community project funding requests show none requested by Rosendale. These are earmarks allowed through a process approved by Republican leadership two years ago. BRISTOL, Tenn. After three years of hard work, the Tennessee Hills distillery has plans to open a portion of its new Bristol Tennessee facility to the public as early as mid-May. Having started construction of their 39,000-square-foot state-of-the-art distillery up on the hill, across from The Pinnacle in 2022, Stephen Callahan explained that they have set their sights on having the whole operation completed by June. Were hoping to have the front of the house open to the public by mid-May, Callahan said. The whole operation should be completely fired up by June. The site is the former National College of Business location. Callahan emphasized that over the past three years of construction, they have dealt with various setbacks, such as long weather delays and supply chain issues. Were still having some supply chain issues, you know. We ordered our equipment over two years ago, and its just now starting to show up, Callahan said. Were just very blessed and very humbled to have the opportunity to have the support that weve got, you know, throughout the years to get us to this point. Callahan highlighted that these delays have only strengthened their vision and resolve. There are some people out there that think were a little crazy and some days we think were a little crazy but, you know, you have to start out with a vision and a dream and be willing want to go all in to get there, Callahan said. The original cost of the project was $22 million. Callahan explained that with all the changes that they have made to the construction plans and considering the supply chain issues, the cost today will be closer to $30 million. Once you start building it then ideas start to evolve, Callahan said. We just started really thinking about the customer experience more, and, you know, its changed quite a bit. The price tag is increased a little bit. Callahan emphasized that one of the biggest changes in direction for them was realizing that they wanted to create a space that would allow customers on tours to both observe the production side of the distillery and enjoy the different products Tennessee Hills has to offer. At the heart of the distillery is the idea of tours. The whole building is thought out to fit both a customer experience and production, Callahan said. Once the new Tennessee Hills Distillery is operational, it will have the capacity to produce up to 120 barrels of whiskey a day, 30,000 cans of beer and cocktail drinks, and 10,000 bottles a day. Callahan explained that the distillery will be the fourth largest operating distillery in the state and one of the largest craft distilleries, We have the ability to produce at a national level here. The distillery will hire 30 employees, with most of the production of whiskey, beers, and spirits being fully automated. With the Bristol distillery being located at the trailhead of the Tennessee Whiskey trail, Callahan and Tennessee Hills are showing that they have big ambitions and aim to become a nationally recognized whiskey brand. I think within ten years, were building another distillery and its much larger than this. Thats our vision, Callahan said. Were definitely taking a shot at a national brand. Tennessee Hills is also working on building its corporate offices, which will also house a creamstillery, where they will make Tennessee Hills whiskey-infused pastries and ice cream for visitors. The first Tennessee Hills distillery opened in the old Salt House in Jonesborough and it remains active today. Its Brewstillery is in Johnson City along with its Whiskey Kitchen. SAN FRANCISCO In California, a high school teacher complains that students watch Netflix on their phones during class. In Maryland, a chemistry teacher says students use gambling apps to place bets during the school day. Around the country, educators say students routinely send Snapchat messages in class, listen to music and shop online, among countless other examples of how smartphones distract from teaching and learning. The hold that phones have on adolescents in America today is well-documented, but teachers say parents are often not aware to what extent students use them inside the classroom. And increasingly, educators and experts are speaking with one voice on the question of how to handle it: Ban phones during classes. Students used to have an understanding that you arent supposed to be on your phone in class. Those days are gone, said James Granger, who requires students in his science classes at a Los Angeles-area high school to place their phones in a cellphone cubby with numbered slots. The only solution that works is to physically remove the cellphone from the student. Most schools already have rules regulating student phone use, but they are enforced sporadically. A growing number of leaders at the state and federal levels have begun endorsing school cellphone bans and suggesting new ways to curb access to the devices. The latest state intervention came in Utah, where Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, in January urged all school districts and the state Board of Education to remove cellphones from classrooms. He cited studies that show learning improves, distractions are decreased and students are more likely to talk to each other if phones are taken away. We just need a space for six or seven hours a day where kids are not tethered to these devices, Cox told reporters recently. He said his initiative, which is not binding, is part of a legislative push to protect kids in Utah from the harms of social media. Last year, Florida became the first state to crack down on phones in school. A law that took effect in July requires all Florida public schools to ban student cellphone use during class time and block access to social media on district Wi-Fi. Some districts, including Orange County Public Schools, went further and banned phones the entire school day. Oklahoma, Vermont and Kansas have also recently introduced what is becoming known as "phone-free schools" legislation. And two U.S. senators Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, and Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat introduced legislation in December that would require a federal study on the effects of cellphone use in schools on students' mental health and academic performance. Theirs is one of several bipartisan alliances calling for stiffer rules for social media companies and greater online safety for kids. Nationally, 77% of U.S. schools say they prohibit cellphones at school for non-academic use, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But that number is misleading. It does not mean students are following those bans or all those schools are enforcing them. Just ask teachers. Cellphone use is out of control. By that, I mean that I cannot control it, even in my own classroom, said Patrick Truman, who teaches at a Maryland high school that forbids student use of cellphones during class. It is up to each teacher to enforce the policy, so Truman bought a 36-slot caddy for storing student phones. Still, every day, students hide phones in their laps or under books as they play video games and check social media. Tired of being the phone police, he has come to a reluctant conclusion: Students who are on their phones are at least quiet. They are not a behavior issue. A study last year from Common Sense Media found that 97% of kids use their phones during school hours, and that kids say school cellphone policies vary often from one classroom to another and arent always enforced. For a school cellphone ban to work, educators and experts say the school administration must be the one to enforce it and not leave that task to teachers. The Phone-Free Schools Movement, an advocacy group formed last year by concerned mothers, says policies that allow students to keep phones in their backpacks, as many schools do, are ineffective. If the bookbag is on the floor next to them, its buzzing and distracting, and they have the temptation to want to check it, said Kim Whitman, a co-founder of the group, which advises schools to require phones be turned off and locked away all day. Some students say such policies take away their autonomy and cut off their main mode of communication with family and friends. Pushback also has come from parents who fear being cut off from their kids if there is a school emergency. Whitman advises schools to make exceptions for students with special educational and medical needs, and to inform parents on expert guidance that phones can be a dangerous distraction for students during an emergency. Jaden Willoughey, 14, shares the concern about being out of contact with his parents if there's a crisis. But he also sees the upsides of turning in his phone at school. At Delta High School in rural Utah, where Jaden is a freshman, students are required to check their phones at the door when entering every class. Each of the schools 30 or so classrooms has a cellphone storage unit that looks like an over-the-door shoe bag with three dozen smartphone-sized slots. It helps you focus on your work, and its easier to pay attention in class, Jaden said. 5 surprising ways people use cellphones around the world 5 surprising ways people use cellphones around the world Brazil: brain surgery India: enrolling members to a political party Swiss: maps for those who have low vision Global: finding missing refugees The Amazon: stop illegal logging When we find abnormal milk, a hard quarter, or both in a cow, we are detecting the inflammation that comes with mastitis. Diagnosing the intramammary infection to find the best treatment option, however, requires further investigation. Inflammation and infection are related but different, said John Middleton during the National Mastitis Council Annual Meeting. Were really making a diagnosis to make a decision, he explained, referring to how we handle the detected inflammation. A first distinction to make is on the severity of the case to determine how much supportive care may be needed. Middleton, a professor at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, explained that a change in the milk indicates a mild case, while a moderate case creates changes in the milk and the udder. If a cow has bad milk, changes in the udder or quarter, and appears systemically sick, it is a severe case. Once weve detected mastitis, making a diagnosis means culturing a milk sample. At the very least, this will help you separate gram negative cases from gram positive cases, Middleton said. Antibiotics are generally not effective against gram negative pathogens, so identifying those cases will help you avoid spending time and money on treating them. Middleton urged that culturing a milk sample begins with taking an aseptic milk sample. He advised predipping the teat(s) and then cleaning them with a swab soaked in alcohol. Collect a few streams of milk into a sterile vile or tube, never allowing the teat to touch the cap or sides of the tube. Begin with the nearest teats and work away from you. The milk sample must then be plated on the correct type of medium to get accurate phenotypic characteristics. Middleton noted that pathogens must have the right material to be able to grow; pathogen growth will depend on the medium. If you send milk samples to a lab for culturing, they may use a molecular machine to identify culture results, he added. In addition to identifying if antibiotic therapy may be effective, knowing the causative pathogen will uncover if the problem came from the environment (housing, stalls, and bedding) or other cows (through cross-contamination in the parlor). Middleton illustrated that contagious pathogens include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Corynbacterium bovis, and Trueperlla pyogenes. All of those are gram positive. On the other hand, gram positive environmental pathogens include Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, Lactococcus lactis, and Enterococcus species. Coliforms like Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, and Enterobacter species, plus Pseudomonas and Pasturella species, are gram negative environmental concerns. Monitoring quarter-level problems such as with milk culturing allow you to get to the root of a mastitis problem, Middleton summarized. Simpler efforts like bulk tank or test day somatic cell count and disease surveillance will also give you some degree of mastitis detection, though they cant provide a diagnosis. Each tool has its place in the toolbox of combatting milk quality concerns. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2024 February 26, 2024 A new boutique gift shop just opened in downtown Concord, featuring all sorts of personalized and branded items, including a variety of products from local vendors. The Palmetto Market, at 11 Cabarrus Ave., W., represents the fruition of owner Chrissy Santos long-held dream of running her own brick-and-mortar business. Honestly, it still feels kind of surreal, Santos, 39, told the paper about the markets first week in operation. The grand opening was Feb. 24. This has been on my vision board since I was in college. The Charleston, South Carolina, native has been living with her husband and kids in Kannapolis since 2020. She had operated her own online business, Christys Custom Creations, for many years as a hobby while working full-time for a fitness company. But her passion had always been the retail business and she clung to the hope that she could open her own space and not have to sell items out of her home on sites like Facebook and Craigslist. During the pandemic, Santos, who was staying up long hours balancing both her regular job and her online business, faced a fork in the road and took a chance on herself. She left the fitness position and soon after enrolled in the Retail Lab Boot Camp, a six-week program designed to help entrepreneurs wanting to open their own retail establishments. The curriculum covered topics such as business basics, strategy, branding and marketing, e-commerce, point-of-sale and inventory. As Santos was preparing to pitch members of the Entrepreneurship Council for $2,500 micro-grants (think the Shark Tank TV series), she quickly rebranded the name to the Palmetto Market, to honor her South Carolina roots. I was like, If Im going to be taken seriously, Ive got to make a change, Santos said about the necessary rebranding of her business. Her pitch was a success, and she received $2,500 to help launch her business. Santos was planning to sell her products at Market 94, another new business in downtown Concord, until fate intervened: As she was picking out a booth, she received an email from the owner of The Playroom Social, whom she had known and who was preparing to leave downtown for a new location in the city. I was bawling because as soon as I came (to the space), I knew, she said. I was like, This is what Im supposed to do. Santos signed a contract to take over the property, received the keys a few weeks ago and has not looked back. After years of taking part in various pop-ups and festivals and having her products featured in other stores, at long last Santos finally had her own physical space. It was also meant to be in another way: Santos favorite number has always been 11, so the significance of the location at 11 Cabarrus Ave. was not lost on her. She was especially touched during her grand opening, when several downtown business owners came to the store as a sign of support. It was a great moment, she said. I hope I never forget it. Santos specializes in custom-made and personalized gifts, especially laser-engraved wooden acrylics along with greeting cards, earrings and embroidered hats, among other items. She utilizes several different press machines and will soon have a mobile laser and printer. Well be able to print any image, engrave anything on the spot, Santos said. Thats what I can do thats kind of different, that no one else is offering right now. Wanting to give back and provide space for other vendors in the area, Palmetto Market also features products from 16 other small businesses, including dog treats from the Harrisburg-based Barley Jean Biscuits and Bakery and honey products from The Little BeeKeeper, which was started in 2016 when a 9-year-old girl named Laylah became the youngest certified beekeeper in the state. Santos is also using her knowledge to help guide other aspiring small-business owners, as she now teaches marketing classes for the Retail Lab program as well as for the Rowan Cabarrus Community Colleges Small Business Center. I found my passion and I know that not only am I able to run my own business and do it successfully, I want to be able to help others along the way, she said. The Palmetto Market is open Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. CHARLESTON A Charleston man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison on a charge of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol for a crash that killed a Humboldt couple. Douglas W. Wilson Jr., 21, faced that penalty at the conclusion of a four-hour sentencing hearing Friday afternoon in Coles County Circuit Court. His prison term will be followed by one year of mandatory supervised release. Wilson pleaded guilty last summer to the aggravated DUI for the deaths of James "Howard," 55, and Rachel, 44, Sutton on May 29, 2022 in northwest Coles County. Coles County Sheriff's Office reports on the crash have stated that Wilson was driving west on County Road 1200N at speeds of approximately 79 mph when he ran through a stop sign and hit the driver's side of the Suttons' southbound vehicle on 500E. "This is a consequence that arose out of a series of absolutely horrendous choices by Mr. Wilson," said Judge Brian Bower as he prepared to announce his sentence in court. Bower said these bad choices included Wilson drinking alcohol when he was under age (19 at the time), getting behind the wheel while impaired, and driving at a high rate of speed. During the hearing, defense attorney Sean Britton presented evidence that Wilson has been battling an addiction to alcohol for some time and has been actively engaged in substance abuse counseling programs since the fatal crash. "(Wilson) made a horrendous choice by not getting treatment for the addiction that he knew he had at that time," Bower said of Wilson's actions before the crash. The judge earlier heard from Shelby County Deputy Blake Hadley that he had pulled Wilson over there for speeding on April 3, 2022 and found open alcohol containers in his vehicle. Wilson had a suspended driver's license from this case in Shelby County at the time of the fatal crash in Coles County. Assistant state's attorneys Jenifer Schiavone and Grant Manning represented the prosecution at the hearing. Family and friends of the Suttons filled much of the courtroom Friday afternoon and passed around boxes of tissues during the emotionally charged hearing. Eight family members read victim impact statements there. Siblings and stepsiblings talked about the grief they have from losing their parents, the sadness they feel for their young children who will never know their grandparents, and the anxiety they now experience when driving. James Sutton's son, Evan Sutton, noted in his statement that he was serving in the U.S. Navy in Japan when he got word of his father's death and was more than 7,000 miles away from being home to support his extended family. "I hope you get to know and realize what you have done. I hope it pains you every second and every day like it has pained us," Evan Sutton said while looking across the courtroom at Wilson. Britton said Wilson has experience physical pain from the injuries he sustained in the crash. Britton said his client has undergone numerous medical procedures and his body is riddled with pins and rods. Britton said Wilson also has experienced emotional and mental pain, which led to a recent suicide attempt that resulted in his sentencing hearing being postponed until Friday. Wilson faced a sentence of 6-28 years in prison under state aggravated DUI law, unless an "extraordinary circumstance" was found, followed by two years of mandatory supervised release. Citing Wilson's conditions, Britton asked the judge to find such "extraordinary circumstance" and sentence him to four years of probation with extensive community service requirements. "I don't think that sending Douglas to prison is going to rectify anything. In fact, I think it will lead to another life being lost," Britton said. Regarding his client's future potential, Britton recalled witness testimony of Wilson demonstrating compassion while working in telemetry monitoring at Sarah Bush Lincoln and a desire to make a career helping others during his health and human services studies at Lake Land College. While reading a statement in court, Wilson apologized to the family of James and Rachel Sutton. He said he frequently cries while thinking about when they could have done with the rest of their lives. "I would give my life in an instant to bring James and Rachel back, but I can't," Wilson said. Bower said he believes that Wilson genuinely feels remorse for the deaths of the Suttons. The judge said he is also aware of the mitigating factors, such as Wilson's condition and his minimal prior criminal record, but the seriousness of the aggravated DUI charge must be considered. "You are responsible for your conduct," Bower said. Here are the safestand most deadlydays for drunk-driving fatalities Here are the safestand most deadlydays for drunk-driving fatalities DUI fatalities by season Most dangerous holidays for DUI Most dangerous days of the week for DUI Most dangerous weeks of the year Ways to stay safe on the road during the holidays Consequences of getting a DUI DUIs leave a lasting financial impact An end to drunk driving Methodology CHICAGO Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expending political and financial capital around the country from Ohio to Nevada on ballot measures to enshrine abortion protections in state constitutions. But similar efforts in Illinois remain in limbo. Since the U.S. Supreme Court nearly two years ago struck down the federal right to abortion, reproductive health care has proved a potent political issue for Democrats, credited with helping prevent a predicted red wave nationally in 2022 and, in Illinois, cemented the partys dominance in the statehouse. Abortion rights also has become a platform issue for Pritzker. The second-term governor and billionaire Hyatt Hotels heir has increasingly looked to raise his national profile as he eyes a potential future White House run particularly through the dark money group he launched last fall, Think Big America. Just days after delivering a State of the State address in Springfield last week during which he made only passing references to abortion, Pritzker flew to Nevada over the weekend to help kick off a petition push to get a reproductive rights amendment referendum on the November ballot in a state that could prove key to President Joe Bidens reelection effort. I know some of you are wondering why the governor of Illinois is here today, a raspy-voiced Pritzker told a crowd of about 100 people Saturday at a community college outside Las Vegas. I came here today because what youre doing is so important, not just for the future of Nevada but the future of the entire nation. Together, you we are protecting access to health care and preventing MAGA extremists from passing an abortion ban, said Pritzker, a key Biden surrogate, referring to Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trumps Make America Great Again slogan and reports that Trump likes the idea of a 16-week national abortion ban with some exceptions. Speaking over shouts of murderer from anti-abortion protesters who had disrupted the event, Pritzker recounted for the Nevada crowd a story well-known in Illinois about how his mothers activism for abortion rights in the 1970s inspired his lifelong dedication to the issue. It propelled him to the governors office and, ultimately, led to the creation of a national political organization designed to boost the cause, he said. Back home, though, a state constitutional amendment on abortion rights doesnt appear to be on this election years agenda for the Democratic-controlled Illinois legislature even though Pritzker last year declared in his second inaugural address that the right to privacy and bodily autonomy demand that we establish a constitutional protection for reproductive rights in Illinois. Supporters point to a variety of reasons for the slower pace here, including the strength of the states existing law, the pro-abortion rights supermajorities in the General Assembly and on the Illinois Supreme Court, the need to channel resources to states where access is under greater threat, and the ongoing discussions about whether to expand the constitutional question to include other forms of health care, such as gender-affirming treatments. Its more important that we do it correctly than that we do it quickly, Senate President Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, said in January, emphasizing the need to be very sure we are protecting the broad collection of rights that need to be protected. As conversations continue in Springfield, it leaves Pritzkers Think Big America free to spend its time and money outside Illinois borders. As an issue-advocacy organization, Think Big America isnt required to disclose its donors but the groups leadership says the governor is the sole contributor. Building off its successes last year in helping pass an amendment referendum in Ohio and secure Democratic control of the Virginia legislature, Think Big America has turned its attention to ballot measures in the presidential battleground states of Nevada and Arizona, while weighing whether to get involved in Montana and Florida. There are several other states pursuing referendums this year where Think Big has yet to get involved. The issue already is on the ballot in Maryland and in New York, where voters will cast ballots in November on a broadly worded amendment that seeks to protect both abortion and gender-affirming care by expanding the state constitutions anti-discrimination protections to include gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy. In Nevada, Pritzkers group has given $1 million to Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom, the main group advocating for the ballot measure. Thats more than half of the $1.8 million the group reported raising last year, according to Nevada campaign finance records. Both individually and through Think Big, Pritzker last year poured $1 million into the Ohio effort and $250,000 into Virginia legislative races. This year, his group has also contributed $250,000 to support the proposed Arizona ballot initiative. Pritzkers group does more than cut checks, though. It provides staffing, logistical support and strategic advice, depending on the needs in any given state. Theres a number of ways that when people come in with a big investment that they behave, said Kellie Copeland, executive director of Pro-Choice Ohio. Some of them come in and really want to bigfoot everything, and theyre like, Were the experts. Were going to come in and tell you local peons what to do. That was not the case at all with Pritzker and his team. For the Nevada effort, Think Big helped hire political operative Tova Yampolsky, a veteran of pro-abortion rights political action committee EMILYS List, to run the campaign for Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom and also brought on Brendan Summers, who worked on presidential campaigns for Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, as a senior adviser. The initial hurdle is for supporters to gather the more than 102,000 petition signatures needed to get the question on the November ballot, including nearly 26,000 from each of the states four congressional districts. If the requisite signatures are gathered by the June 26 deadline, voters would have to approve the amendment by a simple majority in November and then again in 2026 for it to become part of the Nevada state constitution. While abortion rights already are protected in state law through 24 weeks of pregnancy via a 1990 ballot initiative, supporters say that constitutional protections are needed in the current landscape. The proposed amendment would guarantee all individuals a fundamental right to abortion performed or administered by a qualified health care practitioner until fetal viability, or when needed to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient. With the changing abortion access nationally after Roe v. Wade, we believe now is the time to enshrine those protections for abortion in the state constitution, Yampolsky said. And we have seen anti-abortion politicians talking about introducing a national abortion ban in Congress. And that just reinforces the importance of taking action here in Nevada to strengthen the protections that we have in the state. Beyond any legislation that might pass in Washington, D.C., to ban abortion nationally, repealing the current protections in Nevada would require more than a takeover of the state legislature by anti-abortion Republican lawmakers, said David Damore, a political science professor at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Because the states protections were put in place through a citizen-driven ballot initiative, Damore said, rescinding them would require voter approval through another ballot measure, a nearly insurmountable feat in the current environment. Its more about the politics than the policy here, he said of the referendum push. One of the key political considerations for getting the referendum question placed on this Novembers ballot: driving turnout among Democratic voters voters who may not be all that excited about Biden in a state the president won by just 33,596 votes four years ago, Damore said. One of Nevadas Senate seats also is on the ballot in November, with first-term Democrat Jacky Rosen seeking reelection as her party vies to maintain control of the chamber. Pritzker senior political adviser Mike Ollen, who ran the governors reelection campaign and leads day-to-operations for Think Big America, acknowledged the broader political calculations behind the groups state-by-state efforts. If Donald Trump becomes president, if we lose the Senate and the House, Republicans have said very overtly that they will pursue a national abortion ban, Ollen said. So certainly our initiatives on the ground are a very, very important piece of what we do. But being in states like Nevada and Arizona, where we have pro-choice candidates running for Senate, where we have electoral votes that matter in Nevada and Arizona for the president, that is all part of a larger defensive play to make sure that we never see a national abortion ban come to any presidents desk. In deep-blue Illinois, which will host the Democratic National Convention at which Biden is expected to accept his partys nomination for a second term, theres virtually no danger of the president losing the states 19 electoral votes. Neither of the states U.S. senators are up for reelection, nor is any other statewide office. But in two years, Pritzker could be running for a third term, and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbins seat also will be up, which could give Democrats an incentive to put an abortion question before voters in 2026 to help drive up turnout in a year when the presidency isnt on the ballot. If I were advising Democrats, I might tell them to hold off till 2026, that its not critical in 2024 to drive turnout in Illinois, said Connie Mixon, a political science professor at Elmhurst University. Spend your time and your resources in these key swing states. State Rep. Kelly Cassidy of Chicago, who leads abortion-related negotiations for Democrats in the Illinois House, said that while she believes a constitutional amendment in Illinois is necessary in the long term, the need is more urgent in other states. Protecting access to abortion in other states also could help ease the burden on Illinois providers, whove been swamped with out-of-state patients seeking care as restrictions elsewhere go into place, Cassidy said. This pace isnt sustainable. We need more states to come online, Cassidy said. So Im really glad the governor is putting his weight and effort and resources behind getting other states on the ballot and across the finish line. Because the resources that it takes to pass a statewide ballot initiative are huge. When the time comes for Illinois, Cassidy said, she wants to see an amendment that addresses protections for both reproductive health care and gender-affirming care, which also is facing an onslaught of restrictions in GOP-led states. If someone were to present a (reproductive health)-only constitutional amendment, I will be vehemently opposed to it, she said. Harmon, the Senate president, likewise said he believes the state should protect gender-affirming health care. Whether that should be done through a single ballot question or separately is an ongoing discussion, he said through a spokesman. The governors office didnt answer directly when asked if Pritzker would support an amendment dealing with both issues. While his signature wouldnt be needed to place a question on the ballot, Pritzkers support would be instrumental in selling it to voters. On the political side, Ollen said Think Big America would be be happy to support initiatives like that in Illinois or elsewhere, if it could pass legal muster. Advocates for both reproductive rights and the LGBTQ community, meanwhile, expressed their support for extending state constitutional protections to both forms of health care, while also agreeing that Illinois can take a more deliberative approach because of the strength of existing laws. There are people who are dying in other states or being forced to travel thousands of miles at great cost to receive reproductive health care, and so Im OK waiting our turn right now, said Sarah Garza Resnick, CEO of the pro-abortion rights political committee Personal PAC. I think that that is the responsible thing for us to do. When the time is right, Illinois needs to address both forms of health care, because whether or not supporters link the two, opponents will, said Brian Johnson, CEO of LGBTQ rights group Equality Illinois. He pointed to opposition campaigns in Ohio and Michigan that sought to use anti-transgender messaging to attack abortion rights ballot measures. There is no delinking gender-affirming care from reproductive care, Johnson said. They are so intimately intertwined because they rely on the exact same conceptual constitutional protections of liberty, of bodily autonomy, of privacy rights. If lawmakers do merge the two issues, it remains to be seen whether moderate and right-leaning suburban voters who would support an abortion rights amendment would support constitutional protections for gender-affirming care. In Illinois, a constitutional amendment requires the approval of 60% of voters who weigh in on the question or a majority of all voters who cast ballots in the election, a higher bar than in some other states. Mary Kate Zander, executive director of Illinois Right to Life, said she thinks Democrats arent moving forward with a referendum this year because they dont think they would have enough support to pass it. I think that if they had a referendum on abortion, it would put on the record that they dont actually have the sweeping support for some of the extreme laws that theyve passed that they tell people and say that they do, Zander said. Since the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs decision in June 2022 struck down the federal right to abortion, voters in seven states have cast ballots on the issue through statewide ballot measures, and each time the pro-abortion rights side has emerged victorious. That trend shows no sign of slowing, Elmhurst Universitys Mixon said. Abortion is being used strategically as a wedge issue to drive Democratic turnout, to drive independent turnout, specifically suburban women, Mixon said. More and more elections are decided in the suburbs, and these type of ballot measures can certainly boost the electorate that cares about abortion issues. The Indian Village Neighborhood Association (IVNA) will host its annual meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, at the Irving Recreation Center, 2010 Van Dorn St. Celebrating three decades of fostering connections among neighbors and advocating for neighborhood progress, IVNA invites all Indian Village residents to join in this milestone event. The evening promises a gathering filled with snacks, camaraderie and an engaging presentation by Dr. John P. Carroll, professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Carrolls presentation will delve into the world of flying squirrels and their presence within the Indian Village neighborhood, offering insights into these captivating creatures that inhabit our surroundings. In addition to Carroll's presentation, IVNA will have a drawing for a flying squirrel nesting box, generously built and donated by Indian Village resident Bill Alexander. IVNA membership is open to all residents who wish to actively contribute to the growth and betterment of the Indian Village community. While membership dues of $20 per year are suggested to assist in covering operational costs, they are entirely voluntary. Contributions from neighbors help sustain the association's efforts to enhance the quality of life in Indian Village. IVNA is a volunteer-driven organization of passionate neighbors dedicated to promoting and engaging the neighborhood with activities like the annual block party, neighborhood-wide garage sale and Fourth of July bike parade. Nearly three months after Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley called the startup Red Way airline a failed riverboat gamble bankrolled by taxpayers, a Lancaster County Commissioner has voiced and penned his displeasure. County Commissioner Matt Schulte on Friday called for the Lincoln Airport Authority Board to fire Executive Director David Haring, a day after Haring presented a report at the County Board staff meeting. Haring oversaw Red Way blowing through $3 million $1.5 million each in American Rescue Plan Act funds from Lancaster County and the city of Lincoln in less than three months last summer. Red Way, which began flying in mid-June, was out of business by the end of August. Someone should be held accountable, Schulte said. I believe that the Airport Authority (board) has the power to fire their director and they probably should fire their director for losing that much money, Schulte said Friday. ... Thats what we would do in Lancaster County if somebody took $1.5 million from us and blew it on some other projects in the county. We would hold them accountable and wed let them go, said Schulte, who was not a member of the County Board when it approved the $1.5 million for the airport. Lincoln Airport Authority Board Chairman John Olsson, who was away from his computer on Friday, hadnt seen Schultes letter, which referred to Haring as the Wizard of Oz nothing to look at here but said any complaint carries weight. It might carry more weight, Olsson said, because Lancaster County partnered with the airport on the Red Way experiment. However, Schulte's note made it unclear to Olsson whether it was "coming from a single individual or the entirety of the board." If it was the latter, than the weightiness of the complaint would be "certainly more impactful," Olsson said. However, after at least two executive sessions at Airport Authority meetings in the aftermath of the Red Way failure, Dave Haring is currently still employed on the Airport Authority, Olsson said. There have been processes put in place, to promote transparency, said Haring, citing the forming of a community advisory board as a primary example of that. Olsson said he and his colleagues on the board will consider everything Schulte said, but will also look into his motivation. What are people really trying to get? Olsson asked. What lens are they looking (through)? Whats good for the community and whats good for the Lincoln Airport. Not everyone has that lens. Nicki Behmer Popp, an Airport Authority board member, said this was a political stunt by Schulte. Matt Schulte is doing nothing more than attempting to drag this out for his own political cover, she said. The timing of Schultes outburst at Thursdays meeting is puzzling, because Olsson said so much time has passed since Foleys report was issued on Dec. 13. I would say the timing is weird, he said. You would think if people had things to say, that perhaps that would have come out a little bit sooner. I have not heard much. Ive not heard anything over the last three months from anybody about this. Schulte said he was slow to voice his opinion because he wanted to wait until he was face-to-face with Haring. Circumstances the countys mid-year budget process among them prevented that from happening until Thursday, he said. It was scheduled a couple months later because we had other priorities, Schulte said. It was scheduled for (Thursday) by our staff based on the availability of the airport people as well as time available on our calendar. But really, for me, it was that auditors report that sparked my angst. Haring said he has always made himself available to both elected officials and community members to talk about Red Way. He would have done the same for Schulte. He added that Thursdays meeting was tabbed as nothing more than an airport report. He didnt know he would be answering for Red Way and was caught by surprise. Haring said no one feels worse about Red Ways failure than he and the Lincoln Airport staff. I can absolutely assure you that the board, senior leadership, the staff, the team, everybody at the airport, absolutely feel disappointment just like the rest of the community with how the Red Way effort ended. Photos: First Red Way flight departs from Lincoln Airport Warren Memorial Hospital in Friend was about ready to close its doors. Payroll was due one day last July, and the city-owned hospital didnt have the funds to cover it. We were hours from having to close our doors, because we would have had no employees, said Jared Chaffin, chief financial officer and one of the hospitals three interim co-CEOs. The city provided two infusions of cash, totaling $250,000, to cover the next two payrolls. The hospital foundation kicked in $75,000 and a special hospital tax district at least $40,000 more. But that was just a temporary solution. To find more solid financial ground, hospital officials last fall sought a new federal designation intended to maintain essential health care services in communities served by small rural hospitals. On Feb. 8, Warren Memorial officially became the first hospital in Nebraska and among the first 20 in the United States to convert to whats known as a rural emergency hospital. Under the new federal payment model, hospitals forgo most inpatient services but maintain observation beds and a 24/7 emergency room, in addition to continuing outpatient services and clinics. That gives them a 5% boost in reimbursements for Medicare outpatient services. Its a lifeline weve been looking for, Chaffin said. Its not the answer to all of a sudden become profitable, because there are still things we need to do as a hospital to make sure we stay open, but its a lifeline. The program isnt the answer for every struggling hospital. But it is an option several others in Nebraska and more nationwide are considering as they wrestle with cost pressures, workforce issues, changing rural demographics and other challenges. Many rural facilities, like Warren Memorial in Friend, have long faced financial challenges for various reasons, including competition from nearby hospitals and larger ones in Lincoln and Omaha. More recently, hospitals across Nebraska have been dealing with rising labor and supply costs, Medicaid and Medicare payments that havent kept pace with expenses and difficulty collecting on claims. One proposed solution is a measure in the Nebraska Legislature that could help address below-cost Medicaid rates. Backed by the Nebraska Hospital Association, a bill (LB1087) could net Nebraska more than $1 billion of federal money to boost Medicaid rates for hospitals and other health care providers. But that wouldnt have come in time for Warren Memorial. Congress created the rural emergency hospital program in late 2020, and it took effect in January 2023. It aims to prevent additional hospital closures, as well as the job losses and other economic impacts that shutdowns can have on communities, and maintain some, if not all, local health care services. As of June, Nebraska and Iowa were among 15 states that had adopted laws enabling the program, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Jed Hansen, executive director of the Nebraska Rural Health Association, said the program comes with trade-offs. Participating hospitals exchange the cost-plus reimbursement allotted to critical access hospitals, another designation created in 1997 to help stabilize rural hospitals, for monthly payments that total about $3.2 million a year. Rural emergency hospitals also give up inpatient beds and swing beds, those designated for patients no longer sick enough for hospital care but not well enough to go home, as well as their eligibility for the 340B drug payment program, which allows hospitals of all sizes to purchase drugs at a reduced rate and bill at full cost. All rural hospitals with fewer than 50 certified beds are eligible for the new emergency program, Hansen said. But because of the trade-offs, it doesnt make sense for mid- and large-sized critical access hospitals. The association, along with the Nebraska Hospital Association and the Nebraska Office of Rural Health, analyzed all 63 of the states critical access hospitals and Fremont Health, which became part of Methodist Health System in 2018. The organizations determined that six critical access hospitals would likely see a positive financial impact from converting to the rural emergency model. The groups worked with the Friend hospital and four others on more comprehensive analyses, he said. Those indicated the model made sense for Warren Memorial and three of the four other hospitals but not for the remaining one. In the case of Friend ... what were seeing and anticipating is it will remove some financial pressure off that community, off that hospital, so they can evaluate what services they can offer and theyre no longer a competitor to other area hospitals, Hansen said. Nationally, Chartis, a Chicago-based health care advisory and analytics group, found that nearly 400 rural hospitals were most likely to consider conversion to the rural emergency model, according to a recent report. Within that group, modeling identified 77 facilities ideal for conversion based on their performance profiles. Friend Mayor Jewels Knoke, who serves on the hospital board and the local rescue squad, said some residents have expressed concerns about the loss of hospital beds close to their homes, where relatives and friends can easily visit. Those concerns arose during a town hall meeting hospital officials held last fall to discuss the conversion option. Hansen said he would particularly like to see swing beds added back to the program for that reason. During the worst of the pandemic, swing beds across the state also served as an escape valve for large hospitals by taking less-sick patients and freeing beds for those who were more critically ill. David Palm, an associate professor and director of the Center for Health Policy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said the emergency hospital program, first proposed about 15 years ago, could benefit from additional flexibility. Nationally, that lack of flexibility has been cited as a reason so few hospitals have chosen that route. Some also may be waiting to see how the first conversions work out. With a few changes, it could be much more important and adaptable in rural communities and allow us to provide some still excellent services, he said. Knoke said the program offered Friend the best chance of securing its emergency room for the long term. Thats a potential lifesaver for the town of nearly 900 residents, which is about a 30 minutes drive from several nearby hospitals and 50 miles from Lincoln. With an E.R. in town, she said, first responders can get patients in quickly to be stabilized without the delay of a longer drive or the need to connect with a ground or air ambulance that offers advanced life support. Im feeling relieved in the fact that I can now breathe easier knowing that for the foreseeable future, this community has an emergency room, and that could save lives, Knoke said. Amy Thimm, vice president of clinical services and quality and interim co-CEO, said the hospital is working to make connections with other nearby small hospitals so that local residents still could get skilled hospital care closer to home than Lincoln or Omaha. Its hard to recruit people if you lose your hospital Warren Memorial can keep patients 24 to 48 hours for observation. It also can extend stays for individual patients if necessary, which could allow for hospice care, another service thats important to the community, she said. Overall, the hospitals patient stays cant average more than 24 hours over the course of a year. But with fewer inpatients, that leaves room to maneuver. Ron Te Brink, the hospitals chief information officer and interim co-CEO, said the inpatient arrangements the hospital is seeking with its neighbors also could bolster those hospitals bottom lines. Before, local hospitals all were competing for the same patients. Its sometimes a win for everyone when someone makes a change, he said. Still, the hospital and its 50 employees have had some challenges to overcome. Chaffin, the finance officer, said the hospital like other rural facilities got through the pandemic with the help of additional funding provided by the federal government. But that covered only payroll and some fixed costs. Debts to vendors mounted. When that funding ended last year, the hospital essentially faced two years worth of expenses with one year of revenue. The hospitals daily census also dwindled during 2023 from a handful on average to fewer than two, he said. Some patients overstayed the maximum days allotted under Medicare. Once patients exceed that limit, a hospital no longer receives reimbursement. But Warren Memorial has made progress financially since late last year, he said. Its been in the black in the months since its fiscal year began Oct. 1. Management has focused heavily on outpatient services, such as wound care and the hospitals infusion clinic, which the team hopes to expand to a 24/7 operation. The hospital is offering more specialty clinics an orthopedist comes in once a month to provide injections and scans and it has resurrected its operating room, which hadnt been used since 2021. Another doctor will begin performing colonoscopies and upper endoscopies in March. I tell everyone: The way you win this game is to build your outpatient services, Thimm said. She would like to add even more, such as general surgery for conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, and womens health services. Chaffin said the team also has focused on reshaping contracts and looking hard at expenses. During the community town hall last fall, they also explained that the facility is a use it or lose it operation. Even if residents rely on the two other clinics in town, they can still come to Warren Memorial for X-rays and lab work, rather than getting them in Crete, Seward or Lincoln. If the town wants us here, you have to use us, he said. The hospitals laboratory, which has someone on call 24/7, can test for respiratory illnesses and run full metabolic panels, assessments of cardiac markers and more. Its a small lab, but its complete, said Alphe Manalili, lab manager. The hospitals emergency rooms are connected to a telemedicine provider in Sioux Falls, S.D., allowing local staff to pull in remote nurses, doctors and specialists such as cardiologists for backup help in all emergency cases. Michael Karel, a physician assistant who was working in the hospitals attached clinic Friday, said being able to provide more services nearby means the communitys aging residents dont have to drive far for care. Four or five area rescue squads use the E.R. Theres definitely a lot of support for keeping the hospital here, he said. Te Brink said accessible services also are important in such an ag-focused community. Friend is ringed by cornfields and grain bins. You have farmers and ranchers who wont take the time to drive to Lincoln if their knees hurt, he said. If we can provide it, they can come in over lunch. Jen Stutzman, president of the hospital board, said that securing an E.R. and clinic in town also is important for the overall health of the community, including recruiting employees for local schools and industries. Its also kept some aging residents in the community. Its hard to recruit people if you lose your hospital, she said. Te Brink said the conversion process hasnt been an easy one. But the team feels a commitment to the hospital. Weve gone through some really tough times, and we keep going through the tough times because were really committed to seeing that it still exists, he said. Weve all seen how important it is to the community.(tncms-asset)2d98a4b5-feef-5442-93c1-5c3bbcd04ccd[6](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)5f6385c9-c2fc-5b3e-9037-c3ef2a35582f[7](/tncms-asset) Photos: Warren Memorial Hospital becomes first rural emergency hospital in Nebraska. A divided Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday sent a U.S. Marine Corps veteran's criminal case back to Madison County District Court because his sentencing judge refused to consider his motion for a deferred sentence, finding the 2019 law authorizing it unconstitutional. The issue dealt with separation of powers. Under the Nebraska Constitution: "No legislative act shall be held unconstitutional except by the concurrence of five judges." "Because five judges of this court do not hold that 29-2292 is unconstitutional, it is constitutional," Chief Justice Michael Heavican wrote for the majority in State v. Gnewuch. Four justices dissented. The case involves Nathaniel Gnewuch, who in December 2022 got 18 months' probation for operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest while willful reckless driving, a Class IV felony. As part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to the charge, which stemmed from his attempt to outrun a sheriff's deputy trying a stop him in Norfolk. According to the opinion, Gnewuch had moved from California to Nebraska three months before the incident to care for his aging grandparents. In California, he was being treated and medicated for post-traumatic stress disorder related to his deployment in Afghanistan, where he suffered a traumatic brain injury. But in Nebraska the Veterans Administration had denied him the medication until after the incident. Gnewuch's public defender, Chelsey Hartner, filed a motion for deferred judgment emphasizing the "mental health overlay" in the case and argued he was a good candidate. Under deferred judgment, the court defers the entry of a judgment of conviction and imposition of a sentence, instead entering a conditional order placing the defendant on probation. "It does not sentence the defendant to probation, as it does when it enters a judgment of conviction and imposes a sentence," Heavican wrote, explaining the difference. Given the implications that go along with a felony conviction including the inability to vote for a period of time and possess firearms it's a big distinction. At Gnewuch's sentencing, Deputy Madison County Attorney Matthew Kiernan argued against deferred judgment in the case and expressed his "serious constitutional concerns regarding the deferred sentence statute" over separation of power issues, without elaborating. Madison County District Judge James Kube denied Gnewuch's request, concluding the statute was unconstitutional. "The court reasoned that the deferred judgment statutes violate the Nebraska Constitution because the court would be imposing a sentence of probation before the entry of a judgment of conviction, and thus, the court lacked jurisdiction to do so despite the Legislatures statutory authorization," Heavican said. The state didn't initially address the constitutionality question on appeal, until the Supreme Court specifically requested a brief addressing it. At oral arguments in November, the Nebraska Attorney General's Office argued the law, as written, permits the judiciary to encroach on the legislative function because the court can choose to dismiss valid charges over the prosecutor's objection. Heavican asked Assistant Attorney General Jordan Osborne how she responded to the concept that state statutes are presumed to be constitutional, particularly given that it's that office's job to defend the constitutionality of state statutes. "Obviously, we're sort of on the opposite side of where we usually are. And it is true, that the presumption is constitutionality. But," Osborne said, "this amounts to unjustified judicial interference." In a friend-of-the-court brief, attorney Spike Eickholt of the Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association defended the law, saying prosecutors have considerable discretion in charging criminal cases. But that doesn't mean the executive branch has the sole authority to dismiss criminal charges. "Courts have autonomy over cases before them," he wrote. Eickholt argued that the interpretation of the separation of powers being advanced by the AG"s office is "tilted too far towards executive power at the expense of the legislative and judicial branches." In Friday's decision Heavican, writing for the majority, said: "We find nothing in the Nebraska Constitution that prevents the Legislature from imbuing the district court with the jurisdiction, upon request by a defendant, to enter an order placing the defendant on probation subject to court supervision prior to the entry of a final judgment." "To the contrary," he said, "the Nebraska Constitution specifically provides that district courts shall have both chancery and common law jurisdiction, and such other jurisdiction as the Legislature may provide." Heavican likened it to a sentencing decision, which is vested in the judiciary and sent Gnewuch's case back to Madison County for the judge to consider his motion for deferred judgment. But four justices William Cassel, Jonathan Papik, Jeffrey Funke and John Freudenberg dissented, at least partially. All saying they would have found the law unconstitutional. Papik said: "For at least some, 29-2292 was seen as a means by which certain criminal offenders who successfully complete probation could avoid the stigma of a criminal conviction. That is an understandable policy goal, but, in my view, accomplished at the expense of the Nebraska Constitution." Freudenberg perhaps went the furthest, saying the statute permits the trial court to deprive a defendant of liberty (by putting them on probation) without ever entering a judgment of conviction. "I do not contest the majoritys reading of the statutory scheme but find it abhorrent to permit such a convoluted legislative workaround to the mandates of our Constitution," he said. "The Legislature has created a conviction without a conviction and a sentence without a sentence to give the judicial branch the power to pardon a person who has been charged with and found guilty of a crime." Freudenberg said deferred judgment gives power to the judiciary the founders never intended the judiciary, or any branch of government, to have. "It breaks the beam from which our system of checks and balances is suspended and should not be tolerated," he wrote. Close Letter: Really bettering our community Community is, simply put, a group of people living in the same place. In the broadest sense, Earth is a community, and all earthlings are community members. As an individual member, I'm always learning new ways to positively impact my community for the greater good. The goals for any community should be inclusive equality, fairness, peace, justice, love and greater diversity including biodiversity. So if you were trying to better your community by raising money to enhance a community center, what ideas would you come up? Bakes sales? Art auctions? Family events with an entry fee? I was absolutely horrified to see one nearby community sponsor a 24-hour, Purge-style fundraiser called a Varmint Hunt. The deliberate, needless (but legal) killing contest targeted bobcats, fox, coyotes and raccoons. Participants paid an entry fee, and $2,000, guns and other raffle prizes were available for things like the heaviest raccoon and the most coyotes and raccoons killed. All animals have a role to play in our ecosystem, and none should be driven out or into extinction. Conservationist Kevin Bixby reports "normal people find these events abhorrent," and hunters he knows "find them distasteful," suggesting the wildlife management system is in need of reform to accommodate for "modern ecological understanding, changing public attitudes and a global extinction crisis." Building community shouldnt involve killing its members, even non-human ones. Robert A. Rieck Jr., Lincoln Letter: Trump could've made it easier In 1801, John Adams retired to the farm and ignored witnessing his successor, Thomas Jefferson, take the oath of office. For the 219 years since, every outgoing president has witnessed his successor take the oath until Jan. 20, 2021. Had Donald Trump merely driven up Pennsylvania Avenue with Joe Biden, witnessed the ceremony and climbed into his private jet and returned to Mar-a-Lago, he wouldve cleared the path to a less contentious campaign in 2024. Now if he would be the victor of the upcoming campaign, his administration would be a threat to democracy and encumbered by multiple legal charges outside of the federal government. But if not elected and defeated, once again, what would be Trump's reaction and that of his supporters? This is a serious consideration, either way. Jack D Campbell, Lincoln Letter: A nation under threat In 1787 the United States Constitution was signed, in 1788 it was ratified and in 1789 our first government was established under the presidency of George Washington. Since then we have enjoyed all the rights and privileges created by this constitutional form of democracy. There are those who believe that we should eliminate the Constitution and all the laws and regulations created to maintain and advance all the needs of our society. Also, they believe that they should not have to pay taxes to support this government. Where do they think all the goods and services and protections that we enjoy would come from? If they think they can provide streets, highways, water, sewer, electrical power, national defense and a currency for commerce, etc. they need to think again. In order to protect what we have and our future we must reject those who want to take it away from us. We all know Donald Trump has promised to do that. Currently there has been little support from Trump followers to help fight the fight to keep our democratic form of life. I would suggest that Republicans running for reelection are afraid that if they dont support Trump, he would cause them to lose their primary elections and not be able to continue in Congress. As soon as the primaries are over that threat to them will disappear. I would hope then that those Republicans who have not done their job would step forward and establish credibility, unless its too late. Bob Hardy, Lincoln Letter: Ruling underscores science, faith This is in response to a short article Feb. 21 in the Journal Star ("Alabama court: Frozen embryos are 'children'") regarding a statement made by Barbara Collura, the CEO of RESOLVE. She was quoted as saying: "This ruling is stating that a fertilized egg, which is a clump of cells, is now a person." Well, that is exactly right. That's the science, if only people would recognize this truth. According to Princeton University, "The fusion of the sperm (with 23 chromosomes) and the oocyte (with 23 chromosomes) at fertilization results in a live human being, a single human zygote ..." It doesn't even have to be a clump of cells, first. At the moment of conception we receive our DNA, that determines (under normal circumstances) how tall we will be, our eye color, our foot size, etc. It's all determined right at conception. All that the newly conceived human person needs is more time and nourishment to be born. It says in Romans 2:11, For there is no respect of persons with God, truly meaning we are equal before His eyes. Msgr. Paul K. Witt, Lincoln Letter: Nothing new about 'new' methods Recent articles in the Journal Star have called attention to evidence-based reading instruction resulting from the latest findings of reading science. This appears to be a welcome departure from trendy and ineffective reading instruction programs favored over the years by the educationist establishments in American colleges and universities. Indeed, it is interesting to note reports on how many teachers in public schools claim that they were never really instructed on effective methods of teaching youngsters to read. However, promoting these emerging strategies as some kind of recent discovery of reading science seems a stretch. Focused emphasis on phonemic awareness and decoding strategies is hardly new. Its advocacy has been around at least since Rudolf Fleschs book, Why Johnny Cant Read (1955). It is significant, too, to note the report that the people most skeptical and resistant to these recent developments are professors in university education departments. This is not surprising, for often in higher education the purity of theory proves to have dominance over any evidence-based practice. I grew up with the intellectually barren look-say method of reading instruction (a precursor to the even more corrupt whole language practice), featuring boring Dick and Jane scenarios. However, we also were taught the structure of words and the sounds associated with letters and phonemes. I well remember a reading session where a classmate was struggling with a word in a reader we used, when the teacher calmly encouraged him: Sound it out. Sound it out. This was in the late 1940s. It worked then and it works now. It is good to learn of these new vistas of the latest reading science. But whats the saying? What goes around comes around. Good. Richard Terrell, Lincoln Letter: Report wasn't mental assessment In response to the Feb. 18 letter to the editor from Jerris Cummings ("Special counsel findings a gift"), I'd like to offer a clarification. However true it may be, the Hur report did not explicitly say that Biden is a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory. It said that in a trial, he would present himself that way, as he did when they questioned him. The Justice Department has three requirements in order to bring charges. First, the prosecutor must believe the person is guilty check. Second, they must believe that they can prove it check again. Third, they must believe that they can win a conviction in court. It sounds similar to the second, but it's a higher bar and this is where Hur could not check the box. He describes how a jury might be sympathetic to Biden if he presented himself as a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory. He did not offer an "assessment of Biden's mental state." He just said that Biden might arouse sympathy in a jury such that they would be inclined not to convict. That approach does seem to work better than denying guilt, calling the trial a witch hunt and publicly criticizing the prosecutor and judge. Charles Pille, Lincoln Letter: Tax hike is tyranny by majority The Feb. 15 Journal Star had two pieces about property tax relief. One article was a letter to the editor from a convenience store manager voicing his concerns about the negative effect a cigarette tax increase will have on his business. The other article was a report on Gov. Jim Pillen speaking to the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce on his property tax reform plans. The report stated that Pillen said he did not consider a tax on cigarettes really a tax, insinuating that he was giving smokers a motive to quit. This argument goes well with nonsmokers, who think smokers are just weak individuals, reluctant to make the effort to quit, so if they have to pay more taxes it is their own fault. Tobacco has been taxed since 1947 and has not, to date, stopped the use of tobacco. If raising the cost will decrease the number of users then at some point there will be so few smokers the taxes raised will be minimal. What is interesting is tobacco is being targeted as a source to increase revenue, but alcohol seems to be off the table. Alcohol can contribute to auto accidents, health issues, etc. But Pillen shows no interest in taxing alcohol to change behaviors or reduce property tax. This is an example of tyranny by the majority. Ken Snyder, Lincoln Letter: No time to take a vacation "Dictators don't go on vacation!" stated President Volodymyr Zelensky. But Congress did! Two weeks of vacation and not a single thing accomplished on aid to Ukraine. Ukraine continues to fight Russian aggression and Congress needed a vacation from all of its hard work. Ukrainian troops and citizens died, but Congress needed a vacation. Ukraine had to turn over a key city, and U.S. lawmakers took two weeks off. Donald Trump said that Russia should do whatever they want to NATO countries and the House did nothing and went on vacation. Voters in November need to give some lawmakers a much longer vacation! Curtis Mann, Lincoln Southeast Nebraska speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of Mar. 1, 2024 Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Lincoln Journal Star. Letter: Really bettering our community Community is, simply put, a group of people living in the same place. In the broadest sense, Earth is a community, and all earthlings are community members. As an individual member, I'm always learning new ways to positively impact my community for the greater good. The goals for any community should be inclusive equality, fairness, peace, justice, love and greater diversity including biodiversity. So if you were trying to better your community by raising money to enhance a community center, what ideas would you come up? Bakes sales? Art auctions? Family events with an entry fee? I was absolutely horrified to see one nearby community sponsor a 24-hour, Purge-style fundraiser called a Varmint Hunt. The deliberate, needless (but legal) killing contest targeted bobcats, fox, coyotes and raccoons. Participants paid an entry fee, and $2,000, guns and other raffle prizes were available for things like the heaviest raccoon and the most coyotes and raccoons killed. All animals have a role to play in our ecosystem, and none should be driven out or into extinction. Conservationist Kevin Bixby reports "normal people find these events abhorrent," and hunters he knows "find them distasteful," suggesting the wildlife management system is in need of reform to accommodate for "modern ecological understanding, changing public attitudes and a global extinction crisis." Building community shouldnt involve killing its members, even non-human ones. Robert A. Rieck Jr., Lincoln Letter: Trump could've made it easier In 1801, John Adams retired to the farm and ignored witnessing his successor, Thomas Jefferson, take the oath of office. For the 219 years since, every outgoing president has witnessed his successor take the oath until Jan. 20, 2021. Had Donald Trump merely driven up Pennsylvania Avenue with Joe Biden, witnessed the ceremony and climbed into his private jet and returned to Mar-a-Lago, he wouldve cleared the path to a less contentious campaign in 2024. Now if he would be the victor of the upcoming campaign, his administration would be a threat to democracy and encumbered by multiple legal charges outside of the federal government. But if not elected and defeated, once again, what would be Trump's reaction and that of his supporters? This is a serious consideration, either way. Jack D Campbell, Lincoln Letter: A nation under threat In 1787 the United States Constitution was signed, in 1788 it was ratified and in 1789 our first government was established under the presidency of George Washington. Since then we have enjoyed all the rights and privileges created by this constitutional form of democracy. There are those who believe that we should eliminate the Constitution and all the laws and regulations created to maintain and advance all the needs of our society. Also, they believe that they should not have to pay taxes to support this government. Where do they think all the goods and services and protections that we enjoy would come from? If they think they can provide streets, highways, water, sewer, electrical power, national defense and a currency for commerce, etc. they need to think again. In order to protect what we have and our future we must reject those who want to take it away from us. We all know Donald Trump has promised to do that. Currently there has been little support from Trump followers to help fight the fight to keep our democratic form of life. I would suggest that Republicans running for reelection are afraid that if they dont support Trump, he would cause them to lose their primary elections and not be able to continue in Congress. As soon as the primaries are over that threat to them will disappear. I would hope then that those Republicans who have not done their job would step forward and establish credibility, unless its too late. Bob Hardy, Lincoln Letter: Ruling underscores science, faith This is in response to a short article Feb. 21 in the Journal Star ("Alabama court: Frozen embryos are 'children'") regarding a statement made by Barbara Collura, the CEO of RESOLVE. She was quoted as saying: "This ruling is stating that a fertilized egg, which is a clump of cells, is now a person." Well, that is exactly right. That's the science, if only people would recognize this truth. According to Princeton University, "The fusion of the sperm (with 23 chromosomes) and the oocyte (with 23 chromosomes) at fertilization results in a live human being, a single human zygote ..." It doesn't even have to be a clump of cells, first. At the moment of conception we receive our DNA, that determines (under normal circumstances) how tall we will be, our eye color, our foot size, etc. It's all determined right at conception. All that the newly conceived human person needs is more time and nourishment to be born. It says in Romans 2:11, For there is no respect of persons with God, truly meaning we are equal before His eyes. Msgr. Paul K. Witt, Lincoln Letter: Nothing new about 'new' methods Recent articles in the Journal Star have called attention to evidence-based reading instruction resulting from the latest findings of reading science. This appears to be a welcome departure from trendy and ineffective reading instruction programs favored over the years by the educationist establishments in American colleges and universities. Indeed, it is interesting to note reports on how many teachers in public schools claim that they were never really instructed on effective methods of teaching youngsters to read. However, promoting these emerging strategies as some kind of recent discovery of reading science seems a stretch. Focused emphasis on phonemic awareness and decoding strategies is hardly new. Its advocacy has been around at least since Rudolf Fleschs book, Why Johnny Cant Read (1955). It is significant, too, to note the report that the people most skeptical and resistant to these recent developments are professors in university education departments. This is not surprising, for often in higher education the purity of theory proves to have dominance over any evidence-based practice. I grew up with the intellectually barren look-say method of reading instruction (a precursor to the even more corrupt whole language practice), featuring boring Dick and Jane scenarios. However, we also were taught the structure of words and the sounds associated with letters and phonemes. I well remember a reading session where a classmate was struggling with a word in a reader we used, when the teacher calmly encouraged him: Sound it out. Sound it out. This was in the late 1940s. It worked then and it works now. It is good to learn of these new vistas of the latest reading science. But whats the saying? What goes around comes around. Good. Richard Terrell, Lincoln Letter: Report wasn't mental assessment In response to the Feb. 18 letter to the editor from Jerris Cummings ("Special counsel findings a gift"), I'd like to offer a clarification. However true it may be, the Hur report did not explicitly say that Biden is a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory. It said that in a trial, he would present himself that way, as he did when they questioned him. The Justice Department has three requirements in order to bring charges. First, the prosecutor must believe the person is guilty check. Second, they must believe that they can prove it check again. Third, they must believe that they can win a conviction in court. It sounds similar to the second, but it's a higher bar and this is where Hur could not check the box. He describes how a jury might be sympathetic to Biden if he presented himself as a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory. He did not offer an "assessment of Biden's mental state." He just said that Biden might arouse sympathy in a jury such that they would be inclined not to convict. That approach does seem to work better than denying guilt, calling the trial a witch hunt and publicly criticizing the prosecutor and judge. Charles Pille, Lincoln Letter: Tax hike is tyranny by majority The Feb. 15 Journal Star had two pieces about property tax relief. One article was a letter to the editor from a convenience store manager voicing his concerns about the negative effect a cigarette tax increase will have on his business. The other article was a report on Gov. Jim Pillen speaking to the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce on his property tax reform plans. The report stated that Pillen said he did not consider a tax on cigarettes really a tax, insinuating that he was giving smokers a motive to quit. This argument goes well with nonsmokers, who think smokers are just weak individuals, reluctant to make the effort to quit, so if they have to pay more taxes it is their own fault. Tobacco has been taxed since 1947 and has not, to date, stopped the use of tobacco. If raising the cost will decrease the number of users then at some point there will be so few smokers the taxes raised will be minimal. What is interesting is tobacco is being targeted as a source to increase revenue, but alcohol seems to be off the table. Alcohol can contribute to auto accidents, health issues, etc. But Pillen shows no interest in taxing alcohol to change behaviors or reduce property tax. This is an example of tyranny by the majority. Ken Snyder, Lincoln Letter: No time to take a vacation "Dictators don't go on vacation!" stated President Volodymyr Zelensky. But Congress did! Two weeks of vacation and not a single thing accomplished on aid to Ukraine. Ukraine continues to fight Russian aggression and Congress needed a vacation from all of its hard work. Ukrainian troops and citizens died, but Congress needed a vacation. Ukraine had to turn over a key city, and U.S. lawmakers took two weeks off. Donald Trump said that Russia should do whatever they want to NATO countries and the House did nothing and went on vacation. Voters in November need to give some lawmakers a much longer vacation! Curtis Mann, Lincoln A handful of last-minute filings on Friday for Nebraskas unique one-house Legislature made a pair of races competitive heading into Mays primary election. The late entries include a trio of candidates in the Southeast Nebraska district that will be vacated when Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar steps down at the end of the year. And an official from the NEGOP stepping forward to run means the race for a southwest Lincoln seat now held by Sen. Anna Wishart will be carried through to November. But Fridays deadline for nonincumbents also saw a challenger withdraw, meaning incumbent Sen. Eliot Bostar will get another term in the Legislature. Of the six seats up for election in Southeast Nebraska, five will feature competitive primary races when voters go to the polls on May 14. The incumbent deadline to file for reelection was Feb. 15. District 1 Slamas announcement in February that she wont seek a second full term representing five counties in the far southeast corner of the state left a wide-open race for District 1. Dennis Schaardt of Steinauer, a Republican who owns Dens Country Meats in Table Rock, filed shortly after Slama made her announcement that she planned to step down. Schaardt is a former county commissioner, city council member and volunteer fire chief. On Friday, Schaardt gained three opponents ahead of the filing deadline. Bob Hallstrom, an attorney from Syracuse who is a registered Republican, entered the race late Friday. Hallstroms law firm, Brandt, Horan, Hallstrom & Stilmock, does government relations at the Legislature in addition to other legal work. Bob Holman of Auburn, a Republican, and Glenda Willnerd of Unadilla, a registered Democrat, also filed for the seat ahead of the deadline. Neither Hollman nor Willnerd immediately returned the Journal Stars phone call on Friday. Mike Powers, a Democrat who ran for the District 1 seat in 2020, filed for the position again but later withdrew. District 1 includes Otoe, Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee and Richardson counties. District 21 Mike Hilgers won reelection to the district encompassing northwest Lincoln and northern Lancaster County in 2020 but left office before finishing his term after winning election in the attorney generals race in 2022. Sen. Beau Ballard, a Republican business owner, was appointed to the seat by then-Gov. Pete Ricketts in consultation with current Gov. Jim Pillen. Ballard will run against a pair of Democrats in the primary election. Seth Derner is an entrepreneur and co-founder of an online business that offers instructional programs and curriculum. Bryan Paseka of Lincoln also filed for the seat. District 23 A crowded field will seek to replace Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, who will be term-limited at the end of the year. District 23 includes Saunders, a portion of Butler and Colfax counties. Dennis Fujan, a farmer and Navy veteran from Prague, is past president of the Nebraska Soybean Association; Jacob Wolff, is a Navy veteran and engineer originally from Omaha who now lives in Colon; Alan Zavodny, is the former mayor of David City; Jared Storm, also of David City, is a pilot and small-business owner; Allie French of Prague is the owner of a bait shop and organizer of a conservative political group; and Larissa Schultz of Yutan is a nonprofit worker and yoga instructor. Schultz is a registered Democrat, while the five other candidates are all registered Republicans. Bostelman was also a registered Republican. District 25 Sen. Carolyn Bosn will seek a full four years in the Legislature after being appointed by Pillen to finish former Sen. Suzanne Geists term representing southeast Lincoln and eastern Lancaster County. Geist left the Legislature last year to focus on her Lincoln mayoral campaign. Bosn, a Republican, will face Nicki Behmer Popp, who is registered as nonpartisan who is a Realtor and member of the Lincoln Airport Authority, and Maher Aurang Zeb, a registered Libertarian who has recently sought election to the Lincoln Airport Authority and Lincoln City Council. District 27 Two candidates filed for the seat now held by Wishart, who will leave the Legislature due to term limits this year. District 27 includes southwest Lincoln and a portion of southwest Lancaster County. Jason Prokop, a registered Democrat, is the director of an early childhood education nonprofit and former adviser to U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson. Late Friday, Prokop was joined by Dawn Liphardt, an accountant who currently serves as executive director of the NEGOP. District 29 Bostar, a registered Democrat who runs a nonprofit, had a challenger Republican Phil Bruce until Friday, when Bruces name disappeared from the list of candidates provided by the Nebraska Secretary of States Office. Bruce withdrawing means Bostar has a clear path to a second term in the Legislature. Meet the Nebraska state senators making laws in 2024 MONDAY Al-Anon: 8 p.m., Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3350 Lathrop Ave. Retired Nurses Association: Meets first Monday of every month. For more information, call Marge Orth, secretary, 262-884-0742. WEDNESDAY Caledonia Senior Card Club: Sheepshead, for ages 55 and older, noon to 3 p.m., Franksville Memorial Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave., Franksville. For more information, call 414-856-9550. Kiwanis Club of West of Racine: 7:30 a.m., in-person at Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave. Kiwanis is an international organization dedicated to serving the children of the world. To attend a meeting, contact Shirley Meyer, membership chair, at 262-260-8101 or email aquashirl4@yahoo.com. FRIDAY Racine Founders Rotary Club: 7 a.m., Racine Country Club, 2401 Northwestern Ave. DAILY/OTHERS Caledonia Historical Society Meeting: 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at Franksville Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave. The meeting is open to the public. There will be no meetings December through March. https://caledoniahistoricalsociety.org. Overeaters Anonymous: 7 p.m. Monday and Thursday, Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave., a free fellowship group for all eating disorders using the 12 steps and 12 traditions. For more information call 262-652-5635. Racine Duplicate Bridge Club: Each week two ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge games are played in Racine at 12:15 p.m. Monday and Friday at The Lanes, 6501 Washington Ave., Mount Pleasant. People must have proof of COVID-19 vaccination to play. Call Henry Kensler, club manager, at 262-652-6173 for reservations. Recent winners include: Feb. 16 (299er): Jean Myrvold and Denise Anastasio, first place; Katie Patzke and Wayne Hejny, second place; Paula Meisner and Jane Holroyd, third place. Feb. 23: Mark Langer and Daniele Langer, first place; George Urquhart and Janet Urquhart, second place; Richard Arneson and Gloria Arneson, third place. Feb. 26: George Urquhart and Janet Urquhart, first place; Mary Matthews and Henry Kensler, second place; Paul Dorsey and Donald Urquhart, third place. Lighthouse Quilters Guild: Open to quilters of all skill levels, 7 p.m., on the last Monday of each month at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 322 Ohio St. For more information, lighthousequiltersguild.com. VFW Post 10301: VFW Post 10301 meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at Fifth Street Yacht Club, 761 Marquette St. Racine Welcome Club: Drop in coffee 9-11 a.m. Friday, March 8, at Panera Bread, 5304 Washington Ave. The group is open to women interested in making new friends, learning about community resources, and being involved in philanthropic and social activities. Call 262-994-0957 for more information. Racine Art Guild: The Racine Art Guild will meet from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at Wustum Museum 2519 Northwestern Ave. The meeting will include critiques by Dan Simoneau. Members are invited to bring one piece to be critiqued. 1. Yes. It will be convenient and the fares are cheap. I plan to use the transit system often. 2. Yes. I have a vehicle, but I may still use the service now and then, especially in bad weather. 3. No. I dont use the current bus service, and I dont plan to use the micro-transit service either. 4. No. It may be fine in town, but it still involves a transfer for longer trips. That wont work. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say. It depends on how well the service works once its in place. Vote View Results Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. WOOD RIVER Carol Hines calls the annual sandhill crane migration one of the wonders of the world. Shes bringing her love of cranes into a new show this month at her year-old Wildflower Gallery at 108-110 W. Ninth St. in Wood River. Friday evening, she had a wine and cheese opening at the gallery at 108110 West Ninth St. Gallery. Hours for March will be 4-7 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. Sundays, through March 30. The show highlights the artwork of award-winning artist Jude Martindale of Lincoln, whose crane paintings were featured at the Stuhr Museum last year and at the Great Plains Art Gallery in Lincoln in 2021. Martindales crane artwork also was featured at the Willa Cather galley in Red Cloud last year. Hines has had a long-time love affair with the sandhill cranes. She used to volunteer during crane season at Rowe Sanctuary. She took reservations for tours, led blind tours and more. I loved being out there and hearing the cranes come, hearing them say, Were here! Being in the blinds, tears stream down my face, she said. I was in the blind one Easter morning. The cranes were on the river, but when the clouds broke along the horizon, they got up all at once. They were all talking to each other, she said. It was church to me. Ripping out walls The Wildflower Gallery project has been a work of art in itself for Hines. She bought the 70-year-old building in the summer of 2022. I was looking for a building to remodel. I like old buildings, but I didnt want something with an upstairs or a basement. Then I spotted those two little plain, 1950s-looking buildings, she said. She also liked the site. She lives outside of Wood River and knew the town would be a good location because she had had booths there during past Junk Jaunts. But she had no idea how much sweat and labor would be required until she plunged into the renovation. She tore down walls and pulled up the carpet, only to discover it had been glued to the cement floor. As she gutted the ceiling in the western half of the building, she found thousands of termites. She forged ahead. Im pretty handy with stuff. I make things with tools, she said. She cut a hole between the two buildings to turn them into a single building. She had the structure power-washed and painted a beautiful mural on the exterior east wall. This is exciting for Wood River. As I painted the mural, people would drive by and yell, We love what youre doing to the building! she said. Even the mayor has been supportive and helpful. People stop by to see if I need anything, she said. Im letting this building be what its going to be. I think things evolve the way theyre supposed to. Im glad to have these buildings be used, she said. Then, chuckling, she added, But the next time I buy a building, Im going to make sure that all I have to do is paint it. I never want to do a remodel this extensive again. A life-long artist Hines was born and raised in Neligh. Her first memory of creating art is as a kindergartener. Her teacher drew a dog and instructed the pupils to copy it in crayon. Some of them werent sure what to do, so after Hines quickly completed her picture, she assisted her classmates. As she grew, she kept creating. Being an artist translates into the rest of your life, she said. She moved to Kearney after high school and briefly began classes at Kearney State College, then moved to Kansas, got married, and had two sons, but she never let go of her goal of teaching art. She eventually returned to Kearney State and earned a bachelor of science degree in art. She is a fixture in Kearneys art community. She has exhibited at Art in the Park and shows at the Kearney Artist Guild. She has shown at the Burkholder Project in Lincoln and the Stuhr Museum. Her artistic talents also were showcased when her house in Kearney was on the Holiday Home Tour in 2011. Shortly after that, she felt an urge to find an old farmhouse to renovate. I was able to find an old Victorian place outside of town. I ripped six coats of wallpaper off the walls and then ran out of things to fix up, she said. Ive learned that most people have a specific plan before they start a project, but I just jump right in, she said. A renaissance Since opening the Wildflower Gallery in March 2023, Hines has made friends and been invited to events in town. Wood River people have really embraced me, she said. She said her gallery is part of a quiet renaissance going on in Wood River. People have received facade grants. Theyre getting new windows and fixing up buildings, she said. She noted that a friend bought two old stores downtown and is renovating them into a coffee shop. On the second floor, she already has created apartments and an Airbnb. Last August, Hines invited artists to bring their work to show in the gallery for Wood Rivers annual FunFest weekend. Right off the bat, I had eight quilts. A man had created birdhouses out of gourds. I had pottery, paintings and photography, just a lot of fun stuff, she said. Some people are thrilled to be asked to show their work, she said. There is so much great art out there, and I believed this would be a great way to showcase it. I know people who have quantities of stuff in their house, and it really needs to be shown, she said. During the weekend activities, people set up chairs in front of her shop. I felt like a community place, she said. Hines is also on the committee that is working to have Wood River declared a Nebraska Creative District. That would bring in state money to spruce up more buildings, attract more visitors and use the arts as an economic engine. Hines is designing a flier for that effort. A buzzing gallery For now, her creative energies are focused on the Wildflower Gallery. Since it opened a year ago, Hines has displayed the work of a different artist each month. In December, she showcased 18 artists. She has offered classes in book making, memory collages and more. She offered a Gelli plate printing workshop. She invited a printmaker to display the processes of her work. We had a lot of fun and shared other collage techniques, she said. In time, she expects her gallery to become a gathering place for baby showers and bridal showers, too. Im really excited, she said. Hines believes the sandhill crane exhibit with Martindales work is a perfect way to kick off her gallerys second year. Martindales solo show, The Great Migration: A Celebration of Sandhill Cranes was well-received at the Great Plains Art Museum in Lincoln in 2021 and the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island in 2022. Martindales crane artwork also was featured at the Red Cloud Opera House gallery last year. It hangs at the Crane Trust and Nature Center in Alda. The Wildflower Gallery show also features Hiness paintings and denim shirts she has festooned with cranes. I painted a watercolor of a crane on a sympathy card, and I liked the way it looked, so I painted that onto the shirts, she said. The Wildflower Gallery is normally open only on Saturdays, but it will have extended weekend hours during crane season. Spreading the word Since the gallery opened a year ago, Hines has learned that word of mouth spreads the message more quickly than social media. Visual presence is critical, too. Many people drop in after spotting the gallery as they drive through Wood River on Highway 30. Hines has also been in touch with art groups in Hastings and Grand Island, and an art guild in Grand Island plans to meet there this month. She knows that Wood River is a little ways to drive from Kearney, but What else do you have to do? she asked. I love it that the same people come to a lot of these openings and turn them into social gatherings. Somebody from the Kearney Art Guild said, If we dont support our fellow artists, who will? she said. I think a lot of people dont know what to expect when they go to an art gallery, but the point is showcasing talent, appreciating it, she said. I dont expect to make millions of dollars. The point is showcasing this talent. I am amazed at the talented artists in the area. Im glad to be able to showcase their work, she added. U.S. health officials are urging older adults to get an additional updated COVID-19 vaccine shot. The advice for Americans 65 and older was recently issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A statement by CDC Director Mandy Cohen explained the new guidance. Most COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations last year were among people 65 years and older. An additional vaccine dose can provide added protection ... for those at highest risk. The CDC said an additional dose of the vaccine can provide increased protection, even if older adults received the updated shot version launched last autumn. The new guidance suggests individuals who did receive the updated shot which became available last September should wait at least four months before getting the latest dose. The CDCs decision, or recommendation, came after much debate over whether to say older people may get the shots or should" do so. That discussion demonstrates the ongoing debate among experts about how necessary additional COVID-19 shots are. Some doctors have said they think most older adults are effectively protected after getting the shot last autumn. And studies have suggested the shots stay effective for six months. But health officials have noted the bodys vaccine-activated defenses can decrease over time, especially in older people. The CDC had recommended additional COVID-19 shots, called boosters, for older adults in 2022 and 2023. COVID-19 can still present serious health risks, especially to older people and those with existing medical conditions. The CDC says there are still more than 20,000 hospitalizations and more than 2,000 deaths each week from COVID-19. Individuals 65 years and older have the highest hospitalization and death rates. Some members of the CDC group that approved the latest advice said the word should" in the guidance is meant to persuade more doctors and drug stores to offer the shots. Most people are coming in either wanting the vaccine or not, Dr. Jamie Loehr told The Associated Press. He is a member of the CDCs deciding committee and a family doctor in Ithaca, New York. I am trying to make it easier for providers to say, Yes, we recommend this. In September, the government ordered a new COVID-19 shot based on a version of the virus called XBB.1.5. That single-target vaccine replaced combinations that had targeted both the first COVID-19 version and a much earlier Omicron version. The CDC recommended that vaccine version for everyone 6 months and older. It also urged people with weak immune systems to get a second shot up to two months after the first. But most Americans did not listen to that advice. The latest CDC data shows that 13 percent of U.S. children got the shots, while 22 percent of U.S. adults did. The vaccination rate for adults 65 and older is higher, at nearly 42 percent. People are tired of getting all these shots all the time, Dr. David Canaday told the AP. He is an infectious diseases expert at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Canaday, who does not serve on the CDCs advisory group, added, We have to be careful about over-recommending the vaccine. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press and Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. _____________________________________________ Words in This Story update v. add new information to something dose n. the amount of medication to be taken at one time immune system n. the cells and tissues in the body that fight against infection Nebraska's top election official will mail letters to about 35,000 state voters who may not have valid photo IDs ahead of the May 14 primary election, which will mark the first in Nebraska requiring a photo ID to cast a ballot. Secretary of State Bob Evnen's office is sending the letters to the 3% of Nebraska's registered voters who might not have a state drivers license or DMV-issued ID, his office said in a news release Thursday. About 97% of registered voters in Nebraska already have a drivers license or state ID, Even's office said, citing information from county election offices and the Nebraska DMV. Were trying to reach voters who may not be aware of the new voter ID law and may not be prepared," Evnen said in the news release. "Our office wants to ensure every voter is informed and ready. State voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot initiative in November 2022 amending the state constitution to require valid photo identification to vote in state elections and authorizing the Legislature to determine how the requirement should be carried out. Voters have numerous options for what IDs they're allowed to present at the ballot box in May, including a Nebraska-issued drivers license or state identification card; U.S. passports; military IDs; tribal IDs; IDs issued by local governments in Nebraska, such as schools, counties or cities; and IDs issued by public or private colleges and universities in Nebraska. A hospital, assisted-living facility or nursing home record, also known as a face sheet, can be used as well. The ID can be expired, but it must show the voters name and photo. Voters cannot use birth certificates, Medicare/Medicaid cards, out-of-state drivers licenses, out-of-state college IDs, Social Security cards, store membership cards, utility bills, bank statements or voter acknowledgment cards. Voters who don't have an acceptable form of ID can get a free state ID from the Nebraska DMV and can use the temporary photo ID receipts from the DMV to vote if they dont receive their ID in the mail before the primary, Evnen's office said. Individuals seeking a free state ID must present certain documents, such as a birth certificate, which can be obtained for free from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for Nebraska-born residents obtaining a certificate for voter ID purposes. Voters must provide their ID when requesting an early ballot to be mailed to them, which can include writing their drivers license or state ID card number on the application, attaching a photocopy of another acceptable ID to the application or attaching a reasonable impediment certification form. Those voting in counties or precincts with all-mail balloting have ballots sent to them automatically and must submit their ID information when returning their ballot. Top Journal Star photos for February 2024 A Nebraska lawmaker's bid to make it illegal to film police officers within 10 feet of them was blasted as unconstitutional by critics at a public hearing Thursday. Sen. John Lowe of Kearney introduced the bill (LB1185) to give law enforcement "some breathing room" as they interact with or arrest members of the public, he told the Legislature's Judiciary Committee at Thursday's hearing. If made law, Lowe's proposal would make it a class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail to video or audio record an officer within 10 feet of them while they are "actively engaged in work as a peace officer." The criminal offense would not apply to people who officers are engaging with, such as a motorist pulled over during a traffic stop. But critics said the proposal which Lowe said was the product of conversations with law enforcement officers in his district and across the state who he said are being "harassed constantly" quite clearly runs counter to the constitution. "The courts have been clear: people have a right to observe and record police while they're on duty. Full stop," said Spike Eickholt, a lawyer and lobbyist for the ACLU of Nebraska who testified in opposition to Lowe's bill at Thursday's hearing. "You don't have any right to interfere with an arrest," he continued. "You don't have any right to distract an officer who is trying to do their job. You don't have a right to intervene and bother the cops when they're trying to do their thing. "But if you want to record or observe them, the courts are clear: you have that right. You can't be arrested for that." A federal judge last year ruled that an Arizona law limiting how close people can get to recording law enforcement is unconstitutional, citing infringement against a clearly established right to film police doing their jobs. Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner was the only proponent of Lowe's bill to testify Thursday, doing so on behalf of the Nebraska Sheriff's Association, the Nebraska Police Officers Association and the state Police Chiefs Association. He said Lowe's proposal would provide nothing more or less than "a safety zone" for law enforcement on the job, who he said increasingly are being filmed by bystanders who "in some cases, get right up close to them." "There are those who would say that this bill was introduced because law enforcement doesn't want to be recorded doing something wrong or denying individuals First Amendment rights," Wagner said. "On the contrary, we welcome being recorded," he added, citing body-worn and in-car cameras utilized by police agencies across the state. Deputies in Wagner's agency tackled and briefly detained a Journal Star reporter who was providing livestream coverage of the 2020 protests while wearing an orange vest labeled "PRESS" in downtown Lincoln. And in response to questions from Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, Wagner acknowledged that he has "no way of knowing" how often residents are disrupting law enforcement interactions by filming police within 10 feet of them. Judiciary Committee members and opponents of Lowe's bill were skeptical, too, of Wagner's comparison of bystander footage to body-worn camera footage, which is shielded from the public's view by a vague exception in Nebraska's public records law that allows law enforcement agencies and municipalities to indefinitely withhold records that "constitute a part of (an) investigation." Lancaster County officials have opposed recent attempts to change the law to prevent withholding bodycam footage linked to deaths in police custody. "I think part of the reason people began to record law enforcement officers ... was because law enforcement is hesitant to release bodycam footage," McKinney told Lowe at Thursday's hearing. "And at one time there was not bodycam footage. So would you be open to making bodycam footage more public or, public?" "The law enforcements that I spoke to were not uncomfortable with being recorded," Lowe said. "They think it's OK to be recorded. They want to be held responsible. The uncomfortable people are those that are interacting with the law enforcement officers, and what could be just a normal stop could escalate into something more serious just because of the recording." McKinney, in response, again asked the Kearney lawmaker if he "would be open to making bodycam footage public." "I think that's a new bill and should be discussed next year," Lowe said. Photos and videos of protests in Lincoln over George Floyd's death A bill that aims to make it easier for people to obtain occupational licenses became one of the first bills to pass the Nebraska Legislature in 2024. Lawmakers voted 42-1 to pass the bill (LB16) Thursday and send it to Gov. Jim Pillen. There was no discussion in its final round of floor debate, but the bill has received widespread support from state senators in previous rounds. LB16 was originally introduced last year by former Sen. Tom Briese, who has since resigned from the Legislature to take up the post of state treasurer. Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, who was a co-sponsor of the bill last year, took ownership of the bill and made it her priority bill for this session. The bill includes multiple proposals to ease regulations on obtaining individual work licenses in Nebraska in an attempt to help the states ongoing labor shortage. This is about removing needless red tape, Conrad said in an earlier floor debate. Among other things, LB16 would make it easier for the states licensing boards to issue licenses to people with licenses or experience in other states. It also clarifies which criminal offenses would exclude someone from getting a license. The bill says licensing boards can still deny licenses to people with criminal records if the crime directly conflicts with the work they are seeking, or if they could pose a threat to public safety. Prior to the session, lawmakers pinned workforce development as one of the top priorities for the year. LB16 has been seen as one way to help address statewide labor shortages. Multiple supporters of LB16 spoke on the bills provisions that would help released prisoners obtain licenses, agreeing with Conrads argument that helping former prisoners find steady jobs could reduce recidivism. Meet the Nebraska state senators making laws in 2024 Nebraska's chief medical officer declined to participate in a discussion of regulations governing gender-affirming care for transgender youths with the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday. Instead, the Department of Health and Human Services' chief legal counsel submitted a letter to the committee stating that because the rulemaking process was ongoing, Dr. Timothy Tesmer would not appear before senators. "Given the regulations are still not finalized and currently still under legal review, per the (Administrative Procedures Act) promulgation process, the department must respectfully decline participating in today's requested briefing," the letter states. The formal briefing was requested by Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, the committee chair, last week to update lawmakers on the regulations required as part of LB574, the bill that banned certain medical procedures for transgender youths in Nebraska. In exchange for requesting Tesmer's update to the committee on the status of the regulations, Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh who led weeks of opposition against LB574 in the 2023 session withdrew a bill (LB879) seeking to repeal it this year. Hansen said the letter from HHS was "better than nothing," but added that the committee had hoped to ask questions collaboratively in order to inform their work in the Legislature and answer the questions of constituents. "It would have been worse if they didn't do anything," Hansen said. "At least they provided a letter with some explanation." But Cavanaugh said it was "unfortunate" Tesmer did not attend the hearing despite being the person tasked by the Legislature with developing the regulations outlined in LB574. "At (Tesmer's) confirmation hearing, he committed to keeping us abreast to everything," she said. "We have not heard from him at all." She also cast doubt on the reasoning outlined by Bo Botehlo, chief legal counsel for HHS, in the letter from the department, saying that it was not unusual for public officials to talk openly about government processes. Botehlo, in the two-page letter, said HHS began drafting regulations under the so-called "Let Them Grow Act" soon after the bill was signed into law by Gov. Jim Pillen last May. The temporary regulations unveiled in the fall of 2023 required patients under the age of 19 to undergo at least 40 hours of therapy and a seven-day waiting period before they could fill a prescription for puberty-blocking or hormone medication. At a 12-hour public hearing in November, more than 60 people criticized the proposed regulations as overly burdensome, adding they imposed arbitrary barriers for transgender youths and their families and put children needing gender-affirming care in potentially dire situations. Tesmer did not attend that public hearing. The regulations were later forwarded unchanged to the State Board of Health for review in January before HHS determined it had inadvertently failed to capture the totality of comments from individuals who testified in person and submitted testimony online. The proposed regulations, which could become the permanent regulations next month, were returned to the Board of Health for a special meeting Feb. 14 and have been delivered to the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office for review. If approved, they will go to Pillen for final review and approval. During the window for Thursday's briefing, Cavanaugh read from four pages of questions asking about the department's regulation-making process, a frustration over lack of updates on the rules, Tesmer's philosophy on treating transgender individuals, which medical and mental health professionals were consulted, and other issues. Among the questions Cavanaugh intended to ask: * What consideration was given to the local physicians actually working with families and children dealing with gender identity in their daily lives? * What steps are being taken to ensure that decisions regarding regulations are driven by Nebraska experts and nationally and internationally recognized experts in gender-affirming care? * How do the regulations respect and support the role of parents, caregivers and providers in this regard? Cavanaugh said her goal is for the regulations that place undue burdens on transgender youths and their families in Nebraska to be removed or adjusted as well as for clarification on what could be included within the 40 hours of therapy required. "The rules and regulations they put forward are beyond the scope of the bill that was passed," she said. Tesmer's declining an invite to appear before the committee comes amid several controversies between the Legislature and the Department of Health and Human Services. Lawmakers have raised concerns about HHS blocking the Office for Inspector General for Child Welfare from conducting oversight into those programs and facilities for six months, though the department recently agreed to allow inspectors general back in to do that work. The seven-member committee also has yet to confirm Steve Corsi as the CEO of HHS following a contentious confirmation hearing in early February that focused on Corsi's work history and posts on social media. Hansen said he hopes the Health and Human Services Committee and the Department of Health and Human Services can continue to communicate in the future. "We're hoping this can be the start of it and we can maybe even have a briefing sometime down the road when things get more settled," he said. Top Journal Star photos for February 2024 Landowners and ag producers in northeastern Lincoln County and western Custer County have begun recovery efforts after the more than 70,000-acre Bettys Way Fire earlier this week. The fire was 98% contained and crews made significant progress Thursday, the Region 51 Emergency Management office said in a press release. However, Region 51 reported an increase in homes lost in the blaze to four. The region also isnt out of the woods yet. Counties east of North Platte, including Custer and Dawson, were in a red flag warning Thursday. Region 51 said in the release that fire departments would be keeping a close eye on conditions over the course of the next 48 hours. Warm temperatures are expected to continue over the weekend with little precipitation, leading the National Weather Service to issue warnings about elevated fire risks through early next week. A GoFundMe page has been set up for the Fletcher family of Lincoln County, who lost their two dogs and two cats in the fire. Outbuildings were demolished and their home was damaged. As of 4 p.m. Thursday, $1,420 had been raised for the family. The fundraiser can be found at gofundme.com under Bettys Way Fire Jen & Morgan Fletcher. Also Thursday, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Beef announced an informational meeting to help ag producers finds resources for recovery efforts. The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. March 12 at the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte, according to a press release. On Monday, Gov. Jim Pillen issued a disaster declaration, opening up state funds for recovery efforts. Representatives from Nebraska Extension, Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Nebraska Cattlemen will be on hand to answer questions and help ag producers find the resources they need. Our message to producers at this point is to not get in a hurry, said Bruce Solko, Lincoln County FSA executive director. As unpleasant as it is, they need to document any livestock losses with photos or documentation of loss by a veterinarian. Producers can receive compensation for the loss of value of an animal affected by the fire when they are sold or die up to 30 days after the fire. Any losses that are not immediate will need a veterinarian statement as to cause of death. Animals that were sold because of the fire require sale receipts. The FSA and NRCS have programs that can help ranchers replace fence, the release said. Those agencies also can help with management of burned grazing areas and livestock losses. Miller Repair in Maxwell, Maline Seed and Fence in Gothenburg and Lincoln County Cattlemen are coordinating community efforts to gather donations of fencing, feed, windbreak materials or sheds, money and labor. It just rips your heart out, said Maria Miller, whose husband, Ivan, has operated Miller Repair for 38 years. Im thankful we can do this. Miller said people have been generous with feed donations for livestock, but volunteers to help transport the feed are needed. Monetary donations can be made at Equitable Bank in North Platte. Extension educator Randy Saner at WREEC in North Platte, 308-532-2683, can also assist producers in finding recovery resources. You hope this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but there are other people who have been through it, Saner said. We learn all we can from each situation like this so we can share that information. We have resources that can help producers find feed, make a plan for their forage recovery, figure rations and how much feed theyll need, address animal health issues and manage their own stress. We are also working with the organizations that are providing relief to make sure producers who need help are getting connected to the help available. More information can be found at beef.unl.edu/fire. Easter egg hunts and events around Louisville 2024. Dont forget the Easter Bunny! Are you looking for Easter egg hunts in Louisville? There are so many places to get outside and have fun with your family this year for Easter. There are also plenty of places to visit the Easter Bunny in Louisville. Nothing says spring like getting out to search for those eggs. There are so many events that you can find one close to you or one thats new to you with no problem. Most of these events are free so thats even better. Easter egg hunts are very popular in Louisville so if you want, you can attend multiple. Below, you can also find a spot to visit the Easter bunny! In the event that the weather looks questionable for any given day, check the locations Facebook page or give them a call to see if an event is still on before heading out. Visit the Easter Bunny: Bass Pro Shop events Dates to be updated as they are posted Cabelas photos Dates to be updated as they are posted Greentree Mall Dates to be updated as they are posted Jefferson Mall Easter bunny arrives March 15th. Reservations are recommended. Mall St. Matthews Starting March 1st-March 30th, times vary by day, reservations encouraged. Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass Saturdays & Sundays, March 16-17, March 23-24, & March 30. Oxmoor Mall March 15 March 30th, times vary by day, reservations recommended. Easter egg hunts and events: March 9 Easter Eggstravagnaza with FEAT & Down Syndrome of Louisville 10:00am-12:00pm. Glow in the Dark Easter Egg Hunt This event is for all elementary aged kids (and their younger siblings) to come to a special glow-in-the-dark egg hunt! Wear your pajamas and come ready to BOUNCE in the jump house, HUNT eggs, LISTEN to stories and get your picture with the Easter Bunny! LaGrange Presbyterian Church March 14 Grab your basket and join New Albany Parks & Rec for a hopping good time at their Wiggles and Giggles Easter Egg Hunt. The fun doesnt end with finding eggs stick around for themed crafts, delicious treats, and endless playtime. Its an Easter extravaganza you wont want to miss! 10am-12pm March 15 & 16 Come out to the Sauerbeck Drive-In for Easter Egg Hunting and pictures with the Easter Bunny! Followed by Kung Fu Panda 4 and Argylle. Tickets are required for admission and include both movies if you wish! Guests are welcome to leave during intermission between movies. Gates open at 6:00pm with Easter Egg Hunting taking place between 6:30-8:00pm. Kung Fu Panda 4 starts at 8:15pm. March 16-April 7 SAFARI EGGVENTURE PRESENTED BY KINDER JOY EGGsplore your Zoo again this spring with a EGGcelent scavenger hunt game that allows you to dive deep into the Zoo while searching for hidden zoo-themed eggs, answering trivia questions and competing in some EGGstra special challenges. Experience the fun March 16-April 7. You can play for fun or compete to win EGGciting prizes like a Zoo membership, Wild Lights tickets, plush animals and more! Safari EGGventure is FREE with Zoo admission or membership. March 17 Eggstravaganza Northeast Christian Church, 9:00am-12:00pm. FREE family-friendly event for a morning of fun featuring an interactive egg hunt throughout our campus, a visit with the Easter bunny, crafts, face painting, games, activities & food! Pictures with a Live Bunny Join Fresco Tea Bar in Jeffersonville, IN for FREE family pictures with a LIVE bunny, FREE peep for children ages 12 and under (with drink purchase). 12:00-2:00pm March 23 Easter Eggstravaganza at St. Paul United Methodist Church from 10am-12pm for children (5th grade and under) and their families. Enjoy the egg hunt, crafts, games, and a visit from the Easter Bunny! The Great Egg Hunt at the River City Campus of Saint Matthews United Methodist Church. There will be age-divided egg hunt areas, a petting zoo, face painting and free lunch! 4611 Lowe Road, 11:00am-1:00pm. New Albany Easter Egg Hunt Silver Street Park, fun starts at 9:00-11:00am. When youre not hunting for eggs, please enjoy our games, crafts, music and make sure to grab a photo with the Easter Bunny! This event is FREE, so dont miss out! This years Northeast Family YMCA Easter Eggstravaganza Spring Fling will be from 11am-2pm. Kids ages 12 and under will travel to activity stations with their basket (bring your own), complete the activity, and receive an Easter egg! Theyll also have: music, food trucks, raffle tickets, face painting, and more! Register online and pay $5 (plus tax) per person. $10 (plus tax) at the door. The event will be at Calypso Cove Family Waterparks Parking Lot at 9400 Mill Brook Road. Easter Bunny Express Climb aboard the Easter Bunny Express as it departs the French Lick Depot on a trip to the Easter Egg field. Guests 11 & under will have an opportunity to search for eggs and pose for pictures with the Easter Bunny himself. Easter Egg Hunt Come out to Maples Park for the fourth annual egg hunt sponsored by Crestwood United Methodist Church! Two EGG HUNT times are offered. Bring your basket! (This is a free public event!) The hunt is for toddlers through 5th graders. March 27 Trinity Chapel Easter Egg Hunt The whole community is invited to this fun-filled evening of searching for colorful eggs, creating Easter crafts, and enjoying Spring-time treats. Dont miss out on the egg-citement; bring your baskets and hop on over! 6:30pm March 30 Republic Bank Easter Egg Hunt Vissing Park in Jeffersonville. Join them for food trucks, inflatables, fun, and of course eggs! Things kick off at 2PM with the Southeast Christian Family Fun Zone. Egg hunts begin at 4PM. DONT FORGET YOUR BASKET! The Easter Bunny will be there too! *Registration is open for children ages 1-10. Bunny Bash Easter Dash at Greenway Park in Charlestown, IN. Bring your own basket/bag for a fun-filled Easter Egg hunt for ages 12-under in three age divisions. A Special Needs Hunt kicks off the event at 10 a.m. The three age division Egg Hunts takes place starting at 11 a.m. followed by the older divisions. The Park will open at 9:30 a.m. Easter Eggspress Train Ride at the Kentucky Railway Museum for a 12:00pm or 2:00pm train ride. (lasting for about 90-minutes) *Tickets needed More March 30 Frankfort Avenue Easter Parade runs from Stilz Ave. to Pope Street, 11:30am 1:30pm. Floats, flags and lots of candy! Be sure to bring a bag to collect candy. Egg-stravganza Clarksvilles Gateway Park, 10:00am-12:00pm. Egg hunt, bounce houses, and train rides Jericho Easter Egg Hunt Join them Saturday, March 30th at Noon, promptly, for their 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt! Starlight Distillery Third Annual 21 and Over Easter Egg Hunt Participants will hunt across the Farm to find one of the 100+ eggs hidden on property. Each egg has a voucher for you to buy an exclusive bottle not available on the retail floor. You have to be 21 or older, and you have to register All information below has not yet been updated and is from previous years Saturdays Freeze for Food running race could be the warmest in its 43-year history. The high temperature in Madison is expected to be 61 degrees. We cant just drop the name because of one day, said Kate Schachter, a board member for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Madison, which puts on the event. Members also like the alliteration, she said. Wade DallaGrana, 71, one of the founders of the race, said its branding is ingrained in Madisons running community. I know its going to be ironic that it will be so warm on Saturday. The race was held in January from 1982 until 2016, and, starting in 2017, it has been on the first Saturday in March. In 2021 it was held virtually. DallaGrana, who served in the Peace Corps in Lesotho from 1977 to 1979, said it was moved to March because of national Peace Corps Week, which commemorates March 1, 1961, the day President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps. The warmest Freeze for Food races were on Jan. 26, 2002, and on March 7, 2020, when it reached 50. Last year, on March 4, it was 45 degrees. The coldest race was on Jan. 12, 1985, when it was minus 9 degrees with northwest winds at 21 mph. There were 110 runners that day. DallaGrana said that one of the races most consistent runners in the early 1980s was Gov. Tony Earl, who died a year ago. He would show up and run multiple years when he was governor. On Saturday, the 5K race starts at noon, with the 10K at 1 p.m. at the Vilas Park Shelter, 1602 Vilas Park Drive. Last years run brought in $16,840 and cost organizers $3,679 to put on, according to information on the events webpage. Because of the support of the races sponsors, 100% of the registration fees are going to the local nonprofit Open Doors for Refugees, which was founded in 2016 by Efrat Livny and her husband, Ken Baun, and sprang from the Syrian refugee crisis. DallaGrana, who was part of the organizing team for about 10 years, then passed it on to other members of the group, said originally the run raised money for Oxfam, an international aid agency that provides food resources for areas around the world that experience food scarcity. We decided to create a catchy name, Freeze for Food, and so what better way to freeze for food than to run in sub-zero temperatures in January in Wisconsin? he said. The registration price after Feb. 19 is $30 for the 5K or 10K, or $40 to do them both. Theres a surprising number of people who do them back to back, Schachter said. Students ages 18 to 24 are $15, and students ages 6 to 17, pay $10. Participants are offered a yearly international calendar that the organization designs and thats otherwise available on the groups website for $17. The UW-La Crosse chancellor search committee announced Friday it has selected three finalists for the position, including interim chancellor Betsy Morgan. The candidates will visit the UW-L campus next week for community question-and-answer sessions. James Beeby James Beeby is the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Keene State College in New Hampshire. He began as provost in August 2021. Beeby also served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Southern Indiana from 2016 to 2021. He has worked as a professor and chair at Middle Tennessee State Universitys Department of History. He earned a doctorate in American culture studies from Bowling Green State University, Ohio in 1991. Beebys community forum will be held Monday. Christopher Olsen Christopher Olsen is the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Indiana State University. He has served in both roles since February 2021. He was dean of Indiana States College of Arts and Sciences from 2016 to 2021 and chair of its Department of History from 2002 to 2016. He is an affiliated faculty member in African and African American studies and continues to teach on campus. Olsen earned a doctorate in U.S. history from the University of Florida in 1996. Olsens community forum will be held Tuesday. Betsy Morgan Morgan has worked at UW-L since 1993 as a psychology professor, department chair, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. Morgan is also a fellow of the American Psychological Association and previously served as president of the Psi Chi International Honor Society. She has authored two textbooks, several peer-reviewed journal articles and presented at more than 50 conferences across the nation. She earned her doctorate in social ecology from University of California-Irvine in 1994. Morgans community forum will be held Wednesday. Community forums All three finalists will take part in question-and-answer forums and a final round of interviews before the search committee makes a recommendation to the UW Board of Regents. Public forums will take place from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. each day in Strzelczyk Great Hall in the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center on the UW-L campus. Forums are open to the public and will be available via video conference for those not able to attend in-person. Live video and more information about the finalists can be found at www.uwlax.edu/search-screen/chancellor. The Board of Regents is expected to name a new chancellor in late March. UW-La Crosses last chancellor, Joe Gow, then the longest-tenured chancellor in the Universities of Wisconsin system, was already planning to retire at the end of the school year when he was fired in December after producing online pornography. The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday rejected Democrats request to toss the states congressional maps after the courts newest liberal justice declined to participate in the case. The decision marks a win for Republicans, who feared the liberal-controlled court would select new congressional maps to benefit Democrats. The court order didnt state how each justice voted, but conservative justices Annette Ziegler and Rebecca Bradley both signed onto the decision to reject redrawing the states maps. While the court rightfully denies this motion, it likely wont be long until the new majority flexes its political power again to advance a partisan agenda despite the damage inflicted on the independence and integrity of the court, Bradley said. Liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz said she wouldnt participate in the decision since it was requested in a case she hadnt presided over. Wisconsin Republicans celebrate the demise of Governor Evers latest attempt to throw out his own hand-drawn congressional maps, Republican Party of Wisconsin chair Brian Schimming said in a statement. We look forward to a spirited campaign centered around restoring the economy and shoring up our southern border. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and other liberals encouraged the justices to revisit the congressional maps it selected in 2022 since it recently overturned the rationale for choosing those maps. The challenged congressional maps, drawn by Evers, were enacted two years ago after a court battle triggered by the governors unwillingness to sign into law any maps passed by the GOP-led Legislature. Taking charge of the states redistricting process, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which had a conservative majority at the time, asked for new map submissions. But in doing so, the court set a least-change standard, which called for boundaries with as few changes as possible from the prior set of maps. That earlier set of maps had strengthened Republicans majority in the 7th Congressional District in northern Wisconsin while giving Democrats a boost in the 3rd Congressional District in western Wisconsin. Republicans passed the maps through the Legislature in 2011 without receiving any Democratic votes, and Republican former Gov. Scott Walker signed them into law. Because the court in 2021 called for congressional maps similar to the previous set, Evers was unable to draw the boundaries Democrats likely would have preferred. Still, the high court in 2022 chose his congressional maps, which increased the number of competitive districts from one to two. Six of the states eight congressional districts under those maps are held by Republicans. The boundaries heavily favor the GOP, according to the redistricting analysis site PlanScore. A year after the high court chose Evers maps, though, liberals took control of Supreme Court and shortly after rejected the least-change approach used in the prior redistricting case, saying the standard could run afoul of other legal requirements that must be met in the redistricting process. We cannot allow a judicially-created metric, not derived from the constitutional text, to supersede the constitution, liberal Justice Jill Karofsky said in overruling the approach in December. Karofsky also noted that the justices who created the approach never reached a consensus on what least-change meant in practice, adding that the concept amounted to little more than an unclear assortment of possible redistricting metrics. After that decision, liberals asked the court to reject the states congressional maps since they were selected under the least-change approach. Fridays decision all but guarantees the current congressional maps will remain in place for the 2024 election. On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Evers said, I signed fair maps for Wisconsin last week to end a decade of us living under some of the most gerrymandered legislative maps in America, so Im disappointed by the Wisconsin Supreme Courts decision not to review our congressional maps to make sure those are fair, too. Today in history: March 1 1932: Charles A. Lindbergh Jr 1945: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1971: Weather Underground 1974: John D. Ehrlichman 2005: Dennis Rader 2010: Jay Leno 2012: Andrew Breitbart 2012: Martin OMalley 2015: Boris Nemtsov 2017: Ryan Zinke 2021: Carlos Ghosn 2021: Vernon Jordan Communities across Wisconsin urban, suburban and even rural are struggling to address our states homelessness crisis. In response, we authored Senate Bill 669 and Assembly Bill 689. The state Assembly recently passed AB 689, which expands the tools available to local communities to better help our vulnerable neighbors who sleep on the streets. Homelessness is not just a problem in Milwaukee and Madison. It is a problem in smaller Wisconsin cities such as Wausau, Racine and others. Will this bill put an end to homelessness? No, unfortunately it wont. But what it will do is make some needed changes to give people who are homeless a chance to better themselves. The bill makes sure that money the state spends fighting homelessness actually goes to organizations that can show results. It also says that a city must designate a location for homeless people to go where they are safe and where sanitary facilities are available. In cities such as Madison, a growing number of homeless individuals suffer from severe mental illness, up 16% since 2018, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Milwaukee fared better until 2023, when it saw a 430% increase in unsheltered homelessness in a single year. Statewide, from 2022 to 2023, the total number of unsheltered homeless increased by nearly 70% in just one year. Anyone who walks around our streets and parks sees this, and the data backs it up. Leaving homeless individuals to sleep on sidewalks or in parks is not just unacceptable, it is cruel. Much of our state has shelter space available, but there are few resources and no consequences for municipalities that continue to ignore the needs of those living out in the dangers of the streets. Nor is there accountability for service providers who fail to help their clients transition out of homelessness. This has created a crisis that affects us all. Given the inherent dangers of street camping, law enforcement is often the first to encounter homeless individuals who are resistant to shelter, treatment for severe mental illness or rehabilitation programs. Yet officers are now restricted from guiding them toward services. AB 689 will change that by allowing the judicial system to step in and direct those in need to resources that can help them rebuild their lives. First, if enacted, penalties for first violations of the street camping ban in the bill would be limited to a warning from law enforcement. Other states that have implemented similar policies have shown positive results. In Austin, Texas, a camping ban was enforced that effectively saw the unsheltered homeless population decrease by 20%, while those seeking shelter increased by 19%. Second, resources for the shelter-resistant population should be consolidated in a central area with security and sanitation where charity groups and medical professionals can more effectively provide services. So-called designated or legal camping areas implemented here in Wisconsin not long ago and have seen some early successes. AB 689 would substantially broaden those efforts. In part, these designated camping areas are necessary because some communities have stripped away their short-term housing supply as part of a misguided philosophy called Housing First that prioritizes free housing over emergency shelter and services. For example, Dane County decreased its transitional housing supply a waypoint between the streets and more permanent housing by 38% from 2017 to 2022, according to HUD data. During that same time period, chronic homelessness increased by more than 50% in the county. Finally, when the state provides funding to homeless service providers, it is imperative that it also insists on reporting the results. The public deserves to know if those services help more than hurt. Pay-for-performance models, such as the one in this bill, require a portion of an organizations public funding to be contingent on meeting key metrics, such as increased employment or reduced returns to homelessness. Quote In Austin, Texas, a camping ban was enforced that effectively saw the unsheltered homeless population decrease by 20%, while those seeking shelter increased by 19%. AB 689 offers a commonsense way to incentivize service providers to innovate and improve their programs. The bill passed the Assembly recently while its companion, SB 669, should be up for a vote on the Senate floor in the coming weeks. In the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis has been urging a widespread adoption of a process he calls synodality. It is a process of prayerful listening and speaking about issues in the church. Pope Francis encourages everyone in the church (or even at its edges or outside it), to dialog about how they see the church in in present and how they would like it to be in the future. Several years ago, Pope Francis invited people in each Catholic parish to meet in groups of a dozen or so and then send their thoughts and conclusions to their bishop who would forward them to national committee, which then forwarded a summary of all the ideas expressed in the groups in each nation to a committee in Rome, which prepared an agenda for a synod of representatives from all over the world. Participants in the synod, held in Rome, which met in October 2023 and will meet again in October 2024, consisted of men and women, bishops and laypeople who discussed the results of the worldwide synodal process. They sat at round tables of ten persons for eight hours a day, becoming acquainted and discussing the results of the prior world synodal process. We will see how the second session turns out. Pope Francis does not seem to think of this synod as a decision-making group, but as a mechanism through which everyone will be heard by whomever does make decisions. Some places were more diligent in holding synodal listening sessions than others. I was fortunate to be in a group that met for two hours a week for eight weeks. The group included one Protestant, whose perspective was very helpful. We followed some procedures recommended by the national organizers of the synodality sessions as well as some techniques developed for consensus -building in situations of strong disagreement. Mostly we listened to each other and learned what participants thought and why about such things as divorce, social justice, parish liturgies, and women in the church. We later found that almost everything we talked about was considered by many other groups. One thing that we all appreciated is the way the process enabled everyone to have a hearing, without interruption or criticism. We tried to understand what each person said, even if we didnt agree with them. The Rule of St. Benedict, which my monastery follows, begins with listen. That is very good advice for monks and for church members and leaders. Synodality in the church may also help us bring back civility and respect to our polarized communities outside the church. The Twin Falls Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday awarded local business Perrine Man Press the Extra Mile Award. Co-owners Kenji and Cory Paulson were surprised by family, coworkers and community members in the brick-and-mortar store on Main Avenue in Twin Falls. The two founded the business in 2017 and opened their shop three years later. In 2022, they released their Made For More campaign that has since inspired the community. During the ceremony, members of the community shared the ways in which the couples work has impacted them. The couple felt the love that they work to share with the community reflected back onto them. We have this goal with every person that comes into our shop, Cory Paulson said. We remind (them) that they are incredibly valuable... One of the many temptations in todays world is that we go home, get in bed, make our lists, and say Once I fix these things, Ill try and believe that (Im valuable). We want to tell you (that) we believe its true right now. The Extra Mile Award supports business owners who are making waves within the community, chamber ambassador Angela Miller explained. (The award) is given to someone in the community that helps promote business... but goes way beyond that, Miller said. They make people feel like they are a part of the magic in this community. Cory and Kenji create magic for the community every day as an extension of their campaign by challenging people to remember to love themselves. Your news on your smartphone Your story lives in the Magic Valley, and our new mobile app is designed to make sure you dont miss breaking news, the latest scores, the weather forecast and more. From easy navigation with the swipe of a finger to personalized content based on your preferences to customized text sizes, the Times-News app is built for you and your life. Dont have the app? Download it today from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The police chief in Kimberly, along with possibly other members of the force, have either retired or resigned, but city officials have not made a public statement. The wife of Jeff Perry posted her husbands retirement final call Thursday on social media, in which a dispatcher highlighted points of his 28-year career. At one time, at 30 years old, Perry served as Idahos second-youngest police chief, the dispatcher said. He has served and inspired the community and his brothers and sisters in blue by showing his passion he has for law enforcement, the dispatcher said. An open house to honor Perry's service was held Friday evening at the Rock Creek Fire District. Mayor Burke Davidson declined to respond to a voice message left by the Times-News. The Twin Falls Sheriffs Office has not been approached officially about helping with law enforcement duties, spokesperson Lori Stewart said. That being said, we are tasked with enforcement and will absolutely respond when needed, Stewart wrote. Just because your caller ID indicates a call is coming from a law enforcement agency doesnt make it so. Officials are warning residents about phone spoofing, a way for criminals to deliberately manipulate caller ID information, making it appear as if the call is coming from a different number. The current phone scam tactic involves callers posing as law enforcement officers to exploit victims, says a news release from the Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office. They falsely claim that the victim has missed jury duty and that a warrant has been issued for their arrest, demanding immediate payment to avoid further legal action. The caller will insist that immediate payment is needed to avoid further legal action. We want to reiterate no one from our office, nor the Twin Falls County courts will ever make calls of this nature, sheriffs office spokesperson Lori Stewart said. These scammers can be very professional. Just ask Brady Dickinson, Twin Falls County School District superintendent. He was recently almost persuaded to wire $3,000 to them after being targeted. He had just completed jury duty in January, and when he later got a call he wondered if there was additional jury duty he wasnt aware of. The caller instructed him to wire the money to a supposed bonding company, or otherwise he would have to come to the sheriffs office, get fingerprinted, and have to bond out. Luckily, a friend called him during the call and he put the scammer on hold. Upon the friend checking with the sheriffs office, the scam was discovered. Looking back, Dickinson said some things seemed a little off, but the caller used names of people who he knew were working at the sheriffs office. I really thought I was talking to a police officer, Dickinson said. Due to the slick manner in which the scam was conducted, I wonder how many people they got money out of, he said. It isnt just law enforcement officials that these criminals try to impersonate. The Social Security Administration has tabbed Thursday as National Slam the Scam Day, as part of National Consumer Protection Week that runs Sunday through Saturday. SSA said that in addition to phone spoofing, people have been targeted in other ways. Scammers might call, email, text, write, or message you on social media claiming to be from the Social Security Administration or the Office of the Inspector General. They might use the name of a person who really works there and might send a picture or attachment as proof, the SSA website says. The Internal Revenue Service has also issued warnings of similar scams. These scammers are skilled manipulators, using fear and urgency to pressure their victims into compliance, officials say. There are several key indicators or red flags in most scam calls. Immediate demands for payment, often through untraceable methods like gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. The Idaho State Police, in a release, warns residents to be skeptical of urgent or threatening requests: fraudsters often use high-pressure tactics to manipulate victims into disclosing information or taking immediate action. Threats of arrest or legal action if payment is not made promptly. Request for personal information, such as Social Security numbers or bank details, under the guise of verifying identity or processing payment. Errors and inconsistencies can also signal a scam, such as mispronouncing names, providing incorrect or vague legal information, or failing to provide specific details about the supposed jury duty. Local law enforcement agencies advise residents that if they suspect theyve been targeted by such a scam, to not provide any personal information or make payments, hang up and report the incident to local law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) through their official reporting channels, and to share their experiences to warn others in your community. Every day people report scams which are collected and used to tell people how to spot scams and prevent them. The information is kept in a Data Book that reported people lost $10 billion to scams in 2023. That is $1 billion more that in 2022 and the highest ever reported even though the number of reports (2.6 million) was about the same volume as last year. One in four people reported losing money to scams, with a median loss of $500 per person. Email was the #1 contact method for scammers this year, especially when scammers pretended to be a business or government agency to steal money. With March as Fraud Prevention Month, lets take a look at the top five takeaways for 2023: 1. Imposter Scams: Imposter scams remained the top fraud category, with reported losses of $2.7 billion. These scams include people pretending to be in your banks fraud department, the government, a relative in distress, a well-known business or a technical support expert. 2. Investment Scams: While investment-related scams were the fourth most-reported fraud category, losses in this category grew. People reported median losses of $7,700, up from $5,000 in 2022. 3. Social Media Scams: Scams starting on social media accounted for the highest total losses at $1.4 billion an increase of 250 million from 2022. But scams that started by a phone call caused the highest per-person loss ($1,480 average loss). 4. Payment Methods: How did the scammer prefer people pay? With bank transfers and payments, which accounted for the highest losses ($1.8 billion). Cryptocurrency is a close second ($1.41 billion reported in losses). 5. Losses by Age: Of people who reported their age, younger adults (20-29) reported losing money more often than older adults (70+). When older adults lost money, however, they lost the most. The Social Security Administration recently published a great article How to Spot an Imposter Social Security Social Media Account. Do you know how to spot fake Social Security/SS social media accounts? The tips below will help you protect yourself and your family: 1. How Fraudsters create imposter accounts? Fraudsters create imposter social media pages and accounts using Social Security-related images and jargon, making them appear as if they are associated with or endorsed. They also create imposter social media pages of Social Security and Office of Inspector General/OIG officials such as the Commissioner or the Inspector General. 2. Protect your personal identifiable information. Social Security will NEVER ask for sensitive information through social media as these channels are not secure. Sometimes, users are asked to enter their financial information, SS number (SSN) or other sensitive information. This is a red flag and often an indication of a fraudulent account. 3. How to spot a fake social media account: Identifying an imposter account may seem difficult at first, but there are a few things you can look for right away. You will want to focus on the following: How many people follow the imposter page. In most cases, fake pages have a very low number of followers as compared to Social Securitys official page. Improper punctuation. Links to pages not on the ssa.gov website. Advertisements for forms or other Social Security documents. Incorrect social media handle. To view the list of the official social media channels, we encourage you to visit the SSAs media webpage. Golden Rules for safety continue: Dont answer a call if you dont know the number. They can leave a message. Dont ever give personal information to anyone or reply to any email unless it is a known person or company. Never allow anyone direct access to your computer or phone unless it was requested by you. Problems with lines, internet, etc., do not require direct access. Scammers are more sophisticated every day. The scams regarding family emergencies are some of the most painful and highly emotional. But stop, place a call directly to the family member and confirm. Lets help each other stay safe from all types of scams. On Monday, the Idaho STEM Ecosystem held its first convening at the College of Southern Idaho. During the conference, educators and industry professionals discussed the importance of STEM education and brainstormed how they could bridge the gap between education and business to impact the community in better ways. Towards the end of the event, professionals from local businesses including Glanbia, Idaho Power and Artisan Labs talked about how they are incorporating education into their work. (We need to) stop looking for the things that divide us and look for the things that unite us, one panelist said about the gaps within STEM education. The Idaho STEM Ecosystem hopes to create generational impact through their work within the community as they create transformative STEM-learning experiences for K-12 and beyond. Also: West Minico Middle School was selected as the State Winner of the 14th Annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM Competition. Each winner wins a $12,000 technology package for their school. In response to their communitys high suicide rates, the school created a plan to engineer a Hope Notes dispenser that would give out uplifting notes to students who may be having a bad day or are struggling. The state winner will receive a Samsung video production kit to document their project and create a video that showcases their STEM solution. Later this month, 10 national finalists will be selected and awarded $50,000. In April, three schools will be named national winners and will receive a $100,000 prize package that consists of Samsung tech and classroom supplies. The Declo High School Drama Club will present Guys and Dolls, a musical based in 1930s New York, from March 6 to March 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at successfund.com/GuysandDolls2024 . On March 8, Magic Valley students will participate in the Idaho Exhibition of Ideas (IDX) STEM Showcase in Potlatch. This year, students were tasked to create an innovative solution for a veterinary science-related problem using 3D printers. Times-News When I was in grade school from 1948-1960, no one seriously considered that the bible should be a part of the curriculum. There was a different social climate. Church attendance was high, and their denominations heavily subsidized parochial schools. Summer vacations offered a variety of Vacation Bible Schools, and I took advantage of one or more within walking distance of my house. Even parents like my own, who did not regularly attend a church, considered church-sponsored youth programs to be a good influence on their kids. It was easy to find if a youngster or parent wanted Bible teaching. Times have certainly changed. Admired Catholic schools can not depend on the relatively inexpensive services of well-educated nuns and priests. Church-supported elementary schools suffer because parents no longer have the extra income to pay tuition. Public school is free. Of course, fewer parents are interested in having their children receive a religious education because they have abandoned organized religion as they pursue other Sunday activities. Everyone considering the foundations of a classical vision of education thinks the Bible and the Greek and Roman philosophers writings to be essential to studying Western thought. Centuries of literature and poetry are difficult to understand without understanding Biblical references. When young minds are not exposed to traditional thinking appropriately, it is harder to absorb advanced concepts in any of the humanities. The Bible is, indeed, worthy of study. The problem has always been the educators approach to presenting the Bibles contents. When the words of the Bible enforce an infallible dogma, it becomes justification for moral and behavioral coercion. Although some theologians insist that the bible is inerrant, their case is difficult to prove. English speakers relied upon a translation ordered by King James in the 1600s until the Revised Standard New Testament version was published in 1946. The revision of the Old Testament didnt appear until 1952. The King James Bible was translated from the Latin texts used by the Catholic church. Groups of scholars have used archeology and linguistics to become more precise with their translations and the context in which the writers were immersed. Biblical authors were inspired to write by their experience of the presence of God in their lives, but that does not mean that God somehow narrated the Bible. The Bible is a series of books written by authors who collected oral stories. They also may have relied upon other written sources lost in time. Until the invention of the printing press, copies were made by scribes. The books of the Bible are various types of literature. Yes, there is history, but most are genres of fiction or poetry. The subject is always our relationship with what Alcoholics Anonymous calls our Higher Power. Even those not associated with formalized religion have found Bible passages comforting or illuminating. The books of Psalms and Proverbs are often quoted. A traditional discipline called Lectio Divina, which involves reading and pondering biblical text, is also how to appreciate any written word more deeply. As an educational text, the Bible is taught as a book of collected literature about the authors experiences with God and how those experiences compel them to behave. It must be pointed out that the New Testament and Old Testament are two different but somewhat similar approaches. Parents and Pastors can add theological meaning to what is taught in school. I enthusiastically support a Bible curriculum in the eighth or ninth grade when youngsters learn advanced critical thinking skills. The Bible is a book everyone talks about, even if they havent read it at any length. Other foundational religious texts from the Axial Age (800-200 BCE) may also be helpful. These texts have become increasingly influential during the past seventy years, especially in the social sciences and humanities. The level of Biblical illiteracy in our nation, perhaps in the Christian world, is unacceptable. A Christian theocracy as a form of government is autocratic, but most democracies and even the UN have constitutions informed by biblical ideals. The Church and the State are different institutions with different goals. In an educational setting, biblical literacy and government are two different subjects. When the Bible is presented without religious dogma, it can and should be taught in schools. In a recent Idaho Statesman guest opinion, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador complained that those who criticized him for placing Idahos legal affairs into the hands of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) were whiners. The opinion boasted that ADFs legal services were free. Like most things hyped as free, however, the relationship comes with a heavy cost. In its own words, the ADF seeks to recover the robust Christendomic theology of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries. This mysterious phrase is a reference to the establishment of Christianity as the official state religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century. Today we would refer to this yearning for official state religion as Christian nationalism, or the mingling of church and state. When ADF argues cases, it argues for the placement of Christian features into the public square. Recall not too many years ago in the prior presidential administration, the same folks now seeking the confluence of religious doctrine and state policy raised a strong cry against the threat of Islamic Sharia law becoming the law of this land. Before breaching the membrane between church and state, it is best to remember that by 2050, Christianity may not be the majority religion in the United States. As the shoe moves to the other foot, we should protect our future religious freedoms rather than surrender our religious freedom to out of state extremists. This overcast of religion onto Idahos court cases has seen effective results that do not appear to be in the best interests of the majority of Idahoans. In two controversial cases, both the Idaho Federal District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals have stayed enforcement of Idaho statutes because they found them to be most likely unconstitutional. In Idaho v. United States, the courts ruled that the federal law allowed abortion for pregnant women with emergency conditions if their health was in jeopardy. The Courts found the federal law superseded Idahos statute preventing abortion except when a pregnant woman faced death. ADF filed a motion in the United States Supreme Court lifting this stay. According to a survey conducted by Boise State Universitys Idaho Policy Institute and School of Public Service, 58% of Idahoans favor expanding exceptions to Idahos current abortion law. Since the law went into effect, more than 50 Idaho obstetricians have stopped practicing in the state, reducing the numbers from 227 to about 176. The clear wants and needs of Labradors client, the people of the state of Idaho, are running contrary to what the ADF is selling the courts. The second case concerns Idahos statute prohibiting procedures for what is called gender dysphoria, or a conflict between a persons apparent gender and the gender they experience. Again, the Idaho District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals have stayed enforcement of the statute because the statute is likely unconstitutional, but ADF has filed a motion with the Supreme Court to lift that stay during litigation. The ADF has taken positions in these litigations regardless of constitutional considerations or the needs and wants of the folks living in this state. This allows ADF to advance its agenda to force the state to adopt ADFs religious views. Standing, meaning the right to take a position in litigation, belongs to the litigants, not the lawyers. In the circumstance of these cases, however, Labrador has surrendered standing to ADF zealots to advance ADFs vision of a state religion regardless of the best interests of the client, the people of Idaho. The positions taken by the ADF extremists in Idahos litigations will concern every Idahoan who cares about constitutional freedoms. The First Amendment of the Constitution contains what is called the Establishment Clause prohibiting the establishment of a state religion. The language prohibits the government from making any law respecting an establishment of religion. Further, the Supreme Court tells us, that the establishment Clause means that we cannot use the machinery of the state to practice religious beliefs. ADF is doing exactly what the Establishment Clause prohibits. The Idaho Constitution may be more to the point, providing no preference be given by law to any religious denomination or mode of worship. With Labradors permission, ADF inhabits Idaho systems to advocate its religious beliefs and acts to enforce ADFs religious doctrines. During his campaign, Labrador promised to be the lawyer for the people of the state of Idaho. As it turns out, Labrador has made ADF our lawyer. And the ADF is not for the people of the state of Idaho, but instead the ADF is for the ADF, imposing their private religious dictates on all Idahoans. Contrary to Labradors claim that his partnership with the ADF is free, his surrender to the ADF comes at great cost. It has cost Idahoans their constitutional right to be free from state sponsored religious constraints. Are you getting sick of seeing bad faith attacks on the Idaho Republican Party and our upcoming Presidential Caucus? I know I am. Its quite frankly downright disgusting, and Im going to call out the bad actors who are behind it. The power brokers of Idahos political establishment took a beating at the state convention in Twin Falls in 2022 and they havent recovered. They would rather destroy the party than see it led by myself and our current leadership, who actually listen to the grassroots. The last few weeks they have really ramped up their attacks on the Presidential Caucus because they think if it fails, then Ill take the blame and they can regain power. There has been a concerted effort to spread lies, slander, and misinformation about me and the caucus. They say I unilaterally got rid of the primary. Not true! The Secretary of State proposed a bill that removed the presidential primary, the Legislature passed it, and the Governor signed it. They say that the Caucus disenfranchises those who cannot attend on Saturday. Not true! The Legislature disenfranchised everyone by removing the presidential primary, and the Caucus re-enfranchised as many Republican voters as possible. They say that the caucus will be in backyards and barns, with no election security. Not true! The Caucus will be held in 210 locations, primarily churches, schools, and community centers across the state. We have worked hard to make sure your votes are secure and accurately counted with paper ballots, with multiple security features, and hand counted before the entire caucus assembly. Its disappointing to see these groups intent on misrepresenting so many facts. They think theyre hurting me, but theyre really hurting the Idaho Republican voters, the grassroots, the salt of the earth folks who care about keeping Idaho a conservative state. Its unfortunate that these groups have been sending unauthorized and unsigned bulletins and flyers that seem designed to sow division and misinform rather than foster understanding. This intentional misrepresentation only serves to deepen animosity within the party. We encourage those sowing division to strive for clarity and honesty in their discourse, rather than smears and mudslinging as theyve been doing. Frankly, this is all unconscionable. It borders on election interference, trying to confuse and disenfranchise voters a second time by spreading misinformation about the Caucus in the hopes that nobody will show up. Just last week a new mailer went out accusing me of unilaterally disenfranchising veterans. It even purported to be Republican supported by quoting a former Republican legislator. Yet the man behind the mailer is not even a Republican at all, but a newly appointed Democratic representative named Todd Achilles. In addition to being a Democrat, he is also one of the activists behind the ranked choice voting initiative. Talk about wolves in sheeps clothing! Remember that this whole situation came about because the Secretary of State, Legislature, and Governor chose to remove the March presidential primary without consulting the party. The Idaho GOP had worked together with the Legislature after the 2012 caucus to create the March primary. Guess what?! Theyre back at it again, pushing a new bill to consolidate the presidential and legislative primary elections in April. Not only would this not solve the problem of making Idaho relevant in the presidential campaigns, it would also seriously impact sitting legislators who will have mere days to run their own campaigns once the session adjourns. This is a compromise that pleases nobody, which we could have told the sponsors had they bothered to ask. This attempt to sabotage the Caucus will not succeed. Our team has been working hard to make this a great and successful event, as have the thousands of volunteers throughout the state. On Saturday, Republicans will come together to make their voices heard in a spirit of community to support their Presidential nominee. How confusing is the 2024 election season in Idaho? So much so that Secretary of State Phil McGrane, Republican Party of Idaho Chair Dorothy Moon, and Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea were compelled last week to issue a joint news release to attempt to clarify the distinction between party presidential nominating caucuses, the statewide May primaries, and affiliation deadlines for voters. They only stirred around the mud, despite their best efforts. The mud is deep. How else could you explain a joint news release from Dorothy Moon and Lauren Necochea, who likely couldnt come to agreement on the same order at a restaurant with one item on the menu? We wouldnt have believed it if we hadnt seen it. Theyre on opposite ends of the political rope, yanking and pulling and tugging while accusing the other of attempting to spiral Idaho into an abyss. What they do appear to share, though, is the feeling that Idahoans should make plans to exercise their right to vote. Quote Regardless of how you feel about the caucus system and we find it to be wholly non-representative were stuck with it for 2024. As one of our board members bluntly put it, And that sucks. As we gear up for the May 23rd caucus, we want to ensure every eligible voters voice is heard, Necochea said in the release. We encourage all residents to engage in the process by taking part in this important event. Added Moon, We encourage all eligible voters who wish to have a voice in the party caucus to ensure their party affiliation is up to date by the December 31st deadline. And then theres McGrane, who narrowly defeated Moon in the 2022 election for Secretary of State, urging Gem State voters to take part in the May 21 primary, which will include party races for state legislators and county sheriffs, commissioners and prosecutors. The primary election is a crucial step in shaping the future of our state, McGrane said in the release. We want to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate, so its essential to be aware of the party affiliation deadlines. The deadline to change affiliation for the primary is March 15, though unaffiliated and newly registered voters may affiliate up to and including Election Day. But, if you want to have a say in the GOP presidential nominating caucus on March 2, you must affiliate by Dec. 31 but thats a Sunday, so plan accordingly. To take part in the Democrats caucus, you must be a registered Democrat or unaffiliated voter and affirm that you have not participated in any other 2024 presidential nominating contest. The nearly 500-word news release concludes: Idaho political parties are required to communicate with the Secretary of States office through written correspondence to identify the voters eligible to participate in the May 21st primary election by November 30th. Clear as mud, right? Lets try to clear it up, because Moon and Necochea are right: We must vote in 2024, and likely as if the future of our democracy depends on it. What days do we mark on the calendar? The Republican presidential nominating caucus is March 2, the Democratic presidential nominating caucus is May 23, the statewide primary is May 21, and the general election is Nov. 5. When are the deadlines to affiliate? Its Dec. 31 to participate in the Republican presidential nominating caucus, March 15 (to change party affiliation) or May 21 (to affiliate with a party if unaffiliated) to participate in the statewide primary, and May 23 to participate in the Democratic presidential nominating caucus. Want to know more? Go online: VoteIdaho.gov, IdahoGOP.org, and IdahoDems.org. Regardless of how you feel about the caucus system and we find it to be wholly non-representative were stuck with it for 2024. As one of our board members bluntly put it, And that sucks. But, Idaho will caucus. So, stomp the mud off your boots and make plans to have your say next year. The future of our state is in your hands. - Advertisement - The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has initiated a three-day training with local air operators and training organizations focused on competency-based training and assessment (CBTA) and evidence-based training (EBT). CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said the main objective of the workshop was to raise awareness about the application of CBTA-EBT in aviation training and assessment. The French Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) and Airbus provided insights and shared their experience in implementing CBTA-EBT, as well as supporting international working groups and regulatory authorities. The CBTA has been evolving within the international aviation landscape since its introduction with the Multi-Crew Pilot Licence (MPL) standard in 2006. These standards align with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Total Systems Approach (TSA), advocating for the consistent application of CBTA across all aviation disciplines throughout a pilots career. - Advertisement - Supported by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the workshop presented a valuable opportunity for air operators to learn, share, and contribute to efficient training and assessment for a continued safe air transport in the Philippines. On Feb. 29, CAAP also held a meeting with Boeing officials to discuss areas of commercial aviation where Boeing can support the agencys goals and needs. The discussion covered current aviation challenges, technical needs, and training for cybersecurity, wildlife management, handling dangerous goods, and advanced air mobility. The meeting was attended by CAAP Director General Captain Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo, Deputy Director General for Operations Captain Edgardo G. Diaz, Boeing Global President Dr. Brendan Nelson AO, Boeing Southeast Asia President Nell Breckenridge, Head of ASEAN and Indonesian Government Relations Landry Subianto, Senior Director for International Sales of Commercial Airplanes Samir Belyamani, and Regional Marketing Director of Boeing Commercial Airplanes in India & Southeast Asia Phui Phui Ho. - Advertisement - Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez has spearheaded the distribution of 500,000 kilos of rice to 28,000 residents in Sultan Kudarat to bring public services closer to the people. Assisted by provincial officials including Governor Pax Mangudadatu and some members of the House of Representatives, Romualdez distributed rice and cash assistance to the provinces impoverished residents as part of the Marcos administrations Cash and Rice Distribution Program (CARD). The launching of the CARD program coincided with the inauguration of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) in Sultan Kudarat on Feb. 25. CARD is a collaborative initiative between the Romualdez-led legislative chamber and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). It was developed in response to the call of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the House to extend rice assistance to poor Filipinos. Through this and other programs implemented by the government, our beloved President Bongbong Marcos Jr. his concern for his fellow Filipinos here in Mindanao that even if you are far away, you are still close to his heart and mind, Romualdez said. Under the Bagong Pilipinas movement, no one will be left behind, everyone is included in development. - Advertisement - In response, Mangudadatu expressed gratitude to Romualdez, whom he gave the moniker Mr. Rice, for the service caravan and rice distribution initiatives in their province. The governor also affirmed Sultan Kudarats support for President Marcos Bagong Pilipinas vision, aiming for a peaceful and progressive Philippines. Ito na po ang pinakamalaking distribution ng bigas sa kasaysayan ng aming probinsya, kaya kung mamarapatin po ninyo maliban sa Mr. Speaker, nais ko kayong tawaging Mr. Rice, Mangudadatu said. (This is the largest distribution of rice in the history of our province, so if you deserve it except for Mr. Speaker, I would like to call you Mr. Rice) Each of the 18,000 beneficiaries of CARD, identified by the DSWD, received P1,000 in cash along with 25 kilos of rice valued at P1,000. Romualdez thanked the DSWD for its their cooperation in the program, which benefits thousands of Filipinos, particularly those from vulnerable sectors. Ang bigas ay buhay, at alam ito ng pamahalaan ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. Kaya naman tayo po ay nakaisip ng isang programang magbibigay ng bigas sa ating mga kababayan alinsunod sa kanyang naging hamon. At para sigurado na walang maiiwan, gagawin natin ito per district ng Kongreso, said Romualdez, one of the primary proponents of CARD program. (Rice is life, and the government of President Marcos Jr. knows it. Thats why we came up with a program that will give rice to our countrymen in accordance with his challenge. And to make sure no one is left out, we will do it per congressional district) As part of the BPSF, around 10,000 qualified individuals were also given 10 kilos of rice or a total of 100,000 kilo, along with P700 worth of food pack. This is the value we place on rice distribution to the sectors who need them. This includes our senior citizens, PWDs, single parents and indigenous peoples (IPs), so they can feel that their government is here to help them at all times, Romualdez said. Our people can hope that we will continue to find a program and a way to implement the aspirations of President Marcos Jr. to launch effective projects to meet the needs of the people, he added. Launched last year, the CARD program seeks to extend government assistance to congressional districts, starting initially in Metro Manila, which comprises 33 legislative districts, as well as in Binan City and Sta. Rosa in Laguna. Romualdez stated that the initiative was prompted by the rising rice prices in the market. Beyond assisting those impacted by the high cost of rice, the program also seeks to curb hoarding and price manipulation in the rice market. - Advertisement - Two Chinese research vessels were seen loitering around Benham Rise on the north eastern side of Luzon, an American maritime security analyst reported over the weekend. On his X account, former United States Air Force official Ray Powell said the Chinese vessels left from Longxue Island in Guangzhou before moving through Benham Rise, which is inside the Philippines exclusive economic zone. As of 1 March they are loitering east of Luzon in the NE (Northeast) corner of Benham (Philippine) Rise, Powell said. In the satellite image posted by Powell, the two vessels were identified as Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao and Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao. Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) Commander Lt. Gen. Fernyl Buca said they are still verifying the objective of the vessels. - Advertisement - Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Rear Adm. Armand Balilo said an investigation would be conducted on the foreign ships agenda. The Philippine government designated the resource-rich rise as a protected food supply exclusive zone in May 2017. Chinese maritime intrusions typically occur in the disputed South China Sea, covering parts that are within the West Philippine Sea, but the presence of the two Chinese vessels happened north east of the Philippines. Earlier, President Marcos told members of the Australian parliament that Beijings recent actions in the West Philippine Sea were worrisome, in particular the deployment of Chinese Navy boats. Its worrisome because there are two elements to that: one is that previously only Chinas Coast Guard was moving in our area. Now, also its Navy and fishing boats, Mr. Marcos said. So, the situation is changing, he added. China, however, vowed there will be no let-up in its efforts to protect what it insisted was its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea. To protect Filipino fishermen, PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels started holding rotational deployment in Bajo de Masinloc this February. China claims most of the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Indonesia. In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in The Hague said Chinas claims had no legal basis, a decision Beijing has rejected. - Advertisement - Overnight Russian aerial attacks on Ukraines Kharkiv and Odesa regions killed at least two people, authorities reported early Saturday. Odesa officials said a Russian drone attack damaged multiple high-rise apartment buildings in the port city, killing a young man and injuring several others, including a three-year-old child. The three-year-old suffered abrasions to his leg and is under medical supervision, regional governor Oleg Kiper said. Six adults were also injured, he added. In Ukraines northeast Kharkiv region, police said a drone struck a house in the village of Velykyi Burluk, sparking a fire and killing an elderly man. - Advertisement - The 76-year-old owner of the house was pulled from the rubble, police said. The house was completely destroyed. Officers evacuated an elderly woman from a neighbouring house, police said. Kharkiv city authorities said a separate drone attack destroyed several vehicles and residential buildings, but they did not report any casualties. The deadly attacks came as air raid alerts were in place for regions across eastern Ukraine, with the countrys air force reporting multiple groups of Iranian-made Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles. - Advertisement - The 2024 Dealer Conference hosted by Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) was held last February 21, 2024, at Okada Manila, Pasay City. Through the annual conference, HCPI gives the rightful recognition to its dealers who excel in sales and after-sales operations each year. HCPI awards top-performing individual Honda personnel as well. With this, HCPI hopes the ceremony can motivate and inspire all Honda employees to maintain their hard work and continuously improve to serve customers in the best way they can. The 2024 Dealer of the Year award was given to Honda Cars Marcos Highway, successfully clinching the top spot this year after placing 3rd in 2021 and 2nd place in 2022. Coming in at 2nd and 3rd place, respectively, were Honda Cars Fairview and Honda Cars Alabang. Furthermore, various additional awards for sales and after-sales were also given, such as: Sales Achievers METRO MANILA PROVINCIAL - Advertisement - Honda Cars Marcos Highway Honda Cars Baliuag Best in Sales Satisfaction Performance RANKING METRO MANILA PROVINCIAL 1ST Honda Cars Manila Honda Cars Angeles-Clark 2ND N/A Honda Cars Cebu 3RD N/A Honda Cars Mandaue Service Intake Achievers RANKING METRO MANILA PROVINCIAL 1ST Honda Cars Marcos Highway Honda Cars Pangasinan 2ND Honda Cars Alabang Honda Cars Cauayan 3RD Honda Cars Makati Honda Cars Batangas Best in Service Satisfaction Performance RANKING DEALER 1ST Honda Cars Alabang 2ND Honda Cars Shaw 3RD Honda Cars Cagayan Top Safety Advocates RANKING DEALER 1ST Honda Cars Pangasinan 2ND Honda Cars Bulacan 3RD Honda Cars Nueva Ecija Special Recognition 2023 Honda World Skills Contest Representative Elijah Dave Villan Honda Cars Makati Best in After-Sales Operations RANKING DEALER 1ST Honda Cars Marcos Highway & Honda Cars Batangas 2ND Honda Cars Fairview 3RD Honda Cars Alabang In the spirit of recognizing everyones hard work, HCPI President, Ms. Rie Miyake, left the attendees of the 2024 Dealer Conference with an inspiring insight about Hondas tagline, the Power of Dreams. The future mobility Honda dreams of will create a joy and freedom of mobility that enables people to transcend the constraints of time and place and augment their every possibility. Such mobility will become the power for people who are trying to advance towards their own dreams. Dreams that will move even more people, until there is an endless expanse of new dreams. Through the creation of (the) mobility we dream of, Honda will become The Power of Dreams of more and more people. That is how we will move people and society forward. Experience award-winning service firsthand by locating your closest dealer at https://hondaphil.com/dealer-finder. You may also book your service appointment online at https://serviceonlinebooking.hondaphil.com/olb/index.html, and view our latest technologies and vehicle lineup at the virtual showroom at https://hondaphil.com. Students win contest Charlotte Zagol of Carlisle High School took home the top cash prize of $1,500 in Eastmans fifth annual Black History Month Oratorical Contest. Zagol won for her essay on Gregory Robinson, an African American born in Danville in 1960. Robinson rose from a family of sharecroppers to become a NASA engineer who guided many space missions and is now director of the James Webb project. Zagol was among five finalists selected from essays submitted by students across the Martinsville-Henry County area. The students presented before a live audience at the New College Institute. The annual contest is sponsored by Eastman and Connect, its African American Employee Resource Group (ERG). The contest solicits essays about Black and African American pioneers in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professions. The contest gives high school students an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of significant contributions made by Blacks and African Americans in STEM fields. It also provides students with an opportunity to improve their writing, communication, public speaking, and leadership skills. The following students also won cash prizes in the contest: Marissa Brown, Patrick County High School, second place Kaleigh Lawson, Magna Vista High School, third place Elizabeth Poe, Bassett High School, fourth place Dawood Haji, Carlisle High School, fifth place State Parks hiring Virginia State Parks is recruiting members for its 2024 Virginia Service and Conservation Corps AmeriCorps Interpretive Guide Program. VSCC AmeriCorps members will create and lead interpretive programs within the state park they are assigned, such as guided hikes and paddles, campfires and educational programs about the parks history and wildlife. Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma, a U.S. citizen, and be able to serve 450 hours from May 3 to Aug. 16. The program has no upper age limit and is great for those wanting to learn more about environmental education, conservation and park operations. Benefits of being a VSCC AmeriCorps member include a living stipend of $9,152 dispersed in bi-weekly increments, an education award upon successful completion and hands-on job skills in a state park. To apply, go to virginiastateparks.gov/americorps-interp-trail. The application deadline is April 12. PSA approves appropriations At a regular meeting on Monday, the Henry County Public Service Authority approved an appropriation in the amount of $121, 275 in grant funds received from the Federal Management Agency and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The grant will provide funding to purchase a generator for the Rangeley Sewer Lift Station. The grant required no local match. The PSA also appropriated an additional $250,000 received as a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding offer through the Virginia Department of Health as 100% principal forgiveness towards the Lead Service Line Inventory Project. This grant will enable work as required by the new Lead and Copper Rule Revisions as it relates to identifying service line materials and data organization for reporting and submission to state officials in the future. There was no local match required. Adams crowned Jenna Adams has been crowned the new Miss Martinsville-Henry County. The first on-stage Miss Martinsville-Henry County pageant in eight years was held at the Spencer-Penn Center on Feb. 24 where Adams was declared the winner. I am a local business owner and proud 2023 graduate of Longwood University with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, Adams said in a release. I own and operate Little Angels Early Learning Center in Bassett. Adams calls her community service initiative Tiny Tummies, a project she started due to food insecurity she discovered at her learning center. I am meeting the legislators to propose a new way to feed day care children all across Virginia, said Adams in the release. A system that will allow for meals to be prepared within the public school system, but delivered to licensed child care providers. This program already exists during the summer, for school-aged children. Adams says she plans to compete in Roanoke on June 29 for the Miss Virginia title. Stuart awarded grant On Thursday, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded $700,000 to the town of Stuart for their Downtown Revitalization Project. The funding will be used for the construction of an expanded roof covering at the Stuart Farmers Market and a 3,200 square foot multi-property deck structure located within Stuarts historic business district. This $700,000 grant from ARC for Stuarts downtown revitalization project is great news as the updates funded by this grant will not only make improvements at the towns farmers market, but also transform a new unusable space in the towns downtown area into a community amenity, said Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem in a release. This new deck structure will provide handicap accessibility to the buildings it will be built behind and also access to the creek below. An apartment complex for seniors and the disabled in Martinsville is back on track after four years of delays. At a regular meeting in February 2020, the Martinsville City Council learned about plans to build a 64-unit complex with one- and two-bedroom apartments for residents 50 years and older or with a qualifying disability at a cost of $8.1 million, but the pandemic, supply shortages, and a lack of immediate funding put the project on hold. After four years and a couple of millions of dollars later, we are finally ready to get started, said Landmark Group Project Manager John Stiltner at a regular city council meeting on Tuesday. The Landmark Group is a family-owned company based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with more than 100 properties under its belt, including Martinsville Lofts on Rives Road. The property site for Aaron Mills Apartments is at what used to be the old American of Martinsville furniture plant, at 201 and 209 Aaron St. Stiltners pitch to the city in 2020 was to minimize the surface and open the green footprint. There will be a covered entryway, Stiltner said. Its simple and will be energy efficient. Financing of the 100% handicapped accessible facility is to be financed through federal housing tax credits, tax credits, private equity and permanent financing. But with increased costs, the company was still $500,000 short of what was needed to begin building, so council approved a $500,000 low-interest loan with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds under a Donation Option Agreement to Landmark on Monday. They are chomping at the bit and ready to go, said Community Development Director Keith Holland. This is a much-needed housing type that is need in Martinsville. The money will be loaned at 3% interest in support of the project and will be transferred to Mid-Atlantic Foundation, a North Carolina nonprofit, who in turn will donate the property back to Aaron Street Lofts, LLC as a capital contribution. Amendments to nuisance code After considerable debate, the council approved, on second reading, amendments to the Nuisance Code Ordinance that will give the city greater control over property owners who neglect their property. Were making great strides toward being fully tooled for the grass-growing season, said Holland. Changes include lowering the vegetation height from 18 to 10 inches, enforcement from 50 feet to 150 feet from the street, and a mandatory cutting of vegetation requirement at least twice a year. Enforcement of the nuisance code will transition from the public works director to the community development director and will include the granting of variances. After three notices of violation per year, the city will reseed a property in violation with slow-growth vegetation. Crime report Martinsville Police Chief Rob Fincher presented the council with his departments annual crime report noting that reported crime in the city had decreased by more than 19% in the past year. The total number of crimes dropped from 503 in 2022 to 405 in 2023, traffic crashes increased from 246 to 301 and there was one traffic fatality in 2023 and none in 2022. In 2023, over 500 pounds of unused prescription medications were safely disposed as the result of two drug take-back events. The Martinsville Police Department received accreditation in January 2023, a program that requires renewal every four years through the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission. The MPD has maintained accreditation through the commission since 1998. In other matters, council: Honored Barry Nelson of Autos by Nelson in Martinsville with a proclamation after he was awarded the TIME Dealer of the Year award at the 2024 National Automobile Dealers Association in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nelson was chosen from 16,000 dealers nationwide to represent the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association. Said Nelson: Ive been doing this for 48 years, so I guess it was just my turn. Extended the due diligence period of 90 days to May 28 for a new Holiday Inn Express to be built on Commonwealth Boulevard. Developers have been delayed waiting on approval of an erosion and sediment control plan from the Department of Environmental Quality. Committed ARPA funding for a new roof at the city jail, a water generator for a pump hose, and a new roof for the water and sewer plant building. Other smaller projects were also approved, leaving about $3.5 million uncommitted out of $15.4 million received. Approved the appropriation of $34,231 from Direct Settlement Funds from Wilmington Trust Settlement and $20,000 from the Opioid Abatement Authority. Approved a resolution committing the city to fund the locality share of projects in partnership with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). As part of the partnership, VDOT routinely requires a promise of participation from local municipal partners. Landlocked countries of the Sahel see opportunities in Moroccos initiative to offer them an access to global trade through the Atlantic. The initiative was announced by King Mohammed VI in November offering Moroccos road, rail and port infrastructure to countries lacking access to maritime trade such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad. Foreign ministers of the four landlocked countries had met in Marrakech in December to express their support for such an initiative that promises to help some of the poorest countries in Africa meet their economic development needs. On March 1 in Washington, Moroccan ambassador Youssef Amrani said he met Chads Prime minister Succes Masra to further discussions on the initiative, which was debated at leading Washington think tank the Atlantic Council. At loggerheads with their ECOWAS neighbours, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso established a new alliance of Sahel states. As the delivery of the $1-billion Dakhla port in the Moroccan Sahara territory approaches, Sahel countries see in its proximity and secure road a chance to integrate global supply chains. But headwinds to Moroccos Atlantic initiative are to be expected as Algeria, Rabats archrival, waved the card of instability triggering tensions both with Mali and Niger through meddling in their own domestic affairs or siding with anti-Mali Tuareg rebels. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain Equipped with the latest gear and a thirst for adventure, mountaineers embrace the perils that come with conquering the world's highest peaks. Yet, even those who tread more cautiously at high altitudes are not immune from the health hazards waiting in the thin air above. Altitude sickness, which most commonly refers to acute mountain sickness, presents a significant challenge to those traveling to and adventuring in high-altitude destinations. Its symptoms can range from mildly annoying to incapacitating and, in some cases, may progress to more life-threatening illnesses. While interest in high-altitude tourism is rapidly growing, general awareness and understanding about the hazards of visiting these locations remains low. The more travelers know, the better they can prepare for and enjoy their journey. As an emergency physician specializing in high-altitude illnesses, I work to improve health care in remote and mountainous locations around the world. I'm invested in finding ways to allow people from all backgrounds to experience the magic of the mountains in an enjoyable and meaningful way. The science behind altitude sickness Altitude sickness is rare in locations lower than 8,200 feet (2,500 meters); however, it becomes very common when ascending above this elevation. In fact, it affects about 25% of visitors to the mountains of Colorado, where I conduct most of my research. The risk rapidly increases with higher ascents. Above 9,800 feet (3,000 meters), up to 75% of travelers may develop symptoms. Symptoms of altitude sickness are usually mild and consist of headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue and insomnia. They usually resolve after one to two days, as long as travelers stop their ascent, and the symptoms quickly resolve with descent. When travelers do not properly acclimatize, they can be susceptible to life-threatening altitude illnesses, such as high-altitude pulmonary edema or high-altitude cerebral edema. These conditions are characterized by fluid accumulation within the tissues of the lungs and brain, respectively, and are the most severe forms of altitude sickness. Altitude sickness symptoms are thought to be caused by increased pressure surrounding the brain, which results from the failure of the body to acclimatize to higher elevations. As people enter into an environment with lower air pressure and, therefore, lower oxygen content, their breathing rate increases in order to compensate. This causes an increase in the amount of oxygen in the blood as well as decreased CO levels, which then increases blood pH. As a result, the kidneys compensate by removing a chemical called bicarbonate from the blood into the urine. This process makes people urinate more and helps correct the acid and alkaline content of the blood to a more normal level. The importance of gradual ascent High-altitude medicine experts and other physicians have known for decades that taking time to slowly ascend is the best way to prevent the development of altitude sickness. This strategy gives the body time to complete its natural physiologic responses to the changes in air pressure and oxygen content. In fact, spending just one night at a moderate elevation, such as Denver, Colorado, which is at 5,280 feet (1,600 meters), has been shown to significantly reduce the likelihood of developing symptoms. People who skip this step and travel directly to high elevations are up to four times more likely to develop altitude sickness symptoms. When going to elevations greater than 11,000 feet, multiple days of acclimatization are necessary. Experts generally recommend ascending no more than 1,500 feet per day once the threshold of 8,200 feet of elevation has been crossed. Workers at high altitude, such as porters in the Nepali Himalaya, are at particular risk of altitude-related illness. These workers often do not adhere to acclimatization recommendations in order to maximize earnings during tourist seasons; as a result, they are more likely to experience severe forms of altitude sickness. Tips for preventing or reducing the risk of altitude sickness. Effective medications For more than 40 years, a medicine called acetazolamide has been used to prevent the development of altitude sickness and to treat its symptoms. Acetazolamide is commonly used as a diuretic and for the treatment of glaucoma, a condition that causes increased pressure within the eye. If started two days prior to going up to a high elevation, acetazolamide can prevent symptoms of acute illness by speeding up the acclimatization process. Nonetheless, it does not negate the recommendations to ascend slowly, and it is routinely recommended only when people cannot slowly ascend or for people who have a history of severe altitude sickness symptoms even with slow ascent. Other medications, including ibuprofen, have shown some effectiveness in treating acute mountain sickness, although not as well as acetazolamide. A steroid medication called dexamethasone is effective in both treating and preventing symptoms, but it does not improve acclimatization. It is recommended only when acetazolamide is not effective or cannot be taken. Additionally, it is important to avoid alcohol during the first few days at higher altitudes, as it impairs the body's ability to acclimatize. Unproven therapies and remedies are common As high-altitude tourism becomes increasingly popular, multiple commercial products and remedies have emerged. Most of them are not effective or provide no evidence to suggest they work as advertised. Other options have mixed evidence, making them difficult to recommend. Medications such as aspirin, inhaled steroids and sildenafil have been proposed as possible preventive agents for altitude sickness, but on the whole they have not been found to be effective. Supplements and antioxidants have no proven benefit in preventing or treating altitude sickness symptoms. Both normal and high-altitude exercise are popular ways to prepare for high elevations, especially among athletes. However, beyond certain pre-acclimatization strategies, such as brief sojourns to high altitude, physical fitness and training is of little benefit. Canned oxygen has also exploded in popularity with travelers. While continuously administered medical oxygen in a health care setting can alleviate altitude sickness symptoms, portable oxygen cans contain very little oxygen gas, casting doubt on their effectiveness. Some high-altitude adventure travelers sleep in specialized tents that simulate increased elevation by lowering the quantity of available oxygen in ambient air. The lower oxygen levels within the tent are thought to accelerate the acclimatization process, but the tents aren't able to decrease barometric pressure. This is an important part of the high-altitude environment that induces acclimatization. Without modifying ambient air pressure, these tents may take multiple weeks to be effective. Natural medicines, such as gingko and coca leaves, are touted as natural altitude sickness treatments, but few studies have been done on them. The modest benefits and significant side effects of these options makes their use difficult to recommend. Staying hydrated is very important at high altitudes due to fluid losses from increased urination, dry air and increased physical exertion. Dehydration symptoms can also mimic those of altitude sickness. But there is little evidence that consuming excessive amounts of water can prevent or treat altitude sickness. The mountains have something for visitors of all interests and expertise and can offer truly life-changing experiences. While there are health risks associated with travel at higher elevations, these can be lessened by making basic preparations and taking time to slowly ascend. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain By September 2020, just six months after COVID-19 triggered shutdowns across the U.S., it was clear that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, had mutated from its original form. The question quickly arose whether existing rapid antigen tests could detect newly emerging variants. Using clinical samples obtained from diagnostic labs throughout the U.S. from 2020 to 2023, the National Institutes of Health, through its Variant Task Force, analyzed the effectiveness of more than 100 rapid antigen test kits on over 300 variants. The vast majority of the kits were able to detect new as well as prior previously known variants. We are a team of researchers who have spent the past few years researching COVID-19 tests for their accuracy and performance. We understand why the public may still have questions about whether these tests are reliable, particularly as new variants continue to appear. Here are answers to some of those questions: Do these tests work? There are two major types of tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The first, called a RT-PCR test, is more than 95% accurate for detecting the virus. These were the tests that most Americans were given at drive-through and walk-in testing sites early in the pandemic. The vast majority are now done at a doctor's office or clinic, though there are some home PCR tests, which typically cost five to 10 times more than rapid antigen tests. The other type is an antigen test, commonly known as a rapid test, with an accuracy rate of more than 80%. Most of these tests are sold over the counter at supermarkets and pharmacies. Rapid antigen tests are relatively inexpensive, can be used without prior training and give quick results, typically within 10 or 15 minutes. One drawback is that they are less accurate than PCR tests, especially early in an infection when there is less virus present in the body. Despite these inherent limitations, our team has demonstrated that these tests perform as well in 2024 as they did earlier in the pandemic, when different variants were circulatingeven though our initial study was completed in January 2022. That's because the virus protein detected by antigen tests has not changed much over the last two years, unlike other parts of the virus that have undergone many mutations. Another study, which tested the accuracy of rapid antigen tests from 2020 to 2022, found similar results. That said, researchers like us continue to "test the tests," both in computer simulations and in the lab, to detect new SARS-CoV-2 variants. I have symptoms. When should I take a test? As of early March 2024, the JN.1 variant is responsible for nearly all COVID-19 cases nationwide. If you have symptoms, take a rapid test as soon as possible. If you test positive, you can be reasonably certain that you're infected. If you're negative, wait two days and test again. This waiting period is important because it takes a few days for the virus to build up to levels that are detectable by the rapid test. Recent research has shown that the time it takes for this to happen is slightly longer with the omicron family of variants compared to variants from a few years ago. I was exposed, but have no symptoms. When do I test? If you've been exposed to somebody but don't have symptoms, the current recommendation is to wait four to five days before taking a rapid test. If you're negative, wait two days and then test again. If you're still negative, take a third test two more days later. This is the best way to detect COVID-19 infection without symptoms. It's also recommended that you take a rapid test as close as possible to the time you're visiting someone who is at risk for getting sick, especially if you think you may have been exposed. When am I contagious? Most people who have symptoms and test positive are contagious. If you no longer have symptoms and are no longer testing positive, it's likely that you're not contagious. But there are some exceptions to this general rule. It's possible to be infected, have no symptoms and be contagious. This is especially true early on in a person's infection. Should I swab my nose or throat? The best advice is to follow the instructions that come with your test. For antigen tests in the U.S., this means taking a swab of your nose. Although one study from Denmark reported that antigen tests were more sensitive when a health care provider swabbed the throat, the same study said that when a person swabbed themselves, nose samples were more accurate than throat samples. Other studies have shown that swabbing the throat was no better than swabbing the nose. A new program funded by the National Institutes of Health and rolled out in late 2023the Home Test to Treat studyoffers free testing, telehealth and treatment for COVID-19 and the flu without leaving home. To date, more than 60,000 people have enrolled. The study uses commercially available rapid tests and typically arrive a few days after they're requested. For those millions of Americans who are unable to travel, are without insurance, don't live near a clinic or simply don't want to expose others to their symptoms, this new program could help save lives. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Mouse neurons with the new ion channel ELKIN1 (cyan), which is responsible for touch sensation, nucleus (yellow) and the already known ion channel PIEZO2 (magenta). Credit: Sampurna Chakrabarti / Max Delbruck Center You were probably taught that we have five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. This is not quite right: "touch" is not a single sense, but rather several working together. Our bodies contain a network of sensory nerve cells with endings sitting in the skin that detect an array of different physical signals from our environment. The pleasant sensation of a gentle touch feels distinct from the light pressure of our clothes or the hardness of a pencil gripped between our fingers, and all of these are quite different from the pain of a stubbed toe. How do these sensory neurons communicate such a wide range of different inputs? In "new research published in Science," the two co-authors of this article and our colleagues have found a force-sensing molecule in nerve cells called ELKIN1, which is specifically involved in detecting gentle touch. This molecule converts gentle touch into an electrical signal, the first step in the process of gentle touch perception. How we sense gentle touch Sensing gentle touch begins with tiny deformations of the skin due to a light brush. While they may not seem like much, these deformations generate enough force to activate sensory molecules that are found in specialized nerve endings in the skin. These molecular force sensors form a pore in the surface of the cell that is closed until a force is applied. When the cell is indented, the pore opens and an electrical current flows. This electrical current can generate a signal that moves along the sensory nerve to the spinal cord and up to the brain. Our new research, led by Gary Lewin and Sampurna Chakrabarti from the Max Delbruck Center in Berlin, showed the force sensor ELKIN1 is necessary for us to detect very gentle touch. They found mice lacking the ELKIN1 molecule did not appear to sense a cotton bud being gently drawn across their paw. The mice retained their ability to sense other environmental information, including other types of touch. Different molecules for different kinds of touch This new finding reveals one reason we can sense multiple types of "touch": we have multiple, specialized force-sensing proteins that can help us distinguish different environmental signals. ELKIN1 is the second touch-receptor molecule discovered in sensory neurons. The first (PIEZO2) was found in 2010 by Ardem Patapoutian, who was later awarded the Nobel Prize for the work. PIEZO2 is involved in sensing gentle touch, as well as a sense known as "proprioception." Proprioception is the sense of where our limbs are in space that helps us regulate our movements. Identifying these force-sensing molecules is a challenge in itself. We need to be able to study nerve cells in isolation and measure electrical currents that flow into the cell while simultaneously applying controlled forces to the cells themselves. Do cells feel? While much of our research studied mouse neurons, not all scientific data obtained from mice can be directly translated to humans. With team members at the University of Wollongong, one of us (Mirella Dottori) tried to determine whether ELKIN1 worked the same way in humans. They reprogrammed human stem cells to produce specialized nerve cells that respond to "touch" stimuli. In these human cells, ELKIN1 had similar functional properties of detecting touch. While this research expands our understanding of how we make sense of the world around us, it also raises an additional, intriguing possibility. ELKIN1 was first identified by one of us (Kate Poole) and her team at UNSW, with Gary Lewin and his team, while studying how melanoma cells break away from model tumors and "feel" their way through their surroundings. This could mean these tiny molecular force sensors give not only us, but our individual cells, a nuanced sense of touch. Future research will continue to search for more molecular force sensors and endeavor to understand how they help our cells, and us, navigate our physical environment. More information: Sampurna Chakrabarti et al, Touch sensation requires the mechanically gated ion channel ELKIN1, Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.adl0495 Journal information: Science This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Debra Prichard was a retired factory worker who was careful with her money, including what she spent on medical care, said her daughter, Alicia Wieberg. "She was the kind of person who didn't go to the doctor for anything." That ended last year, when the rural Tennessee resident suffered a devastating stroke and several aneurysms. She twice was rushed from her local hospital to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, 79 miles away, where she was treated by brain specialists. She died Oct. 31 at age 70. One of Prichard's trips to the Nashville hospital was via helicopter ambulance. Wieberg said she had heard such flights could be pricey, but she didn't realize how extraordinary the charge would beor how her mother's skimping on Medicare coverage could leave the family on the hook. Then the bill came. The patient: Debra Prichard, who had Medicare Part A insurance before she died. Medical service: An air-ambulance flight to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Service provider: Med-Trans Corp., a medical transportation service that is part of Global Medical Response, an industry giant backed by private equity investors. The larger company operates in all 50 states and says it has a total of 498 helicopters and airplanes. Total bill: $81,739.40, none of which was covered by insurance. What gives: Sky-high bills from air-ambulance providers have sparked complaints and federal action in recent years. For patients with private insurance coverage, the No Surprises Act, which went into effect in 2022, bars air-ambulance companies from billing people more than they would pay if the service were considered "in-network" with their health insurers. For patients with public coverage, such as Medicare or Medicaid, the government sets payment rates at much lower levels than the companies charge. But Prichard had opted out of the portion of Medicare that covers ambulance services. That meant when the bill arrived less than two weeks after her death, her estate was expected to pay the full air-ambulance fee of nearly $82,000. The main assets are 12 acres of land and her home in Decherd, Tennessee, where she lived for 48 years and raised two children. The bill for a single helicopter ride could eat up roughly a third of the estate's value, said Wieberg, who is executor. The family's predicament stems from the complicated nature of Medicare coverage. Prichard was enrolled only in Medicare Part A, which is free to most Americans 65 or older. That section of the federal insurance program covers inpatient care, and it paid most of her hospital bills, her daughter said. But Prichard declined other Medicare coverage, including Part B, which handles such things as doctor visits, outpatient treatment, and ambulance rides. Her daughter suspects she skipped that coverage to avoid the premiums most recipients pay, which currently are about $175 a month. Loren Adler, a health economist for the Brookings Institution who studies ambulance bills, estimated the maximum charge that Medicare would have allowed for Prichard's flight would have been less than $10,000 if she'd signed up for Part B. The patient's share of that would have been less than $2,000. Her estate might have owed nothing if she'd also purchased supplemental "Medigap" coverage, as many Medicare members do to cover things like coinsurance, he said. Nicole Michel, a spokesperson for Global Medical Response, the ambulance provider, agreed with Adler's estimate that Medicare would have limited the charge for the flight to less than $10,000. But she said the federal program's payment rates don't cover the cost of providing air-ambulance services. "Our patient advocacy team is actively engaged with Ms. Wieberg's attorney to determine if there was any other applicable medical coverage on the date of service that we could bill to," Michel wrote in an email to KFF Health News. "If not, we are fully committed to working with Ms. Wieberg, as we do with all our patients, to find an equitable solution." The resolution: In mid-February, Wieberg said the company had not offered to reduce the bill. Wieberg said she and the attorney handling her mother's estate both contacted the company, seeking a reduction in the bill. She said she also contacted Medicare officials, filled out a form on the No Surprises Act website, and filed a complaint with Tennessee regulators who oversee ambulance services. She said she was notified Feb. 12 that the company filed a legal claim against the estate for the entire amount. Wieberg said other health care providers, including ground ambulance services and the Vanderbilt hospital, wound up waiving several thousand dollars in unpaid fees for services they provided to Prichard that are normally covered by Medicare Part B. But as it stands, Prichard's estate owes about $81,740 to the air-ambulance company. The takeaway: People who are eligible for Medicare are encouraged to sign up for Part B, unless they have private health insurance through an employer or spouse. "If someone with Medicare finds that they are having difficulty paying the Medicare Part B premiums, there are resources available to help compare Medicare coverage choices and learn about options to help pay for Medicare costs," Meena Seshamani, director of the federal Center for Medicare, said in an email to KFF Health News. She noted that every state offers free counseling to help people navigate Medicare. In Tennessee, that counseling is offered by the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Its director, Lori Galbreath, told KFF Health News she wishes more seniors would discuss their health coverage options with trained counselors like hers. "Every Medicare recipient's experience is different," she said. "We can look at their different situations and give them an unbiased view of what their next best steps could be." Counselors advise that many people with modest incomes enroll in a Medicare Savings Program, which can cover their Part B premiums. In 2023, Tennessee residents could qualify for such assistance if they made less than $1,660 monthly as a single person or $2,239 as a married couple. Many people also could obtain help with other out-of-pocket expenses, such as copays for medical services. Wieberg, who lives in Missouri, has been preparing the family home for sale. She said the struggle over her mother's air-ambulance bill makes her wonder why Medicare is split into pieces, with free coverage for inpatient care under Part A, but premiums for coverage of other crucial services under Part B. "Anybody past the age of 70 is likely going to need both," she said. "And so why make it a decision of what you can afford or not afford, or what you think you're going to use or not use?" 2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A man was sentenced on Friday for killing Angela M. Kohl in 2022, closing the book on a Missoula domestic violence homicide case. Jacques D. Bernard, 53, was handed a 60-year sentence at the Montana State Prison for one charge of deliberate homicide, according to Missoula Deputy County Attorney Ryan Mickelson. Bernard, who was convicted at a four-day bench trial in December of the homicide charge, was arrested in January 2022 after he called 911 to report a stabbing. He claimed to have been stabbed by Kohl, who was his girlfriend at the time, according to court documents. Upon their arrival at a residence at the 1200 block of South First Street West, police officers found Kohl, 39, deceased with multiple stab wounds. Kohl was holding a knife, but officers noted that it was in a perfectly upright position, not in a manner consistent with how someone would typically hold a knife," court documents state. Police also noticed some marks on Kohl were consistent with defensive wounds. Mickelson said he argued for Bernard to serve a life sentence for the homicide conviction, while Bernards defense attorney asked that he be in custody for 40 years, with half of that time suspended. Missoula County District Judge Jason Marks didnt suspend any of the 60-year sentence he imposed, according to Mickelson. Bernard will be eligible for parole after 15 years. RAFAH, Gaza Strip The head of a Gaza City hospital that treated some of the Palestinians wounded in the bloodshed surrounding an aid convoy said Friday that more than 80% were struck by gunfire, suggesting there was heavy shooting by Israeli troops. At least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others injured Thursday, according to health officials, when witnesses said nearby Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods from an aid convoy. Dr. Mohammed Salha, the acting director of Al-Awda Hospital, told The Associated Press that of the 176 wounded brought to the facility, 142 had gunshot wounds and the other 34 showed injuries from a stampede. He couldn't address the cause of death of those killed, because the bodies were taken to government-run hospitals to be counted. Dr. Husam Abu Safyia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said the majority of the injured taken there had gunshot wounds in the upper part of their bodies, and many of the deaths were from gunshots to the head, neck or chest. Israel claimed many of the dead were trampled in a stampede that started when desperate Palestinians in Gaza rushed the aid trucks. Israel said its troops fired warning shots after the crowd moved toward them in a threatening way. The bloodshed underscored how the chaos of Israel's almost 5-month-old offensive crippled the effort to bring assistance to Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians, a quarter of whom the U.N. says face starvation. The U.N. and other aid groups pleaded for safe corridors for aid convoys, saying it is almost impossible to deliver supplies in most of Gaza because of the difficulty of coordinating with the Israeli military, ongoing hostilities and the breakdown of public order. U.N. officials say hunger is even worse in the north, where several hundred thousand Palestinians remain though the area has been isolated and mostly leveled since Israeli troops launched their ground offensive there in late October. U.N. agencies havent delivered aid to the north in more than a month because of military restrictions and lack of security, but several deliveries by other groups reached the area earlier this week. The United Nations said a U.N. team that visited Shifa Hospital in Gaza City reported a large number of gunshot wounds among the more than 200 people still being treated for injuries Friday from Thursdays chaotic aid convoy scene. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and several European leaders called for an independent, credible investigation into what happened. Acknowledging the difficulty of getting aid in, U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday the U.S. will begin air dropping assistance to Gaza and will look for other ways to get shipments in, "including possibly a marine corridor." "Innocent lives are on the line, and children's lives are on the line. We won't stand by until we get more aid in there," he said. "We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several." The announcement came hours after a Jordanian plane over northern Gaza dropped packages that included rice, flour and baby formula attached to parachutes. Aid officials say air drops are an incredibly expensive way of distributing assistance. "I don't think the airdropping of food in the Gaza Strip should be the answer today. The real answer is open the crossing and bring convoys and bring meaningful assistance into the Gaza Strip," Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, said Thursday. The European Union said Friday it will pay $54 million to the main provider of aid in Gaza next week after the cash-strapped U.N. agency agreed to allow EU-appointed experts to audit the way it screens staff to identify extremists. Thursday's convoy wasn't organized by the U.N. Instead, it appeared to have been monitored by the Israeli military, which said its troops were on hand to secure it to ensure it reached northern Gaza. The ensuing bloodshed raise questions about whether Israel will be able to keep order in Gaza after the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put forward a plan for Israel to retain open-ended security and political control over the territory an effective reoccupation after the Hamas militant group is destroyed. Under the plan, Palestinians picked by Israel would administer the territory, but it's uncertain if any would cooperate. That would leave Israeli troops, who throughout the war responded with heavy firepower when they perceive a possible threat, to oversee the population amid the massive postwar humanitarian and reconstruction operation envisioned by the international community. Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack into Israel. An estimated 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and militants took 250 people captive during the raid, according to Israeli authorities. Since the assault began, Israel barred entry of food, water, medicine and other supplies, except for a trickle of aid entering the south from Egypt at the Rafah crossing and Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing. The number of supply trucks is far less than the 500 daily before the war. The Gaza Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll from the war climbed to 30,228, with another 71,377 wounded. The Hamas-run agency doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says women and children make up about two-thirds of those killed. Today in history: March 1 1932: Charles A. Lindbergh Jr 1945: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1971: Weather Underground 1974: John D. Ehrlichman 2005: Dennis Rader 2010: Jay Leno 2012: Andrew Breitbart 2012: Martin OMalley 2015: Boris Nemtsov 2017: Ryan Zinke 2021: Carlos Ghosn 2021: Vernon Jordan AUSTIN, Texas (AP) A Texas judge on Friday temporarily blocked state Attorney General Ken Paxton from forcing an LGBTQ+ advocacy group to hand over information about transgender children receiving gender-affirming medical care. The ruling came just one day after PFLAG National went to court to try to stop Paxton's office from getting the information. Travis County District Court Judge Maria Cantu Hexsel said in an order that providing the information would harm PFLAG and its members in several ways, including violating their rights of free speech, association and protection from unreasonable searches. Additionally, the judge said, it would be a gross invasion of privacy. A hearing was scheduled for March 25 to give the attorney general's office a chance to make the case for why Friday's order shouldn't continue. This round of litigation stems from a request Paxton's office made in February for documents and communications about PFLAG CEO Brian Bond's statement to court last year that members were setting up contingency plans after the state imposed a sweeping ban on gender-affirming care for minors. In a statement Thursday, Paxton's office said the information is highly relevant to investigations into whether medical providers are committing insurance fraud to circumvent the ban. The ACLU, which is representing FPLAG in court, said it will seek a permanent block on Paxton's demand so that PFLAG can continue supporting its Texas members with transgender youth in doing what all loving parents do: supporting and caring for their children. PFLAG and Texas have battled in court previously including in 2022, when the state adopted a policy of investigating instances of gender-affirming care for children as child abuse cases. 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. The Morin sisters approach their work guided by a fundamental principle: No judgment. They encounter every day people who have been battered by life and living, people often daunted and desperate but deserving, the sisters believe, of dignity and a glimmer of hope. Many who are homeless or penniless, many who are seeking refuge or a warm coat, have walked tentatively through the door at the Butte Salvation Army Service Center. From experiences elsewhere, some anticipate the scorn, rejection or worse often accompanying interactions with the larger world. Tina Morin is director of The Salvation Armys service center in Butte. Dont judge. Thats The Salvation Army approach to things, she said. Give people as much help as you can. Her sister, Tracey Morin, works as director of social services at the center, which occupies a building off Harrison Avenue. The Morins say they find inspiration in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the man who stopped to help a traveler who had been beaten, robbed and stripped along the road. Others, including a priest, had failed to stop. Which is not to say that the sisters compassion and patience arent sometimes tried by especially challenging clients including one mentally ill man, addicted to alcohol and drugs, whom they said has been banned from many other agencies in town for occasionally threatening behaviors. God bless him, Tracey said. I got some of his life story and its atrocious. Its not an excuse, its an explanation. Numbers show that the Butte Salvation Army Service Center stays busy. Its clients include residents of Butte-Silver Bow County along with a host of regional communities, ranging from Philipsburg to Whitehall, from Boulder to Deer Lodge. And then there are people passing through. We sit at the confluence of two interstates, so were serving a transient population that is steady, Tina said. And were right across from the bus station. In addition, inmates discharged from the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge with a bus ticket to Butte often stop to exchange their state-issued civilian clothing for less obviously institutional duds. The Butte Salvation Army Center at 1229 Harrison Ave. is a thrift shop that doesnt charge for clothing, furnishings and other goods. It offers a host of other services to those who qualify. They include assistance with rent, emergency housing and utility bills. They include fuel cards and phone cards, bus tickets, referrals to other resources, chemical dependency evaluations, vouchers for vehicle repairs, soup and sandwiches and much more. Ian Anderson, Salvation Armys Colorado-based executive director of service extension, spoke highly of the Morin sisters and their compassionate and capable advocacy. Tina and Tracey Morin embody and live out The Salvation Army's founding motto of bringing soup, soap and salvation to people in need, Anderson said. They swing open the doors of our Butte Service Center and open their hearts to people facing homelessness, addiction and hardships. Anderson said the Morins respond with warmth and facility when facing what he described as profound challenges. The thing that always resonates with me is their willingness and ability to face people who are broken, feel abandoned and have nowhere to go, and they spend time getting to know them, they serve them and they restore their dignity, Anderson said. Across the Intermountain Division, they have one of the hardest jobs in front of them, but they serve with conviction, joy and love. And tenacity, it seems. Five years ago, Tina became director of the Butte Salvation Army Service Center after a period of relative inactivity by the Salvation Army in Butte. Soon, recognizing that Tina was being overwhelmed by administrative tasks, The Salvation Army hired Tracey to help staff the center. Tina and Tracey Morin and their sister Tammie are identical triplets. They grew up in Arlee, where their father, LeRoy, has worked as a rancher and mechanic, and their mother, Alvaretta, has worked the ranch and run the household. The triplets also have a brother and another sister. The family lived on the Flathead Reservation but its members are not Native American. Yet the Morin sisters feel a special affinity for the first residents of what became Montana. Native Americans often slip through the cracks of social service agencies, where Indigenous people are often treated differently, Tina said. Their response, then, is to avoid resources and services, she said. The Butte Salvation Army works to establish a safe place for Native Americans, she said. You can come here and ask us for resources, Tina said. Even if you are, you know, impaired, were still going to give you a pair of gloves, were still going to give you a sack lunch. And were still going to try to get you to sign up with our Native American therapist in the back. Tracey agreed. She said there is a learned hesitancy among many Native Americans to trust agencies. Earning trust can be challenging with all races, creeds and colors for individuals who have encountered derision and disregard. But one man came regularly. The Salvation Army Service Center helped him put tires on the family car and fill its gas tank. After his wife left him and three young girls, the Morins pitched in with housecleaning and hygiene for the girls to try to avoid them being taken by child protective services. The father struggles with addictions and might always. But he loves his girls, the Morins said. Two years ago, on St. Patricks Day, the sisters were in Uptown Butte enjoying the parade when they received a phone call from child protective services. The girls had been living in a trap house and just barely making it to school. The father had listed the Morins as kin. Child protective services wondered whether the Morins could come get the children. They could and they did. The girls still live with the Morin sisters in Butte. That arrangement is likely to continue. The oldest recently made the honor roll with a straight-A report card. The Morins were asked how they avoid burning out. Chocolate ice cream, Tracey said, laughing. Our focus is on the good Lord. We do this work at the Lords direction. And when you keep your focus there instead of looking for the world to pat you on the back, it really helps. Which is not to say that the focus does not occasionally slip. There are times when its overwhelming, Tina said. Youll get the annoying person who comes in here. Completely ungrateful. I dont need a lot of thank yous, just some politeness. Thats when Tracey intervenes and reminds Tina to see the offending person as God sees them. And it is challenging at times when the Morins invest their hearts and souls in a struggling persons life and future and nothing happens. Yet there are sustaining moments of grace even with the clients who return again and again. Fundamental human needs get met for shelter, clothing, food, kindness. And there are success stories. Those are people who have come and gotten help and are now, as far as we know, doing well, Tina said. The Morins helped shepherd one homeless woman into substance abuse rehabilitation and shes now working full time in Helena with aspirations of becoming a licensed addictions counselor. History records that The Salvation Army came to Butte in 1888. The historic register sign for The Salvation Armys former home in Uptown Butte reports: Expansion of the mining industry during the 1880s bred a darker side to Buttes get rich quick appeal. Foreign-born miners poured into Butte, often arriving hungry and homeless. The large immigrant population, combined with families left indigent through mining-related accidents, generated an acute need for charitable services. More than 130 years later, the need remains, even though many of the economic and social forces behind it have changed. Tina said The Salvation Army in Butte has helped some of their adult clients turn their lives around. Weve seen great success stories, people who have been through rehab and are now successfully living life, she said. But we still have new faces showing up and I dont know how to, for sure, address that. The Morins said they believe the centers foster care program could help. If we can reach the kids early on, with assistance that says, Youre important and somebody loves you and you are deserving of a good life, Im hoping they can take a step back from all the resentment that is building about their situation, Tina said. When The Salvation Army was founded in England 1865 its converts were considered soldiers for Christ. Among co-founder William Booths early converts were thieves, prostitutes, gamblers and drunkards according to the organizations history. Today, the Morin sisters often offer prayer to and for the people who seek their services. Nesan Kistan, an intermountain divisional commander for The Salvation Army, commented in a recent organizational magazine article about the Morins approach. Tina and Tracey represent the very ethos and DNA of The Salvation Army, Kistan said. Ive seen them in action as they pray with people, and they minister to people. Theyre not just giving food and assistance. Theyre giving Christ to people that are most vulnerable. Editors note: Calendar items must be submitted at least five days before an event. Email all items to news@morganton.com. TODAY 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. Pancake Breakfast The Rotary Club of Morganton will hold its annual pancake breakfast at the Morganton Community House from 8 a.m. to noon. For $8, enjoy a stack of pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs and more. The event also will include a raffle and a kids zone. 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. Community forum Open Hearts Place will hold a community forum on the housing shortage in Morganton and Burke County on Thursday, March 7, from 9-10 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. at Saint Matthews Bakery, 201 Shady Rest Road, Morganton. The goal of the forum is to grow awareness of the housing shortage and share how OHP is trying to make a difference. NAACP meeting The Burke County NAACP Branch #5367 will be holding their regular branch meeting on Thursday March 7 at 6 p.m. at the Mountain View Community Recreation Center at 645 1st St., Morganton. All members are encouraged to attend the meeting in addition to any citizens that are interested in joining the branch. Preparations are under way as we have started our annual membership drive for 2024. Additional information will be forthcoming, or you may contact any branch member with inquiries. Please keep in mind that because it is the flu season and the uptick in COVID reporting, COVID-19 protocols are still being followed. 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. Community forum Open Hearts Place will hold a community forum on the housing shortage in Morganton and Burke County on Tuesday, March 12, from 7-8 p.m. at Saint Matthews Bakery, 201 Shady Rest Road, Morganton. The goal of the forum is to grow awareness of the housing shortage and share how OHP is trying to make a difference. 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. Support group meeting The Survivors of Loss to Suicide Hickory NC Support Group will be meeting, Saturday, March 16, from 9-10 a.m. at St Stephens Library at 3225 Springs Road, NE, Hickory. The group offers support for the families and friends who have lost a loved one to suicide and is open to teens and adults. If you have any questions or need any further, information feel free to email or call Leisa Bentley at leisabentley@charter.net or call 828-828-234-5822. 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. Blood Drive A Red Cross Blood Drive will be held Friday, March 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at North Morganton United Methodist Church, 990 Sanford Drive, Morganton. To schedule your appointment, contact www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767 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., SE, 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. Editor's Note This is the first story in a multi-part series. The next part will be published in Tuesday's edition of The News Herald. Search warrants say a fire that destroyed a Morganton construction business in January was an act of arson. The search warrants, filed by the Morganton Department of Public Safety in February at the Burke County Courthouse, say investigators determined the fire on Jan. 31 at FoxBuilt Construction, 818 W. Union St., was an act of arson, and identified FoxBuilt owner Larry Wendell Fox as a person of interest. Fox, though, told police he was threatened by lenders he owed money to in the months before the fire, telling a detective he thought one of the lenders was connected to the Russian mafia, according to the search warrants. The fire remains under investigation. Owner claims he was threatened When Investigator C. Storie arrived at the scene of the fire, Fox was there. As the two watched the building burn, Storie asked Fox what he thought happened, according to search warrants. Fox told Storie people who he owed money had been threatening him since last year, the search warrants said. At the fire, Fox told Storie a man in a white BMW with a Connecticut license plate had been threatening him since last year. On Jan. 30, Fox reported to MDPS that he had seen the man in the white BMW again, but said the driver didnt make any threats this time because Fox pulled out a handgun, the search warrants said. The BMW drove away once Fox pulled out the gun. Fox told Storie he thought the man was connected to a merchant cash advance company he borrowed money from but hadnt finished repaying. The search warrants said Fox took out $400,000 in loans through two companies. Fox also told Storie he thought one of the people who worked for one of the lending companies was part of the Russian mafia, the search warrants said. Fox said he also receives threatening phone calls and voicemails from restricted numbers, and thought those calls were coming from the same group of people he believes are after him, the warrants say. Fox told Storie he had been at work all night on Jan. 29 and thought he heard other people inside the building, but he never saw anyone, the search warrants said. When Storie asked for the names of the loan broker, anyone else Fox worked with at the companies or anyone he thought was connected to the mafia, Fox could not remember their names, the search warrants said. Fox also told Storie he knew it looked like he started the fire, according to the search warrant. Act of arson started fire When investigators with the Morganton Department of Public Safety, North Carolina Department of Insurance, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and Office of the State Fire Marshal made their way into the building after the flames had been extinguished, they could smell an ignitable liquid in one office inside the building. The odor was especially strong on a rug in that room, but wasnt noticeable in any other rooms in the building. That ignitable liquid along with the contents of the room and many different factors led investigators to determine the fire was an act of arson, the search warrants said. Financial woes for business Fox filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in August. Chapter 11 bankruptcy allows debtors to reorganize their finances without having to liquidate their assets. But just before Christmas, federal court documents show his bankruptcy was converted to Chapter 7. Often called liquidation bankruptcy, Chapter 7 is used by those whose financial situation is beyond repair. All nonexempt, unencumbered properties would be sold for cash by the bankruptcy trustee and the proceeds of the sales would be distributed to creditors, according to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court website. On Jan. 26, just a few days before the fire that scorched the FoxBuilt Construction building was set, a federal judge dismissed Foxs bankruptcy case. In the order dismissing the case, the judge wrote that secured claims in Foxs bankruptcy case total $735,817.42, with allowable unsecured claims totaling $1,091,349.96. Information from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court website says claims are secured when a creditor has the right to take back certain property if a debtor does not repay their debt, whereas unsecured claims give creditors no special rights to collect property from the debtor if they dont repay their debt. While Fox claimed Burke County owed him more than $600,000 for work he did on the new Jonas Ridge convenience site, he wasnt able to provide documentation to the bankruptcy trustee to support his claim, bankruptcy court documents said. The judge also wrote that Fox testified that he didnt have any unencumbered assets. When the bankruptcy trustee filed a motion to dismiss the case, she wrote that even if Fox pursued lawsuits against Burke County or any other entities he believed owed him money, the chances of him recovering enough money to pay the secured claims and priority claims were doubtful at best. Fox only person of interest In one of the search warrants, Storie names Fox as the only person of interest in the case. He listed financial troubles, similarities to another fire at a FoxBuilt building in 2007, and Fox being unable to remember the names of the people he worked with at the lending companies he believed were coming after him. Fox is the only person of interest in this case because he is the only one identified through the investigation who had the means, motive, and opportunity, and would benefit from an insurance payout based on the fire insurance he had on the building, the search warrant said. The fire remains under investigation, and no charges have been filed in the case as of Friday morning. Group shot: Rutgers-Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor with family members of the late Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver, New Jersey State Sen. Britnee Timberlake, Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, and James Jones, co-director of the Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America, and Jeannine LaRue, former Rutgers University vice president of Public Affairs. Photo Credit: Nora Luongo (Courtesy Rutgers University) The Center for Politics and Race in America at Rutgers University-Newark was named today in honor of the late Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver, the first Black woman in New Jersey to hold statewide office. It is my privilege to join Rutgers University officials to honor my dear friend and mentor, the late-Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver, Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way said today. Sheila was and remains the epitome of what a true public servant should be; dedicated, compassionate, and filled with integrity. As we gather to launch Rutgers University-Newarks Center for Politics and Race in America in her honor, I know she is sure to touch the many young people who will continue to build on the legacy of her passionate work. The Center for Politics and Race in America, established last year with state funding, is a fact tank for research on the nations political life and a resource for underrepresented students seeking careers in government and public service. Today, we proudly rename the Center of Politics and Race in America in honor of the late Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, a trailblazer who fought tirelessly for justice and equality, said James Jones, the centers co-director. Lt. Governor Olivers legacy will continue to inspire our center as we expand access to public service as a profession and promote research and public policy that confronts systemic inequalities. A leading mission of the center is to diversify the field of young people who have access to opportunities in public service and politics, including internships on Capitol Hill, which often serve as stepping-stones to elected office and successful careers in the private sector. According to 2021 research, Black and Latino students comprise 15% and 20% of undergraduates but just 7% and 8% of paid Hill interns. (l. to r.) New Jersey Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way (D) and Center on Politics and Race in America Co-Director Dr. James R. Jones at the naming ceremonies for the Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America on Rutgers Newark campus. (Nick Romanenko) To that end, New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson announced at the ceremony that it has made a charitable donation to fund the Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver Leadership Scholarship, part of the centers Public Service Leadership Program at Rutgers School of Arts & SciencesNewark. The scholarship will provide four Rutgers Newark students with stipends to participate in public service internships over the next five years. The initial application process will be established and opened in the first half of 2024 with the first scholars awarded this summer. Lt. Gov. Oliver dedicated her life to public service and improving the lives of all New Jerseyans, especially those in underserved and marginalized communities. She was a trailblazer and continues to be an inspiration for so many, said Vanessa Broadhurst, Johnson & Johnsons executive vice president of Global Corporate Affairs. A Newark native, Oliver was the first Black woman in New Jersey to hold statewide office when she was elected as the states second lieutenant governor in 2017 and re-elected in 2021. In addition to her role as lieutenant governor, she also served as commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs. In 2010, Oliver became the first Black woman to serve as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and only the second in our nations history to lead a state legislative house. She died while in office as lieutenant governor on Aug. 1, 2023. Renee Oliver, Olivers niece and president of the Sheila Y. Oliver Civic Association, said her family is still mourning Olivers loss but they have immense pride in seeing her legacy live on. Aunt Sheila dedicated her heart and soul to her craft and serving those in need from all walks of life. On behalf of the entire Oliver Family, we truly believe that this fitting tribute will have a lasting impact on the next generation of public servants to come and that they will be inspired to invoke positive change in Lieutenant Governor Sheila Olivers honor. Welcome to Mosaic. Follow us on Instagram at @MosaicNJcom, on Facebook at MosaicNJcom and on YouTube at @MosaicNJcom. Republican legislative leaders on Friday asked the state's high court to reverse a novel decision finding civil fees could be levied against the state for what it called "bad faith" actions in passing legislation that was later struck down. In a brief filed Friday, Senate President Jason Ellsworth, House Speaker Matt Regier, Senate Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick and four additional Republican lawmakers tied in varying degrees to their chambers' rules committees asked the high court to consider their arguments while the court is mulling a separate motion to reopen the case for arguments. "The Montana Supreme Courts recent decision contains numerous errors and potentially devastating impacts to the Legislatures ability to effectively make public policy," Ellsworth and Regier said in a joint statement Friday. "We are urging the court to reconsider and modify its decision to correct those errors and avoid unintended consequences." Attorneys for the plaintiffs a progressive group, a now-former county attorney and several lawyers contended the filing only served to drag out the proceedings further. "This brief is simply an extension of disgruntled legislators editorial campaign in newspapers across the state," plaintiff attorneys Rylee Sommers-Flanagan, Constance Van Kley and Raph Graybill said in a joint statement. "Rather than admit the mistake and move on, they wasted taxpayer money defending it for years and now they are attacking the court for correctly deciding the issue before it." In striking down the law, the Supreme Court previously found the Legislature did not follow its own rules in enacting legislation to ensure transparency and public participation. In a January ruling on the matter of attorneys fees against the state, which require a higher bar of the plaintiffs than is usual in civil cases, the Montana Supreme Court issued a 5-2 decision finding lawmakers were so flippant to constitutional rules that they had exposed themselves to the penalty of attorneys fees. Chief Justice Mike McGrath wrote in the majority opinion that " the Legislature was well aware that what they were doing was unconstitutional, which serves a strong showing of bad faith, a factor we consider as a guidepost in determining that fees are proper here." The brief filed Friday by legislative leadership largely follows the line of thinking expressed in January by Justices Jim Rice and Dirk Sandefur, who contended the ruling was treading on the legislative branch's ability to govern itself. Additionally, lawmakers argued that the Supreme Court justices made errors in its understanding of the rules established by the Legislature. For example, while justices found the procedure was unconstitutional because no public testimony was allowed in the last-minute tweaks to the bill, lawmakers argued the rules did not provide for public testimony at that point in the proceedings. In response to the ruling that knocked down the bill due to that lack of public participation, lawmakers had changed the rules to allow it. "Legislative rules are the prerogative of the legislative branch," attorney Joan Mell, a private Hamilton attorney representing the GOP lawmakers, wrote on behalf of the GOP lawmakers. "So long as those rules do not conflict with the Montana Constitution, the judicial branch is constitutionally restrained from interpreting and applying legislative rules." This story has been updated with comment from the plaintiff attorneys. Republicans in Montanas 2023 Legislature likely gerrymandered Montana Public Service Commission districts to disadvantage voters in Montana cities, a court ruled Thursday. Judge Christopher D. Abbott, of Montanas First Judicial District, concluded that legislators likely violated Montanas anti-gerrymandering laws, skewing political districts to the disadvantage of voters in urban areas. Specifically, Abbott found credible evidence by mathematical analyst, Stephanie Somersille, who despite hundreds of attempts producing election maps according to state guidelines was unable to replicate the map produced by legislators in Senate Bill 109. The Court concludes that plaintiffs are likely to establish that SB 109 was intended to secure a partisan advantage for Republican candidates for PSC, and to limit the influence of voters not inclined to vote for Republican PSC candidates, Abbott ruled. The voters who sued were Joseph LaFromboise, Nancy Hamilton, Simon Harris, Donald Seifert, Daniel Hogan, Georg Stark, Lukas Illion and Bob Brown. The political district redraw by Republican legislators locked in control of who decides what most Montanans pay for electric and natural gas service. The new political districts passed along party lines in 2023, divided Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell, and Missoula each into two districts and split Great Falls into three districts. Somersille found that in dividing the communities, lawmakers engaged in a gerrymandering practice known as cracking, in which people with common interests are divided to weaken their collective voting strength. A low-profile agency with a substantial impact on Montana consumers, the Montana Public Service Commission is a five-member panel that approves rates for monopolies. In that capacity, the PSC affects the household budgets of more than 400,000 Montana utility customers. Those customers are legally recognized as captive, meaning they lack the free-market choice of shopping around for a better deal. The commission is charged with ensuring captive customers have reasonably priced, reliable electric and natural gas service, while utilities receive a fixed rate of return. Republicans have held all five commission seats since 2009. The PSC has become an attractive landing spot for former legislators. Before state senators approved SB 109, one Republican joked that if it werent for the five Public Service Commission seats, he didnt know here all the old, termed-out legislators will go to go to work. There are two former legislators on the PSC currently, Randy Pinocci and Jennifer Fielder. Base salary for a public service commissioner is $115,876 a year. In-person attendance is optional. Side jobs are permitted. Current commissioner, Jim Brown is also a practicing attorney and registered lobbyist. Commissioner Ann Bukacek runs a small, solo medical practice in Kalispell. Voters sued Montanas Secretary of State Christie Jacobsen last October over the new districts, hoping to prevent the gerrymandered map from being used in the 2024 election. Jacobsen is the states top election official. The secretary of state offered no credible defense against Somersilles analysis, the judge ruled. It was the second time in three years that voters sued over the maps. In late 2021 voters brought a federal lawsuit over PSC districts that had been adjusted only once in 47 years to bring the districts populations into balance. A three-judge panel approved a map that brought the districts into balance with a population difference of no more than 6%. That map was used in two PSC districts on the ballot in 2022 but discarded by Republicans in the 2023 Legislature. Abbott denied a request to prevent the Legislatures gerrymandered districts from being used in the 2024 election. The voters in the most recent case produced no suitable alternatives to the 2023 maps. Abbot declined to revert to the court-approved map of 2022, saying that the 6% difference in population between districts was larger than what Montanas districting laws found acceptable. Instead, Abbott said the current lawsuit would be expedited, so that a 2025 ruling would be in hand in time for the 2025 Legislature. The populations of 2023 Legislatures PSC districts did balance, Abbott said. The sponsor of SB 109, Republican Sen. Keith Regier, had argued during the 2023 legislative session that each of the five districts had an equal number of adequately balanced legislative districts, 20. Regier, in selling other lawmakers on his bill, suggested cities were better off divided with more than one commissioner having a piece of a community. The map also broke from the practice of not dividing counties when drawing PSC districts. The Public Service Commission districts are the only state government districts drawn by the Legislature, an exception authors of the 1972 Montana Constitution didnt foresee, Abbott said. Members of the Constitutional Convention were genuinely concerned about gerrymandering and took steps to ensure the states political districts wouldnt be drawn by legislators, who were assumed to be inherently biased. At the time, the only political districts created by the state were for U.S. House and the state Legislature, Abbott reported. Montana Constitution authors created an independent, bipartisan districting commission to draw both. There werent districts for the states public service commissioners, of which there were three, because each was elected statewide. Then, in 1974, the Legislature increased the number of commissioners to five and created a district for each. Because the anti-gerrymandering language in the state constitution spoke only of legislative and congressional districts, the Legislature empowered itself to draw the districts for the utility commission. Immediately, there were differences between how the bipartisan districting commission created political districts and how the Legislature did so. Legislative and congressional districts were apportioned after every decennial U.S. Census. The PSC districts were produced only three times in 47 years, first in 1974, but not again until 2003. After the 2010 Census, the chairman of the Public Service Commission asked the Legislature not to redraw the districts and lawmakers obliged. By 2021, the district populations were out of balance by as much as 24% a violation of the one person, one vote provision of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. A red-carpet premiere is coming to Muscatine for a local indie production. This month, on Saturday, March 16, the Palms 10 Theatre in Muscatine will be holding a premiere for Blue Christmas. The red-carpet event will begin at 6 p.m. with the movie starting at 7 p.m. A Q&A will be held with the films cast and crew afterwards. Taking place on Christmas Eve, 1942, in Chicago, Blue Christmas focuses on a private eye named Richard Stone, who is visited by the ghost of his late partner on the 1-year anniversary of his murder. Through the guidance of three visiting spirits, Stone is forced to visit his past, present and future to finally find his partners killer, as well as redemption for himself. The film was written and directed by Muscatine novelist Max Allan Collins and stars Iowa actor Rob Merritt; Alisabeth Von Presley, who some may recognize from her time on Americas Got Talent; and Chris Causey. Chad Bishop helped produce and edit the film while Phillip W. Dingeldein served as the director of photography. Were very happy with the way the film has been received so far, Collins said. Were really excited about the Muscatine event coming up. Collins described the films story as a mash-up of The Maltese Falcon and A Christmas Carol. Theyre two of my favorite movies and two of my favorite novels, and I just saw a way to kind of do them both at the same time So the material will be familiar to people, and its material that really resonates with people because its about a person who becomes better by the end of the story," he said. Although Collins is best known for his books and comics, this is far from the only time that he has worked in film. Throughout the '90s and early 2000s, Collins had the opportunity to work on several independent film productions. After he was unable to get a sequel to the film adaptation of Road to Perdition, however, Collins shifted focus back towards his writing and left the film scene. Then, in 2022, during the production of Encore for Murder, a Mike Hammer radio play that was performed live before then receiving a video recording, Collins was inspired to try doing film again, he said. (Encore for Murder) got me thinking about getting back into doing an indie film after about a decade and a half away from doing them, he said. I really do enjoy doing films because I enjoy the collaborative nature of it. Being able to bring talented people together is very rewarding, and its very different from the sort of solitary endeavor that writing a novel is. Reflecting on the production, which was filmed in October 2023 over the course of only six days, Collins had much praise to give the films cast and crew. He also thanked Naomi DeWinter and Muscatine Community College for its support in letting the production use its Black Box Theatre for nearly all of its filming. It was very much a Muscatine/Quad Cities affair," Collins said. "Im really proud of what we were able to do with it and, boy, does it look good on the big screen. Tickets can be purchased on the the Fridley Theatres website at https://www.fridleytheatres.com/movie/Muscatine-Palms10/BLUE-CHRISTMAS#. For those who are unable to make it to these one-time showings, Collins saidt Fridley Theatres, the chain that owns Muscatine Palms 10, has shown interest in showing the film at each of its Iowa and Nebraska theatres during the 2024 holiday season. Thats something were really excited about, Collins said. The best vertical garden planters for spring 2024 1. Vertical Garden Planter with Removable Beds 2. Teak Outdoor Plant Stand 3. Seven-Tier Stackable Planters 4. Hanging Vertical Wall Planter 5. Hanging Planter Grow Bags 6. Galvanized Metal Vertical Planter 7. Raised 3-Tier Vertical Planter Napa Countys five-year budget projections highlight a looming challenge that could bleed about $30 million annually from a $280 million general fund budget, though the county doesnt foresee financial disaster. And it's not just the county. Local cities could be hit by the same, potential fiscal threat within a couple of years. The Vehicle License Fee, or VLF, property tax swap may sound like government gobbledygook. It is also at the root of that potential financial challenge that could strike as soon as 2025. The swap resulted from arcane California budget moves in 2004 that shuffled revenue streams to help solve state budget problems. The county in 2025 could lose its VLF swap money, again because of arcane state regulations, this time tied to falling enrollment in the Napa Valley Unified School District. It's a bureaucratic brain-buster. Bottom line: 10% of the Napa County general fund budget could evaporate in the 2025-26 fiscal year, unless the state agrees to backfill the gap. That is money that is the countys money rightfully, said county Supervisor Belia Ramos. Napa County officials said the general fund would still be able to fund some Board of Supervisors priorities, which include fire protection, climate change, groundwater, operating costs for the new jail and cybersecurity. But it couldn't absorb significant, new costs. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors discussed the five-year budget projections. The potential VLF swap money loss received much of the attention. How the county might keep its budget afloat despite a potential VLF swap loss of about $30 million a year could hinge in part on another arcane state budget move. In the early 1990s, the state created Educational Revenue Augmentation Funds, known as ERAF. This revenue stream shift with cities and counties helped California meet school funding obligations amid an economic downturn. Napa County is one of the few counties that receive excess ERAF money. The estimated amount for this fiscal year is $40 million. The county hasn't used excess ERAF money for day-to-day operations, given the unpredictability of each year's amount. Rather, the county has spent it on one-time projects, such as helping to build a new jail without a loan. What happens if the state doesn't backfill lost VLF swap money? The state is telling us to grab that money from the excess ERAF pool, Ramos said. But county officials don't want to divert excess ERAF money to day-to-day operations to make up for lost VLF swap money. They don't want to merely swap letters in this murky bowl of government alphabet soup and end up with a few less. Napa County is fighting the potential loss of vehicle license fee swap money, trying to convince the state to fix the matter. County Executive Officer Ryan Alsop said the county has help from its five local cities, which also face VLF swap losses. In fact, I would argue the real serious threat, at least in the short term, is on our city and town, he said. County Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert Minahen said that, in comparing how much VLF swap money the cities could lose with what they receive back in excess ERAF, it's a higher loss percentage than with the county. The Napa Valley Register asked the city of Napa how the situation might impact the city's budget. City spokesperson Jaina French released a statement saying the loss could be $12 million per year. "This would be a devastating loss of revenue and represents a 10% reduction of our current general fund, which is the primary funding source for services including, but not limited to, police, fire, public works and parks and recreation," she said. The city is working with the county. The goal is to educate state representatives on the importance of passing legislation to resolve the funding situation, she said. Meanwhile, Napa County officials are also keeping an eye on the states own budget situation. The state Legislative Analysts Office estimates California faces a $73 billion shortfall. The question is whether the state might try another ERAF-type maneuver. Minahen said the states past playbook has been to shift fiscal pain to local governments by taking a portion of county property tax money. Since the property taxes cant leave a county, the state shifts the money into a fund to pay for state financial obligations within a county. He hasnt yet heard that the state is revisiting this method to deal with its latest financial problems, Minahen said. Its speculation on my part at this point in time, Minahen told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. But that would not shock me. For now, though, despite potential storm clouds, county officials forecast a general fund that is structurally sound over the coming five years. PHOTOS: Warrior Dogs exhibition opens at the Napa Valley Museum Recently public utilities have been in the spotlight of local, state and national news. While the power shortage is of great concern, water, and establishing a reliable supply, has always been a top priority for almost every California community, including Napa. One hundred years ago, or so, these same issues were covered in the local newspapers. In the 1880s the city of Napa approved and began building a municipal water system. The Oct. 19, 1883 Napa Register updated its readers on the progress of the project in an article titled, Pushing the Work. The report began, A visit to the old Coe place northeast of town, last Saturday morning, found everything connected with the Napa City water works progressing favorably. At the dam, where Nature has done her full share in constructing a reservoir, the stone masons were through that day. In building this dam one thousand barrels of Rosendale, (N.Y.) and twenty barrels of Portland, (England) cement have been used, and the work has been skillfully and substantially done. To provide a contemporary point of reference, the former water works site was in the Hagen Road area. In fact, the portion of Silverado Trail that runs between Lincoln Avenue and Monticello Road was for many years known as Water Works Road. Returning to 1883, at the pump house a number of engineers, machinists and laborers were working on the engines and their housing. At press time those individuals were laying the foundation plates of the compound pumping engines. The page one article also stated, The pumps will be ready for operation within ten days. These engines are the first of the kind and size under the Hooker patent that have been built on this coast, and weigh eight-and-one-half tons. While the pumps were being installed by workers from a San Francisco firm, two local carpenters, A.J. Watkins and Charles Harren, were constructing the actual facility for the pumps, boilers and all. Measuring 34 x 35 feet in dimension and 18 feet in height, it will have a hip-roof and be surmounted by a cupola. The Register continued, As it is built into the side of the hill, ten feet of the east wall will be brick. From this point to the top and on the other three sides rustic will be used in enclosing it. Above this on the hill and at a most convenient place, the coal bins will be located, and from these to the mouth of the furnace a chute will be constructed to carry the coal to the fireman. The first order of six tons of coal has just arrived. Another crucial part of the water works was also under construction in October 1883. A tunnel was being dug by local laborers. The article provided more details, In the tunnel between what is now the dry well and the water supply, two men are at work. They have reached a distance of thirty feet and are now in pretty moist ground, which indicates that they will soon strike water. A temporary pump is already in place, ready to control operations in the tunnel when the water comes in on them. The final note regarding the water project stated, Pipe laying in town is going forward as rapidly as possible. About 20 years later, March 15, 1903, the Napa Daily Journal printed an article about the predecessor of the Pacific Gas & Electric Company, its holdings, worth and debt. While the following figures may seem small in todays terms, remember in 1903 the average worker earned only a few cents per hour. The Journal reported, A deed of trust to secure the payment of $10,000,000 in gold bond has been filed for record with the County Recorder. It is made by the California Gas & Electric Corporation to the Mercantile Trust Company of San Francisco, and bears the date of March 1st, 1903. According to the article, that deed actually looked like a high-end novel. The Journal explained further, The instrument is printed on linen paper and bound in leather, and is quite a voluminous document. It states that the California Gas & Electric Corporation is the owner of 33,277 3/4 shares of the Bay Counties Power Company; 12,944 shares of the California Central Gas & Electric Company; 13,347 shares of the Sacramento Electric, Gas & Railway Company; 26,772 shares of the Oakland Gas Light & Heat Company, and 3,698 1/4 shares of the Fresno Gas & Electric Light Company, and that the Bay Counties Power Company owns 24,930 shares of the Valley Counties Power Company. The article continued with the capital and debt of each of the previously mentioned companies. Most of those figures were in the million dollar or more range. The final line of that paragraph gave a total for all of California Gas & Electrics holdings. This makes a total capitalization of $15,000,000 and bonded indebtedness of $10,050,000 in the subsidiary companies. Of the new bond issue, wrote the Journal, the sum of $7,550,000 is to be issued to the California Gas & Electric Corporation for sale, and the sum of $2,450,000 is to be reserved for improving and enlarging its plants. As for the actual worth of California Gas & Electric, the Journal omitted that data. But one can surmise it would be considerable especially in comparison to the average take-home pay of 1903. Between COVID-19 and election fraud conspiracy theories since 2020, it has been a tumultuous time for Californias election workers. The state lost 15% of its election officials between the November 2020 election and July 2021, according to the California Voter Foundation, which documented incidents of threats, harassment and stress. While not all left due to safety concerns, more than half of California counties have a new registrar of voters since 2020, compared to 17% turnover between 2016 and 2020. Soon joining that list is Cathy Darling Allen, the registrar in Shasta County, where officials have faced intimidation and threats by some unhappy with election results. She announced in February that she is retiring in May due to health issues and reducing stress is essential to recovery. In November, tensions were heightened when suspicious envelopes were sent to election offices in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Another arrived at Yuba Countys office in January that tested positive for fentanyl. But ahead of Tuesdays end of primary voting, elections officials in more than a dozen California counties say theyre in good shape for staffing permanent and temporary poll workers. Kim Alexander, president of the voter foundation, attributes the shift to the attitudes by both election workers and voters. People care very deeply about the right to vote and want to protect that, she said. Weve had over four years now of people hearing this false narrative about elections. And while theyre far from perfect it doesnt add up to widespread fraud, and I think people know that. Since 2020, county elections officials have taken a number of steps to strengthen protection of workers including safety protocols for possible fentanyl-laced envelopes and to educate people that their vote is secure. In Orange County, for example, the elections office works closely with local law enforcement and the health department to ensure the safety of election workers and voters, said Bob Page, the countys registrar of voters. The county has recruited about 1,600 people to work on elections the result of a months-long process that involves outreach efforts, background checks and training. We know its important to make sure we give people that work in the vote centers the tools to provide good customer service and try to help people who have concerns, or may be a little disruptive when they come in, he said. Safety is something were going to keep paying attention to. Still, election security doesnt seem to be the only motivating factor. Some counties that have opted into the Voters Choice Act, which extends in-person voting to 10 days, say shorter shifts and fewer locations make it easier to hire staff. Theres also money: In San Bernardino County, funding to increase stipends for poll workers and to hire additional full-time staff has helped. The election cycle and election preparation is a very stressful environment, with a lot of work in a small amount of time, said Stephanie Shea, the countys registrar of voters. Weve been fortunate that the board has approved additional positions that have helped us with our preparation for our elections. For the November 2022 election, the county had about 2,300 poll workers. For this years primary, it recruited more than 2,500. And in Kings County where the county elections office is fully staffed for the first time since 2019 Registrar of Voters Lupe Villa says he believes more people are looking for work now compared to 2020. But while safety seems to be less of a concern for election worker recruitment, incidents such as the suspicious envelopes and packages sent to Yuba, Los Angeles and Sacramento elections offices show the danger hasnt entirely subsided. No staff were harmed in any of those cases. In January, the Secretary of States office said it sent guidance to all counties on safety protocols and coordination with local, state and federal authorities. Joe Kocurek, spokesperson for the Secretary of States office, said Thursday there were no updates on the status of the three investigations, which are being handled by law enforcement agencies. In response to these incidents, county officials said they have trained employees to administer Narcan an opioid overdose treatment and stock gloves and masks to handle mail. In Sacramento, at least, the scare didnt seem to hamper the countys ability to recruit workers for the primary. It has recruited 1,400 workers including many who helped in prior elections, said Kenneth Casparis, a spokesperson for the county. Despite improvement statewide, some counties in California continue to face challenges. Mono County has struggled to recruit and retain both temporary elections staff and poll workers even after increasing pay to the minimum wage, said Queenie Barnard, Mono Countys clerk-recorder-registrar. And in Shasta, where Donald Trump won 65% of the vote in 2020, not much has changed, says Joanna Fransecut, the assistant registrar of voters. Voters who show up in person are often angry, and yell at staff or workers which makes it difficult to find workers willing to deal with that for 12 to 16 hours a day for little pay, she said. The poll workers that worked in 2020, we would call to recruit them in 2022, and wed often hear, That last election terrified me, and I dont feel comfortable coming back immediately. If things settle down in a couple of years, Ill come back after that point, Fransecut said. So were hearing that consistently, and that hasnt changed. Recent laws, such as one in 2022 that allows election workers to shield their addresses from the public, hasnt had a noticeable impact yet, according to election officials throughout the state. And a law to address the decision by Shasta Countys Board of Supervisors to cancel its contract with Dominion Voting Machines and require a hand count only decreased trust among some residents, Fransecut said. The law, signed by the governor in October, limits hand-counting to only regular elections with fewer than 1,000 registered voters, and special elections with fewer than 5,000 voters. This isnt something thats going away because the state Legislatures changed the law, Fransecut said. An elections commission in the county, which has about 112,000 registered voters, continues to push for hand-counting ballots. But on Tuesday, Kevin Crye, one of the supervisors who voted to get rid of the voting machines, faces a recall election. Fransecut said she hopes that legislators might understand the different points of view in Shasta County so that they can work together to achieve their shared goal of getting people to vote. She also said the best way to protect election officials is to provide them with resources and training, especially given the changes in the last few years: These people have been through a lot of stress, a lot of trauma, just for doing their work. But she also had a reminder for voters: We are, in fact, humans, and people, that have families and children and live in this community. People tend to forget that. In the campaign for hearts and minds, candidates have a number of tools at their disposal: lawn signs, political mailers, print and broadcast advertisements, phone banks, rallies and letters to the editor. Close readers of the paper will have noticed that Amber Manfree not only leads all the other five candidates in the fundraising game about $137,000 as of late last month but in the letters-to-the-editor count. Since Jan. 1, a total of 23 letters have been published in support of Manfree, compared to just five for her opponent in the 4th District supervisor race, Pete Mott. (Note that Im counting letters here, not individuals, as some of these pieces were from groups or have multiple signers.) There has been a smattering of letters in support of the candidates in the 2nd and 5th District races all in favor of Liz Alessio and Belia Ramos, respectively but the Battle of the Opinion page has been waged primarily in the 4th District contest. I mention this because today is the last day well be printing letters related to the March 5 election. Earlier this year, I decided to only print these letters on the first and third Saturdays, attempting to strike a balance between giving people their say even if that say is largely repetitive and guarding against reader (and editor) fatigue. We are running an extended letters section today to account for the absolute flood of pieces weve received. Even with those additional pages, some have ended up online-only. To see all of them, head to napavalleyregister.com/opinion/letters or point your smartphone at the QR code on the page itself and click the link that pops up. But I got to thinking: How many of these letters came from people within the confines of the districts themselves? That is, how many are potential constituents of the candidates theyre touting? Surprisingly few, it turns out. Only about 15% of the letter writers in support of Manfree live in District 4. And, Ill note, none of the folks who wrote in to support Mott will be able to actually vote for him. Does that matter? Well, I asked both of them. Heres what they said: Mine are all people who know me, and are expressing their views about me, Mott said. Ambers letters, in my opinion, is a [coordinated] grassroots campaign strategy. Thats just one of the items they check off, it seems. Manfree, for her part, confirmed that her campaign who she lauded as incredible, and incredibly hard working had encouraged people to write letters, though she noted sometimes they run by us what theyre going to say, and sometimes they dont. The volume, she said, can be attributed to having a broad base of support, one which Ive been building for many years. As for where they live, she noted supervisors make decisions for the entire county, not just one district. Theyve discovered we have shared interests and goals, and they want to support me, she said. Then there is also the matter of independent expenditures, campaign-related activity (mailers, phone calls, etc.) that are paid for by groups outside of a candidates control. Still, these often raise eyebrows, as they can be funded far in excess of the normal campaign limits. And, though the work done in the local supervisor contests has been largely positive (as opposed to the mud being slung in the 3rd District state senate race), independent expenditure committees are often more brass-knuckled than the candidates themselves, as it allows them to appear above the fray. As City Editor Howard Yune recently reported: Six winemakers and winemaking concerns most of them Napa Valley-based together have given $155,000 to the Fund to Protect Napa Valley Agriculture, a political action committee the Farm Bureau launched in 2019. Those donors appeared in a list of 40 entities that were mentioned in one of three subpoenas the U.S. Department of Justice issued to Napa County in December. Also from the article: The PAC spent approximately $9,800 on literature and web-based materials in February, following the issue of the subpoena, in support of Pete Mott, a former Napa City Council member running for the 4th District seat. It also spent $7,900 in October 2023 on web-based items in support of Mariam Aboudamous, an American Canyon City Council member who is seeking the 5th District chair. Again, this is all legal, and neither Mott nor Aboudamous have any control over what the PAC does. And, finally, the subpoena in question is a demand for documents, which does not necessarily mean the Farm Bureau or anyone involved in its PAC has done anything wrong. But we deal with perception as much as anything in politics, so how is that sitting with the affected candidates? Again Mott: I dont think its going to be relevant to my campaign, he said. Subpoenas are information gathering, and it was all before my time. He added hes proud to have received the Farm Bureaus endorsement, and continues to list them on his campaign materials. Aboudamous, for her part, also said she was only recently aware the PAC had spent money on her behalf. "I am still happy that I received the Farm Bureau endorsement as they are the representative of the agricultural community in our region," she said "They are the leading proponent for protecting the ag preserve and this was evidenced by the recent Measure J campaign." And, for context, money spent by the Farm Bureau PAC on the supervisor races in Napa is far, far smaller than the millions spent by other independent groups in the state senate race and those are the ones clogging your mailbox. Regardless of all this, I want to do my usual thing and urge everyone to vote! Democracy depends on you; don't let her down. David J. Bailey, University of Birmingham The current global wave of protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza has included mass demonstrations, street blockades, and efforts to disrupt arms manufacturing. This continues a decade-long trend of rising protests around the world, save for a temporary decline during the pandemic. Somewhat ironically, with so much collective action, those taking part in protests are often challenged with scepticism and the question: It doesnt make a difference, so why bother? This appears to be the view of the UKs home secretary, James Cleverly, who said recently: The question I ask myself is, What are these protests genuinely hoping to achieve? Theyre not really saying anything new. Most of the UK public believes that protests rarely, if ever, make a difference. While young people are the most optimistic, around half of younger adults believe it is unlikely to do so. Protests do work This is surprising, given that we constantly see examples where protest has made a difference. We have, already in 2024, seen blockades and protests by French farmers prompt the government to offer concessions. Likewise, in India, the renewed farmers movement marching towards Delhi has already prompted an offer from the government of improved prices for crops. Mass street protests over a child sex abuse scandal in Budapest recently led Hungarys prime minister, Viktor Orban, to introduce legislation to address the scandal. Late last year, mass protests and street blockades in Panama led to the government closing one of the worlds largest copper mines. Academic research also shows that protests can be influential. Workers protests and strike action were crucial in prompting Franklin Roosevelts New Deal as part of the creation of the US welfare state. And disruptive protests have also slowed down the adoption of the austerity measures which have eroded welfare states across the high-income democracies for the past 40 years. Colonialism was met with ongoing resistance and protest in almost every instance, including Gandhis campaign of non-violent civil disobedience, as well as more militant campaigns. This grew throughout the 20th century until maintaining occupation ultimately proved unmanageable for the colonial powers. Climate protests often bring together groups of passionate young people. 4-life-2-b/Shutterstock Given all this evidence, why do many people remain convinced that protest is ineffective? One possible reason is that many of the underpinning motives for protest exploitation, racism, patriarchy, and the poor quality of democracy are systemic problems, that many argue are byproducts of capitalism. These problems can be challenged through collective action, but only eradicated through system-wide change, which is far more difficult to achieve. This can create the appearance that, while protests may prompt political and social reform, the status quo, broadly speaking, remains impossible to change. The key to effective protest movements There is also, of course, some truth to the scepticism. Protest is not a panacea. Sometimes it results in desired political and social change, other times a compromise is reached. And sometimes, it can prompt repression and coercion, resulting in a worse outcome altogether. In recent research, I have explored the impact of the many different protests and campaigns that took place in the UK during the 2010s. I have identified a number of factors that determine the most effective protests. 1. Disruption While disruptive protest can be unpopular, there can be no doubt that it is effective. One of the most successful environmental campaigns of the 2010s was the anti-fracking movement, in which protests physically obstructed or interfered with the fracking operation, to the degree that it could not proceed. Eventually fracking was abandoned altogether. But disruption also brings the risk of repression. Three anti-fracking protesters were given prison sentences, although these were subsequently overturned. Since the pandemic, the UK government has introduced repressive measures which further criminalise disruptive protest. If you are worried about how you might be treated if you attend a protest, the independent legal rights organisation Green and Black Cross has put together a useful guide to your protest rights. 2. Political support The protest has the potential to put issues on the political agenda. But it often requires sections of the political elite normally opposition parties to take up those issues and pressure the government into taking action. Last year in Georgia, anti-government protests erupted against a so-called foreign agents law which penalised foreign-owned or foreign-funded media outlets and NGOs and was widely seen as a pro-Russian move. The protests were buoyed by the encouragement of President Salome Zurabishvili, an independent. She promised to veto the bill, eventually forcing the government to withdraw the proposed legislation. 3. Persistence While single protest events can take place without producing the desired outcome, campaigns that make a difference often require action over many days, weeks, or sometimes years. To take one example, in 2018 the Royal Bank of Scotland announced it would stop funding new coal projects worldwide, after a decade-long campaign of protest by climate change activists. Why take part The movement for a ceasefire in Gaza might feel as if it is having little effect, especially when we see daily the devastating destruction of human life. Yet, partly as a result of such action, political divisions among those supporting the Israeli government are beginning to show. Even the US is beginning to talk of a ceasefire. Protest cannot be ignored indefinitely. Even when a protest doesnt lead to immediate political or social change, there are other positive consequences of taking part. Protest activity can be empowering, and provide the skills and networks necessary to participate in future political activity. Research shows that the effects of participating in protests can have a longstanding impact on the lives of those who take part. David J. Bailey, Associate Professor in Politics, University of Birmingham This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. 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 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 New technologies at the core of rural infrastructure development Russia is world leader in nuclear technology, Putin says Vardges Sureniants Salome painting returns to National Gallery of Armenia exhibition Dollar drops, euro rises in Armenia Sunak: There is historic opportunity to put an end to Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict Armenia authorities, who paid $6M for Snoop Dogg concert, still dont know when this postponed event will be held Deputy economy minister: Matter of opening India-Iran-Armenia trade corridor being discussed 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 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 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 New technologies at the core of rural infrastructure development Russia is world leader in nuclear technology, Putin says Vardges Sureniants Salome painting returns to National Gallery of Armenia exhibition Dollar drops, euro rises in Armenia Sunak: There is historic opportunity to put an end to Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict Armenia authorities, who paid $6M for Snoop Dogg concert, still dont know when this postponed event will be held Deputy economy minister: Matter of opening India-Iran-Armenia trade corridor being discussed 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 Azerbaijans next target in Karabakh is Artsakh State University Russia deputy FM in Turkey, discusses process of normalizing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations 14-karat gold LEGO piece sells for over $18,000 Newspaper: Armenia to leave CSTO on Putin's reelection day? Young lords 1,200-year-old tomb with treasure discovered in Panama 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 Armenia government plans to have Kapan city airport serve international flights as well Zakharova on Russian border guards removal from Yerevan airport: Hardly meets Armenia security interests 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 French writer Sylvain Tesson to visit Armenia Spain MP: Addressing Karabakh Armenians rights should always be at international community focus Mirzoyan, Bono confer about discussions on Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty 20:54 The Rashtriya Janata Dal on Saturday hailed the disqualification of six Congress MLAs in Himachal Pradesh who had recently crossed over to the BJP and expressed hope that similar action will be taken against turncoats in Bihar. RJD national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha, whose party has lost five of its MLAs to the state's ruling National Democratic Alliance, made a statement to the effect at a press conference. "The defectors do not make up for two-thirds of the party's total strength in the Bihar Assembly. Their membership of the House, hence, cannot be sustained," asserted the RJD leader, whose party had 79 MLAs until legislators began walking over to the ruling side in phases. "Turncoats in Himachal Pradesh have been disqualified on the grounds that exist in Bihar too. We urge the Speaker here to take note and take appropriate action. If he does not, we will take legal recourse," Jha said. In a veiled attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre, the RJD spokesperson alleged, "Gujarati moneybags have been let loose to inflict psychological damage on our leader Tejashwi Yadav in whom the unemployed youth of Bihar see a ray of hope." Jha also said that 'all leaders of the Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar, including former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, were likely to attend Sunday's rally in Patna, but in response to a pointed query, added, "We have not specially invited any leader. The Congress, which is our ally, says Rahul Gandhi is coming. We take them at their word." The RJD leader, when asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bihar, alleged that 'he is going to inaugurate many projects but one of these is a road which is far from complete'. He also said, "We hope that while addressing the public in Bihar, the PM will not say anything that is unbecoming of a man holding the top post." He parried questions about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who recently dumped the RJD, stripping it of power, and formed a new government with BJP, sharing the stage with PM in Aurangabad and Begusarai districts. "As the chief minister, it is his discretion as to with whom he shall share the dais. Our leader Tejashwi Yadav has set an example by not uttering a word of bitterness against the CM, or even our own MLAs who have deserted us," Jha added. -- PTI How To Trade (EWZ) Longer Term Trading Plans for EWZ Buy EWZ slightly over 32.01 target 34.08 stop loss @ 31.92 Details The technical summary data tells us to buy EWZ near 32.01 with an upside target of 34.08. This data also tells us to set a stop loss @ 31.92 to protect against excessive loss in case the stock begins to move against the trade. 32.01 is the first level of support below 33.2 , and by rule, any test of support is a buy signal. In this case, support 32.01 would be being tested, so a buy signal would exist. Short EWZ slightly under 34.08, target 32.01, stop loss @ 34.18 Details The technical summary data is suggesting a short of EWZ as it gets near 34.08 with a downside target of 32.01. We should have a stop loss in place at 34.18though. 34.08 is the first level of resistance above 33.2, and by rule, any test of resistance is a short signal. In this case, if resistance 34.08 is being tested, so a short signal would exist. Swing Trading Plans for EWZ Buy EWZ slightly over 33.28, target 34.13, Stop Loss @ 33.18 Details If 33.28 begins to break higher, the technical summary data tells us to buy EWZ just slightly over 33.28, with an upside target of 34.13. The data also tells us to set a stop loss @ 33.18 in case the stock turns against the trade. 33.28 is the first level of resistance above 33.2, and by rule, any break above resistance is a buy signal. In this case, 33.28, initial resistance, would be breaking higher, so a buy signal would exist. Because this plan is based on a break of resistance, it is referred to as a Long Resistance Plan. Short EWZ slightly near 33.28, target 32.01, Stop Loss @ 33.38. Details The technical summary data is suggesting a short of EWZ if it tests 33.28 with a downside target of 32.01. We should have a stop loss in place at 33.38 though in case the stock begins to move against the trade. By rule, any test of resistance is a short signal. In this case, if resistance, 33.28, is being tested a short signal would exist. Because this plan is a short plan based on a test of resistance it is referred to as a Short Resistance Plan. Day Trading Plans for EWZ Buy EWZ slightly over 33.28, target 33.72, Stop Loss @ 33.2 Details If 33.28 begins to break higher, the technical summary data tells us to buy EWZ just slightly over 33.28, with an upside target of 33.72. The data also tells us to set a stop loss @ 33.2 in case the stock turns against the trade. 33.28 is the first level of resistance above 33.2, and by rule, any break above resistance is a buy signal. In this case, 33.28, initial resistance, would be breaking higher, so a buy signal would exist. Because this plan is based on a break of resistance, it is referred to as a Long Resistance Plan. Short EWZ slightly near 33.28, target 32.98, Stop Loss @ 33.36. Details The technical summary data is suggesting a short of EWZ if it tests 33.28 with a downside target of 32.98. We should have a stop loss in place at 33.36 though in case the stock begins to move against the trade. By rule, any test of resistance is a short signal. In this case, if resistance, 33.28, is being tested a short signal would exist. Because this plan is a short plan based on a test of resistance it is referred to as a Short Resistance Plan. Real Time Updates are available on our Ishares Msci Brazil Etf (EWZ) Page here: EWZ. EWZ Ratings for March 01: Term Near Mid Long Rating Neutral Neutral Strong P1 0 0 32.01 P2 32.98 33.28 34.08 P3 33.72 34.13 36.05 Triggers may have already come Get Real Time Triggers Here Triggers may have already come Support and Resistance Plot Chart for EWZ Blue = Current Price Red= Resistance Green = Support Real Time Updates for Repeat Institutional Readers: Instructions: Click the Get Real Time Updates button below. In the login prompt, select forgot username Type the email you use for Factset Use the user/pass you receive to login You will have 24/7 access to real time updates. From then on you can just click to get the real time update whenever you want. GET REAL TIME UPDATES Market Crash Leading Indicator Our Market Crash Leading Indicator isEvitar Corte. Evitar Corte warned of market crash risk four times since 2000. It identified the Internet Debacle before it happened. It identified the Credit Crisis before it happened. It identified the Corona Crash too. See what Evitar Corte is Saying Now. Get Notified When our Ratings Change:Take a Trial This report provides trading strategies for Ishares Msci Brazil Etf (NYSE: EWZ) while incorporating risk controls. Warning: PNN Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], March 2: JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) reaffirms its commitment to excellence in healthcare education with its distinguished Bachelor's in Physiotherapy (BPT) program. Renowned for its comprehensive curriculum, experienced faculty, and state-of-the-art facilities, JAIN University stands as one of the top BPT colleges in Bangalore, offering a pathway to success for aspiring physiotherapists. BPT Colleges in Bangalore: JAIN University paves the way As one of the best BPT colleges in India, JAIN University has established itself as a leader in physiotherapy education. With a focus on academic excellence and practical training, the university prepares students to meet the challenges of the dynamic healthcare industry. The BPT program at JAIN University equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become competent physiotherapy professionals, capable of making a positive impact on patient care. For students aspiring to pursue physiotherapy courses in Bangalore without NEET, JAIN University provides an excellent opportunity. As one of the best physiotherapy colleges in Bangalore, JAIN University admits students based on merit, making quality education accessible to all. The university's transparent admission process ensures that talented individuals have the opportunity to pursue their passion for physiotherapy without the constraints of entrance exams. At JAIN University, affordability meets excellence. The university's fees, compared to other Physiotherapy colleges in Bangalore's fees, is conducive and affordable to aspirants coming in from all the corners of the country, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder access to quality education. With various scholarship opportunities and financial aid programs available, JAIN University strives to make physiotherapy education accessible to students from all backgrounds. For those scanning through the options in Bachelor of Physiotherapy colleges in Bangalore's list, JAIN University stands out in that elite list for providing the best experience for students to prepare them for rewarding careers in physiotherapy like riger Point Therapy, Cupping Treatment, Dry Needling and Chiropractic How to Apply: For further details and to embark on a bright and successful medical career, interested individuals are encouraged to visit the official website: https://sahs.jainuniversity.ac.in/ or you can contact: +91 8050473797 for all the admission related queries. Join JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), known for its Top paramedical college and best allied health science courses that encourage you to chart your course to a thriving and fulfilling medical profession! JAIN (Deemed-to-be University): JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) is a leading institution dedicated to providing quality education across diverse disciplines. Committed to academic excellence, innovation, and holistic development, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) prepares students to become leaders and change-makers in their chosen fields. Through its various schools and programs, the university offers a dynamic learning environment enriched by renowned faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and industry collaborations (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) Wang Zhiming provides acupuncture treatment to a patient at the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe on Feb. 29, 2024. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) HARARE, March 1 (Xinhua) -- In Zimbabwe, the ancient Chinese healing technique of acupuncture is proving to be a beacon of hope for patients seeking relief from various ailments. The Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, the capital, has been thronged with locals eager to experience the magic of acupuncture needles. "Those needles, I don't know what's the magic, but they work wonderfully in the body," said Martha Tsiga, who was on her seventh session to treat her back problem resulting from a fall. "Once those needles were inserted, I just relaxed, and I slept," she said. "For those 10 to 15 minutes, my body was just responding positively. It's magical... it heals perfectly." "I am now able to walk. I wasn't even able to walk for about a kilometer or so. I would just sit down and start crying, but right now I can drive, I can walk, I can do even my daily chores," Tsiga said. Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a medical system with a history of over 2,000 years that has been used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses. Traditional Chinese medicine also employs techniques such as moxibustion, cupping, and uses herbal products and mind-body practices. Charlotte Muziri, the current Miss Zimbabwe International, decided to volunteer at the hospital after witnessing the healing power of acupuncture on her father, who suffered a stroke. His condition improved markedly after just two sessions of the procedure. "Acupuncture, for me, has been a miracle that has been given to the people of Zimbabwe," she said. "It's really working wonders." "I have seen many patients who have been healed. Some of them no longer come for treatment because they are now okay," Muziri said. Wang Zhiming, a TCM doctor at the center, said many people have been healed by the ancient technique. "Every day, many patients come to our clinic for acupuncture treatment because acupuncture is very effective for lots of conditions and diseases such as acute and chronic pain, stroke, facial palsy, insomnia and headaches, which are very common in Zimbabwe," he said. Wang said more locals will be trained in traditional Chinese medicine to ensure that Zimbabweans continue to benefit from the ancient practice. "We want to train a group of local doctors who can independently do acupuncture and moxibustion... to benefit more Zimbabweans," he said. Hu Sha, another TCM doctor at the center, said the number of people seeking treatment has been growing. "There are more than 30 to 60 patients each working day in our clinic. We treated more than 18,000 patients last year, and our current appointments have been scheduled up to July 2024," Hu said. The Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center was set up in 2021 to provide free services to locals. China and Zimbabwe share a long history of health cooperation. Since 1985, China has dispatched 20 batches of medical teams to Zimbabwe. A patient receives acupuncture treatment at the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center under Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe on Feb. 29, 2024. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) The incident took place on Thursday, February 29, when the NCB raided an office related to AR Jaffer Sadiq, a Tamil film producer and an expelled DMK functionary, in relation to an international drug trafficking racket. While the premises were being raided in connection with the drug racket, cameraperson Senthil Kumar and another reporter had gone to report the searches. Thereafter, Senthil was allegedly attacked by some DMK functionaries and forced to delete the visuals from his camera. Later, he was admitted to the Royapettah government hospital. After the attack, various political leaders and journalists condemned the incident. After reports of an FIR against the private channel video journalist surfaced, journalists took to the streets to stage a protest on Friday evening. Journalists held the protest in front of the Chennai Commissioner's office and demanded the Commissioner meet them regarding the incident. Meanwhile, Chennai Police has clarified that no FIR has been registered against the private channel video journalist. "On the complaint of Tmt. Pachaiammal given at F-3 Nungambakkam Police Station against a private TV cameraman, Tr Senthilkumar, a CSR has been issued. No FIR has been registered," the official release from police said. (ANI) The Chairman and Managing Director of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Meenesh Shah, said that India''s milk production will increase to 30 per cent of the total production in the world by 2030 and that the country will be producing one third of the milk in the world. While speaking to the media on Friday, Meenesh Shah said, ""We are the largest milk producer in the world. Our production is 235 million metric tons per day. We are actually producing 24 per cent of the world''s milk production--one-fourth. It is providing actually four to 5 per cent to our nation''s GDP. Now, our plan is to increase this 24 per cent share in the world to 30 per cent by 2030. So from one-fourth, we will be producing one-third of the milk produced in the world in our country." "For that to happen, we are working on increasing the productivity of our animals. So although we are the largest milk producer in the world, our animal productivity is not up to par as compared to developed countries. So we are working with the Government of India''s Rashtriya Gokul Mission programme to improve the breeding of animals," added the NDDB chairman. The NDDB head further said, "We are increasing the genetics of the animal, the genomic chip of the animal, and with our indigenous technology, the health of the animals. The Government of India has come out with a free vaccination programme for FMD and Brucellosis, which are the two most critical diseases for farmers. So breeding, nutrition and health--these are the three areas where we are working together." Talking about the uses of renewable energy in the dairy sector, the Chairman and Managing Director of NDDB said that, the NDDB is trying to become a net-zero dairy by 2050 or 2070. "Our Prime Minister has already given a vision that we will become a net-zero country by 2070. If that has to happen, dairy also has to contribute because the largest number of animals are emitting methane, which is polluting the environment. "So we are trying to reduce the methane emissions through a ration balancing programme. The dung, which has methane, and we are trying to use it productively, as biogas, is provided to the farmers. We are working on solar rooftops in dairy cooperative societies in all the villages," he added. We are also working on bulk milk coolers and the automatic milk collection system, which is fully powered by solar energy. These are various initiatives that we are taking forward," Dr Meenesh Shah said. Shah also stated that the Government of India, NDDB, is actively involved in working with KfWor Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau, which is a German state-owned investment and development bank, who will provide grants and subsidised loans for promoting solar energy use in dairy plants. "We hope that that scheme will be approved shortly and we will be able to cover more and more dairy plants using renewable energy," Meenesh Shah said. Talking about the joint venture company between the Assam government and NDDB, Meenesh Shah said, "We have formed a joint venture company with the Assam government and it is a 50-50 joint venture company between the Assam government and NDDB. This joint venture will work for the holistic development of the dairy sector in the state." "We have prepared an Assam dairy development plan for the next seven years, and the plan is now approved by the cabinet of Assam. Under that plan, over the next seven years, our target is to procure 10 lakh litres of milk in Assam and also process it. We are going to set up the infrastructure required to process 10 lakh litres of milk and we will increase the coverage so that we can add more farmers. We will cover the entire Assam," said Shah. The NDDB head further said that the NDDB has been working with the West Assam Cooperative Milk Union (WAMUL) for the development of the dairy sector in the state since 2008. Shah further mentioned that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is scheduled to launch a new dairy plant and said, "The Assam Chief Minister will inaugurate a new plant existing in Purabi Dairy on Saturday." "Our processing plan was 60,000 litres of milk per day, and we are increasing it to 1. 5 lakh litres per day. The new plant will have the capacity to produce 10 MT of curd per day, 10,000 litres of lassi per day, and 2 tonnes of paneer per day. We will be able to meet the additional demand. We have also set up an ice cream plant in this new processing plant and 2000 litres of ice-cream will also be produced," Meenesh Shah said. (ANI) "On 27 Feb-01 Mar, 24, Airport Commissionerate, Mumbai Customs Zone-III seized over 15.89 Kg Gold valued at 8.07 Cr across 13 different cases," the Mumbai customs department said in a post on X. The gold was discovered in various hiding spots including, concealed clothes, on the body of the passengers, and corner piping of a check-in bag. Earlier, on February 18-24, Airport Commissionerate, Mumbai Customs Zone-III seized over eight kg of gold valued at approximately Rs 4 crores and five iPhones across eight different cases. The gold was concealed in the frame of the check-in bag, box of crockery, clothes worn, and hand bag. (ANI) Chief Minister Sharma held a meeting with the officials of JMRC at the Chief Minister's Office on Friday. CM Sharma highlighted the government's dedication to providing seamless transportation for Jaipur residents, designating the development of Jaipur Metro as a model metro system nationwide and stated, "Providing easy transportation facilities to the people of Jaipur is the priority of the state government. Keeping this in mind, Jaipur Metro should be developed as a model metro across the country. In this project, expenses and costs should be properly assessed so that, along with proper utilisation of financial resources, better transportation facilities can also be provided to the common people." Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma urged the prompt laying of the foundation stone for Phase 1-D of Jaipur Metro, connecting Mansarovar to the Ajmer Road intersection on the 200-foot bypass, a project included in the 100-day action plan. Furthermore, Sharma directed officials to incorporate major crowded areas of the city into the Jaipur Metro's connectivity and to consider future expansion possibilities. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) Akhil Arora, Additional Chief Secretary (Chief Minister) Shikhar Agarwal, Principal Secretary (Chief Minister) Alok Gupta, Principal Secretary (Urban Development) T. Ravikant and senior officials of JMRC. (ANI) In an exemplary initiative to showcase transparency, police department authorities in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district organized a 'lottery' for posting of newly recruited constables at various police stations across the district. A total of 57 police personnel, including 41 men and 16 women, were alloted different police stations through the lottery on Friday. Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Sanghi told ANI, "We had 57 newly recruited constables, including males and females, from different Police Training Academies in our district to be posted in different police stations according to the vacancies. The constables were called to the police control room in the district, and they picked slips of police stations on their own." "The initiative has been taken to give them (constables) a message that postings have been done transparently and not based on any kind of recommendations. They were also advised that if they perform better in the future, they will get better postings," he added. Meanwhile, after getting their postings, the police constables looked happy and applauded the initiative of SP Sanghi. "A unique and commendable initiative was taken by the SP. Usually, people put in jack and recommendations for posting in police stations, but the Superintendent of Police did not do so. Without any prior approval and without discrimination, a token slip was made, and maintaining transparency from everyone, one slip each was issued, according to which the police station was allotted to us," the constables said. "We have taken out our slips and posted ourselves in the police station. We all are very happy," they said. They further added that this kind of initiative should be followed not only in Madhya Pradesh but in the entire country. (ANI) Undeterred by critical remarks made by Congress leaders and the internal rift within the state unit of the Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Saturday affirmed that he still has the support of 80 per cent MLAs. On BJP's allegation that the chief minister was providing security to some Congress MLAs outside of protocol, chief minister Sukhu said that "horsetrading and orchestrating cross-voting" during the recent Rajya Sabha elections was triggered by the BJP. "BJP indulged in horsetrading and got cross-voting done during Rajya Sabha elections. It is the opposition's job to level allegations, and that is what they will do," Sukhu said while speaking to ANI. Asked about the Delhi visit of Vikramaditya Singh who is serving as the Public Works Department (PWD) minister in his government, Sukhu said, "Why can't he be in Delhi? Today he is in Rajasthan for some personal work." Asked about speculations that Vikramaditya Singh will split from Congress to form another party, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, "I have no such information." Vikramaditya Singh, the son of six-time former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had submitted his resignation as a minister in the state on Wednesday and later took back his resignation, continues to keep the Congress top brass guessing. On Friday, Himachal Congress chief Pratibha Singh, Vikramaditya Singh's mother, praised the BJP, saying its work is better than the Congress. "A lot of things remain to be done in Congress. As a MP, I visit my constituency and try to interact with the local people and solve their problems. It is true that the BJP's working is better than ours," the Himachal Pradesh Congress chief told ANI on Friday.When asked about Pratibha Singh's comment, Sukhu said, "I have the support of 80 per cent MLAs and she is aware about it." In voting for Rajya Sabha elections on Tuesday, the BJP, which has just 25 MLAs, managed to secure nine additional votes. The vote ended in a 34-34 tie, with three Independents and six Congress MLAs cross-voting for the BJP, whose candidate Harsh. Mahajan won after the result was decided with a draw of lots. Six Congress MLAs--Sudhir Sharma, Rajinder Rana, Davinder K Bhutto, Ravi Thakur, Chaitanya Sharma and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal--cross voted during the recently held Rajya Sabha polls leading to surprise win by the BJP's candidate, Harsh Mahajan who defeated Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. BJP leaders claim that the Congress has lost the majority in the assembly. Meanwhile, Himachal Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania suspended 15 BJP MLAs from the Assembly and disqualified the six Congress MLAs. Chief Minister Sukhu on Friday exuded confidence that his government will run for five years and accused Jairam Thakur of trying to conduct 'Operation Lotus' since he came to power in the state. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that the 'Ram Rajya' which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) describes as good governance, is all about good governance, ensuring every citizen's access to welfare schemes without discrimination. CM Yogi, while speaking at a programme organised by the Food and Civil Supply Department, and Rural Development Department at Lok Bhavan on Saturday said that the increasing use of technology in government work is bringing about rapid changes in the lives of common people. "The Ram Rajya is all about good governance, ensuring every citizen's access to welfare schemes without discrimination," the CM said. Yogi further said that the reforms in every aspect of life, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, have not only increased transparency, but are also contributing towards ending corruption. CM Yogi inaugurated 1100 Annapurna Bhawans and launched Electronic Weighing Scale-linked e-POS machines at 79,000 fair price shops across the state on the occasion. "With continuous efforts of public representatives, the government has been successful in providing foodgraine to every poor person. Before 2014, those in need did not receive ration. They had ration cards in their names, but the ration would be distributed elsewhere. In fact, before 2017, there were deaths due to hunger in several districts of the state," he said. The Uttar Pradesh CM further said that the Food and Civil Supply Department, around 80,000 ration quota shops in the state are benefiting approximately 15 crore beneficiaries. "However, we have now started using technology such as e-POS machines and Electronic Weighing machines. This has led to extensive reforms in the distribution of rations. Reforms carried out by the Food and Civil Supply Department, around 80,000 ration quota shops in the state are benefiting approximately 15 crore beneficiaries," Yogi added. Referring to the technology-based food distribution system, CM Yogi said that it has not only solved the problem of hunger but has also ended corruption in the system. "Earlier, once the ration left the FCI warehouses, it would disappear midway. But now it is being monitored from Lucknow itself to ensure that the ration actually reaches the allocated quota shop. This change is in line with the principle of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" (Development for All). This is Modi ji's mantra which is visible at the ground level," he added. CM Yogi also said that before 2014 when the BJP government was formed, such a scenario was 'impossible'. "Getting ration to the poor was a distant dream, and these kinds of improvements were unimaginable," he remarked. Speaking of the 1100 Annapurna Bhawans, CM Yogi said that they have now become permanent structures for the ration quota. "Even if the shopkeeper changes, the ration shops will remain the same. Apart from ration, these Annapurna Bhawans will provide other facilities as well, including affordable generic medicines and other essential household items. Warehouses for ration will also be present here. Additionally, there will be a Common Service Center where services like birth certificates, death certificates, income certificates, and caste certificates can be obtained. Currently, the initiative is starting with 1100 shops, and soon this arrangement will be extended to the 80,000 ration quota shops across the state," the chief minister said. "When the government is sensitive, it opens the doors to the people's safety and prosperity. The double engine government is working at double speed because its sole aim is to develop, provide a secure environment, and bring prosperity. We are committed to advancing the work of poverty alleviation without any discrimination," CM Yogi added. Attacking the opposition, CM Yogi mentioned that due to lack of vision in earlier governments, ponds were dug once, then filled, and later dug again under MGNREGA. "However, today, new construction projects are underway, and Annapurna Bhawans are being constructed. This not only provides employment but also facilities for the people," he added. (ANI) Another round of the BJP's central election committee meeting for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be held in the next week, according to the sources. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Central Election Committee Meeting (CEC) will be held on March 5, 6 and 7 to finalise candidates' names for the rest of the seats regarding the Lok Sabha elections, the sources told ANI. The Central Election Committee Meeting will be held at the party headquarters in Delhi. "There will be another rounds of CEC on March 5,6 and 7 to discuss and decide the names of the candidates on rest of the seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," the party's top source said on Saturday. The source further said that the party will deliberate on the candidates' list decided in the last meet. "There will be three more rounds of CEC to discuss on rest of the seats. Few names that were discussed in last meeting will be discussed again in these rounds. BJP is a dedicated party, each and every seat is important hence deep discussion is important," the source said. First round of BJP CEC was held on Thursday at BJP headquarter, Delhi. The meeting focused on discussing Lok Sabha election seats across approximately 17 states. During the meeting, decisions were made regarding over 155 seats. First list of BJP candidates is supposed to come today or by tomorrow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP's National President JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Organisation General Secretary BL Santosh, Chief Ministers, State Presidents, In-charges, Co-Incharges, and Election In-charges of various states were present in the last meeting. Sources indicated that the announcement of the names of 4-5 candidates from Telangana could be made soon. Three current MPs G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and Arvind Dharmapuri may also get tickets again. Discussions were held with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding the names of candidates in the meeting. Discussions were also held on the names of candidates with BJP leaders from Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand. BJP sources said that the names of candidates from Assam were discussed in the meeting, in which all Lok Sabha seats were filled with leaders from Assam. BJP will contest on eleven seats in Assam and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal could contest from Dibrugarh, while State Minister Rameshwar Teli could be sent to the Rajya Sabha. (ANI) Aam Aadmi Party, (AAP) MLA Amanat Ullah Khan approached Delhi High Court for a anticipatory bail in a money laundering case registered against him in connection with alleged irregularities by Delhi Waqf Board in the recruitment of staff and leasing of properties. On Friday, the trial court denied him bail in Delhi Waqf Board Money Launderig case. He was earlier summoned by the ED in this case. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy along with advocate Rajat Bhardwaj had argued on the bail application on behalf of Amanat Ullah Khan. It was argued by the Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy that this case of Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered this ECIR after 8 years (7 years 7 months) of CBI'S FIR lodged in 2016. It has been alleged that Rs. 100 crore Waqf Properties were given on lease illegally. It is also alleged that 32 contractual employees were appointed in Delhi Waqf Board during chairmanship of Amanat Ullah Khan flouting the rules. Senior advocate argued that the CBI concluded in its charge sheet that leasing out properties was administrative irregularities. There were no proceeds of crime, no undue advantage and loss to government exchequer. It was also argued that the amount is Rs. 100 crore as similar to the CBI case. They still have to prove a scheduled offence. He was granted bail in CBI case on March 2023, Guruswamy said. It was also argued that Salaries were paid to the workers for the work done by those employees. No undue advantage by the applicant. No recovery effected from the applicant. It was also submitted that on 28 September 2022, the accused was granted bail in ACB FIR. It was held in the order, 32 contractual employees were paid Rs. 3 crores salaries through banking channel. No employee repaid the salary to the applicant. It means there is no undue advantage. "I don't know how I am (Amanat) involved in this case of sale id property. Till date there is no recovery of any sort. Rs. 27 crore is a big amount. Where is this amount and how this proceeds of crime. I am not even accused in this case," the counsel argued. Senior advocate further argued that there is no scheduled offence, no proceeds of crime, therefore there is no money laundering. There is no proceed of crime, no undue advantage, no loss to exchequer, there is no money laundering " You (ED) can not lodge a new FIR on receipt of any new information. You can not have two FIR for the same cause," Guruswamy argued Special public prosecutors (SPP) Manish Jain and Simon Benjamin alongwith Advocate Snehal Sharda appeared for ED. SPP Manish Jain rebutted the submission made by the senior advocate for Amanat Ullah Khan. He submitted that this entire case banked upon the role of Amanat Ullah Khan. "At the nucleus of the entire controversy is A K. His name appears 83 times in the bail dismissal order of three accused persons. Order speaks itself," Jain argued. Money laundering is layering. It is deep rooted conspiracy, he added. He further argued that the summons issued to the applicant was challenged before the High Court and Prosecution Complaint (Charge Sheet) was also annexed with the petition. This charge sheet was given to other accused on January 19, after cognizance of the same taken by the court. The petition was withdrawn as not pressed. No liberty was sought or granted. You are giving up your rights, the SPP submitted. This fact has been was concealed in this bail application. This is called malicious concealment, Manish Jain submitted. Senior advocate Guruswamy objected to the submissions of the SPP Manish Jain. We have concealed nothing. Prosecutor can't use this kind of language. No accused gives up his right of bail. And I am not even accused in this case. Thereafter the SPP Jain referred to bail orders of three accused. He submitted that Misappropriated worth Rs.100 crore property. ACB is investigating. Zeeshan and Daud Nasir acted on behest of applicant in connivance with Javed Imam Siddiqui and Qausar Imam Siddiqui, he added. He again reiterated that at the nucleus of the case is Amanat Ullah Khan. There were 22 cases registered against him He was declared bad character (BC) of the area and a history sheet was opened. It was challenged before the Delhi high court. The plea was dismissed. Special Leave Petition (SLP) is pending before the Supreme court. Concluding his arguements Jain said that rigourous provision of twin conditions under section 45 of PMLA applies to the applicant. There is a flight risk. There is great apprehension of influencing the witnesses. Recently the court has also dismissed the bail application of three arrested accused namely Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir and Jawed Imam Siddiqui. Fourth arrested Qausar Imam Siddiqui has not moved bail yet. (ANI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday hit out at the Congress, accusing it of being the biggest 'enemy of country's civilization'. Sarma, while coming down heavily on Congress, which he was earlier associated with, said that the party is 'not only the enemy of development, it is also the biggest enemy of India's civilization'. "I believe they (Congress) are not only biggest enemy of development, they are the biggest enemy of our civilization. They (Congress) are the biggest enemy of peace, for the development. Because today, India is witnessing a civilizational triumph at that point of time those who opposed India's growth how you can say that they like India. These people are inspired by the ideology of George Soros they want anarchism and the Prime Minister wants development," Sarma said. He further said that the next general elections are the fight between 'anarchist and those who prefer development'. "So this election is precisely fight between anarchy and democracy, between the two kind of people who want to see India as a 'Viswa Guru' and another section of people who wants to see India as an inferior state and an under developed state. I think the Prime Minister Modi under his leadership has changed India as transform India completely and the people of India are with him completely," Sarma said. On being asked about some organizations who have threatened to start another leg of agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state, the Assam Chief Minister said, "There are two sections of people in the state... Some section of people supports CAA and I am one of them. But at the same time, there are many people who opposed CAA. So we have to accommodate both points of view." The Assam CM urged people who do not support CAA to take the issue to the Supreme Court. "We should not criticize anyone for supporting or criticizing CAA. Assam has an act called IMDT which was opposed by a large section of Assamese people. But ultimately that act was got scraped in the Supreme Court, not because of any agitation, but because of judicial intervention. So I personally urge that the people who oppose CAA to take the matter to the Supreme Court and already it is in the Supreme Court, but the case was not listed because rule was not notified. Instead of disturbing peace and tranquility in Assam, people should go to the court and ventilate their grievances," the Assam Chief Minister said. Earlier, the forum of 16 opposition parties met Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and handed over a memorandum opposing the enforcement of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Assam had witnessed violent protests in 2019 and early 2020 after Parliament passed the CAA, which makes minority communities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible to apply for Indian citizenship. Five people were killed in the protests. (ANI) Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) president and MLA, MH Jawahirullah held discussions with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Chennai on Saturday on seat sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Part of the DMK alliance in Tamil Nadu since 2013, MMK secured two seats in the 2021 assembly elections. Jawahirullah expressed the party's request for seat allotments in the upcoming parliamentary polls. "Actually, we have been a part of the DMK alliance in Tamil Nadu, right since 2013. In the 2021 assembly elections, we were allotted two seats and we won the seats . Now we have been asking the DMK leadership that they should allot us seats for fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha election. We had a very detailed discussion with the team led by TR Baalu today about the allocation of seats to MMK. They have said that they will take it to the notice of the DMK chief and we expect a good response from the DMK chief," MMK president and MLA MH Jawahirullah said. Jawahirullah clarified that MMK is open to contesting in any constituency, considering the strength of the DMK-led INDI alliance in Tamil Nadu. "Not any particular constituency because, as of now, the DMK-led INDIA alliance in Tamil Nadu is very strong and we expect that this alliance will speed up Tamil Nadu. So any constituency will be good for us to fight the Lok Sabha election," MMK president said. Meanwhile, Jawahirullah said that the BJP's previous efforts to establish itself in the state had failed. "The BJP is scared about the DMK-led alliance in TN . All along, they had been doing everything; they have been striving with their nerves very much to ensure that the BJP would become a force to reckon, but they have miserably failed. Whatever the honourable PM said in south TN is a sign of his frustration that the BJP can't intrude into the dravida land, that is, Tamil Nadu," Jawahirullah said. Earlier on Thursday, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu sealed seat-sharing deals with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). A meeting was held in Chennai under the leadership of DMK leader and Chief Minister MK Stalin with the alliance partners. As per party sources, the DMK allotted two seats each to CPI and CPI(M) during the meeting. DMK made the first seat-sharing deal on February 25 with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi. DMK's long-time ally, IUML, has been allotted the Ramanathapuram Parliament Constituency, while the Namakkal Parliament Constituency has been given to Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav virtually launched "PM Shri Air Ambulance Services' in the state on the occasion of the closing ceremony of 'regional industry conclave 2024' held in Ujjain on Saturday. Later, CM Yadav reached the Ujjain Police Line Helipad and inspected the PM Shri Air Ambulance Service. Speaking on the occasion, the CM said, "It is a historic decision of the Madhya Pradesh government to provide PM Shri Air Ambulance Service in the state. With the help of this service, the lives of poor people can be saved. I am happy that it is being started in the entire state for every person...It is a free-of-cost service..." Meanwhile, the chief minister further said that he would like to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi on whose name the state government started this Air Ambulance facility. CM Yadav also posted on X, "Adding a new chapter in the better health services of Madhya Pradesh, I along with Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal launched 'PM Shri Air Ambulance Service' today in the 'Regional Industry Conclave' through a single click." "I am confident that this air ambulance service, started with the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will prove to be a meaningful step towards achieving the resolve of providing better health services to all the people of the state," he further wrote. Notably, the two-day Regional Industry Conclave, kicked off on Friday in Ujjain. This initiative spans across 20 districts of the state, including Bhopal, Ujjain, and Indore. 56 projects are expected to attract investments exceeding Rs 74,000 crore, creating employment opportunities for over 17,000 individuals. (ANI) Artificial Intelligence is always going to be artificial and the humans will remain the masters, Director AIIMS Delhi, Dr M Srinivas said on Thursday while outlining how the premier medical institute in the national capital is harnessing AI for the benefit of patients, including in cancer treatment. Participating in 'ANI Dialogues - Navigating India's Health Sector' here, Dr Srinivas said AI complements and supplements efforts and allows scalability and filtering at a faster pace. "Artificial Intelligence always is going to be artificial. At the end of the day, who creates it. They will always be a slave to us...we will remain the masters," Dr Srinivas said answering a query. "(AI) will complement and supplement, you can do something on a larger scale, such as triaging system, filtering system, reach out to masses. It will enhance the comfort. It will enhance the spectrum, numbers and volume. We can reach out to more and more people and catch them young and early and then help them out so that the outcomes will be better and we remain masters at the end," he added. The senior doctor outlined the work being carried out by AIIMS using AI. "AIIMS is into the artificial intelligence... In breast cancer, the research project is going on where we have a triad system. We don't want to wait for the large number of things to be done where they will go through the mammography, and then it will tell us where we need to look... The second thing is in oral cancers... We have a technology wherein we can look into things and say that the lesion is malignant or benign... And the moment it's flagged, we can reach out to them...In cancer, early detection is important," he said. "That makes a lot of difference between a successful treatment and a cost-effective treatment... In ophthalmology, the technology is there where you can look into the eyes and say that somebody was remotely monitoring that, and or take the images and say that this is retinopathy, which is going to go to blindness, flag them, bring them and then filter those people who need the specialist care, and then bring them to the places where a particular retina surgery or management can be done so that the blindness can be prevented," he added. Dr Srinivas said they are partnering with many technology institutions like the IIT Delhi, because today, the medicine and engineering should not be separated. "We are partnering with technology institutions so that more technology is put into patient services, artificial intelligence, and the triad system," he said. Asked if AI could be useful in drug discovery, Dr Srinivas said referred to the experience during the COVID pandemic. He said millions of drugs were tested at the laboratories during the pandemic. "The living example is we have seen during the Covid. Millions and millions of the drugs were tested in the laboratories, where various architectures were looked into and the drug discovery was done. All that were done in a short period of time, unlike years it used to take for us to the way we used to go for drug discovery," he said. "Today it is possible due to various simulations that are available...Today, we are in a position to come out in a very fast mode...let's say in a few weeks or months, thousands and thousands and millions of drugs are being tested," he added. Dr Srinivas was taking part in discussion on the topic 'Technology divide, role of digital, Artificial Intelligence in health sector'. Dr Harsh Mahajan, founder and director of Mahajan Imaging, who was part of the panel discussion is also of the same view that A is going to be transformative for mass healthcare. "AI and technology is going to be transformative and the only way that we can provide quality healthcare to the masses of the country, is going to be through the use of technology," Mahajan said. Lauding the Modi government, he said it has been proactive to not just in augmenting number of specialist doctors, but to create digital capacity to reach the last mile. "Quality healthcare down the line and at an affordable prices, that is where technology and Artificial Intelligence and algorithms and telemedicine is going to play a role," he said. He asserted that in the future all the healthcare activities may not be in hospitals and noted that some healthcare services may have to be provided out of hospitals. "They may be at their homes, wellness clinics. The focus is on preventive health, predictive health and precision health and AI is going play a role," Dr Mahajan said. On possibility of AI replacing doctors, he view was little different. "Doctors using AI may replace doctors who are reluctant to use AI or adopt AI," he argued. Dr Dhiraj Vohra, Senior Dentist, during the discussion, referred to the aspects of ethics, compliance, and data breach and said they are critical for the overall healthcare space. Malika Bajaj, Director, Ballistic Learning and former WHO Searo Digital Lead spoke about the importance of technology in the transforming healthcare sector in the country. This was the inaugural session of ANI Dialogues and was held on the health sector. (ANI) Expressing his concerns over the pendency of cases in the judiciary, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has once again called upon the judges to end the "tarikh pe tarikh" culture and put an end to the normalisation of adjournment. The CJI further said that the backlog and pendency of cases present a formidable challenge to the efficient administration of justice and the timely resolution of legal disputes. Addressing the All India District Judges Conference in Kachchh in Gujrat, CJI Chandrachud said that the perception of common people who think that adjournment has become a part of the judicial system is 'disheartening'. "Common citizens feel that adjournment has become a part of the judicial system. This perception is disheartening, as adjournments, which were never intended to be commonplace, have now become normalised within the judicial process," he said. CJI also spoke about social media and appealed not to be influenced by them, external pressures or public opinions. "Now, as we are talking about the realm of technology, I would like to address another contemporary challenge: the influence of social media. In recent times, there has been a noticeable increase in judges facing criticisms and commentary on social media platforms. And let me tell you, I have had my fair share of scrutiny too! Even if I say just a single word on the bench, it seems to get reported faster than a speeding bullet. But should we, as judges, be unduly affected by this? The role of a judge is to dispense justice impartially, without being swayed by external pressures or public opinions," CJI said. Acknowledging that the courts nationwide are grappling with a significant backlog and an alarming level of pending cases, he said, "This backlog and pendency of cases present a formidable challenge to the efficient administration of justice and the timely resolution of legal disputes." He further said that addressing the backlog and pendency of cases requires a multi-faceted approach encompassing systemic reforms, procedural enhancements. He also appealed that judges have to be conscious of this fact, because, while even one adjournment might look like a routine affair, it can have severe ramifications for the litigants. "Consider, for instance, the plight of a farmer entangled in a property dispute--a scenario all too common. Often, the outcome of the legal battle never comes to light during the farmer's lifetime. Instead, the burden falls upon their legal heirs, who find themselves embroiled in protracted legal proceedings long after their loved one's passing," he said. He also said that the judicial system should not wait for citizens to die for their case to be decided by a court of law. "Imagine a victim of sexual assault whose case remains unresolved in the courts for several years. Isn't this a clear violation of their fundamental right to access justice? The concept of access to justice should extend beyond mere access to the courts; it should also guarantee that citizens receive timely judgements from courts of law," the CJI remarked. CJI also said that he is present among the judicial officers of the district judiciary from across the country who form the backbone of our legal system. "By organising this conference, we celebrate the commitment and role of our district judiciary. At the same time, we have gathered here to hear directly from judicial officers about what affects the working of the district judiciary and how we can improve it. After all, solutions to large problems emerge through direct conversations with the stakeholders," CJI asserted. The CJI also said that the district judiciary needs to constantly reflect and evolve its work so that the faith of citizens is maintained. The CJI also pointed out the rising apprehension that district courts are increasingly reluctant to entertain matters concerning personal liberty. "The longstanding principle that "bail is the rule, jail is the exception" seems to be losing ground, as evidenced by the growing number of cases reaching the High Courts and the Supreme Court as appeals against the rejection of bail by trial courts. This trend warrants a thorough re-evaluation. I want to hear from our district judges why this trend is emerging across the country," CJI said. (ANI) Lauding the annoucement of the country's highest civilian award--Bharat Ratna-- to former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that this honour belongs to the entire Bihar. "My arrival in Bihar is special in many aspects. A few days ago, the country honoured the pride of Bihar, Karpoori Thakurji, with the Bharat Ratna. This is the honour for the entire Bihar," said the Prime Minister while addressing a public gathering in Bihar's Aurangabad. Ram Lalla has been enshrined in the temple, it is natural that the celebrations will be held in the birthplace of Maa Sita, which is Bihar." PM Modi further said, "A new chapter towards develpopment of Bihar is being etched in Aurangabad. Today, projects worth 21,000 crores were inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of. These projects include those related to road infrastructure, rail infrastructure and also, it comprises of a glimpse of modern Bihar." "Today, the foundation stones of Amas-Darbhanga four-lane corridor, a four-lane road connecting Danapur and Bihta; and a section of Sherpur-Digwara were laid," he added. PM Modi, who is on a visit to Bihar, inaigurated and laid the foundation stones of projects worth Rs 21,400 crores. Strengthening the National Highways network in the state, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for several National Highway projects worth more than Rs 18,100 crores. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the six lane bridge across River Ganga that will be developed as a part of Patna Ring Road. This bridge will be one of the longest river bridges in the country. PM Modi also inaugurated twelve projects under Namami Gange in Bihar that have been developed at a cost of about Rs 2,190 crore. The projects include Sewage Treatment Plant at Saidpur & Pahari; Sewerage Network for Saidpur, Beur, Pahari Zone IVA; Sewerage system with Sewer network at Karmalichak; Sewerage scheme at Pahari Zone V; and Interception, Diversion and Sewage Treatment Plant at Barh, Chhapra, Naugachia, Sultanganj and Sonepur town. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said, "A new chapter of Bihar's development is being written today on the land of Aurangabad which has given birth to many freedom fighters and great personalities such as Bihar Vibhuti Shri Anugrah Narayan." He said that projects worth about Rs 21,500 crores are being inaugurated or foundation stones are being laid including sectors of road and rail that provide a glimpse of a modern Bihar. Mentioning the foundation stone laying of Amas-Darbhanga four lane corridor, Danapur-Bihta four lane elevated road and Sherpur-Dighwara Phase of Patna Ring Road, the Prime Minister said that it is the present government's identity to also complete the projects on time and dedicate to the nation. "This is Modi's guarantee", the Prime Minister said, as he highlighted laying the foundation stone for Ara Bye Pass rail line and twelve projects under Namami Gange program. The Prime Minister underlined that the people of Bihar, especially the citizens of Aurangabad are eagerly waiting for the Varanasi-Kolkata Expressway as it will reduce travel time to UP and Kolkata to a few hours. The Prime Minister highlighted the present government's style of working and congratulated the people of Bihar for the development projects of today. Mentioning the resumption of double-engine government in the state, the Prime Minister said that today Bihar is full of enthusiasm and self-confidence. The Prime Minister also commented on the marginalization of dynasty politics in Bihar. Pointing to the scale of the development projects in just one day, the Prime Minister said, "This is an indication of the speed of change under the double-engine government." He said that the road projects will change the picture of cities like Patna, Nalanda, Jahanabad, Gaya, Vaishali, Samastipur and Darbhanga. Similarly, places of tourist interest at Bodhgaya, Vishnupad, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali, and Pavapuri. Upcoming Darbhanga Airport and Bihta airports will also be connected with this road infrastructure. Reflecting on the turnaround of possibilities for the tourism sector of Bihar, the Prime Minister mentioned the flagging off of modernized trains like Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat, and the development of Amrit Bharat Stations. PM Modi also looked back on the days of growing insecurity among the citizens leading to the migration of youth, and highlighted, "today's era where youth are being trained under skill development programs." PM Modi also mentioned laying the foundation stone for Ekta Mall worth about Rs 200 crores to promote handicrafts from Bihar and said that it signifies a new direction and positive thinking for the state. "We won't let Bihar slip back into old times. This is a guarantee", the Prime Minister said. (ANI) There is a need for collaboration between the government and private sector in providing healthcare services to bridge the urban and rural divide in the country, said the Chief Executive Officer of Yatharth Hospital, Amit Kumar Singh, on Saturday. While speaking at a session at 'ANI Dialogues 2024-Navigating India's Health Sector' held in Delhi, AK Singh lauded India's 'superlative' services in terms of healthcare, saying that they are recognised across the world. "India is absolutely providing very superlative care and it is recognised across the world. A lot of patients from even developing countries come to India due to the cost advantage," Singh said. He outlined that private sector players are ready to invest in remote areas if the government can provide the right ecosystem. "Challenge is if you go to the remote areas, like I come from a small town in Jharkhand, I have seen there for even a kidney stone, probably, people travel around 150 kms to a nearby health centre in probably Ranchi for treatment," the CEO said. "The private players were more focused on the metro cities earlier, but now they are turning to small towns, districts. But private players have certain constraints when going to those smaller districts or towns. The only way to bridge this gap is government and private sector to work closely," he said. He said that the urban-rural gap can be narrowed if the government can have 'good tie-ups.' "The government has to provide that ecosystem to bring the private sector over there, like infrastructure, land, regional and local challenges and have very good tie-ups. Then this gap can be narrowed," he said. The CEO further commended the government healthcare system in the country while pointing out that they need the private sector to 'deliver completely'. "The government has a very good set-up. They have a system of district hospitals, CHCs and like. The problem is that the government cannot provide complete healthcare delivery. In terms of delivery, the government has to approach the private sector or probably the private sector and government should work together. I think that's the only solution," he said. "In India, around 60-65 per cent of healthcare is being delivered by private sector. We are ready to provide our resources over there, ready to provide that channel so that we can send our doctors if required or do difficult surgeries," AK Singh said. He also highlighted the role of tele-medicines in the healthcare sector. "There's another role of tele-medicines as well. If you have a very good tele-medicine centre, consultation can be done from anywhere to a remote place. So we have to work on the entire ecosystem where the private sector and government has to engage very closely and then this gab can be bridged," he said. VK Paul, member NITI Aayog and PN Renjen, senior consultant in neurology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital also attended the session. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that the state cabinet will visit Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on March 4. The state government will also construct a Dharamshala and a separate ghat named after Vikramaditya if space is made available. CM Yadav made the remark while speaking to reporters at helipad in Ujjain district. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram in Ayodhya on January 22. It has brought a different energy and joy to the country. In this situation, we decided that I, along with the state cabinet, will go to Ayodhya on March 4. Madhya Pradesh has a special connection with Lord Ram," the CM said. He further said, "Samrat Vikramaditya had built a Ram temple in Ayodhya 2000 years ago. Now, our government will try to construct a 'dharmshala' in Ayodhya for people of the state visiting there. If the land is made available, we will also construct 'Vikramaditya Ghat' on the banks of the Saryu River." Earlier, CM Yadav virtually launched "PM Shri Air Ambulance Services' in the state on the occasion of the closing ceremony of 'regional industry conclave 2024' held in Ujjain on Saturday. Later, he reached the Ujjain Police Line Helipad and inspected the PM Shri Air Ambulance Service. Speaking on the occasion, the CM said, "It is a historic decision of the Madhya Pradesh government to provide PM Shri Air Ambulance Service in the state. With the help of this service, the lives of poor people can be saved. I am happy that it is being started in the entire state for every person...It is a free-of-cost service..." Notably, the two-day Regional Industry Conclave, kicked off on Friday in Ujjain. This initiative spans across 20 districts of the state, including Bhopal, Ujjain, and Indore. 56 projects are expected to attract investments exceeding Rs 74,000 crore, creating employment opportunities for over 17,000 individuals. (ANI) A tripartite agreement was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, between Government of India, Government of Tripura and The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance/TIPRA, popularly known as Tripra Motha and other stakeholders, in the national capital on Saturday. TIPRA Motha Party chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma conferred thanks to the central government and Tripura state government after a tripartite agreement was signed between Government of India, Government of Tripura and The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance/TIPRA, popularly known as Tripra Motha on Saturday. "I want to thank everyone. Today, this agreement has been possible because of your support...The hunger strike I did was to get everyone on notice. I would like to thank the central government and the state government. Without our poor people, this would not have been possible. "Many times, I thought that I should drop it but your affection kept me going... After this Tiprasa accord, we don't have to sit and only celebrate, we need to keep fighting for our rights, together," he added. Tripartite agreement was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. On this occasion, Amit Shah said, "Today is a historic day for Tripura, and through this agreement, we have looked at the future by honouring history, making amends, and accepting today's realities." "No one can change history, but we can always move forward by learning from mistakes and keeping in mind today's realities. He said that Tripra Motha and all tribal parties have played a constructive role in this direction," he added. Union Home Minister said that the Tripura government has always made several efforts for this. He said that in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of a Viksit Bharat, Tripura will also be committed to making its contribution and having its share and will move forward as a Viksit Tripura. Further, the Home Minister talked about efforts made under the leadership of PM Modi insurgency-free, dispute-free, and violence-free Northeast. (ANI) The central government on Saturday signed the crucial tripartite agreement with the Tripura government and the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) Motha, also known as Tipra Motha Party in the national capital. The accord was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and the TIPRA Motha Chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya Deb Barma. "Today is a historical day from Tripura. We have honoured the history, rectified mistakes and accepted today's reality through this agreement. Nobody can alter the history, but one can learn from the mistaked and move on," Amit Shah said. "The BJP government has, from the biginning, put forth efforts towards the agreement. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modiji, the home minister has tried to fulfill the vision of an insurgency-free, dispute-free and violence-free Northeast," he added. Shah also noted that due to several agreements by Modi Government, around 10 thousand people have given up arms and joined mainstream, which has resulted in creation of an environment of development. The Home Minister also assured that the government would come forward to develop a system which will protect rights of all. Under the pact, it was agreed to amicably resolve all issues of indigenous people of Tripura relating to history, land and political rights, economic development, identity, culture and language. Along with this, it was agreed to constitute a Joint Working Group/Committee to work out and implement the mutually agreed points on all the above mentioned issues in a time-bound manner to ensure an honourable solution. In order to maintain a conducive atmosphere for implementation of the pact, all stakeholders shall refrain from resorting to any form of protest/agitation, starting from the day of signing of the agreement. TIPRA Motha, formed two years ago, won 13 assembly seats in 60 member Tripura assembly in the last state polls. The party has been seeking safeguard of the land, language, and political rights of the tribal communities, which have allegedly facing deprivation after arrival of non-tribals from Bangladesh during the war in 1971. TIPRA Motha Chief, Barma is a former Congress leader. "Yes! we have signed a Historical accord and we can celebrate but not too much! If we celebrate and forget what has to be done within a time frame then we will have to work even more hard, be disciplined as leaders and as a community," Barma wrote in a post on social media platform, Facebook. "We have to implement our land rights, funding pattern, language (script) issue, political representation and also correct our historical and cultural pride. I am coming to Hathai Kotor tomorrow to meet our people and break my fast! I love you, this would not have been possible without your love and support. Bubagra has achieved nothing till tiprasa can ensure their survival and existence," he added. Earlier, he had announced an indefinite hunger strike at Hatai Kotor in West Tripura on February 28 in support of the demand for constitutional solutions for the problems of the indigenous people of Tripura. (ANI) Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the state government is committed to providing employment opportunities to the youth. Today, appointment letters were given to 27 deputy jailers and 285 prison guards selected by the Public Service Commission under the Prison Administration and Correctional Services Department in the Chief Minister's residence complex, an official statement said. According to the statement from the Chief Minister's Office, on the instructions of CM Dhami, the employment fairs being organized through the Employment Department in the entire state are showing pleasant results. In the last four months, the Employment Department has been successful in providing employment to about three and a half thousand youth of the state. The focus of the state government is on creating maximum employment. Apart from the government departments, the state government is continuously making efforts to ensure that the youth get maximum employment in the private sector also. The result of all these efforts of the Dhami government is that a historic decline has been recorded in the unemployment rate in the state. The report of the Economic Survey presented in the State Assembly shows that there has been a huge reduction in the unemployment rate in Uttarakhand. The unemployment rate in Uttarakhand was 8.4 percent in the year 2021-22, which has come down to 4.9 percent in 2022-23. Here, employment fairs are being organized in every district through the State Employment Department, in which employment is being provided in companies ranging from pharma to security, banking, sales marketing etc. In the last four months, job opportunities were available to about three and a half thousand youth through the Employment Department. 872 youth got employment in the month of November, 1376 in December, 122 in January and 1068 in the month of February. As per the CMO's statement, in the last one year, through UKPSC, 6635 officers and 7644 youth have been appointed on Group C posts in Police Telecommunication, Rankers, Excise Constable, Animal Husbandry, Silk, Urban Development, Forest Department, LT in Education Department, Agriculture Department, Drinking Water Corporation, various Dhami government has created a record by giving jobs in departments like Assistant Accountant, Accountant, Instructor, Workshop Instructor, Vehicle Driver, Secretariat Guard, Fisheries Department etc. Appointments have also been made to more than 2000 posts of Forest Guard. (ANI) SINGAPORE, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China has long been a popular travel destination among Singaporean residents, and fresh routes to China received special attention at the ongoing NATAS Travel Fair, according to the participating travel agencies. Over 60 exhibitors, including travel agents, airlines, cruise operators and hotels, attended the travel fair held by the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS). "The customers are interested in the western regions of China, such as Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Xinjiang, which is a change compared with previous years," said Wu Wen, a senior manager in charge of Chinese traveling at ASA Holidays. "The western regions remain fresh to Singaporeans. Our 'Silk Road traveling' covering Gansu and Xinjiang attracts many customers," Wu said. "The company also has some small-scale tour groups to China for customers to enjoy in-depth and high-quality travel experience," Wu added. "We made a nice performance with over 200 trip deals to China signed on Friday after the travel fair kicked off," said William Huang, marketing manager with Super Travels Group. Super Travels Group offers a fresh route to Mount Fanjing in Guizhou province, a sacred mountain of Buddhism. It is popular with guests, Huang said. Many residents from the tropical state are also interested in ice and snow. Almost all the participating travel agencies offer routes to renowned "ice-tourism" destinations in northeast China, such as Harbin and Mohe, China's northernmost city. "Travel agents told me that ice is melting now, then I will take my family to Harbin this winter," said resident Tan. The fair will run through the weekend. Appreciating Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he said that with the announcement, there is a wave of excitement and enthusiasm in the state. "Whenever he (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) gets a chance, he wins every election with a great number..." he added further. "We will again work to make Modi government. I feel that the BJP will win on all the Lok sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. Candidates will be soon declared on the remaining Lok Sabha seats as well," he assured. Meanwhile, CM Mohan Yadav also paid a visit to BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan at his residence. Notably, former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan will contest from the Vidisha constituency while Union Ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Virendra Khatik and Faggan Singh Kulaste will contest from Guna, Tikamgarh (SC) and Mandla (ST) constituencies respectively. Congratulating all the candidates, CM Yadav said, "I am happy that today candidature for 195 seats was announced for the Lok Sabha elections...On my behalf, I congratulate all the candidates..." Meanwhile, on his candidature from Hoshangabad, BJP leader Darshan Singh Choudhary said, "Our party is cadre-based. Our party promotes those who work with dedication. Workers like me, who have never fought an election are allowed to contest the country's biggest election, only the BJP can do this..." Notably, the five Lok Sabha seats on which candidates are yet to be announced include Chhindwara, Balaghat, Ujjain, Indore and Dhar. Of 195 candidates, 34 are Ministers from the Centre and States and two are the former Chief Ministers. (ANI) Two convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case have approached the Supreme Court urging it to refer the matter of their pre-mature release from jail to a larger bench, as two different benches passed different orders. Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah and Rajubhai Babulal Soni filed petition saying that the apex court's January 8 verdict which led to the cancellation of their remission (early release from prison) and their re-imprisonment was judicially improper. On January 8, the Supreme Court had struck down the Gujarat government's order granting remission to 11 convicts who had gangraped Bilkis Bano and murdered her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots. In their plea, they have mentioned that two different co-ordinate benches of an equal number of judges have taken a different view of the case. "Issue direction clarifying and directing which judgment of its co-ordinate bench would be applicable in the facts and circumstances of the case i.e. one which has been delivered in the case," it said. As per the plea, the January 8 judgment delivered by Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan has "not only judicial impropriety but creates uncertainty and chaos as to which precedence of law has to be applied in future." It was incorrect in law for the two-judge bench led by Justice Nagarathna to overrule a judgment rendered by another two judge-bench of the Supreme Court, namely Justices Ajay Rastogi and Vikram Nath, said the plea. It is to be noted that the May 13, 2022 judgment rendered by the Justice Rastogi-led bench had held that the State of Gujarat (and not the Maharashtra government) was the appropriate government to decide on remission applications filed by the rape convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. Thereafter, the Gujarat government decided to allow the remission applications of convicts. The decision was challenged by Bilkis Bano and others in the top court. The bench led by Justice Nagarathna had found that the May 2022 judgment was secured by Radheshyam after misleading the court and suppressing key facts. It had held that the judgment of May 13, 2022, by which another bench of the apex court had directed the Gujarat government to consider remission of a convict as per the 1992 policy, was obtained by "playing fraud" on the court and by suppressing material facts. Justice Nagarathna led-bench in January this year had held that Gujarat government was not competent to pass the remission orders but Maharashtra government. It had said the appropriate government to decide the remission was the State (in this case Maharashtra) within whose territorial limits the accused are sentenced and not where the crime is committed or the accused are imprisoned. "In view of conflicting judgment on the same issue by bench of equal numbers of judges, the matter must be referred to a larger bench for final adjudication and proper determination on law and merits of the case," the plea filed through advocate Rishi Malhotra stated. (ANI) Corporate leaders of different companies hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visionary leadership and landmark initiatives at the Industries Academia Meet of Chandigarh University on "Innovating Together for Achieving Viksit Bharat @ 2047 Vision" on Saturday. Applauding PM Modi's vision, Ravi Purohit, Senior Vice President at Birla Soft India, said that the prime minister is not only leading the country but also taking it forward in a specific direction. "No one can stop India. We are doing a lot of things. Modi ji is doing a lot for the nation and if we join him in this work, then we can do a lot more things. We needed a leader for years. He not only led the country but also took everyone together in a specific direction," he said. Amresh Ohri, the Head of Business Development at GMR Airports Limited, said that under the leadership of PM Modi, India's development will reach new heights. "India is becoming unstoppable under the able leadership of PM Modi. In the last ten years, the number of airports has just doubled and if you look at the next five years, the number of airports will grow again and double again. The kind of tourism growth that is happening in India currently requires infrastructure. Infrastructure is the backbone of any development in a country. I hope that with the same pace under the third term of PM Modi, we'll reach new heights under his able leadership," Ohri said. Appreciating PM Modi's leadership, Prashant Rai, Chief People Officer at Spandana Sphoorty Financial Limited, said that the progress achieved during the governance of PM Modi is visible and commendable. "India is unstoppable under the leadership of PM Modi. I feel that whatever has been done in the last 10 years of PM Modi Ji's governance is really commendable. I think there is progress happening all across different parts of India and the progress is visible," he said. Describing PM Modi's vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, Vinod Parur, the Chief Human Resource Officer at RR Kabel, said, "Modi ji has ensured that the startup is actually now starting up, all thanks to PM Modi's leadership, his trust and innovative ideas and most importantly, the backup ideas behind it. Viksit Bharat is actually an extremely positive movement towards making every citizen in line with those visions. and I think we are surely going to achieve it." PS Ganeshan, the Vice President (Human Resources) at Yamaha, said that under PM Modi's governance, Indians are being respected in foreign countries. "PM Modi is a very positive leader and I've never seen such a leader in the past 25 years. He is a dynamic leader; he can see the future and anywhere I go and show the Indian passport, there is respect in the entry. I see the difference now," he said. (ANI) After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dropped 42 MPs in its first candidate list for Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Pawan Khera asked if they were "good for nothing" and said that the party should give an account of the work done by their MPs, who are nowhere seen on the list. "We did not understand what it meant when one after another BJP MPs were leaving their positions... But when the list came out, we saw that a lot of names were missing. The BJP leadership is not happy with the work done by them," Khera told ANI. "Those MPs who did not get the ticket, who will answer about their five years?... Did PM Modi think that they would not win even in his name? Were they good for nothing? The party should give an account of the work done by their sitting MPs, who are not appearing on the list," he added. The BJP, earlier today, released its first list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. The list focussed on major names including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Rajeev Chandrashekhar and Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla. Of the seven parliamentary seats in the national capital, the party announced names of its first five candidates, fielding former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's daughter Bansuri from New Delhi. The party has changed its candidates for most of the seats in the national capital. Currently, the BJP holds all seven Delhi Lok Sabha seats. The party has fielded Bhojpuri superstar and current party MP Manoj Tiwari from North-East Delhi, Kamaljeet Sehrawat from West Delhi, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri from South Delhi and Praveen Khandelwal from Chandni Chowk. Of the five named candidates, only Manoj Tiwari has managed to get a renomination. Tiwari is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has been a Member of Parliament (MP) from the North East Delhi constituency since 2014. In 2014, Tiwari joined the BJP and contested the Lok Sabha elections from the North East Delhi constituency. He won the election by a margin of over 3 lakh votes. He was re-elected in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The party is yet to announce candidates for the North Delhi and East Delhi seats. Earlier today, BJP's sitting MPs including Jayant Sinha, who represents Jharkhand's Hazaribagh constituency, and Gautam Gambhir, representing the East Delhi constituency announced that they would not contest the Lok Sabha polls, and requested the top leadership to "relieve" them of their political duties. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, which will fight in alliance, are the two other key political parties in Delhi in the fray. The AAP and the Congress have announced that they will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election together for all seven seats. 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. The Congress will contest the Chandni Chowk, North East and North West seats in the Lok Sabha elections, while the AAP will contest New Delhi, West Delhi, South Delhi and East Delhi. The Lok Sabha polls are expected to be held in April-May this year. (ANI) Novosibirsk witnessed the highest detentions, with 16 individuals taken into custody. Moscow, where Navalny was interred, saw at least 10 detentions, while Yekaterinburg and the Voronezh region had 10 and 14 detentions, respectively. OVD-Info is an independent media and human rights defence group focused on monitoring and combating repression in Russia. Other cities, including Chelyabinsk, Omsk, Vladikavkaz, Sochi, St Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, and Ulan-Ude, also reported detentions. Despite a substantial police presence and the threat of detainment, thousands gathered in Moscow for Navalny's funeral. The funeral service, held at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Quench My Sorrows," displayed an open casket with Navalny's face covered in flowers, and his coffin was lowered to the strains of Frank Sinatra's "My Way." The burial occurred at Borisovsky cemetery in Moscow's Maryino district, where Navalny resided. His parents, including his father Anatoly, and foreign diplomats, such as US Ambassador Lynne Tracy, attended. Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, who lives abroad, expressed concerns about potential police crackdowns on mourners. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov conveyed no condolences to Navalny's family but cautioned against unauthorised memorials, emphasising legal consequences for participants. As Navalny's body arrived at the church, mourners clapped, and chants of "Navalny," "no to war," and "Russia without Putin" echoed. Following the ceremony, some attendees overturned crowd control barriers to follow the funeral procession. Numerous people congregated at the burial site, forming a line several hundred metres long at the Brateyevsky Bridge. Attendees expressed defiance, stating they were unafraid of potential repercussions from the government for their participation, according to CNN. In a poignant moment captured in videos shared by Navalny's team, his father Anatoly kissed his son's forehead during the burial. US Ambassador Tracy was also present at the ceremony. Yulia Navalnaya, in a pre-funeral video, thanked Navalny for 26 years of happiness, expressing uncertainty about life without him. She pledged to strive for happiness and pride, acknowledging the difficulty of the journey ahead. Navalny's funeral drew attention to the widespread sentiment against the government, with mourners boldly expressing their discontent. The footage of individuals pushing barriers and streaming towards the burial site highlighted a collective determination to pay respects to the late opposition figure, undeterred by potential consequences, CNN reported. (ANI) In a tragic incident, a 12-year-old house help was allegedly tortured to death by her employers, shedding light on the plight of minors compelled to work amid economic challenges, Geo News reported. The disturbing episode unfolded in Village 84 South, a suburb of Sargodha, where the girl served as a domestic worker for a feudal figure named Jawad Bhatti. Local authorities revealed that Bhatti and his wife purportedly subjected the young girl to brutal abuse, using iron rods and sticks in the horrifying act. Following the alleged murder, the suspects contacted the girl's family, falsely portraying the incident as an accident resulting in injuries, as reported by Geo News. Upon reaching the location, the family of the deceased was confronted with the grim reality that their daughter had been subjected to torture and subsequently killed. Adding to the distress, Bhatti and his wife had fled the scene, prompting law enforcement to initiate a search for their apprehension. A murder case has been officially registered against Jawad Bhatti and his wife at the Laksian Police Station based on the complaint filed by the house help's father. Concurrently, efforts are underway to locate and arrest the suspects. The police shared that Bhatti is a toll plaza contractor. The girl's body has been moved to a hospital for a post-mortem examination. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz swiftly responded to the tragedy, taking notice and requesting a report from the inspector-general of police. She stressed the imperative need for a thorough investigation and urged swift justice, firmly asserting that violence has no place in Punjab. This heartbreaking incident brings attention to the vulnerability of child domestic workers, who often face abuse, exploitation, and the risk of trafficking. Frequently lured into employment by middlemen promising work, these children endure grueling hours without breaks, are deprived of education, and remain at risk of physical and sexual abuse, Geo News reported. (ANI) US Deputy Secretary of State, Kurt Campbell called German Foreign Office State Secretary Thomas Bagger to reiterate his support for Ukraine and the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan News reported, citing a press release. US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said the discussion on Thursday between the pair also included the prevention of an expansion of conflicts in the Middle East, Central News Agency reported. Campbell also met with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Dui-yeol on Friday and reiterated the US' commitment to its alliance with South Korea, for "peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific." The deputy secretary has a long career of working on Pacific region politics and has been a long-time supporter of Taiwan. In 2000, he visited Taiwan when Chen Shui-bian was president, where he was warmly welcomed, according to Taiwan News. In 2013, he again visited Taiwan, which was under the Ma Ying-jeou administration. Ma thanked Campbell for deepening relations between Taiwan and the US and bestowed the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon. Campbell was sworn in as the new deputy secretary on February 12 of this year. His previous posts include deputy assistant to the president and coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs on the National Security Council. Meanwhile, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) detected nine Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels around Taiwan. Four out of nine People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and entered the southwest corner of Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ). Taiwan's MND said it monitored the situation and responded by deploying appropriate resources and forces. So far in February, Taiwan has detected over 250 Chinese military aircraft and over 150 Chinese naval ships 150 times, according to a Taiwan News report. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of 'grey zone tactics' by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating around Taiwan, according to Taiwan News. Grey zone tactics are defined as "an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one's security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force." (ANI) The Indian Consulate in Chicago has condoled the demise of Indian dancer, Amarnath Ghosh, who was allegedly shot dead by an unknown assailant in St Louis, Missouri in the United States. The Indian mission in a statement on Friday (local time) said that it is following up the case with forensic, investigation and with police. "Deep condolences to family & friends of deceased Amarnath Ghosh in StLouis, Missouri. We are following up forensic, investigation with police & providing support," the Indian Consulate in Chicago posted on social media platform X. https://x.com/IndiainChicago/status/1763546804509925651?s=20 The incident was flagged by television actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who said that her close friend Ghosh, a Kolkata based Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer who was pursuing a PhD in the US was shot dead in St Louis on Tuesday and urged the Indian Embassy in and the External Minister S Jaishankar to initiate and investigation into the matter.. Devoleena said that Ghosh hailed from Kolkata and both of his parents had passed away. She stated that Ghosh was attacked multiple times by an unknown assailant while he was taking an evening walk in the St Louis Academy neighbourhood. She requested assistance from the Indian government as well as the Indian Embassy in the US. "My friend #Amarnathghosh was shot & killed in St louis academy neigbourhood, US on tuesday evening. Only child in the family, mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood. Well the reason , accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one left in his family to fight for it except his few friends. He was from kolkata. Excellent dancer, was pursuing PHD, was taking an evening walk and suddenly he was shot multiple times by an unknown," Devoleena posted on X. "Some friends in US are trying to claim the body but still no update about it. @IndianEmbassyUS kindly see to it if you could. Atleast we should know the reason of his murder. @DrSJaishankar@narendramodi," she added. https://x.com/Devoleena_23/status/1763471100657160355?s=20 Notably, multiple distressing incidents have been reported lately from the US involving Indian nationals or people of Indian origin. As many as five Indian students were reported dead in separate incidents in the the first two months of 2024. 41-year-old Vivek Taneja also died after succumbing to assault injuries in Washington. Last month, an Indian student, Syed Mazahir Ali, faced a brutal attack in Chicago on February 4. Following the attack, the Indian Consulate in Chicago stated that it was in touch with the victim, as well as his wife in India. (ANI) Indian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Vishal Sharma, visited the historic site of Charaideo Moidams in Assam on Friday. The site has being nominated by India for UNESCO's World Heritage List. After his visit, Sharma thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for promoting Assamese culture. Charaideo Moidams are one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Assam. The site is a collection of mounds that represent the late mediaeval burial tradition of the Tai Ahom community in Assam. Often compared with the pyramids of Egypt, the Moidams showcase the brilliant architecture and expertise of the artsmen and masons of Assam from the mediaeval era. The Indian envoy told reporters that the site has been nominated by India and there is a possibility of it making the prestigious list. "I would like to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for promoting Assamese culture and world heritage to international countries and places all over the world. The government of India has nominated this site on the world heritage list and I hope it gets inscribed on the list," the Indian envoy told the reporters on Friday. "This represents the proud Assamese culture. I congratulate the Assam government, the officers of the Ministry of Culture, the Archaeological Survey of India and the Assam Archaeology Department for preserving and conserving this extremely important site. PM Modi has said 'Vikash Bhi Virasat Bhi' which links our past with the future," Sharma added. https://x.com/VishalVSharma7/status/1763570153416261966?s=20 Last year, Assam CM Sarma wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi that the Assam government had submitted the World Heritage Nomination Dossier of the cultural heritage site of Moidams for onward submission to UNESCO for their evaluation in the current year cycle of 2023. "Moidams (or Maidams) represent the late medieval (13th-19th century CE) mound-burial tradition of the Tai Ahoms in Assam, which lasted almost 600 years. Out of 386 Moidams explored so far, 90 royal burials at Charaideo are the best preserved, representative, and most complete examples of this tradition," Sarma said in the letter. "There is currently no World Heritage Site in the category of cultural heritage in North East India. This important dossier has been prepared in technical collaboration with the ASI. I would like to request that the Government of India supports our efforts and forwards the aforesaid nomination dossier to the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO", he added. (ANI) Microsoft co-founder and leading philanthropist, Bill Gates heaped praise on the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, calling it an "engineering marvel" and a great tribute Sardar Patel. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inviting him at the monument. He also appreciated the economic opportunity for local tribal communities arising out of it. "Thank you @narendramodi for the invitation to visit the impressive Statue of Unity. It is an engineering marvel and a great tribute to Sardar Patel. Also great to see it is creating economic opportunity for local tribal communities, especially women," Gates posted on social media platform X. https://x.com/BillGates/status/1763817413752258950?s=20 Reacting to his post, PM Modi said that he is 'glad' on Gates enjoying the experience. He also urged people from across the globe to visit the world's tallest statue in Gujarat. "Happy to see this! Glad that you enjoyed your experience at the 'Statue of Unity.' I also urge people from all over the world to visit it in the coming times," PM Modi stated on X. Earlier on Friday, the Microsoft co-founder met Union Minister for IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw and discussed how India's AI ecosystem could be used to improve health, agriculture, and education in the country. "I met with @AshwiniVaishnaw to talk about India's AI ecosystem and how it can be used to improve health, agriculture, and education. India's digital public infrastructure journey is a fantastic model for emerging economies. @BMGFIndia hopes to support the Indian government's initiatives to build open, secure, and interoperable systems that are inclusive and create strong digital economies," Gates posted on X. Bill Gates is on a visit to India, during which he has met several top leaders and also participated in other cultural and local events. He also arrived in Jamnagar, Gujarat, for the three-day pre-wedding celebrations of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani's youngest son, Anant Ambani, and industrialist Viren Merchant's daughter, Radhika Merchant. On Thursday, Prime Minister Modi and Bill Gates held a dialogue centred around harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) for the greater good of the public. The leaders expressed their shared commitment to sectors that hold the potential to enhance the planet and uplift millions worldwide. Meanwhile, his video with Dolly Chaiwala has taken the internet by storm and garnered millions of views on multiple platforms. The video opens with Bill Gates in the frame, requesting, "One chai, please". The tea seller's unique method of preparing tea on his cart is a highlight, offering a glimpse into the artistry of making this beloved beverage. (ANI) Feature: Passing down language without writing system to schoolkids in Miao ethnic village Xinhua) 16:59, March 01, 2024 CHONGQING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- "This is the word we are going to learn today, repeat after me -- bad ghot gheab (pronunciation as reflected by the Latin alphabet)," said Wu Jing as she uttered the Miao language word for rooster with exaggerated mouth movements, while teaching dozens of third-graders. In the school building distinguished by its Miao ethnic group architectural style, students of Minzu Primary School were gathered following their winter break. Those in Wu's class were greeted by their teacher in the Miao language. Minzu Primary School is located in Minzu Village, Meijiang Township, Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality which borders Guizhou and Hunan provinces -- the two provinces with the largest Miao population in China. Meijiang Township has an ethnic minority population amounting to about 70 percent of its total population, with most of its ethnic minorities being Miao and Tujia people. Minzu Village is the only village in Chongqing where the Miao language has been completely preserved. The Miao language curriculum is a distinctive course offered by Minzu Primary School. Wu wrote down a string of Latin letters on the blackboard and asked the students to pronounce the words. "The Miao language does not have a writing system, which poses difficulties in teaching the language. Therefore, the textbook adopted the Latin alphabet to mark the consonants, vowels and intonation of the language," Wu told Xinhua after the class. Raising his right arm to indicate his desire to speak in class, Chen Shuai, a student who belongs to Han ethnic group, scrambled to read out the Miao words for "chopping the firewood.""It's peab deul," Chen said with a smile on his face. "Miao language class is my favorite, the language is cool and it's fun to learn it too." For Long Haolin, a student of Miao ethnic origin, learning the Miao language amounts to more than a penchant for novelty, but represents a deeper connection with his cultural traditions, and more importantly, with his family. "My grandma speaks the Miao language, and I want to be able to master the language and communicate with her in the language one day," the 9-year-old said. According to Wu, the teaching focuses on everyday language so that students find greater fun and ease in learning. To ignite the enthusiasm of students, she created Miao language jingles to praise the outstanding students. The Miao language, belonging to the Miao-Yao language family, boasts a long history. Devoid of a writing system, it is passed down by word of mouth. "I used to be a student at Minzu Primary School. At that time, my fellow students all spoke the Miao language, so I learned to speak the language at school," said Wu. Today, although the village elders still often speak the Miao language, the younger generation, due to leaving the village to seek employment and education, has become more accustomed to communicating in Mandarin, Wu said. A native resident of Minzu Village, Wu returned to her hometown to teach in the primary school after graduating from a teaching college. Minzu Primary School has provided bilingual teaching since the 1950s, but the Miao language teaching efforts there tended to rely purely on personal experiences, lacking standardized guidance. In 2011, the school dispatched a team of Miao language teachers to Hunan and Guizhou provinces to learn better practices for Miao language teaching. Following the study tour, the teachers compiled three volumes of a "Miao Language Textbook," thus ushering in a new stage of standardized bilingual teaching in Minzu. Apart from preserving the language of the Miao people, Minzu Primary School has also integrated elements of Miao ethnic culture, such as Miao dances, drum playing and handicraft making, into the school's extracurricular activities. The school's efforts in boosting ethnic culture education are in line with a broader initiative of the Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County to pass down and highlight its cultural heritage, including preserving villages with ethnic minority group characteristics, renovating ancient towns and traditional dwellings, and hosting training sessions concerning intangible cultural heritage, such as Tujia brocade and Miao embroidery. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) In the evening of February 29, World Without Orphans (WWO) kicked off its third global forum in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with the theme together from crisis to hope. Bringing together more than 500 participants from over sixty countries, the event started off with a reminder that amid the overwhelming needs of overlapping crises today, human efforts cannot help but fall short. Instead, what God is looking for is believers who faithfully follow the leading of His Spirit to transform their community. Five million kids live in orphanages although most of them still have family, making them social orphans. 150 million children have lost one or both parents, making them legally orphans. And a staggering one billion children in the world suffer some form of physical, sexual or emotional abuse each and every year, which means that one of two children in the world are significantly vulnerable today, said WWOs principal coordinator Karmen Friesen. WWO, a global movement that seeks to mobilize the Church to respond to the needs of vulnerable children in every nation, held its first global gathering in the same location in 2016 and the second event three years later in 2019 just before the pandemic hit that led to millions more orphaned children who lost one or both parents due to Covid-19. While the numbers and trends appear bleak, there is hope because God is at work even in the darkest of places, Friesen said. We have hope because we have seen God provide in some of the most challenging situations. We have seen God's people respond, he said, adding that our hearts are for these children because God's heart is with these children. He then shared a story how one night about a year ago, he woke up three times in the middle of the night and each time was just awake for a moment long enough to be reminded of a verse in Zechariah 4: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. It inspired Friesen to study the context of the verse and as he read through the book of Zechariah chapter by chapter, he realized the relevance for orphan ministry today. The prophet brought hope to a people in exile. They were forcibly displaced, hopeless and weary but God reminded them that He is with them and that His heart desires to see Gods people and their communities restored. This change, however, would not come about by people devising strategies and resolving issues in their own strength. Instead, there first needs to be a heart of repentance about the sin that is underlying all the crises that lead to broken communities and families, and then leaning on God and following His Spirit. This is how God works. It's not about working harder but to rest in his calling. He creates the opportunities that we could never create ourselves. He takes our faithful steps to accomplish his purposes, Friesen said. He then pointed to Zechariah 8 that pictures Gods vision of the restored community and shared how the passage struck him because it shows the family as central to restoration. The passage says, Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there. (Zechariah 8:4-5) God's heart is community transformation, this is not our idea. His heart is all generations living together in loving families, thriving communities, safety and loving families for all children, that is God's passion, he said. How has God called us to lead towards community transformation? What is your part in your nation and community? What does it look like for us to fully trust God and His promise? Friesen asked participants and then encouraged them that, God in His amazing grace uses people just like us. The forum will continue until March 3 and feature a variety of plenary and breakout sessions aimed at equipping leaders to respond more effectively to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children today. The office declared on Friday that around 300,000 people in Afghanistan are expected to benefit from the fund. The primary aim of this assistance is to improve food security and nutrition in Afghanistan, as the European Union stated. Rafaela Iodice, the EU official in Afghanistan, said that the European Union will continue its assistance to the people of Afghanistan, as reported by Khaama Press. This comes at a time when the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, stated that the organisation has only been able to secure three per cent of the required budget to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The recent earthquakes in the country and the expulsion of migrants from neighbouring countries are raising the need for aid in Afghanistan. The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains dire, with millions of people facing extreme poverty, displacement, and food insecurity, Khaama Press reported. Moreover, years of conflict, political instability, and the Taliban's return to power have exacerbated these challenges. Reportedly, many families in the country lack access to necessities such as clean water, sanitation facilities and healthcare. The ongoing violence and insecurity have also hindered humanitarian aid delivery, which has further worsened the condition of vulnerable people in Afghanistan. Additionally, there is a severe shortage of shelters for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees returning to Afghanistan, according to Khaama Press. Furthermore, the Taliban's imposition of strict restrictions on women's rights has had a devastating impact on their access to education and employment opportunities. Afghan women and girls have been facing significant barriers to attending school or pursuing careers, denying them essential pathways to empowerment and economic independence. Moreover, the international community should prioritize the protection and support of Afghan women's rights as part of broader humanitarian efforts in the country, Khama Press reported. (ANI) In its recent statement, Juhara Abdulaziz Al-Suwaidi, Deputy Permanent Representative of Qatar to Geneva, underscored the importance of continuing to host meetings on Afghanistan at the fifty-fifth session of the UN Human Rights Council. Notably, Qatar stands among the few countries that have been key hosts of the most significant international meetings on Afghanistan since 2020, contributing to notable developments in the country. The recent Doha meeting and the signing of the Doha Agreement were pivotal events, with 18 months of negotiations hosted by Qatar in its capital city, as reported by Khaama Press, reported Khaama Press. Qatar's Foreign Ministry, in its statement, highlighted issues of communication, increased coordination within the framework of human rights promotion, and ensuring a decent life for the Afghan people as part of its policy to support Afghanistan. The statement by Qatar's Foreign Ministry also emphasised the continued humanitarian aid committed to supporting the Afghan people and hosting meetings on the country's issues. Qatar has played a crucial role in facilitating dialogues and negotiations aimed at resolving the Afghan conflict, fostering a platform for discussions and agreements critical for Afghanistan's stability, Khaama Press reported. Amidst dire humanitarian crises and ongoing violations of human rights and women's rights in Afghanistan, Qatar's sustained efforts to convene international gatherings highlight a commitment to address the country's challenges and support people. (ANI) As the world commemorates World Birth Defects Day 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) directs attention to the pivotal theme, "Every Journey Matters." As stated in the WHO press release, "Saima Wazed, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, underscores the significance of acknowledging and safeguarding health from its very inception - during intra-uterine life." "We are reminded that "Every Journey Matters," and the journey of health indeed begins before birth," the release says. "This resonates with the WHO's commitment to fostering global awareness about birth defects and accelerating actions to prevent, detect, and manage these congenital anomalies,' as per WHO press release. "I am heartened that a regional implementation guidance on universal newborn screening of three conditions (hearing impairment, eye abnormalities, and neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia) is being released on this occasion to facilitate capacity-building of Member States," the release added. Globally, the contribution of birth defects to the cause of death among under-5 children has seen an unfortunate surge. Between 2000 and 2021, the WHO South-East Asia Region has witnessed an alarming increase from 4% to 11%. Additionally, Birth defects now stand as the third most common cause of death among under-5 children in the region, accounting for a staggering 11% of total deaths, equivalent to the loss of 300 young lives each day. Wazed notes that while genetics plays a significant role in the aetiology of birth defects, many are preventable by addressing environmental factors. The WHO has been actively supporting Member States since 2014, focusing on reducing maternal, newborn, and child mortality. An integrated approach has been adopted to implement interventions for the prevention and treatment of birth defects in existing national programs. Moreover, the WHO's South-East Asia Region has taken significant strides in strengthening preventive measures. Routine childhood rubella vaccination has accelerated, achieving an average coverage rate of 92% for the first dose. Additionally, countries like Bhutan, DPR Korea, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste have successfully eliminated rubella, with no reported cases of congenital rubella syndrome. On this World Birth Defects Day, the WHO issues a "call for action" in five key areas. Member States are urged to prioritize birth defects in their agenda, enhance commitment and leadership, and allocate appropriate financial resources. The WHO emphasizes the importance of the newly released regional guidance on universal new-born screening for three conditions and stresses the need to improve preventive interventions, strengthen community-based support networks, and sustain and expand surveillance of birth defects. As WHO reaffirms its commitment to the "survive, thrive, and transform" agenda, the global community is called upon to unite in the shared responsibility of ensuring that every journey towards health is safeguarded from its very beginning. (ANI) PEMBROKE, N.C. (WBTW) A University of North Carolina Pembroke student was killed and two others hurt in an early morning shooting near the Commons apartment complex. I am devastated that such violence has touched our campus and send my sympathy and condolences to the family of the victim and of those who were injured, Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings said in a message posted to the universitys website just after 3 p.m. The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m., according to a university alert. Details were scarce Saturday afternoon and the victims name was not immediately available. Cummings said the Pembroke Police Department and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation are leading the probe. Run, get safe: Coastal Carolina student recounts shooting near Halloween party Cummings said no arrests have been made, but the incident appears to be isolated. Its the second time in less than a month that gun violence has broken out near UNC Pembroke. On Feb. 7, 19-year-old Khalil Alford, a former UNC Pembroke student, was killed in a shooting near University Courtyard Apartments. A week later, Kendall T. Brown, 22, was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and discharging a firearm on educational property in connection to the incident. The Commons at Pembroke are minutes from campus, according to its website. UNC Pembroke officials said updates on the incident will posted to uncp.edu/alert, the schools emergency response communication board. A tragedy like this impacts us all. Gun violence has unfortunately become far too common in our country, and lately, these incidents are far too close to BraveNation, Cummings said in his statement. Violence is never the answer and has no place here. Cummings said UNC Pembroke will continue to engage in dialogue with officials in our surrounding area to safeguard our campus community. This is a developing story. Count on News13 for updates. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Holding signs and chanting No ones free til were all free, Decarcerate KC gathered on the north steps of Kansas City City Hall Saturday to call on city leaders to adopt its vision for preventing incarceration and connecting the community with better health resources. The group introduced a plan called REACH, Responding with Empathetic Alternatives and Community Health, which would aim to help people before situations escalate to the point of arrest and jail time. According to Decarcerate KC, the program would feature a community hotline that would divert eligible 911 calls to alternative response teams. Those alternative response teams, the group said, would be equipped to connect people to resources like housing, mental health and social services in hopes of meeting needs before police become involved. In front of City Hall Saturday, the group wore matching green shirts with the words we keep us safe on the backs. In between speakers, the group hit a drum and cheered and chanted. Nadra Barnes, a member of Decarcerate KC, shared her testimony about being incarcerated. Barnes said after her mother died from breast cancer, she became depressed and made poor decisions. If I had a positive presence and helpful place to turn, my outcome, it would have been a lot different for me, Barnes said. But instead, I was incarcerated. Members of Decarcerate KC held a rally outside Kansas City City Hall on March 2, 2024, advocating for a new REACH KC program that would provide alternate crisis response options in the community. The group held signs and chanted in between speakers who shared testimony about their experience during and after incarceration. Thats why Ive taken a stand to have REACH become a reality for others to get the suppport they need when they find themselves in their dark place, she said. The group argued that REACH would serve as a way to meet peoples needs in the community before a lack of support leads to poor decisions which can lead to incarceration. Kero Laveli, a leader of Decarcerate KC, said he has been meeting with members of the Kansas City City Council and other city staff about the groups vision for the new non-police community response and pre-arrest diversion program. This program would be the first of its kind in Kansas City, Laveli said. It would create community health programs and response teams within Kansas Citys health department in order to connect people with resources they need instead of sending them to jail. He said REACH would work in three steps to divert people from jail time: Kansas Citians can choose to call 311 to request a REACH community response team instead of police. Community responders provide that alternate response, deescalate situations if nee -ded, and connect people to a diversion office where they will receive individualized care. Care navigators will work with people to address immediate needs like food, clothing, water and long-term needs like mental healthcare. Legislation for the REACH program will be introduced to the Kansas City City Council at its regular meeting March 7. One of the City Council members Laveli had spoken with about the program, 6th District Councilman Johnathan Duncan, was in attendance at the rally. Johnathan Duncan, Kansas City 6th District City Council member, attends a rally held by Decarcerate KC on March 2, 2024. Duncan voiced his support for legislation that would implement REACH KC, a mental health and alternative crisis response program in the community. Im proud to be the champion of this ordinance, Duncan said. Im here this morning before our budget meeting because our budget is a moral document; we fund what we value. ... And we should be funding our people. Duncan said REACH would help Kansas Citys most vulnerable residents get the help they need and eliminate a costly and inhumane cycle of punishment. For far too long, here in Kansas City and in many cities across our nation, we have failed to fund systems of care and instead have funded systems of punishment, Duncan said. At the rally, Duncan said he will introduce legislation next week for a proactive public safety initiative that will aim to address these issues in Kansas City. The legislation, he said, is based on recommendations from the citys Commission on Incarceration Alternatives and will model practices from cities like Atlanta and Denver for non-emergency services, like someone experiencing a mental health crisis or someone sleeping on the street. Duncan said the citys Commission on Incarceration Alternatives provided testimony and recommended the REACH program to the Rehabilitation and Detention Facility Committee, of which Duncan is a member. This legislation will reduce our call volume for our 911 dispatchers, it will lighten the load for our police, Duncan said. It will help our small business owners who often bare the brunt of these issues, and break the vicious cycle so many of our most vulnerable residents are trapped in. Two boys seen amid the rubble of a collapsed house in Gaza on Friday US President Joe Biden has said he hopes to see a deal for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza War in time for the start of Ramadan. The Muslim holy month, during which members of the faith fast from dawn to sunset, will begin on 10 or 11 March. Asked whether he expected a deal by then, Mr Biden said: "I'm hoping so. We're still working real hard on it." It comes amid tense ceasefire negotiations and as pressure builds on Mr Biden to help curtail the conflict. A proposed deal would see a 40-day pause in all military operations from the start of Ramadan as well as an increased flow of aid into Gaza, a source close to the talks told Reuters news agency. It would also reportedly include an agreement for the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages at a ratio of 10 to one. The exact start of Ramadan is marked by the first sighting of the crescent Moon, so can vary from place to place. Calls for action to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensified on Thursday after more than 100 people were killed as crowds rushed around aid lorries delivering food. Hamas, which governs Gaza, accused Israel of firing at civilians, but Israel said most had died in a stampede after it fired warning shots. Following the incident, President Biden announced plans to airdrop aid into Gaza, saying: "Innocent people got caught in a terrible war, unable to feed their families. And you saw the response when they tried to get aid. "But we need to do more, and the United States will do more." Around a quarter of the population of Gaza is currently at risk of famine, according to UN figures, but the planned air drops have been criticised by aid groups as costly and insufficient. "Oxfam does not support US airdrops to Gaza, which would mostly serve to relieve the guilty consciences of senior US officials whose policies are contributing to the ongoing atrocities and risk of famine in Gaza," the charity group said on Friday. "While Palestinians in Gaza have been pushed to the absolute brink, dropping a paltry, symbolic amount of aid into Gaza with no plan for its safe distribution would not help and be deeply degrading to Palestinians," Oxfam said, adding that the US should instead work to "cut the flow of weapons to Israel". UN agency chief Philippe Lazzarini said the drops were "a last-resort, extraordinarily expensive way of providing assistance" and not the answer to problems in Gaza. "The real answer is: Open the crossings and bring convoys and medical assistance into the Gaza Strip," he added. White House National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby said that the US would continue to work toward bringing aid to Gaza by land and sea as well. On Thursday, Jordanian air force pilots dropped 33 tonnes of medical supplies and food into Gaza. According to the Washington Post, Jordanian planes have also dropped aid provided by the US and the UK, while planes from France, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have participated in similar operations. The Israeli military launched a large-scale air and ground campaign to destroy Hamas - which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the UK and others - after the group's gunmen killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October and took 253 back to Gaza as hostages. BROCKTON Kianara Ruiz's patient needed a wound dressed. She had to search floor after floor of Good Samaritan Medical Center amid supply shortages. "I could not even take care of a wound dressing because it was not in our supplies in the closet," the certified nursing assistant said Friday. "It's embarrassing that I have to go throughout four floors just to find the supplies that I need." For the second time in as many weeks, Brockton's only remaining trauma hospital received a tour by a high-level delegation. Last week it was U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-8th.) On Friday, March 1, it was U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D) who paid a visit. Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan, left, has a quick word with U.S. Sen. Ed Markey on Friday, March 1, 2024, just prior to Markey's making a statement about his tour through Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton as the hospital's owner, Steward Health Care, is embroiled in a financial crisis. Reports of dangerous conditions State sends monitors to Good Sam, Morton, Saint Anne's Senate subcommittee hearing in Boston In a post-tour press conference, Markey announced he would convene a Senate subcommittee hearing in Boston on April 3 to spotlight how Steward reached this point and where to go from here. Steward, a Dallas-based for-profit company, has confirmed it plans to leave the Massachusetts market. And Gov. Maura Healey has said she wants the company gone. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey enters the conference room at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton to speak to the media and hospital staff after touring the hospital on Friday, March 1, 2024. 'Shotgun marriage' What will solve financial crisis endangering Good Sam, Morton, Saint Anne's? Markey: Steward 'looted' hospitals for profit "We're going to identify permanent systemic solutions that have to be put in place to ensure that hospitals are not looted for the well being of private, wealthy millionaires and billionaires at the expense of patients," Markey said. Markey traced the problem to ownership by private equity firms. Defenders of the sector say they perform a necessary, if ghoulish, function in the economy. In 2016, Steward sold its buildings in Massachusetts to a real estate investment trust, Medical Properties Trust. "When Steward decided to sell out to real estate investors instead of investing in the hospitals here in Massachusetts, they cut quality corners, overworked health providers and let emergency room lines grow," said Markey. "And I saw that here today in the emergency room." The senator said he'd invite Steward executives like CEO Dr. Ralph de la Torre to the April 3 subcommittee hearing. From left, Deborah Chiaravalloti, head of marketing for Steward Health Care in Massachusetts; lobbyist Bill Cass and Good Samaritan Medical Center President Matt Hesketh chat prior to U.S. Sen. Ed Markey's press conference on Friday, March 1, 2024 in which he blasted Steward, which is embroiled in a financial crisis. 'Taxpayer dollars to float on their yachts' Markey said the chain received $675 million in COVID relief funds that, while properly spent on patient care, made room for spending he sees as unjustified. "They took taxpayer dollars to float on their yachts, all while their hospitals, the Steward hospitals, drowned in debt without the revenues they needed in order to provide the services for the community," Markey said. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey speaks to the media and hospital staff after touring Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton on Friday, March 1, 2024, as the hospital's owner, Steward Health Care, is embroiled in a financial crisis. 'Never happens again' Steward crisis rocks already embattled health care system Five doubles shifts in a row Meanwhile, workers like Marsela Vropi, an X-ray technician report working extreme hours. The bleary-eyed Vropi said Friday she'd just worked five double shifts in a row. "The morale is low," said Ruiz, the certified nursing assistant. "Everyone's overworked. Stressed mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. And they are at their wit's end." Still, both Vropi and Ruiz said that with proper staffing and support, Good Sam could make a quick turnaround. Until then, the remaining workers hold on. "Every day you hear someone's quitting," said Ruiz. "Every single day." Send your news tips to reporter Chris Helms by email at CHelms@enterprisenews.com or connect on X at @HelmsNews. This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Sen. Markey slams Steward: Hospitals 'looted' at 'expense of patients' Mifepristone is the first of the two-pill regimen recommended by the FDA to end a pregnancy The two largest US pharmacy chains will begin selling the prescription abortion pill, mifepristone, this month. CVS and Walgreens said they will start distribution next week in a handful of states where abortion is legal. Their move follows a decision by the US Food and Drug Administration last year allowing pharmacies to sell the pill. The pill has been legal in the US since 2000 but was previously only accessible through clinics and hospitals. The announcement by CVS and Walgreens on Friday also comes as the Supreme Court is set to weigh whether the pill could be acquired by mail without an in-person doctor visit. Spokespeople from both CVS and Walgreens confirmed that they will begin selling the abortion pill in interviews with the New York Times on Friday. Walgreens said it will start by providing the pill in a handful of pharmacies in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and Illinois. Company spokesperson Fraser Engerman said it is part of a "phased rollout" to monitor quality, safety and privacy for both patients and pharmacy staff. CVS's spokesperson Amy Thibault said it will begin dispensing the pill in all of its pharmacies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island "in the weeks ahead". Both companies said they will focus on rolling out in states where pharmacists are allowed to dispense mifepristone, and will monitor prospects where there are legal challenges to abortion bans or limitations, like Kansas, Montana and Wyoming. Mr Engerman said Walgreens will not "dispense in states where the laws are unclear", in order to protect staff. CVS said it will "monitor and evaluate changes in state laws" and will distribute the pill wherever it is legal to do so. Abortion pills are already available in clinics, and in some states, can be prescribed through telemedicine and mailed to a patient. With the pill being available through a retail pharmacy, it will give doctors the option to send a prescription to a CVS or Walgreens, where the patient can pick it up from a pharmacist. Widespread access to the pill has been opposed by anti-abortion groups, who have sued the FDA in a bid to remove mifepristone off the market in the US. The case will be heard by the Supreme Court later this month, after a federal appeals court ruled that the pill should remain legal, but should not be sent through the mail or prescribed through telemedicine. If the US top court upholds that ruling, it would mean that patients would have to obtain the pill by visiting a clinic, doctor or pharmacy in-person. Mifepristone is the first of the two-pill regimen recommended by the FDA to end a pregnancy. Its use was first approved in the year 2000. It works by blocking a hormone called progesterone, which is necessary for a pregnancy to continue. The second drug, misoprostol, empties the uterus. Mifepristone is also used to treat women who have suffered miscarriages and Cushing syndrome, a hormone-related condition. Humanitarian aid is dropped by the United States over Gaza City, Gaza Strip, on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Hajjar) RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) Israel has essentially endorsed a framework of a proposed Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal, and it is now up to Hamas to agree to it, a senior U.S. administration official said Saturday, a day before talks to reach an agreement were to resume in Egypt. International mediators have been working for weeks to broker a deal to pause the fighting before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins around March 10. A deal would likely allow aid to reach hundreds of thousands of desperate Palestinians in northern Gaza who aid officials worry are under threat of famine. The Israelis have more or less accepted the proposal, which includes the six-week cease-fire as well as the release by Hamas of hostages considered vulnerable, which includes the sick, the wounded, the elderly and women, said the official. Right now, the ball is in the court of Hamas and we are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House to brief reporters. Officials from Israel and from Hamas did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A senior Egyptian official said mediators Egypt and Qatar are expected to receive a response from Hamas during the Cairo talks scheduled to start Sunday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not publicly authorized to discuss the talks. There is increasing criticism over the hundreds of thousands struggling to survive in northern Gaza, which has borne the brunt of the conflict that began when the Hamas militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing around 250 hostages. U.S. military planes began the first airdrops of thousands of meals into Gaza, and the militaries of Jordan and Egypt said they also conducted airdrops. Aid groups say airdrops should be only a last resort and instead urge the opening of other crossings into Gaza and the removal of obstacles at the few that are open. The European Unions diplomatic service said many of the hundreds of Palestinians killed or wounded in the chaos surrounding an aid convoy on Thursday were hit by Israeli army fire and urged an international investigation. It said responsibility for the crisis lay with restrictions imposed by the Israeli army and obstructions by violent extremist(s) to the supply of humanitarian aid. Gaza's Health Ministry raised the death toll from Thursday's violence to 118 after two more bodies were recovered Saturday. It said the wounded remained at 760. Israel's chief military spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Israel organized Thursday's convoy, and claims that we attacked the convoy intentionally and that we harmed people intentionally are baseless." Residents in northern Gaza say they are searching rubble and garbage for anything to feed their children, who barely eat one meal a day. Many families have begun mixing animal and bird food with grain to bake bread. At least 10 children have starved to death, according to hospital records in Gaza, the World Health Organization said. Gaza's Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll from the war has climbed to 30,320. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says women and children make up around two-thirds of those killed. In the southernmost city of Rafah, where more than half of Gazas people now seek refuge, an Israeli airstrike struck tents outside the Emirati hospital, killing 11 people and wounding about 50, including health workers, the Health Ministry said. Israel's military said it was targeting Islamic Jihad militants. Israels air, sea and ground offensive has reduced much of densely populated northern Gaza to rubble. The military told Palestinians to move south, but as many as 300,000 people are believed to have remained. Roughly one in six children under 2 in the north suffer from acute malnutrition and wasting, the worst level of child malnutrition anywhere in the world, Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, said this week. If nothing changes, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza. People have overwhelmed trucks and grabbed what they can, Skau said, forcing the WFP to suspend deliveries to the north. In the violence Thursday, people rushed about 30 trucks bringing a predawn delivery to the north. Palestinians said nearby Israeli troops shot into the crowds. Israel said they fired warning shots toward the crowd and insisted many of the dead were trampled. Doctors at hospitals in Gaza and a U.N. team that visited a hospital said large numbers of the wounded had been shot. Ahmed Abdel Karim, being treated for gunshot wounds in his feet, said he had spent two days waiting for aid trucks to arrive. Everyone attacked and advanced on these trucks. Because of the large number, I could not get flour, he said. Radwan Abdel-Hai, a father of four young children, heard a rumor late Wednesday that an aid convoy was on its way. He and five others took a donkey cart and found a sea of people waiting. "Tanks started firing at us, he said. As I ran back, I heard tank shells and gunfire. I heard people screaming. I saw people falling to the ground, some motionless. Many were shot in the back, he said. Soad Abu Hussein, a widow and mother of five, said more than 5,000 people mostly women and children living with her in a school at the Jabaliya refugee camp have not received aid for more than four weeks. A group of people went to the shore to fish, but three were killed and two were wounded by gunfire from Israeli ships, she said. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mansour Hamed, a 32-year-old former aid worker living with more than 50 relatives in a Gaza City house, said some are eating tree leaves and animal food. It has become normal to find a child emerging from the rubble with a rotten piece of bread, he said. Acknowledging the extreme need for food, U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. would look for other ways of delivery including possibly a marine corridor. Also Saturday, Israel said three soldiers were killed and 14 injured Friday when they inadvertently triggered explosives in a booby-trapped building outside Khan Younis in southern Gaza. ___ Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Tara Copp and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war In the heart of Central America, Mountain Gateway Ministry has found itself at the epicenter of a turbulent legal case in Nicaragua. What began as a humanitarian and evangelistic outreach has taken a dramatic turn, sparking a controversy that has drawn international attention. While Nicaraguan authorities accuse the ministry of sending illicit funds for personal interests, the organization's leaders strongly deny such allegations, claiming that they operated under the supervision and approval of the local government. Below is a video report produced by our partner, the Global News Alliance: Former President Donald Trump won Missouris Republican caucus on Saturday, reaffirming his tight grip over the party as he marches toward the nomination amid numerous criminal charges. Trumps victory underscored how thoroughly he has re-centered the Republican Party around himself, both in Missouri and across the country, since he launched his first presidential campaign nearly nine years ago. No prominent current elected Missouri Republican spoke against Trump ahead of Saturday and his dominance of the caucus was expected. Trumps only remaining major competitor, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, has virtually no chance of winning the nomination barring a major, unexpected development. The Associated Press called the Missouri GOP caucus for Trump at 11:40 a.m., a little less than two hours after caucus gatherings began across the state. Full results werent immediately available. The Missouri caucus on Saturday, which took place alongside the Idaho caucus and a Michigan statewide convention, came ahead of a slew of contests this coming Tuesday, called Super Tuesday, when 15 states will hold caucuses and primary elections. Those contests are expected to further cement Trumps frontrunner status. Neither Trump nor Haley spent time campaigning in Missouri, but the Trump campaign on Wednesday rolled out dozens of Missouri endorsements, including Gov. Mike Parson and all three major GOP candidates for governor. The criminal cases against Trump have only seemed to boost his standing among conservative Republicans, including in Missouri, even as they threaten to undercut his standing among moderates and independent voters in November. In recent weeks, Haley has grown increasingly direct in her criticism of Trump but hasnt managed to win any contests. Trump faces two federal criminal cases brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith one over his alleged hoarding of classified documents after leaving office and another over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the lead up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. He also faces state criminal charges in Georgia over his actions in the 2020 election. The first criminal case against Trump, brought by prosecutors in New York, accuses him of illegally concealing hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. That case could go to trial in a matter of weeks and has taken on more significance as it appears more likely it may be the only trial Trump faces before the November election. Trumps criminal cases dont appear to have dented his support among the Republican base. I think he relates to Missourians, said state Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican who is running for Missouri secretary of state. Hes conservative and he can relate to what Missourians want, Hoskins said. And thats basically to keep a small, limited government tax cuts, pro-life, pro-Second Amendment. Former U.S. Sen. John Danforth, one of the few prominent Missouri Republicans to vocally oppose Trump, said two versions of the Republican Party exist the historic version of the party and the Trumpian version and that they are incompatible with each other. I think there are a lot of people who would view themselves as historic Republicans if faced with a clear presentation of the differences, Danforth said. As of August, Trump had the support of 52% of likely Missouri voters who said they wouldnt vote for President Joe Biden, according to polling conducted by Saint Louis University and YouGov. In the same poll, half of all voters said they would vote for an unnamed Republican over Biden. Trump won both the 2016 and 2020 general elections in Missouri with 56.8% of the vote, though he received 124,225 more votes in 2020. But in the 2016 presidential primary, Trump only barely beat Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Saturday marked the first presidential caucus in Missouri since 2012. Typically, the state holds a primary election but lawmakers removed funding in 2022. Peverill Squire, a political science professor at the University of Missouri, said the results likely dont reveal too much about Trumps broader standing in the state. While Missouri doesnt have party registration, allowing any registered voter to participate in the caucus, the party required participants to sign a loyalty pledge declaring themselves a strong and faithful Republican voter. Youre going to have only the most committed Republicans participating and I think those are the people who are the most invested at this point in trying to see Trump get the nomination, Squire said. Olaf Scholz has ordered an urgent investigation into the leak of a highly sensitive conversation between senior German military officials about sending cruise missiles to Ukraine. On Friday, Margarita Simonyan, the head of the Russian state-backed RT channel, published the transcript of a lengthy discussion between German army chiefs about the potential use of Taurus cruise missiles by the Ukrainian military. In the leaked recording, German army officials also discussed details of how Britain and France support Ukraine with similar missile systems, and the possibility that German missiles might be used to strike the strategically important Crimean Bridge if they were delivered to Kyiv. The leaked audio and transcript of the conversation appears to be authentic, according to the German investigative magazine Spiegel, which cited experts. The potential provision of Taurus missiles to Ukraine is a hugely contentious issue in Berlin What is being reported is a very serious matter and that is why it is now being investigated very carefully, very intensively and very quickly, the German chancellor said of the apparent leak, during a visit to Rome this weekend. A spokesperson for the German defence ministry confirmed it is investigating whether communications in the air force sector were intercepted. If the conversation is confirmed to have been intercepted by Russia, it would potentially mark one of Germanys worst security breaches since the Cold War. German politicians have already raised concerns that the material published by Simonyan on Friday could just be the first in a series of hugely embarrassing leaks for Berlin. If this story turns out to be true, it would be a highly problematic event, Konstantin von Notz, a member of the Greens, told German broadcaster RND. The question arises as to whether this is a one-off incident or a structural safety problem. In the leaked recording, German officials discussed the possibility that the missiles might be used to strike the strategically important Crimean bridge - AP/AP The potential provision of Taurus missiles to Ukraine is a hugely contentious issue in Berlin. Mr Scholz has repeatedly refused to deliver them to Kyiv as he fears this would be an unacceptable escalation and something that could drag Germany into a war with Russia. He is particularly concerned about the long-range missiles being launched on targets in Moscow, such as the Kremlin headquarters. [The Taurus], which has a range of 500 kilometres and if used incorrectly could reach a specific target somewhere in Moscow, is a weapon where the question must be asked, what would be done with it, and this cannot be decided simply with encouraging statements, he said on Thursday. Critics of Mr Scholz have frequently pointed out that Britain and France already provide Ukraine with Storm Shadow and Scalp missiles, which are very similar to the Taurus system. 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. In late 2023, one of the teams investigators visited a seafood processing plant in northeastern China called Dandong Taifeng, which supplies tens of thousands of tons of seafood to grocery stores in the U.S. and other countries. The investigator found one hundred-fifty North Koreans working on the processing floor. Credit - Credit: The Outlaw Ocean Project, Late 2023 Perhaps the only thing tougher than interviewing workers in China about human rights is doing the same in North Korea. Still, it seemed worth trying because it might shed new light on the experiences of thousands of relatively invisible people who, as it turns out, provide much of the seafood consumed in the U.S. and Europe. What we found was chilling: women held captive in processing plants in China, dispatched there by the North Korean government, only to face violence, wage theft and rampant sexual abuse. And much of the seafood coming from these plants supplies major American companies, which is a violation of U.N. sanctions and the 2017 U.S. Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, which established a rebuttable presumption categorizing work by North Koreans as forced labor unless proven otherwise, and levying fines on companies that import goods tied to these workers. An investigation from The Outlaw Ocean Project revealed that fifteen seafood-processing plants together seem to have used more than a thousand North Korean workers since 2017. Ten of these plants have, in the same timeframe, cumulatively shipped more than 120,000 tons of seafood to more than seventy American importers, which supplied grocery stores including Walmart, Giant, ShopRite, and Weee! This seafood also went to importers that sent the products to restaurant chains including McDonalds and Syscowhich supplies nearly half a million restaurants, as well as U.S. public schools, military bases and the U.S. Congressand to an importer who supplies the cafeterias of the E.U. Parliament. Such revelations were tough to land because Western journalists are restricted in China and barred from entering North Korea, whose citizens are prohibited from talking freely to reporters. In late 2023, I set out to find ways around these obstacles. I hired a team of investigators in South Korea who help new organizations report on North Korea. The investigators have contacts across the border whom they employ to get information out of the country. The investigators and their contacts worked to compile a list of two dozen North Koreans who had been dispatched to China, most of whom have since returned home; the workers and managers were a range of ages, came from a variety of regions in the country, and had worked at half a dozen different Chinese factories. The investigators contacts met with the workers in secret, often in open fields or on the street, where it is tougher for security agents to listen in on conversations. The workers were told that their responses would be shared publicly by a U.S. media outlet. They faced legitimate risk; if they were caught, experts told me, they could be executed. But they agreed to talk because they want the world to know what happens to them in China. The North Korean contacts transcribed their answers by hand, and then sent photos of the questionnaires, using encrypted communication channels, to the investigators, who sent them to me. Because of these layers of protection, it is impossible to fully verify what was said. But the responses were vetted by experts to make sure that they line up with what is known about the program, and with other interviews of North Korean defectors. The investigators recently checked in on the interviewers and interviewees, and everyone was safe. Contact us at letters@time.com. Israel has said it is 'working to provide Ukraine with early-warning systems.' It signals a major about-turn in Israeli foreign policy. The announcement comes as Russia hosts an intra-Palestinian delegation in Moscow this weekend. Israel's permanent representative to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said the Middle Eastern country was "working to provide Ukraine with early warning systems" in a speech on Wednesday. Such systems would help "save civilian lives from Russia's indiscriminate missile and drone attacks," Erdan said. A spokesperson for Israel's foreign ministry told Business Insider that the system was "not Iron Dome," Israel's most advanced air defense system. Rather, it would be an "alarm system" that would help "get people into shelters." It would likely be very similar to Israel's Tzeva Adom radar system, the spokesperson told BI. Israel's 'Code Red' Tzeva Adom, meaning "Code Red" in Hebrew, is an early-warning radar system. Originally installed by Israel Defense Forces in the towns surrounding the Gaza Strip in the late 1990s, the system now covers the whole of Israel. Upon detecting a rocket launch signature, the public broadcast warning system in nearby Israeli communities and military bases is automatically triggered. A prerecorded female voice announces "Tzeva Adom" four times. This broadcast cycle continues until no further launches are detected. The alerts have also been available via an app on iOS and Android devices since 2014. Israel is one of the world leaders in early-warning detection systems. Using the system in Ukraine will likely mean that Israel will need to send specialist soldiers to help Ukrainians integrate it. The Israeli spokesperson was unable to confirm when this would take place but said the system, and those like it, should give Ukrainians more time to move to secure facilities, such as civilian bunkers, which have already become commonplace in Ukraine. A blow to Israel-Russia relations For the past two years, Israel has walked a diplomatic tight-rope in the Russia-Ukraine war. During the initial invasion, Israel offered "more than 100 metric tons of humanitarian equipment," as Erdan said in his UN speech. A field hospital within Ukraine's border "treated over 7000 injured," and "hundreds of Ukrainian patients received the best possible care" in hospitals and rehabilitation centers across Israel. But Israel has consistently stopped short of sending military aid or joining Western sanctions in part because it didn't want to provoke Russia. Palestinian Hamas militants are seen during a military show in the Bani Suheila district on July 20, 2017 in Gaza City, Gaza. Chris McGrath/Getty Images Russia has long been a backer of Iran, Hezbollah, and President Bashir al-Assad in Syria. Meanwhile, Tehran has also been providing Russia with Iranian-made Shahed drones that ahve been used to bombard cities in Ukraine. While the move by Israel is unlikely to shift the tide of war for Ukraine dramatically, it nonetheless signals a major about-turn in Israeli foreign policy. Erdan referred to Ukraine as Israel's "allies" and "friends in need." Both countries are "fighting a battle for our survival," he said, adding that "the state of Israel has always and will continue to remain committed to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." The Israeli announcement had not "come out of the blue," Amir Weitmann, the head of the libertarian caucus in Israel's ruling Likud Party, told BI. The announcement came as Russia hosts an intra-Palestinian meeting in Moscow this weekend. Representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad will be welcomed in the Russian capital to help the various Palestinian forces agree to unite politically, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, told state-run news agency TASS. There is no doubt that "Russia is heavily involved in what is happening in Israel," Weitmann said, referring to the continuing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas that has killed tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians. However, it is not clear "at what level," he said. Currently, Israel has "no capacity" to provide weapons systems to other countries, especially if it were to enter a war with Hezbollah, which boasts a stockpile of up to 150,000 missiles and rockets. Nonetheless, this was "just the beginning" of Israel's commitment to Ukraine, the politician said. "Israel will take a more aggressive stance against Russia" from now on, he believed, adding that if the Ukraine war is not over by the time Israel has dealt with its local problem. "Israeli weapons would find their way to Ukraine." An interview of Weitmann on Russia's state-backed TV network Russia Today went viral late last year as he proclaimed that "Russia will pay the price" for "supporting the enemies of Israel." "We will make sure that Ukraine wins," he said then, on RT. Read the original article on Business Insider Some say he had no business being as patient and kind-hearted as he was after seeing what he saw in the Vietnam war. Some might have even called his work ethic and dedication to his country irrational after everything he had been through. But to the late Ret. Col. Henry Fowler it was just service to the country that had given him so much. Fowler, who was a distinguished Vietnam war veteran, passed away at 84 years old in his residence, Montgomery, Ala., Jan. 26, 2024. Photo display of Colonel Henry Fowler, USAF, Retired outside of the courtroom which is dedicated in his honor. Fowlers service to the United States, reflected both his heroism in uniform and his continued selfless support to Maxwell, particularly its core of education and training mission. The retired Colonels early assignments had catapulted him into the heart of action as a Full Instrument Pilot with the 433d Tactical Fighter Squadron stationed at Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand. However, it was a fateful mission over Hanoi, North Vietnam, on Easter Sunday, Mar. 26, 1967, that forever altered the course of his military career. Fowler's aircraft was shot down, forcing him into a harrowing six-year ordeal as a Prisoner of War at the infamous "Hanoi Hilton." It wasn't until the historic Operation Homecoming on Feb. 18, 1973, that Fowler emerged from captivity, a testament to his resilience and unwavering spirit. The 42nd Air Base Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base held a dedication ceremony on Oct. 25, 2017, to honor Ret. Col. Henry "Hank" Fowler by renaming its courtroom in his honor. The ceremony commemorated Fowler's service as a distinguished veteran of the Vietnam War and former prisoner of war. I think it was appropriate to rename the courtroom after him, said DeLacie Heyster, Fowlers stepdaughter. Freedom and justice were always of upmost importance to him and what he had been through with his wrongful imprisonment as a POW, so he had a personal and deep understanding of its importance. Returning home Fowler was eager to broaden his horizons, he pursued an extraordinary opportunity with the Air Force Institute of Technology, embarking on a journey to obtain his law degree from the prestigious Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. This unique pursuit exemplified Fowler's multifaceted talents and unwavering dedication to service. We couldnt fully comprehend what he did until we got older, said Kristen Fowler Story, Ret. Col. Fowlers daughter. We knew he was a hero... I wish I knew more as a kid how much of a hero he was. Photo of Colonel Henry Fowler, USAF, Retired provided by his family. After his admission to the Alabama State Bar, Fowler was designated a judge advocate and continued his Air Force career at Maxwell Air Force Base, where he served as an instructor at the Air Force Judge Advocate General's School. His expertise in civil law and military justice earned him the position of Chief, Civil Law Division, where he instructed in International Law and the Law of Armed Conflict. He was the only pilot and POW that also became a JAG officer and Staff advocate and the only JAG officer to be inducted into the gathering of eagles, said DeLacie Heyster.Fowler's career continued to unfold with assignments spanning the globe, from the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to the Staff Judge Advocate at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Yet, it was his return to Montgomery, Alabama, as the Headquarters, Air University Staff Judge Advocate at Maxwell Air Force Base, that marked the pinnacle of his military journey. Retiring on Aug. 1, 1991, after three decades of dedicated service in both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force, Fowler's legacy of valor and selfless sacrifice endured. He received two Silver Stars, two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star with "V" for Valor, as a testament to his indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to duty. In July of 1992, Fowler embarked on yet another chapter, joining the esteemed faculty at the Jones School of Law, Montgomery, Ala. For 12 years, he imparted his knowledge as an Associate Professor, leaving an indelible mark on the next generation of legal minds. Fowler's service was recognized with multiple decorations, including two Silver Stars, two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star with Valor device, the Prisoner of War Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal. His legacy of valor, selflessness and unwavering dedication to duty will forever inspire generations to come. The dedication of The Fowler Courtroom at Maxwell Air Force Base serves as a tribute to Fowler's service and sacrifice. It is a reminder of his enduring impact on the Air Force and the wider military community. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Legacy of former POW, SJA lives on in Maxwell courtroom The sea lamprey is a Great Lakes invasive species that attaches to fish with a suction cup mouth and takes hold by digging teeth into flesh. Did you know that sea lampreys, a parasitic fish native to the Atlantic Ocean, are present in the Cheboygan River downstream of the lock and dam? There is also a considerably smaller captive population of sea lampreys upstream of the lock and dam in the upper Cheboygan River (Pigeon, Sturgeon and Maple rivers). This Great Lakes invasive species attaches to fish with a suction cup mouth and takes hold by digging teeth into flesh. Once securely attached, sea lampreys rasp through fishs scales and skin with their toothed tongue, then drink the blood and body fluids that emerge. The good news for us is that sea lampreys do not attack people! There are a series of four traps at the Cheboygan dam that capture more adult sea lampreys than any other traps in the Great Lakes. Typically, over 10,000 adult sea lampreys are removed from the Cheboygan River each year. Join us at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, when Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) communications associate, Andrea Miehls, talks about the devastating effects of sea lampreys on Great Lakes fisheries, how an incredible research effort at the USGS Hammond Bay Biological Station led to the discovery of multiple tools to control sea lampreys, and how the GLFC has been able to reduce sea lamprey populations by 90% across the Great Lakes. Andrea will have live sea lampreys and all attendees will have an opportunity to meet and even hold these vampire fish of the Great Lakes. This is a free program, all are welcome to attend. Did you know that sea lampreys, parasitic fish native to the Atlantic Ocean, are present in the Cheboygan River downstream of the lock and dam? Cant make it to the presentation on Wednesday, March 6? Visit the library to view the informative materials on display in our showcase on the main level. Here you will find interesting elements that include sea lamprey specimens, eggs, larva and replica models of sea lamprey along with interesting facts about the history and current status of sea lamprey in our area. On the table across from the display you may help yourself to kids activity booklets, bookmarks, DVDs, along with sea lamprey stickers and temporary tattoos. Andrea Miehls, right, is a communications associate for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. She will talks about the devastating effects of sea lampreys on Great Lakes fisheries at the Cheboygan Library. The annual quilt show is now on display in our Gallery and on our walls in the lower level. Browse the stunning collection of handmade quilts created by local textile artists during regular library hours. Monday-Wednesday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Since 2009, the Cheboygan Area Public Library has hosted an annual community quilt show and despite a hiatus during COVID-19, the show will go on. Good news was recently received from the Library of Michigan! The Cheboygan Area Public Library has been selected to host three-time Michigan Notable Book author John Smolens. During his 2024 Notable Book Tour, Smolens will discuss his latest novel "A Cold, Hard Prayer." An accomplished writer, Smolens has published twelve works of fiction, composed of 11 novels and a collection of short stories. Two of his previous novels, "Wolfs Mouth" and "Day of Days,"were also awarded this prestigious honor in past years. We have many of his titles in our collection. Mark your calendar on Wednesday, May 1, at 6 p.m. to meet John Smolens at the library! His books will be available for sale during the event and refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend. Paula Jewell is program director of the Cheboygan Area Public Library. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Library Lines: Learn all about lampreys George Galloway says his victory at the Rochdale by-election was a win for Gaza. Is it a win for Rochdale? Mr Galloway was duly elected (though the dramatic rise in the numbers of postal votes cast does make one wonder how well they were invigilated). But the total electorate in Rochdale is about 78,000. He won 12,335 votes less than a sixth of that. On this slender foundation, he boasts (with Gorgeous George, everything is a boast) of affecting a major war 2,365 miles away. Unfortunately, Mr Galloway is not 100 per cent mistaken. At present, the classic issues of domestic politics are so badly handled by the main political parties that adventurers who exploit visceral issues can hog the stage. Those classic issues concern what used to be called the condition of the people. Both Conservatives and Labour understood this. For the Tories, that condition was better improved by independent institutions and a government that favoured entrepreneurism, property ownership and liberty. For Labour, government, trade unions and a welfare state were the chief engines of social betterment. Both parties engaged with subjects that mattered to all voters. At present, both are in a mess. Mr Galloways low jibe that Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer are two cheeks of the same backside is not quite as unacceptable as one would like. The Rochdale result reinforces the widespread impression that the Tories are going nowhere. For Labour, it is worse. It increases the growing doubt about Sir Keirs grip on his party and whether he can propose, as all oppositions should, answers for voters present discontents. Mr Galloway is eloquent, and wrong. Sir Keir is not eloquent, and not clearly right. The general reason for Mr Galloways success is the weakness of the political establishment, but the particular reason in Rochdale is the large number of Muslim voters there. He sent out a special by-election address to the voters of the Muslim faith in Rochdale. He had fought for Muslims ... all of my life, he said, especially for Palestine and in Iraq. If I win, he told them, Sir Keir, a top supporter of Israel, could well be forced out as Labour leader. Invoking the will of God, he called on his Muslim brothers and sisters to send a message that will be heard in all four corners of the world. Wa Salaam o Aleukum, he ended. His sectarianism puts even Northern Irish politics 50 years ago in the shade. It is obvious that Muslim voters will, on average, care more about Israel/Gaza than the general population. The same applies to Jewish voters, usually from the opposite point of view. The important electoral difference is that Muslims, at roughly 6.5 per cent of our population, are well over 12 times more numerous than Jews. The Muslim vote remains too small to decide the fate of the nation but is now big enough to sway several parliamentary seats and raise the political temperature. The Gaza conflict, and the ensuing marches in Britain, have proved this as never before. The marches aggression and extremism have alarmed most Jewish voters, most Gentile supporters of Israel, and many millions who have no strong views on the Middle East and do not see why the subject should dominate our public spaces. In an overdue but welcome speech, Mr Sunak said that What started as protests on our streets, has descended into intimidation, threats, and planned acts of violence. People resent this embryonic mob rule. Their resentment is often related to a belief, which recent statistics confirm, that immigration is out of control. For some, it is Islam itself that is the problem. Readers quite often write to me about this. This week, I received an email from a gentleman whom I have known slightly for several years. He is a retired chartered accountant, of mainstream conservative views, living in southern England. I have met him a couple of times and found him pleasant and sane. He does not want to be named in public (which indicates our bad situation), so I shall call him Mr A. He showed me his correspondence with his MP, who is a Conservative. Since I am not naming Mr A, I shall not name his MP, but just call him Mr B. Here is what Mr A wrote: Islam is a major threat to democracy in this country and elsewhere. Islam cannot allow itself to be governed forever by non-Islamic rule. If you study the history of Islam and see how it is reflected in modern society, the clues are plain to see. Muslims do not integrate into our culture. They do not become British except in law. Multiculturalism is a failure and allows minorities to take us over. As a politician, you and your cohort and predecessors need to face the truth and not cast out someone like Mr [Lee] Anderson, with whose views I and millions of others in this country agree. It is politicians who have caused the problem with their fixation for allowing massive immigration and it is politicians like you who need to wake up and fix it. As one Muslim said to me a few years ago, We will win in the end because we have more babies than you. I fear for my children and grandchildren, as should you. Mr Bs reply, in full, was I will not respond to your racist email, and shall no longer respond to correspondence from you. As I said to Mr A when we discussed this exchange, I do not fully agree with him. There is indeed a strong anti-pluralist tradition in Islam which can work against integration and seems to have revived in modern Islamism. But the equivalent could be said of Christianity at many times and in many places in history. As a Christian myself, I notice how often people outside the faith mischaracterise it, drawing on isolated scraps of Biblical quotation to prove a hostile point. A great faith is a deep, immensely complicated thing. It is unwise to condemn it wholly. Better to focus on the bad things that extreme followers do in its name. Important, also, to acknowledge that Islams most strident spokesmen are self-appointed and untypical. But it is Mr As and everyones perfect right to criticise any religion. It is also his right to be worried by the failures of multiculturalism and of mass immigration and to share his anxieties with his elected representative. It is Mr Bs response which offends. I was about to write that it is extraordinary, but I fear it may not be: it has become quite commonplace to describe any criticism of Islam as racist. This cannot be right. Islam, like Christianity, is offered to all mankind, and has adherents of all colours. It is a belief system, not a genetic code. All belief systems must be open to challenge. To call someone racist is a serious charge. Mr B has no evidence for making it. By saying he will not respond to future correspondence from Mr A, he is failing in the duty each MP owes to all his/her constituents. He is entitled to disagree with Mr A, but should answer him properly, not cancel him. This case is a microcosm of the gap between voters and the political mainstream. If electors with genuine concerns about what they see as the effect of political Islam are insulted, how can they not be disillusioned with the political process? Seeing such cowardly mainstream leadership, many more Galloways will press home their advantage. 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, D.C. Marion County's Todd W. Goings, known around the country as America's "carousel doctor," has been named a 2024 National Heritage Fellow the highest national recognition for folk and traditional artists. Every year since 1982, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in Washington, D.C. has presented this lifetime honor in recognition of individuals whose dedication and artistry contribute to the preservation and growth of the diverse cultural traditions that comprise our nation. Each fellowship includes a $25,000 award. Recipients will be honored in a public ceremony in Washington this fall. A renowned carousel carver and full-service carousel restorationist for over 35 years, Goings is one of 10 artists in the country receiving this years award. He is the only 2024 National Heritage Fellow from Ohio and is the first carousel artist in the history of the National Heritage Fellowship program to win this recognition. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has named Todd Goings, a master carousel carver and restorationist from Marion, as one of 10 NEA National Heritage Fellows in the 2024 class. I am honored to announce the 10 gifted recipients that have been named 2024 NEA National Heritage Fellows, said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. Through their dedication to and generous stewardship of their traditions and cultures, these artists and culture bearers carry forward their knowledge and passion to future generations. They offer us the opportunity to see things from different perspectives, help us make sense of the world, and celebrate our rich collective heritage comprised of our diverse lived experiences." Goings has restored carousels from New York to Oklahoma Born in Mansfield and raised in Caledonia, Goings came to carousels through an early passion for woodworking with jobs in cabinetry, millwork, patternmaking and woodcarving. He opened Carousels & Carvings, a full-service artisan carousel workshop, in Marion in 1997. It is one of only a handful of shops in the country specializing in restoring and building whole carousels. Over the course of his career, Goings has restored dozens of carousels across the country, from Philadelphia and New York City, to Tennessee and Oklahoma. Locally, his business provides training and careers for artisans, craftspeople, engineers, and technicians in North Central Ohio. Raised in Caledonia, Goings opened Carousels and Carvings in Marion in the 1990s, working now for 35 years to revive and sustain the art of carved wooden carousels. Goings was nominated for the National Heritage Fellowship by Marion Voices Folklife + Oral History a Caledonia-based folk arts non-profit serving Marion County and the wider region with support from members of the National Carousel Association, including carousel historian, documentarian and advocate Barbara Fahs Charles, carousel restorer Rosa V. Patton, and Thomas J. Forney, conservation chairman for the National Carousel Association. "This award could not go to a more deserving traditional arts practitioner. We are so excited for Todd, the shop and the entire carousel community for this enormous honor, Marion Voices Co-Founder and Executive Director Jess Lamar Reece Holler said. Todds award is not just a celebration of his incredible career and craftsmanship but is a national referendum on the value and excellence of traditional arts here in North Central Ohio." Goings has restored dozens of carousels across the country, including this Pullen Park Carousel chariot in Raleigh, North Carolina. An artform remarkably unchanged for 125 years For Goings who is on a trip installing and repairing carousels across the East Coast with his crew in anticipation of the launch of this summer's amusements season carousels are an art form that has remained remarkably unchanged the past 125 years. He said that is what makes all the hard work worthwhile. When you step back, flip the switch, and the lights come on, and the carousel animals are all there, as prim and proper and happy-looking as can be, and then they start going around, doing the job they were intended to do and then the people come, thats just the best part," Goings said. "Weve extended its life. Thats why it all matters. This article originally appeared on Marion Star: NEA names Todd Goings of Marion National Heritage Fellow Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed three bills Wednesday that she said would open the door for more investments in housing, roads, bridges and other infrastructure. House Bills 177, 232 and 195 enable the spending of at least $200 million in spending, including $125 million in loans for new housing development, and adds more staff for infrastructure planning and development. Another bill approves $75 million in funds allocated to help local governments in the state meet the financial match requirements for federal grants, including some federal disaster programs that require these governments to pay 25% of costs to receive the other 75% from the federal government. Its better for our health and our public safety when we have solid, safe infrastructure like roads and safe drinking water, the governor said before signing the bills at a news conference Wednesday. But its also necessary to a robust economy. Taken together, the governor said the new laws should reassure New Mexicans that roads will be safe to drive on, that local governments will be able to invest in new infrastructure or disaster response, and that housing will be more affordable in the future. Sen. Pete Campos, D-Las Vegas, left, watches as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signs House Bills 177, 195, and 232, dealing with infrastructure and housing, into law during a news conference at her office in Santa Fe, Wednesday, February 28, 2024. HB 195 The housing bill the governor signed was one of her priorities in the 30-day legislative session that wrapped up earlier this month. It allows the New Mexico Finance Authority to issue loans for housing development from a revolving fund that previously was only used for commercial development. New Mexico lacks around 32,000 units of affordable housing, according to a study conducted by the Mortgage Finance Authority last year. One solution, Lujan Grisham said, to combat homelessness and help more families live where they work is to vastly increase the supply of housing across the state. We gotta build houses, she said. And we gotta figure out more opportunities for affordable housing. Before any homes are built, the New Mexico Finance Authority has to create rules for developers applying for the funds, and then it will evaluate the projects. Its not clear how long that will take, or how long before the ribbon is cut on new housing developments. The governor said she is hopeful that money would start flowing out of the loan fund in July and that projects could be approved to break ground by this fall. We do need tens of 1000s of houses, and we needed them last year or the year before, she said. So we are really highly motivated. The $125 million in loans is on top of $50 million in one-time funding for a housing trust fund, plus $20 million for programs to combat homelessness, that the governor and lawmakers have touted as the biggest housing investment in state history. HB 177 The glut of federal infrastructure money made possible through recent acts of Congress motivated lawmakers this session to approve $75 million in a matching fund that allows local governments to qualify for some of those projects. Sen. Pete Campos (D-Las Vegas) said at the bill signing event that small, rural areas have had to leave federal money on the table in the past because they couldnt come up with sufficient money to cover even a portion of project costs. For example, rural towns and counties struggled to qualify for federal disaster aid after wildfires and floods battered northern and southern New Mexico in the spring and summer of 2022. Last legislative session, the Legislature approved $100 million in loans to help local governments qualify for disaster aid. Campos has said the matching fund tries to build on the success of that loan program, and widens the scope to more than just disaster recovery. I represent all our parts of 36 communities, Campos said of his sprawling northern New Mexico district. These are small communities. Most of them dont have that match to go ahead and continue to build their particular infrastructure. The governor is expected to sign additional bills in the coming days, including a suite of laws related to guns and criminal justice. She will sign health care bills on Friday in Truth or Consequences. She has so far, however, not signaled whether she will call a special meeting of the Legislature regarding public safety legislation, a possibility she floated when the 30-day session wrapped two weeks ago. Lawmakers sent 78 pieces of legislation to her desk during the short session, including a budget of more than $10 billion. Other signed bills Following the signing ceremony on Wednesday, the governors office released a list of additional bills she signed: House Bill 211: Water Project Prioritization House Bill 148: Water Project Fund Projects Senate Bill 169: Land and Water Conservation Fund Changes House Bill 28: Public Project Revolving Fund Projects House Bill 29: Public Project Fund Appropriations House Bill 5: Workforce Development and Apprenticeship Fund Senate Bill 216: New Mexico Finance Authority Affordable Housing Projects Patrick Lohmann has been a reporter since 2007, when he wrote stories for $15 apiece at a now-defunct tabloid in Gallup, his hometown. Since then, he's worked at UNM's Daily Lobo, the Albuquerque Journal and the Syracuse Post-Standard. This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: New Mexico governor signs bills on housing and infrastructure We are facing three major crises today, he said. But the crises he was referring to were not the outward contributors to orphanhood and vulnerability among children, such as war, drug abuse, climate change or pandemics all very relevant and important to understand in the context of a global event that seeks to address them. Yet, the crises that Alexandru Ilie talked about in his address to the more than 500 participants at World Without Orphans global forum in Chiang Mai, Thailand, were the ones deep in the human heart. The crises that are at the root of the human failure to care for the orphan and vulnerable in their midst. An adoptive father of seven, Ilie shared the story how he and his wife experienced a lot of difficulty and struggles after each adoption. The children who had experienced abuse in their past needed to heal from the trauma and the path to healing was not easy. Yet each time after the situation got better, they went on to adopt more children. The youngest one was the most extreme case as he needed countless surgeries due to severe medical issues and he continues to suffer of various disabilities. His name is Eric. But today, the family of nine plus dogs and cats, as Ilie made sure to add is a family filled with thankfulness towards God. He cautioned participants not to misunderstand. People think we are spiritual people. But it's about an extraordinary God using ordinary people. I am not passionate about children or orphans, but I am passionate about the gospel, he added. As the Executive Director of the Romania Without Orphans Alliance (ARFO), Ilie has been involved in the orphan movement for many years and had an opportunity to experience many issues surrounding orphans first-hand. His reflection? At the root, there is a three-fold crisis in the soul. The crisis of othering the orphans Referring to Mark 12:30-31 where Jesus famously quotes the two greatest commandments from the Old Testament to love God and to love ones neighbor Ilie said the first issue is our selfishness. We should love, but we are so selfish, so its a crisis, he said. He went on to tell the anecdote of some religious scholars who tried to come up with a definition of who is not our neighbor, in order to define who may be excluded from that commandment of love. The result was that anyone who was sufficiently different, whether because of social status or race or education or any other social criteria, should not be considered a neighbor. They became the others. While it would seem ridiculous to try to manipulate Gods commandment in this way, this is exactly how humanity has acted on many occasions where people who were different were stigmatized and dehumanized. And one such group is orphans. Ilie showed a picture of dozens of orphaned children crammed into a room, which was taken at the time when the communist regime in Romania fell, and the horrific conditions of the nations orphanages became public. The reason why anyone could treat children in this way is because they looked at orphans as others, Ilie said. There were not seen as part of us. Othering is a big issue and it something entirely incompatible with the Bible that teaches that every human being is Gods creation and that we are all neighbors. The crisis of the weakest link When talking about the second crisis, Ilie brought up 1 Corinthians 12 that speaks about the unity of the body of Christ and how each believer is a member of the body. The world likes to think in terms of who is the weakest link and how to remove them. In human society, orphans and vulnerable children are among the weakest and therefore often scorned or neglected. The Word of God, however, teaches a very different perspective, Ilia pointed out. He highlighted verse 22 that says, On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. I cannot help thinking about Eric, the nights that we spent up, the days we spent with him at the hospital, he said. The second crisis today is generated by the thinking of the weakest link. But the Bible says everyone is important. And the weakest is indispensable. The crisis of the why Finally, Ilie referenced the story in John 9 where Jesus and the disciples encounter a man who was born blind. The disciples see the man and ask Jesus who was responsible for his mysery, whether it was his sin or the sin of the parents. Jesus rebukes their thinking saying, Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. When terrible things happen, we start to ask why? Ilie said. We want an explanation. And we ourselves come with all kinds of strange explanations. Just like the disciples question implied the legalistic thinking of cause and punishment, there is a human tendency to look for guilt and blame someone for the misery in the life of the vulnerable. But Jesus perspective is different. Referring to his youngest son, Ilie said, Why is someone born blind? Why does Eric suffer so much? The reason is, so that the works of God may be displayed. Encouraging participants to overcome the crises to experience new hope, Ilie reminded them that we don't have to force ourselves to do it out of our own strength. We cannot do it alone. I am not sufficient for my children but with Gods help we can overcome. They are indispensable. We love them and we need them, and they bring glory to God. And they are good for our souls, they bring hope to our souls. Charlotte the stingray has been a topic of discussion around the world since her shocking pregnancy was announced to the public just before Valentine's Day. The Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team Ecco in Hendersonville, North Carolina revealed that Charlotte, its female stingray, was able to get pregnant without a male mate. Although an exact due date was not given by the aquarium, the birth was reportedly supposed to have happened this week. The aquarium continues to make posts about her as eager fans wait in anticipation for the birth of the now famous stingray. Thank you all for continuing to be patient while we all await for Charlotte to give birth! Please visit the link in our bio to support Charlotte and her nursery, the post on Instagram read. Rare virgin birth': Baby shark asexually reproduced at Brookfield Zoo, second in the US Fans are invested in Charlotte the stingray's pending birth Aquarium Shark and Lab Team ECCO director Brenda Ramer, left, opens the doors on Feb. 28 to allow people in to see Charlotte, the stingray who is close to giving birth. The aquarium staff members have been so overwhelmed with media requests that a public relations firm was hired to handle them all. According to the firm, one of the latest requests came from ABC's "Good Morning America." In the early afternoon on Feb. 28, a small line of Charlotte lovers began to form in front of the aquarium. Then, the moment everyone was waiting for came. "Are you guys ready to see our Charlotte?" the aquarium's director, Brenda Ramer, said as she opened the doors, which resulted in the kids who were in line jumping up and down with excitement. Ramer said staff members haven't seen any changes in Charlotte's behavior relating to her eating habits and interacting with her tank mates. "We are anticipating preforming another ultrasound within the week where we will check on the condition of her young," she said. An ultrasound performed a few months back showed there are between one to four pups. Kady Lyons, a research scientist at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, told the Associated Press last month that Charlotte's birth will be the first-time a round stingray has given birth asexually through parthenogenesis a process where cells will split inside of the female's eggs and create an embryo, which is basically a clone of the mother. One of the people who came on Feb. 28 to the aquarium hoping to see the pups being born was Tara Kegan, who knows plenty about stingrays. "I used to be a marine science instructor in California. I'm so excited that our little aquarium has a stingray and that she's going to make history," she said. Kegan said while she worked with stingrays many times during her teaching days in California, she never was around one that was pregnant. "I never was, so this will be a first," she said. "This specifically will be such a unique opportunity to see her give birth to clones." Ramer and her team provide updates on Charlotte on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). In a Facebook post on Feb. 27, she asked people to list their city, state and country. By 3 p.m. Feb. 28, the post had more than 2,000 comments. She said since Charlotte's impending miraculous birth has been announced, Team ECCO's social media pages have grown "exponentially." "The whole world has interest in Charlotte. We are happy to use our platform to promote science and inspire people to visit aquariums and parks. Charlotte has inspired conversation in the science world, and we are happy to facilitate the media coverage surrounding her and all the other amazing animals we have at Team ECCO. We are happy to bring science to our community and the world," Ramer said. Charlotte the stingray fans react on social media as they await birth In addition to fans showing up to the aquarium in person, those are social media are also voicing their anticipation over Charlotte's pregnancy and birth. Team Ecco if you see this please go back to your daily updates. You left us hanging for three days and I was seriously concerned, Samantha said in a post on TikTok. We need to know how Charlotte is doing on a daily basis. Another TikTok user is asking for any information involving the births. Does anyone have insider information on Charlotte the stingray? Lexi posted on TikTok yesterday. Because her due date was like a week ago. Are we all just getting trolled? This is excellent clickbait because I'm here for it, but is it a stingray baby, is it a shark baby? I need to know. Although Charlotte have become an instant star, one TikTok user warns that all this attention might be a contributing factor to Charlottes late birth. The large influx of people coming to see Charlotte might make her feel a little stressed out, Kayla Jade said in the post. Stingrays when they give birth, they want to feel 100% secure in giving that birth. I mean theyre like humans in that respect. Charlotte became pregnant asexually debunking initial claims of a shark-stingray hybrid Pregnant stingray confuses caretakers As previously mentioned, Charlotte was able to reproduce asexually through a process called parthenogenesis. Before that was discovered, the controversial pregnancy started a debate. With no male companion, a question arose, who got Charlotte pregnant? The aquarium believed that Charlotte had cancer when she began to swell. However, ultrasound results revealed the growths within her body were actually eggs. Charlotte's companions in her tank were white-spotted bamboo sharks, the alleged possible father to her pups. Although this rare phenomenon had many researching about the possibility of a shark and stingray pup, experts debunked the claims giving everyone a quick lesson in marine biology. We should set the record straight that there arent some shark-ray shenanigans happening here, Lyons told the AP. In addition, Lyons also told the AP this theory is impossible. A shark and a stingray are different sizes which means the animals wouldnt match up anatomically. Neither would their DNA. Averaging a length of 24 to 37 inches long, white-spotted bamboo sharks primarily prey on small marine fish and invertebrates, though species aren't well-documented, the Florida Museum of Natural History states. Charlotte, a round stingray, can grow up to 10 and 22 inches in width, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Round stingrays are preyed on by northern elephant seals and larger fishes such as giant sea bass and sharks, especially leopard sharks. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charlotte the stingray birth: Social media reacts to rare pregnancy BOONVILLE, Mo. Two Cooper County, Missouri employees face charges in the death of an inmate in the Cooper County jail. Robyn Pfeiffer, 29, and Rachel Atherton, 34, both work for the Cooper County Sheriffs Office. Golubski to remain on house arrest despite Culvers visit violation Jackson County prosecutors charged both Pfeiffer and Atherton Thursday with involuntary manslaughter. The inmate, Brooke Bailey, died back in October. FOX4 newsletters: Get the latest news delivered to your inbox Court documents indicate the suspects failed to provide timely medical help for the victim who told jail staff she had diabetes. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Atlanta A hearing kicked off Friday in a bid by former President Donald Trump and several of his co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office over allegations that Willis engaged in a romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. The proceeding before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee caps a series of extraordinary hearings held after Michael Roman, a longtime GOP operative charged alongside Trump, alleged in January that Willis and Wade had an "improper" romantic relationship, and that the district attorney financially benefited from it. Trump and several others joined Roman's effort to disqualify Willis, Wade and her office from prosecuting the racketeering case against them. They are seeking to have the charges against them dismissed. Roman claimed that the relationship between Wade and Willis began before she hired him as special prosecutor in the case against Trump in early November 2021. The two admitted in a court filing that they did have a personal relationship, but said it started in 2022. Both Willis and Wade testified during evidentiary hearings last month and divulged personal details about their relationship, financial affairs and travels to places like Napa Valley, Belize and Aruba. During several hours on the witness stand, Willis forcefully defended herself from accusations she acted improperly and financially benefited from Wade's hiring. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis takes the stand as a witness during a hearing on the Georgia election interference case, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. / Credit: Alyssa Pointer / AP Defense attorneys claimed that Wade paid for hotel rooms, cruises and getaways, though both prosecutors said they split the costs associated with their travels and that Willis often reimbursed Wade in cash. To demonstrate that Willis typically used cash to cover expenses, on Tuesday prosecutors filed an affidavit from Stan Brody, who worked at a winery in Napa that she and Wade visited last year. Brody asserted that Willis paid $400 in cash for two bottles of wine and a tasting. The district attorney had accused Ashleigh Merchant, Roman's attorney, of spreading lies and "salacious" rumors. "You've been intrusive into people's personal lives," Willis said during her testimony Feb. 16. "You're confused. You think I'm on trial. These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020. I'm not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial." The timeline surrounding Willis and Wade's relationship has emerged as a crucial issue in the effort to kick the district attorney and her office off the case. Willis' former longtime friend, Robin Yeartie, claimed the relationship with Wade pre-dated his appointment on Nov. 1, 2021. Yeartie testified that she witnessed the couple being affectionate with one another. Defense attorneys also questioned Terrence Bradley, Wade's former law partner and divorce attorney, about his communications with Wade and text messages he exchanged with Merchant about the relationship between the two prosecutors before she filed a motion exposing their private dealings. After asserting attorney-client privilege while testifying twice last month, Bradley was called back to the stand at a hearing Wednesday. He said he had been "speculating" when he told Merchant in a message that the relationship between Wade and Willis started before Wade's hiring. Bradley repeatedly said he had no direct knowledge of when it began. Prosecutors sought to discredit both Bradley and Yeartie. They revealed during the evidentiary hearing last month that Bradley left the firm he shared with Wade following an accusation of sexual assault. Bradley forcefully denied the allegation, and said earlier this week that he has not spoken to Wade in more than a year. Lawyers with the district attorney's office also said Yeartie left her job there on poor terms after she was told she could either resign or be terminated. Willis testified last month that she has not spoken with Yeartie for more than a year, and said she "betrayed" their friendship. It's unclear when McAfee will make a decision on whether to remove Willis and her office from the matter involving Trump, but the controversy over her romantic relationship with Wade has cast a shadow over the prosecution and derailed the case for several weeks. Trump and his allies face charges over alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Several original co-defendants have taken plea deals, while the remaining defendants have all pleaded not guilty. Heading into Friday's hearing, there are still lingering disputes over evidence that both sides have sought to admit. Defense attorneys want McAfee to admit Wade's cellphone data as evidence, claiming it shows he was in the vicinity of a condo Willis rented from Yeartie in Hapeville, south of Atlanta, at least three dozen times in 2021. They said testimony about location data from Wade's phone show that he was near Willis' condo late at night and into the early morning hours in the months before he was tapped as special prosecutor. Prosecutors have also said Brody, who worked at the Napa winery that Wade and Willis visited, is available to testify Friday if the court declines to accept his affidavit. Texas Smokehouse Creek Fire becomes second-largest wildfire in U.S. history Closing arguments to start in bid to remove Fani Willis from Trump Georgia case Rumors swirling over Princess Kate's whereabouts after months without public appearance Modular homes designed to be built more quickly and affordably than traditional construction could soon begin rolling out of a new manufacturing facility in Louisville's Parkland neighborhood. On Thursday, MMY Global announced plans to invest $6.1 million in the facility, creating 73 full-time jobs with more expected as production ramps up. The announcement makes good on Mayor Craig Greenberg's commitment to draw a company of MMY's kind to Louisville as part of his larger plan to add or preserve 15,000 homes within his first term. And it positions western Louisville as the "epicenter of modular housing construction" a growing industry as cities nationwide attempt to address the ongoing housing crisis, Greenberg said at a press conference, standing alongside Gov. Andy Beshear and Metro Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins. "Basically every city needs more of what MMY is going to be doing right here in Louisville because every city, like Louisville, needs more affordable, quality housing units for all people in their city," Greenberg said. Mayor Craig Greenberg speaks at a press conference announcing a $6.1 million investment by MMY US in the Parkland neighborhood. MMY is based in the United Kingdom, and the Louisville factory will be its first in the United States. Louisville Metro Government has awarded MMY a $500,000 grant to open the facility on Beech Street. The company specializes in scalable, multiplex homes that can be built in a factory, then transported to a property a process it says is more efficient and sustainable than on-site construction. Robin Bartram Brown, CEO of MMY US, said the company will be able to produce up to 500 units per year from the Louisville facility, with an opportunity to grow to 1,000 units annually. The base of a modular home designed and constructed by MMY US. Production is expected to start later this year. The average wage at the facility will be $30 per hour, with a minimum of $23 per hour. At least 50% of jobs will be reserved for Louisville residents, with preference given to people living in the nine West End neighborhoods. "What we're doing here is intentional," Bartram Brown said. "It's not only about providing high-quality options for homes in Louisville, Kentucky. But that's a big part of it. We're here to make a positive change. Parkland is now our U.S. home, and we're committed to driving economic growth, transforming this job site and putting local residents first for jobs. We aim to make a real difference in this community by focusing on what we can achieve together in the future." Councilwoman Hawkins said she is grateful for MMY's commitment to the area and she looks forward to the impacts the company can bring. "Sustainability is important," she said. "Generational wealth is vital. I am sure this new facility will help bring that. This advanced manufacturing facility will bring positivity to our community and improve the quality of life for our residents because just like all parts of Louisville, the west deserves the best." Reach reporter Bailey Loosemore at bloosemore@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4646 or on Twitter @bloosemore. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Modular home company to open factory, bring jobs to Louisville Two people are dead after devastating wildfires have burned through more than 1.1 million acres of the Texas Panhandle. The Smokehouse Creek fire is the largest in state history, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. It is just 15 per cent contained after five days, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service on Saturday. High winds and low humidity in the Panhandle are causing critical fire weather conditions, and threatening to intensify the monster wildfire, according to forecasters. The fires have also destroyed over 500 structures. Joyce Blankenship, 83, of Hutchinson County was found dead inside her home on Wednesday. Cindy Owens, of Amarillo City, was found dead after she exited her vehicle for an unknown reason and the fire simply overtook her on Thursday. A map of Texas with red dots representing active fires, grey dots representing controlled fires and brown dots representing contained fires (Texas A&M Forest Service) Red dots indicate active fires in the Texas Panhandle (Texas A&M Forest Service) The Smokehouse Creek fire is the furthest north in Texas but close to the smaller 687 Reamer fire. The 687 Reamer fire is at 10 per cent containment and has burned 2,000 acres. The Windy Deuce fire, which has burned 142,000 acres and is 60 per cent contained, has scorched southern Moore County. Earlier this week, this fire led to the brief closure of the Pantex Plant, Americas main facility for assembling and disassembling nuclear weapons. The plant resumed normal operations Wednesday morning, according to its website. The Grape Vine Creek fire is the furthest west, burning 30,000 acres in Gray County. Firefighters have the blaze 60 per cent contained as of Saturday morning. Meanwhile the Magenta fire, which has destroyed 3,297 acres, is 85 per cent contained in Oldham County. The Smokehouse Creek fire is the northernmost fire, burning in Hutchinson County (Texas A&M Forest Service) The Smokehouse Creek and 687 Reamer fires are burning in Hutchinson County (Texas A&M Forest Service) Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties on Tuesday as the fires rapidly grew in size. Power outages have also become a major concern for Panhandle officials with more than 40,000 people experiencing blackouts on Saturday. When you look at the damages that have occurred here its just gone, completely gone nothing left but ashes on the ground, Abbott said during a Friday news conference in Borger, Texas. He said a preliminary assessment found 400 to 500 structures had been destroyed. Abbott praised what he called a heroic response from fearless firefighters. It would have been far worse and far more damaging not just to property but to people, but for those firefighters, he said. The North Plains Electric Cooperative, which serves large swaths of the Texas Panhandle, said theyll have to repair about 115 miles of power lines in the wake of the fires. We have a few scattered areas and the majority of Hemphill County that are without power, the company wrote in a statement. Our goal is to have ALL that are without power restored by Monday, March 4th. The Windy Deuce fire, represented by the red dot, is burning in southern Moore County (Texas A&M Forest Service) The Grape Vine Creek fire is burning in Gray County (Texas A&M Forest Service) The Magenta fire is burning in Oldham County (Texas A&M Forest Service) An official with the Hutchinson County, Texas Office of Emergency Services said prescribed burning helped prevent this weeks fires from becoming worse. You can see where we did our prescribed burns previously, how, thankfully, our wildland team did that, because that saved a lot of peoples properties, the spokesperson said on a Facebook live video. I know we couldnt save everything. Late last year, Texas officials conducted a prescribed burn in Hutchinson County, which prevented this weeks fires from spreading into the southern parts of the town of Borger, CNN reports. Prescribed burns are fires intentionally set in controlled areas to destroy fire fuels like dried-out grass and leaves. Indigenous communities have used this practice for millennia and have long advocated for the US government to adopt it in fire-vulnerable areas. People put flowers at a makeshift memorial for late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny organized outside the Borisovskoye cemetery following his funeral ceremony in Moscow on Friday. Photo by Maxim Shipenkov/EPA-EFE March 1 (UPI) -- Alexei Navalny's family and friends laid the late Russian opposition leader to rest on Friday in a funeral that drew thousands of supporters even as they faced arrest by Russian authorities. Dozens of people were detained throughout Russia on Friday in connection to Navalny's burial. The short funeral service was livestreamed on Navally's YouTube channel as the hearse carrying his body arrived at the Borisovskoye cemetery shortly after his family held a funeral service at Moscow's Church of the Icon of Our Lady Quench My Sorrow, where his body was displayed in an open casket. Several foreign diplomats -- including U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy, German Ambassador Alexander Graf Lambsdorff and French Ambassador Pierre Levy -- were seen at the funeral as throngs of visitors waited quietly on wet sidewalks and streets and under observation by Russian security personnel. Navalny's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, was seen placing red and while flowers -- colors of the Russian flag -- on top of his casket as Frank Sinatra's "My Way" played on in the background as he was laid to rest. Russian people gather to pay respects to late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny during his funeral at the Borisovskoye cemetery in Moscow on Friday. Photo by Maxim Shipenkov/EPA-EFE More than 400 were detained by Russian authorities in the weekend following Navalny's February 16 death, which occurred under suspect circumstances. The Anti-Corruption Foundation said that thousands of supporters showed up outside the church, with supporters heard shouting "Navalny! Navalny!" as the hearse arrived. Others chanted "Russia will be free!" and "Thank you, Alexei!" Parents of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Lyudmila and Anatoly Navalny, mourn next to the coffin of their son during his funeral on Friday at the Borisovskoye cemetery in Moscow, Russia. Photo by Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA-EFE A heavy police presence was deployed throughout the city, including masked guards near a fence on the perimeter of the church. A human rights group counter indicates that so far 67 people in 16 locations across Russia including in Moscow, Ekaterinburg and Novosibirsk have been arrested with those numbers expected to grow. Thousands of supporters gathered in Moscow to observe the funeral for late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Friday. Photo by Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA-EFE Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday declined to comment directly on Navalny in a call with reporters. "The Kremlin doesn't have anything to say to Navalny's family on the day of his funeral," he said. He did, however, stress that unsanctioned gatherings are against the law and "those who participate in them will be held accountable." Funeral almost did not happen Navalny, 47, was one of Putin's most fierce and effective critics with his ability to inspire young Russians against the Kremlin. Navalny was serving prison time at a penal colony above the Arctic Circle when he died. Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya -- who, along with the couple's two children, was not seen at her husband's funeral -- has accused Putin of killing her husband in an act that Putin and Kremlin officials have denied. The start of the funeral was marred by delays as Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said his body was not immediately turned over when relatives arrived at the morgue at 10 a.m., local time. Yarmysh warned that the funeral may be delayed, but the pause did not change their schedule. About a half an hour later, she said the body was finally released. "Alexei's body is being handed over to his relatives, and the hearse with it will soon head to the temple," Yarmysh said on X. Navalny's supporters had complained that the Kremlin tried to disrupt the event as his allies said they struggled to even find a hearse driver willing to transport Navalny's body to the grave site. Zhdanov had said the family wanted Navalny to be buried on Thursday but were denied because authorities feared it would take attention away from President Vladimir Putin's State of Nation address. The Houthis will continue carrying out attacks in the Red Sea unless they are faced by forces on the ground in addition to the current Western air campaign, according to senior members of Yemens internationally recognised government. The US and UK are engaged in military strikes to combat the threat from the militia against international shipping in one of the worlds busiest trade routes which is causing severe damage to the world economy. But the Houthis are well able to sustain losses due to the huge arsenal they have built up, warned the Yemeni officials. The militia started their campaign in retaliation for the Israeli invasion of Gaza and have vowed to carry on until there is a ceasefire, but they are highly unlikely to abandon the leverage they have gained through their ability to hit international shipping. The only effective way the US and UK can counter that would be to arm and train the forces of the UN-backed government to take part in ground operations against the Houthis while providing air cover, they told The Independent during a visit to London. The strife in the Red Sea shows no sign of ending at present. The Biden administration claimed this week that Iran and Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group, have sent teams to Yemen to help the Houthis launch their assaults. Tim Lenderking, the US special envoy for Yemen, told a Senate subcommittee in Washington that the Iranian and Hezbollah operatives are equipping and facilitating drone and missile strikes aimed at commercial vessels and American and British warships. Credible public reports suggest a significant number of Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah operatives are supporting attacks from inside Yemen, he said, adding that the Houthis are not being deterred by the Western armed response they have faced so far. The fact that they have continued this [campaign] and have said publicly that they will not stop until theres a ceasefire in Gaza is an indication that were not yet at the point, unfortunately, where they do intend to dial back, said Mr Lenderking. A decade of brutal civil war in Yemen had resulted in the death of more than 150,000 people by bombs and bullets. Another 227,000 are estimated, by the UN, of dying from famine and lack of basic healthcare. RAF Typhoon FRG4s are prepared to conduct strikes over Yemen (UK MOD Crown copyright 2024) A military intervention by a Saudi led coalition of Gulf states, Egypt and Pakistan, backed by the West, lasted for more than seven years before a recent ceasefire agreement between the Saudis and the Houthis. Two officials from the Southern Transitional Council (STC), part of the UN-recognised Yemeni government, are in London to meet Foreign Office diplomats and politicians, before going to Washington for talks with the state department and members of Congress. Preliminary talks on the Houthi crisis took place between with foreign secretary David Cameron last month at the Davos economic forum where the scale of the commercial harm caused by the Red Sea attacks was one of the main topics under discussion. The senior STC officials, Amr Al-Bidh and Nabeel Bin-Lasem, stressed that their visit to the UK and US follow growing concern in the Middle East and beyond about the long-term danger posed by the Houthis. Egypt has been particularly hard hit by vessels diverting from the Suez Canal to sail around Africa. The Houthis are part of the Axis of Resistance comprised of Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and Iraqi and Syrian Shia, a common front against America and Israel, set up in the region. And, apart from Hamas fighting in Gaza, the Houthis have been the most militarily active among the Axis. Operations on the ground does not mean that the UK or US have to do it themselves. It does not mean it means empowering the Yemeni government so they can do this, said Mr Al-Bidh. We have forces which are capable and also experienced against the Houthis, so preparation for any operation that needs to take place should not take too long. Cutting the smuggling from the Iranians to Yemen as much as possible would be a big step, it is the smuggling which is keeping the Houthis supplied. The southern part of Yemen, outside Houthi control, has suffered greatly from the disruption to shipping with an acute shortage of essential products including food and fuel. The UN-backed government want security operations to be accompanied by a raft of economic measures against the Houthis, including sanctions on individuals and organisations, and encouraging international bodies to move out of Houthi run areas. A comprehensive approach would be the deterrence which would tackle the Houthis and limit the threat they pose now and in the future, said Mr Al-Bidh. Otherwise the West may have to keep going back to carry out air strikes each time they threaten freedom of navigation. Russia's dealmaking with Iran and North Korea has attracted mockery from the West as "desperate." But the alliance actually benefits all three countries, experts say. It's helped Russia in Ukraine and has likely benefited North Korea economically and militarily. In fall 2022, Vladimir Putin was in a bind. Expecting to have already overrun Ukraine, his Russian forces were instead being routed from huge swathes of the country. "They just didn't have the weapons they needed. They didn't have the soldiers prepared. They didn't have the defensive positions prepared," Bruce W. Bennett, a defense researcher at RAND, told Business Insider. Isolated from much of the world by sanctions, Putin turned to rogue states like Iran and North Korea for munitions. The US watched closely. But publicly, officials were sanguine, even dismissive. Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, quipped in September that the ragtag partnerships came off like a "Star Wars bar scene of countries." "Nothing from Pyongyang will be a game changer in Ukraine," Mark Milley, the then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in September last year. More recently, Grant Shapps, the UK's defense minister, posted on X that Putin had been forced "into the humiliation of going cap in hand to North Korea" to support his war machine. But as Western support for Ukraine wavers, the impact of Pyongyang's ammunition supply along with an influx of Shahed drones from Iran is likely helping Russia get an edge over its adversary, experts say. And beyond Ukraine, it's having ripple effects on the international order. Tipping the scales The three-way axis is "fragile in many ways," Beth Sanner, a former intelligence official under the Trump and Biden administrations, said at a recent Atlantic Council event. But, she said, it has "a quite serious and very real effect." As Russia's invasion stalled in mid-2022, Putin had already started the groundwork to procure Shahed drones from Iran. Russia has fired thousands in Ukraine since then. Given that neither Russia nor North Korea has admitted to arms transfers, there's no way of knowing how significant the country's contribution is to Russia's munitions. But "the volume of stuff that's been going over is huge. It's significant," Joseph Byrne, an open-source researcher and North Korea specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, told BI. Kim Jong Un at an aircraft manufacturing plant in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia, on September 15. Government of Khabarovsk Region via REUTERS South Korean officials have said that since September, it has observed North Korea sending about 6,700 containers to Russia, potentially holding about 3 million 152mm artillery shells or half a million 122 mm shells. Bennett said this is a "major contribution" to Russia's war efforts, even factoring in the possibility that many of the shells likely drawn from Soviet-era stockpiles may be duds. And North Korea's factories are now working to bring Russia fresh weapons and shells, South Korea said on Wednesday. When asked if these supplies were a "game changer" for Russia, John Herbst, a former US ambassador to Ukraine, put it bluntly. They're a "game continuer," he told the Atlantic Council. Given Ukraine's ammunition shortages, that may be all Putin needs. Last year, Russia was estimated to be going through 30,000 shells a day in Ukraine roughly the amount the US was able to produce in a month at the time, Bennett said. The US has since ramped up its production, but "it's going to take us years to get anywhere close to what North Korea has been providing to Russia," he told BI. Byrne added: "You see Russia's ability to continue to fire artillery, fire rockets on Ukrainian positions just massively increase and sustain over a long period of time, very likely because of this uplift from the North Koreans." Going rogue Putin at his year-end press conference in Moscow on December 14. ALEXANDER KAZAKOV Putin shows little sign he is bothered by the criticism leveled at his allies. To work with North Korea, he has contravened UN Security Council resolutions he had previously signed. For Bennett, Putin's thinking is simple. "If Russia failed to achieve success in Ukraine, meaning it got pushed out of Ukraine, is Putin going to survive physically?" he asked. "The answer is probably no. So Putin's desperate." Motivated by self-preservation, the Russian president has little reason to mind the jibes from Ukraine's allies. "What matters is power," Bennett said. A boon for North Korea Much the same can be said for Kim Jong Un, whose regime may gain a great deal from the partnership. The terms of the exchange are unknown, but Byrne outlined several ways North Korea might benefit. Cold hard cash is one. Because of international sanctions, North Korea is obliged to hold most of its money abroad, Byrne said. Western intelligence officials recently told The New York Times that Russia had unfrozen millions of dollars worth of North Korean assets, possibly in exchange for ammunition supplies. A rocket carrying North Korean spy satellite Malligyong-1, in a handout image released on November 21. KCNA North Korea could also benefit technologically: It might gain sophisticated technology transfers for electronic-warfare systems, air-defense systems, and ballistic missiles, Byrne said. The opportunity to see how its ballistic missiles perform on the battlefield is "absolutely invaluable" for Kim, Byrne said. South Korea has accused its northern neighbor of using Ukraine as a test site for its nuclear-capable missiles. Meanwhile, Russia has been boosting North Korea on the international stage, including in September when Sergey Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, suggested that UN sanctions against the country were outdated. Operating like this "really emboldens North Korea, Iran, and any other autocratic state," Sanner said. An opportunistic cartel It's unlikely that ties between Moscow and Pyongyang run deep because they share little in terms of ideology, experts said. Kim Jong Un's regime is unlikely to be supplying Russia with weapons because it dislikes Ukraine, Bennett said. "But they sure love Russian money and they sure love Russian grain," he said, describing it as "more a cartel kind of relationship." But as shallow as the ideological kinship might run, there's little doubt that Russia's dealmaking with Iran and North Korea has altered the global landscape, he said. Signs of that were already emerging in January, Russia and Iran announced their intention to sign a wide-ranging treaty. "Two years ago, people would've said, 'Well, Russia's got some power, but not a big deal. Iran, oh, it's a nuisance, but it's not a big deal. North Korea's a nuisance, we're worried about their nukes, but not a big deal,'" Bennett said Now, he said, "all three countries look more powerful, more threatening. And so yeah, it's changed the landscape." Correction: March 5, 2024 An earlier version of this story misspelled the US secretary of state's name. His name is Antony Blinken, not Anthony. Read the original article on Business Insider The U.S. Department of Education will launch a civil rights investigation into Nex Benedicts suburban Tulsa school district, the school confirmed Friday. The investigation will look into allegations that Owasso Public Schools failed to adequately address reports of sex-based harassment. News of the investigation comes nearly a month after Nex, 16, died one day after an altercation in a school bathroom. Friends have said the teen, who used the pronouns they and them and he and him, had been bullied in the past over their gender identity. Their death has become a flashpoint in nationwide conversations over transgender rights and school safety. More: What we know and what we don't about death of Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict Federal civil rights investigators will look into complaints that Owasso school administrators failed to adequately address students' reports of gender-based harassment. U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, whose agency will conduct the investigation into Owasso schools, said in a Feb. 21 social media post that he was devastated over Nexs death. Violence has no place in our school, Cardona said. It is our responsibility to protect all students by creating spaces where they feel safe to be their true selves. Brock Crawford, a spokesman for Owasso schools, said the district received notice of the U.S. Department of Education investigation Friday. He said district administrators believe the allegations are unsupported and without merit, but are "committed to cooperating with federal officials." A student holds during a demonstration in honor of Nex Benedict outside Owasso High School on Monday. In a statement issued Monday, the family of Nex Benedict called for the investigation to be carried out transparently. "Ideally, an open and transparent process will serve to not only improve Owasso Public Schools, but all school districts where students are subjected to intolerable behavior," the teen's relatives said in a statement issued by their attorney, Jacob Biby. Karen Mines, a top attorney in the Education Departments civil rights office, wrote in the investigation notice that the department would look into allegations that the school may have violated laws meant to ensure students are not discriminated against because of their sex or any disability. Please note that opening the complaint for investigation in no way implies that (the Office of Civil Rights) has made a determination on the merits of the complaint, Mines wrote. Candlelight vigil for Oklahoma teen: 'The world is a little darker because Nex is gone' Several former Owasso students told The Oklahoman they were frequently bullied over their gender and sexual identities as far back as the 1990s. The federal investigation will be limited to the instances of harassment reported during the current school year. The notice of the investigation was first published by the Human Rights Campaign, a Washington, D.C.-based group, which lobbies on behalf of LGBTQ+ rights, which lodged the complaint. Its president, Kelley Robinson, wrote to Cardona Feb. 21 and requested the inquiry to prevent similar tragedies from taking place in the future and to help hold accountable those responsible for Nexs tragic death. Robinson also asked federal school officials to investigate Oklahoma Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, the most vocal supporter of the states push to roll out anti-trans rules in school. Hundreds of other organizations are calling for Walters to be removed from office, sending a joint letter Wednesday to other top Oklahoma officials. The letter blamed Walters for fostering a culture of violence and hate against the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Oklahoma schools. Police have said they are still investigating whether Nex was targeted in the Feb. 7 altercation that preceded their death because of their gender identity. They died the following day under circumstances that remain uncertain. Investigators have said only that preliminary autopsy results show the teen did not die from injuries. Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comments about the investigation from the family of Nex Benedict. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Nex Benedict's death prompts federal investigation into Oklahoma school The News LAGOS Nigeria will ask cryptocurrency exchange Binance to pay $10 billion for alleged losses caused to the government by its operations, an aide to President Bola Tinubu said. This country recorded massive losses from their operations and the government is asking for small money from them, said Bayo Onanuga, the presidents adviser on information and strategy, to the BBC. We are asking them to pay us close to $10 billion in retribution because they really messed up our economy in a very short time, he said. Onanuga claimed that crypto traders have used Binance to manipulate Nigerias currency, undermining the central bank which he said is the only authority that can fix the countrys exchange rates. He confirmed reports earlier this week that two members of the Binance team were arrested when they came to Nigeria. Nigerias national security advisers office said law enforcement agencies and the central bank are investigating Binances operations in the country, according to news publication Premium Times. Binance did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Semafor Africa. Know More On Tuesday, Nigerias central bank governor Yemi Cardoso claimed $26 billion have been traded in and out of Nigeria on Binance in the past year by unidentifiable sources. He alleged that certain aspects' of crypto transactions across platforms involved illicit flows. The detention of Binance staff came a week after Nigerian telecom providers shut off user access to the websites. Binance has since disabled several of its most used services in Nigeria, especially trades that involved using the naira to buy the USDT digital currency pegged to the U.S. dollar. In December, Nigerias central bank cited current global trends as its reason for lifting a three-year old ban that barred banks from relationships with crypto trading platforms. Certain conditions, including valid licensing by Nigerias securities and exchange commission for crypto companies, were part of new requirements that seemed to foreshadow a welcoming of crypto into the financial system. Step Back It is not the first time Nigerian authorities have sought a large sum from a foreign company for alleged infractions. Nigeria fined South African telecoms company MTN $5.2 billion for failing to disconnect 5 million unregistered SIM cards. The company negotiated the fine down to $980 million, which it paid in 2019. Nigeria is struggling with low growth. Africas largest economy grew by 2.7% last year, the lowest rate since the countrys recession in 2020, and the value of the countrys naira currency has plummeted in the wake of economic reforms introduced since Tinubu took office last May. California blizzard leaves residents tunneling out with more snow on the way: Live Snow continued to fall across parts of California and Nevada on Tuesday after a blizzard dumped up to 10ft of snow, shutting down major highways for three days and trapping people in their homes. Isolated, light snow showers would continue across the Sierra Nevada until Thursday morning, the National Weather Service reported, but drier and warmer conditions were expected by the end of the week. Communities across the region were digging out after snow reached up to roof lines in some towns, and trapped people inside. More than 7,500 customers remained without power in some California counties, according to utility tracker poweroutage.us. Localized, heavy rainfall is expected on Tuesday for northern California with downpours moving into southern California on Wednesday. Due a recent glut of atmospheric rivers hitting the state, there will be the threat of isolated flash flooding, NWS reported. Key Points Yosemite National Park to close as officials warn of 7 feet of snow Sierra Nevada area could experience life-threatening conditions Areas with winter storm warnings and advisories West coast weather forecast: The latest 18:40 , Louise Boyle One more day of heavy snow in the mountains and at higher elevations is forecast in the West on Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported. An influx of moisture from the Pacific was targeting northern California and the southern Pacific Northwest into the northern Great Basin and Rockies. Several more inches of snow are forecast from the southern Cascades and northern Sierra east to the Tetons in Wyoming. A cold front has also brought snow to lower elevations from southern Oregon to western Idaho. In northern and central California, snowfall will taper off on Wednesday. However, localized, heavy rainfall is expected on Tuesday for northern California with downpours expected in southern California on Wednesday. Due a recent glut of atmospheric rivers hitting the state, there will be the threat of isolated flash flooding, NWS reported. California snowfall traps people inside 18:20 , Louise Boyle The Sugar Bowl Ski resort near Norden, California posted a video showing just how much snow they got this weekend - so much that they couldnt get out of the front door. The resort tweeted on Saturday that they had received 20-24 inches of snow. We got some digging to do, they added. More rain and high winds for southern California 18:02 , Louise Boyle Rain and mountain snow is expected to return to the Los Angeles area from late on Tuesday into early Thursday, the National Weather Service reported. Heavy downpours and small hail was possible but otherwise the rain would be light to moderate. Snow was also possible in the mountains and along the Grapevine, the 40-mile stretch of highway from Castaic in Los Angeles County down to the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County. Weather warnings for southern California (NWS) Watch: Californias snowpack is well above average after mammoth blizzard 17:41 , Louise Boyle Downpours incoming 17:20 , Louise Boyle The National Weather Service in Los Angeles shared the potential rainfall amounts for the incoming storm system. Rain and mountain snow is expected to spread through the area on Wednesday. The heaviest downpours will be north of Pasadena, east of Ojai and north of Santa Barbara in Santa Ynez and Big Pine Mountain. Hot of the presses this morning! Here are the most probable rain and snow amounts for the upcoming storm system. Rain and mountain snow will spread over the area through Wed and/or Wed night. #CAwx #LARain pic.twitter.com/Pfe2zKvRpI NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) March 5, 2024 Snowed under in Truckee 17:01 , Louise Boyle One of the places hit by the powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains was Truckee. Kevin Dupui, who lives in the town, just northwest of Lake Tahoe, said his snow blower broke, but it doesnt really matter because theres nowhere to put all the snow anyway. We just move it around, he said on Sunday. Dupui said residents and tourists seem to be mostly heeding warnings to stay home. The roads havent been that safe, so we dont really want people driving around, he said. Another Truckee resident, Jenelle Potvin, said at first some cynical locals thought there was a little too much hype made about the approaching storm. But then the unrelenting snow began Friday night. It was definitely a blizzard. And we woke up to a lot of snow yesterday and it never let up, Potvin said Sunday. Her neighbors were snowmobiling and cross-country skiing in the streets. (Associated Press) A person uses a snowblower during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 03, 2024 in Truckee, California (Getty Images) Avalanche threat 16:40 , Louise Boyle The Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center warned that there was moderate avalanche danger through Wednesday morning at 7am, local time. Wind slabs ranging in size and sensitivity will be possible to find in leeward catchment zones at all elevations and in atypical areas such as sheltered terrain below treeline. Localized assessments will be important to help you identify and avoid features of concern, the avalanche center report read. The avalanche threat on 5th March, 2024 in the Sierra Nevada (Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center) In pictures: Californians dig out from crippling blizzard 16:22 , Louise Boyle A person walks at Boreal Mountain Resort, currently shuttered due to the snowstorm, following a massive snowstorm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 04, 2024 at Soda Springs, California (Getty Images) In an aerial view, homes are covered in snow following a massive snowstorm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 04, 2024 near Soda Springs (Getty Images) A snow blower operates following a massive snowstorm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 04, 2024 in Soda Springs, California (Getty Images) Ski resorts reopen in Tahoe 16:01 , Louise Boyle The Palisades Tahoe ski resort reported on Tuesday that it received an additional two inches of snow on the mountain on Monday, bringing the five-day total to 98 inches. The largest skiing complex in the Lake Tahoe region was forced to close this past weekend because it received too much snow, along with powerful winds, which caused low visibility. The resort re-opened on Monday. Palisades Tahoe ski resort on Sunday (AP) West coast weather forecast: The latest 15:41 , Louise Boyle One more day of heavy snow in the mountains and at higher elevations is forecast in the West on Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported. An influx of moisture from the Pacific was targeting northern California and the southern Pacific Northwest into the northern Great Basin and Rockies. Several more inches of snow are forecast from the southern Cascades and northern Sierra east to the Tetons in Wyoming. A cold front has also brought snow to lower elevations from southern Oregon to western Idaho. In northern and central California, snowfall will taper off on Wednesday. However, localized, heavy rainfall is expected on Tuesday for northern California with downpours expected in southern California on Wednesday. Due a recent glut of atmospheric rivers hitting the state, there will be the threat of isolated flash flooding, NWS reported. What is the Donner pass, the treacherous California mountain route notorious for cannibalism incident 15:20 , Louise Boyle Donner Pass, a stretch of road 7,088 feet above sea level in Nevada County, California, was hit with 80 inches of snow over the weekend as the state battled one of its most historic snowstorms. What is the Donner pass, the California route notorious for cannibalism incident 2 snowmobilers killed in separate avalanches in Washington and Idaho 15:00 , Louise Boyle Two snowmobilers have been killed in separate avalanches in Washington state and in Idaho. Two snowmobilers riding in the Cascade Mountains west of Yakima, Washington, triggered a slide Friday in a bowl near Darland Mountain, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center. The rider who did not survive was described as fully buried. The riders name wasnt released. While we dont know for sure, this avalanche likely failed on older persistent weak layers in the snowpack, the organization said, adding that many other areas are dealing with the same problem. (Associated Press) Avalanche threat 12:01 , Louise Boyle The Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center warned that there was considerable avalanche danger through Tuesday morning at 7am, local time. Unstable wind slabs ranging in size and sensitivity are todays primary concern. The weak layers near the base of our snowpack may still be adjusting to the new snow load, the avalanche center report read. Avoiding steep, wind affected slopes and overhead hazard is the best way to minimize your exposure today. Eastern Sierras backcountry avalanche report on 4 March, 2024 (Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center) California snowfall traps people inside 11:31 , Louise Boyle The Sugar Bowl Ski resort near Norden, California posted a video showing just how much snow they got this weekend - so much that they couldnt get out of the front door. The resort tweeted on Saturday that they had received 20-24 inches of snow. We got some digging to do, they added. 20-24" overnight. We got some digging to do. pic.twitter.com/sYFX1Zblqr Sugar Bowl Resort (@sugarbowlresort) March 2, 2024 And now for the good news... 11:03 , Louise Boyle Californias water from the snowpack is at 104 per cent of its normal level, after starting the year at 28 per cent, the UC Berkeley Sierra Snow Lab reported on Monday. Were also at 94% of our April 1st normal and should get be able to get to 100%, the research facility posted on X. Psst... you want some great news? The storm helped out the whole state A LOT! Statewide #snow water equivalent is now at 104% of normal to-date after starting January at only 28%\. We're also at 94% of our April 1st normal and should get be able to get to 100%#CAwater #CAwx pic.twitter.com/Aj4fnolBBi UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab (@UCB_CSSL) March 4, 2024 Californias extreme storm: The latest 10:30 , Louise Boyle A powerful blizzard that closed highways and ski resorts had moved through the Sierra Nevada by early Monday, but forecasters warned that more snow was on the way for the Northern California mountains. A long stretch of Interstate 80 from west of Lake Tahoe over Donner Summit to the Nevada state line finally reopened to all but big rigs late Monday morning, but chains or snow tires were required, the California Highway Patrols Truckee office said. Closures or chain requirements also affected other highways. More than 7 feet (2.1 meters) of snow fell in some locations and fierce winds lashed the Sierra over the weekend. The last blizzard warnings expired before dawn Monday, leaving a few light Sierra showers, but winter storm warnings were issued for a new, less powerful system due to arrive later in the day and last into Tuesday night, the National Weather Service said. (Associated Press) Meanwhile, further south... 10:02 , Louise Boyle Another round of stormy weather could be on the way for southern California, forecasters said on Monday. The storm system could potentially move into the region between late Tuesday and Thursday, according to the National Weather Services Los Angeles office. The rain forecast for southern California this week (NWS Los Angeles) Struggle to clear roads 09:31 , Louise Boyle Transport crews have been struggling to clear highways after many blowers and plows broke down in the face of extreme snow piles. We have been down to 2 of 10 blowers at our central hub in Kingvale and 6 out of 20 from Auburn to the Nevada state line. 80 remains CLOSED with no ETO, Caltrans District 3, north of Sacramento, reported on Sunday. Major routes were blocked across northern California by the blizzard (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Lake Tahoe blanketed in six feet of snow as residents dig their way out of homes 09:04 , Louise Boyle Lake Tahoe blanketed in six feet of snow as residents dig their way out of homes Satellites capture the mammoth snowfall on the west coast 08:30 , Louise Boyle Blizzards clobbered the Sierra Nevada Mountains region over the weekend, along with winter storm conditions and strong wind gusts extending across much of the western United States to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, the CIRA research group at Colorado State University posted. The satellite imagery captured the thick snow bands shifting across the US west. Blizzards clobbered the Sierra Nevada Mountains region over the weekend, along with winter storm conditions and strong wind gusts extending across much of the Western US to the edge of the Rocky Mountains. pic.twitter.com/cxMYyy0xyn CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) March 4, 2024 Watch: Intense Snowstorm Batters Northern California Causing Blizzard Conditions 08:04 , Louise Boyle California snowfall traps people inside 07:04 , Louise Boyle The Sugar Bowl Ski resort near Norden, California posted a video showing just how much snow they got this weekend - so much that they couldnt get out of the front door. The resort tweeted on Saturday that they had received 20-24 inches of snow. We got some digging to do, they added. 20-24" overnight. We got some digging to do. pic.twitter.com/sYFX1Zblqr Sugar Bowl Resort (@sugarbowlresort) March 2, 2024 California post office destroyed by fire 06:01 , Louise Boyle A fire caused by a lightning strike destroyed the post office in a tiny town of 100 people on Friday. Leggett Post Office in northern California went up in flames after being hit by lightning during the intense blizzard across northern and central parts of the state. Snow totals for Sunday range from 5 to 12 feet 05:30 , Louise Boyle National Weather Service meteorologist William Churchill said snow totals by late Sunday would range from 5 to 12 feet, with the highest accumulations at elevations above 5,000 feet. Lower elevations were inundated with heavy rain. He called the storm an extreme blizzard for the Sierra Nevada, in particular, as well as other portions of Nevada and even extending into Utah and portions of western Colorado. But he said he didnt expect records to be broken. And now for the good news... 05:03 , Louise Boyle Californias water from the snowpack is at 104 per cent of its normal level, after starting the year at 28 per cent, the UC Berkeley Sierra Snow Lab reported on Monday. Were also at 94% of our April 1st normal and should get be able to get to 100%, the research facility posted on X. Psst... you want some great news? The storm helped out the whole state A LOT! Statewide #snow water equivalent is now at 104% of normal to-date after starting January at only 28%\. We're also at 94% of our April 1st normal and should get be able to get to 100%#CAwater #CAwx pic.twitter.com/Aj4fnolBBi UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab (@UCB_CSSL) March 4, 2024 Watch: The California blizzard explained 04:30 , Louise Boyle Winter Storm #Orzelle is heading toward California, prompting blizzard warnings for potentially historic snowfall with up to 10 feet expected in the Sierra Nevada. Here's the forecast: pic.twitter.com/HgCzGZugvw The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) February 29, 2024 Watch: Reporter struggles to get through interview with high-speed winds 04:05 , Louise Boyle Snow began falling in Californias Sierra Nevada on Thursday and was expected to continue through the weekend, forecasters said as the mountains faced up to 10 feet of snow from a winter storm. pic.twitter.com/ceLm0Dbryt hanako (@hanako049924187) March 1, 2024 California post office destroyed by fire 03:30 , Louise Boyle A fire caused by a lightning strike destroyed the post office in a tiny town of 100 people on Friday. Leggett Post Office in northern California went up in flames after being hit by lightning during the intense blizzard across northern and central parts of the state. The Leggett Post Office was destroyed as result of a lightning strike tonight. #cawx #mendocino https://t.co/0n4eoyKjlP pic.twitter.com/wbGomlwdj1 Sarah Stierch (@Sarah_Stierch) March 2, 2024 Californias blizzard in pictures 03:04 , Louise Boyle Residents clear out snow in front of their home on Donner Pass Road during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains (Getty Images) Homes are covered in snow during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which is boosting the snowpack, on March 03, 2024 in Truckee, California (Getty Images) Workers clear snow off the roof of a building during a blizzard Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Olympic Valley, California (AP) Blizzard forces Lake Tahoe ski resorts to close 02:33 , Louise Boyle The dangerous blizzard conditions in northern California forced many ski resorts to close this past weekend, with some posting cautious re-opening schedules on Monday. Bear Valley, Boreal Mountain and Woodward Tahoe and Donner Ski Ranch were among the resorts which closed due to too much snow, high winds and generally unsafe conditions. Californias extreme storm: The latest 02:03 , Louise Boyle A powerful blizzard that closed highways and ski resorts had moved through the Sierra Nevada by early Monday, but forecasters warned that more snow was on the way for the Northern California mountains. A long stretch of Interstate 80 from west of Lake Tahoe over Donner Summit to the Nevada state line finally reopened to all but big rigs late Monday morning, but chains or snow tires were required, the California Highway Patrols Truckee office said. Closures or chain requirements also affected other highways. More than 7 feet (2.1 meters) of snow fell in some locations and fierce winds lashed the Sierra over the weekend. The last blizzard warnings expired before dawn Monday, leaving a few light Sierra showers, but winter storm warnings were issued for a new, less powerful system due to arrive later in the day and last into Tuesday night, the National Weather Service said. (Associated Press) Avalanche danger 01:31 , Louise Boyle The Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center warned that there was considerable avalanche danger through Tuesday morning at 7am, local time. Unstable wind slabs ranging in size and sensitivity are todays primary concern. The weak layers near the base of our snowpack may still be adjusting to the new snow load, the avalanche center report read. Avoiding steep, wind affected slopes and overhead hazard is the best way to minimize your exposure today. Eastern Sierras backcountry avalanche report on 4 March, 2024 (Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center) Yosemite National Park re-opens 00:30 , Louise Boyle Yosemite National Park reopened on Sunday after asking visitors to leave the area on Thursday evening. The popular park was widely impacted by the blizzard, receiving 45 inches of snow in in places. Satellites capture the mammoth snowfall on the west coast Monday 4 March 2024 20:50 , Louise Boyle Blizzards clobbered the Sierra Nevada Mountains region over the weekend, along with winter storm conditions and strong wind gusts extending across much of the western United States to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, the CIRA research group at Colorado State University posted. The satellite imagery captured the thick snow bands shifting across the US west. Blizzards clobbered the Sierra Nevada Mountains region over the weekend, along with winter storm conditions and strong wind gusts extending across much of the Western US to the edge of the Rocky Mountains. pic.twitter.com/cxMYyy0xyn CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) March 4, 2024 Massive mudslide in southern California Monday 4 March 2024 17:03 , Louise Boyle A massive mudslide has blocked State Route 150 in the small Southern California town of Santa Paula, transport officials reported on Sunday. Californias Department of Transportation shared a photo of the slide and said that they were working to open the highway ASAP in the town, halfway between Santa Barbara and Malibu. Southern California has experienced hundreds of landslides this winter after a series of atmospheric rivers slammed the state. The mudslide in Santa Paula, California pictured on 3 March, 2024 (CalTrans) Potential spy balloon found by fishermen off the coast of Alaska is being delivered to the FBI for examination Commercial fishermen found an unusual object off Alaska's coast and are bringing it to the FBI, per CNN. Photos of the object show similarities with past surveillance balloons, the outlet reported. The object is expected to be further examined once the ship reaches port this weekend. A group of commercial fishermen are en route to deliver an object discovered off the coast of Alaska to the FBI, CNN reported. The outlet, citing three sources, said the object which intelligence experts suspect could be another spy balloon is expected to be analyzed at an FBI lab in Quantico after the ship reaches port sometime this weekend. Although it is yet to be determined exactly what the fishermen found, the FBI believed after viewing photographs of the object that it was similar enough to past surveillance balloons to warrant further observation, CNN reported. An FBI spokesperson told Business Insider the agency is aware of debris found off the coast of Alaska by a commercial fishing vessel and will assist with the logistics of the debris recovery. A Department of Defense official referred BI to the FBI. On February 24, a hobbyist's balloon had defense officials on alert after it was spotted over the Western US, CBS reported. Before the balloon was identified, CBS noted, some military officials suspected it could be a surveillance device. Early last year, after a week adrift over the continental United States, the military shot down a high-altitude balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was later determined that the device was a Chinese spy balloon that may have been equipped with a feature called "synthetic aperture radar," which would have enabled it to observe objects in the dark or through clouds. Additional balloons were spotted flying over Latin America last February, as well as drifting over Hawaii in May. During last year's incidents, intelligence officials stressed that the balloons did not pose "a military or physical threat to people on the ground," BI previously reported. Read the original article on Business Insider Russia is using private militias to control and weaponise immigration into Europe, The Telegraph can reveal. The Kremlin has influence over a number of the main routes into the continent and border police are warning that, with the arrival of spring, Russia is likely to intensify its efforts to move migrants. It has been widely feared that Vladimir Putin is using the tactic to destabilise Europe. The Telegraph has now seen intelligence documents detailing plans for Russian agents to set up a 15,000-man strong border police force comprising former militias in Libya to control the flow of migrants. A security source said: If you can control the migrant routes into Europe then you can effectively control elections, because you can restrict or flood a certain area with migrants in order to influence public opinion at a crucial time. It comes as migration is set to be a key issue in the general election. A failure to control the number of migrants coming to the UK is already seen as a major weakness for Rishi Sunak, who is struggling to push through a scheme to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda to stop the flow of small boats across the Channel. In the year to June 2023, 52,530 illegal migrants were recorded as entering the UK, up 17 per cent on the previous year. Most of these crossed the Channel in small boats. Figures released on Thursday revealed that the number of people granted asylum in the UK hit a record high in 2023 as officials waved through thousands of applications in an attempt to clear a huge post-pandemic backlog. A surge of migrants into Europe this winter prompted by Putin could lead to an increase in small boats crossing this summer, when people smugglers make use of the better weather to send people across the Channel, putting Mr Sunak under further pressure. Frontex, the EUs border police, says it has seen Russia using migration as a lever in a larger game of influence and pressure. The agency is warning that an increasingly isolated Putin choosing to move migrants to Europes doorstep both along Russias eastern borders and through proxies in the south, including in Africa is a major threat to security for 2024. It comes amid growing tensions between Russia and the West, with Putin using his annual state of the nation speech on Thursday to warn that he will use nuclear weapons if Nato countries send troops into Ukraine. The president told the Kremlin that strategic nuclear forces were in a state of full readiness for guaranteed use and boots on the ground could lead to the destruction of civilisation. Mercenaries including the Wagner group have been fuelling migration by increasing instability and violence in parts of Africa under their control and by physically moving migrants to the borders and supporting smugglers, experts say. A Wagner mercenary in the Central African Republic. Russia has been using the group to physically move migrants around Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, told The Telegraph: The UKs adversaries are weaponising the flow of people in Europes near abroad, as we witnessed on the border between Belarus and Poland and Lithuania in 2021, and exacerbating instability in the Maghreb and Sahel region through the use of proxies. The warning has been echoed by ministers across Europe. Russias plans to set up a Libyan militia, as seen by The Telegraph, fell through when payments due to be made via the the Russian-Libyan cultural institute in Moscow were never made. No record of such a company exists. However, thousands of Wagner mercenaries have been fighting in Libyas civil war since at least 2019 for Russia ally General Khalifa Haftar, and the group has a stronghold in the region. Antonio Tajani, Italys deputy prime minister, has said that Rome has intelligence that the mercenaries are very active and in contact with trafficking gangs and militia interested in migrant smuggling. His government has blamed a surge in the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean on Wagner, whom they accuse of waging hybrid warfare. The largest increase in migrants last year was through that central Mediterranean route, according to Frontex, which noted that at 380,000, the number of irregular border crossings in 2023 was at its highest since 2016. Women and children accounted for only 20 per cent of the total, the data show. Frontex recorded more than 62,000 onward crossings toward the UK. Increasing migrant crossings in the Mediterranean are a concern for many European leaders - Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse via AP Amid growing tensions over the conflict between Israel and Gaza, Russia has also been strengthening its ties with Tunisia, another major source of migrants into the central Mediterranean. Russian mercenaries are already known to be active across Africa, including in the Central African Republic, Mali and Sudan. Dr Sergey Sukhankin, a senior fellow at The Jamestown Foundation and an adviser at Gulf State Analytics in Washington, said that observers tended to focus on Russian paramilitaries role in propping up African regimes, and not on the impact on migration. If we take a look at their map, you will see that the Central African Republic holds a strategic place, which gives the Russian paramilitaries inroads to Sudan, which is another key player, and then on to the smugglers route through to Libya, he said. The migration routes are inseparable from the localities and places where the Wagner Group and other Russian paramilitaries are present. The various waves of illegal migrants from Africa might increase, because Russia is planning to create a new military facility in the Central African Republic. I think the capacity is about 2,000 men so this will give Russia additional leverage in terms of navigating those migration flows from the Sub-Saharan Africa region on to Libya and then on to the European Union. In its latest risk report, Frontex warns: Given the extent of hostility between Russia and the West and the reduced interdependence between them, the likelihood of the instrumentalisation of migrants by Russia and Belarus has increased. Importantly, the instrumentalisation of migrants may not only be limited to the eastern land borders as Russias allies and proxies to the south and south-east could be leveraged. EU law defines instrumentalisation of migrants as a situation where another country instigates irregular migratory flows by actively encouraging or facilitating the movement of migrants to the borders in order to destabilise the EU or a member including putting at risk its territorial integrity, the maintenance of law and order or the safeguard of its national security. The European Parliament is in the process of passing an emergency migration and asylum management procedure to deal with the highly worrying phenomenon of the increasing role of state actors in artificially creating and facilitating irregular migration, using migratory flows as a tool for political purposes. It started taking action in 2021 after Belarusian leader and close Putin ally Alexander Lukashenko sent thousands of migrants from the Middle East into the EU by inviting people mainly in Iraq to fly to Minsk and then bussing them to the heavily forested border with Poland and telling them to walk across. Frontex officers were deployed to Finland in November when the country was forced to close several of its border crossings with Russia after seeing a dramatic spike in the number of migrants without proper visas and documentation, mostly from the Middle East and Africa. Frontex officers were deployed to Finland after migrants crossed over from Russia - ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO/AFP via Getty Images Elina Valtonen, the Finnish foreign minister, said that it was undoubtedly Russia using migration as hybrid warfare and in some cases it was actively helping migrants to travel to the border. A Frontex spokesman told The Telegraph: These developments illustrate broader strategies that seem to be employed by state actors like Russia and Belarus, aimed at stress-testing the resilience of borders shared with EU and Schengen countries. This is not just a matter of border security but also of geopolitical tension, where migration is used as a lever in a larger game of influence and pressure. It is disturbing to see the desperation of people seeking to come to the EU used ruthlessly as pawns in a geopolitical game. While these incidents in Finland are currently at a relatively contained scale, they signal a potential risk that could intensify, particularly with the arrival of spring a period traditionally associated with increased migratory movements. The situation could further escalate if there is active facilitation of crossings by the authorities in question. 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. Poachers are thought to have killed at least 60 elephants in the past three months in the north of the country and in Chobe National Park, one of the world's top wildlife destinations. - Paul Souders/Stone RF/Getty Scores of elephants have been killed for their ivory in Botswana in recent months as a southern African country once considered a sanctuary for wildlife has seen a surge in poaching. Poachers are thought to have killed at least 60 elephants in the past three months in the north of the country and in Chobe National Park, one of the worlds top wildlife destinations. Gunmen are particularly targeting the few remaining big tusker elephants which have already been hunted to near-extinction. The tusks are being trafficked out of the country by well-organised, well-armed and sophisticated gangs of Zambians operating for syndicates in and around the capital, Lusaka. Tusks are cut into small pieces in Zambia, before being packaged and transited through other parts of Africa and then sent to Asia. Conservation sources alleged that the governments wildlife department had been slow to react and had not responded adequately. So far no arrests have been made. Mary Rice, executive director of Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) which has for decades investigated the illegal trade in ivory, said: "We know that poaching gangs have been exploiting the weak governance and enforcement of Botswana's vast wilderness area for several years." - Lutz Jaekel/laif/Camera Press Keith Lindsay, a veteran elephant biologist and conservation advisor for more than 40 years, told the Telegraph: The poaching of elephants in northern Botswana is alarming for two reasons. There is clear selection of the largest males, which are also those being pressed hard by the trophy hunting industry. And there seems to be little concern on the part of the government to check the steady stream of armed gangs coming from adjacent countries. Air surveys of Botswanas elephant herds have discovered high proportions of corpses, which would cause alarm if seen in other countries, experts said. Mary Rice, executive director of Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) which has for decades investigated the illegal trade in ivory, said: We know that poaching gangs have been exploiting the weak governance and enforcement of Botswanas vast wilderness area for several years. Recent and documented cases include significant rhino poaching but with Botswanas rhino population seriously depleted, gangs are turning their sights increasingly to ivory. She said the poachers mostly from Zambia and Namibia were well-armed and equipped. The tusks are being trafficked out of the country by well-organised, well-armed and sophisticated gangs of Zambians operating for syndicates in and around the capital, Lusaka. - StuPorts/Getty Images/iStockphoto At the end of 2023 a number of poaching groups were intercepted coming out of Botswana. These groups had a total of around 68 elephant tusks weighing in at more than half a tonne all from elephants poached recently in Botswana. These are the ones that were caught. Conservation sources told the Telegraph they thought the elephant death toll was higher than 60, because other corpses had not yet been discovered. Ms Rice said Botswanas government had deployed limited wildlife patrols in response and warned that most of Tanzanias elephant population was wiped out a decade ago when authorities failed to act against poachers. She said: We seem to be witnessing the start of another cycle, this time, in Botswana. Botswanas wildlife department declined requests for comment. Mr Lindsay said neighbouring countries with well-protected elephants, such as Namibia and Zimbabwe, showed no sign of the high carcass ratios spotted in Botswana. He said: This suggests strongly that the illegal killing of elephants is beyond the control of Botswanas government. With Botswana's rhino population seriously depleted, well armed and equipped poaching gangs are turning their sights increasingly to ivory. - Peter Adams/GETTY But Chris Thouless, research director at the Elephant Crisis Fund, cautioned that the high proportion of carcasses could be a natural phenomenon. He said: This data is not inconsistent with a higher mortality rate from poaching, but is not strong evidence for it. Botswana has the largest elephant population in Africa and experts say statistics indicate that its population of about 130,000, is still, at this moment, stable. Hunting was banned in Botswana for the last five years of former President Ian Khamas second term of office which ended in 2018, but returned following the election of his former ally and deputy, President Mokgweetsi Masisi in 2018. The relationship between the two men deteriorated and Mr Khama now lives in exile in South Africa, and there are concerns about the present governments apparent lack of commitment to Botswanas wildlife. Shortly after the transition, tensions mounted as it became clear that Masisi was not to be Khamas puppet, and he also denied the former president his demands for special privileges such as a larger staff and the appointment of his brother Tshekedi Khama as vice president, said Christopher Vandome, Senior Research Fellow at Chatham Houses Africa Programme. Masisi has backtracked on a lot of Khamas conservation policy and efforts in a further attempt to distance himself from the former president. 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. Over two days, a packed hearing room watched a House committee consider a resolution that gives lawmakers authority to take legal action against the University of Idaho over its arranged purchase of the University of Phoenix, a private online university. This weeks hearings follow a striking memo from an attorney for the Legislature last week which alleged that the University of Idahos purchase of the Arizona university, which is owned by a private equity firm, violated the state constitution. Lawmakers at Thursday and Friday hearings appeared skeptical of the purchase, and affronted that they had been left in the dark about it. The University of Idaho announced the surprise purchase last May, shortly before state officials approved the deal. At the hearing, legislators asked university officials to send them documents detailing the agreement and its implications. The controversy surrounding the purchase pits the university and the State Board of Education against the Legislature and Attorney General Raul Labrador, who has already sued once over the deal. The resolution lawmakers sent to the House floor House Concurrent Resolution 26 does not guarantee that a lawsuit will be filed, but gives leaders at the Statehouse the authority to do so. It also asks the state board to cooperate with the Legislature and seek its approval. Tension in the Idaho Capitol this week over the arrangement led to pointed questions from lawmakers on two committees. Co-chair of the budget committee, Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, upbraided University President Scott Green on Wednesday for his suggestion that the Legislatures attorney, who believes the purchase is likely illegal, is a generalist without expertise on these matters. I think that was inexcusable, she said. Green responded that he did not mean to criticize the attorney, but to recommend they get another legal opinion. That attorney, Elizabeth Bowen, told lawmakers Thursday that she has serious questions about the legal existence of the corporation that the University of Idaho created to purchase the online institution, which could give creditors an avenue to go after state funds if the University of Phoenixs finances later head south. The skepticism from lawmakers about the deal ranges from concerns over whether the university has the authority to purchase a private university through a nonprofit and operate it independently to the merits of the financial boon the university has touted and the potential risks the accompanying debt could pose for the state. Some committee members also questioned Green for the schools decision to contract with attorneys of a law firm he used to work for, as has been reported by Idaho Education News. Green responded that he recommended attorneys at his former law firm because of their expertise, but that he was not the person who hired them. Debate over the deal itself also hinges on what testifiers described as two serious hazards: the risk of purchasing a private institution that does not have a stellar reputation, and the danger of failing to innovate and expand Idahos online education opportunities as colleges across the country face a stark enrollment cliff that could endanger Idahos land grant university in the coming decades. The University of Phoenix has previously been hit with a $67.5 million Department of Justice settlement in 2009 and a $191 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission in 2019 over claims of deceptive advertising. University of Idaho officials defended the merits of the deal before a powerful House committee as well as the joint appropriations committee this week. Green, the former chief operating officer of one of the most prominent law firms in the country, Hogan Lovells, told lawmakers that the deal has been scrutinized by legal and other experts. He said the university, which predates statehood, took its authority to act from the state constitution which names the universitys Board of Regents and a 1921 Idaho Supreme Court case that detailed the boards authority. He said the University of Phoenix has world class online systems that would benefit a growing number of adult students looking to make career changes. We believe the biggest risk to this state is not taking advantage of this opportunity, Green said Thursday. The fact is, there are no state dollars at risk. The University of Idaho arranged to buy the University of Phoenix for $685 million in May. The purchase is financed through bonds, which are expected to be issued on the market in the coming months. The university has agreed to purchase all of Phoenixs assets through a nonprofit called Four Three Education. The university expects to keep Phoenix, which has more than 85,000 students, in operation as a separate entity. If the Four Three nonprofit misses any debt payments, the university has said it will guarantee $10 million annually, but that it expects the deal to result in an influx of millions to the university. State education officials, who support the deal, said at the hearings that they had to rush last spring to vet the proposed purchase and come to an agreement in a competitive arena and did not have time to hold more public meetings or consult with the Legislature. Labrador said Friday that he does not have a position on the deal itself because he hasnt seen the details, but that he has issues with its transparency. The attorney general sued the State Board of Education for violating the states open meetings law when it approved the deal. A judge rejected that argument in January, and threw out the case. The publics business ought to be done in public, Labrador said, adding that he worried a nonprofit, even one created by a government entity, may not be subject to the transparency requirements of other public agencies. The Legislatures Office of Performance Evaluations gave a presentation to the same committee Friday about a health data exchange created by the state two decades ago that an auditor said operated irresponsibly, was able to evade transparency laws and filed for bankruptcy in 2022. LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) State Police are investigating after a Lebanon County crossing guard was assaulted on Tuesday. A news release from State Police in Jonestown states that Troopers got a report Wednesday of a physical assault between a crossing guard and a motorist that happened the day before. There is surveillance video of the assault that happened at about 3:15 p.m. at the intersection of North Pine Grove Street and East Main Street in Fredericksburg Borough that Troopers are going to review, the release reads. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Severe Weather Alerts The assault is currently under investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact Troopers at (717)-865-2194. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. What is Nikki Haley up to? Its pretty obvious that Republicans have so thoroughly saturated themselves in Trump Kool-Aid, MAGA hats, and shiny gold sneakers that she has no shot. So why is she still in the presidential race? I think there are two possibilities. First the former president is already past the average life expectancy for American men. That age is 73. Trump is 77. Biden is, as we are all aware, 81. In fact, this is rapidly becoming a race between two grumpy old men who cant seem to get their words to come out right. Not encouraging. More: What is moral vs what is legal leads to confusion | GARY COSBY JR. Haley could, therefore, be hanging around literally waiting for Trump to die. That sounds pretty horrible, but the factors are all in place for health problems. He is under tremendous stress from all the legal woes he has brought on himself, he is keeping up a grueling schedule between court appearances and campaign travel, and he is overweight. Those factors are detrimental to anyones health, particularly someone of his age. Haley could also be hanging out hoping for convictions in the numerous criminal trials Trump is facing. He already has been slammed hard in civil cases. He has been ordered to pay $355 million to New York for exaggerating his wealth in order to commit financial fraud with government and lending institutions. The number he actually owes is well north of $400 million and growing by about $85,000 per day until he pays. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley makes a point during the fourth Republican Presidential Primary Debate presented by NewsNation at the Frank Moody Music Building University of Alabama on Dec. 6, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Trump has also been ordered to pay E. Jean Carroll $5 million for sexual assault and defamation in 2023. Since Trump continued to defame Carroll, a second trial ended in him being ordered to pay her an additional $83 million. By the way, those two cases alone would be enough to sink any candidate in any political party at any time in U.S. history. How do Republican voters justify continuing to support this man who has committed fraud, sexual assault, and defamation of character? Its a mystery, but the mystery only deepens. He is next going to trial for allegedly paying hush money to a porn star and another woman who posed nude for a noted adult magazine after he had affairs with them. This case involves 34 felony charges against Trump and is generally considered the weakest of the four felony cases he faces. Im not sure how Republicans who pride themselves on being the family values party are able to justify supporting Trump in light of this case alone. I mean, can you imagine the hue and cry if these charges were involving a Democrat? The Republican Party would be tearing itself apart with ecstasy and cries of Lock him up! But not when its Trump. Again, its an absolute mystery how a person like Trump has managed to become the darling of the conservative party. The more serious cases in legal terms occur after this one and will be in process, at a minimum, during the presidential campaign. So Haley is hanging around, even though she is currently losing, because she has positioned herself to take over if Trump falters, for one reason or another. The question is, if this is in fact her strategy, how Republican voters might react if Trump does go down? Will they rush to her with open arms, grateful for her tenacity, or will they react as if she is a buzzard who was merely waiting to swoop in to pick over the bones of a fallen foe? Hard to say, since this group of Republican voters seems likely to vote from Trump even if he is dead and certainly if he is convicted and imprisoned. It would be easier to understand this if Trump had been a great president in his first term, but he wasnt. Presidential scholars rate him as the third worst president in U.S. history. A more recent study, though it appears heavily biased, says he is the worst president ever. The bias shows because they rank Biden at about 19th. It would take quite a stretch to come to that conclusion. Gary Cosby Jr. Frankly, Biden has been, at best, mediocre. That is pretty much what America needed after the political indigestion the nation suffered with Trump; however, that does not mean he has been good. Haley would easily defeat Biden and I do mean easily. She has a good presence on stage. She looks young, especially next to Biden who appears to be mummified. She clearly has the political savvy to take down Biden. Why Republican voters have not rushed to her is strange indeed. Given Trumps behavior both in office and since, she feels like a breath of fresh air. I will be more than happy to vote for her in the primary and certainly in the general election. Haley is a better choice to me than Trump who is such a basket case that he stands only the smallest chance of beating a very vulnerable Biden. And she is most definitely a better choice than Biden, who looks and sounds like it is time for a rocking chair on the front porch of any house except for the White House. Gary Cosby Jr. can be reached at gary.cosby@tuscaloosanews.com This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Why is Nikki Haley still in the presidential race? | GARY COSBY JR. MADISON HEIGHTS Just shy of four months before a June 18 primary decides the Republican nominee for Virginias 5th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Bob Good told Amherst County Republicans he trusts the voters in his showdown at the ballot box with state Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland. Good, who is running for a third term, addressed a crowd of about 100 people at the Amherst County Republicans Feb. 26 meeting at the Caterpillar Clubhouse in Madison Heights. The chair of the House Freedom Caucus and a member of a group that took part in the historic ouster of former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, Good said conservatives must not shrink away from the fight in the most historic election year in their lifetime with the countrys future at stake in the presidential race. The congressman said he is at peace with whatever voters decide between himself and McGuire, whom Good described as an ambitious guy and always in search of a race. This seat belongs to you, it belongs to the people of the 5th District and I do trust the people of the 5th District to get this right, Good said. Referring to Democrats as communists, Marxists, radical leftists who hate the country, hate the Founders, hate the Constitution and want to transform and destroy this country, he said the nation is suffering heavily from the Biden administration policies. He said he also takes criticism from some for fighting other Republicans, adding those are the ones who run as conservatives but vote as moderates and hope you dont know, and hate the Freedom Caucus for exposing them. Those Republicans vow to represent the people but get to Washington, D.C. and are told by party bosses to stay clear of troublemakers in the Freedom Caucus. Were against government tyranny, were against a strong federal government that tramples on states rights, were against spending that is bankrupting our kids and our grandkids, were against a weaker America, Good said. We are against a border invasion. Were against those things that we say were against when we ask for your vote. We actually mean it. The two greatest threats to the country in Goods view are the national debt and the border invasion. He said thousands of illegal immigrants who overtax and burden the nations social services, education and health systems invade the country with the help of Democrats and President Joe Biden. We dont turn anybody away anymore, we dont vet hardly anybody anymore, that is what Biden has done on his own through executive action reversing the policies of President Trump, Good said. He could fix it today if he wanted to. On a border security kill bill that recently was killed in Congress, Good said he opposed the package because it would have codified into law the border invasion policies of the Biden administration and would have given political cover to the very people perpetrating the border invasion. He said most who immigrate illegally are doing so for a better life, adding it doesnt make it right, and a portion are dangerous criminals. I want you to know why Im being a disrupter up there what are we supposed to do to enforce border security? Good told the crowd. In addressing criticism from some he has not passed enough legislation, Good said with Democrats controlling the White House and the Senate the best course of action for House Republicans is to do nothing unless we shut it down and force them to the table. The only way we will stop the border invasion is if we dont give them the money to fund the government, Good said. For those who immigrate legally, Good said they earned it the right way and are patriots who love the country and are eager to make America stronger and better. He also decried the national debt he described as $34 trillion, or $100,000 per citizen, and said the average American family is suffering far more financially now than they were three years ago under a president he described as doing more to harm the country than any in the role before him. Good said he is fighting to cut spending and McCarthy was ousted for not keeping commitment and promises, largely on the budget front. And some of us said ... this is risky, this is uncertain, this is uncomfortable, this is historic but this aint working for you ... and we said were going to force change one way or the other, Good said. Fighting for change is risky, especially when you take on the top leadership ... but for some of us its more important to leave Congress someday having made a difference, or at least fought to have made a difference, than seeing how long we can stay there. Good said the nation is hanging by a thread heading into the Nov. 5 election. We cannot be the party that says ... the Democrats are driving the bus off the cliff at 100 miles an hour and we just want to slow it down to 95 miles per hour and just not be as bad as the Democrats and as long as we get to hold the gavels and wear the captains hat were OK with that cause were in charge and we have the majority. That cant be who we are. He said freedom surrendered is almost never recovered and citizens cannot tolerate a federal government that tells them what kind of vehicles they can drive or what appliances to buy. During the speech, he described the Jan. 6, 2021 events at the U.S. Capitol as not an insurrection but a peaceful protest for the most part of people expressing grievances against the government. As chair of the House Freedom Caucus, he said he is trying to help elect more courageous, conservative warriors. Good has received pushback from some for initially supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in his bid for president and endorsing former President Donald Trump after DeSantis dropped out. In 2020, Good won the primary against former Rep. Denver Riggleman and now finds himself as the incumbent looking to hold a seat in a district that staunchly leans Republican and includes the city of Lynchburg and counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Campbell and Nelson. Good during the speech criticized McGuire for not resigning from his state seat in campaigning for congressional office and addressed a recent run-in at a Trump-themed store in Farmville. Prior to the Feb. 17 grand opening, Good said he received a text saying to come out to the store, which is close to where he lives, and he got there at 11 a.m., an hour before it was advertised McGuire would be there. It was very clear it was a campaign event for my opponent masquerading as a Trump event because he cant get folks to turn out for his events, Good said. Good said after he was asked to leave, he stood outside for several hours to greet voters and he did not block anyone from going inside. Several men held signs near him and were getting a bit aggressive and too close to his personal space and ceased doing so after police intervened, according to Good. It has been mispresented, unfortunately, Good said. Karen Angulo, the store owner and Trump campaign volunteer, told The (Charlottesville) Daily Progress in Charlottesville that Good was not invited to the event and was explicitly told not to come. Angulo said in an interview Good was only there to hijack an event where his political adversary was in attendance and wondered if he was trying to provoke some incident with McGuire, who had her explicit permission to be in the store. If youre sick of Bob Good trying to intimidate constituents and stab President Trump and the MAGA movement in the back, vote McGuire, the senator from Goochland County wrote in a statement after the Feb. 17 event. In a Facebook post in November announcing his candidacy, McGuire wrote he is a father, a Navy SEAL, a Day One Trump supporter, a Christian conservative and a pro-life, pro-gun business owner running to save America and help the people. Join me if you agree we can do better than good. McGuire served in the House of Delegates since 2018, representing Louisa County and parts of Goochland, Henrico and Spotsylvania counties before being elected to his current post in November in an unopposed race. Vance Wilkins, a former Virginia Speaker of the House who resides in Amherst, said he has seen many congressional representatives come and go and very few compared to Good as far as courage. Wilkins said he knows the consequences of bucking a house speaker and admires the stance Good took. In January, Wilkins resigned as chair of the Amherst County Republican Committee to focus on helping the Good campaign, saying he didnt want to take any chances on him not securing the nomination. Wilkins agreed the debt and illegal immigration are two critical issues for the nations survival. We have got to get our focus back on what made America great and continue to make America great again, Wilkins said. Bob Good has the courage of his convictions to put his career on the line, to put his seat on the line, to do what needs to be done, and Im going to put my time on the line to see that he gets nominated. A Venezuelan citizen faces felony charges in Campbell County related to crimes against children, according to a news release from the Campbell County Sheriffs Office. Renzo Mendoza Montes, 32, was arrested Feb. 22 and charged with one felony count each of carnal knowledge of a child and taking indecent liberties with a child, according to the release posted on Facebook on Tuesday. The charges, according to the release, relate to a 14-year-old Campbell County child and date of January 2024. According to the release, Mendoza Montes is a Venezuelan citizen who has been living in Campbell County. He was detained and released by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas, on Sept. 2, 2023, the release said. Due to the fact that this is an active investigation, the sheriffs office will not be releasing any additional details related to the case, said Sheriff Whit Clark in the release. We are especially sensitive to the fact that these crimes involve a young juvenile who lives here within our community. Like any criminal investigation conducted by the Campbell County Sheriffs Office, upholding the integrity of a case is priority for our department and the Campbell County Commonwealths Attorney. Mendoza Montes is being held without bond at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail. KYOTO, Mar 03 (News On Japan) - Have you ever submitted a report like this? A report hidden inside a fortune cookie that can't be read until you've eaten the whole thing, a report entrusted to a pigeon-shaped wood carving named "Kurukkoo-chan" and tucked inside a tube tied to its leg, or a report that can't be read at all without using infrared light, among others. These reports are real. The recipient is Professor Tatsuya Tajima of Kyoto City University of Arts. Every year, he assigns his students to write reports in the form of letters, but as expected from the students of an art university, they've taken it to another level. Professor Tatsuya Tajima of Kyoto City University of Arts said, "I told them it's fine as long as the report is in the form of a letter. But it's like they're saying, 'Don't push it, don't push it'..." Four years ago, a report drawn on a ceramic plate was delivered, and since then, the creativity has escalated. In 2024, the most challenging report was one carved onto a clay tablet, using cuneiform script from over 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamian civilization. It took about an hour to decipher the content... Professor Tatsuya Tajima of Kyoto City University of Arts said, "It was about a manga they read in high school, and the gap between the appearance and the content was amazing." The professor hopes to exhibit these reports in an art exhibition in the future. Source: FNN TOKYO, Mar 03 (News On Japan) - A promotional video released by Tokyo Disney Resort has recently stirred controversy, raising questions on what constitutes official park policy. The video, released on February 20th, promotes the special spring event "Disney Palooza." It features a group of men and women enjoying a parade, but Disney fans have raised objections, calling it "annoying," "obstructive," and expressing that it would block the view of those behind. In the video, some people are seen wearing headbands with character ears, and in some scenes, they appear to be holding cameras above their heads, which has raised questions about whether such actions violate the park's rules. A Disney fan commented, "I take off my headband during parades so that people behind me can see," and "The official stance should be to remove headbands." Tokyo Disney Resort's official website requests that "when taking photos, please ensure that your camera does not exceed head height. Additionally, for some shows, you may be asked to remove hats or headbands with large decorations." The controversial scenes in the 44-second PR video appear in six places. How do actual visitors handle their headbands during parades? Footage of a parade shot in April 2018 shows that most people sitting along the parade route are not wearing headbands. The same was observed in a parade filmed in April 2023. Tokyo Disney Resort has been calling for parade viewing etiquette as a "request, not a rule." However, among Disney fans, there is an unwritten rule to remove headbands and not raise hands too high to avoid obstructing others' views. A Disney fan said, "If one person wears a headband, it can block the view for five or six people," and "I make sure to remove my headband and not raise my hands too much while watching the show." Oriental Land, which operates Tokyo Disney Resort, commented, "Depending on the content of the show and the viewing environment at the time, our cast members may make requests, but it is not a rule that requires uniform compliance from all guests." Source: FNN Meet the artists Zack Jones of Malvern creates paintings depicting the subtle complexity and gossamer nostalgia of rural Iowa life, its natural world, and the personalities that inhabit it. His murals include a 360-degree Iowa sunset painted across the cathedral ceiling of his Art Church studio in Malvern and murals in many Midwest towns including downtown Oakland and the Art in Motion Center on the Lake Wobegon Trail in Minnesota. Courtney Raney of Los Angeles was born in Iowa and paints with a strong influence from the early 20th century Modern Art movement. Her paintings have qualities of Expressionism and Graphic Art, with themes leaning toward Pop Art and Poststructuralism. Her collections have been featured internationally and her work is displayed in galleries in Los Angeles and Zurich. Joe Putjenter of Artistic Sign & Design in Omaha is an award-winning artist and craftsman who has created major sculptures and other major works of art in the Omaha community, including the iconic Bob Devaney statue that stands at the entrance of the University of Nebraska Stadium, bronze sculptures and many artistic works on the Omaha riverfront. John Scherle, Macedonia Main Street Murals Committee The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District Board of Directors met on Thursday night for its regularly scheduled committee of the whole meeting. All directors were present, in addition to several NRD staff members and seven members of the public. A recap of the hourlong meeting is below. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Canadas Shimco, a manufacturer serving the global aerospace supply chain, said it plans to have a plant in Morocco. A deal was signed to that end with Moroccos industrial hub Midparc to join a constellation of global aeronautical suppliers in Nouacauer industrial zone in Casablanca. Speaking at the signing ceremony, attended by Moroccan industry minister, head of Midparc Hamid Ben Brahim El Andalousi said Shimco stands to tap into the quality, competitiveness and resilience of the Moroccan aeronautical industry cluster. The plant would cover 1300m2 and is set to expand two-folds in the coming three years and to triple in the next seven years, he said. He underscored the demand on airplane parts made in Morocco from global giants such as Airbus and Boeing covering the next 10 years. Head of Shimco Peter Voss said Morocco had a competitive offer in terms of production cost, adding that the company plans to double its output within the next three years. Malis top diplomat has met with his Russian counterpart in Moscow for talks aiming to boost security cooperation between the two countries just as Bamako is struggling to take a full control of the countrys restive north. Addressing journalists in Moscow, Malis foreign minister Abdoulaye Diop and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov earlier this week vowed to strengthen their bilateral security partnership. Fighters from the Russian Wagner paramilitary group have helped the Malian army made inroads against separatist Tuareg forces in northern Mali at the end of last year, including at Kidal. As for the topic of security we are actively interacting in the military and military-technical sphere, and we see how Malis defense capability is being strengthened thanks to the work of our instructors, and the training of personnel on the territory of the Russian Federation for the Malian armed forces, and thanks, of course, to the supply of Russian (military) equipment, said Lavrov. In mid-November last year, Malis army recaptured the strategic northern town of Kidal from an alliance of predominantly Tuareg armed groups known as the Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP). The groups have long posed a major sovereignty issue for Malis ruling junta, which seized power in a 2020 coup. But despite this successful operation and the continued tough military course taken by Malis military junta, the north is still far from coming under control because jihadists and rebels are adapting their strategies. The West African nation has been plagued by violence since 2012, and hoping for change, many Malians backed the military government and its leader, Assimi Goita, after the 2020 coup. However, attacks in northern Mali have more than doubled since 13,000 UN peacekeepers were withdrawn in August 2023 at the request of the Malian government. Zambia has declared the debilitating drought the southern African country is currently going through a national disaster and emergency, with its president saying the crisis brought on by El Nino has devastated the agricultural sector, affecting more than one million families. Declaring the severe drought a national disaster and emergency, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on Thursday (29 February) also warned it has devastated food production and electricity generation as the nation battles to recover from a recent deadly cholera outbreak. Like some of its neighbors, the southern African country has gone without rain for five weeks at a time when farmers need it the most. The destruction caused by the prolonged drought spell is immense, the president said in an address to the nation, adding that the dry spell has already affected 84 of the countrys 116 districts. Hichilema also said authorities will take food from areas where there is an excess and distribute it to needy areas but, on top of that, the country still plans more food imports and is mobilizing United Nations agencies and local businesses to assist. Due to influence of El Nino on the 2023-2024 rainy season, Zambia has lost one million hectares from 2.2 million planted crops. Zambia was also recently hit by one of its worst cholera outbreaks that killed more than 400 people and infected more than 10,000. Some Zambians, weary of continued crises, have coined songs labeling the outbreaks of coronavirus and cholera as well as the current drought as a triple tragedy, said Hichilema. This column went from Sutherland to North Platte, then to Oregon. And now it is making its way to you. This was sent to me years ago, and it truly shows the greatness of God. To show just how great our God is, the following facts will astound you and make you think about His power and wisdom. We can observe Gods accuracy in the hatching of eggs. For example: The eggs of the potato bug hatch in seven days. Those of the canary in 14 days. Those of the barnyard hen in 21 days. The eggs of ducks and geese hatch in 28 days. Those of the mallard in 35 days. The eggs of the parrot and the ostrich hatch in 42 days. Notice, they are all divisible by seven, the number of days in a week. Gods wisdom is seen in the making of an elephant. The four legs of this great beast all bend forward in the same direction. No other four-legged creature is so made. God planned that this animal would have a huge body, too large to live on two legs. For this reason, He gave it four forward bending legs so that it can rise from the ground easily. The horse rises from the ground on its two front legs first. A cow rises from the ground with its two hind legs first. How wise the Lord is in all His works of creation! Gods wisdom is revealed in His arrangement of sections and segments, as well as in the number of grain. Each watermelon has an even number of stripes on the rind. Each orange has an even number of segments. Each ear of corn has an even number of rows. Each stalk of wheat has an even number of grains. All grains are found in even numbers on the stalks, Every bunch of bananas has on its lowest row an even number of bananas, and each row decreases by one, so that one row has an even number and the next row an odd number. The waves of the sea roll in on shore twenty-six times to the minute in all kinds of weather. God has caused the flowers to blossom at certain specified times during the day. Linnaeus, the great botanist, once said that if he had a conservatory containing the right kind of soil, moisture and temperature, he could tell the time of day or night by the flowers that were open and those that were closed! The lives of each of us are ordered by the Lord in a beautiful way for His glory. Think about how when we try to plan our own lives, we sometimes make such a mess of it all. There is a plan for us like the plans God gave nature; plans that will ultimately lead us to happiness. I hope you found this as fascinating as I did. Remember the master builder is in charge, and you are part of that plan. Here is some trivia for you. When you carry the Bible, Satan has a headache, when you open it, he collapses, when he sees you reading it, he loses his strength and when you stand on the word of God, Satan cant hurt you! May God bless you and keep you. SpaceX land swap: The 477 acres near Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge Bahia Grande Unit, shown in purple, could be given to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. In return, the department would give 43 acres in Boca Chica, shown in red, to SpaceX so it could expand its footprint. Ken Ellis/Staff A sign warns people to stay away from bird nesting areas on July 27, 2023, on a sand flat near SpaceXs Boca Chica Starship and Super Heavy launch tower. William Luther/Staff Onlookers watch SpaceXs mega rocket Starship in November 2023 as its prepared for launch from the companys Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach. Eric Gay/Associated Press Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino is now supporting a proposed land swap between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and SpaceX, a deal he previously opposed. The flip-flop comes ahead of a special meeting Monday in which the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission is set to vote on a proposal that would give SpaceX 43 acres of Boca Chica State Park land in exchange for 477 acres more than 10 miles away. County officials and others were surprised by the proposed deal when it became public in January. Widespread public criticism and the countys opposition prompted the commission, which oversees the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, to postpone its vote on the matter. Advertisement Article continues below this ad READ MORE: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department scheduled to vote on land swap deal with SpaceX next week In a commentary published Monday by the Rio Grande Guardian, Trevino who filed formal opposition to the plan said the county now gives its full support to the parks department proposal. He said the move isnt merely about swapping parcels of land its about safeguarding the very essence of what makes Cameron County unique within the vast expanse of Texas. News of the parks department plan initially left us feeling taken aback and disappointed as we had been developing plans for future parks with the two tracts in question," he wrote. Because they felt left in the dark, they were unsure how the swap would affect the coastal lands involved and projects the county had been planning. After discussions, he said, county leaders now view the swap as not only well-intentioned but also necessary for the countys long-term health and vitality. Environmental and Indigenous groups have been outspoken opponents of the deal that would give the commercial space company the state park land around its Starship production and launch facility. They see the proposal as a state concession to Elon Musks commercial space company, which is expanding rapidly in South Texas as it races to begin a steady launch of its Starship spacecraft. Advertisement Article continues below this ad More than 1,000 people have offered public comment on the deal. Only about 25% of those were in support. Nevertheless, Trevinos change of heart removes Cameron County government as an obstacle. By supporting this land exchange, were not only creating more opportunities for outdoor recreation but also fostering a deeper appreciation for the environment that sustains us, he wrote. People can submit public comments about the proposal until 5 p.m. Sunday. A livestream of the Parks and Wildlife Commissions Monday meeting will be available online. Advertisement Article continues below this ad WASHINGTON Black Americans have endured considerable injustices and barriers to prosperity and equality throughout U.S. history. But their social, economic and political advances in the 60 years since the enactment of major civil rights legislation have been unsatisfactory, according to a new annual study on racial progress. The "State of Black America" report by the National Urban League, which has compiled research and analysis on the status of Black Americans in the U.S. for decades, cites legal challenges to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and backlash to efforts meant to advance racial progress such as affirmative action and diversity, equity and inclusion policies for decelerating progress. "Doors have been opened in higher education, government and the private sector in that sixty year period. That's important. Every measure shows progress," National Urban League President Marc Morial said in an interview with The Associated Press ahead of the report's release Friday. "But I would have thought we would have been much further along than we are in 2024 with respect to achieving a sense of parity in America," Morial said. Barriers to advancement Despite significant economic advancement over several decades, the report also highlights numerous barriers to economic advancement. The result, the report's authors write, is persistent economic and political disparities. The racial income gap has been virtually unchanged for more than 20 years, with Black Americans making on average 64% of the income of white people, the report notes. Similarly, the study highlighted barriers in opportunity. For instance, Black students are still more likely than their white counterparts to have uncertified and inexperienced teachers. At the same time, the number of Black students dropping out of primary education decreased from 13.1% in 2000 to 3.9% in 2024. The view of Black civic participation is also mixed. While the percentage of Black Americans registered to vote stood at 69% in 2020 compared to 64% in 2000, the percentage of Black people who voted in 2022 stood at 42.3%, a drop from 54% who cast ballots in 2002. At the current pace, it would take anywhere from one to three centuries for most Black Americans to achieve parity with their white peers, depending on their region of the country, according to a McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility study in February. Diversity efforts under attack While major institutions, including top corporations, governments and media have increased the number of Black leaders in their ranks, such efforts are being limited as diversity and inclusion initiatives face court challenges, public backlash from conservative activists and restrictions by some state and local Republican lawmakers. "Notwithstanding the effort to move forward, there's always been a movement of resistance to that progress and that resistance has played a role in decelerating the progress that we need to make on the journey to parity. We see it being played out right now, " Morial said, referencing issues such as political gerrymandering, book bans in schools and attacks on diversity policies. Morial pointed to the current U.S. Supreme Court, which he said "has demonstrated a hostility to the tools necessary to correct the long history of racial discrimination.' The Urban League's study also evaluates President Joe Biden's performance in office and finds his administration's efforts fall short of promises made to Black Americans, even as the Democrat faces significant opposition from Republican lawmakers and some in his own party. The report, however, broadly approves of Biden's policy agenda. A record-low Black unemployment rate, as well as efforts to expand health care access and affordable housing for Black Americans are signs of progress, the authors wrote. Still, the "political opposition" that blocked the enactment of policies considered top priorities by Black Americans, such as voting rights and policing reform, are major letdowns. "We are in a world of deep attack by an ideological extreme that wants to erase so much of the civil-rights movement," said Maya Wiley, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and co-author of the study. Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Justice Department, said federal watchdogs are ready to ensure the nation's civil rights laws are followed. "We've been working across the country to reach underserved communities so that we understand the problems that communities face," Clarke said in an interview with the AP. "Our country thrives when everyone has a voice in our democracy and we remain vigilant and work to counter voting discrimination and voter suppression wherever it rears its ugly head." On the eve of the Bloody Sunday anniversary events commemorating voting rights marches in Selma, Alabama, this weekend, Morial called on federal officials to increase their efforts to protect civil rights and to better support sociopolitical advances in the Black community. "This moment is a reminder about our obligation to confront voter suppression and continuing threats that we see when it comes to access to the ballot box," he said. Meet America's Black billionaires Meet America's Black billionaires #10. Tyler Perry #9. LeBron James #8. Tiger Woods #7. Tope Awotona #6. Alexander Karp #5. Michael Jordan #4. Jay-Z #3. Oprah Winfrey #1. Robert F. Smith I liked the movie a lot, but every time they talked, I was going "Ok, which Arabic language is this based off of?" His excuses don't make sense. "the time is too vast" ok if it's just as vast in the book....they do it. Just have a mention. Reply Thread Link I loved the first film (seeing Part 2 tonight and super excited) but yep, was super disappointed at how the Fremen's language was diluted. My own language is super similar to Arabic so when I was reading the book I could even understand most phrases (for example, we say "x'kull wahda!" When angrily surprised). I was quite let down that these things didn't make it into the movie and I think Frank Herbert would be disappointed too. Still super excited to watch the sequel though Reply Thread Link Watched it last night and loved it. I didn't see the first one in theaters so i couldn't fully immerse myself into the world which is why theaters are always better for these types of films. I question what CBM do with their $200m budgets because they certainly don't look as convincing as this on $190m budget. Reply Thread Link To be fair, Greig Fraser can make anything look superb on any budget Reply Parent Thread Link That man is UNBELIEVABLE Reply Parent Thread Link I don't care about his sci fi shit....but Bright Star is absolutely stunning. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Lemme check this out when it hits somewhere I can watch online Reply Thread Link The time depth of the Dune books makes the amount of recognizable Arabic that survived completely (and I mean COMPLETELY) impossible." Oh, so they also don't use English in the movie and made up an entirely new language, right? Right? Reply Thread Link I assumed it was like when you watch an adaptation of War and Peace where clearly they are meant to be speaking Russian but everyone is actually speaking English so we the viewer understands. I dont think the English sections are meant to literally be English. Reply Parent Thread Link But they also speak in modern Chinese. Why is it okay to have Chinese in the far future, but not Arabic? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The whole last paragraph needs to be highlighted and in bold. It's disgusting that no Arabic actors were cast in these films. (edit: and the fact that there isn't a whole lot of outrage about this both offline and online tells you everything you need to know about the state of the world we live in and how people view or not-view Arabs) Edited at 2024-03-02 03:12 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link what's wild to me is the way Arabs and Muslims in general have been vilified bc of 9/11, but white people have been terrorizing the entire fucking globe for most of recorded history and no one cares Reply Parent Thread Link to be fair, and to not take away agency from anyone all races have been terrorizing each other and the whole globe since, forever, and not even just humans.. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This is the second time Denis has done this aka with Incendies. Reply Parent Thread Link I know this Peterson person created the language but some of the things he's saying are ???? They literally prominently use the word 'mahdi' in the movie. Lisan al-Ghaib also, I think, has Arabic origin. Reply Thread Link It does, "lisan" can translate into "tongue" or "voice" Reply Parent Thread Link and ghaib means unseen/absent Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, one of the languages in the books is called Chakobsa and it takes from Arabic, Hebrew (Kwisatz Haderach), Greek, etc. Villeneuve probably fought the studio to be able to use some Arabic-derived terms, but this is the "compromise". Reply Parent Thread Link "Muad'Dib", Paul's Fremen name, is very similar to an Arabic word meaning tutor, which makes sense because the desert mouse is described as being a teacher of children. His private sietch name, Usul, which is not used in the first movie, is also Arabic. The first Dune book has a whole glossary of Fremen words, most of which are derived from Arabic. Edited at 2024-03-07 08:36 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link ofc we can never be anything but the villains. nothing but less than human. thanks again Hollywood Reply Thread Link The Fremen end up killing 61 billion people by pillaging millions of planets. They are not heroes. Neither is Paul supposed to be. Reply Parent Thread Link Also an interesting list of words that came from Arabic and Islamic themes: All the adaptations feel a bit whitewashed to me. For my money the Harrison miniseries (both Frank Herbert's Dune and Children of Dune) have been the best take on the story. They hit the right balance between the vivid, flamboyant wackiness that Lynch introduced to the universe while still keeping the vibe reasonably close to the spirit of the books. The additions to Irulan's backstory are fantastic and make sailing the high seas to track it down worthwhile. There is a good (better) article from a few years ago about the religion in Dune and how it relates to Islam: https://reactormag.com/the-muslimness-of-dune-a-close-reading-of-appendix-ii-the-religion-of-dune/ Also an interesting list of words that came from Arabic and Islamic themes: https://baheyeldin.com/literature/arabic-and-islamic-themes-in-frank-herberts-dune.html All the adaptations feel a bit whitewashed to me.For my money the Harrison miniseries (both Frank Herbert's Dune and Children of Dune) have been the best take on the story. They hit the right balance between the vivid, flamboyant wackiness that Lynch introduced to the universe while still keeping the vibe reasonably close to the spirit of the books. The additions to Irulan's backstory are fantastic and make sailing the high seas to track it down worthwhile. Reply Thread Link I remember thinking that the Frenen in Sci Fi's Dune were people of SWANA ancestry. The internet wasn't what it is now. Years later I looked it up and they were all Czech and German. But at least they looked and sounded different from the Atreides. Reply Parent Thread Link I really enjoyed those too, I liked them so much that I recorded them on VHS illegally when they aired again lmao, we didn't have a DVD player yet. I actually rewatch them (good rips, thank god people finally did that) every few years, imo they hold up well (well, some of the CGI doesn't, but you can't expect much from early 2000s CGI lmao, it looked good when it came out at least). Edited at 2024-03-03 05:38 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I thought the criticism was that frank herbert wrote them as "savages"/religious zealots and it was a racist charicature??? In that context changing them makes sense. Reply Thread Link Yeah, I thought as the series continues it sets up some uncomfortable themes and that is why they changed. That said justifying it in this backwards way is very dumb. Reply Parent Thread Link how is the arabic language an uncomfortable theme? its only uncomfortable for the islamophobic west Reply Parent Thread Link Eh, there's layers. The religious zealotry was seeded by the Bene Gessert (who manipulate everybody) and exploited by Paul. It's an allegory for colonialism, oil, and why being devoted to a single individual is bad for society. The books, from what I remember (I haven't read them in a while), respect the Fremen as a people, but they're not immune to being manipulated by warring colonialist factions. Reply Parent Thread Link thats a surface reading of the book, because it actually criticises that caricature and the idea of a white savior Reply Parent Thread Link People are so selective in their performative outrage, this will be ignored. This is what turned me off the first film so much I'm not even going to bother with the second. Fuck them. Also is Sting still the last mainstream Western artist to do a legit collab with an Arabic artist? Edited at 2024-03-02 04:30 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link oh thanks for reminding me this song exists, I loved it so much when it came out. Reply Parent Thread Link This song is so good. I saw him perform it live last year and it was incredible! Reply Parent Thread Link don't tell david j peterson i said this because i do actually know him but conlangers are the theater kids of the linguistics world Reply Thread Link i have a linguistics degree (only a bachelors, which doesn't mean much ik) and i can 100% see this lmfaoo Reply Parent Thread Link this is my surprised face. Reply Parent Thread Link i really enjoyed the movie (the world-building!! kill all the fascists!!!) but fuck them for not casting ANY Arabic actors, FFS Reply Thread Link This is just an overly elaborate smokescreen because 2024 is a different time than 1965 and studios do not want characters saying "jihad" in their Hollywood movie. I haven't watched Part Two, but I assume they changed it to "struggle" or "crusade"? Edited at 2024-03-02 05:51 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link They call it holy war Reply Parent Thread Link ....Did it have to be Arabic? Did it promise to be Arabic, was it Arabic in the books and then swapped out-what happened?? If it was in the books and they took it out to be weird little freaks then ok THAT'S fucked, but if it never was to begin with, then I dont know why that would matter?? Dothraki was loosely based off Russian or something and no one cared-its just fake languages for fictional stories. Or was that always hated or something??? I've never heard fictional story language wank before, so this is all new to me actually lmao. What about parseltongue?? See now I'm curious-anyway, I loved the Dune movies, LOVED. Reply Thread Link It was very much in the books. Frank Herbert has been praised and criticized for being a weeaboo for Arabic culture. Reply Parent Thread Link Dune is set 20.000 years in the future, so while Fremen is derived from Arabic it's no longer supposed to be the same language. As per the wiki: "The emphatic consonants as well as pharyngeals and the glottal stop have disappeared. Same happened with vocalic length. Complex mutational morphology was simplified towards a syntactically isolating language." Whatever that means, lol. Reply Parent Thread Link So he either got the vax, or like most companies and people, they dont care if you get it anymore and its not mandatory. Just saw he joined Days of our Lives in 2023 for a brief stint. Reply Thread Link As far as I know, he hasn't gotten the vax. They just loosened the mandates at Disney, where they said "you get vaxxed or you GTFO." I believe Days had a much less stringent vax policy, hence why he joined. Plus, his divorce meant alimony, so he had to get money somehow. Reply Parent Thread Link More importantly than Steve returning as Jason is the fact that his return ushers in the new writing squad. And let me tell you, after this last sweeps period, Chris and Dan deserved to get the boot. That shit was so boring. Reply Thread Link Ugh. Steve and Maurice ruined GH for me. They turned it into this mob focused mess and I rage quit watching it. Reply Thread Link I didnt mind the mob stuff, but it became zero stakes. So many more characters should have died with all the bombing & shoot outs, but most ended with tiny scratches on the forehead & some random dying. Reply Parent Thread Link anything jason, carly or sonny was an immediate ffwd for me. my mom still watches and the same shit is still going on. Reply Parent Thread Link I was done with that show for the last time when they brought back Jonathan Jackson only to completely shit the bed on the Liz/Lucky reunion. The slut-shaming things they wrote for him to say to her in the scene where he finds out about her and Nikolas were vile. Reply Parent Thread Link Ingo had a bit of a meltdown on IG when Steve was rehired. Hes appealing his case with Disney while Steve seemed to wait it out, didnt ruffle any major feathers and is now back. Reply Thread Link Ingo has been complaining in IG comments since he was left out of GH's 60th anniversary special. They even brought back a few old cast members like John Stamos for the special but his character wasn't even mentioned. I think he's permanently burned the GH bridge. I don't think we'll ever see him back there. Reply Parent Thread Link I think hes burned more than the GH bridge. Surely nothing associated with Disney will touch him, and it doesnt seem like anyone else will either. I cant tell what hes doing now in Florida for work. Reply Parent Thread Link Hes forgetting that aside from him not complying with the vax mandate that he publicly bullied two co-stars online and then made transphobic remarks which led to a few cast members condemning his comments. Hes a right wing loon Reply Parent Thread Link I know about the transphobic remarks but who were the co-stars? Reply Parent Thread Link Nancy Lee Grahn and Cassandra James Reply Parent Thread Link Yup! And he keeps going on and on about free speech and how hes entitled to say whatever he wants. Its mind-boggling. Reply Parent Thread Link Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ Reply Thread Link The CDC just updated guidelines to basically treat it like the flu. Once symptoms are mild or gone, you no longer quarantine. Such bullshit.The CDC just updated guidelines to basically treat it like the flu. Once symptoms are mild or gone, you no longer quarantine. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-covid-recommendations-isolation-masks-tests/ Reply Thread Link wow my grandma will be thrilled Reply Thread Link It's shit Steve's back without consequences, but I'm secretly glad because I hope this means Carley and Drew break up. I'm absolutely sick of them and the whole Nina revenge shit. Their rage against Nina turning them in is lame. They (mostly Carley) are way too used to breaking the law and getting away with it, or having Sonny make the problem go away. And if anything blame Cyrus on Drews beat down and near death. I wonder if Jason's going to be the one targeting the mob bosses? I feel like if he is this def throws up warning signs that Sonny could finally die. ()*: I could be wrong but I don't think he would have it in him to kill Jason. And if Dax kills Jason, Sonny will kill him. And then Joss will kill Sonny. If it plays out like that I will cackle. tbh itswhattheydeserve.gif Reply Thread Link Is he still hawking supplements? Funding out he bullied Sarah Joy Brown off the show back in the day really soured me on him even before the covid nonsense. Jason and Carly are still my OTP of the show even though I havent watched regularly since the early 2000s. Reply Thread Link Where did you hear she was bullied? Reply Parent Thread Link I cant fully google at the moment but if I remember it correctly it was when Steve found religion. Sarah did not share the same beliefs and he was harassing her. Maybe bullied was the wrong word but not sure what else to use. Reply Parent Thread Link https://old.reddit.com/r/Fauxmoi/comments/um5nm1/steve_burton_and_wife_sheree_were_in_a_coasting/i7zwy5o/ Thanks, I looked it up some more and found this comment on reddit. Reply Parent Thread Link I started watching again after about 15 years. I fast forward through most of it. I just watch some carly, some sonny, Trina, and some kristina. I dont even know why Im watching. Reply Thread Link Ugh, I really wish they hadn't brought him back. And now they're going down the "omg Danny is starting to act so much like Jason!" path just because he got in a little trouble, as teens tend to do. Poor kid. Reply Thread Link Which is stupid because if hes like anyone its his mother or uncle AJ. Jason was such a goody goody before that tree hit his noggin. Reply Parent Thread Link does anyone remember him from Out of this World? Reply Thread Link A new University of California Riverside (UCR) study found that introducing a simple, renewable chemical to the pretreatment step can finally make next-generation biofuel production both cost-effective and carbon neutral. The first step, breaking down the plant matter has always been the hardest when it comes to making fuel from plants. For biofuels to compete with petroleum, biorefinery operations must be designed to better utilize lignin. Lignin is one of the main components of plant cell walls. It provides plants with greater structural integrity and resiliency from microbial attacks. However, these natural properties of lignin also make it difficult to extract and utilize from the plant matter, also known as biomass. UC Riverside Associate Research Professor Charles Cai started the explanation with, Lignin utilization is the gateway to making what you want out of biomass in the most economical and environmentally friendly way possible. Designing a process that can better utilize both the lignin and sugars found in biomass is one of the most exciting technical challenges in this field. To overcome the lignin hurdle, Cai invented CELF, which stands for Co-solvent Enhanced Lignocellulosic Fractionation. It is an innovative biomass pretreatment technology. CELF uses tetrahydrofuran or THF to supplement water and dilute acid during biomass pretreatment. It improves overall efficiency and adds lignin extraction capabilities, Cai said. Best of all, THF itself can be made from biomass sugars. A landmark Energy & Environmental Science paper details the degree to which a CELF biorefinery offers economic and environmental benefits over both petroleum-based fuels and earlier biofuel production methods. The paper is a collaboration between Cais research team at UCR, the Center for Bioenergy Innovation managed by Oak Ridge National Laboratories, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Energys Office of Science. In it, the researchers consider two main variables: what kind of biomass is most ideal and what to do with the lignin once its been extracted. First-generation biofuel operations use food crops like corn, soy, and sugarcane as raw materials, or feedstocks. Because these feedstocks divert land and water away from food production, using them for biofuels is not ideal. Second-generation operations use non-edible plant biomass as feedstocks. An example of biomass feedstocks includes wood residues from milling operations, sugarcane bagasse, or corn stover, all of which are abundant low-cost byproducts of forestry and agricultural operations. According to the Department of Energy, up to a billion tons per year of biomass could be made available for the manufacture of biofuels and bioproducts in the US alone, capable of displacing 30% of our petroleum consumption while also creating new domestic jobs. Because a CELF biorefinery can more fully utilize plant matter than earlier second-generation methods, the researchers found that a heavier, denser feedstock like hardwood poplar is preferable over less carbon-dense corn stover for yielding greater economic and environmental benefits. Using poplar in a CELF biorefinery, the researchers demonstrate that sustainable aviation fuel could be made at a break-even price as low as $3.15 per gallon of gasoline equivalent. The current average cost for a gallon of jet fuel in the U.S. is $5.96. Related: This Could Be A Gamechanger For Natural Gas In Europe The U.S. government issues credits for biofuel production in the form of renewable identification number credits, a subsidy meant to bolster domestic biofuel production. The tier of these credits issued for second-generation biofuels, the D3 tier, is typically traded at $1 per gallon or higher. At this price per credit, the paper demonstrates that one can expect a rate of return of over 20% from the operation. Spending a little more for a more carbon-rich feedstock like poplar still yields more economic benefits than a cheaper feedstock like corn stover, because you can make more fuel and chemicals from it, Cai said. The paper also illustrates how lignin utilization can positively contribute to overall biorefinery economics while keeping the carbon footprint as low as possible. In older biorefinery models, where biomass is cooked in water and acid, the lignin is mostly unusable for more than its heating value. The older models would elect to burn the lignin to supplement heat and energy for these biorefineries because they could mostly only leverage the sugars in the biomass a costly proposition that leaves a lot of value off the table, said Cai. In addition to better lignin utilization, the CELF biorefinery model also proposes to produce renewable chemicals. These chemicals could be used as building blocks for bioplastics and food and drink flavoring compounds. These chemicals take up some of the carbon in the plant biomass that would not get released back into the atmosphere as CO2. Adding THF helps reduce the energy cost of pretreatment and helps isolate lignin, so you wouldnt have to burn it anymore. On top of that, we can make renewable chemicals that help us achieve a near-zero global warming potential, Cai said. I think this moves the needle from Gen 2 biofuels to Gen 2+. Because of the teams recent successes, the Department of Energys Bioenergy Technology Office has awarded the researchers a $2 million grant to build a small-scale CELF pilot plant at UCR. Cai hopes that demonstrating the pilot plant will lead to larger-scale investment in the technology, as harnessing energy from fossil fuels adds to global warming and hurts the planet. I began this work more than a decade ago because I wanted to make an impact. I wanted to find a viable alternative to fossil fuels and my colleagues and I have done that, Cai said. Using CELF, we have shown it is possible to create cost-effective fuels from biomass and lignin and help curb our contribution of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. ** This is pretty encouraging work. Biomass will have an ever-increasing role in providing fuels in the future. The baseline fossil fuel cost is simply going to have to increase for biomass to become practical. Its happening at a pace so slow it drives the green enthusiasts a bit crazy. ADVERTISEMENT Whats left out or perhaps misleading, is that the land and water resources are going to get used once per growing season. Whether for food or fuel the competition is going to be there. The choices are going to be economic based from producers through to the consumers. Not to fret, corn and sugarcane ethanol were going to drive food prices into unaffordability for many. Yet today, as in some crop years since the market took off, the price paid to producers isnt looking to cover the cost of production and today there are mountains of corn to use up. Related: Could This Unknown Company Help Solve Europes Energy Crisis? One more consideration thats been left out that will need funded during fuel production. The food crop folks have decades of experience in soil fertility, with professional plant science, agronomy, biology and other advanced degrees to keep the soil in good working order although in some locales the nutrient content of the foods is suffering. The biofuel folks are missing some expertise and practical experience. Were seeing fuel crops harvested to bare dirt taking the entirety of the soil nutrients used by the plants being hauled away. Replacing them is not a low-cost proposition. Nor do we understand them to the level the food producers have achieved. Progress is being made, but the distance to go is much further than most people realize. By Brian Westenhaus via New Energy and Fuel More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: As it accelerates its green transition, the U.S. is looking to become a major player in the international semiconductor market, to become more competitive with Asia, the worlds biggest producer and consumer. The 2022 bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act introduced a high level of public funding for research and manufacturing into semiconductors in the U.S. This supports the overarching aims of establishing the country as a major manufacturing hub and strengthening the supply chains that aid the green transition. Now, some government representatives are suggesting the need for a CHIPS Act 2.0 to spur investment further and solidify the position of the U.S. in the global semiconductor market. The 2022 CHIPS and Science Act provides around $280 billion in funding for research and development into semiconductor technology and manufacturing operations. The funding includes $39 billion in subsidies for U.S.-based chip manufacturing, further supported by tax credits for operational equipment. It also contributes significant funds to the science and technology sector. The Act aims to revitalise domestic manufacturing, create well-paid jobs, strengthen domestic supply chains, and accelerate the industries of the future. Currently, China is the biggest semiconductor market, purchasing more than 50 percent of the global supplyevery year. China continues to be highly dependent on semiconductor imports, sourcing many of its chips from the Dutch giant Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography (ASML) and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). TSMC produces around 80 to 90 percent of the worlds advanced semiconductors. China also hopes to develop its manufacturing capabilities. In 2023, Chinese companies bought U.S. chipmaking equipment to make advanced semiconductors, despite U.S. policies aimed at restricting Chinas import of semiconductor-related technology, to slow its progress in chip production. The U.S. is attempting to counter Chinas dominance in the global semiconductor market by rapidly developing its production capabilities and striving for technological advancements. While the CHIPS Act has gone a long way in establishing the U.S. role in the global semiconductor market, some industry experts believe more is still needed. The United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo recently emphasised the need for federal subsidies in the industry to enhance the position of the U.S. in the international microchips market. She believes this can best be done through the launch of a second CHIPS Act to spur more funding. Related: Could This Unknown Company Help Solve Europes Energy Crisis? Raimondo said, I suspect there will have to be whether you call it CHIPS Two or something else continued investment if we want to lead the world. She added, We fell pretty far. We took our eye off the ball. The development of a second CHIPS Act could support the construction of new chip foundries and the financing of semiconductor startups. It could also help the U.S. develop its technological capabilities in the field of specialised and advanced chip manufacturing. However, billions in funding have still yet to be allocated from the first CHIPS Act, with the White House only recently announcing a $5 billion investment in a new chip research initiative (NSTC). In February, the U.S. government awarded $1.5 billion to New York-based chipmaker GlobalFoundries, which was its third and largest grant in the field of semiconductors under the CHIPS Act. Nevertheless, some industry experts believe that federal funding, alongside private investments in the sector, will help the U.S. achieve chip manufacturing independence within the next two decades. The ambitious policy has also encouraged other world powers to develop similar investment schemes. In 2023, the EU introduced the $46.53-billion European Chips Act to boost competitiveness in the international semiconductor market. Related: This Could Be A Gamechanger For Natural Gas In Europe Raimondo was quick to say that she doesnt expect all semiconductor manufacturing to be situated in the U.S., but she believes the countrys role in the chip industry can expand substantially. To be clear, we can't and do not want to make everything in America. We don't want to make every chip in America. That isn't a reasonable goal," Raimondo added. "But we do need to diversify our semiconductor supply chains and have much more manufacturing in the United States, particularly leading-edge chips, which will be essential for AI, she explained. Raimondo is not the only one who thinks the governments investment in the semiconductor industry is too low to ensure meaningful change. The cost of developing chip manufacturing facilities in the U.S. is far higher than in many other parts of the world, such as Taiwan. Meanwhile, TSMC, the worlds largest and most advanced semiconductor manufacturer, spends almost $40 on equipment and research and development every year to advance its capabilities. Therefore, for the U.S. to catch up with TSMC and other major producers, it will likely need to invest significantly more in the sector in the form of grants and financial incentives to encourage higher levels of private investment. ADVERTISEMENT By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The war in Ukraine is still grinding on but has entered something of a stalemate, with minimal movement on the battlefield. But after two years of war, how has China managed to gain from the war in Ukraine? Finding Perspective: While Chinese leader Xi Jinping may be feeling some anxiety over slow economic growth and a slumping property market at home, there's plenty of reasons to believe that he's feeling emboldened abroad. For starters, China is not at war, it is not geopolitically isolated, and it has been able to gain from the broader fallout from Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion. The war has been a boon for China's credentials as a leader of the Global South, positioning itself as a peacemaker in the conflict while accusing the United States of fueling the war through its military support for Ukraine. Beijing is also feeling confident as it looks at wavering Western support for Ukraine. Billions of dollars' worth of U.S. military aid for Ukraine remains blocked in Congress and further struggles are likely ahead as war and funding fatigue grow in the run-up to the U.S. presidential election in November. The seemingly short shelf life of Western support for Ukraine is no doubt being noted in Beijing and factored into any plan of possibility of moving on Taiwan in the future. The war has also been a test that has largely helped bring China and Russia closer together. While Beijing has at times sought to distance itself from Moscow, it has helped its economy and given political cover where it can. Related: Could This Unknown Company Help Solve Europes Energy Crisis? Russia is also now far more dependent on China today than ever before -- a trend set to continue into the future. Why It Matters: Looking ahead, U.S.-China relations will continue to be Xi's leading issue. While both Beijing and Washington are looking to keep things calm for the time being, the coming U.S. election also brings unpredictability. On the one hand, former President Donald Trump launched a trade war and raised tensions, but a Trump victory is also likely to weaken U.S. alliances around the world. The stalled aid for Ukraine and a potentially more erratic United States are not lost on Taiwan, either. A recent delegation of senior Taiwanese officials to Washington told Politico that they're "extremely worried" that Ukraine could be abandoned. In conversations I've had with Taiwanese officials over the last year, they've often said how important it is that Ukraine prevails and that it would send an important message to the Chinese Communist Party on Taiwan. ADVERTISEMENT The Ukraine war's geopolitical winds could certainly change later on in 2024, but for now it looks like they're at China's back. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Via Metal Miner The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, is due to examine a request to extend a 25% safeguard on a range of steel imports. Steel news reports that the EC received a request from 14 member states of the 27-member bloc on January 12. This request aimed to establish if an extension of the current safeguard measure and its prospective timeline would be necessary. The request contains sufficient evidence suggesting that the safeguard measure continues to be necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury and that Union producers are adjusting, the EC said in a February 16 bulletin. In particular, the request contains information regarding the negative performance of certain key injury indicators and the existence of continuous significant import pressure from third countries. The measures apply to imports of hot and cold rolled sheets and strips, electrical and coated sheets, stainless sheet, tinplate, plates, merchant bars, sections, carbon and stainless tubular products, wire rod, railway products, and sheet piling. The EC initially instituted the duties on February 1, 2019. Countries subject to the quota remained so for three years until June 30, 2021. However, following a prolonged review investigation, the EC extended the safeguard measures for an additional three years. If the measures were lifted, the union industry would face a flood of imports that would have a very negative impact on its economic performance, the EC warned. Moreover, the request includes examples pertaining to adjustments undertaken by the Union producers. The Commission considered that the information provided, including the sources and supporting evidence, constitute sufficient basis to initiate an investigation. Steel News: The CBAM and WTO Exemptions Meanwhile, the EC stated that there is little sign that the U.S. plans to remove its Section 232 measures on steel imports. However, it is important to note that safeguards are not applicable if any products originate from a developing country member of the World Trade Organization exceed 3%. The EC also warned that this is conditional on whether developing country members of the WTO with less than a 3% import share collectively account for no more than 9% of total imports of the product concerned into the bloc. Related: This Could Be A Gamechanger For Natural Gas In Europe Steel news sources quoted the EC as saying that the Commission will thus review whether imports from a developing WTO member exceeded the 3% threshold in the relevant period (namely, the year 2023) and, if needed, update the list of developing countries that are WTO Members and that should be included in, or excluded from, the scope of the measure. Industry Insider Comments on Extension of Safeguard Measures One market participant was unsurprised by the plans to extend the safeguard measures. Its completely expected from the market as they have another two years max to keep the measure as a temporary one, as it can be a maximum of eight years, that source told MetalMiner. And it would run until June 30, 2026, while the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will start on January 1, 2026, covers any period without measures. The CBAM stipulates a tariff on imports into the EU of carbon-intensive products, such as steel, cement, and some forms of electricity. The UK is also due to introduce its own CBAM starting in 2027. ADVERTISEMENT By Christopher Rivituso More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: LOS ANGELES Security comes with an Oscar nomination. Or so Bobi Wine and his wife Barbie Kyagulanyi discovered when Bobi Wine: The Peoples President was nominated for Best Documentary in this years Academy Awards race. As a result of the attention, we have a bit of protection, Kyagulanyi says. There is some shame to the government because they know the world is watching. A former member of the Ugandan Parliament and a superstar musician, Wine ran against the dictatorial regime in the 2021 presidential election. He had a groundswell of support but the party in power repeatedly arrested him during the campaign. On Jan. 16, the electoral commission announced that Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the incumbent, had won with more than 58 percent of the vote. Wine refused to accept the results and said the election was the most fraudulent in Ugandas history. The Ugandan dictatorship has been in power for 38 years, says Moses Bwayo, director of the documentary. Before that, there was about 24 years of coups. Uganda has never had a smooth transition to power. It has never had a democratic system in place. The people of Uganda, led by Bobi Wine, continue to fight for this and the repression continues back in Uganda. This is a current story. It has not stopped. Music, Wine says, introduced him to the nation. That endeared me to the people, he adds. Initially, my music was about the girls and the party and the beer. At the height of my success, I had a situation where I was attacked and beaten by security. I was not safe and thats when my music changed to address the social issues and injustices. That prompted others to view him as a spokesperson for the underprivileged. When I ran for office, I was already popular not a popular artist, but a popular public spokesperson. The regime back home (thought) it was just the music. They banned my music and paid other popular artists to come and contradict the message that I give, but it did not work. Unofficially, Wines music has been banned in Uganda; the venue he bought has been blocked. So many people are in prison for being found playing my music publicly because its seen as dangerous to the minds of society. Still, Wine continues to record and uses social media to spread the word. I perform, only not in Uganda. To chronicle his political journey, Bwayo spent six years following him. He was enemy No. 1 of the state, and it was very dangerous covering this story, Bwayo says. I was shot in the face at close range. I was arrested, locked up in prison, interrogated. Just before we released the film, my wife and I had to flee the country. We live here and were seeking political asylum. Before word spread about the documentary, the participants had to worry about abduction. These days, Kyagulanyi says, They wait for the dark. They make sure there is no camera record around. They use more tactics. The Wines have been allowed to leave the country, even when they know we are coming (to the United States) to cause more damage, Kyagulanyi says. I know theyre waiting for when the lights and cameras stop so they can resume the shameless and more intense crackdown on us. A week before the Oscar nominations, the couple were under house arrest. On the very day at the film came out, the military withdrew from our home, Wine says. Museveni invited a director to make a documentary about the beauty of Uganda. Theyre not sharing (information) about the schools and hospitals but there has been more safety for us and more effort to cleanse the image. It is thanks to this film that the mask was pulled off. Wine laughs at the idea he and his wife are campaigning for the Oscar. For us, its a campaign for life, he says. For us, this is a lifeline. Every opportunity we get to show the situation in Uganda, we are extending our lease on life. The more Americans see this film, the more Europeans see this film, the more attention will be drawn to our home. Our greatest achievement is to make sure that we achieve conditions put on the $1 billion U.S. dollars that are given to General Museveni by the U.S. every year. If the U.S. doesnt facilitate General Musevenis rule anymore, it will be the end of the story for him. Bobi Wine: The Peoples President is currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. The Academy Awards air March 10 on ABC. In a split decision, the Nebraska Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Nebraskas deferred judgment law after it had been deemed unconstitutional by a lower court in Madison County. The case arose after a Madison County judge declined to consider a defendants request for deferred judgment because the judge didnt agree with the state statute and didnt believe he had the constitutional authority to do so. As a result of the opinion, the case will be sent back to the lower court for the judge to consider the request for deferred judgment. Three of the seven justices on Nebraskas highest court dissented in full or in part to the courts decision, which was penned by Chief Justice Michael Heavican. Five justices would have had to find the statute unconstitutional for it to be deemed as such. Deferred judgment is a type of plea bargain in criminal cases adopted by the Nebraska Legislature in 2019. According to the Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association, the provision essentially provides judges with the option of deferring a final sentence for a defendant but still place that offender on probation for a period of time. In other words, a defendant could be placed on probation without being adjudicated as guilty, and if they successfully complete the probation term, the plea can be withdrawn and the case dismissed. According to a national survey by the Collateral Consequences Research Center, as of 2022, all 50 states have some form of judicial diversion or deferred adjudication legislation on the books, though Nebraskas law is one of the broadest. Court documents show this case stemmed from a May 2022 incident in Stanton County, Nebraska, in which a Norfolk man, Nathaniel Gnewuch, led law enforcement on a pursuit across multiple counties. He was eventually stopped and charged with flight to avoid arrest, a felony, and two misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and obstruction. Gnewuch accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to one felony count of operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest. Prior to sentencing, he filed a motion for deferred judgment on the grounds he was a veteran with diagnosed mental health issues and was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the pursuit. Madison County District Court Judge James Kube denied Gnewuchs motion for deferred sentence after hearing arguments from Matthew Kiernan, a prosecutor with the Madison County Attorneys Office. Kiernan said the state had serious constitutional concerns about the statute. Kube agreed and declined to consider deferred judgment because he thought the state statute was unconstitutional, according to a transcript of the sentencing. I dont agree with the legislation, Kube said. I would be placing you on probation when theres no conviction. That would be similar to me sentencing you to jail even though you havent been convicted I dont think thats constitutional and I dont think I have the authority to do that, regardless of the fact that the legislature has deemed fit to make that a law. In his opinion for the court, Heavican said he found the arguments that the deferred judgment statute violated the separation of powers clause unpersuasive, as the judicial branch maintains broad discretion over whether or not to approve deferred judgment. He also wrote that Kube had a duty under state law to consider if deferred judgment was an appropriate punishment for Gnewuch. Deferred judgments have been declared the law and a public policy of this state, Heavican wrote. Therefore, it is the responsibility and duty of the judicial branch to consider whether such a punishment is appropriate in each applicable case. Three justices William Cassel, Jeffrey Funke and John Freudenberg wrote dissenting opinions arguing that the statute violated Nebraskas constitution. Freudenberg specifically argued the statute violates the state constitution by essentially giving the judicial branch pardoning power, which is an executive function. The legislature has created a conviction without a conviction and a sentence without a sentence to give the judicial branch the power to pardon a person who has been charged with and found guilty of a crime, Freudenberg wrote. The statutory scheme of deferred judgments gives powers that our founders never intended the judiciary, or any branch of government, to have. It breaks the beam from which our system of checks and balances is suspended and should not be tolerated. Gnewuchs case is not the first instance of a district court declining to consider deferred judgment on constitutional grounds, but it is the first time the issue appealed. In 2022, according to reporting by News Channel Nebraska, a district court judge in Richardson County declined a request for deferred judgment for two defendants who pleaded guilty to marijuana offenses because she considered the law to be unconstitutional. Attorneys for those two defendants did not appeal the judges ruling. Elias Eleazar Garcia, 33, has been charged with smuggling of persons and engaging in organized criminal activity. Garcia also has an active assault warrant in Laredo. Bexar County Sheriff's Office Erika Lizbeth Saldana, 22, has been charged with smuggling of persons and engaging in organized criminal activity. Bexar County Sheriff's Office Esteban Escobar Pichardo, 43, has been charged with smuggling of persons and engaging in organized criminal activity. Bexar County Sheriff's Office A tractor-trailer filled with immigrants was found on the Northeast Side by Bexar County sheriff deputies on Thursday. Sheriff Javier Salazar said last night his office received information about a trailer that would be traveling through San Antonio with human cargo. An organized crime unit was sent out to try and establish the location of the trailer, the sheriff said. The trailer was initially seen near Von Ormy, with three vehicles following. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Deputies found the trailer around 10:45 p.m. in a cul-de-sac near Currency and Profit drives with the help of Border Patrol. The three other vehicles were also found at the scene. Salazar said the driver and three others, who investigators believe drove the other vehicles, were detained at the scene. Twelve immigrants were found in the trailer, and two of them were unaccompanied 15- and 16-year-old boys. The sheriff said the immigrants, believed to be from Mexico, were in good condition and that there were no reports of mistreatment. Everybody seemed healthy. Nobody seemed to be wounded; nobody seemed to be held against their will, Salazar said. Elias Eleazar Garcia, 33, Erika Lizbeth Saldana, 22, and Esteban Escobar Pichardo, 43, have been charged with smuggling of persons and engaging in organized criminal activity. It is possible that all three people could face federal charges, Salazar said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Garcia, who Salazar said drove the tractor-trailer, also had an active warrant out of Laredo on a charge of assault causing bodily injury-family violence. Two of the three drivers of the trailing vehicles were charged. The sheriff said another woman was arrested but later released because she is a U.S. citizen. Deputies seized the tractor-trailer and the three vehicles used in this incident. The tractor-trailer was reported as stolen. Salazar said law enforcement has seen instances where human smuggling can become dangerous. In 2022, 53 immigrants were killed while locked inside an abandoned tractor-trailer in San Antonio during a human smuggling incident. Eight people, including a toddler, were rescued from a South Side human smuggling operation a week ago. The sheriff said he doesnt believe the two incidents are related. LINCOLN A joint effort between state leaders and the University of Nebraska is aiming to boost the number of large animal veterinarians working in rural areas of the state. The Elite 11 program will cover the education costs for students who pursue a career working as veterinarians in the livestock industry in exchange for those students committing to work in Nebraska communities. This program is going to be a game-changer, Gov. Jim Pillen said at an announcement of the program last week. The scholarship program, paid for through a state appropriation approved last year, will open on Friday for students enrolling in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the fall, according to Tiffany Heng-Moss, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. It represents an amazing opportunity for our students in Nebraska to be able to pursue their career aspirations to be a veterinary without the burden of student loan debt, Heng-Moss said. The 25 students who receive scholarships this fall will have 50% of their tuition covered for the first two years of their college careers, Heng-Moss said, as they pursue bachelors degrees in animal or veterinary science. After completing their second year, which will also include a professional development program, students will compete for one of 11 scholarships covering the full cost of tuition for their remaining two years. Students awarded an Elite 11 scholarship will also have the tuition and fees for their doctor of veterinary medicine program covered, Heng-Moss said, before starting their careers as an animal production veterinarian in a rural community. Elite 11 winners must commit to work in rural Nebraska for eight years, or else theyll be required to pay back the scholarship. This is an amazing program, its going to have a big impact on our state for the agricultural industry and for the next generation of production animal veterinarians, Heng-Moss said. Mike Boehm, the vice president for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at NU, said only about 13% of students enrolled in veterinary programs said they wanted to work in production agriculture. Helping steer more students into that field is part of NUs mission as a land grant university, Boehm said. Anytime we can think about learners and their success and trajectory, thats pretty amazing, he said. Larry Marshall, a practicing veterinarian in Bertrand since 1985, said the need to incentivize more students into the job field is evident, as there are currently more job openings than production agriculture veterinarians to fill them. Over the past five years, Marshall said hes only had two applicants apply for associate positions. Raising more homegrown veterinarians and giving them financial assistance to pursue those careers will help fill those positions, he said. Our goal is to find, cultivate, educate, mentor and lead these students down a path that will make them successful food animal veterinarians in Nebraska, Marshall said. Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, who introduced Legislative Bill 1062 this year to boost the numbers of veterinarians working in Nebraska, said similar programs are available in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. They work very hard to attract students, and maybe even some of ours, Ibach said. The practicing veterinarian numbers in those states well exceed what Nebraska has. Im pleased that we all recognize the urgency to meet these needs, she added. Interim NU President Chris Kabourek said the Elite 11 program would address a major workforce need in the Cornhusker State, and created new opportunities for Nebraska students. I want us to go compete, he said, and this is the type of program we need to compete for Nebraska kids. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of February 2024 President Mohammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders yesterday moved to prevent the hijack of the new National Assembly leadership. President Muhammadu Buhari dined with serving APC senators and senators-elect at the New Banquet Hall of the State House. The meeting came on the heels of a similar parley between APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole and House of Representatives members-elect at the Shehu YarAdua Centre in Abuja. At the Presidents meeting with the lawmakers were APC leaders, including Lagos , Plateau, Kogi, Kaduna , Jigawa, Kebbi, Zamfara and Osun governors Oshiomhole and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, were also present. Although, details of the meeting were unknown, it is believed to be connected with zoning and selection of the leadership of the Ninth National Assembly. Unlike in 2015 when the leadership was hijacked by senators, against the wish of the APC leadership, the ruling party is determined to ensure that its wishes prevail now. The dinner, which started around 8pm, was still in progress at the time of filing this report. Senators Ahmed Lawan, Ali Ndume and Danjuma Goje have indicated interest in Senate President. A middle-aged lady,said to be a s*x worker, on Wednesday narrated how she managed to escape being used for money rituals by suspected internet fraudsters (Yahoo plus). The lady whose name and identity was preferred to be made anonymous for security reasons narrated her ordeals while been kept in custody by security operatives in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. In a statement during the handing over of two suspected internet fraudsters to the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan Zonal Office, the middle-aged woman said she had joined the boys alongside some other friends from a club to pass the night with the boys unaware of their antics and intentions. The suspects, Sanusi Azeez Toba and Osho Olalekun Micheal, arrested at Kolapo Ishola, Akobo area of Ibadan were handed over to the Oyo States special anti-crime patrol outfit codenamed, Operation Burst, after the escaped victims reported the matter to them. She added that she had to jump down from a two storey building where she and others were taken hostage and later scale a fence when she noticed the boys were acting funny in the middle of the night. She said We met at the club last night and we all went back to their apartment to sleep over. At some point I noticed some funny movement and saw them with a calabash (a native pot). That was when I knew they were ritualists with the intention to use me for rituals. So I jumped off the two-storey building, and off the fence. I then reported the case to the Operation Burst. Preliminary investigations have also revealed that the suspects have various incriminating documents stored in the laptops and phones recovered from them at the point of arrest. The development is coming even as operatives from the Ibadan Zonal Office of the Commission also on Wednesday, arrested another twelve suspected internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo-Yahoo Boys While six of the suspects were arrested at 2nd Pipeline, Ologunerun, Ibadan, the other five were picked up at a location in Ijebu-Remo, Ogun State. Those from Ibadan are Akinbinu Akinfemi, Wasiu Adeyemi, Idowu Samson, Tijani Usman, Saheed Eniafe and Adeyi Victor. While Benson Gospel, Abdulazeez Gafar, Agbumabiwon Abiodun, Abayomi Awotedu, and Bukayo Abiodun were apprehended at Ijebu Remo. Ranging between the ages of 17 and 29 years, the alleged fraudsters arrests were occasioned by petitions from their neighbours, detailing their alleged fraudulent activities. The alleged acts include love scam and other forms of internet fraud through which they obtain money from unsuspecting victims. Items recovered from them include laptops, mobile phones and several documents containing false pretences. All the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded, a source said. Invest In Social Force & Get 50% Click HERE >> To Buy Cheap MTN & GLO Data Click HERE >> Jigawa state Government has vows to improve on the standardization of its packaged finish products of value chain marketable products for exportation to enhance export promotion. This assertion was revealed by the jigawa state Governor Umar Namadi while commissioning of Habiscus Clearing and Fumigation Company COMTTRA situated at Maigatari Export Processing Zone. The COMTTRA being a private investor was floated in collaboration was a leading state private firm specialized in production of Habiscus, Sesame,, Rice and other agricultural crops. Therefore government is determined to partner with other privates company to promote value chain and standard in production, processing and packaging for competing at local and international market. Goverror Namadi added that, Jigawa state Government has been taken all necessary steps in transforming the state agricultural sector with the provision of modern farm imputs ,improve seeds, training and other needed facilities to farmers at a subsidize price. Today we are proud to say our efforts is yielding fruitful results, and we will continue to invest heavily in the sector for jobs creation, food security, growth and development. He however assured the Habiscus farmers that, his government will go round the world and source machine that will improve the Habiscus production harvesting and processing to reduce the hard labour in its production at competitive and all profitable price. In his remarks at the occasion the Chief Executive Director Nigerian Export Promotion Council who was represented by Mr Amby Dauda Ambiktum Director Export Development and Incentive Department said in 2023 Habiscus worth over $142 million was exported by 130 companies to 32 countries across the world, The CEO then promised to continue collaborating with Jigawa state in promoting Habiscus export being the major producer of the crop in Nigeria. In his Speech the Chief Executive Officer COMATRA Alhaji Umar Faruk Lawan Batagarawa commended Jigawa state Government for creating an enabling environment for investors to invest heavenly in habiscus production to attract investors attention in the state. Jigawa state is an investor friendly state, we promised to continue to collaborate with government and farmers for the development of Habiscus production, processing and marketing in the state for Job creation growth and development CEO declared. In his speech the state commissioner for Commerce and Industri Hon Aminu Ahmad Kanta Said, COMMATRA -Jigawa Company was established at Maigatar Free Export Processing Zone under the Jigawa state Government Public Private partnership to support Hibiscus production, and processing. , Also to provide farmers with modern farming technology to enhance market strategy. By Chuks Eke The people of Umuenu village, Umuawulu community in Awka South Local Government Area, of Anambra state yesterday embarked on a peaceful demonstration in protest against what they termed as illegal encroachment into their ancestorial land called Agu Udo/Agu Ofu land, by a neighbouring Abo Ani village, Awgbu in Orunba North Local Government Area, country hometowm of Chief Ernest Ezeajughi, Chief of Staff to Governor Chukwuma Soludo. Specifically, the protesters are pointing accusing fingers on Ezeajughi alleging that he is using his good office as Soludos Chief of Staff and as an indigene of Awgbu community to influence the state Depuuty Governor, Ifeanyichukwu Ibezim who is the Chairman of the state boundary committee to suppress Umuenu villagers of Umuawulu who are the rightful owners of the land in favour of Abo-Ani villagers of Awgbu. However, Ezeajughi has in a swift reaction, debunked such an allegation by the Umuenu villagers, describing it as very spurious. Ezeajughi who debunked the allegation on phone, said the Deputy Governor is the Chairman of the Boundary Committee whose duty it is to look into boundary disputes in the state and resolve them amicably. I am not even aware of any meeting holding nor was I part of the team that went for land inspection or demarcation at the disputed land between villages in Umuawulu and another village in Awgbu community. Only the Deputy Governor has the authority to preside over decisions on land matters brought before the Anambra State Boundary Dispute Commission, said Ezeajughi Also in his own reaction, the Deputy ,Governor, Ibezim declared: I brought in a change in our boundary committee. I took my time to go to these disputed areas physically and verified all sorts of claims. At least, we would be able to see every sign of demarcation like trees, rivers and landmarks that keep communities together, the Deputy Governor stated. Ibezim declared,: in the case in question, I went there and walked kilometres inside the bush and stood there. The two villages and a community because it is between Enugwu village in Umuawulu, Umuenu village in Umuawulu and Abo Ani in Awgbu, all of them for the case in my office and we fixed a date to go there. Shockingly, Umuenu did not come there. There, we didnt also want to take our own decision, so I called the leader of Umuawulu and the lawyer representing them, only to find out that after all of us agreed to meet there, he went back, because he was part of the decision that we will go physically there, he told me that he decided later to go to court again I made no statement there. All I told the people present was that we have seen things and that we will go back and take our decision, and that was all. I left. Whatever they are saying is just a matter of them not wanting to let peace reign. We have not released any official statement or taken a decision on the matter. They should wait for my decision first. I have not taken any final decision and they are carrying placards. I simply said that I have heard and I have seen the place but I have not made any decision. Asked if the Supreme Court judgment the people of Umuenu referred to was in favour of the village, the Deputy Governor said, People lay claims to all sorts of things. Let them bring the Supreme Court judgment. You have this judgment and that judgment, we have lawyers. We, as the executive arm of the government, our statutory responsibility is also to protect the judgments of the judiciary. To even protect the laws put in place by the legislature because we control the forces to do that. I dont have any piece of land there. I dont want to have one and I am not from Umuawulu or Awgbu. So, when somebody is calling the Chief of Staff or anybody, the Chief of Staff did not go with us nor was he even aware that we were going there. There is what we call monumentation. Ask them if we have done monumentation which is when we physically go and use beacons and fix and establish boundaries. Let them say whether we have done that. Let them say whether I have pointed at any point as the boundaries. Many elders from other villages went with us and climbed the hills, but there was no single representative from Umuenu, meanwhile, you agreed you would be there on a date you even fixed. There is so much insincerity in this land case. Some people have alleged we do go and put beacons for us to get lands for ourselves. I only just wonder why I should do that, said Ibezim. Some of the protesters, armed with placards with the inscriptions, Governor Soludo come to our rescue, Abo Ani encroached on our land, we have supreme court judgment in our favor on the land, Deputy Governor Onyekachukwu Ibezim is biased, Deputy Gov has been influenced by Chief of Staff who hails from Awgbu, Deputy gov writes scripts of Chief of Staff and former director of Anambra State Boundary Commission, Chief Davidson Nkala, Soludo intervene before they take over our land, we have no other land where we cultivate except the disputed land, among others. Speaking to newsmen during the protest, the spokesperson of the protesters and former chairman of Umuenu Umuawulu community, Chief Humphrey Obi, recalled how the land dispute started in the 60s and how Umuenu won all the three court cases that included the Court of Republic of Biafra , Onitsha Judicial Division, the Supreme court of Nigeria and others which ruled against Abo Ani Awgbu community. Specifically, Obi quoted the July 5,1967 judgement of the High Court of the Republic of Biafra, Onitsha Judicial Division, presided over by Justice W. O. Egbuna in the suit filed by Jerome Okpala and Nwanaka Nwankwo for themselves and on behalf of Umuenu village, Umuawulu against Richard Onyenegbu and five others for themselves and as representing the people of Abo-Ani village, Awgbu which gave victory to Umuenu village. In the judgement which has its suit No. as 0/41/1963, Justice Egbuna declared: I have monitored the evidence led by the plaintiffs and I am satisfied that this Aguofu land in dispute belongs to Umuenu people of Umuawulu and not to Abo-Ani Awgbu, the defendants. The court further declared:I am also convinced that the plaintiffs have been farming on this land and also got judgement over this very land in 1928 and still made use of the land until the defendants trespassed into it. He said that not being satisfied with the three court judgments, the Abo Ani people proceeded to Anambra State Boundary Commission headed by the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Onyekachukwu Ibezim, where they demanded for the demarcation of the disputed land. At the Commission we insisted that we are the owner of the land and also believe that the judgment of the Supreme court must be adhered to since it is still an extant law. Funny enough, our brother Enugwu community Umuawulu who supported Abo Ani and bear witness against us that Abo Ani owned the land in the court, now made U-turn and claimed that the land belongs to them, Enugwu, a claim which showed that they are being backed up by some powerful forces from the state government. Deputy Governor while we were interfacing with Abo Ani at the meeting Presided over by the Deputy Governor, told us that he has no business with the Supreme court judgment and others and that he has not even gone through the documents we submitted that he only wants the inspectiom and demarcation of the land in dispute. It is clear that from the utterances of the Deputy Go overnor that he is biased and influenced by the Chief of Staff who hails from Awgbu and Nkala who was a former Director of the Anambra State Boundary Commission and that is why we call on Governor Soludo to come to our rescue. It is the secred duty of Anambra State Boundary committee to follow and apply the said demarcation as judiciously fixed to accord with judicial fixed boundary, as anything short of that will not only amount to Anambra State Boundary committee reviewing, reversing the judgment of competent court but will amount to stretch contempt of court, Obi warned. In a petition by the President and secretary of Umuenu Umuawulu, Nze Okoye Godwin and Mr. Nwafor Tochukwu, respectively to Governor Soludo, they reminded him of his belief in the supremacy of law stating that as such should not allow any influence from any quarters to cede the land or part of it to both Abo Ani Awgbu and Enugwu Umuawulu as they were trespassers stopped by the courts of the land. Reiterating the danger inherent in ceding the land to the unauthorized communities, the duo urged Governor Soludo to rather invite the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to interprete to them the implication of disobeying court order. Among those that spoke during the protest included, Tochukwu Okoye, aged 94 years, said I am surprised that someone that signed witness for another now claims to be the owner of the land, lets just think twice. I am calling on Soludo as a peaceful man to intervene in this situation. Chief Johnson Anazonwu Nwafor, 88 years, stated, I was cultivating with my father in that land when I was a child, I know everywhere there. We have no case with Enugwu in that land only Awgbu people. Our village is a peaceful village if not blood would have been shedded in that land due to what they are doing to us. Mr. Roseline Adobe, a widow, added, I cultivated yam, cassava, among others but they destroyed all my crops, seized my hoe, knife. That is the only place I feed my children from. According to Mrs Susan Nwaeke Ogbunike, They stormed in the farm where we are cultivating, chased us away, leveled all my farm, destroyed all my crops and as the result of that my BP rose which I started suffering it till today. Governor Soludo, we are calling you to come and help us. Mrs Chinwendu Nwanaka, a widow, I was on my way to get something in my farm and someone told me that all we cultivated were destroyed, yam, cassava, cocoyam, when I got there I couldnt get anything, I started shadding tears that no one could help me. Related From Mohammed Nasir Shuaibu BAUCHI The Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Auwal Jatau on Tuesday declared that the administration of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed is steadfast in its commitment to alleviating the plight and suffering of its people. Speaking while receiving the state NLC chairman and his team at the Government House, Bauchi on a peaceful nationwide protest, Auwal Jatau noted that the present administration in Bauchi shares the concerns expressed by the organized labor at this difficult period of hardship. The Deputy Governor pointed out that Governor Bala Mohammed led administration recognizes the immense responsibility entrusted to him by the people of Bauchi, hence to be committed to improving the lives of every citizen in the state. I am here on behalf of my principal, His Excellency, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State to receive you on your nationwide protest. Your peaceful protest resonates with the concerns of every Nigerian facing the hardships and challenges that have burdened our people. Your voices raise awareness of the struggles, the pain, and the need for immediate action. I extend our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to each and every one of you for your peaceful approach in expressing your grievances. Your discipline and respect for the rule of law demonstrate a commendable commitment to democracy and civic duty. It is through dialogue that we find solace, understanding, and solutions to the obstacles that lie before us. He said Governor Bala Mohammeds government is determined to fostering an environment of inclusiveness and collaboration where all stakeholders, including organized labor, are given a platform to contribute their quota, opinions, suggestions, and expertise and implored the organized labor, to continue engaging constructively with the government as their inputs are vital in shaping policies that will better the lives of people. The Deputy Governor therefore recalled that immediately after the removal of fuel subsidy, the state government distributed bags of rice to the people of the state to cushion the effect and assured that the government would work assiduously to address the economic challenges faced by the citizens. Earlier, the state NLC chairman, Comrade Dauda Shuaibu said the visit is to convey the workers and citizens displeasure on the increased hardship and insecurity in the land for onward transmission to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and called for immediate action to alleviate the suffering and general insecurity in the country. It is important to note, that the atmosphere in the country is highly charged, citizens are groaning under intense hardship and pressure, many could not afford to feed their families more than once a day. We feel that, it is not justifiable to continue to go in this direction without searching for immediate solution, democracy is all about the people. The needs and plight of citizens must be attended to, once they voiced out, it is the only way to ensure the sustenance of the system and uphold the tenets of our democracy. The N30,000 National Minimum Wage is now ridiculous, as it could not purchase half a bag of Maize or Rice talk-less of other necessities of life or family needs. The Deputy Governor was accompanied by the Head of Civil Service, Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Honorable Commissioners of Local Government, Internal Security and that of Information as well as Chief Security Adviser among others. For the first time in its history, the famous Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation has organized and begin a weeklong Quranic Recitation Competition with participants drawn from various states across the Nigerian federation. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Musabaqa held at Event Centre, Bauchi the chairman of the Musabaqa committee, Sheikh Sayyid Aliyu Dahiru Bauchi said that they selected six out of the 615 schools disciples of the renowned Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi across the country to partake in the scheduled competition Sayyadi Aliyu Dahiru enumerated the states from where participants of the Quranic competition were drawn that included Gombe, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger where they were selected to enter the competition under the Tijjaniyayyah movement. Sheikh Aliyu MSDUB however recalled that ever since the establishment of the Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi Foundation decades ago, it has succeeded in rooting the nooks and crannies of the country to impact knowledge of the Quran and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH). Sayyid Ali who noted that the role played by the Sheikh Dahiru Foundation in the propagation of the Islamic knowledge in Nigeria and beyond cannot be over-emphasized, said that the competition was orgsnized to update the participants knowledge of the Holy Quran and refresh their memories of the book He called on governments at all levels to promote the course of the religion of Islam, and assist those in need, especially at this period of harsh economic strangulations, abject poverty and want, saying the foundation also needs helping hands to expand its activities for the benefit of the Ummah. He attributed the rampant cases of kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and insurgency to stack illiteracy of the people engage in such dastardly acts, hence the need for the government to intervene in propagating the Islamic knowledge to go side-by side with Western eduation. Sayyidi commended organizers of the Musabaqa programme, especially those that immensely contributed to make the programme a reality that included Alh. Bala Wunti, as he called for more support to maintain the tempo of the religious event. Also speaking, a lecturer with the Federal University Kashere in Gombe state, Dr. Fatihi Dahiru MSDUB noted that the Sheikh Dahiru Foundation is playing a significant role in the establishment of Quranic schools in Nigeria and West African countries, saying the foundation has 615 chapters in 23 states of the federation that have for the past 17 years producing Quranic Mallams. Dr. Fatihi who revealed that the foundation schools which currently have 115, 242 students/pupils, have so far produced or trained over 20, 000 clerics or Mallams, revealing further that the foundation has schools in countries such as Niger, Chad and Cameroon, among others. On his part the Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Auwal Jatau has pledged the unwavering commitment of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammeds government towards the promotion of religious education for the younger generation to grow intellectually and spiritually. He noted that the present administration in Bauchi has been supporting religious activities to include the culture of discipline among members of the society. The Deputy Governor said Governor Bala led-administration believed in the importance of providing a platform for young people to showcase their exceptional talent and deepen their understanding of the Holy Quran, hence the need to be sponsoring the conduct of Annual Quranic Recitation Competition across the state. He applauded the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation for its efforts in the promotion of Islamic education and for organizing this prestigious event that celebrates the beauty of the Quran. The Quranic Recitation Competition serves as a testament to our shared vision of nurturing our future generation in the principles and values of Islam. Together, we can create a brighter future by equipping our young minds with the spiritual and intellectual tools needed. Auwal Jatau once again expressed his deepest appreciation to Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation for organizing the Quranic Recitation Competition, assuring governments readiness and willingness to supporting initiatives such as the competition. Other speakers at the event includes, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Dass, Usman Bilyaminu Othman, Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Social Reorientation, Sheikh Surumbai Dahiru Bauchi among others. From Mohammed Nasir Shuaibu BAUCHI The Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Auwal Jatau on Thursday pledged the unwavering commitment of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammeds government towards the promotion of religious education for the younger generation to grow intellectually and spiritually. Speaking at the opening of the first Quranic Recitation Competition organized by the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation held at Event Centre, Bauchi, he noted that the present administration in Bauchi has been supporting religious activities to include the culture of discipline among members of the society. The Deputy Governor said Governor Bala led-administration believed in the importance of providing a platform for young people to showcase their exceptional talent and deepen their understanding of the Holy Quran, hence the need to be sponsoring the conduct of Annual Quranic Recitation Competition across the state. He applauded the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation for its efforts in the promotion of Islamic education and for organizing this prestigious event that celebrates the beauty of the Quran. On behalf of my boss, His Excellency, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, let me acknowledge and appreciate the remarkable work of the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation. Through its tireless dedication and commitment, the foundation has truly enlightening young minds and fostering a deeper understanding of the Holy Quran. The foundations relentless efforts in promoting Islamic education and spreading the teachings of Islam are commendable, and we are truly grateful for the contributions. The Quranic Recitation Competition serves as a testament to our shared vision of nurturing our future generation in the principles and values of Islam. Together, we can create a brighter future by equipping our young minds with the spiritual and intellectual tools needed. Auwal Jatau once again expressed his deepest appreciation to Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation for organizing the Quranic Recitation Competition, assuring governments readiness and willingness to supporting initiatives such as the competition. Earlier, the Chairman of the competition committee, Sheikh Sayyadi Ali disclosed that Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation has over 600 Quranic schools across the selected states of the federation as part of its support for the promotion of Islamic knowledge. Other speakers at the event includes, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Dass, Usman Bilyaminu Othman, Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Social Reorientation, Sheikh Surumbai Dahiru Bauchi among others. Nigeria has restored power supply to the Niger Republic for the first time in seven months. This comes a few days after the regional bloc, the ECOWAS announced the lifting of sanctions on Niger in Nigerias capital, Abuja. During its 24th session, ECOWAS said it was lifting the sanctions to ameliorate the suffering of the Nigerien people. Regarding sanctions against Niger, the regional bloc authority decides to lift with immediate effect the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger. Authorities in Nigeria had blocked power supply to its neighbouring country, following sections imposed by the ECOWAS; after the military coup in July 2023 deposed the democratically elected government of Mohamed Bazoum. 7 out of the 8 states in Niger rely on electricity supply from Nigeria under a long-standing trade agreement between the two countries. Convincing Nigerians to participate in future elections conducted by the INEC under Mahmood Yakubu, will be an uphill task. The INEC chairman and his team should go. The mistake Nigerian leaders make is in thinking that the citizens easily forget. But that is wrong. Times have changed. With improvements in technology and other electronic devices, errors by the leaders are kept, to be served them at appropriate moments, often in harsh measures. In other words, the evil that men do, now lives with them. Some call it nemesis, others say it is natural justice at work. Whatever it is, the lessons are instructive. Days to February 25, 2024, social media platforms were awash with flyers urging Nigerians to keep the date in mind for reflection and as a sad reminder of the electoral heist committed against them by Prof Mahmood Yakubu-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in 2023. Netizens were asked to say silent prayers on that day, that never again would the country be afflicted with the person and likes of Yakubu in any of its national institutions. That was a solemn declaration that should give any right-thinking man cause for concern. Advertisement In Igbo cosmogony, such declaration amounts to ritual cleansing, often carried out by communities when heinous crimes have been committed against the land. On such occasion, the scapegoat, a he-goat upon whose head is symbolically placed the sins and transgressions of an entire community, bears the burden of atonement for sins it did not commit. It is left to wander about, uncared for but unharmed by any member of the society, as a remembrance for the ugly past. The International Holocaust Remembrance Day, usually marked on 27 January, approximates to that. The Day reminds of the killing of six million Jews, two-thirds of Europes Jewish population, and millions of others by the Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945, in its sordid attempt to implement its final solution to the Jewish question. A commitment to guard against a recurrence of the bizarre action, has given rise to various activities, including the Never Again Movement. It is on this ground that the true meaning of the social media flyers preceding the February 25 anniversary of the 2023 presidential election, can be appreciated. We may recap the events of that day to drive home the anger of traumatized Nigerians, especially the youths. February 25, 2023 was a day of Nigerias presidential election; the day that the hopes by Nigerians for enthroning enduring democratic culture were dashed by Prof Mahmood Yakubus INEC and the former President, Muhammadu Buhari. Advertisement Before the fateful date, Buhari and the INEC Chairman, had fooled Nigerians, promising them free and fair elections. Buhari had at each juncture, announced to the world that he was working towards instituting a legacy of credible electoral democracy in the land. At every forum, he kept advertising the pledge. Yakubu followed suit, beating his chest that the days of election manipulation were over. He had particularly flaunted the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV), as safeguards against rigging. Nigerians, old and young, who had yawned for transparent election, believed them. But when it mattered most, it became glaring that neither the erstwhile President, nor the INEC chair was prepared to keep to those promises. They rather showed that they had a hidden agenda at compromising the poll. Yakubu was nowhere to be seen, while Buhari mocked Nigerians by brandishing his ballot paper, showing that he voted for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu. The outcome was quite demoralizing. It is thus not surprising that millions of Nigerians who had queued to vote, especially the youths, many of who had not voted before then, are still in shock, a year after. Many have vowed not to participate in the countrys future electoral processes. For a country with an estimated 60 percent of its population consisting of youths, that is a big deal. It means that the future of democracy in the country, looks bleak. Of course, you may not blame the youths for their extreme position. They are hurt. Like a virgin raped by someone she had trusted and looked up to as a mentor, they are disappointed and scared. For them, all the hopes of a better system have melted in the air. Nigeria has happened to them and has dealt a fatal blow on them and their psyche. Reversing the mental and emotional injury on the people, requires revisiting the source of their trauma. That is the essence of the February 25 prayers against another Mahmood Yakubu in superintending over a sensitive office in the land. So, when INEC released its reports on the poll and claimed that the glitch experienced in uploading the scanned images of polling unit presidential election result sheets on February 25, 2023 was due to the inherent complexity within the system, which was difficult to anticipate and mitigate, it knew that it was not telling Nigerians the truth. How can the same body that before the elections, repeatedly assured that it would upload the election results to the IRev portal in real-time, turn to offer excuses that do not make meanings? Recall that at some point even, the chairman swore that nothing would make INEC shift from electronic transfer of the results. The fact which Yakubu and members of his gang have not admitted is that INEC under them, worked from the answer in 2023. Everything in the conduct of the presidential election was programmed to foist Tinubu on the country. That informed his declaration as the winner in the wee hours of the night. With that, the package was sealed and delivered. Nigerians were merely deceived into a wild goose chase in the name of an election. Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the poll, was thus, right in dismissing the report as medicine after death. The judiciary, which the people turned to for succour, did not help matters. It rather compounded the situation with its controversial judgements. The Supreme Court judgement validating the election of Tinubu, against glaring instances of rigging, certificate forgery, identity theft and inconsistencies on personal data, is one outing that will haunt Nigerias democracy for a long time. Ignoring the substance of the issues and latching on technicalities to subvert justice in a case, is a serious disservice to democracy. Convincing Nigerians to participate in future elections conducted by the INEC under Mahmood Yakubu, will be an uphill task. The INEC chairman and his team should go. To be sure, elections cannot only be free and fair when won by the opposition. The ruling party can also come tops in a transparent poll. What matters is the fairness of the exercise and allowing the voter, the right to make his choice. That is why elections are seen as celebrations of democracy. Nigerians did not have that luxury in the last general elections. Mahmood Yakubu owes them more explanations on what happened. Friends and local community members attend a candlelight vigil for Aaron Bushnell, the Air Force serviceman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Sunday to protest Israel's war on Gaza, at San Pedro Springs Park on Friday, March 1, 2024 in San Antonio. The vigil was organized by friends and comrades of Aaron Bushnell and their social circles to honor our shared humanity, loved ones and revolutionaries. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Elizabeth, who declined to give a last name, a friend of Aaron Bushnell, speaks at a candlelight vigil for Aaron Bushnell, the Air Force serviceman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Sunday to protest Israel's war on Gaza, at San Pedro Springs Park on Friday, March 1, 2024 in San Antonio. The vigil was organized by friends and comrades of Aaron Bushnell and their social circles to honor our shared humanity, loved ones and revolutionaries. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News A memorial at a candlelight vigil for Aaron Bushnell, the Air Force serviceman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Sunday to protest Israel's war on Gaza, at San Pedro Springs Park on Friday, March 1, 2024 in San Antonio. The vigil was organized by friends and comrades of Aaron Bushnell and their social circles to honor our shared humanity, loved ones and revolutionaries. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Juliana Reynolds, a veteran, holds a sign at a candlelight vigil for Aaron Bushnell, the Air Force serviceman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Sunday to protest Israel's war on Gaza, at San Pedro Springs Park on Friday, March 1, 2024 in San Antonio. The vigil was organized by friends and comrades of Aaron Bushnell and their social circles to honor our shared humanity, loved ones and revolutionaries. Reynolds said I feel like its important to show support as someone in the military. I want to validate it. It feels important to be here. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Friends and local community members attend a candlelight vigil for Aaron Bushnell, the Air Force serviceman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Sunday to protest Israel's war on Gaza, at San Pedro Springs Park on Friday, March 1, 2024 in San Antonio. The vigil was organized by friends and comrades of Aaron Bushnell and their social circles to honor our shared humanity, loved ones and revolutionaries. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Armando Menagarcia, an Air Force veteran, speaks at a vigil for Aaron Bushnell, the Air Force serviceman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Sunday to protest Israel's war on Gaza, at San Pedro Springs Park on Friday, March 1, 2024 in San Antonio. The vigil was organized by friends and comrades of Aaron Bushnell and their social circles to honor our shared humanity, loved ones and revolutionaries. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Hannah, who declined to give a last name, a comrade of Aaron Bushnell, lights candles at a candlelight vigil for Aaron Bushnell, the Air Force serviceman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Sunday to protest Israel's war on Gaza, at San Pedro Springs Park on Friday, March 1, 2024 in San Antonio. The vigil was organized by friends and comrades of Aaron Bushnell and their social circles to honor our shared humanity, loved ones and revolutionaries. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Bedune, who declined to give a last name, views a wall of pro-Palestinian posters and photos of Aaron Bushnell, at a candlelight vigil for Aaron Bushnell, the Air Force serviceman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Sunday to protest Israel's war on Gaza, at San Pedro Springs Park on Friday, March 1, 2024 in San Antonio. The vigil was organized by friends and comrades of Aaron Bushnell and their social circles to honor our shared humanity, loved ones and revolutionaries. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News D.J., who declined to give a last name, pays respects at a candlelight vigil for Aaron Bushnell, the Air Force serviceman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Sunday to protest Israel's war on Gaza, at San Pedro Springs Park on Friday, March 1, 2024 in San Antonio. The vigil was organized by friends and comrades of Aaron Bushnell and their social circles to honor our shared humanity, loved ones and revolutionaries. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News San Antonio activists gathered Friday evening at San Pedro Springs Park for a candlelight vigil in honor of Senior Airman Aaron Bushnell, a local serviceman who fatally set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25 to protest Israels war on Gaza. Many of Bushnells supporters at the park portrayed him as a martyr for the Palestinian cause. Given the nature of his courageous protest Ive struggled to even figure out what exactly to say, said Armando Menagarcia, a 26-year-old Air Force veteran who did not know Bushnell. I feel like hed want me to focus on the message he left us with, but I also want to pay him the respect hes due just for being the selfless man that he was. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Aaron courageously, albeit tragically, lost his life in the line of duty, he said. Aaron Bushnell wasnt killed by insurgents in a foreign land he selflessly gave his life for something far more honorable. He gave his life for the truth, and I honestly wish I had his courage. The memorial at the park saw mourners carrying signs and clutching candles, which they placed around a tree within a short walk from an area where a sizable crowd of people stood and sat. A flier for the vigil said its purpose was to honor our shared humanity, loved ones and revolutionaries. A speaker who identified himself as Moon said he was a friend and comrade of Aarons. We must acknowledge that this occupation in Israel must end and everyone in Palestine are free to live on their land and prosper without the threat of colonization, he said. Aaron himself was a principled, strong-willed man. He was keenly aware of hierarchical relationships due to his experiences growing up and consistently pushed back on any potential hierarchies in our day-to-day organizing. The San Antonio chapter of Democratic Socialists of America described Bushnell, 25, as a committed activist and a committed anarchist. DSA said he was a cherished member of the community who worked to help the homeless. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The group said Bushnell rallied to the Palestinian cause at the start of Israels war with Hamas in Gaza. Bushnell, 25, of Whitman, Mass., doused himself with a flammable liquid and set himself ablaze around 1 p.m. Sunday in northwest Washington, D.C. After chanting Free Palestine! for about a minute as the flames consumed him, he collapsed. The gruesome scene was captured on a video-streaming app on his smartphone, which hed positioned to capture the scene, including his explanation beforehand of why he was killing himself in front of the embassy. My name is Aaron Bushnell, the airman said. 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. Police reported that he died in a local hospital at 8:06 p.m, Bushnells 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. However, an Air Force official said Bushnell was not a top graduate or honor graduate at basic training. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He went on to attend technical school at Keesler AFB in Mississippi. The Air Force said he did not deploy, but received the standard Global War on Terrorism medal awarded for support to counter-terrorism. He also received the Meritorious Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal and Air Force Training Ribbon. At the time of his death, he was serving with the 531st Intelligence Support Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, part of the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing. A former Air Force secretary, F. Whitten Peters, said he believed that Bushnell would have required a top-secret security clearance to hold a job in the wing, based at Fort Meade in Maryland. The Air Force is investigating the circumstances that led to Bushnells self-immolation. Vigils like the one Friday night in San Antonio have taken place across the country since last Sunday. One in Cleveland, Ohio, drew supporters who lit candles and placed them on a table at City Hall. Another was held Tuesday outside the U.S. Armed Forces Recruitment Center in midtown Manhattan. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A former Army specialist, Julie Reynolds, 34, of San Antonio, said she came to the local vigil as a veteran and a supporter of the free Palestine movement. She said she was struck by Bushnells commitment. I am compelled by the passion, Reynolds said. Im not quite sure about his mental state, but I respect the stand. Bushnell joined the Air Force on May 5, 2020. He described himself on LinkedIn 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. Its, of course, an extreme type of a way to bring attention to it, and I dont know thats an ultimate sacrifice, said Miguel Puga, who was with his wife and their 2-year-old daughter. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Menagarcia, the former Air Force staff sergeant, also held Bushnell in high regard. I have friends that know of Aaron and speak of his volunteering and his kind-hearted nature, Menagarcia told the crowd during a lengthy speech. I have seen the statements he made on social media. Nothing he said was even really that radical. He just spoke the truth. Hes being called insane, literally, he said. Ive seen the Air Force subreddit threads that say some truly awful things about a brother in arms that at the time hadnt even succumbed to his injuries yet. Closing his speech, he said, I wish I could have met someone like you when I was in. Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, on Friday, March 1, 2024 was at the funeral rites of the late renowned constitutional lawyer and legal icon late Professor Benjamin Obiefuna Nwabueze, a former Minister of Education and who passed on at the age of 94. While speaking at the funeral which was held at the deceased home in Atani, ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, Governor Soludo, expressed his heartfelt condolence to Nwabuezes family and the entire people of Atani-Ogbaru Council area, emphasizing that the late Jurist was a rare gift to Anambra and a significant figure in African history. The governor went on to eulogize the late Statesman. He concluded his speech by expressing optimism that Anambra State will continue to produce great individuals like Professor Nwabueze who will impart and contribute positively to the development of Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Other statesmen who were at the event include; Former Commonwealth Secretary General, Rt Hon Emeka Anyaoku and President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who respectively paid a glowing tribute to the late legal icon. Also, the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, Chief of Protocol Chinedu Nwoye, Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu, Senator Ben Obi, Chief Simeon Okeke, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, Traditional Rulers, top government officials and community leaders, among others, attended the event. Related Where, how he will be laid to rest Isiokpo kingdom, RCCG Parish Plan big for burial Church members are to wear Ankara for burial, and white for Thanksgiving He built our church; Well celebrate him, not mourn for he was a good man Pastor Every turn from PH Airport to Isiokpo being touched Isiokpo youths demand the cause of death from FG, USA Plan a Protest at the US Embassy, Villa, to block major roads By Daniel Abia in Isiokpo, P/Harcourt It is ten kilometres from the Port Harcourt International Airport to Wigwe International University in Isiokpo. From the airport junction deep into the hinterland, every turn wears a new look in anticipation of receiving an august visitor. Preparations for the final burial of the billionaire business mogul, Dr Herbert Wigwe on hypersonic speed. Roads are being cleared and available potholes are fixed. Contractors handling the University project are on their toes. The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, and Isiokpo parish are wearing a befitting look. Several hectares of land have either been donated by well-wishers or acquired by families as car parks to ease both human and vehicular traffic on the day of the burial. In all, Isiokpo kingdom looks set to receive its illustrious son back home. Yes, he is coming home to rest for eternity on Saturday, March 9, 2024. But on his arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, the late Wigwe will not adorn his usual trademark smiles. There will be no handshakes. No hugging. No form of pleasantries. He will be stiff and cold. Call it rigor mortis. He will be lying face up signifying the end of all mortals. That is because death, a necessary end comes when it will come. Private Cemetery As if he had a premonition of his tomorrow, Dr. Herbert Wigwe had already built a befitting private tomb for himself. Located within the massive expanse of the University environment, the mausoleum is a sight worthy of a billionaire. Do not grief, for the joy of the Lord is your strength, is an inscription embossed on the top corner of the composing mausoleum. The sight of the transparent private cemetery is a clear testament to the fact that Dr. Herbert Wigwe was not just rich while alive, he appears even richer in death. With thousands of foreign guests expected to pay their last respects to this rare gem, what will be the cynosure of all eyes is the expansive landmass of the Wigwe International University. The construction of the university has 60% of its local content in terms of labour deployed from Rivers State, 20% from Isiokpo and the remaining 20% from the rest of Nigeria. A touch of a detribalized man, one would say. He built this private cemetery before he started the university. His house here has been designed to have a special gate and walls separated from the university. I can tell you that he had a big vision. Very good vision and he was making efforts to ensure that those visions came to a reality. But what I cannot tell you right now is whether those visions will still be achieved, a credible source decried. Going spiritual, the source said, it is only the owner of the vision that can implement his visions to the letter. I cannot say if those visions including the university will be accomplished in line with the dreams of the owner of the vision. Virtually all the buildings within the university environment are receiving an accelerated touch. Every completed building wears the same colour of pure white and some black corrugated roofs. The internal road construction is ongoing with the speed of light. Every staff knows his brief. RCCG Parish Isiokpo Wears New Face Myriads of activities were seen going on within the premises of the 48-acre Lion of Judah Parish of RCCG, Isiokpo. Lands were being sand-filled for car parking in anticipation of the heavy crowd that would attend the funeral next Saturday. The 1000-seater auditorium with 12 standing split air conditioning units built by the late billionaire was being renovated to depict the status of the man who came, saw and blessed anyone who crossed his path while alive. Residents who live close to the church have donated their farmlands to be sand-filled for car parks while the church itself has expanded deep into the interior to create more space for the expected guests. Our brother Wigwe built the main church before he died. It was commissioned by the General Overseer (Pastor Enoch Adeboye). He lived a good life. We will celebrate him not to mourn because he lived a very good life worthy of emulation. Pastor Olaniyan said the entire church will appear in Ankara material on Saturday for the burial while all members of the church will be on white for the Thanksgiving service on Sunday. That is the way we want to celebrate him. We will forever remember him and his good works while he was alive. The parish pastor recollected that Dr. Wigwe was in the church premises a few days before he travelled and promised to ensure that the electricity project he embarked upon in the community would be realized. That was the last time we saw him. Some communities had started enjoying the light before his death. Not minding the pains of their sons death, the Wigwe family still went ahead to provide the Ankara material that would be used by the church members in Isiokpo. To reciprocate the gesture, Pastor Olaniyan said there would be a deliberate move to ensure that the presence of RCCG is felt on the University campus to drive the legacies and vision of the late Wigwe. Weve Lost A Rare Gem Dr. Chukwudi Dimgba, a front-line politician in Isiokpo could not hold back his emotions when he narrated the beautiful memories of late Herbert Wigwe. He was the light of Isiokpo kingdom. He put this kingdom on the global map through his numerous legacy projects and empowerment programs. Dr. Dimgba revealed that Isiokpo council of chiefs and indeed the entire Isiokpo people will work in unison to give the deceased, his wife and son befitting burials. He will be accorded a full burial rite as a true son of the kingdom. Remember that two weeks ago, the King declared a 7-day mourning period in honour of his death. He deserves all the best because he was our light. USA govt, FG On Trial Preparations for the burial of the Wigwes may be in top gear but the youths of the community seem to have a joker off their sleeves. They are demanding for immediate explanation from the governments of the United States where the helicopter crashed and the Nigerian government over its silence on the root cause of the death. The Chief security officer, CSO, of Isiokpo kingdom, Wobodo Amadi jnr said the government of the United States must come out clean and explain to the world and indeed, the people of Isiokpo what killed Wigwe, his wife and son. Amadi refused to be convinced about the recent report of weather conditions that must have led to the Copter crash, killing the three Wigwes and three other occupants. The US government should come and explain to us what killed our son. We will stage a peaceful protest at the American embassy, and the Villa (Nigerias Seat of power) in Abuja and occupy major roads for two weeks if we are not presented with a convincing reason for what led to his death. If they say the weather was bad, who then authorized the pilot to fly the helicopter? During the covid-19 pandemic, Wigwe donated N2billion to the federal government of Nigeria to cushion the effect of the widespread virus. Why then is the Nigerian government keeping silent in his death? What does anybody know that we dont know? The death of our son was not natural. We demand an explanation, he said. On their preparations for the burial, an emotional Amadi noted that the youths of the community were fully prepared for the event. He said all the youths would spot black on the burial day and would be at the Port Harcourt International Airport to receive the bodies and provide security for the visitors. Everywhere including the hotels will be adequately secured. The youths will collaborate with other security agencies like the department of Security Services, DSS, Police and the Army to ensure that nothing untoward happens before, during and after the burial next week. There will also be a candle night in his honour. He regretted that Dr. Herbert Wigwe would be greatly missed in several ways. Every year, he used to give us N100million for our annual carnival. He employed and empowered our youths. Our late brother contributed 80% to the peace we are enjoying in Isiokpo today. He made a promise that if any indigene got a first-class degree, such a person would be given automatic employment. He has been doing exactly that. If you go to Wigwe University, many of our youths are working there and earning good salaries. We are bitter about losing a good son like that. Nonetheless, the youths have raised a serious allegation that the cause of the helicopter crash might not have been due to weather problems. This will spark a debate soon after the final burial on Saturday, March 9. If the death of the Wigwes was predetermined, where then would the pendulum of blame swing? Wigwe was a business tycoon who was associated with the big and mighty in the business world. He was a friend to state governors, a confidant to presidents and a trusted ally to global business partners. Not just that, he stepped down from his high horse to dine and wine with the commoners in his home town. He was a source of hope for many indigent homes. So, where are the fingers of the youths pointing to? Wigwe was a good man and his people in Isiokpo will ensure he rests in peace with his wife and son. File photo In response to a string of bandit attacks in the region, residents of Wurna village in Kurfi Local Government Area of Katsina State set bonfires and obstructed the Katsina-Dutsinma highway on Friday. The protest left several travelers stranded as some vehicles were forced to reroute through bush paths connecting Dutsinma to other parts of the state. Efforts by Daily Post to reach the Katsina State Police Commands spokesperson, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, for comments on the development, proved abortive as at press time. However, a resident of the village, who identified himself simply as Abdulkarim, told The Nation that the community has been plagued by incessant bandit attacks for the past four days, leaving the people in a perpetual state of unrest. Security operatives are currently on ground to restore normalcy in the area and forestall a breakdown of law and order. More to follow Fr. Kelvin Ugwu, a Nigerian Catholic priest, has stated that any Christian who spends time praying for the demise of monitoring spirits is futile, as God does not endorse violence or murder. The clergyman had taken to social media to ask what people mean by monitoring spirit they pray against. According to him, the responses he received showed that people pray against monitoring spirit when they have doubts about the sincerity of their neighbours, colleagues, friends, family members, or those from their village who are on the lookout for any new thing or big plans in their lives to truncate it and ensure they never become a success. He stated that people who have such doubts about these monitoring spirits and then go ahead to pray for them to die! Die!! Die!!!in the name of God. The catholic priest argued that God does not partake in murder and that such people should exclude God from such prayers. For those who pray against monitoring spirits as it concerns their travel plans, the cleric wondered how monitoring spirits can stop a Nigerian from getting a visa to America when their plans are divulged but cant stop an American from getting a visa to Nigeria even when the American posted it online for all to see months before his travels. His post reads: On the Issue of Monitoring Spirit Dear friends, when I asked the question about what you meant when you pray against monitoring spirits, all I wanted was to be sure you know exactly what you are doing when you make such prayers. There are those who when they pray against monitoring spirit, what they carry in mind is their neighbors, colleagues, friends, family members, or those from their village who are on the lookout for any new thing or big plans in their lives to truncate it and ensure they never become a success. So, usually, their prayers are often like this: all you monitoring spirits, in the name of God, die! Die!! Die!!! If this is what you mean by monitoring spirit, sorry to say this to you. . .you are wasting your time because they will not die. You are not also being Christ-like when you make such prayers. God is not going to kill them on your behalf. If you want to murder them, go ahead and murder them. . . Dont involve God in your murder plans. In situations like this where you feel people are monitoring you and may even ensure your plan doesnt come to light, the advice from the Bible is in Matthew 10:16 which says, Be wise as the serpent but be gentle as the dove. In other words, the Bible is saying you should use your common sense and know who to let into your secrets. The Bible did not say you should pray for their death. In Matthew 5:44, it says Pray for your enemies and those who persecute you. This is also because when God wants to prepare a table for you, he will do it in the presence of all those enemies (Psalm 23:5). If they all die, how will they see your success? If on the other hand what you mean by monitoring spirit is the Devil or a demon, or what you call evil forces. Then, bear in mind that if they are spirits in the real sense of spirit, there is nothing about you that they cant find out if they really want to. So the question truly is: what are you really hiding? So, Monitoring spirits can stop you from getting a visa to America because they found out that you are processing your documents, but they cant stop an American from getting a visa to Nigeria even when the American posted it online for all to see months before his travels. Odiegwu! For those of you who always take pleasure in saying to me things like what you dont know, is bigger than you, I want you to equally bear in mind that what you dont know that I know is much bigger than you. The Devil, or demon, if it is actually a demon or a devil is not concerned about whether you travel or not, whether you marry or not, whether you are rich or not. From a biblical perspective, he is more concerned about you losing faith. So, if traveling will make you lose faith, and if according to you he has the power to stop your travels, he will rather aid you to travel so you lose faith. If getting rich will make you lose faith, he will rather make you super rich (this is on the assumption that he even has such powers.) A lot of these monitoring spirits tales are simply adults refusing to take responsibility for their failures. The devil is as powerful as the power you give him. Have a blessed month! Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has expressed shock and devastation at the demise of Tolani Quadri Oyebamiji, the Osun-born Nollywood actor popularly known as Sisi Quadri. The governor in a condolence message by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed on Friday stated that the late thespian during his lifetime was a delight to watch on screen. Adeleke also stated that Sisi Quadri also radiated homes with laughter through his style of acting. Daily Post gathered that the late comic actor passed away when he was rushed to hospital after suffering persistent hiccups which were caused by a kidney-related ailment while in his hometown in Iwo, Osun State. The governor also commiserated with his immediate family, especially his aged father, Alhaji Oyebamiji, the people of Iwoland and the movie industry as a whole, urging them to take consolation in a life of impacts, particularly in the acting profession. Adeleke said, Tolani Quadri Oyebamiji (aka Sisi Quadri) was a delight to watch in movies. He was a great talent that illuminated homes and imparted valuable messages. With his demise, the memory of the wonderful moments he created on the scenes, and more, the comical relief he inspired through his works, will reverberate for years. I mourn his loss knowing well the great talent that is gone. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his immediate family, the people of Iwoland, the movie industry, and everyone touched by this devastating experience. It is my sincere prayer that they get the strength to bear the hard moment his passage represents. May Almighty Allah grant his aljanah fridaos soul. MACBAN said if Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra , IPOB, could be arrested and prosecuted, then the same thing should apply to Igboho. President Bola Tinubu has been urged by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, to arrest and prosecute Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemi, popularly known as Igboho. MACBAN said if Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, could be arrested and prosecuted, then the same thing should apply to Igboho. MACBAN National President, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, made the call in response to Igbohos remarks that Fulani herders should be expunged from the Southwest. Igboho, who recently returned to Nigeria after about two years of detention in Benin Republic, accused Fulani herders of killing farmers in the Southwest. However, Ngelzarma described Igbohos remark as an unlawful comment that amounts to treason. In a statement he signed, Ngelzarma said: We call on the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and relevant security agencies to arrest and prosecute Sunday Igboho for making this unlawful statement that amounts to treason because he is asking for the actualisation of Oduduwa nation. His statements are unlawful. If Nnamdi Kanu will be held behind bars for a similar offence, we see no reason why Sunday Igboho will be allowed to go scot-free without being arrested and prosecuted. BY RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka The allegations of community vigilantes in Anambra State taking oaths with criminals and criminal elements infiltrating the vigilante service have not only made the war against criminalities in the hinterlands unsuccessful but have also made the bushes and forests a safe heaven for criminals who have their camps in such places. Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, at a meeting with Traditional Rulers and Presidents-General recently in Awka, accused local vigilantes of working with criminal elements to terrorise citizens in the countryside. Governor Soludo who berated such ungodly situation, wondered why some heads of the vigilantes do not reside in their respective communities where they are policing instead they lived outside their areas of operations. The Governor said irrespective of the fact that his government spent state resources in combating insecurity in the state, some communities have remained adamant because the people have not shown commitment to helping themselves end the cankerworm called sit-at-home in the area. Also, further investigations into such troubled communities revealed that the areas have been completely deserted due to insecurity. Villages in such communities are surrounded by bushes and forests where daredevil hoodlums operate from without disturbances from vigilantes or other security agents. Grapevine stories have it that people in these communities no longer perform ceremonies like traditional marriage ceremonies, burial ceremonies and such others for fear of attacks from hoodlums who live in the surrounding bushes and demand from N100,000.00 and above together with other things before such ceremonies could take place, else there would be massive destructions. This is where the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) comes in as a credible alternative in providing watertight security in the villages and communities because they are synonymous with the forests. Hunters know and can speak the language of the forest fluently because they have done great exploits including a recent operation where officers of the Nigerian Army as well as men of the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) led to the neutralization of many unknown gunmen who attempted to ambush security operatives in Owoko community of Mmiata-Anam Anambra-East Council Area of Anambra State. Reports also have it that men of the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) displayed gallantry at Umuem-Anam community in Anambra-East where their operations neutralised scores of unknown gunmen. To this end therefore, it will certainly not be an overstatement should the Anambra State Government consider the services of Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) to comb troubled communities in the state especially communities in Anambra-South region as no other security outfits could understand or speak the language of the forests better than hunters. Hence, Chris Okey Udeze, the National Coordinator Community Policing Partners, believes that hunters are veritable security deposits that can function alongside vigilantes and other security agents, especially in providing intelligence in urban communities to help forestall criminal activities. He said if hunters could record milestone achievements in the Northern and Western parts of the country in tackling forest crimes, such feat could be replicated in Anambra State and the entire Southeast region. Again, the National President of the Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) Barr. Titus Nnabuike Akpudo, said the need for state recognition of hunters can not be overemphasized. He said there was need for government to conscript hunters into the state security forces to enable them to join the vigilantes and others in fighting crimes and criminalities in the state, especially forest related crimes. Akpudo who observed that the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) has been helpful in combating insecurity in Anambra State, noted that hunters are everywhere in the country, assisting and helping to reduce insecurity through their forest expeditions. He recalled that Ebonyi State Government recruited over 2000 hunters recently while Governors of the Northern States have been recruiting hunters and also funding them and giving them vehicles and motorcycles to carry out their operations in such places. Meanwhile the Convener, Recover Nigeria Project, Comrade Osita Obi, said the services of the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) are required urgently in Anambra State to frontally tackle insecurity. Although he called for total reform of the vigilante service but also advocated for the inclusion of hunters in the state security architecture. He pointed out that some urban communities do not have forests, but that hunters could work in synergy with vigilantes and other security agents to secure such places through intelligence gatherings and joint operations. Related Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has hailed the police for rescuing the Magajin Garin Daura, Alhaji Musa Umar, from his abductors at Gangar Ruwa quarters, Samegu area of Kumbotso Local Government Area. Since his abduction on May 1, the district head had been with the kidnappers before he was rescued in Kano. The governor said the rescue was due to diligence on duty and patriotic commitment of the police and other security agents. He specifically hailed the Inspector General of Police for the exemplary role played by IGs Operation Puff Adder Intelligence Response Team and Kano State Police Command, explaining that the feat was a pointer to how security agencies work in synergy. Lauding those who provided tips on the alleged kidnappers, Ganduje assured that his administration would not relent in its effort in cementing good relationship between members of the public and security agencies, through community policing strategy. ALSO READ:Ganduje appoints 26 Heads of Government agencies We shall continue supporting our security agencies for securing our land. People should come to understand that growth is only possible when security is given paramount importance. Peace and development are, but inseparable concepts, which must be treated as such. We have great concern for how well to secure our people and how strategic we should continue on making sure that security of the land becomes joint effort between security agencies on one hand, and between security, the state and members of our communities, he said. Ganduje congratulated the rescued traditional ruler, his family, Daura Emirate Council, Katsina State and the nation, praying for continued Allahs protection on the traditional ruler and Nigerians. The Supreme Court on Tuesday affirmed Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha, as the authentic governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general election. Tye apex Court dismissed a suit filed by Senator Sam Anyanwu, challenging the emergence of the Imo Governor as the PDP candidate. The appeal, heard by a panel of five Justices of the Supreme Court, presided over by Hon. Justice G. Okoro, held that the allegations of fraud and over voting pleaded by the appellant were not proved. The Supreme Court which held that the appeal ought not to have come to the Apex Court at all, further held that the concurrent findings by the lower courts were unassailable and also agreed with the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division and affirmed the judgement of the trial Court. In its judgement, the Court also awarded costs of N200, 000.00 against the appellant (Sam Anyanwu) in favour of Ihedioha and the PDP. Anyanwu had approached the Court seeking to nullify the victory of Ihedioha on the allegations of over-voting and thuggery, which he alleged, swayed the polls against him and that he be declared as the authentic winner of the primary election. It could be recalled that Governor Ihedioha polled 1723 to defeat Senator Anyanwu, who scored 1282.in the partys primary election. While Senator Anyanwu rejected the result of the primary election, five other aspirants accepted the outcome of the exercise. Governor Ihedioha in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Chibuike Onyeukwu, described the judgement as a victory for democracy and dedicated it to God and the good people of Imo State. The governor, again, extends the olive branch to Senator Anyanwu to join hands with him in his efforts to rebuild the state and restore her lost glory. Imo State is our home and we have no other place to go. I extend, once again, my hands of fellowship to my brother Senator Sam Anyanwu to join us as we make genuine and deliberate efforts towards rebuilding our state, which we met in a state of near-collapse. Bugatti Zambian authorities have seized a $2.8m Bugatti Veyron which arrived the country through Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on Monday February 24. In a statement released by Zambias Drug Enforcement Commission on Wednesday February 26, it was gathered that the agency is investigating the owner of the luxury cars source of income to ensure there is no breach of its money laundering laws. The investigation is still ongoing. Here is the statement below; See Video Below; Christopher Dahl, 19, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a public servant and two counts of terroristic threats to a family or household. Sujata Jana / EyeEm/Getty Images/EyeEm Two San Antonio police officers opened fire on a 19-year-old man late Friday on the Northwest Side after he pointed a shotgun at them, police said. Officers responded to a call for a disturbance involving a knife around 7 p.m. in the 9100 block of Dartbrook. Police Chief William McManus said a woman related to the man called police to advise them that the 19-year-old was being very violent and was saying he was going to kill her. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When they arrived, officers said they saw the man holding a shotgun as he was walking down the staircase of the apartment. According to the preliminary report, the man aimed the shotgun at the officers and both officers fired their weapons, striking him. The 19-year-old was taken to a local hospital by EMS in critical condition. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Police said no officers or bystanders were injured during the shooting. The injured man, later identified as Christopher Dahl, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a public servant and two counts of terroristic threats to a family or household. The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, on Tuesday in Abuja said that his tenure will end in June, 2019. Emefiele who stated this while responding to questions surrounding his sack from office, said at least you can see me, I am doing my work, my tenure expires in June and at least lets continue. He noted that even if he leaves at the end of his first tenure the intervention programmes of the CBN has been on since 1978 and it has moved from one governor to another I am very optimistic that even if another governor comes, no right thinking person will abandon an initiative that is laudable and that is meant to create jobs for the good of our country. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Tuesday dismissed claims that the CBN governor has been sacked. Responding to inquiries from The Nation Tuesday, the Director Corporate Communications of the CBN Mr. Isaac Okorafor told The Nation that the governor is in his office working. Another official of the CBN also told The Nation Correspondent that there is nothing like that, the governor is here, his tenure expires in June. An online media had reported on Monday afternoon that the CBN governor has been sacked by the presidency and given two weeks to clear his table and handover to an unnamed successor. President of National Cotton Association of Nigeria Mr. Anibe Achimugu at the textile stakeholders meeting in Abuja told the CBN governor that we give God the glory that you are sitting here today. You have done well; we are praying that even with our own intervention, that you will do a lot more by the grace of God. Zainab Habibu Aliyu A Nigerian woman, Zainab Habibu Aliyu has been detained in Saudi Arabia for drug-related offences. She was arrested by Saudi Arabia Police on December 26, 2018 shortly after arriving for Lesser Hajj. Investigation by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) revealed that she might have been setup by a cartel that operated at the airport Zainab, a student of Maitama Sule University, Kano, had travelled from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in company with her mother, Mrs. Maryam Aliyu, and sister, Hajara Aliyu. She was later arrested over allegations that a luggage, bearing her name tag, contained the unlawful substance after it appeared she was set up. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered a cartel, which specialised in planting illicit drugs in travellers luggage. The commission launched an investigation, which culminated in the arrest and arraignment before a Federal High Court in Kano of seven staff of the airport. Zainabs father, Habibu Aliyu who is not happy that his daughter is cooling off in a Saudi Prison despite the recent discovery that she was framed by some drug cartel, explained that the allegations of Zainab entering the Asian country with Tramadol, was absolute falsehood as recent events and arrests have confirmed the girls innocence. He has appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Saudi authorities and the international community as well as well-meaning individuals to intervene in her daughters case and help save the innocent lady from being executed wrongly. Watch the video below: Source Share this: Related Share this: Identical triplets have been jailed in the UK after their DNA led detectives to identify that they had been in possession of a firearm, intending to pass it to a dangerous criminal. The three were charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm within intent to endanger life in relation to an incident on 10 April 2017 and were sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court on Friday, 6 September: Reiss Gabriel, 28 (24.6.1991) of Church Street, N9 was jailed for 18 years. Ralston Gabriel, 28 (24.6.1991) of Galahad Road, N9 was jailed for 14 years. Ricky Gabriel, 28 (24.6.1991) of Church Street, N9 was jailed for 14 years. The brothers are the final three of eight individuals charged in relation to this case. WASHINGTON (AP) Theres nothing complicated about the latest tobacco product trending online: Zyn is a tiny pouch filled with nicotine and flavoring. But it has stoked a debate among politicians, parents and pundits that reflects an increasingly complex landscape in which Big Tobacco companies aggressively push alternative products while experts wrestle with their potential benefits and risks. Zyn comes in flavors like mint, coffee and citrus, and Philip Morris International markets it to adult tobacco users. But videos of young people popping the pouches have racked up millions of views on TikTok and other social media platforms. That trend has advocates worried that Zyn could become the latest nicotine product to attract underage teens, similar to the way Juul triggered a yearslong spike in vaping. Other experts say that risk is outweighed by the potential to steer adults away from cigarettes and other traditional tobacco products, which account for 480,000 U.S. deaths annually. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result, said Dr. Jasjit Ahluwalia, an addiction specialist at Brown University. That is what weve done with tobacco for decades. Weve been all about abstinence, instead of embracing products that can reduce harm. Ahluwalia sees nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes as a way to help smokers cut back or quit cigarettes. That approach is standard practice in the U.K., but its outside the medical mainstream in the U.S., where only pharmaceutical-grade medications like nicotine gum and lozenges are formally approved to help smokers quit. Ahluwalia points out that Zyn works the same way as those products: releasing low levels of nicotine that are absorbed into the gums, reducing cravings. The chief difference, he notes, is that Zyn is sold by Philip Morris, the global cigarette giant and a longtime foe of anti-smoking groups. The controversy around Zyn recently spilled over into politics, pitting Democrats and Republicans in Washington against each other and spiraling into another skirmish in the nation's culture war. In late January, Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, of New York, called on regulators to investigate Zyn, citing its appeal to teens. Several House Republicans then warned constituents that Big Brother intended to ban nicotine. Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson, a Zyn user, jumped into the fray, declaring: Zyn is not a sin, and touting its unproven benefits, like enhancing male vitality and mental acuity. Zyn users have quickly developed their own online vocabulary, including zynnies, zynner and zynsky." Theres this online subculture around Zyn thats been spearheaded by younger males, but a lot of thats not coming from the brand itself, said Ollie Ganz, a Rutgers University tobacco and nicotine researcher. Online videos show young people documenting their first experiences trying Zyn, reviewing different flavor combinations and displaying heaping piles of used canisters. Its concerning to see the countless Zyn-related memes and hashtags that are being amplified and normalized across social media, said Kathy Crosby, CEO of the Truth Initiative, an anti-tobacco advocacy group. Truth and other groups point to research suggesting nicotine can interfere with brain development in adolescents. Its the Food and Drug Administrations job to weigh Zyns risks to youngsters against its potential to help adults. In a statement, an FDA spokesman said the agency is monitoring underage use, noting that 1.5% of high school and middle schoolers reported using pouches last year. Thats well below the 10% who used e-cigarettes. FDA officials have allowed Zyn to stay on the market while they review Philip Morris marketing application, which has been pending since 2020. If teen use remains low, the company could win FDA authorization for at least some of its offerings, which come in multiple strengths and flavors. In 2019, the FDA awarded its first-ever reduced risk designation to a similar product: snus, a tobacco pouch popular in Sweden that contains lower levels of carcinogens than cigarettes. The FDA said smokers who switch to snus reduce their risk of lung cancer, bronchitis and other diseases. Zyn excludes the tobacco leaves found in snus, leaving only nicotine, which Philip Morris says increases its appeal. People can be reluctant to move into an oral tobacco product if they view it as similar to traditional chewing tobacco, company spokesman Corey Henry said. Consumer acceptability is a big part of Zyn. Philip Morris doesnt use online influencers or endorsements to promote Zyn, Henry said. Its website is restricted to adults 21 and older. And flavors like cinnamon and peppermint are familiar to adults, Henry said. Zyn launched in the U.S. in 2014, but sales have exploded in the past year, generating $1.8 billion as shipments accelerated year-over-year by over 60%. On a November call with retailers, one company executive called the growth gonzo and lights out. I didnt see this coming. I dont know anyone who did, said Joseph Teller, a director for oral tobacco products. Zyn promotions emphasize the pouches' discreet, convenient nature as a smoke-free, spit-free alternative for smokers at work or on the move. But to fulfill the companys stated goal of a smoke-free future, Zyn will need to help users fully switch from cigarettes, rather than alternating between the two. Theres little data on switching, and preliminary research suggests pouches may not be a great substitute. Ohio State University researchers recently found it took smokers 30 minutes to an hour to get enough nicotine from Zyn to relieve their cravings. With cigarettes, smokers achieved the same nicotine levels and relief in five minutes. The pouches we studied, especially the lower nicotine concentrations, did not appear to meet the needs of smokers, said Brittney Keller-Hamilton, who led the study. That being said, they didnt totally flop either. For now, smokers who have had success with Zyn say they hope it stays available. Justin Wafer, 39, was smoking a pack a day last spring while working as a bartender in Portland, Oregon. On busy days, he would also vape if he didnt have time to step away for a smoke break. But after his reloadable electronic cigarette broke in May, he decided to try Zyn. These days, he usually pops a pouch every three to four hours and says he hasnt smoked in more than nine months. I dont see how its any different from pharmaceutical solutions like lozenges or gum, he says. Except its easier to get and tastes better. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. BLOOMINGTON A McLean County judge found Desmond Sterling guilty Friday afternoon, convicting him of first-degree murder in the 2023 shooting death of Kiejoun Watts. Judge William Yoder said the evidence in this case was "overwhelming," reading his findings Friday afternoon, about four hours after closing arguments. During closing arguments Friday morning, state prosecutors said Sterling had lured Watts to his death a year ago with friendship and the promise of a new firearm. Sterlings defense attorney had argued they had no evidence to prove who pulled the trigger behind Victory Church on Feb. 20, 2023. Sterling, 23, was charged last year with three counts of first-degree murder in the shooting death of 20-year-old Watts, both of Bloomington. He was taken into custody in Chicago after he was indicted last April in McLean County. Watts died of a gunshot to the head, and his body was found behind the church, which was under construction at the time, southeast of Bloomington. A neighbor called in a suspicious vehicle on the church property, which led the McLean County Sheriffs Office to the discovery of this death within minutes of the vehicle's departure. While the state has proven a lot of things, they have failed to prove that Desmond Sterling killed Kiejoun Watts, Assistant Public Defender Brian McEldowney told Yoder in closing arguments at the end of the weeklong bench trial. With Sterling found guilty, his bond has been revoked, and he was ordered to be held in McLean County custody pending sentencing. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. May 2. Watts mother, Talaina Matthews, said she looks forward to the opportunity to speak at the sentencing. She said it was terrible coming to court every day this week seeing Sterling, but she was glad Yoder had found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and felt the verdict brought justice for her son. It wont bring Kiejoun back, but the person who did this took him wont be allowed to walk around on the streets, she told The Pantagraph after Yoder read his findings. State's Attorney Erika Reynolds, in a statement issued Friday afternoon, said justice was reached because of the hard work of the sheriff's office, especially Detective Bryan Hanner, and the lead prosecutors, Assistant State's Attorneys Emily Young and Ashley Scarborough. "Unfortunately nothing we do in the courtroom will ease the pain of the loss of a loved one," Reynolds wrote. "However, it is our hope that this will provide some peace to the victim's family and friends." In her closing arguments, Young detailed the movements of Sterling and Watts as tracked by surveillance cameras and smartphone data, from the time Watts picked up Sterling at a gas station in Bloomington to their leaving town, and then when Watts vehicle returned to Bloomington with only one occupant and was left parked in a busy residential parking lot on East Street, which she said was within walking distance of Sterlings mothers residence. Young said by the time the neighbor called 911 to report a suspicious vehicle when it was driven behind the church, Kiejoun Watts had been shot in the head, his debit cards thrown to the ground outside his vehicle, his phone and vehicle leaving just minutes later," noting Sterling discarded Watts' phone along Route 150 on his way back to Bloomington. She said investigators found a fingerprint on the drivers side seatbelt in Watts car that belonged to Sterling. McEldowney said Sterlings involvement is suspicious but noted the defendant had not made any admissions of guilt and a murder weapon was never recovered. He said the fingerprint lifted from the seat belt proved only that Sterling had at one time momentarily touched the seat belt either before or after he initially met with the victim, and the gunshot residue collected from Sterlings jacket proved only that at some point in time, an undetermined point in time, Desmond Sterling fired a gun wearing that clothing. McEldowney said this case demands justice for the victim and his family, but the court cannot make a determination in this case based on conjecture, speculation or suspicion. The court obviously needs to weigh the deeper justice against the strength of the evidence presented, and its often been said that its difficult or impossible to prove a negative, but the absence of definitive proof in this case is not overcome by the circumstantial evidence that was presented. Young argued in her rebuttal that Sterling showed consciousness of guilt by leaving Bloomington for Chicago immediately following the shooting, deactivating or disabling location tracking functions on his phone, removing the SIM card that carries identifying information from his phone and refusing to return to Bloomington when his parent asked him to. She said Sterling orchestrated the meeting with Watts under the guise of giving the victim the weapon as a favor to his friend, allowing him to hold it as a trusted friend, having previously planted the seed that they should test fire the weapon together. So when the defendant guided his intended target out U.S. Highway 150, Kiejoun would never think twice when he was told Hey, turn here, turn here onto a dark, desolate, unoccupied property. The perfect place to test fire the gun, the perfect place to execute his plan to execute Kiejoun Watts, Young said, asking Yoder to find Sterling guilty. 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 BLOOMINGTON A 40-year-old Normal man is facing dozens of felony charges, accused of possessing images and videos depicting sexual abuse of children. Richard G. Jackson appeared in court Friday and is charged with four counts possession of pornographic photos of children under the age of 13 and 32 counts of possession of pornographic videos of children under the age of 13, Class 2 felonies. A grand jury bill of indictment returned Feb. 28 states the offenses took place between June 19 and Aug. 9, 2023. Assistant State's Attorney Mary Lawson told the court Jackson's charges are eligible for pretrial detention, and she filed a petition to deny his release. Lawson said on Aug. 4, 2023, the Normal Police Department received a cyber tip from the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children after the cloud-based storage system used by Jackson reported the uploading of the images to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Normal police detectives received records that showed the images were uploaded to the cloud-based storage system on June 19, 2023, and included photos and videos depicting acts of sexual abuse and violence to children under the age of 13 as well as toddlers, Lawson said. Multiple Normal officers executed a search warrant on Sept. 8, 2023, and seized a cellphone, multiple memory cards and a laptop that contained numerous child sexual abuse materials in the unallocated space of the hard drive, Lawson said. The images found on the laptop have not been charged at this point. Lawson said when detectives interviewed Jackson about the materials, they asked why he had them and he indicated he did not know how to answer the question. He told police since his divorce in 2016, he felt like he had hit puberty again and was "exploring things that you could not explore before." Jackson stated it had only been for a short period of time and he was not sober when he was doing this, Lawson said. The prosecutor noted Jackson's prior offenses included a 2018 driving under the influence, 2017 phone harassment and 2017 violation of an order of protection. Lawson said although these possession charges are not "hands-on" offenses, the materials Jackson possessed were of real children and as long as a demand exists for these materials, the abuse will continue. She argued these types of offenses require a level of supervision the court system cannot provide since there is no way to monitor the behavior. Jackson's private attorney Evan Bruno said the minors shown in the materials had no connection to Jackson in the real world and neither of his children have cited any kind of abuse from him. Bruno said when the investigation and search were conducted, an emergency protection order was placed on Jackson from his family and he has not violated any conditions of that order. Bruno argued if Jackson posed a threat to the community, he would have been detained sooner, and the Pretrial Fairness Act refers to the "real and present threat" to the community, which his charges do not reflect. In addition, Bruno argued the public safety assessment recommended Jackson be released with pretrial supervision, noting Jackson could be ordered to have no access to the internet and obtain a cellphone without internet access. Judge Scott Kording said the state provided a clear and convincing argument that Jackson is a danger to the community and minor children in general and no combination of pretrial conditions or monitoring could mitigate that risk. Kording granted Lawson's request, ordered Jackson's pretrial release be revoked and remanded him to the custody of the McLean County jail. An arraignment for Jackson was set for 9 a.m. March 22. Updated mug shots from The Pantagraph Bryant Lewis Derek Roesch Justin M. Mata Marcus D. Wesley Phillip Tinch Trisha L. Hanke William B. Givens David L. Oliver Kenneth E. Funk Jordan R. King Holly M. Isaacson Kenneth L. Minton Tony L. Jackson Britley L. Hilger Jasmine L. Smith Jackie S. Claypool Noah R. Demuth Brandon L. Parsano Alexander N. Williams Carlos Sanchez-Solozarzano Jaylin S. Bones Jordan R. King Dominique M. Banks Austin T. Daugherty Sandra M. Lewis Samantha E. Morris Nolan C. Love Nikkita L. Sandefur Katlin M.B. Wilson Eli C. Garozzo Tysean T. Townsend Curtis J. Byrd Noral K. Nelson Charles J. Tankson Davis, Micah S Livingston, Joshua D. Kevin L. Ewen Emmanuel K. Mpay Ahmad S. Manns Dylan R Mann Tony L. Jackson William R. Linden Zadek U. Moen Zachary T. Willis Cecily M. Sexton Tonisha A. Jackson James A. McConnaughay Jessica M. Longberry Barry D. Guyton Keon E. Spiller Melina Aguilar Carlos D. Cregan Wayne M. Damron Terrance L. Ford Stanley M. Miller Darryl R. Vinson Jarvis K. Heads Wesley M. Noonan Brad Carter Brian K. Burnett Kenneth D. Downey Kenyon J. Bones Brittany N. Greiner Maylon Tate III Maylon Tate IV NORMAL Graduate teaching assistants in Service Employees International Union Local 73, often called the Graduate Workers Union, and Illinois State University have agreed to and ratified a new union contract effective immediately. ISU announced the ratification in a Friday news release, with spokesperson Chris Coplan calling the contract "a competitive, sustainable and fiscally responsible settlement agreement." Steven Lazaroff, a fourth-year English doctoral student at ISU and a member of the GWUs bargaining committee, said he is proud of the result. "We think it's a contract that brings gains that help peoples' lives in the short term and sets us up in the future (for further negotiation)," Lazaroff said. The contract, signed after nearly a year of negotiation, includes an increase in teaching stipends for both master's and doctoral student teachers and, crucially, reduces the cost of student fees that graduate students have to pay, said Lazaroff. According to ISU's contract negotiation webpage, those fees are reduced by 15% for spring 2024, will increase by 25% in fall 2024, ad will increase again by 30% in fall 2025. "Incoming graduate teaching assistants can expect to receive that nice 25% reduction in fees," Lazaroff said after the contract was ratified with 93% approval. "We get fees about $2,600 for nine months ... for a lot of folks, that takes about 25% of their stipend," Lazaroff said. Griddle Greatness: Photos from the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast Bob Starkovich, Steve Timmerman, Rob Raycraft Mike OGrady, Byron Blotcky, Becky Hines This Kiwanis breakfast has been Central Illinois tradition since 1951 Katie Klein, Kathleen Lorenz Bob Bahnsen, Craig Gocker, Scott Seibring Byron Blotcky Leanna Bordner, Mary Ann Blue, Rick McCormick The Barickman Family Sterling, Stephen and Brecken Massey Eric and John Pratt, Trent and Beverly Keller Christa Staley, Gordy Drayer Rusty DePew, Dave Martin Andy Morgan, Ron Ulmer, Frank Hoffman Tim, Stef, Tatiana and Katherina Walsh Linkin, Patti and Elvin Florez Laffey and Wolf families Douglas and Winter Wallace Darryl and Kathy Oncken, Tina Kohn Tracy and Matt Burgess, Kristen and Chris Ayers Vivian Adrian, Pierce and Stacy Barr Leanna Bordner, Lacey Ritchart Tony, Elliott, Calvin and Kristine Brent Dave Bessler, Gil Dorsey The Selkow and Mainieri families How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region. 100 years ago March 2, 1924: The Bloomington Corps of the Salvation Army has moved their quarters on South Center street to the southeast corner of Washington and Madison streets and the first services will be tonight when Rev. W.E. Keenan, pastor of Park M.E. church will speak. The formal dedication will be held in May. 75 years ago March 2, 1949: McLean County's oldest warriors, whose average age is 73, went to battle with Old Man Time on Tuesday and lost. The United Spanish American war veterans of Gen. Lawton Camp No. 7 looked at the attendance of 24 men at the first afternoon meeting since 1900 and bowed to fate. From now on, meetings will be in the afternoon. 50 years ago March 2, 1974: Gasoline prices jumped as much as 10 cents a gallon in the Twin Cities and Central Illinois on Friday. Prices for regular gasoline ranged from 50.2 cents a gallon to 59.9 cents. Thursday's prices had ranged from 47.7 cents to 55.0 cents. 25 years ago March 2, 1999: Less than a week after reports surfaced that the Corning Revere plant could close, company officials confirmed plans to shutter the facility that is the second-largest employer in DeWitt County. The closing would idle about 350 workers, who will be phased out over a four-month period. Vintage Pantagraph newspaper ads for medicine, 'magic' remedies Clover Blossom Extract - Nov. 15, 1883 St. Jacobs Oil - July 14, 1887 Castoria - July 26, 1892 Rheumatic Ring - May 29, 1894 Beefmalt - May 29, 1894 Wakefield's Cough Syrup - Feb. 13, 1908 S.S.S. - April 23, 1908 Olive Tablets - Nov. 20, 1911 Cold-go - Dec. 11, 1911 Dr. Danby - Dec. 11, 1911 Allcock Plasters - March 2, 1917 Olive Tablets - Feb. 23, 1918 Laxative Bromo Quinine - Oct. 16, 1918 Bayer Tablets of Aspirin - April 24, 1919 Bayer Tablets of Aspirin - April 29, 1919 Snake Oil - Nov. 22, 1919 Beecham's Pills - Nov. 22, 1919 Snake Oil - Nov. 29, 1919 Doan's Kidney Pills - March 8, 1920 Bayer Tablets of Aspirin - Sept. 21, 1920 J.C. Hutzell's Eczema Treatment - Nov. 11, 1922 Gude's Pepto-Mangan - April 2, 1923 O-Joy Corn Wafers - March 4, 1930 Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription - March 19, 1930 666 Tablets - March 25, 1930 Cuticura - March 25, 1930 Geo-Mineral - Dec. 8, 1948 Anacin - Jan. 16, 1963 Liquiprin - Aug. 27, 1970 Icy Hot - Nov. 20, 1977 HIGHLAND PARK A $1 million donation has been made to the city of Highland Park for the construction of a permanent place of remembrance to honor the victims of the parade mass shooting that claimed seven lives on July 4, 2022. The donation by Jon and Mindy Gray, current residents of New York City, is the first private contribution to the citys endeavor to create a trauma-informed memorial. In addition to the donation, the Grays provided support to the Highland Park Community Foundation for immediate relief efforts after the shooting. The city hopes the memorial serves as a place of reflection and remembrance for all who were affected by the shooting, while also displaying the communitys resilience, according to City Manager Ghida Neukirch. On July 4, 2022, seven lives were taken too soon by a senseless act by one person, with one combat weapon, in under one minute, Mayor Nancy Rotering said. Dozens were injured, with many still working to physically recover from devastating and complex wounds, eighteen months later. Nearly 5,000 people who participated in the parade or joined along on the parade route in 2022 continue to grapple with the emotional and mental toll of gun violence, she said. Born and raised in Highland Park, Jon Gray said he grew up not far from where the devastating tragedy occurred. His mother and sister still live in the region. Fourth of July, he said, was his favorite day of the year because of the citys parade. He said he has cherished memories of decorating his bike red, white and blue and riding down Central Avenue in the citys annual July 4 parade. After learning about the violence at the 2022 parade, Gray said he was horrified and wanted to be helpful to the community. We continue to mourn with the community, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families, Gray said. I think a memorial is a nice way to remember the past, but at the same time move beyond something that is so challenging. In the fall of 2023, the city began planning for a permanent place of remembrance when the City Council established a core working group to conduct research, solicit community feedback, and provide advisory recommendations to the council. Neukirch said the memorial project is still in the very early stages of planning, and the city is not yet ready to start a public fundraising campaign or apply for other sources of funding. The city manager anticipates it could cost a couple of million dollars, but without a concrete plan or design, the city is far from any bidding estimates. Neukirch said one the the most important parts of the site selection is that it needs to be trauma-informed, so that could mean making it an opt-in experience rather than a memorial that is front and center. The city also wants the memorial to be accessible, sensitive and able to last for decades, Neukirch said. The next steps for the place of remembrance planning for the working group entail public engagement and consulting with victims and the families of those killed. Photos: Highland Park marks one-year anniversary of parade shooting US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth US Shooting July Fourth The government has indicated it is targeting the end of March 2024 to sign off the debt restructuring agreement reached with Independent Power Producers (IPPs). According to sources, the government has also stated that the debt owed the power producers have been reduced to about $700 million. We are targeting the end of March to conclude the restructuring. We have also been able to reduce the debt to $700 million, which we believe is a significant step in the negotiations, a source told the paper. Already, the government has indicated that it has made payments since 2023 to some IPPs. The payments commenced after the government reached some agreements with about 5 Independent Power Producers in July 2023 when the debt was pegged at $1.6 billion. In 2023, some IPPs threatened to cut power supply to power if debt owed them are not cleared. According to the persons working on the negotiations, the debt got to alarming levels, which prompted the IPPs to issue the threats after which the payments began. The term sheets have already been exchanged with about five of the independent power producers for further scrutiny as at February 28, 2024, the source who refused to be named stated. There has not been any objection raised yet with the terms proposed. Also the government is working to bring two more independent power producers to participate in the negotiations to restructure the debts. It is expected that the restructuring will be concluded by end of March 2024 after the agreement is signed. The government has also made some agreements with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to receive some payments. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The San Antonio-based subsidiary of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. said Friday it has reached a sponsorship agreement to support revitalization and improvement of the historic buildings and grounds of the mission and battle site. The announcement came on the eve of Texas Independence Day on Saturday, and the Alamos 1724 Gala extravaganza in Alamo Plaza on Saturday night. Along with the title of official bank of the Alamo, Frosts agreement includes title sponsorship of the Alamos future online app and interactive experience. Visitors will use the app on their mobile devices to see images of the site as it appeared at the time of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. Frost, which traces its founding to 1868, is one of the largest financial services companies based in Texas, with more than 180 financial centers around the state and the states largest ATM network. The banks Alamo announcement follows other major sponsorships, including a deal last year for naming rights at the Frost Bank Center, as well as the Frost Plaza at the Rock at La Cantera and the Frost Club inside the Boeing Center at Port San Antonio. The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference has advised the President, Nana Akufo Addo to have a careful look at the necessary amendments to the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly referred to as the Anti-LGBTQ Bill, before assenting his powers thereof. The President of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, in an interview on Citi News monitored by Peacefmonline.com hammered on the importance of focusing on reforms aimed at reintegrating individuals into society. He said, The president is the father of the nation, and we believe he will do what is in the best interest of the country. I cannot imagine the president not seeing the good in this law. He may make certain corrections on reformation and reintegration of victims, but I dont think the president will say he will not assent to it when he knows an overwhelming majority is in support of this law. Speaking further, Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi opined that, incarceration, which is part of the penalties for persons who engage in the practice or support, sponsor or promote the practice of the any LGBTQ+ activities, is not the way to go considering the current state of the Ghanaian prisons. He added that, In the views of the most revered Sunyani Diocesean Bishop of the Catholic Church, putting persons in prison based on their sexual orientation could potentially exacerbate such activities. He emphasised the need for more reformative and corrective sanctions. We think that in the case of this particular law and the way it is being implemented, being placed in prison as the punishment that they have chosen, it is not going to solve the problem. Because you see if you round up same-sex people and you know our prisons, they are going to end up in the same room and what is going to prevent them from going through these activities in the prison? And you are not going to put them there forever because they are going to be there for three months to six months. And then they practice this and come out as more experts at it than when you sent them there. Then you release them back into society. So, what is going to happen? Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Charles Owusu has called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to assent to the anti-LGBTQ+ bill with immediate effect. The bill, which has been passed by Parliament, makes the promotion, activism and acts of homosexuality in the country illegal and punishable by law. Offenders will be sentenced to a minimum of 6 months to 5 years in prison. Following the passage of the bill, pressure has been mounting on the President to cancel it. International Community Blasts Ghana UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk describes the bill as deeply harmful and implores the President not to append his signature to making it a law. The bill broadens the scope of criminal sanctions against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transexual and queer people simply for being who they are and threatens criminal penalties against perceived allies of LGBTQ+ people. I call for the bill not to become law. I urge the Ghanaian Government to take steps to ensure everyone can live free from violence, stigma and discrimination, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Consensual same-sex conduct should never be criminalized, Mr. Turk also argued. US ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Evelyn Palmer also says the bill undermines human rights. I am saddened because some of the smartest, most creative, most decent people I know are LGBT. The bill Parliament passed takes away not only their basic human rights but those of all Ghanaians because it undermines their constitutional rights to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of the press. It will be bad for public order and public health. If enacted, it will also hurt Ghanas international reputation and Ghanas economy, she wrote on the embassys X page. Presidential Assent Although the bill has been passed, it awaits the President's signature to become law. Without the President assenting to it, it will be difficult for the bill to become operational and for offenders to be punished. President Nana Addo has, before the passage of the bill, made his stance clear that he is not in support of homosexuality, however whether or not he will sign this bill remains in suspense. Legacy Charles Owusu, Nkoranza North parliamentary aspirant, has appealed to the President to sign the bill immediately for posterity sake. He condemned the LGBTQ+ community stressing their activities are a direct contravention of proper Ghanaian values and sexual orientation. To him, no person in Ghana should be allowed to engage in homosexuality because aside it being against proper Ghanaian values, it is also an abomination to God and the nation. "Let this be the number one legacy you will leave for this nation and posterity will remember you that it was under your regime that this abomination wasn't permitted," he advised the President. He made these submissions on Peace FM's Friday edition of "Kokrokoo" morning show. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Convoy of Hope, an American faith-based non-profit humanitarian and disaster relief organisation, has donated $20,000 through the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Ghana to support the victims of the recent Volta Dam spillage. Speaking to the media in a press conference in Accra on Thursday, February 29, 2024, the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Ghana, who doubles as the Vice President of the Africa Assemblies of God Alliance, Rev. Dr. Stephen Yenusom Wengam, said that when he first heard about the news of the floods, he promised the victims, after an initial donation, to use his office to reach out to international partners to solicit for extra help for the flood victims across the country. Rev. Dr. Wengam stated he placed the request through AG Care Ghana, the relief wing of the Assemblies of God Ghana. According to him, the church first sent a proposal to the Convoy of Hope, USA, detailing the situation at hand and the urgency of their request. He said Convoy of Hope was swift to respond to their request by giving them a whopping $20,000 to be used to purchase relief items such as vegetable oil, tin tomato paste, bags of rice bars, and cakes of bathing soap, among other things. You do recall that at a news conference here on October 18, 2023, I announced our modest response to the devastating flooding in parts of Ghana and promised to reach out to our international partners in my capacity as the Vice President of the Africa Assemblies of God Alliance to solicit help for our brothers and sisters who have been affected by the flooding, he said. Rev. Dr. Wengam expressed appreciation to the Convoy of Hope for being swift with their requests. So with a thankful heart, we bless Convoy of Hope for igniting hope in the flood victims through this remarkable generosity. This handsome donation complements the humanitarian gestures by the Assemblies of God Church as well as its ministries, departments, and agencies, he furthered. In addition, he prayed the Convoy of Hope would consider Ghana a centre for entrepreneurship by giving skills training to both women and girls in rural communities to help alleviate poverty in the country. He revealed the donation coincided with the 30th anniversary since the creation of Convoy of Hope, which is based in Scramento, California, USA. The renowned minister commended the media, especially Citi FM and Citi TV, for breaking the news and ensuring that the victims have been supported diverse ways. He encouraged the government and other benevolent organisations and individuals to come to the aid of victims of the Volta spillage amid the ravaging effects of floods triggered by climate change. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: 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 After a decade searching for new species of bees in forests of the Pacific Islands, all we had to do was look up. We soon found eight new species of masked bees in the forest canopy: six in Fiji, one in French Polynesia and another in Micronesia. Now we expect to find many more. Forest-dwelling bees evolved for thousands of years alongside native plants, and play unique and important roles in nature. Studying these species can help us better understand bee evolution, diversity and conservation. Almost 21,000 bee species are known to science. Many more remain undiscovered. But it's a race against time, as the twin challenges of habitat loss and climate change threaten bee survival. We need to identify and protect bee species before they disappear forever. Introducing the new masked bees Pollinators abound in forests. But scientific research has tended to focus on bees living closer to the ground. We believe this sampling bias is replicated across much of the world. For example, another related Oceanic masked bee, Pharohylaeus lactiferus (a cloaked bee), was recently found in the canopy after 100 years in hiding. Our first decade of bee sampling in Fiji turned up only one bee from the genus Hylaeus. This bee probably belonged in the canopy so we were very lucky to catch it near the ground. Targeted attempts over the next few years, using our standard short insect nets, failed to find any more. But this changed when we turned our attention to searching the forest canopy. Sampling in the canopy is physically challenging. Strength and skill are required to sweep a long, heavy net and pole through the treetops. It's quite a workout. We limit our efforts to the edges of forests, where branches won't tangle the whole contraption. By lifting our gaze in this way, we discovered eight new bee species, all in the genus Hylaeus. They are mostly black with stunning yellow or white highlights, especially on their faceshence the name, masked bees. They appear to rely exclusively on the forest canopy. This behavior is striking and has rarely been identified in bees before (perhaps because few scientists have been looking for bees up there). Because the new species live in forests and native tree tops, they're likely to be vulnerable to land clearing, cyclones and climate change. More work is needed to uncover the secrets hidden in these dense tropical treetops. It may require engineering solutions such as canopy cranes and drones, as well as skilful tree-climbing using ropes, pulleys and harnesses. Michener's missing links The journey of bees across the Pacific region is a tale of great dispersals and isolation. Almost 60 years ago, world-renowned bee expert Charles Michener described what was probably the most isolated masked bee around, Hylaeus tuamotuensis. The specimen was found in French Polynesia. At the time, Michener said that was "entirely unexpected", because the nearest relatives were, as the bee flies, 4,000km north in Hawaii, 5,000km southwest in New Zealand, and 6,000km west in Australia. So how did it get there and where did it come from? Our research helps to answer these questions. We found eight new Hylaeus species including one from French Polynesia. Using genetic analysis and other methods, we found strong links between these species and H. tuamotuensis. So Michener's bee was probably an ancient immigrant from Fiji, 3,000km away. A journey of that magnitude is no mean feat for bees smaller than a grain of rice. Of course, there are more than 1,700 islands in the Pacific, which can serve as stepping stones for bees on their long journeys. We don't yet know how many new Hylaeus species might exist in the South Pacific, or the routes they took to get to their island homes. But we suspect there are many more to be found. Our Pacific emissaries The early origins of Fijian beesboth ground-dwelling Homalictus and forest-loving Hylaeuscan be traced to the ancient past when Australia and New Guinea were part of one land mass, known as Sahul. The ancestors of both groups then undertook epic oceanic journeys to travel from Sahul to the furthest reaches of the Pacific, where they diversified. But the Hylaeus traveled furthest, by thousands of kilometers. These little emissaries have similarly brought together researchers across the region. We resolved difficulties sampling and gathering knowledge by working with people across the Pacific, including Fiji, French Polynesia, and Hawaii. It shows what can be accomplished with international collaboration. Together we are making great strides towards understanding our shared bee biodiversity. Such collaborations are our best chance of discovering and conserving species while we can. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: This 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 moon lander has been put back to sleep after it surprisingly survived the freezing, two-week lunar night, the country's space agency said, with another operation attempt scheduled for later this month. The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down in January 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. This week, the SLIM probe, which was "not designed for the harsh lunar nights," when the temperature plunges to minus 133 degrees, produced another surprise by waking up after two weeks. "SLIM has gone to sleep again as the sun set after 3 am (Japan Time) on March 1," the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, alongside an image of the rocky lunar surface captured by the probe. "Although the likelihood of failure will increase due to the severe temperature cycles, we will attempt SLIM operation again when the sunlight comes back in late March," JAXA said. The announcement comes after the uncrewed American lander Odysseus became the first private spaceship on the moon. The lander sent its final image on Thursday before its power banks depleted. 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 program 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. The aim of the mission is to examine a part of the moon's mantlethe usually deep inner layer beneath its crustthat is believed to be accessible. NASA is planning to return astronauts to the moon later this decade. The US, along with international partners, wants to eventually develop long-term habitats in the region, harvesting polar ice for drinking waterand for rocket fuel for eventual onward voyages to Mars. 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: "I know what you're thinking. Was that six eyes or only two? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda' lost track myself." Under a microscope, the head of a daddy longlegs glows magenta where its modern-day eyes form. Opsins shown in green indicate that two additional sets of vestigial eyes existed in an earlier stage of the animal's evolution. Credit: Guilherme Gainett It's been a long, eight-day leap week, and this weekend, I'm spending my free time working on the manuscript for my style guide for science writers, "How to Effectively Split an Infinitive." It's really a book about what they're already doing (splitting infinitive verbs with the meaningless adverb "effectively"), and I hope they find it validating enough that I can use the Kindle Books profits to effectively take my wife to a fancy restaurant. This week, we reported on the most massive black hole binary ever observed, the observation of vestigial eyes in embryonic daddy longlegs, and a possible treatment for PFAS blood levels. Relationship prolonged What's twice as massive as a supermassive black hole? A gravitationally bound pair of supermassive black holes. Researchers using the Gemini North telescope in Hawai'i analyzed a black hole binary in elliptical galaxy B2 0402+379 to figure out why supermassive black holes take so long to merge. This particular pair is separated by 24 light-years, which is a razor-thin distance given their enormous mass, but they've been circling each other for the last 3 billion years without sealing the deal. Archival data from Gemini North's Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph revealed the speed of the stars in the vicinity of the black holes, providing an inference of the mass of the black hole binaryabout 28 billion times the size of the sun, the heaviest black holes ever measured. This supports an existing theory that mass has an inhibitory role in black hole mergers. So why won't they just get a room already? The study provides evidence that the host galaxy was a merger of one or more older galaxies; following a merger, supermassive black holes slingshot past each other and are slowed in their mutual orbit by the transfer of energy to surrounding stars until they approach closely in a tight orbit. However, it seems that these two black holes flung so much matter away in the process that there isn't enough remaining to slow their velocity further, inhibiting their merger in the final stages, like Rachel and Ross on "Friends." Drug effectual "Forever chemicals" is a romantically evocative term for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances; they act as endocrine disruptors, imitating human hormones and interfering, researchers believe, with development, metabolism, and fertility. They're also hepatoxic if you love bad news smothered in bad news gravy. And "forever" isn't a 100% accurate cognomen since the serum elimination half-life is actually about five years, but if you're huffing scented laundry detergent on a regular basis, your own levels will probably remain stable over the long term. Seriously: Manufacturers put PFAS chemicals in just about everything. Now, a multi-institutional group of researchers reports that cholestyramine, a medication for high cholesterol, drastically reduces PFAS levels in the blood. Because the drug has side effects, scientists are exploring the possibility of administering it to people who have major acute exposure to PFAS chemicals, such as people who have been exposed to emergency fire-suppression chemicals. Eyes unnecessary Two researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison report that daddy longlegs, the non-spider putative arachnids famous from cellars and backyards, exhibit vestigial eyes that date their evolutionary diversification much earlier than previously believed. Under the microscope, one of the researchers observed opsins, light-sensitive proteins, on the developing heads of huntsman embryos. Their expression in embryos indicates the likelihood that the species once had two additional sets of lens-bearing eyes: one lateral on the side of the head, near the front pair of legs; the other in front of the huntsman's existing eyes. The persistence of these opsins and their active connection to the huntsman's brain suggests that even without lenses, the sites likely provide visual information about light and dark. The study is also notable in its suggestion that the huntsman once resembled craggy, stoic Clint Eastwood (see image). 2024 Science X Network By Saio Marrah Staff Sergeant Idrissa Kallon, the ninth accused in the ongoing court-martial is reported to have admitted to investigators that he was involved in the November 26, 2023 failed coup. Testifying as the 17th prosecution witness, one of the investigators, Sergeant Bangura, who obtained a statement from the accused told the court on Friday 16th February 2024, that the accused, who earlier denied having anything to do with the coup, admitted playing a part after his Whatsapp audio conversation with another soldier was played back to him. The 58 minutes long Whatsapp audio, conversation with Staff Sergeant Kellie Marah of the Forces Intelligence Security Unit (FISU) beginning at 8:58 pm on Saturday 25th November 2023, indicated among other things that, we dae attack Maada Bio ihn lodge this net, translated to mean: we will attack Maada Bios lodge this night. The accused then told investigators that he was not part of the coup planners, but that he was persuaded by Captain Jalloh of the 15th battalion, who told him about poor medical services for soldiers at the 34 military hospitals at Wilberforce. He said Captain Jalloh promised to address that situation when they take power. Responding to a question as to why he confided in Kelly Marah, the accused told investigators that he trusted him. Before the audio was played back to him, the accused argued that he left his deployment, the 15th Battalion in Lungi on the night of Saturday 25th November 2023, without a pass on the pretext that he wanted to attend a family meeting. He said after crossing over to Freetown from Lungi on the night of Saturday 25th November he decided to go to Number Two River Beach to enjoy myself. At about 02:00 hours on Sunday 26th November, he proceeded to Lumley where he was arrested by the assailants who ordered him to join them and that he also saw Lieutenant Colonel Sandy, who told him that he was also arrested. The accused said he was forced to drive one of the vehicles of the assailants. According to the witness, the accused told him that they headed to Cockeril military headquarters, Murray Town, and then Pademba Road Prison where they freed prisoners. At the Pademba Road Prison, the accused said he helped Lieutenant Colonel Sandy to escape from the assailants after he requested help, but that he (the accused) was afraid to do the same because the assailants would chase and kill him. The 17th prosecution witness further read out the voluntary caution statement of two other accused persons- the fourth, Staff Sergeant Abu Dauda of 15 Battalion, and the seventh, Sergeant Mohamed Kamara alias Ranger of Cockeril Station respectively. According to the witness, pictures showed the former in a village preparing himself with charms and that the liquid substance given to him was the same found in the vehicle of the assailants. Fourth accused Dauda told investigators that although other people use the charm for different purposes; he intended to protect himself as he was part of the ECOWAS standby force. According to the witness, the fourth accused denied the allegation that Corporal Thalie Marah kept three bags of charcoal that also contained eight AK-47 rifles with magazines and live bullets. But, he said during a search conducted at Daudas apartment at Lungi Military 19 blind bullets were discovered in his room and he agreed with investigators that he ought not to have kept them in his apartment and denied that he intended to use them to scare armoury men to gain access to riffles. The accused said he wanted to use them for training and funerals. Sergeant Kamara, the seventh accused, whose statement was obtained on the 3rd December 2023, told investigators that he was asleep in his apartment at Wilberforce Barracks at 03:00 hours on Sunday 26th November 2023, when he heard a blast of Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG). The accused said he quickly dressed up in combat gear and headed to the 5 battalion headquarters and that upon his arrival, he was arrested by unknown gunmen. He said the gunmen escorted him towards the armoury and when he asked to know what was going on, he was told that he would know later. The seventh accused said he was then ordered to join the second accused, Sergeant Kamara alias Amerikin in loading magazines with live rounds. He said the second accused told him that he was also arrested. At that point, the accused said he managed to escape, went home and tried to call his boss, Colonel Kposowa, but his phone was busy. According to him, in the morning all soldiers were called upon to assemble at the 5 battalion to collect weapons but that he was among those who did not receive a weapon and he was advised to stay around. He said on Monday 27th November, he reported for duty at Cockeril and that on the following day while at Cockerill, his boss Colonel Kposowa informed him that his name had been mentioned by the second accused, Amerikin, so he reported himself to the police. Copyright (c) 2024 (Politico 20/02/24) By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay A new paper by the governance think tank, Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) has called on the media and Civil Society (CSOs) to push for political reforms within Sierra Leones two biggest political parties: Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and All Peoples Congress (APC). The paper titled: Uniting Bo and Makeni: Politics and the Prospect for National Cohesion in Sierra Leone, looks at the cause of political division and the benefits to different political actors in the country. SLPP and APC are the central subjects of the paper, which gives critical examination of how they are keeping the country divided. IGR Executive Director, Andrew Lavalie said: We decided to look at these two parties because during almost every election about 85% of the votes go to these two parties. The Northern region is dominated by the Themne tribe whiles the South-East is dominated by the Mende tribe. The North is the stronghold of the APC, whiles the South-East is the stronghold of the SLPP. The moment you talk about unity then you are going to have losers. In this case the losers will be those who are fuelling division, Lavalie said at the launch of the report. He added: All the tension between these two tribes boils down to few people trying to control wealth. This paper is trying to highlight the political constraints that have led us here. We focused on what parties are doing that is not promoting cohesion. The paper highlights different characteristics of SLPP and APC that are currently undermining national unity. It states that the ruling SLPP government is framing government policy as tit-for-tat, appeasing party stronghold, dining with spoilers and thinking about the short term vision of 2023. About the APC, their own actions were narrowed down in the paper to four points: using their membership to shield themselves from accountability, keep supporters aggrieved, discredit SLPP whiles being unwilling to reform and keeping the party as a Northern outfit. Political tension have always existed between the two parties with the two regions of the country been pitted against each other to keep party support intact. During the countrys last election in 2018, tribal rhetoric sharply divided the country along political lines, provoking sporadic violence in some parts of the country. Lavalie said the circle of division and isolation has been broken, and that the solution is to form a citizen movement that will demand for national cohesion, noting that that effort should be led by civil society and the media. Citizens have to step and say enough is enough. The media can contribute by not promoting divisive rhetoric, he said. Politics have polarized almost all institutions in the country, including some section of the media and CSO communities. Lavalie recognizes this challenge, but he said the way around this must be through capacity building. They need to build capacity and be professional and know that they can live with that, he said. Copyright 2020 Politico Online Glens Falls National Bank accepted canned goods and clothing at three regional branches to support the Moreau Community Center. The event was organized by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce to celebrate Leap of Kindness Day, a now-national celebration on Feb. 29, Leap Day, but a day that started with the Saratoga Chamber. The donations will be given to individuals and families in our community who are in need of emergency food assistance homeless or under-resourced, said Cheryl Lawyer, Director of Marketing and Outreach for the Moreau Community Center. The three Glens Falls National Bank branches that participated in collecting canned goods and clothing include Broad Street, South Glens Falls and the Main Office in downtown Glens Falls. The Moreau Community Center food pantry serves about 80 individuals a month, not including the outdoor pantry. The pantry also provides 100 pounds of food per year to persons in need who live at the Lake George Residence Inn in South Glens Falls, according to Lawyer. In 2023, as reported by the Regional Food Bank, we recovered 37,096 pounds of food providing 30,913 meals to come on Mondays and Wednesday mornings for the Hannaford Outreach Program, Lawyer told The Post-Star. Clothing donations are put in our thrift store where items are sold for $1 or $2, proceeds to benefit the Center. Clothing is provided to people also who cannot afford the donation, Lawyer said. The Moreau Community Center has been a long-time member of the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce. The giving from the Glens Falls National Bank was coordinated by the Centers Board member and employee of the Bank, Liz Wilcox. Our friends at the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce are once again encouraging community members to use our extra 24 hours on February 29 to do something kind for a person or organization in our local area, a Glens Falls National Bank press release stated. Leap of Kindness Day was invented by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce in 2016. The idea was to inspire chamber members and community to use their extra day that Leap Year to do something kind for someone else, and hundreds of local organizations helped thousands of local people on February 29, 2016. Additionally, Curtis Lumber donated 2x4s to Habitat For Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties to help build a home. Several local companies and organizations including Stewarts Shops, Northway Brewing Co., Common Roots Brewing Company, and Adirondack Trust Company, as well as many others, contributed to various regional charities and non-profits in a show of support. GLENS FALLS After nearly 80 years, World War II veterans are still receiving thanks for their sacrifices. Recently, local veteran Raymond Barber was honored with hundreds of birthday cards sent in from members of the community to celebrate his 99th birthday. I read every single one of them, Barber said. The birthday letters were organized by Barbers Veterans of Foreign Wars post, post 6196, and Channel 13 News. Mike Varmette, a veteran of the Marine Corps, is the commander of VFW Post 6196. During a fundraising event hosted by the VFW on Nov. 11, 2023, Varmette asked Barber what he wanted for his upcoming birthday. He goes, You know what Id like Id like to get birthday cards, Varmette said. So, we put it out on our websites and on the internet and everything else, and people started sending him birthday cards. Letters were sent in from veterans across military branches, relatives of veterans and politicians. Most of the letters though, were sent from students from school from Latham to northern Vermont. In a letter to The Post Star, Barber says, What humbles me most is that people were not just sending a card to Ray Barber but were sending a gigantic thank you to every veteran that has protected the light of liberty in America. In his letter he highlighted that with a few statements he received that filled me with joy, such as, Because of you guys... and We are first generation Americans because of you. Commander Varmette said Barbers view of the world helps with all the joy. A lot of times, veterans have a happiness about life, Varmette said. Hes one of the guys that looks for the positives because youve seen so much of the negatives of the world and hes one of the ones thats gregarious and enjoys talking. The letters may seem like just a nice gesture for the holidays to outsiders, but for veterans, its so much more. If we dont take care of ourselves and our community, nobody really will. And thats thats kind of a harsh thing to say in a lot of ways, but its very true, Varmette said. Barber served in the 294th Field Artillery Observation Battalion for three years as a private first class. But before that, as a kid, Barber delivered papers for The Post Star, and other local newspapers. The full letter is attached with this story, as Barber wanted all veterans to be able to read it. Giant panda parents, cubs back in China from Spain Xinhua) 08:57, March 02, 2024 Giant panda Bing Xing eats a cake at the farewell party in Madrid, Spain, Feb. 22, 2024. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua) CHENGDU, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Spain-born giant pandas, together with their parents, arrived in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province on Friday after a flight of about 12 hours. The three pandas -- Chulina, Jiu Jiu and You You -- were sent to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding with their parents Bing Xing and Hua Zui Ba. All the five pandas are in good health condition, and are undergoing quarantine procedures. The panda parents started their residency at the Madrid Zoo Aquarium of Spain in September 2007. Chulina, the older sister, was born in August 2016 in Spain, while male panda twins Jiu Jiu and You You were born in September 2021. Generally, giant panda cubs born overseas are returned to China between two and four years old to avoid inbreeding during the reproductive period of four to six years old. In line with the agreement between China and Spain, another pair of young pandas will be sent to Madrid to further the friendship of the two peoples built upon pandas. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) After facing opposition from a local court, Kenya plans to send 1,000 police officers to Haiti to spearhead a United Nations-approved operation to combat gang violence. On Friday, March 1, the two countries inked a security accord that Nairobi thinks would appease the Caribbean nation. Gang Violence As the violence escalated in 2022, Haiti sought assistance but was unable to secure a nation ready to spearhead a relief effort. Due to the country's history of human rights violations, other countries have been hesitant to step in and support Henry's unelected regime. Last July, Kenya made public its intention to initiate the effort for Haiti, a country where gangs rule the capital and where violence claimed the lives of over 5,000 people in 2023. The deployment was supposed to take place by January, but the Kenyan High Court declared it unlawful since there was no "reciprocal arrangement" with the government that was hosting it. The operation has been put on hold as a result of this, even though other nations have sent troops, and the United States and Canada have promised hundreds of millions of dollars for it. Also Read: Haiti Protests Erupt as Demonstrators Demand Prime Minister Ariel Henry's Resignation Kenya-Haiti Deal According to Kenyan President William Ruto, an agreement was struck with Haiti, who made the announcement on Friday, as reported by Reuters. "I am pleased to inform that [Haitian] Prime Minister Ariel Henry and I have witnessed the signing of this instrument. We have also discussed the next steps to enable the fast-tracking of the deployment," Ruto stated. Along with Kenya, the Bahamas has pledged 150 people, while Antigua, Barbuda, and Jamaica have expressed their willingness to provide assistance. Just last week, Benin extended an offer of 2,000 soldiers. A day before the announcement, a gang leader said that a protest against the government resulted in violent fights between gangs, police, and vigilantes in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. Also Read: Judge Issues Final Report Indicting Haitian Officials, Including President's Widow, in Moise Assassination ATLANTIC CITY One Stop Bait & Tackle opened for striped bass season with a new look Friday. The store held a soft opening for its new, larger location at 414 Atlantic Ave., just one door down from its previous spot in the South Inlet. With permits, inspections and all that other stuff, its been two years in the making, but its been way worth it, owner Noel Feliciano said. So hopefully we can make a better fishing community in Atlantic City because we get a lot of tourists coming in from Philadelphia, New York and the surrounding area. The new One Stop Bait & Tackle is 2 times the size of its former location, at a little over 1,000 square feet, Feliciano said. Feliciano will continue to manage the shop daily with the help of another worker, but he had a few extra hands helping him put the finishing touches on the new location Friday. New Jersey's striped bass season opens Friday March is coming up, and it is anticipation time with lots of incentives to get us back into Everything was squeezed in before. I feel like when families used to come in, husband and wife, kids, it was so crammed that the husband stayed and the whole family walked out because they were all cramped, Feliciano said. So hopefully we get a different feeling of more friendliness of coming into One Stop and not being crammed up in between the smell of the bait and the people coming in and out. Fishing in Atlantic City is both economically and culturally significant, Feliciano said. The areas marine freshwater and ocean ecology is robust due to the shallow waters, tributaries, rivers, bays, creeks, jetties and ocean that contribute to it. Fish like tautog, oyster crackers and flounder can be found in the area year-round. Theres pure life inside there, Feliciano said. One of these days, stop over there, especially at night, and if theres light shining from the street, youll look down and be like, Is there a fish here? Yeah, theres fish there. Theres plenty of fish here. Feliciano said people look forward to the start of striped bass season. A lot of people have been hibernating, and they got the jitters to get out the house cabin fever, I guess, if thats what you want to call it and they wait for this day to start, Feliciano said. And a lot of families going out. Its a Friday, you kick off the weekend, so its a really good time. NEWARK The Center for Politics and Race in America at Rutgers University-Newark was named Friday in honor of the late Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver in a ceremony attended by Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, Olivers family, members of the Sheila Y. Oliver Civic Association and executives from Johnson & Johnson. Sheila was and remains the epitome of what a true public servant should be: dedicated, compassionate and filled with integrity, Way said. As we gather to launch Rutgers University-Newarks Center for Politics and Race in America in her honor, I know she is sure to touch the many young people who will continue to build on the legacy of her passionate work. The Center for Politics and Race in America, established last year with state funding, is a fact tank for research on the nations political life and a resource for underrepresented students seeking careers in government and public service. James Jones, the centers co-director, described Oliver as a trailblazer who fought tirelessly for justice and equality, adding, Lt. Gov. Olivers legacy will continue to inspire our center as we expand access to public service as a profession and promote research and public policy that confronts systemic inequalities. Johnson & Johnson announced at the ceremony that it has made a charitable donation to fund the Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver Leadership Scholarship, part of the centers Public Service Leadership Program at Rutgers School of Arts & SciencesNewark. The scholarship will provide four Rutgers-Newark students with stipends to participate in public service internships over the next five years. The initial application process will be established and opened in the first half of 2024 with the first scholars awarded this summer. Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way speaks at Alpha Kappa Alpha conference in Atlantic City Focusing on Alpha Kappa Alpha's theme of the 93rd North Atlantic Regional Conference this week in the resort, state Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way spoke in Atlantic City about the other words AKA stood for this week: Authentic, Knowledgeable and Accessible. A Newark native, Oliver was the first African American woman in New Jersey to hold statewide office when she was elected as the states second lieutenant governor in 2017. She also served as commissioner of the state Department of Community Affairs, through which she had a hand in guiding Atlantic City under the 2016 state takeover law. Atlantic City will hold a groundbreaking Wednesday for Sheila Y. Oliver Plaza, the renovated City Hall courtyard. She died in August at 71. In a tribute video shown at the ceremony, an emotional Oliver, speaking after she was elected, declared: This may not be the first glass ceiling I have broken, but it is certainly the highest. I hope that somewhere in this great state of New Jersey, a young girl of color is watching tonight and realizing that she does not have a limit to how high she can go. Rutgers-Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor praised Oliver as a shero. Her vision and courage as a boundary-breaking leader were surpassed only by her compassion and her example as someone who fervently sought for our nation to live up to its promise. She embodied the principle of lifting as one climbs, which we saw time and again throughout her career as she engaged with our students, faculty and staff to urge us forward in making educational opportunity a reality for all, said Cantor. I can think of no better enduring tribute to her at Rutgers-Newark than to name CPRA in her honor. MARGATE Renovations that will include the addition of a second-floor open-air lounge at Sunrise Tequila and Wine Bar are expected to be completed by early May, property owner Brian Hiltner said Saturday. Construction at the 4,350 square-foot wine, liquor and packaged goods store started in January. A lot of people are scheduling private events, birthday parties ... so itll be a nice event space for that. Its not going to be a big party club. And well have security, he said. Its more like a higher-end cocktail bar. The 9700 Ventnor Ave. propertys flat rooftop will transform into a second-floor bar and lounge area. The half of the rooftop space where the bar is will be covered, while the other half will have a pergola that can be closed when it rains or there is other inclement weather. Screens along the perimeter could be opened to make the space an open-air facility. Fans, more lighting, televisions, sectional couches, and a 15- to 20-person dining table also are part of the project. Yeah, just kind of hoping to do something different outside. Everyone wants to sit outside when the weather is nice, and we want to kind of have that option. And we also have the option to close in when the weather gets cold, Hiltner added. Several property owners opposing Sunrises application hired attorney Jeffrey Barnes to voice their concerns about noise, setbacks, parking, and occupancy numbers at the citys Jan. 25 Planning Board meeting. A majority of the board approved Sunrises application; Stephen Jasieck voted no. Other residents, including Steve Blum, shared that they were in favor of Sunrises expansion but also had concerns about a nightclub atmosphere evolving with the propertys addition. First off, I am pro-business, pro-Tequila. I have nothing against any of that, Blum said. What I see here is a nightclub. This changes the character of the area and changes the character of what was there. Blum said he was worried the influx of people who would be frequenting Sunrise would cause more traffic, trash and noise to the area that would spill into the surrounding neighborhood. Barnes reassured Blum that Sunrise will have security and maintain a clean site. Resident Eli Pearlman also expressed his concerns about police involvement and the potential impact the addition would have on property values. Benson Goldberger, another resident, said a property with an open-air concept would do better in another location, despite Sunrise being located in a commercial zone. With respect to this proposal, it would be a disaster. The problem with it is that it does not belong in this area because it is surrounded by residential houses; where it belongs is on the bay, Goldberger said. But many residents came to the meeting to show their support for Sunrises second-floor expansion. Its a family-owned businesses. Its people who are our neighbors. I think that we just need to kind of buck up and be mature about this and assume that businesspeople are gonna run a good business and that customers are going to be treated respectfully and treat the establishments respectfully, Pam Girgenti said. Repercussions from a cyberattack on a major health company are being felt in the Quad-Cities. Change Healthcare's systems have been affected by this issue according to a statement online. Change Healthcare experienced a "cybersecurity issue perpetrated by a cybercrime threat actor who has represented itself to us as ALPHV/Blackcat," the statement said. According to the statement, the conglomerate's other brands Optum, UnitedHealthcare and UnitedHealth Group are not believed to be affected. "Our experts are working to address the matter and we are working closely with law enforcement and leading third-party consultants, Mandiant and Palo Alto Network, on this attack against Change Healthcare's systems. We are actively working to understand the impact to members, patients and customers," the statement continued. The attack has caused ongoing problems with pharmacies nationwide including UnityPoint Health's outpatient pharmacies. In an effort to keep patient data safe, UnityPoint has disconnected its system from Change Healthcare until the issue is resolved. "This has impacted the ability of our outpatient pharmacies to submit prescription claims to insurance plans," a statement from UnityPoint read. "We are doing our best to fill urgent prescriptions, but please know there may be an additional wait time and payment requirements until Change Healthcares system is restored." Patient care is top priority for both companies, with Change Healthcare promising to continue looking into workarounds to ensure patients have access to needed medications. "We are working on multiple approaches to restore the impacted environment and continue to be proactive and aggressive with all our systems, and if we suspect any issue with the system, we will immediately take action," Change Healthcare's statement said. 2023 Heart of Healthcare Honorees Take a look at this year's top 10 honorees for the Heart of Healthcare! Christa Nicklaus Christa Nicklaus received the Readers Choice honor this year, garnering the most votes for the 2023 Heart of Healthcare. The person who nomin Joel Moore Joel Moore is the Chief Nursing Officer of Genesis Medical Center, Davenport. He has oversight of all the nurses for both Genesis East and Gen Kelsey Parrish Kelsey Parrish, from Moline, IL, is a registered nurse in the cardiac treatment unit at UnityPoint Health Trinity Rock Island. When she was in Katy Detmer Katy Detmer is a Registered Nurse in the Neuro-Oncology unit at Genesis East. Working in this unit can be very challenging. Detmer stated, I Anitra Johnson Anitra Johnson has been a nurse for twenty years, and she was Super, super, super excited to have this honor bestowed upon her. Shes been a September Carlsten September Carlstens husband, Davenport Fire Chief Michael Carlsten, gets his name in the paper a lot, but this time, she is being honored for Stefanie Stickrod Stefanie Stickrod is the Director of Nursing for Community Health Care, Inc. Stickrods parents are originally from the Quad Cities area, but Keesha Causemaker Keesha Causemaker, a neonatal nurse practitioner at UnityPoint Trinity Rock Island, was on spring break with her family in Chicago and had no Brittany Dykes Brittany Dykes, a registered nurse at Genesis East ICU, got an incredible surprise when friends came all the way from Milwaukee, WI to witness Stina Terronez Stina Terronez had never envisioned herself becoming a nurse, and now she is a 2023 Heart of Healthcare honoree; a surprise she was not expect DES MOINES Iowas state transportation commission would be required to prioritize making all of U.S. Highway 30 four lanes under a bill passed by the Iowa House on Thursday. Lawmakers passed House File 2569 by a vote of 87-4. The bill would require the Iowa Transportation Commission to include in its long-range planning plans to make the entire length of Highway 30 four lanes including a 40-mile stretch between DeWitt and Lisbon, just east of Cedar Rapids, and between Carroll and Ogden in western Iowa. Economic developers, business leaders and government officials in Clinton County have advocated for the better part of two decades for the state to modify and expand Highway 30 between DeWitt and Lisbon to four lanes. Representatives with the U.S. Highway 30 Coalition have told lawmakers such a project would spur rural business development, foster population growth, improve roadway safety, lessen congestion on Interstate 80 and match the majority of Highway 30s cross-state footprint. Instead of a four-lane layout, the Iowa Department of Transportations five-year highway plan calls for changing the current two-lane layout of Highway 30 from Lisbon to Stanwood to a super-two" configuration that would enable the construction of wider lanes, a hard shoulder and occasional turning and passing lanes. Work is scheduled to begin for the fiscal year that starts July 1 and ends June 30, 2025, with pavement improvement from east of Lisbon to west of Mechanicsville. Property acquisition for the section of highway west of Mechanicsville to west of Stanwood is scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2025 and construction in FY 2026. Meanwhile, work is ongoing to finish four-lane construction in Benton County, which is slated to be completed this year, according to the DOT. Stuart Anderson, director of transportation development for the Iowa DOT, said the DOT decided against a four-lane layout in favor of the super two alternative due to cost savings. He said the DOT estimated it would cost 15 to 20 percent of the cost of upgrading to a four-lane highway and wouldnt require nearly as much property acquisition. The bill was amended to state the Iowa DOT would not use eminent domain to acquire land necessary to expand two-lane sections of U.S. 30 to four lanes until it has expended all reasonable alternatives, if the land is a part of century farm or residential real estate property. A study conducted by Iowa engineering firm Snyder and Associates, and paid for by the Highway 30 Coalition, estimated it would cost more than $636 million to expand a 45-mile stretch of the highway to four lanes between Carroll and Ogden and a 44-mile stretch from Lisbon to DeWitt over a 10-year period, and the estimated financial benefit to the state would be more than $770 million. Roughly 160 miles of the 331-mile-long highway in Iowa is four lanes. The study did not include the cost to expand the stretch of highway west of Carroll. A fiscal analysis of the bill by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency estimates the full expansion of Highway 30 would cost $1.5 billion throughout the course of construction. Federal funding could cover up to 80 percent of the total cost, but will depend on future budgeting decisions made by the state transportation commission. LSA estimates two lanes will need to be added to approximately 120 miles at an estimated cost of $6.7 million per mile. Four-lane bypasses would need to be constructed for approximately 39.5 miles, costing an estimated $10 million per mile, along with 16 interchanges costing approximately $16.1 million each. Annual maintenance costs for the full 120 miles is estimated to be approximately $1.7 million per year. There is over half a million people living along the (highway) corridor, and its actually the only corridor outside Interstate 80 that is growing, said Rep. Tom Determann, R-Camanche, the bills lead sponsor. Highway 30 has always been recommended as a four-lane corridor; 160 miles of if is four lanes and so we need to finish it. Determann said a four-lane divided highway is 60% safer than a two-lane highway. Communities in northern Iowa lobbied for years to make U.S. Highway 20 a four-lane expressway from Sioux City to Dubuque. The first four-lane stretch of Highway 20 was completed in 1958 and the last in 2018 60 years later. Determann said the state has seen economic growth along Highway 20 and is looking to see the same development along Highway 30. "Its a win for rural Iowa, he told The Gazette, noting the highway spans 12 counties and 39 cities. Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, who voted against the measure, said while he would like to see the highway expanded, hes concerned about the potential politicization of what should be routine infrastructure spending. The bill now heads to the Iowa Senate, where Determann said a subcommittee is scheduled to consider the bill next week. Sen. Chris Cournoyer, R-LeClaire, introduced companion legislation in the Senate last year, but it failed to advance out of the chamber. Cournoyers district includes Clinton County. Determann said he hopes to push the bill through the Senate before a March 15 legislative deadline. DES MOINES A bill Republicans say will strengthen protections for religious expressions in Iowa that Democrats contend would give legal cover to discriminate against LGTBQ Iowans and others is headed to Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds desk. Iowa House Republicans on Thursday voted 61-33 to approve Senate File 2095, referred to by supporters as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The bill now heads to the governor for her expected signature. Twenty-three states around the country, with both Republican and Democrat governors, have passed similar laws. Now, its Iowas turn, Reynolds said in a statement. Under the bill, state and local government shall not "substantially burden" someone's exercise of religion unless it is in furtherance of a compelling government interest and must be narrowly tailored in the least restrictive means of pursuing that interest. A person, corporation, church, foundation or other entity whose exercise of religion has been burdened would have the power to go to court to seek damages, injunctive relief or other means of redressing the harm against them. The bill defines exercise of religion as action "substantially motivated by one's sincerely held religious belief, whether or not the exercise is compulsory or central to a larger system of religious belief." Two dozen states have passed similar laws Supporters say the bill is needed because, in their view, U.S. Supreme Court rulings have eroded religious freedom protections that were passed into federal law in 1993 by a Democrat-majority Congress and signed by Democratic President Bill Clinton. "People of faith and our places of worship are facing more and more government intrusion into their rights to worship consistent with their beliefs, said Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison, lead sponsor of a companion bill in the House. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act protects the religious liberty of every American, every Iowan, regardless of their religion or lifestyle, Holt said. It is not a sword, or a shield. It is good policy for everyone that guarantees that everyone gets a fair day in court when the government intrudes in one of our most sacred freedoms. The federal law applies only to the federal government, but at least two dozen states have passed state-level versions of the legislation. The Iowa House debated the proposed legislation for two hours before approving on party lines, with Republicans in support and Democrats opposed. Democrats: States with similar laws report LGBTQ, housing discrimination Democrats warned that such a law would lead to state-sanctioned discrimination, using religious freedom as a defense. Rep. Lindsay James, D-Dubuque, a Presbyterian pastor, introduced an amendment that would have inserted into the bill protections against discrimination as prescribed in the Iowa Civil Rights Act. The amendment aims to restore the original purpose of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act while preventing its misuse to erode civil rights and sidestep non-discrimination laws, James said. The proposed amendment was defeated along party lines. We have seen some good applications of RFRA throughout the years, James said. Unfortunately, many of these state-level RFRA have expanded and misapplied original intent to RFRA to allow the religious belief of one to violate the civil liberties of another. Without this amendment, we will be voting on a bill that legalizes discrimination, and that weaponizes religious beliefs to justify discrimination. House Democrats cited instances of LGBTQ+ discrimination and examples of employment discrimination and denial of reproductive health care in states that have passed similar laws. Although the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was originally intended to protect religious liberty, it has been misused to cause harm, to discriminate and to deny people health care, said Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City. Its been exploited to allow employers to ignore laws that protect workers and denying people access to, for example, HIV prevention medication These bad faith interpretations which push the law far beyond its original intended purpose most often cause harm to queer people. Others said the bill would undermine inclusivity, and harm Iowa's economy, making it harder for Iowa businesses to recruit workers from out of state and retain current residents. Some business groups oppose the bill; religious groups support it Several business groups and chambers of commerce were registered opposed to the bill, including Krause Group, the Technology Association of Iowa, Principal Financial Group and the Iowa Chamber Alliance. Holt, the bills floor manager, called the arguments against the bill hyperbolic and misinformed. Holt said the bill protects religious freedom in a narrow way and requires a balancing test by courts when evaluating restrictions on religious freedom. "A compelling government interest narrowly tailored would not produce these nightmare scenarios that weve heard tonight, he said. Its a balancing test as it should be for one of our most fundamental rights in the Constitution of the United States. Versions of Iowa Republicans religious freedom bill have been introduced annually since at least 2018. This is the first time the bill has passed the Iowa Legislature. Christian conservative and religious groups registered in support of the bill include The Family Leader, Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition, Iowa Catholic Conference and Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church. Not all religious groups in the state support the bill, though. Religious freedom is one of our countrys most fundamental rights. Religious freedom is already protected under the Iowa and U.S. constitutions, Connie Ryan, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, said in a statement. There is no rationale for legislation that misuses religious freedom as a means to justify discrimination against others, Ryan said. No person should be allowed to use their faith to impose their beliefs on another person, or to take away their rights. Dr. Sarah Jane Stage February 18, 1944 - February 14, 2024 Dr. Sarah Jane Stage died on February 14, 2024, at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, AZ, from an aggressive form of cancer. She was born February 18, 1944, in Davenport, IA, the daughter of the late Elizabeth and Robert Stage of Davenport, and sister of Cynthia Stage Roeder of Springfield, MO. She attended Davenport public schools and earned a BA in History Summa Cum Laude from the University of Iowa, an MA in History from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Ph.D. from Yale University. She taught American Studies and Women's Studies at Yale, Williams College, the University of California, Riverside, and Arizona State University-West. She was married in 1984, to Barry W. Armour Kenyon in New York City. They had one child, Twain Robert Allen Kenyon of Carefree, AZ. She published a number of works including Female Complaints: Lydia Pinkham and the Business of Women's Medicine - which wove together biography, business, advertising and medicine. She co-wrote Rethinking Home Economics. She was one of six authors of the American History textbook The American Promise. She also wrote or co-wrote review articles and was an editor of the books The Moral Panics of Sexuality and Transforming Contagion: Risky Contacts among Bodies, Disciplines, and Nations. She was the recipient of a Rockefeller Foundation grant and was a fellow at the Charles Warren Center at Harvard. And past president of the Western Association of Women's Historians. In a field for the most part dominated by men, she was a pioneer who helped develop the discipline of Women's Studies, establishing a major at the University of CA, Riverside, and was the Chair of Women's Studies at Arizona State University-West in Phoenix. A passionate feminist, Sarah spent her whole academic career giving lectures, including in China, and teaching undergraduate and graduate students about the history of America and the contributions of women to society, politics and the culture. She leaves behind her husband and son of Carefree, AZ; her sister and brother-in-law, Cynthia and John Roeder of Springfield, MO; and her nieces: Deborah Roeder and her husband Don of Sarasota, FL, and Jen Battagler and her husband Shawn and family of Springfield, MO. She had a sharp and curious mind, was a voracious and astute reader who loved to travel, learning everything about wherever she went. A caring, compassionate and beloved teacher, she helped several generations of younger people better understand the world. Her family will spread her ashes in the various places she loved. She was a singular person - irreplaceable, funny, brilliant and kind. She will be sorely missed by all who had the privilege to know her and learn from her. The testimony portion of the murder trial of Glen J. Evans Jr. concluded Friday. Evans, 19, Rock Island, faces a single count of first-degree murder, according to court records. Authorities allege he killed Zavion A. McNair, 19, on Aug. 19, 2023, at a house party in the 2000 block of 33rd Street in Rock Island. Defense attorney Kelvin McCabe contended at trial that his client acted in self-defense. Assistant States Attorney Jessie Brockways argued there was no justification for the killing. Evans opted for a bench trial, so Judge Daniel P. Dalton, not a jury, must now decide Evans culpability. The trial began Tuesday and concluded Friday with closing arguments. Closing arguments are an opportunity before deliberations begin for attorneys to talk about what they think the trial evidence proved. I ask the court to acquit my client on the grounds of self-defense, McCabe said during his closing argument. McCabes arguments included questioning the credibility of witnesses who testified about what they saw during an argument between Evans and McNair before the shooting. Brockways arguments before Dalton included that the evidence does not support Evans account. The defendants story of self-defense is an uncorroborated, self-serving tale, Brockway said. When the shooting began, Evans and McNair were arguing over a gun, according to trial testimony. McNair apparently took it from Evans, who was trying to get it back. Both men were armed when the confrontation occurred. Accounts, however, of how the shooting started differed between the defense and prosecution. Two of the prosecution witnesses whose credibility McCabe questioned were Dameon Anderson, 19, and a juvenile teenager. Their testimony included that McNair had his gun under his arm, did not point it at anyone and did not make any aggressive moves toward Evans. They also testified that they both heard the shot but did not see who fired it. Evans, they said, had his gun in hand but pointed at the ground. Anderson testified Evans was moving his hands as he talked. McCabe said Friday that both were friends of McNair and argued their testimony was biased in McNairs favor. Evans chose to testify in his own defense and did so Thursday, alleging McNair acted aggressively toward him and shot first, hitting Evans, prompting him to return fire. Brockway told Dalton on Friday there is no evidence that McNair aimed or fired a gun. While on the stand, the juvenile testified that Evans was threatening to shoot if he did not get the gun, Brockway said Friday. The teen never saw McNair move the gun from under his arm or point it. The teen told the court during her testimony that she offered to try to get the gun back from McNair for Evans, but McNair would not let her have it. Brockway said Friday that the girl got in between the two arguing men, trying to help. The teen testified that when the gun went off, she heard it behind her. The defendant is standing behind her, Brockway said. McCabe argued the eyewitness accounts included different accounts of how McNair was responding to Evans as Evans tried to get the gun back For example, one account was that he was shaking his head, another that he said no. The lights were on in the room, McCabe told Dalton. How did all these people have different narratives of what happened? McCabe asked Friday. During his testimony, Evans told Dalton that McNair did have the pistol under his arm but moved toward Evans with his finger on the trigger, which Evans saw as a threatening gesture. As Evans tried to get the pistol back, McNair told him they should take it outside. McNair, Evans testified Thursday, finally stepped to the side of the juvenile who had tried to mediate and shot Evans in the leg. Evans said he then started shooting back as they both ran from the room, McNair in front. McNair still had the gun in his hand, so Evans kept shooting until he saw McNair had dropped the gun. Authorities recovered the gun that evidence indicates killed McNair. The gun witnesses said McNair had was not recovered. During his testimony this week, Jeffrey Parise, an Illinois State Police forensic scientist, said that among the evidence he analyzed was the lone casing and single bullet recovered from the bedroom where the argument took place. Parise said the tests were inconclusive as to whether the bullet and casing came from Evans gun or another gun. McCabe said Friday that the casing recovered in that room was a different brand from all the other rounds recovered elsewhere at the scene. Most of the latter were connected to his clients gun. When investigators test-fired Evans gun with rounds of the same brand as the casing recovered from the bedroom, they could not recreate the same characteristics present on the recovered casing, McCabe said. During Evans testimony on Thursday, Brockway asked Evans if it was possible he shot himself. Evans replied that based on his wound, there was no way hed shot himself. The Rock Island County States Attorneys Office initially charged Evans on Aug. 21, 2023, with second-degree murder, according to previous reporting. Underlying that charge was the allegation that Evans thought the circumstances he found himself in would justify the killing or exonerate him, according to previous reporting. Prosecutors alleged that belief was not reasonable. The states attorneys office amended the charge to first-degree murder on Aug. 25, according to previous reporting. A hearing date for a possible verdict has been set for March 11. A Scott County Sheriffs deputy who worked as the sex offender registry detective is facing charges for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a registered sex offender under his supervision. Anthony Lamar Johnson, 39, is charged in Scott County District Court with one count of falsifying public documents, a Class D felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of five years. Johnson also is charged with tampering with records, an aggravated misdemeanor that carries a prison sentence of two years, and non-felonious misconduct in office, a serious misdemeanor that carries a jail sentence of up to one year. According to the arrest affidavits filed by agent Marissa Mussmann of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Scott County Sheriffs Department on Dec. 1, 2023, received information that Johnson was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a registered sex offender whom he supervised. The information associated with the case was turned over to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. According to Mussmanns affidavits, records and statements obtained during the investigation indicated a sexual relationship began between Johnson and the subject about Nov. 14, 2023. Johnson utilized his Scott County Sheriffs Department-issued cell phone to communicate with the person. Johnson was placed on administrative leave on Dec. 1, 2023. Johnson and the person both stated that Johnson went to the persons residence in his Scott County Sheriffs Department vehicle while on duty and engaged in a sex act, according to the affidavits. The act occurred between Nov. 27 and Nov. 29, 2023. Text message records and statements made by Johnson indicated that Johnson told the person to delete the messages from their cell phone as late as Nov. 30, 2023. A review of Johnsons department-issued cell phone was compared with cell records. The review indicated the absence of about 2,000 text messages between Johnson and the person between Nov. 14 and Nov. 28, 2023. According to the affidavits, Johnson used his department-issued vehicle and cell phone to further his inappropriate relationship with the person while earning wages from the county. Additionally, Johnson admitted to deleting the messages in an attempt to prevent their discovery. Johnson was aware that the person was using a phone number that was not registered with the sex-offender registry, and that the person was driving a motor vehicle that was not registered on the sex-offender registry. The person knew that Johnson could have criminally charged the person for violating policies of the sex-offender registry. Johnson, however, never charged the person with a registry violation. A warrant was issued for Johnsons arrest on Thursday and served that day. Scott County District Court Judge Henry Latham has appointed Cedar County Attorney Adam Blank to prosecute the case. Johnson will make a first appearance on the charges in district court later. Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane said that now that criminal charges had been filed the Sheriffs Department would begin the internal affairs process. Johnson remains on administrative leave. She was 21 years old when she started working for the Moline Dispatch. After nearly 44 years in the newspaper business, Danine Glascock is retiring. Originally from Kansas City, Glascock attended college in Missouri before making the move to the Quad-Cities. She found work at J.C. Penny's in North Park Mall, but had her sights set on something bigger. She applied for a job at the Rock Island Arsenal and one at the Dispatch. The newspaper passed her over, assuming she would get hired at the arsenal. But she never heard back from the island and instead took a part-time job at the Dispatch. Quickly, that turned into a full-time role where she handled everything from customer service to clerical contracts. After four years she worked her way up to executive assistant, a scary endeavor for the time, she said. "It was a big jump up the ladder," she said. In that role she became involved in HR work, handling employee benefits alongside Donna Herbig, who worked with Glascock for 36 years. "Danine is so smart and she is so good with people. Between those two things, she was held in such high regard by everybody," Herbig said. "Shes a great person and just an all-around terrific employee. Glascock's organization skills and computer-savvy always impressed her co-workers. And, she was the one they could rely on when things went awry. "If we couldn't get the IT guys to come downstairs and look at our computers, she could usually figure it out," Herbig said with a laugh. "She was a good ear for employees, too, when you had to make a decision about benefits. She offered guidance." Having a friendly face you could trust made all the difference, Herbig said. And everyone knew they had that in Glascock. "Nobody gets into the newspaper industry for the money. You do it for the people," Herbig said. Stacy Elliot, who worked HR alongside Glascock for nearly 30 years, agreed. "Everybody loves her," she said. "She is a wonderful person who is definitely very knowledgeable and people did come to her for expertise." Glascock herself quipped she is known for helping people out in a pinch. "Eighty percent of my job is solving problems," she said. In 2017, after 37 years at the Dispatch, the staff was in for a surprise when the newspaper was acquired by Lee Enterprises. Tom Biermann was named the general manager of the Dispatch during the transition and right away, Glascock was his saving grace. "She was invaluable for me," he said. "Right away she jumped on my team and was truly an intricate part of that transition." When the team had to move buildings, Glascock stepped in to help configure the layouts of desks and arrange seating for the new crew. Without her, it never would have been as smooth. I could not have asked for a better team member. So loyal and so professional," he said. She was always there, willing and able to do it. I never heard her say thats not my job. In addition to vital roles around the newspaper office, Glascock took on community roles for the Santa Fund, a 100-year tradition of gifting locals in times of need, and for the Quad-City Times Bix 7 when thousands of racers pour into the Quad-Cities for a weekend. "It takes a lot of people to make the Bix work," Glascock said. Race Director Michelle Juehring said Glascock's work was invaluable, but the way she treated others is what stands out most of all. "When Barbara Bush wrote the following, she obviously had Danine in mind. For Danine did this, day in and day out, not for the recognition, rather just by being herself: 'Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people - your family, friends, and coworkers and even strangers you meet along the way,'" Juehring said. "I'm so thankful our paths have crossed. My life is just that much better. Wishing you all the best in your new adventure," she added. The Dispatch-Argus Regional Spelling Bee, a 43-year tradition, was headed up by Glascock in recent years as well. She took over her official duties in 2020 when the format had to go virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally Glascock was set to retire in December but extended by a few months to close out one last Bee, which took place last weekend. Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus Executive Editor Tom Martin said Glascock's commitment to the paper and the wealth of knowledge is what will be missed the most. "Danine is an institution at the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus. Though I've only worked with her a little more than a year, I learned quickly that Danine had the answer for whatever question I had," he said. "As time went on, I discovered her public service in events like Santa Fund, the Dispatch-Argus Spelling Bee and the Quad-City Times Bix 7. We're going to miss her." That sentiment was shared by Rob Cravaritis, president of the Quad-City Times and Lees Iowa business unit. "Danine is the rock or the glue of our business. No one knows more or has seen as much than Danine, from her times at the Dispatch, Argus and now with the Quad-City Times," he said. "We are all better off having Danines positivity and can-do attitude for all her 43 years with us. We all wish her the very best in the next chapter." Reflecting on her career of nearly 44 years, Glascock said she will miss the people the most. But now her career is coming full-circle. When she started fresh out of college, she worked alongside older coworkers who took jobs young and stayed until their retirement. "Now I'm one of them," she said. "There's nothing like newspaper people." Photos: 43rd Annual Dispatch-Argus Regional Spelling Bee In a ruling issued Friday that could impact dozens of other cases stemming from the Jan. 6 attack, a federal appeals court in Washington has ordered a new sentence for a retired Air Force officer who stormed the U.S. Capitol dressed in combat gear. While Larry Brock's conviction was upheld by a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the court pointed out that a judge had incorrectly applied an enhancement that lengthened the recommended prison sentence range under federal guidelines. The Associated Press reported Patricia Hartman, a spokesperson for the Washington U.S. attorney's office, noted that the enhancement, based on the argument that Brock's conduct resulted in "substantial interference with the administration of justice," has been employed in more than 100 other cases involving Jan. 6 defendants. If the decision stands, those defendants yet to complete their prison terms may seek new sentences. When asked whether prosecutors will appeal the ruling, Hartman said they are considering their options. What Does This Mean For Defendant's Already Sentenced? Convicted of a felony charge of obstruction of an official proceeding and misdemeanor offenses, Brock was sentenced to two years in prison last year. Currently housed in a federal lockup in Missouri, he is set to be released in December, based on Bureau of Prisons records. It remains unclear to what degree Brock's, or other defendants', sentences might be reduced upon re-sentencing. With the sentencing enhancement, the range in Brock's case under federal guidelines was 24 to 30 months. U.S. District Judge John Bates opted for the lower end of those guidelines, which offers direction to judges in determining penalties but are not mandatory. Brock from Grapevine, Texas, wore a helmet and tactical vest as he joined in the Capitol mob. Shortly after the Senate evacuation, he made his way onto the Senate floor, holding discarded zip-tie handcuffs in a widely shared photo. His lawyer argued in court documents that Brock did not intend to use the handcuffs to cause harm. Augustana College will host its annual Ellwood F. Curtis Family Lecture in Public Affairs on Monday, featuring American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Senior Staff Attorney Emerson Sykes. The lecture, titled Freedom of expression and freedom of inquiry in polarized time," will take place at 7 p.m. in Wallenberg Hall. It is free and open to the public. Wallenberg is inside Augie's Denkmann Memorial Building, located at 3520 7th Ave. in Rock Island. In addition to the lecture, Sykes will meet with Augie pre-law studies students and visit a constitutional law class. Sykes' work on the ACLU's Speech, Privacy and Technology Project focuses on First Amendment privacy protections. He earned his juris doctor degree at the New York University School of Law, where he was a Root-Tilden-Kern Scholar for Public Interest Law. Sykes also holds a master's degree in public affairs from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and a bachelors degree in political science from Stanford University. Augie established the Curtis Lecture in memory of Ellwood F. Curtis, a longtime former president and vice chair of Deere & Company. Curtis was active in the Quad-Cities community and co-chair of Augie's "Agenda for Leadership" fundraising campaign. State lawmakers assured a child care center CEO that any changes to AEAs would not impact early-learning assistance. Rep. Mike Vondran, R-Davenport and Sen. Chris Cournoyer, R-LeClaire, on Friday toured Hand in Hand, a Bettendorf child care center that offers services to children with and without special needs in addition to holding camps and adult programming, too. "My biggest alarm when the AEA bill came out," Angie Kendall, Hand in Hand's CEO, told Vondran and Cournoyer, "my like haven't-slept-since-this-point is because in (Iowa Gov. Kim) Reynolds' bill, she didn't mention early access, which is service from 0- to 5-year-olds " "Not even on the table anymore," Cournoyer cut in, referring to the governor's proposal. "In the House version we passed this week, it is (mentioned)," Vondran said. Kendall said the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency provided therapists, including speech and occupational therapists for Hand in Hand. "That's the only place we get help, and they're in here all the time," Kendall said. The Iowa House of Representatives on Thursday voted 53-41 to pass legislation, HF 2612, that reorganizes funding and oversight of the state's nine Area Education Agencies. Unlike the governor's initial proposal, the bill would keep Iowas AEAs as the sole provider of special-education support in the state. State funding for special-education services would go to the school districts, and they would be required to use that funding with the AEAs. School districts would receive their allocation for media services and other education services that are currently devoted to the AEAs, and they would be able to choose whether to use that money with the AEAs or with another party once the bill is fully phased in in the 2026-2027 school year. The bill also requires a more in-depth study be done on the AEAs. The Senate, meanwhile, is working on its own proposal, and Cournoyer said it was yet to be seen where the Senate would land and how lawmakers would merge the House and Senate proposals. Kendall also urged for a greater public investment in child care overall, as pandemic relief measures, such as funding for staff recruitment and retention, are set to expire. "Child care will be decimated in the state without some sort of public investment if we pull all the (COVID-19 relief) funds away," Kendall said. Kendall said expenses had gone up, including staff pay and food, while the center had taken on more children with unique needs that required additional staff resources as other programs closed or rejected them. Caleb McCullough contributed to this report. According to a new study, infants and toddlers in high-quality child care retain positive benefits longer, provided they are enrolled early enough According to a new study, infants and toddlers in high-quality child care retain positive benefits longer, provided they are enrolled early enough Two women embraced each other on the north side of Rapid City surrounded by around 30 community members as they opened the citys first Indigenous-led LGBTQIA+ center, Uniting Resilience. For 19 years, the Oglala Lakota lesbian couple has fought for the right to be together. The two have experienced discrimination, homophobia and barriers to expressing themselves, Monique Muffie Mosseau said. Now, theyre hoping to stop other Two-Spirit couples from facing these challenges. I met my wife in 2005. We were together for three months before the gay-bashing started. Felipa was fired from her job and I had to leave mine, Mousseau said. There were no resources for us here in the Midwest. When same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide in 2015, the couple was still unable to be married on their reservation. Instead, the couple was married in the Black Hills. The barriers the couple faced didnt stop after they were allowed to be married. They continued to face racism and homophobia, Mousseau said. These experiences led them to push for change. In 2019, Mousseau and Felipa De Leon worked to pass the Same-Sex Marriage and Hate Crime Protection Act on the Pine Ridge Reservation, marking the Oglala Sioux Tribe as the first South Dakota tribe to allow same-sex marriage. That (homophobia) isnt traditional. Thats a colonized way of thinking, Mousseau said. In fall 2023, the couple was able to attend the same-sex wedding of Mousseaus cousin, Oglala Sioux Tribe Vice President Alicia Mousseau, and her wife on the reservation. When we got to the wedding, I just turned my car radio off and sat in silence for about five minutes. I started crying, Mousseau said. It was so surreal. We accomplished something that we wished somebody had done for us. The freedom was there for them to have because of Felipa and I. By opening the Uniting Resilience center, the couple is hoping to continue to provide a safe space for LGBTQIA+ or Two-Spirit people around the Black Hills, regardless if theyre Native. This is the city's first Two-Spirit safe space, De Leon said. Our big goal is just to support Two-Spirit people however we can. The term "Two-Spirit" refers to a person who identifies as possessing both a masculine and feminine spirit and is used by some Indigenous people to describe their sexual, gender and/or spiritual identity. Two-Spirit is an umbrella term for what in western culture may be referred to as the LGBTQIA community. Uniting Resilience will provide space for '"well-briety" groups, counseling, resume and job application crafting assistance, and a general safe space for the Two-Spirit community. Uniting Resilience is also hoping to provide a space for understanding, Mousseau said. Mousseau invited anyone with different opinions to come, sit down, enjoy a cup of coffee and have a conversation. My wife and I welcome anyone, all legislators, to come in, have a cup of coffee and talk. We accept them and ask that they accept us, Mousseau said. We need to heal our differences. How many people need to die before we make a change? On Feb. 7, 2024, a 16-year-old transgender Choctaw student named Nex Benedict was beaten in the womens restroom of Owasso High School in Oklahoma. The next day, they died. On Saturday, Feb. 28, Uniting Resilience held a vigil in memory of Benedict, but also to remember local Two-Spirit individuals. Weve had our own Nex Benedicts here in South Dakota, Mousseau said. On Aug. 21, 2022, in Rapid City, a transgender Oglala Lakota woman, Acey Morrison, was shot by a man she met on a dating app. On Feb. 15, 2024, Gregory Landers was charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection to Morrisons death. On Jan. 7, 2017, a transgender Oglala Lakota woman, Jamie Wounded Arrow, was found stabbed to death in her Sioux Falls apartment. Two days later, Joshua LeClaire was charged with her murder. In both cases, the assailants claimed they killed the transgender women in self-defense. Mousseau said Uniting Resilience worked to help connect Morrisons family with resources following her murder. We are so grateful that charges have finally been filed. Justice should be happening, Mousseau said. We hope that we were able to help in some way with getting the family the justice they deserve. Mousseaus own relative, an Oglala Lakota lesbian woman named Lana Young Bear, was murdered in 1987 in San Francisco. Young Bears death pushed Mousseau to continue fighting. I thought, Do it for her, Mousseau said. Im gonna be somebody for everyone thats like me. Uniting Resilience is sharing its new building at 705 E. Watertown St. in Rapid City with the South Dakota Coalition Ending Domestic Violence. The groups are working to share resources and end violence toward both domestic violence victims and Two-Spirit individuals. This violence has gotten out of control. Its not a reflection of who we were meant to be, said Karen Artichoker, Oglala Lakota and Ho-Chunk and co-director of the South Dakota Coalition Ending Domestic Violence. Violence is a big issue with our Two-Spirit people just like it is with heterosexual people. Artichoker spoke at the grand opening Feb. 29 about the work that needs to be done in both communities. The response and stance for everybody has not gotten better. I think for this population (LGBTQIA+) theres been even less of a response, Artichoker said. Theyre (Mousseau and De Leon) doing one heck of a job. Those women are balls of fire. These are things the public needs to see. John Thune, the fourth-term Republican Senator from South Dakota, may soon continue his public service under a new title Minority Leader. With Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell's sudden departure announcement, years of Congressional scuttlebutt surrounding Thune's potential ascension to the highest Republican rank in the chamber seems all too real. McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history, will step down from the role he has held for nearly two decades this November. The 82-year-old will serve out the rest of his term, which ends in January 2027. His aides told reporters the decision was unrelated to his health, according to the Associated Press. McConnell suffered a concussion from a fall and had two incidents where he froze while speaking last year. In a statement, Thune thanked McConnell for his service and said it will be hard to imagine a Senate without his leadership. "For decades, hes been a fierce defender of the Senate, our conference, and our party, and were all better for his service," Thune said. "Mitch leaves enormous shoes to fill, and its with humility that I look forward to having a discussion with my colleagues about what the future holds for the Senate Republican Conference and a new generation of leadership." Thune, 63, won re-election to his fourth term in 2022. He famously hesitated on announcing his intention to run again, instead contemplating retirement. Thune seemingly grew weary after navigating the waters of a Trump-dominated Republican Party. The former President had at one point even called for a primary to unseat Thune, referring to him as a "RINO" Republican in Name Only. After a sweeping victory in the South Carolina primary last week, Thune gave his endorsement to Trump, having previously endorsed Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) early on, according to reporting by The Hill. Thune isn't the only potential candidate for Minority Leader; Texas Sen. John Cornyn became the first to officially announce his intention to run for the position Thursday. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso is also rumored to be in the mix. The Senate will vote in November on McConnell's replacement, who will take control beginning in Jan. 2025. The Rapid City Police Department announced Friday afternoon they arrested a 21-year-old Box Elder man for allegedly shooting and killing 25-year-old Esther Wolfe on Feb. 21 in north Rapid City. Arkadius Wright Sr. was placed under arrest for first-degree murder Friday, eight days after police arrested 23-year-old Ezekiel Mayweather on a charge of aiding and abetting first-degree murder. Wolfe was shot just before 7 p.m. on Feb. 21 along Pine Street just off of East North Street in Rapid City. After an ambulance ride to the hospital, she was pronounced dead. According to the state, Mayweather orchestrated the killing, provided the gun, and instructed the shooter to kill Wolfe allegedly motivated by a "misguided" belief she was involved in the 2019 death of his older brother, 20-year-old Michael Mayweather. Police did not name Wright as a suspect before they announced his arrest. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe, however, put out a notice that the Rapid City Police Department was looking for Wright without specifying why. At that time, the only warrants out for him were for failing to appear in court on a drug charge and a simple assault charge in Pennington County, but various social media posts and comments speculated he was involved in Wolfe's death. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe posted on social media Thursday the Rapid City Police Department had arrested Wright. Brendyn Medina, spokesperson for the RCPD, said Wright was placed under arrest Friday for murder. Medina said he could not speak to other charges. As of Friday afternoon, police had not named any additional suspects outside of Mayweather and Wright. Medina said if anyone has information about additional involved parties, they can call police. The RCPD's non-emergency dispatch number is 605-394-4131. An anonymous tip can also be submitted by texting the letters 'RCPD' and the information to 847-411. Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of NDN Collective, does not have a trial date just yet for his felony assault case, but the process moved forward Friday morning with Presiding Judge Craig Pfeifle's rulings on various pretrial motions. One ruling denied the defense's request for evidence that may show "vindictive prosecution." Another required the state to provide complete copies of all body-worn cameras related to the case. Tilsen is charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and obstruction. If convicted, he would face up to 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine for the assault charge and up to one year in the county jail and a $2,000 fine for the obstruction charge. The charges stem from June 11, 2022, when an officer was standing in a parking spot speaking to an intoxicated man on Saint Joseph Street in Rapid City. Tilsen allegedly pulled his truck into the spot, stopped, then lurched forward at the officer before stopping about one-and-a-half feet from him. Tilsen denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Oct. 26, 2023. On Friday, Pfeifle addressed eight different pretrial motions from counsel, seven of which were from the defense. Pfeifle granted the defense's request for all body-worn camera footage from the officers and supervisors who responded to the scene and communications between dispatch and officers. Tilsen's attorneys claimed the footage the state provided them did not include all officers, and that audio was missing in portions when officers spoke with each other. In addition to the complete footage, the state is required to provide record of recent maintenance on the cameras, chain of custody details, data transfer information and the department's policies and rules regarding body-worn cameras. The judge denied a request for records of any disciplinary actions taken against the officers and supervisors for improper use of the body-worn cameras or improper handling of footage. Pfeifle called the request "too broad." Pfeifle also denied a request for a recording of the grand jury proceedings in the case. He said a transcript would be available, but to provide audio or visual recordings would violate the secrecy of grand jury hearings. The defense asked for any records of mental health treatment the victim may have undergone after the incident. Pfeifle denied that request, citing concerns for confidentiality. He said the defense can request information on whether the officer saw any mental health practitioner, and the court would then assess if the defense is entitled to any records. Pfeifle completely denied a 15-page motion "for disclosure of evidence which may lead to the dismissal of the indictment due to vindictive prosecution." According to the defense, the prosecution was brought for "improper, unlawfully politically motivated purposes rather than prosecutorial merit." The defense pointed out the timing of the charges, which the Pennington County State's Attorney's Office filed on June 30, 2023. That was over a year after the alleged incident and a few days before NDN Collective planned to protest police violence on July 4, 2023 in downtown Rapid City without a permit. Former Mayor Steve Allender sent out a warning to the public about the protest, which resulted in no violence or destruction of property. Pennington County State's Attorney Lara Roetzel called the timing a coincidence. The defense highlighted other events prior to prosecution. In 2020, when Mark Vargo was State's Attorney, Tilsen had faced charges related to a protest at Mount Rushmore. In 2021, the case was moved to Minnehaha County after Tilsen accused Vargo of prosecutorial misconduct. Roetzel said the June 2022 case was handed over to Minnehaha County as well, and then Minnehaha County dismissed the 2020 Mount Rushmore case in December 2022 before passing the June 2022 case back to Pennington County. The defense argued the dismissal upset law enforcement. That, they said combined with the mayor's comments in June 2023, Gov. Kristi Noem criticizing NDN Collective on national television that same month, and the upcoming July 4, 2023 protest motivated the charges. The defense asked for various information that could support their belief of vindictive prosecution, including any information about the case transfer to Minnehaha County, communications between law enforcement and politicians about the case, communications between the state and the alleged victim and numerous other pieces of potential evidence. Pfeifle said the requests were "too speculative" and "designed to circumvent the rules of discovery." Both the state and the defense have 60 days to provide each other evidence. At 4 p.m. on June 6, the court will reconvene and discuss any further evidence questions. At that point, the court plans to set a trial date. A University of Wisconsin-Madison pediatric research scientist will discuss her studies of the mental health effects of social media on youth during a community presentation at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19. The presentation will take place in the Hamilton High School Performing Arts Center, 327 Fairgrounds Road. The talk by Chelsea J. Olson, Ph.D., titled What We Know about Social Media Use and Youth Mental Health, is part of a free outreach program sponsored by Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML). The hour-long presentation is intended for a general audience and will include a brief time for questions. At UW-Madison, Dr. Olson is a member of the Social Media and Adolescent Health Research Team (SMAHRT), under Dr. Megan Moreno. As part of SMAHRT, Dr. Olson has assisted with several projects that have used a variety of research methods such as survey questionnaires, content analyses and interviews to investigate how adolescents and young adults use social media and how that use is associated with health behaviors. More specifically, she has investigated how positive experiences, for example seeking information about relationships, and negative experiences, for example cyberbullying and cyberstalking, occur on social media among adolescents and young adults and how those associations affect health behaviors and outcomes. Along with discussing current research about the relationship between social media use and youth mental health, Dr. Olson said she plans to share some benefits and risks of social media use, and she will share some tips and resources for navigating social media and promoting good mental health in youth. Ive always been fascinated with youth development and the changes and contexts that make the adolescent stage of life unique, she said. For example, the development of peer relationships, including friendships and romantic relationships, was very interesting to me. Dr. Olson said the evolution of social media has enhanced her interest in youth development because so much of youth social media involves interacting with peers. Adding a mental health component to the mix makes the research field even more intriguing for her. Mental health is essential to an individuals overall well-being, and it is essential that positive mental health begins early, she said. These few interests of mine led me to research how both positive and negative experiences with peers on social media impact mental health and well-being. Dr. Olson received her Ph.D. and masters degree in educational psychology (with a focus on human development) from UW-Madison. Along with her youth research, Dr. Olson has taught a broad range of educational psychology courses at UW and has studied cyber victimization among college students and adults. RML began offering community mental health presentations in 2019 following the suicide of the son of one of its scientists, RML lead microscopist Beth Fischer explained. Dr. Kimmo Virtaneva and his wife, Monica, chose to use their son Mikas death to encourage people to talk about mental health, the latest research, and helpful resources, she said. The series, Mental Illness Knowledge Awareness, or M.I.K.A., was created to raise awareness and destigmatize conversations on mental health related topics. RML is part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. NIAID conducts and supports research at the National Institutes of Health, throughout the United States, and worldwide to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website. Dr. Martin Caplan and Dr. Kenneth Lipstock oppose legislation that would require unconscious bias training for medical professionals in order for them to keep their licenses (Forcing physicians to undergo divisive training wont help patients, Feb. 16). Their vehement denial that they need this training is exactly why it should be required. Claiming that they both believe that prejudice exists and is utterly unacceptable and pointing to how far the medical profession has come in terms of racial bias, they believe such training will only politicize medicine. As antiracist author Ibram X. Kendi once wrote, denial of racism is the heartbeat of racism. It reminds me of Donald Trump claiming to be the least racist person we could know. It also reminds me of those who oppose teaching about our countrys racist past, claiming that its all behind us. Racial disparities in medical care are widely documented, so I dont need to repeat them here. But reading these two doctors protest so loudly against unconscious bias training tells me that state legislators might be on to something. Robert Holland. Richmond. Former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump will speak at a Get Out the Vote rally Saturday evening at the Greater Richmond Convention Center at 403 N. Third St. The event comes three days before Virginia voters head to the polls to vote in Tuesdays Republican presidential primary election. PHOTOS: Trump rally in Richmond Photos from Saturday's Trump rally at the Richmond Convention Center. SCENES OUTSIDE THE RALLY: 'Obviously, we needed a bigger venue' Scenes from outside the Greater Richmond Convention Center before and during Saturday's campaign rally for former President Donald Trump. Heres what to know. When the doors open Event organizers have said admission to the Richmond Convention Center will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday, with Trump scheduled to speak three hours later. At the time of publishing, the Trump campaign had not released a lineup of speakers or list of Virginia endorsements. Trump campaign representatives told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that they planned to release additional details at some point on Friday. A Richmond police spokesperson said no road closures were planned for Saturday. Tickets first come, first served According to the Trump campaign website, tickets to the rally are available on a first come, first served basis. Ticket registration is limited to two tickets per registrant. A spokesperson for the Richmond Convention Center declined to comment on how many people are expected to attend on Saturday night. Trump campaign representatives were not available for comment on expected attendance. The capacity of the convention centers theater room is 2,880, according to Meetings and Conventions. Barriers erected near building As of Friday afternoon, barriers had already been set up outside the convention center. A group of Trump supporters were gathered outside the door next to the barriers, where they set up camp to make sure they could access premier seating during the event. Scott Knuth, of Woodbridge, said he was a founding member of the group of people called the Front Row Joes that has traveled around the country and attended dozens of Trump rallies since 2015. Knuth, who said he has been to 43 rallies, was on his way to a Trump event in Greensboro, North Carolina, when he found out about the Richmond rally and changed his plans. Theres a group of (us) from all over ... Indiana, Iowa, Florida ... Philadelphia, Knuth said. We go caucusing, knock on doors, make phone calls and, when we come to these things, we help the campaign, too. Knuth, who said he has met Trump eight times, is voting for him because of his economic policies and stance on border security. Even if you dont like him for his personality, youve got to like him for what he wants to do for the country, Knuth said. Were all Americans ... we can make America great again. Scuffle broke out in 2016 Trump last came to Richmond in June 2016 in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election in which he defeated Hillary Clinton. Clinton carried Virginia in that election, but lost the Electoral College vote to Trump. During that visit, five anti-Trump protesters were arrested and one was charged with disorderly conduct following a brief scuffle involving the protesters, Trump supporters and Richmond police in Festival Park. Where each Trump case stands Classified documents case Election interference Hush-money scheme Georgia election indictment Civil cases Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley is urging for a thorough examination of former President Donald Trump's trials before the upcoming election, emphasizing the importance of voters being informed about the situation. In an interview following the Supreme Court's announcement on Wednesday, the former UN ambassador and only remaining opponent in the primary race against Trump shared her thoughts on the court's decision to determine Trump's immunity from prosecution in his federal election interference case. Nikki Haley Calls For Supreme Court Decision on Trump Trials Before November The high court announced it will be hearing oral arguments in the case the week of April 22. This indicates that Trump's election interference case in Washington, DC will be on hold until at least the summer if it proceeds to trial. Haley emphasized the importance of the Supreme Court clarifying the timing of its decision, the implications for those who have already voted, and the necessity of providing comprehensive answers prior to the general election. Regrettably, legal proceedings can be quite lengthy, she mentioned. Haley added the possibility that voters may not be informed about what will occur before the election. Haley criticized the former president, stating her belief that a president should not be immune from anything. "I believe the president should also be subject to the same laws," Haley stated, according to NBC News. She criticized Trump for requesting things that no other president has ever requested, but she emphasized that it was not only about Trump but every president. When choosing to review the case for a potentially groundbreaking decision, the nation's top court announced it would explore the issue of whether a former president is protected by presidential immunity from criminal charges related to actions taken while in office. Special Counsel Jack Smith recommended that the court dismiss Trump's request for review or grant it on an emergency basis. In June, the Supreme Court usually releases its decisions, although it has the flexibility to deviate from this timeline. The Supreme Court's decision to get involved is a result of the difficulties in scheduling due to the ex-president's increasing legal issues. Amidst juggling four criminal trials, he continues to campaign for president. The upcoming trial related to payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels is set to commence at the end of March. The ex-president's legal troubles have not diminished backing in the GOP presidential race. He has won all the GOP primaries so far and is now gearing up for Super Tuesday, where 16 states will cast their votes with strong momentum on his side. Read Also: Mitch McConnell to Step Down As Senate Republican Leader in November Nikki Haley Vows Not to Drop in Race On Friday morning, Haley reaffirmed her commitment to remain in the presidential primary race until Super Tuesday. She also mentioned that joining the third-party presidential movement No Labels ticket as an independent wouldn't be a viable option for her. Haley, who recently faced defeat against former President Donald Trump in primaries in Michigan and her home state of South Carolina, stated that she has raised $12 million just in February to support her campaign through Super Tuesday. She suggested that future decisions will depend on her competitiveness in upcoming primaries and caucuses, without specifying the criteria. She once more avoided addressing whether she would withdraw after Tuesday or pursue an independent run on a No Labels ticket. Once more, she emphasized that she has not been in touch with No Labels, and expressed her lack of interest in the group's plan for a unity ticket involving a Republican presidential candidate and a Democratic vice presidential candidate. Per ABC News, Haley did not specify any specific thresholds for the vote share she needs in states, but emphasized that "30 to 40 percent is not a small number." When questioned about the conclusion of her campaign, she responded, "I am not sure if I am ending my presidential bid. When you're in a competition, the furthest thing from your mind is being out of the running." Related Article: Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Trump's Immunity Claim, Sets April Argument Over Election Interference Case Matan Goldstein had only just arrived at the University of Virginia when, he says, he was first attacked for his faith and his nationality. Meeting other first-year students in his dormitory, Goldstein introduced himself as an Israeli and a Jew. After making this introduction, another student, who identified himself as Egyptian, approached Goldstein, told him he hated him and called him a bloodthirsty human being. That was Week 1, a little more than a month before war would break out in Israel. On Oct. 7 of last year, Palestinian terror group Hamas launched a surprise assault on Israel, killing roughly 1,200 civilians and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel has responded with a full-on siege of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. More than 30,000 people have died, an overwhelming majority of those Palestinians. The war, and the atrocities committed against civilians, have sent shockwaves across the globe. And American colleges, as they are wont to do, have become hotbeds of debate, protest and even violence. University officials, themselves, have landed in hot water for their responses not only to the violence overseas but unrest on their own campuses. Harvard University President Claudine Gay and University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill, a former UVa provost, both stepped down after facing criticism for their defense of free speech, which many U.S. lawmakers and university donors saw as a failure to condemn a sudden rise in antisemitic acts. And antisemitism is on the rise, according to human rights watchdog organizations. Between Oct. 7 and Dec. 7, the Anti-Defamation League reported a 337% year-over-year increase in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. The Grounds at UVa are no exception. UVa authorities have received dozens of reports from Jewish students claiming theyve been harassed, threatened, intimidated and even physically assaulted. While UVa says it received a total of 19 "reports related to potential antisemitism" from students, faculty and staff between the start of the 2023 fall semester and Jan. 1 of this year, not a single of one those reports has been officially lodged as a formal complaint. "In response to reports of alleged antisemitic speech or conduct, University officials have connected with reporters, offered them resources, and sought additional information about their reports so that we can investigate and hold people responsible if necessary," UVa spokesman Brian Coy told The Daily Progress in a prepared statement. "Many investigations are ongoing, but in some cases, we haven't yet received enough information to identify alleged perpetrators and hold them accountable. We urge anyone with information about cases of antisemitism, islamophobia, or other forms of harassment and intimidation to share that information as soon as possible." Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation of its own in December after a complaint was filed there. Goldstein, alone, has filed four reports of harassment to university police. He has also brought his concerns to deans of the university on two separate occasions. He told The Daily Progress he faced a negative response each time. I just wish that the university would show solidarity with its Jewish students, said Goldstein. Because right now, the rhetoric that is being espoused against Israel is unacceptable. Moving backwards When Joel Nied moved his son into the dormitories at UVa, he said he expected his only involvement with the school would be buying his now-second-year student dinner once a year over UVa Family Weekend. Unfortunately, I have become way more involved than I ever wanted, Nied told The Daily Progress. The schools Jewish community accounts for around 6% of its total undergraduate population. Nied and a handful of other Jewish UVa parents were alarmed to hear of a spike in antisemitic reports from their children in the wake of Oct. 7. They began sending hundreds of letters and emails to President Jim Ryan, the universitys governing Board of Visitors and other high-ranking UVa administrators. When the school did respond, parents said the messages were generic boilerplate language providing little recourse. Students said they were more often than not encouraged to seek mental health support. Frustrated by the schools response or lack thereof, one student decided to take the case to a higher power: the Office for Civil Rights within the U.S. Department of Education. A copy of that complaint obtained by The Daily Progress describes UVa as inhospitable to Jewish students. The student, whose name is redacted in the report, described feeling unwelcome, frightened and discriminated against on Grounds, specifically because of their religious beliefs. The Department of Education opened an investigation on Dec. 29. When contacted by The Daily Progress, the federal agency declined to provide a status report on that investigation. UVa's Coy said via email that the Department of Educations notice to the school that it had opened an investigation made clear that opening the complaint for investigation in no way implies that the Office for Civil Rights has made a determination on the merits of the complaint. The University stands against antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of discrimination and intolerance and strives to offer an environment where people from every walk of life are welcome and safe to live, learn, and work together, Coy added. Dissatisfied parents began requesting a meeting with Ryan in November. Their request was granted three months later on Feb. 14. That meeting came with stipulations: Ryan would only confer with four parents total, their children must be present and all conversations were to remain confidential. I didnt understand why the targets of acts of antisemitism had to be their own advocates, Nied said. That type of situation doesnt exist anywhere else. If you were to make a complaint at a company, you would go to human resources. You wouldnt have to go to the CEO. In the end, all parties agreed to the terms and the four students, which included Goldstein, presented their complaints to Ryan, Provost Ian Baucom, Dean Christa Acampora, Vice President of Student Affairs Kenyon Bonner and chief of staff Margaret Noland. Since Oct. 7, Goldstein said hes been the recipient of multiple death threats. During an Oct. 25 walkout led by the Students for Justice in Palestine, Goldstein said he was shoved and then slapped in the face while counterprotesting. Hes been told he sells the organs of Palestinians on the black market and been called Nazi, Hitler, genocide-pursuer and filthy Jew. Goldstein stopped wearing his kippah, also known as a yarmulke, a traditional cloth cap worn by Jewish men, about a month ago. He has started concealing his gold Star of David necklace under his shirt when he is in public. Several other Jewish students also said they have removed symbols of their faith from their person. Im a religious Jew, I believe in God, said Goldstein. Why am I supposed to hide? Are we living in the 1930s? Am I supposed to be in a Jewish ghetto on the outskirts, isolated from everyone else? Why are we moving backwards? While waiting in line at a party, two Jewish female students said they were called kikes when another student discovered they were Jewish. At a gathering on Grounds, a Jewish student was harassed by a group of roughly eight schoolmates who told them to turn sideways so we can see your nose, among other jokes. The student left the event crying. While only four students were allowed to speak with university heads, Nied said he has heard of at least two dozen Jewish students since Oct. 7 who have been attacked assaults ranging from physical violence to offensive statements printed on anti-Israel flyers and posters scattered about Grounds. Two days after their meeting with Ryan, parents received an email from the president thanking them for their time. Im grateful for you willingness to share your perspectives and ideas, according to a copy of the email obtained by The Daily Progress. The absence of condemnation is condoning, said Nied. And that is alarming. Word choice At a university founded by Thomas Jefferson, freedom of expression has naturally been a cornerstone of campus life. And there has been plenty expressed since Oct. 7. But it seems as though no one at UVa can find the right words to appease everyone on Grounds. Since Hamas deadly attack, Ryan has issued two messages to the UVa community addressing the conflict. In the first, released four days after Oct. 7, Ryan condemned the violence, offered his compassion and condolences and directed students to resources on Grounds. Ryan said the four-day delay between the attack and his response was due to the death of his biological mother, who died the week of Oct. 11. But had he hesitated in publishing a response, it would have been understandable given the backlash other university leaders were facing at the time (and are still facing today). Ryans initial message makes only a single reference to UVa community members with connections to Israel and Gaza. At UVa, we remain squarely focused on the well-being of UVA community members in Israel and in Gaza, as well as those closer to home who have family or friends in the region, or who are connected to the region by virtue of their faith, reads Ryans statement. He went on to say that, I trust that we as a community can and will adhere to UVAs longstanding tradition of not just allowing free speech, but promoting civil discourse, even when perhaps especially when we strongly disagree. Ryans comments have been described as weak and biased by both sides of the debate. A faction of the schools Israeli and Jewish community expressed frustration that the president did not issue a full-throated condemnation of antisemitism in his remarks, even as a terror group calling for the eradication of Jewish peoples attacked the worlds only Jewish nation-state. Palestinian students and their allies were outraged Ryan did not outright denounce the Israeli government, which they see as an occupational force, and immediately divest all monies invested in companies associated with the country. Many students also pointed out that Ryans letter makes no mention of a statement issued by the Students for Justice in Palestine the day after the attack that described Hamas as resistance fighters and called the killing of civilians an unprecedented feat for the 21st century. In an open letter sent to Ryan on Oct. 27, more than 70 members of UVa faculty called out Ryan for failing to even reference Muslim, Arab or Palestinian students. As a tenured faculty member, its very important to take seriously the rights and responsibility of the tenure system, and to speak what we see as the truth, associate professor of anthropology Tessa Farmer, a signatory of the open letter, told The Daily Progress. Ryans first letter does not reference Jewish or Israeli students. The open letter makes no mention of this. Supporting all of my students was an important and compelling reason to me, assistant professor of English Laura Goldblatt told The Daily Progress. Ryans message made it clear that Jewish faculty and students were being supported, but Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students are also being affected. The point of the letter was not to withdraw resources but extend support to a group of people most affected. Goldblatt is Jewish and a spokeswoman for the UVa Faculty for Justice in Palestine. The open letter was immediately divisive. The letter was ostracizing for assistant professor of commerce Robert Parham, an Israeli Jew. I looked through the signers, Parham told The Daily Progress. Now, I dont consider my sociology colleagues colleagues anymore. I reduced my circle of belonging. Ryan penned a second letter to the community published on Nov. 6. While saying that he had not received any reports of violence or discrimination on Grounds, he emphasized that both Jewish and Muslim students had a home at UVa and any acts of antisemitism or Islamophobia would not be tolerated. We take seriously our responsibility to care for the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff in a challenging moment for us all and greatly value those renewed expressions of our shared commitment, he said. He once again directed students and faculty to UVa resources. Despite the longer and more detailed letter, students and faculty were still left dissatisfied. Ryan, himself, has seemed dissatisfied, and has since called upon the Board of Visitors to help him assemble a committee that will decide when and if a UVa president should speak on current events off Grounds. Experts have told The Daily Progress the answer will likely be simple: never. On Thursday, students passed a referendum spearheaded by anti-Israel student organizations and other groups successfully calling for UVa to audit its $13.6 billion endowment and divest from all companies engaging in or profiting from the State of Israels apartheid regime. The referendum garnered 5,425 of the 7,993 votes cast by students, 67.87% of voters. Though the referendum is nonbinding, its supporters see it as a line in the sand between the students will and administrators actions, part of the long legacy of free speech on Grounds instituted by its founder. Opponents have said it is part of another long legacy at UVa, one of antisemitism. Blood, soil, river, sea Parhams first day at UVa was Aug. 11, 2017 a day that will forever stain the history of the school and the city of Charlottesville. As he was setting up his office, he heard loud noises and shouting outside. When he peered out his window, Parham saw a sea of tiki torches as a mob of White men marched across Grounds chanting Blood and soil and Jews will not replace us. That was 'Welcome to Charlottesville,' said Parham. Though he briefly considered packing his bags then and there, Parham instead stuck a mezuzah to his office door. Literally meaning doorpost, a mezuzah is a charm inscribed with a Hebrew blessing. For many Jews, it is an outward expression of their faith. For Parham, it meant he was there to stay. Parham said the thought of leaving UVa has not crossed his mind since that day until this fall. Back then it was outside forces, said Parham. They came against us, and I felt a part of us. Now, the voices that are bullying are coming from the inside, and thats harder to deal with. The turning point was the Oct. 25 student walkout, as hundreds of protesters rallied on the steps of the schools landmark Rotunda and marched across Grounds chanting, carrying Palestinian flags and wearing masks to conceal their identities. Prior to the demonstration, organizers circulated flyers instructing participants to wear mask/hat/sunglasses to protect your identity. Parham, Goldstein and others have called the act not just cowardly but criminal, a direct violation of the Virginia Code. In 1950, Virginia outlawed any individual over the age of 16 wearing a mask, hood or any face covering with the intention of concealing their identity. The prohibition was an implicit tool to prosecute members of the Ku Klux Klan. Current state law, Parham said, was legislated because of masked marches on the Grounds of UVa. It was just that the masks were slightly pointier and whiter. Though counterprotesters view the masks as cowardice, the individuals behind the masks consider them a necessity. Josh Rosenberg, a Jewish student who holds a leadership position with Students for Justice in Palestine, told The Daily Progress at a subsequent walkout urging divestment on Monday that he wore a mask to protect his future. Rosenberg said he had already been doxed and received death threats as a result of having his personal information posted online. The masks werent the only thing that disturbed Parham while observing the Oct. 25 walkout. Standing next to Goldstein on the Rotunda steps looking over the mass of protesters, he heard demonstrators chant, From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. Referencing the land spanning from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, the chant has been open to a multitude of interpretations since it was popularized by the Palestinian Liberation Organization in the 1960s. Many construe the phrase as calling for the destruction of Israel. In October, the Anti-Defamation League published a statement explicitly demarking the phrase as antisemitic given it makes members of the Jewish and pro-Israel community feel unsafe and ostracized. As the father of a Jewish UVa student, Nied said that when groups on Grounds chant the phrase, they are unequivocally referring to the killing and displacement of Jews. Yet, some of those shouting the slogan at UVa are Jewish. I very proudly say that as a Jew, said Rosenberg. I love the Jewish people. I love my community. When I say, From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free, I mean that as a call for human rights and equality for everyone who lives between the river and the sea. Rosenberg says people are misunderstanding the phrase when they interpret it as a genocidal call. We believe that everyone, Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Christian, should be able to live with the exact same rights, said Rosenberg. But the differences between those communities are stark and the solution to their peaceful cohabitation is nuanced, something Provost Ian Baucom touched on during a UVa Board of Visitors meeting Thursday. Speech can be hurtful, said Baucom. People can say things that we disagree with, particularly on a matter like this. There is a lot of pain in our community pain felt by our Jewish students, pain felt by our Muslim students and there is strong disagreement. We have to find ways to continue to be a place where people are free to disagree and everyone knows they belong. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is condemning a "stunning" student referendum at the University of Virginia calling on the school to divest from companies doing business in Israel. In a letter sent to the school's leaders on Friday, Miyares directly compared the divestment movement, which has picked up momentum on college campuses during Israel's monthslong war with Palestinian terror group Hamas, with the deadly Hamas attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people and launched the war in the first place. I write to you today with grave concern about the recent student-led referendum at the University of Virginia, Miyares wrote to the school's governing Board of Visitors. The UVA referendum in question urges the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia Investment Management Company to participate in the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. Students held a referendum this past week on a measure calling on the school to divest any and all monies in its $13.6 billion endowment invested in companies engaging in or profiting from the State of Israels apartheid regime and acute violence against Palestinians. Nearly 8,000 voted, and the referendum passed Thursday with 67.87% of the vote. The referendum is nonbinding, however, and has no power over the Board of Visitors or the UVa Investment Management Company, the agency charged with regulating the schools endowment fund. The institution is not bound by the results of this student referendum, UVa spokeswoman Bethanie Glover previously told The Daily Progress. Nevertheless, Miyares still called on the Board of Visitors to reject the referendum and offer students essential moral clarity. My earnest desire is for the Board of Visitors to explicitly reject and definitively repudiate the misguided attempt by the UVA student body to undermine the legitimacy of Israel, he wrote. Miyares letter warns of alarming trends among college-age young adults between 18 and 24, citing a December Harvard-Harris poll that found 60% of the demographic deemed Hamas Oct. 7 terrorist attack justified. The fact that a majority of young Americans surveyed feel that terrorism might be justified indicates a moral compass veering dangerously towards the rocky shoals of antisemitism, Miyares wrote. Terrorism and kidnapping of the innocent must never be justified. He noted that Virginia recently codified into law a definition of antisemitism: a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or nonJewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities. Miyares argued the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement is inherently antisemitic. Just like direct attacks from Hamas, BDS poses an existential threat to the Jewish state, he wrote. Reports of antisemitism have been on the rise at UVa since Oct. 7. There have been dozens of complaints from Jewish students and their families that they have been harassed, intimidated and even physically assaulted. The university has said it is looking into those claims, and the U.S. Department of Education has opened an investigation. The referendum was spearheaded by UVa Apartheid Divest, a group that has roots in the student protests against the racist apartheid regime in South Africa and has been revived in recent years in response to other worldwide conflicts. A third-year representative of that group, who asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation, acknowledged that the referendum is nonactionable but told The Daily Progress that it is a line in the sand. His group, he said, will use the results of the referendum as a lobbying tool as we continue to push the unaccountable, undemocratic institutions that have control over our universitys investments to be transparent about our investments and divest from apartheid and genocide. But the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign, Miyares wrote, disguises its malicious intentions while ignoring other human rights abuses elsewhere in the world. I await the same organizers at UVA who pushed the BDS referendum to place as much effort to condemn the rape, sexual assault of innocent Jewish women, and the murder of the innocent, he wrote. More than 30,000 people have died so far in the Israel-Hamas war, the overwhelming majority of those Palestinians. Since Oct. 7, Israel has been bombing and blockading the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, a 140-square-mile territory home to 2 million people, half of which are under the age of 18. Palestinian authorities, including Hamas, have charged Israel with senselessly killing civilians. Even U.S. President Joe Biden has called the Israeli response "over the top." The number of Virginia schools identified by the state as being in need of support under federal law more than doubled this year after changes to Virginias school accountability system. During the last reporting year in 2022, the state identified 112 schools under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and this year, the state identified 247 schools that need support based on the state standards. The Virginia Board of Education in 2022 incorporated more rigorous standards into Virginias accountability framework, and fully added chronic absenteeism as a measure of progress for schools. Chronic absenteeism, measured as students missing 10% or more of the school year, increased to 17% of all students in 2022-23 from a 9% pre-pandemic level in 2018-19. State Superintendent Lisa Coons, appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin last year, said the numbers reflect the learning loss that Virginia students experienced, which began before the pandemic, but was exacerbated from extended school closures, and masked by lowered expectations defined in Virginias federal accountability and state accreditation frameworks. Youngkin has long blamed his two Democratic predecessors for setbacks in Virginia students progress, asserting that they lowered academic standards and then made it worse by prolonging school closures during COVID. The state this year identified eight schools in Chesterfield County as being in need of support, one in Hanover County, 12 in Henrico County and 24 in the city of Richmond. In 2022, the state did not identify any such schools in Chesterfield or Hanover. It identified six Henrico schools and 19 Richmond city schools as needing support. According to the Virginia Department of Education, divisions with federally identified schools will receive additional support from the Department of Educations Office of School Quality. The General Assembly, which is scheduled to adjourn a week from Saturday, is trying to reach agreement on a two-year budget for July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2026. Youngkin, the House of Delegates and the state Senate each have proposed their own budget plans that lawmakers will try to reconcile. Youngkins proposed budget would cut funding for the Office of School Quality by about 30%, from $9.3 million to $5.4 million over the next two school years. According to Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez, the Office of School Quality has returned over $49 million of unspent funds in the last five years. Governor Youngkins Unleashing Opportunity budget included the largest per pupil education investment in the history of the Commonwealth focused on programs and initiatives that impact students, especially those in the Virginia school divisions which have been in MOU (memorandum of understanding) status for as long 20 years, Martinez said. Under new leadership OSQ now focuses on serving divisions by providing additional resources and guidance, working under a new framework focused on academic supports, staffing assistance, professional development, and school climate improvements. In 2020, a report from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, a state watchdog agency, said current staffing levels at the Office of School Quality were insufficient to do much more than compliance. The proposed House budget would keep the offices funding at its current amount, and the Senates proposed budget would decrease funding by $1 million over the biennium, instead of Youngkins proposed $3.8 million cut. In his outgoing budget proposal, released in December 2021, weeks before Youngkin took office, then-Gov. Ralph Northam recommended increasing the Office of School Qualitys budget to nearly double the size of the office, but budget negotiators in the legislature ultimately did not include that recommendation. A confusing mismatch on school performance While the states accountability system under ESSA identifies 247 schools needing support this year, Virginias state accreditation system identifies 208 schools as needing support. Youngkins Department of Education said in a statement: This confusing mismatch in federal and state criteria of school performance reinforces the importance of the State Board of Educations work to ensure state accreditation ratings clearly and accurately communicate the performance of every school. The Virginia Board of Education is preparing for a potential change in its accreditation system a key part of Youngkins education agenda. Youngkin and parents often criticize Virginias current K-12 accreditation system for being unclear and lacking transparency on how Virginias schools are performing. In October 2022, Youngkin, in response to what he termed the states catastrophic performance on a national assessment, announced plans to overhaul the school accreditation system by fall 2023. In November 2022, the Youngkin administration and then-State Superintendent Jillian Balow attempted to circumvent normal process and use emergency authority to quickly overhaul the states school accreditation system in time for this school year. The Board of Education, which at the time had five Youngkin appointees on the nine-member board, did not bite on the proposal. The states accreditation system is based on typical accountability measures like academic achievement, dropout rates and student attendance. It also takes into account standard checkoffs like building safety and student-to-teacher ratios. Critics of the system say it has played a role in the segregation of schools into rich and poor and, because of the correlation of wealth with race, into white and nonwhite, over the past 20 years. Close Amari Pollard's lawyers tried to make a case that the 20-year-old thought his life was in danger. But Judge W. Reilly Marchant didn't agree, citing witness testimony, including the medical examiner and Pollard himself, who said he'd shot Shawn Jackson in the back. There is no evidence of self-defense when the victim is shot six times in the back while walking away, Marchant ruled. According to Richmond-based defense attorney Steve Benjamin: "Once the judge denied the self-defense instruction, the defense had virtually no opportunity for acquittal." I just killed someone. Even if I do get out, Im done for, read a transcript of Pollard talking to himself in a cell. Pollard said he purchased a $500 Glock 43 from a street dealer for protection. He also recounted pulling the Glock pistol from his waist and firing at least four to five times. Do you think you hit Shawn, a detective asked. Pollard replied: Yes Ballistics evidence ruled out Pollard as Renzo Smith's killer. Richmond Commonwealths Attorney Colette McEachin repeatedly declined to comment on who may have shot and killed Smith and injured the five other bystanders. There are still ongoing investigations, she said. A forensic examiner found at least 30 bullet cartridge casings, most of which were not fired from Pollards gun. A 90-minute video prepared by the FBI and presented in court shows security camera and police body-camera footage from the day of the shooting. A long section of it shows Pollard laying a handgun on the ground in the VCU parking deck near the Altria Theater and turning himself in to a VCU police officer. Throughout this exchange people are seen driving and walking by; some just a few feet from the murder weapon on the ground. Robert Gilstrap, who was principal of Huguenot at the time of the shooting, said the situation is sad on both sides. Its sad for Shawns family. I don't know if this will bring them some peace. But it's also sad for Amari's family. They're going to lose access to their son. ... I knew both those young men. I would never have wanted this to be the end of their story." 5 things we learned during the Amari Pollard trial On Thursday, Amari Pollard pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the shooting death of Shawn Jackson at the 2023 graduation ceremony for Huguenot High School. Here are some things that were disclosed over the course of the four-day trial and after its conclusion. Amari Pollard's lawyers tried to make a case that the 20-year-old thought his life was in danger. But Judge W. Reilly Marchant didn't agree, citing witness testimony, including the medical examiner and Pollard himself, who said he'd shot Shawn Jackson in the back. There is no evidence of self-defense when the victim is shot six times in the back while walking away, Marchant ruled. According to Richmond-based defense attorney Steve Benjamin: "Once the judge denied the self-defense instruction, the defense had virtually no opportunity for acquittal." I just killed someone. Even if I do get out, Im done for, read a transcript of Pollard talking to himself in a cell. Pollard said he purchased a $500 Glock 43 from a street dealer for protection. He also recounted pulling the Glock pistol from his waist and firing at least four to five times. Do you think you hit Shawn, a detective asked. Pollard replied: Yes Ballistics evidence ruled out Pollard as Renzo Smith's killer. Richmond Commonwealths Attorney Colette McEachin repeatedly declined to comment on who may have shot and killed Smith and injured the five other bystanders. There are still ongoing investigations, she said. A forensic examiner found at least 30 bullet cartridge casings, most of which were not fired from Pollards gun. A 90-minute video prepared by the FBI and presented in court shows security camera and police body-camera footage from the day of the shooting. A long section of it shows Pollard laying a handgun on the ground in the VCU parking deck near the Altria Theater and turning himself in to a VCU police officer. Throughout this exchange people are seen driving and walking by; some just a few feet from the murder weapon on the ground. Robert Gilstrap, who was principal of Huguenot at the time of the shooting, said the situation is sad on both sides. Its sad for Shawns family. I don't know if this will bring them some peace. But it's also sad for Amari's family. They're going to lose access to their son. ... I knew both those young men. I would never have wanted this to be the end of their story." Coverage of former President Donald Trump's rally at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Saturday. 8:46 p.m. Trump spoke for more than 90 minutes Saturday night, touching on a variety of topics: - We will be a great nation again. - 2024 is our final battle." - Defeat the deep state. - Fake news, drain the swamp. - Called Jan. 6 rioters hostages - Plugged his golf course here in Virginia on the Potomac. - He invoked the names of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Lewis & Clark and Patrick Henry. PHOTOS: Trump rally in Richmond Photos from Saturday's Trump rally at the Richmond Convention Center. In Richmond, Trump paints grim picture of US in his pitch for Virginia votes Three days before Super Tuesday, former President Donald Trump made his pitch for Virginia votes on Saturday by telling a Richmond crowd that were a nation in decline," where illegal immigration is a a gushing wound. 7:13 p.m. Trump says immigrants coming from 'mental institutions and insane asylums' In a wide-ranging Richmond speech, Trump once again blamed President Joe Biden for the crisis at the southern border, decrying immigrants that he said are coming from "mental institutions and insane asylums," or are "drug dealers" and "terrorists." This is going to be a very different country, Trump said. We have to have it stopped. we have arrived in Richmond VA pic.twitter.com/ecqMUhYZ2b Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) March 2, 2024 Calling it Joe Bidens invasion, Trump told the crowd: With your help, we will win big on Super Tuesday and this November, Virginia is going to tell crooked Joe Biden: Youre fired." Trump also pointed to the death of a 22-year-old woman who allegedly was killed by immigrant. Trump said he called the parents of Laken Hope Riley, the Augusta University nursing student who was killed while jogging near a lake in Georgia. An undocumented immigrant has been charged in her death. Trump, who awaits trial in four criminal cases, also asserted that he faces more indictments than notorious gangster Al Capone and reasserted his unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election he lost to Biden was rigged. 6:41 p.m. Trump pledges to make a push to win Va. Former President Donald Trump has taken the stage at the Greater Richmond Convention Center for a get-out-the-vote rally three days before Virginias Super Tuesday presidential primary. Trump, who took the stage at 6:41 p.m. to Lee Greenwoods God Bless the U.S.A. pledged to make a push to win Virginia in the general election. Hello Richmond, Trump said, adding that he is glad to be back in beautiful Virginia. Trump, who lost Virginia by 5 percentage points in 2016 to Hillary Clinton and by 10 points to Joe Biden in 2020, said he plans to make a push to win Virginia in November. Were going to make a big play for Virginia, you know that, and I think we can do that, Trump said. We win Virginia and we win it 100 percent its over, Trump said. The former president flew to Richmond after holding an afternoon rally in Greensboro, N.C. Virginia and 14 other states will vote for presidential nominees on Tuesday. Trump has won every GOP presidential nomination contest to date against his remaining rival, former South Carolina Gov. and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. A GOP candidate needs 1,215 delegates to capture the partys presidential nomination. As of Saturday Trump had 212 bound delegates to 24 for Haley and 12 for others, according to the Associated Press delegate count. A Trump supporter in the crowd held a sign that said Biden: Youre fired, a reference to Trumps signature line when he starred on the NBC program, The Apprentice. SCENES OUTSIDE THE RALLY: 'Obviously, we needed a bigger venue' Scenes from outside the Greater Richmond Convention Center before and during Saturday's campaign rally for former President Donald Trump. 6:05 p.m. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, a vocal Trump supporter, was pressing the flesh inside the convention center. 6:04 p.m. NJ man has been to 73 Trump rallies This is my 73rd rally, said Francis Young, from Brick, N.J. I got off work yesterday and drove down. It should have been a 5 hour drive but with the rain and wrecks, I didnt get here til 4 a.m. Im running on caffeine ... When this is over Im headed back. Ive got a fundraiser tomorrow. He said his strong anti-abortion stance and concern about illegal immigration convinced him to back Trump. Im not against legal immigrations but illegal immigration, I dont see how we can sustain it, he said. I was aghast after hearing about the controversy in Virginia when the General Assembly was considering a late-term abortion bill that then-Gov. Ralph Northam backed. And Im opposed to the Green New Deal if God hadnt meant us to burn petroleum he wouldnt have given us all those dead dinosaurs, he said. I believe in a merciful God and I think he decided to give sinful America one last chance when he gave us Donald Trump, he said. 5:46 p.m. Trump motorcade arrives Presidential candidate Donald Trumps motorcade makes its way into the Greater Richmond Convention Center Saturday. pic.twitter.com/YXqWLYwhJ3 Thad Green (@thadgreen) March 2, 2024 5:16 p.m. Gilmore: 'We have a fighter' Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, who was in office from 1998 to 2002, told the crowd that those attending the rally were leaders in their communities who should urge others to vote on Tuesday. They will look to you for leadership and advice, said Gilmore, who served as U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe during the Trump administration. Gilmore said he would be the last speaker before the former presidents scheduled speech. At this point, the audience filled about half the seats in the convention center hall as well as two bleachers on either size of the lectern. We have a fighter and that fighter is Donald J. Trump, Gilmore said. Donald Trump is going to fight for those Americans who every day are going paycheck to paycheck, he said. 5:07 p.m. we have arrived in Richmond VA pic.twitter.com/ecqMUhYZ2b Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) March 2, 2024 5:05 p.m. McGuire: 'Democrats are destroying our country' State Sen John McGuire, R-Goochland, told the audience our civilization is at stake President Trump stands between us, the American dream and total chaos. These Democrats are destroying our county, he said, prompting cheers from the roughly 1,000 people who had made it into the convention center by 4:30 p.m. McGuire called on former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley to drop out of the GOP nomination race. President Donald J Trump, Big Don, hes our last hope, McGuire said. Earlier, state Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Chesterfield, lining up at the snack bar with his son Reed to stoke up for the event, said the two were looking forward to hearing from Trump. Its his first Trump rally, he said of 11-year-old Reed. Del. A.C. Cordoza, R-Hampton, accused President Joe Biden of insulting Black Americans because of a video showing him eating fried chicken with a Black family Has he lost his mind, if he ever had one, Cordoza said. Black Americans are leaving the Democratic party every every day. Under President Trump, Black Americans had record employment, he had opportunities for jobs and most importantly, everyone had more money in their pockets, he said. Cordoza, noting that he is originally from New York, added I saw what he did for New York, and we need him to do it for the country. Cordoza called Tuesdays vote a moment of action to save the soul of the country. 4:32 p.m. 'Every word he says is gold' Richmonder Sam Duncan, who joined the line when it was still stretching down Broad Street past 3rd Street, said it took him a couple of hours to make it inside the convention center. Theres still a lot of people out there, must be thousands, he said. Im hoping to hear exactly what hes going to do, he said. Every word he says is gold Hes the only president Ive know who does exactly what he says hes going to do. 4:19 p.m. Gilmore has 'come around' Ive come around recently, said former Gov. Jim Gilmore, after chatting to a couple of veterans in wheelchairs in the front bleachers next to the lectern where Trump will speak. But its clear hes going to be the nominee and I think he is our best chance to take the White House, he added. This is just a fabulous event." 4:05 p.m. GOP state lawmakers in attendance While Gov. Glenn Youngkin has said he has family commitments that kept him from attending either Trumps rally or former South Carolina Nikki Haleys rally on Thursday in Henrico County, early arrivals at the convention center include state Sens. Bryce Reeves, R-Orange, Danny Diggs, R-York, and John McGuire, R-Goochland. Dels. Tim Griffin, R-Bedford, and Wren Williams, R-Patrick, also claimed VIP seats. Im super excited. Ive been hoping to get President Trump to Virginia for four years, said former state Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield. He knows how important Virginia is. She said the people shes met some who have been waiting to get in since 6 a.m. are committed to Trumps campaign. They remember having more money in their pockets before it was taxed away, she said. 3:45 p.m. 'They're destroying our children' There is a wide range of concerns bringing people to the Trump rally. Ann Taydus, of Chesterfield, said she's hoping Trump will eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. "They're destroying our children," she said. Lorri Pond, of Chesterfield, said she likes Trump's stand on immigration. "We've got to close the border," she said. She and Taydus joined the line at 8:30 a.m., some 6-1/2 hours before doors opened at the convention center and 9-1/2 hours before Trump is due to speak "I'm here to support Trump," said Paul King, of Chesterfield. "I'm not really expecting to hear anything new." He said there wasn't really one issue that led him to support Trump. "What I like is that he's not a politician. That's the real problem, all the politicians. They're all on the take. He's the only president whoever lost money while he was in office." Crowds gathering outside Richmond Convention Center for Donald Trump rally tonight pic.twitter.com/A87dclO9Cp Chris Coates (@ByChrisCoates) March 2, 2024 3:23 p.m. Long lines begin filtering in As the doors to the Richmond Convention Center opened, the line of people waiting to get in stretched along N. 5th Street from Clay to Broad and then along Broad Street to 3rd, as people started moving through the Secret Service security checks. But even for VIPs, this took several minutes, and inside the hall itself only handfuls of people including such elected officials as state Sen. Danny Diggs, R-York County and state party officials had made it all the way through by 3:15 p.m. People at the head of the line had been waiting for hours. "I've been here since 7:15, I'm here to see Trump and to show we're taking back the country," said Chris Biller, of Glen Allen. "I want to see constitutional carry throughout the country, I'm a big 2A [2nd amendment] man and the border, the border's a huge issue right now," he said. "I'm against everything the Democrats are doing, it's all got to change." Organizers have set up some 2,200 chairs in the Convention Center, as well as a bleacher. A snack bar is open and some early arrivals are stocking up. Organizers laid blue Trump signs and Fire Biden and Too Big to Rig signs on several seats. People at the rally are not allowed to bring in their own, however, as is becoming standard procedure at political campaign events. Trump is coming to Richmond after a rally in Greensboro, N.C. 2:10 p.m. Trump campaign releases list of Va. endorsements Former President Donald Trumps campaign released a list of Virginia endorsements ahead of the Super Tuesday primary. A notable addition to the list is Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st, who represents parts of Hanover, Chesterfield and Henrico counties. On Thursday, in response to a question from a Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter, Wittman press aide Julianne Heberlein had said: The congressman doesnt have a comment on the presidential primary election at this moment. The only Republican member of Virginias congressional delegation who is not on the list is Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-2nd. Kiggans is trying to win a second term in a district, based in Virginia Beach, that President Joe Biden carried in 2020. The list of Trump backers does not include Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears or Attorney General Jason Miyares. Youngkin has long said that he would not endorse a candidate until after Virginians vote on Super Tuesday. Earle-Sears, who once worked to rally African American support for Trump, publicly broke with the former president in November 2022, saying it was time for the GOP to move on. The list of Trumps Virginia endorsements includes former Gov. Jim Gilmore, who served in the Executive Mansion from 1998 to 2002 and made his own longshot bids for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and in 2016. Trumps endorsement list features 19 Republican members of the House of Delegates, including former House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, and 13 GOP state senators. Richmond-area lawmakers on the list include Dels. Scott Wyatt, R-Hanover and Buddy Fowler, R-Hanover and state Sens. John McGuire, R-Goochland and Glen Sturtevant, R-Chesterfield. Two poll workers unintentionally rattled David Bohlken two decades ago when he walked into a petite country church near Tulsa to vote for his first time as an Oklahoman. They wouldnt offer him a ballot. Only a cup of coffee. The ballot got flipped upside down on me. I wasnt even allowed to look at it, Bohlken said, noting that the two apologetic poll volunteers his friends were just doing their jobs. That kind of made me feel bad. Bohlken grew up in Minnesota, a state with open primaries, where all registered voters may participate in any partys primary election. He didnt realize his status as a registered independent in Oklahoma would exclude him from partisan primaries. Millions of voters in states like Oklahoma with primaries that are at least partially closed are shut out from voting in contested races because of their independent status or party affiliation, denying participation in elections their tax dollars fund. In some cases, those primaries decide who wins the seat outright. Across nine closed or partially closed primary states, about two in five registered voters in districts with contested U.S. Congressional primary elections in the 2022 midterms were barred from casting ballots in those races, according to a Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism team analysis of publicly available data. Similarly, about two in five registered voters throughout those nine states in districts with contested state legislative primaries in 2022 were prohibited from participation. In 181 of those 590 contested federal and state primaries, disallowed voters were entirely blocked from a choice in who represents them because the primaries decided who won the office either directly or with an uncontested general election, according to Lee Enterprises analysis. Thats almost one in three districts where the excluded voters had no say in their representation. Jeremy Gruber, a lawyer and senior vice president of Open Primaries, a national advocacy group, frames the issue in stark terms. There's a country where when you vote in the general election, half the time there's only one person on the ballot. Almost every time it's an uncompetitive election, and half the voters in the country are barred from the first round or limited, Gruber said. And even the voters that can participate are segregated into warring camps. People would say, Well, that doesn't make sense. That doesn't sound democratic. Where is that? What strange country has that system? But that's us. That's our system. Gruber is part of a burgeoning movement across the U.S. to open up primaries so all registered voters can participate. As the 2024 election season begins, there are already about a dozen active campaigns in states across the U.S., including Oklahoma, Arizona, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Idaho. Proponents who are pushing for changes through citizen-led ballot initiatives, state law changes or even lawsuits say open primaries strengthen American democracy by allowing all registered voters equal access to taxpayer-funded elections while broadening voter choice and improving outcomes through competition. But open primary efforts are running up against opposition from some political party leaders and partisans who think only party members should choose their candidates for the general election. In the 20 years since Bohlken first tried to vote in Oklahoma, the states Democratic Party has opened its primaries to independent voters. But neither Republicans nor Libertarians have followed suit. State Sen. Nathan Dahm, chair of the Oklahoma GOP, said he adamantly opposes open primaries because political parties are private organizations with specific ideals that should be able to decide who participates in their affairs primary elections included. "You don't want the out-of-town atheist coming in and voting on who your next pastor should be in your church," Dahm said. Dahm said no requirements force a person to vote in a primary. In fact, he said, most registered voters don't participate. And many citizens aren't even registered to vote. "The purpose of the primary is for the party to determine who they want to be their nominee," Dahm said. However, primaries often are where the real decisions are made, Gruber said. General elections in most state and federal races have ceased to be determinative, he said, becoming more of a dance a formality. All of a sudden, we've allowed the parties to control the process that we pay for that our tax dollars pay for and it's perverted our democracy in all kinds of ways, Gruber said. Most U.S. states have some form of open primary even if advocates like Gruber argue they're more limited or less inclusive than they should be. He emphasized that the de facto model for municipal governments are nonpartisan elections, which he said are effective and elicit the highest satisfaction in voter surveys. Bohlken, a farmer and rancher who lives in Leonard, an unincorporated town near Tulsa, described his move to Oklahoma from Minnesota as a sort of slap in the face politically. His voting power was erased from primaries that his tax dollars support. As an independent, he prefers to carefully consider candidates from both sides of the aisle. I feel like I hesitate to say this out loud, but the primaries seem to drive a lot of real zealots some people who are really extreme in their views, Bohlken said. So those few people who can show up for a primary really determine whos going to be put in office. And that just kind of freaks me out. What research has found The high level of voter disenfranchisement that Lee Enterprises analysis found in states such as Oklahoma was surprising even to a researcher who studies open primaries. Thats nuts, said John Johnson, a research fellow at Marquette University in Wisconsin, a state with open primaries. Johnson said he would be angry if he lived in a state in which he couldnt participate in the primary, particularly if the general election wasnt competitive. In stark contrast, Wisconsins open primary system doesnt require voters to register with a party and allows them to decide in which partys primary they want to vote. Its mostly people just voting with the party that they prefer, and then when they cross over its because they genuinely feel some stake in the contest thats happening inside the other party, Jo hnson said. Johnsons research has found that crossover voting when Republicans vote in a Democratic primary, for example happens at such low levels as to be inconsequential in swaying the results, despite fears of party-raiding expressed by opponents of open primaries. In analyzing both the 2016 and 2018 Wisconsin primaries, an identical share of Republicans and Democrats 2% crossed over to the opposite party. Even if this tiny share of people were indeed party raiding, they canceled each other out, Johnson wrote in a summary of the study. But there is no good evidence suggesting they werent voting in good faith. Still, high-profile stories of voters trying to disrupt primary elections pop up. For example, some Democratic and independent voters in Wyoming crossed over to the Republican primary in 2022 to try to save former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney from her GOP challenger. They were unsuccessful as Cheney lost by more than 30 percentage points. Johnson thinks the academic literature is pretty settled in that open primaries dont cause harm but they do increase voter turnout. The Bipartisan Policy Center examined the 2022 midterm primaries and found that open primary states had higher voter turnout on average than closed primary states. The average turnout was 24.5% in states with fully open primaries or what are referred to as top-two or top-four formats, according to Bipartisan Policy Centers analysis. Meanwhile, average turnout was just 21.5% in states with semi-open primaries and 20.7% in states with closed primaries. Fully open primaries allow individuals to decide in which partys primary they want to vote. Top-two or top-four formats place all candidates on a common ballot for all voters, with the top vote-getters advancing to the general election. Generally, partially open primaries permit independent or unaffiliated voters to choose a partys primary but dont allow party members to switch to another partys primary. Closed primaries only authorize party members to vote and only within their designated party. And partially closed primaries let the recognized parties decide whether any independent or unaffiliated or minor party voters can participate. Primary systems can be nuanced and vary widely by state. For example, Nevada and New Mexico technically closed primary states allow any person to register to vote or switch parties at the polls on primary day. Other state deadlines for switching parties are weeks or months in advance of primary elections. Wyoming, for example, requires that individuals who want to change or declare a new party affiliation for the primary must do so before the candidate filing period even begins. Oklahoma Republican mayor reverses view Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, a Republican, is now one of the faces of a grassroots movement to open up the Sooner states primaries, called Oklahoma United For Progress. But a decade earlier, he said he wrongly campaigned against the concept. Bynum, then a city councilor, opposed the citizen-led ballot question that made Tulsas municipal elections nonpartisan on his mistaken belief that political parties fundamentally are supposed to educate and motivate voters. He had feared voter interest would wane in a nonpartisan process. At the core of Bynums change of heart? He said he unexpectedly unseated the Republican incumbent for mayor in 2016 by building a broad coalition that he couldnt have mobilized in a partisan primary. And contrary to his belief, average voter turnout in the three mayoral primaries after Tulsa switched to nonpartisan elections rose 35% compared to the same period before the reform. In his 2020 re-election bid, Bynum said the center held despite a strong primary challenge from his ideological left and right opponents. The fact that Im sitting here as a mayor right now and didnt lose in 2020 is testament to the fact that most people are not in the vocal, angry extremes, Bynum told a crowd in July at a burger restaurant in Oklahoma City. Most people are in between there somewhere, but theyre not as loud. The Lee Enterprises analysis of publicly available voter data for the 2022 midterm primary illustrates how Oklahomas partially closed system and others like it stifles voter participation. In districts with contested U.S. House races, about 49% of registered voters or 889,880 eligible Oklahomans were shut out from casting a ballot in them. Similarly, about 45% of registered voters or 350,669 eligible Oklahomans in contested State House races and about 40% or 252,197 in contested State Senate races were blocked from voting in them. And 31 of those 52 contested state and federal seats about 60% were decided outright by the primary and not the general election, meaning hundreds of thousands of registered voters who were disallowed a primary voice had no vote at all for who would represent them in public office. Bynum called that data one of the great arguments in favor of open primaries. From a democracy standpoint, he said, its much better to have elected leaders chosen by all of the people not half of half the people, in many cases. Dahm, who has been chair of the Oklahoma GOP since May, said it isn't fair to consider closed primaries as keeping voters from participating because all someone has to do is register with the party. He said Democrats weren't pushing for open primaries when they had control of the state 20 years ago. "What happened is Republicans organized better," Dahm said. "We got better candidates people that better represent the will of the people in those districts and we flipped those seats from Democrat seats to Republican seats. "And if those people want to continue to participate in that, they can become registered Republicans." Privately, Bynum said he hears from many elected officials who support the open primaries effort but wont do so in the open. The party in control in a state no matter whether Republican or Democrat doesnt have incentive to change a system that could loosen its grip on power, he said. He said he is sticking out his neck publicly for a shot at generational change because he sees better focus on policy and improved outcomes in nonpartisan races. I think a fear of (open primaries) would betray a lack of confidence in the ideas that one political party or another is supporting, Bynum said. Organized party pushback in some states like Missouri While momentum to open up primaries is building among the countrys independent voters, some states including Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio are facing action in the other direction, forcing advocates to play defense. In Missouri, voting rights advocates like Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition so far have successfully staved off Republican efforts to close the states open primaries, but the threat is constantly looming, she said. Major changes to the states voting system already have taken place, such as the 2022 elimination of the Republican presidential primary election in favor of a caucus system, which tends to encourage participation by loyal party members and decrease turnout overall. This is all part of a national trend to constrict who is able to cast a ballot, Lieberman said. I do think these efforts to close primaries that weve seen in about a half-dozen states are part of this effort to make the electorate smaller. Lieberman said a consequence of shutting out voters from primaries is making them feel like it was rigged from the beginning. What we know from the data is that fewer and fewer people are choosing to affiliate with the major political parties, Lieberman said. If you have no say in who the party candidate is going to be, why even bother to show up at the general election to vote? It remains to be seen what happens in this legislative session in Missouri. A Republican state senator who last year sponsored a bill to close primary elections, Sen. Andrew Koenig, doesnt appear to be focused on it in 2024. Dave Evans, communications director for the senator, said I dont know that thats an issue thats going to be a burning issue this year. But Evans said the senators view hasnt changed on the matter. In fact, the Missouri Republican Party states on its party platform that it believes in closed primaries requiring all voters who cast a ballot to declare a partisan affiliation and maintain declared party affiliations as a public record. Political parties are in fact private organizations, Evans said. They ought to have the right to have freedom of association like any other group. Independents the new plurality in Arizona In swing-state Arizona, independent voters, or individuals not with a recognized party, became the plurality of registered voters in October. But those voters are excluded from the states version of a presidential primary, called a presidential preference election. Ray Kimball is a retired U.S. Army officer who is a relatively new independent voter in Arizona after nearly three decades as a registered Republican. Kimball said the GOP alienated him over its refusal to acknowledge that Joe Biden is the duly elected president, prompting his move to independent status. Kimballs wife received notice in the mail of the forthcoming presidential preference election and that she automatically will get her partys ballot. Kimball himself wont be sent any such mail and won't be able to participate in what he called a crucial election. Im fiercely proud of my vote, and I will cast it at any opportunity available, said Kimball, who lives in Gilbert in the East Valley of the Phoenix metro. Im just angry that I dont have the ability to make that voice heard in every election. I think thats wrong. Kimball, who works in higher education after his military retirement, is open to considering a return to the GOP if it were to find its bearings and embrace reality. But he does find meaning in his fresh status as an independent. I feel proud to be close to what George Washingtons original vision for politics in this country was he warned against partisan politics, Kimball said. He was concerned about what it would do to our country. So I feel proud that Im exercising a political tradition that has its roots in the origin of our country. Paul Johnson, a former Democrat mayor of Phoenix, is helping lead the Save Democracy Arizona petition effort to enshrine nonpartisan primaries and uniform signature requirements into the state Constitution. As it stands, Arizona law requires independent or unaffiliated individuals who want to run for legislative office to come up with tens of thousands of signatures more than someone who is with a recognized political party. Now an independent, Johnson said voters breaking away from a desire to be identified as a member of a party is one of the most powerful movements ongoing in American politics. The countrys single greatest achievement has been to empower individuals over itself, he said. He added that the magical key to democracy is talking to people with whom you dont necessarily agree. The single biggest thing that defines (the parties) is they hate each other. They cannot stand one another, Johnson said. And my answer is, I dont want to eliminate them. I want to get the best from them. Pennsylvania voters push for open primaries Meanwhile, Pennsylvania is closer than it ever has been to adopting an open primary system. But its not there yet. For the first time in October, a bill to open up primary elections to an estimated 1.2 million excluded unaffiliated and independent Pennsylvania voters passed out of a house legislative committee. One of the key proponents of the bill, Democratic Rep. Jared Solomon of Philadelphia, said he feels a shift, that more and more folks are coming on board. The proposal has been around forever and its the first time it passed the House (committee), Solomon said. I think its a really big deal. We need to finally get this bill to the finish line. However, the full House chamber still hasnt acted on the bill yet. A spokesperson for the House speaker, who has the power to call the bill down for a vote, told Lee Enterprises that the measure is currently being reviewed. Solomon says hes pushing hard on this because he believes its the right thing to do. The fastest group of unaffiliated independent voters are people aged 18 to 35, he said. Imagine youre a new voter in Pennsylvania and were basically saying to you no thanks, not welcome, not here. At the same time, Solomon said the state will take their tax money to prop up the primary system. It doesnt really roll out of the welcome mat, he said. This is not the look we want in PA. One of those new young voters is Ethan Barnes, a Dickinson College student who was disappointed to find out upon moving to Pennsylvania that he wouldnt be able to vote in primary elections unless he registered as a Democrat or a Republican. But at heart, hes an independent, just like his dad, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who instilled in him the importance of being politically active at a young age. Its really sad that you cant register as an independent and still be able to be as politically active as you could if you were registered as either a Democrat or Republican, Barnes said. Thats what many of my friends (and I) have had to go through. Why should I not be able to participate just because Im registered as an independent? Barnes said. The issue led Barnes to join BallotPA, a statewide advocacy group of independent and unaffiliated voters who are trying to push lawmakers on the issue. If Gov. Glenn Youngkin signs the legislation, Virginia could allow closed hearings for the decertification of law enforcement and jail officers. The measure also allows records relating to decertification to not be disclosed. Senate Bill 88 from Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, builds on a previous measure that she carried, now law, that allows for decertification of law enforcement officers for misconduct. When officers are under consideration to be decertified, they go through a process overseen by Virginias Department of Criminal Justice Services. Lockes bill this year would add that those meetings can be closed. The measure has passed the House of Delegates and the Senate. Youngkin can decide to sign it into law, seek amendments or veto the bill. Proponents of the bill argue that it would stop bottlenecks in the decertification process. Decertification proceedings would only get to a certain point and some of the people that (DCJS) had to interview didnt want to disclose information publicly, Locke said. Dana Schrad, executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, said police chiefs and sheriffs also had little reason to cooperate because these people were no longer their employees in the cases of people appealing a decertification decision. Schrad likened what the bill would allow to how municipal governing bodies go into closed session when discussing personnel matters before coming back into open session to vote on public record. Thats essentially what were looking for, she said. The association worked with Locke on the bill, which also gained support from the Virginia Association of Commonwealths Attorneys and the Virginia chapter of the NAACP. But others express concern what the ability to close meetings might mean for transparency. Alice Minium, director of OpenOversight VA, which collects data on Virginia police and sheriffs departments, said watching DCJS hearings on officer decertification is helpful to her work in maintaining her organizations databases. (The hearings) are one of the only places where you can hear actual details about incidents, she said. Four years ago, the murder of Minneapolis resident George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin prompted a national outcry about police brutality. The incident and subsequent protests in Virginia and around the country helped fuel some of the police accountability-aimed changes in state laws that have taken effect since. Everybodys moving past 2020 to make information more public and to invite people into these conversations not to lock things down further behind closed doors, Minium said. This is what she worries will happen should Senate Bill 88 become law. Journalist Goad Gatsby, who has also watched DCJS meetings, wrote that the law feels very personal because I like to go to meetings. I guess if it passes I wont go, but Ill have to get better at (Freedom of Information Act requests). Before an officer faces decertification, investigations into officer misconduct are typically first handled by internal affairs investigations within departments. Another level can be civilian oversight boards. Five Virginia localities have such boards. But Virginia law has broad discretionary exemptions for many records, so police departments are not required to release certain files or information to the public. Sometimes (local departments) do disclose (records) when they want to show hey, were really dealing with this bad apple, said Meghan Rhyne, director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government. She said her organization normally would not be on board with a bill that restricts public access. When officers who are undergoing a decertification process are reviewed by DCJS, the discretion to local departments does not apply to DCJS. This is what Lockes bill would change if Youngkin signs it into law. Schrad said some decertification appeals have been getting overturned for lack of evidence because chiefs and sheriffs dont want to bring their files into an open hearing. Schrad said the ability to close proceedings could lead to fewer appeals while ensuring the decertification of officers who do not belong in the profession. Minium favors more public accessibility to meetings. It feels good and normal to keep an eye on things, she said. And I think that is well within our rights. Today in history: March 1 1932: Charles A. Lindbergh Jr 1945: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1971: Weather Underground 1974: John D. Ehrlichman 2005: Dennis Rader 2010: Jay Leno 2012: Andrew Breitbart 2012: Martin OMalley 2015: Boris Nemtsov 2017: Ryan Zinke 2021: Carlos Ghosn 2021: Vernon Jordan QUESTION: Ive decided to buy a small company. I have the money and I know how to run a business. I plan to keep the management team intact, so Ill have the expertise I need. Therefore, Im industry agnostic. However, I know that some industries are better than others. What characteristics define a good industry? ANSWER: Three characteristics define a favorable industry. It should be growing, profitable, and low risk. The reason is straightforward. The value of your business will only increase if it grows and/or profitability increases. Lower risk is better because you want the growth and profitability to continue. Well describe each attribute in more detail below. Growing: No industry can grow at a rate that exceeds the GDP growth rate forever say two to four percent in the United States. However, many industries will exceed this growth rate in the short term. We suggest choosing an industry that is growing. A rising tide floats all boats. Avoid industries that are being or are likely to be overtaken by new technologies. Profitable: Industries that are likely to be profitable in the long run share several characteristics: High barriers to entry Profitable industries tend to attract new entrants. The new entrants will compete the profit away. High barriers to entry protect industries from new entrants. It may be an industry that is costly to enter, one that requires rare, specialized skills or one with protected intellectual property. Regardless, high barriers to entry will protect an industrys profitability. Of course, the downside is that these industries may be more challenging for you to enter. Low barriers to exit If the time comes when there is excess capacity in the industry, companies need to be able to leave. If companies cant leave, they will compete away all of the profit as too many businesses chase too little volume. Low exit barriers allow marginal operators to leave the business rather than making the industry unprofitable for everyone. Ability to differentiate your product or service In a true commodity business, one in which you cannot differentiate your product or service, the winner will typically be the competitor with the lowest cost. Small, growing businesses can rarely maintain a low cost position. We advise choosing an industry where you can differentiate your product or service. Then focus on the segment of the market that values the things that make your offering different. Youll also want to make sure that competitors cant easily copy the thing that makes your product or service different. In a position of strength vis-a-vis suppliers and customers Suppliers will want to charge as much as they can. Customers will want to pay as little as they can. Obviously, if suppliers and customers are successful, profit will evaporate. Instead, look for a situation where suppliers compete away the profit in their industry by selling to you at low prices and where customers are willing to pay a premium for your offering. Choose an industry where the participants are in a position of strength so that they can maintain good profit margins. Low risk/low volatility: Businesses that are currently profitable and growing can become a nightmare if the situation changes quickly. Look for industries that are stable and low risk. Examples of risks to avoid are: Regulatory risk New regulation can destroy an industrys profitability overnight. Be careful of industries where regulations are changing quickly. Spoilage risk If unsold product becomes worthless, competitors may cut prices significantly to sell the product rather than lose it. Airline seats are a good example. Once the planes door closes, unsold seats are worthless. Airlines have a significant incentive to cut price rather than fly with empty seats. As a result, profits in the airline industry are notoriously volatile. You wont find the perfect situation. Youll have to accept some compromise. However, try to find an industry that meets as many of the above criteria as possible. It will improve your chances of success. British man remains in Playa del Carmen jail after narcotics dog finds box of pot Playa del Carmen, Q.R. A British man remains in Playa del Carmen jail after being found in possession of marijuana. A narcotics dog located a box that contained two large packages of marijuana during a surveillance tour in central Playa del Carmen. The box was marked positive for narcotics by the K9 during a Thursday foot patrol along 20th Avenue. From there, Municipal Police proceeded to arrest 41-year-old Adrian N from Great Britain. As a result of crime prevention actions, the Municipal Police arrested a person in possession of two large packages with possible marijuana in the Centro neighborhood. A surveillance tour was being carried out on 20th Avenue when the canine from the K9 Unit made an alert mark on a cardboard box that a subject had among his belongings, and after a security inspection they found two packages inside with possible marijuana. Adrian N, 41 years old, originally from Great Britain, was arrested and placed at the disposal of the Special Prosecutors Office in the form of drug dealing, the Seguridad Ciudadana Solidaridad (SSC) reported. Mexicos Lopez Obrador says relations with Canada will continue after new visa announcement Mexico City, Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says Mexicos relationship with Canada will continue after the imposition of the new visa regulations to enter the country. In his Friday press conference, Lopez Obrador admitted that the imposition of visas was a unilateral decision. Despite the new visa requirements, the Mexico-Canada relationship will continue for the benefit of both peoples, he said. We cannot break relations with Canada or with other governments because the economic exchange is very good, Mexican workers have been going to Canada for a long time, so we have to act with prudence, with serenity. If anything, a small, fraternal, respectful reproach to the Prime Minister because we helped themand he knows itso that it was accepted for Canada to participate in the Free Trade Agreement (USMCA) because President Trump did not want it due to differences which are natural in politics, he said. The president ruled out that there is a problem between nations after the unilateral decision of the Canadian government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, regarding requesting visas from Mexicans. It is a modality, they tell me, where it can only affect 40 percent of those who go to Canada. Its good that they moderated. In any case we consider that they could have looked for other options, other alternatives, however, they made that decision. Lopez Obrador said that the imposition of visas was a unilateral decision. Photo: AMLO We respect what other governments decide because they are independent, free, sovereign governments and we are going to look for options, alternatives, he explained. To be clear, there is no problem with the people or the government of Canada, no problem. () Our respect to Mr. Trudeau and even more to the people of Canada. Love and peace, he added. Two Mexican nationals wanted in the U.S. on various charges extradited Mexico City, Mexico Two Mexican nationals wanted in the U.S. for various drug, firearm and sex-related charges have been extradited. On Friday, Raul D and Enrique G were handed over to U.S. federal agents for transfer back to the U.S. to face separate charges. Raul D was returned to Los Angeles where he was wanted by a California court for kidnapping and sexual abuse. The State Attorney of the Republic (FGR) of Mexico says in April 2009, Raul D kidnapped a minor from inside an apartment complex and subsequently took her to a hidden location where she was sexually abused. Enrique G was extradited for charges that include criminal association, drug offences and possession of a firearm. He was wanted by the Federal Court for the Western District of Tennessee for crimes that occurred in 2021. The FGR says in September 2021, Enrique G pleaded guilty before the Federal Court for those crimes, however, in October of that same year, he was mistakenly released from the Shelby County, Tennessee prison and did not appear at the sentencing hearing. After the efforts carried out by the FGR, the Government of Mexico granted the extradition to the Government of the United States. Iranian officials announced that they would be extending the nation's election following an extremely low voter turnout of only 27% amid calls for a boycott. Authorities made the unexpected announcement of keeping polling booths until 10:00 p.m. in an effort to raise the turnout statistics. They also predicted that the eventual figure would reach more than 42.5% recorded the last time parliamentary seats were contested in 2020. Iran's Low Voter Turnout The current administration in Iran has placed great store in boosting turnout above the 2020 figure, which was considered a historic low since it believes that it would be a strong show of political engagement. They think that this would ward off claims that it has run out of legitimacy or is unable to deliver on the basic requirements of the Iranian people for economic progress and personal freedom. Social media outlets that are opposed to the Iranian regime have shown near-empty polling stations. However, a spokesperson for the Guardian Council, which is the body that vets candidates, said that there were no problems with the election, adding that turnout would reach 2020 levels, as per The Guardian. Officials' announcement said that they would extend polling hours due to rising numbers of people going to the polls but opposition groups have argued that the decision was a panic measure. This comes as the voter turnout during the country's 2016 elections was recorded at 62%. Many already expect that the increasingly factionalized hardliners will further tighten their grip on the parliament as well as on the Assembly of Experts. The latter is an 88-strong body that is responsible for appointing the next supreme leader when the incumbent, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dies. Many reformists have been disqualified from standing, which made the election a sham in the eyes of many voters who already see the nation as being run not by politicians but by branches of the security services and the army. Read Also: French President Angered Over Civilian Massacre in Gaza Parliamentary Elections The Middle Eastern country held its first parliamentary election on Friday following the 2022 mass protests over the death of Mahsa Amini. It was not immediately clear if voter apathy or an active desire to send a message to the nation's theocracy resulted in the low voter turnout in the latest elections, according to CBS News. Officials, including Supreme Leader Khamenei, sought to link voter turnout directly to taking a stand against Iran's enemies. Others, such as imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, called for a boycott of the election that they called a "sham." Out of the roughly 15,000 candidates who are looking to win one of the seats in the 290-member parliament, only about 116 are considered to be relatively moderate or pro-reform candidates. The situation comes as the country's economy continues to stagnate under Western sanctions related to Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program as well as the nation's arming of militia proxies in the Middle East and Russia in its war on Ukraine. One voter said on Friday that there were too many problems, adding that they were sad and sorrowful. The individual, who only gave the name Sajjad, added that they were voicing out their criticism as much as they could, said Aljazeera. Related Article: Gaza Doctor Reveals Gunfire Caused 80% of Hospital Wounds in Aid Convoy Tragedy Gardai in Cork County have this morning arrested three males for organised crime related offences. The males, in their 30s and 40s, are currently detained in Garda Stations in Cork under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. This morning investigating Gardai searched five locations in County Cork and two locations in County Roscommon. In addition to arrests, items of evidential value were seized during the courses of the searches. "Over 100 Gardai were involved in operations this morning led by detectives from the Divisional Protective Service Unit, Cork County and supported by uniform and plain clothes Gardai, Garda Dog Unit, Armed Support Unit, and Scenes of Crime Unit, amongst others," a statement from the Gardai said. The investigation team in Cork is supported by sworn Garda members and specialist Garda Staff from national units including the Human Trafficking Investigation & Coordination Unit (HTICU) at Garda National Protective Service Bureau (GNPSB), the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB), Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) Garda Mutual Assistance Section and the Garda Siochana Analysis Service (GSAS). Gardai are investigating the activities of an organised crime group (OCG) based in Ireland, with Eastern European connections, involved in the alleged trafficking of persons into Ireland for the purpose of labour exploitation. The investigation is being supported by Europol. "An Garda Siochana continues to appeal to any person who may be the victim of human trafficking or labour exploitation to speak to a member of An Garda Siochana, either at your local Garda station, or to call the Garda Confidential Phone Number 1800 666 111," the statement continued. "An Garda Siochana understands that victims of these crimes may not always be in a position to report themselves, maybe there is opportunity to speak to a Garda who you might meet at any location. "Importantly, An Garda Siochana appeals to any person with any information on these heinous crimes or suspects that any person is the victim of human trafficking to speak up - talk to a member of An Garda Siochana, either at your local Garda station, on the Garda Confidential Phone Number 1800 666 111 or to any members of An Garda Siochana." A young Boyle woman was presented with the 2024 Paul Gillen Bursary award at "The Beat Goes On" conference, organised by Heart Children, which took place in Dublin. The bursary was presented to Siofra Thomas by Padraig Gilleran. Aimed at young people and adults with congenital heart disease, and their families, the gathering took place as part of Global Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Month. Paul Gillen was a young man from Ballyroan in Dublin. He lived his short life battling CHD but, sadly, Paul passed away suddenly in his early twenties. Grieving his immense loss, his family established the Paul Gillen Fund to support other young people with CHD. The PG Fund supports adolescents (age 16-25 years) who are making the difficult transition from the familiar environment of CHI Crumlin where they have received care from birth, to attending adult CHD care in the Mater Hospital. The fund aims to support adolescents with the practical and emotional challenges of starting independent life while managing their illness. Almost 19,000 people are estimated to be living with congenital heart disease in Ireland with approximately 500-600 children born here with the condition annually. For more information on Heart Children's supports and services, visit www.heartchildren.ie Donald Trump has won the Republican caucuses in Idaho and Missouri and he's captured all 39 delegates that were up for grabs at the Michigan party convention If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). The Doha Film Institute (DFI) kicked off its 10th Qumra talent and project incubator meeting on a somber note on Friday as its organizers spoke out about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Some 200 international industry professionals are due to attend the Qatari event, running from March 1 to 6, to nurture 40 projects by emerging filmmakers. The event is a cornerstone of the DFIs activities. More from Deadline While we celebrate the progress that we have made in nurturing new voices in cinema, we are also confronted with the genocide in Gaza and the ongoing attempts to silence the voices crying out against it, said DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Al Remaihi. This cultural genocide is a profound reminder of our responsibility as a global community to ensure that all voices are heard, and all lives are treated with dignity and respect. Hassan Al Remaihi was speaking the day after Gaza authorities accused Israeli soldiers of killing at least 100 people as they queued for food relief in Gaza City. Israel said the deaths were the result of trampling and that its troops fired after they felt threatened by crowds. The countrys military action in Gaza is in response to a Hamas terror attack in southern Israel on October 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and another 240 taken hostage. According to Gazas Hamas-run health authorities, more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory over the past 147 days. These figures have been contested in some quarters but U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told a congressional hearing on Thursday that at least 25,000 women and children had been killed. Story continues While the situation continues to worsen in Palestine and countries throughout the region including Yemen, Lebanon, Sudan and Syria, providing a platform to acknowledge the courage and resilience of those fighting against oppression becomes even more important, said Hassan Al Remaihi. The Doha Film Institute has always been and will remain dedicated to realising important stories and amplifying unheard voices that connect us in our shared humanity. We are proud to be on the journey with these bold and evocative projects that will impact our societies for years to come. There are a number of projects by Palestinian filmmakers at Qumra this year including Ahmad Salehs Trouble Magnet, about a teenager who rides an imaginary donkey from Palestine to Germany; Gaza-born Mohammed Almughannis doc Son of the Streets, about a stateless child living in a Beirut refugee camp; Mayar Hamdan and Shaima Al Tamimis The Myth of Mahmoud about a Palestinian family that has called Doha its home for 60 years and is now contemplating its next move, and Saleh Saadis TV series Dyouf, about a family run guesthouse in a Bedouin village. DFI Artistic Advisor Elia Suleiman said Qumra offered a space for reflection. Qumra offers the opportunity to ask what must be done to take responsibility, and a moral and ethical position on what films enable us to discuss about genocides, massacres and horrible violence around the world, he said. Here we have the benefit of distance from what is going on [in the region]. It allows the questioning of what must be done in the context of storytelling, and in the context of asking cinematic questions as we tell our stories. This is the right time to contemplate, meditate and take a solemn moment but also start to converse and discuss aesthetics to somehow have some inspiration and creativity. Qumras program of masterclasses, one-on-one meetings and networking kicked off on Friday afternoon with a masterclass by Toni Collette, in which she discussed her journey from a working class neighborhood in Sydney to becoming Hollywood star. The 40 participating projects hail from and 20 countries span include 13 feature narratives, 11 documentaries, 11 shorts and 7 web/TV series in various stages of production. Among the projects, 11 are helmed by Qatari or Qatar-based directors, including seven by nationals. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. SIOUX CITY Have you ever looked up into the sky, seen an aircraft flying and wondered, "What would it be like to pilot an airplane?" If so, Jerome Howard, chief flight instructor for Revv Aviation, encourages you to go to Sioux Gateway Airport and inquire about taking a discovery flight. "It doesn't mean that just because you do a discovery flight, you'd have to go into that field. We get a lot of people that do come out and do discovery flights for a bucket list-type of thing," he said. Muscatine, Iowa-based Revv, which was known as Carver Aero before rebranding, started its pilot training operations with a pair of single-engine Cessna 172s. In early February 2022, Revv announced it had opened flight training operations at Sioux Gateway Airport. For the past two years, Revv has been training students residing in and around the Sioux City area on how to become safe and proficient pilots. Those that do decide to pursue a career as a professional airline pilot, will find an efficient and structured flight training environment at Revv Sioux City, 6121 Pershing St. Revv is now a FAA Part 141 approved flight training facility. It was previously only certified as a Part 61 flight school. "With Part 141, there's a syllabus that we have to follow. It's an approved syllabus by the FAA. And in that syllabus, your required times are a little bit less than Part 61," Howard said. "Part 61 is another type of FAA training that some pilots go through. Part 141 is mainly used for an individual that wants to go to the airlines." REVV Aviation Jerome Howard, chief flight instructor of Revv Aviation, is shown with one of the flight school's Cessna 172 aircraft Tuesday at its hangar at The structure and discipline of Revv's FAA Part 141 program allows students to reach their goals in an "expedient manner" based on curriculum-based performance rather than those training under the more traditional FAA Part 61 flight school curriculums, according to a statement provided by Revv. The flight training courses offered at Revv's Sioux City location include, but will not be limited to private, instrument and commercial. Students in Revv's FAA Approved Part 141 program can receive in-house check rides for their commercial rating, which the statement said saves students time and money. Howard said the demand for flight training programs is coming from the airline industry itself. He said a study conducted by Boeing, which is the world's largest aerospace company, found the need for over 620,000 pilots and mechanics in the next 20 years. "Anyone interested in getting involved in aviation or going that route, this is probably one of the best times to get involved in that," said Howard, who said there's quite a few job opportunities beyond the commercial airlines, as well. Those who don't wish to be airline pilots can look to corporate and charter operations and even become spray operators in the agriculture field. "It doesn't necessarily mean that just because you're getting into aviation, you're going to go to the airlines. There's plenty of opportunities out there." Revv's Council Bluffs flight school, which serves as its flight academy headquarters and is aligned with the University of Nebraska Omaha's aviation program, has roughly 325 to 350 students. "Now that we've just been authorized for 141 operations here in Sioux City, that demand is going to grow quite rapidly now that the word is out and that opportunity is there," said Howard, who said the Sioux City location currently has three flight instructors and three aircraft. "The max number (of students) is really going to depend upon the capacity the instructor can handle. On average, a good student load for an instructor is about eight students. Say between 24 to 30 would be the max capacity that we have right now. As we grow in the future, we will definitely add more instructors and more aircraft. The maximum amount of students we will be able to take will increase." REVV Aviation Jerome Howard, chief flight instructor of Revv Aviation, is shown with one of the flight school's Cessna 172 aircraft Tuesday at its hangar at Howard said students learn to fly on a Cessna 172, which is a popular training aircraft. "It's a high-wing aircraft. It's very easy to fly. It's not very complicated of anything like that," he said. There are certain medical issues that will prevent an individual from obtaining a pilot's license, such as fainting spells and certain heart issues. Howard is often asked if having to wear prescription eyeglasses is a disqualifier for being a pilot. "You don't have to have perfect vision. You can wear glasses as long as it's correctable at 20/20," he said. More than three dozen horses expected to go to auction Saturday in Palmyra, have received a reprieve. Epona Horse Rescues Lin Guyton said she received a call from the Gage County Sheriffs Office on Thursday night informing her that no court order to sell the horses had been issued by a judge. The sale was off. Guyton said she and her allies are attempting to buy all of the horses when they do come up for sale to keep them out of any kill pen buyers who would send them to slaughter. It gives us more time to head into a better resolution for them, she said. According to Nebraska law, when horses such as those in Gage County are seized, they are live evidence and there would have to be a court order to sell them. The 37 horses that would have gone to the Palmyra Livestock Auction were confiscated in August from the Blue Valley Veterinary Clinic and Pickrell Veterinary Clinic owned by veterinarian Jennafer Glaessemann. Glaesemann has been cited by the Sheriffs Office on suspicion of animal neglect. The Gage County attorney, however, has not filed formal charges. Guyton said a court order to auction the horses could still come at any time. Ultimately, this is going to happen, and were going to have to attempt to buy back as many as we can, she said. The Sheriffs Office is referring all questions about the horses to County Attorney Roger Harris. His office said he is not available for comment. The decision to auction off the horses would be up to Gage County District Court Judge Rick Schreiner, who said he could not comment on the case. I am ethically prohibited about cases that I have in front of me for decisions, he said. Guyton said $54,150 has been raised through a GoFundMe account to buy the horses at auction and then find them good homes. Shes frustrated that a disbursement order wasnt given last fall, but she said she will continue to care for the now fat and healthy horses. We want this over with. We want it done, she said. We want to be able to let these horses move on to a new life. Top Journal Star photos for February 2024 Welcome to Sioux City! Thats certainly the message we want others to get when they visit our fair city. But a recent move by the city makes us wonder if a subliminal message is seeping through. If you happened to visit one of the parking ramps earlier this week, you may have learned it wasnt able to accept cash as payment. Instead of digging for change in your cupholder, you needed to use a credit or debit card. The new machines, officials said, would lessen the future chances of repairs, replacement and vandalism. The new equipment also reflects a trend in the parking business and prevented a change in the parking rate structure. We get that. But what about the visitor who doesnt have a credit card or doesnt want to use one at a parking ramp? Doesnt that say, dont park here? Should we have to alert everyone coming into town that Sioux City is cards only when it comes to parking? Certainly, younger drivers arent flush with credit cards and older drivers arent all that excited about using a credit or debit card at something as exposed as a parking ramp. Thankfully, free parking on weekends remains. But there should be another option. Perhaps the old park and shop concept would allay fears and get visitors in stores. Buy something downtown? Get a card that would give you an extra hour in the ramp. Then you wouldnt have to insert a credit card to get out of the ramp and you could still enjoy the fruits of visiting Sioux City. Another concept: Keep one of the ramps as a cash ramp. Then, if you werent aware of the citys move, youd at least have someplace to go. With three ramps ringing the Sioux City Convention Center, itd be right to make one of them cash-friendly. A hasty decision? We think so. As progressive as Sioux City wants to be, there are some moves that still require a little old common sense. Opposing attorneys in the Fani Willis affair situation clashed during the final arguments for efforts to disqualify the Fulton County district attorney. The situation comes as Willis is being accused of having an improper personal relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. The allegations could have the district attorney disqualified from being involved in the former president's Georgia election interference case. Fani Willis Affair Arguments Attorneys representing Trump and his Georgia co-defendants made their final pitch on Friday and attacked Willis' credibility and motives given her romantic relationship with Wade. After three hours of legal arguments, Judge Scott McAfee indicated that he was hoping to issue a ruling on the matter in the next two weeks. The judge said that it was already made clear that there were several legal issues to sort through and several factual determinations that he had to make. McAfee added that these are not ones that he can make at the moment. He said that he would take the time to make sure that he gives the case the full consideration that it is due, as per The Hill. Now, the judge in the case is tasked with determining whether or not Willis and her office should be blocked from continuing to prosecute the Republican businessman and his allies. It is a decision that will potentially dictate the future of the historic election interference case in Georgia. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. The arguments on Friday capped a battle that has now lasted nearly two months over whether or not Willis' romance with Wade amounted to a conflict of interest. The two individuals acknowledged their relationship but described the calls to step away as meritless. In a statement, the county's chief deputy district attorney, Adam Abbate, said that the motion to disqualify Willis should be denied. He said that the district attorney and Wade should be allowed to remain on Trump's Georgia case and continue to prosecute the defendants. Read Also: Michelle Troconis Guilty Of Conspiracy to Murder Disqualifying the District Attorney An attorney for Willis' office described the defense's star witness as a "disgruntled, vengeful, speculator." The remarks were made as he fought back against claims that the district attorney should be disqualified from the Trump Georgia case, according to CNN. Abbate said that the text messages exchanged between the witness, Terrence Bradley, and a defense attorney "show that he is vengeful." The defense had wanted Bradley to undercut some of the testimony that was provided by Wade and Willis. However, he failed to deliver damaging testimony during a hearing earlier this week and he repeatedly said that he could not recall when the two individuals' relationship began. Bradley is Wade's one-time divorce attorney and former law partner. In the text exchanges, Bradley claimed some knowledge of when Wade and Willis' relationship started. He also offered the defense lawyer, Ashleigh Merchant, reassurance as she submitted her motion to disqualify to the court. On Jan. 8, the day that Merchant filed the motion, she texted Bradley that she was nervous, adding that the development is "huge." In response, the witness encouraged the attorney, saying, "You are huge. You will be fine," said the New York Times. Related Article: Court Ruling Vacates Capitol Rioter's Sentence, Could Influence Other Jan. 6 Cases This piece originally appeared in the Conversation Eighty years ago, in the winter and spring of 1944, Brooklyn-born author Betty Smith was entering a new chapter of life. A year earlier, she was an unknown writer, negotiating with her publisher about manuscript edits and the date of publication for her first book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, a semi-autobiographical novel about the poor but spirited Nolan family. Now she was one of the lucky few. Her book was spotted in cafes, on buses, and in bookstores all over town. The following year, when it was being made into a film directed by Elia Kazan, Life magazine reported, Betty Smiths A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (2,500,000 copies sold) has become one of the best-loved novels of our time. Advertisement New York in the 1940s was not the city we know today. The Empire State Building had not reached its full height, nor had the statue of Alice in Wonderland taken up residence in Central Park. And it would be decades before anyone was humming along to a tune that brashly commanded, Start spreadin the news, Im leavin today, I want to be a part of it: New York, New York! Brooklyn, too, was still becoming itselfand no other 20th-century American novel did quite so much for the boroughs reputation. During World War II, writes law professor Molly Guptill Manning, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was one of the most popular books among the Armed Services Editions, which were mass-produced paperbacks selected by a panel of literary experts for distribution to the U.S. military during World War II. It seemed like everyone wanted to declare some affiliation with the novel-turned-film and, by extension, with Brooklyn. Even readers who had never set foot in the borough nonetheless found themselves enchanted by it through Smiths portrayal. Advertisement As one reader wrote to Smith, Raised as a rebel of the old South, Brooklyn has long been my symbol of all yankee, thus learning to hate it; but now I have learned to love it through Francies eyes as Francie loved it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisers also took note, riffing on Smiths title with tags such as A Dress Grows on Peggy, or Rheingold extra dry lagerthe beer that grows in Brooklyn. Meanwhile, readers who had grown up in the borough responded enthusiastically to Smiths evocations of their favorite neighborhood haunts, writing to her to share their own memories of the shops and streets that she had included in the novel. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn had done something remarkable for them: It removed the veil of shame that surrounded tenement living and, as historian Judith E. Smith has written, helped them reclaim their humble origins. Advertisement And not just reclaim them. The novel affirmed the desire to move beyond poverty, as the protagonist, Francie, had done, and Betty Smith, too. Francies wanderings through Brooklyn lead to her discovery of a more inviting public school than her own. With her fathers help, she manages to enroll in the school, which is better funded but farther from home. Despite the extra-long schlep, Francie sees it as a good thing to have found this new school: It showed her that there were other worlds beside the world she had been born into and that these other worlds were not unattainable. Advertisement It was a feeling that people of many backgrounds could understand, and not just in Brooklyn. Advertisement Smith certainly understood the importance of broadening her horizons: Although she never finished high school, when her marriage to a University of Michigan graduate student brought her to Ann Arbor, she was able to audit classes as a special student. There, her work for her playwriting classes led to a prestigious playwriting prize, and then an invitation to study at Yale School of Drama. Divorced at that point, Smith was free to pursue her education in theater at Yale. The theme of self-improvement through education made A Tree Grows relatable for readers of modest origins. Advertisement Readers were quick to see the novel as a paean to Brooklyn, and often sought to bond with Smith over their presumed shared love of Brooklyn. Advertisement I hope you will give us further stories of the Brooklyn which you know, and, I am sure, love so well, wrote one reader. Some day, if you have time, it might be fun to chew the fat a bit about old Williamsburgh, journalist Meyer Berger wrote to Smith after reading and reviewing her novel. Betty Smith obviously loves Brooklyn and is proud of it, Orville Prescott declared in his glowing New York Times review. But did Betty Smith love Brooklyn? Advertisement Advertisement After all, she wrote the novel while living in Chapel Hill, North Carolinayears after having moved away from New York. Like so many who leave Brooklyn today, Smith did not return to take up residence, in part because she could not afford to live there on her own. By the time she had earned a windfall from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, she had come to love Chapel Hill. Advertisement Smith also left Brooklyn with mixed feelings about her hometown. She wrote to her publishers in 1942, If Hitlers bombers should ever get over and if any portion of this great city has to be wiped out, it would be a blessing if it were (Williamsburg). Evil seems to be part of the very materials that the sidewalks are made out of and the wood and the brick of the houses, she added. Although writing about Brooklyn had brought her fortune and fame, she had no desire to return. As she explained in her 1942 letter, Smith perceived Brooklyns current situation as the result of a changing population and growing crime: A hundred years ago, it was a quiet peaceful village settled by hard-working, sturdy, honest burghers, Smith reflected in her letter, adding that even 25 years ago, Williamsburg was a gentler place. But now its a fearful one. Advertisement Advertisement Smith offered her own analysis of the situation: The feuds in the neighborhood came about because most of the Italians originally came from Sicily and were fierce and murderous. The Jews in the neighborhood were mostly Russian Jews, conditioned to pogroms and much fiercer and more ready to fight. Like many Americans at the time, Smith held some entrenched and intolerant views about immigrants and their character. Since she was often invited to contribute guest essays to publications during the height of her fame, she had ample opportunity to express her worldview. After World War II, Smith directed this hostility toward foreigners at Americas wartime enemies. In her August 1945 essay Thoughts for These Days of Victory, she encouraged readers not to forget their anger at wartime enemies: Let us hold this bitterness so that well not again be lulled into a false sense of security. The war proved conclusively that not all men are brothers and that not all nations are sisters. Advertisement A full understanding of the Betty Smith behind the novel that changed how Americans felt about Brooklynand their humble originsare complicated by Smiths own views and her experiences away from Brooklyn. As Smith knew, making something of yourself often requires leaving home. Its hard to tell whether distance made her heart grow fonder. In leaving Brooklyn, Smith had not suddenly started seeing her hometown through rose-colored glasses. In Chapel Hill she was finally able to see Brooklynand write about itin a way that brought readers of all kinds closer to Brooklyn and legitimized their own origin stories. That, in and of itself, is a kind of love, even if its not the unconditional kind so many had imagined. Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group. Dear Care and Feeding, It seems early to be worrying about Christmas, but here we are. Im a man in a family of mostly women (my wife, two daughters, one daughter-in-law, mother, two sisters, and three nieces). My brothers-in-law are easy to buy gifts for and my wife buys the gifts for her father, but I struggle buying presents for everyone else. I know they all want jewelry or beauty products or some book series I have no idea about. I work an incredibly stressful job and have limited time for shopping, not to mention that I dont feel at all at home in stores that sell what they want. My eldest daughter, Halle (28), loves celebrations, is an organizational master, and a very thoughtful gift buyer. She keeps spreadsheets with dates of birthdays, preferences, and gifts bought. Most years, I have been able to ask Halle to sort the bulk of present-buying for our family on my behalf (of course I give her the money for it), since she enjoys Christmas shopping and it greatly eases my stress. But last year, Halle complained every time I asked her about what gifts she had purchased, acting like shopping on my behalf was a huge burden rather than something she could easily handle while doing her own shopping. Advertisement Then, at our Christmas get-together, she made a point of telling people about the gifts that were supposed to be from me, making it obvious that she had selected them. At least a couple of relatives felt as if I dont care about them (not at all true). I had to make the point several times that it was not Halle who had paid for these gifts but me! It was embarrassing. And since then we have had some awkward birthdays when my sisters thanked Halle for gifts that were from me. Now we are in October, when Halle starts Christmas shopping. In the past she has called to ask me who she should pick up gifts for from me and about money transfers, but there has been nothing from her this year. I have a bad feeling she will do what she did last year if I dont say something, or she might simply refuse to help out at all. I absolutely dont have time to go to the kind of effort she doesChristmas holidays are an overtime period for mebut I dont want to end up forgetting anyone or resorting to gift cards. Can you advise me on how I can talk to Halle about this? It seems like shes being unreasonable and uncharacteristically passive-aggressive, and I dont know how to approach this conversation. Christmas Problems Already Dear CPA, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Let me get this straight. You want your daughter to do all your Christmas shopping for you without complaint or comment, you cant imagine why its the least bit inconvenient for her, youre hurt and angry that she let your family know that she was the one who picked out all these gifts that she did pick outand you want to know how to get her to keep doing this but return to shutting up about it? Are you kidding me? Ive got news for you, busy father of three (et al.): the important part of gift-giving is not who pays for the gifts but who thoughtfully chooses them (and how, and why). If you dont have the time or the inclination to choose gifts for your loved ones, I would cut right to the chase and give them all cash. Do not ask Halle to buy your gifts again. In fact, to make sure she doesnt this year, tell your daughter you are going to be a grownup and take care of gifts yourself. Advertisement And heres a tip: write each of them a note telling them you love them, and whyand maybe even say, As you know, shopping is not my forte. So I hope you wont mind some cash to buy whatever it is that would please you most. (In your note to Halle, you might even apologize for treating her as your servant for so many years. And maybe give her an extra-large cash gift while youre at it.) Slate Plus Members Get More Advice From Michelle Herman Each Week From this weeks letter, My Otherwise Docile Kid Chose a Really Odd Way to Stand Up for a Classmate: I was flabbergasted to learn that my son had been issued an in-school suspension for punching another boy in his class. Advertisement Advertisement Dear Care and Feeding, My mom had me at 19, when she was understandably not ready to be a mother. She left me alone in the apartment for days and nights from toddlerhood on and was often drunk or hungover when she was with me. It took a lot of work on my end, but I came to forgive her for not being capable of being the parent a child needs, and although were not close, were still in each others lives. I had my own daughter at 25, and she was and is very much wanted and treasured. Shes now 3, and I love her more than anything in the world. I work shift work, so although I only work about 40 hours a week and never past 9 p.m., its inconsistent. Im lucky that a coworker has a son my daughters age, and we are both shift supervisors so we never work the same shift; thus we babysit each others children for free when the other is working, and we chip in on groceries since we feed each others kids meals and snacks. When she and I cant cover each other, I have a dependable paid babysitter my daughter loves. All of this has been working well for the last three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recently, for the first time since I went back to work after my daughter was born, neither regular childcare option was available. My mother stepped up and took my daughter so that I didnt have to take an unpaid sick day. As soon as I dropped off my daughter, she started lecturing me about working too much and how my daughter was going to feel neglected if I wasnt a more present mother. I was genuinely shocked, since 1) I am a single parent who has no choice but to work to provide for her, and 2) she left me alone most of my childhood, and she was partying, not working. I was very angry, and I told her that while I was grateful for her help, it didnt give her the right to tell me how to parent my daughter, and I left for work. When I came home I calmly told her she of all people had no right to judge me, and she burst into tears, called me a monster for telling her she wasnt perfect as a teen mom, and then asked what my excuse was. Advertisement Advertisement Shes never said anything like this before, although this is the first time Ive asked her for help with my daughter. Normally she just sees her granddaughter for fun, not babysitting. I dont want to cut her out of my daughters life, but I dont want to hear those things again. Im now worrying whether my daughter feels abandoned, because my schedule is unpredictable, so its not like we have dinner every night. I am feeling very confused and distressed. I apologized to my mother for getting angry and told her I need some space to work through my feelings, but she didnt apologize to me in return, so I guess she really thinks that Im an absentee mother. Am I? Different but the Same? Dear DbtS, Advertisement Advertisement I dont know if she really thinks this of you, but that is neither here nor there. You are providing for your daughter in every way. If you want me to hazard a guess about whats up with your mom, I will: I think she is consumed with guilt about her failures, and I think that when you asked her for help with your daughters carefor the first time!it stirred that pot (or, in contemporary parlance, triggered her). She lashed out because thats what people tend to do when theyre in pain. For all we know, she may even believe that youre neglecting your child (she may have convinced herself of this as a way of letting her own neglectful parenting off the hook), though its hard to imagine anyone equating your situation to hers. Advertisement I am here to tell you that youre doing great. The thoughtfulness with which youve worked out how to take care of your daughter is itself an indication of what a good mother you are. Your mothers diatribe and her refusal to apologize are not proof that Mom is right. They indicate the damage she did, which will be part of you forever. When it rears up (because it will), you will need to face it and remind yourself of who you are and what your life is like now. And where your (present-day) mother is concerned? Tell hercalmly, coollythat you dont wish to talk about this anymore or ever again. But if you want your mother in your or your daughters life, you will need to take a firm stand. And I think it would be wise to return to the get-together-for-fun times, no-babysitting days of yore for Grandma. (Instead, find a backup paid sitter for the rare occasions when neither of your go-to sitters is available.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Catch Up on Care and Feeding If you missed Fridays column, read it here. Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group! Dear Care and Feeding, My mom died when I was in high school. It was extremely traumatic, and its something Ive had to work through in therapy over the last almost-20 years. I speak about her to my now-3-year-old often; usually, I tell him how kind she was, how much she would have loved him, that sort of thing. Last night at dinner, though, he asked me for the first time where she was. I explained that shes not here anymore. He asked, Is she at her home? And I absolutely lost it and broke down at the dinner table. I didnt know how to answer that question, and I sat there sobbing. My sweet toddler came over, hugged me, and asked me why I was sad. I told him I was sad because my mom/his grandma isnt here anymore, and I missed her. He didnt understand where she was. Im worried Ive now traumatized and confused him. I dont love the idea of explaining the death of a parent to my 3-year-old, let alone talking about the circumstances of my moms death. But Im wondering the best way to answer his question about her whereabouts in an honest, non-religious, and age-appropriate way. Mama is Sad Dear Mama, Advertisement Advertisement You havent traumatized him. You may have momentarily confused him by using the euphemism not here anymore (children this age are pretty literal-minded: if someone isnt here, where is the there that they are?) but you can revisit this conversation and be clear with him about what you meant. Advertisement I know you hate the thought of telling your child that people dieand you especially hate the thought of telling him that parents dobut he is not too young for this conversation. I have said this before and Ill say it again: every young child at some point realizes or learns that their parents are going to die someday. Many fairy tales exist to serve this purpose, and to help children work out their feelings about this terrible knowledge. Bambi, The Lion King, and The Land Before Time do that, too. Advertisement Conversations with children about death often occur around the death of a pet, which may feel like a lower-stakes way to approach the topic. But your child has directly asked you where his grandmother is, and it is time to use the word death. She died, and it made me very sad. It still makes me sad sometimes. Its all right for him to know youre still sad about this. You dont need to tell him any of the details about your mothers death, but you do need to let him know that death is a part of life. There is useful information here, including advice about how to explain death to a child this young. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I also want to offer you some advice you havent asked for. Beyond the therapy youve had in the years since your mothers death, you might want to explore the work of Hope Edelman, who lost her own mother as a teenager, has written extensively on the subject of motherless daughters and motherless mothersand you, of course, are bothand also offers a support community, with workshops, retreats, and even weekly Zoom meetings. I believe this will be of help to you as you navigate these conversations with your son (which, I will note, will change as time passes). I know this is hard. But I know you can do it. Ill be holding you and your child in my heart. Advertisement Advertisement Submit your questions about parenting and family life here. Its anonymous! (Questions may be edited for publication.) Dear Care and Feeding, My husband and I have been married for 42 years, and we have a son and a daughter from his previous marriage. My stepdaughter is not close to her dad; she sees and speaks to him rarely. Recently my husband was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease and informed the kids. I am truly heartbroken by their response. My stepdaughter immediately asked me how much life insurance my husband had and said that, as his oldest child, she was due half. My daughter-in-law said that our son was due half. In other words, that I should get nothing: my stepchildren are due all of it. Advertisement Advertisement I am so focused on caring for my husband as his health declines that I feel overwhelmed and dont want to respond emotionally to these declarations (although it is very tempting to do so). I will not tell my husband what they have said because it would break his heart. (And I have not discussed it with my stepson because I dont want to cause friction in his marriage.) We are not wealthy. We live in a small house, have a car payment and other expenses that we cover with just social security and my husbands pension (of which I would receive a smaller amount after his death). I feel like I am drowning in fear and resentment. What do I do? I feel like I need to take care of our expenseswhat will before long be my expensesfirst, but both the girls are very clear about their expectations. Drowning in Despair Dear Drowning, Advertisement Let me throw you a life raft. If your husband has a life insurance policy, there is a designated beneficiary. If you are the beneficiaryas I assume you arethen you, not his adult children, are due this money. I would not have a conversation with your stepchildrenor stepchild-in-lawabout this now. I would simply refuse to talk about it, cutting off any such discussion with, Right now my only concern is your dads health, keeping him comfortable and safe, and doing everything I can for him. If they press you, feel free to add, Im not interested in talking about this and, if necessary, say goodbye and hang up the phone or leave the room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It doesnt matter what these womens expectations are. I have no idea what your history is with your husbands kidsIm guessing it has been to some extent fraught (at least from their point of view)but it is your husbands expectations and wishes that count here. I hope you two have wills (if you dont, please have them drawn up now; I assure you that I would suggest this even if he were perfectly healthy). Every adult with any assets at all (even a small house and its contents) should have a will. In the wake of a death, chaos ensues without one. If your husband already has a will, I hope you know what it says. And I hope it says that everything the two of you own is yours after his death. (And if he has a life insurance policy, I would be shocked if his adult children, and not you, were the ones named in it!) Advertisement If what you fear is that these kids will make demands of you after their father is gone, I would do everything you can to prepare yourself emotionally for this barrage. And if my guess is right, and there is some ancient history that is now being exhumedand you want to address it, for the sake of your own peace of mind and the familys well-beingthen it will be your choice to do so. I dont think money is the way to do that, no matter what is being said. And if money drives your stepchildren away from you after their fathers death, it will tell you more about your relationship with them than you ever understood while he was alive. Michelle More Advice From Slate Im a 55-year-old divorced college professor who earns $140,000 a year (plus interest, dividends, and royalties). I have around $3.5 million in investments, home equity, and savings, so I am fairly well off. My 51-year-old girlfriend has little savings, works an hourly wage job, and earns around $40,000 a year (shes had a much tougher life than me). I would be happy to support us both and would like her to quit working (or work much less) so we can travel more and have more free fun time. But she is worried about losing independence and being financially dependent on me. How do we bridge this? On Wednesday, Sen. Mitch McConnell announced that he will not seek another term as leader of the Senate Republicans, stepping down from the post (though not his seat) in January 2025. McConnell will leave a legacy of extreme obstruction, having pioneered new ways to paralyze the upper chamber in an effort to stymie Democratic legislation. He also regularly kowtowed to Donald Trump, even voting to acquit the former president following his impeachment trial over the Jan. 6 insurrection. But McConnells most indelible mark on history is likely to be his fixation on stacking the courts with far-right ideologues, thus fundamentally refashioning the federal judiciary in the image of the modern Republican Party. On a new episode of Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discussed the wrecking ball that McConnell took to the independent federal judiciary and its enduring impact on American democracy and civil rights. Their conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity. To listen to the full episode of Amicus, join Slate Plus. Dahlia Lithwick: Can we talk about Mitch McConnell for a minute? He announced that hes stepping down as the leader of Senate Republicans in the near future. Mark Joseph Stern: What was your first reaction when you heard the news? My first reaction was that I hate this timeline so much. Its the timeline where we have to miss Rep. Kevin McCarthy because the person who followed him was, as sure as night follows day, vastly crazier. Thats how I feel about McConnell. This is the person who singlehandedly did more to destroy Senate norms of comity and respect, to help Donald Trump evade accountability, and to steal and pack the Supreme Court with people who should not be sitting on the court. And still, in this moment, were going to have to thank him for respecting the vestigial norms that he did and not being an utter sociopath each and every day. Because the person who follows him will be worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ill add that, in my view, no one has done more to destroy the federal judiciary than Mitch McConnell. This is the guy who, under Obama, decided to block as many judicial nominations as possible, for no reason other than to leave the seats open so Trump could come in and fill them. This is the guy who violated every known norm to hold open Justice Antonin Scalias seat, ostensibly because it came open in an election year, only to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs seat when people were already voting in the 2020 election. I think he made a lot of Americans wake up and realize that this was all Calvinball, that he had no principles to begin with. Advertisement But even more than that, Mitch McConnell was the guy who realized you dont need to win elections to enact Republican policy. You dont need to change hearts and minds. You dont need to push ballot initiatives or win over the views of the people. All you have to do is stack the courts. You only need 51 votes in the Senate to stack the courts with far-right partisan activists like Aileen Cannon and Matthew Kacsmaryk. And they will enact Republican policies under the guise of judicial review, policies that could never pass through the democratic process. And those policies will be bulletproof, because they will be called law, and Democrats will need at least a century to win back the courts. Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who believes in an independent judiciary with any integrity should loathe McConnell to their bones. I want to add that McConnell, for so many reasons, stands out as somebody who knew exactly who Donald Trump was, exactly what happened on Jan. 6, exactly what his responsibility was in that moment. And he didnt do it. He normalized the idea that you can mumble stuff and do nothing. Then we all live with the consequences. He made it easier for whoever follows him to do even less. And now hes being praised as some elder statesman? Really? Hes totally morally bankrupt. The only silver lining, Mark, is that whoever follows him will not be as good as him at this crap. Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate Why Mitch McConnell Is Really Stepping Down in November Read More I agree. Under Trump, McConnell built the most impressive and efficient judicial confirmation machine ever seen. He really helped to keep the broader Republican Party and conservative movement behind Trump by saying, dont worry, were still getting all the right judges! He pushed them through at a record clip. Aileen Cannon, the judge thwarting Trumps trial over the Mar-a-Lago documents, was confirmed after the 2020 election, when Trump had already lost! This went on right up until the end. And I dont think his successor will match those heights, even if he or she isnt quite as loony as were speculating. Think about how much Joe Biden and his team have struggled to match the number of confirmations that Trump and McConnell achieved. They cant do it. We may have passed peak efficiency for judicial confirmations under any president. But is that anything to celebrate? McConnells successor will still scrape and strive to get crazy people on the bench. And sure, they might get 20 percent fewer judges through, because they wont have the same ruthless efficiency. But Republicans will take that deal, because it only takes one insane district court judge to thwart an entire presidency. The beauty industry is full of heavy competition. But its still possible for independent brands to break into the space, especially with help from small business grants. One major brand just launched a new funding round specifically aimed at small beauty businesses. Read about this opportunity and more below. LOreal 2024 Inclusive Beauty Fund LOreal USA recently announced its 2024 Inclusive Beauty Fund, a grant program that supports entrepreneurs in the beauty industry. This year, the company is teaming up with the NAACPs Economic Empowerment Fund, Hispanic Federation, and GlobalGiving to provide 40 grants to eligible beauty businesses. The program originally launched in 2021 to support beauty entrepreneurs that were negatively impacted by the economic fallout of COVID-19. In addition to the grants, recipients also receive professional mentorship and other types of support from LOreal and its partners. The NAACP and Hispanic Federation, respectively. The NAACP and Hispanic Federation are administering the application process, with each awarding 20 one-time grants of $10,000. The application process is open now, and winners will be announced in April 2024. Dairy Business Innovation Alliance Dairy Builder Business Grants The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance is now accepting applications for its 2024 Dairy Builder Business Grants. The program is open to small- to medium-sized dairy farmers, manufacturers, and processors across several Midwest states, including Illinois and Indiana. Eligible businesses can apply for reimbursement grants of up to $100,000. Farms can use these funds to optimize their operations, create new products, or enhance export programs. The deadline to apply for funding is April 4. San Antonio Construction Mitigation Grants The City Council in San Antonio, Texas, recently agreed to provide another $1.4 million in grant funds to small businesses that have lost money due to disruptive local construction projects. However, they are still working out the details before the program officially starts accepting applications. The city expects the grants to range from $10,000 to $35,000 and would be available to businesses that employ 500 people or less. However, one of the elements still being discussed is adding income criteria to make sure money goes to businesses that arent owned by those who already have the means to overcome these financial challenges. In addition, the city expects to prioritize businesses located in the areas that have been impacted by construction projects with the longest duration, like those on Alamo Street and Broadway. Atlanta Russell Innovation Center Comcast NBCUniversal Grant Comcast NBCUniversal recently awarded a $1 million grant to Atlantas Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs. The center plans to use these funds to improve its digital programming platform and create new initiatives. The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs offers a variety of programs aimed at promoting local Black entrepreneurship. This is just the latest in a long line of financial support from large corporate sponsors, including Walmart, Wells Fargo and PayPal. Thanks to these contributions, the center has raised nearly $44 million to meet its capital campaign goal. Cherokee Nation Rural Business Grant The Cherokee Nation recently received a $500,000 Rural Business Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support Cherokee citizen-owned businesses through small business loans and financing options. The Cherokee Nation has received more than $1.6 million from USDA Rural Development programs since 2022. Theyve used these funds to support various programs, including the Women, Infants and Children program and the Farm and Food Workers Relief program. St. Clair County Emerge Fund/Entrepreneurial Grant St. Clair County, Michigan is currently accepting applications for its Emerge Fund/Entrepreneurial Grant. The program targets startups and businesses that have been open for less than two years, have ten or fewer employees, and have under $1 million in revenue. Eligible businesses can apply for up to $5,000. Eligible businesses can apply by March 22. Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair Will Smith, D-Montgomery (left), and Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-Baltimore City (right), spoke at a press conference on March 1, 2024, where they announced that legislation to legalize medical aid in dying would not move out of its committee phase. (Photo: Sapna Bansil) ANNAPOLIS (March 1, 2024)Lawmakers have tabled a fiercely debated bill that would have granted terminally ill Maryland residents the right to end their lives, a setback to supporters who hoped it would finally pass this year.Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-Baltimore City, said in a press conference Friday that the measure had not won enough support among the 11 members of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee to move forward this term. Ferguson indicated he was unwilling to bring the bill for a vote if it was likely to fail."For this year, it's certainly over," said Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair Will Smith, D-Montgomery, noting the bill would have fallen one or two votes shy of passing his committee.Although Democratic leadersfrom Gov. Wes Moore to Ferguson and Smithall previously expressed support for the bill, they said there would be no last-ditch efforts to change lawmakers' minds on an issue that is deeply sensitive for both supporters and opponents."I told every member of this committee that on issues like this, it's a vote of conscience," Smith said. "It's so personal. It's such a tough issue In order to come to me and say, 'Hey, look, I'm expressing unreadiness, I cannot vote for this bill,' I would honor that."This bill, known as the End-of-Life Option Act, sought to make Maryland the 12th jurisdiction to legalize medical aid in dying, which provides patients with incurable illnesses the option to die by self-administering lethal medication. Patients would have been eligible if they had less than six months to live, were of sound mind and made a series of oral and written requests.As the Senate and House considered companion bills over the past few weeks, the issue became the subject of contentious debate and hours of testimony. Proponents said aid in dying was a matter of dignity and bodily autonomy, while opponents expressed religious, ethical and moral concerns.The bill's failure elicited strong emotions from its supporters on Friday, many of whom have experienced years of setbacks on the issue."It's gut wrenching," said Sen. Ariana Kelly, D-Montgomery, a member of the Judicial Proceedings Committee and a bill co-sponsor. "The proponents of this bill have come before the legislature, year after year, explaining why it's necessary. I have a broad community of constituents back at home and friends and colleagues who I see in Annapolis who are gutted People feel this very personally."Among those who testified in support of the bill was Diane Kraus, a 59-year-old Baltimore woman living with metastatic breast cancer. She said she wanted to have the option of medical aid in dying in the event her condition became terminal."I'm really disappointed," Kraus said in a phone interview. "I don't want to have to move out of state in order to be able to use this."But one opponent said the bill's demise was the right outcome."I'm actually very pleased," said Sen. Mike McKay, R-Allegany, Garrett and Washington. "I know that it's a very, very personal piece of legislation that affects each of us much differently than [Republicans] to [Democrats] or rural to suburban There's just people [who] weren't comfortable moving forward."While the bill has met its end for this session, lawmakers said they anticipate reintroducing aid-in-dying legislation in upcoming terms."This is one that in time, maybe things will change with more education and more discussion," Ferguson said. "And so it's best to just know that it's just not happening this year."Angelique Gingras contributed reporting for this story. PM Robert Fico recommended the meeting to Blanar. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer) met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, who appeared on the EUs sanctions list after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, during a diplomacy forum in Turkey on Saturday. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported about the meeting on social media on Saturday morning, attaching a photo of the ministers. The ministers exchanged views on the most pressing issues of the international agenda, including the situation in Ukraine. The Russian side confirmed its readiness to restore relations with Slovakia at the inter-parliamentary level, as well as in the cultural, humanitarian and military-memorial spheres, writes the Russian ministry on its website. The Slovak ministry confirmed the meeting several hours later, and after the Slovak media and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) informed the public about it. Without communication, there will never be a diplomatic solution, and without a diplomatic solution, no wars will end, said Blanar after the meeting with the Russian minister, according to the website of the Slovak ministry. I also told him about the position of the government of the Slovak Republic based on respect for the basic principles of international law, such as the territorial integrity and sovereignty of member countries, anchored in the UN Charter, said the head of Slovak diplomacy. What happened in Ukraine should never have happened. The meeting was held at the request of the Russian side, the Slovak ministry said. Slovak President Zuzana Caputova criticised Blanar for the meeting, saying that it has brought us no closer to just peace in Ukraine. Presidential hopeful silent about meeting Presidential candidate and former foreign minister Ivan Korcok said that Blanars meeting with Lavrov didnt come as a surprise. The meeting clearly shows where the current government is taking Slovakia, said Korcok, adding that such a meeting is another step to burying the V4 group. The recent V4 summit in Prague indicated clear differences in the perception of the war in Ukraine by the prime ministers of Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. Read also: Read also: Culture Ministry opens doors for Russian culture, but minister talks about Pamela Anderson instead Read more At the same time, Korcok criticised his main opponent in the presidential election, Speaker of Parliament Peter Pellegrini (Hlas), for being silent. He is again unable to take a clear stand. Can we afford a president without an opinion, especially today, when we have to explain to our citizens where and why we belong? Pellegrini did not comment on the Saturday meeting. In a broadcast interview on Sunday, he defended Blanar. Pellegrini, only narrowly ahead of Korcok in the polls, is avoiding debates with Korcok a few weeks before the election. So far, he has not condemned the prime ministers recent harsh statements about Ukraine, for example that there is no war in Kyiv. Instead, according to Pellegrini, representatives of the Ukrainian parliament did not draw any conclusions from Ficos statement about no war in Kyiv. They are not that petty over two words a person uses as a quick response, perhaps not quite appropriately, to draw any conclusion from it, he said during this weeks V4-Ukraine parliamentary summit in Prague, as reported by the TASR news agency. However, after Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhals meeting with Fico in Uzhhorod, Ukraine announced a new type of relations with Slovakia. https://player.vimeo.com/video/917122699?h=f31f5008a2 Opposition slams Blanar for meeting Former Slovak ambassador and MP Tomas Valasek from the opposition party Progresivne Slovensko (PS) emphasised that Blanar met with a representative of the country that labelled Slovakia as its enemy. Smer party members, including Blanar, talk about peace, but their actions and words support pro-Russian narratives, including proposals for Ukraine to give up its own territory, said Valasek. The opposition party Sloboda A Solidarita (SaS) considers Blanars meeting with Lavrov to be a hostile gesture towards Slovakias allies. Instead of Blanar summoning the Russian ambassador to Slovakia after the death of Aleksei Navalny, as we proposed in the parliaments resolution, he shakes hands with Vladimir Putins closest person, said SaS MP Juraj Krupa. According to the SaS party, after the steps taken by Ficos government, Slovakia is finding itself increasingly isolated internationally. Fico recommended meeting with Lavrov According to PM Fico, Blanar spoke with Lavrov about the potential outcomes of the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland. I knew about the meeting. I recommended to the minister that he meet the Russian minister, said Fico. According to Fico, this is an example of Slovakias balanced foreign policy. He also mentioned the Friday meeting between Defence Minister Robert Kalinak and American Defence Minister Lloyd J. Austin. Read also: Read also: News digest: Slovakia takes receipt of the first of its F-16 fighter jets Read more In a video from Saturday, the premier also announced that he will ask Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (SNS nom.) to prepare a law to restore objectivity in the public broadcaster RTVSs reporting. He admitted that a critical question asked by RTVS reporter Katarina Vitkova during the V4 summit in Prague, which Fico saw as an attack on the Slovak government, prompted him to take this step. Simkovicova has long criticised RTVS for its allegedly biased reporting, despite the fact that public opinion polls on the objectivity of TV reporting in Slovakia have shown the opposite. Fico also said that Italy is going to withdraw its SAMP/T Mamba anti-aircraft system from Slovakia. I wonder who will protect our nuclear power plants and other strategic targets, Fico asks. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/no-reason-to-doubt-us-west-secretly-placing-soldiers-in-foreign-conflicts-1117082179.html Scott Ritter: No Reason to Doubt US, West Secretly Placing Soldiers in Foreign Conflicts Scott Ritter: No Reason to Doubt US, West Secretly Placing Soldiers in Foreign Conflicts Sputnik International Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter told Radio Sputnik on Thursday that he has no reason to doubt that US forces are secretly operating in conflicts across the globe. 2024-03-01T23:46+0000 2024-03-01T23:46+0000 2024-03-02T03:34+0000 americas military & intelligence sergey lavrov olaf scholz ukraine united kingdom (uk) the united nations (un) russia congress sputnik https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/1c/1117027394_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ddb0dd9161f630befc35a426855794c6.jpg The United States has secretly placed soldiers in foreign conflicts before and there is no reason to believe they are not now, former UN weapons inspector and author Scott Ritter told Sputniks The Critical Hour on Thursday.That is something for instance we used to do extensively during the Vietnam War era, Ritter explained. A lot of the Air America pilots flew combat missions over Laos, where American military personnel was forbidden by Congress from operating, were American Air Force pilots who were called into their commanders office to be discharged from the Air Force, and then they would go into the next office where a CIA official would be and theyd go fly their missions."Actual active-duty officers would be difficult to see, said Ritter, citing the legal and political constraints, but adds that contractors would be more plausible. On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov alleged that there are US, UK and French troops, not just mercenaries, operating in Ukraine.Ritter, speaking the day before Lavrovs comments noted that theres reason to believe during the Battle of Mariupol, there were active-duty French personnel, some who died when being evacuated others who were successfully evacuated at the behest of the French President [Emmanuel Macron] who begged [the] Ukrainians to get them out.Ritter also mentioned a recent incident where several dozen French nationals with prior or even current French military status were killed. Ritter did not specify which incident he was referring to but in late January, Russia claimed that 60 foreign soldiers, largely French mercenaries, had been killed during an airstrike in Kharkov. The French government denied the accusations but later admitted French citizens were among the dead and claimed they were humanitarian aid workers without providing further details.At least in the case of the United States, Presidents are given legal cover for these actions through presidential findings which the president presents to the small number of lawmakers who manage oversight committees and says the president is going to operate in violation of these laws, but he's notifying Congress [about it].Noting that in recent years the presidents have signed findings after being caught and faced no consequences, Ritter said this is a long-standing issue with the Executive Branch in the US. No president has been held to account for things of this nature Every [recent] president has signed multiple findings to excuse unconstitutional behavior [with] the employment of American military power. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/us-uk-french-military-officers-present-in-ukraine---russian-fm-lavrov-1117075498.html americas ukraine united kingdom (uk) russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ian DeMartino Ian DeMartino News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ian DeMartino scott ritter, us troops in ukraine, us troops in israel, uk troops in ukraine, french troops in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/german-defense-ministry-concerned-about-possibility-of-wider-secret-talks-leak---reports-1117092148.html German Defense Ministry Concerned About Possibility of Wider Secret Talks Leak - Reports German Defense Ministry Concerned About Possibility of Wider Secret Talks Leak - Reports Sputnik International The German Defense Ministry is concerned that the disclosed recording of confidential army talks on Russia and Ukraine could be part of a wider leak spanning the country's air force and other military divisions, German magazine Der Spiegel reported, citing unnamed sources. 2024-03-02T16:28+0000 2024-03-02T16:28+0000 2024-03-04T11:30+0000 world europe margarita simonyan ingo gerhartz russia ukraine german defense ministry der spiegel bundeswehr data leak https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/106769/31/1067693123_0:258:4935:3034_1920x0_80_0_0_16f322ab3ef239319ffb2daa86f55849.jpg The conversation was held on the WebEx platform which is "relatively easy" to wiretap, the magazine estimated. One of the people in the conversation reportedly dialed in via a mobile phone as they were in Singapore at the time. Both the German armed forces and the defense ministry often hold online talks on the WebEx platform, the report said. Earlier in the day, German news agency DPA reported that the leaked conversation between German military officers was authentic. On Friday, Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of RT and the Rossiya Segodnya media group (Sputnik's parent company), published the text of a conversation among four Bundeswehr representatives discussing a potential attack on the Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles. The conversation, which took place on February 19, involved Inspector of the German air force Ingo Gerhartz, Brig. Gen. Frank Graefe, head of the operations and exercises department at the air force command in Berlin, and two employees of the air operations center of the Bundeswehr Space Command. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/german-militarys-crimean-bridge-strike-talk-nato-has-found-itself-in-hot-water-1117090662.html russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International german defense ministry, bundeswehr, german military conversation leak https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/german-militarys-crimean-bridge-strike-talk-nato-has-found-itself-in-hot-water-1117090662.html German Militarys Crimean Bridge Strike Talk: NATO Has Found Itself in Hot Water German Militarys Crimean Bridge Strike Talk: NATO Has Found Itself in Hot Water Sputnik International The situation around the recorded conversation by high-ranking German army officers once against refutes NATOs allegations about the alliances non-interference in the Ukraine conflict, experts told Sputnik. 2024-03-02T13:57+0000 2024-03-02T13:57+0000 2024-03-04T11:30+0000 world russia ukraine crimean bridge germany generals attack cruise missile conspiracy german military leak https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/02/1117089933_0:184:2987:1864_1920x0_80_0_0_c0daac1131fd132abbb77a2ef69df8a2.jpg The Russian Foreign Ministry has demanded an "immediate explanation" from Berlin on the audio recording released earlier this week by Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and Rossiya Segodnya, Sputnik's parent media group.In it, German generals are heard discussing a potential attack on the Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles.Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed in a statement that attempts by German authorities "to dodge the question will be considered an admission of guilt.""The authorities are either aware of everything or they knew nothing, which means it was the militarys conspiracy something that should be punished accordingly, right down to an option of all those involved being brought to tribunal," Farinazzo said.According to the expert, "It's hard to imagine what measures Moscow might take if it considers actions by the German officers a serious provocation."The former Brazilian naval officer also drew attention to German authorities keeping mum on the matter. Likewise, how the information comes amid disagreements among Western countries on additional military aid to the Kiev regime, including the possibility of providing Ukraine with the Taurus cruise missiles and sending NATO military units to the country.In this vein, Farinazzo said he believes that further developments will depend on whether the US Congress will okay more supplies to Ukraine or not. Even if Congress gives the green light, this will only add to prolonging the conflict and will fail to change the situation on the battlefield in favor of Ukraine, per the expert.International relations expert Tito Livio Barcellos Pereira from the Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paulo, for his part said that the conversation once again raises doubts about the veracity of previous claims by Western authorities that NATO countries are not involved in the Ukraine conflict."NATO countries, which previously argued that they were not directly involved in the conflict and only limit themselves to sending aid to Kiev, have found themselves in hot water. Their claims are becoming less credible, while Russia's arguments are sounding more convincing," the expert underscored.He noted that "in this situation, the leaders of Western states will probably have to explain themselves before lawmakers and the entire society of their countries, as well as before other NATO members, which have a more restrained stance.""The German military's recorded conversation once again confirms that the alliance continues to be involved in a [proxy] war with Russia," Pereira concludes, berating Kiev and the West for deliberately sabotaging all alternative peace initiatives put forward by the Global South. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/german-bundeswehr-chatter-nato-teetering-on-edge-of-direct-conflict-with-russia--1117078308.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/full-transcript-of-german-top-military-officials-leaked-plot-to-attack-crimean-bridge-1117078481.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/recent-leaks-prove-ukraine-conflict-is-russias-resistance-to-nato-aggression-1117080365.html russia ukraine crimean bridge germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg german military's potential strike on crimean bridge, german generals' conversation on potential attack on crimean bridge, margarita simonyan's release of a recorded conversation by german officers discussing a possible strike on crimean bridge https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/germany-to-be-dragged-into-ukrainian-conflict-if-taurus-missiles-delivered---official-1117085880.html Germany to Be Dragged Into Ukrainian Conflict if Taurus Missiles Delivered - Official Germany to Be Dragged Into Ukrainian Conflict if Taurus Missiles Delivered - Official Sputnik International Germany will be dragged into the conflict between Moscow and Kiev if it transfers its Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Tino Chrupalla, co-chair of Germanys far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), said on Saturday. 2024-03-02T06:47+0000 2024-03-02T06:47+0000 2024-03-02T06:47+0000 world ukrainian crisis ukraine russia-nato showdown germany bundeswehr https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/0f/1116169362_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_1010c67005b2eb886e37f98da1e448ee.jpg Bundeswehr generals allegedly said that the Crimean Bridge could be attacked with Germanys Taurus missiles. This symbolic act would drag Germany into the war. No to Taurus transfers, Chrupalla wrote on X following reports of a conversation between senior German military officials discussing security topics concerning Russia and Ukraine. On March 1, Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of RT and the Rossiya Segodnya, Sputnik's parent media group, published the text of a conversation among four Bundeswehr representatives discussing a potential attack on the Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles. The talk, which took place on February 19, involved Inspector of the German air force Ingo Gerhartz, Brig. Gen. Frank Graefe, head of the operations and exercises department at the air force command in Berlin, and two employees of the air operations center of the Bundeswehr Space Command. The German Defense Ministry told Sputnik that it does not comment on the alleged recording of its soldiers discussing a strike on the Crimean Bridge. The T-online news agency reported, citing the German Defense Ministry, that the German counterintelligence was verifying the report on a possible interception of a conversation between two German officers. ukraine germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia-nato showdown, ukrainian crisis, ukraine, germany crimean bridge, germany ukraine In response to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, President Joe Biden announced on Friday plans for the United States (US) to conduct a military airdrop of food and supplies into the region. The decision follows a recent surge in casualties, growing famine crisis, and a pressing need for assistance among the civilian population. Biden Announces Airdrop Initiative During an Oval Office meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Biden made the announcement, stressing the critical nature of the situation. "Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough now - it's nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line and children's lives are on the line," the US president stressed. "We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several. We're going to pull out every stop we can." He further underscored the severity of the crisis, expressing concern over the insufficient aid reaching Gaza and the dire consequences for its inhabitants. The airdrop initiative aims to address the immediate needs of the population, which has been grappling with severe shortages of food and essential supplies. Jordan and France have already conducted similar operations, with the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and others joining efforts to provide relief to the embattled region. "We need to do more and the United States will do more," Biden affirmed, reflecting a commitment to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the ongoing conflict. The airdrops, set to commence "in the coming days," will be carried out by the US military from bases in the region. While specifics regarding the timing and logistics of the operation remain forthcoming, officials anticipate a sustained effort to deliver aid to Gaza. John Kirby, White House National Security Council coordinator, reiterated the administration's commitment to providing assistance. "You will see additional airdrops... We'll try to do this in a sustainable way over time. It will be a supplement to, not a replacement for, moving things in by ground," he told reporters. Read Also: Strike in Gaza Kills, Injures Hundreds Waiting for Relief; Palestinian Death Toll Reaches 30,000 Intensifying Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds in Gaza The decision to conduct airdrops comes amid mounting concerns over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. According to the United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, approximately one-quarter of the enclave's population is on the brink of famine, with access to essential resources severely restricted. Despite calls for increased aid delivery and efforts to facilitate humanitarian access, only a fraction of the needed supplies has reached Gaza. The US has urged Israel to allow more aid into the region, emphasizing the importance of addressing the immediate needs of the population. However, challenges persist in delivering aid effectively, with concerns raised about the potential diversion of assistance and the limitations of airdrop operations. Critics argue that while airdrops may offer a temporary solution, they fall short of addressing the underlying causes of the crisis. Scott Paul, who leads humanitarian policy at Oxfam America, cautioned that airdrops could provide only symbolic relief and called for more comprehensive measures to address the root causes of the crisis. Paul stated that airdrops would primarily function to alleviate the feelings of guilt among high-ranking US officials, whose actions are exacerbating the ongoing atrocities and the threat of famine in Gaza. The announcement of US airdrops comes in the wake of a deadly incident earlier in the week, where Palestinian health officials reported over 100 casualties as Israeli forces opened fire on crowds gathered around a convoy of aid trucks in Gaza City. Since the onset of Israel's conflict with Hamas nearly five months ago, health officials in the Gaza Strip have reported that more than 30,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, with over 70,000 sustaining injuries. The incident underscored the urgent need for a ceasefire and intensified diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. With the situation in Gaza growing increasingly dire, the international community faces mounting pressure to take decisive action to alleviate the suffering of its inhabitants. Related Article: Food Aid Reaches North Gaza in First Major Delivery as UN Warns Worsening Starvation https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/hamas-loses-trust-in-israel-government-as-no-deal-on-gaza-truce-agreed-yet--statement-1117088679.html Hamas Loses Trust in Israel Government As No Deal on Gaza Truce Agreed Yet Statement Hamas Loses Trust in Israel Government As No Deal on Gaza Truce Agreed Yet Statement Sputnik International The Palestinian movement Hamas proposes that Russia play the main role in resolving the conflict in the Gaza Strip in counterbalance to the United States and Israel, Hamas political bureau deputy head Musa Abu Marzouk told Sputnik on Saturday. 2024-03-02T11:03+0000 2024-03-02T11:03+0000 2024-03-02T11:03+0000 world palestine-israel conflict gaza strip hamas israeli-palestinian conflict israel-gaza conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/01/1116536981_0:320:3072:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_4151151e350f42106a6e76b4cab8a8c3.jpg "We want Russia to be the main actor in counterbalance to the US and Israel. We call for it and we propose that Russia be backed by a number of countries which support it in this. And we will seek to achieve this goal to find balance in the issue," Marzouk said.The movement is ready to work on the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, including Russians, but only after a complete ceasefire is achieved, the official said. The list of hostages can be compiled only after a ceasefire as well, he added.However, there is still no agreement on truce in the Gaza Strip, and Hamas is losing trust in the Israeli authorities, Marzouk said.On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. At least 30,000 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said.On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.Hamas believes there are no differences between it and other Palestinian factions that could not be bridged to form a unity government, the movement's political bureau deputy head, Mousa Abu Marzouk, told Sputnik following a recent inter-Palestinian meeting in Russia.Moscow hosted talks between various Palestinian factions from Thursday to Friday, with the sides issuing a joint communique.The senior Hamas official said the formation of a unity government was discussed at the meeting, but the issue raised "some differences" between the Palestinian parties and was shelved to give them time to agree on "the modalities and how it can be done in the near future.""No, of course [the differences] are surmountable and we hope that we can overcome all the difficulties. The main problem is the external interference of the United States and Israel in Palestinian affairs and all the unattainable goals in our negotiations are precisely because of this interference," Marzouk said.He added that the Palestinian political forces agreed to continue negotiations at the Moscow meeting, adding that the next gathering was likely to take place in Moscow and focus on "the mechanism for establishing the government and its responsibilities.""We will have a continuation of these negotiations in order to establish a national government and already deal with the rest of the problems that need attention and discussion. So the creation of a government will be discussed at the next meeting," Marzouk said, adding that the gathering was expected to be held soon. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240215/israel-rejects-hamas-ceasefire-offer-calls-movements-demands-delusional-1116787485.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240213/idf-kills-over-10000-hamas-fighters-in-gaza-strip-since-october-7-1116764283.html gaza strip Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International palestine-israel crisis, gaza strip crisis, gaza violence, hamas, gaza genocide https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/inflection-point-argentine-president-urges-governors-to-support-economic-reforms-1117087175.html Inflection Point: Argentine President Urges Governors to Support Economic Reforms Inflection Point: Argentine President Urges Governors to Support Economic Reforms Sputnik International After taking office in December 2023, Milei issued a decree for more than 300 reforms to liberalize the country's economy, which he said will now be debated in the Argentine parliament. 2024-03-02T10:25+0000 2024-03-02T10:25+0000 2024-03-02T10:25+0000 americas argentina javier milei economy speech lawmakers reforms latin america https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/02/1117087018_0:0:2816:1583_1920x0_80_0_0_9c335e2562ac3782e0314bb51ba1c8e9.jpg Argentinas President Javier Milei has urged the countrys provincial governors and other top political leaders to sign a 10-point "social pact" by May 25 to support his agenda of radical economic liberalization.In his first State of the Union-style address to lawmakers on Friday, Milei said that the agreement includes a "non-negotiable fiscal balance" and public spending cuts, as well as labor reform and free trade.The Argentine president also pledged to continue the implementation of his sweeping economic reforms with or without the approval of parliament.Milei added that he was asking for "patience and trust," and that "it will be some time before we can perceive the fruit of the economic reorganization and the reforms we are implementing." He warned that "If we don't change the economic model from the very roots, then Argentina has no future."After Milei took office in late December, he presented a package of sweeping reforms dubbed the omnibus bill that seeks to liberalize the Argentine economy and was rejected by lawmakers in February after a vote. Speaking to The Financial Times, Milei made it clear that he wont resubmit the omnibus bill until December 2025 and that he plans to rely on decrees to implement enough of his economic agenda until the midterm elections.The unveiling of the omnibus bill was followed by tens of thousands of people taking to the streets in protest, which saw police clashing with activists outside the parliament building in the capital Buenos Aires. Many also participated in a general strike organized by the General Confederation of Labour in late January. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240224/argentinas-provinces-threaten-milei-with-rebellion-amid-neoliberal-austerity-drive-1116954248.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20231122/argentinas-milei-needs-to-muster-legislative-support-may-still-fail-to-enact-reforms-1115153287.html americas argentina Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg argentinas president javier milei, javier milei's push for economic reforms in argentina, the argentine president's intent to sign 10-point deal with provincial governors https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/james-bidens-testimony-to-us-house-panel-conflicts-with-other-witnesses---reports-1117083904.html James Bidens Testimony to US House Panel Conflicts With Other Witnesses - Reports James Bidens Testimony to US House Panel Conflicts With Other Witnesses - Reports Sputnik International Testimony provided to the US House Oversight Committee by President Bidens brother, James Biden, is inconsistent with the testimony of other witnesses, Fox News reported. 2024-03-02T02:25+0000 2024-03-02T02:25+0000 2024-03-02T02:25+0000 americas us hunter biden joe biden us house oversight committee fox news hunter biden charges https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/02/1117083744_0:0:3062:1722_1920x0_80_0_0_a88fddf1e63698385ad6c7886670006e.jpg On Friday, a transcript of James Bidens testimony to lawmakers was released, which was a part of an impeachment inquiry led by the House Oversight and Judiciary committees. The inquiry is rooted in allegations of foreign influence peddling and bribery by the Biden family. James Bidens testimony conflicts with testimony provided to lawmakers by Joe Bidens son, Hunter Biden, and his business associate, Tony Bobulinski, the aide reportedly said.Hunter Biden and Bobulinski testified that Joe Biden met with the pair, as well as James Biden, at a California hotel, the report said. However, James Biden testified that such a meeting never occurred, the report said. On Wednesday, House lawmakers held a closed-door deposition with Hunter Biden, for which they also released a transcript. Hunter Biden will appear for a public hearing in the future, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said. Hunter Biden denies that his father either profited from or engaged in his business activities. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231214/biden-aides-concerned-sons-legal-troubles-could-consume-president---reports-1115591416.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us house oversight committee biden, biden investigation, biden corruption case, bidens brother james, james biden testimony https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/lavrov-holds-press-conference-after-antalya-diplomatic-forum-1117087680.html Lavrov Holds Press Conference After Antalya Diplomatic Forum Lavrov Holds Press Conference After Antalya Diplomatic Forum Sputnik International Sergey Lavrov is at Antalya at the invitation of Hakan Fidan, his Turkish counterpart. 2024-03-02T11:12+0000 2024-03-02T11:12+0000 2024-03-02T11:12+0000 world sergey lavrov hakan fidan antalya turkiye palestine-israel conflict ukrainian crisis caucasus syrian war libyan war https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/17/1116329155_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_ace2b019515089779513e90e522f3642.jpg Sputnik comes to you live from Antalya, Turkiye, where Russia's Foreign policy chief is holding a press conference after bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Mr Lavrov and his counterparts have discussed the Ukrainian crisis, the tensions in the South Caucasus, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the situation in Syria and Libya.Russias top diplomat also held talks with Hakan Fidan on economic cooperation between Russia and Turkiye.Follow Sputniks live feed to learn more! antalya turkiye caucasus Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sergey Lavrov's press conference at the Antalya Forum Sputnik International Sergey Lavrov's press conference at the Antalya Forum 2024-03-02T11:12+0000 true PT1S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian foreign policy, sergey lavrov, hakan fidan, ukraine crisis, lavrov fidan, lavrov press conference, lavrov turkey https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/meetings-of-arctic-councils-working-groups-may-resume-this-spring-1117085178.html Arctic Council Working Group Meetings May Resume This Spring Arctic Council Working Group Meetings May Resume This Spring Sputnik International The first meetings of the Arctic Council's working groups could be held as early as this spring after a two-year hiatus, the ambassador-at-large for the Arctic cooperation at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Nikolai Korchunov, has told Sputnik. 2024-03-02T05:02+0000 2024-03-02T05:02+0000 2024-03-02T05:05+0000 world arctic council arctic arctic ocean russia https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/05/14/1082943473_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_8c94779f2c22eeaa5b4a71a6baebb459.jpg "Each of the working groups works according to its own plan. The preparation of working group meetings involves agreeing on the agenda and dates. Decisions are made by consensus. We can assume that the first meetings will take place this spring," Korchunov said. He added that Moscow is generally positive about the resumption of the work of the council, especially its working and expert groups where the main work is done. "Only time will tell how long the restoration of the council's work will take," the diplomat said. In mid-Ferbuary, Russia suspended its annual financial contributions to the Arctic Council until practical work is resumed in a format involving all member states. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that Moscow was not planning to withdraw from the Arctic Council as of then, although earlier in February, the Kremlin allowed for such a possibility in the event the organization proved ineffective and ceased to correspond with Moscow's interests. The Arctic Council was established in 1996 as a high-level intergovernmental forum that promotes regional cooperation in environmental protection. The council includes Denmark, Iceland, Canada, Norway, Russia, the United States, Finland and Sweden. In March 2022, Western member states suspended their participation in any events within the council to protest Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. In May 2023, the chairmanship of the council passed to Norway. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240207/russia-may-forge-partnerships-with-asia-and-mideast-to-explore-arctic--expert-1116646347.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20231228/us-seabed-claim-could-be-attempt-to-beat-russia-and-canada-to-arctic-resources-1115860664.html arctic ocean russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, arctic council, arctic, arctic ocean, arctic https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/natos-presence-in-ukraine-is-hardly-surprising-for-anyone-1117092483.html NATO's Presence in Ukraine is 'Hardly Surprising for Anyone' NATO's Presence in Ukraine is 'Hardly Surprising for Anyone' Sputnik International The German military made headlines this week after a recording of officials discussing the possible shipments of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine and the use of these weapons against targets in Russia was disclosed by Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and Rossiya Segodnya, Sputnik's parent media group. 2024-03-02T18:46+0000 2024-03-02T18:46+0000 2024-03-02T18:46+0000 analysis russia ukraine germany nato alternative for germany (afd) taurus cruise missile https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/02/1117092647_0:115:3231:1932_1920x0_80_0_0_55e98d05c73ac6d9a304f8edfb02b458.jpg In the recording, the German officers can be heard mulling various issues related to the transfer of Taurus missiles to the Kiev regime, as well as how to avoid implicating Germanys involvement in the conflict while doing so.According to Eugen Schmidt, a member of the German parliament from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, the officers in question were likely not pursuing objectives of their own but were merely preparing for the possibility of Berlin approving the transfer of the missiles to Kiev.They act on political directives coming from above. That is, they follow orders, just like any military does. They do not act on their own initiative. So if a political decision on shipping the missiles is made, they would have to follow through, Schmidt said.The lawmaker compared the current situation with the Taurus missiles to the Leopard tanks, which Germany was initially reluctant to supply to Ukraine but ultimately did after caving in to pressure from both the German political opposition and the so-called allies from across the ocean.I do not know what really goes on in the defense ministry, but I suspect that the military were expecting certain political factions to force through the decision on missile shipments, he said. Besides, the French and the British are already sending similar missiles [to Ukraine], so the military likely assumed that Germany would have to do the same. And so they started calculating what would they have to do to make it happen.Commenting on the remarks made by the German officers during the conversation about a British and US military presence in Ukraine, Schmidt noted that NATO does wage a war against Russia, just not directly but by using Ukraine as a proxy.At the same time, Schmidt pointed out, the powers that be in Western countries keep telling their citizens that there is no NATO military personnel in Ukraine.They are painting a whole different picture for the common people, even though everyone realizes that there is NATO personnel there, a lot of them, not on the frontline but, shall we say, in the second or third echelon, he added.Schmidt also lamented that only the AfD, the German political party he represents, openly declares that a conflict with a nuclear power and the actions of the German government are detrimental to Germanys security whereas other parties in the country prefer to keep quiet on such matters.We are being made a target for Russian weapons and this matter must be discussed. The citizens must be informed about how carelessly and irresponsibly politics [in Germany] are being conducted at the expense of our safety, he said. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/no-reason-to-doubt-us-west-secretly-placing-soldiers-in-foreign-conflicts-1117082179.html russia ukraine germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International german military leaked conversation, bundeswehr, nato in ukraine, nato prozy war against russia, german plot to attack crimean bridge, taurus missiles https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/russia-intercepts-five-ukrainian-storm-shadow-missiles-1117089655.html Russia Intercepts Five Ukrainian Storm Shadow Missiles Russia Intercepts Five Ukrainian Storm Shadow Missiles Sputnik International Air defenses shot down five Storm Shadow cruise missiles fired by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in one day, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Saturday. 2024-03-02T13:22+0000 2024-03-02T13:22+0000 2024-03-02T13:22+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine donetsk lugansk russia ukrainian armed forces russian ministry of defense ukraine https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/02/1117090111_0:225:2841:1823_1920x0_80_0_0_cbed16e800f686c041afdf50cbe6db3a.jpg During the day, air defense systems shot down five Storm Shadow cruise missiles, as well as seven missiles [launched] from the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, the ministry said.According to the report, Russian air defenses also downed 107 Ukrainian drones in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, as well as the Kharkov, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Furthermore, Russian troops attacked personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 112 regions.Russian forces repelled eight attacks by Ukraine over the past 24 hours near Avdeyevka, the Russian Defense Ministry added."The enemy lost up to 160 soldiers, five armored combat vehicles, including a US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and a Msta-B howitzer [in the Avdeyevka direction]," the ministry said, adding that eight Ukrainian counterattacks were repulsed near the villages of Stepovoye, Pivdennoye and Orlovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.In the Donetsk region, the Russian Army eliminated more than 390 Ukrainian troops, two tanks and two armored combat vehicles, along with nine other vehicles, the ministry said. In the course of counter-battery fire, a UK-made AS-90 self-propelled artillery unit, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery unit, three Gvozdika self-propelled artillery units, three D-20 howitzers, a US-made M119 howitzer, a Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile system, a US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station, and an electronic warfare station were hit, the ministry added. A field ammunition depot was also targeted, the ministry said.Meanwhile, in the South Donetsk region, Russian forces hit three Ukrainian brigades, destroying up to 270 soldiers and two tanks, the ministry said. Ukraine also lost two infantry fighting vehicles, three armored combat vehicles and seven other vehicles, as well as a US-made Paladin self-propelled artillery unit and a Msta-B howitzer, the ministry said. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240223/russian-air-defenses-down-ukrainian-jets-helicopters-patriot-and-storm-shadow-missiles---mod-1116941509.html donetsk lugansk russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian spceial military operation in ukraine, ukrainian conflict, ukrainian crisis, war in ukraine, russian armed forces, russia shot down storm shadow missiles, russian troops advance in ukraine, avdiivka https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/sending-western-troops-to-ukraine-not-todays-priority---belgian-defense-minister-1117092978.html Sending Western Troops to Ukraine Not Today's Priority - Belgian Defense Minister Sending Western Troops to Ukraine Not Today's Priority - Belgian Defense Minister Sputnik International Sending Western troops to Ukraine is not a today's priority, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder said, not ruling out doing so in the future. 2024-03-02T18:58+0000 2024-03-02T18:58+0000 2024-03-02T18:58+0000 military ukraine belgium russia emmanuel macron sergey lavrov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/07/1092099019_0:60:3072:1788_1920x0_80_0_0_fccdf8a6524f8710496274ca6767253d.jpg "I am saying it [sending Western troops to Ukraine] is not a priority today anyway," Dedonder told La Libre newspaper in an interview released on Saturday, when a journalist noted that she had not ruled out sending troops in the future. Belgium does not want to confront Russia directly, the minister said. At the same time, it is important to "do everything so that Ukraine does not lose," she said, adding that Belgium prioritized providing material support and training for Ukrainian soldiers. The participants of a recent Paris-hosted conference on Ukraine discussed the possibility of training Ukrainian soldiers on the territory of Ukraine, but did not reach a consensus on the issue, Dedonder said. After a Paris-hosted conference on Ukraine on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said Western leaders had discussed the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine and, although no consensus had been reached in this regard, nothing could be ruled out. German officials were quick to clarify that no consensus had been reached and that Germany would never put boots on the ground in Ukraine. Western countries have been providing military and financial aid to Kiev since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has consistently warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/natos-presence-in-ukraine-is-hardly-surprising-for-anyone-1117092483.html ukraine belgium russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International belgian defense minister, ukraine, nato troops in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/special-op-has-no-imperialist-goals---analyst-on-russia-ukraine-peace-treaty-draft-1117085566.html Special Op Has No Imperialist Goals - Analyst on Russia-Ukraine Peace Treaty Draft Special Op Has No Imperialist Goals - Analyst on Russia-Ukraine Peace Treaty Draft Sputnik International The draft of the 2022 Moscow-Kiev peace accord indicates, in particular, that the status of Crimea was not even on the table, Russian political scientist Dmitry Evstafiev told Sputnik. 2024-03-02T07:14+0000 2024-03-02T07:14+0000 2024-03-02T07:14+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine russia ukraine vladimir putin volodymyr zelensky peace talks publication peace deal special operation https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0b/1b/1115228558_0:122:3207:1925_1920x0_80_0_0_bf7783efa2c761804445cd6d98c131ea.jpg The terms of the 2022 peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine, almost agreed in April, have been published by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The publication confirms the main goal of Russia's special military operation is the demilitarisation of Ukraine, not the seizure of new territories, Dmitry Evstafiev, a Moscow-based political scientist and professor at HSE University, told Sputnik. He recalled that the purpose of demilitarisation is to prevent the Kiev regime from creating "a direct and explicit threat against the Russian Federation".Overall, the document disproves the Wests allegations about Russias "imperialist ambitions" regarding the special operation, the analyst noted, recalling that "it was the West who forced Kiev to finally abandon the peace deal for good, fundamentally changing the nature of the conflict over Ukraine."Russian and Ukrainian delegations participated in several rounds of peace negotiations, including in Turkiye, in the spring of 2022. In October 2022, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed a decree stating that Kiev would not be able to hold peace talks as long as President Vladimir Putin was in power in Russia.In November 2023, Ukraines former chief negotiator with Russia, David Arakhamia, said that then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had talked Kiev out of signing an agreement with Moscow to end the conflict, something BoJo has denied. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240217/us-think-tank-says-ukraine-russia-peace-deal-possible-desirable-1116834517.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20231126/russian-embassy-asks-uk-to-clarify-its-role-in-disrupting-peace-talks-with-ukraine-1115219899.html russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg russian special military operation, https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/ukraine-is-major-defeat-for-west-who-has-been-dominating-planet-earth-1117093474.html Ukraine is Major Defeat for West Who Has Been Dominating Planet Earth Ukraine is Major Defeat for West Who Has Been Dominating Planet Earth Sputnik International University of Houston professor of History Dr. Gerald Horne told radio Sputnik on Friday that the West has been defeated in Ukraine and needs to "get accustomed to a bitter new reality." 2024-03-02T22:26+0000 2024-03-02T22:26+0000 2024-03-02T22:26+0000 analysis emmanuel macron vladimir putin earth ukraine russia sputnik white house gerald horne the critical hour https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/01/1117075229_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_579da5ea796e74654848abaae7d439c8.jpg The conflict in Ukraine represents a major defeat for powers who have gotten used to dominating planet Earth for hundreds of years and are going to have to get accustomed to a bitter new reality, Dr. Gerald Horne, a professor of History at the University of Houston told Sputniks The Critical Hour on Friday.The topic of discussion was French PM Emmanuel Macrons comments that he would not rule out sending NATO troops into Ukraine to fight Russia, which led to several of Macrons allies, including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ruling out the possibility.Russian President Vladimir Putin in turn warned against the escalations, saying that it could lead to nuclear war. Everything that they are thinking up now, that they are scaring the world with, it all really poses the threat of a conflict involving nuclear weapons, and therefore, the destruction of civilization. Dont they understand this? Putin asked during his annual state-of-the-nation speech.Horne explained that NATOs position is the worst of both worlds, because it is enmeshed in a war it cannot win, but it cant afford to lose. And when you are in such a corner, inevitably, it leads to the kinds of intemperate remarks of Mr. Macron, it leads to Rishi Sunak of London dispatching the flower of British youth to an uncertain fate in Ukraine, he said, referring to comments by Scholz that there are already UK personnel in Ukraine operating Storm Shadow missile launches.I think taxpayers and US citizens should ask themselves how all these think thanks and bureaucrats at the State Department and Pentagon manage this kind of potential quagmire that NATO and the United States are now enmeshed in?The international situation is not what the White House bargained for, Horne said, but rather than make a sober assessment and trying to make the best out of this rather daunting situation, theyre floating ideas about nuclear conflict, theyre floating ideas about escalation in Ukraine, theyre floating rather harebrained ideas concerning Russia, supposedly putting weapons in outer space.Horne also discussed the ongoing and expanding conflict in the Middle East, the Indonesian election and US Air Force service member Aaron Bushnells self-immolation protest against the war in Gaza. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/sending-western-troops-to-ukraine-not-todays-priority---belgian-defense-minister-1117092978.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/aaron-bushnell-protest-part-of-hidden-history-of-anti-war-veterans-1117064444.html earth ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ian DeMartino Ian DeMartino News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ian DeMartino war in ukraine, nato troops in ukraine, end of western hegemony, neocolonialism, dr gerald horne, the new order This picture of the 2017 total solar eclipse shows the sun's corona, which is only visible during a total eclipse. This image was taken from NASA Armstrongs Gulfstream III. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Thomas) NASA/Carla Thomas Monday, April 8, will in many respects be a normal day here on Earth, but Houstonians should mark their calendars nonetheless. Shortly after noon, the skies will darken, the temperature will drop and striking shadows will fall as the moon passes between Earth and the sun in the Great North American Eclipse of 2024. The event marks the second time in six months that Texas has been in the path of a solar eclipse. An annular solar eclipse crossed the country diagonally in October, traveling from the Pacific Northwest to the Gulf of Mexico. This time, the eclipse will travel from southwest Texas up to Maine, with San Antonio and Dallas in its direct path. The April event will be a partial eclipse in Houston, as the 2023 one was, but still pretty amazing. And businesses are planning accordingly. Advertisement Article continues below this ad United Airlines, for example has 11 flights scheduled that day that will be in the path of the eclipse, including five from Houston. The airline is planning to give passengers on those flights special glasses for optimal and safe viewing. "Were seeing bookings are up double and triple digits compared to the same time last year for travelers going to Arkansas, Ohio and Texas," an airline spokesperson said. In particular, she added, inbound bookings to San Antonio International Airport for April 4 through April 7 have more than doubled when compared with the same period last year. Meanwhile, Omni Hotels, in collaboration with Southwest Airlines, is planning "solarbrations" for the occasion, including solar glasses, early check-ins and an "eclipse-themed treat" for visitors. Space Center Houston will be hosting visitors for the eclipse, along with equipping them with complimentary glasses for viewing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/un-security-council-to-discuss-gaza-on-march-7---unsc-president-1117083332.html UN Security Council to Discuss Gaza on March 7 - UNSC President UN Security Council to Discuss Gaza on March 7 - UNSC President Sputnik International The next UN Security Council meeting on Gaza is scheduled for March 7, Japanese Ambassador to the UN Kazuyuki Yamazaki said on Friday. 2024-03-02T00:44+0000 2024-03-02T00:44+0000 2024-03-02T00:44+0000 world japan un security council (unsc) gaza strip israel-gaza conflict israeli-palestinian conflict palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/19/1116980536_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_28a5089f80c115314980ad6911c5c91d.jpg "Currently, we are planning on March 7, the consultation on the Middle East .... This is an opportunity for the Security Council currently to discuss the issues related to Gaza," Yamazaki said in a briefing. When asked about a US-drafted resolution on Gaza, Yamazaki said that Japan will consult with the other members of the Security Council on the matter and that it remains to be seen what will happen with the document.Last moth, the US vetoed an Algerian-drafted resolution on Gaza and offered its own text instead. Japan holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council presidency for the month of March. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/japan-urges-israel-to-obey-intl-law-after-deadly-gaza-aid-incident-1117070210.html japan gaza strip Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International japanese ambassador to the un, kazuyuki yamazaki, un security council meeting on gaza, unsc on gaza https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/us-apologizes-to-iraq-for-february-airstrikes-on-its-territory-1117085325.html US Apologizes to Iraq for February Airstrikes on Its Territory US Apologizes to Iraq for February Airstrikes on Its Territory Sputnik International Washington has offered an apology to Baghdad for failing to warn it in advance about the airstrikes on Iraqi territory on February 2, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Mohammed Hussein told Sputnik. 2024-03-02T05:13+0000 2024-03-02T05:13+0000 2024-03-02T05:13+0000 world us iraq islamic revolutionary guard corps (irgc) john kirby https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102718/86/1027188641_0:219:4288:2631_1920x0_80_0_0_a578fb799f276a07c8c6495c08c1ee4d.jpg "Indeed, Washington did not warn Iraq about the attacks on Iraqi security forces. A US official has offered us apologies in connection with that situation," Hussein said on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. In late January, three US soldiers were killed and over 40 others injured in a drone attack on a US military outpost in Jordan. Washington blamed allegedly Iran-backed militant groups for the attack and, on February 2, retaliated by striking targets in Iraq and Syria, which it believes were linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated militias. Both Baghdad and Damascus strongly condemned the attacks on their soil. White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby first said the US "did inform the Iraqi government prior to the strikes occurring." However, US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel admitted on February 6 that Washington had not warned Baghdad prior to the strikes. Kirby himself later said he had misspoken. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240205/we-defeat-ourselves-us-backed-orgy-of-violence-in-iraq-syria-further-delegitimizes-country-1116610978.html iraq Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us militarism, us kills iraq, us kills iraqi, us strikes on iraq, irgc https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/us-conducts-self-defense-airstrike-against-houthi-missile---statement-1117086890.html US Conducts 'Self-Defense' Airstrike Against Houthi Missile - Statement US Conducts 'Self-Defense' Airstrike Against Houthi Missile - Statement Sputnik International The US military have carried out a self-defense airstrike against a surface-to-air missile that was about to launch in the direction of the Red Sea from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. 2024-03-02T08:45+0000 2024-03-02T08:45+0000 2024-03-02T08:45+0000 military us houthi yemen us central command (centcom) red sea ansar allah militants ansar allah us hegemony https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/1d/1116461516_0:0:1264:711_1920x0_80_0_0_d0d40e8fa1afecc4b23002e7de8ffa69.png The missile "presented an imminent threat" to the US aircraft operating in the region, CENTCOM said.Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. This led the United States to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. Forces of the US and the United Kingdom later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240228/ukraine-fiasco-likely-driving-west-to-seek-victory-against-houthis-1117043762.html yemen red sea Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us hegemony, us militarism, us war against houthi,us houthi, red sea crisis https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/watch-russian-su-35-fighter-jets-blocking-skies-over-avdeyevka--1117088107.html Watch Russian Su-35 Fighter Jets Blocking Skies Over Avdeyevka Watch Russian Su-35 Fighter Jets Blocking Skies Over Avdeyevka Sputnik International Su-35 provide support for bombers and attack aircraft while they conduct strikes on Ukrainian positions. 2024-03-02T10:27+0000 2024-03-02T10:27+0000 2024-03-02T10:28+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine ukrainian crisis su-35 ministry of defense ukraine https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/02/1117087467_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_1f2f700dd9359c71a16e058099d854b2.jpg The Russian Ministry of Defence has released footage of Su-35 fighter jets patrolling the skies near Avdeyevka. According to the statement, their presence in the airspace makes Ukrainian planes terrified take off."By their sole presence in the air, Su-35 crews prevent the enemy from taking off, as any air target is immediately located and destroyed during take-off," the ministry said. ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Su-35S fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces on duty Sputnik International Su-35S fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces are on duty in the airspace of the Avdeyevka region. The purpose of the combat mission is to patrol a given area and cover the actions of bombers, attack aircraft and military aviation helicopters during air strikes on military facilities and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The crews of Su-35S do not give the enemy the opportunity to take off from their home airfields. Any air target is immediately detected and destroyed. 2024-03-02T10:27+0000 true PT0M40S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia's special military operation, ukrainian crisis, su-35 https://sputnikglobe.com/20240302/who-delivers-fuel-medical-supplies-to-shifa-hospital-in-gaza-1117085445.html WHO Delivers Fuel, Medical Supplies to Shifa Hospital in Gaza WHO Delivers Fuel, Medical Supplies to Shifa Hospital in Gaza Sputnik International he World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have managed to deliver fuel and medical supplies to the Shifa hospital in northern Gaza amid Palestine-Israeli conflict 2024-03-02T05:54+0000 2024-03-02T05:54+0000 2024-03-02T05:54+0000 world palestine-israel conflict middle east world health organization (who) palestine israel gaza violence https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0a/12/1114279502_0:0:3112:1751_1920x0_80_0_0_bfd07a9a09ecf063a6370a9afd74dd1a.jpg After more than a month, WHO and partners managed to access Al-Shifa hospital in northern Gaza to deliver 19,000 litres of fuel; lifesaving medical supplies for 150 patients; and treatments for 50 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, Tedros wrote on X. There are over 240 patients in the hospital who are being served by volunteer health workers, Tedros said. The level of destruction around the hospital is beyond words, he added. On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/israel-is-destroying-itself-how-western-media-helps-in-the-slaughter-of-palestinians-1117081677.html palestine israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International palestine-israeli conflict, gaza violence, gaza genocide, israel kills palestenians, idf crimes, gaza deaths, gaza hospital Michael Shults was fascinated by horses at an early age his family had been involved in harness racing before he was born and Shults appeared in his first winners circle photo as an infant but it wasnt until recently that he embarked on his own career in the sport. In 2021, Shults joined with his father, William, and business partner, Scott McDarby, to buy his first racehorse. Later that year, he got his first training win with the horse, Revolver N, in a race at The Meadowlands. Now, the 44-year-old New Jersey native will look to get to the winners circle as a driver. Shults will make his career debut in the sulky Saturday in a Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club event at the Big M. I always had dreams of driving, especially at The Meadowlands, said Shults. Just to be a part of the circuit, around the drivers there, and be part of that atmosphere is definitely special. Im looking forward to getting out there. Shults grandfather, Vincent Ferriero, was a driver and trainer and Shults father got into the sport as an owner through that side of the family. I was captivated by the horses at a very young age, said Shults. In my teenage years, I wanted to spend more time with my grandfather at the farm, but my mother didnt want me in the business. She wanted me to get my education and take a different path. I was pretty upset at that moment because I was captivated by the training and driving, just being around the horses. To satisfy that itch, my mother enrolled me in a local riding academy when I was about 14 years old. I excelled in that, riding English, doing hunter/jumpers. I ended up getting a horse at 16, and thats kind of how I learned my horsemanship. Shults worked at Watchung Stable in Mountainside, New Jersey for six years as a riding instructor and trail guide in the Watchung Reservation. At the age of 23, he moved to Hawaii and got an International Business Degree from Brigham Young University in Laie. He remained active with the horses there, working at Gunstock Ranch in Kahuku, before eventually returning to New Jersey. In 2013, Shults and McDarby started a hardwood flooring company, Selecta Flooring. I kind of got burned out on that a few years ago and needed to make a change, so I bought my first racehorse with my business partner and my father, said Shults. Im still with the company, but Im more in a consultation role. My time is spent here seven days a week at the farm. Its been an adjustment for my family and myself. Thats been my biggest challenge, but every time I walk in there and see the horses, I just really like that. Its very fulfilling. Shults, who had 10 horses last year and six in training at the moment, got his first training win with Revolver N in November 2021. I have to give that horse all the credit in the world, said Shults, pictured with Revolver N, who now has 17 wins in 162 lifetime starts. He taught me so much about training and the business. Hes such a great horse; he has such a big personality. For me to click with him, to get along with him, inspired me to want to keep going. Eventually, I wanted to dig deeper and started doing qualifiers. Ive been watching the amateur events and felt like it would be a good place for me to start and see where it goes from there. On Saturday, Shults will drive Bionic, a six-year-old pacer he trains and owns as a member of Blazer One Racing. The ownership groups name is a reference to the helicopter in the film Predator, a favourite of Shults and McDarby. Bionic, who is making his first start since Jan. 20, will leave from post six in a field of 10 and is 15-1 on the morning line. I think the nerves will be up a little bit, but I feel confident, I feel great, said Shults. I wish my horse had a start under his belt, he hasnt raced in six weeks, but he trained really well and is feeling good. Im pretty sure hell be tight enough to give me a good performance. Im not looking to go out and be a hero right out of the gate. Im hoping he can go out and have some good pace at the end of the mile. Revolver N also will be racing on Saturdays card. He will compete in a conditioned pace and have Jordan Stratton in the sulky. I almost listed myself on Revolver, but Im trying to make smart business decisions for the stable and the horse, said Shults. I want to get my feet wet first in the amateur ranks. Im thankful they have these events because they give me an opportunity as a newer guy in the sport to get out there and compete and showcase my horses. Theyre very competitive races. I think its good for the sport. It gets new people enthused. Thats kind of what motivated me to want to drive now, seeing those races and thinking I could race against those guys and have a shot. Its an opportunity to get involved a little deeper without having to dive in headfirst against the top 10 drivers in the whole world. I feel good about it. Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. (EST) at The Meadowlands. For a free TrackMaster program, click here. (USTA) A statue of Virginia civil rights champion Barbara Rose Johns is slated to occupy a space in the Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol building where a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee once stood. At its Feb. 24 meeting in Richmond, the Commission on Historical Statues in the United States Capitol approved a full-scale clay model of the statue, bringing the project one step closer to fruition, according to a release. The commissions decision paves the way for the state to seek approval of the model, by sculptor Steven Weitzman, from the Architect of the Capitol. A foundry in Chester, Pennsylvania, will begin the work to cast the bronze statue of Johns for display in the National Statuary Hall after the model is approved. The Statuary Hall Collection exhibits two representative statues for each state in the nation. Virginias other statue is of George Washington. Born in 1935, Barbara Rose Johns became legendary for her civil rights activism when she was a 16-year-old student at Prince Edward Countys segregated Robert Russa Moton High School. In 1951, she led a student walkout to protest the overcrowded and dilapidated facilities at the school, according to the release. Conditions at Moton High School in Farmville were vastly inferior to those at the countys high school for white students. The Virginia NAACP soon stepped in to lead a lawsuit on the students behalf seeking to end segregation. The resulting case, known as Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward, was the only student-initiated case to be consolidated into Brown v. Board of Education, in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1954 that public school segregation was unconstitutional. At the recent meeting, commission members received feedback on the full-scale model from family members of Johns, who passed away in 1991. The Johns family have been advising Weitzman throughout the creative process and expressed their satisfaction with the models embodiment of the likeness. Joan Johns Cobbs, sister of Barbara, thanked the sculptor for including the family in the design process. Before even formally stepping into the post of Alliance police chief, David Leavitt is already embroiled in controversy. New Alliance police chief: Looking forward to the future David Leavitt, of Nashville, Tennessee, says he believes he is taking on the role of leading the Alliance Police Department as its chief "for all the right reasons." The appointment of the former Nashville, Tennessee, police captain began to generate social media comments within hours after Alliance City Manager Seth Sorensen announced his hire on Feb. 15. Sorensen told the Star-Herald that Leavitt is expected to begin in his new position within six weeks of his appointment, which would be approximately early April. Many of the social media posts cited an article involving a Nashville public radio stations investigation of police discipline within the Metro Nashville Police Department. Leavitt had been among the officers cited in a story on disparities in discipline of officers. Sorensen and Alliance City Council members have caught the ire of some on social media. Some have called for Sorensens firing. Others have commented that council members should be held accountable for the police chiefs hiring. The City Council will hear from some of those citizens during its meeting on Tuesday, March 5. Six people have submitted requests to speak about the police chief hire, with a 30-minute time limit set, according to a copy of the agenda. The controversy began with the sharing on social media of a story citing disciplinary actions involving Leavitt during his career at the Metro Nashville Police Department. Radio station WPLNs story Behind the Blue Wall was part of a larger investigation that outlined instances of white officers including Leavitt who had been the subjects of disciplinary action and compared those to action taken in the cases of minority officers. The coverage reported that Leavitt had been investigated on an allegation of sexual harassment, although Leavitt provided documents to the Star-Herald confirming that the final findings were determined to be conduct unbecoming of an officer. As a result of that investigation, Leavitt had been disciplined, suspended for 20 days and demoted a rank, from captain to lieutenant, in October 2021. After serving the suspension, Leavitt retired from the police force. Sorensen said in a press release that Leavitt had disclosed the allegations and disciplinary actions during the interview process and that the consulting firm had thoroughly vetted Leavitt and spoken with relevant witnesses involved in the investigation by the Nashville departments Office of Professional Accountability. The 2021 allegations stemmed from information released by a group called Silent No Longer. According to the WPLN reporting, the group had issued a press packet that contained allegations of sexual harassment against Leavitt. The Star-Herald obtained a portion of the press packet released by Greta McClain, executive director of the group. However, McClain said screenshots of text messages alleged to have been sent were no longer available. Interviews with investigators revealed that the officer involved in the incident had not made a report that spurred the internal affairs investigation. Instead, a female officer had shared allegations against Leavitt with Silent No Longer, and the investigation resulted from that groups release of allegations. The two men had become friends on Facebook in 2018, having had mutual police officer friends. By the time the investigation began, the officer told investigators, he no longer had contact with Leavitt. According to interviews with the officer and Leavitt, the two men talked about various topics, including physical fitness. The officer said he had sent Leavitt photos from workouts. Leavitt was also accused of sending photos in which he was wearing just a towel to the man. The man said Leavitt reacted or responded to messages via a private Facebook account. He described some of Leavitts messages as flirty and sexual in nature. The officer said he felt from the comments that Leavitt sent that he was interested in a relationship. The officer, who was described as straight, was not interested in a relationship with Leavitt, he told investigators. He told investigators Leavitt had invited him to his home for social occasions, though he had not gone, and to a class that Leavitt taught at the YMCA. He did attend one of Leavitts classes. The messages came to light after the officer apparently told a few co-workers about them. One of the officers, the woman who reported the allegations to Silent No Longer, told investigators she urged him to report the messages to supervisors. However, the male officer told investigators he did not want anything to do with it and was not trying to get anyone in trouble. However, he told investigators in a follow-up interview that he thought most people wouldnt take sexual harassment of males as seriously as incidents involving females, and he expressed concerns about retaliation within the department. In the interviews with investigators and an interview with the Star-Herald, Leavitt denied that he had been hitting on the officer. Instead, he likened the messages to the regular razzing that many men, and especially officers, engage in. He told the Star-Herald that he thought that because he was gay, connotations that he had not intended were made. According to Leavitt, WPLNs reporting and colleagues of Leavitt, he retired in good standing. No criminal allegations or charges were made against Leavitt. The WPLN report and the records it provided showed a prior allegation of sexual harassment in 2011 against Leavitt; however, that allegation was not sustained by investigators with the Nashville departments OPA and human resources. Leavitt was given, and did not contest, a 10-day suspension on departmental findings of conduct unbecoming of an officer and violating responsibility policies. The report on the disciplinary action said Leavitt had sent inappropriate and nonprofessional messages on the departments mobile data computer system to another officer. He had also been disciplined in 2015 for misuse of resources after it was revealed during a drug investigation involving a former partner that Leavitt had searched criminal records. According to allegations, Leavitt searched the criminal database more than 40 times. However, Leavitt told the Star-Herald that he had not searched records that many times, but that a search can turn up records in multiple databases, inflating the number. He said he had searched the records out of concern, and sometimes curiosity, about his former partners status after he had become involved in drug activity. Leavitts former partner, who was being questioned by police after being arrested, also claimed domestic abuse. However, investigators found that those allegations were not sustained, and investigators noted that Leavitts partner had never reported domestic violence prior to his arrest. The man had claimed that he had been treated at a local hospital after being injured when Leavitt threw a glass at him. Leavitt was exonerated in that investigation of accusations that he had been associating with criminals, as his former partner acknowledged that Leavitt had not known about his drug use prior to his legal troubles. In that investigation, Leavitt had three days of vacation suspended for violations of policies and procedures on the security and disposition of law enforcement records and files. From the time that Leavitt started as a patrol officer and as he climbed the ranks, his supervisors were complimentary of Leavitt in annual evaluations. He was regularly praised: Routinely comes up with proactive initiatives to combat disorder within the precinct and rapidly becoming an integral part of our unit. He was described as getting along with other officers and taking initiative. In years that he was a supervisor, he was described as having solid management and leadership qualities. Even in years that Leavitt had been noted to have had disciplinary action 2011 and 2015 his supervisors described positively in evaluating major job responsibilities and core competences. The Star-Herald did not have access to the 2021 reports from the department to report. The Star-Herald reached out to all five of the Alliance City Council members, asking if they supported the hiring of the police chief. Mayor Earl Jones and Councilman John McGhehey were the only members of the council to respond. They both told the Star-Herald that they supported Sorensen and the hiring of Leavitt. McGhehey said, I can understand how someone who has only seen the one brief article about Mr. Leavitt that has been circulating on social media would have questions. However, I am confident that Mr. Leavitts background was extensively investigated. Through this process, it was determined that this article did not fully represent the facts of the incidents. Having reviewed his resume and met with him when he came in for his interview, I believe he has the qualifications to be our police chief. Whether he will be successful or not is yet to be determined; as it would be with any person hired in this position. I only hope the citizens of Alliance will give him the opportunity to be successful. In some of those social media posts, there have been calls for a recall vote of council members in reaction. Jones points out the folly in those calls as three of the five seats are up for re-election: Jones, McGhehey and Councilman Brian Mischnick. McGhehey is the only councilman to have opted to run for re-election. Its also yet to be seen how the controversy may affect the department and its officers. The department is rebuilding, having just eight of its 17 officer positions filled. Understaffing is an issue that has been reported at other departments in the Panhandle and across the nation, Sorensen said. Weve been extremely short staffed on our police department and this is one step in helping in helping fix that, he said of the hiring of a police chief. With officers having left the department for higher-paying positions, and other nationwide impacts that have seen fewer people pursuing careers in law enforcement, he said, Its hard to fill these positions at all. Nebraska Law Enforcement officers are certified one of two ways: attending the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Academy in Grand Island to earn certification or through reciprocal certification. For reciprocity, officers must demonstrate that they have completed course work and training that is similar to or exceeds Nebraskas requirements, be in good standing and other standards. At the current time, according to Leavitt, he remains a certified law enforcement officer in the state of Tennessee, though he is nearing the end of that certification period because he has not worked in law enforcement since retiring from the Metro Nashville Police Department. Not all officers moving to the state and requesting certification are granted reciprocal certification, something which the City of Alliance is all too familiar with. The City of Alliance experienced the process when its previous police chief, Phil Lukens, had to appear before the Nebraska Police Advisory Board to receive reciprocal certification after initially being denied by the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center. It is likely from a review of Nebraska Police Advisory Board minutes in the past that Leavitt may also find himself before the board explaining the disciplinary actions in his career. Asked if he was concerned that Leavitt may experience difficulties being certified, Sorensen said, This is a concern anytime you have someone come from out of state. He said he understood that Leavitt may have to go through some form of the academy as part of the process, a shortened three-week version for chiefs and sheriffs. Tim Johnson Landscaping, Inc. announced its 25th anniversary in business, marking a significant milestone in providing exceptional landscaping services to the Piedmont of North Carolina and upstate South Carolina communities. The company was established on March 1, 1999 and has grown from humble beginnings to become a trusted name in the industry, known for its commitment to quality, creativity, and customer satisfaction. Over the past quarter-century, Tim Johnson Landscaping has served both commercial and residential clients and has transformed countless properties, enhancing their beauty and functionality while exceeding client expectations. As part of its 25th anniversary celebration, the business unveiled a refreshed brand identity and a new website. The updated brand reflects the companys evolution and commitment to innovation, while the new website provides an enhanced platform for clients to explore its services, mission, vision and values. We are thrilled to commemorate 25 years of serving the communities from the Piedmont of North Carolina to the upstate of South Carolina, Tim Johnson, founder and CEO, said. This milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, as well as the trust and support of our valued clients. We are excited to enter this next chapter with a renewed focus on delivering exceptional landscaping solutions and exceeding our clients expectations. The refreshed website showcases Tim Johnson Landscapings comprehensive range of services, including landscape design, hardscaping, lawn maintenance, irrigation and more. Visitors to the site can also learn about the companys mission to create beautiful and sustainable outdoor spaces, its vision for the future, and its core values of integrity, passion, and quality. In addition to unveiling the new brand and website, the business will be hosting a ribbon-cutting celebration with the Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce on March 25 to thank its clients and celebrate this significant milestone. For more information about Tim Johnson Landscaping, Inc. and its services, visit the new website atwww.timjohnsonlandscaping.com. Two Iredell-Statesville School Board districts will be on the primary ballot Tuesday. In District 2 Republican voters have two choices for the seat and in District 6 two Democrats are vying for the seat. District 2Republicans Kevin Angell Education: BA bible & theology, Lee University, MA biblical studies, Lee University, MBA finance UNC-Pembroke (expected completion in fall of 2024) Employment, government experience: Executive director, Childrens Homes of Iredell County, chief program officer, Childrens Hope Alliance, behavioral specialist, Bradley County Schools, Tennessee, student pastor, Landmark Church of God Family, civic associations: Wife, Marsha. daughters, Naomi & Ruby, I-SS students; treasurer, Center Stage Alliance; director, The Advocate Ministry Why are you running for office? I am seeking office because I am deeply invested in the well-being of our children. Education stands as a cornerstone in safeguarding individuals across all walks of life, and my aim is to foster an environment where our community is recognized for nurturing every child into wise, resilient, and empathetic members of society. My intention is to assist the board in enhancing its standing within the community by governing and conducting affairs with the utmost professionalism, setting a positive example for our elected representatives. I am confident that my professional background and history of successful leadership can contribute meaningfully to the boards endeavors, ultimately benefiting parents, students, and educators alike. Whether policy, experience or anything else, what makes you different from your opponent(s) in this race? When examining my candidacy alongside that of my opponent, the distinctions in our backgrounds become clear. My professional journey spans extensive experience managing large teams statewide and holding executive positions overseeing multi-million-dollar budgets across various organizations credentials notably absent from my opponents resume. Furthermore, I possess a proven track record of crafting, scrutinizing, and advocating for policies that directly benefit families experience my opponent currently lacks. I have been actively engaged in impactful work for children in Iredell County for 16 years, and my opponent has not. Additionally, my collaborative endeavors with the Iredell-Statesville Schools have provided me with invaluable insights and strategic partnerships, bolstering my ability to serve effectively. My established relationships within the community will immediately lend credibility to the board. Recognized for my contributions, I have been honored with a prestigious Future 5 award by the Chamber of Commerce in Statesville. Conversely, my opponents affiliation with the Moms for Liberty organization, though well-intentioned, has regrettably been tarnished by a reputation for disruption and narrow agenda-pushing, often diverging from our local needs and concerns. Embracing the principles we instill in our youth, such as seeking to understand before being understood, I am confident in my ability to facilitate dialogue and collaboration between parent advocacy groups and our school system. If elected, I am committed to working alongside anyone who shares a genuine concern for the well-being of our children, fostering an effective approach to addressing community needs. What will you prioritize as a member of the school board? Student Success: Ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education that equips them with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed for success in college, careers, and beyond. Effective governance: Implementing transparent and accountable practices to prioritize the best interests of students and the community, while upholding ethical standards. Community engagement: Actively engaging with parents, families, community members, and stakeholders to ensure their voices are heard and to foster collaborative partnerships in support of student success. Laketha Bobish Education: BA political science, BA international relations, masters degree public policy administration, professional certificate nonprofit management, Currently in ministry school at The Altar School of Ministry Employment, government experience: Two years in the State Assembly, 10 years as a paralegal, owner/sole proprietor of a dance school and a digital business through podcast Letters To The People Family, civic associations: Married 10 years with two daughters Why are you running for office? I am a Constitutional Christian Conservative who is a mom to two beautiful girls that attend Iredell-Statesville Schools. I have a vested interest in not only the future of my children, but the future of families in our county. As a mom who is involved in the schools through various volunteering opportunities weekly, I continue to gain knowledge and understanding of the needs of public schools and the students that grace the classrooms each day. I am and will continue to be an advocate for families with exceptional children who face IEPs and special needs-based learning. It is vital to keep parental rights in education at the forefront in these changing times we are facing in our world today. I will be a staunch voice and proponent when it comes to implementing the language within the Parents Bill of Rights. Families should feel they have a space in the educational environment together as this build on the foundations needed for a successful education. I would like to advocate for vocational studies and innovation for our students preparing to be successful in the workforce, and look for means to be a proponent of growth in the area of agricultural studies. As a minority conservative, I would like to see initiatives brought forth regarding true African history in America, and highlight heroes not normally spoken of in the classroom during the month of February. Whether policy, experience or anything else, what makes you different from your opponent(s) in this race? I not only possess the experience of a board member, but I also have the education and hands on practices for what is involved in being on the school board. I worked for two years in the state assembly learning the procedure to the formulation of bills and their presentation while also having the privilege to speak one on one with constituents. I have obtained two bachelors degrees: one in political science and the other in international relations. While studying to receive my masters degree in public policy administration, I was tasked with obtaining knowledge into the public school system, the various entities involved in efficiently running and funding the schools, as well as conducting professional research at East Elementary School for my masters thesis. This research led me to findings of the effects of homelessness on the education of children. I am a true conservative who has been endorsed by NC Values Coalition. As a conservative, I believe diversity is more than skin deep and that we should push for Equality of Opportunities and not Equity of Outcomes where you take credit or funds from anothers hard work. I believe in the inclusion of mental health awareness and advocacy for the mental health issues our students face without affirming what goes against creation or science. What will you prioritize as a member of the school board? As a member of the school board, I will prioritize what is in the best interest of children and families. It is vital that policy is shaped according to the needs of the schools and the children that grace the classrooms each day. We have one of the fastest growing counties in North Carolina, and schools must be built in an efficient and timely manner. It is of utmost importance that the school board continues to focus on the needs of the new schools being built, while also balancing the needs of schools who need attention. I would also prioritize the focus of implementing the parents bill of rights as part of changing policy in the schools. Parents want to know what their children are learning and have the right to want to be a part of the education environment. I believe in the importance of families and teachers working together for the best outcomes of our students and laying the foundations they need to be successful in the real world. Families and the needs of their children will be my priority. District 6Democrats Alex Hobson Education: High school graduate 2008 Eagle River High School Employment, government experience: Walmart for 14 years. Family, civic associations: Iredell County Democrats Why are you running for office? I am running for the school board to be a voice for the kids. Ive seen too much dysfunction at the current meetings. Too many personal attacks back and forth. All of this is getting in the way of doing the work for our kids and teachers. I want the board to focus on building and repairing schools rather than what books to ban. I want the board to focus on the mental health of our children rather than theorizing what it would be like to put them in a ring to fight. Our schools deserve better than the status quo and I am running to change it! Whether policy, experience or anything else, what makes you different from your opponent(s) in this race? I am a blue-collar full-time working citizen who is concerned at what they are seeing. I believe that public education is the building block of a thriving community. I believe that my open-mindedness and willingness to allow facts to guide my decisions makes me a stand out. I am also a voice for the LGBTQIA+ community, one that has been under attack by the current administration. What will you prioritize as a member of the school board? My priorities will be the building of new schools to keep up with our growing population as well as up-keeping the buildings we currently have. I also want to find unique ways to engage the community with our schools and grow a large coalition of volunteers that will in turn better our kids. Jinaki (Jai) Peele Education: I hold a BA in social science with a concentration in education and minors in child development and organizational management from Ashford University. Employment, government experience: I currently serve as an executive director and a self-employed special education advocate. Formerly employed with over 23 years of combined experience working as a childcare director, substitute and interim teacher for grades K12, and site director for the Before and After School Enrichment Program for CMS, MGSD, and RSS. All of my roles within the early childhood and education field have a solid background in organizational management, leadership, and advocacy. Family, civic associations: I am passionate about helping others, particularly the people we rely on for our future, veterans, and our youth. I am a registered voter. Im a school volunteer. I am a Sunday school teacher for a youth group and am actively involved in all of my churchs Christian education ministry activities. Ive organized and participated in several community events and projects throughout Iredell County. I served as third vice president and was recently appointed first vice president for the African American Caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party of Iredell County. Im also a member of the African American Caucus Social Justice Committee. Ive organized and am the executive director of HEAVY in Faith, Inc., which is an acronym for Health, Education, and Advocacy for Veterans and Youth. I served as the president of my churchs Womens Ministry, Culinary, and was recently elected vice president of the Pastors Aide Committee. Why are you running for office? The reasons why I am running for I-SS Board Member District 6 are social justice issues such as the disparities in low academic performance and school suspensions within the school district that affect children with disabilities and children of color. Lastly, getting teachers the resources for support, training, and increasing their salaries. Whether policy, experience or anything else, what makes you different from your opponent(s) in this race? Im a goal-oriented leader; I dont have tunnel vision and believe all children should have access to the same education and resources, regardless of their socioeconomic status or disability. As a parent of an ISS student and a special education advocate, I am aware of the challenges the students and teachers are faced with on a daily basis. I genuinely care and want to be part of the change. Thats what sets me apart from my opponents. What will you prioritize as a member of the school board? I would prioritize establishing benchmarks that would improve student achievement by addressing all of the factors that are hindering half of our students from performing at or above grade level for the 19 schools not meeting the academic growth goals, the 13 Title 1 schools, the districts suspension rates, special education, teacher vacancies, low-paying wages, and attracting qualified teachers. Kim Nguyen, pharmacist, gives a Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine at CVS, 12550 Louetta Rd., Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, in Cypress. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer U.S. health officials announced Friday that Americans who test positive for COVID-19 no longer need to isolate for at least five days. The updated guidelines say people can return to work and their normal activities if their symptoms are improving and its been at least 24 hours since theyve had a fever. They should still consider wearing a face mask and keeping a distance from others for five days after resuming normal activities, according to guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Americans are not required to test negative for COVID-19 before ending their isolation. Data has shown that many Americans arent testing anyway, health officials said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theyre recognizing that a lot of people have moved on, said Dr. Luis Ostrosky, chief of infectious diseases and epidemiology with UTHealth Houston and Memorial Hermann. COVID also doesnt pose the same threat it once did, he added. The nation is seeing far fewer hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19 than at the height of the pandemic. Many Americans have at least some level of immunity from COVID-19 vaccines or a prior infection. There are also more tools, such as medications like Paxlovid, to help reduce the risk of severe illness. Todays announcement reflects the progress we have made in protecting against severe illness from COVID-19, CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a statement. However, we still must use the commonsense solutions we know work to protect ourselves and others from serious illness from respiratory viruses this includes vaccination, treatment, and staying home when we get sick. The guidelines note that states and other countries that have already shortened their recommended isolation times have not seen a spike in hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The new guidelines come as Texas is experiencing high levels of respiratory illness, according to the latest data from the CDC. But Houston Methodists online tracker shows that COVID-19 cases have decreased over the last month. Flu cases have also decreased, while RSV cases have remained relatively flat. The JN.1 variant of the coronavirus now accounts for more than 90% of COVID-19 cases nationwide, according to the latest CDC data. Experts have said the JN.1 variant does not appear to cause as much severe illness as prior variants. The new guidelines also apply to other respiratory viruses, including the flu and respiratory syncytial virus. The CDC said the change results in a unified approach to respiratory viruses, which should make it easier for Americans to follow the guidelines. READ MORE: With COVID vaccine in Republican crosshairs, public health officials worry about vulnerable Texans Ostrosky said he has mixed feelings about the change. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It recognizes where we are in the pandemic, he said. On the other hand, COVID is a lethal disease, and its in the top 10 causes of death in the United States. It would be preventable if we were more careful. Americans are still advised to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Those include staying up to date with vaccinations and practicing good hygiene by washing your hands and covering coughs and sneezes. The CDC earlier this week recommended an additional vaccine dose for older adults over 65, because protection from the last dose has likely waned. The vaccines tend to lose some effectiveness after about four months, said Dr. Robert Atmar, a professor of infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine. Even with the new isolation guidance, additional precautions should still be taken around individuals over 65 years old and those with weakened immune systems. The bottom line is that when people follow these actionable recommendations to avoid getting sick, and to protect themselves and others if they do get sick, it will help limit the spread of respiratory viruses, and that will mean fewer people who experience severe illness, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in the statement. The entrances to Iredell Memorial Hospitals cardiac catheterization labs now look a little different. The walls beside each of the two cath labs, located within the Iredell Heart & Vascular Center, now bear heartfelt plaques honoring Dr. Robert C. Tolle and Toby and Kalman Gordon. Susan Tolle and Toby Gordon have become naming donors for the Iredell Health Foundation, donating to name the two labs in honor of their family and late husbands. Tolles and Gordons significant contributions will support the Cardiac & Vascular Care Fund for Iredell Health System. The fund supports the purchase of new cardiovascular equipment, provides patient assistance, and expands cardiovascular service offerings for the community. The longtime friends have not only left an undeniable mark in Statesville through their community volunteer efforts but have now left an everlasting legacy amidst the walls of Iredell Health Systems Heart & Vascular Center. Tolle and Gordon have been friends for more than 30 years and are excited to be leaving this legacy together. They began their lifelong friendship after Tolle relocated to Statesville from Charlotte. I met Susan through real estate. She would buy houses and renovate them, and I had the pleasure of selling some of them. I always thought her work was beautiful. Kalman and I got to know Susan and her husband, Bob, and we became friends. Susan does a lot of great things for our community, and we always enjoy spending time together, said Gordon. Toby has always been so dear to me. Shes always had open arms and has been someone who is always there for me, said Tolle. When asked what prompted the friends to donate, Tolle says it was a no-brainer. I talk to Toby frequently, so when I heard about the naming opportunity, shes the first person I called. She jumped right on it within seconds. We are both so very proud of the work our husbands did and the contributions they made to the community. They were both incredibly honest and true gentlemen, said Tolle. When Susan brought this to my attention, I thought it was a great idea. It truly reflects Kalmans values, and he would be excited about the impact that the Cardiac & Vascular Care fund has on our community, said Gordon. Tolles husband, Robert, was a dentist who was known for putting his patients first. He had hundreds of patients, and he treated each one like family. If someone needed a place to stay, he would have invited them to our house, no doubt about it. He would give the shirt off his back to his patients because he adored them. That will always live on. He deserved this honor, said Tolle. In addition to honoring her husbands legacy of generosity and patient care, Tolle hopes this donation will ultimately save lives. Tolle has dedicated her life to suicide prevention, serving as a field advocate for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Tolle has also served on the board of directors for both the Iredell Health Foundation and Iredell Health System and is currently on the Iredell Health System Board of Trustees. Thus, this opportunity to donate to the hospital aligns seamlessly with her endeavors. For Gordon, this donation is all about giving back to the community that has given so much to her and her family. My husband was born and raised in Statesville, and we chose to live here and raise our family here. Many of Kalmans family members had heart issues, and my family had heart conditions as well. Kalman always wanted to do what was good for the community. His father came here as a young boy, so the Gordon family has been here for a long time. Kalman was raised knowing you give back to the place thats given so much to you. Kalman would want this, and I do too, said Gordon. Gordon too hopes this donation will save lives and benefit the many patients that use the cath lab services. She also hopes it will serve as a testament to her and her familys love for Statesville. We are so lucky to have this health care facility in Statesville. Statesville is a wonderful place to live with great resources. Theres no place Id rather live than here, she said. Being a donor to name something at Iredell Health System is a significant contribution to enhancing health care services. It offers donors the chance to imprint their legacy by naming specific areas, facilities, or programs, showcasing their generosity and backing. Whether its designating a building wing, a patient room, a specialized medical unit, or even a medical equipment program, donors can opt to honor themselves, a cherished individual, or a respected figure. Furthermore, being a donor to name something at Iredell Health System transcends mere financial assistance. It serves as a heartfelt homage, allowing donors to memorialize the memory of a loved one. By affixing their name to a significant aspect of the health care facility, donors honor the legacy of their loved ones. Editor's Note This column was written in September 2020. Over the last 24 hours our country lost two very strong women: RBG, a house-hold name, the other, a personal friend, well-known, but in a smaller and considerably less-rarified atmosphere. (NOTE: RBG died Sept. 18, 2020; Julia H. Anderson died Sept. 19, 2020). I spent several hours watching and reading the many tributes to Ruth Bader-Ginsburg. Theres little I can add to the outpouring of her well-deserved accolades. I would echo, however, those who contend that our country in general and democracy in particular, lost a tenacious fighter for the rights of those who sorely need an advocate. Theres no small irony that if the McConnell gang succeeds in pushing through a woman to replace Justice Ginsburg (and, of course, they did), that woman, more than likely, was helped along in her career by some of the battles Justice Ginsburg fought! History does, indeed, make for some very strange bedfellows. In recent hours Ive also read some early drafts of the obituary for my late friend and high school classmate, Julia Hensley Anderson. Their differences, in some ways are stark: Ginsburg, 10 years older, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., of Jewish parents. Julia was born in 1943 to Protestant parents in the small town of Rutherfordton. Both were very bright. RBG went to Cornell and graduated first in her class at Columbia Law School. Julia graduated from Duke University where she earned a BA in history. During the time RBG was raising a family and going to law school, Julia was still a few years away from beginning her career in association management in Durham, Philadelphia and Chicago. Shed later return to Rutherfordton to care for her parents and help with the family business. After their deaths she became involved in various civic projects and community service efforts, especially those that strove to help the disenfranchised and marginalized. So, what do these two strong women have in common? As noted, both were very bright. But in spite of their intellect, each sought to identify and solve problems in easily understood ways. Julias cousin, noted in a tribute: She was a progressive thinker who offered fresh ideas without alarming people who preferred the status quo. As such, both women understood the potential harmful effects of their own white privilege. RBG and Julia worked persistently in their own ways to change the status quo when it was serving only a portion of the citizenry. Both shared a trait Ive long-admired the ability to laugh at oneself. Ethel Barrymore once said, You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself. No doubt there were frustrating times when RBG and Julia were the only grown-ups in their respective venues. RBG was once asked, Whats an appropriate number of women on the Supreme Court? She answered with a devilish grin, Nine (NOTE: the total number of justices on the Supreme Court is nine). Its worthy of note that RBGs best bud on the SCOTUS was the late Justice Antonin Scalia, her political and philosophical opposite! While fighting bravely to the end, both succumbed to cancer. As high school seniors we were introduced to British literature. Im still surprised at some of the random lines of poetry that come back to me after sixty years or so. One such line is from Thomas Grays Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard: Full many a flower is born to blush unseen and waste its sweetness in the desert air. Fortunately, for our nation, as well as a small community in Western North Carolina, there were two strong women (among many), who neither blushed unseen, nor wasted their sweetness in the desert air. After many decades I reviewed Grays poem again and have taken a few liberties with his final stanza: No farther seek their merits to disclose, Or draw their frailties from their dread abode, (There they alike in certain hope repose,) (In) the bosom of their Father And their God. Shalom Ruth and Julia At the beginning of the year, both Floyd Town Council and Floyd County Administration moved into new permanent homes. Town business is now being handled at 203 Oxford St., the Profitt House, after officials entered into a lease agreement with Skyline National Bank, which owns the property. The Floyd Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, previously located on west Main Street beside Blue Ridge Florist, also moved into the Profitt House. During Town Councils reorganization meeting on Jan. 4, Bruce Turner was voted to serve as Vice-Mayor for another year. Meeting times were approved to be at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month at the Proffit House. Floyd County Administration services moved into the third floor of Skyline National Bank after officially purchasing the building at the beginning of August 2023, and leasing the bank space back to Skyline. The Department of Social Services now occupies all of the former County Admin building. All other departments, including Economic and Community Development and County Planning, are in the bank building. Board of Supervisors meetings are still being held at the former Admin building and will continue to be until renovations of a new meeting space in the bank building are complete. Regular meetings are held at 8:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month and at 6 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday. In the case of inclement weather, the Board will meet on the following Thursday at the same time as the rescheduled meeting. Meetings are also live streamed and uploaded to the countys YouTube Channel, FloydCountyVirginia. During the Boards 2024 reorganization meeting on Jan. 2, members were elected to the following appointments: Joe Turman (Burks Fork) Chairman, New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Area Consortium Board, New River Regional Jail Authority, legislative contact for the Virginia Association of Counties. Jerry Boothe (Courthouse) Vice Chairman Levi Cox (Locust Grove) Extension Leadership, alternate representative for the New River Jail Authority, New River Valley Regional Commission Linda Kuchenbuch (Little River) Public Service Authority Kalinda Bechtold (Indian Valley) Floyd County Chamber of Commerce Board Liaison, Floyd County Planning Commission, Tourism Development Council A Longview teenager is facing an attempted murder charge in Cowlitz County Superior Court after a fight among teens turned into a stabbing near Lake Sacajawea. Johnson Mailos, 16, of Longview, has been charged as an adult with first-degree attempted murder with a deadly weapon enhancement, a class A felony that carries a possible lifetime sentence. Mailos bail stands at $1 million and he is scheduled to appear in court on March 14. A no-contact order was issued, which requires Mailos to stay at least 100 yards away from the teen victim in case he makes bail. On Feb. 21, a group of teens broke out in two separate fights at Lake Sacajawea, with one of the fights being recorded and posted on Snapchat, court records show. Longview Police Capt. Branden McNew said, as far as he is aware, there is no gang affiliated with the groups. A witness reportedly told police the victim was in a fight with a man near the lake; at one moment, an unnamed female Mailoss sister jumped into the conflict and began assaulting the victim while he was on the ground. The second fight occurred after the victim and his friends entered the youth center at the parks Elks Memorial Building, where they found the man he had fought in the first altercation. After that fight, people were seen fleeing the scene. Thats when Mailos allegedly started chasing the victim, stabbing him once on the right side of his chest with a 6-inch filet-type knife. Police arrested Mailos at 2 p.m. in the 300 block of 15th Avenue. He was found with a kitchen-style steak knife, that appeared to have been cleaned, a police report states. The victim was stabbed one time in the upper right torso, causing his lung to collapse. In an attempt to stop the bleeding, surgeons at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center removed part of the victims lung before airlifting him to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. The victim sustained a severe beating to the head with marks on his forehead as well as nose, and a court document states the victim was sedated, on a ventilator, and is in a life-threatening condition. The Longview City Council meetings this year have sparked a lot of discussion over last-minute changes to the agenda. Most of the recent debate has centered around a last-minute resolution Keith Young unsuccessfully proposed at the end of the Feb. 8 council meeting, which was later revealed through a public records request to be an audit on the assistant city managers time. There was also a last-minute executive session added to the end of the Jan. 25 meeting and another session that was pulled from the agenda of the Feb. 22 meeting. All new city councilmembers receive training at the local and state level to keep their actions in local government above board. Those expectations come from a mix of state requirements, rules set by previous city councils and broad recommendations for what the best practices are. Ironically, the explanations for Longviews new councilmembers are more concise and organized now than they have been for years. In December, City Manager Kris Swanson shortened the binder containing decades of scattered rulings and guidelines into a 44-page protocol manual for the Longview City Council. These are things that have been adopted along the way for years and years but we never had a single source to onboard new council members, Swanson said. What are the state rules about agenda changes? State law requires that a preliminary version of the agenda, including resolutions that will be voted on, is posted at least 24 hours before the council meeting. Few rules are in place for how the agenda can be changed after that point. According to the Municipal Research and Services Center, which advises many local governments in Washington, there is no state requirement for information packets and material to be made available to the public before the council votes. What are Longviews rules about new resolutions? Longviews policy manual states that items placed on the agenda should be provided to the city manager or city clerk at least 10 days ahead of time. City staff is required to submit any agenda summaries and documents for items related to their department at least one week before the next council meeting. Longviews practice of avoiding surprise votes dates back to at least 2000, according to council minutes, as a best practice to keep other councilmembers and the city manager in the loop. To avoid surprise and allow for staff preparation, if necessary, Council members are highly encouraged to notify the City Manager and Mayor of any anticipated agenda modifications in advance of the meeting, the council manual states. When Kurt Sacha was the city manager from 2018 to 2023, he said he would discuss the upcoming agendas with the mayor and mayor pro tem ahead of time to limit the number of last-minute changes. If councilmembers wanted to vote on a new issue during the meeting, Sacha said that topic would be discussed but not finalized until the next meeting. Thats to avoid the no-surprise rule and that was true of staff as well. They cant generally put things on the agenda without (the councils) knowledge, Sacha said. Longviews council meetings do include a time near the beginning for any final additions, removals or other changes to the agenda. There are few limits on agenda changes made at that point of the meeting as long as a majority of councilmembers to vote for them. How do council signature resolutions work? Most resolutions are written by the city manager, city attorney and other staff directors depending on the issue but that is not a requirement. Any item can be considered at a council meeting if it gets the signatures of two council members ahead of time. Any resolution or ordinance introduced this way still needs to be approved by the city attorney ahead of time for their form and legality, according to the council manual. Signature-driven agenda items are not common in Longview but happen frequently in Kelso. At the Feb. 20 Kelso City Council meeting, for instance, there were two discussion items put to the agenda because councilmembers Jim Hill and Keenan Harvey asked for them to be included. Andy Hamilton said during the meeting he didnt know the full details of the issues and threw to Harvey to explain further. Who enforces the council rules? State rules for government meetings are enforced through the Open Public Meetings Act. Officials can be sued for violating the act, but could also be investigated by the county prosecutors office. Both the court system and King County Sheriff investigated the Seattle mayors deleted text messages in 2020. Swanson and Sacha said the city-specific rules for local meetings are self-governing, relying on the councilmembers and the city attorney to enforce the decisions. Longview city attorney Dana Gigler said during the Feb. 8 meeting that she doesnt recommend adding agenda items at the tail end of meetings and very strongly doesnt recommend voting on resolutions that have not been noticed ahead of time. How do executive sessions work? Executive sessions are the way local governments can discuss, but not vote on, a short list of potentially sensitive issues. State law requires the broad topic and duration of an executive session to be announced ahead of time and limits the topics that can be discussed during those meetings. The MRSC tip sheet for local governments says the agency can go into executive session even if one was not noticed. Longviews council manual does not include any further rules or limits for executive sessions. Leave the kids at home for this Easter egg hunt. The Kelso Business and Community Association is hosting an egg hunt for ages 21 and up, and you dont even have to wait for Easter. This event is St. Patricks Day themed and set for noon Saturday at Kelsos Tam OShanter Park the day before St. Pattys Day. Join the Shamrock Shuffle to search for 1,500 eggs with prizes valued from $1 to $500. Every participant is slated to receive a reusable tote to haul their stash; a token for a free beer at The Station Pub & Grub; a poncho in case it rains; a St. Patricks Day necklace; and more, event organizers say. General admission is $25, or pay $35 and get a 10-second head start. People can also order an event hoody for $30 to $35, depending on the size. The Department of Energy has awarded an environmental cleanup contract for the Hanford site worth up to $45 billion to a newly formed limited liability company based in Lynchburg, Va. For the second time the winning bidder for the Eastern Washington nuclear reservation work is Hanford Tank Waste Operations and Closure, called H2C, which is made up of BWXT Technical Services, Amentum Environment and Energy, and Fluor Federal Services. The 10-year contract, which includes some work that could extend an additional five years, covers the initial operation of the vitrification plant, which is being commissioned now after construction began in 2002, and work at the tank farms where radioactive waste is stored underground until it can be treated, much of it at the vitrification plant, for disposal. DOE awarded the contract, called the Hanford Integrated Tank Disposition Contract, to the same company in April. But the award was challenged in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims by the losing bidder, Hanford Tank Disposition Alliance, or HTDA. HTDA argued that H2C had not properly registered to bid in a required federal database and questioned the safety performance of its member companies and the strength of its proposed leadership team. HTDA was formed by Atkins Nuclear Secured, Jacobs Technology and Westinghouse Government Services. In November Jacobs merged some of its business lines with Amentum. U.S. Judge Marian Blank ordered the contract to be set aside in a ruling June 12, finding that H2C was ineligible for the award because it had not met a mandatory requirement in the bidding process. It had let its registration to bid on large federal projects lapse, according to the court order. DOE then asked for revised proposals and evaluated them to make the contract award on Thursday. Contractor responsibilities H2C will operate the Waste Treatment Plant, or vitrification plant, after commissioning is completed that will prepare it to start treating the least radioactive waste stored in underground tanks. H2C also will be responsible for core functions of the plant, including project management, security, emergency services, and safety and quality. The 580-square-mile Hanford site in Eastern Washington adjacent to Richland was used from World War II through the Cold War to produce nearly two-thirds of the plutonium for the nations nuclear weapons program. The work left 56 million gallons of radioactive and hazardous chemical waste stored in underground tanks, many of them prone to leaking. The plant is planned to vitrify much of that waste to turn it into a stable glass form for permanent disposal. After technical issues needed to be resolved on parts of the plant treating high level radioactive waste, DOE switched to a plan to separate out some of the least radioactive waste, called low activity waste, and start treating it as work continues to prepare to treat high level waste. Bechtel National is commissioning the plant, and DOE plans to start regular operation of the plant to initially treat low activity radioactive waste in 2025. A deadline for treating low activity waste by the end of 2023 was set in a federal court consent decree, but the deadline was extended due to work delays during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hanford communities plan required The new contractor will take over work at the tank farms from Washington River Protection Solutions, an Amentum led company, with a 120-day transition period starting immediately, unless there is another protest or appeal of the contract award. Washington River Protection Solutions has held the expiring contract for tank farm work since 2008 and has been given several short-term contract extensions. Most recently its contract was extended in summer 2023 for up to two years. Traditionally most employees of Hanford companies with expiring contracts are hired by the new contractor with only leadership changing. The current tank farm contractor employs about 2,400 workers and relies on an additional 350 subcontractor workers. No workforce impacts are expected under the new contractor if stable funding for the Hanford site continues, according to DOE. It described the benefits that workers would receive under the new contract as competitive and comparable to current benefits. Work at the tank farms includes emptying waste from 149 leak-prone single shell tanks into 27 newer double-shell tanks for storage until it can be treated for disposal and eventually permanently closing the tanks. Work also includes separating out low activity waste from the waste mixture in the tanks to feed to the vitrification plants Low Activity Waste Facility to glassify it for disposal. The new contractor is teaming with four subcontractors on the work: DBD, DSS Sustainable Solutions USA, Intera, and Longenecker and Associates. A portion of the contracts work must be subcontracted to small businesses. The new contract promotes robust community commitment and engagement, including support to site reindustrialization by the local community, according to DOE. Parts of the site are in Benton, Franklin and Grant counties. H2C will be required to submit a community commitment plan to DOE. The activities could include educational outreach programs, regional purchasing programs and other community support, DOE said earlier. H2C is expected to be required to subcontract 18% of work under its contract to small businesses, but those do not have to be Eastern Washington businesses. H2C owners Hanford history Amentum already has a strong presence at Hanford as the owner of the current tank farm contractor with Atkins, leading the Central Plateau Cleanup Co. team and as the primary subcontractor at the vitrification plant construction and commissioning project. BWXT was awarded the environmental management contract for DOEs Savannah River, S.C., site in 2021. Fluor is best known at Hanford for being the sites main cleanup contractor from 1996 to 2008. It also is a partner with Amentum on the Central Plateau Cleanup Co. contract, which is responsible for most environmental cleanup at Hanford other than tank waste. This is the third time DOE has tried to replace the expiring tank farm contract. In May 2020, DOE awarded a 10-year, $13 billion contract to manage Hanford tank waste to a team headed by BWXT and Fluor with primary subcontractors Intera and DBD. It did not include the vitrification plant work. But after appeals were filed to the Government Accountability Office over the choice of the new tank contracting team, DOE canceled the contract award. One appeal was filed by a company owned by Aecom, Fluor and Atkins and the other by a company owned by Jacobs Government Services Co. The GAO dismissed the appeals, but DOE voluntarily decided to address an issue raised in the appeal and canceled the contract. In February 2021, DOE announced that it would instead seek a contractor for both vitrification plant operations and also the management of the tank farms. Then it estimated the value of the new contract at $26.5 million over a decade. The new contract uses DOEs indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracting model, under which DOE awards a contract and then negotiates specific tasks to be completed. Under the contracting model, tasks may be paid for either through the traditional Hanford method of reimbursing costs and paying incentive fees to allow the contractor to profit or by offering a fixed price for completion of work, shifting financial risk to the contractor. The tasks will focus on providing the most reduction of risk and taxpayer costs and advancing environmental cleanup, DOE said in 2021. A young man staggers into a state-of-the-art mobile medical clinic screaming as he clutches a piece of rebar protruding from his ribcage. A group of nurses hurry over to him and lay him on a stretcher as they begin to assess the extent of his damage. Despite the convincing cries of pain and the impressively realistic wound, the young man is not actually hurt and is only one of the more than 700 students participating in the Texas A&M University Health Science Centers 16th annual Disaster Day. The event is the nations largest student-led, interprofessional emergency response simulation, according to Texas A&M Health. Beyond just teaching nursing students, the event also offers emergency response training for dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, psychology, public health and veterinary medicine. Each year, Texas A&M Health partners with the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services (TEEX) Disaster City, a 52-acre complex that replicates collapsed buildings, train derailments and vehicle crashes. According to Texas A&M Health, the university partners with the Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM), the Texas State Guard, St. Joseph Health, the Salvation Army, Pulsera and H-E-B to simulate every level of a real-life disaster, from the students pretending to be patients, to the makeshift command center where students direct resources. Angela Clendenin, an instructional associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Texas A&M School of Public Health, has been participating in Disaster Day for over five years. As one of the 75 faculty and staff members on-site, Clendenin said her job as a preceptor is to guide students through some of the critical challenges they may face during a real disaster. My job is to observe the students responding to the disaster and sort of provide the bumper pads in their lanes, she said. So, when they start trying to think about solutions to the problems that theyre being presented, Im there to ask them questions like, What would you do or who might you call? A part of this years Disaster Day involved responding to a flood in which students had to practice requesting proper high-water vehicles from the national guard to reach victims, Clendenin said. I cant say enough about [TEEXs] facilities as well as the cooperation that theyve entered into with the Office of Interprofessional Education and Research, she said. Not only do they provide the facilities, but they have people that are serving as technical professionals. We have some that are working in what is called a simulation cell. They are pretending to be different agencies or organizations that might have resources. So, our incident command post is supposed to call the National Guard [and] theyll call a number, and we have someone in the sim cell thats pretending to be the National Guard. Texas A&M Health began using the TEEX Disaster City two years ago, after having used the Central Baptist Church in Bryan for years, Clendenin said. Theyve really added to the reality of the situation, she said. They bring that kind of expertise in planning the event, developing things like what we call the master scenario event list and doing things in a very methodical way which improves our students ability to respond in the real world because now theyre going to know the same language. Clendenin, who has previously been deployed with the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team to the Bastrop Wildfires and other disasters, said Disaster Day is also an opportunity for partner organizations to practice their own skills. A lot of organizations like the state guard, the Salvation Army, or even H-E-B [their] grocery stores have a very well-developed emergency management department recognize that when they can help us and participate out here, they are getting to exercise their capacities as well, she said. A lot of them dont get to teach very often and so they get really infected with the enthusiasm of our students. Tyler Watson, a counseling psychology doctoral student at Texas A&M, was an incident commander for Disaster City 2024 and said his job was to facilitate coordination between the various aspects of the training program. We have field hospitals, we have shelters, we have triage teams, he said. Weve coordinated plans with them of how were going to collect victims, put them in the field hospitals and then also move them through our process through the shelter. So, when they have questions or they need more resources or we move resources, they communicate that up to me. One of the most valuable lessons Watson said he learned at Disaster Day was the importance of communication. I think when we were talking about this, it was a lot of Aggie core values, like how can you use leadership, how can you respect one another and things like that, he said. We have people from med students to nursing, to psychology, to pharmacy, all working in the same team. Theyre coming from different places, but how can we encourage them to share the same values? That allows for people from different perspectives and different disciplines to be able to work together well to provide the best patient care. Victor Wells, the assistant program director for the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF), was on-site at EMTFs mobile medical unit and said its newest treatment center could be set up in under two hours and be fully self-sufficient. We can set it up and have it operational in less than 90 minutes, he said. These were purchased by the Texas Division of Emergency Management at the beginning of COVID, they were purchased when all the hospitals were saying, We need additional hospital beds. Then COVID took a right turn, and they dont need hospital beds anymore, so they assigned them to me. EMTFs mobile medical units are made up of specialists who are all trained to be deployed on a moments notice anywhere throughout Texas, Wells said. Weve got these distributed around the state that we can rapidly mobilize with our care providers, which are nurses, doctors, paramedics, technicians and logistic specialists, he said. We dont have people that go build our stuff, we build our own stuff. That way if we right now have to bug out, we can drop this thing all of my team know how to drop it, pack it, move it take it somewhere else and set it back up. Starting March 4, people entering Helen Hall Library will need to present a library card, and people who live outside a designated area must pay $50 per year. Google Earth League City is now the only Houston-area city that will charge residents of neighboring towns to use its library, imposing a $50 per year fee for anyone who doesnt live in the city and county limits. As of Monday, people who want to enter the Helen Hall Library will need to present a valid library card, and people who live outside League City, Friendswood and Galveston County must pay an annual fee of $50 per household. The best way to understand the (resolution) is that the Helen Hall Library has become like a Costco, said Katherine Swanson, a spokesperson for the Galveston County Library Alliance, a citizens group formed in response to the librarys controversial book policy established in 2022. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to League City Mayor Nick Long, the changes are meant to offset overcrowding at the library and prioritize access for residents, who bear the financial burden of the upkeep of the library through taxes. The alternative would be to build a new library, which could cost the city $60-80 million and not is currently feasible due to other pressing concerns like flood mitigation, he said. According to Long, 35% of the librarys usage comes from non-residential patrons. Over a third of the people using the library do not pay for the library, he said. If we are making tough choices, what do we cut here? Do we build a new library and let peoples houses flood? The resolution, which was approved at a Jan. 9 council meeting in a 5-2 vote, includes the use of all the librarys rooms, programs, databases and other resource materials. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Long singles out Webster, in southern Harris County and just north of League City, as a city he said chooses not to fund its own library. They can spend their money how they like, I guess, but theyve decided to not fund their own library and to dump their citizens into ours instead, and so it is not fair for the citizens of League City to pay for the city of Websters decision to not fund those services, Long said. Micheal Muscarello, a spokesperson for the city of Webster, said the Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library, a Harris County library, is the assigned library for Webster residents to use for free services. Muscarello said the city would not comment specifically on Longs statements about Webster residents use of the Helen Hall Library. Long also said that he doesnt expect people to pay the annual fee, and expect the new rule to serve as a deterrent for non-residents who may use the library, thus easing overcrowding. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Swansons group has evolved beyond its interest in the book ban ordinance to challenge other policies they see as a hindrance to library access. She believes the new resolution is another way of restricting certain populations' access to library materials. It shows we only care about those within the League City limits, she said. This is not the purpose of a public library, this is not the community feeling that one gets from attending Helen Hall Library, and its not the role of public librarians to enforce who can or cannot use this public institution. This shows the apparent delusion on the part of council about what a public library is. According to a document presented at the Jan. 9 meeting to show that other cities have charged fees, League City is the only Houston area library that will charge non-residents of the county and city a fee. Other cities, like Houston, only require a fee for out-of-state residents. Long said the resolution is part of a chain of moves by the city to establish some equitability for League City taxpayers, such as increasing the fee for non-League City residents who use city parks. Swanson questions whether these moves will deter visitors, and said they go against the image of a welcoming city. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Amphitrite Digital (AMDI) plans to raise $7 million in an IPO on Wednesday, March 6th, IPO Scoop reports. The company plans to issue 1,800,000 shares at $3.50-$4.50 per share. In the last year, Amphitrite Digital generated $7.1 million in revenue and had a net loss of $5.7 million. The company has a market cap of $53.8 million. Kingswood Investments (Division of Kingswood Capital Partners) acted as the underwriter for the IPO. Amphitrite Digital provided the following description of their company for its IPO: We offer maritime tours and attractions in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the continental United States. 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We own 14 luxury catamarans and power boats in the USVI, 12 catamaran yachts and power boats in Panama City, Florida, and offer a variety of maritime tours on Lake Michigan from Chicago on the Tall Ship Windy, a 148-foot, traditional four-masted topsail schooner ship designated as the official Tall Ship Ambassador for the City of Chicago. We anticipate our acquisition of the Paradise Group of Companies (asPGCat) will be completed upon the consummation of this Offering. PGC currently manages and operates privately owned luxury yachts valued at over $55 million. PGC manages and operates 36 luxury yachts in the USVI and British Virgin Islands on behalf of yacht owners, including marketing weeklong, all-inclusive luxury yacht vacations, general yacht management and maintenance, term charter clearing agent services for an additional 12 yachts in the Virgin Islands, and yacht sales brokerage services. Our operating business units include: 1. Seas the Day Charters USVI and Magens Hideaway on St. Thomas, USVI, through our wholly owned subsidiary, STDC Holdings Incorporated (asSTDC Holdingsat), a USVI C-corporation, 2. Windy of Chicago, through our wholly owned subsidiary, Windy of Chicago Limited, a corporation formed in Illinois, and 3. Paradise Adventures Catamarans and Watersports in Panama City Beach, Florida, through our wholly owned subsidiary Paradise Adventures LLC, a Florida limited liability company. Additionally, upon the consummation of this Offering, it will include 4. The Paradise Group of Companies in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, through our anticipated acquisition of PGC. PGC consists of five entities which have common ownership and control. PGC includes Paradise Yacht Management, LLC, formed in July 2015, and its wholly owned subsidiary PYM (BVI) Ltd, formed in May 2022; Paradise Yacht Sales, LLC, formed in November 2019; CharterSmarter, LLC, formed in August 2020; and Paradise Yacht Clearing, LLC, formed in August 2021, (collectively referred to as asPGCat or asParadise Group of Companiesat). Upon our acquisition of PGC upon the closing of this Offering, PGC will become a wholly owned business unit. In the preceding 12 months ended Sept. 30, 2023, more than 77,000 guests have experienced one of our maritime tours or yacht charters. 5.24 million unique users visited our websites and social media sites to plan their activities. 98% of guest reviews of Amphitriteas business unit services are positive reviews; 3-star (average) to 5-star (exceptional) reviews. From July 30, 2019 through September 30, 2023 on a cumulative basis, our operating units have received more than 10,100 reviews on major consumer review sites; Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, and Facebook. Of those reviews on a 5-star scale, 95% were 5-star reviews, 2% were 4-star, 1% were 3-star and 2% were 2 or 1-star reviews. Note: Net loss and revenue are for the 12 months that ended Sept. 30, 2023. (Note: Amphitrite Digital Inc. cut the size of its IPO by 30 percent in an S-1/A filing dated Jan. 23, 2024: The IPO was reduced to 1.75 million shares down from 1.9 million shares originally and the price range was cut to $3.50 to $4.50 down from $4.25 to $6.25 to raise $7 million. In that same filing on Jan. 23, 2024, Amphitrite Digital changed its sole book-runner to Kingswood Investments replacing Maxim. This is an NYSE American Exchange listing.) (Background: Amphitrite Digital Inc. filed its S-1 on Nov. 7, 2023, and disclosed terms for its IPO: 1.9 million shares at a price range of $4.25 to $6.25 to raise $9.98 million. The company submitted confidential IPO documents to the SEC on June 16, 2023.) . Amphitrite Digital was founded in 2015 and has 51 employees. The company is located at 6501 Red Hook Plaza, Suite 201-465 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, U.S., 00802 and can be reached via phone at 1-340-642-3895 or on the web at https://www.amphitritedigital.com/. Receive News & Ratings for Amphitrite Digital Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amphitrite Digital and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ancora Advisors LLC trimmed its holdings in Lockheed Martin Co. (NYSE:LMT Free Report) by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,471 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 55 shares during the quarter. Ancora Advisors LLCs holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $1,011,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its holdings in Lockheed Martin by 73.0% in the third quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 64 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 27 shares during the last quarter. CGC Financial Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Lockheed Martin during the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. purchased a new position in shares of Lockheed Martin in the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Milestone Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Lockheed Martin in the third quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Providence Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Lockheed Martin in the third quarter worth about $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.26% of the companys stock. Get Lockheed Martin alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on shares of Lockheed Martin from $438.00 to $472.00 in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of Lockheed Martin from $488.00 to $475.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on shares of Lockheed Martin from $513.00 to $503.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. Citigroup reduced their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $540.00 to $508.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, Susquehanna decreased their target price on Lockheed Martin from $550.00 to $540.00 and set a positive rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Lockheed Martin presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $491.92. Lockheed Martin Stock Down 0.4 % NYSE LMT opened at $426.43 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $439.73 and a 200-day moving average price of $439.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.53, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.21. The company has a market capitalization of $103.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.48, a P/E/G ratio of 3.91 and a beta of 0.48. Lockheed Martin Co. has a one year low of $393.77 and a one year high of $508.10. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 23rd. The aerospace company reported $7.90 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $7.26 by $0.64. Lockheed Martin had a net margin of 10.24% and a return on equity of 79.91%. The company had revenue of $18.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $7.79 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down .6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Lockheed Martin Co. will post 26.19 EPS for the current fiscal year. Lockheed Martin Dividend Announcement 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 paid a $3.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $12.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.95%. Lockheed Martins payout ratio is 45.74%. About Lockheed Martin (Free Report) Lockheed Martin Corporation, a security and aerospace company, engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of technology systems, products, and services worldwide. The company operates through Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, and Space segments. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LMT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Lockheed Martin Co. (NYSE:LMT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Lockheed Martin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lockheed Martin and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ancora Advisors LLC lowered its position in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (BATS:QUAL Free Report) by 7.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 11,444 shares of the companys stock after selling 965 shares during the period. Ancora Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF were worth $1,508,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of QUAL. Frank Rimerman Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF during the second quarter worth about $209,000. Western Wealth Management LLC increased its position in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 6.8% during the 3rd quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 34,205 shares of the companys stock worth $4,508,000 after purchasing an additional 2,163 shares in the last quarter. IPG Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 21.7% in the 2nd quarter. IPG Investment Advisors LLC now owns 77,533 shares of the companys stock valued at $10,457,000 after buying an additional 13,831 shares during the period. Horizon Investments LLC lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 28.4% in the 2nd quarter. Horizon Investments LLC now owns 2,307,722 shares of the companys stock valued at $311,242,000 after purchasing an additional 511,077 shares in the last quarter. Finally, US Bancorp DE lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 22.9% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 480,752 shares of the companys stock valued at $63,358,000 after purchasing an additional 89,648 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Stock Up 1.3 % Shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF stock opened at $162.38 on Friday. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF has a fifty-two week low of $71.96 and a fifty-two week high of $88.63. The firm has a market cap of $36.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.30 and a beta of 1.03. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $152.40 and a 200-day simple moving average of $142.49. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Company Profile The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality index. The fund tracks an index of US large- and mid-cap stocks, selected and weighted by high ROE, stable earnings growth and low debt\u002Fequity, relative to peers in each sector. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Nova Scotia lifted its holdings in shares of Amcor plc (NYSE:AMCR Free Report) by 354.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 689,502 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 537,939 shares during the period. Bank of Nova Scotias holdings in Amcor were worth $6,316,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd bought a new stake in Amcor in the 3rd quarter valued at about $307,000. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina raised its stake in Amcor by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 650,121 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,955,000 after acquiring an additional 3,300 shares during the period. Trexquant Investment LP raised its stake in Amcor by 418.5% in the 3rd quarter. Trexquant Investment LP now owns 574,717 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,264,000 after acquiring an additional 463,871 shares during the period. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. raised its stake in Amcor by 39.5% in the 3rd quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. now owns 23,573 shares of the companys stock valued at $216,000 after acquiring an additional 6,678 shares during the period. Finally, O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Amcor by 138.5% in the 3rd quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 42,235 shares of the companys stock valued at $387,000 after acquiring an additional 24,528 shares during the period. 49.52% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Amcor alerts: Amcor Trading Up 0.3 % Shares of AMCR opened at $9.09 on Friday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $9.40 and its 200-day moving average price is $9.29. Amcor plc has a twelve month low of $8.45 and a twelve month high of $11.39. The stock has a market cap of $13.14 billion, a PE ratio of 20.66, a P/E/G ratio of 9.75 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74. Amcor Announces Dividend Amcor ( NYSE:AMCR Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.15 by $0.01. Amcor had a return on equity of 24.28% and a net margin of 4.59%. The firm had revenue of $3.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.29 billion. On average, equities analysts forecast that Amcor plc will post 0.68 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $0.125 per share. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.50%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 27th. Amcors dividend payout ratio is presently 113.64%. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Truist Financial lowered their price objective on Amcor from $11.00 to $10.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $10.40. View Our Latest Research Report on AMCR Amcor Company Profile (Free Report) Amcor plc develops, produces, and sells packaging products in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions. The company operates through two segments, Flexibles and Rigid Packaging. The Flexibles segment provides flexible and film packaging products in the food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical, fresh produce, snack food, personal care, and other industries. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AMCR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Amcor plc (NYSE:AMCR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Amcor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amcor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Nova Scotia increased its holdings in shares of State Street Co. (NYSE:STT Free Report) by 8.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 110,659 shares of the asset managers stock after purchasing an additional 8,322 shares during the period. Bank of Nova Scotias holdings in State Street were worth $7,410,000 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 STT. State of Wyoming lifted its holdings in State Street by 51.3% in the 2nd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 619 shares of the asset managers stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 210 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in State Street by 69.2% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 572 shares of the asset managers stock worth $50,000 after buying an additional 234 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc lifted its holdings in State Street by 24.9% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 733 shares of the asset managers stock worth $54,000 after buying an additional 146 shares in the last quarter. Savior LLC lifted its holdings in State Street by 90.4% in the 3rd quarter. Savior LLC now owns 857 shares of the asset managers stock worth $57,000 after buying an additional 407 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new position in State Street in the 1st quarter worth $70,000. 89.62% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get State Street alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, EVP Anthony Bisegna sold 2,606 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total value of $190,238.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 17,737 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,294,801. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.25% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. State Street Trading Up 0.2 % State Street stock opened at $73.85 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $74.72 and a 200-day simple moving average of $71.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.55 and a quick ratio of 0.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $22.30 billion, a PE ratio of 13.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.52. State Street Co. has a 12-month low of $62.78 and a 12-month high of $91.15. State Street (NYSE:STT Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 19th. The asset manager reported $2.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.83 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $3.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.95 billion. State Street had a net margin of 10.59% and a return on equity of 11.86%. The businesss revenue was down 3.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.07 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that State Street Co. will post 7.87 EPS for the current fiscal year. State Street Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 11th. Investors of record on Monday, April 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.69 per share. This represents a $2.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.74%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 28th. State Streets payout ratio is 50.27%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their target price on shares of State Street from $89.00 to $86.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company restated an overweight rating and issued a $83.00 target price on shares of State Street in a research note on Wednesday, December 6th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of State Street from $87.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of State Street from $70.00 to $82.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on shares of State Street from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $81.83. Get Our Latest Report on STT State Street Profile (Free Report) State Street Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of financial products and services to institutional investors worldwide. The company offers investment servicing products and services, including custody, accounting, regulatory reporting, investor, and performance and analytics; middle office products, such as IBOR, transaction management, loans, cash, derivatives and collateral, record keeping, and client reporting and investment analytics; finance leasing; foreign exchange, and brokerage and other trading services; securities finance and enhanced custody products; deposit and short-term investment facilities; investment manager and alternative investment manager operations outsourcing; performance, risk, and compliance analytics; and financial data management to support institutional investors. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding STT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for State Street Co. (NYSE:STT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for State Street Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for State Street and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Becker Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Brookfield Renewable Co. (NYSE:BEPC Free Report) by 30.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 185,986 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 43,862 shares during the period. Becker Capital Management Inc. owned approximately 0.10% of Brookfield Renewable worth $4,453,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BEPC. PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in Brookfield Renewable during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc bought a new stake in shares of Brookfield Renewable in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Federated Hermes Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Brookfield Renewable in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO bought a new stake in shares of Brookfield Renewable in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Finally, Chilton Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Brookfield Renewable in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $51,000. 66.15% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Brookfield Renewable alerts: Brookfield Renewable Stock Up 2.8 % NYSE:BEPC opened at $24.39 on Friday. Brookfield Renewable Co. has a 1 year low of $21.77 and a 1 year high of $36.16. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $27.33 and a 200-day simple moving average of $26.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94. Brookfield Renewable Increases Dividend Brookfield Renewable ( NYSE:BEPC Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The company reported $0.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.14) by $0.15. The business had revenue of $1.32 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.21 billion. Brookfield Renewable had a return on equity of 3.67% and a net margin of 12.23%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Brookfield Renewable Co. will post -1.11 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be issued a $0.355 dividend. This represents a $1.42 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.82%. This is an increase from Brookfield Renewables previous quarterly dividend of $0.34. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th. Brookfield Renewables dividend payout ratio is presently -443.75%. Brookfield Renewable Profile (Free Report) Brookfield Renewable Corporation owns and operates a portfolio of renewable power and sustainable solution assets primarily in the United States, Europe, Colombia, and Brazil. It operates hydroelectric, wind, and solar power plants with an installed capacity of approximately 12,857 megawatts. The company was incorporated in 2019 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Renewable Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield Renewable and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR Free Report) by 20.2% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 1,487 shares of the business services providers stock after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc.s holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions were worth $266,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Money Concepts Capital Corp grew its stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 400.0% during 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 in the last quarter. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. First Command Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.36% of the companys stock. Get Broadridge Financial Solutions alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have recently commented on BR shares. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $212.00 to $239.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Raymond James lifted their target price on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $205.00 to $214.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. StockNews.com upgraded Broadridge Financial Solutions from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Evercore ISI lifted their target price on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $226.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price target 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. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Broadridge Financial Solutions has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $203.17. Insider Activity In other news, VP Laura Matlin sold 4,090 shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions stock in a transaction on 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, VP Laura Matlin sold 4,090 shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the vice president now directly owns 6,481 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,228,084.69. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, President Christopher John Perry sold 6,643 shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $200.17, for a total value of $1,329,729.31. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 59,282 shares in the company, valued at $11,866,477.94. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 53,977 shares of company stock worth $10,770,801. 1.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Broadridge Financial Solutions Stock Up 0.1 % Shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions stock opened at $203.72 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $201.33 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $189.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.77, a current ratio of 1.40 and a quick ratio of 1.40. The company has a market capitalization of $23.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.49 and a beta of 1.00. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has a 1-year low of $133.97 and a 1-year high of $210.24. Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The business services provider reported $0.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.89 by $0.03. Broadridge Financial Solutions had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 10.82%. The firm had revenue of $1.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.40 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.91 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. will post 7.72 EPS for the current year. Broadridge Financial Solutions Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $0.80 per share. This represents a $3.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.57%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Broadridge Financial Solutionss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Broadridge Financial Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Broadridge Financial Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec reduced its position in Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NU Free Report) by 6.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,733,557 shares of the companys stock after selling 200,000 shares during the period. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec owned about 0.06% of NU worth $19,818,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Huntington National Bank increased its stake in NU by 1,232.5% in the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 4,144 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 3,833 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in NU by 37.0% in the 2nd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 6,081 shares of the companys stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 1,641 shares in the last quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co purchased a new position in NU during the third quarter worth $49,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its position in NU by 234.3% during the third quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 7,593 shares of the companys stock worth $55,000 after buying an additional 5,322 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Prudential Financial Inc. purchased a new position in NU during the first quarter worth $48,000. 53.73% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get NU alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In NU has been the subject of several recent research reports. Susquehanna raised their price target on NU from $11.00 to $12.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. TheStreet downgraded NU from a b- rating to a c rating in a research report on Friday, January 12th. Finally, UBS Group raised their price target on NU from $10.50 to $11.50 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $9.67. NU Price Performance NU stock opened at $11.27 on Friday. Nu Holdings Ltd. has a 52-week low of $4.13 and a 52-week high of $11.33. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $9.40 and its 200-day simple moving average is $8.31. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $52.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 1.07. NU (NYSE:NU Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 22nd. The company reported $0.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.09 by ($0.01). NU had a return on equity of 20.02% and a net margin of 12.84%. The business had revenue of $2.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.39 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.03 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Nu Holdings Ltd. will post 0.41 EPS for the current year. About NU (Free Report) Nu Holdings Ltd. provides digital banking platform and digital financial services in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and internationally. It offers Nu credit and debit cards; Ultraviolet credit and debit cards; and mobile payment solutions for NuAccount customers to make and receive transfers, pay bills, and make everyday purchases through their mobile phones. See Also Receive News & Ratings for NU Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NU and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec increased its holdings in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE Free Report) by 13.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,061,247 shares of the technology companys stock after buying an additional 244,005 shares during the quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec owned about 0.16% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise worth $35,804,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in HPE. Marshall Wace LLP raised its holdings in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 1,591.9% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 4,939,064 shares of the technology companys stock worth $82,976,000 after purchasing an additional 4,647,141 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 3.1% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 135,598,978 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $2,278,063,000 after purchasing an additional 4,124,642 shares in the last quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System raised its position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 110.0% in the 2nd quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 7,551,246 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $126,861,000 after purchasing an additional 3,954,621 shares in the last quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP raised its position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 302.9% during the 1st quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 4,865,700 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $77,511,000 after acquiring an additional 3,658,100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hawk Ridge Capital Management LP raised its position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 152.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hawk Ridge Capital Management LP now owns 5,979,631 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $100,458,000 after acquiring an additional 3,610,364 shares in the last quarter. 81.15% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Hewlett Packard Enterprise alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on HPE shares. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $20.00 to $18.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Barclays dropped their price target on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $15.00 to $14.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Wells Fargo & Company restated an equal weight rating and set a $17.00 price objective (down from $21.00) on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in a research note on Friday. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein downgraded Hewlett Packard Enterprise from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $20.00 to $17.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $17.25. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Trading Up 2.2 % Shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise stock opened at $15.56 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The firm has a market cap of $20.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 1.19. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $15.79 and a 200-day simple moving average of $16.30. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has a fifty-two week low of $13.65 and a fifty-two week high of $18.14. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 29th. The technology company reported $0.48 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.45 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.09 billion. Hewlett Packard Enterprise had a return on equity of 9.20% and a net margin of 6.81%. The companys revenue was down 13.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.38 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Hewlett Packard Enterprise will post 1.6 EPS for the current fiscal year. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.13 per share. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.34%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Hewlett Packard Enterprises dividend payout ratio is 35.86%. Insider Activity In other news, EVP John F. Schultz sold 209,748 shares of the companys 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 completion of the sale, 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 document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CFO Jeremy Cox sold 4,887 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.37, for a total value of $80,000.19. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 29,934 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $490,019.58. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP John F. Schultz sold 209,748 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.40, for a total value of $3,439,867.20. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 278,118 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,561,135.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 303,575 shares of company stock valued at $4,989,141 over the last three months. Insiders own 0.40% of the companys stock. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company Profile (Free Report) Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company provides solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. It operates in six segments: Compute, HPC & AI, Storage, Intelligent Edge, Financial Services, and Corporate Investments and Other. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Hewlett Packard Enterprise Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hewlett Packard Enterprise and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec grew its position in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG Free Report) by 11.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 150,529 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 15,262 shares during the quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebecs holdings in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. were worth $34,310,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Wintrust Investments LLC increased its position in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 4.7% during the 2nd quarter. Wintrust Investments LLC now owns 1,568 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $344,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,325 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $302,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. Guinness Atkinson Asset Management Inc increased its position in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 7.4% during the 3rd quarter. Guinness Atkinson Asset Management Inc now owns 3,913 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $892,000 after purchasing an additional 268 shares during the last quarter. Comerica Bank bought a new position in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $511,910,000. Finally, State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 8,940,318 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,963,026,000 after purchasing an additional 262,187 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.15% of the companys stock. Get Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. alerts: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Price Performance Shares of AJG stock opened at $243.64 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $52.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.87, a P/E/G ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.68. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has a twelve month low of $174.45 and a twelve month high of $254.00. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $234.41 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $234.58. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Increases Dividend Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. ( NYSE:AJG Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $1.85 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.83 by $0.02. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. had a return on equity of 18.49% and a net margin of 9.63%. The company had revenue of $2.39 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.40 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.54 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. will post 10.07 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 1st will be given a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.99%. This is an increase from Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.s previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 54.05%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their target price on Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from $249.00 to $246.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $270.00 price objective on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in a report on Friday, January 26th. TD Cowen started coverage on Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. They set a market perform rating and a $249.00 price objective for the company. Jefferies Financial Group cut Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from a buy rating to a hold rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $279.00 to $233.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Raymond James cut Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from a strong-buy rating to a market perform rating in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $255.62. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on AJG Insider Activity at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. In related news, Director David S. Johnson sold 500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $234.04, for a total transaction of $117,020.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 45,038 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,540,693.52. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. news, Director David S. Johnson sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $234.04, for a total value of $117,020.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 45,038 shares in the company, valued at $10,540,693.52. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, VP Thomas Joseph Gallagher sold 12,309 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $237.65, for a total value of $2,925,233.85. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 322,797 shares of the companys stock, valued at $76,712,707.05. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 27,809 shares of company stock valued at $6,441,104 over the last quarter. 1.60% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. About Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Free Report) Arthur J. Gallagher & Co, together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance and reinsurance brokerage, consulting, and third-party property/casualty claims settlement and administration services to entities and individuals worldwide. It operates in Brokerage and Risk Management segments. The Brokerage segment offers retail and wholesale insurance and reinsurance brokerage services; assists retail brokers and other non-affiliated brokers in the placement of specialized and hard-to-place insurance; and acts as a brokerage wholesaler, managing general agent, and managing general underwriter for distributing specialized insurance coverages to underwriting enterprises. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AJG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dragon Bowl C, a new noodle bar in downtown Conroe, is seen, Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The restaurant is located between The Corner Pub and Shepherd's Barbeshop on Simonton Street. San Cheng and his family also owns Taste the Asian food truck which is at The Table at Madeley. Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Dragon Bowl C, a noodle bar in downtown Conroe, is seen, Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The restaurant is located between The Corner Pub and Shepherd's Barbeshop on Simonton Street. San Cheng and his family also owns Taste the Asian food truck which is at The Table at Madeley. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Dragon Bowl C, a new noodle bar in downtown Conroe, is seen, Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The restaurant is located between The Corner Pub and Shepherd's Barbeshop on Simonton Street. San Cheng and his family also owns Taste the Asian food truck which is at The Table at Madeley. Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Kelly Cheng, co-owner of Dragon Bowl C, serves customers, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, in Conroe. The restaurant is located between The Corner Pub and Shepherd's Barbeshop on Simonton Street. San Cheng and his family also owns Taste the Asian food truck which is at The Table at Madeley. Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Fans at the premiere party for the Netflix live adaptation of 'One Piece,' Aug. 30, 2023 at The Anime Bar in Sugar Land. Joey Guerra Restaurants, bars and stores have popped up across the Houston area, hoping to attract customers who love anime and cosplay. But, even if you know nothing about anime, it's still fun to pay a visit. Check out these anime-related businesses in the Houston suburbs from Conroe to Sugar Land. Dragon Bowl C A dish of go-go noodles with shrimp tempura is seen at Dragon Bowl C, a noodle bar in downtown Conroe, Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The restaurant is located between The Corner Pub and Shepherd's Barbeshop on Simonton Street. San Cheng and his family also owns Taste the Asian food truck which is at The Table at Madeley. Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer This Conroe noodle bar was inspired by Japanese anime television series "Dragon Ball Z" with pho, egg rolls and stir fry noodles. The restaurant offers vegeterian options along with a kids' menu and outdoor seating. The restaurant doesn't take reservations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Address: 118 Simonton Street, Conroe Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, closed on Monday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 11-12 a.m. Thursday to Saturday The Anime Bar Bartender and fans at the premiere party for the Netflix live adaptation of 'One Piece,' Aug. 30, 2023 at The Anime Bar in Sugar Land. Joey Guerra The Anime Bar is a cocktail lounge that hosts watch parties, trivia nights, karaoke and car meets for anyone 18 years old and up. The cocktail bar creates drinks based on anime shows and characters. Address: 11773 S Texas 6, Sugar Land Hours: Closed on Monday and Tuesday, 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Sunday Advertisement Article continues below this ad Culture Shock From English and Japanese Pokemon cards to Funko Pop anime characters, Culture Shock located in Baybrook Mall allows customers to pre-order cards and figurines. The retailer also has locations in La Porte and First Colony Mall in Sugar Land. Address: 500 Baybrook Mall, Friendswood; 8610 Spencer Highway, La Porte; 16535 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land Hours: Friendswood: 12-6 p.m. on Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday La Porte: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday Sugar Land: 12-6 p.m. on Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and SaturdayMicroplay PEARLAND INSIDER: Stay updated on important stories and news to know around Pearland Advertisement Article continues below this ad G.M. Anime G.M. Anime offers figures, skateboard decks, decals, apparel and license plate frames inspired by Tokyo Ghoul, Hisoka and more for anime lovers. The shop is located in Tanger Outlet in Texas City. Address: 5885 Gulf Freeway, Texas City Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday Little Anime Customers who visit this shop can expect to find apparel, LED lights, jewelry and other accessories at Little Anime in Highlands. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Caxton Associates LP purchased a new stake in shares of Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. (NYSE:TPH Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 15,595 shares of the construction companys stock, valued at approximately $427,000. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Tri Pointe Homes by 2.8% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,230,217 shares of the construction companys stock worth $245,584,000 after acquiring an additional 329,990 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of Tri Pointe Homes by 0.4% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 4,796,047 shares of the construction companys stock worth $80,909,000 after acquiring an additional 16,907 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Tri Pointe Homes by 6.6% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,047,722 shares of the construction companys stock worth $67,288,000 after acquiring an additional 126,911 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its stake in shares of Tri Pointe Homes by 1,387.8% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,906,274 shares of the construction companys stock worth $48,267,000 after acquiring an additional 1,778,149 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in shares of Tri Pointe Homes by 11.4% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,246,272 shares of the construction companys stock worth $31,555,000 after acquiring an additional 127,571 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.59% of the companys stock. Get Tri Pointe Homes alerts: Tri Pointe Homes Stock Up 0.7 % TPH stock opened at $35.64 on Friday. 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 firm has a market cap of $3.40 billion, a PE ratio of 10.33, a P/E/G ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 1.53. Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. has a one year low of $23.00 and a one year high of $36.43. The firms fifty day moving average is $34.95 and its 200 day moving average is $31.01. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades 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 business 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 was down 17.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.98 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. will post 3.64 EPS for the current year. A number of analysts have recently weighed in on TPH shares. 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. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of 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, Wedbush restated a neutral rating and set a $32.00 price target on shares of Tri Pointe Homes in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $38.20. Read 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. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Tri Pointe Homes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tri Pointe Homes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (NYSE:ARI Get Free Report) and LSL Property Services (OTCMKTS:LSLPF Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, earnings, institutional ownership, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations and risk. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and LSL Property Services, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Get Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance 0 4 0 0 2.00 LSL Property Services 0 0 0 0 N/A Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance presently has a consensus target price of $10.33, indicating a potential downside of 8.39%. Given Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finances higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance is more favorable than LSL Property Services. Profitability Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance 16.87% 6.51% 1.57% LSL Property Services N/A N/A N/A Volatility and Risk This table compares Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and LSL Property Services net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance has a beta of 1.68, indicating that its share price is 68% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, LSL Property Services has a beta of 1, indicating that its share price has a similar volatility profile to the S&P 500. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and LSL Property Services gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance $344.59 million 4.65 $58.13 million $0.30 37.60 LSL Property Services N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance has higher revenue and earnings than LSL Property Services. Insider and Institutional Ownership 53.7% of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance shares are held by institutional investors. 0.6% of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Summary Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance beats LSL Property Services on 8 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks. About Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (Get Free Report) Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) that originates, acquires, invests in, and manages commercial first mortgage loans, subordinate financings, and other commercial real estate-related debt investments in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. It is qualified as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code. As a REIT, it would not be subject to federal income taxes, if the company distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its stockholders. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. was incorporated in 2009 and is based in New York, New York. About LSL Property Services (Get Free Report) LSL Property Services plc provides services to mortgage intermediaries, specialist mortgage and insurance advice to estate agency customers, and valuation services to mortgage lenders in the United Kingdom. It operates through three segments: Financial Services, Surveying and Valuation Services, and Estate Agency. The company offers valuations and professional surveying services of residential properties to various lenders and individual customers. It is also involved in the sale and letting of residential properties; data services to lenders; operation of a network of high street branches; and provision of repossession and asset management services, as well as arranges conveyancing services. In addition, the company offers property management and software development; financial services; asset management; and chartered surveyors services. LSL Property Services plc was incorporated in 2004 and is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, the United Kingdom. Receive News & Ratings for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec reduced its position in shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR Free Report) by 16.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 127,534 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 24,928 shares during the period. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebecs holdings in Danaher were worth $31,641,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of DHR. Fairfield Bush & CO. boosted its stake in Danaher by 10.9% during the first quarter. Fairfield Bush & CO. now owns 4,840 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $1,420,000 after buying an additional 475 shares during the period. Zions Bancorporation N.A. boosted its stake in Danaher by 19.3% during the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 2,468 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $724,000 after buying an additional 400 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd boosted its stake in Danaher by 76.8% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 495 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $145,000 after buying an additional 215 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Danaher by 14.1% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 31,530 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $9,248,000 after buying an additional 3,897 shares during the period. Finally, Bridgewater Associates LP boosted its stake in Danaher by 135.9% during the first quarter. Bridgewater Associates LP now owns 35,270 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $10,346,000 after buying an additional 20,320 shares during the period. 76.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Danaher alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have weighed in on DHR shares. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered shares of Danaher from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $215.00 to $205.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. Barclays lowered shares of Danaher from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $240.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. HSBC assumed coverage on shares of Danaher in a research note on Monday, December 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Danaher from $254.00 to $282.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, TheStreet raised shares of Danaher from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $266.00. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, SVP Daniel Raskas sold 23,757 shares of Danaher stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $5,986,764.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 38,102 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,601,704. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, SVP Daniel Raskas sold 23,757 shares of Danaher stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $5,986,764.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 38,102 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,601,704. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Georgeann Couchara sold 2,622 shares of Danaher stock in a transaction on 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 directly owns 4,244 shares in the company, valued at $1,029,891.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 32,957 shares of company stock valued at $8,265,802. 11.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Danaher Stock Up 1.1 % DHR stock opened at $255.93 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. Danaher Co. has a twelve month low of $182.09 and a twelve month high of $257.09. The companys 50 day moving average is $239.13 and its two-hundred day moving average is $231.27. The stock has a market cap of $189.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.05, a PEG ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.84. Danaher (NYSE:DHR Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data 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. Danaher had a net margin of 17.26% and a return on equity of 12.25%. The company had revenue of $6.41 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.10 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.87 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Danaher Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.42%. This is a boost from Danahers previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. Danahers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 16.90%. Danaher Company Profile (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. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Danaher Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Danaher and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its position in Hess Co. (NYSE:HES Free Report) by 27.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 11,043 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after purchasing an additional 2,391 shares during the quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRCs holdings in Hess were worth $1,690,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of HES. Raymond James Trust N.A. bought a new stake in Hess in the 1st quarter valued at about $446,000. Blair William & Co. IL lifted its position in Hess by 17.1% in the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 4,276 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $458,000 after purchasing an additional 625 shares during the last quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH lifted its position in Hess by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 114,120 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $12,216,000 after purchasing an additional 4,027 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers bought a new stake in Hess in the 1st quarter valued at about $410,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Hess by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 30,928,530 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $3,310,590,000 after purchasing an additional 667,979 shares during the last quarter. 81.72% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Hess alerts: Insider Transactions at Hess In other news, COO Gregory P. Hill sold 56,925 shares of Hess stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.35, for a total value of $8,330,973.75. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 78,287 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,457,302.45. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO John B. Hess sold 73,885 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $145.87, for a total transaction of $10,777,604.95. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 138,718 shares of the companys stock, valued at $20,234,794.66. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, COO Gregory P. Hill sold 56,925 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.35, for a total transaction of $8,330,973.75. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 78,287 shares in the company, valued at $11,457,302.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 9.93% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages recently weighed in on HES. Mizuho lifted their price objective on shares of Hess from $170.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, February 26th. UBS Group dropped their price target on shares of Hess from $210.00 to $195.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Susquehanna dropped their price target on shares of Hess from $160.00 to $152.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 26th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Hess in a research report on Thursday. They set a sell rating on the stock. Finally, Argus upgraded shares of Hess from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $171.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $174.29. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on HES Hess Stock Performance Shares of HES opened at $148.19 on Friday. The firms 50 day moving average is $144.06 and its 200-day moving average is $147.87. The stock has a market capitalization of $45.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.93 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 1.20. Hess Co. has a 12-month low of $113.82 and a 12-month high of $167.75. Hess (NYSE:HES Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The oil and gas producer reported $1.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.43 by $0.20. The company had revenue of $3.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.76 billion. Hess had a net margin of 12.98% and a return on equity of 17.00%. The businesss revenue was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.78 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Hess Co. will post 8.01 EPS for the current fiscal year. Hess Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 29th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 18th were given a $0.4375 dividend. This represents a $1.75 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.18%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 15th. Hesss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 38.89%. Hess Profile (Free Report) Hess Corporation, an exploration and production company, explores, develops, produces, purchases, transports, and sells crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and natural gas. The company operates in two segments, Exploration and Production, and Midstream. It conducts production operations primarily in the United States, Guyana, the Malaysia/Thailand Joint Development Area, and Malaysia; and exploration activities principally offshore Guyana, the U.S. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HES? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Hess Co. (NYSE:HES Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Hess Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hess and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC raised its position in shares of Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Free Report) by 4.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 10,704 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 472 shares during the period. Insigneo Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Duke Energy were worth $945,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC raised its position in Duke Energy by 28.6% during the third quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 4,023 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $355,000 after purchasing an additional 894 shares in the last quarter. Adviser Investments LLC acquired a new position in Duke Energy during the third quarter valued at approximately $304,000. Guggenheim Capital LLC raised its position in Duke Energy by 13.1% during the second quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 191,379 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $17,174,000 after purchasing an additional 22,100 shares in the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp increased its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 1.9% during the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 7,918,910 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $698,923,000 after buying an additional 144,612 shares in the last quarter. Finally, HHM Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 10.0% during the third quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,397 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $212,000 after buying an additional 217 shares in the last quarter. 63.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Duke Energy alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently issued reports on DUK. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $101.00 to $100.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Duke Energy from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Evercore ISI upgraded Duke Energy from an in-line rating to an outperform rating and increased their price objective for the company from $90.00 to $108.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Bank of America downgraded Duke Energy from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $105.00 to $96.00 in a report on Monday, February 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Duke Energy from $98.00 to $101.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $100.00. Duke Energy Stock Performance NYSE DUK opened at $90.89 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $70.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.60, a P/E/G ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a fifty day moving average of $95.14 and a 200-day moving average of $92.26. Duke Energy Co. has a 52-week low of $83.06 and a 52-week high of $100.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a current ratio of 0.74. Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The utilities provider reported $1.51 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.53 by ($0.02). Duke Energy had a return on equity of 8.93% and a net margin of 9.78%. The business had revenue of $7.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.24 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.11 EPS. Duke Energys revenue for the quarter was down 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.98 EPS for the current fiscal year. Duke Energy Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 16th will be paid a dividend of $1.025 per share. This represents a $4.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.51%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 15th. Duke Energys payout ratio is 115.49%. Insider Activity In other news, EVP Louis E. Renjel sold 3,000 shares of Duke Energy 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 approximately $1,315,697.41. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the companys stock. 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. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DUK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Duke Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Duke Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB Free Report) had its price target lowered by Cormark from C$28.00 to C$26.00 in a research report released on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. Cormark also issued estimates for Laurentian Bank of Canadas FY2024 earnings at $3.86 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $4.17 EPS. LB has been the subject of a number of other reports. National Bankshares raised their price target on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$26.00 to C$28.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. Desjardins cut shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from a hold rating to a sell rating and reduced their price target for the stock from C$27.00 to C$26.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price target on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$33.00 to C$28.09 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, November 23rd. Raymond James reduced their price target on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$32.00 to C$27.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Friday. Finally, CIBC raised their price target on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$32.00 to C$33.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$28.70. Get Laurentian Bank of Canada alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on LB Laurentian Bank of Canada Stock Up 2.4 % LB opened at C$27.00 on Friday. Laurentian Bank of Canada has a twelve month low of C$24.92 and a twelve month high of C$48.23. The company has a fifty day moving average of C$26.81 and a 200-day moving average of C$28.73. The stock has a market cap of C$1.18 billion, a PE ratio of 6.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.25. Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 7th. The company reported C$1.00 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of C$1.13 by C($0.13). The firm had revenue of C$247.45 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$261.30 million. Laurentian Bank of Canada had a return on equity of 6.42% and a net margin of 18.79%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Laurentian Bank of Canada will post 4.2805071 EPS for the current fiscal year. Laurentian Bank of Canada Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 1st. Investors of record on Monday, April 1st will be given a dividend of $0.47 per share. This represents a $1.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.96%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 28th. Laurentian Bank of Canadas payout ratio is currently 48.33%. About Laurentian Bank of Canada (Get Free Report) Laurentian Bank of Canada, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial services to personal, business, and institutional customers in Canada and the United States. It operates through three segments: Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, and Capital Markets. The Personal Banking segment offers financial services, such as financial advisory services to financial intermediaries; and operates digital direct-to-customer platform to retail clients. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Laurentian Bank of Canada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Laurentian Bank of Canada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lazard Asset Management LLC reduced its stake in shares of Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI Free Report) by 12.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 267,769 shares of the communications equipment providers stock after selling 37,026 shares during the quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC owned about 0.16% of Motorola Solutions worth $72,895,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton boosted its stake in Motorola Solutions by 15.1% during the third quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 275 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $75,000 after buying an additional 36 shares during the period. AdvisorNet Financial Inc boosted its stake in Motorola Solutions by 9.4% during the third quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 444 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $121,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in Motorola Solutions by 3.0% during the third quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 1,301 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $354,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the period. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Motorola Solutions by 4.7% during the third quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 887 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $241,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Motorola Solutions by 2.0% during the third quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,047 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $557,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. 82.37% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Motorola Solutions alerts: Motorola Solutions Stock Performance MSI stock opened at $335.56 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $55.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.79, a PEG ratio of 3.06 and a beta of 0.90. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $321.36 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $303.73. Motorola Solutions, Inc. has a one year low of $255.85 and a one year high of $335.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.37, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 1.00. Motorola Solutions Dividend Announcement Motorola Solutions ( NYSE:MSI Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The communications equipment provider reported $3.90 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.63 by $0.27. Motorola Solutions had a net margin of 17.12% and a return on equity of 441.65%. The business had revenue of $2.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.82 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.38 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Motorola Solutions, Inc. will post 11.72 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.17%. Motorola Solutionss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 39.48%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have recently weighed in on MSI. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on Motorola Solutions in a research report on Friday, January 19th. They set a buy rating and a $350.00 target price for the company. StockNews.com upgraded Motorola Solutions from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Motorola Solutions from $333.00 to $352.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Finally, William Blair restated an outperform rating on shares of Motorola Solutions in a report on Friday, February 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Motorola Solutions presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $328.29. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on MSI Motorola Solutions Profile (Free Report) Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Motorola Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Motorola Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. United Services Automobile Association grew its position in Manulife Financial Co. (NYSE:MFC Free Report) (TSE:MFC) by 12.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 53,810 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 6,164 shares during the period. United Services Automobile Associations holdings in Manulife Financial were worth $983,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Advisory Services Network LLC increased its holdings in Manulife Financial by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 21,796 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $400,000 after purchasing an additional 543 shares during the last quarter. Advisor Partners II LLC increased its holdings in shares of Manulife Financial by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter. Advisor Partners II LLC now owns 32,217 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $589,000 after acquiring an additional 610 shares during the last quarter. Brinker Capital Investments LLC increased its holdings in shares of Manulife Financial by 5.3% in the 1st quarter. Brinker Capital Investments LLC now owns 12,449 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $266,000 after acquiring an additional 624 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its holdings in shares of Manulife Financial by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 30,485 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $560,000 after acquiring an additional 649 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Clearstead Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Manulife Financial by 35.6% in the 3rd quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 2,535 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 665 shares during the last quarter. 45.02% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Manulife Financial alerts: Manulife Financial Stock Up 0.6 % Shares of Manulife Financial stock opened at $23.88 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $43.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.08. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $22.43 and a 200-day simple moving average of $20.09. Manulife Financial Co. has a fifty-two week low of $17.07 and a fifty-two week high of $24.89. Manulife Financial Increases Dividend Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be issued a $0.298 dividend. This is a positive change from Manulife Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.26. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 27th. This represents a $1.19 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.99%. Manulife Financials dividend payout ratio is 61.66%. A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on MFC. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on Manulife Financial in a report on Thursday, February 22nd. They issued a buy rating for the company. BMO Capital Markets upgraded Manulife Financial from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $31.00 to $35.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. TheStreet upgraded Manulife Financial from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research report on Thursday, December 21st. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Manulife Financial from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. Finally, Desjardins upgraded Manulife Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $33.33. Read Our Latest Stock Report on MFC Manulife Financial Company Profile (Free Report) Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; and Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment offers investment advice and solutions to retirement, retail, and institutional clients through multiple distribution channels, including agents and brokers affiliated with the company, independent securities brokerage firms and financial advisors pension plan consultants, and banks. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Manulife Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Manulife Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Becker Capital Management Inc. decreased its holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC Free Report) by 0.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 19,925 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 78 shares during the quarter. Becker Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $3,792,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of MMC. Altshuler Shaham Ltd acquired a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. RVW Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp increased its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 40.5% during the 2nd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 184 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FSC Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.64% of the companys stock. Get Marsh & McLennan Companies alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms have commented on MMC. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered Marsh & McLennan Companies from a buy rating to a sell rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $215.00 to $185.00 in a research note on Monday, January 8th. StockNews.com lowered Marsh & McLennan Companies from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 19th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $200.00 to $208.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. TD Cowen initiated coverage on Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. They issued a market perform rating and a $189.00 price target for the company. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $186.00 to $185.00 and set an underperform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $202.71. Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Down 0.1 % Shares of NYSE MMC opened at $202.00 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $99.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.83, a PEG ratio of 3.62 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.96. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $151.86 and a 12-month high of $206.18. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $195.70 and its 200-day simple moving average is $194.48. Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MMC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $1.68 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.63 by $0.05. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 33.72% and a net margin of 16.52%. The company had revenue of $5.55 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.54 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.47 earnings per share. Marsh & McLennan Companiess quarterly revenue was up 10.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 8.56 EPS for the current fiscal year. Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 25th were paid a $0.71 dividend. This represents a $2.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.41%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, January 24th. Marsh & McLennan Companiess dividend payout ratio is presently 37.72%. About Marsh & McLennan Companies (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. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Marsh & McLennan Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Marsh & McLennan Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE:FIS Free Report) had its price target increased by Morgan Stanley from $73.00 to $77.00 in a report released on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the information technology services providers stock. Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $67.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $55.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Tuesday. Raymond James decreased their price target on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $79.00 to $71.00 and set a strong-buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Finally, Mizuho raised their price target on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $62.00 to $73.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 18th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $69.47. Get Fidelity National Information Services alerts: Read Our Latest Report on FIS Fidelity National Information Services Stock Performance Shares of FIS opened at $69.22 on Tuesday. The firms 50 day moving average is $62.43 and its 200-day moving average is $57.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $39.90 billion, a P/E ratio of -6.16, a P/E/G ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 0.75 and a quick ratio of 0.76. Fidelity National Information Services has a 12-month low of $46.91 and a 12-month high of $69.59. Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE:FIS Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, February 26th. The information technology services provider reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.95 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $2.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.52 billion. Fidelity National Information Services had a positive return on equity of 13.06% and a negative net margin of 54.30%. The businesss revenue was down .6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.71 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Fidelity National Information Services will post 4.71 EPS for the current fiscal year. Fidelity National Information Services announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share buyback program on Monday, February 26th that permits the company to repurchase $500.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the information technology services provider to repurchase up to 1.3% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are usually a sign that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued. Fidelity National Information Services Cuts Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be paid a $0.36 dividend. This represents a $1.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.08%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. Fidelity National Information Servicess payout ratio is -18.51%. Insider Transactions at Fidelity National Information Services In other news, Director Ellen R. Alemany acquired 735 shares of Fidelity National Information Services stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 17th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $60.32 per share, for a total transaction of $44,335.20. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now owns 35,333 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,131,286.56. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.56% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Fidelity National Information Services Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in Fidelity National Information Services during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Baystate Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Fidelity National Information Services by 332.1% during the 3rd quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 484 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 372 shares during the last quarter. EdgeRock Capital LLC acquired a new position in Fidelity National Information Services during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. raised its stake in shares of Fidelity National Information Services by 83.3% in the 1st quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 286 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Spotlight Asset Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Fidelity National Information Services in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. 85.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Fidelity National Information Services Company Profile (Get Free Report) Fidelity National Information Services, Inc provides technology solutions for financial institutions and businesses worldwide. It operates through Banking Solutions, Merchant Solutions, and Capital Market Solutions segments. The Banking Solutions segment provides core processing and ancillary applications; mobile and online banking; fraud, risk management, and compliance; electronic funds transfer and network; card and retail payment; wealth and retirement; and item processing and output solutions. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Fidelity National Information Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fidelity National Information Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Under mounting pressure, Biden opts to press for ceasefire in Gaza 09:00, March 02, 2024 By Matthew Rusling, Xiong Maoling ( Xinhua Israeli troops conduct military operations in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis, on Feb. 28, 2024. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua) The U.S. government has been facing increasing protests across the country calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and some groups are even seeking legal challenges to force the White House to withdraw support for Israel. WASHINGTON, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Amid growing domestic discontent over his handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, U.S. President Joe Biden is now pressing for a ceasefire in Gaza in the run-up to November's presidential elections. As more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel began its offensive against Hamas in October, Biden said earlier this week that he hoped to see a ceasefire by next Monday. "Well I hope by the beginning of the weekend, I mean, the end of the weekend," Biden said Monday. "We're close, it's not done yet. And my hope is that by next Monday we'll have a ceasefire." "The status quo isn't working," Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua while commenting on Biden's words. Recent weeks have seen an increase in pressure on Biden to call for a ceasefire after the president was criticized when the United States vetoed another United Nations resolution that called on Israel to halt the fighting. To protest Israel's military operation in Gaza, an active-duty airman of the U.S. Air Force set himself on fire Sunday at the Israeli Embassy in Washington. "The uptick in criticism from Progressives and Democrats overall for his response to the war is a real danger to the president," reported The Hill, a Washington D.C. newspaper that reports on Congress and politics. Biden's "pro-Israel stance could result in him losing votes in 2024 in critical states like Michigan," The paper reported last week. A man stands in front of destroyed buildings at Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 28, 2024. (Xinhua) Our Revolution, a political group founded by Senator Bernie Sanders, encouraged Michigan voters to vote "uncommitted" in Tuesday's Democratic primary instead of voting directly for Biden. Over 101,000 Michigan voters cast their votes as "uncommitted" to protest Biden's handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, accounting for more than 13 percent of the Michigan Democratic primary vote. The state of Michigan is home to many Arab-Americans, who have expressed a sense of betrayal by what they believe is Biden's pro-Israel stance in the war in Gaza. Greg Cusack, a former member of the Iowa House of Representatives, told Xinhua he thinks that "nothing will placate his (Biden's) domestic critics short of ending the destruction of Gaza, and I see no indication that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is willing to help at all." Recent polls have revealed that voters generally disapprove of Biden's management of the violent conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Younger Americans are notably more critical than older voters, expressing dissatisfaction with both Israel's actions and the administration's handling of the Gaza conflict. The U.S. government has been facing increasing protests across the country calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and some groups are even seeking legal challenges to force the White House to withdraw support for Israel. Speaking of whether a ceasefire would help Biden, Galdieri said: "I don't know that it will turn around his numbers with the public at large." (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) Pearland city council voted to approve the $1.8 million continuation of the Shadow Creek Trail Project that is expected to be complete in March 2025. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer A new Pearland hike and bike trail is in the works that will eventually help connect the west and east sides of the city, said Mayor Kevin Cole at a Feb. 21 community meeting. The $1.8 million trail is part of a 2007 Trails Master Plan that began with design and construction of Shadow Creek Ranch Trail from Kingsley Drive to Kirby Drive on the southern bank of Clear Creek in 2016, according to city documents. The first phase of the Clear Creek Trail was completed in 2021. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In Oct. 2020, the city authorized a design contract with Gauge Engineering to prepare a construction plan for the second phase near Clear Creek Relief Ditch to continue the connection Shadow Creek Ranch trail system to the Clear Creek Trail project. The construction includes a 10-foot wide concrete trail with a pedestrian prefabricated steel truss bridge, metal handrail, retaining wall at the crossing under Shadow Creek Parkway and storm drain pipes and headwalls along Clear Creek Relief Ditch, according to documents. City council unanimously approved to move forward with a purchase order at a Feb. 26 meeting. Construction will begin after the pedestrian prefabricated steel truss bridge in nine month, with anticipated completion of construction by March 2025. The project will be reimbursed with the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 2 through the Surface Transporation Program-Metropolitan Mobility fund in Shadow Creek Ranch and partnership with Houston-Galvestion Area Council and Texas Department of Transportation, according to city documents. Pinnacle West Capital (NYSE:PNW Free Report) had its price target reduced by Royal Bank of Canada from $83.00 to $80.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. Royal Bank of Canada currently has a sector perform rating on the utilities providers stock. A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH initiated coverage on shares of Pinnacle West Capital in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. They set a neutral rating and a $69.00 target price for the company. StockNews.com lowered Pinnacle West Capital from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Pinnacle West Capital from $78.00 to $74.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 26th. Mizuho lowered their target price on Pinnacle West Capital from $79.00 to $77.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, Guggenheim raised Pinnacle West Capital from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $78.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, January 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $73.80. Get Pinnacle West Capital alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on Pinnacle West Capital Pinnacle West Capital Trading Down 0.4 % Pinnacle West Capital Announces Dividend Shares of NYSE:PNW opened at $68.07 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $69.99 and a two-hundred day moving average of $73.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 0.48. Pinnacle West Capital has a 12-month low of $65.20 and a 12-month high of $86.03. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 1st were paid a $0.88 dividend. This represents a $3.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, January 31st. Pinnacle West Capitals dividend payout ratio is currently 79.82%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Pinnacle West Capital news, EVP Robert Edgar Smith sold 1,610 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.95, for a total value of $122,279.50. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,178 shares of the companys stock, valued at $697,069.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pinnacle West Capital A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Pinnacle West Capital by 1.8% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,338,202 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,041,714,000 after acquiring an additional 241,019 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in shares of Pinnacle West Capital by 2.7% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 10,307,741 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $816,785,000 after acquiring an additional 273,945 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Pinnacle West Capital by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 7,634,622 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $492,509,000 after acquiring an additional 74,164 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in shares of Pinnacle West Capital by 116.8% in the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 6,507,809 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $467,521,000 after acquiring an additional 3,506,181 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. raised its position in shares of Pinnacle West Capital by 29.6% in the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 3,537,942 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $276,313,000 after acquiring an additional 808,207 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 84.95% of the companys stock. Pinnacle West Capital Company Profile (Get Free Report) Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, through its subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company, provides retail and wholesale electric services primarily in the state of Arizona. The company engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity using coal, nuclear, gas, oil, and solar generating facilities. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Pinnacle West Capital Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pinnacle West Capital and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Quadrature Capital Ltd lifted its stake in North American Construction Group Ltd. (NYSE:NOA Free Report) (TSE:NOA) by 325.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 299,400 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after acquiring an additional 229,100 shares during the quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltds holdings in North American Construction Group were worth $6,551,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in NOA. UBS Group AG boosted its position in North American Construction Group by 121.4% in the first quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,216 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 1,215 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in North American Construction Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. State of Tennessee Treasury Department purchased a new stake in North American Construction Group during the first quarter valued at approximately $40,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in North American Construction Group by 114.5% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,831 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 1,511 shares during the period. Finally, Shell Asset Management Co. boosted its stake in shares of North American Construction Group by 142.3% during the 3rd quarter. Shell Asset Management Co. now owns 1,929 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 1,133 shares during the last quarter. 61.68% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get North American Construction Group alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, StockNews.com lowered North American Construction Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday. North American Construction Group Stock Performance NOA opened at $25.35 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $677.86 million, a P/E ratio of 14.49 and a beta of 1.55. North American Construction Group Ltd. has a 1-year low of $15.32 and a 1-year high of $26.30. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $22.82 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $22.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 0.89. North American Construction Group Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Investors of record on Friday, March 8th will be issued a $0.074 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $0.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.17%. This is an increase from North American Construction Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.07. North American Construction Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 16.57%. About North American Construction Group (Free Report) North American Construction Group Ltd. provides equipment maintenance, and mining and heavy construction services in Canada, the United States, and Australia. Its Heavy Construction & Mining division offers constructability reviews, budgetary cost estimates, design-build construction, project management, contract mining, pre-stripping/pit pioneering, overburden removal and stockpile, muskeg removal and stockpile, site preparation, air strip construction, site dewatering/perimeter ditching, tailings and process pipelines, haulage and access road construction, tailings dam construction and densification, mechanically stabilized earth walls, dyke construction, and reclamation services; and Equipment Maintenance services. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NOA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for North American Construction Group Ltd. (NYSE:NOA Free Report) (TSE:NOA). Receive News & Ratings for North American Construction Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for North American Construction Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Quadrature Capital Ltd lowered its holdings in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. (NYSE:ASR Free Report) by 56.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 25,783 shares of the transportation companys stock after selling 33,932 shares during the quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd owned 0.09% of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. worth $6,330,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of ASR. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. by 21.0% in the 2nd quarter. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC now owns 248 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $69,000 after buying an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC raised its holdings in shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. by 30.6% during the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 269 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $66,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA raised its holdings in shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. by 48.3% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA now owns 559 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $110,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its position in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. by 32.2% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 674 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $187,000 after purchasing an additional 164 shares during the period. Finally, BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC boosted its holdings in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. by 21.8% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 681 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $134,000 after purchasing an additional 122 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 13.05% of the companys stock. Get Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste S. A. B. de C. V. alerts: Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. Price Performance NYSE ASR opened at $288.05 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $291.43 and its 200 day moving average is $260.08. Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. has a fifty-two week low of $165.00 and a fifty-two week high of $317.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a quick ratio of 2.97 and a current ratio of 4.26. The company has a market capitalization of $8.64 billion, a PE ratio of 14.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 1.17. Analyst Ratings Changes ASR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. from a sell rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from $274.00 to $326.00 in a report on Friday, January 26th. Citigroup downgraded Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. from a neutral rating to a sell rating and lowered their target price for the company from $228.00 to $222.00 in a report on Tuesday, November 28th. StockNews.com upgraded Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Bank of America upgraded shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. from an underperform rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and six have issued 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 $274.00. Check Out Our Latest Report on Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. Profile (Free Report) Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. holds concessions to operate, maintain, and develop airports in the southeast region of Mexico. The company operates airports that are located in the cities of Cancun, Cozumel, Merida, Huatulco, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Villahermosa, Tapachula, and Minatitlan. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste S. A. B. de C. V. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste S. A. B. de C. V. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Quadrature Capital Ltd decreased its stake in Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX Free Report) by 56.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 188,747 shares of the natural resource companys stock after selling 244,462 shares during the period. Quadrature Capital Ltds holdings in Freeport-McMoRan were worth $7,042,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of FCX. Appian Way Asset Management LP bought a new position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan during the 3rd quarter worth about $2,121,000. Manatuck Hill Partners LLC raised its holdings in Freeport-McMoRan by 75.0% in the 3rd quarter. Manatuck Hill Partners LLC now owns 14,000 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $522,000 after acquiring an additional 6,000 shares in the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association raised its holdings in Freeport-McMoRan by 8.8% in the 3rd quarter. United Services Automobile Association now owns 39,207 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $1,462,000 after acquiring an additional 3,159 shares in the last quarter. First Dallas Securities Inc. lifted its position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 139.5% in the 3rd quarter. First Dallas Securities Inc. now owns 155,073 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $5,783,000 after acquiring an additional 90,324 shares during the period. Finally, Northeast Financial Consultants Inc grew its holdings in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 5.2% during the 3rd quarter. Northeast Financial Consultants Inc now owns 30,221 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $1,127,000 after purchasing an additional 1,500 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 77.96% of the companys stock. Get Freeport-McMoRan alerts: Freeport-McMoRan Stock Up 0.3 % Shares of NYSE:FCX opened at $37.94 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 2.42 and a quick ratio of 1.38. The stock has a market cap of $54.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.87 and a beta of 2.02. The company has a 50 day moving average of $39.79 and a 200-day moving average of $38.27. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. has a one year low of $32.83 and a one year high of $44.70. Freeport-McMoRan Announces Dividend Freeport-McMoRan ( NYSE:FCX Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The natural resource company reported $0.27 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.23 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $5.91 billion for 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%. Freeport-McMoRans revenue for the quarter was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.52 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. will post 1.51 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 1st. Investors of record on Friday, January 12th were given a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.58%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 11th. Freeport-McMoRans dividend payout ratio is currently 23.62%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades FCX has been the subject of several research reports. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and issued a $55.00 target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. UBS Group lowered 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 note on Wednesday, December 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded shares of Freeport-McMoRan from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and raised their price target for the stock from $41.00 to $48.50 in a research note on Monday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on Freeport-McMoRan from $41.00 to $40.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. Finally, Raymond James raised their target price on Freeport-McMoRan from $42.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Freeport-McMoRan has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $44.95. View Our Latest Stock Report on FCX About Freeport-McMoRan (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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Freeport-McMoRan Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Freeport-McMoRan and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group grew its holdings in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Free Report) by 21.2% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 8,800 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,537 shares during the quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Groups holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $483,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in SCHW. Providence Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Charles Schwab during the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. Worth Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Charles Schwab in the first quarter worth approximately $32,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Charles Schwab in the third quarter worth approximately $34,000. State of Wyoming grew its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 71.0% in the second 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 bought a new position in shares of Charles Schwab in the second quarter worth approximately $39,000. 81.61% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Insider Activity In other news, CFO Peter B. Crawford sold 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.49, for a total transaction of $257,960.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 37,611 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,425,533.39. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 16,390 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $63.94, for a total transaction of $1,047,976.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 61,331,688 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,921,548,130.72. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Peter B. Crawford sold 4,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.49, for a total value of $257,960.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 37,611 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,425,533.39. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 172,616 shares of company stock valued at $11,181,109 in the last quarter. 6.60% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Charles Schwab Price Performance Shares of NYSE:SCHW opened at $66.47 on Friday. The Charles Schwab Co. has a fifty-two week low of $45.00 and a fifty-two week high of $77.81. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $65.03 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $60.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a current ratio of 0.43. The firm has a market cap of $117.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.00. Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.64 by $0.04. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 21.33% and a net margin of 26.90%. The business had revenue of $4.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.49 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.07 EPS. Charles Schwabs revenue was down 18.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.34 earnings per share for the current 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 given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.50%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 8th. Charles Schwabs payout ratio is currently 39.37%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have recently issued reports on SCHW shares. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Charles Schwab from $72.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 15th. TD Cowen began coverage on shares of Charles Schwab in a report on Thursday, January 4th. They issued a market perform rating and a $77.00 price target on the stock. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Charles Schwab from $64.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Charles Schwab from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and set a $77.00 target price on shares of Charles Schwab in a report on Thursday, January 18th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $69.92. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Charles Schwab About Charles Schwab (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 in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SCHW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Charles Schwab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles Schwab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stansberry Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV Free Report) by 1.4% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 522,293 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 7,070 shares during the period. Stansberry Asset Management LLCs holdings in Ambev were worth $1,348,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group grew its holdings in shares of Ambev by 37.2% during the third quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group now owns 16,021 shares of the companys stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 4,348 shares during the last quarter. Morningstar Investment Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of Ambev by 5.9% during the 3rd quarter. Morningstar Investment Services LLC now owns 324,493 shares of the companys stock worth $831,000 after acquiring an additional 18,156 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its stake in shares of Ambev by 580.9% during the 3rd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 85,515 shares of the companys stock worth $221,000 after acquiring an additional 72,955 shares during the last quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd raised its position in shares of Ambev by 16.3% during the 3rd quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd now owns 5,200,949 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,418,000 after purchasing an additional 727,074 shares during the period. Finally, Ruffer LLP raised its position in shares of Ambev by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Ruffer LLP now owns 45,818,515 shares of the companys stock valued at $117,442,000 after purchasing an additional 888,510 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 8.37% of the companys stock. Get Ambev alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Ambev in a research report on Thursday, December 7th. They set a buy rating on the stock. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Ambev in a report on Friday, January 26th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Ambev in a report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Ambev in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd. They issued a hold rating and a $2.86 price target on the stock. Finally, TheStreet raised shares of Ambev from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Friday, December 1st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ambev has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $3.30. Ambev Trading Down 0.4 % NYSE ABEV opened at $2.48 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. The firm has a market cap of $39.06 billion, a PE ratio of 13.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $2.67 and a 200 day moving average price of $2.70. Ambev S.A. has a 52 week low of $2.42 and a 52 week high of $3.23. Ambev Cuts Dividend The business also recently declared an annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 8th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 26th were issued a $0.1443 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 22nd. This represents a dividend yield of 3.7%. Ambevs dividend payout ratio is currently 144.44%. Ambev Company Profile (Free Report) Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, other non-alcoholic beverages, malt, and food products. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe and Hoegaarden, Bucanero, Cristal, Mayabe, Presidente, Presidente Light, Brahma Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Quilmes Clasica, Pacena, Taquina, Huari, Becker, Cusquena, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Pilsen, Ouro Fino, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith's, and Kokanee brands. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABEV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Ambev Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ambev and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fred Alger Management LLC lessened its stake in Stryker Co. (NYSE:SYK Free Report) by 41.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 9,394 shares of the medical technology companys stock after selling 6,520 shares during the period. Fred Alger Management LLCs holdings in Stryker were worth $2,567,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in SYK. Keybank National Association OH grew its stake in shares of Stryker by 3.5% in the third quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 27,823 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $7,603,000 after acquiring an additional 952 shares in the last quarter. Andra AP fonden grew its stake in shares of Stryker by 28.8% in the second quarter. Andra AP fonden now owns 30,422 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $9,281,000 after acquiring an additional 6,800 shares in the last quarter. J.P. Morgan Private Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Stryker in the third quarter worth $30,365,000. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Stryker during the 3rd quarter worth $6,578,000. Finally, Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC lifted its position in shares of Stryker by 299.8% during the 3rd quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 8,663 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $2,367,000 after purchasing an additional 6,496 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.24% of the companys stock. Get Stryker alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on SYK shares. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Stryker from $289.00 to $297.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Stryker from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Roth Mkm upped their target price on shares of Stryker from $345.00 to $348.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Stryker from $336.00 to $364.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Stryker from $300.00 to $320.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Stryker presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $331.52. Stryker Stock Performance Shares of SYK opened at $353.22 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.58. Stryker Co. has a twelve month low of $249.98 and a twelve month high of $357.40. The firms 50 day moving average price is $324.66 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $296.33. The firm has a market cap of $134.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.81, a PEG ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.89. Stryker (NYSE:SYK Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The medical technology company reported $3.46 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.27 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $5.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.60 billion. Stryker had a net margin of 15.44% and a return on equity of 22.99%. The businesss revenue was up 11.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.00 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Stryker Co. will post 11.86 EPS for the current fiscal year. Stryker Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Friday, March 29th will be issued a dividend of $0.80 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.91%. Strykers payout ratio is 38.79%. Insider Buying and Selling In other Stryker news, Director Allan C. Golston sold 3,273 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $341.00, for a total value of $1,116,093.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 14,242 shares in the company, valued at $4,856,522. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, Director Ronda E. Stryker sold 201,146 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $342.90, for a total value of $68,972,963.40. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 3,755,128 shares in the company, valued at $1,287,633,391.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Allan C. Golston sold 3,273 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $341.00, for a total transaction of $1,116,093.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 14,242 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,856,522. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 5.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Stryker Profile (Free Report) Stryker Corporation operates as a medical technology company. The company operates through two segments, MedSurg and Neurotechnology, and Orthopaedics and Spine. The Orthopaedics and Spine segment provides implants for use in hip and knee joint replacements, and trauma and extremities surgeries. This segment also offers spinal implant products comprising cervical, thoracolumbar, and interbody systems that are used in spinal injury, deformity, and degenerative therapies. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Stryker Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Stryker and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU Free Report) by 152.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 16,665 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 10,061 shares during the quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRCs holdings in Prudential Financial were worth $1,581,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd bought a new position in shares of Prudential Financial in the third quarter worth about $149,000. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina raised its stake in shares of Prudential Financial by 0.4% in the third quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 165,895 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $15,742,000 after buying an additional 590 shares during the period. Trexquant Investment LP bought a new position in shares of Prudential Financial in the third quarter worth about $8,740,000. Valley National Advisers Inc. raised its stake in shares of Prudential Financial by 24.5% in the third quarter. Valley National Advisers Inc. now owns 1,076 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $102,000 after buying an additional 212 shares during the period. Finally, Vinva Investment Management Ltd raised its stake in Prudential Financial by 6.6% during the 3rd quarter. Vinva Investment Management Ltd now owns 10,749 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,020,000 after purchasing an additional 666 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 54.92% of the companys stock. Get Prudential Financial alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Prudential Financial In other Prudential Financial news, CFO Kenneth Tanji sold 23,124 shares of the companys stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 47,155 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,957,876.70. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Prudential Financial news, CFO Kenneth Tanji sold 23,124 shares of the companys stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 47,155 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,957,876.70. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Timothy L. Schmidt sold 7,912 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $108.13, for a total value of $855,524.56. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 14,754 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,595,350.02. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 38,258 shares of company stock valued at $4,069,575 in the last quarter. 0.31% of the stock is owned by insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth PRU has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. TheStreet raised Prudential Financial from a c+ rating to an a- rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Prudential Financial from $105.00 to $109.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Raymond James downgraded Prudential Financial from a strong-buy rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a neutral rating and set a $118.00 target price (down previously from $119.00) on shares of Prudential Financial in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Finally, UBS Group raised their price target on Prudential Financial from $108.00 to $112.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and ten have issued a hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $105.60. Check Out Our Latest Report on PRU Prudential Financial Price Performance Shares of Prudential Financial stock opened at $108.01 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $38.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.69 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.13 and a current ratio of 0.13. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $105.20 and a 200-day moving average price of $98.72. Prudential Financial, Inc. has a one year low of $75.37 and a one year high of $110.12. Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The financial services provider reported $2.58 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.67 by ($0.09). The company had revenue of $13.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.99 billion. Prudential Financial had a return on equity of 14.52% and a net margin of 4.89%. Prudential Financials revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.42 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Prudential Financial, Inc. will post 13.51 EPS for the current year. Prudential Financial Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.81%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 16th. This is an increase from Prudential Financials previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. Prudential Financials dividend payout ratio is 77.73%. Prudential Financial Profile (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. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Prudential Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Prudential Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. VanEck 1-3 Month US Treasury Bond ETF (ASX:TBIL Get Free Report) announced a interim dividend on Friday, March 1st, MarketIndexAU reports. Stockholders of record on Sunday, March 17th will be given a dividend of 0.20 per share on Sunday, March 17th. This represents a dividend yield of 0.39%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. VanEck 1-3 Month US Treasury Bond ETF Price Performance Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for VanEck 1-3 Month US Treasury Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for VanEck 1-3 Month US Treasury Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Waverly Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust (NYSE:SJT Free Report) by 7.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 43,250 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after acquiring an additional 3,000 shares during the quarter. Waverly Advisors LLC owned 0.09% of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust worth $299,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Wealthsource Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 0.6% in the third quarter. Wealthsource Partners LLC now owns 507,138 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $3,514,000 after buying an additional 2,778 shares during the period. Prevail Innovative Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in San Juan Basin Royalty Trust in the second quarter valued at approximately $3,764,000. Beck Bode LLC boosted its holdings in San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 6.3% in the third quarter. Beck Bode LLC now owns 293,467 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $2,028,000 after acquiring an additional 17,460 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA boosted its holdings in San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 56,762.8% in the first quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA now owns 252,471 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $2,214,000 after acquiring an additional 252,027 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Twin Focus Capital Partners LLC boosted its holdings in San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 13.0% in the third quarter. Twin Focus Capital Partners LLC now owns 217,124 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $1,505,000 after acquiring an additional 25,000 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 13.56% of the companys stock. Get San Juan Basin Royalty Trust alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, TheStreet cut San Juan Basin Royalty Trust from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Stock Performance San Juan Basin Royalty Trust stock opened at $5.30 on Friday. San Juan Basin Royalty Trust has a 52-week low of $4.37 and a 52-week high of $11.20. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $5.09 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $6.23. San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be issued a dividend of $0.0303 per share. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.86%. This is a boost from San Juan Basin Royalty Trusts previous monthly dividend of $0.02. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Company Profile (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. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SJT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for San Juan Basin Royalty Trust (NYSE:SJT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for San Juan Basin Royalty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A homeowner in northwest Harris County allegedly shot and killed a man who had allegedly stolen a barbecue pit from his home Sunday, Feb. 18. Houston Chronicle A 12-year-old girl who last week went missing from her home in southwest Houston was found safe on Friday, according to the Houston Police Department. E'minie Hughes was found in Columbus, a city about 90 minutes west of Houston in Colorado County, the police department said in a post on X. MORE ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Houston police officer kills robbery suspect in shootout Thursday evening Advertisement Article continues below this ad Police didn't release any more information about finding her, and said the investigation into her disappearance is still ongoing. Hughes went missing on Feb. 22 after leaving her family home on Waterchase, according to alerts police put out earlier in the week. An Amber Alert related to her disappearance was issued on Feb. 28. Police said the alert was issued after they received information Hughes might be danger, and later said they believed she might be the victim of trafficking. Police didn't provide more information on those claims. Hughes was believed to her neighborhood in a dark-colored Dodge pickup truck. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On Thursday, police said they believed Hughes' disappearance might be related to her use of a social media app called Tagged, a free Tinder-style dating app. With more than 200,000 cranes flying through Central Nebraska, Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center is offering up a variety of programs so folks can celebrate and learn more about these graceful birds. Crane Trust offers events for the public throughout the year, with a concentration of programs during the crane migration season in March every year, said Amy Sandeen, outreach and special events manager. We offer free admission to all programs and all are welcome! The March schedule includes an art show, poetry reading and workshop with Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason, live raptors and a bike tour, in addition to several programs presented as part of Crane Trusts Speaker Series. The 2024 season kicks off with a showing of Under the Wire, a film from the Platte Basin Timelapse Project, at 2 p.m. Friday, March 8. The film, directed by PBT project manager Mariah Lundgren and featuring PBT co-founder Michael Forsberg, shares the story of a community of people working together to improve fencelines so pronghorn and other wildlife can move more freely. It also celebrates the wildlife that call the North Platte River Valley along the ColoradoWyoming border home and the folks living and working on this land to help keep these animals around for generations to come. A partner with the University of Nebraska, Platte Basin Timelapse is a conservation storytelling projectexploring watersheds, building community, and inspiring care for our land and water. If youd like a little wine with that, Milletta Vista Vineyards will offer wine tasting and sales on Fridays and Saturday, March 15-16 and 22-23. Theyll be there from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. those four days. The centers annual art show and sale is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 16. The Hornady Art Gallery showcases beautiful work by regional artists and photographers with Nebraska ties and subject materials, Sandeen said. Come meet artists, hear live music at 2, browse and buy local art and other gifts, and learn about the spring migration. The next day, Sunday, March 17, Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason will host a poetry workshop and reading at 2 p.m. Mason will share his 2024 poem commissioned by Crane Trust, as well as some of his other bird-themed poems. He will guide a writing exercise for participants to write their own poems. Please bring paper and writing utensils. Mason has led poetry workshops in Botswana, Romania, Nepal, and Belarus for the U.S. State Department. His poetry has appeared in The New York Times and he has received a Pushcart Prize as well as fellowships from the Academy of American Poets and the Nebraska Arts Council. His work can be found in Rattle, Poet Lore, Prairie Schooner, and in hundreds of other publications. Masons fifth book, Rock Stars, was published by Button Poetry in September 2023. Crane Trust is teaming up with Visit Grand Island and Stuhr Museum to host the Sandhill Crane Bicycle Tour, set to kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23. Experiencing the migration by bicycle allows viewers to be more intimately connected with nature and this migration. Details and registration at https://sites.google.com/view/2020bikesandcranes/home Deb Miller with the Edgerton Explorit Center in Aurora will bring several live raptors to the center at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23, and Sunday, March 24. Millers raptors include a screech owl, American kestrel and a Swansons Hawk. Millers program includes fun and fascinating facts of these amazing creatures by promoting the identification of raptors, their natural habitat and habits associated with their surroundings. Speaker Series programs include: Record-Breaking Whooping Cranes, presented by Rick Rasmussen, 1 p.m. Saturday, March 9. Rasmussen will share photography, video footage, and stories of two Whooping Cranes that made history when they spent more than two months in South Central Nebraska on their fall migration. Speaker Series: Diverse Wetlands of Nebraska Diverse Wetlands of Nebraska, presented by Ted LaGrange, 2 p.m. Saturday, March 9. LaGrange has been the Wetland Program Manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for 27 years. As manager, he works on a variety of wetland issues throughout Nebraska, including partnerships, private land restoration programs, public lands management, research, regulations and outreach. He received his undergraduate and masters degrees in wildlife biology from Iowa State University. His professional interests are in prairie wetlands and waterfowl/water bird ecology. Everyday Birding, with Colleen Childers, 1 p.m. Sunday, March 10. Childers will share photos, stories and tips for birding any day, any place, at any time. She is an active Crane Trust volunteer who is passionate about nature, birds, and photography. She recently retired after 38 years in the high school classroom as a business, technology and photography instructor. Cranes in the Dark, with Kylee Warren, 2 p.m. Sunday, March 10. This program explores the nightlife of these cranes as they stage on the Platte River during their annual migrations. Attendees will observe archived footage of crane behavior from these cameras and explore what we know about the affairs of Cranes After Dark. You might see tens of thousands of cranes fill the opalescent skies and congregate on golden-lit sandbars as the sun dips beneath the Platte River horizon. Stay well after the light is gone, and youll hear these birds calls, cries and purrs most of the night. What do they get up to, and what keeps them alert throughout the evening? Thanks to infrared technology in Crane Trust virtual wildlife cameras, viewers can now see the nightlife of these birds and learn more about their behavior. Warren has followed the Nebraska sandhill crane migration for 10 years. She produces Crane Trusts virtual programs and other visual media content throughout the year. International Crane Foundation founder Dr. George Archibald, 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 27. The future of many crane species was once as fragile as the delicate and graceful birds themselves. Archibalds visionary leadership in international conservation efforts over the past 40 years has given flight to crane conservation worldwide. In 1973, when cranes were in a perilous situation, and many were on the brink of extinction, Archibald and Cornell University colleague Ronald Sauey, Ph.D., established the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin, as the world center for the study and preservation of cranes. In addition, the Crane Trust Gift Shop offers apparel, toys, home decor, books, jewelry, stationery, local honey, art, and much more, Sandeen said. In the gallery, shop art by regional photographers and artists with Nebraska ties and subject themes. Crane Trust, an independent non-profit organization working to protect and preserve critical habitat in the central Platte River valley, is located at 9325 S. Alda Road, just southeast of the I-80 interchange at Alda. For more information, check out Crane Trusts Facebook page, its website at cranetrust.org or call 308-382-1820. With quality bait options scarce and prices sky-high, a local bait shop owner wants to change that. Nate Newberry, owner of Son of a Gun Bait Shop, 511 N. Eddy St., is a seasoned outdoorsman with over 35 years of experience in fishing and hunting in the Kearney/Grand Island area. Newberrys passion for the outdoors led him to establish a bait shop business, driven by a desire to provide customers with top-notch live bait options at affordable prices. Alongside his fiance, Ali Martinez, Newberry is dedicated in giving fellow outdoor enthusiasts access to the best bait for their fishing adventures. Recognizing the importance of preserving ecosystems and wildlife, Newberrys bait containers are biodegradable, contributing to a cleaner and safer environment. He said the shops commitment to reduce, reuse, and recycle highlights their dedication to sustainability. With a focus on supporting local businesses, Newberry sources 99% of his tackle inventory from local veterans, emphasizing the importance of community and giving back to those who have served. By remaining independent and customer-focused, he said his shop pledges to prioritize customer satisfaction over profit. The shops diverse inventory includes a variety of live bait such as shiner minnows, fathead minnows, chubs, bluegill, goldfish, leeches, Canadian crawlers and wax worms. Additionally, customers can find a wide range of lures, weights, rigs, jigs, fish attractants and cut bait at the shop. To cater to the bustling schedules of fishing enthusiasts, Newberry said the shop will be extending its hours starting this Saturday, offering convenient timings throughout the week. He said customers can request customized hours to ensure they have access to bait during their preferred fishing times. Hours starting Saturday, March 2, will be 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call Nate for bait at 308-224-0877. Find Son of a Gun Bait Shop is on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram or visit its website at www.sonofagunbaitshop.com. PHOTOS: Having some cowboy fun at the Grand island Rodeo Friends and families watched several cowboys and cowgirls compete in the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday. Rootin' Tootin' time at the Grand Island Rodeo Friends and families watch several cowboys and girls compete in the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday. The Grand Island Rodeo Colby Alders tries to lasso a calf during the rodeo. The Grand Island Rodeo A man competes in steer wrestling during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center. The Grand Island Rodeo Kasey Rosendahl falls off his horse in saddle bronc riding during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Rodeo Sierra Lee competes in barrel racing during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center Saturday. The Grand Island Rodeo A man competes in bull riding during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center. The Grand Island Rodeo A horse rests during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Rodeo A man gets ready to compete in team roping during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Rodeo Thayne Elshere competes in saddle bronc riding during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Rodeo Roy Lee ties up a calf during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Rodeo Rider Kiesner performs a specialty act during the Grand Island Rodeo. The Grand Island Rodeo Tanner Jarrett competes in bareback riding during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Rodeo Trevor Haake, back, rides his horse during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Rodeo Barrelman Tate Rhoads shoots t-shirts into the crowd during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Rodeo Koby Jackson rides a bull during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Rodeo Emilee Pauley rides her horse during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Rodeo Jacob Elder picks up his hat after competing in steer wrestling during the Grand Island Rodeo at the Heartland Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Grand Island Childrens Museum announced their new, rebranded name on Friday, March 1. The museum also announced relaunching its fundraising campaign, with a giant donation along with it. The Grand Island Childrens Museum, now the EPIC Discovery Center, held a special event to celebrate the official start of their occupancy of the old National Guard Armory building in Ryder Park. After years of planning and negotiating, the museum finally got the key, even if it was made out of cardboard, from Mayor Roger Steele. It is with great joy and excitement that I stand before you to celebrate this official start date of the citys newest treasure, the childrens museum, Steele said. This moment marks the culmination of months of dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment from countless individuals and organizations within our community. With the museums building set, a few more announcements about the museums future were made. Making the childrens museum more EPIC The biggest announcement was the Grand Island Childrens Museum rebranding into the EPIC Discovery Center. According to Executive Director Alison Larson, the rebrand comes from wanting to include programming for not only younger but also older kids after hearing community feedback. Tweens and teens dont typically like to be considered children, in my experience anyway, Larson said. And they dont really want to hang out at a childrens museum, so that meant a rebrand was necessary (to help communicate this new vision and direction). The EPIC Discovery Center will be a STEAM-based museum, focusing on creating science, technology, engineering, arts and math learning opportunities for children of all ages. With 18,000 square feet, the learning center will feature a two-story large exhibit floor space, surrounded by programming spaces, a kitchen, retail, restrooms, office space, outdoor access, and the lobby entrance. The buildings second floor will include programming spaces specifically for middle schoolers and teens. The exhibits and programming that were going to bring will fill a great need in this community, Larson said. (It) will provide safe and fun activities for area youth and families. According to Larson, exhibit designers will be finalized in April and site prep work will be beginning behind the scenes. The museum will be breaking ground for redevelopment by the end of the year, with doors still expected to open in late 2025 or early 2026. A million closer to the goal It was also announced that the EPIC Discovery Center would be relaunching its capital campaign to help fund the museum. With a total budget of $13.2 million, each donation will help the museum. In October, the museum was awarded a $5 million matching grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. According to Board President Kelly Henry, the learning center needs to raise $5 million by the end of the year in order to receive the grant money. This is a challenge that we are taking head-on and we are very excited to see the community come together to help make this happen, said Henry. It is so valuable to be able to say that your donation or pledge made in 2024, up to the $5 million mark of course, will be matched. According to Henry, a local donor has already pledged $1 million for the campaign. Henry could not reveal who the donor was, but said their pledge will be a game changer for the campaign. This gift will help us reach our goals and maximize support from major foundations in the metro area, said Henry. We are not ready to announce who the donor is at this time but we look forward to when we can reveal their community-changing gift. Along with funds from their previous efforts, the museum currently has a little more than $2 million raised. Including the $5 million matching grant, Henry said that the museums goal was to have a minimum of $10 million raised by the end of the year. We are set to create a truly spectacular space for the youth in our community to enjoy for generations to come, said Henry. Excitement in the community As the EPIC Discovery Center steps further away from being an idea to becoming an actual museum for youth, families are sure to be excited for the grand opening. Alicia Glaser, a board member for the museum, is excited to have a place that can bring people in the community together. Glaser is also excited for there to be a place where children of all ages will be able to learn, create, and play. Im just excited for them to come somewhere where they can create and really just spark that (passion) inside of them, Glaser said. That might be math, it might be music, or it might be art, and it might be science, (the museum will be) a place for them to explore those opportunities. Glaser is not the only one who is waiting in anticipation, as her 8-year-old daughter Alaina is excited to learn and do a bunch of fun activities at the learning center. Alaina loves to learn about math and would love to have an exhibit with the subject. I love, like, big math things, Alaina said. And science stuff. For many, the EPIC Discovery Center cant get here soon enough. To the children, I say, this museum will be yours, said Steele. It will be a place where you can explore, discover, and dream without limits. Here, you will be empowered to become architects of your own future. May this museum bring joy, inspiration and countless moments of wonder to all who enter its doors. Bamberg County is seeking individual assistance funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency following the tornado that ripped through downtown. A letter from Gov. Henry McMaster has been sent to U.S. President Joe Biden requesting individual assistance, including Community Disaster Loan programs, following the Jan. 9 tornado, according to County Administrator Joey Preston. If the request is approved, individuals in the county could apply for grants up to $40,000 to repair their homes, Preston said. And if they've had any loss of income, they can also apply for up to around $40,000 - if they had to pay for childcare, or whatever problems the storm may have caused that caused them to have to spend money that they didn't have, Preston said Now we did not meet the individual assistance threshold, but we still got the letter sent in. That took a lot of work. We convinced the state to ask for it. Now we don't know when it's going to approved. There's no timeline ... but hopefully it will not be too long, Preston said. There's a bunch of folks lobbying for us and hopefully going to be able to help us out, he said. Small business loan assistance would come also come along with requested individual assistance funding. McMaster noted in his Feb. 2 letter to the president that, "the situation and survivor recovery needs in Bamberg County are of such severity and magnitude that ... federal assistance is necessary to supplement the ongoing efforts and available resources of the state, local governments, disaster relief organizations and compensation by insurance for disaster-related losses. The county also did not meet the state's public assistance threshold of $9.4 million. Preston noted that the estimated public costs as a result of the tornado totaled $3.9 million. When you apply insurance to it, it knocks it down to $1.7 million. We couldn't ask for public assistance from the feds because they had that threshold. ... Then the state's supposed to help you," the administrator said, but that was not a guarantee either. The state doesn't have a fund to help counties. There is an Office of Resiliency and its been funded, but there is no money set aside for this type of thing. I do know the Emergency Preparedness Division for the state is going to be asking the General Assembly probably for the next year to fund that $9.4 million so that if this does happen in the future, there will be money there that can help go towards counties, Preston said. He continued, We're trying to use Bamberg as an example of why they need to do that. (The state Emergency Management Division) asked for it last year and they didn't see the light of day with it. It was too late to ask for it this year ... but they're going to ask for it again next year. So keep that in mind. In the meantime, Preston said the county will be tapping into other programs, including those from the USDA. USDA has asked us to provide them with a list of all the property owners, their names and their contact information. We're working on that. I think they may have a meeting here and invite the community in, he said. Preston made the comments at Bamberg County Councils meeting earlier this month. In addition: Preston provided a list of state roads that the county C-Fund Committee approved for paving. The list includes Farrells Road, located northeast of Ehrhardt down to Hunters Chapel Road; North Street from the county multicomplex site down to Suzanne Street; and McGee Street down to Red Raider Drive. They also approved money for the sidewalks from Red Raider (Drive) all the way to McGee Street and then on Zig Zag (Road). And there will be sidewalks installed on the other side of the street to connect the existing sidewalk thats there, Preston said. Sara Bias of 92 Beaver St. in Denmark addressed council about the condition of her road. We've been in our house about 30 years. It's down a dirt road and when it rains, its awful getting in and getting out. I have to drive on the side of the road where the grass is. ... We have mail carriers down there, and if there's an emergency and the EMS needs to come down, they may get in a bog," Bias said. Council Chairman Evert Comer Jr. said the situation will be assessed, "to get the quickest attention that we can to it." COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A South Carolina man has been found guilty of killing a Black transgender woman in the nation's first federal hate crime trial over gender identity. Jurors decided Friday that Daqua Lameek Ritter fatally shot Dime Doe in 2019, because of her gender identity. Ritter was also convicted of using a firearm in connection with the crime and obstructing justice. The four-day trial centered on the secret sexual relationship between Doe and Ritter, who had grown agitated in the weeks preceding the killing by the exposure of their affair in the small town of Allendale, South Carolina, according to witness testimony and text messages obtained by the FBI. Defense lawyers argued that no physical evidence pointed to Ritter. 02/03/2024 Evertons interim Chief Executive Officer, Colin Chong, has insisted the club is preparing "the most robust case possible" against a second alleged breach of the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules. A great deal of time has passed since the decision of the first commission was handed down and that period has also led to much uncertainty. I would like to put on record my thanks to the many organised supporter groups and the wider fanbase for their passionate backing of the club and the team during these challenging times. I am also grateful for your patience and understanding throughout the process and the proactive role the Fan Advisory Board played in submitting a statement to the appeal board which made very clear the impact on supporters. "We had no option but to appeal what we felt was an unjustified points deduction. But whilst navigating the legal process, and respecting that process in building what we felt was a compelling case for appeal, the uncertainty most definitely had an impact on everybody across the club. Article continues below video content The amazing support and backing of fans for the team and the club was crucial amid such uncertainty. Both at Goodison Park and in every game away from home, the support, backing, passion and commitment of every fan for the club has never ceased to blow me away. It is what makes our club so special, and so admired. With respect to the ongoing preparatory work being done ahead of the second PSR hearing, Chong explained that "Premier League rules and legal guidance does not permit me, or the club, to share any details at this stage of the second commission hearing, or the arguments that will be put forward. However, I assure you we will prepare the most robust case possible in our defence." Read the full article at Liverpool Echo Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () How to get rid of these ads and support TW ToffeeWeb Nottingham Elementary School, 570 Nottingham Oaks Trail, in the Spring Branch Independent School District is shown Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Some Spring Branch ISD parents and staff say they are baffled by the latest round of proposed budget cuts that would slash all librarian positions from schools. Spring Branch parent Courtney Prochaska told the board that she was frustrated by a lack of transparency and called the district explanation far from clear. I question myself, Am I right? Did we just lose librarians on our campus? Advertisement Article continues below this ad School counselors faced similar cuts, but administrators rallied and found money to restore the positions. Not so with librarians. Superintendent Jennifer Blaine called it an unfortunate decision. When you have a $35 million deficit, that comes in people, she said. School officials across Texas have blamed a wave of budget shortfalls on the end of federal COVID relief money and no extra per-student funding from the state, but school librarians have endured some of the deepest cuts. Districts like Keller ISD made the cuts after book-banning feuds put librarians at the center of widening debates about which books and themes are suitable for children. Spring Branch has been embroiled in a similar book-banning debate for years, bringing new attention and scrutiny to the district. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Laney Hawes, founder of a nonprofit called Texas Freedom to Read Project, said these budget cuts are retribution for librarians' opposition to book banning that many local school boards have passed. Hawes is a parent of four in Keller ISD in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Keller ISD recently experienced cuts to reduce a $27 million deficit, reducing librarians by 50%. The move came after a hotly debated 2022 decision by the board to ban books that mentioned or included non-binary or transgender people. Libraries have been under attack for the last year or two, and now these politicians get to come in and fire them, Hawes said. Thats the message here in Keller and in Spring Branch, theres no question that that is exactly what librarians are feeling and believe. Spring Branch district officials have not linked the budget reductions to the ongoing debate over book banning. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Eliminating all librarian positions in a district with 35,000 students appears to be among the most extreme cuts in the state. Districts that lay off librarians are losing a highly knowledgeable and versatile educator who is essential to student achievement and success, the Texas Library Associations executive director, Shirley Robinson, said in a statement Thursday. Librarians do not just sit behind desks and check out books. James Shaddix, a Spring Branch parent, said he understands the need for budget cuts but doesnt agree with the decision to eliminate librarians. He said he would prefer restructuring the library system to find needed savings. The teachers need the partnership with the librarian to maximize the benefit they deliver to those kids to instill in them a legitimate interest in reading, he said. What libraries mean Karen Anne Harrell, a Spring Branch librarian for over 30 years, said her positive experience with librarians as a Spring Branch student led her to work there as a school librarian. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Spring Branch has always been cutting edge, said Harrell, who retired in 2022. Weve always been just learning and doing, being on top of everything. Its kind of like a step backward. Harrell saw Spring Branch students through many pivotal moments in her library, from the arrival of computers to teaching students how to find unbiased facts online. Theres more to the library than most people know. Most people just see us checking in and checking out books, and thats not what we did, Harrell said. During Mondays board meeting, Board President Chris Ernest said the district learned from previous budget cuts that targeted academic jobs over administration, such as librarians. We have prioritized academic positions over libraries. Its unfortunate but it is true, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Librarians, including Harrell, disagree. Were all about academics. Thats the world were supporting, academics. Were not were not just fluff, Harrell said. Afraid to speak A current Spring Branch librarian, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said the positions are not administrative overhead. Librarians are teachers. We are academics. You did cut academics by cutting a huge support for them, she said. Some librarians have been at odds with school boards in Spring Branch and elsewhere over book bans. The librarian said she thinks the deep cuts might be linked to the feud over book banning. I cant seem to shake that feeling that maybe that is whats going on here, the librarian said. She said librarians have been too fearful to express their opposition to book bans publicly. She said she has been called names by people who had never even met her. Were afraid, and that fear speaks volumes, she said. Looking ahead Hawes, with the Texas Freedom to Read Project, said that the trend of shuttering libraries across the state will only have negative impacts for students. Four years after the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools and upended child care, the CDC says parents can start treating the virus like other respiratory illnesses. Gone are mandated isolation periods and masking. But will schools and child care centers agree? In case youve lost track: Before Friday, all Americans, including school children, were supposed to stay home for at least five days if they had COVID-19 and then mask for a set period of time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now the CDC says children can go back to school when their overall symptoms improve and theyre fever-free for 24 hours without taking medication. Students are encouraged to wear a mask when they return. Still, the change may not affect how individual schools urge parents to react when their children fall sick. Schools and child care providers have a mixed record on following CDC recommendations and often look to local authorities for the ultimate word. And sometimes other goals, such as reducing absences, can influence a state or districts decisions. The result can be a confusing variation among states and districts, confounding parents whose lives have long been upended by the virus. For example, during the 2021-2022 school year, only 18 states followed CDC recommendations for mask-wearing in class. When the CDC lifted its masking guidelines in February of 2022, states like Massachusetts followed suit, but California kept the mask requirement for schools. And in the child care world, some providers have long used more stringent testing and isolation protocols than the CDC has recommended. Reasons have ranged from trying to prevent outbreaks to keeping staff healthy both for their personal safety and to keep the day care open. Some states moved to more lenient guidelines ahead of the CDC. California and Oregon recently rescinded COVID-19 isolation requirements, and many districts followed their advice. In an attempt to minimize school absences and address an epidemic of chronic absenteeism, California has encouraged kids to come to school when mildly sick and said that students who test positive for coronavirus but are asymptomatic can attend school. Los Angeles and San Diegos school systems, among others, have adopted that policy. But the majority of districts around the country still have asked parents to isolate children for at least five days before returning to school. Some, including Boston and Atlanta, have required students to mask for another five days and report positive COVID-19 test results to the school. A school or day care's specific guidelines are consequential for working parents who must miss work if their child cant go to school or child care. In October 2023, as the nations parents and caretakers wrestled with simultaneous surges of COVID, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza, 104,000 adults reported missing work because of child care issues, the highest number in at least a decade. That number has fallen: Last month, child care problems meant 41,000 adults missed work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Melissa Colagrossos child care center in West Virginia dropped special guidelines for COVID about a year ago, she said. Now, theyre the same as other illnesses: A child must be free of severe symptoms such as fever for at least 24 hours before returning to the center. We certainly are treating COVID just like we would treat flu or hand, foot and mouth disease, said Colagrosso, CEO of A Place To Grow Childrens Center in Oak Hill. As for kids without symptoms who test positive for COVID? Most parents have stopped testing kids unless they have symptoms, Colagrasso said, so its a quandary she has not encountered. Parents don't grasp the full academic damage from COVID's disruption, according to study Parents don't grasp the full academic damage from COVID's disruption, according to study 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. Misty and James Ra-Amari in front of their current home in Katy, Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, shortly after filing suit against two real estate brokerages and a real estate agent after the agent refused to sell a unit to them in a new Katy condominium. The suit was dismissed Wednesday. Annie Mulligan/Contributor A lawsuit claiming that a real estate agent refused to sell condominiums in a Katy Asian Town building to a family because they were Black was dismissed Wednesday without the option to refile. The decision hinged less on whether the family had been discriminated against than whether the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discriminating in the sale or rental of a dwelling, had been violated. The Black family argued that the real estate agents comment that we wont be able to get along with each other well, coupled with marketing material aimed explicitly at Asian communities, established discrimination. The agent and property management company, however, argued that a condo is only a dwelling if the buyer planned to occupy it and that the family had identified themselves instead as investors in court documents. Additionally, they argued that the family had never indicated in court documents that they had actually made an offer. The plaintiffs' lawyer, who said he accidentally deleted the filing email, missed the deadline to reply to the arguments. U.S. District Judge David Hittner then agreed with the defendant. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This case highlights the ongoing challenges and importance of the Fair Housing Act, said Justin Moore, who represented the plaintiffs, in a written statement. He indicated that he and the plaintiffs were considering all available legal avenues for our next steps. Moore characterized the courts decision as based on procedural grounds and said it did not take into consideration video proof of our clients making genuine offers to purchase the condominiums. He also disagreed with the interpretation that the Fair Housing Act did not apply to investors. Our stance is that real estate investment has historically been a pathway for many Americans to build wealth, and our clients' endeavors align with this tradition, he said. Property at its essence is an investment Your home is an investment whether you live in it or not. The defendants lawyer declined to comment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to an interview with the Houston Chronicle shortly after James Ra-Amari filed the suit in 2022, he and his wife, Misty Ra-Amari, and Mistys sister, Rosemary Afful, were interested in the Grand West Condominiums, the first condominium building in the Katy Asian Town and University of Houston at Katy area. They decided to buy three units, James said at the time, planning to rent two and occupy one. In two recordings Moore shared with the Chronicle, a woman out of the frame can be heard refusing to sell to the Ra-Amaris, saying, In the future, actually this one we would like to cater more to the senior side 55 plus. When James asked, So you refuse to sell to us because were not 55 or older? she responded, No, no, no, its not that. I have a gut instinct that tells me we probably wont be able to get along with each other well. After James said, The price is fine. We would like to purchase it and that he was concerned about the assumptions she was making about them, she replied that she was concerned she would have a confrontation with them if they lived in the building. The lawsuit included a summary and some quotes from the recordings. Court documents also pointed to a flyer advertising the building as an option for Chinese and Asian communities in Houston where people could live a safe and simple Asian life to make the argument that the refusal was made on the basis of race. SUPREME COURT: Supreme Court ruling on whether flooded ranchers can sue Texas will shape property rights nationwide Advertisement Article continues below this ad The family sued the agent, Cheng Ching Josie Lin, two real estate brokerages they associated with her and the condos property management association and owner, alleging a violation of the Fair Housing Act, which makes housing discrimination based on race illegal. In court documents, Lin said she was concerned about her ability to get along with the family because they had made derogatory statements about her ability to understand and speak English. She also said the language from the marketing materials was taken out of context and that they were referring to the propertys proximity to Katy Asian Town. On her real estate agent site, Lin billed herself as a Texan by way of Taiwan and described the challenges of studying at Penn State University while raising two children. She said she hoped she could use her personal experience to help immigrants like her adapt and realize their American dream. The judge dismissed most of the defendants from the case, reasoning that the family had failed to show their involvement with Lin or that she was acting on their behalf. After the other defendants had been dismissed, Lin and the property management group she was representing at the time of the alleged incident filed a motion to dismiss the case entirely. They argued that the Fair Housing Act did not protect the family because they were investors and that they had failed to show they had made a bona fide offer to buy the condos. FOOD SHARING: Judge orders Houston to temporarily stop ticketing for feeding the homeless in Food Not Bombs case Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lin and the property management group argued that because the Fair Housing Act defined a discriminatory housing practice as discriminating in the sale or rental of a dwelling, it applied only if the Ra-Amaris and Afful, who were described in their court filings as investors, intended to reside in the units. While the lawsuit said that Afful was looking for a new home for herself and her 3-year-old daughter, in her written testimony, Afful said, I am a real estate investor who was looking to purchase a condo in the Grand West Condominiums. The Fair Housing Act also prohibits the refusal to sell a dwelling after the making of a bona fide offer, and the defendants argued that the lawsuit did not include any description of the family making an offer. Moore, the familys lawyer, did not file a response to either of these arguments by the deadline. Almost a month past the deadline to respond, Moore included his objections and response in a motion asking for permission to file, explaining that the emailed notice of filing was overlooked and deleted. Judge Hittner ruled against that request and largely agreed with the defendants that the plaintiffs had failed to show they had a case. Although Hittner ruled against Moore's request to file his objections and response late, the lawyer noted that the judge's order did address the arguments he raised in that filing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the third century (so the stories say), an assassin gained an audience with Zheng, the first emperor of China. He managed this by arriving with two gifts: a map, and the decapitated head of one of Zhengs enemies. Then he drew a dagger from the rolled-up map and tried to stab the emperor. No one else in the room was allowed to carry weapons, so it now fell on Zheng himself to fight and kill the assassin. These are the sort of stories emperors want people to tell about them. Zheng also went through an experience that was a little more embarrassing. Find out about it below, along with news about how restaurants have been tricking you with French fries. 15 Fun Guy In 1956, a vice president at J.P. Morgan headed down to Mexico to do some magic mushrooms. He received external funding for the trip, and he didnt realize that the money ultimately came from the CIA, as part of their MKUltra project. This was perhaps one of the more happy stories of someone realizing they were secretly being controlled by the CIA. 14 Shrinkage Skyscrapers lose height over time. They undergo a process called elastic shortening, in which the concrete shrinks under load. Architects have to take this into account, by breaking up elevator rails into segments thatll slip past each other rather than a single piece of metal thatll eventually be longer than the space around it. 13 Trash Day Last month, a New Hampshire woman found herself accidentally thrown into a garbage truck while standing too close to a dumpster. The truck then took on several more loads and turned on its compactor, making it surprising that she was still alive once rescuers finally got her out of there. Advertisement 12 Shower Thoughts When you turn on your shower, the shower curtain may blow inwards. Scientists dont know why this is. You yourself can probably propose several explanations, but none of them satisfy scientists when you really break them down. 11 The Brandy Myth Saint Bernards, according to popular myth, run up to lost victims in the snow, carrying barrels of brandy on their necks. They dont really do this, and alcohol wouldnt be good for hypothermic ski victims anyway. This myth can be traced to a painting drawn by a 17-year-old in 1831. Edwin Landseer My kid could paint this! Edwin Landseers father Advertisement Advertisement 10 Throwaway Luxury In the 1960s, ads used to promote cans by pointing out that you didnt need to recycle them. These cans were steel, not aluminum, and throwing them away felt more convenient than dealing with bottles, whose price tacked on a deposit until you returned them to the store. 9 Do Not Do This Cool Thing Vine-Glo was a Prohibition product consisting of grape concentrate, which could be used to make wine. They couldnt openly market this use, so its label said, After dissolving the brick in a gallon of water, do not place the liquid in a jug away in the cupboard for 20 days, because then it would turn to wine. Advertisement 8 Aw, Chute In the 1960s, several stunt pilots flew their planes under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Then one parachutist jumped out of a plane, hoping to glide between the archs legs. He banged into the top of the monument instead and then slid down one leg to his death. Advertisement 7 Gun Runner A FedEx driver was sentenced to prison last month for breaking into packages and selling the contents. The items he stole and sold? Rifles and a shotgun. Considering the possible penalties for illegal arms trafficking, he was fortunate to receive only six days in prison. Advertisement 6 The Smelly End of Emperor Qin Physicians to Chinas first emperor fed him mercury pills to prolong his life. Unfortunately, these pills ended up killing him. To prevent his death from causing a panic, they transported his dead body in a barrel of rotting fish. via Wiki Commons Not that un-fishy corpses smell that great. 5 Operation Breakthrough The United States and the Soviet Union collaborated in 1988 on a mission to free three whales stuck in ice off the coast of Alaska. Sadly, their attempts to crack the ice with a five-ton hammer only created a bunch of jagged ice that was even more deadly for the whales. Advertisement Advertisement 4 Demonetized Police are currently investigating the case of a Pennsylvania man who appears to have decapitated his father. The case against him looks strong: Word of the deed first came out when he posted a video to YouTube, showing the fathers head in a cooking pot. 3 Southern Baby A woman went to Antarctica in 1977 specifically to give birth. Argentina airlifted Silvia Morella de Palma to a civilian base in Antarctica, figuring that if an Argentinian citizen was born on the continent, it would give Argentina a claim on the land. This did not, in fact, give them a claim on the land, as claims have never worked that way, anywhere. Advertisement 2 The Fry Delusion The restaurant Five Guys has long had a policy of dumping some loose fries into customers bags. These arent really extra fries; theyre still serving you the exact amount of fries they planned to. But seeing a bunch of fries separate from whats in the fry container convinces customers theyre getting a bonus. As federal funds for Southern Arizonas migrant-aid network inch closer to depletion, aid workers in Tucson are scrambling to ensure the most vulnerable migrant arrivals can access temporary respite and support services even after those funds are gone at the end of March. The clock is ticking, said Diego Pina Lopez, director of Casa Alitas, a program of the nonprofit Catholic Community Services. The migrant-aid centers work has been the bedrock of Pima Countys so-far successful effort to prevent unsheltered street releases of migrants after theyve been processed and released from Border Patrol custody. Im trying to pull every rabbit out of the hat that I have, and then find new rabbits, Pina Lopez said. Now, its all dependent on the funding and donations were receiving from the community. Casa Alitas staff are reaching out to its nearly 800 current and former volunteers to ask for support, Pina Lopez said. Hes also scrutinizing details, like how many blankets a family can receive and what kinds of meals are offered, to maximize the number of people served with donated funds and goods. Staff are reaching out to local hotels to solicit donated blankets, and asking volunteers with sewing skills to convert the blankets into lightweight bedding for the shelters cots, he said. Its a collaboration between a lot of partners to see, how can we do things the most cost-effectively on this shoe-string budget? he said. With enough funding, Casa Alitas Welcome Center on Ajo Way could temporarily shelter about 140 of the 500 migrants who are expected to be released daily in Tucson by Border Patrol, if current arrival trends hold, county officials said. Casa Alitas leaders, who have already notified staff to expect 30 layoffs, are figuring out whether theyll also be able to continue leasing their 400-bed Drexel facility from Pima County. Most of the arriving migrants only stay in Tucson for one or two nights before they travel to join family or sponsors elsewhere in the country. They get a rest, shower, medical care and other supports during their stay at Casa Alitas. The priority will be providing overnight shelter for the most vulnerable, Pina Lopez said, including young children and pregnant women. My goal is that no child under 10 is street released, he said. So far, the response from the Southern Arizona community has been heart-warming, Pina Lopez said, referencing the final scene in the 1946 classic film, Its a Wonderful Life. I definitely feel like Im overflowing with communitys love and compassion, he said. I feel like its a Its a Wonderful Life moment, where I see the hat on the table and people coming by the house and dropping off whatever they can to help make it work. Border communities Border agents are expected to continue releasing about 500 migrants per day in Cochise and Santa Cruz counties, after federal funding winds down at the end of March, a county memo said. Currently, those migrants can access state-contracted buses to reach support services and travel options in Pima County, but that will stop once Pima County halts its coordination of the regions migrant-aid system at the end of March. Every city that relied on Pima County before is going to have to deal with their own street releases, said Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva. Unfortunately, now the community is going to feel and truly understand what it is Pima County has been doing for the past five years. Since 2019, the Tucson regions migrant-aid coalition has used $65 million in mostly federal funding to temporarily assist more than 400,000 legally processed migrants. This month the Tucson City Council and Mayor Regina Romero will discuss options to help mitigate the consequences of unsheltered street releases in Tucson, including looking at possible ways to extend the April 1 deadline, said city spokesman Andy Squire. On Feb. 21, the countys Board of Supervisors voted against committing county general funds to the migrant-relief effort, which officials say is a federal issue that requires federal funding. Even an incredibly stripped-down version of the migrant-aid services would have cost the county $250,000 per month, Grijalva said. The level of services provided now, with federal funds, costs more than $1 million each week. Emergency managers in those small rural communities are also searching for strategies to mitigate the humanitarian fall-out of migrants arriving to small border towns with minimal transportation and temporary shelter services. It is a concern for every single emergency management office in Southern Arizona, said Sobeira Castro, director of emergency management for Santa Cruz County. The county has been receiving 300 to 500 legally processed migrants per day from border agents, down from a peak of closer to 800 late last year, she said. Castro said shes concerned about those who arrive with only the clothes on their back, or without any way to charge their cell phones, if they have them, to contact their families or sponsors in the U.S. While some have their own resources, others wont be able to afford the $15 bus to Tucson, and the only shelter in Nogales has a capacity of about 20, she said. Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels told the Star he plans to reach out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection leadership about the impending street releases, and will push them to concentrate those releases on bigger cities, rather than Douglas, Bisbee and Naco. Dannels said releasing newly arrived migrants without supports and leaving them to survive on their own is inhumane and unfair to locals. Lets face it, this is a federal problem with our international border that needs their funding, their input, their leadership, he said. And right now, Im not seeing that. Disinformation booming Local law enforcement has been alarmed by rising hostility toward immigrants and those who help them, especially as right-wing media has escalated its attacks on non-government organizations, or NGOs, like Catholic Community Services and humanitarian-aid workers who provide life-saving aid to migrants on the border, falsely accusing them of engaging in human trafficking. Some are also seizing on instances of crimes committed by immigrants to sow fear about the population as a whole, and falsely refer to legally processed migrants as illegals. In reality, migrants are in the country legally once they are processed and released by border agents with a court date. The overwhelming majority of asylum seekers show up for their immigration court hearings, according to the American Immigration Council. Once they are released from custody, they are free to go on into the U.S. wherever their final destination may be, said Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh, associate policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, or MPI, and co-author of a January report detailing recommended reforms to the U.S. immigration system. In researching the report, the authors interviewed U.S. border agents and port-of-entry officers in six border sectors. Every Border Patrol agent we talked to said the work these NGOs do is extremely helpful, because that means theyre not dropping people off without services, she said. MPI researches will be closely observing the situation in border communities facing a loss of federal funds that supported NGOs work. Itll definitely be top of mind, especially considering that one of our reports recommendations was to strengthen the relationship between NGOs and CBP, she said. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said hes noticed an increase in fear-mongering efforts to link migrants to criminal activity. But hes more concerned about the well-being of migrants themselves than about any risk they might pose to the community. Vulnerable people will be exposed to the elements as temperatures begin warming, and an increasing number of arrivals dont speak English or Spanish, he said. Were going to be in uncharted waters. One of the biggest fears we have is the safety of migrants, he said. You can imagine yourself being dropped in the middle of a city, in a nation as large as ours, and you dont speak any of the languages. Its a great risk to be doing this. Studies consistently dispel the myth of immigrants as dangerous, said Austin Kocher, a research assistant professor with the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a Syracuse University research institute. Ive never seen a research study that shows that immigrants commit crimes at higher rates than Americans, he said. They all show the opposite, that immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than U.S. citizens. Local officials are also braced for any security issues stemming from armed vigilantes, who target migrants and humanitarian-aid workers on the border. We have these wannabe-Border Patrol people that are patrolling our border thinking they have the legal right to do so, driving around with big trucks asking people for their papers, Pima County Supervisor Grijalva said. Im very concerned that if we have a vulnerable population (of migrants on the streets), that we might start getting people that want to capitalize on that, by pretending to have some sort of legal authority that no one has given them. Cochise County Sheriff Dannels said he hasnt heard any specific threats against migrants, but he discourages anyone from taking the law into their own hands, unless someone is trying to break into their house. Trust us with the disciplines of the law, he said. Were all in this together, and we got their backs. Border Patrol targeted Some right-wing commentators are directing their ire at border agents who are processing and releasing migrants to NGOs like Casa Alitas, falsely accusing them of complicity in human trafficking or so-called open-borders policies. Once someone is across that line, theyre in the United States and an agent does not have the ability to just somehow get them back across the line, John Modlin, chief of Border Patrols Tucson sector, said in a Feb. 29 interview with the Arizona Daily Star. At that point, all of the legal processes need to take place. Agents are now encountering 1,700 to 1,800 migrants a day in the Tucson sector, and Modlin expects that figure to reach more than 2,200 a day by April. Modlin said border agents get criticism from the left on humanitarian grounds which he says discounts the life-saving work of border agents who rescue migrants in the field and now, theyre getting vilified by some on the right-wing for doing their jobs. Ive been doing this 28 years and it is kind of the first time you see that sort of attack on multiple fronts, he said. Some people saying that we are somehow complicit in this (surge of migrants claiming fear) and others saying theres no humanity in the patrol. Modlin said migrants who turn themselves in to agents are taken to processing centers where they undergo biometric checks, like fingerprinting and facial scans, to screen for criminal histories in the U.S. Theyre also cross-referenced with terrorism watch lists. About 1% of migrants encountered by agents have a significant criminal history in the U.S., he said. When agents identify someone with a criminal history, theyre held in custody and turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service. If someones name shows up on a watch list, theyre held as agents contact the federal Joint Terrorism Task Force and CBPs National Targeting Center in D.C., he said. While foreign criminal databases are difficult to access, in rare instances Border Patrol will get international alerts on an individual wanted in another country, he said. Modlin says, while he understands concern about the vetting process, hes more worried about the potential bad intentions of those who seek to evade border agents, rather than the migrants who voluntarily turn themselves in. The thing that bothers agents the most is knowing that people are getting away from us and not knowing what that persons intent was, while were dealing with groups (who self-surrender) that for the most part dont pose a threat, he said. More asylum officers and immigration judges to process asylum requests and more detention space would help free up agents to focus on their primary mission of finding migrants trying to evade agents and interdicting criminal activity, he said. Properly resourcing the immigration system would also improve security, he said. If the system was equipped to handle what were dealing with, then there would be more time to do more thorough checks, thorough interviews and investigations, he said. That cant be entirely on the Border Patrol. The system in all of this needs to expand commensurate to what were doing. Immigration experts say legal avenues to immigrate to the U.S. either through the countrys out-of-date work-visa programs, or the overwhelmed asylum system are impossible for most to access. Opening up more legal immigration pathways would also take power away from Mexican criminal groups, who are profiting from lucrative human-smuggling operations that exploit the lack of legal options to immigrate, advocates say. Asylum seekers in Nogales, Sonora are waiting up to six months for an appointment through the Biden Administrations CBP One application. And theyre waiting in dangerous conditions, vulnerable to kidnapping, extortion and assault by criminal groups and corrupt officials, aid workers in Nogales, Sonora and human-rights advocates say. Some get desperate enough to turn to human smugglers, just to reach U.S. soil so they can turn themselves in and request asylum. Federal funding Pima County Administrator Jan Lesher wrote in a Feb. 16 memo to supervisors that due to gridlock in the U.S. Congress, the chance of renewed federal funding before April is negligible, if not zero. Still, Arizona U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly sent a letter to colleagues on Tuesday, pressing Congress to give an additional $752 million in federal funds for the Shelter and Services Program, which has funded the migrant-relief effort in border communities, to avoid a catastrophic situation, the senators wrote. At a Feb. 21 border roundtable in Douglas, Arizona, Sinema told local officials that the humanitarian crisis facing border communities isnt necessary; its a choice Congress has made by refusing to act. The bipartisan border-security package, co-sponsored by Sinema, would have provided $1.4 billion in continued federal funding for the migrant-relief effort. Within hours of its release on Feb. 4, GOP legislators called the bill dead on arrival and days later the Senate voted to kill the bill before considering it. We could have avoided all of that, Sinema said, of the expected unsheltered street releases. Unfortunately, partisans in Washington decided that the border crisis isnt really a crisis. They decided they dont really actually want to do anything about it after all. You all are continuing to manage a crisis that you didnt create. Among his many talents, Dante Lauretta is an expert at multitasking. The University of Arizona Regents Professor dictated the last chapter of his latest book from a military cargo plane as it flew him from Utah to NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston on Sept. 25 with a capsule full of rocks and dust from the asteroid Bennu. The Asteroid Hunter, Laurettas new memoir about leading the Tucson-born OSIRIS-REx space mission, goes on sale March 19. In the books dramatic final scene, the capsule plunges through the atmosphere like a meteor and lands under a parachute at the Utah Test and Training Range while Lauretta and the rest of the recovery team race across the desert in helicopters to greet it. I wanted to capture it while it was fresh, he said of his in-flight dictation the next day. It was so visceral and so action-packed, the words kind of wrote themselves. The memoir is one of two books Lauretta authored last year. The other is Bennu 3-D: Anatomy of an Asteroid, a coffee-table atlas of the space rock he published with legendary Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May. Lauretta will talk about both titles during separate panel discussions on March 9 at the Tucson Festival of Books on the U of A campus. The Asteroid Hunter chronicles his journey from a single-wide trailer in the desert north of Phoenix, where he grew up without plumbing or a television, to the U of As Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. Thats where he met his mentor, Michael Drake, who ran the world-famous laboratory and served as the first principal investigator for OSIRIS-REx. Lauretta assumed leadership of the mission after Drake died in 2011, shepherding the $1.2 billion project through its launch in 2016, its brush with Bennu in 2020 and the successful return of its asteroid samples last year. That tense and triumphant moment marks the end of The Asteroid Hunter, but the authors story is far from over. Lauretta is now busy sifting through the bounty from Bennu and writing the first of what promises to be a stack of research papers about the scientific bonanza he helped bring back from outer space. He expects that first big paper to be finished soon, providing an overview of the entire asteroid sample and what it has revealed so far. Already, he said, they have found tantalizing evidence hinting at the possibility that some of the particles once came into contact with large ocean bodies. The sample is fantastic. Its exceeding my wildest dreams, Lauretta said. According to NASAs final tally, the robotic spacecraft brought home 121.6 grams of regolith, more than double the amount required to declare OSIRIS-REx a success. The largest rock is about an inch and a half across, roughly the size and shape of a walnut. Its a beautiful particle. I call it the heart, Lauretta said. So far, only about a gram of material has been doled out to the missions U of A-led science team, which includes more than 200 researchers at labs in Tucson and around the world. But Lauretta said just that tiny amount is expected to yield 58 separate scientific papers in the coming months. The science is coming fast and furious, he said. You could take a one millimeter particle, and you could literally study it for a year. Lauretta said his favorite part of the process so far has been turning students loose in the lab to collect data on the material, then meeting with them afterward to discuss what they found. When he isnt in the lab or the classroom, Lauretta is hard at work lately running the Arizona Astrobiology Center, the U of As new hub for research on the existence and evolution of life in the universe. He described the center, which was launched in October, as a natural extension of the OSIRIS-REx activities. After all, U of A researchers originally chose Bennu as their target because they thought the carbon-rich asteroid could contain clues about the origins of the solar system and maybe life on Earth. Since his cargo plane flight to Houston in September, Lauretta has written a second epilogue to The Asteroid Hunter. In it, he describes the unlikely reunion in a lab in Tucson between twin carbon atoms that were separated billions of years ago one to wander the vacuum of space, the other destined for a green planet and, eventually, the body of a scientist. Though hes still plenty busy these days, Lauretta said his life since last years capsule landing is much lower stress. Weve got our sample. Were in the lab. Were doing science, he said. Thats why I did all this to begin with. First Lady Jill Biden told a Tucson audience Saturday its no accident that Arizona was my first stop on her Women for Biden/Harris tour. Four years ago, Arizona, you put us in the White House, she said. Serving has been the greatest accomplishment of my life. Biden was in Tucson as guest speaker for Arizona Lists 20th anniversary. Arizona List was created to support Democratic women seeking political seats, from school board members to presidential candidates. Biden and other elected women praised Arizona List for giving them a platform to speak and the attention each needed to fight for a seat at the table. Four hecklers were taken by Tucson police and Secret Service members from the audience of a few hundred at the Fox Tucson Theatre downtown. You have blood on your hands, Jill, one shouted, but his screams were drowned out by the crowd shouting four more years. Biden ignored the heckling and continued to speak. Donald Trump has spent a lifetime tearing us down and devaluing our existence. He mocks women's bodies, disrespects our accomplishments, and brags about assault, Biden said. Now hes bragging about killing Roe v. Wade. Donald Trump is dangerous to women and to our families. We simply cannot let him win, Biden continued. When our bodies are on the line, when our daughters futures are at stake, when our country and its freedom hang in the balance, we are immovable and unstoppable. While the audience was mostly women, sprinkled with a few men, two young men stood out. The two woke early on a Saturday morning to listen to Biden and other women politicians from Tucson and Phoenix speak about the help Arizona List has given them over the years, and what they say is needed moving toward the next 20 years. I came here to learn more about politics, said 17-year-old Farhan Tasir. Tasir and his friend Sadiq Jama, 15, spend their free time collecting signatures for the Democratic Party and for issues they believe in. Its nice to see people fight for what they believe in, and to see so many women involved. Brenda Wexler, 84, is no stranger to protest. She said she was arrested decades ago in her attempt to change parental separation law. She had paint thrown at her house on at least five occasions as a result, Wexler said. To this day she sees the stigma surrounding abortion access and migrant issues, and said she wants that to change. While Wexler was collecting signatures, a woman approached her to sign a petition to keep abortion legal in Arizona. She asked me if anybody would call her (about her signature) because she did not want her husband to find out she had signed, Wexler said. Those in attendance were making their voices loud and heard, however. As long as Im standing on my on two feet, I will be getting signatures to protect abortion, Wexler said. Tucson's Daniel Contreras, famed for putting Sonoran hot dogs on the U.S. culinary map and winning a prestigious gastronomy award in the process, is hospitalized, his family says, and they are asking for prayers. "Daniel is stable under the supervision of the medical team," the Contreras family wrote Friday on the Facebook page of his popular Tucson restaurants, El Guero Canelo. Visits aren't allowed "due to his delicate condition." "We appreciate everyone for your interest and concern. He's steadily recovering. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you," the post says. KGUN Channel 9 News reported Thursday that a spokesperson for El Guero Canelo, LLC, confirmed Contreras was in intensive care at an undisclosed hospital and in stable condition. The reason for the hospitalization has not been shared publicly. Contreras won a coveted James Beard Award in 2018 in the American Classics category, which honors restaurants with timeless appeal that are cherished for quality food that reflects the character of their community. The New York-based James Beard Foundation praised the bacon-wrapped hot dog of the borderlands, calling Tucson the American epicenter of the hot dogs which originated in Hermosillo, Sonora. Daniel Contreras is the leading hotdoguero, the foundation said in giving him the award. The original stand is now a destination restaurant, outfitted with picnic tables and serviced by a walk-up order window. Fans converge for bacon-wrapped franks, stuffed into stubby bolillos, smothered with beans, onion, mustard, jalapeno sauce, and a squiggle of mayonnaise. El Guero Canelo began as a South 12th Avenue taco stand in 1993, and expanded to three restaurants across Tucson as well as a meat market here. Contreras also owns a bakery and tortilla factory in Magdalena, Sonora. Contreras is the cinnamon-haired blond guy in the restaurants name. KGUN's report Thursday said Contreras told the station last week that he hoped to retire in the near future. A Tulsa World reporter who was barred from legislative meetings during a 1916 special session found the perfect solution to get back into such sessions. He ran for a seat in the House of Representatives and was elected. That meant that pioneer newsman Glenn Condon, whose news career began in 1907 when he went to work for the Tulsa Democrat, couldn't be kicked out of future meetings. But his legislative career didn't last long. Before his term ended, Condon resigned to join the Marine Corps and was shipped to Europe to fight in World War I. Condon's career was "parallel with the history of Oklahoma and possibly more interesting," a speaker at a Chamber of Commerce public forum told about 300 friends of "Mr. Oklahoma News" in 1964. It was an appropriate analogy. Indeed, his career had been interesting. Born in Iowa, he came to Oklahoma City in 1892 as a baby and got his first newspaper job in 1907 at the Tulsa Democrat where, when things were slow, he was sent to the home of the editor to rock the cradle of the editor's baby, he recalled at that 1964 forum. Probably best remembered as the radio news reporter with a staccato delivery, his interest in a news career developed from selling newspapers on the street in Oklahoma City in 1906 about the massive earthquake that struck San Francisco. Shortly after that, he moved to Tulsa and went to work for the Democrat, forerunner of The Tulsa Tribune. He later worked for the old Tulsa Post before moving to the Tulsa World in 1911. While working for the Post, Condon witnessed a gunbattle at an out-of-town gambling den. Believing that the Post wouldn't print such a story, he sold it to a Kansas City newspaper, which wanted more details. "I began drawing on my imagination," Condon recalled. "Unfortunately, I overdrew." That story, reprinted in the Democrat, resulted in Condon being fired from the Post via a Page 1 editorial edged in a black border. "I have the distinction of being the only reporter in Tulsa history fired with a front-page editorial," he said. The specific situation that angered the Legislature couldn't be determined, but his stories frequently rankled lawmakers. As a World reporter in 1911, Condon covered the only legal hanging in Tulsa. In addition to his job at the Tulsa World, Condon served on the Tulsa Park Board in 1913-16 and wrote the Republican platform on which city commission candidates ran in 1916. When he returned from service in World War I, Condon became editor and publisher of Vaudeville News and gave Walter Winchell, later to become a nationally known gossip columnist, his first job. Condon returned to Tulsa in 1926 to manage the Ritz and Orpheum movie theaters and two years later set up the public relations department for Skelly Oil Co., but he went back to news reporting in 1934 as a co-builder of radio station KOME. He later was news director of station KTUL until 1946, when he helped organize as part-owner of station KAKC (the C stands for Condon). Condon moved to station KRMG as news director when it went on the air on Christmas Eve 1949. The next year he was named president of both the Oklahoma Associated Press Broadcasters and the Tulsa Press Club. Condon, a popular master of ceremonies at meetings throughout the state, once introduced a public official as "the only Tulsa County commissioner who hasn't been indicted." When the laughter died down, he added "yet." Condon, who died in 1968, had been identified as the dean of Tulsa journalists and "Mr. Oklahoma News" because his staccato delivery was so well-known throughout the state. Like this column? Read all the columns in the Only in Oklahoma series from the Tulsa World Archive. Curtis Killman Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Curtis Killman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today A judge has reduced a jurys punitive damages award in a Tulsa County jail death civil rights lawsuit from $68 million to $7 million, citing pervasive misconduct by the plaintiffs legal counsel during the trial that included repeated improper argument, showing excluded evidence and crying in front of the jury. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston said attorney Dan Smolens misconduct during the trial harmed Correctional Healthcare Cos. LLC, the Tulsa County jails private medical care provider at the time of the death. The result was a toxic trial, resulting in a verdict influenced by his misconduct, Johnston wrote in his 72-page memorandum opinion and order issued Thursday in Tulsa federal court. Johnston, though, declined to grant CHC a new trial or reduce a $14 million compensatory damages award. Because of the overwhelming evidence as to CHCs liability, CHCs motion for a new trial as to liability is denied, Johnston wrote. The judge added that there was an avalanche of evidence presented to the jury that CHCs deliberate indifference caused the constitutional violations inflicted on Ms. Gwendolyn Young, resulting in her pain, suffering and death. Youngs daughter, Deborah Young-Powell, sued CHC on behalf of her mothers estate following Youngs Feb. 8, 2013, death from a subdural hematoma while being held in the Tulsa County jail. Prior to her death, Young had reported stomach pain and vomiting blood. On the day she died, she reportedly banged on the glass of her cell while reporting having difficulty breathing but was told by a nurse that she was O.K. Hours later, Young was found dead in her cell. When the verdict was issued just over a year ago following a two-week trial in Tulsa federal court, Smolen hailed the verdict as the largest civil rights death claim verdict in U.S. history. In granting the reduction in punitive damages, Johnston gave Smolen until March 26 to either accept the reduced damages award or seek a new trial just on the issue of punitive damages. Smolen said the judges ruling was disappointing but not surprising. During trial, he compared me to a scorpion and threatened to smack my co-counsel, Smolen said in a written statement to the Tulsa World. And his written order seems to equate my advocacy at trial with CHCs horrific neglect of jail inmates, which has caused multiple gruesome deaths. In Ms. Youngs case, the jury was so horrified by CHCs misconduct that it awarded $68 million in punitive damages. Those 12 jurors unanimously agreed that significant damages were necessary to deter CHC from killing more inmates in the future. Its a shame Judge Johnstons animosity toward me seems to have led him to impugn those jurors judgment and to drastically reduce the deterrent effect of their verdict. His order repeatedly misstates the facts and ignores the law. Needless to say, well be challenging this ruling in the coming days. Among his findings, Johnston said Smolen wrongly allowed the jury to know through witness testimony that CHC has faced other civil lawsuits stemming from in-custody deaths while it was the medical provider. Johnston spent nearly five pages of his opinion on the issue of whether Smolen cried during portions of the trial. CHC claimed that Smolen wrongly showed emotion during portions of the trial that included crying or nearly crying in front of the jury to garner sympathy. After Smolen gave his opening statement in the trial, CHC attorneys objected, claiming that Smolen appeared to be almost crying, according to Johnstons opinion. Smolen denied crying but did say he might have had a tear in his eye, according to the ruling. So, at a minimum, Plaintiffs counsel admitted to having a tear in his eye during opening statements, Johnston said, adding, Thats crying. Johnston also faulted Smolen for placing a tissue box on the podium after jurors entered the room and took their seats prior to examining a witness. Whether Mr. Smolen shed a tear on this occasion is a distraction, Johnston wrote. He conveyed the same emotionally charged message to the jury by his actions: I believe my client is truthful because Im going to cry with her. Johnston also faulted Smolen for his legal teams showing the jury a document that had already been ruled inadmissible. The document, a certificate of insurance for CHC, had been prohibited from being shown to the jury because it was deemed improper. While Smolen withdrew the document from the trial exhibit list, it was still flashed on television monitors to the jury during a portion of the trial, according to the opinion. The document was visible for one to five seconds to everyone in the courtroom, depending on who was asked, before it was taken down, according to the opinion. The court also finds that the jury could only draw one reasonable inference from CHCs certificate of insurance being shown to them: CHC was covered by insurance, despite this being factually incorrect as the policy apparently already had been exhausted. Despite the misconduct, Johnston declined to refer Smolen to any disciplinary body. But the Court hopes Plaintiffs counsel changes his mindset before different judges exercise their discretion differently, Johnston wrote. The judge described Smolens trial strategy as though rules and court orders are mere suggestions, possessing no real force or consequences when they are violated. Johnson wrote that a consequence of that mindset is that jury trials look more like Thunderdome than a search for the truth. And it is exhausting for trial judges to try to police what happens in Thunderdome. Johnston apologized to Gwendolyn Youngs family in his ruling, saying they were not at fault. The Court has deep sympathy for Ms. Young-Powell and her family for this result, Johnston wrote. Again, she did nothing wrong. But the facts and the law lead the Court to this result. Young-Powell issued the following statement through Smolen in response to the ruling: Our family is heartbroken by Judge Johnstons order, Young-Powell said. Throughout the trial, we were troubled by his explosive and demeaning behavior toward our counsel, who had been respectful and professional. But when 12 jurors unanimously concluded CHC should be punished for causing my mothers death, we thought justice had finally been done. After fighting for more than 10 years to hold CHC accountable, we never imagined the judge would undermine the jurys verdict, apparently because he didnt like our lawyer. Restoring this verdict is critical to preventing CHC from continuing to recklessly harm the people in their care. We intend to fight until justice is done. An attorney for CHC did not return a message seeking comment. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton 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 Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education will consider a proposal Monday night for the district to participate this semester in a merit-based teacher stipend plan. TPS officials confirmed Friday that the district was approached Feb. 23 about collaborating with the Oklahoma State Department of Education to facilitate TPS participation in the Oklahoma Teacher Empowerment Fund this semester. If approved by the board Monday night, about 100 teachers across the district would be eligible to apply for advanced status under the program, which carries a $6,000 one-time raise, a $3,000 stipend and five extra contract days. Under the terms of the program guidelines, the district has to use student performance, teacher observations and out-of-classroom time as criteria to narrow down which teachers would be eligible. According to a copy of the application obtained by the Tulsa World, English language arts teachers and reading interventionists around the district whose students showed the most growth on the reading portion of the NWEA MAP test from either fall 2022 to spring 2023 or from fall 2023 to winter 2024 were invited to apply. Among the demands placed on TPS to retain its accreditation is that at least half of its students score at at least basic level on the English language arts portion of state tests this spring or increase the number of students meeting that threshold by at least 5%. Pending board approval, the application would close at 5 p.m. Tuesday and recipients would be selected by March 11. According to an internal message sent to all TPS teachers Friday afternoon, those who participate in the program will provide targeted instructional support to other teachers around the district from March 25 through May 10, with their regular classes covered by Oklahoma State Department of Education employees with teaching certificates. A district spokesman later clarified that the participating teachers would only be offsite for portions of select days during that window rather than the entire seven-week period. Both a district spokesman and Shawna Mott-Wright, president of the Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association, confirmed that the teachers collective bargaining unit was included in the conversations about potentially adding the program. Approved in 2022, House Bill 4388 directs that any Oklahoma lottery proceeds in excess of $65 million be put into a revolving fund to finance the Oklahoma Teacher Empowerment Fund Program. The program, which received $22.5 million in lottery proceeds in September, provides additional one-time bonuses of at least $6,000 to educators who are designated as advanced, lead or master teachers by their school districts. However, districts are required to provide matching money to participate, and the number of teachers who would be eligible for those funds is capped at 10% per district. Additionally, the recipients are required to have more days added to their contract. According to the districts Finance Department, TPS will use its fund balance to pay for its share if the proposal is approved at Monday nights meeting. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The U.S. Department of Education is investigating whether Owasso Public Schools failed to appropriately respond to allegations of student harassment, the district confirmed Friday evening. An Owasso Public Schools statement acknowledged that the district received notice Friday of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights based on a Feb. 21 complaint filed by the LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Human Rights Campaign. The district is committed to cooperating with federal officials and believes the complaint submitted by HRC is not supported by the facts and is without merit, the districts statement reads. The investigation came to light late Friday evening with the release by the Human Rights Campaign of a letter to it from the Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights. That letter, also dated Friday, does not mention Owasso Public Schools student Nex Benedict but was written in response to the Human Rights Campaigns complaint concerning Benedicts Feb. 8 death. The letter to HRC President Kelley Robinson says the agency is opening the following issues for investigation: 1. Whether the District failed to appropriately respond to alleged harassment of students in a manner consistent with the requirements of Title IX. 2. Whether the District failed to appropriately respond to alleged harassment of students in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 504 and Title II. The letter is signed by Karen A. Mines, acting regional director for the Office of Civil Rights Region V, which is composed of six states in the upper Midwest. It is unclear why the letter carries Mines signature on Region V letterhead, since Oklahoma is in Region VI. The letter says opening the complaint for investigation in no way implies that OCR has made a determination on the merits of the complaint. Benedict, 16, died one day after an altercation in a school restroom. The reason for the fight remains unclear, although some maintain that it had to do with Benedicts nonbinary gender identity. Nexs family, community, and the broader 2SLGBTQI+ (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and intersex+) community in Oklahoma are still awaiting answers following their tragic loss, Robinson said in a press release. We appreciate the Department of Education responding to our complaint and opening an investigation we need them to act urgently so there can be justice for Nex, and so that all students at Owasso High School and every school in Oklahoma can be safe from bullying, harassment, and discrimination. The Human Rights Campaign letter to the Office of Civil Rights says Benedict was brutally beaten, but police say a preliminary postmortem ruled out trauma as a cause of death. In a video-recorded interview with a law officer, Benedict, who used gender nonspecific pronouns, said they lost consciousness during the fight. The teen was later taken to a hospital, examined, interviewed by the law officer and discharged. Owasso police detectives continue to investigate details and evidence relating to the Feb. 7 altercation, and an official autopsy report from the State Medical Examiners Office is still pending. The Human Rights Campaign has also asked the Department of Justice to investigate. Noah Nguyen, better known as Lai Ngua Chan, a YouTuber from Hai Phong City in northern Vietnam, is currently the only Vietnamese person to travel to 178 nations and territories worldwide. Early this month, he departed for another country with an aim to become the first Vietnamese to reach all 195 countries and territories recognized by the United Nations. He told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that his first destination for this year is a South American country. After coming to 195 countries, he will return to countries that he loves and destinations that he wants to explore more, he planned. Lai Ngua Chan is a popular YouTuber among travel lovers with his channel featuring nearly 400 videos and attracting more than 670,000 subscribers. Explaining his nickname of Lai Ngua Chan, he said he used to study linguistics and philosophy in Germany. Ngua Chan comes from the phrase itchy feet in English indicating those who love traveling. Lai, literally translated as again, meaning that he has repeatedly gone on trips. Lai Ngua Chan loves learning the culture of countries. Photo: Supplied He shared that he did not like traveling when he was young. After his first trip abroad to China in 2006 with some friends, I still did not manage to travel around the world. Since studying in Europe, I realized that traveling around the world is definitely possible if I work hard to save money, he added. After nearly 20 years of traveling, Lai Ngua Chan said he is now addicted to traveling. Trips help broaden his horizons, real-life experience, and knowledge while changing his perception and improving himself, Lai Ngua Chan said. I love Danish writer Christian Hans Andersens saying At rejse er at leve, meaning that traveling is a reason for living, you are traveling means you are living. While studying in Germany, Lai Ngua Chan easily visited most European countries. He later reached many other regions, including dangerous areas and those with political instability, even those with riots and wars. He used to set foot in Haiti, Somalia, and Yemen. He shared that he came to these regions with local tour guides, learned experience from those who had previously traveled to these regions and used his intuition to adapt to and deal with all situations. He said his greatest strength is his sense of venturesomeness. Lai Ngua Chan poses for a photo with children in Angola. Photo: Supplied In 2023 alone, he visited 32 countries and territories. I was most touched when witnessing the life of Cuban people, most impressed by the life with unique customs of near-primitive tribes in South Sudan and Angola, and scared and sad when coming to military conflict zones in Ukraine, he retold. Traveling is costly. Everyone loves traveling but not all people can afford their trips. Lai Ngua Chan said he did part-time jobs since he was still a student to earn money to cover his trips. After graduation, he was lucky to get a high-income job so that he could pursue his passion of traveling. After creating his YouTube channel and uploaded videos of his trips to the channel since 2021, his income from YouTube has helped cover about half of the costs of his trips. My greatest joy is to provide Vietnamese people with images of remote and new lands. Im not a professional filmmaker, so I always try to record real-life scenes, Lai Ngua Chan shared. He added that his most valuable lesson from trips to the 178 countries and territories is being more patient and looking at life positively. Each trip is a journey full of experiences. Im probably introverted and love keeping memories so that I can remember when I am old, which is the motivation for me to get itchy feet and go on trips again. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 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. Researchers in the Amazon have discovered the world's largest snake species - an enormous green anaconda - in Ecuador's rainforest that split off from its closest relatives 10 million years ago though they still nearly look identical to this day. A video shared online shows the scale of these 20-foot-long (6.1-meter-long) reptiles as one of the researchers, Dutch biologist Freek Vonk, swims alongside a giant 200-kilo (441-pound) specimen. It was thought that there was only one species of green anaconda in the wild, the Eunectes murinus, but the scientific journal Diversity this month revealed that the new "northern green anaconda" belongs to a different, new species, Eunectes akiyama. "What we were there to do was use the anacondas as an indicator species for what kind of damage is being done by the oil spills that are plaguing the Yasuni in Ecuador, because the oil extraction is absolutely out of control," researcher Bryan G. Fry said. Fry - an Australian professor of biology at the University of Queensland who for almost 20 years has been investigating anaconda species found in South America - told Reuters the discovery allows them to show that the two species split from each other almost 10 million years ago. "But the really amazing part was, despite this genetic difference, and despite their long period of divergence, the two animals are completely identical," he said. Although green anaconda snakes are very similar visually, there is a genetic difference of 5.5%, which surprised the scientists. "Which is an incredible amount of genetic difference, particularly when you put it in the context that we're only 2% different from chimpanzees," Fry said. Anacondas are incredibly useful sources of information for the ecological health of the area and the potential impacts on human health of oil spills in the region, Fry said. Some of the snakes they studied in parts of Ecuador were heavily polluted by oil spills, and the anacondas and arapaima fish are accumulating a large amount of the petrochemical metals, he added. "That means that if arapaima fish are accumulating these oil spill metals, that they need to be avoided by pregnant women, just like women avoid salmon and tuna and other parts of the world for fear of methylmercury," he said. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse will visit Australia and New Zealand from March 5 to 11, during which he will attend the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit held in Melbourne, the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday. This will be his first official visits to the two Oceanian countries since assuming power in 2021. The top Vietnamese official will remain in Australia from March 5 to 9 during the week-long visit, which will take place at the invitation of his Australian and New Zealand counterparts Anthony Albanese and Christopher Luxon. Australia and New Zealand are Vietnams strategic partners in Oceania, as well as member countries of the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), which was upgraded in August last year. The visits demonstrate that Vietnam attaches great importance to Australia and New Zealand in particular and Oceania as a whole, as well as are expected to strengthen cooperation ties between the Southeast Asian nation with the region, especially in trade. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) shakes hands with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, Hanoi, June 2023. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Regarding the Vietnam-Australia bilateral relations, both sides wrapped up 2023 in an upbeat mood, with many high-level visits to Vietnam by top Australian officials and events in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties. Bilateral trade between Vietnam and Australia reached US$13.8 billion last year, with the former exporting $5.2 billion worth of goods to the latter. Australia remains the seventh-largest trade partner of Vietnam, which is the 10th biggest one of the former. Vietnam got the green light to export many types of its agro and seafood products, such as lychees, mangoes, dragon fruits, longans, and frozen shrimps, to Australia, while opening its doors to Australian fruits like oranges, kumquats, cherries, grapes, peaches, and nectarines. The Southeast Asian nation is seeking Australias nod to export Vietnamese grapefruits and passion fruits to the latter. As of last year, Australia ranked 20th among 143 countries and territories pouring investment in Vietnam, with 621 projects worth more than $2 billion in the manufacturing, processing, lodging services, healthcare, and agro-forestry-fishery sectors. Vietnam had 92 valid projects with a combined investment of $552.7 million in Australia, ranking 11th among the 80 countries and regions investing in Australia. Besides, Australia is one of the largest providers of non-refundable official development assistance (ODA), as well as short- and long-term scholarships for Vietnam. Cooperation activities in terms of tourism, travel and holiday programs among Australian and Vietnamese localities also made headway. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is a former businessman. Photo: AFP As for the Vietnam-New Zealand relations, the visit by PM Chinh will take place ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-New Zealand diplomatic ties in 2025. The visit will enable both sides to discuss measures for tightening their ties and make preparations for the upcoming celebration. Vietnam is currently New Zealands 14th-largest trade partner, with two-way trade in 2023 hitting $1.3 billion. The figure is expected to surpass $2 billion this year. By November 2023, investors from New Zealand had 52 valid projects worth more than $208 million in Vietnam, mostly in the fields of real estate, education and training, manufacturing and processing. Further, New Zealand has provided a stable and increased amount of ODA loans for Vietnam, adding that it pledged to offer $16.2 million of non-refundable ODA loans to Vietnam between July 1, 2021 and July 30, 2024. The leaders of Australia, ASEAN member states and Timor Leste pose for a group photo at the 3rd ASEAN-Australia Summit held in Indonesia in 2023. Photo: ASEAN The upcoming ASEAN-Australia Special Summit will bring together leaders of ASEAN member states, Australia, and the ASEAN secretary-general. The prime minister of Timor Leste will attend the event as an observer. Under the theme of A Partnership for the Future, the summit will offer Australia and the bloc a chance to look back on a 50-year journey of their dialogue relations as well as discuss measures to boost their bilateral ties since both sides established their comprehensive strategic partnership in 2021. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! One hundred prominent Vietnamese and Vietnamese-origin individuals from over 20 countries and territories worldwide will attend the Vietnam Global Leaders Forum 2024 (VGLF 2024) in Paris on March 30 and 31 to discuss ways to advance the development and global positioning of Vietnam. The event will be held by the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global). The first VGLF, held in 2019, attracted more than 200 guests and 20 Vietnamese and international delegations. Riding on this success, VGLF 2024 is expected to welcome talented Vietnamese and Vietnamese-origin people who are the winners of international prizes, entrepreneurs, large investors, experts, scientists, and artists. Representatives of the governments, agencies, and organizations in Vietnam and other countries will also attend the forum. Nguyen Duc Khuong, president of the AVSE Global, said the forum is aimed at gathering resources from the most talented Vietnamese individuals with global influence for the development of Vietnam. With a multi-dimensional view, short- and long-term action plans, and detailed projects, the forum will help unlock Vietnams potential and elevate its standing in the global economic and geopolitical map. The event this year will focus on how to connect the diverse and strong resources of Vietnamese people around the world to propel the countrys development and take use of the previous success to help Vietnam make breakthroughs. With the theme of Vietnam Thriving in Change, the event will be an opportunity for influential Vietnamese people to jointly bring about positive changes for Vietnam. AVSE Global, which is a non-profit organization headquartered in Paris, includes intellectuals, leading experts, and prestigious scientists. AVSE Global conducts strategic programs and projects to boost Vietnams sustainable development and prosperity through 12 networks of experts, international seminars and forums, and training programs. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Eight crew members including five Vietnamese and three South Koreans were rescued after a fishing boat with 10 people on board capsized off the southern island of Jeju in South Korea on Friday, the Yonhap News Agency reported. The news agency cited Coast Guard officials of South Korea as saying that five South Korean and five Vietnamese were aboard the 33-metric-ton vessel when it overturned in waters some 20 kilometers off the city of Seogwipo at 7:24 am. A nearby fishing boat managed to rescue the above-mentioned eight crew members. However, one of them, a South Korean, was pronounced dead at 10:07 am after being hospitalized with cardiac arrest. The seven others were receiving medical care for hypothermia. Meanwhile, two South Korean crew members remain missing. The officials added that three Coast Guard patrol vessels, two helicopters, and nine other ships were joining a search and rescue operation within a 3.6-kilometer radius of the scene of the incident, but strong winds and high waves made the operation more challenging. Besides, one Coast Guard official was badly injured and was rushed to a hospital after being swept away by waves during the search operation. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out the latest news in Vietnam today: Business -- Vietnam recorded 918,700 active businesses from the beginning of the year till February 19, representing a decline of 3,895 companies compared to the figure seen on December 31 last year, according to the General Department of Taxation. -- Vietnam welcomed over 1.53 million international tourist arrivals last month, sending the total number of international visitors to the country during the January-February period to more than three million, surging nearly 69 percent year on year. Society -- The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) issued a hot weather warning on Friday afternoon for the city and localities in southern Vietnam amid a spell of excessively hot weather, advising the public to take precautionary measures against the scorching heat to reduce a risk of heat-related health problems. -- The Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that police of Japan have arrested a 49-year-old Japanese man for allegedly stabbing a Vietnamese citizen to death on February 26. The ministrys representative bodies in Japan are working with authorities on the issue. -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City announced on Friday evening that they have cracked down on an illegal weapon trafficking ring, seizing 230 guns of various types, 4,750 bullets, 23 gas cylinders, 54 ammunition boxes and many other related items that were smuggled from Thailand and Cambodia for reselling in Vietnam via social media platforms. -- Eight crew members including five Vietnamese and three South Koreans were rescued after a fishing boat with 10 people on board capsized off the southern island of Jeju in South Korea on Friday, leaving two South Koreans missing, the Yonhap News Agency reported. World News -- Researchers in the Amazon have discovered the world's largest snake species - an enormous green anaconda - in Ecuador's rainforest that split off from its closest relatives 10 million years ago though they still nearly look identical to this day, Reuters reported. -- Reuters cited International Energy Agency (IEA) as saying on Friday that global energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) hit a record high last year, driven partly by increased fossil fuel use in countries where droughts hampered hydropower production. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Ho Chi Minh City announced on Friday evening that they have cracked down on an illegal weapon trafficking ring, seizing 230 guns of various types, 4,750 bullets, 23 gas cylinders, 54 ammunition boxes and many other related items that were smuggled from Thailand and Cambodia for reselling in Vietnam via social media platforms. Municipal criminal police officers coordinated with police in Districts 6, 8, 12, Binh Tan, and Hoc Mon to break up the ring led by Doan Quoc Thai, a 32-year-old resident in District 8. Thai was assisted by Tran Ba Loc, a 27-year-old resident from Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam, said a representative of the municipal police. Tran Ba Loc at the police station. Photo: Supplied Municipal policemen found that the weapons, such as guns and bullets, were put on sale on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Zalo, and Telegram. The two suspects smuggled the weapons from Thailand and Cambodia, hid them in various places, and then introduced them on social media. Guns were priced at tens of millions of Vietnam dong each. (VND10 million = US$405.8). In order not to prevent the sale of the weapons, the police raided the suspected places and detained the suspects. The municipal police are further investigating the case. In 2019, police in District 11 fined Thai for storing dangerous toys. Doan Quoc Thai. Photo: Supplied Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams representative agencies in Japan have asked local authorities to speed up their investigation to clarify the death of a Vietnamese citizen who allegedly was killed by a Japanese man early this week, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on Friday. The murder was detected on Monday at a residential building in Higashiomi City in Shiga Prefecture and local police detained a suspect killer, Takashi Yamamoto, 49, a day later, according to Japanese media. The victim, 35-year-old Nguyen Tuan Anh, was found dead in his apartment on the first floor of the building, and Yamamoto, an unemployed man, lived in another apartment on the second floor of the same accommodation. Immediately after receiving the information about the murder, Vietnamese representative agencies in Japan urgently contacted Japanese authorities to learn more about the case and verify relevant information. Under the direction of the foreign ministry, these agencies are closely coordinating with local police in clarifying the killing and urging them to promptly investigate the case and bring the culprit to trial. These agencies have also contacted the victims family and are carrying out necessary procedures in accordance with the laws of Vietnamese as well as the host country. Anh was a contract employee at a metal processing company near the building. Earlier on Monday, as Anh was absent from work, his colleagues came to the building that evening and discovered the man lying dead in a pool of blood with neck injuries inside his apartment. After being reported about the death, local police rushed to the scene and found blood stains on the staircase between the first and second floors of the building. After examining the scene and collecting further information, police detained Yamamoto as the suspect killer on the following day. The killing happened sometime between 2:40 am on February 23 and 6:40 pm on February 26, according to investigators. During an interrogation, Yamamoto admitted to killing the Vietnamese man by stabbing him in the neck with a knife, Japans NHK public television reported. The Japanese man told investigators that he felt like having a problem with noises in daily life. Local police are continuing with their investigation into the murder case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Seven has announced its three judges for upcoming reality contest Dream Home, hosted by Chris Brown. They are: buyers agent Simon Cohen (Luxe Listings Sydney), interior designer Rosie Morley (Selling in the City), and renovator Lana Taylor. The series sees six pairs of Aussies renovate dilapidated suburban family homes into astonishing new dream homes. Buyers agent and co-founder of Cohen Handler the largest property buyers agency in Australia, Simon Cohen said, Im thrilled to be part of Dream Home. The stakes are high in any competition, but when it comes to your own home, the skys the limit. These renovations will be incredible and absolutely life-changing. Co-owner of reno business Three Birds Renovations, Lana Taylor said, Knowledge is power, and I think people underestimate just how many decisions theyre going to have to make. Interior designer Rosie Morley, added, Designing a home is a true responsibility to elevate the everyday life of the homeowner. It is about translating the lives of the owners and imbuing this into their environment. Dream Home is produced by Endemol Shine Australia and expected to screen after Easter. Presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks at a meet and greet at Viva Villa on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 in San Antonio. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Presidential candidate Nikki Haley signs a poster at a meet and greet at Viva Villa on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 in San Antonio. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks at a meet and greet at Viva Villa on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 in San Antonio. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Texas continues to play an outsized role in keeping Nikki Haley on the campaign trail ahead of Super Tuesday, when the Lone Star State joins 14 others to weigh in on the presidential elections. Even though Haley has lost to former President Donald Trump in all the GOP primary contests so far, she has vowed repeatedly to stay in the race to give voters a last chance to avoid a Trump vs. Joe Biden rematch. I am not going anywhere, Haley told a crowd in San Antonio earlier this month after making stops in Dallas and Houston. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Now shes planning one last stand in Texas, holding a pair of rallies on Monday ahead of Tuesdays election that Trump is heavily favored to win. Haley will campaign at 12:30 p.m. in Spring before heading to Fort Worth for a 6:30 p.m. rally. A big reason shes been able to keep her long-shot campaign going is because of Texas donors. Since Haley jumped into the presidential race last year, Texas has been her best fundraising state, giving her almost $5 million more than any of the other early GOP challengers to Trump. While Trump has outraised her in Texas with $7.9 million overall, shes been closing the gap more recently. In January, Haley raised about $900,000 from Texas donors while Trump picked up about $700,000. And shes been building on that financial advantage, holding more fundraising events in Texas and naming key donors to her Texas Leadership Team. Among the names on the list are Arun Agarwal, the CEO of Dallas-based Nextt; Harlan Crow, a Dallas real estate billionaire; John Nau III, a Houston CEO of Silver Eagle Beverages; and Ray L. Hunt, a Dallas-based oil company CEO all of them prolific Texas donors who have given hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years to support candidates including Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its not just donors several former GOP elected officials are supporting her campaign. Im supporting Nikki Haley for president because she is clearly the best person for the job, former Texas House Speaker Joe Straus said at the rally supporting Haley in San Antonio. Besides him, former U.S. Reps Lamar Smith, Mac Thornberry and Will Hurd have all publicly vowed to back her. Its time for the next generation to take over and to leave the baggage of the past behind, former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said. While Haley is unlikely to win the Texas primary, the campaign could still benefit her down the road. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Where to See Nikki Haley in Texas Nikki Haley is set to make two stops in Texas on Monday. 12:30 p.m. Sawyer Park Icehouse, 314 Pruitt Rd., Spring 6:30 p.m. Tannahills Fort Worth, 122 E Exchange Ave Unit 200, Fort Worth First, even if Trump wins Texas, Haley can still pick up a share of the official delegates to add to her meager total. While shes unlikely to catch Trumps delegate count, her delegates could give her negotiation leverage in the summer when the Republican National Convention is held. If Trump is unable to accept the nomination because of his legal issues or something unforeseen, Haley would be in a position to argue for it. Second, the support and fundraising network she has built in Texas could pay dividends in four years if she were to run for president again. Haley isnt talking about either of those scenarios. Shes instead convinced there is still a chance that all of her campaigning can turn the GOP nomination her way. During speeches in Texas and beyond, shes been more aggressive in calling out Trump and Biden for being too old to run the nation. Trump and Biden are two old men who are only getting older, she said last week at an event in South Carolina. Nearly 60% of Americans say Trump and Biden are both too old to be president because they are. Advertisement Article continues below this ad David Hayman in Cyprus Avenue (Image: Mihaela Bodlovic) A DARK very dark in places comedy starring David Hayman has been playing at the Pavilion. Set in Belfast, Cyprus Avenue is about a man called Eric, who has a loyalist background and is convinced his new baby granddaughter Mary-May is former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams. The play, written by David Ireland, explores national identity through Erics eyes and is also shocking in parts, particularly in its language, where Eric goes into animated rants about fenians. Glasgow Times: David Hayman in Cyprus Avenue The grandfather tells his psychiatrist he is anything but Irish but later recounts a scene where he begins to doubt his own beliefs. The humour turns darker and even sinister building up to an ending which by now most people in the audience know is not going to be happy ever after. In a question and answer session on the opening night, the writer said other than Belfast he thought a Glasgow audience was most likely to connect with the themes. He grew up in Belfast but came to Glasgow to study at the then RSAMD (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) as an actor before he turned to writing. It has previously been performed on Broadway in New York but audiences did not connect with it. Mr Ireland said: People were walking out. They just didnt understand it. It didnt translate. Mr Hayman, who plays Eric, said: We are watching a man going mad over the course of 90 minutes. I think it is a work of genius. Mr Hayman is on stage for every scene and said playing the character compares to some of the classical Shakespearean roles he has played during his illustrious career. On reading the script, he said: I thought it was the most extraordinary piece of work I had read in 30 years. Extraordinary. Haitian gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, also known as Barbecue, warned on Friday he would keep trying to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry, and asked families to keep children from going to school to "avoid collateral damages" as violence surges in parts of the capital. Heavy gunfire and traffic disruptions were seen in some areas of Haiti's capital, where more people fled homes close to the fighting as burnt buses lay on the streets and burning barricades filled the air with thick, gray smoke. "The battle will last as long as it needs to. We will keep fighting Ariel Henry. To avoid collateral damage, keep the kids at home," the gang leader said at a press conference. Cherizier is a former police officer who heads an alliance of gangs and disrupted the country when he blocked its biggest oil terminal in 2022. He has faced sanctions from both the United Nations and the United States Department of Treasury. By late Friday, there were reports armed men had attempted to take control of the capital's main container port, as gangs threatened to attack more of the city's police stations. Reuters was unable to immediately verify these reports. A video, meanwhile, went viral on social media appearing to show two murdered policemen, which SYNAPOHA police union leader Lionel Lazare told Reuters depicted the killing of some of the four officers who were slain on Thursday. Members of another police union, the SPNH, gathered outside the force headquarters earlier in the day calling for the recovery of the bodies. (Reuters) Read more on FRANCE 24 English Read also: Haiti, Kenya sign agreement on police deployment to tackle gang violence Brazil's Lula urges world to act 'rapidly' on crisis-torn Haiti at Caribbean summit Widow of Haiti's president indicted in his assassination KFC bucket of chicken with crab, garlic, peppers - Static Media / Shutterstock / Getty KFC is nothing short of a cultural landmark in America. The fast food super chain has been riding high on Colonel Sanders' top-secret original fried chicken recipe since the first location opened in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1950. Walk into any KFC in the U.S. and you'll get a choice of original, extra crispy, hot and spicy, or grilled chicken. Classics are classic for a reason, but given that there are approximately 27,000 KFCs spread over 145 nations and territories, some locations offer fried chicken flavors that are truly unique. Depending on where you're placing your KFC order, those flavors can vary dramatically. These unique fried chicken tastes are opportunities for different countries to celebrate national flavors and dream up some unexpected combinations. In some cases, the menu choices are also indicative of unique cultural food practices. Then again, some countries don't deviate much from the stateside menu. If you grab an order of chicken at a KFC in Brazil, Romania, or Pakistan, for instance, you'll be eating the same original, crispy, or spicy chicken flavors you can get here. So, want to know which KFCs have fried chicken that's one of a kind? These are the KFC chicken flavors you won't find in the U.S. Read more: Ranking Fast Food Fried Chicken Sandwiches From Worst To First Dunked Wings - South Africa, Namibia Pieces of sauced fried chicken on white background - KFC South Africa / Facebook Not all African nations that are home to KFC sell dunked wings, but places like South Africa and Namibia do. KFC Dunked wings are unique to Africa and we wish that American KFCs would give this one a try. True, dunked wings can get a little messy, but if you love KFC chicken (and international travel) this flavor should definitely be on your shortlist. Considering the international popularity of chicken wings, you might assume they were always a KFC staple. Yet, chicken wings weren't sold at South African KFCs until 1990 40 years into its fast food legacy! Moreover, South Africa is one of the largest poultry-consuming nations on earth, so it makes sense that KFC made wings a permanent menu item there in 2007. Meanwhile, chicken wings didn't become a permanent menu item in the U.S. until 2019. They were discontinued in early 2023 and returned several months later. Story continues Dunked wings made their way onto KFC's African menus as far back as 2012. Different varieties have been sold over the years, including the fiery Ghost Pepper Dunked Wings which sound pretty intense if you ask us. Promotional wing sauce flavors may come and go, but the original dunked wings seem to be here to stay for South Africa and Namibia. Peri Peri - India, Nepal Allu Arjun poses with KFC peri peri chicken - KFC India / YouTube Chicken with pepper sauce is a long-established combination enjoyed all over the globe. The story of peri-peri chicken touches multiple continents and has a lengthy, albeit controversial, history. In the 15th century, Portuguese colonists in Mozambique incorporated African bird's eye chillis into a marinade and named their creation peri-peri from the Swahili "piri-piri", meaning "pepper-pepper." The spicy marinade also caught on in Angola (another African nation colonized by Portugal). Peri-peri has since made its way to the southern regions of Asia as well. In 2022, peri-peri chicken was at the center of a KFC India ad campaign featuring superstar actor Allu Arjun uttering the slogan, "Chicken Peri Peri, sooper very very." The spicy, crispy fried chicken flavor was more than a promotional fad with a big celebrity name. It's still popular at Indian KFCs and is available at KFC locations in Nepal too. Yet KFC wasn't the first fast food establishment to offer this flavor to the people of South Asia. Nando's, a South African chain (and one of the largest fast food establishments in its home nation) is famous for PERi-PERi chicken and opened its first five restaurants in India in 2012 now there are a dozen. We don't doubt that KFC took a cue from Nando's when it got in on the peri-peri craze. So far, it's been working. Spicy BBQ, Jalapeno - Mexico KFC bucket of sauced chicken tenders - KFC Oaxaca / Facebook Ke-Tiras (a name that KFC Mexico has as a registered trademark) refers to the chain's boneless tenders, a prominent menu item at KFC Mexico. "Tiras de pollo" translates to chicken strips or chicken fingers, and if you order them in a Mexican KFC you'll get to choose whether you want them "natural" or with Spicy BBQ or Jalapeno flavor. You won't find these two signature sauces in the U.S., yet they're right at home in Mexico, where the national cuisine goes big on flavor. Chicken tenders are available at KFCs in the U.S., where they are made with Extra Crispy breading and come with a variety of dipping sauce options. KFC Mexico has comparable dipping sauces (plus regional ones like Furious Mango Dip), but the Spicy BBQ and Jalapeno Ke-Tiras come coated with sauce instead of it being served on the side. The Ke-Tiras chicken flavors at KFC Mexico are highly popular, with social media hacks dedicated to copying Spicy BBQ Ke-Tiras at home, while food delivery websites in Mexico often rank the Ke Tiras as one of the chain's most-liked menu items. Taiwanese Scallion - Hong Kong breaded chicken with scallions - kfchk / Instagram We could go on and on about all the interesting menu items you can get at KFC outside of the U.S. (yes, those are egg tarts with bubble tea pearls and, yes, we want to eat them), but since we're focusing on fried chicken, Hong Kong KFC is also doing its own thing. One of the latest KFC fried chicken flavors to come out of the harbor is Taiwanese Scallion, a play on the cong you bing, a green onion pancake that's a staple of the region's street food scenes. KFC Hong Kong is known to promote many limited-time-only fried chicken flavors and Taiwanese Scallion is one of the latest to hit menu boards, with plenty of emphasis on its especially crisp texture. This new flavor arrived in KFC Hong Kong locations in mid-January 2024 as part of a menu drop centered around some of Taiwan's best-known food and drinks (bubble tea emerged from Taiwain in the 1980s) and are available while supplies last. Crab Sauce - Vietnam KFC fried chicken with crab sauce - kfc_vietnam / Instagram If the thought of chicken and crab coming together leaves you scratching your head, don't count it out too soon. There are no less than 49 freshwater crab species in Vietnam, 42 of which can't be found anywhere else. Chicken in crab sauce is a relatively new item for KFCs in Vietnam, and although it may not cater to the typical American palette, we're curious to learn more. Vietnamese fried chicken wings also known as ga chien nuoc mam are tossed in a marinade of fish sauce, sugar, and garlic. They are eaten all over the country and feature on Vietnamese restaurant menus in the U.S. as well. The fish sauce gives the chicken a pop of umami flavor that works really well for many diners. Unlike fish sauce, which has a semi-transparent consistency similar to soy sauce, the crab sauce from KFC Vietnam is a deep red and much thicker almost ketchup-like. A sprinkling of breading and seasoning is dusted on top of the sauce to give the chicken extra crunch. As it turns out, KFC Vietnam isn't the first region to pair chicken and crab this way. In late 2022, KFCs in Myanmar served Singaporean Chilli Crab Chicken. The limited-edition flavor implemented a similar dark red, flavorful sauce used in a popular Singaporean seafood dish. Zabb - Thailand Zabb chicken and fries KFC Thailand - Tapaynak Napbab / Facebook If there was ever a cult favorite fried chicken flavor you can't find in American KFCs, it's Zabb seasoning from KFC Thailand. Southeast Asian food is known to incorporate complex flavors into standout dishes, and Zabb fried chicken from KFC brings just that. Hints of spicy Thai chili, fragrant lemongrass, and mildly sour lime powder are some of the suspected ingredients (you know KFC never tells) that keep customers coming back for more Zabb fried chicken. Zabb (sometimes spelled Zaab) is Thai for "spicy and delicious" and is commonly used to describe Thai chicken dishes, Thai seasoning blends, or even Thai restaurants themselves. Reviews for international KFC locations aren't always glowing, but reviews for KFC Thailand specifically the Zabb fried chicken are consistently favorable. In a Reddit thread on the subject of KFC Thailand, many commenters gathered to express their love of Zabb chicken, with some wishing that it was available in their own Veggie Strips - Sweden, Finland, Austria, Spain, Slovakia basket of veggie strips with sauce KFC Austria - kfc_austria / Instagram In many places, KFC has gotten serious about expanding its vegetarian options beyond starchy sides -- though it's worth noting that some critics say KFC's plant-based options may not be strictly vegan thanks to cross-contamination during the cooking process. KFC veggie patties can be ordered in countries that include Ghana, Denmark, England, and France, while a few European nations have launched a full-scale meatless menu that includes veggie strip mimicking boneless fried chicken. KFCs in Sweden, Finland, Austria, Spain, and Slovakia all sell veggie strips, while Germany, Portugal, and the Netherlands offer a very similar version called veggie tenders. Veggie strips and tenders are made from mycoprotein, a meat-free food derived from mushrooms, but they contain milk and egg so they aren't vegan. Both the veggie strips and veggie tenders are typically seasoned with the chain's classic 11 herbs and spices. Side sauces vary depending on where you are; there's mayonnaise with pepper at KFC Spain, truffle dip in Slovakia, and curry mango sauce in Finland. Garlic Pepper - Japan Garlic and pepper chicken pieces KFC Japan - IW / Twitter Japanese culinary innovations have been in high demand in the U.S. for years, so we're always keeping an eye on what American fast food chains there are producing. In Japan, one KFC flavor that's enjoying top billing on the menu is the garlic pepper chicken. This menu item boasts some seriously crispy breading that is topped with a healthy sprinkling of ground black pepper. The new flavor comes fresh off the heels of two garlic-forward flavors KFC Japan released during the 2023 holiday season: spicy miso garlic fried chicken, inspired by the Korean hotpot dish jjigae, and Ninniku Crispy, which are breaded boneless pieces coated in soy sauce and garlic oil and intended to be paired with alcoholic beverages. Though both of these holiday fried chicken flavors are no longer available as of this writing, KFC Japan continues to ride the garlic wave into 2024 with the garlic pepper chicken leading the charge. Green Peppercorn Sesame, Italian Herb Paper Wrapped Chicken - Taiwan Peppercorn chicken sandwich and pieces kfc taiwan - kfctaiwan / Instagram KFC has been masterful at pulling cultural flavors into its specialty fried chicken. Take KFC Taiwan's green peppercorn sesame karaage drumsticks, which combine green Sichuan peppercorns native to China with karaage-style fried chicken, a soy sauce-marinated delight that is often considered to be synonymous with Japan. A coating of sesame sauce enhances the aroma and makes for a fried chicken flavor that's spicy, savory, and crispy all at once. Green peppercorn sesame fried chicken isn't in American KFCs as of now, but we'd love to try it given the chance. You can also order Italian Herb Paper Wrapped Chicken in KFC Taiwan, a menu item that marries classic European seasonings with Asian cooking methods. Each piece of Italian herb chicken is marinated and then wrapped in baking paper before being fried in hot oil, which keeps the chicken juicy and fragrant. Paper-wrapped chicken (also known as chee pow kai) has its origins in Chinese cooking, but in the mid-20th century, it had gained serious popularity in Singapore and other parts of Asia. In the past, paper-wrapped chicken has made appearances on KFC menus in places outside of Taiwan, such as KFC Malaysia. God Seasoning - South Korea Basket of fried chicken with God sauce KFC Korea - Mike Chen / YouTube Venture down the Google rabbit hole of "KFC" and you'll find that the acronym is no longer synonymous with just Kentucky Fried Chicken. There are countless blog posts, recipes, and videos profiling Korean fried chicken because it's really that good. Kentucky Fried Chicken is well aware that KFC of the Korean variety has a place in many people's hearts, which is perhaps why KFC locations in South Korea offer a version of the saucy, glazed wing style featuring God seasoning. Maybe you've never heard of God seasoning, but you have likely come across the spicy fermented paste known as gochujang in the grocery store. God seasoning is spicy and a little sweet, thanks to an ingredients list that often includes gochujang, hot sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and a sweet counterbalancing element such as strawberry jam or honey. Tourists in South Korea have had good things to say about KFC's god seasoning, noting that even though it's messy (it is often served with plastic gloves), the chicken is juicy, the skin is crunchy, and the sauce is tangy and delicious. Sweet Chilli - United Kingdom Box of Sticky Sweet Chilli chicken KFC UK - KFC UK / Twitter KFCs in Asia especially are known to highlight pepper sauces that pair with fried chicken in a way that feels both culturally nuanced and delightfully un-American. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom isn't known for having a lot of spicy foods in its traditional repertoire, but the Sweet Chilli Dipped Bites and Kansas BBQ Dipped Bites sold at British KFCs might convince us otherwise. The most well-known sweet chilli sauce is the Thai variety, which is popular for dipping. Sweet and spicy pepper sauces have also made their mark in various Asian cuisines and enjoy a widespread presence at non-American KFC locations today. Perhaps most oddly, U.S. KFCs have also yet to ride the Kansas City BBQ wave that customers in the U.K. are privy to. The smoky, sweet, thick sauce served in Kansas City BBQ joints compliments the char of the meat and is typically served with baked beans which many Brits adore. And wouldn't you know it, but baked beans with a touch of Kansas City-style sauce are sold as a side dish at KFC's U.K. locations. Chicken Bak Kwa - Singapore Chicken Bak Kwa and burger KFC Singapore - KFC Singapore / YouTube Never heard of bak kwa? It's a national treat in Singapore that's similar to jerky. The thin, square-cut slices of seasoned dried meat (typically pork) hail from the Fujian province of China and are especially popular during Chinese New Year. In that vein, KFC Singapore treats its Chicken Bak Kwa as a seasonal fried chicken flavor. It's only available in late January and most of February, coinciding with Lunar New Year festivities. The Singaporean and Malaysian versions of bak kwa are known to have a smokier, sweeter barbecue flavor because the dried meat is grilled over charcoal. Bak kwa has made its way into all sorts of decadent foods ranging from mooncakes and scones to spring rolls and, now, KFC fried chicken. In the KFC version, chopped pieces of bak kwa are studded throughout the chicken breading, while a smoky bak kwa powder is incorporated in the recipe to bring in char-grilled flavor. Smoky Red Chicken - Bangladesh, India, Nepal Bucket of KFC grilled smoky red chicken - KFC Nepal / Facebook When KFC debuted Smoky Red Chicken at its Indian locations in 2016, customers were eager to try a flavor reminiscent of tandoori chicken, a dish that was reportedly created in Delhi, India in the late 1940s. KFC India's smoky red chicken gets its color from red chili powder and definitely brings the spice, though it misses out on the quintessential char flavor tandoori chickens gets from roasting in a traditional tandoor clay oven. Something else that sets Smoky Red Chicken apart from other KFC flavors is that it is grilled instead of fried. It also uses only leg pieces. Since its debut, KFC Smoky Red Chicken has been sold in other South Asian nations including Bangladesh and Nepal. While some have called out the Smoky Red Chicken for being undercooked, others have been very favorable, with some reviewers noting that it is flavorful and very, very spicy. Read the original article on Mashed. Timo De Jong with inset of Google Maps (Image: Google Maps / Timo De Jong) A man is setting off on a 7,000-mile journey hitchhiking from Southampton to South Africa. Timo De Jong has travelled to almost all four corners of the earth in the last six years, from Colombia to Egypt to Australia. Ever since January 2018, the 25-year-old has travelled to various spots across the world getting a taste of the many cultures across different continents. However, after developing an internet in hitchhiking, the Dutch-born voyager stumbled into Southampton while in the UK and began to plan out the 7,000-mile plus journey from the city to South Africa. He said: I was looking on the map and saw Southampton and thought it would be a fun idea also because they both start with South. I started doing research and saw that people could drive through Europe and because I had never been to Africa before I decided to give it a try. If people could drive it, then I can hike it. Daily Echo: Timo de Jong has travelled to the US, Guatemala and Egypt Timo de Jong has travelled to the US, Guatemala and Egypt (Image: Timo de Jong) His travelling passion started in 2018 on a trip around southeast Asia in January, after he saved up in his job back home delivering car parts to mechanics. I really enjoyed that and the people were so nice and accommodating that I just fell in love with it, he said. Following that he flew to Australia and worked there for two years at a courgette farm before travelling back home in August 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. Daily Echo: Timo with a baby Kangaroo in Jervis Bay, Australia Timo with a baby Kangaroo in Jervis Bay, Australia (Image: Timo De Jong) It wasnt long before he went off again, and in September 2021, he travelled to Egypt, Mexico and the United States before going back to live in Australia again for a year in 2022. Between then and now he has gone back to southeast Asia and Central America before arriving in England in January this year. I had never visited England and I had met so many English people in my travels, so I knew I had to come to visit," he said. "I wanted to try random English foods such as sausage rolls or Percy pigs. Story continues After visiting friends in Blackpool he spent two nights in Southampton and from there he started plotting his journey and took off on February 11. He expects to arrive in South Africa at some point next year. He said: I only spent two days in Southampton but I had a great time there. I have to come back. His journey involves taking free lifts from people he meets at petrol stations and staying with friends, or sometimes strangers, for the night while exploring the places he stays in. He has shared his journey on social media and has attracted the attention of thousands. He said: I had one lady who said to me If I give you a free ride, do you promise not to murder me? But people have been nice, some people in rural villages have welcomed me into their homes and its been amazing to spend that time with them. Had I taken a flight straight to South Africa, it would be cheaper but I wouldnt have met so many great people on the way. In this photo provided by the Venezuelan government, President Nicolas Maduro (L) shakes hands with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali (R), during a meeting in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on March 1, 2024 (Zurimar CAMPOS) Guyanese President Irfaan Ali said Friday that his country wants to remain at peace with neighboring Venezuela amid a century-old dispute over sovereignty of the Essequibo region, which flared up late last year. "We want peace. We want prosperity for our neighbors and all in this region," Ali said at a summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. "I am prepared to speak with President Maduro on any aspect that may contribute to enhancing the relationship between our two countries." Venezuela has long claimed Essequibo -- which makes up about two-thirds of Guyana's territory -- and fears of a military conflict rose late last year before both countries pledged to refrain from the use of force to settle the border dispute. Friday's meeting marked a far more relaxed encounter than the one between the two leaders last December, also in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Ali gave a bottle of rum and a medal of his country to Maduro, who offered a box full of Venezuelan products in return. "Peace and love!" Maduro told him in English. "I hope that the good relations that have been established for dialogue deepen... and that we look for, face to face... a healthy, peaceful and diplomatic solution to the differences and controversy that we have had since the 19th century," Maduro said Friday. Among presidents at the summit were Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Gustavo Petro of Colombia, Miguel Diaz-Canel of Cuba, alongside UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The dispute over the Essequibo region is the subject of border litigation before the International Court of Justice in The Hague -- whose jurisdiction in the matter Venezuela rejects. The region is home to 125,000 of Guyana's 800,000 citizens. The row was revived in 2015 when US energy giant ExxonMobil discovered huge crude reserves in Essequibo, and reached fever pitch last year after Guyana started auctioning off oil blocks in the region. Story continues Maduro's government then called a controversial nonbinding referendum that overwhelmingly approved the creation of a Venezuelan province in Essequibo, according to official results. Tensions remained high earlier this year with the arrival of a British warship in Guyanese waters, to which Caracas responded by mobilizing more than 5,600 troops in military exercises near the disputed border. Ali reiterated that the exercises "had nothing to do with the ... controversy," while denouncing "incursions into Guyana's territorial space," without specifying details. str-jt/mbj/arm/tjj/arp/acb Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Education & Career Amid reports of paper leak, UP board de-recognizes Agra Inter college The Biology and Mathematics papers of UP Class 12 Inter were shared in a WhatsApp group Thursday Feb 29, 2024. Read More Saturday March 2, 2024 10:09 AM , ummid.com with inputs from Agencies Prayagraj: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) Friday de-recognized Shri Atar Singh (SAS) Inter College in Rojhauli village of Agra district amid reports of 2024 Intermediate (Class 12) board exam paper leak. The Biology and Mathematics papers of UP Class 12 Inter were shared in a WhatsApp group Thursday Feb 29, 2024. It was found that the Maths and Biology papers were shared by Vinay Choudhary, a Computer Operator working at SAS Inter College, The Times of India reported quoting the board secretary. The board however rejected the reports that the 12th board exam 2024 papers were leaked saying the papers were shared in the group well after the exams were commenced. The exam commenced at 2:00 pm whereas the question papers were shared over an hour after the commencement of the exam. Since the exam had already started and all the candidates were giving their exam at their respective exam centres, the sanctity of the examination was not affected at any level, UP Education Board Secretary, Dibyakant Shukla, said. However, taking cognizance of the incident, the UP board in its meeting Friday cancelled the recognition of the SAS Inter College. The board said FIR was also filed against the Computer Operator, Centre Administrator and others responsible for conducting transparent exams. There were also reports that English paper too was circulated on WhatsApp. The UP board however denied all the reports of paper leak and exam cancellation or re-exams. Meanwhile, in a notice announcing de-recognition of the SAS Inter College, the UP board warned other schools and colleges against any kind of misconduct. The UP Inter Exam 2024 started on Feb 22 and will continue till March 09, 2024. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. A sign in opposition of Riverside Terrace Historic District can be seen near Southmore Boulevard and Burkett Street on Friday, May 13, 2022, in Third Ward. Homeowners of Riverside Terrace are denouncing the the citys proposed Riverside Terrace Historic District, saying it would be difficult for longtime owners to meet the historic specifications for repairs and upkeep and will force families who have been in the area for generations to live in homes they cannot afford to repair or sell all. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Houston City Council will vote next week to add Riverside Terrace to its list of neighborhoods covered by the citys civility ordinance, which prevents people from sitting or laying down on sidewalks. Here is what to know about the ordinance and how it works. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What does the ordinance do? Houstons civility ordinance was created in 2002. It prevents anyone from sitting, sleeping or laying their possessions on city sidewalks between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. There are certain situations where the ordinance does not apply. Those who are sitting or laying on a sidewalk in an emergency situation, those who are sitting on a city chair or bench or on a chair owned by someone on an adjacent private property, and those lawfully participating in a festivity or demonstration on a public sidewalk will not be punished. Residents can be ticketed for violating the ordinance. In 2022, 264 people received tickets. What neighborhoods are covered? In order to have a neighborhood included in the ordinances protections, neighbors need to gather 100 signatures on a petition. Residents in Riverside Terrace say they collected more than 400 signatures. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The most recent successful effort to expand civility ordinance coverage was in Near Northside in 2016. Residents gathered more than 100 signatures to be included in the ordinance after an 11-year-old boy was stabbed and killed as he walked home from school. NEAR NORTHSIDE ORDINANCE: Near Northside residents call for civility ordinance, saying drugs and vagrancy are intolerable If the council approves Riverside Terraces request Wednesday, it will be the 10th Houston neighborhood included in the ordinance. Neighborhoods covered by the city ordinance include Central Business District, Midtown, Old Sixth Ward, Avondale, Hyde Park, East Downtown Management District, Historic Near Northside and South Post Oak/West Bellfort. Ordinance support, challenges The most recent discussion surrounding a potential civility ordinance for Riverside Terrace brought forward people who were both in favor and opposed of the expansion. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Residents and council members in favor of the ordinance have argued its an important public safety tool and that it could help push the citys unsheltered population to receive help. Those opposed have argued it could lead to unintentional criminalization of the homeless. City leaders have also argued that it might not be key to addressing issues surrounding homelessness. Could Houston implement a citywide civility ordinance? Houston could not implement a citywide civility ordinance due to legal challenges. For example, the city of Dallas is currently facing a lawsuit after leaders implemented a citywide panhandling ordinance that prohibited anyone from walking or standing on medians. Advertisement Article continues below this ad HA NOI Experts from top real estate consulting companies in Viet Nam have expressed optimism about development prospects of the real estate market, particularly regarding the office and industrial segments. According to Savills Vietnam, despite numerous challenges, the interest of foreign investors in the Vietnamese market in general and real estate in particular continues to expand. Fitch Ratings recently upgraded the countrys long-term national credit rating from BB to BB+, with a "stable" outlook. In 2024, Viet Nam's GDP growth rate is expected to reach 6-6.5 per cent, thanks to stable foreign direct investment (FDI) and the Governments efforts to address real estate challenges, increase public investment, and implement growth stimulation policies in a timely manner. About 85 per cent of the rapidly growing companies in Viet Nam are committed to the environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) standard, creating an increase in demand for green-standard office space in the market. By 2026, HCM City is expected to provide 300,000 sq.m of new Grade A office space, such as The Nexus project or VP Bank Saigon Tower. Moreover, over 80 per cent of the future Grade A and Grade B office supply in the southern economic hub will meet green standards. Meanwhile, between now and 2026, Ha Noi will see 15 new projects offering over 389,770sq.m of working space, with Grade A offices expected to account for 86 per cent of the future supply. Green space is projected to constitute 18 per cent of the future office floor area in the capital. In recent times, many legal regulations have been passed, such as the amended real estate business law, amended housing law, and amended land law. The head of the Ha Noi and a Nang offices at Savills Vietnam, Matthew Powell, described the passage of these laws as a positive signal for investment in the real estate market this year, boosting investor confidence. Viet Nam to welcome large amount of new office supply: Cushman & Wakefield Viet Nam will welcome a large amount of new office supply in 2024, concentrating on the two main markets of Ha Noi and HCM City, according to analysts from Cushman & Wakefield. In the Asia Pacific Office Outlook Report 2024 released recently, Cushman & Wakefield said Ha Noi would welcome a total of 80,700 sq.m of new office supply in 2024, mainly in the capital city's central districts. It noted that another 100,000 sq.m of new Grade A office space was forecast to be put into operation in Ha Noi in the 2024-27 period. Meanwhile, in HCM City, new Grade A supply is expected in central districts with the launch of three projects in 2024 - 2025, contributing a total of 118,700 sq.m of premium office space to the market, according to the report. About 81,000 sq.m of additional Grade A supply is also expected in non-central districts during 2024-2026. Cushman & Wakefield said economic instability had affected general office demand in HCM City as tenants become more and more concerned about costs. The absorption rate was expected to gradually increase from 2024, thanks to new, higher quality supply and improved economic conditions. Office vacancy rates are predicted to be above 20 per cent throughout 202326, driven by continued new supply, according to the report. In Ha Noi, market demand was strong in the first half of 2023, but slowed down in the second half and is expected to remain low throughout 2024. Vacancy rates are expected at 25-30 per cent in 202324 and then gradually decrease to about 20.5 per cent in 2027. With abundant new supply throughout Ha Noi, the market is hoped to be favourable for tenants in the coming time. Ha Noi's total supply will averagely grow by 3.5 per cent a year from 2023-27. The Asia Pacific Office Outlook Report is a comprehensive regional report that provides supply, demand, vacancy, and rent data forecasts for cities in Viet Nam and other countries. VNS HA NOI The Vietnamese stock market edged higher on Friday but liquidity declined from the previous trade, while foreign investors returned to be net buyers on the southern market. The VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock (HoSE) gained 5.55 points, or 0.44 per cent, to 1,258.28 points. A correction signal appeared on Thursday after the benchmark index surpassed the 1,250 point-level. Experts from Saigon- Hanoi Securities SJC (SHS) warned short-term investors to be cautious at the current phase as the VN-Index is moving at an area in which both short-term and mid-term risks are increasing. On the southern exchange, breadth of the market was positive with 214 ticker symbols rising while 106 ticked down. Liquidity declined to over VN 23.7 trillion (US$962.5 million) today, after reaching over $1 trillion on the previous session. The 30 biggest stocks trackers VN30-Index on HoSE also inched higher at 1,267.07 points. Nineteen stocks in the VN30 basket closed higher, seven subdued and four ended flat. On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index extended rallies to the second straight day. It rose 0.97 points, or 0.41 per cent, to 236.43 points. Data showed that BIDV (BID) was the uptrend's biggest contributor on Friday, with the lender's shares up 0.94 per cent. The gain recouped its loss of 1.67 per cent set on the previous session. It was followed by Vinhomes (VHM), FPT Corporation (FPT), Vietnam Rubber Group (GVR) and Phu Nhuan Jewelry (PNJ). All the stocks soared in a range of 1.27-5.86 per cent. Vietcombank (VCB), one of the market's key leaders, was stable but its influence was remarkable. It was the cause for the VN-Index's downturn in the morning session while also a supporter for the index's recovery today. The VN-Index dropped nearly 5 points early in the afternoon session, its biggest fall today, after VCB slumped 2.47 per cent. The bank's shares rebounded to its reference price later, helping the benchmark to recover in the last trading minutes. Meanwhile, foreign investors returned to the market as they net bought over VN194 billion on the two main exchanges. Of which, they net bought nearly VN198.44 billion on HoSE but net sold VN4.35billion on HNX. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam is striving to further assert its durian export position and join the billion-dollar export industry with the current advantages in hand, coupled with efforts to better the fruit quality. The country is working hard to tap the potential and expand global reach for the sector. Statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) show that Viet Nam has more than 110,000 ha of durian with a yearly output of nearly 850,000 tonnes. The countrys major durian-growing areas include the Central Highlands with more than 52,000 ha, accounting for about 47% of the total area, the Mekong Delta region with 33,000 ha (about 30%), and the Southeast region with 21,000 ha (about 19%). Thanks to the advantage of high selling prices and the preference of import markets, Vietnamese durian has risen to a much higher position compared to other crops such as pepper, dragon fruit, and rubber. In the last five years, the durian growing area increased by nearly 25% yearly. According to o Ha Nam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Intimex Group, crops such as coffee and pepper yield profits ranging from VN200 - 300 million (US$8,100 12,150) per hectare/year, while durian trees generate yearly profits of VN2 billion per hectare. There has never been an agricultural product that quickly brought in billion-dollar export revenue like durian upon entering the global market, Nam said. Among the largest durian importers, China continues to be the most promising market for the fruit, said Nguyen Quang Hoa, Director of Duong Vu Co., Ltd. According to statistics from the MARD, Vietnamese durian has reached 24 markets, with the export value to China accounting for over 99% of the total export turnover of the fruit. Enterprises forecast that in 2024 and the following years, China will continue to be the main consumer of this fruit. The durian industry has been projected to grow by 7.2% per year in the 2019-2025 period. This is considered an opportunity for Viet Nam to sustainably develop its durian industry in the future. Tran Thanh Nam, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasised the need for durian farmers and export enterprises to ensure the quality, design, and origin of goods when exporting to China to ensure that Vietnamese durians can maintain their position in this market. According to General Secretary of the Vietnam Vegetable and Fruit Association ang Phuc Nguyen, there remains a lot of room for Viet Nam to export durian to both the Chinese and the global market. He predicted that the export turnover of the fruit could reach approximately $3.5 billion this year, compared to the figure of $2.1 billion in 2023. VNA/VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has rejected a proposal to increase revenue thresholds for value-adde (VAT) tax for individuals and household business to VN300 million (US$12,500) a year, citing concerns that a higher tax threshold would deter household business from converting to enterprises. In the latest draft amendment to the Law on Value Added Tax, the ministry has maintained its proposal that individuals and household business with revenues exceeding VN150 million per year will be subject to VAT tax, an increase of VN50 million from the current level. During recent discussions on amending the Law on Value Added Tax, representatives from Quang Ngai Province have suggested to raise the threshold to VN300 million, while other agencies proposed lower levels, with the Ministry of Transport proposing VN250 million. The Vietnam Tax Consultants' Association (VTCA) have suggested a threshold of between VN180 million and VN240 million. The rationale behind these suggestions is that CPI has increased significantly since the amended Law on VAT 2013, which replaced the 2008 law, came into force from the beginning of 2014. There are 5.5 million household businesses in the country that account for 30 per cent of its GDP, according to the General Statistics Office. VAT accounts for more than 20 per cent of the governments budget revenues. Viet Nam has extended the 2-per-cent VAT reduction policy till the end of June this year given prolonged economic difficulty. VNS HA NOI - The leaders of ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste are descending on Melbourne for a Special Summit to celebrate 50 years since Australia became ASEANs first Dialogue Partner in 1974 an achievement of which Australia is very proud, Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam Andrew Goledzinowski has said in his op-ed on the upcoming big event. According to his article titled ASEAN is coming to Australia!, the Special Summit, taking place from March 4-6, is a significant milestone in Australias shared history with the region. It will showcase Australias commitment to deepening engagement with Southeast Asia and ensuring the sides remain a partner for the future. It is the second time Australia has hosted ASEAN leaders, with the first ASEAN-Australia Special Summit taking place in 2018. The diplomat wrote: The period between the two Special Summits has been a time of significant development in the bilateral relationship between Australia and Vietnam. In 2018, our Prime Ministers elevated relations to a Strategic Partnership. Only four years later, during the visit of National Assembly Chairman Vuong inh Hue to Australia, our two Governments announced the shared intention to elevate relations further to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), reflecting the importance, ambition and promise in our bilateral cooperation. ASEAN is central to our future and Australia takes its partnership with ASEAN seriously. We have close relations with all ASEAN Member States including diplomatic missions in each ASEAN capital. According to Goledzinowski, Australia was also the first country to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN in 2021. He said it is clear that Australia and ASEAN not only face shared challenges, but have shared interests in a peaceful, inclusive and prosperous region. In 2022, Australias two-way trade with ASEAN nations amounted to around 178 billion AUD greater than the nations two-way trade with Japan, the US or the EU. Per capita, Australia is the largest development partner of ASEAN. This includes supporting ASEAN-led projects that address complex challenges in the region, such as the development of the ASEAN Strategy for Carbon Neutrality. Last year, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched the Invested: Australias Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, with the objective being to increase opportunities for businesses in Australia and Southeast Asia. The ambassador also elaborated on the Special Summit wills four key areas of focus, namely Business, Emerging Leaders, Climate and Clean Energy, and Maritime Cooperation. Also in his op-ed, Goledzinowski said: As the relationship between Australia and ASEAN goes from strength to strength, we are ambitious about our relationship with Vietnam. Vietnam is important to Australias economic future. According to him, the focus areas of the 2024 Summit mirror the shared priorities in the Australia-Viet Nam relationship. We look forward to elevating our relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and enhancing cooperation across key fields including climate change, digital transformation, trade and investment, critical minerals and education. The Summit also provides unique opportunities to highlight people-to-people connections. He said following the Summit in Melbourne, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran will travel to Canberra as the Australian Government's guest. I welcome Prime Minister Chinh, Madam Tran and the Vietnamese delegation to Australia to build on the significant achievements we celebrated last year to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. I am proud to highlight the strength of the Australia-Vietnam partnership, and to show the Vietnamese delegation true Aussie hospitality in my beautiful country, he concluded. VNA/VNS HCM CITY HCM City is committed to investing in grassroots healthcare with a focus on the mental and physical health of its citizens and addressing issues related to an ageing population. Phan Van Mai, chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee, said the city planned to empower young talent to play a leadership role in the citys healthcare sector. The rapid urbanisation and changes in lifestyle have had a major impact on the mental and physical health of the residents, particularly young people, he said. To address these growing concerns, the city plans to develop a programme that focuses on the mental and physical health of young people, as well as addressing the psychological pressures of modern urban living. The city is also dealing with the issue of an ageing population, according to Mai. With advancements in healthcare and technology, the population is living longer than ever before, posing new challenges for providing care for the elderly and addressing their unique needs. It is essential to focus on these issues for the well-being of the citys residents. Mai called for a scientific approach, taking into consideration the latest research and advancements in the field of gerontology and mental health. By taking a proactive approach to these challenges, the city will be able to ensure the well-being of its residents, both young and old, he said. Mai ordered the healthcare sector to continue to pay attention to preventive healthcare, investment in grassroots healthcare, and the comprehensive use of resources to tackle these issues. He also recommended a focus on the training of personnel to use technology. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the city has issued various policies for the healthcare sector, such as a policy on the network of healthcare collaborators and the development of comprehensive and specialised healthcare. Mai expresses gratitude to generations of doctors and medical staff for making great contributions to the citys healthcare and protection of peoples health. Throughout the recent period, with their expertise, professional ethics, and dedication, medical professionals have always treated patients as family members, he noted. Tang Chi Thuong, director of the Health Department, highlighted the 10 significant events in the healthcare sector in 2023. These included the effective deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) at communal health stations, the resolution of serious overload at the Oncology Hospital, and health examinations for elderly people. Thuong proposed the city approve the construction of a new Mental Hospital in Tan Phu Ward in Thu uc City. He also proposed the city approve an ambitious project to develop the citys healthcare system into a regional healthcare centre for ASEAN by 2030 and beyond. He also proposed the new construction of an Orthopedic Trauma Hospital, and the inclusion of the Establishment of a Health Examination and Disease Screening Centre using high technology in HCM City project at the Oncology Hospital. He recommended enhancing human resources for commune health stations based on population scale. In addition, he proposed the city cooperate with the Cuban Ministry of Health to develop a pilot implementation of the family doctor model. He recommended developing a project to develop young talent in the healthcare sector. The meeting also discussed specialised training for a high-quality healthcare workforce that meets international standards; and emergency medical services by air, among others. VNS HA NOI The Politburo of the Party Central Committee has called for continued investment in building urban railways and subways in Ha Noi, HCM City and other large cities. The exhortation comes in its recently issued Conclusion No. 72-KL/TW on implementing Resolution No. 13-NQ/TW passed by the Party Central Committee in 2012 on building infrastructure to make Viet Nam a modern industrial country. It requires Party committees, organisations, officials, and members to focus on implementing various tasks. It sets a goal of having infrastructure appropriate for a developing but industrial country with high per capita income by 2030, and completing key and major national infrastructure projects that connect the country with the region and world. By 2045 it expects the country to have a modern infrastructure system commensurate with that of developed, high-income countries. The Politburo wants policies and laws urgently reviewed, amended and promulgated for developing infrastructure associated with modern industry by 2030, especially for public investment, planning, public-private partnerships, the Government budget, and the development of digital infrastructure, the economy and a digital society. It seeks research into and trialling of models such as public investment - private management and private investment - public use, the transportation on demand (TOD) urban development model for public transport and building a financial mechanism for cultural and social infrastructure projects. The conclusion states the necessity of steady investment in large-scale urban railways and subways in Ha Noi, HCM City and other cities. According to traffic experts, urban railways not only help reduce congestion and pollution but also promote socio-economic development along the routes. Dr Nguyen Xuan Thuy, former director of the Transport Publishing House, said when Ha Nois urban railway network is completed, the ratio of the population expected to use it would increase to 35-45 per cent while the number using private vehicles would fall to 30 per cent. Ten lines are planned to be built with a total length of 410km. In HCM City, eight lines will be built connecting its centre with a total length of 173km. But construction progress has been slow in both cities. According to a report from the Ministry of Transport, as of October last year only 13km of urban railways had been built in the country, or 10.4 per cent of the total length envisaged by 2020. This means the target of subways meeting 15-20 per cent of transport demand in Ha Noi and HCM City was not met. In Ha Noi, the Ministry of Transport and city People's Committee have invested in four lines. Only route No. 2A between Cat Linh and Ha ong is in operation. Phase 1 of the route No. 1 section between Yen Vien and Ngoc Hoi has completed technical design that used capital from Japanese official development assistance (ODA). Line No. 3s section between Nhon and Ha Noi Station is expected to be ready by mid-2024, and its Cau Giay Ha Noi Station section in 2027. Railway line No. 2s section between Nam Thang Long and Tran Hung ao is being tweaked. HCM City plans to build eight metro and three monorail lines with a total length of around 220km at a cost of US$25 billion. Work is underway on subway lines Nos 1 and 2 from Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien and Tham Luong with a total length of more than 30km. They are also funded by ODA money. Work on the remaining routes has yet to start. The Politburo also requires prioritising of investment to complete the North-South Expressway, east-west expressway axis and its multi-modal connection routes, international airports, infrastructure for large ports and inland waterways, the North-South high-speed rail project, and the Lao Cai - Ha Noi - Hai Phong; Lang Son - Ha Noi; Mong Cai - Hai Phong; HCM City - Can Tho; Bien Hoa - Vung Tau; and Thu Thiem - Long Thanh rail routes. VNS HA NOI Viet Nams representative agencies in Japan have asked local authorities to speed up investigations into the case of a Vietnamese citizen who was alleged to be murdered in Higashiomi city of Japan's Shiga Prefecture on February 26, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The case is under investigation and Japanese police have arrested a suspect, the ministry said on March 1. Along with coordinating with local authorities in clarifying the case, Vietnamese representative offices in Japan have worked with relevant agencies at home to identify the victim and contact the family of the deceased to prepare for his funeral in line with the law of Viet Nam and Japan, it added. VNA/VNS HA NOI The Border Guard High Command announced on March 2 that it has accelerated the application of information technology (IT) and administrative reform in managing and safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national border security, and has achieved significant results. According to Colonel o Ngoc Toan, Director of the Department of Border Gate Management under the command, the pilot of the information technology application in issuing and controlling various permits at port border gates via the electronic border information portal is currently underway. The force is now supplementing utilities and refining software to facilitate the issuance of permits at online port border gates and confirm them with digital signatures. As scheduled, in 2024, the system will be deployed at seven port border gates. By 2025, it will be implemented at all port border gates nationwide, he said. The control of various permits is conducted using 2D barcode technology, which helps reduce inspection time for sailors, shoreline passengers, and disembarking workers from around three minutes to about 30 seconds per person, he noted. In the coming time, the Department of Border Gate Management will collaborate with relevant agencies to implement the Governments Project 06 as per the Ministry of National Defense's plan to connect and utilise national population database for immigration management, among others, Toan added. Currently, the force is implementing 21 electronic border procedures, including 18 procedures integrated with the national one-stop-shop portal and the procedures deployed on the electronic border information portal at 89 ports of entry, international border gates, and main land border gates. The results of resolving administrative procedures for 19 electronic border procedures at 89 ports of entry have been synchronised to the Ministry of Defence's public service portal. An entry-exit management and control software based on a centralised data model has been connected with 109 border checkpoints and synchronised with data from the Ministry of Public Security's Immigration Department through direct connection systems. VNA/VNS (Photo : Unsplash/Growtika) Elon Musk has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, and its CEO, Sam Altman, for shifting away from its original mission of developing AI for the betterment of humanity instead of profit. The Breach of Contract Allegation The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco on Thursday evening, sets up a conflict between billionaire Musk and the startup he helped establish, which had now garnered billions of dollars in funding from Microsoft, claiming a breach of contract when Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman initially approached him to create an open-source, non-profit organization in 2015, but now shifted to profit-making endeavors. A Petition for OpenAI to Release its Research and Technology for Transparency Musk petitioned the court for a ruling requiring OpenAI to release its research and technology to the public and to prevent the startup from using its assets, including its advanced AI model GPT-4, for the financial benefit of Microsoft or any individual. OpenAI, Microsoft, and Musk have not yet responded to comment. Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, who acquired Twitter for forty-four billion dollars in October 2022, has repeatedly advocated for AI regulation. He resigned from OpenAI's board in 2018 and has frequently voiced concerns about Microsoft's relationship with the startup. Musk stated in an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in April of last year that Microsoft has significant influence over, if not direct control of, OpenAI at present. Ongoing Antitrust Investigation The partnership is under antitrust investigation in the United States and Britain, caused by a boardroom conflict that led to Altman's sudden removal and reinstatement and establishment of a new interim board. According to the Washington Post's report on Thursday, OpenAI intends to nominate multiple new board members in March, when it just announced a non-voting observer seat on the board in November. READ ALSO: Microsoft Attains Non-voting Board Position in OpenAI, Fostering Strategic Alliance And Collaboration Musk's claims of breach of contract, which rely partially on an email exchange between Musk and Altman, may not withstand scrutiny in court, according to certain legal experts. Brian Quinn, a law professor at Boston College Law School, noted that while contracts can be established through a sequence of emails, the lawsuit references an email resembling a proposal and a "one-sided discussion." Quinn emphasized that if Musk asserts that the lone email in Exhibit 2 constitutes the entire contract, his argument will unlikely succeed. Musk Challenging Tech Firms with xAI Musk has launched a competing AI initiative through his startup xAI, which comprises engineers recruited from leading U.S. technology companies like Google and Microsoft. The startup introduced its ChatGPT competitor, Grok, for Premium+ subscribers of social media platform X in December, seeking to develop what Musk described as a "maximum truth-seeking AI." The billionaire, who has characterized AI as a "double-edged sword," joined a cohort of AI experts and industry leaders last year in advocating for a six-month halt in the advancement of systems surpassing OpenAI's GPT-4, citing significant risks to humanity and society. Since its introduction, ChatGPT has been embraced by companies for various purposes, spanning from summarizing documents to coding, sparking competition among Big Tech firms to roll out their generative AI-based solutions. RELATED ARTICLE: OpenAI CEO Warns of Societal Misalignment, Calls for a Regulatory Body to Supervise AI 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) The Kentucky House passed a bill Friday aimed at curbing unruliness on school buses by requiring student and parental buy-in to transportation policies and setting clear consequences for misbehavior. The measure sailed through the House on a 93-1 vote to advance to the Senate. Supporters said the goal is to offer relief to beleaguered bus drivers by setting expectations for students and parents. Misbehavor on school buses was termed a statewide issue, but the House discussion focused on Kentucky's largest school system, in Louisville. In November the district was forced to cancel nearly 100 routes after bus drivers organized a sickout and 143 called off work, with student behavior cited as among their biggest concerns, the Courier Journal of Louisville reported. Setting accountability is crucial to getting the problem under control, Republican Rep. Kevin Bratcher said. Accountability what happens when you get so far out of line that you're stopping a school bus from operating, he said. You're causing the school bus driver to quit their job. The bill would require local school boards statewide to adopt a policy outlining what's expected of students riding school buses and the consequences for failing to meet those standards. Drivers have a huge responsibility, and we should respect and address concerns thoroughly, said Republican Rep. Emily Callaway, the bill's lead sponsor. In setting guidelines, boards would work off a model policy developed by the state education department. Students and parents would have to sign a document acknowledging the policy each school year, and failure to do so could be grounds for revoking bus-riding privileges. Each district's policy would also establish procedures for investigating complaints and protecting those who bring them from retaliation. Severe or repeated misconduct could also lead to a loss of bus-riding privileges. We must be sure that if a student puts him or herself, other riders or the driver in danger, the driver can act appropriately, swiftly and effectively, Callaway said. This policy allows for that discretion. District policies would provide for expeditious reviews of driver complaints about student misbehavior, and drivers would be allowed to be heard during disciplinary procedures. They must also be notified of the outcome of disciplinary actions. If a driver continues to feel unsafe transporting a student, the driver would be allowed to opt out of transporting that student. The legislation is House Bill 446. A Waco mother and three-time felon was indicted Thursday on several charges, including murder, after investigators determined her 8-month-old daughter died due to the toxic effects of methamphetamine. Nichole Ann Green, 24, was arrested Dec. 26 after her 8-month-old daughter, EllieAna Estrada, was found dead Oct. 12. She was charged with murder, a first-degree felony, as well as abandoning or endangering a child, a state jail felony. She also faces multiple possession of controlled a substance with intent to deliver charges, both first-degree felonies, and an unrelated charge of hindering the apprehension of a known felon, a third-degree felony. A McLennan County grand jury on Thursday indicted Green on charges of murder, possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and hindering apprehension, all of which have been enhanced due to three previous felony convictions for firearm possession and drug possession. Due to the enhancement, Green if convicted would face between 15 and 99 years and up to life in prison on the murder and meth charges, and between two and 20 years in prison on the hindering apprehension charge. According to her arrest affidavit, police were called to a residence in the 900 block of Camp Drive on Oct. 12 in response to a deceased infant. The baby, Greens daughter, was found unresponsive in bed with Green. The affidavit says an autopsy was ordered, and while searching Greens home, police found multiple signs of drug use or sale, including packaging materials, a scale and physical signs of drug dealing. Police then received tips suggesting they search the residence for methamphetamine due to Green being suspected of possessing multiple ounces of the drug, the affidavit says. Green has a history of drug abuse, including two previous convictions for meth possession, in 2017 in Henderson County and in 2021 in McLennan County, and an incident in which she crashed into a Waco police cruiser while high on meth, the affidavit says. Later, an autopsy determined EllieAna died accidentally due to the toxic effects of methamphetamine, police wrote in the affidavit. According to her arrest affidavit on the drug possession charge, Green was pulled over at 1:45 p.m. Dec. 18 due to a defective brake light. During the stop, the officer smelled marijuana, detained Green and searched her car, finding two plastic bags containing a total of almost 40 grams of meth, two plastic bags containing 1.64 grams Xanax and a bag containing .08 of an ounce of marijuana. Green remained jailed Friday with bond set at $335,500. Chick-fil-A is telling customers to please discard Polynesian sauce dipping cups that were ordered over the past few weeks. The Polynesian Sauce dipping cups may contain a different sauce that includes wheat and soy allergens, Chick-fil-A said in a short note on its website. The cups were given out at its restaurants between Feb. 14 and Feb. 27. Customers can call the company at (866) 232-2040 with questions. A Chick-fil-A spokesperson told CNN that the sauces manufacturer packed some of the Polynesian sauce dipping cups with sriracha sauce, which contains wheat and soy. Restaurants that have the cups from the specified February dates have thrown them away. Polynesian sauce is one of Chick-fil-As most popular dips, described on its website as a sweet and sour sauce with a strong, tangy flavor. Its been on the chains menu for 40 years and has become so popular that its now sold in grocery stores. FORT PIERCE, Fla. Federal prosecutors pressed a federal judge Friday to schedule a trial for this summer in the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump, while defense lawyers sought to put it off until after the election. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon did not set a date during the pivotal hours-long hearing in Fort Pierce, Florida, attended by Trump, though she expressed skepticism that the case could proceed to trial on the timeline requested by prosecutors. The trial date will determine whether the former president and leading Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential race faces a jury before the November election on charges that he hoarded top-secret records at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and concealed them from government investigators. Given the gravity of the allegations and the breadth of evidence that prosecutors say they accumulated, the documents case has long been seen as the most legally perilous of the four criminal prosecutions that Trump faces this year. The case was scheduled to reach trial on May 20, but with Cannon signaling months ago that she intended to reconsider that date, the two sides submitted competing proposals this week that could theoretically result in Trump standing trial at some point this summer or not anytime this year. "This case can be tried this summer," said prosecutor Jay Bratt, a member of special counsel Jack Smith's team, which pressed for a July 8 trial date. Defense lawyers, by contrast, contend there is no way to hold a fair trial this year at a time when Trump is trying to clinch the Republican presidential nomination, but they offered Aug. 12 as a possible date to begin jury selection. "We very much believe that a trial that takes place before the election is a mistake and should not happen," said attorney Todd Blanche. "The easy solution is to start this trial after the election." Though she didn't immediately rule, Cannon hinted that she did not see the case as being on the cusp of trial, telling lawyers that "a lot of work remains to be done." The trial date took on added significance in light of the uncertainty surrounding a separate federal case in Washington charging Trump with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The Supreme Court said this week that it would hear arguments in late April on whether Trump as a former president is immune from criminal prosecution, leaving it unclear whether that case also brought by Smith might reach trial before the election. If the Florida classified documents case were to be postponed until after the election, and if the Washington election subversion case does not take place this year, that would mean voters would head to the polls without two blockbuster federal prosecutions one charging Trump with seeking to undermine American democracy, the other accusing him of mishandling sensitive national secrets being resolved. A late summer trial, if it happens, could come right around the time that the parties select their presidential nominees. Republicans will hold their nominating convention in July while Democrats will meet in August. The general election campaign typically moves into a more frenzied pace after Labor Day, when many voters begin to pay closer attention to the political season. In some states, voters can begin participating in early voting by September or October, raising the possibility that a trial could play out as ballots are being cast. The highly anticipated hearing was held as prosecutors sought to stress to Cannon the severity of the charges against Trump and amid simmering disagreement between Smith's team and the judge on the question of whether names of potential witnesses in the case could be disclosed by the defense on the public docket. Trump faces 40 felony counts in Florida that accuse him of willfully retaining after he left the White House dozens of classified documents and rebuffing government demands to give them back. In recent court filings, prosecutors stressed the scope of criminal conduct that they say they expect to prove at trial, saying this week in one brief that "there has never been a case in American history in which a former official has engaged in conduct remotely similar to Trump's." They allege, for instance, that Trump intentionally kept some of the nation's most sensitive documents only returning a fraction of them upon demand by the National Archives and then urged his lawyer to hide records and to lie to the FBI by saying he no longer was in possession of them. He's also charged with enlisting staff to delete surveillance footage that would show boxes of documents being moved around the property. Trump and his lawyers deny wrongdoing. They asked Cannon last week to dismiss the case, citing among other arguments the same immunity theory now being considered by the Supreme Court. Where each Trump case stands Classified documents case Election interference Hush-money scheme Georgia election indictment Civil cases The war in Ukraine grinds on. Ukraine has been devastated and Russia has suffered enormous economic and military losses. The death toll has topped 100,000. The U.S. has spent more than $75 billion in financial and humanitarian aid. Americas European, Asian, and NATO allies have committed over $178 billion to support Ukraine. Without this aid, Ukraine will fall victim to the unbridled ambition of Russian President Vladimir Putin as he seeks to absorb another country. Why have we spent so much money to help Ukraine? There may be several reasons. One is that in our culture we do not like bullies. Putin is a bully beating up on a much smaller country that has been up to now relatively free. Another reason is we have long supported free countries in the world as we seek to have others try to emulate our experiment as a democratic republic. These are lofty justifications that may not be overly convincing to Americans. Recently, Republican members of Congress have shown resistance to continued giving of U.S. money to support Ukraine in its fight to retain independence. For those doubters, let me point out some other reasons. We have no assurance that if Ukraine falls Russia will not continue its aggression to other European countries. Ukraine could well be a stepping stone to central European countries as Putin continues his desire to restore Russia to its previous power as he perceives it. Well, so what? Many in the U.S. want a return to a past isolationist policy of over a century ago. The problem with that thinking is that after World War II the U.S. forged a plan of European economic and political integration that was designed to ensure peace. Trade among countries was enormously expanded and that created at least a semblance of harmony. After all, you dont usually shoot your customers. The U.S. also encouraged the formation of NATO, designed to resist both internal and external aggression, mostly from Russia. This plan has been enormously successful and there has been peace in Europe for 80 years. So successful in fact that Europe has attracted a huge amount of foreign investment as firms sought to take advantage of European markets. And that may be the real reason we support Ukraine. U.S. companies own over $4 trillion of European financial and real assets. Thats a lot of money. Almost every one of Americas largest companies has a European presence. Walmart has more than 600 stores in the United Kingdom alone. Pepsi and Coke are everywhere. Microsoft, General Motors, Ford, John Deere all have a European presence, and the list goes on. If Russia or anyone else tries to expand in Europe and disrupt the economy in the process, you can be certain U.S. companies will pressure our government to do whatever it takes to resist that. If they suffer losses, that will also affect income of American citizens. One of the biggest reasons we support Ukraine may be to stop Russia before it can cause a problem for American interests in Europe. Protecting Europe protects American companies and incomes of everyday Americans. Isnt that what our government should do? So, while we help Ukraine for excellent reasons, a practical, economic reason may be the most convincing. Moldovas Gagauz Autonomous Region requested protection from Russia. Pro-Russian President Evgenia Gutsul said, The Moldovan administration violates the rights of the Gagauz people and oppresses them in every way. Russian Federation Council President Valentina Matvienko, who visited the region, said: Russia is ready to provide all kinds of assistance, we are open to suggestions from the Gagauz region on this issue and we will take concrete steps accordingly. Remember, Gagauzians are a Turkic people who are almost entirely Orthodox Christian. WtR Data of transcript that has got Russia pissed off *** , , , . As promised, I am publishing an audio conversation between Bundeswehr officers discussing how they will bomb the Crimean Bridge. . . . , : https://t.me/margaritasimonyan/13763 Sergey Lavrovs answer to a media question during his speech at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum Antalya, March 1, 2024 Question (translation from English): The media published a conversation between German officers about how they plan to blow up the Crimean Bridge. How can you comment on this? S.V. Lavrov: Today I read what was posted on social networks and announced by M.S. Simonyan with reference to relevant sources. On the one hand, its amazing. On the other hand, no. I have already mentioned that we know for certain about the participation of military personnel from NATO countries, who disguise themselves either as mercenaries or as people who do not belong to the armed forces of the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance. There are several interesting things in this conversation. German generals discussed how to cunningly supply Ukraine with long-range weapons (mentioned TAURUS) to attack the Crimean bridge and ammunition depots. And make sure that they are not noticed, because German Chancellor O. Scholz supposedly doesnt like this, but the Americans and British are already there. There was a conversation about whether it was possible to target missiles remotely without being in Ukraine. One of the generals said that this would still be direct participation. They understand what they are talking about. In one exchange, it sounds like there are guys from the US in civilian clothes. I dont know what to call it, but the face of our NATO colleagues is completely covered in fluff. Lets see how they will explain themselves to their population. Full transcript is below. Gerhartz: Greetings, everyone! Grafe, are you currently in Singapore? Grafe: Yes. Gerhartz: Good. We need to verify the information. As youve probably heard, Defense Minister Pistorius intends to carefully consider the issue of supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine. We have a meeting scheduled with him. We need to discuss everything so that we can start working on it. So far, I dont see any indication of when these deliveries will start. The Chancellor never told him, I want the information now, and tomorrow morning well make the decision. I havent heard anything like that. On the contrary, Pistorius is evaluating all this ongoing discussion. Nobody knows why the Federal Chancellor is blocking these deliveries. Of course, the most incredible rumors are going around. For example, yesterday a journalist, who is very close to the Chancellor, called me. She heard somewhere in Munich that the Taurus missiles would not work. I asked her who told her that. She replied that someone in a military uniform did. Of course, this is a low-level source of information, but the journalist clung to these words and now wants to make it into a piece of news with a headline like: Now we know why the Chancellor refuses to send Taurus missiles they wont work. All this is nonsense. Such topics are only available to a limited circle of people. However, we see what kind of garbage is spreading in the meantime. I want to coordinate this issue with you so that we dont move in the wrong direction. Firstly, I have some questions for Frohstedte and Fenske. Has anyone spoken to you about this? Did Freyding approach you? Frohstedte: No. I only spoke to Grafe. Fenske: Same here, I only spoke to Grafe. Gerhartz: He might reach out to you later. I might have to participate in budget committee hearings because there are issues related to the escalating costs of upgrading the F-35 in Buchel. I have already passed my recommendations through Frank that we have slides to visualize the material. We showed him a draft presentation where Taurus missiles were mounted on a Tornado carrier or other carrier required by the mission. However, I can hardly imagine that. Remember, its a half-hour meeting, so dont prepare a 30-slide presentation. The report should be brief. We need to show what the missile can do and how it can be used. We need to consider the consequences if we make a political decision to transfer missiles as aid to Ukraine. I would appreciate it if you could inform me not only about the problems we have, but also on how we can solve them. For example, if were talking about delivery methods I know how the English do it. They always transport them on Ridgback armored vehicles. They have several people on-site. The French dont do it that way. They deliver Q7s to Ukraine with Scalp missiles. Storm Shadows and Scalps have similar technical specifications for their installation. How are we going to solve this problem? Are we going to transfer MBDA missiles to them using Ridgbacks? Will one of our people be posted to MBDA? Grafe, report to us on our position on this issue. Fenske and Frohstedte, Gentlemen, report on how you see the situation. Grafe: Ill start with the most sensitive issues, with the existing criticism regarding the deliveries. Discussions are taking place almost everywhere. There are several key aspects here. Firstly, its about the delivery timelines. If the Chancellor decides now that we should deliver missiles, they will be transferred from the Bundeswehr. Fine, but they will only be ready for use in eight months. Secondly, we cannot shorten the time. Because if we do, there might be an error in its use, the missile might hit a kindergarten, and there will be civilian casualties again. These aspects need to be considered. It must be noted in the negotiations that without the manufacturer, we cannot do anything. They can equip, rearm, and deliver the initial missiles. We can speed up production a bit, but we shouldnt wait until 20 units have accumulated. We can deliver them in batches of five. The delivery time of these missiles directly depends on the industry. Who will pay for this? Another question to consider is which weapon systems will these missiles be mounted on? And, how should the interaction between the company and Ukraine be maintained? Is there already some form of integration established? Gerhartz: I dont think so. Because the manufacturer, TSG, stated that, they can solve this problem within six months, whether its a Sukhoi aircraft or an F-16. Grafe: If the Federal Chancellor decides to go for this, there must be an understanding that it will take six months just for the production of mounts. Thirdly, theoretically, the question of training may concern us. Ive already mentioned that we cooperate with the missile manufacturer. They handle the maintenance training, and we handle the tactical application. This takes about three to four months. This part of the training can take place in Germany. When delivering the initial missiles, we need to make quick decisions regarding the mounts and training. We may have to turn to the British for these matters and use their know-how. We can provide them with databases, satellite images, and planning stations. Apart from the delivery of the missiles themselves, which we have, everything else can be provided by the industry or the IABG. Gerhartz: We need to consider that they can use aircraft with mounts for both Taurus and Storm Shadow missiles. The British have been there and outfitted aircraft. There is not much difference between the systems, they can be used for Taurus as well. I can talk about the experience of using the Patriot system. Our experts initially also tallied up long timeframes, but they managed to do it within a few weeks. They managed to get everything up and running so quickly and in so much quantity that our staff said, Wow. We didnt expect that. We are currently fighting a war that uses much more modern technology than our good old Luftwaffe. This all suggests that when we plan deadlines, we shouldnt go overboard with them. And now, Fenske and Frohstedte, Gentlemen, I would like to hear your opinion on possible deliveries to Ukraine. Fenske: I would like to focus on the question of training. We have already looked into this, and if we deal with personnel who already have relevant training and will undergo training concurrently, it would only take approximately three weeks for them to become familiar with the equipment and then proceed directly to Air Force training, which would last about four weeks. Thus, it is much less than 12 weeks. However, this is all under the assumption that the personnel meet the necessary qualifications, training can be conducted without the need for translators, and a few other conditions are met. We have already engaged in discussions with Mrs. Friedberger regarding this matter. If we are talking about combat deployment, then in that case, de facto, we will be advised to support at least the initial group. Planning for this undertaking has proven to be challenging; it took approximately a year to train our personnel initially, and we are now aiming to reduce this timeframe to just ten weeks. Moreover, there is the added concern of ensuring they are capable of handling off-road driving in an F1 car. One possible option is to provide scheduled technical support; theoretically, this can be done from Buchel provided secure communication with Ukraine is established. If this were available, then further planning could be carried out. This is the main scenario at least to provide full manufacturer support, support through the user support service, which will solve software problems. Basically, its the same as we have in Germany. Gerhartz: Hold on a moment. I understand what youre saying. Politicians might be concerned about the direct closed connection between Buchel and Ukraine, which could imply direct involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. But in that case, we can say that information exchange is going to take place through MBDA, and well send one or two of our specialists to Schrobenhausen. Of course, this is cunning, but from a political standpoint, it probably looks different. If the information exchange goes through the manufacturer, then it has nothing to do with us. Fenske: The question will arise as to where the information goes. If were talking about information on target engagement, ideally including satellite images providing maximum accuracy of up to three meters, then we must first process them in Buchel. I think regardless of this, we can somehow organize an information exchange between Buchel and Schrobenhausen, or we can explore the possibility of transmitting information to Poland, doing it where its accessible by car. This matter needs to be examined more closely; options will surely emerge If we are supported, in the worst case scenario we can even travel by car, which will reduce the reaction time. Of course, we wont be able to react within an hour because well need to give our consent. In the very best case, only six hours after receiving the information will the planes be able to execute an order. For hitting specific targets, an accuracy of more than three meters is sufficient, but if target refinement is necessary, well need to work with satellite images that allow for modeling. And then the reaction time can be up to 12 hours. It all depends on the target. I havent studied this issue in detail, but I believe such an option is possible. We just need to figure out how to organize information transmission. Gerhartz: Do you think we can hope that Ukraine will be able to do everything on its own? After all, its known that there are numerous people there in civilian attire who speak with an American accent. So its quite possible that soon theyll be able to use everything themselves, right? After all, they have all the satellite images. Fenske: Yes, they get them from us. I would also like to touch on air defense issues briefly. We need to seriously consider having equipment in Kiev to receive information from IABG and NDK. We must ensure this is provided to them, which is why I have to fly there on February 21. It is crucial that we plan everything meticulously, unlike what happened with the Storm Shadows where we failed to plan out checkpoints properly. We need to think about how to fly around or fly below the radar coverage sector. If everything is prepared, the training will be more effective. And then we can revisit the question of the number of missiles. If we give them 50, they will be used up very quickly. Gerhartz: Exactly, it wont change the course of military actions. Thats why we dont want to hand them all over. And not all at once. Perhaps 50 in the first batch, then maybe another batch of 50 missiles. Its perfectly clear, but thats all big politics. I suppose thats what its really about. Ive learned from my French and British colleagues that in reality, with these Storm Shadow and Scalp missiles, its the same as with the Winchester riflesthey might ask, Why should we supply the next batch of missiles when weve already supplied them? Let Germany do it now. Perhaps, Mr. Frohstedte wants to say something on this matter? Frohstedte: Allow me to add a bit of pragmatism. I want to share my thoughts on the Storm Shadows characteristics. Regarding air defense, flight time, flight altitude, and so on, Ive come to the conclusion that there are two interesting targetsthe bridge to the east and the ammunition depots, which are higher up. The [Crimean] bridge to the east is difficult to reach, its a relatively small target, but the Taurus can do it, and it can also strike the ammunition depots. Considering all this and comparing it with how much the Storm Shadows and HIMARS have been used, I have a question: Is our target the bridge or the military depots? Is it achievable with the current shortcomings that the REDs and Patriots have? And Ive come to the conclusion that the limiting factor is that they usually only have 24 shells Gerhartz: Thats clear. Frohstedte: It makes sense to involve Ukraine in the process. Itll take a week. I think its advisable to consider task planning and centralized planning. Task planning in our unit takes two weeks, but if theres interest, it can be done faster. If were considering the bridge, then I believe Taurus is insufficient, and we need to have an understanding of how it can work, and for that, we need satellite data. I dont know if we can prepare the Ukrainians for such a task in a short time, in a month, for instance. What would a Taurus attack on the bridge look like? From an operational perspective, I cant assess how quickly the Ukrainians will learn to plan such actions and how quickly integration will occur. But since were talking about the bridge and military bases, I understand they want to seize them as soon as possible. Fenske: I would like to add something regarding the destruction of the bridge. Weve been intensely studying this issue, and unfortunately, weve come to the conclusion that due to its size, the bridge is akin to a runway. Therefore, it may require more than 10, or even 20 missiles. Gerhartz: Theres an opinion that the Taurus can achieve this if the French Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft is used. Fenske: They would only be able to create a hole and damage the bridge. And before making important statements, we ourselves Frohstedte: Im not advocating for the idea of targeting the bridge; I pragmatically want to understand what they want. And what we need to teach them, so it turns out that when planning these operations, we will need to indicate the main points on the images. They will have targets, but its important to consider that when working on smaller targets, planning needs to be more meticulous, rather than just analyzing pictures on the computer. When targets are confirmed, its simpler, and less time will be spent on planning. Gerhartz: We all know they want to destroy the bridge, which ultimately signifies how its guardednot only because of its military-strategic importance but also its political significance. Even though they have a ground corridor now. There are certain concerns if we have direct communication with the Ukrainian armed forces. So the question arises: can we use such a ruse and assign our people to MBDA? Thus, direct communication with Ukraine will only be through MBDA, which is much better than if such communication exists with our Air Force. Grefe: Gerhartz, it doesnt matter. We have to make sure that from the very beginning there is no language that makes us a party to the conflict. Im exaggerating a bit, of course, but if we tell the minister now that we are going to plan meetings and travel by car from Poland so that no one notices, thats already participation, and we wont do that. If were talking about the manufacturer, the first thing to ask is whether MBDA can do it. It doesnt matter if our people will then deal with it in Buchel or in Schrobenhausenit still means involvement. And I dont think we should do that. From the very beginning, we defined this as a key element of the red line, so well participate in the training. Lets say well prepare a roadmap. The training process needs to be divided into parts. The long track will take four months, where well thoroughly train them, including practicing scenarios with the bridge. The short track will be two weeks so that they can use the missiles as soon as possible. If they are already trained, then well ask the British if they are ready to take over at this stage. I believe these actions will be the right onesjust imagine if the press finds out that our people are in Schrobenhausen or that were driving somewhere in Poland! I find such an option to be unacceptable. Gerhartz: If such a political decision is made, we must say that the Ukrainians should come to us. First and foremost, we need to know whether such a political decision constitutes direct involvement in task planning. In that case, the training will take a bit longer, and they will be able to tackle more complex tasks, possibly with some experience and high-tech equipment already in use. If theres a possibility to avoid direct involvement, we cant participate in task planning, do it in Buchel, and then forward it to themthats a red line for Germany. We can train them for two months; they wont learn everything, but theyll learn something. We just need to ensure they can process all the information and work with all the parameters. Grefe: Zeppel said we can create both an extended and a brief roadmap. The goal is to get a quick result. And if the initial task is to hit ammunition depots rather than complex objects like bridges, then we can proceed with an abbreviated program and get results quickly. As for information from IABG, I dont see this as a critical issue since they are not tied down to a specific location; they must conduct reconnaissance themselves. Its clear that efficiency depends on this. This is what we discussed regarding missile delivery. Its not decided yet, but thats the plan for now. Gerhartz: And this will be the main point. There are ammunition depots where short-term preparation wont be possible due to very active air defense. Well need to seriously look into it. I believe that our people will find a solution. We just need to be allowed to try first so that we can provide better political advice. We need to prepare better so as not to fail because, for example, the KSA may not have an accurate idea of where the air defense systems actually are. The Ukrainians have this information, and we have data from the radars. But if were talking about precise planning, we need to know where the radars are installed and where the stationary installations are, and how to bypass them. This will allow us to develop a more accurate plan. We have a superb means, and if we have precise coordinates, we can apply it accurately. But theres no basis to say we cant do this. Theres a certain threshold where the red line politically passes, theres a long and short path, and there are differences in terms of utilizing the full potential, which the Ukrainians will be able to utilize better over time as they practice and continually work on it. Personally, I dont think I need to be present at the meeting. Its important for us to give a clear-headed assessment and not add fuel to the fire like others do by supplying Storm Shadow and Scalp missiles. Grefe: The longer they take to make a decision, the longer it will take us to implement it. We need to break everything down into stages. Start with the simple first, and then move on to the complex. Or we can ask the British if they can support us at the initial stage, and have them take on the planning issues? We should facilitate whatever falls within our area of responsibility. Developing mounts for missiles is not our task; Ukraine should resolve this with the manufacturers on their own. Gerhartz: Right now, we wouldnt want to encounter problems with the budget committee. It could make it impossible to start construction work at the airbase in Buchel in 2024. Right now, every day counts when it comes to the program. WtR The information that has appeared with recordings of discussions by high-ranking German officers about plans to strike the Crimean Bridge the territory of the Russian Federation , as well as how to do this so that suspicion does not fall on German Chancellor Scholz, deserves the most serious discussion and response. In this regard: After the deputies return from the regions where they are until March 11, we will hear this issue at a meeting of the State Duma. I also think it is right to send a demand to the Bundestag to conduct an investigation. The fact that the conversation was recorded obliges the German leadership to give an explanation: 1. What decisions of the Federal Republic of Germany guided the professional military of the Bundeswehr when discussing plans to strike the Russian Federation? 2. Will they be punished? And which one? 3. Do members of the Bundestag know about what happened? 4. Does Scholz understand that these actions will require Russia to retaliate? WtR Gov. Tony Evers on Friday vetoed a Republican-authored measure aimed at dramatically expanding Wisconsins second income tax bracket. The Democratic governor also vetoed two related measures to expand the states marriage income tax credit and exempt up to $75,000 in retirement income from state taxes. Republicans passed the bills last month, which they touted as a way to attract and retain residents in the state, but Democratic lawmakers argued they were fiscally irresponsible. Evers has rejected two similar GOP-authored tax cuts. In a statement Friday, the governor pointed to previous tax cuts he has supported, including a more than $2 billion cut he approved when he signed the 2021-23 biennial budget. When we deliver tax relief for the people of Wisconsin just as we have it should be real relief aimed at helping Wisconsins working families afford rising costs, and it should be responsible and sustainable, ensuring we can keep taxes low now and into the future without causing devastating cuts to priorities like public schools and public safety down the road, Evers said. Republican members of the Wisconsin State Legislature today once again fail to balance these important obligations. Evers did not take action on a fourth proposal, which would increase tax credits to $10,000 for one child or dependent or $20,000 for two or more children or dependents. Under the proposal, annual tax revenues would go down by about $73 million in 2024, or $656 per person, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Evers has hinted he may sign the measure, which passed the state Assembly and Senate with bipartisan support. Legislative Republicans unveiled the series of tax cuts earlier this year. Currently, those earning between $14,320 and $28,640 as an individual (or $19,090 and $38,190 as joint filers) are taxed at a rate of 4.4%. Under Assembly Bill 1020, the brackets rate would have expanded to individuals making up to $112,500 and joint filers making up to $150,000. Those making between $60,000 and $70,000 would have saved an average of $189, while Wisconsinites making between $250,000 and $300,000 would have saved an average of $965, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Thats because Wisconsinites with incomes outside of the proposed tax bracket would still be paying lower taxes on the amount covered by the modified bracket. The average Wisconsinite would have paid $454 less in taxes under the proposal, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, but the amount varies depending on income. The governor, through the power of his veto pen, has yet again proven he does not want to see meaningful tax relief for retirees on fixed incomes, Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton, said in a statement. This veto is not only a slap in the face to our parents and grandparents, it keeps Wisconsin at a disadvantage when they are looking for where to retire. Democratic lawmakers have largely opposed the tax cut proposal, arguing those state funds could be better used elsewhere, such as additional aid to child care centers. In his veto message, Evers wrote that he was striking the bill because I object to fiscally irresponsible measures that would leave the State of Wisconsin unable to meet its basic obligations to adequately fund education, health care, public safety and aid to local governments in the 2025-27 biennium and beyond. Evers also vetoed: , which would have removed taxes on up to $75,000 in retirement income from, for example, 401(k) accounts and pension funds for individuals 67 or older. For couples, the first $150,000 in retirement earnings would be exempt. The average Wisconsinite would have saved $1,582 under the proposal in 2024, while tax revenue for the state would have dropped by about $466 million, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. , which would have expanded the marriage income tax credit from $480 to $870. The average couple would have saved $338 under that proposal, according to a fiscal bureau analysis, and it would have reduced the states overall tax revenue by about $160 million in 2024. Even more concerning is the Governors disregard for Wisconsins seniors, who stood to gain significant relief from the proposed tax cut, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said in a statement. By ignoring their needs and prioritizing political posturing over practical solutions, Governor Evers is failing to fulfill his promise to return the surplus to Wisconsins families and seniors. Evers said the three bills would reduce state revenue to the point that the state would potentially be forced to dip into its budget stabilization fund, a rainy day fund to be used in times of emergency. The fund sat at about $1.8 billion, the largest in state history, at the close of last fiscal year, according to the state Department of Administration. In November, Evers vetoed a Republican proposal to reduce the income tax rate from 5.3% to 4.4% for people in the states third tax bracket, a vast category covering individuals earning between $28,640 and $420,420 a year and married filers earning between $38,190 and $405,000. He vetoed the same proposal when he signed the state budget in July. In July 2021, as Evers approached a November race for his second term in office, which he ultimately won, the governor signed the states GOP-authored budget, which included more than $2 billion in income tax cuts. The proposed tax cut brought down the income tax rate from 6.27% to 5.3% for individuals who made between about $24,000 and $263,000 a year, or married filers who made between $32,000 and $351,000. Today in history: March 1 1932: Charles A. Lindbergh Jr 1945: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1971: Weather Underground 1974: John D. Ehrlichman 2005: Dennis Rader 2010: Jay Leno 2012: Andrew Breitbart 2012: Martin OMalley 2015: Boris Nemtsov 2017: Ryan Zinke 2021: Carlos Ghosn 2021: Vernon Jordan (Photo : Unsplash/ Kelly Sikkema) Is the U.S. moving towards an AI-driven "smart court" like China's digitized court proceedings, as labeled by the Center for Strategic and International Studies? Not exactly, experts say, but these forecasts are not entirely wrong. AI Impacting Legal Field Wayne Cohen, a managing partner at Cohen & Cohen and a law professor at the George Washington University School of Law, noted that AI increasingly impacts various areas of the legal field. AI's involvement in the U.S. legal sector is expanding from its predominantly behind-the-scenes role to more active participation in courtroom proceedings. AI Clerical Aid in Expediting Resolutions According to Cohen, AI now contributes significantly to various aspects of trial preparation, including research, writing, creating jury exhibits, and handling office tasks like trial summaries and translations. AI also aids in expediting the litigation process, reducing the time it takes for cases to progress from filing to resolution. Cohen predicts that this trend will lead to shorter timelines for case resolution. READ ALSO: U.S. Lawmakers Gears Toward AI Regulation, Proposes Bill to Address AI Risks in the Government Capability to Produce Transcripts from Audio Recordings Judges can now produce searchable PDF transcripts from audio recordings and render well-informed decisions on the same day. With the assistance of AI, discrepancies can be flagged, potentially impacting the credibility of either the prosecution or defense. According to Jackie Schafer, a former assistant attorney general for the state of Washington, says judges can now make rulings with a high degree of accuracy, supported by the evidence presented in court. In 2020, Schafer established Clearbrief, a platform utilizing AI to analyze documents, detect citations, and generate hyperlinked timelines of all dates referenced in the documents, facilitating rapid access to information. Analyzation of Legal Contracts Jason Boehmig, CEO and co-founder of Ironclad, a digital contract company and a former corporate attorney, highlighted the capabilities of AI in analyzing a company's legal contracts. He mentioned that AI could familiarize itself with the preferred language used in the organization's contracts, enabling it to draft and negotiate agreements in the company's established legal tone. Boehmig emphasized that business contracts represent the forefront of legal innovation where experimentation is feasible. Compared to individuals facing potential threats to their basic freedoms within the legal system, businesses engaged in contractual agreements arguably have less at stake. Experts emphasize the importance of human review in all these AI applications. While this concept is not exclusive to the legal industry, the profound consequences of legal proceedings underscore the necessity of human oversight. Can AI Really Be Trusted? AI in legal systems could be problematic as it functions either as an expert system or a machine learning system. Expert systems entail encoding rules into a decision model within the software, often called a decision tree. These were widely used in law during the 1980s but ultimately failed to consistently produce satisfactory outcomes on a broad scale. While Machine learning can be highly effective, its capabilities are comparable to those of a well-educated guess. One of its strengths is its ability to uncover correlations and patterns in data that surpass human capacity for calculation. However, unlike human error patterns, it also exhibits weaknesses, notably in reaching incorrect conclusions. Series of AI Fails In a prominent case, an AI mistakenly identified a turtle as a gun. Facial recognition systems frequently struggle to accurately identify women, children, and individuals with dark skin. This raises concerns about the potential for AI to implicate individuals in crime scenes falsely they did not attend. The lack of transparency in machine learning makes it challenging to verify incorrect outcomes due to the complexity of machine learning algorithms, which surpasses our comprehension- a phenomenon referred to as the "black box problem." The repercussions can be severe when AI is integrated into legal procedures and encounters failures. Large language models, which underpin AI chatbots like ChatGPT, have been observed to generate entirely false text. Termed AI hallucinations, this phenomenon implies that the software is thinking rather than statistically determining its next word output. Recently, it was revealed that a lawyer in New York employed ChatGPT to draft court submissions, only to realize that it referenced nonexistent cases, which underscores that such tools are currently incapable of substituting for lawyers and may never reach that capability. RELATED ARTICLE: First AI Officer Named, as New Technology Challenges U.S. Justice Department 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A sign for Interstate 80 westbound is covered with snow in Truckee, Calif., on Friday, March 1, 2024. California authorities shut down 100 miles of Interstate 80 on Friday as the biggest snow storm of the season bore down on the Sierra Nevada, where residents were urged to take shelter and stay off roads as they prepared for up to 10 feet of snow in some areas and damaging winds.(Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group via AP) FILE - Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. hits a double during the third inning of Game 3 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Oct. 11, 2023, in Philadelphia. This season, the Braves and stars like Acuna will try to finish the job after a disappointing early exit in last year's playoffs. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File) Cindy Banner, a precinct delegate from Charlevoix County, talks about her experiences during the Michigan GOP convention, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Banner drove nearly 200 miles to attend Saturday's convention, but was turned away at the door and told she wouldn't be able to vote because her county hadn't been credentialed. (AP Photo/Al Goldis) Change Healthcare announced that it is working aggressively to repair its systems that connect pharmacies with insurers after a cyberattack last month. The ransomware attack on the massive U.S. health care technology company, owned by UnitedHealth Group, caused unprecedented disruptions in the industry, as well as for untold numbers of people needing prescriptions filled. The company processes 15 billion health care transactions annually and is involved in the records of one in every three patients, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a March 10 letter to health care leaders on mitigating the impact of the cyberattack. Among suggested solutions to the far-reaching problem, HHS urged UnitedHealth Group to take responsibility and minimize disruptions for consumers and heath care providers. UnitedHealth Group says it is making progress: Its latest online update about its recovery notes that, as of March 8, pharmacies that use Change Healthcare can again access some of its services, including electronic prescribing with claim submission and payment transmission. Before this restoration of crucial systems, many pharmacies throughout America could not transmit insurance claims for their patients, and some consumers wanting to pick up prescriptions in recent weeks were told that they needed to either wait for their medicines or pay out of pocket. The company says it is still working on problems with its connectivity to pharmacies, including the management of certain prescription coupon programs. It will take a bit longer to restore its systems managing health insurance payments to hospitals and other health care providers that use the company to process claims, according to UnitedHealth Group. We expect to begin testing and reestablish connectivity to our claims network and software on March 18, and restore service later that week. In the meantime, the update notes, we strongly recommend our provider and payer clients use the applicable workarounds we have established. The HHS letter urges cooperation across the board: The government and private sector must work together to help providers make payroll and deliver timely care to the American people. It asks insurers to make interim payments to impacted providers. Payers have the opportunity to stop-gap the cash flow concerns by stepping in with bridge payments. Lithium Exploration Update Perth, Mar 1, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Horizon Minerals Limited ( ASX:HRZ ) is pleased to provide an update on our lithium projects located near Bridgetown and Coolgardie in Western Australia (Figure 1*). HIGHLIGHTS - A small first pass, site reconnaissance soil and rock chip sampling program was completed 6 - 10 November 2023 at the newly acquired Bridgetown-Greenbushes project 250km south or Perth WA. No anomalous lithium was identified in 3 rock chip samples taken. Some encouragement was noted on E70/5981 where a micaceous felsic schist sample (MRP049763) recorded elevated values of 150ppm Be, 227ppm Rb and 128ppm Sn. - Roadside verge soil sampling was also conducted on E70/5980-5981 and E70/6551 centred about 10km south east of the Greenbushes mine. A total of 33 samples were taken overall with several areas returning anomalous lithium up to 91.9ppm Li against a background of about 20-40ppm Li. - 234 pulps were retrieved from the 2021-2022 RC gold program at Yarmany and resubmitted for lithium and pathfinder geochemistry late in January 2024. The RC holes targeted gold where historic drilling had discovered anomalous mineralisation. No pegmatites were logged however on a routine drilling review in 2023, large zones, 20-30m wide, of white, pallid clays beneath a transported profile were noted. Elevated results from the pulps include: o 4m @ 72.5ppm Cs, 30ppm Nb, 417.2ppm Rb and 55.5ppm Ta (YMRC22035 56-60m) o 8m @ 93ppm Li (adjacent hole YMRC21036 20-28m, background values were 20-40ppm Li) - All but one of the 2021-2022 drill holes, including YMRC21035-21036, lie outside the proposed anomalous soil areas. The above results do not confirm pegmatites or spodumene mineralisation, they do however indicate that pathfinders and lithium are active and requires further investigation. Commenting on the exploration results, Chief Executive Officer Mr Grant Haywood said: "Although very early days at both our Yarmany East and Greenbushes Lithium projects, it is pleasing to have begun reconnaissance and early-stage work to increase our understanding in these areas in preparation for future drill test programmes, particularly at Yarmany East where we have previously identified approximately 14km of strike of unexplored lithium anomalies. In parallel, the Company is also considering potential strategic options for our emerging lithium assets." Summary of Results Bridgetown-Greenbushes Li First pass rock chip and soil sampling has been undertaken on the granted tenure at Horizon's Bridgetown-Greenbushes lithium projects. A simple field inspection was also completed on some of the Company's new tenement applications to evaluate their potential and assist in the granting process. Some weathered pegmatite outcrops were noted on, or adjacent to, Horizon's tenure and provide visual confirmation of the prospectivity. Early encouragement was noted on E70/5981 where a micaceous felsic schist sample (MRP049763) recorded elevated pathfinder values of 150ppm Be, 227ppm Rb and 128ppm Sn. Lithium was 3ppm only. Refer to Tables 1-2* for full details. Thirty-three (33) soil samples were taken on roadside verges within the granted tenure and submitted to Labwest in Malaga for ultrafine multi-element analysis on 16 November 2023. The highest lithium values were located on E70/5980 North of Bridgetown and 8km southeast of Greenbushes. In addition, elevated levels of Sn-Nb are observed on E70/5980 and E70/5981. Further details are provided in Table 3*. Final soil and rock chip samples were received on 5 February 2024 (which were immaterial results) and were yesterday collated and interpreted for today's announcement. There are no further results outstanding for Bridgetown tenements. Yarmany East Li Following on from the ASX release on the 28 November 2023, 234 drill pulps from the 2021-2022 RC program that were originally assayed for gold only were re-submitted for multi-element analysis, including lithium and pathfinder elements. The pulps were selected where drilling had passed through significant widths (20-30m) of massive-pallid white clays. No pegmatite had been logged, but fresher and saprolitic light coloured clay and chips were noted at the time as likely being of a sedimentary and/or granitic origin. The majority of the drilling was located outside the anomalous auger and soil areas. The re-assayed results received mid February 2024 did not positively confirm spodumene mineralisation with all Li values <100ppm. Some elevated assays up to 93ppm Li were observed alongside spot highs of 55.5ppm Ta, 417.2ppm Rb, 30ppm Nb, 11ppm Mo, 72.5ppm Cs. Full details are provided in Tables 4-5. It is unknown how minor pink fluorescence observed in chip trays truly relates to the lithium values received as drill samples are usually washed and fines removed and estimating modal abundance at a parts per million (ppm) level is difficult. Nevertheless, there were no clear assays supporting significant primary lithium mineralisation in the drill holes analysed. There are no further results outstanding for the Yarmany East tenements regarding lithium samples. An independent third party also visited Yarmany East with permission and gathered 13 samples across one of the main proposed lithium soil anomalies on E16/493 and completed multi-element assays upon different size fractions. The assaying results were consistent with, and confirmed, the proposed anomaly. These new samples are shown in Figure 3* below. Next Steps Further infill soil and rock chip sampling is planned at the Bridgetown tenure once access approvals have been received. The Company is also planning an infill and extension auger program, and subject to the results, will undertake further drilling activities. The Company also has ongoing and incomplete discussions with various parties undertaking due diligence which have expressed interest in acquiring or earning in to the lithium rights at Yarmany East. *To view tables and figures, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/UIGSKFBX About Horizon Minerals Limited Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed. Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline. Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage. Related Companies By Kim Hyun-bin A heated debate is arising over the appropriateness of companies offering financial incentives to employees who have declared an intention not to get married. The idea of the new employee welfare system was initiated in response to complaints that existing company benefits have been mostly focused on married employees, as many companies offer congratulatory money for marriages or childcare support funds, among others. However, skepticism is rising about whether it is appropriate to support those who remain unmarried at a time when the country is grappling with a historic low birthrate, plunging to the unprecedented low level of just 0.65 births per woman. According to industry sources Friday, one of the Hyundai Motor Group unions is planning to ask the company to implement a new system enabling employees who have declared an intention not to get married to receive financial support, leveling the playing field in terms of company benefits regardless of marital status. The union's initiative aims to address what it perceives as a disparity in the distribution of childbirth and childcare benefits, which are currently exclusively available to married employees. Company welfare benefits for unmarried employees have already been adopted by some companies. In January last year, LG Uplus began providing unmarried employees with benefits equivalent to marriage support funds 100 percent of the basic salary in addition to five days of paid leave. Those who wish to receive these benefits must declare their intention not to get married on the firm's bulletin board. NH Investment & Securities has also offered unmarried employees 100 percent of their basic salary, while labor and management at SK Securities have agreed with a measure that will provide unmarried employees with a congratulatory 1 million won ($748) payment. Proponents say such incentives are essential to adapt to changing societal norms and provide equitable treatment to all employees, irrespective of their marital status. They contend that these measures are necessary to attract and retain talent in an increasingly competitive job market. On the other hand, critics are concerned about the potential societal implications of incentivizing those who remain unmarried. Some say that such measures could inadvertently reinforce the stigma surrounding marriage and family, exacerbating the already pressing issue of the low birthrate in the country. "While the government encourages marriage and childbirth, companies are encouraging the idea of remaining unmarried," an internet user commented on the related news story. Another internet user said, "The government should show an example to companies that go against government policies, such as those giving subsidies to unmarried individuals, by conducting tax audits." Cordelia Cruises, India's premium cruise line, commends the significant strides made in Tamil Nadu's infrastructure and maritime sector, as highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration ceremony of various developmental projects. Under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister and the unwavering support of the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Cordelia Cruises is set to enhance India's position on the global cruising map. Minister Sonowal's strategic vision for cruise tourism has paved the way for monumental growth in the sector, emphasizing infrastructure upgrades, fee rationalization, and improved passenger facilities. Cordelia Cruises is proud to be the pioneer of this transformative journey, further catalyzing Tamil Nadu's progress with its expansion plans in cruise tourism. Since 2021, Cordelia Cruises has welcomed 450,000 guests and successfully operated sailings from Mumbai, Kochi, and Goa to Lakshadweep, Chennai to Visakhapatnam, and Chennai to Sri Lanka. This year, the company is set to introduce Puducherry into its list of domestic destinations from Chennai, responding to the high demand for this route. Cordelia Cruises is committed to providing its guests with memorable experiences, showcasing the stunning coastal scenery of Tamil Nadu and beyond. Since 2021, Cordelia Cruises has welcomed 450,000 guests and successfully operated sailings from Mumbai, Kochi, and Goa to Lakshadweep, Chennai to Visakhapatnam, and Chennai to Sri Lanka. This year, the company is set to introduce Puducherry into its list of domestic destinations from Chennai, responding to the high demand for this route. Cordelia Cruises is committed to providing its guests with memorable experiences, showcasing the stunning coastal scenery of Tamil Nadu and beyond. "At Cordelia Cruises, we are enthused to witness the significant progress and strategic vision Prime Minister Modi has unveiled for Tamil Nadu's development. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the Central Government and Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways for their proactive efforts in advancing cruise tourism in India. We are committed to contributing to the realization of Prime Minister Modi's Vision 2047 for waterways and cruise tourism. Dedicated to offering exceptional value to our passengers, creating job opportunities, and promoting sustainable tourism practices, we aim to propel India towards becoming a leading cruise destination by 2047." Jurgen Bailom, President and CEO of Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt Ltd, Cordelia Cruises. The launch of the first international cruise to Sri Lanka from Chennai last year and adding domestic cruises again this year marks a new era for the industry, showcasing Tamil Nadu's potential as a burgeoning cruise destination. Cordelia Cruises is confident that its initiatives will not only bolster tourism but also create significant economic opportunities for the region. Cordelia Cruises expresses gratitude for the support and proactive initiatives of the Tamil Nadu government, which have paved the way for its expansion and success. The company remains dedicated to providing unparalleled experiences to its guests while contributing to the socio-economic development of Tamil Nadu. The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has strongly condemned the removal of some of the most prominent consumer digital companies app from Google Play Store, including those of Bharatmatrimony, Info Edge, Shaadi.com, and TrulyMadly, and has urged urges Google to reinstate the delisted apps. The Associations governing council has in a statement called the delisting of apps unfair and disproportionate. The association has urged Google to urgently reinstate the delisted apps and engage in consultations with the industry body or member companies to find mutually agreeable solutions till the matter is sub judice. In its blog published on March 1, 2024, Google stated that for an extended period of time, 10 companies, including many well-established ones, have chosen to not pay for the immense value they receive on Google Play by securing interim protections from court. These developers comply with payment policies of other app stores. After giving these developers more than three years to prepare, including three weeks after the Supreme Courts order, we are taking necessary steps to ensure our policies are applied consistently across the ecosystem, as we do for any form of policy violation globally, Google further stated, adding, Enforcement of our policy, when necessary, can include removal of non-compliant apps from Google Play. Problems emanates from some Indian apps seeking to stop Google from imposing a fee of 11% to 26% on in-app payments, after the earlier system of charging 15% to 30% fee was removed by Indias antitrust authorities. Google stated, For years, no court or regulator has denied Google Plays right to charge for the value and services we provide. On February 9, the Supreme Court also refused to interfere with our right to do so. While some of the developers that were refused interim protection have started fairly participating in our business model and ecosystem, others choose to find ways to not do so. Federal regulators have granted Native American tribes more power to block hydropower projects on their land after a flurry of applications were filed to expand renewable energy in the water-scarce U.S. Southwest. Previously, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted developers approval to move ahead with planning even if tribes objected. That practice came to an end last week. Now, a new commission policy allows tribes to quickly veto proposals, forcing businesses to cooperate with them if they want the federal government to grant exclusive rights to their hydropower projects. This is the acknowledgement and respect of tribal sovereignty, which is critical, said George Hardeen, spokesperson for the Navajo Nations presidents office. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently rejected seven proposals for projects on the Navajo Nation, which stretches 27,000 square miles (69,000 square kilometers) across Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. When it issued those rejections, the commission also announced the policy change, handing tribes the same power as federal agencies to block projects. It applies anywhere that a hydropower project might be proposed on tribal lands throughout the United States, said Aaron Paul, an attorney with Grand Canyon Trust, a conservation group. The Hopi Tribe, which is completely surrounded by Navajo, urged the commission to cement the policy announcement in a formal rule, worrying a different administration would be less favorable to tribes and change the policy. The pumped hydropower projects are essentially big batteries that generate energy when demand is high and there arent a lot of other renewable sources like solar and wind available. Hydropower can be turned on when it is needed and works by releasing water from an upper reservoir to a lower one. Later, when the electric grid has excess power, water is pumped in a loop back up to the higher reservoir, recharging the battery. Developers have expressed new interest in building these pumped hydropower projects as coal-fired plants shut down in the Southwest. The canyons, towering mesas and dramatic river valleys in the area are ideal terrain because the projects require moving water between different elevations. Environmental groups and some members of the Navajo Nation argue the projects require enormous amounts of water in a part of the country that already doesnt have enough. Roughly one-third of the 175,000 people on the Navajo Nation dont have running water at home. People are sensitive to how scarce water is, and they would more likely say no to these kinds of projects, Hardeen said. Some of the proposals that were rejected came from Nature and People First. For example, the company told federal regulators it wanted to build the Black Mesa East project on the Navajo reservation in Arizona that would have two upper reservoirs with a combined capacity of 100,000 acre-feet and a single, lower reservoir with the same total storage capacity. An acre-foot of water serves two or three homes annually. The project was proposed near a home site lease that Jheremy Youngs family has held for generations. Hes happy the commission blocked it. The area around the mesa is rugged, quiet and vast, and water has to be hauled in. Thats where my dad came from, thats where his father came from, Young said. The sentimental value of the land the story, the history were the biggest concern. The Navajo Nation told federal regulators the company hadnt consulted with the correct tribal authorities or addressed key concerns about water use and harm to golden eagle and other species habitats. Hardeen said now, developers will first need to go through the Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources. Denis Payre, president and CEO of Nature and People First, said the commissions decision was undeniably disheartening. The company secured support from local Navajo communities and talked with Navajo government officials for a project he said would create jobs. Developing pumped storage projects is inherently challenging; this additional obstacle threatens to halt our collective efforts, Payre said. The company submitted a proposal for a much larger project than it intends to construct, giving it flexibility to build a smaller project on the piece of land it finds is best after study and tribal consultation. That approach and using that amount of water engenders opposition, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group. If you are going to propose a small project, actually propose a small project, said Taylor McKinnon, the centers Southwest director. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission also rejected proposals from Rye Development, which said it values tribal consultation and will continue to study opportunities on tribal land. Malcolm Woolf, president and CEO of the industry group National Hydropower Association, said he supports tribes right to stop unwanted projects. But he said the new policy could halt planning too soon. The commission denied preliminary permits for the seven projects, which only recognize a business is first in line to develop a project and allows further studies. Developers have to consult with tribes before they can be granted a license and start building. Companies dont want to navigate a complicated permitting process and spend years working with a tribe only for another business to swoop in and win rights to the project at the last minute, Woolf said. One company quickly caught up in the new policy is Pumped Hydro Storage, which wants a preliminary permit for a project near the Little Colorado River on Navajo Nation land in Arizona. In light of its new policy, the commission asked for more input from those it potentially impacts before they decide what to do. The companys manager, Steve Irwin, said pumped storage is important but hard to build on the Navajo Nations land. Theres no clear pathway to doing business on the reservation, Irwin said. Its almost like you have to have 100% unanimous consensus. Its not majority, its got to be 100%, and its like, you are never going to get 100%. ___ By Michael Phillis Associated Press A 20-year-old suspect has been charged in the drive-by shooting that killed four longtime friends in Birmingham. Lamarion Tykese Charlie, of Birmingham, is charged with capital murder in the deaths of Talton TJ Tait, 36, as Cortez Ray, 32, Terrell Edwards, 38, and Kevin McGhee, 38. Charlie was booked into the Jefferson County Jail Thursday and remains held without bond. The shooting happened about 2:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, outside Taits family home where he ran a neighborhood car wash. A drive-by shooting in Birmingham's Smithfield community left four men dead on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024.(Carol Robinson) Investigators believe more than one person in a vehicle carried out the deadly, targeted drive-by. Edwards and Ray, one of whom was there getting a car wash, fell in front of the home near the cars. Tait, a father of four, ran a short distance before collapsing on the side of a neighbors house. All three were pronounced dead on the scene. McGhee was taken to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. Four men were killed in a hail of gunfire Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in Birmingham. From left to right - Cortez Ray, Kevin McGhee, Talton Tait and Terrell Edwards.(Contributed) Two of the victims, McGhee and Edwards, were cousins. Edwards was a city employee who started in Public Works and moved to Parks and Recreation. He clocked out just 15 minutes before the deadly shooting and McGhee picked him up. Their cousin, Leelee Thomas, said both were great men, amazing fathers, and went to work and spent time with their children and families. They were popular and very much loved, Thomas said. They will be missed. Tait ran the neighborhood car wash, but also did so much more. He painted the store on the corner. He cut all the grass on this block, even abandoned houses, his mother, Jimone Griffin, said. He even went to the store for his elderly neighbors and gave them free car washes on Sunday. They called him Black Jesus,' Griffin said. Everybody who met my child was touched by him and loved him, Griffin said. There was something special about him. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. An eighth suspect has been charged in the slaying of a young Birmingham mother who was held against her will and tortured for hours before she was fatally shot. Ariana Lashay Robinson, 23, is charged with felony murder - kidnapping in the killing of 20-year-old Mahogany Jackson. Jackson leaves behind a toddler daughter. Robinson was booked into the Birmingham City Jail at 2:40 p.m. Thursday. Warrants against were issued Friday afternoon. Authorities said Robinson was among the suspects seen in videos recorded during Jacksons time in captivity. With help from the community, police said, she was identified early in the investigation as potentially being involved. Lewis was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 2:43 p.m. Friday where she will be held without bond. Charges against seven other people were announced earlier this week. Brandon Pope, 24, Francis Harris, 25, and Jeremiah McDowell, 18, are charged with capital murder during a first-degree kidnapping and capital murder during first-degree sodomy. Jeremiah McDowell, Francis Harris, and Brandon Pope are charged with capital murder in the murder of 20-year-old Mahogany Jackson.(Birmingham City Jail) McDowell made his first court appearance before District Judge William Bell Friday morning. He shook his as the judge read his charges to him. McDowell said he did not have the money to hire an attorney, so he will be appointed one. Giovannie Clapp, 23, and Blair Green, 25, are charged with felony murder, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree sodomy. Teja Lewis, 26, is charged with felony murder. SiNiya McCall, 23, is charged with felony murder, first-degree kidnapping, and first-degree sodomy. Lewis and Clapp are also charged with second-degree assault for pistol-whipping Jackson. At the time of her arrest, Lewis was already out on bond from a previous charge of discharging a firearm into an occupied building. A woman was inside that residence at the time. That incident happened May 26, 2022. A judge has now revoked her bond in that case following the new charges in Jacksons death. Mahogany Jackson, 20, messaged her mother early Sunday, saying, Send the police apt 3 held hostage dont call. She also sent her location to her sister. Her body was found in Mondays predawn hours under a mattress in an illegal dumping site in the 1700 block of Laurel Avenue in southwest Birmingham. She had been shot at least one time. Birmingham police investigate the kidnapping and murder of young Birmingham mother Mahogany Jackson.(Carol Robinson) At least part of the sexual assault on Jackson was video recorded. Police Chief Scott Thurmond said that video played a pivotal role in the investigation and the subsequent charges. Some of those videos have made their way onto social media, prompting Jacksons mother, Gail Maddox, to issue a plea on Facebook for people to stop sending them to the family. Thats my child. Please stop. I cant take it, she wrote. Birmingham police Chief Scott Thurmond called Jacksons murder one of the worst hes seen in his law enforcement career. It was absolutely disgusting, Thurmond said. Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr described it as heinous and unimaginable. The actions displayed by these defendants were barbaric and have no place in society, Carr said. The senseless and inhumane treatment perpetuated on young Mahogany Jackson was very disturbing and violent. Family and friends gathered for a vigil at a Birmingham apartment complex where 20-year-old Mahogany Jackson was held before she was tortured, sexually assault and murdered on Feb. 25, 2024.(Carol Robinson) Family and friends gathered Thursday evening at the apartment complex where Jackson was initially held against her will. Here sister, Jazmyne Maddox, said Jackson would be stunned at outpouring of emotion and support from the community following her death. She wouldnt believe this, Maddox said. She would be like, Really? This is for me? Jacksons Celebration of Life is set for Saturday, March 9. A Fairfield man pleaded guilty Friday to the DUI traffic crash deaths of two of his friends three years ago. Timberland Kinte Laster, 25, was charged with two counts of murder in the Feb. 27, 2021, deaths of Montez Undra Tolbert Jr., 25, of Bessemer, and Bishop Jones, 23, of Hueytown. The crash happened at 12:45 p.m. that Saturday near the 118-mile marker in the southbound lanes of I-59. According to authorities and court records, Laster was driving a Chevrolet Cobalt that was speeding and swerving in and out of lanes. The Cobalt struck another vehicle, causing Laster to lose control, run off the roadway and overturn. Tolbert and Jones were ejected from Lasters vehicle. Both were pronounced dead on the scene at 12:46 p.m. The two passengers of the other vehicle were taken to UAB Hospital but survived their injuries. Charging documents said Laster was under the influence of alcohol and/or THC at the time of the crash. Laster pleaded guilty to both counts of murder. Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff Judge Thomas Thrash sentenced Laster to 20 years in prison with five years to serve, followed by five years of probation. He was booked into the Jefferson County Jail Friday following his guilty plea and sentencing. Feature: Traditional Chinese medicine brings hope to Zimbabwean patients Xinhua) 09:38, March 02, 2024 Wang Zhiming provides acupuncture treatment to a patient at the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe on Feb. 29, 2024. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) HARARE, March 1 (Xinhua) -- In Zimbabwe, the ancient Chinese healing technique of acupuncture is proving to be a beacon of hope for patients seeking relief from various ailments. The Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, the capital, has been thronged with locals eager to experience the magic of acupuncture needles. "Those needles, I don't know what's the magic, but they work wonderfully in the body," said Martha Tsiga, who was on her seventh session to treat her back problem resulting from a fall. "Once those needles were inserted, I just relaxed, and I slept," she said. "For those 10 to 15 minutes, my body was just responding positively. It's magical... it heals perfectly." "I am now able to walk. I wasn't even able to walk for about a kilometer or so. I would just sit down and start crying, but right now I can drive, I can walk, I can do even my daily chores," Tsiga said. Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a medical system with a history of over 2,000 years that has been used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses. Traditional Chinese medicine also employs techniques such as moxibustion, cupping, and uses herbal products and mind-body practices. Charlotte Muziri, the current Miss Zimbabwe International, decided to volunteer at the hospital after witnessing the healing power of acupuncture on her father, who suffered a stroke. His condition improved markedly after just two sessions of the procedure. "Acupuncture, for me, has been a miracle that has been given to the people of Zimbabwe," she said. "It's really working wonders." "I have seen many patients who have been healed. Some of them no longer come for treatment because they are now okay," Muziri said. Wang Zhiming, a TCM doctor at the center, said many people have been healed by the ancient technique. "Every day, many patients come to our clinic for acupuncture treatment because acupuncture is very effective for lots of conditions and diseases such as acute and chronic pain, stroke, facial palsy, insomnia and headaches, which are very common in Zimbabwe," he said. Wang said more locals will be trained in traditional Chinese medicine to ensure that Zimbabweans continue to benefit from the ancient practice. "We want to train a group of local doctors who can independently do acupuncture and moxibustion... to benefit more Zimbabweans," he said. Hu Sha, another TCM doctor at the center, said the number of people seeking treatment has been growing. "There are more than 30 to 60 patients each working day in our clinic. We treated more than 18,000 patients last year, and our current appointments have been scheduled up to July 2024," Hu said. The Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center was set up in 2021 to provide free services to locals. China and Zimbabwe share a long history of health cooperation. Since 1985, China has dispatched 20 batches of medical teams to Zimbabwe. A patient receives acupuncture treatment at the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center under Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe on Feb. 29, 2024. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chaolan) The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Lee Jae-myung retained a ticket as the party's single candidate to his constituency for the upcoming April 10 elections, the party announced Saturday. The DPK's nomination committee made the announcement as it unveiled decisions on candidates for seven other constituencies, with about a month left before the general election expected to serve as a political litmus test for the Yoon Suk Yeol government. The announcement also came as the DPK is embroiled in a deepening factional rift within the party between members who are close to Lee, and the so-called non-mainstream lawmakers that are not. A number of the non-Lee faction DPK members have left the party, claiming what they describe as a "massacre" of legislators if they are not aligned with Lee. Lee will contend with Rep. Won Hee-ryong of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), who recently served as the country's land minister, for the seat in a constituency in Incheon, west of Seoul. Rep. Cho Jung-sik, a five-term DPK lawmaker and the party's secretary general, also kept the ticket to his current constituency in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province. Of the eight constituencies, four will each hold a party primary to select the final candidate. (Yonhap) Gov. Kay Ivey and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox issued a news release and video Friday about their participation in the Disagree Better Initiative of the National Governors Association, which the NGA called an effort to reduce partisan animosity and foster healthy debate by modeling a more positive and optimistic way of working through policy problems. Maddox was the Democratic nominee who lost to Ivey, the Republican incumbent, in the 2018 governors race. The new call for more discussion of policy differences stands in contrast to Iveys stance during the campaign six years ago, when she declined calls to debate from Maddox and others. The governor and mayor have since worked together on some key issues, such as the 2019 plan to raise Alabamas gas tax to pay for road and bridge projects, called the Rebuild Alabama Act. Maddox, in his fifth term as Tuscaloosas mayor, has also taken public stances that differ from Iveys, including his support for Medicaid expansion. The friendly one-minute video released Friday includes a Roll Tide from Maddox and a War Eagle from Ivey as an example of how Alabamians disagree. The message is that the exchange of ideas is important to find common ground on issues like public education. Alabamians are some of the best people in the world, and that is because we treat everyone with respect, even if that person votes differently than us or cheers for the rival team, Ivey said in the news release. Even though Mayor Maddox and I once opposed each other on the ballot and maybe do not agree on every single issue out there, we do agree that the people of Alabama deserve our hardest work and that means coming together to ensure our Sweet Home is the best place to live, work and raise a family for generations to come. Maddox praised Ivey as a governor who has listened and worked to build consensus. When it comes to solutions to serious issues, Alabamians are not looking for red or blue decisions. They just want the best decision for themselves, their children and their grandchildren, Maddox said in the news release. To do this, we must all work to disagree better. Even when its not easy, respecting each others perspectives, understanding unique life experiences and working to find the truth will ensure that what unites us is infinitely stronger than what divides us. Governor Ivey has achieved so much for our state and a great deal of her success is grounded in her ability to listen and build consensus. Read more: Walt Maddox calls for debate on states pressing problems Gov. Kay Ivey again says she has no plans to debate A 43-year-old man has pleaded guilty to raping a young child. William Samuel Crawford, of Hayden, entered his guilty plea on Feb. 20, the Cullman County District Attorneys Office announced Friday. He was sentenced to 75 years in prison. Crawford was indicted in 2022 on the felony charge of first-degree rape of a child under the age of 12. Asked if he had anything to say when entering his plea, Crawford said, Im sorry, court records show. The victim and family members were given the opportunity to make victim impact statements at sentencing, said District Attorney Champ Crocker. Our victim wanted a resolution and punishment for the defendant. We were prepared for trial, but the defendant changed his plea to guilty, Crocker said. Hopefully this 75-year sentence will guarantee this man will never harm another child. Campaign ads attacking U.S. Rep. Barry Moore as an anti-Trumper and not conservative enough to represent the 1st congressional district in Alabama are a blatant, outright lie, according to U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia during a campaign stop Saturday. Frankly, Im pissed off to find out about the TV ads down here trying to declare Jerry Carl as the Trump guy in Washington, said Greene, a controversial conservative in the U.S. House who once was a member of the chambers Freedom Caucus along with Moore. Greenes comments came during the first of four campaign stops three days before a rare incumbent versus incumbent GOP primary showdown in Alabamas 1st congressional district contest. Moore, the current 2nd district congressman, is running against Carl, the 1st district congressman, in a race for a redrawn district now considered among one of the most conservative U.S. House districts in the nation. Critical toward ads The race has gotten ugly on the airwaves, with political action committees blasting the two candidates on a range of allegations from being tax cheats to liars or for lacking loyalty to former President Donald Trump. Greene, speaking at the Steele Creek Lodge in Satsuma, criticized the involvement of a super PAC she says has gotten funding from donors to South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haleys presidential campaign and former Democratic President Barack Obama. She referenced the Conservatives for American Excellence super PAC, which has the support of Haley donor Ken Griffin, and which has spent over $640,000 in the 1st district race, according to the website Open Secrets. Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia campaigns for U.S. Rep. Barry Moore on Saturday, March 2, 2024, during a campaign stop at Steele Creek Lodge in Satsuma, Ala.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com Shame on Jerry Carl for taking that money and allowing lies to be spread about Barry Moore on television, Greene said, urging conservatives that if they see Carl, they should into his face and tell him that he should bow his head in shame. She added, The future of the Republican Party is President Trump, and MAGA (Make America Great Again, the Trump agenda). If southern Alabamians chose Jerry Carl, its going backwards. Thats the Mitt Romney wing of the Republican Party and we are not going to have it. Moore also received a boost from Gregg Phillips, whose efforts in 2016 raised baseless questions about voter fraud in the presidential election. His efforts as an election investigator have been touted by Trump. Hes been with Donald Trump from Day 1, said Phillips, recalling Moores appearance on stage during a Trump rally in Mobile in 2015. At the time, Moore was in the Alabama legislature. Moore, during his comments, also expressed frustrations about the TV and radio ads questioning his conservative bona fides and for lacking adequate support of Trumps agenda. Moore touted his high scores among conservative groups like CPAC and urged the 50-60 people at the lodge to not let the attacks on the left get to us. The campaign, during a stop at a diner in Stockton, drew an even larger crowd of over 100 people. They are funding a campaign saying Im not the Trump guy, Moore said in Satsuma. You have to see through that and go out and vote. Poll reaction Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia campaigns for U.S. Rep. Barry Moore on Saturday, March 2, 2024, during a campaign stop at Steele Creek Lodge in Satsuma, Ala.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com Moores campaign stop in Mobile County comes after a poll of 1,900 likely 1st district Republican voters showed Carl with an 8-point lead over Moore. The poll from Auburn University at Montgomery, leaned heavily on voters from Carls congressional district, and Moore dismissed it as having flawed methodology. All the polls weve seen behind the scenes has us in the lead, Moore said, adding that he felt the Auburn poll included a heavier sampling of the areas Carl represents, and had a higher number of people who are not favorable toward Trump. The newly redrawn district, while including a sizable portion of Moores former 2nd district in the Wiregrass, does include Baldwin and Mobile counties as its largest population bases. I think the key factor for us is turning out the conservatives, the base, said Moore. We think this rates as one of the most conservative (districts in the U.S. House), and we are making sure people really elect Trumps alley and that they understand these attacks are paid for by the left. U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile, speaks during a luncheon hosted by the Alabama League of Municipalities on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, at Ralph & Kacoo's in Spanish Fort, Ala. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Carl, in a statement to AL.com, said while the only poll that matters is on Tuesday, this latest poll shows that voters like how Im a conservative who actually gets things done and delivers on the Trump Agenda rather than just talking about it. The Carl campaign also blasted Moore for being in this race for himself. They claimed Moore is a documented tax cheat, referring to past tax liens who wants to raise your taxes and is directing taxpayer-funded government contracts to his own pockets. Greene, while in Mobile, outlined several policy matters and votes by Carl that she said were the opposite of Trump supporters. Among them: A four-month extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that was contained with the $886 billion National Defense Authorization Act, which Moore was the only member of the Alabama House delegation to vote against in December. Greene said supporting FIFSA amounted to supporting government spying on you. Carl has since said his support of the NDAA included support for contractors that relying on the national defense budget like Mobiles Austal USA and Fort Novosel, formerly Fort Rucker. Supporting funding for the War in Ukraine and backing foreign aid for a country none of us can find on a map. She said federal lawmakers should be more focused on combating illegal U.S.-Mexican border crossings than assisting Ukraine in its battle against Russian aggression. Greene noted that Moore will not support additional money for the war. Leaving Washington, D.C., last year at a time when conservatives were trying to get enough support to place Ohio Rep. U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus as the next Speaker of the House. Greene claimed that if Jordan was House Speaker, there would be no continuing resolutions that she says has the support of current House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana. She also criticized Carl for positions on red flag control bills and women drafted into the military. Republican fight The 1st district congressional primary race is drawing some comparisons with the 1st district contest between Bradley Byrne and Dean Young in late 2013, during a special GOP runoff election to replace former Rep. Jo Bonner. Byrne, supported by local business leaders from Mobile and Baldwin counties similar to Carl was able to fend off a fierce challenge by Young, who was a darling among tea party conservatives. At that time, the 1st district was considered safe for Republicans at a +15 advantage for the GOP, according to the Cook Political Reports Partisan Voter Index (PVI). That placed it as the 75th most Republican district in the U.S. House. After redistricting, the district is a +28 advantage for the GOP, ranking it as tied for the sixth most conservative district in the U.S. House. Related content: How redistricting recreated a radical rightward shift for a South Alabama congressional district Said Phillips, This is one of the most conservative districts in all of the United States. (Moore) is one of the most conservative members of Congress there is. Greene said the primary will help define the future of the Republican Party. Similar statements were made in 2013, at the time Young was trying to defeat Byrne in the 1st district race. Right now, we are in a fight for the future of where the Republicans are at, Greene said. This is where you define the Republican Party. Primaries is where it happens. George Robert Langford, former Special Agent in Charge of the FBIs Birmingham office, and most well known for reopening the case of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in the 1990s, has died. Langford, affectionally known as Rob, died on Feb. 21 in Windsor, Colorado, surrounded by his family at the age of 84, according to his obituary. When we think of Rob, we think of Integrity, humility, service, love of the outdoors, and humor, says his obituary. We know that our heavenly Father welcomed Rob home, Well done, good and faithful servant. Langfords career spans multiple decades, including time as First Lieutenant and Company Commander in Vietnam for the United States Marine Corps and serving as a Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Langford is most well known for reopening BAPBOMB, the case of the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, which had its 60th anniversary last year. The bombing took place on Sept. 15, 1963. At 10:22 a.m., the Ku Klux Klan planted a bomb that exploded in the churchs basement and killed Denise McNair, 11, and 14-year-olds Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Addie Mae Collins. The bombing also injured several others. According to his obituary, reopening the case was part of Langfords effort and priority to restore the relationship between Birminghams Black community and the Bureau. Langfords reopening of the case eventually led to the arrest and conviction of additional suspects. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Martha, his sons, Rob (Kathy), and John Langford, as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and more, according to the obituary According to his obituary, a private family celebration will be held in the spring of 2024 and hell be honored at Fort Logan National Cemetery at a later date. If you wish to leave your condolences, you can at this link. Mara Ruffin Allens months-long legal fight to be reinstated as a Jefferson County candidate was dashed with a three-sentence order from a judge who tossed out her case. Allen, a former candidate for Jefferson County treasurer, was declared ineligible to run for failing to turn in a required financial disclosure form within the deadline after declaring her candidacy to election officials. Montgomery County Circuit Judge Brooke Reid on Friday afternoon ended the case by dismissing Allens lawsuit. Im disappointed, Allen told AL.com. I tried my best, so I feel good about the fight. Allen had been to court multiple times since her disqualification in December, suing the State Ethics Commission, Jefferson County Democratic Chairman Wayne Rogers and Jefferson County Probate Judge James Naftel. Jefferson County Democratic party leaders last month named Angela Webb Weinberg as the sole candidate for the office of treasurer after the state Ethics Commission disqualified Allen and current treasurer Eyrika Parker for failing to submit their financial disclosure form in time. Because there are no Republicans seeking the position, the lone Democratic candidate is most likely to win the position in the general election. Allen, a Bessemer business owner and first-time candidate, told AL.com that Weinberg was wrongly gifted a seat that Allen has legitimately sought for months. In this instance the people dont have a say, she said. They dont get to vote. Mara Ruffin Allen, former candidate for Jefferson County, Ala. TreasurerContributed Among the duties of the treasurer is to select banks in which to invest millions in county money. Allen has argued that she was unfairly disqualified and mistreated by the Democratic Party. I dont know what I did to anyone except go to the Democratic Party and run as a committed Democrat, Allen said. Allens lawyers first argued that she attempted to electronically file the form by the deadline and returned to the system after learning that it was not completed. They later argued that the probate judge, not the chairman of the countys Democratic Party, was the real elections official, so her paperwork was turned in on time to that office. Defending Rogers, attorney Adam Plant wrote that Allens case was a fatally flawed complaint, that went beyond the jurisdiction of the court. DLinell Finley, adjunct professor of political science at Alabama State University and a longtime political observer, said the ruling was expected. He called it rare that judges intervene to overturn ethics commission decisions. Certainly, if there were any real legal questions, you would think that at least one of them by now would be able to score a legal victory against the ethics commission, Finley said The fact that that has not happened shows that the ethics commission had good cause. If you cant overcome doubts with the court, then you have pretty well muted your own case. Officials have released the cause of an apartment building fire in south Alabama that left several families without homes. According to Jeff Haller, Public Information Officer for the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department, the fire was determined to be ignited by accident and caused by an individual or individuals cooking on their balcony. The fire took place just before 7 p.m. on Feb. 24 at the Montlimar Apartments on Azalea Road in Mobile. By 8 p.m. that evening, the fire was brought under control and firefighters began putting out hotspots. Fifteen out of the 16 units in the building had tenants and all the units suffered smoke damage. Several apartments received extensive fire and water damage. The Red Cross is still assisting individuals and families displaced by the fire. Alabama chief justice candidate Bryan Taylor has called on his opponent Sarah Stewart, a sitting justice on the Alabama Supreme Court, to recuse herself from further possible votes on the in-vitro fertilization case that has led IVF providers across the state to pause their services. In a statement on Thursday, Taylor pointed to $979,000 in campaign contributions Stewart had received from political action committees that themselves had received significant contributions from Cunningham Bounds, a Mobile-based legal firm that represented the plaintiffs in the IVF case. After hearing oral arguments in the case last September, and while the case was under her consideration, Stewarts campaign received hundreds of thousands of dollars from PACs heavily funded by the plaintiffs law firm in the case, Taylor said. John F. Kennedy coined the term a nation of immigrants for his 1958 book of the same name. Kennedy was proud of the immigrants who built the most prosperous nation on earth. He wanted more of the same, as do all Americans. But thats not what Americans are getting. Instead, theyre getting a government thats been manipulating immigration policies for over half a century to maintain political power. In the process, they are undermining a foundation that turned a fledgling nation into a global power in less than 150 years. Democrat policies (aided by Republicans) have encouraged millions of, at best, loosely vetted immigrants to live in America. Theyve simultaneously dismissed the importance of good moral character and the need to integrate immigrants by having them adopt American values. No wonder almost 90% of Americans believe that uncontrolled illegal immigration is a threat to America. Biden and his Cuban emigre Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, excuse the crisis by invoking Kennedys nation of immigrants term and insisting that the problem isnt because of their policies. The system, they say, has been broken for decades. Thats rich. In fact, they follow a long tradition of corrupt Democrat politicians who, since the 1960s, have been selling Americas soul for political gain and fame while outrageously presenting their actions as humanitarian. JFK celebrated Americas diverse European immigrants. They wanted nothing from America but a chance to improve their lives and build a great country. And thats what they got and what they did. Hundreds of thousands of wannabe immigrants were turned away or later deported because they were likely public chargesand Americans applauded. Image: An English language class for immigrants in Michigan. 1909. Library of Congress. After World War II, Americans were happy with immigrants who worked hard, were self-reliant, law abiding, valued education, and learned or spoke English. Like Kennedy, they wanted immigrants to integrateto become Americans by adopting Americas values, just as they had. That formula still works, as weve seen with the waves of Asian and East Asian Indians who have embraced Americas values and thrived. As the descendant of Irish Catholic immigrants, JFK knew first-hand that when Irish Catholics integrated as Americans, the sky was the limit. However, his successor, Lyndon Baines Johnson, didnt care if immigrants integrated by adopting American values. LBJ saw unintegrated immigrants as the ticket to Democrats controlling the government forever. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1965 made America an all-comers nation. People from countries that hate or love Americaalong with those who love or hate Jews, Christians, blacks, whites, or Asianswere all welcome. At the acts signing, LBJ said the Act does not affect the lives of millions. That promise didnt age well, but it was not because the Act made America the worlds most diverse nation. America had already demonstrated that it had a formula to dispel the conflict inherent in increased diversity. The problem with the act was that LBJ supported torching the idea that immigrants must be integrated through adopting American values. Theres a body of research (see here and here), including the rocky history of diversity in America before people figured out that newcomers needed to be educated in Americas common values, that true integration is the only way to resolve ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination. And only in that way can both immigrants and the host countries succeed. Democratic leaders, however, framed integration as hegemonic and attracted new immigrants to their party by saying that, once in America, they didnt actually need to become Americans. Because so many new immigrants were non-English speakers, English was the first American value to go. Indeed, by producing everything from product information to voter information in Spanish, Latinos lost their motivation to learn English. Immigrants from Mexico have the lowest rates of English proficiency (34%), followed by those from Central America (35%). Many of those who speak only Spanish have lived in the United States for more than 20 years. Next on the chopping block were the values of self-reliance, working hard, and valuing education. To complement an all-comers immigration policy, LBJ introduced an all-comers welfare policy that allowed immigrants to be eligible for welfare virtually on arrival. There were foreseeable outcomes for an immigration policy that had no expectations about speaking the English language, working hard, valuing education, or being self-reliant, which is that immigrants failed to thrive. Then, they complained about discrimination, allowing Democrats to contend that the problem was racist Republicans. That finger-pointing hid the fact that all immigrants to America faced discrimination until they earned respect as Americans by adopting the values of their new homeland. If Democrats admitted this truth, they would run the risk of immigrants integrating, seeing the American dream within reach, and gravitating toward Republicans. In the 1980s, President Carter, through the Refugee Act of 1980, put in place another piece of legislation that could facilitate a strategy to ensure permanent Democrat control over the government. He made it possible for a future president to permit an unlimited number of loosely vetted refugees from failing nations to become naturalized American citizens. An accompanying refugee resettlement package made it possible for them to dismiss adopting American values, too. Things in America would have been different if Kennedys vision, enshrined in 1958s A Nation of Immigrants, had remained Americas official policy. However, the intensely political Lyndon Johnson didnt see immigrants as people yearning to succeed in a free country. Instead, he saw them as the ticket to the Democrats gaining permanent control over the federal government, and a central part of this strategy was to negate any legal or cultural press to have immigrants adopt American values. Richard Nixon didnt realize the scope of the problem and focused no energy on the issue. That left the field open for Carter to facilitate Johnsons strategyand of course, Reagan was bamboozled into accepting amnesty. Thanks to these deliberate Democrat policies, America went from being a shining city on a hill to being the worlds largest permanent refugee camp. And that is the foundation on which Biden and Mayorkas are operating as they have implemented one immigrant-related policy after another, all to bring to America those millions of loosely vetted, unintegrated, twilight immigrants to our shores. Many of us have experienced people in our lives who build a certain narrative which we accept despite evidence before our eyes. Sometimes its easier to accept the narrative, sometimes the benefit of the relationship outweighs the cost of facing the facts. Very often, there comes a time when the dam we built to hold the facts away from our consciousness breaks. That is usually a critical moment. The same holds for our relationship with government. We all have accepted a certain narrative about our government. The less informed talk about a democracy. Those who paid attention in civics class think of it as a representative republic. As a member of the second group, I revere the genius of our Founders and the remarkable system they put in place resting on the Constitution. Recently, I had an experience that broke my dam. A series of marvelous coincidences put me on a tropical hillside in Thailand enjoying the hospitality of some Thai friends who were celebrating the birthday of one of their number. I met these guys when I took a diving trip with them. We had so much fun together, one trip became four. On the third trip, I got an invitation I couldnt refuse. So, there I was on this hillside on a beautiful evening. My Thai is limited pretty much to Hello and Thank you, while my hosts English is functional. Regardless, they did a grand job of making me feel welcome. There was another non-Thai speaker there. Linn is a beautiful young Chinese woman who speaks remarkably good English. We established a quick bond, as she is an enthusiastic diver and similarly charmed by Thai people. Linn lives in the Peoples Republic of China. Chinese people are frequent visitors to Thailand, but generally they are in groups and keep to themselves. Because of her superb English, Linn was the first Chinese national I have ever engaged in conversation. She is bright, well-educated, and charming. We both did our best to tread lightly when the conversation approached the differences between our nations. However, I noticed early on that she was not the least bit defensive about the Chinese Communist Party. On the contrary she actually seemed almost indifferent. Linn didnt behave in any way that resembled people Ive known from Eastern Europe and Russia during the Soviet days. Rather, she was relaxed and comfortably free to say whatever she pleased. At one point the conversation turned to my personal experience in manufacturing in California during Silicon Valleys manufacturing heyday. I told her about how my work in the 1980s took me to the various business parks in the Bay Area that, at the time, were all bustling hives. Machine, sheet metal, and paint shops along with printed circuit board houses filled the areas manufacturing landscape. I left manufacturing in 1991 and did not return to any of those parks until 1997. What I found on return were ghost towns. All the shops were gone. All that work was offshored. In deference to my new friend, I avoided reflexively mentioning China and instead pointed my finger at the American oligarchs who moved all that work in those few short years. Thats when my dam broke. America is no democracy, nor is it a representative republic in any functional sense. America is, and has been for at least a century, an oligarchy. We learned in those civics and history classes that Teddy Roosevelt busted trusts and put those Robber Barrons in their place. Of course, they couldnt be oligarchs because America is a republic, not an oligarchy. All this pleasant narrative in my case was robust enough to withstand a lifetime of contrary experience and learning from books like The Creature from Jekyll Island, or Milton Friedmans work. My dam held for half a century, until that moment with Linn, when I heard myself blame Americas manufacturing demise on our oligarchs, not China. For years I separated and catalogued facts, and tossed them over the dam to swim around in my head independently. Suddenly the dam broke and those facts formed a fearsome school that flooded my consciousness. At that moment, I realized it is Americas oligarchs who are destroying our currency. It is our oligarchs who want our border, our cities, and our nation to collapse. It is our oligarchs who installed a senile fool in the Presidency. It is our oligarchs who control the media. It is our oligarchs who feted Chairman Xi in San Francisco last year. It is our oligarchs who likely gave the world COVID as their response to a public that dared to think we could elect people who would actually represent us. It is our oligarchs who inflicted their vaccines on the world. Can we doubt that it is our oligarchs who are now directing our own government against us? Indeed, our government has long been a helpless tool in their hands. Neither a democracy, nor a representative republic, for well over a century America has been an oligarchy, and the pity is, we all know it. Its the dams made of fables that were planted in our childhood minds that keep us from seeing it. I now look back at the history and the horrors of the 20th century with new eyes. Try it and see if you get a clearer view of the immediate threat, as well as the ugly reality of the past. Im certainly not inclined to dismiss the CCP as a threat, but could it be a convenient distraction? A minor villain, perhaps, if not a boogeyman? Was it created by our oligarchs? Is it being used now to misdirect us away from the true, mortal threat standing in our faces? The flowering of manufacturing in the 19th century gave rise to the fortunes we all recognize. They were relatively few in number but their wealth is what gave us the Progressive Era and the administrative state. The prototype of the oligarch Brer Rabbit play was the railroads and the Interstate Commerce Commission, established to regulate the railroads. In short order the railroad barons came to control the ICC and use it as their tool to boost their interests. Can you say CDC? FDA? Please dont throw me in that regulatory briar patch! The technology revolution of our day has spawned hordes of billionaires, many of whom have formed comfortable public-private partnerships with government. Along the way, some have become wealthier than most governments on earth. Few of them seem to show any particular loyalty to their nation or their neighbors. The problem is that all those people are human. The recent billionaires have demonstrated an amazing capacity to get rich. However, if they were dorks when they started, theyre just rich dorks today. In the American oligarchical system, unfortunately, we get stuck with their vices and shortcomings. How do we protect ourselves from more of their deadly, crackpot fantasies? Image: Public Domain By Robert Neff A recent article appearing in The Korea Times announced the opening of a photo exhibition illuminating the 70 years of friendship between Korea and Greece. While it is true the diplomatic relationship between the two countries is fairly recent, there have been Greeks residing in Korea for over 120 years. In the mid-1890s, Jemulpo (part of modern Incheon) had grown from a port made up of a handful of crude shacks into one of Joseons most cosmopolitan communities. According to a census taken in late 1896, there were: 15 British (three women); seven French (two women); six Americans; 18 Germans (eight women); two Italians; one Austrian; one Portuguese; one Spanish woman; one Greek; 2,458 Japanese (1,595 women); and 1,105 Chinese all men. Many of these are accountable some of the Americans had Japanese wives, the Spanish woman was married to a Chinese official, and due to the recent Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95, the Chinese population in Korea was still not official recognized and was administered by the British representatives to Korea. The Greek, however, is the wild card. The Austrian, Italians and Portuguese worked for the Korean Imperial Customs Service but, to the best of my knowledge, there were never any Greeks hired by the Korean government. As Korea and Greece had not concluded a treaty, this Greek national was also prohibited from owning land (in his own name), so it might be safe to assume he was one of the drifting entrepreneurs who briefly set up a boarding house that catered to sailors from one of the many visiting warships. Jemulpo is often associated with two hotels Daibutsu Hotel and Stewards Hotel. However, there were a large number of boarding houses a.k.a. flop houses that never appeared in any of the regional directories including the Bristol Hotel. The only reason we know about the Bristol Hotel is because of the Greco-Turkish War in the spring of 1897. That distant conflict somehow managed to rear its ugly head in the Land of the Morning Calm. According to an article in The Independent a newspaper published in Seoul: The Greco-Turkish war seems to have extended to Korea. On the 26th instant a Turk, presumably from some man-of-war in the harbor, went to the Bristol Hotel, which is kept by Mrs. A. Donapassis, and made insulting remarks about Mr. Donapassis. Her husband demanded an explanation from the offender and an apology which the Turk was too full to render. The irritated husband punished the unspeakable Turk in true Olympean style, returning the compliment which his compatriots recently received from the Turks at Pharsala and Epirus. In order to complete the history, the intervention of other Powers took place. In this case a Chinese policeman interfered and sent the combatants to the British Consul for arbitration. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any reports in the British diplomatic archives about this incident. However, two years later, there are references to another Greek living in Jemulpo with his wife. Masturas, also known as Tommy the Greek, appears to have been a temporary employee with the Seoul-Chemulpo Railroad perhaps as a supervisor. It was not an especially high-paying job and he and his wife made ends meet by establishing their own little boarding house (possibly the Klondike). He would have probably passed through history unknown except he testified to the good character of a Scottish American man accused of murdering an American businessman in Jemulpo. The accused murderer was later found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. Shortly afterwards, Masturas and his wife left Korea and moved on to Shanghai where they faded from history. By the early 1900s, there were a number of Greeks doing business in Korea, not as boarding house proprietors but as purveyors of smoke they were tobacco merchants and enjoyed much success. In fact, one of these early Greek tobacco merchants is buried in Jemulpo but that story will have to wait for another time. Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters. Determining the secret actions of U.S. government employees and politicians is difficult. The common American cannot access classified or other secret information, and sometimes government employees might destroy or otherwise get rid of documents. Some might want to know the secret actions of government employees out of mere curiosity. Others, though, are likely aware of the phenomenon observed throughout history: power tends to corrupt, and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely. Perhaps we should consider this with regard to laws about modifying the weather, but more about that shortly. Besides a desire for power to corrupt in these government jobs, absolutely powerful government jobs likely attract already absolutely corrupt people. Government employees might already be corrupt before they attain power, and it is the absolute power which attracts them to government positions. And, of course, it is the ability to act with almost complete secrecy which results in absolute power. Such secrecy is likely sought after by corrupt persons. Simply observe how often government employees or others make billions to trillions of dollars appear out of nowhere and give that money to other governments or to secretly operating entities like the FBI. Who would be able to prevent FBI or other government employees from taking a couple million dollars or hundreds of thousands of dollars here or there? Or, what about the potential to secretly get revenge on groups of people? For example, FBI targeting Catholics; how many corrupt Americans might be motivated to work for the FBI if they can secretly get revenge on Catholics? Such abilities might be sought after by already corrupt people, but, due to government secrecy, Americans are unable to know. There is one approach, though, which might help determine at least potential secret government actions, methods, and technologies: deduction from laws. Some U.S. government jobs do not allow officials to stay in the job for their whole life. And, due to the apparently ferocious opposition of political belief systems, future government officials might seek revenge against previous government officials. The point here is that government officials might try to enact laws that protect themselves from future prosecution. A law scholar at the Illinois Law Review, Craig S. Lerner, in a discussion on how corruption in government might influence lawmaking, mentions such a potential phenomenon: How is such a state of affairs [criminally corrupt politicians] likely to influence the lawmaking process? First, one might expect legislators to enact laws that directly protect themselves (and their family and friends) from criminal prosecution. As members of Congress and their immediate circles are more likely to engage in white collar crime than crime of the grubbier variety, the suggestion might be that laws would be comparatively more protective of upscale defendants. (Page 628) Thus, laws could include hints and suggestions of secret government actions especially when laws make certain actions illegal or unlawful for most Americans and then provide an exemption for law enforcement, the intelligence community, and other government employees. A potential example which every American should be made aware of is a U.S. federal law from 1971. The law states: No person may engage, or attempt to engage, in any weather modification activity in the United States unless he submits to the Secretary [of Commerce] such reports with respect thereto, in such form and containing such information, as the Secretary may by rule prescribe. The Secretary may require that such reports be submitted to him before, during, and after any such activity or attempt. The law defines weather modification as: any activity performed with the intention of producing artificial changes in the composition, behavior, or dynamics of the atmosphere. The law defines person as any individual, corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, society, joint stock company, any State or local government or any agency thereof, or any other organization, whether commercial or nonprofit, who is performing weather modification activities, except where acting solely as an employee, agent, or independent contractor of the Federal Government. The law contains potentially significant implications; one is that weather might be able to be modified in a way that produces artificial changes in the composition, behavior, or dynamics of the atmosphere. More will be mentioned on this in a moment. Another implication is that weather modification activities might be performed by employees, agents, or independent contractors of the federal government, and those persons apparently do not need to submit reports to other U.S. government officials about such weather modification activities. In other words, employees, agents, or independent contractors of the federal government who perform weather modification activities might be able to do so secretly. Again, that law was enacted in 1971. One reason this is being mentioned here is to follow-up on previous articles which described potential uses of electromagnetic energy and directed energy systems. Not only does electromagnetic energy have the potential to be used to remotely and secretly cause brain damage or for mind reading and mind controlling technologies, but it appears as though such directed energy systems could be used for weather modification activities. In other words, governments might use directed energy systems to modify the weather and propagate a hoax or potentially harm specific locations. Unsurprisingly, it appears as though U.S. government employees do not provide much information on their weather modification activities. However, some researchers have suggested that radio frequency waves, and specifically microwaves, would be able to be generated either from the ground or from space and focused on specific locations in the atmosphere to modify the weather. (Complete article automatically downloads from here.) Another example is given by a scientist who suggests that lasers (which use light and are also on the electromagnetic spectrum) could be used to modify the weather. The scientist explains: Every time you think you have done everything you can with lasers, something new comes up: its quite amazing. Some of those uses reportedly include causing lightning and causing clouds, and transporting [rain] water to a different location than where a storm would normally hit. (The previous reference is not completely endorsed; liberal media ignores the possibility of such technologies also being used to propagate a hoax which some might describe as global warming or climate change.) There are several problems with weather modification activities that are likely obvious to most people. One is that government experts are often wrong and can cause severe harm to, and deaths of, millions of people due to their ignorance, negligence, or arrogance. Then there is the phenomenon sometimes observed in science and medical research of the desire to be famous and make new discoveries regardless of how many human beings are (potentially secretly) used as guinea pigs. Many people do not realize the dangerous philosophies on existence, living, and death that scientists and/or medical personnel might have. One of these dangerous philosophies which might not be uncommon is that we are all going to eventually die; it might as well be now, and, we might as well use all of these people as research subjects to advance science before they die. There is also the false philosophy of fairness which might result in this type of thinking by government scientists: it is not fair that most people throughout history had worse living conditions than those in America at the present time. And, look at all the people who die in other countries because of the weather. This is simply not fair. To make it fair, us scientists can simply use Americans as research subjects with our weather modification research. Either way, Americans should be informed that there might be technologies which could modify the weather and those technologies might be used to propagate a hoax known as climate change. Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License The closing line of the American Declaration reads as follows: And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honour [sic]. For Donald Trump, his allegiance and dedication to the patriots cause and America has been tested; and, where the rubber met the road, he held fast to the spirit of Americas founding (and still does). It is this genuine and lived-out attitude of self-sacrifice for a future of hope and liberty that has earned him so many enemies in so many high places. Of course, the disclaimer, and allow me to be very clear: Trump is not a savior (for me, thats Jesus and Jesus alone). But The immediate anti-Trump response is to remind us that hes not perfect; Democrats will quickly fire off false talking points (very fine people), Republicans will cite legitimate lapses in judgment in Trumps personal life, or mean tweets, or his bad hires. Now to the first point, those who are without sin should cast the first stone. To the second? I personally love Trumps politically incorrect approach and actually applaud it, but objectively, mean implies vindictiveness and spitefulness towards an innocent party, and none of the people on the receiving end of Trumps mean tweets have ever been undeserving. (Also, if youre upset about words like lame and loser then you need to toughen way up and hope you never have to experience the tyranny that Trump is trying to repel back.) As for the thirdI cant say why Trump does what he does, and while I of course hate to see him hire sewer creatures that betray him (and us), Im also not going to condemn him over it. While not perfect, hes done too much good. Yet, all of that is just a testament to how truly exceptional his character is, and how herculean his efforts and accomplishments have been. Again, nobody was ever claiming Trump was perfect, he is after all, just a man; its just easy to forget that when we see a mere mortal who is so larger-than-life, and so unwavering in his fight against tyranny. His posture echoes the words of the Declaration; hes actually putting his life, his fortune, and his sacred honor on the line. Naturally, there are many who would balk at this, but hear me out. If a person were being truly honest, he/she would recognize that there is an existential threat to Trumps survival. Hes being threatened with hundreds of years in prison; hes facing hundreds of millions of dollars in fines (which are climbing with interest), while Democrat operatives scheme for ways to strip him of his property and any other physical security; hes forked over untold amounts of cash to play along with their absolutely unbelievable barrage of lawfare, which is undoubtedly the worst this country has ever seen; and if you think hes safe? Well then youre either ignoring the evidence of President Kennedys assassination or youre just too lazy to examine it, because that man was definitely murdered by the CIA. The sewer of Washington D.C., the Congressional-Military-Industrial-Complex, and every single institution that has been corrupted and co-opted, is against Donald Trumpa man who fights for (and achieves) peace and nationalism is a verifiable threat to warmongering globalists. They call us cultists, as if our loyalty to him transcends all reason or morality (it doesnt), but obviously, this is projection more than anything. Seriously, how can you watch Joe Biden fondle children on camera, all before 2020, and still vote for him? How can you watch him now, and anticipate voting for him again?? Furthermore, this is coming from the people who literally called Barack Obama a savior, screaming to just get him [Obama] in now and install him in the Oval Office immediately after the election instead of waiting until inauguration day; its all just mockable rhetoric. Trumps message and position has been consistent: he loves America and her people. But, it is his actions, his willingness to pledge his life, his fortune, and his sacred honor to the fight for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, for our sake, that show us hes genuine. This is why we love him, and its as simple as that. Like a founding father, he is flawed, but (divinely and providentially) favored. Image: Public domain. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dont know nothin bout birthin no women. I refer to the classic Hattie McDaniel line in Gone With The Wind. Brown Jackson, during her confirmation hearing, infamously pretended to have no idea what a woman is, despite ostensibly being one. Sadly, her congressional questioner didnt ask her if she was a woman, and if so, for how long, which might have provoked an even more laughable answer. Among the many topics I cover in use of force and firearm classes, is virtually all of those on the left writing about, legislating, and deciding cases relating to firearms, know little to nothing about them or any issue related to them. Our mummified meat puppet President, Joe Biden, during a 2020 Democrat candidate debate, infamously claimed 150 million American were killed by guns in the previous few years, which would comprise just under half the country. He also claims double barreled shotguns to be the best possible home-defense weapon, far easier to shoot than an AR-15. He has argued appropriate double barreled shotgun tactics include blindly shooting through closed doors, and stepping outside to fire warning shots straight up. He has also claimed the police should always shoot attacking, armed felons in the leg, and has argued armed citizens that saved lives by stopping church attackers should not have been armed. All such advice is either illegal, blatantly stupid, both, or would result in officers and innocents being injured or killed. Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee tells us the AR-15, a specimen of which she claims to have handled, is absolutely horrifying. Its heavier than 10 boxes and fires a .50 caliber cartridge. Other than being a rifle sufficiently light for 10-year-old girls to comfortably handleabout 6.5 pounds--and other than chambering a .22 caliber cartridge, shes right. Graphic: Supreme Court. Wikimedia Commons.org. Public Domain. It's hardly a surprise that our newest Supreme Court Associate Justice would know nothin bout birthin no Second Amendment law: ...the Firearms Policy Coalition has been doing the good work of posting highlights to Twitter/X. [skip] When it was time for the Biden Department of Justice to present its side to the Court, Justice Clarence Thomas asked what happens, according to the FPC, "with the trigger in a bump stocked rifle vs a full-auto rifle." Graphic: Twitter (X) screenshot Machineguns fire in the 600 round per minute range. Justice Jackson, with images of Chuck Norris killing an entire battalion of Vietnamese soldiers with a single magazine in "Missing in Action 2: The Beginning" still fresh in her mind must have thought, "600 rounds? I raise you 200 rounds to 800 each and every second." Graphic: Twitter (X) screenshot Even modern, electrically driven Gatling guns dont come close to that rate of fire. I'm not singling out Justice Jackson for any special mocking here just the regular amount. Jackson was speaking off the cuff, and everybody makes mistakes doing that. While it's extra unbecoming for a Justice of the Supreme Court to demonstrate such laughable ignorance about a case she's supposed to be hearing with her own ears, the government took its time to prepare its case they wrote stuff down and everything and still managed to come up with 600 rounds per second. From the transcript: And here's Justice Jackson: "And when, you know, 'function' is defined, it's really not about the operation of the thing. It's about what it can achieve, what it's being used for. So I see Congress as putting function in this. The function of this trigger is to cause this kind of damage, 800 rounds a second or whatever." So, a guns function is not the operation of the thing? And 800 rounds a second or whatever? A guns employment, the specific task its designed to accomplish might not be synonymous with its function, but function and operation can certainly be. The point is Supreme Court Justices are interpreting law in light of the Constitution for all Americans. The Second Amendment is a fundamental, unalienable, express right. Shouldnt they do sufficient research to understand the issues theyre deciding? Shouldnt they know more than enough about bump stocks and their actual performance to not only avoid embarrassing themselves, but to ensure their decisions actually reflect the intentions of the Founders and the letter of the Constitution? Of course they should, unless they dont care to know such things, because theyre going to base their decisions not on the Constitution and not on the facts of the case at hand, but on political, utopian ideology. Perhaps to reach that utopia Joe Biden can buy Justice Brown Jackson a double barreled shotgun and they can shoot a few criminals in the legthrough closed doors. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. Star Trek and Star Wars to the contrary, so far as we know, there are no other planets in the universe capable of supporting life as we know it on Earth. Earth has a unique combination of attributes that make life here possible, chief among which are the perfect amount of sunlight, accessible water, and CO2. Those three ingredients grow the plants that start every food chain. But caught up in climate change madness, leftists are determined to do away with all three. Weve long been aware of the war on CO2 because the leftists have decided that humans increased reliance on hydrocarbons, especially coal and petroleum products, is creating deadly anthropogenic climate change. Aside from the fact that our ability to harness hydrocarbons has improved human life in the last 150 years beyond all recognition (including making chattel slavery unnecessary and leaving us with a world in which obesity, not famine, is the greatest risk to human health), theres other evidence that CO2 is unrelated to the climate. The two most obvious are that the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere is infinitesimally small and that the IPCC and others routinely ignore the suns role in the earths climate. I also like to note that the greatest known periods of global warmingthe end of the Ice Age, the Medieval Warm Period, and the end of the Mini-Ice Ageall preceded increased human carbon dioxide output. Image by Andrea Widburg using an image from freepik. What we have here is an erroneous diagnosis of a normal phenomenon. Its like saying that a black persons dark skin is, in fact, a disease. And once you have wrongly defined normalcy as a disease, the proposed treatments can only make things much, much worse. In the case of that hypothetical black person, the quacks might recommend dangerous skin bleaching, skinning the person alive, starving them of all nutrients, or any other crackpot ideas to cure the disease. The same thing happens in the case of a ludicrous consensus holding that the earth is sick because people are producing food, warming and cooling themselves, and otherwise engaging in improving the quality of their lives. Its worth noting at this point that the more that people benefit from hydrocarbons, the more they have the excess wealth that allows them to limit pollutants, which do despoil our environment. So far, in their drive to decrease CO2 (i.e., plant food), leftists have engaged in the now-familiar attacks on hydrocarbons, cows, and human reproduction. That, though, was thinking small. Now, theyre thinking big, with big names and big money. Bill Gates and Harvard, for example, want to increase pollution to block the suns rays: Microsofts billionaire founder Bill Gates is financially backing the development of sun-dimming technology that would potentially reflect sunlight out of Earths atmosphere, triggering a global cooling effect. The Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx), launched by Harvard University scientists, aims to examine this solution by spraying non-toxic calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) dust into the atmosphere a sun-reflecting aerosol that may offset the effects of global warming. Considering that the historic sun patterns show that were entering a grand solar minimum (GSM), this attempt to block whatever rays we can receive should terrify us. As Anony Mee has written in accessible detail, the GSM is a predictable phenomenon associated with extreme weather events, drought, and famine. Humans do not thrive during GSMs. This isnt the only big idea the climate changistas are spouting. The newest idea is to dehydrate the stratosphere: Scientists have been pondering whether intentionally drying the Earths stratosphere could be a way to tackle the climate crisis (other than, yknow, stop burning ridiculous amounts of fossil fuels). When people talk about greenhouse gases, you probably imagine carbon dioxide and methane, two of the most problematic emissions pumped out by human industrial activity. However, natural water vapor is actually the most abundant greenhouse gas and traps a huge amount of heat in the Earths atmosphere. In a new study, scientists at the NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory question whether it would be hypothetically possible to cool the Earth by dehydrating the stratosphere, the upper part of the atmosphere, to remove this heat-trapping water vapor. The true aqua vitae (Latin for water of life) is not spirits. Instead, the water of life is, in fact, water. No water, no life. And these crazy people, during a time when the earth will be drier because the GSM locks more of the worlds water in ice, want to dehydrate the stratosphere. And mind you, these arent just random lunatics: They work at the government nuthouse known as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which received $6.2 billion taxpayer dollars last year. Incidentally, Tony Heller likes to point out that NOAA repeatedly messes with old climate records to cool the past and warm the present. The building blocks of life are sunlight, CO2, and waterand our government and the powerful and wealthy plan to do away with all of them. Humans have fallen prey to dangerous mass delusions before, and never more so than when they give themselves god-like powers. Still, its impossible to imagine one so dangerous and delusional that it risks destroying all life on Earth. We need to have the biggest legal ballot harvesting operation this country has ever seen. Lara Trump Expected incoming RNC co-chair Lara Trump has enthusiastically embraced ballot harvesting, which has been an effective tool for Democrats to engage in shenanigans in furtherance of their election-rigging strategy. However, Lara Trump is extremely naive if she thinks she can outmaneuver the all-time champion of ballot manipulation, the Democrat Party. It would be as if a novice magician would boast that he could perform sleight-of-hand tricks more proficiently than the all-time master, Harry Houdini. A more effective strategy would be to attack and repeal ballot harvesting, especially in swing states. In addition, efforts should be made to shorten early voting time windows. It may be too late in this election cycle to pass voter ID laws in these crucial states, but it should be attempted where feasible. Lara and other Republicans favoring ballot harvesting have not considered the perils of pursuing this strategy. The Democrats have shown no reluctance to use lawfare to counter Republican electoral tactics. Local and federal prosecutors, many funded by George Soros, are willing to go after Republicans on the flimsiest of charges and evidence. It is easy to see that theyll go after Republican ballot harvesters for supposed election fraud while leaving Democrat ballot harvesters untouched. In fact, this already has happened in North Carolina in recent years. Expect this type of selective prosecution to be ramped up on a massive scale if the RNC enacts Laras ballot harvesting plan. Not so long ago, former President Trump condemned unsolicited mail-in ballots and ballot harvesting as invitations for massive fraud. Unfortunately, he has now been convinced to support the practice. Thats a catastrophic mistake. Democrats have expertly exploited the security flaws inherent in mail-in ballots and ballot harvesting. If Republicans try the same tactics at this point, Soros-backed prosecutors stand ready to arrest and indict their operatives and effectively neutralize them. At this point, the only effective strategy would be to work to repeal ballot harvesting and no-excuse mail-in voting in the critical swing states. Democrat attorney Marc Elias caught the GOP flatfooted in 2020 by filing numerous lawsuits that opened the door for electoral shenanigans. Elias and Bidens reelection team have recently parted ways over strategy disagreements. However, Republicans should follow Eliass tactical plan of fighting on every possible front filing a flurry of lawsuits and exerting public pressure through the media. In addition, a sustained voter ID push should continue and accelerate. Its not too late to change course and knock Biden and the Democrats back on their heels. But it cant be done by trying to play catch-up with Democrats who have perfected ballot sleight-of-hand and other manipulations of election law. The solution is to tighten election law security and rules. There are no easy shortcuts. Michael A. Bertolone, M.S. is a past executive V.P. of the Monroe County (N.Y.) Law Enforcement Association and a freelance writer in Rochester, N.Y. His eBook, The War on Equality: How Equity is Destroying Our Society, is available on Amazon. Image: San Francisco ballot drop box by Sarah Stierch. CC BY 2.0. I served as a military police officer, a security police officer, in the USAF during the Cold War. I served stateside, and was an actual police officer, not a rivet counter as we termed the SPs that carried M-16s and guarded hardware like B-52s. Do that for very long, and you know exactly how many rivets are employed to hold those bombers together. In those days, the military was serious about being a military. We were all inculcated with military values, and military virtue was expected of us all. Do anything to bring disrepute upon ones squadron and corrective action, including dishonorable discharge, was swift and sure. The only pronoun was yes Sir! Any sign of odd behavior or mental illness was swiftly investigated and sorted out. Not so, it seems, in Americas military circa 2024, as Ben Shapiro at Jewish World Review, explains: This week, a mentally disturbed anarchist and active-duty Air Force member named Aaron Bushnell lit himself on fire and proceeded to burn himself to death while shouting "Free Palestine" in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. In his suicide note, he explained just why he had self-immolated: "My name is Aaron Bushnell, and I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force. I will no longer be complicit in genocide. 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. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal." Cornell West, a Harvard Professor and current presidential candidate sees Bushnell as a martyr for the Jihadist cause: Graphic: Twitter (X) Screenshot Now, nearly every word of this note is factually wrong. The Israeli Defense Forces are not perpetrating a genocide in Gaza far from it. The only genocidal force in the current Gaza conflict is Hamas, which seeks to kill every Jew and also seeks as many Palestinian deaths for the cameras as humanly possible. Meanwhile, the IDF is taking extraordinary and unprecedented measures to protect civilian life even as genocidal Hamas terrorists hide themselves and Israeli hostages in tunnels beneath civilian areas and among civilians themselves. The Democrat/socialist/communist (D/s/c) media is likewise in the mood for canonization: Graphic: Twitter (X) Screenshot Fortunately, some are more serious: Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., wants to know how the Department of Defense (DOD) allowed a U.S. airman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., on Monday to serve as an active-duty member since 2020. Aaron Bushnell, 25, who was an Air Force member from Whitman, Massachusetts, lit himself on fire as a protest against Israel defending itself against Hamas terrorists following the Oct. 7 attacks. Cotton wants to know how Bushnell flew under the DOD's radar, and whether he had any access to classified information that could compromise U.S. national security. A good question as Bushnells social media presence was not remotely pro-American or clearly mentally balanced. "You have made it a top priority to address extremism amongst our total force, and this act of horrific violence in support of a terrorist group raises serious questions about how this individual was allowed to serve on active duty," Cotton wrote to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday. In todays military, it appears being sufficiently mentally unbalanced to become a human torch, and aligning oneself with Americas enemies, is if not exactly encouraged at least tolerated. That would seem to be true even if one is in what would appear to be a sensitive position: The Air Force said Bushnell was a cyber defense operations specialist with the 531st Intelligence Support Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio. Such positions require security clearances, which should be regularly reviewed. Anyone expressing online support for Americas enemies must be carefully examined to ensure theyre not abusing their security clearance. The same is true for anyone so emotionally unbalanced as to set themselves ablaze. Is any D/s/c member of Congress as concerned as Senator Cotton? Whats also concerning is the Air Forces response to Bushnells anti-American, political suicide. Does Americas military any longer demand of its members support for American, military values? Does it any longer demand love of country and strict adherence to duty? Or does it tolerate, even encourage, those that would destroy America from within and without? Is it more concerned with pronouns and drag queens than honor? Airman Bushnells death is a tragedy for his family, and all people of good will can freely offer prayers for him and them, but such people should also follow this case to see how our military, how our government, responds. That response, or lack thereof, will tell us much about our national future. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. On Monday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a landmark case about laws that prevent social media companies from censoring user-generated content that they find objectionable. A pair of laws in Texas and Florida, which are being challenged by social media companies, regulate whether firms can remove posts from their sites and come in response to claims that conservative viewpoints have been censored on outlets like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). These laws sprang up in part as a response to the events of January 6, 2021, and the perceived unjust censorship of conservatives in relation to those events. The oral arguments for the case (Moody v. NetChoice LLC) lasted for nearly four hours and resulted in a divided set of opinions among the justices. Some justices suggested that the laws are too strict and may infringe upon the companies First Amendment rights, while others expressed concerns that unregulated social media moderation could suppress important information and fair public debate. Those skeptical of the laws maintain that the state does not have the right to interfere with social media platforms editorial decisions. Chief Justice John Roberts asked, I wonder, since were talking about the First Amendment, whether our first concern should be with the state regulating what, you know, we have called the modern public square? Matt Schruers, president of the Computer & Communications Industry Association, argued, There is nothing more Orwellian than the government trying to dictate what viewpoints are distributed in the name of free expression. The other side of the litigation has responded by arguing that the big tech companies are practicing exactly that kind of Orwellian censorship dictating what viewpoints are distributed with regard to their users. From this point of view, the people whose free speech is under threat are not the CEOs of tech companies, but the users of the social media sites. Florida solicitor general Henry Whitaker stated that social media platforms are in the business of transmitting their users speech, and they do not have a First Amendment right to apply their censorship policies in an inconsistent manner and to censor and deplatform certain users. Much of the controversy seems to circle around how to properly classify social media, which are a relatively new medium of communication and public discourse. Should they be treated like a newspaper or magazine, thus receiving the same First Amendment protections that the press does, or should they be considered more like an email service or phone provider, which wouldnt have the right to censor its users, especially based on their political viewpoints? The tech companies are building their case partly on the 1974 Supreme Court case Miami Herald v. Tornillo, in which Florida demanded that the newspaper carry certain op-eds it didnt want to publish. Florida lost that case. But is a social media site the same as a newspaper? Surely not at least not up to this point. A traditional newspaper serves the purpose of informing the public of events, with a smattering of opinion pieces on the side, and often with some kind of editorial bent determined by the heads of the paper. A social media site is a network of users sharing information. It is merely a setting for conversations to take place among individuals, not a curated collection of polished articles all stemming from the same source (like a newspapers editorial board). The content on such a site is not the companys speech which they would, in theory, have First Amendment protections for. It is the users speech. Thus, to speak of Floridas or Texass regulation of social medias censoring procedures as an infringement on the companys speech is, to me, a completely upside-down way to view the matter. Surely its the users whose right to speak the truth is being threatened here, and the states are trying to protect it. To complicate matters further, the close alliance between government and Big Tech and the powerful influence that social media can have on elections means that Big Techs censorship of conservatism is a powerful political act. Big Tech, arguably, has a degree of power and influence that rivals that of the government in certain areas. If the government engaged in the same blatant censorship of conservatism that social media companies have, thered be (I hope) a great outcry. So why should the tech oligarchs get away with it? In my mind, this is one the line of argumentation that the attorneys for Texas and Florida ought to take. Now, I firmly believe that speech has limits. One should not be free, for example, to threaten others with violence, to defame others, to knowingly promote falsehoods that harm society. But in some sense, that isnt what this case is even about. The question before us seems to be, who will regulate the public square and our political discourse in this country (which largely takes place on social media)? The government, or private companies and their unelected CEOs? Image: Joe Ravi via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Have you noticed that President Bidens hold on his core constituencies is more uncertain these days than his stumbling attempts to board Air Force One? Bidens abundant weaknesses give President Trump and his campaign a target-rich atmosphere where they can tempt people who usually vote for Democrats to vote differently. Teachers, for example, usually vote for Democrats. Mr. Trump can sway many of them this year by promising to remove an unnecessary burden from public education. On day one of his new administration, I urge Donald Trump to sign a teachers Emancipation Proclamation that releases teachers and administrators from the drudgery of Student Learning Objectives, aka SLOs. As Educator-in-Chief, Donald can free teachers to teach again. This opportunity is so fat and juicy that I am almost ashamed to suggest it. What is a Student Learning Objective? It is an irksome statistical study of teacher/student progress each semester. (Thats right, most teachers must do two of these each year.) Like most things that originate from educrats, the SLO is deceptively named. It sounds reasonable enough, but it is a cynical, ineffectual, and burdensome end-run around a third-rail reality of educationtenure. For a long time, administrators have cursed tenure, which makes teachers almost impossible to sack because of their unions. Administrators understandably want to have the reasonable ability to fire teachers who are poor performers, and tenure has been their nemesis. (For a detailed history of tenure, see A Brief History of Tenure.) Image by AI. Ronald Reagan famously said, The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, Im from the government and Im here to help. SLOs validate his observation. They are from the government, and they arent helpful. Instead, they force teachers and administrators to do needless extra work that the administrators then use to evaluate the teachers. Since calling for tenures end is like using a lit match to check to see if you have gas in the car tank, educrats shy away from it. Instead, some weasel educrat came up with the concept of SLO, which gives administrators more of a target when it comes to rating teachers. The problem is that, while the burden is huge, their ability to measure teacher performance is minimal. This is exacerbated given that a hefty part of a teachers rating comes from his or her SLO performance. Inevitably, teachers and administrators are sorely tempted to cook the results. Since the advent of personal computers, more and more responsibilities unrelated to actual teaching have been heaped upon teachers. These rapidly accumulating duties have led many teachers to rethink their career paths. This helps explain our current grievous shortage of experienced teachers in the USA. If you have labored this far with this article, you might suggest abolishing both SLOs and tenure. That would put you in the realm of common sense and make you suspect to educrats. The FBI might open a file on you for such an exercise of clear thinking. I doubt a presidential order would kill the tenure beast. Getting rid of tenure would require legislation because it is deeply enshrined in law. However, we can take advantage of the fact that, once again, we are in a crazy and unpredictable presidential election season. The Democrat talking heads are hoping out loud that former President Trump will have a wobbly hold on independents and on the many Americans who have understandably developed Biden fatigue over the last three years. They also rub their crystals, wishing that Trump will gaffe himself to death between now and the election. They pray Biden or whoever stands in for him will find a way to make us forget about the illegal invasion on our southern border, that we cant afford to buy food, and that we all fret about rising crime. Fat chance. However, in their infinite wisdom, the leftist educrats have given Mr. Trump a harpoon (SLOs) to aim at the faltering whale of an administration led by Mr. Biden. Heres hoping he will use it to free many teachers. Who knows? They just might remember Mr. Trump with gratitude on November 5, 2024. Last week, Mika Brzezinski interviewed the authors of White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy. The interview opened with one of the most hate- and rage-filled racial screeds on American television since Bull Connor and his ilk defended Jim Crow, only this time, whites were on the receiving end of the racism. This hatred is as ill-conceived as anti-black racism was, relying on a toxic amalgam of misinformation and redefining long-accepted words and ideas about America. Here are Tom Schaller (a poly sci professor on the Baltimore campus of the University of Maryland) and Paul Waldman (a journalist): This might be the most overtly racist thing Ive seen people say on TV pic.twitter.com/ucPnlupa0e EducatedHillbilly (@RobProvince) February 29, 2024 Heres the pertinent part of that video: I mean, we lay out the fourfold interconnected thread that white rural voters pose to the country. [snip] Theyre the most racist, xenophobic, anti-immigrant, and anti-gay geodemographic group in the country. Second, theyre the most conspiracist group: Q Anon support and subscribers, election denialism, COVID denialism, and scientific skepticism, Obama birtherism. Third, anti-democratic sentiments. They dont believe in an independent press, free speech. Theyre most likely to say the president should be able to act unilaterally without any checks from Congress or the courts or the bureaucracy. Theyre also the most strongly white nationalist and white Christian nationalists. And fourth, they are most likely to excuse or justify violence as an acceptable alternative to peaceful public discourse. Thats wrong in every respect. Lets start with the books subtitle, The threat to American democracy. What does democracy mean? The classic dictionary definition states: government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. At the federal level, our form of democracy sees the people give voice through their elected agents (i.e., its a republican democracy rather than a direct democracy, which would see us vote on every national law and policy). The word comes from the Greek demokratia or popular government. The Romans had their own phrase: Vox populi, or the voice of the people. A democratic form of government, therefore, does not reflect what a king, an aristocracy, an academia-ocracy, a kritarchy (rule by judges), a theocracy, or a military junta wants. It is, instead, a government that reflects the values of the greatest number of people. However, when Democrats use the word democracy, theyre bringing it much closer to home: To them, democracy means rule of Democrats. Their values are democratic values, and anything that challenges those values is a threat to democracy. The voice of the people is irrelevant. Only the correct (i.e., Democrat) voices count. And the thing is that, if you were to ask them what they mean by democracy, within a few sentences, theyd tell you exactly thatonly no one ever asks. And heres everything else wrong with that racist rant: Racist: This claim relies on redefining what it is to be racist, which used to mean judging people negatively by their genetic race. Most whites subscribe to the Martin Luther King view that people should be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. (Note: I know Ive seen these polls. However, search engines simply dont return them anymore in response to queries.) However, since Trumps election and George Floyds drug-induced death, racism has received an Orwellian makeover: You are racist if you insist that character, not skin color, matters. Xenophobic: Xenophobia means an aversion or hostility to, disdain for, or fear of foreigners, people from different cultures, or strangers. Conservative Americans (which is what leftists mean by white rural Americans) have objected only to illegal aliens. The problem isnt cultural; its legal versus illegal activity. Anti-immigrant: Again, conservatives are clear that legal immigration is acceptable. A completely open border that allows millions of unvetted people, including criminals and military-aged men from hostile countries, to flood America and go on the dole is not acceptable. And no one is more hostile to this than Americas existing minorities (see, e.g., black and Hispanic protests in Chicago). Anti-gay: Conservatives arent hostile to the idea of homosexuality per se. They are deeply hostile to the sexualizing of Americas children and the so-called transgender phenomenon. Homosexuality is an orientation with roots in the dawn of humankind. Transgenderism is a mental illness that claims that people are born in the wrong bodies, a condition that can be cured with toxic chemicals and mutilating surgery. Conservatives resist recasting societyand indoctrinating childrenaround an unscientific delusion. QAnon support: QAnon said (a) the rich and powerful are sexually exploiting children and (b) Trump, not Biden, won the 2020 election. There is reasonable evidence for both. Election denialism: There is increasing evidence that Biden won through a combination of (a) illegally changed election rules, (b) legally changed rules that facilitated cheating, (c) fraudulent ballots, and (d) suspect vote counts. Also, when it comes to election denialism: REMINDER: Democrats are the original Election Deniers. In fact, here are 24 STRAIGHT MINUTES of Democrats denying election results. pic.twitter.com/gDnNqfruWD RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 5, 2024 COVID denialism: Conservatives never denied that COVID existed. However, they did assert that (a) it came from a lab in Wuhan; (b) social distancing, masks, and lockdowns were ineffective magical thinking; (c) school closures would damage children; and (d) vaccines were dangerous. Time has proven that they were right about everything. Scientific skepticism: Conservatives do not believe that human activity accounts for the Earths four-billion-plus years of climate change, nor do they believe blocking sunlight, decreasing Earths hydration, or starving the worlds population will improve things. Also, as noted, they dont believe that men and women can become the opposite sex. Obama birtherism: I have no opinion about Obamas place of birth. I do believe that his unwillingness to reveal his birth certificate (making available only a PDF), his putting his imprimatur on his literary agents statement that he was born in Kenya, and his refusal to reveal his college records (which would identify his nationality) all make questions about his place of origin legitimate. Dont believe in an independent press: Conservatives believe strongly in an independent press. What they dont believe is that the current media is independent, given that its opinions march in lockstep with the Democrat partys platform and political needs. Dont believe in free speech: It wasnt conservatives in government and Big Tech who censored speech regarding the 2020 election, COVID, vaccines, January 6, Hunter Bidens laptop, and a host of other issues that reflect badly on Democrats. There are no instances of conservatives censoring speech as opposed to challenging ideas and purported facts with which they disagree. Powerful president: Impeachment is the way to make a president answerable for criminal or political offenses in office. What conservatives deeply object to is the Democrats demand that the president must be subordinate to the bureaucracy, an unconstitutional entity that, to the extent it exists, is the Chief Executives servant, not his master. White nationalist/White Christian nationalist: It galls leftists that conservatives believe that they are answerable to a higher moral authority than the government. Thats the great dividing line that, for leftists, means all conservatives are Hitler. Supporters of violence: Wrong, with the evidence being the George Floyd riots, Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and the crime data showing that violent crime is concentrated in Democrat-run cities, often with majority black populations. Image: Vicious race haters Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman. X screen grab. Japanese automakers have been gaining popularity in Korea, recovering from an extended slump caused by a trade row between the two Asian neighbors and the coronavirus pandemic, industry sources said Saturday. A total of 1,961 vehicles frrom Japanese auto brands, mainly Toyota, Honda and Lexus, were sold here in January, accounting for a 14.98 percent share of the country's imported auto market, according to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA). This is the first time since June 2019 that their market share exceeded 14 percent. In the wake of the trade row between Seoul and Tokyo, their market share stood at 7.48 percent in 2020 and further dropped to 7.44 percent in 2021. In 2022, this rebounded slightly to 5.99 percent and 8.64 percent last year, the data showed. Their popularity was driven by hybrid models amid waning demand for electric vehicles. (Yonhap) Only 1,100 lucky audience members were there to hear the yet-to-be published short story Kaho, read aloud by bestselling Japanese author Haruki Murakami himself. The reading took place at a Friday night book event called The Owl Reads in Spring" a fundraiser for the Waseda International House of Literature library at Murakami's alma mater in Tokyo, also featuring award-winning author Mieko Kawakami. It's freshly made, only about 10 days ago, Murakami told the audience, adding that he wrote it for the event. The last Murakami short released was First Person Singular," more than three years ago. His prolific literary work also includes essays, non-fiction and translation. Murakami, relaxed and casually dressed in sneakers, jeans and a dark jacket, said writing a story for recitation was not easy. Its actually quite hard to write a new story for reciting, Murakami said. Its content and style have to fit recitation, and it has to be relatively short. The story still came out too long, he said, and read it in two parts during the event at Waseda University. Journalists at the event were allowed to report story names, but not their content. Now 75 and one of the worlds most popular and acclaimed novelists, Murakami debuted with Hear the Wind Sing in 1979, four years after he began writing while running a jazz bar in Tokyo. His 1987 romantic novel Norwegian Wood was his first bestseller, establishing him as a young literary star. His latest bestselling full-length novel, The City and its Uncertain Walls, was released in 2023 in Japan and is awaiting an English release. The Owl event is a second for him and Kawakami , who said she is a longtime Murakami fan from years before he became a novelist. The two took turns reading aloud at a 2019 event where Murakami unveiled an earlier short story, Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey," later published as part of the short story collection First Person Singular. Kawakami, now an acclaimed author known for her bestseller Breasts and Eggs, translated to English in 2020, recited her new short story titled Watashitachi no Doa (Our Doors)" at Friday's event. She debuted as poet and her first novella, My Ego, My Teeth and the World, in 2007, and her novel Heaven was shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize. (AP) An MP who defected from the SNP to the Tories has said the abuse she faced was beyond my wildest imagination. Dr Lisa Cameron switched parties in October last year, describing the SNPs Westminster group as toxic. Following the defection, Dr Cameron said she received death threats, which led to her and her family temporarily moving out of their home. Dr Cameron defected in October last year (Michal Wachucik/PA) On Saturday, the MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow said the abuse made my life a living hell. I knew that leaving the SNP would mean that I would become a target for the very, very worst of nationalism, she said as she introduced Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross. But the bile and the vile threats that I received were beyond even my wildest imagination. Rather than engaging in the substance of the issues, nationalist trolls resorted to bullying and Im sure very many of you here today have experienced this too. Dr Cameron also took aim at her former partys upper echelons, claiming they have turned a blind eye to abuse, or even seemed complicit in it. Those who do not conform to nationalist orthodoxy in Scotland or try to challenge those who are in power are dismissed, theyre degraded and theyre shouted down in public. Whilst in private, shadowy figures and anonymous accounts have used social media to harass and menace people, to bully them. She added: So let me say to my former party, political arguments should never be made through intimidation. We all have a real responsibility I feel to stand up in Scotland and across the UK, particularly to those nationalists who seek to undermine our democracy through bullying, no matter our political colours we must stand united and we must challenge this. The MP who is also serving as an aide to Scottish Secretary Alister Jack praised her new party, telling members she had been overwhelmed by support. When I tried to speak about the difficulties I have faced with my former colleagues, I was ignored or silenced, she told the Aberdeen conference. Yet in the Conservative Party, they have been treated with the respect and seriousness they deserve. Dr Cameron said she rebelled against her former partys previous Westminster leadership over the handling of allegations of sexual harassment against MP Patrick Grady. Mr Grady was suspended from the Commons and had the SNP whip temporarily removed after a report found he had been inappropriate to a member of staff. Audio of a meeting of the SNP group, in which then Westminster leader Ian Blackford could be heard urging members to support Mr Grady, was then leaked. Dr Cameron said she attempted to speak up for the victim and was shunned by the party. Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross described her speech at the conference as powerful, brave and inspiring. Im so glad to welcome you to your first Scottish Conservative conference, he added. Lisas journey to our party is a great example of how the Scottish Conservatives are winning people over from the SNP right across the country. An SNP spokesperson said: There is absolutely no place in politics for intimidation or threats, and we continue to wish Lisa well on a personal basis. The people of East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow elected an SNP MP, not a Tory and we believe Lisa Cameron should have stepped down to allow a by-election and let her constituents have the democratic opportunity to elect a hard working SNP MP who would put their interests first. Charlotte Tilbury Beauty has denied that it ended its contract with model Bella Hadid over her personal views. It comes after media speculation that the brands professional relationship with American supermodel Hadid, who is of Dutch and Palestinian heritage, has come to an end due to her political beliefs about the conflict in Gaza. The 27-year-old, who has modelled as a Victorias Secret angel, started working with Charlotte Tilbury Beauty in March 2023. The beauty brand said it ended its contract with Hadid as she is launching her own beauty products. A statement from the company, seen by the PA news agency, said: Bella Hadid and Charlotte Tilbury Beautys professional relationship has come to its end as Bella prepares to launch her own beauty brand. It is absolutely not the case that any personal views held by Bella impacted our contract or relationship with her. As a female-led business, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty continues to support Bella and looks forward to the exciting launch of Orebella later this year. The brand also said the model remains a close friend of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty. Bella Hadid is a Dutch-Palestinian model (Doug Peters/PA) Hadid modelled for the Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur campaign in June 2023 where she channelled 90s supermodel glamour in a latex catsuit. Models Kate Moss and Jourdan Dunn and actress Lily James are among the other celebrities who have been the face of the brand. Hadid, who is the daughter of Palestinian property tycoon Mohamed Anwar Hadid, has been vocal about her support of Palestinians amid the conflict in Gaza. In May 2021, she joined a Free Palestine march in New York City and later that year, in a social media post, she said she would not stop talking about the systematic oppression, pain and humility that Palestinians face on a regular basis. On October 26 2023, after the attacks by Hamas against Israel earlier that month, she said she had been sent hundreds of death threats and added: I stand with humanity. Hadids representatives have been approached for comment. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has urged the Chancellor to increase military spending to 2.5% of GDP at next weeks Budget. In a letter first reported by the Daily Telegraph and since confirmed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Mr Shapps wrote to Jeremy Hunt saying: I believe we must take bold action in your Budget in March to commit to defence spending increasing to 2.5% in 2024. This will resonate with our allies and adversaries. It would re-establish our leadership in Europe. The MoD said the extract of the letter, reportedly sent on January 24, was accurate but that it was not sharing the correspondence between the senior Government ministers more widely. The Treasury, which said it would not comment on speculation ahead of Wednesdays fiscal event, pointed to extra defence investment in last years Budget in its response. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he wants to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, a measure of the size of the economy, when economic circumstances allow. The Telegraphs report suggested the increase to 2.5% would cost about an extra 9 billion. As well as being lobbied by his colleagues for extra departmental spending, Mr Hunt is under pressure to deliver tax cuts in what could be the last fiscal statement from the Conservative Government before the next general election, which is widely expected in the autumn. With the Chancellor number-crunching over the coming days before finalising his Budget, official forecasts of the Chancellors head room against his plans to get borrowing to fall in five years time are understood to have moved against the Government. Treasury sources this week said Mr Hunt is considering a further squeeze on public spending as a way to deliver the tax cuts being demanded by some Tory MPs. Mr Shapps, after visiting British and Ukrainian soldiers in North Yorkshire on Thursday, spoke to reporters about Britains defence spending and appeared to confirm he had lobbied the Treasury for additional funds. Jeremy Hunt is under pressure to find tax cuts in the Budget (Daniel Leal/PA) The Cabinet minister said he could not comment on the likely outcome for defence when the Chancellor delivers his Budget. But he stressed the UK is committed to moving defence spending to 2.5% of GDP when the economy allows. He added: I have personally talked about 3% before I was defence secretary and I think, ultimately, countries will need to spend more. As you would expect, Im a secretary of state who lobbies hard for the area that I represent and I happen to think that, in this case, the defence of our nation is our number one priority. The first thing a government has to do is make sure it secures its borders and is able to defend itself. I am pretty full throttle in my insistence that that is what we do. A Treasury spokesman said: We have provided the Ministry of Defence the largest sustained spending increase since the end of the Cold War, with a 24 billion uplift in cash terms over the spending review 2020 period. At the spring Budget last year we also provided an extra 11 billion over the next five years. Our aspiration over the longer term is to invest 2.5% of GDP on defence as soon as the fiscal and economic circumstances allow. Pension funds will be required to publicly compare their performance data against competitors and disclose their levels of investment in British businesses under Government plans. The Government said the reforms will help employers and savers to compare schemes and make informed choices. The rollout of automatic enrolment has driven a huge growth in the amount of investment entering UK pension funds, from less than 90 billion in 2012 to around 116 billion in 2022, the Government said. But it added that disclosure requirements for defined contribution (DC) pension funds are currently inconsistent across the market and do not require a breakdown of UK investments, sometimes making it difficult for policymakers and savers to understand where this money is invested. Under the plans, by 2027, DC pension funds across the market will disclose their levels of investment in British businesses, as well as their costs and net investment returns. Pension funds will be required to publicly compare their performance data against competitor schemes, including at least two schemes managing at least 10 billion in assets. Schemes performing poorly for savers will not be allowed to take on new business from employers, the Government said, with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) having a range of intervention powers. The plans are subject to a consultation by the FCA and build on the Governments Mansion House compact, that encouraged pension funds to invest at least 5% of their assets in unlisted equity. Works and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said automatic enrolment has helped us transform the pensions landscape over the last decade (PA) Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: We have already started on a path to drive growth, unlock capital for our most promising companies and improve outcomes for savers and these new rules mean employers and savers can see how their money is invested and how the returns compare to other schemes. British pension funds appear to contribute less to the UK economy than international counterparts do as they invest less in our domestic businesses. These requirements will help focus minds on how to improve overall returns and outcomes for savers. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: The incredible success of automatic enrolment has opened up a huge opportunity to grow the economy, boost British businesses and fuel our futures. It has helped us transform the pensions landscape over the last decade. And our Value for Money framework will take this one step further, focusing pension managers on their number one priority securing the best possible returns for savers as well as providing a boost to the wider economy. Julia Hoggett, CEO of London Stock Exchange plc and chair of the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce, said: Pension holders should know how much is being invested in equities in their home market. James Ashton, Quoted Companies Alliance chief executive, said: We welcome these new disclosures and hope they are the first step to many UK pension funds discovering the numerous high-potential companies whose shares are traded on their doorstep. Chris Hayward, policy chairman of the City of London Corporation, said: The Mansion House Compact aims to channel long-term capital from pension funds into growth companies. It will support high-growth companies to start, scale and stay in the UK. We welcome the Governments action to support this objective which will turn the dial to drive investment into UK businesses. Phil Brown, director of policy at Peoples Partnership, provider of the Peoples Pension, said: It was only a matter of time before the proposed value for money framework developed teeth. This could be very challenging for some, but the Government has long signalled its intention to consolidate the workplace pensions market and drive better value for savers. Yvonne Braun, director of long-term savings at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said: Focusing the pension system on value rather than cost alone will be hugely beneficial for savers. A consistent, joined-up and measured approach to value for money should help employers, and ultimately savers, understand where their pensions are invested, compare different schemes and make informed choices. Laura Myers, partner and head of DC pensions at pension consultants LCP (Lane, Clark & Peacock), said: Pension fund trustees need to be able to invest their members money where it will provide the best returns. More transparency is welcome, and many trustees would like to invest more in the UK if the right investments were available. Indeed, we have already worked with many schemes to add private market investments. But the most important focus must always be to deliver the best pensions for savers. Pro-Palestine protests are set to continue across the country following Rishi Sunaks warning that democracy is being targeted by extremists, with organisers telling him to look in the mirror. The Prime Minister warned about the current situation in Britain, in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israel, in an address to the nation on Friday. Mr Sunak, in a message aimed at those taking part in pro-Palestine protests, urged people to reject extremist messages. The Conservative Party leader said: I want to speak directly to those who choose to continue to protest: dont let the extremists hijack your marches. So Rishi Sunak wants to deal with " extremists". Maybe he should start with politicians, political commentators and religious leaders who support a state, on trial for genocide, in its mass slaughter, and deliberate creation of famine. Not those protesting against it. Ben Jamal (@BenJamalpsc) March 1, 2024 You have a chance in the coming weeks to show that you can protest decently, peacefully and with empathy for your fellow citizens. Let us prove these extremists wrong and show them that even when we disagree, we will never be disunited. The Prime Minister said a line has to be drawn so that while people should be able to march and protest with passion in support of Gaza, demonstrators cannot call for violent jihad, justify the actions of Palestinian militant group Hamas a proscribed group in the UK, which bans any show of support or call for the eradication of a state or any kind of hatred or antisemitism. Speaking ahead of further planned protests across the country on Saturday, Ben Jamal, director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, responded to the Prime Ministers address by suggesting he look in the mirror and expel some senior MPs from his party. Mr Jamal posted on X saying: So Rishi Sunak wants to deal with extremists. Maybe he should start with politicians, political commentators and religious leaders who support a state, on trial for genocide, in its mass slaughter, and deliberate creation of famine. Not those protesting against it. As for his ire at those who seek to divide us, does he ever look in the mirror, or around his cabinet table? Come back when youve kicked @SuellaBraverman, @RobertJenrick @michaelgove out. Thats just for starters. Further local protests are planned for this weekend before another national march, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, takes place in central London on March 9. Many of the actions this weekend are directed against Barclays Bank, which it claims holds substantial financial ties with arms companies supplying weapons and military technology to Israel. Pro-Palestine protests continued across England and Wales on Saturday following Rishi Sunaks warning that demonstrations and democracy itself were being targeted by extremists. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign singled out Barclays bank for its day of action, assembling at nearly 50 locations including the branch on Tottenham Court Road in central London. Protesters marched from Mornington Crescent to the Barclays branch, accompanied by the controversial from the river to the sea chant and flanked by a mass of police officers. Luca Salice, 67, co-chair of the Camden Palestine Solidarity Campaign, dismissed the Prime Ministers rhetoric around extremists as an election ploy and said protesters were actually grateful for the police. Rishi Sunak is losing an election. He is scrambling, Mr Salice said, adding: I dont think our protests are extremist. I dont see how being in favour of human lives is extremist. Mr Salice, an Italian who now lives in Camden, added: There could be one or two extremists who come into the protests. I cant say that is impossible and luckily we have the police here, who are working with us. They are helping us organise this protest and making sure they are safe. And whenever they see the odd person who may do something wrong, it is up to them to arrest them. The London protest is organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (Samuel Montgomery/PA) Speaking at a lectern outside Downing Street on Friday evening, Mr Sunak urged protesters to prevent extremists from infiltrating their ranks and warned of more stringent policing. The Tory leader said: I want to speak directly to those who choose to continue to protest: dont let the extremists hijack your marches. You have a chance in the coming weeks to show that you can protest decently, peacefully and with empathy for your fellow citizens. Paul Woof, 64, from Dulwich, who attended the protest with a sign that read: Do I look like an extremist?, called on politicians to witness the protests first hand. Protest organisers said they were grateful for the police (Samuel Montgomery/PA) He said: These people ought to go on a march and see the sort of people who are on these marches, a lot of whom are Jewish. Its astonishing the rhetoric, he said, adding: They know it isnt true. They are talking to their grassroots faithful to try and stir up division in this country. In his Friday address, Mr Sunak said demonstrators should be able to march and protest with passion but cannot call for violent jihad or call for the eradication of a state or any kind of hatred or antisemitism. I say this to the police, we will back you when you take action, he said, confirming that senior police chiefs would be expected to police rather than simply manage pro-Palestine protests. Rishi Sunak used a Friday night address outside Downing Street to speak out against extremism (Aaron Chown/PA) At the Barclays branch on Tottenham Court Road, the police ordered protesters to move across the road citing Section 14 of the Public Order Act. Amongst those was Peter Frankental, from Chingford, who carried a sign which read: Aaron Bushnell: an act of bravery and courage that will not be forgotten, referencing the member of the US Air Force who died after setting himself on fire outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC in protest at the conflict in Gaza. Asked whether he would condone a similar action outside the Houses of Parliament, he said: Yes, certainly, its a supreme act for somebody to take their life in that way for what they believe in. Very few people would be prepared to do that and it communicates a strong message. In London, PSC targeted Barclays branches in Croydon, Hammersmith, Haringey, Harrow, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Streatham, Tower Hamlets, Willesden, and Wimbledon. It comes after the Home Secretary James Cleverly said pro-Palestinian protesters had made their point and questioned: What are these protests genuinely hoping to achieve? PSC has called for a boycott of the British bank because it claims Barclays holds substantial financial ties with arms companies supplying weapons to Israel. Barclays has been contacted for comment. TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 02: Valentino Perez uses a snowblower in front of a restaurant north of Lake Tahoe during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 02, 2024 in Truckee, California. Blizzard warnings were issued with snowfall of up to 12 feet and wind gusts over 100 mph expected in some higher elevation locations. Yosemite National Park is closed and a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 80 was shut down yesterday due to the storm. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776114505 ORIG FILE ID: 2053643823 A California snowstorm is bringing dangerous blizzard conditions to parts of the state. Cars were left stranded as the storm forced officials to shut down a stretch of Interstate 80. Meteorologists have predicted 10 feet of snow in higher elevations that would create life-threatening concerns for residents in the region around Lake Tahoe and blocking travel on the key east-west freeway, according to the Associated Press. With snow predictions averaging a third of a telephone pole in height, National Weather Service Meteorologist William Churchill told the AP the storm is not over yet. Snow totals are already in the feet and will end up by the end of this event, late Sunday, in a range of 5 to 12 feet (1.5 to 3.6 meters), Churchill said. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a blizzard warning for the Sierra Nevada mountains. The storm is currently producing heavy snow in the mountain regions, strong winds, and heavy rain in low elevation areas like parts of the Pacific Northwest, Great Basin, California and the northern and central Rockies. These weather conditions are expected to continue through Sunday. Across the High Plains, strong winds and dry air will support. In addition, meteorologists are predicting critical to elevated fire conditions across the High Plains because of the strong winds and dry air that is expected, the NWS reported. Here's a look at Californians trudging through the snowstorm. Sunday updates: California snowstorm brings blizzard conditions to Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe: See photos Texas wildfires map: Track latest locations of blazes as dry weather, wind poses threat Californians cope with snowstorm, blizzard conditions A customer pushes their grocery cart through the snow to their car as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes, California, on March 2, 2024. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for California's entire Sierra Nevada through early March 3, 2024. Forecaster report the storm could bring three to five inches (8 to 13cms) of snow per hour. (Photo by DAVID SWANSON / AFP) (Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776114505 ORIG FILE ID: 2046560684 TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 02: People make their way through downtown on foot and on skis as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 02, 2024 in Truckee, California. Blizzard warnings were issued with snowfall of up to 12 feet and wind gusts over 100 mph expected in some higher elevation locations. Yosemite National Park is closed and a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 80 was shut down yesterday due to the storm. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776114505 ORIG FILE ID: 2053559761 TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 02: A child plays on a snowbank as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 02, 2024 in Truckee, California. Blizzard warnings were issued with snowfall of up to 12 feet and wind gusts over 100 mph expected in some higher elevation locations. Yosemite National Park is closed and a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 80 was shut down yesterday due to the storm. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776114505 ORIG FILE ID: 2053533942 TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 02: A worker digs out snow from a home north of Lake Tahoe during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 02, 2024 in Truckee, California. Blizzard warnings were issued with snowfall of up to 12 feet and wind gusts over 100 mph expected in some higher elevation locations. Yosemite National Park is closed and a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 80 was shut down yesterday due to the storm. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776114505 ORIG FILE ID: 2053530457 People take photos and cover their faces as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes, California, on March 2, 2024. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for California's entire Sierra Nevada through early March 3, 2024. Forecaster report the storm could bring three to five inches (8 to 13cms) of snow per hour. (Photo by DAVID SWANSON / AFP) (Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776114505 ORIG FILE ID: 2046487719 TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 02: A worker uses a snowblower in front of a home north of Lake Tahoe during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 02, 2024 in Truckee, California. Blizzard warnings were issued with snowfall of up to 12 feet and wind gusts over 100 mph expected in some higher elevation locations. Yosemite National Park is closed and a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 80 was shut down yesterday due to the storm. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776114505 ORIG FILE ID: 2053574833 A mailbox and the roof of a home are covered in snow during a storm, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier) ORG XMIT: CABH102 TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 01: Vehicles drive as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains during a powerful winter storm on March 01, 2024 in Truckee, California. Blizzard warnings have been issued with snowfall of up to 12 feet and wind gusts over 100 mph expected in some higher elevation locations. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) ***BESTPIX*** ORG XMIT: 776114505 ORIG FILE ID: 2051314375 Snow covers the shore on Donner Lake, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier) ORG XMIT: CABH111 A woman waits in a bus stop as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas of California, on March 2, 2024. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for California's entire Sierra Nevada through early March 3, 2024. Forecaster report the storm could bring three to five inches (8 to 13cms) of snow per hour. (Photo by DAVID SWANSON / AFP) (Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776114505 ORIG FILE ID: 2046558584 Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California snowstorm: Photos show blizzard conditions in the state State delegates convene at Michigans Republican party convention, on 2 March 2024 in Grand Rapids. Photograph: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Donald Trump continued his march toward the GOP nomination at the Michigan Republican party convention on Saturday, sweeping all 39 delegates. Related: A far-right US youth group is ramping up its movement to back election deniers The delegates awarded will fuel the former president ahead of Tuesday, 5 March, when 15 states will hold primaries and Trumps nomination could be all but decided. The Michigan state party delegates met on Saturday at the sprawling Amway Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, huddling in 13 separate meeting rooms representing the states 13 congressional districts. Their near-uniform support for Trump at the convention eclipsed the support he earned in the primary, when former UN ambassador Nikki Haley garnered about 26% of the vote. She did not win any delegates awarded on Saturday for the Republican national convention in Milwaukee, where the party in July will officially nominate a candidate for the November presidential election. The Michigan Republican partys process for awarding delegates to the national committee was complicated this year: the Democratic-controlled state legislature decided to hold the presidential primaries early. This prompted the state Republican party to create a hybrid model, holding a primary on 27 February and a convention four days later to remain in compliance with the national partys rules. The convention on Saturday at times took on the tone of a campaign rally. President Trump, Im going to help you win Michigan, exclaimed Bernadette Smith, a Michigan Republican party activist running to be Michigans Republican national convention committeewoman, during a speech at the convention Saturday. Im from Detroit I was raised in Detroit, said Smith, to cheers. Detroit is red, they just dont know it yet. But if delegates found common cause today, it was only in their unyielding support for Trump. The Michigan Republican party has been split for months over interpersonal feuds in the county chapters, the role of Christian nationalism in the party at large and questions about how to salvage the party from financial collapse. The divisions fomenting in the party broke into the open this year in a leadership dispute when a group opposing the former Michigan GOP chair, Kristina Karamo, voted to oust her in January. The Republican national committee in February recognized Pete Hoekstra, a close Trump ally whom Karamos opponents elected to chair the party, as the rightful leader of the Michigan GOP. Karamo and her allies refused to accept defeat, vowing to hold a separate convention in Detroit which fell apart only after a judge ruled on Tuesday that Karamo had been properly removed from her seat and forbade her from using official Michigan GOP social media accounts or accessing its finances. Before she was elected last year to chair the Michigan Republican party, Karamo made a name for herself as a vocal proponent of Trumps false claims of widespread voter fraud during the 2020 election in Michigan. Karamo went on to run for Michigan secretary of state, the office overseeing elections in the state, in 2022. She lost by 14 points but never conceded. Karamo, who has developed a reputation for floating outlandish conspiracy theories and who embraces Christian nationalism, has referred to the split within the party as a form of spiritual warfare and her political opponents as demonic rhetoric embraced by sections of the growing rightwing Pentecostal movement in the US. Republicans in the party were willing to look past the stranger aspects of their eccentric chair, but when she failed to salvage the partys struggling finances even splurging on a $100,000 fee to bring Jim Caviezel, the QAnon-affiliated star of The Passion of Christ, to speak at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference many grew frustrated with her. But she has retained loyalists in the party, many of whom planned to attend Karamos alternate GOP convention in Detroit before it was canceled. Without a convention of their own, some supporters of the former chair changed course at the last minute, opting instead to attend the official one and lobbying mostly successfully for recognition in Grand Rapids. Others abandoned the convention entirely, choosing to stay home or decamp to various alternative meetings held around the state on the same day. Republican party leaders from the 1st congressional district, which contains 15 counties in the Upper Peninsula, informed members Friday that their district would be caucusing separately amid concerns that the official convention would not accept their delegates. The newly declared administration of [the Michigan Republican party] appears to be inviting dissent and disregarding rules with the consent of their Michigan Republican party allies, said district chair Daire Rendon, in a statement. We will not play that game by falling into their confusing messaging and backtracking. Daire Rendon did us a favor, said Tom Stilling, a Michigan GOP activist and former chair of the Antrim county Republican party, which is in the first congressional district. All the extremists were out there, and the fear was that they would be here. Without many of their delegates, the 1st congressional caucus room sat mostly empty. But rifts in the Michigan GOP cut deeper than the crisis of leadership that the party has faced this year, often playing out at the county level. In the Republican party of Hillsdale, for example, a small and conservative county in southern Michigan, party activists have been embroiled in a parallel dispute for years one thats been fought between the party and a faction of the party dubbed the America First Republican party. A judge in April 2023 ruled that the America First faction were not the legal leaders of the party and in January found numerous activists, including Karamo, in contempt of court for failing to recognize the ruling. Party activists in the 5th congressional district, which stretches across the south of the state and represents Hillsdale county, tried to tamp down that dispute on Saturday. We all want to prevent a revolt, said Suzy Avery, a prominent Michigan conservative who sits on the board of the Michigan Republican Party Trust and who resides in Hillsdale. Avery, who caucuses with the Hillsdale county Republican party, helped broker a deal with the America First activists, granting that faction nine of the county partys 13 delegates. A similar split grew last year in Kalamazoo county, leading to a physical altercation during a state GOP meeting last year. Leaders in the Michigan Republican party downplayed intraparty tensions on Saturday, viewing their ability to shepherd delegates through the Saturday convention as a success. Today was relatively uneventful its exciting that we can maybe move on, said Vance Patrick, the chair of the Oakland county Republican party, the largest chapter of the Michigan GOP. The crazy part about all this is everyone here is for Trump. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng pledged Friday to provide more opportunities for foreign companies in China as the government tries to restore confidence in the world's second largest economy. Han told an audience of American business people in Beijing that the government would continue to open up more industries to foreign investment and create a market-oriented and law-based international business environment. Chinas development achievements have been made through opening up," he said at an American Chamber of Commerce in China banquet. We will unwaveringly adhere to a high level of opening-up to the outside world. Chamber officials portrayed his appearance at the annual dinner as a positive signal that the government is serious about addressing the concerns of U.S. and other foreign companies about operating uncertainties and other challenges in the Chinese market. The U.S. and China remain divided on a wide range of issues from trade and technology to the war in Ukraine, but they are at least talking again and seeking ways to manage their differences. Both Premier Li Qiang and the commerce minister met this week with a visiting delegation led by Suzanne Clark, the head of the Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Chamber of Commerce. What I think the Chinese were trying to do is to reassure us that they know there are still things on the to-do list that need to get done and to reassure us that they will get done, said the chair of AmCham in China, Sean Stein, who joined the meeting with Li. Progress has been made in some areas but not in others, Stein said before the dinner, adding, "it's been a mixed bag. The American Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns told the audience that several months of high-level meetings and exchanges had given a measure of badly needed stability to the U.S.-China relationship, but that difficult issues remain. He cited manufacturing overcapacity in China, which has raised fears in the U.S. and Europe that Chinese exports will flood their markets; U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies that are supporting what he called Russia's defense-industrial complex, and U.S. President Joe Biden's recently stated concern that connected vehicles from China could pose a national security threat. Burns pushed back at Chinese accusations that the United States is seeking to decouple its economy from China's, saying his country is only trying to reduce risk by diversifying its supply chains and restricting some exports because of national security concerns. I must say frankly, too many here in China are suggesting that we are decoupling," he said. "But the facts will not support that argument. We are derisking, which is a necessary and fully justifiable policy. (AP) By Simon Lewis, Humeyra Pamuk and Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - From air drops of humanitarian aid to supply ships from Cyprus, the United States is urgently seeking ways to feed the people of Gaza as Israel resists Washington's push for more aid access and U.S. efforts to broker a truce in the war test global patience. With more than half a million people in the besieged enclave facing a looming famine amid Israel's military offensive, residents are desperate and aid deliveries have become chaotic and deadly. On Thursday, over 100 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire while waiting for an aid delivery, Palestinian health officials said. Israel denied it was to blame, saying many victims were run over by aid trucks. Under pressure at home and from allies abroad to act, the Biden administration is considering expensive proposals more often associated with natural disasters and the Cold War era. The White House on Friday announced plans for military airdrops of food and supplies into Gaza in the coming days. France has already made several such deliveries to Gaza with Jordan and others in the region. Another possible option is shipping aid by sea from Cyprus, some 210 nautical miles off Gaza's Mediterranean coast, said a U.S. official. U.S. officials visited Cyprus this week to examine a possible maritime aid operation, the official said. White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday the United States would redouble efforts to open up a maritime corridor to Gaza to bring "hopefully large amounts" of aid by sea. The details of such an operation, including where in Gaza supplies could be unloaded, were not clear. The U.S. official said the administration is considering using military or commercial ships, and it would be "complex in terms of securing a landing site". No decision has been made on military involvement in such an operation, said the official, adding the Israelis were "very receptive" to the sealift option because it would avoid delays from protesters blocking land crossings to aid convoys. The air drop idea has drawn skepticism from some in the humanitarian community. "It's insane that the entity necessitating this expensive workaround is not ISIL (Islamic State) ... or the Soviets ... but a U.S. ally fighting a war with full U.S. backing," said Jeremy Konyndyk, president of Refugees International, referring to Israel. "Airdrops are massively expensive and low-volume ... The fact that they need be considered is a major policy failure." Israel says it is committed to improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and accuses Hamas militants of endangering Palestinian civilians by using them as human shields. Asked about the options being considered by the U.S., a spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Washington referred to a statement on Thursday in which Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Israel was coordinating aid deliveries and wants humanitarian aid to reach the enclave's people. "We are working around the clock to make this happen," Hagari said in the video statement. "Israel puts no limits on the amount of aid that can go into Gaza." UNSAFE FOR AID WORKERS Aid deliveries to Gaza, particularly the north, have been rare and chaotic, as increased lawlessness, looting and the breakdown of the public order following Israel's military offensive that has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians has made it extremely unsafe for aid workers to operate. The conflict began with a Hamas attack into southern Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7 in which the militants killed 1,200 people and abducted more than 250. Thursday's incident near Gaza City was the biggest loss of civilian lives in weeks. Hamas said it could jeopardize talks in Qatar aimed at securing a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. Hopes had been growing of a truce before the March 10 start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The U.N. and relief agencies have criticized Israel for denying attempts to transfer humanitarian aid to northern parts of Gaza, restricting movement and communications. The Biden administration says the best solution to the humanitarian crisis would be a temporary ceasefire, but as the negotiations drag on, it too is showing frustration with the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At a United Nations Security Council meeting on Tuesday on hunger in Gaza, the United States was blunt about the responsibility of its ally. "Simply put, Israel must do more," Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood told the Security Council. Who provides security for aid shipments has emerged as a major problem. The U.N. does not have its own guards and Israeli forces have attacked Palestinian police who escorted aid trucks, accusing some of them of belonging to Hamas. Without giving details, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said U.S. officials were considering a number of aid measures. He also said Washington was talking to Israel to get a border crossing in northern Gaza opened. Miller said there are "security and technical challenges" with opening more border crossings, but that Israel has been willing to work through them. He said Washington had previously intervened to convince Israel to open two border crossings in the south of Gaza that it had closed. "It's not something that happened overnight," he said. "It's something we pushed for repeatedly." (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis and Jonathan Landay; Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols, Arshad Mohammed and Idrees Ali in Washington and John Irish in Paris; Editing by Don Durfee and Daniel Wallis) One of the two paramedics who were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Elijah McClain was sentenced on Friday. Former Aurora Fire Rescue paramedic Peter Cichuniec was sentenced to 5 years in prison -- the minimum sentence -- and 3 years of probation on Friday by Adams County District Judge Mark Warner. He said the sentence and the example it might send are tied to public safety, but also said he does not believe Cichuniec is a risk to the public. McClain was walking home in August 2019 when the 23-year-old Black man was confronted by police officers who forcibly restrained him and then the Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics -- Jeremy Cooper and Cichuniec -- injected him with ketamine. Body camera video from an Aurora police officer shows paramedics injecting Elijah McClain with ketamine. / Credit: Aurora Police Department He went into cardiac arrest in an ambulance a few minutes later and died three days after that. Cooper and Cichuniec were both convicted on charges of criminally negligent homicide in December 2023. Cichuniec was also found guilty of second-degree assault-unlawful administration of drugs, a conviction that typically carries a 5- to 16-year prison sentence. He appeared in court in a prison jumpsuit in handcuffs Friday. Paramedic Peter Cichuniec, convicted for his role in Elijah McClain's death sits in court before his sentencing on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Brighton, Colo. Cichuniec was sentenced to five years in prison for the death of McClain in a rare prosecution of medical responders that has left officials rethinking how they treat people in police custody. / Credit: Colorado State Court via the Associated Press, POOL Peter Cichuniec's friends and family During victim impact statements, several family members and friends spoke on behalf of Cichuniec. Lainey Garrison, a friend and former neighbor of Cichuniec and his family, was the first to speak. "Pete is one of the best people I know," she said, her voice breaking. "He's the last person that would have any ill intent or hatred toward anyone." Garrison said her kids grew up playing with Cichuniec's kids and are a similar age. His wife Katie Cichuniec and sons Jack and Ryan Cichuniec then stood together at the podium. His wife Katie said through tears that the approximately 100 letters of support of her husband received by the court don't begin to speak to his character as a husband and father. "Pete has always been my rock but never more than in 2021 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer," she said. "He was at every single appointment." Katie Cichuniec, wife of former Aurora paramedic Peter Cichuniec, speaks on her husband's behalf during the victim impact statement portion of her husband's sentencing hearing on Friday, March 1, 2024. / Credit: CBS "He literally held me up and helped me walk when I was sick from treatment," she continued. "That's his character. He has never been cruel or intentionally hurt anyone with his actions or words." Jack Cichuniec, Peter's 21-year-old son, said his father has been a constant source of inspiration and support amid a bone marrow disorder diagnosis. "As an adult, I consider him one of my closest friends," he said. "My dad consistently embodies the spirit of a selfless man, who I consider a hero." "I hope to be half the man, husband, father and citizen that he is," he said, before requesting the judge impose the minimum sentence. Ryan Cichuniec, Peter's other son, said his father "was always there." "He's an honorable man," he said. "I would really appreciate you giving him leniency." Following statements from his family, fellow emergency medical professionals defended Peter Cichuniec and, at times, criticized the prosecution. One said the jury lacked understanding of the job of paramedics. Peter Cichuniec then took the stand himself. "I wish I could tell Ms. McClain that Elijah was going to be okay," he said, just as he said he wished he could tell many loved ones of deceased victims in incidents he responded to. "But I can't." Former Aurora Fire Rescue paramedic Peter Cichuniec speaks at the sentencing portion of his trial after being convicted of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree assault-unlawful administration of drugs in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain. / Credit: CBS "We can't save everyone. I wish my mind could forget the things my eyes have seen over the last 18 years," he continued. "Elijah will always be on my mind, along with all the others." He said he and his fellow paramedics never had the opportunity to go through video previously recorded by security cameras or police body-worn cameras, saying they had to make a "split-second decision" and didn't have time to second-guess the police's words at the scene." "I'm truly sorry for the loss of her son's life," he said of Sheneen McClain, Elijah's mother. "I'm begging for mercy from the court." His attorney asked the judge for leniency in sentencing, including rehabilitation, saying there was no evidence that his client intended to hurt Elijah McClain. "Divine justice for my son, Elijah McClain." Sheneen McClain spoke about her son during the victim impact statement portion of the hearing. She described having admired firefighters growing up until her son died at the hands of two paramedics. "You cannot say you're not training people to be robots when they find no fault in their actions," she said. "I watched my son's murder on bodycam video so many times because I want to know why they didn't save him." Sheneen McClain, Elijah McClain's mother, speaks during former Aurora Fire Rescue paramedic Peter Cichuniec's sentencing hearing on Friday, March 1, 2024. / Credit: CBS "If Peter's child, family member, friend or coworker was laying on that ground the way my son Elijah McClain was, I guarantee you when Peter arrived, he would not have allowed the brutality to continue," she said. "He did not try to save my son's life." Sheneen McClain characterized her son's death as a "murder" and his detention by police and paramedics as a "kidnapping" several times in her speech. "Elijah will never be a husband or a father," she continued. "I have righteous anger toward those that made sure my son would never see another day." Sheneen McClain concluded: "Divine justice for my son, Elijah McClain." Jason Slothouber, one of the prosecutors, spoke about Elijah McClain's personality, caring for everyone around him while trying to better himself. He characterized the killing as just one in a long line of unarmed Black men killed at the hands of police and other first responders and the shattering of trust between those responders and the public, both in Aurora and beyond. He said Cichuniec knew he gave Elijah McClain too much ketamine and was the senior-most medical professional at the scene the night McClain was taken to the hospital. After the judge ruled on the case, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser issued a statement, calling that sentence accountability for Cichuniec's actions. "No action will bring Elijah back or take away the pain and loss that his mother, Sheneen McClain, continues to experience," he said, in part. "But today's sentence from the court is one of accountability for the defendant's criminal negligence in the death of Elijah McClain. It sends a strong message that no profession, whether a paramedic, a nurse, a police officer, an elected official, or a CEO should be immune from criminal prosecution for actions that violate the law and harm people." Sheneen McClain, left, the mother of Elijah McClain, and a supporter leave the Adams County Justice Center in Brighton, Colorado on Friday, March 1, 2024. A jury convicted Peter Cichuniec of criminally negligent homicide in the 23-year-old's death in 2019. / Credit: Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images Sheneen McClain left the courthouse after the sentence was handed down with a fist raised -- a common symbol of hers after leaving previous court hearings and trials related to her son's killing. McClain's death, investigation and other court cases In Elijah McClain's 2019 death, the coroner's office in Adams County initially couldn't determine how McClain died, but after social justice protests drew attention to the case, a medical examiner ultimately found that he died from complications of ketamine following forcible restraint. That led to a 2021 indictment of three police officers -- Randy Roedema, Jason Rosenblatt and Nathan Woodyard -- and the two paramedics. Throughout their weeks-long trial, the use of the sedative that Cooper and Cichuniec injected McClain with and the amount given to him came under scrutiny. In 2018, Colorado state regulators had approved the drug for someone who was in an "agitated state" and showing signs of "excited delirium." The defense for both men argued that was the case -- that they were following their training by giving ketamine to McClain because he was showing an unusual amount of strength as he was being restrained and was acting in a strange way, they said. Three officers from the Aurora Police Department have been tried in connection to McClain's death. Last fall, two of the officers were acquitted in Elijah's death and a third was found guilty. A jury found Randy Roedema guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault, while Jason Rosenblatt was found not guilty of manslaughter and assault in October 2023. A jury also found Nathan Woodyard not guilty of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the 23-year-old's death. In January, Roedema was sentenced to 14 months in jail along with four years of probation. He has filed an appeal and is asking the court to review nine different aspects of the case. The City of Aurora agreed in 2021 to pay $15 million to settle a civil lawsuit brought by McClain's parents. Cooper, the other paramedic who was convicted, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 26. RELATED: Read all our coverage of Elijah McClain here Gaza cease-fire discussions stall in Cairo Nikki Haley has no events on her Super Tuesday schedule Trump hosts Super Tuesday watch party at Mar-a-Lago ChiccoDodiFC - Getty Images "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." As much as we love rainbow cookies and biscotti, the real star of any Italian bakery is cannoli. The crispy exterior, fluffy filling, and hearty dusting of powdered sugar all work together to make one of the best desserts on earth. But the cannoli you may enjoy in the United States descends from a famous recipe with its own unique history. When I was in Palermo, the birthplace of cannoli, I had an authentically Sicilian version that's very different than the ones you find in American bakeries. At the historic hotel Villa Igiea, cannoli isn't just a dessert for guests to enjoy; it's an homage to the history of Palermo. And that history, which spans nearly 1200 years, comes with its fair share of stories. The cannoli origin story might not be what you expectthat's why we've rounded up some of the most interesting facts about real Sicilian cannoli that might just change how you see this iconic dessert. Cannoli Shouldn't Be That Sweet binabina - Getty Images Italian-American renditions of cannoli are often pretty sweet, even without the mountain of powdered sugar sprinkled over the top. But when you go back to the motherland, the crispy fried pastry has a lot more nuance. At Villa Igiea, their dough uses less than half a cup of sugar, which lets the other flavors shine. The Sicilian recipe blends cinnamon, coffee, and cocoa for added layers of depth. But the definitive star of an authentic cannoli dough is the Marsala wine. This sweet, fortified wine from Sicily imparts another layer of mild sweetness similar to what you'd get from dried fruit. Combined with the lightly sweet ricotta-based filling, a bite of an authentic cannolo is a far cry from some cloyingly sweet versions you can find in the States. Yes, They're Meant To Look Like That JannHuizenga - Getty Images If you've ever associated cannoli's signature shape with a certain body part, you're not delusional. In fact, the history of the dessert is inherently rooted in sexuality. It's believed that the cannoli we know and love were invented by a prince's harem in ninth century Sicily in honor of his...you know. Another theory takes place a few hundred years later. The desserts were made as a symbol of fertility for religious events in a newly Catholicized Sicily. National Geographic reports that "the making and consumption of suggestive foods was associated with celebrating fertility and helped foster a connection with the divine." Cannoli's cultural impact stayed suggestive long after their invention. They became a fixture of the pre-Lenten holiday Carnevale. Just like with Carnival celebrations across modern-day Latin America and the Caribbean, Sicilian Carnevale was full of dancing and food. You could find street vendors selling cannoli to revelers, who would often gift them to prospective lovers alongside lyrics that use the dessert as a flirtatious euphemism. The Ingredients Have Eclectic Roots Antonio Ciufo - Getty Images Cannoli are arguably the most famous dessert to come out of Sicilyand that island has had many cultural influences. Its strategic location in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea made it a lucrative territory for empires throughout history. The legend surrounding the harem of women dates back to Arab rule in the ninth century, which brought both coffee and cinnamon to the region. Sicily's robust wine history, including that of Marsala, can be attributed to ancient Greek influence. And the use of cocoa comes from the Americas by way of the Spanish occupation of Sicily in the 16th century. Nearly every ingredient that goes into the cannoli at Villa Igiea has a unique origin story that reflects Sicily's own history. Nuns Made Cannoli Popular Tasty food and photography - Getty Images Many culinary specialties across Europe can be attributed to the work of the clergy. Herbal liqueurs are often medicinal inventions made by priests using local botanicals. Even today, the recipe for the French liqueur Chartreuse is guarded by only two Carthusian monks at any given time. And for a large portion of the middle ages, cannoli were kept alive by nuns across Sicily. Pastry-making was commonplace in monasteries, originally to serve noble guests. But as agricultural technology expanded and made ingredients more affordable, selling cannoli and other desserts became a large-scale operation. At their peak in the 18th century, it's believed that there were as many as 21 convents making pastries in the capital city of Palermo. Only a few are still up and running today, but you can still find fresh cannoli in virtually every corner of Sicily. You Might Also Like Ireland has welcomed the European Commissions decision to release funding to the UNs Palestinian aid agency. The commission said on Friday that it would proceed with paying 50 million euro (43 million) of its 82 million (70 million) euro envelope towards the agency next week and increase emergency support to Palestinians by 68 million euro (58 million) this year by funding other organisations. It had also allocated 125 million euro (107 million) of humanitarian aid for Palestinians this year and contracted the first 16 million euro (14 million) of this package on Friday. More than a dozen countries suspended funding for UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees) after allegations that 12 of its 13,000 Gaza staff members participated in the October 7 Hamas attacks. The commission had originally been due to give 82 million euro to UNRWA on Thursday but wanted the agency to accept its terms for an audit. The aid organisation has told the commission that it agreed to the launch of an audit to be conducted by EU-appointed external experts. Ireland, which provided 20 million euro (17 million) in core funding to UNRWA last month, had repeatedly called for other states to continue financially supporting the agency. Irish premier Leo Varadkar said increasing funding to Gaza was the right thing to do. He said that he would raise the appalling atrocities in Gaza during the traditional visit to the White House for St Patricks Day. As we saw with yesterdays tragic events, people in Gaza are in desperate need of urgent humanitarian support. UNWRA is essential in getting it to them. In the face of such enormous need, increasing aid now, as Ireland and the commission have done, is the right thing to do. Ireland and the European Commission are very much aligned on this. I am glad that the commission has said that it will also step up its aid to Palestinians this year by 68 million euro to be channelled through partners like the Red Cross and the Red Crescent and I very much hope that the further amounts due to UNWRA later this year will also be issued without delay, once the UNs internal investigation into serious allegations about UNWRA staff and the independent review group led by Catherine Colonna have reported. In particular, I thank the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and Josep Borrell, high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy, for taking this decision. Palestinian people are not responsible for the crimes committed by Hamas and should not be subject to any form of collective punishment. Doing so would be a violation of international law and profoundly wrong and unjust. Mr Varadkar also said of the White House visit on Friday: The reason why I go is so that I can talk to him about how Irish people feel and what they think about different issues. So that might have been Brexit a few years ago, where we really wanted to help the Americans around that, or the peace process going back 10-20 years ago. I know something that Irish people feel really strongly about is the appalling atrocities that are occurring, quite frankly, in Gaza. And I want to talk to President Biden about that and ask him to use influence that he has that I dont have particularly to put pressure on Israel to agree to ceasefire, and Hamas as well, he told Virgin Media. Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin welcomed the commissions continuation of funding which he described as urgently needed by the Palestinian people. In a statement, Mr Martin said: After four-and-a-half months of relentless violence and displacement, civilians in Gaza are living in conditions that no human being should have to endure. Against this backdrop, the role and mandate of UNRWA is more important than ever. It is the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza. It is clear that UNRWA is the one organisation that has the bandwidth and capacity to provide services and distribute aid comprehensively across Gaza and the wider region. Mr Martin, who is also the Irish foreign affairs minister, said he welcomed engagement between the UN and the commission on investigating the allegations against UNRWA staff. He said it was essential that all UN member states co-operated in full with the investigation and the review. Mr Martin added: This is a critical moment for desperate civilians in Gaza, and for the stability of the wider region. The international community needs to step up now to support UNRWA, so it can fulfil its vital and life-saving mandate. Paul Nou, of Grain Valley, places flowers at the Independence Police Department memorial for fallen officers for police officer Cody Allen on Friday, March 1, 2024, in Independence. Officer Allen along with Jackson County civil process server Drexel Mack were both shot and killed Thursday after Mack attempted to serve an eviction notice. (Emily Curiel/ecuriel@kcstar.com) In early 2005, Larry Acree bought about 9 acres of land along North Elsea Smith Road in rural Independence. That same year, he built a three-bedroom home. Its there at that 2,400-square-foot home with a gated entry that Jackson County prosecutors say he opened fire Thursday afternoon on a civil process server who had come to evict him. When officers showed up to help that process server, Drexel Mack, authorities said Acree shot three of them as well, killing one. Mack, 41, and Independence Police Officer Cody Allen, 35, died at an Independence hospital. The other two officers will make full recoveries from their injuries, police said. Acree was arrested and taken to an area hospital. Hes charged with two counts of first-degree murder, first-degree assault and three counts of armed criminal action. Court records showed that he is being held on a $2 million, cash-only bond. No court date has been set. Investigators are working to learn more about the 69-year-old man, who over the years has repeatedly failed to pay his taxes and bills. Hes declared bankruptcy twice and in 2012 was hit with a $12,628 tax lien from the Missouri Department of Revenue. In September 2022, the county received approval to foreclose on more than $23,600 in tax liens it had filed against him. Last July, a Blue Springs roofing company was authorized to put a $32,155 real estate levy on his property. And shortly after that, an Independence man bought his property in a delinquent tax sale. But Acree didnt move out. He basically became a squatter in a home hed settled in nearly two decades ago. Failed marriages, other court proceedings Real estate records indicate that Acree signed a deed of trust for the rural Independence property in March 2005 with a woman who less than three months later became his wife. Their marriage license application shows it was the fourth marriage for both. Nearly six months later, in December 2005, Acrees wife filed for divorce. On April 13, 2006, a hearing was held for an ex parte order on Acree. The court docket showed photos of petitioner taken as evidence. On June 6, 2006, a judgment was issued for a full order of protection. But on July 10, the petitioner requested a dismissal of the order, and it was granted four days later. Court records show a different woman filed for divorce in September 2006. It isnt clear when that marriage took place. On March 14, 2007, Acree pleaded guilty to failure to display plates on a motor vehicle and paid a $30.50 fine. In May 2007, another judgment for a full order of protection was issued on Acree. The docket entry said that the respondent is authorized to go to the residence accompanied by a law enforcement officer at 2:00 p.m. on May 5, 2007, to remove personal property. Five years later, the Missouri Department of Revenue filed a tax lien on Acree, and a judgment was entered for $12,628. Acrees wages were garnished from GSM Corp., and the judgment was satisfied in 2016. In July 2023, Zucca & Daughters & Sons Roofing Co. received approval from Jackson County Circuit Court for a real estate levy on Acrees property for $32,155. Failure to pay taxes on property The value of Acrees property has steadily increased in recent years, jumping from $343,279 in 2020 to $675,500 in 2023. Jackson County filed the liens on his property in May 2022 for delinquent land taxes of more than $23,600, with interest to accrue at the first of each month. Court records from that time said Acree was two years or more behind on his taxes. Records show the new owner the Independence businessman bought the property on Aug. 14, 2023, for $260,000 in a delinquent tax sale after the county foreclosed on the liens. On Nov. 20, 2023, a judge confirmed the sale of Acrees property, court records show. The Court Administrator for Jackson County, Missouri, duly advertised said sale and sold at public auction, said the document. A deed was issued to the new owner on Feb. 7, and a writ of possession was issued on Feb. 16, ordering Acree to be removed from the premises by March 2. Tax records indicate that on Feb. 22, the new owner wrote a personal check to pay $18,543 in property taxes for 2022 and 2023. Mack went to the property on Feb. 23 and posted a notice to vacate the premises, records show. Six days later, he arrived to evict Acree. Court documents show that Acree also still owes $1,150 in back taxes for 2019 through 2023 for a livestock trailer, two utility trailers, a pickup, an SUV and two horse trailers. Every new life is worth celebrating, no matter what species they are or where they are born. Those who have witnessed a birth can attest to just how special the occasion is! Whether calm or chaotic, birth is a life-changing event for more than just the new family. Just ask the ecstatic zookeepers at Ohio's Toledo Zoo! The team of elephant caretakers recently celebrated a 'career highlight' as they watched their mama elephant, Renee, give birth to a healthy and adorable baby boy. As if that wasn't exciting enough, they're now sharing the footage with eager zoo fans. The baby was born on February 17, and he's already becoming so popular. It's easy to see why--he's precious! Aww--Congratulations, Renee! Your baby boy is absolutely perfect, and it's so impressive to see him up and walking just 30 minutes after being born. You must be so proud! Related: Toledo Zoo Shares The Final Stages of Their Elephant's Pregnancy and It's So Exciting Clearly, the Toledo Zoo zookeeping staff couldn't be more proud of this new family. It takes a lot of work and effort to keep a mama and baby elephant healthy throughout gestation, but thanks to everyone's dedication, things went off without a hitch. The baby African Elephant arrived safely and easily, and Mama went straight to work caring for him. What could be better? As precious as this moment is, many viewers were shocked, to say the least, at the way the calf dropped to the floor when he was born. Well--that's nature for you! It would be the same for human babies if someone wasn't there to catch them, but I'll admit, too, that thud startled me! But Mom and baby are A-OK, and that's all that matters in the end. Good Things Take Time When the zoo volunteers and staff say that this birth was a long time coming, they're not kidding. Humans are used to a 40-week gestation period (give or take) but when it comes to elephants, moms-to-be need to be a lot more patient. African elephants are the largest land animal on Earth, and that directly reflects in their gestation time. After all, developing a larger baby takes a longer time! The gestation period of this African animal is a whopping 22 months, which means Renee had been pregnant for nearly two years. After learning this, my admiration for her has practically doubled! She is truly an amazing mother, and her family will bring so much education to zoo visitors in Ohio. Guests who want to meet the unnamed baby will have the chance to do so on April 6, when the zoo holds its Elephant Baby Bash. Make sure to keep up with the zoo for more information! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. A giant anaconda species captured recently in the Amazon of Ecuador by a team of scientists is the largest to ever be documented, USA TODAY previously reported, and now, there are images showing just how massive the snake really is. The group of scientists from The University of Queensland, led by professor Bryan Fry, uncovered the nearly 10 million-year-old species with help from the Indigenous Huaorani people while filming "Pole to Pole with Will Smith," a National Geographic series that will stream on Disney+. Fry, as well as other scientists who studied the new species, shot incredible photos of the newly discovered snake in action. Here are some images of the northern green anaconda found in the Orinoco Basin of the Amazon. Images show 'magnificent' size of northern green anaconda A close-up of the newly discovered northern green anaconda, found in the Amazon's Orinoco basin. The invitation by Huaorani Chief Penti Baihua to enter the Baihuaeri Huaorani Territory in the Ecuadorian Amazon was "one of only a handful granted since the tribes first contact in 1958," Fry told USA TODAY. A new snake species, the northern green anaconda, sits on a riverbank in the Amazon's Orinoco basin. The size of these magnificent creatures was incredible," Fry said in a news release earlier this month. "One female anaconda we encountered measured an astounding 6.3 meters (20.8 feet) long." The northern green anaconda is captured feasting on a deer. Fry's team alongside the Huaorani people took canoes downriver in the Bameno region, where they found "several anacondas lurking in the shallows, lying in wait for prey," Fry told USA TODAY. A close-up on the head of a northern green anaconda, a new species discovered in the Amazon's Orinoco basin. The group then captured several specimens of the species, which they named the northern green anaconda (Eunectes akayima). A close-up of the scales on a northern green anaconda. Fry mentioned that the key to understanding the discovery has to do with location. The Amazon has two separate basins. The larger basin in the south is home to the green anaconda from which the northern green anaconda comes. The smaller basin in the north is home to the newly discovered northern green anaconda. The newly discovered northern green anaconda lurks in the waters on the Amazon's Orinoco basin. The two species differ genetically by 5.5%, Fry shared. Its quite significant to put it in perspective, humans differ from chimpanzees by only about 2%." A "breeding ball" made by a northern green anaconda is pictured in the Amazon's Orinoco basin. Fry's team hopes to keep an eye on the reproduction of the northern green anaconda to gain greater insight into the health of the ecosystem at large. A northern green anaconda coils around its prey. Though the findings made by Fry's group are incredible, there are anecdotal reports from the Huaorani people of other anacondas in the area "measuring more than 7.5 meters long (24.6 feet) and weighing around 500 kilograms (1,102 pounds)," Fry shared. An underwater close-up of the northern green anaconda, a new species discovered in the Amazon's Orinoco basin. Details on the snakes found have been published in the journal MDPI Diversity. Scientists hold the head of a northern green anaconda, a newly discovered snake species. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Photos: 'Magnificent' northern green anaconda, largest ever recorded A man was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to opening fire outside a Virginia high school graduation ceremony and killing a graduate last year, the prosecutor told CNN. Amari Pollard pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony in the murder of Shawn Jackson on Thursday, Commonwealths Attorney Colette Wallace McEachin told CNN by email Friday. Jackson, 18, and his stepfather Renzo Smith, 36, were shot and killed outside Richmonds Altria Theater after the Huguenot High School graduation ceremony in June 2023, where hundreds of graduates and guests had gathered. The attack was targeted, as Pollard, then 19, had an ongoing dispute with Jackson, police said at the time. I think there was an interaction, and then it appears that the suspect went to his car to retrieve the gun and then returned, Police Chief Rick Edwards said in June 2023. The shooting happened just before 5:15 p.m., and responding officers indicated there was a barrage of gunfire that stopped quickly. Chaos emerged after the gunfire began, Edwards added. Amari Pollard - Richmond Police Department People were having panic attacks, falling on the ground screaming, Edwards said. Some people fell. One child was hit by a car. The child hit by a car was Jacksons 9-year-old sister, who had minor injuries from the incident. The shooting left five others injured, police said at the time. Something that was so special and supposed to be a happy moment for all of us ended as a tragedy, Datrell Glover, Jacksons aunt, said at the time. Jackson loved music and designated himself the DJ at family events, Glover told CNN. He hoped to be a music producer. Family members described Jackson and Smith as loving, family-oriented men. Glover said Jackson had a smile that could light up a whole room. CNN reached out to Pollards attorney after the sentencing but has not yet heard back. No one has been charged in the murder of Smith yet, McEachin told CNN. Pollard was sentenced to a total of 43 years in prison, she said. The judge sentenced him to 40 years for the murder charge and three years for the use of a firearm, but then suspended 18 years of the murder sentence, McEachin said. He has an active sentence of 25 years imprisonment, McEachin added. I am relieved and happy for the family. I have my co-counsel here and the three of us got to know the family and the suffering that they had been going through for the past eight months, and so we are happy and relieved for them for this outcome, McEachin said. We spoke with Tameeka Jackson-Smith, the mom and widow and she agreed with this outcome. CNNs Braden Walker, Nouran Salahieh and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The body of missing Florida girl Madeline Soto was found in a wooded area Friday afternoon, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said, hours after the department said they believed the 13-year-old was dead. Her mother's boyfriend is suspected of moving her body and the case is a homicide investigation, Sheriff John Mina said at a news conference earlier in the day. Madeline's body was found around 4:30 p.m. by Osceola County Sheriffs Office search teams in a wooded area off Hickory Tree Road, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said in an update. "Madelines family has been notified. We have no additional information to release at this time. Kissimmee PD is the lead agency in this homicide investigation. That work continues," the sheriff's office said. The sheriffs office previously said Madeline was last seen Monday morning when her mothers boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, 37, dropped her off a few blocks from Hunters Creek Middle School in Orlando. Evidence now reveals she was never dropped off near her school that morning, Mina said in a Friday press conference. Sterns, who authorities call the "prime suspect" in the case, was arrested Wednesday night on separate charges of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material after detectives found disturbing images and videos that were criminal, and sexual in nature during a forensic examination of his phone. It is believed Madeline was killed in Kissimmee, where her family lived in an apartment, and that Sterns moved her body in the early morning hours Monday, Mina said. "We have evidence that shows Stephen Sterns returning to the complex and Madeline was visible in that vehicle. We believe she was already dead at that time, the sheriff said. Authorities did not state what time that footage was captured. Video evidence recovered by authorities showed Sterns discarding items in a dumpster at the Kissimmee apartment complex at 7:35 a.m. on Monday February 26. Detectives later recovered Madeline's backpack and her school-issued laptop from the dumpster. Detectives informed Madeline's mother about her suspected death Thursday night. She is not considered a suspect in the investigation. The Kissimmee Police Department will take over the case now that it has transitioned into a homicide investigation. Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland had asked the public to come forward with tips as the search for the child was ongoing. Sterns was seen driving a silver 2010 Lincoln MKZ on Monday between 1 and 2:30 p.m. in the area of State Road 192 and Old Hickory Tree and Nulty roads. It is believed he had a flat tire and might have been seen changing the tire in this area. Mina said Sterns has not spoken to anyone regarding the case. He has been moved to the Osceola County Jail where hes being held on capital sexual battery charges filed by Kissimmee police. Colorado paramedic jailed for five years over killing of Elijah McClain (AP) A Colorado firefighter paramedic has been sentenced to five years in prison over his role in the death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain. The sentence, handed down on Friday to Peter Cichunic, followed a rare prosecution of medical responders that has left officials rethinking how they treat people in police custody. Cichuniec and fellow paramedic Jeremy Cooper were both convicted in December of criminally negligent homicide for administering a sedative ultimately blamed for killing McClain, a young Black massage therapist, in 2019 who had been stopped by police while walking home from buying some ice tea. His killing drew widespread attention the following year in the wake of the police murder of another Black man, George Floyd, by police officers in Minneapolis. The five-year sentence was the minimum the judge could have given Cichuniec under sentencing guidelines. McClains mother, Sheneen McClain, raised her fist in the air as she left the courtroom following the sentencing, as shes done after previous hearings. In previous testimony Ms McClain said she once dreamed of being a firefighter and considered them heroes until the day they took my sons life. You are a local hero no more, she said as Cichuniec sat with his attorneys at a nearby table. Next time, think for yourself and do not follow the direction of a crowd of cowards. Peter Cichuniec received five years in prison following the death of Elijah McClain in 2019 (2023 The Denver Post, Medianews Group) Cichuniec had also been found guilty of the more serious charge of second-degree assault for giving a drug without consent or a legitimate medical purpose. Jurors concluded the assault caused serious bodily injury or death, which required that he be sentenced to at least five years in prison. Cichuniec who has been in custody since his conviction and was handcuffed and shackled for the hearing asked the judge for mercy ahead of his sentencing on Friday. He said he had spent his 18-year career as a firefighter and paramedic putting his own life on the line and putting other lives before his own. I have never backed down from a call and Ive had more things happen to me than you can imagine, he said. It sickened me when the prosecution said during their closing argument that I showed no remorse for Elijah. ... There was absolutely no intent to cause any harm to Elijah McClain. Following the sentencing a member of Cichuniecs family called out, love you Pete as he looked back and waved at them before leaving court in handcuffs, The Associated Press reported. On 24 August 2019 McClain was walking home from a convenience store in Aurora, Colorado, listening to music and wearing a ski mask, which his family said he wore to keep warm because of his anaemia, when a 911 caller reported him as looking sketchy. Police spotted McClain who was not armed and had not committed any crime and put him in a neck hold. That began a struggle that lasted about 20 minutes before the firefighter paramedics arrived and McClain was injected with 500 milligrams of ketamine. He suffered cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital and was taken off life support three days later. Experts testified that the sedative ultimately killed McClain, who was already weakened from struggling to breathe while being pinned down after inhaling vomit into his lungs during the struggle with police. Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old massage therapist, was killed in 2019 (via REUTERS) The case highlighted gaps in medical procedures for sedations of people in police custody that experts said must be addressed so more deaths can be prevented. The convictions of Cichuniec and Cooper in 2023 sent shockwaves through the ranks of paramedics across the US and thrust the profession into the acrimonious fight over social justice sparked by the 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Firefighters and officials from their union previously criticised the states prosecution of Cichuniec and said it was discouraging firefighters from becoming paramedics, decreasing the number of qualified personnel in emergencies and thereby putting lives at risk. Convicting Pete for the death is not justice. Its the very definition of a scapegoat, said former Aurora Fire Lieutenant John Lauder, who recently retired after working with Cichuniec over two decades. But for the grace of God, it could be us in jail. The result of this decision will have a negative impact on patient care throughout the nation. Will paramedics now be held be held responsible for outcomes beyond their control? A drone crashed into an apartment building in St. Petersburg Saturday morning, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Six people received medical help after the explosion rocked the building, the agency said, citing the press service of the citys health care committee. The Mash news site said that the apartment building was hit by a Ukrainian drone. The Associated Press could not verify this claim. The site published videos appearing to show the moment the apartment building was struck, showing a strong flash of light engulfing one side of the building and fragments of debris flying into the air. Another video showed car alarms going off. Russias Defense Ministry has not commented on the incident. (AP) RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) Israel has essentially endorsed a framework of a proposed Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal, and it is now up to Hamas to agree to it, a senior U.S. administration official said Saturday, a day before talks to reach an agreement were to resume in Egypt. International mediators have been working for weeks to broker a deal to pause the fighting before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins around March 10. A deal would likely allow aid to reach hundreds of thousands of desperate Palestinians in northern Gaza who aid officials worry are under threat of famine. The Israelis have more or less accepted the proposal, which includes the six-week cease-fire as well as the release by Hamas of hostages considered vulnerable, which includes the sick, the wounded, the elderly and women, said the official. Right now, the ball is in the court of Hamas and we are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House to brief reporters. Officials from Israel and from Hamas did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A senior Egyptian official said mediators Egypt and Qatar are expected to receive a response from Hamas during the Cairo talks scheduled to start Sunday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not publicly authorized to discuss the talks. There is increasing criticism over the hundreds of thousands struggling to survive in northern Gaza, which has borne the brunt of the conflict that began when the Hamas militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing around 250 hostages. U.S. military planes began the first airdrops of thousands of meals into Gaza, and the militaries of Jordan and Egypt said they also conducted airdrops. Aid groups say airdrops should be only a last resort and instead urge the opening of other crossings into Gaza and the removal of obstacles at the few that are open. The European Unions diplomatic service said many of the hundreds of Palestinians killed or wounded in the chaos surrounding an aid convoy on Thursday were hit by Israeli army fire and urged an international investigation. It said responsibility for the crisis lay with restrictions imposed by the Israeli army and obstructions by violent extremist(s) to the supply of humanitarian aid. Gaza's Health Ministry raised the death toll from Thursday's violence to 118 after two more bodies were recovered Saturday. It said the wounded remained at 760. Israel's chief military spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Israel organized Thursday's convoy, and claims that we attacked the convoy intentionally and that we harmed people intentionally are baseless." Residents in northern Gaza say they are searching rubble and garbage for anything to feed their children, who barely eat one meal a day. Many families have begun mixing animal and bird food with grain to bake bread. At least 10 children have starved to death, according to hospital records in Gaza, the World Health Organization said. Gaza's Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll from the war has climbed to 30,320. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says women and children make up around two-thirds of those killed. In the southernmost city of Rafah, where more than half of Gazas people now seek refuge, an Israeli airstrike struck tents outside the Emirati hospital, killing 11 people and wounding about 50, including health workers, the Health Ministry said. Israel's military said it was targeting Islamic Jihad militants. Israels air, sea and ground offensive has reduced much of densely populated northern Gaza to rubble. The military told Palestinians to move south, but as many as 300,000 people are believed to have remained. Roughly one in six children under 2 in the north suffer from acute malnutrition and wasting, the worst level of child malnutrition anywhere in the world, Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, said this week. If nothing changes, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza. People have overwhelmed trucks and grabbed what they can, Skau said, forcing the WFP to suspend deliveries to the north. In the violence Thursday, people rushed about 30 trucks bringing a predawn delivery to the north. Palestinians said nearby Israeli troops shot into the crowds. Israel said they fired warning shots toward the crowd and insisted many of the dead were trampled. Doctors at hospitals in Gaza and a U.N. team that visited a hospital said large numbers of the wounded had been shot. Ahmed Abdel Karim, being treated for gunshot wounds in his feet, said he had spent two days waiting for aid trucks to arrive. Everyone attacked and advanced on these trucks. Because of the large number, I could not get flour, he said. Radwan Abdel-Hai, a father of four young children, heard a rumor late Wednesday that an aid convoy was on its way. He and five others took a donkey cart and found a sea of people waiting. "Tanks started firing at us, he said. As I ran back, I heard tank shells and gunfire. I heard people screaming. I saw people falling to the ground, some motionless. Many were shot in the back, he said. Soad Abu Hussein, a widow and mother of five, said more than 5,000 people mostly women and children living with her in a school at the Jabaliya refugee camp have not received aid for more than four weeks. A group of people went to the shore to fish, but three were killed and two were wounded by gunfire from Israeli ships, she said. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mansour Hamed, a 32-year-old former aid worker living with more than 50 relatives in a Gaza City house, said some are eating tree leaves and animal food. It has become normal to find a child emerging from the rubble with a rotten piece of bread, he said. Acknowledging the extreme need for food, U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. would look for other ways of delivery including possibly a marine corridor. Also Saturday, Israel said three soldiers were killed and 14 injured Friday when they inadvertently triggered explosives in a booby-trapped building outside Khan Younis in southern Gaza. ___ Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) vetoed legislation Friday that would have banned children under 16 years old from holding social media accounts in the Sunshine State. DeSantis, who had previously voiced concerns about the legislation, said in a statement that Florida lawmakers were about to produce a different, superior bill. Protecting children from harms associated with social media is important, as is supporting parents rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech, he said. I anticipate the new bill will recognize these priorities and will be signed into law soon. The former Republican presidential candidate, who dropped out of the GOP primary race in late January, emphasized last week that Florida officials were looking to strike a proper balance between regulation and parental input on the issue. Ive always said I think social media is a net negative for kids, DeSantis said, adding I do think parents can supervise in ways, where its used in ways that can be beneficial. I think youve got to strike that proper balance when youre looking at these things, between policy that is helping parents get to where they want to go versus policy that is just outright overruling parents, he explained. Under amended legislation unveiled on Friday, 14- and 15-year-olds would be allowed to hold social media accounts with parental approval, Politico reported. Florida House Speaker Paul Renner (R) touted the latest bill as empowering parents to control what their children can access online while also protecting them from the harm caused by addictive social media platforms. It introduces critical parental controls and enforces stronger penalties against social media companies that continue to disregard the well-being of children, Renner said in a threat on X, formerly known as Twitter. This legislation will equip our Attorney General and Florida parents with the necessary tools to hold them accountable, he wrote. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. ATLANTA (AP) First lady Jill Biden warned Friday that returning Donald Trump to the White House would threaten women who already have watched the former presidents Supreme Court picks nix a federal right to abortion services. Trump has spent a lifetime tearing us down and devaluing our existence, she said in Atlanta, where she launched a multistate battleground tour to highlight President Joe Biden's reelection campaign outreach program aimed at women. Ive been so proud of how Joe has placed women at the heart of his agenda, the first lady said of her husband. She contrasted him to Trump, who she said mocks womens bodies, disrespects our accomplishments and brags about assault and, as recently as this week, took credit for killing Roe v. Wade. It was an unusually pointed take-down from Jill Biden. She has long been a smiling, supportive advocate for her husband, often telling endearing stories about their marriage and family and her own career as an educator. Her remarks Friday signaled a more aggressive role in what is setting up to be a bitter rematch of the 2020 election. Women are likely to play a crucial role, especially in the relative handful of states that will determine the Electoral College outcome. We are the first generation in half a century to give our daughters a country with fewer rights than we had, she said, adding that women must organize in 2024 and meet this moment as if our rights are at risk because they are. Besides visiting Georgia, the first lady will highlight the campaign's Women for Biden effort with weekend events in Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin. The president won all four states in 2020, and each is expected to be hotly contested in November. Separately Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris released a video affirming her role alongside the first lady as the presidents top validator to women. We are fighting for fundamental freedoms, Harris said, mentioning protection from gun violence and the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body. Harris nodded to her place as the first woman to serve as vice president and urged women to mobilize your daughters, your sisters, your friends and neighbors so we will make history again. At a woman-owned event space in downtown Atlanta, Jill Biden listed administration accomplishments and priorities, assuring a friendly audience that Joe and Kamala will push for a national abortion rights law superseding state restrictions, while also protecting access to fertility treatments and birth control. Trump's campaign countered with a different slate of issues and highlighted the recent killing of a Georgia college student as proof the former president can serve women better than the incumbent who defeated him in 2020. The horrifying murder of Laken Riley at the hands of an illegal immigrant is every womans worst nightmare, and Joe Bidens policies have turned our nightmare into reality, said campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. Women want a president who will secure our nations borders, remove violent criminals from our neighborhoods, and build an economy that helps hardworking families thrive. Jill Bidens tour comes ahead of Super Tuesday, a slate of primaries and caucuses across 16 states and one U.S. territory that are expected to push Biden and Trump close to the delegate majorities required for their respective nominations. The itinerary includes the three closest states from 2020. Joe Biden won by less than a percentage point in Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin, with a combined margin over Trump of about 43,000 votes across the three, a razor-thin amount despite Bidens national popular-vote advantage of 7 million. Biden won Nevada by 2.3 points. But Democrats have since lost the governors office there. The four states have a combined 43 electoral votes, enough to flip the Electoral College in Trumps favor. In 2020, an AP VoteCast survey of more than 110,000 general election voters shows Biden won 55% of women and 46% of men nationally, a so-called gender gap of 9 percentage points. VoteCast showed that Trump narrowly beat Biden among white women, largely on the strength of support in rural areas and small towns. But Biden dominated with women in the suburbs, winning 59% to Trumps 40% of a group that makes up around a quarter of the electorate nationwide. Biden won overwhelmingly among Black women, 93% to Trumps 6%, according to VoteCast. Several attendees Friday said concerns about reproductive rights will boost support for Biden. It is absolutely the No. 1 issue for me and the women in my circle even a lot of Republicans, said Tina Coria of suburban McDonough. Tambrei Cash, who is running for the Georgia congressional seat held by Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Green, described the Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade as an awakening for many women who took the right for granted. A recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling concerning in vitro fertilization and frozen embryos, she added, is another reminder of the stakes. Women are mad, because they are coming for our fundamental rights, Cash said. It's not just abortion. They're coming for IVF, and they're coming for birth control. Coria and Cash agreed that it's important for Biden, as an 81-year-old man who once talked openly about his personal opposition to abortion, to have his wife and the vice president vouching for him. It is essential, just essential to have their voices, Coria said. Katrina Parks, a 54-year-old from Douglasville, another Atlanta suburb, stressed everyday issues beyond the headliner debates on abortion and, more recently, immigration and border policy. The country is just in an overall state of emergency," Parks said, but I think about that as the concerns that most people are living with every day. She cited health care, literacy and educational opportunities, consumer goods and criminal justice reform. As for the president's age and fitness for a second term, she said, I don't hold anyone's age against them. I believe in leveraging experience, and he does that. Lawyers asked a Delaware judge to award them Tesla stock worth nearly $6 billion as of Friday as their fee for successfully arguing that CEO Elon Musks 2018 pay package was unlawful. The fee would dwarf records for attorney paydays if a judge approves it. Lawyers who worked on Enron-related class actions were awarded $688 million in fees in 2008. The lawyers had earlier convinced the Delaware chancery court to revoke Musks $56 billion pay package from 2018, with the judge ruling that Teslas board of directors failed to prove it was fair to shareholders. On Friday, in a petition for fees and expense reimbursement filed to that court, the attorneys argued that the fee would be justified given how much value they delivered to Tesla shareholders. The lawyers represent former heavy metal drummer Richard Tornetta, who filed the suit on behalf of his fellow Tesla investors. The lawyers are asking for just over 11% of the Tesla shares that would have gone to Musk, or slightly more than 29.4 million shares. Teslas stock closed Friday at $202.64 per share, meaning the fee would be worth about $5.96 billion. Taking their pay in Tesla shares demonstrates they are prepared to eat our cooking, the lawyers wrote. They added: This structure has the benefit of linking the award directly to the benefit created and avoids taking even one cent from the Tesla balance sheet to pay fees. It is also tax-deductible by Tesla. The shares theyre asking for would be freely tradeable, they noted, while Musks stock options included a five-year holding period starting from when he exercised them. Still, the lawyers described the nearly $6 billion in shares as conservative under Delaware law, which they said entitles them to 33% of the quantifiable conferred benefit. Nevertheless, in an effort to be conservative, Plaintiffs Counsel does not seek the 33% warranted by previous cases, they wrote. They noted that they took the case on a contingency basis and would have gotten nothing if they had lost. Plaintiffs Counsel have not been paid for their work, nor have any of their costs or expenses been reimbursed, and litigating this Action required the allocation of a substantial amount of Plaintiffs Counsels time and resources over six years, including considerable out-of-pocket expenses, they wrote. Greg Varallo, lead counsel for the plaintiffs and the lawyer who signed the brief, did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. Hes the head of the Delaware practice for the law firm Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann. Representatives for Musk and Tesla also did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The lawyers wrote that, throughout the history of the case, they collectively logged 19,499.95 hours meaning that a nearly $6 billion award would equal a per-hour rate of $305,550. They argued, though, that the hours worked was of secondary importance, if it was worth considering at all. Delaware seeks to incentivize, not punish, efficient litigation, they wrote. The lawyers, based in Delaware and New York, are also asking for an expense reimbursement of $1.1 million. Musks pay package was the largest ever disclosed in corporate America, according to Delaware Chancery Court Judge Kathaleen McCormicks 200-page ruling. She said that the process leading to the package was deeply flawed in part because Musk drove the process for determining it, and it was agreed upon by Tesla board members who were beholden to Musk. Musk is expected to appeal the ruling. The CEO and centi-billionaire has also said he will seek to move Teslas site of incorporation to Texas. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Former President Donald Trump swept Michigans complicated and chaotic Republican convention caucuses in dominant fashion here Saturday, NBC News projects. Trump won overwhelming majorities in each of the states 13 congressional districts collecting 100% of the vote in four and more than 90% in nearly all of the others, according to unofficial numbers that party officers reported in real time. Based on those results, Trump has won all 39 congressional district delegates up for grabs in those districts. Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley; Former President Donald Trump. (Getty Images) Michigan was a two-part nominating contest for the GOP. Sixteen of the states 55 delegates to the Republican National Convention were determined based on results of Tuesdays primary. The remaining delegates were decided at the convention caucuses. On Saturday, the Michigan GOP also officially affirmed the results of the primary. Based on those results, Trump won 12 delegates and Haley won four. In total, NBC News projects 51 delegates for Trump and four for Haley in Michigans primary and convention caucuses. Idaho and Missouri also are holding GOP presidential caucuses Saturday. Confusion stemming from an ugly Michigan GOP leadership dispute and other intraparty disarray hovered over the proceedings here. As late as Friday evening mere hours before would-be delegates had to decide where to show up the next morning there was talk of rogue and rival mini-conventions. Pete Hoekstra, who has the Republican National Committees blessing to chair the state party, organized the convention in Grand Rapids. Kristina Karamo, the deposed and defiant former state party chair, had planned to hold her own convention in Detroit but canceled those plans at the last minute, following a court order barring her from conducting party business. Meanwhile, party activists from several congressional districts announced plans to hold their own gatherings elsewhere this weekend. Delegates have been getting conflicting and confusing emails for weeks promoting different agendas, different staff, different conventions, Jason Cabel Roe, a veteran Republican strategist in Michigan, said. You have to pay close attention to even know who is sending what and what the legitimate directions and events are. Hoekstra, who served as Trumps ambassador to the Netherlands, has endorsed the former presidents 2024 campaign and refers to him as the presumptive nominee even as Haley continues to campaign. Haley received zero votes in several districts Saturday. Part of being a delegate is representing as many voices as you can, and I think that something that allowed me to vote for a candidate that maybe is not as popular is knowing that there are so many people in this room that are for voting for President Trump, Carter Houtman, the only Haley voter in the 2nd District caucus, said. Karamo, a prominent 2020 election denier in Michigan who lost a race for secretary of state in 2022, was elected to lead the state party last year. But activists quickly grew frustrated with her financial decisions and fundraising practices. A faction of party insiders voted to oust her in January a vote that the RNC and a Kent County circuit court judge have said was proper. Hoekstra maintained all along that his convention would be the one to count, given the RNCs support and the judges order. And his convention drew a huge crowd hallways at the downtown hotel where it was held were crowded wall to wall ahead of the 10 a.m. start time. But there were grumblings among some local activists, including those who missed a deadline to apply for credentials while waiting for courts to settle the leadership dispute between Hoekstra and Karamo. A statement Friday from the 1st Congressional District Republicans in northern Michigan said most of their delegates were denied credentials for the Grand Rapids convention because they missed a registration deadline while waiting for the courts to settle the leadership dispute. The group planned to hold its own convention in Houghton Lake. The chairman of the 4th Congressional District GOP, citing similar credentialing issues, told The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press that he would convene a Saturday meeting in Battle Creek. The newly declared administration appears to be inviting dissent and disregarding rules with the consent of their Republican National Committee allies, 1st District GOP Chairwoman Daire Rendon said. We will not play that game by falling into their confusing messaging and backtracking. Denying the majority of the delegates elected at County Conventions in the 1st Congressional District their right to be heard at the State District Convention is not acceptable. Hoekstra said Friday that he was exploring ways to allow delegates to participate on Saturday even though rules for credentialing were not followed. Some attendees complained Saturday that the process remained too confusing, especially with activists in several districts attempting to hold satellite conventions, even as other representatives from those districts made the trip to caucus in Grand Rapids. Others were upset about traveling long distances only to have their credentials rejected because they missed Hoekstras deadline. Dan Hartman, who served as the Michigan GOPs general counsel under Karamo and attended Saturdays convention, predicted that challenges to the states slate of delegates would go all the way to the floor of this summers Republican National Convention. Its not over, Hartman told NBC News. But Matt Marko, a Karamo supporter and 11th District delegate, stressed the need to move on. I wanted Kristina to have a chance to do a good job and she tried hard, Marko said. But unfortunately things happen, and now we got to move forward because we got a tough election in front of us. An Ohio man who described himself as an incel and plotted to kill women at a university was sentenced to over six years in prison Thursday, federal prosecutors said. Tres Genco, 24, wrote that he was wanted to kill women out of hatred, jealousy and revenge, the U.S. attorneys office in Cincinnati said, and he had previously bought a bulletproof vest and a skull mask, a rifle and handgun magazines. No one was hurt and the plan was never carried out. Genco was arrested in 2021 and pleaded guilty in October 2022 to one count of attempting to commit a hate crime. Tres Genco. (Instagram) A judge on Thursday sentenced Genco to six years and eight months in prison, although he has been in custody for almost three years after his arrest in July 2021. Prosecutors argued in court documents that Genco was fueled by misogynistic hatred and that he plotted the mass murder of women and intended to carry it out. He conducted internet searches about a specific university, according to court documents, but the name of the university in the plot has not been released by officials if it is known. Genco of Hillsboro, a small town east of Cincinnati, described himself as an incel, a term that means involuntary celibate. Its a misogynistic male community mostly online who hate women and believe they are owed sex from women. Genco idolized Elliot Rodger, prosecutors said, and he wrote online that he identified with the 22-year-old California gunman who killed six people at random in the college town of Isla Vista in 2014 and then shot himself. He bought the mask and bulletproof vest and a 5.56 mm rifle in January and February of 2019, and in July of that year his interest in Incel philosophy and violence escalated, prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. In August 2019, Genco wrote a document in which he talked about incels, said he hated women and that I will slaughter out of hatred, jealousy, and revenge. Genco's attorney, Richard Monahan, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday evening. Monahan wrote in a sentencing memorandum that there remain questions about how serious any plan was, and it was not significantly close, as compared with the typical attempt offender, to the commission of the substantive offense. Genco also wrote the manifesto while drunk during a trip to Greece, he said. Mr. Genco has obviously learned from his mistakes, has matured tremendously from when he committed this offense at the young age of 19, and is not only demonstrating his rehabilitation, but is extending his positive thinking to those around him, Monahan wrote. Cheryl Mimura, FBI Cincinnati acting special agent in charge, said in a statement Thursday that law enforcement stopped what would have been a deadly attack. Genco intended to carry out a devastating mass murder of innocent women in this state for no other reason than the fact that he hated them, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker said in a statement. Everybody deserves to live without threats of violence or fearing acts of terror. Prosecutors asked the judge to sentencer Genco to the maximum 12 years allowed under a plea agreement, and Genco's attorney asked for a sentence of time already served, documents show. Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style, has died. She was 102. Her death was confirmed by her commercial agent, Lori Sale, who called Apfel extraordinary. No cause of death was given. It was also announced on her verified Instagram page on Friday, which a day earlier had celebrated that Leap Day represented her 102nd-and-a-half birthday. Born Aug. 29, 1921, Apfel was famous for her irreverent, eye-catching outfits, mixing haute couture and oversized costume jewelry. A classic Apfel look would, for instance, pair a feather boa with strands of chunky beads, bangles and a jacket decorated with Native American beadwork. With her big, round, black-rimmed glasses, bright red lipstick and short white hair, she stood out at every fashion show she attended. Her style was the subject of museum exhibits and a documentary film, "Iris," directed by Albert Maysles. I'm not pretty, and I'll never be pretty, but it doesn't matter, she once said. I have something much better. I have style." Apfel enjoyed late-in-life fame on social media, amassing nearly 3 million followers on Instagram , where her profile declares: More is more & Less is a Bore. On TikTok, she drew 215,000 followers as she waxed wise on things fashion and style and promoted recent collaborations. Being stylish and being fashionable are two entirely different things," she said in one TikTok video. You can easily buy your way into being fashionable. Style, I think is in your DNA. It implies originality and courage. She never retired, telling Today: "I think retiring at any age is a fate worse than death. Just because a number comes up doesnt mean you have to stop. Working alongside her was the honor of a lifetime. I will miss her daily calls, always greeted with the familiar question: What have you got for me today?, Sale said in a statement. Testament to her insatiable desire to work. She was a visionary in every sense of the word. She saw the world through a unique lens one adorned with giant, distinctive spectacles that sat atop her nose. Apfel was an expert on textiles and antique fabrics. She and her husband Carl owned a textile manufacturing company, Old World Weavers, and specialized in restoration work, including projects at the White House under six different U.S. presidents. Apfels celebrity clients included Estee Lauder and Greta Garbo. Apfels own fame blew up in 2005 when the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute in New York City hosted a show about her called Rara Avis, Latin for rare bird. The museum described her style as both witty and exuberantly idiosyncratic. Her originality was typically revealed in her mixing of high and low fashions Dior haute couture with flea market finds, 19th-century ecclesiastical vestments with Dolce & Gabbana lizard trousers. The museum said her layered combinations defied aesthetic conventions and even at their most extreme and baroque represented a boldly graphic modernity. The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, was one of several museums around the country that hosted a traveling version of the show. Apfel later decided to donate hundreds of pieces to the Peabody including couture gowns to help them build what she termed a fabulous fashion collection. The Museum of Fashion & Lifestyle near Apfels winter home in Palm Beach, Florida, also plans a gallery dedicated to displaying items from Apfels collection. Apfel was born in New York City to Samuel and Sadye Barrel. Her mother owned a boutique. Apfels fame in her later years included appearances in ads for brands like M.A.C. cosmetics and Kate Spade. She also designed a line of accessories and jewelry for Home Shopping Network, collaborated with H&M on a sold-out-in-minutes collection of brightly-colored apparel, jewelry and shoes, put out a makeup line with Ciate London, an eyeglass collection with Zenni and partnered with Ruggable on floor coverings. In a 2017 interview with AP at age 95, she said her favorite contemporary designers included Ralph Rucci, Isabel Toledo and Naeem Khan, but added: "I have so much, I don't go looking." Asked for her fashion advice, she said: "Everybody should find her own way. I'm a great one for individuality. I don't like trends. If you get to learn who you are and what you look like and what you can handle, you'll know what to do." She called herself the accidental icon, which became the title of a book she published in 2018 filled with her mementos and style musings. Odes to Apfel are abundant, from a Barbie in her likeness to T-shirts, glasses, artwork and dolls. Apfels husband died in 2015. They had no children. ___ Lifestyles Writer Leanne Italie contributed to this report. 2024-03-02T03:59:47Z Ukraine sympathizers carry placards on Feb. 11, 2024 and fly a Ukrainian flag outside the U.S. Capitol building as the Senate works through the weekend on a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill, including $60 billion to support Ukraine. Credit - Roberto SchmidtGetty Images A little over two years ago, in the dead of a quiet night in late February 2022, pretty much every journalist in Ukraine was wide awake. We were staring into our laptops in the dark. Updating news feeds every other minute. Looking at U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance aircraft wiggling over Ukraine and scanning the border with Belarus north of Kyiv and the Donbas front in the east. Yours truly was quietly sipping whiskey in the gloom of his poor rented apartment in northwest Kyiv. We knew the day of all days was coming. And then, the face of Vladimir Putin of Russia twisted with sadistic glee in anticipation of the coming triumph going live on TV screens. I have made a decision to carry out a special military operation, he said. And whoever stands in our way must know that Russias reaction will be immediate, and bring down upon them consequences never seen before in your history. The rolling thunder of missiles was soon heard from all quarters of the Ukrainian capital. TV channels broadcast live video of gigantic plumes of fire over Ukrainian cities. And endless convoys of trucks and armored vehicles marked Z and V breaking through along most of the Ukrainian border. The unthinkablethe most catastrophic European war of aggression since Adolf Hitlerhad begun. People look at the exterior of a damaged residential block hit by an early morning missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine on Feb. 25, 2022. Chris McGrathGetty Images I often go back to those early days of the Battle of Kyiv. Even more so this week amid a showdown in the U.S. Congress over $60 billion in military aid to my country. Bach in February 2022, we were all alone. What little Western military materiel we possessed had been sent to us via an air bridge from the free world in the final weeks, or even just days, before the invasion. It was supposed to be our nations doomsday. Yet no words can do justice to the unbelievable spiritual uprising of those days. So many men and women decided not to go down easy. The Ukrainian military came to life, ambushing and devastating gargantuan Russian columns advancing over woodland roads toward Kyiv. Ukrainians stubbornly remained in the semi-surrounded capital to fulfill their duty. Businesses fed vulnerable elders and delivered meals from their restaurants to military units defending Kyiv. Many people volunteered to bring medicine and essentials to war-affected suburbs. Even more tied yellow tape around their sleeves, grabbed their hunting rifles, and self-organized into Territorial Defense units. It was awe inspiring to witness regular people lining up to get Kalashnikov rifles from the police or preparing Molotovs in Kyivs Obolon to fight the invaders coming for their homes. Many, including me, moved their loved ones out of harms way and then got back to Kyiv out of a moral duty wed never felt before. Civilian volunteers check their guns at a Territorial Defence unit registration office in Kyiv, Ukraine on Feb. 26, 2022. Chris McGrathGetty Images Those we had elected to lead us recorded videos of themselves standing together in the Kyiv government quarter. Their message to the nation: We are all here, defending our Fatherland. Read More: Inside Zelensky's World It was the final stand of the finest hour. The very same hour about which old Winston Churchill had once intoned in World War II. And as you know, against expectations, Ukraine prevailed in that battle. What followed was the hell of a full-scale, prolonged war against one of the worlds most formidable military powersand the dictator who could not come to terms with his shocking failure. Its been just over two years since the beginning of the Battle of Kyiv. Since then, Ukraine liberated half of its territory lost to Russia after 2022 and set off a whole range of hallmark events. The gargantuan Battle of Donbas. The liberation of Kherson. The stunning operation in Kharkiv Oblast. The Russian navys debacle in the Black Sea. The rise of drones as the next level of modern warfare. Ukraine did not go it alone. Entire nations overcame their fears and hesitation and became our strong backers in warBritain, and Germany, grappling all along with their own history, and so many other nations as well, united behind the crystal-clear vision of the horrifying threat of Russian aggression. In victories and setbacks, here we are nowan independent nation in control of 80% of our sovereign territory, mourning our dead, sending our gratitude to friends, and grasping at any straw to carry on. We survive as a nation thanks to that moral choice of doing what is right. People walk past a mural in Kyiv's Podil neighbourhood, on Feb. 22, 2024, ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Roman PilipeyAFP/Getty Images Millions of men and women do so every day as they fight back in a terrible and uneven battle against the aggressor, or as they raise funds to buy FPV drones for the outgunned military, or as they work hard to keep Ukraines shattered wartime economy afloat. But right now, we see America heartbreakingly fractured and in disarray over Ukraine aid. Hand on heart, knowing what America has always been and stood for, that was the last thing we in Ukraine expected. As friends and willing partners, we Ukrainians ask the Republicans who are vocal opponents of aid to drop their obstructionism. Because, to quote Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who took a surprise trip to Ukraine last month, history is looking down upon you, looking over your shoulder, he said in Kyiv. Rise to the occasion. We hope that America does the right thing. It is not too late yet. Contact us at letters@time.com. Pennsylvania State Police have arrested a man in connection with an Amish woman's death in Crawford County. SPARTANSBURG, PA. A five-day investigation into the death of a pregnant Amish woman in northwestern Pennsylvania has ended with police charging a man, saying he broke into the home where she was found with cutting wounds to her neck and head. The man, Shawn C. Cranston, 52, was charged Saturday in the death of 23-year-old Rebekah Byler and her unborn child in Crawford County, Pennsylvania State Police said in a news release. Crawford County is immediately south of Erie County, bordering Ohio. Cranston faces homicide, homicide of an unborn child, burglary and criminal trespass charges. Byler was found dead Monday afternoon at her home in Sparta Township. Her husband and a friend returned to the home and found Byler lying on her back in the living room and called 911, according to case documents. Byler had neck and head wounds, according to investigators. Two toddlers were also inside the home, but not injured, state police said. Details on what led police to identify Cranston as a suspect in Byler's death, and information on a possible motive in the killing, were not immediately available Saturday. State police said troopers searched Cranston's home in Erie County on Friday night and into Saturday morning. Cranston is being held without bond at the Crawford County Correctional Facility. He has a preliminary scheduled for March 15. Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNpalattella. Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNhahn. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Pregnant Amish woman slain in Pennsylvania; man charged An outside prosecutor has found that a longtime Boise police corporal was justified in the fatal shooting of a man who was being investigated on a sexual assault allegation and a parole violation, according to the Boise Police Department. In January 2023, Boise Police Cpl. Kip Paporello shot Boise resident Eli Nash after police said he pointed a handgun in the direction of other officers. Paporello, who joined the department in 1999, was cleared of any wrongdoing. Nash posed an imminent threat of death or physical injury to those officers, Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Fredback wrote in a letter stating that criminal charges werent warranted against Paporello. The shooting was one of six that involved the Boise Police Department in 2023, with four of them being fatal one of the deadliest years on record for fatal police shootings. Paporello was also involved and found to be justified in the nonfatal shooting of Jeremy Waste, the Idaho Statesman previously reported. Footage, reports outlines fatal shooting Just before 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2023, several Boise police officers, along with the Idaho Department of Corrections Fugitive Recovery Agents team, formulated a plan to arrest Nash, the release said. The 32-year-old was on parole for crimes involving possession of sexually exploitative child material, and police began investigating after hed failed to register as a sex offender as required by law. The Boise Police Department also was investigating Nash over allegations that he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl, according to Fredbacks letter. Police located Nash sitting in his vehicle on his phone in a Meridian Crossroads parking lot in front of a Texas Roadhouse along Fairview Avenue. Officers used their vehicles to block Nashs car in the parking lot to prevent him from escaping, according to the release. Given Nashs history of child pornography, a primary goal of law enforcement was to preserve any potential evidence from his phone, Fredback said in the letter. In body-camera footage released by the department, an officer approached the drivers door of Nashs vehicle with his gun drawn, and after identifying himself, told Nash to place his hands on the steering wheel. At the same time, several other officers approached and surrounded the car. A little over 10 seconds later, an officer used a device called a glass punch to break a drivers-side window, the video showed. Nash then jumped into the back seat of his car, where the windows were covered with blankets, police said. I cant see him, one officer said in the video. Paporello approached from behind and tapped his gun on the back window, as commands for Nash to put his hands up continued. Paporello then fired four rounds through the glass. According to the release, Paporello was able to see through the vehicles rear windshield that Nash was holding a handgun and pointing it toward the rear drivers-side door toward other officers. This isnt clear in the footage, and police said in the video that Paporellos body cam was on his upper chest and didnt provide the best angle. He had a gun, he said right after firing, according to the video. The video then cuts to another officers body camera, which shows an officer clearly removing a firearm from Nashs hand. Officers then began providing medical care until paramedics arrived, but Nash died at the scene. No officers or other people were injured. Police chief: Deadly force is a last resort Several people witnessed the shooting, Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar told the media at the time of the shooting. He said he didnt know why the attempted arrest was conducted in the parking lot. I cant comment on where the best place for an arrest is, Winegar previously said. But when we have a violent or a wanted suspect who is absconding parole, its in everybodys best interest that we get them into custody as quickly as possible for everyones safety. In Fridays news release, Winegar said that searching for, locating and arresting non-compliant criminals is dangerous work and that hes grateful no officers or community members were injured. The use of deadly force is always viewed as a last resort and something we never take lightly, Winegar said. This incident is a reminder that there are those in our community who will resort to violence to avoid apprehension when engaged in criminal conduct, and we must be ever vigilant. The end result of this incident, a person losing his life, is extremely unfortunate, and not the outcome we were seeking. It's a...bird! Well actually it's an Emerald Starling. An incredibly beautiful bird that has landed itself at the San Antonio Zoo in Texas. On March 1 the zoo announced the arrival of a brand new Emerald Starling baby on its premises. It's so tiny and cute. Have you ever seen a baby bird? They're impossibly tiny. The zoo shared their happy news in a video on TikTok. "Were happy to introduce to our newest zoo resident - a baby Emerald Starling!" the video's caption reads. Related: Video of Baby Birds Patiently Waiting for Dad to Kiss Them Goodnight Is Going Viral When we say the baby was small, we mean it was small. In fact, the zoo compared the baby bird to a penny and the penny was bigger. On X.com, the zoo explained that the bird's egg was found on the ground of its parent's habitat. It was then "brought to the zoos incubation room by staff and successfully hatched," they shared. "This little one is currently resting in 'The Nest,' our behind the scenes bird brooder/nursery, and will be hand raised by our world class Aviculture team!" they added. People online were cheering. "Best way to start March with a spring baby," one person gushed. "It's so tiny omg!!!! Thrive little baby," another person added. "Wow. Tiny. Penny puts it in perspective," someone else agreed. Birds at the San Antonio Zoo The Emerald Starling baby joins many birds who live at the San Antonio Zoo. The zoo has an array of birds from all over the world in the Hixon Bird House. There you can see birds from "the deserts of the American southwest, coastal beaches, the South American rain forest, the jungles of Asia, and the African bush." The zoo is also home to other types of wildlife like bears, hippos, and reptiles. The zoo also focuses on conservation through the Center for Conservation and Research. There, researchers use fieldwork and "captive husbandry of rare and threatened species" to help preserve and protect animals, the zoo website states. They also collaborate with state and federal agencies, academics, and partners in the private sector to help their research along. Currently, the San Antonio Zoo has large projects on three continents, transnational research, and projects throughout the United States. The projects focus on fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects, crustaceans, and imperiled ecosystems and cultures. The zoo says they hope to use their research to make recommendations for threatened and endangered species, conduct conservation efforts themselves, and contribute to the scholarly field of animal conservation. This is such important work that the zoo is doing. We could think of no better place for this baby bird to take flight! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. Couresty of Selena Gomez/Instagram Selena Gomez is switching up her hairstyle, perhaps in coordination with the return of Only Murders in the Building season 4. Gomez, 31, shared a peek at her new do in a Friday, March 1, Instagram Story selfie, in which she posed on a bed. Gomez, who wore a white tank and dark bell bottoms, had chopped off her usual long locks into a short flippy bob. The actress, who enjoys switching up her hair lengths and colors, styled the bob so that the ends were slightly curled upward. Earlier on Friday, Gomez returned to work on Only Murders in the Building. She shared behind-the-scenes pics with her costars Steve Martin and Martin Short, who also sent her flowers, hanging out on set. Best Tressed! Relive Selena Gomezs Most Glamorous Hair Moments Gomez stars on OMITB as Mabel Mora, one of the residents of New York Citys fictional Arconia building on the Upper West Side. Alongside Martins Charles Hayden Savage and Shorts Oliver Putnum, Mabel launches a podcast to investigate a string of mysterious murders in their shared apartment complex. Amy Sussman/WireImage As Mabel became an amateur sleuth onscreen, many devoted viewers started obsessing over her closet in real life. Selena Gomezs Glitzy and Graceful Style Evolution Im not putting her in these very glamorous things that she wears in her red carpet life, show costume designer Dana Covarrubias exclusively told Us Weekly in September 2023. Selenas style is so different. In her day-to-day life, shes all about being comfortable. A couple of times we put her in something thats more Selena than it is Mabel, and shell actually be like, This feels too Selena, or sometimes shell put something on and shes like, This feels very Mabel. Covarrubias will take the color element of Gomezs own style and make tweaks to fit Mabel. Covarrubias noted that [while she] has access to her [aunts] closet, since she is living in her relatives pad, Mabel cant look too luxe since she doesnt have a job. We cant have her wearing too high-end things, the costumer said. The Israelis have basically accepted a six-week ceasefire proposal in Gaza, a senior Biden administration official told reporters Saturday. A second phase would be worked out over those six weeks to build something more enduring. The six-week ceasefire would allow for the release of hostages in Gaza deemed the most vulnerable, including women, the elderly and the wounded, and the flow of aid into the beleaguered coastal enclave. That official said there is a framework deal that Israel has more or less accepted. The sticking point, the official said, is that Hamas has not yet agreed to a defined category of vulnerable hostages. US officials said Friday that talks to reach a ceasefire agreement to halt the fighting between Hamas and Israel in Gaza by Ramadan now just about a week away appeared to be on track, even after more than 100 Palestinians were killed Thursday as they tried to access food in Gaza City. And on Friday afternoon, President Joe Biden called for an immediate ceasefire. Were trying to work out a deal between Israel and Hamas on the hostages being returned and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks and to allow the surge of aid to the Gaza Strip, Biden said at the White House during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. US officials said Friday there were no indications that the discussions had been significantly derailed because of the aid site deaths but that much hinges on an expected Hamas response to what has been discussed in Paris and Doha, Qatar, in the past week. Qatar, Egypt, Israel and the US have been involved in those talks. On Thursday, a Hamas official warned, however, that the negotiations could be affected. As international efforts to broker a ceasefire continue, more talks are planned in Cairo, two sources familiar with the matter said Saturday. Negotiators from the US, Israel, Egypt and Hamas are expected to attend, a diplomatic source familiar with the discussions said. Its not clear whether Qatar will attend. Discussions between Israel and Hamas would be indirect, in separate rooms. Israel has asked Hamas for a list of the hostages, including who is living and who is dead. Hamas has still not responded to last weeks Paris meeting, which was followed this week by technical meetings in the Qatari capital of Doha with teams from US, Egypt, Qatar and Israel. Also on Saturday, a White House official said Vice President Kamala Harris would meet Monday with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz amid the US push for a temporary ceasefire. The vice president will discuss the urgency of securing a hostage deal, which would allow for a temporary ceasefire, and the need to significantly expand and sustain aid flows into Gaza, given the dire humanitarian situation, the official said, adding that Harris would reiterate that the US is prepared to increase aid through airdrops and a maritime corridor. Harris has been involved in the day-after planning for Gaza and those discussions will continue Monday with Gantz, who is also expected to meet with national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Biden had said earlier in the week that he hoped thered be a ceasefire in Gaza by Monday, but he offered a mixed assessment of that possibility Friday, saying: I think well get there, but its not there yet. And it may not get there now. The US, meanwhile, is working with partners to scale up aid to Gaza. On Saturday, the US and Jordan air-dropped humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave, part of a sustained effort to get more aid into Gaza, including by expanding the flow of aid through land corridors and routes, US Central Command said. There were 66 bundles dropped, a US official said. There was no water or medical supplies in the bundles, which were dropped in a location that the US assessed people in need were sheltering. Following the airdrops, Biden said on social media the amount of aid flowing into Gaza was not nearly enough, adding that the US will continue to pull out every stop we can to get more aid in. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs MJ Lee and Oren Liebermann contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The families receive their keys to their new homes from Habitat for Humanity on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Sioux Falls. Two Sioux Falls families got the keys to their own new homes Friday. The homes are unique in that they were built by students at the Career and Technical Education Academy and Southeast Technical College during the 2022-2023 school year, volunteers from Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls and the families themselves. All totaled, thats more than 100 students and more than 300 volunteers who worked on the homes, devoting more than 3,000 hours of their time to give Tesfaye and Tigists family, and Sherif and Shukry Yussuf and their children, a place to live alongside one another. Tesfaye, Tigist and their family pose in front of their new home on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Sioux Falls. To be eligible to receive the new homes on the north side of Sioux Falls, the two families spent a year in Habitats homeownership program, contributing at least 300 sweat equity hours working at Habitat job sites and taking homeowner education classes before they bought their homes with Habitat mortgages. Sherif Yussuf thanked all the volunteers Friday and said he appreciated their work and the fantastic job they did. Tesfaye also thanked the volunteers for donating and building the house. Both men said, God bless you. Sherif, Shukry and their family pose in front of their new home on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Sioux Falls. Yussuf told the Argus Leader he was really excited for this super day spent with family and friends, and that he has a lot of plans for his new home, including a request from his daughter to get a slide for the backyard. Both families lived in apartments in Sioux Falls, where they struggled with crowding, maintenance and security issues, and struggled to purchase a home affordably or without established credit, Habitat stated in a press release. Both families receive blankets from Sonia Sotomayor Elementary Principal Tracy Vik and her students (Camille Sterinck, Hanalei Barraett, Charlotte Vanroekel and Brittany Klose) on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Sioux Falls. Sonia Sotomayor Elementary School Principal Tracy Vik, and a couple of her students who volunteer with Project Warm-Up, donated blankets to each member of the family and wished them each well in their new home. This is the 12th home CTE students have built for Habitat, and the second home STC students have built for Habitat, according to a press release. Students did most of the construction phases before it was finished by Habitat staff and volunteers when it was put on the foundation in June. CTE Academy student Brayden Hamberger said he put his blood, sweat and tears into building the new home, including tears from the times he laughed with his peers or the times he accidentally injured himself putting up the siding. CTE Academy Student Brayden Hamberger is introduced for his hard work on the homes on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Sioux Falls. It was really cool seeing it put together, and knowing it was for someone was pretty cool, too, he said. Seeing who its for, being inside the house and giving them the keys was really surreal, and a very cool experience. He said he was able to get good experience working on the siding, framing the house and honing in on the details that will benefit him in his future career. Rocky Welker, Habitats executive director, said its important for students to learn the value in giving back to the community and carry it with them for the rest of their lives. Workforce development is extremely important for the future of the homebuilding industry, and were always excited to partner with schools to give their students hands-on experience, he said. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: How CTE, STC students helped give two Sioux Falls families a new home By David Latona and Vincent West OVIEDO, Spain (Reuters) - Across Europe, farmers have jammed roads, burned tyres and dumped manure in protest at a host of pressures threatening their livelihoods and way of life. In the province of Asturias, Spain, authorities are preparing for worse. Last spring, in an unprecedented conflagration there, nearly 300 wildfires leapt across motorways, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents and reaching the edge of regional capital Oviedo. The authorities blamed many of the fires on farmers. Decades-old grievances about government interference in traditional farming methods are combining with climate change to create tinderbox conditions, authorities say. The regional government, prosecutors and environmental groups say that some cattle-farmers deliberately set last year's blazes to free up low-cost grazing pasture fires that got out of hand due to exceptionally warm, dry conditions. The farmers deny this. Four unnamed people were arrested and 31 are under investigation for the alleged arson, police said. Alejandro Calvo, head of Asturias' fire prevention and extinction department, told Reuters the region has increased its budget to avert and quench wildfires by almost 20%, to 70 million euros ($75.7 million), and hired more firefighters and foresters to establish 24-hour surveillance systems. At the root of the problem, the authorities say, is the farmers' ancestral practice of intentionally burning scrub. The chestnut-coloured cattle that roam Asturias' mountains and valleys date back to the Iron Age. Their grass-fed flesh is relished by gourmets, their free-ranging habit prized over meat reared under intensive methods. Vegetation left unchecked grows chaotically over grasslands, limiting access for cows, which can't digest woody or thorny plants. A carefully timed blaze can clear the area, generate new swathes of pasture and deter predators. But bureaucracy and warmer weather have changed that story. Since 2004, a permit is legally required to carry out controlled burns: Acquiring one involves presenting a detailed plan, a topographical map of the area and documents proving land ownership, among other restrictions. And Calvo says the region has seen a consolidated increase in average temperatures of two degrees over the past decade part of a broader trend across Spain confirmed by the meteorological office making traditional fire-setting more dangerous. "There's ... a clear relationship between areas where there's greater livestock farming activity and the incidence of fires," Calvo told Reuters in an interview. On the other side of the argument, Jose Ramon Garcia, head of the farmers' union UCA, blames the authorities. "They are always trying to blame the cattle-farmers, saying we do it to generate pastures and that's a lie," said Garcia, who is better known in Asturias as Pachon, the nickname he inherited from his father. He said the regional leadership was not managing flammable undergrowth well enough, so most large fires are down to natural causes. Deliberate ones cause limited damage, he argued. "We have so much undergrowth that any lightning strike causes these big fires that threaten people and destroy everything in their wake," said Garcia, 59. He himself was convicted in a local court in 2016 of illegally starting a fire that devastated 38 hectares (94 acres), which he denies. Spain's Supreme Court revoked his prison sentence on appeal but upheld the conviction. According to the most recent official data from Spain's environment ministry, events such as lightning are to blame for fewer than five in 100 fires in the region. That data says nearly eight in 10 fires in Asturias are started on purpose. DEPOPULATION Fire chief Calvo, 49, knows the old methods of fire management from experience. The son of a cattle-farming family who grew up in the area, he said he would watch farmers set fires to fight back overgrowth. He remembers how as a child, he would help collect ferns to reduce the risks, and help extinguish the blazes himself. But now, he said, as more and more young people move to the cities, there aren't enough people in the region to clear the brush or keep an eye on fires when they start to smoulder. Instead, his department is running public awareness campaigns about the dangers of intentional burning. "We're trying to make people understand that this isn't acceptable, that it can be a felony and therefore must be prosecuted," said Calvo, in his office in Oviedo. In Asturias, the controlled burning of a maximum of 10 hectares per day is only allowed during daylight hours, when wind speeds are low and with at least one regional official present until no smoke has been visible for two hours. Months after last year's blazes, a group of elderly residents sitting on a bench in the town of Navelgas said they had never seen the like. "I was driving down the road, with the smoke billowing from both sides, and I just wanted to cry," said one man, who declined to give his name. Navelgas was a hub of gold mining during Roman times. The gold has long gone, cattle-farming is its mainstay, and its population is just 720. Last August, Spain's national statistics institute counted the settlements in the country that contain only one person and found the most were in the mountainous northwest, including 337 in Asturias. Economic frustrations in the region date back to Spain's entry into the European Community in 1986, which sparked a swift adjustment away from a primarily agrarian society. Farming now contributes just over 1% to the region's economy. It employed fewer than 6.5% of the population in 2000 and that has fallen significantly, according to data from the regional government. EU subsidies, including the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) helped mitigate the effects but a European Union survey in October 2023 said the bloc's small farmers are struggling to finance their operations through banks. It found the unmet financial needs of farmers across the EU almost doubled to 62 billion euros since 2017 and said small farms and young farmers are the hardest hit, with almost one in two failing to meet their needs. Garcia, the farmers' union head, says a rural future for his children is too precarious. "There's no generational change," he said. "Those of us who have worked at farms all our lives, since we were children, cannot advise our own children to keep running the farm." He has led several farmers' protests in Oviedo, as well as speaking at the regional parliament to demand bigger subsidies for farmers. He said he had invited a local expert to give talks to regional politicians, the environmental prosecutor and the police's rural and environmental crimes unit, "in order to somehow prevent Asturias from burning entirely." PROTECTED PREDATORS Besides generating pastures, fires help deter wolves and bears. Calves the source of veal, an Asturian delicacy of which Spain is a leading producer are being eaten by an out-of-control wolf population and farmers bear the brunt of the cost, Garcia said, pointing to official data that show compensation levels at less than half market value. According to the national government, in 2020 - the last year for which data is available - 2,928 unspecified farm animals were affected by wolf attacks, leading to 834,262 euros being paid in compensation 285 euros per head on average. Adult cows have an approximate market value of between 5,000 and 7,000 euros per head, while calves fetch from 1,600 to 2,200 euros. In 2021, Spain's Socialist government in Madrid classified the Iberian wolf as an endangered species, generating fines or prison sentences for those harming them. Asturias is also run by the Socialist party, but its policies of wolf protection are unpopular with farmers in this region. In the July 2023 general election, parties courting farmers' votes including the far-right party Vox and the centre-right People's Party (PP) championed removing wolves from the protected list. In May, a sign of the strength of feeling: Two freshly decapitated wolf heads appeared on the steps of the town hall of a small village right before the regional president visited. The Socialists lost ground to the PP candidate in Garcia's village, despite retaining power overall. Montserrat Fernandez, also a cattle-farmer, is the new mayor. She said rural municipalities need more funding from regional and national authorities to help extinguish fires - using tools like water hydrants - and more frequent, controlled brush-clearing fires. "It's quite unfair to blame the fires on farmers," she said. Ultimately, farmers help prevent fires, she argued, because their animals remove combustible material by eating it. Calvo agrees, and said the impetus for more local control is welcome but farmers need to stick within the licensing system. "There's an underlying feeling in rural areas that things would be better if local society were more involved in the management of its resources," he said. "I fully agree with that. We're trying to develop governance instruments so that village communities can decide on forest management plans and make them their own." ($1 = 0.9246 euros) (Reporting by David Latona and Vincent West; Editing by Aislinn Laing and Sara Ledwith) Life-threatening blizzard conditions along the mountain range between California and Nevada this weekend have stranded vehicles on dangerous roads as the storm dumps up to 10 feet of snow in some areas. The winter weather has closed Yosemite and prompted a National Weather Service office to warn against visiting ski resorts. Snow levels at Lake Tahoe are expected to reach 6 feet, though higher elevation areas could see more. Driving conditions are considered "extremely dangerous to impossible" with low visibility and whiteout conditions, forecasters warned. North of Lake Tahoe, on I-80, many vehicles were stuck overnight on Donner Summit, California Highway Patrol said. It took several hours for emergency personnel and tow trucks to reach motorists due to blizzard conditions, police say. As of Saturday, transportation officials were working to recover vehicles left on the freeway, CHP said. There is no estimated time of reopening the highway. The eastern Sierra Nevada had high danger for avalanches through Sunday evening, the NWS Reno office said. See photos: California snowstorm brings blizzard conditions to Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe ski resorts see sustained 150 mph wind gusts Several ski resorts along the crest of the Sierra Nevada near the Lake Tahoe Basin saw wind gusts between 125 and 150 mph for several hours, Scott McGuire, a meteorologist at the NWS Reno office, told USA TODAY. In a blog post Saturday morning, Palisades Tahoe, which recorded extreme wind gusts, said it closed all chairlifts Saturday due to the wind, visibility and snowfall. Many other resorts closed over the weekend due to the blizzard. "Its going to take several days to start getting things back open," McGuire said, "and were not done yet." A lone camper truck on March 1, in Truckee, Calif. High winds affect multiple states Las Vegas, located hundreds of miles south of Reno, saw strong winds Saturday afternoon that prompted delays at Harry Reid International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. On Saturday, the NWS issued high wind warnings across desert regions in California, Nevada and Arizona through Sunday morning. NWS' warning described southwest winds between 35 and 45 mph, and gusts up to 70 mph, stretching from Death Valley National Park, in California, through the Las Vegas region, and near the Grand Canyon, in Arizona. Forecasters expected winds to blow down trees and power lines, causing power outages and difficult travel. In a social media post, NWS Las Vegas said strong winds were beginning to kick up dust south of the city, causing decreased visibility. Strong winds are beginning to kick up dust south of Las Vegas. Beware of poor air quality today! Visibility may decrease further this afternoon as the winds strengthen. #VegasWeather pic.twitter.com/b9r7J7EIuM NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) March 2, 2024 Blizzard restricts travel in California mountains California authorities on Friday shut down 100 mile of I-80, the main route between Reno and Sacramento due to the weather. There was no estimate when the freeway would reopen. Californians have been advised not to travel up to ski resorts in the Sierras through the weekend, the NWS Bay Area office said. CUTRENT CONDITIONS (03/02/24 at 8:30am) I-80 remains closed at the Nevada state line and Colfax. Last night, we had a mass amount of vehicles stuck over Donner Summit and it took several hours for emergency personnel and tow trucks to reach motorists. CHP Truckee (@CHP_Truckee) March 2, 2024 Meanwhile, Yosemite National Park is closed at least through Sunday afternoon, the National Park Service announced. A portion of Generals Highway leading inside Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, east of Fresno, is also closed due to the winter storm. Snow showers are expected to continue in the Sierras through Wednesday, NWS Reno said, when drier conditions may appear later in the week. US weather watches and warnings Storm damage reports US winter weather forecast National weather radar Stormy weather elsewhere in the US A storm will bring more widespread rain to the East Coast on Saturday as thunderstorms impact portions of the Southeast, and rain heads for Southern California. A storm system from the central Gulf Coast, which impacted the southern Appalachians and the Ohio Valley on Friday, has reached the East Coast, according to the NWS. "Some locally heavy downpours are possible, especially north of the boundary in the interior South and along the Carolina coast," the weather service said. Happy Friday! Steady rain develops overnight, continuing through much of Saturday. Save your outdoor plans for Sunday, which will be partly sunny and warmer!#NYwx #CTwx #NJwx pic.twitter.com/BU5f8sFvsX NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) March 1, 2024 Forecasters encourage caution for those traveling across the Pocono Mountains and northern New Jersey where ice and snow are possible. The system is set to exit the New England coast by Sunday morning. Down south, heavy precipitation and storms are possible in parts of the coastal Southeast going into north Florida and the Florida Panhandle until Sunday, the service reported. Across the country, Southern California will also see rain this weekend, and snow will fall at high elevations. Strong southwest winds are also forecast, with advisories and high wind warnings in effect for interior sections through Saturday. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Blizzard in Sierra Nevada closes stretch of I-80, strands vehicles A U.N. team has reported seeing "a large number" of gunshot wounds among Gazans after Israeli troops opened fire near an aid convoy, an incident which highlighted near-famine conditions after nearly five months of war. U.S. President Joe Biden said his military would start air-dropping relief supplies into the Palestinian territory where Israel is battling fighters of the Iran-backed Hamas movement. On Saturday the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said thousands of people in north Gaza "are at risk of dying from dehydration and malnutrition", and the World Health Organization said it had delivered treatment for 50 acutely malnourished children in the north. The ministry on Friday reported a total of 10 children had died of "malnutrition and dehydration". Israeli troops opened fire as Palestinian civilians scrambled for food supplies during a chaotic incident in Gaza City on Thursday that the ministry said killed 115 people and wounded more than 750. The Israeli military said a "stampede" occurred when thousands of Gazans surrounded the aid convoy, leading to dozens of deaths and injuries, including some who were run over. An Israeli source acknowledged troops had opened fire on the crowd, believing it "posed a threat". 'Bullets and shrapnel' The Israeli armed forces spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said troops had fired "a few warning shots" to try to disperse a "mob" that had "ambushed" the aid trucks. The aid convoy deaths helped push the number of Palestinian war dead in Gaza to 30,320, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry. The war began on October 7 with an unprecedented Hamas attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, Israeli figures show. On Friday a U.N. team visited some of the wounded from the aid incident, in Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital, and saw a "large number of gunshot wounds", U.N. chief Antonio Guterres's spokesman said. The hospital received 70 of the dead, and around 200 wounded were still there during the team's visit, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. He was not aware of the team examining those killed, but said "from what they saw in terms of the patients who were alive getting treatments is that there was a large number of gunshot wounds". Hossam Abu Safiya, director of Gaza City's Kamal Adwan Hospital, said all the casualties it admitted were hit by "bullets and shrapnel from occupation forces", a reference to Israel. Britain joined international calls for an investigation, with foreign minister David Cameron saying Israel had "an obligation to ensure that significantly more humanitarian aid reaches" Gazans. In an interview published Saturday in Le Monde newspaper, his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne said "responsibilities for the blockage of aid are clearly Israeli". Sejourne said the "catastrophic" humanitarian conditions "created indefensible and unjustifiable situations for which the Israelis are accountable for." 'Trickle of trucks' Jens Laerke, spokesman for the U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA, on Friday said that "a famine is almost inevitable" in Gaza unless things change. Laerke cited the near-total closure of commercial food imports, the "trickle of trucks" coming in with food aid, and the "massive access constraints" to moving around inside Gaza. The United Nations has particularly cited restrictions on access to northern Gaza, where residents have been reduced to eating animal fodder and even leaves. Hisham Abu Eid, 28, of Zeitun in the Gaza City area, said he got two bags of flour from an aid distribution and gave one to his neighbors. "Everyone is suffering from famine. Aid that is getting into Gaza is rare and not enough for even a small number of people. Famine is killing people," Abu Eid said. Witnesses on Saturday told AFP that gun battles had taken place in Zeitun. Biden said Washington would begin deliveries from the sky "in the coming days". "We need to do more, and the United States will do more," he said, adding he would also "insist" Israel let in more aid trucks. The International Rescue Committee said the very fact airdrops were "being considered is testament to the serious access challenges in Gaza". But the group said parachuting aid is not the solution and distracts "time and effort from proven solutions to help at scale". The IRC called for a "sustained ceasefire" and for land crossings into Gaza to be reopened to aid shipments. Running to reach aid Jordan first announced an aid airdrop in November and has carried out multiple missions since then, including with France and the Netherlands. Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have also begun working together on airdrops. AFPTV images showed people running and pedaling fast on bicycles past bomb-damaged buildings on a rutted dirt road to reach aid floating down to Gaza City. Samantha Power, who heads the U.S. Agency for International Development, said an average of 96 aid trucks were entering Gaza each day "a fraction of what is needed". An AFP journalist reported several air strikes as well as tank shelling during the night on Rafah in southern Gaza as well as Khan Yunis city a few kilometers (miles) north, the focus of fighting where Israel's military said operations continue. Mediators have been trying to secure a ceasefire and Biden on Friday said he was "hoping" it could still be reached by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is due to start on March 10 or 11. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under domestic pressure to bring home the 130 hostages who Israel says remain in Gaza after their capture on Oct. 7, a figure including 31 presumed dead. Hamas's military wing said Friday that seven more hostages had died because of Israeli military operations, an announcement AFP could not independently confirm. (AFP) Luke Littler shot to fame when he reached the final of the PDC World Darts Championship in January Teenager Luke Littler played down praise he received from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, describing it as "literally another day in my life." Klopp compared his young players, who helped the Reds win the Carabao Cup last week, to the 17-year-old darts sensation. But Littler, who beat James Wade to reach the last 32 of the UK Open on Friday, is not getting carried away. "I gave it a like and went on to the next video," he said. "That was literally another day in my life." Littler, who is a fan of Liverpool's bitter rivals Manchester United, added: "I actually watched the final and the young lads are doing well, but if he wants to compares them to me then he can." Littler averaged nearly 102 and had four 100-plus finishes as he overcame Wade 10-7 to reach the fifth round. The teenager is now the favourite for the tournament after the opening night saw Michael van Gerwen slip to a surprise defeat by Austria's Mensur Suljovic. Dutchman Van Gerwen, a three-time winner of the competition, appeared to be struggling with an elbow injury as he was beaten 10-7. Asked about his chances of lifting a first major title since joining the main PDC Tour at the start of the year, Littler said: "I have not even thought about it, but I know if my game is there every match then I don't see why I can't win it. "I don't mind who I play. It is what I dreamed of, playing in front of thousands every week, I just take it in my stride." Other winners on the opening night included world champion Luke Humphries, who beat Dirk van Duijvenbode of the Netherlands 10-7, while defending champion Andrew Gilding defeated fellow Englishman Josh Payne 10-7 and Masters winner Stephen Bunting overcame Danny Lauby 10-3 Nathan Aspinall, who won night five of the Premier League Darts in Exeter on Thursday, is also through to the next round after beating Scott Mitchell 10-6. World number five Gerwyn Price is out after a 10-9 defeat to Martin Schindler of Germany, which saw the Welshman miss six darts in a thrilling deciding leg. Schindler's reward for beating Price is a fifth-round match with teenager Littler. Van Gerwen's conqueror Suljovic will play Dave Chisnall, while world number one Humphries has been drawn to play Benjamin Reus of Denmark. Day one of three-day event saw all 158 players in action, with the first four rounds played across eight stages. The world's top 32 players entered at the fourth-round stage on Friday evening. Insiders say that the observers sent by the party are also inclined towards a leadership change but they feel that the timing is not right Sources say that the rebels are sticking to their demand to change chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. (PTI) New Delhi: Trouble is far from over for the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh. Sources say that the rebels are sticking to their demand to change chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Making matters worse for the state government, after the disqualification of six rebel MLAs, another nine Congress MLAs are ready to revolt if changes are not made immediately. Insiders say that the observers sent by the party are also inclined towards a leadership change but they feel that the timing is not right. Rajinder Rana, one of the six Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections and was later disqualified from the Assembly, said Mr Sukhus claim that some of the rebels want to return is false. No one wants to return. On the other hand, at least nine more legislators are in touch with us, Mr Rana said. Asked about the possibility of cross-voting, if Sonia Gandhi had contested the polls instead of Abhishek Singhvi, Mr Rana said, She has made a lot of contributions to the country and been the Congress president. Had she contested from here, that would have been a different matter. Rubbishing the allegations levelled by Himachal Congress chief Pratibha Singh, Mr Sukhu insisted that the government under him has given the state an honest administration in the past 14 months. Asked about the state Congress chiefs allegation that a number of MLAs have raised issues with his style of functioning, the chief minister said, Over 80 per cent of the Congress is together, and in the rest of that 20 per cent, some people are upset with us over small matters. It is my responsibility to clear things, so I have had discussions with six disqualified Congress MLAs. Mr Sukhu said he does not know why the Himachal Congress chief has claimed that he was not taking people along. He said he regularly interacts with her. The state unit chief and her minister son Vikramaditya Singh have opened up a new front against the functioning of the chief minister and are not relenting. The six rebel Congress MLAs, who were disqualified from the state Assembly for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections, challenged the decision in the Himachal Pradesh high court on Friday. Modi also synonymized the TMC with Tu, Mein aur Corruption hi Corruption for patronising graft, dynasticism and betrayal Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused West Bengal's ruling party, the Trinamul Congress, of possessing mastery in making every scheme into a scam, duplicity and extortion in the Central governments public welfare projects. Mr Modi also synonymized the TMC with Tu, Mein aur Corruption hi Corruption for patronising graft, dynasticism and betrayal. He repeated his anguish over the Sandeshkhali incidents and called on the BJP West Bengal leaders to target winning all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The PM, who launched multiple national projects worth Rs 15,000 crores and led a roadshow at Krishnanagar in Nadia district, launched a virulent attack on the TMC a day after chief minister Mamata Banerjee met him and again demanded the release of pending Central funds. On the second and final day of his state visit, Mr Modi said, The TMC always pastes its stickers on the Central government schemes to claim them as its own and reap the benefits. The citizens of the country will be shocked to know that the TMC government turns each and every scheme into a scam. The TMC has a mastery of changing schemes into scams. This has become the identity of Bengal. This is how the TMC defamed Bengal. Mr Mr Modi asserted: The TMC government's functioning has left Bengal hopeless. The people of Bengal have repeatedly given huge mandates to the TMC with a lot of expectations. But the TMC has become synonymous with atrocities and betrayal. For them, corruption and parivarvaad, instead of the prosperity of Bengal, are the priorities. TMC means atrocities, corruption, parivarvaad and betrayal. It wants to keep people poor for its political gains. Thus, the definition of TMC has changed. It now stands for Tu, Mein aur Corruption hi Corruption. Backing his charges, Mr Modi pointed out that the TMC "tolabaj" (extortionists) control the Central schemes in the state and get their share. He alleged that 25-lakh job cards under the 100-day work scheme MGNREGA were found fake in the state. Cards were made in the names of people who do not exist. The money that was supposed to go to the poor labourers in villages was looted by the tolabaj of the TMC, Mr Modi added. On the law and order situation in the state, Mr Modi said, Sisters of Sandeshkhali cried for justice. But the TMC government did not pay heed to them. Here, the criminal, not the police, decides when he will surrender or get arrested. The state government never wanted the arrest of the Sandeshkhali mastermind. But the women's power in Bengal stood up as goddess Durga and forced the state government to bow down. The Prime Minister later held a meeting with state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar and state Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari for around 15 minutes at the rally venue. The TMC hit back at Mr Modi over his corruption allegations and posted on X-handle a photo of Mr Adhikari being caught earlier accepting cash in the Narada sting operation. The post read: This is PM @narendramodi Ki Guarantee: Bhrashtachariyon ka Saath, Desh ka Sarvanash. Countering Mr Modis claims on the fake MGNREGA job cards, state industry minister Shashi Panja said, Mr Modi spread lies unfortunately. The highest number of fake job cards were found in Uttar Pradesh, where funds were not stopped by the Centre because the BJP is in power there. But funds did not come here, leaving 59 job card holders deprived." Shreya Sen-Handley is the author of the award-winning 'Memoirs of My Body', short story collection 'Strange', and new travelogue 'Handle With Care', and a columnist and playwright. Her Twitter and Insta handle is @shreyasenhan. Crying gets a bad rap, doesnt it? Crying over spilt milk is futile. Crocodile tears are fake and manipulative. Crying wolf too is false, and dangerous. Indulging in any of the above would be a crying shame; the most reprehensible behaviour. And those blubbing Everly Brothers? Leave em to their cryin in the rain! Theres no place in polite society for exposure that private. Nothing goods ever said about shedding a tear; our intrinsically human emissions of joy, sadness, and frustration. Because nothing good can come of it, or so weve been convinced. The patriarchy comes down hard on weeping. Big boys dont cry they command, insisting lads man up and plough on amidst upheavals, without examination or even acknowledgement of their emotions. Our dammed-up waterworks then trickle into every niche and crevice, not just of our bodies but the body-politic, poisoning it like slow-acting arsenic. Didnt large-scale, pent-up resentments result in two World Wars, dont they even now trigger mass turmoil? When celebs, especially male, break down in public, such as Cristiano Ronaldo or Novak Djokovic, derision is generally rained down upon them, as if Charles Dickens hadnt reprimanded, Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth or Justin Timberlake wailed, Cry me a river, unequivocally encouraging his brethren. Yet, strong women too are exhorted to never give in to such womanly infirmity, or be forever stereotyped as the weaker sex. Growing up in a house full of stern women, I was taught not to snivel (even the sound of words that denote crying repel!). Learning to walk in infancy, I already knew I should hold back the tears when I fell and scraped my knee. My formidable foremothers intended to build character, but I wonder now if they would have stood me in better stead by allowing me to express anguish. Cultures around the world stubbornly uphold the stiff upper lip, particularly those with a puritanical streak. WASPs (White-Anglo-Saxon-Protestants) are famously emotionally repressed, and having previously colonised large parts of the planet, their frigidity is still considered the benchmark for propriety. Have you noticed, on Anglo-American channels, the unmistakable scorn that creeps into their coverage of other peoples tragedies? When the bereaved from other cultures beat their breasts or rail at the heavens, somewhere in the voice of the western reporter is an undertone of contempt. The English language itself is loaded with ugly words for lamentation, a few of which Ive had little choice but to use here! But not all western nations eschew expressions of grief. The Irish keen at their funerals, a sustained high-pitched lament dredging the depths of their heartache. Mediterranean societies also approach loss with less restraint and more savoir-faire. Bright yellow is believed to have been the colour of mourning in Spain, in celebration of lives well-lived. If I have to dwell on my death at all, a vibrant memorial is just what Id want. I think those close to me now know Id want a quirky, colourful send-off, as its these very people who have taught me to loosen up and express emotions at long last. When my beloved great-grandfather died in Kolkata, I was growing up in Manila, and able to tell myself for months afterward that he hadnt gone at all. When my grandfather passed away in my early twenties, I found it difficult to cry despite my grief yet another instance of the emotional avoidance integral to my buttoned-up Ingo-Bongo upbringing. I was also the only one dry-eyed at my wedding and not because I wasnt deliriously happy! It wasnt till my children were born that I learned to unburden my heart. I cried when I held them for the first time. Oh, ok, my tears sprang from the pain of delivery and the 33-hour labour preceding it initially, but then, they flowed freely down my cheeks from the joy of beholding my beautiful babies. Over the years, Ive misted up at their tentative first steps, determined first words, and comic turns in school plays my three-year-old son cast as a penguin in the school nativity when penguins had never inhabited Bethlehem, and my little girl the year after as Mother Mary, whispering the words the toddler Joseph had forgotten, because shed learnt not only her lines but everyone elses! With the floodgates finally open, I now shed a tear over nearly everything, from the fate of polar bears in the Arctic to films sans a single tear-jerking moment! And thats good for me. Good for us all, because science has demonstrated that its hugely beneficial to our health to vent our feelings, especially when long-suppressed or intense, and spring-clean our inner space. Releasing oxytocin and endorphins, a satisfying sob floods our systems with feel-good chemicals and flushes out stress hormones and other toxins, washing away both physical and emotional pain. Plus, a ready rush of tears is undoubtedly better than the alternative an inevitable lashing-out. If men could openly cry over their troubles and not be humiliated for it, mental health would improve and so would public safety, studies prove. Besides, showing vulnerability helps us relate to diverse groups, re-establishing the common ground so worryingly eroded in recent years. So, in this Vale of Tears, I say, let us give vent to them frequently and freely, embracing the emotionally secure, expressive, empathetic and mature cry baby in us all! Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Giovanni Gaspari as the 12th Apostolic Nuncio to Korea, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea said Saturday. Born in 1963 in Pescara, Italy, Archbishop Gaspari was ordained a priest in 1987. Graduating from the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 2001, he served at Apostolic Nunciatures in Iran, Albania, Mexico and Lithuania, and worked at the Secretariat of State of the Holy See's Foreign Ministry. Since 2020, he has been serving as the Apostolic Nuncio to Angola, and Sao Tome and Principe in Africa. The Holy See has dispatched Apostolic Nuncios to Korea since 1947, even before the official establishment of diplomatic relations. (Yonhap) Human rights group reports that about 345 people are being held in a police station in inhumane conditions. The Arakan Army has announced that it is close to defeating another army battalion in Rakhine; meanwhile, the repatriation of Chinese nationals involved in Myanmar-based online scams continues. Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) More than 340 people, including children and political dissidents, have been held for months at a police station in Monywa, Sagaing region, in concentration camp-like conditions, this according to The Irrawaddy, a news website run by Myanmar exiles opposed to the countrys military regime. According to the Political Prisoners Network (PPN), a human rights organisation, the military is detained 345 people without due process, accusing them of belonging to the Peoples Defence Forces (PDFs), the armed wing of the National Unit Government set up in exile. The prisoners include individuals accused of sharing pro-resistance posts on social media or working as informants, explained Ko Thaik Tun Oo, co-founder of PPN Myanmar. The number of people detained far exceeds the police stations capacity, already stretched with only 100 detainees. A handwritten eyewitness account from inside the jail notes that some 20 children, aged 15 and above, are among the prisoners. The statement goes on to say that the detainees are insulted by police officers, receive little food, and are denied medical care and family visits. Seven people chosen to accompany soldiers to a village never returned. A detainee's relative said they had to bribe police officers to get food to them. According to Ko Thaik Tun Oo, the prisoners receive only one meal a day and are held hostage to prevent resistance forces from attacking the police station. In the past few months, the ruling junta appears to be in a state of crisis. It seized power in a coup in February 2021 setting off the ongoing civil war. The Arakan Army, one of the ethnic militias fighting the army, said it was on the cusp of defeating an army battalion near the town of Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State. According to local media, local commanders are held up in government offices and peoples homes. The Arakan Army is part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which launched an offensive in northern Shan State in late October, capturing several cities key to trade with China. In recent months, China brokered a ceasefire between the militias and the army to protect its interests in Myanmar. Two days ago, about 1,200 Chinese nationals held in online scam centres were repatriated. According to Deutsche Welle, it is not certain that the freed individuals will be treated as victims of human trafficking. In the diocese with the most Catholics in Telangana, the new pastor, originally from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, met for the first time with his flock in a festive atmosphere. Appointed by Pope Francis two weeks ago, he will be ordained on 9 April. I come to be one of you, he said, citing Saint Charles de Foucauld as a model of spirituality. Khammam (AsiaNews) The Diocese of Khammam, in the Indian state of Telangana, yesterday welcomed its bishop-elect, Mgr Prakash Sagili, appointed by Pope Francis on 17 February. The prelate, 67, comes from the clergy of the Diocese of Cuddapah, in nearby Andhra Pradesh, and oversaw pastoral care of the sick in the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI). A large group of about 200 people, including members of the diocesan clergy, men and women religious, and lay people from the parishes, welcomed him at the diocesan retreat centre. This first meeting provided an opportunity to prepare the feast for the new bishops ordination on 9 April. Bishop Udumala Bala of Warangal, who is apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Khammam since Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Emeritus Paul Maipan, spoke about the history of the diocese, which was created out of the Diocese of Warangal along with that of Nalgonda. "All these dioceses," he said, "are the fruit of the work of PIME missionaries, who started the first Catholic presence in this region 125 years ago." Now the Diocese of Khammam has the highest number of Catholics in the Indian state of Telangana, which split off from Andhra Pradesh 10 years ago. Mgr Prakash Sagili will be the dioceses fourth bishop after Mgr Joseph Rajappa (appointed by John Paul II in 1988 when the diocese was created), Mgr Marampudi Joji, and Mgr Paul Maipan. The time of foreign missionaries is over," said the apostolic administrator. Now it's up to us to continue their work. Following Indian tradition, Bishop Balas words were followed by floral tributes and the imposition of cloaks as a sign of authority, before a moment of prayer was held centred on the Gospel passage of the Good Shepherd (Jn 10). For his part, Bishop-elect Prakash responded to the welcome by introducing himself. I come to be one of you," he said, "to work together with you, not alone, adding that he was looking forward to live in synodality with everyone. "Just as vitamin D is processed by the body through exposure to the sun," he explained, "so I want to be here to expose myself to the sun of meeting people. This way my ministry among you will gain strength. The new prelate also said that devotion to the Eucharist is central to his life and that spiritually he feels very close to and inspired by the figure of Saint Charles de Foucauld. He entrusted his diocese to four words that begin with the letter D (like the aforementioned vitamin): discipleship, determination, devotion, and discipline. Humanitarian organisations working in Israel join the call for a ceasefire. Stopping the fighting must ensure the safe distribution of aid and negotiations for the release of the hostages. The ultimate hope remains peace in the land where our Lord Jesus Christ first took up his cross on our behalf. Jerusalem (AsiaNews) The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches of Jerusalem issued an appeal yesterday, calling for an "immediate and lengthy ceasefire", after the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) opened fire on civilians who had gathered around an aid convoy, causing a massacre. Although government spokesmen initially tried to deny the soldiers involvement in this incident, later that day Israels Minister of National Security not only praised IDF fighters for acting excellently, but also attempted to blame the victims for their own demise, charging that they had sought to harm heavily armed soldiers, reads the prelates statement. The latters appeal is also shared by "civil society and human rights organizations" working in Israel to avoid the loss of further human lives and facilitate aid access to Gaza, which is facing a "humanitarian catastrophe". In their statement condemning the attack on civilians, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches explain that "for the half-million remaining in Gaza City," the arrival of humanitarian aid has almost completely stopped "due to heavy entry restrictions and lack of security escorts for the delivery convoys. Heavy rains, cold weather, and extreme overcrowding in tent encampments and shelters, have significantly increased the incidence of illness and disease, reads the statement by Israeli civil society groups, while airdrops, according to the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches, offer only a tiny fraction of the relief that is needed for a remnant civilian population greater than that of Tel Aviv, Israels second largest city. Both statements note that a truce should allow negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas, whose armed wing yesterday announced the death of at least seven hostages, held captive in the Gaza Strip since the attack on 7 October. The prelates statement goes on to say that, While expressing these entreaties on behalf of all innocents suffering from the war, we convey our special prayers of support to the Christian communities in Gaza under our pastoral care. These include the more than 800 Christians who have now taken refuge in St. Porphyrios and Holy Family Churches in Gaza City for nearly five months. We likewise extend these same expressions of solidarity to the intrepid staff and volunteers of the Anglican-run Ahli Hospital, and to the patients they serve. Ultimately, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches hope to see the end of hostilities, the release of captives, and the care of the downtrodden so as to start serious diplomatic discussions that finally lead to a just and lasting peace here in the land where our Lord Jesus Christ first took up his cross on our behalf. by Stefano Caprio Medvedev would like to send the Zhduny to Siberian concentration camps for re-education. In Russia, attacks on "traitors" are not only attempts to instil terror in the population, which has long been accustomed to passive consent, but are also calls to "come forward", out of the restless need to identify the internal enemy, whoever they may be because, without enemies, power has no identity. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's recent remarks have had a certain effect in Russia, uttered as he usually does with the exasperated emphasis of an unstable character who likes to consume liquid stimulants. Using a term widely used in Russia today, he said: We must send the Zhduny of the new regions to Siberian concentration camps for re-education. Zhduny comes from the verb zhdat, "to wait", and Medvedev's threat is addressed to "those who wait" without further explanations, the deluded of every category. This includes the residents of the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine waiting for liberation from the invaders, or the relokanty who hope to go home, or the women who anxiously await the return of fathers and husbands mobilised for the war, or even those who dream of starting a new round of protests after the unbelievable murder and the much-disputed funeral of Alexei Navalny, the many deluded of Russia, Ukraine, and other countries around the world, who are waiting for nothing more than going back to a peaceful life. As the editors of the Signal column on the Meduza website note, the term became popular in Russia thanks to a sculpture by Dutch artist Margriet van Breevort, Homunculus loxodontus, that appeared in 2016, created for the Leiden University Medical Centre, to represent the emotions of people in the waiting room of the doctor's office. Throughout Eastern Europe, the image has gone viral as a meme on the Internet, morphed into various paintings, photographs, videos, and other visual media, called in Russian precisely zhdun, or pochekun in Ukrainian nd pachakun in Belarusian, always with the sense of the quivering and illusory expectation of a positive outcome from one's suffering. Russian Zhduny, according to various interpretations, are like the "wives of the Decembrists", the rebels that Tsar Nicholas I shipped to Siberia after the attempted insurrection of December (dekabr) 1825, which began the most repressive period in the history of imperial Russia, and therefore like all those who, from the Soviet era to Putin's regime, wait for the end of their prison term, desperately corresponding with their persecuted loved ones. Images of the Zhduny are displayed in parliament, post offices, metro stations in Moscow and St Petersburg and other cities, considered ironic, not too offensive, symbols of patience to be born in the face of life's hardships. Medvedev's words give them a far more sinister meaning. Now the deluded are seen as dissidents, or more generally as all those who are "reluctant to cooperate with the special military and "moral" operations, to preserve traditional values. Starting in the spring of 2021 the Ukrainians became the main Zhduny, watching Russian troops mass on their borders, hoping that it was just an act of intimidation. Since February 2022 they had to learn to put up with a frustrating wait as the main part of their lives. Cracking down on dissent thus becomes repressing passiveness, a condition common to most Russians, i.e. ostrich politics (politika straussa), submitting to the will of those in power, like in the dark tunnel of an endless night, where the dawn of a new day never appears. The threat of condemnation of the deluded also resonates in the proclamations in Russias pre-election propaganda, as noted by the chairwoman of the Election Committee Ella Pamfilova, who highlighted the dangers that stem from zduscaja oppozitsija, the "opposition-in-waiting", which is only waiting for the right moment to "discredit the 2024 presidential elections", perhaps using "specious arguments" like Navalnys elimination, to avoid a risky exchange of prisoners. The speaker of the Moscow Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, called Zhduny and traitors those who "eat from the trough of the state", taking advantage of various subsidies without lifting a finger in support of the countrys war and political needs. In his view, they should be stripped of their Russian citizenship (better than Medvedev's Siberia plan anyway). Lawmaker Andrei Gurulev had instead proposed to eliminate them physically, "killing them somehow", a reference to the 20 per cent of Russians who, according to surveys, do not trust President Vladimir Putin. In whatever version, the Zhduny are the new "fifth column". In Soviet times, anyone who did not actively participate in building the communist paradise was a suspect, and now the same is true in Putin's Russian World. As the communist party propagandists claimed at the time, some people today seek to weaken the country, make it weak and dependent on foreign countries", attacking its territorial integrity and perhaps trying to dismember and disintegrate it. The fear that collaborators with the enemy are among us is the reason for the laws against "foreign agents" and against discrediting the armed forces; likewise, charges of extremism are levelled at people who pray privately in the homes of Pentecostals or Jehovah's Witnesses, or even high treason and "Nazi propaganda" all accusations that lead to long sentences and decades in concentration camps, or succumbing to mysterious strokes. While Navalny's body was returned to his mother, satisfying at least one of the illusions of his supporters, there are more and more unexpected deaths in Russian concentration camps, no matter the reason for their conviction, buried like dogs behind walls. In the past two years, in many parts of occupied Ukraine, Ukrainians have taken part in partisan actions, "waiting" for the Ukrainian counteroffensive that eventually failed. In a narrower sense, these are Medvedev's Zhduny, trapped by Russias latest offensives in the Donbass, like the residents of Avdiivka who were immediately granted Russian citizenship, with all the rights and duties connected with it. The disappointing phase of the war, after the second anniversary of the invasion, touches everyone, Ukrainians and Russians, Westerners and Easterners, waiting for an end that cannot be seen. For the founder of the ultra-patriotic Tsargrad TV channel, Konstantin Malofeev, the deluded are "those who try to inculcate in us the idea that we are all tired, that it is not worth to continue fighting", although it is not clear who or what exactly he is referring to. The exterminator Gurulev insists that the Zhduny are those said to be disgruntled, binge-eating beings, educated by Western culture to lustfully hate everything that is truly Russian. This view is shared by Putin blogger Yuri Turkul, for whom "the only thing that matters for these people is money, better if there is more and more; they don't give a damn about their ancestors, their country, and its history. They only love Western countries. There is a common thread in all these statements. It is hard to figure out how many Zhduny there actually are in Russia, how to assess the lack of patriotism, and what needs to be actually done to eliminate this danger. Threats are uttered with no one able to get rid of the underground enemy, an aspect of the soul rather than a group of activists or secret fighters. In Russia, attacking traitors is not simply about instiling terror in the population, which has long been accustomed to passive consent, but in a certain sense, it is a call to "come forward", for the restless need to identify an internal enemy, whoever they may be. Without enemies, power has no identity, a political and religious "orthodoxy" defined only thanks to the "differently thinking". Navalnys disappearance has created a new problem for the Kremlin: Who is the real enemy to fight? This is why the passive and deluded have come under attack, those who do not express themselves and do not take a stand, a group that today appears to be the vast majority not only among Russians, but also in almost all countries in the world. Elections are no longer judged by the number of votes one gets, but by the turnout. Tsar Putin needs 80 per cent, as long as the turnout is as big; otherwise, a large part of the people is thought to be inclined towards treason. In Russia as in any other country, participating in political life and society in general is stimulated by a factor that dictatorships cannot bear: the expectation of change. The unity of a people does not stem from love for the sovereign, but from the common quest for a better world, even when it seems impossible, or precisely because everything seems impossible. Indeed, Russias history, with its frequent falls and rebirths, testifies to this irrepressible expectation of a new world. In history, the most famous Zhduny were Mary and John under the cross of Christ, together with Mary Magdalene and the Apostles who went to the tomb, or the disciples of Emmaus, the greatest deluded ones in the Gospel: But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel. RUSSIAN WORLD IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO RUSSIA. TO RECEIVE A WEEKLY UPDATE EVERY SATURDAY, CLICK HERE. When most people think of Bugatti, they think of the pop culture icon the brand only recently became in the 21st century. The suave, sophisticated manufacturers of the pound-four-pound fastest production motorcars ever to see the light of day. But even beyond Bugatti's previous history building world-class gentleman's racers and GT cars, the marquee has an even less talked about place in the early days of aviation. This is the tale of the Bugatti Model 100. The classic Bugatti racer formula given a propeller and a set of wings. Photo: EAA Air Museum Photo: EAA Air Museum Photo: EAA Air Museum From some points of view, the Model 100 was an airplane that could've only been built by a Frenchman before a certain Austrian painter came in and ruined everything. Apart from looking like a flying baguette on first impressions, the Model 100 appears to exude a sort of chic and exuberance reminiscent of the very same Bugatti racers and GT cars that came to define the brand decades before Volkswagen group turned it into a rap music video on four wheels.After three decades of success in Grand Prix racing and building luxury grand touring cars, the borderline mythical automotive powerhouse that was Ettore Bugatti was ready to bring his talents to the burgeoning paradigm of human-crewed aerospace. Though it was Bugatti's first attempt at his own bespoke aircraft, it wasn't his first run-in with aviation. During the First World War, the young Ettore Bugatti offered to supply the French government with straight-eight and twin straight-eight (U-16) engines for use in their aircraft.So impressive were these engines that they caught the attention of a consortium of high-ranking US Army officers, who compelled the Duesenberg Motor Company of New Jersey to build Bugatti's engines under license in the United States . But the impetus for Ettore Bugatti's quantum leap from the road to the sky on his own terms was a chance to enter one of the most high-stakes air races in all of Europe in its day, the prestigious Deutsch de la Meurthe Cup Race.Founded in 1909 by a French oil magnate, the same year Ettore Bugatti founded his eponymous company, the Deutsch de la Meurthe pitted Europe's brightest minds in aviation against each other in an attempt to build the fastest heavier-than-air piloted aircraft contemporary minds could create. With a very handsome cash prize awaiting the winner each year, not even the First World War and resulting Spanish Flu could stop the event from being held on and off from the 1910s through the mid-to-late 1930s.With the spirit of speed in mind, Ettore Bugatti knew only a killer combination of a solid power-to-weight ratio and a supremely aerodynamic airframe would be enough to take home first prize when he first threw his hat in the ring starting in 1938. Little did anyone know it then, but the winds of fate had already decreed that the competition would never be held again. Clueless that the Second World War would soon make his efforts moot, Bugatti chugged along on his aerial speedster.The mid-to-late 1930s marked a profound shift in how aircraft were designed and manufactured. Relentless trial and error combined with rigorous wind tunnel testing had given engineers a better understanding of flight by this stage. With this in mind, Ettore Bugatti knew that his tentative aircraft design needed to cut through turbulent air with as little aerodynamic drag as possible. To make this happen, Bugatti designed the fuselage of his aircraft to be as streamlined as could be manufactured.With the same silhouette as a speeding bullet, Bugatti's design was set to look radically different, even compared to contemporary racing and fighter aircraft of the late 1930s. Add on an innovative 120-degree v-tail, and one can only assume Bugatti's plane, named the Model 100, looked like a spaceship to most people in the late 30s. With the preliminary design work now complete, Ettore Bugatti called upon the prominent Belgian aeronautical engineer and former World War I pilot Louis de Monge to be his lead designer and help finalize the blueprints before construction could begin.Though its shape looked straight out of a Popular Science magazine cover of the period, the build materials Bugatti and de Monge chose to construct Model 100 out of were downright commonplace. Thin layers of balsawood and other lightweight hardwoods bonded made up the vast majority of the Model 100's airframe. Elsewhere, special aerospace-grade fabric covered portions of the plane's exterior, which was not covered by hardwood. In the days before lightweight metal composites, this was the best way to lower an airframe's curb weight in a hurry.Through countless tireless nights, the pair of men toiled away. As for what was to power Ettore Bugatti's first flying machine, of course, it was going to be something unusual given the men who built it. The solution came in the form of two Grand Prix-derived 4.9-liter straight-eight engines of Ettore Bugatti's own design, and offset to the left and right-hand sides for better weight distribution. With 450 horsepower each to work with fed to contra-rotating, twin-blade propellers that balanced each other's torque, the Model 100 could have easily cracked 400 mph (643 kph) in level flight had it gotten off the ground, and likely a fair bit faster still.Over the course of late 1938 and early 1939, and with a great deal of help from his Belgian lead designer, Ettore Bugatti's aerial brain child neared completion at his workshop in the French commune of Molsheim. As the project neared the finish line, the Model 100's airframe was painted in Bugatti's trademark shade of blue, a motif present on many Grand Prix racers, luxury GT cars like the Type 57 and the Royale, and even the modern Veyron and Chiron under VW ownership.By all accounts, the Model 100 had all the tools it needed to crush any airspeed race it entered. Military-spec, piston-engine fighter planes wouldn't routinely reach the projected speeds Bugatti's design could attain until well into the Second World War. Speaking of wars, no sooner was Bugatti and de Monge putting the finishing touches on their world-class aircraft than Europe was ready to boogaloo for the second time in two decades.As flames erupted over Poland thanks to the advancing German Army and France soon to follow, Ettore Bugatti made the unfortunate decision to disassemble the Model 100's airframe and put it in long-term storage on his estate, away from the prying eyes of the Luftwaffe , who would've either destroyed or confiscated it had it ever been spotted. There, the Model 100 sat in pieces, relatively safe from the horrors of the worst war in human history. But when the dust had settled and France was liberated, the Model 100 wasn't reassembled.Ettore Bugatti died in 1947 with his dreams of aeronautical fame very much unfulfilled. In the time after his passing, the Model 100 found itself sold to multiple different third parties. At some point, both of its racing-derived engines were parted out and given to various automotive restoration projects involving Bugatti racing cars. It wouldn't be until 1971 that a concerted effort to restore the plane was put in place. Over time, the Model 100's airframe was shipped from Europe to the United States, where it was kept in the hands of the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.Over time, the Model 100 was slowly pieced back together before it was transferred to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for display at the EAA Aviation Museum on the grounds of the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Each year, as thousands of press and spectators gather to check out the finest and most innovative new aircraft, guests have the opportunity to take a look at what the cutting edge of powered aviation looked like a full eight-plus decades ago. At least in terms of pleasing aesthetics, it's safe to say the Bugatti has the most modern aircraft beaten. Dearborn's favorite son has issued a safety recall for 216 units of the F-150 Lightning. More specifically, 2023 models produced at the Rouge EV assembly plant from October 31, 2022 to August 2, 2023. Photo: Ford NHTSA The recall condition is loose or missing high-voltage battery bus bar retention nuts. In other words, an unsecured battery. This condition could result in electrical arcing at the bus bars, which greatly increases the risk of a fire. Ford's Critical Concern Review Group started investigating the matter on December 14, 2023 following a field and associated warranty report over an F-150 Lightning truck that came to a stop and would not restart.The dealer found a missing nut on the bus bar, which is affixed to the junction box. Also known as the bussed electrical center, this assembly is located within the high-voltage battery. The missing nut caused high resistance in said area, resulting in electrical arcing at the joint. This disabled the high-voltage system of the subject F-150 Lightning, leading to a complete loss of motive power and the ability to restart the zero-emission pickup truck.So, how come the nut was missing? Further investigation determined that said retention nut was removed by mistake during a rework for a different problem. Ford Motor Company's records date the rework operation to March 15, 2023. Ford also states that there was no verification of the nut's torque during the remainder of the assembly process, which is a pretty significant oversight.Lithium-ion battery fires are no joke. Considerable amounts of toxic gas emissions are one thing, but self-oxidizing salts make these fires incredibly hard to extinguish. Ford notes that potentially affected batteries were produced between February 1, 2023 and March 31, 2023. In case of motive power loss, the 12-volt battery will continue to sustain the steering and braking systems. Ford retailers have already been instructed to confirm if any nuts are loose or missing. The document attached below further states that in case of repairs affected owners "may be provided a rental vehicle."As necessary, dealers will replace any damaged components. Owner notification letters will be mailed no later than March 18, 2024. Owners can find out more about said recall at 1-866-436-7332. To determine whether a given F-150 Lightning is recalled or not, simply enter the 17-character VIN on Ford's website or the's website.America's favorite zero-emission pickup truck sold 24,165 units in 2023, up from 15,617 examples of the breed in 2022. This year might be a little harder, though, because Ford Motor Company issued a stop-ship order on February 9 for 2024 models.Although not confirmed by the second largest automaker of the Detroit Big Three, it appears that it's a headlight issue. According to AutoForecast Solutions vice president of global forecasting Sam Fiorani, the headlight connector isn't sealed properly. Allowing moisture to build up could result in flickering headlights or shorted headlights.The 2024 model year F-150 Lightning also sees the introduction of two new trim levels, namely the Flash and Platinum Black. They both come with the larger of two battery packs, but the Platinum Black is EPA-rated at 300 miles (483 kilometers) compared to 320 miles (515 kilometers) for the Flash. Manny Khoshbin wanted one from the moment he laid his eyes on it, back in 2017. Seven years later, he still did not receive it even though he paid the deposit a long time ago. When will he get his hands on the first-ever road-legal Mercedes-AMG hypercar, the One? AMG Mercedes unveiled the Project One concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2017 and immediately started accepting reservations, even if the production version was lightyears away. Thedivision finally showed the production version in 2021. But the car was still far from actually going into production."We must have been drunk when we greenlighted the One," the carmaker's CEO Ola Kallenius said back then. The engineers had quite a headache with the 1.6-liter turbo V6 engine carried over from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 racing cars together with the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). The engine designed for the track idled too high, at around 5,000 rpm, potentially causing the unit to overheat and eventually burst into flames.Mercedes eventually managed to find the right setting to avoid sending a $2.75 million car to the scrap yard and started delivering the model. Only 275 customers will get their hands on the first-ever Mercedes-AMG hypercar, with 55 of them being from the US. And Manny Khoshbin is one of them. He doesn't seem angry about the delay and understands it must be a hypercar thing: they never go into production on time.However, the real estate mogul received bad news last year. The car can only be imported into the United States under a Show and Display regulation, which exempts it from the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, but imposes several restrictions. The owner can't drive more than 2,500 miles per year.However, he still can't wait to see it with his own eyes, which is not going to happen any time soon. Manny has recently received a phone call from Mercedes-AMG. He got the news that he will be requested to spec his One hypercar in a few days. Mercedes has produced 80 cars so far out of the 275 scheduled for production. Manny will get VIN number 262, which sends him toward the end of the production run. This means he will not receive his ONE before the end of 2025. But at least, he's getting it specced.With just days before having to choose colors and trims, he still doesn't know if he should go for silver or black. At least, speccing the cabin is pretty easy, because there will be carbon fiber, alcantara, and leather, with not many color options as part of the Formula 1 Package, available for 85,000 euros, which translates to over $92,000.It also brings ceramic wheels and the star livery. Its 5,000 euros ($5,427) if you want a six-point harness instead of the regular safety belt. And if you intend to hit the track in this car, youd better check that option box.Manny is still thinking if he should pay 25,000 euros ($27,136) for the car cover, though. "I might just throw a blanket on it," he jokes. Blanket or not, the Mercedes-AMG One is one expensive hypercar that customers have been waiting for seven years to receive.Meanwhile, others are already flipping their brand-new Mercedes hypercar on the used car market. Photo: Instagram | Mansory kW This modified Ferrari SF90 Spider has multiple attachments in the looks department, including on the front bumper, front hood, fenders, side skirts, etc. It also gets a muscular chin spoiler, a larger diffuser with an integrated brake light, and a flashy wing at the rear.The dominating hue is red, and this Italian stallion rides on YT.5 Air aftermarket wheels that are just as flashy as the rest of the exterior. Fortunately, Mansory has given the cockpit a mild makeover with lots of black suede and several red accents. The tuner's logos and the occasional new trim round off the makeover.Mansory has developed a taste for boosting the performance of most of its creations recently, and this Ferrari SF90 Spider can put the Lamborghini Revuelto in its corner. As a matter of fact, it is punchier than the original Bugatti Veyron , or that's what the tuner claims anyway in the social media post we've added to the bottom of this story.The supercar is available with a power boost , unleashing 1,100 horsepower, which is likely metric. That would translate to 1,185 brake horsepower or 884 kilowatts, and it also enjoys 723 pound-foot (980 Nm) of torque. Mansory says the 0-62 mph (0 to 100 kph) sprint is a 2.4-second affair, one-tenth faster than the Revuelto, and the V-max stands at 221 mph (355 kph), a bit more than its stock self.How does it stack up next to the stock Ferrari SF90? Well, it is 99 hp (100 ps/74) punchier. The supercar's spec sheet reveals that it can sprint to 62 mph in just two and a half seconds, maxing out at 211 mph (340 kph). Without any outside intervention, the SF90 Spider takes seven seconds flat to 124 mph (200 kph), aided by the 986 hp (1,000 ps/736 kW) produced by its 4.0-liter turbo'd V8, assisted by three electric motors.Due to the electric assistance, this tuned model is not that thirsty for a full-blown supercar. Mansory claims it returns the equivalent of 28.7 US mpg (8.2 l/100 km). It's unknown whether this machine was a special commission or if Mansory has simply modified it and is now looking to part ways with it, though we lean towards the former.They could also apply a similar or identical treatment to any other SF90 out there, yet get ready to pay a small fortune for the makeover, as anything this tuner touches tends to cost a lot of money. EV Honda is one of the few carmakers that still cares about passenger cars in America which is probably also why their Accord and Civic sales are almost always on the rise. When you don't have a lot of options left, you usually choose the safest and most reliable option. No one could probably say that Hondas aren't mostly safe and quite reliable and even their hybrids are faring well thanks to the CR-V and Accord nameplates.Soon, there will also be a 2025 Civic Hybrid as the lineup gets refreshed. Still, Honda hasn't said anything about the Accord mid-size sedan in its proposed business outlook they will instead focus on the introduction of the Prologue, CR-V Fuel Cell, and restyled Odyssey. However, despite the eleventh generation Accord starting fresh with the 2023 model year, not everyone might be impressed by the sturdy yet bland design.Subtlety is one of the main assets of the Honda brand, and the Accord surely doesn't disappoint with its conspicuous styling but that might also perpetuate the feeling that it can't attract a younger crowd. No worries, as the imaginative realm of digital car content creators always have a solution at hand. More precisely, Evrim Ozgun , a Turkish virtual automotive designer, has decided the eleventh-generation Honda Accord needs a proverbial CGI slap in the face and boot in the a$$ - plus a slammed widebody appearance.Looking like a car 'demon' in disguise, this 2024 Accord mid-size sedan would probably scare the bejesus out of any 2025 Toyota Camry if real, even if it didn't even feature any modifications under the hood to its hybrid powertrain which in OEM form is capable of 'just' 204 electrified ponies. Of course, with this being the parallel universe of vehicular CGI, anything is possible, including a tune to go along nicely with the crimson details on the bonkers aerodynamic widebody kit, the massive hood scoop, or the brake calipers.We should also notice the subtle 'facelift' there is a new LED treatment for the headlights and a crossbar instead of a classic radiator grille, among others. The dual exhaust is also indicative of the author's CGI intentions with the pony count, so we could also think of this as an Accord Type R that got a shot of vitamins from the digital aftermarket realm. What do you think? Would anyone go nuts with a set of modifications like these on a Honda Accord, an epitome of mid-size sedan discretion, or is this merely wishful thinking? Palmdale, CA (93550) Today Sunshine and a few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 72F. WNW winds shifting to NE at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 44F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. 2 March 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more Following mega oil and gas projects, Azerbaijan was determined to conduct a new energy project. This time, Azerbaijan aims to increase electricity generation, especially from renewable sources, and sell it to European markets. For this purpose, Baku cooperates with different well-known companies, such as bp, Vestas, ACWA Power, MASDAR, and so on. However, Azerbaijan does not neglect the generation of electricity from traditional sources. Launching the construction of Thermal Electric Power in 2023, in which Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev participated in its groundbreaking ceremony, exemplifies it. The power plant, with a capacity of 1280 megawatts, plays a crucial role in balancing the integration of renewable energy sources, conserving natural gas, mitigating climate change effects, and protecting the environment. Upon integration into units 7 and 8, the capacity will increase to 1,880 megawatts, reducing fuel consumption by 225 grams per kilowatt-hour and saving 1.2 billion m of natural gas annually. Azerbaijan also collaborates with well-known companies in this field. One of these companies is Ansaldo Energia. It is worth noting that the said company has supplied and installed two turbines and two generators at the new power plant being constructed in Mingachevir. Here poses some questions: What attracts Italian companies to Azerbaijan? What steps should Azerbaijan take to increase cooperation with Italian companies? To begin with, Valentina Chabert, an Italian expert in green energy, Ph.D. Fellow Sapienza University of Rome, and Member of the Advisory Board the Hague Research Institute, said in her comment to Azernews that the Azerbaijani government targets increasing the share of the installed capacity of renewable energy to 30% in the country's overall energy balance by 2030. All the measures undertaken in the country support Azerbaijans sustainable electricity transition, which will decrease the use of natural gas to make electricity as well as support the green economy. By doing so, the country will diversify its energy exports to global energy markets and support the energy security of its partners. The construction of a new power plant is therefore in line with Azerbaijans strategic objectives and can offer the country an alternative to its exclusive dependence on oil and gas. The Italian expert noted that the Republic of Azerbaijan signed the Paris Agreement on climate change in 1996 and committed to decreasing the level of GHG emissions by 35% in 2030 compared to the base year (1990). Moreover, in November 2021, during the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) held in Glasgow, Azerbaijan renewed its voluntary obligations by reducing the amount of GHG emissions by 40% by 2050 and declaring the liberated territories a net zero emission zone. For this reason, in recent years, accelerating the use of renewable energy has become a key element of Azerbaijans energy policy. The new power plant, therefore, should be interpreted in light of Azerbaijans effort to increase the use of renewable energy sources in the production of electricity. Eventually, the Presidential Order to declare 2024 as the "Green World Solidarity Year" in Azerbaijan is an important measure to demonstrate Azerbaijans commitment to environmental protection and climate action. Azerbaijans role as a reliable energy partner and responsible member of the international community in the fight against global warming was recognised by many countries, and efforts towards greener energy production will certainly reinforce this trend, V. Chabert said. Regarding what attracts Italian companies to Azerbaijan, the expert emphasised that Azerbaijan has become well known in Italy and generally in Europe thanks to a series of contracts that have been signed in the energy field. However, Italian companies are not only attracted by oil & gas but also by other strategic sectors of Azerbaijan, such as agribusiness, green energy, telecommunications, transportation, logistics, and the textile industry. Indeed, these sectors are continuously expanding, thereby stimulating the demand for Italian and, in general, western companies. Undoubtedly, Azerbaijans strategic position from a commercial point of view plays a fundamental role in spurring Italian companies investments in the country. Similarly, Azerbaijans economic potential for foreign investments also depends on its advantageous fiscal and legal system, which is one of the most important factors in determining Italian companies decisions to invest in the country. Finally, the internal stability and reliability of Azerbaijan represent a further attractive factor for Italy," she added. At the moment, Italy and Azerbaijan are characterised as strong economic partners in a wide range of economic sectors. In this regard, the Italy-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce is playing a crucial role in promoting Azerbaijan as an interesting and dynamic destination for foreign investments among Italian companies that are looking for international possibilities of trade. At the same time, strengthening the infrastructure connecting the two countries would prove beneficial for the increase in cooperation between the two countries. The presence of fiscal incentives and a business-friendly legal environment, moreover, constitute a further stimulus to bilateral collaboration. In this sense, the completion of the Alat Free Economic Zone would represent an added value for Azerbaijan as well as an encouraging factor for Italian companies to invest in the country, she concluded. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 17:00 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more The recent arrival of a delegation from Azerbaijan to Georgia, led by Chairman Rovshan Rustamov of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, to assess the restoration and reconstruction efforts on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line marks another significant step in the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. The BTK railway, connecting the three countries, has emerged as a vital artery for regional connectivity and economic development, facilitating trade and transportation across the region. Initiated as a trilateral project, the BTK railway has garnered attention for its potential to bolster economic ties and infrastructure development among the participating nations. The recent visit underscores the commitment of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey to further enhance the efficiency and capacity of this crucial transport corridor. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, inaugurated in 2017, represents a milestone in regional cooperation. It provides a direct rail link between the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean, offering a shorter and more efficient route for transporting goods between Europe and Asia. By bypassing traditional routes through Russia and Iran, the BTK railway reduces transit times and costs, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of regional trade. Rovshan Rustamov's meetings with railway officials from Georgia and Turkey highlight the collaborative efforts to maximize the potential of the BTK railway. Discussions will focus on completing pending infrastructure works, optimizing operational processes, and devising strategies to increase cargo transportation volumes. Such deliberations underscore the commitment of the participating countries to continually improve and expand the railway's capabilities. Enhanced cargo transportation along the BTK railway holds significant economic benefits for all involved parties. Azerbaijan, endowed with substantial energy resources, seeks to diversify its economy by leveraging its strategic geographical position as a transit hub. The BTK railway provides Azerbaijan with a vital link to European markets, allowing it to export energy resources and other goods more efficiently. For Georgia, the BTK railway represents a gateway to broader regional integration and economic development. As a transit country, Georgia stands to benefit from increased trade flows and transit revenues. Moreover, improved connectivity enhances Georgia's attractiveness as a logistics and transportation hub, attracting investment and fostering economic growth. Turkey, as a key player in the project, stands to gain from enhanced connectivity with its neighbors and expanded trade opportunities. The BTK railway aligns with Turkey's vision of becoming a bridge between Europe and Asia, reinforcing its position as a pivotal transit country. By strengthening its transportation infrastructure, Turkey aims to bolster its economic influence and regional connectivity. Beyond economic considerations, the BTK railway holds broader geopolitical significance. The project underscores the commitment of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey to foster regional cooperation and stability. By investing in infrastructure that promotes connectivity and integration, the three countries contribute to peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus region. However, challenges remain in fully realizing the potential of the BTK railway. Infrastructure upgrades, logistical enhancements, and regulatory reforms are necessary to streamline operations and attract greater investment. Moreover, geopolitical dynamics and regional conflicts pose risks to the stability and viability of the project. The visit of the Azerbaijani delegation to Georgia to assess the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line signifies the ongoing collaboration and commitment of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey to strengthen regional connectivity and economic integration. By harnessing the potential of this vital transport corridor, the three countries pave the way for enhanced trade, prosperity, and stability in the South Caucasus and beyond. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 20:44 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more The recent meeting between Azerbaijans Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population and Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, Sahil Babayev, and Serbia's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Dragan Vladisavljevic, highlights the growing momentum in bilateral relations between the two nations. Against a backdrop of shared strategic interests and mutual respect, Azerbaijan and Serbia are actively exploring avenues to enhance cooperation across various sectors. Minister Sahil Babayev's remarks at the meeting underscored the significant progress achieved in Azerbaijan-Serbia relations, attributing it to the strong political will and concerted efforts of leadership in both countries. This commitment has elevated the bilateral ties to the status of a strategic partnership, setting the stage for deeper collaboration in numerous fields. The discussions between Minister Babayev and Ambassador Vladisavljevic were marked by mutual appreciation for the expanding scope of relations and the notable increase in trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Serbia. The active role played by the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was also recognized as instrumental in fostering closer economic ties between the two nations. Ambassador Vladisavljevic reaffirmed Serbia's steadfast determination to broaden its engagement with Azerbaijan, emphasizing the importance of building upon the foundation of strategic partnership to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. During the meeting, attention was directed towards exploring the current state and future prospects of cooperation across multiple sectors, including energy, transport-logistics, social welfare, agriculture, education, humanitarian aid, infrastructure, and more. Both sides expressed eagerness to capitalize on existing synergies and explore new avenues of collaboration to unlock the full potential of their partnership. In the energy sector, Azerbaijan's expertise and resources present opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation with Serbia, particularly in areas such as energy security and diversification. Collaborative efforts in transport-logistics hold the promise of enhancing connectivity and facilitating smoother trade flows between the two countries and beyond. Furthermore, cooperation in social welfare, agriculture, education, and humanitarian initiatives can contribute to the well-being and development of both Azerbaijani and Serbian citizens. Strengthening infrastructure ties can further bolster economic growth and regional connectivity, laying the groundwork for sustained cooperation in the years to come. As Azerbaijan and Serbia chart a course for deeper cooperation, they are guided by a shared commitment to fostering peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. By leveraging their respective strengths and resources, these two nations are poised to build a resilient partnership that will benefit their peoples and contribute to regional development. The meeting between Minister Sahil Babayev and Ambassador Dragan Vladisavljevic signals a renewed commitment to advancing Azerbaijan-Serbia relations across multiple fronts. As they explore avenues for cooperation, both countries are poised to unlock new opportunities and cement their status as valued partners on the global stage. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 09:00 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, President of COP29 Mukhtar Babayev met with Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus within the framework of the sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly, Azernews reports with reference to the official COP29 page on the X social network. "COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev met with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly and discussed the importance of climate action for improving public health and health systems," the statement reds. At @UNEP #UNEA6, @COP29_AZ President-Designate, Mukhtar Babayev met @DrTedros, Director-General of @WHO, to discuss the importance of climate action to improve public health and healthcare systems. pic.twitter.com/SYjW655t0U COP29 AZ (@COP29_AZ) March 1, 2024 It should be noted that this year Azerbaijan will host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - COP29. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 04:04 (UTC+04:00) Fatime Letifova Read more Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Toivo Klaar, the special representative of the European Union on the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, within the framework of the 3rd Antalya Diplomatic Forum. According to Azernews, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has shared a post about this on official X page of the ministry. "I once again emphasized Azerbaijan's position on issues related to the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia," Jeyhun Bayramov said about the meeting. Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has met with Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar #ADF2024. The meeting revolved around the prospects of the draft peace treaty and the normalization issues between and . pic.twitter.com/vjh3WxWF39 MFA Azerbaijan (@AzerbaijanMFA) March 1, 2024 It should be noted that the 3rd Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which started on March 1, will continue until the 3rd of this month. The main theme of this year is "Promoting diplomacy in times of crisis". Four thousand people from more than a hundred countries, including 20 heads of state and government, are participating in the event. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 12:07 (UTC+04:00) The Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan, Parviz Shahbazov, visited the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Azernews informs, citing the ministry. Minister Shahbazov will participate in the 7th Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Summit of Heads of State and Government on March 2. The summit is planned to discuss policy, recent developments, and trends in the gas field, as well as the role of natural gas resources in the global energy market in the coming period. Shahbazov will also hold bilateral meetings. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 11:09 (UTC+04:00) Renewable projects agenda of Azerbaijan is very ambitious, President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with Euronews TV channel, Azernews reports. The head of state noted: The Caspian Sea potential of Azerbaijan is 157 gigawatt, which is based on the assessment of the International Finance Corporation. And we already started this important journey. We plan to use renewables maybe in the 10-year time at the maximum degree and reduce the consumption of natural gas domestically. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 March 2024 13:53 (UTC+04:00) Members of the Azerbaijani Parliament`s Legal Policy and State Building, and Human Rights Committees, have held a meeting with a visiting delegation of German Bundestag`s Committee on Legal Affairs, Azernews reports. First Deputy Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Chairman of Azerbaijani Parliaments Legal Policy and State Building Committee Ali Huseynli shed light on the historical roots of relations between the two nations and the valuable experience gained through inter-parliamentary relations. He highlighted the role of German experts in enhancing Azerbaijan`s legislation. Ali Huseynli also provided an insight into the reconciliation process and prospects for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Highlighting Azerbaijan's commitment to the rapprochement and peace agenda, First Deputy Speaker of the Milli Majlis elaborated on the expectations of the Azerbaijan people regarding the objectivity of European institutions, especially the fair position of Germany. Chairman of the Human Rights Committee Zahid Oruj underlined that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to relations with Germany. He pointed out that after liberation its lands from 30 years of occupation, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty on its own. Zahid Oruj stated that the slander campaign conducted against Azerbaijan in some Western circles, including the structures of the European Union, is unacceptable. Chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Bundestag Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker, as well as committee members emphasized the significance of peace continuity in terms of the development of stability, cooperation and prosperity in the South Caucasus. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz